5 Things To Know This Morning

Oct. 19, 2012 — -- Your look at the five biggest and most buzz-worthy stories of the morning.

1. 80 MPH Winds Reported in Plains
Severe winds were reported in the Plains on Thursday, with gusts over as high as 80 miles per hour in South Dakota and over 70 miles an hour in Nebraska. The strong winds caused dust to below which reduced visibility to near zero, causing numerous accidents and semi-trucks to flip.

2. Obama, Romney Trade Jokes at Al Smith Dinner
The presidential candidates took a break from the campaign trail on Thursday to address the Alfred E. Smith Memorial Foundation Dinner at New York City's Waldorf Astoria Hotel. The dinner raised some $5 million for the foundation, which provides aid to the poor, sick and underprivileged.

3. Gas Prices Slide
The national average retail price for regular gas has slid down to $3.74 per gallon. This could mark the beginning of the usual autumn decrease which was delayed this year before of high oil prices and refinery issues.

4. Bagged Salad Recalled
Produce giant Dole issued a recall on its American Blend bagged salad in 10 states in the northeast and Midwest on Wednesday after the Tennessee Department of Health found listeria bacteria on a sample of the product. So far no illnesses have been linked to the lettuce.

5. Detroit Tigers beat the New York Yankees
The Detroit Tigers beat the New York Yankees 8-1 on Thursday for a four-game sweep of the AL championship series. It will be the Tigers second time at the World Series in seven years.