Our weekday morning column, 5 Things You Need to Know, provides you with information that can help you plan your day and give you some fodder for water cooler conversations.

1. Trash and recycling pick-up for the city of Marlborough is on the holiday schedule this week and next. Click here for details. 

2. Avidia Bank will officially celebrate its fifth birthday in October, 2012. To commemorate this occasion, Avidia will hold special events at each of its nine full-service branches (including Marlborough) throughout 2012. Prize drawings, refreshments and other related festivities will be offered. Each branch, within the 7 communities that Avidia Bank is located, will hold a month-long celebration on a rotating basis. Detailed information will be posted on Avidia Bank’s website and on Facebook in coming weeks.  

3. It's time again to celebrate the annual Girl Scout cookie sale. Our Girl Scout entrepreneurs will be out and about in uniform selling your favorite cookies. Choose from eight tasty varieties that include: Thin Mints and Caramel DeLites to Peanut Butter Patties and Thanks-A-Lots. The annual sale kicked off Dec. 9 and will culminate on March 9. Girl Scout cookies are $4 a box. To find out where to buy cookies in and near Marlborough click on the "cookie locator"and enter 01752 as the zip code. 

4. Don't forget: Marlborough's overnight parking ban went into effect on Dec. 1 and will continue through March 15. During this period, on-street parking is prohibited from 11 p.m. to 6 a.m. every night. Vehicles violating the ban are subject to a $10 penalty. Additionally, vehicles that interfere with snow or ice removal operations are subject to towing and storage at the owner's expense.

5. Solve this Marlborough anagram in the comment field: SHALTIOMAS (person)

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