Bethel Daily Briefing: Friday, May 4, 2012

Today is Friday, May 4, 2012

Have an announcement or an interesting bit of news?  Let us know!  Click here to post announcements, and here to post events.

This Morning's Headlines

Be sure to check back to Bethel.Patch.com  for more stories throughout the day. 

Today's Weather  from weather.gov

Friday: Scattered showers and thunderstorms. Areas of fog before 10am. Otherwise, mostly cloudy, with a high near 74. South wind around 8 mph. Chance of precipitation is 40%.

Friday Night: A chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 56. North wind between 5 and 7 mph. Chance of precipitation is 50%. New rainfall amounts between a tenth and quarter of an inch, except higher amounts possible in thunderstorms.

Question of the Day 

What causes the vivid colors in a rainbow, and why is it always in a perfect arc?

Raindrops are responsible for the colors of rainbows. They break the sunlight up into the full spectrum of colors, each drop acting as a sort of miniature prism. Each color emerges at a slightly different angle on each raindrop. When millions of raindrops gather, the spectrum shows up as distinct bands of color -- each with a different length. Red is the longest and violet the shortest band. The arc is most pronounced when the Sun is close to the horizon.

Events & Reminders

Tau2000 Fundraising Event  Sunday, May 6  1-4 pm 

ETHAN BROWN + WORLD RECORD ATTEMPT = SUPPORT FOR THE BETHEL PUBLIC LIBRARY!   

"Mathemagician" Ethan Brown will attempt a world record to recite 2,000 digits of Tau!

Individuals and businesses can pledge their support for Ethan's efforts--and all proceeds go to the Bethel Public Library! Pledge forms are available at the Library, the Library website, and www.Tau2000.com  This event features a mathemagics show, raffles, walk-around magic, KenKen contests, and performer Dezrah the Strange...It will be fun for the whole family!

Dial "M" for Murder opens at Town Players

The popular English mystery, DIAL M FOR MURDER, begins the Town Players’ 2012 season on May 4.

A scheming Tony Wendice (Gary L. Kline, Middlebury) has married his wife, Margot (Jillian Faye Liebman, Trumbull), for her money and now plans to murder her for the same reason. Using blackmail to use the services of a scoundrel from his past, Tony plans the perfect murder and arranges his own brilliant alibi. But the plan goes awry when the murderer gets murdered and Margot survives. Tony schemes once again to have his wife framed for the crime – but will he succeed?

"Representational Abstraction' Opening Reception

 Danbury, Connecticut artists Antonio Carvahlo and Katie Bassett will have a two person exhibition. The Stanley L. Richter Association for the Arts presents, Representational Abstraction, in their gallery at 100 Aunt Hack Road, Danbury, CT. The exhibition will be on view, April 28th & 29th 2-5pm and May 5th & 6th 2-5pm. An Opening Artist's Reception will be held on April 28th from 2:00 to 5:00pm. Join us for refreshments, music & art. For more information, click

ANNUAL SPRING AUCTION

ST THOMAS' ANNUAL SPRING AUCTION

CINCO DE MAYO THEME

Sat May 5th 6pm - 9pm

Preview and Silent bidding at 6pm

Live Auction begins at 6:30pm

Refreshments and free admission

* Kindle Touch 3G

* Red Sox Tickets

* Fabulous Store Gift Certificates

* Great Restaurant Gift Certificates

* Themed Gift Baskets 

For more information, click

Pancake Breakfast for Relay For Life

, 141 Greenwood Ave, Bethel, CT
$7.00

 Bethel United Methodist Church Youth Relay For Life team presents a PANCAKE BREAKFAST this Sunday, May 6, from 8 - 10 am in the church's fellowship hall.

ALL are welcome!!

The funds raised support the American Cancer Society's life-saving mission by providing education, advocacy, programs and research for cancer patients and their families and friends. 

MAY 4 RESEARCH DAY: WestConn Research Day, which enables students from across the university to present their research to faculty and colleagues, will be from 2:45 to 4:30 p.m. in the Science Building Atrium on the university’s Midtown campus, 181 White St. in Danbury. The event will feature faculty-endorsed student research presentations in a variety of academic disciplines. The event will be free and the public is invited. For more information, visit www.wcsu.edu/wrdor call (203) 837-8799.

 MAY 4 – 6 FAMILY THEATRE PRODUCTION: The department of theatre arts at WCSU will present the family theatre production “Schoolhouse Rock Live!” at 7 p.m. on Friday, May 4; 3 and 7 p.m. on Saturday, May 5; and 3 p.m. on Sunday, May 6, in 

 The Western Connecticut State University department of theatre arts will present the family theatre production “Schoolhouse Rock Live!” at 7 p.m. on Friday, May 4; 3 and 7 p.m. on Saturday, May 5; and 3 p.m. on Sunday, May 6, in the Berkshire Theatre in Berkshire Hall on the university’s Midtown campus, 181 White St. in Danbury. The public is invited; tickets are $10 plus fees. For tickets, call (203) 837-TIXX or visit www.wcsu.edu/tickets. Pictured (clockwise from center) are cast members Jim Goggin, of Naugatuck; Vincent McCoy, of Torrington; Anna Giordano, of Clinton; Mick Gloss, of Stratford; and Casey Miko, of Stratford.  The Berkshire Theatre in Berkshire Hall on the university’s Midtown campus, 181 White St. in Danbury. The public is invited; tickets are $10 plus fees. For tickets, call (203) 837-TIXX or visit www.wcsu.edu/tickets.

MAY 5 ALUMNI & FRIENDS CIRCLE REDEDICATION CEREMONY: WCSU will host a rededication ceremony at 2 p.m.at the Alumni & Friends Circle on the university’s Midtown campus, 181 White St. in Danbury. Each year, the circle is rededicated to celebrate the growth of the area. This year’s ceremony will feature the unveiling of the WestConn Sweethearts Marker. The ceremony will be free and open to the public. For more information, call (203) 837-8298.

MAY 5 WEST FEST: The WCSU Program Activities Council and the Student Government Association will present West Fest featuring Ludacris with special guest, Untitled, at 8 p.m. in the Feldman Arena of the O’Neill Center on the university’s Westside campus, 43 Lake Ave. Extension in Danbury. Doors will open at 6 p.m.; the public is invited. General admission tickets will be $30 plus fees. Tickets are available at the Midtown Student Center and Westside Campus Center box offices, by calling (203) 837-TIXX or at www.wcsu.edu/tickets.

Today in History

1715 - A French manufacturer debuted the first folding umbrella. 

1776 - Rhode Island declared its freedom from England two months before the Declaration of Independence was adopted. 

1930 - Mahatma Gandhi was arrested by the British. 

1942 - The United States began food rationing. 

1946 - A two-day riot at Alcatraz prison in San Francisco Bay ended. Five people were killed. 

1970 - The Ohio National Guardsmen opened fire on students during an anti-Vietnam war protest at Kent State University. Four students were killed and nine others were wounded. 

1979 - Margaret Thatcher became Britain's first woman prime minister. 

1987 - Live models were used for the first time in Playtex bra ads. 

1998 - Unabomber Theodore Kaczynski was given four life sentences plus 30 years by a federal judge in Sacramento, CA. The sentence was under a plea agreement that spared Kaczynski the death penalty. 

2010 - Pablo Picasso's "Nude, Green Leaves and Bust" sold for $106.5 million.