FIRST WAVE
1 The state housing secretary comes to town urging 3A compliance. Page 1.
BY KRIS OLSON
Two Select Board members suggested on Aug. 28 that they expect the town will receive a letter from the state soon formally rejecting its request for an exemption from the MBTA Communities Act.
The comments from Chair Dan Fox and member Erin Noonan came one day after they had the chance to discuss that request with Edward M. Augustus, the state’s housing secretary, who had come to town to tour the Marblehead Housing Authority’s property on Broughton Road, which is being redeveloped through an agreement with
2 . Thirteen-year-old Savanah Gatchell is laid to rest. Mental health providers offer guidance after her tragic death. Page 2. 3 . The Rail Trail project moves forward with a ribbon cutting. What’s next? Page 2.
Winn Development.
When Noonan and Fox seized the opportunity to ask him about the exemption request, he “emphatically stated” that the request’s prospects were dim, Noonan reported.
Augustus said that his Executive Office of Housing and Livable Communities had never granted
BY LUCA TEDESCO
Several Marblehead residents took part in a flashmob at Lynn District Court Tuesday morning in protest of the Trump administration’s immigration policies. The performance, a singing of the Emma Lazarus poem “The New Colossus” to the tune of “America” from the “West Side Story,” was organized by Judith Black.
“We all stand utterly horrified
by the government we live under,” said Black. “We are protesting against the injustice being meted out against immigrants.”
The performers were dressed in crowns and held torches made of cardboard and paper, evoking the image of the Statue of Liberty. The costumes, along with the singing of the poem inscribed on the base of the statue, were meant to juxtapose the Trump administration’s
an exemption from compliance with the MBTA Communities Act and had “no interest or plan to do so in the future,” Noonan said.
Fox indicated that the town would receive the rejection letter once the EOHLC and the governor’s office finished revising it.
treatment of immigrants with a symbol of freedom known the world over.
“The Statue of Liberty is a symbol of our country,” said protestor Linda McLaughlan of Marblehead. “Every time I see what’s happening, I start to cry because America is turning into another country. I feel like I’m losing my country.”
The performance began with Black standing in front of the steps of the courthouse
Augustus had already sent the town a letter on Aug. 1, officially confirming that the state considers Marblehead noncompliant with G.L.c. 40A, §3A.
Augustus directed the town to the advisories that Attorney
BY LEIGH BLANDER
Thousands of students around Marblehead walked back into classrooms on Wednesday, Aug. 27, for the first day of the 2026-26 school year. Nora Maloney and her dad, Michael, rode their bikes to Glover School. Nora, a first grader in Ms. Steiner’s class, said she was “looking forward to making friends with everybody” this year.
Twins Connor and Zoe Burke are in second grade this year. Connor said he was looking forward to “math, making friends and soccer at recess.” Zoe was excited to read.
Oisin Cleary, headed to first grade, was most excited about soccer at recess, as was his buddy Jack Olivieri. Glover Principal Frank Kowalski stood outside the school welcoming families. Superintendent John Robidoux was there, too, greeting kids and wishing them a great first day.
Only 10 months to go ’til summer vacation!
repeating, “I lift my lamp beside the golden door” before reciting the words of the second stanza
of Lazarus’ poem. This was repeated four times as more
CURRENT PHOTO / LUCA TEDESCO
Judith Black (center) leads a flashmob performance of the Emma Lazarus poem “The New Colossus” sung to the tune of “America” from “West Side Story” at the District Court of Southern Essex in Lynn.
Zoe and Connor Burke are in second grade this year.
Superintendent John Robidoux greets students Olivia Breed, left, and Celia Jayne Paleologos.
CURRENT PHOTOS / LEIGH BLANDER
Jack Olivieri, left, and Oisin Cleary get pumped up for first grade.
Holding hands and heading in for0 the first day of school.
In wake of tragic crash, mental health providers offer guidance
BY LEIGH BLANDER
As Marblehead residents grapple with the tragic death of 13-year-old Savanah Gatchell and the arrest of a 16-year-old boy accused in the crash that killed her, local mental health professionals are sharing advice and resources.
Gatchell, who was about to enter eighth grade at the Veterans School, died early Aug. 19, when the car she was riding in crashed into a stone wall on Atlantic Avenue. The driver is charged with motor vehicle homicide, driving under the influence of alcohol and receiving a stolen car. The boy is in a psychiatric hospital and has been treated for mental health issues in the past, according to his attorney.
After such events, it is natural to feel a range of emotions, from grief to rage and judgment, according to local experts.
“Grieving the tragic and unexpected loss of a child is an unimaginably painful experience, and it is important to remember that there is no single ‘right’ way to grieve,” said Dr. Melissa Kaplowitch of Marblehead. Kaplowitch is a licensed mental health therapist and assistant professor in psychology at Salem State University.
“Elisabeth Kübler-Ross’ stages of grief — denial, anger, bargaining, depression and acceptance — offer a helpful framework, but they are not a linear path; rather, people may move back and forth between stages in different ways and at different times,” Kaplowitch said.
Licensed mental health counselor Adam Ciccio, who has two offices in Marblehead, added, “Trauma processing hits everyone differently. You might start with denial. Or it might be that you’re angry right away. Or sad and depressed.”
Ciccio said social media is not the right place to process emotions.
“When we engage in arguments online, we’re trying to control something we can’t control,” he said. “Arguing online is not productive.”
He urged people who are struggling to seek help.
“Definitely talk to a professional who can help you process where you are in this and
what you’re focused on,” Ciccio said. “This is unimaginable. It’s tragic. Our minds can’t process what has happened.”
The Marblehead Counseling Center is poised and ready to help people through this tragedy, according to MCC President Ruth Ferguson.
“We have a set of clinicians who have been made aware of the situation and are prepared to help in any way possible,” Ferguson said.
Even though the center has a long waitlist, it can be flexible enough to help people emergently.
“We are constantly reviewing everything that comes in and assessing if this has signs of a real crisis or if this is something we can put back on the waiting list,” Ferguson said.
“When it’s a crisis like this, there are ways to move things around.”
If you are trying to help someone struggling after the tragedy, the best thing you can do is listen, said MCC Chief Clinical Officer Marie Ouellette.
“Try to validate how people feel, that it’s really a hard time. It’s very important to listen to what they feel and give them a nonjudgmental ear and talk about ways to cope,” Ouellette said.
Coping skills vary person to person but can include taking a walk to the ocean (or another favorite spot) and doing something that brings you joy, she noted.
At Marblehead High School at the Veterans School, grief counselors were on hand for two weeks to help students cope with tragedy.
At a candlelight vigil on Aug. 24, about 300 people gathered at Devereux Beach to honor Gatchell’s memory and toss flowers into the waves.
Kids vs. adults
Kaplowitch offered this insight into how adults and children may be reacting differently.
“Adults often experience these stages (of grief) through reflection, questioning or seeking meaning, while also wrestling with feelings of guilt and helplessness,” she said. “Children, however, may not have the cognitive or emotional tools to process death in the same way; their grief often comes in bursts, showing up as sadness one moment and play or distraction the next.”
Kaplowitch continued, “While adults may need space to mourn, support groups and therapeutic outlets, children benefit from consistent routines, honest-but-ageappropriate explanations and reassurance that they are safe and loved. Coping involves permitting oneself to feel the full range of emotions, recognizing that grief is cyclical, and leaning on supportive connections.
Professional guidance can help families honor both the shared and unique ways adults and children move through grief, fostering healing while holding space for enduring love and memory.”
Recommended resources:
» National mental health hotline: 988
» Marblehead Counseling Center: 781-6318273 or marbleheadcounseling.org
Crisis Center of Essex County
The Compassionate Friends
» Local hospitals often have bereavement programs
» School counselors
Psychology Today offers a list of loal clinicians taking new clients
Rail Trail ribbon cutting marks milestone in years-long project
BY LEIGH BLANDER
About 25 people came out for a ribbon cutting along Marblehead’s Rail Trail on Aug. 26 to celebrate a 650-foot “prototype” section between Smith and Pleasant streets. It’s a milestone in the implementation of a multi-year Rail Trail Master Plan to improve all 4.5 miles of the trail in town.
“This is one of the town’s greatest community assets and is heavily used by walkers, bikers and others,” said Brendan Callahan, director of community development and planning for the town. The improved path is widened to 11 feet (enough for two-way bike traffic), covered with crushed aggregate and compliant with the Americans With Disabilities Act.
This 650-foot prototype cost $143,395, which included resurfacing, grading, drainage work and other improvements.
It was funded by a $60,000 Mass Trails grant and ARPA (federal COVID recovery) dollars. The town has allocated a total of $1.4 million in ARPA funds for Rail Trail design and construction services.
The project is divided into three sections:
Swampscott branch from Smith Street to Sevinor Road
» Salem branch from West Shore Drive to Lafayette Street in Salem Junction from Bessom Street to West Shore Drive and Pleasant Street
» ‘Safer, accessible alternatives to driving’
“This newly refurbished section
of the Rail Trail is an important step toward encouraging safer, accessible alternatives to driving — like walking and biking — particularly for our more vulnerable populations,” said Elaine Leahy, director of Sustainable Marblehead. “We’re also pleased to hear that the DPW is considering adding bikeable shoulder lines onto certain streets. We hope that soon Marblehead will also incorporate bike lanes or shared paths onto
our main thoroughfares.”
Leahy added, “Looking ahead, we’re especially excited about the draft Bike Facilities Plan, which will make bicycling safer for everyone — including children riding to school — while expanding the town’s bike network and integrating bike safety into local policies. It’s a critical step if Marblehead is to reach its Net Zero goal by 2040. To get there, we need to make it easier and safer for residents to
choose biking and walking not just for recreation, but also for commuting, shopping and getting around town — all activities for which this new section of the rail trail will facilitate.”
Callahan said another 420 feet of refurbished Rail Trail will be completed by October, east of the Rockaway Road crossing toward Seaview Avenue.
Regarding the project’s timeline, Callahan said, “Currently, the design phase for the Swampscott Branch (Smith Street to Seaview Avenue) and Salem Branch (West Shore Drive to Lead Mills) is estimated to be complete by fall 2027.”
There are no other identified deadlines.
The Rail Trail abuts four conservation areas in Marblehead and links several neighborhoods. There are eight street crossings along the trail. During a recent Rail Trail site walk led by Callahan, several people said it would be beneficial to “formalize” connections from the path to neighborhoods, making it easier to access the trail.
CURRENT PHOTO / LEIGH BLANDER
At a candlelight vigil for Savanah Gatchell Aug. 23, hundreds of people gathered to remember the Marblehead girl and toss flowers into the waves in her honor.
Town Administrator Thatcher Kezer addresses the crowd at the ribbon cutting ceremony along the Rail Trail.
CURRENT PHOTOS / LEIGH BLANDER
People gather for a ribbon cutting along the Rail Trail on Aug. 26.
BY LEIGH BLANDER
When Kate Van Auken retired after 28 years in the military, including multiple deployments in Iraq and Afghanistan, she suffered from PTSD and felt deeply lost.
“Your military job and service is so important; there’s so much purpose,” Van Auken said. “You wake up every day making life-and-death decisions. Then you go back to your ho-hum life, and you feel like you have no purpose. And nobody understands.”
Then Van Auken made a lifechanging decision… to adopt a retired military dog, Sgt. Ray, who was a bomb-sniffing canine in Afghanistan and Iraq.
