Newtown Daily Briefing: Thursday, May 17, 2012

Today is Thursday, May 17, 2012

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

Today's Weather  weather.gov

Thursday: Sunny, with a high near 70. North wind between 7 and 10 mph. 

Thursday Night: Clear, with a low around 40. North wind around 5 mph becoming calm. 

Question of the Day http://www.almanac.com

Is one flower, more than any other, traditional for decorating graves?

Red geraniums are perhaps the most common, probably for their hardiness. In the language and sentiment of flowers, however, geraniums are a symbol of comfort and not particularly associated with death or remembrance. In more ancient times, the primrose was much more popular, because graves were often decorated around Easter and the primrose was available in the wild almost as early as the snow melted. Similarly, primroses symbolize youth, because they are earliest out in the spring. Daffodils, with their early blooms and bright spring color, are another natural choice. They are an emblem of regret, probably because of their drooping flower heads. Robert Herrick (1591-1674) described the daffodil like this: "When a daffadil I see / Hanging down her head t'ward me, / Guess I may, what I must be; / First, I shall decline my head, / Secondly, I shall be dead, / Lastly, safely buried." 

This Morning’s Headlines

All NEWTOWNERS are requested to use their creativity and help us celebrate Paint the town Purple on Thursday, May 17th. Purple is the official color of the American Cancer Society relay for Life and the universal color that represents all Cancers. Few suggestions of how you can support this awareness campaign:

-Fly purple balloons outside your homes and offices.

-Wear something Purple.

-Display Relay messages.

Let us all come together and display purple and show that there is HOPE IN THE BATTLE AGAINST CANCER. Paint the Town Purple is a kick off to the upcoming Newtown Relay for Life on June 1st, at Fairfield Hills in front of Newtown Youth Academy.

Thank You for your support.

Reena Sahani

Newtown Forest Association 2012 Annual Meeting

The NFA 2012 Annual Meeting will take place on May 17th from 6 – 9 p.m. in the Alexandria Room of the Edmond Town Hall on Main Street. Following the business portion of the meeting, attendees will be treated to a presentation by noted Professional Landscape and Garden Designers Brid Craddock entitled, “Small Native Trees for Residential and Street Plantings,” a slide presentation of native trees best suited to our Connecticut climate.  For more information,

Learn TV Production! Open Registration  CTV-21 is the community access channel in the Charter 14-town franchise area.  CTV-21 is open 6 days a week and is available for anyone to use regardless of whether or not they have Charter. There are custom training classes that can be taught based on the project proposed, and there is a regular 18-week training opportunity that adults or students (17 and over) can take that will provide the confidence for creating something they will be proud to call their own. (Note: The 18-week training opportunity also has limited space available for residents outside of Charter’s service area.)  11 Commerce Rd, Newtown, CT 06470 (CommunityVision 21 Office, Studio)   Next on May 17, 18, and 19  For more information,

Flagpole Photographers Monthly Photo Competition, today, 7:30 pm

Competition is open to the public but you must be a member to enter photos. The competition has three categories: Open Color, Open Black and White, and Assigned Subject. Check out our website for more information and a complete list of our activities. All photos receive commentary by a qualified judge from a neighboring photography club. Dues are $30 per person or $50 for a family membership. Students may join free of charge. All levels from novice to professional are welcome! For more information, click

Summer Theatre Camp Registration

Sabrina's Encore Productions, LLC  is now accepting registrations for it's Summer Musical Theatre Workshops and Full Scale Musical Theatre Performance Camps for children currently in grades 1 - 6.  One week themed camps as well as a 3 week full scale musical production camp of The Aristocats Kids is available.  All camp sessions are held at our studio at 153 South Main Street in Newtown.  Performance of Aristocats Kids will be held at the Bethel Middle School in Bethel, CT.   $200.00,  , 153 S Main St, Newtown, CT

Town Meetings 

12:30 pm  HVCEO

Brookfield Town Hall 

6:30 PM, Newtown Design Review Board **SPECIAL MEETING**

Newtown Municipal Center

7:00 PM, SUSTAINABLE ENERGY COMMISSION

Newtown Municipal Center

7:30 PM, PLANNING & ZONING

Newtown Municipal Center

Today in History

1602 - Cape Cod was discovered by Bartholomew Gosnold. 

1862 - The U.S. Congress created the U.S. Department of Agriculture. 

1911 - The U.S. Supreme Court ordered the dissolution of Standard Oil Company, ruling it was in violation of the Sherman Antitrust Act. 

1918 - Regular airmail service between New York City, Philadelphia and Washington, DC, began under the direction of the Post Office Department, which later became the U.S. Postal Service. 

1926 - The New York Rangers were officially granted a franchise in the NHL. The NHL also announced that Chicago and Detroit would be joining the league in November. 

1940 - Nylon stockings went on sale for the first time in the U.S. 

1941 - Joe DiMaggio began his historic major league baseball hitting streak of 56 games. 

1942 - Gasoline rationing began in the U.S. The limit was 3 gallons a week for nonessential vehicles. 

1951 - AT&T became the first corporation to have one million stockholders. 

1958 - Sputnik III, the first space laboratory, was launched in the Soviet Union. 

1964 - The Smothers Brothers, Dick and Tom, gave their first concert in Carnegie Hall in New York City. 

1970 - U.S. President Nixon appointed America's first two female generals. 

1970 - Phillip Lafayette Gibbs and James Earl Green, two black students at Jackson State University in Mississippi, were killed when police opened fire during student protests. 

1972 - Alabama Gov. George C. Wallace was shot by Arthur Bremer in Laurel, MD while campaigning for the U.S. presidency. Wallace was paralyzed by the shot. 

1980 - The first transcontinental balloon crossing of the United States took place. 

1990 - Vincent Van Gogh's "Portrait of Doctor Gachet" was sold for $82.5 million. The sale set a new world record.