Town prepares for Election Day
BY LEIGH BLANDER
With the Nov. 5 election just days away, Marblehead Town
Clerk Robin Michaud and Police
Chief Dennis King are gearing up for what is expected to be a robust voter turnout in a tense political climate.
“We’ve added extra staff during the day and evening — not because there’s a known, actionable threat but because there’s going to be high volume,” King told the Current.
King added, “We are also well aware that there are extremists. We are not naive to the rhetoric that goes on in terms of the national landscape.”
Michaud had not heard about any local threats.
“We always take extra
precautions on election day,” she added, declining to go into detail.
Michaud hires poll workers
for each voting location in town — the Judy and Gene Jacobi Community Center at 10 Humphrey St., the Old Town
House in Market Square and Abbot Hall, 188 Washington St. Poll workers help check in voters, distribute ballots, tally votes and assist people in the polling place. In Marblehead, they earn $55 for a half day, $110 for a full day.
Michaud said there’s been a surge in interest this year.
“We’ve had a huge amount of voters that want to work the polls this election,” she said.
Gratia Pelliciotti of Marblehead has been a poll worker for the last two years and is looking forward to helping voters on Nov. 5.
“I’ve been involved in politics in one form or another, volunteering, forever. I want to be as involved as I can,” she said. There are typically five poll
SPectr
workers at each location during different shifts, according to Pelliciotti. She’s not concerned about working this election. “I have no fear, no worry,” she said. “Maybe I’m naive, but I don’t sense that we’re as divided in Marblehead as in other parts of the country. There’s not the same kind of tension. People are usually grateful and thankful.”
The 150-foot law
Police will be enforcing the so-called 150-foot law, which prohibits “electioneering, signature-gathering and other specific political activities” within 150 feet of a polling place, according to the Massachusetts Secretary of State’s Office.
Architect’s latest Halloween installation looks to future
BY LEIGH BLANDER
Marblehead architect Tom Saltsman reached 100 years into the future to create his latest Halloween installation in his driveway. He calls it “Year 2124.”
People who come to view the eerie scene at 32 Pleasant St. will time travel into the next century and see how Saltsman’s residence might look in the year 2124. The scene includes a large face representing the owner, as well as a robot with a tethered dog-like creature that Saltsman said is “an enlarged mite… bioengineered.”
The installation uses projected video of Saltman’s face (on the robot) and his daughter’s face (on the owner). The characters move in different ways and there’s an eerie soundtrack that includes whale songs.
Saltman’s inspiration was the “Sapiens” by Y. Harari, prompting the rhetorical questions, “Who will live here in 100 years? How will they communicate? What are their social connections?” he explained.
“I am fascinated with what we preserve and how the meaning of the things we preserve changes as we change,” he added.
Saltsman, who owns a design and construction firm, has been creating awe-inspiring Halloween pieces for nearly 20 years. It all started when his now-grown daughters were students at the old Coffin School, and he created a Halloween experience for kids there.
Since moving his creations to his home, Saltsman has built, among others, a huge smokebreathing dragon, a 22-foottall grunting gorilla and an 18-foot-tall translucent walking man. Last year, he built a giant,
Podcaster finds town a perfectly spooky home
BY WILL DOWD
For Sabrina Deana-Roga, co-host of the podcast “Two Girls One Ghost,” her 1767 house on Front Street came with an unusual selling point.
“The day we bought the house,” she recalled, “the previous owner was like, ‘I probably shouldn’t tell you this, but I can’t wait for you to meet the ghosts.’”
Having recently relocated from the West Coast with her partner, Payne Lindsey, DeanaRoga found it to be the perfect welcome. She had fallen in love with Marblehead during a writer’s retreat two years ago, a trip her podcast co-host, Corinne Vien, had suggested. “It’s been the background on my phone since that trip,” she said.
‘Maybe don’t listen while driving’
The podcasters’ show explores eerie tales and supernatural encounters, delving into heavily researched and listener-submitted stories of the strange and spooky. They have thousands of subscribers and have posted nearly 700 episodes.
Deana-Roga and Vien met during their first week as theater majors at Loyola Marymount University in Los Angeles. Vien’s introduction during an acting class — her fun fact was that she grew up in a haunted house — caught Deana-Roga’s attention immediately.
“I was like, ‘I wanna be her friend,’” said
CURRENT PHOTO / LEIGH BLANDER
Marblehead Town Clerk Robin Michaud and Police Chief Dennis King are preparing for a high voter turnout on Nov. 5.
COURTESY PHOTO
Marblehead resident Sabrina Deana-Roga, right, co-hosts the popular paranormal podcast “Two Girls One Ghost” with her best friend Corinne Vien, diving into eerie tales and supernatural encounters.
COURTESY PHOTOS / BROOKE TRAVIS-SALTSMAN
Architect Tom Saltsman engineered his futuristic characters for this year’s Halloween installation, titled “2124.”
Tom Saltman’s latest Halloween creation features futuristic characters, including this robot.
SALTSMAN, P. A3
Another round of teacher contract talks expected; students rally at MHS
BY LEIGH BLANDER
Teacher contract talks were expected to resume on Oct. 28, just days after dozens of Marblehead High School students rallied side by side with their teachers outside the building Thursday morning, Oct. 24. There was music, donuts and call-andresponse cheers.
“When I say ‘support,’ you say ‘our teachers,’” shouted a male student. The crowd answered with enthusiasm.
MHS senior class president Jared Kaplowitch was at the rally.
“Our teachers are there for us, and we need to be there by their side now,” he said. “They’re here everyday to support us and teach us, even though we are on day 54 without a contract. Without the teachers, there is no school and no learning. The least we can do is to show up for them, wear red and let them know the community stands with them.”
Teachers said they were grateful for the support.
“You are freaking awesome,” shouted MHS teacher Michael Fu to the students.
“It is inspiring that these kids would go out of their way to
show their support,” Fu told the Current. “It represents what the town really wants.”
Samantha Rosato is a tutor at the Glover School whose two kids go to MHS. She came to the rally in solidarity with her high school colleagues.
“It’s really exciting how much community support there is for teachers,” she said.
The teachers union and School Committee representatives have been negotiating a new contract for educators and custodians since March. Teachers have been working without a new contract since Aug. 31.
School Committee Chair Jenn Schaeffner attended Thursday’s rally.
“I came to show support for the students who are supporting their teachers,” she said.
The union is demanding higher wages, better family leave benefits and more of a say in
safety protocols. The School Committee says it is constrained by Marblehead’s fiscal challenges.
“It is with great disappointment that once again we have come away from negotiations nearly empty-handed,” the Marblehead Education Association wrote to its membership after the 14th bargaining session on Oct. 21. “At this point the committee owes us responses for all units.”
According to a statement released by the School Committee’s bargaining subcommittee, most of the Oct. 21 negotiations focused on the custodians’ contract, “however the union refused to move on their wage proposals.”
For the very latest on teacher contract negotiations, visit MarbleheadCurrent.org.
Special education
departures
The Marblehead Education
Association says 12 special education staff have left the Village School since the end of last school year.
“And there most likely will be more staff leaving,” said MEA Co-president Jonathan Heller.
At various School Committee meetings, several Marblehead teachers have complained that there is not enough staff to support dysregulated students, and that educators who stay are underpaid.
As of Oct 24, the district’s website listed at least seven openings for special education staff at the Brown, Glover and Village schools.
When asked about the departures, interim Superintendent John Robidoux wrote in an email, “Our Student Services Department is working diligently with our principals and administrators to sift through situations that have been identified regarding programming, protocols, training and staffing. There are a lot of moving parts, but I am confident that throughout this year into the next, we will be able to shore up some of the programming and truly be able to identify and address areas where different levels of support are required so that we can continue to ensure that all students are being educated within our schools in the most appropriate manner.”
Fashion designer returns to Veterans School to share his secrets to success
BY LEIGH BLANDER
It was a Veterans School homecoming for fashion designer
Niko Salado last week when he returned to Marblehead to share his success story with students in teacher Molly Hauptman’s art classes. Salado was Hauptman’s student a decade ago.
Today, Salado, 22, has his own fashion line based in Boston. He told students that his interest in fashion started in the Vets lunchroom.
“I saw someone wearing Jordans, the sneakers, and I really liked them,” he said. “I saw people on Instragram wearing nice sneakers, nice clothing. My mom got me an internship at (the sneaker boutique) Laced in Boston.”
For his MHS senior project, Salado worked for a tailor in Boston.
“He taught me how to sew,” Salado said.
Thanks to that senior project, he was way ahead of his peers when he started studying fashion at Framingham State University.
Salado wrote his college essay about being a METCO student in Marblehead in grades two through 12.
“I found that the more stories we shared, the more things we had in common,” Salado wrote.
“I learned that just because we come from different backgrounds
or look different, it does not mean that we do not face the same struggles or have the same goals of seeking acceptance and yearning to make something great
of ourselves.”
He received a full, four-year scholarship to Framingham State and spent six months studying fashion in Florence, Italy.
Salado showed students some of his latest designs, including a parachute skirt and bags. He explained that the goal of design is to address a problem, and he listed seven steps in the design process.
» Understand the problem you’re trying to solve. Do research. Create a concept based on your research.
» Create a prototype.
» Test the prototype.
» Fix the design to address any issues. Repeat.
There are four elements to a good design, he added: It needs to be functional, visually pleasing, user-friendly and sustainable.
The seventh-grade students in Hauptman’s class are working on their own designs — of backpacks. One boy shared his idea of inventing a compression system that would shoot out a pencil when you pushed a button.
Asked what advice he would give his seventh-grade self, Salado said, “Not to be afraid of failure. You’re never going to get everything right on the first try. It’s all possible; you just have to keep trying.”
That message resonated with student Luke Whipple.
“He was discouraged, but he didn’t give up,” Whipple said.
To learn more about Salado’s designs, visit nikosalado.com.
CURRENT PHOTOS / LEIGH BLANDER
MHS educators and students rally before school on Oct. 24, demanding a new teacher contract.
MHS seniors Gabby Hendy and Pietro Rose support their teachers’ push to get a new contract.
CURRENT PHOTOS / LEIGH BLANDER
Fashion designer Niko Salado offers tips to Veterans School art students about their projects designing backpacks.
Niko Salado poses with his Veterans School art teacher Molly Hauptman, during Salado’s recent visit to the school.
Town transforms into Halloween wonderland
BY WILL DOWD
Hundreds of costumed children and their families flooded downtown Marblehead Thursday afternoon for the Chamber of Commerce’s annual trick-ortreating event, where more than 50 businesses opened their doors to young revelers.
The two-hour celebration transformed the historic district into a Halloween wonderland, with participating shops and organizations displaying pumpkin posters to welcome trick-ortreaters. After safety concerns from previous years, organizers implemented enhanced security measures, including road closures and increased police presence along the narrower downtown streets.
For participating businesses, the
mythical forest troll in his driveway, with an eerie woodland inside his garage. The year before, he designed and built a 20-foot Egyptian goddess with the head of a cobra and body of a woman.
“This year it’s different, very different,” Saltsman told the Current before the new theme was revealed.
“Some people might think it’s not as big, but it’s definitely very complex.”
There is no inside component to this installation and people can view it from the sidewalk. It can be viewed Wednesday through
event offered a unique opportunity to connect with the community.
“It’s the easiest thing in the world,” Chamber Executive Director Katherine Koch said.
“You put a pumpkin poster in your window, you open your doors, you give out candy.”
St. Michael’s Episcopal Church emerged as a surprise highlight, converting its sanctuary into a haunted space complete with ghostly figures crafted from tomato cages and cheesecloth, while prayer books were strategically turned to burial services pages.
Six-year-old twins AJ and Luna Hargrove, dressed as Black Panther and a skeleton respectively, explored the haunted sanctuary with bold confidence.
Saturday, 5:30 - 8:30 p.m.
Saltsmam works full time and spends dozens of hours in the evenings and on weekends working on his Halloween projects. He came up with this year’s theme in August and started working on it in September with a small group of regular volunteers, including his wife, Brooke Travis Saltsman.
To see a gallery of Saltsman’s recent Halloween installations, visit MarbleheadCurrent. org.
CURRENT PHOTO / WILL DOWD
The Guyette children dressed as superheroes on Washington street. Two-year-old triplets Ford (Superman), Roosevelt (Wonder Woman) and Reagan (Hulk) and their older brother, Jackson (Spiderman), 5.