“Ray was in an incident with an IED (improvised explosive device), and I was in an incident with 10 IEDs,” Van Auken said. “She’s getting her nightmares, and I’m getting mine.”
The two formed an immediate bond.
“When I got Ray, I was on the couch, and I didn’t care about myself,” Van Auken said. “I wasn’t eating. I was drinking. All of a sudden, you’ve got purpose. You have to take care of this four-legged dog who expects you to walk them. She got me out and about. She built my confidence.”
Van Auken decided to train Ray as a service dog, and in 2017 she
launched Company 2 Heroes, a Danvers-based nonprofit that trains retired military dogs for veterans — for free. She has trained more than 50 dogs so far. Company 2 Heroes trains these dogs to help vets with night terrors (by waking them up), reminding vets to take their medications and to pick up items. The main benefit, however, is emotional.
“When you’re in combat, you have a battle buddy who has your back,” Van Auken said. “That bond is just so deep. We feel that our dogs are our four-legged battle buddies. The loyalty of a dog is the only place that battle buddy can be replicated. We say, ‘A man’s best friend is a veteran’s best medicine.’”
Two Marbleheaders serve on the board of Company 2 Heroes, Claudette Mason and VFW Commander Ronny Knight.
The VFW, 321 West Shore Drive, is hosting its second 5K on Sept. 13, 9 a.m., to raise funds for Company 2 Heroes.
“Last year, it was so much fun.
DOG DAYS
In all honesty, we had a blast,” Mason said.
People are invited to run, walk or ruck (carry a heavy pack) and bring their dogs. (There will even be water stations for pups along the route.)
Van Auken will be there with her new service dog, Kona. (Sgt. Ray passed away a few years ago.) A breeder will be there, too, with nine comfort puppies.
If you register before Sept. 5, the fee is $35 and includes a T-shirt. To learn more, visit https://loom.ly/3xCqMW4. That evening, the VFW will host an event with the Guy Ford Band at 7 p.m.
English golden retriever family portrait taken at lighthouse
BY GREY COLLINS
Chandler Hovey Park was filled with dozens of English golden retrievers for the annual Marblehead English golden retriever family portrait on Aug. 21. The dogs showed up to the lighthouse with shiny white coats and happy smiles, dragging their humans in tow.
“I just love seeing everybody so happy with their dogs tonight,” said Stephanie Brocoum, the event organizer.
Broccum started the tradition 10 years ago,
when she and a few friends decided to take a group photo with their English golden retrievers. English goldens, which are famous for their white coats and calm temperaments, were a rare breed in Marblehead, but they’ve become quite popular since. This year, dozens of dogs showed up to the photo.
Brocoum reflected on how these golden retrievers have brought people together over the last 10 years. From walking their dogs together, to meeting to take holiday
photos, these pups have created a rich and unexpected community over the years.
“We’ve met so many of our close friends because of the dogs,” said Brocoum.
Others admired the
sense of community and fun times that the appreciation for the dogs has brought to Marblehead.
“It’s a sort of unique subcommunity within Marblehead,” said Roger Pellicotti, a Marblehead
resident and owner of an English golden named Percy. “It’s just such a fun way to connect with people.”
COURTESY PHOTOS
Kate Van Auken says her retired military dog, Sgt. Ray, helped her after returning from service.
The nonprofit Company 2 Heroes trains service dogs for veterans.
CURRENT PHOTOS/ GREY COLLINS
English golden retrievers pose for photos at the annual English golden retriever, family photo at Chandler Hovey Park.
Cider, an English golden retriever, relaxes on a bench at Chandler Hove Park after the family photo shoot.
Opinion
EDITORIAL
The boys (and girls) of summer
Labor Day arrived early this year — doesn’t it always seem to? — and with it the traditional end of summer, no matter what the calendar tells us. For many, a fresh school year is just beginning. For others, a new job or household routine. Some are now adjusting to the familial nest feeling emptier than a year ago. The days grow shorter, too.
While bittersweet, summer’s unofficial passing is also a time for weighing priorities and resetting goals as we look ahead, even as we continue to absorb the shock and grief of last month’s tragic crash. We might begin the process by asking, how can we make our town — and, more broadly, our country — stronger, healthier and more inclusive?
Because seldom have the stakes seemed higher, the issues more pressing and the call to civic engagement more urgent. The time to stand up and be counted is now.
Before the beach toys and sail bags get stowed away, however, and plans begin for next summer’s calendar (Festival of Arts and Race Week, Juneteenth and Pride Month celebrations, so much to anticipate!), we want to recognize a group of individuals who achieved much and contributed greatly to civic life, earning well-deserved accolades over the past few weeks and months.
Labor Day honors the blue-collar men and women who keep our economy (and so much more) running. So, let’s begin by saluting the maintenance and Transfer Station personnel who labored on our behalf, often under brutally hot and humid conditions.
You have done a tough but necessary job, and we appreciate you.
Marblehead athletes routinely punch above their weight class. Yet even by those lofty standards, we recently witnessed some memorable performances, beginning with a pair of Boston Globe All-Scholastic athletes.
A legit pitching ace, rising senior Tessa Francis already ranks among the best MHS softballers ever. This year’s number alone — a 17-3 record, 1.02 ERA, 257 strikeouts — cemented her legacy, with more excellence ahead, we’re sure.
Not to be outdone, phenom MHS runner Nate Assa finished second in the 5,000 meters at June’s New Balance Outdoor Track National Meet in Philadelphia, earning All-American honors. He will be competing for Purdue University next year, and we wish him continued success.
Earlier this month, Jack Manganis, 14, became the youngest Pan-Mass Challenge cyclist to complete the two-day, 186-mile route from Sturbridge to Provincetown. Jack, his dad, Dave, and family friend Angus McQuilken were among the 33 ‘Headers who helped raise over $64 million (and counting) for Boston’s Dana-Farber Cancer Institute. Well done, all.
A trio of recent MHS grads also stood out. Dante Genovesi scored a rare internship with Team Gault as it competed in Italy’s fabled 1,000-mile Mille Miglia road rally. Meanwhile, classmates Charlotte “Charlie” Roszell and Stefan Shepard scored prestigious Sterny’s Way Scholarships. And deservedly so.
Roszell, a talented photographer and writer, starred for the girls’ cross-country and track squads, indoors and outdoors. Shepard, a standout three-sport athlete (soccer, basketball, track), also boasts close family ties to the late David Stern, a beloved youth sports coach whom we lost in 2010. Both have done Sterny’s memory proud.
Another local legend, retired MHS teacher and athletic director Alex Kulevich, received a well-deserved honor this summer when the school field house was named for him. The Kulevich family has established a $100,000 foundation for field house upkeep, sponsored by Alex’s former students Steve and Joan Rosenthal. That’s paying it forward in the best Marblehead tradition.
Town Historian Emerita Elizabeth “Bette” Hunt, 93, was honored as well as the recipient of this year’s Marblehead Forever Award for her many contributions to the town’s cultural, educational and historical values. A longtime executive secretary of the Marblehead Historical Society, she led popular walking tours for many years and in 2013 spearheaded the Abbot Hall Clock Tower restoration. Bette, you are a true town treasure.
So are the Rev. Marybelle “Mimi” Hollister and speech pathologist Jessica Brown, designated this summer as Commonwealth Heroines by the Massachusetts Commission on the Status of Women. The Class of 2025 comprises more than 125 women who’ve made outstanding contributions to their communities, and we are fortunate to have two of them.
In times like these, politically polarized around so many key issues, we can at least agree that Marblehead harbors some exceptional individuals, young and old. In bidding farewell to Summer 2025, we add them to our long list of local heroes.
MARBLEHEAD MUSINGS
Where is the buried treasure?
BY SEAMUS HOURIHAN
Only a couple of no-name pirates ever ever crossed Marblehead’s waters. Contrary to myths, pirates generally spent their loot quickly. So there was no buried treasure here. But Marblehead did have privateers — John Manley, John Selman, James Mugford, Samuel Tucker and Nathaniel Lindsey. During the Revolution, privateers were commissioned by the government to raid enemy ships. Any cargo captured had to be accounted for, with a portion paid to the government. Somewhat analogous to our ever-imposing state government today?
Given our dire fiscal situation that I recapped in my last column, Town Administrator Kezer has continuously beat the drum for capturing “new recurring revenue streams.”
But what are they? Are there any that make a difference? Everyone should know that the town can’t piss or poop without approval from Beacon Hill. They control everything the town can and cannot do. So progressive local income taxes that shield property-rich, income-poor residents, local sales taxes, roadway tolls, downtown traffic congestion fees, higher excise taxes on vehicles and boats and more are not allowed. Consequently, the town needs to be relentless in pursuing and protecting each and every revenue source available.
New growth taxes — where’s the beef?
“New growth” is additional tax revenue resulting from the valuation of new construction and property improvements. These valuations are added to the assessed property tax base and are developed from building permits and site visits. Some town leaders believe there is a significant overlooked revenue opportunity here. There has been a lot of talk — including an Oct. 4, 2024, Marblehead Current article — but no action.
In the calculation of fiscal year 2025 taxes, Marblehead’s new growth tax was only $324,000. (Note: This represents an assessed property value increase of $42 million on a total tax base of $9.32 billion.)
This $324,000 is the lowest absolute dollar number over the last 24 years. A better statistic is a percentage. It represents only 0.45% of the overall tax levy of $71.4 million in the year before, fiscal year 2024. Yes, that’s less than one half of 1%.
And it has been this low for the last eight years — average of 0.56%, median of 0.54%. The high over the last 24 years was 1.77% in 2006.
While comparisons to other towns are difficult, the percentages for four other built-out, seaside towns with FY 25 tax levies between $59 million and $75 million are: Scituate, 1.11%; Duxbury, 0.98%; Marshfield, 0.98%; Swampscott, 0.68%.
Why is new growth so low? In the article cited above, the Select Board and its employees cite staffing issues, technology limitations and the impact of COVID.
On the tragic crash that killed 13-year-old Savanah Gatchell
To the editor:
Our town is grieving today. As we mourn, many are asking: What can we do to prevent a tragedy like this from happening again?
The reality is that this is not simply a routine automobile crash. The obvious involvement of substance use and mental health struggles in this event cannot be avoided. Those issues represent real and increasing challenges in our community — especially for our young people. They should be the focus of our attention. To prevent this tragedy from reoccurring we must acknowledge that this may be the most recent example of a larger pattern. Preventing further tragedies will require us to break that pattern. That process will require thoughtful analysis and strong leadership.
Moving beyond the initial shock and sorrow, we must carefully examine what factors contributed to this event. Were there warning signs? Could earlier intervention, additional resources or stronger support systems have made a
These are piss-poor excuses for lack of management by the Select Board and town administrator. I worked in an era using green-colored, 130-column accounting pads and hiring temp workers, even college and high school students, to get critical but simple jobs done. It’s not rocket science or expensive to pull data manually from building permits into a spreadsheet that could be used by the assessor to target site visits on high-value new growth properties.
In the article cited above, Todd Laramie, town assessor, boasted, “We’d be hitting the streets pretty hard. You can look at 10 properties a day.” What are the results over the last 10 months? How many properties have been looked at? What’s the assessed value of new construction and improvements? So, maybe if the stars were perfectly aligned, we could double or triple the new growth tax revenue to 1.2%. On a tax levy of $80 million supporting an operating budget of $100 million, that would only add $1.2 million. But every revenue dollar will help.
