Happy Mother's Day! If internet shopping is not your style, and you haven't found the perfect gift yet for the mom in your life, you can shop local this weekend and find just what you need. Jewelry, chocolate, photo frames, comfort throws, flowers, and more are all gift ideas you'll find in shops in town. Don't forget that a gift certificate for luxury pampering can be a welcome present; or maybe your mother would appreciate a donation to her favorite local charity. Save travel time and expense, and save yourself some headaches by shopping small, right here in Newtown.The Newtown Bee this month. She has just finished her freshman year at Northeastern University in Boston, where she is majoring in journalism.The Bee.Rampage was published by Pegasus books on Tuesday, May 9. If you missed it the first time around, or were too young to appreciate it, Rampage is the story of "a ruthless, driven real estate entrepreneur forced to confront the high cost of revenge." Organized crime, ambition, wealth, power, and more are part of this tale set in the world of 1980s New York real estate... (giving it particular modern relevance, don't you think?) Congratulations to Justin! The Newtown Bee. Virginia Pulaski Dudics Gwydir will turn 90 on May 31, and anyone who so desires is welcome to send her a card care of Maplewood at Newtown, 166 Mt Pleasant Road, Newtown CT 06470. Lynn, now a resident of Porter, Maine, and her son, who resides in Sandy Hook, will be thrilled if their mother and grandmother receives a wealth of good wishes. Who Wants To Be A Millionaire?)the eventbrite event page to register for this free event, sponsored by the Cultural Alliance and Danbury Women's Center.The Bee abroad have come across our desks here lately? Be sure to pack a copy of The Newtown Bee when you travel afar, then share the photo with us. Send the photo and identification, with a daytime phone number/e-mail to nancy@thebee.com, and we'll share your adventures with The Bee.

A wild turkey decided to take a little stroll around Edmond Town Hall this past Sunday. I guess he was hoping to catch the homecoming of Team 26, but got the time wrong. (Was this the same turkey making his way through Route 302 morning traffic between Ram Pasture and the Pleasance on Wednesday morning? He's a traveling tom, to say the least.)

The Connecticut Chapter of the Women's March on Washington delivered letters to state legislators about proposed bills before the Connecticut General Assembly, followed by a demonstration at the Connecticut State Capitol, Monday afternoon, May 8. "In doing so, we join a call from the Women's March and the American Civil Liberties Union's People Power to reaffirm our commitment to each other and our shared liberation through action, six months after Election Day... We will hold this demonstration in solidarity with communities around the country and collectively fight for dignity, justice, and freedom. We are all part of one movement, and we are not only stronger and more powerful together - our unity is how we survive as people, organizations, and movements," read a May 8 press release, in part. Po Murray of Sandy Hook is among the Women's March on Washington Connecticut Chapter organizers.

The powerful arm of 9-year-old Tommy Trudeau of Newtown will be throwing out the opening pitch at this Saturday's Red Sox game at Fenway Park. Tommy plays in the Newtown Babe Ruth spring baseball league, under the direction of coach Todd Piccuillo. The honor is the result of "Santa" winning the opportunity at a charity auction. Whether you are in the stands or watching on TV, keep your eyes open for Tommy's first major league outing.

It's a plant swap, co-sponsored by Gardening Gurus, Trinity Productions, and the Newtown Horticulture Club. Bring your labeled plants to trade to the pavilion at Dickinson Park, off of Elm Drive, from 9 to 10:30 am, this Saturday, May 13. (Coffee, doughnuts, and bagels will be available in case you work up an appetite swapping.)

You may see a familiar face about town in the coming weeks covering events for the paper, asking you to smile for The Bee Lines, chatting with you at special programs... We are pleased that Newtown resident Julia Preszler has started her summer internship at

"I love the news, and I want a career where I can be out in the world seeing what people are doing and reporting on that," Julia says. After working at her college newspaper, she is looking forward to gaining "real world experience" interning at

She explained, "I've lived here my whole life, so it is really great to still explore the community through the newspaper."

At college, she is also pursuing a minor in environmental studies.

"I think it's such an important issue at this time," says Julia. "Everybody should have some awareness about what is going on with the environment."

We'll be giving her plenty of assignments to cover this summer, but making sure she still has some spare time to indulge in what she enjoys - walking around Boston sharpening her photography skills. (She also is an avid baker of anything chocolate, which is sure to endear her to this office!)

With high praise from authors Clive Cussler, David Morrell, and Lee Child, the 30th anniversary edition of Newtown author Justin Scott's thriller

The Newtown High School and Newtown Middle School softball programs are firing up the grill to host a picnic for senior citizens prior to its Monday, May 15, game at Treadwell Park. Middle school players will serve seniors at the pavilion beginning at 6 pm, and seniors are invited to stay to watch the high school team take on New Fairfield, beginning at 7 pm. Admission to the picnic and game is free.

Lynn Dudics knew just who to reach out to when she decided it would be wonderful for her mother, a Maplewood at Newtown resident, to hear from friends, family - and anyone else who wants to spread some joy - for her mother's 90th birthday:

The Ridgefield Chamber of Commerce will celebrate the 12th Annual Women's Forum on May 25 at the Salem Golf Club, and this years keynote speaker will be Kaitlin Roig-DeBellis. Kaitlin was a first grade teacher at Sandy Hook Elementary School on 12/14. Since then, she has authored the book Choosing Hope: Moving Forward From Life's Darkest Hours, and has founded the nonprofit Classes 4 Classes, an organization that teaches youth "compassion, caring, kindness, empathy and consideration, through active engagement." (You may have caught Kaitlin recently, as well, competing on the ABC game show,

Toni Miraldi and Tracy Van Buskirk of Newtown are among the artists featured in the "Endworks: Out of Darkness" show at the Cultural Alliance of Western Connecticut, 287 Main Street, Danbury, on May 19. Join them and others raising awareness of domestic violence and sexual assault issues at the opening event, from 5:30 to 8 pm. Go to

If you saw a tuckered out police officer running through Newtown on Wednesday morning, you caught a glimpse of one of the team members of the Woonsocket, R.I., officers, who, for the 16th year, are walking 400-plus miles from Woonsocket headquarters to Washington, DC. "CopsWalk" supports fallen officers and their families, and raises awareness of sacrifices made by officers nationwide.

How come no photos of

I don't have to go abroad to find plenty of adventure. Be sure next week to... Read me again.