Records request shows wave of departing educators last year
BY LEIGH BLANDER
The Marblehead schools’ central administration spent $334,734 on legal counsel in FY 2024, more than three times the $105,000 it budgeted, according to the town of Marblehead’s ClearGov portal. During that year, the School Committee engaged counsel as it worked to oust then superintendent John Buckey. The district also faced a student restraint crisis that led to the firings and resignations of several educators,
Teachers, School Committee remain far apart on wages and safety issues
BY LEIGH BLANDER
More than 150 Marblehead educators, wearing red in solidarity, rallied outside the high school on Monday afternoon, demanding higher wages and safer schools. The Marblehead Education Association union and School Committee bargaining subgroup initially planned to meet Monday afternoon for their 12th bargaining session, but School Committee Chair Jenn Schaeffner announced Sept. 13 that she scheduled the talks for Tuesday in error.
The MEA declined to meet on Tuesday and is now calling for an emergency meeting of its membership next week.
“We need to come together as a union to discuss and determine our next steps,” said MEA Co-president
Dogs close out the pool as summer ends
BY GREY COLLINS
As the summer draws to a close, the Lynch van/Otterloo YMCA hosted one last event before shutting the outdoor pool for the fall: the annual Doggy Dip.
Dozens of pups spent Saturday morning hanging out by the pool, swimming and playing fetch in the water.
“Just watching all of the dogs having fun is my favorite part of this,” said Jan Missarski, a dog owner coming to the Doggy Dip for the first time. “They are just having a ball being with other dogs, sniffing each other, swimming and catching balls.”
Dog owners around Marblehead look forward to the event every year.
“Marblehead has such a wonderful dog community. We see a lot of the same people walking their dogs every morning, and the wider community really embraces it,” said Adrian Malley, an owner of a 15-month-old goldendoodle. “The fact that the Y is doing this just really shows how they support us.”
The event is a great way for the dogs to make new friends, and Jane Rizza, director of operations at the LvO Y, said it is also an opportunity
to build a strong Marblehead community.
“It’s all about community for us,” said Rizza. “We are always trying to come up with ways to get people to come together, and dogs and kids are the best way to do that.”
“I think it’s a wonderful way to meet people,” said Gail Herzog, a dog owner who has been to the event for the last five years. “It’s a great way for my dog, Charlie, to meet other dogs.”
issues stern 3A warning
Rebuke comes after Select Board scuttles zoning revote
BY WILL DOWD
Massachusetts Attorney General Andrea Campbell issued a stern warning to Marblehead officials after the Select Board decided not to reconsider compliance with the MBTA Communities Act. Campbell emphasized that “compliance with the law is mandatory” and noncompliant communities may face enforcement action.
The warning came after the Select Board decided on Sept. 11 not to call a special town meeting to re-vote on zoning changes that would increase multifamily housing. The deadline to comply with the MBTA Communities Act is Dec. 31, raising concerns about potential legal and financial consequences for the town.
‘Range of consequences’ Campbell, responding to the Marblehead Current’s request for comment, emphasized the importance of the law and her office’s commitment to its enforcement.
“A coalition of Democrats and Republicans passed the MBTA Communities Law, and it’s my job to enforce it,” Campbell stated. “Compliance with the law is mandatory, and this law is an essential tool to address our housing crisis, which sadly is leading to more and more residents leaving Massachusetts.” Campbell’s office clarified that while it will continue to work cooperatively with any noncompliant community seeking to come into compliance, there could be serious repercussions for those who fail to meet the requirements.
“Communities that fail to comply with the law may ultimately be subject to a range of consequences, including enforcement action to compel compliance,” a spokesperson for the Attorney General’s office explained. “Importantly, communities cannot avoid their obligations under the law by choosing to forego funding.”
The town’s legal counsel has said that the town’s legal costs could range from $25,000 to $75,000, according to Sustainability
Jonathan Heller in a statement late
STORY AND PHOTOS
CURRENT PHOTO / LEIGH BLANDER More than 150 educators rallied outside the high scool on Monday for a new contract and safer schools. TEACHERS,
Stalled collective-bargaining talks
frustrate town’s largest municipal union
BY WILL DOWD
Contract negotiations between the town of Marblehead and its municipal employee unions have reached an impasse, with the president of the town’s largest union expressing frustration over stalled talks. Meanwhile, town officials are citing fiscal constraints.
The Marblehead Municipal Employees Association, representing about 94 workers across various town departments, has been operating without a contract since July 1. Union leadership describes negotiations as contentious, with little progress made despite multiple meetings since April.
“There’s no movement,” said Terri Tauro, president of the municipal employees union. “The town is still trying to figure out how much it’s going to cost them. Every time they come back to the table, they say, ‘We need to do further analysis’ on all of our proposals.’”
Tauro said morale among union members is “horrible” due to the lack of progress in negotiations. She expressed concern about retention issues if competitive wages and benefits aren’t secured.
“We just feel completely undervalued,” Tauro said. “We’re being stonewalled, and people are going to start dropping like flies because they can make more
money somewhere else.”
The union is seeking wage increases above the 2% cost-ofliving adjustment budgeted by the town. However, specific details of proposals are not being disclosed while negotiations are ongoing.
Tauro said the union has offered creative solutions to address the town’s financial challenges, including a proposal to reduce hours while maintaining salaries for the first year of the contract.
This would allow the town to avoid immediate cost increases while giving both sides time to reassess the arrangement.
“We would take no increase for the first year if they cut our hours and kept us all at the same salary,” Tauro explained. “It would cost the town no money, and it could be an experiment of sorts to see if
that would work.”
Other key issues for the union include reclassifying certain clerk positions and increasing on-call phone stipends, which Tauro said haven’t been adjusted in 20 years.
The municipal employees union is not alone in its struggles to reach a new agreement.
Contracts for Marblehead’s police also expired, with negotiations ongoing. Together, these two unions represent over 80% of the town’s municipal workforce. The police union’s president, Officer Dan Gagnon, could not be reached for comment.
Town officials maintain that Marblehead faces significant fiscal pressures limiting its ability to offer substantial wage and benefit increases. The town has budgeted for 2% cost-of-living adjustments across departments.
Marblehead Town Administrator Thatcher Kezer said he doesn’t comment on ongoing union negotiations. However, Finance Director Aleesha Nunley Benjamin acknowledged the constraints posed by the town’s revenue structure.
“Proposition 2 ½ is what we run by,” Benjamin said, referring to the state law limiting property tax increases. “So we don’t give anybody more than 2%.”
Longtime employees feel undervalued, with Tauro citing examples of clerks training new employees who were hired at
significantly higher salaries.
“We’re just looking for fair classifications,” Tauro said. “We’re looking for the people that have been here for a long, long time to be making the same amount as people who are just hired.”
The union is also seeking stipends for clerks who train new department heads, especially in cases where clerk positions have been left without supervision for extended periods due to vacancies.
Tauro expressed frustration that while the town claims it cannot afford raises for existing employees, it has created several new high-level positions in recent years. She pointed to the establishment of a Community Development Department.
“There are eight new positions that were created to the tune of at least $1 million a year,” Tauro said.
As negotiations continue, union leadership is considering next steps if an agreement cannot be reached. Options include requesting a mediator or potentially filing unfair labor practice charges.
Tauro called on residents to support municipal workers by contacting town officials and attending public meetings.
“The community can speak up. They can write emails,” Tauro said.
Station
BY LEIGH BLANDER
The Board of Health approved another $41,575 for the $1.6 million Transfer Station renovation as it prepares to put the beleaguered project out to bid again.
“We do have to do the whole process again,” Public Health Director Andrew Petty said at a Sept. 10 meeting.
Architects are doing some “redrafting” to make the project more attractive to contractors. The Health Department first put the project out to bid this spring but did not receive a single general contracting bid.
The plan includes upgrading the existing Transfer Station structure, replacing its compactor, improving site grading, relocating the existing scale, replacing the scale house with a new structure, replacing the existing swap shop and adding a new personnel transaction shed at the residential drop-off area.
Rodent alert
Also at the meeting, Petty announced an increase in rodent activity in town.
“We want to remind the whole community, because it can spiral out of control really quickly,” Petty said. “We’re having a dry spell. They’re chasing a water source, going into gardens.”
Petty encouraged people to be more careful with their trash.
“Anything can become a food source,” he added. “Even dog waste.”
Petty also urged people to be mindful about the threat of mosquito-borne illnesses like Eastern equine encephalitis and West Nile virus, as more cases are reported across the state.
“This is the end of peak mosquito season,” Petty said. “You really should be wearing mosquito repellent during the day, and from dawn to dusk you should be wearing long sleeves. This needs to be in your mind.”
Dengue fever is also on the rise across the state, he said.
Community health assessment
New BoH member Dr. Thomas Massaro called for a community health needs assessment in town. He received a $35,000 proposal from UMass Boston’s Center for Social & Demographic Research on Aging for an 11-month survey of residents’ emotional, intellectual, physical, social, spurital and occupational health.
Massaro is also encouraging Town Administrator Thatcher Kezer to apply for state grants to help the town adopt public health, mental health, and age and dementia
best practices. He hopes to win $80,000 to hire a second public health nurse. He acknowledged that Marblehead may be less likely to get state grants since it will be in noncompliance with the MBTA Communities Act as of Dec. 31. The Board of Health next meets on Oct. 8.
Latest batch of Old Burial Hill markers restored
BY WILL DOWD
Old Burial Hill restoration Restoration efforts continued at Old Burial Hill Cemetery last week as workers finished resetting historic gravestones following extensive repair work.
Michael Gallagher, owner of Village Green Restoration, and his team wrapped up a project that included repairing and resetting approximately 10 grave markers at the Colonial-era burial ground.
“We cast extensions to some of them,” Gallagher said, indicating a headstone where a missing piece had been recreated. “When the monument is missing a large fragment, we cast it onto the headstone.”
The work, part of an ongoing preservation effort, was funded
restoration team, highlighted their meticulous approach.
“We repaired one stone that was in two pieces,” she said. “We glued it together and did patch work, being careful not to add details we couldn’t verify.” The cemetery, established in the late 17th century, holds significant historical value. It’s featured in popular culture, including the film
“Hocus Pocus,” which has driven interest in the site.
“It’s a really great site,” Gallagher noted. “Most cemeteries we work in, you get like one person a week. Here, lots of people come through.”
The recent work represents only a fraction of the needed restoration. A 2022 assessment identified 17 headstones, five footstones, and 166 grave markers requiring repair, with total costs estimated at $75,000.
COURTESY PHOTO
Tauro, president of the Marblehead Municipal Employees Association, is frustrated over the lack of progress in contract negotiations with town officials, citing concerns over employee morale and retention. COURTESY
CURRENT PHOTO / WILL DOWD
Michael Gallagher, owner of Village Green Restoration, and Jennifer Rydwansky work to restore and reset historic headstones at Old Burial Hill on Wednesday, Sept. 11.
How heavy is ‘Pat’? Take a guess for a good cause SNAZZY DRESSER
BY WILL DOWD
On Naugus Avenue at the intersection where it meets Sparhawk Terrace and Mound Road, an annual autumn spectacle is unfolding. Jim Zisson, a longtime resident and engineer, has turned his front yard into a showcase for giant pumpkins, continuing a passion he’s cultivated for two decades.
This year, Zisson has introduced a new element to his pumpkin-growing hobby: A weight contest that the local community can participate in to benefit the Marblehead Food Pantry.
“I have been growing giant pumpkins for probably 20 years,” Zisson said, adding that he does not submit them to the Topsfield Fair. “I’ve been growing vegetables all my life, but this is the first year we decided to, I guess, the weigh the pumpkin. And it’s a fundraiser for the food pantry.”
The star of this year’s crop is a massive orange pumpkin named “Pat,” accompanied by a slightly smaller, cream-colored variety called “Wessex.”
These gourds are the focal points of a community guessing game that Zisson hopes will raise funds for a good cause.
The rules of the contest are straightforward. For a $5 entry fee, participants can submit their guess for Pat’s weight in a lockbox that Zisson has set up outside his 2 Mound Road. The jackpot will be split between the winner and the Marblehead Food Pantry. Guesses must fall between 300 and 600 pounds, reflecting the impressive size of Zisson’s prize pumpkin.
“We’ll announce the winner on Oct. 4,” Zisson explained. “That’s the
same day as the Topsfield Fair opens, where they do their big weigh-off. It seemed fitting to align our little contest with that tradition.”
Zisson’s journey into giant pumpkin growing is rooted in his family’s history.
“On my father’s side, you know, immigrants from Greece, everyone had a garden,” he recalled. “Back in the Depression, people had gardens because you had to. It was about subsistence.”
He says the process starts in the spring.
“In the end of April, I start them inside, and they grow like crazy,” Zisson explained. By the Fourth of July, the pumpkins are typically the size of a golf ball. Just 10 days later, they can reach the size of a basketball.
