02.21.2024 - Volume 2, Issue 13

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SPORTS

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MHS girls are NEC champions

A new ’Header tries frostbiting

Come test your trivia knowledge

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February 21, 2024

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‘COOLING OFF’ PERIOD

School Committee agrees to public forum Panel will search for another interim superintendent

BY LEIGH BLANDER After more than 765 community members signed a letter to the School Committee giving it a failing grade and demanding more transparency, the committee participated in a training on Feb. 14 with its attorney and the head of the Massachusetts Association of School Committees.

“The School Committee must immediately take steps to make meetings collegial and vehicles for informing and educating the community,” MASC Executive Director Glenn Koocher wrote in a memo to School Committee Chair Sarah Fox after the training.

The memo continued, “While the public is watching, it is important that the

board focus on policies that improve student achievement; budgeting that targets where the funds are needed most; and exercising its policymaking role while respecting the administrative authority of the superintendent.”

Koocher also recommended the School Committee hire another interim, rather than permanent, superintendent.

“A year of interim leadership will shift focus away from the School Committee and the previous superintendent and allow for a badly needed ‘cooling off’ period,” Koocher wrote.

“There are a few districts that have signed two-year interim agreements, making it possible for an experienced leader who is two years from retirement or relocating to fill the gap for a

NEW BOOK

‘Marblehead Vignettes’ shares colorful stories of town throughout the centuries

BY LEIGH BLANDER

LEFT: Did you know that Marblehead was once the race car capital of America?

Dennis Curtin moved to town 50 years ago and quickly decided he wanted to join the legion of “Marblehead characters” he met and learned about.

Now, he’s out with a new book, “Marblehead Vignettes,” which describes many of those characters and their stories.

“This book will change the way you see your hometown,” laughed Curtin’s daughter, Suzanne Dougherty.

“Marblehead Vignettes” features hundreds of stories about people, locations and inventions throughout the town’s 400-year history.

Curtin is honest from the beginning. He can’t guarantee every story is true. He quotes Sir Walter Scott, “I cannot tell you how the truth may be; I say the tale as ‘twas told to me.”

BELOW: The last train left Marblehead in 1959.

COURTESY PHOTOS

BOOK, P. A3

CURRENT PHOTO / LEIGH BLANDER

Dennis Curtin has written more than 100 books. His most recent is ‘Marblehead Vignettes.’

longer period of re-engaging the community.”

Koocher also pointed out that the School Committee is significantly behind schedule for hiring a superintendent to begin this summer, and would likely not have the best options.

Current interim Superintendent Theresa SCHOOLS, P. A2

IN MEMORIAM

Town mourns passing of Tony’s Pizza owner

BY WILL DOWD Antonio “Tony” Brogna, an icon of the Marblehead community who ran Tony’s Pizza for over 40 years, died Feb. 11 at age 70 after battling dementia. Friends and local officials say he leaves behind a legacy as a hardworking man who treated every customer like his own family.

“The heart of Tony’s was a gentle and generous man,” said Town Moderator Jack Attridge. “The legacy and lessons of family and hard work was felt by generations who gathered with family and friends at Tony’s. A true loss for our town.”

Brogna emigrated from COURTESY PHOTO / RICK ASHLEY Italy to Lynn in 1969 Antonio “Tony” before opening Tony’s Brogna ran his Pizza in Marblehead in pizzeria for over 1981 with his wife, Patricia. 40 years.

It wasn’t smooth sailing.

“When they first opened the store, one of the challenges was me, my mom, my dad and my brother all came down with the chickenpox at the same time, about a month after they opened,” Brogna’s daughter, Christina Moore, told the Current. “My mom ended up having to run the store herself and she’s not a pizza maker. Friends and family ended up coming and sent to help their mom make dough and help out as Tony recovered.”

BROGNA, P. A2

FRIENDSHIP BEYOND THE COURT

Marblehead’s Best Buddies champion inclusivity

BY WILL DOWD The squeaking of sneakers and thumping of dribbled basketballs echoed through the Marblehead High School field house last week as over a dozen Best Buddies club members took over center court.

The student-run Best Buddies chapter promotes friendships among MHS students with and without intellectual and developmental disabilities.

During halftime of the varsity boys’ basketball game against Gloucester High School, Buddies in grades 9-12 teamed up to shoot hoops and chat,

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CURRENT PHOTO / WILL DOWD

Marblehead High School’s Best Buddies share a moment of camaraderie during a special halftime event.

highlighting the inclusive environment cultivated by the popular program. Oftentimes, neuro-typical students are

paired with a fellow student with a disability.

“I think it shows that — there are 150 people in the club — it’s

the one that everyone wants to get involved in,” said sophomore chapter officer Jack Molinari.

Molinari is a bit of a legacy,

because his dad “was in Best Buddies, and he’s in his 50s.”

Molinari joined Best Buddies at the start of freshman year, inspired by the way students across social groups bonded through the club. He said Best Buddies events attract “kids that are different grades, different genders.”

Senior Caitlyn Cuzner echoed Molinari’s sentiments, reflecting on her four years of involvement with Best Buddies.

“It’s fun for kids and … friendship,” Cuzner said.

The game marked one of many BUDDIES, P. A3

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A2 Wednesday, February 21, 2024 Marblehead Current

HOUSING

Officials say Marblehead’s multifamily zoning law can pass

BY WILL DOWD Milton voters recently rejected their town’s zoning plan under the MBTA Communities Act by an 800-vote margin, but Marblehead officials remain confident their approach will bring them into compliance with the state mandate to create multifamily zoning.

Supporters of Milton’s “No” campaign argued that they didn’t want Beacon Hill dictating zoning. Marblehead Planning Board member Ed Nilsson believes this sentiment does not widely exist here.

“With a well-crafted plan as we have in Marblehead, there is reason to believe it can lead to positive outcomes that will benefit Marblehead,” he said.

Outgoing Marblehead Town Planner Becky Cutting agreed.

“Initially a lot of people think

like that. No one really likes a mandate — we did not like it — but I think we came up with a compliance model that will actually benefit Marblehead,” she said.

The Milton vote divided the Boston suburb. But Nilsson said he is not worried about that happening in Marblehead.

“I believe [past zoning] implementation has had a positive effect in preserving and protecting Marblehead’s quality of environment,” he said.

Milton could face penalties, litigation and loss of state funding if it cannot approve a compliant plan by the December deadline.

Cutting said Marblehad would need to scramble to come up with another plan and hold a special town meeting if its initial proposal fails.

Cutting explained Marblehead’s approach differs from Milton’s

concentrated zoning.

“Ours is not concentrated in one area. The compliance model we came up with has three separate districts,” she said.

While Milton scrambles to rework its plan to comply with the 2021 law aimed at increasing housing, Cutting believes Marblehead has gotten it right on the first try.

“I think we crafted it in such a way to give the town credit for some of the multifamily we already have at this density and greater and allows for some growth in areas that might benefit from redevelopment and without changing the character of the town,” she stated.

The Marblehead Planning Board discussed its zoning proposals at a Feb. 13 meeting. The board plans to hold a public hearing on April 9 as required by state law ahead of the May Town Meeting vote.

The proposals would create

Brogna

From P. A1 Moore added, “So when we say it’s a family business and a family affair, it really is.”

Tony’s Pizza soon became a staple of the so-called Five Corners intersection and frequented by locals.

Those who knew Brogna remember him as an “old fashioned” and “wonderful” businessman who genuinely cared about his employees and customers.

“I’ve known Tony for years. We were both restaurant owners, and I would go in all the time to have a slice of pizza or some spaghetti and meatballs, and we would share stories about running businesses in Marblehead,” said Sheila Duncan, former owner of Maddie’s Sail Loft restaurant. “He was a wonderful, wonderful guy.

Really old-school restaurant type.”

She said Brogna’s giving spirit was embodied by his annual donations to Duncan’s fundraiser supporting her Trouble the Dog Foundation.

Photographer Rick Ashley rented studio space above Tony’s from Brogna for several years and formed a close friendship, helping him after a devastating fire destroyed the original Tony’s Pizza building in 2003.

Ashley, who lost everything in the fire, was there alongside Brogna.

“Tony and I spent essentially every day together as that building came down.” A

COURTESY PHOTO / RICK ASHLEY

Firefighters respond to a fire at Tony’s Pizza in 2003, a significant event in the pizzeria’s history that led to its rebuilding and reopening with community support.

decade later, Ashley still displays burnt cameras from his destroyed photography studio at his new studio, reminding him of that traumatic time.

“We were not just landlord and tenant,” Ashley said. “We were close.”

Tony rebuilt and reopened Tony’s Pizza in 2005 thanks to community support.

“I couldn’t believe what I was seeing,” Brogna said, recalling the 2003 fire, in a Marblehead Reporter article. “It was a mess.”

His son, Anthony Brogna, said Tony didn’t cut corners.

“If he was gonna do something,” Anthony Brogna, “he did it right.”

Tony Brogna had a playful side, too, flipping and twirling pizza dough, his son said, for kids.

“Another thing that he got a kick out of was

when kids were in the store. He would like to give them an order of fried dough dots, so they got a little extra treat,” said Anthony.

Just as the community rallied around Tony then, it has come together again to honor his life and legacy after his passing. A large card with notes from patrons could be seen on a table inside Tony’s Pizza on Saturday.

As for the future of Tony’s Pizza?

“The plan is to keep it going,” said Patricia Brogna. “It might take me a little bit longer, but right now I’ll be keeping the shop.”

The Brognas shared a 47-year marriage.

In addition to his wife and children, he is survived by his siblings Maria, Gennaro, Federico, Angelina, Julie and Carlo, as well as five grandchildren.

“A very hardworking man that always had a smile, a kind word and treated everyone like family,” as Select Board member Jim Nye described him. “A Marblehead icon. May Tony rest in peace.”

A wake will be held Wednesdsay, Feb. 21, 4 p.m.-7 p.m., at Solimine Funeral Home, 426 Broadway, Lynn, with the funeral on Thursday, Feb. 22, at St. Pius V at 10:30 a.m. Burial will follow in Puritan Lawn Memorial Park, Peabody. Relatives and friends are invited to attend.

Donations in Tony’s memory may be made to Kaplan Family Hospice House, 78 Liberty St., Danvers 01923. Directions and online guestbook at solimine.com.

come up with cuts totalling $2.3 million.” The School Committee has submitted a placeholder override request on the May Town Meeting warrant.

Schools From P. A1

McGuinness alerted the School Committee last month that she no longer wants to be considered for the permanent position.

The MASC can lead the search for another interim superintendent free of charge, Fox said.

In addition to a superintendent, the district needs to hire a permanent Glover School principal, permanent director of finance and operations and permanent director of student services.

At a Feb. 15 meeting, the League of Women Voters of Marblehead invited the School Committee to participate in a public forum where residents can ask questions and the committee can “explain your decision making and future plans,” said LWVM member Nancy Powell.

The committee said it would be interested in a League-led forum. It is considering the date of Feb. 29, but that has not been confirmed.

Former School Committee member Amy Drinker, who signed the community letter, called it “a failing report card expressing frustration with your actions and decisions since the June 2023 election.”

She continued, “It’s not about how or whether the signers voted in local elections. It’s about how you perform as the elected or appointed School Committee

three new multifamily housing districts with the potential for nearly 900 new units: » Tioga Way District: 28.3 acres allowing 483 units at 19.2 units per acre » Pleasant Street District: 20.2 acres allowing 297 units at 14.7 units per acre » Broughton Road District: 6.1 acres allowing 119 units at 19.5 units per acre Together the districts include 54.7 acres of land allowing 17.5 dwellings per acre on average.

The law requires Marblehead to rezone at least 27 acres at a minimum density of 15 units per acre.

Board members plan to seek input from municipal planning consultants to best engage residents ahead of the Town Meeting vote in May. Cutting said information sheets will be available to help explain the proposals.

Kindergarten, preschool rate hike

CURRENT PHOTO / LEIGH BLANDER

At a Feb. 15 meeting, the School Committee talked about searching for another interim, rather than permanent, superintendent.

members. The message is a call for action for you to tackle issues to improve our schools.”

Committee members acknowledged reading the community letter.

“The entire committee has taken it very seriously,” Fox said.

“We have to begin creating as many vehicles as possible to explain what we’re doing,” said member Brian Ota. Member Jenn Schaeffner added, “We do have to commit to communicating in a more direct and clear and expected way and a way that allows the community to hear directly from us.

New hires

McGuinness presented a staffing update, introducing the interim Student Services Director Patricia Bell, who is earning $120,000, prorated, for the year.

Former student services leaders

Paula Donnelly and Emily Dean, who stepped down amid a student restraint crisis, are still being paid through the end of the year, totaling nearly $120,000.

As Assistant Superintendent of Finance and Operations Michelle Cresta is leaving next month, the district hired Mary Delai as a consultant in the business office at $125 per hour, up to 24 hours a week.

Budget update

McGuinness will present two proposed budgets (level services and reduced services) at a School Committee budget workshop on Feb. 28, 5 p.m. She said her report will include data from “each school, each department as it relates to staffing and student enrollment.”

McGuinness continued, “Right now, our leadership team is actively working on trying to

The School Committee approved $500 increases for full-day kindergarten, half-day preschool and full-day preschool.

That brings the new rates for next school year to: — Full-day kindergarten, $4,000.

— Half-day preschool, $5,000.

— Full-day preschool, $6,500.

The increase is an “unfortunate barrier,” Fox said before approving the hike. “As we move forward as a town, we have to think about… what we value is what we fund. If we value equal access to education, then we really need to fund full-day kindergarten.”

Reading curriculum review Assistant Superintendent for Learning Julia Ferreira and several teachers presented information about Wit and Wisdom, the district’s new reading curriculum for grades K-6.

Ferrerria said since the beginning of the school year, data shows Wit and Wisdom is boosting test results. For example, the percent of students reading at one or more years below grade level dropped: » Glover School, 53% to 23%. » Brown School, 54% to 22%. » Village School, 47% to 35%.

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Jessica Barnett Ed Bell NEWSROOM Editor - Leigh Blander

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Marblehead Current Wednesday, February 21, 2024 A3

Book From P. A1

In other words: Take these tales with a grain of (sea) salt.

Pledge of Allegiance: Curtin’s favorite vignette takes place at 6, 10 and 14 West Orchard St. “The first house on this property was built by a man by the name of Buck who sold it to Daniel Sharp Ford, the publisher of ‘The Youth’s Companion,’ a popular family magazine.

It was in Ford’s office that the Pledge of Allegiance was written, and published in the Sept. 8, 1892, issue,” Curtin writes.

The pledge was written

by James Bailey Upham, who worked at the magazine and was trying to “boost the sale of flags by monetizing patriotism.

He thought a pledge that was recited in front of the flag every day in schools would do it.”

The next owner was Benjamin Franklin Keith (1846-1914), who ran one of the largest chains of vaudeville theaters at the time.

Flying high: Amelia Earhart was engaged to ‘Header Samuel Chapman for six years. She lived at 34 Locust St. for one summer.

Start your engines: Marblehead was once the racecar capital

Buddies From P. A1

Best Buddies events held throughout the year to forge such friendships.

Others have included a Halloween party, movie outings, Valentine’s Day card-making and more.

Chapter adviser and MHS physical education teacher Michael Lavender, who has guided the school’s Best Buddies chapter for about 15 years, said he most enjoys “seeing the smiles on their faces” referring to students at Best Buddies events.

