By Chris Cassidy, Tom Dalton and Amanda McGregor
STAFF WRITERs
September 12, 2008 05:39 am You're probably not wondering why the City Council last night approved a street-closure request for 14 Crescent Drive — but this isn't your average block party. There's a possibility ABC will film an episode of its new show "Opportunity Knocks" next weekend, featuring lifelong Salem residents Dan and Laurie Bertone and their children, Nathan, Jennifer and Matthew, who would be quizzed to see how well they all know each other while their neighbors serve as the TV audience. The Bertones won't know if they have been chosen until early next Friday morning, when the show's host, J.D. Roth, may knock on their door. If he does, they will be whisked to a hotel while the trucks roll in and crews take over the neighborhood and build a massive, temporary TV set in preparation for Saturday's filming. "We did the logistical planning through the Fire Department and the Police Department in case this happens," said Ellen Talkowsky, who organizes the city's special events. She has spoken to ABC to coordinate details for the possible event. The game show questions could include, "What is your wife's dress size?" "Does the toilet paper hang under or over in your house?" and "What is your husband's weight?" according to the ABC Web site. "It's truly a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, and they stand to win a quarter of a million dollars worth of cash and prizes," Talkowsky said. "... No one will know until Friday morning. (The Bertones) are probably ready to jump out of their skin." Going up You never know who you'll run into in the elevator. Mayor Kim Driscoll was in Denver for the Democratic National Convention a few weeks ago when she stepped into the elevator at the Denver Renaissance Hotel. Next to her was a man wearing a hard-to-miss New York Yankees jacket. It was film director Spike Lee. "I certainly acknowledged that while we would ride in the elevator together, it would be under protest because we were Red Sox fans," Driscoll joked. "Hey, you guys are up. There shouldn't be a problem," replied the famous director of "Do the Right Thing" and "Malcolm X". There probably wasn't much else Lee could say. After all, the Yankees are a long shot at making the playoffs this year, while the Sox are leading the wildcard race. Salem? For easy parking? From the department of There's Always Someone Worse Off Than You: A Wakefield man being placed on probation for shoplifting last Friday in Salem District Court had a special request: Could he report to a probation officer in Salem rather than in Malden District Court? It seems the parking near the Malden courthouse is pretty bad. "Worse than Salem?" asked Judge Richard Mori. Then he thought about it and realized that, in fact, it is harder to find a parking spot near the Malden courthouse than in Salem, where there are four parking lots and a garage within an easy walk. He granted the man's request. It's official: he's amazing Ten-year-old Jonathan Marrero has received ample praise for his campaign to raise thousands of dollars to save Salem school librarians, who have been at the mercy of the school budget crisis. In addition to a City Council commendation and praise from Gov. Deval Patrick during a visit to Salem, Marrero received a personal letter from the director of the New York Public Libraries, David Ferriero. A Beverly native, Ferriero read about Jonathan's efforts in The Salem News and invited him to "visit my library here in New York City." "I will roll out the red carpet for you!" Ferriero wrote. In the latest accolade, a national educational nonprofit has named the young activist its "amazing kid of the month," labeling him the "library hero," noting his efforts to canvass neighborhoods for donations last winter with his little brother, Paul, and friends Abryanna, Elizabeth and Raeanne Mills. Jonathan, who is a fifth-grader at Saltonstall School, told the Amazing Kids organization, "Helping is always a good thing." Well said. Familiar face at Fenway Salem native and former GE chairman Jack Welch made a different kind of public appearance this week. Welch caught the opening pitch at Tuesday night's Red Sox game, thrown by billionaire investor Warren Buffett. This may have been a first at Fenway: two guys on the field who actually have more money than the players. Salem to the rescue Conservative columnist Robert Novak explained to his readers last week exactly how he found out he is suffering from a brain tumor — a journey that brought him to the North Shore over the summer. Novak and his wife, Geraldine, had just arrived at the airport on their way to visit daughter Zelda and husband Christopher Caldwell, who live in Manchester-by-the-Sea. He'd later wind up in Salem. On his wife's advice, Novak went to the emergency room at Salem Hospital and underwent a CT scan, which showed a brain mass, Novak wrote in Saturday's column. He was admitted to Brigham & Women's Hospital the next day, where he was diagnosed with brain cancer. Novak is being treated at Duke University Medical Center — also where Sen. Ted Kennedy is receiving treatment — and he has resumed writing his column. Staff writer Julie Manganis contributed to this report.
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