Today is Monday, Oct. 29. Here are five things you need to know in Hamilton and Wenham: 1. Hurricane: Clearly the big news on Monday is the arrival of Hurricane Sandy. Stay tuned to Danvers Patch as we keep you updated throughout the storm. 2. Closed: Many government offices are closed on Monday including Hamilton and Wenham town halls and the library, in addition to the regional schools. A state of emergency was declared and Gov. Deval Patrick who on Sunday encouraged everyone to stay home and off the roads, if possible. 3. Hydrants: The Wenham Water Department was scheduled to start …

Today is Friday, Oct. 26. Here are five things you need to know in Hamilton and Wenham: 1. Beautiful: Friday is shaping up to be another beautiful day, with sunny skies and temperatures into the 60s. 2. Blood Drive: The American Red Cross comes to Hamilton on Friday morning, hosting an blood drive at the Community House from 11:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. You can call 1-800-Red-Cross to make an appointment or just show up. 3. Two in a Row: For the second straight week, U.S. Rep. John Tierney (D-Salem) and Republican challenger Richard Tisei are meeting on two back-to-back days for a debate. After …

Today is Thursday, Oct. 25. Here are five things you need to know in Hamilton and Wenham: 1. More Sun: Thursday will be a perfect fall day, with sunny skies and the temperature getting up to around 60 degrees. 2. First Aid: If you want to take a first aid class at the Community House this weekend, Thursday is the final day to sign up. The class is on Saturday from 9 a.m.-1 p.m. for a fee of $50. The class is taught by Registered nurses Regina Baker and Sheryl Razney includes a certification card valid for two years. 3. Debate: The two major party candidates seeking the Sixth Congressional …

Today is Wednesday, Oct. 24. Here are five things you need to know in Hamilton and Wenham: 1. Sun: The skies should be sunny for most of the day on Wednesday, with the forecast calling for temperatures to top out in the 50s. 2. Cell Phones: Wednesday is the final day of a Miles River Middle School student’s Cell Phone for Soldiers public service project. Susan Smith has set up collection bins at Hamilton Town Hall, Hamilton-Wenham Public Library, First Church in Wenham and the Miles River Middle School. 3. Food Day: Wednesday is Food Day, a day designed to celebrate “more healthy, affordable…

Today is Tuesday, Oct. 23. Here are five things you need to know in Hamilton and Wenham:  1. Half Day: All three elementary schools – Buker, Cutler and Winthrop – have a half day on Tuesday for parent conferences. School gets out at 11:15 a.m. at all thee schools and lunch will not be served. 2. Night at the Museum: Wenham Museum will be celebrating Halloween on Friday night with a popular event – A Night at the (Wenham) Museum. It runs from 6:30-8:30 p.m. and includes the museum’s collection coming to life and a moonlit tour of the 17th century Claflin-Richards House. The price is $8 for …

Today is Monday, Oct. 22. Here are five things you need to know in Hamilton and Wenham: 1. Hydrants: The Hamilton Water Department will start on Monday night flushing hydrants all over town. The flushing will occur between 9 p.m. to 1 a.m. through Thursday night this week and for the following two weeks. 2. Farmers Market: A sure sign of fall – farmers market season is coming to an end. And on Monday, it is the last Beverly Farmers Market of the year. The market takes place along Railroad Avenue, near Beverly Depot and Veterans Park from 3-7 p.m. 3. Art Grows Here: The organizers are Art …

Today is Friday, Oct. 19. Here are five things you need to know in Hamilton and Wenham: 1. Containers: If you’ve been by the North Shore Mall in recent weeks, you have probably seen the enormous building going up in the parking lot. It’s the newest location for The Container Store, a nationwide chain that is holding a grand opening this weekend for its new local store.  And 10 percent of all the sales during the opening weekend go toward the Children’s Museum in Boston. 2. Charles River: One of the truly unique events in our region each fall is the Head of the Charles Regatta. While it’s not …

Today is Thursday, Oct. 18. Here are five things you need to know in Hamilton and Wenham: 1. Science: Thursday is the final day to sign up for the Community House’s upcoming program “Fun Science for Preschoolers.” The program is for 3-5 year olds and runs for six weeks at 10 a.m. on Saturdays - stating this weekend - with topics such as Insects and Dinosaurs. The cost is $75 and you must sign up for all six weeks. 2. Unemployment: We’ll hear the statewide unemployment numbers on Thursday. The Executive Office of Labor and Workforce Development will make an announcement about the September …

Today is Tuesday, Oct. 16. Here are five things you need to know in Hamilton and Wenham:  1. Cooler: The one thing you’ll notice on Tuesday that it will be quite a bit cooler than it was on Monday, with temperatures in the 50s getting to about 70. It will again be windy, with gusts as high as 25 miles per hour. 2. Hay Man: The annual wintertime tradition along Bridge Street in Hamilton, where Alton Bynum and his family display a scene built out of hay, has returns. Star Wars is the theme this year and if you have not seen it the display, is as always, impressive. 3. Whitey: Retied State …

Today is Monday, Oct. 15. Here are five things you need to know in Hamilton and Wenham: 1. Warm: What jumps out about Monday’s weather is that it will be warm – with temperatures into the 70s. The sky will be cloudy and winds could gust as high as 25 miles per hour. 2. Cultural Council: Monday is the deadline for local groups to submit an application for funding from the Cultural Council. 3. Dukakis: Former Gov. Michael Dukakis comes to the North Shore on Monday to lead a bipartisan roundtable discussion at Salem State University. The event, titled Election 2012: “Fact, Fiction and Public …

