5 Things You Need To Know Today, Wednesday, Dec. 19

Here are five pieces of knowledge designed to get you over the hump on this Wednesday and to help make you the smartest Secret Santa at your company.

1. Your 3-Day Local Weather Forecast:

• According to the NWS, today will be partly sunny, with a high near 43. Northwest wind 8 to 16 mph, with gusts as high as 26 mph.
• Wednesday Night Partly cloudy, with a low around 28. Northwest wind 5 to 9 mph.
• Thursday Mostly sunny, with a high near 41. Calm wind becoming north around 5 mph.
• Thursday Night Rain and snow showers, mainly after 3am. Patchy fog between 10pm and 2am. Low around 35. Light east wind increasing to 5 to 10 mph in the evening. Chance of precipitation is 80%. New precipitation amounts between a tenth and quarter of an inch possible.
• Friday Rain and snow showers, becoming all rain after noon. High near 43. Chance of precipitation is 90%. New precipitation amounts between three quarters and one inch possible.
• Friday Night A chance of rain showers before 9pm, then a chance of rain and snow showers between 9pm and midnight, then a chance of snow showers after midnight. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 29. Chance of precipitation is 30%.

2. Quote of the Day: "Now we can begin a national discussion that needs to be heard around the issue of officers who died while on the job.”

3. Reader Comment of the Day: "So the meals tax has been keeping the south fire house open with money to spare, makes me wanna go out to dinner to celebrate!" Reader Rick M, commenting on the story, "How Much Revenue Has The Local Meals Excise Tax Brought In?"

4. It's Happening Today: The fledgling Tewksbury/Methuen varsity girls hockey team will go for their second straight win tonight when they play host to Wayland/Weston at Methuen High. The puck drops at 5 p.m.

5. It's Also Happening Today: OK, let's face it, the holidays can be a very stressful time of the year. The Tewksbury Public Library may have some help. Check out "Reduce Your Holiday Stress" tonight at 7 p.m.

And Don't Forget: Editor Bill Gilman will be on 980 WCAP this morning at 9:20, chatting with Teddy Panos about latest Tewksbury headline news.