Monday Essentials: Who Makes Salem's Best Pizza?

Today is Monday, Aug. 5, and here are the five things you need to know:

1. Aside from some thunderstorms slated for Thursday and Friday, it looks like it will be a picture-perfect week in Salem. The National Weather Service is predicting that local residents can expect a sunny start to the week, with daily high temperatures in the mid-70s. Overnight lows will be in the mid-60s. 

2. Salem Heritage Days will continue this week and Monday night's big event will be the Salem's Best Pizza Competition. The event, scheduled to run from 5 to 7 p.m., will take place on the Salem Common and prizes will be awarded to the top adult and kids pick.Tickets are $5 for adults  and $3 for kids. Who do you think makes Salem's best pizza? Let us know in the comments section below. 

3. If you regularly use Canal Street to get to and from work, you'll want to remember that the first phase of a project aimed at alleviating problems with the highly-trafficked roadway are now underway. Check out our live map for up-to-the-minute traffic updates. 

4. The Salem Recycling Committee will meet Tuesday night at the City Hall Annex on Washington Street. The meeting, scheduled to begin at 7 p.m., is expected to feature an update regarding the city's recently-implemented mandatory recycling policy. 

5. Do you have a favorite traffic island in the city? Love our local window boxes? The Salem Garden Club and the Salem Beautification Committee will award the winners of the city's window box competition and traffic island sponsorship program Thursday evening at The Brook House on Derby Street. The event is scheduled to begin at 5:30 p.m. 

For more things going on in Salem this week, check out our events calendar.