06.28.23 - Volume 1, Issue 31

For some, fight for funding goes on

Millions in unused money seen as quick fix after override fails

BY LEIGH BLANDER

With the failure of the $2.5 million override last week, some parents and residents are determined to find other ways to fund the schools and town next year and prevent the loss of more than 30 positions and several programs that have been cut.

FeSTIVAL KICKOFF

Pink slips were sent out to affected teachers and staff on June 23. Freshman sports have been canceled for next year.

“I personally feel that we have to continue to advocate for what our kids need,” said Sarah Magazine-Yount, who has two young children in Marblehead schools. “There’s a lot of energy

» New Select Board to prioritize transparency, planning. Page 12

in the parent community to get engaged. There’s been a little bit of a wake-up call.”

Resident Jim Zisson believes

the town should take another look at its finances, specifically the $3.1 million in unused funds in the FY23 health insurance budget, along with an unexpected additional $500,000 in free cash certified this spring by the state Department of Revenue.

“I think it’s incumbent to

Hundreds turn out for annual champagne reception at Fort Sewall

BY LEIGH BLANDER

It’s a quintessential summer event in Marblehead — the Festival of Arts champagne reception at Fort Sewall, kicking off a celebration of art, live music, literature and community. More than 450 people came out Sunday evening.

“It represents the start of summer,” said Heather Henlotter of Marblehead, who was there with her family. She was sporting a large hat with pink flowers, to compete in the event’s traditional hat contest.

“It’s so fun to run into people you know and sample food from the local restaurants,” she added.

Matt Arnold and Holly Cameron came decked out in their hats, too. Arnold was wearing a summer bowler from the 1920s, and Cameron donned a matching red-white-and-blue hat with a small decorative lobster attached. The couple won the hat contest back in 2019.

“The champagne reception is one of my favorite things about living in Marblehead,” Cameron said.

The couple, who are professional singers, will be performing at a Crocker Park concert on July 3.

The winner of the hat contest was announced midway through the

FROM THe FOun DeRS

go back and look at those numbers,” he said. “Can we solve all the problems with it? No. Are there some specific things on the school and town side to look at? For one, freshman sports. Also, do we want to hire one firefighter this

FeSTIVAL OF ARTS

Diverse and talented lineup will take stage Headliners plan to mix it up

BY KRIS OLSON

A hometown hero. Two takes on country music. A funky Fourth. An operatic anthem.

If you were to take in the talents of all 16 acts — more than 100 musicians in all — slated to take the Crocker Park stage over the course of four nights and three days during the Marblehead Festival of Arts, you would get a crash course in a wide range of styles, inevitably encountering some favorites while also discovering something new.

That diversity is by design, says Brian Wheeler, back for yet another year as chair of the Performing Arts Festival, who is wrapping up his “reign” as the Marblehead Chamber of Commerce’s Person of the Year.

Even if the acts themselves are familiar, they have been encouraged to do something different at Crocker Park than they might do on stages elsewhere. For example, folk-pop performer Hayley Reardon, who is happy to be home for a summer of recording after

A year of fostering civic engagement

BY WILLIAM J. DOWD

Every time the Select Board mentions letters from residents who are stepping forward to fill board vacancies they discovered through the Marblehead Current, I know, in some small way, we have been helpful.

Similarly, when I sit on the stage in Veterans Middle

School’s auditorium during Town Meeting and voters cite a Current article that helped them understand a warrant article, I feel a fulfillment of our purpose.

When a resident sends a letter to the editor in response to another letter writer, I get a sense of humble satisfaction.

These are gentle nods at the civic role that we play and the

Staffed by journalists and editors with years of Marbleheadspecific reporting and institutional memory, the Current offers readers context and nuance, two attributes that are so often missing from news stories these days.

public service that we offer at the Current. In carrying out this crucial role over the past year, we have had the privilege

of informing Marbleheaders about important issues and decision-making processes. Our nonprofit newspaper, both

online and print, has aimed to encourage residents to become more civically engaged in their community.

This brings us to an important point: An informed citizenry is vital to a functioning democracy. Independent and local journalism plays a key role in a

CURRENT PHOTO / LEIGH BLANDER Eleanor Fisher won a first prize in the hat contest.

FESTIVAL, P. A11

Hunting for treasure at TROVE

BY MELISSA STACEY

The following is an interview with Jack Davidson, owner of TROVE at 96 Washington St. in Marblehead, conducted by Discover Marblehead. To learn more about the store and its unique antiques, art and garden treasures, go to trovenorthshore.com.

Tell us about TROVE and why you opened the store. I had a long and satisfying career in architecture in my home city of Philadelphia but have always had a passion for art and humancreated objects.

For me, these items evoke time and place, history, culture, craft and of course, beauty. I wanted to create a space to share unique and curated pieces somewhere on the east coast. Originally, I thought that place might be Maine, but I couldn’t find a space that fit my needs.

A friend recommended I look at the North Shore of

The Current welcomes submissions (150-200 words) to News in Brief. Send yours to info@ marbleheadnews.org.

Fourth of July Horribles Parade

The 2023 Horribles Parade will step off July 4 at 10 a.m. at National Grand Bank, 91 Pleasant St., and follow its customary route, ending back at the bank. The parade is sponsored by Gerry #5 V.F.A, in collaboration with NGB. Register for the parade at the Gerry #5, 210 Beacon St., on Monday, July 3, 6 p.m.-8 p.m., or on the day of the parade at the NGB parking lot 8:30 a.m.-9:30 a.m. For more information, contact Carol McHugh at 781-2540751 or Joan Champlin at 781-631-3264. The rain date is Sunday, July 9.

Fourth of July trash, recycling schedule

The Marblehead Board of Health has announced a revised trash and recycling collection schedule due to the Fourth of July. Collections will be

Massachusetts. That’s when I found Marblehead, loved it and bought the building at 96 Washington St. I spent quite a bit of time renovating the space, then opened TROVE at the end of 2022.

In my store, you can buy antiques and garden accents, including beautiful furniture, one-of-a-kind objects, paintings, original art posters and decorative collectibles.

What is the best piece of business advice you’ve ever received? The best piece of

delayed by one day throughout the week following the holiday. The modified schedule will see Monday’s trash and recycling collected on July 3, Tuesday’s on July 5, Wednesday’s on July 6, Thursday’s on July 7 and Friday’s on July 8.

Also, the transfer station will not be open Tuesday, July 4.

Marblehead Museum wins honor

The Marblehead Museum and Historical Society has been given an Award of Excellence for its work, “The Diverse History of Marblehead: A Research and Dissemination Project” by the American Association for State and Local History.

The project includes online digital resources; a database of Black and Indigenous individuals along with people of color who lived in Marblehead; public programs and collaborations with community organizations. The project shares the previously-untold stories of BIPOC who

business advice I received is to follow my own instincts and stay the course with my vision.

What is your favorite spot in Marblehead? Marblehead is the perfect combination of both natural and man-made beauty. As a very visually-oriented man, I am drawn to the varied pleasures of seeing hidden paths and corners, beaches and coves, and big view vantage points and historic structures with their gardens.

What is something people would be surprised to learn

lived and worked in town. Check it out at marbleheadmuseum.org.

Meet with State Rep. Armini

Marblehead State Rep. Jenny Armini will visit the Council on Aging on Thursday, July 27, at 11:30 a.m.

Citizen Police Academy

The Marblehead Police Department, in collaboration with the Council on Aging, is accepting applications for its eighth Citizen Police Academy. The fall session, which runs from September 8 through November 3, will be held every Friday from 9 a.m.noon at the Council on Aging, 10 Humphrey St.

Participants will also have the opportunity to visit the Marblehead Police station and the Michael Ruane Judicial Center in Salem.

Interested Marblehead residents who are at least 18 years old can apply. However, class size is limited and applicants are required to attend all sessions and submit to a

about you? Folks definitely seem surprised to learn that TROVE is my first such endeavor; that I didn’t move the store from elsewhere and have, in fact, been practicing architecture all my life until now!

The business spotlight is a weekly feature published in partnership with Discover Marblehead. Discover Marblehead is dedicated to the promotion 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.

Criminal Offender Record Information (CORI) check. Applications will be accepted until the class is full. Learn more at bit.ly/46kKAwD.

Volunteer opportunities

Marblehead has announced volunteer opportunities on several of its appointed boards and committees. Vacancies are available for the Affordable Housing Trust Fund with a one-year term, and the Marblehead Disabilities Commission with a threeyear term. Those interested should submit a letter and resume to the Select Board at Abbot Hall, 188 Washington St., or via email to wileyk@ marblehead.org. For more information, contact the Select Board’s office at 781-631-0000.

Select Board awards contracts

On June 14, the Marblehead Select Board awarded a series of contracts. Tom’s Painting and Contracting

of Marblehead received contracts for the Hobbs House garage painting and carpentry project at $23,125 and the Oko’s Exterior Paint and Carpentry project at $23,820.

» The Old Town House exterior painting project contract at $29,500 was granted to John Skouras & Co., Inc of Peabody.

» EJ USA, Inc. of Brockton was awarded the contract to supply and deliver cast iron manhole frames and covers and catch basin frames and grates for a total of $41,307. The contract for the monument restoration project at Old Burial Hill was given to Village Green Restoration of Falmouth for $10,000.

Lastly, the Grace Oliver’s railing project contract at $48,600 was awarded to Kneeland Construction Co. of Medford.

Summer Reading 2023: Find Your Voice Abbot Public Library’s summer reading program runs through Friday, August 18. Explore themed booklists recommended by librarians. A pledge to read three books is encouraged for teens, while children up to six years old can join a structured program with reading logs.

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Retired architect Jack Davidson opened TROVE last year.

Veterans School permanent substitute wins recognition award

BY CLAIRE TIPS

Marblehead Veterans Middle School permanent substitute Tracey Maag was named this year’s Marblehead recipient of the The Margaret Voss Howard Teacher Recognition on Friday, June 16. The award presentation took place in the MVMS gym during spirit day, with other teachers and students cheering Maag on.

The The Margaret Voss Howard Teacher Recognition award, in its 13th year, honors two teachers each year — one from Marblehead and one from Salem. Winners are praised for being “representative of all the excellent, dedicated teachers in the community who make a difference to children every day,” said Peg Howard, a former Marblehead and Salem teacher who created the award.

While the award is traditionally given to teachers, Maag’s nominators and others at MVMS agreed that she, while not a full-time teacher, is more than deserving. “Permanent substitute does not do justice to the multiple roles that Ms. Maag plays in our school,” wrote one person who nominated Maag. “Ms. Maag is an organizational genius.”

Another person noted, “[Ms. Maag] is unflappable and has the patience of a saint. She not only ensures that our building functions smoothly on a daily basis, but she makes such a big

impact on a positive school culture, for teachers, staff and students alike.”

Maag has worked as a permanent substitute at MVMS for 14 years. She had no teaching experience when then principal Libby Moore asked her to be the permanent substitute.

Moore “asked me to come for one year to see if I’d like it, and I’ve been here ever since,” said Maag. “I fell in love with the kids, it’s a great age group.”

Maag said her job is often chaotic, pulling her in different directions. But she wouldn’t have it any other way. “My job is like a puzzle,” she said. “I come in here and then I see how many people are out and then I just try to fit it together. I find that challenging and that’s the part that I like.”

Maag was unaware of her nomination for the award and was “thrilled” to be recognized, while also taking time to acknowledge the hard work of her colleagues.