MHS seniors Grace Mortensen and Maddie Bontaites joined Best Buddies their freshman year thanks to encouragement from friends like the club’s co-president and senior, Aviva Vornstein, whose brother was involved when he attended MHS. Through Best Buddies, Mortensen has formed friendships she believes may not have happened otherwise.

“It’s always nice to see them in the halls because we don’t see them as much as we’d like to,” Bontaites said of the Buddies she doesn’t share classes with at MHS. Lavender said many Best Buddies bring in extra volunteers for service projects, parties and other bonding activities throughout the year.

“I couldn’t do it without Tracey,” Lavender said, referring to paraprofessional Tracy Lichtig, who co-advises the group.

He said the chapter also accepts community donations, which in the past have helped fund tickets for Buddies to attend events like Boston Bruins games and movies at the Warwick.

“At the end of the day... these great events are done through fundraising and sponsorships, car

BLACK CYAN MAGENTA YELLOW

Proceeds from sales of ‘Marblehead Vignettes’ go to the Council on Aging.

of the United States.

Engineer Ray Caudwell ran Autodynamics in town in the ‘60s and ‘70s when it was the largest manufacturer of race cars in America. Between 1964 and 1971, Autodynamics designed and built 1,400 race cars on site.

The nose knows: Harriet Ruslet Foote had more than 900 varieties of roses growing in her gardens at 8 and 10 Beacon St. in 1910. People came from around the world to view (and smell) them.

Spiked tea: The

building at 46 Beach St. housed a speakeasy during Prohibition (1920-1933).

“The front was the Brown Owl Tea Room where tea was served enhanced with alcohol. There is still a pair of hitching posts for horses bracketing the driveway entrance,” according to Curtin.

Art lover: Isabella Stewart Gardner designed and built a house at 146 Ocean Ave. in 1911. The home is capped by a red tile roof and has a tower with a 360-degree view of the ocean and surrounding

area. Gardner named the house “Twelve Gardens” and gave it as a wedding present to the pianist George Proctor. Neither ever lived there.

Segregation: For much of Marblehead’s history, people of color could not be buried in white cemeteries. “As a result, they were buried in a steep gully between Bassett and Rockaway streets,” Curtin wrote.

Last train: Curtin writes quite a bit about the history of trains in Marblehead. The town’s main train station was at the site of the currentday National Grand Bank on Pleasant Street.

There were also Clifton, Devereux and Lead Mills stations.

Curtin says the last train left Marblehead on June 12, 1959. It was a Buddliner, which the railroad switched to from steam in its last few years.

Mountain man: David Breashears is a Marblehead resident, mountaineer, filmmaker, author and speaker who has gone on 14 expeditions to Mt. Everest, and summited five times. In 1985, he became the first American to climb Everest more than once.

Dropped call: The last pay phone in Marblehead hung on the wall outside Crosby’s Market and was

taken down in 2019.

Spooky stories: H.P. Lovecraft was a horror writer who died in 1937. He visited Marblehead more than 20 times and created a fictional town called “Kingsport” after the town. In 1929, he wrote about seeing the snowcovered town at sunset: “that instant — about 4:05-4:10 p.m., Dec. 17, 1922 — was the powerful single emotional climax during my nearly forty years of existence.”

Picture perfect: Famous photographer Ansel Adams visited Marblehead and Old Burial Hill. “It is said he was shooting Polaroid film on a very cold day, so a number of Polaroid employees were following along carrying film packages under their coats to keep them warm enough to use,” according to Curtin.

Wasting away in Marblehead: Curtin writes about ‘Header June Goldman sitting at The Landing one summer when singer Jimmy Buffett pulled up a barstool next

to her. When Buffett introduced himself and said he was in town to get his boat repaired, Goldman told him she had no idea who he was.

“He then reeled off some of his hits ‘Cheeseburger in Paradise’ and ‘Margaritaville,’” Curtin writes. “Finally, he suggested they pick up his guitar at his yacht brokers and go to her place. Jimmy sat in her living room and played one hit after another. The night ended with Jimmy giving her a T-shirt as a memento.”

Curtin, who worked as a publisher for many years, has written more than 100 books, mostly about photography. His most recent books are “An Illustrated Guide to Our Rail Trails” and “Discovering Marblehead: A Guide to Open Spaces and Historic Places.”

“Marblehead Vignettes” is available on Amazon.

Copies are also for sale at the Council on Aging.

Curtin is donating all proceeds from the book to the COA.

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washes and raffles,” Lavender said, praising his students’ entrepreneurship.

Overall, Lavender believes the chapter

positively impacts campus climate beyond those directly involved, by promoting broader acceptance “It just shows

inclusiveness, kindness,” Lavender said as students sat in the bleachers. “Our students are accepted everywhere. That’s really what Best Buddies is about.”

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A4 Wednesday, February 21, 2024 Marblehead Current

Opinion EDITORIAL

Navigating housing changes responsibly As Town Meeting prepares to vote this May on a warrant article to comply with state-mandated multifamily zoning, it has an opportunity to learn from difficulties in the town of Milton.

Voters in Milton recently rejected a zoning plan and now face potential consequences like funding cuts and lawsuits. Marblehead should aim to avoid similar pitfalls with its nuanced proposal targeting modest density increases, but communication and compromise will prove critical.

The state law driving this zoning change passed in 2021, mandating approximately 177 MBTA communities to increase multifamily housing density. It is important to emphasize that the law does not mandate any additional housing be built, just that zoning bylaws be changed to allow for more housing.

Marblehead’s proposal demonstrates careful customization. After extensive public input, the Planning Board has crafted a plan with three new multifamily housing districts. The board recently moved to add an affordability requirement, mandating 10% of new units be affordable.

The Tioga Way district encompasses 28.3 acres with a capacity for 483 new housing units at an average density of 19.2 units per acre. The Pleasant Street district covers 20.2 acres with room for 297 units at 14.7 units per acre. And the Broughton Road district includes 6.1 acres for 119 units at 19.5 units per acre density.

Together these total 54.7 acres newly zoned. With 51.5 acres practically available for development, the plan allows up to 899 new units at 17.5 dwellings per acre on average.

Marblehead need not repeat Milton’s misstep.

Let us have reasonable debates around adding density. But also acknowledge that sustainable growth could maintain our town’s historical charm while expanding housing options missing today — for young families, aging residents and income diversity.

Marblehead’s proposal is limited in scope, rezoning 1.5% of land near transit and services.

Two districts have existing housing sites and aging buildings ripe for reinvention.

Zoning alone does not approve building projects.

Separate permitting processes place guardrails for community input to shape scale, timing and site plans.

But without compromise, consequences loom in Marblehead, like Milton — from litigation to worsening housing availability regionally. Avoiding “Not in my backyard” attitudes is easier said than done, but important.

The Massachusetts housing crisis impacts real people struggling amid bidding wars and affordability. Marblehead has a chance to help contribute solutions. The proposal that the Planning Board wrote over the past several months shows commitment to not just compliance but community betterment.

Perhaps in 50 years residents will look back with gratitude on 2024 as a fulcrum point, a time when Marblehead led with sustainable growth solutions.

EVERYTHING WILL BE OKAY

This is a (texted) moment

BY VIRGINIA BUCKINGHAM

You don’t always recognize big life moments as they are happening but sometimes you do, and they are truly big. Even if they are small. And happen via text.

Last week we got the 3 a.m. call from a sick young adult child. She was vomiting and doubled over in abdominal pain. No roommates happened to be home in her apartment. What should she do, she asked? Go to the ER, I answered, but you can’t walk there at this time of night by yourself. Call a friend.

No friends answered though, it was 3 o’clock on a Saturday into Sunday morning. The soonest a college student friend may wake up and look at their phone was sometime around brunch.

I thought about my options. I have always gone.

Wherever they were. In simpler times, when they were down the street, picking up the sick child from school.

Feeding them popsicles, putting on their favorite shows. In more recent times, driving or flying to their dorm rooms during finals, when inevitably, sickness came calling around the same time a must-be-donepaper was due. Hotel rooms were secured. Gatorade and soup delivered by mom, not by room service, as somehow papers and finals were completed.

But it was 3 a.m. and this sick child was a flight away.

And she needed to go to the hospital and I couldn’t bring her.

Can you call the campus police, I texted? She texted back that there was a campus Emergency Medical System and she’d call them. I pictured the poster on the back of the bathroom stalls I’d seen when visiting campus, urging students to call if they needed help.

OK, I answered. Text me when they get there. Do you have to let them in? No, she texted back, I think they just come in.

I kept my eyes on the screen, waiting for the three little dots that indicate a text being typed.

They’re here, she texted. They’re bringing me to the ER. Ok, I replied, text me when you get there.

I’m here, she wrote. It now was about 4:30 a.m. No one wants to be in an ER in a city at 4:30 a.m., least of all the people that work there.

They checked my vitals, she texted, but I don’t want

It was 3 a.m. and this sick child was a flight away. And she needed to go to the hospital and I couldn’t bring her. to wait here. Like most urban ERs this one was filled with folks with no other options, homeless and sick, the staff overwhelmed. You have to stay, I texted back, even if it’s hours and it will be hours. I can’t, she texted. You can, I answered.

Be polite, I texted, but advocate for yourself.

I need someone to come, she answered, and advocate for me.

I have some very close mama bear friends who live in the area but they have young kids and I wasn’t about to call them at 4:30 a.m.

I can’t sit up straight, it hurts so much, she texted. I watched the three little dots delivering more anxietyinducing news. I’m freezing, she texted. She had left her campus apartment with the EMTs wearing only shorts.

Every instinct in me wanted to jump in the car and drive the eight hours just to bring her a blanket.

Ask for a blanket, I texted.

They brought me a blanket, she wrote next. And my shoulders relaxed. She asked, they gave.

As the hours wore on, she was brought into the treatment area, put on an IV. My friends are here, she texted. They brought me warm clothes.

After tests and more hours, she was cleared from having anything more serious than stomach flu or maybe food poisoning. She walked back to her apartment and ordered some soup for delivery. A friend brought over saltine crackers.

My not-so-little girl needed me, but she really didn’t.

She handled it. Friends and health care workers also stepped up and in. It was a moment. I texted her a heart emoji. And promptly took a nap.

President of the Marblehead Current’s board of directors, Virginia Buckingham is the former chief executive officer of the Massachusetts Port Authority, chief of staff to two Massachusetts governors, deputy editorial page editor for the Boston Herald and author of “On My Watch: A Memoir.”

THE DIXEY COLLECTION

LETTERS POLICY Generally, letters should not exceed 500 words.

The Marblehead Current reserves the right not to publish submissions over the word limit and may instead return the letter to the writer for editing.

Letters must include: 1. The author’s name.

2. The name of the street the author lives on in Marblehead. Only the street name will be published next to the author’s name — not their full address.

3. Author’s daytime/ cell phone number (not for publication) for

verification purposes.

4. If letters seek to introduce into a discussion purported facts that are not commonly known, writers may be asked to provide the source for those purported facts.

5. Letters must be received by 5 p.m.

Wednesday to be published in the following Wednesday’s print edition of the Marblehead Current.

Letters will be published to our website at the earliest opportunity, after verification.

Email submissions to info@marbleheadnews.org.

BY DAN DIXEY This is a photo of School Street taken in the 1880s before a big fire in 1888. These buildings had all been rebuilt after another fire back in 1877 (you can see a foundation on the corner where one building still hadn’t been rebuilt). The two fires hit Pleasant, School and Essex streets. The entire area, full of shoe factories, burnt to the ground, including the railroad depot, both times.

The fire station is on the left, then the Henry O.

Symonds hardware store (which is where the Blue Canoe is today).

The photo was taken from near the train depot on Pleasant Street, where National Grand Bank is today. This image is from a stereoview in my private collection.

The Marblehead Current is proud to partner with photographer and historian Dan Dixey, who regularly shares photos of Marblehead from his extensive collection, along with information about each shot.

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Marblehead Current Wednesday, February 21, 2024 A5

MY MARBLEHEAD FIRST TIME

A landlubber tries frostbiting

BY COURT MERRIGAN

On a farm or ranch out on the High Plains, when something goes wrong and you’re the one standing there, you fix it. Like the time the cattle broke the fence up on the ranch in Prairie Center, Wyoming, and my dad and I spent two frozen days tracking them down.

Or the time I got a pickup stuck in a snowdrift in below-zero temps, with two kids in back and one small shovel. There’s no cavalry on the way, no AAA or Helpdesk. You just commence digging the truck out. Out there, it’s on you.

Life on the eastern seaboard is a whole other proposition.

Not that people on the street in Boston form much of a mutual aid society — on the contrary, if you hesitate at a green light for more than one-eighth of a second, you’ll get horn blasts and a string of colorful words.

Even so, the sheer volume of people here means you can nearly always find someone available to help. And as I’ve often discovered in Marblehead, friendly neighbors provide invaluable aid in the business of getting through the day.

Neighbors are everywhere! So many neighbors, in fact, that I sometimes walk to the sea just to get a line of sight.

I think it’s because I’m used to solitary problem-solving, I felt such a deep affinity for the paintings of cod fishing at the Marblehead Museum. For those sailors out there alone on the little dories, there was no backup, no navy to swoop in if you got in trouble. Just a fishing line, the deep blue sea, and them.

That venturesome spirit remains alive and well in Marblehead. Today, the spiritual successors of those Marblehead fishermen gather on Sundays at the harbor to frostbite.

CURRENT PHOTO / COURT MERRIGAN

Tech boats racing at full tilt in Marblehead Harbor

“Frostbiting” is a term those used to discuss the racing of “tech dinghies.” These sailboats are 12.5 feet long, rigged with a single sail. Originally designed at MIT, tech dinghies exist not to haul in cod, but to go fast.

The Boston Yacht Club hosts a fleet of these boats each winter.

Recently, I had the opportunity to go frostbiting with them.

Now, recall that I’m a landlubber of the first degree.

So I boarded a motorized mark boat, not a tech dinghy. The mark boats stay on the sidelines, keeping an eye on the racing sailors. It was a superb vantage point to take in the races, and watch the sailors pilot the boats at such hard angles I feared for their ability to stay upright.

They do this to take maximum advantage of the wind, ducking

Somehow, even out on the water and thus vastly out of my element, I immediately felt at home. at each change in direction to avoid getting smacked in the face by the swinging boom. All the while they race other boats, accounting for the uncertainty of the wind and waves. I was impressed! Those sailors know their business and I like watching skilled practitioners ply their trade.

Somehow, even out on the water and thus vastly out of my element, I immediately felt at home. I could see pedestrians at Crocker Park with a glance landward, but they were far, far away. Like being out on a Wyoming ranch, we were alone in our locale. No Coast Guard,

no Helpdesk.

The races all went smoothly until the very last race of the day, when one of the boats capsized. When that happens, a mark boat quickly becomes a safety boat. The captain of my boat hit the throttle and we motored over to pull the sailor from the sea. Despite his plunge into the 38-degree water, he seemed more annoyed than panicked, which I found impressive. The task of righting the vessel remained.

We gave it our best shot, but were unable to turn that dinghy right-side up from the mark boat. With no other alternative,

sets up Milton as a comical crank. Even Joyce, his equally comical crank (Jane Curtin), berates him: your UFO story makes them “take all of us less seriously!” But the UFO is not imaginary, and Trent Avenue really does need a crosswalk, as we see later when Milton is walking home at dusk. (He is no longer mentally fit enough to drive a car.)

