SalemNews.com, Salem, MA--News

Peabody schools' last day pegged for June 16

Thu, 15 May 2008 10:26:00 EDT

PEABODY — June 16 is the day famed Apache leader Geronimo was born. Despite the historical significance, students will more likely mark it on their calendars as the last day of school.
Superintendent C. Milton Burnett announced the last day of school at Tuesday night's School Committee meeting. Unless he has to cancel a school day before then, the last day will be June 16, Burnett told committee members.

AUDIO SLIDESHOW: The scoop behind Richardson's ice cream

Thu, 15 May 2008 05:00:00 EDT

Last-minute wrinkle delays school vote: Beverly mayor's plan uses trash fees to keep Cove Elementary open

Thu, 15 May 2008 06:00:00 EDT

BEVERLY — Mayor Bill Scanlon's last-minute plan to use the money the city collects in trash fees to keep Cove Elementary School open was met with skepticism from Superintendent James Hayes, the School Committee and residents last night.

Judge throws out molestation case, saying child's description not specific enough

Thu, 15 May 2008 06:00:00 EDT

SALEM — A little girl's description of being touched "down there" wasn't specific enough to prove that she was molested by a former family friend, a Salem District Court judge ruled yesterday.
And with that finding, Judge Dunbar Livingston granted a defense motion for a required verdict of not guilty in the case against Thomas Elliott, a former Salem man charged last year with indecent assault and battery on a 6-year-old girl. The judge's decision took the case away from a jury that had already started hearing evidence in the case, including the little girl's testimony.

Danversport defense doesn't fly with judge

Thu, 15 May 2008 06:00:00 EDT

DANVERS — The 19-year-old driver charged with killing a 73-year-old woman in a head-on collision on Route 1 last year is behind bars, after showing up for court allegedly high on drugs, as well as missing a drug test last month.

Peabody to offer food training in Portuguese

Thu, 15 May 2008 00:48:00 EDT

PEABODY — Health Department officials are planning to offer Portuguese-speaking food workers training to help them reduce the risk of food-borne illness.
Health Director Sharon Cameron said it's the same program offered to 40 English-speaking "front-of-the-house" waitstaff last month and covers topics like proper hygiene around food and potential points of contamination.

Carroll School receives grant to beautify grounds

Thu, 15 May 2008 00:48:00 EDT

PEABODY — How does the Carroll School garden grow? With help from home improvement titan Lowe's.
The school received a $5,000 grant from the company to create gardens near the Northend Street school's two new state-of-the-art play sets, erect a fence, lay down a pathway between areas and enhance the entire space.

No helter-skelter at Ipswich Town Meeting

Thu, 15 May 2008 00:47:00 EDT

IPSWICH — The typical annual Town Meeting starts like this: At 7:45 p.m., Moderator Jim Grimes calls for a recess to allow stragglers to take their seats and, more importantly, to buy time until a quorum is in attendance.

Peabody mayor wants to add park land downtown

Thu, 15 May 2008 00:47:00 EDT

PEABODY — The city's effort to rejuvenate its downtown involves breathing life into dormant property.
That means trying to implement zoning to encourage redevelopment of abandoned buildings and giving new purpose to open space. Toward that end, Mayor Michael Bonfanti has proposed buying roughly an acre of land at 45 Walnut St. to turn into a park.

Mystery donors bankroll Briscoe's first science lab

Thu, 15 May 2008 00:46:00 EDT

BEVERLY — Briscoe Middle School will get its first science laboratory, Smart Boards and 30 laptop computers, thanks to three anonymous donations.
The lab will be equipped with tables and chairs, new microscopes, triple beam balances, electric hot plates, and all the makings of a middle school lab that $50,000 can buy.

Electronics collection day is Saturday in Beverly

Thu, 15 May 2008 00:46:00 EDT

BEVERLY — The city's annual electronics collection day will be held Saturday from 8 a.m. to noon at Beverly High School.
Residents can dispose of some items at no charge and other items for a fee ranging from $3 to $8.

Salem to hold plant sale this weekend

Thu, 15 May 2008 00:45:00 EDT

SALEM — The city's first plant sale will take place Saturday morning on the Salem Common.
Annuals, perennials, azaleas, hydrangea bushes and hanging baskets will be available for purchase. Proceeds benefit the city's Beautification Committee.

