TODAY'S EDITION IN ONE SENTENCE: Marblehead turns out to celebrate and send off Nikolay “Niko” Kuzmina before his move south, FinCom demands clearer numbers behind an $8.4 million budget gap as health insurance keeps tightening the screws, a lantern-lit march honors Gen. John Glover while the push to preserve his farmhouse finds fresh energy, the Board of Health greenlights an addiction recovery series and transfer station changes, the state offers a cautious thumbs-up on Marblehead’s MBTA zoning draft, we did the homework on the health-insurance line item that’s crowding out the tax levy (and built a visualization you should click) and Computer 101 makes the case for backing up your backups.— Cheers, Will

P.S. We hit our goal of 100 monthly and annual supporters by Jan. 31. It takes about $80,000 per year to keep the Independent going, and we are getting there week by week. Thank you to everyone who has stepped up to help keep our reporting strong. Next up: 175 supporters by July 1. To become a member, click here. 

The line item eating Marblehead's tax levy

Marblehead’s health insurance bill is rising fast — $12.3M this year, $13.6M next year — and we dug through years of budget history to show how this one line item is starting to crowd out everything else the town wants to fund. Make sure you check out the visualization too, by clicking here.

FinCom digs into the math

behind Marblehead’s $8.4M hole

The Finance Committee pushed town officials for a clearer, department-by-department breakdown of what’s driving the gap — and what cuts could actually look like. A big driver: health insurance, where another major jump could wipe out most of the town’s yearly budget “new money.”

Marblehead turns out to say goodbye to Niko

The Warwick filled up as friends gathered for a warm, very Marblehead sendoff for Nikolay “Niko” Kuzmina — the Stop & Shop checkout mainstay — before his move to Florida after his mother’s death. It’s a story about the kind of quiet, daily kindness that turns into a whole town showing up.

State gives Marblehead’s

MBTA zoning draft a thumbs-up

Massachusetts Attorney General Andrea Campbell has sued Marblehead, alleging the town failed to comply with MBTA Communities zoning requirements. The case could have significant implications for local housing policy and development.

Board of Health backs recovery series, moves transfer station work forward

The Board of Health signed on to an addiction recovery program designed to be accessible and confidential, while also approving updates tied to ongoing transfer station changes. It’s a meeting that shows how “public health” in town government is both people-focused and nuts-and-bolts.

Lanterns, musket fire

and a fresh push to save Glover’s home

In bitter cold, residents and reenactors marched up Old Burial Hill to honor Gen. John Glover with the town’s long-running lantern-lit tradition. The commemoration doubled as fuel for renewed preservation energy around Glover’s farmhouse — history, but also a present-tense fight over what gets saved.

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COMPUTER 101:

Who’s backing up your backups?

A practical guide to the backup basics people skip until it’s too late: what “local backup” means, what to use (thumb drive vs external drive vs network storage), and how to build a simple belt-and-suspenders setup. The theme: one backup is none; two is one.

Browse the Independent's newsletter archive

We’ve created a Marblehead Independent newsletter archive — a new feature that will be updated weekly. The archive lets readers browse past editions, revisit favorite stories and follow Marblehead’s civic debates, cultural life and everyday news, week by week.

AROUND TOWN

This week’s community bulletin highlights key town deadlines, meetings, programs, events and civic reminders. Click any blue item to go directly to source material, registration pages or full details.

Local author earns national recognition: Marblehead historian Eric Jay Dolin’s forthcoming book, “The Wreck of the Mentor,” scheduled for publication June 2, was named by The New York Times as one of the most anticipated nonfiction books of 2026.

Immigration forum: Old North Church, 8 Stacey St., Marblehead, will host a rescheduled forum on immigration enforcement Feb. 10 at 6:30 p.m., featuring Marblehead immigration attorneys Diann Slavit Baylis and Nancy Norman and Brandeis University policy expert Dr. Alexandra Piñeros-Shields.

Bells to ring across Marblehead for Washington's Birthday: The Select Board approved a ceremonial bell ringing at Abbot Hall and participating churches on Washington's Birthday, Feb. 22. Bells will ring during traditional holiday intervals in keeping with longstanding town custom.

Multiple vacancies: The Select Board has posted vacancies on several appointed town boards and commissions, including the Conservation Commission, Design Review Board, Disabilities Commission, Marblehead Cultural Council, Marblehead Community Access and Media, the Old & Historic Districts Commission (alternate) and the Task Force Against Discrimination. Residents interested in serving must submit a letter of interest and resume to the Select Board at Abbot Hall, 188 Washington St., or by email to wileyk@marbleheadma.gov. Positions remain open until filled.

Resident facilities permits available: The Board of Health says facility permit sticker applications are open, with stickers valid Jan. 1-Dec. 31 and required for Transfer Station access and resident parking at Devereux Beach.

Current exhibits continue at MAA: Multiple exhibitions are on view at the Marblehead Arts Association, 8 Hooper St., through Feb. 21, with galleries open Wednesday through Sunday from noon to 5 p.m.

Free tax prep: Abbot Public Library is taking reservations beginning Jan. 26 for its AARP Tax Counseling Program, offering free tax preparation assistance on Tuesday afternoons from Feb. 3 through April 14 at the library's event center, 235 Pleasant St.

Fuel assistance applications open: The North Shore Community Action Programs is accepting applications for fuel assistance, which helps low-income households pay heating bills. A household of one with annual income below $45,392 or two people below $59,359 is eligible, with higher thresholds for larger families. New applicants and returning customers should contact Nancy at the Council on Aging at 781-631-6225 for help completing paperwork.