05.29.2024 – Volume 2, Issue 26

HONORING HEROES What the town has planned for Memorial Day Page 3

CULTURE Sneak peak at this summer’s Arts Festival Page 13

SPORTS Field of dreams at Seaside Page 10

One

of two

interim super finalists withdraws

my hard work or my dedication,”

BY LEIGH BLANDER

One of the two finalists for the interim superintendent position withdrew from consideration last week, leaving a sole candidate, Swansea Superintendent John Robidoux. Robidoux announced that he would leave Swansea last fall due to a difficult relationship with the school committee there, according to a November 2023 article in The Herald News.

“It has become increasingly evident over the last several months that members of this committee no longer value me,

Days earlier, Glover principal finalist says no thanks RESTING PL aCE

The Herald News quoted from a letter from Robidoux to the Swansea School Committee.

At a May 16 meeting, Marblehead School Committee

Chair Sarah Fox announced that Hingham’s interim student services director, Barbara Cataldo, was no longer interested in Marblehead’s interim super position.

According to Fox, Cataldo told her she would be “keeping her eye on Marblehead” to possibly apply for the permanent position next year.

“We’re very sorry to see her

withdraw,” Fox added.

Member Jenn Schaeffner said she had heard from residents concerned about Cataldo dropping out.

“What I’ve seen in my experience is that this does sometimes happen in the course of the search process,” Schaeffner said. “We certainly hope this works out for everyone. We also can start the search process again.”

School Committee members planned to visit the Swansea schools on May 22 to learn more about Robidoux. Then, they expected to invite him

to Marblehead to meet with teachers, students and the community.

Cataldo’s withdrawal came just days after the finalist for Glover principal declined the position and accepted a job in Lynn instead. That search will begin again, as will searches for Village principal and assistant principal. MHS Athletic Director Greg Ceglarski is also leaving next month.

MHS mental health/ substance use survey

Marblehead High School social worker Gina Hart presented the

Deceased whale buried in sand at Preston Beach

Humpback had washed ashore twice

BY LEIGH BLANDER

A deceased humpback whale that came ashore twice this spring — first in Marblehead and then 300 yards down the beach in Swampscott less than three weeks later — was buried Saturday under about 10 feet of sand at Preston Beach.

The 42-foot, 65,000pound female first appeared among the rocks near Preston Beach in Marblehead on April 25. Scientists from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Tufts University and Seacoast Science Center examined the whale’s body, determining that she had not died by human-made causes. Her body did show signs of entanglement, but those injuries did not appear recent.

Marblehead Harbor Master Mark Souza worked with the EPA and Smith Marine to tow the whale first to a mooring about one mile off-shore and

then farther out to sea. The operation cost $27,000.

On May 14, the whale’s body reappeared, this time in Swampscott.

Swampscott Town Administrator Sean

Fitzgerald consulted with several state and federal environmental agencies to come up with a plan to bury the whale, nicknamed “Espresso.”

“Espresso is at her final

resting place,” Fitzgerald told the Current Saturday afternoon. “Huge thanks to Meninno Construction and Gino Cresto, assistant

results of the 2023-2024 Survey of Substance Use and Related Risk Factors. More than 740 students, or 85% of the school, participated.

“What’s really positive to see is a slight decrease in students at risk for depression,” Hart said.

The survey showed 24% of students reported anxiety, down from 34% in 2022. Fifteen percent reported experiencing depression, down from 21% last year. However, there was an increase is reported suicide

WH aT’S NEXT?

Backers rally to pass MBTA zoning

BY WILL DOWD

After Town Meeting narrowly rejected a controversial zoning proposal aimed at complying with a state mandate promoting multifamily housing, some town leaders and residents are gearing up for a second attempt to pass the measure later this year.

At a recent joint meeting of the Fair Housing and Housing Production Plan Implementation committees, Town Administrator Thatcher Kezer said another Town Meeting will need to be scheduled before the Dec. 31 deadline to pass new zoning.

Resident Rick Smyers believes the key to success lies in running a better-organized campaign with simplified messaging that resonates with voters. He suggested framing the MBTA zoning as a way to reduce regulatory burdens and give property owners more rights.

“I think on the ‘no’ side, there was this interesting combination of coalitions,” Smyers said. “There’s kind of the traditional anti-development crowd that talks concisely about crowding, traffic and burdens on schools. And then there was another coalition that was kind of an antigovernment group that said, ‘I don’t like a mandate, and let’s say no to the state.’” Smyers believes the “anti-government” crowd could be swayed by messaging that emphasizes the zoning changes as a means to cut red tape and give rights back to individual property owners.

COURTESY PHOTO / SWAMPSCOTT

TOWN ADMINISTRATOR SEAN FITZGERALD A humpback whale that washed ashore twice is buried at Preston Beach on Saturday.

SCHOOLS, P. A2

WHALE, P. A6

ZONING, P. A15

Health Department still seeking GC to start Transfer Station work

BY LEIGH BLANDER

The Health Department still has not been able to find a general contractor to lead the $1.5-2 million Transfer Station renovation.The Board of Health voted on May 14 to pay Hayes Engineering up to $9,000 to review the plans to make them more attractive and, possibly, less expensive. The project will then be put back out to bid.

Board member Joanne Miller

liked the idea of getting fresh eyes on the project to determine “what rocks have we not turned over.”

Public Health Director

Andrew Petty identified 25 area contractors and reached out to

current-public-beach-postings for beach closings as well.

agreed to not use pesticides on town property unless we need to,” he said.

BY WILL DOWD

Crocker Park, Gas House, Grace Oliver’s and Stramski’s.

Samples will be taken every two weeks near the Village Street and Sunset Road piers.

Petty said if he gets a failing sample, he is allowed to keep a beach open until a re-test is completed — except at Grace Oliver’s, which fails bacteria tests more than any other swimming area in town. After one bad sample there, he needs to close the beach until he receives a passing test. The town will post a “No Swimming” sign if a beach is closed due to high bacteria counts. Petty will also post to the town website and alert town departments, including the Marblehead Police, which will post to its Facebook page. People can always check mass.gov/info-details/

Bacteria in ocean water can come from several sources, including stormwater runoff, sanitary sewer overflow, leaking sewer pipes, illegal sewer hookups, and wildlife and pet waste.

What’s the buzz?

Petty explained that the Northeast Mosquito Control service is conducting surveillance and testing for Eastern equine encephalitis and West Nile viruses in local mosquitoes.

“For mosquitoes, it’s about standing water,” he explained.

“Walk around your backyard and make sure you don’t have any standing water… like in kiddie pools.”

Petty said the town treats its storm drains with a product called BTI, a natural occurring bacteria that eats mosquito larvae.

“We are a pesticide-free community, meaning the Board of Health and Rec and Parks have

Avian flu

Petty explained that the state is monitoring dead birds for the Avian flu. He urged anyone who comes across a dead bird not to touch it or pick it up. Instead, report it to the Health Department. Lifetime achievement Marblehead Public Health

Nurse Tracy Giarla has been given a lifetime achievement award by the Massachusetts Association of Public Health Nurses.

Bobbie Cody updated the BOH on their roles.

and is

Gina Hart, who works at the high school, will discuss a recent youth risk survey taken

as Haitian Black, African American.

40% of students who identified as Hispanic/ Latina(o).

» 34% of students who identified as multiracial.

Also, 47.8% of all MHS seniors who responded reported struggling with anxiety and depression.

Forty-five percent of all respondents said they struggled regularly with body image, about the same as last year.

Discrimination

Among students who identified as other than white:

» 35.7% reported being called racially insulting names

» 21.4% reported that people assumed their English was poor

18.8% reported that people acted as if they were afraid of them

In terms of discrimination based on personal identities, the highest percentage of students, 7.5%, said they’d been targeted because of their religion. Next, 7.1% said they’d been discriminated against because of their sexual orientation.

Drug use

The percentage of students who reported drinking alcohol during their lifetime remained about the same at 40%. Students using cannabis increased slightly from 20% to 22%, while students using nicotine increased most significantly, from 34% to 38%.

The survey asked students when they first tried alcohol, cannabis and nicotine. The largest percentage of students, 32%, said at 15 years old. Fox was surprised by the young age many students start experimenting with substances.

“When we see that 10-13% of students sixth grade or younger are using a substance, that just blows my mind,” she said.

Assistant Superintendent Julia Ferreira said substance use among younger students is “something we’ve been working on.” She pointed to the newly approved health educator position at the Village School.

“We’re bringing a real health education program to grades four through six,” she said.

Just over 2% of students reported driving after drinking ,and 3.2% reported driving after using marijuana. But 21% reported

being in a car with someone drinking alcohol. Fifteen percent of students said they’d been in a car with someone using marijuana.

The survey also asked students about texting. Seventy-three percent of students said they never text while driving.

Hart said the district has many programs in place to support students’ mental health, as well as substance abuse prevention curricula, but said more can be done.

One focus? “How do we destigmatize mental health and let students know where they can get help inside and outside of school,” Hart said.

Communications survey

The School Committee postponed discussion of a recent communications survey until its next meeting. More than 565 people responded to the survey.

MEA, sick bank

The co-presidents of the Marblehead Education Association, the local teachers union, spoke to the School Committee during public comment saying they had

discovered during bargaining sessions that the School Committee never signed an agreement last spring establishing a sick leave bank, where union members can share and bank sick days.

“We signed it, we had a meeting with our membership to ratify it….

We have actually implemented it this year,” MEA Co-President Jonathan Heller said. “We’re here to ask the School Committee to approve the sick leave bank.”

Fox has not returned a request for comment on the issue.

Meanwhile, the MEA delivered a grievance to interim Superintendent Theresa McGuinness on May 13 over the district and School Committee taking down union signs on school property. McGuinness has 10 days to respond.

The School Committee has also filed an unfair labor complaint against the MEA for bringing more than 50 silent representatives to bargaining sessions. The committee requested that the MEA limit the number of silent reps to seven.

The next bargaining session is scheduled for June.

Opinion

EDITORI a L

Where have the races gone?

As Marblehead gears up for its 2024 municipal elections, we find, for the first time in many years, a significant lack of contested races. We hope it’s not the start of a trend.

Only two out of 12 races — for Select Board and Recreation and Parks Commission — are being contested. Laura Gallant returned nomination papers to run for Marblehead Housing Authority and attempted to withdraw her name but missed the deadline to do so. But she is ceding the race to the other contender, Kristin DuBay Horton.

