5 Things You Need to Know Today: Jan. 23

Our weekday morning column, 5 Things You Need to Know, provides you with information that can help you plan your day and give you some fodder for water cooler conversations.

1. The National Weather Service has issued a freezing rain advisory for the Marlborough area this morning. "A freezing rain advisor means that periods of freezing rain or freezing drizzle will cause travel difficulties," said a release. "Be prepared for slippery roads, especially on bridges and overpasses."

2. Out of 322 of the nation's largest counties, Middlesex County, which encompasses much of the Central and Northern MetroWest corridor, experienced the second-largest increase in wages in 2011, according to recently published government data in the Worcester Business Journal.

3. CSF of Marlborough is once again conducting its Scholar Bowl Super Bowl Square Fundraiser. The fundraiser sells 100 Super Bowl Squares, with each square selling for $100. Fifty-percent of the proceeds are directed to the CSF General Scholarship Fund and the remaining 50 percent is distributed to the lucky participants who pick winning squares. There are five $1,000 winning opportunities. At the end of each quarter the square with the winning numbers will be rewarded $1000 and a fifth and final $1,000 prize will be awarded to the holder of the final score square. Go to:http://www.superbowlsquares.org/4pzzz—User Name: CSF2011 and Password: MARLBORO (User Name and Password are all caps). Also you can purchase a square through any of the CSF members or you can request a square via our email, csfmarlborough@gmail.com. Numbers will be randomly picked by the computer generated website on Saturday, Feb. 4 and each participant will be emailed their numbers with a copy of the sold out squares and their respective numbers. All squares must be paid for prior to noon on Friday, Feb. 3. All unpaid squares will be re-offered to the public for sale until 5 p.m., Saturday, Feb. 3. For more information contact the event chairs: Steve LeDuc at 508-740-8991 also atsleduc229@gmail.com or Deb Giroux at 508-481-0056, and Dag1973@aol.com.

4. MetroWest Jewish Day School Teachers Carrie Fuchs and Elana Rome recently brought their seventh grade students to assist with the set-up of the MetroWest Free Medical Program which is held most Tuesdays from 6 to 8 p.m. at Temple Beth El in Sudbury. Complete clinic listings can be found at their website. (See photo)

5. The Executive Office of Labor and Workforce Development reported late last week that the total unemployment rate in Massachusetts was 6.8 percent, down 0.2 of a percentage point from the November rate of 7.0 percent, and well below the national rate of 8.5 percent. It is the lowest monthly rate since December of 2008.

Follow us on Facebook and Twitter to keep up to date on the latest Marlborough news, or simply hit the "like" button at the top of this page.