For New Fairfield First Selectman John Hodge, one trip to the darkness and devastation of Red Hook, Brooklyn, wasn’t nearly enough last week. So Hodge and his army of volunteers will make another Hurricane Sandy relief run Friday, with collection sites set up in Danbury and New Fairfield on Thursday. Five donated U-Haul trucks made  Read More

Hi everyone, For generations of Danbury families, Paul Baker was the voice of their city, the man who immortalized their kids on the basketball court, the baseball diamond or the football field. “Sports was the glue to the city. It’s what kept everyone together,” said Baker, who called games and broadcast the news at WLAD  Read More

Hi everyone, There wasn’t room in the newspaper last week for a box about Friday night’s gala to celebrate the 25th anniversary of His Vineyard Christian Fellowship and the church’s co-pastors, Gary and Keri Baldelli. I’ve included the gala details below as well as the text of my “Take on Life” column from Sept. 7 in case you missed  Read More

Hi everyone, It’s the soundtrack of a bygone era, a time when carousel music pushed painted horses in summer circles at state fairs and amusement parks all over the country. Listen here for yourself: The Charleston (band organ style) If you were lucky enough to visit the Great Danbury State Fair, you know exactly what I mean. If you weren’t lucky enough  Read More

Hi everyone, In Sunday’s print edition of The News-Times, I wrote a column about Tujuanna Allen, a Danbury woman who wants to start an arts-based leadership program for teenage girls. I’ve included an excerpt from my column below. You can reach Allen at teatreeacademy@gmail.com for more information…. As a little girl growing up in the Bronx,  Read More

Hi everyone, Kevin Awalt is halfway there. Awalt, the owner of Gotham Auto Works on South Street in Danbury, said Tuesday he’s sold 150 of his Batman T-shirts to raise money for the Colorado Organization for Victim Assistance. To learn more about COVA, visit www.coloradocrimevictims.org. “I still want to sell 300 shirts,” Awalt said. “If not more.” Awalt said he  Read More

Hi everyone, As a kid growing up in Somers, N.Y., not all that far from Danbury, Kevin Awalt loved running around the yard in his homemade Batman costume. “My mom cut out cardboard masks for my sister and I,” Awalt said Thursday morning from Gotham Auto Works, the detailing shop he opened nearly four years  Read More

Hi everyone, I don’t remember the exact day I became a man, but I’ll never forget the day my son, Taylor, did. It was last Saturday at Temple Beth Elohim in Brewster, N.Y. After months of planning — and years of preparation — the boy who once made a “Dinosaurs vs. Humans” diorama on our  Read More