“In July and August, they can put on 30 or 40 pounds a day,” he added. Over the years, Zisson has faced numerous challenges in his pumpkin-growing endeavors. Squash vine borers, a particularly destructive pest, have been a persistent threat.
“You have to hand-pick the eggs off the vines,” he explained. “I’ll be out
here for literally hours in the stifling heat of July and August, saying to myself, ‘I am not doing this again.’”
Despite the difficulties, Zisson finds the process rewarding.
“But then someone will come by with their kids. Last year, I had an elderly couple come by, and the husband was not in good shape. He said, ‘This is the only reason I’m leaving the house, to see this.’ And that’s when you realize it’s about more than just growing a big pumpkin,” said Zisson.
Zisson’s largest pumpkin to date weighed in at around 1,000 pounds. However, he’s quick to point out that the champions at competitions like the
Topsfield Fair often exceed 2,000 pounds.
“I’m constrained on space,” he said, referring to his suburban lot.
The pumpkins require constant attention throughout the growing season.
“They drink a lot of water,” Zisson noted.
“This summer was very hot, dry and windy. I was watering before I went to work, after work, you know, two or three times a day.”
Zisson hopes the contest, which runs until Oct. 4, will not only provide some fall fun for his neighbors but also make a meaningful contribution to the Marblehead Food Pantry.
Folks with questions should call Zisson at 781-990-3110.
COURTESY PHOTO / EPSTEIN HILLEL SCHOOL
He’s outdone himself! Epstein Hillel student Maximilian Averback dresses to impress on picture day. Last year, the Current printed a photo of Maximilian, then a kindergartener, wearing
pU mpKIN pASSION
CURRENT PHOTOS / WILL DOWD
Jim Zisson, surrounded by sprawling vines, smiles next to his enormous pumpkin, Pat.
im Zisson stands proudly in his front yard beside a sign inviting neighbors to guess the weight of his giant pumpkin, Pat, to raise funds for the Marblehead Food Pantry.
eDItOrIAL
Rolling the dice
Last week, a storm cloud formed within the Select Board’s meeting room. Most of those in attendance were vigorously demanding that the board take no action to schedule a special town meeting by the end of this year.
At issue was whether to revisit the defeat of Article 36 at the May Town Meeting when a narrow majority of voters rejected the adoption of the MBTA Communities Act as it relates to Marblehead. The act calls upon all 177 communities serviced by the MBTA to adopt zoning changes to increase the number of housing units permitted in designated zones by certain deadlines — Dec. 31 for Marblehead.
In Marblehead, the zoning changes would result in the potential addition of approximately 600 units within districts outlined in the Planning Board’s proposal. Failure to adopt the act by the end of this year could lead to the loss of currently approved and future state grants for infrastructure repairs, including the Village Street Bridge and Coastal Zone Management projects.
For those who believe it might be possible to obtain an extension of the yearend deadline by the state, Select Board member Dan Fox stated, “We did ask for a reprieve, an extension, because we need to ask it and the answer was ‘No.’”
Fox went on to state that he has been told “that any of the grants that we go for next year… that we won’t even get through the first gate (of approval). They won’t allow us through those gates is what we heard.”
Faced with such vocal opposition, the Select Board chose to take no action, thereby allowing the town to continue on its likely collision course with the state. Will we lose grants already awarded? Will we be denied future grants that we desperately need? No one can answer these questions with certainty, but the risks are clearly there.
Attorney General Andrea Campbell has stated, “A coalition of Democrats and Republicans passed the MBTA Communities Law, and it’s my job to enforce it. Compliance with the law is mandatory.”
Additionally, should the state bring suit against the town, town counsel has estimated that the cost of defending the town could range from $25,000 to $75,000. Only a handful of communities affected by the act have voted against compliance, and litigation is now pending before our Supreme Judicial Court as to whether the act is enforceable.
While Marblehead has yet to be sued by the state, there is no reason to think we will be ignored unless the courts decide the act is unenforceable. We are rolling the dice on this question, and only time will tell if we will suffer significant financial consequences because of the defeat of Article 36. We already face a housing shortage such that many of our senior citizens and town employees cannot find a place to live in Marblehead. This is a crisis that should not be ignored. Regardless of the state mandate to come into compliance with the act or face potentially significant financial consequences, doesn’t the town have a moral obligation to work together to alleviate this problem? We believe that to do otherwise flies in the face of Marblehead’s history of shared compassion for the welfare of our neighbors.
If we get lucky, the town will suffer no repercussions in the near future. Perhaps the state will await the court’s decision before taking enforcement action against Marblehead. But if the court decides in favor of the state, we must be prepared to act quickly to put ourselves in compliance with the act, or severe financial losses may result — all at a time when we already find ourselves with dwindling dollars for the maintenance of our financial status quo.
‘Shame, not pride’ should be what we feel
To the editor:
Letter to the Select Board, I attended Town Meeting in the spring and the Select Board meeting earlier this week on Sept. 11 specifically because of my concerns about some residents’ responses to the MBTA Communities Act.
I am embarrassed when friends from other towns ask why Marblehead voted to disobey this apparently innocuous law when most other communities are complying. I have no answer since I have not heard a single argument against the law that is based on fact and makes sense. There has been much emotion and misinformation, such as claiming the law requires development (it doesn’t) and how it will negatively impact our schools (it won’t). On the contrary, failing to comply will definitely cost the town — i.e., us, the taxpayers — a lot of money in lost grants awarded by the state and in legal fees.
Some residents seem to feel pride in our old history of standing up to the king. But this is not a heroic act today. Shame, not pride, should be how we all feel when our neighbors fight this commonsense law, for nothing but NIMBYism.
I urge the Select Board to vote to hold a special town meeting on this act. Further, I urge residents to learn the facts about what this law means for Marblehead, and then vote responsibly to comply with the law.
By the way, I am a longtime Marblehead homeowner, and I and my family are grateful T riders.
Sincerely,
Kate Borten Martin Terrace
Salem resident weighs in on Lifebridge fundraiser
To the editor:
Laura Tyrrell and Lyn Freeman
wrote a letter to the editor, “Lifebridge North Shore gala to support homeless services,” on Sept. 2 encouraging Marblehead residents to participate in Lifebridge North Shore’s upcoming fundraiser. I wanted to shed light on this situation.
I live in the Salem neighborhood where Lifebridge is located. Our neighborhood and city have become the regional epicenter for homeless individuals. Fistfights, rapes, drug dealing, overdoses, assaults, public urination and defecation are our everyday reality. Lifebridge has created a warehouse for the unhoused without providing the proper staffing and services they need, nor have they protected nearby residents from the volatile population they serve. Instead, they plan an expansion that will triple their size – further undercutting our quality of life.
People like Tyrrell and Freeman live in their pretty neighborhoods, located in wealthier cities, using tax write-offs to keep the mental health and addiction issues that come with homelessness at a safe distance.
They state, “as a community, we can come together to make a real difference.” Perhaps their own community could provide more than just disposable cash.
Why not a Lifebridge shelter in downtown Marblehead? Some tiny homes for the unhoused on those expansive lawns on the Neck?
Lifebridge board members and officers live in communities like Marblehead, Manchester, Rockport, Beverly Farms, Newbury and such – tied together by upper income levels and the fact that none have shelters or housing for the homeless. Coincidence?
I hope this is helpful. You can’t see any of this from Marblehead. All you see are good intentions sans
consequences.
Joe Cultrera Prescott Street, Salem
Housing plan clarification
To the editor:
Anthony Chamay’s Sept. 11 letter “Housing plan exceeds state requirements” misinterprets the Planning Board’s MBTA Communities Act proposal. Referring to the plan as a “major exaggeration of the building needed to satisfy Massachusetts State law,” the proposal advanced by the Planning Board is actually very lean by dividing the required unit total into three locations (where multifamily units are already allowed by special permit) to more equally distribute the theoretical housing sites in Marblehead. To further clarify, while the plan’s minimum required density is 15 units per acre, and the minimum required area is 27 acres, the board opted to spread out the sites to 56 acres in order to blend in with adjacent structures and still meet the 15 unit per acre requirement. Any less area would have a correspondingly greater density per acre, something the board felt could have a detrimental effect on Marblehead’s unique character.
Edward Nilsson Planning Board member Naugus Avenue
Questions on property assessments
To the editor: I am confused and wonder if someone would be kind enough to help me understand what is going on regarding Marblehead’s 2024 residential property assessments. The only relevant information which I can find on the department’s website is the April 26 letter to John Kelley from James Doherty of JFD Property Services LLC and the July 5 background note from the Board of Assessors.
I was interested to learn from James Doherty’s letter that Marblehead utilizes 29 neighborhoods for residential properties and in FY24 all but one had land values remain equal or increase. He points out that neighborhoods AE and AS had significant increases — AE went from $40.50 to $69 and AS from $44.50 to $61. For some reason he failed to point out that neighborhood 19, which happens to be waterfront, went from $150 to $195.
Mr. Doherty said that “the initial focus on adjusting the land values significantly not only created potential inequity amongst various neighborhoods but required nonsensical adjustments to building costs. This is clear from the fact that of the 21 residential building styles, 11 required adjustments and five had the building costs reduced. Cape and bungalow costs went down dramatically (cape $71 to $55 and bungalow $56 to $31). Antique and colonial increased significantly (antique $100 to $135 and colonial $95 to $124).
In explaining “the problem” the Board of Assessors document says, “This year certain home types and neighborhoods saw dramatic and indefensible increases while others saw equally indefensible decreases. The Board of Assessors only became aware of the extent of the problem when taxpayers who saw significant increases complained and filed abatements. Those who received reductions did not complain and by the time the Board of Assessors became aware of the extent of the problem it was too late to make unilateral adjustments.”
This prompts a number of questions: » First, why on earth was the board unaware of the problem until the complaints started coming in? What is the actual size of the problem? How many households were erroneously overcharged and how many undercharged? What
unilateral adjustments would the Board have undertaken if it could?
Given that over 80% of those who requested abatements received them, we have to assume that over 80% of the assessments were wrong. For those of us who stupidly failed to file an abatement by the end of January 2024, what can we do to ascertain whether our assessment was erroneous and what can we do to rectify it and gain restitution? For the record, my husband and I live in an antique style home (up from $100 to $135) in neighborhood C3, the historic district, where the price per square foot increased from $56 to $65. As a result, we have seen our assessment increase by $335,200.
Vicki Staveacre Franklin Street
Why I vote
To the editor: I view my voting not only as my civic duty but also as a reaffirmation of my citizenship. My voting is a reminder to me of the privileges and responsibility in being a citizen of the United States. The daily news from around the world reaffirms the importance of being able to elect my government and reinforce the values I admire. Join me in voting in November.
Gene Record Crowninshield Road
Thank you for celebrating TFAD anniversary
To the editor: The Marblehead Task Force Against Discrimination would like to thank all those who participated in and attended two events on September 8 commemorating the 35th anniversary of the TFAD’s founding. The task force sponsored a free screening of the film “Wonder” at the Warwick Theater. The film is a poignantly rendered and inspirational portrayal of the challenges overcome by a young boy with a facial disfigurement starting school for the first time after being home-schooled by his mother.
The boy and his family face prejudice, teasing and bullying from fellow students who, despite some difficult confrontations, eventually come to a place of compassion and acceptance of him. The film is told from the perspective of various students and family members who are also facing their own challenges.
Those in attendance were deeply moved by the film and its sensitive portrayal of a difficult issue. The TFAD strongly recommends this film and the book on which it’s based to young people and their families as an entertaining and effective teaching tool for understanding and accepting differences. The film is available on YouTube or on Amazon Prime and Apple TV for a small fee.
The film was followed by a multicultural dance event at the Jacobi Community Center featuring African and Latin dancing with Greg Coles and Israeli dancing with the North Shore Israeli Folk Dance Group. The fun and energetic event was enjoyed by all. We extend a heartfelt appreciation to those who participated and continue to foster a spirit of diversity in our community. The TFAD strives to further its mission to create a welcoming and accepting environment to Town residents and visitors. For community members interested in joining the TFAD, there are currently two openings on the committee. We encourage anyone interested in applying for an appointment to send a brief resume and statement of interest to the Marblehead Select Board.
Sincerely,
On behalf of the Task Force Against Discrimination, Jean Guastaferri Reed Street
Monday. “Our students deserve elected leaders who will work in their best interests, and our staff deserves to be treated with respect.”
Heller continued, “These bad-faith tactics along with the School Committee’s incomprehensible resistance to any common-sense proposals speaks volumes as to how committed it is to the schools our community deserves. We are trying to address the ongoing safety concerns at every school and the social-emotional needs of our youngest learners, as well as the mass exodus of school staff.” (See sidebar article)
“The School Committee’s strategy is to drag this out and exhaust our membership, then file for mediation as they did with our custodians. This is a game to them!” he added.
