5 Things to Know: Scrabble Tourney Champ, Parking Ban and More

Today is Monday, Feb. 25. Here are five things to know today in Peabody.

1. Parking ban: The city declared an emergency parking ban last night shortly after 8 p.m. No on-street parking will be allowed until further notice.
   
2. Scrabble champion: Nancy Tracy of Peabody prevailed as the Scrabble champ in the 15th annual tournament at St. John the Baptist Parish on Feb. 16. Tracy was crowned the winner after scoring in the top four of the morning rounds and taking the win in the final four. All money raised during the tournament was donated to the St. Vincent de Paul Society at St. John's. More than 50 Scrabble lovers turned out for the event.
3. Protest today: A group of staffers from North Shore Community Action Programs in Peabody and representatives from a number of other area social service agencies are rallying in Boston today to urge Congress to repeal legislation that allows for broad federal spending cuts (sequestration) as budget talks remain at an impasse. The rally is organized by the Boston service agency ABCD, which says the $1.2 trillion in cuts over 10 years are “dangerous and irresponsible” without regard to important programs and people that will be affected, such as Head Start, meals for seniors, fuel assistance, food and drug safety interventions, medical research and housing and homelessness prevention. The cuts are now due to take effect March 1. Today's rally (10:30 a.m.) is at ABCD's office at 178 Tremont St. in Boston.
4. $5 lunch at NSCC: Danvers Patch reports that students in North Shore Community College's Culinary Arts program will again be serving four-course, $5 lunches at the Scholar's Den Cafe, starting this week. The cafe is located in Berry Hall on the Essex Agricultural High School Campus on Route 62 in Danvers. Read on for more details.
5. CSA at the library: Two informational sessions will be held March 6 at the West Branch (4-5 p.m.) and at the Main Branch (6:30-7:30 p.m.) of the Peabody Institute Library on a new Community Supported Agriculture program. The city and the library have partnered with Silverbrook Farm to bring a CSA program and local produce and other farm goods to Peabody this summer. Stop by March 6 to hear more about shares and where and when you can register.

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