The lack of contested races raises questions about the health of local democracy and citizen engagement.

The most notable absence from the ballot is Jim Nye, a Select Board member who has served the town for nearly two decades. His decision not to seek re-election leaves a significant void, but also an opportunity for fresh perspectives. However, with only two challengers vying for the five open seats, it seems that few are seizing this chance to shape Marblehead’s future. Nye arguably contributed to the small field by not deciding — or at least not publicly announcing — his intention not to run until the deadline to submit nominations had passed. While we know such decisions can be difficult, candidates would best serve the democratic process by broadcasting their intentions as early as possible.

This lack of competition is not unique to the Select Board race. The School Committee and several other crucial bodies will see incumbents run unopposed. While the experience and dedication of these public servants is commendable, the absence of challengers deprives voters of a robust debate on the issues that matter most to the community.

We are concerned that the dearth of contested races may be a local manifestation of a broader phenomenon, as the increasing polarization and negativity in national politics have made local leaders more vulnerable to harassment, threats and personal attacks.

A 2023 survey of 1,400 local elected officials conducted by Princeton University’s Bridging Divides Initiative and CivicPulse found that nearly half of those officials had been insulted, a third had been harassed, and nearly one in five had been threatened in any given three-month period.

The survey also found that 14% of local officials, and 20% of women surveyed, are worried about being attacked or their families being attacked. These trends have undoubtedly had a chilling effect on local candidacies.

But in Marblehead, this year’s dearth of contested races stands in stark contrast to recent years. Between 2019 and 2023, Marblehead averaged four contested races per year, with a total of 20 over the five-year period. The Select Board race, in particular, has been consistently competitive, with more candidates than available seats each year.

In a post titled “Where Have All the Local Candidates Gone?” on the think tank New America’s blog, Maresa Strano emphasizes the importance of local elections. She writes, “Local officeholders are closest to the people they govern, meaning they don’t just govern best, as the saying goes, they also govern the most.”

She also points out that the shift from real-life interactions to digital communications has made citizens more passive in their engagement with local civic life. This disengagement has contributed to a lack of interest in running for local office and participating in the democratic process at the grassroots level, Strano writes. However, the consequences of this trend are clear: When fewer voices are heard, the democratic process suffers. Despite this, local voters have bucked the trend. The town has shown its commitment to democratic participation in recent years, from moving the municipal election to June to boost turnout to exploring ways to make Town Meeting more accessible. Last year’s town election saw the highest turnout in a decade. These efforts are commendable and must continue.

The Marblehead League of Women Voters and Abbot Library have also done their part to encourage residents to put their names on the ballot through their “Intro to Marblehead Town Government” series. Video of previous sessions is available online, and the Current will make sure you know about future installments. Ultimately, the onus is on the citizens of Marblehead to step up, to run for office, to attend meetings, to vote. The absence of robust competition in this year’s election should serve as a reminder of the importance of civic engagement and the need to foster a culture of active participation in local government.

In his farewell reflections, Nye spoke of the importance of being “part of a team” in tackling the challenges facing the town. The 2024 election may have few contested races, but it’s never too late for more residents to join the team. The members of the Current’s editorial board are Ed Bell, who serves as chairman, and Virginia Buckingham, both members of the Current’s board of directors; Kris Olson and Will Dowd, members of the Current’s editorial staff; and Robert Peck and Joseph P. Kahn. Peck is an attorney, former chairman of Marblehead’s Finance Committee and a former Select Board member. Kahn is a retired Boston Globe journalist.

EVERy

THING WILL BE OK ay

I’ll swear on this bible

BY VIRGINIA BUCKINGHAM

When it comes to vegetable gardening, I thought I was a committed bachelorette. A dabbler. Playing the (planted) field so to speak. Not serious.

Forgive me if you are a deeply knowledgeable and passionate gardener but my approach has been more casual affection than passion, like a fun date I knew would never turn into a long-term relationship.

I enjoy gardening. I’d even go on a second date with it since it brought me flowers (beware, bad garden humor ahead). I thought this ‘friends with benefits’ approach would be enough. Until I got religion. Gardening religion that is. How did I get here? First, I’m a COVID-era gardening novice. I stopped commuting to New York in 2020 and started kneeling in the dirt in a small backyard raised bed between Zoom calls in 2021. My garden is approximately 12 feet by 5 feet and about 14” deep, made for me by my friend Kate, who some say put the word “mother” into Mother Earth. Okay, I’m the one who says that, but she is a serious gardener and she’s the closest I have to a gardening (read: guardian) angel, whether she knew she was signing up for that or not (more on that in a moment.) The first couple of years worked well with little effort — plants bearing broccoli and tomatoes, zucchini — easy peasy, as in plentiful sugar snap peas, too.

I put the minimum of effort in, enough to have some good Instagram pictures of my “harvest.”

When Kate suggested weeding, I asked why and she might have given me a side eye while explaining “that way you know what’s a plant versus a weed.”

Like in any relationship, you get out of it what you put in to it and by last summer my effort showed. The tomatoes were a bust. My green pepper, as in one, was so tiny it wouldn’t have fed Thumbelina. Eggplant? Barely recognizable, all two of them. The only things that grew well were the cucumbers and the zucchini — the cukes because Kate gave me seeds she special ordered, and the zucchini because, well, it’s zucchini.

This season I was determined to try harder. I composted last fall and raked and fertilized this spring.

I borrowed Kate’s staple gun to attach netting to some posts for the peas to climb (meaning I brought the netting and poles to her house so she could attach them with the staple gun).

Then I spent one glorious sunny morning putting in plants. Each trowel-full of soil contained unexpected — to the gardening uninitiated — visitors. Worms. Was this good or bad? I had a feeling that if I texted Kate that question I may get a staple where it was not

I’m a COVID-era gardening novice. I stopped commuting to New York in 2020 and started kneeling in the dirt in a small backyard raised bed between Zoom calls in 2021. My garden is approximately 12 feet by 5 feet and about 14” deep, made for me by my friend Kate, who some say put the word “mother” into Mother Earth.

wanted in return. And I think I knew worms were good, but why?

I went where all good gardeners go for “The Word.” The bible. No, not that bible. The Vegetable Gardener’s Bible by Edward Smith. He uses a “W-O-R-D” system to increase garden yields, standing for Wide rows, Organic methods, Raised beds and Deep soil.

I knew of this gardening bible because Kate keeps it in her reading pile all year long and hers is dog-eared and filled with sticky notes marking important pages, and jotted information. If you’ve been to Monticello to see Jefferson’s gardening journal, you can picture what I mean. And I actually own one of these bibles. It’s sat on my bookshelf since my gardening “career” began in 2021. Its pages are pristine. Not a mark, not a crease, not a sticky note anywhere. It was given to me (yes, by you know who), but I confess I never opened it. Until now. In the appendix, under W, I see there’s an entire worm section. Turning to it, I learn worms are good for “soil structure.” Smith writes that worms are so important, in fact, that you ought to conduct a “worm census” to make sure you have enough. He employs bad garden humor too — you can “[worm] your way to better soil,” he writes, and healthy soil is a “friendly place to live and raise little worms.” I am also already noticing a few holes munched into the leaves of my just planted vegetables. What does Smith have to say about that? There’s a whole chapter called “Bugs, Slugs and Things that Go Chomp in the Night.” I may never sleep again after reading it, but I will nip my pest problem in the bud as long as I, as Smith advises, solve the problem “gently.” No war on pests is a commandment in this bible unless the weapon is garlic spray.

I wonder what Kate thinks of that? I’ll ask her when I stop by to see if she has any extra cucumber seeds.

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

The Hill family Informed Citizens Match Challenge BY

When I first moved permanently to Marblehead almost 40 years ago, I instantly knew I had made the right choice. The charm, history and appeal of this beautiful seaside community reached out and lured me in. What has been especially joyous though, was to discover that over the years the magic of Marblehead has had the very same impact on my family. Whether it be experiencing the fireworks, harbor illumination and Arts Festival over the July 4 holiday or the thrill of watching the arrival of the USS Constitution into Marblehead Harbor from a widow’s walk at Fort Sewall, my family absolutely relishes each of their many visits to “our town.” On one particular day, on the way here, my sister Judy shared with me that my nephew Nate (who now lives in Denmark) exclaimed, “I’m getting butterflies in my stomach” as they were entering Marblehead.

One memorable Christmas Walk weekend, while strolling through old town with my family to watch the arrival of Santa and Mrs. Claus on a lobster boat, my brother Jeff pointed out to his two children (after many people had stopped to say hello) that “everyone in town knows Uncle Doug.” This was further validated later when

Santa yelled, “Merry Christmas, Doug” from his vehicle while we were watching the parade. My niece Julianna’s (who now lives In Uruguay) immediate response was “Daddy, even Santa knows Uncle Doug.” The shared love and enthusiasm for Marblehead only continues to flourish as this October my nephew Connor will introduce with great anticipation his wife and one-year-old son to Marblehead during their visit from Richmond to New England. Not only is my family appreciative of all that Marblehead has to offer but they are also fascinated by our Town Meeting form of government and how we function as a community.

It is in this area, that our local, nonprofit, independent Marblehead Current newspaper distinctively excels. From the thorough and timely coverage of our Town Meetings to the weekly top-notch reporting of those issues which impact us all, we are kept well informed, highly motivated and most engaged.

What other publication that you read produces amazing supplements like the recent Town Meeting and Election guides? I rely on this kind of factual and fullythought-through information to inform my decision making. I am sure I am not alone in this.

When learning of my involvement with the fundraising for our local

School Committee has many positions to fill

To the editor: Good people of Marblehead, did you hear that sound at Town Meeting? It is the sound of relief coming from the School Committee. The recall article was indefinitely postponed. Memories are a funny thing, the important ones we remember. The not so important things we tend to forget. The “chaos” this SC has put us through the last year is a whopper of a memory and one not soon to forget. Since the recall article is lying dormant, our only recourse, since they will not step down is at the polls next year. I believe Chair Sarah Fox and Alison Taylor are up for re-election. I know what my vote is going to be, do you?

Within weeks of this SC being sworn in, we have separated or they have separated from us:

1.Superintendent » 2 Assistant Superintendent of Finance » 3. The interim Superintendent has declined to take the job permanently.