Heard Around Town: Blanks win by a landslide in Marblehead

Thu, 15 May 2008 00:44:00 EDT

MARBLEHEAD — Every vote counts.
Or at least it should. But in Monday's election, the highest vote-getter among the five selectmen was actually Blanks. The preliminary totals went like this: Judy Jacobi — 836; Bill Woodfin — 831, Harry Christensen — 824, Jim Nye — 812, Jackie Belf-Becker — 795 and Blanks — 2,041.

Bad boiler a big-money bummer for Salem wine merchant

Thu, 15 May 2008 00:42:00 EDT

SALEM — Eric Olson knew he was in trouble the instant he walked into his wine shop.
A wall of heat hit him when he opened the door, and a quick look around confirmed his worst fears. A thermostat malfunction triggered the boiler to blast heat all night, ruining all 1,733 bottles of wine.

DEEP decides to dig even deeper this year

Thu, 15 May 2008 00:40:00 EDT

DANVERS — The Danvers Educational Enrichment Partnership's grants to teachers to pay for programs in the schools such as Bagels and Books and Exploring Modern Robotics exceeded $10,000 this year for the first time in the organization's history.

Could Danversport resident's find be the 'smoking valve'?

Thu, 15 May 2008 00:39:00 EDT

DANVERS — A Riverside Street woman might have saved a clue to the Danversport ink and paint plant explosion by letting it sit under her shed for months.
The clue in question is a piece of pipe, 24 inches long, with a valve attached. It landed by a tree in front of Janet Lettich's house at 12 Riverside St. the morning of Nov. 22, 2006, when the chemical plant blew up two blocks away.

Bonnie Strong ends 13-year chapter at Marblehead library helm

Thu, 15 May 2008 00:38:00 EDT

MARBLEHEAD — Trustees of the Abbot Public Library have chosen Patricia Rogers to replace retiring Director Bonnie Strong.
Rogers will be moving from the Osterville Free Library on Cape Cod, where she has been the director for the last four years.

Boxford library votes called a 'giant leap' forward

Thu, 15 May 2008 00:38:00 EDT

BOXFORD — Three votes supporting a new Boxford library had trustees Chairwoman Susan Daley comparing Town Meeting to the moon landing: "That's one small step for a man, one giant leap for mankind."

Feds seize former Swampscott officer's Hummer

Thu, 15 May 2008 00:37:00 EDT

SWAMPSCOTT — The feds seized an ex-Swampscott police officer's Hummer SUV because it was purchased with drug money, according to a DEA legal notice.
The U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration said it seized a 2003 Hummer H2 from Thomas Wrenn, the former patrolman who is facing charges of dealing prescription drugs — at times while on duty and in uniform. He resigned from the force last month citing "personal reasons."

Hamilton hydrant flushing on tap

Thu, 15 May 2008 00:36:00 EDT

HAMILTON — Residents may find their water discolored or containing sediment over the next three weeks as the town conducts hydrant flushing.
All work will be done Monday through Thursday, between 9 p.m. and 1 a.m. The schedule calls for flushing from May 19 to May 22, May 26 to May 29, and June 2 to June 5.

Safety watchdog says Salem power plant failed to protect employees

Thu, 15 May 2008 00:35:00 EDT

SALEM — A federal agency yesterday cited the owner of Salem Harbor Station for "serious violations" in connection with the steam explosion from a ruptured boiler tube that killed three workers last fall.

Refurbished center a hit with Beverly youths

Thu, 15 May 2008 00:35:00 EDT

BEVERLY — The assembled officials all gave the renovated McPherson Youth Center high marks yesterday afternoon. More importantly, the kids did, too.
The city and the YMCA held a ceremony to rededicate the youth center, which has undergone a $300,000 renovation. With about 20 kids skating on the new skate park behind them, officials including Mayor Bill Scanlon and state Rep. Mary Grant lauded the changes at the center, which opened in 1976.

Lynn man hurt after crash into trailer

Thu, 15 May 2008 00:34:00 EDT

PEABODY — Firefighters had to cut the door and windshield off a sport utility vehicle after the driver crashed into the rear of a parked tractor-trailer yesterday.
The 5 p.m. crash on Lynn Street near the busy County Street intersection snarled traffic for more than an hour until firefighters were able to remove the driver and clear the scene.

Selectman Carlson resigns, saying he's 'out of step'

Thu, 15 May 2008 00:33:00 EDT

TOPSFIELD — Last week, Topsfield endured a Town Meeting and a Town Election. With Monday's resignation of Selectman Dick Carlson, both a Town Meeting and Town Election could have to be repeated in the coming months.

