5 Things You Need To Know Today: January 12

1.The Manatee County Fair opens today. The county's Distinguished Citizen of the year will be named at 11:30 a.m. at the Fairgrounds. Gates open to the general public at 5 p.m.

2. It's opening night for the Manatee Players production of Happy Days. The stage musical version of the television sitcom plays through January 29.   Performances are Tuesday through Thursday at 7:30 p.m., Friday and Saturday at 8 p.m. and Sunday at 2 p.m. Tickets are $25 for adults and $11 for students.  Tickets may be reserved by calling 748-5875 Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. and one hour before curtain on performance days or on the Manatee Players’ website: www.manateeplayers.com. All performances are at 102 Old Main Street.

3. The School Choice Open Enrollment Period opens Tuesday and runs through Feb. 3. The open enrollment period is especially important for parents of students who are entering Kindergarten or transitioning from Elementary School to Middle School or from Middle School to High School. Manatee County’s public schools offer a wide variety of academies, access to International Baccalaureate programs from first to 12^th grade, and art and music options. Approval of School Choice applications are subject to enrollment capacities and other demographic criteria. Information about School Choice can be obtained at the School District’s Parent Information Center, 234 Manatee Ave. E. Call 708-4971 or got to www.manateeschools.net for more information.

4. The Manatee Chamber of Commerce will host its monthly Coffee Club on Friday from 7:45 a.m. to 9 a.m. at the Manatee County Fairgrounds, 1303 17^th St. W. Palmetto. Members and prospective members are invited to enjoy breakfast and updates on Chamber activities, efforts and events. Contact Nicole Onorato at 941-748-4842, ext. 122 for more information.

5. The dancers from Step Afrika!, a renowned dance company, will perform for the students and teachers of ProjectSTAGE in the gym at 10:30 a.m. today. They will eat lunch at the school and then put on a workshop from approximately 11:45 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. The visit from Step Afrika! is part of ProjectSTAGE, a grant funded by a U.S. Department of Education to the Manatee County School District. The grant was written by the school district and the Van Wezel Performing Arts Hall Education and Community Engagement Department. Funds are provided to train teachers from Manatee County Title One Elementary Schools in arts integration techniques in order to improve student literacy. The grant was awarded in winter 2009. Elementary schools included for participation by the grant are Bayshore, Blackburn, Daughtrey, Manatee, Moody, Oneco, Palmetto, Rogers Garden, Samoset and Tillman.