Hoffa Disappears, Pagnotti at Chick-fil-A, Birds Win, Photo Contest

Tidbits of information to get your day in Essex started:

1. The Weather: Today will be partly sunny, with a high near 84 degrees, according to the National Weather Service. There's a 50 percent chance of showers tonight, with a low around 71.

2. From history.com's This Day in History: "On July 31, 1975, James Riddle Hoffa, one of the most influential American labor leaders of the 20th century, disappears in Detroit, Michigan, never to be heard from again. Though he is popularly believed to have been the victim of a Mafia hit, conclusive evidence was never found, and Hoffa's death remains shrouded in mystery to this day."

3. Fox 45 meteorologist Tony Pagnotti will present an interactive weather lesson today at 2:30 p.m. on the parking lot of Chick-fil-A Eastpoint. Traffic reporter "Traffic Jam Jimmy" will also participate in the chain's swarm Weather Wednesday event. Chick-fil-A is at 7907 Eastern Ave.

4. Do you have Chesapeake Bay plates on your car? Check out this contest!

5. The day of rest apparently did the Orioles some good, as they stopped a string of losses with a 4-3 victory over the Houston Astros Tuesday night. Chris Davis broke his home run drought that dates to the All-Star break when he launched a fly ball into the left field seats for his league-leading 38th homer.