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This edition in one sentence: The town will pay up to $215,000 for whoever replaces Thatcher Kezer in December, and resume review starts Oct. 8; Tom McMahon asked the Board of Health to censure him and then voted for it, 5-0; a bell tolled at Memorial Park for Frederick Rimmele III, William Weems and Erik Hans Isbrandtsen, for three more with Marblehead ties who died in uniform afterward and for those lost since to illnesses traced to Ground Zero, 25 years on; Luke Morris got a conditional police badge on his birthday, weeks after 41 civil service notices came back with two applications; David Weber and Renée Sidman filled the two open Finance Committee seats; and around the edges, two students are shooting a film called “Harmony,” three solo shows open at the Arts Association on Sept. 27, Glover’s Regiment will sit in full costume for a lecture on its own surgeon, and Jo Ann Augeri Silva writes about the son who had moved to Manhattan three days before Sept. 11, 2001. — Cheers, Will.
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The Select Board approved a three-page recruitment profile Sept. 9 that sets the salary at $200,000 to $215,000 and asks for a collaborative leader who can spend a $15 million override without needing another one before fiscal 2030. Resume review begins Oct. 8, less than three months before Thatcher Kezer retires. Who sits on the screening committee has not been said.
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Tom McMahon finished his statement, moved that he be censured and waited. Nobody seconded it, and the chair asked whether the motion was even allowed. An hour of public comment followed — one resident read the definition of censure aloud, another called him a bully and told him his heart is in the right place — before a 5-0 vote that takes away nothing, because voters put him there.
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Fire Lt. Tim Cronin rang the line-of-duty signal at Memorial Park on Friday morning, 25 years after Frederick Rimmele III and William Weems boarded Flight 175 and Erik Hans Isbrandtsen went to work on the 104th floor. Police Chief Dennis King was a Salem officer that day and remembers the F-14s crossing over the LNG tank he was guarding. Veterans Agent Roseann Trionfi-Mazzuchelli was sent to the Pentagon, and has since buried six members of her unit.
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Police Chief Dennis King had the detail saved and gave it up a minute into his pitch: the young man in the navy suit beside him was turning a year older that day. The board voted unanimously for a conditional offer to Morris, an 0311 rifleman who left the Marine Corps as a lance corporal in June, while his parents, brothers and girlfriend watched from the back rows. The hire lands weeks after 41 civil service notices produced two applications.
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David Weber spent last spring in the audience — warrant deliberations, budget meetings, a Dunkin’ table where he and two others cornered a resident carrying spreadsheets. Wednesday night he was called in last of five applicants, and 20 minutes later he had the three-year seat. Renée Sidman, who runs enterprise analytics at Mass General Brigham, took the other; one member said plainly that the committee had just lost someone big into data.
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Senior Max Kane and junior Piper Browning spent the summer making “Harmony,” a short film about a student band coming apart in the days before a big performance. Both found directing through Marblehead High School’s production electives, and both credit an earlier student film that premiered at the Warwick. They built their cast and crew out of close friends, and businesses around town kept opening their doors to the shoot.
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The Marblehead Arts Association opens its fall exhibits with a free reception from 2 to 4 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 27, at 8 Hooper St. Three solo shows anchor the season: James Bostick’s “Infra Structure,” Julian Orenstein’s “Ancient Toddler: 3 Years An Artist” and Susan Irene Correia’s “The Year of the Horse 2026.” The work stays up through Halloween.
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Raymond Sullivan brings “Rough Medicine: A Medical History of the Revolution” to the J.O.J. Frost Gallery at 7 p.m. Sept. 24, on the 18th-century physicians and the wounds and diseases most common among ordinary foot soldiers. Part of it belongs to Nathaniel Bond, surgeon of the original Glover’s Regiment. Sullivan marches with the modern one, and its members will be in the audience in full costume.
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COLUMN:
Jo Ann Augeri Silva was setting out fruit and pastries for a 9 a.m. coffee when the phone rang and a friend told her to turn on the television. Her son had moved to lower Manhattan on Sept. 8 to look for work; once they knew he was safe, her husband put him on the roof of his building to report live for WBZ. Twenty-five years on, the former Marblehead Reporter editor writes about her family’s piece of that day for the first time.
