Dr Robert Grossman visited The Newtown Bee’s office building last week to share a special surprise with us. As pictured, he is holding not three, not two, but one tomato! Dr Bob grew this wacky tomato, and he just had to share it with us. We appreciated the surprise — I bet it made one great salad.

Along with recognition for Nouveau Monde Wine Bar as an editor’s pick for the 2018 “Best Of” listing in the recent Connecticut Magazine, another Sandy Hook business received a shout-out. Newtown resident Wendy Leon-Gambetta noted that the Sandy Hook Diner was deserving of a “Best Of” for diners, and it was awarded Connecticut Magazine’s Readers’ Choice honor. Congratulations to both local businesses.

Hawley Elementary School Principal Christopher Moretti held a barbecue for his school’s faculty and staff on Thursday, August 23, at the school. His apron reads, “If you barbecue, they will come.” Judging by how many members of the faculty and staff were ready to welcome students on August 27, he must have served up some tasty burgers and hotdogs.

Debbie DeBlasi shared this photo of the first day of school, when First Selectman Dan Rosenthal drove by the Megan’s Circle bus stop and stopped to take a picture with Ian Sachs, Vivienne Tisi, Cammie Tisi, Ellie Pickard, Emily Sachs, Nicholas DeBlasi, Nate Pickard, and PJ Tisi, who were waiting for the bus.

Are you ready for the parade? I’m always eager to see what ideas clubs and organizations come up with for the Labor Day Parade floats — not to mention all the other great entries that make this a wonderful end of summer event in town. That’s this coming Monday, September 3, starting at 10 am — see you on Main Street!

Our area independent book store, Byrd’s Books, in Bethel, is going to be buzzing with activity in September at its new 178 Greenwood Avenue site (next to the Toy Room). As part of the Brookfield Library’s “One Town, One Read” events, the store is hosting My Dear Hamilton: A Novel of Eliza Schuyler Hamilton authors Stephanie Dray and Laura Kamoie for an author talk, as well as a Q&A and book signing, Thursday, September 6, at 7 pm. You’ll want to sign up to hear how Dray and Kamoie turned letters and other sources into a novel about Alexander Hamilton’s wife. To save a spot or pre-order a book, visit events.r20.constantcontact.com/register/event?oeidk=a07efmw2tcid9bcc8c3&llr. (The next day, these authors will also be at the Brookfield Library, 182 Whisconier Road, if that is more convenient for you. From 3 to 5 pm, they will be present at Afternoon Tea at the library, sponsored in part by Simpson & Vail Tea Company of Brookfield. And on Saturday, September 8, from 3 to 5 pm, the authors will present a 30 minute talk on Eliza Hamilton, followed by Q&A and book signing. The public is welcome, but please register at the library or at brookfieldlibrary.org.)

Bethel author, illustrator, science communicator, comic creator, and deep sea diver, Karen Romano Young, will be at Byrd’s Wednesday, September 12, at 7 pm, with a talk and slide presentation about her journey to the ends of the Earth and the AntarcticLog she created in response, drawn as science comics she calls Humanimal Doodles. To save a spot, visit conta.cc/2LgS8WC.

There’s a 20th anniversary celebration of Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone on Friday, September 14, at Byrd’s from 5 to 7 pm, too, and the Vintage Baker helps celebrate Byrd’s Books’ grand re-opening on Saturday, September 15... I could go on! There’s all this and more, so visit byrdsbooks.com for the full details.

Jason Pease was pulling out of his Shut Road driveway last Friday morning when a black bear walked across the street in front of his truck. “It’s the first time I’ve seen one in Newtown,” Jason tells us. He immediately let his parents know, as well as “some people walking up the street” that there was a bear in the vicinity. “It walked calmly through our yard back towards the park,” he says, noting that they live near Huntington State Park, which borders our town. Just a reminder that even if you have not yet sighted a bear, bear activity continues in Newtown — be alert when you are out.

Mystic Aquarium is seeking public support. The aquarium cares for species that are on the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List of Threatened Species™, as well as the Federal Endangered Species List. “Recently proposed rule changes would significantly weaken the Endangered Species Act, risking extinction for these species and countless more,” according to a recent e-mail that came my way. “An initial public comment period has been initiated by US Fish and Wildlife Service (USFW) to hear the public’s feedback on proposed changes to the Act... An action alert can be found on the Aquarium’s website, www.mysticaquarium.org, where participants can join Mystic Aquarium in urging the US Department of Fish and Wildlife Service to rescind the proposed rule changes. Petitions will also be located at Mystic Aquarium during two outreach events: International Coastal Cleanup celebration on Sunday, September 16, and National Estuaries Day Celebration on Sunday, September 23.”

I’ll have my own outreach, as well, to fill this column next week with the news you want. Be sure to... Read me again.