03.15.23 - Volume 1, Issue 16

Rep: Black vets’ families owed benefits

BY LEIGH BLANDER

Local social justice and affordable housing advocates are praising Congressman Seth Moulton’s bill to restore GI Bill benefits to surviving Black World War II veterans and their descendants who did not benefit equally after the war due to systemic racism.

“We at the Marblehead Racial Justice Team applaud this effort as an attempt to make up for a historical wrong that perpetrated a legacy of segregation,” said Rev. Jim Bixby with the MRJT. “It is unfortunate that even this kind of legislation is too little too late.

The Black GIs missed out on investment opportunities during

our most productive years of economic development, the post-war years. White Americans got to be at the forefront of home ownership and education. Black Americans were left in the back seat.”

The GI Bill was signed into law in 1941 by President Franklin D. Roosevelt, offering a range of benefits to veterans,

including low-cost mortgages and low-interest loans to start a business or farm, unemployment compensation and education assistance. These loans were regularly denied to Black veterans due to racism at the time.

“In 1947, out of 67,000 VA mortgages in the New York and New Jersey suburbs, less

Library transformation gets underway

than 1% went to non-whites,” Moulton told the Marblehead Current. “In Mississippi, only two out of over 3,200 home loans administered by the VA went to Black borrowers. And these are just a couple examples. There are many others that illustrate the injustices faced

GrOWING Sha DE Tree fans help town build out canopy Inventory will help town plan for future

BY WILLIAM J. DOWD

Several initiatives to further cultivate and grow Marblehead's "urban forestry and tree canopy" are afoot.

As the springtime approaches, Sustainable Marblehead is raising awareness about Marblehead's tree fund and urging members of the public to send in donations.

BY WILLIAM J. DOWD

A bundled-up crowd gathered in the Abbot Public Library courtyard the morning of March 8 to celebrate the start of a $10 million renovation to the public library’s Pleasant Street building.

The event brought together elected officials, contractors, employees and

BY KRIS OLSON

The spotlight may shine on Gywneth Anderson, Molly Grant and the rest of the cast of “Beowulf.” But Elizabeth Erskine may be the real star of the show, according to those involved with Marblehead High School’s entry in the state drama festival.

The ever-patient Erskine, the production’s prop designer, has had to see her handiwork — mostly swords fashioned out of discarded smartboard boxes — undone when one of her classmates brings a bit too much exuberance to one of the play’s battle scenes.

residents weeks after the project kicked off in late January.

“Our motto throughout this campaign has been ‘Our 17th-century town deserves a 21st-century library,’ and we are truly thankful for everyone who has supported us in that vision,” Gary Amberik, chairman of the Abbot Public Library Board of Trustees told the small crowd fanned

out before him. “Today, we celebrate the start of the transformation of the Abbot Public Library.”

More than 30 years have passed since the library’s building underwent significant upgrades. Once the renovation concludes, Amberik pointed out the following upgrades to

"Every spring in April, Sustainable Marblehead's tree group collaborates with the tree warden to do tree planting," the nonprofit organization's executive director, Louise Yarmoff, told the Marblehead Current. "So, the more people know about this tree donation fund, the more money he will have to buy trees to replace all the trees that do die and have to be taken down."

Jon Fobert, Marblehead's tree warden, said the town established the tree-donation fund in the mid-1970s after disease decimated the Dutch elm tree population in town. Many trees that were planted in the aftermath need to be replaced today.

But her persistence and the hard work of the rest of the cast and crew paid off, as MHS’ “Beowulf” advanced out of the preliminary round at Beverly Middle School March 5 to this weekend’s semifinals.

The Marblehead cast and crew will be taking its show on the road to Norwood High School with their sights set on advancing to the state finals in Boston March 30 through April 1.

Overseeing the production is first-time director Tom Rash. A postal worker by day, Rash was coaxed into the role by his partner, English teacher Ashley Skeffington, MHS’ regular drama

supervisor, who is taking a year off.

Rash has a degree in theater but said what ultimately got him past his reticence to pursue the position was his realization that Marblehead is rich with young artistic talent Marblehead, and many of his cast members would have cut their teeth in the Marblehead Little Theatre or North Shore Children’s Theatre’s youth productions.

He is “very glad” he pushed that initial hesitancy, Rash said.

“I’m having such a good time,” he said. “The kids are extremely

Tyler Earp’s Hrothgar converses with CJ English’s Beowulf during the Marblehead High School production of ‘Beowulf.’

How to better understand Gen Z workers to improve your business

BY MELISSA STACEY

The following is an interview with Lesley Tracy, owner of Changing Behaviors Consulting, conducted by Discover Marblehead. To learn more about the business, email Lesley at lesley@changingbehaviorsconsulting. com or go to her website at Changingbehaviorsconsulting.com.

Tell us about Changing Behaviors Consulting. Changing Behaviors Consulting focuses on teaching businesses about generational differences among employees, to improve their bottom line through retention, productivity and team cohesion. We specialize in educating business leaders about Gen Z workers.

Why did you start your business? I started Changing Behaviors Consulting because I recognized how special this generation is in terms of their impact on business culture. They demand better leadership, work/

life balance and higher levels of diversity and ethics, to name a few.

What is the best piece of business advice you've ever received? The best piece of advice I've ever received is, "Ditch perfectionism."

What is your favorite spot in Marblehead, and why? I love to go to Devereux Beach at sunset to watch the surf and the growing tranquility and peacefulness of the beach at the end of the day.

What is something people

would be surprised to learn about you? I was a harpist for many years. As a youngster, I played the harp at Carnegie Hall. The business spotlight is a weekly feature published in partnership with Discover Marblehead. Discover Marblehead is "dedicated

to the promotion of our majestic seaside town of Marblehead. Our mission is to highlight local businesses, tourism, community events and attractions through social media, email marketing and community outreach." To learn more, visit discovermhd.com.

Managing Editor - Will Dowd  wdowd@marbleheadnews.org

Consulting Editor - Kris Olson kolson@marbleheadnews.org

Staff Reporter - Leigh Blander lblander@marbleheadnews.org

Sports ReporterJoe McConnell jmcconnell@marbleheadnews.org

CONTRIBUTORS Tristan Ashlock Linda Bassett Nicole Goodhue-Boyd Scot Cooper Laurie Fullerton Mark Hurwitz John Lamontagne Christine McCarriston

Eyal Oren

Frances Roberts Hill

Pam Peterson

Chris Stevens

Linda Werbner

BOARD OF DIRECTORS

Gene Arnould

Jessica Barnett

Ed Bell

James Bryant - President

Virginia Buckingham - Secretary

Francie King

Donna Rice

Kate Haesche Thomson

Richard Weed - Treasurer

DIRECTOR OF OPERATIONS

Kathryn Whorf

DIRECTOR OF COMMUNITY RELATIONS

Marion Warner Greely

FOUNDERS

Jessica Barnett

Ed Bell

Leigh Blander  Will Dowd

David Moran

Kris Olson

Marblehead News 217 Humphrey St.  Marblehead, Massachusetts 01945 781.910.8658

info@marbleheadnews.org

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Marblehead Current is published every Wednesday by Marblehead News Group, Inc., a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. It is mailed to all homes and businesses in Marblehead, MA 01945.

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Upcoming public meetings

Please note that all public meetings are subject to change, so be sure to check the town’s website before heading out the door. The following public meetings were posted to

marblehead.org as of press time.

Wednesday, March 15

» 9:15 a.m., Moderators Committee to report on the costs of implementing Article 44 » 1 p.m., Finance Subcommittee Health

The Board of Appeals will hold a public hearing on Tuesday March 28, 2023 at 8:00 PM on the request of Bing and Heidi Lim to vary the application of the present Zoning Bylaw by allowing a Special Permit or variance to construct additions to an existing two-family dwelling on a preexisting non-conforming property with less than the required side yard setback and parking and that exceeds the maximum height limitation located at 49 Cloutman’s Lane in the Single residence district. The new construction will be within the front yard setback and exceed the maximum height. This hearing is held in accordance with the provisions of the Marblehead Zoning Bylaw and Chapter 40A of the General Laws as amended and Pursuant to Governor Baker ’s Order allowing suspension of Certain Provisions of the Open Meeting Law G.L. c. 30A, §18, this public hearing of the Board is being conducted via remote participation. The public can attend this meeting via the remote participation platform through the following ways: Join Zoom Meeting https://us06web. zoom.us/j/87878347282?pwd=enlwRXd3V2xmdHE3cy92Sk1TU1BTUT09 Dial in +1 646 558 8656 Meeting ID: 878 7834 7282 Passcode: 404568 Those only dialing in will not have access to the visual presentation at the meeting, but can follow along with the project materials available for download at https://www.marblehead.org under the zoning board of appeals page and the date of meeting. Members of the public attending this meeting virtually will be allowed to make comments if they wish to do so, during the portion of the hearing designated for public comment. Interested persons may also submit comment in writing electronically and send to lyonsl@marblehead.org and the comments, will be included in the record.

and Waste Budget liaison meeting

Thursday, Mar 16 » 8:30 a.m., Finance CommitteeRecreation and Parks Budget Liaison Subcommittee Meeting » 3 p.m., Old Burial Hill Committee meeting

Tuesday, Mar 21 7 p.m. - Marblehead School CommitteeBudget Public Hearing

Thursday, Mar 23

» 7 p.m. - Marblehead School CommitteeBudget Vote Hazard mitigation public meeting

The Hazard Mitigation Planning Committee in Marblehead is inviting public input to complete the town’s Hazard Mitigation Plan, aimed at

Governernor Baker ’s Order allowing suspension of Certain Provisions of the Open Meeting Law, G.L. c. 30A, §18, this public hearing of the Board is being conducted via remote participation. The public can attend this meeting via the remote participation platform through the following ways: Join Zoom Meeting https://us06web.zoom.us/j/87878347282?pwd=enlwRXd3V2xmd-

HE3cy92SkITU1BTUT09 Dial in +1 646 558 8656 Meeting ID: 878 7834 7282 Passcode: 404568 Those only dialing in will not have access to the visual presentation at the meeting, but can follow along with the project materials available for download at https://www.marblehead.org under the zoning board of appeals page and the date of meeting. Members of the public attending this meeting virtually will be allowed to make comments if they wish to do so, during the portion of the hearing designated for public comment. Interested persons may also submit comment in writing electronically and send to lyonsl@marblehead.org and the comments, will be included in the record. Alan Lipkind Secretary SN – 3/8/23

mitigating natural hazards and climate change risks. A Zoom meeting is scheduled on March 21 from 6 p.m. to 7 p.m. to gather ideas from the public on reducing the impact of natural hazards and to introduce the updated plan. Approved by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), the plan allowing the town to apply for predisaster mitigation grant funding.

To attend the meeting, participants must register using the Zoom link provided: http:// bit.ly/3ZUDgnq. For further details, contact Marblehead Town Planner Rebecca Curran Cutting via email at rebeccac@ marblehead.org or call 781-631-1529.

Animal shelter accepting volunteers

Volunteers are always needed to help feed and care for abandoned animals housed at the Marblehead Animal Shelter, 44 Village St.

The nonprofit Friends of Marblehead Abandoned Animals was formed for this purpose.

To volunteer, call 781-631-8664.

Mattress, textile waste bans

As of November, landfills, transfer stations and wasteto-energy facilities across the state can no longer accept mattresses and textiles for disposal.

Beds must be recycled, and fabrics must be donated for reuse or other secondary uses.

The fee for recycling a mattress and box spring at the Marblehead Transfer Station is $25. Textiles include clothes, shoes, linens, towels, curtains and cloth accessories.

At the Marblehead Transfer Station, residents with facility stickers can recycle textiles in the clothing collection bins for no fee. Items must be dry and in trash bags.

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Join us. We invite you to help support our effort to establish and maintain a press for a strong community. To get involved, visit www.marbleheadCurrent org/volunteer.

REACT

We’re standing by to listen to your ideas. Please drop us a line and let us know what you would like to see in your community newspaper. Send your thoughts to info@marbleheadnews.org.

Lesley Tracey teaches businesses about Gen Z workers.

NaTU rE IN ThE NEIGhBOrhOOD

Bald eagle hunting seen at Grace Oliver

The Marblehead Current is proud to partner with photographer Rick Cuzner. For the past 15 years, he has taken thousands of nature photographs that have captured the wild animals who call Marblehead home.

BY RICK CUZNER

This photo is of an American bald eagle on the hunt at Grace Oliver Beach in Marblehead last winter. I was driving by and happened to notice the commotion and was lucky enough to get a few shots. Eagles are just such an impressive and massive bird to see — especially when you see them locally.

School advances leaner budget proposals Committee warns of layoffs, cuts to sports

BY LEIGH BLANDER

The School Committee voted Monday morning to abandon its original FY 2024 budget proposal of about $49 million, which represented a 7.9% increase and included funding requests from principals and directors. Instead, it will present two much smaller versions at a public hearing next week.

The School Committee will move forward with what it calls an “austerity budget” of $44.7 million, which includes an increase of $800,000, or 1.8%, as recommended by the Select Board. That budget would lead to 30 staff members being cut and freshmen sports being canceled, according

to Superintendent John Buckey and School Committee Chair Sarah

Fox. The School Committee will present a second “level-funded” budget with an increase of $2.2 million, or 5%, which would cover contractual obligations for FY 2024. That plan would require an override vote, either included in a larger override request by the town or a separate school override.

Both the town and School Committee have placed override requests on the Town Meeting warrant, but with no dollar amounts attached. The town has yet to say whether it will include school funding in its override.

Both the town and School Committee have placed override requests on the Town Meeting warrant, but with no dollar amounts attached.

“All of this is a bitter pill,” said School Committee member Sarah Gold. “I don’t think I can move forward without asking the town of Marblehead to keep the lights on and keep our district intact. Fifty percent of our teachers live in town. If we have 30 [layoffs], I cannot stomach the idea of letting people I see in Crosby’s every day go. If the town says no, the town says no.” Fox was the only School Committee member who voted to present all three versions of the budget.

“We have a very intelligent, engaged community,” she said. “I’d like to show them what their educators have asked for and then ask them how they want to proceed.”

The School Committee’s public budget hearing is March 21 at 7 p.m. at the high school auditorium. The board is expected to vote on a budget on March 23. Overrides must pass by a two-thirds vote at Town Meeting on May 1 and then a majority vote in a town election in June.

The School Committee

is also sponsoring a capital needs request at Town Meeting to make “renovations and extraordinary repairs, including all professional feasibility studies, design, architectural and engineering fees to the Brown, Glover, Village, Veterans Middle and High School and their respective school grounds, and to

purchase technology software and equipment,” according to the warrant. “Our facilities subcommittee approved a prioritized list of approximately $1.3 million worth of capital improvements,” Buckey said. “We submitted this to the town and are awaiting word on what projects will be approved.”

