Top Stories

6th Congressional candidate drops out, endorses rival
30 Aug

6th Congressional candidate drops out, endorses rival

Leigh BlanderPolitics, Top Stories
Dr. Mariah Lancaster, a veterinarian from Salem, dropped out of the 6th Congressional District race this weekend and endorsed rival Tram Nguyen. Lancaster will join Tram for a rally and canvass kickoff on Sunday in Salem alongside state Attorney General Andrea Campbell, Congresswoman Lori Trahan and Congresswoman Ayanna Pressley.  “This is the election of a generation and, in the final days of this race, we must come together to ensure the 6th District is represented by someone who will champion our progressive values" Lancaster said.…
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After vandalizing bike park shed, teens return to make things right
29 Aug

After vandalizing bike park shed, teens return to make things right

Leigh BlanderSports, Top Stories
The shed at the Green Street Bike Park is gone, but the story of what happened to it may have ended about as well as anyone could have hoped. Weeks after a group of local teenage boys vandalized the shed at the 5.7-acre park in Green Street Woods, they came forward, admitted what they had done and returned to help demolish what remained of the damaged structure. For the adults who helped create and maintain the park, it was a fitting resolution at a place…
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Say ‘treat!’ Golden retrievers gather for annual family portrait
28 Aug

Say ‘treat!’ Golden retrievers gather for annual family portrait

Grey CollinsAnimals, Top Stories
Chandler Hovey Park once again became a sea of golden fur and wagging tails as more than two dozen dogs and their families gathered for the annual golden retriever family portrait on Thursday, Aug. 27. The canines and their humans met under the lighthouse before lining up and settling into the grass by the water for the photo. The tradition, which began 15 years ago with just seven English golden retrievers, has grown into a beloved summer gathering for dog owners around town. More than…
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Meet Marblehead tennis pro Vence N’Tcha
28 Aug

Meet Marblehead tennis pro Vence N’Tcha

Julie FlynnSports, Top Stories
With his wide-brimmed hat and ever-present smile, Vence N’Tcha is a familiar sight around the tennis courts at Eastern Yacht Club. In some ways, that’s nothing new. N’Tcha says he was “pretty much born on the tennis courts.” Originally from Benin in West Africa, N’Tcha is now in his fifth season as a tennis pro at Eastern Yacht Club. Dan McCormick, a friend and the former tennis director at Eastern Yacht Club who hired N’Tcha, said “Vence has an infectious positivity that I’ve never seen…
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Friday morning is the last chance to vote early in state primary
27 Aug

Friday morning is the last chance to vote early in state primary

Leigh BlanderPolitics, Top Stories
Friday is the last day of early, in-person voting for the Sept. 1 primary election. Voting hours Friday are 8:30 a.m.-noon at Abbot Hall, 188 Washington St. Senate showdown Marblehead native and U.S. Rep. Seth Moulton is challenging incumbent Sen. Ed Markey for the Democratic nomination for Markey’s Senate seat. The two Democrats support many of the same policies, including ending the war in Iran, abolishing ICE and healthcare for all. Moulton, 47, says it's time for generational change in Washington and that Markey, who…
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MHS roof project nears finish as students return Monday
27 Aug

MHS roof project nears finish as students return Monday

Leigh BlanderMarblehead Public Schools, Top Stories
With Marblehead High School students set to return Monday, Aug. 31, the school’s long-awaited roof and HVAC project is nearing completion, and school officials say the remaining work will not interfere with the start of classes. The project has included installation of a new roof membrane, replacement of wet insulation and new HVAC units, along with interior restoration work in areas affected by the construction. Finishing touches are being placed on the Marblehead High roof project. CURRENT PHOTO / LEIGH BLANDER The town authorized approximately…
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Town moves closer to Green Communities designation, expands police hiring options 
27 Aug

Town moves closer to Green Communities designation, expands police hiring options 

Leigh BlanderEnvironment, Public safety, Top Stories
Marblehead is moving closer to becoming a state-designated Green Community, a step that could unlock hundreds of thousands of dollars for energy-efficiency projects, while the Select Board also approved a new option aimed at expanding the Police Department’s shrinking pool of job candidates. Those were among several issues the board took up at its Aug. 26 meeting, along with preparations for Marblehead’s 400th anniversary, a new speed feedback sign on the Neck and upcoming Fire Department promotions. Green Communities push revived Community Development and Planning…
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Marblehead native comes home to direct first film
27 Aug

Marblehead native comes home to direct first film

Grey CollinsArt, Sailing, Top Stories
For three cold, windy May days this year, a sailboat moored in Marblehead Harbor became a bustling film set. Led by Marblehead native Molly Greville, the cast and crew of the short film “Waspringa” braved the inhospitable conditions to get the job done and send the film to the post-production phase. Greville wrote, directed and stars in the film. The 18-minute movie, which Greville describes as a dark comedy and a coming-of-age story, explores the dynamics between family members on their annual sailing trip in…
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After cuts and turmoil, superintendent looks toward stable future as classes start Monday
26 Aug

After cuts and turmoil, superintendent looks toward stable future as classes start Monday

Leigh BlanderEducation, Marblehead Public Schools, Top Stories
After a few turbulent years marked by a teachers strike, deep budget cuts and a contentious override campaign, Superintendent John Robidoux is heading into the new school year with a more predictable road ahead. Marblehead schools begin the new year Monday, Aug. 31, after a budget process that resulted in $4.7 million in cuts and the elimination of 22 full-time-equivalent positions. The $15 million operating override approved by voters in May does not restore those cuts this school year. Instead, it establishes a multiyear funding…
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