The MEA said “educators are experiencing significant stress and unease” since their contract ran out on Aug. 31.
“Working under an expired contract not only affects their morale but also disrupts the educational environment for our students,” said Village School math and science teacher Dana Trudeau.
Far apart on wages, safety committee
The two sides met last on Sept. 10 and spent most of three hours discussing competing proposals for a school safety committee.
Schools
as well as lawsuits against the district.
Contentious contract talks with teachers and custodians began in March.
The online database ClearGov shows that in FY 2024, the School Committee spent $8.9 million on expenses (not including salaries), significantly more than the $7.3 million it had budgeted.
At the same time, it spent $2.3
The MEA proposed a school safety committee in response to an increase in student behavior incidents in local schools. After the School Committee rejected the MEA’s initial proposal, both sides presented modified versions.
“We responded directly to the concerns the School Committee had raised previously, but they were unwilling to agree to language that would establish binding commitments to improvements in school safety,” the MEA wrote in a statement.
The MEA continued, “We attempted to engage the committee around increasing elementary lunch and recess time, in addition to eliminating user fees over the next couple of years. Unfortunately, the committee does not want to have that conversation.”
The MEA said its proposals “represent solutions to the very
million less on teacher salaries than it budgeted. The School Committee is allowed to move money among different budget line items, something the town is not allowed to do, according to Finance Director Aleesha Benjamin.
“The School Committee regularly moves funds from one line item to another during the fiscal year to address shortfalls in one or more line items,” said School Committee Chair Jenn Schaeffner. “This is not uncommon. In FY 2024, there
real problems we’re seeing with student dysregulation, and it’s unfortunate that the committee is not taking these issues seriously.”
In its own statement, the School Committee’s subgroup wrote that its proposal “included equal membership representation from school administration and all staff areas” and that the “union’s proposal may likely violate student privacy.”
Regarding wages, the union is pushing for a 40% increase over the next three years. The School Committee is offering an average of 4% over three years.
The MEA says its proposals will help “lift custodians, tutors and paras (paraprofessionals) out of poverty while finally making our Unit A salaries competitive with neighboring communities.” It continued, “What the School
were more expenses for litigation and legal review of responses to certain public records requests than originally anticipated when the budget was approved.”
Dozens of departures Meanwhile, the Current has learned that 68 educators left the district between September 2023 and Aug. 22, 2024. Additional teachers resigned late last month and are not included in that total. Superintendent John Robidoux said there are
Committee offered to us would amount to a wage cut and leave us only further behind. This is directly related to the dozens of vacant positions across the district and the school system’s inability to fill them.”
The School Committee reps said they would keep working to reach a fair contract that reflects the “fiscal reality of the town of Marblehead.” Marblehead teachers are the lowest paid across 13 communities on the North Shore, according to the MEA. Last month, Salem reached a tentative agreement with its teachers for a nearly 20% raise over the next three years and six weeks of paid parental leave. The MEA says
approximately 337 educators budgeted for this year.
Results of a public records request by the Current show the following breakdown of educators who have left:
Teachers: 41 from all five schools
Tutors: 15 from across the district
Paraprofessionals: Three from the Glover School Behavior specialists: Two from the district
Counselors: Three from the Glover and high school
Marblehead is offering only two weeks of paid parental leave.
Paycheck problems
A week after the school district failed to include agreed-upon increases, stipends and summer payments in teachers’ checks, blaming a “clerical error,” there was another problem with those same teachers’ paychecks last week.
Teachers pay stubs — containing their name, address, wages and other personal information — were accidentally sent to other town employees.
Finance Director Aleesha Benjamin said the town’s outdated payroll software was to blame.
Speech/language pathologists: Three from the district
Occupational therapist: One from the district
“I cannot speak to the historical departure from Marblehead, but we recognize that this SY (school year)does seem a bit high,” said interim Superintendent John Robidoux. “Departures from any district, however, are due to many different individualized factors and they generally fluctuate from year to year in scope.”
‘Life’s a climb, but the view is great’
BY CHRISTINE MCCARRISTON
Today as I was cleaning out my fridge, I stopped at the Post-it that reads: “Life’s a climb, but the view is great.” I couldn’t stop smiling and thinking about how this simple sentence rings so very true. Yes, you read that right; we have Post-it messages in our fridge. Some have been there for years and we keep adding more. Our fridge notes started in 2016 when my oldest daughter Shanna wrote to her sister one day: “Love you more than Ben loves Lauren B,” referencing “The Bachelor Season 20.” I thought it was a silly and adorable testament to their loving bond, so I taped it to the fridge cold cut drawer. At the time I figured it would make me smile seeing it each day. Eight years later it is still there bringing me joy.
“Life’s a climb but the view is great” was a standout quote for my family from the Hannah Montana movie. My daughter, Jenna, used the quote as part of a school assignment in fourth grade. It was the perfect ending to her essay and has become one of our family’s often-repeated statements.
ABOVE: Columnist Christine McCarriston’s family has decorated their fridge with Post-its, adding cheerful messages for each other over the years. RIGHT: The family leaves Post-its around the house as a way to express love and share humor.
COURTESY PHOTOS / CHRISTINE MCCARRISTON
Although I see that Post-it (and several others) daily as I open the fridge, this time it struck me differently. Lately our family can relate to the idea that life is a climb, and not an easy one. There have been some health issues for a few of us and my best friend’s mother died recently. She lived a beautiful 93-year life, but the sadness of losing someone you’ve known
for over 40 years, the sadness you feel for your friend losing her mom doesn’t change because she lived a long life. But in keeping with Hannah and Jenna’s line, even in sadness and tough times, the view is great if you’re willing and able to see it. In that view, I see Lynda’s mother Gloria at her last birthday celebration. Gloria was friends with my mom and her
twin, my late Aunt Joni. Lynda’s children and my girls have been lifelong friends, making it three generations of fun, love and memories. How lucky are we? We spent that birthday afternoon retelling stories of those three generations. Gloria died five days later. I am so grateful I attended that party and spent quality time with the woman who gave me my best friend.
Looking at my life’s view simply through my fridge Postits, I find more gems. In keeping with the Bachelor/Bachelorette theme, Shanna didn’t leave me out: “Mum, Love you more than Jojo loves the guy she’ll pick on the Bachelorette.” We do love a theme in my family. I answered the love back with a yellow Post-it reading “Love Y’all.” That one reminds me of my family in South Carolina and my sister’s idea that we should “bring back y’all” so, of course, for my sister I continue to use y’all whenever I can.
Shanna let Jenna stay at her condo a bit ago when she was away and left her keys with a note saying: “The keys to my heart. Enjoy.” Seemed fridgeworthy so it’s lived on the side wall for a couple of years.
I have been known to use more Post-its than the average person. It’s kind of my thing
to leave notes of cheer and encouragement for my family and my girls’ friends. Shanna’s friend, Cassie, was the recipient of so many notes from me over the years that she created a diary notebook with pictures of some of her favorites on the cover as a gift for me. Along with a package of Post-its, of course. I cherish that notebook. I used those little squares from Cassie to write notes to the next generation of Delaney and her siblings whom Shanna used to babysit. Like Cassie, Delaney has been saving a lot of them and even gave me one: “Love you” she wrote. Yes, that one made it to the fridge on the inside door.
You may not be surprised to hear that I also tape photos and cards on the inside of my cabinets. Need a glass? You’ll see Jenna and Shanna on various vacations along with some of our family Christmas cards. Another simple way to make us smile and remember our happiest times on a daily basis.
All these fridge notes may seem strange, but there is something about opening your refrigerator and being able to relive some joyful times while also being reminded of the love your family and friends have for you and each other every single day. It’s the simple way to see the great view of life’s climb.
From
LEIGH BLANDER / CURRENT PHOTOS
MHS English teacher Ashley Skeffington attended Monday’s rally.
Village School teacher Steve Volpe makes his statement with his poster, referencing School Committee members Sarah Fox and Jenn Schaeffner, district lawyer Liz Valerio and Town Administrator Thatcher Kezer.
Meet Marblehead’s new town planner
BY WILL DOWD
Marblehead has appointed Alexander Eitler as its new town planner, filling the position left vacant by the retirement of longtime planner Rebecca Curran Cutting earlier this year. Eitler, who started his role on Sept. 2 and has relocated from Virginia to Salem, brings a diverse background in urban planning, sustainable development and coastal management to the position.
“I’ve had a chance to meet with a lot of the departments, so I’m really excited to be working with them,” Eitler said. “Thatcher [Kezer, town administrator], I’ve met him a couple of times, and I’m really excited to work with him.” He and Kezer will have biweekly meetings.
Eitler’s journey to Marblehead, he said, is marked by a rich educational and professional experiences, both in the United States and abroad. He holds a bachelor’s degree in urban and environmental planning from the University of Virginia School of Architecture.
However, he said it was his time in London that significantly shaped his perspective on sustainable urban development. Eitler earned a masters degree in environmental technology at Imperial College London, with a focus on sustainable urban environments. His thesis explored nature-based solutions to flood risk management in Canvey Island, United Kingdom, a topic that he said resonates with the coastal challenges faced
Coordinator Logan Casey.
The potential financial impact of noncompliance is a significant concern for town officials. This precarious position means the town is not yet facing the freezing of state funds, but the clock is ticking. Finance Director Aleesha Nunley Benjamin notes that once the calendar flips to Jan. 1, the state is likely to reach out and assess the town’s standing.
“We would get a letter from the AG’s office,” said Benjamin. “It would inform us of our noncompliance.” She added that the state may renege on alreadyawarded grants, “but we don’t know.”
Benjamin provided insight into the grants at risk.
“We currently have $285,900 in pending grant applications for FY2024 that take compliance with the MBTA Communities law into consideration,” Benjamin explained. These applications include a $135,900 MassWorks grant for the Five Corners and School Street parking lot redesign and a $150,000 Community Planning Grant for the town’s comprehensive master plan. Benjamin emphasized that these grants are just the tip of the iceberg.
“There are 13 specific state grant programs that consider MBTA Communities law compliance in their decision-making process,” she noted. These programs span various areas of community development, from housing initiatives to downtown revitalization and environmental conservation efforts.
Benjamin also addressed concerns about the presentation of financial risks in several meetings.
“Some people felt like it was more of a scare tactic. And it’s not. It’s just us providing information,” Benjamin clarified. “If you want to pay more in taxes, that’s your choice.”
by communities like Marblehead.
During his time in London, Eitler worked at the Urban Land Institute as an associate in research and advisory services. This role provided him with valuable insights into global urban development trends and practices. Eitler’s international experience has given him a unique perspective on urban challenges and solutions. He noted that in Europe, they’re tackling similar issues to those faced in Marblehead, often in much older structures.
“The houses in Europe are 400 years older, and they’re doing energy efficiency solutions over there,” he said, suggesting that there might be lessons
Marblehead can learn from these experiences.
Prior to his time in London, Eitler said he gained experience in various roles in the United States. He served as an urban planning intern at Stantec Consulting Services Inc. in Fairfax, Virginia, where he worked on transportation planning projects. He also conducted research on climate change impacts in Kenyan cities at the University of Virginia School of Architecture.
Eitler also worked as a technician with Wetland Studies and Solutions Inc. in Gainesville, Virginia. This position gave him hands-on experience with cultural resource management
and archaeological surveys, including work on historic sites like Alexandria’s waterfront.
Most recently, before joining Marblehead, Eitler worked as an associate urban planner at Washington Gas in Springfield, Virginia. In this role, he focused on identifying growth trends in the greater Washington, D.C. area and assisting with long-range planning for utility infrastructure.
Eitler said his diverse background and particular interest in coastal planning make him well-suited for the challenges facing Marblehead.
“A big part of why I’m here is the coastline and being able to use the skills that I went to school for,” Eitler explained.
He sees the relevance of his expertise in today’s climate context: “I think it’s extremely relevant. And I think maybe not, particularly in a lot of places in the U.S., with the exception of the southeast, but generally speaking, most of the world will be flooded and will continue to have massive floods and more intensive storms.”
Eitler is stepping into a role that has been redefined with the establishment of a new Community Development and Planning Department. He expressed enthusiasm about this new structure: “I’m happy that I could kind of switch over to something that’s a lot more hands-on day-to-day, because that’s really important.”
One of Eitler’s primary goals is to help develop a comprehensive plan for Marblehead. He believes strongly in the importance of such a document for community engagement and transparency.
“Most communities nowadays need a comprehensive plan, because even if it’s built out, you need to have an understanding of the direction of the town into the future,” he said.
Eitler also emphasized the importance of community involvement in the planning process.
“I think the most important one is to have information sessions and workshops with the local community,” he added.
“That’s a really good way to bring information out, get rid of the misinformation and really give the platform to the citizens to voice their concerns.”
