César Chávez Day, Opening Day and Warm Weather

Today is March 31. It is the 90th day of the year. We are under a waning crescent moon. Sunset will occur about 7:15 p.m. Here are five things to know.

1. Happy César Chávez Day. California state offices, including the Department of Motor Vehicles and Los Angeles Superior Courts, will be closed today due to the state holiday honoring Chávez. You can learn more about that right here.

2. The sun is out, birds are chirping and you can practically smell the freshly cut grass and hear the crack of bat hitting baseball. It's Opening Day in Major League Baseball. Spring is here. Former Dodgers ace Fernando Valenzuela is throwing out the first pitch today at Dodger Stadium. Check out the attached video about Valenzuela pitching on Opening Day in 1981, triggering Fernandomania.

3. The National Weather Service forecast for today calls for sunny skies with a high near 82 degrees and clear skies tonight with a low around 58 degrees. It should be sunny Friday, too, with a high near 72 degrees.

4. Playa del Rey resident Phil Jackson and the two-time defending champion Los Angeles Lakers host the Dallas Mavericks tonight at Staples Center in a game that has some playoff implications. The Lakers (53-20) lead Dallas (53-21) by half a game for second place in the Western Conference and the game could solidify playoff seeding and serve as an indicator for playoff success.

5. Did you know that you can follow Marina del Rey Patch, which also covers Del Rey and Playa del Rey, on Facebook and Twitter?