5 Things: Today is the First Day of Spring!

1. Vernal Equinox. From Nashua Patch editor Carol Robidoux: As of 7:02 a.m. it's SPRING! Tell that to the wet blanket of snow out there. In case you were wondering, the word equinox is derived from the Latin words meaning “equal night.” Days and nights are approximately equal everywhere and the Sun rises and sets due east and west. Vernal means "fresh and new," as in spring. It's also a city in Utah.

2. Spring may be here, but ... don't forget, through April 1, Bedford has a winter parking ban on all public highways between midnight and 8 a.m., and at any other time that a motor vehicle may impede snow removal operations. Any person violating the parking ban is subject to a penalty not to exceed $50 for each offense, and any vehicle parked in violation may be authorized to be towed by the Bedford Director of Public Works or by assigned agents and/or independent contractors engaged by the Director of Public Works or Chief of Police. Any vehicles towed will be stored and released to the owner only upon payment of the cost of towing as established by the Town Council. For more information on other town winter ordinances, click here.

3. The race to 1,000. The Windham Patch Facebook page has surged to 928 Facebook 'Likes' last week, but Bedford Patch picked up 39 Facebook followers in the last seven days to get to 839. Now, I need your help to catch up to Windham Patch Editor Michael Ryan before he hits 1,000. After all, on the line, thanks to our friendly wager, are dinner and drinks at River Road Tavern in Bedford or the The Common Man in Windham. Click here to 'like' Bedford Patch on Facebook, and thank you for your help! - Ryan

4. Graduation date is set. Bedford High School Commencement Ceremonies have been scheduled for Saturday, June 15 at 10 a.m.

5. On this day ... March 20, 1965, President Lyndon B. Johnson notified Alabama's Governor George Wallace that he would use federal authority to call up the Alabama National Guard in order to supervise a planned civil rights march from Selma to Montgomery.

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