As this cat roams free I offer a reminder to all of you kooky dog-owning people that Newtown residents should be registering or renewing your canine pet’s license this month. All dogs over the age of six months must be registered, which also verifies rabies immunization is up-to-date. Residents can register their dogs online at newtown-ct.gov/town-clerk/pages/dog-license-information, by mail by sending a self-addressed stamped envelope with a check made out to Town of Newtown and sent to Town Clerk’s Office, 3 Primrose Street, Newtown, CT 06470, or in person at the Office of the Town Clerk. Be sure to take with you a copy of a current rabies certificate if it isn’t already on file, and a copy of spaying or neutering certificate if this is the first time a dog is being licensed.

This photo shows Jim Taylor’s biggest challenge when working remotely. Our editor needed to be home one weekday last week, and did well filing and editing stories for most of the day. When it seemed like he’d been on a suspiciously long break, however, I sent a note to make sure he was OK. The photo above was his response. Apparently Bellini didn’t understand that Jim being home in the middle of the week did not automatically mean she would have his undivided attention. She took that challenge in her own hands, clearly.

Doreen and Ed Kelleher recently spent time in Philadelphia, where they celebrated the graduation of son Dylan from the Emergency Medicine four-year residency program at Jefferson Einstein. Dylan is now an award-winning attending. His next stop is Boston and the Emergency Department at Tufts. Not only did Dylan embark on this major career journey during the early stages of COVID, he did so with such strength and tenacity that he picked up the Clinical Excellence Award during commencement exercises. We join his parents in feeling pretty proud of this hometown young man.

Firefighters responded on Monday to a call for help after a service vehicle pulled some communication wires off a home. The driver of the vehicle reportedly snagged the wires on his truck, which happens. We know this. He then got out of his vehicle, however, and took it upon himself to take the wires off the truck. Readers, I beg you: never do that. This brief tale has a happy ending because it was not a set of live wires that came down on that truck. The unnamed driver could have been seriously harmed, or worse, had those lines been active when he went to move them. Please call for help — even if you’re embarrassed — and let trained people be the ones to approach wires when something happens. We’re taught this at all ages: treat all downed wires as live. Don’t step on them. Don’t drive over, under or even around them. Do not touch them.

Former Newtown resident Kimberly Day Proctor has some electrifying news, although not of the dangerous variety. Kim will be at Warrens Landing in Woodbury this weekend, when she will offer an encaustic painting demonstration. Using a basic set-up of a heated palette, encaustic paint and brushes, Kim plans to show the beginning steps of this painting style in which pigments are mixed with hot liquid wax. She’ll talk about her artistic process and answer questions about her work and creative process. Warrens Landing is at 920 Main Street South/Route 6 in Woodbury — look for the red barn behind Monique Shay Antiques.

Lucia’s Deli owner Antonio St Lorenzo also has special plans for the approaching weekend. I hear Antonio has done a big cookout every year at the VA Hospital in West Haven, where he offers his thanks to veterans. This Saturday will mark the 17th time Antonio and his team visit the Campbell Avenue medical center.

Ahead of Independence Day I’d like to remind my patriotic friends and readers that you should not lower your flag on July 4. Independence is celebrated, not mourned.

Friends of Newtown Seniors (FONS) and Newtown Youth & Family Services (NYFS) have announced a new initiative being coordinated with Newtown Savings Bank. The Thriving Together Financial Literacy Program for youth and seniors aims to empower individuals to become financially savvy and connect with important financial resources and partners in the community. The program will provide financial literacy opportunities through educational workshops in collaboration with Newtown Savings Bank professionals. The workshops will be held in the fall, likely at NYFS. Before that time, NYFS is requesting input from local senior citizens for the program. A simple survey has been created by NYFS to indicate which suggested topics future program participants would like to learn about. There is also space to add something beyond the suggestions provided. The surveys are due by July 15 and are available from NYFS Community Liaison Susan Smith; send her a note at ssmith@newtownyouthandfamilyservices.org or call her at 203-426-4533 for details and/or a copy of the survey.

Well color me surprised! While reading Matt Austin’s review of Oat Squares (in print and online this week), the current production at TheatreWorks New Milford, we were alerted to another change for that production. The first change was the announcement about two months ago that George Barnett’s comedy would replace the previously announced Betty’s Summer Vacation. Fast forward to opening night on June 21, when one cast member left the production after the first performance. Now comes our happy surprise: Former Newtown Bee intern Jim Dietter stepped in to join the cast! Jim stumbled into acting just a few years ago, when he played Rocky in The Rocky Horror Show at Sherman Playhouse. It’s been enjoyable to see his name appear occasionally, and this week’s surprise appearance is a highlight. Oat Squares has a limited run in New Milford. The second of just two weekends is in front of us. See Matt’s review for additional details.

According to a recent survey, Connecticut’s favorite ice cream flavor is banana. The restaurant furniture manufacturer and wholesaler Affordable Seating reportedly analyzed Google search data for over 100 different ice cream flavors across each state in the country. The Nutmeg State’s favorites were, in declining order, banana, praline, Neapolitan, vanilla, and Moose Tracks. Catnip didn’t even break the top ten. I’m so disappointed. Countrywide, the top five favorites were Neapolitan, vanilla, Superman (that’s a thing??!), spumoni and rocky road. With three ice cream vendors, not to mention an Italian ice-gelato shop, within the 60.38 square miles this cat calls home, I’d be very curious to see what local ice cream lovers call their favorite.

What time is it? (Not time for banana ice cream, that’s for sure!) Those passing our office on Church Hill Road can easily answer that question once again, thanks to the work of a few people during the past week. Kody Shafer spent last Friday and most of Monday on-site, prepping and then doing repairs on the electric courtyard clock in front of Bee Publishing Company’s office. At the end of the day the clock’s face and surround were so clean — with fresh lettering, and a new glass case over the two lenses — they looked invisible. Brian Sacco then spent a few hours Tuesday morning doing some pruning, making it easier to see the clock again from either direction. Lighting has also returned to the clock’s interior, so drivers and other passersby can tell time again at any hour.

I hope you won’t lose track of time during the next week. I’ll be here in one week’s time. I hope you too, will come back to … read me again.