Marketplace Page 11
Principals for a Day roll up sleeves at Glover, Brown
BY LEIGH BLANDER
Things looked a little topsy-turvy at Brown and Glover schools Thursday morning, Nov. 13, when Colston Sterio and Eamon Hickey took the reins as Principals for a Day.
The program, sponsored by the Friends of the Marblehead Public Schools, raises money for school programs and events. Each year, the nonprofit hosts a raffle to select students to step into the principal’s shoes.
Hickey, 7, was greeted by Glover’s usual principal, Frank Kowalski, and the two practiced morning announcements, which Hickey delivered over the intercom.
At Brown, Sterio was welcomed by Principal Mary Maxfield and settled into her office, ready to take on the day’s responsibilities.
Both student principals toured classrooms, ordered extra recess and enjoyed a special lunch in the principals’ offices.
The Friends of Marblehead Public Schools recently launched their new grant season, inviting educators, parents, community members, and local businesses to apply for funding to bring innovative programs to the district. Last year, the organization funded 15 educational enrichment initiatives now being implemented across Marblehead schools.
The Friends are marking their 35th anniversary in 2025. In celebration, they donated $2,500 to each of the town’s six public schools (Brown, Glover, Village, Vets, MHS and Charter).
“As with all our grant funding, the money will be used to enrich, enhance
Jeweler helps customers profit as gold hits record highs
BY LEIGH BLANDER
For local jeweler Jamie Emden, this is a golden moment — and she wants to share it with her customers.
The price of gold has jumped roughly 50% this year, climbing to about $4,100 an ounce. In 2020, gold traded around $1,518 an ounce.
“It’s never been higher,” said Emden, owner of Brooke Michele Designs at 59 Atlantic Ave. Experts expect prices to continue rising. Wells Fargo predicts gold could reach $4,700 an ounce in 2026. Gold typically gains value when the economy is uncertain.
“When you look at the government
shutdowns, tariffs and the political climate, gold is seen as a safer investment,” Emden said.
Emden is taking advantage of the surge by buying gold directly from customers and working with a refiner. She uses a special X-ray machine in her shop to determine a piece’s composition then weighs it to calculate its value.
Customers can receive cash or put their gold toward new purchases, with an added 10% discount.
Frank
and extend the curriculum and school experience of all our Marblehead students,” said Friends President Jess Chamberlin.
Learn more at friendsofmarblehead. org.
“If there’s broken jewelry in your jewelry box or a piece you just don’t wear, now is the perfect time,” Emden said. Meredith Tedford of Marblehead recently brought in
developer shows interest in school
BY LEIGH BLANDER
An overflow crowd packed the Select Board meeting room at Abbot Hall on Thursday night to share ideas and learn more about the future of the vacant Coffin School property on Turner Road. The school, built in 1948, has sat empty since 2021.
Residents — many from the surrounding neighborhood — heard that the nonprofit Harborlight Homes has proposed a 40-unit affordable housing development that would preserve the original school building and provide substantial open space. The project calls for one-, two- and three-bedroom units, with a focus on housing seniors.
Brendan Callahan, director of the town’s Community Development and Planning Department, stressed that Marblehead remains in the very early stages of deciding what to do with the site. No decisions have been made, he said, and the Select Board will make the final call.
Throughout the meeting, residents pressed Callahan with questions and shared their own visions for the three-acre parcel. Many said they fear a private developer could overbuild on the land.
In addition to Harborlight Homes, several town departments have expressed interest in the property, including:
» Cemetery Department, for additional burial space.
» Marblehead Municipal Light Department, for temporary battery storage.
Recreation and Parks, for a new dog park. Marblehead Housing Authority, for affordable housing.
» Community Development and Planning, for boat storage.
jewelry passed down from her grandmother.
GOLD, P. 8
TOP: Glover School’s usual principal,
Kowalski and Principal for a Day
Eamon Hickey practice morning announcements at Glover.
BOTTOM: Colston Sterio arrives for “work” at the Brown School as Principal for a Day. He is greeted by Brown’s usual principal, Mary Maxfield.
CURRENT PHOTO / LEIGH BLANDER
Brooke Michele Designs owner Jamie Emden says the soaring gold market is a great opportunity for customers.
CURRENT PHOTO / LEIGH BLANDER
The Coffin School has been vacant since 2021.
The town recently boarded up the windows.
COFFIN, P. 8
BY LEIGH BLANDER
Gov. Maura Healey signed a law Nov. 12 formally establishing fines for violators of Marblehead’s snow emergency parking ban. The measure, approved at Town Meeting last May, raises fines from $50 to up to $100 if paid within 21 days and up to $105 if paid afterward. The law takes effect immediately.
“We are in communication with town counsel on the effective date and any other actions required
before enforcement,” Police Chief Dennis King said Wednesday. During a snow emergency,
vehicles — including boat trailers — must be removed from the streets to allow for snow removal and ensure road safety. Violators risk tickets and towing as part of the town’s efforts to keep streets clear and treated during icy conditions. Residents are encouraged to sign up for CodeRED alerts at marblehead.org/subscribe to stay informed about snow emergencies.
Board of Health hits 2,600+ survey responses, tackles underage drinking
BY AKANKSHA GOYAL
After weeks of urging residents to complete the town’s community wellness survey, the Board of Health said participation has surpassed 2,600 responses and outlined plans to build on that work through state funding at its Nov. 10 meeting.
Board Chair Dr. Tom Massaro credited a recent CodeRED alert for boosting survey participation and said the board hopes to reach 2,500 responses before the survey closes Nov. 16. Hitting that mark, he said, would give the results “statistical legitimacy” to guide future public health efforts.
Given tight town finances, Massaro urged creating a nonprofit to pursue outside funding for the board’s programs.
“New monies for additional public health services will… have to come from external sources,” he said. “We might as well start today, because it’s not going to get any better tomorrow.” Massaro also outlined plans to pursue a Massachusetts Department of Mental Health grant, due Nov. 21. The proposal would build on lessons from the Creating a Healthier Marblehead survey and focus on public health literacy through education and youth engagement.
“The biggest measurable that we can figure out how to do in this town is improve community health literacy,” Massaro said.
The Current welcomes submissions (150–200 words) to News in Brief. Send yours to info@marbleheadnews.org.
BY SAOIRSE STALLINGS
Walk for Ruby Bridges
On Thursday, Nov. 13, the Marblehead Community Charter Public School wellness team gave a presentation about Ruby Bridges, speaking about her heroic and difficult experience starting at a white school after segregation was abolished on Nov. 14, 1960.
The next day, students showed up at 7a.m. at Creesy Park to join the national Walk for Ruby Bridges Day.
Wayne Alarm Systems
donates smoke detectors to MFD’s Senior S.A.F.E. program
The Marblehead Fire Department received a generous donation of 25 new smoke detectors from Wayne Alarm Systems to support its Senior S.A.F.E. (Student Awareness of Fire Education) program.
Firefighters will install the detectors in local seniors’ homes at no cost, helping protect some of Marblehead’s most vulnerable residents from fire hazards.
The Senior S.A.F.E. program, in partnership with the Marblehead Council on Aging, offers home safety visits, fire prevention education and information on services for older adults in Marblehead.
As part of the initiative, Massaro suggested a 12-session, 80-minute course to give residents a comprehensive understanding of public health and the local healthcare system, using case studies to explore topics such as substance use and mental health. Participants could earn a certificate upon completion, with sessions potentially offered in partnership with local schools, the police academy or nearby universities.
Underage drinking
The board also focused on addressing underage drinking in town. BoH member Tom McMahon said parents repeatedly report feeling helpless as parties hosted by other parents become more common.
“They’re almost like bragging about it,” he said, describing how some parents post images of the gatherings on social media. He also expressed frustration that, while police have broken up some parties, no arrests have been made.
He identified several streets repeatedly mentioned by residents and plans to provide that information to the police to help target enforcement and ensure accountability. The streets McMahon identified include: Kenneth Road, Abbott Street, Gregory Street, Clifton Avenue and Liberty Road.
He said many parents feel caught between wanting to protect their
own children and fearing their teens will be excluded if they refuse to participate.
To address this, the board is considering requiring parents to attend an educational session on social hosting and its legal consequences before prom.
Another idea under discussion is a speaker series that would bring in individuals affected by substance use or drinking and driving to speak directly to parents.
The board plans to work with the Select Board, School Committee and town officials to review current laws and compare them with policies in other communities, exploring potential steps the town could take to strengthen enforcement and prevent future incidents.
Trash & recycling
Members also reviewed recent community feedback on curbside collection, where residents raised questions about barrel sizes and pickup frequency, with majority input favoring weekly trash and recycling collection.
While some residents suggested major changes, board members emphasized that advancing proposals such as “pay as you throw” would require following formal Procedures.
Beach sign
Officials also approved a minor revision to the Riverhead Beach sign, changing the wording to
“water may not be suitable for swimming” to clarify that the area is not monitored for bacteria and is not intended as a swimming beach.
Food security
Food security was another key topic as board member Dr. Amanda Ritvo stressed the importance of ensuring families have access to nutritious meals, particularly in light of recent disruptions to SNAP benefits.
“Access to healthy food is one of the main drivers of good health and when families struggle to put meals on the table… the impact reaches beyond hunger to all members of the family,” she said.
Residents were encouraged to support local food pantries such as the Marblehead Food Pantry, My Brother’s Table in Lynn and Project Bread’s FoodSource hotline. McMahon also offered guidance on preparing healthy meals on a budget, highlighting how nutritious food can be affordable with careful planning.
Public Health Director Andrew Petty said the department will again request $120,000 for the Marblehead Counseling Center in its fiscal 2027 budget, restoring a cut made last year. He said work is underway at the town’s Transfer Station, with excavation beginning this week. Commercial operations are expected to be closed for about 25 days, while residential access will remain open.
supports SPUR’s Holiday Cheer Drive, providing winter essentials and holiday gifts to children and adults experiencing homelessness across the North Shore.
More information: thebondcoffee.com.
Edith Dodge Fund
The Edith Dodge Fund, a 52-year-old nonprofit, is seeking teams of two or families to deliver gifts to more than 900 residents aged 80 and older during the first week of December. Volunteers are also needed for deliveries to local extended care residences.
hosted by the Marblehead Harbor Rotary. Raffle tickets for a chance to win McMahan’s original painting, notecards featuring the artwork, and tickets to the Dec. 13 Holiday Pops concert at Abbot Hall are available at rotaryclubofmheadharbor.org.
SPUR Holiday Cheer
Drive
The SPUR Holiday Cheer Drive provides winter essentials and holiday gifts to more than 600 children and families experiencing homelessness.
To schedule a home safety visit, call the Marblehead Council on Aging at 781-631-6225.
Prep days will be Monday and Tuesday, Dec. 2–3. Interested volunteers can call 781-258-5837 and leave a message. Donations can be mailed to PO Box 1402, Marblehead.
Header Holiday Gift Box by Bond Coffee Roasters and SPUR Bond Coffee Roasters and SPUR have teamed up to sell a limited-edition Header Holiday gift box. A portion of each sale
Holiday Pops art
This year’s Holiday Pops featured artist, Paul McMahan, unveiled his watercolor Abbot After Dark at a Nov. 12 reception
Key dates: Nov. 21–22: Wishlists available for pick-up at Harbor Holidays, Boston Yacht Club, 1 Front St. » Nov. 30–Dec. 15: Volunteers prepare Bundles of Cheer at the SPUR office, 6 Anderson St. Dec. 2: Completed Bundles of Cheer due.
More information: spurnorthshore.org/
COURTESY PHOTO
Wayne Alarm Systems donates smoke detectors to support MFD’s Senior S.A.F.E. Program. From left: Firefighter John Lequin, Nathan Rustad of Wayne Alarm, Paul Verruto of Wayne Alarm and Firefighter Gregg Lydon.
COURTESY PHOTO / MCCPS
On Thursday, Nov. 13, students of the Marblehead Community Charter Public Schools gave a presentation about Ruby Bridges and walked in her honor.