On net, a good day: Pickleballers swing back into action at Seaside courts

BY LEIGH BLANDER

Pickleballers were back playing on courts — with their own portable nets — at Seaside Park on March 8, the first day the courts were open since mid-January. The Recreation and Parks Commission agreed to unlock the Seaside courts in good weather after two sometimes-heated meetings in February. All courts in town will reopen with nets on March 17.

“I am so grateful to be able to play pickleball on a beautiful March day,” said James Slavet. “Thank you to Marblehead Pickleball for providing access to such a fun and healthy activity that has been missing from my life lately.”

At a Feb. 28 meeting, Rec and Parks agreed to reopen the Seaside courts immediately (given good weather) to

pickleball players who brought their own nets. Rec and Parks had closed all the courts (which were partially funded by the nonprofit Marblehead Pickleball) to protect the courts. They cited concerns that the posts holding up the nets year-round were leaning due to the pressure from the nets.

There are more than 400 pickleball players in town, according to Lisa Spinale with Marblehead Pickleball. The nonprofit has raised about $65,000 to help convert four tennis courts at Vets into six dedicated pickleball courts. There are now another four courts at Seaside.

Also at the Feb. 28 meeting, neighbors of the courts at Veterans Middle School complained about the noise from pickleball.

“Within 100 feet of a court, the

sound measures 70 decibels,” said Maura Dartley-Rocco, who lives on Vine Street near the Veterans courts. “That’s comparable to highway traffic.”

She went on to say that the noise can cause flightor-flight responses in people nearby, leading to “diagnosable disorders” like anxiety, and adversely impact the cardiovascular system.

“This is absolutely happening. If this is a science experiment, we are the lab rats,” she said. “We feel, as neighbors, that this is a crisis situation.”

Dartley-Rocco suggested several sound mediation options, including planting arbor vitae trees around the courts or draping so-called sound blankets around the perimeter. Commissioner Linda Rice-Collins said the school superintendent opposed the

blankets because they block a clear view of students, which is a safety concern.

Another possibility discussed: attaching a sound blanket to the wall of the school, where pickleball noise reverberates and echoes back to the neighborhood.

Rec and Parks Commissioner Karin Ernst is speaking with an acoustics expert in Easton who works with communities to ameliorate pickleball noise and will invite him out to assess options at Vine Street.

Marblehead Pickleball has agreed to donate $250 toward that cost, according to Joe McKane, co-chair of the group.

Rice-Collins pointed out that there are new pickleballs and paddles that are quieter, and she encouraged the players to switch to those.

“This needs to be a team

effort, so we can all exist together,” she said.

Rich Newburg, representing the group Marblehead Pickleball, said 95% of pickleballers don’t have the less-sonorous equipment yet and probably won’t until it’s more readily available.

Newburg added that Marblehead Pickleball is “happy to hear solutions.”

“We’re well-organized, vocal —maybe a little too vocal — and we do have funds,” he said.

He suggested the group would be willing to help fund sound mitigation efforts.

“All we want to do is play pickleball without pissing anybody off,” Newburg said.

Adding to the spirit of goodwill in the room, Dartley-Rocco said, “We’re just looking for some neighborhood harmony.”

Palma Bickford, chair of Sustainable Marblehead's Tree and Urban Forestry Committee, said the town has some catching up to do in order to create a thriving tree canopy.

"We're getting there, but we're way behind if you look at what Somerville and Cambridge have done," Bickford said. "They've invested in new trees over the last 15 years. They're starting to really make a huge difference."

Fobert said his department is responsible for approximately 9,000 shade trees that can be found on the 72 miles of Marblehead public ways as well as public lands. Bickford said she has a corps of devoted volunteers that help Fobert's three-man department plant trees.

"We sort of fan out on streets where the tree warden has

determined they need more street trees," said Bickford. "However, we can only plant as many trees as he has money to buy."

To donate to the tree fund, mail or drop off a check made payable to the town of Marblehead: Marblehead Tree Department, Attn: Tree Donation Fund, 3 Tower Way, Marblehead, MA 01945. Fobert uses money from the fund to purchase what are called bareroot trees.

"All of the money goes to buying trees," said Fobert. "It's cheaper to get a bare-root tree, which goes for about $119, than the other kinds, which can cost $300 to $400."

The tree department and Sustainable Marblehead have also teamed up to take a comprehensive inventory of the condition of Marblehead's public trees, including their locations, species, sizes and health.

Fobert said he landed an $8,000 matching grant from the

Department of Conservation and Recreation to purchase three iPads and software.

Sustainable Marblehead uses the devices to upload tree data into a geographic information system.

"Our group has been working with John on the street-tree inventory since last spring," Bickford said, adding that the work includes measuring, photographing and identifying every public-tree species. "We did a good-sized portion of the town last year, but not as much as I would have liked — but we got some decent neighborhoods done."

Their work is restricted to a window of six months.

"We can only do it from May through October when the leaves are out," said Bickford of the work. "We will begin our work again in May."

The culled information will be utilized by the tree department to budget and plan for the maintenance of existing

trees and help prioritize future tree plantings, according to Fobert.

"Obviously, the more time and effort we spend collecting data, the better prepared we are to manage our tree population effectively," the town's website reads. "We may be on a small peninsula, but there are many streets in Marblehead."

Bickford spoke about the benefits of shade trees.

"We have a lot of wind in Marblehead, and without having greenery, you'll have a lot more wind events," said Bickford, pointing to the microbursts over the past couple of years. "Now our trees are getting older. Some of them have blown down, and that's primarily because the wind changes direction so quickly."

Having a robust shade tree canopy also regulates temperature, according to Bickford.

"Having to shade trees allows you to maintain heat in the winter and maintain coolness

in the summer and reduce the amount of utility usage," she said.

Fobert said he is developing a strategic plan for tree replacements and maintenance. Meanwhile, the 2023 town warrant includes two treerelated articles.

Article 41 seeks to formally place the Tree Department under the Marblehead Department of Public Works. Article 42 would permit the town to plant trees on private property "within 20 feet of the public right of way, provided that written permission from the adjoining property owner is obtained first."

"We are not forcing trees on people," Fobert stressed. "This would be a totally volunteer program."

The article comes as Marblehead invests millions of dollars into creating and improving sidewalks around town. Officials do not want treeroot growth to damage them.

PIckleballers installed their own portable nets to play at Seaside. All smiles on the courts: Pickleballers Randy Shefshick, Betty Lonergan, Lisa Spinale and James Slavet

by Black veterans at the time. Those actions had generational consequences.”

Decades later, the impact is dramatic. In Boston, the median net worth for White families is $247,500. For Black families, it is $8.

“We all know the GI Bill lifted up a generation of World War II veterans and built the American century,” Moulton said. “It’s been called the most successful piece of legislation ever. But most Americans don’t know that many Black veterans were left out — denied benefits, denied homes, denied the generational wealth that comes from going to college.”

Moulton added, “We can never fully repay those American heroes. But we can fix this going forward for their families. While our generation didn’t commit this wrong, we should be committed to making it right.”

Moulton co-sponsored the bill with South Carolina Democratic Congressman James Clyburn. If passed, it will:

» Extend access to the VA Loan Guaranty Program to the surviving spouse and certain direct descendants of Black World War II veterans who were alive at the time of the bill’s enactment.

talented.”

The trip to the semifinals will be a first for Rash, who participated in the Massachusetts Educational Theater Guild’s festival as a Rockport High School student but never advanced out of prelims.

In one sense, the METG drama festival is like any other competition. There are rules — productions cannot exceed 40 minutes, and sets must be constructed and broken down in five minutes or less — and at the end, “winners” are declared. But in another sense, the drama festival is quite atypical. When casts and crew return to the auditorium after performing, they typically receive rousing ovations from their rivals.

Festival is surprisingly grueling, said Aylin de Jong, the costume designer for “Beowulf.” In Beverly, the first show of the day was performed at 9 a.m., the last at 5:30 p.m. The students then eat dinner and socialize while the judges deliberate.

De Jong said that, right up until the moment the individual honors are bestowed and the schools moving on are announced, you tend to forget that there is actually a competition going on.

Sophomore Benji Boyd, who plays Unferth in “Beowulf,” agreed, noting how freely compliments are exchanged when passing in the hallways, casts and crews easily identifiable by the T-shirts most have made in conjunction with their shows.

Even after the winners are declared, it is not uncommon for the victors to say to another school’s cast “your show should have won” — and mean it, said Boyd.

This is the second festival and second trip to the semifinals for de Jong, a junior at MHS. Last year, she was very nervous, de Jong acknowledged.

“But once you are there, all of the nervousness leaves,” she said.

One of the best parts of the experience is seeing what her peers have been working on in other parts of the state, an opportunity that would not exist outside the festival, de Jong said. New take on a classic The title “Beowulf” may

» Extend access to the Post-911 GI Bill education assistance benefits to the surviving spouse and certain direct descendants of Black World War II veterans alive at the time of enactment.

» Require a Government Accountability Office report outlining the number of individuals who received the educational and housing benefits.

» Establish a “blue-ribbon panel” of independent experts to study inequities in the distribution of benefits and assistance administered to female and minority members of the armed forces and

provide recommendations on additional assistance to repair those inequities.

Honoring the legacy of Black GIs

Marblehead attorney Kurt James is an affordable housing advocate and serves on the town’s Housing Production Plan Implementation Committee. He calls Moulton’s legislation “really interesting news.”

“This is something that is discrete, fair, reasonable and measurable,” James said. Bixby agrees and is hoping for its passage.

“This honors the legacy of all the Black GIs who fought

so bravely for our country and are owed a lot more than they received,” he said.

Moulton’s bill is officially called the Sgt. Issac Woodard Jr. and Sgt. Joseph H. Maddox GI Bill Restoration Act. It is named after two Black veterans. Woodard, a decorated vet, was traveling home on a Greyhound bus in 1946 to Winnsboro, South Carolina, when a local police chief forcibly removed him from the bus and blinded him with his nightstick. Still in his uniform after being honorably discharged, Woodard was thrown in jail rather than given medical treatment. The police chief was ultimately charged but

acquitted of the crime by an allwhite jury.

Maddox, after facing injury and receiving a medical discharge, was accepted to a master’s degree program at Harvard University. He was denied tuition assistance that he was rightfully due under the GI Bill by his local Veterans Affairs office to “avoid setting a precedent.”

After seeking assistance from the NAACP, the VA in Washington, D.C. ultimately promised to get Sgt. Maddox the educational benefits he deserved.

Next steps

This is the third time Mouluton has introduced this bill, and he is hoping it passes this time.

“We didn’t create this legislation because it would be politically easy to get passed; we did it because it was the right thing to do,” he said. “When we reintroduced the bill in the last Congress, we were able to get even more support for the bill than we got the first time. We are confident we can build on this and expand the coalition of support even further with the help of my colleagues in the Congressional Veterans Caucus. We will be having conversations with colleagues and exploring other possibilities to make an impact.”

CAST, CREW OF ‘BEOWULF’

CAST

» Gwyneth Anderson, Hanneke Molly Grant, Sophie CJ English, Beowulf

Tyler Earp, Hrothgar

» Charlotte Howells, Scyld Scefing

» Benji Boyd, Unferth

» The Bards: Ila Bumagin, Jacob Piascik, Anya Kane

The Monks: Brady Weed, Ella Benedetto, Ryan Kindle, Dante Genovesi, Olivia Niles

CREW

Mr. Tom Rash, director

Ila Bumagin, assistant director Brady Weed, assistant director

» Phineas Bennett, stage manager Dylan McDonald, assistant stage manager

Mr. Gregory Dana, technical director

» Mimi Fallon, technical director » Elizabeth Erskine, prop designer

Aylin de Jong, costume designer » Monica Pechhold, wardrobe manager

» Mimi Fallon, lighting designer Aiofe Sullivan, sound designer Carrie Linde, set designer William Johnston, fight consult

conjure memories — perhaps unpleasant — of the daunting text of the Old English epic poem. But this is not your high school teacher’s “Beowulf.”

Skeffington first learned of this particular adaptation of “Beowulf,” written by Toby Hulse, about five years ago when Boston Latin performed it. The Boston Latin director, in turn, had discovered it through the Edinburgh Fringe Festival.

Despite Skeffington’s endorsement, Rash said that the decision of whether to perform “Beowulf” was ultimately made by the students.

“They had a chance to change our mind,” Rash said.

In Hulse’s “Beowulf,” the story is framed by an Old English professor, Hanneke, who is battling cancer, and her 9-yearold daughter, Sophie, who is trying to wrap her head around her mother’s diagnosis through the stories her mother has shared with her.

In Marblehead’s production, Hanneke and Molly are played by Gywneth Anderson and Molly Grant, respectively, while CJ

English is in the title role of Beowulf.

Hard work pays off

In the preliminary round at Beverly, Anderson and English received individual acting awards for their performances, while Erskine was recognized for her prop work.

Rash said it was particularly gratifying to see Erskine’s hard work rewarded.

“I’ve asked a lot of all the designers, but Elizabeth especially has taken the brunt of it,” Rash said, noting that she gave up time over the February break to finish building the cardboard dragon head brought on stage during the play’s climactic scene.

As for creating the costumes, de Jong said the process began with her and wardrobe manager Monica Pechhold rooting around in the closet in the basement of the Veterans Middle School for costumes that would at once be medieval but also a bit whimsical.

Aside from some general “blocking” — telling the actors

where to stand — Rand said that “pretty much everything about the production came from the kids.”

He said that reusing sets and costumes and pulling things together at the last minute mirrors how equity stages operate in the wider theatrical world.

“These things stay with you,” Rash said.

Aside from the costumes and Erskine’s props, de Jong said one of her favorite parts of the production is the fighting scenes.

“A lot of hard work went into choreographing and rehearsing them, and you can see it,” she said.

Marblehead High’s “Beowulf” also features original music by Jacob Piascik, an “organic” addition to the production that arose when Piascik jumped behind the keyboard at an early rehearsal and expressed an interest in supplying musical accompaniment, according to Rash.

“We now have him playing almost through the entirety of the piece,” he said.t

» Benji Boyd, fight captain

» Run crew: Aeryn Vizy, Ava Genovesi, Lucas Rosen, Martha Heffernan

Sneak preview planned “Beowulf” will be the second show performed in Norwood on Saturday, starting at approximately 10:30 a.m. Aside from some mild disappointment that they will not get to see the first show of the day, Leominster’s “James and the Giant Peach,” both Boyd and de Jong said that the time slot does not matter. For those who would like to see “Beowulf” without driving to Norwood, you do have a “one night only” opportunity. An open dress rehearsal will be held at 6 p.m. Friday, March 17 at the Performing Arts Center at Veterans Middle School. Admission will be a suggested $5 donation to the Friends of the Performing Arts.

“It will be great for the kids to show it to an audience and break the nerves” of the following day’s competition, Rash said.

