Town financial leaders presented a sobering fiscal forecast to the Select Board Wednesday night, projecting a $1.8 million deficit for fiscal year 2026 that could grow substantially in subsequent years.
Finance Director Aleesha Benjamin has hired a municipal finance specialist from the consulting firm CliftonLarsonAllen to work
on what she called “long-term planning.” The consultant will present detailed override scenarios at the State of the Town address in January or February. Benjamin retained the consultant’s services for $25,000
until June 30, 2025, using money from the general fund.
“What Marblehead residents have asked for is transparency,” Benjamin said. “We need to show them we’re looking at every possible avenue before we
ask for anything.”
The preliminary budget analysis, delivered to the Select Board on Dec. 11, incorporates the recently approved teachers’ contract, which will see its largest salary impacts begin in fiscal year 2026, Benjamin said.
The deficit projections remain fluid — last year, the town and schools used revolving funds and free cash to address shortfalls.
Current estimates will shift once state aid figures and Group Insurance Commission health insurance rates are finalized.
Multiple town union contracts also remain under negotiation.
Expenses outpacing revenue
The forecast shows expenses
growing to $107.9 million in FY26, $112.9 million in FY2027 and $117.6 million in FY2028. Meanwhile, revenues are projected at $106.1 million, $108 million and $109.9 million respectively for those years. This creates projected deficits growing from $1.85 million in FY2026 to nearly $7.7 million by FY2028, barring intervention. Major cost drivers consuming 77-78% of the budget include salaries, insurance benefits, pensions, utilities and waste management. With property taxes representing 72% of revenue but growing at 2.5% annually under Proposition 2½ constraints, expenses are
Tr ASH TALK
More trouble for Transfer Station project
Board of Health takes new vote on facility fees
BY LEIGH BLANDER
The town received only one general contractor bid for the Transfer Station project — and it was twice as expensive as expected, according to Public Health Director Andrew Petty.
“We did not have a good bid for the Transfer Station,” Petty said at a Dec. 10 Board of Health meeting. “We had estimates from our architect, and we used an estimating firm. The estimated cost for the project was $1,171,000 for the pit renovations, new scale house and site work.”
The bid from contractor DeIulis Brothers of Lynn came in at $2,380,800.
Petty said some work cannot be delayed any further.
“We need to move forward with certain aspects of the project,” he said. “We have a new compactor sitting on site, and we need to install that in the last week of January and first week of February. We will not be taking commercial trash at that time.”
The cost of installing the compactor is about $93,000.
Also at the Dec. 10 meeting, the board approved $27,469 for two prefabricated buildings to be placed at the Transfer Station — a control booth for the compactor and a transaction hut. With the transaction hut, the Transfer Station will be moving to license plate reader cameras, replacing the current facilities sticker system.
LEFT: Judy Cuzner carries a wreath during the Wreaths Across America ceremony at Waterside Cemetery on Saturday,
14.
CURRENT PHOTOS / GREY COLLINS Carey Powers participates in Wreaths Across America at Waterside Cemetery on Saturday, Dec. 14
Fire Chief Jason Gilliland places a holiday wreath on a veteran’s grave.
Marblehead 9-1-1 dispatcher Teresa Collins leads the Wreaths Across American ceremony at Waterside Cemetery.
P. A2
School Committee expected to address leaky MHS roof, missed days
BY LEIGH BLANDER
Last week’s heavy rain led to water leaking through the Marblehead High School roof in several spots.
“There were lots of buckets, lots of big trash barrels that were sitting under leaks in the ceiling to catch water,” said MHS junior Grey Collins. “They were mainly just in the halls and in some classrooms. In my first block classroom, there was a bucket collecting water, and we all heard the dripping of the water for the whole class.”
Last winter, a student was hit by a falling ceiling tile loosened by a leak. Crews have had to remediate mold as well.
On Tuesday, Dec. 17, the School Committee’s facilities subcommittee was expected to hear a presentation on a new roof proposal now estimated at more than $11 million.
Town Meeting approved $5.3 million for a new MHS roof in 2022. Fox announced on Dec. 5 that an updated estimate, which includes new rooftop HVAC units, tops $11 million.
Meanwhile, the School Committee approved a $400,000 contract with architecture firm Raymond Design Associates for design plans.
The roofing project will not begin this summer, as hoped.
Fox declined to comment on how the district might fund the additional $6 million needed for the project or if any repairs would be addressed more acutely.
Missed school days, delayed budget talks
The full School Committee is scheduled
“We want our customers to be able to go online and purchase facility stickers,” Petty said.
Once the transaction hut and control booth are in place, the Transfer Station will implement its new traffic flow pattern, which will have residents entering along Green Street and exiting at Beacon Street.
According to Petty, there is still $1.5 million available in approved Transfer Station project funds.
He said the board would meet in January to decide whether
outpacing income.
School out-of-district tuition costs are projected to jump 17% in fiscal year 2026, while health insurance costs are expected to rise 6% annually. GIC Medicare Plans alone are anticipated to increase 12-30%, Benjamin said. She added that a $1 million cushion remains in health insurance lines to account for enrollment changes, down from $3 million in previous years.
“Even if this was a perfect science, you see this crazy threeyear deficit of $14 million,” said Finance Committee Chair Alec Goolsby. “I don’t think the solution is just to go for an override. There’s a number of ways you have to address that challenge.”
Throughout the night’s presentation, officials outlined approaches including maximizing revenue sources, timing borrowing around interest rates, reviewing departmental efficiencies and building stabilization funds.
The waste management dilemma
The town’s current waste management contract, a 10-year agreement ending in September of fiscal year 2027, charges approximately $127 per household annually. Public Health Director Andrew Petty analyzed six comparable communities’ contracts to project future costs, estimating rates could rise to $203 per household. Currently, Marblehead pays nothing to
to meet Thursday, Dec. 19 and is expected to announce its decision on when to make up the five remaining missed school days due to the strike. It already scheduled school on Dec. 23 and February break. Interim Superintendent
to ask Town Meeting this May to approve another $800,000 to afford the contractor’s $2.3 million bid. Petty said he would also meet with the contractor to better understand why its bid was so much higher than expected.
Other Transfer Station tasks that still need to be done include moving the scale, doing sitework where the trailer sits and repairing the roof of the compactor building.
New fees
The Board of Health met again Dec. 13 to discuss one agenda item
dispose of its recycling. Under a new contract, the town would have to pay between $109-119 per ton to dispose of recyclables.
With the town recycling about 3,000 tons annually, this new cost alone could add $327,000-357,000 to annual expenses.
“The current contractor is losing approximately $300,000 a year on our contract,” Petty said. “When you look at our current contract, the increase per year is 2.5%. When you shorten that down, you’re looking at 3 to 4% increase per year.”
Benjamin spoke to a plan to delay long-term borrowing until after anticipated Federal Reserve rate cuts in 2025. Infrastructure needs include $9.98 million for road repairs, $480,000 for the Mary Alley building roof and an estimated $7.4 million for school HVAC replacement.
“We don’t want to bond longterm before the rate cuts, so that we can get the best long-term rate for the ratepayers,” Benjamin said.
Personnel costs
Personnel costs remain the largest budget driver, accounting for 77-78% of spending.
Town Administrator Thatcher Kezer emphasized the need to balance efficiency with service delivery.
“If you eliminate people, the other people remaining are less productive because now they’re having to cover more functions,” Kezer said. “The issue is finding more productive, effective ways to do it.”
Reliance on free cash
The town’s stabilization fund
» To see videos of water leaking through ceilings at MHS, visit MarbleheadCurrent.org.
John Robidoux sent out a survey last week asking families for their input.
Robidoux told the Current that FY26 budget discussions are well behind schedule because he and Assistant Superintendent for Finance and Administration Mike Pfifferling were both involved in mediation each day of the strike.
“Given the weeks lost to the strike … the specific information you’re looking for is not yet available,” Robuidoux said. “The budget process is multi-faceted, and given the extraordinary challenges posed this year, we are doing our due diligence, and the information will be forthcoming.”
Last winter, then-assistant superintendent Michelle Cresta presented three budget scenarios to the School Committee in January. The School Committee also voted last January to place an override placeholder on the town meeting warrant. It ultimately decided against asking voters for an override.
Fox and School Committee Chair Jenn Schaeffner did not respond to multiple requests for comment about the budget and possible override. During teacher contract talks, they acknowledged that the wage proposal that was ultimately accepted would leave a $3.17 million shortfall and require a Proposition 2 1/2 override that would add $334.60 to the average tax bill. If the override doesn’t pass, it would lead to layoffs.
— a revote on Transfer Station sticker fees. On Dec. 10, board members Dr. Tom Massaro and Helaine Hazlett voted to increase sticker fees from $80 and $25 for each additional household car to $125 and $35 for each additional car. (Member Tom McMahon was not there.)
On Dec. 13, the board met again with McMahon present to revisit the issue.
Petty proposed $105 and $35, which he said would cover costs. (Money from the fees is used to operate the Transfer Station.)
Massaro said he had already received significant pushback
from the community about the $125 figure and asked if any increase was absolutely necessary.
Petty said it was.
Hazlett initially stood by the $125 figure, which she said is in line with many other communities. She also said she hoped not to raise the fee again for a few years.
McMahon ultimately suggested the $100/ $40 plan. The full board voted unanimously to approve that approach.
For a full list of new Transfer Station fees, visit marblehead.org/ board-health/health-department.
balance of $500,000 represents just 0.5% of the operating budget, which Finance Committee Vice Chair Molly Teets noted puts Marblehead among the lowest in Massachusetts. State guidelines recommend 5%.
“We have among the lowest reserve balances in the entire state. When you rank them, we’re near last,” Teets said.
Select Board member Moses Grader pointed to years of tight budgeting catching up with the town.
“We paid for that because we didn’t invest in technology,” Grader said. “It was extreme conservatism and it kind of hit a speed bump trying to get through COVID.”
The town’s free cash — unspent funds from previous years – has declined from a peak of $13 million (17% of the operating budget) in 2017 to about $8.7 million (8% of the budget) last year. Finance Committee Vice Chair Molly Teets explained that while the town has used free cash to support operating expenses,
state guidelines recommend restricting it to one-time expenditures, capital projects, or replenishing reserves.