BY LEIGH BLANDER
Greg Dana’s connection to Marblehead High School theater stretches back to 1965, when, as a shy freshman, he was talked into auditioning for “Little Mary Sunshine.” He landed the role of a forest ranger — and never really left.
Aside from college and a two-year stint in the military, Dana remained a fixture in Marblehead theater for more than 60 years, working with thousands of students as the program’s longtime technical director. He ran lights, sound and backstage systems, and was often spotted after hours repairing seats in the Performing Arts Center at the Veterans School.
This fall, at 75, he quietly took his final bow.
“I really enjoyed what I did,” Dana said during a recent interview in his Marblehead living room. “It was always about the kids. I love their enthusiasm and their honesty. It’s so fun to watch them grow up.”
Now, supporters are proposing naming the MHS auditorium in his honor. Ashley Skeffington, an English teacher and drama director at the high school, made the pitch to the School Committee.
“Over the decades, Greg inspired generations of young people — many of whom pursued technical theater and film at prestigious universities, going on to have successful creative careers,” Skeffington wrote in a letter to the committee.
She continued, “His legacy is measured not only in their professional accomplishments, but in the countless lives he touched, the confidence he instilled and the community he
built through the arts.”
Dana’s influence reached well beyond Marblehead, touching students who went on to both fame and behind-the-scenes acclaim. Among them is movie star and writer Rob Delaney, MHS Class of 1995.
“Mr. Dana was an indispensable part of all the shows I did at MHS and was always a pleasure to work with,” Delaney told the Current. “He knew the facility inside and out and made sure all technical aspects of the shows were top notch. God knows how many kids he turned into capable, proficient backstage crew members. On top of all that, he’s a great guy and cares deeply about the school and his students.”
Another former student, Tyson Miller, Class of 2012, is
now an entertainment lighting designer and technician based in Egypt.
“There are many generations of MHS students that have learned and trained under Greg,” Miller said. “A lot of the students that go through the theater don’t go into the entertainment industry, but the skills he teaches apply to a variety of contexts. He gives students a place to learn how to think creatively, work with their hands and collaborate in a physical environment outside the classroom.”
Current MHS senior Lucas Rosen began working with Dana as a freshman.
“He was a great mentor and friend,” Rosen said. “He taught me everything I know about lighting. He has so much knowledge about how the theater works. That’s what we’re truly going to miss.”
Rosen said Dana helped shape his future — he plans to pursue theater and lighting in college.
“And I’m going to take a page out of Mr. Dana’s book,” he said. “I want to be a math teacher and theater technical director.”
Beyond theater, Dana spent decades in the classroom as a popular math teacher. He led the yearbook for 35 years and created the senior slide show from 1984 to 2011.
As for what comes next, Dana said he’s looking forward to spending more time with his wife of 41 years, Anita. He’s also developed a passion for gardening, sometimes spending 10 to 12 hours a day tending to his plants.
Asked what he’ll miss most about his theater days, Dana didn’t hesitate.
“The kids,” he said. “I have a lot of wonderful memories.”
The School Committee is inviting residents to share feedback on the proposal to name the auditorium for Dana. Comments can be sent to schoolcommittee@ marbleheadschools.org.
COURTESY PHOTO
Greg Dana has retired as MHS theater technical director. He’s been involved with the theater for more than 60 years.
Greg Dana graduated from MHS in 1968. He started in the theater program his freshman year.
CURRENT PHOTOS / LEIGH BLANDER
Greg Dana looks through his MHS yearbook from 1968.
Opinion
EDITORIAL
On e-bikes, a good first step
E-bikes offer fast, accessible transportation in Marblehead, helping reduce car traffic and pollution. They improve mobility for all ages but must be used safely and in accordance with road rules to protect everyone.
Since 2020, there have been seven minor e-bike and car accidents in Marblehead. As e-bike use increases, however, more incidents may occur.
Massachusetts allows two types of e-bikes — Class 1 and Class 2 — to be ridden by all ages without a license or registration. Without modification, each of these types of e-bikes maxes out at 20 mph; the main difference is that Class 2 bikes can be accelerated using a throttle in addition to pedaling.
Class 3 e-bikes, meanwhile, can reach speeds up to 28 mph and are treated as motorized bicycles, requiring registration, a license and helmets.
However, Class 1 and 2 e-bikes can be modified to go faster, with information easily found online.
In Marblehead, e-bikes can go almost anywhere pedal bikes are allowed, including on roadways and in bike lanes, and on bike paths and paved trails.
They are not allowed on sidewalks and most natural surface trails, like mountain bike trails.
Of course, e-bike riders must follow traffic laws, stay alert, ride safely and be courteous.
Helmets are required for riders under 17 and recommended for others. Extra protection and visibility gear are encouraged, especially at night. With the surge in young e-bike riders, Marblehead has made public education central to its approach to keeping everyone safe.
According to Chairman Rick Smyers, the Traffic Safety Advisory Committee plans to educate students in grades 4-8, parents and adults through presentations, flyers, email and social media.
Topics for young riders include safety, high-speed responsibility, stopping distances, visibility and courteous riding. Topics for parents and adults include laws, safety, buying e-bikes and preventing unsafe modifications.
They plan to begin outreach with school administrators and PTOs in January. Training will be done before ridership picks up in the spring.
We applaud the committee for its training plan. We hope it provides the desired results. The committee should articulate its goals and objectives — what it is looking for from the training and how to measure success.
The committee should consider engaging the Police Department, Marblehead Public Schools, the Public Works and Highway departments, and Marblehead Cycle to offer hands-on e-bike safety courses and drills with some form of certification upon completion.
There are also online e-bike safety courses available for different age groups and skill levels through the statewide, not-for-profit advocacy and educational organization MassBike that the committee could consider. Testing is part of the package, so riders, parents, adults and the committee will know whether the messages have been delivered and where to direct effort if they fall short.
Signage along key bicycle routes to and from schools is another form of education that the committee could think about. It’s a way to get the key messages out there for all riders, not just those targeted by the committee.
The committee should also seek more complete information from the Police Department on any e-bike incidents, along with the department’s recommendations on how to prevent repeat incidents. It would be a way for the committee to know where training needs to be targeted if patterns are uncovered.
The town should encourage e-bikes and pedal bikes. With e-bikes, regulation may be necessary, but for now we look forward to seeing the fruits of the town’s education campaign. With a strong commitment to safety, the town is providing a service to e-bike and pedal bike riders, including automobile drivers and pedestrians.
MONEY MATTERSOKAY
Giving with purpose: How to make the most of your charitable donations
BY EMILY PROMISE
As we approach the holiday season, many of us start thinking about ways to give back, both to the people we care about and to the causes that matter most to us.
Charitable giving is one of the most rewarding parts of financial planning. Not only can it make a real difference in your community, but it can also be an important part of your overall financial strategy.
Whether you’re giving a few hundred dollars or creating a legacy gift that lasts for generations, a little planning can help your generosity go further.
Start with your values
Before deciding where or how to give, take a moment to think about why you want to give. Are you passionate about supporting local families, animal welfare, education or environmental causes? Do you want to honor a loved one or simply help those in need? Think about some nonprofit organizations locally that you may want to gift to.
By identifying what matters most, you can focus your giving on organizations that align with your personal values. This not only makes the experience more meaningful, but it also ensures your dollars are used in ways that reflect your goals.
Choose the right giving method
There are many ways to give, and each comes with their own advantages. Here are a few common options: Cash donations: The simplest and most direct way to give. Be sure to keep receipts or confirmation letters for tax purposes.
Donating appreciated investments: If you own stocks or mutual funds that have gone up in value, you can donate them directly to a qualified charity. You may avoid paying capital gains taxes and still receive a charitable deduction for the full market value of the asset.
Donor-advised funds: These accounts let you make a charitable contribution now, receive an immediate tax deduction, and then recommend grants to your favorite charities over time. It’s like having your own mini charitable foundation without the administrative burden.
Qualified charitable distributions: If you are at required minimum distribution, you can donate directly from your IRA to a charity (up to $100,000 per year) and count it toward your required minimum distribution. The gift won’t be included in your taxable income, which can help come tax season.
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
Thank you, Mr. Dana
To the editor:
I write to publicly thank Greg Dana for his years of dedication to Marblehead Public School students.
Greg retired from teaching math in 2019 after more than 45 years at Marblehead High School. (He himself is a graduate of MPS.) He continued to work part time in the MPS theaters until September of 2025. It is this second job with the Marblehead Public Schools, in arts and drama, which occupied his many evenings and which have gone unrecognized and unacknowledged, for which I particularly want to thank him.
In the 1990s, along with stellar student academic achievement, Marblehead Public Schools were renowned for education in the arts, including visual arts, music and performing arts. At that time, Marblehead Public Schools had a curriculum director for the arts with its own secretary and a battery of part-time staff for after school and weekends. Greg is the last of that era.
Did your student go into acting or some aspect of performance?
Greg helped Marblehead High School students find their niche
Even small changes, like setting up a recurring monthly donation or adding a charity to your estate plan, can make a lasting impact.
Understand the tax benefits
While the main motivation for giving should be generosity, it’s also smart to understand how charitable contributions fit into your broader financial picture. If you itemize deductions on your tax return, your charitable gifts to qualified nonprofits may be deductible, reducing your taxable income. However, recent tax law changes have made the standard deduction higher, meaning fewer people itemize.
One additional tidbit to note — depending on your income bracket, you may want to bunch deductions into specific years to maximize your benefit. In 2026, there will be changes made to the tax deductibility of charitable contributions if you are in the 35% income bracket.
And remember: the rules for deducting non-cash donations (such as clothing, furniture or vehicles) can be more complex, so keep detailed records and ask a tax professional for guidance.
Involve your family
Charitable giving is also a wonderful opportunity to teach the younger generations about gratitude, empathy and community responsibility. You might hold a family meeting to decide which causes to support this year, or volunteer together at a local shelter or food bank.
When children and grandchildren see the joy that comes from giving, it helps build a lifelong habit of generosity — and a shared sense of purpose.
In families we have worked with, we have seen an increasing desire to incorporate charitable planning into the family’s estate plan. In doing this we are looping in the children to help them see the impact that giving can have on the community around them.
In summary
Charitable giving doesn’t have to be complicated. With a little planning, anyone can make a meaningful impact while also strengthening their own financial future. I always remind clients that giving is most powerful when it’s intentional. Start with your values, know your options and make a plan that fits both your heart and your budget.
Emily Promise, CEO & Financial Advisor at ShorePoint Advisory Group (formerly Blakely Financial) a Marblehead native and the new financial columnist for the Current.
and get college-level instruction in performing arts.
Did your child work on the MHS yearbook? Greg was the teacher that advised these students for 30 years.
Did you have tears in your eyes watching the senior class slide show when your student graduated? Greg put it together with the background music and made copies for families.
Did you attend student drama productions at the high school or Veterans School? Greg attended every practice and performance to oversee the technical sound systems.
Did your child compete in the Drama Festival, traveling to different high schools and then to finals in Boston? Greg was the technical director for the shows and he organized transportation for the scenery and setup.
Did your student go to the prom at a Boston venue? Greg was a chaperone.
Greg did more, above and beyond his job description; he personally repaired broken seats in the Veterans School Performing Arts Center before Town Meeting, saving the town money. In the summers and other vacations, he personally repainted the wooden stage floors at the high school and Performing Arts Center once or
twice a year, all to ensure the best for Marblehead students.
If you were a Marblehead Public School student, the parent of a student or a Marblehead taxpayer, you all benefited from the countless hours and quiet dedication of Greg Dana, a true Marblehead treasure!
Thank you, Greg!
Kathy Leonardson Cloutmans Lane
The three variables that drive Marblehead’s budget
To the editor:
As Marblehead approaches another budget override, the Massachusetts Municipal Association’s recent report, A Perfect Storm, reminds us that all town budget deficits are alike (but strong town budgets are strong in their own way for the Tolstoy fans out there).