Congressman Seth Moulton: ‘While our generation didn’t commit this wrong, we should be committed to making it right.’

COURTESY PHOTOS/SYLVIA KANE

The cast of ‘Beowulf,’ including, at center stage, Gywneth Anderson and Molly Grant, who portray a mother and daughter, take a bow after performing in the preliminary round of the Massachusetts Educational Theater Guild drama festival March 5 at Beverly Middle School.

At right, ‘Beowulf’ cast members bring on stage a dragon, one of the props designed from found materials like discarded cardboard boxes by Marblehead High School student Elizabeth Erskine.

One of the Bards, Ila Bumagin, is ready to take the stage in one of the costumes fellow Marblehead High School student Aylin de Jong designed for ‘Beowulf,’ MHS’ entry into the high school drama festival

Clinician adds to proud history of care

The crises with mental health and substance abuse in America are well documented. For too many years, there was not enough attention focused on the scale of what is now seen as a twofold epidemic. Seeking professional help and admitting to mental health struggles would often lead to stigmatizing the very people needing help. Complicating the need for more access to professional care, we had to confront the COVID pandemic of the past three years. Fortunately, the tide is turning, and more attention is being focused on the need to provide services.

Marblehead has not escaped this crisis, but it has long made mental health a priority for its citizens. For over 50 years, the Marblehead Counseling Center has existed to provide mental health and social services to our residents and to residents.

A combination of town revenues through the Board of Health budget, clinical fees and citizen donations has allowed the Center to grow over the years. It now provides in excess of 6,000 clinical hours annually to persons of all age groups, addressing a wide range of conditions such as depression, anxiety, suicidal ideation, substance abuse and other diagnosable conditions.

We also have the Marblehead Mental Health Task Force, composed of town officials, volunteer residents and professionals who, as stated on its website, have come together for the purpose to ensure that they are addressing and providing the appropriate intervention strategies to guide our citizens — particularly the most vulnerable — toward improved mental health.

And now, adding to these pre-existing resources, our police chief, Dennis King, has found a way to augment the work of his department when dealing with police calls for service that involve persons who are likely struggling with their own mental health or substance abuse issues. For the past six months Gina Rabbitt, a mental health clinician, now accompanies police officers on many such calls, bringing her expertise to assist those in need of mental health services, often leading to professional care instead of criminal prosecution and possible incarceration.

Funding for Rabbitt's position comes not from town funds but rather from the Jail Diversion Program, a statefunded program that provides grants to municipalities for such services and for police personnel training on crisisintervention techniques.

During his last 12 years as a member of the Salem Police Department, King worked with the Department of Mental Health to provide such services and training in Salem. He brought to his current position not only the experience of addressing mental health and substance abuse issues through a police department but also the expertise to write grants properly for these state funds.

In the short time King has led the Marblehead Police Department, he has secured grants totaling $250,000 for use to divert persons otherwise headed to the criminal courts to mental health services appropriate for their struggles. We are fortunate to have him as our chief of police.

Much work remains to be done here in Marblehead and throughout the nation when addressing our mental health and substance abuse problems, but we should be proud of the work done and being done by the combined efforts of the Marblehead Counseling Center, the Marblehead Mental Health Task Force and the Marblehead Police Department.

LETTErS POLIc Y

We want to hear from you

The Marblehead Current loves to get letters to the editor. There are just a few rules you need to know. Generally, letters should not exceed 500 words. The Marblehead Current reserves the right not to publish submissions over the word limit and may instead return the letter to the writer for editing.

Letters must include:

1. The author’s name. Unsigned letters and form letters will not be published.

2. The name of the street the author lives on in Marblehead. Only the street name will be published next to the author’s name — not their full address.

3. For every letter, we will need an author’s daytime/ cell phone number (not for publication) for verification purposes.

4. If letters seek to introduce into a discussion purported facts that are not commonly known, writers may be asked to provide the source for those purported facts.

5. Letters must be received by 5 p.m. Wednesday to be published in the following Wednesday’s print edition of the Marblehead Current. Letters will be published to our website at the earliest opportunity, after verification. Email submissions to info@marbleheadnews.org.

While the Marblehead Current will make every effort to let writers have their say, it reserves the right not to publish letters.

Positively triggered

BY VIRGINIA BUCKINGHAM

Google being "triggered" and content is served up about the psychological effect of being returned to a traumatic experience, a terrible inheritance for those with painful pasts. I recently had two experiences, though, which made me wonder why "triggering" is only associated with pain. Google "recalling happy memories" and the results include terms like "reminisce" which doesn't come close to capturing what it feels like to revive a happy moment in the same way triggers revive trauma. To reminisce is what you do when those old Facebook posts pop up in your feed, evoking an "Awww" or "That was a great day" or "The kids were so little" or "I was so young." Triggering is different, it's visceral. A sound, a smell, a comment, a backdrop actually returning you to the moment before it became a memory.

A couple of weeks ago, I came across a special on public television which returned me in a profound and positive way to my childhood. The show was a feature about John Denver and a concert he held at the Red Rocks amphitheater in Colorado in 1974. I was 9 at the time and I don't remember watching the concert itself on TV then but John Denver songs were an omnipresent soundtrack to my young life.

My sister Lauren, who is eight years older than I am, had a beautiful voice, played guitar and, not surprisingly given the era, gravitated to folk music, including John Denver. She had a well-worn book of his music with Denver on the cover, gazing out from behind his distinctive round wire rim glasses.

As I listened to Denver's melodic "Annie's Song" and the soaring "Rocky Mountain High" in my own adult home, I was 9 again. I watched my sister picking out chords in our shared bedroom, my fingers trying to mimic hers. Then I saw her at our kitchen counter making homemade pizza, a special treat, pushing the dough into the corners of the rectangular metal baking sheet, laughing as it retracted in defiance each time. I helped spread the tomato sauce with the back of a spoon and dropped handfuls of mozzarella until no red was showing. John Denver played "Country Road," "Prayers and Promises," and "Sunshine on My Shoulders" and for those few minutes as I listened I was just a little sister again, safe and loved.

As I listened to Denver's melodic "Annie's Song" and the soaring "Rocky Mountain High" in my own adult home, I was 9 again. I watched my sister picking out chords in our shared bedroom, my fingers trying to mimic hers.

Then just last week, I was transported back to another happy time and place. My two young adult children had the same spring break, and I planned a couple of days in New Hampshire so they could ski and I could sit by a fire. As the three of us drove through Franconia Notch, the road narrowed and I noticed the skiers like little figurines coming down the steep slope of Cannon Mountain. All around us were whitetipped evergreens and nearby peaks were wrapped in clouds like a scarf. And then there I was on the same road nearly 20 years earlier. Jack was about 4, Maddy nearly 2. We were taking them on an "adventure" as I used to call our outings. There was a Raffi CD of children's music playing and one of our favorites started. "Willoughby wallaby woo, an elephant sat on me, willoughby wallaby woo, an elephant sat on you." The lines repeated, adding names and putting a W as their first letter like this, "Willoughby wallaby wusten, an elephant sat on Justin." And Jack was giggling and Maddy was smiling behind her pacifier. And then we started choosing names for the song, starting with their favorite preschool teacher Donna, "Willoughby wallaby wonna, an elephant sat on Donna" to even more giggles and Jack shouted out "daddy" and the elephant say on "waddy" "wommy" and "wack" and so on until our gales of laughter must have echoed throughout the entire White Mountain Forest.

I turned to Jack, who was doing the driving this trip and asked if he remembered the song, singing a little of it, and he said, "Can't say that I do, Mom" and turned up the podcast we'd been listening to about politics and current events. I looked back at Maddy sound asleep against the door, air pods blocking us out, and I smiled in gratitude for both the past and the present, triggered, or whatever better word there might be, in the best possible way.

Virginia Buckingham is a member of the Current’s board of directors. Her column appears weekly.

Learning to shovel water

BY COURT MERRIGAN

I learned about Snow Country when I lived in Japan. Westerly winds roar out of Siberia to drop as much as 100 inches of snow at a time out there in Snow Country. In places, people have entrances to their homes built into the second story so they can climb in and out over the snowdrifts.

I never lived in Snow Country myself during my time working in the country. However, I did visit the region in the wintertime, including some time spent learning (poorly) to meditate in Zen Buddhist fashion in a monastery on the Sea of Japan. As snow piled up outside the temple, my “meditating mind” wondered how long it would take to shovel my car out of a Snow Country snowdrift — thoughts counterproductive to the goal of reaching enlightenment.

The master stalking the prayer hall noticed my lack of concentration and stood before me wielding a keisaku. You could translate this instrument as “stick of awakening;” but a more accurate rendering would be “paddle.” At the master’s command, you lean forward to be administered three sharp whacks to your shoulder blades with the keisaku. When it’s cold, as it was in that prayer hall, you are immediately enlightened to the fact that this stings like crazy.

Now, I can’t exactly blame the snow for my poor concentration. Actually, I can’t blame the snow at all — I was a poor student of Zen. My thoughts are like quicksilver, and no amount of meditation ever allowed me to corral them. Like trying to hold water in your hand, I just ... can’t. Paddle or no paddle. What can I say? I like action. It’s why years later I remember getting whacked by the paddle, not the meditation. And to me, snow denotes action. Then and now. This is because I recently encountered my first true

snowstorm here in Marblehead. We have a very long driveway and it is our winter responsibility to keep it clear for both ourselves and our neighbors. My partner and I are of pragmatic Midwestern stock, trained from birth to find meaning and pleasure in hard work. We decided back in the warm fall that we could handle the job ourselves.

Fun fact about my partner (who prefers to remain anonymous, at least as far as this column goes!): she took up a newspaper delivery route at age 9. Rain, snow, shine or wind, while most kids were still dreaming about oatmeal, she was up at 5 a.m. delivering the Omaha World-Herald. Meanwhile, I grew up on a farm about 10 miles from her paper route. I was up and out to the barn to chore at a similar hour from a similar age. In other words, the two of us understand one another on the most fundamental levels. To wit, when the snow falls, you pick up a shovel and get to work.

The writer in Japan, in summer, not meditating.

Beware the Ides of March

BY LINDA BASSETT

tThe "Ides of March" falls on a Wednesday this year. That's Shakespearean slang for the 15th. If you remember your high school Latin and literature classes, Julius Caesar ignored a warning to beware of the date. He was stabbed to death by his buddy Brutus and a bunch of Senate cohorts.

Caesar's fate has nothing to do with salad. It's just a fun excuse to tuck into a great bowl of crunchy greens laced with garlic and anchovies.

To be sure you have a handle on all the exciting supplemental information, try this quiz:

1. Caesar Salad is named for:

1. Julius Caesar

2. Caesar Chavez

3. Caesar Cardini

2. Caesar salad originated in:

1. Imperial Rome

2. California's Salinas valley

3. Tijuana, Mexico

3. Some of the main components of Caesar Salad are:

1. Boston lettuce, red onion, hard-cooked egg

2. Iceberg lettuce, tomatoes, scrambled egg

3. Romaine lettuce, anchovies, coddled egg

4. The cheese in Caesar Salad is:

1. blue

DOc IN a BOX

2. cheddar 3. parmesan If all your answers were "C," your grade is "A."

So, Julius Caesar was not honored with a namesake salad. Neither was Caesar Chavez, the founder and president of the United Farm Workers. Although both answers make sense.

Caesar Cardini, who owned a Tijuana eatery during Prohibition, gets the honor. In those days, southern Californians crossed the border to Mexico for legal cocktails. Cardini's, a popular watering hole, teemed with celebrities. One night, with an overflow crowd and provisions low, Chef Caesar improvised a salad using the few supplies left in the walk-in fridge. To distract his clientele from the lack of ingredients, he prepared it tableside, showily whisking and tossing. This show became his restaurant's hallmark.

Today, this salad is a steakhouse fixture, although the components are always available at the grocery store. At its best, the salad is made fresh, not from boxes, cans or plastic bags.

The obvious starting point is finding the best ingredients. Bright, crisp romaine lettuce. Good, not necessarily expensive, olive oil. Imported parmigianoreggiano from Italy.

Italy regulates cheese production. The cows live in specific neighborhoods

where naturally occurring environmental conditions produce a richer, nuttier-tasting and fluffier cheese. Ideally grate it at home just before use, but if it's more convenient, have it freshly grated at the cheese counter.

Good sturdy bread makes the best croutons. Cut into big, 3/4-inch cubes, crusts on or off, cook's preference. Cut a day ahead and leave out to stale. The bread will absorb less oil in cooking.

Gently heat about 1/4 inch of olive oil in the bottom of a stick-free skillet. Add the garlic cloves and a sprig or two of fresh rosemary and warm them, pressing gently to bring out the warm, not sharp, flavors. Turn off the heat. Let the oil inhale these flavors, about 20 minutes, then fish out the garlic and rosemary and discard.

Turn up the heat to medium and cook the bread cubes in the oil, tossing and turning with a spatula, until they are golden (not brown) all over.

To shake out excess oil and crumbs, dump the croutons into a colander.

I juice a fresh lemon, piercing it all over and microwaving it for 20 seconds before squeezing through a fine sieve to catch the seeds. But don't let my method discourage you. You can buy very good fresh lemon juices in bottles, just not those green plastic ones.

Cutting back on spam

BY STEPHEN BACH, THE DIGITAL DOCS OWNER

Anyone who has ever had their email inbox filled with spam knows how annoying it can be. Spam emails can not only be a nuisance, but can also put your personal information at risk. Fortunately, there are a few steps you can take to reduce the amount of spam you receive.

Merrigan

So as the snow came drifted down in enormous flakes that day, we trooped out to our very long driveway. And this is how I learned to shovel water.

Back in Wyoming, it also snows a good deal. The liquid content of Wyoming snow, however, stands at about one-third to onequarter of what I have experienced thus far in Marblehead. But as on a 5 a.m. paper route or out on a farm, it all needs done, regardless of how you feel about it.

Shoveling water, as it turns out, is only slightly easier than attempting to hold water in your hand. Anyone who’s ever picked up a shovel here understands how you become a human snowplow. The snow quickly assumes a gravitational mass of approximately 3.7 tons per shovelful as it mysteriously transforms to slush and as you keep moving, to water. So you just keep pushing forward until you can’t. Then you start scooping. We’ve all been there.

For me, this work was way more Zen

First, you can report spam emails to your email provider. This will let your provider know which emails are spam, so they can apply filters to prevent more from getting through. You can also unsubscribe from any mailing lists you have inadvertently signed up to, HOWEVER, you should ONLY unsubscribe from legit sites!

than meditating in a monastery on the far side of the world. Snow removal in the driveway was part of our shared responsibility to our neighbors and the community at large, from the postman to passersby on the sidewalk. Doing our part to keep the community safe and well-kept. In Marblehead, people look out for one another and we all look out for our town. This town doesn’t stay postcardlovely on accident. The snowfall was just an everyday opportunity to demonstrate how we all keep it that way.

