Top Stories - Marblehead Current

05 Jun

Swimming in numbers: A user’s guide to the four override calculators

Leigh Blander Kris OlsonMunicipal Matters, Top Stories, Town Election Guide

Residents may have noticed that if you use the various override calculators to calculate the tax impact of the upcoming override vote, you get different answers. To help explain why that is, we ran the home value of a $1 million property through each calculator and spoke with the creators of the calculators to clarify deviations in the results. To try to keep the comparisons “apples to apples,” we are focusing on what the calculators are saying are the increases attributable to the overrides and…

04 Jun

Early in-person voting ends with long lines; Election Day is Tuesday

Leigh BlanderPolitics, Top Stories, Town Election Guide

As Marblehead decides a historic, tiered override that would hike taxes permanently, voters took advantage of three days of in-person, early voting at Abbot Hall. The line stretched through the building on just before the polls (inside the Town Clerk's Office) closed. Up next: Election Day on June 9, when residents may cast their votes 7 a.m.-8 p.m. at either Abbot Hall or the high school field house, depending on what precinct they live in. You can find your precinct at WhereDoIVoteMA.com. Voters stand in…

04 Jun

Oh, the places they’ll go

Mark SchwartzMarblehead Public Schools, Top Stories

Marblehead High School will present diplomas to 183 graduating seniors on Friday evening. What's next for these young people as they leave MHS? Check it out.

03 Jun

Temporary repairs to begin this week at Stramski’s Pier after February damage

Leigh BlanderPublic safety, Sailing, Top Stories

Temporary repairs are about to underway at Stramski’s Pier as town officials race to reopen the popular waterfront facility before the height of the summer boating season. The town-owned pier suffered significant structural damage when a sailboat broke free from its mooring during a February blizzard and slammed into the structure. Harbor officials estimate permanent repairs could cost as much as $300,000. The town has already removed damaged materials and is awaiting final approval from the Conservation Commission for emergency repairs. This sailboat crashed into…

03 Jun

Marblehead High seniors prepare for graduation

Leigh BlanderMarblehead Public Schools, Top Stories

Final preparations are underway for the Marblehead High School Class of 2026 graduation ceremony, set for Friday, June 5, at 6 p.m. The school will graduate 183 seniors this year. Commencement exercises are scheduled to take place on Piper Field, with the ceremony moving inside the field house in the event of rain. The MHS concert band and orchestra will perform several pieces, including “Vienna” by Billy Joel and “Rivers and Roads” arranged by 2023 graduate Griffin Collins. Members of the Class of 2024 throw…

01 Jun

CURRENT EVENTS: Marblehead’s best bets coming up

Leigh BlanderCommunity Resources, Culture, Education, Entertainment, Local History, Recreation, Top Stories

Current Events spotlights notable happenings around town in the coming week. To submit a listing, email Current Editor Leigh Blander at lblander@marbleheadnews.org Jazz evening Thursday, June 4, 7-10:30 p.m. (doors open at 6:30 p.m.)The jazz artist Alex Minasian Quartet will perform at The Marblehead Arts Association, 8 Hooper St. Enjoy a cash bar. Tickets are $35 and can be purchased at tickettailor.com/events/marbleheadarts/2182376 or in advance at the Marblehead Art Association or at Arnould Gallery. The Heritage Friend Event Thursday, June 4, 5:30-7 p.m. Join Essex Heritage for an evening exploring hidden histories…

01 Jun

Hundreds cheer MHS seniors at red-carpet prom sendoff

Leigh BlanderMarblehead Public Schools, Top Stories

Marblehead High School seniors received a celebrity-style sendoff Monday evening as they walked a literal red carpet on their way to prom at the Beauport Hotel in Gloucester. Hundreds of parents, friends, teachers and fellow students lined the path from the school field house to the buses waiting in the circular driveway, cheering, applauding and snapping photos as the soon-to-be graduates made their entrance in formal gowns, tuxedos and suits. The annual tradition transformed the high school campus into a festive celebration, giving the Class…

01 Jun

Signs point to… not the whole story

Kris OlsonMunicipal Matters, Top Stories, Town Election Guide

By now, you likely have seen them on lawns throughout town: the anti-override group Better Way Marblehead’s signs, which read “$7,500+ Per Home Every 3 Years, Forever!” Some residents may have wondered, “Is that true?” Here’s our assessment. WHAT THE SIGN GETS RIGHT: The overrides the town will be voting on June 9 are, in fact, “forever.” They are general overrides that remain part of the tax rate rather than exclusions that drop off the tax levy when the bonds issued to finance a particular…

01 Jun

POLICE LOG: Officer tries to get to core of apple-throwing incidents

Marblehead Current staffPublic safety, Top Stories

Sunday, May 3Alarms: 0Building/property checks: 8Abandoned 911 calls: 3Vehicle stops, citations: 0 Vehicle stops, verbal warnings: 1 1:17 p.m. An officer assisted with a disabled vehicle on Leggs Hill Road. 3:06 p.m. An officer went to Mugford Street to speak with a woman who had about $700 stolen from her National Grand Bank account. The woman explained that the scammer had also changed the passwords to both her banking app and her email. She had already submitted a claim with the bank, and the stolen funds…

01 Jun

Preschoolers plant garden to feed families in need

Grey CollinsCommunity Resources, Community Service, Education, Environment, Health, Nonprofit corner, Religion, Top Stories

On Wednesday morning, May 20, the raised gardens on Community Road were buzzing with activity, as preschool students spent the morning digging in the earth, planting vegetables and learning about gardening from their teachers. Soon, the fruits (and vegetables) of their labor will be delivered to the Marblehead Food Pantry by the Manna Project to provide those struggling with food insecurity with fresh produce. JCC preschoolers plant vegetables and fruits, which will be harvested for the Marblehead Food Pantry. It's part of the Manna Project.…