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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 seven public meetings posted for Sept. 14-17, with an eighth the following week.
Board of Health, 7 p.m. Monday, Sept. 14, Abbot Hall, hybrid
Marblehead Housing Authority, 3:30 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 15, by Zoom
Abbot Public Library Board of Trustees, 5 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 15, online
Recreation and Park Commission, 5:30 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 15, 10 Humphrey St.
Historical Commission, 10 a.m. Thursday, Sept. 17, Abbot Hall, hybrid
School Committee, 6 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 17
Task Force Against Discrimination, 7 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 17, Glover School
Design Review Board, 10 a.m. Friday, Sept. 25, online
Residents should check the posted agenda for room, Zoom and participation details. These are the meetings posted so far. State law requires only 48 hours’ notice, so check the town website before heading out the door. Read more
National Grid's latest two-week update covers the weeks of Sept. 14 and Sept. 21 at 1-69 Gregory St., 1-175 Washington St., 2-14 Laurel St. and 1-5 Doane St. Pleasant Street, which appeared in the previous notice, is not listed in this one. Read more
N. Granese & Sons has finished installing water main on Shorewood Road and Park Lane, and the temporary bypass serving Prospect Street and surrounding areas is complete. Excavation for cleaning and lining is continuing. The town is directing residents to the Water Capital Improvement Project page for details as work goes on. Read more
The Board of Health will hold Household Hazardous Waste Collection Day from 4 to 7 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 7, at the transfer station, with the entrance on the Green Street access road. The event is open to Marblehead and Swampscott residents with proof of residency. New pricing runs $43 for up to 3 gallons or 6 pounds, $60 for 3 to 10 gallons or 20 pounds and $95 for 10 to 25 gallons or 50 pounds, with credit card or check only. The Board of Health can be reached at 781-631-0212. Read more
The Select Board is taking letters of interest for a committee that will plan a townwide celebration marking the 400th anniversary of Marblehead's founding in 1629. Letters go to the Select Board at Abbot Hall, 188 Washington St., or to wileyk@marbleheadma.gov. The deadline to submit is Sept. 30. Read more
The town's current vacancy list includes seats on the Affordable Housing Trust Fund, the Marblehead Housing Committee, the Conservation Commission, the Design Review Board, the Harbors and Waters Board, Marblehead Community Access and Media, the MBTA Advisory Board, the Old and Historical Districts Commission, the Task Force Against Discrimination and the Traffic Safety Advisory Committee. Terms run one to three years. Residents interested should send a letter of interest and resume to the Select Board at Abbot Hall or to wileyk@marbleheadma.gov. Read more
Village School will hold its open house Wednesday, Sept. 16, followed by Marblehead High School on Wednesday, Sept. 23, and the Brown and Glover schools on Thursday, Sept. 24. Times are not listed on the district calendar; families should watch for building-level notices. Read more
Marblehead public schools will be closed Monday, Sept. 21, for Yom Kippur. The next districtwide closing is Monday, Oct. 12, for Indigenous Peoples' Day, when Abbot Public Library will also be closed. Read more
Trails & Sails events 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, in the Thompson Makerspace. The program is open to ages 13-19 and limited to 10 participants, and online registration is required. Three spots remained open as of Saturday. Read more
State Rep. Jenny Armini will hold office hours from 10 to 11:30 a.m. Monday, Sept. 14, at the Council on Aging, 10 Humphrey St. The session is free. A “Choose Happy” program follows at 11 a.m. Read more
The JCCNS Women's Book Club will meet from 1 to 2 p.m. Monday, Sept. 14, on Zoom, and again Monday, Oct. 12. Sara Ewing can be reached at sewing@jccns.com for the link. 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. Sustainable Marblehead will bring electric vehicles to the lot, with owners on hand to answer questions from prospective buyers and the merely curious. Read more
Abbot Public Library hosts drop-in tech help with Theresa Milewski of All Computers Great and Small from 3 to 5 p.m. Tuesdays in the Marblehead Room. No registration is required. Sessions are set for Sept. 15, Sept. 22 and Sept. 29. Read more
Abbot Public Library's 3D printing demonstration for adults runs from 6 to 7 p.m. Wednesday, Sept. 16, in the Thompson Makerspace. The session shows how Tinkercad and the library's 3D printer turn a digital model into an object. The program is limited to 10 participants and is now full, with a wait list open. Read more
