1. What’s the weather? Today is going to begin with showers and may end with afternoon thunderstorms, but in between there could be some sunshine so look for rainbows! Weather.com is predicting a high of 68 degrees, an overnight low of 57 degrees, and a 70 percent chance of rain tonight.
2. Budgets Pass! In case you missed it—and judging by voter turnout, many people did—last night, the 2012-2013 budgets for Regional School District 13 and Regional School District 17. (To be fair, poll workers said they did hear a lot of complaints from voters about a lack of publicity surrounding the referendums that were held in Killingworth, Durham, and Middlefield.)
Whether a higher voter turnout would have changed the results is a moot point now. Voters in Killingworth voted in favor of the Regional School District 17 budget by a much higher margin than voters in Haddam. Middlefield voted “No” but at the end of the day, the many “Ayes” in Durham had it and Regional School District 13’s budget passed.
3. There’s certainly no shortage of meetings to attend if you’re looking for something to do tonight. , whose members have much to celebrate this evening, will meet at 7:30 p.m. in the Music Room of John Lyman School in Middlefield. A presentation of the District’s new technology plan is on the agenda.
Also in Middlefield, the meets at 6:30 p.m. and the Water Pollution Control Authority meets at 7 p.m. In , the Historic Review Committee and the Public Health Agency both have meetings scheduled for 7 p.m. this evening.
4. You’ve got questions? We’ve got answers! A Middlefield reader was disappointed recently to discover that only children who live in Durham can sign up for the Recreation Department’s Summer Playground Program. She wondered whether the town had ever considered opening registration up to Middlefield residents (for an additional fee) so that children who attend the same schools could continue playing together in the summer.
Here’s the answer: Durham’s Recreation Department says the program is limited to Durham residents because the program can accommodate no more than 250 children--and Durham residents fill those spots fast. To ensure that all the children play safely, the staff-to-child ratio has to be high, which is why registration is by necessity limited.
Durham residents pay a $35 fee for the program, Durham Recreation Director Sherry Hill says, but charging more than that seems unreasonable as there are no refunds when the program is canceled, which always happens when it rains.
“We have allowed Middlefield residents to attend later in the season for the same price, if we find that numbers will allow for proper coverage,” says Hill. The best advice, then, might be to check back again later in the summer.
Parents of older children, meanwhile, might be pleased to know that sponsors a Youth Night at Strong School which Middlefield residents are welcome to attend all summer long for the same $25 fee that Durham residents pay.
Don’t think that Middlefield kids have to come to Durham to play, however. Middlefield Recreation is planning a variety of summer programs to keep the town’s younger residents entertained, including a summer camp, a soccer camp, and a skateboard camp. Middlefield Parks and Recreation will be sending flyers home with students as soon as the final schedule is set.
5. This day in history: On May 9, 1914, U.S. President Woodrow Wilson announced the creation of the first Mother’s Day holiday in America, to be celebrated the second Sunday in May. What will you do to celebrate this Mother’s Day?
