Will Dowd - Marblehead Current

14 Jul

After MBTA zoning repeal, Marblehead Select Board to weigh strategy in closed session

Will DowdTop Stories

The Select Board will meet Tuesday, July 15, at noon to discuss appealing to state officials for leniency after Marblehead voters repealed MBTA Communities Act zoning changes, putting more than $4.6 million in grants at risk. Select Board members listen to public comment during their July 9 meeting, where residents discussed the financial and community impacts of repealing the MBTA Communities Act in Marblehead. Town Administrator Thatcher Kezer is pictured at far right. CURRENT PHOTO / GREY COLLINS “We are discussing, you know, potential correspondence…

10 Jul

MMLD to restrict parking for massive switchgear deliveries

Will DowdLocal News

Marblehead Municipal Light Department will implement temporary parking restrictions and road closures July 16-18 as five oversized tractor-trailers deliver electrical switchgear equipment to the Village 13 substation, marking the next phase of a $10 million infrastructure upgrade project. A 450-ton crane carefully hoisted one of two massive transformers into place at Marblehead’s Village 13 substation on June 27, 2024. Each transformer weighed about 100,000 pounds. New switchgear sections, set to arrive in mid-July, will expand substation capacity and enable future battery storage. CURRENT PHOTO /…

09 Jul

LETTER: Marblehead referendum challenges Town Meeting primacy

Will DowdLETTERS, Opinion

To the editor: So. In the words of the celebrated political prankster Dick Tuck, upon learning that he polled less than 10% in California’s 1966 primary for state senate, “The people have spoken.” Tuck famously used some additional words to describe his unconvinced electorate, but what did “they” say? To get a plurality of Marblehead voters by unearthing a never-before-used law that is older than most voters and reverse the settled 951-759 decision of Town Meeting was a kind of achievement. In the words of…

09 Jul

Marblehead water, sewer bill to jump an average of $98 in FY 2026

Will DowdTop Stories

Residents will pay approximately $90 more annually for water and sewer service starting July 1, following rate increases approved by the town's Water and Sewer Commission on June 24. The combined annual water and sewer bill for a standard household will be $2,661.20 ($1,029.20 water + $1,632 sewer). Water and Sewer Commission members recently set new rates for the Fiscal Year 2026. CURRENT PHOTO / WILL DOWD For the 82% of Marblehead households (approximately 6,560 of the town's 8,000 water accounts) that remain within the…

08 Jul

BREAKING NEWS: Marblehead voters overturn multifamily housing zoning

Will Dowd and Leigh BlanderLocal News, Politics, Top Stories

Marblehead’s voters Tuesday overturned state-mandated multifamily housing overlay districts approved at May’s Town Meeting, with 6,939 of 16,732 registered voters turning out to reject the measure 3,642 to 3,297 (52.5% to 47.5%), surpassing the 3,347 votes needed for repeal and winning by a margin of 345 votes. Opponents of Article 23 hold signs outside the Marblehead Community Center on July 8, encouraging voters to repeal the town’s recently approved multifamily zoning. CURRENT PHOTOS / GREY COLLINS The result nullifies zoning changes Town Meeting approved 951-759 on…

07 Jul

New 3A zoning rules will be put to the test in Tuesday vote

Will DowdTop Stories

Tuesday, July 8, is election day in Marblehead, when voters will decide whether to uphold or overturn Article 23, a zoning bylaw creating multifamily overlay districts in Marblehead required under the state's MBTA Communities Act. Voters filled Marblehead High School’s field house during Town Meeting in May, when residents narrowly approved Article 23 establishing multifamily overlay districts. A July 8 referendum will decide whether to uphold or overturn that decision. CURRENT PHOTO / GREY COLLINS Polls will be open from 2 to 8 p.m., with…

04 Jul

Marblehead reclaims its Fourth of July with spectacular fireworks display, live music

Will Dowd and Leigh BlanderEntertainment, Top Stories

After a disappointing fog two years ago and a cancellation last year due to a barge fire, ‘Headers were rewarded Friday night with a spectacular Fourth of July fireworks display that felt like a long-awaited reunion with a beloved tradition. A crowd at Fort Beach watches Marblehead's July 4th fireworks. CURRENT PHOTOS / WILL DOWD Fireworks were launched from a barge at the mouth of the harbor and preceded by the “Ring of Fire” Harbor Illumination. Crowds packed familiar vantage points along Crocker Park, Fort…

04 Jul

SHOW WINNERS: A guide to the MoFA’s bests of show

Will DowdTop Stories

***Don't miss a thing at this summer's Marblehead Festival of Arts. Check out the schedule HERE. The Marblehead Festival of Arts showcases the breadth and depth of artistic talent on the North Shore. Drawing 614 submissions, the 2025 festival accepted 395 works now displayed across six buildings and 11 exhibitions throughout town. The annual festival transforms Marblehead into a living gallery. Judges from across the region evaluated works based on technical excellence, creative vision and emotional impact. Here’s a wrap-up of the winners: Mixed media…

02 Jul

Pow! Pop! Crack! Arnould Gallery puts Michael’s joy on full display

Will DowdArt, Top Stories

Passersby on Washington Street might wonder why a man in a Superman costume peers through an optometrist’s phoropter in the massive mural hanging above them during the Marblehead Festival of Arts. The striking portrait of Michael Boulier reflects both his love of superheroes and his playful spirit, serving as a tribute to a man who became familiar to many Marblehead residents through his brother-in-law’s local photography exhibitions and weeks-long visits over the decades. Gene Arnould, far left, Rick Ashley and Maureen Ashley stand in front…

02 Jul

Town to spend $67K to close 140-year-old water reservoir

Will DowdLocal News

The Select Board has approved a transfer of approximately $67,000 to permanently close a 140-year-old fire cistern discovered beneath the Park on Elm Street construction site. Remediation work was expected to begin June 30 and take less than a month to complete. A granite fire cistern, dating to around 1885 was uncovered beneath the Park on Elm Street construction site.The town plans to empty and backfill the structure as part of a $67,000 remediation effort approved by the Select Board. Some of the granite will…