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This edition in one sentence: The town will sell or ground lease the Coffin School for housing and nothing else, with proposals due Oct. 19 and the 37,000 square feet Recreation and Parks wanted held back reduced to a right of access; the School Committee split facilities off the finance job Mike Pfifferling leaves in November and gave it to Kristen Morello, and the Select Board made Shaun Strobel town treasurer; one unanswered question about liability stopped the light commissioners from casting the last vote Green Communities needs; Dan Koh won the six-way primary for Seth Moulton’s seat with about $4.5 million behind him and 6.5% of it raised inside the district; Ed Markey turned back the argument that 86 is too old, 74.2% to 25.8%; Marblehead nearly doubled its 2024 turnout to 36.7% and still watched both hometown names lose past the town line; nine schools opened on four different days; and around the edges, the League of Women Voters closed its Observer Corps after 399 reports, and Marblehead Little Theatre turns 70 at Abbot Hall with a 20-piece orchestra. — Cheers, Will.
Alongside our 122 members, this edition of The Independent’s newsletter is made possible by the support of Marblehead Custom Jewelry. Learn more by clicking the logo:
The story of Marblehead Custom Jewelry began in a home studio in 2012, rooted in Steven Manchini’s dedication to the art of fine jewelry. This passion grew into a partnership with fellow artisan Ernie Thomas and, with Maria Demos providing operational direction, evolved into the vision for our Washington Street atelier. Our shared desire was to create a different kind of experience: a comfortable, alternative showroom where clients can relax and discuss their bespoke design directly with the jeweler. The addition of GIA Graduate Gemologist Graham Henderson completes our team, ensuring every client receives comprehensive, expert counsel from start to finish.
The town will sell or ground lease 1 Turner Road for housing and nothing else, with a walkthrough Sept. 22 and proposals due Oct. 19. Recreation and Parks wanted the town to hold the roughly 37,000 square feet its department already maintains; the solicitation gives the public access rights to that ground instead of the ground itself. Commission Chair Karin Ernst drew the line between open space and public space.
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Dan Koh won the six-way Democratic primary Tuesday for the 6th District seat Seth Moulton is leaving, beating state Rep. Tram Nguyen and four others. He raised about $4.5 million, more than anyone in the field, though only $271,000 of it — 6.5% — came from inside the district. He would be the first Asian American elected to Congress from Massachusetts.
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The Associated Press called it at 8:31 p.m. Tuesday, with Ed Markey ahead of Seth Moulton 21,383 to 7,451 in early returns, or 74.2% to 25.8%. Markey will be 86 when the term he just won the right to seek runs out, a fact nobody in the race disputed. Emerson’s final poll had him carrying voters under 40 by roughly two to one.
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Rather than refill the assistant superintendent post Mike Pfifferling is leaving, John Robidoux asked the School Committee to carve facilities and operations out of it and hire a director of finance instead. The committee approved the restructure unanimously and took up the appointment at its Sept. 3 meeting. Pfifferling goes to Andover in November, after steering the district through two punishing budget cycles and the $47.6 million fiscal 2027 school budget.
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The Select Board voted unanimously Aug. 31 to appoint Shaun Strobel town treasurer through June 2027, filling a post the town created by pulling treasury back out of its combined treasurer-collector job. Strobel has run treasury offices in Marshfield, Worcester and Pawtucket, Rhode Island, and started as deputy director of treasury in Portland, Maine. He has managed budgets ranging from $100,000 to $900 million.
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Eight years of work had left Marblehead one utility signature short of Green Communities designation and about $140,000 to $160,000 in first-year money. Then commissioner Mike Hull opened the agreement the light department would have to sign and asked who pays if it defaults on the grant, and no one in the room could answer. Chair Jean-Jacques Yarmoff sent the question to the state’s lawyers instead of calling a vote.
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The five district schools took everyone back Monday, Aug. 31 — PreK through 12, with no staggered kindergarten start, no separate high school day and no half day to ease in. Devereux and Epstein Hillel followed Sept. 1. Tower waits until Sept. 8 and its youngest grades until Sept. 9, which makes four different first days for any family with children in more than one building.
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NEWS ANALYSIS:
Marblehead cast 5,679 ballots Tuesday against 3,005 in 2024, a turnout of 36.7% and a jump of 18.7 percentage points. It also lands three ballots away from the 5,682 the town cast in 2022, which makes this less a rising trend than one primary that got Marblehead’s attention. Democratic ballots were 4,822 of the total, 84.9%, and the two hometown names on them still came up short past the town line.