“I was speechless and I

was bawling my eyes out up there,” said Maag. “I was totally shocked, the teachers make my job easy. I just do my job, I love my

CURRENT PHOTO / CLAIRE TIPS Tracey Maag, center, at her award ceremony with Peg Howard and Veterans School Principal Matt Fox.

Revenge of the words Literary Festival, writing contest return after COVID hiatus

BY KRIS OLSON

In some ways, 2023 was not a banner year for the written word. After all, the year has seen the rise of artificial intelligence chatbots like ChatGPT, and with them the prospect of a day where humans are no longer needed to put words together in all sorts of contexts.

Against that backdrop, the Marblehead Festival of Arts’ Literary Festival — and in particular its writing contest — offers a welcome reminder that human writers can still do a few things better than AI, like evoke emotion or share an intimate experience in a memorable and affecting way.

“All of the winners trusted their readers with very personal topics,” said author Carla Panciera, who judged the adult and student non-fiction entries in the writing contest. “They also did what good writers do: They gave us good details and let the reader experience both the situation and the emotions with them.

Author Laurie Stolarz, one of the judges in the fiction category, wondered if some of the entries were the result of writers having more time to devote to their craft during the pandemic.

“Writing can be such an escape for some, myself included,” she said. “The last three-plus years certainly provided the excuse to devote more time and energy to one’s work. I feel we saw that level of devotion in the quality of entries this year.”

Author and poet Dawn Paul, who helped judge the poetry competition, said she was happy

to see many people using the tools of poetry — line breaks, rhymes, rhythm — to make their work “go right for the heart.”

Echoing the other judges, she said that settling on winners was a difficult task.

“Many of the student poems had a surprising level of sophistication, and many adult poems had a freshness and light that was just wonderful,” she said.

Ultimately, she said she chose poems that had an interesting subject or a different take on a subject and who also really used the elements of poetry, not just create a story told in lines.

“These poets, by and large, trusted their work to stand on its own without explanation,” she said.

The Marblehead Festival of Arts received over 125 entries for the writing contest, which was open to all Massachusetts residents who are writers of fiction, nonfiction (including memoir and personal essay) and poetry.

The winners will be announced as part of the awards ceremony

custom calculator for property owners to see the impact the $2.5 million override would have had on their tax bill.

community’s fiscal, civic and political health. Several studies reveal that a local newspaper’s death erodes broader civic engagement, voter turnout and competition in state and local elections. Newspaper closures literally cost taxpayers, too, research has found.

The founding of the Current was principally driven by the goal of nurturing civic engagement. This action was a direct response to the whittling down of the Marblehead Reporter to a shadow of its former self in 2022, following Gannett’s decision to cease local reporting.

To cultivate civic engagement, we have sat through countless hours of public meetings, serving as residents’ eyes and ears. Staffed by journalists and editors with years of Marblehead-specific reporting and institutional memory, the Current offers readers context and nuance, two attributes that are so often missing from news stories these days.

And our efforts seem to be making a difference. For example, the June 20 municipal election saw a 40.5% turnout out of approximately 16,330 registered voters, which is the largest turnout for a municipal election in a decade and nearly five percentage points higher than last year.

In the weeks before Town Meeting and Election Day, we published comprehensive guides to help prepare voters before they headed out the door. Our election guide featured responses from all 27 candidates in contested races.

With the help of a member of the community, we offered a

Each of our guides leveraged partnerships that we’ve forged with civic groups and fellow news organizations, like the Marblehead League of Women Voters and MHTV, bolstering our collective ability to serve the community. These collaborations allow us to bring a wider array of perspectives and insights to our readers.

Apart from news reporting, our efforts extend to fostering civil, productive dialogue.

The Current’s opinion page has blossomed into a proper public square. In the penultimate edition before Election Day, we published nearly two full pages of letters, and that doesn’t include those that ran online and in the weeks prior.

Between the regular columns of Court Merrigan and Virginia Buckingham to guest contributors and a cornucopia of letters, this section has stimulated dialogue and encouraged the exchange of diverse perspectives.

Meanwhile, our Editorial Board’s recommendations on warrant articles mirrored how residents voted on the Town Meeting floor, an indication that some may have found our advice sound — or at least that the board had its finger on the town’s pulse.

Marblehead is changing fast, and so are we. Together, we can create a more connected and informed town. As a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, the Current relies on support from readers to make our journalism possible. We hope you will consider giving because donations of any size help advance this essential public service.

set for the Abbot Hall upper grounds on Friday, June 30, 6-7:30 p.m., and the winners will also be invited to read their winning works at 11 a.m. on the Fourth of July at the Unitarian Universalist Church of Marblehead, 28 Mugford St., which is home base for the Literary Festival.

The winners in the adult competition will receive $100, a ribbon and certificate, and a quarter-page black-and-white ad in the Marblehead Current to be donated to a local non-profit of the winner’s choice. Second place and honorable mentions in each category earns a ribbon and certificate.

In the student competition, first prize in each category will be awarded $50. All winners, including first prize, second prize and honorable mention, will receive ribbons, certificates and Abbot Public Library swag. Abbot Public Library is sponsoring the student prizes through the Library’s Carten Gallery Fund which supports the arts.

School thanks teacher

Village School sent longtime physical education teacher Gigi Breed off into retirement with a rolling rally. Breed has been a teacher for 40 years; 19 at Village, six at Gerry, five at Glover and 15 at Lower Bell. She also coached field hockey for 14 years in Marblehead. Thank you, Mrs. Breed!

As the presenting media sponsor of the Marblehead Festival of Arts, the Current will also present an inaugural Marblehead Current Best of Show Award to the one entry across all categories that demonstrates the ideals of outstanding written prose or poetry. In addition to the engraved award, the winner will receive a $100 cash prize donated by the Current.

In addition to Stolarz, Paul and Panciera, judges for the contest were this reporter (fiction) and Virginia Buckingham (nonfiction), president of the Current’s board of directors.

Abbot Public Library Director Kimberly Grad recently stepped in as Acting Chair to manage the contest and the speaker series.

“I am thrilled to be part of the Literary Festival’s relaunch after such a long absence, especially because it is such a wonderful celebration of the talent and creativity that makes Marblehead a vibrant and exciting intellectual community,” Grad said.

SPEAKERS, PANELS, WORKSHOPS

The following is a brief overview of the slate of speakers, panels and workshops set to take place at the Unitarian Universalist Church during the Literary Festival. For more information, see marbleheadfestival.org.

Saturday, July 1

Noon-1 p.m.: Author talk with Rich Rubino, “A Funny Thing Happened on the Presidential Campaign Trail”

1-2:30 p.m.: Workshop with Julianna Thibodeaux, “Is There a Memoir in You?”

3-5 p.m.: Author talk with Tui Sutherland, “Inside the Writer’s Mind: How to Write for Children”

Sunday, July 2

1-2 p.m.: Author talk with Harry Christensen and Richard Santeusanio, “Murder in Marblehead, Who Killed Beryl Atherton?”

3-4 p.m.: Political trivia with Rich Rubino

Monday, July 3

10-11 a.m.: Panel discussion: “What

Endures: Finding the Next Great Poem” with poets J.D. Scrimgeour (moderator), Kathleen Auero, Jennifer Martelli and Elisabeth Weiss

Noon-1 p.m. Author talk with Elizabeth de Veer: “The Power of Persistence: Paths to Publication”

2-3 p.m. Panel discussion: “The Changing Face of News in Marblehead” with former BBC broadcaster Rhod Sharp (moderator), Jennifer Lederman from the Marblehead Beacon, Kris Olson from Marblehead Current and Ted Grant from Marblehead Weekly News

Tuesday, July 4

11 a.m.-noon: 2023 Literary Contest winners read their works 1-2 p.m. Workshop with author Laurie Stolarz: “Where Do I Start? How Do I Keep Going?”

Laurie Stolarz

Carla Panciera

Dawn Paul

A tale of jazz and tragedy: Gatsby debuts

BY WILLIAM J. DOWD

“Be true to yourself. Money can’t buy you love. Be careful of the company you keep.” These are all axioms and ideas baked into “The Great Gatsby,” F. Scott Fitzgerald’s classic American novel, a kind of Shakespearian tragedy and a cautionary tale. And now, it’s an American musical that had its world premiere on Friday night at Marblehead Little Theatre.

Within the narrative labyrinth of “The Great Gatsby,” we follow the perspective of narrator Nick Carraway, who finds himself living in close proximity to the wealthy and enigmatic Jay Gatsby, portrayed by James White. Gatsby is set on winning Carraway’s cousin, Daisy Buchanan, played by Michelle Moran. However, Daisy is tethered to Tom Buchanan, who harbors a secret relationship with his mistress, Myrtle. When Myrtle dies, Gatsby is at the center of suspicion.

The New York Times criticat-large Wesley Morris provides an even more concise plot summary: “Gatsby meets Daisy when he’s a broke soldier and senses that she requires more prosperity, so five years later he returns as almost a parody of it. The tragedy here is the death of the heart, capitalism as an emotion. “

Starring a talented cast of actors and actresses, the musical adaptation of “The Great Gatsby” brings to life the iconic characters and themes

of the novel on stage. They are supported by a cast including Erin Anderson as the quickwitted, self-assured Jordan Baker, Keith Robinson as the moral compass Carraway, Howie Reith as the arrogant Buchanan, AJ Macrina as the desperate George Wilson, and Ariel Sargent as Myrtle Wilson.

Writer Fred Anthony Marco of Marblehead and composer Frank Schiro have done a commendable job of maintaining the essence of the novel’s original characters while also allowing for the emotive elements that musicals typically provide.

Alexandra Dietrich’s direction, David Flowers’ musical direction and Will Fafard’s choreography all blend together to retell this timeless story in an innovative way. The producers, Andrew Barnett, Steve Black and Doug Hill, have managed to faithfully recreate the world of the “Eggs”

of Long Island, immersing the audience in the excess and glamour of 1922.

From melodies of hopeful love to somber ballads of loss and regret, the performers — whether in a solo, duet or ensemble — deliver lyrics with measured control, vibrato and rich texture. The show’s company and the accompanying orchestra, which played on the second floor of the MLT, capture the energetic and hedonistic revelry of a Gatsby party and the atmosphere of the Roaring Twenties, in a stripped-back, simplistic set created by Jeremy Barnett. Present realities and past dreams clash in “I Think That Could Happen Today” when Daisy and Gatsby meet for the first time since they parted ways five years prior. Marco effectively strings lyrics that juxtapose Gatsby’s unyielding hope for a rekindled relationship

and Daisy’s reluctance to move on from the comfortable.

“Poetry is fine, Jay, but we’ve crossed a line/ It’s a different day / Our die is cast,” she sings to him. “Can’t relive the past / Sweet talk won’t wash that away / What we had was gorgeous / I will never forget / And though you glow as bright as day, our sun has long since set.” Gatsby’s gin and tonic is brimming, while Daisy’s is less than half full.

The reunion is held at Carraway’s modest cottage abutting Gatsby’s mansion. He plays an instrumental role in setting up this reunion, and it’s a tipping point of sorts, a plunge into the story’s darker second half that will end with three people dead. As the first act nears an end, Carraway steps back to reflect on his role in this emotional reunion.

“As I took my long walk in the rain that day,” Carraway tells us, “I rolled over and over in my

mind whether it was wisdom or folly to let them meet in my home.”

Robinson’s standout portrayal gives Carraway a genuine charm, the observant eye through which the audience experiences the glittering world of excess and underlying moral decay that is the backdrop to Gatsby’s tragic story.

