Five Things to Know Today: December 8

1. Weather: The precipitation is gone for the moment. The National Weather Service forecast for our area says today will be sunny with a high near 40. We'll take it.

2. In Case You Missed It: Meet this week's Hero Next Door,

3. Quote of the Day: “The more I see, the less I know, the more I'd like to let it go.” ― The Red Hot Chili Peppers

4. Coming Up: You could win $100,000 from Patch for just by decorating the outside of your home for the holidays. Find out how at 5 a.m.

5. Today in History: On this day in 1980, John Lennon, a former member of the Beatles, the rock group that transformed popular music in the 1960s, was shot and killed by an obsessed fan in New York City. The 40-year-old artist was entering his luxury Manhattan apartment building when Mark David Chapman shot him four times at close range with a .38-caliber revolver. Lennon, bleeding profusely, was rushed to the hospital but died en route.