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CURRENT EVENTS
FOOTBALL
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Headlight
and community School for our school of Marblehead High November 15, 2023 Written by the students .com www.mhsheadlight all 2023 - 2024 Issue of what we’d just experienced,
Live music, poetry, holiday fun
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IN THIS ISSUE
Shining a light on the news you care about!
in varisending pictures to work has been featured broadcasts. of us feverishly in other parts of ous newspapers and family revealed friends and This year, as his wife country, and the world, of lo- the state, the to my parents, helicopters by a sense of gratitude. circled I was struck cal news programs even that here, in our town, to cap- I felt lucky overhead in an attempt blocks away from my creature. a mere few hobbit-like house, ture the breathtaking delight ancient, creaky, Children and adults alike transported through space be may I excitement year as the nights in the surprise and and and time each of these yearly installations, and the air grows coolonly draw grow longer creativwith each year, they er, all through the generous his family, and more visitors. our ity of Tom Saltsman, to As my family and I made who bring their vision the chilly his team, night of the way back home on with life on the spookiest autumn night, buzzing year. majesty the excitement and
es: From pirates to primat the into Marblehead’s portal for unknown is back another Halloween
Georgia Marshall, Freshman
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dreamland that I to ex- inside the forest Have you ever wanted left. shipwreck, had just always plore a ghostly pirate I, like others, have Egypcreep through an ancient how Saltsman comes a life-sized wondered tian tomb, or gaze at creations. “I have a dragon? up with his breathing, blinking that I jot down ideas resident sketchbook year,” he Look no further than throughout the whole in home. my wife wanted architect Tom Saltsman’s Mar- says. “This year and I wanted to Saltsman has been wowing Hal- to do a forest annual his comour with blehead so this was projects on do a giant, loween construction of those ideas.” A sign past eight bination Pleasant Street for the of the pillars in the Sep- posted on one Norweyears. Every year around driveway explains how tember, he begins constructing gian myth plays into this year’s that people a giant masterpiece Norwegian culture on Hal- masterpiece. by nature line up to walk through strongly influenced is following loween and several According to myth, out of dis- and legend. nights. Built entirely the country’s forests objects, throughout carded materials, found rock trolls whose these dwell giant giant sleeping troll. to life at night and specialized pieces, Saltsman's incredible from stony bodies come touched by when constructions have ranged roar- and are frozen a spaceship to a breathing, this sunlight. Though not the cleverto ing King Kong statue, strong and powerful, sleep- est, they are year’s creation, a giant creatures in Harry Norwegian influencing ing troll inspired by Anonymous Student Potter and The Hobbit. one of cons of folklore. The troll isn’t the only Weighing the pros and imcomsculptures that After many years of being Flags have become more a trouble many of us creations, these Halloween years. this issue is legend. several and last myth the pressed by Saltsman’s by mon in the pro-rule side, there's could out- is inspired everything face. On I was sure that nothing I’ve noticed, seem students may feel There's a flag for I’m sure All of them, ideol- the fact that ando last year’s - though an element of magic. - every sexuality, every to think one way or year about to include even most ‘pressure’ I felt the same last dragon cottage, built ogy or political party, the presence of these mom, dad, From the a flag. other due to can on Halloween of the previous one. My clubs or groups have However, the argument I arrived and exhibited USA, many flags. younger brother, and second year living in However, across the that the students rarely bundled up 2018, my begun ban- be made my first year exat all and on Pleasant Street, school districts have chilly Marblehead and ever notice the flags the in flags hats creThese and in jackets one of Saltsman’s ning specific flags. it’s in a positive way. Friday, Oc- periencing Lives when they do autumn-night air on Egyptian cobra godside, some believe mainly include the Black to nose ations, to the flags. On the anti-rule Pride and supernatural, a Amendtober 3rd, to come nose (BLM) First 2022, Matter violation of troll. A dess built in committee this is a seems to lurk with the giant sleeping protected by Recently, our school down mysterious feeling When asked ment rights, as it is crowd of people stretched corner. been considering creating the Tinker Test, which is a set of every has around impossible effectively the road, making it favorite of his creations, a policy that would use to limit what stuof the troll about his country rules schools “I would probably to catch a glimpse cannot do at school ‘ban’ all flags but the Antici- Saltsman said, would dents can and Tinfrom the back of the line. say the walking man.” and state flag. All others of free speech. The line inched have to approval in terms and for reasons I pation grew as the have to go through an specifically states that excla- Unfortunately, commit- ker Test along and we heard more the only one my famcould not prohibit process in the school insane!” can’t recall, of anxi- “school officials the mations of, “That was tee. This stirred up lots free speech] only on after what ily has missed! masterpieces are or not the [students and “Wow!” Finally, ety about whether All of these that the speech might we reached around the suspicion felt like a millennia, environment” impressive. And all of BLM and Pride flags disrupt the learning dropped unique and question: come down. When the driveway. My jaw lingering would a . On the opposing leave school them troll they had (uscourts.gov) when I saw the enormous a small team of peoasked about whether might refute this argushape. How could this, many side, some curled in a stiff rock-like that a “political any knowledge of possibly build such incredible saying ple by rugment sharp, for a save This He is composed of only two months? students were unaware, is not free speech. his fin- creations in texts went agenda” back to the ged stone-like material, hard work and perthe fact that a few brings us once again so slightly, The answer: ever team his the of twitching and it. gers Moines case around about surface sistence. Saltsman body Tinker v. Des revealing a bright-red How does the student evenings and weekends origin of the ‘Tinker skin. Soft work on I inter- 1960s (the beneath cracked rocky September and Octhe dissent argued truly feel about this rule? escaping throughout and re- Test’), where these projects, a snores can be heard It is a strange parviewed several students We en- tober to finish One the same thing. from his cavernous belly. the entrance to the ceived multiple statements. we allel to be drawn, but a parallel mouth tarp covering flags tered through his gaping for- driveway from curious residents student explains,“The relevant, nonetheless. into a us as stu- shockingly their before Hallowand were transported put in school represent person is entitled to to until a few days Each appeared take that Don’t est wonderland the public can finally dents and as people. the flag situation. As due to the een, when On the opinion on stretch on for miles finished masterpiece. away our right to that.” an opinion article, I will The strong, see the there sim- this is not on the illusion of mirrors. training as an archiother side, others say sharing my own take pine imme- Saltsman’s in commu- not be to this process. “I comforting scent of I will emphaply shouldn’t be any into the tect is central student situation. However, did diately hit me as I crept school for theater and students argue that nal spaces. A separate branches of went to also be size that many and built things. woodland area. Real should not be made said, “Teachers should painted a lot of set design classes this decision these Hallowpine trees and intricately allowed to decorate their the input of the public. for- I started building but in the without walls depicting a beautiful at the Coffin-Gerry weeks, the people the way they want, I weaved een projects shouldn't In the coming Mash,” he est surrounded me. cafe and the halls there up Marblehead schools make a school for the Monster into who trees seems for mache body issue building these through paper be any.” The student able to debate the I was says. He began thing: we may be of small craggy cave, where the public took noto mainly agree on one their decision, instead foun- parties, and in the mak- and make evolved into a Committee met by a trickling stone are entitled to a part watching as the School of bats tice. It eventually town event, tain and the projection annual ing of this policy. Upon grand-scale, makes it for them. huddling in a dark corner. people from across of wonder, attracting leaving, I felt a sense and beyond. His a bit longer Marblehead wishing I could stay
HEADLIGHT
NONPROFIT ORG PRSRT STD U.S. POSTAGE
Student reports on flag debate
PAID
MARBLEHEAD, MA PERMIT NO. 25
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Red flag over new policy
NEWS FOR PEOPLE, NOT FOR PROFIT.
TM
024 Headlight Staff 2023-2
Kate Twomey TECHNOLOGY EDITOR: Benji Boyd, Rachael Albert ASSISTANT EDITORS: Bumagin and Mona Gelfgatt Kane, Nina Lees, EDITORS-IN-CHIEF: Ila Samuel Jendrysik, Anya Tucker Crane, Aislin Freedman, John Bender, Grey Collins,Zaltsman REPORTERS: Cole Barbeau, Weiss, Benjamin Georgia Marshall, Livia FACULTY ADVISOR: Thomas
November 15, 2023
| VOLUME 1, ISSUE NO. 49
Higgins
| MARBLEHEADCURRENT.ORG
| ON SOCIAL @MHDCURRENT
TAX DISPUTE
Shrine of St. Nicholas is suing town Validity of tax bill at crux of dispute BY WILLIAM J. DOWD The leaders of the Shrine of St. Nicholas in Marblehead have filed a lawsuit against the town, arguing the town assessed property taxes for fiscal year 2024 on a property that should be tax-exempt because it is used for religious purposes. Marblehead officials met with town counsel behind closed
doors Monday to discuss the litigation, filed in Essex Superior Court. “Town counsel is handling the situation, but they’re going to brief [the Select Board and Board of Assessors] simultaneously to keep us informed as to the proceedings,” said Town Administrator Thatcher Kezer said on Nov. 10. Kezer confirmed that the tax bill in question amounts to $2,965, assessed on the parcel at 120 Pleasant St. On Sept. 1, Essex Superior
Court Judge Kristen Buxton denied the shrine’s request for a preliminary injunction, which would have prevented the town from taxing the shrine’s property. “Plaintiff has failed to establish either a likelihood of success on the merits or irreparable harm,” Buxton wrote. The lawsuit against the town is surfacing while the shrine’s leader, Brian Andrew Bushell, and general counsel, Tracey
SUIT, P. A7
CURRENT PHOTO / WILLIAM J. DOWD
Shrine of St. Nicolas and Marblehead Brewing Company are both located at 124 Pleasant St., right, while the property in dispute at 120 Pleasant St., left, is a separate building.
HARBOR LANDMARK
Local couple wants to tear down historic house, upsetting residents Owners say they’re rebuilding to protect home from rising seas, storm surge BY LEIGH BLANDER A Marblehead couple hopes to demolish a historic house on the harbor has asked the town for permission to build a larger one on the same lot. The request has prompted an outcry from some neighbors and residents. Holly and Jerome O’Neill went before the Planning Board on Tuesday, Nov. 14, after the Current went to press. Visit MarbleheadCurrent.org for updates on that meeting. The O’Neills purchased 84 Harbor Ave. (not far from the Eastern Yacht Club) in April 2023 for $3.65 million. They currently live on Orchard Street. At a Conservation Commission meeting on Nov. 9, the O’Neills’ land development engineer Scott HOUSE, P. A7
PUBLIC SAFETY
Fatality prompts new look at Pleasant Street safety ‘Road diet’ viewed as one solution BY WILLIAM J. DOWD
COURTESY PHOTO / RICK DODGE
The home at 84 Harbor Ave. was built in the 1880s and is easily recognizable from Marblehead Harbor.
The recent death of 80-year-old Karl Johnson after being hit on Pleasant Street has renewed attention on pedestrian and bicyclist safety on the busy road. Johnson was hit while crossing Pleasant between Smith Street and Mohawk Road. Police Chief Dennis King said the cause remains under active investigation. Johnson’s death comes 14 years after Allie Castner, a 15-year-old Marblehead High School student, was killed a stone’s throw away from where a vehicle struck Johnson. Pleasant Street is a two-lane road that intersects with several major cross streets leading to schools, residential neighborhoods and downtown Marblehead. Sections with commercial development and on-street parking limit sight lines for turning vehicles SAFETY, P. A7
HOLIDAY GIVING
Edith would be proud Founder’s spirit lives on in annual effort to ensure no senior is forgotten COURTESY PHOTO
An article that appeared in a local newspaper in Lackawanna, Pennsylvania, in 1952 details Edith Dodge’s life before Marblehead, including as chief clerk for the Lackawanna Selective Service Board during World War II.
BY KRIS OLSON Even accounting for its recent pandemic-induced hiatus, Marbleheaders likely have at least some familiarity with the Edith Dodge Memorial Fund. Founded as the “Holiday Elderly Fund” by the town’s first
Council on Aging director, the Dodge Fund seeks to ensure that no Marbleheader over the age of 80 is forgotten while everyone around them is celebrating with family and friends. In December, volunteers deliver gifts — boxes of cookies and bags of clementines — to
those still living in town. Age is the only criteria to make the gift list. Financial circumstances have nothing to do with it. People may also be aware that, since its inception, the massive mobilization of Marblehead mirth has been quarterbacked by strong, energetic older women, as others have risen to meet the standard Dodge herself set. But until recently, Joan Cutler, 80, now in her 13th year as Dodge Fund president, knew little about Dodge’s life before she moved to Marblehead to be
closer to her daughters. That all changed a couple of years ago when, out of the blue, she got a message on social media from a stranger, passing along a story that had appeared in a local newspaper in Lackawanna, Pennsylvania, “the sixth in a series of seven articles on women in government,” on Aug. 15, 1952. The story describes how Dodge had already been an active volunteer in her community
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DODGE, P. A3
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A2 Wednesday, November 15, 2023 Marblehead Current
PLUMMER YOUTH PROMISE
‘Everybody needs a family’ Marblehead couple leads campaign to help foster kids
NeWS For PeoPLe, NoT For ProFIT.