Milton represents older folks in small towns across America who struggle to be seen, to have their mobility needs addressed.

That struggle was on display at the December meeting of Marblehead’s Traffic Safety Advisory Committee. Residents spoke passionately about longstanding concerns that had fallen on deaf ears. They pleaded for help. Chairman Gary Hebert, for his part, was generous with the committee’s time and stayed his gavel. The exchange was educational and in some sense productive. As the committee develops standard operating procedures to hear public concerns directly (as the town bylaw requires) these exchanges will become more productive still.

Perhaps one day a UFO will land in your azaleas, and, like Milton, a little blue man will emerge to help you find community. Until then, you might find it in our shared struggle for safer streets. Please

contact the committee directly with any and all mobility concerns, questions, ideas. Call or email Kyle Wiley (781) 6310000 or wileyk@marblehead. org and cc Thatcher Kezer kezert@marblehead.org. They will record your input and transmit it through Hebert to the committee.

Dan Albert Leicester Road

we towed the boat into the dock upside down. Reminded me of the time as a kid when I flooded the carburetor of the dump truck we were using for bean harvest. It was so dead that my dad had to halt harvest to tow it back home with a tractor. Talk about colorful words!

No farmer would leave a truck dead in the field, any more than a sailor would leave a boat floating in the water.

Marblehead, Massachusetts or Prairie Center, Wyoming — if you’re the one standing there, you fix it.

As always, if you’ve got an idea upon which I can embark for a Marblehead First Time, drop me a line at court.merrigan@gmail. com .

LETTERS

Grieving the loss of Frank Murphy To the editor: Sadly, we’ve lost another one of the good ones! Frank Murphy of Salem’s Murphy Funeral Home passed away recently.

I personally can’t help but grieve the loss of such a loving, unassuming and caring man whose life exemplified what it means to not only be a truly devoted husband and family man but also to be a thoroughly honorable professional whose integrity and life of service were examples we all should strive to emulate.

A Rotary scholar and charter member of the Rotary Club of Marblehead Harbor and a Paul Harris Fellow, Frank spent many years following Rotary’s motto of putting “Service Above Self,” both locally and internationally.

Whether it was his excitement about our club’s yearly Holiday Pops fundraisers or his unwavering support when the club sent desperately needed medical equipment to a South American hospital some years ago, the members could depend that Frank was quietly “there,” often behind the scenes, to help make service to others happen.

For some time, because of his illness, we in Rotary have missed his smile, his wit and the twinkle in his eye. Our sympathy to Maura and their children. Rest

in peace, Frank. You surely were one of the good ones.

Linda W. Doliber President, Rotary Club of Marblehead Harbor

Plea for crosswalk touches on isolation faced by older residents To the editor: “Jules” is a gentle comedy about loneliness and isolation among the nation’s elderly. We open on Milton (Ben Kingsley) addressing the Boontown Select Board. The town slogan, “A great place to call home,” confuses people, he says. Tourists might conclude that the town is a good place from which to call home.

“We should change it to, ‘A great place to refer to as home,’” he suggests. “We need a crosswalk on Trent Avenue,” he continues, as his elected officials sit stonefaced. “And also,” he tells the board, “a UFO has crashed into my backyard and taken out my azaleas.”

What follows is a delightful story of a little blue man and the three elderly residents who find friendship through their efforts to protect him. I’d give it four out of five stars. But this isn’t a film review. It’s a letter about traffic safety.

The grammatical nitpicking

Robot dog ‘isn’t science’ To the editor: We learned in the Current (02/14/24) that Lori Towle, Ed.D. of Code & Circuit encouraged Marblehead elementary school students to “always explore and try new things,” by demonstrating an AI controlled robotic dog, “Spot.”

Appropriately, student Lucy Wedel responded that if she could bring Spot home, “I would have him do my homework, so I can go outside.” The wisdom of the young student outshines that of her teacher.

While the demonstration of an AI robot may have the trappings of science, it isn’t science. Such a demonstration makes science appear to require expensive equipment and indoor work in front of a screen.

Science is curiosity. Science is questions and a reliable way to answer them. Science is

accessible to all. Why is the sky blue? Why does the moon change shape? How does an earthworm eat? As the young student said, go outside, observe.

And as the child observed in the fable, the AI robot emperor turns out to have no clothes.

Eric Reines, MD Green Street

‘Recognize the danger this man poses’ To the editor: Another letter from me regarding Trump. I address this letter to non-MAGAs. To anyone who has an open mind and recognizes the danger this man poses to our country and our democracy. Veterans beware!

Let’s focus on his relationship to our military. Here are some facts: A few years ago, when Sen. John McCain died, Trump denigrated this man’s service to our country by saying he liked soldiers who did not get caught.

Then there was the incident back in 2016 when Trump denigrated an immigrant family whose son, Capt. Humayun Khan, died serving in Iraq. Note: this is a two for one, xenophobia and anti-military.

Or in 2018 when he refused to visit Aisne-Marne American Cemetery in France. This is LETTERS, P. A11

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A6 Wednesday, February 21, 2024 Marblehead Current

PLANNING FOR RETIREMENT

As she leaves Abbot Hall, Cutting hailed as valued partner

BY KRIS OLSON When you are at Town Meeting this May, do not look for Rebecca Curran Cutting.

For the first time in 35 years, the town planner and chief procurement officer will not be in Marblehead — or even the continental United States, for that matter.

Cutting herself has yet to adjust to her imminent new reality as a retiree, free to travel and enjoy a life of leisure.

(She’s planning a trip to Europe this spring.) As she discusses projects that will extend beyond her March 1 final day in the office, she repeatedly slips and uses the second-person pronoun “we” before catching herself and reminding herself that those will soon be someone else’s concern.

A Lexington native, Cutting started down the road that would lead her to Marblehead in college. She was interested in architecture, but UMass Amherst did not have an architecture program. Instead, Cutting studied regional planning, landscape architecture and environmental design.

“I liked it and then actually got a job in it,” Cutting said.

Cutting’s first job was with Salem’s planning department, where she eventually started working on behalf of a project that required coordination with Marblehead, the acquisition of land that is now Riverside Drive and Lead Mills.

Marblehead was just emerging from a situation where the person it had hired to serve as assistant engineer and town planner did not work out.

Marblehead’s town leaders asked if Cutting would be interested in crossing over the border.

“I said, ‘What the heck,’” Cutting said.

That was in June 1988, and Cutting has been a fixture in Marblehead town government ever since.

By several years, Cutting’s

CURRENT PHOTO

Town Planner Becky Cutting speaks at the 2023 Town Meeting.

tenure predates the hiring of Marblehead’s first town administrator.

“We didn’t have computers; we didn’t even have a fax machine,” she recalls.

For the last several years, the members of the Select Board have also renewed her annual appointment as the town’s chief procurement officer, which began when Cutting agreed to be the municipal employee to take the “many classes” to become certified with the state.

While it may not sound like it, the job of procurement officer “is pretty interesting because you get involved in all sorts of projects in that role,” Cutting says.

The mild-mannered Cutting describes herself as “the kind of person who probably would have liked whatever I did.”

But the opportunity to work on such a variety of projects as planner and procurement officer has been particularly satisfying, she says.

“You get to learn about a lot of things, and you get to work with a lot of interesting people, both on the boards and in the community,” she says.

Cutting has been involved with efforts too numerous to name over the course of 35 years, from the town’s “Big Dig” project to bury downtown overhead wires a quarter century ago, to the Lead Mills purchase to making the rail trail formally a recreational area.

“In no way are they my projects alone,” she stresses.

Sometimes, the work even comes full circle. When she first got to Marblehead in 1988, she was able to secure for the town a first-in-the-state grant to study sea level rise, Cutting notes.

Thirty-five years later, Cutting finds herself enmeshed in a coastal zone management and resilience project in the area of the Light Department’s headquarters on Commercial Street, Hamond Park and the Parker’s and Cliff Street boatyards.

While she eschews sole credit for any of the projects accomplished on her watch, Cutting has been a valued partner, according to those with whom she has worked.

Not only is Cutting a “genuinely nice person” and adept at wrangling town departments to work together

toward common goals, she knows how to chase down financial support for projects, says Larry Sands, who has chaired the Fort Sewall Oversight Committee since 1997.

“She has written so many grant proposals for various town projects it is impossible to quantify how much money she has procured,” Sands says. “Her extensive knowledge of potential grants, funding for different project phases, and management of the required documentation will be impossible to replace.”

Cutting remains a key supporter of the Historical Commission’s town-wide archives facility project, says the commission’s former chair, Chris Johnston.

“In her procurement position and as a member of the Archives Advisory Board, she integrated concept design work by our architectural team along with providing insightful leadership and advice for the project,” Johnson says.

Traffic engineer Gary Hebert has known and worked with Cutting back to her days in Salem.

“Always smiling, Becky has a knack for getting to the heart of issues and moving things forward in a positive manner,” he says.

Despite how long he has known her, Hebert says he recently gained a newfound appreciation for Cutting’s responsiveness to requests for information in his new role as chair of the town’s Traffic Safety Advisory Committee.

At the committee’s request, Cutting last month put together an informative presentation on how much the town had accomplished on the rail trail system with less than two weeks’ notice.

“This was unexpected and was very helpful to Marblehead’s Traffic Safety Advisory Committee,” he says.

While the work involves

painstaking attention to detail, there have been plenty of light moments over the years, too.

Sands notes that, to acknowledge a granting agency, a sign had been created for Fort Sewall, which referenced his committee, only with a slight typo. The sign referenced the “Fort Sewall Overweight Committee.”

“We all had many laughs over that one, and we managed to fix it before posting,” he said.

Mention that Cutting seems to have managed to survive 35 years in town politics without becoming the focus of the public’s ire, and she quips that there are still a couple of weeks for that to change.

“All you can do is let people know that you are managing the process, it isn’t personal, what we’re doing is trying to get consensus and trying to get feedback,” Cutting said.

Cutting noted that feedback can alter the course of a project as well. For example, Cutting has started — but will not be around to finish — the process of deciding what should happen with the playground at the former Gerry School site. As focus groups are convened and department heads are consulted, differing opinions are sure to emerge.

“You can’t make everybody happy, but you can do what you think is best for the town,” Cutting says.

Given the nature of the municipal process — it can take years for projects to come to fruition — it was inevitable that Cutting would be leaving her post feeling like she had unfinished business.

But more than her involvement in those projects, Cutting says she will feel the loss of all of the opportunity for interactions her job provided.

“I made some great friendships and relationships, and got to talk to interesting people every day,” she says. “I’ll miss that for sure.”

NEWS IN BRIEF

BY WILL DOWD The Current welcomes submissions (150-200 words) to the news in brief. Send yours to wdowd@marbleheadnews.org.

Select Board holds second executive session in officer’s disciplinary hearing The Select Board held a second closed executive session on Friday morning to continue disciplinary proceedings against suspended Police Officer Christopher Gallo. Gallo and his attorney joined Select Board members and Town Administrator Thatcher Kezer.

Gallo is accused of spending over 100 hours at home during work shifts. The Board reviewed a 550plus page report from Kezer and may have decided on disciplinary action, though details are privileged until released by town counsel. Police Chief Dennis King has recommended Gallo be fired. The Board will issue a public notice on its decision at a future meeting. Gallo continues receiving his approximately $5,400 monthly salary.

Early voting hours

Early voting for the March 5 presidential primary will take place at Abbot Hall at the following times: » Feb. 24, 10 a.m.-4 p.m. » Feb. 26, 8:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m. » Feb. 27, 8:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m. » Feb. 28, 8:30 a.m.-5:30 p.m. » Feb. 29, 8:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m.

COURTESY PHOTOS

The Chamber of Commerce recently held two ribbon cuttings, welcoming members: Katie Ring Photography, left, and The Mariner.

Glover’s Regiment honored

CURRENT PHOTO / WILL DOWD

The Select Board holds its second private, executive session in the disciplinary case against suspended police officer Christopher Gallo, far left. » March 1, 8:30 a.m.-noon

Parents Rights and LGBTQ+ Youth Mimi Lemay will speak at this program at Abbot Library, 3 Brook Rd., Feb. 26, 6 p.m. It will be a hybrid event. Register at marbleheaddems.org.

Glover’s Marblehead Regiment, the local Revolutionary War reenactment group, was recently presented the America 250 Commendation Award by the National Society Daughters of the American Revolution. The award was given in recognition of the group’s 50 years of service at a regimental dinner attended by current and former captains. The regiment also received a commemorative medal celebrating the 250th anniversary of the United States, which members can wear at ceremonial events throughout 2026.

delegates and four alternates to represent them at the 2024 Massachusetts Democratic State Convention.

The caucus will take place at 10:30 a.m. at the Village School Auditorium, 93 Village St. Registered and pre-registered local Democrats ages 16 and older as of Feb. 15 can vote and be elected.

The state convention will be held in person on June 1 at the DCU Center in Worcester.

Those interested in getting involved with the Democratic Town Committee should contact Chair Kathy Hempel at 617-5488517 or kathy_hempel@yahoo. com.

Local Dems to elect delegates

Abbot Library offers tax counseling service

The Marblehead Democratic Town Committee will hold a caucus on March 2 to elect 14

Registration is open for the Tax Counseling for the Elderly Program offered by AARP at

the Abbot Library. The free tax preparation service will be held on Mondays through April 8.

Appointments are required.

Call the library at 781-631-1481 during open hours to sign up.

Tax forms are now available in the Reference Room.

The TCE program provides basic tax return preparation for low- to moderate-income taxpayers, with a focus on seniors. Participants do not need to be AARP members or meet an age requirement.

For more information, visit abbotlibrary.org/tax-prepprogram or email the library at mar@noblenet.org.

Bells to toll on Washington’s birthday The bells at Abbot Hall and churches across Marblehead will ring next month in honor of George Washington’s birthday.

The Select Board voted last week to continue the town’s custom of commemorating Washington’s Birthday. On Thursday, Feb. 22, bells will ring for 30 minutes in the morning, midday and evening.

Specific ringing times are 7:30 a.m.-8 a.m., noon-12:30 p.m. and 6 p.m.-6:30 p.m.

ClearGov is live

Residents now have online access to more of the town’s financial information via the ClearGov Transparency Center at bit.ly/3Oi07pF. It’s part of the town’s new cloud-based financial software system.

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Marblehead Current Wednesday, February 21, 2024 A7

BUSINESS SPOTLIGHT

Meet the Gingle-Lerman Realty team

BY MELISSA STACEY The following is an interview with Roberta Lerman and Marcie Gingle of the Gingle-Lerman Realty Group, conducted by Discover Marblehead. To learn more about this award-winning real estate business team, go to bit.ly/3wiwcrk or stop by the William Raveis office at 11 Atlantic Ave. Roberta, tell us about your real estate business partnership. Marcie and I both became realtors in the early 1990s at what was then known as Hunneman Real Estate in Swampscott. We became fast friends and soon realized we had a similar, strong work ethic. We both found it satisfying to match buyers

Roberta Lerman, left, and Marcie Gingle, are co-owners of Gingle-Lerman Realty Group.

with the right house and help their dreams of owning a home become a reality. With our combined business knowledge and individual skill sets that complemented each other, we realized we made excellent partners as well. So, in 2018, the Gingle-Lerman Realty Group partnership was formed. We pride ourselves on being with our clients every step of the way to the closing and beyond. Our

What is the best piece of business advice you ever received? We agree that the best business advice we’ve received was, “Don’t judge anyone by their appearance.”

