Top Stories - Marblehead Current

28 Jun

PHOTOS: Champagne Reception sparkles at 60th Festival of Arts

Leigh BlanderArt, Entertainment, Food, Recreation, Top Stories

About 650 people came out to toast the 60th Marblehead Festival of Arts at its popular Champagne Reception at Fort Sewall Sunday evening. Wearing hand-created hats and decked out for the annual summer event, folks sipped on bubbly, sampled food from local restaurants and danced to live music. Here's a quick photo gallery by Current Editor Leigh Blander. A full article on the evening will be available soon.

26 Jun

Town announces traffic plans for upcoming July Fourth events

Leigh BlanderPublic safety, Recreation, Top Stories

Marblehead Police are announcing traffic plans for next weekend's holiday events. The Police Department will communicate any changes (which are likely to happen), or updates on our Facebook page. If you have questions about parking or traffic, please don’t hesitate to call MPD 781- 631-1212. Festival of Arts Street Festival, July 3, 11 a.m.-3 p.m. Washington Street is closed between Rockaway Street and Darling Street. Both Rockaway and Darling Streets will remain open to traffic. Hooper Street is closed between Tucker Street and Washington Street. Mason…

25 Jun

Fireworks to light up Marblehead Harbor July 4

Leigh BlanderCommunity Resources, Entertainment, Recreation, Top Stories

Marblehead’s annual Fourth of July fireworks display will begin at 9 p.m. Saturday, July 4, with fireworks launched from a barge at the mouth of the harbor. The evening will also feature the traditional Harbor Illumination at 8:45 p.m. Popular viewing locations include Fort Sewall, Chandler Hovey Park and Crocker Park, as well as boats throughout the harbor. The U.S. Coast Guard and Marblehead Harbormaster have established a safety perimeter around the fireworks barge. Boaters are encouraged to use caution when entering or leaving Marblehead…

24 Jun

60th Marblehead Festival of Arts guide & schedule

Leigh BlanderArt, Business, Community Resources, Entertainment, Nonprofit corner, Recreation, Top Stories

The Current is proud to be a lead sponsor of the 60th Marblehead Festival of Arts running through July 5. Look for a printed schedule in our July 1 paper. Stay with the Current as you plan your festival visits. Festival trolley People are encouraged to use the satellite parking available at Marblehead High School, 2 Humphrey St. The trolley stops at the following locations. Shubie's Marketplace, 16 Atlantic Avenue Abbot Hall, 188 Washington Street Masonic Temple, 62 Pleasant Street Washington Street x Summer Street…

24 Jun

Local mother helps lead fight against child exploitation

Leigh BlanderCommunity Resources, Public safety, Top Stories

As Massachusetts welcomes huge crowds for the World Cup this summer, a Marblehead mother of three is helping lead efforts to protect some of the state's most vulnerable children. Sonja Solberg Potter, co-executive director of the Boston-based organization My Life My Choice, has spent the past 13 years working to combat the commercial sexual exploitation of children. Amid concerns that large international sporting events can create increased opportunities for traffickers and buyers, My Life My Choice has expanded its capacity to respond if more young…

23 Jun

Town to residents: Don’t bring your new barrels to the Assessor’s Office

Leigh BlanderHealth, Municipal Matters, Top Stories

The town of Marblehead has put out a notice telling residents not to bring their new trash and recycling bins to the Assessor's Office. "No abatements, credits or refunds will be issued for returned bins. Questions about trash bins or collection services should be directed to the Board of Health at Health2@MarbleheadMA.gov or 781-631-0212," the notice reads. Property owners who opt out of the town's collection program will still have to pay increased property taxes due to a $2.3 million trash override passed on June…

23 Jun

CUZNER IN NATURE: They grow up so fast…

Rick CuznerColumns, Cuzner in Nature, Top Stories

This spring, I was fortunate enough to spot several baby screech owls (owlets) on the exact day they left their nest. Having followed them for several months after they hatched, I was incredibly eager to catch them "branching." Once these owlets fledge, however, they don't linger long — often vanishing into the upper canopy within a day or two. Now that the trees are in full leaf, finding them after those first couple of days is nearly impossible. COURTESY PHOTOS / RICK CUZNER The…

23 Jun

CURRENT EVENTS: Marblehead’s best bets coming up

Julia RocklerArt, Culture, Entertainment, Environment, Fashion, Top Stories

Current Events spotlights notable happenings around town in the coming week. To submit a listing, email info@marbleheadnews.org. Fascinators at MAA Wednesday, June 24, 6:30-8.30 p.m. Make your own bespoke fascinator (fancy head piece) at the Marblehead Arts Association, 8 Hooper St. You can wear your design at the Arts Festival Champagne Reception (see below). Supplies are provided but it’s encouraged to bring your own netting, feathers and other embellishments. Fees: $25 for MAA members, $30 non-members. Bee awareWednesday, June 24, 6:30-7:30 p.m. Get to know more about bees…

22 Jun

Marblehead High students evacuated after breaker malfunction

Leigh BlanderMarblehead Public Schools, Public safety, Top Stories

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…

22 Jun

MHS survey shows declines in anxiety, depression, substance use

Leigh BlanderHealth, Marblehead Public Schools, Top Stories

The results of Marblehead High School's latest Substance Use and Risk Factors, or SURF, survey show several encouraging trends, including declines in anxiety, depression and substance use among students. However, anxiety and depression levels remain "above the risk threshold," according to MHS counselor Gina Hart. "What’s good is we’re trending downward," she added. Asked what might be contributing to those trends, Hart answered, "It’s a generational response to substance use right now. Kids are not as interested in it. That has to do with the…