4. Principle at Village » 5. Assistant Principal at Village » 6. Glover School Principal

9. Student Services Chair » 10. Three teachers at Glover We have had a seated SC member resign. The athletic director is leaving. I am sure there are others that will be “retiring.”

We had an excellent candidate

for the Glover School but he declined the offer to jump on board and work in our town. We heard May 16 one of the two finalists for interim superintendent dropped out. It looks like this interim superintendent will be long gone by the time we fill these positions.

This interim superintendent came to us in November and declared she would like her position permanently. I wonder what happened in three months to change her mind. By the way, she is going back to the district she came to us from. If it isn’t the salary, could it possibly be the constant upheaval?

How about the lawsuit and complaint brought against the town by our very own SC members, Jenn Schaffner and Brian Ota, respectively? We know for sure that former Glover Special Ed Chair Ann Haskell has requested a jury trial. How about the SC filing grievances against the teachers we want to keep. MEA filing grievances against the SC. I wonder just how much this town is paying for legal expenses. I have asked that question too! Well, stakeholders, our teachers and students need us. I know none of us want to hear the “O” word, but our teachers,children and schools need an OVERRIDE!

I did suggest they go for a one year override. Obviously they didn’t listen to me! It has been a wild ride this past year! Hopefully, the SC will have these positions filled by September. Stay vigilant, keep your eyes and ears open! Keep abreast by reading our local newspapers to keep our

community informed. We do not need any surprises springing up during the summer months!

In a month, school is out for the summer!

Thank you to all the teachers and staff that have put in the time and effort to educate our children during all this chaos! You are all rock stars!

PS: And then there was one. Yet another person bows out after learning about the chaos of Marblehead schools. We are literally left with the last man standing, and it’s someone who is leaving his current role, “citing a difficult work environment that he says is fostered by members of the School Committee,” according to The Herald News last November.

Mary McCarriston Pinecliff Drive

Retirement of

Veteran’s Agent

Dave Rogers

To the editor: With the approach of Memorial Day, and on behalf of myself and hundreds of other Marblehead veterans from all services of the Armed Forces of the United States, I would like to express my sincere appreciation and gratitude to Mr. David Rogers, who is retiring in June as the Veteran’s Agent for the town of Marblehead.

A true “’Header,” Dave was born and raised in Marblehead, and in the tradition of a son of “The Birthplace of the American Navy,” served our country for four years on active duty as a communications specialist in the U.S. Navy. For the past 25 years, Dave has devoted his efforts and tireless energy to addressing the needs of former

service members and their families. His dedication to the town’s veterans has included coordination of Veterans and Memorial Day events, Fourth of July celebrations, social services, assistance in navigating the complexities of the federal and state government bureaucracies, aiding veterans in obtaining access to medical care, organizing military funerals, obtaining service-connected disability benefits and countless other activities.

In addition, he has played a critical role in educating generations of Marblehead school children about the service and sacrifice of our nation’s veterans, protectors of the liberties and privileges that we enjoy as a free people.

Dave and his wife, part-time “lobster persons,” look forward to hauling up another blue lobster in one of their traps someday soon. And when that happens, I’m sure we’ll all hear about it!

Michael M. Fuenfer, Colonel (Ret.), Medical Corps, U.S.Army Franklin Street

Red Sox-Yankees analogy for Town Meeting

To the editor:

Do you know that feeling when your home team loses a close contest? Well, that’s what I felt experiencing our recent Town Meeting. As it should be, we had a number of strongly felt opinions aired and resulting close votes, but unlike a Red Sox-Yankees game we are all on the same team and should not heckle or boo our own teammates when things go the

wrong way. Also, we should support our referee who is there to help us play an orderly and fair game. If a player is disruptive, he should be removed from the game and fined. I hope our next “game” shows better team spirit and respect than this May meeting.

Gene Record Crowninshield Road

Reconsidering motions and Robert’s Rules

To

LETTERS POLIC y Generally, letters should not exceed 500 words. Letters over the word limit may be returned to the writer for editing. Letter writers may be asked to substantiate claims that do not relate to information previously published in the Current. While we will make every effort to let writers have their say, we reserve the right not to publish letters. Letters must be received by noon on Friday in order to be printed in the following week’s print edition.

Marblehead Municipal Musings

BY JAMES (SEAMUS) HOURIHAN

nonprofit independent newspaper, my niece Sarah who lives in nearby Cambridge and has visited here the most, commented that, “Marblehead deserves a quality newspaper that reports the news and shares the stories that make it all so unique”.

I was heartened (but not all that surprised) when my family agreed to join forces with me for the Hill Family Informed Citizens Match Challenge to help contribute to this fundraising effort; I hope others will join us in this most important campaign. For every dollar donated this week, the Hill family will match up to $2500. Your donation can have double the impact, so please give as generously as you are able. I have often felt that being born and raised in Marblehead is a gift, but discovering and moving to Marblehead is a prize. I feel exactly the same way about our Marblehead Current.

For almost a year and a half, we have been gifted each week with the delivery of the Current to our homes. If you prize this valued resource like I do, I encourage you to join us by becoming a sustaining donor and/or contributing to our Current which has clearly and continuously enriched our community.

Unlock the $2500 Hill Family Informed Citizen Match Challenge by donating at marbleheadcurrent.org/ donate.

Here are some post-Town Meeting musings drafted during horrible Game 2 losses by the Bruins and Celtics. My goal is to not to repeat factual reporting, but to provide analysis, questioning and insight that goes beyond.

Marblehead’s 5% controls 100% of its future You are all aware of the term “the 1%.” The 1% of Americans that possess 30% of America’s wealth. Marblehead has its “5%.” The 5% of Marblehead registered voters that attend Town Meeting and have 100% control of deciding its future. Not the democracy envisioned by our town’s founders when you think of it this way. Yes, any citizen registered to vote may attend and participate but not all in today’s world are able. Town Meeting 2024 had around 800 voters depending upon the warrant article in discussion compared to some 16,300 registered voters. The six most contested articles (24, 25, 34, 35, 36, 38) had voter counts ranging from 718 to 864. Our diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives must cross a new frontier. We need to increase Town Meeting participation by enabling parents with school-aged children, traveling professionals, retirees, grandparents, college students, home-bound seniors, off-shore fisherman, merchant mariners and sailors, etc. to understand the issues and vote. This would

require a two-pronged effort: Reduce the time required to attend Town Meeting by eliminating unnecessary articles and by considering only the critical ones.

Use technology to enable hybrid meetings to allow all voters to understand the issues and vote while protecting against “voter fraud.” For example, do we really need to vote on five separate articles,10% of the total, to adjust COLA and pay scales for different groups of non-union employees? This could be done in one article. But why do we even need to vote on this one article if it is in the town budget approved by the voters? There are other articles dealing with numerous accounting details reflected in the proposed operating or capital budgets that we could do without.

During the COVID pandemic we learned to conduct private and public meetings using Zoom and similar platforms. We continue to use these effectively for nearly all town meetings today. There are solutions that enable presentation, discussion, voting and meeting control today and they will only get better.

Marblehead, we are not in the 17th century anymore. We must do better to realize democracy in Marblehead Town Meetings in this decade of the 21st century.

MBTA Communities Act: Realists lose by pushing for immediate vote, Tea Party Idealists win At the end of the second night, the Town Realists were outwitted by the Tea Party Idealists. See my April 29 musing

We need to increase Town Meeting participation by enabling parents with school-aged children, traveling professionals, retirees, grandparents, college students,

off-shore

merchant mariners and sailors, etc. to understand the issues and vote.

on Article 36 that described their battlefield positioning.

Ahead of the battle at Town Meeting, the Idealists incessantly bombarded the town using “vote no” yard signs, postcards and letters to the editors. In contrast, the Realists simply sat in their bunker hoping and praying.

As the battle at Town Meeting started the Realists fired one impotent shot. They attempted to address one of my recommendations — quantify how much state funding is at risk in existing and potential projects. But this spanned three impossible-to-read slides that had no bottom-line sound bite like “$XXX million is at risk.”

Three separate subsidiary motions to postpone to various time frames were defeated.

About 55% of nearly 800 citizens voted “no” each time. This forced the vote on the primary motion.

But the Realists read their audience wrong. Some 52% of the attendees voted “no.” So, Marblehead will be out of compliance by the end of the year. It is interesting to note that some 200 voters, 25% of total, left Town Meeting after the Article 36 vote. Seven hundred eighty seven voted on Article 36; an average of 560 voted on the next six articles. A difference of 212. I bet most of the departed were Idealists who were easy to rally against the invasive, coercive, unconstitutional mandate of the state. This battle in Marblehead is over for now. It is only one of many in the war between the state and its municipalities over this act. This war is far from over.

The leader of the Idealists, lawyer John DiPiano, made a pragmatic, peremptory motion to postpone any decision until December 23, eight days before the state would require compliance. This time delay would allow more information to emerge, including a challenge to the legality of the act. This group was willing to postpone a vote to fight another day. In contrast, the Realists kept insisting that citizens must vote now. This included pleas by the Housing Production Implementation Committee, Fair Housing Committee, League of Women Voters and the chairs of both the Select Board and School Committee.

YGTBKM: Swampscott Blue lanyard color? Whoever selected Swampscott Blue for the color of the voting clicker lanyard should be tarred and feathered! Red or black next time, please. Town Moderator changing attire for next Town Meeting? With continuous shouting of “sham” in the background, Moderator Jack Attridge finally ended a vote which denied reconsideration of Article 36. In a momentary sign of

GUEST COLUMN

DOUG HILL

town administrator and DPW director. I appreciate all the patience as we dealt with this complicated environmental issue.”

Fitzgerald said the cost of the burial was about $10,000.

“It’s unfortunate that the state does not have

a pool of revenue for sea coast towns that may have to deal with this on an infrequent basis. This doesn’t happen often, but when it happens, it’s a significant burden to municipalities.”

To watch videos of the burial project at Preston Beach, go to MarbleheadCurrrent.org.

BY WILL DOWD AND LEIGH BLANDER

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

MHS celebrates bilingual students

Marblehead High School announced that several students have earned the Massachusetts Seal of Biliteracy. The seal recognizes students who have demonstrated proficiency in English and another language.

MHS congratulates the following students:

» For Spanish: John Burke, Anais Disla Soto, Ava Fagan, Alexis Fisichelli, Laura Garcia Tiburcio, Caroline Humphreys and Samantha Roman.

