Five Things to Know Today, May 1

Happy May Day, and welcome to a new month. Here are some things to know today.

The weather: The high today will be about 86 degrees. It will be mostly sunny, with a slight breeze. The low tonight will be around 65.

Gas prices in Lilburn are unchanged, according to prices reported to www.georgiagasprices.com. The lowest is still $3.58 (at Citgo, 331 Rockbridge RioadO, and the highest is $3.69 (at Citgo, 4967 Lawrenceville Hwy, and at two other places.)

May Day: It’s a multinational celebration of the advent of summer, at least in the Northern hemisphere. All kinds of traditions come together for May 1st celebrations: Politically, it’s International Workers Day; religiously, it’s been part of observations from ancient Rome to modern Christianity; legally, it’s an official holiday in much of Europe. Celebrations can include Morris dancing, maypoles, May queens, and much more. This year, it’s also the day the Occupy movement plans global demonstrations to revive their public protest against corporate greed and political corruption. In the U.S., Occupy events are planned in more than 100 cities.  

Cats and dogs: It’s almost time for the return of PAWfest, the annual Gwinnett County celebration of pets and people. Admission is free and leashed dogs will be welcome Saturday at Tribble Mill Park in Lawrenceville. Hosted by the county parks department and the Gwinnett Humane Society, it includes contests, kids’ activities, vendors and low-cost vaccinations.  

Skyscraper: The Empire State Building was dedicated on this day in 1931. From the White House, President Herbert Hoover pressed a button that gave the signal to turn on all the lights in the skyscraper. At 102 stories, the Depression-era project was the tallest building in the world. It held that title until 1972, when the World Trade Center came along.

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