The next stop for Marblehead’s zoning plan to comply with the MBTA Communities Act will be a hearing before the Planning Board, tentatively scheduled for March 11.
After being defeated at Town
Meeting last year, the plan is being reconsidered against a newly clarified legal backdrop.
The state’s highest court ruled on Jan. 8 that the act, G.L.c. 40A, §3A, is constitutional and the Attorney General has the authority to sue to enforce it, rejecting arguments by the town of Milton, which had been sued by the AG after Milton missed its Dec. 31, 2023, deadline to comply.
The Supreme Judicial Court also invalidated the Executive Office of Housing and Livable Communities’ guidelines related to the MBTA Communities Act because EOHLC had not complied with the
Administrative Procedure Act when issuing them.
Gov. Maura Healey vowed to have that deficiency remedied in short order by having EOHLC issue emergency regulations by the end of last week. Those emergency regulations would be effective for 90 days, allowing time for permanent regulations to go through the normal process under the APA.
Because the MBTA Communities Act compliance plan is being reconsidered within two years of being rejected by Marblehead Town Meeting, state law (G.L.c. 40A, §5) requires the
basement museum showcases more than 80 pieces of
BY WILL DOWD
On a frigid January morning, Marblehead resident Richard Thibedeau’s walking group made a detour into Abbot Hall’s basement. For Thibedeau, one sign in the town’s newest attraction struck a particularly personal chord.
“Freddie Finkel made a wedding ring for me,” he said, pointing to a jewelry store sign and twisting the gold band he still wears. “He was down on Darling Street, just off Washington Street. He was a skilled craftsman.”
The newly opened Sign Museum showcases more than 80 pieces of Marblehead history, including signs from a weathered ship chandlery (a store that supplied sailors and maritime businesses with essential goods) to mid-century storefront markers. Years of planning and hundreds of volunteer hours transformed the basement storage area into a museum offering visitors a unique window into the town’s evolution. “A lot of the history that
BY LEIGH BLANDER
The School Committee voted to add two “placeholder” override articles on the Town Meeting warrant (voting agenda) for this May, with no dollar amounts attached.
The first is a general Proposition 2 1/2 override “for the purposes of revenue to go directly to the school budget,” said School Committee Chair Jenn Schaeffner. “I just want to make sure everyone knows this is just a placeholder,” emphasized member Alison Taylor. “No decisions have
LTIFa MILy HOuSInG
Rosie Inglis, 7, in red, and her brother Lachlan, 5, face off on a frozen Redd’s Pond. The kids play Marblehead Youth Hockey and skated
two hours that day with their dad, Brodie, until the sun went down.
COURTESY PHOTOS / BRODIE INGLIS
COURTESY PHOTO / MATT MARTIN
ZONING, P. A6
BY LEIGH BLANDER
Town Meeting voters this spring may debate three updated dog-related bylaws that hike fees for violators and change where and when dogs can go in town.
Last fall, the Recreation and Parks Commission discussed a possible Pooch Pass that would allow residents to run their dogs off-leash at certain times of day in specified areas. Dogs with a Pooch Pass would also be permitted on the sidelines at playing fields while on leash and under control of the owner.
“We’re tabling the Pooch Pass,” said Rec & Parks Commissioner Shelly Bedrosian at a Jan. 8 meeting. She said research showed that the idea wasn’t fiscally doable, as it would have
required an investment in dog waste stations.
Instead, Bedrossian — working with Board of Health member
Tom McMahon and Animal Control Officer Betsy Cruger — hopes to present three updated bylaws at Town Meeting.
“Most of these bylaws haven’t been updated since 2007,” Bedrosian said, pointing out that one dates back to 1986. “I find them very confusing.”
Off-leash rules
Currently, dogs in Marblehead are only allowed off leash at the dog park on Lime Street and in private yards. Bedrossian suggested increasing the penalties for off-leash pups as follows:
BY LEIGH BLANDER
The School Committee was billed more than $442,660 by the Westwood law firm of Valerio, Dominello & Hillman from January through November, with $152,286 of that representing costs related to Unit A teacher contract talks and an 11-day strike.
The School Committee also spent $12,625 on a public relations firm in the final weeks of the standoff, according to an invoice from Slowey McManus Communications of Boston.
The Current filed a public records request, asking to see all legal costs related to teacher contract negotiations and strike. In its response, the district pointed out that the $152,286 figure only covers costs for Unit A teacher negotiations and does not include costs related to the other four bargaining units, including paraprofessionals, custodians, etc. It redacted (blacked out) all other expenses.
The Current has since asked for details about those costs as well.
In September, the Current reported that the Marblehead Public School district’s central administration spent $334,734 on legal counsel in fiscal year 2024 (which ended
last June 30), more than three times the $105,000 it budgeted, according to the town of Marblehead’s ClearGov portal.
Contract costs
The legal bills include multiple fees, approximately $3,000 each, for mediation sessions with the Marblehead Education Association. One example: a Nov. 13 charge of $3,445 for a negotiating session and follow-up meeting with the School Committee bargaining team.
In November, the School Committee was billed more than $6,000 to fight a court injunction filed by parents asking that students be able to play sports during the strike.
Invoices over 11 months also include more than $2,500 in mileage and toll reimbursements.
School Committee Chair Jenn Schaeffner and MEA Co-president Jonathan Heller did not respond to requests for comment.
Registration is now open for Marblehead’s integrated preschool program for the 2025-26 school year. Children ages 3-4 (with some turning 5 during the school year) are welcome. These early childhood special education services are designed for young children with disabilities who need specially designed
instruction or related services and whose disability(ies) cause the child to be unable to participate in developmentally appropriate typical preschool activities.
An integral part of this preschool program are peer partners, who learn side-by-side with children with disabilities. There are preschool
Interim super wants to stay
Interim Superintendent
Fox said this override could be used to replace the leaky high school roof. New estimates for the project came in at nearly $14 million. (Town Meeting approved $5.3 million for the project in 2023.)
The School Committee will learn at the State of the Town address on Feb. 5 what its budget allocation will be for FY 2026. (The FY 2025 budget was $46,759,111.)
The following is a preliminary timeline from there.
Feb. 3: Assistant Superintendent Michael Pfifferling presents draft budget to School Committee at a public workshop
March 6: Public School Committee budget hearing
March 20: School Committee votes on a budget
April 7: Finance Committee holds its warrant hearing reviewing articles (including possible overrides)
May 5: Town Meeting
John Robidoux announced at the School Committee meeting that he would like to be named permanent superintendent beginning July 1.
He is currently six months into a two-year contract as interim superintendent.
“Having permanency is helpful to me, but I think it’s more helpful for the community, the educational community, to have some stability,” he said. “I’m the fifth superintendent in four years. That’s not helpful to any district.”
Robidoux added, “If I’m permanent, buy-in from the staff becomes a little elevated. Parents would feel the same way.”
School Committee members thanked Robidoux and expressed happiness about his desire to stay. They discussed forming a subcommittee to develop a formal evaluation process. Schaeffner is contacting the Massachusetts Association of School Committees to ask if the MASC can lead a workshop this January to help with the evaluation process. School
classrooms at both the Brown and Glover Schools.
All students need to have a preK screening. More info at marbleheadschools.org/Page/230. Email prek@marbleheadschools.org for more information.
Half-day program is $5,000, full-day program is $7,000. Application packets are due by March 28.
Committee members agreed that input from parents, educators and students is vital.
“I’m excited that you’re interested after your trial by firing squad the last few months,” said Taylor. “I do think you’ve handled it with as much style and grace as possible.”
Goodbye to Coffin
The School Committee also voted unanimously to turn over the old Coffin School property to the town. Coffin is valued at $3.2 million, with $1.5 million of that coming from the land.
Initially, Fox and Taylor wanted to hold on to the Coffin School in case the town sees population growth, especially if Marblehead ultimately votes to comply with the MBTA multifamily zoning mandate.
Robidoux pointed out that the Coffin property is costing the district.
“For the schools to maintain the building doesn’t make any sense at all,” he said. “It’s not costeffective. It makes fiscal sense for us to get rid of it.”
Fox said, “In an ideal world, I
would like to see that building razed and for it to become an outdoor classroom or learning space, or a community space of some kind. It will be developed.”
Town Meeting will decide if the property should be sold.
Anti-discrimination committee
Robidoux also announced he is working to estsablish an antidiscrimination committee in the district. The committee will focus on antisemitism at first, in response to staff and student complaints last year about antisemtism in the schools.
“The need for extra attention on identifying ways to combat discrimination, specifically antisemitism and anti-racist behavior, action and ongoing review of curricular materials, has been evident and we need to move forward proactively rather than reactively,” Robidoux wrote in an email to families. “The committee will include parents, educators, administrators and students.
With the initial focus being on antisemitism, we will seek support from local rabbis as well.”
CURRENT PHOTO / LEIGH BLANDER School Committee Chair Jenn Schaeffner, right, and member Sarah Fox speak at a press conference, with their hired PR consultant standing by, during the teacher strike.
CURRENT PHOTO / LEIGH BLANDER
Proposed bylaw changes would ban dogs year-round at bathing beaches.
DOGS, P. A15
Christmas bonfire warms crowd of 200
BY GREY COLLINS
About 200 people huddled together against the cold at Riverhead Beach to watch the annual Christmas tree bonfire bonfire on Monday, Jan. 6. The tradition started more than 60 years ago.
The Marblehead Fire Department, led by Chief Jason Gilliland, lit the fire and stood by to keep the event safe and organized.
“It was a good turnout especially for a cold night,” said Gilliland, who has been involved with the tree burning for his 42-year career in the Fire Department. They burned about 800 Christmas trees throughout the night, which is a bit more than usual.
“It’s wintertime and there’s not a lot going on, so I think that it’s a great community event,” said Gilliland. “People can come out and just enjoy the bonfire and see each other. People aren’t
usually going out much in the wintertime, so it’s just a great event to have.”
Safety is always a top priority when dealing with the large fires at the annual tree burning.
“The major part is tracking the winds,” said Gilliland. “If they stay within 10-13 miles per hour, then we’re good to go. We also pay attention to the direction of the winds, but during the
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burning, it was blowing out to sea, which is ideal. We also have hoses ready in case something happens.”
As the fire died down, the firefighters opened the
barriers and even let the kids take turns squirting the fire hose towards the flames.
“It’s about the community and being with the people,” said Gilliland.
Arnould Gallery & Framery
CURRENT PHOTO / GREY COLLINS
Residents, bundled against the cold, watch as Christmas trees feed the flames at Riverhead Beach. More photos, Page 8.
Opinion
EDITOrI a L
Sometimes, you’re the nail
Her tone may have been conciliatory.
But make no mistake: Behind Attorney General Andrea Campbell’s words lay a hammer.
“Going forward, my job is to work with municipalities to get them into compliance,” Campbell said during a virtual press conference Jan. 8.
Hours earlier, the Supreme Judicial Court had ruled that the MBTA Communities Act is constitutional, and Campell’s office has a right to enforce it.
Campbell then added, “We’d rather work in collaboration than sue a municipality.”
“Sue a municipality” — specifically Milton — is exactly what the Attorney General’s Office had done to bring the issue of §3A’s constitutionality before the state’s highest court. The AG’s complaint against Milton sought an injunction requiring Milton to create a zoning district that complied with the MBTA Communities Act or, in the alternative, have a “special master” appointed to complete that task for it.
