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Candidates’ Night
The League of Women Voters of Marblehead will hold its annual Candidates’ Night Tuesday, May 20, 7 p.m. at the Marblehead High School library.
Attendees are welcome to come at 6:30 p.m. meet candidates who are there.
This year there are six contested races: Select Board, Cemetery Commission, Board of Health, Town Clerk, Planning Board and School Committee.
LWV Marblehead has an “empty chair” bylaw that applies to local elections. If one candidate in a two-person race isn’t present at the event, the candidate who is present has the same opportunity to speak as if both were there.
Those who attend may submit written questions for candidates to answer. We cannot guarantee that all audience questions will be answered, but they will be given priority.
If you have any questions for the candidates in advance of May 20, submit them to shari.pressman@gmail.com. Make sure you note to which board/committee your question is directed.
The League of Women Voters of the United States is proud to be nonpartisan, neither supporting nor opposing candidates or political parties at any level of government but always working on vital issues of concern to members and the public.
If you’re unable to join us in person, Candidates’ Night will be televised live by MHTV.
Colonial craft fair returns May 24
Marblehead Museum will host its second annual Colonial Craft Fair in the Jeremiah Lee Mansion gardens Saturday, May 24, from 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Skilled artisans and historical reenactors from across New England will demonstrate crafts practiced 300 years ago. Guests can learn how shoes were made by a master shoemaker, try copperplate printing, watch a cooper build a barrel start to finish, see a cook prepare colonial dishes and purchase the finished wares.
Admission at the door is $10 a person or $25 a family for museum members and $15 a person or $40 a family for the public. Children ages 3 and under are free. Artisans and reenactors will be on site throughout the day to answer questions. Tickets can be purchased at the door on the day of the fair. Contact Jarrett Zeman, associate director, at 781-631-1768 or info@marbleheadmuseum.org for details.
Water department schedules overnight hydrant flushing
The Marblehead Water Department will conduct its annual water main flushing program,May 11-16. Flushing started May 11 and will run from noon-7 a.m. each day. Work will begin at the Swampscott and Salem borders and travel to the downtown area. On May 15, flow testing will be completed in various areas of town. Residents may notice water flowing from some hydrants during the day; this is part of normal procedures. Some properties may experience discolored water early in the morning. If this occurs, run cold water only in the kitchen sink until it runs clear, approximately 20 minutes and refrain from using hot water or doing laundry until the discoloration is gone. Contact the Marblehead Water Department at 781-631-0102 if the problem persists.
Y honors Paul Gorman with Sherman award
Marblehead’s Lynch/van Otterloo YMCA has presented the David Sherman Community Strengthening Award to Paul Gorman, president and CEO of the South Shore Y and former executive director of the local branch. The April 30 ceremony at the Leggs Hill Road campus marked Gorman as the eighth recipient of the honor, which salutes outstanding civic leadership. Presenter Chris Lovasco, president and CEO of the YMCA of the North Shore, praised Gorman, saying, “From helping bring the Lynch/van Otterloo YMCA to life, to leading countless projects in his hometown of Swampscott, Paul has demonstrated a passionate commitment to strengthening community.” Gorman spent nine years guiding the Marblehead/Swampscott Y, steering the land search, fundraising drive and community outreach that built the 90,000-square-foot facility that now serves more than 15,000 members. His career also includes directing the Reading-based Burbank YMCA and founding the U.S. Sports & Fitness Center for the Disabled.
Hazardous waste collection day set for Marblehead, Swampscott
A household hazardous waste collection day for Marblehead and Swampscott residents will be held Saturday, May 31, from 9 a.m. to noon at the Marblehead Transfer Station, 5 Woodfin Terrace.
Accepted items include oil-based paints, solvents, automotive fluids, pool chemicals, pesticides, cleaning products and fluorescent bulbs. Costs range from $30 for up to three gallons or pounds to $60 for 10 to 25 gallons, with additional amounts priced accordingly.
Proof of residency is required. Materials should remain in original containers with tightened caps and must be transported directly to the site in sturdy boxes.
For more information, contact the Board of Health at 781-631-0212. The collection is operated by Trident Environmental Group.
Pride flag raising planned for June 21
The Select Board approved the Marblehead Pride Flag Raising Committee’s request to hold its annual event June 21 from 2 to 4 p.m. on the Abbot Hall lawn. The ceremony has become a yearly tradition highlighting LGBTQ+ visibility and inclusion in town.
Leigh Blander contributed to this article.
