5 Things You Need To Know Today. Thursday, Jan. 10

Here are 5 pieces of information designed to start your Thursday with a smile and to help make you the smartest person in your family.

1. Your Local 3-Day Weather Forecast:

• According to the NWS, today will be sunny, with a high near 46. West wind 11 to 15 mph.
• Thursday Night Mostly clear, with a low around 26. Northwest wind 5 to 7 mph becoming calm after midnight.
• Friday A slight chance of rain after 3pm. Increasing clouds, with a high near 45. Calm wind becoming southwest 5 to 7 mph in the afternoon. Chance of precipitation is 20%.
• Friday Night A chance of showers, mainly after 7pm. Cloudy, with a low around 40. South wind 5 to 8 mph. Chance of precipitation is 50%. New precipitation amounts between a tenth and quarter of an inch possible.
• Saturday Partly sunny, with a high near 48.
• Saturday Night Partly cloudy, with a low around 38.

2. It's Happening Today: Looking for something to do with the children today? Try StoryTime for ages 3 1/2 + at the Stoneham Public Library. The fun starts at 10:30 a.m.

3. Reader Comment of the Day: "How about a ban on winter parking bans? Is the existing one even enforced? It only makes sense when it's actually snowing. Or is it just to inconvenience law-abiding citizens with single-file parking?" Reader Theonewhowanders, commenting on the story, "What Would You Ban in Stoneham?"

4. It's Also Happening Today: Thinking that you might have trouble with compulsive eating? Overeaters Anonymous meets tonight at 6 p.m. at 136 Elm St.

5. By The Numbers: 700 and 18. The Boston Health Department says there have been 700 confirmed cases of the flu in Boston this season, compared to just 70 last season. To date, 18 people have died from flue-related illnesses this season. This has prompted Mayor Tom Menino to declare a public health emergency in the city. The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) said flu outbreaks are high for this time of the season, with "widespread activity" in Massachusetts