‘Marblehead Forever’
The Select Board meeting on Sept. 11 was marked by intense opposition to a special town meeting vote on 3A. The rising tension reached a peak when resident and attorney John DiPiano, a leading voice against the MBTA zoning changes, stepped forward and raised his hands, urging the room to quiet down. As the noise subsided, a woman’s voice broke through, singing the opening lines of the town’s anthem, “Marblehead Forever.” She captured the room’s attention and momentarily diffused the charged atmosphere.
Later, DiPiano praised the board’s decision, stating, “What the board did tonight is tell an overreaching, authoritative state government that our democracy will not be threatened and that it’s not for sale.”
Dan Fox also underscored the state’s posture on MBTA compliance, speaking to a his conversation with Lt. Gov. Kim Driscoll.
“We did ask for a reprieve, an extension, because we need to ask it, and the answer was ‘No.’”
Fox said. “She was clear that she didn’t want to be punitive
but that this was the law and that they were going to follow it through on this.”
Looking ahead to next year, he said the town faces a significant hurdle in applying for grants. Without compliance, applications for funding are unlikely to progress beyond the initial approval stage.
Board member Moses Grader echoed his colleagues’ concerns while emphasizing the real financial stakes for Marblehead.
“I just want everybody to understand what the cost of this is, and that’s perfectly fine if the decision of the town is to not go ahead and implement 3A, you just got to know what the cost is,” he said.
‘It’s a benefit to families’
The meeting also saw residents speaking in support of the proposed zoning changes. Trevor Moore, a local resident, expressed his backing for the initiative.
“I want to say, right up front, that as a matter of principle, I support the thoughtful and deliberate creation of housing options for people in Marblehead,” he said. “I think it’s a benefit to families, to elderly
people looking to downsize or right-size. I think it’s a benefit for workers, whether they’re in the public or private sector.”
Kurt James, a member of the Fair Housing Committee, highlighted Marblehead’s longstanding housing challenges.
“We actually do have a housing issue here in town. We’ve had it for decades,” he noted. James urged the community to separate local needs from the state mandate debate, encouraging residents to “take out the emotion about the state issue and just focus on the substance.”
‘I don’t like being held hostage’ However, opponents of the zoning changes remained vocal.
Alicia Hart argued for the town’s autonomy, stating, “I don’t like being held hostage by the state on this ... it reminds me of the bussing crisis in Boston. It was such a failure. I just feel that this ... has not been carefully considered, and it’s full of contradictions.”
Jonathan Paulman criticized what he perceived as a lack of concrete evidence supporting the benefits of the zoning changes.
“There are a lot of people here because they’re furious,” he said. “They have a right to be furious, not at you personally, but furious at this process.”
Benjamin also highlighted the complexity of ongoing town projects that could be affected by noncompliance.
“We’ve been working on projects for years,” she noted. “We have to pay for the design. We took all this time. We paid for the design. We’re getting ready for construction. Now is the time we need the money.”
What’s next School Committee member
Sarah Fox, a six-year veteran of Marblehead’s budget process, described the situation as “a math problem” with limited solutions.
“If we, as a town, are saying no more taxes and we, as a town, are saying we don’t want the state’s money either, we have to cut something else because it is a fixed pot of money.” Fox urged continued public engagement during budget season.
The board agreed to continue monitoring the situation, particularly the outcome of pending legal challenges to
the MBTA Communities Act.
Zoning From P. A1
CURRENT PHOTO / WILL DOWD
Alex Eitler, Marblehead’s new town planner, enjoys a coffee at Mookie’s on his first week on the job. Eitler brings international experience and coastal expertise to his new role.
COURTESY PHOTO / JAMES MARONEY
Residents crowd Marblehead’s Abbot Hall during a heated Select Board meeting Wednesday night, where the board refrained from voting on a special town meeting to reconsider compliance with the MBTA Communities Act.
The Current welcomes submissions (150-200 words) to the news in brief. Send yours to wdowd@marbleheadnews.org.
Library ramp update
The Abbot Public Library’s new accessibility ramp project is moving forward, with construction expected to begin later this month, according to library officials.
Gary Amberik, chair of the library’s Board of Trustees, provided an update on the project during a board meeting last week. The library has received three bids for the construction work, with two being comparable and one significantly higher.
The library has sent clarifying questions to the two lower bidders, with responses due by Sept. 13. Amberik expects to award the contract at the next board meeting on Sept. 20. Construction is targeted to begin on Sept. 30, pending coordination with an ongoing water main replacement project on Maverick Street.
“By the time we start construction, those crews should be out of the way,” Amberik said. “But we’re starting to work and make sure we don’t impact that.”
The ramp project is part of a larger $10 million renovation of the library, which began in October 2022. The ramp will be built on the Maverick Street side to compensate for the accessibility short comings in the current 79-foot walkway, which lacks necessary landings and handrails required by law for ramps exceeding 30 feet.
Amberik said the ramp construction is scheduled for completion by Dec. 1, meeting the deadline set by the Massachusetts Architectural Access Board for full accessibility compliance.
Library circulation up significantly
Abbot Public Library reported a notable achievement in its circulation figures for August 2024, according to Executive Director Kim Grad. The library’s total circulation for the month surpassed 14,000 items. Grad noted that this level of circulation was last experienced in August 2019.
Pickleball kit
Marblehead Pickleball has donated a pickleball kit to the Abbot Public Library for people to check out. The kit includes a backpack with four paddles, balls and instructions.
Okos to compete in Salisbury muster
The Okos, a firefighting team from Marblehead, will compete in a muster on Sunday, Sept. 22, at 1 p.m. on Salisbury Common. Musters, considered the oldest recreational sport in the U.S., involve pumping antique fire engines. The Okos seek able-bodied volunteers to help operate Marblehead’s 1862 engine during the competition. Organizers encourage families to attend, bringing blankets and lunch for the event.
COVID-19 tests available
The Board of Health announced it has received another limited supply of COVIDat-home test kits for residents. The kits are available at the Health Department office on Widger Road. Officials request that residents take only one kit per family member. The last batch of 900 tests were
handed out in fewer than three days. For more information, contact the Health Department at 781-631-0212 or health2@ marblehead.org.
Free Sustainability Fair on Sept. 28
Sustainable Marblehead will host a Sustainability Fair on Sept. 28, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Brown School, 40 Baldwin
Road. The free event will feature educational activities and exhibits aimed at promoting sustainable living. The fair will include ecofriendly vendors, nonprofits, local officials and schools working together on sustainability efforts. Attendees can test drive up to 10 electric vehicle models, while children can enjoy craft tables and
participate in a bike rodeo focused on safety, presented by Massachusetts Safe Routes to School. Pre-registration is required for EV test drives and the bike rodeo: tinyurl.com/ mtzct54n.
Speakers at the event include State Rep. Jenny Armini, Marblehead Sustainability Coordinator Logan Casey and Marblehead Municipal Light Commission Chair Lisa Wolf. Topics will cover climate legislation, clean energy and local sustainability initiatives like the Marblehead Harbor and Net Zero plans.
Care Dimensions seeks volunteers
Care Dimensions, the region’s largest hospice care provider, is seeking volunteers to join its team. Online training sessions will be held via Zoom on Mondays and Wednesdays from 9-11 a.m., starting Oct. 7 and running through Oct. 30.
“Being a hospice volunteer has changed my life because it keeps me grounded. Life is so much more enjoyable because I have a better appreciation for everything,” said Nancy Littlehale, a Care Dimensions pet therapy volunteer from Wenham. Volunteers can make a difference by engaging in shared hobbies, helping with letter writing, visiting with approved dogs, reading to patients, or simply providing comforting support. Opportunities also exist
for administrative roles and phone outreach. Register by Sept. 27 at CareDimensions.org/Volunteers or email VolunteerInfo@ CareDimensions.org for more information.
LWV promotes voting with lawn signs
The League of Women Voters of Marblehead is distributing lawn signs to encourage voter participation in upcoming elections. The signs read “Vote! Democracy is Counting on You.” They include a QR code linking to the LWVM’s Defending Democracy webpage with voting and election information. “Your vote is your voice,” said Bonnie Grenier, a representative of LWVM. The presidential election is Tuesday, Nov. 5. Signs are available for $10 each. Interested individuals can email lwvmarblehead@gmail.com for more information. The League of Women Voters, a nonpartisan organization, promotes political responsibility through informed citizen participation in government. Membership is open to all.
Household hazardous waste collection
The Health Department has announced its next Household Hazardous Waste Collection on Wednesday, Oct. 16, 4-7 p.m. at the Transfer Station. Marblehead and Swampscott residents are welcome to bring items including paint, lighter fluid, motor oil, antifreeze, furniture polish, swimming pool chemicals and propane tanks. For a full list, call the Health Department at 781-631-0212 or visit marblehead.org.
HAWC honors local resident
Marblehead resident Megan Sweeney, founder of PowerUP!, will receive the Dale Orlando Memorial Award at Healing Abuse Working for Change’s Annual Breakfast to Heal event Oct. 3. The award recognizes individuals who have made a significant impact in supporting abuse survivors and the community. HAWC, a nonprofit organization dedicated to combating abuse, will host the event at Danversport from 7-9 a.m.
Leigh Blander contributed to this report.
COURTESY PHOTO / MARBLEHEAD PICKLEBALL
Want to try pickleball, but not ready to invest in the equipment? Abbot
Library is now offering a pickleball kit to check out, donated by the nonprofit Marblehead Pickleball.
CURRENT PHOTO / WILL DOWD
The Abbot Public Library is building an ADA-compliant ramp off Maverick Street.
COURTESY PHOTO Marblehead resident Megan Sweeney, founder of PowerUP!, will be honored with the Dale Orlando Memorial Award at HAWC’s Annual Breakfast to Heal event on Oct. 3.
Doggy Dip closes out summer at pool
Sports
Road weary Marblehead drops second straight game to start season
Home opener is this Friday
BY JOE MCCONNELL
Marblehead High head football coach Jim Rudloff strategically sets up his team’s schedule to take into account the state’s new power rankings system that determines which teams go to the playoffs regardless of record. And for the second year in a row, his team is 0-2 to start this season after both Bishop Fenwick and King Philip Regional came away victorious, once again. But there’s good news, history is on their side. Last year, as the season wore on, they went undefeated in the Northeastern Conference Lynch Division to help them qualify for the Division 3 playoffs to go along with the fact that their heavyweight non-league schedule put them over the top in the power rankings.
King Philip at its place last Friday night dominated to win the game going away, 40-13. They jumped out to a 26-0 lead at one point in the second quarter. But then, they just played par for the rest of the game to maintain the comfortable cushion.
The Magicians got on the scoreboard for the first time in
BY JOE MCCONNELL
The Marblehead High girls soccer team (2-1-1) rebounded nicely from a 3-2 home opening loss to Masco to shutout nonleague Waltham, also at home, 3-0 on Sept. 6.
Courtney Hitscherich paced the offensive attack with two goals against the host Hawks. Sydney Ball assisted on one of her goals, and Sadie Halpern set up the other tally. Callie Gilmore tacked on an insurance tally on a solo effort.
“The whole team played well (against Waltham),” said coach Lisa Wales. “Sammy Dosch and Cora Gerson, in particular, came off the bench and made some excellent contributions.”
Wales also singled out Sydney Ball for her ability to play anywhere on the field.
“Her versatility is huge to our success.”
Goalie Hailey Gilmore made one save, while she was in there. Lily Heller came up with three stops later on in the contest.
The Magicians recorded another 3-0 victory three days later against Northeastern Conference rival Swampscott in Big Blue country. All of the goals were scored in the first half.
Lucy Church netted the first goal assisted by Callie Gilmore. Halpern, last year’s leading scorer, chipped in with the second score from Lani Gilmore, which was her first career assist.
Callie Gilmore completed the scoring assisted by Sammy Dosch. It was also Dosch’s first career assist.
Ainsley MacDonald placed her free kick nicely in the box for Lani Gimore, who tapped it
the second quarter on a 20-yard touchdown pass from junior Finn Gallup to his classmate Rylan Golden. The team accounted for its second and last touchdown of the game in the fourth quarter, when Gallup outraced the King Philip defense for a 53-yard long-distance run to paydirt.
Rudloff saw many positives, despite the final score.
“The score doesn’t indicate it, but I was very happy with the way the team continued to play hard on every play. But again, we hurt ourselves early on with turnovers, and that combined with poor coverage on a punt return put us in a tough spot,” he said. “I definitely see improvements in some areas, and we have to continue to get better each day.”
Senior captain Colt Wales wasn’t making any excuses for his team’s second straight road loss. “It was definitely not one of our best performances,” he said after the King Philip loss. “But playing a team like that, you need to look at the good. We fought until the last whistle. We never really broke down, which tells you a lot about our heart. We could have put our heads down and let King Philip run
Sydney Ball initiated the third score on a corner kick that went to Dosch, who crossed it to Callie Gilmore in the box, before she put it home.
