Darien Morning Briefing: Dec. 28, 2011

Today is Tuesday, Dec. 16, the 361st day of 2011, four days before New Year's Eve.

HEADLINES

• Helen Frankenthaler, 83, Painter of 'Seminal' Abstract Art

EVENTS & REMINDERS

Adults:

• "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.
• Festival of Lighthouses Display . From our events listing: "through Jan. 16, 2012, Aquarium visitors can follow these homemade beacons through the galleries and then cast a vote for their favorite.  The lighthouse with the most votes wins $1,500."
  

Kids:

• Toddler Tales at Darien Library: 10:30 to 11 a.m. in the Storytime Room 
• Create a video about a book you like, and enter it in the StoryTubes competition to win a prize. This week, Darien Library will have video equipment available for kids and teens from 5 to 18 years old to create their video, which can be entered into a competition from Jan. 20 to Feb. 20. The video equipment is available today from 1 to 6 p.m.
• Happy Zoo Year: Half-price admission at the Beardsley Zoo in Bridgeport: "Viktor, our adorable tiger cub born in 2004, is all grown up and he’s come home for the holidays.  Help us welcome him back to Bridgeport and, while you’re at it, say hello to our two new maned wolves, two new Canada lynx, baby pronghorn, and rare chacoan peccary piglet, too!"—from the
• JAN. 28-29: Cinderella on stage—Get tickets now: Darien Town Hall Auditorium, 4 p.m. Presented by the British Amateur Theatre Group as a benefit performance for the YWCA Darien/Norwalk. Tickets are $10 in advance (available by calling the YWCAat (203) 655-2535 or online at YWCADarienNorwalk.org) or $12 at the door.

TEENS

The Depot: Closed all this week

Darien Library:

• We Love Wednesdays: Drop in at the Teen Room from 3 to 4 p.m. for various crafts and programs.
• Create a video about a book you like, and enter it in the StoryTubes competition to win a prize. This week, Darien Library will have video equipment available for kids and teens from 5 to 18 years old to create their video, which can be entered into a competition from Jan. 20 to Feb. 20. The video equipment is available today from 1 to 6 p.m.
• JAN. 28: Talent Competition of bands and other acts from Darien High School. The free event will feature free food. "A $350 first prize and $150 runner up prize will be offered to the best acts, chosen by members of the Darien Teen Advisory Board (Caroline Farrington, Katherine Feehan, and Dylan Gabriel ). Come to see all of your friends perform or come and be in the show! If you are interested in being an act, talk to any of the judges, Caroline Farrington, or Danielle Tilford."—from the Darien Library website. Here's the application form to download and fill out.

DARIEN PLAYHOUSE SHOWTIMES

• Alvin and the Chipmunks: Chipwrecked: 1, 3, 5, 7 and 8:45 p.m. (1 hr. 27 min.) —IMDb—trailer—trailer—trailer—Rotten Tomatoes
• War Horse: 2, 5 and 8 p.m. (2 hrs. 26 min.)
  
  

GOVERNMENT MEETINGS

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

No meetings are scheduled for today.

FORECAST as of 9:18 p.m., Tuesday (update)

Wednesday: "Partly sunny, with a high near 42. Breezy, with a west wind between 15 and 23 mph, with gusts as high as 38 mph."

Wednesday Night: "Mostly clear, with a low around 23. Breezy, with a west wind between 17 and 21 mph."

INTERSTATE 95 TRAFFIC CAMS

• 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

TIDES & TIMES

• High tide: 1:28 a.m. (7.2')
• Low tide: 7:47 a.m. (0.0')
• Sunrise: 7:18 a.m.
• High tide: 1:47 p.m. (7.3')
• Sunset: 4:32 p.m.
• Low tide: 8:14 p.m. (-0.2')

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