02.28.2024 – Volume 2, Issue 14

Over 30 fee hikes proposed on warrant

Officials: Town charges less than other communities

BY WILL DOWD

With the publication of Marblehead’s 2024 Town Meeting warrant on Friday, voters received their first look at over 30 proposed fee increases for town services. The proposed increases range from 20% to as high as 133% for certain fees.

Falling under Articles

31, 32 and 33, the proposed increases target fees assessed by the Building Department, Inspectional Office and Town Clerk’s Office. The changes aim to help bridge a $4.2 million gap in the fiscal year 2025 municipal budget while modernizing what officials are calling Marblehead’s outdated fee structure.

It’s part of Town Administrator

TWO, FOur, SIX, eIGHT

Thatcher Kezer’s fiscal strategy to raise additional revenue and ease budget pressures in the short and long term.

“We think that our duty to the taxpayers is to look at every other option there is, so as not to have to [impose] a broad-based tax increase on everybody,” he has said. “So as far as addressing the structural

deficit, we’re making progress.”

Fees targeted haven’t gone up in years, officials say.

“We are losing out on local receipts,” Finance Director Aleesha Nunley Benjamin told the Current on Friday afternoon. “Even what we’re proposing is still below other communities.”

The current revenue generated from fees in Marblehead totals

Mom launches new inclusive cheer squad with Youth Football

BY LEIGH BLANDER

Krissy Pastrikos remembers watching her three daughters in a cheer competition and seeing a team of young cheerleaders with disabilities perform.

“My husband and I were essentially in tears,” said Pastrikos, who was an MHS cheerleader in the 1990s. “It was so amazing and beautiful to see them out there.

They were so proud and happy. It took my breath away.”

Pastrikos was so moved she decided to launch an inclusive cheer squad here in Marblehead. She’s partnering with the town’s Youth Football cheer program.

“It’s an amazing way to give these kids an opportunity to cheer, and to show some diversity,” she said. “Anyone can become a cheerleader.”

Pastrikos is building the team now and hopes to start practices this summer. Every student with disabilities will be partnered with what’s called a “unified” or neurotypical cheerleader.

“I’ll be the head coach,” she said. “I’m going to have two high school cheerleaders helping.”

She’s also hoping MHS senior Katelyn Cuzner will help. Cuzner lives with a rare genetic disorder, Wiedemann Steiner Syndrome, and has some intellectual delays.

An avid MHS football fan, Katelyn loved cheering for the Magicians.

“I enjoyed learning the routines eDuC

BY LEIGH BLANDER

This was expected to be a busy week for the Marblehead Public School district, as it addresses issues ranging from a student restraint crisis, a public forum with the embattled School Committee and expected budget cuts.

Interim Superintendent Theresa McGuinness said a report by an outside attorney on Marblehead’s student restraint policies will be completed by Thursday, Feb. 29.

The report stems from an incident involving the restraint of a Glover School student late last year. McGuinness has placed four Glover educators on paid leave during the

investigation. The teachers union has been protesting those suspensions.

McGuinness promised to disclose as many details as possible about the restraint incident and the upshot of the investigation.

McGuinness is expected to present two budgets — with level services and reduced services — at a School Committee workshop on Wednesday, Feb. 28. The district may need to identify $2.3 million in spending cuts for next school year.

Earlier in the week, Assistant Superintendent Michelle Cresta and Marblehead Finance Director Aleesha Nunley were expected to host a discussion on the schools’ and town’s finances, budget

challenges and taxes on Tuesday, Feb. 27. After more than 775 people signed a letter giving the School Committee failing grades and demanding more transparency, the League of Women of Voters offered to host a public forum where the committee could answer questions from the community. The School Committee was set to meet with the LWV on Monday at 6 p.m. to discuss the format of the forum. Visit MarbleheadCurrent.org to read about the meeting. A date of Thursday, Feb. 29, had been discussed for the School Committee forum. Go to MarbleheadCurrent.org for details from that meeting.

$1,204,665. With the projected additional collection of $22,660, the new total revenue will be $1,227,325.

The proposed changes include the following:

Article 31

Building

Minimum permit

buSIN eSS

Rip Tide’s $500K renovation embraces accessibility Bar set to open next month

BY WILL DOWD

The owners of Rip Tide Bar and Lounge — the former dive bar and historic fixture on Pleasant Street — have contractors putting the finishing touches on a half-a-milliondollar renovation, including the installation of a new front entrance equipped with a handicap ramp. The bar is scheduled to open next month.

“We figured it was the right thing to do, which was just making the whole bar fully accessible,” co-owner Mike Vienneau told the Marblehead Current last week. “We believe it is the prudent thing to do in the long term.”

Of the $500,000 spent on the renovation, Vienneau said $70,000 went to accessibility upgrades, including $30,000 for the ramp.

“The Marblehead Disabilities Commission is appreciative of the time and money spent by the Riptide to comply with the disability regulations,” said Laurie Blaisdell, the commission chair. “The actions the Riptide has taken to make their front entrance accessible to provide access to their patrons with disabilities is admirable.”

Blaisdell added, “The owners have proven that they care about accessibility and we are hopeful that all businesses in town will adopt this mindset.”

The building, constructed in 1908, was originally a Ford Model T dealership. It later became one of the first bars in the area to be granted a liquor license after Prohibition. The overall renovation aims to retain the Rip Tide’s storied charm while incorporating modern conveniences.

There are improvements to the bathrooms, roofing and rear access, designed to bring the entire facility up to building codes and

ONLIN e aTTaCKS

Town taking steps to prevent Zoombombings

BY LEIGH BLANDER

In the wake of a racist, pornographic Zoombomb during a Board of Health meeting on Feb. 5, the town is “in the process of putting together a plan for response to Zoombombings,” Police Chief Dennis King told the Current.

“With so many boards, committees, commissions meeting regularly, it’s vital we make sure there is a process to follow to prevent, react in real time and preserve any evidence that helps us identify those responsible. Anyone that is running these meetings should be familiar with these guidelines.

King continued: “I have reached out directly with several people that run the meetings so that they understand the potential threat of a zoom bombing, when they turn from free an expression of free speech, to a crime, and to remind them of the vigilance required. We are working with town counsel to come up with this format, so as to make sure we are adhering to public meeting laws.”

The BOH is required to host its meeting virtually as well as in person, because the Health Department building is not ADA compliant. Public Health Dir. Andrew Petty had to temporarily recess the meeting and call police when someone posted

rISING TIDeS, rISING rISKS

racist comments, including “Kill all n—–s.” Moments later, pornographic images were shared.

According to a Boston Globe article, public meetings in several communities have been hit with Zoombombs in the last month.

Health Director Andrew Petty says he is taking one immediate step to prevent Zoombombing moving forward.

“The one change that we are going to make is to operate our Zoom meetings in webinar mode,” he said.

This isn’t the first time a public meeting in Marblehead has been targeted. In 2020, a School Committee meeting and a special education meeting were

both Zoombombed with bigoted messages and images.

In a joint statement after this most recent case, King, Petty and Town Administrator Thatcher Kezer wrote, “The town’s joint statement added: “This type of incident reminds us of the importance to defend those who are marginalized in our community as targets for racists and hate mongers. The town of Marblehead and all of the departments and boards that serve our citizens will not stand idly by while individuals try to create fear. We will work together to plan for and react with determination to address it.”

Coastal storm damage brings state’s climate chief to town

BY WILL DOWD

Massachusetts Climate Chief Melissa Hoffer met with local officials and community leaders on Friday to survey recent storm damage and learn about efforts to fortify vulnerable waterfront infrastructure from worsening climate change impacts.

The group toured State Street Landing, the area around Hammond Park, Tucker’s Wharf and Front Street to witness the battering that aging seawalls and other structures have endured from intensifying storm activity.

“Getting out and seeing real communities, real people and what they’re dealing with ... it’s always important to us,” said Hoffer as she stood on the State Street Landing. “It’s important when we’re going to help municipalities, in particular, deal with a range of coastal resiliency issues.”

Recent tidal flooding in Marblehead has eroded infrastructure never designed to withstand such storms, officials said. A pair of storms early in the year wreaked havoc on Front Street, collapsing harborfront walls, crumbling sidewalks and flooding out roadways. Bricks on the State Street Landing have succumbed to sinkholes.

‘It’s extremely frustrating’

Harbormaster Mark Souza explained how recent storms have smashed dock infrastructure and swept tangled masses of lobster trap lines. A Tucker’s Wharf municipal pier is desperate for replacement, he said, while another requires constant maintenance just to remain marginally functional.

“The two piers have taken a tremendous amount of punishment from the storms,” Souza told Hoffer. “Our department has to be resilient enough to keep maintaining public safety.”

The commercial fishing industry relies heavily on these failing piers and other harborfront facilities, he emphasized.

Souza said constant repairs and maintenance drain available resources. He noted FEMA can be slow to reimburse, so money used on unexpected repairs gets tied up until federal reimbursements arrive.

“We’re still waiting on FEMA money from the last couple storms,” he said. “We paid for repairs out of pocket.”

Town Administrator Thatcher Kezer chimed in on the importance of staying on top of FEMA reimbursements and other available grants.

“We are trying to figure out how to have a dedicated staff — not necessarily a new position — trained up and focused on just processing FEMA paperwork,” Kezer said. “It’s so onerous to pull

Marblehead Harbor’s most vulnerable points

Marblehead’s coastal infrastructure faces increasing threats from storms, flooding and sea level rise.

According to the Marblehead Harbor Plan, some of the most vulnerable spots include the following:

Marblehead Electric Light seawall: This seawall at the end of Commercial Street is crucial for protecting the Marblehead Electric Light facility. This area is particularly vulnerable to the impacts of storm surges and sea level rise, which could jeopardize the reliability and safety of electrical services in the area.

Parker’s Boat Yard and seawall: This boat yard is integral to the local maritime industry and recreational boating community. The seawall here plays a vital role in safeguarding the boat yard and adjacent areas from the sea’s erosive forces.

State Street Landing seawalls and piers: State Street Landing is a significant point of access to the water for both commercial and recreational vessels. The seawalls and piers at this site are essential for protecting the landing area from storm damage, ensuring safe and functional access for boats and maintaining the overall integrity of the waterfront.

Commercial Street Landing: Similar to State Street Landing, Commercial Street Landing is another key access point to the water, supporting a mix of commercial, recreational and fishing activities. The infrastructure here needs to be robust to withstand the adverse effects of storms and rising sea levels, protecting not only the landing itself but also the economic activities it supports.

The Causeway: The Causeway along Ocean Avenue serves as a critical connector to the Neck. Its vulnerability to storm damage and sea level rise not only poses risks to infrastructure but also to the continuity of transportation and the enjoyment of the coastal landscape by residents and visitors alike.

together.” Souza agreed. “It’s extremely frustrating because of the sheer number of man hours you put into it,” he said. “The frustrating part is when you’re told you’re going to be taken care of through a reimbursement.”

He noted these processes pose obstacles that can significantly delay project timelines.

Meanwhile, Fire Chief Jason Gilliland said he has never seen tidal flooding of the caliber in recent years.

“I’ve seen places that never got flooded get flooded — it’s definitely changing,” he said. “Foster Street over here never flooded. We’re getting water up on Boston Street. Water on

— Will Dowd

Front Street has definitely gotten higher. Grace Oliver’s gotten higher. The area around Preston Beach gets flooded out.”

A pair of recent storm surges shuttered the causeway from the mainland to Marblehead Neck.

“I’ve been working for the town for 40 years and never seen that,” Gilliland told Hoffer.

Inaugural climate chief State Rep. Jenny R. Armini, D-Marblehead, arranged Hoffer’s visit. Gov. Maura Healey signed an executive order on her second day on the job to create the cabinet-level position of climate chief.

Healey tasked Hoffer with putting the Bay State on track to meet the statutorily required target that it be net zero by 2050.

NeWS FOr

CO-CHAIRPERSONS

To that end, Hoffer published a nearly 90-page report, outlining dozens of recommendations.

Her suggestions run the gamut from having Massport look at limiting the amount of “short hop” flights in and out of Bay State airports to reduce aviation emissions, decarbonizing new public school construction, and developing a Climate Service Corps to prepare young people for jobs in clean energy and climate resilience.

