5 Things To Know on Jan. 17: Registration Open to All for Pan-Mass Challenge

Welcome to “5 Things,” your daily resource for community events, happenings in town and other little tidbits of information. Here are five things you need to know on Thursday, Jan. 17.

1. Sun: The sun is forecasted to return on Thursday, with temperatures getting up to about 40 degrees. There will be a light west wind.

2. Underground Railroad: Learn more about the North Shore slave movement and the Underground Railroad on Thursday night. Dan Tremblay has a presentation planned for the Gordon Room downstairs at the Peabody Institute Library starting at 7 p.m. Admission is free and call 978-777-2711 for more information.

3. PMC: “Alumni” of the Pan-Massachusetts Challenge have been able to register for the 2013 ride for the past few weeks. On Thursday, it is a chance for newcomers to sign up for this summer’s bicycle ride across the state, with rides up to 190 miles over one or two days. Last year, .

4. Rum: Get a firsthand look at how rum was made 175 years ago at Turkey Shore Distilleries in Ipswich on Thursday. The event at 6 p.m. is hosted by the Essex National Heritage Commission as part of its effort to keep its popular Trails and Sails event going year-round. Reservations are required and the cost is Essex Heritage $17 for members and $24 for non-members.

5. Unemployment: On Thursday we’ll hear from the state Executive Office of Labor and Workforce Development, which will announce the latest unemployment number for Massachusetts in December. The November rate was 6.6 percent, unchanged from October and down .4 percent from November 2011.

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