5 Things You Need To Know Today: Feb. 29

1. The Calm Before the Storm ... According to Weather.com, Bedford can expect cloudy skies throughout the day with snow developing late and accumulating to roughly one slushy inch. Of course, this is likely only the beginning of what is expected to be a significant accumulation, as 3-5 inches are expected tonight, and even more snow is anticipated tomorrow. for the next 24 hours.

2. Bedford Nurse Honored. Lisa Kennedy Sheldon, Ph.D., of Bedford, was honored by the Alumni Council of her alma mater, Saint Anselm College. She received the Health Service Award for her achievements in all aspects of her career. The 1978 nursing graduate of Saint Anselm, has excelled as an oncology nurse, researcher, volunteer health educator, and professor. She works as an oncology nurse at Saint Joseph's Hospital in Nashua, is on the faculty at UMass Boston's College of Nursing and Health Services, and contributes knowledge in the area of patient-provider communications, as editor of the Cancer Survivorship Series and associate editor of The Clinical Journal of Oncology. In addition, Kennedy Sheldon raises four children with her husband, Tom. The Health Service Award is given to an individual committed to health care education and patient care.

3. Have something to say? Patch blogs are a simple way to reach your neighbors with everything from a quick observation to a call for action.

• Was the town council too aggressive with recent budget cuts? Write about it.
• Catch a great photo of that tree in that storm? Post it.
• Invent a killer pumpkin pie recipe? Share it with your friends.

Get started. Drop us a note with a little about yourself, a short first post, or just tell us you’re interested. Send any inquiries to Ryan.OConnor@Patch.com.

4. Going to be out of town for one of the three remaining 2012 elections? The Town of Bedford has absentee ballots available for the upcoming town and school elections on March 13, the state elections on Sept. 11 and the general/presidential election on Nov. 6.

5. Bulldog Bites. The following is a schedule (provided by HighSchoolSports.net) of all BHS athletics events for the day:

• 3:30PM B FR Basketball @ Souhegan High School
• 5:00PM B JV Basketball @ Souhegan High School
• 6:30PM B V Basketball @ Souhegan High School