Is Salem vs. Beverly the State's Best Football Rivalry?

Today is Wednesday, Nov. 20, and here are the five things you need to know: 

1. It should be a beautiful day in Salem.The National Weather Service is predicting that local residents can expect it to be sunny, with a high near 41. Tonight should be partly cloudy, with a low around 31. (low tide, 6:20 a.m.; sunrise, 6:41 a.m.; high tide, 12:34 p.m.; sunset, 4:16 p.m.)

2. Five annual Thanksgiving grudge matches, including Salem vs. Beverly, have been chosen to compete in the Best High School Football Rivalry competition conducted by USA Today. Now, it's up to the fans to decide who has the greatest rivalry in high school sports. This year's best rivalry competition will end Dec. 18 after three rounds of voting. Click Here for full details. 

3. The Salem Zoning Board of Appeals will meet tonight at the City Hall Annex on Washington Street. The meeting, scheduled to begin at 6:30 p.m., is expected to feature a discussion regarding several proposed building projects, according to the posted agenda. 

4. The Massachusetts State Senate voted Tuesday to approve raising the state’s minimum wage to $11 an hour over the next three years. The bill also increases wages to 50 percent of the minimum wage for tipped workers and includes a provision to tie future increases to the Consumer Price Index. Click Here for our full story.

5. Today in History: On Nov. 20, 1998, the first module of the International Space Station, Zarya, was launched. 

For more things going on in Salem today, check out our events calendar.