Earth Day slipped in and out of town this week with little fanfare. It was chilly and cold on Tuesday, and most people preferred to stay inside away from the earth’s cool disposition. When it comes to cuddling up to the earth, most of us are fair weather friends. But this Sunday, rain or shine, Newtowners will be out there doing their part for the earth on Lose The Litter Day.

The event, sponsored annually by the Newtown Lions Club, is an opportunity for residents to pitch in and clean up the roadsides in town. The Lions will be at the middle school between 9 am and 1 pm, handing out bags and gloves to volunteers. The actually cleanup can take place any time –– the middle of the night, if you wish –– but it will be harder to spot those coveted “golden cans” planted somewhere along the roads each year by the Lions. Those who collect the golden cans will win tickets to the Edmond Town Hall movie theater.

By removing all the trash from the surface of the earth, we seem to be making the world smaller and smaller. For example, Don and Marg Studley and Phil and Margareta Kotch ended up on the same flight to St Maarten last week but didn’t know it until they bumped into each other in the baggage claim area in the St Maarten airport. While they were happy to see each other, they were unhappy to learn that neither couple’s bags had made it from New York. The Studleys reported that their bags caught up with them the following day in Anguilla. No word on whether the Kotches’ bags ever made it to their destination, St Bart’s. But who needs a wardrobe in St Bart’s?

Newtown students were again graced with trees in celebration of Earth Day by the mysterious tree giver that has provided pine trees for students for the last 17 years. More than 2,000 Norway Red Pines were supplied from Maine this year.

Budget referendum day Tuesday, April 22, dawned drizzly and gray, but that didn’t stop more than 4,000 Newtown residents from going to the polls. One man was running so fast to get out of the pouring rain that he nearly missed the entrance to the polling place at Newtown Middle School gymnasium. Turning around, he paused long enough to comment midstride, while looking at the sky, “At least it’s not snow!”

Voters seemed a bit on edge while they were at the polls. People scurried by reporters hoping not to be asked about their feelings on the proposed budget. When some were asked if they would answer a Bee Lines question, they hustled by saying no they were in a rush. But others came out after voting to inquire what the question was. (The question was: What do you like about spring?) Once they found out it wasn’t about the budget they were more than willing to answer. Newtowners, it seems are nearly unanimous in their appreciation of spring. Norma Stern, however, said she’s a winter person. She doesn’t like the bugs of spring and summer.

More than 5,000 Newtown students grudgingly went back to school this week after a week off. Even teachers were a bit saddened by how fast the week’s vacation passed. Winter provided numerous days off, but spring only allows for one more –– Memorial Day –– before the last day of school, projected for June 23. Just think only 40 days of school left.

Raymond Martins, son of Ray and Linda Martins, will be completing his residency in primary care this spring at George Washington in Washington, DC. A 1992 graduate of Newtown high School, in July he will become chief resident for his department.

 Good Taste, a specialty food shop at the foot of Churchill Road in Sandy Hook, is featured in the May issue of Connecticut Magazine. The magazine especially lauded chef-owner’s Lisa Duggan’s salads and “mix & match” breads and rolls for sandwiches.

Former first selectman Bob Cascella has reentered public office. Bob was sworn into office at town hall on Monday for a five-year term as a notary public. Bob is a vice president at Ryer Associates, a real estate firm in Danbury. The company sells commercial and industrial real estate in Fairfield County.

Dana Schubert, who is the youth officer for the Newtown Police Department, soon expects to serve in an additional capacity. Dana is slated to become the Newtown Police Union’s representative on the Newtown Pension Committee, a seven-member panel that oversees the investment of town funds in the public employee pension fund. Dana replaces former police lieutenant David Lydem as the police union representative on the committee.

Bob Grossman just came back from Florida, where he says he attended a great Bat Mitzvah celebration –– for his grandmother! Normally the celebration marks the coming of age of a girl of 13 or so, but the tradition wasn’t started until 1922. Bella Grossman, who is now 97, was 16 in 1922 and never had her Bat Mitzvah, so she decided that it was better late than never. Bob went down to Florida for the event with his granddaughter Lisa. Also present were Bella Grossman’s sisters, Edith, 85, and Pearl, 103.

A cat, as you know, comes of age nine times, so this column is pretty much in a state of constant celebration, so be sure to…

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