Community Corner

Darien Morning Briefing: Dec. 14, 2011

Local information, events and reminders to start your day.

Today is Wednesday, Dec. 14, the 348th day of 2011, 11 days before Christmas.

HEADLINES

Best of times, worst of times ...

Find out what's happening in Darienwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

  • Cameron's Corner:

HOLIDAY RELATED

EVENTS & REMINDERS

Find out what's happening in Darienwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

Adults:

  • Darien Farmers Market is open from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. in the Mechanic Street parking lot behind the Darien Fire Station (the market runs every Wednesday through Dec. 21)
  • Encore Matinee at Darien Library: The Help (2011), 1:30 p.m. Starring Emma Stone, Viola Davis, and Bryce Dallas Howard; Rated PG-13; 146 minutes.
  • Holiday Gingerbread Tree at Town Hall "decorated with colorful paper Gingerbread people describing various ways to help  children, families and seniors in Darien, who are in need.  There is also a Gingerbread tree at the Darien Rowayton Bank on the Post Road Pick a Gingerbread tag, fill a wish, and drop it off at Social Services, Rm. 109. For more information on making a donation you can call 203-656-7328."—Town website
  • THURSDAY: "Social Thinking" for parents of high school students: 10 a.m. to noon; registration required. "You’re invited to attend: Social Thinking is a curriculum for verbal students on the Autism Spectrum, including Asperger's However, the district has found that children with other disabilities and regular education students are responding to this unique curriculum."—Darien High School website. Held in the Boad Room at the Darien Public Schools' Central Office, Town Hall Annex (2 Renshaw Rd.). RSVP crobertson@darienps.org or 656-7469.
  • Dec. 28: "Stamford Hospital's Mobile Wellness Center, a clinic in a large bus, will visit the Darien Rowayton Bank for convenient, fast, digital mammograms from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Wednesday, Dec. 28."—from our events listing.

Kids:

  • IMAX movies at the Maritime Aquarium in Norwalk: 12 p.m.; , 1 p.m.
  • Toddler Tales at Darien Library: For children up to 36 months old who can walk, with their caregivers. From 10:30 to 11 a.m. in the Storytime Room.

Teens:

Darien High School: 

  • Schedule: for an H Day, periods will be: 1 | 2 | 3 | 5 | 4 | 6 | 7
  • Holiday Spectrum Concert: 7:30 to 8:30 p.m.; doors open at 7 p.m.; no admission; auditorium: "One hour of uninterrupted holiday music favorites" (says the high school website) presented by the Darien High School Music Department.
  • DHS Music Honors Society's Musical Instrument Drive: "Dec. 12-23 to benefit 'Horns for Kids.' Instruments may be dropped off before school to the DHS Band Room or MMS Rotunda. The will also accept instruments on Dec. 17-18."
  • THURSDAY: Free tutoring: The Darien chapter of the National Honor Society offers free tutoring every Thursday after school in the English/Social Studies Learning Connections Room. No appointments needed
  • Some recent announcements
    • "Community Council is hosting a Silent Auction [...] Dec. 14 at 5:30 p.m. in the cafeteria. The proceeds will benefit Darien Youth Sevices. Items being auctioned include Rangers tickets, dinner for two, deluxe prom package, a pizza party and much more."
    • Junior Parking Space Drawing: "Attention Juniors - tomorrow is your last chance to buy tickets[...] Tickets are on sale in the cafeteria during lunch - 1 for $5, 3 for $10. The winner will be announced Friday."
    • Donate your old musical instruments: "The DHS Music Honors Society is having a Musical Instrument Drive from December 12th - 23rd to benefit "Horns for Kids". Instruments may be dropped off before school to the DHS Band Room or MMS Rotunda. The Darien Sport Shop will also accept instruments on Dec. 17 & 18."
    • Audition prep workshops: "Theatre 308 is looking for new talent to perform in its winter musical, the fabulous West Side Story. To encourage and support anyone interested, 308 will be holding two audition preparation workshops.   Sessions will be Monday and Tuesday, December 19th and 20th, after school in the Little Theatre, and will provide a supportive and fun environment to help prospective actors prepare to sing, dance and act at auditions. If you have ever had an interest in being on stage and joining the fun, now’s the time!  We are especially looking for boys for this exciting and well-known show, so mark your calendars and come next Monday and Tuesday and see what it’s all about. Final auditions for West Side Story will be held Jan. 3 and 4, the first 2 school days after the Holiday break."
    • "Current invites you to Fireside Fiction, our winter evening of short stories, this Friday, December 16th at 6:00 PM in A206. Would you like to read a story you've written or an old favorite? Email it to us at current@darienps.org, or talk to your favorite Current staff member. Fireside Fiction -- come for the free food, stay for the stories and the songs. We hope to see you there."

The Depot:

Darien Library:

  • We Love Wednesdays: Pop in at the Teen Lounge from 3 to 4 p.m. for crafts and fun things to do

DARIEN PLAYHOUSE SHOWTIMES

GOVERNMENT MEETINGS

All meetings take place in Town Hall, 2 Renshaw Rd., unless otherwise noted.

  • Town Government, Structure and Administrative Committee of the Representative Town Meeting, 7:30 p.m., Room B3 (agenda)
  • Board of Selectmen, 7:45 p.m., Room 206 (agenda)

FORECAST as of 7:31 a.m., Wednesday (update)

  • Wednesday: "Partly sunny, with a high near 46. North wind at 7 mph becoming east." 
  • Wednesday Night: "A slight chance of rain after 4am. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 38. South wind between 3 and 6 mph. Chance of precipitation is 20 percent."

INTERSTATE 95 TRAFFIC CAMS

TIDES & TIMES

  • High tide: 1:28 a.m. (6.9')
  • Sunrise: 7:11 a.m.
  • Low tide: 7:37 a.m. (0.4')
  • High tide: 1:36 p.m. (7.3')
  • Sunset: 4:26 p.m.
  • Low tide: 8:10 p.m. (-0.2')

Forecast obtained from the National Weather Service; tide information obtained from saltwatertides.com (calibrated to Long Neck Point).


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