Grader noted this practice has affected budget transparency.
“It kind of warps the budget process where there is this concerted effort to overestimate expenditures and underestimate revenues,” Grader said. “You should be getting to a point where your projections are dead on.”
The town has implemented new revenue sources to help offset deficits. A recently passed meals and rooms local excise tax is expected to generate at least $400,000 annually — a conservative estimate according to Benjamin, with the next payment due in December.
The preliminary forecast is just a starting point, Teets reminded the Select Board.
“This gives us a chance to see how this plays out, see what the big drivers are,” Teets said. “I’m 100% sure these will not be the actual numbers, but directionally it lets us plan.”
COURTESY PHOTO / JAMES MARONEY
Left to right: Finance Committee Chair Alec Goolsby,
Aleesha Benjamin and Finance
before the Select Board, offering
forecast.
COURTESY PHOTO
Last week’s rain caused more leaking at Marblehead High School last week.
Opinion
Extension of charter process prudent
If and when Marblehead establishes its first formal charter since 1649, it will shape how our town governs itself for generations to come.
The Town Charter Committee’s decision to postpone presenting a draft charter until spring 2026 reflects the gravity and complexity of this task. The choice to take another year is both necessary and prudent.
While some residents have expressed skepticism about changing a system that has served the town 375 years, others point to gaps in the current structure. For example, the town administrator position carries significant responsibilities but lacks any formal authority in town bylaws. A formal town charter would provide Marblehead with a clear, coherent framework for governance, codifying roles and responsibilities that are currently scattered across various bylaws, state laws and unwritten practices.
With over two centuries of combined experience, the 11 Charter Committee members bring a lot of expertise to the table. They include federal policy consultants, municipal administrators, regulatory lawyers and scholars of democratic theory and political thought. This blend of infrastructure developers, project managers and governance specialists offers both the practical wisdom and theoretical depth essential for charter development.
This assemblage of talent is being supported by UMass Boston’s Collins Center for Public Management, which the Select Board engaged using American Rescue Plan Act funds. The Collins Center provides valuable technical assistance while recognizing “that Marblehead is Marblehead,” in the words of the committee’s chair, Amy Drinker. In other words, our charter must reflect our unique community character rather than mimic other towns’ approaches.
Since its formation earlier this year, the committee has undertaken comprehensive fact-finding, meeting with department heads and boards to understand how our town actually works. Department heads have been asked four key questions: whether current structures allow effective service delivery, if budgeting processes meet departmental needs, what restructuring might be beneficial and what other suggestions they might have.
These conversations have yielded important insights about interdepartmental cooperation — from shared plowing responsibilities to public health initiatives. Understanding these operational nuances is crucial to crafting a charter that enhances rather than hinders efficient government operation.
The committee plans to release the initial draft language for public review in late January, according to Drinker. This draft should be viewed as “a starting point for discussion, not a finishing place,” she emphasized.
The committee is hoping for robust public dialogue before any of the elements of the charter are finalized.
Looking ahead, 2025 will bring multiple opportunities for public engagement, including forums focused on specific charter elements and targeted outreach to various community groups. The committee plans to conduct listening tours at locations like the Council on Aging and other community venues to ensure a diversity of voices is heard. Meanwhile, the committee plans to provide a comprehensive update on the work and timeline to the Town Meeting in May. We encourage all residents to follow this important process through the committee’s webpage — bit.ly/3BrRXrB — and participate in the upcoming public discussions. Good governance requires both expertise and patience. Taking another year demonstrates the Charter Committee’s understanding that creating a foundational document for Marblehead’s future must not be rushed.
GU eST cOLU mN
When ‘perfect’ gets a new definition at the holidays
BY CHRISTINE MCCARRISTON
I saw an Instagram meme recently that resonated maybe a little too much with me. It read, “Me happily decorating the tree with my daughters, then watching them put the ornaments on the wrong branch.”
I have grown along with my girls and now can let it go but there was a time it was pretty tough going as they put the blue ornaments (allowed only on the living room tree) on the burgundy and gold tree (upstairs tree). I couldn’t imagine how or why someone I raised would do such a thing!
Of course I am exaggerating… a little. We are lucky (or crazy) enough to put up three trees (two fake, one real) in the living room, upstairs in a small open room and a tabletop one in the dining room. Loving a theme, I decorated the trees to match the rooms they were in. Made me happy, brought me joy. My young girls, however, didn’t care for me telling them they could not put the wrong color ornament on the wrong tree. I thought they’d get the idea over time, agree with me and that would be that. That was not the case as year after year they tried to sneak that silver ornament on the gold-themed tree.
I finally gave in because of course it doesn’t matter. The color-themed trees were lovely but those adorable girls waving their favorite ornament in my face explaining why it fits perfectly on this branch of this tree is hard to resist. And it actually brings me more joy. Now I see those ornaments not as being on the wrong tree but instead I see their happy faces as they hung them, talking about each ornament, when we got it and how they love seeing it every year.
This year, tree decorating day happened while I was tackling two illnesses, and I wasn’t much help. My
Proposition 2 ½ still works; so does democracy
To the editor:
In your Nov. 27 editorial (“Food for thought”) in part you wrote: “We at the Current support the basic premise that keeping annual limits on the increase of real estate taxes is good for Marblehead taxpayers, but we also wonder if the time has come for our legislators to consider possible modifications of such limits to reflect the reality that certain fixed costs of the town’s annual budget — over which we have little or no control — are increasing at such a rate as to make it impossible to provide annual pay increases to our valued employees that will at least keep up with the increases in the cost of living.”
This was followed on December 3 with a letter to the editor by Matthew Hooks who posited: “It is virtually impossible to provide consistent levels of service in an inflationary environment while working within the constraints of Prop 2 ½.”
As the final executive director of Citizens for Limited Taxation (and former homeowner of 145 Village St., next-door to my partner Barbara Anderson for over two decades), I
husband and daughters sharpened their elf skills and while I napped, they dragged out our gazillion Christmas decorations and put up the fake trees. When I woke up, my oldest, Shanna, said Daddy was “crushing it” with all he was doing but added he’s “being really nice and cute so don’t react too strongly when you see some of his decorating choices.” Good to be warned. I approached the staircase: all lit up and covered in garland. Beautiful. I spied other decorations as I came downstairs and said aloud how nice it looked. “Yeah, you won’t have to fake some of it, those are great but... you’ll see,” Shanna. We laughed and I kept going. Then I saw what I call the snowman and sled dump. About a half dozen snowmen and three sleds, one large old-fashioned one, were simply dumped together in one area. I can only describe it as a pile that looked like they were just brought up and waiting to be put where they belong. Rick called it “a display.” Luckily, he and I have a long history of putting decor in one place and moving it without telling the other, only for the other to secretly move it back. Again,
think it’s important to recognize that CLT’s Proposition 2½ was drafted, the signatures collected and the following year appeared on the ballot in 1980, where it was adopted overwhelmingly by voters statewide.
You may recall that also on that very same 1980 ballot Ronald Reagan defeated Jimmy Carter for the U.S. presidency after an even worse run of inflation than what the Biden administration has put us through. Voters who overwhelmingly supported passage and adoption of our property tax limitation law were well aware of the effect of rising costs then, as they are now.
Over ensuing decades, Prop 2½ has come under a plethora of stealthy attacks to weaken it by relentless Beacon Hill legislators, but with steady public support we managed to fend them off and protect our law time after time (see cltg. org/#proposition).
CLT intentionally provided for overrides in its law, though expected them to be utilized only in rare cases of unexpected, unbudgeted emergencies, and even then — and most importantly — only with the approval of a majority of affected voters.
Overrides remain available. All that’s required to achieve one is to convince a majority of local voters
and again. We once did this with the dining room table. I’m not kidding. One day he put it kitty corner! Shanna then asked if I saw the “joy window.” I live a theme of joy, grace and gratitude and have a collection of joy signs. They bring me joy. Shanna described the joy window as a Home Goods shelf where you could find any joy decor you could want. It wasn’t hard to find. Her description was spot on. And no, it’s not a big window in case you’re wondering, just cramped with joy right now.
I thanked Rick for his work and especially for climbing up and down the stairs getting everything before we laughed about the snowmen and sled dump and joy window. “Well, I know you’ll move them but now you know where the snowman and joy signs are. They’re easy for you to find and move.” He gets me.
When Shanna moved into her own place three Christmases ago, she had to take her absolute favorite ornament with her: a little teddy bear tangled in Christmas lights that she always loved and had to put up. Now it’s on the right branch on her right tree. Yes, she has a few trees herself and, yes, they are all themed. I guess she didn’t think I was so wrong years ago after all.
While Rick created his “displays,” the girls decorated a tree, stopping at each ornament: This I my favorite, I remember this, adding when and where we got some of them. They put them on any branch they wanted, with no consideration for color. I’m used to it now and I truly appreciate the beauty in it especially this year when I couldn’t lead them. Despite my health issues they knew we had plans to start decorating that day and knew how much I would appreciate it getting done so they did it. Talk about joy.
That snowmen dump and joy window never looked so good. But I will probably still move them.
that raising their own property taxes (and those of their neighbors) is necessary, sound and desirable. If most voters disagree, they defeat it. That has always been the intent of CLT’s Proposition 2½ and, like it or not, democracy still works.
Chip Ford Former executive director (retired), Citizens for Limited Taxation Village Street
Short-term rental owner shares his experience
To the editor:
This letter is in response to the Nov. 20 “Town planner to study short-term rentals” article.
The article states, “On average, AirDNA notes a short-term rental in Marblehead can generate an annual revenue of $56,800.”
That annual revenue number for all STRs is very much misleading. To illustrate by example, on Zillow’s website it shows the average Marblehead home value is $987,608, yet in viewing Zillow’s website of the 20+ Marblehead homes currently available to purchase, only three are priced below $1M, and the overall
COURTESY PHOTO / CHRISTINE MCCARRISTON
One of Christine McCarriston’s three beautifully decorated Christmas trees.
Academy for Afghan girls grows to meet staggering need
Program founded by Marblehead’s McNulty adapts to worsening conditions
BY KRIS OLSON
In many ways, life for women and girls in Afghanistan is only getting harder, Marblehead’s Robert McNulty reports unhappily.
