It's a Good Week to Be a Talented Kid from Charlestown

Today is Wednesday, April 13. Here are five things you need to know today.

1. It’s a good week to be a talented kid from Charlestown. Yesterday I got word that Dennis Taylor, , is a finalist for a slot on FOX’s XFactor (Simon Cowell’s new American Idol-type show). He’s headed to New Jersey this week to belt it out before the notorious judge. To earn that honor, he had to sing live on FOX News this week – an amazing performance you can see here. Meanwhile, a group of kids from the Warren Prescott are competing in a national mashup singing and dancing competition – think Glee – and they need your help to win. Their video, which features an adorable set of kids singing “You Can’t Hurry Love,” has made it to the final round out of hundreds of entries. How can you help? By voting for their performance. Go to this link, click on the “Vote Now” button, select Warren Prescott and vote. (One vote per computer, per day is allowed.) If they win, they’re eligible to win $10,000 for the school’s music program.

2. I thought I’d be starting today’s column by encouraging you to get a ticket to the at the Knights. But when I called Tom MacDonald (he who heads the social justice ministry at St. Mary’s-St. Catherine of Siena Parish), I learned the event is already sold out. This is great news: that means about 350 are actively supporting Charlestown’s food pantry. Tom tells me this fundraiser is a big one for Harvest on Vine – about 15 to 20 percent of its annual budget hinges on donations received during this one event. If you missed your chance to get a ticket, you can still donate: 46 Winthrop St., Charlestown MA 02129. And if you don’t have a sense of the work that’s done at Harvest on Vine year-round and, especially, around the holidays, , published around Thanksgiving last year.

3. Over in Jamaica Plain, neighborhood leaders are talking about ways to keep violence -- youth violence, that is – at bay. And the overwhelming message from the community is one I’ve heard in Charlestown before: The solution is jobs. The number one way to keep kids off the streets is by giving them an opportunity to excel. If you want to see how they’re approaching this situation on the other side of the city, .

4. And the countdown to the Marathon continues. Our friends in Back Bay have put together this handy guide on the best downtown spots for dining, drinking and generally feeling relieved that you’re not running 26.2 miles on Monday.

5. The forecast keeps predicting rain…. More predicted for today, with a high near 48. This time the chance of precipitation is 100 percent.

For more info on what's happening around the neighborhood, check out our events calendar.