Current Editorials - Marblehead Current

21 Jun

EDITORIAL: The future of local news is nonprofit

The Current Editorial Board0 CommentsCurrent Editorials, Opinion, Uncategorized

Two weeks ago, some of the Marblehead Current team traveled to Washington, D.C., to meet with representatives of hundreds of local news outlets, financially configured like we are, as 501(c)(3) “public good” or charitable organizations. The two-day gathering, convened by the Institute for Nonprofit News (INN), was an opportunity to learn from one another. It also was a moment to celebrate how far such efforts have come. The sold-out event, known as INN Days, was first held in 2016. Then, there were 55 people in…

14 Jun

EDITORIAL: Rites and wrongs

The Current Editorial Board0 CommentsCurrent Editorials, Opinion

Behind the scenes at the Current as last week drew to a close, we could not help but be struck by the juxtaposition of two annual local rites of spring — one that, without fail, draws the community together, and the other that seems to be tearing it apart more than usual. The first, of course, is the commencement ceremony that sent the Marblehead High School Class of 2023 — along with beloved Principal Dan Bauer — off to new adventures. From where we sit,…

07 Jun

EDITORIAL: On override, a qualified ‘yes’

The Current Editorial Board0 CommentsCurrent Editorials, Opinion

At Town Meeting in May, Marblehead voters approved, by a 534-230 margin, a $2.5 million general tax override article, which is now coming up for full town vote on June 20. Arguably the most consequential — if not controversial — of the 54 articles presented, the Proposition 2 1/2 override would bridge the gap between two proposed budgets for fiscal year 2024: one requiring significant cuts in school funding and town services, the other a level-services budget that, while preserving these positions and programs, would…

31 May

EDITORIAL: About that log entry

The Current Editorial Board0 CommentsCurrent Editorials, Opinion

A few readers recently raised concerns about a police log entry that appeared in our May 17 issue, and we would like to share a bit from the (civil) discussions that ensued with those readers with the rest of our audience.The log entry recounted what happened after an officer came upon a vehicle pulled over in a no-parking zone on the side of Ocean Avenue. What transpired was mostly unremarkable: It was determined that the driver did not have a valid license and that the…

24 May

EDITORIAL: Are you aware?

The Current Editorial Board0 CommentsCurrent Editorials, Opinion

May is Mental Health Awareness Month in recognition that caring for one’s mental health is just as important as caring for one’s physical health, which had not always been the case. Most, if not all, of our readers know someone who has needed to address mental health issues — perhaps yourself, a family member, a friend, a business acquaintance or someone in your neighborhood. This leads us to wonder how many of you are aware of the existence of the Marblehead Counseling Center. Located next…

17 May

EDITORIAL: Keep it in the family

The Current Editorial Board0 CommentsCurrent Editorials, Opinion, Views & Reviews

“All politics is local,” the late U.S. House Speaker Tip O’Neill was famous for saying. One can only imagine how the former congressman might have amended that statement had he lived to see a Virginia-based nonprofit organization use its website to stoke hysteria about what is happening in classrooms in Marblehead and across the country. To review, Parents Defending Education shined a spotlight on the $10,000 that the Marblehead Public Schools had paid Henry Turner, the principal of Newton North High School and a Marblehead…

07 May

EDITORIAL: One day at a time

The Current Editorial Board0 CommentsCurrent Editorials, Opinion

With any luck, the immediate furor over the establishment of a new sober house on Humphrey Street has receded, and we are one step closer to the residents of the sober house being able to live in harmony with their neighbors. We hope and expect that the home’s operator, Vanderburgh House, and its supervisor, Marblehead Fire Capt. Scott Murray, will follow through on their pledge to hold another public forum later this spring. At that forum, we also hope and expect some of the volume…

25 Apr

EDITORIAL: Time for a change

Leigh Blander0 CommentsCurrent Editorials

Town Meeting attendees are being asked to approve Article 44, which calls for Select Board members to serve staggered three-year terms instead of one-year terms. While this is not the first time Town Meeting has been asked to consider this question, we believe the proposed change should be adopted. Having Select Board members’ terms run for three years instead of one year removes the need for all members to be focusing a significant portion of each year planning reelection campaigns instead of devoting all of…

25 Apr

EDITORIAL: Send general override to ballot

The Current Editorial Board0 CommentsCurrent Editorials, Opinion

Marblehead’s town budget has a projected $2.5 million “structural deficit”; in other words, that’s the gap between the cost of maintaining the same level of town services and the revenue available to provide those services. Over the years, the town has squeaked by without asking for an override, relying on “free cash” — unspent money from previous fiscal years — to balance the budget. But depending on free cash has always been an unsustainable strategy. Now, the town’s day of reckoning is here. It will…

12 Apr

EDITORIAL: Time to put leaf blower matter to bed

The Current Editorial Board0 CommentsCurrent Editorials, Opinion

Don’t look now, but gas-powered leaf blowers are back before the Town Meeting. We think it is time to put the matter to rest for the last time. Last year, after a decade of debate, the town voted to ban the noisy machines from being used during the summer months. Electric blowers would be allowed to sweep up grass clippings and other lighter debris. The ban was supposed to be in effect from Memorial Day to Labor Day giving homeowners and their landscapers ample time…