Hey Greenwich Did You Know ... You Can Help Put Green in Greenwich

Today is Wednesday, April 11, 2012 and it's National Cheese Fondue Day.

This day in history...

You might remember the movie Apollo 13, starring Tom Hanks and Kevin Bacon. It was based on the real-life NASA launch on April 11, 1970 of  Apollo 13, the third lunar landing mission. It was successfully launched from Cape Canaveral, Florida, carrying astronauts James A. Lovell, John L. Swigert, and Fred W. Haise. The spacecraft's destination was the Fra Mauro highlands of the moon, where the astronauts were to explore the Imbrium Basin and conduct geological experiments. After an oxygen tank exploded on the evening of April 13, however, the new mission objective became to get the Apollo 13 crew home alive.

4 More New Greenwich Police Officers Hired

The ranks of the Greenwich Police Department continue to grow with the swearing in four rookies in a ceremony last week at Town Hall.

Thomas Gorton, Shirly Rilett, Justin M. Rivera and Arthur Sacco were sworn in by First Selectman Peter Tesei, who also is the town's police commissioner.

• Gorton is a Trumbull resident who earned an associate's degree in criminal justice from Housatonic Community College. A certified EMT, he previously worked as a team leader in security at St. Vincent's Medical Center in Bridgeport; is an adult advisor to the Trumbull Police Explorers and a volunteer EMT with the Echo Hose ambulance in Shelton. Among the awards he has received is one from St. Vincent's for administering CPR and saving the life of a patient.
• Rilett, is a U.S. Army veteran, who attended the University Technical Institute in Chicago where she studied automotive repair, and Norwalk Community College where she studied psychology and business administration. She has worked as a resident coordinator at an assisted living center in Stamford, and for Infinity of Greenwich.
• Rivera, a Tarrytown, NY resident, is a graduate of Westchester Community College where he earned an associate's degree in liberal arts and social science, and Iona College where he earned a bachelor's degree in psychology and criminal justice. He is a former restaurant manager.
• Sacco, of Worcester, MA, holds a bachelor's degree in history from Worcester State University and a certificate in maritime studies and maritime archaeology from Texas A&M University.

The officers' hiring brings to 10, the number of new officers hired since the end of January to help fill vacancies created by retirements and promotions. Tesei said he anticipates up to another 10 officers will be hired in coming months.

Audubon Greenwich & Project Green in Chickahominy

Audubon Greenwich needs volunteers to help with the Armstrong Court Community Organic Garden from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturday, April 14.

The volunteers are needed to help with:

• Raised bed and terrace installation: A local contractor has donated his services to build 75 raised beds. They need help grading the area, weeding and installing the beds.
• Garden paths: spreading new wood chips on the paths.
• General weeding: removing invasive vines on fences at the vegetable garden.
• Head Start Kids in the Garden: Audubon is developing a Butterfly Teaching garden for the kids of the Head Start program and help is needed to weed that garden.

To RSVP and for more information, call garden founder and manager, Patty Sechi, at 203-629-1499 OR email: psechi@gmail.com. 

If you prefer the clicker ...

Then check out Greenwich government and organizations with Greenwich Community Television (Cablevision Channel 79 or FiOs channel 24.

Today's meetings at Greenwich Town Hall: