Changes coming to restaurant scene
BY WILL DOWD AND LEIGH BLANDER
Owners of the iconic Rip Tide Lounge are looking to sell the restaurant and building at 116 Pleasant St. for up to $1.8 million.
Owner Mikael Vienneau of Broadway Capital told the Current he isn’t putting the Rip Tide on the market but is soliciting offers from local buyers.
Vienneau bought the Rip Tide in 2023 for $1 million and said he spent $600,000 on renovations. This has been the plan all along, he added. “Our main focus is on real estate development, not running restaurants and businesses. We stabilized the asset. That was our primary objective from the start — to buy
this, enhance the asset and then potentially sell it when the time was right.”
The recent renovations
included updating the building’s infrastructure and restoring its facade to reflect its origins as a
BY LEIGH BLANDER
Teacher contract talks were set to resume Oct. 21 after an emotional School Committee meeting last week, when educators and community members packed the Marblehead High School library to demand higher wages and safer classrooms.
(Visit MarbleheadCurrent.org to for an update after the Oct. 21 negotiations.)
At the Oct. 17 meeting, many educators spoke, some sharing stories about being injured by dysregulated students who they say aren’t getting the services they need because of short
staffing.
Village School teacher and Marblehead Education Association
Co-president Jonathan Heller read from a petition signed by more than 700 people.
“It has become increasingly evident that the problems facing our schools cannot continue to be ignored. The current path taken by the School Committee has resulted in an historic turnover of over 20% within the teacher unit, leaving our educators feeling disrespected, undervalued and unsupported,” Heller said.
Glover School kindergarten teacher Hannah Partyka said she spends 1,200
hours commuting to work each year because she can’t afford to live in Marblehead on her salary.
She said she started at Glover four years ago full of energy and passion.
“It’s really hard for me to say this, but I am struggling to continue to tap into that passion and energy given the current conditions of our schools,” Partyka said. “Hearing ‘no’ time and time again, it’s impossible not to feel defeated.”
She added, “I can honestly say I don’t know how much longer I can stay in Marblehead.”
» Saturday, Oct. 26: 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday, Oct. 28, to Thursday, Oct. 31: 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
BY WILL DOWD
Marblehead voters will have lots of opportunities to cast their ballots in the upcoming state and national election. Early voting is underway and runs through Friday, Nov. 1. The early
Abbot Hall, 188 Washington St., offers a variety of times to accommodate diverse schedules: Wednesday, Oct. 23: 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 24: 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.
» Friday, Oct. 25: 9 a.m. to 11 a.m.
Notably, the project brought the structure into compliance with modern accessibility standards. Vienneau said they spent $70,000 on just accessibility upgrades, including $30,000 for a new front-entrance ramp. Vienneau stressed there’s no firm timeline for a sale.
“Maybe we’ll never sell it if we don’t get the right price. We’ll just retain it,” he said.
Town faces 3A hurdles to receive $475,500 in grants
BY WILL DOWD
Marblehead has secured $475,502 in state grants for planning and coastal resilience initiatives but faces hurdles in accessing the funds. The town cannot collect $265,000 unless it complies with the MBTA Communities Act by Dec. 31, while the status of a $210,502 coastal zone grant remains uncertain pending potential MBTA Act compliance requirements.
The planning grants, part of the Fiscal Year 2025 Community One Stop for Growth program, include $135,000 for a Five Corners intersection redesign and $130,000 to develop a new comprehensive town master plan. An additional $210,502 grant from the Massachusetts Coastal Zone Management will analyze flood risks and develop plans to protect key waterfront infrastructure.
Award letters for the planning grants specify that contracts will not be executed if Marblehead is found non-compliant after the new year with Section 3A of M.G.L. Chapter 40A, pertaining to MBTA communities’ zoning requirements.
Marblehead’s Planning Board presented zoning changes to create three new
» Wednesday, Oct. 30: Extended hours until 5:30 p.m. Friday, Nov. 1: 8:30 a.m. to noon Town Clerk Robin A. Michaud encourages residents to take advantage of these times to vote early. For further details or inquiries, residents can call 781-631-0528. Key deadlines for voters include:
» Voter registration closes Oct. 26. In-person registration at local election offices ends at 5 p.m., online registration at 11:59 p.m., and mail-in registrations must be postmarked by this date.
» Mail-in and absentee ballot requests must be received by Oct. 29 at 5 p.m.
» Mailed ballots must be postmarked by Nov. 5. In-person ballot return deadline is 8 p.m. on Nov. 5. Residents can check their voter registration status at tinyurl.com/yeyuh9ds For those unable to vote early or in person on Election Day, absentee voting remains an option. Voters must request absentee ballots by Oct. 29 at 5 p.m. HOUSING
Marblehead’s restaurant scene is getting a shake-up.
‘W
Housing Authority designates Winn as partner in $67M Broughton Road project
BY LEIGH BLANDER
The Marblehead Housing Authority voted unanimously to designate WinnDevelopment as a partner in a $67 million project at the Broughton Road housing community — subject to agreement on terms within the next 90 days.
“Awesome, guys,” said MHA Chair Jenn Schaeffner after the vote on Oct. 15. “This is very exciting. We’re moving forward.”
Winn was the only developer to bid on the project. Winn’s proposal is to renovate 62 existing units and build an additional 35.
The project, which will not cost Marblehead taxpayers any money, could take three years to complete, including 18 months of construction.
During construction, impacted Broughton Road residents would be temporarily relocated to other public housing units or provided
with subsidized housing options in the private market, according to Kurt James of Marblehead’s Fair Housing Committee.
Some of terms in the initial agreement include the following:
MHA will lease the land to Winn for 99 years. Winn will purchase the buildings for $6.2
parent spoke up from the rear of the room.
“You don’t answer to anyone?”
MHS teacher Michael Fu, who also has two children in Marblehead schools, addressed the committee directly.
“I don’t know what motivations you have, nor is it any of my business,” he said.
“However, I notice from public records the School Committee has paid $403,000 in legal fees in the past 18 months. I’ve sat in as a silent rep in many bargaining sessions and don’t understand why we continue to pay for their counsel if what we have here is the result. I implore you to work with the teachers. You negotiate with us like we’re factory workers.”
After the public comment section, the School Committee pivoted to the rest of its agenda. Heller interrupted, asking, “You don’t want to respond to all the powerful comments you heard tonight?”
The union members then stood up and left.
As they filed out of the room, a
he asked. “What really matters here is the students. You are absolutely not helping. Your teachers just walked out. You’re not accountable for any of your actions. Well, elections are coming. Think about that.”
Committee Chair Jenn Schaeffner gaveled the meeting into a brief recess until the man left.
Later, the School Committee presented an update on the contract talks, saying the differences between the two sides seem “insurmountable.”
According to a presentation by Schaeffner and School Committee member Sarah Fox, the bargaining subcommittee has offered the following:
A teacher wage increase of 10.5-12% over four years.
» Renaming tutors as “instructional assistants” and removing steps required for wage increases. Up to a 16% increase in starting wages for custodians and an additional 4.5% increase
million, some of which will be paid upfront with the remaining amount due over 40 years.
Winn has overall responsibility for planning and implementing the redevelopment project, subject to MHA approval of critical decisions, including financing and design, and
over four years.
» Increased starting wages for pre-k, kindergarten and special education paraprofessionals by 65%.
The MEA’s requests amount to a 27-83% increase across all bargaining units, according to the presentation.
“It’s a gap that seems insurmountable,” Fox said.
The MEA’s proposals would require either a 10% tax override or laying off 75 teachers, which is 15% of staff, Fox and Schaeffner said.
“The effects of this would be catastrophic,” Fox added. “The reality is we haven’t been successful with overrides, so that’s a big risk.”
$9,500 for public relations?
Also at the Oct. 17 meeting, Schaeffner presented a $9,500 contract proposal with the Boston public relations firm, Slowey McManus Communications. Schaeffner said the firm would “work us with during the procss of negotiating a bargaining agreement without units.”
Fox countered, “We can discuss
management and tenant selection plans.
Winn will have principal responsibility for day-to-day activities and operations.
Winn will advance funds for MHA’s legal and development consulting costs during the predevelopment period.
MHA will receive an asset management fee of $6,200 per year with 3% annual growth.
MHA has a right to purchase the property at a reduced price (if it is offered for sale) during years 15-17.
If the state does not award funding for the project by Dec. 31, 2027, the MHA can revoke Winn’s designation.
MHA consultant Emily Achtenburg said Winn had not seen this latest version of an agreement, but she hoped there wouldn’t be many changes.
The MHA meets next in November.
it further. I have very strong reservations about this.” The committee is expected to vote on the PR contract at its next meeting,
When contacted about the $9,500 PR proposal, Heller said, “Lawyers and PR firms don’t teach our students. We have staff in our schools making under $15 an hour and Sarah Fox and Jenn Scheffner think the most appropriate use of tax payer funds is transferring hundreds of of thousands of dollars to a law firm, and now opening the coffers further for a PR firm.”
Heller continued,” This should tell every resident in Marblehead what they need to know about the mismanagement and irresponsibility of this School Committee. Our staff and students deserve better.”
Meanwhile, union members continue their work-to-rule action at rotating schools, holding informational pickets and refusing to perform any duties outside their contract.
The two sides were scheduled to meet on Monday, Oct. 21 and again on Monday, Oct. 28.
multifamily housing districts on Tioga Way, Pleasant Street and Broughton Road. However, Town Meeting rejected the changes in May by a 33-vote margin.
Logan Casey, sustainability coordinator, expressed uncertainty about the situation.
“I don’t know what’s going to happen Jan. 1, and especially with the Supreme Court case, too,” Casey said. “I think with the CZM coastal resiliency grant, that is — I need more clarity — is part of the application process. They said they would be looking at 3A compliance.”
Casey cited a precedent where the state pulled seawall grants from Milton after it rejected its MBTA Communities plan.
Comprehensive master plan
The town has not updated its comprehensive plan in approximately 30 years. Select Board member Dan Fox emphasized its importance: “We definitely need a new master plan. It’s a requirement for eligibility for absolutely everything, including grants.”
Alex Eitler, Marblehead’s new town planner, echoed this sentiment.
“It’s uncommon to not have one,” Eitler said. “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 in the future.”
Waiting on the court
The grants’ fate could hinge
on a pending Supreme Judicial Court decision regarding the enforcement of the MBTA Communities Act. The case, stemming from Milton’s refusal to adopt required zoning changes, could impact communities like Marblehead. That decision is expected within four months.
Town Administrator Thatcher Kezer told the Current that the “window for holding a special town meeting” has essentially closed for Marblehead to meet the Dec. 31 deadline. However, he noted that the final decision rests with the Select Board, and the matter could be taken up in May.
Rep. Jenny Armini, who represents Marblehead, has expressed concern about the town’s position.
“The town has put itself at a significant disadvantage when it comes to securing state funds. There is no sugar coating that,” Armini said.
Marblehead lawyer John DiPiano, a leading critic of the MBTA Communities Act, had complained that any at-risk
grants were theoretical. Now that real grants have been awarded, and potentially lost, he says his position is unchanged.
“These grants represent $12 per capita given our population of about 22,000 residents,” DiPano said, referring to the planning grants. (Marblehead’s population is 20,441, according to the latest U.S. Census figures.)
“Comparing that miniscule amount of money over those two grants vs. the unknown costs to the town associated with high density housing doesn’t move the needle for me one bit,” he added.
Marblehead is among 101 out of 177 communities that have yet to adopt the changes required by the Act. After Dec. 31, the town risks losing access to at least 14 state grant programs and potential legal action from the attorney general. Legal fees for fighting a lawsuit from the attorney general could range from $25,000 to $75,000, according to the town.
Gov. Maura Healey also recently announced $15 million in funds available to communities
compliant with the MBTA Communities Act.
Armini noted that while the town’s current stance puts it at a disadvantage, there’s still time to change course.
“The good news is that this decision is reversible. Once our plan is approved, we are eligible for state funding,” she said. “It is up to us, Marblehead taxpayers, to decide if we will shoulder the full cost of expensive infrastructure and other projects for the foreseeable future.”
Learn more at library program
Local organizations are working to educate residents. The Marblehead Housing Coalition and the Marblehead Democratic Town Committee are sponsoring an educational outreach program on the MBTA Communities Act and zoning issues in Marblehead. The event will be held at 6 p.m. on Monday, Oct. 28, at Abbot Public Library. People can also register to attend via Zoom at bit.
ly/3zUPZzk.
The program aims to address key questions about the Act, including: What is the MBTA Communities Act? Why was it passed?
» What is Marblehead’s plan to comply?
» How would adoption or rejection of the plan impact Marblehead’s finances, character, and quality of life?
Presenters from the Marblehead Housing Coalition include William Keaney, Peirce Law, Rick Smyers and Brian Rooney.
Resident brings paws-itive change
BY GREY COLLINS
Marblehead resident
Carrie Thomas has always loved dogs. From her childhood dogs Snoopy and Bailey, to her growing pack of rescue animals now, caring for animals has always been a big part of her life. Ten years ago, after a long career in the corporate world, she decided to start advocating for their rights, too. This eventually led her to being an animal rights advocate who influences legislators to help improve the lives of animals.
At first, Thomas started to volunteer for the Missouri to Maine Rescue Initiative, by driving dogs as part of a relay from overcrowded midwestern kill shelters to rescue organizations in Maine every two weeks.
”I would see all of these shelters and see the dogs and cats that needed to be rescued before they were euthanized,” said Thomas. “And that was just really impactful for me.”
This convinced Thomas that she needed to keep fighting for animal rights, but she wanted to get to the root of the problem instead of just treating the symptoms.
“I was taking the whole day to transport seven dogs, so I wondered what I could do that was bigger,” said Thomas. “If you don’t change the laws behind it, it’s just like drinking from a fire hose. You’re constantly trying to rescue, rescue, rescue, but if you don’t change the laws it’s going to be never ending.”
After taking a class in lobbying, she realized that she could make a bigger difference by influencing legislation. She picked up the phone and started reaching out to her representatives.
“I realized that my strength was meeting with legislators,” said Thomas, “and getting laws passed on a federal and state level.”
For the last 10 years, Thomas has worked with legislators and representatives at the state and federal level to advance animal rights with the MSPCA and ASPCA. Most recently, she helped get legislation passed called Olly’s Law that would make kennels and “doggy daycares” much safer.
“There’s no regulations, no first aid, staffing requirements or management requirements,” said Thomas about the current state of the dog daycare industry. “Olly’s law is going to address that.”
Olly’s Law was just signed into law a couple weeks ago. It is named after a dog who was attacked and passed away at a doggy day care center in 2020, and it will tighten restrictions for doggie day care centers across the state. This will hopefully make the centers safer for dogs as well as for employees.
Thomas helped Ollie’s Law pass by contacting legislators and rallying support for the bill in the State House. She meets with legislators, calls them, and asks them to
Thomas.
Although the passage of Olly’s Law marks a significant victory, Thomas thinks there is still much more to do. She is currently working to stop the passage of a federal farm bill that would remove all humane law at the state level across the nation and is advocating against the cruelties of factory farming.
“I’m so worried about the farm bill,” said Thomas. “If they change
the farm bill to reverse humane law, then all of our work at the state level is moot.” Thomas has no plans of slowing down anytime soon and wants to encourage more Marbleheaders to join her cause.
“We have the power to change laws,” said Thomas. “How we treat animals is a direct reflection of who we are as a society.” She continued, “If we’re not kind to animals, then we’re not going to be kind to each other.”
support certain legislation.
Her main goal is always to get their attention any way possible.
“It’s about the squeaky wheel. It’s about education. You gotta get their attention and educate them on what you want … and why we need this,” said Thomas. While helping the MSPCA, they helped pass 112 bills and defeat 45 bills in 2023 alone.
Thomas hopes to teach others these valuable skills to enact compassionate change across the nation. She is working with the MSPCA and the ASPCA as a mentor guiding many others into animal rights advocacy, often giving lessons on approaching their representatives and asking them to support legislation. She also thinks that more people need to get involved.
“It’s your civic duty as a participant in democracy to tell your legislators what you want,” said
Opinion
eDItOrIAL
A long time coming for short-term rentals
With housing occupying much of our attention recently with the MBTA Communities Act and accessory dwelling unit rules, the issue of shortterm rentals should get its due, too.
Some level-setting first. A short-term rental is a property like an apartment, house or accessory dwelling unit that is rented for a brief period, usually from a few days to a month. It can be owner-occupied, tenant-occupied or non-owner-occupied.
Short-term rentals without doubt have brought economic opportunities to Marblehead. They attract tourists who otherwise might not patronize local businesses. They offer homeowners a way to generate supplemental income from their property, which, in some cases, allows those homeowners to remain on their property. And, as of this year, they provide sorely needed additional tax revenues by way of a 6% rooms and occupancy tax.
With these benefits, however, come increasing challenges that cannot go unmet. As the Current recently reported, Marblehead has seen a whopping 131% increase in short-term rental listings over the past three years. This translates to a peak of 231 short-term rental listings in Marblehead, 88% of which were entire homes, as opposed to a private room in a home.
This fast-growing short-term rental market can exacerbate our existing housing shortage and affordability issues. For example, the increase in short-term rentals comes at the expense of reduced long-term and affordable housing options. This happens when homeowners become incentivized to convert traditional housing (either owned or rented long-term) to short-term rentals in pursuit of higher rental rates, which then drives up rates on the diminishing number of long-term rental properties.
Short-term rentals last received town leaders’ full attention when Marblehead partnered with the Metropolitan Area Planning Council to produce the 2020 Marblehead Housing Production Plan (HPP).
The HPP shows that Marblehead has a scarcity of rental units. It also shows that, with few total rental units available, short-term rentals can make finding long-term rental opportunities even more difficult, particularly during seasonal upticks of visitors. It is worth noting again that these findings were made in 2020 — well before there were 231 short-term rental listings in Marblehead.
As a result, the HPP made limiting the impact of short-term rentals through regulation a priority to increase naturally occurring affordable housing for moderate-income households.
Because of our housing predicament, unchecked short-term rental growth may continue to have an outsized and immediate negative impact on our community’s ability to house current and future residents. This is particularly true for our aging and younger households who call (or hope to call) Marblehead their home and find it increasingly difficult, if not impossible, to do so.
That is why now is the time for town leaders to reprioritize the regulation of short-term rentals. Regulation (and enforcement) is key to ensuring that we secure the economic opportunities short-term rentals provide while mitigating any housing instability they cause. It is also worth exploring differentiating between owner-occupied units and those simply used as investments. Town leaders should look at licensing, registration, health and safety standards, fees and civil penalties for violations when developing a balanced and pragmatic approach to addressing short-term rentals. Regulating short-term rentals must be part of any sustainable path to maintain — if not grow — Marblehead’s diverse and affordable housing. The status quo is no longer viable.
e V erY tHING WILL be OKAY
Magic all around
BY VIRGINIA BUCKINGHAM
Do you believe in magic or science? Those of you who had the opportunity to see the northern lights and that magnificent hunter moon recently would attest it’s possible to answer “both.” We know the scientific reason behind the display of color and the phases of the moon. But the looks of awe on the faces of those witnessing them, especially children? Pure magic.
There is also plenty that happens around us that eludes explanation. Here is one such story:
A practitioner and friend I see for health, both mental and physical, suggested to me recently that I might benefit from screaming under water. Um, how do you do that, I answered, without, um, drowning?
A tentative swimmer and one who still holds my nose when I dunk under water, I was nervous but game to give it a try the next time I was at the beach.
On one of the warm days in late September, I eyed the surf from my beach chair. It was pretty rough and there weren’t many people around should I actually drown while trying this underwater screaming experiment, I thought. Nonetheless, I slowly ventured in.
Fingers closed firmly on my nose, I dunked under the first big wave and did my best to yell while blowing out air. The sound came out more like that tentative yelp Robin Williams elicited from the shy boy in the classroom scene from “Dead Poet’s Society.”
I tried again. As the next wave approached, I pinched my nose closed and dropped under it, this time more confidently letting out a great big yelp, audible only to the crabs underfoot, or so I thought. It felt good. Great in fact. And I dunked a few more times, my yelps turning to joyful, more confident screams. Without thinking about it or knowing where the words came from, on my last dunk, I screamed, “I love you, world!” This happened next:
As I toweled off at my chair, something caught my eye out in the water. It was floating on the crest of waves but moving steadily forward. What is that, I thought, snapping a picture with my iPhone? It drew nearer, and unlike a typical piece of flotsam, it never receded as the tide did, rather just kept coming closer. Finally, I could make out what it was. A pink balloon. Shaped like a heart. Steadily advancing on the waves toward the beach until it rested on the sand. I walked toward it, picking up the ribbon tied to it. Minutes before I had screamed “I love you, world” underwater. And now a heart balloon was delivered to me from the water.
Stay with me skeptical readers, it gets better.
I tied the balloon to my chair — awestruck, teary,
Evaluate candidates using military criteria
To the editor:
As a Marblehead voter weighing in, I can confirm that a good portion of my eight decades of life was spent as a Naval officer (1963 to 1993) and as such, I was required to remain apolitical.
As a commanding officer and officer-in-charge, I had to provide a written fitness report and evaluation with documentation on the performance of my officers and enlisted non-commissioned officers for their next promotion. The country is now in the process of vetting two people for promotion to the most important leadership positions in our nation, commander-in-chief and the chief executive officer of a major branch of our government.
Using the Navy’s fitness report criteria rating scale from 1.0 (below standards) to 5.0 (greatly exceeds standards), I thought it might be interesting and instructive to evaluate both candidates based on their civilian credentials and professional performance in government thus far.
So, before you vote, how would you rate each candidate on the
As I made my plans to capture this little piece of magic forever, a movement made me turn my head just as the balloon floated off, out of my car window, straight up in the sky as high as the eye could see.
amazed.
When I returned to my car, I placed the balloon on the seat next to me, thinking about how I’d keep it forever, frame it, hang it by my desk for inspiration. As I made my plans to capture this little piece of magic forever, a movement made me turn my head just as the balloon floated off, out of my car window, straight up in the sky as high as the eye could see.
What does this all mean?
I yelled, “I love you, world” and the world was saying, “We love you back”? I was trying to keep that love for myself and love was telling me it was meant to be
EDITOR’S NOTE
As the Nov. 5 election approaches, the Marblehead Current would like to inform readers about its policy regarding letters to the editor:
» The Oct. 30 edition will be the last to feature election-related letters. The deadline for submissions is 5 p.m. on Friday, Oct. 25.
» For the website, electionrelated letters will be accepted until 5 p.m. on Friday, Nov. 1. All letters will be carefully reviewed for accuracy. Any containing questionable claims may not be published. The editors encourage readers to submit their letters early to ensure consideration for publication.
following criteria?
Professional expertise: professional knowledge, proficiency, and qualifications.
» Command/leadership/ experience: contributing to growth and development, human worth, community.
Bearing/character: appearance, conduct, physical fitness, adherence to Navy core values of honor, courage, commitment.
» Teamwork: contributions
towards team building and team results.
» Mission accomplishment and initiative: taking initiative, planning/prioritizing, achieving mission.
Regarding facts, figures
To the editor:
Just writing a quick letter in response to Mr. Chamay’s letter to the editor printed Oct. 16, “Will mandated multifamily housing in Marblehead be affordable?” First off, I respect the position of opposition to the MBTA multifamily zoning. While I don’t agree with them, it’s great to see the active engagement of the community. Secondly, there is no room for lies on either side of the conversation. Mr. Chamay wrote that he believes the 2008 recession was caused by government intervention, and the Dodd-Frank act specifically. Dodd-Frank was enacted in 2010, two years after and in response to what happened in 2008. Another statement in Mr.
R.A. Erbetta Chestnut Street
CURRENT PHOTO / VIRGINIA BUCKINGHAM
A heart-shaped balloon floats toward the shore, as if delivering a message to columnist Virginia Buckingham, moments after she screamed “I love you, world!” underwater.
Building confidence through dance at Kids in Motion
BY MELISSA STACEY
The following is an interview with Susie Likins, owner of Kids in Motion Dance Studio, conducted by Discover Marblehead. Kids in Motion offers a blend of recreational and disciplined dance instruction with caring and highly qualified professional instructors. Their goal is to give students an unparalleled dance education in a positive, fun and friendly atmosphere. To learn more about their classes, camps or birthday parties, go to kidsinmotiondancestudio.com.
Tell us about Kids in Motion Dance Studio and why you started the business. Kids in Motion Dance Studio began over 17 years ago. My girls grew up dancing at a studio in Marblehead, and I loved every
minute of their experience. I felt like Marblehead needed an option for children to dance recreationally, meaning that dance didn’t have to be their main activity and children could take as little as one class or as many classes as they wanted. At Kids in Motion, children can take hip-hop without having to take ballet. We offer a wide variety of dance classes for all levels and ages, preschool through high school. The instruction from our staff is high quality in a relaxing,
caring and family-feel type studio.
What are some new offerings you have at Kids in Motion? We started a new Broadway jazz/musical theater class this year for children ages 6-9 on
Thursdays. We also have a professional dancer coming to work with our company hip-hop students this year. While she is here, we are offering two master classes for dancers/cheerleaders, which will be open to the community on Saturday, Oct. 26 (ages 9-11, 11 a.m.-12 p.m., ages 12+, 12:30-1:30 p.m.). This past summer we participated in the Horribles Parade for the first time and are hoping to take part in the Christmas Walk Parade this winter and continue this tradition with both parades.
What is something new you’ve learned as a business owner this year? This past year I’ve learned that as a business owner, I need to be more open and flexible with the changing times. Costs are more expensive, and trying to work with that and keep costs down is sometimes
challenging. We’ve had to be more creative with marketing and advertising as well as trying to offer the students more options for classes and fun things to do with the studio.
What do you love most about Marblehead, and why? What I love most about Marblehead is coming home to it. I’ve learned after moving away to appreciate the town so much more than when I was growing up or raising my children here.
What do you enjoy doing in your free time? I enjoy fostering pets, knitting, helping care for my grandchildren and going to the beach, to name a few things.
The business spotlight is a weekly feature published in partnership with Discover Marblehead. To learn more, visit discovermhd.com
Residents invited to join community reading of abolitionist’s address
Frederick Douglass visited Marblehead twice
BY LEIGH BLANDER
Kristin duBay Horton and the Marblehead Racial Justice Team are planning a special community reading of a speech by famous abolitionist Frederick Douglass … and they’re asking you to participate.
“We want to gather the community. I do hope it’s a wide swath of Marbleheaders who will come together and read,” duBay Horton told the Current.
Douglass delivered his speech, “What to the American Slave is Your Fourth of July,” as a free man at an Independence Day celebration in Rochester, New York, in 1852.
“What he wanted people to understand is that for a lot of people there was still no freedom,” duBay Horton explained.
can understand. Everyone has a space where they are different from everyone else. We should ask, ‘What can I do to make other people comfortable when they come into Marblehead?’ Because everyone belongs in Marblehead.”
As an example, duBay Horton added, “My sister uses a walker, and whenever she gets to a place where the sidewalk is uneven or if there are no curb cuts, she feels like the town isn’t for her, she’s not welcome.”
MRJT is looking for 44 people to come and read a shortened, 30-minute version of Douglass’ speech. duBay Horton has reached out to local firefighters, teachers, church and temple leaders and others. To sign up to read, email infoMRJTeam@ gmail.com.
now-demolished Lyceum.
A report in the Marblehead Messenger chronicles one visit, “I recall seeing him coming down Mugford Street on his way to the Town Hall, he walked in the middle the street and with his massive form, grand carriage, slow and stately walk, he seemed to belong just there…”
So why is MRJT hosting this reading of a speech delivered first on the Fourth of July in November?
“There’s so much going on in Marblehead around the Fourth,” duBay Horton explained. “So we waited. We wanted to do it before the holidays and when kids were in school, so they could participate.”
The event is scheduled for Monday, Nov. 18, 6:30 p.m. at Abbot Library. r AcIAL JUStIce te AM
“We hope this begins a discussion about feeling othered in Marblehead. If we begin to think about it that way then everyone
Douglass had a connection to Marblehead. He visited twice and spoke at the Old Town House and the
COURTESY PHOTOS / LEAH BOKENKAMP Anne Jennison is a traditional Native American storyteller and historian of European and Abenaki heritage. She performed inside Abbot Hall on Monday, Oct. 14, celebrating Indigenous Peoples’ Day.
Town marks 6th Indigenous Peoples’ Day with storytelling
BY WILL DOWD
Marblehead celebrated its sixth annual Indigenous Peoples’ Day on Monday, continuing a tradition that began in 2019 when the town officially replaced Columbus Day observances.
The event, held at Abbott Hall, featured storyteller Anne Jennison, who captivated an intergenerational audience for an hour with traditional Native American tales. Jennison, of Abenaki and Wabanaki descent, shared stories that explained natural phenomena through indigenous lore.
One of the stories described how day and night came to be, featuring animals like eagles and hummingbirds attempting to pierce a blanket of darkness woven by the “Creator.”
Leah Bokenkamp, chair of the Marblehead Indigenous Peoples’ Day Committee, secured a $2,000 grant from the Massachusetts Cultural Council to support the celebration. The event was co-organized by the committee and the Marblehead Museum.
“These stories are from the people who lived here. This is whose land we’re on,” Bokenkamp said. “It’s been colonized, but that’s
still the roots of it. That’s why I think it’s important to do something each year to incorporate some education.”
In 2019, Town Meeting voted overwhelmingly to switch the holiday from Columbus Day to Indigenous Peoples’ Day, aligning the town with a growing national movement to honor Native American history and culture.
“There are still individuals in the town who can celebrate whatever they want, but as an official town, we recognize Indigenous Peoples’ Day,” Bokenkamp said.
She hopes the experience will bring more awareness to the importance of welcoming people in Marblehead.
“I hope that when people see each other afterward, while you’re waiting in
line at Shubie’s or wherever, it’ll start a conversation that continues and makes Marblehead a warm, welcoming space,” duBay Horton said.
Brown School Monster Mash a hit
About 1,000 students and families members braved the Brown School’s annual Halloween Monster Mash. Highlights included a “Goonies”-themed haunted house and a Principal Mary Maxfield in the dunk tank. Marblehead High School student volunteers helped with carnival games. The event is funded and organized by the Brown School PTO
cULt U r AL ceLebr AtION
COURTESY PHOTO
Susie Likins owns Kids in Motion Dance Studio.
ABOVE: Brown School Principal Mary Maxfield in the dunk tank at the annual Monster Mash.
LEFT: Kindergartener Maggie Landergan goes for a donut on a string at the Brown School PTO’s Monster Mash.
COURTESY PHOTOS / ABBY BRACK LEWIS
BY WILL DOWD
The Current welcomes submissions (150-200 words) to the news in brief. Send yours to wdowd@marbleheadnews. org.
Real estate tax due Nov. 1
The second quarter fiscal year 2025 real estate taxes for the town of Marblehead are due Friday, Nov. 1. Payments should be made to the Town of Marblehead and mailed to: Town of Marblehead, Department 3000, PO Box 986535, Boston, MA
02298. Checks may also be dropped off at the revenue window or in the red mailbox in front of the Mary Alley Municipal Building at 7 Widger Road. Online payments can be made through City Hall Systems at epay. cityhallsystems.com or via the town’s website at marblehead.org. For questions, contact the Tax Collector’s Office at 781-631-0587 or revenue@marblehead.org.
Leaf collection
The town has announced its 2024-2025 schedule for curbside leaf and grass
collection. Residents can expect collections on their regular trash and recycling days during specific weeks throughout the year. In 2024, collections are scheduled for the weeks of Nov. 25 and Dec. 2. The schedule continues into 2025 with collections planned for the weeks of April 21, May 12 and June 2. It’s important to note that this service is exclusively for leaves and grass. The town emphasizes that only leaf bags should be used, and plastic bags will not be collected or emptied. To maintain the quality of the compost generated from these collections, bags containing brush or other materials will not be.
Taste of the Town set for Nov. 8 The Corinthian Yacht
Club will host Taste of the Town, organized by the Marblehead Chamber of Commerce, on Friday, Nov. 8, from 6-9 p.m. The event showcases local North Shore restaurants, breweries and distilleries. Attendees can sample food and spirits while participating in a bidding event. Tickets are $50 in advance or $60 at the door. For more information and to purchase tickets, visit: tinyurl.com/8z4aduu8.
TOWN OF MARBLEHEAD INVITATION FOR BIDS
The Town of Marblehead thorough its Board of Health, invites sealed bids from General Contractors for the Improvements to the Town Transfer Station in Marblehead Massachusetts, in accordance with the documents prepared by Winter Street Architects (specifications dated 10 January 2024, drawings dated 10 October 2024). The Project Scope includes: pit structure and scale house and associated improvements including all grading, utilities, traffic signage, retaining wall, concrete pads, scale relocation, striping + wayfinding (paint on asphalt), roadwork, etc. Also includes installation of owner provided entrance gate at commercial entrance off Woodfin Terrace and an 8’ x 8’ pad with roof for new 500-gal waste oil collection tank (tank provided by owner).All Architectural, Structural, Mechanical, Electrical, Plumbing and Fire Protection drawings and Specifications associated with the renovated PIT STRUCTURE and new SCALE HOUSE.
Bids are subject to M.G.L. c.149 §44A-J & to minimum wage rates as required by M.G.L. c. 149 §§26 to 27H inclusive. General bidders must be certified by the Division of Capital Asset Management and Maintenance (DCAMM) in the following category of work General Building Construction and must submit a current DCAMM Certificate of Eligibility and signed DCAMM Prime Update Statement (Form CQ 3).
Filed Sub-bids for the trades listed below will be received until 12 NOVEMBER 2024 at 1:00 PM and publicly opened. General Bids will be received until 26 NOVEMBER 2024 at 1:00 PM and publicly opened. Expected award Date to be 11 December 2024. Total PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE to be 65 calendar days from notice to proceed, unless extended by mutual agreement. Bid includes temporary heat and protection. Filed sub-bidders must be DCAMM certified for the trades listed below and bidders must include a current DCAMM Sub-Bidder Certificate of Eligibility and a signed DCAMM Sub-Bidder ’s Update Statement. SUBTRADES
07 00 02 Roofing and Flashing 08 00 01 Metal Windows 09 00 07 Painting 22 00 01 Plumbing 23 00 01 Heating, Ventilation and Air Conditioning 26
01 Electrical This project is being Electronically Bid (E-Bid). All bids shall be submitted online at www.Projectdog.com. Hard copy bids will not be accepted by the Awarding Authority Tutorials and Instructions are available online at www.Projectdog.com. For assistance, contact Projectdog, Inc. at 978.499.9014. Bid Forms and Contract Documents shall be available online at www.Projectdog.com, Project Code 865060. Documents are made available to all bidders in electronic form at no cost. Bidders desiring hard copies shall be solely responsible for all costs related to printing and shipping of hard copy documents. Neither Owner nor Architect/Engineer shall be responsible for full or partial sets of the Bidding Documents, including Addenda if any, obtained from sources other than Projectdog, Inc. General bids and sub-bids shall be accompanied by a bid deposit that is not less than five (5%) of the greatest possible bid amount (considering all alternates),and made payable to the Town of Marblehead in the form of in the form of a certified check, a bid bond, cash, or a treasurer's or cashier's check.
A Pre-Bid Conference and site visit will be on 30 OCTOBER 2024 at 11:00 AM at 5
Woodfin Terrace, Marblehead, MA.
All bids for this project are subject to applicable public bidding laws of Massachusetts, including G.L. c.149, § §44A through 44H, as amended. Attention is directed to the minimum wage rates to be paid as determined by the Commissioner of Labor and Workforce Development and the weekly payroll record submittal requirements under the provisions of Massachusetts General Laws, Chapter 149, Section 26 through 27D inclusive. Attention is further directed to the requirements of G.L. c.149, §44D requiring submission of a Division of Capital Asset Management approved Certificate of Eligibility and Update Statement with all bids. The bidder agrees that its bid shall be good and may not be withdrawn for a period of 30 days, Saturdays, Sundays and legal holidays excluded, after the opening of the bids. The Town reserves the right to waive any informalities, to accept or reject, in whole or in part any or all bids, or take whatever other action may be deemed to be in the best interest of the Town. The Town of Marblehead
appetizers will be catered by Every Little Breeze. Tickets are $85 for museum members and $95 for the public. Guests must be 21 or older. To purchase tickets, visit tinyurl.com/3bcnpa96. All proceeds help fund museum operations.