Daisy’s song, “The Girl I Left Behind,” gives us a glimpse into her inner turmoil, her change from the girl she once was in the Midwest to the socialite she is now. In contrast to previous adaptations, this addition by Marco and Dietrich adds a layer to Daisy’s backstory that the novel only hints at. But at the end of the day, no matter how much you humanize her, there is not much to like after she pushes her shot at redemption to the side. Gatsby’s story is paralleled by Ariel Sargent’s heartbreaking portrayal of Wilson, who, like Gatsby, seeks a way out of her current life circumstances in pursuit of love, or maybe lust?

“The Great Gatsby: An American Musical” invites us to reflect on the timeless lessons and warnings found within Fitzgerald’s masterpiece. We are reminded to stay true to ourselves, to choose our associations wisely and to understand that money can never truly buy happiness or love.

All nine performances at the Marblehead Little Theatre, 12 School St., spanning from June 23 to July 2, have been sold out.

SCHEDULE AT A GLANCE

spending much of the past few years in Europe, more often than not takes the stage with just her guitar. But for her performance on the Fourth of July (6 p.m.7:30 p.m.), she will be joined on stage by the Clements Brothers — identical twins George and Charles — on guitar, bass and vocals, and Mike Harmon on drums.

Headliners also generally welcome his suggestion to invite their opening acts on stage for “one night only” collaborations, Wheeler notes.

On the first night of the festival, Saturday, July 1, a “buffet of musical styles” will be offered, Wheeler says.

That phrase could apply to the Boston-based quartet Los Sugar Kings (6 p.m.-7:30 p.m.) alone.

Known for their dynamic live performances, Los Sugar Kings blend genres, pulling from the traditions of Afro-Cuban music, salsa and rumba-flamenco but also drawing on influences from “every continent,” producing a unique roots-rock-reggae sound.

Los Sugar Kings will be followed to the stage by the Jambalaya Horns (8 p.m.-10 p.m.), whose aim is transporting audiences to the streets and stages of New Orleans with their brass-heavy funk and soul.

Sunday night, July 2, will be the “country night” portion of the Performing Arts Festival, with the country rock sounds of the Samanta Rae Band (6 p.m.7:30 p.m.) setting the table for the more honky-tonk style of country favored by Ward Hayden & The Outliers.

The Outliers have just released a new album and have been encouraged to use their first set to showcase some of those fresh songs, according to Wheeler.

Two of three members of Monday night’s opening act, now husband-and-wife Matthew Arnold and Holly Cameron, used Facebook Live during the COVID-19 pandemic lockdown period to offer an virtual version of the Ed Sullivan and Bob Hope

variety shows, what they called “Coronacabana.”

For what has been dubbed “CrockerCabana,” they will be joined on stage by jazz pianist, bandleader and composer Matt Savage for a program of operatic and Broadway hits along with American Songbook classics. The trio will be followed to the stage by the Compaq Big Band. Founded in 1975, the band’s sound — generated by a “cookin’” rhythm section and 14 horns — may be classic but is “as relevant as it ever was,” Wheeler says. If the skies cooperate, it will be hard to know where to look during the Compaq Big Band’s performance. Not only will the stage be teeming with 19 musicians, but Wheeler has

outdone himself, “booking” a full moon to hover above center stage, adding to the visual stimulation.

The Fourth itself will feature not only the aforementioned performance by Reardon but, as usual, the proceedings will be wrapped around the harbor illumination and fireworks.

So, funky soul group Mica’s Groove Train will take the stage at 8 p.m. but then pull into the station around 8:55 p.m. so that Shea Mavros can offer an operatic take on the National Anthem, and then Marblehead teen Fiona Barr, the youngest winner of the Festival logo contest, will countdown to the start of the fireworks display. While that is a quick rundown

of the evening sessions, the afternoons offer some treats as well, including performances by tomorrow’s stars from the School of Rock in Wakefield (Saturday) and the Marblehead School of Music (Tuesday).

Wheeler says he is also excited to welcome to the Crocker Park stage Andover native Lauren Mahoney (Sunday, 1 p.m.), the winner earlier this year of the highly competitive Seabrook Idol Contest.

For the 21st year, the Performing Arts Festival will not just be a community celebration but serve as a “live classroom,” with high school and college student interns from the local area and beyond getting hands-on experience in transforming a park into a performance venue.

At this point the stage literally has been set, and all that remains is for the weather to cooperate.

“I jokingly say that I put all of my karma for the year in the bank for these four nights and

Here is the schedule of performances 57th Performing Arts Festival at Crocker Park, part of the Marblehead Festival of Arts:

SATURDAY, JULY 1

Noon-1:30 p.m. School of Rock Wakefield (rock)

2 p.m.-3:30 p.m. Lynn Music Foundation – Keep Moving Forward (rap/hip hop)

6 p.m.-7:30 p.m. Los Sugar Kings – (Afro/Cuban/roots/ rock/reggae) 8 p.m.-10:30 p.m. Jambalaya Horns (New Orleans funk ‘n’ soul/ska/jazz)

SUNDAY, JULY 2

Noon-12:45 p.m. Mojo Men (teen classic rock)

1 p.m.-1:30 p.m. Lauren Mahoney (pop and standards)

2 p.m.-3:30 p.m. Shy Band (classic rock and pop)

6 p.m.-7:30 p.m. Samantha Rae Band (country rock)

8 p.m.-10:30 p.m. Ward Hayden & The Outliers (honkytonk country)

MONDAY, JULY 3 (FULL MOON)

6 p.m.-7:30 p.m. Cameron, Arnold & Savage – “Crockercabana” (opera/show tunes/ standards)

8 p.m.-10:30 p.m. Compaq Big Band (big band standards)

TUESDAY JULY 4

Noon-1 p.m. Marblehead School of Music (various)

2 p.m.-3:30 p.m. True North (classic rock)

6 p.m.-7:30 p.m. Hayley Reardon (folk/pop) 8 p.m.-

10:30 p.m.* Mica’s Groove Train (funky soul)

8:55 p.m.** Shea Mavros (opera, National Anthem)

*With break for harbor illumination and fireworks countdown from Crocker Park stage with Festival logo winner Fiona Barr

three days,” Wheeler says. Wheeler encourages you to pack your picnic basket, bring your low-back chair or blanket, and put the politics on the shelf and join your friends and neighbors at Crocker Park.

“No aisles, just smiles,” he says.

CURRENT PHOTO / WILLIAM J. DOWD

The cast of ‘The Great Gatsby: An American Musical’ takes a bow on opening night on June 23.

COURTESY PHOTO/JULIE LIEBISCH On the Fourth of July, you will have the opportunity to hear Marblehead’s own Hayley Reardon as you may have never heard her before — backed by a band.

Sunday night at Crocker Park will be ‘country night’ with performances by Ward Hayden & The Outliers and the Samantha Rae Band.

Brian Wheeler, the Marblehead Chamber of Commerce’s 2022 Person of the Year, is back at the helm of the Performing Arts portion of the Marblehead Festival of Arts.

Ward Hayden

Pride, not prejudice

As Pride Month draws to a close, we have much to celebrate, but we also recognize the need to avoid complacency. Early this month, ‘Headers came together at Abbot Hall to welcome in the month with speeches, comradery and the now annual raising of the pride flag.

As we previously reported, one of the featured speakers recounted her need to flee Marblehead decades ago as an openly gay and young adult who was finding herself shamed and ridiculed in public, only to return 39 years later to find her hometown had become a welcoming community where she can find happiness.

And our police chief reaffirmed his department’s commitment to protecting LGBTQ+ individuals who live, work and visit Marblehead. There was the reading by a Select Board member of a proclamation that committed Marblehead to fostering acceptance, preventing discrimination based on sexual orientation or gender identity and celebrating the town’s LGBTQ+ community, two Village Street Middle School students read poems, and the high school’s a cappella group sang a song — all to much applause and cheers.

Applause and cheers are, indeed, warranted. LGBTQ+ individuals can now walk the streets of Marblehead with their heads held high, not needing to live a secret life of lies to avoid confrontation by fellow citizens who lack the willingness and ability to understand that being different from themselves is normal, not something to fear.

But let us not allow ourselves to think that there is no cause for concern. Earlier this month and down the road apiece, in the town of Burlington, a group of middle school students tore down gay pride decorations and shouted that their pronouns are “U.S.A.” And across our nation there are many citizens committed to attacking the LGBTQ+ community and all aspects of diversity, equity and inclusion.

Here in Marblehead, we are confronting the recent controversy between the openly gay owner of a preschool program and the elders of the Grace Church, where his business had been located, all as the result of his placing pride flags in window boxes and having them then removed by members of the church, resulting in a silent protest across the street from the church on the following Sunday.

And earlier this month, Veterans Middle School parents were notified by its principal of a personal attack on one of his teachers who was named and tagged in an anonymous post on a local social media page over a lesson on sexual identity.

We endorse the heartfelt words spoken by School Superintendent Buckey at the June 3 celebration at Abbot Hall: “The work of diversity, equity and inclusion is a process. It’s not a single event. We applaud the progress we’ve made, reflect on the challenges that remain and recommit to the difficult work required to achieve our shared goals.”

And so, while there is much reason to celebrate how far we have come, not only in Marblehead, but across the state and much of our nation, we must not take for granted these strides. Rather we must remain vigilant to ensure that gains made are not allowed to be swept away.

Our Marblehead LGBTQ+ community deserves nothing less.

LeTTeRS POLICY

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e V eRYTHInG WILL Be OKAY

Who can you trust?

BY VIRGINIA BUCKINGHAM

I often wonder what future generations will make of this era in American history. Just as we reflect back on the Civil Rights era, the Greatest Generation, the Great Depression, the Roaring ’20s, what will be said of our time?

We are in a time period of profound mistrust. Others might call this era the “age of anxiety” — even the “age of anger.” But at the root of the rage and angst is a lack of trust — in our civic institutions, in the rule of law, the media, in our economic future and in each other.

No matter where you turn, it seems there is no trusted ground on which to plant your two feet next to your neighbors. Yet, for communities to be effective, mutual trust is the first step of building bridges between diverse viewpoints and pursuing a shared vision.

The public relations giant Edelman has been tracking trends around trust for more than 20 years. They call their findings the “Trust Barometer,” and leaders devour its report each January as if it’s a forecast of their own survival — and maybe it is.

In 2023, similar to the past few years, Edelman found government and media to be the source of the most distrust.

One’s own employer was deemed to be the most trustworthy. Given the recent bank crisis, the uncertainty of the impact of AI, job insecurity — heck, the state of the Social Security trust fund and one’s own 401k — that seems a mighty slippery rock on which to gain a foothold.

Even more concerning, we know distrust drives polarization. The Edelman survey findings on that score were startling — just 30 percent of those surveyed said they would help someone who disagreed with their point of view; only 20 percent would choose to live near them, and a mere 20 percent would work with them. Those numbers, collected globally, should scare us in terms of the future of our planet as much as climate change does.

A Stanford University center focused on social innovation noted in a review, “Trusted institutions are grease in the social machine.” And further, “Without trust, societies are at risk of chaos and conflict. They are less likely to create and invent.”

So where and how do we begin to rebuild trust?

The Stanford center suggests several steps for governments to take, including continuous improvement of the day-to-day execution of services, intentionally developing a pipeline of future leaders, practicing radical transparency, finding ways for

citizens to be part of the solution and — perhaps most importantly — acknowledge there is a problem of trust in the first place.

That all makes sense. But how do we build trust with those with whom we have nothing in common, or fundamentally disagree?

