Welcome, welcome. After a summer filled with exploration of mind and body, eager members of the class of 2016 arrive on campus today, on a Friday so gloriously sunny it seems winter may never come. Aw.

Hope those boots were made for walking. For one freshman, the journey to Yale has been quite the hike: Gabe Acheson ’16 promised in his admission essay that, if accepted, he would walk nearly 400 miles from his home in Baltimore to New Haven. He completed the 26-day trek on Thursday, the Baltimore Sun reported.

A reminder. If Acheson wants help putting his experiences on paper, he better hurry: applications for creative writing courses are due today at noon.

Athletic excellence. The Boston Red Sox fielded the first all-Yale battery in the Major Leagues since 1883 when pitcher Craig Breslow ’02 threw two pitches to catcher Ryan Lavarnway ’09 last Saturday.

Sleepless in Spokane. Former U.S. Ambassador Ryan Crocker, who was named Yale’s first Kissinger Senior Fellow earlier this month, is facing drunk driving and hit-and-run charges in Washington state from an Aug. 14 incident. Authorities allege that Crocker hit a semi-truck in Spokane Valley, Wash., while trying to make a right turn from the left lane, and then registered .160 and .152 blood-alcohol content in successive breath tests, according to the Associated Press.

Civic discourse. Republican U.S. Senate candidate Linda McMahon refused an invitation to a Tuesday debate with the Democratic candidate, U.S. Rep. Chris Murphy, but she did send two dozen supporters to pass out fliers and submit questions about Murphy’s jobs plan, CTNewsJunkie reports.

Things come together. Chris Magoon ’11 appeared on Good Morning America this week after he donated bone marrow to a cancer patient and mother of two who needed a transplant. The two met on GMA; Magoon registered as a marrow donor at an on-campus drive in honor of Mandi Schwartz ’11.

Shake Shack. The much-awaited opening of the New York-based burger joint is right around the corner — but not quite as soon had been hoped, due to delays in construction. It will be restauranteur Danny Meyer’s second location in Connecticut; the first opened in Westport last summer.

THIS DAY IN YALE HISTORY 2001 Yale University Properties announces that preppy clothing retailer J. Crew will open a New Haven store on Broadway, following the spring arrival of Urban Outfitters to the street.