For French: Rachael Albert, Madeleine Cole, Madeleine Conlon, Clara Donovan, Tyler Earp, Caroline Jones, Isabella Miller and Hogan Sedky.

» For Russian: Anna Sokolov.

» For Arabic: Johra Warab.

Bags, Beer and BBQ Tournament

returns to Lee Mansion Gardens

Marblehead Museum’s popular Bags, Beer and BBQ Tournament is set to return to the Lee Mansion Gardens on Saturday, June 22, from 2-6 p.m. Teams will compete in a March Madnessstyle tournament to determine the top bags (similar to cornhole) players in Marblehead. Registration is $85 per player, which includes three tickets for food or beer and a free bags tournament towel. Spectator tickets are available for $25, including two tickets for food or beer. The event will feature beer from Bentwater Brewing Company and hot dogs and hamburgers. Registration closes on June 17, and all proceeds support Marblehead Museum.

Counseling Center announces T-shirt design contest

The Marblehead Counseling Center invites local students in grades 7-12 to participate in a T-shirt design contest. The winning design will be featured on T-shirts sold at the center’s inaugural Community Wellness Day on June 22 at Hobbs Playground.

Entries should represent community wellness and are due by May 31, with the winner announced on June 10. Proceeds from T-shirt sales will support the MCC’s mental health treatment and social services as the center celebrates 55 years of service to the community. For more information, visit marbleheadcounseling.org.

MHS Class of 1984 announces 40th reunion

The Marblehead High School Class of 1984 has announced its 40th reunion, scheduled for Saturday, July 27, from 4-10 p.m. at the Salem Waterfront Hotel.

To stay informed, share memories and reconnect with classmates, graduates are encouraged to join the Facebook group @MarbleheadHighSchoolClassof1984.

Those interested in attending should RSVP by emailing Laurie Weil at Marbleheadhigh1984reunion@gmail. com or sending a private message on Facebook.

Library closed until June, as it moves home

Abbot Public Library will be closed until June as it moves back to 235 Pleasant St. During the closure:

» Digital services remain available.

» Staff can be reached by email at marcirc@noblenet.org.

Patrons should hold onto Marblehead library items until reopening.

» Items from other libraries can be returned to another NOBLE library.

» Holds can be placed for pickup at other NOBLE libraries.

» Some virtual programs will continue; story time will be held at Temple Emanu-El. Digital newspapers and magazines are accessible online; physical copies are unavailable.

» Meeting rooms cannot yet be reserved for after reopening.

Updates are available at abbotlibrary. org, on social media and via email newsletter. The Eveleth School building will return to the school department.

Friends of the COA annual meeting

The Friends of the Marblehead Council on Aging will hold their annual meeting on May 29, 5:30-6:30 p.m. at the VFW Post at

BY WILL DOWD

Sports

Track teams close out regular season

BY JOE MCCONNELL

The Marblehead High boys spring track team (3-4) split the tri-meet against Salem and Beverly on May 13. They defeated the Witches, 111-11, but lost to the Panthers, 89-47. The Marblehead girls (5-2), however, swept both Salem (112-0) and Beverly (67-65) to complete the regular season with a winning record.

Girls discus

Rachael Albert was back over 100-feet, throwing 103-10 into some powerful winds to finish first.

Hannah O’Brien (93-4, inches short of her personal best) came in second. Lillian Reddy (66-7) and freshman Loren Liu (49-10) also competed in the discus.

Boys discus

Graham Firestone (110-8, a 10-foot personal best), ever the wild card especially now that he’s starting to spin, according to assistant coach Danny Plunkett, came out on top.

Tucker Crane (110-3, a 12.5-foot personal best) was right behind him in second place.

“It was only Tucker’s third meet of the year, and he had fairly massive personal bests in all three,” said Plunkett.

Not to be outdone, Angelo Knight (106-feet) also roughly had a 12.5-foot personal best to come in third.

Boys javelin

Firestone (127-7) took third, and Phineas Jakious (124-10) was once again right behind him.

WINNING IT FOR TODD

“These two sophomores have been right up around that range all season, and it’s a solid level to be at in their second year, but I know they’ll be hungry to hit 130 at the NEC Meet,” said Plunkett. Knight (116-5) recorded his second huge personal best of the day. Alex Hersey (78-6) was the surprise fourth member of the team, and ended up throwing 78-6. It was the first time that

Softball team wins NEC divisional title against rival Swampscott

BY JOE MCCONNELL

The Marblehead High softball team (8-0 in the NEC South Division, 10-2 in the NEC and 14-3 overall) dedicated this season to its late assistant coach Todd Norman, just hours after he passed away and prior to the regular season opener against Reading on April 8. While naturally still grieving over his passing, the Magicians set the tone for the season with a dominating road win over host Reading that afternoon, 9-3. Following that emotional win, they continued on their mission. They completed the first leg of it last Friday afternoon (May 17) against host Swampscott, when they defeated the rival Big Blue, 8-6 to secure the Northeastern Conference Lynch Division title.

“Our goals for this year were to win the division and get to the states,” said head coach Johnny Gold. “It’s so far, so good. The spring season is always difficult, because of the weather, plus the usual senior class activities, but every team has the same issues, and so you just battle through it and play on.”

The team also had to cope with the loss of its assistant coach, but they have had that singular focus to win for Todd since Day 1.

“In terms of Todd, this has been a difficult season all by itself,” said Gold. “We think of him daily. We pass his fungo bat and glove around before every game. It’s been a great season dedicated to a great man. He’s watching over us right now. This would have been a team and a season he would have loved. Every game we play this year is in memory of him, and we know we still have many

he threw the javelin since last spring’s decathlon.

Girls javelin

Sierra Leinberry threw 77-5 to come in third. Mia Mabry (542), Song Waitekus (46-6) and Adelyn Cruickshank (42-4) also competed in this event.

Boys shot put Colin Hart threw 33-6 to account for third place. Crane wasn’t too far away, throwing

BY JOE MCCONNELL

After starting the season 1-2, the Marblehead High boys lacrosse team (11-1 in the NEC, 12-3 overall) have been practically unstoppable, losing just once against host Bedford, N.H. One of their early losses was a 10-9 decision against Swampscott, and depending on how it shakes out this week the Big Blue will win the conference, while coach John Wilkens’s squad have already conquered the North Division.

The April 11 loss was Marblehead’s first conference setback in 62 games. Since then, they have rattled off 10 straight wins to begin another streak against their Northeastern Conference counterparts. The Magicians defeated nonleague Division 1 Lexington at home last Saturday night, 10-8 to extend their winning streak to five.

“This was a big game for us,” said Wilkens after the Lexington contest. “It sets us up well for the postseason going up against a Division 1 team.”

33-1 for a season-best by more than a foot. Jakious (32-3, a fiveinch personal best) was also right in the mix. Logan McRaeHughes (30-8) crossed the 30-foot line for the first time by nine inches.

Girls shot put Albert has been slowly, but surely getting her shot put groove back since the indoor season ended after throwing a

season best

31-3.5 to finish first against both Salem and Beverly. Reddy threw a solid 27-10 to come in second. O’Brien (23-0) and Naomi Goodwin (222.5, a seven-inch personal best) also participated in the shot. Boys two-mile Will Cerrutti (9:51.3) set an impressive 27-second personal best, while making his debut this spring in this event to finish first overall by a significant margin. Jonah Potach (10:44.3) continued to improve in what has undoubtedly been the best season of his career, according to assistant coach Will Herlihy. He shaved two-seconds off his personal best to come in third. Zach Pike (11:03.4) ended up

“(Gallup)

Gio Garibotto paced the offensive attack with three goals and two assists. Cam Waldman had the hat trick. Will Sullivan and Greg Motorny were credited with one goal and one assist apiece. Charlie Grenier and Bodie Smith each had a goal. Hogan Sedky and Chris Tardie each chipped in with one assist. Goalie Finn Gallup turned in a solid effort, making 12 saves.

YELLOW

BY JOE MCCONNELL

With the regular season

winding down, the Marblehead High girls tennis team (9-6) played four matches in six days, and ended up with split results.

These Magicians are 19 th in the Division 2 power rankings, as of May 14. On Saturday, May 11, nonleague Newburyport defeated its Marblehead visitors, 4-1. The Magicians secured their lone point in first doubles, when Lucia Levin and Lani Gilmore teamed up to win in straight sets, 6-3, 6-2. Third singles player Sami Dosch almost pulled off an upset, only to lose in three competitive sets, 2-6, 7-6, 5-7. Maddie Conlon (first) and Aviva Bornstein (second) came up short in their singles matches. The second doubles team of Reese Friedman and Nina Johnson lost in straight sets.

“Newburyport is clearly a very talented team,” said coach Tracy Ackerman. “Our first doubles team (Levin and Gilmore) stayed consistent and aggressive to come out on top, and for the second time in the same week

(Dosch) lost a super close match that could have gone either way.”

Two days later, they bounced back to shutdown visiting Peabody on Senior Day, 5-0. “It was a perfect tennis weather day, and it was also super special that we got to celebrate our six seniors on their day, along with Peabody’s as well,” said Ackerman. “As a coach, it was great to see the sportsmanship shown by both teams during the match, and their mutual admiration for the seniors on both teams. It epitomizes what playing high school tennis is all about.”

Conlon won her first singles match, 6-3, 6-4. Bornstein experienced similar results in second singles, 6-2, 6-1. Dosch maintained the trend in third singles, 6-2, 6-1. The senior dynamic duo of Aoife Bresnahan and Levin remained undefeated in conference doubles play, 6-1, 6-1. Gilmore and Friedman came out on top in second doubles, 6-2, 6-1. The Marblehead girls also shutout host Swampscott the next day, 5-0. Conlon established the

winning trend in first singles, 6-2, 6-1. Bornstein was victorious in second singles, 6-4, 6-0. Dosch dominated her third singles foe, 6-0, 6-1. Bresnahan and Levin kept on winning in first doubles, 6-1, 6-3. Friedman and Gilmore completed this sweep in second doubles, 6-2, 6-3.

Playing their third match in as many days, the Magicians dropped a 4-1 decision to host Masco in Boxford.

