<p class="ql-align-center"><span style="color: var(--geeks-body-color);">Weston, CT - The Back Yard Beekeepers Association (BYBA) in Connecticut is proud to present Dr. Diana Cox-Foster, a Research Leader and Entomologist at USDA-ARS Pollinating Insects Research Unit in Utah. This meeting is in person and our speaker will be joining us virtually.&nbsp;There is not an option for participants to join virtually.&nbsp;Please join us at 7 PM to allow time to socialize and chat with other members of the club.&nbsp;Our virtual speaker presentation will begin at 7:30 PM.&nbsp;</span></p><p>The location is Norfield Congregational Church located at 64 Norfield Rd in Weston, CT.&nbsp;Even though the event is free, please register at&nbsp;<a href="https://backyardbeekeepers.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">https://backyardbeekeepers.com</a><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51);">.</span></p><p>Join us for this exciting deep dive into the fascinating world of bees! This presentation will showcase groundbreaking data from a three-year study exploring the dynamic interactions between honey bees, bumble bees, and solitary bees—an investigation that addresses a critical question: How does a honey bee apiary impact native bee populations?</p><p>"Through innovative cage experiments with limited forage, we created competition between the three bee types, examining how they affect each other’s reproduction and behavior on flowers. This research included experiments on how a large apiary with 48 colonies influences the reproduction of sentinel bumble bee colonies and cavity-nesting solitary bees. We also kept a close eye on local endemic bee species and flowers, all while assessing the impact of viral pathogens on these essential pollinators", remarked Cox-Foster.</p><p>Dr. Cox-Foster, will present additional data&nbsp;on the impacts of viral pathogens in the blue orchard bee (<em>Osmia lignaria</em>), shedding light on how these health challenges affect bee populations.</p><p>With climate emerging as a key player in the results, she will discuss how the carrying capacity of an area significantly impacts bee health, revealing how various factors interact to shape the well-being of our pollinators.</p><p>Don't miss this chance to hear about cutting-edge bee research and its profound implications for biodiversity and conservation!</p><p>Questions? Contact BYBA’s Paula Wolf at&nbsp;<a href="mailto:paulawolf@email.com" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">paulawolf@email.com</a>.&nbsp;</p><p><em>The Back Yard Beekeepers Association (BYBA) is one of the Nation’s largest regional clubs for beekeeping hobbyists with over 400 members. Some of their members are just getting started as beekeepers, and some have enjoyed this hobby for years. All share an interest in the wonderful and remarkable world of the honey bee. The mission of BYBA is to provide their membership with a forum for sharing knowledge and mutual interests in beekeeping, and to educate and promote the benefits of beekeeping to the public. For more information, please visit&nbsp;</em><a href="backyardbeekeepers.com" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(17, 85, 204);"><em>backyardbeekeepers.com</em></a>Bc</p>

<p class="ql-align-center"><strong>GREENWICH, Conn. –&nbsp;</strong>Dr. Katherine Hermes, publisher and executive director of Connecticut Explored Magazine, will show how women helped to tip the scales in America’s war for independence at a talk at the Historical Society on March 8^th.&nbsp;<em>Working for the Revolution: Patriot Women’s Lives During the War</em>&nbsp;is the third and final installment of the&nbsp;<em>Reflections on the Revolution</em>&nbsp;<em>Lecture Series</em>&nbsp;generously sponsored by Sotheby’s International Realty.</p><p>Using original sources from newspapers, government records and correspondence, Dr. Hermes will show how women from all backgrounds, including Anglo-European, African-descended and Indigenous populations contributed to the patriot’s cause politically, economically, intellectually, and militarily.</p><p>According to Dr. Hermes, patriot women believed in the Whig and Enlightenment ideals espoused by male revolutionaries and contributed economically to the war effort: “They produced uniforms and clothing for the Continental Army, and they continued to operate farms and urban businesses as ‘deputy husbands’ while men were away fighting.&nbsp;Female camp followers attached to the Continental Army from 1777 to 1783 made up about 3% of the size of the regular army and contributed to its survival.”