Budget Hearings Begin Again, Food For Fines, From Homeless to Hopeful

1. What's the Weather? The cracking thunderstorms and heavy downpours that made for a dreary long Labor Day weekend are still with us today. Weather.com is predicting scattered thunderstorms, especially this afternoon, and a 40 percent chance of rain. It's still going to be hot and muggy, with a high temperature of 78 degrees and an overnight low of 60 degrees. Tonight should be partly cloudy with a 20 percent chance of rain.  

2. Budget Machinations: Tonight, New London begins to work on crafting a budget that has more hope of passing at referendum than the last one did. The City Council's Finance Committee scheduled the first budget hearing for Tuesday at 5 p.m. Mayor Daryl Finizio presented the City Council with a reworked budget proposal on Friday.

3. New London's City Council meeting, which would normally have been held on Monday, will be held tonight in Council Chambers at 7 p.m. It's likely that the budget will be up for discussion then too. 

4. Food for Fines: Feeling guilty because you owe fines on overdue library books? Here's a way you can wipe the slate clean and feel good. Starting today through September, New London Library patrons can pay their overdue fines by bringing in canned goods and non-perishable items that will be donated to the New London Area Food Pantry. (This doesn't apply to lost or damaged materials, by the way.) For more information, email lindala@plnl.org or visit www.plnl.org.

5. Homeless to Hopeful. This annual dance is biggest fundraiser of the year for the Homeless Hospitality Center and Covenant Shelter in New London. It will be held this Saturday at New London's Ocean Beach Park Pavilion.