Conlon lost in first singles, 0-6, 0-6. Bornstein won a point, but still ended up losing her second singles match, 6-1, 6-0. Dosch fought hard in third singles, before losing, 6-3, 6-4. The first doubles team of Levin and Bresnahan came up short in a very competitive match, 6-2, 3-6, (8-10 in super tiebreaker). Friedman and Gilmore earned the lone Marblehead win in second doubles, 6-7, 6-1, (10-8 super tiebreaker).

Boys team secures 12th win

On a warm day in May, the Marblehead High boys tennis team (9-0 in the Northeastern Conference, 12-3 overall) beat

a very formidable Swampscott team, 4-1. They are ranked eighth in Division 2, as of May 14.

Senior captain Mika Garber lost to Swampscott’s Charles Schepens in first singles, 6-1, 6-2. “Mika has been nursing a tight hamstring (for a week), and so his mobility was hampered, but (he kept it to himself),” said coach Elisabeth Foukal.

Junior captain Etan Farfel defeated Swampscott’s Maxim Zeissig in second singles, 6-1, 6-1. Sophomore T.J. Kelly beat Lucas Breed in third singles, 7-5, 5-7, 6-4. “This was a very close match, with T.J. coming up with the winning shots at key points,” said Foukal.

Junior captain Jayden Janock and classmate Leo Winocour handed Nick Custer and Trevor Telebian their first defeat this spring in first doubles, 7-5, 7-6 (7-4).

Junior Austin Bacon and freshman Ty Cooper upended Julian Flacke and Victoria Zeissig in second doubles, 6-3, 6-1. In sub-varsity play, Quinn Fletcher and Ben Zaltsman won, 6-4. Alex Boehning and Filip Wabno came out on top, 6-4.

Quinn Sullivan and Graydon Waller also enjoyed success, 6-0. Nico Altonian and Andrew Halvorson did the same, 4-1. Jeffrey Kucharsky and Caleb Sidman teamed up to win, 6-1. The very next day on May 15, the Marblehead boys pulled off a win against host Masconomet, 4-1. “Kudos to our second doubles team of junior Quinn Fletcher and freshman Alex Boehning for their come-from-behind three set decisive win over a seasoned (Masco) team,” said Foukal. Garber shutout Jack Eaton in first singles, 6-0, 6-0. Farfel topped Mark Trull in second singles, 6-3, 6-1. Kelly lost to Kai Hird, a tough competitor, in third singles, 6-3, 6-3. Janock and Winocour combined to beat Parker Kurtz and Arjun Shreyakan in first doubles, 6-2, 6-3. The aforementioned Fletcher and Boehning took care of Jacob Miller and Alex O’Brien, 6-7 (4-7), 6-3, 6-2. In sub-varsity play, Bacon and Cooper won, 7-5. Ben Zaltsman and Filip Wabno were also victorious, 7-6 (8-6).

More than 170 years after it was invented, squash will finally become an Olympic sport in 2028. One of five sports added to the Los Angeles Games by the International Olympic Committee, squash — a racket sport played in a four-walled court — joins cricket, flag football, baseball, softball and lacrosse in the upcoming worldwide competition. However, there’s no need to wait four years to watch or engage in the sport founded in 19th-century England that emerged in the United States in 1884. The Lynch/ van Otterloo Y not only has three singles courts and a doubles court, but some outstanding players who excelled at the recently completed Massachusetts State Championships, and many opportunities to learn the game, often characterized as a calorie-burning powerhouse. Joyce Dendy won the women’s state 3.5 singles division, while Marblehead’s John Donovan captured the men’s statewide

4.0 championship, and Patrice Heintz was the runner-up in the men’s 4.5 singles division. Congratulations to these champions, and to all the Lynch/ van Otterloo Y members who participated. The Lynch/van Otterloo Y’s own annual Club Championships are underway now, with more

BY JOE MCCONNELL

The Marblehead High baseball team (8-4 in the Northeastern Conference, 12-5 overall) shutout host Beverly, 5-0 to secure its third straight win on May 14. The Magicians then upended non-league Lynn English, 12-5 at Seaside Park on May 18. “This was another game that was very tight late (1-0 after five), but we were able to push three across in the sixth, plus an

insurance run in the seventh to secure the victory,” said coach Mike Giardi.

Senior co-captain Brooks Keefe had a big two-out, tworun single in the sixth to help break open a close game. Senior co-captain Chris Cannuscio (2 hits, 3 walks, 4 strikeouts) went the first six innings on the mound to secure the win. Carter Sahagian pitched the final frame, whiffing two. The Magicians scratched out six hits, including one double

each by Jackson Downey and Cannuscio (1 RBI). Cannuscio also singled once, along with Riley Schmitt and Chris DeWitt. Schmitt walked twice, as well. Charlie Sachs and Stef Shepard drove home one run apiece. The Magicians then put up six big runs in the third last Saturday to beat the Bulldogs. But it was not that easy, because the visitors were able to crawl back to trim the deficit to one in the fifth, 6-5. The local nine, however, was able to put

together some big hits to score one in the home half of the fifth and five more in the sixth to seal it.

Matt Mahan (3 hits, 5 walks, 2 earned runs, 4 strikeouts) pitched the first four innings for the home team to record the win. Sahagian (3 hits, 2 walks, 3 earned runs, 1 strikeout) threw the next two frames.

Ian McComish hurled the final frame with zeroes across the board.

The Magicians banged out

13 hits against Lynn English pitchers. Keefe helped pace the attack with a single and a double that resulted in three RBI. Sachs doubled in two runs. Bodie Bartram and Cole Wales credited with two singles and two RBI apiece. Schmitt and Cannuscio accounted for two singles and two runs scored each. With two regular season games left, the Magicians are 24 th in the Division 2 power rankings out of 56 teams.

fifth.

Girls two-mile

Jesslyn Roemer (12:45.8) and Cat Piper (12:55.2) topped the ticket. Thea Shaw (15:06.8) and Emma St. George (16:12.2) accounted for fifth and sixth, respectively.

Boys mile

Henrik Adams (4:53) crossed the finish line on top. David Alpert (5:31.4) was fifth, and Jeremy Sorkin (5:56.5) eighth.

Girls mile

The boys and girls varsity and JV milers all ran together, which resulted in quite a large field of athletes.

“Marri O’Connell (5:29.5), who finished first, wanted to use this opportunity to run with the boys to improve on her time, but a big, competitive field is a double-edged sword,” said Herlihy.

“She opened with the top boys, running 33 seconds in the first 200-meters, before catching herself and reeling in her pace a little. That opening burst ended up draining her more than she may have expected, but she still gutted out the race to stay under the 5:30 mark.”

Maren Potter (6:17.2) came in third. Shannon Hitscherich (6:24.3) was fourth, and Evelina Beletsky (6:44) seventh, beating their personal bests by seven and six seconds, respectively.

Boys 800 Will Cruikshank (2:14.8) secured the win, with Ryan Blestowe (2:18.3) downright stealing second after a crazy kick in the final 100 meters, according to Herlihy. Peter Sullivan (2:25.5) came in eighth.

Girls 800 Sydney Pappas (3:07.8)

ended up fourth. Maeve MacCallum (3:09.4, eightsecond personal best) was sixth, and Grace Rowe (3:24.7) seventh.

Girls 100 Charlie Roszell (13.3) led the way. Lidia Jasmine Tiedra (13.6) finished third, and Cora Gerson (13.8) fourth.

Boys 100 Jacob Bobowski (11.3) notched his first varsity win in this event. Ethan Horgan (12.2) ran his best 100 this spring to end up fourth. Ari Gold (12.9) returned after a long hiatus due to an injury to come in sixth.

Girls 200 Roszell (27.9) captured first. Lucy Flynn (28.1) was close behind to account for second. Lilah Greten (30.1) was fourth.

Boys 200 Bobowski (23.4) faced off against one of the best long sprinters in the conference — Beverly’s Evan Wong — and he finished second, narrowly missing first. Ethan Horgan (24.5) was fourth, and Owen Newburg (25.2) fifth.

Girls 400 Kate Twomey (64.9) ran

the fastest 400 out of the JV heat in this tri-meet.

“Kate has dropped down in distance to work on more speed in preparation for a postseason run in the 800,” said head coach Nolan Raimo. Freshman Maggie Miller (66.9, personal best) came in fourth. Arielle Kahn (68.7) was fifth, and Olivia Vanden Heuvel (69.1) sixth.

Boys 400 Jack Franklin (58.0) finished fourth, while running in his first 400 this spring. Freshman Eben Weed (58.9) ended up sixth.

Girls 400-meter hurdles Grace Mortenson (1:13.8, personal best) went up against one of the best hurdlers in the conference from Beverly. She was able to drop two seconds off her previous best time to finish second. Juliet Burchfield (1:18) also ran a personal best to come in third.

Boys 400-meter hurdles Nate Jendrysik (1:06.2) led the way for Marblehead with a secondplace finish. Hart (1:08.7) was fourth and Quinn

Scheib (1:13.6) fifth.

Girls 100-meter hurdles Arianna Leahy sprinted to a new personal best time of 18.9 to finish third. Sierra Leinberry (22.1) was fifth, and Addison Rotigliano sixth.

“This is a relatively young crew of varsity hurdlers, with Paige Tredwell and Elise Burchfield not racing,” said Raimo. “Arianna has quickly risen through the ranks as a freshman hurdler, and has already positioned herself as a top 10 hurdler in the conference with a chance to score at the NEC Meet. Although Elise wasn’t scheduled to run the hurdles, she still jumped into a JV heat to run alongside a Beverly runner, so that she had someone to run against, and that was pretty cool.”

Boys 100-meter hurdles Noah Jackson (17.2) continued to impress with a second-place finish. Elian Colon (18.4) was third.

Girls long jump

Tredwell (16-2) ended up second. Philine Heuermann (15-10) came in fourth. Elise Burchfield (15-0) was fifth, followed by Campbell Crane (14-5) sixth. Boys long jump Newburg (17-11), who has seemingly competed in every event this spring, according to Raimo, finished fourth. Claudio Gusmao Gonzalez (16-10), the triple jump specialist, was fifth, followed by Alex Humphreys (16-10) sixth, and Seamus Crowley (16-3) seventh. Girls high jump Heuermann (4-10) came out on top.

five-feet to come in fifth. Jackson (4-10) was sixth.

Boys triple jump Gusmao Gonzalez (36-0, personal best) proved the jump from a recent meet wasn’t a fluke, according to Raimo.

