Politics - Marblehead Current

30 Aug

8th Essex District candidates spar in final debate before Sept. 6 primary

The half-dozen candidates running for the 8th Essex District seat sparred in the final debate before the Sept. 6 state primary on Monday night. And they sparred before a crowd gathered in Marblehead High School’s auditorium over who had the right experience to succeed Marblehead resident Lori Ehrlich, in an election contest that candidates have struggled to single themselves out from the pack. The hour-long debate, which Thor Jourgensen of Essex Media Group moderated, saw candidates touch on wide-ranging issues, from the MBTA’s failings, health…

29 Aug

Markey endorsement of Smith, latest in series, triggers response from women seeking 8th Essex seat

Kris Olson0 CommentsLocal News, Politics, Top Stories

Massachusetts Sen. Ed Markey The Aug. 24 endorsement of U.S. Sen. Ed Markey, along with endorsements of several other high-profile Massachusetts political figures announced by the campaign of Tristan Smith, "highlight the structural failures of our political system" and appear to be the product of "generational loyalty... maintained, if only in part, by significant financial contributions," the four women competing with Smith in the Democratic primary to represent the 8th Essex District said in a joint statement Aug. 29. The statement, authored by candidate Polly…

26 Aug

For the state primary, in-person voting in Marblehead kicks off Saturday

Will Dowd0 CommentsLocal News, Municipal Matters, Politics, Top Stories

The 2022 Massachusetts primary on Tuesday, Sept. 6 is a little over two weeks away, but in-person voting gets underway in Marblehead on Saturday, Aug. 27. Marblehead Town Clerk Robin Michaud will offer six days of early voting in Abbot Hall, 188 Washington St., at the following dates and times: This is the first election since the June municipal election, during which the town depleted ballots before polls closed. Michaud said she doesn't expect a shortage of Sept. 6 ballots, given the state dictates ballot…

23 Aug

LETTER: Doug Thompson for 8th Essex District seat

Will Dowd0 CommentsOpinion, Politics, Viewpoints

Thank you to all 6 courageous public-service oriented candidates for State Rep. in the 8th Essex District. Here is why I will be voting for Doug Thompson on Sept. 6: His career in public service began right out of college with case management for homeless people. In time he moved on to a degree at the Kennedy School at Harvard and into health care agency work, including authoring a public health plan in the Clinton administration and finally becoming CFO of Mass Health, overseeing an $8 billion budget. All this…

22 Aug

Marblehead municipal meetings, week of Aug. 22 – 26

Will Dowd0 CommentsCommunity Resources, Local News, Marblehead Public Schools, Municipal Matters, Politics

Tuesday, Aug. 23 2 p.m., Policy Subcommittee Meeting of Marblehead School Committee, front conference room of the Marblehead administration Building, 9 Widger Road. On the agenda: Review of nondiscrimination, nondiscrimination and harassment, reconsideration of instructional resources, student dress code, bullying prevention and physical restraint of students. marblehead_school_committee_-_policy_subcommittee_agenda_8-23-2022Download 2 p.m., The Abbot Public Library Renovation Committee Meeting via Zoom. Attend virtually HERE. On the agenda: Schedule, new business and updates from the owners project manager, director and designer abbot_public_library_building_renovation_committee_agenda_8-23-22Download Wednesday, Jan. 24 1 p.m., Joint meeting…

22 Aug

Marblehead lands $140K grant to finance rail trail segment

Will Dowd0 CommentsCommunity Resources, Local News, Municipal Matters, Nonprofit corner, Politics, Top Stories

Late last week, Congressman Seth Moulton and the Essex National Heritage Area announced Marblehead will receive a piece of a recently awarded $1.2 million in federal funding to finance work related to the the town's rail trail. The 70-mile shared-use trail runs from New Hampshire to Boston, connecting 20 communities to "employment centers, neighborhoods, schools, parks, recreational facilities and natural areas" in Essex County. marblehead_trail_plan_finalDownload "Marblehead is pleased to have received $140,000 for the design and intersection improvements and and the planned surface upgrade for…

21 Aug

QUESTIONS FOR 8TH ESSEX CANDIDATES: No. 1 — Please introduce yourself

Will Dowd6 CommentsLocal News, Politics, Top Stories

The Marblehead News posed a series of common questions to the six Democratic candidates for state representative from the 8th Essex District. There is no declared Republican candidate, meaning the winner of the primary Tuesday, Sept. 6 is likely to head to Beacon Hill to serve Marblehead, Swampscott and a portion of Lynn. Over the next two weeks, the Marblehead News will post the candidates' responses to our questions, side by side, alternating the order as we go. Q1. Tell us about yourself (occupation/education, appointed…

20 Aug

Essex County’s Coppinger, Leigh complete ‘Know Your Sheriff’ questionnaires

Kris Olson0 CommentsLocal News, Politics

Incumbent Essex County Sheriff Kevin Coppinger and his challenger, Virginia Leigh, have completed questionnaires about their candidacies as part of the ACLU of Massachusetts' Know Your Sheriff campaign. Incumbent Essex County Sheriff Kevin Coppinger is being challenged by Virginia Leigh. You can read their responses here: CoppingerLeigh Both candidates are Democrats and will appear on the Sept. 6 primary ballot. There is no declared Republican candidate, meaning the winner of the primary will likely secure a six-year term in office. According to the ACLU, the…

16 Aug

Work of Marblehead group studying hybrid public meetings gets underway

Will Dowd0 CommentsLocal News, Municipal Matters, Politics, Top Stories

A half-dozen members of a new town committee that will study the cost implications and logistics around technological infrastructure necessary to give hybrid access to all Marblehead public meetings convened their inaugural meeting in Abbot Hall on Tuesday morning. The study group, known as the Article 44 Committee, was established when the Town Meeting adopted the-then town moderator Gary Spiess' motion for its formation on the Town Meeting floor in May. His recommendation that a study committee be established arrived after resident Lynn Nadeau, who…

16 Aug

In Marblehead, candidates make their case for 8th Essex District seat

Will Dowd0 CommentsLocal News, Politics, Top Stories

In the lead up to the the 8th Essex District Democratic primary on Tuesday, Sept. 6, the race's half-dozen candidates have agreed on nearly every issue in public forums - but they’ve struggled to separate themselves from the contest's pack. The candidates, in an attempt to bring distinction to their candidacies, noticeably spoke to their professional and life experiences during the Marblehead Democratic Town Committee picnic on Monday evening. The annual gathering - which raises money for an academic scholarship - was staged on the…