“What is happening in Afghanistan is a human rights violation on a scale unparalleled in recent decades,” he says.
Not satisfied with prohibiting girls from furthering their education, the Taliban has also banned women from going out in public without an escort. If a woman is heard speaking or laughing in public, that too is sanctionable.
For girls who knew life before Taliban rule, the situation is particularly difficult, McNulty adds.
“These are girls who grew up in a time when they were told that you can be anything you want to be,” he says.
While he cannot change how Afghanistan is governed, McNulty and the school he founded, Pax Populi Academy, are trying to push back in the opposite direction.
Pax Populi Academy was founded in 2010 and for 11 years offered a co-educational English language learning program, which connected volunteers worldwide with Afghan students in various cities.
Due to safety concerns, Pax Populi now looks dramatically different. Classes are held online with cameras off. The modified Pax Populi relaunched a year ago as a full-time, comprehensive online school for Afghan women and girls in grades 8-12. The curriculum is modeled on international standards for college preparedness.
The new Pax Populi started small with 10 students in the fall of 2023. It grew to 25 students in January and now serves 60 students, including a couple of recent high school graduates who are preparing to apply to universities abroad.
Overwhelming demand
Expanding the enrollment so rapidly was not necessarily the plan when Pax Populi advertised the availability of additional seats in the program on a website advertising educational opportunities, typically overseas. Within two days, one of
McNulty’s colleagues told him they had received 200 applications. McNulty instructed her to take the advertisement down, which she did — only to have the website reach out to report that they were receiving complaints because it had been pulled down prematurely.
Back up it went, and by the time the dust settled, Pax Populi had 586 applications.
McNulty and his colleagues made their way through the pile as best they could, a process that culminated with the Zoom or Skype interviews with the parents of prospective students to ensure that the student will have the necessary family support.
“It’s just been incredible to see the degree of commitment and enthusiasm,” McNulty says.
McNulty personally has 25 students in a philosophy class, the subject in which he holds a Ph.D., though not typically one studied by high school students.
“These kids are so smart that they’re rising to the occasion, and they’re full of questions,” he says.
In addition to classroom work, Pax Populi has, despite the circumstances, tried to salvage for the students some semblance of an extracurricular experience as well. Pax Populi maintains clubs for art, business and wellness.
“They’re dealing with such trauma, and they’re bottling it
be included in a certification program.
all up, and they need to be able to unload a bit,” McNulty says. “We don’t have professional psychologists there, but we have and they have each other.”
Safe landing
Another important development for Pax Populi in the past year is that it has been able to bring to America Fayaz Noori, an administrator and English and biology teacher to whom Pax Populi previously referred as “U” for security reasons. Noori is now living in Indiana with six family members, including his mother and two of his sisters.
Noori and his family members had already relocated once, fleeing to Pakistan about a year ago “because they were definitely on the wrong political side of the equation,” McNulty
says.
Pax Populi raised the money to bring the family to the United States, and one of McNulty’s colleagues helped them through the process of obtaining humanitarian parole through U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services.
McNulty visited Noori and his family about a month and a half ago.
“It was incredibly touching,” he says. “They prepared a feast for me.”
Noori is now taking classes at the University of Tulsa, making him the third Pax Populi graduate to enroll at American universities, joining students at Oberlin College and Cornell.
Teachers, I love you so much’
McNulty says he is hopeful
that Pax Populi’s efforts to bring Afghan students to the United States will not be affected too severely, even if the Trump administration adopts more aggressive immigration policies, as promised.
“If politics somehow adversely impacts this, it’d be sad but we’ll have to try to find other locations,” perhaps in Europe or Canada, McNulty says.
He adds, “Americans have expressed a lot of discontent with our immigration policy, and I hope that sentiment won’t be transferred from those who have illegally crossed the border to those young women who are really struggling from a country where we were involved for two decades. It’s just not the same thing, and I sure hope people would recognize that.” Afghanistan in 2024 “is in a state of utter economic collapse,” and every one of Pax Populi’s students is impoverished, according to McNulty. They are participating in the program using smartphones or in some cases laptops, but they would not be able to access the WiFi they need without “financial aid” — McNulty taking out the nonprofit’s credit card to cover monthly internet bills, which he acknowledges is straining the organization’s budget.
As challenging as making ends meet can be, the rewards are worth it, McNulty says.
Back in October, McNulty got invited to what he was told was a virtual faculty meeting. He says he was concerned that because he had been out of the classroom for a while, he might be getting some constructive criticism of his pedagogical skills.
What he walked in on instead “was like Woodstock for teachers.” It was International Teachers Day, and the Pax Populi community decided to do it big.
“I don’t think if you went to a match.com conference you could hear the word ‘love’ used more often than I heard it used during that hour and a half,” he says. “One student after another [said], ‘Teachers, I love you so much. You helped me so much. You’re so kind. You’re so patient.’ I was crying.”
To learn more about Pax Populi, see paxpopuli.org.
average is $2.878M, a number almost three times the Zillow “average” value.
My wife and I have been renting out a two-bedroom, one-bath STR property since late 2018. Even in our highest grossing year — 2020 — we didn’t come close to reaching the $56,800 revenue number cited by AirDNA. And as the number of STRs has increased, we’ve since had a steady yearover-year decrease in both annual revenue and annual nights booked even though our guest reviews are stellar. Our property is very well maintained and managed because after every guest checkout we do a thorough inspection and immediately address any issues.
Regarding implementing a certification program, as Henry Hammond pointed out, the STR niche industry is selfregulating: negative experiences by guests will result in negative reviews which in turn will result in fewer bookings. But if the town does go down the path of implementing a certification program, I would strongly urge for long-term rentals to be included. In essence, any residential rental unit should
With the town struggling financially yet having received approximately $70.44Kin STR room tax between June and August after implementing the 6% room tax in May, regulating the “number of days an operator may rent out a STR in a calendar year” doesn’t make sense as it would directly reduce the additional tax revenue.
Coupling the high average price of Marblehead homes on the market with the total number of STRs currently available for potential guests to rent, simple economics will show the cost of entry into the local STR market has reached a peak where anyone hoping to get into the STR market will find unit economics won’t support the entry . . . that the 231 active STR listings have most likely plateaued. But should the town enshrine in bylaws in addition to the 6% tax a licen$e fee + in$pection fee + a fee to cover the co$t of the in$pection + a fee to cover the co$t of $TR administration along with limiting the number of days an operator can rent out a STR, there’s no doubt this will result in owners of STR units raising rates to the point where they can’t get bookings which in turn will result in reverting the STRs
into long-term rentals resulting in a loss of tax revenue and a loss of visitors frequenting local restaurants and shops as they book lodging in towns other than Marblehead. But if the goal is to increase the longterm residential rental market, adding fees and regulations while limiting the number of STR rental days will most assuredly accomplish that goal, but of course the offset is loss of additional revenue the town so sorely needs.
Allen
Warren Jersey Street
Supporting Marblehead families during the teacher strike
To the editor: Our Y has great respect for our community, the teachers and community leaders. We are grateful for the positive resolution to the strike and that the children are back in school. We know it has been a difficult time for all involved. When the strike was announced, ourafter-school team, led by Kathleen Alexandrou, immediately sprang to support the families who needed us most. Kathleen reached out to families right
away, informing them that we would provide full-day care.
The YMCA of the North Shore went a step further, waiving all childcare fees for Marblehead families throughout the strike. This decision relieved financial stress, allowing parents to focus on securing care or managing time off from work without the added burden of unexpected expenses. The total financial impact on our Y was significant—approximately $47,500 in lost revenue—but the well-being of our community came first.
Uncertain of how long the strike would last, our team prepared to provide care for as long as needed. Every day was filled with activities that balanced fun and education: — STEM projects kept kids engaged and curious.
— Physical activity cime: Gymnastics, basketball and swimming promoted physical activity and teamwork.
— Outdoor play became a cornerstone of the program, allowing kids to enjoy fresh air and social interaction.
— Social-emotional learning blocks support children through various emotions, helping them process and stay centered.
Over two and a half weeks, the Y cared for 126 of the 152 children enrolled in our
Marblehead after-school program — 82% of our total participants. On average, 80 children joined us daily.
Our dedicated full-time site coordinators, Scott Montefusco, Derek Duversaint and Lucy Kilcoyne, led this effort alongside our incredible Marblehead group leaders. Their selfless commitment ensured every child felt safe and supported, and thrived during this challenging time.
We thank the Marblehead Public School Food Services Department for providing nutritious lunches to half of the children in our program. With the support of YMCA scholarships and government childcare vouchers, we proudly ensured that every child, regardless of family income, had a safe and enriching space to spend their day — enabling parents to continue working with peace of mind.
We are incredibly proud of our team and grateful for the opportunity to serve the Marblehead community. Together, we turned a challenging moment into a testament to the power of community and the YMCA’s mission.
Brian Flynn Executive director, Lynch/ van Otterloo YMCA
COURTESY PHOTOS
Robert McNulty of Marblehead is the founder of Pax Populi Academy, which is now offering classes to 60 young women in Afghanistan.
Examples of some of the paintings and garments created by Afghan students in the Pax Populi Academy ‘art club.’
From P. A4
New Rip Tide owners plan February opening
BY WILL DOWD
The iconic Rip Tide Lounge, a fixture at 116
Pleasant St. since the post-Prohibition era, will begin a new chapter under Salem residents and local
restaurateurs John and Danielle Kaetzer following the Marblehead Select Board’s approval of their liquor license transfer on Dec. 11.
The Kaetzers acquired the property and business from Mikael Vienneau for $1.5 million, with the
deal expected to close in January. The purchase comes less than two years after Vienneau completed a $600,000 renovation of the historic building, which began its life as a Ford Model T dealership in 1908. John Kaetzer brings
significant restaurant experience to the venture, having previously owned Salem’s Mercy Tavern and helped launch The Howling Wolf.
“It’s a great opportunity in downtown Marblehead, and it’s a historic building,” Kaetzer said after the license approval. “We saw the opportunity operationally.”
The Kaetzers plan to close the establishment down for a month in January and reopen in early February with an innovative pricing strategy aimed at drawing crowds.
“Everything on the menu will be under $10 — food and beverage,” Kaetzer explained. “We want to get volume in and get the place packed.”
