City Hall Lit Up; Teacher Controversy at Mystic Valley

Good morning, here are five things to know today:

Thousands gathered at City Hall to meet Santa and watch Mayor Michael McGlynn flip the switch on the holiday lights.

The head of the 's English department has been placed on administrative leave this week, after Fox 25 News reported he had performed in pornographic films as recently as last year.  Kevin Hogan was reportedly hired to teach and chair the department last August, after receiving what one school official told Fox 25 were “flawless” recommendations from past employers. Hogan told the Fox reporter who confronted him outside of the school that he didn't "know what (he) was talking about."

3. Sunny, A Little Cooler: Sunny skies are expected today with highs in the upper 40s, according to the National Weather Service. Similar weather is expected tomorrow.

4. MBTA subways may be the oldest in the nation, but are they and the rest of the MBTA's services as safe as they could be? The Boston Herald published a recent report showing that 136 additional crimes above last year's total of 868 were committed this year, to make a total of 1,004 crimes in the survey year.  This breaks down to between 2 and 3 reported crimes per day, every day of the year on the MBTA system.

5. Have You Seen A Dog Near the High School?: Keep an eye out for a skinny, small copper-colored dog in the area of Medford High School. She weighs 15 to 20 lbs. and may be matted. She was last seen in Winchester and possibly Arlington, but may be traveling back to Medford. Should you see her, call Bella, 781-334-8364 right away, day or night.