🏛️ The U.S. House just approved a bill to give Scotland, its very own single ZIP code—next stop, the Senate.

🦸‍♀️ Willimantic’s Bonnie Discepolo pops up in the new Superman as Ms. Jessop—one of Lex Luthor’s assistants. Check out an interview by TheChronicle

☕️ Dayville (550 Hartford Pike) is getting caffeinated and stuffed: Starbucks just opened, Jersey Mike’s cuts the ribbon July 30th and eventually Five Guys will be in the mix as well.

🎉 Main St Gelato opened in North Grosvenordale, Thompson (372 Riverside Dr), fresh‑made gelato & sorbetto, plus macarons, espresso, and affogatos.

This week I wanted to hive-light a little hobby of mine; gardening. If you want tomatoes that shrug off August scorch and still taste like July sunshine, give ’em their own drinking straw:

✂️ Build the straw. Nab a 24‑inch length of 1‑inch PVC or a bamboo culm, drill 10‑12 holes the size of a pencil lead in the bottom 15″, and cap the base.

🌱 Plant it. Sink the perforated section straight down next to each transplant so only 6‑8″ peeks above the mulch.

🪵 Mulch like you mean it. Two inches of shredded leaves or grass clippings keeps the topsoil cool and the weeds on vacation.

💧 Water smart. Every couple of days, pour a quart of water (or compost tea) into the pipe. Moisture oozes out underground—roots party, leaves stay dry, and late‑blight spores get ghosted. Deep‑pipe irrigation like this has been field‑tested for years because it slashes evaporation and pushes roots deeper.

The (Optional) Aspirin Booster

Feeling experimental? Dissolve one un‑coated 325 mg aspirin tablet per gallon of water and drench or spray foliage every three weeks. Salicylic acid flips on the plant’s built‑in immune system—USDA and University of Rhode Island trials saw thicker leaves and fewer fungal freak‑outs.

Reality check: aspirin isn’t a magic fungicide—good airflow and crop rotation still matter, and plastic‑averse folks can swap in bamboo for PVC. But pair this “sip‑straw” trick with a tidy mulch blanket and your tomatoes will cruise through Connecticut’s sweaty season like they’re on drip‑fed vacation.

This is a follow up of last week’s word scramble answer. Woodstock Academy is basically New England’s answer to “how old can a high school be and still look this fresh?” It was founded in 1801 as one of Connecticut’s original six academies and now corrals ~1,100 students from six sending towns (Woodstock, Eastford, Pomfret, Brooklyn, Canterbury, and Union). Taxpayers pick up tuition, yet the school still calls itself independent, letting it run day‑and‑boarding programs that pull in teens from across the globe. Toss in a color scheme blue and gold, a Centaur mascot that keeps the Greek‑mythology flex alive, and ~29 varsity sports, and you’ve got a 224‑year‑old institution that refuses to act its age.

Modern swagger comes courtesy of a 2017 power move: WA snapped up the neighboring 127‑acre Hyde School campus, instantly adding dorms, dining halls, labs, and enough athletic turf to make ESPN blush. Two years later, philanthropist Joan Loos turbo‑charged the arts with a gift big enough to rename the on‑campus 1,016‑seat performing‑arts jewel now called the Loos Center for the Arts—complete with updated rigging, lights, and a 1,000‑square‑foot gallery. Add in an engineering lab, maker‑space, and a health center, and the 19th‑century academy suddenly looks like a 21st‑century boarding‑school blockbuster.

Danielson | Kids Watercolor Painting | 10:30-11:30am - Help put your 8-12 year old on the path to becoming the next Winslow Homer (no shame in looking him up) with this class at Killingly Public Library (25 Westcott Rd). Sign-up

Willimantic | Teamwork in the Wild | 6pm - Bring the nature/animal loving young one in your life to Willimantic Public Library (905 Main St) to learn about ways different species work together in the wild.

Woodstock Valley | Group Hike/Swim | 6pm $ - Get your fitness on with a hike and swim at Bigelow Hollow (298 Bigelow Hollow Rd) with Living Kula. Register

LIVE MUSIC

⬢ Riverside Park - Brooklyn | Leaf Jumpers | 5pm
⬢ Stomping Ground - Putnam | Pete Vendettuoli | 8-11pm

Moosup | Caring For Caregivers | 6-7:30pm - If you have a caregiver in your life you’re looking to support (it’s an emotionally draining job), Love & Light Healing Studio (5 Legacy Dr) is hosting Rachel Bamber, LCSW, to talk about how to care for caregivers. Register

North Grosvenordale | Writer’s Club | 1-3pm - All aspiring writers can meet at Thompson Public Library (934 Riverside Dr) to give and receive feedback on the second and last Wednesday of each month.

LIVE MUSIC

⬢ Windham Free Library - Windham Center | Dawn B. Cwirka | 6pm
⬢ Klaus Larsen - North Windham | Open Mic | 6:30pm

TRIVIA

Stomping Ground - Putnam | 7pm

Ashford | Car Cruise Night | 5-8pm - Enjoy some classic cars/trucks, grab some delicious food, and try your luck at a 50/50 raffle at the Ashford Volunteer Fire Dept (46 Westford Rd). Make sure to keep an eye on the weather!

