Judie (Olson) Wheeler, one of the Camp Fire Girls pictured in the August 21 “The Way We Were” column, sent us some info noting that “Camp McKay was on Lake Kenosia.” She does not remember exactly where on the lake it was located, but we thank her for the update on a bit of history!

Maegan Wood and Sharon Farrell had a visitor to their Jeremiah Road backyard this Monday evening, when a double-ear-tagged bear came a-calling. I suspect this is the same bear that has been touring town the past few weeks; some yards have had an open invitation, with bird feeders still full of seed. That’s a big no-no this time of year, according to DEEP. Take in the bird feeders until November, and don’t forget to stop filling them come spring. Bird food and any pet food left outdoors is asking bears to visit. (Of course, even if there are no such temptations, sometimes bears just seem to enjoy a little stroll through the area!)

Be alert to traffic shifts, such as the one this past Wednesday night, on the Rochambeau Bridge on I-84. Road work, scheduled to run through 2023, is underway and means drivers have to pay attention to changes as they traverse this section of the highway now.

Hurricane Laura caused devastating damage in Louisiana recently. How can you help? The Red Cross is one organization that is accepting donations to help the people affected by that hurricane — many of whom expected to be not just days, but possibly weeks, without power. Homes and businesses have been destroyed. The losses are great. If you can donate $10 or more, visit https://www.redcross.org/donate/donation.html/?donprodid=100083. Every tax deductible donation helps. In the meantime, be cautious about donation to organizations with which you are unfamiliar. There are always those who prey on the generosity of others in times of disaster.

You’ll find a familiar byline in this week’s issue, as we welcome Sports Editor Andy Hutchison back to the fold. The Bee is creeping slowly back toward a bigger staff, after the coronavirus shut down print production for two months in April (to keep all staff safe). Our return in June has been with a reduced staff as the business community — and our advertisers — get back on their feet. Welcome back, Andy! We know that Newtown is hungry for some local sports reporting.

We thank 7-year-old Madison Vaccaro, who shared her artwork with us. Madison colored in last week’s coloring page, a tribute to Bow Tie Day (and our own bow tie-wearing publisher). Look for the coloring page on this week’s education section page, created by education reporter Eliza Hallabeck. Do your best and then send a photograph of it to eliza@thebee.com, or drop it off at our 5 Church Hill Road office, for possible inclusion in an upcoming issue of The Newtown Bee.

In November of 2012, a family answered an online ad, and adopted a cat from a boy (maybe 12 or 13 at the time) in Sandy Hook. The boy had rescued a litter of kittens found in the woods. The family lost the contact info for the young man; now this family would like to share their kitty’s success story and The Bee would love to get in touch with the kitten rescuer, too. Did you rescue kittens eight years ago? Do you know a young man who did? Please contact alissa@thebee.com if you can add to this story!

Fresh from celebrating the opening of her one-artist exhibition “Here and Hereafter,” Newtown artist Lydia Viscardi has another special event coming up. Lydia will participate in a virtual artist’s talk on Friday, September 18, at 6 pm, hosted by Five Points Gallery. A collection of her mixed-media paintings and works on paper recently opened at the Torrington gallery. On view until early October, the collection can be viewed in person and online; call 860-618-7222 or visit fivepointsgallery.org for details. Next Friday evening, all are invited to join Lydia for the artist’s talk. Information about joining that is also available by calling the gallery or visiting its website.

Did you miss the Full Corn Moon (so named by the Algonquin tribes, according to NASA) this Tuesday night? Maybe you’ll caught a glimpse of the planet Venus on the horizon very early on Friday morning, or get a peek at Mars on Saturday night, close to the moon. There are still a few shooting star shows about, as well. Kind of a stellar week, you might say.

Labor Day, while a bit on the unusual side this year, still means that close family will be planning some kind of get together. One of your family members may be of the furry variety, and that means being a little careful on this holiday (regarding pet owner responsibilities, as well as coronavirus precautions). If you are grilling, make sure someone is keeping an eye on your dog or cat who might be inspired by the tempting scents to jump up or near the grill — leading to possible burns or, if Fido is big enough, a burning grill tipped on its side! Bones are another danger, especially chicken bones. Keep them away for your dog; picnic plates abandoned with bones on them are just too big a temptation, so throw your plates away or clear the table when no one is in attendance. That leads to that yummy smelling garbage can... there are so many things in there that can lead to tummy troubles: corn cobs, tin foil, skewers... Keep the lids on tight! An ice cold alcohol-based drink might be a delight to you, but if your dog or cat gets into it (curiosity killed the cat, remember) it can spell trouble. And it might be an end of summer picnic, but we know that Labor Day can be as hot as any other summer day. If it is hot and humid, the best place for pets is inside, where it is cool, or confined in a shady spot. Keep this holiday fun, and safe for everyone!

There’s no parade for me to weave my way in and out of this year, so I’ll be pawing through pictures of parades of the past. I hope you’ll take the time to read this week’s article on our town’s parade history, and take your own trip down memory lane — with fingers and paws crossed for the return next year of our annual summer’s end tradition.

You don’t have to wait till next year, though, for me to put my claws to the keyboard. Make time next week to... Read me again.