Five Things You Need to Know Today: Early Holiday Shopping, Waived Yard Waste Fees and Claiming Your Zabar's Prize

1. It's four days after last weekend's surprise Nor'easter, but Scarsdale's winding streets are still strewn with branches, fallen trees and residual rubble — and the Village wants to help you clean up. The normal tipping fee charged to landscapers for yard waste hauled to the Recycling Center will be waived until Friday, Nov. 18, allowing residents to rid their lawns of pesky storm souvenirs for no charge. While you may need to pay a hauling fee to your landscaper, you will not have to pay a disposal fee during this period of time. The Recycling Center is located on 110 Secor Road and open Monday through Saturday from 8 a.m. - 3 p.m. For collection and bundling guidelines, visit the Village website.

2. Last week, our site's "Five Things" column asked readers to in the comments in order to win a free toasted bagel from Zabar's, the delicious Upper West Side food emporium. Now, it's time to collect your prize! Email kirstin.fawcett@patch.com with your contact information so it can be forwarded to Zabar's. We distinctly remember one reader saying they preferred peanut butter and salsa verde...

3. Even if you haven't even thrown away your jack-o'-lanterns, there's no way to avoid the holiday commercials and sales that have already started streaming across your TV screen. Get a jump-start on your holiday shopping by swinging by the Junior League of Central Westchester's  tonight at the Scarsdale Golf Club from 6-10 p.m. A "Taste of Our Town" buffet will feature foods from local eateries, and raffles and a special wine tasting from The Grape Exchange Admission will help you kick off the holiday season in a festive, fun manner. Participants will pay $10 tonight and $5 for tomorrow's similarly-timed event.  

4. It's used in everything from floor tiles to bottle stoppers, yet few people apart from sustainable design buffs actually realize that cork is an eco-friendly, attractive and resilient household options for commercial and residential interiors alike. will host an today at 12:30 p.m. examining how cork makes its journey from the bark of a tree into your daily household furnishings and products. The session will be presided over by Christopher Capobianco, a fourth-generation floor coverer who is also a consultant, writer, educator and activist. Green Design Expo is located on 640 Central Park Avenue. For registration information, visit their website.

5. This fall, learn what to expect when you're expecting at Westchester Reform Temple. Brenda Stern, the  Early Childhood Center's social worker, will lead a examining the changes you'll face during the next 9 months as you juggle lifestyle changes, vocational goals and preparing your family for what you are already expecting — years of never-dull moments. Today's class will be held at 10:30 a.m. Visit WRT's website for more information.