Town Hall on Veterans Day
Marblehead Museum to host spirit night
The Marblehead Museum will host its second annual Spirit Night fundraiser Thursday, Nov. 7, from 6-8 p.m. at the Masonic Lodge Building, 62 Pleasant St. Guests can enjoy a guided tasting of fine scotches and Irish whiskey led by Kate Mazzotta of Origin Beverages, featuring brands including Arran, Old Pultney, Speyburn and Irishman Harvest. Heavy
The Select Board has approved a request by U.S. Rep. Seth Moulton for the use of Abbot Hall, 188 Washington St., for a Veteran Town Hall event on Nov. 11, at 1 p.m. The event, aimed at providing veterans a platform to share their experiences, marks the continuation of a tradition that began in 2015. The Veteran Town Hall supports the transition of veterans from military to civilian life and fosters greater understanding within the community.
Marblehead Select Board seeks volunteers
Conservation Commission: One vacancy, three-year term.
» Design Review Board: One vacancy, three-year term.
Fair Housing Committee: One vacancy for an alternate member, three-year term.
» Marblehead Cultural Council: Four vacancies, three-year terms.
Marblehead
Community Access and Media, Inc.: One vacancy, three-year term.
MBTA Advisory Board: One vacancy, one-year term.
» Task Force Against Discrimination: Two vacancies, one-year terms. The Board encourages applicants to attend a meeting of their chosen committee and contact the chair for more information. Interested residents should submit a letter of interest and resume to the Select Board at Abbot Hall, 188 Washington St., or email wileyk@marblehead.org.
The Marblehead Select Board seeks volunteers for various town committees and commissions. Current openings include: » Cable Television Advisory Committee: Three vacancies, oneyear terms.
Chamay’s letter is that the government gives developers tax breaks if they make 10% of the project affordable. This is also not true. Low housing tax credits apply when 20% of the units are restricted at/ below 50% area, median income, or 40% of the units at/below 60% AMI. Again, we all want a healthy debate on this topic, just please keep it truthful.
Brian Rooney Pilgrim Road
‘No Regrets’
To the editor:
Let them not say we didn’t care.
The Current welcomes letters to the editor and strives to represent a range of viewpoints on our opinion pages. Generally, letters should not exceed 500 words. Letters over the word limit may be returned to the writer for editing.
Writers may be given more leeway to criticize national political candidates and other public figures. However, in all cases, letter writers should refrain from name calling and personal attacks and instead focus on the substance of matters of public concern.
Letter writers may be asked to substantiate claims that do not relate to information previously published in the Current.
While we will make every effort to let writers have their say, we reserve the right not to publish letters. Letters must include:
…We love our freedom; …We love our children; …We love our neighbor, …We love our town, our city, our state; …We love our countyOur country, that birther of dreams, built on a dream Our country, powered by hope and yesterday and tomorrow
Our country, sustained by acts of all who came before.
Let them not say we didn’t care. Let them not say we didn’t care enough. Let them not say we didn’t care enough TO VOTE.
(Note: Poem concept patterned after Jane Hirshfield’s “Let them not say.”) Kathy Leonardson Cloutmans Lane
The author’s name. Unsigned letters and form letters will not be published. The name of the street on which the author lives in Marblehead. Only the street name will be published next to the author’s
shared as it floated away?
I have no idea. And if you were holding a heart balloon out on a boat in the water that same day that got away, sure, some may insist that’s the explanation. The night of the northern lights, some friends and I jumped in a car and raced all over the town to try to see them. One of my friend’s daughter’s was texting her their location and amazing pictures and we finally caught up with her young family near Village School but it was too late for us to see the colors with the naked eye, only through the camera lens.
The kids were so joyful about what they had seen, it made me smile, rather than regret what we’d missed. The stars were out, and I asked them if they knew how to wish upon a star. They didn’t and I began reciting as others joined in, “Star light, star bright, first star I see tonight, I wish I may, I wish I might, have the wish I wish tonight.”
Explained and unexplained, there is magic all around. Lucky us. Virginia Buckingham, a member of the Marblehead Current’s Board of Directors, is the former chief executive officer of the Massachusetts Port Authority, chief of staff to two Massachusetts governors, deputy editorial page editor for the Boston Herald and author of “On My Watch: A Memoir.”
The Chamber of Commerce is throwing its annual Taste of the Town next month.
The Marblehead Museum will host its second annual Spirit Night fundraiser Thursday, Nov. 7.
Question 4
Local officials are wary of psychedelic decriminalization
BY KRIS OLSON
This is the latest in a series of articles on ballot questions facing voters on Nov. 5.
While not necessarily denying the purported benefits of the natural psychedelic substances, local leaders say they are concerned — if not a little confused — about the effect of a “yes” vote on Question 4.
The proposed law would allow people 21 and older to possess and use certain natural psychedelic substances, including two found in mushrooms and three found in plants.
The substances could be procured in one of two ways: They could be purchased at an approved location for use under the supervision of a licensed facilitator, sales that would be regulated and taxed by the state, or they could be grown in a 12-foot-by-12-foot area of the user’s home.
It’s this bifurcated system that loses state Rep. Jenny Armini.
“I think it’s not doable; it’s not workable,” she said.
Armini said she also shares the concern of Question 4
opponents that allowing residents to grow their own psychedelics would inevitably create a black market, or people could simply give the substances to unauthorized users.
As he always does with proposed legislation with a potential impact on public safety, Marblehead Police Chief Dennis King declined to take a position on whether Question 4 should pass.
“I believe my job is to make sure the laws that legislators pass — or those that pass as ballot questions — are enforced,” he said.
Just as with any drug or alcohol, King said he would naturally have concerns about people consuming more than the legal limit and then deciding to drive.
“But, if passed, I’d have to trust the regulations for use and consumption and watch for the potential that exists with all drugs to become addictive and lead to substance use disorders,” he said. “This is especially concerning for me in general around potential juvenile use and its effects on the developing brain.”
Passage of Question 4 would lead to the creation of two new statewide bodies. The first would be a five-member Natural Psychedelic Substances Commission, which would be charged with adopting regulations to flesh out the licensing requirements and other aspects of the law and administer the law on an ongoing basis.
Sales of psychedelic substances at licensed facilities would be subject to the state sales tax and an additional 15-percent excise tax.
If a facility offering psychedelic substances were to be proposed in Marblehead, local leaders could restrict the time, place and manner of its operation but could not ban it entirely. The town could also tack on a separate tax of up to2% on its sales.
As previously reported by the Current, Marblehead has yet to see any revenue from the state law legalizing retail sales of cannabis, despite granting licenses to two establishments two years ago.
The lead proponent of Question 4, Massachusetts for Mental Health Options,
Essex County Clerk of Courts
Challengers
touts the benefits of natural psychedelic medicines in combating treatment-resistant post-traumatic stress disorder, anxiety and depression, which are backed by research from Mass General Brigham, Dana Farber Cancer Institute and Johns Hopkins, among other leading medical institutions.
In particular, the group highlights the benefit to veterans, over 6,000 of whom die by suicide annually, and adds that natural psychedelic medicine can also offer terminal patients relief from end-of-life anxiety.
But opponents like the Coalition for Safe Communities say that not only would home growth inevitably create a black market, but decriminalization would also contribute to what is already a rising rate of drugged driving. One in three frequent
users reports driving under the influence of psychedelics within the past year, according to the group.
Even without getting behind the wheel, psychedelics can be dangerous, the group adds, noting what it says is a lifethreatening cardiotoxicity to the psychedelic ibogaine, which can result in heart failure within days of an initial dose.
The opponents fear that children and pets will accidentally consume edibles and also worry that centers not run by medical professionals will be unable to provide critical care when users have adverse reactions. They also fear the centers will inadequately assess whether to provide psychedelics to high-risk patients, like those with schizophrenia, bipolar illness, and pregnant or breastfeeding women.
seek to unseat incumbent
Driscoll faces first general election challenge in 24 years
BY WILL DOWD
The race for Essex County clerk of courts pits 24-year Democratic incumbent Thomas H. Driscoll Jr. against independent challengers Todd Angilly and Doris Rodriguez for a six-year term. The clerk oversees a staff of nearly 40 across the county’s three Superior Court locations in Salem, Lawrence and Newburyport.
Driscoll, a Swampscott native and attorney, was first elected in 2000 and has not faced an opponent until now. He said his top priorities are continuing to modernize the office, expand public access to court records and maintain the integrity of the court system.
“I’ve overseen a great transition in technology to radically improve court performance and the administration of justice,” Driscoll said. “We’ve focused on remote filing, creating a more user-friendly case management system and breaking down language barriers through multilingual touchscreens. I want to build on that progress.”
He also stressed the importance of properly maintaining evidence and records.
“For a murder case, evidence must be kept forever. An incredible number of cases get appealed,” Driscoll explained.
“So we have to meticulously maintain records to present an accurate record. That’s a core part of the job I take very seriously.”
Driscoll said his extensive legal experience is a major asset in the role. Prior to being elected clerk, he worked as an Essex County prosecutor and in private practice.
“I couldn’t imagine not being an attorney in this job.
My predecessors have all been attorneys,” he said. “Ninety-plus percent of cases in Superior Court involve attorneys on both sides. Having that legal background is critical to effectively run the clerk’s office in a court that handles the most serious criminal and civil cases.”
Challenger Todd Angilly of Lynnfield is well-known as the Boston Bruins’ national anthem singer since 2019. But his campaign emphasizes his 17 years of public service, including 12 as an Essex Superior Court
and Michael Ter Maat
» Green-Rainbow Party: Jill Stein and Gloria Caballero-Roca Socialism and Liberation: Esteban De La Cruz and Karina Garcia
polls open from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m.
The ballot features several high-profile races: Presidential race:
» Democratic: Vice President Kamala Harris and Tim Walz Republican: Donald Trump and J.D. Vance
» Independent: Shiva Ayyadurai and Crystal Ellis
» Libertarian: Chase Oliver
U.S. Senate: » Democratic incumbent Elizabeth Warren
» Republican challenger John Deaton
U.S. House (6th District): Democratic incumbent Seth Moulton (Salem) State representative (8th Essex District):
probation officer.
“I’ve seen the good, the bad, the ugly, from my personal and professional life,” Angilly said. “I think I’d be a fresh start for Essex County. It’s time for a new vision, a new angle.”
If elected, Angilly said he would prioritize community engagement and education about the court system. He argued that the clerk has been “overlooked” as a way to connect the public with the judicial branch.
“The average person only interacts with the court when called for jury duty. There’s an opportunity to invite the community in, host public events and build understanding of what the clerk does,” Angilly said. “People need to know how their tax dollars are being spent and what’s going on in their Superior Court.”
Angilly also stressed the need for more transparency around court proceedings and records.
» Democratic incumbent Jennifer Armini (Marblehead) Other races include:
» Councilor (6th District): Democratic incumbent Terrence W. Kennedy (Lynnfield)
» State Senate (3rd Essex District): Democratic incumbent Brendan Peter Crighton (Lynn) Clerk of Courts (Essex County): Democratic incumbent Thomas H. Driscoll Jr. (Swampscott) faces challenges from unenrolled candidate Todd
“Anything that is legally appropriate to be public should be accessible in the easiest way possible for the taxpayers of Essex County,” he said. “By utilizing technology, we can make it easier for residents to access public information like court dockets.”
The other challenger, attorney Doris Rodriguez of Lawrence, is running as an independent. She did not respond to requests for an interview.
Driscoll said his Democratic affiliation has not impacted his commitment to serving everyone fairly.
“When I walk in this door, I’m not part of a political party,” Driscoll stated. “It doesn’t matter your race, sexual orientation, political party. We treat everyone equally.”
Still, Driscoll acknowledged the potential boost of being on the Democratic ticket in a presidential year in the heavily Democratic county. He has been endorsed by Sens. Elizabeth Warren and Ed Markey and Reps. Seth Moulton and Jake Auchincloss.
“I’m proud to be part of the Democratic ballot,” he said. “Clearly it’s going to create a higher turnout that will likely benefit Democratic candidates up and down the ticket.”
