5 Things Nov. 15: Pajama Day, Hurricane Help and More

Things You Need to Know Today is a Patch column that provides readers with essential, daily information at a glance. Check back later for more, and let us know what you think of the feature in the comments section.

1. Pajama Day
Today is Pajama Day at Henri A. Yelle Elementary School. Students can pay $1 and bring in a non-perishable food item to wear their PJ’s to school. Fun beaded necklaces will be available for students to purchase for $.50. The proceeds from Pajama Day will be donated to The Norton Food Pantry and local families in need. The Helping Hands will decorate boxes for the food collection and make flyers to support the school’s annual food drive.

2. Cardiac Prevention Clinic
The Cardiac Prevention Clinic is a monthly event sponsored by the Seekonk Human Services Department. The clinic, which runs 9 a.m. to noon, is staffed by the South Coast Hospital. The clinic is free to the public and is an opportunity to check cholesterol, glucose and blood pressure. Free consultation regarding medications is also provided while waiting for service.  No appointment is required. This is a walk-in clinic that runs on a first come first serve basis.

3. Help Patch donate to hurricane victims
Want to help Hurricane Sandy victims? Patch will donate $1 for each tweet using the hashtag #PatchRebuilds, up to $125K. For more information visit http://rebuilds.patch.com/norton.

4. Patrick outlines affordable housing initiative for Massachusetts
On Tuesday Governor Patrick outlined initiatives designed to produce 10,000 multi-family units of housing per year. At “Under One Roof,” the Commonwealth’s first Housing and Community Development Conference in more than a decade, Governor Patrick detailed the new Compact Neighborhoods program, designed to encourage and create well-planned housing that fulfills the demand for homes near jobs, transit and the vitality of city and town centers. The program will recognize communities planning ahead systematically for economic and housing growth, and will offer Chapter 40B relief and priority consideration in discretionary funding programs, such as the MassWorks Infrastructure Program.

Lieutenant Governor Timothy Murray also discussed the Administration’s commitment to preserving and strengthening affordable housing for residents, particularly veterans. Murray noted a 21 percent decline in the number of homeless veterans over the last year, with the goal of lowering the number of homeless veterans (currently approximately 1,270) by 1,000 by 2015. The Lieutenant Governor also discussed the Administration’s reforms of the emergency assistance program, which is designed to increase investments in preventing homelessness and expanding permanent housing solutions while still providing a strong safety net for those who need immediate emergency housing.

5. High near 48, low around 32
Today will be mostly sunny, with a high near 48. Northeast wind will be 6 to 8 mph. Tonight will be partly cloudy, with a low around 32. North wind will be 3 to 5 mph.