Across Eastern Massachusetts, costs are outrunning revenues. Proposition 2 ½ limits property tax increases to 2.5 percent a year. But since 2021, prices in the Greater Boston area rose by 6.9%, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor
A big ask, a big impact
BY CHRISTINE MCCARRISTON
I recently had a big ask for my family and friends. Not the usual lending of money or a ride to the airport. No, I asked for blood. Blood donations that is. I currently am under treatment that causes me to need blood transfusions every other week — except when I need them three weeks in a row. So, I wanted to host a blood drive to give back. Only I wasn’t doing the giving exactly, it was my friends and family that would need to donate blood to make my wish of giving back come true. And they said yes. Each time my nurse would tell me I needed a transfusion, and I could get it that day or the next I was in awe of how lucky I was. There were that many blood donors that made it possible for me to get a transfusion immediately when I needed it. Even if I needed it every other week. They never run out. Donors are truly helping patients and saving lives. I, for one, am eternally grateful.
I spoke my wish out loud this summer and my friend Kathy said her son Johnny had recently needed three blood transfusions. We asked Johnny if he wanted to add his name to my blood drive and he said yes. Kathy suggested I ask the monsignor at Star of the Sea Church if I could hold
the drive at the church school facility. Monsignor Moran had been very kind to me before, so I went to see him. Before I was even finished explaining why I hoped to hold the blood drive, Monsignor Moran said yes. He added that the church held blood drives pre-pandemic and maybe this one will lead to more. I contacted the Red Cross and was soon partnered with a representative who helped me plan the dates and provided information to publicize the drive.
Asking for blood is not easy. Some people cannot give blood due to their health concerns; some are wary of needles. That I understand completely. I am not a fan of needles myself. Still, so many of my friends and family responded positively. They would give and if they couldn’t give, was there something else they could do?
It was overwhelming to see the outpouring of support, but it wasn’t the first time they showered me with love. It wasn’t even the second. They have been there for me throughout my health journey and believe me, it truly helps and feels like medicine.
Over the past three years fighting my health issues, I have had a theme of joy, grace and
compassionate community, yet awareness of our special education in the public schools remains limited.
gratitude. When I told my oldest, Shanna, that I finalized the blood drive details she suggested we get JO+Y shirts for the big day since my blood type is O+. As a family, we love a theme, and a theme often means matching shirts so of course I was thrilled with idea. Someone I worked with also designed shirts, so I asked her, and she was on it right away.
On the day of the blood drive, dressed in our JO+Y shirts, my family hung out for a few hours while I checked people in for their donation time. I loved being the first face people saw when they walked in. People
every child in Marblehead.
Sincerely,
Statistics. That gap is just not sustainable in perpetuity.
The question is what to do about it? Underneath the numbers and spreadsheet complexity, there are three variables that drive Marblehead’s budget: The breadth of the tax base, the property tax rate and service delivery levels. That is it. Marblehead does not want to broaden the tax base and grow its way out of the problem, so that leaves us with a zero-sum pie carving exercise between tax increases vs. service cuts. Expect wishful thinking. Blame the state? Marblehead already gets over $1 million in unrestricted state aid, and Beacon Hill is squeezed as high housing costs push workers out of state. Make the town find “efficiencies?” With spending power trailing prices, we’ve been trimming for years. If you see real savings, the 1,100+ line budget is online — bring your ideas! But remember that nickels and dimes won’t replace dollars. And, of course, there will be pressure on the school budget. Paul Craney, executive director of the anti-government Massachusetts Fiscal Alliance, recently described school funding as the biggest “budget buster” in municipal finances. Not, for example, “a crucial contribution to our children’s future” or “a covenant we owe to the young.” But rather he said school funding is a “budget buster.” I’m sure we’ll hear some of that too between now and Town Meeting.
Make sure you practice your pie carving this Thanksgiving folks.
Nick Ward Rolleston Court
Investing in inclusion means investing in special education
To the editor: Marblehead takes pride in being an inclusive,
Through my research and interviews with local educators, advocacy leaders and School Committee board members, I learned that our schools are deeply committed to inclusion, yet funding and staffing limitations make it difficult to support every student. When budgets are tight, special education positions are often the first to be cut, School Committee member Henry Gwazda told me.
This results in a ripple effect: fewer teachers mean fewer services, lower salaries make it harder to retain qualified educators, and families seek outof-district placements, and the town ultimately spends more.
Educators told me they believed in inclusion, but without adequate trained staff or time to collaborate, even the best models of inclusion cannot reach their full potential. One teacher shared with just an extra hour every two weeks for instructional assistant training, they believe many problems could be prevented. Small investments can make a large difference.
At the same time, programs like Best Buddies and Unified Sports show how powerful inclusion can be when supported by the surrounding community. These initiatives in Marblehead communicate the importance of respect and awareness in special education, while building real friendships. Thus proving, inclusion does strengthen an entire community.
We can continue this process, but only if we take action now. Marblehead, driven by the value of inclusion, should protect special education funding. We should work to prioritize staff training, and strengthen community awareness through SEPAC and local initiatives. I encourage residents to attend SEPAC meetings, speak up at School Committee sessions and advocate for the resources our educators and students need to be the best. Supporting inclusion in special education means investing in the future success of
Eliza Payne Pingree School junior Clifton Heights Lane
Chronic absenteeism is a big problem
To the editor:
While many people often associate the continuing changes from the COVID19 ppandemic with lasting increased health measures, other long-term effects are repeatedly overlooked. Across the country, chronic absenteeism (when a student misses 10% or more of the school year) has been on the rise and Marblehead Public Schools are no exception.
A study by Return to Learn Tracker found that the percentage of chronically absent students in Marblehead rose from 7% in 2017 to 19% in 2025. This drastic increase in absenteeism is consistent throughout the U.S. with the average percent of chronically absent students practically doubling after the pandemic. According to attendance data from the 2024-2025 school year 43% of low-income students were chronically absent. It is no coincidence that one of the main causes of chronic absenteeism is a lack of transportation.
Several studies have found that chronic absenteeism has detrimental effects. A 2021 study found that missing just 10 math classes reduces both students’ math course grades by 19% and the overall likelihood of on-time graduation by 8%.
In an effort to fully understand the current efforts in Marblehead to reduce chronic absenteeism, I reached out to School Committee member and Communications Subcommittee Chair Henry Gwazda. In both his response to my email as well as his statement during the School Committee meeting on Nov. 6, he expressed his hope for the School Committee to incorporate data storytelling into their work. The committee voted to officially begin working towards this goal and discussed how it also aligns with the
I was so overcome with gratitude for the donors.
When you give blood to the Red Cross they email you to let you know where your blood was used. My husband’s was used for a patient at Boston Children’s Hospital. This was such wonderful news for us to hear. We have a family member who spent many years being treated at Children’s Hospital. To think that my husband helped a young patient in some small way made us both feel good.
I worked with years ago, family, friends and even strangers who saw the drive publicized. I knew I would feel good hosting a drive that would benefit patients like me. I didn’t know how much fun the day would be. My small crowd spent hours talking and laughing after they gave blood. The results were better than I could have thought. There were many first-time blood donors which impressed the Red Cross reps at the drive. In the end, there were 29 donations that day which could help up to 90 patients. Talk about feeling overwhelmed.
superintendents goals.
There is no way to solve a problem if people are not aware it exists. Therefore, the first step to reducing the number of chronically absent students is clear communication about its effects. The School Committee can achieve this goal through newsletters and consistent updates during committee meetings about chronic absenteeism.
Once the community is informed, it will empower school administrators to address the various causes of chronic absenteeism. The main contributors behind chronic absenteeism are a lack of transportation and mental health problems. School administrators can assist students by working one-onone with them to create specific plans. Carpooling with friends could be very helpful for those with a lack of transportation. While it may be more difficult to assist students experiencing mental health issues, making sure that school is a safe space by providing a support system could greatly improve their attendance. This work may be difficult, but it is essential that the Marblehead community works together to reduce chronic absenteeism and support any and all struggling students.
Olivia Gates Ocean Avenue
FOPA says thank you
To the editor:
On behalf of the Marblehead Friends of the Performing Arts, we want to extend our deepest gratitude to everyone who attended our 5th annual Rock the Arts gala. The turnout and support were truly remarkable, and we are so grateful to each of you who made this one of our best fundraisers (and parties) to date!
We would like to give a special shoutout to those who donated their amazing in-kind services, including the band, 5X Fast, for the incredible music that filled the evening (and the neighborhood!) with energy;
Other family members got their information too. One learned her donation was used by a patient in a Vermont hospital; another was given to a patient at Good Samaritan Hospital. Donors were glad to hear of where their donation was used.
This column is more of a thank you letter to the Red Cross and generous donors, the Marblehead community and my own community. Thank you is such a small thing to say but I say it daily and especially when I’m told I need a blood transfusion because I know I can get it immediately thanks to that community.
Christine McCarriston is a Marblehead resident and contributes regularly to the Current.
to Xhazzie Kindle and the Marblehead Arts Association for the best venue we could ever ask for; to Shubie’s who once again generously donated their amazing tasty bites; to Sylvia Kane who stepped up with incredible artistic vision, design, décor and logistics; and to Lauren Lumiere who provided the touch of flora that delivered the flare.
An additional huge shoutout goes to all of those who generously donated highlysought-after silent auction items (ranging from Celtics tickets to custom art to local services); to those who filled our beer, wine and “about town” raffle prizes to the brim; to Tucker Architecture who generously provided the delicious desserts to complement the evening; and to Bentley Wealth Management and the Scogland Memorial fund who provided substantial financial support.
And for those who came to the event and “brought it” — upping the ante on bids for auction items, purchasing reels of raffle tickets and bringing the great conversations, enthusiastic vibes and dance moves, thank you for making this a gala to remember.
Your contributions will directly support the orchestra, band, theater, chorus and a cappella programs, as well as help fulfill the needs of our incredibly dedicated music and theater teachers and staff who go above and beyond for our students. With your help, FoPA will now be able to help cover field trip expenses, training and education fees, instrument upgrade and repair costs, sets and costumes, scholarships for graduating seniors, and so much more. Thank you once again for your commitment to the arts and for making this gala such a memorable occasion. We look forward to seeing you at student performances and events throughout the year!
With sincere appreciation, Marblehead Friends of the Performing Arts Officers Katie King, Seaview Avenue Betsy Rickards, Goldthwait Road Julie Peach, Peach Highlands
COURTESY PHOTO
Columnist Christine McCarriston shows off the results of her successful blood drive.
BY LEIGH BLANDER
Do you have a double pole in your neighborhood? Or maybe more than one?
Double poles are created when an older utility pole needs to be replaced. A new pole is installed next to the old one, all equipment is transferred, and often both poles remain.
State law requires the old poles be removed within 90 days, but that doesn’t always happen.
Resident Charles Gessner says the poles are becoming a problem.
“Double poles have proliferated all over Marblehead as the Light Department has replaced old, weakened ones,” Gessner said. “Hopefully, the Select Board will inform Comcast and Verizon that they will not issue permits for new connections until all of these dangerous and unsightly doubles are removed. They pose a risk to the system if we have a powerful Nor’easter or hurricane.”
Jon Blair, the new general manager of the Marblehead Municipal Light Department,
said there are about 4,000 poles across town, including roughly 100 double poles.
“We have joint custody over those with Verizon,” he told the Current. “We jointly own all the poles and split the town in half for maintenance.”
Gov. Maura Healey is pushing a provision that would extend the deadline for utilities to
remove old poles to 180 days and give cities and towns the right to impose penalties of $1,000 for noncompliance.
Blair said double poles are an issue not just in Marblehead but across the North Shore. Multiple
utilities may be using the poles, complicating removal.
“It’s not quite as simple as having Verizon finish the job,” he said. “They may be waiting for Comcast to move equipment, or it may be something we
need to coordinate on the town side. It might involve a private contractor or the municipal fiber optic network. It’s a nuanced situation.”
The Light Department is making the issue a priority, according to Blair.
“It’s rising as a priority for us to address over the next six to 12 months,” Blair said. “We’ve increased communication with Verizon in the past couple of weeks, updating our database of poles and trying to get crews in. The work is largely on the part of the communication companies. Where we can influence that is by keeping the joint database updated.”
