Public safety

Students were evacuated from Marblehead High School this afternoon after several people heard a series of "pops," part of the school lost power and some people reported smelling what they described as "burning plastic." Fire Chief Jason Gilliland told the Current that a "breaker on a transformer" serving the school popped on a utility pole on the Broughton Road side of the building, knocking out some of the school's power. The outage caused HVAC equipment on the roof to overheat, prompting the evacuation. The incident…

A small crowd of students, families and educators gathered outside Veterans Middle School Friday afternoon to dedicate a bench in memory of Savanah Gatchell, the 13-year-old killed in an alleged drunk-driving crash last August. Savanah Gatchell's mother, Christine, and sister, Alysa Otero, at the bench dedicated Friday in Savanah's memory. CURRENT PHOTOS / LEIGH BLANDER The bench honoring Savanah Gatchell's memory was wrapped in a pink ribbon. Her schoolwork was displayed there, too. Savanah Gatchell's family and friends embrace at an emotional ceremony dedicating a…

For several hours on Wednesday, a lot of Marblehead was captivated by a rescue mission about 100 feet off Grace Oliver's Beach, where a stolen, red SUV with New York plates was discovered submerged in the water. Marblehead Police — working with Salem Police divers — were able to get the vehicle back on land and lifted onto a tow truck. Police say the car is linked to overnight vandalism at Marblehead High's Piper Field where two cars smashed through an access gate and drove…