5 Things You Need To Know Today: April 16

1. It's getting hot, hot hot. Temperatures in Bedford and other areas of Southern NH are expected to eclipse 90 degrees today. That's right, today, April 16, meaning today's heat is likely another record breaker.

2. What's nice for us ... Maybe isn't so nice for today's Boston Marathon runners. Indeed, for the first time ever, organizers are offering a waiver on next year's entree requirements to those runners who choose to withdraw from the race due to heat concerns. Today's forecasted Boston high is 88 degrees.

3. Academic Achievement of the Day. Lydia MacKenzie, of Bedford, has been placed on the Gettysburg College Dean's Honor list for outstanding academic achievement in Fall 2011. Students with a quality point average of 3.60 or higher (on a 4.0 scale) for a semester's work are placed on the college's Dean's Honor List.

4. Bulldog Bites. The spring boys lacrosse and track and field teams are in action today. Here's the schedule, obtained from HighSchoolSports.net:

• 4:00PM B V Baseball vs. Hollis-Brookline High School
• 4:00PM G V Softball vs. Hollis-Brookline High School
• 4:00PM B V Lacrosse @ Timberlane Regional High School
• 4:15PM B JV Baseball @ Hollis-Brookline High School
• 4:15PM G JV Softball @ Hollis-Brookline High School
• 4:15PM B V Tennis @ Windham HS
• 4:15PM G V Tennis vs. Windham HS
• 5:00PM G JV Lacrosse vs. Hollis-Brookline High School
• 5:30PM B JV Lacrosse @ Timberlane Regional High School

5. Your drawing could be featured on a 2012 holiday card, candle wrap or ornament. Dana-Farber Cancer Institute and the Jimmy Fund are looking for help in creating the organization’s 2012 Holiday Collection. Artists are welcome to submit artwork or photographic designs for a holiday card, candle wrap or ornament to be sold by Dana-Farber during the holiday season as a fundraiser for the Institute. Popular images featured in previous years have included winter views of Boston landmarks and scenes, New England Patriots and Boston Red Sox-themed artwork and adult and pediatric patient artwork. All proceeds from holiday merchandise benefit the lifesaving mission of Dana-Farber Cancer Institute and the Jimmy Fund. Artists who wish to participate should email their designs in .jpg format to holiday_orders@dfci.harvard.edu. Please include artist name, e-mail, and phone number with the submission. The deadline to send in all designs is May 15. Artists will be notified by June 1 if their designs have been selected. Please note that the selected artists will not be financially compensated for their submission, but will get printed credit on the item that they design.