Short-term rentals — only a little money left on the table
There are a lot of people who love short-term rentals — the owner or operator, the renter and our restaurants and shops. But there are also people who hate them, especially their neighbors.
Short-term rentals remove housing units for longterm rentals that build neighborhood and community involvement. According to AirDNA, a firm providing short-term-rental data, Marblehead short-term rentals have exploded to 231 listings in 2024, an increase of 131% since 2021. Annual revenue per unit was $56,800. Whether you love short-term rentals or hate them, we should tax them at the highest rates allowed by the state. This tax is paid by the renter, not the owner or operator.
At our 2024 Town Meeting, a local occupancy tax of 6% was approved. However, we left on the table an additional state-allowed local impact tax of 3%. This applies to rental units managed by operators with more than one rental property in the same town and owners renting out an owner-occupied two- or three-family home on a short-term basis.
The state has also allowed a Cape Cod and Islands water protection fund excise tax of 2.75%. Why shouldn’t Marblehead and communities in the South Essex Sewer District petition the state to allow a Salem Sound water protection fund excise of 2.75%? A backof-the-envelope calculation reveals nearly $1.25 million in potential taxes.
3A compliance — protecting and increasing funding sources
It is becoming very clear that 3A non-compliance will jeopardize not only future grants for capital
difference? To find answers to those questions, we need a process of thoughtful and respectful community introspection. It must be informed by what we know about the physical and mental development of our children, about how we educate those children about managing risks and developing resilience as they become young adults, and how established principles of public health prevention can be applied in this situation.
The process of preventing future occurrences should focus on how we: Strengthen our education and prevention programs regarding substance use.
» Expand access to mental health services for our students.
» Reduce the stigma associated with mental health so that youth and families feel safe asking for help.
» Offer more safe and healthy outlets for young people. These will not be easy conversations, but they are necessary ones. Public debate and community involvement will be essential as we consider the next steps. Ultimately, we must decide together — either in the annual Town Meeting or special
sessions — how to turn this tragedy into long-lasting change that will protect our young people in the future.
I can write today only as an individual citizen, but I have no doubt that the Board of Health will be dealing with these challenges in the days ahead. There is no question that the board will be available to serve as a very active partner in any strategy for positive change that will be proposed. We invite and encourage participation from the town residents in our efforts.
Respectfully, Tom Massaro
The letter writer chairs the Board of Health but is writing as a private citizen.
Resident urges ’Headers to reject ‘alternative look at history’
To the editor:
I love living in Marblehead and being part of it. I appreciate its beauty and its history. And history is on my mind a lot these days as there is a call in Washington D.C. to modify some of our understanding
ASK LIZZIE
We did this instead of home schooling
BY LIZZIE ASSA
We didn’t homeschool our kids. We didn’t move to a farm, sell our stuff, rent an RV and travel the world. We didn’t grow our own sourdough starter, raise chickens or even a vegetable garden.
My husband and I both work (I was very part-time when they were small), and homeschooling wasn’t a fit logistically or financially.
We did make one decision early on that shaped everything else: We chose to protect play and prioritize rest. I wanted my kids to have a childhood that felt like childhood. And now that our kids are a tween and teens, I can say this with so much clarity: I’m so glad we did.
We said no to a lot of things other people said yes to. It wasn’t easy and it didn’t always make sense to friends and family. But it gave our kids room to grow, and it gave us room to be the kind of parents we actually wanted to be.
Here’s what that looked like in practice:
Daily quiet time and independent play, especially on the weekends
We started doing daily quiet time for each kid right when they gave up the midday nap. No screens, no structured activities, just an hour or so where everyone went to their own space and did their own thing.
Not playing together (hello sibling squabbles), not mommyplay-with-me, not give me the iPad and I’ll be quiet. I needed a built-in break every day, and they needed downtime they could rely on.
Quiet time became a staple. Once they learned the routine, my kids would draw, build with blocks or just daydream, on their own. I got to reclaim a tiny bit of my bandwidth which made me a far better parent the rest of the day. No they weren’t always quiet, and yes, they did make big messes a lot of the time.
Birthday party boundaries
We only said yes to birthday parties for close friends and family. I know this one won’t land for everyone, and that’s OK. But for us, keeping weekends and after-school unscheduled worked better.
Trampoline parks are fun, but one Saturday, as I was chasing one kid while watching another almost break an arm, I found myself wondering if we actually needed to be there. The answer was no. After most parties, we would all end up overstimulated and cranky, and it didn’t feel worth it. My husband and I made an informal family rule: birthday parties were for close friends and family, not every single classmate or vague acquaintance from swim class. Party invitations were not an automatic yes anymore. It protected our weekends and our family time. It protected our sanity. Were
there exceptions to this rule? Absolutely, because what is family life if you can’t be somewhat flexible?
Limited sports and after-school activities
We didn’t fill the calendar with soccer, gymnastics, art and chess club, unless one of our kids specifically asked for it. And even then, we, the adults, had the final say. It meant we said no to a lot of “but everyone else is doing it” energy. It meant the kids were disappointed sometimes. But when they did pick an activity, they were invested. Saying no also meant we had time for spontaneous train rides into the city to try a new playground and eat hot, salty street pretzels. It meant saying yes to hours in the backyard and playroom making up intricate games. The kids learned how to be bored and figure out ways to fill their time that felt good to them.
Our house was an open-door house
This one’s my favorite. We kept a stocked snack drawer and an open-door policy. Kids came over and often they stayed for dinner. (We ordered a lot of impromptu pizzas.) Our front
lawn was constantly littered with bikes, helmets and abandoned socks and shoes. It was loud and messy. Unstructured time with peers and siblings gave our kids the opportunity to forge ahead in childhood in a way that made the most sense to them. Bonus? It didn’t involve us driving them around constantly, nor did it involve expensive club sports, travel and uniforms.
We built a kidcentric home We prioritized independence and play. Kid-accessible snacks. Art at the kitchen table. Step stools. Spaces where they could play freely without a grown-up hovering. Adults often commented, “It looks like a preschool in here,” and whether they meant it as a compliment or not, I took it as one. Our home looked lived in because it was. There were crumbs and fingerprints in the oddest of places. Sand and glitter were deeply embedded in the cracks of our wood floors. I get that this aesthetic isn’t for everyone, but home became a place where our kids felt free. And so did I. Looking back, I don’t regret a single “no.” But when I was in it, there were many nights when I
questioned our choices. Am I holding them back? Should I be pushing them harder?
How will they find their “thing” if they aren’t exposed to everything early?
I was a preschool teacher in NYC before I had kids. I saw families doing their best in a very fast-paced world. Afternoons were packed with ballet, Mandarin lessons and soccer clinics. Their parents were hustling. Play was squeezed into whatever teeny tiny space was left. And the kids were exhausted.
So when my husband and I had kids, we intentionally didn’t buy into the idea that busy = better. Instead we chose what felt sustainable. What aligned with our values. We wanted our kids to grow into themselves, not into a resume.
I know that not everyone has the same flexibility, time or support. But I do believe every family deserves rest. And every child deserves room to just be a kid, not a performer, not a product, not a project. There is no way to do parenting right. Instead, aim to do what’s right for you and your family. Small ‘yeses’ to rest and play, even just once a week, can shift how your family feels. What if rest and play were the goals, not just the reward?
Lizzie Assa is founder of The Workspace for Children, a parenting strategist, play expert and mother of three who lives in Marblehead. She is the author of “Starter Quide for Quiet Time and Independent Play.”
of historical facts. I think when we remember the past, we can build upon our successes and learn from our mistakes. But we need to know about it if we have any chance at all to make our lives better. In Donald J. Trump’s first administration, Kellyanne Conway used the phrase “alternative facts” which could be used to put a positive spin on data. During this second time around we are getting an “alternative look at history” that erases people, culture and events from history and museums, especially that of Black American people. Slavery was about owning people as property; we fought a Civil War about slavery. Marblehead men fought and died in that war with profound effects on the town and Marblehead families. This is not pleasant, but it happened and we need to remember. With an “alternative look at history” that smooths over some rough parts so that no one is upset, we are told to look at the past, present and future only with rose colored glasses. Let us be clear, this is not history. “Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it”. Lee Mondale Guernsey Street
To the gentleman demeaning Dems’ use of ‘fascist’ to describe Trump’s actions
To the editor: Dear sir, You are quite right that equating this government’s actions with 1943 Nazi Germany is extreme. However, if you
take a deeper look at history, you will see that this federal government’s actions are much like the German fascist government of 1935. The Nazis had the Night of the Long Knives in 1935 where Hitler wiped out his internal opponents. How else could you define what has happened to every professional government employee who does not line up behind the president’s need for complete loyalty?
» Members of the White House National Security Council, Brian Walsh, and senior director for international organizations, Maggie Dougherty
» Terry Adirim, the former top doctor at the CIA » FDA’s top vaccine regulator, Vinay Prasad
NSA’s top lawyer, April Doss Jen Easterly, the one-time head of the nation’s cyber defense agency
» Maureen Comey, a prosecutor in the Manhattan U.S. Attorney’s office. And quite concerning, the removal of Bureau of Labor Statistics Commissioner Erika McEntarfer because he did not like the authentic numbers she reported about the monthly jobs report. Are facts dead?
Many dozens of others*
This goes on and on. Please remember that Lincoln’s cabinet was a team of rivals that offered him multiple vantage points on the nation and its issues. A cabinet and government based on loyalty is an echo chamber in which any opinion can be amplified and acted on without the measured debate offered by different perspectives. Further, many of his decisions are based on the whispers of his extreme allies such as Laura Loomer, who has no elected position! Indeed this administration
and the Nazis’ early years in power offer numerous parallels. Exploitation of social, racial, economic divisions, use of propaganda, targeting of marginalized groups, and erosion of democratic norms are rife. Arresting and deporting immigrants with outstanding asylum hearings is illegal, and yet done daily under this administration. Structural parallels exist in their strategic manipulation of legal systems, cultivation of paramilitary forces and alliances with global authoritarian networks. Bringing a federal military presence to Los Angeles and D.C., when locally elected officials have not requested them, is indeed the beginning of martial law. He has recently threatened to add Baltimore to that list.
Both movements capitalize on nationalistic rhetoric.
Paramilitary groups like the SA and SS enforced terror, while state agencies systematically dismantled judicial independence. This parallels the invitation for new, younger (18 year olds still have mushy frontal lobes!), under-educated and under-trained law enforcement.
Trump’s slogan “America First”* echoes interwar isolationism, while false claims of electoral fraud (e.g., the “Big Lie”) undermined trust in democratic institutions. MAGA’s base — largely white, non-urban and evangelical—resembles the Nazi coalition of rural conservatives and disenfranchised workers. Trump’s reliance on platforms like Truth Social and sympathetic outlets bypass traditional media, akin to Nazi control of Der Stürmer. His rallies, featuring chants like “Lock her up,” fostered a quasi-religious devotion with supporters echoing his dehumanizing rhetoric against immigrants (“vermin”) and
political foes (“deep state”) . The administration’s attacks on the press as “enemies of the people” paralleled Goebbels’ Gleichschaltung (coordination) of media. These are not the acts of someone who honors democracy and certainly line up with the Nazis’ early actions. So, my friend, it is not ridiculous to equate this administration’s acts with those of the Nazis, and we would do well to step up now with acts of non-compliance to stop them.
