Gallagher named principal

Sean Gallagher, who has served as acting principal at Beverly High School, has been named principal by Superintendent James Hayes Jr. Gallagher, who served as dean of students and athletic director for the Salem public schools, holds a bachelor's degree from Salem State College and a master's degree from Endicott College. Gallagher became acting principal last August when Carla Scuzzarella became principal at North Andover High School. - Steven Rosenberg

SMARTENING UP THE SCHOOLS - Sixteen teachers in the town's Cole and Spofford Pond elementary schools will soon be receiving Smart Boards to aid in instruction. The Boxford Elementary Schools Trust, a nonprofit educational foundation, teamed with the Elementary Schools PTO and the School Department to pay for the interactive white boards, which are to be installed over spring vacation next month. Through an ongoing capital campaign to enhance technology in the schools, the foundation previously paid for laptop computers for all classroom teachers and for two Smart Boards for each of the two schools. Through its Harriet Ernst endowment, named after a late Boxford teacher, the group also funded the purchase of three laptop computers for special education teachers at the Cole. The BEST foundation is continuing to raise money for another 20 Smart Boards for the schools. For more information or to donate, go to bestforboxford.org. - John Laidler

NEW LEBEL'S GROVE PLAN - A retirement community, providing independent and assisted living options for people 62 and older is now being proposed for Lebel's Grove, 23 acres on the Middleton line. The developer has scrapped a controversial plan to build a 55 and older condo complex on the site. The 236-unit development is not allowed under local zoning, though, so special zoning would have to be created. The Planning Board will continue its review of the proposal at 7 p.m. at Town Hall. - Kathy McCabe

SHELLFISH RULES DECISION DUE - The town's shellfish regulations may be changed by the Board of Selectmen at tomorrow's meeting, and the May 5 Town Meeting warrant may become final. The proposed changes in the regulations clarify aspects of the digging limit and revamp enforcement options in the case of a violation. The meeting is at 7 p.m. at the Burnham Library, Martin Street. -David Rattigan

HARBOR PLAN REVIEW SET - The city's Harbor Plan will be at issue at a special City Council meeting Tuesday. The council will meet with Mayor Carolyn Kirk and the Planning Board to discuss harbor zoning regulations and the Harbor Plan submitted by the council last year will be discussed. The meeting is at 7 p.m. at City Hall. - Steven Rosenberg

SENIOR TAX BREAK REVISITED - A property tax exemption based on age and income may be placed by selectmen on the May 5 Town Meeting warrant. To be enacted, it must be approved by the state Legislature as a home rule petition, as well as by Town Meeting. An attempt to gain a similar exemption failed previously, but Board of Selectmen chairman Bill Bowler said the board is optimistic that it might get a better result this time. -David Rattigan

WIND PROJECT GETS A LIFT - Selectmen Monday reacted favorably - but took no vote on - a proposed school system-town wind turbine project that could be presented at Town Meeting May 13. The board did vote for a letter to be sent to the YMCA in support of tax credits for the Powderhouse Village affordable housing development; approved the relocation of an electric pole on Pine Swamp Road; and approved the application for an automatic bowling machine for the Polish League of American Veterans. -David Rattigan

PRESCHOOL PARENTS SEEK HELP - A group of parents at the Lynnfield Preschool is closing in on its goal of building a new playground, initiated after the school relocated to the back of the Senior Center on South Street in the fall of 2006. Currently, the play yard offers only an old slide, according to Stacee Monkiewicz, chairwoman of the group. The parents recently raised $31,000 in private donations to buy equipment, currently in storage at the town's Public Works garage. Now they need local businesses willing to donate services to clear an area set aside Monkiewicz said the parents hope to have the site cleared in time to install the playground during April school vacation. To help, e-mail staceetm@hotmail.com. - John Laidler

LIBRARY PAJAMA PARTY - The library is holding a pajama party for children at 6:30 p.m. Wednesday. Children of all ages are invited to come dressed in their pajamas and listen to a bedtime story. The featured book will be "The Red Balloon," by Albert LaMorisse. Red pajamas are encouraged. For information, call the library at 781-334-5411. - John Laidler

READYING FOR SPRING CLEANUP - The Department of Public Works is advising residents that the town's compost site on upper School Street will open for the season April 5. Every Saturday, until December, the site will be open from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. for the drop-off of grass clippings, hedge trimmings, chipped brush, and other yard waste not exceeding 1 inch in diameter. A valid Manchester resident sticker is required for access to the compost area. The department, meanwhile, is accepting applications through March 31 for summer employment in the cemetery and water divisions. Applications may be picked up at the department's office in Town Hall. Applicants must be at least 18 years old. - John Laidler

SPRING IN YOUR STEP - Local residents can celebrate the beginning of spring by joining in a family hike from 1 to 4 p.m. next Sunday. The walk, led by the Middleton Stream Team, will follow the route of the National Grid right-of-way that goes through the middle of town. Participants will meet just before 1 p.m. on the west side of Forest Street near the entrance to Old Hundred Lane. Those taking part are advised to bring footwear suitable for wet ground conditions. For more information, e-mail streamteam@comcast.net, or call 978-777-4584. - John Laidler