Farm stands and driveways vex Boxford Town Meeting

Thu, 15 May 2008 00:32:00 EDT

BOXFORD — You just might be able to open a farm stand. But if you need a steep driveway to get there, forget it.
That was the message from last night's Town Meeting, where two issues sparked prolonged debate. A move to make it easier to operate a farm stand inspired fears of restaurants and even major retailers' "big-box stores" popping up all over town.

Police

Thu, 15 May 2008 00:31:00 EDT

Salem
Monday
r Police will serve a no-trespass order to a man who was yelling at an elderly woman at Dunkin' Donuts. Police received a report at 4 p.m.
r Eight females were arrested at 6:30 p.m. following a report of a large group fighting on Cabot Street. There was no fight when police responded, but Patrolmen Robert Cunningham and Kevin St. Pierre had received reports of a green car with a smashed-out back window chasing two other cars around the neighborhood. Police found the green car, a 1996 Mazda 626, on Lafayette Street near Hancock Street. The occupants told police someone threw a microwave dish through the window.

Mayor unveils his secret school-deficit reduction plan

Thu, 15 May 2008 00:27:00 EDT

BEVERLY — Mayor Bill Scanlon's last-minute plan to close McKeown Elementary School and keep Cove Elementary School open was met with skepticism from Superintendent James Hayes, the School Committee and the community last night.

OSHA cites Salem plant in workers' deaths

Wed, 14 May 2008 15:16:00 EDT

SALEM — The federal Occupational Safety and Health Administration Wednesday cited Dominion Energy New England for serious violations in connection with the November 2007 accident that killed three workers.

Override roars to success at Ipswich Town Meeting

Wed, 14 May 2008 06:00:00 EDT

IPSWICH — An overstuffed Town Meeting packed with school backers last night made sure an increase in next year's school budget will be decided at the ballot box on Tuesday.
Article 7 on the evening's agenda asked that a $1.5 million Proposition 21/2 override be added to the Town Election ballot, the first step toward circumventing the restrictions of the tax-limiting law. To take effect, the question now needs approval by a majority of voters.

Scanlon to reveal school plan tonight

Wed, 14 May 2008 06:00:00 EDT

BEVERLY — Mayor Bill Scanlon said yesterday he won't reveal his last-minute school plan until tonight's School Committee meeting, setting the stage for what one School Committee member called "political theater at its finest."

Crossing guard targeted by masked assailant -- a raccoon

Wed, 14 May 2008 06:00:00 EDT

SWAMPSCOTT — Judith Hapgood is used to dogs and puppies belonging to parents brushing up against her leg when she's working as a crossing guard at Clarke Elementary School.
But the animal doing just that yesterday at 2 p.m. wasn't a lovable puppy, but a hungry raccoon.

Ex-official blamed for leaving Salem schools broke granted $15,000 pension

Wed, 14 May 2008 06:00:00 EDT

SALEM — The man at the center of the city's school-budget crisis will soon be collecting a pension.
Former School Business Manager Bruce Guy recently filed for retirement and will start receiving a pension of approximately $15,000 a year.

Beverly police: Woman 'blacked out' before head-on crash

Wed, 14 May 2008 00:40:00 EDT

BEVERLY — A Lynn woman underwent surgery last night following an earlier head-on crash on Essex Street.
The driver, Georgia Douglas, 63, of Lynn, suffered a severe leg injury following the crash, according to police. Her passenger, Ruth Thompson, 64, also of Lynn, was listed in good condition.

Federal agency faults CAI in Danversport explosion

Wed, 14 May 2008 00:40:00 EDT

DANVERS — It was the middle of a Tuesday afternoon when the production manager at CAI Inc., a Danversport ink manufacturer, opened the steam valve on Mix Tank No. 3 to heat a new batch of chemicals.

Company pans, neighbors hail safety panel's blast findings

Wed, 14 May 2008 00:39:00 EDT

DANVERS — Angelo Reale came to vent last night.
"It's just been hell, believe me," he muttered as he approached the microphone when the U.S. Chemical Safety and Hazard Investigation Board invited him to speak at a public meeting last night in a ballroom of the Sheraton Ferncroft Resort. "I've been waiting for this for a long time. Since the day of the explosion, it's been hell."

Salem Mission reopens after virus scare

Wed, 14 May 2008 00:37:00 EDT

SALEM — The Salem Mission reopened yesterday after being closed to the public for four days following the outbreak of a serious, but short-lived virus.
For the first time since Thursday, the city's homeless shelter on Margin Street served dinner to the public last night. About 100 people eat there daily.

