July 5 Update From Bethel First Selectman Carter

**News Release Submitted by Bethel First Selectman Dan Carter**

July 5, 2024

Dear Bethel,

Bethel Police officers hosted a “Coffee with a Cop” at our Senior Center this week where they reminded everyone to be on the lookout for the latest gift card scam. Bethel residents have received emails that appear to be from someone they know asking for them to purchase gift cards and send photos of the cards. Also, checks are being taken out of the mail and doctored to change the name of the recipient. Please lookout for scams and protect those who might be vulnerable!

Question 4 of 5: Last March a small group of citizens from across the community gathered for a workshop with the goal to help Town leadership to define our priorities. The group explored 5 questions. The fourth question was “What are opportunities for/barriers to effective communication in Bethel?” Participants identified concerns about the lack of a Bethel newspaper, lack of printed newsletters for seniors, lack of a town funded Chamber of Commerce director, and difficulty finding information/resources (information online/social media, centralize communication from area churches and monitor online forums.) What do you think are opportunities for/barriers to effective communication in Bethel? Email firstselectman@bethel-ct.gov. Stay tuned next week for question 5.

On Tuesday, July 9th at 7:00 pm at Town Hall in Conference Room D, the Planning & Zoning Commission will continue public hearings for 22 Stony Hill Rd. (construct new gas station/convenience store) and 25A Turkey Plain Rd. (an addition to the Animal Center) and begin a new hearing for 165 Grassy Plain St. (an addition to the existing manufacturing warehouse.) Learn more at https://bethel-ct.gov/2024-public-hearing and https://bethel-ct.gov/2024-zoning.

The next Office Hours is Wednesday, July 10th from 7:30 am to 8:30 am. It’s a great time to stop by the First Selectmen office in Town Hall with questions or concerns. Otherwise, call the office at 203-794-8540 or email firstselectman@bethel-ct.gov and make an appointment.
Kids, teens, and adults: the 2024 Summer Reading Challenge is underway and your Adventure Begins at the Bethel Public Library! Log your reading through August 31st and earn raffle tickets for great prizes, including gift certificates to local businesses for the adults! https://www.bethellibrary.org/summerreading/

Where’s Waldo? He is hiding in 25 businesses around Bethel! Drop by Byrd’s Books or visit their website for your passport to fun and prizes. Find Waldo and stamp your passport at 20 of the 25 businesses and enter the grand prize drawing at the Where’s waldo party on Saturday, July 27th! Visit Byrd’s books for more information and school summer reading lists: https://www.byrdsbooks.com/

Don’t miss the PD Car show this Sunday, July 7th on the Town Hall lawn from 4pm to 8 pm. Cars, music, and great food! Donations support the Scotty Fund and the Bethel Police Benevolent Association.

St. Thomas' Church is hosting a Giant Tag Sale on July 12th & 13th and July 19th & 20th. You can find lots of treasures, including household Items, jewelry, framed art, toys crafts, vintage, and Xmas items. They could use a few volunteers to help set up the week prior and the days of the tag sale. Please email Dawnfaw@aol.com to volunteer.

Friday, July 12th is the deadline for vendors and groups to register to participate in the 2024 Summer Shop & Stroll! Residents and visitors can enjoy a day in Downtown Bethel filled with shopping, live music, and family fun! For a list of 2024 vendors or to register, visit https://bethelchamberofcommerce.com/shop-stroll.

ERA Productions and Park & Rec present Little Mermaid Jr with a cast of 6th to 8th graders on Friday, July 12th at 7 pm and Saturday, July 13th at 2 pm and 7 pm. And don’t miss the High schoolers from the greater Bethel area performing Footloose the Musical on Friday, July 19th at 7 pm and Saturday July 20th at 2 pm and 7 pm. Shows are at Bethel High School. For tickets, visit https://ticketpeak.co/bethelparkandrec/events

OLIDA Learning, a Bethel based business, is offering a free workshop beginning on July 16th, “Your Guide to Self-Advocacy,” for teens & young adults with disabilities. If you are a parent, family member, or friend of a teen or young adult with an Individualized Education Program (IEP) or 504 Plan, this workshop is designed to lead the student on a path of self-become a strong self-advocate. Learn more or register at https://learningstreams.corsizio.com/event/649a142e30b63889b2e0e761.

Bethel’s own Phil LoPresti and Cynthia McCorkindale will be joining the Clark Eno Orchestra for a Big Band Swing Dance Party on Thursday, July 18th from 7 pm to 9:30 pm at the Amber Room Colonnade in Danbury. For details call 203-748-4119, email ceno@comcast.net or visit https://clarkenoorchestra.com/swing-dance-party

Shoutout to the Bethel Park & Rec staff, Town Employees, First Responders and all who made the 58th Annual Firecracker 8k an amazing event! 287 runners, including members of the Bethel Running Club, took on the challenge and our own Evan Bureau finished first! Congrats Evan and all those who finished! See your results at https://runsignup.com/Race/Events/CT/Bethel/JohnDemilleFirecracker8KRoadRace

Shoutout to Patrick Wild, our own Bethel Historian. Bethel turned 169 last on June 29th. You can imagine a lot has happened since 1855, so if you want to learn a bit more about Bethel's history, checkout Patrick's column, Bygone Bethel, at https://www.bethelgrapevine.com/bygone-bethel.

Have a great weekend!

Dan