Stories

Bethel’s Byrd’s Books  Announces April Book Groups

<p class="ql-align-center"><br></p><p class="ql-align-center"><br></p><p><span style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.95);">Bethel’s Byrd’s Books can always be depended on as a&nbsp;resource for timely and entertaining reading choices, not only from its shelves but also in its Fiction, Non-Fiction, and SciFi/Fantasy book group selections. Its popular monthly book groups are free to the public and always open to newcomers. Meetings are held both in store and on Zoom by request, and books&nbsp;are&nbsp;available to purchase in paperback.</span></p><p>On Thursday, April 11th, at 7:30pm, the Non-Fiction selection is&nbsp;<em>How to Hide an Empire: A History of the Greater United States&nbsp;</em>by Daniel Immerwhar.&nbsp;<span style="color: rgb(30, 25, 21);">&nbsp;A&nbsp;major and compulsively readable work of history,&nbsp;</span><em style="color: rgb(30, 25, 21);">How to Hide an Empire&nbsp;</em><span style="color: rgb(30, 25, 21);">is a pathbreaking overview of the United States’ overseas possessions and the true meaning of its “empire,” exercising power around the world from the islands, atolls, and archipelagos that it has inhabited and governed.</span></p><p><span style="color: rgb(15, 17, 17);">On Tuesday, April 16th, at 7:30pm, the Sci-Fi/Fantasy selection is&nbsp;</span><em style="color: rgb(15, 17, 17);">Mexican Gothic&nbsp;</em><span style="color: rgb(15, 17, 17);">by Silvia Moreno-Garcia. A “terrifying twist on classic gothic horror” (</span><em style="color: rgb(15, 17, 17);">Kirkus Reviews), Mexican Gothic&nbsp;</em><span style="color: rgb(15, 17, 17);">is set in an isolated mansion in glamorous 1950s Mexico. Named one of the Best Books of the Year by&nbsp;</span><em style="color: rgb(15, 17, 17);">The New Yorker, Vanity Fair,&nbsp;</em><span style="color: rgb(15, 17, 17);">NPR, and&nbsp;</span><em style="color: rgb(15, 17, 17);">The Washington Post,&nbsp;</em><span style="color: rgb(15, 17, 17);">and&nbsp;</span><em style="color: rgb(15, 17, 17);">The Guardian&nbsp;</em><span style="color: rgb(15, 17, 17);">wrote “It’s Lovecraft meets&nbsp;the&nbsp;Brontës.”</span></p><p><span style="color: rgb(15, 17, 17);">On Thursday, April 18th, at 7:30pm, the Fiction selection is&nbsp;</span><em style="color: rgb(15, 17, 17);">This Other Eden: A Novel&nbsp;</em><span style="color: rgb(15, 17, 17);">by Paul Harding. A finalist for&nbsp;</span><span style="color: rgb(68, 68, 68); background-color: rgb(250, 250, 250);">the 2023 National Book Award for Fiction,&nbsp;</span><em style="color: rgb(68, 68, 68); background-color: rgb(250, 250, 250);">This Other Eden&nbsp;</em><span style="color: rgb(68, 68, 68); background-color: rgb(250, 250, 250);">was one of Barack Obama’s favorite books in the same year. Called&nbsp;" a testament of love” by Danez Smith in the&nbsp;</span><em style="color: rgb(68, 68, 68);">New York Times Book Review,&nbsp;</em><span style="color: rgb(68, 68, 68);">the</span><em style="color: rgb(68, 68, 68);">&nbsp;</em><span style="color: rgb(68, 68, 68);">novel is&nbsp;</span><span style="color: rgb(68, 68, 68); background-color: rgb(250, 250, 250);">inspired by the true story of Malaga Island, an isolated island off the coast of Maine that became one of the first racially integrated towns in the Northeast.</span></p><p>Byrd’s Books is located at&nbsp;178 Greenwood Avenue&nbsp;across from the Bethel Public Library. Author discussions and Book Group gatherings are regularly added to Byrd’s Books’ calendar of events at&nbsp;<a href="ByrdsBooks.com" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(0, 122, 255);">ByrdsBooks.com</a>&nbsp;&nbsp;Hours are&nbsp;Tuesdays to Saturdays10:00am to 6:00pm, Sundays&nbsp;12:00 noon&nbsp;to 4;00pm, Closed Mondays.&nbsp;For directions to the store or more information, call Byrd’s Books at&nbsp;203-730-2973. To review the shop’s expanded catalog of new titles, go to&nbsp;<a href="ByrdsBooks.com" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(0, 122, 255);">ByrdsBooks.com</a></p>

Read More
Bethel Public Schools prepares for Solar Eclipse: safety goggles provided!