He emphasized that double poles, while unsightly, are not inherently dangerous.
“There’s no material safety risk,” he said. “If there was, we would be much more aggressive about resolving it. Maybe it makes sidewalks more difficult to walk on, or it’s an extra hazard for plows to clip.”
Blair added, “It’s not wrong for folks to be pressing us on this issue, and we are making it a priority.”
Town’s budget crunch mirrors broader statewide financial crisis
BY AKANKSHA GOYAL
Marblehead’s looming budget challenges are part of a broader fiscal storm sweeping cities and towns across Massachusetts.
According to a report from the Massachusetts Municipal Association last month, municipalities statewide are caught between rising service costs, constrained local revenue growth and limited, slowgrowing state support.
That combination, the MMA warns, is weakening many cities’
and towns’ ability to absorb new costs. Marblehead is already experiencing those pressures, town officials say.
The MMA report found that municipalities are heavily dependent on property taxes and constrained by Proposition 2 1/2, which limits communities to a 2.5% levy increase plus new growth. Meanwhile, unrestricted state aid has failed to keep pace with inflation, widening the gap between rising costs and available revenue.
Over the past 10 years,
municipalities across the state have held 91 general override votes, with annual totals ranging from two in fiscal year 2017 to 22 in FY2026, according to state Department of Revenue data.
Finance Director Aleesha Benjamin said the town’s situation mirrors this widespread pattern. “Our new growth is pretty stagnant at $300,000 every year.
There’s really no new growth for Marblehead,” she said. “Marblehead’s property tax revenue is 80% of the revenue,
so that being restricted at 2.5% [annual increase] is a major problem when we have inflation at 3% or more.” Benjamin pointed to a 14% health insurance increase, pension appropriations rising 8-9%, 3% personnel cost increases and the impending new trash contract as line-item cost shocks that illustrate the squeeze.
Those numbers add up. Benjamin said the town anticipates having roughly $2 million less in free cash available for the upcoming
budget compared with last year, and that the approximate $2.2 million increase in property-tax capacity is entirely offset by that drop.
“We’re actually starting off at a deficit this fiscal year, which is the reason why I’m saying we’re going to need an override,” she said.
Free cash, a surplus from the prior fiscal year, has historically been used to plug gaps in the town’s operational budget,
Meet Mark Schwartz, newest member of the Current ’s board
BY LEIGH BLANDER
The Current is proud to welcome Mark Schwartz to its board of directors. Schwartz worked as a teacher for 12 years before transitioning to tech marketing. He grew up in Swampscott and moved to Marblehead a few years ago with his wife and two daughters, ages 4 and 9 months. The Current newsroom interviewed Schwartz last week.
Current: What prompted you to join the Current’s board?
Schwartz: I’ve always been passionate about civics education and about helping people understand not just what’s happening in their community but how to make sense of information and why trustworthy sources matter. We see every day what happens when civics disappears from classrooms and when people lose confidence in the news.
Local journalism plays an important role in strengthening
a community, and the Current takes that responsibility seriously. Being part of an organization committed to factual reporting and civic health feels like exactly the kind of work I want to support. And honestly, I’ve been a news junkie and media nerd for as long as I can remember, so I’m really
excited to be part of this world.
Current: Tell us a little about your work experience.
Schwartz: My background is a mix of teaching, tech and marketing, which sounds a little random on paper but actually fits together pretty naturally.
Teaching shaped how I work with people, and tech gave me
MPS already on track as state pushes early literacy reforms
BY AKANKSHA GOYAL
Massachusetts lawmakers have advanced a sweeping early literacy bill aimed at addressing what they call a statewide literacy crisis. The legislation, which passed the House on Oct. 29 and now heads to the Senate, would require school districts to adopt evidence-based curricula and expand early screening requirements for K-3 students. While the measure could bring significant changes across the state, Marblehead educators say much of the work is already in place. Assistant Superintendent of Teaching and Learning Julia Ferreira said the district has long implemented many of the initiatives outlined in the bill.
“We’ve been doing this even before 2023,” she said, referring to the state’s July 2023 regulation requiring biannual early literacy screenings for K-3 students.
“We’ve been doing it for many years… because we know early literacy is the foundation for academic success across all subjects.” The legislation seeks to close widening achievement gaps and strengthen literacy
Benjamin noted, despite state guidance recommending it be reserved for one-time expenses such as capital improvements or building stabilization reserves.
Finance Committee Chair Alec Goolsby said the town’s effort to build reserves illustrates the structural bind Marblehead is in.
“In order to build those reserves, we’re having to reduce the availability of free cash to balance the budget, which is making it harder to maintain the services being delivered,” he said.
Goolsby said town officials are exploring ways to increase revenue beyond local receipts, though options remain limited since property taxes account for the bulk of the town’s revenue. At the same time, they’ve been scrutinizing expenses, reallocating resources where
instruction by requiring the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education to approve high-quality early reading programs and provide free teacher training modules.
It also defines “evidence-based literacy instruction” as teaching grounded in scientific research and proven to produce positive student outcomes. Curricula must include instruction in five key areas: phonemic awareness, phonics, fluency, vocabulary and comprehension, and must prohibit “three-cueing,” or encouraging students to guess words based on pictures or context clues.
Ferreira said that the district completed a curriculum review four years ago and adopted Wit & Wisdom, a program she said meets the highest state standards. This is complemented by Fundations, which focuses on phonemic awareness to build essential word-reading skills.
Together, the programs form the backbone of early literacy instruction through grade three, with additional support extending into grade four as needed.
To identify students who may
possible and working closely with the schools and other departments to ease budget pressures.
Benjamin emphasized the difficulty of balancing competing needs.
“We should not be fighting between the town and the schools to compete for assets that are needed for both,” she said.
That competition, she explained, is largely driven by the state’s funding structure, which often leaves municipalities shouldering the majority of costs for both public services and education.
State support has historically been insufficient to offset local pressures. The MMA report highlights that unrestricted general government aid has lagged behind inflation for the past two decades, leaving towns like Marblehead dependent on a narrow revenue base.
UGGA has fallen roughly 25%
the chance to build campaigns and launches in a fast-paced, creative environment.
These days, my main job — and my favorite job — is being a stay-at-home dad. Getting this time with my girls is something I’m incredibly grateful for.
Current: What do you think about the Current’s nonprofit, independent mission?
Schwartz: What I like most about the Current is that it’s fearless. It’s not beholden to a corporation, a political party or anyone’s agenda. The Current publishes reporting, op-eds and letters that sometimes make people on all sides uncomfortable — and honestly, that’s healthy. If people are reacting, it means they’re paying attention. It means they care.
As for what I look forward to reading most? It changes week to week. I love staying informed about the big issues — the 3A debate, how the Tedesco property could factor in, the recent piece about the nonprofit
interested in the Coffin School — all of that matters. But honestly, the stories I look forward to the most are the ones that make me smile — the people doing great things, the people doing hard work, the people trying to make this a better place. We need those stories just as much as we need the serious reporting, and I love that the Current gives us both!
Current: What are you looking forward to the most about being on the Current’s board?
Schwartz: I’m especially interested in getting involved with the marketing and development side. That’s where a lot of my background is, and it’s the kind of work I genuinely enjoy — helping people understand the value of local journalism and finding creative ways to bring more voices, readers and supporters into the mix. The Current is already something to be proud of, and I’m excited to help it grow and reach even more people.
need extra help, Marblehead uses multiple screening tools. In addition to its longstanding diagnostic assessments, the district recently adopted DIBELS, a nationally recognized literacy screener, to gather more precise data. Families receive updates on their children’s progress and can discuss support plans during parent-teacher conferences.
The most recent MCAS results show that Marblehead third graders continue to perform above the state average, with 67% meeting or exceeding expectations in English Language Arts compared with 42% statewide.
“We’re very proud of our data from the latest MCAS. It’s only one data point, but I think it’s showing our students are doing really well because they’ve had Wit & Wisdom and Fundations for two or three years before taking [the test],” Ferreira said.
The legislation also emphasizes professional development for teachers to align with evidence- based literacy instruction. Ferreira said Marblehead has already invested
since 2002, and Massachusetts municipalities receive just 26% of their revenue from the state — below the national average of about 31%, the report states.
“I definitely do not feel the state’s funding formula reflects the realities of what we’re going through now,” Benjamin said.
She said Marblehead’s funding challenges are worsened by 3A noncompliance, which limits access to discretionary grants, without which the town is forced to depend on local taxpayers to cover projects that might otherwise receive funding.
Benjamin emphasized that the town has not sought a general override since 2005, relying instead on the annual 2.5% property tax increase allowed under Proposition 2 1/2 for the past two decades.
“We’ve stretched it as thin as it could possibly go, and it can’t go any further without actually making real cuts — whether
heavily in this area.
Educators participate in extensive training and collaborate regularly through professional learning communities where they review student data and share strategies.
She credits the district’s strong outcomes to its established structure to support all learners and culture of collaboration, as well as active engagement from parents and caregivers, who support reading and learning at home.
that means cuts to public safety, public works, teachers, health — we don’t know, but it’s going to be [real] reductions in budgets,” she said.
A general override, Benjamin said, would put Marblehead in a healthy fiscal position by creating a permanent, recurring revenue source, unlike debt exclusions that fall off once capital improvements are paid off. She projected that an override could stabilize Marblehead’s finances for at least three to five years, potentially longer, while allowing the town to rebuild reserves and properly fund capital projects.
Benjamin said the town is preparing multi-year projections that will show residents the long-term effects of either approving or rejecting an override. She said any override proposal would likely include a three-to-five-year outlook and a full public education effort to
“This is years in the making,” she said.
While the state pushes for stronger early literacy instruction, Ferreira said she’s proud that Marblehead is already meeting the moment.
“There’s always work to be done and it’s a continual reflection of how our students are doing and what else can we do… but we are very proud to say that we’re already ahead of this,” she said.
explain trade-offs.
Goolsby emphasized that no final decision has been made, but the challenges are clear.
“There’s a whole process that we still need to get through, but based on the revenue being flat, indications would suggest that it’s going to be hard without [an override],” he said.
He added that his role is not to advocate for an override but to help residents understand the town’s financial position and what those realities mean for decisions voters may face in the future.
Benjamin stressed that her department is focused on transparency and fostering community trust, encouraging residents to review public financial documents such as audits and the comprehensive financial report to better understand the town’s finances and how resources are allocated across departments and services.
CURRENT PHOTO / LEIGH BLANDER
Mark Schwartz is the newest member of the Current’s board of directors.
COURTESY PHOTO Marblehead is already “meeting the moment” as the state pushes new literacy standards, according to Assistant Superintendent Julia Ferreira.
“She’s been gone for many, many years, and we had this jewelry sitting around,” Tedford said. “Nobody had any interest in keeping it. It was just sitting in my house, so I decided to bring it in.”
The higher gold prices exceeded her expectations. Tedford used the proceeds to design a new ring using a gemstone also inherited from her grandmother.
Kelcie Kennedy-Smith, who inherited her mother’s gold jewelry in 2014, had similar results.
“For 11 years, it’s been
sitting in a box pretty much untouched,” she said. “It was mostly gold chains, random basic rings, earrings and broken pieces I would never wear.”
She was surprised to learn her gold was worth more than $3,000. “I kept all the important pieces from my mother’s jewelry but sold the pieces that were broken or that I would never wear,” Kennedy-Smith said. “I spent about two hours at the store and enjoyed learning about the process.”
For more information about selling gold jewelry, email info@ brookemicheledesigns. com or call 781-427-7463.
The property is currently zoned for singlefamily homes. Semidetached or two-family dwellings are allowed with a special permit. Anything denser would require a zoning change at Town Meeting.
Neighbors repeatedly said they do not want a large apartment building or condominium complex on the site. Several voiced support for elderly housing or affordable units for veterans and Marblehead residents or workers.
