Darien Morning Briefing: 5.15.12, Tuesday

THIS MORNING: Building Independent Readers: 9:30 a.m. Community Room. Darien Library. "Education Consultant, Ginny Lockwood will discuss the Comprehensive Literacy Framework your children are engaged in at school clarifying how its parts come together to engage learners in rigorous and joyous reading instruction! Ginny will also share many ideas for reading to and with your children at home, straight through elementary school and beyond."— on Darien Patch

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Today is Tuesday, May 15, 2012.

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HEADLINES:

News & opinion:

Cops & Crime:

Sports:

Features:

EVENTS & REMINDERS 

Adults:

• WEDNESDAY: DARIEN FARMER'S MARKET Runs today from 11 to 4 p.m. in the Mechanic Street Parking Lot, behind Darien Fire Department fire station.
• SATURDAY: Talk on container gardening: Free but R.S.V.P. . "Andy Aiken from Pleasant View gardens, will be here on Saturday 5/19 to talk about what is new with Proven Winners this year and also go over his top picks for all of your container and landscape needs. Andy has worked in the horticulture industry for 20 years and designs all of the combinations that Pleasant View Gardens grows. Bring your containers and your questions and plan on leaving with some great color! Please call 203-655-2541 or email nielsen@nielsensflorist.com to R.S.V.P."—from  on Darien Patch
• SUNDAY: TRUMBULL: "Calling All Cookie Bakers": "The Great Original Cookie will be selected at the GreenSpring 2012 Country Fair, Sunday May 20 at the Trumbull AgriScience & BioTechnology Center on Daniels Farm Road. Anyone interested in entering the competition should bring a plate of cookies and the original recipe, listing all ingredients, to the Fair by noon.  Ribbons will be awarded."—from on Darien Patch

Ongoing:

• Food Drive for Person-to-Person: "For the month of May, the Darien Rowayton Bank branch, at 1001 Post Road, will be collecting non-perishable food items to benefit Person-to-Person. Janet King, Director of Volunteers, says “This is such a great way to help the increased number of our neighbors in need who come to us daily for food. We are in need of more food due to slow economic recovery. Please stop in the Bank and give what you can."—from the  on Darien Patch
• Submit art to the 54th Annual Darien Art Show & Sale: "Artists may enter up to two pieces of artwork, with a registration fee of $20 for adults and $10 for Students per submission. The Darien Arts Center encourages all interested artists to pre-register online through  its website."— on Darien Patch
• REGISTER: Darien's Got Talent competition: "Do you think you can dance like Jennifer Lopez, sing like Christina Aguilera, or play a musical instrument better than Yo Yo Ma or Jimmy Hendrix? [...] If the above describes you, and you are between the ages of 10 and 100, then start preparing for some awesome auditions [...]"—from the  on Darien Patch
• Crazy for Quilts ~ Scrapbooks in Silk and Satin: "Elegant, silk crazy quilts from the collection of the Darien Historical Society."—from on Darien Patch
  
• Darien 4th of July Fireworks t-shirt contest: "Submit your artwork and the winner’s designs will serve as Darien’s official 4th of July Fireworks T-shirt! Hurry soon and fill out the information below, the contest will close May 15."—from on Darien Patch

Parents:

• Building Independent Readers: 9:30 a.m. Community Room. Darien Library. "Education Consultant, Ginny Lockwood will discuss the Comprehensive Literacy Framework your children are engaged in at school clarifying how its parts come together to engage learners in rigorous and joyous reading instruction! Ginny will also share many ideas for reading to and with your children at home, straight through elementary school and beyond."— on Darien Patch
  
• Talk: "How Smart Parents Get their Kids the Education they Deserve: 7:30 to 9:00 p.m., (133 Msnsfield Ave.)
  Presented by Smart Kids with Learning Disabilities and YWCA Parent Awareness. "Award winning author Peg Tyre will speak to parents on how to navigate the school system to get the best possible education for their children. In her latest book, The Good School, Tyrew wades through decades of education research and outlines the key components of a solid education that every parent should understand. While no school is perfect, Ms. Tyre gives parents tools to better communicate with teachers, and offers concrete advice on how to best advocate for children with and without disabilities. RSVP to Programs@SmartKidswithLD.org or call 203.226.6703"—from the YWCA announcement
• Have a high school kid? The Darien High School Parents Association is creating its directory for 2012-2013. "If your student is NOT listed in the directory already or if the information printed is INCORRECT, please follow the link below to register: DHSPA Student Directory. Note: DHSPA Directory records are separate from the official information held by DHS administration. Questions? Contact DHSDirectory@gmail.com"—the announcement on the Darien High School Home page. 
• Methodist Family Center Preschool Camp: "MFCP is offering camp for preschool children starting May 29 and ending June 29"—from on Darien Patch
• New Methodist Family Center Preschool program for 4-year-olds: "MFCP is offering the new Navigators program to students enrolled in the four-year-old classes this fall."—from on Darien Patch.
• YWCA Toddler Time and Summer Fun Registration for 2012-2013
• at the Darien Nature Center