A cornerstone of Hoffer’s report is a call for an economic analysis of the state investment needed to achieve greenhouse gas emission reductions mandated by the Clean Energy and Climate Plan. State officials have made some effort to move toward these goals, but there is no comprehensive analysis of an important aspect of the journey: how much decarbonization will actually cost.

Hoffer praised Marblehead’s residents and leaders for efforts to curb carbon emissions, including creating the Green Marblehead Committee, producing a road map to net zero, conducting carbon emissions reports, hiring a sustainability coordinator and installing geothermal heat pumps at Abbot Hall.

“It says a lot about how much they prioritize this issue, and that they really understand it,” she said. “They really see that it is important to everything that we care about — our families, our communities, economic development opportunities, housing, transportation.”

She underscored that regional coordination will prove essential as communities like Marblehead confront complex, costly infrastructure projects. Towns can share information and resources to stretch limited funding. Regional collaboration can also help align adaptation strategies.

“It doesn’t make a lot of sense for each individual community to be planning how it’s going to address a problem when it has a problem that’s pretty similar to its next-door neighbor,” said Hoffer. “And that’s very true on the coasts, so regional approaches help us extend our resources.”

Her office hopes to facilitate greater knowledge shared among municipalities across Massachusetts, so all can benefit from the expertise of those proactively working to bolster climate defenses.

“The level of knowledge that people have here about what the projected sea level rise is, what the impacts are going to be, how that affects storm surge,” she said. “These impacts are going to be with us for a while ... and that means you gotta be planning for the long term.”

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CURRENT PHOTO / WILL DOWD

State Rep. Jenny Armini, left, speaks with Massachusetts Climate Chief

Melissa Hoffer and Town Administrator Thatcher Kezer at State Street Landing on Friday afternoon.

Neighbor to run marathon in honor of teen battling cancer

BY LEIGH BLANDER

John Prindiville has special motivation as he trains for the Boston Marathon this spring — his neighbor and daughter’s best friend Caroline Noonan, who is battling cancer.

“What she’s gone through is heroic,” Prindiville told the Current recently.

Noonan, 13, was diagnosed with Ewing’s sarcoma last year and is in treatment. Her mother is Select Board Chair Erin Noonan.

Prindiville’s daughter is on the same cheer team with Caroline and the two are fast friends.

“I first got to know Caroline by picking her up from cheer practice with my daughter in the late summer and fall,” Prindiville said. “Caroline is a kind, smart, wonderful girl with a smile that lights up a room.”

This is the second time Prindiville has run the Boston Marathon with the Massachusetts General Pediatric Cancer Marathon team. He’s been matched with Caroline this year.

“Caroline and her family inspire me and are my ‘why’ every week when I go out for my long training

runs,” he said. “There are yellow ribbons for Caroline along my route out to Nahant. It reminds me of why I’m doing this.” Prindiville is looking

forward to seeing Caroline and her family (along with his own wife and kids) at mile 20 on the marathon route on race day April 15. After he crosses the finish

line, he’ll give the Noonans his bib, which will have Caroline’s name on it.

“We’re so impressed,” Erin Noonan spoke about Prindiville’s commitment. “He has been out distance running to train in all kinds of weather since the fall. We are excited to cheer him on at mile 20 with the other MGH families.”

Prindiville, whose father died of cancer, is designing a running shirt featuring the names of 75 people he knows impacted by cancer, including Caroline.

He hopes to raise $12,000 for MGH.

“I have a passion for raising money for people

who have to battle cancer,” he said. “I want people to recognize what the Mass General does — all the resources raised go directly to support families

like the Noonans. There are tons of resources, including art therapy, all the extra-curricular activities… all the stuff that they need.”

Opinion

Not a banner year for Black History Month

With Black History Month nearing its end, we note that this has not been a banner year — in more ways than one — for honoring a part of our shared heritage facing renewed challenges in today’s America.

During the current presidential campaign, we have already seen one prominent candidate stumble over a question about what caused the Civil War. (Under fire, Republican Nikki Haley acknowledged that it was, of course, slavery. Really, was that so hard?)

Affirmative action, for decades an important tool for addressing racial imbalances on college campuses, was effectively killed by the Supreme Court last summer, the same court that recently gutted the 1965 Voting Rights Act.

Black Studies? It, too, is under siege in places like, but not limited to, the state of Florida, where, if “woke goes to die,” as its governor likes to brag, so do uncomfortable truths about systemic racism and historical injustices.

The war on Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) is gathering steam also, while librarians face coordinated attacks on books deemed offensive by conservative groups like Moms for Liberty. In many cases, these books deal with racially sensitive material that supposedly indoctrinates young minds in — you guessed it – “woke” ideology.

We might like to think our community is immune to such negative forces, but we know that’s not true.

The removal of a Black Lives Matter banner at Marblehead High School sparked a heated discussion around appropriate messaging, prompting the School Committee to consider a more restrictive policy that would prohibit displaying any flag not representing Marblehead, the U.S., or Massachusetts, with exceptions granted on a short-term basis. The Housing Authority is considering a similar policy.

The flag discussion was overdue, perhaps. But also remember that George Floyd’s murder, which sparked the BLM movement, occurred just four years ago. BLM banners and yard signs continue to speak on behalf of all Black Americans, victims of racially motivated violence or not. Their absence makes a statement, too.

And while the precise reasons for former Superintendent John Buckey’s dismissal last fall remain unclear, his vocal support for DEI efforts was widely suspected to be one factor.

Black History Month is, as he wrote in an email to parents last year, an opportunity to acknowledge “both the adversity and accomplishments” endured and achieved by Black Americans.

Last year saw an impressive variety of in-school celebrations in Marblehead, including classroom discussions, student projects, readings, music classes and a daylong visit from prominent Black activisteducator Keith Jones. This year? Not so much.

We reached out to MPS and town officials last week and were not informed of any organized events commemorating BHM, or at least none relayed to us before deadline.

That’s discouraging, particularly considering recent events like the ugly “Zoombombing” of a Board of Health meeting and its racist messaging.

Positive efforts do matter. So, we salute Marblehead’s Task Force Against Discrimination and its annual Black History Month Family February Book Read, which this year helped bring 100 copies of “Sit In: How Four Friends Stood Up by Sitting Down” to elementary school students and their families (funded, in part, by MPS). The book revisits, in pictures and text, the historic 1960 Woolworth lunch counter sit-in, a pivotal moment in the early Civil Rights Movement. Students were encouraged to create their own artwork inspired by the book.

Another positive development: next year’s scheduled opening of the restored Lee Mansion’s Brick Kitchen and Slave Quarters on Washington Street. Once completed, it should add significantly to the history of Colonialera Marblehead and the contributions made by Black citizens, enslaved and free.

We recognize, too, other past initiatives commemorating Marblehead’s ties to Black History Month, among them: the Marblehead Museum’s 2022 installation of permanent interpretive panels spotlighting the historical contributions of Black Americans and other people of color, along with the museum’s Free and People of Color in Marblehead Online Database; and the Marblehead Racial Justice Team’s 2021 Inclusive History Project, which has published a series of videos highlighting the stories of people of color throughout Marblehead’s history.

As the actor Morgan Freeman has famously observed, Black history is American history. Ignoring, or worse, dishonoring or repressing it is not a sign of a healthy society. We hope Marbleheaders will continue to do their part to keep it alive.

Small miracles

BY VIRGINIA BUCKINGHAM

I’m on the lookout for small miracles these days. Or maybe they are on the lookout for me. Whichever it is, I’m grateful to keep coming across them.

For instance, did you know that if you cut branches of a forsythia bush in winter, and put them in a vase of water, they bloom?

I didn’t either until last year when a friend showed up at my house with a handful of barren sticks. She did the same this year, as other friends were handing me tulips. I smiled because now I was in on the secret. Last week, I walked into the kitchen and was greeted by a burst of little yellow flowers next to the sink. A February miracle.

The gathering my forsythiabearing friend attended was the first of what I’m calling “Everything will be okay conversations” after the name of this column. I’ve long wanted to gather people in a salon-like setting to talk about things beyond the day-to-day and definitely beyond politics. Maria Shriver calls such an approach “living above the noise.” Some of those sitting around the fire were already friends, some were strangers to each other, all were open-hearted. It was a warm and enlivening evening, an above-thenoise miracle that I can’t wait to repeat.

It’s been a rare winter day that offered bright sunshine this season rather than gray skies and each appearance has been greeted as its own kind of miracle, remarked upon by walkers-by as a harbinger of warmer days to come. The sun led me to the beach one recent morning, where I settled on a large flat rock. The water was gentle,

Preparing

BY LIZZIE ASSA

the tide just beginning to go out. I watched as each small wave pushed forward and found its way between and around the rocks surrounding my perch, as if following a path carved long ago. The light reflecting on the water beyond the tide line produced individual sparkles that seemed to form their own path to a larger field of reflected light on the horizon. Keep shining no matter what, seemed its message, indifferent to whether warmer days were coming. Being content in the moment is a miraculous way of being I still aspire to.

Picking my way around the large rocks as the water moved in and receded, depositing and taking away sand, my eye was drawn to a speckled smallish-size rock that was partially buried. The tide had sculpted the sand in such a way that the surface of what seemed a round shape underneath formed a perfect heart-shape, a small miracle of temporary transformation.

As I walked along the water line, multiple shells were scattered ahead of me. I picked one up and rubbed my thumb along the little shelf which gives the once-upon-a-time snail’s home its nickname — slipper,

your

and to some, rowboat. I threw the shell in the water and for a moment, I pictured a flotilla of rowboatshaped shells captained by little sea creatures launching from shore when no humans were around, following the path of light.

I laughed and shook my head at my flight of imagination, not much different than the 10-year- old me who would sit in the branches of our old apple tree and daydream about fairies and magic and of course, my own Prince Charming.

A friend, Nic Askew, creator of the extraordinary library of films called Soul Biographies, recently shared one of his poems which also reminded me of this younger hopefilled self. “As the light makes its way.”

A woman had lived in her imagination. Ever since she was a girl/ For it was full of wonder and adventure when set against the outer world that housed her everyday life.

Her imagination surrounded her in light. The outer world in a darker shade. But as she waited for this outer world to catch the light, she realized it might not.

And so she stepped out into the world hand in hand with her imagination. Knowing that together they would bring light to the darkest of corners. And she is you. And me.

As I approach my sixties, that I still sometimes walk hand in hand with my imagination seems the greatest small miracle of all.

A member 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.”

kids for the new baby

Dear Lizzie, As the due date for my third baby approaches this spring, I find myself concerned about my four-year-old middle child who is highly sensitive. He’s accustomed to being the baby of our family, and I worry about how he’ll react to the new arrival. Can you provide some guidance on effective strategies to help him adjust to the presence of the new baby?

Dear reader, Bringing home a new baby is a significant transition for the entire family, especially for older siblings. It is an exciting, joyful time, and it also comes with its fair share of adjustments and complex emotions. Before I jump into offering tips for the transition, I want to reassure you that there is no right or wrong way to handle bringing home a new baby. Go with your gut, do your best and allow your older kids to feel a range of emotions. Instead of aiming to keep your kids happy, consider it your job to support them in whatever emotion they’re feeling. Here are a few of my favorite pointers to share with families just like yours:

» Reassure your older child that your love is unwavering. Try saying something like, “There’s nothing the baby can do that will change how much I love you.”

Acknowledge the complexity of your older child’s emotions as they navigate their new role in your family. When you see them struggling, try saying, “Sometimes it’s hard to be a big brother.”

» Remind them that while a lot is changing, some things will always stay the same. “The

baby is here now, and I am still me and you are still you. That will never change.”

» Normalize their mixed emotions. “It’s okay if sometimes you wish the baby would go away. Lots of big brothers feel that way when a new baby is born.”

Acknowledge household changes. It can be comforting to acknowledge the shifts out loud. “Things feel different at our house. I’m noticing that, too.”

By addressing these sentiments openly, you’ll create a nurturing environment where your older child feels understood, accepted, and valued.

As your child adjusts to their new role as a big brother, encourage exploration and expression of emotions, validating experiences and providing a safe space for him to voice concerns and joys alike.

