5 Things You Need to Know Today: August 9

Here is a list of 5 things you need to know today:

1. Umbrella Necessary: According to the National Weather Service, today will be cloudy with a high near 82. There is a chance of showers this afternoon. There will be a southeast wind between 10 and 13 mph. Tonight, it will be mostly cloudy with a low around 69. The showers and thunderstorms will continue throughout the night with a south wind 8 to 11 mph becoming west. 

2. More Fields & Fun: Fair Haven Fields will be getting an additional field and improvements within the next year. The Fair Haven Borough Administrator, Recreation Director and Engineer presented an application for a Monmouth County Open Space Grant for improvements to Fair Haven Fields at the regular meeting on Monday, August 8, 2011. Click to read the details about what's to come at the Fair Haven recreation destination.

3. The Roof is on Fire: Hundreds of Monmouth County firefighters raced from their trucks and fought to keep broken hoses under control in Colts Neck on Saturday. Fortunately, there was no blaze to douse and no injuries to attend to, save for a few bruised egos when volunteers from 16 area firehouses, including Fair Haven, competed at the 2011 Monmouth County Firefighters Competition at Colts Neck Fire Company #1 on Route 537. Click to see photos from the event.

4. Bling, Bling: Gold prices soared above $1,700 an ounce early Monday, as buyers reacted to the U.S. credit rating drop. This means that now is a great time to start thinking about cashing in your gold. Click to read "5 Things" you need to know first. 

5. Strike: About 5,400 Verizon workers in New Jersey are among the 45,000 workers on strike after contract talks broke off after midnight Saturday, when a three-year pact expired for wireline employees in the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic states, Verizon and a union leader said Sunday morning. Several workers wearing placards around their neck outside the nearest Verizon in Red Bank said their employer is demanding too many concessions. They're prepared, they said, to wait as long as it takes until Verizon changes its mind. Click to read more about this story.