5 Things to Know Today, Tuesday, July 17

Good morning, here are five things to know today:

A self-described lifelong Democrat, Medford City Councilor Rick Caraviello announced his support for the re-election of Republican U.S. Senator Scott Brown Monday. Brown and Caraviello spent Monday morning touring businesses and shaking hands with passersby in West Medford and Medford Square Monday morning. Caraviello, owner and founder of R.C. Limo Service, said he's supporting Brown because he is tired of federal regulations and taxes on small businesses. "It makes it hard for us to do business," Caraviello said inside Magnificent Muffin and Bagel Shoppe Monday morning.

Weather: Temperatures are expected to rise to the high 90s with sunny skies today, according to the National Weather Service. Slightly cooler temperatures with a chance of thunderstorms tomorrow.

Massachusetts Republicans: Romney Needs to Explain Health Care: An overwhelming majority of influential Republicans from Massachusetts say Mitt Romney has missed an opportunity so far in the presidential race by not explaining Romneycare and how it differs from Obamacare: that’s the finding of this week’s inaugural Red Commonwealth survey of influential conservatives.

Medford Man Pleads Guilty to Role in Pot Smuggling Conspiracy: A Medford man faces at least five years in prison after pleading guilty to his role in a marijuana smuggling conspiracy that brought an estimated 600 pounds of pot into the U.S. from Canada. Huy Hoang Nguyen -- known to his accomplices as "Boston" -- struck a plea agreement with federal prosecutors in western New York last week, pleading guilty to a count of conspiracy to possess at least 100 kilograms of marijuana. The charge carries a sentence of 5 to 40 years in prison, but in exchange for the guilty plea prosecutors are seeking 5- to 6-years prison time for Nguyen, according to the plea agreement, filed July 9. He'll also have to forfeit about $25,000 confiscated at the time of his arrest.

Warren: Cut Healthcare Costs, Focus on Jobs and Education [Live Chat Recap]: Did you miss last week's live chat with U.S. Senate candidate Elizabeth Warren? Check out this recap.