Uncategorized - Marblehead Current

13 May

LETTER: ‘The Spirit of ’76 marches forwards, not backwards’

Will Dowd0 CommentsLETTERS, Opinion, Uncategorized

To the editor: At Town Meeting on Tuesday night, someone mentioned the founders would be turning in their graves if they heard of Marbleheaders acquiescing to the will of the state; I dispute this notion entirely. If the founders were indeed restless in anger, it would be a result of the cowardice of many in this town amidst the winds of change. If the Marbleheaders of old were so concerned with keeping everything “as is,” then we would have opted to remain colonial subjects of…

09 May

PARK RANGER: Something, or someone, new is coming to Fort Sewall this summer

Will Dowd0 CommentsLocal History, Local News, Uncategorized

There will be a special addition to Fort Sewall this summer — a park ranger who will lead tours inside the historic fort, which recently underwent a $1.8 million renovation. Larry Sands, dressed in his Glover’s Regiment gear, speaks outside Fort Sewall during its rededication in June 2022. CURRENT PHOTO / LEIGH BLANDER “We estimate that more than 50,000 people a year visit the fort,” said Larry Sands, chair of the Fort Sewall Oversight Committee. “I think that’s a pretty conservative number. But I think…

06 May

FROM THE COURT: Boys tennis continues to dominate conference foes

Will Dowd0 CommentsLocal News, Sports, Uncategorized

The Marblehead High boys tennis team (6-0 in the Northeastern Conference, 7-2 overall) began a brand new week enjoying more success against two more conference rivals to remain perfect on the season. The Marblehead boys first took care of host Winthrop, 5-0 on April 29. Junior captain Etan Farfel wiped out Luke Owen in first singles, 6-0, 6-0. Junior captain Jayden Janock experienced similar results in second singles, versus Orind Bytyqi 6-0, 6-0. Their classmate Quinn Fletcher maintained the winning trend over his Winthrop counterpart…

01 May

State Street bathroom article splits FinCom

Will Dowd0 CommentsLocal News, Town Meeting, Uncategorized

This article is part of a series looking at key warrant articles leading up to the Town Meeting on May 6. Check out the Current's 2024 Town Meeting Guide HERE. The Finance Committee was split in a 5-4 vote on whether to recommend keeping State Street public restrooms open throughout the year, reflecting the challenges of balancing community amenities with financial and logistical concerns. The vote serves as a recommendation to Town Meeting voters when they convene in the auditorium of Veterans Middle School on…

01 May

Nye bids Select Board farewell after 19 years

Will Dowd0 CommentsLocal News, Municipal Matters, Top Stories, Uncategorized

After serving on the Select Board for nearly two decades, Jim Nye is not seeking re-election this June. In an interview with the Current, the National Grand Bank president reflected on his 19 years of public service and the factors that led to his decision. Jim Nye, who has served on the Select Board for 19 years, is not running for re-election. CURRENT PHOTO / WILL DOWD "It's time," said Nye, 62. "I'd like to spend time with my children; they are on their way…

01 May

Unions in contract talks during fiscal crisis

Will Dowd0 CommentsLocal News, Top Stories, Town Meeting, Uncategorized

This article is part of a series looking at key warrant articles leading up to the Town Meeting on May 6. Teachers and other municipal workers are negotiating new contracts this spring. COURTESY PHOTO Marblehead's second largest municipal union is seeking better wages, benefits and working conditions in their ongoing collective bargaining, but the town's challenging financial situation is complicating negotiations, according to Terry Tauro, president of IUE/CWA Local 81776. Tauro’s union represents about 100 municipal employees. "We're being very creative, more creative than we've…

29 Apr

UPDATE: Police determine ‘no credible threat,’ after call about a gun at MHS

Leigh Blander0 CommentsMarblehead Public Schools, Top Stories, Uncategorized

Marblehead High School students were placed in a “hold pass” for about two hours on Monday afternoon, after an active threat about a student with a gun was called into the police station. "At approximately 1 p.m., MHS was notified by the Marblehead Police Department that they had received a call. The caller stated that they 'had a gun' inside Marblehead High School," interim Superintendent Theresa McGuinness and Police Chief Dennis King wrote in an email to families at 4:15 p.m "A significant presence of…

29 Apr

LETTER: Fox crying wolf?

Will Dowd0 CommentsLETTERS, Opinion, Uncategorized

Throughout this spring’s budget season, the School Committee considered two options: A level services budget of $47,423,851 that would require additional funding through a general override or other procedural maneuvering A reduced services budget of $45,592,667 that would not require additional funding but would require significant cuts of staffing and services for the next school year (FY25). Marblehead Public Schools receive funding from a range of sources including Marblehead property taxes, state and federal aid, grants and fees for services like full-day kindergarten (one example of…

29 Apr

Select Board members will reluctantly back MBTA zoning

Will Dowd0 CommentsBeacon Hill, Local News, Municipal Matters, Top Stories, Town Meeting, Uncategorized

This article is part of a series looking at key warrant articles leading up to the Town Meeting on May 6. Check out the Current's 2024 Town Meeting Guide HERE. The Select Board engaged in a lengthy discussion about the controversial MBTA Communities Act and its mandated multifamily zoning, which Town Meeting voters will accept or reject on Monday. The Select Board engaged in lengthy discussions on April 24 regarding proposed zoning changes to comply with the state's MBTA Communities Act, which mandates allowing higher-density,…

24 Apr

FOOD 101: Hate broccoli? No problem.

Will Dowd0 CommentsColumns, Food, Life Style, Uncategorized

Anyone who knows me knows that I abhor broccoli. Reasons? The texture. The color, although I do like other green vegetables. I'll blame my dad. A man of his time — a "manly man" — he urged his children to eat broccoli because it would "put hair on your chest." This line of thought worked just fine on my brothers. (He used similar reasoning when recommending zucchini, green beans, carrots or anything deemed nutritious, but most often for broccoli.) So, I spent much of my…