Today is Friday, Oct. 12. Here are five things you need to know in Hamilton and Wenham:  1. Showers: The clouds are forecasted to return on Friday, with temperatures in the 50s again. There’s also a chance of showers, particularly in the morning. 2. Dance: Friday night’s middle school dance at the Community House has a “Glow in the Dark” theme. The dance runs 7-9 p.m. and the admission charge is $5. But students need to make sure they have already registered for the Community House’s middle school programs in advance. The one one-time yearly charge is $40. The registration form is attached to…

Today is Thursday, Oct. 11. Here are five things you need to know in Hamilton and Wenham: 1. Sun: The sun is expected to reemerge on Thursday, with temperatures around 60. 2. Flu: The Hamilton and Wenham Boards of Health are hosting a flu vaccine clinic on Thursday afternoon at The Meetinghouse (Old Library) on Bay Road in Hamilton. It runs 3-6 p.m. and is free but anyone with insurance should bring their insurance card. 3. Flow Test: A flow test of the water system by Stantec Inc. will be conducted on Thursday at 9 p.m. in the Chebacco Road area of Hamilton. It could cause the water to …

Today is Wednesday, Oct. 10. Here are five things you need to know in Hamilton and Wenham: 1. Dr. Harvey: Hamilton-Wenham Regional School District Superintendent Michael Harvey will be the featured guest when the Special Education Parent Advisory Council meets on Wednesday at 6:30 p.m. at Miles River Middle School. 2. Congressional Debate: U.S. Rep. John Tierney (D-Salem) and Republican Congressional candidate Richard Tisei of Wakefield are both coming pretty close to the two towns on Wednesday night for a debate. Libertarian Daniel Fishman of Beverly will join them. The event, sponsored by …

Today is Tuesday, Oct. 9. Here are five things you need to know in Hamilton and Wenham: 1. Clouds: Tuesday is forecasted to be a cloudy day with rain to start and a chance of showers throughout the day. Temperatures will top out in the 50s. 2. Restaurants: Are you looking to try a new restaurant close to home at a reasonable price? You may want to check out the offerings at Beverly Restaurant Week, which runs through Thursday. There are 15 restaurants participating with either a 3-course dinner for $25 or 2-course dinner for $15, before tax, drinks and gratuities. 3. Yard Sale: Notre Dame …

Today is Monday, Oct. 8. Here are five things you need to know in Hamilton and Wenham: 1. Cooler: It is shaping up to be sunny, but cool, on Monday. The forecast calls for clear skies with temperatures topping out in the 50s. 2. Music Man: Typically, Music Man Brian Doser delivers his performances for kids at the Community House on Mondays, but he is off on Monday for Columbus Day. He returns at 10 a.m. on Thursday and then again next Monday. 3. Final Day: The final day of the Topsfield Fair is on Monday. It is open the regular hours of 10 a.m. to 11 p.m. 4. Fire Prevention: Fire Prevention …

Today is Friday, Oct. 5. Here are five things you need to know in Hamilton and Wenham: 1. Sun: At some point on Friday, the sun is expected to come out. After some dreary day, it will be welcomed. There will be a foggy start to the day but temperatures will eventually make it into the mid-70s. 2. Homecoming: It is Homecoming weekend at Gordon College in Wenham. Events will include a “Gordon’s Got Talent” contest on Friday night and a 5K run on Saturday. 3. Stop and Shop: The A+ School Rewards Program starts on Friday at the Stop and Shop grocery store chain, including the location in North …

Today is Thursday, Oct. 4. Here are five things you need to know in Hamilton and Wenham: 1. Yucky: Thursday’s weather forecast isn’t sounding like it will be much of an improvement over what we have seen most of the week. Fog and showers are expected to hang around for most of the day with temperatures in the 60s. 2. Mrs. Essex County: If you are a married woman living in Essex County, Thursday is the deadline to enter this weekend’s Mrs. Essex County pageant at the Topsfield Fair. The exact deadline is 10 p.m. The pageant starts with judging based on a food entry and a preliminary interview …

Today is Wednesday, Oct. 3. Here are five things you need to know in Hamilton and Wenham: 1. Voter Forum: Wednesday night will offer voters a chance to become more informed on some of both the statewide and local issues that will be on ballots later this fall. To start, speakers on both sides of Question 2 “Prescribing Medication to End Life” and Question 3, “Medical Use of Marijuana” will speak at an event Wednesday night. The second hour will be devoted to a presentation and discussion about a $2 million debt exclusion override request to fund capital projects in the Hamilton-Wenham …

Today is Tuesday, Oct. 2. Here are five things you need to know in Hamilton and Wenham: 1. Warmer: Tuesday is shaping up to be a decent day weatherwise with partly sunny skies and temperatures well into the 70s. There's a chance of a shower in the afternoon. 2. Foliage: There’s already some incredibly bright trees here and there in Hamilton and Wenham as the foliage season gets closer. As part of this story, there’s a photo of some bright foliage at the corner of Essex Street and Miles River Road in Hamilton. Where have you seen a colorful tree? 3. Transportation: The state Department of …

Today is Monday, Oct. 1. Here are five things you need to know in Hamilton and Wenham: 1. Mosquitoes: The Hamilton Board of Health is scheduled to hold an emergency meeting on Monday night to consider “additional action” that might be taken “to protect public health” which may include banning outdoor evening activities because of the threat of West Nile Virus and EEE from mosquitoes. The board meets at 6 p.m. in the Memorial Room at Hamilton Town Hall. 2. ARC Walk: If you plan to register for the upcoming 16th Annual Northeast Arc “Run, Walk or Roll” on Saturday, Oct. 13 you may want to do it…