“Captain Ava Machado was very solid in the center back position, slowing the play down when needed, while using her speed when needed,” said Wales.
“Our keepers — Hailey Gilmore and Lily Heller — were also solid in net, with Lily stopping a breakaway in the second half.”
The Marblehead girls then came home on Sept. 11 to take on the Peabody Tanners, and the game ended up in a hard-fought 1-1 tie.
The Tanners scored the first goal of the game, but the Magicians tied up the proceedings with less than five
minutes to go on the clock on a corner quick by Courtney Hitscherich that Callie Gilmore headed home, her fourth marker in as many games.
Cam O’Brien played well defensively against Peabody, along with MacDonald and Machado, according to Wales. Hailey Gilmore and Heller were credited with two saves apiece in net to help preserve the point in the standings for their teammates.
The Magicians had a few days off, before they went up against host Beverly on Sept. 16 after press deadline. They will be at Saugus on Sept. 18, to face the Sachems at 7 p.m., before taking on host Danvers two days later at Deering Field, beginning at 6:30 p.m.
GIrLS SOCCer
PHOTOS COURTESY EYAL OREN/ WEDNESDAYS IN MARBLEHEAD
Several members of the Marblehead High football defense gangs up to bring down a King Philip running back during last Friday night’s game.
: Marblehead High girls soccer players Cam O’Brien (28), Ava Machado (5), Ainsley McDonald, Lucy Church (22) and Sadie Halpern (10) celebrate Courtney Hitscherich’s first varsity goal against Masco.
Marblehead High girls soccer freshman Lucy McDonald kicks the ball out of the defensive zone against Masco on Sept. 4.
COURTESY PHOTOS / VICTORIA DOSCH
Marblehead High girls soccer players Ashley Mortensen (29), Alma Gaunt (3), Sadie Halpern (10), Callie Gilmore (30) and Lucy Church (22) celebrate a goal by Callie Gilmore.
Marblehead High football junior Finn Gallup chugs downfield.
The first-ever Eastern Yacht Club Women’s IOD Invitational featured top-level racing this past Saturday and Sunday with the win going to 2004 Olympic sailor Isabelle Farrar and her team from Fishers Island, New York.
A total of 38 women sailors on seven all-female teams competed in the regatta, a first for Marblehead, and the International One Design Class. Farrar dominated the event with an impressive five bullets and one second over six races.
Finishing second was local sailor Hanna Vincent and a team of sailors from MIT. Third place went to Jordan Hecht, and her team from the Downtown Sailing Center of Baltimore taking the final spot on the podium. Ameila Lewis, from Bermuda, Mia Thompson from Maine, and local sailors Carolyn Corbet and Emily Jennings led the other teams in the event.
The two days of racing offered the competitors very different conditions. By the end of the weekend, the teams had sailed in just about every kind of sailing
weather imaginable.
Saturday’s light air and large ocean swells challenged the sailors. Competitors were towed to the starting area in very light winds, and once there, slatted about waiting for the breeze.
Large ocean swells swept through the racing area, and without enough wind to fill the sails, the waves bounced the boats about like leaves. It was uncomfortable for all. After a delay of about one hour, the sea breeze developed
m AGICIANS NOtebOOK
enough strength for racing. Three races were successfully sailed, and the finishing order — Farrar, Vincent, and Hecht — was the same in all three.
Sunday arrived with gusty offshore winds that offered ideal racing conditions. Hanna Vincent claimed the first race of the day, which opened the possibility that the regatta winner might not yet be decided.
Alas for Vincent and her team, the Fishers Island sailors took Sunday’s second
MHS sports roundup
BY JOE MCCONNELL
The Marblehead High boys soccer team (4-1) jumped out to an early two-goal lead, and then had to hold off the visiting Swampscott Big Blue in the waning minutes to win the game, 2-1 on Sept. 9.
On an absolutely perfect afternoon made for soccer, the Marblehead boys came to the pitch intent on rectifying the humbling 2023 loss. Swampscott (2-1), a Division 3 club, defeated the Magicians last fall, 3-0. They went to make an admirable playoff run, before losing in the Round of 16. But this is a new year.
Two scores by striker Miles Fontela-Tuttle stood up to secure the win. The Magicians displayed patience and poise, and moved the ball across midfield consistently throughout the match.
Swampscott, to its credit, kept the game close, despite Marblehead’s ability in maintaining possession.
With 12 minutes left, the Big Blue played a short corner and capitalized, scoring on a strike that deflected off a Magician defender to trim the deficit to one. The visitors’ momentum was short-lived, when the Headers attack came alive, while the defense suppressed
Wednesday, Sept. 18
4 p.m., field hockey, vs. Masconomet Regional, at Boxford Common
4 p.m., golf, vs. Masconomet Regional, at Ferncroft Country Club, Middleton
4:30 p.m., boys and girls cross country, vs. Swampscott, at Gatchell’s Playground
4:30 p.m., boys soccer, vs. Saugus, at MHS Piper Field
5:30 p.m., volleyball, vs. Beverly, at Marblehead High gym
Thursday, Sept. 19
4 p.m., golf, vs. Salem, at Tedesco Country Club Friday, Sept. 20
Swampscott’s forwards as the clock was winding down.
The Magicians then shutout Peabody two days later to close out the week on the road, 3-0. They are home this week for three games. It all started against Beverly on Monday (Sept. 16) after press deadline. Saugus comes to town later today (Sept. 18) to go up against its Marblehead counterparts, starting at 4:30 p.m., before Danvers invades Piper Field Friday (Sept. 20) to face the Magicians at 4 p.m.
4 p.m., field hockey, vs. Ipswich, at Ipswich High
4 p.m., boys soccer, vs. Danvers, at MHS Piper Field
5:30 p.m., volleyball, vs. Notre Dame Academy, at Notre Dame Academy, Hingham
6:30 p.m., girls soccer, vs. Danvers, at Danvers High
7 p.m., football, vs. Shepherd Hill Regional, at MHS Piper Field
7 p.m., football cheerleading, vs. Shepherd Hill Regional, at MHS Piper Field
Monday, Sept. 23
4 p.m., girls soccer, vs. St. Mary’s Lynn, at MHS Piper Field Tuesday, Sept. 24
race to clinch the overall victory.
“We want to thank the Eastern Yacht Club and the Marblehead IOD Fleet for putting the regatta together,” Farrar said during the awards ceremony. “It is my hope that this won’t be the last Women’s IOD Invitational.
The Eastern Yacht Club’s Susie Schneider led the Race Committee team for the weekend, which responded to every challenge that Mother Nature threw at them changing mark locations frequently to constantly present the sailors with the best possible tactical challenges. An all-female jury, led by Marblehead’s Danielle
Girls cross-country drops close encounter to Beverly
The Marblehead High girls cross-country team competed in the annual Clipper Relays at Maudslay State Park in Newburyport on Sept. 7. The race is a relay comprised of three runners per team, with each running a full two-mile loop through the park for a total of six miles per team. There were 96 relay teams in the girls field this year.
The Marblehead girls entered
4 p.m., field hockey, vs. Saugus, at Saugus High
Wednesday, Sept. 25
4 p.m., golf, vs. Peabody, at Meadow Golf Course, Peabody
4 p.m., girls soccer, vs. Masconomet, at Masconomet Regional HS
4 p.m., boys soccer, vs. Masconomet, at MHS Piper Field
4:30 p.m., girls and boys cross country, vs. Winthrop, at Gatchell’s Playground
Thursday, Sept. 26
5:30 p.m., volleyball, vs. Danvers, at Marblehead High gym Friday, Sept. 27
five teams in this year’s relay. Ruby Assa (14:06), Evelina Beletsky (13:56) and junior captain Marri O’Connell (11:45) finished 13th overall out of 96 teams with a combined time of 39:57. Maren Potter (16:08), Mary Donnellan (15:21) and Anna Cruikshank (16:10) were 54th, coming in 47:38. Evie Becker (14:40), Willow Waddington (16:55) and Avery Barbeau (16:59) ended up 63rd in 48:34. Thea Shaw (15:40), Ivana Nguyen (17:35) and Emma St. George (17:04) came in 77 th in 50:19.
Abbie Goodwin (14:02), Molly Helmuth (21:31) and Abbie Goodwin (16:17) were only two places behind them in 51:50.
“Overall, it was a good
4 p.m., field hockey, vs. Beverly, at MHS Piper Field
4 p.m., girls soccer, vs. Salem, at Bertram Field, Salem
6 p.m., football, vs. North Andover, at North Andover High
6 p.m., football cheerleading, vs. North Andover, at North Andover High
6 p.m., volleyball, vs. Reading, at Reading Memorial High
7:30 p.m., soccer, vs. Salem, at MHS Piper Field Saturday, Sept. 28
TBA, girls and boys cross country, Brown Invitational, at Goddard Park, Warwick, Rhode Island Monday, Sept. 30
Lawson, stood by in case there was an incident that would require adjudication — but no protests were filed.
The Marblehead IOD Fleet was instrumental in creating, promoting and running the Women’s Invitational. Their generous owners made their boats available to the guest sailors, providing them with a closely matched racing fleet. Competitors drew for boats on Saturday morning, and to ensure that there was no advantage afforded any team, no team could sail in the boat regularly sailed by her skipper or any crew member.
showing from our girls, with nearly everyone improving their time from last year or improving on their two-mile time trial from earlier this season,” said coach Will Herlihy.
O’Connell turned in the fastest Marblehead split for the third straight year. “Marri’s 11:45 split in the anchor leg was one of the fastest by any girl on the course that day,” Herlihy said.
The team’s MVP this day was senior Abbie Goodwin, who ran a huge two-minute personal best on the opening leg, and then doubled back to close out the third leg of her own relay after a late injury to another runner.
“Our new young core also had very strong showings,” said Herlihy. Sophomore newcomer Evelina Beletsky (13:56) had the second fastest Marblehead time, while freshmen Ruby Assa and Evie Becker both ran under 15 minutes — 14:16 and 14:40, respectively — and classmate Mary Donnellan had a great run (15:21).
The Marblehead girls (1-1) returned to the Northeastern Conference to go up against host Beverly on Sept. 11, only to lose a close meet to the Panthers, 24-31.
Beverly took second through fifth place to help seal the deal.
4 p.m., unified basketball, vs. Salem, at Salem High Tuesday, Oct. 1
4 p.m., field hockey, vs. Danvers, at MHS Piper Field
4 p.m., golf, vs. Beverly, at Beverly Golf & Tennis
5:30 p.m., volleyball, vs. Masconomet, at Marblehead High gym
7 p.m., girls soccer, vs. Peabody, at Peabody Veterans Memorial High
7 p.m., boys soccer, vs. Peabody, at MHS Piper Field
Saturday, Oct. 5
2:30 p.m., field hockey, vs.
at
Gloucester,
Gloucester High
COURTESY PHOTOS / BRUICE DURKEE
2004 Olympic sailor Isabelle Farrar and her team from Fishers Island, New York had an impressive five bullets and one second over six races. Pictured here is Farrar in the lead over local sailor Hanna Vincent and her MIT team.
Seven boats start during day two of the inaugural International One Design (IOD) Women’s Invitational held Sept. 7-8.
Marblehead High girls crosscountry freshman Ruby Assa charges to the finish line against Salem earlier this month.
COURTESY PHOTO
Marblehead High girls cross-country freshmen newcomers Anna Cruikshank, front, and Ashley Cooper are competing in their first high school varsity meet against Salem earlier this month.
MHS, P. A11
Marblehead pauses to mark the 23rd anniversary of 9/11
BY WILL DOWD
The Marblehead community gathered at Memorial Park on Wednesday morning to mark the 23rd anniversary of the Sept. 11, 2001 terror attacks. About 80 people attended the solemn observance, which featured remarks from local officials, prayers led by clergy and the laying of a wreath to honor the nearly 3,000 victims who perished on 9/11.
Fire Chief Jason Gilliland opened the ceremony by thanking attendees and emphasizing the importance of the annual remembrance.
“Time has passed, and we now find ourselves more than two decades removed from that fateful September morning,” Gilliland said. “This Day of Remembrance is therefore of growing importance to not only our youth, but to all of us.”
Gilliland also paid tribute to Marblehead resident Diana Isbrandsten, whose son, Erik, died in the north tower of the World Trade Center on 9/11. Isbrandsten herself passed away on Aug. 12 of this year.
Veterans Agent Roseann Trionfi-Mazzuchelli, who just started in her role a week ago, shared how her Army unit assisted at the Pentagon in the aftermath of the attacks.
“My unit answered the call, and they were told, get down to D.C., no matter how you do it. Bring the guns, bring whatever you have,” she recalled. “They went for the first three weeks. They lived wherever they could, inside the Pentagon, processing the crime scene.”