I hear almost every day from otherwise openhearted people, “Oh, he or she is a Trumper,” as if that renders that person unworthy of engaging with at all. And Massachusetts isn’t some progressive groupthink nirvana where our neighbors are monolithic in their viewpoints, for which I am deeply grateful. Without diverse thought, there is no hope of creativity and forward progress.

A Pew research poll offered some hope. In it, 72 percent of those polled thought it was possible to improve the level of confidence Americans have in each other. When pressed on what specific actions an individual could take, one respondent summed it up this way: “Each one of us must reach out to others. Even people who are the same, but unknown to you, an individual may distrust. It takes interaction with people face to face to realize that we do all inhabit this space and have a vested interest in working together to make it a successful, safe and environmentally secure place to live. No man is an island.”

I recently participated in a leadership experience called Inner View, which involved, at first, sitting still — absolutely silent — in front of a camera for one minute. My image and that of the other nine people in the room were projected one at a time on a large screen. We knew nothing about each other, our backgrounds, our political preferences, our daily lives. We were asked to start from stillness and “no thing” and experience what was coming toward us, rather than focusing on what we were projecting.

I have much more to process about the impact of Inner View, but this one insight is worth sharing in the context of building trust. Looking at the images of these strangers, I was struck by our shared humanity. I knew nothing about them other than that. They were fellow humans. It sounds simplistic. And true. Yet I trusted them enough to allow them to stare at me sitting silently on a huge screen, entirely vulnerable. And they me. Perhaps, we can just try harder to recognize our shared humanity as a first step in building trust in our own communities.

Who can you trust? Sometimes the hardest questions have the simplest answers.

Virginia Buckingham is the president of the Marblehead Current’s board of directors. Her column appears weekly.

You are safe with me

Supporting the LGBTQ community with facts

BY JAMES GIESSLER, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR/CEO

NAGLY, based in Salem, serves kids and teens in Marblehead and across the North Shore with programming, resources and supports. Learn more at nagly.org.

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.

“Democracy dies in darkness,” the Washington Post balefully declared on its masthead in 2017. On introducing the slogan — the first in the paper’s history — the Post’s owner Jeffrey P. Bezos said, “Certain institutions have a very important role in making sure that there is light.”

The LGBTQ+ community is desperate for light. Disinformation campaigns are targeting our community and making us fear for our rights and, increasingly, our lives. As of 2020, approximately one out of every five hate crimes committed in the U.S. was motivated by anti-LGBTQ+ bias, according to the U.S. Department of Justice.

We can have differences of opinions. We can argue and debate issues and perspectives. But there

are not two sides to facts. And the facts, according to the Trevor Project’s 2023 U.S. National Survey on the Mental Health of LGBTQ Young People, are that “antiLGBTQ victimization contributes to the higher rates of suicide risk reported by LGBTQ young people.”

At NAGLY our mission is to honor, respect, educate and empower GLBTQ youth. We are also bound to protect them — difficult to do when we are overwhelmed with misinformation and worse. Earlier this month, LGBTQ+ advocacy groups the Human Rights Campaign and GLAAD announced the creation of

a coalition of more than 10,000+ New York Times readers from all 50 states demanding that the Times stop printing irresponsible misinformation about trans people, meet with trans community leaders and hire trans writers and editors.

The New York Times is getting it wrong in an ill-informed attempt at reporting “both sides.” There are no “sides” to facts. There are no “sides” to truth, especially when one of those sides is threatening the lives of LGBTQ+ youth. Why are we even having this conversation? It should be so

Philip Ashton: The town’s Robinson Crusoe

BY PAM PETERSON

In the early 1700s, pirates were a menace along the coast of the American colonies. From New England through the Carolinas and into the Caribbean Sea they roamed, searching for treasure. One of the most famous and feared pirates was Ned Low.

A cruel and evil man, Low plundered, killed and kidnapped his way up and down the coast, seemingly unstoppable.

One fine day in the 1720s, Low was doing his nasty work off the coast of Nova Scotia, capturing fishing vessels and merchant ships. He had already taken 12 vessels when he came upon the fishing schooner Mary, owned by Joseph Doliber of Marblehead. It was a Sunday morning, and by tradition, fishing vessels known as “Sunday keepers,” like the Mary, did not work. Low’s pirate ship sailed close, attacked and boarded the Mary. The prize that Low sought was men for his crew. Low had one peculiarity when it came to taking crew members. Though he had no qualms about killing men who were fathers of young children at home, he would not take them as crew members. He only captured unmarried men.

The Mary was quickly and easily captured, since like most fishing schooners she carried little in the way of weapons. Low took charge and renamed her the Fancy. He released most of the crew and sent them off in one of his discarded ships. The six remaining single men were given a choice: they could either become pirates or die. All reluctantly agreed to become pirates. Philip Ashton of Marblehead was one of the six men, and his story is remarkable.

Ashton was 19 years old in 1722 when he was captured. He had no desire to be a pirate, but he did not want to die either. Phillip was an unwilling pirate for

Stand with Grace Community Church

To the editor:

The response to recent events at Grace Community Church has been disappointing (apart from Beth Wheeler’s letter). When a community such as LGBTQ+ individuals have suffered discrimination and hatred over the years, it is natural enough to see hatred behind events. We must all support the rights of LGBTQ+ people to be respected and live unthreatened in our town. On the other hand, the removal of the unauthorized pride flags was surely within the church’s rights as the property owner. Given their statement that as a rule they allow no displays, we ought not to simply assume that hatred must be the reason. I hope all of us can try to think the best, rather than the worst, about others, although I certainly don’t claim that I consistently live up to this standard.

As a selectman years ago, I occasionally heard citizens

about eight months. He worried constantly about being killed by Low or being hung as a pirate if the ship was captured. During this time, the ship had made its way south and finally came into Caribbean waters.

One day the ship stopped at a small uncharted island to take on fresh water. Several men were sent ashore to fill wooden kegs with water. Ashton volunteered to be among them, and they rowed to the island to look for a natural spring. Ashton waited for his opportunity, and as soon as he could he ran away from the group and hid in the jungle. The crew searched for him for a long time, but finally had to return to the ship. Low was furious. He sailed back and forth around the island for five days, hoping to catch sight of Ashton, so that they could either recapture or kill him. Finally, they sailed away, with Low consoling himself that though he may have escaped, Ashton was marooned; doomed to die alone on a deserted island.

Once the excitement of being free wore off, Ashton realized he

ascribe motives to me incorrectly. As a homeowner, I have removed small American flags that someone placed in my lawn without asking permission, but I certainly don’t think I’m anti-American.

When vandalism followed the publicity given to the flag removal, that should have become the focus of our concern. So at this juncture, people of good will should stand with Grace Community Church in their right to live and worship freely and peaceably according to the dictates of their consciences and beliefs without fear of hatred, prejudice or attacks.

I am writing on my own behalf, not as a representative of any of the organizations of which I am a member.

John E. Whipple Atlantic Avenue

Weighing in on pride flag controversy

To the editor: To my beloved community, I’ve been reading comments

important part of making sure our community is safe.

was not in great shape. He had a hard time on the island. He did have fresh water and fruits to eat. But he had no weapon and no fire to cook food, or to signal to other ships. His feet were cut and bleeding. As most seamen did, he went barefoot aboard ship and did not bring along any shoes to go ashore. Running over shells and rocks on the island as he escaped, he had cut his feet badly. Some of his wounds became infected, and he was sick and feverish. During this time Ashton became confused, lost track of time and was very low in spirit.

After nine months alone, Ashton had a visitor. A man came by canoe to the island, a Spaniard who made his living traveling among the small islands. Ashton never knew his name. The man stayed for a few days and when he left, he gave Ashton a knife and powder and flint to make a fire and promised to return. He never did. Whether the man was lost at sea or never intended to return is unknown. But Ashton was in much better condition after his visitor left,

from community members about the Pleasant Street Preschool and their landlord, the Grace Community Church, pertaining to the removal of pride flags placed by the prechool’s owner, Michael Richmond. It breaks my heart to see this escalating. I hope the following may be useful in some way.

For 40 years, I ran a business in this community where I actively set an example and rallied for inclusivity in all I did. I am, to my core, an ally. I was also both a tenant and landlord across those 40 years and, in both capacities, made many missteps. What I ultimately learned is that communication is key. As a tenant, whether for a single-day event or years on end, I learned to treat the properties I leased as my own with the huge caveat that it was not my property. I had limitations on what I could and couldn’t do with any kind of signage. I had show posters ripped down from the high school (now middle school)’s theater lobby for a show I had paid to hold there. At the time, I took it very personally. It wasn’t personal; it

for now he could hunt and cook his food. His wounds had healed, and he could move about to explore and observe his surroundings. Then his luck really improved when he found an abandoned canoe on the other side of the island.

Ashton took his small canoe and traveled to the island of Roatan, off the coast of Honduras. Ashton stayed there alone for seven months. Then in June of 1724, two large vessels of English-speaking men came to the island. Ashton watched silently until he was sure that these men were not pirates, and then he came out of hiding. The sailors were startled and amazed by Ashton’s appearance. His clothing was almost gone, his hair and beard were long and unkempt, and his voice hoarse from lack of speaking.

was (then) policy.

And so I learned. While a tenant, I was frequently approached by folks running for office or heading an event requesting I place signs in or around the building. Though I was often 100% on board with their cause, I had to explain it was not my building/property, and I, therefore, had to deny their request.

In the following years when I became a landlord, I was often pulling down signage in and outside of my building when a tenant posted items without permission. Many of these items I would have approved. They just needed to ask.

I get it. The Grace Community Church members’ actions in removing the pride flags can appear discriminatory. Maybe it is. Or maybe it’s as simple as it is their property and permission wasn’t sought. I understand there are other issues. They may seem insurmountable for this landlord/tenant relationship. I’ve been there, too. My wish here is that the community take a beat, support Michael in his search for new space and allow the church

But the men rescued him and took him with them. They listened with great curiosity to Ashton’s story, asking many questions. They kept him safe until they met up with a ship bound for Salem.

Philip Ashton signed on to the ship and worked his passage home to Marblehead. He arrived two years, 10 months and 15 days after he had been captured by pirates. His family was amazed and delighted when he walked through the door of his family home at 95 Elm St. It was as if he had come back from the dead. The whole town of Marblehead was fascinated by his story, and Parson John Barnard helped Ashton to tell the tale, publishing a book in 1725, called “The Strange Adventures and Deliverances of Philip Ashton of Marblehead.”

folk to maintain their property as they see fit.

I wish you all peace, support for your beliefs, patience with your neighbors and a very happy pride.

Beth Wheeler Cloutman’s Lane

‘A fabulously successful spring gala’

To the editor:

Thank you to the Abbot Public Library Foundation (APLF) directors for a fabulously successful spring gala on Friday, June 16, which raised over $175,000 toward a $2 million campaign for technology enhancements and infrastructure maintenance for the library’s permanent location at 235 Pleasant Street. Thank you to everyone for the generous contributions!

APLF president EuRim Chun and the gala planning committee including vice president Meryl Thompson, treasurer Laurie Flowers, secretary Maeve Rice

simple: We should be fighting hate wherever we see it or hear it or experience it. We should be combating misinformation, not spreading it. Having a local independent nonprofit news organization committed to bringing accuracy and fairness to the issues we care about is an

Pride Month was recognized after the Stonewall uprising on June 28 in 1969, a result and response to constant harassment of gay men and women in what they thought were safe spaces for them. These days of protests sparked the gay rights movement. What began in violence and hate ended in a celebration of our community,

progress of a sort. This progress was evident during the recent pride flag raising ceremony at Abbot Hall and locations all over the North Shore. Young and old, gay and straight, cis and trans, and people of every color of the rainbow celebrate at these events to show their support as allies with our community.

