Five Things to Know Today: October 8

1. Weather: Couldn't be more perfect. The National Weather Service forecast for our area says today will be sunny with a high near 76 degrees.

2. In Case You Missed It: The state has announced preliminary and the East Penn School District did well, overall.

3. Don't Miss It: holds its annual 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. today at the department's

4. Coming Up: Check out this week's at 8 am.

5. Today in History: On this day in 1871, flames sparked in the Chicago barn of Patrick and Catherine O'Leary, igniting a two-day blaze that killed between 200 and 300 people, destroyed 17,450 buildings, left 100,000 homeless and caused an estimated $200 million (in 1871 dollars; $3 billion in 2007 dollars) in damages. Legend has it that a cow kicked over a lantern in the O'Leary barn and started the fire, but other theories hold that humans or even a comet may have been responsible for the event that left four square miles of the Windy City, including its business district, in ruins.