Filing that complaint was not an abuse of the AG’s power, the SJC has now said.
Marblehead is part of a distinct minority among cities and towns who have missed their deadlines to comply with §3A.
Of the 130 MBTA communities with Dec. 31 deadlines, 100 were either fully compliant or had achieved “interim compliance” — meaning their compliance applications are under review by the Executive Office of Housing and Livable Communitiesas — of Jan. 2, according to EOHLC’s website.
That leaves in the AG’s crosshairs Marblehead and 30 other cities and towns, including Milton, the only community of the dozen with end-of-2023 deadlines not to have achieved at least conditional compliance.
While it is true that the SJC invalidated EOHLC’s §3A guidelines because the state agency failed to adhere to the Administrative Procedure Act, that aspect of the court’s ruling should not provide any false comfort. EOHLC has gotten right to work issuing emergency regulations, with a permanent set of regulations to follow.
As was discussed at last week’s Planning Board meeting, town leaders will want to take a hard look at those regulations to understand their implications for Marblehead, especially if the state decides to add to the list of grant programs jeopardized by §3A noncompliance, as member Barton Hyte speculated. But the days of thinking that the town will not have to deal with the MBTA Communities Act seem to be over.
As Angus McQuilken of the Marblehead Housing Coalition told the Current, one of the arguments that carried the day at last May’s Town Meeting was that there was wisdom in waiting to hear what the SJC had to say about the MBTA Communities Act. Credit where it’s due: That was an artful dodge, one that allowed Town Meeting voters to sidestep an honest assessment of how well the Planning Board had completed its assignment to develop a compliance plan.
Now, the time to look away is over. By all means, residents should ask any lingering questions they have about Marblehead’s compliance plan. If they give it a fair shake, Fair Housing Committee member Kurt James says residents will find “that the likelihood of dramatically increasing the population or changing the character of the town physically is not high at all.”
No doubt, residents of other cities and towns that were facing Dec. 31 compliance deadlines had concerns about stressing services or changing the community’s character, too. Yet, in more than three-quarters of those cities and towns, residents read the writing on the wall and decided compliance was the better idea, all things considered.
As Planning Board member Marc Liebman noted at the board’s Jan. 8 meeting, there may even be an added incentive to adopt §3A compliance plan in communities like Marblehead, which remain well below the benchmark of having at least 10% of its housing stock qualify as “affordable.”
Given the choice between developments built under Chapter 40B and §3A, most residents would prefer the latter, given their reduced density. But until Marblehead complies with the MBTA Communities Act, Chapter 40B will be developers’ only option. Residents should use the weeks ahead to engage with the renewed debate over the MBTA Communities Act. A required public hearing before the Planning Board, tentatively scheduled for March 11, will provide an additional opportunity to assess the town’s options in advance of Town Meeting.
But no one should be deluded into thinking that the town’s position has not changed significantly. AG Campbell may have pledged to keep her hammer tucked away in her toolbox for now. But the SJC’s message is loud and clear: If you need to, Madam Attorney General, feel free to swing away.
Gu EST COLu Mn
Town moderator outlines annual meeting details
BY JACK ATTRIDGE, TOWN MODERATOR
Marblehead’s annual Town Meeting will be called to order Monday, May 5, at 7 p.m. at the Veterans Middle School Performing Arts Center, 1 Duncan Sleigh Square. Town Meeting gathers us as the legislative body of our government to conduct the town’s business. The meeting represents the purest form of democracy, which we are privileged to have. Its primary responsibilities include legislating bylaw and zoning changes and approving the town’s annual operating budget. Other business, in proper form, may also be presented and voted upon.
The warrant serves as the agenda for the meeting. Submissions for citizen articles remain open until noon Jan. 24. The deadline for municipal submissions is noon Jan. 31, when the warrant officially closes. Citizens may find petition forms on Marblehead.org under the “Town Meeting” button. My contact information is also available there, and I encourage anyone with questions about Town Meeting or submissions to reach out to me at any time.
Preparing for Town Meeting requires a tremendous effort from elected and appointed volunteer residents, and from the town’s administrative staff. The public may attend a number of the meetings leading up to Town Meeting, and most of these include opportunities for public comment. Many of the sessions are accessible online via Zoom and can be found under the “Public
What ‘capacity’ really means for Marblehead’s housing future
To the editor:
As a recently retired and downsizing octogenarian, I was at one point afraid of being homeless when my Marblehead home of 54 years sold more quickly than expected. I had supported the MBTA Communities Act but had been out of the country at Town Meeting last May. Feeling somewhat guilty but knowing little of the actual act except that it promised to provide more choices for people like me, I sent off an email to a newly formed group, the Marblehead Housing Coalition, saying “Can I help?” And that introduction into this group of smart, well-informed and dedicated Marbleheaders of all ages and careers was the beginning of my education.
At the Select Board meeting of Sept. 11, I listened to people quite sincerely fearing that 900 new homes, 1800 new parking spaces and the cars they represent would overwhelm the town and change it irretrievably for the worse.
I then reached out to a member of our group who teaches urban planning at a local university. And she explained to me how the misunderstanding of a basic word is the cause of much of the confusion. That word is capacity. And since I myself didn’t understand it in the zoning context, I thought it might be helpful to share my learning experience.
What does the MBTA Communities Act mean when it says, “must have the capacity to allow 900 multifamily units?” To me, capacity had meant families living there. The three designated areas already have 300 housing units in them. Will this act “allow” us (or force us) to squeeze 600 new families into these spaces?
But when the MBTA Communities Act says “capacity for 900 homes” it is simply referring to the zoning of the designated areas as if they were
Meetings” tab or on the homepage of Marblehead.org.
The State of the Town meeting, typically held on the last Wednesday of January, unofficially kicks off the budget review process and preparations for Town Meeting. The State of the Town meeting, run by the Select Board, provides a look back at the previous year and outlines plans for the year ahead, although much of the preparation happens year-round.
One of the most critical components of Town Meeting is approving the operating budget for the upcoming fiscal year (at May Town Meeting, this will be fiscal year 2026). The Finance Committee reviews items impacting the budget and makes recommendations to Town Meeting. This year, with assistance from ClearGov, our new budgeting software, the Finance Committee collaborated closely with the Finance Director and Town Administrator to break down our approximately $115,000,000 budget. This tool has introduced a level of detail and data analysis previously unavailable, enabling town leaders to plan and forecast more effectively. ClearGov is accessible on Marblehead.org through the Financial Services or Select Board Department tabs.
As a longtime Town Meeting attendee, I have always strived to encourage participation in this venerable tradition. As town moderator, I continuously seek ways to improve the process and boost attendance. To ensure the most informed citizenry possible, I will promote public meetings and hearings in the coming months that provide essential context for each article presented at Town Meeting. These meetings are open to all.
vacant. The Act would simply put the state’s multifamily zoning label over the designated number of acres as if they were undeveloped. It does not refer in any way to the living capacity in these areas, or to the existing units, or to any obligation to build. And the Marblehead group of citizens who devoted so much time and effort to putting this plan together have very cleverly selected this required acreage to be in areas which are already zoned multifamily, so there’s no real change in ease of permitting, except that future proposals would be approved by right. The impact on the town would be minimal. “Allowing” the zoning capacity for 900 or 600 multifamily homes doesn’t “allow” a single thing more than the existing multifamily zoning allows. Proposals for construction of any kind would still be subject to site review and compliance with all other existing zoning regulations — setbacks, height, parking. Where multifamily homes could be built, they mostly have been already, except in the Tioga Way district. Existing Smart Growth zoning and 40B affordable housing laws, which have been in effect for years, have already been used wherever financially feasible. Nobody’s going to build homes where Shubie’s and the National Grand Bank are now.
I do believe in the Marblehead Housing Coalition’s goals that careful and controlled growth would benefit the town, culturally and financially. But passing this act wouldn’t even do much to solve the housing problems of people like me! It would only allow our grant writer to apply for and be eligible to receive substantial and much-needed state funds to fill the town’s badly depleted coffers.
And with the recent Supreme Judicial Court ruling on the Milton protest case, the painful and totally avoidable financial consequences of refusing to comply with the MBTA Communities Act, which was passed almost unanimously by our own elected legislators, have become evident.
Working towards this end, the Marblehead Housing Coalition has been mounting a pledge card campaign to talk with concerned citizens, correct misunderstandings and gather support for making efforts to bring Marblehead into compliance as soon as possible. If no one has yet knocked on your door, you may also sign up on the Marblehead Housing Coalition at marbleheadhousingcoalition.com.
Ruth Sigler Front Street
Marblehead’s future needs us
To the editor:
It’s a new year and a new me! Only kidding, I am still the old gloom and doom senior citizen. The MBTA Communities Act question has been settled by the Supreme Judicial Court, so let’s roll up our sleeves and get going. Yes, I know we want to keep our little community as is. Sorry, that’s not an option. For those of you who don’t want an override, any new property tax dollars from new properties will fill a void down the road, but not what we need sooner rather than later.
Within a couple of years, our senior citizens who want to downsize will have an avenue to stay in town. Ladies and gentlemen, we still need an override. Our schools need it. Our Transfer Station needs it. Our streets and sidewalks need it! We the stakeholders and kids need it! Yes, we need to demand transparency from our Select Board, assessors and school community to show us where the money goes. We should be able to request information without filing a freedom of information request. It would be interesting to know how much the town has spent in legal fees in 2023 and 2024. We need to be able to keep our existing teachers and attract new blood as well. Buckle up, everyone — it’s going to be a long four years for our town and country. May God bless us all.
Mary McCarriston Pinecliff Drive
BY WILL DOWD
The Current welcomes submissions (150-200 words) to the news in brief. Send yours to wdowd@marbleheadnews.org.
State of the Town address scheduled
The annual State of the Town address is set for Wednesday, Feb. 5, at 6 p.m. in Abbot Hall. The presentation will review financial successes and challenges from the past year and establish revenue projections for the FY 2026 budget and future forecasts. These projections will determine available funds for next year’s budget planning.
Town Meeting warrant period open for a few more days
The warrant for the May 5 Town Meeting remains open for citizens petitions until Friday, Jan. 24. Town government boards and commissions have until noon Jan. 31 to submit their own articles. Town Meeting, which serves as the legislative body for Marblehead, enables residents to vote on key matters such as budgets, bylaws, homerule petitions and resolutions. For guidance, reach out to Town Moderator Jack Attridge at jack@allmarblehead.com or 781-883-3200.
Marblehead receives distinguished budget award
Marblehead has received the Government Finance Officers Association’s Distinguished Budget Presentation Award for its FY 2025 budget. Chief Financial Officer Aleesha Benjamin led the effort, which required meeting proficiency standards in four major categories and 14 mandatory criteria. The town utilized ClearGov budget management software, implemented two years ago, to streamline the process.
Village Street Bridge replacement plan
The town has applied for funding to replace the Village Street Bridge with a precast concrete rigid frame on castin-place pedestal walls. While initial estimates ranged from $9-11 million for a traditional bridge project, the town requested consideration for a culvert design that reduced the estimated cost to $2.98 million. A culvert design is a cost-effective structure that allows water to flow beneath a roadway or path. The project would be 80% funded through the Boston Metropolitan Planning Organization and 20% by MassDOT, with the town responsible only for design costs through Chapter 90 funds. However, Marblehead’s potential non-compliance with the MBTA Communities Act could jeopardize this funding, as the Boston MPO now considers compliance in its project scoring process, potentially reducing the town’s competitiveness for the $2.98 million grant needed for the Village Street Bridge replacement. Town officials expect a response on the application by April.