Opinion
The spirit of Halloween
Halloween is here again. A holiday season that takes over neighboring Salem for 10 or more weeks each fall seemingly grows longer, louder and pricier every year.
According to the National Retail Federation, Halloween consumer spending will exceed $11 billion in 2024, dominated by the 24-36 age group. Salem alone expects more than 1 million witch-watching visitors of all ages by month’s end.
Good for local business, maybe. Not so good for driving through. Or parking.
We certainly have no quarrel with spooky tours and crowds of pe ople cosplaying their way around the city, day and night. Still, we wonder what the true spirit of Halloween looks like. Or even if that’s a thing these days. And we don’t mean Spirit Halloween, the mega-chain retailer with a merchandise line to suit every shopping cart.
Instead, we turned to a local couple who embody that spirit as much as anyone we know.
At their Swampscott home near the Marblehead line, Edye and Bob Baker have assembled a visual archive of every trick-or-treater they’ve greeted over the past half century. Their Halloween Wall of Fame poster board display — thousands of kids’ portraits, dressed in costume and labeled by name and year — holds an almost supernatural power for those who turn up every Oct. 31 to gaze at their own slice of Halloween history, then add to it with a freshly taken photo. Scores return year after year, many now grown and bringing kids of their own.
On display are pop culture trends (“Star Wars” figures and Ninja Turtles, Harry Potters and Barbies) that bring smiles to anyone who has parented through or personally embraced them. Those little princesses and vampires are pretty darn cute, too.
But mostly what’s on display are qualities that make Halloween itself a special treat — namely, creativity and community.
“What I love most are the kids’ imaginations,” Edye told us recently, as she and Bob readied their home for the big night. “Seeing 5- and 6-yearolds who don’t buy a store costume but create their own. Maybe wearing a carton where they’re [dressed up as] a tea party and their head is the tea
kettle.”
“I look them in the eye when I take their picture and tell them how incredibly wonderful it is that they’ve taken the trouble to make that,” she said, eyes a-twinkle. “But every kid who comes here is special.”
Beyond the creativity at work is the sense of community and continuity the Bakers’ 50-year tradition has fostered — all without relying on hauntedhouse effects or other scary props.
“Some kids may not be from our own neighborhood, but they’re from some neighborhood,” Edye reminded us. “They have this sense of being welcomed into a stranger’s house and made to feel that it was important they came.”
When it comes to creativity and the community it attracts, Marblehead architect Tom Saltsman is virtually in a league of his own. His Pleasant Street driveway has become a must-stop on any local Halloween Hits Tour, drawing crowds that jam the sidewalk outside.
Epic in scale and thematic ingenuity, Saltsman’s multimedia installations would make a Hollywood set designer proud. They have included a gigantic forest troll, menacing Egyptian cobra goddess, eerie ghost ship, colossal King Kong and smoke-blowing dragon. The wow factor is huge.
Each project takes Saltsman’s team weeks to design and build. Their latest masterpiece, “Year 2124,” a high-tech rendering of a future world that is both eerily expressive and chillingly robotic, was unveiled this past Sunday. Wow, indeed.
“I love the feeling of freedom of getting to make whatever we want to make,” Tom has said in describing what the true spirit of Halloween means to him and his crew.
He added, “I definitely do it for the camaraderie of people working together” and exploring their collective creativity, which often involves solving technological puzzles only a fellow wizard could fully appreciate.
So, carve the pumpkin and fill up the candy bowl Thursday night. Dress up the kids and fire up the fog machine. Halloween is all about having fun.
While you’re at it, though, appreciate the creativity and communal spirit that truly make Halloween special — and which are not for sale at any pop-up store.
GU eSt cOLUMN
Thoughts on how to settle the teachers’ contract
BY THOMAS MATHERS
member Thomas Mathers
On July 27, 2023, I wrote to the editor about my concerns regarding the conduct of the School Committee and I was critical of their termination of then Superintendent Buckey and provided warning to what may unfold without their course correction. Since publishing that letter, the performance of the School Committee, which has been broadly reported in the Current, has eroded public confidence and trust.
Which brings us to the current situation of collective bargaining units at Marblehead Public Schools, which I forewarned “will most likely be a difficult and expensive negotiation, we are faced with the prospect of having little leverage. Will we see a doubledigit contract increase? It’s not out of the question given where recent collective bargaining agreements have settled in nearby towns. If the teachers are unhappy in negotiations, they will walk out or hold demonstrations before school. Why wouldn’t they? They now have all the power without a trusted superintendent in place. All of us should care about this because the teachers’ union contract settlement drives every other contract negotiation in town. We are looking at a significant increase in labor costs in Marblehead for all town employees, which without new revenues will lead to potentially further program and service cuts in the future.”
The School Committee negotiating team got off to a very poor start. Neither member had any prior experience negotiating collective bargaining agreements. They were late inviting the experienced Thatcher Kezer into the bargaining sessions on behalf of the town. But do not be fooled by public statements by the Marblehead Education Association. MEA is not leading the negotiations. I believe the Massachusetts Teachers Association is at the head of the table, negotiators who have no ties to Marblehead, but the full weight as a state organization, and the MEA falling in obediently behind them.
open to the public, which only invites agitators and takes away from the efficacy of the process. There is no doubt that a new CBA will significantly increase costs across our town, which will outpace new growth. So how do we manage this? It comes down to making some very hard and unpalatable choices, which we as taxpayers through our School Committee, must decide. Outside of a large override, which has been roundly defeated for 20 years, here are a few unpalatable ideas for our negotiating team to consider:
Negotiate a reasonable but affordable increase in compensation. The ~12% package is both; however, has been disregarded by the MTA. Is there some nibbling at the edges that will be satisfactory to both parties?
Let’s hope so.
A new CBA will come with the reality that we cannot staff at our current levels. We should be proactive in preparing for this new reality. The MEA knows this. A new CBA will result in a reduction in force, and the MEA will have a “Sophie’s Choice” in deciding which educators stay, and which will receive pink slips in the new contract. Should we start now by instituting a hiring freeze?
» Remove unfunded mandates in the next CBAs (to include the teachers) such as allowing non-Marblehead resident teachers, paraprofessionals, etc. to have their children attend MPS for free. At a fully burdened cost of $20,000/child per year, this leads to significant expense to our taxpayers. In any given year we may have ~20 or more enrolled students from outside our district (~$400,000/year). We are not a school choice district, so we receive zero reimbursement for these students.
Reasonably limit paid parental leave. If a member under the CBA is paid for excessive parental leave, the district must hire a substitute at an additional cost to fill the gap — with us paying twice. The ask from the MEA is unrealistic.
We must invest in student services so that we can limit the large variable expense of out-of-district placements.
As America prepares to honor its veterans who have bravely served to preserve, protect and defend democracy for all who live here, we at the Current want to also pay tribute to our local poll workers, Marblehead citizens who work at our polling places greeting voters, providing them with ballots and overseeing the recording of ballots. It is often thankless work, but it is vital to ensure the continuation of our open, free and democratic society for which our veterans have served and, in many instances, given their lives. It is noteworthy that in many areas of our country — particularly in the so-called swing states — poll workers and other election officials are being subjected to threats and intimidation, causing some to step down out of fear for the safety of themselves and their families. It does not appear that any such acts have been undertaken against Marblehead poll workers, but it nonetheless raises concerns that this, too, could someday happen here unless all of us can tone down the political rhetoric and accept and respect the fact that we are all Americans and we should be able to have divergent opinions without losing sight of all that we have in common.
Presidential election years historically result in the highest
turnout of voters. Electioneering, campaigning, signature-gathering and other specific political activities are prohibited within 150 feet of voting locations, and according to Police Chief Dennis King, his officers are well-trained to enforce this restriction.
Inside our voting locations, poll observers are allowed to observe polling place operations, but they are not allowed to intimidate, threaten, coerce or otherwise interfere with voters’ right to cast their ballot nor are they allowed to act in such ways with poll workers. Violations of these restrictions can lead to the removal of such persons from the polling location.
Chief King recently told the Current that every polling location has an officer that’s assigned there, adding, “For me, it’s something that is vitally important… that people should feel comfortable and safe as they’re going to and from the polls. We take it seriously, we have planned for it, and we’re prepared if there’s something we need to deal with.”
We encourage all of our readers to bear in mind our poll workers are performing a vital task in the furtherance of our democratic process. Perhaps they would especially appreciate a smile and a “thank you” when you cast your vote this election season.
Having served on the negotiating team for the Masconomet Regional School District some years ago, I have direct experience with what is unfolding now. The position of the MTA is unbending and unrealistic, and they do not care. They are proposing a compensation increase of 38% for teachers over four years. The MTA believes that they can lay siege to the School Committee and force them to capitulate to come to the town for a massive override next year. The narrative will be “if the override fails, then the schools will be dismantled.” This is a false choice, and a tactic more commonly used by hostage takers. Make no mistake, there will be a teachers’ strike in Marblehead. MTA has orchestrated similar illegal labor actions across multiple towns in the commonwealth.
We can all agree that we want the best schools for our kids and happy educators. But public comments from the MEA regarding the state of negotiations have been bellicose. The MEA has used the custodian negotiation as a false flag with the public, while not being transparent about the real issue, which is the teachers’ contract. For these reasons I would like to commend the School Committee for holding their ground on behalf of taxpayers in Marblehead. Our negotiating team understands the fiscal implications to the town not only from CBA at the schools, but what that means across all CBU in town. I do not believe that negotiations should be
» Evaluate the financial impact of our METCO program. Everyone applauds the value of this program; however, it is quite likely the reimbursement the district receives on an annual basis falls very short of the total cost of this program. This cost includes unfunded student services that our taxpayers provide. Can we still afford this program in FY 25-26 and beyond?
» The co-teaching model is an important element of our district. Can we still afford this, or is there (in some instances) a more affordable delivery of education? Make no mistake, this is a very difficult time for our town. Let us hope that CBAs can be settled in the best interest of our educators without breaking the town. Our School Committee, however flawed in prior performance, must be commended for holding their nerve under intense pressure from the MTA, MEA and by proxy, those with the red signs of “Fair Contract Now”. Supporting our School Committee does not mean you do not support our educators. Our School Committee consists of volunteers, parents and taxpayers. They represent all constituents in town and deserve our support during this negotiation. Thomas Mathers Ocean Avenue
Former member of the Marblehead School Committee
Former member of Masconomet Regional School Committee
Former trustee, Butler University
COURTESY PHOTO / PAPPAS CAPITAL Former School Committee
LetterS
Wake up to Trump’s authoritarian threat
To the editor:
I was born in France and have been in this country for over 50 years. I am a naturalized citizen, married to an American and have American children and grandchildren. I graduated as a chemical engineer from Carnegie Mellon University. Through the years, as a wife, mother and working engineer, I didn’t get involved in politics. I have voted both Republican and Democrat and consider myself an independent with center-left, fiscally conservative views. Since retirement, I have been getting interested in politics. To be honest, I never really worried about it because for me, democracy was a given. I never thought that it could be taken away. My grandparents lived through two world wars; my parents, aunts and uncles lived through one. I was raised hearing the stories ... How the Germans didn’t recognize the threat. People, please listen to Donald Trump. He is working from the same playbook that Hitler used. It happened there, the Germans didn’t see it coming. Just, please, listen to his words. He is saying the quiet part out loud. He says he wants to jail his enemies. He wants to take away CBS, ABC and other outlets’ licenses. He wants to lock up anyone that disagrees
with him. He wants his generals to be loyal to him, just like Hitler’s.
Maybe the newspaper or the social media you look at doesn’t tell you this. The people that served him in the White House (Kelly, Milley, Mattis, Esper) have said that he is dangerous and fits the definition of a fascist. Have you looked at Project 2025 in detail? It’s a roadmap for dismantling the federal government and taking over as an authoritarian.
The economy is improving and the stock market is at an all-time high. Do you really think Trump’s tariffs will help the economy and the American people? Come on! Wake up, everyone before it’s too late. Do you want to live in a country like Russia? China? North Korea? With state TV? No freedom? No free press?
Catherine Pihokken Pinecliff Drive
Do you have a plan for this election?
To the editor:
Are you going to vote early? Are you going to vote by mail? Are you going to vote in person on Nov. 5? Have you decided for whom you’ll vote in every contest on the ballot? Do you know how you’ll vote on each of the five ballot questions?
Notice that not voting is not an option. Voting is your direct voice on what your vision is for your state and your country.
