Why was Miss Frizzle (of The Magic School Bus fame) helping students off buses and enter Head O' Meadow Elementary School on Tuesday, May 10? Maybe because both Head O' Meadow and Hawley Elementary School are celebrating literacy weeks this week.The Bee.  She has already made some outings, shadowing Bee staffers and asking the Bee Lines question for next week's edition. Madeleine enjoys being outside, hiking, fishing, and going to the movies. She says her curious nature made her interested in journalism (I have that in common with her.) Journalism, she said, allows her to explore different things while being able to meet new people. I hope you are ready to meet Madeleine, because I'm sure she will be covering as much news as she can while completing her internship with us this summer. What is she most excited about doing this summer during her internship? "Seeing the town I grew up in from a different light as well as furthering my knowledge about journalism." Welcome to The Bee, Madeleine!www.newtown-ambulance.org.The Rainbow Comes and Goes: A Mother and Son on Life, Love, and Loss by Anderson Cooper and Gloria Vanderbilt. The book is a collection of correspondence between New York Times bestselling author and CNN newscaster Anderson Cooper and his mother, Gloria Vanderbilt. Refreshments are provided. For information or to RSVP, contact Emily Slattery at 203-648-5983. Seating is limited, so don't hesitate to call - or get reading.

Newtown High School 2015 graduate and Ohio University journalism major and rising sophomore Madeleine Peck has started a summer internship with us here at

A Cut-A-Thon to support Homes for our Troops will take place at Ricci's Salon and Spa, 99 South Main Street (South Marketplace Plaza), Sunday, May 15, from 10 am to 4 pm. Ricci's stylists will all donate 100 percent of their fees to help build a house in West Haven for 22-year-old Army Ranger Sean Pesce, who is now permanently paralyzed from a sniper's bullet. Call 203-426-1611 for prices and an appointment. Walk-ins are welcome.

Adria Henderson had a visitor on Mother's Day, May 8. She spotted this coyote cruising the perimeter of the Arlyn Ridge Road property.  Looks like this wily guy was not so interested in the birds visiting the feeder, luckily for them.

Mama and Papa Dove picked a woodpile at an Elm Drive home to throw together a nest, where these two chicks are snuggled in. The nesting choice certainly dampened the homeowners' enthusiasm for building a fire in recent weeks.

National EMS Appreciation Week is May 15 to 21 this year, and our Newtown volunteers will top off the week with an open house. Saturday, May 21, the Newtown Volunteer Ambulance Headquarters, 6 Washington Square, Fairfield Hills, will be open to the public from 9 am to 2 pm. Tour the facility, check out the ambulances, and meet your emergency medical workers. Questions? Call 203-270-4380 or visit

Grab your bike and helmet and get ready for bicycle season with a Bike Safety Workshop, Tuesday, May 24, from 6 to 7:30 pm. Berkshire Motors and Newtown Youth & Family Services have joined up to present this evening of bicycle information. Led by Jim Marcucilli of Berkshire Motors and Terrence Ford of Sandy Hook Bicycle, bike check-ups, tune-ups, helmet safety info, road rules, and bike trail information are all part of the evening. This free event takes place at 25 Berkshire Road (Berkshire Motors), across the road from the high school. For more information contact Randee at 203-270-4335.

What do a bassoon, a piano, a clarinet, a saxophone, a cello, and a horn have to offer? Sweet music combos, that's what. New England New Music Ensemble (NENME) chamber music group will present a free concert, Sunday, May 22, at 5 pm, at the Oxford Grange #194, 482 Oxford Road (Route 67), Oxford (sponsored by Oxford Cultural Arts Commission.) NENME, made up of Newtown and Sandy Hook musicians Gregg Baimel, Emily Boyer, Phil Crevier, Kristen Provost Switzer, Scott A. Provost Switzer, and Robert Rabinowitz, and offers unique, original compositions and arrangements of songs not normally associated with chamber music. Richter Association for the Arts will present NENME in a second concert, Sunday, May 29, at 3 pm, at Richter House, 100 Aunt Hack Road, Danbury. Admission to this concert is by free will donation.

You love Dodgingtown Market for its awesome breakfast sandwiches, homemade entrees, and as the go-to grocery for that gallon of milk or box of detergent. I hear through the grapevine that the market, located near the fire station, at 57 Dodgingtown Road (Route 302) now offers propane gas, U-Haul rental, PO boxes, and UPS and FedEx pick up services, as well. Now that's what I call convenient!

Congratulations to Newtown High School softball player Katie Laaksonen. She became the school's all-time hits leader with her 125th career base hit in Newtown's win over Stratford, on May 10. Batter up!

Old Glory Days Adult Day Center, 107 Church Hill Road, #GL-1, Sandy Hook, hosts a book club for seniors every month, on the fourth Tuesday. This month's meeting will be on Tuesday, May 24, at 4:30 pm, featuring

You can never go wrong when you read this column, so be sure next week to… Read me again.