Thanks to all of our readers who are being so patient as we work out quirks on our new website, and while staff learns the ins and outs of the system. We hope you are loving some of the newer features — more and larger photos, font size options, games, and an interactive poll among them. We invite comments on stories, too; but our new site requires you to log in to do so. Please be sure to log in at the top of the home page and create an account. It’s easy to create an account, and there’s no cost involved.

Lisa Peterson, who authors our “Lisa Unleashed” horse and dog news column, is moving on in her busy life and has bid farewell to that column. We will miss her wit and wisdom, as I’m sure readers will.

Antonio Viscuso — known as “Coach Tony” to those in town who take his soccer program at C.H. Booth Library — visited The Newtown Bee’s office on September 6 for his Snapshot interview, and he brought in his two sons, Maxwell, 3, and Matteo, 6. The boys read quietly on the couch while their father talked to features reporter Alissa Silber, then they all gathered close together for a group photo to commemorate their special outing.

The return of [naviga:u]Panacea and friends to Dickinson Park on Labor Day weekend[/naviga:u] was another success for performers and attendees alike. Leslie Ballard, flutist and one of the vocalists for the band, said this week that the show headlined by a band that formed when its members were Newtown High School students nearly four decades ago “had a bigger crowd than ever.” This was the third full performance by Panacea in six years; the members have reunited only for a few Labor Day weekend shows in their former hometown. “Perfect weather and lots of old friends, including [former] High School Principal Al Cramer and his popular wife, Coke; [former] music department head Joe Grasso, physics teacher Mr Chesto, and several other teachers. It was great,” Leslie said September 11. In addition to performances by the headliner, Manny Pavone, and The Willie-Portera Trio, a collection of nonperishables was done for FAITH Food Pantry. Newtown Bee front office employee Bridget Seaman volunteered to collect the items for the food pantry and brought along Flat Bridget for the afternoon as well. Flat Bridget — fashioned after the popular children’s book character Flat Stanley — has been making the rounds since 2013, when “she” debuted during The Great Newtown Reunion… at which Panacea also performed. Among those who were photographed with Flat Bridget on September 2 were none other than Leslie and her brother Corky, as seen above.

Newtown Cultural Arts Commission presents the Newtown Arts Festival this weekend at Fairfield Hills. From Friday night, when Lords of 52nd Street perform, through Saturday and Sunday, the grounds will be filled with vendors, informational booths (including The Newtown Bee, so “bee” sure to stop by and register to win a subscription and say “Hello!”), and art activities too many to mention. Don’t miss the Art of Farming tent (a brand-new feature) on Saturday. Celebrate Newtown’s past as a self-sustained rural community with presentations like The Art of Maple Syrup, or Why Does The Chicken Live in Newtown? There’s lots to learn between 11 am and 5 pm each day! An Evening Under The Stars on Saturday evening presents local musicians NENME, theater, and oral works. Get your tickets at [naviga:u]newtownartsfestival.com/entertainment[/naviga:u] for Friday and Saturday night events. Additional [naviga:u]2018 Newtown Arts Festival events will continue well into October[/naviga:u], so keep checking our calendar page and stories for details.

A reminder that Paproski’s Castle Hill Farm will host the 43rd Annual Ukrainian Festival on Sunday. The September 16 event will begin at 11 am with Divine Liturgy celebrated by Father Ivan Mazuryk, from Protection of the Blessed Virgin Mary Ukrainian Catholic Church in Bridgeport. It will continue into the afternoon with plenty of food, entertainment, hayrides, a petting zoo, volleyball and horseshoe tournaments, a varenyky eating contest at 4, and plenty of other entertainment and activities. Admission is by donation, and there is plenty of free parking at the farm, 25 Sugar Lane. For information, contact Gloria (Paproski) Horbaty at 203-269-5909 or Stephen Paproski at 203-426-5487.

It’s been the usual New England roller coaster of weather, with temperatures plummeting from last week’s 90-plus degrees and high humidity to the 50s and cool breezes the beginning of this week... before creeping back up on the thermometer. Is it summer? Yes. But officially, autumn takes hold this year on September 22, at exactly 9:54 pm, according to the Old Farmer’s Almanac. We are always at the mercy, though, of how Mother Nature prefers to bestow her magic upon us. Let’s see what the next few weeks bring.

Grab your household hazardous waste items together. A free drop-off event takes place at the Danbury Public Works garage, 53 Newtown Road, Danbury on Saturday, September 29, from 9 am to 2 pm. Residents of Newtown are welcome, along with other area town residents, to dispose of their hazardous waste items here, including paints and varnishes, adhesives, pesticides and insecticides, moth balls, dry cleaning solvents, aerosal cans, airplane glue, camera batteries, and mercury thermostats. For directions, visit [naviga:u]hrra.org [/naviga:u]or call 203-775-4539 with questions.

It sounds a little like an oxymoron, but a baby giant anteater has been born at Bridgeport’s Beardsley Zoo. We have received word that on the evening of July 30, the baby, a male, was born and is now nine pounds. Proud parents are second time dad, EO, and third time mom, Pana. Currently, mother and baby are in seclusion most of the day, with brief forays into the outdoor habitat for fresh air and sunshine, according to an e-mail from the zoo.

I’ll be making my own foray into the fresh air this week to gather news. Be sure to... Read me again.