Trionfi-Mazzuchelli noted that Marblehead lost seven of its own on 9/11 and in the ensuing war on terrorism, including Dr. Frederick Rimmele III, Erik Isbrandtsen, William Weems and Robert Jalbert, as well as servicemembers Christopher Piper, Rachel McKay and Christopher Shay.
“Let’s share our stories of where we were with each other and to the younger generation so they know what we all went
through,” she urged.
Police Chief Dennis King said that while each anniversary feels more distant, it’s important to carry on without being paralyzed by the fear the terrorists intended to instill.
“We can both honor and remember this day in history, and the 2,977 lives lost with ceremonies like this,” he said. ”But the way we also are honoring them is by fighting for the beliefs that make us a
target, beliefs like freedom, individuality, liberty, justice, humanity.”
The ceremony also included the lowering of flags, moments of silence and prayers offered by local clergy. Monsignor Timothy Moran from Star of the Sea Catholic Church gave the invocation, Rabbi Jenn Mangold of Temple Emanu-El offered a prayer for the deceased and Moran closed with a benediction.
Fire Lt. Liam Gilliland recited
6.
“We showed solid depth with only 90 seconds between our second and fifth runners,” said Herlihy.
O’Connell (18:47) bested all runners in this meet. Jesslyn Roemer (22:46) was the next Marblehead runner to cross the finish line in sixth place, followed by Goodwin (23:00), Beletsky (23:29) and Assa (24:16) in seventh through ninth place. Becker (24:32) was 11th . Donnellan (25:58, 16 th), Cruikshank (26:57, 17th), Barbeau (27:27, 19th ), Waddington (27:39, 21st), St. George (28:22, 22nd) and Nguyen (31:30, 23rd) rounded out the Marblehead harriers in this meet.
Boys cross-country makes history
The Marblehead High boys cross-country team had a great showing during the annual Clipper Relays at Maudslay Park in Newburyport on Sept. 7, according to coach Brian Heenan.
The team of Nate Assa, Henrik Adams and Will Cerrutti took first place out of 141 teams in the six-mile race that is divided into three, two-mile legs.
“Nate recorded the fastest opening leg split of any Marblehead runner to ever run at this meet, before handing
off the baton in second place,” said Heenan. “Henrik then ran a tremendous second leg to give Will a chance to track down the leaders. Not only did Will track down the leaders, he went on to win by 11 seconds. He recorded the fastest split by any Marblehead runner to compete in this event, one we have been going to for over 20 years.
“This is the first time a boys team from Marblehead has won this event,” added Heenan. “The team of Jacob Szalewicz, Jonah Potach and Will Cruikshank also had a terrific race, finishing in 15th place. In all, we had six teams complete the race.”
The Marblehead boys (2-0) then resumed the Northeastern Conference schedule against host Beverly on Sept. 11, and defeated the Panthers, 25-31 at the J.C. Phillips Nature Preserve. Assa (16:14) and Cerrutti (16:15) topped the ticket on the 2.95-mile course. Adams (16:55) and Cruikshank (16:55) finished sixth and seventh, followed by Szalewicz (17:15), who ended up ninth to seal the victory. Potach (17:28) rounded out the top 10 in 10th place.
Volleyball enjoys winning record after beating Winthrop, Salem
The Marblehead High volleyball team (3-2) beat North Andover in three games on Sept.
“Greta Sachs and Mari Modryznska both had fantastic games,” said coach Killeen Miller. Modryznska had 10 kills, four aces and eight digs to help lead the way. Sachs collected eight kills, while consistently dominating the net. Eva Burke chipped in with 19 assists. Senior captain Megan Parkman came up with nine digs.
“Senior captain Megan Parkman did a tremendous job leading this group back after a tough loss to Masco,” said Miller.
“The girls were motivated, and Megan kept them moving in the right direction.”
But the Magicians then lost to Woburn in five games on Sept. 9.
Sachs did her part to keep her teammates in the match with 16 kills on 25 swings to go along with two blocks and an ace.
“Greta hit from every spot on the court to carry our offense against Woburn,” said Miller.
Modryznska came up with 12 kills and eight digs on her own. Defensively, Parkman was the team’s anchor, while finishing up with 12 digs.
The Magicians came back to sweep Winthrop in three games on Sept. 12.
Offensively, Sachs finished this match with an impressive nine kills on 13 swings. Lilah Moniz tacked on four kills on eight swings.
Marblehead dominated most of the game from the service
the Firefighters’ Prayer, asking for strength, dedication and concern for those who trust them. Firefighters and police officers in uniform flanked the podium throughout the ceremony. Fire Capt. Gregg McLaughlin rang a bell in a 5-5-5-5 sequence, a tradition signifying a fallen firefighter.
To conclude the observance, Select Board Chair Erin Noonan laid a wreath crafted by Essex North Shore Agricultural &
area, racking up several big aces. Modrynska and Parkman collected six aces apiece, and sophomore Erin Wilder was close behind with five.
The Magicians made it two in a row on Friday the 13 th after beating Salem in three games at home.
Sachs had another outstanding offensive game with eight kills on 11 attempts. She also had two blocks and five aces. Modryznks also had eight kills, plus nine aces. The Magicians dominated the service line with 25 aces altogether. Eva Burke led the setters with 13 attempts.
The Marblehead girls were at Peabody to play the Tanners on Sept. 16 after press deadline. They then come home to face Beverly later today (Sept. 18), starting at 5:30 p.m., before taking on host Notre Dame of Hingham two days later at the same time.
Golfers win three straight matches
The Marblehead golfers had quite a week winning three straight matches against the likes of Peabody, Saugus and Beverly to run their record to 5-2.
The Magicians first took on Peabody at Tedesco on Sept. 10, and they proceeded to beat the Tanners, 52.5-19.5. All eight players won their matches during this dominating triumph.
Technical School students next to the town’s 9/11 memorial. The monument bears the names of the Marblehead residents killed on Sept. 11, 2001.
“We purposely relive these traumatic events mostly as a way to heal, but always as a way to remind ourselves that the United States is a target because of our core beliefs and values,” King said. “On this day, in remembrance of 9/11, we will not forget. We will never forget.”
Marty Ryan (7-2), Tyler Forbes (6.5-2.5), Jacob Hershfield (5-4), James Bickell (7.5-1.5), Greyson Leventhal (6-3), Max King (6-3), Will Macrina (8.5-.5) and Dylan Whitman (6-3) were those individual winners. Macrina was the team’s medalist after shooting a 35.
The very next day, the Magicians took their winning act to Lynnfield’s King Rail Golf Course to take down the Sachems, 58.5-13.5.
Once again, the Marblehead starting lineup came away victorious. Ryan, Forbes, Hershfield, Bickell, Leventhal, Joy Meshulam, King and Macrina did the honors against Saugus in that order. Ryan was the team’s medalist after shooting an even par 34.
The Marblehead boys came right back home again to defeat the Panthers in a very close match, 39.5-32.5 to wrap three consecutive fun days on the course.
Ryan (5-4, 35), Forbes (5-4, 34), Hershfield (5-4, 36), Bickell (6-3, 39) and King (6.5-2.5, 38) came out on top, while Macrina halved his match. Forbes was the team’s medalist after shooting a 34.
The Magicians went back to work yesterday (Sept. 17) against Danvers after press deadline. They will then be going up against host Masco later today at 4 p.m., before returning home to face Salem at the same time.
CURRENT PHOTOS / WILL DOWD
Veterans Agent Roseann Trionfi-Mazzuchelli offers remarks at Marblehead’s Memorial Park ceremony on the 23rd anniversary of Sept. 11.
About 80 people came out Wednesday for the Sept. 11 ceremony observed on Memorial Park.
From P. A10
Current welcomes three new board members
BY LEIGH BLANDER
As the Marblehead Current approaches the start of its third year in print, the paper is welcoming three new members to its board of directors. Cheryl Byrne, David Vigneron and Brian Birke bring a variety of expertise — in law, marketing and fundraising — to the team.
Cheryl Byrne
Byrne is a communications professional with over 25 years of experience in public relations, crisis management and social media strategy. Her career spans politics, gun control advocacy and government affairs. Byrne knows the importance of independent, nonprofit news.
“In order to be a good citizen, you need to be informed,” she said. “And there is no better source of fair, unbiased factual information than from an outlet that is not dependent on any corporate funding and that is not beholden to the ideologies of its owners, regardless of their political leanings.”
David Vigneron
Vigneron has worked in education fundraising for
more than 30 years. He has served in senior philanthropic roles at Boston College, Babson College and Endicott College, and is currently the director of institutional advancement at Bishop Fenwick in Peabody.
Vigneron shared his vision for the Current in the next three to five years.
“I hope three years from now we all recognize that the paper
is a nonprofit operation that depends on financial support from not only the people living in our town, but also support from the main online readers throughout the country that log in on a daily basis to read about their beloved Marblehead,” he said.
Brian Birke
Birke is an attorney with Thomson Reuters Practical
Law and has a background in commercial litigation.
Asked what he likes to read most in the Current, Birke answered, “All of it! Reading all the news articles regularly gives me a fuller picture of our community and makes me feel more connected to my neighbors.”
Bryne, Vigneron and Birke join Board President Virginia Buckingham and members
Gene Arnould, Co-chair Ed Bell, Co-chair Robert Peck, Donna Rice (who handles advertising and sales) and Treasurer Rick Weed.
The Current would like to thank Jessica Barnett and Francie King, who cycled off the board recently and continue to serve on its Fundraising Committee, for their tireless contributions to our success.
BY MELISSA STACEY
The following is an interview with Lauren McCormack, executive director of Marblehead Museum, conducted by Discover Marblehead. Marblehead Museum has four sites in town and offers lectures, programs, exhibits and walking tours. The museum is a nonprofit that operates solely through donations, membership fees and fundraising. To learn more about its upcoming exhibits and programs or to make a donation, go to marbleheadmuseum.org
Tell us about the Marblehead Museum and the programs you offer the community. Marblehead Museum & Historical Society, Inc. is a private, nonprofit museum founded in 1898 to preserve, protect and promote Marblehead’s past as a means of enriching the present. We have four sites in town: the 1768 Jeremiah Lee Mansion, JOJ Frost Gallery & Carolyn Lynch Education Center, Civil War/ Grand Army of the Republic exhibit in the Old Town House, as well as our newest acquisition, the Jeremiah Lee Brick Kitchen & Slave Quarters next to the Lee Mansion. We
have an object and archival collection of over 60,000 items from Marblehead’s past and invite researchers and genealogists to take advantage of our resources. We offer lectures, walking tours, programs and events year-round, both hybrid and in-person.
What exciting projects are you working on currently? The museum is currently working to preserve, rehabilitate and interpret the 1768 Jeremiah Lee Brick Kitchen & Slave Quarters at 157 Washington St. Thanks to a generous donation by Standley Goodwin in 2021, we were able to purchase the building, which was built by the Lee family to serve as a detached kitchen, coach house and living quarters for their enslaved individuals. The building is fascinating, and we spent over two years working with architectural historians, archaeologists and
other scholars to study how it has changed over time. Now, we’re working to secure it for the next 250 years. At the same time, we’re working closely with scholars and public historians to develop an exhibit on the first floor about the enslaved experience in Marblehead. The second floor will be a new state-of-the-art archive and research center so we can better preserve and share our historical documents and photos. The entire project budget is just over $1.4 million, and we’re actively
seeking donations and grants to meet our goal.
What is your favorite spot in Marblehead, and why? I love walking around Old Burial Hill. It’s quiet and peaceful, but it’s also an opportunity to see so much of Marblehead’s past in one place — its heroes and heroines, as well as the everyday people who, over the years, made Marblehead the amazing town it was and is.
What is something people
would be surprised to learn about you? Before I came to the Marblehead Museum, I worked at the USS Constitution Museum and was privileged to be on board USS Constitution when she sailed in 2012, in honor of the 200th anniversary of the War of 1812, for only the second time since the 19th century.
This spotlight is a weekly feature published in partnership with Discover Marblehead. To learn more, visit discovermhd.com
COURTESY PHOTO
Lauren McCormack, executive director of Marblehead Museum, works to preserve the rich history of the town.
David Vigneron
Cheryl Byrne Brian Birke
Marblehead’s best bets
Current Events spotlights exciting happenings in the coming week. If you’d like to contribute a listing, please email Current editor Leigh Blander at lblander@marbleheadnews.org.
Women power
Wednesday, Sept. 18, 7 p.m.
Harvard Law School professor Barbara Berenson comes to Marblehead Museum to talk about her book, “Massachusetts in the Women’s Suffrage movement.”