The Jewish Community Center of the North Shore will hold open play canasta and mah-jongg from 3 to 5 p.m. Wednesdays at 4 Community Road, beginning Sept. 16. Play is free for members and $5 for the community, and no registration is required. Read more
Story Time A-Go-Go with Debbie Leibowitz runs from 10:30 to 11 a.m. Wednesdays at Abbot Public Library. The program is for ages 1-4, registration is required and capacity is 30. Dates are Sept. 16, Sept. 23 and Sept. 30. Read more
The Marblehead Arts Association and Gene Arnould present the Christine Fawson Quartet from 7 to 9 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 17, at 8 Hooper St. Doors open at 6:30 p.m. with a cash bar. Tickets are $35 and are sold online, at the Marblehead Arts Association and at Arnould Gallery. Read more
The Friends of Abbot Public Library will accept book donations from noon to 4 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 17, in the Virginia A. Carten Gallery. Only new or gently used books are accepted, and the group can collect donations only on scheduled donation days. Read more
The Council on Aging will host a free caregiver support group from 1 to 3 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 17, at 10 Humphrey St. Sharon Doliber can be reached at dolibers@marbleheadma.gov. The COA also has a day trip that day to Danversport Yacht Club for a 1950s and '60s revue with lunch, at $99 per person. Read more
The JCCNS will hold Israeli folk dancing from 7:30 to 9 p.m. Thursdays at 4 Community Road, starting Sept. 17. The sessions are free, and organizers ask that participants RSVP to ns.israeli.folk.dance@gmail.com. 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 singer-songwriter leads participants through choosing one climate action that fits their own life and breaking it into a manageable first step. An RSVP is requested. Read more
Me&Thee Music presents an evening with Vienna Teng at 8 p.m. Friday, Sept. 18, at 28 Mugford St., with doors at 7:15 p.m. Tickets are $40, or $10 for college students with identification at the door, and are sold online only. Read more
The Council on Aging will hold its veterans coffee hour at 9 a.m. Friday, Sept. 18, at 10 Humphrey St., open to all veterans at no charge. A bereavement support group facilitated by Trish Crean of All Care VNA meets from 10 to 11:30 a.m. the same day in the COA library. RSVPs go to 781-631-6225. Read more
Trails & Sails will hold a talk on the 1775 expansion of the Marblehead fort from 11 a.m. to noon Friday, Sept. 18, at Fort Sewall. A walking tour of Marblehead at the time of the Revolution follows from 2 to 4 p.m. downtown. Read more
The Marblehead Farmers Market runs from 9 a.m. to noon Saturdays at Veterans Middle School, 217 Pleasant St., with entry from Vine Street. The 2026 season continues through Nov. 21. 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 clearing litter from beaches at 11 a.m. and parks at 2 p.m. Organizers list the meeting location as still to be determined and are directing volunteers to register through SPUR. Read more
The Friends of Abbot Public Library will hold their fall book sale from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 19, in the library's event center. Proceeds pay for library programs and services, including museum passes and the Library of Things. Read more
The TQM Win 4 All Pickleball Tournament will run from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 19, at Veterans School, 217 Pleasant St. The all-levels doubles tournament benefits Girls Inc. of Boston and Lynn. Entry was $65, and the event is now sold out; spectators are welcome. Read more
Jazz in the Garden will run from 2 to 4 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 20, at 10 Central St., with pianist Joe Mulholland and bassist Bruce Gertz. Admission is $20 to $35 for adults and $10 or free for children. Reservations are encouraged at 781-888-4312, and walk-ins are seated first come, first served after 2 p.m. Read more
Abbot Public Library will hold Spark Your Senses from 3 to 4 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 22. A session for ages 6-13 runs in the Thompson Makerspace and a session for ages 14 and up runs in the Killam Teen Center. No registration is required for either. Read more
Abbot Public Library will host author Eileen Flanagan from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. Wednesday, Sept. 23, in the event center. The talk is co-sponsored by the Friends of Abbot Public Library, the League of Women Voters of Marblehead's Community-Connection-Climate series and the 350 Mass North Shore Node, with books sold by Copper Dog Books. Registration is required and capacity is 80. Read more