The new owners will inherit a modernized facility following Vienneau’s renovations, which included $70,000 in accessibility improvements and preservation of historic elements.
“It’s all brand new, but they kept the old bar top so it has a nice feel,” Danielle Kaetzer noted.
The couple plans to expand the venue’s entertainment offerings, focusing on live music.
“There’s not really anywhere you can get good kind of jam bands,” John Kaetzer said.
The transfer marks another chapter for the storied establishment, which was among the first local venues to receive a liquor license after Prohibition’s repeal.
CURRENT PHOTO / WILL DOWD Salem residents John and Danielle Kaetzer are the Rip Tide Lounge new owners.
Community weighs in on rail trail vision
BY WILL DOWD
Town officials and design consultants presented comprehensive plans for improving the Marblehead Rail Trail at a public listening session Dec. 9, building on recently completed enhancements while addressing community concerns about preservation and accessibility.
The town has already completed several improvements, including upgrades to crossings at Smith Street and West Shore Drive. A key “early construction project” between Rockaway Clifton avenues is currently out to bid, with work scheduled to begin in early 2025 and finish by June.
The project, coordinated between the town’s Department of Public Works and Community Development Planning Department, has secured significant funding from multiple sources. This includes $160,000 in Federal Community Project Funding received in 2022 as part of the Border to Boston Trail initiative, along with two MassTrails grants: $100,000 in June 2022 for the Lead Mills to West Shore Drive segment, and $60,000 in June 2024 for improvements between Pleasant Street and Smith Street.
Kathleen Ogden Fasser, senior principal landscape architect at Toole Design, which was contracted in September to
advance the design and public engagement process, outlined plans to create an 11-foot-wide trail with stabilized aggregate surfacing and improved drainage throughout the 4.5-mile corridor.
The historical significance of the former railroad corridor emerged as a concern. Steve Butterworth, a local railroad enthusiast, made an impassioned plea for preservation.
“Interestingly, the granite curbing shows two curves. One was the edge right at the edge of the track and the other was the track, and both are still there,” he said. “I urge you to preserve as much of that old granite curbing as you can.”
Amy McHugh, DPW
superintendent, emphasized the added cost of having amenities like trash collection
“It’s lovely to have a walkway,” she said, adding that maintenance costs for proposed amenities must be carefully considered. “Every small piece we have that is convenient for you is a cost for the town.”
Rick Smyers cautioned against prioritizing rusticity over accessibility.
“One person’s rustic might be another person’s scary,” he said. “If it’s too overgrown, too dark, that might discourage particularly younger people from using the trail.”
The growing popularity of electric bikes emerged as a contemporary challenge.
Elaine Leahy, executive director of Sustainable Marblehead, emphasized the trail’s environmental importance.
“As Sustainable Marblehead is working on trying to help the town get to net zero, the Rail Trail is a huge component,” she said, advocating for better connections to shopping districts to reduce car usage.
Logan Casey, the town’s sustainability coordinator, outlined ongoing efforts to secure additional funding through various sources, including annual MassTrails grants and the Regional Transportation Improvement Plan’s $6.2 billion five-year program.
Town Administrator Thatcher Kezer addressed questions about using proceeds from potential property sales for trail improvements.
“As a matter of policy and good practice, any funds raised by the selling of capital would be available for reinvestment in capital, rather than into the operating budget,” he explained.
The project team expects to complete construction documents for broader improvements by the end of 2025, though actual construction timing will depend on securing additional funding. The comprehensive design approach includes considerations for native plantings, drainage improvements, and amenities such as benches and bike repair stations.
Bob French, another resident, suggested educational elements:
“Are there considerations for signage to point out local flora and fauna highlights?
Similar scenarios where subtle appropriate ways to say ‘Keep your eyes open for painted turtles here’?” Residents can submit additional comments or questions about the project to planning@marblehead.org.
The town maintains a project webpage – bit.ly/4grWzww –with regular updates on both the early construction project and broader trail improvement efforts.
Report IDs $61M in needed sidewalk repairs
BY WILL DOWD
A comprehensive assessment of Marblehead’s pedestrian infrastructure has revealed the town needs more than $61 million in sidewalk and curb ramp improvements to meet accessibility standards and safety goals.
The Infrastructure Improvement Plan for Sidewalks and Curb Ramps, completed in October by Environmental Partners Group, LLC, documents the condition of 71 miles of sidewalks and identifies 560 existing curb ramps throughout town, with another 550 locations where new ramps are needed.
The $179,000 assessment, funded through Chapter 90 state transportation funds, provides Marblehead with its first comprehensive sidewalk inventory since the 1980s and will help guide infrastructure investments.
“It required a lot of boots on the ground,” said Amy McHugh, Marblehead’s Department of Public Works director. “The scope of work needed is significant, but now we have the data to make informed decisions about priorities.”
The study found that 92% of Marblehead’s sidewalks are asphalt, with only 10% currently rated in good or excellent condition. The assessment identified 424 maintenance points requiring attention, ranging from overgrown vegetation to structural issues and physical obstacles.
“We’ve gotten quite a few over the years now,” Blaisdell said. “But my big thing would probably be public places like bus stops, schools, you know, and then Old Town and downtown.”
While the price tag may cause sticker shock, McHugh emphasized that the plan is meant to be integrated with other infrastructure initiatives, including road paving, utility upgrades and complete streets
projects.
“We want a holistic approach to street improvements,” McHugh said. “If we’re going to dig up a street for gas lines or water mains, we want to coordinate that with sidewalk improvements and repaving. It’s about working smarter.”
The plan introduces a sophisticated prioritization system that weighs multiple factors: sidewalk condition (45%), pedestrian usage (35%) and functional classification of adjacent roads (20%). Engineers used geographic-informationsystem mapping to create heat
maps showing areas of highest pedestrian activity, particularly around schools, business districts and community facilities.
Local disability advocates say the infrastructure assessment confirms what many residents with mobility challenges have long experienced firsthand.
“They’re awful,” said Laurie Blaisdell, chair of the Marblehead Disabilities Commission, describing the town’s sidewalks. “Downtown, like five corners might be okay, but other than that, a lot of streets and roads don’t have a
sidewalk, or they’re really in bad shape.”
The assessment’s findings about curb ramps are particularly significant for accessibility. Of Marblehead’s existing curb ramps, approximately 76% don’t meet current Americans with Disabilities Act standards and will need reconstruction.
Blaisdell noted that while progress has been made in recent years, with new sidewalk projects required by law to include proper curb ramps, many areas still need improvement.
The town is already taking action. Some of the $15.5 million override in 2022 has already been put to work, with completed sidewalk improvements on Lafayette Street, State Street and Commercial Street.
“Sidewalks are personal in a way that other infrastructure isn’t,” McHugh explained. “You’re touching people’s trees, their lawns, their parking. These changes affect daily life in very visible ways.”
McHugh noted efforts to reduce the impact of tree roots on sidewalks: Following the passage of the so- called “set
back tree” bylaw change under Article 42 at the 2023 Town Meeting, the town can now work with property owners to place new trees behind sidewalks on private property through easements, potentially preserving the green character of neighborhoods while allowing for compliant sidewalk widths.
“Trees seek water, which is why their roots often damage sidewalks,” McHugh said.
“By placing new trees behind the sidewalk in yards, we can maintain our tree canopy while protecting the pedestrian infrastructure.”
The plan also identifies 13.47 miles of potential new sidewalk connections to complete gaps in the pedestrian network. However, McHugh stressed that proposed locations are conceptual and will require detailed engineering analysis to determine feasibility.
Implementation challenges extend beyond construction logistics. The town is working to develop its GIS capabilities to better coordinate infrastructure projects, though progress has been slower than hoped.
“We have all these layers of data — sidewalks, utilities, paving conditions — but we’re still developing the system to bring it all together ,” McHugh said. “When we get there, we’ll be able to click on any street and see everything that needs attention, from water lines to sidewalk conditions.”
The sidewalk assessment is intended to help officials make strategic decisions about infrastructure investments. However, McHugh emphasizes that the prioritization rankings shouldn’t be viewed as a rigid schedule.
“Just because a sidewalk ranks high on our list doesn’t mean it will be first,” she explained. “We might choose to group nearby projects together for efficiency, or coordinate with scheduled utility work. The goal is to be strategic.”
COURTESY PHOTO
A segment of the Marblehead Rail Trail runs under the Village Street bridge. \The Pedestrian Usage Score Map illustrates areas of
pedestrian activity, focusing on schools, libraries and business zones. This data is central to prioritizing upgrades in Marblehead’s $61 million infrastructure improvement plan.
COURTESY PHOTO / DAN BLANDER
This West Shore Drive sidewalk isn’t easily passible by bike or baby carriage.
Sports
Headers begin year with winning edge
Marblehead shuts down non-league nemesis Shawsheen in Billerica
BY JOE MCCONNELL
It didn’t take the Hockey Headers long to change last year’s narrative around. They did it on opening night against Shawsheen — a non-league team that has turned into a rival — in convincing fashion last Thursday at Billerica’s Hallenborg Memorial Pavillion, 5-0.
The eventual Division 3 state champs couldn’t buy a win last December. They were 0-6, and didn’t get their first win until Dec. 30 in a game against Melrose, another non-league opponent. But they are 1-0 this year, and they got that win on Dec. 12.
Marblehead coach Mark Marfione always likes Shawsheen’s ‘approach’ to the sport, and it’s no accident they are on the schedule once again this year. “They bring out the truth in our team,” Marfione said of the Rams in the Dec. 11 edition of the Marblehead
London McDonald takes on a Nauset player at the TD Garden last March in the Division 3 state championship game. McDonald and his hockey Header teammates went on to win the state title, and nine months later McDonald helped his teammates to another win against host Shawsheen in the season opener last Thursday night.
Current. Elaborating further on the Rams in that Dec. 11 preview story, Marfione said, “The BS
does not work against them. I think the most important (regular season) game that we had last year was the ass-kicking
we took against them (a 4-1 loss). (That loss) told the truth about what we were, and where we needed to be. We didn’t lose again after that.”
After beating them on opening night, the streak is now eight since that regular season loss that did them better than any win would have that night.