BY LEIGH BLANDER
Jessica Barnett Ed Bell
Raising six children in a blended family, Kathy and Ted Truscott of Marblehead could not imagine their kids growing up without parents or siblings. That is partly why they got involved with Plummer Youth Promise, a Salem nonprofit that serves youth in — or at risk of entering — foster care through several programs, including family foster care, a group foster home and community apartments. “It really resonated with us, the idea of a child not having a family,” Kathy Truscott told the Current. “Plummer is working with a segment of the population that’s often forgotten about. They’ve faced a lot of trauma in their young lives. Everybody needs a family. Everybody needs that one person who is going to be there for them.” The Truscotts are leading a capital campaign to build a new residential facility on Winter Island, right behind Plummer’s original 1867 building, which has raised $13 million so far. “These kids need this so badly,” Truscott said. The new facility, which will cost approximately $17 million, features single bedrooms and bathrooms, along with a kitchen and an apartment where visiting family members can stay overnight and cook meals together. It will be home to between 40 and 50 youth each year. “It’s going to be amazing,” Truscott said. “Our new campus
CO-CHAIRPERSONS
NEWSROOM Editor - Leigh Blander
lblander@marbleheadnews.org
Community Editor - Will Dowd wdowd@marbleheadnews.org
Consulting Editor - Kris Olson kolson@marbleheadnews.org
Sports Reporter Joe McConnell
jmcconnell@marbleheadnews.org
Intern - Benji Boyd
An architect’s rendering of the new facility planned for Plummer Youth Promise. The current building, constructed in 1867, is on the left.
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
COURTESY PHOTOS
Breaking ground on a new facility at Plummer Youth Promise. From left to right: Ted and Kathy Truscott of Marblehead, Plummer Executive Dir. Nicole McLaughlin and Lt. Gov. Kim Driscoll.
will not only provide dignified living for youth in state care, but it will also serve as a powerful tool to propel them safely and quickly back to family by creating a trauma-informed environment that promotes healing and relationship building.”
‘Our opinions mattered’
Chris, 20, arrived at Plummer when he was 15 and lived in the group home. He now lives in an assisted apartment upstairs, which gives older youth more
Chris in his room at the Plummer Youth Promise facility.
autonomy and privacy. Chris worked with architects to help design the new building. He advocated for more living and common space, explaining that younger teens are more likely to want to hang out together and seek camaraderie. The architect immediately adjusted the plan to reflect Chris’ suggestion. “I like that we were included in the process,” said Chris, who asked that his last name not be used. “Our opinions mattered,
and they changed the design based on our feedback.” He continued, “It will be a big upgrade over the building we have now. It will be more comfortable and have more privacy because people will have their own rooms. It will be more comfortable and homey for people.” Once the new facility is complete, the plan is to renovate the older building and use it for administrative offices. To learn more about Plummer, visit PlummerYouthPromise.org.
SCHOOL NEWS
Buckey a finalist in Melrose search BY LEIGH BLANDER
COURTESY PHOTO
Former Marblehead superintendent of schools John Buckey
Marblehead’s former superintendent John Buckey has been named a finalist in the superintendent search in Melrose. Buckey, who lives in Marblehead, left the superintendent’s job here in August, after the School Committee
paid him nearly $175,000 in a controversial separation agreement. The committee never revealed why it wanted to oust Buckey. Buckey started in Marblehead in 2020 and received multiple proficient performance evaluations. He was also elected president of the North Shore Superintendents Roundtable.
There are three other finalists in Melrose, including Janell PearsonCampbell, who lost to Theresa McGuinness for Marblehead’s interim super position. Buckey will meet with Melrose parents and sit for an interview with that city’s School Committee on Nov. 28. Melrose has about 3,800 students.
HONORING FRIENDS LOST
Israelis speak at the JCC about friends killed in Hamas attack BY LEIGH BLANDER One month after Hamas launched a massacre inside Israel, young Israelis who are members of the advocacy group DiploAct spoke at the JCC about friends killed in the attack on Oct. 7. Yuval Teperberg is a law and government student and former infantry instructor in the Israel Defense Forces. She spoke about her friend Noam Shalom, 25, who was killed at the music festival where Hamas murdered 260 young people and kidnapped others. Shalom was a social media manager who had her own Instagram account called the self-love club, where she posted motivational messages. She was last seen hiding from the Hamas attackers inside an ambulance. “I’m making sure that everyone I love knows that I love them,” said Teperberg. “This is how I want to remember Noam.” Bar Suisa, also a government student, remembered her friend Yonaton Chai Azulai, who was 25. “He called his mother moments
CONTRIBUTORS
Jo Ann Augeri Silva Stephen Bach Bob Baker Linda Bassett Nicole Goodhue-Boyd Laurie Fullerton Mark Hurwitz John Lamontagne Christine McCarriston Eyal Oren Pam Peterson Chris Stevens Linda Werbner Virginia Buckingham - President Kate Haesche Thomson - Vice President of Operations Gene Arnould Jessica Barnett Ed Bell Francie King Robert Peck Donna Rice Richard Weed - Treasurer EDITORIAL BOARD
Ed Bell Virginia Buckingham Kris Olson Will Dowd Robert Peck Joseph P. Kahn DIRECTOR OF OPERATIONS
Kathryn Whorf DIRECTOR OF COMMUNITY RELATIONS
Marion Warner Greely FOUNDERS
Jessica Barnett Ed Bell Leigh Blander Will Dowd David Moran Kris Olson DESIGN AND PRODUCTION
North of Boston Media Group Marblehead News 217 Humphrey St. Marblehead, Massachusetts 01945 781.910.8658 info@marbleheadnews.org www.marbleheadCurrent.org Marblehead Current is published every Wednesday by Marblehead News Group, Inc., a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. It is mailed to all homes and businesses in Marblehead, MA 01945.
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Help us keep the lights on so we can keep shining a light. Support the Current by using this QR code. LEIGH BLANDER / CURRENT PHOTO
Israelis who are members of the advocacy group DiploAct spoke at the JCC recently.
before he was killed and said, ‘I’m sorry I couldn’t save myself. We are at war. God protect us.’” Suisa said Azulai was always enthusiastic and happy. “He said, ‘Happiness is the root of the blessing’ and we are all trying to fulfill that wish for him,” she said. Shay Rubinstein spoke about
his friend Omri Ram, whom he met when they were exchange students in Paris. Ram, who was 28, loved to surf, travel and hike. Yael Magen, an Israeli-American who lives in Marblehead and helped bring DiploAct to the JCC, spoke about her friends and family in Israel impacted by the Hamas attack.
“The sister of one of my dearest friends is still kidnapped,” Maegan said. Maegan set an empty chair aside with the missing person’s photo on it. On Oct. 7, Hamas killed approximately 1400 Israelis. Since that day, more than 10,000 Gazans have been killed by Israel.
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Dodge From P. A1
— with her daughters’ Girl Scout troops, in her church and as the “guiding spirit” in the founding of Friendship House, a recreational center for underprivileged children, before she got her first job in local government as Lackawanna’s recreational director. But “as war clouds gathered,” she accepted a far more challenging role as chief clerk for the Lackawanna Selective Service Board, where she served from 1940 through the end of World War II and beyond. The office closed briefly in 1947, but by the following year Dodge was back at her post, the paper explained. In addition to sending young men off to war, Dodge had daily challenging conversations with their mothers, many experiencing the “heartache” of what Dodge called an “inescapable law of life”: their children growing up and leaving home, creating a void in their lives. Dodge’s prescription? Community service. “To give yourself a lift, you must give someone else a lift,” she told the reporter. Dodge was also ahead of her time with her staunch beliefs that women had strong contributions to make to the functioning of government. “No woman should just sit back bottling up her abilities,” Dodge told the reporter. “That is a waste to society. I sincerely feel that the world would be a great deal better off right now if more intelligent women had had a voice in shaping its destiny.” But Dodge also warned women considering joining the government workforce to be ready to do the work. “The girl who just wants to mark time, or draw a paycheck
Marblehead Current Wednesday, November 15, 2023 A3
with a minimum of effort, should stay out of government service,” Dodge said. “That type just clutters up the scene and creates confusion.”
Members of the Dodge Fund board are as follows:
Enduring idea
» Linda Maffeo, secretary.
Dodge died in 1993 at the age of 96, but her indomitable spirit echoes in what the Dodge Fund remains, 50 years after its founding. Tapped unceremoniously to take the baton in 2011 by predecessor Peg Stone, Cutler made one of her priorities during her stewardship of the Dodge Fund bringing a bit of order to the merry madness. To that end, Cutler had a secret weapon, her late husband, Hooper, a retired fire captain legendary for his encyclopedic knowledge of the town’s streets, among other things. Where once Dodge Fund delivery “elves” scattered every which way to make their appointed rounds, now there is logic to the 45 routes — typically 18 to 20 stops each — devised with the help of an oversized map of the town at least 4 feet by 6 feet, according to Cutler. For the last decade or so, Cutler has also emphasized encouraging multigenerational delivery teams, finding younger volunteers through religious education programs, the Girl Scouts or just neighborhood families. It is a win-win scenario, Cutler believes. The seniors enjoy seeing the kids, while the children get an early lesson in community service and having polite, friendly interactions with their elders. “I’m a big believer in ‘get them young and train them right,’” Cutler said.
Not a quick visit
Cutler has a well-honed script she runs through with prospective volunteers to calibrate their expectations.
DODGE FUND BOARD » Joan Cutler, president. » Gitte Neumann, treasurer. » Kay Monahan. » Lea Phipps. » Judy Wareham. » Lynne Brooks. » Peg Houghton. » Linda Sullivan.
One of the most important rules is that the Dodge Fund is not a dump-and-run operation. For one thing, the critters that prowl the night would celebrate their good fortune with a feast upon finding an edible gift left on a doorstep. Clementines also explode spectacularly when exposed to low temperatures over an extended period, according to Cutler. But more to the point, part of the power of the Dodge Fund is the social interaction that the deliveries foster, the type of opportunity that may be in short supply in the seniors’ lives. Volunteers should expect the recipients will want to chat — or perhaps invite them in for a cup of tea. After a point, volunteers can cite the need to complete their routes to make a graceful exit, but a certain amount of indulgence is expected. Volunteers should be prepared that some of their visits may be challenging as well. Cutler tells of a volunteer who was stunned to be greeted at the door by a frail woman wrapped in blankets — and a blast of cold air. The volunteer surmised that the woman had made the difficult choice that another necessity — perhaps food or medication — was a higher priority than heat.
Many hands
But more often, the Dodge Fund is a source of joy, and not
just for the gift recipients. For several years, the Dodge Fund has had the benefit of volunteers from the Cottage Gardeners of Marblehead and Swampscott, who work in two shifts tearing off sections of huge bolts of wrapping paper to package what this year will be 1,960 boxes of cookies — 980 gifts of two boxes each — tie ribbons to the packages and address the accompanying cards by hand, a personal touch Cutler believes is important to maintain, even if computer-printed labels would save time. The Cottage Gardeners have earned the nickname the “Wrapand-Chats,” Cutler said. “As fast as they wrap, they chat,” Cutler said. This year for the first time, the wrapping and chatting will be happening at the VFW, which should make things easier, as the Dodge Fund will not have to worry about commandeering tables, she said. For years, Jon Caswell and MHTV have been picking up and delivering the clementines, Cutler added. The wrapping and the sorting of the gifts will happen in the early part of the week of Dec. 4, with the deliveries beginning the following week. In the Dodge Fund’s “off season,” volunteers do what they can to update the delivery routes, including monitoring local newspapers’ obituary pages. Volunteers are instructed to make three attempts to deliver to a particular address, and one recent innovation is that volunteers are dispatched with tags to hang on residents’ doors indicating that a delivery attempt had been made, inviting them to call to arrange a new delivery time. But inevitably, there will be failed connections, perhaps because the resident is a “snow bird” who heads south
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While expenses vary due to the fluctuating cost of cookies and clementines, it costs about $15,000 annually to buy the gifts, wrapping paper, cards and other supplies, according to Cutler. While the fund is not in jeopardy, coming out of the COVID hiatus, donations were down “at least by a third” last year, according to Cutler. Those wishing to donate to the Dodge Fund can send checks to P.O. Box 1402, Marblehead, MA 01945 or drop them off at the National Grand Bank, 91 Pleasant St. The Dodge Fund hopes to also have a digital donation opinion added, Cutler said. Cutler is still seeking pairs of people to handle delivery routes as well. To learn more about volunteering with the Dodge Fund, give Cutler a call at 781-631-1596.
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There’s Still Time to Book Your Holiday Parties!
for the winter. About 10% of gifts purchased go unclaimed, and these are donated to the Marblehead Food Pantry, Cutler explained. In addition to the cookies and clementines that go to all the residents of senior housing and those living within Marblehead who are 80-plus, the Dodge Fund also aims to provide gifts to former Marblehead residents living in nearby nursing homes and extended care facilities beyond the 01945 zip code. At one point, the Dodge Fund was soliciting wish lists from nursing home residents, but the effort was cumbersome, often involving follow-up inquiries about the type of book or size of sweater a resident might want. Now, all the nursing home residents get the same present: high-quality, colorful fleece blankets acquired at a deep discount from a local company, which are “perfect for naps and laps,” Cutler said.