TWO STATE GRANTS RECEIVED - The town was recently awarded two state planning grants. The Department of Housing and Community Development is providing $40,000 to study the possible creation of one or more smart growth zoning districts. The state law, Chapter 40R, encourages the creation of such districts, where streamlined permitting is intended to spur dense residential or mixed-use growth in suitable locations. The state's Seaport Advisory Council awarded the town $30,000 to develop a municipal harbor plan. - John Laidler

KELLEY SCHOLARSHIP APPLICATIONS - The Board of Selectmen is taking applications for the annual Charles Kelley Scholarship, an award of at least $500. The late selectman served on the board for 33 years, a record in town and believed to be the longest in modern Essex County history. For more information, call Town Hall at 781-581-0088. -David Rattigan

DEBATE OVER $950,000 LOAN DUE - The City Council on Thursday will debate a proposal to borrow $950,000 for capital improvements at the Coolidge Road water treatment plant and to remove sludge that has been stored in ponds nearby. Also on the agenda at the 7:30 p.m. City Hall meeting, are an application by Richard Hetherington for a permit for an automotive repair facility at 3 First Ave. and plans for a live music entertainment license by Brothers Kouzina, 25 Newbury St. - Steven Rosenberg

KEY SEATS UP FOR GRABS - Four candidates are running for two selectman seats at the May 6 town election. Ann-Patrice M. Hickey, Christopher Lewis, Andrew P. Heinze, and Ellen Canavan all will be listed on the ballot for the two seats that were vacated when Roxanne Tieri and Joseph Lisi chose not to run for reelection. The deadline for returning nomination papers was Tuesday. There will be one other race on the ballot, in which there are two School Committee seats open and three candidates: incumbents Brian Sullivan and Melissa Tingley and challenger Jonathan Ring. -David Rattigan

DRISCOLL STUMPS FOR CASINOS - Mayor Kimberley Driscoll Tuesday went before state officials to support Governor Deval Patrick's proposed casino legislation, in part, she said, because of the recent financial crisis in the Salem school district. Driscoll spoke before the Joint Committee on Economic Development and Emerging Technologies on Beacon Hill. "I, like many supporting the proposed casino legislation, am not a gambler," she told the panel. " I do, however, take chances every year when I am trying to put together a workable municipal budget at a time when we can no longer do more with less." She called the casino legislation a "smart bet for Massachusetts" that would provide more jobs and money for local schools, public safety needs, and roads at a time when municipalities are struggling to make ends meet. -Erin Ailworth

THREE SEEK SELECTMAN SEAT - There will be two contests in the April 29 town election. Three candidates are competing for two seats on the Board of Selectmen: Jill G. Sullivan, who won her seat in a special election in October; Town Meeting member Matthew W. Strauss; and Robert Mazow. In the other race, Martha Dansdill and Marianne Speranza Hartmann are competing to fill the seat of retiring Board of Health member Martha Pitman. Meanwhile, Maureen Thomsen and Glenn Paster, the brother of retiring selectman Marc R. Paster, are unopposed in their bids to succeed School Committee members Shelley Sackett and Dan Yaeger, who declined to seek reelection. Also unopposed are Moderator Martin Goldman, Planning Board member Eugene Barden, Board of Assessors member William C. Sullivan, who are all seeking reelection; Jonathan Penyack, running for an open seat on the Library Trustees; Richard Callahan, running for an open seat on the Housing Authority; and Patrick Jones, seeking to fill out the remaining year of the Planning Board term Jill G. Sullivan vacated when she resigned to run for the Board of Selectmen last fall. - John Laidler

TOWN GATHERING SATURDAY - Expo 2008, a free event where town boards and departments as well as community groups showcase their activities and services to the public, is Saturday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Proctor School, 60 Main St. Committees and organizations will seek to recruit volunteers at the event, sponsored by the Topsfield Main Street Foundation, and it will feature food from local eateries, live music, and children's activities. This year's expo has been expanded to incorporate Public Safety Day, in which the town's Police and Fire departments sponsor safety-related activities and demonstrations. For more information, go to topsfieldmainstreet.org. - John Laidler

TWO IN SELECTMEN'S RACE - Harriet Davis and Patricia King are vying to succeed Peter Hersee, who is not seeking reelection to the Board of Selectmen in the May 3 town election. The deadline for returning nomination papers was Monday. There will be voting for 12 offices, including two seats on the Planning Board. There is no candidate listed on the ballot for the Board of Assessors, with member John DeSimone having told the town clerk he was not running for reelection, or for the Hamilton-Wenham Library Board of Trustees, for which incumbent Wendy Daynes failed to take out nomination papers. -David Rattigan

OPENING UP THE WATERFRONT - Waterfront zoning tops the City Council agenda Tuesday. High-rise apartment buildings, hotels, conference centers, retail, and office space would be among new uses allowed in the zone. The 8 p.m. council hearing is in the council chamber. - Kathy McCabe