Girls 4x100 Arianna Leahy, Manuela Puente, Cora Gerson and Lucy Flynn (53.3) came out on top.

“This squad continues to improve each week,” said Raimo. “Once again, this is a group of two sophomores and two freshmen, who are competing and scoring on the varsity level. The future is bright for our short sprint squads.”

Boys 4x100

Ralph Pierre, Isaias Aguasvivas Pena, Max Karlyn and Jack Burke (47.7) finished second.

“Beverly put together its A-team for this relay, while it was our foursome’s first time running together,” said Raimo.

“It was a great effort by this group after holding their own against one of the fastest (relays) in the conference.”

The Marblehead High School varsity baseball team invited the Marblehead Youth Baseball Hot Rods onto the field at Seaside Park at

Celebrating 10 years in Marblehead

BY MELISSA STACEY

Beverly Farms shop opened in 2007. In 2014, we moved the Rockport shop to Marblehead, which means we’re celebrating our 10th anniversary in Marblehead this year. I’m so lucky and blessed to be part of these two great communities. We put our heart and soul into making Sweetwater & Co. a whimsical escape. We still believe in brick-and-mortar retail, creating an experience with wonderful help and a relaxing vibe, with fabulous unique goods. We love working with local artists and artisans, and the creative community in Marblehead is truly inspiring.

What is the

What is something people would be surprised to learn about you? I’ve worked in retail and restaurants my whole life. I was pushed to go to school for accounting but ended up running restaurants, bartending and managing retail stores until I opened my own. I worked at Flynnie’s for a bit and still miss that place.

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

Volunteers prepping for Festival of Arts

BY LEIGH BLANDER

With fewer than eight weeks to go, hundreds of volunteers are busy preparing for the 58th Marblehead Festival of Arts, which runs July 3-7.

“It’s a fun surprise every time I open my email and see new artwork coming in,” said Meghan Perlow, who is overseeing the Festival’s 12 art exhibits.

She has attended the Festival every year since she moved to town seven years ago, but this is her first time volunteering.

“I’m a little bit of a newbie in Marblehead,” she said. “This is a fun way to get to know a lot of people who are entrenched in the town while supporting new artists and established artists. There’s an incredible sense of community here.”

Perlow is an events florist and runs her company, Poppy Floral, out of her home.

“I’ve got a basement full of florals right now,” she laughed.

So where is the prevention?

BY WENDY TAMIS ROBBINS

If you’re a professional adult, your mental health is arguably your greatest asset. Most of us aren’t hired for our physical strength or cardiovascular endurance.

We’re hired for how well we think, communicate, focus and respond to stress. Our mental fitness sets us apart. It’s our mind that matters.

So why do we take it for granted personally and as a business imperative?

It’s not just about our health, it’s also about the bottomline.

The impact depression and anxiety has on the global economy can be measured in $1 trillion in lost productivity each year, according to a 2024 report by the National Alliance on Mental Illness.

Our culture promotes physical health and prevention much more openly. There is a gym on every corner. Businesses offer monthly stipends for memberships. Yet, there is a glaring gap in the promotion of mental health services.

In fact, our priorities reflect a society that treats our minds as expendable and our human capital as replaceable. We also can’t ignore that the world has changed drastically over the last few years. Where smartphones blurred the lines between work and life, the pandemic erased any trace of them. Work and life are now one, and imbalance is our new reality. There is no exit strategy from our stressful day because it seemingly never ends. We sleep and wake to its continuation. With no clear boundaries, there is no space for our minds to rest and recharge.

Constant threats trigger uncomfortable emotions. We

Making a

Dear Lizzie, Can you suggest some ways to connect with my 6-yearold daughter other than play? I hate pretend play.

Hi reader, I foster play as a career, and I don’t like to pretend-play either! When adults pretendplay with a child, the play turns more into a form of entertainment than true play led by the child. The great news? You don’t have to play pretend with your child. Your child’s play is her job. Don’t make it yours. When parents force themselves to play pretend, it usually backfires. If you say yes every time, and during play you yawn, scroll and

feel out of control, frustrated, afraid, anxious, depressed, lonely, angry, even enraged, and a profound sense of loss. While these emotions are a normal human response to these events, we aren’t equipped or encouraged to feel, process and release them in healthy ways. When left unaddressed, they can intensify. We are taught by example to hide them or take care of them ourselves because to seek help would suggest our biggest asset — our source of worth and value — is broken or may be compromised forever. Consider the perspective of other professionals who protect their most precious commodity. While playing soccer professionally, David Beckham insured his legs with Lloyd’s of London for $140 million. Mariah

zone out, she won’t feel connected to you and will continue to seek your attention, usually in undesirable ways. If you say no and find other ways to connect, you’ll both feel better. When she’s filled up with your undivided attention, you’ll be amazed at how well she can go off and play independently. Here are seven ways to connect by NOT playing pretend with your child:

1. Go for an agendaless walk, letting her carry the conversation and lead the way.

2. Cook a meal together, allowing her to be an active participant in creating family meals is great for everyone.

3. Roughhouse with your sensory-seeking child. Rough and tumble interactions are great for developing impulse control.

4. Sort the laundry together and have her

Carey insured her vocal cords for $35 million before touring in 2016 and Daniel Craig insured his entire 007 body for $9.5 million before filming “Quantum of Solace.”

These professionals know the source of their worth and value and take great care of it. They actually put a dollar value on it and insure against its loss. While most professions don’t even invest in protecting against such loss.

Much of our culture glorifies and rewards sacrifice and overwork, ignoring the detrimental professional and personal impacts of burnout. In the event we ask for mental health time off, we’d likely be viewed as not cut out for the position and unable to handle it. Is that what they told Beckham

fold it. Many children enjoy learning grown-up skills like folding laundry.

5. Offer undivided attention during bathtime. Instead of multitasking, leave your phone in the other room and chat, sing or read.

6. Sit with her after she plays and have her tell you all about what she pretended, made or created. Be an active listener, get curious and ask questions.

and Kobe Bryant when they tore their Achilles tendons? Under that kind of pressure, your tendons just can’t handle it. We’ll find someone new.

When we prioritize prevention and promote well-being, we thrive rather than barely survive, increasing efficiency, innovation and satisfaction. And when we show up for our clients, colleagues and families as our best selves, it’s not just good for business, it’s good for humanity.

So if you’re still asking if our businesses can afford to adapt to this cultural change, add more support services and start having these conversations, isn’t the better question: Can we still afford not to?

Wendy Tamis Robbins is an anxiety expert, transformational coach, speaker, attorney and cancer survivor. She is the founder of CAVE Club — a global wellbeing and coaching community exclusively for professional women, and hosts the Perfectly Panicked Podcast.

The Festival is accepting art submissions through June 14. Perlow is especially excited about two new events this year. The first is the art vending machine.

Perlow purchased a vintage soda machine, which she will fill with smaller, less expensive pieces of art that people can buy. The machine will likely be set up at the Festival’s information booth near the Old Town House on Washington

and

The Marblehead Festival of Arts is actively seeking passionate &dedicated individuals to join our Team and take on some key roles.

Whether you're an artist or not, if you have astrong desire to contributetoour mission &share your expertise in these essential areas, we would be thrilledtohave you on board!

 The Fundraising Chairperson would be responsible for raising operating &scholarship funds by implementing past fundraising strategies &introducing new initiatives for the 2024 Festival. The time commitment for this role spans from now until the end of the festival season. This position holds immense importance as it directly impacts the financial sustainability and growth of our organization.

LEIGH BLANDER

7. Paint or draw together. Try using your non-dominant hand and follow her ideas. The most authentic and sustainable way to connect with your child is to find things you both love to do together. Keep them simple so that they happen consistently. Good luck! Lizzie Lizzie Assa is

 The Events Chairperson would be responsible for supporting &overseeingthe Festival’sevents. This role is pivotal as it ensures the smooth execution &coordination of diverse events that enrich the cultural fabric of our community.Apart from the Art Exhibits, the Festival hosts avariety of events to engage the town in different forms of art, including the Street Festival, the Performing Arts, the Artisans’ Marketplace, the Children’sFestival, the Literary Festival, and the Boat Buildingand Regatta. This individual would collaborate with &support the individual Event Chairs from now until the Festival, ensuring each event is presented in various locations throughoutthe town.

of

If you are interested in either of these positions or would like to volunteer in some other role,please email the Nominating Committee at Nominating@ MarbleheadFestival.org, and we will gladly answer any questions. We are excited to hear from you.

More information may be found on our website https://www.marbleheadfestival.org/

McBride’s Sweetwater & Co. celebrates its 10th anniversary in Marblehead this year.

Quick family meals for busy spring evenings

BY LINDA BASSETT

spring… You know, the season when a mother’s heart turns to baseball. Yes, I recognize all those families involved in dance and musical instrument lessons and theater are also part of the equation. (All I can say is, thank the stars above that you don’t spend afternoons and weekends shivering on aluminum bleachers). We do share a common problem. Dinner. Getting it on the table efficiently so there’s time for homework, baths and a decent bedtime. We are always thinking of putting nutritious dinners on the table when the seasonal schedule is packed with recitals, graduations, talent shows, weddings, showers, parentteacher conferences and so much more.

So I’m here with a quick way to get a good dinner on the table — with the least amount of clean up. Suggestion: rotisserie chicken. A few years ago, I would not have considered buying a rotisserie chicken. But, lately I’ve found good outlets that don’t make me cringe — right here in town. Call the bird the centerpiece of your meal. Pick it up the day of or a day before using — not any longer. Uncover and get it into the fridge immediately. (My chef friends would recommend roasting your chicken a day ahead). Now turn a lone chicken into a meal with sparing use of utensils, pots and pans and the least amount of clean up. Game (practice, rehearsal) over. On your mark, go.

Only one bowl and no cutting board to clean up. Okay, last step: By now the potatoes are starting to turn golden in the oven. Pull them out and give them a quick stir. (If they seem very soft, push the tops down until they crack and call them “smashed potatoes”) and push them toward the edges of the sheet pan; place the chicken in the center. About 15 minutes until dinner. Don’t forget to zap the veggies in the microwave. Plate everything near the stove.

NORA EPHRON’S VINAIGRETTE

I use a medium-size whisk (not a balloon whisk) to get a good consistency to the dressing, quicker and more efficient than a fork. Using an oversize bowl for the vinaigrette, add the greens right on top to toss. This prevents overflowing; less cleanup.