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Liz Walters
Happy Thanksgiving & Happy Fall! I’m extremely grateful for the many buyers & sellers I’ve helped for over 41 years! I’m happy to assist you with any of your real estate needs. 978-407-4600
I’m profoundly thankful for homes and, more importantly, the dedicated individuals behind them. Wishing you a warm and splendid Thanksgiving in Marblehead. 617-438-3665
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www.LizWaltersRealtor.com
Liz.Walters@CBRealty.com
Coldwell Banker Marblehead 2 Atlantic Ave. | Marblehead, MA 01945 781-631-9511 | www.ColdwellBankerHomes.com *Source: MLSPIN Market Share by Firm, last 12 months as of 5/31/23, by sales dollar volume for single family, multi-family and condo homes. Real estate agents affiliated with Coldwell Banker Realty are independent contractor agents and are not employees of the Company 2023 Coldwell Banker Realty. All rights Reserved. Coldwell Banker Realty fully supports the principles of the Fair Housing Act and Equal Opportunity Act. Owned by a subsidiary of NRT LLC. Coldwell Banker and the Coldwell Banker Logo are registered service marks owned by Coldwell Banker Real Estate LLC 24030ONE_12/17
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A4 Wednesday, November 15, 2023 Marblehead Current
Opinion EDITORIAL
Expanding BOH makes good sense
In a welcome moment of harmony, the fractured Marblehead Board of Health recently voted unanimously to seek to expand its elected seats from three to five members. We strongly endorse the board’s prudent proposal to bring the matter before the Town Meeting in May. Adding two seats makes good sense considering the complex, pressing issues within the board’s authority. As extensively reported by the Marblehead Current, meetings too often degenerate into palpable distrust and tension among members. The aging Marblehead Transfer Station exemplifies these challenges. Its long-delayed, $1.6 million renovation has faced years of planning disputes, neighborhood opposition, permit delays and cost overruns in the thousands of dollars. New member Tom McMahon’s election signaled a public desire for tighter oversight. Yet his accusatory approach frequently triggers tension aimed at Chair Helaine Hazlett and member Joanne Miller and Public Health Director Andrew Petty over everything from sticker placements to signing off on invoices. The board also oversees pressing public health matters like restaurant inspections, septic permits and Marblehead’s worsening drug problem. Overdoses spiked from a single fatality in 2021 to eight fatalities in 2022, but coordination on solutions remains elusive. Acrimony hinders progress on offering treatment, prevention and community support. Additional seats would bring critical new perspectives on these complex, long-term challenges. More diversity of insights and expertise could balance McMahon’s intensity against Hazlett and Miller’s caution. With five members focused on issues over personality conflicts, residents would gain an effective forum to press for action. Some may argue against what they see as “big government” expansion. But the board’s critical role in safeguarding Marblehead’s well-being warrants wider representation and accountability. Moreover, larger regulatory elected bodies in town already have five members, from the Select Board to the Planning Board. Greater membership would enable smoother transitions amid turnover. With staggered elections, no more than two or three seats would change hands annually. Retaining institutional knowledge would become more likely during major initiatives like the Transfer Station overhaul. This modest expansion admittedly requires extensive process at Town Meeting and the State Legislature before taking effect. But the long-term benefits make it worthwhile.
LETTERS POLICY
We want to hear from you The Marblehead Current loves to get letters to the editor. There are just a few rules you need to know. Generally, letters should not exceed 500 words. The Marblehead Current reserves the right not to publish submissions over the word limit and may instead return the letter to the writer for editing. Letters must include: 1. The author’s name. Unsigned letters and form letters will not be published. 2. The name of the street the author lives on in Marblehead. Only the street name will be published next to the author’s name — not their full address. 3. For every letter, we will need an author’s daytime/ cell phone number (not for publication) for verification purposes. 4. If letters seek to introduce into a discussion purported facts that are not commonly known, writers may be asked to provide the source for those purported facts. 5. Letters must be received by 5 p.m. Wednesday to be published in the following Wednesday’s print edition of the Marblehead Current. Letters will be published to our website at the earliest opportunity, after verification. Email submissions to info@marbleheadnews.org. While the Marblehead Current will make every effort to let writers have their say, it reserves the right not to publish letters.
EVERYTHING WILL BE OKAY
It’s okay to look away sometimes BY VIRGINIA BUCKINGHAM
Initially, I planned to entitle this column “Don’t look away.” The topic is the toll of consuming news during these painful times in the country and the world. And the importance of staying informed, and bearing witness. I still believe those things are important. I also have come to understand that taking a break from doing so preserves our energy to engage at all. I’m a daily newspaper reader and have noted in the past that Twitter (or that platform now known as X) was a handy news aggregator for me. It seems less so now — more clickbait than content. I still check the world’s goings-on there, it just takes more effort. TV news? That’s been hard to watch. During the pandemic, my daughter and I made a habit of watching Anderson Cooper on CNN every night. It fed our need to understand as best we could what was happening and fed my need, as a mama bear, to gather information I thought could help keep my family safe. But at some point it became too much and we stopped watching. Now with the Israel/Hamas war, I’ve been trying to tune in regularly again. Mostly I’ve watched David Muir on ABC’s World News Tonight. He used to be on Boston’s WCVB-TV, and there’s something trustworthy and calming about him. It helps that former colleagues of his here affirm he’s a really good guy. But the images he shows are anything but calming. In fact, ABC’s tact of summing up all the horrible news in the first few minutes of Muir’s monologue with accompanying images is the opposite, it’s inciting. To my pulse rate. A friend who provides house cleaning services in town recently told me he’s noticed the rising anxiety, in how people are driving and how they are acting. They work all day and come home and see the news and it’s all stress. He may be right, though I also think the reality that you don’t have to wait for the evening news and cable shows — that we are fed 24-7 bad news simply by owning a smartphone — is even more the problem.
The problem has a name, actually several names. Media Saturation Overload. Doom-scrolling. Headline Anxiety. Headline Stress Disorder. What’s the cure? There isn’t one. Like with many chronic afflictions, there are management techniques, in this case what the professionals call “dietary media restrictions” along with efforts to right-size the impact of world trauma in your day to day life, and, importantly, taking action if it aligns with your values. On that ubiquitous news deliverer, your phone? The advice I’ve read amounts to — leave the thing in your purse or pocket. Specifically, turn off all notifications, add tech-free periods to the day, don’t bring it to the dinner table. And limit social media checks to 15 minutes. Easier said than done but worth trying. On TV news consumption? Limit yourself to a few times per week to stay informed but not overwhelmed. The right-sizing or “keep it in perspective” advice is harder to swallow these days. The Israel/Hamas war is thousands of miles away? Nope, not when antisemitism and Islamophobia are happening right here. And many have friends and family actually in harm’s way. Mass shootings are rare? They sure don’t seem that way. Maybe self-care advice is more relevant today than “keep it in perspective” — walk in nature, meditate, exercise. Finally, taking action is an instant antidote to feeling helpless. So long as it is productive. Sign a petition, write your lawmakers, even protest. Just don’t go scream in somebody’s face, tear down a poster or hit share on some negative social media post. Be constructive, not destructive. I’m trying one other approach, too. While checking in on TV news and reading daily coverage, I’ve started listening to a book on Audible that I recommend to anyone trying to more deeply understand the Mideast conflict. It’s called “Israel. A Simple Guide to the Most Misunderstood Country on Earth” by Noa Tishby. She takes a secular, methodical, historical approach to this huge subject. I want to be informed. Sometimes I need to look away. Both are good things to do. Virginia Buckingham is the president of the Marblehead Current’s board of directors. Her column appears weekly.
‘THE WATCHDOG IS AWAKENING’
The promise and importance of nonprofit, community journalism BY WALTER V. ROBINSON
Nonprofit news has made it possible for millions of people to once again have the information they need to make informed decisions, a return to the journalism that holds power to account. For many of us, nonprofit journalism is the antidote for our collective malaise. For two decades now, we’ve looked on in disbelief, and often averted our eyes, as the vigorous journalism we had been accustomed to withered away. Over the last several years, this existential threat to the roots of our democracy has become ever more dispiriting. Often, it seems, we are a nation where people seek the affirmation they crave rather than the information they need. Much of the country has been Use this QR fixated on whether we can trust the code to learn news we read and watch. more about the Current’s event What is more worrisome to me is with Walter that much of what should be in the Robinson and news is not being covered at all. how you can Most everywhere, the watchdog attend. has stopped barking. But the watchdog is awakening. Perhaps nowhere is that more evident than here in Massachusetts, where nonprofit news outlets seem to be propagating like rabbits. But why here? And why now? Why us? There is no ready answer. But there are some obvious clues. First up: here in Massachusetts, we were spoiled. Let me give you a couple of examples: the Boston Globe never achieved a penetration rate of more than 35%. In contrast, the Washington Post at one point left its newspaper on 70% of doorsteps in the D.C. metro area. Why did the Globe operate under such a low ceiling?
Globe editor Walter V. Robinson, of “Spotlight” fame, is coming to Marblehead this month.
The answer lies in the suburbs. Unlike any other major city I know of, Boston was ringed by strong, prosperous, competitive dailies that covered the hell out of their readership areas. Virtually all of them had State House bureaus. In 1980, for example, there were 55 reporters who covered the Massachusetts State House full time. Most of them were reporters for dominant dailies in communities like Lynn, Salem, Lawrence, Lowell, Framingham, Brockton, New Bedford, Fall River and Quincy. The bulk of those newspapers are now owned by Gannett or Alden Global Capital, the two chains that
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LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
A big thank you to Clifton pumpkin patch supporters To the editor: I would like to give a big thank you to the people of Marblehead, Swampscott, Nahant, Lynn and Salem, as well as friends and families who committed to buying pumpkins this year at the Clifton pumpkin patch. It’s been a busy season and I am happy to say we ran out of pumpkins on Oct. 31. Clifton Lutheran Church will be sending a check to benefit the Navajo Reservation for the pumpkins that they grew, harvested and shipped up here to Marblehead. The check, which is just over $27,000, is the largest check we have ever sent them. And it is 100% because of the generosity of this community. Thank you again for your support. Thank you, Karin Ernst, on behalf of Clifton Lutheran Church Lafayette Street
Addressing the absenteeism issue To the editor: Absenteeism at the Veterans School is not isolated. Having taught at Marblehead High School, I have observed the same problem. There is a viable and easy solution: Schools should
adopt a policy that if students miss more than 17 days in a school year, they receive an NG (no grade) and must repeat the year. Every parent/guardian should be required to sign off on this at the beginning of the school year. There should be no exceptions to the rule. Experience tells me that schools often make policies and then spend more time coming up with exceptions to the policy than they spent on creating the policy. Parents should not be told, “We would greatly appreciate your assistance ...” They should be made aware of the school’s absentee policy and its potential consequences. An absentee policy that is fair and consistent will greatly reduce absences. If schools choose not to adopt a “no exception absentee policy,” absenteeism will continue to be a problem and will probably get worse. Students will eventually be in the workforce; how many bosses will tolerate excessive absenteeism? Sincerely, Stephen Venezia Humphrey Street
Marblehead teacher’s letter a ‘wake-up call’ To the editor: I was very moved by the anonymous letter written by one of our Marblehead
teachers, and I wanted to applaud them for being so brave and honest. As a resident and a retired public educator (31 years in the Marblehead Public Schools), I certainly hope that our Marblehead community will read that letter with some understanding and deep reflection. The letter is a wake-up call for our Marblehead community. I know our world is struggling, and I assure you, I am struggling, too — although I am very curious as to what is happening to the Marblehead community where I worked, raised my family and have lived for over 30 years. I landed in Marblehead in 1987, sort of on a whim. I was born in North Carolina, raised in Pennsylvania, went to college in Vermont, taught in Vermont and New Hampshire, and decided I wanted to live closer to a city. A friend recommended I check out Marblehead. I landed a job — and the rest is history. Marblehead is my home. I love Marblehead. I loved working as a teacher in Marblehead. I love the community I raised my children in. I should add that my husband and I became parents through the adoption of two South Korean infants — who were lovingly embraced by our community. I always felt respected and valued as a teacher and as a parent. I retired from the Marblehead Public Schools in 2019. A lot has happened since that time.
My hope is that we can come together as a community. I hope that all our town boards, committees, employees and residents will make it a priority to work together in respectful and collaborative ways. I hope we can begin to problem solve and share our opinions without anger and disrespect. I hope we can also be open to hearing different viewpoints and perspectives. Perhaps we all can begin to hold back on impulses to share our opinion at a meeting, or in an email, or on social media, when we realize our opinion may be more emotional than well thought through — perhaps using the “24-hour rule” to process the intention of our thoughts and opinions for 24 hours before we share them with others. (I promise, this can be a helpful strategy.) It is a given that we will not always agree — we are human beings. My hope is that we all take a step back, reflect, and think about what are the most effective ways we can raise our town up and let all of our lights shine! Bottom line, I love this town. Marblehead Proud. Ann Davis-Allan Garfield Street
‘I hear you and believe you’ To the editor: During the Marblehead School
Committee meeting on Nov. 2 we heard from a couple of METCO mothers on how they feel that their children are not heard or seen. My heart broke because her child is being bullied by a staff member of the school. Time and time her words were not heard. METCO mama bear, I hear you and believe you. My child received an added birthday gift on her birthday. A teacher overheard another student teasing/bullying her about being adopted. That teacher brought it to the attention of her team teachers. Bravo to the Burke/Volpe/Deana team at her school for having all 42 kids come together and hear that families are made up of all different ways. You see, my child has been teased/bullied for three years. The counselors have worked hard over the years to curtail it to the best of their abilities. Thursday was different. One of her teachers is adopted, too. She told her story of adoption and my child told her story. One thing in common with all the other children, adopted children are loved just as much as each and every student in her school. These teachers made me cry and made my heart smile for giving her the best gift anyone could ever receive, respect. Just remember, we are all the same because we are all different. Mary McCarriston Pinecliff Drive
FOOD 101
Flex culinary muscle with this French bistro stew BY LINDA BASSETT Even for those of us who seem born to it, there are times when cooking is just plain too much. In the rare instances I feel this way, it hits hard. I seem physically unable to open the refrigerator, call for takeout, pop something in the microwave. I don’t even feel like going to a restaurant. That’s where I’ve been for the last week or so. It’s all because I’ve recently acquired a granite kitchen. This has always been a dream. And now, the shock! Granite, I’ve found, is porous! It will slurp any water or oil that hits its surface and an ugly stain blooms on the spot. Not the indestructible rock that I’d been lured to believe was so easy to care for. In a professional kitchen, I’d worked on stainless steel. Now, that’s indestructible. Granite, once marked, takes myriad cleaning products plus texts and emails for advice to “countertop experts.” Will it ever turn out as happily as a Hallmark movie? (I never thought I’d admit to watching Hallmark, but there it is.) I have no excuse for this except the current condition of
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have ruthlessly cut journalism jobs at hundreds of local newspapers in pursuit of profits. People in Massachusetts once had more journalism available. They’ve lost more, they have grieved more, they have hungered for what they had. And so they have been quick to embrace a rebirth of journalism that matters. Don’t mistake me for a combatant in the trenches of nonprofit journalism. I’m just a board member at the New Bedford Light, and an adviser
the world — and my kitchen. Messy. No, not every little kids’ soccer hero. (Have you noticed all the pink jerseys on the playground?) Just a plain mess as I neglect everything else to rub out stains and spills. TV still running, I switch the channel from Hallmark to cooking shows. I’m still amazed by how those shows run so smoothly. In a restaurant, cooks deal with constant drama. (That’s the fun of it.) Delivery trucks are late so menus must be rethought; the dish machine stops midstream bringing all hands to washing; a spill runs onto the floor and requires mopping before an accident. Everything needs immediate action. TV shows are the epitome of calm. They employ an army of prep cooks who set up and chop, more who merely choose that flawless bright asparagus and the perfectly marbled and trimmed steak. There are staffers who shine up the copper cookware. And the ones who find the exact stainless steel ruler “necessary” to measure the diameter of a pie crust or the length of a lasagna sheet. (I’ve never seen one of these in a kitchen supply shop.) Or fluff up dish towels that always launder without a spot. Oh, I’m just ranting now. I’ve got to learn how to deal with
these countertops. Yes, I miss stainless steel and prep cooks. But I can do this. I will flex some culinary muscle. A French bistro stew sounds about right. Then I’ll hang up my dish towel and settle in with a Hallmark movie. Both will have a happy ending. This stew is technically considered a braise. The two techniques are very close, only the size of the main component and amount of liquid used distinguish them. Larger pieces of meat and a smaller amount of liquid — or sauce — make this one a braise. (Bite size cuts of meat and more liquid make stew.) This one is authentically made with rabbit. I’d advise using chicken for the uninitiated. Chicken thighs most closely resemble the flavor and texture of rabbit. The real thing is available, fresh, at specialty meat shops in Boston’s North End. You can find frozen rabbit in some grocery stores or on the internet. The chicken should be skinless. Cut off any visible fat and pat the pieces dry with a paper towel before coating them with mustard. Salt and pepper the pieces before adding to the skillet. Seasoning while cooking produces more flavorful results — and no one at the table will be tempted to empty half a shaker of salt over their food.