Angilly said he is not concerned about straight-ticket
R. Angilly (Lynnfield) and independent Doris V. Rodriguez (Lawrence)
» Register of Deeds (Essex Southern District): Democratic candidate Eileen R. Duff (Gloucester) vs. Republican Jonathan Edward Ring (Rockport) Voters will also decide on five statewide ballot questions:
Authorizing the state auditor to audit the Legislature
Eliminating
Democratic voting.
“I’m not running as the Bruins anthem singer or as a member of any party,” he said. “I’m running as Todd Angilly, who has the experience, passion and fresh perspective to be an outstanding clerk of courts for the people of Essex County. The only endorsement I’m seeking is from the voters.”
Voter registration deadlines for the upcoming election are Oct. 26 for in-person and online registration, with mailed forms postmarked by the same date. Absentee or mail-in ballot requests are due by Oct. 29, and ballots must be postmarked by Nov. 5 or returned in person by 8 p.m. on Election Day, Nov. 5. Early voting is underway at Abbot Hall, 188 Washington St., through Nov. 1. The remaining schedule is as follows:
» Wednesday, Oct. 23: 1-5 p.m.
» Thursday, Oct. 24: 9 a.m.-1 p.m.
Friday, Oct. 25: 9-11 a.m. Saturday, Oct. 26: 10 a.m.-4 p.m.
» Monday, Oct. 28 to Thursday, Oct. 31: 8:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m. (except Wednesday, Oct. 30, 8:30 a.m.-5:30 p.m.)
Friday, Nov. 1: 8:30 a.m.-noon Town Clerk Robin A. Michaud encourages residents to take advantage of these times to vote early. For further details or inquiries, call 781-631-0528.
ride-share drivers 4. Legalizing certain psychedelic substances 5. Gradually increasing the minimum wage for tipped workers
Residents can check their voter registration status at tinyurl.com/yeyuh9ds For those unable to vote early or in person on Election Day, absentee voting remains an option. Voters must request absentee ballots by Oct. 29 at
COURTESY PHOTO / MANGOKAYLIME WIKIMEDIA COMMONS If Question 4 passes, Massachusetts residents would be able to cultivate their own psychedelics, including mushrooms like these. But some fear it would inevitably give rise to a black market.
COURTESY PHOTOS
Essex County Clerk candidates Thomas Driscoll, left, and independent Todd Angilly of Lynnfield. A third candidate, independent Doris Rodriguez of Lawrence, is not shown.
Marblehead’s best bets
Current Events spotlights exciting happenings in the coming week. If you’d like to contribute a listing, please email Current editor Leigh Blander at lblander@marbleheadnews.org. Leigh Blander
Haunted: An Evening of Ghost Stories
Oct. 30, Nov. 1 and 2, 8 p.m.
Enter the Lee Mansion (if you dare!) and take your seat for an evening of spine-tingling tales of spooks and spirits. Told by an ensemble of master storytellers, a variety of ghost stories, haunting poems and local legends will come to life in the dark. The evening includes stories by Edgar Allan Poe, Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, W.W. Jacobs and more.
Trick-or-treating in the business districts
Thursday, Oct. 24, 4-6 p.m.
Take the kids out trick-or-treating throughout the business districts. Enjoy sweets and treats, and extended shopping hours, at participating businesses around town. Look for the Halloween pumpkin poster displayed at retailers to indicate their participation.
Tickets are $25 for Marblehead Museum members, $35 for non-members. Register at creativespiritma.com/haunted
King Hooper Mansion paranormal investigation
Friday, Nov. 1, 7-10:30 p.m.
Join Boston Paranormal Investigators for a spine-chilling night as they explore the Marblehead Arts Association’s King Hooper Mansion (built in 1728). 8 Hooper St. Tickets are $20 for MAA members, $25 for non-members. Register at marbleheadarts.org.
Pumpkin Illumination
Thursday, Oct. 24, 4-6:30 p.m.
Sign up now for the annual Pumpkin Illumination at the Jeremiah Lee Mansion Garden, 161 Washington St. Entry is free. More info at tinyurl.com/ MFFPumpkins.
Haunted Hamond Hospital
Saturday, Oct. 26, 6:45-8:45 p.m.
It’s time for your check-up! The Hamond Hospital staff will set their “scary thermostat” to your comfort level, offering a light, medium or high level of fear factor. Hosted by Marblehead Recreation & Parks at Hamond Nature Center, Everett Paine Boulevard. Tickets in advance are $6, and at the door $8. Register at https://loom.ly/ xnZ9SWU.
St. Michael’s Church Halloween Spooktacular
Thursday, Oct. 24, 4-7 p.m.
While you’re out trick-or-treating downtown, stop by St. Michael’s, 26 Pleasant St., which is hosting a party with light food and treats.
BY WILL DOWD
From cozy cafes to upscale eateries with sweeping ocean views, Marblehead’s restaurant scene is the heart of this historic town’s economy and identity.
The community’s diverse dining offerings not only attract visitors and support local jobs, but also foster a strong sense of community pride, according to business owners and industry leaders.
“We find the people in Marblehead to be very welcoming, very friendly,” said Amanda Breen, who opened Mai Tai Lounge with her husband, Jamison, three years ago. “They really enjoy coming in and being able to relax there.”
The Asian fusion restaurant, at Village Plaza, has become a busy place known for its handcrafted cocktails and innovative cuisine, the owner said. It’s one of many independent establishments that make Marblehead stand out in a sea of chain restaurants.
In fact, over 90% of the approximately 18,000 restaurants in Massachusetts are owned by independent operators rather than large corporations, according to Jessica Muradian, director of government affairs at the Massachusetts Restaurant Association.
“These are small business owners,” Muradian said.
“Independent restaurants tend to source more from other local businesses, too.”
She added the restaurant industry is the second-largest private sector employer, providing jobs for 9% of the Massachusetts workforce. In 2022, it generated over $1.6 billion in meals tax revenue for the state budget.
Dining scene draws locals, tourists
On a local level, Marblehead’s 50-plus restaurants and dining establishments play a vital role in driving the town’s tourist economy and enhancing quality of life. Katherine Koch, executive director of the Marblehead Chamber of Commerce, said eateries are a key part of the “shop local” ethos.
“There is a very strong, loyal following to a lot of our fabulous restaurants,” Koch noted. “Many are constantly revamping their menus to keep things fresh and keep their clientele coming back.”
That variety is a major draw, with options ranging from classic seafood shacks to international cuisines. Koch rattles off a diverse list of local favorites, from The Landing to authentic Italian at Caffe Italia to Soall Bistro’s popular Vietnamese fare.
“It’s a nice array,” she said. “You’ve got your comfort food, you’ve got Thai, Mexican, seafood ...”
Long-running establishments like The Muffin Shop have also become beloved institutions.
Owner Louise Capasso said the
cafe, which she opened with her family 38 years ago, is now “like a staple” in town.
“You get to know so many people — they become like family and friends throughout the years,” Capasso said. “We just love it here. I can’t find myself in any other place.”
May’s Town Meeting adopted a 0.75% local tax on meals. In the first several months of collection, the tax generated $35,000 in revenue for the town, according to Finance Director Aleesha Benjamin.
In Essex County alone, where Marblehead is located, 1,792 eating establishments employ 31,725 people, according to data from the Massachusetts Restaurant Association. But its economic impact reaches far beyond those directly employed by restaurants. Muradian said the industry supports a wide network of related businesses, from food and beverage wholesalers to linen services and construction companies.
“The restaurant industry goes even deeper than employment numbers,” Muradian explained. “It’s more than just the people working in the restaurants themselves.”
Challenges test restaurateurs’ resolve
But restaurant owners say they face mounting challenges.
Skyrocketing costs for ingredients, utilities and labor cut deep into already slim profit margins.
“We try to keep our prices as low as possible, because we want our return customers to come back and not feel the impact,” Capasso said. “But at the end of the day, you don’t really see much profit.”
Seasonal lulls add to the strain.
Though Marblehead benefits from a steady stream of tourists in peak months, the off-season can be brutal for businesses reliant on that traffic.
“January to March really slows down,” Capasso said. “But we stay steady and busy all the way through December.”
Labor shortages are another pain point felt across the industry. The Massachusetts Restaurant Association reports employment levels statewide still haven’t rebounded to prepandemic numbers, trailing even the hard-hit retail and hospitality sectors.
Some relief may be in sight as more workers return. In the first quarter of 2024, the state’s meals tax revenue hit $408 million — a promising 26.6% of the full-year projection, suggesting a robust recovery is underway.
Despite the hurdles, local
Grilling the chefs
BY KRIS OLSON
Chefs are a busy bunch, but Brayan Medina of The Landing, Edgar Alleyne of The Beacon, and Kate Hammond and Jason Isaacson of Shubie’s were kind enough to lay down their whisks and spatulas to answer a few questions from the Current about how they came to be where they are, what they can’t live without in their kitchens and more.
How long have you worked at The Landing/Shubie’s?
Medina: I have been fortunate enough to work here at The Landing restaurant for about four years now, and I say “fortunate” because of the people that I work with. I am super lucky.
Alleyne: I have been there since 2020; we took full ownership in May 2024.
Hammond: 11 years
Isaacson: Seven years
When and how did you first decide to become a chef?
Medina: I decided to become a chef about 11 years ago when I started with Lydia Shire and Simon Restrepo in Boston.
Alleyne: I had no intentions of being a chef. I’ve always liked to cook though.
Hammond: I cooked for friends in college, started catering and decided to pursue working in restaurants after graduating.
Isaacson: I’ve always enjoyed cooking with my mom and Nana growing up. Took an intro to cooking class in high school and did well, and the teacher was very encouraging and I enjoyed the class, so I decided to go to college for it.
Tell me a little bit about your training to become a chef.
Did you have any particularly helpful mentors?
Medina: A couple of my mentors are Lydia Shire and Simon Restrepo, who is the head chef at Scampo restaurant in Boston.
Alleyne: Being born in Barbados, my grandmother and my mom had a huge influence in teaching me how to cook. Along the way, there have been so many wonderful people who have helped me grow…too many to mention or single out one.
Hammond: No, I taught myself.
Isaacson: I went to school at Johnson & Wales and also have been cooking in restaurants/ catering for 18 years. I learned
Kitchen heads serve up answers to Current ’s queries
a lot in the classes where they focused on the techniques like baking, roasting, sauté, shallow frying, sauces and braising. I feel like you learn more first hand in the kitchen behind the line mastering the menu and whatever station you’re on.
How would you describe your overall cooking style?
Medina: I would describe my
cooking style as Latin American fusion cuisine.
Alleyne: I’m not sure. I love it all, from Caribbean, Italian, French, Spanish. Our menu is pretty diverse, “a little something for everyone.”
Hammond: Mediterranean, light, fresh
Isaacson: Comfort food with my own twist and Asian and French influences
What can’t you live without in the kitchen?
Medina: To tell you the truth, we can’t live without anything in the kitchen. We use every single piece of equipment every night.
Alleyne: I cannot live without all the staff, whether it’s the front of the house or the back. What all of them do is critical to our success. They are all indispensable.
Hammond: Extra virgin olive oil, lemons, garlic, tomatoes. A sharp knife, tongs. And a sense of humor.
Isaacson: Sharp knife, salt/ spices, stovetop/oven, tongs, eggs, flour, some sort of acidity or citrus, fresh herbs
What’s your favorite dish to cook and least favorite? Why?
Medina: My least favorite menu item to cook is a burger just because it is too basic, and my most favorite thing to cook
Jason Isaacson, head cook, Shubie’s
Chef and co-owner Edgar Alleyne, right, with Johnny Ray, owner of The Beacon
Kate Hammond, executive chef, Shubie’s
Brayan Medina, head chef, The Landing
More local restaurants serving live music
BY LEIGH BLANDER
Several nights a week, you can hear live music pouring out of restaurants and bars around Marblehead — everything from acoustic folk to jazz, “dad rock” and more.
“I’m very happy the town is doing more and more music,” said Todd Horvath, co-owner and bartender at The Hidden Door, a speakeasy near Five Corners. “In my dream world, every bar has live music most nights of the week.”
The Hidden Door features jazz musicians Thursday evenings and sometimes on Wednesdays, too.
“Music is super important to me; I’m a Berklee College of Music grad,” Horvath told the Current. “Music is what I’ve done with my life, and I make drinks to make money.”
