Help pick up trash along local beaches, reservoirs, and waterways. Save the Sound organizes them and has several happening every weekend through October. You can sign up for one or more on their website.
Most are along the coast, but some are upriver as well since everything eventually gets swept downstream.
Post fun things to do around the area this week! Make sure to include the day of the week, location (including street address, time, cost (if any), and any special restrictions like for age 21+ only.
BACK TO SCHOOL IS COMING!
it's tax free week in CT so clothing items (for children AND adults) have no tax charged for items under $300. Check the list here for the things that are covered or not. Covered: rain gear. Not covered: costumes.
Also be aware that new bus drivers may be out this week doing the practice runs for their new routes. Remember its illegal to pass a bus with the stop sign out... even if there are no kids on it. Danbury's buses have cameras that activate when the stop sign comes out to catch people passing. You'll get a $250 ticket if you pass a school bus.
Check their individual websites for what deals they have going on, author talks, and other special activities. Like Independent Bookstore Day, but focused on a specific genre!
You can also check out the national programming, which has some online author talks and discussion of subgenres like Rom-Com & Historical Fantasy.
Bank Square Books
Mystic, CT
Byrd’s Books
Bethel, CT
Folklore & Fable Booksellers
Colchester, CT
Le Fleur & Fables Booktique
Torrington, CT
Montgomery & Taggert
Chester, CT
Possible Futures
New Haven, CT
Rainy Day Paperback
Bethel, CT
River Bend Bookshop
Glastonbury & West Hartford, CT
RJ Julia Booksellers
Madison, CT
Teddy’s Best Reads
Oxford, CT
The Curious Cat Bookshop
Winstead, CT
The Hickory Stick Bookshop
Washington Depot, CT
Top Shelf Cafe & Books
North Stonington, CT
Wesleyan RJ Julia Bookstore
Middletown, CT
There are many more bookstores in Connecticut! so if your favorite isn't on the list, this is NOT meant to be a list all independent bookstores in CT. This is just the ones that are actively participating in Romance day!
If you are an ebook lover, Bookshop.org has deals on ebooks as part of the day. Libro.fm has deals on audiobooks. And purchasing through those two sites will support your local shops!
The Mobile Food Pantry will be in Danbury on Saturday, August 15, providing food assistance to members of our community. The pantry will be located at 1 School Ridge Road in Danbury.
Hours of service are from 6:30 AM to 9:30 AM. Please arrive early for registration. The Mobile Food Pantry will return to Danbury on Saturday, September 19, at the same location.
EDIT UPDATE 8/14: Fence has been erected to keep people out. area is now safe to travel in. Cause under investigation.
ORIGINAL POST
Part of the Lighthouse Ministries steeple has collapsed. this is the former Immanuel Lutheran Church. emergency services on scene. but avoid the area while they respond!
EDIT: update 10PM from Danbury Fire Department:
Danbury Fire Department - CT
Fire units were dispatched to the scene and arrived to find that a large portion of the church structure had collapsed. Fire personnel conducted a search of the affected area, utilizing thermal imaging cameras, and found no signs of entrapment.
Eversource was contacted and responded to the scene to secure the building’s electrical and natural gas services.
Building officials and members of the Fire Marshal’s Office were also on scene to assess the structure and conduct an investigation into the collapse.
The building owners are working with contractors to secure the area and stabilize the remaining portion of the structure.
The cause of the collapse remains under investigation.
There were no reported injuries associated with the incident
This meeting is to determine if the proposal is sent to town wide vote. This is not the final decision. It is step 1.
The 108-acre Menegay property on Codfish Hill Road has become available for purchase. The property combines expansive open meadows, beautiful hardwood forest, active agricultural land, and an extraordinary location near Huntington State Park and adjoining other conserved lands. It would potentially combine together the 96 acre Wolf Pits Preserve and 1000 acre Huntington State Park trail systems, allowing for 20+ miles of hiking and mountain biking.
The owners have given the Town of Bethel a limited opportunity to purchase the property before the end of September. After that, they have indicated that they intend to offer the property for sale to developers.
The proposal is straightforward: the Town secures the property now, while the Bethel Land Trust raises the conservation funding needed to protect it permanently. The Land Trust expects that process to take approximately 12 to 18 months. Once funding is secured, the Land Trust would purchase the property from the Town and place a conservation easement on it. The BLT and the Town would then jointly manage the land.
This would be similar to the management done for the Franc Preserve in Bethel, which currently allows hiking, biking, and mushroom foraging. (there is a mushroom foraging hike with an expert coming up the 23rd!) There is also the potential to continue agricultural use similar to how it is used now. Or add a community garden.
The Town, in effect, serves as the bridge—giving the Bethel Land Trust time needed to secure conservation funding without losing the property in the meantime.
Wednesday, August 19 • 7:00 PM
Bethel Middle School Auditorium
if you would like to see a drone flyover of the property with more info, visit the Bethel Land Trust website. the website also has info on current hiking, biking, and fishing opportunities.