But, despite the shutout victory, Marfione still sees room for improvement. “I think we have many things to work on,” he said. “The game was sloppy as expected for all first games, but the effort was there, and we generally had a good attitude. But we did take too many penalties, but that’s one thing we can fix right away.”
Marfione says he can also see that they have to get in better shape, while adding, “because of the teachers’ strike, we didn’t have all of our off-season workouts, and if we are the same team in March, it’s going to be an early exit from the state tournament.”
But the bottom line is that Marfione never wants to see complacency hover over his team, because he has even bigger goals in mind for the program. “We want to develop a culture here that is passed on from year to year,” he said. The final score notwithstanding, the game was fairly even throughout the first two periods, and “the game was also very physical,” Marfione said. Captain Crew Monaco and London McDonald paced the offensive attack with two goals apiece. Freshman Teddy Dulac netted his first varsity goal to account for the other tally.
Junior Avin Rodovsky, senior captains Kyle Hart and Sean Doyle, and E.J. Wyman collected the assists.
Dolan also played a solid game on defense, according to Marfione. “But the defense
Basketball teams start on winning notes
HOOPS Garden party: MHS girls varsity basketball heads to Boston next month
BY LEIGH BLANDER
BY JOE MCCONNELL
Boys secure third annual Markowitz Tournament championship
With a shortened holiday season between Thanksgiving and Christmas, high school winter sports teams haven’t had the usual practice time and scrimmages to get fully prepared for their respective seasons.
The Marblehead High boys basketball team was initially affected by the limited practices in the season opener last Friday night, but they eventually settled down to beat rival Danvers in
the first game of the third annual Zach Markowitz Memorial Basketball Tournament – named after the former Rehab and Performance Coordinator of the Boston Celtics who passed away in 2019 at the age of 29 – at Salem Academy, 54-47. And then, they defeated Bishop Fenwick the next day by two in the championship game, 55-53.
“A late Thanksgiving and an early start to the season obviously affected both teams. We both struggled at various times,” said coach Mike Giardi.
The Falcons led after one quarter, 18-6. But Marblehead
Sachs makes Division 2 All-State volleyball team
BY JOE MCCONNELL
fought their way back to tie the game up at halftime, 22-22. Danvers jumped out again in the third quarter, while the Magicians managed only eight points. But then, they turned up the defense in the fourth to come away with the win. Senior captain Sam Thompson led the way for Marblehead with 21 points, 17 of which were scored in the second half during crunch time. Junior Finn Gallup sparked the defense, according to Giardi, while also chipping in with eight points.
The Marblehead High School varsity girls basketball is Boston bound next month, playing Saugus at the TD Garden on Saturday, Jan 11, 11:30 a.m. The game is part of the Lawson Invitational. This is the first time the MHS girls basketball team has played in the tournament. MHS boys competed last year. Tickets are $25 each, and all proceeds go to the Lawson Foundation. Tickets can be purchased at https://loom.ly/Llkuwcw. A post game celebration is being planned. The Lawson Invitation is named in memory of Andrew James Lawson, a young man with Down syndrome who passed away from cancer. Lawson was a passionate athlete who excelled in multiple sports, including basketball. His legacy inspires people to promote inclusion and support individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities.
For the 25th straight year, the Massachusetts Volleyball Coaches Association announced the AllState teams, representing all five divisions, prior to a showcase tournament and awards show that was held on Nov. 18 at Westborough High.
Locally, Marblehead High volleyball player Greta Sachs made the Division 2 All-State team.
Joining Sachs on the 2024 AllState Division 2 team are: Adele Accelus (Longmeadow), Adriana Aquino (Hopkinton), Skye Cerow (Duxbury), Grace Chiota (Algonquin), Caroline Cusson (Duxbury), Leah Fowke (Melrose), Caroline Gray (Whitman-Hanson), Samantha Norman (Westborough), Ava Orlando (Notre Dame Academy), Gabby Pattie (Hopkinton), Soley Rodriguez Martinez (Canton), Chloe Scott (Longmeadow), Grace Seaman (Burlington), Addyson Smock (Oliver Ames), Georgia Tyrrell (Westborough), Montana Weaver (Westborough) and Cate Wettstone (Masconomet).
SPORTS YOU PLAY: Volleyball, basketball, spring track FAVORITE SPORT, AND WHY: Volleyball was a brand-new sport for me in my freshman year, but it quickly
having one of my best games with 23 kills. PLANS FOR AFTER HIGH SCHOOL: Currently, I’m most interested in larger D-1 schools south of Massachusetts.
MAJOR: Undecided
YOU
By Joe McConnell
YELLOW MAGENTA
COURTESY PHOTO
player
Black & Blue wrestlers set their goals high for the coming season
BY JOE MCCONNELL
The Marblehead High Black & Blue wrestling team is ready to begin again after finishing up last year with a 6-16-1 regular season record.
Coach Mike Stamison’s team then ended up fourth out of 10 teams in the CAL/NEC tournament. In the Division 2 North state tournament at Burlington, they were seventh out of 13 teams, followed by a 13th place finish in the Division 2 All-State tournament at Algonquin. There were 48 teams competing in this match. At the All-States in Salem, they came in 43rd out of 100 squads.
Liam O’Brien, a sophomore on last year’s team, was the team’s leading wrestler throughout the postseason.
O’Brien (120-pounds) was second in the sectionals, fourth in the divisional state meet and seventh in the All-States. For his efforts, he became the program’s first All-New England qualifier since Sean Taylor in 2013.
Mason Hinshaw, who was a junior last year, also enjoyed a successful postseason in his 144-pound weight class, where he was first in the sectionals and third in the divisional meet. This year, O’Brien will be wrestling in the 126-pound weight class, and Hinshaw moves up to 157.
Turning to this season, Stamison welcomed 31 to tryouts. “We were able to retain 30, which is excellent,” the coach said. “The kids have been great from the seventh graders to the seniors. They are a very athletic and coachable group. The firstyear wrestlers, in particular, are surprising myself and my staff with how quickly they are picking (the sport) up.”
Senior Clive Connolly and junior Colin Hart from Marblehead, and senior Mason Hinshaw and junior Liam O’Brien from Swampscott are this year’s captains. Stamison promises to add a fifth captain soon.
“They have been instrumental
Roundup
From P. A9
The Magicians then took on the aforementioned Crusaders in the title game the next day, and again pulled it out by two, 55-53 to begin the season with a 2-0 record. The Marblehead boys were also leading at halftime, 26-19.
Sophomore Finn Baron paced the offensive attack for the Magicians with a game high 20 points. Tournament MVP and senior captain Sam Thompsom chipped in with eight points.
Junior Finn Gallup, who also made the All-Tournament team, ignited his teammates once again “with another superlative defensive effort,” said Giardi afterwards.
The Magicians have since gone
Hockey
From P. A9
overall is fairly young, and they made their mistakes against Shawsheen. But they were able to fight through them,” added the coach. Their efforts helped preserve the shutout for goalie Leo Burdge, who picked up where he left off last year. Burdge, in his last six games, has allowed only five goals, and five of those contests were postseason nail biters. Marfione also praised
in leading the drills, and coaching up their more inexperienced teammates,” said Stamison of his four captains. Besides the four captains, there are five more returning wrestlers on the roster. With that experience, Stamison has specific goals for the team.
“We want to finish in the top four in every team tournament, including the D-2 North sectionals,” he said. “We also want to win the CAL/NEC championship, as well as the (league) tournament. They are all attainable if we wrestle hard and stay healthy.
“If we have any weaknesses, it would be where we are green in spots,” the coach added. “But those kids need to learn quickly and step it up if we are to attain those goals.”
Stamison singled out first year
seniors Gavin Ferretti, Lorenzo Gaudioso, Gavin Lepler and twins Greg and Gary Podstrelov, who has
up against visiting Beverly in the home opener last night (Dec. 17) after press deadline, before heading to Saugus to square off against the Sachems tomorrow night (Dec. 19) at 7 p.m.
Girls beat Danvers in home opener
Marblehead High girls basketball coach Paul Moran certainly won’t argue over the results, when his team was able to hang on to beat Danvers last Friday night in the home opener, 28-23.
“The girls played well for the first game of the year,” said Moran. “We missed a lot of free throws and layups, but that’s on me. I have to do a better job to (put) them in a better position to succeed.”
Freshman Lucy McDonald began her high school varsity
Wyman, who has shown solid improvement since last year.
Monaco had this to say about Burdge, his fellow captain, after last Thursday’s opener. “Leo is the heart of this team, because without (him) there’s no team,” Crew said. “He makes everybody play with more confidence, because we know he’s between the pipes. This was just another shutout for him; he’s been lights out lately.”
Monaco agrees with his coach that they are not a finished product. “We still have plenty of work to do as a team,” he said.
impressed him to date in practice. “They will all factor into the lineup, because they are taking to the sport very well.”
Ferretti, who was a starting linebacker this fall on the MHS football team, will wrestle in the 215-pound weight class right away.
The veteran Black & Blue coach has no shortage of assistants. Rob Hopkins returns for his third season as a Stamison assistant. “He’s really great with the younger kids,” Stamison said. “He has been around the program as our booster club president when his two sons Stephen and Michael – were with us. They were our no. one and no. two all-time wrestlers in terms of wins, respectively. (Rob) understands what it takes to wrestle in our towns, and also my messaging. He also curates our film library for coaches and wrestlers to review their matches.”
Former collegiate wrestlers
career by making a crucial three-point shot late in the game to put her teammates up by four.
Junior point guard Samara Dosch initiated the offense expertly, while also chipping in with two points. “She handled the defensive pressure very well, and will only get better as the season goes on,” said Moran.
Senior captain Ramona Gillett accounted for three points. But the star of the show was junior Greta Sachs, who was playing her first game in two years, and still led the team on offense with 13 points.
The Marblehead girls have since taken on Boston’s Cristo Rey on Dec. 16 in the home opener, and then Beverly on the road the next night, both after press deadline.
“I think our neutral zone play and transitions could use some work, but it’s still early, and I’m confident we will get these things down.”
The Headers took on host Beverly last Saturday night, and then they will have a week off, before facing non-league Malden Catholic this coming Saturday night (Dec. 21) at Malden’s Valley Forum, starting at 5:30 p.m.
