The Daily Five: Snow Likely, School Breaks, No Crime ... But Be On The Lookout for Wild Animals!

1. Today is likely to begin and end with snow flurries. There's a 40 percent chance of snow during the day, mostly early morning snow showers that probably won't amount to much, and a 60 percent chance of snow flurries late tonight, according to weather.com. The high temperature is predicted to top out at 32 degrees and dip to 27 degrees overnight.

2. This year, East Lyme schools dispensed with the weeklong February vacation in favor of a long weekend instead. The decision has met with mixed reviews. Some parents whose kids are very involved with athletics complained that their children won't be getting much of a break without it, because their sports season eats up much of spring break. Working parents, meanwhile, welcomed the curtailed vacation because they don't get more than a long weekend for Presidents' Day themselves.

If you have an opinion either way, you'll probably want to attend upcoming Board of Education meetings when the school calendar for 2013-2014 will be up for debate and the board is considering whether or not to reinstate the full February break. 

The East Lyme Board of Education did make a few decisions at last night's special meeting regarding the rest of this school year, however. March 28, which was originally scheduled as an in-service professional day, is now going to be a regular school day. That will make up one of the days lost during Superstorm Sandy. If there are no more days lost to emergency closures or school days, this school year should end on June 17. As we're still in the middle of winter, however, that is very likely to change. 

3. In case you were wondering why no police blotter was published last week, it's because there was actually nothing to report. No one from Old Lyme, East Lyme, or Lyme was arrested and no major crimes were committed in any of our towns last week. All was quiet on the Eastern front—and that's the way we like it!

4. Old Lyme Board of Finance meets tonight at Old Lyme Memorial Town Hall at 7 p.m. As budget season is kicking into gear, now would be a good time to get a handle on the process.  

5. I don't know if anyone's seen the mountain lion reportedly sighted in East Lyme recently but while we're on the lookout for uncommon wildlife, a couple of people have reported seeing what looks to be a harbor seal swimming in the Niantic River within the past few weeks. If anyone else has seen either animal and managed to snap a picture of it, please do post it on Patch's Pics and Clips!