Select Board appoints three to Capital Planning Committee
The Select Board has appointed three residents with engineering, finance and construction experience to serve on the town’s newly reorganized Capital Planning Committee. William Anderson, Bert Pechhold and David Harris will fill the volunteer positions on the nine-member committee, which was restructured in May 2024 to enhance oversight of municipal projects exceeding $1 million.
The expanded committee now includes six town officials alongside the three resident members. Anderson brings more than 30 years of real estate development and investment experience. Pechhold, a professional engineer, currently manages transit programs for the Federal Transit Agency in Cambridge. Harris has municipal finance experience, with 12 years on the Finance Committee and seven years on the School Committee.
Town seeks bicycle parking grant
Marblehead has applied for a grant to install bicycle racks at more than 20 locations throughout town, including parks, municipal properties and commercial areas. The $6,250 project would be paid for with a $5,000 Boston Region Metropolitan Planning Organization grant and a $1,250 local match. The initiative aligns with efforts to encourage bicycle activity over car usage to reduce traffic, lower the carbon footprint and promote healthier lifestyles for residents.
Historical March to Burial Hill planned
Glover’s Marblehead Regiment will hold its annual march to Burial Hill Feb. 1 at 5 p.m., departing from the Old Town House. Capt. Seamus Daly will deliver an oration honoring Gen. John Glover, who died Jan. 30, 1797, and is entombed at Burial Hill. Regiment members will fire three musket volleys and march under lantern light and drumbeat. The public is invited to join, with participants encouraged to bring candle-lit lanterns.
Epstein Hillel School receives security grants
The Arthur J. Epstein Hillel School has been awarded approximately $83,000 in two Massachusetts nonprofit
security grant programs. The funding is for physical building security and security personnel.
This marks the school’s second state security grant, following a $45,000 award three years ago that helped upgrade security cameras and alarms. The current grants will support security staffing and additional building improvements. Police Chief Dennis King provided a letter of support for the applications.
Dog license renewal period begins
The Town Clerk’s office announced the annual dog license renewal period will run until Jan. 31. Licenses cost $20 for spayed/neutered dogs and $25 for intact dogs. After Jan. 31, a $50 fine will be assessed every 30 days. Current rabies certificates are required. Licenses can be renewed by mail, drop box or online at marblehead.org.
Bible study group to launch at VFW
A weekly book study examining “The Stranger on the Road to Emmaus” by John Cross will run Tuesdays from
Jan. 28 through May 6, 6:30-8 p.m. at the VFW, 321 West Shore Drive. The free program, affiliated with Grace Community Church, will explore major themes connecting the Old and New Testaments. Books will be provided at no cost. For information or registration, contact Rex Schaffner at 517795-7490 or rexschaffner@gmail. com.
Holocaust Remembrance Day ceremony planned
Marblehead will hold its third annual Holocaust Remembrance Day ceremony at noon on Jan. 31 at Abbot Hall. The Select Board approved the 30-minute ceremony at the request of the Task Force Against Discrimination. Rabbi Michael Schwartz of Temple Sinai and Rabbi Jenn Mangold of Temple Emanu-El will lead the observance. Mangold will also conduct a special Shabbat service that evening to honor Holocaust victims.
Home energy assistance program accepting applications
North Shore Community Action Programs is accepting
applications for its Home Energy Assistance Program, which helps income-eligible households pay winter heating bills from Nov. 1 through April 30. Eligible households can receive direct payments to heating vendors, 29% discount on National Grid utility bills, protection from utility shutoffs during winter and possible no-cost energy efficiency improvements. Contact: 978-531-0767 ext. 136 or fuelassistance@nscap.org.
Snow emergency parking restrictions
The Marblehead Police Department is reminding residents about parking restrictions during snow emergencies. When a snow emergency is declared, vehicles, including boat trailers, must be removed from the streets to allow for snow removal and ensure road safety. Violators risk ticketing and towing as part of the town’s efforts to maintain clear and treated streets during icy conditions. Residents are encouraged to sign up for CodeRED alerts at marblehead. org/subscribe to stay informed about snow emergencies. The overnight parking ban for the 2024-25 winter season is now in effect.
Join My Journey dementia program
The Marblehead Council on Aging and The Mariner are partnering to host this event where people can experience a virtual “walk through” of a day in the life of someone with dementia. Participants will get a deeper understanding of the physical and emotional challenges of living with Alzheimer’s. Wednesday, Jan. 22, 1 p.m. , 10 Humphrey St. RSVP at marblehead.org/councilaging-department or by calling 781-631-6255. Transfer Station and beach stickers available Transfer Station and beach stickers are now available for purchase online and in person at the Health Department Office, 7 Widger Road. The stickers are $100 and $40 for each subsequent car in the household. More info is available at marblehead.org/board-health/ health-department.
Registration opens for 40th Marblehead to Halifax race
Registration opened for the 40th biennial Marblehead to Halifax Ocean Race, scheduled to depart Marblehead Harbor on July 6. Started in 1905, it is North America’s oldest ocean race. The 361-nautical-mile
event is sponsored by the Boston Yacht Club and Royal Nova Scotia Yacht Squadron.
COURTESY PHOTO
The Arthur J. Epstein Hillel School in Marblehead was recently awarded $83,000 in security grants, which will support building upgrades and staffing to enhance safety measures.
CURRENT PHOTO / WILL DOWD
Glover’s Marblehead Regiment will hold its annual march to Burial Hill Feb. 1 at 5 p.m., departing from the Old Town House.
COURTESY PHOTO
A friendly canine ambassador encourages dog owners to register their pets during the annual dog license renewal period in Marblehead, which runs through Jan. 31.
Planning Board to recommend its adoption in its “final report” before Town Meeting can take it up.
“If the Planning Board does not rule favorably on this plan, when it goes to Town Meeting, it does not even get heard,” Town Planner Alex Eitler explained at the Planning Board’s Jan. 8 meeting, just hours after the SJC’s ruling was handed down. At that meeting, members of the Planning Board began to grapple with their gatekeeping function over the MBTA Communities Act compliance plan, though it was just a preliminary discussion. A vote to schedule the public hearings on the §3A compliance plan and two other articles the Planning Board intends to sponsor on the Town Meeting warrant is expected at the board’s next meeting Jan. 22.
In his initial remarks relaying town counsel’s analysis of the Milton case, Eitler noted that — at least for a few days — Marblehead was technically still in compliance with the MBTA Communities Act, given that the SJC’s ruling had wiped out the end-of-2024 deadline that it had been expected to meet.
However, in response to questions from members of the board, Eitler was quick to pour cold water on the suggestion that the town might be able to do something productive during this period of limbo by locking in grant money it stands to forfeit from being out of compliance with §3A. Eitler said he had explored that possibility but was told that any grant funding that the town might be in line to receive could be yanked away once the town fell back into noncompliance.
“They still have teeth to pull grants from us, even if we do have a contract,” he said.
Planning Board member Marc Liebman said he was not yet willing to endorse the town’s §3A compliance plan until the board had a chance to review the state’s new regulations, likening it to having the terms of a contract change after it is signed.
Eitler suggested that the new regulations are likely to be “exactly what we currently have,” especially given the time and effort that has been put into developing compliance plans across the 177 cities and towns affected by the MBTA Communities Act.
But Liebman and member Barton Hyte pushed back on that notion slightly, with Hyte noting that, given “another bite at the apple,” the state might well add more grants to the list of programs cities and towns stand to forfeit by not complying with the law.
The board ultimately agreed it made the most sense to stop speculating over what the regulations might look like and instead table the discussion until their Jan. 22 meeting, allowing time for the emergency regulations to be digested.
Member Edward O. Nilsson tried unsuccessfully to reopen discussion over an aspect of the town’s §3A compliance plan, suggesting that the parking space requirement for two-bedroom units should be reduced from two to 1 1/2, which would make meeting the goal of creating more housing more feasible
But both Hyte and Liebman had little patience for revisiting a topic that had been discussed extensively in the development of the plan.
Perhaps more importantly, Eitler noted that time had simply run out to make any substantive changes to the plan, given the state’s months-long review process.
“At this point in time, we cannot change the plan before the warrant article is submitted,” he said. “We have to use this plan.”
Liebman then also brought his fellow board members into the loop on an issue he had been discussing with Eitler, prompted by discussions he had had with opponents of complying with §3A.
To the extent that those who opposed §3A are doing so out of fears of seeing a large development constructed in one of the new districts where multifamily homes would be allowed as of right, there seemed to be a lack of appreciation of how vulnerable the town has long been to even denser developments under the state’s affordable housing law, Chapter 40B.
The proper way to look at §3A, Liebman suggested, may be to consider whether it is the “lesser of two evils,” when compared with 40B.
Residents have something of an object lesson in local developer Ted Moore’s Sailmaker Place project, which is being built under Chapter 40B. When completed, the complex will have 48 units, 12 of them
affordable housing, a density of 20.6 units per acre, more than five units per acre more dense than the 15-units-peracre requirement under §3A, he noted.
While reticent to indulge the exercise — what might ultimately be built in a §3A district is a “designer question” that would depend on a lot of factors, he said — Eitler acknowledged that a developer would typically “lean towards” §3A over Chapter 40B, given the lack of a requirement of setting aside 25% of the units to be sold at below-market rates as affordable housing.
Though they would be fewer in number, units in a §3A project could be sold at a higher price, making the project more economically attractive to the developer, he said.
Board members spent some time using the town’s map to ruminate on the development potential of other parcels in and around Tioga Way. But Liebman cautioned his fellow board members not to get too focused on whether the parcels were currently home to thriving businesses or are underutilized.
“This is a zoning change that is permanent,” he said, noting that economic conditions could change drastically in the decades to come.
§3A advocates: Path forward is clear
Beyond the Planning Board, there was an immediate reaction to the SJC’s ruling by others who have been involved in the fight over whether the town should comply with §3A.
“This decision brings clarity to our path forward,” said Angus McQuilken of the Marblehead Housing Coalition. “The ruling makes clear that the state has the authority to enforce this law, and we’re potentially talking about more at risk than just the loss of grants.”
In recent months, the coalition has intensified its efforts to build support for compliance, including a pledge drive launched in October with blue cards declaring “I will support the MBTA Communities Act.”
Peirce Law, a coalition member, said its members aim
to secure at least 1,000 pledges before the May Town Meeting vote.
The U.S. Census shows the town’s population has transformed significantly under current zoning restrictions.
Since 1970, the number of children under 5 has dropped by half, while the population of young adults aged 25-34 has fallen by more than 50%. The over-85 population has more than doubled.
Kurt James, a member of the Fair Housing Committee, said the SJC ruling offers an opportunity to move past legal debates and focus on addressing these demographic challenges.
“The town has an opportunity now to take a step back without all the emotion that was wrapped up with the state mandate and assess whether this proposed bylaw meets our needs to create more housing for teachers, town employees, elderly residents and young families,” James said.
Law emphasized that Marblehead’s delay in adopting the zoning changes has put the town at a disadvantage.
“We are behind the ball,” he said. “We’re behind the curve. The towns that were prudent and proactive about this decision should be proud of the fact that they were ahead of the game.”