This is an easy vinaigrette to toy with: change up the wine vinegar for cider vinegar, or half the amount of balsamic vinegar; replace vinegar with any type of citrus juice. (If using lime, you might add cilantro leaves and sliced avocado to the mix). For a creamy dressing, use half the vinegar and whisk in two tablespoons of mayonnaise. You can also play with fresh or dried herbs like tarragon or dill or oregano.

Mary St. Clair Kimball, 86

Mary St. Clair Kimball, 86, of Marblehead, died peacefully surrounded by her loving family on May 13. She was born on October 23, 1937, in Canton, Ohio, the first child of the late John Denniston St. Clair and Catherine Andrews St. Clair. She was predeceased by her brother, John Denniston St. Clair Jr., also of Marblehead.

Mary is survived by her children, Catherine D. Cormier (Philip) of Lexington, Elizabeth D. Parker (Joseph)

Matthew Doane Callahan, 67

of Marblehead, and John T. Dana (Cathy) of Marblehead. She enjoyed seeing her six grandchildren: Elise (Ian) Schaeffer, Henry Cormier, Will (Katie) Parker, Sam (Sarah) Parker, Allison Dana and Tyler Dana. Mary was blessed with two great-granddaughters, Madelyn Schaeffer and Finley Parker. She is also survived by her sister-inlaw, Kathy St. Clair, who was a caregiver superhero supporting Mary and her family throughout the past year. Mary grew up in Canton, Ohio, and graduated from Laurel School before attending Wheaton College, where she earned a bachelor’s degree in English. She was a proud member of the Wheatones, Wheaton’s a cappella group. In her earlier years, she played tennis and badminton and windsurfed in Marblehead Harbor with a group of women called The Flying Mums. Mary enjoyed traveling the world with friends and family. She enjoyed gardening and arranging flowers. Mary was an avid bridge player up until the time of her death. She volunteered at the WGBH Channel 2 auction for many years, as well as with many other organizations.

those microwaveable green veggies,

Third, line a sheet pan with foil while the potatoes keep simmering away. Slurp some olive oil and shower salt, pepper, (maybe, fresh or dried rosemary?) over the foil-lined sheet pan. By now the potatoes are ready to dump into a colander in the sink. Rinse with

cold running water. (They will cool a bit. That’s OK.) Shake them up and dump them onto the sheet pan. Stir, until they are coated with oil and seasonings. Put the sheet pan back in the oven. Fourth, make a green salad with an easy dressing — from scratch. I just rediscovered Nora Ephron’s vinaigrette recipe. I whisk up this dressing in the largest bowl I own. I scatter a bag or two of triple-washed greens to the bowl right on top of the vinaigrette. I buy a combination of tender leafy greens — baby spinach, arugula,

etc. — and some sturdy ones like romaine. I change the combinations each time I toss a salad, so no one gets bored. (Tear, don’t cut the lettuce, to eliminate the cutting board). A green salad is great, but you can add tiny cherry tomatoes (no slicing), tiny cukes (no peeling or seeding; slice on a paper plate) and chop in a scallion (paper plate again). If I have basil or mint leaves around or growing on a windowsill, I tear a few leaves into the bowl. You can embellish with cheese cubes and more veggies. (Everything comes pre-cut these days). Salad made.

» Two tablespoons Grey Poupon mustard — two tablespoons best quality red wine vinegar — six tablespoons 100% olive oil (you don’t need extra-virgin)

» Stir together the mustard and vinegar. Slowly add six tablespoons of olive oil, whisking constantly until the vinaigrette is thick and creamy.

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

With the proposal failing by just 33 votes, Smyers is confident that a betterorganized campaign with simplified messaging could make the difference. He has offered to help in any way he can to ensure the measure passes at the next opportunity.

Erin Noonan, the Select Board chair, has stressed the importance of addressing what she saw as misinformation.

“This was a very close vote. The misinformation circulated leading up to it points to the need for more discussion before the town bumps up against the year-end deadline,” Noonan said after Town Meeting. “The law is the law.” She emphasized that while municipalities may disagree

a commonwealth of laws.

Complying with them isn’t like ordering off a menu. We don’t pick and choose.”

‘Statutory right to return’ Meanwhile, the proposed $97 million, 67-unit redevelopment of the Broughton Road public housing community has sparked concerns among residents about potential displacement during the construction process.

with state interventions on land use and housing policies, they are ultimately obligated to follow the laws enacted by the Legislature and governor.

“State intervention in municipal land-use policy is as common as state intervention in building and public health codes, school operations and curricula, and environmental regulations,”

Noonan said. “To pretend otherwise is fantasy. Town counsel confirmed.” Noonan expressed hope that voters would ultimately support the plan when given another opportunity.

“We are hopeful that the voters of Marblehead will choose to adopt the plan at the next opportunity,” she said. “We are a country and

BY JARRETT ZEMAN

Fair Housing Committee member Kurt James addressed these concerns, emphasizing that current residents have a statutory right to return to the redeveloped complex. He explained that during the estimated 18-month construction period, residents would be temporarily relocated to other public housing.

CURRENT EVENTS

Best bets coming up in Marblehead

Current Events spotlights exciting happenings in the coming week. If you’d like to contribute a listing, please email Current editor Leigh Blander at lblander@marbleheadnews.org. Leigh Blander

Spring Paint-Out

Wednesday-Friday, May 22-24

More than 20 New England artists will join the Spring Paint-Out this week, painting scenes around Marblehead in plein (open) air. Meet the artists and view their completed works on Friday, May 24, 5-7 p.m. at Arnould Gallery, 111 Washington St. The exhibit will remain through July 4.

Culture Feast

Friday, May 24, 4-7:30 p.m. Come experience this year’s Culture Feast outside Marblehead High School. There will be food, music and performances. $5 for students, $7 adults.

Kick off a spooky

summer Friday, May 31, and Saturday, June 1, 8 p.m. The team from Boston Paranormal Investigations returns for a second ghost investigation at the Jeremiah Lee Mansion, 161 Washington St. Come try the tools BPI uses to talk to ghosts, including a Spirit Box. $20 for members, $25 for the public. More info and tickets at marbleheadmuseum.org.

The (42 seconds!) game

BY BOB BAKER

There’s this hobby called “having fun” I’ve had since I was a little kid. You wouldn’t think having fun is an official hobby — you’d think it just happens. My parents thought of it as a hobby. They were ace fun-havers — I got it from them.

One of my favorite places to have fun was Cambridge in the 1960s. I moved there from New York in ’62 when I was working at Little, Brown and had this incredible garden apartment with a fireplace on Story Street, right behind the Casablanca, right off Harvard Square. My wife-to-be Nancy and I had many a romantic Broadcast corned beef hash dinner there. Editor and good buddy Herman Gollob stopped by for a fun couple of scotches and cheese and crackers before teaching Writing & Publishing at the Cambridge Center for Adult Education right around the corner next to the Brattle Theater several a winter’s Wednesday

evening.

It was just a brisk, 14-minute walk on a fall Saturday afternoon to Harvard Stadium to see that lightning bolt halfback from Everett, Bobby Leo, slither the lines and jump cut to paydirt time and again. A couple hours watching that fun Harvard offense and the cockamamie antics of the Harvard cheering brigade and then afterward smart stepping home across the bridge to Hahvahd Squayah with the band and a couple hundred fun-having football fans was more fun than you could shake a martini at. Which I usually made a duet of on return to 8 Story. In 1965, Nancy, son Rich and I moved to Marblehead, where many people have been known to have fun upon all kinds of occasions. In 1968, my fun-tennae picked up signals that one of the all-time classic football clashes would be taking place at Harvard Stadium on the 23rd of November. That year’s rendition of “The Game,” as the Harvard-Yale game has been known since forever, would feature two undefeated teams — the 8-0 defense-oriented Harvards versus the equally 8-0 killer offense Yalies, with the likes

of quarterback Brian Dowling, who had never ever ever (that’s e-v-e-r!) lost a football game, teamed up with Calvin Hill, the demon running back who would be named NFL Rookie of the Year after his inaugural season with the Dallas Cowboys the following year. (After one record-shattering game Dowling had, the Yale Daily News headlined its front page: “God plays quarterback for Yale.”) This would be a must-see. Friend and Front Street resident Bert Caldwell knew the ticket drill, so I paid him, and he lined up our ducats. On the day of all days, Nancy and I met Bert and his wife Anne and the other couple (whose name I forget) outside the stadium. When we handed over our tickets at the gate and went inside, we proceeded to our seats ... which were at the ... absolutely worst place imaginable ... to watch a football game ... unless it was played ... right in front of you ... the stands directly b-e-h-i-n-d the goal posts in the way-far arch of the stadium! For 99-plus% of the game, it wouldn’t have mattered if we were sitting in Outer Mongolia.

Harvard was getting slaughtered. It was so bad, Harvard coach John Yovicsin

Cure by the Harbor

Wednesday, May 22, 6-10 p.m.

Enjoy an evening of light bites, lingerie, shopping

Marblehead Images with Dan Dixey

Thursday, May 23, 7 p.m. Local photographer and historian Dan Dixey will share new finds from his famous collection of Marblehead photos. See snapshots of

Shining a light on the news you care about!

Headlight

Written by the students of Marblehead High School for our school and community 2023 - 2024 Issue www.mhsheadlight.com May 22, 2024

Page to screen: the challenges of book adaptations

Kathleen Hanson, Sophomore

For decades, adapting books into movies has been a major part of filmmaking. It's a way for directors to bring wellloved stories to life on the big screen, while making a name for themselves. But it's not always easy. There's a delicate balance between staying true to the original book and making a movie work well visually. Some movies do a tremendous job, capturing the heart of the book. Others struggle to show complex stories and characters without changing the story and the characters.

One example is "The Hunger Games" series, based on the novels by Suzanne Collins. While the movies received positive reviews for the acting performances and the visual effects, many fans criticized changes made to the story. The movies streamlined many aspects of the plot and omitted key details from the books. Some argue that this led to a loss of depth and complexity in the characters and world-building. One example of this was the mayor's daughter Madge Undersee, who is eliminated entirely from the movie series. Additionally, changes from the original novel in the final movie, "Mockingjay," left some fans feeling unsatisfied with the series conclusion.

story from the book. This is particularly noted in the characterizations and narrative pacing. Jackson's decision to remove certain characters and subplots, such as Tom Bombadil and the Scouring of the Shire, drew a lot of criticism from fans who thought that these pieces were a crucial part to the Tolkien world. Many also said that the visual elements of the movie were not accurate, as in the books, elves had “leaf-shaped” human ears, while in the movies they had pointed ears.

