Hey Greenwich! Did You Know ... Island Beach Ferry Still Out of Service?

A special weekend edition of Hey Greenwich! It's Saturday, June 30, 2012 and it's National Ice Cream Soda Day.

Tomorrow, Sunday, July 1, 2012, is Creative Ice Cream Flavor Day.

Maybe we're lucky with ice cream-themed days given the heat!

Saturday's birthdays:

• Swimmer Michael Phelps who won eight gold medals at the Beijing 2008 Olympics, is 27. 
• Winner of 2004 "American Idol" TV talent competition Fantasia Barrino is 28.
• English singer/model Cheryl Cole is 29.
• Actor Vincent D'Onofrio, of 'Law & Order' fame, is 53.
• Actor Leonard Whiting, who played Romeo in 'Romeo and Juliet,' is 62.

Sunday's birthdays:

• Armageddon" actress, daughter of rocker Steven Tyler, Liv Tyler, is 34.
• "Baywatch" babe and actress Pamela Anderson is 44.
• Track and field athlete Carl Lewis is 50.
• 'Saturday Night Live" star and comedic actor Dan Akroyd is 59.
• Jamie Farr, who played cross-dressing Corporal Klinger on TV's "M*A*S*H," is 77.

 

This Day in History:

Saturday, June 30, 2012:

In 1975, less than one week after her divorce from Sonny Bono became final, Cher—America's most famous newly single woman—tied the knot with rock star Gregg Allman, only to file for divorce from him just nine days later.

On June 30, Sandy Koufax strikes out 13 batters and walks five to lead the Brooklyn Dodgers to victory over the New York Mets 5-0 with his first career no-hitter. Koufax went on to throw three more no-hitters, including a perfect game on September 9, 1965, in which he allowed no hits and no walks.

In 1980, CNN (Cable News Network), the world's first 24-hour television news network, makes its debut.

Sunday, July ,1 2012:

Margaret Mitchell's Gone with the Wind, one of the best-selling novels of all time and the basis for a blockbuster 1939 movie, is published on this day in 1936.

In 1980, CNN (Cable News Network), the world's first 24-hour television news network, makes its debut.

In 1962, Sandy Koufax strikes out 13 batters and walks five to lead the Brooklyn Dodgers to victory over the New York Mets 5-0 with his first career no-hitter. Koufax went on to throw three more no-hitters, including a perfect game on September 9, 1965, in which he allowed no hits and no walks.

 

Things you should know:

No, it's not as Yogi Berra said, "It's deja vu all over again."

It's TRUE—ferry service to Island Beach is, well, sort of beached. The transmission problems that have dry-docked the ferry Indian Harbor, still haven't been resolved, according to Parks & Recreation Director Joe Siciliano.

"They have to machine the parts they need for the transmission," Siciliano told Greenwich Patch Friday afternoon. The boat, built at Luders Marine in Stamford back in 1937, has engines and transmissions that date back to the 1950s and '60s. So when an apparent unexpected problem with the tranny cropped up last week, it has boat techs scrambling for parts, Siciliano said.

"When we plan maintenance over the winter, we can call other marinas, military marine surplus depots and get parts," Sicilian explained. "We ran the boat for a week and a half and had a problem with one of the transmissions. We really need, according to code, operate both transmissions."

So, while repairs are being made at Bridgeport Drydock, the town is offering ferry service the town's popular Island Beach with one ferry, the Island Beach. And the sticky wicket could be that service is only being offered once an hour, on the hour, instead of the every half-hour service when both ferries are operating. Hours of operationn 10 a.m. to 7 p.m.

Siciliano said that his depawrtment is adding an extra deck hand so that the Island Beach ferry boat can accommodate extra passengers and minimize inconvenience.

"I don't think it's going to be a huge expense for repairs," Siciliano said. " It's the down time and in the heat of the season, we're going to pursh as hard as we can. The boat yard is working Saturday to get the boat on line, hopefully for next week, for Wednesday, the 4th of July," Siciliano added. "That's our goal."

"We are doing our best to accommodate as many passengers as possible. Don't ask me the capacity, but we're doing everything we can," Siciliano said.

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.

Saturday, June 30 1:00 am Planning & Zoning Commission Meeting, June 12, 2012 3:32 am BET - Mill Rate Meeting 5:31 am BET Budget Committee Meeting , May, 2012 2:30 pm Board of Estimate & Taxation Meeting, June, 2012 3:45 pm BET Budget Committee Meeting , May, 2012 6:45 pm Board of Selectmen Meeting, June 21, 2012 8:00 pm Conversations with Business Leaders: Jeffrey Immelt, Chairman & CEO of General Electric 9:20 pm Slaves in the Attic: Panel Discussion at Greenwich Historical Society

 

Sunday, July 1

1:00PM Representative Town Meeting, June, 2012 4:45PM Slaves in the Attic: Panel Discussion at Greenwich Historical Society 6:00PM The Retired Men's Association presents Dr. Michael A. Bernstein on Lung Cancer Screening and Research 7:00PM Creating Cooperative Kids - The Parenting Show Episode: Understanding Teens 8:00PM Board of Selectmen Meeting, June 21, 2012 9:00PM Conversations with Business Leaders: Jeffrey Immelt, Chairman & CEO of General Electric

 

And if you prefer the movies:

 

Bow Tie Criterion Cinemas at Greenwich Plaza
Showtimes for Saturday, June 30, 2012
Seeking a Friend for the End of the World (R)
Keira Knightley, Steve Carell
94 minutes
Trailer 12:10, 2:45, 5:00, 7:15, 9:30
Digital;
Your Sister's Sister (R)
Emily Blunt, Rosemarie DeWitt
90 minutes
Trailer 12:20, 2:30, 4:45, 7:30, 9:40
Digital;
Moonrise Kingdom (PG-13)
Bruce Willis, Edward Norton
93 minutes
Trailer 12:00, 2:15, 4:30, 7:00, 9:15
Digital;

 

Showtimes for Sunday, July 01, 2012

Seeking a Friend for the End of the World (R)
Keira Knightley, Steve Carell
94 minutes
Trailer 12:10, 2:45, 5:00, 7:15, 9:30
Digital;
Your Sister's Sister (R)
Emily Blunt, Rosemarie DeWitt
90 minutes
Trailer 12:20, 2:30, 4:45, 7:30, 9:40
Digital;
Moonrise Kingdom (PG-13)
Bruce Willis, Edward Norton
93 minutes
Trailer 12:00, 2:15, 4:30, 7:00, 9:15
Digital;

 

Sources: history.com; famousbirthdays.com