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08.06.2025 – Volume 3, Issue 37

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MAGICIANS

Are you ready for some football?

IN THIS ISSUE

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FROM THE POLICE CHIEF

CURRENT EVENTS

A warning about kids and e-bikes

Plan your week with the Current

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NONPROFIT ORG PRSRT STD U.S. POSTAGE

PAID

MARBLEHEAD, MA PERMIT NO. 25

NEWS FOR PEOPLE, NOT FOR PROFIT.

TM

AUGUST 6, 2025

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VOLUME 3, ISSUE NO. 37

FIRST WAVE 1

In a surprise move, School Committee member Brian Ota steps down effective immediately. Page 1.

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MARBLEHEADCURRENT.ORG

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A local teen is the youngest rider to complete this year’s PMC ride. Page 1.

local engineer 3 Adocuments

a crumbling seawall. Page 3.

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ON SOCIAL @MHDCURRENT

5 93-year-old 4 HeBoardranonforanPlanning anti-3A Bette Hunt wins

message. See Tim Swiggor’s connection to history. Page 6.

Marblehead Forever award. Page 6

Five facts from this week’s Marblehead Current.

EDUCATION

More change coming to School Committee as Ota steps away BY LEIGH BLANDER In a surprise announcement at a July 31 School Committee meeting, member Brian Ota said he was “vacating” his seat immediately because he is moving out of town. “I want to say thank you to everyone,” Ota said. “It’s been a pleasure working with the School Committee. I’ve made many friends and associates.

It’s been great.” He then left the meeting. Ota, who served for years as the Glover School principal, was elected to the School Committee in 2023. Just about a month after the election, it became known that Ota had previously filed a state discrimination complaint against then superintendent John Buckey. Ota accused Buckey of not renewing his Glover

contract because of his age (he was 71 years old), race (Asian) and national origin (Japanese American), according to the Massachusetts Commission Against Discrimination. The MCAD later dismissed the complaint and said its investigation revealed “insufficient evidence.” Ota came under fire more recently during the School Committee’s debate about flags

on school property. Ota voted for the controversial policy after saying that Pride flags might be offensive to people who believe in “family values.”

Next steps

To fill Ota’s vacant seat, the School Committee and Select Board will jointly interview applicants and appoint a OTA, P. 7

COURTESY PHOTO

Brian Ota announced at a July 31 meeting that he was leaving the School Committee immediately. He said he is moving out of town.

RIDING FOR A REASON

Local teen is youngest cyclist to ride 186 miles in Pan-Mass Challenge BY LEIGH BLANDER Jack Manganis made history last weekend as the youngest Pan-Mass Challenge cyclist this year to complete the two-day, 186-mile route from Sturbridge to Provincetown. He is 14 years old and received special permission to ride the full route. (The age cutoff for the 186 miles is usually 15 years.) Manganis crossed the finish line Sunday afternoon after 13 hours of riding over two days. “One of the many moving parts was seeing so many people — some going through cancer treatment, or survivors — cheering us on by the side of the road,” Manganis said. “That’s what sticks with me.” Thirty-three Marblehead residents joined this year’s Pan-Mass Challenge, which raises money for Dana-Farber and cancer research and treatment. More than 6,500 riders from around the world participated. The bike-a-thon PMC, P. 7

COURTESY PHOTO

From left, Marbleheaders Angus McQuilken, 14-year-old Jack Manganis and David Manganis celebrate at the finish line of last weekend’s Pan-Mass Challenge.

HEALING THROUGH ART

Opening Minds Through Art program partners teens with adults with dementia BY LEIGH BLANDER

CURRENT PHOTO / LEIGH BLANDER

Rising Marblehead High freshman Alec Lavender partners with Paul in the Opening Minds Through Art program.

In a room at the Council on Aging last week, teen volunteers partnered on art projects with folks living with dementia. The pairs worked on paintings, collages and more. It was part of OMA, the Opening Minds Through Art program, which included nine Marblehead student volunteers. OMA is an award-winning, evidence-based, intergenerational artmaking program for people living with dementia.

“It’s a failure-free program designed to provide opportunities for creative self-expression and social engagement for people living with Alzheimer’s disease and other forms of dementia,” according to an OMA brochure. The sessions are led by trained facilitators, in this case Siobhan McDonald. “For the artists, it becomes a time to be in control of their choices, whether choosing what colors of paint to use or how they are going to apply elements of collage,” McDonald explained. “It is an

opportunity for autonomy and also for the artist to focus deeply on a creative endeavor. It is a chance for them to share stories that may come up in the course of artmaking.” She continued, “A student might mention that they play baseball, and they get to hear the artist talk about their favorite childhood sports memories. It is time for socializing in a safe space. People living with dementia, especially early on in their diagnosis,

Be sure to visit MarbleheadCurrent.org for all the latest news.

This summer, there will be special content online that does not appear in print. Be sure to check it out! BLACK CYAN MAGENTA YELLOW

ART, P. 11


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