When we finished, the two of us stood in our yard, muscles aching, hungry for breakfast. I put my arm around her shoulder. Just a moment together looking at our freshly hand-plowed driveway. No need to talk. We understand each other quite well, the two of us, as all that wet Marblehead snow reminded us.

I’ll be back soon with another Marblehead First Time. As always, shoot me an email at court. merrigan@gmail.com if you’ve got any suggestions for me.

DO NOT UNSUBSCRIBE from something you do not recognize. Here's an example: Most email programs also have the ability to filter out or block certain content. This is a great way to stop receiving spam emails. To further reduce the risk of receiving unwanted emails, you can also set up separate email addresses for online services, such as

Wash the lettuce leaves, swirling two or three times in a sinkful of cold water. Lift them out so that any grit stays behind. Shake and set to dry on paper (or cloth) towels. Then wrap loosely in dry towels and put it in the fridge to crisp.

To coddle the egg, crack it into a glass bowl and zap it in the microwave, 15 seconds. Now I can whirl together the egg, garlic, lemon juice, cheese and one to three anchovies in a blender or food processor. The anchovies dissolve, leaving only a hint of brine. Whirl in parmesan until the mixture is creamy.

Okay, salad time! Toss the components — dressing, croutons and greens — in a bowl that looks too big, so nothing

shopping sites. If a site requires an email address to create an account, use a disposable email address instead. This will allow you to stay in control of what emails you receive.

By taking the steps outlined above, you can help reduce your risk of getting spam emails. Keep your email inbox clean and secure by reporting spam to your email provider, unsubscribing from legitimate mailing lists, setting up separate email addresses, and using disposable email addresses.

If it's too late, and you've fallen victim to one of these

goes over the side.

Stuff you'll need:

`

1 head romaine lettuce

`

1/2 garlic cloves, peeled and smashed

`

1 egg `

1/2 cup parmigiano-reggiano cheese

`

2/3 tablesp oons lemon juice

`

2 to 3 anchovies, bottled, not canned

`

1 cup homemade croutons

Additional kitchen wisdom: Find good anchovies — not the hairy ones — packed in glass jars.

Linda Bassett, a Marblehead resident, has worked as a cook, trained up-and-coming chefs, studied food history and led food tours. Her book,"From Apple Pie to Pad Thai," is about local cooks and cooking.

following ways: Join Zoom Meeting https://us06web.zoom.us/j/87878347282?pwd=enlwRX d3V2xmdHE3cy92SklTU1BTUT09 Dial in +1646 558 8656 Meeting ID: 878 7834 7282 Passcode: 404568 Those only dialing in will not have access to the visual presentation at the meeting, but can follow along with the project materials available for download at https://www marblehead.org under the zoning board of appeals page and the date of meeting. Members of

spammers, The Docs suggest getting in touch with a computer professional (or your business IT department) to make sure you have not been compromised!

A common misperception is that Caesar salad got its name from Julius.

the public space:

» New energy-efficient heating and cooling systems

Energy-efficient LED lighting system

» Improved, high-speed WiFi

» Upgraded and expanded fire alarm and sprinkler systems

A new elevator

New landscaping and new finishes throughout the space

“The renovated library will also include small meeting rooms, a maker space, an expanded teen room and an upgraded fireplace room with lots of comfortable chairs and tables for gathering,” Amberik, who also chairs the renovation’s oversight committee, said. “Our team has accomplished a lot since the early planning of the renovation project began over five years ago.”

Since October, the Eveleth Elementary School, 3 Brook Rd., has served as the library’s temporary home. Moving in was not only

a five-week, Herculean effort but also took several months of planning.

Abbot Public Library Executive Director Kim

Grad said the renovation will help staff better serve

Marblehead residents and North of Boston Library Exchange patrons.

“Abbot Public Library takes on a vital role in our town in the promotion of literacy and lifelong learning, the freedom to read what we choose, the pursuit of knowledge and trusted information resources, providing free, inclusive and adaptive spaces for gathering and supporting civic engagement through collaboration and connection with our

community,” she said. “We look forward to the moment when we can continue our work in the updated space.”

Amberik said the small gathering allowed all involved in the renovation to “get together and take a moment to appreciate all that we have accomplished.” People caught up on the project’s progress, peering over a slide show and chatting with each other. Donuts and coffee were served.

Nancy Perkins Arata,

who serves on the renovation oversight committee, has been with the project since day one.

“The town’s citizens are truly getting a bargain for $10 million,” she said. “They are going to be so pleased when the library opens.”

She added, “I’ve gone through a demo, and it looks amazing.”

In June 2021, the request for an $8.5 million override to renovate and replace the failing infrastructure of the building at 235 Pleasant

Street was overwhelmingly approved by the town of Marblehead. Furthermore, the Abbot Public Library Foundation has raised an additional $1 million through private donations, which will be made available to the town for the renovation.

“The project is currently on budget, although it has certainly been challenging due to the record inflation and market escalation that we have all been experiencing,” said Amberik.

Elected officials, town employees and residents celebrate the Abbot Public Library’s renovation on March 8.

Select Board Chairman Moses Grader addresses a small crowd.

Sports

SOMBEr a NNIVErS arY

Father of MHS star Galante thanks town for acts of kindness

BY JOE MCCONNELL

One year ago this week, the Marblehead community mourned the death of MHS Super Bowl champion James Galante, who lost his life in a single-car crash on March 18.

The next night, hundreds gathered at Piper Field to console each other while a gentle rain fell, providing an appropriate backdrop to a most solemn occasion.

Just three months prior to the accident, the town was celebrating the accomplishments of Galante and his teammates after they defeated North Attleboro, 35-28 to secure the Division 3 Super Bowl championship at Gillette Stadium. The emotional rollercoaster was all too quick to comprehend. But the community wrapped its arms around the Galante family to help them grieve their loss.

“We are so grateful for the incredible outpouring of support by the community following the loss of our beloved son, James,” said Jim Galante, James’ dad. “Although it would be impossible to list the countless random acts of kindness that we have received over the past 12 months, we are grateful for each and every one of them, and we would like to thank you all.”

Jim Galante specifically

BOYS B a SKETB a LL

mentioned the many organizations that were there from the beginning, including the Marblehead Police and Fire departments, the staff at Massachusetts General Hospital,

Our Lady Star of the Sea Parish, Eustis and Cornell Funeral Home, Marblehead High School football, Kirkwood, Marblehead Youth Football, Marblehead Youth Baseball, Marblehead

Magicians fall to host Mansfield in Elite 8

Buzzer-beater in Round of 16 highlight of 15-win season

BY JOE MCCONNELL

Despite missing two regulars — Devon Sanders (broken leg) and Trevor Foley (fractured foot) — the second-seeded Mansfield Hornets were able to regroup to beat visiting Marblehead (15-5, 10th seed), 77-50, in a Division 2 Round of 8 state tournament game on March 10.

From the opening jump, the Hornets were all over the Magicians, leading comfortably at halftime, 39-20. While Eddie McCoy and J.T. Veiking led the home team in first half points with 14 apiece.

Ryan Commoss was the top scorer for the visitors with six.

In the second half, Isaiah Makor tried to ignite his teammates with a quick layup, but Nate Creedon and McCoy nailed consecutive threes to increase the advantage to 47-22. No matter how many times coach Mike Giardi to slow down the Mansfield momentum, the Hornets had an answer after each stoppage in play.

After a Commoss turnaround layup in the lane, the Hornets stayed in their attack mode behind another three by McCoy and a bomb beyond the arc by Veiking. The lead was now 29, 55-26.

But the Magicians kept on scratching and clawing, still hoping to cut that huge deficit.

Miles O’Neill followed up his own rebound for two points, and Magnus McCarthy swished another two. The deficit was back to 25, 55-30. It

was 61-32 in favor of the home team after three quarters.

Marblehead allowed an average of 61 points per game this season, but in three quarters the Hornets were able to reach that total.

On the offensive end, the local quintet averaged 68 points per game. But in this game, the Marblehead offense ended up falling far from that mark.

Early in the fourth quarter, Makor fouled out of the game, a few minutes after scoring another two on a layup. He ended up with six points.

Tryone Countrymon paced the offensive attack in this game for the Magicians with 14 points. Commoss chipped in with eight. Lemmond accounted for six. Cam Comstock netted five. Scott Campbell had four. Aven Denbow, McCarthy and O’Neill scored two apiece. Adrian Barron buried one free throw.

Despite the loss, the Magicians had a memorable postseason run that included a close home win over Pembroke in a game that they were able to persevere in the end to pull out a five-point victory, 60-55. It set the stage for a thriller in Springfield against Pope Francis (see below).

Giardi’s club finished with 15 wins, which catapulted them to among the top eight teams in Division 2 this year.

Before loss, a night to remember Miles O’Neill had one of those state tournament moments that most high school boys basketball

Youth Basketball Association, Brookwood School, good friend Bill Crouch, SES Sports, the Rockett family, and the Kraft family and the New England Patriots organization.

He added, “We are forever thankful to our friends, neighbors and loved ones for embracing us during our darkest

Gymnasts secure three winter wins

Colette, Andrews chosen as NEC all-stars

BY JOE MCCONNELL

In Shelby McKie’s second season as gymnastics co-op coach, Marblehead High’s Magicians once again teamed with their Swampscott neighbors and this winter secured three wins, over Salem, Beverly and Peabody.

A gymnast herself for about 16 years, who competed on both the YMCA and Peabody Veterans Memorial High

School teams until going off to college in 2017, McKie also coaches recreational gymnastics at the Lynch-van Otterloo YMCA for children ages 1-12.

“Coaching high school gymnastics is very different from the rules to the athletes, who are only practicing twice a week while squeezing in six to 10 meets every winter,” McKie said. McKie’s team goal for this

year was simply to have fun.

“High school athletes should always have a great time playing sports, while also making new friends and building a supportive team,” the coach said.

McKie continued, “Though we had no athletes continue on to postseason meets this year, two of our gymnasts — Katie Colette and Jamie

COURTESY PHOTO

The Marblehead-Swampscott co-op gymnastics team earned three wins this winter, over Salem, Beverly and Peabody.

COURTESY PHOTO

Marblehead High School 2021 Super Bowl champion James Galante is shown through the years. Left, Galante is running with the football as a Marblehead Youth Football player, while on the right he is proudly wearing his MHS uniform before the start of the 2021 season. GALANTE,

MIT taps Lindblad as director of sailing

Matt Lindblad of Marblehead has been named as the Cucchiaro Family Director of Sailing, as announced by Dr. G. Anthony Grant, director of athletics and head of the Department of Athletics, Physical Education at MIT.

Lindblad will replace long-time director of sailing Fran Charles, who will be retiring at the end of the 2022-23 academic year.

“I am very pleased to have Matt as the fifth director of sailing in the program’s history,” said Grant. “He has done a tremendous job over the last 17 years with our varsity sailing program as a coach and will continue to engage with the entire MIT and Cambridge communities in his new role as director of sailing.”

Lindblad has served as the co-head coach women’s and co-ed varsity sailing since 2006, as well as the acting director of sailing each summer from 2009-2022.

On the water, Lindblad helped direct the co-ed team to the 2018 ICSA Co-Ed National Championship and a fourth-place finish in the 2018 ICSA Women’s National Championship.

The Engineer women’s team has also finished in the top-10 on four occasions at the ICSA Women’s National Championship. Lindblad’s

Boys

From P. A9

After coaching the varsity sailing teams at MIT for 17 years, Matt Lindblad has been named the fifth director of sailing in the history of the university’s program.

teams also finished in 10th place at the 2013 and 2014 ISCA Women’s Singlehanded National Championships.

“I’ve been incredibly fortunate to learn so much from colleagues and students in DAPER and the MIT sailing community,” Lindblad said. “Our sailing programs are unique and offer opportunities to sail everything from foiling sailboats to bluewater racing and cruising. Our professional staff and

players only dream about, and it propelled his Marblehead teammates to the Elite 8 as the 10th seed in Division 2.

O’Neill alertly rebounded a missed three-point attempt by Nick Lemmond and promptly banked it off the glass as the buzzer sounded to beat host Pope Francis in a Sweet 16 game, 59-57.

“I trusted my teammate Nick Lemmond to hit the shot, because he had an amazing game,” O’Neill said after the game. “But I stayed ready just in case I needed to make a play. The ball went up, and I crashed to the lane and luckily my good positioning led to the buzzer beater.”

In 1983, there was this Cinderella team that came out of nowhere to win the NCAA Division 1 basketball tournament. Years later, ESPN documented that run by North Carolina State and its head coach Jimmy Valvano. They aptly called it “Survive and Advance,” which could sum up the 2023 version of the Marblehead basketball Magicians, led by veteran coach Mike Giardi.

The Magicians began the postseason with a 60-55 win over visiting Pembroke (12-9, 23rd seed) in a Round of 32 game before boarding the bus for the long trip down the Mass Pike to Springfield to take on Pope Francis (17-4, seventh seed), where O’Neill made sure they went home victorious.

Prior to O’Neill’s winning basket, Lemmond fired away from beyond the arc, but his three-point try fell short. However, O’Neill was in the right position at the right time to grab the rebound, banking it home as time ran out to break the 57-57 stalemate and avoid overtime.

Lemmond ended up pacing the attack with 19 points. O’Neill accounted for 10, but none so important than his final layup.

Ryan Commoss was credited with 14. Tryone Countrymon netted nine. Isaiah Makor had five before fouling out in the fourth quarter.

Scott Campbell contributed two points to the winning cause.

A total of only four Pope Francis players figured into the offense. Ryan Vedovelli led the Cardinals in scoring with 20 points. T.J. Reid was close behind with 18.

“Our guys played tough, but give Pope Francis credit, they kept on chipping away,” said Giardi.

The score was tied at 16 in the second quarter, then the Magicians went on a 14-3 run to take a commanding halftime lead, 30-19. They were still ahead after three, 43-35.

But the Cardinals refused to give up in front of their home fans, outscoring the Marblehead boys, 22-16. But they left too much time on the clock, and the Magicians took advantage of all 13.1 seconds to seal the deal on O’Neill’s heroics.

Galante

From P. A9

volunteers teach thousands of people how to sail annually, and our coaches maintain one of the best collegiate sailing programs in the country. I am excited to have the opportunity to support these programs and work with such passionate and enthusiastic staff and volunteers.”

Since 2006, MIT sailors have earned 10 All-America honors to go along with four New England Sportsmanship Awards and numerous All-New

times, and for their constant companionship, meals, flowers, hugs, keepsakes and donations.”

Those donations have allowed the family to start the James R. Galante Scholarship Fund, “which will give back to the community, while preserving James’ memory for many years to come,” Jim Galante explained.

