Health

Board backs ‘Amazing Race’ for teens, explores black plastic ban
06 Oct

Board backs ‘Amazing Race’ for teens, explores black plastic ban

Leigh BlanderHealth, Top Stories
Marblehead’s Board of Health is planning an “Amazing Race” (similar to the CBS show) for high school students next month, an effort to give teens something fun to do without alcohol. The board backed moving ahead with the event at its Oct. 5 meeting, with Nov. 6 selected as the target date and Nov. 13 as a rain date.  Board member Kristen DuBay Horton has been developing the event. She said teens she has spoken with complained that there is little for them to do…
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Addiction, recovery series returns Oct. 20
05 Oct

Addiction, recovery series returns Oct. 20

Leigh BlanderEducation, Health, Local News
The Marblehead Police and Public Health departments will offer a second six-week educational series aimed at helping residents better understand addiction, recovery and resources available in the community. “Understanding Addiction and Recovery” will meet on Zoom Tuesdays from 7-8 p.m., beginning Oct. 20 and continuing through Nov. 24. The program is free and open to the public. The series follows a similar program launched in February and will cover the signs and symptoms of substance-use disorders, the science of addiction and recovery, the impact on…
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Board of Health wields unusual power, expert tells members
29 Sep

Board of Health wields unusual power, expert tells members

Leigh BlanderHealth, Municipal Matters, Top Stories
Marblehead’s Board of Health has powers unlike virtually any other local board or commission in Massachusetts, a public health attorney told members Monday night — including the authority to adopt regulations that carry the force of state law. Michael Hugo of the Massachusetts Association of Health Boards spent more than two hours walking the board through its legal authority, the Open Meeting Law, public records requirements and other rules governing local health boards. Hugo emphasized that he was providing legal education, not legal advice, and…
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Marblehead Rotary funds new mindfulness program in elementary schools
21 Sep

Marblehead Rotary funds new mindfulness program in elementary schools

Leigh BlanderEducation, Health, Local News
The Marblehead Rotary Club is donating $16,000 to bring a new mindfulness program to the Brown and Glover elementary schools, aimed at giving younger students tools to manage stress, practice kindness and build emotional resilience. Starting in October, mindfulness educator Jean Skaane will “guide our youngest learners (grades K through 3) in weekly lessons focused on core skills of self-awareness, purpose, empathy, collaboration, agency and adaptability, which complement their learning through our Wayfinder curriculum,” according to Assistant Superintendent Julia Ferreira. “Data will be collected to…
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NEWS IN BRIEF: Household hazardous waste, Fall Fair, Marbleshred
21 Sep

NEWS IN BRIEF: Household hazardous waste, Fall Fair, Marbleshred

Leigh BlanderHealth, Local News, Municipal Matters, News in brief
The Current accepts News in Brief submissions of 150-200 words at info@marbleheadnews.org.  Household Hazardous Waste CollectionThe Marblehead Health Department has scheduled the next Household Hazardous Waste Collection Day on Wednesday, Oct. 7, 4-7 p.m. at the Transfer Station.There is a long list of items that may be disposed of that evening, including oil-based paint, antifreeze, lighter fluid and furniture polish. For the full list, visit marbleheadma.gov/2026-october-household-hazardous-waste-day. Free parenting classesThe Board of Health is sponsoring a series of parenting classes, including a new prenatal program that…
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Marblehead to again turn pink for Ellie Fund
20 Sep

Marblehead to again turn pink for Ellie Fund

Leigh BlanderHealth, Top Stories
When Marblehead resident Jillian French-Vitet was diagnosed with breast cancer in May 2024, the news brought not only the shock of a cancer diagnosis but worries about how her family would manage financially while she underwent treatment. French-Vitet had just started a new job and didn’t qualify for paid leave. She knew she’d be out of work for at least eight weeks after surgery. And she was sending a kid off to college. “It was a lot, it was a lot,” she said. Then, a…
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Board weighs flu, COVID guidance; four businesses fined for flavored nicotine products
15 Sep

Board weighs flu, COVID guidance; four businesses fined for flavored nicotine products

Leigh BlanderHealth, Top Stories
With flu season approaching, Board of Health member Dr. Amanda Ritvo urged residents Monday to get vaccinated against influenza and outlined new state guidance for COVID-19 shots, saying September and October are the preferred months for flu vaccination. Ritvo, speaking at the board’s Sept. 14 meeting, said the Massachusetts Department of Public Health is recommending annual flu vaccination for everyone 6 months and older. The latest COVID-19 vaccine for the 2026-27 season should also be available to anyone 6 months and older, with stronger recommendations…
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This Suicide Prevention Awareness Month, help is available
14 Sep

This Suicide Prevention Awareness Month, help is available

Marblehead Counseling CenterCommunity Resources, Education, Health, Local News
September is national Suicide Prevention Awareness Month, and Marblehead Counseling Center wants to remind residents of the many resources available for individuals and families who are struggling. “Suicide prevention actually starts before a mental health crisis,” according to Gregg Mulford, LMHC clinical director at the center. “This is a great time to learn about warning signs, and connect people to vital mental health resources.”  Mulford says many factors may increase the risk for suicide, including underlying mental health issues such as depression. But suicide risk…
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Marblehead Counseling Center ready to rock with first concert fundraiser
14 Sep

Marblehead Counseling Center ready to rock with first concert fundraiser

Leigh BlanderCommunity Resources, Entertainment, Health, Local News
Marblehead Counseling Center is turning up the volume on its fundraising efforts with its first rock ’n’ roll benefit, set for Oct. 1 at the new Swampscott Center for the Performing Arts. “Swamp-Stock: Rock the Night!” will run 6 to 11 p.m. and feature several North Shore bands, including B-Side Hustle, Lois Lane and the Daily Planets, The Merj, Glass Harbor and Funbucket.  There will also be light appetizers and a cash bar. The Performing Arts Center, located in the former Hawthorne by the Sea…
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Health board unanimously censures McMahon for his conduct
09 Sep

Health board unanimously censures McMahon for his conduct

Leigh BlanderHealth, Top Stories
The Board of Health voted unanimously Wednesday night to censure member Tom McMahon over his conduct during a heated exchange with resident Ryan Wilson at an Aug. 24 meeting, formally putting the board’s disapproval of his behavior on the record. The vote came after a tense, 90-minute discussion during which McMahon acknowledged that he should not have repeatedly interrupted Wilson but declined to apologize directly to him, even as Wilson sat in the audience. “I'm apologizing to my board members,” McMahon said. At the beginning…
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