Judith Black Prospect Street
Reader questions parenting after e-bike incident
To the editor:
I was appalled to read a Marblehead police log entry in the Current this week. The entry concerned kids with e-bikes who were pulled over by an MPD officer due to their erratic riding and riding without helmets. When the kids were questioned by the officer they were disrespectful and surly and resisted answering the officer’s questions as to their names, addresses and ages. The officer in charge told the kids their e-bikes would be confiscated for two weeks, citing a Massachusetts General Law. The boys were instructed to call a parent which they did and a grandmother and mother came to the scene and disagreed with the officer’s decision to confiscate the bikes. The grandparent even went so far as to mention her service on the town Finance Committee and unbelievably made a reference to funding for the police department! Sounds like a threat to me. It’s hard for me to understand how parents who behave like this can expect to have kids who respect authority
when they see their parents behaving in a disrespectful way toward the police, and most likely anyone else who dares to find fault with their kids. These kids learn this behavior from their parents and this contributes to a society where rules are not obeyed and respect is nowhere to be found. Raising kids is one of the hardest and most important jobs any parent will ever have. Our kids deserve much better than that from their parents.
Pat Boldys Pierce Street
‘History has a horrible way of repeating itself’
To the editor:
I refer to the letter of Mr. Ferrante (Do you know what real facism looks like, Aug. 19). I read his tirade (letter) and was amazed at how he was able to assign all the ills and threats besetting our democracy to liberal/progressive Democrats. I am an Independent. (I think it is called “unenrolled.) So, I vote for the individual and their policy. Also, I am an ordinary, common person, not a cranberry-and-kale-saladeating elitist. Mr. Ferrante also noted any references to fascism (and perhaps also dictatorship) are figments of deranged non-MAGAs.
Having said the forgoing, allow me to cite a couple of instances where Mr. Trump, at a minimum, expressed interest in dictatorship. During a town hall in December 2023 with Fox News host Sean Hannity, Donald Trump was asked whether he would rule out abusing power if reelected. His response was: “Except for day one.” He repeated the remark at a later event, saying, “I didn’t say I
infrastructure projects but also previously awarded capital grants and grants for operating expenses.
The loss of $50,000 for the “Sails & Stories –Marblehead 250” program is the first example of revoked operating expense funds.
On Aug. 15, Brendan Callahan, director of community development and planning, provided this list of nearly $20M in project funding at risk.
In the FY 25 town operating budget (FY 26 budget not available on new website), the state provided $8.1 million in
funding. This included $6.6 million in Chapter 70 education funding and $1.4 million in Unrestricted General Government Aid. What if this funding completely disappeared?
Given the magnitude of losses, the Select Board was wise to develop a three-part strategy to deal with 3A non-compliance: 1. Negotiate with the state for compromise, 2. Revise 3A compliant zoning for 2026 Town Meeting and 3. Mitigate consequences of non-compliance. I hold little hope for the state to compromise with the town. And who believes just revising the Pleasant Street zoning district will
want to be a dictator. I said I want to be a dictator for one day.” Although he was citing his desire to build a wall and expand drilling, was this a deeprooted allusion and desire? Is it possible one day could be just the beginning?
Power begets power.
In the past, Mr. Trump has publicly expressed admiration for the following foreign leaders: Mr. Bolsonaro of Brazil, Mr. Duterte of the Philippines, Mr. Putin (I forget his country), Mr. Orban of Hungary and Mr. Kim Jong Un of North Korea. All of these men have public records of, if not outright dictatorship, at least authoritarian leadership. Birds of a feather, flock together. Heil Mr. Trump!! Oh, excuse me, Mr. Ferrante. I am acting just like one of those crazy Republicans. I am second generation via my father out of Germany. My aunt was mentally ill and was eliminated to purify the German race. And, yes, I see some of the things happening today in our country and worry. After all, 70 million USA citizens voted to have a possible would-be dictator solve all their problems. Millions of German citizens
appease the No 3Aers? In conclusion, there is no buried treasure in
voted for Hitler to solve their problems. History has a horrible way of repeating itself. Keeping my fingers crossed.
Walter Haug Highland Terrace
Say thank you to Chamber’s former director
To the editor:
Dear valued members of the Chamber of Commerce and the Marblehead community, Due to the changing nature of business at this time, we have –unhappily - found it necessary to eliminate our Chamber’s position of executive director. We regret having to say goodbye to Katherine Koch, who faithfully served as our executive director for four years. We would like to take this opportunity to send our best wishes and express our gratitude to Katherine. Her inexhaustible dedication to the town of Marblehead and its local businesses has helped support many longstanding traditions such as the annual Christmas Walk, Taste of the Town, annual Golf Outing fundraiser and Sidewalk Sales. Her efforts have helped bring focus to Marblehead in partnership
of us can do to let our voices be heard and show that we’re not going to take this sitting down is important.”
singers joined in from the group. While the majority of the protesters were from Marblehead, members of the group came from across the North Shore to join in the flashmob.
“People are vulnerable, they’re scared,” said Abby Heim, of Rowley, following the performance. “Anything that any
The protest was organized with Creative Resistance, a part of the Swing Blue Alliance, the largest all-volunteer political organization in Massachusetts.
According to protester Kate Merritt-O’Toole of Framingham, the goal of Creative Resistance is to “bring fun, humor, dance, whatever the arts are that will
allowing suspension of Certain Provisions of the Open Meeting Law G.L. c. 30A, §18. This hearing will be held remotely in accordance with Governor Baker ’s March 12, 2020 Order superseding certain provisions of the Open Meeting Law G.L. c. 30A, section 18 and the Governor ’s March 15, 2020 Order imposing strict limitation on the number of people that may gather in one place. Request to make an appointment to review plans and information by E-mailing: lyonsl@marbleheadma.gov For any questions, please call (781) 631-1529. Details on how to access the hearing remotely via the internet will be posted on the meeting agenda at least 48-hours prior to the meeting. The agenda can be found on the following link: https://www.marblehead.org/node/286/agenda/2025 William L. Barlow Secretary
Marblehead that will add significant money to the town coffers.
with the North Shore Chamber of Commerce. Her personal connection to the member businesses, her sense of humor and outgoing personality, and her enthusiasm for the town she calls home will be greatly missed.
As Katherine moves on from the Chamber, she takes with her our sincere thanks and good wishes for her future endeavors.
Please join us for a Farewell & Thank You Celebration for Katherine at The Landing on Thursday, Sept. 4, from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m.
Board of Directors Marblehead Chamber of Commerce
Don’t blame town volunteers for 3A
To the editor:
I feel I have to reply to the post made on Facebook criticizing our Select Board, town officials and volunteers for continuing to make plans for compliance with the 3A MBTA zoning law. It is not the responsibility of our town officials to lead a campaign to break the law. It’s not in their job descriptions. They are in their posts not to defy laws that are passed
augment protests. We will add to the process as well as give the activists who do it a chance to have fun and release some of their own stress and tension.”
The use of a flashmob as a form of protest was specifically chosen by Black “because it’s fun, it’s theatrical. It garners attention and it doesn’t threaten.”
Tuesday’s demonstration in Lynn is not the only flashmob that has been proposed by Black and Creative Resistance.
Compliance with 3A is a necessary evil to protect our state and federal
by our state Legislature, but to implement them. It is our representatives in the state Legislature who revise or repeal laws. Those opposed to the 3A law have every right to petition our representatives, to submit bills or referendums for repeal, and to lobby the legislature.
But I would hope opponents would refrain from criticizing our hardworking, in most cases volunteer, town officials, for trying to implement a law which happens to be unpopular. Contrary to what many seemed to believe, the “no” referendum vote did not nullify the 3A law. It simply rejected Marblehead’s plan for complying with that law. Upon request, our Select Board responded to the vote by presenting a petition, designed by the opposition, to the governor, delineating all the reasons they thought Marblehead should be exempt from this particular law. If the governor agrees that Marblehead is indeed different, then those in opposition to the law will have made their case. And town officials will have no further obligation.
However, since all results from court cases and generic public statements from the attorney general’s office seem to indicate
“We’re looking to go to Boston and Chelmsford because the courts are busier,” said Bonnie Grenier of Marblehead. “There’s a lot more action there. This was a test run.”
As the president threatens to increase the use of the National Guard as law enforcement in cities across the nation, Creative Resistance hopes to continue to raise awareness of the issues facing immigrants through the use of artistic protests.
TOWN OF MARBLHEAD ZONING BOARD OF APPEALS The Board of Appeals will hold a public hearing on Tuesday September 23, 2025 at 7:45 PM on the request of Adam and Whitney Gray to vary the application of the present Zoning By-Law by allowing a Special Permit for the construction of a two-story addition with a roofed deck on the rear side of the single-family home with less than the required Lot Area and Side Yard Setback located at 132 Front Street in the SHORELINE CENTRAL RESIDENCE DISTRICT The new construction will encroach on the Side Yard Setback and exceed the 10% Expansion Limit. The hearing is held in accordance with the provisions of the Marblehead Zoning By-Law and Chapter 40A of the General Laws as amended and Pursuant
funding. Otherwise, we will be looking at even higher overrides, debt exclusions and user fees, or major staff and service reductions.
With respect to grant revocation and eligibility, Massachusetts’ Democratic leadership on Beacon Hill is nearly as evil as the menacing King Trump in his gilded White Palace.
James (Seamus) Hourihan was born in Marblehead and is a MHS graduate. For 35 years, he worked in finance, marketing and executive management roles at hightech companies. He has lived here full-time since 2009. He currently sits on the Town Charter Committee.
that towns not complying with the law will be prosecuted, it seems quite uncharitable to blame town officials and volunteers for feeling it is their duty to come up with alternatives.
I continue to be saddened by the lack of understanding and appreciation for the many hours of hard work which our (volunteer) Planning Board donated to the town to come up with a plan which complies with the law, but which has the least possible impact on the town. I wonder, during the year and a half that the plan was being formulated, how many times the opponents volunteered their time, attended public forums, worked with committees, offered constructive suggestions, made their concerns known, even bothered to read the plan. And if the governor does indeed deny the petition, I certainly hope that those whose opposition is so vocal will then donate some of their own time and expertise to modifying the plan which was rejected. If they can work with proponents and come up with a better compliance plan, then we will certainly have a win-win solution.
“By coming out and demonstrating and getting together with the group, I think that I can have a voice,” said McLaughlin. “Everybody needs to speak up.”
Members of the flashmob plan on attending one of the “Workers Over Billionaires” protests on September 1, a group of protests organized by May Day Strong and 50501, the same organizers of the “No Kings” protests that took place in June.
Ruth Sigler Front Street
CURRENT EVENTS
Marblehead’s best bets
Current Events spotlights exciting happenings in the coming week. If you’d like to contribute a listing, please email Current editor Leigh Blander at lblander@marbleheadnews.org. Leigh Blander
Me&Thee welcomes back folk stars
Friday, Sept. 5, 8 p.m.
Me&Thee Music opens its 56th season with two stars of the folk universe:
Claudia Schmidt and Sally Rogers together on stage at 28 Mugford St. They have been singing and playing their dulcimers and guitars together for decades. Schmidt and Rogers have recorded dozens of albums and have appeared on most of the major acoustic stages and national radio programs over the decades. Tickets are $35, $10 for students, at meandthee.org.
