5 Things You Need to Know Today: March 4

1. Did you see the latest blog from local minister Kazimierz Bern? He accounts his own personal experience as an openly gay minister and invites those who might not have felt welcomed before back to a changed church.

2. We collected the top police news from the last week and compiled it here for you to view.

3. The DPW Forestry Division will be holding a public hearing at 4 p.m. today to discuss the removal of shade trees at seven locations across the city. Parmenter, Elm and Sudbury Streets have trees that will be discussed at the meeting.

4. The Urban Affairs Committee will be discussing changes to zoning proposed by Boston Scientific tonight at 6 p.m. This is the zoning that the company says will allow them to get a new building up and running by May of 2014.

5. Looking to see what the traffic is going to be like on your ride into work this morning? Look no further than our commute page that gives live information on congestion of area roads.