5 Things You Need to Know Today — Nov. 13, 2012

Trivia: Who was the last third-party presidential candidate to earn an electoral vote in the November election?

Yesterday's trivia answer: The Salvation Army's Red Kettle began in 1891. 

5. Black Friday deals start earlier this year at area big-box stores

Area big-box retailers are gearing up to dazzle bargain hunters even earlier this year—starting Thanksgiving Day. Check some of the local deals and links to Black Friday ads here.

4. Plymouth Township Board of Trustees meets tonight

The Plymouth Township Board of Trustees meets at 7 p.m. tonight at Plymouth Township Hall, 9955 N. Haggerty Road. You can check the meeting agenda here.

3. Canton Township Board of Trustees meets tonight

The Canton Township Board of Trustees meets at 7 p.m. tonight at the Canton Township Administration Building. You can view the meeting agenda here.

2. Pretty Lights to take stage at Compuware Arena; Passion Pit tickets go on sale this week

Pretty Lights performs Saturday at Compuware Arena in Plymouth Township, with doors opening at 7:30 p.m. and the show beginning at 8:30 p.m. Opening the show are Paul Basic and Tokimonsta. Tickets are $35 in advance, or $40 the day of the show, and attendees must be at least 16 years old with a government-issued ID.

Tickets for the Passion Pit and Matt & Kim concert in February 2013 at Compuware Arena go on sale this week. Check here for presale details.

1. Contribute to Patch and Gleaner's virtual food drive!

Patch.com, through its 30 Michigan sites including Plymouth-Canton, launched an online food drive to raise $10,000 by Nov. 17 to feed area families. This is the first virtual food drive for the Gleaners Community Food Bank, and Patch is proud and honored to be their first partner.

Shop Gleaners' virtual grocery shelves. Click to get started!