Leave a little space between the chicken pieces to let steam escape between them as they brown. This means cooking in batches. Once browned, the chicken can go back into the skillet for the finish cooking. The finish cooking takes about one hour, partly covered to keep the sauce at a good consistency. No pot-watching is needed, although it’s okay to check in for a taste from time to time. Okay, I’m hanging up the dish towel. Ready for some soothing entertainment — with a happy ending.
Thickly brush one side of each chicken piece with mustard. Season generously with salt and
to the Plymouth Independent, which will begin publishing soon. But it has been invigorating to see what the Light has done in just 28 months. Before June 2021 there was no journalism of consequence in a city of 100,000. Now, the Light’s news staff of 12 regularly breaks stories about lapses in public safety, real estate seizures by private investors, the large number of homes that get their water through lead pipes, chicanery by the city council — and even the hidden ownership of much of the fishing fleet by a Dutch hedge fund. Government agencies
are under the microscope. And voters now have reliable, nonpartisan journalism they can use to cast intelligent votes. In New Bedford, the Light is closing in on $4 million raised. In Plymouth, when word got out last spring that the Independent was getting ready to publish, more than $200,000 quickly flooded in over the transom. Not too long ago, philanthropic dollars routinely and reliably flowed to important community institutions, like museums, hospitals and the local philharmonic. After all we’ve been through, it has become increasingly obvious
that our civic health needs the sustenance that nonprofit news sites increasingly provide. For me, and I suspect for many of you, the explosive growth in nonprofit news outlets has been nothing short of exhilarating. We now have the will and the means to expand this pro- democracy movement. Let’s do it. Walter V. Robinson is editor at large at the Boston Globe, where he also served as city editor, metro editor, White House correspondent and foreign correspondent. Robinson led the Boston Globe Spotlight Team that won the 2003 Pulitzer Prize for Public Service for its investigation of the sexual abuse
CHICKEN IN MUSTARD SAUCE Makes 6 servings. ` 8 to 10 chicken skinless thighs ` 1⁄2 cup Dijon mustard ` Salt, ground black pepper ` 3 tablespoons peanut oil ` 1 tablespoon unsalted butter ` 2 cups dry white wine, more if needed ` 2 medium onions, finely chopped ` 1 tablespoon superfine flour ` 1 teaspoon dried thyme ` A large handful of chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley ` 8 ounces egg noodles (from a box of 12 ounces) ` 1⁄2 stick unsalted butter
pepper. Heat oil and butter in a heavy skillet on medium heat. Add chicken, mustard side down, in batches so that the pan is not crowded. Cook until browned, about 10 minutes. Turn the chicken pieces, brushing the second side with mustard, and seasoning with salt and pepper. Cook until golden brown for 10 minutes. Transfer to a serving platter. Add 1⁄2 cup wine. Raise the heat slightly, and stir, scraping the bottom so all the nice browned bits flavor the sauce. Add the onions. Cook, stirring, for 5 minutes until they soften and turn golden. Remove the skillet from the heat. Sprinkle flour over the onions and stir until coated. Pour in the remaining wine and the dried thyme. Return all the chicken pieces to the skillet. Simmer until tender, partially covered, for 1 hour, or until the sauce thickens. Shortly before the chicken is done, cook the egg noodles in a large pot of salted water. Drain and toss with unsalted butter. Heap onto a serving platter. Top the noodles with the cooked chicken and pour the sauce over the top. Sprinkle with the chopped parsley. For best flavor, serve this right away.
of children by Catholic priests. n n n
Robinson will speak at a Marblehead Current event on Wednesday, Nov. 29, at the Warwick Theater. The evening will include the showing of the Academy Award-winning film, “Spotlight” based on Robinson and his Globe colleagues. To learn more about the event and how to attend, visit marbleheadcurrent.org/spotlight/ or use the QR code. n n n
This column was adapted from a speech Robinson gave at an Institute for Nonprofit News conference at Harvard in October.
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A6 Wednesday, November 15, 2023 Marblehead Current
VETERANS DAY OBSERVANCE
Veterans share stories of service, sacrifice
Speakers recall pivotal moments and ongoing challenges BY WILLIAM J. DOWD
U.S. Air Force Capt. Audrey Meakin
SALUTE TO SERVICE
Meakin has deployed to Kuwait, Germany, Romania U.S. Air Force Capt. Audrey Meakin graduated from Marblehead High School in 2015 then earned her bachelor’s degree and commission from Norwich University in 2019. She is currently serving as a logistics readiness officer in the 4th Fighter Wing at Seymour Johnson Air Force Base, North Carolina. She deployed to Kuwait with Special Operations CommandCentral in 2020 and then again in 2022 to Germany and Romania in response to the Russian invasion of Ukraine. Proud of a member of the military? Share details of their service with the Current at info@marbleheadnews.org, and we will share it with the community — year round, not just during Veterans Day week.
Several veterans recounted defining moments and daily struggles before, during and after their military careers in a packed Abbot Hall on the eve of Veterans Day Friday. The hour of storytelling marked the ninth annual veterans town hall hosted by Congressman Seth Moulton, a former Marine Corps captain who served four tours in Iraq. Moulton started the storytelling tradition in 2015 after author Sebastian Junger encouraged veteran town halls as a conduit for civilians to listen to and connect with veterans. Moulton’s service in Iraq included being a platoon leader during the invasion in 2003 and subsequent tours in the following years. “To look out and see so many people willing to listen — I can’t tell you how much that means,” said Moulton. “Thank you for spending part of your Veterans Day together with us.” Leanna Lynch, a community relations specialist at the Bedford Veterans Administration, shared her compelling journey from smalltown Massachusetts to the Army and now to veteran advocacy. Lynch, who served 16 years, initially joined the military with aspirations of becoming a state trooper. She humorously recounted the challenge of
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U.S. Army Sgt. Leanna Lynch, left, National Guard veteran Donald Jarvis and U.S. Marine Corps veteran Eric Ryan shared their military stories during Congressman Seth Moulton’s veterans town hall on Friday afternoon.
convincing her father to sign her enlistment papers at 17. Lynch’s military career was marked by her determination to excel in a male-dominated field. “It was difficult because you had to prove yourself,” she explained. She also spoke candidly about experiences with sexual harassment, emphasizing the importance of discussing these issues for healing and change. “I share this because it’s still something that’s ongoing,” she said. “It’s something that we need to recognize.” Today, Lynch continues her service at the VA, focusing on supporting veterans and addressing the challenges they face. Donnie Jarvis, director of veterans services for the town of Billerica, shared how serving as an Army engineer in Iraq and Afghanistan allowed him to better understand his late grandfather, a Vietnam veteran. Jarvis was injured by a blast from an improvised explosive device in Afghanistan and spoke
CURRENT PHOTO / LEIGH BLANDER
Marblehead High School chorus performs at the annual Veterans Day program at Abbot Hall on Nov. 11. It was the final Veterans Day service led by Veterans Agent Dave Rodgers, who is retiring. Col. Joshua Bradstreet, of Marblehead, spoke at the event about the importance of veterans’ service.
candidly about the hardships he faced adjusting to civilian life. “I gained a much deeper understanding of what freedom truly means and what it means to be a veteran,” Jarvis said. “There were a lot of learning curves, ups and downs.” Steve Hahn, the veterans director for the Eastern Essex District, recounted his journey from chef to military veteran
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and finally to veterans’ advocate. Hahn, who grew up in Salem, initially found his calling in cooking. “It was my first passion in life,” Hahn said, reminiscing about his early career, including his role as the head chef at Whole Foods in Swampscott. The turning point in Hahn’s life came with the tragic death of Jared Raymond, who was killed by an improvised explosive device in 2006. This event deeply affected Hahn, compelling him to join the military. “I quit my job right after his funeral, and that was quite possibly the best thing I’ve ever done,” Hahn shared. Hahn’s military service was marked by both camaraderie and loss. A turning point came on Nov. 6, 2008, when Hahn himself was seriously injured in a suicide bombing. “I’ve had three spine surgeries at Walter Reed,” he said, detailing the injuries that ended his military career. While recovering, Hahn found a new purpose in helping fellow veterans. “That’s also where I found my passion for helping my fellow veterans and their families,” he said. Hahn said veterans have a hard time transitioning back to civilian life, including dealing with physical injuries and post-traumatic stress. He emphasized the loss of purpose many veterans feel and his commitment to helping them find it again. Eric Ryan, a case manager at Clear Path for Veterans New England, helps formerly homeless veterans access housing, benefits and support services. He said his Marine Corps experience led him to continue serving fellow veterans. “It’s probably one of the most fulfilling things I’ve done in my life but also one of the most frustrating,” Ryan said. “Whether the day is good or bad, they’re all my brothers and sisters.”
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Patrowicz explained that the new house and pool will be built farther back from the shoreline and 50 feet away from the so-called buffer zone. He also spoke about landscaping plans. “We’ll be adding all kinds of best management practices with a flat lawn area, several rain gardens, and the retaining walls will have a lip to them that will act like a little dam,” he said. The Conservation Commission approved the landscaping plan. The O’Neills want to build a new house that is 28% larger than the current one. “The owners propose the demolition of the existing home, and the construction of a new single family home, moved back on the lot and set within the setback requirements,” the Planning Board application reads. “The foundation of the existing home will partially remain, as it is integrated with the seawall. The project has been designed to respectfully address the neighborhood, town infrastructure and natural resources.” The house, built in 1880, is recognizable from the harbor for its stone archway. It has a green copper roof, three-story octagonal tower and a porch over a stone arch.
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“It is very sad to see this lovely house go — it’s representative of the early mansions built on the Neck in the late 19th and early 20th century,” said Pam Peterson, chair of the Marblehead Historical Commission. “It was built by the same architect who built the Corinthian Yacht Club.” According to preservation consultant John Clemson, 84 Harbor Ave. was built as a resort home for Thomas Thomson Paine, his son and a third generation, who used it during summers. The family’s main residence was in town on Waldron Street. In a statement to the Current, Jerome O’Neill wrote, “We have lived in Marblehead for over 21 years and value its unique history. The existing house is in poor condition and is located on top of the coastal bank above the harbor. In consultation with environmental specialists and considering factors such as climate change expectations, building a new home away from the coastal bank is the only reasonable option to address this situation.” O’Neill continued: “We have designed a home in full compliance with all zoning requirements and are not seeking any exceptions or relief from those requirements.” However, Erin Pararas and
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New owners of 84 Harbor Ave. on the Neck plan to knock down the historic home and build a new one.
George Pararas-Carayannis, who live at 89 Harbor Ave., do not like the new plan. They wrote to the Planning Board, “The historical, century-old home will not be preserved. This iconic home with its prominent site location and characteristic green roof is recognized and appreciated from a multitude of positions in and around the harbor. It is a landmark structure of Marblehead Neck.” They complained that the new
Suit
From P. A1 Stockton, are facing federal fraud charges, though perhaps not for much longer. Bushell, who lives in Marblehead, says he is an Orthodox Christian monk who has taken a vow of poverty and founded Marblehead Brewing Company, located at 124 Pleasant St. The shrine and a brewery run by Bushell are both located at 124 Pleasant St., while the property in dispute at 120 Pleasant St. is a separate building next door. On Nov. 8, the U.S. attorney’s office filed a motion to dismiss the criminal charges against Bushell and Stockton for conspiracy to commit wire fraud and conspiracy to commit unlawful monetary transactions, stating that dismissing the
to decry the O’Neill’s efforts, in hundreds of posts. “I really love this house,” wrote one person. “It sits so perfectly where it is. I’m not against new houses or modern design, I just don’t think that you can improve on this one. I hope the town preserves it.” Other posts included: “No, no, no, no!! My absolute favorite.” “A historic landmark on the harbor and my favorite home. A tragedy to demolish it.”