The Housing Coalition plans to continue community outreach ahead of May’s Town Meeting.
“Part of our role is educating residents about opportunities to increase housing choice,” McQuilken said. “The choice is no longer whether to comply. The choice now is how to comply through a democratic process where everyone who wants a voice has one.”
James emphasized the need for continued public engagement to help residents understand both the importance of compliance and the details of proposed zoning changes.
“We need to get them to appreciate that this is a reasoned measure, that the likelihood of dramatically increasing the population or changing the character of the town physically is not high at all,” James said, noting that some development is already moving forward, including plans to add 35 new affordable units on Broughton Road.
McQuilken framed compliance as critical for Marblehead’s economic future.
“We need to build our tax base in this community,” he said. “If we fail to do that, every homeowner and business owner will see annual increases in their tax bills because we’re dividing rising costs among the same number of people.”
The Select Board is expected to discuss next steps at its Jan. 22 meeting. Housing advocates
say the previous narrow defeat suggests the community is close to embracing change.
“[Some against the zoning] wanted to wait. We waited,” said McQuilken. “They lost, and now it’s time for us as a community to unite behind a smart and compliant plan and to pass that plan as soon as it is possible to do so.”
AG would rather collaborate than sue Town Administrator Thatcher Kezer said the SJC’s ruling should help with the approval of the new zoning rules.
“I can’t predict Town Meeting, but the argument by a significant number of folks who indicated they were opposed last time was to wait and see what this decision was,” he said. “Given that the decision is ‘thou shall do this,’ it’s hopeful that the legislative body of the town will comply.”
State Rep. Jenny Armini of Marblehead agreed.
“With clarity from the SJC, I am confident Marblehead will move forward with its thoughtfully crafted plan to comply with the law,” she said.
Marblehead resident and vocal critic of the MBTA Communities Act Anthony Chamay said the guidelines (laying out the specific requirements for acreage, etc.) have always been the “weak link” in the law.
One example, he said, is the definition of “family” in the law.
“What is the interpretation of ‘family’? We have quite a number of condos, which are really equivalent to multifamily dwellings. We didn’t get any credit for those,” Chamay said. He added, “There are a bunch of details to be sorted out.”
At a virtual press conference Wednesday afternoon, the Current asked Attorney General Andrea Campbell what her office’s next steps will be with communities like Marblehead, who rejected zoning changes.
“My expectation based on the decision of the highest court in Massachusetts is that those communities will comply,” she said. “Going forward, my job is to work with municipalities to get them into compliance. We’d rather work in collaboration than sue a municipality.”
Marblehead’s multifamily zoning plan rejected at last year’s Town Meeting included zoning for approximately 58.4 acres across three districts, allowing for up to 897 housing units. This model was designed not only to meet the state’s requirements but also to provide flexibility in addressing local needs and concerns, according to proponents. The plan included 300 existing housing units that would count toward the town’s zoning obligations.
Floodplain tweak, ADU bylaws on warrant
BY KRIS OLSON
In addition to having a say over the town’s MBTA Communities Act compliance plan, the Planning Board is preparing two other articles for May’s Town Meeting.
The articles — one dealing with the town’s floodplain district bylaw and the other with the town bylaw allowing for accessory dwelling units, or ADUs — are still in the “draft stage,” Town Planner Alex Eitler stressed. The purpose of providing the Planning Board with the draft language at its Jan. 8 meeting was to introduce the topics to members of the board and begin to get their thoughts on possible revisions before the board votes to place the articles on the Town Meeting warrant. Given the deadline for closing the warrant at the
end of January, the board is expected to vote to take that step at its next meeting Jan. 22.
But because they both involve zoning changes, there would also need to be a public hearing held in advance of Town Meeting. The board is expected to decide
on Jan. 22 whether to combine those public hearings with the one on the MBTA Communities Act compliance plan or hold them separately. March 11 has been mentioned as a tentative date for the MBTA Communities Act hearing.
With respect to the floodplain district and ADUs, the changes the Planning Board will be requesting are being driven by mandates from the state or, in the case of the floodplain, the federal government.
Eitler said that he did not anticipate the floodplain bylaw changes to be too complicated or controversial. Moreover, he did not expect the changes, which are mostly administrative, to be a tough sell at Town Meeting, given the consequences of not acting favorably.
“We have to comply or lose access to flood insurance for our citizens,” Eitler said.
To the extent there are substantive changes, one of the things the Federal Emergency Management Agency, in coordination with the state’s Department of Conservation and Recreation, is requiring
is that cities and towns assign a permitting authority for work proposed in a floodplain district. In Marblehead, it makes the most sense to have the Conservation Commission serve that role, Eitler said.
Obtaining the necessary permit from the ConsCom would typically be the “final hoop” a proposal would have to jump through after also undergoing review by the Planning Board and Zoning Board of Appeals, Eitler added. The town engineer, who works very closely with the Conservation Commission and ZBA, would serve as the town’s “floodplain administrator.” Planning Board member Marc Liebman asked a question about language in the model bylaw FEMA and DCR had provided
MEETInG M an DaTES
CURRENT PHOTO / NICOLE GOODHUE BOYD
Town Meeting rejected new zoning for multifamily housing at last year’s Town Meeeting.
Racial Justice Team to host first MLK Community Breakfast
BY LEIGH BLANDER
On Monday, Jan. 20 at 9:30 a.m., the Marblehead Racial Justice Team will present its first Martin Luther King Jr. Day Community Breakfast at Old North Church, 35 Washington St. The event is free and open to all. The 90-minute program will include:
we focus on is earlier history, but this is Marblehead’s commercial history from the 19th and predominantly the 20th century,” said Pam Peterson, the Marblehead Historical Commission chair. “It’s a different aspect than what we usually focus on of wars and cod fishing.”
The project’s inception
The project began several years ago when Chris Johnson organized a committee headed by Dick Carlson and Chris Butler. What started as boxes of stored signs has transformed into a professionally curated exhibition, complete with mesh display panels, magnetic labels and an interactive video installation created by David Krathwohl.
From maritime commerce to main street merchants, the signs span more than a century of Marblehead’s business history.
The P.B. Tucker sign, taken from a 1905 power boat operated by the Marblehead Transportation Company, represents the town’s seafaring past. The Richard Price Yacht Yard sign marks the site where aviation pioneer Starling Burgess once built airplanes before it became a renowned boatyard specializing in Lightning Class boats.
Some signs tell surprising stories of entrepreneurial success. Stowaway Sweets, still operating at 154 Atlantic Ave., opened in 1929 and became so renowned that their handdipped chocolates were regularly delivered to the White House during Franklin Roosevelt’s presidency. Marblehead Handprints, founded in 1971 by Kathy Walters and Molly Haley, grew from a local Washington Street shop to a national franchise before closing in the 1990s.
The collection includes beloved local institutions like Brown’s Restaurant, which began as a door-to-door bread delivery service in 1937 before becoming a popular dining spot. ‘The Spirit of ‘76’ Books sign recalls the independent bookstore opened by 21-yearold Robert Hugo in 1965, which evolved into the multi-store Hugobooks chain before closing in 2019. The Barnacle Restaurant sign represents one of the town’s enduring businesses — the harbor-front eatery that began as an open-air summer shack in
» Readings of Amanda Gorman’s poetry. Gorman is an awardwinning writer and Harvard University graduate who recited a poem at President Joe Biden’s inauguration. Presentation of “The Last Song of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.” by Cheryl Boots, a retired Boston University professor and singer-songwriter.
» Time for conversation » A free-will donation of low-salt canned meat or meaty soup for the Marblehead Food Pantry, or grocery store gift cards, will be welcomed. Marblehead League of Women Voters and the Marblehead Ministerial Association are co-sponsors of this event.
1947 remains open today. Educational and civic institutions are also represented.
Signs from the L.H. Coffin School, named after a teacher who served for 51 years, and
Healey signed into law on Aug. 6 and which is set to take effect on Feb. 2.
about recreational vehicles. Eitler replied that while FEMA and DCR were requiring the boilerplate language to appear in the bylaw, he did not see it being implicated in Marblehead.
“I do not anticipate seeing recreational vehicles in Marblehead,” Eitler said, noting that beach access is “extremely limited.”
The changes to the town’s ADU bylaw are more substantive and are required as a result of the state’s new Affordable Homes Act, which Gov. Maura
Since the law’s passage, the state’s Executive Office of Housing and Livable Communities has published a set of draft regulations that is incompatible with certain aspects of the town’s bylaw.
While it has a very limited ability to deny a proposed ADU, the Planning Board would retain authority to engage in site plan review and attach conditions to ensure ADUs mesh with the character of the town under the language drafted for Town Meeting’s consideration. Such
the Samuel C. Eveleth School preserve the memory of Marblehead’s neighborhood schools. The First Church of Christ Old North sign connects to the town’s earliest days,
authority is not a feature of the state’s default law, which the town would be stuck with if the article does not pass at Town Meeting, Eitler noted.
The town also needs to remove two sections of its existing ADU bylaw, including one prohibiting an ADU from being sold or transferred.
That led to questions from the Planning Board that ultimately led to Eitler saying he would seek clarity from town counsel. Read one way, that could mean that a property owner could essentially subdivide their property and sell the ADU independently of the main
marking the congregation founded by fishermen and merchants in 1635. The museum even displays the Massachusetts state seal removed from the Gerry School when it closed in
property, though board members expressed skepticism that that was the Legislature’s intent.
Member Barton Hyte suggested that a more reasonable interpretation is that the change just means that, when the main property and ADU are sold, it does not negate the ADU permit.
Also on the chopping block is the town’s requirement that the property’s owner reside in either the ADU or the main structure on the property. As of Feb. 2, such a restriction will no longer be allowed under state law, Eitler explained.
Planning Board members also
2021.
The museum’s design, organized thematically by former building inspector Chris Butler, allows visitors to trace the evolution of Marblehead’s business district.
“I tried to group together like businesses,” Butler said.
“First grouping in my mind was marine-related — Price’s Yacht Yard, Marblehead Transportation and Willard & Sons moorings.”
Chuck Harlan conducted extensive research on each sign’s history, with Peterson crafting the final text for the displays. Helen Riegle designed a floor map showing the original locations of the businesses.
The interactive video display, programmed by Krathwohl, allows visitors to explore detailed histories and vintage photographs.
A Mobil Oil sign that lights up represents the last of what were once 27 gas stations in town.
“You will never see another gas station in Marblehead,” Butler said.
‘A flavor of history’
The project faced numerous challenges, including the removal of a massive safe that required specialized equipment and coordination with the fire department.
“It really began to feel like it was cursed,” Peterson said with a laugh, recalling the various delays and obstacles. “But everybody came together to make it happen.”
The museum has been dedicated to the memory of Wayne T. Butler, the former Historical Commission chair who began the initial collection and computerization of the town’s historical records.
“Today you think of it as a bedroom community, but over the years, it was a real commercial enterprise,” Thibedeau reflected. “This gives somebody a flavor of the history of the town.”
The Historical Commission continues to accept donations of Marblehead signs, hoping to expand the collection. Each addition helps preserve another piece of the town’s commercial heritage.