Remember, all transitions take time and patience, but with love and support, your family will navigate this change successfully.

Warmly, Lizzie

Lizzie Assa is founder of The Workspace for Children, a parenting strategist, play expert and mother of three who lives in Marblehead.

More About Capt. James Mugford

BY PAM PETERSON

When we left Capt. James Mugford, he was aboard his ship the Franklin following the successful capture of the British powder ship Hope. Mugford and his crew overtook the Hope, which was an amazing accomplishment. The Franklin was a schooner of 60 tons with only four small cannons, and the Hope was a transport ship of 300 tons with 10 large guns. Mugford forced the Hope into a tidal inlet where she was grounded in the low tide. Once the ship was immobile, the Hope was stripped of everything that could be of use. It was a great prize, consisting of 1,500 barrels of gunpowder and many weapons, and was a great boost

to the patriotic cause. Some of the tools from the Hope, including the carpenter’s square and compass which are owned by the Masonic Lodge, ended up in Marblehead.

When Mugford and the Franklin set out to sea again, they became victims of the same low tide. British vessels in the area soon realized their advantage and moved in to take their revenge. The Marblehead crew fought back with all their strength and a vicious battle ensued. Mugford was shot and fell to the deck of the Franklin. Mortally wounded and aware that he was dying, Mugford urged his men to keep fighting and save the ship. The crew rallied and fought on, and finally the tide turned in their favor and the Franklin was free. Mugford, shot and killed on his birthday, May 19, 1776, was the only casualty on the American side.

Marblehead mourned his loss and rejoiced in the bravery of one of their own. He was then, and is still considered, a hero. A monument to the brave and daring young Mugford was erected in 1876, and now stands on Old Burial Hill. Mugford’s contribution to the cause of freedom was significant, and he has been honored by the U.S. Navy by having two ships named the USS Mugford. The first was a destroyer, launched in 1918, and the second was a destroyer launched in 1937, which served through World War II. The second USS Mugford was christened by Madeline Orne of Marblehead who was a Mugford descendant.

Pam Peterson chairs the Marblehead Historical Commission. She is the former Marblehead Museum executive director.

New year tips for online security ...and a special offer for Current readers

BY STEPHEN BACH

If, like many folks, you’re cleaning house in the New Year...

Why stop at decluttering your desk, or “healthproofing” your snack pantry? The new year is a great time to refresh your online security and give yourself that added peace of mind too.

Here are three ways to do just that:

New year, new password

All it takes is one weak

LeTTerS

Who’s to blame for school chaos?

To the editor:

Really? I said on February 15 that I was hopefully writing my last letter to the editor. I guess I spoke too soon!

School Committee member

Alison Taylor stated (and sharing from the Lynn Item), that she “does not believe the committee is at fault for any of the controversies that have clouded the district in recent months.”

She said: “We have people here that really do care. That seems to be lost on a lot of people lately, and I think that’s unfortunate. I don’t disagree with the chaos, I don’t disagree that we have a lot of work ahead of us, but I don’t think it is the people sitting at this table who are at fault for that chaos.”

Alison, who do you think is responsible?

Let’s start from the beginning. Who wanted Dr. Buckey gone? Other than Meagan Taylor, you all voted for his removal.

The media? That’s their job to report the truth.

The stakeholders, that a member on this committee called “lunatics?”

Me?

I would have to agree with you. I tried to make this committee accountable for the chaos. Here is a word of advice. Don’t ever think a Lynn Girl will ever let go of issues they deem unfair. We are very persistent.

Mrs. McGuiness for changing her mind and not taking this job permanently? I think this committee’s antics at the “communication workshop”

password to give hackers an “in” to all of your accounts. A mix of letters, numbers, and special characters — so your passwords can’t easily be guessed — is crucial.

If you have any passwords that aren’t up to snuff, it’s time for an update. Just be sure to keep track of them.

On a weekly basis, we deal with nightmare scenarios of repairs effectively held hostage because the customer is missing a password we need in order to help.

Try a password manager or do it the old-fashioned way — write

showed what was coming down the road.

Wait, how about Ms. Cresta?

Is it her fault that she is leaving in the middle of budgets and teachers’ contracts? Again, we were warned about financial instability last year without an override. I believe she has had enough, and she is saving herself before the ship sinks.

Oh, is it the assessor’s office fault for raising taxes before we could ask for an override? Yes, I know we haven’t had one since 2005. Is it Ms. Pollender’s fault for removing the BLM Flag? I agree, she has caused heated disagreements.

How about your cohort, Jenn Schaffner, for causing the controversy concerning the flag policy? She used the Hadley schools policy as an example. I called 21 communities AROUND Marblehead and they don’t have one.

Is it Mr. Ota not revealing he had filed complaints against the town and Dr. Buckey with the state?

Alison, you mentioned you all were overwhelmingly voted in. I wonder if Ota would have won if he told the truth. I heard from members in the community that it was deceptive. You mentioned after seeing the 750+ signatures on the petition for no confidence in this committee, it was disheartening to see people’s names you thought were your friends on this list.

Well, here is some advice: Pull up your big girl pants, stop your whining and get to work! Politics is not for the faint of heart.

it down. One customer told us of how she stores passwords in a recipe box, which we LOVE. Or if you don’t already have one, send an email to doc@ thedigitaldocs.com and we’ll set

Your to-do list: Budget, teacher and staff contracts. Deal with issues related to METCO, SEPAC, and the antisemitic, racist, homophobic bullying that is a problem within our schools. Please listen to Glenn Koocher (with Massachusetts Association of School Committees) about hiring a new superintendent. He is pretty much telling you to get your act together.

Your community is sending you a message loud and clear that they are watching and listening to you all. This is your Hail Mary pass, because if we had a recall in place, your seats at the MHS library would be vacant!

Marry McCarriston

Pinecliff Drive

Stringent whale rules leave fisherman high and dry

(In response to “Marbleheader Rhod Sharp weighs in: The aftermath of recent right whale tragedies” Feb. 21.)

To the editor:

I’m a Marblehead lobster harvester, and so is my wife, Susan. We have never hunted, killed, maimed or even seen a right whale in over 50 years at sea. Massachusetts lobster and fish harvesters who use fixed fishing gear (traps and nets) fish with the most stringent and restrictive whale protection rules in the entire world, designed to protect these magnificent animals, and we all comply. Our state waters are closed to us from Feb. 1 until

aside our free password book, just for being a Marblehead Current reader! No device left behind Many folks overlook this one. If all of your devices are connected to a single home network, one “bad apple” (i.e., one unprotected device) could spoil the whole bunch. Make it a point to keep your mobile devices secure and not just your laptops or desktops.

Family first

This could also be a good time to give kids (or any other family members who need it) a crash course in online security.

May 15 or later if right whales are present off our coast. As of this moment there is not one lobster buoy line (rope) anywhere in Massachusetts waters from New Hampshire to the Rhode Island border. When our gear is deployed, all our “end-lines” are equipped with breakaway devices designed to part if a whale inadvertently interacts with a vertical line. The entire Massachusetts fleet, including all Marblehead fishermen, are presently unemployed until about June or early July. None of us are even eligible for unemployment compensation. What more can we give? It is unconscionable that we are all painted with this accusatory brush. “Ropeless gear” is not the answer; it potentially puts our lives in danger.

To my knowledge, there has not been a single instance of a right whale unusual mortality event attributed to Massachusetts lobster gear entanglement. However, one right whale in 2017 that was involved in a fatal ship strike. There is more to this story than what those who advocate our extinction are willing to share.

Jay Michaud Ocean Avenue

Blocking transparency vs. not giving into a hacker

To the editor: During the last Board of Health meeting HAWC (Healing Abuse Working for Change) was asked to attend to share

Scammers exploit users without proper security knowledge into handing over login details.

Especially on services such as gaming sites.

The Docs recommend you use parental controls where possible, and educate your kids on some of the risks lurking in dark corners around the world wide web.

Well, that does it for this one!

We hope you take our security tips to heart.

Stephen Bach is the owner and chief of surgery at Marbleheadbased The Digital Docs.

the important work they do in supporting victims of domestic violence. Their program is a valuable resource that serves more Marbleheaders than anyone realizes, and I personally have friends in town who have received their help.

HAWC’s presentation was targeted by a hacker and his vile tactics to distract from their message. That was the goal, distraction. Whether they succeeded in this goal would be up to any reporters in the room. I did say the hack shouldn’t be reported on and I stand by that. That has nothing to do with blocking transparency. It has everything to do with not giving the hacker exactly what they wanted. My words were used to accuse me of blocking transparency. I ran on transparency and after seven months here is a consolidated overview on how I’ve delivered: My Facebook page was created for the sole purpose of providing updates with details on what’s going on with the Board of Health. If anything, it’s an overshare. Give it a look, it’s public.

I made a motion that all bills be discussed/signed during meetings so the public could see where their money was being spent. There was no second to my motion. As a result, I said I would no longer sign these bills, and haven’t, until there is full transparency.

I’ve insisted that before any new Transfer Station projects are sold to the town there needs to be an answer to, “What

A monument to Capt. James Mugford sits on Old Burial Hill.

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‘Boating is certainly in our blood’

Get to know Houghton Marine Service

BY MELISSA STACEY

The following is an interview with Peg Houghton of Houghton Marine Service, conducted by Discover Marblehead. Houghton Marine is a Marblehead-based mooring service company serving the needs of boaters in Marblehead, Salem, Nahant and Swampscott. To learn more about their mooring services, call 781-631-9338 or go to houghtonmarine.com

Peg, tell us about Houghton Marine Service and why you and Joe started it. Houghton Marine Service is a mooring service company maintaining moorings for customers in Marblehead, Salem, Nahant and Swampscott harbors. We serve boaters with new installation of moorings and yearly maintenance of their moorings. We have industryleading equipment that allows us to offer the best service for all types of moorings. Joe and I started our business 45 years ago in Winthrop Harbor, where we both grew up. In 1978 we bought a boat in Winthrop and saw the need for a mooring service in Winthrop Harbor. Given Joe’s love for boating and his background as a deputy harbormaster, it seemed natural

N e WS IN brIeF

BY WILL DOWD

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

Housing Authority partners for support services

The Marblehead Housing Authority has partnered with the Aging Service Access Program of the North Shore area and AgeSpan, formerly known as Merrimack Elder Services and North Shore Elder Services, to receive funding from the Massachusetts Executive Office of Elder Affairs for the Supportive Housing Program.

The program provides onsite support to residents of subsidized housing to help them maintain independence. It features coordination of services, 24/7 emergency response, meal programs and social activities.

AgeSpan coordinators will work at least 20 hours over three days per week at the Farrell Court housing development to help residents access resources, oversee emergency response and develop activities.

Local author, teacher publishes memoir

Local author and longtime teacher Ann McGreevy has published a new memoir chronicling her over 45-year career in education. Titled “One Teacher’s Journey: With Family, Faith, Friends, and Lives of Eminence,” the book weaves together stories from McGreevy’s upbringing, early teaching days, later work helping other educators and the figures who influenced her along the way.

Published by Amazon, the book also explores McGreevy’s Catholic faith and passion for learning.

“I share memories of my large family and mid-20th century upbringing in Worcester, my

for him to jump in and start a business to serve this need. The business began in 1979 and grew from 30 customers the first year, to over 700 as Joe expanded his service to Boston and South Boston harbors. In 2021, we sold off our customer base in Winthrop and moved our business and our equipment up to Marblehead, to the town we have lived in and loved since 1983. We raised our kids here and are members of the Boston Yacht club.

What is the best piece of business advice you’ve ever received? Customer service must be your priority when you are in the service industry. Boating can be expensive, but we try to work with the customer to help make it as reasonable as possible.

What is your favorite spot in Marblehead, and why? There

early teaching career, my pursuit of higher education and a career helping other educators succeed,” McGreevy tells the Marblehead Current.

Effort to extend Select Board terms moves forward

A bill to extend terms for Marblehead Select Board members from one to three years has cleared another hurdle at the State House.

The Massachusetts House gave initial approval to the legislation last week. The Senate OK’d its own version earlier this month.

