5 Things You Need to Know Today: July 20

5 Things You Need to Know Today: July 20

1. It’s going to be hot today--but not as hot as it will be tomorrow. Weather.com says the high temperature for today will be 89 degrees, rising to 96 degrees on Thursday and 98 on Friday, when the record high is 102 degrees. An excessive heat watch has been issued for the next three days and public health agencies are urging people to take it easy, drink plenty of fluids, and keep an eye on neighbors and relatives, especially the very young and the elderly.

2. The will take part in the 2011 National Night Out on Aug. 2 from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. at , the department announced.  Activities will include free bike helmets, the chance to see department equipment up close and opportunities to interact with officers and address neighborhood concerns.

3. The water at is not only cleaner, it’s much cleaner, according to test results released Tuesday by the town. The Mass. Department of Public Health says water is safe for swimming as long as tests show 235 colonies of E. Coli bacteria per 100ml of water or fewer. While Pleasure Point’s levels spiked as high as 920, prompting the closure of the beach, the most recent tests performed on Monday came in at just 32.

4. The Parks & Recreation Committee, which by the way oversees the town’s parks and swimming beaches, meets at 7 p.m. at 100 Linden St. 

5. There's still plenty of time to get children involved in the "One World, Many Stories" Summer Reading Program at the  and fill up that reading log before the ice cream social event that wraps it up on Aug. 10. And did we mention the library is air-conditioned?