</p><p>Dr. Hermes will address specific women in Greenwich who produced homespun goods as part of a movement that embraced the values of republicanism. Greenwich suffered an assault by British troops under British general Tryon and their allies, who ravaged the town in 1779.&nbsp;</p><p>She also will discuss the fate of several women who survived their husbands and tried to obtain pensions. “We can learn a lot about their lives from these records,” says Dr. Hermes. “Josiah Utter, who married his wife Mary Ketcham in Greenwich, fought in the war at the battle of Long Island and White Plains. As old woman living in New York, Mary applied for a pension, but it was rejected because she lacked proof of her dead husband’s war service from the New York comptroller.”</p><p>“Camp follower and laundress Judith Lines’ husband was at the Redding encampment and may have captured the attention of General Washington, according to a witness. As a woman of indigenous and African descent, she declined an offer to work for him. After recovering from smallpox at the Battle of the Highlands her pension application was granted.”</p><p>“We are privileged to have Dr. Hermes demonstrate the often overlooked accomplishments of women in the Revolution,” says Historical Society Director of Programs and Exhibitions Lauren Ackerley. “In addition to helping win the war, their passion and commitment sowed early seeds for the women’s rights movement that started some 75 years later at Seneca Falls. Their voices are essential to telling a fuller history of our nation and region.”&nbsp;</p><p><em>For more information and to purchase tickets:&nbsp;</em><a href="https://greenwichhistory.org/event/working-for-the-revolution-patriot-womens-lives-during-the-war/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(70, 120, 134);"><em>Click here</em></a><em>&nbsp;or&nbsp;</em><a href="https://greenwichhistory.org/event/working-for-the-revolution-patriot-womens-lives-during-the-war/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: blue;">Working for the Revolution: Patriot Women’s Lives During the War | Greenwich Historical Society</a>.</p><p>Participants are encouraged to dive deeper into the history of Greenwich during the tumultuous war by visiting the current exhibition&nbsp;<em>Greenwich During the Revolutionary War: A Frontier Town on the Front Line,</em>&nbsp;on view at the Historical Society through June. The exhibition examines the impact of the war on the town, and the daily lives of its diverse populations. For more information:&nbsp;<a href="https://greenwichhistory.org/rev-war/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(70, 120, 134);">https://greenwichhistory.org/rev-war/</a></p><p><strong>About Katherine Hermes</strong></p><p>Dr. Katherine Hermes is the publisher and executive director of Connecticut Explored magazine, a non-profit history publication produced for readers interested in Connecticut’s past. She is professor emerita of history at Central Connecticut State University, where she taught Early American history for 25 years. She has created and been involved with a number of digital public history projects, including Forgotten Voices of the Revolutionary War: People of Color and the Redding Encampment, 1778-1779.</p>

<p><strong style="color: var(--geeks-body-color);">Westport, CT - </strong><span style="color: var(--geeks-body-color); font-weight: var(--geeks-body-font-weight);">Westport Country Playhouse will present “Get Ready for Theatre People! An Evening of Cocktails, Fun Tales, and Backstage Tours” on Monday, March 10, from 6 to 8 p.m. In advance of the curtain rising on the Playhouse production of Paul Slade Smith’s backstage comedy “Theatre People,” the special event will toast the Playhouse, its legacy, and the people who bring shows to life on its stage.</span></p><p>Sharing personal anecdotes from their roles at the Playhouse will be an alumni panel, including actors Mia Dillon, Keir Dullea, Joe Delafield, and Michael McCormick, former co-artistic director Anne Keefe, and more to be announced. Moderator will be Mark Shanahan, Westport Country Playhouse artistic director.&nbsp;</p><p>"There’s nothing quite like theatre people—and Playhouse theatre people are in a league of their own!,” said Shanahan. “As we gear up for our wildly entertaining production of ‘Theatre People,’ a play that celebrates the passion, humor, and romance of the stage, I’m thrilled for the Playhouse to host a special evening honoring some of its very own. It’s a night to share stories, laughter, and friendship at a theatre we all cherish.”</p><p>In addition to the panel discussion, there will be behind-the-scenes tours led by Playhouse archivist and historian Bruce Miller, and a cocktail party. Discount ticket offers will be available at the event for performances of “Theatre People.”