5 Things You Need To Know Today: December 28

1. Pull out your sweaters and jackets. The temperatures finally dropped and it feels like December in Florida outside — for real.

2. There will be a huge New Years Eve party downtown this weekend. Old Main Street will be closed for festivities on Saturday from 3 p.m. to 1 a.m. Proceeds benefit the American Cancer Society.

3. The cost of fingerprinting services at the Sheriff's Office is rising in the New Year. Beginning Jan. 1, the fingerprint fee will be $35. Payments must be made in cash. The public can get fingerprinted Monday through Friday from 8:00 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. at the Operations Center, 600 U.S. 301 Blvd. W. This is your last week to get a five finger discount.

4. Manatee High School will host an Open House Jan. 5 from 6:30 p.m. to 8 p.m. to showcase its programs and facilities to interested students and their families who are considering an application to attend MHS in the Fall of 2012. Attendees will be welcomed in the lobby of the new Davis Building, where they will find school information, information about the AP+ Program (college prep), school choice applications & forms from the district’s Parent Information Center (PIC), a program with scheduled events and a school map. Faculty & staff will be on hand to discuss their programs and answer questions with regard to the school choice process and academy applications. For more information, visit www.TheManateeHighSchool.org  or call 714-7300. Manatee High School is located at 902 33^rd Street Court West.

5. Manatee County has three openings for a citizens advisory committee that creates and recommends policy for the Manatee County Libraries. The openings are for representatitves from Bradenton, Palmetto and Anna Maria Island. The representaitves must reside in each of those communities. The Bradenton City Council and the Palmetto City Council will appoint two of the representatives. The representative from the Island will be appointed by the Manatee County Commission upon recommendations from the Island municipalities. Each member is appointed for a term of four years. Applications are due Jan. 11, 2012 and may be found online at www.mymanatee.org/advisory_boards. Please send completed applications to carol.parsons@mymanatee.org  The group generally meets on the third Wednesday of each month at noon at the Central Library, 1301 Barcarrota Boulevard West, Bradenton. For more information, call Carol Parsons, Library Administration, at (941) 748-5555 ext. 6306.