5 Things You Need to Know Today: July 11

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. If you want to read for yourself what the traffic engineers are saying will be the impact of the Foxwoods Massachusetts casino, those reports are online. The Foxwoods Massachusetts report is available here. The peer evaluation report prepared by the town's consultant is available here.

2. A group of Fresh Air Fund children who will spend several weeks this summer in the Milford area are scheduled to arrive this afternoon at Plains Park, and will meet their host families.

3. The Massachusetts Gaming Commission is meeting Thursday. Its agenda includes an update on the investigations and suitability checks of gaming applicants for the resort casino licenses.

4. Beginning Friday, travelers who use Route 85 through Hopkinton to reach the MBTA station in Southborough should take note: bridge reconstruction will require the road be closed through the weekend to only local traffic, including people stopping by Hopkinton State Park. Police will detour through-traffic starting at 8:30 p.m. Friday and continuing until 5 a.m. Monday.

5. Get something for free today. From 11 a.m. to 7 p.m., the 7-Eleven in Milford will participate in a free Slurpee giveaway, to celebrate the convenience store chain's birthday.