PUBLIC SERVANT
Safety
From P. A1 and mid-block crosswalks. “Pleasant Street between the Rail Trail crossing and Smith Street/Baldwin Road has had a history of being one of the most dangerous stretches of roadway in town,” resident Peter Reuner wrote in a letter to the Marblehead Current. “Look at the ribbons and flowers on one of the trees nearby and be reminded each time you pass to ‘Slow Down for Allie.’” Resident Dan Albert, a local safe streets advocate who has researched Pleasant Street, called for more action. “Speeding continues to be a problem along the 25 mph roadway, despite the recent fatalities and ongoing concerns,” said Albert. “We have lots of data to show us the danger points. And those are not crash data.” He added, “I would like to know, ‘How are the police using the data that they have from the new speed advisory signs?’” Albert argues that the busy corridor should be evaluated for a “road diet,” reducing lanes and lane widths to slow cars. “Pleasant Street may be wide enough to accommodate more and current traffic volumes, including bicycle lanes,” he said. “Narrower lanes themselves can slow speeds. So there are two benefits — slower traffic and
house would be significantly bigger and block their views. Clemson also would like to see the original home preserved. “We care about historic buildings for many reasons,” he said. “You’ve got a lot of buildings like this around the coastal zone of the town. They serve to document the town’s history. Often, they can be preserved and adaptively used year-round.” ‘No, no, no, no’ People took to social media
Johnson recalled as ‘one-of-a-kind’ BY WILLIAM J. DOWD
CURRENT PHOTO / WILLIAM J. DOWD
A blue ribbon is tied to a tree near the site where 15-year-old Allie Castner was fatally struck by a vehicle while crossing Pleasant Street in 2009.
more space for other uses.” Town officials note traffic and street changes should occur as incremental steps to improve safety through traffic calming and enhanced visibility of crosswalks. In 2022, the town installed bump-outs at three crosswalks along Pleasant Street near Mohawk Road, Smith Street, and on West Shore Drive. The curb extensions narrow the roadway width at crossing points to reduce pedestrian exposure and slow approaching traffic. Additionally, a redesign of the Vine/Pleasant/Village/Cross intersection was completed. The project realigned Vine Street to form a simplified T-intersection with Pleasant Street. Other upgrades include narrowing and realigning Pleasant Street to shorten crosswalks, adding
charges is “in the interests of justice.” The pair was arrested in October 2022, accused of fabricating financial documents to secure $3.6 million in CARES Act loans, which they allegedly diverted for personal use. Stockton is representing the shrine in the tax case, while Mead, Talerman & Costa is representing the town. According to the charging documents in the federal criminal case, Bushell controlled several Marblehead-based organizations, including an Orthodox Christian charitable foundation (St. Paul’s Foundation), a “monastic house” (Shrine of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker, Patron of Sailors, Brewers & Repentant Thieves), a purported residence for clergy (Annunciation House), a monastic brewery (Marblehead Brewing Co.) and a craft saltern (Marblehead Salt Co.).
new sidewalks and lighting, and making Americans with Disabilities Act-accessibility improvements. “It’s a repeating pattern, and that’s a very strong concern,” said Marblehead Select Board member Moses Grader of Pleasant Street accidents. “The police chief is apprised of this and understands the history of that stretch.” Grader will advocate that the Traffic Safety Advisory Committee look into Pleasant Street and offer its recommendations to the Select Board. Meanwhile, Town Administrator Thatcher Kezer said it’s too early to speculate on Pleasant Street changes. “Everything is dependent upon the accident investigation,” he said. “We have to wait to see what comes out of that investigation.”
Brian Andrew Bushell is a selfdescribed Orthodox Christian monk.
It is through these entities that federal prosecutors allege Bushell and Stockton carried out their fraudulent activities. The Shrine of St. Nicholas, which calls itself a “public monastic complex” and house of
Town leaders are remembering Karl A. Johnson, who died after being struck by a vehicle while crossing Pleasant Street last month. Johnson served six years on the Planning Board, along with several years on the Light Commission. (He stepped down after winning re-election in 2022, citing health reasons.) Light Commissioner Mike Hull said Johnson was “talented in many facets of his life, but he was even a better human, and I am honored to have called him my friend.” Light Department General Manager Joe Kowalik said Johnson “provided consistent leadership and support on important board decisions, from adding new solar PV, wind and hydropower to the MMLD power portfolio, to approving important capital projects that will be crucial in improving the resiliency of our town’s electric distribution system for decades to come. “Karl was a one-of-a-kind, true friend of the department, who wore multiple hats in his efforts to move the department
Marblehead Light Department General Manager Joe Kowalick calls former light commissioner Karl Johnson, above, a devoted public servant.
worship, acquired the property at 120 Pleasant St. in December 2020, intending to extend its religious facilities. Under state law, religious organizations are typically afforded tax exemptions for properties used for worship. In deciding to tax the property, the town may be improperly considering the criminal charges against Bushell and Stockton, the shrine alleges. “It is possible the town is now challenging the exemption granted to the property in view of the filing of the complaint under some sort of anticipatory repudiation theory; however, the religious status of the shrine as a monastic complex is unaffected by the complaint,” the shrine’s complaint states. The shrine maintains its religious operations are a valid basis for its tax exemption, irrespective of its leaders’ legal woes.
The shrine argues that the town’s actions violate its constitutional rights, including the First Amendment right to freedom of religion, due process rights under the Fifth Amendment, and equal protection under the Fourteenth Amendment and the equivalent rights under the state constitution. The town argues that the shrine has not substantiated its claim for a religious property exemption at 120 Pleasant St. “The plaintiff bears the burden of proving entitlement to tax exemption,” town counsel writes in its opposition to the preliminary injunction. “A party seeking a religious exemption under [state law] must show that the use of a given property has the dominant purpose of facilitating religious worship and exercise. The plaintiff’s submissions lack any substantial evidence of this central fact.”
COURTESY PHOTO
forward,” Kowalik continued. When Johnson joined the Light Commission in 2018, Hull said he brought “a common-sense approach.” “He would always do a deep dive into any subject matter, which as the chair was a great help to me,” Hull told the Current. “But more important was his welcoming, open demeanor that made everyone from board members to the public feel at ease.”
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BUSINESS SPOTLIGHT
Meet Angelo Bido of Elia Taverna BY MELISSA STACEY The following is an interview with Angelo Bido of Elia Taverna, conducted by Discover Marblehead. To try Elia’s authentic Greek cuisine, stop by the restaurant at 261 Washington St. or make a reservation at eliatavernama.com.
COURTESY PHOTO
Angelo Bido, owner of Elia Tavern, brings authentic Greek cuisine and hospitality to Marblehead.
Tell us about Elia Taverna. Elia is a family-run Greek restaurant with homemade recipes that we grew up on. We wanted to bring these recipes to life for more people to enjoy. Marblehead was an area for us to create this experience for the community. Some of our many goals include providing great food, great service and creating friendships with our customers.
What is your role with Elia Taverna? I have been with Elia since the beginning. I run the day-to-day operations. I’ve made many friendships in Marblehead because of the restaurant, and I will continue to provide the best service I can for the community. What are some of the special events at Elia? Each week we have events at the restaurant. Every Tuesday, we have pasta night, where we create three different Greek pasta entrees. When
we first opened, a lot of people did not know much about Greek wines, so we started a monthly wine tasting. We pair each course with a different wine. We create a beautiful atmosphere with live Greek music playing in the background. Our Greek wine expert, Yiannis, is also in attendance, explaining each wine to those who attend the wine-tasting dinners. What is the best piece of business advice you’ve ever received? The best piece of business advice I have ever received would have to be, “Find a job that you enjoy doing every day to the point where it doesn’t feel like a job.” The business spotlight is a weekly feature published in partnership with Discover Marblehead. Discover Marblehead is dedicated to the promotion of Marblehead. Our mission is to highlight local businesses, tourism, community events and attractions through social media, email marketing and community outreach.To learn more, visit discovermhd.com
Art you can live with
“Back to the Beach” Oil on Canvas by Mark Shasha
PRESENTS
a reception and movie fundraiser to continue shining a light on the Marblehead Current and local news
&
with remarks by special guest Walter Robinson, leader of the Boston Globe’s Spotlight Team, and portrayed by actor Michael Keaton in the Academy Award-winning film. Enjoy an evening of great cinema and conversation, all for a worthy cause: to ensure the future of independent local news.
WEDNESDAY, NOV. 29 6PM Sponsored by M
ARBLEHEAD
arwick CINEMA BLACK CYAN MAGENTA YELLOW
For Tickets & More Information Visit: marbleheadcurrent.org/spotlight
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Marblehead Current Wednesday, November 15, 2023 A9
Sports LOOKING AHEAD TO T-GIVING
Magicians foiled by Grafton in Elite 8 game Marblehead prepping for Swampscott on Thanksgiving with title hopes on the line BY JOE McCONNELL Coach Jim Rudloff’s football Magicians (4-5) defeated Middleboro, the Division 4 third seed, on Nov. 3, 21-12 to move on to last Friday night’s Elite 8 contest against host Grafton (8-2, sixth seed), who was able to shut down South High in its Sweet 16 encounter, 21-0. However, despite a hardfought effort, the visitors saw their four-game winning streak come to an end after the Gators scored 10 unanswered second half points to win the Elite 8 game, 17-6. The Gators, who lost to Duxbury, 42-7 in last year’s Division 4 Super Bowl game, knew right away that they were in for a battle against the Magicians, leading by just one at halftime, 7-6. With 2:19 left in the first quarter, junior Finn Gilmore scored his first of two touchdowns in the game from one yard out. Freshman Ryan Davis then nailed the extra point, his first of five points in this close contest. But with 9:33 left in the second quarter, the Magicians trimmed the deficit to one on a 10-yard touchdown pass from junior quarterback Colt Wales to senior captain Andy Palmer. The Marblehead tandem hooked up five other times in that drive that started in the final two minutes of the opening stanza. With 37.7 seconds left in the first half, the Marblehead special teams in punting formation recovered a fumble on its own 46. But the offense couldn’t take advantage of the opportunistic
COURTESY PHOTO / EYAL OREN, WEDNESDAYS IN MARBLEHEAD
Marblehead High senior football captain Andy Palmer looks to gain a few more yards after catching a pass during a recent game against Danvers. At last Friday night’s Division 4 Elite 8 game against host Grafton, Palmer scored the lone Marblehead touchdown. The Magicians ended up losing the close game, 17-6.
possession, and as a result went into the halftime break still trailing by one, 7-6. “I thought the defense played extremely well,” said Rudloff. “There were only two or three real mistakes they made the entire night. Grafton is a good team, and they were going to get some yards. I think our boys did a good job stopping them.” Grafton’s first possession of the second half ended with a fumble recovery by the defense on its own 29. Sophomore quarterback Finn Gallup then scooted five yards to the 24. Brooks Keefe picked up another four yards, but on
fourth and one Grafton took over possession on the 20 after an incomplete pass. Wasting no time, Gilmore took the ball on the first play from scrimmage, and rambled 80 yards to account for his second score of the game to widen the gap to eight points. Junior Owen Belanger set up his team’s final points of the game after running a punt back 35 yards to the Marblehead 14. The defense once again did its job to keep Grafton out of the endzone, before Davis sealed the victory for all intents and purposes with an 18-yard field goal. There was only 1:24 left in the third quarter at the time of
his successful boot. Gallup completed two passes before the end of the period to Palmer for 11 yards, followed by a six-yard aerial to Crew Monaco to the team’s own 33. Gallup then hooked up with Ryan Commoss for a 14-yard completion to the 47 to begin the fourth quarter. But an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty stalled the drive. Frustrations boiled over at that point after the Magicians were flagged for six penalties to the home team’s one. “We lost, because we couldn’t score points,” said Rudloff. “It was not because of the refs. We were given opportunities, and
did not seize upon them. But certainly, the referees also had an interesting game.” With 4:10 left in the game, Marblehead had another chance to engineer a drive. Wales completed two passes, before a pass interference penalty on Grafton brought the ball down to the Gators 46. The junior signal caller then completed two more passes to get it down to the 20. But an inopportune holding penalty pushed them back, but Wales refused to give up, scrambling 14 yards to the 10 that set up a field goal try by Greg Motorny, but his boot was blocked by Grafton, which effectively ended any hopes of a Marblehead comeback with just 1:10 left on the clock. The University of New Hampshirebound kicker missed an earlier field goal in the first quarter, followed by his extra point that went wide left, certainly rare moments for this sure-footed Magician. “Greg (Motorny) has been really good for us all year long. He just had a tough night,” said Rudloff. The Marblehead boys will now take a few days to console each other, while wondering what could have been, before getting ready for Thanksgiving Day rival Swampscott, knowing a victory will secure the Northeastern Conference (NEC) Dunn Division title. “We won’t have any letdown from this loss, because our next game is on Thanksgiving against Swampscott, and that game always gets our guys’ attention,” said Rudloff. “We can secure the NEC Dunn Division title with a win, and that’s our goal.”
