khthomson - Marblehead Current

08 Oct

LETTER: The importance of nonprofit, independent news

khthomsonLETTERS, Opinion

To the editor: As a former board member of the Marblehead Current, I know firsthand how much care, sacrifice, and determination have gone into keeping the paper alive. That’s why I appreciated Logan Casey’s October 1 letter underscoring the importance of supporting local news and the value of Will Dowd’s reporting. For three and a half years the Current has quietly pulled off something ambitious: the production, printing, and mailing of a weekly nonprofit newspaper—online, in print, and across social media—free of charge to 10,000…

08 Oct

LETTER: The streets seem more cluttered than ever

khthomsonLETTERS, Opinion

To the editor: As we all know, parking has always been a huge problem in Marblehead, particularly in the downtown areas. But recently it seems that the town streets have become more cluttered making it harder to navigate and sometimes even hazardous! Not only do we have to deal with ongoing road work, landscaping and delivery trucks parked anywhere including under no parking signs and SUVs parked on 17th-century streets, we now seem to have recreational vehicles parked long-term. One day I counted nine boats…

02 Oct

‘Tis the season: Locals grow giant pumpkins

khthomsonLocal News

Select Board member Jim Zisson is well-known in these parts for his giant pumpkins every fall. It has been a passion project for over 20 years, beginning with a seed every April and ending in early October. Zisson says his secret to the large pumpkins is a good seed, with the rest coming down to care and a watchful eye. His biggest pumpkin (in 2019) was named Pat and hit 1,000 pounds. In 2024, Zisson held a guess-the-weight contest in his neighborhood, raising money for…

02 Oct

DIGITAL DOCS: What you need to know about Microsoft’s upcoming deadline

khthomsonStephen Bach

Once again, it looks like Microsoft jumped the proverbial gun by trying to scare everyone into thinking that if you don’t upgrade to Windows 11 by Oct. 14 the sky will fall. Although some of what they published has a lot of truth in it, they have just released some updates to their FOMO (Fear Of Missing Out) announcement. Here is a little update to help you sleep a bit better: Technically, Windows 10 support ends on Oct. 14, 2025. After that day, no more…

01 Oct

Marblehead native battles tides, jellies and engine trouble to swim English Channel

khthomsonLocal News, Sports

Marblehead native, Molly Zelloe, completed the 21 mile swim across the English Channel in 11 hours, 23 minutes, nearly two hours faster than the average crossing. Swimming across the English Channel is one of the most impressive feats of human endurance. As the crow flies, the distance from the White Cliffs of Dover to Cap Gris-Nez is 21 miles, but in that gap lie furious tides, hundreds of boats and millions of jellyfish. Marblehead native Molly Zelloe grew up swimming for the North Shore Sharks…

01 Oct

All-Sports Boosters kick off scholarship drive

khthomsonEducation, Local News, Sports

On Sunday, Oct. 5, hundreds of student-athletes, in uniform, will fan out across town for the Marblehead High School All-Sports Boosters 2025 Scholarship Drive. “Every donation helps support athletes across all sports at Marblehead High School — from football and soccer, field hockey to lacrosse, sailing, volleyball, baseball and more,” said Boosters President and Scholarship Chair Kate Dulac. “Whether it’s suiting up, traveling to competitions or covering the small but crucial costs of being on a team, it’s the generosity of our community that helps…

01 Oct

Police Log: Local man’s number used in three-state swatting incident

khthomsonPolice Log

Saturday, Sept. 20 4:21 p.m. An officer responded to a request for a property check on Fort Sewall Lane. 11:43 p.m. Officers investigated a disturbance on Pleasant Street. Sunday, Sept. 21 5:24 a.m. Officers responded to the report of a disturbance on Pleasant Street. 2:12 p.m. Officers returned to Pleasant Street to investigate another disturbance. 2:33 p.m. An officer investigated a report of vandalism on Humphrey Street. Monday, Sept. 22 9:24 a.m. A driver was given a citation after a traffic stop on Humphrey Street.…

01 Oct

Editorial: Time to change the culture

khthomsonCurrent Editorials, Local News

In the aftermath of the tragic death of 13-year-old Savanah Gatchell in August, efforts are underway in some quarters of town to more aggressively address the issues of substance abuse and mental health. Immediately following Savanah’s death, the Marblehead Counseling Center made therapists available to provide grief counseling, and it has coordinated efforts with the victim-witness division of the Essex County District Attorney’s Office to assist persons who may have been witnesses to the accident. A Marblehead juvenile has been charged with motor vehicle homicide.…

01 Oct

LETTER: Supporting nonprofit news in Marblehead

khthomsonLETTERS

To the editor, I am writing in my personal capacity to express my distress and concern over the loss of Will Dowd and a full-time reporting position from the Marblehead Current. Dowd is one of the first names I learned coming into Marblehead. Part of the research before my job interview was to review Marblehead’s newspapers to get an idea on the various happenings in town. Article after article, newspaper to newspaper, Will Dowd has been a prolific chronicler for the town for over 10…

29 Sep

LETTER: Seeking volunteers

khthomsonLETTERS

To the editor: At the Town Meeting in May 1996 a unanimous vote was cast to keep the State Street restrooms open all year. After a short time of being open they were shuttered again. At last May’s Town Meeting a similar article was put to the vote. Again, a unanimous vote in favor. Funds have since been appropriated and spent to install an air-source heat pump to permit year-round operation. The task now is how can these essential facilities be properly managed and maintained…