5 Things: Tufts to Honor Reading Rainbow Star; Patrick Says No to Gas Tax Hike; It's Walk/Ride Day

Good morning, here are five things to know today:

Many local businesses are offering special deals today for people who walk or ride their bike instead of drive today. Check out the list here. Several new businesses are participating this week, but every Friday is walk/ride day.

LeVar Burton will receive Tufts University's Eliot-Pearson Award for Excellence in Children's Media, the university announced Thursday. The awards ceremony, which is free and open to the public, will take place on February 3 at 10 a.m. in the Distler Performance Hall at the Granoff Music Center on Tufts University's Medford/Somerville campus. Burton, an actor and entertainer, is being recognized for his work as the host and executive producer of the highly acclaimed PBS children's television series "Reading Rainbow," according to a Tufts press release.

3. Rainy Friday: It's expected to rain through the morning today until about 1 p.m., according to the National Weather Service. Highs around 50 degrees. Tomorrow is expected to be partly sunny with highs in the mid-40s; Sunday: 30 percent chance of rain showers with highs around 40 degrees.

A Medford man allegedly planned with two others to kidnap a Norwood store owner and rob his check-cashing business, but the plot was thwarted after the FBI was tipped off, prosecutors said. John Salvucci, 65, of Medford, James Chambers, 53, of Stoneham and George Whalen, 55, of Winthrop, were arrested early Wednesday morning on federal arrest warrants charging conspiracy to commit robbery, according to a statement from U.S. Attorney Carmen Ortiz.

Governor Deval Patrick no longer considers an increase to the state's gas tax as remedy to the state's transit funding troubles. In an appearance on WTKK radio Thursday, Patrick said the rapid shift to more fuel-efficient vehicles has changed his mind about the long-term impact increasing the gas tax would have on the state's coffers, according to an AP report. The state hasn't increased its gas tax since 1991.