A group of us were sharing voting memories. One of my earliest was as a child helping to close the heavy curtain, and my father lifting me up to pull the levers on the gear-and-lever voting machines commonly used in those days. I felt so grown up! For some in the group, memories of voting for the first time confirmed adult responsibilities and privileges. “Now I’m a real American,” the brand-new voters recalled, voting for the first time on their 18th birthday.
Someone shared more recent memories of taking grandchildren with them to model what they hope will become a lifelong practice. Besides, everyone gets “I Voted” stickers!
Back to your plan. You can vote early in the auditorium of Abbot Hall, 188 Washington St., on Thursday, Oct. 31, from 8:30 a.m. until 4:30 p.m. and Friday, Nov. 1, from 8:30 a.m. until noon. Did you get a ballot in the mail? Drop it off at the Town Clerk’s Office in Abbot Hall, 188 Washington St. during office hours: Thursday, Oct. 31, between 8 a.m.-5 p.m.; Friday, Nov. 1, between 8 a.m.-12:30 p.m. or Monday, Nov. 4, between 8 a.m.-5 p.m.
On Tuesday, Nov. 5, Election Day, you must return your ballot by 8 p.m. to the Town Clerk’s office in Abbot Hall.
Important: Please do not drop your ballot in the red box in front of Abbot Hall or at the Town offices on Widger Road. It must be hand-delivered to the
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:
Town Clerk’s office.
If your plan is to vote in person on Election Day, Tuesday, Nov. 5, you can confirm your polling place at tinyurl.com/ yz9ezvnv.
At that site, you’ll also be able to click on “My State Election Ballot” to view a sample ballot. Check the websites of any candidates whose names are not familiar to you.
Do you need more information on the ballot questions? You can bring a note with you as a reminder of whether you’re voting “yes” or “no” on each question.
Polling places in Marblehead are:
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 name – not their full address.
The author’s daytime/cell phone number for verification purposes (not publication). Letters must be received by our newsroom directly from their writers (for special circumstances, contact the newsroom). Email submissions to info@marbleheadnews.org or use the submission form found at marbleheadcurrent.org/letters. Some letters may be shared to social media. We will share a wide array of viewpoints. Letters must be received by noon on Friday in order to be printed in the following week’s print edition.
» Precinct 1: Old Town House, One Market Square
» Precincts 2 and 3: Abbot Hall Auditorium, 188 Washington St. Precincts 4, 5 and 6: Judy & Gene Jacobi Community Center, 10 Humphrey St. You must vote at your own polling location.
Polling places are open from 7 a.m. until 8 p.m. on election day. Questions? Contact the Town Clerk’s office at 781 631-0528. Your vote is your voice. Make sure it’s heard.
Sincerely,
Shari
Pressman McKinley Road
Save the planet with plastic circularity
BY MARY ELLEN MILLER
Removing plastics from the waste stream and using readily available options for recycling helps us get the most we can from the material we use every day. This is referred to as plastic circularity, which means using plastics more efficiently by keeping the material in use for as long as possible. There are more and more options available for us to participate in this crucial sustainable campaign:
» Recycling standard plastics
» Reusing non-standard plastics
Choosing non-plastic products
It remains critical to recycle standard plastics by placing them in your curbside bin or bringing them to the Transfer
Station. As addressed in our Feb. 28 column, “The Surprising Shape of Marblehead Recycling,” all of Marblehead’s recycling ends up at the Republic Services Materials Recovery Facility in Peabody. Eighty percent to 85% of all material processed at this facility is moved along the recycling supply chain. Non-standard plastics
recycling options for Marblehead and neighboring communities are also available.
MacRae’s Sustainable Goods on Washington Street in Marblehead, PlasticRecycled. com are excellent examples of local resources that offer the option of turning otherwise unrecyclable plastics into reusable products.
Non-standard plastics that can’t be recycled through Republic Services include “funky” plastics and plastic film. Funky plastics can be brought to MacRae’s Sustainable Goods, including caps/lids, bread tags, straws, Rx bottles, black takeout containers, food storage containers such as Rubbermaid and small bits of plastic. PlasticRecycled.com collects
these materials from MacRae’s and turns them into products such as benches, planters and bowls.
Plastic film such as newspaper bags and mail packages can be brought to many grocery stores and other Trex partner locations. Trex is the world’s largest manufacturer of woodalternative composite decking and railing made of 95% recycled materials. Additionally, there are alternatives to bringing this material to grocery stores that may result in more successful plastic circularity. Obaggo (Obaggo.com) is one of these options and they recently exhibited at our Sustainability Fair. The Obaggo appliance compresses plastic film into compact disks that are then
more easily delivered to Trex. Where possible, it’s also essential to consider swapping your use of plastic products with non-plastic alternatives. When you bring your funky plastics to MacRae’s, spend a few minutes perusing their wide variety of swappable items. There are many great products available to reduce the amount of plastic you use. Also, bring your own or purchase a reusable container or jar to fill your laundry, dish hand soap without the typical plastic packaging. You’ll be glad you did.
Mary Ellen Miller co-chairs the Conservation Working Group of Sustainable Marblehead. Steve Miller, sustainable health science LabRenew founder, contributed to this article.
Protect yourself from disinformation online
BY STEPHEN BACH
The UK publication The Guardian recently published an article about disinformation and misinformation on the internet. The researcher’s name is Chris StokelWalker. Since The Digital Docs see the effects of this misinformation/disinformation daily in the form of fake ”tech support” scams, we thought it appropriate to summarize his reporting. The internet is awash with false information, a problem that has grown more complex in recent years. While fake news isn’t new, social media has amplified its reach, and the
advent of AI tools like ChatGPT in 2022 has further complicated matters.
A recent survey of 2,000 UK adults reveals the extent of this confusion: 59% of people believe they can identify false information online.
» Only 36% think others can do the same. This gap in perception is problematic. We tend to overestimate our own ability to spot misinformation while underestimating others’, creating a false sense of security.
Addressing the issue
Simply teaching people to spot fake news may not be enough. We need broader solutions that go beyond individual efforts. Proposed solutions
The Behavioural Insights Team, a UK-based organization, suggests several approaches:
1. Rapid labeling of false information by platforms.
2. Stricter content moderation on social media.
3. Publishing rankings of how well platforms combat misinformation.
While the effectiveness of these measures is uncertain,
recent events highlight the urgency of the problem. For instance, the spread of the “Goodbye Meta AI” trend demonstrates how quickly false information can circulate. (More than 600,000 people, including many celebrities, have fallen for a hoax claiming to deny Facebook and Instagram owner Meta the right to use their images for training artificial intelligence.)
The bigger picture
The challenge lies not just in spotting fake news, but in navigating an increasingly complex online environment.
As AI technology advances, distinguishing truth from fiction becomes more difficult. Ultimately, addressing this
issue requires a multi-faceted approach. While individual awareness is important, systemic changes in how information is shared and verified online may be necessary to combat the spread of misinformation effectively. The Docs’ advice: don’t trust ANYTHING you see on the internet. It only takes a few seconds to Google an article’s title, a phone number or any other identifying information from the piece. If it’s disinformation/ misinformation, you’ll quickly discover it. One of the best sites for “truth-telling” can be found at the free site, snopes.com. Until next time: stay safe out there!
Stephen Bach is the owner and chief of surgery at The Digital Docs in Marblehead.
SUStAINA bLe MA rbLeHe AD
Final $800K from trust reignites ice rink discussion
BY WILL DOWD
Marblehead’s Select Board recently voted to accept an $800,000 settlement from the Larz Anderson Trust Fund, marking the final major distribution from a gift that has sparked years of discussion about winter sports facilities in town. The funds come from the sale of the last piece of real estate owned by the trust in Florida.
The settlement will bring the trust’s total principal balance to just over $3 million, Marblehead Finance Director Aleesha Benjamin told the Marblehead Current.
“Per the treasurer collector, the Sept. 30, 2024, statement shows an ending earnings balance of $174,822.45 and an ending principal balance of $2,218,431.10,” Benjamin said. “Once the $800,000 settlement comes in, this would bring the principal balance to $3,018,431.10.”
The story of the trust begins in 2016, when the late Marblehead resident Larz J. Anderson left an initial $2 million to benefit winter sports in Marblehead. Anderson, who passed away in 2003 at age 89, had accumulated his wealth as a municipal bonds investor and operated a hockey rink in Worcester for many years.
“The primary purpose of the
tr AFFIc SAFet Y
trust fund is for sports and athletics,” Town Administrator Thatcher Kezer said.
Since the initial bequest, the town has grappled with how to best utilize these funds. In 2021, a feasibility study conducted by MacLaughlin Management & Design examined two potential options: an indoor ice rink operating year-round at an estimated cost of $7.69 million, or an outdoor rink with a roof operating four months per year at $2.19 million.
The Recreation & Parks Commission has been actively working to develop a practical solution that honors Anderson’s intentions while
staying within the available funding. Commissioner Shelly Bedrossian, who was elected in 2023, has been deeply involved in exploring various options.
“After spending my first term researching this option, I determined that a full-size rink (200 feet by 85 feet) cannot be built in Marblehead as we just don’t have the space,” Bedrossian said. “The only viable option for space would be at Eveleth, which is obviously on school property and is in a very thickly settled neighborhood.”
The commission is now focusing on a more modest but potentially more achievable plan centered on the existing Green
Street Rink.
“The current rink is 85% of regulation game size but could serve as a perfect practice sheet if done correctly,” Bedrossian said. “The USA Hockey Development Model mandates that youth hockey practice on a ½ sheet of ice and focus on small area skills. This develops better stick handling, hockey IQ and passing skills.”
The latest proposal involves creating a multi-sport facility that would serve the community year-round.
“I obtained budget quotes on each line item of the project which included a refrigerated ice surface on the current footprint,
new boards and dashers, and new bathrooms,” Bedrossian said. “The multi-sport facility would have ice down for 20 weeks a year and modular turf for the remaining weeks so youth soccer and lax could have a weather-independent practice area.”
The Select Board’s role in this process is primarily fiduciary.
“There has to be a consensus on the use of the funds that’s compliant with the requirements of the trust fund in order for the treasurer’s office to release the funds for those purposes. We’re just the stewards of the money,” Kezer said.
The working group is currently exploring additional opportunities that have emerged during the planning process.
Marblehead Youth Hockey spends approximately $200,000 annually on ice rentals at five North Shore area rinks and between $80,000 to $90,000 to the Valley Hockey League for league participation and games. The Marblehead School Department spends an additional $40,000 per year at out-of-town rinks for high school and middle school hockey teams.
“A full size $10 million rink that can be used for games would be the ideal option for the hockey community, but reality needs to set in on what can be done for $3 million and no land,” Bedrossian said.
Five intersections eyed for enhanced crosswalk safety
BY KRIS OLSON
It may soon be safer to use five crosswalks in town.
At the request of Police Chief Dennis King, the town’s Traffic Safety Advisory Committee on Oct. 22 identified the first five intersections to get rectangular rapid flashing beacons, or RRFBs, thanks to a grant the chief had obtained.
RRFBs alert drivers that a pedestrian is waiting to cross the street. A pedestrian presses a button to illuminate two rectangular yellow “indications,” each with an LED-array-based light source. When activated, RRFBs flash at an alternating high frequency to grab drivers’ attention.
According to the Federal Highway Administration, RRFBs can reduce pedestrian crashes by up to 47% and increase the likelihood that a driver will yield by up to 98%.
RRFDs “have been very successful in other communities and in this community,” said TSAC Chair Gary Hebert. . The five intersections the
TSAC settled on are:
Atlantic Avenue at Smith Street.
» Atlantic Avenue at Gerry Street.
» Atlantic Avenue at Community Road. Lafayette Street at Birch Street.
» West Shore Drive at Jersey Street.
That final list was a slight tweak to Hebert’s initial recommendations based on historical crash data from 2014 to 2024.The committee decided to include Atlantic Avenue at Community Road instead of Atlantic Avenue at Barnard Street in part due to the higher speeds vehicles tend to travel entering and exiting in the town in the vicinity of the Jewish Community Center, Epstein Hillel School and Temple Sinai.
Hebert stressed that additional intersections could receive RRFBs in the future, with Pleasant Street at the Starbucks plaza and Atlantic Avenue at Commercial Street flagged as other intersections that could benefit from the technology.
COURTESY PHOTO/CITY OF LINCOLN, NEBRASKA
Rectangular rapid flashing beacons, or RRFBs, may be coming soon to five Marblehead intersections, thanks to a grant obtained by Police Chief Dennis King.