The Trevor Project report concluded, “The fact that very simple things — like support

from family and friends, seeing LGBTQ representation in media and having your gender expression and pronouns respected — can have such a positive impact on the mental health of an LGBTQ young person is inspiring, and it should command more attention in conversations around suicide prevention and public debates around LGBTQ inclusion.”

These are the facts that need

to be shared. Loud and proud support from family, friends, educators, faith communities and community leaders helps save lives.

The irony is that despite the prevalence of unique challenges, barriers to care and relentless political attacks, LGBTQ young people find ways to remain hopeful and resilient.

As do we, their friends, allies and protectors.

COURTESY PHOTO / MARBLEHEAD HISTORICAL COMMISSION

The Ashton family house at 95 Elm St. built circa 1715.

Pirate Ed Low’s route from ‘At the Point of a Cutlass’ by Greg Fleming, 2014

O’Connell makes impressive debut on national stage

Running star finishes ninth in freshman 2-mile

BY JOE McCONNELL

Marblehead High School

freshman running star Marri O’Connell represented the Magicians quite well during the annual New Balance National spring high school track meet at Philadelphia’s Franklin Field on June 16.

O’Connell ended up running her second fastest 2-mile ever to finish ninth overall in the freshman race in 11:19.25. The three-day event was hosted by the University of Pennsylvania from June 15-18.

According to MHS coach William Herlihy, O’Connell got to historic Franklin Field on Friday morning, June 16, the day of the race, with some nerves. But after her normal warmups, she transformed those nerves into excitement.

Unfortunately, about an hour before her race a thunderstorm rolled over Philadelphia, which delayed the meet by nearly four hours. Instead of racing at 10:59 a.m., she finally got on the track at 2:36 p.m.

“Marri eventually took the lead on the first lap, as she’s done nearly all season long,” Herlihy said. “But it was not that easy. It took her a couple of laps to settle into a rhythm, but when she found her stride, she was credited with a 5:33 first-mile split. She then held on as best as she could in the second mile, before closing out the final lap in 80 seconds to come in ninth overall.”

Herlihy added that there are many factors that make a race like this more challenging than most.

“The first one is the level of competition, and then it’s the venue itself, plus the length of the season, with this race

coming two full weeks after her last race,” Herlihy said. “But Marri still rose to the occasion to prove that she belonged on this stage with the other elite freshmen in the country.”

After crossing the Franklin Field finish line, O’Connell officially closed out the first chapter of her high school running story. It was a chapter full of accolades and successes, but not without its difficulties and obstacles, said Herlihy, who is also her cross-country coach.

“But Marri was able to overcome all of them with aplomb,” Herlihy said. “It was a rookie season that will not soon be forgotten. The future is very bright for this young

superstar. She’ll now take a short break before turning her attention toward summer training for the cross-country season this fall.”

Elizabeth Trant (10:50.01), Lauren Virmani of Tennessee’s Clarksville High School (10:55.66), Jazzlyn Garmer of Cosey Elite High School in Knoxville, Tennessee (10:57.51), Shannon Zugelder (11:05.19), Eleanor Barco (11:09.36), Isabel Mahoney (11:11.14), Katelyn O’Brien (11:17.18) and Bailee Montgomery of Louisville (11:18.26) were the only national participants who finished ahead of O’Connell in the freshman 2-mile earlier this month.

Senior Mariners trek to Maine for weekend tourney

BY JOE McCONNELL

The U-19 MarbleheadSwampscott Mariners started the District 8 American Legion baseball season with three away games the week of June 12. The Mariners then defeated Haverhill at Seaside, but lost to Peabody at St. John’s Prep.

Last weekend, they headed to Maine to participate in the Firecracker Sports Lighthouse Classic Tournament at Old Orchard Beach, playing in the U-18/U-19 Division.

“We got off to a tough start,” said coach Kent Wheeler. “Even though Friday was a perfect day for baseball, it was not our day. We spotted the Bases Loaded Bulldogs out of Vermont six runs in the first inning and ended up losing, 11-0.”

The Mariners bounced back the next day behind another great outing from pitcher Ian Maude. Maude, coming off of a sensational high school season for the Magicians, pitched a complete game, allowing just two runs on three hits. He

fanned eight. His teammates scored four in the second and never looked back after that offensive explosion to beat the Zone Select Team out of Worcester, 8-2.

Ben Milner helped pace the offensive attack with two hits while also making a great catch in leftfield, according to Wheeler.

The Mariners then played a doubleheader on Sunday. They

fell to the Maine Sluggers in the opener, 4-2, before the 603 Bandits shut them down, 4-0.

“We could not buy a hit in the doubleheader,” said Wheeler. “But our defense and pitching continued to be outstanding.

The veteran Marblehead coach added, “Milner had a solid outing on the mound, despite taking the loss in the first game. He went five innings giving up three runs on three hits, while striking out seven. Bodie Bartram pitched the last two innings. In the second game, Quinn Hitchcock pitched the entire game, giving up the four runs on just six hits. He fanned five.”

Brooks Keefe led the offense in game two going a perfect two-for-two against the Bandits. He was credited with five hits in nine at-bats throughout the weekend tournament. Will Roddy chipped in with four hits in the tournament and made an incredible catch at the right-field wall. Milner accounted for three hits in Maine.

The Mariners have since returned home to prep for

visiting Newburyport on June 27 after press deadline. Methuen then comes to Seaside tonight (June 28) for a 6 p.m. game against the Mariners.

On Friday, the local nine will take on Leominster at Beverly High School in the first game of the Bill Lowd/Doc Ryan American Legion Baseball Weekend Invitational, which includes a game at Seaside on July 3 against Colorado.

The 2023 U-19 Mariners senior roster consists of Bodie Bartram, David Bartram, Tyler Chiarello, Quinn Fitzpatrick, Quinn Hitchcock, Brooks Keefe, Matt Mahan, Ian Maude, Jake McGonagle, Ben Milne, Will Roddy, Charlie Sachs, Riley Schmitt, Stef Shepard, Clark Wheeler, Drew Whitman, Drake Wyman and E.J. Wyman.

The U-17 Mariners are playing in the first annual Post 57 American Legion Baseball Classic at Forest Avenue Park in Swampscott on July 1-2. Sandwich, Beverly and Colorado will provide the opposition.

COURTESY PHOTOS

Marblehead High School freshman running sensation Marri O’Connell poses with her New Balance swag bag during the shoe company’s national spring high school track meet in Philadelphia earlier this month. O’Connell finished ninth overall in the freshman 2-mile race.

Marri O’Connell eyes the finish line in the freshman 2-mile during the annual New Balance national spring high school track meet at Philadelphia’s Franklin Field on June 16.

LeGIOn BASeBALL

CURRENT PHOTO/NICOLE GOODHUE-BOYD

Ian Maude led the U-19 Marblehead-Swampscott Mariners to a win in the Firecracker Sports Lighthouse Classic Tournament at Old Orchard Beach last weekend.

Marblehead HS student honored in NPR contest for work on trans rights

BY LEIGH BLANDER

“Surreal.”

That’s how 17-year-old Dylan McDonald describes what it was like to hear his podcast, “Trans Kids in America,” playing on National Public Radio last week.

“I felt really proud,” he told the Current. “It was cool. And my mom was super, super excited.”

McDonald’s eight-minute podcast, an assignment for his Marblehead High School English class, was named one of 13 finalists out of 3,300 submissions in the NPR Student Podcast Challenge.

McDonald is a trans teen and his podcast (his first ever) examines the recent surge in bans on gender-affirming health care in states across the country. He says there’s a lot of misinformation about what gender-affirming care really is.

“Some people think it’s all surgical or hormonal,” he said. “The care is mostly therapy. It’s very rare for anyone to get to surgery without a lot of therapy.”

McDonald is critical of laws that require mental health care providers to tell parents if their kids are identifying as a different gender.

“The mental health care restrictions can be really dangerous to kids who are already vulnerable,” he said.

“Kids like me are why we need to fight these anti-trans bills,” he says in the podcast. “Nobody should be stripped of their health care and bodily autonomy.”

From P. A7

and director John Donovan did a fabulous job in producing a beautifully elegant event. Everyone had a great time and enjoyed the summer evening in a stunning location. Special thanks to Meryl and Chris Thompson for hosting the gala on the grounds of the Thompson estate at Broadmere Way.

Cheers and thanks to all of the APLF directors including Cathe Chiaramonte, Ted Grant, Ann Mizner McKay, Abbot Public Library trustee Deb Payson, Michael Shanahan and Phyllis B. Smith. Their passion and energy in supporting the library is much appreciated, and not only does it make me hopeful for a secure future for the library, but I also feel even more confident that we can make a 21st-century library the reality that has long been promised to the town of Marblehead.

The future of Abbot Public

McDonald, who is a junior at MHS, first started questioning his gender identity when he was about nine years old.

“I had no idea what was going on, but I knew I didn’t feel like a girl,” he shared.

By the time McDonald arrived at Veterans School for seventh grade, he publicly identified as

Library is in good hands thanks to the efforts of the Abbot Public Library Foundation.

Grad

Kim

Abbot Public Library executive director

Library foundation raises

$175K, grateful for community support

To the editor: On behalf of the Abbot Public Library Foundation’s (APLF) Board of Directors, I want to thank this paper, the attendees, sponsors and the community of Marblehead for so generously promoting and supporting the inaugural library gala hosted by APLF, and held at the Thompson Estate in Marblehead on June 16.

The event was a great success with over 170 people attending, securing more than $175,000 net towards the $2 million campaign for technology enhancements

a boy.

“Some people were mean,” he said. “But most of the kids were like, ‘OK, whatever.’ No one was confused. Kids don’t really care.

“Some of the people who have been the meanest are adults — in the community and online,” he said.

McDonald talked about

and infrastructure maintenance that was promised when the town voted in favor of the override to renovate Abbot Public Library in 2021.

I want to especially thank Meryl Thompson, chair of APLF’s Gala Committee, her husband, Chris, and the entire Thompson family for providing the beautiful venue for the Foundation’s first gala. I also want to acknowledge and thank the other Gala Committee members: Laurie Flowers, Maeve Rice and John Donovan; Gene Arnould for emceeing a lively “Fund-a-Need” auction; the 15 students from Marblehead High School’s National Honor Society for their help with seating and auction “spotting;” Lisa Hooper and the Council on Aging for providing the shuttle service; Dave Rodgers and the VFW for lending us their parking; Amy McHugh, superintendent of the Water and Sewer Department, for quickly responding to our calls to avoid any potential

a recent incident where an anonymous parent criticized a Veterans School teacher by name on social media for teaching a lesson on gender and sexuality vocabulary.

“It made me feel sad, especially for LGBTQ+ kids who are dealing with it. Those kids might already know their

issues. As you can see, this event was truly a community effort!

As president of the APLF and former vice chair of Abbot Public Library’s Board of Trustees, I have a clear view on what our library offers. There is no public institution in our town that provides and promotes the diversity of choices for all constituencies of every age category to access knowledge and life-long learning. It is the most welcoming, equalizing, open and safe gathering place for all to enjoy reading and accessing books, publications, programming and a myriad of digital services. And it’s all free with your library card!

