It is nearly half a year away, but the Labor Day Parade Committee members have been meeting already in preparation for Newtown’s big end of summer celebration. Parade president Kym Stendahl and committee members Brian Amey, Nick Paproski, Dan Cruson, AnnMarie DeWeese, and Robin Brachman met last month and decided on the 2008 parade theme: “VNA — Keeping Newtown Healthy.” Hand-in-hand with that decision was the selection of the 2008 parade grand marshal. What better choice could the committee have made than former state representative and longtime VNA member Mae Schmidle? Congratulations, Mae! I wonder if this means everyone in the parade will have to wear red?

RIS teacher Karen King is returning to Buduburam over spring break to the Carolyn A. Miller School to deliver photos her classes have taken to the Liberian refugee students and work with them on writing about the photos. She is hoping to collect a few specific items that the RIS pen pal school would really benefit from, she tells me. Old but functioning digital cameras and laptop computers are especially needed. The kids there started a camera club and a few cameras would make all the difference. Plus a laptop, especially a Macintosh, says Karen, would be a dream come true. The items will be hand delivered and she would be happy to take photos of the recipients so that the donor can know exactly where the donations are going. If you have upgraded your digital camera or laptop, why not consider dropping off your used ones at the Reed Intermediate School front office? Karen is happy to answer any questions, so give her a call at the school if you need to do so.

Last weekend was a musical extravaganza in town, and this weekend’s in-town fun is launched with the Trinity Episcopal Church Youth Ministry “International Night of Culture” fundraising festivity. The event will run from 7 to 10 pm Friday, April 4, in the Alexandria Room at Edmond Town Hall, and will offer food and wines from around the world while raising money for Trinity’s Youth Pilgrimage Fund and Newtown Youth & Family Services. The $25 admission includes not only delicious treats, but live entertainment and a silent auction. Tickets can be purchased in advance at Yankee Wine & Spirits, Stop & Save Liquors, or by calling 270-9188.

“By the pricking of my thumbs, something wicked this way comes,” as Shakespeare said. And something wickedly good is coming to Newtown. The Friends of the C.H. Booth Library are presenting a Shakespeare on the Sound production, “Something Wicked This Way Comes,” Sunday afternoon, April 6, at the Meeting House. It’s free, but you need to get one of the few remaining tickets at the library in order to get a seat. To go, or not to go, that is the question. I say, “Go.” Call 426-4533 for more information, or stop by the circulation desk at the library. Right on the heels of this great program, I have to remind you, is another Friends event, “Global Warming: Fact or Fiction” featuring meteorologist Art Horn, Tuesday evening, April 8, at 7 pm. This is one in a series of programs on global warming topics this month at the library.

It was deja vu for wedding guests when The Newtown Choral Society sang at the wedding of Beth Macmillan and Dan Henvy Sunday, March 30, at The Meeting House. The choir had sung at Beth’s sister’s wedding seven years ago and Beth remembered it vividly. Jonathan Pope, a past director of The Newtown Choral Society, was at the organ and piano for the ceremony, and Mary Andreotta directed the choir with Todd Gorski on the piano with Jessica Braun and Chuck Magoulas the featured soloists.

There was steam coming out of people’s ears and a stampede for fire-quenching liquids Sunday at the Newtown Congregational Church as Phil Crevier defended his crown at the second annual chili competition there after church services. Phil’s specialty is a black bean pineapple habanero chili that puts hair on your chest — or takes it off, if it is already there. The winner will be announced next Sunday, but rumor has it that Phil is sweating it out against Carol Smiley’s Fit for Life chili….

Regular fans of my column (I know you are out there!) might recall a blurb from Dan Cruson a few weeks back about Newtown’s link with the Charge of the Light Brigade. Thomas Kenzie, who lived in Newtown from 1879 to about the early 1920s, was the last surviving member of that 1854 Crimean War battle immortalized by poet Tennyson. Dan has since updated me — and readers of the Newtown Historical Society’s newsletter probably read this — that Mr Kenzie actually was on the sidelines during that battle. A bayonet wounded his hands during the earlier Siege of Sevastopol to the extent that he would not have been able to handle a bayonet or other weaponry, Dan told me. Of course, this doesn’t make him any less a member of that brave group. I don’t know what would have been worse: being in among the troops and cut down in battle, or having to watch as all of your friends and leaders crumble beneath the cannon fire?

Laura Lerman spotted someone familiar and if you’re looking for a familiar face REALLY early in the morning, try Morning Joe on MSNBC. Chris Licht, son of Peter and Susan Licht, is the executive producer and occasionally appears on screen reading e-mails. The show airs from 6 am to 9 am. That’s in-between first breakfast and second breakfast, for me.

I’m too lazy to switch my TV channel from the Animal Planet, but flipping through the channels, Laura discovered something else. She also pointed out to me that if you think you’ve heard a familiar name on the CBS show The Big Bang Theory and that familiar name is Main Street resident Howard Wolowitz, you’re right. Howard’s former business partner, Bill Prady, is currently one of the executive producers, the creator, and writer of the show, and deliberately borrowed Howard’s name for the character. He did tell Howard that the character’s personality isn’t supposed to mirror Howard’s, though. Bill Prady’s other writing and producing credits include Dharma & Greg, Gilmore Girls, Dream On, Married with Children, Caroline and the City, Two and a Half Men and Good Morning, Miami.

I was pussyfooting around the other day and found out that NHS seniors have a really special scholarship available this spring. The Gift of Green is a brand new scholarship established by local residents Jeff and Brenda Wurtz. One boy and one girl from the senior class at the high school is each eligible to win $1,500. High school seniors should check with the Career Center or guidance office at the high school for more information about this scholarship. Applicants will be asked to write an essay on their ideas of how businesses, in their programs and practices, can affect the idea of going “green” to reduce pollution in the business environment. Application deadline is April 25, just after Earth Day, fittingly enough.

Speaking of Earth Day, there are lots of little things we can do to reduce our carbon footprint or to make the environment a little cleaner, and one of those is to sign up to support renewable energy at newwindenergy.com. For every 100 households that sign up, the town is eligible for solar panel. Similarly, the town is trying to lead by example to make the municipality’s energy use 20 percent renewable energy by 2010. Can I hope that they will install one of those solar panels right over my napping chair?

At any rate, I hope next week does not catch you napping and that you will…. Read me again.