5 Things You Need to Know Today: September 2

1. offices will be closed Monday in observance of Labor Day. There will be no garbage collection in the city limits. Garbage and yard waste will instead be col­lected Saturday. There will be no change to the recycling schedule. offices also will be closed Monday. All trash, recycling and yard waste collections for the week will be postponed one day from Tuesday through Saturday for residents in unincorporated Manatee. County parks and beaches will be open to the public. and Buffalo Creek golf courses will be open. will be closed but G.T. Bray Skate Park and Blackstone Skate Park will be open. Manatee County’s publicly owned natural preserves will remain open. All of the libraries will be closed.

2. The Manatee Chamber of Commerce, with the sponsorship of , will present the Big Bank Theory this fall at all Manatee County High Schools. The innovative program is designed to teach teens the importance of budgeting, saving money, and prioritizing spending decisions. During the activity, students are engaged in a hands-on, real-life financial simulation that introduces them to the realities of being financially sensible while gaining valuable experience paying bills. The chamber is looking for business volunteers to help with the program. For information or to volunteer email JahnaL@ManateeChamber.com.

3. The Social Action Committee of Temple Beth Israel is collecting clothes and other necessities for the .  The One Stop Center offers mail service, laundry, shower facilities, clothing and a computer bank for job related searches. Volunteers, including a dentist, barber, and counselors from several different agencies are on site to provide services for this often disenfranchised population. Also on site is Our Daily Bread, which provides a daily hot meal. Members of the Social Action Committee are collecting donations. Most needed is funding for medication, socks, mosquito repellant, toilet articles & soap, shoes (athletic and work boots), jeans (sized 32 – 38 especially), baby diapers and formula, reading glasses, and bicycles (the Center refurbishes old bikes and provides them to homeless people for transportation). Donations can be given directly to the One Stop Center, 701 17th Ave. West, or dropped at Temple Beth Israel, 567 Bay Isles Road on Longboat Key.

4. The Village of the Arts will host its monthly tonight and Saturday. The walk will take place tonight from 6 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. and on Saturday from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. The public is welcome to browse the studi­os, art galleries and collec­tion of small businesses often in­side the houses of people who live in the Village year around. Visit www.villageofthearts.com for details and direc­tions.

5. Manatee County water customers are eligible for a rebate of up to $100 per replaced toilet for every high-volume toilet that is replaced with a low-volume model. There is a limit of two toilets. New low-volume toilets use up tp 1.6 gallons per flush, while older models may use up to 5 gallons per flush. The program is estimated to conserve as much as 10,900 gallons of water per day. The total cost of the program is being shared between the Soutwest Florida Water Management District and Manatee County. The rebate application must be approved prior to purchasing and installing the new low-volume toilet.  Customers may apply by calling (800) 964-2140 or by e-mailing the program administrator at MCRebate77@yahoo.com.