Abstract Painting Weekend
Friday- Sunday, Sept. 5-7
Unleash your creativity during Abstract Painting Weekend at Marblehead Arts Association, 8 Hooper St. Paint intuitively, expressively and get messy. Artists will work on various-sized canvases and multiple paintings at one time. MAA members: $300, nonmembers: $325. Register at marbleheadarts.org.
Dads and Donuts
Saturday, Sept. 6, 10
a.m.-noon
Visit Hestia Creations the first Saturday of each month for a special Dads and Donuts event in its Paint Your Own Pottery studio. There will be complimentary donuts, too! This is a free activity. Drop-ins are welcome, or call us at 781-639-2727 to make a reservation. 13 Hawkes St.
Brick Kitchen Gala
Saturday, Sept 13, 5-8 p.m.
Latin Broadway concert
Saturday, Sept. 13, 2 p.m.
In celebration of Hispanic Heritage Month, this Latin Broadway concert features Latin musicians performing songs from “Evita,” “Man of la Mancha,” “The Capeman,” “The Addams Family,” “Coco,” “Encanto,” “In the Heights” and more. The performance is at Marblehead Little Theatre, 12 School St. It’s a fundraiser for the Immigrant Defenders Law Center, a social justice nonprofit law firm that defends immigrant communities. Admission is free, $20 donation recommended.
General Andrea Campbell had issued in March 2023 and this past July. The latter contained Campbell’s pledge to forgo “legal action this summer or fall against noncompliant communities that are making demonstrable and good faith efforts towards compliance.”
She added, “By contrast, where a community has demonstrated that it will achieve compliance only when ordered to do so by a court, and the pertinent deadline has passed, the AGO may bring a civil enforcement action at any time.”
Some grants still murky
In response to a question from member Moses Grader, the board discussed the lingering uncertainty around the magnitude of the grant funding the town has already begun to lose as a result of its noncompliance with G.L.c. 40A, §3A.
Noonan indicated that, broadly speaking, any grant to which the town has a right, like Chapter 70
Be among the first to see the newly renovated and preserved 1768 Jeremiah Lee Brick Kitchen building, 157-161 Washington St. Spend the evening in the Lee Mansion, Brick Kitchen and gardens with friends and family. Enter the Lee Mansion in all its Georgian-era charm with the sounds of the 18th century, featuring local performing duo, Arts’ Delight. Tour the newly renovated Brick Kitchen. Check out some of this summer’s archaeological discoveries with the archaeologists. And spend the evening enjoying delicious food and drink provided by Vinwood Catering, plus a special performance by the awardwinning acapella group Pitch, Please! More info and tickets at marbleheadmuseum. org/gala/.
education aid and Chapter 90 aid to repair and improve local roads and bridges, should be safe. But discretionary awards were a whole different matter, she said.
The town is still waiting for a definitive answer to the question of whether it would be able to compete for grants beyond the initial automatic one under the state’s Green Communities initiative, Noonan said.
But she had been led to believe that the eight applications that the town had submitted through the state’s Community One Stop
for Growth portal would be dead on arrival.
The Community One Stop for Growth combines 12 of the state’s most popular community focused economic development and housing grant programs into a single application portal and collaborative review process, according to its website.
“There’s no one answer from the state,” Town Administrator Thatcher Kezer said, noting that the town has been seeking answers from “multiple agencies [about] multiple programs.”
At a minimum, 3A compliance is part of the “scoring system” for discretionary grants, putting the town at a disadvantage when competing with cities and towns that have complied, Fox said.
‘Help,’ but only to a point
Member Jim Zisson noted that Campbell and other state officials have indicated, “We’re here to help your community.”
“What does that actually mean?” he said.
Zisson expressed hope that it might mean that there could be some flexibility with the town’s compliance requirements. “Short of some relief,” he suggested that a request that the Planning Board bring forward a substantially similar plan to the one that had been defeated in a town-wide referendum would be doomed to fail.
However, Fox said that it is pretty clear that any help from the state would come only in the form of technical assistance in developing a zoning plan to meet the law’s requirements rather than any leniency with the law itself.
Board members briefly
discussed the town of Middleborough, which brought suit against the state in late February and then was able to settle that lawsuit a month later by agreeing to increase its stock of multifamily housing units by expanding its Chapter 40R Smart Growth Zoning Overlay District. That settlement remains subject to a vote at a special town meeting on Oct. 6.
Fox noted that Middleborough is the “only one” among the cities and towns subject to the MBTA Communities Act that had achieved anything by resisting compliance, and only due to some unique circumstances.
As for Marblehead, the message from the state is clear, Fox said.
“The message is that we do not want to have to put the hammer down, but the hammer is coming down very soon,” he said. Seeing the rejection of the exemption request in writing will be “step one,” Fox added.
“As we know, we are in a precarious situation,” he said.
COURTESY PHOTO
State Housing Secretary Edward M. Augustus, center, meets Aug. 27 with members of the Marblehead Select Board, Housing Authority and other town leaders.
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Sports
With scrimmages over, evaluations are underway before first game Friday
VICTORIA DOSCH
HOCKEY
With talented underclassmen, boys plan on carrying over last year’s historic results
BY JOE MCCONNELL
What will the Marblehead High boys soccer team do for an encore?
There were plenty of historical firsts that came out of last year’s state tournament team, including winning the first home postseason game in five years. They were the 10th seed in the final Division 2 power rankings, before beating Somerset-Berkley, the 23rd seed, in a double OT thriller, 2-1. But Wayland, the seventh seed, was able to turn the tables on these Magicians by the exact same score that also took two overtimes to decide the Sweet 16 winner. Nonetheless, coach Elmer Magana’s squad still ended up with a sensational 11-3-6 overall record.
It appears in the early going that there’s a carryover effect from all of that excitement last fall. Magana welcomed 68 players to the first day of practice on Aug. 18, and as a result he’ll be able to employ three teams of quality athletes on the varsity, JV1 and JV2 squads, many of whom are newcomers to the program.
“I’ve been really impressed so far on just how skillful the incoming freshman class is this year,” said Magana.
BY JOE MCCONNELL
The scrimmage season is now over, and the only thing that remains for the Marblehead Football Magicians are the tune-up practices before Friday night’s (Sept. 5) regular season opener against non-league host Lynn English at Lynn’s Manning Field, beginning at 7:30 p.m.
Coach Jim Rudloff’s squad scrimmaged St. John’s Prep, West Springfield and Billerica, and by all accounts progress has been made for a program that once again expects to make the Division 3 playoffs.
“It’s not so much that I’m either impressed or disappointed with the offense or defense, but that we are right where we should be at this point of the season,” said Rudloff after the Aug. 29 scrimmage at Billerica. “This scrimmage against Billerica went well, specifically because we came away injury-free. Both our offense and defense played well, but we have to continue to improve, especially among the younger players. We need to get better in all facets of the game, as we now get into the real games starting this week.”
But Rudloff thinks that everything should be ironed out before the Lynn English opener. “By this week, we should be properly aligned, and everybody should know their specific assignments,” he said.
“The practices will now focus on just getting ready for the team that we are about to play.”
Senior quarterback Finn Gallup agrees with his coach that the team did play well against Billerica. “We put up some good numbers on offense, and got a ton of stops on defense,” Gallup said. “The scrimmage against West Springfield was a tough fight for us, and we fought very hard against the Prep, which was awesome to see.”
If final scores were recorded in scrimmages, Marblehead would have defeated host Billerica, 31-7, according to Gallup. “But we all know that was only a scrimmage, so we don’t look too much into those scores.”
Gallup admits that they are a young team on both sides of the ball, but are “getting better each day,” while adding, “The goal is just to continue to get better in every practice, film session, meeting and lifts. We can’t take any steps backwards from now on. Lynn English looks really tough and athletic, so we will definitely have our hands full in Week One in Lynn.”
As of last weekend, the starting offensive and defensive lineups are still up in the air, according to Rudloff. “We use these scrimmages to evaluate,” he said, “and are still moving players around to see who best fits where.”
Locke chosen to succeed Marfione as head coach of the Headers
BY JOE MCCONNELL
After Mark Marfione stepped down as head coach of the Hockey Headers to take an administrative position in the Brookline school system last month, the search immediately got underway to find his replacement, not an easy task considering he led the team to the Division 3 state championship just two years ago. He has been in charge of the program for three years, before announcing his resignation. He’ll also take over Brookline High’s boys hockey program as its varsity head coach.
The search for Marfione’s successor didn’t last long, when a familiar face with an extensive hockey background both as a player and as a coach came forward to apply for the job. As a result, Marblehead High School athletic director Kent Wheeler made the announcement last week that Brendan Locke is the new varsity head coach of the Hockey Headers for the 2025-26 season.
Locke, according to the press release released by the MHS athletic department, is a seasoned ice hockey coach and former collegiate athlete, who also has the experience in
developing and coaching youth and high school student-athletes. He has consistently fielded competitive teams on multiple levels, while also emphasizing character, discipline, fundamentals and teamwork.
Brendan was an assistant coach right here for the Headers from 2014-18. He was on legendary coach Bobby Jackson’s staff. Jackson coached the team to the program’s first state title in 2011.
During Locke’s time as an assistant, the team achieved
multiple playoff appearances, including an undefeated regular season and a Division 2 North final appearance.
In 2015-16, as the head coach of the middle school team, Locke built a championship-winning program that produced two Viking League titles. He was previously involved with Marblehead Youth Hockey.
As a former captain of the Merrimack College hockey team, Locke earned Hockey East AllAmerican Academic honors three straight years, before being selected in the 1991 NHL Supplemental Draft by the Philadelphia Flyers.
Among his credentials, Locke, a Marblehead resident for the past 27 years, has also earned USA Hockey Level 4 Coaching Certification. He and his wife Christine have two sons, Brendan and Christopher, who are both Marblehead High School graduates and varsity letter winners in hockey and golf.
“Brendan is a part of the local hockey community, who lives by the athletic department’s core values,” said Wheeler. “His hockey coaching and playing experience is outstanding. We are pleased to have him leading our boys hockey program.”
COURTESY PHOTO
The 2025 Marblehead High School football captains are, from left, Declan Gibson, John Schieffer, Finn Gallup, Owen Dulac, Breydan Callahan and Rylan Golden.
COURTESY PHOTO /
Marblehead High senior quarterback Finn Gallup surveys the field during a 7-v-7 flag football tournament game this summer. Gallup, also a captain of this year’s squad, along with Declan Gibson, John Schieffer, Owen Dulac, Breydan Callahan and Rylan Golden, is now getting ready for the regular season opener against host Lynn English at Lynn’s Manning Field Friday night (Sept. 5).
COURTESY PHOTO
New MHS boys hockey coach Brendan Locke.
Summer’s not over! Check out these secret ingredients for hot days
BY LINDA BASSETT
When it’s warm outside, all ingredients are called on to enhance food flavor. Familiar foodstuffs used in surprising ways. Or unsuspected ones added in rare abundance. Here are my new favorites: pink peppercorns, lemon zest, flaky sea salt and microgreens.