Last spring, Jim Galante presented the first scholarships for $2,500 each to James’ football teammates George Percy and James Doody. His track teammates Ben Kahn and Michael Gabaud were given $1,000 scholarships. In addition to these scholarships, over $20,000 was granted to community nonprofits in 2022.

Jim Galante remarked about his three other children’s inner strength to continue on with their activities.

“Lisa and I’s biggest fear is that the kids are putting up a brave front to prevent us from worrying about them,”

Gymnasts

From P. A9

Andrews — placed as event all-stars during the NEC Meet on Feb. 11, hosted by the Sterling YMCA in Beverly.”

Tamia Johnson and Celine Uhrich were the captains of this year’s team.

“They did an awesome job ensuring their last (scholastic) year was a great one. All the girls felt welcomed and empowered, because of them,” said McKie. “As we look ahead to next year, I think our seniors are going to be some of our key performers. It will be our biggest senior group in a few years, and I’m excited to see how they do in their final season.”

England Team and Academic All-ICSA Team honors.

Lindblad’s teams have also been perennially ranked in the top-20 in the national rankings for both the women’s and co-ed squads.

In addition to his work on the water for the Engineers, Lindblad also serves as a current member of the DAPER Culture Steering Committee and the DAPER DEI Committee, as well as a participant in the MIT

mentoring program as a mentor and co-mentor.

A 1999 graduate of St. Mary’s College of Maryland with a bachelor’s degree in psychology, Lindblad also earned a master’s degree in education with a specialization in higher education administration from Northeastern University in 2014. Lindblad lives in Marblehead with his wife, Lisa, children Isabel and Sam, and dog, Callie.

he said. “But they are strong kids, who all did their best to keep their heads up following the accident. However, we also know they each have a loving group of friends that check up on them regularly.

Dahlia Galante is now a junior at Trinity College majoring in English and Philosophy, while competing on the varsity track team. Julius Galante is a sophomore at Westminster High School, while Oscar Galante is an eighth-grader at the Veterans School.

“Both Julius and Oscar are now gearing up for their spring baseball seasons,” Jim Galante said.

James Galante, who had committed to continue playing football at Denison University in Ohio, drew people to him.

“He was soft spoken, walked tall and let his actions do the talking on and off the field,” his father said. “He was never mean to anyone. At his funeral service, a mom with her daughter and son came up

to us, and the mom started by thanking us for raising a good boy. The daughter then said James stuck up for her when she was being bullied. They all hugged us when we could not stop crying. That made us so proud.”

The first annual James R. Galante Charity Golf Tournament will be held at Tedesco on June 5. It was the only date available at the country club, and ironically, it is also James’ birthday. The tournament sold out in three days.

Tamia Johnson and Celine Uhrich were the captains of this year’s Marblehead-Swampscott co-op gymnastics team.

COURTESY PHOTO

COURTESY PHOTO

Marblehead High School 2021 Super Bowl champions, from left, A.J. Andriano, Josh Robertson and James Galante, are shown as Marblehead Youth Football teammates. They learned to play the game at an early age, setting the stage for success in high school on the Gillette Stadium grand stage

Onboard Interiors acquires Hood Marine Canvas

New owner seeks to create a one-stop shop for boaters and sailors

BY LAURIE FULLERTON

Krisha Plauche, owner of Onboard Interiors, is an awardwinning marine fabricator who has been in business for 20 years. This past week, she announced the acquisition of Hood Marine Canvas and will now create a one-stop shop for Marblehead boaters and sailors.

"For over 40 years, we developed techniques for quality canvas work on boats," Hood Marine Canvas' founder Mark Hood noted. "In this industry, there are also very few people who do the work on sailboats, and even fewer know how to make a dodger correctly."

Plauche is the most qualified person to carry on the family name, Hood said.

"We love that she will take the Hood legacy back to Little Harbor where it began for my uncle Ted Hood, my father and grandfather," he said. "Further, Krisha will be doing all the canvas work for C.W. Hood Yachts, owned by my brother, Chris Hood."

The Marblehead Current caught up with Plauche this week as she began as the new owner of Hood Marine Canvas.

Marblehead Current: As someone who has worked on boat interiors for most of your career, what do you find exciting about getting more involved in exterior "canvas" work?

KP: I like building things and designing spaces, so this gives another opportunity to create new spaces. For the last 20 years, everyone has asked me about canvas work, and I found Hood Canvas early on to be the only company who aligned with the same quality and professionalism that Onboard had. I would pass along their telephone number and say, "Make sure you call them soon; they book up!" When I found out the Hoods were retiring, my first reaction was, "Oh my gosh, what will we do without them?" And then a few days later a client/customer came into my office and said that same thing!

I'm happy we have found a way to combine interior and exterior projects and become a single resource for boaters.

MC: Bringing a Hood product (Mark and Deb Hood, in this case) felt very nostalgic for Mark Hood, and I wonder what this feels like for you. Are you excited to bring more manufacturing to Marblehead?

KP: Yes, I love the idea of adding Hood back into Little Harbor. If I had my way, I'd like to add a few Little Harbor yachts, too! I have a real soft spot for nostalgia, and this really hits a nerve for me. I wish to honor the Hood family legacy of yacht design innovation. And we are so lucky to have C.W. Hood in town as well! Chris is keeping his family's vision alive for sure — just look at the new 57 and the new electric boats. I think adding the fabrication process will be a great opportunity for people to see and appreciate the process and the tools involved. It's not a "wham, bam" process. It really takes time. When

the customer is educated and involved in the process they can see and "feel" the value.

MC: I think people understand how the interior of a boat makes living on board and spending time on the water far more enjoyable. Now that you are going to be a "one-stop shop" for boaters who want both interior and exterior work done, how would you explain the importance of a sail cover, dodger or sun cover, or how would you explain it a bit differently than you do interior work?

KP: The interior work is about making you comfortable in the boat. The exterior spaces are, in general, more functionbased but help you create comfortable spaces away from sun and weather. When there's a way, I like combining form and function. I always tell my customers if I can build you a better "mousetrap," I will. The same applied to Mark when he saw problems in design and solved them, and now we get to

combine both methods.

MC: For those who grew up in Marblehead in the 1960s, '70s and '80s, we remember there were sailmaking jobs and other ways to learn the skills a marine fabricator might need. How would you describe the work involved, and do you picture the Little Harbor shop to be a full-on manufacturing storefront?

KP: Yes, we will be combining our showroom and manufacturing. Years ago, I visited a shop in Fort Lauderdale, and I had wanted to recreate a shop like that. This is a good step combining offerings for the local boater. Maybe in the future we can add other marine services.

MC: Can you briefly describe how you got your start as a marine fabricator? Is it a competitive industry, or are there a few people like you that really know the business better than most?

KP: Having grown up in

Marblehead, I would have been labeled a "water baby."

My father's avid love of all things water related was the driving force, and I just trailed behind him. Every few years, we would buy a "rescue" boat, and my father, a trained engineer, was handy enough to refit, repower, rewire, sail it and then sell it. Projects varied from little townies to offshore race boats, even some offshore sport fishing. So, I got my start in marine fabrication when I was working on our backyard project boat when I was a kid. I went on to get my first captain's license the day I turned 18 and worked at local yacht clubs. I raced in college on the sailing team, worked in the sailing publishing world, and then in 2000 my family bought Yacht Interiors of Essex, which was based out of Connecticut. They needed me to help with North Shore based customers. I apprenticed with them for a few years and got certified from The Westlawn Institute of Marine Technology. I would say my knowledge is a cumulative love of boats and studying the trade.

MC: Given that you are based on the water now, what are some of your favorite things about being in Marblehead?

KP: Is that a trick question? How can I not say the harbor! Being on or near the harbor gives me an opportunity to "people/ boat watch," and I love seeing the collection we have here. I swear I could find some reason I wouldn't want to own almost every single boat. Personally, I recently rescued a 1976 sailboat out of the corner of a boatyard that hasn't seen the water in 13 years. I'm back at it, scraping, cleaning and restoring, just like when I was a kid in my backyard with my dad! Now, if I can just find the time to get her ready for the season while I'm working with Onboard & Hood Canvas! In fact, Little Harbor offices are currently under construction and expected to be complete by summer.

Good people of Marblehead: In the district strategic plan, “The Plan for Success,” one of our articulated core values is personal growth.

Specifically, we state, “We will provide students with opportunities to grow socially, emotionally, physically and academically, and to be respectful, contributing members of society.”

On March 1, our alpine ski team exceeded expectations when it came to modeling exemplary personal growth. At the championship at Berkshire East, they were named the state champions, only to have that changed as the result of a scoring error. I received a letter from the MIAA heralding their grace and sportsmanship.

MIAA Assistant Director Dr. Steven Dubzinski wrote that the members of the Marblehead team congratulated the actual winner, St. John’s Prep, with a “genuine tone.”

“The schools and the community that they represent should feel extremely proud of the student-athletes’ abilities as skiers but more importantly, the great young men they have become,” Dubzinski wrote. “They are class acts and a great example of what we are trying to promote at the MIAA.”

Kudos to the team and Coach John Thompson for making us Magicians proud. You are the true champions in our minds.

METCO swag for a good cause

Marblehead METCO swag can be ordered online through the Marblehead Sport Shop.

Twenty percent of the proceeds will go to the Marblehead METCO program and Tyrone Bumpurs Scholarship.

Bumpurs was a METCO student who graduated from Marblehead High School in 1989. He was a great athlete, playing football, basketball and running track. He was a lover of peace and

harmony.

In September 1991, he was shot while breaking up a fight between two young men in the neighborhood. The bullet severed his spinal cord and left him a quadriplegic. Tyrone took this incident and traveled around the state talking about non-violence until his death of a heart attack in 2002.

Nominate an outstanding teacher

We have excellent educators in Marblehead. Each year, there is an opportunity to recognize one of our outstanding teachers with the Margaret Voss Howard Teacher Recognition Award. Please consider nominating someone.

Dollars for Scholars

In its 36th year, Marblehead Dollars for Scholars is sponsoring the third annual “Let’s Eat” during the month of March. Gift cards purchased at eight establishments (Shubie’s, Sea Salt, Caffe Italia, The Landing, Mino’s Roast

Beef, Maria’s Gourmet, Soall and The Barrelman) will benefit Marblehead High School graduates. Ten percent of every gift card will go directly to need-based scholarships for undergraduate college students. Each year, close to $200,000 is awarded to graduating seniors and advanced standing students. Please participate.

Superintendent Coffee

The March Coffee will be held Thursday, March 23 at 8:30 a.m. at Marblehead Veterans Middle School. The focus of the coffee will be the FY24 budget. And, as always, it is an open forum for families and the community to bring topics of interest for the superintendent.

Preschools Day

As I end this week’s update, I want to give a “shout out” to our preschool students and teachers on this National Preschools Day. I had the privilege of being at

both Brown and Glover Elementary Schools today to celebrate with our preschoolers and their exceptional teachers. You

are the foundation of our district and play an integral role in developing our district’s future successes.

Mark and Deb Hood, former owners of Hood Marine Canvas, and Krisha Plauche, the owner of Onboard Interiors, are merging. Plauche will be the sole owner of both Onboard Interiors and Hood Marine Canvas.

Town elects first selectmen in 1649

BY PAM PETERSON

Marblehead has had selectmen for 375 years, starting just before its incorporation in 1649 when Salem and Marblehead separated into two different towns.

The first selectmen elected in Marblehead, listed in Samuel Roads’ “History of Marblehead,” were Moses Maverick, Samuel Doliber, John Peach, Francis Johnson, John Devereux, Nicholas Merritt and John Bartoll.

Moses Maverick was the longest-serving of the first selectmen, with 14 terms

spanning the years from 1648 to 1681. He is considered the “Father of Marblehead” and took a keen interest in the town’s management, working to build his own business and the town’s prosperity.

The early selectmen were all men of standing in the community, chosen not for wealth or religion but for their good sense. They were fishermen, merchants, blacksmiths or farmers.

Most were barely educated; those who could not read or write made their “mark,” usually an X, on documents as needed.

Their task was to use their experience and good judgment to make the best decisions for Marblehead. These decisions were occasionally subject to criticism and anger from town residents. Then, as now, selectmen were well aware of their fellow citizens’ opinions.

Marblehead Town Meetings were first held at the Meeting House at Old Burial Hill. Meetings were mandatory, and elections took place during the meetings, determined by “ayes” versus “nays.”

Records of early town meetings and those of today

have many similarities. Taxes were one of the most discussed and disputed of all topics, followed closely by issues regarding land, boundaries, the rights of citizens, concerns about animals and the construction and maintenance of town buildings. This sounds just like our current Town Meetings.

One topic that is no longer hotly debated is the issue of traffic jams caused by cows. Cows were taken daily to graze, many on Windmill Hill, where Abbot Hall now stands. They were supposed to be taken to the common field early in the

morning and brought back at the end of the day. But sometimes they were late and created problems as people couldn’t get past them. This is at least one issue that doesn’t come up anymore.

The long tradition of elected town officials and open Town Meeting is important to Marblehead. It reminds us that the ability to participate in our own government, speak our minds and influence the outcome of elections, laws and policies has existed and been valued since our earliest history.

From 10,000 Maniacs to Marblehead: Nields return to Me&Thee

Me&Thee Music continues its 53rd season with a concert by The Nields in their only Greater Boston appearance Friday, March 24.

Sisters Nerissa and Katryna have been making music professionally since 1991. With 20 CDs, major and independent record and publishing deals, performances with The Band, James Taylor, Dar Williams, 10,000 Maniacs, Ani DiFranco and the Indigo Girls, they have lived the rock ’n’ roll life. Their Marblehead concert marks their first time back in years.

The Nields have been lauded for their gorgeous, lilting sibling harmonies, wise classic folk-pop songs, their hilarious banter on stage, as well as their generosity and warmth in performance and engagement with their fans.

While they continue to bring their legendary live show to theaters and stages around the country, they now delight the under-10 crowd as well. Since becoming mothers (each sister has a daughter and a son), they have gone on to broaden their repertoire with children’s CDs, a DVD and a book, “All Together Singing in the Kitchen: Creative Ways to Make and Listen to Music as a Family.”

The songs on their latest album, “November,” are inspired by today’s headlines, and they tackle critical issues from climate change to injustice at the border to the fragility of our

democracy. But their underlying message of hope pulses through each chorus as a strong and steady heartbeat. Their song “Tyrants Always Fall” has come to be known as the “Resistance Anthem” in many circles.

The Chicago Tribune wrote,

“The marvelously expressive Katryna and Nerissa Nields provide vocals sounding at various times very much like the Bangles, the Roches and … Alanis Morrissette … a delightful discovery.” Tickets are $25, $10 for students and children. Locally,

tickets are available at Arnould’s Gallery, Washington Street, Marblehead. No-fee tickets are also available online at meandthee.org. No phone orders are accepted, and no other ticket websites are authorized.