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By 7 a.m. Tuesday, 2,521 Marblehead ballots had been cast early or by mail — 14.8% of the town’s 17,057 registered voters, against a statewide pre-Election Day rate near 10.7%. Voters returned 1,964 of the 2,851 mail ballots sent, a 68.9% return rate, and another 557 came in during the early in-person week. Democratic ballots made up about 87% of the early vote.
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BENEATH THE BLUE:
Spearfishing asks a diver to do three hard things at once: hold a breath, read what the fish are about to do and put a spear where it needs to go. Ryan Park takes the polespear over the speargun, partly for the simplicity and the quicker reload and partly because he wants the extra difficulty. Fish spook easily, so most of the work happens before the shot, in noticing what the water is telling you.
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EDITOR’S DESK:
The League of Women Voters said Aug. 29 that its Observer Corps is finished, seven years and 399 dated reports after it started filling a news desert. Fifteen volunteers sat through meetings on laundry machines, curb cuts and beach ramps under instructions not to speak, not to interview anyone and not to ask for documents. Bonnie Grenier said the reason for stopping was not fatigue but that local coverage had caught up.
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Marblehead Little Theatre brings singers from its own productions going back to the 1960s to Abbot Hall, backed by a 20-piece orchestra, with numbers from “The Fantasticks,” “A Little Night Music” and “Kiss Me Kate.” Doors open at 6:30 p.m. for a silent auction, raffle, Prosecco and desserts, and the program starts at 7. Nine members will receive the company’s Ginny Award.
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The Marblehead Independent’s newsletter archive gives readers one place to revisit past editions, catch up on weeks they missed and track how the town’s biggest stories unfolded over time. It is an easy way to browse the paper’s recent history in the format many readers know best: a full, curated weekly edition built around the stories that mattered most.
Link to archive
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.
Marblehead has six public meetings posted for Sept. 8-10: the Planning Board at 6 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 8; the School Committee Policy Subcommittee at 1 p.m. Wednesday, Sept. 9; the Cemetery Board at 3:30 p.m. Wednesday, Sept. 9; the Select Board and Board of Health at 7 p.m. Wednesday, Sept. 9; and the Conservation Commission at 7 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 10. Residents should check the posted agenda for room, Zoom and participation details. Read more
National Grid’s latest two-week update lists work for the weeks of Sept. 7 and Sept. 14 on Pleasant Street, 1-175 Washington St., 2-14 Laurel St., 1-5 Doane St. and 1-69 Gregory St. No work is planned for Labor Day, Monday, Sept. 7. Read more
N. Granese & Sons has completed water main installation on Shorewood Road and Park Lane, and the temporary bypass serving Prospect Street and surrounding areas has been completed. The town is directing residents to the Water Capital Improvement Project page for more details as work continues. Read more
The Jewish Community Center of the North Shore will hold its Doggie Dip at the outdoor pool from 4 to 6 p.m. Monday, Sept. 7, at 4 Community Road. The event is open to local dogs, costs $5 per dog and requires owners to accompany their dogs with proof of town license and rabies vaccination. Read more
Abbot Public Library will hold Bookworm Bookmarks from 4 to 5:30 p.m. Wednesday, Sept. 9. Children ages 8-12 will design beaded bookmarks with book- and reading-inspired charms; space is limited to 12 children, and online registration is required. Read more
The Writers & Readers Open Mic will run from 7 to 8:30 p.m. Wednesday, Sept. 9, at Abbot Public Library. Suzanne Pinto, author of the memoir “Rowing Home,” will open the 2026-27 series before the microphone opens to community readers and writers for five-minute segments; registration is required. Read more
The JCCNS will host “Understanding Antisemitism Today: Navigating Conversations about Israel” from 7 to 8:30 p.m. Wednesday, Sept. 9, at 4 Community Road. The free community conversation will be moderated with Dr. Rachel Fish. Read more
An oyster upweller open house will run from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 10, at the Marblehead harbormaster’s office, 9 Ferry Lane. Visitors can see how the oysters have grown this season and learn how the upweller supports young oysters, water filtration and coastal restoration. Read more
Judy Anderson will give an illustrated talk on Marblehead’s loyalists at 7 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 10, at the Marblehead Museum. The program will look at about a dozen local heads of household with Tory sympathies during the Revolution and trace their motivations, actions and fates. Read more
