Please take a moment this week to remember a resident of the Newtown Animal Pound, Jed, an abandoned dog that despite the best efforts of pound director Carolee Mason and kennel keeper Matt Schaub, lost his battle with illnesses following abuse he suffered prior to arriving at the pound.

Jed was euthanized recently under the gentle direction of staff at Mt Pleasant Hospital for Animals, the first animal in many years from our no-kill pound to be destroyed. A donation in Jed’s memory, to support a new pound, where more animals can be cared for, rehabilitated, and then placed in loving homes, can be made to CanineAdvocates.org or dropped off at the Newtown Animal Pound, behind the transfer station off Route 25.

On a much lighter note, Newtown native Tracy Mulholland has a bit part in the movie Crazy, Stupid Love, which is playing this week at Edmond Town Hall Theatre, parents Linda Dale and Bob tell me. The movie stars Steve Carell, Julianne Moore, Ryan Gosling, Kevin Bacon, and Emma Stone, so Tracy has been rubbing elbows with some pretty big names. “Her scene comes about an hour into the movie,” Linda Dale says, “and is right after the scene where Emma Stone is walking in the rain.” This has been pretty exciting for Tracy, who has been out in Hollywood the past seven years, hoping to break into the movie industry. Good luck, Tracy! Crazy, Stupid Love continues through Sunday, October 30. See if you can spot our Newtown moment.

There are plenty of Newtown moments, of course, all through the latest issue of The Newtowner literary magazine. I zeroed in on one submission. Former Newtown Bee high school intern Anna Hodge has an original poem published in the Fall 2011 edition that you don’t want to miss. She may not have written any poetry while interning here summer before last, but I like to think she found inspiration in the constant tap-tap-tap on the keyboards in our office. Congratulations, Anna!

The Children’s Department at the C.H. Booth Library is one book richer, thanks to Stephen and Brian Sibley. The 4-year-old twins celebrated their birthday by bringing a favorite book, What Do People Do All Day, to the library as a gift.

Children’s librarian Alana Bennison was more than happy to accept the book by popular children’s author Richard Scarry.

I would not be an upstanding cat citizen, were I not to mention the upcoming Halloween holiday. (Just a side note, it can be an extra scary evening for felines, so please keep cats, black or otherwise, safe and sound inside your home on Halloween.) And by Halloween, I mean October 31, ahem, Tim Larson… By this time next year, if Connecticut State Representative Tim Larson (D-East Hartford and South Windsor) has his way, we will begin celebrating Halloween on the last Saturday of October instead of the longstanding October 31. I don’t know if Mr Larson really wants to take on legions of black cats (not to mention the streaks of bad luck we are capable of bringing), but at least this year Halloween remains safely in its place. There is no doubt neighborhoods across town will be filled with costumed trick-or-treaters well before sunset Monday evening, so please be mindful as you are driving that evening.

Even before Monday arrives there are a few opportunities for Newtown to get into the Halloween groove. Parks & Rec will be hosting a Young Adult Halloween Party on Friday night at The Garage. Sandy Hook Center will be home to a new event, The Sandy Hook Halloween Walk, Saturday, from 10 am to 2 pm. Costumes are encouraged, of course, and trick-or-treaters can get a jumpstart on their candy collecting by visiting businesses in the Hook, as well as enter a pumpkin carving contest at Stone River Grille. Ice Cream Heaven will continue the fun in Sandy Hook, with games, crafts, and more for children who visit the ice cream parlor at 10 Glen Road, between 2 and 4 pm.

Meanwhile, Newtown Lions Club will present its Second Annual Great Pumpkin Race, 11 am to 2 pm, in the parking lot behind Edmond Town Hall (rain date, if needed, will be Sunday during the same hours), and then Parks & Rec has another event planned for Saturday night: haunted hayrides at Fairfield Hills, from 7 to 10 pm. Check out The Bee’s print and on-line calendars for details.

If that isn’t enough to get you in the spirit, this weekend is when Mackenzie Page is hoping residents from across town (and beyond) will drop off their carved pumpkins at 14 Main Street, for The Great Pumpkin Challenge. Mackenzie, 13, is organizing the collection as both a special presentation for Halloween as well as a dual fundraiser. She is asking that each jack-o’-lantern is accompanied by a $4 donation. All money collected will be divided between the American Cancer Society and the family of Zoe McMorran, a family friend who is undergoing treatment for brain cancer. The pumpkins will remain on display at the Page home on Main Street until at least Halloween.

Speaking of displays, Cub Scout Pack 270 is conducting its second annual scarecrow scavenger hunt. Each of nine dens made a scarecrow that is currently displayed at a local business in town: C.H. Booth Library, The Toy Tree, Katherine’s Kitchen, Pizza Palace, Andrea’s Pastry Shop, The Meat House, Tumble Jungle, Villarina’s Pasta Shop, and My Place Restaurant. Game cards are available at each location, and children are encouraged to solve clues on the game cards to locate each scarecrow. Participants will get their game card stamped for each scarecrow “found” by October 31. Several vendors are offering special deals for families that hand in a completed game card. Please note there is a limit of one completed game card per family. The event is open to all residents.

Then, if you are not too exhausted by Monday evening, for those who plan to Trick or Treat on Main Street, Trinity Episcopal Church’s parking lot will be open, first come, first served. Music @ Trinity and the Choirs of Trinity will be coordinating the parking that night, and accepting any donations.

While The Bee will not have too many parking spaces to spare, I understand candy will again be handed out from the front stoop at 5 Church Hill Road on Monday, beginning around 5 pm. We can’t wait to see the costumed visitors of all ages who make their way to our doorway.

Whatever you do, whichever costume you wear, wherever you go, have a Happy Halloween — and remember next week to… Read me again.