Five Things To Know Today

1.  Today is Wednesday, Aug. 3.  It'll be sunny, with a high temperature of 78 degrees and a low of 64 tonight, according to the National Weather Service. There's a slight chance of showers and thunderstorms.

2.  Groton's Electric Boat and the Norfolk Naval Shipyard will receive $16.6 million in new maintenance and repair work, which will help prevent layoffs, Congressman Joe Courtney said Tuesday. Under the contract with the Navy, Electric Boat will provide about 100 trades workers to work on the USS Truman and USS George W. Bush, Courtney said. “In this fragile economic recovery, protecting every job is critical,” Courtney said in a prepared statement.

3.  The Groton City Council decided after meeting with Groton Public Utilities that it should not open its property to the public for a proposed recreational trail from Bluff Point to Preston Community Park. The 14-mile trail would provide space for hiking, biking and horseback riding, and the utility must give permission for the trail to pass through its property. Councilors concluded during a committee of the whole meeting that "there are far too many things that can go wrong and the risk is too great," according to the meeting minutes.

4.  The Chelsea Groton Foundation, which supports non-profit organizations through grants to help residents in southeastern Connecticut and greater Westerly, is accepting grant applications through the end of this month.  Application are available through the website chelseagroton.com <http://chelseagroton.com> or by calling Sue Olszewski at 860-448-4105. Money is distributed in the fall and applications must be postmarked by Aug. 31.

5.  The Groton Senior Center will hold a regional art show at 6 p.m. on Aug. 16, to highlight the work of winners of other art shows in the region. The event is free, but participants are asked to register so there are enough refreshments. To sign up, call the senior center at (860) 441-6785.