“We don’t own these buildings,” Butler said, sharing his philosophy about historic preservation. “These buildings have been around for hundreds of years. We’re just custodians. It’s up to us to provide good stewardship going forward.”
expressed concern over the apparent requirement to exclude porches and roof overhangs from the calculation of gross floor area, which the town counts elsewhere in its zoning bylaws. Liebman noted that created a “potential for abuse” with, say, a porch that is three times the size of the ADU.
Eitler suggested that the site plan review process would still allow the board to set reasonable restrictions and conditions on the ADU.
“It comes down to how reasonable the restrictions are, on a case-by-case basis,” Eitler said.
CURRENT PHOTOS / WILL DOWD
Marblehead Historical Commission members David Krathwohl, far left, Pam Peterson, center, and Christopher Butler display more than 80 signs at the Marblehead Signs Museum in the basement of Abbot Hall.
Marblehead Historical Commission member Christopher Butler, far right, discusses the “Jack Tarr” sign, part of the Marblehead Signs Museum collection, with Bruce Hamilton, far left; Historical Commission Chair Pam Peterson, center left; and David Krathwohl, third to the right.
David Krathwohl highlights the “Much Ado Books” sign, one of over 80 historic signs on display at the Marblehead Signs Museum in Abbot Hall’s basement.
Christmas tree bonfire warms a chilly winter night
Sports
Magicians triumphantly walk off the fabled Celtics court
Marblehead girls create positive Garden memories to secure fifth win
BY JOE MCCONNELL
The Marblehead High girls basketball team (5-2) celebrated its fifth win of the season on the famed parquet floor of the TD Garden last Saturday afternoon after defeating Northeastern Conference rival Saugus during the annual Andrew James Lawson Invitational Tournament, 39-36. “It was a great, fun experience for the girls,” said coach Paul Moran afterwards. “I couldn’t be happier for them.”
This game was much more memorable for Moran than just the final score. He also went up against his first captain — Joe Lowe — when he took over the Saugus High boys basketball program over a dozen years ago. He has been influential over the years in bringing the next generation along into the coaching profession, and the sport is much better for it.
“I loved them all over there in Saugus,” Moran said. “But when we face other, we both want to win the game. This game, like all the others, came down to just a couple of plays, but fortunately for us we made those plays to come out on top. The basketball gods were with us in this game.
BY JOE MCCONNELL
Despite forfeiting two weight classes in the first match of the new year, the Marblehead/ Swampscott Black & Blue wrestling team still went 1-2 in a competitive quad encounter against the likes of Plymouth South, Bridgewater-Raynham and host North Attleborough on Jan. 4. The Magicians recorded their lone team win against Plymouth South, 46-34. “This was a very good team win, with victories coming from Jaymes Carey, Eva Goodman (first varsity win), Liam O’Brien, Gary Podstrelov, Clive Connolly, Mason Hinshaw, Colin Hart and Justin Gonzalez,” said coach Mike Stamison afterwards.
Stamison’s squad then lost a close match to North Attleboro, the eighth ranked team in Division 2, 44-31. O’Brien,
Hinshaw, Hart, Carey, Alejandro Haven and Gavin Lepler accounted for the wins.
Bridgewater-Raynham, the second-best team in Division 2, was next up for the Magicians.
“We had very good wins from
Jaymes Carey, who was able to beat the reigning girls state champion Olivia Polansky, 19-3, and junior captain Liam O’Brien, who continued his fine season after defeating seventh ranked Jack Alves, 10-2. Senior captain
Mason Hinshaw was able to bottle up and pin Josh Hogg for the team’s third win against the Trojans. B-R is a team to emulate,” said Stamison.
“They are all tough (kids) and well-coached. This was a very
good measuring stick day, as it showed where we are against some of the top teams in our division.
“We will keep this event on
COURTESY PHOTO
Marblehead/Swampscott Black & Blue junior captain Colin Hart pins his Lynn opponent during a Jan. 8 match in the 190-pound category.
COURTESY PHOTO / VICTORIA DOSCH
Marblehead High girls basketball senior captain Maddie Forbes shoots over her Saugus counterpart during the annual Andrew James Lawson Invitational Tournament at the TD Garden on Jan. 11. The Magicians ended up winning the close game against their NEC rival, 39-36.
More photos, Pages 11 and 16.
GARDEN, P. A11 WRESTLING, P. A10
weekly sports notebook early in 2025
BY JOE MCCONNELL
Hockey Headers dominate again after refocusing on the details
The Marblehead High boys hockey team (8-1-1) returned to form after a midseason hiccup, where they got away from the little things that made them successful throughout the 2024 calendar year, much to the chagrin of Peabody (3-1), Medford (7-0) and Gloucester (6-0). After 10 games, they have outscored the opposition, 39-11.
In the game against the Fishermen last Saturday afternoon at Salem State University, senior captain Kyle Hart setup sophomore Kellen Laramie with the first goal of the game. Junior Hayden Gallo netted the second goal from James Mackenzie and Hart. Freshman Teddy Dulac also lit the lamp assisted by London McDonald and Mackenzie.
sophomore Will Sullivan (Dephillips, McDonald) and Hart (solo effort) each scored a goal in the third period to break the game wide open.
“The effort level has been better since the games against Medfield and Hopkinton,” said coach Mark Marfione. “Those two games did not add up to a winning effort, but that’s typical of a high school season. Our guys just got overconfident, and forgot about the details. But since those two games, they have done a good job refocusing themselves.”
In the rout over Medford, Hart notched his 100th career point, while junior E.J. Wyman scored his first varsity goal.
Swimmers perfect after three meets
The Marblehead High swim and dive team (3-0) remains perfect after three meets after wins against Peabody (106-71) and Masco (94-84). Veteran coach Sue Guertin is also quite
happy that they have had a number of state and sectional cuts early on in the schedule. Against the Tanners, the 200yard medley relay team of Ian Chemel, Cale Nelson, Brady Leveroni and Logan Doody (1:46.93, state cut) finished first, while the foursome of Omar Elmabarawy, Orion Lewis, Yuri Volkov and Quinn Sullivan (1:54.88) came in second.
Brady Leveroni (1:59.90) and Nate Rosen (2:05.80) topped the ticket in the 200-yard freestyle. Abby Moore (2:18.20) was fourth.
Chemel (2:21.20), Lewis (2:26.01) and Finn Bergquist (2:33.83) swept the 200-yard IM. Doody (22.96, state cut), Elmbarawy (24.83) and Volkov (26.64) did the same in the 50-yard freestyle.
Volkov (166.19 points) was second among the divers. Maxine Hall (145.95) was close behind in third place. Elizabeth Hayes (132.60) finished fourth. Leveroni (57.87, state cut),
Elmabarawy (1:06.70) and Bergquist (1:07.87) were the top three swimmers in the 100-yard butterfly. Doody (51.13, state cut) and Rosen (57.68) went to the head of the class in the 100yard freestyle. Quinn Sullivan (1:02.56) was fourth. Nelson (5:20.33, state cut), Shaelyn Callahan (6:04.25) and Ezra Reid (6:36.16) experienced similar results in the 500-yard freestyle. In the 200-yard freestyle relay, Elmabarawy, Chemel, Lewis and Rosen (1:40.75) finished on top. Phil Gaber, Volkov, Sullivan and Reid (1:52.52) accounted for third.
Chemel (59.01, state cut), Nelson (59.21, state cut) and Grace Ladouceur (1:07.50, sectional cut) took the top three spots in the 100-yard backstroke. Lewis (1:13.78) was alone on top in the 100-yard breaststroke. Callahan (1:18.40) and Monica Pechhold (1:23.55) ended up third and fourth.
Nelson, Leveroni, Rosen and Doody (3:44.09) had the fastest
time in the 400-yard freestyle relay. Bergquist, Abby Moore, Ladouceur and Callahan (4:20.19, sectional cut) were second.
2025 is bound to get better for boys basketball
The Marblehead High boys basketball team (3-4) dropped three games since the calendar flipped to 2025 against the likes of Masco (60-52), Peabody (5643) and Swampscott (79-63). Against Peabody, coach Mike Giardi blames the loss on a slow start. “We really never got it going, especially in the first quarter,” said Giardi. “But Peabody was able to get things going, which created some easy baskets (off) their press.
“We truly struggled from the floor, falling behind by as many as 21 points, but we did fight back to get within 10,” added Giardi.
Junior Finn Gallup and senior captain Sam Thompson led the way for the Marblehead boys with nine points apiece.
BY JOE MCCONNELL
NAME: Jacob Bobowski
AGE: 17
FAMILY: Parents: Jason and Sandra; sister: Anna Bobowski, 19
SCHOOL YEAR: Senior
SPORTS YOU PLAY: Track and football
FAVORITE SPORT, AND WHY: My favorite sport is track, because I love the atmosphere and the people that I get to meet.
MOST MEMORABLE MEET
FOR YOU, AND WHY: The most memorable meet was last year’s outdoor Division 3 state relays, when (my) 4x200 relay team (Ryan Corrigan, Tommy Carlson, Alex Hersey and Bobowski) beat the school record that we had set the year before.
PLANS FOR AFTER HIGH SCHOOL: I have already committed to Springfield College for track.
MAJOR: Exercise science DO YOU WANT TO PLAY SPORTS IN COLLEGE: I will be running track in college.
DESIRED CAREER: Personal trainer/physical therapist
Four Prep athletes from Marblehead pick colleges
Four Marblehead residents were among 18 St. John’s Prep scholar-athletes representing seven sports who inked commitment letters to compete at their chosen colleges on Jan. 8 during the ongoing NCAA signing periods.
Three of those Marblehead athletes compete on the fourtime defending state champion Eagles lacrosse team.
Luke Kelly, a 6-foot, 195-pound midfielder, is headed to the University of Michigan.
Cameron McCarthy, a 6-foot, 190-pound attacker, is bound for Loyola University in Maryland.
Jack Weissenburger, a 6-foot, 190-pound defenseman, will enroll at Harvard University.
Meanwhile, diver Greg Santosus is headed to the Virginia Military Institute.
The school will announce further commitments by
student-athletes this spring. The NCAA did away with national letters of intent this past October due to a loss of enforcement authority in anticipation of revenue sharing with athletes.
Student-athletes now sign a written offer of athletic aid with schools, which still has the force and effect of prohibiting other schools from sending any recruiting communications.
the schedule next year, as it is such a good barometer,” added Stamison. “Isaiah Gibson, Soren Lorenz, Nolan Glass, Manny Hernandez, Andrew Delisle, Xavier Tejeda, Greg Podstrelov, Gavin and Graham Ferretti, Maya Alix, Devin DiBarri and Phineas Jakious were able to gain considerably more experience against some of the best wrestlers in the state here in this meet.”
Black & Blue gets revenge
In a rare weeknight match, the Magicians welcomed both Danvers and Lynn to Marblehead High on Jan. 8. Danvers has controlled this
Wednesday, Jan. 15
4:30 p.m., girls and boys indoor track, multiple schools, Swampscott High
6:30 p.m., wrestling, Salem, Marblehead High gym
7 p.m., boys hockey, Methuen, Methuen High
7:30 p.m., girls hockey, Masconomet, Salem State University
Thursday, Jan. 16
6:30 p.m., alpine skiing, TBA, Blue Hills Ski Area, Canton
6:30 p.m., gymnastics, Peabody,
rivalry the last several years, but the Black & Blue was able to turn the tables on the Falcons to the tune of 66-18.
