Bethel Daily Briefing: Thursday, January 26, 2012

Today is Thursday, January 26, 2012

Today's Weather from the National Weather Forecast

Thursday: A chance of rain, mainly after 3pm. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 41. Calm wind becoming southeast around 6 mph. Chance of precipitation is 40%.

Thursday Night: Rain. Patchy fog. Low around 35. South wind between 3 and 6 mph. Chance of precipitation is 100%. New rainfall amounts between a half and three quarters of an inch possible.

Announcements:

Brandon Lennox of Bethel Named to Clarkson University Dean's List. Lennox, a junior majoring in global supply chain management, was named to the Dean's List for the fall 2011 semester at Clarkson University.

Dean's List students must achieve a minimum 3.25 grade-point average and also carry at least 14 credit hours.

WCSU Midtown Coffeehouse spring 2012 schedule

Western Connecticut State University’s Midtown Coffeehouse is back and has talent lined up for the spring 2012 semester. Every Thursday night, the Coffeehouse will showcase open mic performers starting at 8 p.m., followed by a featured guest artist at 9 p.m. The Coffeehouse is in Alumni Hall on the WCSU Midtown campus, 181 White St. in Danbury. Admission is free and the public is invited. Donations to sustain the Coffeehouse will be accepted.

• Jan. 19 – Jen Vanderlyn (folk/rock)

• Jan. 26 – Dion Roy (pop/rock) 

• Feb. 2 – Homestate (pop/indie/folk)

• Feb. 9 – WCSU Jazz Ensemble (jazz)

• Feb.16 – Arildo de Souza (Brazilian/world music 

• Feb. 23 – Kurt Scobie (singer)

• March 1 – TBA

• March 8 – Joel Myers (illusionist)

• March 15 – Women’s History Month- Honor Finnegan (folk)

• March 22 – Spring Break - No Coffehouse

• March 29 – Campus Slammer (original story slam)

• April 5 – Play It By Ear (a capella)

• April 12 – All-Night Open Mic (various)

• April 19 – Matt Beilis (singer)

• April 26 – TBA

• May 3 – Martini Glass (a capella) 

For more information, call (203) 837-9700 or visit www.wcsu.edu/stuaffairs/Coffeehouse.asp.

Municipal Meetings

Board of Education 7:00 Municipal Building, Meeting Room E, Budget Workshop

Gardening Hints from New Haven Parks

If you need to prune apple and pear trees this year you must do it soon while they are still dormant. If their buds are beginning to open, you’ll have to leave it until next winter. The aim of pruning is to remove any dead or damaged wood, allow more light and air into the tree, and thin out overcrowded fruiting spurs. By doing the latter, fewer apples or pears will be produced but they will be larger and of better quality than if the tree is left to its own devices.

 Today in History from On This Day 

1784 - In a letter to his daughter, Benjamin Franklin expressed unhappiness over the eagle as the symbol of America. He wanted the symbol to be the turkey.

1802 - The U.S. Congress passed an act calling for a library to be established within the U.S. Capitol.

1837 - Michigan became the 26th state to join the United States.

1861 - In the U.S., Louisiana seceded from the Union.

1870 - The state of Virgina rejoined the Union.

1875 - George F. Green patented the electric dental drill for sawing, filing, dressing and polishing teeth.

1905 - The Cullinan diamond, at 3,106.75 carats, was found by Captain Wells at the Premier Mine, near Pretoria, South Africa.

1934 - The Apollo Theatre opened in New York City.

1950 - The American Associated Insurance Companies, of St. Louis, MO, issued the first baby sitter’s insurance policy.

1961 - U.S. President John F. Kennedy appointed Dr. Janet G. Travell as the first woman to be the "personal physician to the President".

1962 - The U.S. launched Ranger 3 to land scientific instruments on the moon. The probe missed its target by about 22,000 miles.

1965 - Hindi was made the official language of India.

1969 - California was declared a disaster area two days of flooding and mudslides.

1979 - The ‘Gizmo’ guitar synthesizer was first demonstrated.

1992 - Russian president Boris Yeltsin announced that his country would stop targeting U.S. cities with nuclear weapons.

1996 - U.S. First Lady Hillary Rodham Clinton testified before a grand jury concerning the Whitewater probe.

1998 - U.S. President Clinton denied having an affair with a former White House intern.

1999 - Saddam Hussein vowed revenge against the U.S. in response to air-strikes that reportedly killed civilians. The strikes were U.S. planes defending themselves against anti-aircraft fire.

1999 - Gary Busey was released from jail after being arrested the night before for investigation of misdemeanor spousal abuse. Tiana Busey had no visible injuries.

2010 - It was announced that James Cameron's movie "Avatar" had become the highest-grossing film worldwide. At the time it was the second highest-grossing film in the United States.

Have an announcement or an interesting bit of news?  Let us know!  Click here or email Christine Rose at RosepetL5@aol.com