</p><p>“Theatre People,” playing March 25 through April 12, is written by West Hartford native Paul Slade Smith and directed by Mark Shanahan. The play is an adaptation of Ferenc Molnár’s classic Hungarian farce, “Play at the Castle.” The witty comedy is set in 1948 in a Newport mansion populated with characters in love with theater:&nbsp;Charlotte and Arthur, a married playwwright couple; Margot, a celebrated ingénue; Victor, a narcissistic Broadway baritone; and Oliver, a young, insecure novelist; as well as Olga, an unabashedly unhelpful housekeeper. Filled with romance, misunderstandings, and surprises, the plot focuses on theatre people who are trying to&nbsp;write a surefire Broadway hit but create as much drama among themselves as on paper.</p><p>Tickets for “Get Ready for Theatre People! An Evening of Cocktails, Fun Tales, and Backstage Tours” are&nbsp;$25; $15 for Encore Club members; limited availability. Seating is unreserved. For full details on the March 10 event and the three-week run of “Theatre People,” visit:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.westportplayhouse.org/show/theatre-people/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(70, 120, 134);">https://www.westportplayhouse.org/show/theatre-people/</a>&nbsp;</p><p>A complete schedule of Playhouse events is available at&nbsp;<a href="http://westportplayhouse.org/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(70, 120, 134);">westportplayhouse.org</a>.&nbsp;All play titles, artists, dates, and times are subject to change.</p><p>For Westport Country Playhouse information and tickets, visit&nbsp;<a href="http://westportplayhouse.org/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(70, 120, 134);">westportplayhouse.org</a>&nbsp;or call the box office at (203) 227-4177, toll-free at 1-888-927-7529. Stay connected to the Playhouse on Facebook (Westport Country Playhouse), Instagram (wcplayhouse), and&nbsp;YouTube (WestportPlayhouse).&nbsp;Westport Country Playhouse is located at 25 Powers Court, off Route 1, Westport.&nbsp;</p>

<h2><strong style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent;">Why Small Businesses&nbsp;Matter</strong></h2><p><em style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent;">Shop small, do big things for your community</em></p><p><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent;">Why Small Businesses Matter puts a spotlight on the local merchants who donate their time, talent, goods, and services for the betterment of our community.</span></p><p><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent;">Meet Kevin Wheeler founder of </span><a href="https://www.theinclusivebrew.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(17, 85, 204); background-color: transparent;">The Inclusive Brew</a><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent;">.</span></p><p><em style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent;">Editor’s note: The Inclusive Brew has not yet opened. It’s Kevin’s hope that spreading the word will help engage the community and bring his vision to life!&nbsp;You can support Kevin by clicking </em><a href="https://www.theinclusivebrew.com/new-page" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">here</a>.</p><p><strong style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent;">Mission:&nbsp;</strong></p><p><em style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent;">At The Inclusive Brew, we are a beacon of inclusivity and acceptance, welcoming all individuals to our doors, regardless of their sexual orientation, gender identity, or expression. As a late-night haven, we provide a safe and comforting space for our community to gather, socialize, and find solace in the warmth of food, drinks, and great company.</em></p><p><strong style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent;">Why are you starting The Inclusive Brew?&nbsp;</strong></p><p><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent;">I always wanted a place where my friends and I could truly connect—a space that felt more comfortable than a club or a bar. In those settings, with all the noise and distractions, it’s hard to feel seen or have meaningful conversations.</span></p><p><strong style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent;">Why do you believe creating an inclusive space is especially important in today’s world?</strong></p><p><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent;">In this day and age, having an Inclusive space seems more important than ever. This goes beyond the LGBT community and my goal is to make everyone feel welcome and that they belong, no matter race, sexual orientation, disability, or anything else.