5 Things You Need To Know Today—Tuesday, Jan. 24

Check the traffic out there and local gas prices before heading out the door!

Today is Tuesday, Jan. 24—77 years ago today, the first canned beer went on sale—and here are Melrose's five fast facts for the day:

1) If we could stay all day in the sun? A chance of showers, mainly before 9 a.m. Mostly sunny, with a high near 51. West wind between 8 and 10 mph, with gusts as high as 23 mph. Chance of precipitation is 40 percent. Tonight, mostly clear, with a low around 29. West wind between 8 and 10 mph.(Forecast from National Weather Service.)

2) I will return—beso bo: *waves* Hey there! Remember me? Your editor has returned from vacation. (See photo. Annnnddd ... cue sigh.) Bear with me as I get caught up to speed and try to sift through the deluge of emails flooding my inbox and figure out how to get back up on this bike.

3) It's either education, or elimination: The Melrose School Committee meets tonight at 7 p.m.

4) Try the gray stuff—it's delicious! Here are today's specials around Melrose:

• : Soup—Black Bean; Lunch—Chicken Quesadilla [Note: menu subject to change.]

• Looking for Valentine's Day dinner plans? For one night only, Busy Bee Bakery will turn into a 1940s Parisian bistro, serving an intimiate seven-course Valentine's Day dinner at 7:30 p.m. (See attached menu.) Bring your favorite wine for service—space is limited to six tables, $180 per couple, and reservations must be made by Feb. 1. Contact the bakery at 781-665-3373 for more information.

• Do you own a Melrose eatery? E-mail your daily specials to danield@patch.com by 6 p.m. and we'll include them in next morning's .

5) Today is Tuesday! You know what that means: Here's our lineup of weekly features that run each Tuesday on Melrose Patch:

• : Every Tuesday at 3 p.m., we bring you five great kid- and family-friendly events taking place in the area over the next week.

• Police Log: I usually get the log on Mondays from the Melrose Police Department and bring you a recap on Tuesdays.

As always, check our calendar for the full slate of events—and add your own!