Hometown Person: Arlene Neiman

The Inn at Newtown is looking a little peppier these days, with some sprucing up of the shrubbery out front. I don’t know about you, but I look forward to this Main Street treasure returning to its glory days.

Nature was not satisfied with making us struggle with a deadly virus, but decided this week to toss in a damaging wind and rain storm on Monday, and top it off with snow showers and chilly weather on Thursday morning. Welcome to New England springtime!

Share with our readers what is good in your world. The Bee is looking for residents to submit personal essays (500 word limit), as well as photos, for consideration and possible publication on our website, as may be appropriate. Submissions are subject to editing for style and content, and those accepted for publication will be done so with no expectation of compensation. Send your submission in a MS Word of plain text document file, and any submitted photos (large resolution jpg images) via e-mail to editor@thebee.com, Subject line: Essay. We are looking forward to your stories!

For those who are missing their book groups, it’s C.H. Booth Library to the rescue! The library is starting a virtual book group — download the free Hoopla app, select your library, and get the book free as an audio or e-book. Read The Lost Book of Adana Moreau by Michael Zapata for the virtual group, the story of a Latin American science fiction writer and the lives her lost manuscript unites decades later in post-Katrina New Orleans. The book is “an ode to home, storytelling and the possibility of parallel worlds,” the library notes. The book discussion date is Thursday, April 30, at 7 pm. Participants will receive a link to the virtual meeting the day before, so an e-mail address is required. E-mail programs@chboothlibrary if you have questions.

Protect Our Pollinators (POP) member Mary Wilson shared some news from the Pollinator Pathways Northeast newsletter. The good news, she noted, is that the Pollinator Pathway is now in over 95 towns and was just featured in Edible Nutmeg magazine. Other news included that “The Pollinator Pathway has teamed up with the Northeast Organic Farm Association (CT NOFA) to help create a source of organic, locally grown, wild-collected seed from our ecoregion... Also, invite your local garden center or nursery to make these plants available by ordering them from CT wholesaler Planters Choice.”

The Catherine Violet Hubbard Foundation has a weekly theme on life all around us — from water wonders to baby animals and more. “From Our Sanctuary to Yours” presents videos, crafts, tips, and all kinds of information about animals and the environment. You can find it all at cvhfoundation.org.

Be sure to check out our updated list of restaurant offerings at newtownbee.com. So many of our local eateries are going out of their ways to make sure that you can still have the food you love — and in some cases, the beer and wine you love to go with it! It has taken a lot of effort for these businesses to reimagine how to serve you best, so please consider supporting them by ordering takeout or delivery, or even purchasing a gift card for later use. You’ll find a lot of special order information at their Facebook and websites, as well as by giving them a call.

Missy Alton and Trish Wootton told me last week that when they became the new co-owners of Yoga Dimensions, 87 South Main Street, in January, they had no idea how “flexible” they would have to become just a few months later. Like so many studios, they are hoping their members and new folks seeking some means of solace will check out their website, www.yogadimensions.net, for online practice options.

I happen to know that just down the street, at 78 South Main Street, Aline Marie of The Newtown Yoga Center is also offering online practice options. Visit thenewtownyogacenter.com to find out how you can stay serene in this decidedly unserene time.

Still more yoga opportunities are offered by Newtown yoga instructor JoJo Keane — watch Pajama Yoga at https://youtu.be/rt2heSf4Ffo. Namaste!

Everyone has been seeking places to enjoy pleasant spring weather — keeping socially distanced, of course. If Bent of the River Audubon Center in Southbury has been on your radar, please know that while all center events and programs are canceled through April 30, the trails remain open “with appropriate measures to protect the health of our visitors,” according to bentoftheriveraudubon.org. There are no restroom accommodations, though, and as all schedules are so fluid these days, you might want to call to confirm before going, 203-264-5098.

You might know her as Katie Rose Crevier, NHS Class of 2006. She shared a note from UCONN dated April 6: Katie Rose Grigg, MS, FNP [Family Nurse Practitioner] successfully defended her DNP [Doctor of Nursing Practice] Final Presentation today! Title of DNP Project: “The Impact of a Recreational Physical Activity Education for Adolescent Girls in a Low Income Community.” Her committee was composed of Drs Ivy Alexander (Major Advisor), Lindsey DeStefano and Nicole Seagriff (Associate Advisors). Congratulations, Katie Rose! (Okay, full disclosure: so her parents happen to be Newtown Bee Editor Nancy K. Crevier and Philip Crevier, recognized by many in town as the organist at Newtown Congregational Church!)

Corey LaRocque, sister of the late Officer Stephen Ketchum of the Newtown Police Department, shared with me that many recall that “Steve passed away in 2016 after developing cancer following his exposure to toxins at Ground Zero after the 9-11 attacks. Steve was scheduled to be honored this May in Washington, DC at the National Police Week services. Those plans have changed due to COVID-19 and they are now trying to do a virtual ceremony instead.” Now, photos of Steve that Corey is providing will be included in a Virtual Memory Board to be posted on Facebook “and I believe will also be available via other social media.” Corey thinks there may be a virtual candlelight vigil on May 13, and that a virtual memory board will be released in video format on May 14. What a lovely honor for our former policed officer.

Even in this time of social distancing, I hope you will not keep your distance from this column. I’m still here, so be sure next week to... Read me again.