Marblehead and why?

Roberta: Old Burial Hill, I love the view, the stillness, the history and stories written on the stones of the people that once lived in Marblehead.

Marcie: Lower Washington Street and old town because of the history, the architecture and the beautiful, sometimes hidden gardens.

What is your favorite spot in

What is something people

satisfied clients and successful sales, along with our consistent awards, tell our story. We’re “Your GPS in real estate.”

COURTESY PHOTO

would be surprised to learn about you?

Roberta: I write historical romance novels that take place in centuries past and usually in Scotland.

Marcie: I want to raise miniature pygmy goats when, and if, I retire.

The business spotlight is a weekly feature published in partnership with Discover Marblehead. To learn more, visit discovermhd.com

FOOD 101

Perusing the cookbook shelf

BY LINDA BASSETT

Schwartz will see any cook through long blustery winter weather until it’s time to flirt with flowers in a treasury of bone-warming soups chunky bean-and-vegetable — and some cool, silky pureed bowls for spring.

“Roasting” (MacMillan, 1995).

Kathy Gunst keeps the kitchen warm and fragrant and cuts down on scrubbing extra pots and pans, using sheet pans (easily covered with foil for quick clean-up). Her roasted shrimp, with a choice of sauces, says “party” when paired with chilled champagne or an icy bucket of beers.

Deep winter is my time to reorganize, cull and savor my cookbook collection. I keep the books on the shelf each for its own reason — sentimentality, snobbery, storyline — but I cook only from those that don’t force me to do battle with my batterie (de cuisine).

Some of the older books listed here are out of print but available at thrifty preloved prices in used bookstores.

Here are a few loosely cataloged favorites and a smattering of recipes.

SALT ENCRUSTED SHRIMP Makes 4 servings.

Bedrock classics

Classics like “The Way to Cook” from oracle Julia Child have been on my shelf forever.

This one is much easier to follow than her original “Mastering the Art.” Beside it, I keep “Larousse Gastronomique” and “The Oxford Companion to Food,” the first stubbornly French viewpoint and the other, staunchly British, primarily for reference.

My bible, James Beard’s “American Cookery” (Little, Brown & Co., 1972) from the “dean of American cooking” is almost Twain-like in its Americana. An informative, recipe-packed volume, this is the place I turn to with most culinary questions.

Two newer supplemental books sit on my shelves. Boston native Mark Bittman’s “How to Cook Everything” (MacMillan, 1998) is packed with clearly worded, solid recipes from around the globe with helpful lists like “Twenty-six Vegetables That Will Make Converts” and “Thirty-Seven Meat Dishes That Are as Good or Better the Next Day.” “Salt/Fat/Acid/Heat” (Simon & Schuster, 2017) by Samin Nostrat speaks to newer cooks with fun, full-color fold-out charts and illustrations to explain the whys and wherefores behind

techniques and foodstuffs.

French and Italian “Bistro Cooking” (Workman 1989) by Patricia Wells offers an uncomplicated way to prepare real food that real French people eat at their real neighborhood restaurants in and around Paris.

None of that heavy cream-andbutter stuff, just good down-toearth dishes that bear repeating.

“Ciao Italia Family Classics,” Mary Ann Esposito (St. Martin’s Press, 2011) is packed with approachable recipes for both Italian and Italian-American fare (the difference is deliciously explained) from the PBS cooking show. Packed with encouraging words, it provides a level-headed tour for timid to experienced cooks. Penne alla vodka is as good as any restaurant offering and a breeze to cook at home.

PENNE ALLA VODKA Makes 8 servings. ` 4 tablespoons (1⁄2 stick) unsalted butter ` 1 garlic clove, minced ` 2 cups pureed fresh or canned plum tomatoes ` 1⁄2 cup vodka ` 1 cup heavy cream

REAL ESTATE TRANSFERS Buyer(s)

CURRENT PHOTO / LINDA BASSETT

A stack of Linda Bassett’s favorite cookbooks. ` 1 cup grated ParmigianoReggiano cheese ` Fine sea salt ` 1 pound penne rigate (penne pasta with lines) ` Melt butter in a 12-to-14-inch saute pan. Add garlic and cook over medium heat until soft.

Add tomatoes and vodka and cook for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Reduce heat to low and slowly pour in the cream, cooking for an additional 5 minutes. Add half the cheese, cover and keep the sauce warm while the pasta is cooking.

Bring 4 to 6 quarts of water to a rapid boil; add 1 tablespoon of salt. Add the pasta and cook until al dente. Drain, reserving 1⁄4 cup of the cooking water.

Transfer the penne and reserved cooking water to the sauce; and stir well over medium heat until hot. Sprinkle on the remaining cheese; stir to blend.

Transfer to a serving platter.

Serve immediately.

All day long “Street Food,” Rose Grant (Crossings Press, 1988 is an international look at foods and customs of street vendors,

fairgrounds, festivals, carnivals, stadiums and ballparks. (Keep in mind the publication date before the advent of food trucks.)

Packed with fun and flavor, this book is old enough to include a recipe from the former Soviet Union but modern enough to have explored what they eat in Thailand. A blender recipe for Orange Julius is from deliciously pre-pandemic stands at the mall.

ORANGE JULIUS Makes 2 servings. ` 1⁄2 cup orange juice concentrate ` 1 1⁄2 cups ice cold whole milk ` 1⁄4 cup sugar ` 1⁄2 teaspoon salt ` 1⁄2 teaspoon vanilla extract ` 1 raw egg white (optional) ` 8 large ice cubes, slightly crushed

Place all ingredients in a blender. Blend until very smooth. Serve at once.

“The Breakfast Book” (Wings, 1997) by Marion Cunningham provides heartwarming morning inspiration from scones to shirred eggs. It might return you to grandma’s (or greatgrandma’s) kitchen.

“Soup Suppers” (HarperPerennial, 1994). Arthur

` 1 pound medium size shrimp in their shells ` 4 cups kosher salt ` 1 lemon and/or lime, cut into wedges

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Rinse and thoroughly dry the shrimp. Place them in a mediumsize roasting pan or shallow casserole and pour the salt on top. (The salt should totally cover the shrimp.)

Roast the shrimp for 15 minutes. Remove the pan from the oven and dig the shrimp out from under the salt. Using a pastry brush or paper towel, brush off any remaining salt clinging to the shells. Serve the shrimp in their shells and let everyone peel their own. Pass the lemon and lime wedges separately.

DESSERT “The All-American Cookie Book,” Nancy Baggett (Houghton Mifflin, 2002). This is an all-occasion life saver and the only baking book a nonbaker needs. Foodies consider Baggett the source of crediting the “Joe Froggers” cookie to Marblehead.

Linda Bassett lived in Marblehead for years and has worked as a cook, trained up-andcoming chefs, studied food history and led food tours. Her book, “From Apple Pie to Pad Thai,” is about local cooks and cooking.

Seller(s)

Address

Date

Price

Camille M. and Florentin D. Servan

Edna Kutai 2013 RET and Ithamar T. Kutai

10 Jane Road

Feb. 2

$900,000

Ashley Hawkins and John Riddle

Nancy D Ryan RET and Nancy D. Ryan

58 Jersey St.

Feb. 1

$790,000

Sergey Korsunskiy

15 Middlesex Ave.

Jan. 30

$670,000

Marblehead

Swampscott Erika S. and Max D. Nugiel

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A8 Wednesday, February 21, 2024 Marblehead Current

SHARE THE LOVE

SPUR volunteers brighten Valentine’s Day

COURTESY PHOTOS

SPUR volunteer Susan Gruber creates flower arrangements for Valentine’s Day.

This Valentine’s Day, volunteers with SPUR delivered 40 flower arrangements to “people in our community going through a tough time or who needed a little extra love,” said Kim Nothnagel, who works with the nonprofit.

The recipients were nominated by friends and neighbors.

SPUR volunteers also baked more than 1,300 cookies and delivered boxes of the treats to 40 partner agencies, social service providers and first responders.

Learn more about SPUR at spurnorthshore.org.

Keep the Current Coming!

HELP MAKE IT POSSIBLE! JOIN US FOR OUR

& Prizes

Marblehead firefighters receive a box of Valentine’s Day cookies from SPUR.

WINTER

WINE SALE

Try the special Current Cocktail!

Bring a team! Test your brain!

Foil friends & family!

WIN A PRIZE!

(we’re giving away $100 gift cards!)

Trivia Master: Steve Corum of On Tap Trivia

The Landing Restaurant TUESDAY, FEB. 27, 6:00-8:30PM Event Information Tickets: $35 per person (scan QR code or use the url to reserve) Note: Ticket purchase guarantees your reservation at The Landing (dinner and drinks not included in the ticket price.)

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Marblehead Current Wednesday, February 21, 2024 A9

Sports ON THE RUN

Girls make history at NEC meet Magicians beat conference rivals for the first time since 2004; boys finish third

BY JOE MCCONNELL For the first time since 2004, the Marblehead High girls indoor track team won the annual Northeastern Conference (NEC) Meet on Feb. 10 at the Reggie Lewis Athletic Center in Roxbury with an impressive 121 points, while the boys finished third with 65 points.

“If you combine the scores of the boys and girls teams across the whole conference, we would have beaten Peabody, 186-181.5,” said coach Nolan Raimo.

“The girls 4x200 relay broke the meet record (Peabody, 1:48.18, 2023) with a time of 1:46.35, the only Marblehead record on the girls’ side.

“Also, Alex Hersey broke the meet record in the long jump with a leap of 21-5.75, breaking the previous record of 21-0 set

by Tristan Howard of Medford in 2019,” added Raimo. “He joins Godot Gaskins (300, 35.44, 2020) as the only two Marblehead boys on this meet’s record list.”

Since Peabody joined the NEC in 2009, neither Marblehead team won this meet, according to Raimo.

“It was a David vs. Goliath situation, where Marblehead (20,000 population) takes on Peabody (55,000) and Beverly (45,000) in a sport where you need an army to win this meet,” the Marblehead coach added.

“You can’t win this meet with a couple of special athletes like you can in other sports; you need a lot of great athletes.

“We had a bunch of helpers to make this meet happen. Alex Humphries raked the long jump area throughout the entire meet, and Marc Grazado and Sean Heenan assisted with the high jump bar. It’s the little things like this that speak loudly about our culture. It’s what separates us from a lot of other teams.”

Following the Marblehead

COURTESY PHOTOS / CAT PIPER

The Marblehead High girls 4x200 relay team after breaking the NEC Meet record on Feb. 10 at the Reggie Lewis Athletic Center in Roxbury (1:46.35, previously mark 1:48.18). They are, from left, junior Charlie Roszell, junior captain Ava Machado, sophomore Sadie Halpern and senior captain LeDaisha Williams.

Marblehead High boys indoor track juniors Jacob Bobowski and captain Thomas Carlson, from left, show off their medals.

Marblehead High girls indoor track sophomore Isabelle Mortenson, left, and classmate Avery Wysor celebrate after the team won its first NEC Meet since 2004.

girls in the final standings were Masconomet Regional (76 points), Beverly (74), Peabody (64), Gloucester (36), Danvers (16), Saugus (10) and Swampscott (6).

Ava Machado (7.48), Sadie Halpern (7.53) and LeDaisha Williams (7.59) captured the top

three spots in the 55-meter dash.

Together, they combined for 24 points.

LeDaisha Williams (42.0) and Halpern (42.13) topped the ticket in the 300. Machado (42.91) and Charlotte Roszell (43.11) TRACK, P. A11

HOOPS

Magicians basketball weekly report

BY JOE MCCONNELL It was more than just Super Bowl weekend for the Marblehead High basketball programs. It was an opportunity for the teams to respectively come together and think and play as one with the postseason looming in the background.

For coach Paul Moran’s girls basketball team (11-8), they split their half of the journey to the western part of the state. They played a couple of competitive games that will only serve them well in their preparation for the state tournament.

The Magicians lost to Pope Francis, 50-45 on Feb. 10, before they staged a ferocious second half comeback to overtake Holyoke, 49-41 the very next day on Super Sunday.

“We were trailing Holyoke the whole game, but we caught fire in the fourth quarter to pull out the win,” Moran said The Marblehead girls led by only two at halftime, 25-23. But then, Holyoke outscored the visitors in the third quarter, 13-3

BLACK CYAN MAGENTA YELLOW

to take the lead.

“I thank our great defense for this comeback win,” said Moran.

Co-captain Katie Pine led the way with 14 points. Marri O’Connell was next in line with 10. Tessa Andriano contributed nine points to the winning cause.

Ainsley McDonald was credited with seven points. Ramona Gillett netted six points.

Co-captain Katie Burns scored two points. Maddie Forbes buried one free throw.

Prior to the Holyoke win, the Magicians played perhaps their best game of the year against Pope Francis, according to Moran, while also summing up the weekend as an overall positive experience.

“The entire weekend had a tournament atmosphere to it,” the coach said. “We won one, lost one, but these games will definitely help us down the road (in March).”

Andriano paced the offensive attack against Pope Francis with 19 points, followed by Pine (9), O’Connell (6), Gillett (5), Sam Dosch (3), Forbes (2) and Burns (1).

The Magicians then returned to the Northeastern Conference with a game at Gloucester, but the host Fishermen were able to trip them up, 41-38 on Feb. 14. But they immediately got back on track against rival Swampscott on the road, 39-35 the very next night. The game was tied at halftime, 20-20.

O’Connell connected on four crucial free throws at the end of the game to seal the deal. She ended up scoring six points in this game. Pine also helped cement the victory with a late three-pointer. She finished the game with seven points.

Andriano and McDonald led the offense with eight points apiece. Gillett had six. Forbes and Burns each scored two points.

The Magicians have since taken on non-league host Everett (Feb. 19) after press deadline, before non-league Ipswich comes to town later today (Feb. 21, 5 p.m.), followed by Salem on Feb. 15

to wrap up the regular season, starting at 5:30 p.m. As of Feb. 16, Marblehead is 33rd in the Division 2 power rankings.

Boys take two at home After dropping its two games to Pope Francis (55-47) and Holyoke (88-62), the boys team (12-6) returned home to beat Northeastern Conference rivals Gloucester (70-38) and Swampscott (63-54).

“We played Gloucester after our ‘snow day’, where we didn’t have practice,” said coach Mike Giardi, and as a result both teams were sluggish early on.

Gloucester did challenge us in the first half, but we were able to separate ourselves in the second half, because of our defense.”

Nick Lemmond was the team’s leading scorer once again with 23 points. Ryan Commoss was the only other double-digit scorer with 11. Adrian Baron (8), Sam Thompson (8), Scott Campbell (7), Cody Bouchard (3), Cam Quigley (2), Carson Brooks (2), Jordan McFarlane (2), Finn Baron (2) and Finn Gallup (2)

rounded out the scoring against the Fishermen.

The Marblehead boys went right back to work the next night against the Big Blue.

“It’s tough playing back-toback games, especially when you don’t have a chance to prep for the opponent, but our kids did a great job of making adjustments in the second half to secure the win,” said Giardi. “Swampscott came out playing hard. They are very athletic, and were shooting the ball well. But we were able to get back on track after some bad turnovers, which allowed them to take the lead.

Fortunately, we were able to settle down to come away with the victory.”