Under the leadership of our outstanding library director, Kimberly Grad, and trustee’s board chair, Gary Amberik, we will be reopening the permanent home of the library on Pleasant Street in late Spring of 2024. The newly renovated library will be outfitted with amenities you would expect in a 21st-century

identity and to know that there are parents out there saying those kinds of things, it’s horrifying.”

McDonald interviewed his mom, Keri, about the trans journey.

“As a mama bear, like every mama bear, you’re going to make sure that your child receives everything that they possibly have out there that’s an option to them that can make them content and happy and feel like themselves and I think that’s the most important lesson to all those people who don’t understand it,” she said in the podcast. “Put your own self in that position and what you would do for your child.”

McDonald’s teacher, Jennifer Billings, shared the news about his NPR honor with her colleagues in an email.

“Dylan was also my student during his freshman year — a very challenging time for him. He has come a long way and it’s been incredible to be a part of his journey. In the time that I’ve known him, I feel as though I’ve been the student far more often than the teacher. What a gift. “

McDonald hopes his podcast will help not just trans kids but other people who don’t understand what it’s like to struggle with your gender identity.

“I hope people, especially people who have heard misinformation, will understand. And I hope anti-trans people will hear how an actual trans person feels about it.”

You can listen to McDonald’s podcast at loom.ly/huJiamo.

facility.

It has taken taxes and private dollars to establish, maintain and grow Abbot Public Library since its humble beginnings as a study room at Abbot Hall in 1877. It has been your support and your loyalty as part of this steadfast partnership and legacy that has made it one of the most important public resources in our community for these past 146 years.

With your continued support and commitment, I’m confident that our library will fulfill its mission to meet the needs of the 21st century and beyond for many generations to come. Please join us and our growing community of library enthusiasts to help raise $2 million towards keeping the promise to ensure this vision. For more information, go to abbotlibraryfoundation.org.

Sincerely,

EuRim Chun President of the Abbot Public Library Foundation

Help! Where do ‘downloads’ go on my computer?

BY STEPHEN BACH

Ever repeatedly clicked on the “download” tab over and over and over again, and can’t find the file?

The Digital Docs have discovered a lot of folks don’t know where their downloaded files go.

How do we know?

When we’re cleaning up computers, we often see 3,4, 5 or as many as 10 copies of the same downloaded file sitting in the “downloads” folder. Everytime

you clicked “download,” another copy downloads to your computer.

Here’s a quick cheat sheet to show you where those little buggers go.

The default download location (“default” meaning the place where these files go when you first purchase your computer) for files on a Mac or a PC varies depending on the operating system. Here are the default download locations for both an Apple Mac laptop or desktop, or a PC (which most likely is a Windows computer) using various browsers (how you get

to the web).

On a Mac Safari, Google Chrome, Firefox and Opera: Downloads are saved in the “downloads” folder in the user’s home directory. On

your top menu bar, the strip that stretches across the top of your desktop screen when you fire up the computer, just click on “go” and then slide down to “downloads.” Everything you download will go there. On a PC running Windows Microsoft Edge, Google Chrome, Mozilla Firefox: Downloads are saved in the “downloads” folder, which is typically located in the user’s “user” folder. Just click on the Windows symbol at the bottom of your computer (the Windows symbol is a bunch of distorted rectangles which are supposed to

look like windows) and you then use your file explorer to browse to the “documents” folder. If you cannot find it, just search for “downloads” in the search box at the bottom of your computer. Please note that these are the default locations, but you can change the download location in your browser’s settings if desired. But, if you now know where your downloads go, just leave it be!

Until next time, Your Digital Doctor Stephen Bach is the owner and chief of surgery at The Digital Docs in Marblehead.

CURRENT PHOTO / LEIGH BLANDER

Dylan McDonald hopes to fight misinformation about trans health care in his podcast honored by NPR.

evening. Eleanor Fisher with the Marblehead Arts Association was sporting a red hat with ostrich feathers , a repurposed Christmas flower decoration and a piece of a flag from her days as a Coast Guard auxiliary member.

“I’m always searching for beauty,” said Fisher, who is a former Mrs. Massachusetts.

Festival of Arts

Executive Director JodiTatiana Charles was thrilled with the evening. She had volunteered with the champagne reception for years before being tapped to run the entire festival this year.

“I’m just beyond…” she said with a smile. “It’s so wonderful to see everyone reconnecting, drinking champagne. I love seeing the excitement.”

Festival lineup

The Festival of Arts runs July 1-4 and includes several new events this year, including a 5K run/ walk on Saturday, July 1. The race starts at the post office on Smith Street at 8 a.m. More info at marbleheadfestival. org/5k-road-race.

Also new: “Chalk This Way,” with street chalk art along Atlantic Avenue and Pleasant and Washington streets on July 1, 6 a.m.-9 a.m.

The Hidden Orbs event premiered this year, with people hiding handpainted ceramic orbs in Steer Swamp and along walking trails around Marblehead for residents to find and keep.

The Literary Festival, formerly called Writers World, is returning after a pandemic hiatus. More than 125 people submitted entries to the writing contest, which was open to all Massachusetts residents (adults and children) who write fiction, nonfiction and poetry.

Winners in each category will be announced June 30 and excerpts of their writing will be featured in the July 5 edition of the Current.

The Literary Festival, July 1-4, also features author talks, panels and workshops, all at the Unitarian Universalist Church at 28 Mugford St. Check out the full schedule at marbleheadfestival.org/ author-talks.

Here’s a look at some the perennial festival favorites:

Art exhibits, July

1-4: Painting, printing, photography, mixed media, sculpture, digital art, crafts, drawings and senior art will be on display at locations around town, including Abbot Hall, Old Town House, St. Michael’s Church and more.

Crocker Park concerts, July 1-4, with day and evening performances.

One highlight: Marblehead native Hayley Reardon will be singing on July 4, 6 p.m.-7:30 p.m.

Kite Festival and Sand Sculptures, Sunday, July 2: Bring the kids to Devereux Beach for these popular events at 11 a.m.-1 p.m. and 1 p.m.-3:30 p.m., respectively.

The Artisans Marketplace, July 3-4, Abbot Hall: Come shop hand-made items including jewelry,

furniture, paintings, photos and more, all created by local artisans.

Monday, 10 a.m.-5 p.m. and Tuesday, 10 a.m.-4 p.m.

The Children’s Festival, July 3, 10 a.m.-1 p.m., Jeremiah Lee Mansion: Young kids will make playdough, decorative wands, musical instruments and Doodle Top drawings.

Model Boat Building on Tuesday, July, 4 10 a.m.-1 p.m., at the Jeremiah Lee Mansion.

Redd’s Pond Regatta,

on July 4 3:30 p.m.-4:30 p.m. Sail your new model boats at Redd’s Pond. Street Festival, on July 4, 11 a.m.-3 p.m:

At the intersection of Washington and Hooper streets, stop and see Bonaparte the Magician, Big Nazo, the Merj band, Sir Mimealot and the Northshoremen Chorus. Also on tap: Ancient Fire Henna, stilt walking, balloon making and caricatures by Kaleidoscope.

Trolley

The Festival is offering free trolley service from Marblehead High School to exhibit sites on July 1, 2 and 4, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.

The Current is proud to be the Presenting Media Sponsor for the Festival of Arts. Learn more about the Festival at marbleheadfestival.org.

Holly Cameron and Matt Arnold sport festive hats.

’23 election turnout highest in years

More than office seekers, ballot questions have drawn voters to the polls

BY WILLIAM J. DOWD

Marblehead witnessed its highest voter participation in approximately a dozen years on June 20. Out of 16,315 registered voters, 6,613 cast their ballots, a 40.5% turnout — 4.5% higher than last year.

As the result of a 2019 Town Meeting warrant article, the annual town election was moved from May to June, and turnout has been up since the change took effect in 2020.

“My main motivation back in 2019 was to combine the two elections [voting to elect leaders and referendums on proposed Proposition 2 1/2 overrides] into one to increase voter turnout,” said Walter Horan, the sponsor of the warrant article. “So, I’m thrilled with the turnout.”

From the 1970s until 2019, Marblehead’s town elections took place a week after Town Meeting. If Town Meeting approved an override, a special election was held in June.

“During May elections, we

BY THE NUMBERS

Marblehead saw its highest voter turnout in over a decade in 2023, with 40.5% of the registered voters, or 6,613 individuals, participating in the June 20 town election.

» Since 2020, town elections have taken place in June to consolidate the annual picking of leaders of town boards and commissions with votes of any approved Town Meeting articles requiring referendums, including Proposition 2 1/2 overrides.

The change has increased voter turnout generally — the average turnout rose to 33.5% between 2020 and 2023 — though there had been instances of similar turnout levels in the past, like the June 2010 special election, when 40.4% of registered voters decided the fate of 10 different Proposition 2 1/2 override proposals.

Voter registration in Marblehead has increased by approximately 8.4% over the past 17 years, from 15,044 registered voters in 2006 to 16,315 in 2023.

» Between 2006 and 2019, the average voter turnout in June special elections was 4,149, surpassing the average turnout of 2,293 in annual May elections, demonstrating that nothing drives voters to the polls like questions that will hit them in the pocketbook.

would often hear voters ask, ‘where are the overrides?’” shared Horan, who served as a registrar of voters for 15 years until earlier this year. “Then they’d ask, ‘What do you mean I have to come back and vote in June?’”

More than office seekers, ballot questions have drawn Marblehead voters to the polls, election data between 2006 and 2019 show. On average, May elections saw a 20% turnout, while June special elections averaged 26.46%. However, since

the consolidation of elections to June, turnout has seen a noticeable increase, averaging 33.5%.

Even before the change was made, Proposition 2 1/2 overrides tended to drive higher turnout, like in 2010, when 40.4% of registered voters came out to reject 10 override proposals, including a new Glover School, landfill closure and transfer station, and Village School technology upgrades.

But the consolidated elections

seem to be having their desired effect of driving consistently higher turnout.

Horan emphasized that merging the elections in June not only reduced costs but also arguably improved the odds for non-incumbents.

“Before the move, there was a week between Town Meeting and the town election,” explained Horan. “By adding an additional five weeks, it allows challengers a better chance because they can campaign longer.”

New Select Board to prioritize planning, transparency

Noonan is new chair; Murray replaces Belf-Becker

BY WILLIAM J. DOWD

The Marblehead Select Board has a new chair in Erin Noonan, and her first post-election meeting was something of a baptism by fire.

The Select Board faced pressure from angry parents and school officials to permit public comment after they learned the district might be on the hook for an additional $350,000 in cuts in a district already girding for layoffs and the elimination of programs after a proposed $2.5 million general override of Proposition 2 1/2 failed at the polls a day earlier.

Though that storm has passed — at a meeting of the Finance Committee June 22, Marblehead Finance Director Aleesha Nunley-Benjamin said that the school district would have access to $350,000 in town energy reserve funds for fiscal year 2024 — the newly reconstituted Select Board, with former member Bret Murray unseating 18-year member Jackie Belf-Becker, is now charged with helping the town side of government through the belt-tightening process.

“What we presented at the Town Meeting was a balanced — but reduced — budget,” said Town Administrator Thatcher Kezer after the votes had been counted on election night. “That’s what we are going to have to live with.”

The property tax

increase was proposed to reinstate services cut in the $112.5 million fiscal year 2024 budget. In addition to the school cuts, several public safety and public works positions will be left vacant, too.

“We’ll be OK for this year,” Fire Chief Jason Gilliland said after the results came in. “We have open positions that we’ll have to fill with overtime.”

