Sunny Afternoon, Coastal Cleanup Day and Looming Grocers Strike

Today is Sept. 17. It is the 260th day of the year. We are under a waning gibbous moon. Sunset will occur about 6:59 p.m. Here are five things to know:

1. The National Weather Service forecast for this afternoon calls for mostly cloudy skies, but the clouds have evaporated. Forecasters expect a high near 67 degrees with patchy fog after 11 p.m. and an overnight low around 61 degrees. The forecast calls for patchy fog Sunday morning with gradual clearing to sunshine in the afternoon with a high near 70 degrees.

2. Your Marina del Rey Patch editor participated this morning in Coastal Cleanup Day with volunteers who took to kayaks to collect debris in the marina. The Marina del Rey cleanup event was organized by the Santa Monica Bay Restoration Commission and I took part as part of Patch's Give 5 volunteering campaign in which Patch employees donate five business days a year to a local organization that needs volunteers. Check back, we'll have a story on it later.

3. Shoppers at the two Ralphs stores and the Vons store in Marina del Rey may have to decide if they'll cross a picket line to buy groceries. Workers at Ralphs, Vons and Albertsons gave a three-day notice Thursday that they planned to cancel their contract and could call a strike if a new labor deal isn't reached by 7 p.m. Sunday. Details right here.

4. Looking for a place to buy in Marina del Rey? Check out our House Hunt feature of open houses coming up for prospective buyers.

5. Patch is looking for bloggers. We recently rolled out a new blogging platform and are looking for local bloggers to write about whatever they want, whenever they want. If you're interested or want to learn more, send me an email: Paul.Chavez@patch.com.