Five Things To Know Today

1.  Today is Friday, June 17.  The National Weather Service forecasts showers, thunderstorms and cloudy skies, with a high temperature of 72 degrees. The low will drop to 61 degrees tonight.

2.  With high school students graduating today, Groton Town Police are sending out  a reminder that they will be out in force to prevent underage drinking, including holding parents and others criminally responsible if they host or allow parties where this drinking occurs. Police will also have patrols assigned to investigate reports of underage drinking. To report such an incident, call town police at (860) 441-6712. 

3.  Groton will receive an additional $1.95 million in school construction reimbursement under a provision in the bonding bill approved by the legislature and is expected to be signed by the governor.  After a school is built, the state Department of Education reimburses districts based on a formula that looks at space and the number of students enrolled.  Due to a technical issue, Groton was only getting credit for about 440 students at the newly-built Catherine Kolnaski School, although it enrolled more and was built for 500. State Rep. Edward Moukawsher, D-Groton, said the provision in the bonding bill corrected this, resulting in the additional reimbursement.

4.  The master’s degree program in engineering at UConn-Avery Point has grown to 40 students, and has asked for an additional classroom to accommodate more. In addition, the new master’s in nursing program, which started in January, is at capacity with 20 students and a long pipeline of future students, the campus director said.

5.   The “Tour De Noank 5-K race" is scheduled for Saturday, with a fun run starting at 9:15 a.m. and the race starting at 10 a.m. at Esker Point Beach. Runners will travel through Noank and up Elm and Brook streets. Police expect some traffic congestion during the race, and issued a statement Thursday urging drivers to use caution. Police expect roads to clear out by noon.