Today's 5: 2nd-Day Holiday Services

Friday is the second day of Rosh Hashanah and there are many public services around the area today. if you can't attend a service in person, we have a short video designed for homebound readers.

Each day the "5 Things" column will tell you five essential pieces of information you need to know today, like events happening or community topics being covered on the site later on in the day. Have an event or topic that should appear in this column? Add it to the calendar or send us a news tip.

1. Rosh Hashanah continues until sunset Friday. See our complete, updated listed of Rosh Hashanah services here. This listing includes the services that open to the public and to young people and their families. Also, a performed by Rabbi is must-see viewing for all Plainview residents. It is a moving tribute to G-d and a reminder of the power of faith through the millennia. Rabbi Senter also explains and demonstrates the sounding of the shofar.

2. The Long Island Rail Road expects a Friday following a lightening strike at Jamaica Station crippled the system on Thursday evening.

3. Plainview schools are closed today. But the Plainview JFK Hawks host Port Washington Saturday afternoon in a football game slated for 3 p.m.

4. St. Mark Coptic Orthodox Church hosts its annual Egyptian Festival, complete with  Egyptian dishes, venders, lectures, games and more. It's also an opportunity to tour the Coptic Church in nearby Woodbury. The festival begins Friday from 6-9 p.m. and continues all weekend.

4. The hosts the weekly meeting of the National Alliance on Mental Illness -- Long Island Regional Council, from 7 to 9:30 p.m. in Lecture Room A.

5. It might be a good day to catch up on local events: These links will take you to the search to replace Superintendent or Plainview's semi-finalist in the National Merit Scholarship Program. Check out the latest work of our bloggers, including political insider of Plainview. See the thoughtful cartoons of Pat Giles. Like a story you see on Patch? Tell us about it in the comments.