“We will use this time off to do some film review and input some systems in our everyday gameplan,” Marfione said.
Jeff Hinshaw and Eli Smith are also back on Stamison’s staff. They are beginning their second year as Black & Blue assistants.
“They are able to distill and break down my instructions,” the veteran head coach said.
“Andrew Norton, who was a captain of the team when I was a sophomore, also returns for his second season. He has been a great drilling partner for all the weight classes, and because he has been through our program he understands the rigors of the sport.
“Jimmy Luscombe (fourth season) and Igor Babushkin, who has been an assistant since I took over the program in 2010 and was a captain alongside me in 2005-06, round out the staff in part-time roles. Both will put in time watching film when away from the team, and also assist at meets and tournaments.”
As always, the CAL/NEC is going to be tough, according to Stamison. “Beverly is always great, and will have several
top-ranked wrestlers returning this year,” he added. “Salem also has a couple of great kids returning, as does Gloucester, and both teams are always tough. Coach Jake Almon is doing a great job in Danvers, and coach Wayne Moda’s Saugus/Peabody squad has been the closest to us the past three seasons. Last year alone, we beat them by one point, lost to them by two points and tied them once. I believe we can stay with all these teams, and as a result the NEC is up for the grabs for any one of us this year.”
After competing in the annual Sons of Italy Wakefield Tournament last Saturday, the Marblehead/Swampscott wrestlers will be at Peabody to face the Tanners co-op Dec. 18, starting at 5:45 p.m. They will head to Pentucket Regional Thursday night for a 5:45 p.m. match, and will close out the week in the Mt. Hope (Rhode Island) Tournament on Saturday.
7 p.m., girls basketball, Peabody, Peabody Veterans Memorial High
7 p.m., boys basketball, Peabody, Marblehead High
7:30 p.m., girls hockey, Peabody, Salem State University
Wednesday, Jan. 8
6:30 p.m., wrestling, multiple schools, Marblehead High
7:30 p.m., boys hockey, Medford, Salem State University
COURTESY PHOTO
Marblehead/Swampscott Black & Blue wrestling coach Mike Stamison talks to CAL/NEC teams, including his own, after a joint practice on Dec. 7. Triton, Salem, Lynn, Lynnfield/North Reading, Essex Tech/Masconomet and the host Black & Blue grapplers were the participants in the practice.
Marblehead’s best bets
Current Events spotlights exciting happenings in the coming week. If you’d like to contribute a listing, please email Current editor Leigh Blander at lblander@marbleheadnews.org. Leigh Blander
Snowy Scapes & Celebrations:
The Artist’s Holiday
Wednesday, Dec. 18, 7-8 p.m.
Join this virtual presentation on the variety of ways artists have captured the magic of the holiday. The program includes works by Grandma Moses, Salvador Dali and Andy Warhol. Jane Oneail, who curates and delivers art appreciation programs to audiences around New England, will be the presenter. More info at abbotlibrary. org.
Christmas Music Pageant
Friday, Dec. 20, 7 p.m.
Come to The Beacon Restaurant for dinner and join musical guests singing holiday songs. 123 Pleasant St.
Poetry Salon
Thursday, Dec. 19, 2 p.m.
On Thursday Dec. 19, the Poetry Salon at Abbot Public Library will feature the poetry of Mark Doty. Since the publication of his first volume of verse, “Turtle, Swan,” in 1987, Doty has been recognized as one of the most accomplished poets in America.
Join Claire Keyes, professor emerita at Salem State, for a discussion of Doty’s
Holiday jams with the PBJ Band
Thursday, Dec. 26, 7-9 p.m.,
The Landing Restaurant, 81 Front St.
Registration is required to attend in person or via Zoom. tinyurl.com/ Mark-Doty-Salon.
The PBJ Band says it’s smooth, with a little crunch, jammin’ on sweet tunes dripping with flavor. PBJ Band are local musicians
Paula Gaull (Plan B and True North) on vocals, Brian Wheeler (Guy Ford Band) on guitar and vocals, Jamie Gaull (Plan B and True North) on guitar and vocals, Dave Gagnon (Guy Ford Band, GG3) on bass and vocals, Chris Billias (Joe Mack Band, White Lightening, Paul
Board games and banter
Friday, Dec. 27, 2 p.m.
Join with fellow board gamers for a round of play at Abbot Library. Meet new players, revisit an old favorite game or learn to play something new. All games and needed parts, as well as refreshments, will be provided by the library. 235 Pleasant St. Registration is required and limited to 20 attendants. tinyurl. com/Dec2024-Game-n-Gab.
MHS marching band wraps up big season
BY LEIGH BLANDER
Marblehead High School’s small but mighty marching band just wrapped up a big season, performing at several home games, Fenway Park and the Christmas Walk. The band includes only seven musicians this year.
“It was really good,” MHS teacher and band director Rachel Mitchom said about the season.
“It’s definitely challenging when you have such a small group. The kids really stepped up. They’ve been working incredibly hard and willing to put in the extra hours. They come early and stay late. It’s physically exhausting to walk around with the instruments.”
Freshman Gordon Andrews plays the drums in the marching band. He hopes more people will
join next year.
“You can make new friends and be recognized at the events,” he said. “I’ve been having a good time going to the football games and parade. I was not expecting to be on the field at Fenway. It was very cool.”
A typical marching band for MHS’ size would be more like 20 musicians, according to Mitchom. She said one reason
for the small number is lots of turnover in music educators in the lower schools.
‘Marblehead Forever’ In addition to Andrews on drums, the MHS marching band features trumpets, saxophone and trombone. There’s also one member of the color guard.
Asked his favorite song to perform, Andrews answered,
“‘Marblehead Forever.”
“I have it memorized,” he said. “I like the speed of it.” Other popular songs this season included an arrangement of Chappell Roan’s “Hot to Go,” Mitchom said.
“The kids really liked that one,” she said. “They also like [Village People’s] ‘YMCA’ and ‘Seven Nation Army’ [by The White Stripes].”
poems at Abbot Public Library, 235 Pleasant St.
COURTESY PHOTOS
The Marblehead High School marching band performed with the Magicians at Fenway Park in November.
The small but mighty MHS marching band performed in the Christmas Walk parade.
Foley Band) on keyboards and Glen Watson (Guy Ford Band and The Merj) on drums, performing classic
hit covers from the ’60s to the 2000s. Bring your dancing shoes!
Spotting the silent hunters
BY RICK CUZNER
Barred owls are very common in our area, although they are very good at hiding in plain sight. I find early morning and late afternoon the best times to find them. The contrast really helps. Often I will find them at first light, and then circle back to get a photo when the light gets better.
The Mass Audubon reports barred owls are known for their distinctive hoots, a haunting series of calls often phrased as “Who cooks for you? Who cooks for you all?” Their vocalizations can be heard most often in the early morning and twilight hours when these owls are most active. While their mottled feathers blend seamlessly with tree bark, keen observers can spot them roosting in dense trees. Patient and stealthy, barred owls wait motionless on branches, scanning for small mammals and other prey below.
The Marblehead Current is proud to partner with photographer Rick Cuzner. Over the past 16 years he has taken thousands of nature photographs.
Schools perform holiday concerts
BY LEIGH BLANDER
’Tis the season for concerts at Marblehead schools. On Thursday, Dec. 12, Marblehead High School performed its winter concert featuring the jazz band, concert band, orchestra, chamber orchestra and three choirs.
The Village School band was set to play on Dec. 16. The Veterans School’s jazz band, concert band, orchestra, chamber orchestra and two choirs were expected to perform Dec. 17. On Wednesday, Dec. 18, the Village Orchestra winter concert is set to begin at 7 p.m. at the Performing Arts Center at Veterans School.
MHS choirs also planned to perform Dec. 18 at the Council on Aging. 12:45-1:15 p.m. All performances are free and open to all.
COURTESY PHOTO / RICK CUZNER
COURTESY PHOTOS / TANYA BRAGANTI
Prepare an eclectic supper
BY LINDA BASSETT
On weekend nights, the thought of a regular dinner — protein, carb, veg — is too boring to face. I like to make “supper” — just small bites with the contents of the fridge or pantry. I cook in “chapters” and whoever is home munches on the results as soon as ready.
Mushrooms are a favorite on this menu. Stuffed or sauteed in a heap to top pieces of grilled or toasted bread rubbed with garlic and spritzed with olive oil. Every cook has a stuffed mushroom specialty. It is the finger food of the imagination. I change my recipe every time. I chop the stems.I may add parmesan cheese or fresh herbs, chopped chorizo or toasted walnuts. I may blend in cream or goat cheese. I drizzle the tops with melted butter or olive oil before baking at 425 F until browned. I once followed a whimsical recipe that called for fresh grapes to fill the hollow in the mushrooms, then top with breadcrumbs and cheeses and broil. It was somewhat insane when the grapes popped as we bit into them.
WILD
MUSHROOM TOPPING FOR CROSTINI
MAKES EIGHT CROSTINI.
The wild part of this title doesn’t imply foraging in the woods. I gather shitake, oyster, baby bella, crimini from the produce department. I stretch the mixture with less expensive white mushrooms. For more robust flavor, I might “invest” in dried mushrooms. (They are pricey, but the flavor boost is significant.) Soak them in hot water and drain through a fine
BY WILL DOWD
The Current welcomes submissions (150-200 words) to the news in brief. Send yours to wdowd@marbleheadnews.org.
Water & Sewer
Commission appointment
The Select Board and the Water and Sewer Commission appointed Greg Burt to fill the vacancy created by the death of Commissioner Thomas Carroll, with a term expiring in June 2025. Burt brings over 30 years of experience with Marblehead’s Water and Sewer departments, including service as assistant superintendent, from 2016-2019.
Fair Housing Committee appointment
The Select Board appointed Ramon Garcia as an alternate member of the Fair Housing Committee with a term expiring in June 2026. Garcia, a Marblehead resident since 2022, brings accounting and auditing experience and a personal understanding of housing challenges, having previously been a recipient of Section 8 assistance.