“We don’t need more million-dollar housing,” one man said. “Don’t turn it over to private developers. Let’s see if
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we can come together as a community, sort out the concerns and fears, and find the right answer. I think there’s a right answer in the middle here somewhere.”
Kurt James, a Marblehead resident and housing advocate, suggested affordable assisted living.
“What that would mean is a very highquality building would be constructed there,” he said. “But residents, instead of paying upward of 90 or 95% of their income like they would in a nursing home, would pay 30%. There are nonprofits using this model. And we could prioritize Marblehead residents and veterans.”
Others suggested preserving the site as open green space or
combining a park, dog area and a small number of apartments or cottages.
Steve Elliott, a lifelong Turner Road resident, noted that before the school was built, the land held about a dozen lots for veterans that sold for $500 each.
“If you build something with 12 units, that would be good,” another neighbor said. “But do I want something with 40 units, with rubbish and noise? I don’t think it’s
fair that we should be asked to accept that.”
Some worried the town might simply sell the property to the highest bidder.
“We’re not looking to make a quick buck; we’re looking at what our community needs,” Callahan responded.
Jack Attridge urged town officials to slow down.
“If we sell it and get a one-time cash benefit, even if it’s valued at $5 million, you’re only going to get $50,000 a year out of that,” he said. “Let’s not rush to an RFP when we should consider the value of the property — and that we can’t un-ring the bell.”
Select Board Chair Dan Fox assured the crowd, “We are here to listen. The next step is to bring this information together, and we’re listening to what you’re saying. We represent you.”
Callahan plans a second listening session next month and hopes to “finalize project direction and next steps” by the end of January.
More information and updates on the Coffin School reuse process are available at marbleheadma.gov/coffinschool-adaptive-reuse/.
CURRENT PHOTO / LEIGH BLANDER Residents packed a Nov. 13 meeting to hear more about plans for the Coffin School property.
Sports
Magicians playoff run ends with 27-22 quarterfinal loss to Canton
BY LUCA TEDESCO
CANTON — The Marblehead
Magicians football team had their season end at the hands of the #3 Canton Bulldogs, losing 27-22 in the quarterfinals of the MIAA Division 4 state tournament at Memorial Field in Canton on Friday night.
“We had plenty of opportunities to make up for the mistakes that we made,” said head coach Jim Rudloff after the loss. “We didn’t take those opportunities, but it’s difficult to say to everyone else on the team that we can win that game if we’re going to give them the ball four times.”
Marblehead had a dream start to the game with junior return man, Armany Villar, running 94 yards to the house on the opening kickoff to give the Magicians the lead after just 12 seconds.
After the defensive units from both sides dug their heels in to force a trio of three-and-outs, the Magicians would double their advantage on a 34-yard scramble by quarterback Finn Gallup to make the score 14-0 with just under five minutes to play in the first quarter.
After taking possession at the 35-yard line following a kickoff out of bounds, two big gains by the Bulldogs through the air would set up senior running back, Nick Crowe, for a five-yard
run to the end zone to bring the game within a single score.
While both teams struggled to convert on third down, going a combined 0-for-10 in the first half, the Canton offense would pick up a major fourth down conversion to give themselves a red zone opportunity. The Bulldogs would capitalize on the short field with quarterback
Brian MacGillivray finding Antoine Jamison on a crossing route for a 14-yard passing touchdown to tie the game at 14-all late in the half.
Gallup would throw interceptions on his next two throws, the first to Jake Marcel
and the second to Nolan Harney, the latter being returned to the one-yard line with just seconds remaining in the half.
With the ball just inches from the goal line, a bad shotgun snap would see the Bulldogs backed up to the 11-yard line. Matters would only be made worse due to the ball being spiked in frustration by a Canton player, setting his team back an extra 15 yards. A failed toss to the end zone would bring the half to a close with the score tied, 14-14.
The Marblehead defense would make a major fourth down stop, but Harney would pick off another Gallup pass to give the
POWDERPUFF SHOWDOWN
The Marblehead-Swampscott girls gridiron rivalry will be renewed on Saturday, Nov. 22 at 10 a.m. for the annual Powderpuff game at Blocksidge Field in Swampscott.
Coach Jacqui Bouchard comes out of retirement to coach her 19th Powderpuff classic as the Magicians try to make it three-in-a-row after wins in 2023 and 2024.
The Current will be there with live, play-by-play action on X at @mhdcurrent.
Cantonians solid field position just beyond the halfway line. A methodical Canton drive would be capped off with a patient MacGillivray throw to a wide open Jake Marcell, giving the Bulldogs their first lead of the night, 21-14, with five minutes to play in the third quarter.
After forcing another Marblehead punt, Canton would capitalize on the Magicians jumping offsides on a field goal attempt, giving the Bulldogs a first down at the five-yard line. Crowe would pound the ball home for his second touchdown of the night. The kicking unit would fault to convert the extra point, keeping the score at 27-14 early in the fourth.
After stopping a Marblehead
fourth down play at the two-yard line, the Bulldogs would, once again, have trouble with the snap, handing the Magicians two points by way of a safety. With the ball back in the hands of Marblehead following the safety kick, Gallup would throw his fourth and final interception of the evening, the third picked off by Harney.
After regaining possession by forcing a three-and-out, Marblehead cut the Canton advantage to five on a highlight reel throw by Gallup to Breydan Callahan. The two point attempt would end in a quarterback sack, forcing Marblehead to score a touchdown to keep their season alive.
Receiving the ball at the 20 following a Marblehead touchback, the Bulldogs gained a pair of first downs before kneeling out the final 50 seconds of the contest to send them to the MIAA Division 4 semifinals, handing the Magicians a 27-22 loss to end their season.
Marblehead’s season ends with their fourth quarterfinal defeat in as many years.
Looking ahead, the 116th meeting between Marblehead and Swampscott will mark a return to the traditional Thanksgiving date after the game was moved to Fenway Park last season. The rivalry will be renewed on Thanksgiving morning at 10 a.m. at Piper Field.
BY JOE MCCONNELL
There’s so much that goes into a fall season from the beginning of practice in the late summer August heat to every team’s hopeful playoff destination in the November chill.
The Marblehead High girls soccer team (14-2-5) is one of those teams that ran the usual gamut of a season from overcoming injuries to eventually qualifying for the Division 2 state tournament as the 10th seed. A total of 63 teams started the season in this division throughout the state.
These Magicians then won their first two playoff games against Walpole and Oliver Ames, before dropping a 3-1 decision to host Longmeadow, the second seed, in an Elite 8 game on Nov. 13. The Lancers took a 2-0 lead into halftime, but Marblehead’s
Callie Gilmore trimmed her team’s deficit in half with a clutch goal on a penalty kick in the second half. Her sister Hailey also did her part in net, coming up with five saves to keep the game close on the scoreboard. However, the visitors were unable to come up with the tying goal, before the Lancers sealed the deal with the all-important insurance tally.
“It’s always hard when the
season abruptly ends, as ours did (against Longmeadow),” said coach Lisa Wales. “But this was the first time this year that we gave up three goals in a game. We only allowed 13 all season long, which also included this game.”
Wales added that Longmeadow controlled the play in the first half, but her Magicians finally started to play their game in the second half to keep things close
until the home team put it away with a late goal.
Flipping the script
“This is the first time that we have reached the Elite 8 round since 2016,” said Wales.
“We have been battling injuries all season long, but our team continued to fight through it all. We never gave up. The perseverance and grit that these girls showed throughout the
season was incredible. Every time we asked them to take on something new or elevate their game, they did, and that even includes this game, when we challenged them at halftime (to step things up). They are (simply) a fantastic group of soccer players, and we (as a coaching staff) couldn’t be prouder of them.”
Wales would like to thank her seniors – Sydney Ball, Liv Carlson, Samara Dosch, Cora Gerson, Sadie Halpern, Courtney Hitcherich, Nora Mahan, Ashley Mortensen, Isabel Mortesen and Liv Niles – for their commitment to the program. “It is always a pleasure to get to know these young women and their interests off the field, as well. I have no doubt that they will be successful in all of their future endeavors,” the coach said.
COURTESY PHOTO / VICTORIA DOSCH
MHS girls soccer made it to the Elite 8 this season.
COURTESY PHOTO / KRISTIN O’NEIL CALLAHAN
Marblehead’s Peter Rose (58), James Lancaster (41), and Owen Coyne (18) bring down Canton running back Nick Crowe (6) during the MIAA Division 4 quarterfinal in Canton on Friday, Nov. 14.
Miller, Sachs land top NEC awards after leading Magicians to volleyball title with perfect record
BY JOE MCCONNELL
The state tournament can be cruel with ironic twists and turns, but the totality of a season always has its share of memorable moments.
The Marblehead High volleyball (19-3, sixth seed) and girls soccer (14-2-5, 10th seed) teams pretty much mirrored each other throughout their respective Division 2 state tournaments. Both teams got off to 2-0 starts to reach the Elite 8, where they ironically hooked up with the same school – Longmeadow – and lost by the same score, 3-1.
The Lancers volleyball team (21-2, third seed), however, went on to lose to Wayland (158, seventh seed) in the state semifinals, 3-0. But Oliver Ames (25-0, top seed) then took care of the Warriors in the state title
game at Billerica Memorial High School on Nov. 15, 3-2. Longmeadow girls soccer (162-4, second seed) was scheduled to hook up with King Philip
(10-6-5, 11th seed) in its state semifinal game on Nov. 17 in Leominster after press deadline.
But before the postseason got underway, coach Killeen Miller’s
volleyball squad was already in a celebratory mood after capturing the program’s second Northeastern Conference title with a perfect 12-0 record, while
playing out of the Dunn Division. The first one was in 2015, and Miller was the architect of that championship club, as well. For the record, Swampscott won this year’s Lynch Division with a 7-4 record.
With all of that regular season success, the veteran Marblehead mentor was recently recognized by her NEC peers with Coach of the Year honors. But as any successful coach knows, they first need good players to win anything, and Miller had them this fall, led by senior captain Greta Sachs, who was the NEC Player of the Year. Sachs also joined two of her teammates – Lila Moniz and Sydney Faris – on the All-Conference team. Mari Modrzynksa, Eva Burke and Samantha Walker were selected to the Dunn Division all-star team.
With second-place finish, MHS surprises the state in the Division 2A girls race
BY JOE MCCONNELL
The Marblehead High girls cross-country team, decked out in its new Northeastern Conference championship jerseys, surprised the competition with a secondplace finish at the State Division 2A Championship Meet in Northfield on Nov. 8. All season long, the Marblehead girls were overlooked by the rest of the state, according to coach Will Herlihy, despite going undefeated in the regular season and following that up by coming out on top in the NEC Meet. They were only ranked ninth in the division going into the annual state meet. But rankings don’t mean anything when you’re actually out there on the course.
“It was a fantastic display of team running and tremendous heart to get us the runner-up state trophy on a very challenging Northfield course,” said Herlihy afterwards.
Marblehead’s dynamic duo of Sarah Munroe and senior captain Marri O’Connell both finished in the Top 10, seventh and eighth, respectively. Norah Walsh (19th) and Ruby Assa (20th) ended up in the Top 20 that picked up more valuable points to help secure the second-place finish.
Evelina Beletsky was Marblehead’s fifth and final scorer of this postseason meet after running the best race of her scholastic career. For context, her time of 22:35 is only
30 seconds off her 5,000-meter personal best effort on a course that typically runs 60 to 90 seconds slower than most.
Sophia Letwin and Jesslyn Roemer rounded out Marblehead’s squad, coming in 57th and 83rd in that order overall.
“The course at Northfield involves a nearly half-mile long uphill climb in the opening mile of the race that by itself asks a lot of every runner, and then there is still two miles of racing left after that,” said Herlihy.
“Fortunately, we were able to preview the course the week before, and the girls took full advantage of that opportunity by running hard up the hill and trusting in their experiences on the course to pull them through the rest of the race.”
Having a teammate nearby to help push each of the top four
Season highlights
There was the 1-0 win over Masco to open up the season, which broke the Chieftains’ regular season winning streak at 60, dating back to September of 2021. It was also Marblehead’s first-ever win over the former Cape Ann League team. Later in the year, both teams played to a scoreless tie. “We are the only Northeastern Conference team not to lose to Masco this season,” said Wales.
