Darien Morning Briefing, Oct. 13

Today is Thursday, Oct. 13, the 286th day of 2011.

HEADLINES

EVENTS & REMINDERS

• Oktoberfest: Today at noon, the hosts an Oktoberfest celebration complete with beer, sauerkraut, and the music of Frank Billowitz and the Austrian Boys Band. Lunch is $4.00, but the entertainment is free of charge.
• Democratic Meet & Greet: Darien Working Together, the Democratic slate for the Board of Selectmen, is holding from 5 to 8 p.m. at 73 Nearwater Lane. The minimum suggested donation is $20; RSVP to Susan Helms at susanhelms@optonline.net or 203-323-8990.
• Linda George Paintings: From now until Nov. 9,  by Linda George will be on display in the 's art gallery.
• Children of the Desert: From now until Oct. 29, the  hosts "Bana Ba Motlhaba: Children of the Desert," featuring photographs by Dave Hamman and Botswanan crafts. The center is open from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. on weekdays.

DARIEN PLAYHOUSE SHOWTIMES

• Real Steel: 7:00 p.m. (2 hr. 7 min.)
• Dolphin Tale: 7:00 p.m. (1 hr. 52 min.)

GOVERNMENT MEETINGS

• Five Mile River Commission: 7:00 p.m., Rowayton Community Center

FORECAST

• Today: A chance of rain or drizzle, mainly before noon. Cloudy, with a high near 69. East wind between 5 and 10 mph. Chance of precipitation is 40 percent.
• Tonight: Showers likely, mainly after midnight. Cloudy, with a low around 61. East wind between 5 and 10 mph. Chance of precipitation is 70 percent. New rainfall amounts between a quarter and half of an inch possible. 

TIDES & TIMES

• High tide: 12:35 a.m. (7.1')
• Low tide: 6:41 a.m. (0.6')
• Sunrise: 7:03 a.m.
• High tide: 12:43 p.m. (7.8')
• Low tide: 7:13 p.m. (0.2')
• Sunset: 6:17 p.m.

TODAY IN HISTORY

• 54: Nero ascends to the Roman throne
• 1775: The Continental Congress orders the establishment of the Continental Navy, later renamed the United States Navy.
• 1792: In Washington, D.C., the cornerstone of the US Executive Mansion (known as the White House since 1818) is laid.
• 1884: Greenwich, in London, England, is established as Universal Time meridian of longitude.
• 1999: The US Senate rejects ratification of the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty.
• 2010: The 2010 Copiapó mining accident in Copiapó, Chile comes to an end as all 33 miners arrive at the surface after surviving a record 69 days underground awaiting rescue.

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