Gilliland predicted that an override may be needed next year.

Police Chief Dennis King added, “We run with what we get. And we provide quality service. We’re not in a position where we’re providing less service. We will continue to be effective and efficient.”

Beyond withstanding the immediate impact of the override’s failure, Noonan noted the need for longrange planning.

“The top priority of our work and focus is going to be on supporting Thatcher and the finance team and creating a multi-year financial plan

to start putting out some forecasting and models,” Noonan said. “We need to explore every possible avenue for new revenue that we can bring in and create a plan that addresses our structural deficit, which is acceptable to residents.”

Noonan noted, “We have funded through the ARPA fund a two-year position that is going to address some economic revitalization of our business district.”

Murray’s campaign emphasized addressing the town’s financial woes, creating a strategic plan and increasing transparency. He views the election results as an endorsement of these priorities.

“I think tonight’s results say Marblehead wants to try something different,” said Murray after polls closed. “The town wants to go in a different direction.”

With Murray’s election, voters gave a majority to a new cohort that has called for more

J une 20 TOW n eLeCTIOn Official results in contested races

discussion, transparency and deliberation during the five-member board’s public meetings. “Voters came out for progress, for more deliberation around the big issues we face,” said Noonan. “Obviously, the biggest issue is our finances.”

Noonan said the Select Board’s docket is brimming with tasks for the new term, from economic development to hiring a human resources director and a sustainability coordinator.

“We’re about halfway through our coastal resiliency grant process ... we’ll see those [projects] through completion and continue to pursue our goal for net-zero planning,” Noonan said. ‘The work of the Marblehead Green Committee now has its roadmap, so we’ve completed all the planning. Now, it’s time to put those plans into action.”

Leigh Blander, the Marblehead Current’s associate editor, contributed reporting.

ABBOT HALL

CURRENT PHOTO / LEIGH BLANDER

Select Board members Bret Murray, far left, Moses Grader, Erin Noonan, Jim Nye and Alexa Singer are sworn into office on June 21.

Fake town check presented at National Grand

Monday, June 12

2:03 p.m. An officer was dispatched to the laundromat at Village Plaza to investigate a disturbance between two women. The woman who called the police told the officer that she had been doing her laundry when another woman came up and asked about the machines she was using, which started a heated exchange over the machines, leading the other woman to block a machine as she tried to put more money into it. The other woman then stopped the machine that held the caller’s clothes, effectively costing her $7. The officer then spoke to the other woman inside the laundromat, who acknowledged that there had been a disagreement over the machines, but she said she had done nothing other than lean against one of the machines. She denied attempting to actively prevent the caller from using the machine or stopping the machine. The officer observed all the machines running without issue, and the caller confirmed that it did not seem like she had lost her money after all. The officer asked the two women to ignore each other as they finished their laundry, which they agreed to do.

2:21 p.m. An officer investigated a past hit-and-run reported on Humphrey Street.

2:47 p.m. An officer spoke at the police station with a man about a scam attempt. The man explained that he had recently purchased a new computer and had received a fraudulent message, purportedly from Microsoft, stating that his machine had been hacked by 21 hackers who had put his information on a child pornography website. The message then asked the man to give “Microsoft” his credit card or banking information so they could fix the problem. The man recognized this as a scam and did not provide his information. The man had contacted the actual Microsoft corporation to work to resolve the issues with his new computer and in the meantime had contacted his banks and put holds on all of his accounts as well as his credit cards, though he had discovered no unauthorized use of any of those accounts yet. He was concerned over his name allegedly being on a child pornography website. The officer informed him that though it may be possible his name was put on a website by the people trying to gain access to his account, it was more likely a ploy to make him nervous and get him to fall for the scam.

5:38 p.m. Officers investigated a report of identity theft and filed a report.

6:44 p.m. Officers investigated a report of an assault on Village

Funding

From P. A1

year? It needs to be revisited.”

Town Administrator Thatcher Kezer has spoken out against tapping into any more of the town’s free cash to fund positions and programs cut after the override failure.

Finance Director Aleesha Benjamin agrees, and she says time has already run out to make changes for FY24.

“Free cash can only be appropriated at town meeting, and it takes at least 28 days to hold a special town meeting after following the bylaw process, according to my understanding,” she said. “The current free cash expires on June 30 and must be recertified by DOR, which typically happens in late fall. Given the time to post and hold a special town meeting and the

Street and filed a report.

9:09 p.m. Officers responded to the scene of a vehicle crash on Pleasant Street and arrested a 20-year-old Marblehead resident and charged him with driving under the influence of alcohol, negligent driving, driving with an open container of alcohol and underage possession of alcohol.

9:50 p.m. Officers investigated a disturbance on Roundys Hill Road.

Tuesday, June 13

9:41 a.m. Officers responded to the scene of a vehicle crash on Washington Street and filed a report.

10:35 a.m. An officer spoke by phone with a woman who had noticed damage to her fence after first responders attended to a medical emergency behind her home. The woman was certain that she had seen one of the ambulances back up and surmised that it must have touched the fence, causing the damage. She said that she is in that area of the property regularly and would have noticed if the damage had been there earlier. Staff at the ambulance company were made aware of the accusation and confirmed they had been at the location of the reported incident at 5:15 p.m. the day before, but the crew of the ambulance did not believe they had hit anything, and there was no damage to the ambulance. They added that, at the scene, a Marblehead firefighter had acted as a ground guide when they were backing up to prevent exactly this type of situation.

4:21 p.m. Officers responded to the scene of a vehicle crash on Ocean Avenue.

Wednesday, June 14

5:11 a.m. Suspicious activity reported on West Shore Drive.

8:17 a.m. An officer helped investigate a report of a dump truck that might have been on fire on West Shore Drive.

8:46 a.m. An officer investigated a report of vandalism on Stevens Road.

9:59 a.m. An officer investigated a vehicle crash reported on Ocean Avenue.

1:51 p.m. A past vehicle crash was reported on Atlantic Avenue.

4:13 p.m. Officers investigated a disturbance reported on Washington Street.

4:56 p.m. An officer investigated suspicious activity reported on Beacon Street.

Thursday, June 15

10:56 a.m. An officer investigated a report of an unlocked bicycle on Farrell Court.

1:29 a.m. An officer assisted at the scene of a vehicle crash on Commercial Street and Atlantic Avenue.

1:46 p.m. An officer took a

expiration of free cash on June 30, any changes to the budget would have to have been done at the annual town meeting in May.”

Magazine-Yount is undeterred and said she and other parents are in the early stages of strategizing.

“I would not pretend to have the answer to how, but we should look at every available option,” she said. “I don’t think bake sales and raffles are going to get us there. It’s about working with our town leadership, who I think have a mandate, and really finding the solutions to get to where we want to go… which is an excellent education for every Marblehead child.”

Magazine-Yount ran the unsuccessful “Vote Yes” override campaign, which she says has been shut down. She says she is speaking out now as a parent

report from the town treasurer that National Grand Bank had alerted her that a Fitchburg resident had presented a fake check, allegedly from the Town of Marblehead, in an amount of nearly $4,100. The officer passed the information along to detectives for further investigation.

4:12 p.m. An officer spoke at the station to a woman who had had four credit cards stolen from her vehicle while it was parked at Devereux Beach about an hour earlier. She explained that she had left her vehicle unlocked as she went to throw away some trash and returned to discover her purse on the passenger seat had been opened and the four credit cards removed, possibly by a man and woman who had been in an SUV parked next to her vehicle. The woman had been able to cancel the credit cards before any transactions had been made on them.

Friday, June 16

7:34 a.m. An officer investigated a report of vandalism on Pleasant Street.

8:53 a.m. An officer assisted at the scene of a vehicle crash on Ferry Lane.

10:41 a.m. An officer spoke in the police station lobby with a woman who had found a note on her car from a person who had been driving two cars behind a vehicle that had struck the mirror of the woman’s vehicle before driving off. The woman showed the officer the damage to her vehicle, which was “very minor,” according to the officer’s report. The officer contacted the driver of the striking vehicle, who had been unaware that she had hit the mirror. She offered to pay out of pocket for the damage, which the woman in the police station found acceptable. She was given the other driver’s contact information.

10:46 a.m. An officer spoke by phone with a woman calling on behalf of her mother who had received a telephone call at around 9:30 a.m. from a woman with an Indian accent claiming to be from Medicare. The woman’s mother was asked if she had received her new Medicare card, and she replied no, after which she provided her name, address, date of birth, Medicare ID number and her primary care doctor. The woman then contacted Medicare and confirmed she had been the victim of a scam. The officer relayed the information to detectives for further investigation.

11:53 a.m. An officer assisted at the scene of a two-vehicle crash on Atlantic Avenue.

12:41 p.m. Annoying phone calls reported on Cliff Street.

12:46 p.m. Annoying phone calls reported on Cloutmans Lane.

3:26 p.m. A walk-in to the police station reported an incident of larceny, forgery or fraud.

9:44 p.m. Officers investigated the report of a disturbance on Bessom Street.

10:44 p.m. An officer investigated the report of a bonfire on Jersey Street.

Saturday, June 17

3:10 a.m. Officers investigated a report of suspicious activity on Green Street.

12:51 p.m. A caller reported a tree or branch down on Elm Street.

2:04 p.m. An officer assisted with the investigation of an odor in a home on Dennett Road.

3:26 p.m. An officer investigated a disturbance reported on Pond Street.

3:31 p.m. Officers investigated the report of kids in the area on Mechanic Square.

8:12 p.m. An officer investigated the report of a lowhanging branch on Jersey Street and West Shore Drive.

8:24 p.m. An officer investigated the report of a tree or branch down on Mariners Lane.

10:35 p.m. An officer investigated a report of suspicious activity on Pleasant Street.

11:09 p.m. A downed tree or branch was reported on Beacon Street.

Sunday, June 18

7:10 p.m. Officers investigated a disturbance reported on Pond Street.

7:37 p.m. Officers assisted at the scene of a two-vehicle accident on Lafayette Street and West Shore Drive. At least one of the vehicles had to be towed.

10:46 p.m. Officers investigated the report of suspicious activity in the area of Lafayette Street, Everett Paine Boulevard and Robert Road.

Monday, June 19

10:38 a.m. An officer spoke with a Willow Road resident regarding an event that had taken place the previous day involving her neighbor on Buena Vista Road. The child of the Willow Road resident had observed the Buena Vista Road resident cutting down a forsythia bush on the Willow Road property. The Willow Road resident told her neighbor to stop cutting the bushes, which she did. The neighbor then gathered the clippings and went back to her home. The Willow Road resident explained that she and her neighbor had a history of issues, including propertyline disputes, which had led the Willow Road residents to put up a fence in the rear of their property, near a right-of-way, which had upset the Buena Vista Road resident who demanded

they trim back the bushes and hedges to allow access to the right-of-way. The Willow Road resident said they had intended to comply with their neighbors request, just not at the location where the forsythia was located, before their neighbor took matters into her own hands. Earlier in the day, the Buena Vista Road resident had apologized to the Willow Road resident. The officer advised the Willow Road resident about the option of obtaining a no-trespass order against her neighbor and also spoke to the neighbor, advising her of her neighbors’ wishes to remain off their property.

10:54 a.m. Officers responded to a report of a disturbance on Devereux Street.

12:12 p.m. An officer took a report of larceny, forgery or fraud made by a walk-in to the police station.

12:57 p.m. An officer assisted at the scene of a two-vehicle crash on Lafayette Street and Widger Road.