Mushroom foraging hike info:
Sunday August 23rd 1PM
franc Preserve, 160 Plumtrees Rd. Bethel
the Franc Preserve is similarly preserved open space in Bethel, managed by the Land Trust. The hike is really more of a slow ramble to stop every few feet and go "ooh, what's that!" than an actual hike. It will cover around 1 mile in total, with rolling terrain. Go foraging with Danielle who has 10+ years experience with wild mushrooms.
Dogs are welcome but MUST be on leash. Make sure to wear sturdy shoes. Light drizzle will not cancel hike, but thunder, other hazardous condition, or a downpour will result in cancellation.
New Milford is still recovering from all the flooding and keeps discovering new issues.
If you spot a problem that doesn't appear to have cones or warning signs up, drop a note to Public Works.
On the same neighbor's tree as last year. Adults are now emerging to mate. SMASH THEM.
Last year we managed to successfully train yellowjackets to recognize them as food. Smash and toss corpse near predator bugs. Then toss them wounded ones. They'll start hunting them on their own after a bit.
Have a friend down on shore who did same with praying mantis.
If you have tree of heaven on your property, now is the time to start eradication protocol. If you cut them down directly, they'll send of hundreds of shoots. Starting now, cut a notch into the bark so it forms a little cup. Apply herbicide into notch.
Repeat multiple times. You want it to draw the herbicide to the roots.
THEN cut the tree.
We can't get them all, but every one you get prevents 100s more next year. Generally they can only jump 3 times before they're out of energy, so if you miss, take another shot.
You can see a picture of the washout that required emergency repairs over in this thread.
Road crew is getting the new drainage pipes in today. Road still closed, but once all the new drainage is installed, can work on grading and paving.
Many other roads in New Milford had significant damage from flooding in last storms, so there are other small detours and closures scattered around town.
Post events for the week! make sure to include the location (including street address), day of week, time, and if there are any restrictions like specific age.
not "fun" exactly, but don't forget the primaries are on tuesday! Not every district and party has something to vote on, but if you're registered with a party.... you have been getting snail mail. Vote if you're supposed to.
They go have some fun!
From Danbury Emergency Management, 9AM Saturday 8/8
Please be advised the following roads are closed:
- Aaron B Samuels Blvd/ William St
- 242 White St
- 120 Main St
- Main/ Wooster
- 25 Memorial Dr
- Spruce St
- 59 Main St
- Memorial Dr/ Lion’s Way
- Old Newtown/ Augusta
- Beaverbrook/ Morgan: 1 Lane Open
Traffic light out at Liberty/Patriot St. please obey the temporary stop signs.
Hope this is ok to post, but wanted to alert folks to my indie mockumentary comedy, Canoe Dig It? will be playing at Greenwood Features tomorrow night at 8pm! It’s about the very real sport of Freestyle Canoeing and is very much up the alley of any fan of Best in Show or anything Christopher Guest, but with a lot more painfully dry New England humor. It was entirely shot in Maine and I will be there for a Q&A after the film as well!
Being very much an indie, we don’t really have budget for marketing, so hope getting the word out this way is permissible!
Drop off plants or pick up some new ones! You don't have to bring plants to take some home and you can drop off plants without taking more home. (but it won't hurt to look....)
You can also drop off or pick up seed packets or seeds you've saved from your garden
Drop off school supplies for the Harambee Back to school drive. and check out their website for great youth focused programs like basketball, soccer, art classes, dance, and african drumming.
The parking can be a little tight to get in and out of there, so if its a small enough box to comfortably carry, I suggest parking at City Hall instead (155 Deer Hill Ave) and walking around the corner instead.
NOTE: harambee also does a toy drive at Christmas! so if you're planning far ahead, put them on your list.
Stay safe! hydrate! Make sure to walk your dogs during the cooler parts of the day.
The Pulse Point location will be temporarily moved effective August 10th for a period of about two months.
During this time bus pick up and drop off, along with pass sales will be on Crosby St.
Some bus routes may be altered, and service to several bus stops may be temporarily suspended.
Maps shows new temporary stops for the different routes.
See the Service Updates page on the HART transit site to check for any route alterations during construction
The area around Sawmill Brook where it comes into Allen's Cove at the north end of the lake by Sherman had a lot of debris enter the lake. lake authority is dealing with debris and may mark off some sections. But be careful if you are taking a boat out as there may be logs floating or partially submerged in the lake. If you spot debris, SLOW DOWN, there is likely even more debris you can't see!
Some local beaches and boat launches may be closed for next day or two as debris is dealt with. Check the town website for the beach or launch you are considering using to see how its faring.
Photo is of washout on Paper Mill. Rd. it is understandably closed to through traffic!
New Milford got a lot of inland flash flooding with this storm and there may be numerous roads closed. respect road closures. Be extra cautious if you are driving after dark on Monday 8/3 as there may be hidden damage that hasn't been flagged yet.
If you see washouts, sinkholes, blocked drains, debris in the road, or other damage, you can report it to New Milford Public Works.
Post events for the week! make sure to include the day, time, location (with street address), cost (if any), and if there are any restrictions like 21+ or no dogs allowed.
Get out and have some fun!
Request the full packet for design notes here.
Short version of what's wanted: