Top Stories - Marblehead Current

Christmas Walk to step off with old favorites and new events

27Nov

By Leigh BlanderNo Comments

Business, Community resources, Culture, Entertainment, Local News, Marblehead Public Schools, Nonprofit corner, Recreation, Top Stories

Christmas Walk to step off with old favorites and new events

Marblehead’s 52nd annual Christmas Walk & Holiday Stroll starts Thursday, Nov. 30, and runs through the weekend with all the traditional highlights along with some new additions. Santa and Mrs. Claus meet with families at State Street Landing last year. COURTESY PHOTOS “We’re really happy to keep this awesome event going,” said Chamber of Commerce Director Katherine Koch. “The energy is definitely there.” Favorites from the weekend include the Christmas tree lighting, Santa and Mrs. Claus arriving by lobster boat, parade, Gingerbread Festival, shopping and more. Santa and Mrs. Claus arrive by lobster boat. The Christmas Walk parade steps off on Saturday, Dec. 2, at 11:45 a.m. Glover's Regiment participates in the Christmas Walk last year. New events to look for...

The 2023 wild turkeys of Marblehead photo album

24Nov

By William J. DowdNo Comments

Environment, Local News, Top Stories, Uncategorized

The 2023 wild turkeys of Marblehead photo album

Wild turkeys were not just a Thanksgiving centerpiece in Marblehead; they have become a year-round spectacle. The Marblehead Current created a local wild turkeys photo album featuring photos from our readers. Wild turkeys are spotted in Marblehead, maintaining a tradition of appearing in local neighborhoods. COURTESY PHOTO / THERESA COLLINS Turkeys roam the neighborhood around Togan Way near Redd's Pond in Marblehead. COURTESY PHOTO / DOUG HILL A solitary turkey known as Eloise struts with confidence along Circle Street. COURTESY PHOTO / HAYLEY MARTIN Hayley Martin captured a bold turkey named Eloise on Thanksgiving Day, right on Circle Street. Elaine Leahy didn't miss her chance, photographing turkeys outside the medical building on Widger Road. Meanwhile, Doug Hill's lens...

Lucky 13: With 28-21 win, Marblehead extends Thanksgiving streak

23Nov

By Joe McConnellNo Comments

Sports, Top Stories, Uncategorized

Lucky 13: With 28-21 win, Marblehead extends Thanksgiving streak

The Marblehead Magicians (4-0 in the Northeastern Conference Dunn Division, 5-5 overall) came into the annual Thanksgiving Day game riding a 12-game winning streak over traditional rival Swampscott. But these games are never easy, and this one was no exception. In the end, however, visiting Marblehead withstood another Swampscott scare — remember Eli Feingold’s game-winning field goal on the last play of the game two years ago? — to take home another Rotary Cup plus the NEC Dunn Division crown with a 28-21 triumph over the Big Blue (2-2 in the NEC Dunn Division, 6-5 overall) at Swampscott’s Blocksidge Field on Thursday morning, Nov. 23. There was plenty of scoring early on in this 114th edition of the rivalry. The Magicians got it going on an interception by Brooks Keefe on th...

CURRENT EVENTS: Marblehead’s best bets Nov. 22-29

22Nov

By Leigh BlanderNo Comments

Art, Community resources, Culture, Entertainment, Life Style, Local News, Recreation, Top Stories

CURRENT EVENTS: Marblehead’s best bets Nov. 22-29

Current Events spotlights exciting happenings in the coming week. If you’d like to contribute a listing, please email Current Editor Leigh Blander at lblander@marbleheadnews.org. Legendary journalist comes to Current eventWednesday, Nov. 29, 6 p.m. Michael Keaton played him in the Academy Award-winning movie “Spotlight.” Boston Globe editor-at-large Walter Robinson is coming to a special event and movie night with the Marblehead Current at the Warwick Theater. Meet Robinson and hear him speak about the power and importance of local, nonprofit news. Save your seat at marbleheadcurrent.org/spotlight. This event is sponsored by Marblehead Collision. A Night at the Gerry 5 VFASaturday, Nov. 25, 7 p.m. The Gerry 5 VFA, 210 Beacon St., invites the community to a specia...

Warwick to host sold-out screenings of movie by MHS students

22Nov

By Leigh BlanderNo Comments

Art, Culture, Local News, Marblehead Public Schools, Top Stories

Warwick to host sold-out screenings of movie by MHS students

Marblehead, get ready for your close-up. The Warwick Cinema is screening “Currently a Paperboy,” a movie written, directed and starring Marblehead High School students, on Dec. 4-6. All showings sold out within 24 hours. The Warwick is putting out a red carpet on the first night. “It’s a dream come true. We worked so hard on it,” MHS senior Wyatt Foley told the Current about the movie in September. “It’s a coming-of-age movie,” Foley said. “It is an expression of me growing up in Marblehead and my observations about growing up.” MHS senior Wyatt Foley directs and films a scene from his movie, ‘Currently a Paperboy.’ COURTESY PHOTOS The movie focuses on two brothers. “The older brother, Jackson, is going into his senior year. He plays football, he’s a ...