Town Meeting approved the change last May. Supporters argue longer terms would allow members to focus on municipal duties rather than campaigning. Opponents have filed an article for this May’s Town Meeting to keep one-year terms.

The bill needs two more favorable House votes and another in the Senate before heading to Gov. Maura Healey’s desk.

State Rep. Jenny Armini, Democrat of Marblehead expects it to pass swiftly. The previous Senate vote was unanimous.

Moulton goes to Taiwan

Congressman Seth Moulton,who represents Marbelhead, traveled to Taiwan last week with a bipartisan congressional delegation.

The group met with Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen and President-elect Lai Ching-te to discuss U.S.-Taiwan relations, regional security, trade and investment.

The trip comes on the heels of Moulton’s earlier visit to Japan, where he discussed defense cooperation and economic security with U.S. and Japanese officials.

Moulton urged House leadership to take up Senatepassed legislation that includes aid to Ukraine, Israel and Taiwan.

are so many wonderful places in Marblehead, but given that we love to be on the water, there is no better place than enjoying our 32’ Legacy, the North Star, on our mooring in Marblehead Harbor. The only other best place is on the deck of the Boston Yacht Club at sunset.

What is something people would be surprised to learn about you? My first meeting with Joe was a bit unconventional. When I was a teenager, a friend and I were heading back to Winthrop

Marblehead Mothers’ Co-op to hold pop-up shop

The Marblehead Mother’s Co-op will host its ninth annual Pop-up Shops event at The Boston Yacht Club April 5-6. This year’s vendor lineup includes over 20 primarily women-owned local businesses selling apparel, jewelry, home goods and more.

Notable guests include Emmy Award-winning TV broadcaster Maria Sansone, who will sign copies of her best-selling cookbook, “Oh $#!% What’s For Dinner?” and medical aesthetics practice RN Esthetics.

Proceeds benefit Friends of Marblehead Public Schools, a nonprofit supporting local education. Tickets are $20.

The pop-up runs April 5, 6 p.m.-10 p.m., and April 6, 10 a.m.- 2 p.m. Learn more at mhdpopupshops.com.

Town seeks applicants for charter committee

The town is soliciting volunteers to serve on a committee to create a town charter.

The group will study Marblehead’s current government structure, analyze options and gather public input over the course of a year.

The Select Board will hold an informational session Feb. 28. The meeting is open to the public.

Residents interested in serving should submit letters of interest and resumes by March 22. Submit materials to the Select Board at Abbot Hall, 188 Washington St., or email wileyk@marblehead.org.

Other volunteer opportunities

The town has openings on several municipal boards and commissions:

Cable Television Advisory Committee (four vacancies, one-year terms,

Harbor from a sailing regatta in Boston. The Thistle sailboat we were sailing capsized as we passed by the end of the Logan Airport runway because a plane was coming in, throwing its wind as it landed. At the time, Joe was working as a deputy harbormaster. He and the harbormaster saw the boat capsize and came to the rescue. So, my first meeting with Joe was when he hauled me out of the water and into the boat. After that, Joe and I started dating in high school and got married in 1978. Also, we both

deadline March 8)

Marblehead Cultural Council (three vacancies, three-year terms)

» Marblehead Disabilities Commission (one vacancy, three-year term)

Interested residents should submit letters of interest and resumes to the Select Board at Abbot Hall, 188 Washington St., or email wileyk@marblehead. org. Details on each group are at marblehead.org.

Local Dems to elect delegates

The Marblehead Democratic Town Committee will hold a caucus on March 2 to elect 14 delegates and four alternates to represent them at the next 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.

Abbot Library offers tax counseling service

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

COURTESY PHOTO

have careers outside Houghton Marine. Joe had a 32-year career as a firefighter/EMT on the Marine Unit at MassPort Fire and I had a 43-year career in radiology, retiring as a radiology administrator. We now focus our time on building our business in Marblehead and surrounding harbors. Boating is certainly in our blood; it brought us together and keeps us together.

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

CALLING STUDENT ARTISTS: SUBMIT YOUR CREATIONS

The Marblehead Arts Association is inviting student artists aged 18 and under, to submit work for our themed show, Whispers of Colour.” Artists may interpret the theme in their own way in the following categories:

Fine Art

» Photography

» Mixed media » Sculpture

Digital/animation

The art will be displayed April 20-June 16. Artists may bring one to three pieces per person. The MAA reserves the right to hang only one or two pieces per artist as space dictates. No refunds will be given for work submitted but not accepted into the exhibition. Diptychs and triptychs are permitted but will be priced as one piece. Register for this exhibit by filling out the form at https:// loom.ly/Ap4CHwM.

Important dates:

» Take-in: Sunday, April 14, 2 p.m.-5 p.m., and Tuesday, April 16, 8 a.m.-8 p.m. Submit one to three pieces, $5 take-in fee per piece

Opening reception: April 21, 2 p.m.-4 p.m.

» Pick-up of work: Sunday, June 16, 2 p.m.-5 p.m., and Tuesday, June 18, 8 a.m.-12 p.m.

age requirement.

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

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.

Peg and Joe Houghton met when Peg’s sailboat capsized near a Logan Airport runway.

in Marblehead: How and where to vote

BY WILL DOWD

Early voting in the presidential primary is happening in Marblehead through Friday, March 1. Early voting hours in Abbot Hall, 188 Washington St., are 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. On March 1, voting runs 8:30 a.m. to noon. Election day is Tuesday, March 5.

Town Clerk Robin Michaud had this reminder for local voters.

“Don’t put your early-voting or absentee ballots in the red

mailboxes,” she said. Election Day

On Election Day, voters must cast ballots at their designated polling precinct. Voters can find their precinct via the Massachusetts Election Division’s website: bit.

ly/49qoGcA.

On primary day itself, polls will open from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. at three locations around town:

» Precinct 1: Old Town House, One Market Square

» Precincts 2 & 3: Abbot Hall Auditorium, 188 Washington St.

Precincts 4, 5 & 6: Judy & Gene Jacobi Community Center, 10 Humphrey St. Voters will have one of three party ballots: Democratic, Republican or Libertarian. You’ll

get the ballot for the party in which you’re registered. If you are unaffiliated, you can choose at your polling place or choose in your vote-by-mail application. Michaud said her office had

sent 2,700 early voting ballots out, but she didn’t have a total count on those returned as of Feb. 23.

Candidates on the ballot

The Democratic ballot includes President Joe Biden, Minnesota Rep. Dean Phillips and Marianne Williamson, who has recently suspended her campaign. The Republican ballot features a competitive field with former President Donald Trump, former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie, who has since dropped out, and several others, with Nikki Haley emerging as a significant contender. Libertarian voters will choose from candidates including Jacob George Hornberger and Chase Russell Oliver, among others. Additionally, voters will decide on state party positions.

Town hires first sustainability coordinator Logan Casey says regional coordination will be critical for climate progress

BY WILL DOWD

The town recently welcomed Somerville resident Logan Casey as its first sustainability coordinator, a new position approved at the 2023 Town Meeting to help Marblehead meet its net zero emissions goal by 2040.

The sustainability coordinator position attracted Casey, 24, due to his passion for environmental issues and experience with municipal policymaking. His salary is $73,111.70.

“I’m interested in the intersection of public government and sustainability on a local level as a way to create tangible impact,” he said.

Casey pointed to the Net Zero Marblehead plan as evidence of the town’s commitment to reducing its climate impact. Groups like Sustainable Marblehead and Green Marblehead further signaled

local momentum around sustainability efforts.

“I joined Marblehead because the community priorities seem aligned, and there is existing activism to build on,” Casey said. “Seeing plans in place and an engaged population encouraged me that my work can advance sustainability here.”

He started roughly two weeks ago, and some days travels to Marblehead via subway, commuter rail and bike, practicing what he preaches when it comes to sustainable transportation. A Maine native, Casey’s background positions him well to support reimagining spaces like the waterfront while balancing complex dynamics. He holds a political science degree with concentrations in environmental studies and public art from Suffolk University. He previously served as a capital programming

planner at the Boston Metropolitan Planning Organization managing projects and public engagement. Casey also founded his own electric vehicle car sharing start-up based in Somerville called Spring EV.

First focus “I am really excited to dig into our municipal buildings and see how we can improve energy efficiency,” Casey said on areas he wants to focus on first. “I think that has a really great potential to offset some of our carbon emissions right off the bat.”

The sustainability coordinator role will concentrate on conservation initiatives and grant funding opportunities to reduce Marblehead’s environmental impact and operating costs.

The surprising shape of town recycling

BY EVANS SLEPIAN

When I worked at the Transfer Station, I often heard the sentiment that recycling is a sham; that when we throw things in the blue bin, we might as well throw them away. But is that true? For Marblehead, the answer is overwhelmingly no.

Whether you put your bin out curbside or bring it to the Transfer Station, all of Marblehead’s recycling ends up in one place: Republic Services Materials Recovery Facility in Peabody. In this 50,000-squarefoot MR, our single stream diverges, sorted into metal, glass, plastic, paper and cardboard, and residue.

The process starts on the tipping floor, where truckloads of single-stream recycling are dumped. This mixture of materials moves along a massive conveyor system, where sorting at a rate of 24 tons per hour is accomplished, according to Gretchen Carey, Republic’s New England sustainability manager. A combination of blowers, shakers, magnets, optical technologies and human hands contribute to the success of the process. At the end, Republic sells the segregated materials to many domestic processing facilities, where they will continue their transformational journey and find new life. Carey reports that 80% to 85% of all material processed at this facility is moved along the recycling supply chain.

What makes up the remaining 15% to 20% that is left behind as residue? Often, they are items

that should not have gone into the bin in the first place. Much of it falls into the category of “wish-cycling” — items that we want to be recyclable, but simply are not. With the volume and sometimes contradictory nature of recycling messaging, it can be challenging to keep track of what does or does not go in the bin.

Surprisingly, whether an item can be recycled has as much to do with its shape and color as it does with its composition. Things like wires, coat hangers, ropes or even long sheets of paper are known as “tanglers” for the way they get caught in the machinery. Think of the strings that get caught in your vacuum roller and cause a malfunction — same idea.

Black plastics, like takeout containers, are not visible to the optical lasers used for sorting, as they blend into the black conveyor belt. Small or flat pieces of plastic and foil are so lightweight they get blown off the sorting belt with paper,

contaminating that stream. Many plastic-coated paper products, like milk cartons, are also not suitable for recycling, as the constituent parts cannot be separated. These individual points of contamination rapidly compound, requiring human labor to correct at the sorting stage, dragging down the efficiency of the system and reducing the quality of the recycled stock.

To avoid such contamination, follow these rules of thumb. For paper, Carey likes the saying, “If you can rip it, you can recycle it.” For plastics, nothing flat or smaller than a credit card (like empty medicine bottles) should go in the bin. Film plastics are also a no-go. Crinkly chip bags also do not go in.

For containers made of glass or plastic, never stuff anything inside and always secure the lid. It is also important to rinse containers that held food or beverages. Food residue is a serious contamination issue,

both for the cost of the added weight and the processing complications associated with organic decay. Rinsing out containers helps to ensure that they end up recycled and is more considerate to the sanitation workers. While our recycling infrastructure is largely mechanized, we still rely on our peers to sort what machines cannot. It is easy to rinse our containers. Carey recommends re-using the soapy dishwater from washing your dishes so as not to expend a lot of additional water resources in the process. When in doubt, RecycleSmartMA.org, an education initiative launched by the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection, is the go-to resource for what is and is not recyclable. This website contains articles, graphics and other resources on recycling, such as its “Recyclopedia” — a search function that allows you to check what can go in your bin, and any other conditions (like rinsing) to fulfill before recycling.

Reducing the number of nonrecyclables in the blue bin is a necessity. It increases facility efficiency and will help keep costs down for residential pickup. This also makes our recycling more valuable, which is good for our town. “Wish cycling” while well intentioned, is ultimately a detriment. For the items that cannot be recycled, the best thing to do is reduce our consumption, opting for items with less packaging, reusable

or compostable alternatives.

For all the plastics too small for our current recycling infrastructure, Sustainable Marblehead is working to divert them to an alternative recycling stream at a local company, Plastic Recycled.

