Five Things You Need to Know Today: Aug. 4

1. Crystal Lake. The lake will as the city waits until Monday to do another test of the water. If the algae levels do not dissipate, the lake could remain closed longer, officials say.

2. Championship meet. The will host the Summer Suburban Swim League "B" Championships today at in Newton. The championships will likely run most of the morning and afternoon, finishing up sometime between 1 p.m. and 3 p.m. 

3. Free admission. The offers free admission to Newton residents during the first weekend of the month. Stop by the museum and learn more about Newton's great history. The museum is open noon - 5 p.m. 

4. Big money! After a recent 5 percent day at Whole Foods (where 5 percent of the days profits go toward a local organization), the Newton Tree Conservancy received more than $4,000! The conservancy will accept a check from the Four Corners  today at 10:30 a.m. Congratulations! 

5. Blog on Patch. Did you know Newton Patch has a blog section for local residents, business owners and community leaders? Local Voices is a section of our site where the editor steps aside and the community says what it wants. Interested in sharing your thoughts and opinions with a Patch blog? Do you already have a blog that needs a new set of readers? Submit a Local Voices Patch blog here.