Continued congratulations to Newtown High School Public Address Announcer Jason “J.” Edwards, who was honored for his 2,000th game during halftime of the NHS football game at Blue & Gold Stadium on October 18.

If you’re planning to head to Main Street this weekend to witness the changing of the summer-to-winter flag, hold tight for seven days. The changing of the seasonal Main Street flag has been rescheduled to next Saturday, due to a schedule conflict. Readers are still invited to witness the biannual event now planned for 8 am November 2. Keeper of the Flag Chris Gardner and members of Newtown Hook & Ladder Company and Newtown Lions Club will lower the summer flag before replacing it and raising the winter flag. Don’t forget though: you cannot arrive late for this event. Chris, the firefighters and the Lions Club members do not waste their time when it comes to doing this important task.

Meanwhile, we’re in the final stretch ahead of Halloween. This is the final opportunity to put those seasonal decorations on doors, windows, and front lawns. If you’re decorating for Halloween, you’re hardly alone. According to a recent survey, 68.7% of those ages 25-34 say they always decorate their homes. Men are embracing their inner ghouls, with 55.15% always decorating their homes, outpacing the 49.72% of women who admit to the same. Lawn Love did the survey at the beginning of this month, collecting responses from a random sample of just over 1,000 US adults.

Younger adults “are significantly more enthusiastic” about decorating their front yards, according to the same survey. Among those ages 25-34, a whopping 77.10% decorate their front yard, while an even more impressive 79.55% ages 18-24 does the same. Men are apparently more likely to decorate larger exterior areas (63.89%), windows (45.23%) and doors (41.99%), while women celebrate Halloween inside, focusing on indoor and entry spaces: 53.25% decorate the porch or entryway and 48.05% decorate inside their home.

While inflatable figures topped the list of favorite decoration type (32.43%), 61.63% of those ages 45-54 who are lighting up their Halloween scene say they always make sure there’s at least one classic jack-o’-lantern in the mix. The youth of Trinity Church will be hosting the 9th Annual Great Pumpkin Challenge as early as the approaching weekend. Carved pumpkins can be dropped off at 36 Main Street starting Sunday, October 27. A $5 donation is requested per pumpkin, and 100% of all funds collected continue to go to The Hole in the Wall Gang Camp. Donations can also be sent to Trinity Church, 36 Main Street, Newtown CT 06470, or made online via trinitynewtownct.org. All carved creations will be illuminated and displayed in front of the church on Halloween. Reservations are not needed to participate but if you do have questions, contact Kim Merrill at kmerrill@trinitynewtownct.org or 203-426-9070.

A final reminder too that we’ll be handing out candy to the earliest Trick or Treaters on Thursday night. We know of at least two Bee employees who will be dressing up for their first Halloween here. They will be joined by a few others at the front door of 5 Church Hill Road to hand out treats to the earliest (and generally the youngest) costumed guests who visit us. The Bee group will be available for at least 90 minutes or while their candy supply lasts.

I noticed the Gone Fishing sign has been posted at Holy Cow Ice Cream. The countdown toward spring has started there, and will be starting soon at Ferris Acres Creamery as well. This means a few things for regular Bee readers, especially those with children. We have been enjoying a wonderful partnership with the Creamery, who has generously donated an ice cream cake every week to the child whose name is selected for the long-running Birthday Cake column in our Schools pages. The child’s parents pick up a coupon from The Bee office, and they have until the end of each season to then visit the Creamery to pick up the cake. I’m offering a few friendly reminders this week. First, to the parents who still have coupons for this season, please don’t forget to visit the Creamery before it closes for the season next Wednesday. This season’s coupons expire then, on October 30. The second reminder is Birthday Cake will continue in the paper, as always, right through the winter. Parents (and grandparents) are still encouraged to send photos of children high school ages and under, to be printed in the paper along with their birthday and the age they will be turning. We will continue to select one name each week. Beginning with the issue of November 1, and continuing through next spring, we’ll still have a coupon available each week, and those coupons will be valid during the Creamery’s 2025 season. Send those photos and details to shannon@thebee.com before noon Tuesday each week.

Congratulations to Kristy Davenport, who picked up a stein and held it longer than any other woman last weekend during the 2024 Connecticut Steinholding State Championship. Contests for men and women were conducted October 19 at Bad Dog Brewing Company in Torrington, and rumor has it Kristy’s arm is still a little sore but she’s smiling.

Kevin Corey was happily surprised while on a day trip to Salem this week. He and some family members visiting from out of the area took a ride to Mitchell Farm Equine Retirement Inc in the small southeastern Connecticut town, where the nonprofit organization provides a safe and comfortable location for all equines (“and a few donkeys,” Kevin mentioned). As they were meeting members of the herd they found Zeus, a Warmblood Gelding who served within the Second Company Governor’s Horse Guard. According to a plaque on Zeus’s stall door, he’s been retired just shy of eight years.

Voting has opened for the Mayor of Connecticut’s Beardsley Zoo. Six animals are competing for the coveted title, which will crown the zoo’s fifth honorary mayor. Last year’s winner, Tahu the river otter, whose campaign was “Ready To Dive In,” reportedly spent most of her term swimming upstream while also promoting conservation and the benefits of clean water for the ecosystem. The election doubles as a fundraiser for this state’s only zoo. Voting is done by making a $1 donation with a text to the number connected with each candidate or online through beardsleyzoo.org. This year’s candidates are Dumbledore the Yellow-Banded Poison Dart Frog, who is campaigning on “Vibrant Leadership for a Brighter Future” (text 2025ZooMayor5 to 71777); Post Makoi the Koi Fish, with “Making Waves for a Greener Tomorrow!” (2025ZooMayor2 to 71777); Willow the Eastern Mud Turtle, with “Making Change from the Ground Up!” (2025ZooMayor1 to 71777); Berry the Reed Panda, with “Let’s Make Paws-itive Change Together!” (2025ZooMayor7 to 71777); Nuna the Andean Bear, with “More than Just the Bear Necessities!” (2025ZooMayor6 to 71777); and Ethel the Guinea Pig, who says “Don’t Go Hog Wild — Vote for Ethel!” (2025ZooMayor8 to 71777).

Voting continues to 11:59 pm Tuesday, November 5, and unlike standard elections, this campaign allows voters to cast as many ballots as they’d like. Just remember each vote is $1. The winning mayor will hold a 12-month term and all donations to the ballot box will support the zoo’s mission of conservation, education, research and fun.

This is where I’m going to offer my standard reminder that there’s always more good news waiting for everyone who remembers to come back next week, when you can … read me again.