5 Things You Need To Know Today: November 8

1. Nearly 159,000 Manatee County property tax bills are set to be mailed today. The prperty tax xollector offers a 4 percent discount on all property tax bills postmarked by Dec. 8.  The total 2011 taxes to be collected by the Tax Collector is $472 billion.THose who do not receive their tax bills by November 15^th, can go to www.taxcollector.com to print a duplicate bill, pay current and delinquent taxes, and print receipts for 1998 through 2011 tax years. Property owners may also apply to pay next year’s taxes in quarterly installments. 

 2. The Roskamp Institute,  a leading-edge research facility for neurological disorders located in Manatee County, will host a free open house and informational symposium today for Military Veterans, their families and friend. The open house begins at 8:30 a.m. Dr. Fiona Crawford will present a synopsis of her recent study of traumatic brain injury. Her recently published findings show how such injuries can affect the brain’s inflammatory mechanisms, changes in protein levels and cellular pathways, long after the original trauma. The U.S. Department of Defense has followed Crawford's work because it could lead to better diagnosis of military personnel with mild brain injuries. Call 941-752-2949, ext. 390 for more information.

3. The Manatee Players continue their run of "Jerry's Girls" a two-hour show, celebrating love, glamour, optimism, melody and women. In the show,songwriter Jerry Herman is famous for his larger than life female leads such as  Dolly Gallagher Levi of Hello, Dolly!, Auntie Mame Dennis of Mame, Countess Aurelia of Dear World, Mabel Normand of Mack and Mabel and female impersonator ZaZa of La Cage Aux Folles. Weeknight shows at 7:30 p.m., Friday and Saturday shows 8 p.m.,  Sunday shows 2 p.m. Tickets are $25 for adults, $11 for students. Call 941-748-0111 for more information.

4. The South Florida Museum Features: Silver Springs - The Underwater Photography of Bruce Mozert, a traveling exhibition featuring more than 40 black and white photographs. The exhibition is based on a book of the same title created by Gary Monroe and organized by a former curator of the Appleton Museum, Dr. Leslie Hammond. Access to the exhibition is included with general admission to the South Florida Museum.

5. De Soto National Park is looking for volunteers for its Winter Luminary Festival. The trails of De Soto National Memorial will be lit up with holiday luminaries on December 17th. The park needs volunteers to help with set up and break down for the event, act as costumed escorts along the trail or to help with other functions and operations needed throughout the night. The Luminary walk takes place on at 6:30 p.m. Volunteers gain experience in event planning, living history and National Park Service operations. To volunteer call De Soto National Memorial at 941-792-0458 ext 107 or ext 108 or visit www.nps.gov/deso.