Darien Morning Briefing, Oct. 26

Today is Wednesday, Oct. 26, the 299th day of 2011.

HEADLINES

EVENTS & REMINDERS

• Farmers market: The Darien Farmers Market is open for business from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. in the municipal parking lot off of Mechanic Street (across from Goodwives Shopping Center).
• 'Your first date' discussion: At 12:30 p.m., Donna Spellman — Director of Self Sufficiency and Independent Living with Family Centers — will be at the  for to moderate her . This week's topic: your first date.
• Nurturing the arts: At 7 p.m., the hosts a panel that will explore the value of art in children's lives. "Learn about ways to recognize and develop natural arts abilities in children and hear about the experiences of teens who pursued their artistic passions to great success." The program is presented by YWCA Parent Awareness.
• Fashion Transformed: From now until Jan. 27, the y hosts ." The exhibit features 17 costumes from the era. The center is open Tuesday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.
• Linda George paintings: From now until Nov. 9, by Linda George will be on display in the library's Art Gallery.
• Children of the Desert: From now until Oct. 29, the hosts "Bana Ba Motlhaba: Children of the Desert," featuring photographs by Dave Hamman and Botswanan crafts. The center is open from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. on weekdays.

DARIEN PLAYHOUSE SHOWTIMES

• The Ides of March: 7:00 p.m. (1 hr. 38 min.)
• Real Steel: 7:00 p.m. (2 hr. 7 min.)

GOVERNMENT MEETINGS

• RTM Finance & Budget Committee: 7:30 p.m., room 213 [agenda]
• RTM Public Health & Safety Committee and Parks and Recreation Committee: 7:30 p.m., Town Hall auditorium [agenda]

FORECAST

• Today: Scattered showers, mainly after 11 a.m. Cloudy, with a high near 64. Calm wind becoming south between 8 and 11 mph. Chance of precipitation is 30%.
• Tonight: Rain likely, mainly after 1 a.m. Cloudy, with a low around 48. North wind between 7 and 9 mph. Chance of precipitation is 70%. New rainfall amounts of less than a tenth of an inch possible.

TIDES & TIMES

• Low tide: 5:08 a.m. (-0.5')
• Sunrise: 7:17 a.m.
• High tide: 11:12 a.m. (9.1')
• Low tide: 5:46 p.m. (-1.0')
• Sunset: 5:58 p.m.
• High tide: 11:44 p.m. (8.1')

TODAY IN HISTORY

• 1774: The first Continental Congress adjourns in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
• 1775: King George III goes before Parliament to declare the American colonies in rebellion, and authorized a military response to quell the American Revolution.
• 1825: The Erie Canal opens.
• 1936: The first electric generator at Hoover Dam goes into full operation.
• 1999: Britain's House of Lords votes to end the right of hereditary peers to vote in Britain's upper chamber of Parliament.
• 2001: The United States passes the USA PATRIOT Act into law.

Forecast obtained from the National Weather Service; tide information obtained from saltwatertides.com (calibrated to Long Neck Point); 'Today in History' items compiled from Wikipedia and other sources.