Berklee Names New Songwriting Chair

Good morning, Back Bay! Here are five things you need to know today, Thursday, Aug. 8:

1. NEW SONGWRITING DEPARTMENT CHAIR: The Berklee College of Music in Back Bay has named Bonnie Hayes chair of the college's Songwriting Department. Hayes has written songs for such varied artists as David Crosby, Bonnie Raitt, Adam Ant, Cher and more. Check out more info on Hayes in this recent Back Bay Patch blog post.

2. IN CASE YOU MISSED IT: A public meeting on repairs to the Bowker Overpass will be held Tuesday, Aug. 13 at the Boston Public Library's Central Branch at 6 p.m. Check out more here.

3. GET THE PATCH NEWSLETTER: Have you signed up for the Back Bay Patch Daily Newsletter yet? Each morning you can get Back Bay Patch news delivered directly to your e-mail inbox. It's totally free, so if you like what you read here, sign up now!

4. THIS DAY IN HISTORY: In an evening televised address, President Richard M. Nixon announces his intention to become the first president in American history to resign on this day in 1974. With impeachment proceedings underway against him for his involvement in the Watergate affair, Nixon was finally bowing to pressure from the public and Congress to leave the White House. "By taking this action," he said in a solemn address from the Oval Office, "I hope that I will have hastened the start of the process of healing which is so desperately needed in America." Information courtesy of History.com.