Five Things: USES Hosts Thanksgiving Luncheon

Today is Wednesday, November 23. Here are five things you need to know today:

1. It's going to be a rainy one. Heavy showers expected this morning and lasting into the afternoon with wind gusts around 15 to 20 mph. Temps in the lower 50s getting cooler as the day goes on.

2. United South End Settlements hosted a Thanksgiving luncheon for 250 members of the senior community last Thursday, serving fresh turkey, homemade stuffing and all the fixings. USES’ very own senior chorus, The Platinum Singers, performed during the event and elected officials including Rep. Byron Rushing, Rep. Gloria Fox, Sen. Sonia Chang-Diaz and City Councilor Tito Jackson took time to serve food and interact with guests at each table.

3. After a short delay, the Frog Pond quietly opened for ice skating Monday. The original plans to open last Friday, with a ceremony, were scrapped after the weather remained unseasonably warm. No word on whether there will still be opening celebrations. Click here for more information, including public skating hours.

4. A warm welcome to software company Blueport Commerce, which recently relocated its headquarters from Waltham to the South End. The 30 person company is now operating from a 12,000-square-foot office in the mill building at 580 Harrison Avenue. 

5. Tolls for both eastbound and westbound drivers at the Allston/Brighton toll plazas (interchanges 18, 19 and 20) on the Massachusetts Turnpike will be free today, thanks to a partnership with Zappos.com, a website selling shoes and apparel. Zappos will be covering the cost of the tolls between 5 and 7 p.m. Fast Lane customers will receive the benefit as well.