Commoss (25) and Lemmond (20) paced the offensive against the Big Blue, followed by Campbell (8), Adrian Baron (4), Finn Baron (3) and Thompson (3).

With two non-league games left on the regular season schedule, the Magicians are ranked 39 th in Division 2, as of Feb. 16.

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A10 Wednesday, February 21, 2024 Marblehead Current

FROM THE POOL

Swimmers enjoy top finishes in sectionals Girls end up sixth, boys 13th out of 35 teams to determine state meet finalists

BY JOE MCCONNELL The Marblehead High School swim/dive team traveled to WPI (Worcester Polytechnic Institute) on Feb. 10 (girls) and Feb. 11 (boys) to take part in the North state sectionals. The girls team placed sixth, while the boys ended up 13 th in a very competitive field with over 35 teams participating, according to coach Sue Guertin.

In the boys sectionals, Ian Chemel, Cale Nelson, Gary

Podstrelov and Logan Doody (1:47.9) finished 13th in the 200-yard medley relay. Nate Rosen (1:54.59) was 15 th in the 200-yard freestyle. Cale Nelson (2:07.23) came in 16 th in the 200-yard IM. Logan Doody (22.23) finished fourth in the 50-yard freestyle, and then accounted for a fifthplace finish in the 100-yard freestyle (49.5).

Nelson (5:11.39) was 12th overall in the 500-yard freestyle.

The quartet of Rosen, Chemel,

Brady Leveroni and Greg Podstrelov (1:37) was credited with a 15 th -place finish in the 200-yard freestyle relay. Nelson, Greg Podstrelov, Rosen and Doody (3:30.30) came in 15 th in the 400-yard freestyle relay.

In the girls sectionals, the 200yard medley relay team of Finn Bergquist, Bella Takata, Song Waitekus and Sophia Weiner (1:55.72) finished near the top in sixth place.

In the 200-yard freestyle, Brinleigh Callahan (2:06.59)

was 14 th overall. Song Waitekus (2:13.51) and Takata (2:15.83) were fourth and fifth in the 200yard IM. Waitekus (1:00.46) turned in a third-place finish in the 100-yard butterfly. Bergquist (1:03.42) was 12th.

In the 500-yard freestyle, Callahan (5:34.67) came in sixth in the 500-yard freestyle.

Rebecca Vaynshetyn (5:49.81) was 12 th . Bergquist, Madeleine Auerbach, Vaynshetyn and Callahan (1:51.4) collected a

10th place finish in the 200-yard freestyle relay.

Weiner (1:04.24) experienced similar results in the 100-yard backstroke. Takata (1:09.94) was fourth in the North in the 100-yard breaststroke. Weiner, Callahan, Waitekus and Takata (3:48.59) came through with a third-place finish in the 400-yard freestyle relay.

The Magicians have since taken part in the state championship meet at MIT on Feb. 17 (girls) and Feb. 18 (boys), starting at 4 p.m.

ON THE MAT

Wrestlers send six to the divisional finals

BY JOE MCCONNELL The Marblehead/Swampscott Black & Blue wrestling team participated in the Division 2 North state sectionals at Burlington High School on Feb. 10.

“It was a great day for the team as we had six wrestlers move on to the Division 2 state finals,” said coach Mike Stamison.

“Overall, we placed seventh as a team out of 13 squads.”

Here are the team’s 2004 state finalists: Brady Haskell (second in the 106-pound weight category), Liam O’Brien (second, 120-pounds), Mason Hinshaw (first, 144-pounds), Ben O’Brien (fifth place, 190-pounds), Angelo Knight (first place, 215-pounds) and Justin Gonzalez (fourth place, 285-pounds).

Stamison continued with his thoughts after the sectionals: “It was a wild and exciting day, where we experienced a full range of emotions at the North sectionals. We placed ahead of Greater Lawrence, Woburn and Reading, while also getting closely edged out

by Salem / Hamilton-Wenham and Billerica. We saw some inspiring performances from all our wrestlers, and qualified five outright for the divisional state finals, along with one alternate.”

At 106, eighth grader Brady Haskell earned his first high school postseason medal with a second-place finish. He had three quick wins via pinfall to reach the finals, where he then gave his Tyngsboro/Dracut opponent everything he could handle, before losing a close 10-8 decision. Brady now has a 33-2 record on the season.

At 113, Jaymes Carey concluded his freshman campaign, ending up with an 11-14 record. “There

are big things ahead for this freshman,” said Stamison.

At 120, sophomore captain Liam O’Brien punched his first career ticket to the state finals.

Coming in as the third seed, he pinned his first-round opponent from Reading, before winning a 13-4 major decision over his Nashoba opponent. He then faced off against second seed Michael Thomas of Melrose, who he was able to pin in the third period. Following that triumph, he went up against New England top-ranked wrestler Peter Rincan of Billerica in the finals, where he fell in the second period. He now moves on to the state finals with a 34-8 record.

At 126, Andrew Delisle was once again bumped up from 113.

While he didn’t register a win at the sectionals, this season was still a huge step in the right direction for the freshman. He was 7-24 this year along with several exhibition wins.

At 132, eighth grade newcomer to the sport Chuck Conlon (4-20) stepped into the varsity lineup in the first week of the season, and never relinquished the spot.

He had a tough draw in his first sectional match, falling to the top seed from Tyngsborough / Dracut. He then wrestled very well in what turned out to be his last match of the season against his Woburn foe.

At 144, junior captain Mason Hinshaw showed why he was the top seed. He won all four of his matches via pinfall against opponents from Salem/ Hamilton-Wenham, Melrose, Reading and Greater Lawrence Tech. Mason now takes his 36-6 record to the state finals, where he is the second seed.

At 150, junior captain Clive Connolly sadly saw his season come to a close. He had a tough

Marblehead Black & Blue wrestler Angelo Knight stands above the rest on the podium as the Division 2 North sectional tournament champion in the 215-pound weight category at Burlington High School on Feb. 10.

draw, going up against both the fourth and sixth seeds. In his last match, he battled a sixth seed from Salem/Hamilton-Wenham once more to a close 6-4 decision loss. He finishes his junior campaign at 12-19. Of those 19 losses, only six came via pinfall, which speaks of his heart and compete level. He also bumped up to 157 often this year for the sake of the team.

At 157, junior Alejandro Haven went 1-2 in the sectionals after returning to the lineup from a

COURTESY PHOTOS

Marblehead Black & Blue wrestler Mason Hinshaw poses proudly on the podium stand after winning the Division 2 North sectional tournament championship in the 144-pound weight division

bout with pneumonia. He lost to a third-seed from Reading, before pinning his Billerica opponent. He then lost a heartbreaker to a seventh seed from Salem/Hamilton-Wenham.

He ends the season at 12-15.

At 165, sophomore Phineas Jakious finished up with an 8-17 record. Tough losses to opponents from Woburn and Salem/Hamilton-Wenham in the sectionals knocked him out of the postseason.

At 175, sophomore Colin Hart

finished up with an 11-20 record.

Hart had a tough draw in the sectionals, facing off against the three seed from Tyngsboro/ Dracut and fifth seed from Woburn. “Colin came on very strong starting in our dual at Gloucester on Jan. 17, going 9-7 since that overtime win,” said Stamison.

At 190, senior Ben O’Brien placed fifth in the sectionals. He probably wrestled more than WRESTLING, P. A11

ON ICE

Headers get back to work after mild setback

BY JOE MCCONNELL Authors of a seven-game winning streak to get back into the postseason mix after a slow start to the season, the Marblehead High (9-9-1) boys hockey team stumbled just a bit against Danvers (3-3) and

non-league Shawsheen (4-1 loss) to fall back to the .500 mark.

The Magicians had three regular season games left to regain that winning momentum.

They took on Beverly (Feb. 15), followed by the annual Newburyport

COMMONWEALTH OF MASSACHUSETTS THE TRIAL COURT PROBATE AND FAMILY COURT Essex Probate and Family Court, 36 Federal Street, Salem, MA 01970 (978) 744-1020 Docket No. ES22P2695EA Estate of: Alden Matthew Kelley, Jr. Also known as: Alden M. Kelley, Jr. Date of Death: 08/12/2022 CITATION ON PETITION FOR FORMAL ADJUDICATION To all interested persons: A Petition for S/A - Formal Probate of Will with Appointment of Personal Representative has been filed by Marnie R. Moore of Lynn, MA, requesting that the Court enter a formal Decree and Order and for such other relief as requested in the Petition. The Petitioner requests that Susan A. Kelley of Middleton, MA, be appointed as Personal Representative(s) of said estate to serve Without Surety on the bond in unsupervised administration.

IMPORTANT NOTICE You have the right to obtain a copy of the Petition from the Petitioner or at the Court.

You have a right to object to this proceeding. To do so, you or your attorney must file a written appearance and objection at this Court before 10:00 a.m. on the return day of 02/29/2024.

This is NOT a hearing date, but a deadline by which you must file a written appearance and objection if you object to this proceeding. If you fail to file a timely written appearance and objection followed by an affidavit of objections within thirty (30) days of the return day, action may be taken without further notice to you.

UNSUPERVISED ADMINISTRATION UNDER THE MASSACHUSETTS UNIFORM PROBATE CODE (MUPC) A Personal Representative appointed under the MUPC in an unsupervised administration is not required to file an inventory or annual accounts with the Court. Persons interested in the estate are entitled to notice regarding the administration directly from the Personal Representative and may petition the Court in any matter relating to the estate, including the distribution of assets and expenses of administration.

WITNESS, Hon. Frances M. Giordano, First Justice of this Court.

Date: February 15, 2024 Pamela A. Casey O’Brien, Register of Probate

Bank Classic (Feb. 18 and 20) after press deadline.

As of Feb. 16, the Headers are ninth in the Division 3 power rankings, two slots ahead of the Falcons.

To consider where they were, the Marblehead boys have made a remarkable resurgence to

remain one of the hottest teams at the right time of the season.

Senior captain Hogan Sedky was the scoring leader against Danvers with two goals. Cam Waldman accounted for the equalizer with just nine seconds left in

Town of Marblehead Legal Ad ADVERTISEMENT TO BID The Town of Marblehead select board is the Awarding Authority, invites sealed bids from Contractors for the Franklin Street Firehouse Window Restoration at in Marblehead, Massachusetts, in accordance with the documents prepared by Foster Architecture. The Project consists of but not limited to: Restoration of historic wood sash windows and replacement of exterior doors at the Franklin Street Firehouse. The work is estimated to cost $110,000.00. All bidding Requests for Information (RFIs) shall be submitted online by 03/06/2024 at 1:00PM EST for general bids. Bids are subject to M.G.L. c.149 §44A-J & to minimum wage rates as required by M.G.L. c.149 §§26 to 27H inclusive. THIS PROJECT IS BEING ELECTRONICALLY BID AND HARD COPY BIDS WILL NOT BE ACCEPTED. Please review the instructions in the bid documents on how to register as an electronic bidder. All Bids shall be submitted online at www.biddocs.com and received no later than the date and time specified. CONTRACT REQUIREMENT: General bidders must be certified by the Division of Capital Asset Management and Maintenance (DCAMM) in the following category of work, Historical Building Restoration, and must submit a current DCAMM Certificate of Eligibility and signed DCAMM Prime/General Contractor Update Statement. General Bids will be received until 13 March 2024 on 1:00PM EDT and publicly opened online, forthwith. General bids and sub-bids shall be accompanied by a bid deposit that is not less than five (5%) of the greatest possible bid amount (including all alternates), and made payable to the TOWN OF MARBLEHEAD. Note: A bid deposit is not required for Projects advertised under $50,000.

Bid Forms and Contract Documents will be available for review at www.biddocs.com (may be viewed and downloaded electronically at no cost). PRE-BID CONFERENCE / SITE VISIT: Scheduled Date and Time: 02/27/2024 at 11:00AM EST Address: 1 Franklin Street, Marblehead, MA 01945 Pre-bid Conference / Site Visit is MANDATORY for General Contractors. The hard copy Contract Documents may be seen at: Nashoba Blue Inc. 433 Main Street Hudson, MA 01749 978-568-1167 Town of Marblehead

the game to secure the valuable point for his teammates. Junior Kyle Hart collected two assists, and assistant captain Charlie Grenier set up one goal.

Junior goalie Leo Burdge made 13 saves to keep things close on the scoreboard. Burdge was busier between the pipes against Shawsheen, coming up with 30 saves.

Junior James Caeran notched the lone Danvers goal in the game from Sedky.

Despite their 7-1-1 record in the last nine games to reverse a bad trend, there’s still work to be done and things to iron out before March Madness begins,

according to coach Mark Marfione.

“We need to get better with the details,” Marfione added. “Shawsheen was a great learning lesson for us. Against good teams, there’s a small margin for error, and in a game like this one (Shawsheen) know how to capitalize on mistakes as one of those good teams.”

But the good news was that they still had three regular season games left on the schedule and of course daily practices to straighten out those little aspects of the game that usually are the determining factors between close wins and close losses.

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Marblehead Current Wednesday, February 21, 2024 A11

Wrestling From P. A10

anyone in the state that day with six matches, going 4-2. Ben came in as the fifth seed. He first pinned his Northeast Metro/ Bishop Fenwick foe, before being pinned by the fourth seed from Nashoba. He then had pins against Burlington and Greater Lawrence. In the consolation semifinal, he lost to the seventh seed from Billerica. He then won perhaps the biggest match of his career, according to Stamison, a 3-0 triumph over the Melrose second seed. His efforts earned him a spot at the finals as an alternate. He’s 21-17 going into the finals. and 34-38 over the last

two years.

“The middle O’Brien brother is a good golfer and baseball player, while also becoming a steady wrestler, and more importantly a great teammate and person,” said Stamison.

At 215, senior captain Angelo Knight is your D-2 North Sectional champion as the second seed. He made quick work of his first two opponents.

In the semifinal, Angelo squared off against the three seed from Melrose, where he went on to record a 6-4 win after a last second maneuver, and then came the upset over the top seed from Whittier Tech, who had just bottled up and pinned Angelo one week earlier.

After an illness that kept

Angelo out for most of the week, he weighed in at 196-pounds that morning, easily giving up 20 pounds. He was down going into the second period against his Whittier Tech foe, but then hit on a reversal to pin him. He’s going to be the fourth seed in the finals with a 26-15 record.

“This is a testament to the offseason work Angelo has put in this summer and fall,” said Stamison. “He has been on the team three years. As a sophomore, he was 1-8, and as a junior 9-16.

He has certainly improved considerably from year to year.”

At 285, junior Justin Gonzalez punched his ticket to the dance for the first time after placing fourth in the sectionals with a 2-2 record. He came in as the

third seed, and had a bye in the first round. He lost to Nashoba in the first round, 4-1.

Down to the consolations, Justin pinned the fourth seed from Whittier and then his Woburn foe, before running into Whittier again in the third and fourth place match. Rather than go into overtime, tied at one, he was able to score a takedown as time expired.

Justin (14-13) has had a solid season to date, while splitting time with his good friend Jayvery Monegro.

Finally, at 138, senior Will Woodward wrestled his final matches for the Black &nBlue.

Will went 2-2 on the day, pinning Northeast Metro/Bishop Fenwick, before falling to top

seed Billerica. He bounced back with a revenge win over Whittier Tech, but sadly his scholastic wrestling career came to an end against Woburn.

