5 Things to Know: Red Ribbon Winners

Today is Thursday, Jan. 17. Here are five things to know today in Peabody.

1. Congratulations to the fourth grade winners of the Positive & Healthy Living Essay Contest. The winners are: Samantha Valente (Carroll), Nicholas Sablone (Center), Jesse Silva (Welch), Colby Browne (Brown), Jaelyn Rossignoll (South), Justin Saslaw (Burke), Jack Houlden (West) and Darcy Boucher (McCarthy). The contest is run during Red Ribbon Week by the Healthy Peabody Collaborative and the Peabody Rotary. The winners each get a $10 Barnes & Noble gift certificate. You can find pictures of all the winners on the HPC Facebook page.
2. The Northeast Massachusetts chapter of the Red Cross, which is now based in Peabody, is looking for nominations for its annual Community Heroes Awards. The awards are presented in six categories during the annual Community Heroes Breakfast, which will be held March 21 from 7:30-9 a.m. at the DoubleTree by Hilton in Danvers. Nominations will be accepted through Jan. 18. Click here for more information.
3. It is an election year after all. The Committee to Elect Ted Bettencourt will be holding a fundraiser again on Jan. 19 (7-10 p.m.) at the Holy Ghost Society Cultural Center. There will be light refreshments, a cash bar and suggested donations are $25 per person.
4. MLK Day: Don't forget, there's no school in Peabody on Monday in observance of Martin Luther King, Jr. Day.
5. "Economic Outlook 2013: Public Failures and Private Options." That's the topic up for discussion at the North Shore Technology Council breakfast Jan. 23 (7-9 a.m.) at the Danversport Yacht Club. The council will hear from Robert A. Gough, Jr., Ph.D., an economist, educator, on-air personality and President and CEO of G-enovation in Lexington. He says the biggest opportunities for near-term business growth reside largely in high tech. The Danversport Yacht Club is located at 161 Elliott St. in Danvers. You can register for this event and find out more at www.nstc.org.