5 Things You Need To Know Today; Feb. 7

Our daily column, 5 Things You Need to Know Today, will help you to get your day started and offer you some fodder for water cooler conversation.

1. There is no school today for Framingham Public School students (and McAuliffe Charter School students). It is a scheduled professional development day.

With weather forecaster calling for the possible Blizzard of 2013 coming on Friday, would you like a 4-day weekend and no school on Friday or do you want the kids to go to school Friday? Tell us in the comments below.

FYI: Framingham has already had two no school days due to superstorm Sandy, so as of today, the last day of school would be Thursday, June 20.

2. Today is the first Thursday of the month, so the Framingham Winter Farmer's Market will be open First Parish in Framingham church hall from noon to 5:30 p.m. Scheduled vendors include: On the Edge Knife Sharpening; Pasta D'Italia; Great Harvest Bread; Jennifer Soap; Town Farm; Hedgie's Hotstuff'; Westminster Meat; Summer Place Farm; Fudge N Stuff; C&C Lobster and Fish; Julie's Z Breads; Nobscot Artisan Cheese; Jan's Tea; Velma's Kettle Corn; Little Bee Farm; El Recreo Coffee and CSA shares for Hanson's Farm.

3. Tonight is the annual lottery for admission for the Christa McAuliffe Regional Public Charter School. Director Kristin Harrison said the middle school  "received 261 applications for the 2013-14 sixth grade Class of 2016, a 20% increase from last year’s applications." The majority of applicants live in the school’s regional district comprised of the following towns: Ashland, Framingham, Holliston, Hopkinton, Marlborough, Natick, Southborough, and Sudbury, although there were applicants from Upton, Medfield and Bellingham.

, however the first 21 students will be siblings of current students. The rest of the students selected will be pulled via the public lottery at 6 in the school's gym on Clinton St.

4. There will be a meeting tonight at 6:30 in the Blumer community room at the Memorial Building to discuss the Framingham Open Space and Recreation Planning Study Besides an overview of the planning process and schedule, the meeting will provide residents an opportunity to discuss open space and recreation issues and needs and make recommendations for inclusion in the 2013 Plan, according to the town's website.

Anyone with questions should contact the Framingham
Community and Economic Development Division, at 508-532-5455.

5. Finally, the main Framingham Library is hosting a special free, lecture on "The Beatrix Potter You Never Knew" at 7. The illustrated lecture by Betsy Bray, an internationally-known expert on the famous children's author, illustrator, land conservationist, community activist and sheep farmer is part of the Lifelong Lecture Series, funded in part by Framingham State University.