Doors will open at 7:15 pm, and

the music will begin shortly after 8 p.m.

Me&Thee Music is a nonprofit, all-volunteer organization now in its 53rd season at the UU Church, 28 Mugford St. in Marblehead. Refreshments will be served.

March schedule at Abbot Public Library

New digs

The Abbot Public Library has temporarily moved into the Eveleth School, 3 Brook Rd., while its Pleasant Street building undergoes a multi-million-dollar renovation. Library hours are the following:

Monday: 9:30 a.m. to 8 p.m.

» Tuesday: 9:30 a.m. to 6 p.m.

» Wednesday: 9:30 a.m. to 8 p.m.

Thursday: Noon to 6 p.m.

Friday: 9:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Saturday: 9:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.

» Sunday: Closed.

Note: The Children’s Room will close at 6 p.m. on Wednesdays.

Returns are accepted inside the library in the blue bin near the main desk or, if the library is closed, outside its main entrance in the black Library Return bin. Book donations are only accepted on Book Donation Days.

For updates on the renovations, visit abbotlibrary. org/news/renovation-news.

Sign up for the library’s newsletter at tinyurl.com/

Abbot-News.

Fines no more Abbot Public Library is now fine-free. Visit abbotlibrary.org/ about/general-info to learn more about borrowing materials and to get a library card.

Tech and misc. things

The library offers Book Club Kits, Chromebooks, hotspots and more in its Library of Things. Visit abbotlibrary.org/ what-we-offer/library-of-things to learn more.

Need to use a copier?

Abbot Public Library does not charge a fee per page, but it asks that patrons contribute what they wish when copying. Funds will be donated to The Friends of Abbot Public Library.

Get your museum on Visit abbotlibrary.org/whatwe-offer/get-a-museum-pass to reserve passes and promo codes for some of the best museums in the Greater Boston Area.

Thanks to the generous

support of the Friends of Abbot Public Library, the library offers passes and promo codes to:

» Boston Children’s Museum

» Harvard Art Museums (coming soon)

The House of the Seven Gables

The Institute of

Contemporary Art Boston*

» Isabella Stewart Gardner

Museum

Museum of Fine Arts

Museum of Science

New England Aquarium (now a digital promo code)

» Peabody Essex Museum

» Trustees Go Pass

Zoo New England Patrons without access to the internet may reserve a pass/ promo code right at the main desk or by calling (781) 631-1481, though some passes may require an email address to be used.

Courageous Aging:

A support group for older adults

Fridays, March 17, 24 and 31, 3 p.m. to 4:15 p.m. This weekly program is led by

Carol O’Brien.

Tax Counseling for the elderly program

» Mondays, March 20 and 27, 11:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Mondays, April 3 and 10, 11:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.

To reserve a spot, please call the Reference Desk at 781-631-1481. You will need your last year’s tax returns and 2022 paperwork. For more information, please visit abbotlibrary.org/ tax-prep-program.

Open Lab

Mondays, March 20 and 27, Drop-in from 2:30 p.m. to 4 p.m.

Do you have a question about your computer, smartphone or tech gadget? Do you want time to practice with someone who can help if you get stuck? Every Monday, join a staff member for one-on-one help with your device. Windows laptops will be available for attendees who cannot transport their devices. No registration required.

Adult book club via Zoom

Tuesday, March 21, 10 a.m. to 11 a.m.

On the third Tuesday of every month, from 10 a.m. to 11 a.m., book club members can log on to Zoom to discuss the latest and most highly recommended titles led by a library staff member. March’s pick is Horse by Geraldine Brooks. Copies are available in the Reference Room. To join, please register here: tinyurl.com/March-2023Zoom-Book-Club. For more information, please get in touch with Head of Public Services Librarian Morgan Yeo at yeo@ noblenet.org.

Community craft and chat

Tuesday, March 28, 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. Come for an afternoon of crafty camaraderie! Bring your knitting, beadwork, sketchbook or any personal craft to create and share ideas. This program is for adults. Registration is recommended at tinyurl.com/ March-2023-Craft-and-Chat.

COURTESY PHOTO

Nerissa and Katryna Nields will be featured at Me&Thee Music on Friday, March 24 in their only Greater Boston appearance. The Nields have appeared in concert with James Taylor, The Band, 10,000 Maniacs and many others.

Honor Sunshine Week by requiring hybrid meeting access

BY JUSTIN SILVERMAN

During the early months of COVID-19, governors in New England states issued executive orders allowing municipalities to meet online so long as the public could attend remotely. The democratic benefits of this arrangement quickly became evident. According to a public official quoted in a 2020 study, the changes “made it a lot easier for residents who have other things to do, to be heard. People with family obligations, elder care, or child-care issues.”

The executive orders that prompted these changes, however, have long since expired. New England states have resorted to a patchwork of live streams, short-term remote meeting requirements and, in some cases, reverted back to preCOVID policies and in-person meetings only.

There’s a better way forward.

Permanent changes need to be made to state laws to require both in-person and remote access to government meetings. People with young children, health issues, disabilities, work commitments or other circumstances that prevent in-person attendance at these meetings are at risk of again being shut out of the democratic process. At the same time, there are benefits to in-person

meetings that must continue along with this expanded access.

Now is an ideal time to contact your state representatives and make this need known. Sunshine Week is March 12-18 and is a celebration of open government and freedom of information. The sunshine reference is attributed to U.S. Supreme Court Justice Louis D. Brandeis who famously wrote that “sunlight is said to be the best of disinfectants.”

In other words, an informed citizenry is the best check against government corruption. We should use the occasion to demand the permanent changes necessary for all members of the public to effectively engage with the government and stay informed.

The 2020 study — published in the Journal of Civic Information and authored by Jodie Gil and Jonathan L. Wharton — involved nearly 100 municipalities in Connecticut following the state’s COVID-19 emergency orders. It found that the majority of these municipalities experienced the same or increased participation during their public budget deliberations as they had previously. While these towns also experienced learning curves and other unexpected challenges, the authors’ findings reinforce what many of us have come to believe during the last three years: The public is more

likely to participate in meetings when given multiple ways to do so.

Massachusetts lawmakers recently recognized this reality with legislation (HD3261/ SD2017) that could serve as a model for other states. The bill would apply to all executive branch agencies and municipal bodies subject to the state’s Open Meeting Law.

It phases in over seven years a requirement that they meet in person and also provide remote access and participation, but demands swift compliance by state agencies and elected municipal bodies. Non-elected municipal bodies with logistical or budgetary concerns can apply for hardship waivers.

The legislation even creates a trust fund that will financially support those needing assistance. The waivers, however, are available only until 2030. There must be universal compliance by that time. While each state has its own local considerations, there’s no reason why other open meeting laws cannot ultimately require hybrid access. (Don’t know what legislation is introduced in your state? Use the legislation trackers at nefac.org/FOIguide.) Remote meeting technology is becoming more prevalent, less expensive and greatly needed by citizens unable to attend in

person. At the very least, open meeting laws should be changed to incorporate the following:

— Hybrid Access: The public needs in-person access to government meetings along with the ability to attend and participate remotely. Both forms of access are critical. While remote meetings will make government accessible to those who cannot otherwise attend, citizens still need face-to-face time with their representatives without their commentary being muted or disconnected from a Zoom line.

— Hard Deadline: The ultimate goal is to have all public bodies meeting in a hybrid form. The ease of reaching this goal will vary from one government agency to the next. States should set a clear and hard deadline for all government bodies to comply, taking into consideration challenges such as staffing, funding and logistics.

— Funding: A common argument against hybrid meetings is the cost of the required equipment and technology. While these costs have decreased significantly, they can still impose a burden on small towns with limited funding and staffing. States should earmark funding specifically for the purpose of hybrid meetings and help those municipalities that genuinely

need the assistance. Consider it an investment in democracy. There have been few silver linings to emerge from COVID19. Remote access to government meetings is one of them. It provides equity and engagement in our democracy that many members of our communities would not otherwise enjoy. We need to change our open meeting laws now to make sure this access is available long after the pandemic has run its course. Justin Silverman is the executive director of the New England First Amendment Coalition. The nonprofit non-partisan organization is the region’s leading advocate for First Amendment freedoms and the public’s right to know about government. Learn more at nefac. org.

At Town Meeting this may, Marblehead voters will have under Article 52 an opportunity to amend the town bylaws to require the Select Board, School Committee, Board of Health, Planning Board, Zoning Board of Appeals, Light Commission, Water & Sewer Commission, Harbors & Water Board, Recreation & Parks Commission and Old & Historic Districts Commission to ensure the use of hybrid meeting platforms or remote platforms for all body members and for the public at all public meetings. The article is sponsored by resident Lynn Nadeau.

Houses of worship service schedule

CATHOLIC

OUR LADY STAR OF THE SEA

» 85 Atlantic Ave.

» 781-631-0086

» sosmarblehead.org

Regular Mass Schedule

Saturday Vigil: 4 p.m.

Sunday: 7:30 a.m., 9 a.m., 11 a.m.

» Every weekday (Monday-Saturday): 9 a.m.

» Confessions: 2:30-3:30 p.m.

Saturday

Adult choir rehearsals: Thursdays, 7 p.m., organ loft

Children's choir rehearsals: Sunday, 8:15 a.m., organ loft

» Centering Prayer group: Mondays, after 9 a.m. Mass until 11 a.m.

As the season of Lent continues, the sacrament of Reconciliation will also be offered on Wednesdays, 6-7 p.m. Also during Lent, a simple supper of soup and bread will be offered at 6 p.m. Fridays, followed by the Stations of the Cross.

Lenten Scripture Study, "Exodus: Journey Towards Freedom": Tuesdays, 7 p.m. or Wednesdays, 1 p.m.

"Little Black Books" with sixminute Lenten meditations are available at the rear entrance to the church while the supply lasts. Donations gratefully accepted.

An Easter Clothing Drive to provide a complete Easter outfit to children in need is underway.

» Wednesday, March 15: 7 p.m., Parish Pastoral Council meeting in the Parish Center Conference Room

» Sunday, March 19: St. Patrick's Day celebration in the Parish Center after 9 a.m. Mass.

CHRISTIAN SCIENCE

FIRST CHURCH OF CHRIST, SCIENTIST

» 134 Elm St.

» 781-631-3868

» fccsmarbleheadma.wordpress.

com

Sunday Church Service: 10-11 a.m.

» Sunday School (open to children

and young people under the age of 20): 10-11 a.m.

Wednesday Testimony Meeting: 7:30-8:30 p.m.

» Reading Room (in church building): Open just after Sunday service and before Wednesday testimony meetings

A link to watch a replay of the recent free online lecture on Christian Science, "How to Make Change for the Better," is available on the church website.

COMMUNITY CHURCH

GRACE COMMUNITY CHURCH

» 17 Pleasant St.

» 781-631-9343 » gracemarblehead.org

» Discipleship Class: 9:15 a.m.

Sunday Worship Gatherings: 10:30 a.m.

Sunday

» Grace Kids (Grades K-5): 4:30 p.m. Wednesday

» Youth Group: 7 p.m. Wednesday Women's Bible Study: 10 a.m.

Thursday Prayer Gatherings: 1 p.m.

Thursday » Men's Bible Study: 6 a.m. Friday

» Monday, March 20: 7 p.m., craft night in the Fellowship Hall.

CONGREGATIONAL

OLD NORTH CHURCH, THE FIRST CHURCH OF CHRIST IN MARBLEHEAD 35 Washington St. » 781-631-1244 » onchurch.org

» Wednesday, March 15: 10 a.m., worship planning meeting; 6 p.m., Marblehead Garden Club in Great Room; 7:30 p.m., Festival Chorus

rehearsal

» Thursday, March 16: 7 p.m., See No Stranger on Zoom

» Saturday, March 18: 10 a.m., From Lament to Gratitude Retreat in Great Room

Sunday, March 19: 8 a.m., worship service; 9 a.m., choir rehearsal; 10 a.m., worship service; 11 a.m., grief workshop in Great Room; 11:15 a.m., Confirmation

class in Beals Room; 11:30 a.m., Lenten leadership meeting

Monday, March 20: 6:30 p.m., Women's AA in Parish Hall

» Tuesday, March 21: 9 a.m., Lectio Divina; 7:30 p.m., Bell Choir

» Wednesday, March 22: 7:30 p.m., Festival Chorus rehearsal

Thursday, March 23: 7 p.m., See No Stranger on Zoom

EPISCOPAL

CHURCH OF ST. ANDREW, EPISCOPAL

» 135 Lafayette St. 781-631-4951 standrewsmhd.org

Regular Sunday services (Rite II of the Episcopal liturgy): 8 a.m., spoken service; 10 a.m., musical service

Tuesdays, 9:30-10:30 a.m.: Gospel Reflections on Zoom

Alternate Tuesdays, 11 a.m.: "This Magic Moment" Memory Café on Zoom, a judgment-free zone for those with memory loss and their caregivers

Tuesdays and Thursdays, 2:153:30 p.m., Parish Hall open for exercise

» Wednesday, noon: Eucharist

» Second Saturday, 8:30-9:30 a.m.: Coffee Cups informal conversation and fellowship

The Word Is Very Near You

Sundays during Lent: 9:10 a.m., book discussion, "The Word Is Very Near You: A Guide to Praying with Scripture" by Rev. Martin L. Smith Wednesdays during Lent: 7 p.m., "God in the Machine Age" joint discussion, in person and online (Clifton Lutheran hosts March 8, St. Andrew's March 15)

ST. MICHAEL'S EPISCOPAL CHURCH

26 Pleasant St.

» 781-631-0657

» stmichaels1714.org

» Sundays: Holy Eucharist, Rite II, 10 a.m.; in-person and online on church's YouTube Channel Wednesdays: Morning Prayer, 9:30 a.m. on Facebook Live

First Sundays: Choral Evensong (September through May), 5 p.m.; in-person and online on church's

YouTube Channel

» Sunday, March 19: 5 p.m., Organ Concert Series, Boston-based organist Erica Johnson

JEWISH

TEMPLE EMANU-EL, REFORM CONGREGATION

393 Atlantic Ave.

» 781-631-9300

» emanu-el.org

» Shabbat: Friday, 6 p.m., in person and on Facebook Live

Torah Study: First and second Saturdays of month, 10 a.m. on

Zoom

» Religious School: 9 a.m. Sundays

» Senior Connection: 11 a.m.

Tuesdays

Mah Jongg: 7 p.m. Tuesdays Chai Baby: 9:30 a.m. Fridays

Wednesday, March 15: 7:30 p.m.,

Brotherhood at Flatbread Salem

» Thursday, March 16: 7 p.m.,

Brotherhood/Sisterhood monthly cooking

Friday, March 17: 9:30 a.m., Chai

Baby

» Monday, March 20: 7:30 p.m., Jewish Adult Education

TEMPLE SINAI, CONTEMPORARY CONSERVATIVE SYNAGOGUE

1 Community Road

» 781-631-2762

» templesinaiweb.org

» Kabbalat Shabbat: Fridays, 6 p.m.