Beverly superintendent to save teachers' jobs at Briscoe

Wed, 14 May 2008 00:37:00 EDT

BEVERLY — Briscoe Middle School will retain its teacher team that initially was cut in Superintendent James Hayes' proposal to reorganize the district.
Hayes said he'll be able to come up with $312,620 to keep four full-time math, science, social studies and English teachers and one part-time reading teacher.

Salem's tough financial picture gets tougher in the future

Wed, 14 May 2008 00:36:00 EDT

SALEM — The city has about six weeks to close a projected $2.6 million budget gap for the upcoming fiscal year.
Mayor Kim Driscoll presented city councilors with a grim five-year financial forecast that projects a deficit of more than $4.2 million by fiscal 2012.

Ipswich preps for a big birthday bash

Wed, 14 May 2008 00:36:00 EDT

IPSWICH — How do you celebrate your 375th birthday? Parties, and lots of them.
As the town prepares to mark its 1634 incorporation in 2009, ideas for the proper festivities are starting to be considered. Business owners who are part of the Economic Roundtable, a group that meets monthly to discuss current affairs, got a sneak peek at the nascent ideas Monday afternoon.

Jury clears Peabody man of DUI on morning after Danvers blast

Wed, 14 May 2008 00:35:00 EDT

DANVERS — A police officer witnesses erratic driving and finds a driver with red, glassy eyes and a ruddy face. A breath test reveals a blood alcohol level of .08. A typical drunken-driving case?

Young intruder prompts high school lockdown

Wed, 14 May 2008 00:34:00 EDT

PEABODY — Peabody High administrators put the school in lockdown yesterday morning after a 15-year-old Gloucester boy lied his way into the building shortly before 9 and couldn't be found for nearly 30 minutes.

Chain-reaction crash sends seven to hospital

Wed, 14 May 2008 00:33:00 EDT

TOPSFIELD — A lumber box truck struck a car stopped near an intersection on Route 1 yesterday, setting off a chain reaction with four other vehicles that sent seven people to area hospitals.
"They were very lucky people today, very lucky," fire Capt. Jen Collins-Brown said of the seven crash victims taken to Beverly Hospital, Salem Hospital and the Lahey Clinic in Peabody.

Middleton voters OK cash for design of new school

Wed, 14 May 2008 00:32:00 EDT

MIDDLETON — What takes 10 years to organize, and just 10 minutes to kick-start?
If you're a Middleton Town Meeting voter, the answer can only be the town's next elementary school. While several previous incarnations were shot down by voters, the latest version easily cleared an important hurdle last night. With only a single no vote echoing across North Shore Tech's gym, voters approved a plan to spend a $225,000 state grant, which will enable the design of a replacement for Howe-Manning School and a better estimate of construction costs.

Johnson Pond purchase approved by Boxford Town Meeting.

Wed, 14 May 2008 00:31:00 EDT

BOXFORD — Town Meeting last night approved a plan to buy 11 acres of land off Johnson Pond when an amendment that might have killed the proposal was blunted with some clever wording.
The amendment seems to require "a transfer of water rights without limitation." The town hopes to use the land, which is owned by the city of Haverhill, to gain access to the water for recreation. Yet, the new language demanded that swimming be allowed in the pond as a condition of purchase.

Correction

Wed, 14 May 2008 00:09:00 EDT

A story and photo caption that ran in Tuesday's Salem News on Page 2 require a correction. The correct spelling of the name of the boy pictured on the far left is James Miglionico Jr.

VIDEO: How Danversport went up in flames

Tue, 13 May 2008 14:20:00 EDT

The U.S. Chemical Safety Board spent more than a year investigating the explosion that rocked Danversport in the early morning hours of Nov. 22, 2006. The findings are documented in this video released by the board.

WEB EXCLUSIVE: Building a boat at Masco

Tue, 13 May 2008 10:54:00 EDT

Federal agency faults CAI in Danversport blast

Tue, 13 May 2008 09:58:00 EDT

DANVERS — Simple safeguards like an alarm system and automatic shutoffs could have prevented the November 2006 explosion at a Danversport chemical plant that caused the worst damage to a single community that the U.S. Chemical Safety Board has seen in its 10-year history.

