5 Things You Need To Know Today, Friday, Jan. 18

Here are 5 pieces of information designed to get your weekend off to an early start and to help make you the smartest person in your office.

1. Here is Your Special 4-day Holiday Weekend Local Weather Forecast:

• According to the NWS, today will be sunny, with a high near 27. West wind 7 to 14 mph, with gusts as high as 28 mph.
• Tonight Increasing clouds, with a low around 20. Southwest wind 5 to 8 mph.
• Saturday A slight chance of snow showers before 8am. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 44. Southwest wind 10 to 15 mph, with gusts as high as 28 mph. Chance of precipitation is 20%.
• Saturday Night Partly cloudy, with a low around 33. Southwest wind 9 to 13 mph, with gusts as high as 23 mph.
• Sunday A slight chance of showers between 10am and 4pm. Mostly sunny, with a high near 43. Breezy, with a west wind 15 to 22 mph. Chance of precipitation is 20%.
• Sunday Night Partly cloudy, with a low around 14.
• M.L.King Day Mostly sunny, with a high near 28.
• Monday Night Mostly cloudy, with a low around 5.

2. Reader Comment of the Day: "A one percentage point hike is essentially a 20% increase in the state income tax collected. With the exception of some type of catastrophe in this state that would just be feeding the beast even more. In spite of all the resources we continue to put into our educational system it's been on a gradual decline for decades. One contributing factor to that decline could be an increase in the number of students showing up at first grade who cannot speak english." Reader Zoltan, commenting on the story, "Patrick: We Need to Increase Income Tax to Invest in Our Future."

3. It's Happening Today: Never learned how to skate? There is no better time than now! Stop by the Stoneham Arena any time today and Learn to skate! The cost is just $11. Ice Skating is a great winter activity for all ages and abilities.  Come and join the Stoneham Figure Skating Club to brush up on your skills or learn a few new ones. 

4. It's Happening Today, The Sequel: Looking for an adult activity to participate in? Stope by Redstone Liquors at 4 p.m. for a Beer Tasting. It's free but you must be 21.

5. By The Numbers: $563,750. That was the selling price this month for one particular home in Stoneham.