The Local Spot the Winter Hill Gang Made Infamous

Today is Friday, June 24. Here are five things you need to know today.

1. So of course there's got to be a Charlestown connection to Whitey and the Winter Hill Gang. Here it is, in brief. In the 1960s, there was a war between the McLaughlin Gang of Charlestown and the Winter Hill Gang, after Georgie McLaughlin made a move on the girlfriend of Winter Hill Gang member Alex Rocco. McLaughlin was beaten. His brother Bernie paid a visit to James “Buddy” McLean, then-head of the Winter Hill Gang, wanting information on who did the deed. When McLean refused, the McLaughlins tried to wire a bomb to his wife’s car. In retaliation, McLean shot and killed McLaughlin coming out of the Morning Glory bar in Charlestown. The Morning Glory is a legendary spot because of that battle. Today, Max and Dylan’s Restaurant stands in roughly the same spot where the bar used to be, on Chelsea Street at the corner near City Square. Want to read about other corners of Boston that Whitey's alleged crimes made infamous? Click for a roundup.

2. Back to our regularly scheduled programming… Ever wonder what it looked like, smelled like and tasted like to be a Marine in early 19th Century? Perhaps not, but if you're curious, you can stop by the Navy Yard on Saturday between 9 and 3, where there will be an demonstration. According to the event listing you can "visit a blacksmith, observe a cannon or musket firing, see sewing demos, smell what's cooking over the open fire, and learn some of the trades and drills practiced by the matrons and uniformed 1812 Marines." The fun takes place in front of the USS Constitution Museum.

3. I got this alert from the Better Business Bureau this week: Be aware of door-to-door salesmen tricking people into paying hundreds of dollars for multi-year subscriptions to magazines. "Oftentimes, the door knocking presentations are so slick that consumers aren't even aware that they have bought several magazine subscriptions until they receive the bill," the warning says.

4. It's a bit of a haul from Charlestown, but the city is hosting a hazardous waste drop off this weekend in West Roxbury. You can bring paint, tires, batteries, pool supplies and all kinds of toxic stuff to the West Rox Public Works Yard. Proof of Boston residency is required. For more details, click .

5. Will the rain stop? Forecast says mostly cloudy in the morning, then becoming partly sunny. High in the mid 60s.

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