The Marblehead Arts Association will hold a Make It and Take It stained glass workshop from 6 to 9 p.m. Wednesday, Sept. 23, at 8 Hooper St. Carol Cross leads the class, and participants take home a finished piece. Registration is required. Read more
St. Andrew's Church will open its fall rummage sale with a preview party from 7 to 9 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 24, at 135 Lafayette St. Admission to the preview is $10. The main sale follows from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 26, with free admission and a $5 stuff-a-bag hour from noon to 1 p.m. Read more
The JCCNS will host Downsizing 101 from 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 24, at 4 Community Road. Professional organizer and senior move specialist Rachel Carlino-Dangora leads the free session, part of the monthly midday speaker series, and coffee and bagels will be served. An RSVP is required. Read more
Raymond Sullivan will give a talk on 18th-century military medicine at 7 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 24, in the J.O.J. Frost Gallery at the Marblehead Museum. The program covers the diseases and wounds common among foot soldiers and the career of Nathaniel Bond, surgeon of the original Glover's Regiment. Tickets are $10 for members and $15 for the public. Read more
The Council on Aging will show “Remarkably Bright Creatures” at 12:30 p.m. Friday, Sept. 25. Admission is $15 and must be bought in advance. Free transportation is available for 12 riders. Read more
The Marblehead Museum will hold a free Trails and Sails program from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 26, at the Jeremiah Lee Mansion, 170 Washington St. Actress Meghan Boehmer portrays Sarah Griste Mugford, wife of James Mugford, in a look at the lives of Revolution-era women. First-floor tours of the mansion are included. Read more
The Marblehead Arts Association will hold an opening reception from 2 to 4 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 27, at 8 Hooper St. Four shows run Sept. 26 through Oct. 31: the 2026 Photography Exhibition, “Infra Structure” by James Bostick, “Ancient Toddler: 3 Years An Artist” by Julian Orenstein and “The Year of the Horse 2026” by Susan Irene Correia. Read more
The JCCNS will hold Schmooze and News from 10:30 to 11:30 a.m. Sunday, Sept. 27, at 4 Community Road. The session is free and no registration is required. Read more
The JCCNS North Shore Singers will begin a 10-week season from 1 to 2 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 29, at 4 Community Road under director Debra Basil. The group says no musical experience is necessary. The cost is $115 for members and $125 for the community, and Sara Ewing can be reached at 857-285-7913. Read more
Abbot Public Library's adult mystery book club will discuss “The Widow” by John Grisham from 10:30 to 11:30 a.m. Tuesday, Sept. 29, in the Marblehead Room. Registration is required and capacity is 15. Read more
Gina Kelly of the Senior Medicare Patrol will lead a free workshop on protecting against Medicare fraud at 1 p.m. Wednesday, Sept. 30, at the Council on Aging, 10 Humphrey St. Registration is required at 781-631-6225. Read more
The Marblehead Counseling Center will hold Swamp-Stock: Rock the Night! at 6 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 1, at 153 Humphrey St. in Swampscott. The center calls it its first rock 'n' roll fundraiser, with live music, dancing and light hors d'oeuvres. Tickets are sold through Eventbrite. Read more
Me&Thee Music presents an evening with Rj Cowdery and Hope Dunbar at 8 p.m. Friday, Oct. 2, at 28 Mugford St. Tickets are $30, or $10 for college students with identification at the door. Read more
Discover Marblehead and the Marblehead Museum will hold the 7th annual Fall Fair from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 3, in the Lee Mansion garden at 170 Washington St. Admission is free, and the fair will include 21 artist vendors, portrait drawing by Acorn Gallery students and beverages from Shaken & Served. Pumpkin decorating kits will be sold, with proceeds going to the Marblehead Food Pantry. Read more
Abbot Public Library will host author Windy Pham for a bilingual Moon Festival story time and cultural workshop from 10:30 to 11:30 a.m. Saturday, Oct. 3, in the event center. The program is for ages 3-8 and their families and is supported in part by a Marblehead Cultural Council grant. Registration opens at 9 a.m. Monday, Sept. 14, and space is limited. Read more
The Unitarian Universalist Church of Marblehead will present “What is Christian Nationalism?” from 2 to 4 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 4, at 28 Mugford St. The free program is part of the church's Meetinghouse Series and is listed under its Social Action Committee. Read more
