Five Things You Need to Know Today: Feb. 27

1. Nonantum Community Meeting. Mayor Setti Warren will join the Nonantum community tonight to discuss short-term projects and long-term goals to bring vitality to the village. The meeting will be held at the American Legion Post 440 and starts at 7 p.m.

2. Blood drive. The Newton Free Library will host a blood drive today from 2 p.m. - 7 p.m. in the Druker auditorium. 

3. Playoffs continue. The Newton North girls' basketball team will face the Newton South girls' basketball team for a first round South Div. 1 playoff game tonight at 7 p.m. at Newton North. In other playoff news, the No. 17 Newton South boys' basketball team defeated No. 16 West Roxbury last night 56-54 and will go on to face No. 1 Mansfield on Thursday in Mansfield at 7 p.m. 

4. Civil rights history discussion and book lecture. The New England Mobile Book Fair will host former Newton resident Gordon A. Martin, Jr. tonight at 7 p.m. Martin will discuss his book Count Them One by One, an account of Martin's work on the historic United States vs. Lynd case in the 1960s. The event is free and open to the public and signing will take place after the discussion. 

5. Have something to say about the proposed override? The special election for the override is less than two weeks away -- do you have an opinion to share? Submit a letter to the editor to Melanie.Graham@patch.com or submit a post to our Local Voices blog section.