» Shabbat Service: Saturdays, 9:30 a.m.

Minyans: Saturday, 9 a.m. and 7 p.m.; Monday, 7:30 a.m. and 7 p.m.;

Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, 7:30 a.m. and 7 p.m. (at Congregation Shirat Hayam, Swampscott)

» Sunday, March 26: 9:30 a.m., Brotherhood presents Judge Phillip Weiner, legal advisor to President Zelensky and the Ukrainian government on war crimes since March 2022

150 Humphrey St. 781-631-4379 cliftonlutheran.org

» Weekly worship service: Sunday, 10 a.m., live stream on Zoom

» Sunday School: Sundays, 9 a.m.

» Coffee Hour: Sunday, 11 a.m. Choir Chat: Tuesday, 4:45 p.m. over Zoom

Midweek Fellowship: Wednesday, 7 p.m.

» Bible Study: Wednesday, 7:30 p.m.

Thursday, March 16: 5 p.m., serve at Lifebridge, Salem; 7:30 p.m., council meeting in library

METHODIST

ST. STEPHEN'S UNITED METHODIST CHURCH

67 Cornell Road 781-631-2756 www.marblehead.church

» St. Stephen's is open for Sunday morning worship. Every Sunday, they have traditional worship at 10:30 a.m. with a time of refreshments and fellowship afterward. Worship may also be attended via Zoom.

» Tuesday mornings: Conversation and prayer on Facebook Live with Pastor Isaac (see facebook.com/ marblehead.church)

UNITARIAN UNIVERSALIST

UNITARIAN UNIVERSALIST CHURCH OF MARBLEHEAD » 28 Mugford St. 781-631-1215 uumarblehead.org

Sunday service is at 10:30 a.m. and on Zoom: bit.ly/3EIRKiF All persons attending a regular Sunday Service in person are asked to wear masks in the sanctuary.

Thursday, March 16: 7:30 p.m., Board of Trustees meeting

Sunday, March 19: 9 a.m., Sunday Seminar; 10:30 a.m., Sunday Services; 11:30 a.m., After Service Social Hour; 1:30 p.m., Religious Education Exploration Group

Monday, March 20: 2 p.m., Aging, Decaying, Dying, and Divinity; 7:30 p.m., choir practice

Fun & games: Check out the Y’s sports camps

BY BRIAN FLYNN, LYNCH/ VAN OTTERLOO YMCA EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

Sports Camps at the Y

Nick Harshaw is the sports director at the Lynch/van Otterloo YMCA and will oversee our Sports Camps this summer. Harshaw graduated from Gordon College with a degree in sports management. Since graduating, Harshaw has been coaching youth sports at a variety of levels.

Campers in our sports program last summer will remember Coach Nick and the key role he played on our camp staff team. We are excited to see him take the next step and lead Sports Camps this summer.

We also look forward to welcoming back some of our incredible staff from last summer including Zac Wilbert. Coach Zac is a recent graduate from Endicott College in sports management and was part of our experienced coaching staff this past season in our Jr. Celtics Basketball league.

From Sports Mania, basketball and soccer to flag football and wrestling, we have something for everyone to try. Y camps are a great place to meet new friends, get outside, explore

BASKETBALL CAMP

new activities and stay busy all summer long. Join us for a variety of sports camps for different ages and interests this summer at the Y. Check out the different options, age ranges and dates below.

MINI SPORTS MANIA CAMP

Ages 5-6, Dates: June 20 to August 11

Mini Sports Mania introduces a variety of sports to young campers, encouraging them to try new things and stay active while having fun. This program focuses on youth development through sports and games.

Ages 8-12, Dates: July 4-7 and July 31-August 4 Work on drills, skills, scrimmaging and movement of the game. This camp will start and end with a test that will show your camper where they have improved and what they should be focused on moving forward.

SOCCER CAMP

Ages 8-12, Dates: July 10-14 and August 7-11 In this camp, your child will have the opportunity to develop their individual soccer skills, their knowledge of movement on the soccer field, their soccer

IQ and their ability to be a great teammate. They will learn new drills, work on skills and play scrimmages against other campers. Your child will also have typical day camp offerings including swim time, games and lunch.

SPORTS MANIA CAMP

Ages 7-11, Dates:June 20 to August 11

Sports Mania is for campers who have an interest in learning new sports and being active. Our coaches help athletes improve their skills or learn new ones in a wide range of sports.

FLAG FOOTBALL CAMP

Ages 8-12, Dates: July 17-21

This program will emphasize learning new skills and progressing as a football player. We will be working on drills and scrimmaging, and focus on route running, footwork, defensive techniques and more. This camp includes a swim block as well as time for other fun camp activities. A great choice for any camper looking to take it to the next level in football.

WRESTLING CAMP

Ages 7-12, Dates: July 24-28

This camp is a partnership with the Swampscott/ Marblehead Wrestling Team. This program is run by

coaches from the Swampscott/ Marblehead team and athletes on the team to ensure that your campers will be learning from experienced wrestlers. Campers will spend the morning learning new wrestling techniques and in the in the afternoon they will enjoy traditional camp activities like swimming and games. northshoreymca.org/programs/ lynchvan-otterloo-ymca-camps

The Y is Better with Friends

Refer a friend to the Y and we’ll thank you with a free month of membership while your friend receives a $0 enrollment fee. Visit the welcome center or reach out to Membership Director Jane Rizza at rizzaj@northshoreymca.org.

About the YMCA

The Y is one of the nation’s leading nonprofits, strengthening communities through youth development, healthy living and social responsibility. For more than 160 years, the YMCA of the North Shore has been the foundation of the community. It serves more than 40,000 members and program participants in 25 cities and towns across the North Shore and in southern New Hampshire.

Programs, classes, events for seniors

All programs are held at the Judy and Gene Jacobi Community Center, 10 Humphrey St., unless otherwise stated. Questions? Call 781-6316225 or email councilonaging@ marblehead.org.

St. Patrick's Day Luncheon

Join us Friday, March 17, noon to 1 p.m. for Louise Moore's traditional St. Patrick's meal at the Masonic Hall. Cost is $7 per person. RSVP and payment due Friday March 10.

Lunching at the COA

Lunch is offered on Tuesdays at noon for $3. The meals are prepared in the Council on Aging's commercial kitchen. These lunches are supported by The Friends of the Council on Aging.

Grab-n-go lunches

Grab-n-go lunches are offered on Wednesdays, Thursdays and Fridays at the Council on Aging. Pick-up time is from 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Reservations must be made the Thursday before by calling 781-631-6225.

The Traveling Chef Shepherd's pie is on the menu Friday, March 24, at the COA. (There will be no grab-n-go lunch this day.) RSVP by Friday, March 17. Suggested donation is $2.

Friends of the Council on Aging fundraiser

Save the date: This fundraiser will be Thursday, April 27, 5:30 p.m. to 9 p.m. at the Landing Restaurant. More details to follow.

Hearing screenings

Atlantic Hearing Care., Inc., will offer hearing screenings on Wednesday, March 22, 10 a.m. to noon. Call 781-631-6225 to schedule an appointment.

iPhone classes

Kevin Figueroa, founder of Kev Tech, will lead this class on Friday, March 24, 1 p.m. Reserve your spot by calling 781-631-6225.

Movie Day

On Friday, March 24, at 1 p.m., enjoy "The Fabelmans," the film loosely based on director Stephen Spielberg's childhood in post-World War II America. RSVP at 781-631-6225.

Caregiver Support Group dinner

Enjoy a modest dinner followed by a guest speaker and discussion on Wednesday, March 15, 5:30 p.m. to 7 p.m. RSVP by Monday, March 13, at 781-631-6225.

Flying Solo with Sharon

This group is designed specifically for people who live alone. This month's topic: How living alone changes you.

Tuesday, March 28, 1:30 p.m. to 3 p.m.

Book Club

The March book is "The Underground Railroad'' by Colson White. Discussions on Wednesday, March 22, 2 p.m. to 3 p.m.

Trips & Tours

The COA is planning several trips and tours this spring and summer, including a luncheon and Bee Gees tribute concert at the Danversport Yacht Club on Tuesday, May 23; a luncheon and The Texas Tenors concert at the Danversport Yacht Club on Tuesday, June 23; and a Montreal-Quebec trip July 18-21. For more information and to sign up, call Janice at 781-631-6225.

Coffee with a Cop

Join Chief Dennis King or someone else from the Marblehead Police Department to discuss community concerns.

Fridays at 8:30 a.m.

Blood Pressure Clinic

Drop-in blood pressure clinic on Thursdays from 11 a.m. to noon. Fitness Center is open Monday through Friday, 7 a.m. to 2 p.m. Passes can be purchased for $10 for five visits.

Chair Volleyball Chair Volleyball is

the COA on Wednesdays and Fridays, 1 p.m. to 2:45 p.m.

Muscle Conditioning

Senior Muscle Conditioning with Kim on Mondays and Fridays at 9 a.m and Wednesdays at 10 a.m. Cost is $3.

Stay Active

North Shore Physical Therapy runs an osteo class on Mondays and Thursdays at 10 a.m. There's also Balance and Mobility with Mary Manning on Mondays and Wednesdays at 10:30 a.m. Each class is $3.

Zumba Gold

Zumba Gold classes are held on Wednesdays at noon. It is a lower intensity dance class inspired by Latin and world music.

Parkinson's Fitness

The Parkinson's Fitness class is free on Wednesdays at 11 a.m. Specifically developed for folks with Parkinson's disease but appropriate for all, this class focuses on strength, mobility and balance. This program is paid for by the Friends of the Council on Aging.

Indoor Curling

Indoor curling takes place on Mondays, Tuesdays and Thursdays from 1 p.m. to 2:45 p.m.

No experience is necessary for this indoor sport. Instructions on how to play the game will be available at every session. Yearly fee is $15. Contact pbibbo@aol. com with questions.

Stretch & Strength

The Council on Aging offers a Strength & Stretch class on Mondays at 11:30 a.m. and Thursdays at 11 a.m. Cost is $3.

Step it Up

Karen Jancsy leads this lowimpact movement and muscle conditioning class on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays at 8 a.m.

Weight Training

A Weight Training class is held on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays at 8:45 a.m. Cost is $3.

Yoga with Evie

This yoga class is held on Mondays at 9 a.m., Wednesdays at 8:30 a.m. and Thursdays and Fridays at 9:30 a.m.

Chair Yoga

Gail Perry Borden teaches Chair Yoga on Tuesdays and Thursdays at 11 a.m. Cost is $3.

Line Dancing

Kate Hoffman teaches Line Dancing on Thursdays from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. The first hour is focused on beginners; however, all are welcome and encouraged to participate. Cost is $5.

Quilting

Learn how to quilt in this class on Thursdays at 10 a.m. Cost is $5 per class.

Knitting Group

Drop-in knitting is Thursdays at 9 a.m.

Cribbage

Cribbage is held on Tuesdays. Doors close at 9:30 a.m.

Mahjong

Play mahjong Mondays and Wednesdays, 11 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.

I Love Bridge

This advanced bridge instruction class meets Mondays, 12:30 p.m. to 2 p.m. Cost is $5. Drop-in bridge is on Tuesdays, 10 a.m. to noon, and Fridays, 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Canasta

Canasta is now at the COA on Thursdays and Fridays, 12 p.m. to 2 p.m.

Medicare Advantage open enrollment

If you're currently enrolled in a Medicare Advantage Plan you can make a change to your coverage or change to Original Medical with a supplement and a Part D drug program. Changes can be made until March 31. If you're new to Medicare or considering a review of your plan, call the COA at 781-631-6225 and schedule an appointment with a trained counselor.

Get a senior Charlie Card

People who are 65 years or older are eligible for reduced MBTA fares with a senior Charlie Card. These cards are valid for eight years. Call Nadine Lepick at 781-631-6225 Tuesday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m. to ask questions or make an appointment to process an application. Cards can also be reloaded with cash on any bus.

Need help with heating costs?

The Home Energy Assistance Program at North Shore Community Action Programs, Inc. helps income-eligible households pay their winter heating bills even if the cost of heat is included in their rent. If your gross household income falls within certain limits, you may qualify for payment towards winter heating bills. In addition, eligible National Grid customers may qualify for a discount of up to 32 percent off their electric and gas bills. For more information about Home Energy Assistance, call 978-531-8810 or email fuelassistance@nscap.org.

Want a lift?

The COA offers transportation services to both in-town and out-of-town medical appointments and in-town errands such as the hairdresser, bank, to vote or to the COA for programs and/or lunch. Weekly grocery shopping trips to Crosby's and Market Basket and bimonthly trips to the North Shore Mall are also available. Transportation runs Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. To schedule a ride, call 781-631-6225.

Home safety audits

The town offers home safety audits to local residents. A representative from both the Marblehead Fire Department and the Council on Aging will schedule a time to meet seniors at their homes and review and discuss home safety options. Also, free fire alarms, carbon monoxide detectors and lock boxes can be installed. To learn more, contact Sharon Doliber at 781-631-6225.

YMCA coaches Nick Harshaw (left) and Zac Wilbert will be back at camp this summer.

Man trying to buy collectible putters gets shaft

Friday, March 3

9:26 a.m. An officer spoke by phone with a man who explained that he had recently found out someone had applied for unemployment in his name. The man had already contacted the thre credit agencies. He was advised to let the police know if he had any other issues.

9:38 a.m. An officer gave a driver a verbal warning for failing to clear his vehicle's window on Treat Road.

9:56 a.m. A report of a wire on the ground on Washington Street was referred to another agency.

11:28 a.m. An officer spoke by phone with a man who reported an attempted financial scam in which he had been called by a man purporting to be a representative of National Grid Electric who attempted to use an alleged overdue bill as a ruse. The resident told police that he had answered the phone in Spanish, and the alleged scammer had started the conversation in Spanish before requesting that the conversation be in English. The resident knew that the town has a municipal electric utility and that the call was a scam. The Light Department subsequently put out a message via social media to warn residents about the scam, complementing similar efforts by the Police Department.

1:03 p.m. A speeding car was reported on Oak Street.

6:11 p.m. Officers investigated a 911 hang-up call from Humphrey Street and filed a report.

Saturday, March 4

2:21 a.m. An officer investigated a report of a suspicious vehicle with its engine running on Stevens Road and Gallison Avenue.

8:38 a.m. A Liberty Lane resident reported a power outage.

11:35 a.m. A High Street resident reported an attempted grandparent scam.