</span></p><p><strong style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent;">What is something that sets The Inclusive Brew apart from other coffee shops?</strong></p><p><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent;">One of the unique aspects of The Inclusive Brew would be its hours of operation. Unlike most cafes that close early, The Inclusive Brew would stay open late to provide an alternative to the typical bar or club scene, offering a safe space for socializing, studying, or simply relaxing after a long day.</span></p><p><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent;">Visit The Inclusive Brew’s website </span><a href="https://www.theinclusivebrew.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(17, 85, 204); background-color: transparent;">https://www.theinclusivebrew.com/</a></p><p><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent;">Follow along on Facebook (coming soon, click </span><a href="https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61561990985495" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(17, 85, 204); background-color: transparent;">here</a><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent;">) and Instagram @</span><a href="https://www.instagram.com/theinclusivebrew/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(17, 85, 204); background-color: transparent;">theinclusivebrew</a></p><p><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent;">Questions? Email </span><a href="mailto:info@theinclusivebrew.com." rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent;">info@theinclusivebrew.com.</a></p><p><strong style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent;">HamletHub thanks</strong><a href="http://www.jkinfordbeautygroup.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(17, 85, 204); background-color: transparent;"><strong> </strong></a><a href="https://www.fairfieldcountybank.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(17, 85, 204); background-color: transparent;"><strong>Fairfield County Bank </strong></a><strong style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent;">for making our Why Small Businesses Matter series possible!</strong></p><p><br></p>

<p class="ql-align-center"><span style="text-align: left; color: var(--geeks-body-color); font-weight: var(--geeks-body-font-weight);">Newtown, CT - Senator Tony Hwang, Representative Marty Foncello and Representative Mitch Bolinsky will together conduct a </span>Coffee and Conversation session at Newtown Community Center, 8 Simpson Street, Newtown, CT on <strong>Saturday, February 22, 2025, at&nbsp;10 a.m.</strong></p><p>&nbsp;Topics will include the state budget, what it means for us and what the next steps and initiatives are to offer transparency on Connecticut’s fiscal health and budget discourse to taxpayers.</p>

<p>Fairfield, CT -<strong><em> </em></strong>The Town of Fairfield’s Arts Commission invites all artists, creatives and enthusiasts to join them at their next “Fairfield Arts Mixer”, which will be held on Thursday, February 20 from 6-7:30pm at the Fairfield Museum and History Center, 370 Beach Road in Fairfield. Light bites will be served. </p><p>The “Arts Mixer” networking event is an outgrowth from the Community Conversation on the Arts workshop that the Fairfield Arts Commission held earlier this year. </p><p>“The Commission felt that holding regular networking events at different venues throughout Town was something that we could do fairly quickly and didn’t require a lot of resources,” said Commission Chair Charlie MacDonald. </p><p>The event is free of charge, but advance registration is strongly encouraged as space is limited. To register, please go <span style="color: rgb(5, 99, 193);">here</span>. </p><p>For further information, please contact the Office of Community &amp; Economic Development via email at <a href="mailto:arts@fairfieldct.org" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(5, 99, 193);">arts@fairfieldct.org</a>. </p><p>About the Fairfield Arts Commission</p><p>The Fairfield Arts Commission is an official body of the Town of Fairfield, comprised of nine volunteers appointed by the First Selectman. The purpose of the Fairfield Arts Commission is to stimulate, foster, facilitate and encourage the development and appreciation of artistic and cultural activitieswithintheTownofFairfield. Followingtheirappointmentin2023, the members have been working toward achieving statewide recognition of an arts and cultural district in Fairfield.&nbsp;</p>