Next door, the Barrelman is known for its music scene.
“You can go get food and drinks in 10,000 places on the North Shore,” said Barrelman chef Nick Venezia. “We try to keep it interesting and fresh by having different bands come in.”
Greek restaurant Elia Taverna, Washington Street, has a clarinet player performing live on Thursday evenings. Three
Cod Tavern features the owner’s son, Gus Percy, playing acoustic guitar in the bar. Percy also has his own band that plays around town.
The Beacon Restaurant, 123 Pleasant St., offers live music several nights a week, including a Sunday jazz brunch.
Beginning Nov. 3, the restaurant is bringing back a Sinatra Sunday show starring co-owner Johnny Ray.
“We believe music is part of the soul of the
restaurant,” Ray said. “It’s as important as a beautiful view or a great location.
We’ve been able to keep our model going by dealing with local musicians on a regular basis and bringing in larger acts for special occasions.”
The Beacon features local acts like True North and the Guy Ford Band.
“The band’s been together … this is our 27th year,” said Brian Wheeler, who plays guitar and sings with the Guy Ford Band.
“It’s just awesome to play
in your hometown in front of people you know. It’s
just a thrill.” Wheeler continued, “The owners like us because they know we’re going to bring a big crowd that’s going to drink and eat and be respectful… and have a good time.”
The Landing had live music for years in its pub, and co-owner Robert Simonelli says he’s bringing it back soon.
“People have been asking me, ‘When are you going to do music again?
We miss the old pub.’”
Simonelli said he hopes to launch the return of live
music on Thursday, Dec. 26.
“Now that’s a Christmas gift from The Landing,” he said.
Chamber of Commerce
Executive Director
Katherine Koch says late fall and winter are a great time to add music to the menu.
“It’s a generous addition to the dining experience, and we’re always impressed with the extra
COURTESY PHOTOS
The Guy Ford Band
Sports
GrIDIrON
MHS dominates Peabody, extend streak to four
After two straight years of bitter losses, Marblehead gets revenge on its NEC rivals
BY JOE MCCONNELL
According to the Oct. 18 power rankings, the Marblehead High football team (4-2) was seeded 15th in Division 4. But after another convincing win against another top team in an upper division last Friday night at Piper Field, that should change significantly.
The Peabody Tanners (3-3) provided the competition on this occasion, and they were ranked seventh in Division 2. But by the time they left Piper, they knew they were dominated by the surging Magicians, now authors of four straight wins.
Senior captain Crew Monaco says that the team’s confidence is naturally up, but admits, “we still have so much to prove, so we have to remain humble and hungry.
“We owe Peabody after the last couple of years,” added Monaco. “They have had our number, so it was good to get this one.”
At the start of the game, it appeared the visiting Tanners were going to control the clock. They were effectively sustaining a couple of long drives, but all they had to show for it was a 29-yard field goal early on in the second quarter after Brady Selvais came up with a big hit on third down. At that point, it was Marblehead’s turn to take control of the game. They scored the next 21 points to take a 21-3 lead at halftime. They added one more score in the fourth quarter to put the final exclamation point on a 28-3 triumph.
“We saw that their linebackers showed blitz every time, which made it easy to exploit those holes, where the middle linebackers weren’t,” said captain Colt Wales. “We knew they were big, but we also knew we were faster. Our line played their (rearends) off.
“There weren’t necessarily any adjustments made from the first to second quarter. Everyone just kept their poise, and we knew
what we can do on defense, so we just executed,” added Wales. Coach Jim Rudloff’s team started its march to the endzone on its own 46 early on in the second quarter, and five plays later took the lead that it’d never relinquish at the 7:30 mark of the period, when Wales hooked up with Rylan Golden on a screen, and the junior did the
BY JOE MCCONNELL
rest evading tackles from the 25 until he crossed the goal line for six points. Sophomore Finbar Bresnahan then nailed down another extra point to give his teammates a 7-3 lead.”
The Tanners went three and out again, before senior Julius Galante blocked the punt to give the offense good field position on its own 47. Junior
BY JOE MCCONNELL
The Marblehead High volleyball team (9-5) continues to win and dominate most of their matches, including its most recent sweep of host Beverly in three games, 25-9, 25-23, 25-13 on Oct 16. As of Oct. 18, the Magicians are seeded 23 rd in the Division 2 power rankings.
“We dominated the service line against the Panthers, which led to Beverly having a difficult time getting its offense going,” said coach Killeen Miller. Meg Parkman was credited with five aces to lead the way, along with Lila Moniz and Mari Modryznska, who combined for 15 kills. The Magicians started the
Finn Gallup, taking his turn at quarterback, didn’t stay on the field that long, because after taking the snap on the first play from scrimmage, he scooted down the far sidelines and didn’t stop until he completed his 53-yard electrifying touchdown run. The Tanners probably knew at that point that the home team came ready to play.
Another three and out for Peabody gave the Magicians the ball on the Tanners’ 49 after another rush punt caused by the Marblehead special teams. It only took the Magicians three plays to produce six more points, and Wales had two of them. The senior captain accounted for all 49 yards, with the last 40 going for six on an up-the-middle gap run. After the Tanners were called for offsides on the conversion try, Rudloff decided to go for two, and Wales took it himself after a fake to Monaco. With 52 seconds left in the first half, Marblehead was ahead by three scores, 21-3. Wales then appropriately ended the half with an interception.
“I didn’t see much up the
middle, but I knew it was there like it has been there for most of our games this year,” said Wales. “After that, both me and Finn just kept on making plays like that.”
Another blocked Peabody punt — this time by Wales — early on in the fourth quarter gave Marblehead the ball on the Peabody 49. But several plays later, the Tanners got the ball back on a fumble recovery. However, the Marblehead defense continued to prevent the Tanners any first downs to extend drives, and the offense got it back on their own 46. At 8:31 of the fourth quarter, Monaco was credited with the final touchdown of the game on a five-yard run to the endzone. Bresnahan’s boot completed the scoring drive, and for all intents and purposes it also sealed another Marblehead victory. After the game, MHTV and the Marblehead Sports Shop chose Monaco as the Player of the Game. The senior captain, however, took it all in stride. “I could not have done it without the players around me. They definitely make me a better player,” he said.
The schedule doesn’t get any easier for the football Magicians. Masco is next up Friday night (Oct. 18) back at Piper, starting at 7 p.m. “Masco is a huge game for us,” said Wales. “They are a good, young team, but if we keep on playing our game on both sides of the ball, I like our chances.”
Monaco offered these thoughts on the Chieftains. “Playing Masco is always one of our best games of the season,” he said. “With the (Northeastern) conference still up for grabs and playoff seedings that still have to be figured out, we need this one. We are going to work hard all week long, so we’ll be prepared for them. It should be a fun one. It’s also going to be our Senior Night, and I know we will be ready for both.”
final week of the regular season against Ipswich on Oct. 20. They then took on visiting Haverhill the next night, followed by a road matchup versus Danvers Tuesday
night, all three matches are after press deadline. They will return home to take on rival Swampscott Oct. 24 to close out the regular season, beginning at 6 p.m.
COURTESY PHOTO Marblehead High volleyball players Mari Modrzynska, Mia Bernard and Lila Moniz team up to defend against the opposition’s pending serve during a recent match.
Marblehead High senior lineman Gunther Fehrenbach deflects a Peabody pass.
COURTESY PHOTOS / EYAL ORAN, WEDNESDAYS IN MARBLEHEAD
Marblehead High junior lineman Declan Gibson buries a Peabody running
game at Piper Field.
Harriers enjoy success at annual Glennon Invitational on the Cape
BY JOE MCCONNELL
The Marblehead High boys and girls cross-country teams ventured down to the Cape Cod Fairgrounds to compete in the annual Bob Glennon Twilight Invitational on Oct. 12. Both teams had great showings overall, highlighted by a couple of outstanding individual performances, according to girls crosscountry coach Will Herlihy.
Will Cerrutti and Nate Assa took first and second in the medium school varsity boys race with times of 15:21.04 and 15:26.26, respectively. “Will broke the existing school record of 15:21.20 that was set by A.J. Ernst, while Nate is now third in school history,” said Herlihy.
Jacob Szalewicz also medaled in this invitational, finishing 20 th with a speedy time of 16:22.7.
“(Szalewicz) ran a terrific race, moving up methodically throughout,” said boys coach Brian Heenan. “Will Cruikshank, Henrik Adams, Zach Pike and David Alpert also ran well (on the Cape).” As a team, the boys ended up second overall during this invitational.
Junior Marri O’Connell was second in the medium school varsity race, finishing up in a whopping time of 18:00.64.
Evie Becker (22:43.97), Mary Donnellan (23:26.99) and Maren Potter (23:35.24) completed the Magicians top seven at this year’s Twilight Invitational.
“As a team, we ended up 16th overall, but that only understates how impressive the times were across the board, especially for freshmen Ruby, Evie and Mary, who were competing in their first full 5K race,” said Herlihy. “Evelina, a sophomore, and Abbie, a senior, also had significant 5K personal bests of 1:24 and 2:20, respectively.”
Magicians wrap up regular season against Peabody
The Marblehead boys (7-0) finished off the regular season with a 20-40 win (low scores win) over Peabody on Oct. 16 to complete the year with a perfect record, which secured them the Northeastern Conference title.
to host Peabody, 20-41 to close out the regular season.
“Peabody has always been the team to beat in the NEC, and this year was no different,” said Herlihy.
“Their lead pack has a mix of veteran seniors and young freshmen, who together ran a tremendous group effort to clinch the win.”
Despite the results, there were a handful of positive takeaways for the Marblehead girls, who were also celebrating Senior Day.
Marri O’Connell once again took first place, wrapping up her third straight undefeated conference season. Assa and Becker then pushed the pace on the Peabody lead pack throughout the first half of the race in a valiant effort.
“This race had a very stacked field that included some of the best teams in New England,”
Herlihy said. Marblehead’s top five harriers all finished under 23-minutes, and the top seven under 24-minutes.
Ruby Assa (21:55.48), Evelina Beletsky (22:06.98), Abbie Goodwin (22:24.76),
The Magicians were led by the 1-2 combination of seniors Assa and Cerrutti in the final. Szalewicz finished fourth. Alpert, Victor Pechhold and Peter Sullivan ran really well against the Tanners, finishing sixth, seventh and eighth in that order.
Girls drop finale
The Marblehead girls team (4-3) lost
Anna Cruikshank had by far her best race of the season. She averaged an 8.29 mile in this meet against the Tanners over the 5K course.
“This was a great season for a group that included so many young and inexperienced runners,” said Herlihy.
On Sunday, Oct. 27, the annual NEC meet will be held in Gloucester for both boys and girls teams, followed by the Division 2A state championship meet at Fort Devens in Ayer on Nov. 9.
Magicians weekly sports notebook on girls soccer, golf
BY JOE MCCONNELL
Girls soccer
The Marblehead High girls soccer team (7-4-4) began a brand new week against nonleague host Manchester Essex on Oct. 14, and they came away with a 2-0 road victory. These Magicians are seeded ninth in the latest Division 2 power rankings, as of Oct. 18.
Callie Gilmore, the team’s leading scorer, accounted for the first goal of the game on a solo effort. It was her 10th goal of the season. Sammy Dosch provided some insurance with her second goal of the year.
Cam O’Brien was credited with one assist against the Hornets.
“We scored two early goals in the first half,” said coach Lisa Wales. “The weather conditions weren’t great, but the girls
adjusted accordingly. Callie scored on a beautiful free kick five minutes into the game. A short time later, Sammy Dosch scored the second goal off a corner kick that was assisted by Cam O’Brien.”
Lucy Church, Sophie Robinson and Courtney Hitscherich all continued to play well, according to the second-year coach. Defensively, Ava Machado, Sydney Ball and Cora Gerson were able to keep the Manchester Essex attackers at bay. Goalie Hailey Gilmore came up with seven saves to help secure the shutout. “We have been injury plagued all season long, but our team continues to step up in order to put the team first,” said Wales.
Two days later, the Magicians lost a heartbreaker to Danvers at home, 1-0.
“This was a good match,” said Wales. “(Danvers is) a strong team, but Hailey Gilmore was exceptional in net, making 20 saves to keep us in it. We took a more defensive approach in this game after losing 3-1 to Danvers earlier in the season.”