GIRL POWER
Powderpuff flag football classic returns Senior girls look to snap two-game losing streak against rival Swampscott Saturday BY JOE MCCONNELL You might say that this year’s annual Powderpuff flag football game between the senior girls at both Marblehead and Swampscott high schools is rather historical, especially for Marblehead’s longtime senior advisor and head coach Jacqui Bouchard, who played in this classic in 1993 and has decided that this will be her final one in charge of putting together the game after an 18-year run. The game has become a tradition every year on the Saturday before Thanksgiving, and this year Marblehead is the home team with the game scheduled to take place this Saturday, Nov. 18, at Piper Field, beginning at 10 a.m. “I will always call this an awesome experience,” said Bouchard. “I know what it’s like to play in this game, because I played in it in 1993. I know these girls still call it their Powderpuff game.” Besides trying to go all-out to win the game, the girls on both sides also play for a charity every year. “Over the past eight or so years, Joe Tenney, the Swampscott team advisor, and myself started a tradition where the home team gets to pick the
BLACK CYAN MAGENTA YELLOW
Scenes from last year’s Powderpuff game against Swampscott. Marblehead lost 21-13.
charity of their choice, and then gives the visiting team some of the money, so they get to give to the charity of their choosing,” said Bouchard. “Last year, Swampscott gave us $1,500, which we donated to SPUR, a Marbleheadbased volunteer community organization, so we will give (Swampscott) that same amount this year, and they will donate to a charity of their choice. “Since I have been coaching over the past 17 years, we have also donated our proceeds when the game is in our town to charities that help and benefit women,” added Bouchard. “For
example, breast cancer, and Julie’s Place, a rape crisis center. This year, we are planning to donate to HAWC [Healing Abuse Working for Change] in Salem. HAWC was the first place my team donated to, and since this will be my last year coaching the team, I thought it would be cool to donate to them again.” There will be plenty of motivation for the home team on Saturday after losing the last two games to the Big Blue. They upended their Marblehead counterparts last year, 21-13 after shutting them out in 2021, 10-0. As always, five senior boys from each school will serve as
coaches along the sidelines. Each side will also have a team manager. Cameron Comstock, Hogan Sedky and Charlie Sachs are the defensive coaches, while Bodie Bartram and Nick Lemond are the team’s offensive coordinators. Christian Francoeur will serve as the team manager. “I’ve always had six wonderful young men since I’ve been in charge of this program, and this year is no exception,” said Bouchard. “They had to teach 91 girls the sport of flag football in only four weeks this year. They run all the practices, design the plays and organize
CURRENT PHOTOS / NICOLE GOODHUE BOYD
all the magic for game day. It is so cool to watch them from the very first day of practice to game day.” Just like every year, the team’s enthusiasm remains its primary strength. “These girls have so much school spirit. They have been dreaming about this game since they walked into Marblehead High School as freshmen. This tradition is real,” said Bouchard. “This year’s offense is stacked with speed, and my defensive players are pulling flags left and right. The coaches are getting them ready for Saturday.”
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BOYS CROSS-COUNTRY
Runner Issac Gross tops competitors in division meet, leads team to All-States BY JOE MCCONNELL The Marblehead High boys cross-country team, led by Isaac Gross and Nate Assa, finished third in the Division 2A Championship Meet at the Wrentham Developmental Center on Saturday, Nov. 11. Gross was the top runner in this divisional race, while Assa, his teammate, was close behind in third. Their efforts helped the Magicians qualify for the AllState Meet this coming Saturday, Nov. 18, at Fort Devens in Ayer. “We as a team have now qualified for the Division 2 Championship Meet at Fort Devens after our third-place finish,” said coach Brian Heenan. “Walpole won the meet, followed by Plymouth South, before we came in third. “We were led once again by Gross, who jumped out to a fast start right from the starting gun,” added Heenan. “His time
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Marblehead High boys cross-country runners, from left, Jonah Potach, Henrik Adams, Will Cruikshank, Will Cerrutti, Will Cronin, Isaac Gross and Nate Assa are shown after completing a sensational outing in Wrentham last Saturday to finish third in the Division 2A state meet. They will now participate in the AllState Meet this Nov. 18 at Fort Devens in Ayer.
of 15:35 is the fastest by any Marblehead runner on this (Wrentham) course, and is only the second Marblehead runner (A.J. Ernst in 2015) to ever win a divisional championship.” Heenan mentioned that Gross has put together one of the best seasons any Marblehead boy
has ever had in cross-country. “Watching him run with such grit and determination has been awe-inspiring,” continued the veteran mentor. “He established goals at the beginning of the season, and has since run with such purpose throughout the season to achieve those goals. I
can’t wait to see what he does at the All-State Meet on Saturday.” Assa (16:12) was equally impressive with his third-place finish. Will Cerrutti (16:47) was 13th . “They both joined Isaac onstage for the awards ceremony that honored the top 15 runners with medals,” said Heenan.
Will Cruikshank, Henrik Adams, Jonah Potach and Will Cronin rounded out the team’s participants in this meet. “The boys actually tied for third, but in cross-country if two teams are tied after adding up the scores of the first five runners the tiebreaker becomes the sixth runner. In our case, Jonah Potach, our sixth runner, defeated the fourth-place team’s (Boston Latin Academy) runner by two places,” Heenan explained. The Top 10 2023 Division 2A finishers among the boys teams were as follows: Walpole (71), Plymouth South (100), Marblehead (121), Boston Latin Academy (121), Longmeadow (156), Melrose (168), Masconomet (175), Tantasqua (261), Brockton (272) and Dartmouth (288). The Magicians will now toe the line against the top Division 2 teams from all over the state again on Saturday at Fort Devens in Ayer.
GIRLS CROSS-COUNTRY
Sophomore running whiz kid secures elusive individual state title, leading team to state finals BY JOE MCCONNELL The Marblehead High girls cross-country team finished fourth in the Division 2A championship meet on Saturday, Nov. 11, at the Wrentham Developmental Center to qualify for the AllStates this coming Saturday, Nov. 18, at Fort Devens in Ayer. They will be joining their counterparts on the boys squad, who ended up third in their state divisional meet. The Top 10 2023 Division 2A finishers among the girls teams were as
follows: Melrose (86), Longmeadow (90), Walpole (91), Marblehead (109), Minnechaug (117), Boston Latin Academy (138), Whitman-Hanson (140), Masconomet (167), Plymouth South (203) and Tantasqua (268). Sophomore Marri O’Connell (18:11) continues to set a new standard of excellence among Bay State harriers with another extraordinarily fast time to breeze to another victory this fall. It was quite a day for the Magicians
TOWN OF MARBLEHEAD BOARD OF APPEALS The Board of Appeals will hold a public hearing on Tuesday November 28, 2023 at 8:00 PM on the request of Charles and Monika Ngowe to vary the application of the present Zoning By-law by allowing a Special Permit to construct an addition to an existing single-family dwelling on a preexisting non-conforming property with less than the required lot area, lot width, frontage, side and front yard setbacks located at 41 Smith Street in the Single Residence District. The new construction will be locates within the front and side yard setbacks and exceed the 10% expansion limits for nonconforming buildings. This hearing is held in accordance with the provisions of the Marblehead Zoning Bylaw, and Chapter 40A of the General Laws as amended and Pursuant to Governor Baker’s Order allowing suspension of Certain Provisions of the Open Meeting Law, G.L. c. 30A, §18, this public hearing of the Board is being conducted via remote participation. The public can attend this meeting via the remote participation platform through the following ways: Join Zoom Meeting https://us06web.zoom.us/j/87878347282?pwd=enlwRXd3V2xmdHE3cy92Sk1TU1BTUT09 Dial in +1 646 558 8656 Meeting ID: 878 7834 7282 Passcode: 404568 Those only dialing in will not have access to the visual presentation at the meeting, but can follow along with the project materials available for download at https://www.marblehead.org under the zoning board of appeals page and the date of meeting. Members of the public attending this meeting virtually will be allowed to make comments if they wish to do so, during the portion of the hearing designated for public comment. Interested persons may also submit comment in writing electronically and send to lyonsl@marblehead.org and the comments, will be included in the record. Alan Lipkind Secretary
TOWN OF MARBLEHEAD BOARD OF APPEALS The Board of Appeals will hold a public hearing on Tuesday, November 28, 2023, at 7:30 P.M., on the request of James G. Bailey to vary the application of the present Zoning Bylaw by allowing a Special Permit to construct an addition to an existing single-family dwelling on a preexisting nonconforming property with less than the required lot area, lot width, frontage and side and rear setbacks, located at 169 Jersey Street in the Shoreline Single Residence District. The new construction will be located within the side yard setback and exceed the 10% expansion limits for nonconforming buildings. This hearing is held in accordance with the provisions of the Marblehead Zoning Bylaw, and Chapter 40A of the General Laws as amended, and Pursuant to Governor Baker’s Order allowing suspension of Certain Provisions of the Open Meeting Law, G.L. c. 30A, §18. This public hearing of the Board is being conducted via remote participation. The public can attend this meeting via the remote participation platform through the following ways: Join Zoom Meeting: https://us06web.zoom.us/j/87878347282?pwd=enlwRXd3V2xmdHE3cy92SklTU1BTUT09, Dial in: +1 646 558 8656, Meeting ID: 878 7834 7282, Passcode: 404568. Those only dialing in will not have access to the visual presentation at the meeting, but can follow along with the project materials available for download at https://www.marblehead.org under the zoning board of appeals page and the date of meeting. Members of the public attending this meeting virtually will be allowed to make comments if they wish to do so during the portion of the hearing designated for public comment. Interested persons may also submit comment in writing electronically and send to lyonsl@marblehead.org and the comments will be included in the record. Alan Lipkind, Secretary
HELP WANTED!
Marblehead Children’s Center is looking to hire Infant/ Toddler and Preschool teachers for part and full time positions.
COURTESY PHOTO / ANGIE FISCHER
The Marblehead High girls cross-country team is shown together after finishing fourth last Saturday in the Division 2A state meet in Wrentham. With that high finish, they qualified for the All-States this Saturday at Fort Devens in Ayer. They are, from left, Angie Fischer, Charlie Roszell, Philine Heuermann, Abbie Goodwin, captain Maren Potter, captain Cat Piper, Jesslyn Roemer, captain Marri O’Connell, Shannon Hitscherich and coach Will Herlihy.
track program as both O’Connell and Isaac Gross of the boys team topped their respective state peers with winning
performances. This Saturday’s All-States should provide more drama for this Marblehead running tandem.
TOWN OF MARBLEHEAD BOARD OF APPEALS
The Board of Appeals will hold a public hearing on Tuesday November 28, 2023 at 8:15 PM on the request of Julius Sokol to vary the application of the present Zoning By-law by allowing a Special Permit to convert the existing combined residential commercial building to a converted dwelling at on a preexisting non-conforming property with less than the required lot area and side yard setback, located at 189 Pleasant Street in the Business One District. This hearing is held in accordance with the provisions of the Marblehead Zoning Bylaw, and Chapter 40A of the General Laws as amended and Pursuant to Governor Baker’s Order allowing suspension of Certain Provisions of the Open Meeting Law, G.L. c. 30A, §18, this public hearing of the Board is being conducted via remote participation. The public can attend this meeting via the remote participation platform through the following ways: Join Zoom Meeting https://us06web.zoom.us/j/87878347282?pwd=enlwRXd3V2xmdHE3cy92SklTUlBTUT09 Dial in+ 1 646 558 8656 Meeting ID: 878 7834 7282 Passcode: 404568 Those only dialing in will not have access to the visual presentation at the meeting but can follow along with the project materials available for download at https://www.marblehead.org under the zoning board of appeals page and the date of meeting. Members of the public attending this meeting virtually will be allowed to make comments if they wish to do so, during the portion of the hearing designated for public comment. Interested persons may also submit comment in writing electronically and send to lyonsl@marblehead.org and the comments, will be included in the record. Alan Lipkind Secretary
Cat Piper (21:29, 25th ), Maren Potter 21:36.5, 21-second personal best, 29 th ), Jesslyn Roemer (21:55.40, 1:04 personal best, 40th ), Philine Heuermann (22:13.5, 48 th ), Shannon Hitscherich (23:59.7, 99th ) and Abbie Goodwin (24:46, 108th ) rounded out Marblehead’s participants in the divisional race. “This was without question the best team race of the season for this group, and it’s happening at the perfect time,” said coach Will Herlihy. “This was a team with a lot of unknowns coming into the season, but they’ve proven time and time again that they can compete on the
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biggest stages.” Referring to Marri O’Connell as a rockstar and team leader, Herlihy mentioned that she brought home her first individual divisional title with another stellar performance after a couple of close seconds. Her race last Saturday was made more impressive by the fact that she finished 42 seconds ahead of the second-place runner Ila Zollo of Walpole (18:52.8). O’Connell’s 18:11 was also the best time across all three waves in Division 2, by over 10 seconds. It positions her as a potential title favorite at Saturday’s state championship meet. For senior mainstay Cat Piper, it may not have been the result she wanted, but she still battled through a tough race to finish second among Marblehead runners with a very respectable time, a 36-second improvement from her time on this course last year, according to Herlihy. “Maren Potter, Jesslyn Roemer and Philine Heuermann all had outstanding races — their best this season by far — which went a long way toward helping this team finish where they did,” added Herlihy. “I’m incredibly proud of how this team raced (against their state divisional opponents). I told them if they weren’t afraid to race boldly, they would be rewarded, and every one of them rose to that challenge.”
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Marblehead Current Wednesday, November 15, 2023 A11
EVENTS
Marblehead’s best bets for Nov. 15-22
Current Events spotlights exciting happenings in the coming week. If you’d like to contribute a listing, please email Current editor Leigh Blander at lblander@marbleheadnews.org. —Leigh Blander
Holiday Fair Saturday, Nov. 18, 9:30 a.m.1:30 p.m.
Sing Free A Cappella Concert Tuesday, Nov. 21, 7 p.m.
Sing Free is MHS’ first a cappella concert of the season, featuring The Jewel Tones, Luminescence and The Grizzlies. The concert has been a tradition for several years, with many MHS alums home on Thanksgiving break coming to sing along. The concert is $10 for adults, free for students and children.