Kids:

• Toddler Tales: 10:30 to 11 a.m. Storytime Room, Darien Library. "Walkers up to 36 months and caregiver."—library announcement. 
• Sleepytime: 6 to 6:30 p.m., Storytime Room, Darien Library. "2 to 6-year-olds family storytime.—library announcement.

Teens:

• Darien High School schedule: "E" Day. Order of periods: 2 | 3 | 4 | 6 | 1 | 7 | 8
• How would you improve the Darien High School Library? You can meet at 2:30 p.m. Thursday or next Tuesday at 7:15 a.m. at the school library to tell them, or submit an anonymous survey. "The Library Staff is looking for input from students and staff on our space, resources, services, technology, and equipment. We want  to be able to meet the changing needs of all our users. For example:  Would you like more chairs for reading?  Different technology?"—from the announcement on the Home page of Darien High School.
• About that prom: "Reminder for anyone attending Prom: Like any after school event, in order to participate in the Prom, you need to attend school on Friday. Thank you!"—from the DHS Home page.
• Pet food collection: "DAWG [Darien Animal Welfare Group] will be collecting unopened dog and cat food, treats, toys, and paper towels from May 8-18.  The collection box is near the office, and all donations will go to the Humane Society of Connecticut."—Darien High School announcement
• Darien Depot: May Calendar

DARIEN PLAYHOUSE SHOWTIMES

• Dark Shadows: 7 p.m. PG-13 (1 hr. 53 min.)—"Are you stoned or something?" "They tried stoning me, my dear. It did not work."—IMDb—trailer—Rotten Tomatoes
• Marvel's The Avengers: 7 p.m. PG-13 (2 hrs. 22 min.). "Dr. Banner, your work is unparalleled, and I'm a huge fan of the way you lose control and turn into an enormous green rage monster." "Thanks."—IMDb—trailer—trailer—Rotten Tomatoes

FORECAST as of 3:20 p.m. Monday (update)

• Tuesday: "Occasional rain and possibly a thunderstorm. Some of the storms could produce heavy rainfall. High near 66. South wind between 11 and 14 mph. Chance of precipitation is 90 percent. New rainfall amounts between a half and three quarters of an inch possible."
• Tuesday Night: "Showers and possibly a thunderstorm. Patchy fog between 1am and 2am. Low around 59. South wind between 8 and 11 mph. Chance of precipitation is 80 percent. New rainfall amounts between a half and three quarters of an inch possible."
• Tide information

GOVERNMENT MEETINGS

All meetings take place in , 2 Renshaw Rd., unless otherwise noted. Since Darien town government provides no reliable, centralized list of town government meetings, and there is not enough time in the day to go searching for them, this list may well be incomplete:

• Board of Finance, 7:30 p.m., Room 206 (PDF of agenda)

INTERSTATE 95 TRAFFIC CAMS

See also Darien Patch's "Traffic & Gas Prices" page.

• Stamford: southbound, Exit 8 - Elm St.

• Stamford: northbound, south of Exit 9 - Lockwood Ave.

• Darien southbound, north of Exit 9 - Darien Service Plaza

• Darien northbound Exit 12 - Tokeneke Rd.

• Darien northbound, south of Exit 13 - Darien Service Plaza

• Darien southbound, Exit 13 - Rt. 1 (Boston Post Rd.)

• Norwalk southbound, Exit 15 - Stuart Ave.

• Norwalk Rt 7 south of Exit 1 - Connecticut Ave.

• Norwalk northbound, Exit 15 - Rt. 7

HOW TO USE PATCH:

• Claim your business's Darien Patch listing

Forecast obtained from the National Weather Service.