Orange Line to Gain a Stop Between Sullivan Square and Wellington

Today is Thursday, May 5. Here are five things you need to know today.

1. The Orange Line is expanding! This week the MBTA submitted a notice to bidders for the construction of a new Orange Line station for Assembly Row (at Assembly Square). The new station, the first to be built on the Orange line since the Southwest Corridor Stations in 1987, will be located between Sullivan Square and Wellington Station. (Think of the property values in that part of Somerville.) Construction of the new T could begin as soon as fall of 2011, with the potential to be online in 2014. Word is construction of Assembly Row at Assembly Square will create more than 19,000 permanent jobs, over 21,000 construction jobs, and significant new revenue for the Somerville – and the state.

2. Starting today, you should see someone else’s head in the little picture box on the top of the Charlestown Patch homepage. I’m on vacation for a couple of days. But while I’m hiking with friends in Utah, Amanda Kersey, will be filling in. Amanda’s a young journalist who has been an active contributor to the Patch in both Charlestown and Somerville. She’s done some fantastic stories, including a . If you need anything, don’t hesitate to get in touch with her: ankersey@gmail.com. And I’ll be back in Boston next Tuesday.

3. It’s Charlestown Live night. This evening host Kathy Giordano is chatting with MaryLee Trettenero, who runs Boston Psychic and Intuitive. The Charlestown resident (who was featured several weeks ago) will talk about her 20 years as a professional intuitive – and how she discovered she was psychic. If you miss tonight’s live broadcast at 6:30 p.m. on Channel 9, you can catch it again on Saturday at 8 p.m. on Monday at 10:30 a.m.

4. Just to add to the bike news in Charlestown this week – the Metropolitan Area Planning Council is releasing a comprehensive new guide to biking and walking around the city. You can get it online, or in a paper version. It features info on bike lanes and other dedicated bicycle facilities, walking trails and connecting paths. Apparently existing trails and future planned facilities are shown on the map. And the question is: Does it show lanes in Charlestown? We’ll be sure to check when the map launches officially on May 16. For more details, visit www.mapc.org.

5. Today's forecast: A chance of showers before 11 a.m., then a slight chance after noon. High near 55.

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