Daily Five: Tax Collection Strong; Resignation

1.     Today should be sunny, with a high around 80, according to the National Weather Service. This evening will stay clear, with a low around 61, according to the service.

2.     The busiest month of tax collection is over and signs are good. So far, the town has collected 68.2 percent of all taxes due for the entire year, up from 67.4 percent last year, according to Tax Collector Mark Burnham.

A big part of that is Millstone, as Dominion paid the entire tax bill, as it does every year, with one huge wire transfer, Burnham said. That alone makes up 30 percent of the tax roll. Also, all motor vehicle and personal property taxes are due by Aug. 1, and many people pay their entire real estate tax for the year in July as well, he said. Still, the number is up, so that is promising, Burnham said.

3.     Waterford Week continues tonight, this time with a quaint community sing-a-long at the Quaker Hill Green. The event begins at 7.

4.     Brian Vachris has resigned as the chairman of the Republican Town Committee as he is planning to move to Texas to find work, First Selectman Dan Steward said. The Republicans will have to find a new leader at their next meeting on Aug. 17, and so far board of education member Kathleen McCarty has shown interest, Steward said.

5.     On this date in 1934, the first federal civilian prisoners are brought to Alcatraz. It was previously a military prison. And on this date in 1929, Babe Ruth becomes the first baseball player to hit 500 major league homers. Ruth was also the first man to hit 200, 300, 400, 600 and 700 home runs in a career.

Quote of the Day

“All animals are equal but some are more equal than others.”

-Squealer the Pig

Trivia of the Day

At the turn of the century, ESPN came out with a show called the “50 Greatest Athletes of the 20th Century.” Who was number one on the list?

Yesterday’s Answer: The only actor to garner two posthumous Academy Award nominations was James Dean.