Learn how activists from the Boston-based American Women’s Suffrage Association led revolutionary campaigns across the state. Attend in person, 170 Washington St., or on Zoom. Tickets are $10 for museum members, $15 for non-members. More info at marbleheadmuseum.org.
Jazz at the Arts
Thursday, Sept. 19, 7 p.m.
The Marblehead Arts Association and Gene Arnould present the Debby Larkin & Jeff Stout Quintet as a part of their Jazz at the Arts concert series. Tickets are $35 each, and the evening will feature a cash bar. More info and tickets at marbleheadarts.org.
Marblehead 250
Sept. 21-22
Learn about Marbleheaders during the Revolutionary War and visit various historic sites in town during this weekend-long event. Pick up a program book in Abbot Hall’s Select Board Room or the Jeremiah Lee Mansion and experience Revolutionary War-era Marblehead at various sites in the Historic District. Rain or shine. To learn more and see the full schedule of events, marbleheadmuseum.org/mhd250.
Minecraft Roller Coaster
Monday, Sept. 23, 5 p.m.
Kids will embark on a thrilling adventure engineering gravity-defying twists and turns to create the ultimate coaster experience, leveraging principles of physics to design the most exhilarating ride imaginable. The program is limited to 10 children in grades four to six. Tablets will be provided. Online registration is required at tinyurl.com/ Minecraft-Roller-Coaste.
Comedy night
Friday, Sept. 27, 7 p.m.
Me&Thee
Friday, Sepvt. 20, 8 p.m.
From coffeehouses to Carnegie Hall, Joe Jencks has made a mark on the American music scene, singing and telling stories that educate, illuminate and uplift. His socially conscious lyrics and spiritual exploration merge conservatory training with his Irish roots and working-class upbringing. 28 Mugford St. More info at meandthee.org.
The Marblehead Counseling Center presents Comedy Night @ the Gerry 5, 210 Beacon St. hosted by local comic and founder of the Salem comedy & Spirits Festival Mark Scalia. The evening’s first performer, Kathe Farris, is a Boston-based, stay-at-home-mom, comedian and confessed “snack cake enthusiast.” After becoming comicin-residence at the Comedy Studio, Farris was a finalist in the Boston Comedy Fest. She is nationally known for her Dry Bar Comedy special, and her album, “Have You Seen This Woman?”
Headlining the evening is Kelly MacFarland, stand-up comedian, writer and actress. She is a regular performer at local comedy clubs but also was seen on Comedy Central, NBC’s “Last Comic Standing,” Prime Video, “Up Early Tonight” on Hulu and Denis Leary’s “Comics Come Home.” She also has several comedy albums available on iTunes and SiriusXM.
Proceeds from the event benefit the Marblehead Counseling Center and support its mission of providing high-quality, affordable mental health care to Marblehead and surrounding communities. Tickets are $35, $40 at the door. https://loom.ly/ zrYiSGY.
Rockin’ for a good cause
BY LEIGH BLANDER
Local music producer and promoter Stu Ginsburg and Finance Committee member
Tom Shotmeyer are teaming up on a concert this fall to raise money for Marblehead’s Special Education Parent Advisory Council. They’re bringing the band Deer Ticket to perform at Abbot Hall on Nov. 9 at 7 p.m.
“This is my way of giving back,” said Ginsburg, who served on SEPAC for 12 years when his now-adult son was a student in town.
Ginsburg and Shotmeyer are members of the Odd Fellows Lodge in Swampscott, which also serves Marblehead and Lynn residents. The philanthropic group has a mission of helping others.
“These guys are actually making the world a better place,” Ginsburg said. “We meet and donate money to the right causes.”
The Odd Fellows donated $20,000 to the JCC for increased security after the Oct. 7 terrorist attacks in Israel. They regularly give to Care Dimensions, Seaglass Village and the Chelsea Veterans Home. They also fund college scholarships and donate money to families dealing with health crises.
Ginsburg and Shotmeyer hope to raise $5,000 through ticket sales and sponsorships. The Odd Fellows will match whatever amount is raised.
Jenn Jackson, co-chair of SEPAC, said the money will have a real impact.
“We’re hoping to be able to bring in speakers on different topics,” she said, explaining how the money would be used. “We could use the money to have our unsung hero event in the spring back in person, celebrating the wonderful staff in Marblehead schools.”
Deer Tick is
Leigh Blander
Kicking off Banned Books Week
Monday, Sept. 23, 6:30 p.m. In honor and celebration of Banned Books Week, librarian Wesley Sueker will talk about the state of intellectual freedom in libraries, including the status of book bans and challenges, current and proposed legislation, and activism efforts around the country. A brief presentation will be followed by a Q&A portion, as well as a list of banned book recommendations. Registration is required and limited to 50 attendees. Please register at tinyurl. com/Abbot-Book-Bans.
Political
thriller
Sept. 27-Oct. 13
Tickets are now available for Marblehead Little Theatre’s production of “The Resistible Rise of Arturo Ui,” by Bertolt Brecht. The play is a dark commentary on the perils of unchecked power. It is directed by Greg MancusiUngaro of Marblehead. The Current goes behind the scenes at rehearsals in next week’s edition. General admission tickets for the play are $28. More info at mltlive.org.
Ginsburg said. “They became pretty big, pretty fast.”
Also performing at the concert will be Marblehead native Chad Raleigh and his Boston-based band Other Brother Darryl.
“The last time I played Abbot Hall, I was singing in fifth-grade chorus,” Raleigh laughed.
Other Brother Darryl plays “cosmic canyon rock” or “psych folk,” according to Raleigh, who lives in the Newton area now and comes back to Marblehead every couple of months.
At MHS, he was in a band called Scaramanga with fellow student Rob Delaney, now a famous actor and author. They rehearsed in another friend’s basement and would play gigs at the high school, writing all their own music.
In Other Brother Darryl, Raleigh plays several instruments, including guitar and mandolin.
For tickets to the Nov. 9 show, visit https://loom.ly/-_t108U. To get involved as a sponsor or volunteer, contact Ginsburg at platorum@aol.com.
COURTESY PHOTOS
The band Deer Tick will headline a concert raising money for Marblehead’s SEPAC.
Marblehead native Chad Raleigh, center in the back, and his band Other Brother Darryl will perform with Deer Tick at Abbot Hall.
Savory seafood cakes — easy as burgers
BY LINDA BASSETT
Peering into the specialty case at the supermarket can be akin to reading a restaurant menu. Possibilities. Inspiration. Fish cakes are usually eye-catching. Easy to cook up either in a skillet, oven or on the grill, they come in all varieties. With a little time and inclination, you can try your hand at your own original version. Any bounty from the sea works, finfish or shellfish. It’s as easy as making burgers. Blend the fish with chopped fresh herbs or vegetables. Suspend them in egg or mayonnaise. Form into patties and cook in a skillet. Add sauce, if you want. Baltimore crab cakes are the gold standard. On home turf by the Chesapeake, shellfish pulled fresh from the bay are mixed with signature Old Bay seasoning, and boosted with a jolt of hot sauce, the whole held together with eggs and breadcrumbs.
Take that basic premise, change up the seafood, then apply it to ... tuna cakes with Mediterranean notes of citrus and capers, oregano and basil with fresh tuna? (Add a light tomato sauce.) Salmon cakes spiked with fresh dill? (And garnished with more fresh dill.) You might conjure up some type of cake with Caribbean or Asian flavors using whatever seafood is the weekly special at the market. Keep in mind that once
formed, the mixture needs to be refrigerated for a few hours to hold the ingredients together during cooking. Now, create the best alternative burgers ever!
BALTIMORE CRAB CAKES MAKES 4 SERVINGS OF 2 CAKES. These cakes pair classically with remoulade sauce, an easy whisking of mayo and mustard. Or tartar sauce, for New England palates. I use flat parsley rather than curly — more flavor, easier chopping.
` 1/2 cup mayonnaise
` 1 teaspoon pickle relish, drained
` 1 large egg, beaten ` 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
` 1 teaspoon Worcestershire
sauce
` 1 teaspoon Old Bay Seasoning
` ¼ teaspoon hot sauce
1 pound jumbo lump crabmeat, picked over
` ½ cup panko breadcrumbs
` ½ teaspoon chopped fresh parsley
` Salt, ground black pepper, to taste
` 1/4 cup canola or vegetable oil
` Lemon wedges, for serving
In a small bowl, whisk the mayonnaise with the egg, mustard, Worcestershire sauce, Old Bay Seasoning and hot sauce until smooth.
Toss crabmeat with the bread crumbs in a medium bowl. Gently fold in the mayonnaise mixture.
Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours. Form 8 patties, about 1-1/2 inches thick. In a large skillet, heat the oil. Add the crab cakes; cook over medium-high heat until the exterior is deeply golden, for 3 minutes. Turn the cakes and repeat.
Serve with lemon wedges.
SALMON CAKES MAKES 4 CAKES.
` 1 tablespoon pure olive oil (not extra virgin) or vegetable oil
` 2 tablespoons olive or vegetable oil, or as needed
Heat the oil in a skillet on medium heat. Add onion, red pepper, celery and cook, stirring until onion is tender and translucent, about 5 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat and allow to cool and drain on paper towels. When cooled, pile into a mixing bowl.
Add salmon, cooled vegetable mixture, mayonnaise, 1/4 cup breadcrumbs, garlic, mustard, dill, salt, and pepper to the bowl. Stir together until well-mixed. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate until chilled and firm, 2 hours.
Form the mixture into four 1-inch thick patties; sprinkle remaining panko crumbs over each patty.
Heat more oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add patties, and cook until golden, 3 to 4 minutes on each side.
TUNA CAKES MAKES 4. Salted capers are available in specialty markets. Rinse before using. Capers packed in brine in jars can be found in most supermarkets. Drain brine before using.
Lemons and oranges are signature Mediterranean flavors. Use either one.
` 1 tablespoon pure olive oil
` ¼ cup minced scallions
` 2 tablespoons minced yellow bell pepper
` 2 tablespoons minced red bell pepper
` Salt, pepper to taste 1
tablespoon capers
` Pinch dried oregano
` 5 leaves fresh basil, torn in small pieces, optional
` 2 tablespoons fresh lemon or orange zest
` 1-¼ pounds fresh tuna, coarsely chopped
` ¼ cup mayonnaise
` ¼ cup fresh breadcrumbs
` 1 egg, well-beaten
` 1 tablespoon dried plain breadcrumbs, or to taste
` 2 tablespoons olive oil, or as needed Heat the oil in a skillet on medium heat.
Add scallion, lemon zest, red pepper, celery, to hot oil and cook, stirring, until scallions are tender and translucent, about 5 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat and allow to cool. (See note above.) When cooled, pile into a mixing bowl.
Add the tuna, cooled vegetable mixture, mayonnaise, oregano and basil, if using, 1/4 cup breadcrumbs, garlic, mustard, dill, citrus zest, salt and pepper to the bowl and stir together until well-mixed. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate until chilled and somewhat firm, 1 to 2 hours. Form the mixture into four 1-1/2-inch thick patties; sprinkle extra panko crumbs over each patty and press in gently. Heat oil in a skillet over medium-heat. Cook patties until golden, 3 to 4 minutes per side. Squeeze 2 tablespoons of lemon or orange juice over the tuna cakes before bringing to the table.
Linda Bassett lived in Marblehead for years and has worked as a cook, trained up-and-coming chefs, studied food history and led food tours. Her book, “From Apple Pie to Pad Thai,” is about local cooks and cooking.
BY PAM PETERSON
The Revolutionary War for independence created a new nation, the United States. The next step was to establish its government, goals and ideals. The Federal period, from 1780 through 1830, was a time of political and cultural development for the new country in every aspect of life. The founding fathers and mothers looked to the ancient democracies of Greece and Rome. They wanted to emulate the classical style of government and the importance of learning. The new Federal style reflected America’s national identity. Independence and democratic ideals were affirmed in government, politics and the arts and culture. America was to be the Athens of the new world, a center of democracy and learning. Out of these ideas came a new form of higher education, the academy. There were three academies founded in Essex County before 1800: the Governor Dummer Academy, Phillips Academy at Andover and the Marblehead Academy.
The academy was a secondary school at 44 Pleasant St., that taught classical languages and liberal arts, such as English, geography, music and bookkeeping. Girls as well as boys were admitted, and all paid school fees. This was not a public school, as we now know them, but a private school that was chartered and, in some
cases, granted land by the state. The Marblehead Academy was a school but it was also built to accommodate meetings for select board and other town meetings, as well as some public lectures and programs for townspeople that would raise money to pay for the cost of the building. Don’t forget, Abbot Hall was not built until 1876,
and the Old Town House is quite small.
Joseph Story of Marblehead, who later became a U.S. Supreme Court justice, attended Marblehead Academy. He had bitter memories of corporal punishment at the hands of the headmaster, but good memories about the school in general. His insights into girl students
clearly indicates that he was an intelligent young man destined for great things, when he wrote: “...I was early struck by the flexibility, activity and power of the female mind. Girls... were quite our equals and had a much greater quickness of perception and delicacy of feeling than the boys.”