The Old North Church, 35 Washington St., is hosting its Holiday Fair with wreaths, crafts and holiday decorations for sale. Live and silent auctions will feature items like an airplane ride over the North Shore, a family photo shoot, a sailing trip to Manchester, handyman services and more. Lobster rolls and vegetarian rolls will be sold for lunch. Kids can create Thanksgiving cards for Marblehead firefighters, police and EMTs. They can also decorate ornaments and make jewelry.
Harbor Holidays at the B.Y.C.
Friday, Nov. 17, 6-9 p.m. and Saturday, Nov. 18, 10-4 p.m.
Harbor Holidays is a preThanksgiving tradition in Marblehead. This year, 23 artisans will gather at the BYC, 1 Front St., to sell their crafts. The event is free and open to the public.
Me&Thee Music Friday, Nov. 17, 8 p.m.
Poetry Salon featuring local writer Thursday, Nov. 16, 2-4 p.m.
The Abbot Library Poetry Salon welcomes Clemens Schoenebeck of Swampscott to talk about his two published books: “Dancing with Fireflies’’ and “Where the Time Went.” Join Claire Keyes, professor emerita of Salem State University, for this program at 3 Brook Rd. or on Zoom. For more info, visit abbotlibrary, org. Schoenebeck’s book of poems can be reserved to check out from the library at marblehead.noblenet.org.
‘Pie in the Sky’ benefit The 31st annual “Pie in the Sky” drive benefits Community Servings, which provides medically tailored meals to chronically and critically ill individuals. Volunteer bakers are selling pies for $35 each. Real estate specialist Diane “Dee” Vigneron said the sale of each pie will feed a client for a week. Pies can be picked up Nov. 21 at the Marblehead office of Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage, which has sponsored the fundraiser for 19 years. Community Servings delivers 650,000 meals annually in 21 Massachusetts communities. Vigneron said the nonprofit is on track to prepare and deliver 1 million meals this year to those too sick to shop and cook. For more info, call Vigneron at 978-407-4600
Me&Thee Music presents Rani Arbo & Daisy Mayhem and their special brand of “barefoot, front porch, tap-your-feet Americana music,” according to the Me&Thee website. The tunes will “transplant audiences from the Georgia Sea Islands and Appalachians to a Texas dance hall and a New Orleans street parade.” 28 Mugford St. More info and tickets at meandthee. org.
Let me help you navigate this market Wendy S. Webber REALTOR® GRI, CBR, ASP
781-576-9414 cell/text
Wendy.Webber@CBRealty.com www.WendySWebber.com
2 Atlantic Avenue | Marblehead, MA 01945
Correction A front-page article in our Nov. 8 edition about needed accessibility upgrades in town incorrectly stated the estimated cost to bring the Glover Elementary School into compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act. The actual estimated cost is $55,900.
BLACK CYAN MAGENTA YELLOW
218 Beacon Street Marblehead, MA 01945 781-886-7075 Open Monday-Friday 8 a.m.-5 p.m.
Jazz at the Arts Thursday, Nov. 16, 7 p.m.
The Marblehead Arts Association and Gene Arnould present Jazz at the Arts, a concert series at the Marblehead Arts Association featuring Cassandre McKinley. As an artist and singer, McKinley specializes in soul, jazz, blues, r&b, pop and country. More info and tickets at marbleheadarts.org.
Meet bestselling author Katherine Howe Monday, Nov. 20, 6:30 p.m.
New York Times bestselling author and historian Katherine Howe will talk about her new book, “True Account,” at the Saltwater Bookstore, 124 Washington St. “True Account” is the story of one young woman’s “unbelievable adventure as one of the most terrifying sea rovers of all time.” Howe is co-author with Anderson Cooper of the New York Times bestselling books “Vanderbilt” and “Astor.” TOWN OF MARBLEHEAD BOARD OF APPEALS The Board of Appeals will hold a public hearing on Tuesday November 28, 2023 at 8:15 PM on the request of Atlantic Mayflower Realty Trust to vary the application of the present Zoning By-law by allowing a Special Permit or Variance to allow for the change form a commercial use to a combined residential/commercial building with a commercial use on the first floor and six residential units on second and third floor and a special permit for addition to an existing building at on a preexisting non-conforming property with less than the required lot area, side yard setback, open area and parking, located at 6 Atlantic Avenue in the Business One District. The new construction will be located in the side yard setback and further reduce the open area and parking and exceed the 10% expansion limits for nonconforming buildings. This hearing is held in accordance with the provisions of the Marblehead Zoning Bylaw, and Chapter 40A of the General Laws as amended and Pursuant to Governor Baker’s Order allowing suspension of Certain Provisions of the Open Meeting Law, G.L. c. 30A, § 18, this public hearing of the Board is being conducted via remote participation. The public can attend this meeting via the remote participation platform through the following ways: Join Zoom Meeting https://us06web.zoom.us/j/87878347282?pwd=enlwRXd3V2xmdHE3cy92SklTUlBTUT09 Dial in + 1 646 558 8656 Meeting ID: 878 7834 7282 Passcode: 404568 Those only dialing in will not have access to the visual presentation at the meeting but can follow along with the project materials available for download at https://www.marblehead.org under the zoning board of appeals page and the date of meeting. Members of the public attending this meeting virtually will be allowed to make comments if they wish to ,do so, during the portion of the hearing designated for public comment. Interested persons may also submit comment in writing electronically and send to lyonsl@marblehead.org and the comments, will be included in the record. Alan Lipkind Secretary
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A12 Wednesday, November 15, 2023 Marblehead Current
Headlight
Shining a light on the news you care about!
Written by the students of Marblehead High School for our school and community 2023 - 2024 Issue
www.mhsheadlight.com
From pirates to primates: Marblehead’s portal into the unknown is back for another Halloween Georgia Marshall, Freshman
Have you ever wanted to explore a ghostly pirate shipwreck, creep through an ancient Egyptian tomb, or gaze at a life-sized breathing, blinking dragon? Look no further than resident architect Tom Saltsman’s home. Saltsman has been wowing Marblehead with his annual Halloween construction projects on Pleasant Street for the past eight years. Every year around September, he begins constructing a giant masterpiece that people line up to walk through on Halloween and several following nights. Built entirely out of discarded materials, found objects, and specialized pieces, these constructions have ranged from a spaceship to a breathing, roaring King Kong statue, to this year’s creation, a giant sleeping troll inspired by Norwegian folklore. After many years of being impressed by Saltsman’s creations, I was sure that nothing could outdo last year’s - though I’m sure I felt the same last year about the previous one. My mom, dad, younger brother, and I arrived on Pleasant Street, bundled up in jackets and hats in the chilly autumn-night air on Friday, October 3rd, to come nose to nose with the giant sleeping troll. A crowd of people stretched down the road, making it impossible to catch a glimpse of the troll from the back of the line. Anticipation grew as the line inched along and we heard more exclamations of, “That was insane!” and “Wow!” Finally, after what felt like a millennia, we reached the driveway. My jaw dropped when I saw the enormous troll curled in a stiff rock-like shape. He is composed of a sharp, rugged stone-like material, his fingers twitching ever so slightly, revealing a bright-red surface beneath cracked rocky skin. Soft snores can be heard escaping from his cavernous belly. We entered through his gaping mouth and were transported into a forest wonderland that appeared to stretch on for miles due to the illusion of mirrors. The strong, comforting scent of pine immediately hit me as I crept into the woodland area. Real branches of pine trees and intricately painted walls depicting a beautiful forest surrounded me. I weaved through paper mache trees into a small craggy cave, where I was met by a trickling stone fountain and the projection of bats huddling in a dark corner. Upon leaving, I felt a sense of wonder, wishing I could stay a bit longer
inside the forest dreamland that I had just left. I, like others, have always wondered how Saltsman comes up with his creations. “I have a sketchbook that I jot down ideas in throughout the whole year,” he says. “This year my wife wanted to do a forest and I wanted to do a giant, so this was our combination of those ideas.” A sign posted on one of the pillars in the driveway explains how Norwegian myth plays into this year’s masterpiece. Norwegian culture is strongly influenced by nature and legend. According to myth, throughout the country’s forests dwell giant rock trolls whose stony bodies come to life at night and are frozen when touched by sunlight. Though not the cleverest, they are strong and powerful, influencing creatures in Harry Potter and The Hobbit. The troll isn’t the only one of these Halloween sculptures that is inspired by myth and legend. All of them, I’ve noticed, seem to include an element of magic. From the dragon cottage, built and exhibited on Halloween of 2018, my second year living in Marblehead and my first year experiencing one of Saltsman’s creations, to the Egyptian cobra goddess built in 2022, a supernatural, mysterious feeling seems to lurk around every corner. When asked about his favorite of his creations, Saltsman said, “I would probably have to say the walking man.” Unfortunately, and for reasons I can’t recall, the only one my family has missed! All of these masterpieces are unique and impressive. And all of them leave a lingering question: How could a small team of people possibly build such incredible creations in only two months? The answer: hard work and persistence. Saltsman and his team work on evenings and weekends throughout September and October to finish these projects, a tarp covering the entrance to the driveway from curious residents until a few days before Halloween, when the public can finally see the finished masterpiece. Saltsman’s training as an architect is central to this process. “I went to school for theater and did a lot of set design and built things. I started building these Halloween projects at the Coffin-Gerry school for the Monster Mash,” he says. He began building these for parties, and the public took notice. It eventually evolved into a grand-scale, annual town event, attracting people from across Marblehead and beyond. His
November 15, 2023
work has been featured in various newspapers and broadcasts. This year, as his wife revealed to my parents, helicopters of local news programs even circled overhead in an attempt to capture the breathtaking creature. Children and adults alike delight in the surprise and excitement of these yearly installations, and with each year, they only draw more visitors. As my family and I made our way back home on the chilly autumn night, buzzing with the excitement and majesty
of what we’d just experienced, all of us feverishly sending pictures to friends and family in other parts of the state, the country, and the world, I was struck by a sense of gratitude. I felt lucky that here, in our town, a mere few blocks away from my ancient, creaky, hobbit-like house, I may be transported through space and time each year as the nights grow longer and the air grows cooler, all through the generous creativity of Tom Saltsman, his family, and his team, who bring their vision to life on the spookiest night of the year.
Saltsman's incredible giant sleeping troll.
Red flag over new policy Anonymous Student Flags have become more common in the last several years. There's a flag for everything - every sexuality, every ideology or political party, even most clubs or groups have a flag. However, across the USA, many school districts have begun banning specific flags. These flags mainly include the Black Lives Matter (BLM) and Pride flags. Recently, our school committee has been considering creating a policy that would effectively ‘ban’ all flags but the country and state flag. All others would have to go through an approval process in the school committee. This stirred up lots of anxiety about whether or not the BLM and Pride flags around the school would come down. When asked about whether they had any knowledge of this, many students were unaware, save for the fact that a few texts went around about it. How does the student body truly feel about this rule? I interviewed several students and received multiple statements. One student explains,“The flags we put in school represent us as students and as people. Don’t take away our right to that.” On the other side, others say there simply shouldn’t be any in communal spaces. A separate student said, “Teachers should also be allowed to decorate their classes the way they want, but in the cafe and the halls there shouldn't be any.” The student body seems to mainly agree on one thing: we are entitled to a part in the making of this policy.
Weighing the pros and cons of this issue is a trouble many of us face. On the pro-rule side, there's the fact that students may feel ‘pressure’ to think one way or another due to the presence of these flags. However, the argument can be made that the students rarely ever notice the flags at all and when they do it’s in a positive way. On the anti-rule side, some believe this is a violation of First Amendment rights, as it is protected by the Tinker Test, which is a set of rules schools use to limit what students can and cannot do at school in terms of free speech. The Tinker Test specifically states that “school officials could not prohibit [students free speech] only on the suspicion that the speech might disrupt the learning environment” (uscourts.gov). On the opposing side, some might refute this argument by saying that a “political agenda” is not free speech. This brings us once again back to the Tinker v. Des Moines case of the 1960s (the origin of the ‘Tinker Test’), where the dissent argued the same thing. It is a strange parallel to be drawn, but a parallel shockingly relevant, nonetheless. Each person is entitled to their opinion on the flag situation. As this is not an opinion article, I will not be sharing my own take on the situation. However, I will emphasize that many students argue that this decision should not be made without the input of the public. In the coming weeks, the people who make up Marblehead schools may be able to debate the issue and make their decision, instead of watching as the School Committee makes it for them.