Holocaust Remembrance Day Ceremony for Jan. 31
Marblehead will hold its third annual Holocaust Remembrance Day ceremony at noon on Jan. 31 at Abbot Hall. The Select Board approved the 30-minute ceremony at the request of the Task Force Against Discrimination. Rabbi Schwartz of Temple Sinai and Rabbi Mangold of Temple Emanu-El will lead the observance, which will include a proclamation
mesh sieve, saving the liquid. I chop the rehydrated mushrooms finely and add them with the soaking water to the fresh ones.
» Melt butter with olive oil in a skillet on medium-high heat. Add mushrooms and thyme. Sauté until lightly browned and juices evaporate. Season with salt and pepper. Whisk together olive oil and fresh thyme, seasoned with salt and pepper.
» Pile cooked mushrooms into a bowl. Add vinaigrette and surround with crostini. Or spread the cooked mushrooms on crostini and drizzle with vinaigrette. This supper needs some color. A bowl of fresh radishes and a dollop of sweet butter add color and spice. Tomatoes brighten the table, but only the “sugarbomb” type of cherry tomatoes maintain sweetness in winter.
TOMATO AND FETA SALAD
MAKES SIX TO EIGHT SERVINGS
I look for large squares of feta that I can slice into thin triangles which look more inviting than crumbles.
» Combine tomatoes, oil and lemon juice in a bowl. Toss to marinate for 10 minutes.
Transfer to a platter. Top with torn mint leaves and the feta.
To enhance this riff on a grilled cheese sandwich, I “shop” the pantry for salty tidbits.
TINY MOZZARELLA SANDWICHES
MAKES 12.
I tuck chopped anchovies, chopped roasted red peppers or capers into the center before frying.
` 1 block mozzarella, sliced thinly
` 12 slices Italian bread, crusts removed
` 2 eggs ` Pure olive oil
reading by the Select Board chair or designee. Rabbi Mangold will also conduct a special Shabbat service that evening to honor Holocaust victims.
Select Board allocates $584K in ARPA funds
Marblehead officials spent $584,142 in federal COVID relief money, directing most funds to school needs, town records show.
Schools received $316,927, with the largest chunks covering a capital project shortfall ($202,890) and a new heating system at Glover School ($60,000). Town projects got the remaining $267,215, including a police generator and planning assistance.
Finance Director Aleesha Nunley Benjamin said the spending is part of Marblehead’s larger $6.14 million American Rescue Plan Act award. After this set of allocations, the town has assigned all its funds.
24. School English as a second language curriculum: $126
MBTA Advisory Committee Appointment
Tracy Lawrence was appointed as the Select Board Chair’s liaison to the MBTA Advisory Board. Lawrence brings extensive experience in transportation policy, land use planning and economic development.
Snow ban emergency reminder
The Marblehead Police Department is reminding residents about parking restrictions during snow emergencies.
When a snow emergency is declared, vehicles, including boat trailers, must be removed
` 12 small wooden toothpicks
` 12 paper thin slices of prosciutto
` 6 ripe fresh figs, cut in half lengthwise
` Balsamic vinegar, to taste Soak the toothpicks in water for 20 to 30 minutes to keep them from catching fire.
» Meanwhile preheat the outdoor grill (or indoor broiler) to a high heat. Wrap the prosciutto tightly around the fig halves and hold them together with a toothpick. Cook until crisp and browned, turning on all sides.
Remove toothpicks. Sprinkle with balsamic vinegar.
` 1/2 cup flour
` Salt, pepper
` Anchovies, basil leaves, capers, plus other options
Whisk the eggs in a bowl with a teaspoon of water. In a separate bowl, add flour seasoned with salt and pepper. Cut the cheese to fit between two slices of bread.
(Tuck optional fillings into the center.) Cut each sandwich into two to four triangles.
» Dip the sandwiches into the egg mixture. Dust with the seasoned flour. Heat olive oil in a skillet. Fry sandwiches on both sides until golden. Drain on paper towels. Keep warm in a low (200 F) oven. Serve hot. A salty-sweet mixture works perfectly here. I like to grill outdoors, but I do not like to stand out in the cold. These small bites of dried dates and fresh figs can be grilled quickly.
PROSCIUTTOWRAPPED FIGS
MAKES FOUR SERVINGS.
These also cook up well under the broiler.
from the streets to allow for snow removal and ensure road safety. Violators risk ticketing and towing as part of the town’s efforts to maintain clear and treated streets during icy conditions.
Residents are encouraged to sign up for CodeRED alerts — marblehead.org/subscribe — to stay informed about snow emergencies. The overnight parking ban for the 2024-25 winter season is now in effect. Tree bonfire set for Jan. 6
The town’s annual Christmas tree bonfire will return to Riverhead Beach at 6 p.m. Jan. 6. Fire Chief Jason Gilliland and Department of Public Works Director Amy McHugh will coordinate curbside collection of trees from Dec. 26 through Jan. 3 for the community event. Trees must be free of lights, ornaments and stands, and cannot be in plastic bags. Holiday wreaths, roping and garland won’t be collected. While curbside pickup continues through Jan. 10, trees received after Jan. 3 won’t be part of the bonfire. After Jan. 10, residents must take trees to the town transfer station for disposal.
2025 Town Meeting warrant open
The Marblehead Select Board unanimously approved opening the warrant for the 2025 annual Town Meeting, scheduled for Monday, May 5, at 7 p.m., at Veterans Middle School.
The warrant opening allows registered voters to sponsor warrant articles, also known as citizen petitions, until
There needs to be something sweet after all these savory items. A full-blown bakery item seems far too heavy, so I add walnuts or cashews sweetened with honey or homegrown maple syrup.
MAPLE WALNUTS MAKES 2 CUPS.
` 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
` 1/2 cup real maple syrup
` 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon coarse sea salt
` 2 cups walnut halves
» Heat the oven to 375 F. Line a baking sheet with parchment.
» Melt butter in a skillet over medium heat. Stir in the maple syrup (or honey) and salt; simmer until the mixture thickens slightly, two to three minutes.
» Add nuts, stirring to coat, about three minutes. Transfer nuts to the baking sheet and into the oven until caramelized, about 10 minutes. Stir and cool for 30 minutes.
This menu is not all for one night. The work would be overwhelming. Pickles, brined olives, crackers and an assist of a bottle of wine, a pitcher of martinis or mugs of spiced cider and supper turns into a party.
noon Friday, Jan. 24. Town government boards and commissions have until noon Jan. 31 to submit their own articles. Town Meeting, which serves as the legislative body for Marblehead, enables residents to vote on key matters such as budgets, bylaws, home-rule petitions and resolutions.
To place an article on the warrant, registered voters must submit a petition with signatures from at least 10 registered voters. Articles must fit within the scope of the Town Meeting’s warrant, which outlines the place, date and agenda, as required by local bylaws.
For residents seeking guidance, reach out to Town Moderator Jack Attridge at either jack@ allmarblehead.com or 781-8833200. Citizens are encouraged to start early, consult with town officials or legal counsel if needed and review past town meeting warrants for examples.
MLT
offers improvisation class
Marblehead Little Theatre will hold a four-week improvisation workshop for youth ages 11-15 starting Jan. 7. The program meets Tuesdays from 3:30-5:30 p.m. through Jan. 28. No prior performance experience is required. Students will develop skills in listening, creativity and collaboration while making new friends in a supportive environment.
The workshop concludes with a showcase presentation for family and friends after the final session. Registration fee is $175 per student. Learn more at mltlive.com.
CURRENT PHOTO / LINDA BASSETT
Sandwiches, cured meats, cheeses, fresh fruits and pickles offer a delicious alternative to a traditional dinner.
N
John ‘Jack’ Healy Lancy, 80
John “Jack” Healy Lancy, 80, of Methuen, died Dec. 9. Lancy was born June 19, 1943, in Marblehead, to Barbara Frances Healy and John Stoddard Lancy.
A 1962 graduate of Marblehead High School, Lancy worked in the printing industry his entire career. Throughout life, he had a great passion for working on cars, owning several unique automobiles. He loved listening
to rock music and attended the Woodstock Festival in 1969. Lancy lived his life the way he wanted and not by any rule book, as evidenced in his wicked sense of humor and sly smile.
While living in Pennsylvania in the early 1980s, he claimed the “yacht rock” band Toto stopped to give him a lift after his car broke down. He also told daughter Heather that their apartment building was owned by TV star Donnie Most of the hit series “Happy Days.” Both are tales that ring true enough to be possible, but also fantastic enough to be unlikely. Real or imagined, his stories were memorable and funny. His dry wit was appreciated by his many friends, family and co-workers over the years. A longtime and proud Marblehead resident, in later life he enjoyed genealogy research, travel, golf
Library officially
BY WILL DOWD
Against the backdrop of a crackling fireplace and surrounded by freshly stocked magazine racks, local officials and community members gathered Dec. 11 to celebrate the reopening of the renovated Abbot Public Library following its $10 million transformation.
The renovation, which began in October 2022, modernized the facility with enclosed workspaces, a podcast recording studio and an accessible courtyard while preserving the building’s historic character.
State Rep. Jenny Armini, addressing attendees in the library’s new meeting space, emphasized the institution’s vital role in the community.
“This is the indispensable building in any community,” Armini said. “This is where young minds are nurtured, where you can create a business plan, study for tests ... where you can ease your sorrows with a story or a poem.”
Library Trustee Chair Gary Amberik highlighted the staff’s resilience throughout the project, which included temporarily relocating services to Abbot School for approximately 18 months.
and spending time at the family cottage in Ascutney, Vermont. Lancy is survived by his children: Tam Cronin and husband Mike, of Swampscott; John P. Lancy, of Port Richey, Florida; Heather Lancy and husband Chris Doran, of Wenham; and Shelley Adriance and wife Natalie Basil, of North Bennington, Vermont. He is also survived by his wife of 15 years, Jane (Langmaid) Lancy, of West Newbury; and two stepchildren Amanda and Vance Smith. He leaves his sister, Pam Schalck and her husband, Dick; and many grandchildren, nieces, nephews and friends. Lancy was preceded in death by his wife of 35 years,
Carol (Kiernan) Lancy, who died Oct. 29, 2005. The family wants to wholeheartedly thank the staff and residents at Methuen Village Assisted Living, who welcomed him with open arms earlier this year. In lieu of flowers, the family asks that you donate to the Alzheimer’s charity of your own choosing. At Lancy’s request, there will be no formal services; an interment in the family plot at Waterside Cemetery will take place at a later time. Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at eustisandcornellfuneralhome. com.