In addition to the number of reported crashes in the area, another consideration was the amount of sunlight and tree cover in the area, as the devices run on solar power.
In the context of discussing the possible locations for RRFDs, Hebert noted that “at some point in time” the
Meet the founder of Make Peace with Organizing
BY MELISSA STACEY
The following is an interview with Rachel Carlino-Dangora, chief executive officer and founder of Make Peace with Organizing, conducted by Discover Marblehead. Make Peace with Organizing provides customized decluttering and organizing solutions for home and business, as well as senior move management. To learn more about their services, go to makepeacewithorganizing.com.
Tell us about Make Peace with Organizing and why you started the business. Make Peace with Organizing resulted from pursuing my passion for organizing, which meant leaving the legal field behind. I was an active attorney for
eight years working in wireless communications. By 2018, I was burnt out. Today Make Peace with Organizing has 13 professional organizers helping clients declutter, organize and provide move management. We work with busy families to get their homes in order; we help small businesses organize inventory; we oversee the packing and unpacking
for moves and we work with families when loved ones move into senior living communities.
What is something new you’ve learned as a business owner this year? I’ve believed for some time now that you’re only as good as the people you surround yourself with. This has been a year of growth, and I’m fortunate to have an amazing, caring and compassionate team who love what they do.
What do you love most about Marblehead, and why? There’s so much to do. The ocean, the walking/biking trails, the history, the restaurants — I’m fortunate to call Marblehead home.
town might want to consider lowering the speed limit as drivers enter the Atlantic Avenue shopping district in the area of Commercial Street to 15 mph.
On-street parking makes the road “extremely tight” in that area, leading to regular issues with sideview mirrors getting “nailed,” Hebert said.
Old Village crosswalk concerns
During the meeting’s public comment period, Village Street resident Pat Adams flagged an ongoing issue with children and adults continuing to use an old crosswalk still visible near the Village School rather than using a new one in a safer location nearby.
Adams wondered why the town’s Department of Public Works had not made it a priority to paint over with black paint the lines of the old crosswalk before school started in September.
While her top concern was pedestrian safety, Adams reported that the situation also periodically backs up traffic in the area as well-meaning drivers
stop at the old crosswalk, which has the unintended effect of blocking the new crosswalk.
DPW Director Amy McHugh, a TSAC member, assured that blacking out the old crosswalk is “on the list.” But she added that more important to making the area safer is educating children about where they should and shouldn’t be crossing the street.
TSAC member Rick Smyers noted that he had stopped by the intersection and spoken with the crossing guard, who confirmed that the continued use of the old crosswalk needed to be addressed.
That prompted a discussion about measures, like putting up a stretchy orange plastic fence or barrels, that could be considered to redirect pedestrian traffic temporarily, until the old crosswalk is painted over.
McHugh said that her department had begun to explore posting a sign in the area like one currently at the Veterans School but that it would take some time to have it custom made.
What do you enjoy doing in your free time? In November, my
and I
husband
will attend our third Dave Matthews Band concert this year.
The business spotlight is a weekly feature published in partnership with Discover Marblehead. To learn more, visit
COURTESY PHOTO / DISCOVER MARBLEHEAD
In this week’s business spotlight, Rachel Carlino-Dangora, chief executive officer and founder of Make Peace with Organizing, shares her passion for helping clients create order in their homes and businesses.
CURRENT PHOTO / WILL DOWD
The Green Street Rink, which could potentially be transformed using funds from the Larz Anderson Trust.
Charter Committee shares goals; public weighs in
BY WILL DOWD
Residents pressed the town’s newly formed Charter Committee on Oct. 22 about potential changes to Marblehead’s centuries-old open town meeting format during the committee’s first public forum at Abbot Hall.
The 11-member committee, tasked with drafting Marblehead’s first formal governing charter in its 375year history, sought to reassure concerned citizens that there are no plans to move away from the open town meeting system that allows all registered voters to participate in person.
“If you ever wanted to break a record at town meeting, just try to take away open town meeting,” committee member Jim Zisson said, noting that of towns similar in size to Marblehead (15,000-25,000 residents), 85% maintain open town meetings.
The evening revealed tensions between preserving tradition and increasing civic participation. Committee member Seamus Hourihan highlighted current challenges with the system.
“The reality is, only 5% of
BY WILL DOWD
The Current welcomes submissions (150-200 words) to the news in brief. Send yours to wdowd@marbleheadnews.org.
Ballet groups begin winter clothing collection
Two local dance organizations launched their fifth annual winter clothing drive running through Dec. 14. The Marblehead School of Ballet and North Shore Civic Ballet are collecting new and gently used winter coats for all ages and new pajamas for children ages 6 and under. Anton’s Cleaners will clean donated coats before distribution through Coats for Kids and Families Partners Distribution Network. The network serves Massachusetts Community Action Programs, the Salvation Army and other organizations. Donated pajamas will go to Lynn Economic Opportunity, a major early education provider in Essex County. To schedule dropoff at 115 Pleasant St., call 781-631-6262.
Veterans Day breakfast
The Marblehead Council on Aging and Masons will serve their annual Veterans Day breakfast at 9 a.m. Nov. 8 at the Jacobi Community Center. Veterans must register by Nov. 1 by calling the Council on Aging at 781-631-6225.
Town Hall on
Veterans Day
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.
Select Board seeks volunteers for capital planning committee
The Marblehead Select Board is seeking three resident volunteers to serve on the town’s Capital Planning Committee, which will oversee
the voters participate in town meeting,” Hourihan said. “We need to increase that number.” He suggested potential solutions like restructuring the warrant to simplify voting procedures and condensing meetings into singleday sessions. Some suggested moving town meetings to Saturdays instead of Monday nights.
Modernizing town government
Several residents advocated for modernizing access to town government while maintaining its essential character. Nancy Davidge called for universal
hybrid meeting options and better accommodations for working parents.
“It would be really helpful to have childcare, arranging for transportation for people without transportation, and perhaps even doing part of it online,” Davidge said.
The committee explained that the charter development process is being supported by the Collins Center for Public Management at University of Massachusetts, Boston, funded through a $20,000 COVID grant. Town Administrator Thatcher Kezer, who previously worked with the Collins Center, described it as
a “think tank slash consulting firm” specializing in municipal government.
Some residents expressed skepticism about the process. John DiPiano voiced concerns about language in the presentation suggesting potential centralization of government.
“My biggest concern is that Marblehead continues to maintain its tradition of open town meeting, and that this committee doesn’t (create) a charter to be the first step of moving away from it,” DiPiano said.
Committee member Sean Casey emphasized that the charter would primarily document existing practices rather than impose major changes. He explained that while the charter would have the force of state law, it would defer to existing bylaws on operational details like meeting schedules.
The committee plans to draft the charter in sections, with multiple opportunities for public review and comment before presenting a final version to the Select Board. If approved by the board, the charter would need to pass at town meeting, receive approval from the state
major municipal projects valued at over $1 million.
“We don’t want to limit the applicants,” said Town Administrator Thatcher Kezer.
“Obviously some experience in dealing with capital programs, funding of projects involving facilities and equipment and those things. But you don’t need to have that experience, because what you want is a diversity of experiences that can contribute to the conversation of setting priorities.”
The committee, which was reorganized at last year’s Town Meeting, includes department heads and town employees alongside the resident volunteers. “We need to start on the town side, addressing our facilities. So this will be a perfect time to bring on a committee like this,” Kezer noted.
Interested residents can submit letters of interest and resumes to the Select Board at Town Hall, 7 Widger Road, Marblehead, or email wylie@ marblehead.org. The deadline for submissions is Dec. 5, with interviews tentatively scheduled
for the Dec. 11 Select Board meeting.
Marblehead Boosters launch shoe donation drive
The Marblehead Boosters have launched a Show Us the Love shoe donation campaign running through November, accepting gently used and new footwear for charitable causes. The initiative serves multiple purposes: promoting sustainability (as discarded shoes can take 30-40 years to decompose), providing employment opportunities in developing nations and helping local residents declutter their closets.
Drop-off locations: William Raveis Real Estate, 18 Atlantic Ave.
» MHD Sport Shop, 26 Hawkes St.
» MHS Lobby, 2 Humphrey St.
» National Grand Bank, 91 Pleasant St. Piper Field Snack Shed (during game days)
For more information, marbleheadboosters.org.
legislature and win a town-wide vote before becoming law.
Chair Amy Drinker said that there is no set date for the proposed charter to be presented to Town Meeting, and she emphasized that the process will take as long as needed to ensure thorough consideration. Meanwhile, committee member Ron Grenier defended the group’s independence from its consultants, emphasizing that members had conducted extensive research before joining.
“We’re not ashamed or scared or afraid to say we disagree [with each other], and we’re going to do it this way, and we have our own thoughts,” Grenier said.
The proposed charter will include sections on government structure, elected and appointed positions, financial procedures and general provisions. Drinker emphasized that drafts will be made available online for public review as they are developed.
The committee maintains an email address, Charter_ Committee@marblehead.org, for public feedback and meets twice monthly at Abbot Hall, with hybrid attendance options available.
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.
Friends of MPS celebrates 35 years
Friends of the Marblehead Public Schools launched its 2024-25 grant season with a new online application process and longer submission period through Jan. 17. The organization, celebrating its 35th year in 2025, has raised more than $2 million and reached over 15,000 students since its founding. The grant season begins six weeks earlier than previous years. The group funded 22 educational programs in 2023-24, including initiatives in sustainability, conservation and technology. For more information, visit friendsofmarblehead.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 781-6310587 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
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.
Join community read of famous Frederick Douglass address
The Marblehead Racial Justice Team is hosting a community reading of “What to the American Slave is Your Fourth of July,” written and delivered by abolitionist Frederick Douglass in 1852. The community reading will be Monday, Nov. 18, 6:30 p.m. at Abbot Library.
MRJT is looking for 44 people to come and read a shortened, 30-minute version of Douglass’ speech. To sign up to read, email infoMRJTeam@gmail.com.
COURTESY PHOTO / JAMES MARONEY
Town Charter Committee members listen to residents during their first public forum on Oct. 22.
COURTESY PHOTO
Veterans gather at last year’s Veterans Day breakfast at the Jacobi Community Center. This year’s event, hosted by the Council on Aging and Masons, is set for Nov. 8.
COURTESY PHOTO
Students at the Marblehead School of Ballet sort through donated winter coats for their annual clothing drive with North Shore Civic Ballet. The drive runs through Dec. 14 and accepts new pajamas for children under 6.
BY LEIGH BLANDER
If you were driving past The Beacon Restaurant on Tuesday evening, you might have thought a food fight had broken out. Not to worry, it was all for a good cause.
The Rotary Club of Marblehead hosted its first World Polio Purple Pig Pie Pitch event, raising more than $2,000. The money will be matched 2:1 by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation and donated to the Rotary’s Polio Plus program helping to eradicate polio worldwide. Oct. 24 is World Polio Day.
Marblehead Rotary members paid $20 to toss a pie (actually a pie tin filled with whipped cream) in the face of a fellow Rotararian, and extra money to get them to don a purple wig, tiara, pig glasses and boa. People could fork over $60 to decline and remain a spectator.
About 40 Rotarians gathered on The Beacon’s patio for the event.
Former Rotary president Don Dowling was the most popular pie recipient, chosen by seven people to get a pie to the face.
“I’m glad I can make money for the cause,” he said, wiping whipped cream off his face.
Rotary President John Buckey was also a good sport, pulling on a plastic rain poncho and hood as people in the crowd encouraged him by shouting, “Be brave!”
Rotarian Linda Sullivan organized the event.
“Eradicating polio is a hallmark of Rotary as an international cause, and October is dedicated to eradicating polio,” Sullivan said. “I’m proud of the club and all its efforts.”
Millie Epps, 10, helped at the event. Her grandmother, Nancy Gwin, is a former Rotary president.
“It’s fun,” said Epps, a fifth grader at the Tower School. “I’ll come back next year.”
Asked if she could choose anyone in the world to hit with a pie, Epps didn’t hesitate.
“My mom,” she said with a laugh.
To learn more about the Rotary’s efforts in support of eradicating polio, visit endpolio.org/ world-polio-day.
CURRENT PHOTO / LEIGH BLANDER
Double trouble. Dennis O’Connor, left, and Don Dowling at the Rotary’s World Polio Purple Pig Pie PItch fundraiser.