Plastic Recycled accepts collections of small plastics, like bread tags, and performs the processing not possible at the large scale of our local MRFs. In this way, they can capture plastic for recycling that would otherwise be lost to the residue pile, embracing a small “plastic circular economy” that turns items previously destined for toxin producing incineration into desirable goods, like planters and benches.

Sustainable Marblehead is working in collaboration with MacRae’s Sustainable Goods on Washington Street to collect such plastics for Plastic Recycled. Any clean plastic items smaller than a loaf of bread (with labels removed), including film plastics, can be brought to MacRae’s for collection during business hours.

Plastic items accepted include bottle caps, lids, yogurt cups, medicine bottles, any small bits of plastic found on the beaches and more. Contact Sustainable Marblehead’s Conservation Working Group for questions at sustainablemarblehead@gmail. com.

Sustainable Marblehead member Dylan Vizy contributed to this article. Evans Slepian co-chairs the Conservation Working Group of Sustainable Marblehead.

SuSTa INabLe M arbLeHea D

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Unlock

CURRENT PHOTO / WILL DOWD

Logan Casey, Marblehead’s recently hired sustainability coordinator, sits at Mookie’s coffee shop on Washington Street.

A ‘Vote Here’ sign outside Abbot Hall directs Marblehead voters. Polls for the March 5 presidential primary across town will be open from 7

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Sports

MHS teams head to the postseason

BY JOE MCCONNELL

Girls begin postseason at Westborough

The Marblehead High girls basketball team (14-8) finished the regular season with considerable momentum heading into the postseason with wins over Everett (57-33), Ipswich (43-21) and Salem (53-26).

The youthful Magicians, comprised of only two seniors on the roster, were 33rd in the Division 2 power rankings, and have since gone up against host Westborough (12-8), the 32nd seed,Feb. 27 after press deadline. The winner will then take on Medfield (18-2), the top seed, in the Round of 32.

“The kids played fantastic,” said veteran coach Paul Moran on his regular season assessment of the team. “They played hard. I certainly have no complaints about the effort, and it’s been a fun, enjoyable year so far.”

Everybody who suited up played and scored against the Crimson Tide. Marri O’Connell paced the attack with 10 points. Ramona Gillett chipped in with eight. Kathryn Commoss was next in line with six. Junior Samra Dosch accounted for five. Freshman Carys Moran, Maddie Forbes, Tessa Andriano and senior captain Kate Burns scored four apiece. Senior captain Kate Pine and freshman Ainsley McDonald each tallied three times.

Junior Liv Goldwater netted two points.

Andriano led the way against the Tigers with 10 points. Pine nailed three threes to account for nine points. Gillett, Burns and McDonald contributed four points apiece to the winning cause. Dosch and Goldwater each had two

Hockey families complete another successful exchange with St. Lambert

BY JOE MCCONNELL

During the weekend of Feb. 16-18, 80-plus Marblehead Youth Hockey families made the trip to St. Lambert, Quebec, to complete the home and home annual hockey exchange tournament between these two communities. It’s the longest continuing youth hockey exchange in North America.

It all begins every year in November, when the St. Lambert youth hockey players visit Marblehead with their families for a series of fun games and skill competitions, before returning the favor to host their newfound friends at the start of February school vacation. It’s been a six-decade labor of love for both youth hockey organizations. Next year marks the 60th anniversary of the youth hockey exchange tournament.

For three days, the players stay at each other’s homes to get a better understanding of the culture.

MYH president Michael Calabrese fully understands the history of the exchange.

“This is my second year as a part of this exchange, and now seeing it for a second time you really get to appreciate the history and tradition of it,” Calabrese said.

“I started out playing hockey in Framingham, and was never a part of a tradition like this one,” he added.

“Although we didn’t fare well on the scoreboard in our collective games

ON THe ru N

Magicians earn state championships

Girls mile relay, boys mile take top honors

BY JOE MCCONNELL

The Marblehead High boys and girls indoor track teams participated in the annual Division 3 State Meet on Feb. 17 at the Reggie Lewis Athletic Center in Roxbury.

“Congratulations again to both our girls and boys teams on their success at the state championships this year,” said head coach Nolan Raimo, “with both our girls mile relay team and Isaac Gross in the two-mile going to the head of the class as state champions.”

Girls 4x400

Ava Machado, Sadie Halpern, Charlie Roszell and LeDaisha Williams are the state champions in this event with a personal best time of 4:06.73. “Like in the Coaches Invitational, they ran alone for the majority of the race, winning by five seconds, an eternity in this event,” said coach Will Herlihy.

“This is Ava’s third state championship (4x200, 2023; 4x100, 2023; and 4x200, 2024); LeDaisha and Sadie’s second state championship (4x100, 2023; 4x200, 2024); and Charlie’s first state championship. They are now on the bubble for Nationals in the 4x200 and 4x400, and they’ll look to improve on their times at the Meet of Champions (Feb. 24), and if they qualify, the New England Championship the following week. It’s been a

remarkable run for this group, and a well-deserved state championship.”

Boys two-mile

Marblehead scored 16 of the 21 total team points available in this event. Isaac Gross came in as the second seed, and Nate Assa was the fourth seed, and they both outperformed those marks.

“Isaac (9:30.84) continued his incredible senior year with a state championship win, almost matching his recent school record of 9:27,” said Herlihy. “Nate was not too far behind, finishing third in 9:40.41, which is also a seven-second personal best.”

Boys high jump Graham Tips was the lone qualifier in the high jump, and after fighting off an illness the past couple of weeks he returned to perform at the top of his

game. The opening height of 5-8 was Graham’s personal best, and while he had two more quality attempts, he did not clear the ensuing heights.

“It was a great high jump season for Graham that was unfortunately marred by an

untimely illness,” said Raimo. Girls high jump Elise Burchfield and Paige Tredwell tied for 10th. They both cleared the opening height of 4-10 on their first jumps, which gave them a tiebreaker advantage. For reference, the

opening height during the regular season was 4-2.

“Elise and Paige put in a lot of work near the end of the season across the hurdles, long jump, high jump and relays, and they’ll return for the pentathlon on Feb. 28,” said Raimo.

Boys shotput

Riley Schmitt, seeded 27 th out of 28 boys, was the second thrower in the first flight. He didn’t have much time to get ready to throw. His first two attempts weren’t bad (37-8, 38-11), but he didn’t get much power behind them, according to coach Danny Plunkett.

“But because he also plays baseball, he was now facing the last shotput throw of his high school career. Ever the coolheaded competitor, he stepped up and threw 41-4, a great toss that rocketed him to a 17th place finish. It was a real pleasure coaching Riley during his two seasons on the team, and this result is worth celebrating for someone still so relatively new to the event,” added Plunkett.

Girls shotput

Plunkett mentioned that sophomore Lillian Reddy was only in her second track season throwing the shotput after playing softball last spring. She has been defined by her consistency, steady improvement and composure in the circle under pressure. Her series of throws felt like a representation of her season: 29-11, 30-4 and 31-10.25, a great final throw just a couple of inches shy of a personal best. While not quite enough to get into the finals,

The Marblehead Youth Hockey (MYH) Mite AA / Novice AA teams get together on the ice with their St. Lambert, Quebec friendly rivals after an exchange game a couple of weeks ago in Canada.

Marblehead Youth Hockey Bantam Triple-A players Will Luck, Mason Dichiara, Greyson Miller, Liam Callahan and Henry Lamb, from left, are all smiles in the locker room after a game against their St. Lambert, Quebec counterparts, the host team, earlier this month during the annual exchange tournament. These two longtime friendly rival youth hockey leagues will be celebrating the 60th anniversary of this brotherhood on ice next year.

Marblehead High senior indoor track captain Isaac Gross is atop the medal stand after winning the state championship in the two-mile at the Reggie Lewis Athletic Center in Roxbury on Feb. 17. Junior teammate Nate Assa, right, ended up third.

Marblehead High senior indoor track captain Rachael Albert, junior Paige Tredwell, sophomore Sadie Halpern, senior captain LeDaisha Williams, junior Charlie Roszell, junior captain Ava Machado, junior captain Gabby Hendy, junior Elise Burchfield, senior captain Kate Twomey and senior captain Cat Piper, from left, pose with the state championship trophy during the state meet at the Reggie Lewis Athletic Center in Roxbury on Feb. 17. The trophy was won by the 4x400 relay quartet of Halpern, Williams, Roszell and Machado.

Swimmers enjoy more success at state meet

BY JOE MCCONNELL

The Marblehead High swim/ dive team competed in the Division 2 state championships on Feb. 17 (girls) and Feb. 18 (boys) at MIT. The girls finished fifth overall, while the boys were 15th in a field of more than 40 teams.

“This ends a very successful season for our swimmers,” said veteran coach Sue Guertin.

“Both boys and girls teams won the Northeastern Conference and then the conference championship meet to begin a year that featured many team and individual successes.”

During the girls portion of the state meet, the quartet of Song Waitekus, Bella Takata, Maddy Augerbach and Finn Bergquist (1:56.40) ended up sixth in the 200-yard medley relay.

In the 200-yard IM, Waitekus (2:13.13) came in fifth, and Takata (2:17.12) eighth. Waitekus (1:00.55) finished fourth in the 100-yard butterfly. Bergquist (1:02, personal best) wrapped up an 11th place finish.

Brinleigh Callahan (5:36.93) came through with an eighthplace finish in the 500-yard freestyle. Takata (1:08.78)

Track

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she jumped from 14 th to 11 th place, and was the second-best underclassman at the meet.

“I’m thrilled that I’ll be able to continue to work with her in the outdoor season, as she absolutely has the potential to be the best thrower this program has ever produced,” said Plunkett.

“Rachael Albert, who primarily considers herself a discus thrower and perhaps also a javelin enthusiast, has never particularly enjoyed throwing the shotput,” said Plunkett. “Don’t get me wrong, this hasn’t stopped her from throwing more shotputs in practice than anyone else this season, but I think it’s fair to say she’s been waiting eagerly for the outdoor season to start, so she can drop the shot. With this in mind, Rachael had quite a wild day at the state meet. Seeded 15th, her first throw slipped out of her hand and landed at 23-3. Not ideal. Her second throw was better at 29-4, but still well below what she can do. For her third throw, Rachael reportedly told herself to ‘just throw better,’ which is exactly what she did, hitting 32-10 for a huge 11-inch personal best. This last throw was good enough to land her in the finals,

accounted for fifth place in the 100-yard breaststroke.

In the 400-yard freestyle relay, Sophia Weiner, Callahan, Takata and Waitekus (3:49.70) teamed up to finish fifth overall.

In the boys state meet, Ian Chemel, Cale Nelson, Gary Podstrelov and Logan Doody (1:45.49, personal best) ended up 12 th in the 200-yard medley relay. Nelson (2:05.99) was 13th in the 200 IM.

Doody (22.40) had a top 10 performance in the 50-yard freestyle, finishing eighth overall.

Gary

Podstrelov (56.22, personal best) was 14th in the 100-yard butterfly.

Doody (49.79) came back to end up 14th in the 100-yard freestyle. Nelson (5:06.81) accounted for 12th in the 500yard freestyle. The 200-yard freestyle relay foursome of Nate Rosen, Brady Leveroni, Greg Podstrelov and Owen Torstenson (1:35.43, personal best) recorded a 12th place finish among their state elite peers. In the 400yard freestyle relay, Nelson, Greg Podstrelov, Rosen and Doody (3:29.14, personal best) experienced similar results.

which would be a miraculous achievement on its own, but she wasn’t done by a long shot. In her second throw of the finals, all of her hard work paid off. She absolutely blasted the shot 34-7.75, smashing the school record by almost two-feet, which put her at precisely the same distance as Nahla Willams of West Springfield to account for second place. But she lost the tiebreaker to finish third. It was a shocking, exciting, anxiety-inducing series of throws. I can’t wait to see what she does in her final season this spring.”

Boys long jump

Alex Hersey finished 11th with a jump of 20-4.5. Hersey came down with flu-like symptoms in the middle of the week, which derailed practices. He was visibly suffering throughout the meet after coming off the best meet of his life at the NEC Championships. He’s looking ahead to the Meet of Champions, Pentathlon and the New Balance Nationals.

