Mass. Ranked #4 'Thinnest' State

Today is Friday, July 8. Here are five things you need to know today. 

1. First the good news: Massachusetts is one of the thinnest states in the country, according to a new study. And the bad news: the state's obesity rate has almost doubled over the last 15 years -- to 22.3 percent. What states ranked ahead of us in "thinness"? Connecticut, D.C. and, the thinnest state of all, Colorado. You can read more about this research, led by Trust for America's Health, in this Boston Herald story. 

2. While I'm mentioning demographics -- Boston just ranked #1 for its proportion of 20 to 34 year-olds. Out of the top 25 U.S. cities, Boston has the highest ratio of young people, according to US Census data. It bested Austin, Texas and Washington, D.C. for the top spot. Meanwhile, other states are suffering because this same population is leaving, and not coming back. What does this say about the city's economy? Perhaps something good. Mayor Menino has . You can read what that is .

3. Police made what seems to be significant arrest in a drug case last week. Four individuals were arrested on charges of possessing a Class A drug with intent to distribute -- all of them with connections to an apartment at 14 Monument Square. When officers searched the property, they allegedly found hypodermic needles, drug parapheranalia and trace amounts of heroin. Check out the  

4. The Rutherford Avenue redesign -- it's something Charlestown's neighbors care about, too. A North End group has asked the city for a meeting to discuss the traffic impact the redesign would have on its streets, as well as downtown. Our friend Matt Conti from NorthEndWaterfront.com gives us the full report at . 

5. And today's forecast: Chance of showers and thunderstorms after 1 p.m. Otherwise mostly cloudy with a high around 76. 

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