Man held in Peabody house party stabbing

Tue, 13 May 2008 06:00:00 EDT

PEABODY — A barber from Peabody is being held on attempted-murder charges after three people were stabbed during a house party on Lowell Street early Saturday morning.
Freudy Valenzuela, 19, of 41 Walnut St. pleaded not guilty to stabbing a 20-year-old Lawrence man, Winston Delacruz, during the party at 197 Lowell St.

Beverly mayor crosses up school panel with eleventh-hour plan

Tue, 13 May 2008 06:00:00 EDT

BEVERLY — After two hours of public comment, and two months to look at the superintendent's proposal to reorganize Beverly public schools, Mayor Bill Scanlon hinted at a plan of his own.
"I intend to put forward a proposal, which, if approved, will still be painful, but less painful than the proposal on the table," he said to the School Committee and about 75 people in the auditorium during last night's public hearing.

Botched police paperwork handoff prompts mistrial; accused shooter of ex-pal in 'drug rip' still free on $300K bail

Tue, 13 May 2008 06:00:00 EDT

PEABODY — Three witness statements that police never turned over led to a mistrial yesterday in the case against a West Peabody man charged with shooting and robbing a former friend 21/2 years ago.

Annual Town Meeting in Ipswich tonight

Tue, 13 May 2008 05:45:00 EDT

IPSWICH — Voters will decide tonight whether they're willing to pay more to run their schools, and whether running some of them with locally generated electricity makes sense.
A Proposition 21/2 override vote on the annual Town Meeting warrant would add $1.5 million to next year's school budget, retaining a number of full- and part-time teachers and once again funding extracurricular activities at the high school.

Low turnout, one race mark Marblehead election

Tue, 13 May 2008 05:45:00 EDT

MARBLEHEAD — In what Town Clerk Robin Michaud described as the lowest turnout since she joined the clerk's office seven years ago, yesterday's municipal election drew only 9.2 percent of registered voters.

Ex-Salem school chief to offer bitter lesson in fighting teen drug abuse

Tue, 13 May 2008 05:45:00 EDT

DANVERS — Parents trying to balance the suspicion their kids are using drugs and alcohol with their teen's need for privacy may do well to heed the advice of former Salem Superintendent Herb Levine.

Salem State students fill 'Big Brother' role at Horace Mann

Tue, 13 May 2008 05:45:00 EDT

SALEM — Eight-year-old Ronnie Johnson made an appearance on the Salem State College basketball court this season.
His "Big Brother" Jeremi Taitt brought Ronnie onto the court during senior night, the final game at home for seniors.

Restaurants, stores proposed for Brimbal Ave. site

Tue, 13 May 2008 05:45:00 EDT

BEVERLY — That empty piece of land next to Brimbal Avenue and the Route 128 ramp would be filled with restaurants, stores, offices and a child care center under a plan proposed by a developer.
The project would include five buildings and enough parking for 325 vehicles, according to plans on file at City Hall. One of the buildings would be three stories.

Beverly Bootstraps seeking executive director

Tue, 13 May 2008 05:45:00 EDT

BEVERLY — Beverly Bootstraps is looking for a new executive director and is also keeping the current executive director.
Tom Gifford, who has been with the nonprofit agency since 1992, will assume the new full-time position of "founder," said Richard Barger, president of the Bootstraps board of directors.

Salem Mission ravaged by norovirus

Tue, 13 May 2008 05:45:00 EDT

SALEM — Residents and staff at the Salem Mission who became seriously ill last week most likely caught a highly contagious virus, a local health official said.
"We're deducing that it's probably a norovirus," Health Agent Joanne Scott said.

Tomorrow last day to register for Beverly override election

Tue, 13 May 2008 05:45:00 EDT

BEVERLY — Tomorrow is the last day to register to vote in the June 3 override election.
City Clerk Fran Macdonald said anyone who is not already registered must do so by tomorrow to be eligible to vote. City Hall will be open late tomorrow, from 8:30 a.m. to 8 p.m., to accommodate registration.

Widespread cuts in cards for Salem

Tue, 13 May 2008 05:45:00 EDT

SALEM — To cut costs, the city's seven elementary schools will lay off more than a dozen teachers, librarians, technology specialists, and art, gym and music teachers or reduce their hours.
And that's still not enough.

Danvers superintendent wrangles 'very good' marks

Tue, 13 May 2008 05:45:00 EDT

DANVERS — The superintendent took home a "very good" grade on her report card from the School Committee last night.
The five-member committee scored 42-year-old Lisa Dana on 30 "performance indicators" from how she oversees the schools day to day to her professionalism, using a nine-page form to do so.