The Magicians finished 10th in the Division 2 power rankings for the second straight year
to secure a first round home playoff game, which was a wild one against Walpole, according
to Wales. “We were trailing 2-1 with less than five minutes to go in the game, but then we moved Sydney Ball up to midfield, and she quickly responded with the tying goal two minutes later to send the game to overtime, where Lucy McDonald banged home the game-winner in the second overtime period,” she added.
A regional star
Sydney Ball was recently chosen Eastern Massachusetts Girls Soccer Coaches Association, All-New England and Division 2 Player of the Year. Ball was also NEC MVP, while making AllState and EMGSCA first-team all-star.
“Sydney is an incredibly fast, skillful player, who can play anywhere on the field,” said Wales. “She has been a
Marblehead runners through the stretch run was a huge boon, according to Herlihy.
“With O’Connell staying close to Munroe when things got tough in the second half of the race, and Walsh and Assa pushing each other from start to finish, made the difference for us in finishing second,” the veteran Marblehead coach said.
For a little background, Westwood, with everybody back from last year’s state championship club, has been the top-ranked team in the division all season long. Canton (second), Melrose (seventh) and Walpole (eighth) were also ranked ahead of Marblehead, but, as they say, that’s why you still have to run the race.
“No one outside of this team expected this finish,” said Herlihy. “But this team knows who they are, and they knew
tremendous leader for us as a varsity starter all four years, and will certainly be greatly missed after ending her senior season with five goals and five assists. She will play at Division 1 Temple University next fall.”
More Marblehead stars earn recognition
Ball’s teammate Ainsley McDonald was selected NEC All-Conference, and then was notified that she too made EMGSCA first-team all-star.
“Ainsley, who ended the season with one goal and two assists, is one of the best center backs in the NEC,” said Wales. “She is a steady and consistent presence on defense, who worked incredibly hard in the off-season rehabbing an ACL injury. She is excellent at anticipating the play, and also has
they were capable of something special, and that belief was the only thing that really mattered.”
These Marblehead girls celebrated this moment with tremendous pride in their accomplishment, but only briefly with the All-State Meet of Champions right around the corner.
Boys finish fifth
The Marblehead High boys team finished fifth in its State Division 2A Championship Meet also on Nov. 8 in Northfield.
Senior captains Henrik Adams (17:18, eighth) and Will Cruikshank (17:24, 12th) were the leading Marblehead runners.
“I could not be prouder of this team, and, in particular, these two senior captains,” said coach Brian Heenan. “We have been working on pacing throughout the last month in preparation
the ability to see the whole field. Her soccer IQ is off the charts.”
Lucy McDonald (NEC AllConference and EMGSCA second-team all-star) is the toughest player that Wales has ever coached. The coach pointed out that McDonald was injured during the Longmeadow game, but still played at an incredibly high level, while adding, “Lucy at 70% is a bet we will take all day long.”
McDonald had five goals and three assists this year, but as Wales said, “It’s more of what she does away from the ball that sets everyone else up.”
Callie Gilmore is a NEC all-star after compiling 16 goals and 5 assists this year. “For the second straight year, Callie was our leading scorer, despite missing a few games due to injury,” said
for this course, which is the toughest that we run on every year. It has a 600-meter hill (to negotiate) in the first mile. But the boys wanted to get out in good position, before working on the second and third mile. Henrik and Will executed the plan to perfection.”
The team’s success in the second half of the season is due to the leadership of all three captains — Zach Pike, Adams and Cruikshank — according to Heenan.
First-year junior runner Filip Grubor (18:01) continued to impress with a 27th place finish, while running against the rest of the state. Pike (44th, 18:29), first-year senior runner Colin Hart (48th, 18:42), freshman Isaac Durand (77th, 19:41) and four-year senior harrier Thomas Svencer (79th, 19:42) also ran well.
Wales. “She is excellent in the air, and also has the ability to find the back of the net when we need it most. Her vision of the field and passing skills are elite, and I can’t wait to see what her season looks like next year.”
Liv Carlson (11 goals, 4 assists) is also a NEC all-star. “Liv had a great senior year that was unfortunately cut short due to injury,” said Wales. “Last season, Liv also battled many injuries, but she worked incredibly hard to not only get back on the field, but to shine on it, as well. Her constant hustle and heart were always on display throughout our games and practices. One of Liv’s highlights this year was getting a hat trick against Peabody on her birthday in September.”
COURTESY PHOTO / ABBEY DION
After defying the state’s rankings to finish second in the Division 2A Meet on Nov. 8 in Northfield, MHS girls cross-country coach Will Herlihy and his talented runners Evelina Beletsky, Ruby Assa, Sarah Munroe, Marri O’Connell, Norah Walsh, Sophia Letwin and Jesslyn Roemer proudly pose with the runner-up trophy.
COURTESY PHOTO
Marblehead High volleyball senior captain Greta Sachs knocks the ball over the net during a match against
Winthrop in September. Sachs went on to be named the NEC Player of the Year after leading her teammates to a perfect 12-0 conference record.
Marblehead’s best bets
Current Events spotlights exciting happenings in the coming week. If you’d like to contribute a listing, please email
Blander at lblander@marbleheadnews.org.
‘The Age of Beauty: Navigating Media, Pop Culture and the Cosmetics Industry’
Wednesday, Nov. 19, 7 p.m.
Marblehead Girl Scouts Troop 82192 will host a free discussion at Abbot Public Library about how media and pop culture shape the cosmetics industry and beauty habits. Aimed at youth ages 8–14, the program teaches participants to make informed choices about personal care products.
Attendees will explore age-appropriate skincare routines, identify potentially harmful ingredients, and create simple DIY beauty products, including a matcha face mask and a coconut lip scrub. No registration required.
Music with Dara at Abbot Public Library
Friday, Nov. 21, 10:30 a.m.
Bring little ones to an interactive morning of music at the Abbot Library. Dara leads children through classic songs, new tunes, finger plays, props, rhythmic activities, instrument play and movement. She also introduces basic music concepts like pitch, rhythm, beat, tempo, and dynamics. Designed for ages 2–5, though siblings of other ages are welcome. Online registration required at tinyurl.com/ Nov-2025-Dara.
Community STEM Day at Epstein Hillel School
Sunday, Nov. 23, 2–3:30 p.m.
Epstein Hillel School, 6 Community Road, invites the community to a free STEM event. PreK through fifth-grade students can explore hands-on activities and challenges this year themed around outer space. Details at epsteinhillel.org.
Jazz at the Arts: Cassandre McKinley
Thursday, Nov. 20, 7–10:30 p.m.
The Marblehead Arts Association and Gene Arnould present Cassandre McKinley as part of the Jazz at the Arts series. Doors at 8 Hooper St. open at 6:30 p.m. Tickets are $35. A cash bar will be available. Tickets may be purchased online or in advance at the Marblehead Arts Association or Arnould Gallery.
Harbor Holidays at the Boston Yacht Club
Friday Nov. 21, 6-9 p.m., Saturday, Nov. 22, 10 a.m.-4 p.m.
Celebrating 17 years, Harbor Holidays returns to the Boston Yacht Club for this preThanksgiving shopping tradition. Free and open to the public on both days, the show features work by a group of local and regional artists and craftspeople. Mediums include painting, jewelry, ceramics, hand-made clothing, photography, woodworking, soy candles and craft sweets. As part of the event’s
Fine Art Floral Design: Mimosas and Merriment
Saturday, Nov. 22, 10 a.m.–12 p.m. Join award-winning florist Meghan Perlow at 8 Hooper St. for a festive floral workshop. Participants will design their own wreaths while sipping
tradition of supporting charitable giving, Making Ends Meet will be raffling a gift basket and SPUR will kick off its annual Christmas Cheer
mimosas, then team up for a guided garland installation at the historic Hooper Mansion. All materials, tools, and seasonal decor are provided; participants may bring additional accents. Tickets: $90 for MAA members, $105 for non-members. More info at marbleheadarts.org/calendar.
Virtual Book Discussion:
‘The
Gilded Age Christmas
Cookbook’
Monday, Nov. 24, 7 p.m.
Abbot Public Library, in partnership with Ashland Public Library, hosts author Becky Libourel Diamond to discuss “The Gilded Age Christmas Cookbook: Cookies and Treats from America’s Golden Era.” The free program is via Zoom; registration is required at tinyurl.com/Gilded-Age-Cookbook. Registrants will receive a confirmation email with the Zoom link. The session will be recorded and shared with all participants.
Gerry 5 Music and Giving with the Guy Ford Band
Saturday, Nov. 29, 7–10 p.m.
Support the Marblehead Food Pantry at the Gerry 5 V.F.A. with an evening of live music, a gift basket raffle, and a food drive. Tickets are $15, and attendees are encouraged to bring non-perishable food donations.
BY LEIGH BLANDER
MHS sophomore takes dancing skills to Boston for
BY SAOIRSE STALLINGS
Marblehead High School
sophomore Gordon Andrews is heading to Boston this holiday season to dance in the opening hip-hop sequence of Anthony Williams’ “Urban Nutcracker” at the Boch Center Shubert Theatre. This year marks the production’s 25th season.
Andrews has spent more than a decade training at local studios, including Kids in Motion at the JCC, Marblehead Dance Company and Phunk Phenomenon in Everett. He also sharpens his technique during
school vacations at the Joffrey Ballet in New York City and has performed in flash mobs and music videos specializing in hiphop and commercial dance.
He now teaches and mentors young dancers at Marblehead Dance Company.
“I never imagined I would be dancing in the opening of this legendary production,” he said. “I’ve met so many dancers from the Boston area who are passionate about creating positive social change through dance. I hope my performance inspires young dancers, and I’d love to help more Marbleheaders
join the production next year.”
“Urban Nutcracker” brings its mission of “diversity through dance” to life with scenes set to Tchaikovsky and Duke Ellington. Anchored in classical ballet, the show blends tap, hip-hop, breaking, flamenco and jazz, all backed by an eight-piece ensemble of Boston musicians.
Andrews will perform Sunday, Dec. 14, at 1 and 5:30 p.m.; Thursday, Dec. 18, at 7 p.m.; and Saturday, Dec. 20, at 2 and 7 p.m. Tickets are available at the Boch Center box office, bochcenter. org/urbannutcracker or 866-3489738, and through Ticketmaster.
BY LEIGH BLANDER
Every year, Clifton Lutheran Church orders thousands of pumpkins from Navajo farmers in New Mexico and sells them on the church lawn on Humphrey Street. The annual tradition supports indigenous farmers and is a treat for the Marblehead community.
Along with about 7,000 large pumpkins, the church received hundreds of smaller sugar pumpkins this year. After Halloween, roughly 700 of the less-popular pumpkins remained.
“Then the government shutdown dragged on, and suddenly our already strained food charity system was facing the burden of many
EBT- (electronic benefits transfer) and SNAP-dependent households,” said Clifton Lutheran Rev. James Bixby. Bixby continued, “That’s when
folks from local pantries, food shelves and kitchens started showing up and taking sugar pumpkins at no charge. Church members had spread the word,
and in the end, hundreds of pumpkins helped ease the moment’s food crisis. We still have about 100 left.”
Sugar pumpkins aren’t just for pie, Bixby noted. “Pumpkin bread and muffins
are classics,” he said. “I’m a sucker for pumpkin risotto. In the Caribbean, pumpkins and squash — called ‘provisions’ — are roasted and served alongside fish with hot pepper. Another favorite is pumpkin pad Thai, served in the pumpkin itself. And with Thanksgiving approaching, pumpkin mash with butter and cinnamon — no sugar needed — is an easy, sweet side.”
Bixby said he’s grateful the surplus pumpkins served a meaningful purpose.
“I think of the extended arm of help that Native Americans offered early settlers, and now pumpkins from Native hands are doing it again,” he said. “We never asked for so many pumpkins, but providence provided.”
