Five Things: Panera to Open Community Cafe in Government Center

1. Panera cafe opens: Panera Bread is opening its fifth Panera Cares Community Cafe on Wednesday in Boston’s Government Center area (3 Center Plaza). The pay-what-you-can cafe has no set prices and does not have any cash registers. The cafe of shared responsibility opens its doors for the first time at 6:30 a.m. 

2. Bridge tour: "Connections North: Bridges of the West End Exhibition Tour," the West End Museum's tour of the the area's bridges and discussion of the key figures behind the bridges, is Jan. 24 from 6:30 p.m. to 8 p.m. Tickets are $15 ($7 for members) and include free refreshments. For more information, call the museum at 617-723-2125 or visit www.thewestendmuseum.org

3. Free coffee: Get a free taste of Starbucks’ Blonde Roast or Vanilla Blonde coffee when a mobile café visits neighborhoods around Boston this month. The cart will be open from 7 a.m. to 1 p.m. on the following dates Jan. 16 and 25 at Government Center, and Jan. 18 and 24 at South Station. Along with a coffee sample, visitors can pick up a special offer for a free tall cup of coffee and $1 off packaged coffee. 

4. School choice meeting: The Boston Public Schools system released new school assignment proposals Monday that include everything from the creation of smaller zones to the abolition of the zones altogether. The schools' External Advisory Committee will discuss the proposals Monday, Feb. 4, from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. at Orchard Gardens K-8 School, 906 Albany St.

5. Extreme cold: So the big snowstorm turned out to be a dud, but that doesn't mean the weather won't be brutal today. Weather.com is predicting morning temperatures that feel like 7 below and an afternoon high of 16 that will feel like 1.

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