Sports
GrIDIrON
MHS powers its way up among the
state’s elite
Magicians, now 10th seed in Division 4, defeat Masco to extend win streak to five
BY JOE MCCONNELL
The Marblehead High football team (5-2) finally cracked the Top 10 in the Division 4 state power rankings. On the heels of their dominating 28-3 win over the Division 2 Peabody Tanners, the Magicians went from 15 to 10 in just one week, according to the Oct. 25 seedings. They are sure to move up a few more spots when the rankings come out this week after turning in another fine all-around effort last Friday night against visiting Masconomet Regional (6-2) at Piper Field, where they defeated the Division 3 Chieftains, 21-7.
The Marblehead boys have now won five in a row. During this streak, the defense has given up only 31 total points after surrendering 65 in the first two games of the year. Meanwhile, the offense has racked up 181 points in the last five games, while scoring just 19 combined points in the first two.
Statistics like these would make any coach smile, and Marblehead’s Jim Rudloff is no exception, even though there might still be room for improvement with the playoffs looming on Nov. 8.
“We still turned the ball over twice, one which led to a Masco touchdown. That continues to be an issue for us.” Rudloff said.
“But fortunately for us, we were able to force three turnovers.”
Rudloff, however, was happy to see his offense get off to a fast start. On the first play of the game, junior quarterback Finn Gallup hooked up with his classmate Rylan Golden for an 80-yard scoring strike.
Scouting Masco in-person and on film might have set up that electrifying play.
“Masco has probably the most aggressive defense that we’ve seen this year. Their safeties do a tremendous job helping out in the run game, and we thought if we could just give our receivers an extra step using
play action, (this play could work),” explained Rudloff.
“Finn (Gallup) made a great throw, and Rylan (Golden) did
The Corinthian Yacht Club sailing team is home after winning the 2024 Global Team Race in Naples, Italy. Team CYC went undefeated through the event, with Royal Thames and Newport Harbor finishing second and third. The race will shift back to the United States next year, with Newport Harbor Yacht Club serving as host.
a tremendous job in getting the yards after the catch.”
Senior captain Colt Wales knows that after each win his team becomes a target for the opposition. “I’d like to think we are the team to beat. Our confidence is through the roof,” he said. “I think we now have that target on our backs.”
Wales also commented on the effects of Golden’s touchdown reception. “After that touchdown, it got everybody on the sidelines excited, which translated on the field and in the student section, as well,” he said.
The senior leader further explained the origins of that play that led to the quick start by adding: “We saw their cornerback bailing and playing off the ball on film all week long, so we knew the post would be there.”
The home team tacked on another touchdown later on in the opening stanza on a two-yard run by senior Yandel Garcia, and then put the game out of reach in the third quarter when the senior captains — Wales and Crew Monaco — hooked up for a 23-yard touchdown reception. Sophomore Finbar Bresnahan nailed all three extra points to help complete another satisfying win.
Wales credits the tandem’s
Magicians conquer Winthrop, Everett
As regular season winds down, MHS jumps to the third seed with playoffs looming
BY JOE MCCONNELL
The Marblehead High boys soccer team (10-2-5) vaulted to No. 3 in the Division 2 state power rankings, as of Oct. 22, on the back of home wins over Winthrop (5-1) and Everett (5-0). In each game, the Magicians displayed the offensive firepower and stout defense that will be essential ingredients heading into the postseason.
Seven minutes into the first half against Winthrop on Oct. 18, forward David Magen directed a header into the net from Ilan Druker’s corner kick. They had been possessing the ball very well early on, and so a score felt inevitable.
The Magicians then had a beautiful sequence with 13 minutes left, when midfielder Eric Badzak received a ball from defender Luke Miller down the left side. Badzak crossed it back to the 10, where both Stef Shepard and Marc Grazado made solid attempts, but couldn’t get it to fall.
A short time later, Colin White sent a long ball into the box, where Druker tried to head the ball over the goalie, before striking another one toward the left side, but on the ensuing shot, it drifted wide.
With one minute left, Marblehead replicated the earlier success with another successful set piece, when Druker hit a bending corner that was flicked into the net by Miles Fontela-Tuttle to give his teammates a 2-0 lead at halftime.
To begin the second half, defensive back Luke Miller, sensing an opening on the far left of the box, fired a laser from a tough angle. The play was set in motion by a long pass from White on the opposite side of Druker, who then played it wide to Miller to account for the third goal of the game.
With the second half drawing to a close, Jared Halpern scored
on a nifty chip shot. This scoring sequence was pure soccer magic, with the ball going from Magen to White to Fletcher to Druker, who then struck a heel pass to Halpern to secure the assist. The entire play lasted only a few seconds, and was impossible for the Vikings to defend. Druker later scored the team’s fifth and final goal of the game from 25-yards out.
The Vikings spoiled the shutout bid with 19 minutes left, but it was too little, too late. Fontela-Tuttle opened up the scoring against Everett the next day on what was another offensive clinic by Marblehead. He scored at the 30-minute mark on a powerful shot that was helped slightly along by a deflection.
Minutes later, captain Quinn Fletcher made a great shot after cutting and turning abruptly, before launching a high ball that
COURTESY PHOTOS / JOE FAVA
COURTESY PHOTO / RICH BIBBINS
London McDonald (16) lines up his shot to strike from outside the penalty box during the game against Winthrop on Oct. 18.
Marblehead senior captain Crew Monaco (18) leaps to complete the touchdown pass from fellow captain and senior quarterback Colt Wales.
COURTESY PHOTOS / EYAL OREN, WEDNESDAYS IN MARBLEHEAD Marblehead senior running back Brady Selvais (33) evades a Masco tackler during last Friday night’s game.
FOOTBALL, P. A11
MHS notebook for volleyball, girls soccer
BY JOE MCCONNELL
Volleyball team heads into the playoffs on winning note
The Marblehead High volleyball team (12-6) wrapped up the regular season with three out of four wins, and came out of it seeded 19th in the Division 2 state power rankings, as of Oct. 25.
The host Magicians started the final stretch of the regular season against the undefeated Ipswich Tigers on Oct. 20. They took the Tigers (18-0, second seed in Division 4) to four competitive close games, before succumbing to the Cape Ann League club.
“We started off solidly with a 26-24 game 1 win,” said coach Killeen Miller. “In the second game, we started really slow, going down 11-4 after multiple receiving errors on serves. But together, we were able to pull it back, only to lose, 25-19. In games three and four, both teams exchanged points, before Ipswich closed it out.
“We still played our best defensive game to date against Ipswich’s (star) offensive players Addie Phyllis and Claire Buletza,” added Miller.
The next night, also at home, the Marblehead girls bounced back to beat non-league Haverhill in four games.
Lila Moniz led the Marblehead offense with 18 kills. Greta Sachs tacked on another 12. Setter Eva Burke was credited with 34 assists. Meg Parkmna, Sydney Faris and Moniz ended up with double digits in digs.
“Our receives on serves and our defense dominated this match,” said Miller. “But it was our blocking that set the bar, with Greta Sachs (four), Sammy Walker (six) and Sydney Faris (three) leading the way.”
Facing their third straight match in as many days, the Magicians started slowly, dropping their first two games, but rebounded nicely to beat
Danvers in five.
“In the first two games, we struggled with consistency on receiving serves. We just made many unforced errors offensively, but then turned it around beginning in the third game,” said Miller. “Sydney Faris was fantastic from the serving line, finishing up with eight aces and five digs, while Moniz (13 kills), Sachs (9 kills) and Walker (6 kills) stepped up offensively in Games 3-5 to lead us in the comeback victory.”
Sophomore setters Erin Wilder (13 assists) and Sydney
DaSilva (9 assists) also helped out on offense.
The Magicians then completed the regular season versus rival Swampscott at home on Oct. 24. They ended up sweeping the Big Blue in three games.
Moniz led the offense with 13 kills, while Sachs and Walker each finished with eight. Setter Erin Wilder collected 20 assists. Defensively, Parkman and Faris chipped in with 10 digs apiece.
Girls soccer shuts down Winthrop
The Marblehead High girls soccer team shut out host Winthrop on Oct. 18, 6-0. As of Oct. 25, the Magicians, with only two games left on the regular season schedule, are seeded 14 th in the Division 2 state power rankings. Against the Vikings, Callie Gilmore led the way in goals with two, giving her 12 on the season. Courtney Hitscherich (1 goal, 2 assists), Cora Gerson (1 assist), Lucy McDonald (1 assist) and Sydney Ball (1 goal) also contributed to the
offense. Paige Fletcher and Liv Niles also tacked on their first career varsity goals in this game.
“This win against Winthrop was a great team effort,” said second-year coach Lisa Wales.
The Marblehead girls wrap up the regular season with two non-league games against Lynnfield (Oct. 26) and Newton South (Oct. 28) after press deadline. The playoffs will then tentatively begin when the calendar flips to November.
Boys cross-country runner Will Cerrutti
NAME: Will Cerrutti
AGE: 17
FAMILY: Parents: Charles and Nora; Sister: Julia Cerrutti, 24
SCHOOL YEAR: Senior
SPORTS YOU PLAY: Crosscountry, indoor and outdoor track
FAVORITE SPORT, AND WHY: Choosing one is difficult. I enjoy cross-country, because of the team camaraderie and support for one another, especially during physically and mentally taxing workouts.
Equally, indoor and outdoor track teams also offer strong support and a positive atmosphere.
MOST MEMORABLE MEET
FOR YOU, AND WHY: My most memorable meet was the 2024 Twilight Invitational in Falmouth.
After placing first, I recognized the amount of time, dedication and perseverance that was needed to recover from my injury in my sophomore year. In addition, the race itself is a unique experience as it occurs at night lit by string lights
with hundreds of spectators lining the course.
PLANS AFTER GRADUATION: I’m looking at medium to largesized colleges, hoping to compete at the Division 1 or 2 level.
DO YOU WANT TO PLAY
SPORTS IN COLLEGE, AND IF SO WHICH ONE: I would like to continue to participate in both cross country and track.
DESIRED CAREER: Health / medical field
The annual Marblehead High School girls soccer clinic was held in conjunction with the MYSA on Oct. 23 at Piper Field. A total of 80 youth soccer players attended the event, many of whom are posing with the high school team in the above photo.
Marblehead High junior volleyball player Mari Modrzynska goes for the kill during a recent match. The Magicians ended the regular season last week with a 12-6 record, and are the 19th seed in the Division 2 state power rankings,
MHS student athletes collect cash for scholarships
BY GREY COLLINS
On Oct. 20, hundreds of student athletes showed up at Marblehead High School for the annual MHS All Sports Booster Scholarship Drive. They spent the day going door-to-door all across town to collect donations for scholarships. The scholarships, which are $1,000 a piece, are given out to exceptional student athletes in the spring of their senior year.
“The student athletes work
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history of playing together for many years to their continued success on the gridiron. “We have always had chemistry throughout our youth (football) days, and being a captain with him this year is a pleasure. I definitely like our odds when we are out there together,” he said. “I know he’s going to be there streaking across the middle every time.”
Monaco says they “have been brothers since elementary school” to further explain their innate ability to connect on the field. “We played flag football together, and have been best friends for a while,” he added. “We have a brotherhood connection on and off the field. We can take criticism from each other, but sometimes we argue with each other like brothers.
Soccer
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flew just over the bar. It was a great effort by Fletcher, who has been a solid presence in the middle throughout the season. Despite trailing, Everett moved the ball well in the first 15 minutes of the game. They were quick in pursuit, while displaying good field vision. But the Marblehead defense, anchored by juniors Adam Loughlin and T.J. Kelly in the center with seniors Luke Miller and Colin White on the flanks, kept the
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Deana-Roga.
Both women experienced paranormal encounters in their youth. While Vien grew up in a haunted home in Vermont, Deana-Roga had recurring supernatural experiences that shaped her fascination with the unexplained. When Vien attended graduate school in Salem in 2016, Deana-Roga, then working as a television writer on shows like Fox’s “Prodigal Son,” proposed starting a podcast to stay connected — which the pair did in 2017. One episode stands out as particularly notorious. Episode 12, titled “Dominus,” features a listener story about a boyfriend’s possession, in which a demon
really hard. They have to work hard in the classroom, on the fields and in the gym to succeed, help their teammates succeed and make our school proud,” said Kate Dulac, co-chair of the Boosters. “So I feel like they need that extra recognition by the time they’re seniors to give them a little boost on their way to college.”