Special ed students being shuffled to new schools

Tue, 13 May 2008 05:45:00 EDT

SALEM — A letter went home to parents last week announcing a reorganization of roughly 70 elementary special education students who will be switched to different schools come September.
New programs and an overload of special education classes at Carlton School are prompting the changes, according to Superintendent William Cameron Jr.

New rule lets Peabody Planning Board members miss a meeting and still vote

Tue, 13 May 2008 05:45:00 EDT

PEABODY — The City Council gave conditional approval to a new rule that will allow Planning Board members to miss a meeting but still weigh in on a project when it comes to a vote.
Called the "Mullen Rule," a board member who misses "no more than a single session of the hearing at which testimony or other evidence is received" is not disqualified from voting as long as the member reviews evidence from the session he or she missed. That review could include an audio or video recording of the missed session or a written transcript. A member will then have to certify in writing that he or she reviewed the evidence.

Class acts: the North Shore's top scholars

Tue, 13 May 2008 05:45:00 EDT

The top-ranked high school seniors on the North Shore will be honored for their academic achievements tonight when the North Shore Chamber of Commerce hosts its 39th annual Honor Scholars Recognition Dinner.

Police

Tue, 13 May 2008 00:41:00 EDT

Salem
Sunday
r A person looking to sweat out a few more pounds in the sauna ended up getting locked inside after Bally's Total Fitness closed for the night. Police received a report at 7:04 p.m. that he was locked inside the gym on Traders Way and not able to get out because of the type of lock. The Fire Department was called to the scene and unlocked the door so the person could leave.

Masco students hoping their boats float

Tue, 13 May 2008 00:00:00 EDT

BOXFORD — Five people work feverishly around the table to push their patient back into shape. A leader calls for a clamp, and an assistant scurries away quickly. Ralph Arabian steps back.
"I need a fatter screw, a fatter screw!" he calls. He raises one up triumphantly. "There we go! I've got this nasty fat one."

From Beverly to Beverly Hills? City councilor movie 'extra' a hit with Sandra Bullock

Tue, 13 May 2008 00:00:00 EDT

As a feisty city councilor, Beverly's John Burke has had his share of battles. But nothing quite like yesterday's encounter with movie star Sandra Bullock's purse.
Burke served as one of the extras yesterday as Disney descended on Beverly Airport to shoot a scene for the upcoming romantic comedy "The Proposal."

Topsfield woman lifting her way to the top

Tue, 13 May 2008 00:00:00 EDT

TOPSFIELD — When she's not at the gym, Dianne MacMillan, 64, is taking care of her horses.
The other day, she moved 20 bales of hay — each weighing about 30 pounds — from a truck to a loft in her barn.

Local reps weigh in on alleged threat against colleague

Mon, 12 May 2008 06:00:00 EDT

Danvers State Rep. Ted Speliotis is expressing few doubts about charges that a female colleague was recently threatened on the House floor. But other local legislators deny that such strong-armed methods are common on Beacon Hill.

Convicted police lieutenant hires seasoned attorney to defend pension

Mon, 12 May 2008 06:00:00 EDT

PEABODY — Lt. Edward Bettencourt seems to be taking no chances with his retirement.
The convicted police lieutenant has hired high-power labor attorney Paul T. Hynes to represent him May 23 before the city's five-member Retirement Board, which will decide whether he can keep his pension.

Mailman always an Oniontowner at heart

Mon, 12 May 2008 06:00:00 EDT

DANVERS — Arthur Sheldon and his bride, Doris, bought a home in Georgetown shortly after getting hitched in 1970.
Sheldon grew up on Bates Street in Danversport, and the decision to move was purely financial. Georgetown in those days didn't enjoy quite the cache it does today, and housing was cheaper.

Tax title auction a success

Mon, 12 May 2008 05:45:00 EDT

IPSWICH — The first auction in many years of the town's tax-seizure properties went well Thursday, Treasurer/Collector Kevin Merz said.
A buildable lot of about 5,000 square feet at 24 Capeview Road on Great Neck fetched $164,160. Also on Great Neck, Grasshopper Way brought in $5,400.

Election today, override election in June

Mon, 12 May 2008 05:45:00 EDT

MARBLEHEAD — It's a tale of two elections.
Town officials have their fingers crossed today hoping voters turn out for municipal elections — despite the fact that the Parks and Recreation Committee features the only contested seat.