<h3 class="ql-align-justify"><strong style="color: rgb(91, 15, 0);">Solar Eclipse on April 8th&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;</strong></h3><p class="ql-align-justify"><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">On the afternoon of Monday, April 8, 2024, residents of Bethel are in for a treat as they witness a partial solar eclipse. Anticipated to reach its peak at 3:26 PM, with the sun obscured by 92.4% by the moon, this rare celestial event offers a captivating sight. However, ensuring the safety of our students remains our top priority.&nbsp;&nbsp;</span><span style="color: rgb(34, 34, 34);">We have received guidance from the&nbsp;</span><a href="https://drive.google.com/a/bethel.k12.ct.us/open?id=1XORFkVr0lNd4_wzUtRqCo4vxkMFfjaGP" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(120, 2, 2);">State Department of Education</a><span style="color: rgb(34, 34, 34);">.</span></p><p class="ql-align-justify"><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">For grades K-5, special safety glasses will be distributed to enable safe viewing of the eclipse outdoors.&nbsp;In grades 6-12, students will either be home and/or on their way home during that time frame.&nbsp;&nbsp;We will use the opportunity (K-5) to implement developmentally appropriate curricular lessons to students provided by NASA.&nbsp;If the weather is cloudy, preventing an opportunity to see the eclipse, we will not be passing out the safety eyewear, saving them for another event.&nbsp;&nbsp;</span></p><p class="ql-align-justify"><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">It's crucial to emphasize the potential dangers of directly viewing the eclipse, as looking at the sun without proper protection can cause permanent eye damage. Therefore,&nbsp;</span><a href="https://science.nasa.gov/eclipses/future-eclipses/eclipse-2024/safety/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(120, 2, 2);">students will be educated about these risks</a><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">. We need our parents to also speak to your children about these risks.&nbsp;&nbsp;Our Director of Athletics, Mr. Caron, will be sending out safety precautions to the athletic teams, who will be practicing during that time frame.&nbsp;&nbsp;</span></p><p><br></p>

Read More
Bethel Public Schools Budget Update: Annual Town Meeting April 4

<h3 class="ql-align-justify"><strong style="color: rgb(91, 15, 0);">Town Meeting&nbsp;on the Town and School Budgets&nbsp;</strong></h3><p class="ql-align-justify"><strong style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">Next Step</strong><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">&nbsp;-&nbsp;</span><strong style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">Annual Town Meeting&nbsp;</strong><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">-&nbsp;</span></p><p><strong style="color: rgb(34, 34, 34);">April 4th, Thursday&nbsp;- Town Meeting -&nbsp;BHS Auditorium @ 7:00 PM babysitting will be provided.</strong></p><p class="ql-align-justify"><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">The proposed town, school, and capital budget now go to an Annual Town Meeting. The town meeting is for registered Bethel voters. At this meeting, the registered body of Bethel voters votes to move the budget to a referendum or voting. By charter, any resident from the floor can make a recommendation from the floor to reduce any aspect of the budget, and the voters present vote on the motion.&nbsp;There are three votes at this meeting, the town budget, the school budget, and if applicable any capital budget items.&nbsp;</span></p><p class="ql-align-justify"><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">Prior to the budget being set for the referendum, 2024-2025 Education Budget Information can be found on our website’s District Dashboard under the&nbsp;</span><a href="https://sites.google.com/bethel.k12.ct.us/bethelpublicschools/financial-dashboard" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(17, 85, 204);">District Financial Dashboard</a><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">.&nbsp;</span></p><p><br></p>

Read More
Hillside Food Outreach Hosts 15th Annual Dancing with Our Stars on April 13