BY SAOIRSE STALLINGS
Marblehead artist
Kirsten Bassion has spent two decades building a creative home for ceramics students on the North Shore — The Clay School, now the largest ceramics studio north of Boston.
Bassion studied studio art at Skidmore College and earned a master of fine arts in ceramics from the School for American Crafts at the Rochester Institute of Technology. After graduate school, she returned to Marblehead to work in local ceramics studios and worked at Abbot Public Library.
When starting The Clay School, “I kept thinking, ‘I can do this better than the other studios,’” Bassion said. “As an artist coming out of two art programs, I asked myself, ‘What would
I want a ceramics studio to be like?’” She found her answer in 2005 in Lynn’s historic Lydia Pinkham building
— named for one of Massachusetts’ first female entrepreneurs and an early abolitionist. The building had the character and space needed for her vision of a ceramics school and open studio. Today, The Clay School offers
TOWN OF MARBLEHEAD
11 weekly classes, serves more than 285 students a week and employs six instructors. She is proud to provide the community with college-level instruction in the ceramic arts.
“We’ve had thousands of people come through our studio,” Bassion said.
“I love when someone says, ‘This is my happy place. This is where I feel welcome and comfortable, and I’m doing something cool with my hands.’ A lot of people who feel lonely in the community or are just looking for connection and to get creative find us — and find friends.”
Each Clay School anniversary is marked with a community art project: a tile wall for the 10th, a hallway of ceramic animal coat hooks for the 15th and now a 20th-anniversary tiled bathroom installation created from handmade
subway tiles crafted by students. The tiles range from humorous riffs on bathroom graffiti to jokes to intricate artistic designs celebrating the 20th anniversary.
Bassion launched The Lydia Pinkham Open Studios alongside The Clay School starting in 2006 and it has grown from a crowd of 300 visitors in one studio to a five-floor, building-wide celebration held the weekend before Thanksgiving with 15001800 annual visitors and around 50 artists showing and selling their work. This year’s event, Nov. 22–23, will feature painters, photographers, filmmakers, woodworkers, musicians, ceramic artists and even a new bakery. A trolley will run Saturday between the building and the Lynn Museum for anyone wanting to make a whole day of visiting local artists.
The Open Studios weekend includes artist meet-and-greets, demonstrations, food and music. Hours are Saturday, Nov. 22, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., and Sunday, Nov. 23, from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. More information about the event is available at lydiapinkhamopenstudios. com or on Instagram at @ lp.openstudios, and more information about The Clay School is available at theclayshool.com.
Clifton
COURTESY PHOTO Marblehead High School sophomore Gordon Andrews will perform in the “Urban Nutcracker” at the Boch Center Shubert Theatre in December.
Town celebrates Veterans Day with stories, songs and gratitude
BY LEIGH BLANDER
Marblehead celebrated its past and present veterans with music, stories and expressions of thanks.
On Nov. 11, people packed Abbot Hall for the town’s annual Veterans Day program, directed by Veterans Services Officer Ro Trionfi-Mazzuchelli. Local Boy Scouts led the crowd in the Pledge of Allegiance.
The Marblehead High School chorus performed several songs, including the national anthem and a spirited rendition of “Marblehead Forever.”
Air Force veteran Tom Mathers, a Marblehead resident, was the keynote speaker. With his second granddaughter born last week, he reflected on what he might tell her one day: “What does it mean to be a veteran?”
“We peel back what’s unnecessary and focus on the mission at hand,” Mathers said. “We’ll do it in the dirt; we’ll do it in the swamp. We’ll do it in the cold. We don’t seek the limelight. We just want to get stuff done. I love my country, and I do whatever it takes for her and our way of life. I know all of you fellow veterans will do the same.”
Dave Rodgers, the town’s former veterans services officer, presented a Medal of Fidelity to the family of Harry C. Christensen, who died this year. Christensen was active in town government, including as a longtime Select Board member, and in supporting veterans.
Veterans Town Hall
The night before, veterans shared their experiences at Congressman Seth Moulton’s annual Veterans Town Hall at Abbot Hall. Five veterans from the Navy, Air Force and Marines spoke about their service around the world. Air Force veteran Truc DeCoste discussed being deployed in Afghanistan and flying more than 150 sorties. She immigrated to the U.S. from Vietnam as a child. Her father, the son of a U.S. soldier who served in the Vietnam War, was able to bring the family to America in 1990.
After leaving active duty, DeCoste became a veterans’ advocate.
“Next to raising my children, it has been my greatest joy and privilege to serve those who have already served and those who
have paid the ultimate sacrifice for our freedom,” she said.
Navy veteran Alicia Reddin, who served from 2004 to 2008 in the South Pacific, spoke about the importance of supporting fellow veterans.
“Each person’s path to service is deeply personal,” Reddin said.
“One of the greatest privileges of serving is witnessing firsthand the incredible diversity that defines it, a true mosaic of people from different backgrounds, beliefs and experiences.”
Many have left their homelands to serve America’s armed forces, she noted.
“Can you imagine loving a country so much that even though you weren’t born there,
you feel a call to serve her?” she asked. “That kind of devotion embodies the best of who we are as a nation. In a time when it feels like the world wants to divide us, I remind everyone to stand hard together.”
After the formal presentation, Moulton invited local veterans to speak. Several shared their stories.
Reggie Brown highlighted his family’s long military history, dating back to the Revolutionary War, and recalled his mother saying that their family believed in service because it offered “the promise of a new day.”
Meet Two Green Thumbs
BY MELISSA STACEY
The following is an interview with Jennifer Jones, founder/ gardener of Two Green Thumbs, conducted by Discover Marblehead. Jones is a local gardener with hands-on experience creating container gardens and is a lifelong grower of flowers and plants, indoors and out. Read below to learn more about how she will pick, plant and refresh containers and patio pots with stunning seasonal blooms that thrive in your space. To learn more go to greenthumbscontainergardens. com.
Tell us about your Two Green Thumbs and why you started it. I’m a marketer by trade, but my love of plants started much earlier — learning from my grandmother how to nurture and care for all kinds of gardens. Over the years I’ve also
worked with local florists, and the work that always lit me up most was creating and tending to seasonal flower boxes and containers. They have the power to completely transform even the smallest, most overlooked space — bringing color, life, and joy for months at a time. That inspiration is what grew into Two Green Thumbs.
What is the best piece of business advice you’ve ever received? Know your customer. In Marblehead, that means creating plantings that fit our
coastal light, seasons and the way neighbors truly live.
What is your favorite spot in Marblehead, and why? There are so many beautiful spots here, but Fort Sewall wins every time for me. Dexter, my three-legged dog, and I walk there often. The harbor view, the changing light and the friendly “hellos” from neighbors make it a great place to sit and think, be inspired, meet neighbors or just reset my brain.
What is something people would be surprised to learn about you? As a kid, I wanted to be a television chef, like my idol, Julia Child. I still love to cook and make fun seasonal cocktails for family and friends, but often, my meals for myself are something fast with minimal prep — fresh tomato on toast with some basil from my garden, or scrambled eggs, or a wacky
An Air Force veteran urged the audience to reach out to vets.
“Many of us, and many of you who are veterans, carry scars that aren’t visible — physical or mental,” she said. “I want to encourage those who aren’t veterans to be compassionate and understand that service comes at a cost, not just to veterans but also to their families.”
The next generation Marblehead students also observed Veterans Day. At the Charter School, they heard from several veterans, including
Marine Josh Bradstreet, whose sons, Quincy and Alden, attend MCCPS.
“What you’re learning here — these habits, these ways of thinking and treating others — will stay with you,” he said. “You’ll carry them into high school, into your community and eventually into your careers and families.”
Bradstreet added, “So whether your framework comes from the Marines, from this school, or from your family, the key is to have one. Use it to reflect on your choices and guide the kind of person you want to become.”
combo of things in my fridge. I’m not above having cereal for dinner.
business spotlight is a weekly feature published in partnership with Discover Marblehead. Discover Marblehead is dedicated
Marblehead.
Jennifer Jones, founder/gardener of Two Green Thumbs
Congressman Seth Moulton speaks at his annual Veterans Town Hall in Marblehead.
CURRENT PHOTOS / LEIGH BLANDER
People packed Abbot Hall for the town’s Veterans Day program.
Local Boy Scouts lead the crowd in the Pledge of Allegiance at the Veterans Day ceremony Nov. 11 at Abbot Hall.
Donald David Durkee, 100
Donald David Durkee, age 100, of Marblehead, died Saturday, Nov. 8, following a brief illness. He was the son of H. Allen Durkee and Dorothea Bruce Durkee.
Born in Lynn, Donald lived in Swampscott, Marblehead and Naples, Florida, throughout his life. He graduated from Vermont Academy in 1943. He served in the U.S. Navy during World War II, and was
Frederick Schmid, 89
Heart of a lion, patience of a saint, stubborn as a mule, Frederick “Champ” Schmid passed away peacefully on Oct. 31, surrounded by his family. Fred leaves behind his wife of 63 years Judith Atkinson Schmid, his sons Keil Schmid and Kurt Schmid; his daughter-in-law
Margarita Schmid and grandkids
Max Schmid, Kaia Schmid and Timo Schmid.
discharged as a seaman first class in June, 1946. He graduated from Dartmouth College and was married to Nancy Winchester Smith in 1949. He went to work at Durkee-Mower, Inc., a regional
Fred was born on June 2, 1936 outside Cooperstown, New York. He grew up working on his parents’ dairy farm. His educational interests led him away from the farm and he went on to graduate from Lafayette University and earned his master’s degree at Northeastern University. A gifted technology inventor and scientist with many international patents and scientific publications to his name, he formed Crystal Systems Inc., in Salem in 1971,
POLICE LOG
food manufacturer known primarily for Marshmallow Fluff and the fluffernutter sandwich. He eventually rose to the office of treasurer there and then served as president from the
producing the world’s largest sapphire and silicon crystals. He achieved the pinnacle of business success with the sale of the business to a public company in 2010. However, crystal growth, science and the desire to continue to develop technology would continue in his new company, Crystal Systems Innovations Inc, to this very day. Fred thoroughly enjoyed working with the employees of his company and the technical industry at large. Fred would walk onto the production floor each day to say good morning to each employee and see how things were going with the technology and production.
Fred had many passions beyond work, he was an
mid-70s to 2019 when he retired at age 94. Durkee was known for his enthusiasm for skiing, sailing and badminton and his lifelong love of golf. He was also a private pilot and an inventor with one patent in his name. He was a longtime member of Tedesco Country Club in Marblehead, where he served as president of the club in 1989 and on planning and finance committees in the 80s and 90s. He was elected an honorary member by the board for outstanding service to the Club. He was a trustee of the Eastern Bank from 1969 to 1995. He was also involved with Northeast Arc starting in 1955 and served as board treasurer from 1960-65. He is survived by his children, Peter and his wife Tessa Matthey of Seattle, Washington, and Gail of Peabody, David and his ex-wife Brenda of Eden Prairie, Minnesota; and Jonathan and his wife Susan of Lynnfield. He also leaves his grandchildren Jeffrey, Gillian, Andrew, William and Anna.
avid sailor and raced in the Marblehead Rhodes 19 fleet, (winning the East Coast Championships with his wife Judy), and later on in the PHRF fleet. He was known as a fierce competitor and loved to recount the races over a beer with his crew and fellow racers after the events.
Fred was an avid tennis player, skier and gardener who could be found outdoors enjoying nature during his free time. He was a big family man and loved having the whole family around to enjoy time together at his home and meals with his family. He was well known in his businesses and around the town as a friendly guy who dreamed big and pursued them vigorously up until his final moments.
He is predeceased by his wife Nancy and his grandson, Donald. A private memorial service will be held in the spring. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in his memory to the Northeast Arc, 1 Southside Road, Danvers, MA 01923 or bit.ly/nearcdurkee.
Every lion has a final roar and his will continue to echo through all he accomplished and all the folks who he impacted, especially through his family who loved him dearly. As he would always say to people when saying goodbye to them, “Have fun, but not too much,” with a big smile.
