If you’ve nothing better to do…

…I’m speaking about Isabella Beecher Hooker at 6 p.m. Friday at the Grange Hall in East Haddam, as a guest of the Friends of the East Haddam Public Libraries. Suggested donation (to the Friends, not me) is $5 and refreshments will be served. Come on! Heckle! (Directions to Grange Hall are here.)

Free dinner for those in need in Bushnell Park on Aug. 30

Journey Home and Arugula Bistro in West Hartford, Salute Restaurant in Hartford, Whole Foods Market West Hartford, and Starbucks Coffee are providing free meals to people in need in Hartford’s Bushnell Park, starting at 5 p.m. Here’s where you come in: Donate $25 (or more!) to  Journey Home to buy a meal for someone, and …

Some good after some very bad

There were reports that some victims in the Aurora, Colo., movie theater shooting were facing insurmountable medical bills, but Colorado hospitals decided to waive some of the bills, and Warner Bros. (the studio responsible for “The Dark Knight Rises,” which was showing at the time of the shooting) kicked in some more. If you feel moved …