PINK PEPPERCORNS:
My favorite steak place put a tantalizing twist on steak au poivre on the menu. It’s crusted with black and pink peppercorns. Obsessed, I started experimenting with the rosecolored nuggets. I tried them on my own steak recipe with cognac sauce, on roasted green beans, and lately, to ward off the hot weather, in a watermelon salad. Sound weird? Hear me out. At the Farmers’ Market, I chose a small seedless watermelon. I cubed, chilled and crumbled chunks of feta cheese into the bowl. A short drizzle of olive oil, a few twists of a peppermill filled with pink peppercorns, and I was in heaven. Each ingredient lit up the others. But, oh, those peppercorns created a special brand of fireworks all their own.
LEMON ZEST: There’s no faking fresh lemon zest. There’s no grabbing it ready-to-use at the store. It can only start with fresh lemons. Zest is the thin outer skin of the rind, actually any citrus rind. The pith, the white part directly under it, is bitter. I peel it with a vegetable peeler and then minced, or grate it with a hand grater. I toss this with abandon – two lemons per recipe - into staid recipes to wake them up.
In potato salad, lemon zest replaces unendingly handchopped (ugh!) celery, peppers, sweet pickles and hard-cooked eggs. I add a light touch of mayo and a spritz of cider vinegar to boiled tiny white potatoes. Then chopped red onion. I let a torrent of zest rain down before mixing gently with a spatula. A handful of snipped chives over the top looks just right.
I spark and sparkle tabouleh, bulgur wheat salad, this way, too. Again, two lemons worth per recipe. Perfection in a heat wave.
FLAKY SEA SALT: French sea salt, fleur de sel and sel gris, and Maldon from the western coast of France, differs from the granular sea salt available on most grocery shelves. The salt is the result of a hands-on process opposed to the quicker version made by boiling down ocean water. The French pride
themselves on processes similar such hand-harvesting and toasting flower pistils to make saffron. These salts are naturally more expensive than regular supermarket sea salt.
Triangular shaped Maldon salt crystals, called “flaky sea salt” are especially pretty.
Sparingly shower them over sweet and savory foods, like grilled fish, chocolate cookies
and fruity summer salads. Flaky salt is available in specialty stores (Shubie’s Marketplace), certain grocery stores and online.
MICROGREENS: Lettuces, broccoli, arugula and other greens, when plucked as they barely peek their tops from the soil, are intense and peppery, crunchier than mature leaves. I toss them with lightly
dressed green salads. Or I grab a handful to top anything from fried chicken to avocado toast. (Yes, they are even good for breakfast.) Dishes look like those delivered from a restaurant kitchen. Get the greens at the Farmers’ Market or in the produce section of the grocery store.
ZESTY POTATO SALAD
Makes 8 servings. ` 2 pounds tiny yellow potatoes, cut into halves.
Grated zest of 2 lemons 1 small red onion, chopped 4 tablespoons real mayonnaise 1 teaspoon Dijon-style mustard 2 tablespoons light olive oil 1 tablespoon cider vinegar Salt and black pepper, to taste Bring potatoes and water to cover to a boil in a medium pot of water. Reduce heat; simmer for 10 minutes. Drain. Rinse under cold water. Toss with lemon zest. Whisk together chopped onion, mayonnaise, mustard, olive oil and cider vinegar. Toss gently with potatoes. Salt and pepper, to taste.
Refrigerate, 1 to 2 hours.
Linda Bassett lived in Marblehead for years and has worked as a cook, trained up-andcoming chefs, studied food history and led food tours. Her book, “From Apple Pie to Pad Thai,” is about local cooks and cooking.
The veteran Marblehead coach specifically singled out Mitchell Leighton and his great passing techniques to go along with his phenomenal game awareness. Mitchell’s classmate Andrew Halverson has also caught the coach’s eyes, because of his quick reflexes, shot blocking skills and fearlessness in net.
But what makes Magana even more excited about this year’s varsity team is all those returnees, who played on last year’s talented JV1 team. They will be able to plug-in nicely at key positions like goalie and defense.
For such young, talented programs, teams need veteran leadership to teach the newcomers the nuances of the high school game, and the Magicians have that covered quite well, led by captains Jared Halpern, Ilan Druker and Miles Fontela-Tuttle.
Of the 68 players currently in the program, only 14 of them are seniors. There are 15 juniors, and so that means over half of the estimated signups are made up of underclassmen that
computes to 22 sophomores and 17 freshmen.
To figure out all of the possible lineup configurations on the three squads, Magana had scheduled four scrimmages against Wayland (Aug. 21), St. John’s Prep (Aug. 23), Lynn Classical (Aug. 27) and
Armini to captain Williams soccer
Marblehead resident David Armini has been named a captain of the Williams College men’s soccer team in advance of the 2025 season. Armini, in his fourth year at Williams, was a standout defender at St. John’s Prep in Danvers. He then played during a postgraduate year at Northfield Mount Hermon, where he helped lead NMH to win its conference championship in 2021. That same season, Armini was named allconference and defensive player
of the year.
Early in his postgrad year at NMH, Armini was recruited to play at Williams, which is a member of the hypercompetitive New England Small College Athletic Conference. Williams has made the Division III NCAA tournament twice during Armini’s time on the team, including an appearance in the national championship game in 2022.
Off the field, Armini is a political economy major with interest in the intersection of government and finance. He is the son of state Rep. Jenny Armini and Michael Armini, a senior vice president at Northeastern University.
Burlington (Aug. 29).
The Magicians won the Wayland exhibition, 3-1. But at this stage of the season, wins and losses are not a priority.
“The main goal against Wayland was to see how the new pieces would fit in, while playing against a state powerhouse,” said
Wednesday, Sept. 3
Golf, Peabody, 3:30 p.m., Tedesco
CC Girls soccer, Masconomet, 4 p.m., Masconomet Regional HS
Boys soccer, Masconomet, 4 p.m., MHS Piper Field
Boys and girls cross country, Swampscott, 4:30 p.m., Lead
Mills Conservation Area
Volleyball, Masconomet, 5:30 p.m., MHS gym
Thursday, Sept. 4
Golf, Peabody, 3:30 p.m., The Meadows GC Field hockey, Bishop Fenwick, 4 p.m., MHS
Friday, Sept. 5
Boys soccer, Everett, 4:30 p.m., Everett HS Volleyball, Newburyport, 5:45 p.m., MHS gym
Football, Lynn English, 7:30 p.m., Manning Field
Magana. “A few mistakes were made, but overall, I was pleased with just how well the new pieces and returnees adapted to Wayland’s quick passing and pressing style.”
The veteran Marblehead coach went on to say, “We were able to adapt and possess the ball
Saturday, Sept. 6
Girls cross country, Newburyport, 9:15 a.m., Maudslay State Park
Boys cross country, Newburyport, 10:30 a.m., Maudslay State Park
Girls soccer, North Andover, 3 p.m., North Andover HS Walsh
Stadium
Monday, Sept. 8
Girls soccer, Swampscott, 4 p.m., MHS Piper Field
Golf, Beverly, 5:30 p.m., Beverly Golf & Tennis
Boys soccer, Swampscott, 7 p.m., Blocksidge Field
Tuesday, Sept. 9
Field hockey, Peabody, 4 p.m., Peabody HS
Golf, Masconomet, 4 p.m., Ferncroft CC
Volleyball, Ipswich, 5 p.m., Ipswich HS
for long periods of time in this game, and I was also pleased with the performance of our starting senior goalie Matias Watts-Cruz.”
Fontela-Tuttle scored the first Marblehead goal against Wayland. Junior David Magen notched the other two tallies.
“We learned that if you go on top first, you can control the tempo of the game,” said Magana. “Overall, I just want the new and returning players to develop a chemistry that will help us have a strong varsity team during the regular season in order to once again make the playoffs, which is everybody’s main goal.”
Goalie Matias Watts-Cruz, defender Adam Loughlin, defender T.J. Kelly, center midfielder Erik Badzak, centerfielder Jared Halpern, winger Ilan Druker, forward Miles Fontela-Tuttle and forward David Magen are Magana’s keys to the season.
The regular season begins at home at Piper on Wednesday, Sept. 3, against Northeastern Conference rival Masco, starting at 4 p.m. They will then be at non-league Everett two days later to take on the Crimson Tide at 4:30 p.m.
Wednesday, Sept. 10
Golf, Saugus, 3:30 p.m., Tedesco CC
Boys soccer, Peabody, 4 p.m., MHS Piper Field
Girls soccer, Peabody, 4 p.m., Peabody HS
Boys and girls cross country, 4:30 p.m., Lead Mills Conservation Area
Thursday, Sept. 11
Golf, Newburyport, 4 p.m., Rowley CC
Field hockey, Saugus, 4 p.m., Saugus HS
Volleyball, Winthrop, 5:30 p.m., MHS gym
Friday, Sept. 12
Football, Bishop Fenwick, 7 p.m., MHS Piper Field
Saturday, Sept. 13
Boys soccer, Andover, 2 p.m., Andover HS
MHS VARSITY SCHEDULES
David Armini
CURRENT PHOTO / LINDA BASSETT
Secret ingredients can brighten up meals on hot, muggy days
FILE PHOTO
Marblehead High boys soccer player Jared Halpern was the center of attention after he scored the gamewinning double OT goal against Somerset-Berkley in the Division 2 Round of 32 game at Piper Field last fall. Halpern is back this year as a senior captain, along with teammates Ilan Druker and Miles Fontela-Tuttle.
Take a walk with Marblehead Architecture Heritage & Tours
BY MELISSA STACEY
The following is an interview with Judy Anderson, owner of Marblehead Architecture Heritage & Tours, conducted by Discover Marblehead.
Anderson set up her business 15 years ago to share her love and knowledge of Marblehead’s architectural, social and cultural history with others through tours and illustrated talks. As part of her business, she donates to public programs and local nonprofits.
To learn more about Marblehead Architecture Heritage & Tours and her September events, go to marbleheadtours.com.
Tell us about your business and why you started it. I started Marblehead Architecture Heritage & Tours 15 years ago to share information about Marblehead’s architectural, social and cultural history, mainly 1600s and 1700s, through illustrated public programs and walking tours about specific or timely aspects of Marblehead’s history, often to benefit other local organizations. I also provide individually scheduled walking tours for hire for visitors and residents.
Even locals usually learn something new on my tours. For 16 years after 1993, when the incomparable Bette
Hunt retired, I worked at the Marblehead Museum as its first year-round, full-time staff member and its first administrative director.
For a decade after 2000, I had the privilege of serving as the first and only designated curator of the Col. Jeremiah Lee Mansion in the museum’s century-long ownership.
After that, I wrote a book about the Lee Mansion’s spectacular and unique original hand-painted 1760s mural papers, plus seven patterns of colorful block-printed wallpapers that apparently were originally in the house.
What is the best piece of business advice you’ve ever received? After I tried twice to set up Marblehead Architecture Heritage as a nonprofit, I was dissuaded by local professionals/ potential board members who warned about the complex financial issues and other considerations. So instead, I try to benefit other organizations through tours or talks on
DOLLARS FOR SCHOLARS
specific topics, or present timely public programs for nonprofits like the Marblehead Museum or Arts Association, local churches or others in this or other communities that might be interested, so they can receive much or all the programs’ financial benefit.
Privately scheduled walking tours enable me to give back to the local history community also, sometimes through periodic donations (even if small) to the Marblehead Museum and occasional gifts of Marblehead items or ephemera that appear for sale at auctions or elsewhere.
What is your favorite spot in Marblehead, and why?
