5 Things You Need to Know Today, April 18

Today is Wednesday, April 18. Here are five things to know today in Peabody.

1. Today's weather: Sunny with a high near 58 degrees.
2. Children's author Sally Lee will be paying a special visit to the today from 1-2 p.m. Lee will be talking about her new book that was just published, "The Carrot King" plus others. The free program is suitable for ages 4 and up accompanied by an adult and is paid for with a grant from the Massachusetts Department of Early Childhood Education awarded to the Peabody Public Schools.
   
3. Chat with the mayor: Have a question for Peabody's CEO? Mayor Ted Bettencourt will be chatting live with readers Thursday from noon - 1 p.m. Join the discussion here on the site or, if you won't be able to attend during that hour, email your questions ahead of time to john.castelluccio@patch.com.
4. Gallery Talk: Artists Jessica Burko and Lynne Parrella will be giving a gallery talk about their work and the recent resurgence of handmade art and craft at the ArcWorks Community Art Center on Friday at 6:30 p.m. Burko and Parrella are members of Boston Handmade and the event is in conjunction with the current exhibition at the art center, which is on display until May 6 at 22 Foster St.
5. Peabody GreenFest: The 2nd Annual GreenFest is coming April 28 at the , sponsored by GreenPeabody. The event runs from 9 a.m. - 2 p.m. and will feature a number of exhibitors and programs. Stay tuned for more details.