5 Things You Need To Know Today: July 20

Our daily column, 5 Things You Need to Know Today, will help you to get your day started and offer you some fodder for water cooler conversation.

1. This week's heat wave is expected to break tonight with thunderstorms. Until then, the town's trio of public beaches will be open to cool off. Saxonville Beach on Lake Road, Learneds Pond on Lower Shawmut Terrace, and Lake Waushakum on Nipmuc Road will open at 10 a.m. Beach Tags are required to use the beaches. For more information on cost and how to get beach tags, click here. Lifeguards will be on duty until 7 p.m.

2. Need sports equipment? Framingham Youth Football and Cheer program has a special 20 percent off coupon for the public to use this weekend. 

Click on this link ( http://files.LeagueAthletics.com/Images/Club/5819/FraminghamYF.pdf  )  to print a 20 percent off coupon to use at Dick's Sporting Goods in Natick on July 20 and July 21. 

For the third year in a row, Dick's Sporting Goods has partnered with Framingham Youth Football and Cheer (FYFC). 

If 300 coupons are used over the weekend, Dick's has committed to making a sizable donation to help the program provide scholarships to boys and girls who couldn't participate in the program, said incoming FYFC President Chris Connolly.

3. Next spring, some Spanish students from the Christa McAuliffe Regional Public Charter School in Framingham will be traveling to Spain. To help defer the cost for the middle school students, a car wash is scheduled today from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at CJ's Northside Grill in Nobscot. 

4. On Friday morning, a manhole cover exploded downtown in front of the Memorial Building. No one was hurt but several businesses were without power for hours. All power was restored by Friday evening. Click here to read more about the incident.

5. Want to go bargain hunting? Then click here for a map of yard sales in Framingham and MetroWest.