Kris Olson - Marblehead Current

With Tokyo Marathon, Bontaites completes world majors quest

3Apr

By Kris OlsonNo Comments

Culture, Health, Life Style, Local News, Sports, Top Stories

With Tokyo Marathon, Bontaites completes world majors quest

A lifelong athlete who played club lacrosse at Boston University, Marblehead resident AnneMette Bontaites figured that, by the time she turned 40, she would have added a marathon finisher’s medal to her trophy case AnneMette Bontaites of Marblehead shows off her Tokyo Marathon finisher’s medal and her Six Star Medal for completing the world majors. COURTESY PHOTO After that milestone came and went, one of Bontaites’ friends convinced her that it was not too late. They set their sights on the 2014 New York Marathon. Still, even if they were able to get runner’s bibs — which they did — Bontaites figured she would be “one and done” as a marathoner. How wrong she was. Last month, after she crossed the finish line at the Tokyo Marathon, Bontaites was handed a Six Star Medal, sig...

3Apr

By Kris OlsonNo Comments

Business, Local News, real estate

Local brokers: Effect of NAR proposed settlement has been overstated

The proposed settlement of litigation against the National Association of Realtors has been portrayed as a sea change and a huge win for homebuyers, but members of the local real estate industry are not so sure. Technically, the proposed settlement eliminates the requirement that listing brokers or sellers make offers of compensation to buyer brokers. If such offers are made, there will no longer be any requirement that they be “blanket, unconditional or unilateral,” according to the language of the settlement. But local real estate professionals do not expect such offers to disappear — or even change in any material way. If the settlement is approved, offers of compensation for buyer brokers or representatives would also disappear from the industry database known as the Multiple...

18Mar

By Kris OlsonNo Comments

Education, Local News, Marblehead Public Schools, Uncategorized

Village School’s Murphy a finalist in Danvers

Village School Principal Amanda Murphy is one of three finalists for a principal position at the Great Oak Elementary School in Danvers, she announced in an email to the Village School community Monday morning. Danvers is hoping to pick Great Oak’s next principal by the end of this week or the beginning of next, Janet Ingraham, the executive assistant to Superintendent Dan Bauer told the Current. Murphy said she just wanted to give the community a “heads up” about her possible departure. “While this is a great opportunity for me, I am also lucky to have such a community that I would enjoy continuing to work in,” she wrote. “If I am the successful candidate, I will miss all of you and our years together as we Keep Each Other Well. If not selected, I assure you that I am lucky to c...

6Mar

By Kris Olson1 Comment

Culture, Local News, Municipal Matters, Top Stories

FOND FAREWELL: Planner gets rousing sendoff on ‘Rebecca Curran Cutting Day’

There was comedy both intentional and unintentional as residents piled into the Boston Yacht Club to offer a rousing sendoff to Rebecca Curran Cutting Feb. 29. Until her recent retirement, Cutting had worked for the town for 36 years, much of it as both town planner and chief procurement officer. Rebecca Curran Cutting, now retired as town planner and chief procurement officer, addresses the crowd at her sendoff at the Boston Yacht Club Feb. 29. CURRENT PHOTO/KRIS OLSON The celebration in Cutting’s honor brought out dignitaries that included state Rep. Jenny Armini, who presented Cutting with a citation on behalf of the Massachusetts House of Representatives, and Lt. Gov. Kim Driscoll, who intersected briefly with Cutting in the halls of government in Salem back when Cutting was ...

6Mar

By Kris OlsonNo Comments

Animals, Environment, Local News

PAWS & CLAWS: Octavia found on doorstep

BREED: Rat SIZE: Small AGE: Young SEX: Female Meet Octavia. She came to the Marblehead Animal Shelter when she was found on someone’s front doorstep warming up in the sun. If you are an experienced rat owner, have another female rat and are looking for another sweet girl who loves sweet potatoes, berries and bananas, volunteers encourage you to fill out an application for her. They say she would love to be in a home where she gets the interaction that she needs. Octavia is up to date with routine shots, house trained and spayed. If you are interested in Octavia, fill out an adoption application at marblehead-animal-shelter.org, and you will be contacted.