In order to qualify for the scholarship, student athletes must have participated in the drive at least three times. Most students are happy to assist any
But overall, I think it just makes us play super well together, and we obviously love being in the secondary and backfield at all times on the field.”
As far as Friday night’s (Nov. 1, 6:30 p.m.) road game at Danvers is concerned, the Magicians know there will be plenty at stake. A win over the Falcons will secure the Northeastern Conference Dunn Division title all by themselves for one more year, while also inching further up in the power rankings ladder to get a possible first-round home game at the start of the playoffs.
With much on the line Friday night, Wales is taking nothing for granted. “Our mindset hasn’t changed,” he said. “We’re just going to keep our heads down and keep on working hard one week at a time.”
Crew rationalizes it another way. “If the last game wasn’t our biggest of the year, this
pressure outside of the defensive third of the pitch.
Loughlin was a standout early on against Everett, making numerous physical tackles and playing a controlled game.
Center defensive midfielder
London McDonald continued to be a centerpiece of the transitional game by keeping opponents off balance with his ability to deftly change direction to switch the point of attack.
With 4:12 left in the first, Magen was dropped just outside the penalty box, allowing Druker to take a direct kick from the
revealed itself to both him and his girlfriend. The episode has gained such a reputation that listeners report strange occurrences after tuning in.
“We had a listener who was listening to that episode while driving, and a bird flew into her windshield, shattering it,” Deana-Roga says. “Now we don’t joke about being the most haunted podcast in America. We tell people, ‘Hey, really scary, demonic episode, maybe don’t listen while driving.’”
During the pandemic, when “Prodigal Son” was canceled after its second season due to COVID-19, both women decided to pursue the podcast full time. The gamble paid off, with their inbox now overflowing with listener submissions.
“There are so many haunted places and people, and we get
way they can.
“I’m glad this drive is really helping out the senior student athletes,” said Thomas Svencer, a junior, cross country runner, sailor and skier at MHS. “They have put in a lot of work to balance their school work and sports.”
These athletes arrived at MHS at noon to pick areas to collect donations from, and form small groups. They walked, biked or drove to their selected area and started going door-to-door asking for donations. Many
groups collected as much as $300 in just a couple of hours, and $26,000 was raised by the end of the day. As more people donate remotely, organizers are hopeful that they will surpass $30,000.
While the students’ efforts are going toward the senior scholarships, most think that everyone is benefiting from the experience.
“It’s a humbling thing to do, to ask for donations,” said Dulac. “And it’s not something that most people
one certainly is,” Monaco said.
“Danvers is a good squad, and it’s going to be a great challenge as we head into the playoffs. We obviously need the win (over Danvers) to win the title
right side. The ball was wellplaced, but the Everett goalie punched it out, or so he believed. It, however, landed at Magen’s feet, and he quickly responded to hit it home to give the home team a 2-0 lead.
Closing out the first half, Fletcher struck from the top of the box to account for the third goal. The shot was set up nicely after some fantastic footwork and maneuvering by Druker down the left side.
The Magicians notched two more goals in the second half. The first marker came as a result of a Druker-Jallow-Fontela
emails from listeners all the time,” Deana-Roga explains.
“If I look at my inbox, we probably have like 8,000 unread listener-submitted stories. We could presumably do this for an eternity.”
‘Polly, is that you?’
For those interested in listening to their podcast, their episode titled “Haunted Town of Marblehead” delves into several supernatural oddities and stories locally. Deana-Roga and Vien explore how the town’s atmosphere even captivated horror writer H.P. Lovecraft, who used Marblehead as inspiration for his fictional town of Kingsport. Lovecraft described the seaside settlement as having “ancient veins and steeples, ridge poles and chimney pots, wharves and
outright, and right now we are hungry for that.”
Not to be overlooked by another solid win, it was also Senior Night, and Monaco won’t forget the significance of
combination, with Druker first playing it to Bubacar, who was making an angled run to the left. Jallow then lightly tapped it forward to Fontela, who was credited with the score. The fifth tally was set up by Shephard. He faked inside, and then sprinted outside around the defender, before crossing it back to center, where James Achterhof nicely redirected the pass on a onetouch shot into the net.
The Magicians are playing their best soccer at the right time, with contributions coming from a very deep squad that
small bridges, willow trees and graveyards, endless labyrinths of steep, narrow, crooked streets.”
The episode pays attention to Wilmot Redd, the sole Marblehead resident executed during the Salem witch trials.
“She was convicted of bewitching Mary Walcott and Mercy Lewis, even though she had never met these girls before being accused,” Deana-Roga said.
Today, an Old Burial Hill marker, purchased by late town historian, Ginny Gamage, to honor Redd’s memory, stands near the pond, which bears her name.
The hosts also investigate the tale of the “Screeching Lady” who haunts Lovis Cove (near the Barnacle) – a tragic figure from the 17th century whose piercing cries locals say echo across stormy nights. According to town lore, she was a woman who
have the opportunity to practice anymore. We do a lot of things behind the computers, so it’s great for the students to go out there and make those connections.”
It was also an opportunity for the wider Marblehead community to connect with the high school sports community.
“I think it’s a great way to really check in with the community,” said Dulac. “So we can let them have an opportunity to hear about the student athletes and athletics.”
that moment. “You only have a chance to win your Senior Night game once, and we were able to capitalize on that opportunity as a family,” he said. “This is a very special group.”
But once again, all the attention is on Friday night’s Danvers game. They of course play Danvers every year, but Rudloff sees this game differently from last year’s confrontation. “We needed to beat Danvers last year just to make the playoffs,” he said. “But this year’s game is sort of the opposite. Danvers will be the home team this time, and has a chance to share the league title with us if they beat us. They also need the win to make the postseason, and will obviously be extremely motivated. For us, we hope that added pressure on them will force us to stay focused this week in practice.”
includes, but not limited to Marc Grazado, Oliver Murtagh, Dylan Gilmore, Mitchell Goldwater, Aidan Vizy and Yuri Volkov. They have all contributed to the recent run of success, and will be vital parts going forward.
The Marblehead boys have since battled host North Andover to a scoreless tie, and then finished the regular season at home against the Melrose Red Hawks on Oct. 28 after press deadline. The playoffs will begin in November.
Troy Miller contributed to this report.
attempted to escape from pirates, only to be caught and murdered at the cove. Her screams are said to still echo near the present-day Barnacle Restaurant.
As for her own haunted home, Deana-Roga embraces its quirks. A recent visit from a Salem psychic identified “weird energy” in one corner of the basement. When Deana-Roga later attempted a livestream ghost hunt in that area, an electronic voice phenomenon (EVP) reader’s first words were “behind you.”
The house’s original owner’s aunt, known as Aunt Polly, once raised and sold hundreds of pigeons from the second floor. Today, pigeons still regularly perch by the windows, peering inside. “When they show up,” DeanaRoga said, “I’m like, ‘Polly, is that you?’”
DOOr tO DOOr
Thomas Svencer and Cole Barbeau plan out their route during the Boosters Scholarship Drive.
CURRENT PHOTOS / GREY COLLINS
Chris Shirtcliff (left to right), Will Cerruttie and Jonah Potach pick out a location to canvas.
COURTESY PHOTO / EYAL OREN, WEDNESDAYS IN MARBLEHEAD
Following his blockers up field, Marblehead junior wideout Rylan Golden (6) sparks his teammates with an 80-yard electrifying catch and run on the opening play of the game against visiting Masco last Friday night.
A
Rock the Arts fundraiser set with ‘Hadestown’ theme
BY BENJI BOYD
On Thursday, Nov. 7, the Marblehead High School
Friends of the Performing Arts will host their annual Rock the Arts gala at the King Hooper Mansion, 8 Hooper St. The celebration is the biggest fundraiser for performing arts at MHS each year, and student performers rely on the donations from guests to fund transportation to venues, theater productions, field trips, senior scholarships and more.
The festivities will begin at 7 p.m., when guests are encouraged to arrive in cocktail dress and dancing shoes. In addition to live music from the band Code Blue and hors d’oeuvres,
the evening’s events include raffles and a silent auction.
“When we started Rock the Arts four years ago, we decided that in addition to a fundraiser, we want this event to be a community builder,” wrote Chair Slyvia Kane to the Current.
“We saw it as a way to increase the visibility of the performing arts at the high school and bring all of its supporters together for a night of fun.”
FoPA has many goals this year that they hope to finance with the proceeds from Rock the Arts, including purchasing a new trophy case for performance awards, updating the framed portraits and banners for
seniors in the music hall, and helping to subsidize costs for students hoping to join the performing arts department trip to Ireland this April break.
In the past, money from the Rock the Arts gala has helped FoPA provide opportunities to student singers, actors and instrumentalists. Last spring, they funded a field trip for the cast of the spring musical “The Prom” to see a professional production of the show and meet the cast. This past summer, they helped a cappella group The LumiTones release an album called “Glitz and Glimmer.”
In addition to these events, FoPA fills many
needs for the student performers on a regular basis throughout the year. They provide dinners for drama students during long rehearsals, design and distribute yard signs to advertise the spring musical, and decorate venues for annual performances like the winter concert.
Each year, FoPA rents the Hooper Mansion,
Marblehead’s best bets
orders food and drinks, and books entertainment months in advance of the fundraiser. Following the announcement of the MHS spring musical last week, FoPA members have been running around to find matching decorations.
This year’s gala will be “Hadestown”-themed.
“We have some extremely talented
kids who are working extremely hard to perfect their craft,” wrote Kane, reflecting on FoPA’s commitment to providing opportunities and appreciation to student performers. “We have kids who are writing plays, kids who are winning competitions and awards. We have Marblehead students who are going on to elite colleges to further their music and theater education. We want the community to be aware of all these accomplishments and share in our pride.” Tickets for the gala can be purchased either at the door or at tickettailor.com/ events/ marblehead friendsofthe performingarts.
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
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.
Portraits of colonial Marbleheaders
Sunday, Nov. 3, 1 p.m.
This free, illustrated talk, part of the Revolution 250 celebration, will be at the King Hooper Mansion, 8 Hooper St.
At the peak of Marblehead’s prosperity in the mid1700s, before the storm of Revolution, America’s leading artist at that time, John Singleton Copley, painted portraits of three dozen Marblehead residents. As their faces look out from the shadows of the past, they probably did not realize that they and nearly everyone in Marblehead would soon experience the grave economic losses and personal family tragedies of a devastating war that would result in the creation of a new American nation.
Evensong
Sunday, Nov. 3, 5 p.m.
St. Michael’s choir will perform Evensong, a service of musical evening prayer, including works by Charles Villiers Stanford and Dan Locklair, as well as other anthems and psalms. Free and open to all. 26 Pleasant St.
Spirit Night
Thursday, Nov. 7, 6-8 p.m.
The Marblehead Museum will host its second annual Spirit Night fundraiser in the Masonic Lodge Building at 62 Pleasant St. Guests can enjoy a guided tasting of fine scotches and Irish whiskey led by Kate Mazzotta of Origin Beverages. Brands will include Arran, Old Pultney, Speyburn and Irishman Harvest, and the drinks will be served with heavy appetizers catered by Every Little Breeze. Tickets are $85 for museum members and $95 for the public. For more info, visit marbleheadmuseum.org.
Me&Thee Music
Hot chicken is hot right now
BY LINDA BASSETT
There’s a fiery breeze wafting out of Nashville. And it’s not country music. It’s chicken. Fried. And hot. Incendiary. Nashville hot chicken is one of the trendiest Southern foods right now. Fried
chicken is a Sunday morning tradition in the Southern states when the churches empty out. Late breakfast. At that time, there’s a hankering for a nice, fat, country-raised hen, deepfried until golden and crispy on the outside, with a tender, juicy interior. And a side of biscuits, slaw and pickles.
Out of this tradition, hot chicken was born in Nashville’s Black neighborhoods. The cook went into labor on a particular Sunday morning when she took culinary revenge on a stay-outall-night man. She substituted a wiry yard bird for the traditional gospel bird, and then brined, marinated and doused it with weapons-grade seasonings. Then she added more hot sauce for good measure.
The lady’s name is lost to history, but her “victim” launched an eatery, Prince’s Fried Chicken Shack, with her creation. His descendants still own it, although it’s been through a lot — fire, rent hikes, urban renewal, gentrification and a vehicle or two crashing through the front door.