Another example is Stanley Kubrick's adaptation of Stephen King's "The Shining." While Kubrick's film is known as a classic movie within the horror genre, King himself famously criticized the adaptation for straying too far from his original vision. Kubrick made the decision to alter key elements of the story, such as critical details in the villain protagonist Jack Torrance and the nature of the Overlook Hotel, which resulted in a film that was significantly different from King's novel. This was much to the disappointment of some fans, who joined King in his criticisms.

starstruck. I went home that night envisioning a school year full of singing and sisterhood and sparkles. I’d never even considered the idea of being in an acapella group, but all of a sudden, it felt like my whole life’s purpose was to sing in a glittery silver top with a group of high school girls. So I signed up to audition, trying to ignore the fact that it meant beatboxing in front of someone.

However, when the time came to actually drive to the high school and sing a song in front of who knew how many people, the word “acapella” made me want to throw up. Upon arriving in the music wing for the first time, I seriously considered skipping the auditions and signing up for something simple and safe, like Book Club. But it was too late to back down. I had to do this. Even if I didn’t get in (which I probably wouldn’t, I told myself), it was worth putting myself out there and seeing what it would be like.

went home proud of myself. I had done something that I knew would have nagged me forever if I’d skipped it. I had involved myself with something cool, something different. Sure, I wasn’t going to get in. But putting myself out there was the important part. Spoiler alert: I got in. I was shocked. But my amazement quickly faded to excitement. I was going to be a member of Luminescence!

Against Swampscott, pitcher Ruby Calienes recorded the win in the circle after striking out 10. Calienes had plenty of offensive support. Sophia Hallisey went 2-for-3, including a long two-run triple in the fifth inning. The Magicians were trailing, 4-2 at the time, but singles by Hailey Schmitt and Tessa Andriano set up Hallisey’s clutch hit to tie up

the proceedings. They scored three more times in the sixth to seal the deal. Catcher Luka Bornhorst, Schmitt and Calienes knocked in those runs that secured the win.

Lyla McGovern (2-for-3 with one double), Schmitt (2-for-4, 2 RBI), Andriano (2-for-4, 2 runs) and Bornhorst (2-5) paced the offensive attack in this divisionclinching game.

The Marblehead girls began the week by getting a no-hit by host Beverly, 4-0 on May 13. The

Panthers scored all four runs in the fourth inning.

Pitcher Tessa Francis took the hard-luck loss after giving up just three hits and two walks, while fanning 11. Two days later, the Magicians took their frustrations out on visiting Winthrop, 14-0. The game was called after five innings, because of the mercy rule. Francis recorded her own no-hitter that turned into a perfect game after facing the minimum 15 batters, striking out 12 of them.

pulled his starting quarterback in the second quarter! He substituted Frank Champi, who was known to have a good arm but was vastly inexperienced.

Champi was not only nervous as hell, his Boston accent was so thick that for the first couple of plays, several of his teammates couldn’t understand a word he said in the huddle.

Needless to say, things did not continue well for Harvard.

Midway through the fourth quarter, toilet paper streamers streaked the Yale stands, accompanied by guttural chant of “You’re number two! You’re number two!” At a couple minutes left in the game, Bert taps me on the shoulder: “Bob, Anne and I and the Whatchamacallits are outta here! This game is over. We’re going to beat the mob to the cocktail bash at the B School.

This game is over… Come with us, beat the mob.” “Nah, I’ll stick it out, Bert. Nancy, you can go with them. I’ll meet y’all there.” Nancy graciously said she’d hold the fort with me.

Less than a minute after they all left, the cauldron came to a boil: Yale suddenly caved; Harvard could do no wrong. But

The home team scored three in the first, two in the second, two more in the third and finally eight in the fourth.

Calienes, playing second base in this game, helped pace the attack after going 2-for-3 with a double and two RBI.

Hallisey also drove home two runs on two hits. Francis was credited with two hits and one RBI, along with Schmitt, who stole two bases, as well.

Bornhorst maintained the trend by contributing two hits to the winning cause.

there was one factor decidedly not in the Crimson’s favor ... time. With Yale leading 29-13, and Harvard in Yale territory, there were only 42 seconds showing on the clock. Down 16 points, with only 42 seconds to go. The worst, most impossibly god-awful seats for 99.whatever% of “The Game,” and all I’m going to tell you is that in that flea’s eye window of opportunity Frank Champi threw two touchdown passes (one with three seconds left) and a pair of two-pointers, the tieing deuce to Pete Varney causing a sonic boom of elation so loud it was said to have startled Pope Paul VI while eating a chocolate bar at the Vatican. The headline in the Harvard Crimson the next day had my kind of fun with what was a fabulous, once-in-a-lifetime experience: “HARVARD BEATS YALE, 29-29.” Bob Baker is an awardwinning marketing advertising guy specializing in branding and creative services. He went out on his own 50 years ago in 1974 as Baker Advertising on the simple premise that we’re put here to play “The Game of Life,” not work “The Job of Life.”

As of May 17, coach Gold’s team is 10 th in the Division 2 power rankings out of 62 clubs statewide. The Magicians have four regular season games left on the schedule, starting with visiting Danvers on May 20 after press deadline. They will then take on non-league Boston Latin at home May 22, beginning at 4 p.m., before wrapping it up with two more non-leaguers at Mansfield May23 and Ipswich at home May 24, starting at the same time. The state tournament pairings

Similarly, Peter Jackson's adaptation of J.R.R. Tolkien's "The Lord of the Rings" trilogy is widely known as a cinematic masterpiece. However, many readers have voiced their annoyance at the change of the

These examples show the challenges of adapting books to film and the balance that filmmakers must create between authenticity to the book, and their own creative interpretation. Many adaptations succeed in capturing the original work and resonating with audiences. Others fail to translate complex narratives and characters to the screen.

Acapella auditions: a reflection on then vs. now

Georgia Marshall, Freshman

Last week, on Tuesday the 7th of May, around thirty students gathered in the music wing of MHS to audition for either one of the school’s acapella groups - Luminescence or the Jewel Tones. I was among them. Results came out that Friday, revealing that everyone who auditioned got into one of the groups, with sixteen total singers in Luminescence and fifteen in Jewel Tones.

I, a proud Lumi member, remember clearly my first audition. A year ago, I drove from Marblehead Charter School to MHS on a sunny May afternoon, feeling sick to my stomach. Not only was I a tiny little eighth grader (as I am currently a tiny freshman) who shrank at the prospect of being among “high schoolers,” but I was also one of the only two Charter students to be auditioning at the time.

I hadn’t known about

either of the groups until the Eighth Grade Curriculum Night that year. Clamoring into my auditorium seat, a nervous, giddy feeling hummed through my body as I eagerly took in my surroundings. I wasn’t familiar with many of the faces in the room. I moved to Marblehead when I was five, and I went to a tiny Montessori school for elementary, then Charter for middle school. Though I feel settled in this little town, I’ve never really been a part of the public school system until now, and I am still finding my place within the people and the environment. That night, I prepared myself for a long presentation about schedules and classes. Then Luminescence came out to perform “Shake It Out” by Florence + The Machine. Immediately, I was hooked. From the sparkly outfits, to the Pitch Perfect-style dynamic, to the sound of somebody beatboxing, everything about it left me

Headlight Staff 2023-2024

Immediately, when I arrived, I was plunged into a state similar to being in the ocean during December. My limbs felt numb. I was stuck in slow motion. Everybody’s voices sounded sharp and seemed to bounce around in my head. All I could do was stand at the edge of the group and nervously glance around the room. We started in the chorus room, learning a quick group song part-by-part. Then the time came to sing in front of everybody with one member from each section. My stomach dropped as fewer and fewer sopranos remained, until I was the final one. I went up to the center of the room and felt surprisingly… calm. It turns out that anticipation kills more than actually doing something scary.

After that gut-wrenching experience was over, it was time to sing our audition songs one by one. I sat in the wing with a few other eighth graders, jiggling my leg nervously, yet feeling slightly calmer, slightly more settled than before.

That afternoon, after performing my song (“The Name of the Game” by ABBA), pitch matching, and making my most futile attempt at beatboxing, I

Skip to a year later. I can’t imagine what high school would have been like had I not auditioned for Lumi. It’s been such a huge part of my freshman year; sometimes it feels like it overpowers actual school in its presence in my life. We’ve performed all around town and beyond. We competed in ICHSA, along with the Jewel Tones, enduring brutal 7:00 AM dance rehearsals and running our set list more times than I can count. I am so glad that I am part of the group. Yes, it had its ups and downs. And yes, I’m still just getting comfortable within the MHS student body. But I’m grateful to have been a part of Lumi. I’ve met so many people, and I’ve discovered a musical side of me that I never knew I had. Now, after having re-auditioned, it strikes me how vastly different I felt on that May afternoon this year than I did last year. It felt like nothing - to step into the music wing, sing a group song, perform my own audition, and see my name on the results list. It was pretty much guaranteed that I’d get in - any re-auditioning member usually does. All of the nerves and intimidation that I’d felt last year were almost completely diminished. Upon seeing all of the eighth graders come to audition this year, I recognized those same feelings in them. It made me realize how being a part of something can shape us. Now, I have no trouble singing and dancing in a group. Being in Luminescence has changed me, and I know it will continue to shape my high school career in years to come. I know that I’m capable of putting myself out there, singing with a bunch of people I’ve never met, and even getting into a group that seemed too cool for me at the time. Just don’t ask me to beatbox - that’s one thing that I’ll never learn how to do.

EDITORS-IN-CHIEF: Ila Bumagin and Mona Gelfgatt ASSISTANT EDITORS: Benji Boyd, Rachael Albert TECHNOLOGY EDITOR: Kate Twomey

REPORTERS: Nathaniel Carper-Young, Grey Collins, Aislin Freedman, Kathleen Hanson, Samuel Jendrysik, Anya Kane, Nina Lees, Georgia Marshall, Charlie Seliger, Livia Weiss

FACULTY ADVISOR: Thomas Higgins

2023-2024 Luminescence members