Headlight Staff 2023-2024 EDITORS-IN-CHIEF: Ila Bumagin and Mona Gelfgatt
ASSISTANT EDITORS: Benji Boyd, Rachael Albert
TECHNOLOGY EDITOR: Kate Twomey
REPORTERS: Cole Barbeau, John Bender, Grey Collins, Tucker Crane, Aislin Freedman, Samuel Jendrysik, Anya Kane, Nina Lees, Georgia Marshall, Livia Weiss, Benjamin Zaltsman FACULTY ADVISOR: Thomas Higgins
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Marblehead Current Wednesday, November 15, 2023 A13
OBITUARIES
master’s in education from Boston State. For several years,
he taught at the high school level in Rhode Island and Massachusetts. During his summers off, he was a carpenter. He expanded that career and has owned KA Johnson Builders for over 50 years. He specialized in remodeling homes. Living in Marblehead gave him the opportunity to work on many old, historic houses. He was passionate about his work. Karl was a lifelong fitness enthusiast. He met his wife, Beth, while attending one of
her aerobic classes. They went on to have successful health clubs, Energy Works and Energy Within, for 40 years. Karl mentored many people throughout his lifetime. In addition to his businesses, Karl was a member of the Army Reserves, a gourmet cook, flower whisperer and wonderful storyteller. He served on the Marblehead Municipal Light Department and was a member of the Marblehead Planning Board. Karl was a loving, caring, kind,
generous and funny man. He will be missed by many. A celebration of Karl’s life will be held Saturday, Nov. 11, 4-7 p.m. at the Gerry 5, 210 Beacon St. In lieu of flowers, muffins and peanut M&Ms for Beth, please consider a donation to Project Knitwell (projectknitwell.org) or a charity of your choice. Fond memories and expressions of sympathy for the Johnson family may be shared at eustisandcornellfuneralhome. com.
each. Peter met his wife, Dale, in Boston in the winter of 1965. They married in 1967 and spent their early years in the city before moving to Marblehead, where they would live for the next 40 years. During that time, they raised two children, Robin and Sam, and developed deep, lifelong friendships. Always outdoor enthusiasts, the family enjoyed skiing throughout New England, hiking in the White Mountains of New Hampshire, and sailing in Maine. Peter particularly loved the sea and spent many happy summers navigating Penobscot Bay and Mt. Desert, picnicking on remote island beaches, and trolling for mackerel in Muscongus Bay. Peter and Dale also traveled widely, with adventures in Europe, Asia, South America and
New Zealand. Peter approached new cultures with curiosity and warmth, studying the Italian language in Siena (where he was a despairing but dogged student), vocally supporting his children in their decisions to live outside the United States, and opening his home to international exchange students. Peter loved his work and had an accomplished 40-year career in architecture, including 20 years as the sole proprietor of Peter Coxe Associates until his retirement in 2007. He was a lifelong advocate for approachable, functional and sustainable design. He was particularly passionate about architectural lighting design, which he helped to pioneer both in the United States and internationally. Among his many local projects, he lit the exteriors and public spaces of the Boston Public Library, Boston’s Custom House Tower, Trinity and Old South Churches, Boston Waterfront Park, the USS Constitution (Charlestown Navy Yard) and Pilgrim Memorial/Plymouth Rock. Peter’s design skills were also put to good use in his family’s life, constructing their home on Marblehead Neck and delighting his kids with his help creating Halloween costumes, castles and
forts, and school projects. As they pursued their own careers, Peter’s personal enjoyment of his chosen profession was a valued guidepost. He also passed on to them his dedication to a job well done, always bidding farewell with the exhortation, “Work hard!” In 2010, Peter and Dale relocated to Ketchum, Idaho, where they made new friends and reconnected with old ones, while continuing to enjoy outdoor pursuits (finally, real powder!). Following their return to Boston in 2015, they resided in the Back Bay, enjoying the city where they started their lives together and continuing to travel widely. Peter lived by Camp Dudley’s motto, which asks us to put “The Other Fellow First.” As a husband, he was unfailingly loving, considerate and supportive. As a father, he was patient, kind and ready with heartfelt advice. He cared for and was a loyal presence in his many friends’ lives. Peter loved children and animals, and never met a kid, dog or cat that he did not like (and the feeling was mutual). He gave back to his community, volunteering at historical and professional
societies in Marblehead, Boston and Ketchum, donating his architectural expertise to support public and charitable works around the world, and sponsoring children in need. Peter is survived by his wife of 56 years, Dale, and his two children, Robin Coxe of Denver, Colorado, and Sam Coxe of London, England. Never one for fanfare, Peter has asked to forgo a memorial service. Instead, the family will host a celebration of life in 2024. Should you wish, please consider making a donation in Peter’s memory to one of the following Mass General Hospital charities: MGH Stroke Service Fund | Parkinson’s Disease Research Fund. The website link for donations is: https:// giving.massgeneral.org/donate. Please include Peter’s name in the tribute section and type the name of the fund(s) in the box called “designate this gift to a specific program or area.” Or, if you prefer, the mailing address for checks is: Mass General Development Office, 125 Nashua St., Suite 540, Boston, MA 02114. Check donors should write a short note indicating their gift is in Peter’s memory and the fund(s) they’d like to support. Peter’s online tribute is available at joycefuneralhome. com.
successful years in industrial sales in the Boston area. Dick is survived by his loving wife, Georgia Templer Murray, whom he married in September 1973; they recently celebrated 50 happy years together. Dick and Georgia lived in Massachusetts,
eventually settling in their forever home on Peaches Point in Marblehead. They were members of Boston Yacht Club for years where they pursued their love of sailing. While there, Dick often took on the role of Santa arriving by boat and entertaining the children during the holiday season. Dick loved gardening, creating beautiful perennial gardens around his oceanside home. Dick’s dog, Player, was never far from his side while gardening, sailing or walking through the neighborhood. Dick became well known for taking in dogs for traveling friends and neighbors, including Tanner, Gigi and Pixel. In younger years, Dick and
Georgia enjoyed skiing with friends in Vermont and New Hampshire. Dick was a passionate lover of golf and traveled far and wide to join friends and family in a game, as well as being a member at Old Newbury Golf Club. He also knew his way around the kitchen and loved entertaining. Dick’s “Murrayburgers” were a big hit. He was a regular at Marblehead’s Gerry 5 and was always in demand as a gracious and competitive card player. He was a member of several bridge clubs, noted for his skills and enjoyment when playing a rousing game of bridge or cribbage. Dick will be dearly missed by his wife Georgia, family and
friends. He was predeceased by his two brothers, James Murray and Patrick (Joe) Murray. Dick is survived by his brother John Murray and his wife Joan of East Dennis; his much adored sister Mary Gavigan and her husband Tom of Lauderdale by the Sea, Florida; and 18 much loved nieces and nephews. Most of all, Dick will be remembered for his kindness, his caring and his wonderful sense of humor. Funeral services are private. Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at eustisandcornellfuneralhome. com.
a graduate of Lynn Classical High School and attended Northeastern University.
An honorably discharged veteran, he served his country as a member of the United States Naval Reserves. Preble had been employed for many years as a police officer for the Marblehead Police Department, and at the time of his retirement he held the rank of sergeant and detective. He had also owned and operated the former Salem Harley Davidson on Bridge St. in Salem for 28 years. As a young man he had worked as a draftsman for the General Electric Co. in Lynn. Following his retirement, Mr. Preble worked for the Council
on Aging and also as a crossing guard in town. A resident of Marblehead for over 50 years, he was a member and past master of the Philanthropic Masonic Lodge in Marblehead, past president of the Blue Knights, a past grand master of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows and a longtime supporter of the Salvation Army Adult Rehabilitation Center in Saugus. In addition to his wife, he is survived by two sons, Drew Preble and his wife Janelle, of Wakefield, and Gavin Preble and his wife, Kristie,
of Medford; a daughter, Laura Ferreira and her husband Troy Fairchild of Melbourne, Fla.; 10 grandchildren and nine great-grandchildren. Memorial visiting hours will be held at the Conway CahillBrodeur Funeral Home, 82 Lynn St., Peabody, Saturday, Nov. 18 1-4 p.m. Relatives and friends are invited to attend. In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made in his memory to the Salvation Army Adult Rehabilitation Center, 209 Broadway, Saugus 01906. For directions and online guestbook, visit ccbfuneral.com.
Karl A. Johnson, 80 Karl A. Johnson of Marblehead died Sunday, Nov. 5. Karl was born March 4, 1943, in Warwick, Rhode Island. He is survived by his wife, Beth. Last month, they celebrated their 36th wedding anniversary. Karl attended Warwick High School and graduated from the University of Rhode Island in 1967. He later received his
Peter Makepeace Coxe Peter Makepeace Coxe passed away peacefully under hospice care on Nov. 5 due to complications from a stroke. Despite his increasing disability in recent months, he displayed his trademark qualities of kindheartedness, composure and dry humor right up until the end. We will miss him dearly. Peter was born in Montclair, New Jersey, on March 8, 1941, to Dorothy Makepeace Coxe and Gerald Murray Coxe. He spent his early years in Warwick Neck, Rhode Island, and spirited summers at Camp Dudley in upstate New York. He graduated from the Hotchkiss School in Lakeville, Connecticut (Class of 1959) and Williams College in Williamstown, Massachusetts (Class of 1963). At Williams, he discovered his lifelong passion for art history and design. He subsequently enrolled at the Harvard Graduate School of Design, earning a masterof-architecture degree in 1967. Throughout his life, Peter was loyal to his alma maters and the many friendships he formed at
Richard ‘Dick’ Jerome Murray, 77 Richard “Dick” Jerome Murray passed away on Oct. 31 after a long illness. Dick was born at St. Vincent’s Hospital in Worcester on Jan. 23, 1946 to John and Nellie Donovan Murray from Waterford and Cork, Ireland. He was the youngest of five children. Dick attended Worcester State College and served in the National Guard. After graduating from college, Dick spent many
Glover ‘Peter’ Preble Jr., 89 Former Marblehead Police Officer
Glover “Peter” Preble Jr., 89, beloved husband of Joyce (St. Pierre) Preble, died Nov. 6 at the Kaplan Family Hospice House in Danvers, surrounded by his family. Born in Lynn, he was the son of the late Glover B. Sr. and Lillie E. (Cutler) Preble. He was
SUBMISSION POLICY The Marblehead Current publishes obituaries online for free and in its print edition for a flat fee of $200. Submissions or inquiries should be sent to notices@marbleheadnews.org. Submissions should include the name of the funeral
home serving the deceased’s family, along with a daytime phone number for a person to contact, in case we have any questions about the obituary. Photos, preferably in JPEG format, are welcome. Photos should be of high enough quality to reproduce well in print. Generally, an image file created by a digital camera or smartphone will be fine; images copied from websites will not.
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A14 Wednesday, November 15, 2023 Marblehead Current
SAILING & FAMILY
Marblehead author Roper releases latest book BY LEIGH BLANDER Twenty-five years ago, Marblehead author David Roper was sailing along the coast of Maine when he became lost in a thick fog. “I ended up in a tiny harbor on an island and met a 14-year-old boy who had been raised on the island,” said Roper. “He lived there alone with his parents.” Roper combined that real-life experience with a newfound interest in archaeology and the Red Paint People, who lived 4,000 years ago in Maine, to write his latest book, “The Ghosts of Gadus Island.” It is his fifth book.
Roper also owns A-Script, a career advisory and resume writing company in Marblehead. (His first book, written in 1994, is “Getting the Job You Want… Now!”) Roper, 73, grew up in Hingham and moved to Marbehead as a teenager. He captained a 60-foot schooner, Tradewind, here in the 1970s. When he was 27, he captained a 135-foot paddlewheel cruise ship on the Mississippi River. That experience led to his book, “Rounding the Bend… The Life and Times of Big Red” about the redemption of a washed-up Mississippi River pilot and Vietnam vet. It also inspired several short stories,
‘The Ghosts of Gadus Island’ is partially set in Marblehead.
including those in his best-seller, “Watching for Mermaids,” published in 2011.
‘Sailing and family’ Roper says his writing focuses on “sailing and
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CURRENT PHOTO / LEIGH BLANDER
Author Dave Roper sits and writes in his home office. He takes long walks through nearby Waterside Cemetery to ‘enhance’ his thinking.
family.” He has always loved stories. Growing up in Hingham, he used to row a boat out to nearby islands. “My imagination would just run wild,” he said. Explaining his writing process, Roper said, “I’ll see something that I can’t get out of my head, and then I back into it. I get all my inspiration from walking in Waterside Cemetery.
Walking enhances your thinking. It’s quiet. I can record my thoughts on my cell phone.” He also writes in his home office and on his sailboat. “The Ghosts of Gadus Island” features Marblehead. [Gadus is the genus name for cod fish.] The story, set in 1967, focuses on a famous archaeologist and his granddaughter, who live
TOWN OF MARBLEHEAD BOARD OF APPEALS The Board of Appeals will hold a public hearing on Tuesday November 28, 2023 at 8:00 PM on the request of Regina and Cody Brown to vary the application of the present Zoning By-law by allowing Special Permit to construct an addition to an existing single-family structure on a preexisting non-conforming property with less than the required lot area, side and front yard setbacks and parking, located at 15 Trinity Road in the Single Residence District. The new construction will exceed the 10% expansion limits for nonconforming buildings. This hearing is held in accordance with the provisions of the Marblehead Zoning Bylaw, and Chapter 40A of the General Laws as amended and Pursuant to Governor Baker’s Order allowing suspension of Certain Provisions of the Open Meeting Law, G.L. c. 30A, §18, this public hearing of the Board is being conducted via remote participation. The public can attend this meeting via the remote participation platform through the following ways: Join Zoom Meeting https://us06web. zoom.us/j/87878347282?pwd=enlwRXd3V2xmdHE3cy92Sk1TU1BTUT09 Dial in +1 646 558 8656 Meeting ID: 878 7834 7282 Passcode: 404568 Those only dialing in will not have access to the visual presentation at the meeting, but can follow along with the project materials available for download at https://www.marblehead.org under the zoning board of appeals page and the date of meeting. Members of the public attending this meeting virtually will be allowed to make comments if they wish to do so, during the portion of the hearing designated for public comment. Interested persons may also submit comment in writing electronically and send to lyonsl@marblehead.org and the comments, will be included in the record. Alan Lipkind Secretary
in Marblehead and sail to Gadus Island looking for artifacts. “They run into a boy whose parents disappeared out fishing. He’s been alone there for eight months. The story is about the interaction between these two teenagers, young love and loss.” Roper is already thinking about his next book, which will focus on a grandfather who is planning a road trip. His teenage granddaughter doesn’t want him to go alone, so she joins in. “I like the idea of a bright, progressive teenage girl and an octogenarian grandfather,” he said. Roper himself has a fouryear-old granddaughter and one-year-old grandson. Roper’s books are available at Barnes and Noble, Amazon and at DavidRoperBooks.com.
Embrace a New Season
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To learn about The Mariner call: 781.731.1583 Independent Living, Assisted Living & Avita Memory Care 265 Pleasant Street | Marblehead, MA | MarinerMarblehead.com
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