Peabody Police Launch Anonymous Tip Line Amid Overdose Spike
PEABODY — Peabody police have launched a new anonymous tip system asking residents for help identifying drug activity in the city as officials contend with a rise in overdoses, according to Patch. Separately, a Peabody resident is celebrating a $500,000 Massachusetts State Lottery win from a ticket sold at a North Shore convenience store.
COMMUNITY & ARTS
The Peabody Institute Library has updated its South and West Branch hours effective July 6, 2026, with the West and South branches now open Monday and Tuesday 9 a.m.-5 p.m., Wednesday 9 a.m.-1 p.m., Thursday 1-9 p.m., and Saturday 9 a.m.-1 p.m. (both branches closed Fridays and Sundays). The Main Library on Main Street continues to offer extended hours, including evenings Monday through Thursday.
The library also continues to promote its digitized Peabody newspaper archives, spanning September 1844 through the present, along with ongoing children's storytimes at all three branches and the Teen "100 Books Before Graduation" reading challenge, which rewards teens in grades 9-12 with free books and prize bags via Beanstack tracking.
SCHOOLS
Peabody Public Schools closed out the 2025-2026 academic year with a message to families thanking the community for a "productive and rewarding" year, according to the district's news post. Kindergarten registration for the 2026-2027 school year remains open, and the district's calendar shows the School Committee retreat set for Aug. 13, with a regular School Committee meeting Aug. 25, new-teacher orientation Aug. 26, a professional-development day with no school Aug. 31, and kindergarten screening Sept. 2.
ELSEWHERE IN THE NEWS
"Peabody Police Seek Tips On Drug Activity Amid Overdose Spike" — Peabody police have set up an anonymous tip form for residents to report information related to drug activity in the city, per Patch (read it at https://patch.com/massachusetts/peabody/peabody-police-seek-tips-drug-activity-amid-overdose-spike).
"$500K Lottery Ticket Sold At North Shore Convenience Store" — A Peabody man cashed in a $500,000 Massachusetts State Lottery ticket sold at a local convenience store, according to Patch (read it at https://patch.com/massachusetts/peabody/500k-lottery-ticket-sold-north-shore-convenience-store).
"Peabody parks see improvements" — Itemlive reports on recent upgrades to Peabody's park system, though further detail requires reading the full piece (read it at https://itemlive.com/2026/07/08/peabody-parks-see-improvements/).
COMING UP
The Peabody Institute Library's new branch hours took effect July 6 and remain in place going forward. Patch's event calendar lists "Crushville Presents: Stevie Wonder VS Earth Wind & Fire" on July 9 and "Greg Hawkes and Eddie Japan Performing the Music of The Cars" on July 10, both listed as Peabody-area happenings. The 150th Carnival Fun Fair is set for July 11, per Patch listings.