The Magicians played their final Northeastern Conference game of the year against Winthrop
on Oct. 18 after press deadline. They will then wrap up the regular season against non-league opponents Lynnfield (Saturday, Oct. 26 at home at 10 a.m.) and Newton South (Monday, Oct. 28, on the road at 5:30 p.m.).
Golf
The Marblehead golfers completed another successful
regular season with a 12-3 record. They have since participated in the Division 2 North sectional championship at the Brookline Country Club on Oct. 16, where they finished tied for seventh out of 14 teams.
The Magicians, the defending sectional state champions, posted a team score of +59 at this year’s event.
Wakefield was the last team to qualify for the 2024 sectional finals with a +48. The lowest four scores comprised the team score.
Marty Ryan and Greyson Leventhal were the team medalists at the sectional meet after each shot an 83. Tyler Forbes (86), Jacob Hershfield (87), Max Hall (89) and James Bickell (90) rounded out the postseason lineup for coach Bob Green’s squad.
Boys soccer clinches state tourney berth
BY JOE MCCONNELL
The Marblehead High boys soccer team (8-2-4) handed the host Danvers Falcons a 4-2 loss on their Senior Night last Wednesday, Oct. 16, at Deering Stadium. After suffering a draw in their first matchup with the Falcons a few weeks ago — a game that was well within Marblehead’s grasp — the Magicians were determined to get off to a fast start this time around.
The first sign of trouble arrived at the 26-minute mark, but it was short-lived. A Danvers striker started a fast break down the left touchline. He raced over 30 yards, while outdistancing the Marblehead defenders, before attempting to outmaneuver past goalie Rory Zampese. Smartly, Zampese came up high in the box to cut off the striker’s angle with a slide, averting disaster. As a result, the ball bounced harmlessly out of bounds.
A few minutes later, the
Thursday, Oct. 24
6 p.m., volleyball, vs. Swampscott, at Marblehead High gym
6:30 p.m., boys soccer, vs. North Andover, at North Andover High
Marblehead boys developed a rhythm with its passing game, while stepping up the attack.
Aidan Vizy served up a quality ball to Ilan Druker on the left side in Danvers territory. Druker then fired a solid shot toward the net. But ultimately, it sailed just over the crossbar.
Midfielder London McDonald blasted a shot that nicked off a defender, but the Falcons goalie wrapped it up. Bubacar Jallow eventually recovered the ball on the right side after a foul was
Friday, Oct. 25 4 p.m., field hockey, vs. Beverly, at Beverly High 7 p.m., football, vs. Masconomet, at MHS Piper Field 7 p.m., football cheerleading,
called against Danvers. Forward David Magen got tangled up by two defenders, which created the violation. On the ensuing direct kick by Druker, Jallow ran horizontally to the right toward the ball, and was shielded perfectly, before firing a shot past the Danvers goalie to account for the first score, despite taking it at a difficult angle across the face of the goal.
Marblehead notched the second goal on a well-placed corner kick by Druker. Defender
vs. Masconomet, at MHS
Dylan Gilmore eventually came soaring through traffic, before heading the ball into the net.
Later in the first half, Magen dribbled the ball through the heart of the Falcons defense under pressure, but was tripped up while attempting to shoot. He was awarded a penalty kick, and subsequently converted it for the third Marblehead goal of the game.
Much of the second half was played between the 18s, with both sides possessing the same amount of time in the other team’s end. But neither squad threatened consistently. In one sequence, Marblehead fired three consecutive shots at close range, but they were all blocked by Danvers in front.
Midway through the half, Danvers got a yellow card after bringing down middie Marc Grazado in the open space. The ensuing kick from fullback Colin White soared beautifully in the air, only to drop at the edge of the penalty box, but the
Magicians were unable to get a foot on it.
The Magicians increased the margin of difference to four, when, with 15 minutes left, Druker was hip checked in the box, before falling to the turf, which drew a penalty kick. The Danvers goalie dove left, while Druker wisely fired to the right to account for his teammates’ fourth tally.
Unfortunately, the Magicians faltered in the final two minutes of the game, conceding two goals.
After press deadline, the Magicians faced Winthrop on Oct. 18 , followed by non-league Everett last Saturday. North Andover (Oct. 24, 6:30 p.m. in Scarlet Knights country) and Melrose (Oct. 28, 4:30 p.m. at Piper) then provide the opposition to close out the regular season. As of Oct. 18, these Magicians are seeded 13 th in the Division 2 power rankings. Troy Miller contributed to this report.
COURTESY PHOTO
Marblehead High girls soccer player Sydney Ball is the center of attention carrying the ball up field against host Manchester Essex.
COURTESY PHOTO / RICH BIBBINS
Marblehead High boys soccer fullback Dylan Gilmore soars through traffic to head the ball home for a score, despite being blocked by a Falcons player.
FrOM tHe PItcH
COURTESY PHOTO / MATT O’CONNELL
Marblehead High cross-country runners Marri O’Connell and Nate Assa proudly show off their second- place medals following the annual Bob Glennon Twilight Invitational at the Cape Cod Fairgrounds on Oct. 12.
Anne Shepard Bullis, 94
Anne Shepard Bullis, 94, passed away peacefully in her sleep after a short illness on Oct. 13, at her home of the past three years in the Brooksby Village retirement community in Peabody. She was just short of her 95th birthday.
Born on Oct. 31, 1929, the daughter of Henry B. and Frances Dudley Shepard, Anne grew up in West Newton. A graduate of Beaver Country Day School in Chestnut Hill, Anne attended Hollins University in Roanoke, Virginia, class of 1951. A devoted Hollins alumna, Anne wrote the class notes for many years, keeping up with classmates via a round-robin letter and regular reunion attendance. In 2001, Anne was inducted into the Hollins Athletic Hall of Fame, honored for her superior athletic accomplishments, as well as sportsmanship, character and leadership at Hollins and in her
Paul David Guertin, 88
Paul David Guertin, known to most as “PG” but to others as Susan’s husband and Tara, Erin and Colleen’s father, and by everyone as a legend, sailed off confidently past the northern lights in the early morning of Oct. 11. Born Aug. 31, 1936, in Cambridge to Joseph Guertin and Helen Donovan, PG was never one to say no to an adventure, a chance at mischief, the opportunity to make someone laugh, or to give a good dog a scratch.
An avid downhill skier and sailboat skipper, PG had a lifelong passion for the spoils and thrills of the mountains and the sea. While dates and times are unclear and likely intentionally obscured, sometime around 1952, a young PG managed to finagle his way into the ownership of a Thistle sailboat, which he kept hidden from his father in the bushes near Winthrop harbor. Only after getting caught attempting to haul his boat to a Marblehead regatta did he confess that he viewed the pursuit of wind and speed more favorably than spending his time buried in engineering books.
While enrolled in Northeastern’s civil engineering program, PG had great opportunities to build things and bring people together, two of his favorite activities. On his first day of class, while waiting
Chefs
From P. A10
would be the short rib. That’s because it takes time, love and attention to get the meat to fall right off the bone and the right flavors.
Alleyne: I really don’t have one in particular, but if I had to pick one, it would be the sword chop as the sauce that goes on it was taught to me by my grandmother.
Hammond: [My favorite is] Penne Arrabiata, because I love pasta! And I became a vegetarian at 16, so I never cook fish or
Eateries
From P. A9
restaurateurs remain optimistic. The Breens are encouraged by growing crowds at Mai Tai
community. Upon graduation, Anne returned to Boston, working in the financial industry and sharing a basement apartment with friends near Beacon Hill. She met her husband, Edmund P. (Ned) Bullis, while canvassing for the United Way in the neighborhood, and the couple was married in 1959, going on to celebrate 65 years of marriage. In 1960, Anne and Ned moved to Marblehead, where they lived for more than 60 years, raising their two children, Louise and David, and enjoying an active life surrounded by close friends. Above all an avid sportswoman, Anne excelled at
in an alphabetical line, he met his best friend, Steve Hazeltine, and the two proceeded to gallop around the globe with their skis, bikes and golf clubs for the next 70 years. Together, they taught skiing at Wildcat in Gorham, New Hampshire, keeping their PSIA certification current for decades and setting in motion their love of skiing, which they later passed on to their children. In the summers, he served in the ROTC on the ice caps of Greenland, building communication towers and earning cash needed to support his seasonal extracurriculars.
PG first met his wife, Susan Shea, on a 1962 ski trip to Bartlett, New Hampshire. As fate would have it, Susan’s father, John Shea, insisted that she start dating and drove her and a girlfriend to the White Mountains after they missed their bus. Curious about the New Year’s Eve ruckus she heard from her hotel across the street, she ventured to the Ski Meisters ski club and found PG dancing and throwing eggs at his friends. Soon, Susan joined PG as a
meat at home.
Isaacson: My favorite would be eggs Benedict because it’s probably my go-to breakfast dish to eat, and there’s lots of really good techniques in the dish from making a hollandaise that doesn’t break and is delicious and the right viscosity and poaching the eggs correctly. My least favorite would be risotto because you have to babysit it and constantly stir and add stock to it, and it just takes a long time.
Have you watched the show “The Bear”? If yes, how realistic is it? Do you identify
Lounge as word spreads about their offerings. “It’s been a challenge being tucked away on the second floor,” Jamison Breen said. “But I think we’re growing past that. Even three years in, you
racquet sports, touring England in the late 1950s as a member of the U.S. Women’s Squash team and winning numerous tennis and badminton championships at Marblehead’s Eastern Yacht Club and the local badminton club, the Gut ‘n Feathers. Later in life, Anne traveled the country to compete in senior badminton matches and continued playing into her 90s. Anne and Ned also belonged to a family ski club in New Hampshire, the White Mountain Ski Runners (affectionately known as the White Mules after its mascot), where the family spent many winter weekends skiing together. With an ear trained by growing up in a musical family, Anne continued to enjoy music throughout her life. In her young married days, she played the clarinet, performing for family occasions with Ned (also on clarinet), her older brother Henry on cello and younger brother Dudley on flute, plus their wives on tambourine and piano. She was a lifelong member of the Old North Church, where she sang with the
regular at the Saturday night ski club events with the late-night dances and frenzied egg fights. It wasn’t long before Susan fell for his blonde hair, blue eyes and zany sense of humor.
PG loved to drag Sue skiing and out onto his sailboat, boasting that she was the only girl tough enough to keep coming back. In their first year of dating, she broke her leg skiing at Cannon Mountain and almost drowned in Boston Harbor after capsizing on his dinghy. After that auspicious start and some time apart, Susan sent a Christmas card to Paul’s mother, hoping it was just the nudge needed to rekindle their flame.
A year later, they were engaged while waiting at a traffic light on Beacon Street near Boston Common. It was there on that rainy night when they decided the only reasonable thing to do was make it official and get hitched. PG and Susan were married the day after Christmas in 1966 and moved to Marblehead in 1969. Their daughter, Tara, was born in 1974, and the family welcomed the twins, Erin and Colleen, in 1979.
PG started his civil engineering career at Metcalf & Eddy and later attended Harvard Business School’s OPM program while managing Linenthal, Eisenberg, Anderson (LEA Group) engineering firm. Thereafter, he became president and CEO of Guertin-Elkerton & Associates. If you live in New England, you have undoubtedly driven over a road or bridge or flushed your stuff to a wastewater facility he helped to
with any of the characters?
Medina: It sounds like a show I should watch and can relate to, but I am always here at The Landing working and finding new ways to improve the quality of every dish.
Alleyne: No, I have not. I do not watch cooking shows.
Hammond: I love “The Bear”! It was very realistic in how stressful the environment is, the pressure — and the camaraderie. I most identify with Carmy because I opened my own restaurant.
Isaacson: Yes, I have seen the show “The Bear” before and did
still find some people living in Marblehead that don’t know we’re there, and then they come in for the first time. It’s like a hidden little gem.”
As Marblehead’s restaurant scene continues to flourish and
Festival Chorus. And with Ned, over the years, she regularly attended Boston Symphony Orchestra concerts and opera performances, relishing the uplifting value of music. Anne had a varied working life, teaching tennis in Marblehead, refereeing field hockey games and finishing her career with more than 15 years of employment at Harbor Sweets in Salem, where she progressed from wrapping chocolates to representing the confectionary company at food trade shows across the country.