Boxford voters consider library project tomorrow

Mon, 12 May 2008 05:45:00 EDT

BOXFORD — This year's Town Meeting will be firmly rooted in the ground.
Land and property issues fill out the warrant, with articles covering a new library and other town buildings off Spofford Pond Road, a $770,000 plan to buy 11 acres around Johnson Pond, and a resident's effort to pull the town out of the Community Preservation Act.

Community Council names Citizen of the Year

Mon, 12 May 2008 05:45:00 EDT

DANVERS — Cheryl Ward kept the Danvers Community Council's books straight after the Danversport blast triggered a deluge of $500,000 in donations into a relief fund to help the neighborhood.
For her work, Ward has been named the council's 2007 Citizen of the Year.

Author visit gives students insider's take on the writing process

Mon, 12 May 2008 05:45:00 EDT

BEVERLY — Author Mark Peter Hughes knows people do indeed judge a book by its cover, and Beverly High School students who saw the neon yellow binding of "Lemonade Mouth" were eager to take it off the shelf.

Plan to give Salem mayor a raise moves ahead

Mon, 12 May 2008 05:45:00 EDT

SALEM — A plan to hike the mayor's pay to $100,000 by January 2010 is nearly a done deal.
The City Council approved the mayoral raise during its regular meeting Thursday night — despite an eleventh-hour effort by one city councilor to award an even bigger raise.

Gordon-Conwell students receive diplomas

Mon, 12 May 2008 05:45:00 EDT

HAMILTON — The Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary Board of Trustees conferred 275 master's degrees and 50 Doctor of Ministry degrees during commencement exercises Saturday in the Bennett Center at Gordon College.

Town meetings about more than schools

Mon, 12 May 2008 05:45:00 EDT

Supporters and opponents of a controversial school override now have to wait until Thursday night to find out if voters carry the sentiments demonstrated on the town meeting floor into the election booth.

Police log

Mon, 12 May 2008 05:40:00 EDT

Peabody
Saturday
r Police received multiple calls at 2:47 a.m. about a large party at 197 Lowell St., with guests possibly fighting. Police responded and requested two ambulances for stabbing victims.

Flower power: Salem woman to be named Unsung Heroine

Sun, 11 May 2008 23:13:00 EDT

SALEM — A Salem woman who spends hours planting flowers on city rotaries will be honored next week as the city's Unsung Heroine for 2008.
Sandi Power was nominated for the state award by Mayor Kim Driscoll and state Rep. John Keenan.

Beverly tackling long-overdue inspections

Sun, 11 May 2008 23:10:00 EDT

BEVERLY — When a fire forced five families out of their Cabot Street apartment the day after Christmas last year, the new city building commissioner's first instinct was to check the latest inspection report for that address.

'Disgrace' of HQ forces police operations into nearby trailer Men of low station

Sun, 11 May 2008 23:07:00 EDT

BEVERLY — For the first time since it opened in 1935, the Beverly police station was empty this weekend.
"It's kind of spooky," Lt. William Terry said on Saturday afternoon. "There's nobody in there."

Susan Flynn: Rethinking the dandelion strategy

Sat, 10 May 2008 06:00:00 EDT

The list of what I like about home ownership is long. The list of what I don't like is short. It's the lawn.
This time of year, the problem first rears its ugly head — or heads. Seemingly overnight, hundreds of dandelions sprout to the surface in a taunt of screaming yellow proportions. They announce to the world that the weed has won again, and these homeowners are in over their head — or heads.

New law will improve oversight of chemicals, chiefs say

Sat, 10 May 2008 06:00:00 EDT

DANVERS — New legislation developed in the aftermath of the Danversport explosion would fill gaps in the state's oversight of companies that handle hazardous chemicals, according to the president of the Fire Chiefs Association of Massachusetts.

Rehired Peabody dispatcher suspended by chief

Sat, 10 May 2008 06:00:00 EDT

PEABODY — The firefighter who slept through a 911 call but recently won his job back in court has been suspended without pay.
Fire Chief Steve Pasdon yesterday confirmed that he has suspended John Brophy for a total of 12 days for failing to satisfy requirements of his reinstatement. The punishment is a combination of separate suspensions of three, four and five days.

Man gets suspended sentence in Salem gun case

Sat, 10 May 2008 05:50:00 EDT

SALEM — A judge yesterday decided that prosecutors couldn't prove Jose Morales was "carrying" an unlicensed rifle as he climbed naked out the fifth-floor window of his Washington Street apartment one afternoon in 2006.

