Sarasota's 5 Things To Know: Flags Fly At Half Staff Today

1. Flags will fly at half staff across Florida and the rest of the country today in honor of Peace Officers Memorial Day.

President Barack Obama issued a proclamation designating May 15, 2012, as Peace Officers Memorial Day in honor of all federal, state, and local officers killed or disabled in the line of duty. The President called upon all units of government to direct that the flag of the United States be flown at half-staff Tuesday.

Gov. Rick Scott, in accordance with the proclamation issued by the President, has asked that all state and local governments join him in honor of those who serve in law enforcement, and, in honor of those who have made the ultimate sacrifice, fly their United States and State flags at half-staff on Tuesday.

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2. Funeral services are expected to be announced today for, who died in a motorcycle crash Monday afternoon in North Carolina. Hogle was a former Sarasota mayor and commissioner and also worked for the Sarasota Police Department from 1970 to 1998.

3. There's still time left to enter in the Joyful Noise Musical Festival contest.

The music festival is looking for singers, musicians and bands to submit YouTube videos to be entered in a contest to be featured at the festival, which is set to run from 6 to 11 p.m. Saturday, June 2 on Lemon Avenue between Main and First streets. Admission to the festival is free.

Each week in May a semi-finalist will be chosen. The winner also receives time with a producer, talent agent, photography shoot, studio time and a recording session. Each entry costs $10. The festival is presented by non-profit 

4. Either run with them or away from them. Hundreds of triathletes will descend upon Siesta Key this weekend for the Florida International Triathlon. Racers will arrive in town Friday to pick up their packets for the Saturday race. The first event is scheduled to start at 7 a.m. Cheer these athletes on, volunteer, or plan on an alternate route Saturday morning.

5. Chances are that if you proscrastinated turning in your library books for this long, you probably skipped Monday — the first chance to have your fines waived. Here's a gentle reminder that today and the rest of the week, you can turn in that late library book without paying a fine as part of Amnesty Week for Sarasota County Libraries.

Items must be returned in person to the circulation desk in order for the transaction to be completed and recorded. Fines will not be waived for items returned in book drops or by mail.