5 Things You Need to Know Today: Feb. 1

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. The Coffee Loft has two upcoming art shows and are looking for submissions from the Marlborough community by this Friday, Feb. 3. Art as Protest and Love is in the Air are the themes for the shows. There is a $15 entrance fee, and the winner of each show will go home with $100. All artwork will be on display at the 406 Lincoln St. gallery Feb. 10 though 12. For additional details, call 508-251-1431.

2.  recently announced a Monday through Friday deal offering five meals for $5. Head in for lunch, dinner, or take it home and feed the family. Phone in orders welcome. The menu contains a wide variety of fresh meals made from scratch. Give them a call or visit them in Marshall's plaza off East Main Street. 

3.  is offering free coffee at all participating bakery cafes from 7 to 9 a.m. this morning, Wednesday, Feb. 1. The company will also be surprising commuters getting on and off the T at Government Center in Boston (at the same time as the free coffee giveaway) with a free cup of coffee and cookies. They will also be looking for suggestions via their Facebook page on where Panera’s second “Warm Up Wednesday” will be held on Feb. 8. Throughout the month, Panera is working to “warm up” Boston and surrounding communities.

4. The Worcester Business Journal recently published numbers from the U.S. Census Bureau saying that 2011 was the second worst year on record for new construction.

5. This from Sudbury Patch: A motor vehicle stop Sunday afternoon by the resulted in the arrest of a Marlborough man. At about 4:56 p.m., Daniel Espinosa, 42, of 2 Monument Ave., was pulled over on Boston Post Road. After the responding officer completed an investigation, Espinosa was arrested and charged with unlicensed operation of a motor vehicle. The investigation also showed Espinosa had a warrant out for his arrest from the for failure to pay fines for unlicensed operation of a motor vehicle, according to Sgt. Richard MacLean. Espinosa was released at 8:28 p.m. and was scheduled to be arraigned at Framingham District Court on Monday. No other information was available.

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