5 Things You Need To Know Today in Framingham: March 8

1. Today, March 8, is International Women's Day. The day celebrates the social, economic, cultural and political achievements of women, but it also marks the need to take action and accelerate gender parity.

Framingham's state Sen. Karen Spilka recently had her legislation on gender equity pass the state senate and recently held a hearing on paid family medical leave. Click here to read more.

2. Yesterday, a 50-year old water pipe burst on Speen Street. A detour was in effect through the evening commute. There is still a one-lane detour this morning.

The burst pipe flooded the area and part of the road buckled. Water was turned off to local businesses and homowners for hours.

3. MEETINGS:

• The Framingham School Committee is scheduled to meet tonight at 7 in King Elementary School. On the agenda is a public hearing on the 2016-17 school year budget, which will need Town Meeting's approval this spring. The one-hour long hearing starts at 7:15 p.m.
• Framingham Selectmen are also meeting tonight at 7 across town at the Memorial Building. On its agenda is an update on the FY17 budget by the CFO and a vote to close the 2016 Annual Town Meeting warrant. Also on the agenda is the approval of a license for a new pizza place - New York-style pizza, on Edgell Road.
• A group looking to get a warrant article before Town Meeting to create a dog park will hold its monthly meeting tonight from to 8 p.m. at the new Christa McAuliffe Library branch. The public is invited to attend the FramBark group meeting.
• The Framingham Council on Aging has its monthly meeting scheduled for 1:30 today at the Callahan Senior Center. On the agenda is the Center's re-accreditation.
• The Capital Budget Committee has a meeting scheduled for 7:30 p.m. at the Memorial Building. On the agenda is the town's and the school's technology requests as well as requests from the Town's facilities management department.

4. A rebound in oil prices plus refinery slowdowns for seasonal maintenance has sparked a recent increase in gasoline prices nationally, and those increases have reached Massachusetts, according to AAA Northeast, which has an office in Framingham. AAA’s March 7 survey of prices in Massachusetts finds self-serve, regular unleaded averaging $1.70 per gallon, two cents higher than last week. A year ago at this time, the average price in Massachusetts was 75 cents higher at $2.45.

5. Ameresco, Inc. an energy efficiency and renewable energy company, with its world-wide headquarters in Framingham announced its revenues for 2015 were up 6 percent to $630.8 million.