4:02 p.m. A person was transported to the hospital after an apparent opioid overdose on Countryside Lane.

5:04 p.m. Officers investigated a report of phone threats on Broughton Road.

5:11 p.m. Officers assisted at the scene of a two-vehicle crash on Washington Street.

6:35 p.m. An officer went to Broughton Road to investigate a report that a bicycle and dirt bike had been stolen from the driveway and sidewalk in front of the house. A neighbor told the officer that she had witnessed an older woman take the bike and the dirt bike and put them in the back of her minivan, believed to be a burgundy Chrysler Town and Country.

7:04 p.m. Officers investigated the report of suspicious activity on Elm Street.

8:25 p.m. On Monday June 19th, 2023, I was working my assigned patrol shift 3:4511:45pm in marked unit 67. At approximately

8:25 p.m. An officer was stopped at a red traffic light on Pleasant Street, facing outbound towards Humphrey Street. As the light remained red, he observed a black sedan pull up next to him. According to his report, when the light turned green, the black vehicle took off at a high rate of speed. The officer began pacing the vehicle and clocked it at a speed of 44 mph in a posted 30 mph zone. The officer pulled the vehicle over on Humphrey Street outbound in the area of Ida Road. As a result of the ensuing investigation, the plates were removed from the vehicle, and the vehicle was towed.

11:11 p.m. Officers restored the peace after a disturbance was reported on Clifton Avenue.

all available options.”

Meanwhile, voters elected two new School Committee members, former Glover School Principal Brian Ota and Jenn Schaeffer, who served on the committee from 2016 to 2020. Schaeffer has said she wants the committee to take another look at the district’s FY24 budget to see if different cuts can be made.

Voters rejected the $2.5 million override, but some residents are looking for new ways to fund the schools, town

who is committed to finding funding for the schools. School Committee Chair Sarah Fox said she was up at 3 a.m. recently “thinking of anything I can do to help soften the blow to the kids.”

A few days later, she added, “I am open to working with any parent or community member who wants to advocate for kids. I need to work with our committee, administration, the town and community to look at

“The proposed cuts are almost all student-facing staff,” she said. “We need to revise to focus on non-academic and nonstudent-facing budget items. I will advocate for immediately reviewing the entire budget line by line, taking into account existing student enrollment and focusing on the resources necessary to ensure academic achievement.”

The School Committee meets next on Thursday, June 29 at 7 p.m.

uARIeS

Lavinia Murphy, 83

April 24, 1940

-June 14, 2023

Lavinia (Gaines) Murphy, 83, of Marblehead passed away after a brief illness June 14, 2023. Lavinia is predeceased by her husband, Philip Cadwell Murphy, and leaves behind her daughter, Sabrina Velandry, and two granddaughters, Sienna and Luna of Marblehead.

Lavinia — or “Vinnie,” as she was known to those closest to her — was born on April 24, 1940, in Hartford, Connecticut, and was the only child of Ruth (Wiley) Gaines and Philip DuBois Gaines. She was named for her Aunt Lavinia, who, according to family lore, was engaged to the president of the Confederacy, Jefferson Davis, but had to break it off when a family member fell ill, forcing her to return home. (However, as of this publication, we could not find confirmation of this detail.)

Weeks after Lavinia’s birth, her father Philip Gaines joined a technical corp in Canada and was sent to England at the onset

of World War II. For reasons unknown, he served just nine months, then returned to New York.

Shortly after his discharge, he filed for divorce, leaving his toddler and wife behind, forcing Vinnie’s mother to pursue work outside the house. This was no easy task in 1943, but Vinnie’s mother Ruth prevailed, landing a position at the Aetna Company, where she worked until her retirement.

Young Vinnie was raised by her grandmother Claire in the Wiley family home in the West End of Hartford. Lavinia loved to tell stories of her childhood and growing up “in the big house on Oxford Street,” and later reflected how difficult it was

Katie (Katherine) Neumann

April 15, 1965-Jan. 22, 2023

Katie Neumann, a longtime resident of Lynnfield and Marblehead, was laid to rest at Forest Hill Cemetery in Lynnfield on Flag Day. Katie

LOBSTeR TALeS

for her grandmother to raise a baby. But Lavinia always told her stories of childhood with humor and grace.

Lavinia was a 1959 graduate of Hartford Public High School and went on to study art at Hartford Art School, which is now part of the University of Hartford.

Lavinia met her late husband, Philip C. Murphy, as a young teenager while the two were attending a summer youth group program on Shelter Island, New York. They quickly became high school sweethearts and were married in Hartford by the justice of the peace on June 11, 1966.

Only weeks after their wedding, Phil was offered a job at the General Electric

passed away peacefully at the Treasure Coast Hospice House of Stuart, Florida.

Katie was a loving Down syndrome adult who brought joy and smiles to everyone she met. Her infectious smile and comforting hugs were always available to family, friends and all she met on her journey through life. She loved boating with her family aboard the Ten N’s,

River Works Plant in Lynn as a statistician, and the couple relocated to Marblehead, where they remained happily married until her husband’s death in 2018.

Lavinia was a prolific artist.

After she moved to Marblehead, she studied oil painting under the late Mrs. Ethel Morehouse. Lavinia sometimes found herself on the other side of the canvas, often modeling for art schools. One such painting, a portrait done in oil painted by Mrs. Morehouse, hung in the National Grand Bank for several years.

In addition to her artistic talent, Lavinia was an excellent cook and baker. She earned herself a name in The Shipyard neighborhood of Marblehead. When her daughter was a child, the neighborhood children always wanted to “eat over at the Murphys.” Her specialties were her homemade scalloped potatoes, a fish chowder made with flounder caught in the Marblehead Harbor and a recipe she crafted herself, called “Stay-a-Bed Stew,” which was a stew beef, potatoes, and whatever frozen vegetables she had on hand, all tossed into a pot and topped with cream-ofmushroom soup and baked on

spending many summers in Marblehead and Maine waters.

Later in life, Katie lived in Stuart, Florida, where she loved to go out for lunch or for a mocha frappuccino. She regularly enjoyed going to church and being with her friends at ARC of Martin County, Florida.

Katie had been a volunteer with her dad at the Elliott

Coming out of their shell

New documentary shines spotlight on local lobstermen, women

BY LEIGH BLANDER

Hugh Bishop, 86, says when he watched a new documentary about lobstering in Marblehead recently, the first thought that popped into his head was, “Who the heck is that old guy?”

“And it was me!” he added with a laugh.

Bishop is one of dozens of local lobstermen and women featured in “Lobster Fishing in Marblehead,” a two-hour film by local historian and photographer Dan Dixey.

“It brought tears to my eyes seeing the life behind me,” Bishop said. “I talked to a couple of other hard-bitten guys and they said the same thing.”

Bishop is still an active lobsterman. He’s been doing it since he was 10 years old.

Dixey, who grew up in Marblehead and traces his roots here back to the Mayflower, began his documentary project in the summer of 2021, after spending time at State Street Landing.

“I started taking pictures and videos of lobster boats coming in and going out,” he recalled. “I thought it would be fun to talk to some people, see what they had to say.”

He added, “I didn’t have a layout and probably broke every documentary rule because I had no plan but to talk to people. I got a huge response.”

Dixey shot 700 gigabytes of video.

“I think there are probably 50 different people seen in the film,” he said. “It’s not just about the current guys. There are stories about some of the oldtimers, too.”

In addition to his footage,

Dixey pulled from his collection of 5,000 historic photos, all from Marblehead. The earliest ones shown in the movie date to 1890.

Dixey’s own 10th greatgrandfather Issac Allerton started the first commercial fishing business in Marblehead in 1631 after coming over on the Mayflower.

“Fishing was the deadliest occupation in Marblehead in its 400-year history by far,” Dixey said. “There have been so many accidents. And the 1846 gale killed 65 men and boys. There

were two Dixeys who died in that storm.”

Dixey said he learned “a ton” making this movie.

For example, lobstering equipment has changed quite a bit.

“The older lobster traps were made out of wood,” he said. “Imagine pulling those soaked, wooden traps up by hand. Now they have aluminum wire traps that are half or a third of the weight. And they have electric pulleys. There’s also all the new navigational equipment.”

low “real early in the morning,” so she could go back to bed. Vinnie had a spark and spunk and was quick to find the humor in anything. She sketched with vigor and passion until the very last week of her life, which she spent at the Lafayette Home in Marblehead, where the staff and nurses took exquisite care of her. We all will remember “Grammy” and her stories and humor that always had everyone laughing.

A celebration of her life and that of her late husband, Phil Murphy, will be held at Eustis & Cornell of Marblehead, 142 Elm St., on Thursday, June 29, 2023, 4-7 p.m. Light appetizers, sweets and refreshments will be served, and a collection of Lavinia’s paintings will be on display.

Lavinia was an active, lifelong member of the St. Stephen’s United Methodist Church in Marblehead. In lieu of flowers, a memorial donation may be given to St. Stephen’s in Lavinia’s name by visiting marblehead. church/donate.

Fond memories and expressions of sympathy for the Murphy family may be shared at eustisandcornellfuneralhome. com.

Museum and Treasure Coast Hospice.

Born in Lynn, Massachusetts, to Mike and Kay Neumann, Katie is the youngest of nine. She is survived by her siblings, Dotty Bousquet, Diane Peluso, Sue Such, Jim Neumann, Bob Neumann and Kevin Neumann. She was predeceased by her parents and siblings Michael Neumann and Mary Farrelly.

Dixey added, “The other big change is the regulations they have today. It’s pretty expensive to keep up with the regulations that are constantly changing. A lot of fishermen don’t like the regulations, but none of them dwelled on it or complained a lot. “

Susan Michaud, 79, has been lobstering since she was 14. She and her husband, Jay, go out a couple of times a week now.

“We don’t fish as hard as the other guys; we’ve cut down on the size of our traps,” she said. “They are 3-footers instead of 4. Last year, we fished 400 traps.”

The Michauds enjoyed watching Dixey’s movie.

“It’s a good piece of posterity,” Susan Michaud said. “It’s absolutely fantastic.”

When asked about his favorite story from the movie, Dixey couldn’t choose.

“It’s hard to single out,” he said. “I think just the emotions from these people. I had no scripts. I didn’t even have questions written down. I turned the camera on, and people just started talking to me,

speaking from the heart. It was pretty powerful to me, pretty emotional.”

The documentary premiered this spring at the Marblehead Museum, and Dixey is hoping for more screenings this summer and fall, possibly at the Warwick. As for his next project, Dixey didn’t pause before saying “sleep.”

“This thing went much bigger than I planned,” he said. “This is my favorite Marblehead project of everything I’ve done over the last 40 years. I didn’t know any of these guys. I was kind of intimidated to walk down and say, ‘Hey, do you mind if I take a video of you?’ It’s amazing the relationships I developed with these people. They are my friends now.”

You can watch the trailer for “Lobster Fishing in Marblehead” at youtube.com/ watch?v=XAqSSCIhIvw.

Dixey has written two books and appears regularly in the Current, sharing historic photographs. You can follow his work at facebook.com/ Marbleheadimages.

Hugh Bishop has been lobstering since he was 10 years old

An old photo in Dixey’s documentary on lobstering in Marblehead

Dixey interviewed dozens of local lobstermen, including Hooper Goodwin.

Marblehead’s best bets — Festival of Arts edition

We’re dedicating this week’s Current Events to the Marblehead Festival of Arts and holiday weekend happenings. Here are some highlights to be sure to hit. Check out the Festival’s schedule at marbleheadfestival.org/.

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