All who met Anne can attest to her strong interest in others. From the hundreds of Marbleheaders and tourists she engaged while sitting on a bench at Fort Sewall looking out at Marblehead Harbor, to the dozens of new friends she made at Brooksby Village, she always had a leading question to draw people out. Anne is survived by her husband of 65 years, Edmund; her younger brother, Dudley Shepard of Exeter, New Hampshire, and his wife Becky; her daughter, Louise
shape. “When you go, it’s the end for you, but it’s the beginning for me,” he would joke.
PG was friends with every public works and town manager from the Berkshires to Downeast Maine and likely took them all to a favorite watering hole or golf course to close the deal. Never one to sit still, he convinced his new employer to let him continue driving around New England and drum up new business after he sold the engineering firm.
If you saw PG at the Corinthian Yacht Club, he was inevitably on the porch “swapping lies” with the Etchells Fleet and informing anyone who would listen about the difficult task of ensuring all the boats in the harbor pointed in the same direction.
With his wife Susan, the Marblehead YMCA aquatics director, Paul dedicated his talents to building the YMCA’s Children’s Island pool and later fundraising and constructing the new Lynch van Otterloo YMCA on Leggs Hill Road. Paul served on the Y board for 30 years, from 1983 to 2013, and was president from 1987 to 1990. Paul also devoted his time to training for the Pan Mass Challenge and raising money for Dana Farber Cancer Institute in honor of his late sister, Betty Ann Boals. Those involved with either cause would say it was his strong leadership and disarming humor that spurred the community into action.
If you knew PG, you knew he always had a story to tell and
find it pretty realistic. There’s always an issue of something being broken or someone calls out or quits but also a sense of family and a bond with the people you’re in the kitchen with. Lots of big personalities and eccentric people that work in the restaurant industry because it does take a certain type of person to be able to thrive and be successful. I’d say [I identify with] Sydney with how positive and creative she is, as well as her sense of humor.
What do you like to do when you are not in the kitchen?
evolve, its impact stretches well beyond the dinner plate. Eateries serve as gathering places, local employers, tourist magnets, and springboards for the next generation.
“It’s nice that (local
Bullis Yarmoff and husband Jean-Jacques Yarmoff of Marblehead; her son, David Payne Bullis, and wife, Kay Seligsohn Bullis of Milton; and her grandchildren, Marc Shepard Yarmoff, Eric Thuot Yarmoff, Thavy E. Bullis and Nira Jacob Bullis. Anne is predeceased by her sister, Perry Shepard, and older brother, Henry B. Shepard Jr. A memorial service will be held at Old North Church, 35 Washington St., on Saturday, Nov. 2 at 2 p.m. with a reception to follow in the parish hall. In lieu of flowers donations can be made in Anne’s memory to Girls Inc. in Lynn (girlsinclynn. org/) or to plant a tree in Marblehead. Please make checks payable to the Town of Marblehead and mail to Marblehead Tree Department, Attn: Tree Donation Fund, 3 Tower Way, Marblehead, Massachusetts 01945 (to learn more go to marblehead.org/ tree-division/pages/donations). Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at eustisandcornellfuneralhome. com for Anne’s family.
some clever words to fit any situation. He was never just watching TV on the couch; he was “practicing the luge” or “checking his eyelids for holes.”
When his daughters considered a new ice cream flavor, a line down a double-black diamond, a trip across the country, or a flight around the world, he always offered the same advice, “Life is a carnival; you should go on all the rides.”
Above all, PG was the proudest of his three daughters; his stories about their adventures were mostly true, only slightly embellished. A doting father and grandfather, loving husband of 58 years and stalwart supporter of his community, Paul lived and loved large. His loss will be felt by many.
Paul is survived by his brother, Joseph Guertin, wife, Susan Shea Guertin; his three daughters, Tara Guertin, Erin Polo and Colleen Parenteau; his sonsin-law Matthieu Parenteau and Arthur Polo; and his four grandchildren, Elliott and Alder Parenteau, and August and Chandler Polo. His sister, Elizabeth Ann Guertin Boals, died in 1981.
A funeral mass will be held on Friday, Nov. 22, at 11 a.m. at Our Lady, Star of the Sea Church, 85 Atlantic Ave., Marblehead, reception to follow at The Landing Restaurant, 81 Front St. In lieu of flowers, please contribute to the children’s programs at the Lynch/vanOtterlo YMCA at northshoreymca.org/ donate/#donation-section
Medina: I enjoy going out with the staff to play soccer at least once a week and going out to eat to explore new ideas and flavors for my next menu.
Alleyne: I love being around people and talking and listening to people, especially the elderly. They are a wealth of knowledge.
Hammond: Garden, read, ski, walk in the woods, stargaze
Isaacson: Go to the beach, watch Boston sports teams, trivia nights, snowboarding, music, craft beer, trying new restaurants, being with friends and family, traveling, fire pits, movies, concerts
restaurants) are hiring high school and college kids on their breaks,” Koch said. “They’re learning a skill in their hometown. It’s a really great community connection.”
Shining a light on the news you care about!
Headlight
Written by the students of Marblehead High School for our school and community 2024 - 2025 Issue www.mhsheadlight.com October 23, 2024
Fashion is fun
B Lorenz, Freshman
In modern day high school, many teenagers want to dress as a form of self-expression and keep up with current trends. They find themselves stressing over what to wear each morning, which shoes look cleaner, and what shirt makes them look skinnier. However, this shouldn’t be the case. Fashion should be fun, and it should be something that students are proud of. Everyone should be comfortable with what they wear.
On October 11th, I interviewed Lindsay Rando, Marblehead native and owner of Bobbles and Lace, a clothing store with a few locations around the United States. Rando recently designed her own line of clothing. In our interview, I asked her five questions:
How did you first know you wanted to be a stylist?
“I grew up in my grandmother's consignment store; it was called the Treasure Chest in Marblehead. So I think that fashion is in my blood! After modeling, I knew I wanted more creative freedom. I always knew my life would involve creativity and fashion in some way.”
How would you describe your style now?
“My personal style is minimal, modern, and fashion forward.”
What do you want your style to say about you?
“I want my style to com-
municate to the world that I am confident, creative, and a leader!”
What are your top three must-haves in your closet?
“My top three must-haves in my closet are nude colored clothing (including heels, tops, etc.), big earrings, and oversized blazers.”
The last question I asked Lindsay Rando is what styling advice would you give to high schoolers trying to figure out their style?
“I would say do not be afraid to follow your own voice. Fashion is fun and expressive and should not be taken so seriously.”
I agree with Rando, fashion should be enjoyable and used as a form of self-expression. Students should represent their style through fashion by finding a look they define themselves, and then go for it! Style is a choice. It’s supposed to be used as self-expression. Caring about what other people think of you is a waste of time. People are going to judge you no matter what you do or wear, so the best advice Lindsay Rando can give you is to just be yourself.
Dressing the way you want to dress can boost your confidence and make you feel amazing, even when you are having a bad day. Many studies have shown that dressing the way you want and having a cute outfit improves your mental health and helps people have better days.
MHS teacher spotlight: Ms. Stillman
Georgia Marshall, Sophomore and Anna Baughman, Sophomore
This year, our community welcomed several new teachers. One standout addition is Ms. Stillman, who is bringing a fresh energy and perspective to her CP1 and Honors French 2, 3, and 5 classes. Though she’s new to MHS, this position is only the most recent chapter in her impressive and continuous story as a French educator. Her journey into teaching has taken her around the world, and she’s excited to share her knowledge and passion for the French language with her new students.
From a young age, Ms. Stillman knew she wanted to be a teacher. “I played teacher with my dolls and stuffed animals as a kid,” she recalled fondly. However, her path to teaching French has been anything but straightforward. In middle school, she planned to study German, but a last-minute twist of fate landed her in French class instead. That serendipitous turn for the unexpected sparked a lifelong love for the language, and continues to be a reminder to stay open to
possibility and to throw yourself at new opportunities, as Ms. Stillman has done throughout her career.
After earning her undergraduate degree from Mount Holyoke College in South Hadley, Massachusetts, and her Master's from Middlebury College in Middlebury, Vermont, she worked in many different areas, from publishing to journalism, and even in Harvard’s math department. Her thirst for knowledge and new experiences have led her from New England to France and even as far as Wuhan, China to teach English, where she didn’t know a word of Chinese. Eventually, her passion for French led her back to classrooms along the East Coast until she reached MHS.
Now, Ms. Stillman is eager to immerse herself in the culture and environment of our school. “My goal for this year is to be a good French teacher. I want to have a variety of activities to engage my students and make learning fun,” she shared. In her short time here, Ms. Stillman has established a stimulating
Headlight Staff 2024-2025
and engaging curriculum involving videos, group assignments, and creative worksheets that keep the class dynamic and fun. Outside of the classroom, Ms. Stillman leads an equally vibrant life. She’s been dancing since college, even traveling to Morocco with a group of fellow dancers. She also plays violin in an Arabic music ensemble in Boston. Despite her busy schedule, she makes time for her three grown children and her two cats, Pumpkin and Izzy.
As we look forward to the rest of the school year, it’s clear that Ms. Stillman’s passion for teaching and her adventurous spirit will be a valuable addition to our school. With her unique experiences and enthusiasm for for learning, she reminds students to think big while enjoying the ride. So, in the words of a true French scholar, bonjour et bienvenue, Madame Stillman!
Marblehead Sustainability Fair: To a healthier sea
Mickey Green, Freshman
On September 28th, the Sustainable Marblehead Community organized a sustainability fair at Brown Elementary. Various vendors and educators participated and taught our town about the importance of maintaining a healthy environment, providing new innovative ways of reducing waste and pollution.
Marine Environmentalist, Salem Sound Coastwatch, raises awareness about the health of our oceans and promotes sustainable practices within the community. The School to Sea program has successfully served over 5,000 youth annually, providing marine study cruises, inschool classes, authentic field experiences, and engagement.
"We are bringing together the communities of Salem, Marblehead, and surrounding areas to volunteer to clean up our oceans," School to Sea director Carly McIver states. This collaborative effort not only addresses immediate environmental concerns but also fosters a sense of community among participants.
Those interested in getting involved, whether through volunteering or learning more about the initiatives, can visit salemsound. org or contact them at 978-7417900. The Marblehead Sustainability Fair promises to be an engaging event that unites communities with the common goal of protecting our precious oceans. Join us in making a difference!
Join Headlight!
Meetings: Wednesdays at 2:35 PM
Location: A303
We are looking for writers, photographers, and tech help. Help bring the news to our Marblehead community.
EDITOR-IN-CHIEF: Benji Boyd ASSISTANT EDITORS: Grey Collins, Kathleen Hanson, Georgia Marshall
REPORTERS: Nathaniel Carper-Young, Anna Baughman, Anya Kane, Evan Eisen, Niko King, William Pelliciotti, Peter Sullivan, Nasira Warab, Grace Wolverton
FACULTY ADVISOR: Thomas Higgins
Bonjour et bienvenue, Madame Stillman!
Dining
In the meantime, the Rip Tide continues normal operations. Recent changes include the return of a pool table and jukebox, additions made in response to customer
feedback. ”We put the pool table back in last week,” Vienneau noted. “And we put the jukebox back in to bring back kind of the old Rip Tide feel, where a lot of the customers were asking for what they wanted.”
Help Wanted
Full Time Infant/Toddler &Preschool Teachers
MCC’sphilosophyisthatchildrenlearn best through play.Seeking enthusiastic,dedicated professionalswho will engage in andupholdour mission
Acollaborative &suppor tive environmentwith theoppor tunitytodevelop teaching skillsthrough education&training
Please contact gail@marbleheadchildrenscenter.com 781-631-1954
Forinfoabout salary +benefits (includingfreechildcare forfull time employees).
Caffe Italia on the move after Fen Yang buys building
The Current has learned that Fen Yang House owner Ling Chen has purchased the Caffe Italia building at 10 School St. Chen said she isn’t sure if Fen Yang, now at 40 Atlantic Ave., will move.
Caffe Italia owner Donna Oliviero confirmed that her restaurant will be moving, but she’s not sure when.
“I’m not moving until I have a suitable space,” Oliviero said.
“All I can say is, I love Marblehead. I love all my customers, AKA restaurant friends which I call them. I’m not going to leave Marblehead,” she added.
