5 Things You Need To Know Today: July 26

[Your Song of the Day]

1. Your weather report: Today will be bring out the thunderstorms with a high of 81 degrees. The showers will continue into the night with an overnight low of 69 degrees. Severe thunderstorms may be making a return tomorrow.

2. New town hall employee. The Town of Amherst has hired Torrey Demanche of Amherst as the new executive assistant. Demanche will leave her position working for the Town of Hudson and start her new role on Monday, August 9.

3. Patch Fact: The Maltese was probably the world's first lap dog. It developed on the Mediterranean island of Malta more than 2,000 years ago.

4. Balloons at risk? takes a look at the possible effects of a looming heluim shortage. The stuff isn't just used in balloons, but also is essential in the production of flat-screen TVs, semiconductors and optical fibers.

5. Congrats! Idolyn Villiotti, class of 2012, of Amherst, N.H., was named to the Wells College Dean's List for the Spring 2012 semester. The Dean's List consists of students who earn at least a 3.5 grade point average for at least 12 hours of coursework in a given semester. Idolyn graduated from Souhegan High School and majored in philosophy at Wells.