12:24 p.m. An officer spoke with a contractor about a civil dispute he was having with a man he had hired to clean out a house in Boston and bring the trash to the dump. The man had apparently thrown out a car seat and stroller that he was told not to, and the contractor was withholding $250 until the other man replaced the two items. The man told the contractor that he would go to the customer's house in Boston and get the money from the customer. The contractor requested that the officer call the man and tell him to not go to the customer's house to collect the money because the customer had already paid the contractor to do the job. The officer advised the contractor how to handle the dispute civilly and also told the contractor to advise his customer if the man requested money from the customer to not pay him and to call Boston Police if necessary.

2:42 p.m. An officer spoke with the owner of a local boutique who had discovered that a $398 sweater from a display rack next to the dressing room was missing and had apparently been stolen. While reviewing security video, the store owner then also saw a woman known to both her and the officer slip a pair of $85 earrings into her winter gloves and leave the store without paying for them. The woman was later interviewed at the police station, and she acknowledged being in the store on the day in question, but she was adamant about not having left the store with any merchandise without paying for it. She said she had been interested in a cowboy hat and a pair of earrings but had to leave the store due to medical reasons and planned to return another day to buy them. The officer told the woman that he planned to review the security footage to confirm her statement and advised the woman to stay away from the store, as the owner did not want her to return but rather to bring the merchandise to the police station if she located it. The officer then went to the store and spoke with an employee. While he was there, as the employee was looking at the rack from which the sweater was believed to have

been taken, a sweater like the one that had been reported missing fell to the floor. Around the same time, the woman involved in the disappearance of the earrings came into the store — despite having been told to stay away — walked in and returned the earrings, apologizing for having inadvertently walked out with them. Apprised of these developments, the store owner expressed shock that she had overlooked the sweater and said she was satisfied that the earrings had been returned and did not want to pursue shoplifting charges. She was advised of the process of serving the woman who had taken the earrings with a no-trespass order, if that was something she wanted to do.

3:47 p.m. An officer investigated the report of the theft of a vehicle on Sevinor Road and filed a report.

Sunday, March 5

1:46 p.m. A purse was found on Turner Road.

4:11 p.m. An officer investigated a past hit-and-run reported on Pleasant Street and filed a report.

11:01 p.m. An officer investigated a general complaint on West Shore Drive and filed a report.

Monday, March 6

8:36 a.m. An officer spoke with a woman who had received an email the night before from the Massachusetts Department of Unemployment, which requested that she verify her email address in order to claim unemployment. Confused as to why she received this email, she attempted to make contact with the unemployment office but had been unable to speak with a representative. The woman was concerned someone had attempted to use her identity to claim unemployment. She was advised to contact one of the three major credit bureaus and also report the incident at identitytheft.gov. She was also advised to make her employer aware of the situation.

9:03 a.m. An officer investigated a report of threats made by a terminated employee on Tower Way and filed a report.

10:33 a.m. A building was checked and secured after an open door was reported on Allerton Place.

10:58 a.m. An officer spoke with a couple who had received a phone call from a Realtor who had in turn received a call from a man purporting to be the male half of the couple, who said he wanted to put on the market a property in St. Augustine, Florida — where the couple did, in fact, own real estate — on the market. Interested in serving as the broker for the sale, the Realtor had communicated with the impostor by text and email, toured the property and even put a for-sale sign on the land, though the property was not officially listed on the market. The ruse fell apart when the Realtor asked the impostor for identification, and he failed to produce any. The Realtor had then tracked down the real property owners in Massachusetts and apprised them of the situation. The couple had tried to report the incident to the local police department, but they were told police would not take a report over the telephone and that it needed to be in person. The officer advised them to reach out to the police department once again to see if the report could be taken over Zoom. If that failed, the officer also suggested they call the county sheriff's department to see if they could offer any assistance. In addition, the officer told them to have the Realtor go to the local police department to report the incident, given that she lives in Florida.

12:08 p.m. Glasses were found on School Street.

1:22 p.m. An officer assisted at the scene of a vehicle accident on Widger Road.

1:23 p.m. Officers investigated a disturbance on Wyman Road and filed a report.

1:47 p.m. A detective investigated a report that "man is not blind" on Humphrey Street and Broughton Road.

3:20 p.m. An officer assisted with a disabled vehicle on Atlantic and Clifton avenues.

3:59 p.m. An officer investigated the report of an assault on Pleasant Street and filed a report.

4:26 p.m. An officer spoke in the police station lobby with a woman who had been the apparent victim of unemployment fraud. The woman explained that she had received a notice of unemployment benefits in the mail that she had not applied for. The woman said that she is currently employed by a credit-card company and that any unemployment applied for on her behalf is fraudulent.

9:05 p.m. An officer was dispatched to Washington Street to investigate the latest incident in a long-running landlord-tenant dispute. When he arrived, the tenant explained that her landlord, who lives in the first-floor apartment, kept locking her out of her residence, as she had never been given a key to the front door of the apartment complex. The tenant then led the officer to the front door of the apartment complex, so he could take the report in her second-floor apartment. In the 15 seconds or so it took for the tenant to greet the officer and turn around to head upstairs, the landlord had yet again locked the tenant out of the apartment complex. The officer knocked on the apartment complex door and, after approximately a minute, the landlord came to the door and opened it up. The officer asked the landlord why she kept locking her tenant out. The landlord stated that she had given the tenant a key when she first moved in, which the tenant disputed. The officer asked the landlord if she could get the tenant a copy of the first-floor key as it is the only way the tenant can get into the apartment complex. The landlord stated that the tenant would have to pay for it herself and that she would have to go through her lawyer if she wants another key. The officer asked the landlord why she continued to lock the tenant out of the apartment. The landlord stated that she does it for security reasons and does not like the door to be left unlocked. The officer made his way upstairs with the tenant, and she informed the officer that her lawyer had informed the landlord that she would be moving out on May 31. The tenant stated that this was the fifth incident where the landlord had purposely locked her out of the apartment complex seconds after she had exited the building. At approximately 9:20 a.m. the same day, the landlord had locked the tenant out, and she had to call the Fire Department to help her get into the apartment complex. The tenant also stated that the landlord purposely unscrews the lightbulb next to her second-floor apartment door so that the tenant cannot see at night when she returns home, creating a dangerous tripping hazard. Because of the landlord's harassment, the tenant had installed a chain lock on her front door to prevent the landlord from gaining access to her apartment. The tenant had also installed security cameras inside her apartment in case the landlord tried to enter the apartment when the tenant was not home. The officer advised the tenant of the process to obtain a harassment prevention order, which she stated that she would consider getting one.

Tuesday, March 7

1:54 p.m. A missing wedding ring was reported on Pleasant Street.

3:49 p.m. An officer spoke in the police station lobby with a man who reported that on Feb. 15 he had arranged to purchase high-end golf memorabilia from a man through Facebook Marketplace. The man reported that he negotiated a deal for a package of 3 rare hard to find Scotty Cameron collectible putters for $7,530. The man reported that he had paid for this deal via CashApp over several transactions due to a spending limit on the app. Despite receiving the funds, the seller had failed to ship out the products and instead made

excuses, saying that everything was packaged and ready to go without actually shipping the products. Over the course of the next several weeks, the resident had sent emails, texts and certified mail to the seller at his home and his business. The seller would sign for the letters but would not respond. After posting about this incident in a Facebook group, the resident learned that the same seller had allegedly scammed several other people using the same items, obtaining over $50,000. The resident left the officer with a written statement and several other documents proving his payment, documentation of his conversation with the seller and a report he had made online to the FBI. The man also reported that while doing a public records search for the seller, he had discovered several other lawsuits and liens against the seller, his home and business from other scams in the past. The officer planned to share the information with detectives to see if there was any follow-up they could do, but the officer advised the resident that action may need to come from a federal level due to the perpetrator being out of the Marblehead Police's jurisdiction.

6:23 p.m. An officer assisted a Peach Highlands resident and filed a report.

6:38 p.m. An officer was sent to Pleasant Street to retrieve items and filed a report.

9:35 p.m. Officers investigated a report of suspicious activity on Crestwood Road.

9:58 p.m. Two officers were dispatched to Waterside Road for a report of suspicious activity. The owner of a Waterside Road home reported there was someone in the house across the street with a flashlight. When officers arrived at the house, they were met by the homeowner who reported there had been three people in his front yard who had just run down Ramsey Road towards the Coffin School. He had tried to follow them but lost track of them. The man reported that it was very suspicious that the three people were in his front yard. He said he could only tell that it was three short people, all wearing dark clothing. The information was radioed to all officers on duty. The two responding officers cleared the house and began searching for these people with the help of two other officers who arrived to assist. While in the area, an officer spoke with another Waterside Road resident who reported suspicious activity and someone ringing their doorbell.

Wednesday, March 8

9:18 a.m. An issue related to a "big trash can" was reported on Gallison Avenue.

10:23 a.m. An officer assisted a person on West Shore Drive and filed a report.

12:03 p.m. An officer met at the station with a woman who explained to me that she had been at the Marblehead Post Office when she was approached and threatened by a woman known to her from prior incidents. The woman simply wanted the incident documented.

2:15 p.m. An officer investigated a report of a past crash on School Street.

2:42 p.m. An officer investigated the report of a vehicle crash on Atlantic Avenue.

4:48 p.m. An officer investigated the report of a burglary or breaking-andentering of a structure on Stonybrook Road and filed a report.

4:58 p.m. An officer investigated a report of past suspicious activity on Edgemere Road.

7:12 p.m. An officer provided traffic enforcement in the area of Pleasant and Smith streets.

9:06 p.m. An officer provided speed enforcement in the area of Humphrey Street and Charlotte Road. He stopped three vehicles, two for speed (42 mph and 44 mph, respectively, according to his radar gun), while the other one did not have its headlights on.

9:18 p.m. A caller reported that his wallet had been stolen at the YMCA.

Glover’s Regiment gifts wood carving to town

BY WILLIAM J. DOWD

On Wednesday night at Abbot Hall, the Marblehead Glover’s Regiment presented the town with a relief carving of an American Revolutionary War patriot.

The artwork was carved from wood salvaged from the sycamore maple tree that stood on Fort Sewall for 147 years. A microburst severely damaged the 50-foot, 12-foot circumference tree in 2019 and it was later removed.

The carving was created by the regimental surgeon, Dr. Ray Sullivan of Middlebury, Connecticut.

Sullivan’s daughter, Katie, presented the relief carving alongside Capt. Seamus Daly and Larry Sands. Both members showed up in 18th century military uniforms.

The gift was given as a token of appreciation for the support and assistance of Marblehead leaders, residents and businesses in helping fulfill the regiment’s mission of keeping history alive and preserving the town’s history.

OBITUarIES

Ronald Joseph Killiany, 61

Ronald Joseph Killiany, 61, of Marblehead, passed away on Saturday, March 4. He was the beloved husband of Miriam Bonutti Killiany with whom he shared 36 years of marriage.

Born in Torrington, Connecticut, Ron was the son of Andrew and Betty Ann Killiany, a dear brother to Thomas Killiany and Dianna Orth, uncle to Benjamin Killiany, and a beloved brother-in-law to David

Amy R. Saltz, 62

Amy R. Saltz of Marblehead, 62, passed on Feb. 26, 2023. After surviving a devastating suicide attempt during adolescence, Amy devoted her life to the quest for healing and paying it forward with gratitude.

A natural outgrowth of her healing work was the writing and publishing of the award-winning books, “An Essential Song,” “Finding the Song: Living After Attempting Suicide” and “The Song Endures: Drumming With a Different Beat.” Her fourth

Orth, Hank and Kathy Bonutti, Magda and Paul Szabo, Peter and Simone Bonutti, and Boris Bonutti, as well as a treasured son-in-law to Karl Bonutti.

He grew up in Torrington,

book, “The Song’s Resonance,” was recently published.

Amy was dedicated to her clients. She was also the librarian and a steadfast

Connecticut, and Birmingham, Mississippi, graduating from Seaholm High School in Birmingham, MI and then attending John Carroll University in Cleveland, OH, receiving his B.S. He followed this with a master’s degree from the University of Hartford and a Ph.D. from Northeastern University in Boston. Ron then began his post-doctoral professional career at Boston University School of Medicine, where he spent 32 years teaching and providing leading research in neuropsychology, neuroimaging, and neuropathology. He studied the human brain and focused on dementia and Alzheimer’s

volunteer at Temple Emanu-El. She volunteered for many community organizations, including Marblehead Counseling Center, Anchor to Windward, Marblehead AIDS Awareness and Abbot Public Library. She delivered Schwartz Rounds to caregivers at local hospitals and presented seminars to psychologists in training at Mass. General Brigham and to psychiatry residents at Tufts Medical Center. The most significant elements she brought to her volunteer activities were inclusion, encouragement and joyfulness.

disease. Ron was a steward to many, developing the next generation of scientists, dedicated to fostering their creativity and ingenuity as they continue with this and other research. Ron collaborated with many researchers, not only within the Boston community but nationally and globally as well. Additionally, Ron practiced clinically at Essex Neurological Associates as a Neuropsychologist, assisting the community of the North Shore of Boston in diagnosing those with dementia and helping them take the next steps of care. He enjoyed time with family and friends, riding his

Amy’s spirit loved to play, deeply connected to music, grooved on learning percussion, hands down treasured teaching mah jongg, immersed in calligraphy, applauded all kinds of theater/ cinema, and delighted in taking her many glorious bike rides.

Amy is survived by her immediate family (Roberta Frost Rosenthal, Jimmy Saltz, Lynne Saltz, Ziggy Saltz, and Judy, Kyle and Bryce Kowalczyk) and her extended family and the families of her deceased former husband, Leon Wisel, and late partner Benjamin Harsip. She was the daughter of the late Robert M. Saltz. Amy forever honors her

Harley-Davidson motorcycle, but mostly working with his hands renovating his home in historic Marblehead with exquisite details.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to the Ronald J. Killiany Fund at BU Chobanian & Avedisian School of Medicine. Please visit www.bu.edu/CAMedGive and write in the Ronald J. Killiany Fund or contact cameddev@bu.edu/617-358-9535 for more information. Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at eustisandcornellfuneralhome. com for the Killiany and Bonutti families.

healers: bereavement counselor

Judy Seifert, trauma specialist

Sandra Phinney and physician

Harvey Zarren. These words from “The Little Prince” had profound meaning for Amy during her life: “It is only with the heart that one can see rightly; what is essential is invisible to the eye.”

Donations in Amy’s memory may be made to Finding the Song: Restricted Fund for Suicidal Individuals or Those in Need c/o Marblehead Counseling Center, 66 Clifton Ave., Marblehead, MA 01945; or to Temple Emanu-El, 393 Atlantic Ave., Marblehead, MA 01945.

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CURRENT PHOTO / WILLIAM J. DOWD

Alongside Marblehead Glover’s Regiment Capt. Seamus Daly and Larry Sands, Katie Sullivan presents a relief carving that her father constructed to Marblehead Select Board Chair Moses Grader.