The Daily Five: Car Accidents, Cancellations, Contests, and a Carnival

1. Today will be mostly sunny with the chance of a thunderstorm this afternoon or possibly overnight. Weather.com is predicting a daily high temperature of 85 degrees and an overnight low of 65 degrees, at which point there's a 50 percent chance of rain. Let's hope it holds off over the weekend because Hamburg needs fair weather!

2. The Hamburg Fair kicks off today in Lyme at 5 p.m. This small town's big event has been held for 111 years now and it owes its existence to a group of very dedicated volunteers who start planning the next event even before the last one is over. It's an old-time country fair that's small enough that you don't have to worry about losing your kids if they wander off but it promises to be big fun with carnival rides, music, displays, exhibits, and lots of animals!

It's not too late to enter any of the many contests, either, so if you bake a great pie or have a really impressive squash, bring it down to The Grange Hall between 1 p.m. and 4:30 p.m. today. Judging takes place tonight from 5 to 8 p.m.

3. Last night was a bad night to be on the road. According to state police reports, all I-95 northbound lanes were closed at about 10:30 p.m. in the wake of a multi-car accident by exit 74 in East Lyme. Initial reports said that three vehicles were involved.

Meanwhile, in Madison a motorcycle accident on Old Toll Road and Twin Bridge Road left two injured victims pinned after being struck by a car. That report came in from State Police at 11:42 p.m. as ambulances were being called to the scene.

4. August is prime vacation time in Old Lyme and this week most of the regularly scheduled meetings were canceled. That includes the Water Pollution Control Authority meeting and the Tree Commission meeting, both of which had been scheduled for today and both of which have been canceled. The Lyme Disease support group will, however, meet as usual at 6:30 p.m.

5. It's nearly time for kids to go back to school and to help out, Connecticut is offering everyone a break on taxes—how's that for a change? Tax-free shopping week begins on Sunday, August 19. Purchases of clothes and shoes, up to $300-worth, will be exempt from state sales taxes for the next week.

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