BALANCING ACT: Resident loses fight for eco-friendly heat/AC unit on appeal to town

22Nov

By William J. DowdNo Comments

Environment, Local News, Municipal Matters, Top Stories

BALANCING ACT: Resident loses fight for eco-friendly heat/AC unit on appeal to town

The Marblehead Select Board unanimously upheld a decision requiring Front Street homeowner Sally Thompson to relocate exterior electric air conditioning equipment on her historic home, despite her pleas of financial hardship. Sally Thompson, center standing, makes her case before the Marblehead Select Board to allow exterior air conditioning units to remain on her home in the town's historic district during an appeal hearing Nov. 15. CURRENT PHOTO / WILLIAM J. DOWD The Select Board rejected Thompson’s appeal of an order from the Old and Historic Districts Commission, demanding she move heat/air conditioning line sets attached to the outside of her house at 34 Front St. by March 2024. The OHDC said the highly visible line sets violated historic preservation rules prohibiting moder...

Marblehead, Swampscott sharing building commissioner

22Nov

By William J. DowdNo Comments

Municipal Matters, Public safety, Top Stories

Marblehead, Swampscott sharing building commissioner

Marblehead and Swampscott have entered into an inter-municipal agreement to share a building commissioner, buying Marblehead some time to figure out a permanent solution. Stephen Cummings was appointed as the new part-time building commissioner for Marblehead under an inter-municipal agreement with Swampscott, where he also serves as building commissioner. COURTESY PHOTO / THE TOWN OF SWAMPSCOTT "The current agreement runs through the end of the fiscal year to plug the vacancy and to act as a pilot program," Town Administrator Thatcher Kezer told the Marblehead Current on Nov. 17. "I am confident that this agreement can also work in the long term." The Marblehead Select Board appointed Swampscott Building Commissioner Stephen Cummings as building commissioner unanimously this mon...

FROM THE VAULT: Scandal at the Lee Mansion

22Nov

By Lauren McCormackNo Comments

Columns, Local History, Top Stories

FROM THE VAULT: Scandal at the Lee Mansion

From 1804 until 1904, Marblehead National Bank (no relation to today's Marblehead Bank) owned the Jeremiah Lee Mansion and operated from inside the room that once served as the Lee family's formal parlor. The head cashier of the bank and his family lived in the east side of the building. The bank was a respected business in town. In the fall of 1903, scandal erupted in town. For a week, word spread in the local newspapers and among residents that Marblehead National Bank's head cashier, William Reynolds, had misplaced $19,000 of the bank's funds. Though Reynolds swore he had not pocketed the money, he did admit to covering up the missing cash while he "attempted to trace" it in the books. William Reynolds, Marblehead Bank's last cashier. He and his family were the last people to liv...

Board of Health navigates internal dynamics, hears Transfer Station update

22Nov

By William J. DowdNo Comments

Health, Local News, Municipal Matters, Top Stories

Board of Health navigates internal dynamics, hears Transfer Station update

Candid discussion about ongoing tensions among members opened the Marblehead Board of Health's meeting on Tuesday. Dr. Thomas Massaro of Marblehead proposed a public health advisory committee in town. CURRENT PHOTO / WILLIAM J. DOWD Board member Joanne Miller said, “What we're kind of missing is: Working as a board is hard when you can’t talk outside of meetings.” Under the Open Meeting Law, a majority of officials serving on the same governing board cannot meet privately outside of an official public meeting and discuss board of health business. For a three-member board, a majority would consist of two members. Therefore, if two of the three board members were to meet in private and discuss business, this would constitute an unlawful meeting lacking proper public notice and acce...

Marblehead Select Board sets 2024 Town Meeting table

22Nov

By William J. DowdNo Comments

Local News, Municipal Matters, Politics, Top Stories

Marblehead Select Board sets 2024 Town Meeting table

On Nov. 15, the Select Board unanimously approved four motions to open the warrant for the 2024 Town Meeting. Residents pack Marblehead Veterans Middle School for the 2023 Annual Town Meeting. The 2024 Town Meeting will take place on Monday, May 6 at 7 p.m. in the same location. The motions set key dates for Town Meeting, which serves as the legislative body for the town and allows residents to vote on budgets, bylaws, home-rule petitions and resolutions. The Town Meeting will take place on Monday, May 6 at 7 p.m. in the Veterans Middle School Auditorium at Duncan Sleigh Square, 217 Pleasant St. The warrant is now open for voters to sponsor warrant articles — known as citizen petitions — until Friday, Jan. 19 at noon. Meanwhile, the cutoff for town government boards and commi...