“Will joined the team in the 2019-20 season as an eighth grader, and has since been a prominent member of the roster in arguably our most successful era,” said Stamison.

“Will is great with his younger teammates, and has also helped out quite a bit during youth practices at the YMCA.” Joining the six Marblehead grapplers at the state divisional finals this year is freshman Eva Goodman, who is the first Black & Blue team member to take part in the all-girls state tournament.

COURTESY PHOTOS / CAT PIPER

Marblehead High assistant indoor track coaches Joseph Picano, Will Herlihy, Elaine Veloukas and Danny Plunkett with head coach Nolan Raimo, from left, during the NEC Meet at the Reggie Lewis Athletic Center in Roxbury on Feb. 10.

Track From P. A9

ended up fourth and fifth to score six more points for their teammates.

Juliet Burchfield (1:50.6) and Grace Mortenson (1:51.1) ended up eighth and 10 th in the 600. Kate Twomey (3:11.97) was third in the 1,000. Avery Wysor (3:40.88) was eighth.

Maren Potter (6:21.25) came in ninth in the mile. Cat Piper (12:34.78) came in third in the two mile.

Paige Tredwell (8.90) bested the entire field in the 55-meter hurdles. Elise Burchfield (9.36) ended up third.

Machado, Halpern, Roszell and Williams (1:46.35) went to the

head of the class in the 4x200 relays.

Morgan Zion, Sarah Munroe, Manuela Puente and Gabrielle Hendy (4:38.4) teamed up to finish fifth in the mile relays.

Grace Mortenson, Wysor, Juliet Burchfield and Isabel Mortenson (11:09.39) were fourth in the 4x800 relays.

Tredwell (5-2) was No. 1 in the high jump. Philine Heuermann (5-0) was third, and Elise Burchfield (4-8) sixth. Tredwell (15-01.5) accounted for a fifthplace finish in the long jump.

Elise Burchfield (14-0) came in ninth.

Rachael Albert (31-2) and Lillian Reddy (31-6.75) were third and fourth in the shot put.

Peabody (117.50) was the top team in the boys NEC Meet standings, followed by Beverly

(94), Marblehead (65), Masconomet Regional (58.50), Danvers (36), Gloucester (19), Swampscott (10) and Saugus (3).

Thomas Carlson (6.56) broke the tape first in the 55-meter dash. Isaias Pena Aguasvivas Pena (38.16) took fifth in the 300. Carlson (38.33) was eighth.

Henrik Adams (1:31.7) recorded an eighth-place finish in the 600.

Will Cruikshank (2:50) did the same in the 1,000.

Isaac Gross (4:29.70) was credited with a second-place finish in the mile. Cerrutti (4:35.96) came in fifth, and Ryan Blestowe (4:55.39) ninth.

Nate Assa (9:47.52) crossed the finish line in first place in the two mile. Jonah Potach (11:41.73) chipped in with a 10 th place finish. Alex Hersey (7.79)

Marblehead High boys indoor track athlete Isaias Aguasvivas Pena runs the final leg of the 4x400.

finished second in the 55-meter hurdles. Noah Jackson (9.09) was eighth.

Carlson, Hersey, Slater Johnson and Jacob Bobowski (1:37) teamed up to finish third in the 4x200 relays.

Graham Tips, Quentin Fletcher, Ethan Horgan and

Pena Aguasvivas (3:51.97) ended up fifth in the mile relays.

Cruikshank, Gross, Cerrutti and Xavier Grazado (8:52.29) were third in the 4x800 relays.

Hersey (21-0.5) flew to a firstplace finish in the long jump.

Riley Schmitt (41-04.50) was sixth in the shot put.

MHS VARSITY SPORTS SCHEDULE Wednesday, Feb. 14 5:15 p.m., girls hockey, vs.

Peabody, at McVann/ O’Keefe Memorial Rink, Peabody 5:30 p.m., alpine ski racing, vs. TBA, at Bradford Ski Hill Thursday, Feb. 15 5:30 p.m., alpine ski racing, vs. TBA, at Blue HIlls Ski Area, Canton 6:30 p.m., girls basketball, vs. Swampscott, at Swampscott High 7 p.m., boys basketball,

vs. Swampscott, at Marblehead High 7:10 p.m., boys hockey, vs.

Shawsheen, at Billerica Memorial High Friday, Feb. 16 2:30 p.m., wrestling, state tournament, at Algonquin Regional High School Saturday, Feb. 17 7:30 a.m., wrestling, varsity state tournament, at Algonquin Regional High School 10:30 a.m., girls and boys indoor track, state sectionals, at Reggie Lewis

Center, Roxbury 2:30 p.m., girls swimming/ diving, varsity state finals, at MIT, Cambridge 5 p.m., boys hockey, vs.

Beverly, at Salem State O’Keefe Center 7 p.m., girls hockey, vs.

Newburyport, at Salem State O’Keefe Center Sunday, Feb. 18 2:30 p.m., boys swimming/ diving, state finals, at MIT, Cambridge 3 p.m., boys hockey, vs.

Haverhill, at Graf Skating

Rink, Newburyport 6 p.m., boys basketball (Larry McIntire Tournament), vs. Bishop Fenwick, at Marblehead High Monday, Feb. 19 TBD, boys basketball (Larry McIntire Tournament), vs.

TBA, at Marblehead High 1:30 p.m., girls hockey, vs.

Leominster, at Wallace Civic Center, Fitchburg 3 p.m., girls basketball, vs.

Everett, Everett High Tuesday, Feb. 20 TBD, boys hockey

Letters

case Milley contacted China and tried to de-escalate a possible war with them).

One more incident was when he said he did not want crippled veterans to be on stage with him.

Now, we have Trump delivering an alarming message to U.S. allies during a recent Saturday rally where he outlined a scenario in which he would “encourage them to do whatever the hell they want” to other NATO members (“them” could mean Russia). Is he giving aid and comfort to our enemies?

Finally, let’s remember

Trump never served in the military. He got a deferment due to bone spurs. The choices for November 2024 are difficult and critical.

Trump will destroy us with his psychopathic ego.

Please, please do not vote for him.

Walter Haug Highland Terrace

From P. A5

home to the graves of Americans who fought and died in World War I. He reportedly referred to the fallen soldiers buried there as “losers” and “suckers.”

Former White House Chief of Staff John Kelly confirmed that Trump repeatedly made disparaging remarks about service members and veterans.

Trump once called for Gen. Mark Milley, the chairman of the joint chiefs of staff, to be charged with treason (in

Legal Notice Site Plan Approval Public Hearing Marblehead Planning Board The Marblehead Planning Board will hold a public hearing on the application of Julie Fitzgerald Trustee, for a site plan approval special permit for the construction of an addition/reconstruction of an existing single family structure located at 170 Jersey Street within a Shoreline Single Residence District. This public hearing will be held under Section 200 -37 of the Marblehead Zoning Bylaw on Tuesday March 12, 2024 at 7:00 pm remotely on zoom Pursuant to Governor Baker’s Order Suspending Certain Provisions of the Open Meeting Law, G.L. c. 30A, §18, as amended, the public can attend this meeting via the remote participation platform Zoom, through any one of the following ways: Join Zoom Meeting https://us06web. zoom.us/j/89685384334?pwd=WhhEgtPdlrECGP6RrbwsBS5wrSMYl9.1 or Dial in +1 646 558 8656 US Meeting ID: 896 8538 4334 Passcode: 844105 project materials available for download at Town of Marblehead website planning board page https://www.marblehead.org/planning-board under the date of meeting. Interested persons may attend and participate at the meeting or submit comment in writing electronically and send to lyonsl@marblehead.org or rebeccac@ marblehead.org and the comments, will be read aloud and entered into the record.

Robert Schaeffner Chairman To appear February 21 & 28, 2024 Julir Fitzgerald 170 Jersey St Marblehead, MA 01945 617-671-9194 Juliefitzgerlad309@gmail.com

(tournament), vs. TBA, at Graf Skating Rink, Newburyport Wednesday, Feb. 21 5 p.m., girls basketball, vs.

Ipswich, at Marblehead High Thursday, Feb. 22 5:30 p.m., vs. Salem, at Marblehead High Friday, Feb. 23 2:30 p.m., wrestling, all-state meet, at TBA Saturday, Feb. 24 7:30 a.m., wrestling, all-state

meet, at TBA 10:30 a.m., girls and boys indoor track, all-state meet, at Reggie Lewis Center, Roxbury Tuesday, Feb. 27 8 a.m., alpine ski racing, varsity state meet, at Wachusett Mountain Saturday, March 2 TBD, girls and boys indoor track, New Englands, at Reggie Lewis Center, Roxbury

TOWN OF MARBLEHEAD, MASSACHUSETTS BOARD OF WATER AND SEWER COMMISSIONERS CONTRACT NO. 190 2024-26 WATER MAIN IMPROVEMENTS ADVERTISEMENT The Board of Water and Sewer Commissioners of the Town of Marblehead, MA will receive sealed Bids for the 2024-26 Water Main Improvements until THURSDAY, MARCH 7, 2024 at 11:00 A.M. local time, at the Office of the Board of Water and Sewer Commissioners, 100 Tower Way, Bldg. 11, Marblehead, Massachusetts at which time and place they will be publicly opened and read. All Bids shall be submitted within a sealed envelope addressed to the “Board of Water and Sewer Commissioners, 100 Tower Way, Bldg. 11, Marblehead, MA 01945” and entitled “Bid for Contract No. 190”. The US Postal Service forwards this address to Post Office Box resulting in potential delays.

Alternative delivery methods should be used.

The three year project consists of one year of “known” work and two years of “unknown” work. Year One consists of “known” work, including the replacement of approximately 6,250 feet of 6-inch cast iron water main with 8-inch ductile iron water main on West Street, Florence Street, Mystic Avenue, Roosevelt Avenue, Curtis Street, and Maverick Street, and Bubier Road. Year Two of “unknown” work consists of cleaning and lining approximately 2,850 LF of 6-inch and 8-inch cast iron pipe. Year Three of “unknown” work consists of cleaning and lining approximately 5,000 LF of 8-inch, 10-inch, 12-inch, and 14-inch cast iron pipe. All “known” and “unknown” work includes providing temporary water bypasses, removal and/or installation of gate valves, hydrants, and appurtenances as outlined in the contract documents.

The work includes the furnishing of all labor, materials and equipment for completing the work as shown on the Contract Drawings and as herein specified or reasonably implied.

The OWNER reserves the right to eliminate certain sections of the work or parts of sections, as may be determined by them as a basis of award, to keep within the limits of available funds, or to add sections of the work previously eliminated.

Bidding documents are available in electronic PDF format and hard copy format starting on February 21, 2024.

Electronic files can be obtained by contacting Haley Ward at (978) 648-6025 or aford@haleyward.com. Hard copy documents may be obtained from the office of Haley Ward, Inc., 63 Great Road, Suite 200, Maynard, MA 017542097, during normal business hours, generally 8:00 A.M. to 4:30 P.M. local time Monday through Friday, and may be reviewed at the office of the Marblehead Water and Sewer Department, 100 Tower Way, Bldg., 11, Marblehead, Massachusetts 01945, during normal business hours, generally 9:00 A.M. to 4:00 P.M. Monday through Thursday.

A complete set of the Bidding Documents may be obtained from the Engineer, Haley Ward, Inc., for a deposit of Fifty Dollars ($50.00) or Twenty Dollars ($20.00) for plans only in cash or check, made payable to Haley Ward, Inc. This deposit will be refunded to document holders of record who return the Bidding Documents to the Engineer in good condition within (14) days after the opening of Bids.

All requests for mailing of Bidding Documents shall be accompanied by a separate nonrefundable handling and mailing fee in the amount of Twenty-Five Dollars ($25.00) in cash or check made payable to Haley Ward, Inc. One (1) set of Bidding Documents will be furnished for the deposit and mailing fee stated.

Each bid shall be accompanied by a Bid Bond, Cash, a Certified Check or a Treasurer’s or Cashier’s Check issued by a responsible Bank or Trust Company, in the amount of five (5) percent of the submitted bid, as Bid Security.

Attention of the Bidder is called to the requirements for minimum wage rates to be paid under this Contract and the reporting associated thereto. Minimum wage rates are required as per M.G.L, Chapter 149, Section 26 to 27D inclusive. Minimum wage rates determined by the Commissioner are as contained in the Supplementary Conditions section of the Contract Documents.

The successful Bidder will be required to furnish a Payment and Performance Bond each in the full amount of the Contract.

Contract payment will be by the lump sum price and/or unit price method as indicated on the Bid Form. No Bidder may withdraw his Bid for a period of thirty (30) days after the date designated above for the opening.

Bids for this Contract are subject to the provisions of Massachusetts General Laws (MGL) Chapter 30, Section 39M. The Owner reserves the right to reject any or all Bids, and to limit the extent of the work to keep within the limits of available funds.

The Marblehead Water and Sewer Commission is the awarding authority on this contract.

TOWN OF MARBLEHEAD, MASSACHUSETTS BOARD OF WATER AND SEWER COMMISSIONERS F. Carlton Siegel, Chair Thomas L. Murray, Gregory Bates,Thomas Carroll,Barton Hyte SUPERINTENDENT Amy McHugh HALEY WARD, INC. ,Maynard, MA 01754

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LABOR

State considers reforms to Civil Service hiring Marblehead currently has no people of color on police or fire departments

BY WILL DOWD AND COLIN A. YOUNG Beacon Hill is expected to take up a new bill that could result in what officials are characterizing as major reforms to how Marblehead and other towns across Massachusetts hire police officers, firefighters and other municipal employees.

The proposed reforms can be sourced to a special commission established in 2023 that examined updates to the Massachusetts Civil Service System, which governs hiring and promotions for public safety departments participating in the 140-year-old program.

“I have been consistent with my answer since I’ve been in Marblehead: I like Civil Service and the administrative features it offers for hiring and promotions,” Marblehead Police Chief Dennis King told the Current in an email. “I also like having a system that recognizes the town residents (residential preference). If you grow up in Marblehead and want to commit to a life of civic service, I want you at the Marblehead Police Department.”

The Civil Service system, designed to ensure merit-based hiring and promotions within police and fire departments, is facing scrutiny for what some see as its rigidity and potential barriers to modernization and diversity.

Marblehead currently doesn’t have a single person of color in its police or fire departments.

(Fire Chief Jason Gilliland says a woman recently retired after 32 years and another who left on disability.) MPD has one female officer.

Swampscott’s choice

hiring lists to expand pools. » Establish a permanent standing commission on Civil Service to recommend further reforms.

CURRENT PHOTO / LEIGH BLANDER

Police Chief Dennis King, speaking to campers last summer, says Civil Service prioritizes the importance of community connection in public safety roles.

Swampscott left the Civil Service system in 2020, making the transition to hiring its own police and fire personnel.

Swampscott Select Board member Doug Thompson says that enables the town to operate with more flexibility and hire the best candidates from a more diverse pool.

“I know that the way the system was set up tended to replicate the same types of people in the system,” Thompson said. “Getting out of Civil Service has clearly enabled Swampscott to reprioritize and take other factors into consideration that have led to us being able to hire an incredibly diverse group of police recruits.”

Swampscott has made nine new hires since leaving the Civil Service. In its police department, there are four women and three men among the new recruits.

The force is now 13% female.

The department recently hired its first African-American officer and increased its Hispanic or Latino representation to 16%,

according to numbers presented at a Swampscott Select Board meeting in December.