3 p.m., girls and boys indoor track, MSTCA Relay, Reggie Lewis Track, Roxbury Monday, Jan. 20
Alejandro Haven, Phineas Jakious, Colin Hart, Xavier Tejeda and Justin Gonzalez all came through with victories. The home team also squared off in three exhibition matches, and Andrew Delisle, Nolan Glass and
Noon, gymnastics, HamiltonWenham, Iron Rail Gymnastics Academy, Wenham
Tuesday, Jan. 21
7 p.m., girls basketball, Winthrop, Marblehead High gym
7 p.m., boys basketball, Winthrop, Winthrop High
7:30 p.m., girls hockey, Bishop Fenwick, Salem State University
Wednesday, Jan. 22
4:10 p.m., girls hockey, Newton North, John Ryan Arena, Watertown
6:15 p.m., swimming/diving,
Graham Ferretti accounted for the wins.
The Black & Blue also defeated the young Lynn squad, 70-9.
Isaiah Gibson, Eva Goodman, Ilan Hod, Liam O’Brien, Gary Podstrelov, Devin DiBarri, Clive
Swampscott, JCC of the North Shore, Marblehead
7:55 p.m., boys hockey, Masconomet, Valley Forum, Haverhill
Thursday, Jan. 23
4:30 p.m., girls and boys indoor track, Saugus, Gloucester High School
Connolly, Mason Hinshaw, Alejandro Haven, Gavin Lepler, Colin Hart and Xavier Tejeda secured wins. Phineas Jakious and Greg Podstrelov were credited with the exhibition wins.
6 p.m., swimming/diving, NEC Diving Championships, PeabodyLynnfield YMCA
7 p.m., girls basketball, Beverly, Marblehead High
7 p.m., boys basketball, Beverly, Beverly High
COURTESY PHOTO
One of seven St. John’s Prep lacrosse players who signed written letters of athletic aid at a Jan. 8 commitment ceremony, midfielder Luke Kelly of Marblehead will take his talents to the University of Michigan this fall.
The National Grand Bank sponsors the Current’s student athlete spotlight.
COURTESY PHOTO
The Marblehead/Swampscott Black & Blue wrestling team is, from left, back row, assistant coaches Jeff Hinshaw, Andrew Norton and Rob Hopkins, Manny Hernandez, Greg Podstrelov, Alejandro Haven, Graham Ferretti, captain Colin Hart, Xavier Tejeda, Phineas Jakious, Gavin Lepler, captain Clive Connolly, captain Mason Hinshaw, captain Justin Gonzalez, head coach Michael Stamison and assistant coach Eli Smith. Front row, Eva Goodman, Ilan Hod, Nolan Glass, Jaymes Carey, Andrew Delisle, Devin DiBarri, captain Liam O’Brien, Gary Podstrelov, Ryan Herald, Maya Alix, Isaiah Gibson and Kenny Drolette.
Local rowers join international challenge to raise money for charities
BY LEIGH BLANDER
Twenty-eight members of Marblehead’s RocknRow open water rowing club ended 2024 with a splash — logging more than 2,085 miles on their home rowing machines (called ergs) between Thanksgiving and Christmas Eve.
The group joined an international challenge sponsored by the erg company Concept2, which raised over $57,000 for five charities, including the national Clean Air Task Force.
“It’s just to keep our interest in being fit going,” said Pal Bickford, a RocknRow member who organized the club’s participation in the challenge.
“Sometimes you feel like you’re
From P. A9
We had our share of turnovers and missed shots, but this is a game of runs, and fortunately we had the last run.”
Greta Sachs led the way with 10 points. Point guard Samara Dosch nailed a couple of three-point shots, while also setting up the rest of the offense with her ball handling skills. Ramona Gillett also chipped in with six points.
Moran specifically singled out the contributions of Tessa Andriano (6 points) and Lucy McDonald throughout this Garden win. “They both handled the Saugus pressure very well,” he added.
Prior to the Garden party, the Magicians escaped with a one-point win over Swampscott, 29-28 on Jan.
9. Maddie Forbes (6 points) was one of the stars of this game after coming up with a clutch steal before converting it into a gamewinning layup with eight seconds left on the clock. Swampscott still had an opportunity to win the game from the free throw line, but ended up missing both foul shots.
Andriano accounted for nine points against the Big Blue, and Gillette chipped in with seven to help lead the attack. Liv Goldwater was close behind with six.
But last week will always be remembered for the win at the Garden. It might have been a snowy day outside, but inside it was a day where memories were made that will last a lifetime.
all alone in your basement, rowing between the washing machine and the wine rack.”
To liven things up each
each
how many miles they plan to
and develops an imaginary route. This year, the
team rowed from Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, to Centinela del Mar on
the Argentinian coast.
“Everyday or every other day, I would check in on how far we’d gone and mark it on a special Google map,” Bickford said.
“Then I’d write something about the area… a mixture of social and historical information.”
“It was great,” said RocknRow member Tracy Lessor, who completed 206 miles in the challenge.
RocknRow ranked 64th out of 1,815 teams globally, according to Lessor. Many people on the Marblehead team are in their 60s and 70s.
“I think RocknRow has discovered the fountain of youth!” Lessor said.
To learn more about
RocknRow, visit rocknrow.org.
year, Bickford asks
rower
complete
COURTESY PHOTO
RocknRow member Tracy Lessor rowed 206 miles in her basement for an international holiday challenge.
COURTESY IMAGE / PAL BICKFORD
RocknRow’s Pal Bickford charted local rowers’ mileage on a map to keep the group inspired. They “traveled” from Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, to Centinela del Mar on the Argentinian coast.
COURTESY PHOTO / VICTORIA DOSCH
Marblehead High girls basketball captain Ramona Gillett gets ready to score two against Saugus during the annual Andrew James Lawson Invitational Tournament at the TD Garden on Jan. 11. The Magicians ended up winning the close game against their NEC rival, 39-36.
Marblehead High girls basketball senior exchange student Zoi Guzzini plays close defense against Saugus during the annual Andrew James Lawson Invitational Tournament at the TD Garden on Jan. 11. The Magicians ended up winning the close game against their NEC rival, 39-36.
Some fancy footwork from Marblehead’s Samara Dosch as the MHS girls basketball team takes on Saugus at the TD Garden.
Tessa Andriano, right, and Samara Dosch try to stop Saugus from scoring at the TD Garden. The Magicians won, 39-36.
Liv Goldwater takes her shot as the MHS girls basketball team battles Saugus at the TD Garden.
Rodgers looks back on a town full of memories
BY GREY COLLINS
Marblehead native Dave Rodgers sat in an armchair in the house he grew up in, surrounded by old black-and-white photographs, and described growing up in Marblehead in the 1950s. He fondly remembers chasing pheasants down local train tracks with a bow and arrow, playing baseball at Seaside Park — just a quick bike ride from where he sat now — and spending afternoons fishing for flounder.
Born in 1949, Rodgers has been able to see Marblehead and its residents grow and change over the years. He grew up in a time before games of pick-up baseball, bike riding and fishing were replaced by video games and Instagram.
“We would hang down at Seaside all the time during the summers,” Rodgers said. “We’d be down playing basketball till the lights went out. In the afternoons, we would go down to the beach or to the wharf and swim. As I got older, a few of my friends got small rowboats, and we went flounder fishing. It was good, clean fun.”
He even bought a rowboat with the money he earned by scoring baseball games at Seaside.
Baseball was another favorite activity for Rodgers and the neighborhood kids. During the
spring and summer they would often play pickup baseball at Seaside Park. They organized most of it themselves, something that in this era of organized sports many kids aren’t familiar with.
“We used to go to the park in the springtime and everybody was out there playing baseball,” Rodgers said. “Now you just don’t see that unless it’s organized.”
Rodgers thinks there isn’t a strong community in Marblehead anymore, and that people have become
disconnected from each other.
“Everybody used to know everybody,” Rodgers said. “You could walk downtown and see lots of people you knew, but today I walk downtown and I don’t know anybody. It used to be very close-knit.”
He also thinks that life in Marblehead was better before smartphones and screens took over.
“The kids always entertained themselves,” Rodgers said. “There were no video games. We would all just get together
to play ball instead. We had a lot more freedom, but people were always looking out for us. There was definitely a stronger sense of community back then.”
After graduating high school, Rodgers joined the Navy and went off to fight in Vietnam. After returning, he went into commercial fishing and lobstering. He still fishes to this day.
“There’s a lot of freedom out there,” Rodgers said. “It’s beautiful. It’s just peaceful, it’s not even like work.” He owns a
fishing shanty down near Flat Rock (near Fort Beach), and inside it’s filled with equipment, buoys and a wood stove. Outside there are piles of lobster traps waiting for next summer. Rodgers is perhaps best known around town as Marblehead’s veterans affairs agent for 25 years, and he said it was one of the most fulfilling experiences of his life. He retired last year.
“It was very rewarding,” Rodgers said. “I got to know a lot of older gentlemen who were in the Greatest Generation. It was quite rewarding to get to know quite a few of those guys.”
When the Seaside Park grandstand was in disrepair and almost needed to be demolished in the 1980s, Rodgers stepped up and spearheaded the effort to save one of his favorite places from his childhood. He helped raise money to repair it, and it was eventually protected as an historic landmark.
Rodgers advises young people to stay humble, chase their aspirations and respect others, because he believes it can get you quite far.
“Have time for people, and respect them,” Rodgers said. “Don’t judge too quickly and don’t ever give up. If you’ve got a dream or something you want to do, don’t give up on it. Be a good teammate and be a good person and don’t make fun of people or be a bully.”
Tax credits ease financial burden for Marblehead solar investment
BY WILL DOWD
When Marblehead
Municipal Light
Department
Commissioner JeanJacques Yarmoff first visited Massachusetts’ largest solar installation, the view from ground level belied its true scale. Standing at the operations center in Ludlow, he could see just 10 rows of panels stretching toward the horizon, with the rest of the 35-acre facility hidden as the land sloped away.
“It’s massive, but you really can’t see the full extent from there,” Yarmoff said. “The best view is from above, where you can see it spread across what was once military land — some say it looks like a miniature New Hampshire.”
That sprawling solar array, built on the grounds of the Massachusetts Municipal Wholesale Electric Company received welcome news last week: a $2.34 million federal tax credit that could eliminate three and a half years of debt service costs for its six participating communities, including Marblehead.
Known as the MMWEC/
Master Sergeant Alexander Cotton Memorial Solar Project, the 6.9-megawatt facility represents Marblehead’s latest step toward achieving ambitious carbon-free energy goals.
The federal tax credit will reduce the cost of power from the solar facility by about 2 cents per kilowatt hour – from 7.6 cents to 5.5 cents. To put this in perspective: When Marblehead residents turn on their lights or run their dishwasher, the power feeding their homes costs the light department about 4 cents per kilowatt hour on average. While solar power remains slightly more expensive even with the tax credit, its small portion of Marblehead’s total energy mix – just 1.5% – means it won’t significantly impact residents’ electricity bills, Joseph Kowalik, MMLD general manager told the Marblehead Current. He added the real value is that the tax credit helps make the first solar project more economically viable while advancing the town’s clean energy goals.
“We’re always looking
at the business model behind clean energy projects to see if we can add them to our portfolio without materially impacting electricity costs for our customers,” said Kowalik. “This project, combined with the value of its renewable energy certificates, fits within our benchmark for where we want to be.”
