The Daily Five: Vile, Virulent Video on Facebook, A Court Date, Talent Shows, And No More Mystery Meat

1. It should be mostly sunny today with just a few clouds this afternoon, according to Weather.com, although tonight will be mostly cloudy with a 20 percent chance of showers. The high temperature is expected to top out at 48 degrees and drop to 34 degrees tonight. 

2. A disturbing video featuring child pornography has been popping up on Facebook and kids have been inadvertently opening the shared video thinking it's from a friend, which automatically sends it on to all their actual friends on Facebook.

Although I've heard no reports of this happening to students in East Lyme, Old Lyme, or Lyme, a number of school districts in Connecticut have sent out notices to parents warning them of the problem. Connecticut Attorney General George Jepsen, meanwhile, has been in contact with Facebook to try to solve the problem.

“Facebook has been very responsive to our requests for information and is working directly with the Federal Bureau of Investigation on this matter. The FBI has been aware of this particular video since 2005 and is seeking information on the unknown suspect. Anyone with information can contact an FBI investigator by email at RescueMe@ic.fbi.gov," Jepsen said in a press statement yesterday.

“I have asked Facebook for a report on its efforts to remove the video and have been told that it has taken the necessary steps to remove this video from its site. Facebook should be diligent in that regard. Facebook has advised that, contrary to some reports, the video is not a virus, but is being spread through views and shares. If you see a suspicious video link in your newsfeed or on your timeline, do not view or share it. Report it to Facebook immediately, and delete it.”

3. Benjamin Perry, 25, of Waterford, is expected to enter a plea today at his arraignment in New London Superior Court on charges stemming from a fight outside a Groton bar in January that sent a Niantic man to hospital with life-threatening injuries. The victim, 26-year-old Richard M. Staub, suffered a severe head injury and has since had a large portion of his skull replaced. Perry is charged with first-degree assault.

4. Got talent? Lymes Youth Service Bureau is holding auditions on April 8 and 10 at Lyme-Old Lyme Middle School for its community-wide talent show on May 3. Auditions are by appointment only and limited to one act per entrant no more than four minutes long. Call LYSB to schedule a slot at (860) 434-7208.

While I'm on the topic of talent shows, East Lyme's Youth Services' recent talent show raised $900 for Newtown! 

5. East Lyme Board of Education members tucked into a healthy school lunch provided by Chartwells at East Lyme High School just before the Board meeting on Monday. Chartwells, which provides food service to schools in East Lyme, Old Lyme and Lyme, wanted to show just how far school meals have come since the days of mystery meat and Ketchup served as a vegetable.

The menu included cheese and bean burritos, pizza, a full salad bar, including a bean salad and a broccoli salad, and fresh fruit.

"We're getting creative with vegetables and fruits and buying locally-grown whenever we can," said George Sottile, district manager for Chartwells.

The meat is good grade and all the bread products are at least 51 percent whole grains. In December, the, loosened up on restrictions that placed severe limits on the amount of breads or pasta that could be served.

For drinks, students have a wide range of juices (including sparkling juices offered as a soda substitute) from which to choose. About the only thing that hasn't changed is that milk and chocolate milk are among the choices. At the elementary school and middle school levels, students are required to take at least one fruit or vegetable with every meal. Getting them to actually eat it is still a tricky proposition. You can lead a horse to water ...