Darien Morning Briefing, June 16

Today is Thursday, June 16, the 167th day of 2011.

HEADLINES:

EVENTS

• Drop-in Story Time: The hosts a laptime for pre-walking babies and caregivers today from 9:30 a.m. to 10 a.m.
  
• Useless Trivia Contest: Also at the library today is a 'Useless Trivia Contest,' running from 3:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. in the Teen Lounge.
• Horse Show: The Charity Horse Show continues today and runs through Sunday. The event, which benefits Stamford Hospital, features a $30,000 grand prix. For more information, visit the club's website.

TIDBITS:

• Bloomsday: Today is Bloomsday, an annual commemoration of author James Joyce and the events chronicled on June 16, 1904 in his novel Ulysses. Now's as good a time as any to crack the spine on his masterwork (or maybe just drink some Guinness).
• Dog Licenses: Darien's annual dog licensing period continues today and runs through the end of the month. To avoid a penalty, new licenses must be procured on or before June 30 when the current ones expire. Owners can stop by the 's office (Town Hall room 101) weekdays from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. For information on fees and required paperwork, check here.

GOVERNMENT MEETINGS:

• 7:30 p.m.: Parks & Recreation, Town Hall room 206 [agenda]

FORECAST:

• Thursday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 83. Calm wind becoming southwest between 7 and 10 mph. 
• Thursday night: Scattered showers and thunderstorms, mainly after 11pm. Increasing clouds, with a low around 64. South wind between 3 and 8 mph. Chance of precipitation is 50%. New rainfall amounts of less than a tenth of an inch, except higher amounts possible in thunderstorms. 

TIDES & TIMES:

• 5:20 a.m.: Sunrise
• 6:18 a.m.: Low tide (-0.47')
• 12:11 a.m.: High tide (7.59')
• 6:28 p.m.: Low tide (0.17')
• 8:28 p.m.: Sunset

TODAY IN HISTORY:

• 1586: Mary, Queen of Scots, recognizes Philip II of Spain as her heir and successor.
  
• 1858: Abraham Lincoln delivers his House Divided speech in Springfield, Ill.
• 1903: The Ford Motor Company is incorporated.

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