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Vol. 2, No. 46
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Friday, November 17, 2017
Peabody honors those who served By Christopher Roberson
M
any years before Ryan Melville considered running for councillor-at-large, he made the decision to join the Army National Guard as a soldier in the Massachusetts Yankee Division. Although it was a decision that took him to the deserts of Afghanistan from 2010 to 2011, Melville said he truly enjoyed being part of the Yankee Division. “My proudest moment was getting my Yankee Division patch,” he said during the Nov. 11 Veterans Day ceremony at City Hall. Despite being 6,500 miles from home, Melville said, the support from Peabody never faltered. “The South School sent packages to me and my platoon while I was in Afghanistan,” he said. “The service doesn’t just end when the uniform comes off. I would not want to be a veteran anywhere else other than Peabody.” Melville highlighted the importance of the city’s military monuments. “They weren’t just put up to have a commem-
Retired Sgt. Herbert Osgood (left) and retired Lt. Col. Michael Langone (right) during Peabody’s Veterans Day ceremony on Nov. 11. (Advocate photos by Christopher Roberson)
oration event and then be forgotten about,” he said. Also during the ceremony, Veteran Services Director Stephen Patten spoke about a relatively new practice in which his office will fly the American Flag of any veteran for one week after that individual passes away. “I’ve never heard of another city doing that,” he said.
The ceremony was held one day after the 242nd birthday of the U.S. Marine Corps and marked 99 years since the end of World War I. Mayor Edward Bettencourt spoke about the new Honda Odyssey van that was recently donated to city by Honda North in Danvers. He said having the van and a full fleet of volunteer drivers
City Councillor-At-Large-Elect Ryan Melville spoke about his tour in Afghanistan as a solider in the National Guard’s Yankee Division during the Veterans Day ceremony on Nov. 11.
will take the strain off veterans’ families and employees of the Veterans Services Department. “Sometimes they could be all-day events,” said Bettencourt. “We wanted the opportunity to show our respect and appreciation.”
Councillors back three new medical marijuana dispensaries By Christopher Roberson
T
he City Council voted unanimously to sign letters of non-opposition for a trio of medical marijuana dispensaries that are planning to open on Route 1. Prior to the Nov. 9 vote, Attorney Terry Fracassa, an investor of the Wellness Connection, said he was hesitant to get involved with the company six years ago. “The only vantage point I had was what existed out west in Colorado and California,” he said. “It has been a very difficult journey.” However, Fracassa said the Wellness Connection, which is looking to open a dispensary at 0 Newbury St., has helped patients who want an alternative to opiates. He said sleep and pain relief are the top two needs expressed by the company’s clientele, many of whom are over the age of 55. He said priests frequently come in with their mothers and judges come in with their spouses. “That’s the walk of life that we see,” said Fracassa.
In addition, he said the Wellness Connection was founded in Rhode Island by retired NBA player Cuttino Mobley and that a number of retired Boston Celtics players sit on the company’s Board of Directors in Maine. Also, Fracassa assured the council that there has never been a problem with security. “Not one of our facilities has ever had a police incident,” he said. Former Massachusetts State Sen. Guy Glodis serves as the company’s security officer. He said the building will be set back 225 feet from Route 1 and will have cameras which can be directly linked to the Police Department. Ward 4 Councillor Edward Charest asked that the company never sell recreational marijuana even if it is permitted. “I’m not looking for a condition, I’m looking for a commitment,” he said. Fracassa assured Charest that the sale of recreational marijuana would not come into play, as that market is much smaller. “At the end of the day, we’re looking to fit
into the fabric of the community, not butt heads with it,” he said. Ward 6 Councillor Barry Sinewitz asked what the projected revenue would be for the first three years, as the city would receive three percent of the income. Fracassa said he predicts the Wellness Connection could generate as much as $42 million within that period of time, adding that the company currently has 30,000 patients and conducts 1 million transactions per year. “I don’t see this bubble bursting,” said Fracassa. Jason Sidman, chief executive officer of Sanctuary Medicinals, said his company, which is planning to open at 29 Newbury St., has locations in New Hampshire, Pennsylvania and Florida. The facility would be located on a 30,000-square-foot parcel and would have 38 parking spaces. The existing building is two floors and 5,000 square feet. Sidman also said 60 percent of his products do not have tetrahydrocannabinol (THC),
the part of the cannabis plant that creates the high sensation. “We’re really a biopharmaceutical company under the guise of a medical marijuana license,” he said. Michael Allen is the security officer for Sanctuary and is also a retired police chief. Since joining the company, Allen said, he has found Sanctuary to be “extremely transparent and community oriented.” “It is truly a partnership,” he said. Sinewitz said he is concerned about dose regulation. “Human nature and abuse is what I see,” he said. In response Sidman said that his products are also available in pill form with dose options of two, five and 10 milligrams. Sinewitz also questioned the size of the property. “I don’t know how it’s designed, but that’s not a big lot,” he said. Phytotherapy has plans to open at 25 Newbury St. Attorney James Smith, representing Phytotherapy, said the company’s investors, Board of Directors and president are all Peabody residents.
Smith introduced Kenneth Gill, Phytotherapy’s security officer and a former State Police captain. “He knows every back alley and street corner in Peabody,” said Smith. Phytotherapy President Alexander Athanas said he looks forward to having his business on Route 1. “We believe there’s a bright future in this industry,” he said. In terms of security, Gill said, there are “certain things” that the State Department of Public Health requires before a facility can open. Also, he highlighted his knowledge of Peabody. “I’ve worked in this area, I know the people,” said Gill. Smith said Phytotherapy should stand out to the council as the premier applicant. He said Sanctuary would be a smaller operation and would produce fewer sales, adding that the building at 29 Newbury St. would need significant renovations. Smith also found fault with the Wellness Connection. “If your sign is 225 feet behind Route 1, it will not be seen,” he said.