One of the photos in our story “Old Photos Prompt Memories Of Newtown Trolley,” in the June 28 print edition of The Newtown Bee, prompted a memory for Sarah Farell. Sarah posted under the online story, “I’m that little 8 year old girl waving to the camera. The little boy next to me is Brian Teeney. We both lived on Fleetwood Drive and along with many other neighborhood kids we helped Bud Mackowicki build the trolly (sic).” Thanks for adding to this fun article, Sarah!

A lot of residents in the Taunton Lane area enjoyed the fireworks bursting in air over the equestrian farm there, the evening of the Fourth of July. The private fireworks show was shared with any of the public lucky enough to be in that vicinity when twilight fell.

Underhill Road resident Gary Fillion, front and center, spent the July 4 holiday on Lake Zoar at the sandbar. He and friends gathered as many red-white-and-blue themed lake-goers as possible for a group picture. There were more dressed in the country’s colors, but too many to fit in a photo, Mr Fillion said.

Thank you to all who kept an eye out for the black pug that went missing around Sandy Hook Center two weeks ago. According to a Newtown Animal Control Center staff member, the pooch broke loose from its pet sitter and was picked up by local animal-lover Liz Luzietti shortly after. The dog was reunited with its owner, as well as its canine friend. To report a missing or found dog, call the Newtown Animal Control Center at 203-426-6900.

Also, on July 9, the Newtown Animal Control Center launched its annual Shelter Buddies Reading Program. Children can visit, accompanied by an adult, and read to the dogs and cats at the shelter, 21 Old Farm Road. The program runs through August 22 and takes place every Tuesday and Thursday, from noon to 2 pm.

I’m topping off my pile of books to read, and I’ll bet you are, too — at the upcoming Friends of the C.H. Booth Library Annual Book Sale. The sale starts this Saturday, July 13, at Reed Intermediate School. There’s always a fun rush when the doors open at 9 am, even with the Saturday-only entry fee of $5/person (ages 18 and under are free, and every other day of the sale, which runs through Wednesday, July 17, has no entry fee). If you’re up early, you can get a numbered admission ticket on Saturday, beginning at 7 am. Our local book sale is known region-wide for its amazing selection of books, CDs, DVDs, and LPs, all alphabetized and categorized for shopping ease. Plus, knowledgable volunteers are ready to help you find what you are looking for; or just enjoy browsing and people watching! The sale runs til 5 pm on Saturday; then continues on Sunday, 9 am to 5 pm; Monday, 9 am to 7 pm (half price day); Tuesday, 9 am to 7 pm ($5/our bag day); and Wednesday, 9 am to noon (FREE day). Happy reading!

Early bird book sale shoppers still leave time for some fun later in the day when the Roxbury Volunteer Fire Department presents the 45th “Pickin’ and Fiddlin’ Contest.” The event is at Hurlburt Park, 18 Apple Lane, Roxbury, and will show off the skills of country and bluegrass musicians. It’s underway Saturday, July 13, from 2 to 9 pm (rain date, Sunday, July 14, at noon). Admission is $12; children under 10 are free. Free parking is also available. Contestant registration starts at 12:30 pm. Prizes total more than $3,400, but maybe you’ll just enjoy listening. Bring lawn chairs, picnic blankets, and your own beverages (BYOB), but leave your dog behind. Food, refreshments, and crafts are also will be available for purchase. Call 860-354-5921 for more information.

Are you 21 years old or older? You might enjoy an evening at Murphy’s Pub, 71 South Main Street, when The Mike Brandon Band, including Newtown High School graduate Matt Campbell on piano, will be playing. Hear the band Friday, July 19, from 8 pm to midnight. (There’s no cover charge, by the way.)

Lunch boxes and backpacks can be lots of fun, and every year brings something new. What are the trends this year for kids going back to school? Let alissa@thebee.com know and we’ll share that in the Back To School supplement, coming this August.

The opening of the new Community Center and the new Senior Center at Fairfield Hills is only days away now. Final touches are being put on the facility, and you can find membership and program information at newtowncommunitycenter.org or at newtown-ct.gov/senior-center.

The Newtown Bee was a recipient of the Church Hill Village team’s pay-it-forward Fridays efforts last week, when three large pizzas arrived at our office — and were rapidly devoured. Thanks to all on the team, who are working hard to be a part of the community as the assisted living facility on The Boulevard prepares for a late summer/early fall opening.

Lunch boxes and backpacks can be lots of fun, and every year brings something new. What are the trends this year for kids going back to school? Let alissa@thebee.com know and we’ll share that in the Back To School supplement, coming this August.

What’s the buzz? We want to know! If you or someone you know is interested in taking part in casual conversations, moderated by staff of The Newtown Bee, send in contact information to editor@thebee.com, subject line Community Buzz, or call Nancy at 203-426-3141, and we’ll take down your information. These semi-regular, hour-long conversations generally are scheduled for a late Friday afternoon and offer one subject for five to six residents to chat about with each other. Some conversations may be used for future articles in the paper. Anyone 16 years of age or older is welcome to send in contact information. A diverse group each time will lead to spirited discussion, so we hope to hear from more youth, men, and women willing to share their thoughts.

While readers of our print edition know that they receive all the Newtown news that we can fit onto our pages each week (reminder: not everything that goes into our print edition goes online), there is one thing we have that can only be found on our website, lower right of most pages, and that’s our online poll. The most recent one asked website visitors which of the following they would put up with: a bad hair day, a root canal, or traffic. Bad Hair Day was the clear winner this time, with 42 votes. Traffic followed with 13 votes, and just two people said they would rather go for a root canal than either of the other choices. Check our website every few weeks for the latest poll, won’t you? If you have a suggestion for a poll topic, send a note to Associate Editor Shannon Hicks at shannon@thebee.com, with Online Poll as the subject line.

Newtown High School grad Jessica Gaddis is curating a group exhibition at the Matthewis Persen House in Kingston, N.Y., if you care to take a ride. “The House” is an exhibit of “objects created by multiple artists” in a variety of mediums, and “It’s goal is to showcase the things in our lives that tell us about our past and how we can understand who we are today by what people have left behind,” according to information at ulstercountyny.gov/countyclerk/Persen-House-Schedule-2019.pdf. The opening reception is scheduled for Saturday, July 27, from 1 to 3 pm. If you can’t make the reception, not to worry — the exhibit continues through September 7.

Pack in some more fun for that day: It’s not too soon to mark your calendar for Newtown Day, July 27. The Chamber/Parks & Rec sponsored event runs from 11 am to 8 pm, featuring more than 20 food trucks, and there will be a brew garden from noon to last call at 7:30 pm. You’ll find vendors (be sure to stop by The Newtown Bee booth!) and live music all day long. There is a $3 admission fee for those 12 years old and above. Find out more, including shuttle and parking info, at newtownday.com.

Newtown Day is every day, as far as I’m concerned. I’ll drum up news for you next week if you... Read me again.