<p><span style="color: rgb(34, 34, 34);">On Saturday, April 13,&nbsp;</span><a href="http://hillsidefoodoutreach.org/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(5, 99, 193);">Hillside Food Outreach</a><span style="color: rgb(34, 34, 34);">&nbsp;will host its 15th annual&nbsp;</span><em style="color: rgb(34, 34, 34);">Dancing with Our Stars</em><span style="color: rgb(34, 34, 34);">, an evening of dancing and competition, at The Summit at Danbury. The event is Hillside's largest annual fundraiser with proceeds benefiting the nonprofit and its mission to deliver high-quality, nutritious food to thousands of low-income and limited mobility families, seniors, and the chronically ill each month.&nbsp;</span></p><p><span style="color: rgb(34, 34, 34);">&nbsp;Since its inception,&nbsp;</span><em style="color: rgb(34, 34, 34);">Dancing with Our Stars</em><span style="color: rgb(34, 34, 34);">&nbsp;has raised $300,000.&nbsp;The event features&nbsp;eight&nbsp;members of the community who take weekly dance lessons, donated by Arthur Murray of Danbury, for three months.&nbsp;Partnering&nbsp;with their&nbsp;Arthur Murray&nbsp;instructor,&nbsp;participants will showcase their skills&nbsp;in a&nbsp;live&nbsp;competition&nbsp;for attendees and a panel of judges.&nbsp;</span></p><p><span style="color: rgb(34, 34, 34);">&nbsp;Hillside’s 2024&nbsp;</span><em style="color: rgb(34, 34, 34);">Dancing with Our Stars</em><span style="color: rgb(34, 34, 34);">&nbsp;participants&nbsp;include:&nbsp;&nbsp;</span></p><ul><li><span style="color: rgb(34, 34, 34);">Billy Clifford, Student, Duchess Community College&nbsp;</span></li><li><span style="color: rgb(34, 34, 34);">Tom Clifford,&nbsp;Supervisor,&nbsp;Mount Pleasant Water Department&nbsp;</span></li><li><span style="color: rgb(34, 34, 34);">Stacey Cohen, CEO, Co-Communications&nbsp;</span></li><li><span style="color: rgb(34, 34, 34);">Michael Grace, Esq., Senior Partner, Grace &amp; Grace&nbsp;</span></li><li><span style="color: rgb(34, 34, 34);">Shelly Hardie,&nbsp;Managing Partner,&nbsp;Shelty Golf, LLC&nbsp;</span></li><li><span style="color: rgb(34, 34, 34);">Izel Steinmann Obermeyer, Chief Clinical Officer, Westchester Institute for Human Development&nbsp;</span></li><li><span style="color: rgb(34, 34, 34);">Celeste&nbsp;Pasciolla, Realtor, Keller Williams Realty Partners&nbsp;</span></li><li><span style="color: rgb(34, 34, 34);">Joe&nbsp;Pasciolla, Realtor, Keller Williams Realty Partners&nbsp;</span></li></ul><p><span style="color: rgb(34, 34, 34);">In addition to their live performance,&nbsp;all&nbsp;</span><em style="color: rgb(34, 34, 34);">Dancing with Our Stars</em><span style="color: rgb(34, 34, 34);">&nbsp;participants&nbsp;are competing for online votes.&nbsp;Friends, family, colleagues, and neighbors are&nbsp;encouraged to&nbsp;</span><a href="https://hillsidefoodoutreach.org/Dancing-With-Our-Stars/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(5, 99, 193);">vote for their favorite dancer</a><span style="color: rgb(34, 34, 34);">&nbsp;on the Hillside website&nbsp;ahead of time&nbsp;by making a&nbsp;$10&nbsp;donation per&nbsp;vote.&nbsp;On April 13, four champions will be named – a man and woman in each category. Two will receive the people’s choice award (most votes), and two will be selected by the judges&nbsp;based on their dancing&nbsp;that night.&nbsp;</span></p><p><span style="color: rgb(34, 34, 34);">&nbsp;</span>“The&nbsp;unfortunate reality&nbsp;is&nbsp;that today,&nbsp;an increasing number of families, seniors, and vulnerable individuals in our community face the agonizing choice between healthy meals and meeting basic needs,”&nbsp;said Kathy Purdy, CEO and Founder of Hillside Food Outreach.&nbsp;“By supporting&nbsp;<em>Dancing with Our Stars</em>, whether by casting votes online or attending in person, you are helping to changes lives&nbsp;and offer hope&nbsp;to&nbsp;so many neighbors in need.”&nbsp;</p><p>&nbsp;Hillside is a delivery-only food pantry providing high quality, nutrient-dense foods, staples and essentials to nearly 1,000 households and over 2,000 individuals across Westchester, Putnam and Fairfield Counties, including elderly residents who find it difficult to travel and carry grocery bags; those who are housebound due sickness or disability; and people with health conditions such as&nbsp;obesity, heart disease, diabetes, and hypertension who require nutritious diets.&nbsp;The nonprofit&nbsp;fills the nutrition need while establishing both connection and engagement with those feeling hopeless, alone,&nbsp;or forgotten.&nbsp;</p><p>&nbsp;<em>Dancing with Our Stars</em>&nbsp;begins at 6:00pm with dinner, followed by the competition and&nbsp;an&nbsp;after party.&nbsp;Tickets and sponsorship opportunities are still available.&nbsp;For additional information&nbsp;or to vote for your favorite dancer, visit&nbsp;<a href="https://hillsidefoodoutreach.org/dancing-with-our-stars" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(5, 99, 193);">hillsidefoodoutreach.org/dancing-with-our-stars</a>.&nbsp;</p><p>&nbsp;Hillside Food Outreach is headquartered in Mount&nbsp;Kisco, N.Y. and operates in Danbury, Conn. through its satellite location. It may be reached at 914-747-0095 or by visiting&nbsp;<a href="http://about:blank/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(5, 99, 193);">hillsidefoodo</a><a href="utreach.org" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(5, 99, 193);">utreach.org</a><span style="color: rgb(34, 34, 34);">.&nbsp;</span></p>