Kayaking with my husband or sons around Maverick’s Island in Maverick’s Cove. Those were the first English names for Gerry’s Island (Thomas Gerry, the father of Elbridge, mid1700s) and Little Harbor. They were referred to as “Maverick’s”
because Marblehead’s town founder, Moses Maverick, was the island’s first English owner, from 1635 to 1675, according to research by Robert Booth.
What is something people would be surprised to learn about you? After grad school at USC and a 10-year art museum career in Los Angeles and at the MFA Boston, I moved to Marblehead in 1992 because of its rare pre-Revolutionary architecture and compelling social history. Since then, I’ve given countless illustrated talks at historical organizations regionally and up and down the eastern seaboard, and at symposia in several states, including twice at Colonial Williamsburg (in 2000 and 2010). My high point was giving an illustrated talk at London’s Victoria & Albert Museum in 2001.
I am married to a wonderful but quiet man who works in the tech field. I also have two married sons, ages 38 and
40, who live in Colorado and California. They grew up in the Sierra mountains near Yosemite with their wonderful dad and spent summers with me for several years in Marblehead or traveled to a variety of places with my husband and me.
For two decades through their college graduations, I spent holidays, long weekends and good times with them in California eight times a year. They love hiking, backpacking, skiing, mountain cycling sports and surfing. (History, not so much.)
The business spotlight is a weekly feature published in partnership with Discover Marblehead. Discover Marblehead is “dedicated to the promotion of our majestic seaside town of Marblehead, Massachusetts. 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.
Bucknell graduate Gillett pursues her passion for the environment
BY NANCY MARRS
A junior year Advanced Placement class in environmental science at Marblehead High School sparked an interest in Fehr Gillett and it led her to pursue a major in environmental studies and a minor in public policy at Bucknell University in Lewisburg, Pennsylvania.
The recent college graduate was drawn to her major’s multi-disciplinary approach to examining human interactions with the environment and related social, economic and political factors.
“This field of study provided the opportunity to do something meaningful with my life and it aligned with my passion for combating climate change and promoting sustainability,” states Gillett, who was a
FROM THE VAULT
high-achieving, dean’s list student. “I love being able to feel proud of what I do and knowing that I’m doing something to mitigate the climate crisis.”
Taking classes in comparative politics, research methods and environmental policy, among other subjects, Gillett was a member of the Alpha Lambda Delta academic honors society and the environmental honors society Epsilon Eta, serving as its community service chairperson. She joined the Alpha Xi Delta sorority, played intramural sports and worked as an ambassador at Bucknell’s Center for Sustainability and the Environment.
During her junior year, Gillett had a life-changing study abroad experience in Florence Italy, along with the opportunity to travel and explore Europe, while immersing herself in new cultures. In a full-time capacity last
summer and a part-time capacity during her senior year at college, she interned at Boston-based PowerOptions, Inc. as an energy data analyst.
According to its website, the company’s mission is to empower nonprofits and the public sector with solutions to reduce the cost, carbon and complexity of energy so they can focus resources on their own communities and constituents.
“My internship taught me skills that will be impactful for my career, and it opened the door to the clean energy world,” said Gillett. She now works for the company as a junior alternative fuels analyst, where she supports their solar and electric vehicle charging programs.
In the future, Gillett hopes to attend law school and study environmental law after which
How a canteen became a relic of reunion
BY JARRETT ZEMAN
In a lonely corner of the Marblehead Civil War Museum, a dirty metal flask announces that soldiers once “drank from the same canteen.” Members of the John Goodwin Post 82, our local veteran organization, obtained the canteen in Boston during the 25th anniversary celebration of the war’s end in 1890. The motto owes its origin to a poem by Union soldier Miles O’Reilly, who wrote of the camaraderie forged by battle: “We have shared our blankets
and tents together / We have marched and fought in all kinds of weather / and hungry and full we have been / but this memory I cling to, and love the best / we drank from the same canteen.”
While canteens played the crucial role of carrying water, soldiers drinking from a common canteen went beyond mere survival; it represented the trust that fellow soldiers relied on and highlighted the shared dangers they faced each time they shouldered a rifle.
This camaraderie continued well after the Confederate
surrender in 1865. At soldier reunions, Union and Confederate veterans who once fought each other on smoky battlefields drank from the same canteen. Some canteens had two spouts so soldiers could literally drink together, a powerful symbol of reconciliation. As veterans aged and faced the prospect of life in a new American century, they found common ground in the shared trauma of war and its lasting injuries, both physical and mental.
The Civil War Museum and G.A.R. Meeting Room is
located on the second floor of the Old Town House and is open by appointment. To make an appointment, contact the museum at 781-631-1768 or email info@marbleheadmuseum.org.
Advance notice of seven days is appreciated. Jarrett Zeman is the assistant director of the Marblehead Museum. From the Vault is a regular segment highlighting an item from Marblehead Museum’s collection of more than 60,000 artifacts. Learn more and explore at marbleheadmuseum.org.
she wants to return to the clean energy industry to continue combating climate change.
To help pay for her education, Gillett held summer jobs at the Corinthian Yacht Club, Recreation & Parks camps and at PowerOptions, Inc., along with occasional babysitting. Her Marblehead Dollars for Scholars scholarship helped defray the high cost of tuition, room and board and she is grateful to the nonprofit organization and its donors for helping her reach her educational goal.
“The Marblehead community is always supportive of the students it sends on to the next chapter of their lives,” Gillett said.
Nancy Marrs is a member of the Marblehead Dollars for Scholars Board of Directors.
COURTESY PHOTO
Judy Anderson founded Marblehead Architecture Heritage & Tours 15 years ago.
COURTESY PHOTO / MARBLEHEAD MUSEUM A canteen inscribed with the phrase “We drank from the same canteen” hangs in the Civil War Museum’s G.A.R. Meeting Room in Marblehead. Obtained in 1890 by local veterans during a reunion in Boston, the artifact symbolizes the deep bonds of camaraderie forged during the war and sustained long after its end.
COURTESY PHOTO Fehr Gillett has a passion for the environment. She received support from Marblehead Dollars for Scholars.
Seamans’ statues an enduring gift to adopted hometown
BY GREY COLLINS
Marblehead is dotted with stunning public artwork that we walk past almost every day. Among these are five gorgeous bronze statues that stand all around town.
From a harbor seal greeting dogwalkers and swimmers at Crocker Park, to a drummer boy watching over the students at the Marblehead High School, these statues have quietly become an iconic part of Marblehead culture and an irreplaceable symbol of our rich arts.
These five iconic sculptures were crafted by renowned Marblehead sculptor Beverly Benson Seamans, whose work has been displayed at galleries, parks and cathedrals all around the world.
Seamans was born in Cohasset in 1928. She studied at the Milton Academy and the School of the Boston Museum of Fine Arts, and eventually settled in Marblehead after getting married in 1950.
Seamans always had a deep love for art, but in the 1960s she developed a passion for sculpting. Since then, she has created many famous sculptures that are displayed all around the world. One of her most famous is “And a Little Child Shall Lead Them” at the American Cathedral in Paris.
Seamans spent most of her time creating sculptures that depict peaceful scenes of children playing, animals running and birds gliding gracefully through the air. Although Seamans died in 2012, her legacy still benefits any Marbleheader who stops to admire her work.
The five pieces of Seamans’ beloved work installed around her hometown are:
“Drummer Boy” at Marblehead High School.
» “Winslow II” at Crocker Park.
» “Wendy” at Abbot Library.
“Seagulls in Flight” outside Boston Yacht Club.
“A Time of Wonder” at Tower School.
» Her bronze sculpture
“Drummer Boy” depicts a child in a Revolutionary War
BY LEIGH BLANDER
The Current welcomes submissions (150-200 words) to its News in Brief section. Send yours to info@marbleheadnews. org.
9/11 anniversary
ceremony
The Marblehead Fire and Police departments will lead a remembrance ceremony on Thursday, Sept. 11, at 10 a.m. at Memorial Park, marking the 24th anniversary of the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks.
This annual ceremony honors the nearly 3,000 lives lost at the World Trade Center, the Pentagon and in Shanksville, Pennsylvania, including the first responders. It also recognizes the resilience and unity that followed one of the darkest days in American history.
As part of a nationwide tribute, the Marblehead Fire and Police departments invite local officials, community members and organizations to join them in reflecting on the events of that day and paying respect to those we lost.
“This ceremony serves as a
at the front circle of MHS. The
time to remember the heroes of 9/11 and to reaffirm our commitment to service, unity and community,” said Fire Chief Jason Gilliland.
Town Democratic Committee picnic
The Marblehead Town Democratic Committee hosts its annual picnic on Monday, Sept. 8, at 5:30 p.m. at the Gerry 5 VFA, 210 Beacon St. Tickets are $35, $25 for students. Proceeds support the Edwin L. and Selma L Goldberg Scholarship, which is given each year to one or more members of the Marblehead High School graduating class to encourage civic engagement, interest in government and participation in the political process. There will be a BBQ buffet. Tickets available at marbleheaddems. org/picnic.
Join the Cub Scouts
The Marblehead Cub Scouts are already looking forward to an exciting year ahead, including our Pine Wood Derby, pack hikes, a baseball game at Fenway Park and their annual sleepover at fun locations such
was based off of the drummer boy in the famous
as Battleship Cove or the Ecotarium. Then there will be their trip to New England Base Camp, which includes rock climbing, archery, learning wilderness skills, outdoor cooking and more.
Marblehead Cub Scouts is a yearlong family program, and the Scouts are welcoming boys and girls in kindergarten through the fifth grade to join this September. Join in person at Clifton Lutheran Church, 150 Humphrey St., on Saturday, Sept. 6, 9-11 a.m., where you will be able to speak to pack leadership, receive information about scouting, and meet current scouts and friends who are also signing up for Cub Scouts. You can also sign up at mhdscouting.org.
Deadline is Friday for interested School Committee applicants
Friday, Sept. 5 is the deadline to apply for the School Committee seat vacated by Brian Ota July 1. Ota had one year remaining in his term.
People interested in being appointed should email a cover letter and detailed resume to both the Select Board and
“Spirit of ‘76” painting, which was created in 1876 and now resides at Abbot Hall. Seamans created her sculpture for the construction of the new Marblehead High, which was completed in 2001. It has been an iconic landmark ever since.
Seamans also crafted a beautiful bronze harbor seal, which she named “WInslow II.” After her passing, the seal statue was given to the town of Marblehead by John Seamans, the sculptor’s son, to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the
School Committee. These can be sent via email to the following addresses: Office of the Select Board/ Attention Dan Fox wileyk@marbleheadma. gov or School Committee chair Al Williams at williams.al@ marbleheadschools.org.
The Select Board and School Committee will hold a joint meeting on Wednesday, Sept. 10, to interview and appoint the new member. The individual appointed will serve until the municipal election in June 2026.
Culture grants available
The Marblehead Cultural Council is accepting grant applications for the 2026 calendar year. The deadline is Oct. 16.
Each year, MCC awards individuals and nonprofit organizations grants that support cultural, artistic and historical programs and activities. In the past, the MCC has funded a wide range of programs, from live performances and art installations to exhibits and field trips. All applicants must demonstrate how their projects
Marblehead Festival of Arts in July 2015 and the abundance of arts in the community. Winslow now sits on his rock at Crocker Park and greets every dogwalker and festival goer who passes by.
Another sculpture, “Wendy,” which now sits in Abbot Public Library, depicts the character from “Peter Pan” sitting on a rock while thoughtfully reading a book as the fairy Tinkerbell flies above her. The statue is a beautiful reminder of the wonder that children have and the adventures that books can lead us on.