‘Not an issue high on my radar’ Town Administrator Thatcher Kezer says Civil Service has not been a pressing issue or major hiring obstacle in Marblehead to date. But he recognizes the challenges it currently poses for some larger municipalities based on his prior experience.

“Sitting here in Marblehead, that has not been a challenge.

So it’s just not an issue high on my radar list,” said Kezer, who previously served as the chief operating officer in Framingham.

When negotiating with the police union in Framingham several years ago, Kezer said the city did agree to transition its officers out of Civil Service.

But rather than eliminating oversight altogether, they worked collaboratively to replace Civil Service protocols with an alternative hiring process.

“We bargained with the unions to get out of Civil Service, but

agreed to a hiring process that worked for the city and the union,” Kezer explained. “It was a really good agreement … in terms of how we were going to recruit and bring candidates in.”

Reforms put forward by the special commission include but are not limited to the following: » Allow municipalities to fill up to 50% of future Civil Service job openings through their own local recruitment processes rather than traditional Civil Service. » Create a new “regional preference” category giving hiring priority to candidates within a 10-mile radius of municipality. » Let cities with over 75,000 residents form expanded regional Civil Service hiring partnerships. » Expand past resident preference eligibility to METCO and similar school program alumni. » Adjust the formula that determines the number of candidates on Civil Service

‘A path to serving the public’ King highlights the importance of maintaining a system that favors local residents, suggesting that a connection to the community fosters a commitment to civic service.

“I have been fortunate to recommend five quality candidates to the Select Board from the Civil Service list,” King said. “Not all are from Marblehead, but all live in town.”

The bill also intends to expand candidate pools by tweaking residency preference formulas and allowing crosstown partnerships. Another goal is expanding eligibility for past resident preference to students who attended regional schools on METCO and similar programs but didn’t technically reside in that community.

“I advocated for legislation that extended residential preference to those who graduated from Marblehead High Schoo,” King said.

“I felt that was a unique opportunity to pull in the METCO students who don’t live in town but go to school here, and give them a path to serving the public.”

King said he would encourage any residents interested in law enforcement, especially people of color, women and those from diverse backgrounds, to pursue openings on the town’s police force.

“There has never been a greater need or opportunity than now,” the chief said.

VANISHING GIANTS

Marbleheader Rhod Sharp weighs in: The aftermath of recent right whale tragedies

BY WILL DOWD After spending more than a year producing the epic six-part BBC Radio series “The Song of the Right Whale,” journalist, former BBC radio host and Marblehead resident Rhod Sharp has a unique perspective on the plight facing the North Atlantic right whale.

Following the reported right whale injuries and deaths last month, we asked Sharp about the perilous state of the right whale — which has been spotted in Marblehead waters.

The body of a young North Atlantic right whale was found close to a Martha’s Vineyard beach last month.

The death of this female adds to the dire situation of the critically endangered species.

QUESTION: Two or more North Atlantic right whale deaths were reported within the last month. With only about 360 right whales remaining and fewer than 70 breeding females left, how close is this species to extinction at this point?

ANSWER: To clarify, the North Atlantic Right Whale Consortium’s 2023 report card estimates the population at 356 plus seven — which probably means less. Before the discovery of a dead female at Edgartown, the right whale population curve was flatlining. The calf spotted off the South Carolina coast Jan. 10 had awful injuries to its head and lips, making it very unlikely that it could feed and leading the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration to say that it will “likely die.”

Gear entanglement is half the issue confronting species survival. In 2023, the New England Aquarium spotted six right whales tangled up

in lines and another 24 with entanglement injuries. It’s estimated that at least 80% of North Atlantic right whales have wounds caused by encounters with fishing gear.

Scientists and fishermen themselves know so much about the lines used now because since 2021 Massachusetts commercial lobstermen have been required to use specially marked weak ropes with a lower breaking point to reduce injury. It’s taken hundreds of hours of extra work.

Heavier ropes like that used in the Canadian snow crab fishery have been found on dead whales along our coasts in previous years. Until the rope from Edgartown is fully examined by NOAA scientists, we won’t know where it came from or if it was older so-called “ghost gear” that a curious whale got tangled up in.

Either way, the rope cuts into the whale’s body over time causing it great pain and often affecting its ability to eat, let

PHOTOS COURTESY OF THE NATIONAL OCEANIC AND ATMOSPHERIC ADMINISTRATION (NOAA)

alone continue the species.

Q: Why do you say gear entanglement is only half the issue?

A: The South Carolina calf was struck by a water craft of some kind. Although the Aquarium only noted two proven 2023 cases of these kinds of injuries, vessel strikes can be quick and lethal. A whale struck by a freighter the size of a football field goes to the bottom and doesn’t come back. The enduring question is how many deaths of right whales go undetected.

Q: In your reporting on right whales, what stood out to you as the biggest threats driving this species toward extinction?

Can you summarize the key challenges?

A: Fertility, fertility, fertility.

As the water warms, the whales’ food source, tiny marine plankton or copepods, are going north. All, including breeding or pregnant females, have to

expend more energy as they travel from their southern nurseries and breeding grounds to take in the same amount of food. Their ability to mate successfully is compromised.

In the words of Philip Hamilton of the Aquarium’s Anderson Cabot Center, “We can’t just focus on [detected] bodies. We must also reduce all injuries that harm this species if they are to turn the corner.”

Q: Are there any promising solutions emerging that could address threats to right whales while also minimizing economic impacts on fisheries and shipping? What compromise measures seem most viable to you?

A: On Jan. 25, NOAA and the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management announced a final joint strategy to encourage the recovery of right whale numbers while addressing the newest threat — offshore wind developments.

The biggest news is the proposed extension of 10 knot vessel speed limits in sensitive areas. For fishermen there is a new pot of $82 million that could provide more so-called “on demand” fishing gear like the “ropeless” lobster traps which are so derided by traditionalists.

It’s not that much, but it builds on the work that’s been done in lending the new traps out for the past five years. There is also more money to plant more acoustic monitors off the Massachusetts and Maine shores to follow migrating right whales more accurately.

Still, a vague promise on siting future wind farms “avoiding leasing in areas that may impact potential North Atlantic right whale habitat” was met with a lukewarm response from scientists. John Mandelman, chief scientist at the Aquarium’s Anderson Cabot Center, said it fell short in clarifying how mitigation, research and monitoring efforts should occur to protect the critically endangered North Atlantic right whales.

Q: What message would you want the public to take away from your reporting about the race to save North Atlantic right whales? Why should people care about the fate of this species?

A: It’s very simple. The North Atlantic right whales are the canaries in the coal mine of our ocean. Very big canaries. Their demise is yet another way in which we are learning that we cannot afford to take the oceans for granted.

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OBITUARIES

Annette B. Bishop, 86 Annette B. Bishop, 86, of Marblehead, passed away peacefully on Feb. 9, in Salem Hospital surrounded by her family.

Born in Germany in 1937, she was the daughter of Dr. Harry C. Buhrmester and Hedwig C. Nagel. Her parents met and married in Germany in 1935 when her father was in

his residency. They settled in Harry’s home state of Indiana.

Annette is survived by her two children, Hugh B. Bishop of Andover and Caroline B. Gregory of Ipswich; her daughter-inlaw, Clara Isaza Bishop; three grandchildren, Sebastian, Eric and Elena Bishop; her son-in law, Thomas I. Gregory; and her former husband, Hugh P. Bishop of Marblehead.

She grew up in Lafayette, Indiana, where she spent many of her summer vacations driving with her parents through Texas and the Southwest before the comforts of air conditioning.

She attended the preparatory school Mary Burnham (Stonely Burnham) in North Hampton, Massachusetts. She then earned a bachelor’s degree from the University of Wisconsin in 1959, followed by a master’s degree in education from Smith College in 1960. She was a schoolteacher in both Marblehead and Ipswich from 1961-65. After marrying Hugh P. Bishop, she moved to Marblehead, where she raised her family and was active in the North Shore Children’s Friend Society, the Arranger’s Club and

worked part-time at the Garden Spot. Later in life, she became an avid traveler and museum buff, making annual trips to Europe to enjoy the culture, art and food.

Her burial will be private.

Donations in her memory can be made to the MSPCA Angell Animal Medical Center, mspca. org, 350 Huntington Ave., Boston, MA 02130, 617-541-5046.

Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at eustisandcornellfuneralhome. com for the Bishop family.

Anna Pauline Luckes, 98 Anna Pauline Luckes, a longtime resident of St. Paul, Minnesota, died peacefully in Marblehead on Feb. 8, with her son and granddaughter at her side. Anna was 98 years old. She had recently moved to Marblehead to be closer to her son Mark and granddaughter Michelle.

Anna was a graduate of the University of

Francis ‘Frank’ John Murphy Sr., 61 Francis “Frank” John Murphy Sr., 61, loving husband to Maura A. (Clarke), passed away on Friday, February 9, surrounded by his loving family. Born in Salem, Frank was the son of the late Pamela A. (Ford) and Francis Joseph Murphy. Growing up, Frank was educated locally in Salem schools throughout his youth. He went on to attend St. John’s Preparatory School in Danvers.

In the mid-1970s he joined the crew of the Marblehead-based Rhodes 19-class racing sailboat Saffron. The boat and crew, local champions in 1977, traveled to Chicago for the national championship that year, and won handily among a large fleet of competitors from around the country.

Upon his graduation in 1980, he went on to attend the United States Merchant Marine Academy in Kings Point, New

York. As a midshipman, Frank earned a varsity letter as a freshman on the academy’s bigboat team, sailing the 46’ custom ocean racer Sitzmark. After two years, Frank transferred to Salem State College and graduated in the class of 1984 and went onto work for Fidelity.

After some time there, he transitioned into his lifelong family business at the Murphy Funeral Home in Salem.. He attended and graduated from New England Institute in Boston as a member of the class of 1985.

It was then Frank rose to the occasion of serving the greater Salem community. Devoted to his community, he cared for those in their most challenging times. Frank found purpose in

Minnesota and had held several positions at the 3M Company in St. Paul. Prior to beginning this career, she held a civil service position in Japan working for the U.S. Army during the Korean War. During her retirement she was an avid gardener, an avid reader and a bridge player.

She was the last surviving child of German

being the person one would call on to guide them through their time of mourning. His ability to connect with others brought peace and comfort to everyone he encountered. During his career at the funeral home, he served on the Board of Funeral Directors and Embalmers in Massachusetts. Frank’s strong Catholic upbringing was seen in his willingness to volunteer his time and ideas to the board of Catholic Charities. Frank was also a member of the Knights of Columbus 4th Degree.

Frank was extremely proud of being a charter member of the Marblehead Harbor Rotary Club and a Paul Harris Fellow.

Frank was also a corporator of Marblehead Bank and was also a proud member of the Boston Yacht Club for over 30 years.

Although Frank was dedicated to his work, it was his family that he loved more than anything.

Frank met his wife, Maura, when he walked into Waters & Brown to buy a quart of paint and he has been paying for it ever since.

Frank and Maura dated, fell in love, were engaged and then married all in the same year.

It was considered a “village wedding.”

immigrants Ludwig and Paulina Schell.

Although her direct family is small, she has a number of nieces, nephews and their offspring that will miss her.

A celebration of life will be held at a later date. Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be made at eustisandcornell funeralhome.com for Anna’s family.

Frank was a pillar in his community and the patriarch within his home too. Frank helped raise three kids, he was committed to not only providing for his family but supporting them in countless road trips for vacations, sport activities, school visits and more. Frank enjoyed walking with his pack of doodles; Raglan, Sula, Gibbs, Abbie and Cody were his loyal companions on many strolls throughout the greater North Shore community.

His favorite way to spend his time was with his family and dear friends. Whether Frank was leaving his home port on the North River, setting sail on Wednesday nights from the Boston Yacht Club, or fishing anywhere he could cast a line, he found solace and happiness most on the water.

The relationships he made with anyone he met were near and dear. Frank will be remembered for his kind heart, caring nature, compassion for others, his ingenuity and for the time he gave to so many.

Over the course of his life, he was a dedicated son and an entrusted brother. Most of all, he will be remembered as a loving husband, father and grandfather.

Frank is survived by: his wife of 31 years Maura A. Murphy of Salem; his daughter Kaela A. Thomas and her husband Blake of Dover, New Hampshire; his son Francis J. Murphy Jr. and his wife Sydney and their daughter Magnolia of Marblehead; his daughter Catherine C. Murphy of Salem; his father Francis J Murphy of Salem; his brother Matthew Murphy and his wife Holly of Penobscot, Maine; his brother Patrick Murphy and his wife Stephanie of Azusa, California; and many nieces and nephews. Frank is predeceased by his mother Pamela A. Murphy (Ford).

In memory of Frank, memorial contributions can be made to Swissridge Dogs for Kids, Schomberg, Ontario, or to the Alzheimer’s Association Massachusetts/New Hampshire Chapter 309 Waverley Oaks Rd. Waltham, MA 02452 for the 2024 Boston Marathon or to the Alzheimer’s Association Illinois Chapter for the 2024 Chicago Marathon 225 N. Michigan Ave Chicago, IL 60603. For more information or online guestbook, please visit MurphyFuneralHome.com or call 978-744-0497.

BEHIND THE BADGE

Citizen Police Academy looking for ‘recruits’

BY LEIGH BLANDER It’s not too late to register for the ninth Citizen Police Academy class, which runs Feb. 23-April 19.

The academy meets every Friday, 9 a.m. to noon at the Council on Aging, 10 Humphrey St. There are field trips to the Marblehead police station and Salem Superior Courthouse.

“We’ll meet with actual judges and hopefully have the opportunity to sit in on an actual case and you’ll get to see an actual criminal case be adjudicated,” said Marblehead Police Lt. David Ostrovitz.

“This is a true journey in law enforcement,” he added.

Topics covered include: The

history of Marblehead policing, criminal justice procedure, Constitutional law, search and seizure and more.

“Although you have the right to remain silent, you’ll want to ask lots of questions,” Ostrovitz joked.

The COA’s Janice SalisburyBeal said the class “gives you a different view than what you see

on the nightly news, so you have a better understanding of the ins and outs of police work and not just what you see on TV.” The academy includes a visit from the Essex County K-9 unit.

Class size is limited and will be open to Marblehead residents who are at least 18 years old.

Applicants are expected to attend all sessions and submit

to a Criminal Offender Record Information (CORI) check as part of the application process.

For more information and to register, visit https://loom. ly/0Ck6K00.

For questions about the application process or the academy itself, contact Ostrovitz at dostrovitz@marblehead.org or 781-631-1212, ext. 19.

POLICE LOG

Reports of road rage, neighbor disputes, social media threats Excerpts from the Marblehead police log Feb. 1 -13. Consistent with state law, police have adopted a policy of not providing media outlets reports related to incidents involving domestic violence, juveniles and matters that remain under investigation.

Feb. 1 9:29 a.m. — Officer Samuel Rizos responded to an alleged road rage incident on Pleasant Street. The two vehicles involved ultimately pulled into the police station parking lot on Gerry Street. After speaking with both drivers, Rizos allowed them to go on their way as he did not witness any traffic violations.

2:10 p.m. — Officer Timothy Morley responded to a complaint of neighbor harassment on Devereux Street. The caller

claimed her neighbor had been driving by her house loudly blaring music to upset her dogs.