The Marblehead Police and Fire Departments will hold a remembrance ceremony at 10 a.m. Friday, Sept. 11, at Memorial Park. The ceremony marks the 25th anniversary of the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks. Read more
The Spirit of ’76 Patriot 5K run, walk and ruck will begin at 9 a.m. Saturday, Sept. 12. The event raises money for Company to Heroes to support service-dog training for veterans, with post-race food planned at the Marblehead Veterans of Foreign Wars. Read more
The Marblehead Farmers Market will run from 9 a.m. to noon Saturday, Sept. 12, at Veterans Middle School, 217 Pleasant St. The market is held Saturdays from 9 a.m. to noon. Read more
A Trails & Sails outdoor talk on the Marblehead fort during the Revolution will run from noon to 1 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 12, near the entrance to Fort Sewall. Donations are welcome; in case of rain, the talk will move inside the white brick structure. Read more
Trails & Sails events on Sunday, Sept. 13, include a tour of Robert “King” Hooper’s mansion from noon to 1:30 p.m.; a 2 p.m. tour of Abbot Hall’s WPA murals and the original “Spirit of ’76” painting; and a 4 p.m. walking tour of Marblehead at the time of the Revolution. Read more
Abbot Public Library will hold a 3D printing session for teens from 3 to 4 p.m. Monday, Sept. 14. The program is open to ages 13-19, limited to 10 participants and requires online registration. Read more
The monthly MHD Cruise-In will run from 6 to 8 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 15, at the Devereux Beach parking lot off Ocean Avenue, weather permitting. Sustainable Marblehead will join the event with electric vehicles and EV owners available to answer questions. Read more
Abbot Public Library will hold a 3D printing demonstration for adults from 6 to 7 p.m. Wednesday, Sept. 16. Adults ages 20 and up can learn how Tinkercad and the library’s 3D printer turn a digital model into a physical object; space is limited to 10 participants, and registration is required. Read more
Sustainable Marblehead will host “Find Your Climate Action with Vienna Teng” from 4 to 5 p.m. Friday, Sept. 18, at Me&Thee Music, 28 Mugford St. The workshop is designed to help participants identify climate actions that fit their lives, interests and priorities. Read more
Sustainable Marblehead and SPUR will hold a Land & Sea Cleanup from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 19, with volunteers cleaning beaches at 11 a.m. and parks at 2 p.m. Read more
The Marblehead Cultural Council is accepting applications through Oct. 15 for grants supporting arts, humanities and interpretive science programs in the 2027 calendar year. Applicants must show how a project contributes to the quality of life of people who live and work in Marblehead. The 10-member council can be reached at marbleheadculturalcouncil@gmail.com. Read more
The Marblehead Disabilities Commission urges residents with disabilities who may need special assistance in an emergency to provide information for the town’s Disabled Identification Registry. Residents can contact Laurie Blaisdell at 781-631-0142, and those who sign up are asked to update the Fire Department if their disability or living arrangements change. Read more
Marblehead’s partnership with BLOOM gives residents free access to confidential, personalized support for mental health therapy, psychiatry, substance use support, parenting, elder care and personal well-being. Residents can activate an account to access coaching, therapy, live events and on-demand resources. Read more
North Shore Community Action Programs says its home energy assistance application and recertification period runs from Oct. 1 through April 30. Marblehead residents with questions can call 978-531-0767, ext. 136, or email energyassistance@nscap.org. Read more
Unused medications can be dropped off at the Marblehead Police Station, 11 Gerry St., where the lobby is open 24/7. The Board of Health also accepts sharps, lancets and unopened hypodermic needles from residents when they are brought to the office in an approved rigid, leak-proof, puncture-resistant and shatter-proof container with a tightly closed lid. Read more
HAWC provides free, confidential services to people experiencing domestic abuse, with support available in person and virtually. The 24-hour hotline is 800-547-1649; the office can be reached at 978-744-8552 during regular business hours. Anyone in immediate danger should call 911. Read more
YWCA Northeastern Massachusetts lists free and confidential sexual assault and rape crisis services, including counseling, community education and court advocacy. Its 24/7 hotlines are 877-509-9922 for sexual assault and 844-372-9922 for domestic violence. Read more
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