Five Things to Know Today

"Five Things to Know Today" is a new Patch feature published Monday through Thursday that provides a quick heads up on what's happening. Let us know what you think in the comments section below.

1) Patch broke a story late Friday afternoon about an upset parents who claims students in a West Orange High Aptitude Program at Liberty Middle School were subjected to a portion of Agatha Christie's "10 Little N------." More here.

2)  All three candidates for the sole township council seat that's up for election in November, will meet Wednesday at Thomas A. Edison Central Six, 6: 30 p.m. for a forum. The event is slated to start at 6:45 p.m.

3) Turtle Back Zoo will set an attendance record today at 2 p.m. Essex County Executive Joseph DiVincenzo will announce the figure during a press conference this afternoon.

4) An all-day, kid-focused fundraising event at St. Cloud Elementary School is ongoing today. They will break for lunch around noon and continue around 1 p.m. until the end of the school day.

5) Thomas Edison died today in 1931 at his home in Llewellyn Park, West Orange. His inventions included the phonograph, motion picture camera and, of course, the light bulb. The cause of his death, according to reports in The New York Times, was "complications of diabetes."