Another familiar statue, called “Seagulls in Flight,” stands just outside the front door of the Boston Yacht Club. Through her sculpting of three seagulls gracefully gliding through the air, Seamans makes an ordinary Marblehead sight seem almost magical.
“A Time of Wonder,” a bronze sculpture showing a boy and a girl playing with a turtle, sits next to the playground at Tower School. This sculpture, like much of her work, captures the beauty found in small moments and childlike wonder.
contribute to the quality of life of those who live and work in Marblehead.
To learn more about the MCC and the online submission process visit the state website massculturalcouncil. org/communities/localcultural-council-program/ application-process/.
The MCC will hold an information session for interested applicants at the Abbot Public Library on Wednesday, Sept. 10, 6:30-7:30 p.m. For more information, visit massculturalcouncil.org/ localcouncil/marblehead.
Sober house closes
The Vanderburgh House, which ran a group of sober homes for recovering addicts, confirmed that it has closed its homes on Humphrey Street in Marblehead and in Beverly.
The Humphrey Street home opened in 2023 and drew criticism from some neighbors.
Asked the reason for the closures, Executive Director Hunter Foote cited a Supreme Judicial Court ruling allowing communities to apply stricter zoning rules to sober homes.
Seamans’ “Drummer Boy” was created to herald the opening of the new Marblehead High School in 2001.
Seamans’ “WInslow II” greets visitors to Crocker Park.
Seamans’ “Seagulls in Flight” can be found just outside the front door of the Boston Yacht Club.
CURRENT PHOTOS/GREY COLLINS
Beverly Seamans’ statue “Wendy” is on display at Abbot Hall.
Seamans’ “A Time of Wonder” sits next to the playground at Tower School.
Young theater patron doused; bush whacking roils neighbor
Friday, Aug. 22
12:22 a.m. Officers investigated a disturbance reported on State Street.
1:49 a.m. Officers were dispatched to Calthrope Road to speak to a woman who thought she could hear people walking around upstairs. Officers searched the entire home and did not find anyone inside.
6:53 a.m. Officers investigated a disturbance reported on Roundhouse Road.
1:15 p.m. An officer investigated an allegation of abuse on Lafayette Street.
3:13 p.m. An officer went to Broughton Road to speak to a man who had just discovered the rear window of his mother’s Toyota sedan smashed. He said his mother had parked the vehicle in front of the house sometime around 9 a.m. Though he could not prove it, he believed the culprit might have been his neighbor, whom he said had vandalized his vehicle in the past. The officer told him there would be a report on file for insurance purposes and recommended that he call police if he ever saw anyone near his property in the future.
7:09 p.m. An officer went to West Shore Drive to speak to a woman who had discovered her mailbox knocked over and lying in the street the previous Christmas Day. She had not thought much of it at the time and was able to replace it. However, since that time, she reported that she has often found her mailbox left open or with trash in front of it. She had already reached out to the post office and was expecting a phone call from the U.S. Postal Inspection Service on Monday.
7:47 p.m. Officers investigated the report of a disturbance on State Street.
10:58 p.m. Officers investigated the report of a disturbance on Sewall Street.
Saturday, Aug. 23
9:04 a.m. An officer took a report over the phone related to an incident that had just happened at Riverhead Beach. The female resident explained that she always brings her dog down to Riverhead, where dogs can run off leash. Today, she had been approached by a man who was “extremely mad” about her dog being off leash who had called her the “b-word” and the “c-word.” The woman said she had no idea who he was and had been unable to get a clear picture of him. The officer told her he would document her statements and that she should call the police if she encountered the man again.
4:35 p.m. An officer responded to the scene of a vehicle crash on Washington Street.
5 p.m. An officer was dispatched to an Atlantic Avenue business to investigate a report of a neighbor dumping construction materials in the
business’ dumpsters, which were actually located across Commercial Street behind Fen Yang House. An officer confirmed that the business’ Republic Services dumpster was completely full of bagged demolition debris and bricks, and its new Waste Management dumpster also had a big pile of bricks in it. The business’ owner believed that the debris was coming from a nearby apartment that was being renovated, though there was no work happening when the officer arrived. The business owner said he would call back on Monday or Tuesday when the work resumed.
8:56 p.m. An officer took a report over the phone from a woman who reported losing her wallet outside of Caffe Italia in Village Plaza. She had last seen the wallet between 8 and 8:30 p.m. The woman had checked the area, and the wallet had not been found.
Sunday, Aug. 24
10:48 a.m. Officers investigated the report of a disturbance on Pleasant Street.
1:54 p.m. A man came to the police station with his son to report an assault that happened the previous night. The son explained that he had gone to the movies with some friends at the Warwick Theater, and that he and his friends were talking and laughing during the previews. The son said the man sitting in front of him stood up and told him and his friends that he was not going to listen to them talk and laugh and ruin the movie for him and that they should “shut the f— up.” The son said they were shocked but were quiet because the movie was just starting. A little while into the movie, the son said there was a funny scene, which made everyone in the theater laugh, but the man was still irked. He reportedly stood up again, turned around and yelled at the boys again to “shut the f— up.” He also threatened to get the manager to kick them out. After another funny scene that caused them to laugh, the man got up and told them he was getting the manager. At that point, the son said he and his friends decided to change seats to get away from the man. However, led by the man, the manager found them. The man then put two of his fingers on the son’s head and told the manager that the kids should be kicked out. According to the son, the man then threw water on him from a water bottle he was holding, though the manager only realized what had happened when they got to the lobby and he could see how soaked the son’s shirt was. The son said he later saw the man driving away with a woman in his vehicle. The officer attempted to track down who the man was by checking with the theater to see who had
purchased tickets with a credit card. But when he pulled up the driver’s license photo of the only person who had reserved tickets near where the youths had been sitting, the son said it did not look like the man who had thrown water on him.
2:54 p.m. Officers investigated a report of a possible burglary or breaking-and-entering of a structure on Dunns Lane.
4:51 p.m. Officers responded to the scene of a vehicle crash on Ocean and Atlantic avenues.
Monday, Aug. 25
12:14 p.m. An officer responded to the scene of a minor vehicle crash on Ocean and Atlantic avenues.
12:41 p.m. An officer went to Norman Street to speak to a resident whose window had apparently been shattered by a golf ball. The resident said she heard the window break and then found the golf ball under the window. The resident suspected that someone from the boatyard had thrown the ball because she had previously exchanged words with people working in the boatyard and asked them to move their trailers out of the street. The officer took pictures of the damage and then searched unsuccessfully for cameras in the area.
8:15 p.m. Officers investigated the report of a disturbance on Smith Street.
Tuesday, Aug. 26
5:10 a.m. A disturbance was reported on Hillside Avenue.
6:31 a.m. An officer spoke with two Nicholson Street neighbors who were at odds over a disputed property line and the trimming of a butterfly bush. A woman reported that her neighbor had been directing threatening language at her all morning, and the officer confirmed that he could hear him yelling from within his home from the neighbor’s house. The woman stated that the harassment had all begun over a property line dispute and the trimming of a butterfly bush, which she claimed had died the previous summer. The woman stated that she had a survey performed on her property, from which she realized that her property extended slightly into her neighbor’s yard. She had sent the neighbor a letter in this regard, informing him that either he needed to remove his property or she would remove it for him. He had been in a “manic state” ever since, she
said. The officer then spoke with the man to get his side of the story, noting that he first had to calm him down in order to have a conversation. The man said he was upset because his neighbor had set up property line stakes “out of nowhere” and told him to move his fence, which he had ultimately done. But then he noticed that the butterfly bush had been trimmed and/ or removed. Both parties were advised about the process to obtain a harassment prevention order under G.L.c. 258E.
8:23 a.m. An officer spoke in the police station lobby with a man who does damage appraisals for state vehicles who had just had his first bad experience in 20 years with a local body shop. The man said that when he arrived to speak with the owner about an estimate on a vehicle and to go over the paperwork, the owner became irate about the estimate and the paperwork and began yelling at him. The experience left him uncomfortable with returning to the body shop. The officer advised him not to return if he did not feel comfortable, and the man said he would have his boss finish the estimate he was working on.
10:47 a.m. An officer went to Marblehead Mercantile on Washington Street to speak to an employee about a shoplifting incident. The employee said that a strange man with a black left eye had come into the store and roamed around a bit, causing the employee to lose sight of him a few times as he worked the register. The employee then saw the man making his way towards the door with a sweatshirt he had not paid for. The employee chased the man outside and grabbed the sweatshirt from him. The man apologized to him and then continued to walk off on Washington Street. The employee was unsure if anything else was missing from the store. The officer searched the area but could not find the suspected shoplifter.
3:30 p.m. An officer investigated a report of vandalism on Pond Street and filed a report.
10:10 p.m. An officer investigated a report of suspicious activity on Humphrey Street.
Wednesday, Aug. 27
10:15 a.m. Officers investigated a report of vandalism on Ocean Avenue.
10:53 a.m. An officer responded to the scene of a crash involving a car and an e-bike on Humphrey Street and Broughton Road. The officer spoke to the e-bike rider as firefighters and EMS workers were treating him for road rash and other minor injuries. The e-cyclist said he had been riding inbound on Humphrey Street heading to Marblehead High School when the car turned onto Broughton Road, causing the front of his e-bike to hit the
side of the car. The cyclist said he had fallen onto his left side and slid on the pavement. His parent or guardian had been notified. Beauport Ambulance transported him to Salem Hospital for further treatment of his injuries. The officer then spoke to the driver of the vehicle, a juvenile, who said she was driving inbound on Humphrey Street and turning right onto Broughton Road. She said she had looked both ways before turning and had not seen anyone coming in either direction before making the turn and that the e-bike had “come out of nowhere” and struck her vehicle. According to the officer’s report, the driver acknowledged that she did not have a driver’s license, only a permit. The officer took photographs of the damage to both the car and the e-bike and spoke to two witnesses. Both witnesses suggested that the e-bike had been traveling at a high rate of speed. Perhaps hyperbolically, one estimated the e-bike’s speed “100 mph,” while the other said 25 to 30 mph. The first witness said that, after the e-bike hit the car, the rider was thrown to the ground, had the bike land on him and then slid on the pavement for approximately 20 feet.
2:43 p.m. An officer investigated suspicious activity reported on Pond and Russell streets.
4:06 p.m. An officer returned to Nicholson Street for the latest development in the neighbor dispute, which also involved a third neighbor. That third neighbor had captured video of the man talking loudly to his girlfriend and making an apparent threat to cut down a maple tree that abuts their two properties in such a way that it would crash down on his neighbor’s house. The third neighbor, too, was apprised of her rights and the process to seek a harassment prevention order under G.L.c. 258E, which the woman said she would consider.
Thursday, Aug. 28
11:16 a.m. An officer spoke in the police station lobby with a man whose unlocked truck had been entered by someone who had taken $20 from the center console. The truck was not otherwise damaged. The man said he just wanted to report the incident.
1:26 p.m. Solicitors were reported on West Orchard Street. About 20 minutes later, there was another report of solicitors on Gingerbread Hill Road.
1:36 p.m. An officer responded to the report of a vehicle crash on Commercial Street.
3:47 p.m. The use of leaf blowers in violation of a town bylaw was reported on Peach Highlands.