The tax credit comes through the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022,
marking one of the first instances of a public power joint action agency receiving direct payment under the program. The project, which began development in 2021 and was energized in 2023, currently provides approximately 1.5% of Marblehead’s annual energy needs.
The site’s history adds intrigue to its current mission. Built on former Westover Air Force
Base land, remnants of Cold War-era military installations still dot the landscape.
“You can still see all these incredibly strong bunkers,” Kowalik noted. “Rows of bunkers that once housed missiles.”
The Cotton Solar Project joins MMLD’s diverse power portfolio, which already includes ownership stakes in nuclear plants, wind facilities and hydroelectric operations throughout New England. Currently, 42% of Marblehead’s energy comes from carbon-free sources.
Here’s how MMLD’s carbon-free power sources breakdown:
» Millstone 3 Nuclear: 12,704 MWh (26.8%)
Seabrook Nuclear: 12,882 MWh (27.2%)
NY Power Authority Hydro: 7,858 MWh (16.6%)
» Hydro-Quebec: 6,570 MWh (13.9%)
Berkshire Wind 1: 1,465 MWh (3.1%)
Berkshire Wind 2: 1,272 MWh (2.7%)
» Hancock Wind: 2,077 MWh (4.4%)
Eagle Creek Hydro: 2,542 MWh (5.4%)
Total: 47,370 MWh out of 100,000 MWh used annually.
» Five other municipal utilities — Boylston, Ipswich, Mansfield, Peabody and Wakefield — joined Marblehead in financing the project. Marblehead’s 10.87% share represents roughly $1.58 million of the total construction cost.
The facility employs advanced bifacial module technology, allowing panels to capture both
direct sunlight and reflected light from their backsides, enhancing year-round production efficiency. According to Kowalik, the system has proven highly reliable, with only four panels requiring replacement during its first year of operation.
Officials emphasize that the project’s primary benefit lies in advancing Marblehead’s clean energy goals while maintaining stable rates.
“In New England, carbon-free energy isn’t always less expensive than traditional sources,” Kowalik said. “Our objective is to find clean energy projects that are close enough to our average costs today that we can add them to our portfolio without materially impacting electricity prices for our customers.”
The Cotton Solar Project complements MMLD’s other renewable initiatives, including support for residential solar installations. By the end of 2023, Marblehead had 83 residential and commercial solar installations with a combined capacity of 721 kilowatts, generating 439 megawatt-hours annually.
“Individual solar installations, while not negligible, won’t drastically change Marblehead’s power portfolio,” Yarmoff noted. “That’s why we need both — encouraging individual clean energy adoption while pursuing larger utility-scale projects through MMWEC. We need clear goals and clear ways to get there.”
CURRENT PHOTO / GREY COLLINS
Marblehead native Dave Rodgers stands in the doorway of his restored fishing shanty. He is a Navy veteran and the town’s former Veterans Affairs agent.
Playing with restaurant favorites: Cacio e pepe and salmoriglio
BY LINDA BASSETT
Cold winter days are my time to improve kitchen skills, update old recipes and explore new cuisines. The fierce winds have given me the opportunity to “play” in the kitchen with a tricky pasta. The final menu: a rich creamy pasta first course, followed by plain fish and green vegetables lit up with savory herbs.
Cacio e pepe is a simple pasta dish of cheese and peppercorns. The best eateries turn out a creamy, peppery concoction that sticks to the ribs. Poor restaurants offer up sticky, lumpy, grainy substance. The ticket price is the same for each.
To learn to do this dish justice, I started with a basic recipe. With each attempt, I coaxed the ingredients to do what I wanted. I learned a few things while experimenting.
I started with two imported Italian cheeses — Pecorino Romano and Parmigiano Reggiano. Some cooks use them interchangeably, but they are different cheeses, symphonic when correctly commingled.
They should be finely grated and left to sit on the kitchen counter to warm up to room temperature. I found that if used cold, the cheeses turn grainy when heated.
Pepper is not often a key recipe ingredient, but here it is. It takes a lot of good ground pepper (not from a shaker) to get the right balance. Freshly ground. When ground directly into the grated cheeses and whisked, it eases into the sauce.
“Thick” spaghetti (with a
wider diameter than plain spaghetti) works best for this. Some brands designate this on the box. The results can be even better with perciatelli or bucatini, thick spaghetti with a hole through the center. The pasta is cooked until al dente, tender but not limp. But rather than draining it in a colander, I took it from the pot to the bowl — quickly — in batches with tongs. A little extra water clinging to the strands of pasta encourages a smoother sauce. A little olive oil and a tablespoon or two of cooking water after tossing doesn’t hurt either. This is a first course I like to follow with an easy main course. Simply cooked fish or chicken with a side of green vegetables. I tried my hand at salmoriglio, a light, fresh sauce that adds
larger-than-life flavor to grilled, broiled, poached or boiled foods with the flavors of southern Italy. It’s meant to be spooned over food right on the plate. Easy. Uncooked. I like it best the way I first tasted it at a restaurant, simply served in a bowl to spoon or drizzle over grilled fish.
I played with lots of authentic regional ingredients before I found a mixture I liked. In one version I leaned heavily on lemon juice; in another, on the herbs. I tried several brands of olive oil and found that boldly flavored extra virgin olive oil works best. I added lemon zest to pump up the juice.
In the recipe is a list of suggestions. The starred ingredients are my favorites, but the combination is up to the
CACIO E PEPE
Makes 4 servings. Take the cheese out of the fridge two hours ahead of using.
I also found it helps to start with a warm bowl. Since this is very rich, I’ve used less than a pound for four servings as a starter.
` 1½ cups finely grated Pecorino Romano, plus extra for sprinkling
` 1 cup finely grated Parmigiano Reggiano
` 1 tablespoon freshly ground black pepper, plus extra
` ¾ pound thick spaghetti, or perciatelli or bucatini
` 1 to 2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil
Combine the cheeses and ground pepper in a large bowl with a tablespoon or two of water. Whisk together until they
form a thick paste. Spread this on the bottom and part way up the sides of the bowl wherever it sticks.
Cook the pasta in boiling water until tender but slightly chewy. Take a cup of the cooking water out of the pot; set aside. With tongs, take the pasta out of the pot, letting it drain into the pot on the way out. Pile it into the bowl with the cheeses. Toss right away until the cheese mixture completely coats the pasta. (There should be no puddle of sauce in the bottom of the bowl.)
Add a teaspoon or two of olive oil. If the sauce clumps up, add some of the saved cooking water, a tablespoon at a time, and toss to help it coat the pasta. The finished sauce will be creamy and adhere to the pasta. Serve hot.
SALMORIGLIO
Makes about ¾ cup. If anchovies are added, use only one or two, chopped very finely.
` 1-2 garlic cloves, finely chopped ` 4 tablespoons fresh lemon juice (from one whole lemon)
` Zest from one whole lemon
` ½ to ¾ cup extra virgin olive oil
` Sea salt, to taste
` 1-2 teaspoons fresh parsley, finely chopped
` Fresh thyme leaves (optional)
` 1 sprig rosemary, finely chopped (optional)
` 1 teaspoon fresh oregano leaves, finely chopped
` 1 teaspoon capers (optional)
` 1-2 anchovies, very finely chopped (optional)
Stir together garlic and lemon juice in a bowl. Set aside up to 2 hours. Stir in the fresh herbs and other flavorings.
Gradually whisk in the oil.
Too many toys, nothing to play with
BY LIZZIE ASSA
My 7-year-old keeps complaining there’s “nothing to do” while literally surrounded by new stuff.
“Yeah, there’s nothing to do!” my 5-yearold echoes as he trudges through the scattered magnetic tiles he begged for. Meanwhile, my 3-year-old stares at the iPad while sitting inside an empty cardboard box.
Part of me knows this is normal, post-holiday chaos, but there’s this nagging voice wondering if we overdid it with the gifts. I should delete my Amazon account, I think to myself as I scroll through credit card statements, each toy purchase turning my stomach.
I wish I could go back and urgently correct my November self who thought buying all new holiday toys would solve
the boredom that sets in each January.
Sound familiar? Let’s talk about why this happens and how to help your kids start playing.
Think about the last time you walked into a restaurant with a massive menu. You were so excited to grab dinner, but now you can’t decide what to get. You snack on some bread, drink your Diet Coke, and now nothing really looks that good. Your partner asks what you’re getting, and you want to snap at them...
“I don’t know!” You wish they’d just pick for you.”
Kids feel the same way when faced with a slew of new toys. They want to play with everything, but it’s tricky to know where to start. Add in complex packaging, instructions they can’t decipher on their own, and it makes sense that they feel overwhelmed and avoidant.
What can you do to help?
» Make using their toys feel effortless and inviting by unwrapping everything
completely and removing the bulky boxes and frustrating packaging. Set up just one or two new toys. Imagine arriving at that restaurant and finding golden brown fries, a grilled cheese cooked to perfection, and a fizzy Diet Coke waiting at the table when you sat down — that’s the feeling you want to create for your kids with their toys. Arrange their new puzzle on a corner table with a few pieces already connected, or before your child returns from school or wakes up from a nap, take a moment to set up a scene with their toys. This could
be as simple as a line of their new cars up to a simple block structure.
» Young kids want to be near you, but that doesn’t mean you need to play with them. Be a boring presence in their play area or bring their toys into your area. Engage in your own activity like reading or listening to a podcast near their toys. Your proximity will subtly encourage them to start playing without direct intervention. When they ask you to play, tell them you are doing your work while they do theirs. Be boring but present and stay consistent with your answer.
» Combine the familiar with the new. When everything is novel, children tend to retreat to what’s comforting and familiar — like that cardboard box! Try merging their mostloved toys with new ones. Maybe their favorite dinosaur becomes the keeper of the new magnetic tile castle, or their cherished stuffed bunny gets to try out the new tea set first.
Remember that November self who thought new toys would solve winter boredom? Give her some grace. We’ve all been there, excited for the holidays and trying to prepare for those long indoor days ahead. Watching your 3-year-old ignore the expensive new toys while playing with that empty Amazon box is perfectly okay. They’ll play with their new toys another day.
Lizzie Assa is founder of The Workspace for Children, a parenting strategist, play expert and mother of three who lives in Marblehead.
cook.
CURRENT PHOTO / LINDA BASSETT
a SK LIZZIE
Shining a light on the news you care about!
Headlight
Written by the students of
Marblehead High School for our school and community
Coming soon at MHS: Hadestown
Benji Boyd, Editor-in-Chief, Senior
This past Wednesday, the Marblehead High School Drama Club met to discuss the upcoming spring musical for the first time. This year’s selection is Hadestown, a hit musical that retells the Greek myth of Orpheus and Eurydice, with songs inspired by American folk music and New Orleans-inspired jazz. Auditions will be held next Wednesday, January 15, in the MHS auditorium at 4 PM.
Co-director Ashley Skeffington commented on the modern aesthetic of the show and the contrast to its ancient source material. “Don’t come in expecting to see everyone in togas,” she advises anyone interested in trying out for a role. “There’s a lot of folk and blues influence in the play, which I think gives our actors a chance to stretch different muscles.”
The cast includes a wide range of mythological characters, such as Orpheus, Eurydice, Hades, Persephone, and
Hermes. The play tells the tale of Eurydice's tragic descent into the world of the dead, ruled by the god Hades, and her lover Orpheus’s bid to bring her back. The musical includes leading roles for both male and female actors, but Skeffington and her co-director Andrew Scoglio have confirmed that they would consider gender-bending a role if needed.