The Marblehead Academy was never a boarding school, and by the 1860s its usefulness for Marblehead reached an end. The emergence of public high schools doomed it and many of the other New England academies. The wooden building was torn down and replaced with a brick structure, which eventually was used by the American Legion. It still exists and is now two separate condominium living spaces.
The Marblehead Academy represented a new focus after the American Revolution, of an awareness of the importance of education for all. The Marblehead Academy met the needs of the town of Marblehead for many years, educating boys and girls, and preparing some of them to go on to colleges and universities.
Pam Peterson chairs the Marblehead Historical Commission. She is the former Marblehead Museum executive director.
COURTESY PHOTO / MARBLEHEAD MUSEUM
A photo depicting the Marblehead Academy at 44 Pleasant St.
COURTESY PHOTO
A golden, crispy crab cake served fresh is the best, writes food columnist Linda Bassett.
Leroy ‘Robin’ Bergeron, 70
Leroy “Robin” Bergeron, 70, of Marblehead, died Friday, Sept. 6. He was the husband of the late Patricia Bergeron, with whom he shared 24 years of marriage. Born at the Mary Alley Hospital of Marblehead, he was the son of the late Gwenna Bergeron, born in Lynn. Bergeron was the father of Marisela Bergeron and nephew of his aunt, Cheryl Matthews.
He was born and raised in Marblehead and educated through the Marblehead school system. He raised his family in Marblehead, where he worked as a carpenter and landscaper alongside his late wife for over 20 years. In his younger days, Bergeron enjoyed camping with friends and family.
A graveside ceremony will be held at Waterside Cemetery on Sept. 20 at noon. Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at eustisandcornellfuneralhome. com for Bergeron’s family.
The Marblehead Current publishes obituaries online for free and in its print edition for a flat fee of 300. Submissions or inquiries should be sent to notices@marbleheadnews.org.
Submissions should include the name of the funeral home serving the deceased’s family, along with a daytime phone number for a person to contact, in case we have any questions about the obituary.
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Frozen pizza vandals, egged houses and gazebo crashes
COMPILED BY WILL DOWD
Excerpts from the Marblehead police log Aug. 27-Sept. 8. Consistent with state law, police have adopted a policy of not providing media outlets reports related to incidents involving domestic violence, juveniles and matters that remain under investigation.
Aug. 27
12:06 p.m. — Officer Douglas Mills responded to Pleasant Street for a report of past vandalism at the Mason’s Philanthropic Lodge. The building manager reported that a group of juveniles damaged the lodge’s fence on two separate occasions — Aug. 7 and Aug. 26. Video surveillance footage showed the juveniles breaking a support post and bending another, compromising the fence’s structural integrity. Mills documented the incidents and collected photographic evidence. The case has been forwarded to detectives and the school resource officer for further investigation and potential identification of the juveniles involved.
5:39 p.m. — Officer Jason McDonald met with a juvenile and parent at the police station regarding an incident at Redd’s Pond. The juvenile reported being approached by three adults while fishing with a friend around 4:30 p.m. The adults allegedly accused the juveniles of being terrorists and threatened to report them to Environmental Police. McDonald advised the juvenile to contact police if they feel threatened by the group again.
Aug. 28
4:21 p.m. — Sgt. Sean Brady responded to Devereux Beach for a report of a vehicle striking the gazebo. The operator, driving a 2024 Toyota CRV, allegedly attempted to park but accidentally accelerated over the curb, damaging the gazebo’s wooden support and carrying beam. No injuries were reported. The Marblehead building inspector was called to assess the structure’s integrity. The area was taped off by the Fire Department pending repairs.
Aug. 29
2:31 p.m. — Officer Andrew Clark was dispatched to Atlantic Avenue for a report of vandalism
at Crowninshield Management. The reporting party stated that on Aug. 27, at around 8:31 p.m., video surveillance captured four juveniles stealing an antenna from the wooden gate entrance used for employee parking access. The estimated cost for the antenna and installation is around $500. Clark documented the incident and will forward the report to the Criminal Investigation Division and school resource officer for follow-up.
Aug. 30
11:17 a.m. — Officer Andrew Clark spoke with a resident of Pickwick Road regarding an alleged package theft. The resident reported that two packages delivered to their front steps on Aug. 29 were stolen. Ring camera footage showed a vehicle pulling up to the residence around 11:43 p.m., and a male exiting the passenger side to take the packages. The total value of the stolen items was $199.39. Clark documented the incident and forwarded the report to the Criminal Investigation Division for review.
12:17 p.m. — Officer Sean Sweeney spoke with a resident over the phone regarding alleged fraudulent credit card charges discovered on their account. Sweeney advised the resident to cancel the card, which had already been done, and to flag their information with credit reporting agencies. The resident was not currently out any money but was advised to document any further charges if they appear.
8:15 p.m. — Officers Jason McDonald and Dean Peralta responded to Front Street for a report of an erratic operator. Witnesses reported a white BMW driving the wrong direction and a verbal altercation between the driver and passenger. Officer Samuel Rizos located the vehicle parked on Washington Street. After investigation, it was determined the female passenger had taken over driving. The woman was
visibly upset and admitted to having been in an argument with her boyfriend. Officers advised her to arrange alternative transportation home, which she did via rideshare.
Sept. 2, 12:45 p.m. — Officer Jason McDonald spoke with a resident at the police station regarding an ongoing neighbor dispute on Pond Street. The resident alleged that their upstairs neighbor had poured water on them from their deck. McDonald reviewed video footage provided by the resident, which showed small drops of water coming through deck floorboards. McDonald then spoke with the upstairs neighbor, who explained she was watering plants on her deck. Both parties were advised of the situation, and the incident was documented.
Sept. 3
8:10 a.m. — Officer Douglas Mills conducted traffic enforcement at the intersection of Washington Street and Atlantic Avenue from 8:10-8:50 a.m. During this time, Mills pulled over one motor vehicle for an alleged failure to stop at a stop sign.
9:52 a.m. — Officer Douglas Mills met with a resident in the police station lobby regarding an email phishing scam. The resident reported receiving a blackmail email demanding Bitcoin in exchange for not releasing information about their use of pornography. Mills advised the resident to block the sender, not open emails from unknown senders, and continue monitoring their bank accounts and credit.
2:30 p.m. — Officer Douglas Mills met with a resident in the police station lobby regarding fraudulent charges on their bank account. The resident reported multiple unauthorized charges totaling approximately $350 throughout August. Mills advised the resident to monitor their credit and document any further fraudulent activity. The incident was documented for potential
follow-up by the bank.
Sept. 4, 1:30 p.m. — Officer Andrew Clark spoke with a representative from Gilbert and Cole Lumber regarding alleged check fraud. The business reported that two fabricated checks, totaling over $18,000, had been cashed against their account. The incident was documented and forwarded to the Criminal Investigation Division for further investigation.
Sept. 5
11:21 a.m. — Officer Charles Sweeney responded to the Miller Plaza parking lot for a report of a disturbance. A caller reported blocking in a vehicle due to suspicions of an intoxicated driver. Sweeney investigated the area and later spoke with the vehicle’s owner at their residence. The incident was documented, and no further action was taken at that time.
12:23 p.m. — Officer Andrew Clark spoke with a property owner regarding alleged vandalism to commercial buildings on School Street and Sewall Street. The owner reported that downspouts and brackets had been removed from the buildings, causing damage to the siding. Clark documented the incident and advised he would check the area for cameras during patrol.
Sept. 6
4:40 p.m. — Officer Tyler Bates responded to Leicester Road for a contractor dispute. The homeowner reported hiring a junk removal company to remove a hot tub, but the workers left the job unfinished. Bates documented the incident and provided information on alternative junk removal services.
Sept. 7
10:10 a.m. — Officer Jason McDonald responded to Commercial Street for a hit-andrun complaint. A parked vehicle was allegedly sideswiped by a white Volkswagen midsize SUV
that left the scene. McDonald documented the damage and checked the area for cameras but found none. The victim was advised to contact their insurance company.
11:42 a.m. — Officer Jason McDonald responded to Nicholson Street for a vandalism complaint. The resident reported finding a melted frozen pizza in their unlocked car. McDonald advised the resident to start locking their vehicle and documented the incident.
5:50 p.m. — Officer Samuel Rizos met with a resident in the police station lobby regarding stolen Apple AirPods. The resident reported the AirPods, valued at around $300, were stolen from their daughter the previous day. Using the Find My iPhone app, the AirPods were tracked to an apartment complex on State Street. Rizos attempted to locate the AirPods at the complex but was unsuccessful. The report was forwarded to the Criminal Investigation Division for follow-up.
6:45 p.m. — Officer Samuel Rizos conducted a traffic stop on Tedesco Street after observing a vehicle with a revoked registration. The operator was allegedly found to have a suspended license and was aware of the suspension. The operator was issued a summons for operating after license suspension and the vehicle was towed. The license plates were seized and inventoried per department policy.
Sept. 8
8:21 a.m. — Officer Robert Picariello responded to Roosevelt Avenue for a report of a house being egged. The homeowner reported hearing noises the previous night but didn’t realize what had happened until the morning. Picariello documented the incident and took photographs of the damage.
9:55 a.m. — Officer Robert Picariello responded to Bessom Street for a report of a suspicious item. Upon arrival, Picariello located a large plastic bag containing a brown powdery substance. The bag was seized, transported to the station, sealed into an evidence bag and placed into an evidence locker. The evidence control officers were notified of its location.
6:41 p.m. — Officers Andrew DiMare and Robert Picariello responded to Pleasant Street for a report of a disturbance at a local bar. The general manager reported that an individual had caused a disturbance when refused service. The officers advised the manager on the process to obtain a no trespass order and to call if the individual returned.
COURTESY PHOTO / MONSERREAT SOLDU
over us, but we didn’t.”
Wales knows the effort doesn’t reflect on the scoreboard, but there’s satisfaction just to hang in there against a perennial Super Bowl contender. There’s still plenty of football left to turn things around just like last year.
“This is a big week of practice for us,” added Wales. “There are a lot of little things to fix to get back to our old winning ways.”
Wales expects the same type of offense against non-league Shepherd Hill Friday night in the home opener like they saw from King Philip.
“That type of familiarity should give us a head start coming into this game, while on offense we’re just looking to put up a big number on the scoreboard for the first time this year. That doesn’t happen with just one or two big plays; we just have to keep the chains moving with
sustained drives.”
Captain Crew Monaco knew they were facing a powerhouse program last week. It was going to be a challenge.
“They are ranked second in the state for a reason,” he said. “But we did everything we could right out of the gate. We stopped them early multiple times to put them in the hole on third
downs, and even some fourth downs situations, which unfortunately they converted. I don’t think they were expecting the pressure we put on them, and as a result I was really proud of how our guys stepped up to that challenge. We showed a lot of heart, and we didn’t back down. I think that goes a long way.
“Multiple special teams
Marblehead Chamber of Commerce 72nd Annual Meeting & 2024 Community Award Winners
Thursday, September 26th from 5:30-8:30pm Corinthian Yacht Club in Marblehead
The Nominating Committee wishes to thank the community for the submitted nominations for the 2024 Community Awards
Please join Chamber members as we celebrate the honorees and welcome our Board Leadership and Directors for the 2024-2025 year
Tickets: $65 per person, includes a three-course dinner (cash bar)
For more info & tickets: www.marbleheadchamber.org or call 781-631-2868.
Cong ratulations to the follow ing 2024 Community Award Winners: Rey Moulton Person of the Year : Dave Rodgers
Frank Regan Community Service Award: Teresa Collins
Business of the Year : The Harbor Light Inn
Non-Profit Organization of the Year : The Abbot Public Librar y Foundation
Harbor Award: Jordan’s Launch Special Recognition: Bette Hunt
plays were crucial, as we stopped two-point conversions, blocked extra points and a field goal,” added Crew.
There’s no doubt that Colt, Crew and their teammates are “super excited” to finally play at home on Friday night, Sept. 20, 7 p.m, before their loyal fans.
“We’re all hungry and ready to get that first win,” said Crew.
Marblehead High senior Sam Thompson hauls in a pass against non-league King Philip.
Marblehead High football senior Yandel Garcia has that determined look ready to run over the King Philip defense during last Friday night’s game. But the host team ended up coming out on top, 40-13.
Marblehead High football junior Rylan Golden heads to the end zone for a touchdown
PHOTOS COURTESY EYAL OREN/ WEDNESDAYS IN MARBLEHEAD
The Marblehead High football team gets fired up for non-league King Philip before last Friday night’s game. But King Philip won the battle, 40-13.
Marblehead High football junior Finn Gallup fires the ball downfield.
