5 Things You Need to Know Today: March 1

Rise and shine, Potomac! It’s a new day with another five things you need to know.

1. After a rainy day, many Potomac residents may be happy to embrace today’s sunshine. It’s going to be sunny with a high near 47 degrees, according to the National Weather Service. Winds of about 11 miles-per-hour will blow though Potomac and some gusts could get as high as 22 miles-per-hour.

2.  It’s time to celebrate the accomplishments of women in the area because March is Women’s History Month. The National Women’s History Project, an organization that coordinates observances of National Women’s History Month throughout the country and supports women in leadership roles, is working again this year to promote the theme, “Our History is Our Strength.” Although women and men have a shared history, several factors such as social, religious, economic and biological have worked to create a unique sphere of women’s history, according to the NWHP website.

3. It's time to update those brackets for the state basketball tournament! The Churchill boys varsity basketball team defeated Walter Johnson last night, 53-43. Churchill now advances to the Maryland 4A West semifinals, which will take place on Wednesday.

4. is taking place at the Potomac Library today from 6 p.m. until 8 p.m. The discussion is a great opportunity for native Chinese speakers or those looking to perfect their practice. The group will discuss the book, “The Old Man and the Boy,” by Robert Ruark. Registration is not necessary, so stop on by. If you missed this one and want to make a point to catch the next Chinese book discussion, it is on April 5 at 6 p.m. and the group is reading “The Teachings of Confucius" by Shaonong Wang.

5. On this day 50 years ago, the Peace Corps was founded. The Peace Corps, which has allowed more than 180,000 Americans to serve in 134 nations, has added significance locally as former Potomac resident R. Sargent Shriver was in charge of the agency. 

On March 1, 1961, President John F. Kennedy issued an executive order to establish the Peace Corps as a new agency within the Department of State. The same day, he asked Congress for permanent funding for the agency, which would send trained American men and women to foreign nations to assist in development efforts.