In addition to singers to perform the lead roles, the Drama Club is also calling for dancers to perform dance numbers and any actors interested in being a part of an ensemble. Once rehearsals get underway, technicians and crew will also be needed to build sets, help with costuming and make-up, and move set items and props during the actual performances.
Hadestown will be performed at the MHS auditorium on April 11-13. Until then, anyone interested in auditioning, joining crew, or helping out in any way is encouraged to reach out to the directors and get involved.
Sleep deprivation among high school students
Kathleen Hanson, Assistant Editor, Junior
Ask any high school student how much sleep they got last night, and the answer is often the same: "Not enough."
Sleep deprivation has become a widespread problem for teens, driven by demanding schedules, academic pressure, and digital distractions. While sacrificing sleep might seem like a badge of honor in the pursuit of success, the consequences can be farreaching and damaging.
Teenagers need between 8 and 10 hours of sleep per night, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). However, most high school students only manage 6 to 7 hours, creating a significant deficit that impacts both their physical and mental health. The reasons for this shortfall are varied. Many schools start as early as 7:30 a.m., forcing students to wake up before their natural biological clocks allow. At the same time, homework, extracurricular activities, and part-time jobs leave students with little time to rest. Technology is another culprit. Smartphones, laptops, and gaming consoles emit blue light, which disrupts the body’s production of melatonin, the hormone that helps regulate sleep. Social pressures play a role too; fear of missing out keeps many teens scrolling through social media late into the night.
The effects of sleep de-
EDITOR-IN-CHIEF:
privation are serious and extensive. Sleep is essential for brain function, mood regulation, and overall health. Without enough rest, students struggle with concentration, memory, and problem-solving, leading to poor academic performance. The lack of sleep also takes a toll on mental health, increasing the risk of anxiety, depression, and mood swings.
Physical health isn’t spared either; chronic sleep deprivation has been linked to weakened immune systems, obesity, and even heart disease. In addition, sleep-deprived teens are more prone to accidents and injuries, such as those caused by drowsy driving or reduced coordination during physical activities.
Addressing this problem requires action on multiple fronts.
Students can start by practicing good sleep hygiene, such as setting a consistent bedtime, limiting screen time before bed, and creating a relaxing nighttime routine. Time management is also critical—prioritizing tasks, avoiding procrastination, and setting aside specific times for studying and relaxation can help free up valuable hours for sleep. It’s important to limit caffeine and energy drinks as well, since these stimulants can interfere with the body’s ability to fall asleep and stay asleep. On a larger scale, schools can play a role by considering later start times. Research shows that when
schools begin later in the morning, students experience improved attendance, better academic performance, and enhanced overall well-being.
Sleep isn’t a luxury—it’s a necessity. By prioritizing rest, students can enhance their mental clarity, physical health, and emo-
tional resilience. In a world thatdemands so much from teenagers, getting enough sleep is one of the most powerful ways to stay healthy and succeed. The road to better grades, stronger friendships, and happier days begins with a good night’s sleep.
Dodgeball for dollars
On Thursday, December 19, just before the start of winter break, more than 30 students gathered together in the field house to play dodgeball and support a great cause. The Marblehead High School Sports for a Cause club, which has been organizing charity sports tournaments for almost a year, teamed up with the MHS chapter of the National Green School Society to organize the tournament.
It took about three weeks for SFAC and NGSS to organize the tournament, and there were some bumps along the way, but it all eventually came together incredibly well.
“It was really exciting,” said Felix Regnault, co-president of NGSS. “We had some difficulties getting everyone together at first, but once we got it started things moved really swiftly.”
In the dodgeball tournament, which took place in the MHS field house, four teams of six players competed in a tournament bracket, with each team competing in a best of three
matchup in both rounds. The tournament raised one hundred and eighty dollars for the National Green School Society.
“This money is going toward funding our NGSS projects,” said Regnault. “We will use it to support projects like the MHS greenhouse and buying fish for our aquaponics.”
The dodgeball tournament was a great community building event as well, and students were able to get together to raise money for an important cause.
“One of the best parts of leading the NGSS is being able to create events that not only unite the community of MHS, but also bring people together for a good cause,” said Jack Twomey, co-president of NGSS. “Being a community-funded club means that we absolutely appreciate anybody who shows up to help out.”
The Sports for a Cause club is hoping to have a pickleball tournament later on in the year to support more important causes.
REPORTERS: Nathaniel Carper-Young, Anna Baughman, Anya Kane, Evan Eisen, Niko King, William Pelliciotti, Peter Sullivan, Nasira Warab, Grace Wolverton, Madalyn Gelb, Teagan Freedman, Samuel Jendrysik, Nicholas Jones, Arabella Pelekoudas
Grey Collins, Assistant Editor, Junior
Marblehead’s best bets
Current Events spotlights exciting happenings in the coming week. If you’d like to contribute a listing, please email Current editor Leigh Blander at lblander@marbleheadnews.org. Leigh Blander
Who’s up for haggis?
Friday, Jan. 17, 6:30 p.m.
Scots around the world convene towards the end of January to celebrate the birthday of Robert Burns, the 18th-century poet still referred to as Scotland’s national bard who is known for his many poems and songs, including “Auld
Health & Wellness Fair
Saturday, Jan 18, 10 a.m.- 2 p.m.
Lang Syne”. After a 10-year tradition of holding Burns Suppers at Old North Church and then devising and producing “Love Scotland” at Marblehead Little Theatre, resident Rhod Sharp last year teamed up with his original Burns
Check out the Health & Wellness Fair at the Community Center, 10 Humphrey St., and meet 29 fitness-related vendors and find the right fit for your health journey. There will also be raffle prizes, including free classes, memberships and more.
Kids’ Club
Wednesday, Jan. 22, 3:15pm – 5:15pm
Supper collaborator, Jeremy Bell, to bring the first ever Burns Night to The Landing. It was such a success, they’re doing it again. $65 includes a meal and Scotch tasting. Reserve your spot by calling Vicki Staveacre at 202- 679-3356.
Reptiles hangout
Poetry Salon
Thursday, Jan. 16, 2 p.m. The Poetry Salon at Abbot Library will start the new year with the poetry of Diane Seuss. Her book “Frank: Sonnets” won the Pulitzer Prize for Poetry in 2022. Salem State University Professor Emerita Claire Keyes will lead the discussion. Registration is required to attend in person or via Zoom. tinyurl.com/Diane-Seuss-Poetry
Code 51 at The Landing
Thursday, Jan. 16, 7-9 p.m.
Come out to The Landing Restaurant for live music in the old pub. The band Code 51 will be playing. 81 Front St.
Encourage your child’s creativity at Kids’ Club. Kids’ Club at the Willie Shaker Gallery, 70 Washington St., is led by kids and includes string games, flag making, stop-action movies and puppets. Kids build, paint, measure, act and collaborate. The cost is $35 per child. Register at willieshakergallery. as.me/01945.
Dogs
From P. A2
First offense: Up from $25 to $100
» Second offense: Up from $50 to $300
Additional offenses: Up from $50 to $500
The update would also stipulate that dogs be on leashes no longer than 12 feet long.
Poop pick-up
The updated bylaws would increase fines for people who don’t pick up after their dogs. Penalties would jump from $50 for the first offense to $250 for the first and every violation.
Where can Rover roam?
Right now, on- or off-leash dogs are not allowed at most town parks, all playing fields and all beaches from May through October.
Wednesday, Jan. 22, 3:30 p.m.
Kids ages 8-11 are invited to join an occupational therapist from The Power of Speech for an interest-based hangout and playgroup at Abbot Library, 235 Pleasant St. The topic for this month is… reptiles!
This is a chance to meet, play and hang out with other kids who share similar interests, developing friendship skills and giving them opportunities to share something they love to do. Each class will offer
Bedrossian wants to rethink that schedule to have it better reflect field use. That will be worked out soon, she said.
“We have programming and youth sports on the athletic fields from April 1mid-November, with tarps down from December-April,” Bedrossian wrote to the Current.
“The time frame of May-October makes no sense as it may have in 1992 when the bylaw was created.”
Beach bans
Per the state Department of Public Health and Bureau of Environmental Health, dog waste on bathing beaches is a serious public health risk and can bring significant harm to shellfish beds and aquatic life.
The updated bylaws would ban dogs from the following bathing beaches year-round: Devereux, Gas House, Stramski, Grace Oliver and Cove Lane (on the
accommodations that support all learning and interaction styles. Space is limited to six kids, and registration is required. Register at tinyurl.com/Reptiles-Hangout. Caregivers are welcome to stay and observe or drop off and browse the library during their child’s class.
Neck).
The updates would also clarify that dogs are never allowed at the following:
Public cemeteries
» Athletic playing fields and courts, including Reynolds Park, Gatchells Park, Seaside Park, Seaside tennis and pickleball courts, Veterans School fields, Veterans tennis and pickleball courts, Village School track, Hopkins Field, Village lower field, Piper Field, Marblehead High School lower back fields, Orne Field, Hobbs Field and Brown School fields.
Higher fines
People who still bring their dogs to these off-limit areas would face higher fines.
First offense increases from $25 to $100
» Second offense increases from $50 to $300
» Third and subsequent
‘A View From the Bridge’
Starting Friday, Jan. 17, 7:30 p.m.
Marblehead Little Theatre presents “A View from the Bridge,” the story of longshoreman Eddie Carbone, his wife Beatrice, and his 17-year-old niece, Catherine. Beatrice invites her two undocumented immigrant cousins to live with them until better accommodations can be arranged. Their impact on the household is felt immediately. The play asks, “How do we find commonality between different people? What is the experience of immigrating to the United States? How do you cope with being part of a larger society but still hold on to your roots?” The show runs through Jan. 26. Visit mltlive.org for tickets.
offenses $500
Leashed dogs are, and would continue to be, allowed at the following: Chandler Hovey Park, Crocker Park, Fort Sewall, Fountain Park, Upper Seaside, the Rail Trail, Lead Mills and Stramski lower grass area.
Off-leash spots
The new bylaws would permit access to unleashed dogs at the dog park, Riverhead Beach (to the left of the boat ramp) and Back Beach (at the Neck end of the Causeway), because those are not considered bathing beaches.
“Rec and Parks is going to put up a snow fence to the left of the boat ramp (at Riverhead), a dog waste station and signage,” Bedrossian explained. “The sign will welcome dogs with MHD Dog licenses to roam off-leash in the cordoned off area. We are trying to create another dog park if you will.”
Under the current bylaws, dogs are only allowed at Riverhead from October to May and need to be on leash.
“This is a significant increase in privileges,” Bedrossian pointed out.
Coffin dog park?
Commissioner Matt Martin said the town really needs a “grassy place for people to run their dogs,” and the board discussed the Coffin School field as a top possibility.
Bedrossian said she researched the cost of fencing in the area, and it is about $8,000. The School Committee voted on Jan. 9 to turn over the former school over to the town.
Bedrossian said she would work with McMahon and Cruger on finalizing details of the proposed bylaw changes before the Board of Health and Rec & Parks vote to place them on the Town Meeting warrant.
COURTESY PHOTO
Jeremy Bell (left), Shauna Martin and Rhod Sharp at last year’s Burns Supper