Boys 55-meter dash

Thomas Carlson finished ninth with a time of 6.69. He just missed the finals by 2/1,000s of a second.

“We protested the ruling, and after five officials and two coaches from the committee reviewed the photo finish, they deemed the Northampton runner

broke the plane with the front of his shoulder, which is considered a part of the torso,” said Raimo. “Tommy has had an incredible run in the dash this season. He’s now positioned as the 15th seed at the MIAA Meet of Champions, and has already qualified for New Balance Nationals.

Girls 55-meter dash

Machado and Halpern both outperformed their seeds to finish fifth and sixth, respectively with times of 7.51 and 7.53.

Boys 55-meter hurdles

Hersey (8.0) finished fourth in this event. As mentioned before, he was battling illness.

“The hurdles are a precise event where every step is supposed to land in a predetermined place, and when you’re struggling to produce power with a tired, sick body, your entire race is foreign. Alex characteristically ran with every ounce of effort to finish fourth. It’s easy to run your best time when you’re feeling your best, but it’s incredibly difficult to run a good time when you’re feeling horrible,” said Raimo.

Girls 55-meter hurdles

Tredwell (8.33) continued her impressive hurdling season with a sixth-place finish after improving her personal

best time to 8.89 in the prelims. Elise Burchfield (9.32) finished 17th .

Boys mile Will Cerrutti’s mile run was the perfect encapsulation of who he is as a person and competitor, according to Herlihy.

“During the race he hung tough with the best milers in the division. He then dug deep in the closing lap to finish ninth with an impressive time of 4:36.97,” the coach added.

“Immediately after the race the results showed that he finished eighth, but after a quick correction from the officials he was scored in ninth place after already collecting his medal. Anyone who knows Will knows that he is arguably the nicest person on the team, and so to see him give up his medal with grace was no surprise. But they also know that Will is a monster competitor on the track. He came up to me after the race, and while he was gracious in giving up his medal, he told me that it would just be motivation for him going forward, because his goals are a lot loftier than eighth place. Expect to see Will return with vengeance in the spring season.”

Boys 300 Carlson (37.44, personal best) finished 24th to wrap

his inaugural season in this event.

Girls 300

Williams (41.44) finished second, missing the state championship by 2/1,000s of a second. Halpern continued to shock the world with a 41.9 to finish third. Machado (42.66, personal best) narrowly missed the podium after finishing ninth. Roszell (42.97, personal best) was 13th .

Girls 600

Juliet Burchfield (1:52.7) was 29th, and will now get a well-earned rest after a challenging season, according to Herlihy.

“She will look to bounce back in a big way in the spring, and with her diligent approach to training there’s no question she’ll get back to her prior performances,” he added.

Boys 600

Henrik Adams (1:30.94) and Xavier Grazado (1:32.92) gave it their best effort to finish 35th and 38th, respectively.

Girls 1,000

Kate Twomey (3:09.16, personal best) came in as the eighth seed (3:11.97) with just four seconds separating her from the top seed. She led throughout only to be overtaken in the final stretch, but in the biggest race of her season she flipped the script, picking off a Walpole runner in the last 20 meters with an outstanding final lap kick to snag third place to secure a huge six points for the team.

Boys 1,000

Will Cruikshank’s 2:49.41 was good for 18th place to make his mark as one of the fastest underclassmen in the division, according

to Raimo.

Girls mile

“Cat Piper’s mantra is no expectations when it comes to big races, and although she didn’t hit a personal best it was still a good final to complete the best indoor season in her career,” said Herlihy. Piper (12:57.74) finished 17th in the state.

Boys 4x200

The boys quartet was disqualified, because of a bad handoff outside the allowable zone, according to Raimo. “As a last second sub in the relay due to Hersey’s illness, senior Isaias Aguasvivas Pena stepped up on short notice to make his debut in this event for the sake of the team,” the coach added.

“Thomas Carlson opened the relay with an extraordinary leg to create a buffer from the rest of the field. Jake Bobowski then battled it out on the second leg. Slater Johnson followed to run a great third leg, and while the timing of Isaias takeoff was perfect and the positioning of Slater and Isaias was great, the baton barely missed exchanging hands. It was a tough break, but still a great effort by all.”

Girls 4x200

Elise Burchfield, Tredwell, Sarah Munroe and Gabby Hendy (1:54.26) ended up 12th .

Boys 4x800

These boys finished 13th in a time of 9:03.3, with Gross, Adams, Grazado and Cerrutti doing the honors.

Boys 4x400

Johnson, Cruikshank, Aguasvivas Pena and Tips came in 18th at a time of 3:45.17.

Marblehead

Cheer

From

and cheering with my friends,” Cuzner told the Current. “I really like meeting new girls.”

Katelyn’s mom, Julie, says it was an incredible experience.

“It brought me such joy to see her be part of the team and for the high school to embrace her with open arms.” Katelyn also plays unified basketball and runs unified track at MHS.

Katelyn started cheering on the JV team her sophomore year and made it to varsity her senior year. One highlight from her three years?

When the cheerleaders “lifted me up in the air on Senior Night. They do that to all the seniors,” she said.

Exchange

From

(this time around), this exchange isn’t really about that. Don’t get me wrong, our kids and coaches are competitive and want to win, but at the end of the day this exchange is about playing hockey and building lifelong friendships.

“My eight-year-old son Dylan now has a Canadian family that treats him like one of their own. Dylan’s Canadian buddy is also like our son when they stay here. That is why this exchange has lasted 60 years, and that’s why it will last for another 60. It really does come down to the people.”

For the record, the St. Lambert boys and girls players won the February skill competitions, 24-19, and most of the games between the two programs. The Marblehead coaches avenged their November loss with a narrow 8-7 triumph.

The respective Bantam Triple-A squads split their games during the first couple of days of the exchange, before they mixed the teams up on the final day to give the Marblehead and St. Lambert players a chance to play with each other.

But in the end, the exchange tournament

Tourneys

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points. O’Connell buried one free throw. Pine (16) and Gillett (12) were the double-digit scorers in the win over Salem.

Basketball Magicians face host Norwood in preliminary round

The basketball Magicians ended the regular season with a 13-7 record, and just like the girls team are the 33rd seed in the Division 2 power rankings. They too went up against the 32nd seed to begin the postseason in the preliminary round. Their opponent was Norwood (11-9) in Norwood on Feb. 27 after press deadline, with the winner facing Malden Catholic (11-9), the top seed, in the Round of 32. Coach Mike Giardi’s squad won its last three out of four regular season games. The Magicians first exploded past Gloucester, 70-38, before taking down Swampscott, 63-54. They then upended Bishop Fenwick in a first round Newburyport Bank Classic game, 74-67, only to lose to Bedford in a competitive championship contest, 64-60.

Pastrikos is consulting with Alison Trimper who runs the inclusive Inspiration Cheer team in Amesbury.

“These kids get a sense of

belonging,” Trimper said. “I don’t know if they would get an opportunity to cheer otherwise.”

And the benefits go far beyond the football field.

“So many times, these kids are isolated in a different program in school,” Trimper said. “Now the kids all see each other in the hallways at school. They started going to lunch bunch together. They had a connection.”

Trimper says neuro-typical cheerleaders also get a lot out of the program.

“It gives them a sense of purpose and pride. They love this team. They get a sense of giving back.”

Pastrikos says Marblehead’s unified cheer team will welcome kids ages six through 22 years, all genders, and start with one practice a week over the summer. She hopes the inclusion team will be ready to compete at a cheer showcase and a competition this fall, and

is never about wins and losses on the scoreboard, because everybody wins when these two cultures come together twice every year. Playing in their last exchange a couple of weeks ago in St. Lambert, Quebec, were these

Hockey Headers begin state tournament at home tonight

After starting the season with six straight losses, the Marblehead High boys hockey team (12-9-1) regrouped very nicely to go 12-3-1 the rest of the way to earn the sixth seed in the Division 3 power rankings. As a result of their resurgence, the Headers get a home

Nate Johnson, Liam Wesson, Cameron Carnevale, Jackson Drayer, Asuka Keough, Will DePhillips, Evan O’Connor, Annie Wales, Parker Booth, Addie Co-Peeps and Jacob Greenway. They now move

game in the Round of 32 at Salem State’s O’Keefe Complex tonight (Feb. 28), starting at 7 p.m. They will go up against the winner of the Foxboro / Easthampton preliminary round game Monday night after press deadline.

Coach Mark Marfione’s club won its last three regular season games against Beverly (6-1),

on to the high school level. Calabrese’s counterpart, Audree Couture-Martel, sent this email to the Marblehead families after another exchange came to an end earlier this month:

“It was a really fun week. I am still recovering from

Haverhill (4-1) and Triton (2-1) to go into the postseason with even more positive momentum. If the Headers prevail in the Round of 32, they will face the winner of the Methuen (15-3-2, 11th seed)/Dracut (13-5-2, 22nd seed) game in the Sweet 16, which would mean another home game at Salem State.

possibly even perform at games. For more information, email Pastrikos at mhdinspiration@ gmail.com.

it with very little time to rest (as I) try to catch up with work. But (once again), there were so many good memories (from the exchange that make up for it).

“Bertrand De Feydeau, who was our master of ceremony, was participating in his 17th exchange. He dropped the puck during the ceremonial faceoff with

his son François, who has also participated in every exchange alongside his dad, except for the COVID year.

“Thank you for all your help in finalizing the last minute details, and all the great collaborations we had together during the preparations. I believe we will have to do even more for the 60 th anniversary (next year). Let’s start soon.”

MYH Bantam Triple-A players:

COURTESY PHOTO Katelyn Cuzner has been a MHS cheerleader since her sophomore year.

Marblehead Youth Hockey pee wees –— Nola Ferraresso, Mason Dichiara, Jane Waldman, Brooke Griffin, Jack Porrazzo, Will Luck, Shannon Hurley, Coby McEachern, Liam Callahan, Henry Lamb, Nathan Aniello, Joe Cross and Gwen Potter — are anxiously waiting to begin another game.

COURTESY PHOTOS

Marblehead Youth Hockey Bantam Triple-A players Addie Co-Peeps, Annie Wales and Parker Booth, from left, pose for a photo while wearing the jerseys of their St. Lambert rivals during the final day of the annual tournament earlier this month in Canada. Before the final tournament games, Marblehead and St. Lambert players swapped jerseys

marbleheadcurrent.org A12 Wednesday, February 28, 2024 Marblehead Current CP_MBHC_20240228_1_A12

M

arbLeHea D

Rip Tide

accessibility standards.

“At the end of the day, it’s gonna be great. It’s so much better to code,” General Manager Marc Berkowitz told the Current, sitting inside the establishment last week.

SUBMITTED BY THE LYNCH/VAN

OTTERLOO YMCA

Welcoming executive director of mental wellness

Introducing Ranjeev Benjamin, the Y’s executive director of mental wellness, a newly created role focused on addressing the growing need to combat mental health challenges and support mental wellness programming, training and services. Ranjeev is part of the YMCA of the North Shore’s association staff that supports the Marblehead Y. Ranjeev has more than 15 years of experience in community mental health and wellness as a psychotherapist and clinical supervisor. Ranjeev will take the lead on ONEDOOR, the path to mental wellness, the Y’s most recent initiative to meet the ever-evolving needs in the community. Ranjeev will manage the development of programs and services as the Y furthers its commitment to integrating mental wellness into the fabric of the organization and increases its mental health support of staff, members, program participants and the community.

The Y also aims to reduce the stigma and misconceptions often associated with mental health, highlighting the synergies between mental and physical wellness in support of the journey toward whole-person wellness. ONEDOOR includes a consultative partnership with topranked McLean Hospital in Belmont, a leader in psychiatric care, research and education, and the largest psychiatric teaching hospital of Harvard Medical School. Ranjeev will oversee this partnership.

Ranjeev will also lead expanding Youth Mental Health First Aid certifications for staff working with children and adolescents. Youth Mental Health First Aid will give Y staff who work with children and adolescents the tools to identify, understand and respond to signs of mental health and substance use challenges as well as how best to connect their families to the appropriate community resources.