Suspicious white powder prompts quarantine at jail

Sat, 10 May 2008 05:48:00 EDT

MIDDLETON — When an envelope full of a suspicious white powder forced 18 Essex County Sheriff's Department administrators into quarantine yesterday, TV superhero Jack Bauer helped lend a hand — sort of — at Middleton Jail.

Weekend Calendar

Sat, 10 May 2008 05:45:00 EDT

Benefits
Saturday, May 10
Boston Children's Hospital Blood Drive, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., The Shoppes at Hamilton Crossing, (Crosby's Marketplace), in Kohl's RV Blood Mobile. All donations go directly to Children's Hospital Boston. 978-471-9178 or 978-468-6373.

Police

Sat, 10 May 2008 04:41:00 EDT

Topsfield
Friday
r Bryan Rae, 25, of 49 Middle St., Newburyport, was arrested at 3:36 a.m. and charged with drunken driving and a marked lanes violation after a traffic stop on Boxford Road.
Danvers

Salem Award given to Darfur 'crusader'

Fri, 09 May 2008 22:41:00 EDT

SALEM — A Renaissance literature professor who has spent nearly a decade trying to bring peace to Sudan and stop the genocide in Darfur was presented last night with the 16th annual Salem Award for Human Rights and Social Justice.

Salem shelter hit by illness

Fri, 09 May 2008 22:35:00 EDT

SALEM — The telephone at the home of Salem Mission Executive Director Mark Cote started ringing around 2:30 a.m. yesterday. A staff member at the city's homeless shelter was feeling nauseous and would not be at work. That was followed by two more phone calls from other employees with similar symptoms.

Twice as much love, double the trouble: Mothers of Multiples celebrates 50th birthday

Fri, 09 May 2008 22:00:00 EDT

DANVERS — When Barbara Bergman gave birth to her twin boys in 1957, she was beyond elation.
She and her husband had tried for years to have a child, and now they had two. But she also felt overwhelmed caring for two babies at once.

Pictures of the Week, May 2 — May 8

Fri, 09 May 2008 11:19:00 EDT

Wenham: Gordon College students Tania Green and Kyle Smith tried unsuccessfully to organize a campus support group for gay, bisexual and transgender students. Photo by Deborah Parker/Salem News Friday, May 2, 2008.

Dozens of teachers facing layoffs in Salem school budget cuts

Fri, 09 May 2008 06:00:00 EDT

SALEM — Two school principals put concrete numbers on the superintendent's grim budget predictions of earlier this week, announcing that 15 middle school teachers and 10 high school teachers will lose their jobs.

Danvers nurse critical after two-SUV crash

Fri, 09 May 2008 06:00:00 EDT

DANVERS — A 32-year-old woman from Danvers is in critical condition at Massachusetts General Hospital following a two-vehicle crash on an Interstate 495 on-ramp in North Andover yesterday.
State police said Stephanie Masick was driving a 1998 Jeep Cherokee at 6:45 a.m. from Route 114 to the interstate's northbound on-ramp when she lost control and struck a guardrail on the right side of the road.

Topsfield election results

Fri, 09 May 2008 06:00:00 EDT

SELECTMEN (2 winners)
Heidi Fox 462
Nancy Luther 674
John McArdle (i) 451
Martha Morrison 919
>
> SCHOOL COMMITTEE (2 winners)
Susan Archer 746

Incumbent, Finance Committee member tout qualifications for selectman

Fri, 09 May 2008 05:44:00 EDT
IPSWICH — Voters will choose from among four candidates for two seats on the Board of Selectmen on May 20. One is a longtime incumbent, one has sought the office before and lost, and the other two are running for elected office for the first time.

Peabody's Higgins packing its summer with courses

Fri, 09 May 2008 05:44:00 EDT
PEABODY — Summer school isn't just for those who really need it.
This year, Higgins Middle School is offering "enrichment" classes in advanced math and creative writing, adventure days with outdoor activities, introduction to musical theater, and technology exploration for more in-depth work with software and graphic design. The courses will be available in addition to the usual slate of remedial summer classes.

Club News: Troop support heads into fifth year

Fri, 09 May 2008 05:44:00 EDT
Operation Troop Support reports that Jimmy George has begun his fifth year collecting monetary donations and/or items to send to the soldiers serving in Iraq or Afghanistan.
George has faithfully stood in Danvers Square every Saturday afternoon from 2 to 4, rain or shine. The money collected has gone directly to pay the postage on the care packages, which average $10 to $20 per package, and the items donated have been sent out weekly to raise the spirit and morale of our servicemen and women.