Daily Five: Volunteerism, The Ball Field And The Budget

1.  Today is Tuesday, Jan. 24.  The National Weather Service predicts partly sunny skies, with a high temperature of 49 degrees and a wind of 11 to 15 mph.  The low will drop to 31 degrees tonight.

2.  Volunteerism in the public schools remains high. In December, 655 people gave more than 2,700 hours of time to the Groton Public Schools, Superintendent Paul Kadri said Monday. “It just amazes me how lucky we are to have so many committed people. . .” Kadri told the board of education.

3.  School Board Chairwoman Kirsten Hoyt said Monday the outstanding debt for the Fitch ball field is in litigation, and there will be no further public comment on the topic. The Town Council voted in December go forward with paying $139,000 to four vendors owed for their work on field, and the bills were 120 days overdue at that time. The because the project cost about and more than the $500,000

4.  Budget discussions by the school board start Jan. 30, with public comment at 7 p.m. in the Town Hall Annex. The board will have a joint meeting with the Town Council at 5:30 p.m., just prior to the public comment session.

5.  On Wednesday, you can learn a little more about the submarine that draws 150,000 visitors a year. Captain Mike Riegel will speak about the USS Nautilus, the first nuclear-powered submarine, during a free program from 7:30 p.m. until 8:30 p.m. on Wednesday at the Mystic Congregational Church Parish Hall. The submarine was the first vessel to travel submerged beneath the North Pole on August 3, 1958, and broke many records. The vessel became a National Historic Landmark in 1982 and is kept in Groton.