Y celebrates staff

The Y celebrated its

From P. A7

COURTESY PHOTO

incredible full-time staff and their achievements throughout the past year and honored some standout staff members who excelled in their roles. Congratulations to Health & Wellness Director Laurie-Sue Rodrigues for being named Staff of the Year; Camp Director Sarah Dowd, who received the Mission Advancement Award; School Age Director Kathleen Alexandrou for her Emerging Leader Award; the Early Education team for receiving Department of the Year; and Executive Director Brian Flynn with the Excellence in Leadership Development award.

Summer camp is coming

We’re already dreaming of summer camp. Get ready to have the best summer ever when you choose your adventure at Y camp. Get on the Hannah Glover ferry every morning and venture out to Children’s Island for adventure and fun all day long outside in the summer sun and salt air. Try gymnastics, sports and specialty camps on site at the Y at 44 Leggs Hill Rd. northshoreymca.org/ camps/

Spring programming opens

Spring programming is right around the corner. Sign up for swimming, sports, gymnastics and more to stay active this spring. Visit northshoreymca.org/ programs/

Your Y is every Y

Team approach In the role, Casey will interact with a range of town committees and departments,

“That cement step at the front door, honesty, thank god it’s been removed. I don’t know how that was going to work anyway, because I just imagined people tripping on the way out the door.”

Grand opening Vienneau said an invitation-only grand opening is set for March 16, and Berkowitz said they plan on staging a soft opening in early

Warrant

From P. A1

fee: $30 to $50 (67%)

» Re-inspection fee: $50 to $70 (40%)

Lost permit card: $100 to $120 (20%)

Certificate of inspection: $100 to $120 (20%)

» Certificate of occupancy: $100 to $120 (20%)

Plumbing Remodel kitchen/bath fee: $30 to $50 (67%)

» Replacing pipes fee: $30 to $50 (67%)

» Hot water tank fee:

$30 to $50 (67%)

Any other miscellaneous fee: $30 to $50 (67%)

Return inspection fee: $40 to $60 (50%) Gas

» Remodel fee: $30 to $50 (67%)

» Hot water tank fee: $30 to $50 (67%)

Boilers fee: $50 to $70 (40%)

Any other miscellaneous fee: $30 to $50 (67%)

» Return inspection fee: $40 to $60 (50%)

Article 32

Electrical

If the electrical work doesn’t require a building permit, the following fees apply:

» Minimum charge: $30 to $50 (67%)

New service fee: $30 to $50 (67%)

Temporary service fee: $30 to $50 (67%)

» Boiler fee: $30 to $50 (67%)

» Motors fee (each): $15 to $35 (133%)

Repairs fee: $30 to $50 (67%)

Swimming pools fee: $30 to $50 (67%)

» Outlets fee (1-25): $30 to $50 (67%)

» Outlets fee (26-50):

$50 to $70 (40%)

Outlets fee (51-100):

$40 to $60 (50%)

» Return inspection fee: $40 to $60 (50%)

» Interior fire alarm system fee: $30 to $50 (67%)

Privately owned fire alarm master box timing/connection fee: $300 to $320 (7%)

Article 33

Town Clerk

» Dog license fee (spayed/ neutered): $15 to $20 (33%)

Dog license fee (intact): $20 to $25 (25%)

Kezer characterized the failed

underscoring how sustainability encompasses many aspects of local government. This includes engaging the Green Marblehead Committee for community outreach, the DPW regarding infrastructure projects, department heads to embed conservation into budgets and operations and the public health department — which oversees recycling and trash collection. “Sustainability is interesting because it affects everybody and needs to be implemented in a municipal-wide way. Our town government boards operate independently without

Contractors work at the Rip Tide Bar and Lounge, which includes a new bar area as part of the extensive renovations aimed at preserving the bar’s historic appeal while updating it for comfort and compliance.

March.

“We will have a first very quiet opening to work out the kinks,” Berkowitz said. “I would like to get the kitchen running, get everyone consistent, make sure that the new

back-to-back general overrides in 2022 and 2023 as mandates that officials must prove to voters that they’ve left no rock uncovered for generating revenue before they put another before Town Meeting because “very likely at some point our only option is going to be an override.

Kezer continued: “You have to prove the objective of an override as a last resort. We want to pursue and exhaust all the other options before we pursue an override.”

‘We’re not going to request an override’ On Friday, Nunley Benjamin offered dollar amounts for several articles, while others remain outstanding. Many of these include the following:

Article 4 seeks to appropriate $23,633.49 to cover unpaid bills by the Finance Department and School Department from previous fiscal years.

Article 9 seeks to appropriate $50,000 toward construction and reconstruction of walls and fences along Marblehead’s coastline.

Article 17 asks Town Meeting members to sign off on $468,762 to cover tuition for students enrolling in the Essex North Shore Agricultural and Technical School in the fall. Nunley-Benjamin did not have enrollment numbers as of Friday afternoon. She did note the town’s cost is a 3.9% decrease over the current academic year’s $487,387 assessment.

Article 19 seeks to appropriate $7.1 million, including $6.5 million in free cash, to reduce the tax rate.

Articles 20 and 21 relate to fiscal 2025 collective bargaining agreements with the police union MAS C.O.P., AFL-CIO, Local 437 and the employees’ union IUE/ CWA Local 1776. Funding amounts will be determined closer to Town Meeting.

Additionally, Article 23 seeks to revise the Senior Tax Workoff Program, allowing seniors to earn property tax reductions through town service. Proposed amendments include permitting a representative for those physically unable to serve and raising the taxreduction cap from $750 to $2,000.

Articles 24 and 25 propose adopting a local meals tax and a local room tax of up to 6% on bed and breakfasts, hotels, lodging houses and short-term rentals. Nunley Benjamin said adoption could generate $400,000 a year initially and $1 million annually in the future.

always coordinating across committees,” Casey explained. “I will have to work across departments almost at all times to understand priorities and make progress.” Casey plans to create a community emissions report to track Marblehead’s progress on sustainability metrics. Casey wants the reporting to encompass all major sources like transportation, buildings and even boats.

Meanwhile, Marblehead has not yet taken advantage of Green Communities, a state program that provides grants,

draft system works … because I don’t like bringing people in to see mistakes.

He added, “I like bringing patrons in and letting them be wowed.”

Sue Silva, who was on hand last week, has been hired as the new bar manager. She has decades behind bars in Salem, from Victoria Station and Rockafellas and Witches Brew to the Marina Bar Gardner.

“I have met many people from Marblehead over the years working in Salem, especially at the hotel and beer garden,” she told the Current. “Looking forward to seeing everyone again, so I’m excited.”

Vienneau purchased the commercial building and business from George Ciampa, the long-time owner of Rip Tide Bar, last year for $1 million.

Article 26 claims the warrant’s biggest price tag: The proposed $111.2 million municipal budget, including schools, for fiscal 2025.

Articles 27 and 28 propose permanent Proposition 2 1/2 overrides — one for supplemental expenses for the schools, the other for the town.

“The town one is a placeholder — we are not going to request an override,” Nunley Benjamin told the Current. “We don’t know if the schools are.”

Article 29 proposes using up to $171,643 from a special fund made up of premium payments on past excluded debt projects to lower the town current debt costs or reduce how much it needs to borrow for future projects.

Article 30 proposes transferring $353,876 from various unspent past capital appropriations to fund everything from $142,569.21 on sidewalk, public way and garage improvements to funding a $42,000 boiler replacement in the community center. On Article 30, Nunley Benjamin says there might be a change or two on the Town Meeting floor.

New planning department

Article 34 proposes establishing a Marblehead Community Development and Planning Department. It would entail initially hiring a director to lead and oversee everything from land use planning and housing policy to historic preservation and sustainability efforts.

Meanwhile, Nunley Benjamin was skeptical that the town could take on the cost associated with Article 51, a citizen petition proposing the State Street Restrooms remain open year-round.

Article 52 is resident Jim Zisson’s citizen petition to appropriate funds to overhaul Marblehead’s website. He says that the town identified overhauling Marblehead’s website as a priority, but it’s been placed on the back burner.

Consent agendas, wireless clickers

For the first time, Town Meeting members can vote with wireless clickers, a change approved last May. Members will also vote on several standard, boilerplate articles packaged together using a method called “consent agendas.”

Both the wireless clickers and consent agenda represent procedural changes that officials say will significantly reduce time devoted to routine town business.

technical assistance and local support to help cities and towns reduce energy use and costs by implementing clean energy projects in municipal buildings, facilities and schools.

“That is a program providing $22 million a year in grant funding we could apply for every year,” he said.

Regional strategy

“Our 2040 net zero goal is 16 years away. If we want our roads to be net zero by 2040, the amount of investment needed is way more than the constrained

resources in Massachusetts,” Casey said.

He argued that sustainability, and a dearth of resources, necessitate a regional strategy.

“I’m excited to bring a regional vision and get Marblehead more involved with organizations like the Metropolitan Area Planning Council,” he said. “Many suburban towns don’t interact enough with resources at the state and regional level.

“Topics like coastal resilience and adapting infrastructure require us to think beyond municipal borders,” he added.

The Lynch/van Otterloo YMCA recently hired Ranjeev Benjamin as executive director of mental wellness.

“Bringing in funds from sources, other than taxes, for projects that will reduce operating costs, will leave more money in town coffers to operate the town and avoid tax increases,” said Eileen Mathieu, a member of the Green Marblehead Committee and Sustainable Marblehead.

Casey

Taking the plunge: Benefits of cold exposure therapy

BY WENDY TAMIS ROBBINS

I was born with a water phobia. I’m aware of how strange that sounds given the “watery” womb and all. Prior to last November, I could count on one hand how many times I’ve been in the ocean since my dad carried me there. But last November, I started “polar plunging.”

I’d been watching the Wolf Pack plunge at Devereux Beach for months. But for years prior when I saw this behavior I’d say, “I would never do that. It’s just crazy! What possesses people?”

Yet, the more I heal and grow, the more I am drawn to it. Not the water, but the idea of doing things I say I will never do. Also the title of Chapter 37 of my book, “The Box: An Invitation to Freedom from Anxiety” is Never Say Never Again. That’s when my anxiety points me towards exactly where I need to go next.

The background

A mystery to my parents, it was the first sign of my brewing anxiety and panic as a young child. Even more mysterious were the triggers — water coming from above me, not below — like the shower, rain and car washes. My reaction

Letters

From P. A5

happened to the money.” I plan on speaking to this at Town Meeting. Also at my insistence, the Transfer Station project’s completion accounting will

ObIT uarIeS

Cale William Weston, 31

Cale William Weston, 31 of Marblehead, passed away on Feb. 21, from a short and courageous battle with cancer, surrounded by his loving family and friends. Born March 26, 1992, to Loren (Anderson) Weston and William Marshall Weston Jr., he was raised in Marblehead, attended Marblehead schools and graduated from Marblehead High School in the class of 2010. After graduating high school, knowing college was not “his thing,” he moved to Truckee, California, on the shores of Lake Tahoe. While living at Sawmill Heights, he obtained his level 1 snowboard instructor certification and taught at Northstar at Tahoe for two seasons. Cale then decided to attend Lyndon State College in Vermont for Outdoor Mountain Recreation Management, where

Nancy Wallace, 93

Nancy Wallace, 93, died peacefully at home in Marblehead on Thursday, Feb. 15. She was a born and bred Marbleheader, born to Anna Pennypacker Upton and Edward Upton on Sept. 2, 1930, in the old Mary Alley Hospital on Franklin Street. She was born Ann Seaver Coolidge Upton, but she was called Nancy from birth. She graduated from Marblehead High School in 1947 and from Smith College with a bachelor’s degree in English in 1951.

On Dec. 26, 1954, she

was inconsolable PTSD-like hysterics. No one knows why but I believe it’s in my DNA.

How? My grandfather died serving as a firefighter. He was standing on the third floor of a burning building when the floorboards gave way and he plunged through to the basement and drowned in the waters that rained down from the fire hose torrents above.

As I matured, I learned to control my strong reactions through unavoidable exposure therapy. Meanwhile, I developed an adjacent fear of having my chest submerged in water. The pressure became reminiscent of my panic attacks — like a straitjacket cinching my core. And I became temperature sensitive — being too hot or cold would set off a panic attack. This kept me from the water for decades. Despite having overcome my disorders more recently, I still didn’t get wet, even in the summer. And even though the ocean is steps from my house.

