By Tom Dalton and Amanda McGregor
SALEM — The Duke and Duchess will take Salem by storm this spring.
On May 22, the former governor and 1988 presidential candidate Michael Dukakis will address the Salem State College Class of 2010 as one of the commencement speakers.
Two weeks before that, his wife, Kitty, will be in Salem as guest speaker at the Salem High's ninth annual Unity Celebration, an evening event that highlights students' community service work. The former Massachusetts first lady is expected to speak about her work with refugees.
Coincidentally, Michael Dukakis was the guest speaker at the first Unity celebration, held at the Peabody Essex Museum in April 2002.
Kitty Dukakis' visit came about thanks to Salem High senior Radairy Peguero, who wrote letters to potential speakers, including Gov. Deval Patrick, Joe Kennedy, Jack Welch, City Year founder and former Senate candidate Alan Khazei, and Dukakis, who initially wasn't available.
"Originally, Kitty responded with a kind letter," recalled Salem High School teacher Susan Mickey, who advises the community service program. "So Radairy said, 'How about we change the date?' And she said, 'Sure.' It was kind of neat."
It is now set for May 6.
There was just one hitch.
In an e-mail to Peguero, the former governor, who was known for taking public transportation, wrote that his wife would need a ride. Dukakis is a visiting professor at UCLA, and the couple reside out there much of the year.
"Her husband e-mailed ... that they would like us to pick her up because they don't have cars and like to walk everywhere," Mickey said.
So the students are planning to chauffeur Kitty to the party.
Father figure
Did you see all the stories about Scott Brown and Barack Obama being related?
What they didn't tell you is that they both descend from a Salem guy, Richard Singletary, one of the city's early inhabitants.
Singletary "did first appear on records in Salem on Sept. 11, 1637," said Christopher Child, genealogist for the New England Historic Genealogical Society. "But he only stayed a month."
Picky, picky.
Aunt Janet
The noise you heard last Sunday was a scream of joy coming from School Committee Vice Chairwoman Janet Crane as her nephew, professional golfer Ben Crane, made a short, pressure-packed putt to win the Farmers Insurance Open in San Diego.
It was Crane's third career win on the tour and earned him a trip to this year's Masters.
Two years ago, when Ben played in the Deutsche Bank Championship in Norton, Mass., Aunt Janet went down to watch and lugged along two swinging (as in golf) colleagues — Jim Fleming and Kevin Carr.
Ben, by the way, won a cool $954,000 at Torrey Pines.
Next time the school system has a budget crisis, don't be surprised if Mayor Kim Driscoll glances in Crane's direction and suggests she call her favorite nephew.
Yo, Grammy
Speaking of local connections, did you see that everybody's favorite cellist, Yo-Yo Ma, won a Grammy Award Sunday night for the best classical crossover album?
Yo-Yo Ma may not be from Salem, but he has made so many appearances at the Peabody Essex Museum that some people think he's a member of their house band.
Chicken Lickin'
Ken Rothwell has a knack for creating food news — if that's even a news category.
He did it when he opened A Taste of Thyme restaurant several years ago and drew more than 300 customers on his first day.
Now, Rothwell is turning into the Frank Perdue of Salem.
He has a catering business over on Franklin Street and just started marketing Ken's Kickin' Chicken Pot Pies. You know how many he said he sold in six weeks?
Would you believe 1,650?
Fittest festival
For the geniuses out there, Salem State College has an event just for you.
The college's 31st Darwin Festival, which is free and open to the public, runs from Monday through Friday with lectures by professors from Harvard, Brown, Boston University, Brandeis and other distinguished schools.
There are talks you don't want to miss, like "An Omnivorous Spider Parasitizes, A Classical Mutualistic Symbiosis ..."
Or here's one they'll be talking over at the Tin Whistle bar: "Resolving Riddles, Explaining Enigmas and Probing Paradoxes in Evolution."
Of course, to be fair, they are also running videos for the un-evolved man. How about the "Science of Sex Appeal"?
The lone mailman
Tom Martin is not your average letter carrier.
The 59-year-old Salem resident not only delivers the mail, but has turned his Beverly route into something of a goodwill tour.
Martin, whose hobby is old-time radio, puts on free shows at senior centers, assisted-living facilities and rest homes in Beverly and other communities. Yesterday, he was at the Spectrum Adult Care Center in Beverly and later made a stop at the Sisters of Notre Dame de Namur in Ipswich.
It's a great show.
He plays excerpts from classic old shows like "The Lone Ranger," "The Green Hornet," "Amos 'n' Andy," and "Fibber McGee and Molly."
Martin's sons, Mike and Matt, sometimes help out. One time, Matt demonstrated sound effects and Mike showed how a hollowed-out coconut could sound like hoof beats.
Martin, who has almost 2,000 hours of tapes, credits his interest to his father, Bert Martin, who years ago loaned him a tape of "The Shadow" with Orson Wells. "I couldn't believe what I was hearing — it was fabulous," he said.
While delivering the mail, Martin thought about all of the elderly facilities he stopped at and how many residents grew up listening to these radio shows, which had their heyday in the 1930s and '40s. Last fall, he approached Spectrum officials, and a show was born.
"It's great to see, all of a sudden, this glimmer in their eyes," Martin said, "or a look of recognition and a smile."
Oscar hopeful
"The Cove," a dramatic environmental documentary on the plight of dolphins, will be shown at the Salem Film Festival on Monday, March 1.
Why is that news?
Because it was just nominated for an Academy Award.
Remembering Christos
The Salem High School community is in mourning this week following the loss of Christos Hantzis, a junior who died unexpectedly in his sleep over the weekend.
His peers paid tribute to him with a large poster and pictures of him, which students and staff signed in the lunchroom during the week and brought to his wake last night.
Hantzis, who turned 18 in January, faced challenges and was legally blind, but he made the honor roll and was known for his unflagging optimism and his love for the Red Sox and the Boston Bruins.
"He was very, very well-liked," Salem High Principal David Angeramo said. "A veteran teacher at the wake (last night) said that he has probably had a bigger impact on her than any student has in 30 years. That says a lot about the type of person he was."
This morning, buses will leave from the school to take students and staff to his funeral at St. Vasilios Greek Orthodox Church in Peabody.
"It's been difficult," Angeramo said. "He's going to be sorely missed."