The JCCNS will host its Senior Jazz and Lunch Hour with the Insight Band from 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 7, at 4 Community Road. The concert and lunch are free and open to all seniors, but an RSVP with a tuna or egg salad preference is required by the Friday before. Lauren Weiss can be reached at 857-285-7959. Read more
Abbot Public Library's cookbook club will take up Irish cooking with Linda Bassett from 12:30 to 2 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 7, in the event center. The Friends of Abbot Public Library sponsor the program. Registration opens at 9 a.m. Monday, Sept. 14. Read more
Abbot Public Library will hold a watch party for an online discussion with author Candace Fleming from 7 to 8 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 7, in the Killam Teen Center. The program is for ages 13-18, registration is required and the in-person party is limited to 18. Teens can also sign up to join by Zoom. Read more
The Council on Aging will run an overnight trip to Sunday River in Maine from Oct. 8 to Oct. 10, built around the resort's fall festival, a Chondola ride to Moose Lake and a moose safari. The cost is $899 per person, double occupancy. Residents can reach the COA at 781-631-6225. Read more
North Shore Community Action Programs will hold its 6th annual Fall Classic Golf Tournament Tuesday, Oct. 13, at Ferncroft Country Club, with a shotgun start at 11 a.m. and a cocktail reception from 3:30 to 4:30 p.m. Entry is $250 per player, with a $25 discount for military members and first responders. Sponsorships run $250 to $5,000. Read more
The JCCNS and Congregation Shirat Hayam will present an evening of music, remembrance and support for Israel from 7 to 9 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 13, at 55 Atlantic Ave. in Swampscott. Three string musicians from the Israel Symphony Orchestra will perform. The minimum donation is $36 a person, and $108 or more includes a reception after the concert. Read more
Medicare open enrollment runs from Oct. 15 through Dec. 7, and the Council on Aging is booking appointments with SHINE counselors to review 2027 plan options. A separate annual Medicare presentation by Pete Bowen, covering changes for 2027, is set for 12:30 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 21. Appointments can be made at 781-631-6225. Read more
The JCCNS Jewish Book Month speaker series runs Oct. 21 through Nov. 19, and tickets are on sale now. The series opens with Hank Phillippi Ryan discussing “Mother Daughter Sister Stranger” from 7 to 8:30 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 21, at 4 Community Road. The JCCNS will also sell books and tickets in its lobby from 8 to 10 a.m. Oct. 15. Read more
The Marblehead Cultural Council is accepting applications through 11:59 p.m. Oct. 15 for grants supporting arts, humanities and interpretive science programs in the 2027 calendar year. The council has $8,200 to award, and all projects must benefit Marblehead residents. Applications are taken online only, and the council can be reached at marbleheadculturalcouncil@gmail.com. Read more
North Shore Community Action Programs says its home energy assistance application and recertification period runs from Oct. 1 through April 30, covering heating costs between Nov. 1 and April 30. Income limits start at $51,777 for a one-person household and $99,573 for a household of four. First-time applicants need an intake interview; Marblehead residents can call 978-531-0767, ext. 136, or email energyassistance@nscap.org. 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
Unused medications can be dropped off at the Marblehead Police Station, 11 Gerry St., where the lobby is open 24 hours. 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
The Marblehead Female Humane Society provides financial assistance to residents facing hardship, but requests must come through a third party. Referrals can be made by the Marblehead Counseling Center, the Marblehead Housing Authority, the Council on Aging, the food pantry or local clergy. Read more
HAWC provides free, confidential services to people experiencing domestic abuse, with support available in person and virtually in 23 North Shore communities including Marblehead. The 24-hour hotline is 800-547-1649; the Salem office can be reached at 978-744-8552 from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. weekdays. Anyone in immediate danger should call 911. Read more
YWCA Northeastern Massachusetts offers free and confidential sexual assault and rape crisis services to people 13 and older across Essex County, including counseling, hospital accompaniment, court advocacy and school education programs. Its hotlines run around the clock at 877-509-9922 for sexual assault and 844-372-9922 for domestic violence. Read more
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