IN THIS ISSUE
MOMS ON ICE
ECO-THRILLER
HARBOR LIGHT
Hockey mothers take the spotlight
Local writer releases climate-crisis novel
Historic business celebrating 40th anniversary
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NONPROFIT ORG PRSRT STD U.S. POSTAGE
PAID
MARBLEHEAD, MA PERMIT NO. 25
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NEWS FOR PEOPLE, NOT FOR PROFIT.
TM
APRIL 8, 2026
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VOLUME 4, ISSUE NO. 20
FIRST WAVE 1
Town to announce override numbers, impact this week. Page 1
2
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MARBLEHEADCURRENT.ORG
Will Abbot Library open only 3 days a week next year? Page 1
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ON SOCIAL @MHDCURRENT
judge tosses log: Wine 3 Federal 5 Police 4 Marblehead civil rights case filed Counseling Center and cheese thief
by local monk. Page 1
shares resources this Alcohol Awareness Month. Page 4
hits Crosby’s. Page 13
Five facts from this week’s Marblehead Current.
DOLLARS & SENSE
Override numbers expected this week Town Meeting looms over process BY LEIGH BLANDER With Town Meeting less than a month away, the coming days are expected to be critical for Marblehead’s budget and tax override proposals. On Monday evening, April 6, the Finance Committee was set to hold its warrant hearing, where it makes recommendations on all
Town Meeting agenda items with financial impacts. (Visit MarbleheadCurrent.org for coverage.) Select Board Chair Dan Fox told the Current on Monday that a special group of department heads has been meeting over the past week to develop a combined override figure. Fox said the intention was to present override numbers that include
all departments, including schools, at a Select Board meeting Wednesday night. Those numbers would then be subject to the School Committee’s approval at its meeting Thursday night. Both the Select Board and the School Committee have approved a multi-year, tiered approach to an override, giving voters a choice about whether — and how much — they want to restore or invest in town services.
Marblehead is facing a $7.7 million deficit, driven in part by rising trash, health care, pension and contractual costs. Last week, the Select Board and Finance Committee approved a balanced budget that includes at least 35 to 40 job cuts. That vote came before the school district cut an additional $1.5 million from its spending plan. Under the balanced budget, Abbot Public Library would be open only three days a week
Young entrepreneur spreads smiles with Good Mood Monster Cards Second-grader’s handmade creations raise hundreds for Dana-Farber BY LEIGH BLANDER In the Bull family kitchen in Marblehead, there’s a small assembly line powered mostly by markers, imagination — and a 7-year-old artist. Delaney Bull, a second-grader at Brown School, has launched her own business called Monster Friends Studio, where she creates colorful “Good Mood Monster Cards” designed to make people smile. What began as a classroom art activity has quickly turned into a creative project with a charitable mission: raising money for DanaFarber Cancer Institute. Since February, Delaney has sent out about 100 packs of cards, raising nearly $600 for the cancer center so far. Her goal is to reach $1,000 before a family friend runs the Boston Marathon later this spring. “I want people to feel happy when they get one,” Delaney said. Monsters with personality Each pack includes three handdrawn monster cards, created by Delaney with markers and laminated. The characters come in all shapes and personalities — a “Pink Punk Monster,” a “Zigzag Monster” and a mischievous “Pointy Tooth Monster,” who, according to Delaney, is “feeling red with anger.” “She’s come up with all the designs,” said Delaney’s mother, Dana. “We probably have about 20 personalities now.” MONSTER, P. 3
and would likely lose its state certification. The Council on Aging and the Recreation and Parks Department would also lose staff and services.
Override tiers
The Select Board has approved a tiered proposal for a permanent Proposition 2 1/2 tax override. The tiers include: Tier 1: Partial restore BUDGET, P. 2
DOLLARS & SENSE
Budget would cut library to three days a week BY LEIGH BLANDER
CURRENT PHOTO / LEIGH BLANDER
Delaney Bull, age 7, shows off a few of her Good Mood Monster Cards, which she creates and sells to support Dana-Farber Cancer Institute.
Leaders at the Abbot Public Library announced April 1 that it will only be open three days a week under the town’s proposed fiscal year 2027 budget. The spending plan — now approved by the Select Board and Finance Committee — cuts about $700,000 from the library. Many town leaders are proposing a Proposition 2 1/2 tax override to make up the library cuts, as well as reductions to other town and school departments. “The library is facing the largest budget cut in its 150-year history, which will have a profound effect on our staff and operations,” wrote Gary Amberik, chair of the Library Board of Trustees. “Despite these challenges, we are fully committed to keeping the library open and providing as many of our services that our patrons rely on as possible.” In March, Amberik and the library’s director, Kim Grad, warned that the town’s budget cuts would force the library to close. The new announcement was an improvement. Without an override, staffing at the library would be slashed in half, with only 8.25 fulltime employees. Other changes include: » Weekly service hours will be reduced from 52 to 24 (no evenings or Saturdays). LIBRARY, P. 3
TAX CASE
Judge dismisses suit against town involving monk BY LEIGH BLANDER On April 3, a federal judge dismissed a sweeping civil rights lawsuit against Marblehead and several town officials filed by Egypt House, an Orthodox Christian religious organization based on Conant Street. Egypt House sued claiming
that it should not have to pay property taxes because it is a religious institution. A judge in Boston’s U.S. District Court ruled Friday that the dispute must be resolved through the state tax appeal process, rather than federal court. Egypt House filed the lawsuit
in March 2025. As part of the tax appeal process, the state Appellate Tax Board ordered an inspection of the property, a step allowed under state law when determining eligibility for property tax abatements. According to the complaint, town officials and attorneys entered the property last July
to conduct the inspection and photographed several rooms. Egypt House alleged the inspection violated its constitutional rights and constituted religious discrimination. The suit asserted 17 claims, including alleged violations of the First, Fourth, Fifth and 14th
amendments, conspiracy to violate civil rights and violations of Massachusetts state law. But the judge ruled that most of those claims fundamentally challenge the town’s tax assessment process — something federal courts are MONK, P. 3
BLACK CYAN MAGENTA YELLOW
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