A celebration of Fred’s life will be held in the spring. In lieu of flowers please donate to the Plummer House, via Plummer Youth Promise | Helping Foster Children, 37 Winter Island Road, Salem, MA 01970 or plummeryouthpromise. org/?campaign=695451. Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at eustisandcornellfuneralhome. com for Fred’s family.
Officer challenged to fisticuffs; denied request to wear hat leads to spat
Saturday, Nov. 1
» Vehicle stops, citations: 1 » Vehicle stops, verbal warnings: 0
11:59 a.m. An officer responded to the scene of a vehicle crash on Atlantic Avenue.
4:50 p.m. An officer was dispatched to the parking lot of Crosby’s Market to investigate a hit-and-run crash. The owner of a parked vehicle had come out of the store to find damage to the passenger side front and rear doors, possibly by a white vehicle, given paint that was transferred. No one had left a note, and no witnesses identified themselves immediately. The officer determined that the parking lot does not have security cameras that would have recorded the incident. The officer advised the vehicle owner to contact his insurance company.
9:09 p.m. An officer investigated a disturbance on Pleasant Street.
10:50 p.m. An officer went to Atlantic Avenue to meet another officer who had located the stop sign and road sign belonging to Clifton Avenue propped up against the building’s dumpster. In the officer’s estimation, someone had clearly removed the entire sign from the ground and placed it there.
10:50 p.m. An officer went to Pilgrim Road to investigate a report of vandalism to a vehicle. Upon his arrival, a man came running out of the house and yelled at the officer to, “Go down there; they are down there.” Confused, the officer asked him to clarify. The man replied, “Go down there and do your f—ing job.” Once again, the officer asked him to clarify, and the man explained that he was referring to a group of kids who were drinking down the street.
Becoming belligerent, the man demanded the officer arrest the kids. As the officer was returning to his cruiser, the man took off his jacket, spiked it on the ground and began challenging the officer to a fight, asking, “Do you want to go, boy?” The officer told him to calm down, but the man started to approach the officer. The officer put out his left hand and told him to get back, but he continued moving towards the officer until a woman came out of the house and was able to calm the man down and convince him to come back into the house with her.
Sunday, Nov. 2
» Vehicle stops, citations: 0 » Vehicle stops, verbal warnings: 0
Monday, Nov. 3
» Vehicle stops, citations: 0 » Vehicle stops, verbal warnings: 0
6:19 a.m. An officer met a man who had shot a video of a man who appeared to be dumping a mattress on Roundhouse Road. The officer recognized the man in the video and knew he worked nearby. The officer reached out to the man who explained that he was planning on taking the mattress to the transfer station when it opened but needed his truck to move other items in the meantime. The man then returned to Roundhouse Road and removed the mattress in the officer’s presence.
Tuesday, Nov. 4
» Vehicle stops, citations: 0 » Vehicle stops, verbal warnings: 3
7:55 a.m. Officers responded to the scene of a vehicle crash on Roosevelt Avenue and Elm
Street.
11:24 a.m. A downed tree or branch was reported on Pickwick and Brook roads.
Wednesday, Nov. 5
» Vehicle stops, citations: 0 » Vehicle stops, verbal warnings: 4
10:38 a.m. An officer spoke by phone with a woman who thought she may have fallen for a financial scam. She had attempted to apply online for life insurance and was contacted by an agent, who asked for her name, date of birth, Social Security number, address and bank information, all of which she had provided. A few days later, she received a letter from Americo Insurance, notifying her that her insurance application had been denied because the agent no longer worked for the company. The woman had already contacted her bank, which had closed her account before any fraudulent transactions had been made.
Thursday, Nov. 6
» Vehicle stops, citations: 2 » Vehicle stops, verbal warnings: 1
4:17 a.m. A downed tree or branch was reported on Leggs Hill Road and Tedesco Street.
7:28 a.m. A vehicle crash was
reported on Green Street and Alexander Circle.
10:40 a.m. A vehicle was towed after a crash on Dartmouth Road.
11:12 a.m. Annoying phone calls were reported on Harbor Avenue.
2:55 p.m. An officer investigated a neighbor dispute on Arthur Avenue and filed a report.
4:15 p.m. An officer spoke in the police station lobby with the owner of a painting company who had written an employee a check for $402.20 back on Oct. 28. Earlier in the day, he noticed that another check, for $902.20, had been cashed and withdrawn from his account.
The man said he did not write the check nor did he know the name of the person to whom it had been written. His employee had denied any knowledge of the second check. At this point, he just wanted a police report so that he could get reimbursed through his bank. The man also provided the officer with two phone numbers to contact his employee, but a language barrier prevented the officer from communicating with the person who answered both phones. The officer planned to share the information with detectives.
Shining a light on the news you care about!
Written
Headlight
by the students of Marblehead High School for our school and community
Conspiratorial Intrigue in Bugonia
Nathaniel Carper-Young, Senior
Love him or hate him— or both, as I happen to—there is little sense in denying that through his last three films (the critical darling quirk-fest Poor Things, the abjectly bizarre triptych Kinds of Kindness, and most recently the laugh-out-loud funny sci-fi affair Bugonia), Greek filmmaker Yorgos Lanthimos has earned himself the title of “auteur.” By this, I mean that when watching a new film of his, there is not a modicum of uncertainty about whose it is - from casting choices to deadpan sensibility to a sporadic infatuation with black and white photography.
Lanthimos has in this decade established a style all his own; he is perhaps Hollywood’s foremost practitioner of the bizarre. Certainly, the fact of this does not offer any sort of guarantee on a consistency in how well his film language actually works. Personally, I found myself harshly at odds with Poor Things, a film which I found to be interminable, garish, and rather offensive, and on the other hand, I thought Kinds of Kindness was nothing short of brilliant, and by no thin margin the best film that came out last year. His newest effort, Bugonia, is somewhere in between - it is wildly uneven, to be sure, but it is also very much a film living and dying on the power of its stars—Emma Stone, Jesse Plemons, and newcomer Aidan Delbis—and so it really works rather well. Perhaps most notably, it is a deeply strange film.
Bugonia is, above all else, a conspiracy film. Jesse Plemons's Teddy is obsessed by the notion that Emma Stone's high-power CEO Michelle Fuller is an alien from the planet Andromeda dead-set on destroying Earth. In hopes of saving the planet, he hatches a plan with his cousin Don (Aidan Delbis) to kidnap Fuller.
They shave her head (because per Teddy’s wisdom, Andromedans have the ability to use hair as a location-tracking device, naturally) and keep her locked in their basement for a number of days. What emerges from this is a chamber drama bearing the dramatic object of many others of its ilk: a pursuit of the truth. At some juncture or another, the “point” of the kidnapping is lost by all involved parties, and Teddy appears to wish above all else (above saving his ailing mother, above saving the world) to simply convince Fuller that she is an alien. He fails. It is eventually revealed that Fuller and her company had a hand in putting Teddy’s mother into the incapacitated state we find her in, and so we are given to assume that Teddy’s ludicrous fixation on Fuller-as-alien is just a frenzied manifestation of a personal vendetta. And yet, the film’s final minutes contradict this entirely - Teddy was right. Fuller is an alien, and she rather swiftly puts an end to all human life on earth. We are offered no images of the death happening, but Lanthimos does give us insight into what the world might look like were we all to simply die. He gives us a montage of varied landscapes foregrounded by familiar flesh. He gives us a wealth of thematic intrigue. He gives us a readily followable three-act structure. What he does not give us, however, is any answers.
This, I think, is Bugonia’s real strength: Lanthimos does not just commit to the weird (as he did in Poor Things), but to the genuinely mysterious. Is this a film about the death of contemporary political discourse? Is it one about how the wealthy are exploiting the planet for all its worth? Is it a simple exercise in misanthropy? One cannot be sure, and this is what I like so much about this film: it expects a genuine hermeneutical effort from its audience, and I feel that that much is worth a great deal.
Headlight Staff: 2025 - 2026
EDITOR-IN-CHIEF: Greyson Collins
Winter Sports
Eve Magen, Freshman
When the wind blows colder and the presence of snow crosses everyone's minds, the only thing missing is a winter sport, which is an incredible opportunity for every student to participate in because the a sport sets you up for a happy, social, and disciplined life. If you are on the fence on whether or not to join a sport, here is why you absolutely should:
1. Playing a sport helps your social life. Sports are a perfect way to make friends with people from school! Practices are 5 times a week, meaning you are with the same group of people every day, both in and out of school. You travel together, win together, and ultimately lose together. Due to all of these factors, it’s no surprise that you will come out with at least one or two friends and connections.
2. Playing a sport will improve your mental state. During the winter, seasonal depression is a huge problem, and what better way to cure this than through a sport? Research shows that those who exercise for
an hour a day are healthier and happier, and what better way to get that hour in than through a winter sport? Physical activity can help clear your mind and give you the opportunity to go into a new world that doesn't include biology tests or grades. Going to a sport can help you feel calm and productive, limiting your seasonal depression.
3. Playing a sport provides structure and discipline. In order to perform well in school, work, and life, it is crucial to have an organized schedule and the discipline to show up. A sport will provide you with those exact skills. Winter sports practice between 4-6 times a week after school every week until the spring. It is structural and vigorous. Missing a practice will not go unnoticed and comes with a potential consequence. This teaches students how to organize themselves because they understand they have a sport to attend, as well as teaches kids you must show up for your commitments even if you’d rather not.
So whether it’s track, skiing, or basketball, doing a winter sport is key for a happy, social, and disciplined life.
MHS Is Participating In The Massachusetts Seal Of Biliteracy for 2025-2026
The State Seal of Biliteracy aims to:
1. Encourage students to study and master languages.
2. Certify attainment of biliteracy skills.
3. Recognize the value of language diversity.
4. Provide employers with a method of identifying people with language and biliteracy skills.
5. Provide universities with a method to recognize and give credit to applicants for attainment of high-level skills in languages.
6. Prepare students with skills that will benefit them in the labor market and the global society.
7. Strengthen intergroup communication and honor the multiple cultures and languages in a community.
ASSISTANT EDITORS: Georgia Marshall, Anna Cruikshank, Evan Eisen
REPORTERS: Anna Baughman, Nathaniel Carper-Young, Teagan Freedman, Eve Magen, Maya Berman, Piper Browning, Sophie Li, Mary Prindville, Madeline Duffy
Advisor: Mr. Higgins
For over200 years, MarbleheadFemale Humane Society has remained faithful to its original mission of quietly and re spec tfu lly helpi ng Ma rble head re sid ents in ne ed.
If yo u’re struggli ng to pay your bills or are experiencing asudden and unexpected financial hards hi p, we’ re he re t o he lp.
Individual requests forfinancialassistance must be referred through athirdparty for consideration
We urge you to contact our partners listedbelow, or speak to your localclergy to request assistance from Ma rbleh ead Female Huma ne Soc iety:
Marblehead Counseling Center 781-631-8273
Marblehead Housing Authority 781-631-2580
Marblehead Council on Aging 781-631-6225
Marblehead Food Pantry 781-631-8340
www.marbleheadfemalehumanesociety.com
Celebrate the Season at TheLanding
Make this holidayunforgettable with waterfront views, festive menus, and warm hospitality.Whether it’sacorporate gathering or acozydinnerwithfriends, we’ll make your celebration effortless and memorable. Call us to book your celebration Sat. December 6, 9:00 AM -Christmas Walk Sun. December 7, 11:30 AM -Santa Paddle GUES TA PPRE CIATI ON PA RT Y Tuesday,December 9, 6-8:30 PM
Join us for our 9th Annual Guest Appreciation Buffet. Celebrate the season of giving &honor the memory of Michael Havens, abeloved guest and former employee of the Landing. Michael’sdedication to his annualToy Driveinspires us to continue his legacy of kindness and generosity Cost is $20 per person +atoy donation, please bring anew unwrapped toy ($35 without atoy donation)
BONUS: Each guest will receive a$10 gift certificate to The Beacon Restaurant to use at any time throughJan. 31, 2026. Event price includes buffet and cash bar