🌱Take The Plunge To Help Special Olympics + Changes To Pre-K Program

Hello, hello. It's me, Karena Garrity, your host of the Essex-Chester-Deep River Daily — here to tell you all the most important things happening in town these days. Today you'll read about these stories and more...

• Celebrate in downtown Essex with the Groundhog Day Parade day!
• Two days of full-day Pre-K cohort proposed in the region.
• Take the plunge to help Special Olympics.

But first, today's weather:

An afternoon shower in spots. High: 52 Low: 39.

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Here are the top three stories today in Essex-Chester-Deep River:

1. Don't forget today is the annual Essex Groundhog Day Parade in downtown Essex! What will Essex Ed be wearing this year? The parade will kick off at 1:30 p.m.. Get your groundhog gear on and your pots and pans to make some noise. Hope to see you there! (Essex Library via Facebook)
2. According to an e-mail sent out by Superintendent Brian White, this year Region 4 is hoping to expand the hours of our Pre-K program and support the operational needs of our schools. The district reportedly surveyed all three communities of Chester, Deep River and Essex to determine current and future Pre-K educational needs. Feedback from the survey indicated that the region would like an expansion to the Pre-K program, which is now being proposed to create two full-day cohorts. (Region 4 School District)
3. Take the Penguin Plunge for a good cause! Special Olympics Connecticut has announced the dates for its upcoming Penguin Plunge events throughout the state. All are invited to register for the Middletown Penguin Plunge, at www.soct.org/plunge. Participants in the Plunge will jump into the chilly waters of a lake or Long Island Sound to support the organization's year-round sports, health and fitness programs for athletes around the state and help create communities that accept and include people of all abilities. To find out more, visit soct.org, email specialolympicsct@soct.org or call 203-230-1201. (Press Release Desk)

Today in Essex-Chester-Deep River:

• Essex Ed Parade! (2:00 PM)

From my notebook:

• Deep River Public Library: "#readersofinstagram #readersgonnaread #readingtime #reading #bookaddict #books #book #booknerd #bookstagram #library #librarylife Not sure what library this is, but we love this!" (Deep River Public Library via Facebook)
• Essex Library: "February 11 we are exploring chemical reactions and making Bouncy Balls." (Essex Library via Facebook)
• Town of Chester Connecticut: "Envirotip From the Conservation Commission Beautiful Nature Around Us: Who doesn’t love seeing a Cardinal at their feeder? Often depicted against a snowy background and shown in Christmas scenes, the iconic red bird is a regular to our region’s feeders. Northern Cardinals are a fun and flashy addition to the local bird menagerie, entertaining us with their communal voices. Cardinals are one of the few species where females sing as well as their male counterparts. They perform their songs during nesting time as a means of bonding. Nesting begins as early as February, in dense cover. To help support the local population of Cardinals, plant evergreen cover trees such as eastern red cedar. To provide natural foods, plant seed and berry-producing plants such as box-elder, serviceberry, dogwood, and staghorn sumac. Enjoy these birds and hopefully they bring joy to your yard!" (Town of Chester Connecticut via Facebook)

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Now you're in the loop and ready to head out the door on this Sunday! I'll see you around.

— Karena Garrity

About me: I am a native of Connecticut, who currently resides in the Tri-Town community of Chester, Deep River and Essex. I have been a community reporter for the better part of the past 20 years. I love my small town community and I am honored to be a part of Patch.com. You can reach me at; karena.garrity@patch.com.

Have a news tip or suggestion for an upcoming Essex-Chester-Deep River Daily? Contact me at karena.garrity@patch.com