Kimberly Grad noted that without the renovation, the deteriorating building might have faced permanent closure.
“Life sometimes throws us curveballs,” Grad said, referencing recent challenges, including accessibility issues with a front-entrance ramp that delayed the original June opening. “To truly thrive, we must be patient and flexible and keep planning.”
After building a new ramp and bringing the entrance into compliance, officials chose to hold the official celebration, showcasing both the completed renovation and the building’s full accessibility.
What the heck is ChatGPT? And how can it help you?
BY STEPHEN BACH
In today’s tech world, there are tools to make tasks easier and faster. If you’re a small business owner, AI is the competitive tool for many previously unaffordable processes. The Digital Docs have been using AI for about a year for social media content and image generation for advertising, amongst other time- and moneysaving uses. Meet ChatGPT, a groundbreaking tool powered by generative AI — a type of artificial intelligence designed to create text, images or other content from scratch.
This technology is here to revolutionize your productivity.
ChatGPT is a conversational tool that uses artificial intelligence — machines programmed to simulate human thinking. Specifically, it runs on generative AI, which means it can create responses, write emails, draft documents or even solve problems based on your input.
ChatGPT is trained with vast amounts of information, enabling it to understand context and respond like a wellinformed assistant. Think of it as a digital co-worker that’s always ready to help.
Here are a few ways ChatGPT can make your workday easier: Drafting emails or reports: It generates professional documents or messages
quickly, saving you time. Scheduling assistance: Acts as a virtual assistant by organizing tasks and setting reminders.
» Problem solving: Provides clear, step-bystep explanations to tackle challenges.
» Data analysis: Reviews large datasets and offers actionable insights.
» Creative brainstorming: Suggests fresh ideas for projects, campaigns or even team-building activities ChatGPT uses machine learning, a type of AI that enables systems to learn and improve from data. It also applies natural language processing, allowing it to understand and mimic how humans write and speak. With
this combination, ChatGPT offers precise, context-aware responses tailored to your needs. While ChatGPT is powerful, it’s not infallible. What does that mean? Check the output you generate. Make sure it represents you or your business. Here are some tips:
» Fact-check responses: It may sometimes provide incorrect or outdated information.
Guard sensitive data: Avoid sharing confidential information, as AI tools are not always secure.
» Use judgment: While it’s great for suggestions, key decisions still need a human touch.
Why wait? ChatGPT isn’t just a tool; it’s a game-changer for your productivity. From
The library’s makeover has drawn praise from longtime patrons. Local artist Jessie Morgan’s abstract painting on aluminum, specially framed for the space sits above the fireplace and serves as a centerpiece in the new reading room.
“I feel like it’s a great honor to be featured here in the new library,” Morgan said. “I’ve had so many people say I never realized this is what you did.”
Debbie Leibowitz, who grew up in Marblehead and now runs children’s programs at the library, expressed amazement at the transformation.
“The new facility is aweinspiring,” Leibowitz said. “I’m really astounded at what the library offers. There are so many opportunities here for children of all ages.”
Peter Morgan, a patron attending the celebration, praised the building’s enhanced atmosphere.
“One of the things I like about this space is the relaxed feeling it has,” Morgan said. “You can come and sit and read a newspaper, or have a cup of coffee and read your favorite book — accessibility and comfort are very important.”
handling mundane tasks to unlocking creative solutions, it’s ready to support you every step of the way.
You can check it out for free at chatgpt.com. And by the way: stay away from all the “get rich with AI” ads that will invariably pop up in your social media. For a lot of these “courses,” the only people getting rich are the course creators. There are plenty of absolutely free websites, Facebook groups and even free training to help you on your journey.
As always, stay safe out there in this brave new tech world. Stephen Bach is the owner and chief of surgery at The Digital Docs in Marblehead.
The renovation was funded through an $8.5 million town override and $1.5 million in
private donations raised by the Abbot Public Library Foundation. Executive Director
W eLcOme b AcK
Abbot Public Library Executive Director Kim Grad addresses an audience in the reading room during a welcome back open house.
CURRENT PHOTOS / WILL DOWD
State Rep. Jenny Armini speaks at the welcome back open house at Abbot Public Library.
Shining a light on the news you care about!
Headlight
Written by the students of Marblehead High School
April, June, or Saturday
Grey Collins, Assistant Editor, Junior
This week, Marblehead parents received an email asking them to fill out a survey concerning making up the five remaining days that were missed during the strike. Initially, eleven school days needed to be made up, but a professional development day was already used to make up a day, and February break was cancelled, leaving just five days to make up. Marblehead parents were given three options to make up for the remaining days: cancelling April break, extending the school year by five days in June, or having school days on five Saturdays between January and the end of May.
There is a lot of uncertainty in the air as parents and administrators weigh the effects of each option. There are a lot of factors to consider, including preparing for AP tests, graduation dates, extracurricular activities, religious services, and student/teacher burnout. Additionally, many students feel that they should have a say in the issue, especially because they are the ones being most directly impacted by the decision.
“I think the poll should be sent to students, as we are directly affected by the outcome,” said David Alpert, a senior at MHS. “Moreover, providing students with representation in the process would make them feel more heard.”
The preparation for the Advanced Placement (AP) exams are another factor in the decision. The tests take place in early May, so making up the missed days in June might take away students’ valuable preparation time. Making up the missed days in June might also delay the graduation, because the graduation date must be no more than 12 days before the last day of school.
“I believe that students should have a say in this,” said Anya Kane, a senior at MHS.
“Many seniors are worried that if the school adds days to the end of the school year, it would push our graduation back and complicate our senior week and a lot of the plans students have made with their families.”
Additionally, using Saturdays to make up for the missed school days might also interfere with the Jewish Shabbat services, which take place every Saturday.
“School on Saturday would interfere with Jewish religious services,” said Alpert, who is a Jewish student at MHS. “But I would assume the district would make the proper arrangements to ensure that those students can miss school.”
Transitioning back into school after missing eleven school days was, for most students, a challenging experience similar to the first week of school in September. The difference being a more intense workload. The struggle is leading to widespread feelings of burnout. February break has already been cancelled, so removing April break as well would leave students with almost no down time between December and June. Meanwhile, using Saturdays would likely interfere with student’s part-time employment and extracurricular activities, which are crucial for college applications.
“If the school adds a Saturday to one of our (a cappella) competition weekends, then that would mean we would have to miss school in order to attend our competition,” said Kane, who participates in a cappella and the performing arts at MHS. “Additionally it could mess with our Senior District Festivals, All State Festival, and Drama Fest.”
MHS Nurses Provide Menstrual Products in all Girls’ and Gender Neutral Bathrooms
Benji Boyd, Editor-in-Chief, Senior
Since returning to school after the teacher strike this November, students may have noticed some changes in their bathrooms. The addition of dispensers for menstrual products has come in response to a need identified by Maddison Gaieski and Julie Berman, MHS’s resident nurses.
“We realized that students are coming to the nurses’ office to access these products,” said Gaieski. “If they were more
EDITOR-IN-CHIEF:
available to students, they might not have to take so much time out of their classes.” Berman agreed, adding that many students have to travel far from their classrooms to the nurses’ office, and having menstrual products in bathrooms might be more convenient when the need is pressing.
Thankfully, a volunteer-led organization called Free., with a goal of providing menstrual products to Massachusetts schools, provided a solution to this prob-
for our school and community
lem. Free. is funded entirely by the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, and therefore MHS hasn’t had to pay a cent to receive these new products.
“The Alliance for Period Supplies has found that 80% of menstruating students have been forced to miss class hunting down products,” wrote Kenzie Blackwell, a representative from Free., in an email to our nurses. “This also creates a burden on teachers because they have to catch students up on missed instruction time.” Free. analysed both MHS and the Village school and found that the district of Marblehead is in need of products for just under 1,000 menstruating students.
“We as the nurses took this problem head on,” said Gaieski, elaborating on their efforts to coordinate the project. With the help of the maintenance staff, the dispensers were installed in the bathroom just over a week ago. Since then, the nurses have reported significantly fewer students taking time out of their classes to come to the office for menstrual products.
In addition to the dispensers, Gaieski and Berman
worked together to create informational posters including interesting facts about periods, such as “the average woman will have around 450 periods in her lifetime” and “poor menstrual hygiene can lead to reproductive and urinary tract infections.” As a part of their ongoing goal to boost accessibility and education surrounding periods, the nurses plan to replace the posters with new facts every couple of months and refill the dispensers regularly.
Free.’s products are from the Duxbury-based company Unicorn and entirely organic. Nurse Gaeiski was particularly happy with the high quality of the products, stating that “a lot of time in our feminine products there can be chemicals that can disrupt our endocrine systems.”
Thanks to the donation from Free., the initiative of our nurses, and the handiwork of our custodial staff, all girls’ and gender neutral bathrooms are now fully stocked with menstrual products. Gaieski and Berman share the hope that this will help menstruating students experience less stress relating to periods and access necessities more conveniently.
Autumn’s Wake
Georgia Marshall, Assistant Editor, Sophomore
Light pools in the mottled wood of the kitchen table
Tell me to watch the dry unfolding of leaves
Strewn across the path - encapsulated in sepia hues
Unbothered by their fleeting state
The crunch of a boot, the snap of cold air
Will penetrate their veins and wither them away
But they continue to fall in blatant oblivion
Littering the ground with their bright corpses
Life flickers as the bone brittle earth comes through
And trees undress until they are dark cracks
In the mirrored sky, blotting silver clouds
Like the tears of the earth as it tilts to grayscale
The call of season’s end is beckoning, like the bugle horn
Floating on the bite, rivers of chill and rime
Bewitching our breath, the pulses push through us
Our bones quaking beneath our skin and hearts
Try to resist dreams of silver bells, cranberry skies
And twinkling lights to sear through the veiled air-
Fiery hearth and holly wait with open arms, and we Climb into the entwinement, our heads no longer heavy
In my hand, the leaves are reversed to dust,
To which we all belong, sprayed and arched above
As the grass bends beneath chiselled frost Autumn lays down in her grave, giving way to Winter
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