Read More
Flags To Half-Staff Friday in Honor of Former U.S. Senator Joseph I. Lieberman

<p><a href="https://officeofthegovernor.cmail19.com/t/j-l-suyhylk-tlluktyukd-k/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(10, 10, 10);"><strong>Governor Lamont Directs Flags To Half-Staff Friday in Honor of Former U.S. Senator Joseph I. Lieberman</strong></a></p><p><strong>Posted on March 28, 2024</strong></p><p class="ql-align-justify">(HARTFORD, CT) – Governor Ned Lamont today announced that as a mark of solemn respect for the memory and longstanding service of former U.S. Senator Joseph I. Lieberman, he is directing U.S. and state flags in Connecticut lowered to half-staff from sunrise to sunset on the day of the former senator’s funeral, which has been scheduled for Friday, March 29, 2024.</p><p class="ql-align-justify">Accordingly, since no flag should fly higher than the U.S. flag, all other flags, including state, municipal, corporate, or otherwise, should also be lowered during this same duration of time.</p><p class="ql-align-justify">The funeral service will be held at Congregation Agudath Sholom in Stamford.</p>

Read More
Bethel’s Byrd’s Books continues spring poetry series

<p><span style="background-color: rgb(252, 252, 252);">Bethel’s Byrd’s Books is widely known for its fondness for poetry and its well-stocked selection of poets, old and new, available on its shelves. Its&nbsp;yearly in-store Spring Poetry series features poets from all across Connecticut, and this year Byrd’s Books also hosts a virtual component on Zoom. </span></p><p><span style="background-color: rgb(252, 252, 252);">In April, the Spring Poetry series continues with two back-to-back events:</span></p><p><span style="background-color: rgb(252, 252, 252);">On Thursday,&nbsp;April 4th, at 7:00pm, via Zoom,&nbsp;</span><span style="background-color: rgb(252, 252, 252); color: rgb(68, 68, 68);">Jonathan Andersen and Lloyd Schwartz will read. Andersen’s&nbsp;</span><em style="color: rgb(68, 68, 68);">The Burden Note,&nbsp;</em><span style="color: rgb(68, 68, 68); background-color: rgb(252, 252, 252);">an English/Serbo-Croatian chapbook won the Meridian Prize in 2014. The Storrs, CT, resident is a&nbsp;professor of English at Quinebaug Valley Community College in Danielson and Willimantic, CT. Lloyd Schwartz,&nbsp;&nbsp;a longtime commentator on classical music and the arts for National Public Radio's&nbsp;</span><em style="color: rgb(68, 68, 68);">Fresh Air,&nbsp;</em><span style="color: rgb(68, 68, 68); background-color: rgb(252, 252, 252);">has been awarded the Pulitzer Prize for Criticism, as well as both Guggenheim and National Endowment for the Arts fellowships.</span></p><p><span style="background-color: rgb(252, 252, 252); color: rgb(68, 68, 68);">On Friday, April 5th, at 7:00pm, Amy Nawrocki, Jack Powers, Laurel S. Peterson, Van Hartmann and Rick McGee will read from their works in-store at&nbsp;178 Greenwood Avenue, Bethel. Amy Nawrocki’s&nbsp;most recent collection,</span><em style="background-color: rgb(252, 252, 252); color: rgb(68, 68, 68);">&nbsp;Mouthbrooders,&nbsp;</em><span style="background-color: rgb(252, 252, 252); color: rgb(68, 68, 68);">was a finalist for the 2020 Connecticut Book Award.&nbsp;She has been awarded honors from The Hamden Arts Commission, The Connecticut Poetry Society and The Connecticut Center for the Book.