For decades, the Shack was the little-known haunt of musicians when the clubs closed, afterhours drinkers and college students who never wanted a party to end. Until a Nashville mayor discovered it (some say appropriated), although Black men had already appropriated it from Black women’s kitchens. Before it was stylish to do so, he created a brand, “Nashville hot,” the perfect complement to the city’s music scene.
More recently, celebrity chefs, Emeril Lagasse and Carla Hall, brought it to national attention on the Food Network and the James Beard Foundation gave it
their American Classics Award. Today, Nashville’s tourists find hot chicken in and out of the city, at Prince’s and its competitors, Hattie’s and Bolton’s. Around the country, KFC offers a pallid rendition. Here on the North Shore, Chef Anthony Marino, owner of the boutique fried chicken chain, Flip the Bird, cooks up a truer rendition in sandwiches and on waffles. His recipe is the result of extensive research, trials and testing.
Still, no one knows the exact seasoning of the original, but cooks, like musicians, riff on the theme. Some brine the chicken for a day in pickle juice. Others marinate it for hours with buttermilk and spices. (Some do
both.) There are many schools of thought about when and where to add the hot stuff, spice the brine, fire up the dredging flour, heat the buttermilk marinade. And in conclusion, pour homemade hot sauce over the fully cooked chicken pieces. And it’s not unknown to try a combination of these methods. Both home and professional cooks have unending opinions. This recipe is an amalgamation gathered from many cooks. I encourage cooks to feel free to choose what works best. If you have overnight, then, brine the chicken in pickle juice before going on with the recipe. If you don’t have time to marinate, just give it a short bath in seasoned buttermilk, or ramp up the
seasonings in the flour — as long as you light up the taste buds.
NASHVILLE-STYLE HOT CHICKEN
Makes four servings, easily doubled but go easy on doubling the spices, adding only 1 ½ times rather than two. Nashville eateries serve this on a slice of white bread with dill pickle chips for cooling the palate.
` 3 ½ pounds of chicken, cut into pieces or eight chicken pieces of your choice (e.g. thighs, legs), skin-on, bone-in
Marinade
` 2-1/2 cups buttermilk
` 2 tablespoons sugar
` 2 tablespoons salt
` 2 tablespoons black pepper
` 2 tablespoons onion powder
` 2 tablespoons cayenne
` 2 tablespoons smoked paprika
` A shot, or two, or three of hot sauce
Flour mix
` 2½ cups all-purpose flour
` 2 tablespoons onion powder
` 2 teaspoons kosher salt
` 2 teaspoons ground black pepper
` 2 tablespoons cayenne pepper
` 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
` 1 teaspoon hot paprika
` Corn or vegetable oil, for frying Hot sauce mix
` ¾ cup melted butter
` Hot sauce, to taste
Spoon over fried chicken just before serving.
Whisk together the marinade ingredients. Add the chicken. Cover and refrigerate for two to eight hours. —In a bowl, mix together flour and spices. Set aside until ready to use.
» Remove chicken from marinade; shake off excess liquid. Coat the chicken in the flour mixture. Save any remaining flour mix for later. Refrigerate chicken, uncovered, one to two hours so the coating adheres.
» Pour 3 to 4 inches of oil into a Dutch oven or a deep, thickbottomed pot with a cover. Heat oil to 325 degrees (use a deep-fat thermometer).
» Optional step: sprinkle chicken lightly with saved flour mixture to dry.
» Carefully place chicken into hot oil, about 3 to 4 pieces per batch. Cover the pot; cook for five to six minutes, until golden on one side. Remove the lid and flip pieces. Fry five minutes more, uncovered. Transfer cooked chicken to a wire rack over a baking sheet to catch drips. Keep warm in a 275-degree oven until all the chicken is done.
» Move chicken pieces to a serving platter; pour the hot butter over it. Serve hot.
Linda Bassett lived in Marblehead for years and has worked as a cook, trained up-andcoming chefs, studied food history and led food tours. Her book, “From Apple Pie to Pad Thai,” is about local cooks and cooking.
BY PAM PETERSON
Marblehead played an important role in the ratification of the U.S. Constitution. After the Revolutionary War ended, the next struggle began: fights, debates and controversy over what should make up the Constitution of our new nation. If you think there are lengthy and heated Senate debates now, they are no worse than the discussions that went on during the writing and ratifying of the U.S. Constitution.
The Constitution defines the government of the United States, establishes the powers of each branch — Congress,
executive and judiciary — and sets forth individual rights defined by the amendments, known as the Bill of Rights. The Constitutional Convention that finally determined this document began in September 1787. There were both Federalists, who favored a strong central government, and Anti-federalists, who supported strong states’ rights and opposed the centralization of power. Representatives came from all 13 states, and Elbridge Gerry of Marblehead represented Massachusetts. Gerry was one of the most vocal delegates and spoke often in favor of a strong central government. He became frustrated with the Constitution debates, finally refused to sign the document and left the convention. One of his main objections was that it did not yet contain a Bill of Rights.
The process of approving the Constitution was lengthy, as each draft went to every state. That meant that everyday citizens were very much involved in the creation of the Constitution. The form of government, the distribution of power and the rights of individuals were discussed in homes, businesses and local taverns. For more information, read “Ratification: The People Debate the Constitution,” by Pauline Maier. She describes the intense interest and popular excitement generated by the Constitution in the 1780s as similar to the atmosphere surrounding the final games of
the World Series today. It is inspiring to think that the creation of the Constitution was so important to everyone.
The general population was very involved and took an active part in the founding of our nation.
The ratification process took two years, and finally the first United States Congress opened in March 1789. Gerry finally signed the Constitution, which by then included the Bill of Rights.
Gerry was an ardent and committed patriot all his life.
He took part in the Revolution, served in the first Congress, was governor of Massachusetts, was a diplomat to France and served as the fifth vice president of the
United States under President James Madison. While serving as governor of Massachusetts, Gerry reluctantly approved the first use of the political practice of using a political map laid out to benefit his party. The map looked like a large salamander, which a political cartoonist called a “gerrymander.” Gerry spent his life working for democracy and fighting for the rights of the people. Ironically, gerrymandering became his legacy.
Pam Peterson chairs the Marblehead Historical Commission. She is the former Marblehead Museum executive director.
COURTESY PHOTO / SMITHSONIAN LIBRARY ARCHIVES
The Gerrymander map
law by Elbridge Gerry, when he served as Massachusetts governor.
CURRENT PHOTO / LINDA BASSETT Crispy, golden and full of heat, this Nashville-style hot chicken is topped with dill pickles to cool the fiery flavor.
Shining
a
light on the news you care about!
Headlight
Written by the students of Marblehead High School for our school and community
Between the lines: start to finish
Madalyn Gelb, Sophomore
Have you ever just gone out for a run, but five minutes into it, you are out of breath, parched, and ready to end the run before you hit one mile? Yup, that's how most people feel. However, not the students on the MHS cross country team. Especially the three that are spotlighted in today's article. Everyday after school they go on rigorous runs and workouts. They have regular team dinners and have races every week.
The girls' cross country team has competed in many different races. Local races against Peabody, Salem, and nearby towns, along with races such as the Twilight Meet, and the Ocean State Cross Country Meet in Rhode Island. This team has natural talent and determination. Three girls that have shown great perseverance throughout the season are Evelina Beletsky, Jesslyn Romer, and Marri O’Connell.
“Each person on the team is super supportive of one another,” said sophomore varsity member Evelina Beletsky. The teammates also credit much of their success to their captains. “Marri is an amazing captain for the team. She really is responsible and leads the team for success,” said Beletsky.
Beletsky started the year off with a 7:02 mile and made significant improvements throughout the season, ending up with a 6:31 mile time. She eventually led her team at the Masco vs. Danvers tri-meet to second place overall after quite a fall. Beletsky says that her biggest mentors are her coach, her team captain Marri, and her
aunt, a coach at a local high school who shaped her running career.
Earlier in the season, varsity runner and sophomore Jesslyn Romer had a personal record (PR) of 12:45 for the two mile. Jesslyn says that she looks up to Cat Piper, who graduated in the senior class of 2024 and is now a freshman at Dartmouth. “Cat was a big inspiration for me freshman year. At the start of the year I had just started cross country. She seemed so fast to me. Then outdoors I was running with her almost every meet, getting almost the exact times and we pushed each other,” Romer happily exclaimed in a recent conversation I had with her.
Romer is carrying on Piper’s fast pace and is not far behind Marrietta O'Connell, one of the fastest 5K runners in our conference. Marrietta (Marri) O’Connell has a personal best record of a 5:10 mile and a personal best of 17:48 in a 5k race. Her perseverance and dedication really shines through on the cross country course. She may be one of the fastest and strongest runners in our conference, but even she has faced some issues in her running career. When she was a freshman, she got injured with patellar tendonitis and she had to take some time off. However, she was able to cross train while recovering. This helped her stay motivated and keep her strong endurance while she was healing. Marri says that her main inspiration and mentor is Parker Valby, because they have similar running styles. Both runners like to start out extremely fast and lead the pack.
Even though all three of these athletes are young, they have great futures ahead of them at MHS and beyond.
Dual enrollment comes to Marblehead High School
It's no secret that many high school students can’t help but look forward to their days in college after graduation. Many of our fellow students at MHS are either beginning or in the process of looking at or applying to colleges. However, a new program at the high school this year has allowed several students to get an extra head start at their college classes through
dual enrollment, a program that allows high school students to take college level classes offered by different colleges and universities. This is Marblehead’s third year of having dual enrollment with a selection of classes that are taken at Salem State. Starting this year, Endicott College is offering a new and exciting class!
Every Tuesday night at around 5:45 PM, students of
Headlight Staff 2024-2025
EDITOR-IN-CHIEF:
Marblehead High School make their way into the lecture to study the Endicott class taught by Professor Gary Comeau, a former soldier and member of the Boston police. In his class, students are presented with a college level course on the science of criminology, the study of crime and of criminal behavior. The course combines many principles taken from other sciences, such as psychology, sociology, and victimology, among many others, all to create a single challenging college level course.
To learn and gain a better understanding, we have real, unfiltered, and thought-provoking discussions. We review how the different science principles are incorporated in different kinds of crime, which Professor Comeau adds to by sharing his experiences in working for law enforcement. We have also been reading Gang Leader For a Day by Sudhir Venkatesh, which details his research as a student of the University of Chicago. In the book, Venkatesh observes and
studies the behavior of a gang and their leader, J.T., and how sometimes it mirrors the structures and ways of our society.
This class, along with many others, allows high school students to learn about a certain subject that they might not be able to learn in high school. These classes will allow students to become more engaged in learning and develop a better work and study method.
Along with personal enjoyment, dual enrollment also has many academic benefits. First, it looks impressive when applying to colleges and allows you to create relationships with colleges and their staff. Second, you get three college credits if you pass the class, which helps in being able to finish college early, depending on how many classes you take. Lastly, based on your performance, you may be able to boost your high school gpa, but this only applies to certain classes.
Now if this all sounds appealing to you, then you should consider participating in dual enrollment.
MHS teacher spotlight: Ms. Richman
Grace Wolverton, Freshman
This year we have several new teachers at MHS. Among them is Ms Richman. Ms Richman works in the Foreign Language department as a French teacher. Previous to coming to MHS, she worked as an independent consultant for college admissions, tutoring in French, writing, and humanities. She also worked with families on self-advocacy training in special education.
Ms Richman said that so far students at MHS have been kind and welcoming and that the staff seem dedicated. She also added that she is optimistic for the next year at MHS. When asked what she was looking forward to this year and at MHS in general she responded, “I’m looking forward to building strong personal connections with my students as individuals and building a strong sense of a French-speaking community in my classroom, making French not just about learning a language, but also exploring the culture, history, and perspectives that come with it. I’m excited to see my students grow and challenge themselves. My top priority is creating a classroom environment where everyone feels comfortable and confident
expressing themselves out loud speaking lots of French!”
Ms Richman said she loves to travel and experience other cultures, which is part of why she loves being a language teacher. She has lived and studied in several places, including Quebec, Sweden, France, Belgium, and more. When asked about her other hobbies and interests she stated, “In my free time, I enjoy playing European-style board games, and I’ve always been a fan of the arts, especially theater and music, so I tend to go to a lot of performances. I can't wait to see what the MHS students can do! I like to spend as much time in nature as possible, so the fact that the beach and the rail trail are so close to MHS is a huge perk of the job for me!”