Danielson | Killingly River Trail 5K | 6:30-7:45pm $ - Killingly Parks and Rec continues their 6-week 5K series, starting at the Killingly Dog Park (78 Quinebaug Dr). Register

Danielson | Children’s Book Club/Author Talk | 11am - Killingly Public Library (25 Westcott Rd) is inviting young readers to discuss The One and Only Family and view author Katherine Applegate’s interview. Register

Windham | Concert | 6:30pm - Bring a lawn chair, blanket, and picnic to Shaboo Stage (1 Jillson Sq) for a free concert from The Flamingo Band - swing-era big band mixed with rock.

Woodstock | Sea Glass Jewelry | 6-8pm $ - Sip on some delicious suds and create a unique piece of sea glass jewelry at Taylor Brooke Brewery (818 Rt 171). Tix

LIVE MUSIC

⬢ Davis Park - Danielson | The Billy Pilgrim Band | 6pm
⬢ Hank’s Dairy Bar - Plainfield | Aaron Spearin | 5-8pm
⬢ Stomping Ground - Putnam | Straight Up Jazz Series | 5:30-7:30pm
⬢ Stomping Ground - Putnam | Anthony Loffredio | 8-11pm

Putnam | The Prom | 7:30pm $ - The Bradley Playhouse (30 Front St) is performing The Prom this weekend, so get a little culture in your life at a piece of American history. Tix

Willimantic | Back To The 80’s Musical | 7:30-10pm $ - You still have a chance to hop in a time machine for this 80’s-themed musical at the Windham Theater Guild (779 Main St). Tix/showtimes

Willimantic | Lilly Movie Screening | 7pm $ - Check out a screening of Lilly, the story of Lilly Ledbetter’s legal battle for equal pay at The River Room (50 Riverside Dr). This includes special messages from the film’s director and producer. Proceeds help support local women’s groups. Tix

LIVE MUSIC

⬢ Roseland Cottage - Woodstock | Amy Gallatin and Stillwaters | 6:30pm
⬢ Black Dog - Putnam | NO EXIT 4 | 8pm
⬢ Stomping Ground - Putnam | Lee Ross | 8-11pm

TRIVIA

Taylor Brooke - Woodstock | 6:30pm

Dayville | Indoor/Outdoor Yard Sale | 9am - The Killingly Grange (801 Hartford Tpke) is holding a huge tag sale this weekend. Stop by and find some treasures.

Thompson | Tarot Card Reading | 5pm $ - Triple Raven Brewing (27 Main St) has invited Caitie Stone back for Tarot readings. First come, first serve - payment goes directly to her.

Willimantic | Farmers Market | 8am-12pm - Stop by the Willimantic Farmers Market (28 Bridge St) for fresh produce, products, and some unexpected treasures.

Windham | Soup Kitchen Fundraiser | 10am - Bring non-perishable and canned goods (or money) to the Franco-American Club (116 Club Rd) to help support the Covenant Soup Kitchen in Willimantic. Nashville recording artist Craig Hendricks will be running a songwriting workshop in the morning and an open jam in the afternoon. Call/text (256) 884-1101 for more info.

Woodstock | Fundraising Concert | 7pm $ - Catch the Red Light Band at the Loos Center for the Arts (150 Rt 169) for a concert that benefits our community’s heroes, active military, veterans, first responders, and more. Tix

Woodstock | Locally Grown Day | 10am - Echo Farm (1051 Rt 169) is celebrating Woodstock’s Locally Grown Day with activities on the farm, and of course locally grown products!

Woodstock Valley | Touch-A-Tractor | 2-6pm - Check out tractors, new and old, at Buck’s Soft Serve (88 Kenyonville Rd). You should probably grab some ice cream while you’re there too!

LIVE MUSIC

⬢ Little Dipper Farm - Brooklyn | Dead to the Core | 6-10pm Tix
⬢ Stomping Ground - Putnam | Julie William’s Band | 1-4pm
⬢ Stomping Ground - Putnam | Jeremiah Tall | 8-11pm
⬢ Taylor Brooke - Woodstock | Jon Taylor | 2-5pm
⬢ Broken Crust - Putnam | John Rodgers | 5:30-7:30pm

Central Village | NAC Poker Run | 11am $ - Neighbors Against Cancer are holding their first annual poker run (motorcycle ride), starting at the Music Lady Cafe (6 Green Hollow Rd). Drawing baskets, 50/50 raffles, food, music, and a chance to win for best hand. Questions? Contact the NAC

Willimantic | Mean Girls Jr. Auditions | 6-8pm - Windham Theater Guild (779 Main St) is holding auditions for this movie-turned-musical. For a look at roles, click here.

LIVE MUSIC

⬢ Stomping Ground - Putnam | Alpaca Lunch | 1-4pm
⬢ Stomping Ground - Putnam | Open Mic | 7-11:30pm
⬢ Taylor Brooke - Woodstock | JT Horne | 2-5pm

Putnam | Dining For A Cause | 5pm - The Crossings Restaurant (45 Main St) is holding a dining for a cause/”celebrity” bartending evening to support a local community member recovering from a TBI. Raffles also available.

LIVE MUSIC

⬢ Music Lady Cafe - Central Village | Brandt Taylor | 5:30-7:30pm