But every week I’d watch the plungers commiserate, and the beach slowly empty as the plungers turned into small dots bobbing in the ocean. As my desire to be a person who did such a thing became bigger than my myriad of fears, I set my alarm clock one Thursday evening then drove to the beach at sunrise.

The benefits PsychologyToday says “if there is really a global villain, it would

“tell the story” rather than just list numbers. Broken down to a far more granular level will be an estimate, actual cost and a written explanation included if a 5% variance is hit. This will be designed to be easily understood by everyone. I’ve participated in zero

he rode at Burke Mountain and made many lifelong friends. After three years at Lyndon, Cale returned to Marblehead and worked various jobs, including his very first job at the Three Cod Tavern and later for Somerby Landscaping, W.H. Goodwin Enterprises, Mike Kobialka Landscaping, Creature Comforts and North East Arc as a personal care assistant.

Cale was a deeply compassionate person who had a huge heart and was always

married Bruce A. Wallace, a Massachusetts Institute of Technology graduate and mechanical engineer, in a ceremony at Salem Hospital, where Nancy’s mother was confined with a broken thigh.

According to Mindbodygreen.com, hormesis is “the idea that short, intermittent bursts of certain stressors… can actually trigger a cascade of cellular processes that enhance overall health, slow aging and make you more resilient to future stress (both physical and mental).”

have to be stress.” Yet research on hormetic stress reveals that, “What doesn’t kill you makes you stronger,” under certain conditions, even on the cellular level.

This molecular phenomenon is called “hormesis.” According to Mindbodygreen.com, “it’s the idea that short, intermittent bursts of certain stressors… can actually trigger a cascade of cellular processes that enhance overall health, slow aging and make you more resilient to future stress (both physical and mental).”

There are several ways to experience hormesis, like intermittent fasting, heat exposure, high intensity interval training and cold exposure, which has been shown to boost levels of certain immune cells that play a role in killing virally infected cells and cancer cells.

Research shows that cold exposure done regularly also causes the brain to produce norepinephrine, a neurotransmitter that helps you gain better focus and attention and plays a role in regulating your emotions. It also decreases the production of inflammatory cytokines (linked to anxiety and depression), which supports the

executive sessions.

Against the recommendation of other board members outside of mine, as well as against the stated rules of my chair, I always respond during public comment. You talk with the hope of a response, you’ll get one. Come give it a shot.

willing, ready and available to help others and his close-knit group of friends. Cale later went back to Tahoe where he worked teaching at Sierra-atTahoe and lived in South Lake.

When he returned to his beloved hometown of Marblehead, as evidenced by the town seal tattoo on his arm, he took the U.S. Postal test and became a letter carrier in the city of Salem, where he worked from 2019 until he was diagnosed in September 2023.

Cale’s love in life was being on his skateboard. His happiest times were cruising parks all over New England and wherever he went he always found the best skateparks to ride near and far. His happiest times were skating his own halfpipe at Waterside and “dropping into the abyss” with his many skateboarding buddies. Second to that was riding his snowboard, wherever the snow was best east or west. Being on the ocean on the Nuthin’ Fancy, going to Gerry,

After their marriage, Nancy and Bruce lived in various locations around the country and even in France for a short time before settling in White Plains, New York, where they lived for 53 years. Nancy was extremely active in the community there, eventually becoming an elected official on the White Plains Common Council. As a councilwoman, she spearheaded the city’s first fair housing law, first cable television contract and significantly increased the amount of green space in the city’s urban development. After leaving the council, she became the executive director of Bronx River Restoration Inc., a nonprofit organization in the

idea that cold exposure can be impactful to our mental health.

When we take a cold swim our surface vessels tighten, making blood move to the core to conserve heat. This “bathes the brain and vital organs in fresh blood”, helping to gently detoxify them according to PsychologyToday.com.

Hormesis is all about dosage.

Too much of any of these activities can have a negative effect, like hypothermia.

The lessons

Beyond the cellular level, here are some lessons I learned in just the first six plunges:

Day 1 – First times suck! Don’t expect to dive right in. Just show up and observe. Dip your toe in, literally. Knowing this will be the hardest day and it gets WAY better. This will make it easier to come back.

Day 2 - Things aren’t always as hard as they seem. You’ll go further than you probably thought you would.

Day 3 – Don’t compare yourself to others. Your well-being and superhero training is not a competition. Remind your inner critic that your powers (and

Now anyone can agree or disagree with my opinion that the hack shouldn’t take the spotlight from the message of HAWC. In my opinion it should have been nothing more than a footnote in an article about our meeting letting the public know it happened and is being

Brown’s or the Gooseberry’s, was his favorite summer thing to do. As well as many, many days over the course of his life, spent with family and dear friends at the camp on Moosehead Lake, hiking, kayaking, canoeing and boating, moose watching, or under Kineo, on the Touch of Grey.

Cale was a loving son, brother, grandson, nephew, cousin and great friend to many who loved him dearly. He was the beloved big brother of Peyton Anne Weston of Marblehead. They purchased a home on Chestnut in 2021 with his cousin Timothy Parent. Many days have been spent with his dad together with cousin Tim and the Scott brothers, remodeling the home.

Cale is also survived by his loving grandparents, William and Joanne Anderson of San Jose, California, Joan (Theriault) Anderson of Windham, New Hampshire, and Barbara (Rudd) Weston of Marblehead, and the late William and

Bronx focused on restoring the Bronx River and its adjacent land and community. She was fierce, creative and dedicated in pursuing that mission. And when she retired 23 years later, her seemingly impossible vision of a clean, usable Bronx River with an eight-mile Greenway alongside it had become a reality.

Even when they lived in New York, Nancy and Bruce still spent summer weekends with their children in Nancy’s childhood home on Locust Street in Marblehead. And in 2013, they moved back to Marblehead permanently. Nancy is survived by Bruce, her husband of more than 69 years; her three children: son

kryptonite) are unique to you.

Day 4 – Ignore the noise. A man walking his dog in 20-degree weather pointed at me with my two friends and said, “She cheated. She didn’t even get her head wet. Why’d you even come?” When you enter the arena, people will have opinions. I’d rather have courage.

Day 5 – Go all in at least once, otherwise you’ll never know. When I finally dunked, it was exhilarating and scary and everything I’d hoped for.

Day 6 – Living your best life is the best way to lead by example. Someone asked me just before I left for the beach why I would ever do something like this. “It’s crazy!,” they said. It was reminiscent of my own thoughts not long before. I replied, “When you start your day doing something you believed you would never be able to do, you feel limitless. Your reality and the way you show up in the world changes.” To which he said, “Maybe I’ll try it then.”

*Disclaimer: This is not medical advice and is informational only. Always do your own research and seek the advice of a medical professional before trying any new activity.

Wendy Tamis Robbins is an anxiety expert, bestselling author, well-being and transformational coach, attorney, speaker, cancer survivor, stepmom and wife. Learn more about her at wendytamisrobbins.com.

investigated by the police. The hacker got what they wanted, the winning distraction formula is out, and therefore I expect more hacking attempts in the future.

Regards,

Tom McMahon Gregory Street

Anne (Lombard) Weston.

Cale was also the nephew of Deirdre (Weston) Maroun and Christopher Maroun and loving cousin to Anne Marie (Maroun) Seely, Madelyn (Maroun) Allen, Hayden Maroun, Jessica Theriault and Cristy (Theriault) Goode. Cale has many other relatives including the Lombard clan from Ipswich and our many friends who are our family, too. Visiting hours will be held on Saturday, March 2, 1 p.m.-5 p.m. at Eustis & Cornell of Marblehead, 142 Elm St. A celebration of Cale’s life will be held this spring or summer. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made in Cale’s memory to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, at 501 St. Jude Place, Memphis, Tennessee, 38105 or via stjude. org/donate.

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

David Wallace and his wife Jan Bass, daughter Gail Wallace and her husband Harry McDaniel, and daughter Lane Wallace and her husband Ed Cataldo. She is also survived by her sister, Lane Upton Serota, and her three grandchildren, whom she adored: Kern Wallace, Tyler McDaniel and Kinana McDaniel. A memorial service will be held on Saturday, March 2 at 1 p.m. at the Old North Church, 35 Washington St., with a reception to follow in the parish hall. Burial in Waterside Cemetery will be private. Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at eustisandcornellfuneralhome. com for Nancy’s family.

CuZN er IN NaT ure

Rare visitor from the Arctic Circle dazzles

BY RICK CUZNER

The King Eider is one of my favorite ducks. I was lucky enough to see this one mixed among Common Eiders in Gloucester Harbor.

Every winter, this rare Arctic migrant visits the Massachusetts coast. While normally found amid icy northern seas, small numbers of these birds travel south in search of open water and food. For Massachusetts birdwatchers, spotting a King Eider is an exciting event.

Adult male King Eiders are strikingly colored with black bodies, white breasts

An adult male King Eider displays its array of colors while resting on a seaweed-covered rock amidst a flock of Common Eiders in Gloucester Harbor.

and bulbous multicolored bills. Their brick-red foreheads, piercing blue eyes and yellow, orange

and indigo heads give them a regal appearance. Females and juveniles have less conspicuous brown, black and white plumage.

Here they dive for crustaceans, mollusks and small fish, preferring areas with abundant food sources and frigid water temperatures. The Marblehead Current is proud to partner with photographer Rick Cuzner. For the past 16 years, he has taken thousands of nature photographs.

CurreNT e V

Singer/songwriter Vance Gilbert

Friday, March 1, 8 p.m.

Enjoy live music with folk and Americana singer/songwriter

Vance Gilbert at Me & Thee Music. Gilbert has shared stages with icons like Aretha Franklin and Arlo Guthrie, and opened stand-up shows for George Carlin and “Mad About You” star Paul Reiser. Show starts at 8 p.m. at 28 Mugford St. For more info and tickets, go to meandthee.org

Steps to Create exhibit

March 1-31

NorthEast ARC’s Steps to Create program is unveiling an exhibit of fine art, photography, jewelry design, pottery, ceramic and fiber arts at the Unitarian Universalist Church’s Stetson Gallery, 28 Mugford St. There will be an opening reception March 10, noon-2 p.m.

Steps to Create is an employment-based creative program designed to provide opportunities for creators with disabilities or autism.

Several local artists will be featured, including Emily Gawry of Marblehead and Jacob Yellin of Swampscott.

The Johnny Ray Band

Saturday, March 2, 9 p.m.

Come to The Beacon for live music by The Johnny Ray Band. Reservations recommended. 123 Pleasant St.

You 29er s!! Ar

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. If you’re up for the challenge, register with a $30 donation to Merry Mixers. All proceeds go toward the Merry Mixers’ yearly

fundraising goal. https:// loom.ly/le1hqZY

There’sareasonwhy Marblehead businesses areover whelmingly cho osingthe Current. As anonprofit, we areuniquely positione dtooffer comp etitiverates with unmatche dreach... online andinprint.

Andsince we don’thavea parent company, ever yadver tising dollar go es directly to supportingour Marblehead base dnewsroom.

Learnmore: MarbleheadCurrent.org/Ads

Or

Training for Life: A Tale of Two Choices

Sunday, March 3, 3 p.m.4:30 p.m.

Whole food nutrition business Lees-onlife is hosting an event with Dr. Paul Stricker, a renowned sports medicine doctor from Scripps Medical Center in California. Stricker will discuss the relationship between nutrition and disease, and explain new, researchbacked concepts that can positively impact your health. Tedesco Country Club. Register at https:// loom.ly/R9VQlj8.

Local Striper Fishing — Tips and Techniques

Wednesday, March 6, 7 p.m.-8:30 p.m.

Marblehead native Scott Edwards has been an avid sport fisherman in local waters for years. He is an active member of Maddie’s Anglers and has led many fishing tournaments. Edwards will share his tips for catching striped bass involving bait, tides, depths and more. Marblehead Yacht Club, 4 Cliff St. Register at https://loom. ly/g-RHdI8.

COURTESY PHOTOS / RICK CUZNER