Hey Greenwich! Did You Know ... There's Self-Defense for Young Women?

Today is Friday, June 22, 2012 and it's both National Onion Ring Day and National Chocolate Eclair Day.

Today's birthdays:

• Donald Faison who played Dr. Chris Turk on "Scrubs" is 38.
• Host of MTV's "Total Request Live" Carson Daly is 39.
• Mary Lynn Rajskub, who as computer wizard Chloe O'Brian, often saved Jack Bauer on "24," is 41.
• "Judging Amy" actress Amy Brenneman is 48.
• Pop singer and Stamford resident Cyndi Lauper is 59.
• Academy Award-winning actress and Litchfield County resident Meryl Streep is 63.
• Actor and singer Kris Kristofferson is 76.

Things you should know:

Greenwich Police offering self-defense for young women

The Special Victims Section is sponsoring a free five-week self-defense course to help residents be prepared to ward off an assailant. The course’s target demographic group is females who just completed high school or are college aged.

The course will be given each Tuesday and Thursday, from July 24 through Aug 21. Classes are 90 minutes long. Enrollment will be limited to 30 participants.

The class will be administered by Greenwich Police Officers utilizing the core principle of modern female self-defense programs which emphasis situational awareness, how to handle confrontations, but most of all how to protect yourself physically from a larger and stronger attacker.  Instructors are trained in Brazilian jiu-jitsu and have been certified as instructors by the Gracie Combative Military and Law Enforcement Academy. Students will learn maneuvers and techniques of this martial art.

For registration and information, contact Sgt. Mark Zuccerella at 203-618-8347 or at mzuccerella@greenwichct.org by July 16.

Depending upon availability, female high school students may sign up after the entrance date. Tentatively,the department is planning on holding another course for an older demographic group in the fall.

Memorial service set for former First Selectman Ruth Sims

First Selectman Peter Tesei announced Thursday that a memorial service for , has been set for 6 p.m., Friday, June 29.

The service will be held at . Speakers will include her children—William Sims, Jennifer Sims and Christopher Sims and their spouses; Tesei and Selectmen Drew Marzullo and David Theis;Nancy Brown, Bruce Cohen and Mary Ann Hoberman.

Mrs. Sims was first Democrat elected as the town's First Selectman in 72 years when she won a runoff election in 1977 and was the town's first full-time chief executive.

Island Beach Ferry schedule change

The has announced to all potential ferry users for this weekend—June 23 and 24—that due to an unforeseen mechanical failure, the M/V Indian Harbor will be out of service for this weekend. As a result, ferry service to Island Beach will run every hour on the hour 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. The department expects  regular service to resume on the half hour Saturday, June 30. 

Greenwich Community Television

If you prefer the clicker instead of being there or want to catch up on a Greenwich meeting you missed, there's Greenwich Community Television (GCTV) on either Fios Channel 24 or Cablevision's Channel 79.

And if you prefer the movies:

Sources: History.com, famousbirthdays.com