When asked if she had anything she thought students should know about her she said, “In addition to being a teacher, I am a lawyer, having graduated from Temple University Beasley School of Law with awards in legal writing and trial advocacy. I was also a college professor of French for 14 years and have taught and designed curriculum for French learners from pre-school through adult. I’m here to help, and I love seeing students succeed in their own unique ways.”
Benji Boyd ASSISTANT EDITORS: Grey Collins, Kathleen Hanson, Georgia Marshall FACULTY ADVISOR: Thomas Higgins
REPORTERS: Nathaniel Carper-Young, Anna Baughman, Anya Kane, Evan Eisen, Niko King, William Pelliciotti, Peter Sullivan, Nasira Warab, Grace Wolverton, Madalyn Gelb, Teagan Freedman, Samuel Jendrysik, Nicholas Jones, Arabella Pelekoudas
Evan Eisen, Junior, and William Pelliciotti, Junior
Photos left to right: Jesslyn, Evelina, Marrietta
Photos by Angie Fischer a Junior at MHS
Kenneth A. Drewry, 99
Kenneth A. Drewry passed away on Oct. 10 peacefully at his home, The Mariner in Marblehead. Ken was predeceased by his wife of 74 years, Sarah J. Drewry. He is survived by three children, sons James and Thomas and daughter Jayne Drewry-Leahy, along with six grandchildren and eight great-grandchildren. Ken was born and raised in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, in a home along the shores of Lake Michigan within walking
Frederic A. Lausier, 87
Frederic “Freddy” A. Lausier, born on April 12, 1937 in Marblehead, passed away peacefully at home while surrounded by his loving family on October 19, 2024. Freddy was the son of Mary (Shaughnessy) Robertson and stepson of Alfred Robertson. Among his many achievements, Freddy’s greatest was meeting the love of his life, his little tomato, Donna Letourneau. They wed on September 21, 1957, and had three children together, Mark, Todd and Lisa.
In 1960, Freddy served
Retired MHS English teacher Nancy Levin Sack, 100
It is with great sadness that the family of Nancy Sack, née Levin, announce her passing on October 23. Nancy resided for many years with her late husband, James W. Sack, and her family in Marblehead. More recently, she lived in Lexington; Tucson, Arizona; and most recently, in Portsmouth, Rhode Island.
Born on September 11, 1924, to Bernard and Meta Levin of Buffalo, New York, Nancy is survived by her daughter, Emily (and her husband, Anthony Cottone), and her three sons, James (and his partner Suzanne Lemley), John (and his wife, Mary Malley), and William; her four grandchildren, Jamie Sack (and her husband, Robert Clemence), Alexis Heinz (and her husband, Nathan), Dana Sack, and James Sack; her two great-grandsons, Jameson and Dashiell Clemence; her step-grandchildren, Katherine Cottone, James Cottone, Sarah Carlson-Davies (and her husband, Ben), and William Cottone; and her
during the Vietnam era in the U.S. Army as a defense missile crewman in Fairbanks, Alaska. He was honorably discharged in 1963 and returned home to Marblehead. Freddy worked as a commercial lobsterman and
step-great-grandson, Jasper Carlson-Davies.
Nancy graduated from the University of Chicago, Phi Beta Kappa, and received her master’s in English from that university in 1948. She had a lifelong love of literature (as well as history and philosophy) that was encouraged by her late brother, Professor Richard Levin, who taught Shakespeare at the State University of New York at Stony Brook.
Throughout her life, Nancy loved and excelled at teaching students in a variety of settings.
Beginning in 1965 and for two decades thereafter, she was an English teacher at Marblehead High School, where she taught a variety of courses in literature and writing.
After her retirement, Nancy, along with her late husband, James, and subsequently with her late partner, Harold G. Basser, became very involved
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Early voting
Poll workers like Pelliciotti are different than poll watchers (known as “observers” in Massachusetts). Observers are allowed to monitor voting as long as they stay outside the so-called guardrail. While the guardrail isn’t always a physical barrier, locations inside the guardrail include the check-in and check-out tables, voting booths and ballot box. Here is the latest voting information. For more details, contact Michaud at 781-631-0528.
distance of the South Shore Yacht Club. He learned to sail and race boats at an early age. Ken was a lifelong sailor. In 1943, Ken enlisted in the Navy, serving for three years during World War II aboard a destroyer in the Asiatic-Pacific region.
After the war, Ken graduated from the University of Wisconsin-Madison. In 1954, he and Sarah moved to Marblehead, where Ken embarked on a long career at General Electric Co. in Lynn. As a sales engineer and later in management, he traveled extensively, both in the U.S. and
plumber, eventually serving the town as plumbing inspector for over 30 years.
Freddy was a proud member of the community. He was an active member of the Market Square Association, Philanthropic Lodge and the Gerry 5 where he served several positions, including president. Freddy loved his early meals at the Driftwood and his Tuesday breakfasts with the guys at the Agawam Diner. He enjoyed fishing with his children. As his children grew and Freddy became “Grampy,” he faithfully attended his grand- and greatgrandkids’ sporting events and fostered with them a love for the sea.
Freddy is predeceased by his
with the Harvard Institute for Learning in Retirement in Cambridge, eventually becoming what HILR described as its “intellectual heart.” On the occasion of its 35th anniversary, HILR described Nancy “an inimitable leader of 64 courses” who had “a major influence on HILR’s governance as HILR president for three terms, as chair of curriculum and nominating committees, and as chair of the 10th Anniversary Celebration.” Nancy was an avid traveler throughout Europe and the world. She was a lifelong Democrat, who first campaigned for Adlai Stevenson in the 1952 Presidential election, and followed politics closely up until the day she died. She was also an active member of the League of Women Voters, as well as a loyal supporter of Elderhostel (now known as Road Scholar) and Planned Parenthood. Known by many as “Nancy Nice” (and that was true), she was above all passionate about her family, her intellectual pursuits and sharing her love of learning with others. For those who would like to honor her memory, the family suggests a donation to the Planned Parenthood Action Fund either online at plannedparenthoodaction.org or 123 William Street, 10th floor, New York, New York, 10038. Additional information at memorialfuneralhome.com
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Early voting will continue on: Wednesday, Oct. 30: 8:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Friday, Nov. 1: 8:30 a.m. to noon
Mailed ballots must be postmarked by Nov. 5.
In-person ballot return deadline is 8 p.m. on Nov. 5.
Election Day voting Tuesday, Nov. 5, with polls open from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m.
The ballot features several high-profile races:
U.S. presidential: Democratic: Vice President
Kamala Harris and Tim Walz
» Republican: Donald Trump and J.D. Vance
internationally, selling power generation equipment to utilities and industrials. Ken retired in 1985.
Ken was a longstanding member and past commodore of the Corinthian Yacht Club in Marblehead. He spent summer weekends racing sailboats with his wife Sarah. Ken recruited and taught many friends to sail and race. As he aged, he enjoyed sailing to Maine and south to Cape Cod and beyond, joining the annual CYC summer cruise on his cruising boat, Janie. Skiing was Ken’s choice of activity in
loving grandmother, Frances Lee; his parents, Mary and Alfred; and his sister, Libby. He is survived by his wife of 67 years, Donna Lausier; brothers, Dick (Thirza) Lausier, Butchie (Cindy) Robertson and Scott (Annette) Robertson; children, Mark (Martha) Lausier, Todd (Robin) Lausier and Lisa (Candy) Lausier; grandchildren, Matthew (Caitlin) Lausier, Michael (Janie) Lausier, Megan Lausier, Mark Lausier, Griffin (Christina) Lausier, Samantha (Sean) Lausier, Kathleen (Tyler) Atkins and Nicholas Costagliola. He is also survived by many great-grandchildren, other loved family members and in-laws.
the winter months, always with family and friends. Ken and Sarah were active members and volunteers of the Unitarian Universalist Church of Greater Lynn for about 70 years. A celebration of life service will be held at 10:30 a.m. on Nov. 16 at the UU Church of Greater Lynn, 101 Forest Ave., Swampscott. A reception will follow at the church. Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at eustisandcornellfuneralhome. com for Kenneth’s family.
Visiting hours will be held on Sunday, Nov. 3, 3-5 p.m., with a Masonic service at 5:30 p.m. at Eustis & Cornell of Marblehead, 142 Elm St. His funeral will be held on Monday, Nov. 4, at 10:30 a.m. at Eustis & Cornell followed by burial at Waterside Cemetery. Celebration of life to follow at the Gerry 5. In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to Care Dimensions, 75 Sylvan Street, Suite 8-102, Danvers, MA 01923 (or online at CareDimensions.org/Donate). Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at eustisandcornellfuneralhome. com for Frederic’s family.
Peter Shelley, renowned environmental lawyer, passes away at 77
BY LEIGH BLANDER
Peter Shelley, a leading environmental advocate and attorney who led efforts to clean up Boston Harbor, passed away Oct. 13 after a battle with cancer. He was 77.
“I admired him so much,” said Shelley’s friend and colleague Anita Poss of Marblehead. “He just cared so much about the environment. He always looked you straight in the eye and said what he thought. He was extremely effective with communicating.”
Shelley worked with the Conservation Law Foundation for decades and spearheaded the legal fight forcing the government to clean up Boston Harbor, then known as the nation’s dirtiest.
“In court, Peter ultimately secured a comprehensive cleanup at a cost of more than $18 billion, restored ecosystem services valued at more than $100 billion, and transformed the harbor from a foul
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Independent: Shiva Ayyadurai and Crystal Ellis
Libertarian: Chase Oliver and Michael Ter Maat
» Green-Rainbow Party: Jill Stein and Butch Ware
» Socialism and Liberation: Esteban De La Cruz and Karina Garcia
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):
» Democratic incumbent
Jennifer Armini (Marblehead)
Other races include: Councillor (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 R. Angilly (Lynnfield) and independent Doris V. Rodriguez (Lawrence)
embarrassment to an ecological jewel and an engine of Boston’s economic renewal,” wrote CLF President Brad Campbell.
“There is perhaps no individual whose advocacy has had a larger imprint on New England’s land, waters and living resources,” Campbell added.
Shelley’s wife, Stephanie, said Peter had many passions, including painting, cooking and sailing. The couple sailed the Maine coast every summer.
A gathering to celebrate Shelley’s life will be announced later.
well in print. Generally, an image file created by a digital camera or smartphone will be fine; images copied from websites will not.
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:
1. Authorizing the state auditor to audit the Legislature
2. Eliminating MCAS testing as a high school graduation requirement
3. Permitting unionization of ride-share drivers
4. Legalizing certain psychedelic substances
5. Gradually increasing the minimum wage for tipped workers
“I wasn’t scared at all,” proclaimed Luna. AJ chimed in, “Me either. I wasn’t scared.” When asked about their candy plans, the twins were clear about keeping their treats.
“I like Reese’s Pieces,” said Luna, while AJ declared his preference: “I like Skittles.”
Inside St. Michael’s community room, children delighted in traditional games like pin-the-witchon-the-broom and witch hat making stations, while parents took advantage of a designated rest area.
Koch noted the event has grown significantly over the past decade, necessitating the new safety protocols.
“The crazy thing is, it just keeps getting more popular,” Koch said. “With Washington Street and the downtown historic district, the streets are narrower. That’s why we really wanted to up the safety level this year in terms of police details.”
The Marblehead Museum and Family Fund hosted a complementary pumpkin illumination at the Jeremiah Lee Mansion garden, featuring carved pumpkins from local schools and children’s groups. The display served as a perfect backdrop for the evening’s festivities. Siblings Maggie (dressed as the character Axolotl), 10, and George (dressed as a creeper), 7, Watt took full advantage of the event’s festivities.
“It’s a lot of fun,” Maggie said. “It’s a big community event.”
CURRENT PHOTOS / WILL DOWD
The scene during the Marblehead Musiem’s Halloween Illumination in the Jeremiah Lee Mansion Garden.
Siblings Maggie, 10, and George, 7, embrace during the Marblehead Chamber of Commerce’s trick-or-treating event on Thursday afternoon.
Celia Jayne Paleologas as E.T. and Ellie Baber as a mummy take inside the scene at St. Michael’s Episcopal Church.
Issac Lemberg, 2, dressed as a robot.
August Clark, 6, right, dressed as Kansas City Chiefs football player Travis Kelce, and Dylan Whipple, 4, as Luke Skywalker.
The Rev. Thomas Ortung and Casey Hawkins “haunting” St. Michael’s Epsicopal Church’s sanctuary.
Street