5 Things: 'Eastern Beast' to Drop 5-9 Inches on Bedford

1. Name your bet. The Bedford High School ice hockey team looks to defend its state title when it takes on rival Merrimack in the Division II state championship at 2:30 p.m. Saturday at the Verizon Wireless Arena in Manchester. As a fun aside, Bedford Patch editor Ryan O'Connor and Merrimack Patch editor Carolyn Dube are looking to wager a fun and 'Patchy' bet on the contest. The problem is our creative juices aren't flowing. That means we need you, our Patch readers, to come up with a clever idea. Post your suggestions in the comment section below, or respond to our Facebook callout here.

2. Lady B's aim to be more than semi-sweet. The Bedford girls basketball team takes on Winnacunnet of Hampton in the Division I semifinals at 5:30 tonight at Southern New Hampshire University. The victor moves on to the state championship, which is scheduled for 7 p.m. Saturday, March 9, at the same location,

3. The weatherman says ... A winter storm watch is in effect from 10 a.m. today through 7 a.m. Wednesday, according to Weather.com. The storm, which is pounding the East Coast of the United States as it moves toward NH, is expected to drop 5-9 inches today and possibly more overnight, according to today's forecast, which predicts a high temperature of 33 degrees with plenty of snow and high winds. Drive safe, Bedford!

4. On this day ... March 7, 1876, 29-year-old Alexander Graham Bell receives a patent for his revolutionary new invention--the telephone.

5. Library Lowdown. Drop-in story time (ages 3 & up) takes place from 10-10:45 a.m. today in the Children's Castle at the Bedford Public Library.

Follow us on our Facebook page, Twitter feed, and be the first to know when news breaks by signing up for our FREE daily newsletter and breaking news alerts.