</span></p><p><span style="background-color: rgb(252, 252, 252); color: rgb(68, 68, 68);">Jack Powers, winner of&nbsp;the 2012 and 2015&nbsp;</span><em style="background-color: rgb(252, 252, 252); color: rgb(68, 68, 68);">Connecticut River Review&nbsp;</em><span style="background-color: rgb(252, 252, 252); color: rgb(68, 68, 68);">poetry contest, has appeared&nbsp;in&nbsp;</span><em style="background-color: rgb(252, 252, 252); color: rgb(68, 68, 68);">The Southern Review, The Cortland Review, The New York Times&nbsp;</em><span style="background-color: rgb(252, 252, 252); color: rgb(68, 68, 68);">and elsewhere.</span></p><p><span style="background-color: rgb(252, 252, 252); color: rgb(68, 68, 68);">Laurel S. Peterson&nbsp;served as the inaugural Poet Laureate of Norwalk, CT, for three years. She sits on the editorial board of the literary journal,&nbsp;</span><em style="background-color: rgb(252, 252, 252); color: rgb(68, 68, 68);">Inkwell.&nbsp;</em><span style="background-color: rgb(252, 252, 252); color: rgb(68, 68, 68);">Van Hartmann teaches literature and film studies at Manhattanville College in Purchase, New York. His&nbsp;&nbsp;book of poems,&nbsp;</span><em style="background-color: rgb(252, 252, 252); color: rgb(68, 68, 68);">Shiva Dancing,&nbsp;</em><span style="background-color: rgb(252, 252, 252); color: rgb(68, 68, 68);">&nbsp;was published in 2007. Rick Magee,&nbsp;Bethel's Poet Laureate, teaches at Sacred Heart University.</span></p><p><span style="color: rgb(68, 68, 68);">Byrd’s Books’ Spring Poetry series runs&nbsp;through May 10th.&nbsp;For a complete list of dates (both in-store and on Zoom), links to individual pages where you can learn about the writers and their poetry, order their books, or to register (requested due to space), visit&nbsp;</span><a href="ByrdsBooks.com" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(68, 68, 68);">ByrdsBooks.com</a><span style="color: rgb(68, 68, 68);">&nbsp;(Program subject to change.)</span></p><p>Author discussions and Book Group gatherings are regularly added to Byrd’s Books’ calendar of events at&nbsp;<a href="https://www.byrdsbooks.com" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">https://www.byrdsbooks.com/</a> </p><p>Hours are&nbsp;Tuesdays to Saturdays10:00am to 6:00pm, Sundays&nbsp;12:00 noon&nbsp;to 4;00pm, Closed Mondays.&nbsp;</p><p><br></p>

Read More
Meet the Ann's Place Models: Dr. Carinne Anderson

<p><span style="color: rgb(34, 34, 34);">Ann's Place is&nbsp;</span>thrilled to begin spotlighting each of their 25 models who will take to the runway in the 2024 "On the Runway- Models Who Inspire" Fashion Show on April 24th at the Ridgefield Playhouse.</p><p>The first spotlight features Dr. Carinne Anderson, Chief of Breast Surgery at Danbury Hospital, Ridgefield resident, wife and mother.</p><p>As a breast surgical oncologist, Dr. Anderson knows firsthand that having a community to lean on and resources for support makes such a difference for someone facing a cancer diagnosis. She is very grateful to have Ann’s Place as a referral for her patients. Thank you, Dr. Anderson, for supporting our programs and advocating for families facing cancer in our community! Read more about Dr. Anderson and support her fundraising campaign here:&nbsp;<a href="https://donorbox.org/on-the-runway-models-who-inspire/fundraiser/carinne-anderson" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">On the Runway- Models Who Inspire - Carinne Anderson's Fundraiser on Donorbox</a>. For information on the Fashion Show visit,&nbsp;<a href="http://www.annsplacefashion.org/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">www.annsplacefashion.org</a>.</p><p>&nbsp;</p>

Read More