SALEM — They expect a big crowd tomorrow morning when a memorial is dedicated to Philias Verrette Sr., an Army veteran who took part in D-Day, the Battle of the Bulge and other major battles in World War II.
He was awarded a Silver Star for refusing to surrender when his men were surrounded, holding off advancing Germans with a machine gun until help arrived. He also received two Bronze Stars, a Purple Heart and other honors during his three years of service.
After returning from the war, Verrette worked for 25 years in local tanneries and later was supervisor of maintenance at Salem State College.
In 2009, the 87-year-old decorated veteran was struck by a car while raking leaves outside his Mason Street home.
The Mack Park Association worked with the Verrette family to erect the memorial, which will be dedicated at Flint and Mason streets during a 10 a.m. ceremony.
The public is welcome.
Following the dedication, there will be a reception at the Moose Family Center.
House call
A story that ran in our humble little newspaper made it all the way to the big-time NPR radio show "Wait Wait ... Don't Tell Me!"
During a segment where panelists are quizzed about current events, this exchange took place between host Peter Sagal and panelist Mo Rocca about an April 27 incident that was a front-page story in The Salem News.
Let's listen in.
"Sagal: In response to a 911 call, police in Salem, Massachusetts, arrived at the house and discovered the call came from blank.
(Sound bite of gong)
Mr. Rocca: A bonobo.
Sagal: No.
(Sound bite of laughter)
Mr. Rocca: It was hungry.
Sagal: The house. It came from the house. It was an eerie scene when police slowly realized the call had come from inside the house. But how could an inanimate object with no fingers dial the phone? Apparently a burst pipe caused the phone system to short-circuit, which triggered the 911 call. And the police then saved the house from destruction. However, that doesn't explain how the house then called Domino's and ordered large pizzas for the officers.
(Sound bite of laughter).
OK, we're back and, unfortunately, must add one small correction.
It didn't happen in Salem. The headline read: "In Marblehead, the house that dialed for help."
But we're nitpicking. Is there really any difference between Marblehead and Salem? No more than the Capulets and Montagues.
Fond farewell
The Police Department said goodbye to two of its nicest last week when Joe Sierra and Mary Smith retired.
Chief Paul Tucker broke in with Sierra, who worked as a patrolman, DARE officer, bike officer, Spanish interpreter and probably a dozen other roles.
"But he is more than the sum of all these parts," Tucker said during a ceremony at Police Headquarters. "He is one of the most liked and respected officers in the department."
Smith, who worked as a dispatcher for years, was hailed as an officer who really cared about the citizens of Salem — especially the little ones.
"I know of no other person who cared more and had a bigger heart for children in need than Mary," the chief said. "In a perfect world, with a bigger police budget, this department and city would have been well-served to have her in our schools full time, making a difference one child at a time."
Golden girl
Talk about dedication.
Marion Garfinkel has been a nurse for 50 years.
In honor of that occasion, Grosvenor Park Nursing Center in Vinnin Square had a little party last Friday to honor the registered nurse who does staff training at the elderly facility.
Do you know what Friday was?
National Nurses Day.
Mighty wave
A lot of motorists did double-takes Saturday while driving past Salem Common.
As part of the Clean Salem/Green Salem event, environmental artist Terry Bastian and fellow artist Brad Backer, working with 30 volunteers, created "The Mighty Wave," a string of 3,000 plastic water bottles.
The project was coordinated by Salem/Beverly Water Resources to make a point: Plastic water bottles are an environmental hazard that are unnecessary because the public drinking water in Salem and Beverly is just fine.
The most amazing part of this project is how the bottles were collected.
A team of nine volunteers went down 15 Salem streets on recycle day. In five hours, they collected more than 2,500 plastic bottles.
Do you think we might have a teeny-weeny water bottle problem?
Homeless housing
The plan Lifebridge unveiled this week of putting two floors of housing on top of the city's homeless shelter is nothing new.
This is the idea floated months ago by Jessica Herbert, vice chairwoman of the Historical Commission. While opposing the shelter's plan to convert St. Mary's Church to homeless housing, Herbert worked behind the scenes on this alternative plan and even made a formal presentation, with architect Morris Schopf, to the shelter board.
Lifebridge officials, to their credit, gave her full credit during a neighborhood meeting Monday night.
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