21Feb

By Kris OlsonNo Comments

Culture, Local News, Municipal Matters, Top Stories

As she leaves Abbot Hall, Cutting hailed as valued partner

When you are at Town Meeting this May, do not look for Rebecca Curran Cutting. Town Planner Becky Cutting speaks during the 2023 Town Meeting. She retires at the end of February after 33 years of public service to Marblehead. For the first time in 35 years, the town planner and chief procurement officer will not be in Marblehead — or even the continental United States, for that matter. Cutting herself has yet to adjust to her imminent new reality as a retiree, free to travel and enjoy a life of leisure. (She’s planning a trip to Europe this spring.) As she discusses projects that will extend beyond her March 1 final day in the office, she repeatedly slips and uses the second-person pronoun “we” before catching herself and reminding herself that those will soon be someone else’s ...

8Feb

By Kris OlsonNo Comments

Local News, Top Stories

BEARING WITNESS: JCC’s Schneer reflects on brief but impactful Israel trip

To show solidarity. And bear to witness. That is how Marty Schneer, executive director of the Jewish Community Center of the North Shore, explains his purpose in joining about 40 colleagues from JCCs in the U.S. and Canada for a recent short-but-meaningful four-night trip to Israel. This was Schneer’s eighth trip to Israel but first since what he calls “one of the most horrific events in Jewish history” — and all human history — the brutal surprise attack by Hamas on Oct. 7, which involved rape, torture and kidnapping. “This is Dark Ages stuff; this is medieval stuff,” Schneer said. “It was hard to conceive for the Israelis, even knowing they've been living with skirmishes and attacks and relatively brief wars since Hamas took over in 2007.” Schneer and the rest of the group a...

6Feb

By Kris OlsonNo Comments

Local News, Municipal Matters, Top Stories

UP IN SMOKE? Status of one of two would-be dispensaries unclear

While the holder of one of Marblehead’s two licenses to operate cannabis dispensaries says he hopes to open by summer, the holder of the town’s other license may have abandoned her quest to set up shop on Atlantic Avenue. “With grateful hearts, Kind Lab has closed its doors after five years of cultivating plant-powered wellness alongside an incredible community,” reads a message — presumably from the business’ principal, Marblehead resident Angela Arena Foster — on the business’ website. The statement continues, “This may be our final chapter, but the lesson of prioritizing your own wellness lives on.” Back on Nov. 22, 2021, Foster signed a host community agreement with the town on behalf of her business, Seven Leaf Sisters Inc.. Foster’s shop, named Partake by Kind Lab, was to h...

24Jan

By Kris OlsonNo Comments

Culture, Local News, Sports, Top Stories

CATCH A RISING STAR: Major league pitcher visits Rotary Club

While visiting the Marblehead Rotary Club on Jan. 18, Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Emmet Sheehan handed out signed baseball cards. At the Jan. 18 meeting of the Marblehead Rotary Club, Los Angeles pitcher Emmet Sheehan, center, poses with Marblehead Youth Baseball players and Rotary Club President Don Dowling. CURRENT PHOTO/KRIS OLSON But when it comes to vividly recounting the early highlights of the 24-year-old Sheehan’s fledgling big league career, the back of those cards is no match for Sheehan’s proud uncle, Marblehead Rotarian Ron Amon. Amon introduced Sheehan to his fellow club members and other visitors by noting that last June 16, his nephew became only the third pitcher in Major League Baseball history to throw six scoreless, no-hit innings in his debut — a clean sheet p...

15Jan

By Kris OlsonNo Comments

Local News, Marblehead Public Schools, Sports, Top Stories

Garden party: On famed floor, Marblehead comeback falls just short

“Surreal.” That is how Marblehead High School senior Nick Lemmond summarized the experience of stepping out onto the parquet floor of the TD Garden on Jan. 14. Indeed, he acknowledged that the awe-inducing experience of taking the same court as so many Celtic greats “hurt us a little bit” in the first two or three minutes of the game, as Salem built an early lead that it never relinquished. However, once the Magicians’ nerves settled, they made the Witches work until the final seconds to secure the victory. Marblehead’s Scott Campbell rises up to block a three-point attempt by Salem’s Kevin Santell Jan. 14 at TD Garden in Boston. PHOTO BY EYAL OREN/WEDNESDAYSINMHD.COM Ryan Commoss goes up for a shot over Salem star Eddie Butler Jan. 14 at TD Garden in Boston. Commoss...