Morley noted debris in the roadway near the neighbor’s home but determined it did not pose a hazard.

Feb. 2 1:55 p.m. —Lt. Michael Everett came upon a driver drinking alcohol in the Village Plaza parking lot on Pleasant Street. After administering field sobriety tests, Everett determined the driver was not impaired enough to warrant charges. He confiscated the open container and sent the driver on her way with a warning.

8:26 p.m. — Officer Jason McDonald responded to a residence on Devereux Street for a disturbance call. One neighbor

reported another neighbor had followed him home after a confrontation about his driving.

By the time police arrived, the second neighbor had already left the area.

Feb. 5 8:55 a.m. — Officer Andrew Clark stopped a driver for running a red light at the corner of Pleasant and Smith streets. In speaking with the driver, Clark determined his license was active but the vehicle registration was revoked for lack of insurance. The vehicle was towed and license plates were seized.

Feb. 6 7:15 a.m. — Officer Michael Farewell conducted traffic enforcement on Pleasant Street, resulting in one citation issued for an alleged failure to stop at a

stop sign.

Feb. 9 2:45 p.m. — Officer Douglas Mills responded to a report of a teenager spray painting graffiti on Pleasant Street.

With assistance from Brady, they photographed the graffiti and located a nearby security camera that captured footage of the incident. The investigation remains open as they work to identify the boy.

5:24 p.m. — Officer Tyler Bates spoke with a resident at the station who claimed he was scammed over the phone. The man was attempting to cancel a rental car reservation when the third-party company tried to get him to purchase $170 in gift cards.

Feb. 12 1:40 p.m. — Officer Jason McDonald spoke with a woman at the station who reported nearly falling for a gift card scam after receiving emails she thought were from Geek Squad.

McDonald advised her to contact her bank regarding potential compromised information.

Feb. 13 5:39 p.m. — Officer Andrew DiMare responded to a residence on West Shore Drive for a report of threats made over social media. A woman reported that a party claiming to be selling a kitten online threatened to kill her when she refused to send money. DiMare advised the woman on safely conducting such transactions.

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ASPIRING ARTISTS

MFoA announces 2024 scholarship program The Marblehead Festival of Arts is now accepting applications for its 2024 student scholarships.

“Aimed at nurturing and promoting the artistic talents within our community, the Festival is proud to offer three scholarships, each valued at $3,000, to high school seniors who have shown outstanding promise in the visual or performing arts, crafts, music or film production,” according to a Festival statement.

This year’s scholarships are available to high school seniors living in or attending school in Marblehead, including graduates from any high school.

One scholarship is specifically earmarked for a student from Essex Tech who lives in Marblehead.

Recipients will be selected based on financial need, academic achievement, artistic contributions, participation in school and community activities, recognition and awards, and

Applications are available at MHS, Essex Tech, and online at marbleheadfestival.org. The deadline is Monday, April 15. Early applications are encouraged.

Celebrating past winners a commitment to pursuing a career in the arts.

The Festival Scholarship Committee is led by Janet and Ron Lamkin, Mike Evers, Anthony Silva and Susan Schrader.

Payton Applegate won a Festival scholarship in 2020.

“Thanks to the Festival of Arts Scholarship, studying in Melbourne became a reality, fueling my journey at the University of Vermont and beyond into art education and

museum studies. This support has been pivotal, for which I am deeply grateful.”

Dan Howells, a 2021 winner, added, “The Festival of Arts Scholarship was crucial for my music education at Rutgers University, enabling performances from Italy to Carnegie Hall. I’m incredibly thankful for the doors it has opened and the experiences it has afforded me.”

This year’s Festival will be July 4-7.

CURRENT EVENTS

Marblehead’s best bets coming up 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

Festival chorus Beginning Wednesday, Feb. 21, 7:30 p.m.-9:15 p.m.

Registration and rehearsals are set for Old North Church’s Festival Chorus and its Palm Sunday performance on Sunday, March 24, 7:30 p.m.

All interested singers are encouraged to join — both those who have performed

in past Festival Chorus Christmas and Lenten concerts, as well as newcomers.

Register at the first rehearsal. Subsequent rehearsals will take place every Wednesday until the performance.

More info at oldnorthfestivalchorus.org.

Sugar & Spice

Experience the renowned Latvian Song and Dance Festival

Saturday, Feb. 24, 10 a.m.-2 p.m.

Join Marblehead Museum for its new program, Sugar and Spice: Sweet Treats of the 18th Century. During this drop-in event, guests can visit the Jeremiah Lee Mansion Kitchen to help culinary historian Melissa Vickers prepare 18th-century gingerbread, lemon drops, march-pane and pepper cakes.

Learn about the sugar and spices in Colonial New England, the many uses of today’s favorite “sweet” spices, and what types of flavorings were common before vanilla became a pantry staple.

Admission is free.

Wedneday, Feb. 28, 12:30 p.m.

Pulitzer Prize-winning photographer Ulrike Welsch will present a special program on her trip to the Latvian Song and Dance Festival. She’ll be showing her photos, along with videos and music.

Council on Aging, 10 Humphrey St. RSVP at 781-631-6225.

Current Trivia Night

Tuesday, Feb. 27, 6p.m.-8:30 p.m.

Join the Marblehead Current at The Landing Restaurant for a fun night of food, drinks and trivia. Hosted by trivia master Steve Corum, of On Tap Trivia. Tickets are $35 per person. https:// loom.ly/d20lSQQ

Merry Dip Polar Plunge, Sunday, March 3, 10 a.m.

Join the Merry Mixers for their first Merry Dip at Devereux Beach. Jump out of your comfort zone and into an invigorating experience all to benefit pediatrics at Salem Hospital. The plunge will be led by local Wolfpack leader Kyann who will be onsite to talk about the wellness benefits of the icy water.

If you’re up for the challenge, register with a $30 donation to Merry Mixers. All proceeds go directly toward our yearly fundraising goal. All are welcome to partake in the plunge or donate without plunging and come to cheer everyone on. https:// loom.ly/le1hqZY

Yoga and mocktails Wednesday, Feb. 28, 7:15 p.m.-8:45 p.m.

Inviting all local moms: Come for 30 minutes of yoga, followed by a social hour, mocktails and the chance to meet area vendors and experts who specialize in supporting mothers. Some of the vendors include: Dr. Ali Riley of Stride Physical Therapy, clinical social worker and therapist Jessica Buckley, Dr. Liz Biehl of Abundance Chiropractic, Make Peace with Organizing owner Rachel Carlino-Dangora and more. Learn more at theyogaloftmarblehead.com.

Me&Thee Music Friday, March 1, 8 p.m.

Come to Me&Thee Music for a night of live music with folk legend Vance Gilbert.

Info at meandthee.org.

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Marblehead Current Wednesday, February 21, 2024 A15

Headlight

Shining a light on the news you care about!

Written by the students of Marblehead High School for our school and community 2023 - 2024 Issue

www.mhsheadlight.com

Meet Sarah Vuona, our new guidance counselor Before coming to Marblehead, Mrs. Vuona worked various jobs at Salem High School, including one year as a counselor and a long term substitute teacher, as well as an internship for her school counseling degree from Salem State University. Living in Beverly, Mrs. Vuona enjoys staying local and is excited to have another position so close to home.

Mrs. Vuona said she is very excited about the focus on academics and success she sees in her students. “It’s nice how driven and motivated they are here.” In her spare time, Mrs. Vuona enjoys a variety of hobbies, including gardening, photography, and reading.

An animal lover, she is currently reading a non-fiction book about animals and their special senses.

So if you haven’t met Mrs. Vuona yet, make sure to say hello, and ask her about her upcoming beekeeping course.

Meet Mr. Kowalski Ila Bumagin, Senior, Editor-in-Chief

Meet Mr. Frank Kowalski, Marblehead High School's Interim Assistant Principal. Taking the place of Mr. Richards, he has a strong focus on community and supporting the school through upperclassmen until the end of the school year.

Mr. Kowalski received his undergraduate degree from Salem State, as well as his Certificate of Advanced Graduate Study (CAGS). He received his Master's from Cambridge College. Previous to Marblehead, he spent ten years working as the Swampscott High School Assistant Principal. He worked the same position in Pentucket for five years, while living in North Andover. However, he says, "I really love the North Shore.

Now that my children are older, I was lucky to have an opportunity to come back."

When asked about his goals for the rest of the year, he says he wants to meet as many teachers and students as possible. This will allow him to better understand the school and help support the staff in any way he can. He says, "I have a lot of experience, and I hope to bring that to Marblehead. I want to talk to as many parents as I can. There's a lot going on for students today, and I know it's not easy to be a teen. I want to support you in any way."

Assistant principals have a challenging job, and many students only see the disciplinary side. Kowalski says it's "Definitely a challenging job because

The creative world of Jim Henson Rachael Albert, Senior, Assistant Editor

Benji Boyd, Junior, Assistant Editor

This year MHS has welcomed many new members onto our staff, and Headlight has been hoping to shine a spotlight on each one to help the community get to know them. As a new guidance counselor, it is Sarah Vuona’s job to get to know her students so she can support them academically and on their journeys after graduation. However, it’s time we get to know Mrs. Vuona a little better ourselves.

Halfway through the year, Mrs. Vuona can state confidently that she loves her new position and meeting all of her students. “I like how I’m really getting a chance to meet them one on one lately,” she said, when asked about her favorite part of her job. As students are beginning to choose courses for the next year and juniors are thinking about colleges, she is starting to see a lot of new faces showing up at her door.

February 21, 2024

you don't get to see the good parts of school - the job is to enforce the rules. However, students like to know that they're safe, and that's how the place is run." His current goal in supporting students is by helping the seniors have a memorable spring and the juniors to get the attention they need in their busy year. He spends a lot of time assisting Ms. Donaldson and Dr. Carlson in planning events for the upperclassmen.

There is a lot Mr. Kowalski is looking forward to at Marblehead High, especially since he loves the North Shore. He says, "I'm looking forward to learning the culture - I know it's different than Swampscott, and I would never compare the two." In addition, he says he is excited "To be part of the end of the year celebrations, and to see how graduation looks. I love how everyone gets excited about change and the future - I'm excited to be part of it all." This time is definitely exciting for seniors, and it's nice to have someone to support our goals.

Mr. Kowalski says, "One thing that I really take pride in is that I'm a coach, and I look forward to getting on the field in the spring and supporting the other coaches and athletes." He has been a softball coach and athletic director, and he hopes to support athletes at the high school.

Finally, I asked for any fun facts. At Swampscott High, there was a "Dancing With the Staff" competition, and he won! He says, "You'd probably never guess that, I'm not a dancer."

There are many genres of television, and many media to create them, but none compare to those which show entire worlds and huge casts of characters. Those which are the result of entirely out-of-box thinking, risks, and rewards. The only time I see shows like this is when watching some childhood favorites like talking hand-puppets. The Muppets and Fraggle Rock represent different points in creator Jim Henson’s career, but both have a charm that no other show can replicate. We will never see a world like Henson’s again.

As the story goes, Henson found inspiration for Kermit the Frog - and by extension, the rest of the Muppets - when he cut up his mother’s green coat and stuck ping-pong balls on for eyes. The only reason The Jim Henson Company is as big as it is today is because a high school kid needed a creative outlet for all the ideas infesting his brain.

Television is forever in debt to that kid. Fraggle Rock had more input from its co-creator, Michael F. Frith, who, according to Smithsonian Magazine, was inspired by the crystal caves, a “‘magical world’ resting right beneath his feet.”

The inspiration for the shows does not stop at the creative in charge; the characters also have their own motivations for joining the show. As stated

by Kermit, himself, in a 1985 interview, “Frogs don't have many opportunities… one could either go into a French restaurant or into show business. I decided to go into show business.”

The muppets are an extension of Henson, each having their own lives and dreams. Television shows where the creator shows their inner worlds are common, but none do it at Henson’s scale.

How The Muppets and

Fraggle Rock are staged differ from one another, but are still unmatched in magnitude. Several forms of media use stages and intricate sets, such as stop-motion animation or live-action television, but none play with scale the way Henson does. None have the opportunity to. The sets of The Muppets and Fraggle Rock house multiple settings at a time, and the entire things are connected so the puppets interact with creatures both smaller and larger than them, including a heap of garbage on Fraggle Rock. For The Muppets, much of the set resembles a stage, giving the show a Vaudeville feeling. Fraggle Rock has a more closed-off set, being the inside of a cave. This show, however, has an expansive world where each set is - or at least appears to be - connected through tunnel systems.

The settings in both shows are theatrical and let the viewers fully immerse themselves in the worlds. Henson’s love for his work helps with this immersion as well, and he said in an interview talking about his creations that “my feeling about puppetry relates to stylization, simplicity, boiling down to - it's a wonderful form and I really love it.” The way the shows are designed give such opportunity for scale, which Henson never missed. Henson introduced new ideas into television, but no mind has produced work like his.

Henson’s work evolved throughout his career, and unfortunately Fraggle Rock was one his last creations before his death.

There is no doubt that we would still be seeing his work today if not for his sudden passing in 1990.

Alas, we will never see a mind as great as Henson’s. The scale and importance of his work does not go unnoticed, but no one can build the worlds that he did. His shows are unlike others, and that is why we love him.

Assistant Principal Frank Kowalski

Headlight Staff 2023-2024 EDITORS-IN-CHIEF: Ila Bumagin and Mona Gelfgatt

ASSISTANT EDITORS: Benji Boyd, Rachael Albert

TECHNOLOGY EDITOR: Kate Twomey

REPORTERS: Cole Barbeau, John Bender, Nathaniel Carper-Young, Grey Collins, Tucker Crane, Aislin Freedman, Samuel Jendrysik, Anya Kane, Nina Lees, Georgia Marshall, Charlie Seliger, Livia Weiss FACULTY ADVISOR: Thomas Higgins

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A16 Wednesday, February 21, 2024 Marblehead Current

SING IT LOUD

MHS a cappella group heading to semifinals Two Marblehead High School a cappella groups, The Jewel Tones and Luminescence, performed at the International Competition of High School A Cappella (ICHSA) Northeast quarterfinal on Feb. 10 at Danvers High School. The Jewel Tones placed second among the 10 groups and will be moving on to the semifinal round in Worcester on Sunday, March 24.

Two MHS seniors and members of the Jewel Tones also earned special recognition awards: Luke Menslage for best vocal percussion and Jake Piáscik for best student arrangement.

“We’ve been working on this set since October, so it feels really good to be recognized

COURTESY PHOTO / CHLO NICKERSON

The Jewel Tones placed second at a recent competition.

Luminescence having fun at the International Competition of High School A Cappella Northeast quarterfinal.

for all of our hard work,” Jewel Tones choreographer and social media manager Lani Gilmore wrote in an email.

“I’m really proud of this group,” said Piáscik. “I couldn’t have completed my arrangement

improved since the beginning of the year. We’ve grown to be a very close group. We’ve developed a really nice blend of our personalities to create what is now Luminescence. “ Both a cappella groups will be

COURTESY PHOTO/ LADYBUG PHOTOGRAPHY

without the help of the group.

They really made it come to life.”

Luminescence student officers Ila Bumagin and Anya Kane wrote, “We’re proud of how we performed and how much we’ve

performing locally this spring at the Together in Harmony Choral Concert on Sunday, March 10, at the Veterans School Performing Arts Center and at the annual MHS A Cappellooza on Friday, May 17, also at the PAC.

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