Daily Five: Groton Police Have Polygraph Machine

1.  Today is Wednesday, Dec. 7. The National Weather Service predicts fog before 9 a.m., cloudy skies and rain, mainly after 4 p.m. The high temperature will reach 53 degrees; the low will fall to 38 tonight.

2.  Groton Town Police Officer Matt Hammerstrom has graduated from the New England Polygraph Institute at the top of his class, according to a report by the town manager. The police department bought a polygraph machine with money from the state, and will be able to give lie detector tests when investigating criminal cases and interviewing applicants to the department.

3.  The Connecticut Public Broadcasting Network will air a town hall meeting at 8:30 p.m. on Dec. 15 on preparing for retirement. During the meeting, a panel of experts will discuss issues like pensions, social security and medicare benefits. You can e-mail retirement@cptv.org during the program with questions or comments. CPBN airs on Comcast Channel 16 in Groton and Channel 24 on Direct TV.

4.  Howley Bread Group, Ltd. said Tuesday that 11 in Connecticut, including Groton, donated more than $27,000 in the third quarter of 2011 to Connecticut Sports Foundation Against Cancer. The money came mostly from customers and employees, including those at the Groton cafe opening in October. The new cafe is in Groton Square Shopping Center on Route 12.

5.  will open a bank branch at Electric Boat on Dec. 9, the company said in a news release. The branch will be accessible only to Electric Boat employees. Charter Oak Federal Credit Unit was founded in 1939 as the Groton Shipbuilders’ Federal Credit Union, the news release said.