Guiding young authors

Children's author Kathleen Benner Duble will help fifth-graders hone their writing skills in a special program at the Spofford Pond School Tuesday. Duble, a Boxford resident, will discuss how she finds an idea for a book and then researches the historical period involved to develop her plot. The presentation will draw from her most recent work, "Quest," which recounted the tale of Henry Hudson's ill-fated attempt to reach Asia by going over the Arctic Circle. Duble will then work with children on an exercise to help them develop character and plot in their writing. The program is sponsored through an Educator in Residence grant from the Boxford Elementary Schools Trust.

- John Laidler

DOWNTOWN HOLIDAY - Beverly Main Streets and downtown businesses will celebrate "Merry Main Streets" on Dec.11. Businesses will decorate their windows for the day and offer customers holiday treats. At 5:30 p.m., carolers from North Shore Music Theatre, schools, and churches will stroll through the downtown singing holiday songs.

- Steven Rosenberg

FLAMMABLE STORAGE - The Board of Selectmen on Tuesday will hold a public hearing on a flammable storage license application filed by Illinois Tool Works Co. and Devcon/Plexus, located at 30 Endicott St. The companies have applied for permission to store 150,000 gallons of Class 1 liquids, which have a flash point below 100 degrees; 170,000 gallons of Class 2 liquids, which have a flash point at or above 100 degrees; and 2,500 pounds of flammable solids. The hearing will be held as part of the board's meeting, scheduled for 7 p.m. in the Daniel J. Toomey Hearing Room at Town Hall. - Kathy McCabe

HELPING THE HARBOR - A community forum, Fresh Ideas for Our Harbor, will be held at City Hall on Dec. 8 at 7 p.m. The forum, sponsored by Citizens for Gloucester Harbor, a coalition of groups that seeks to strengthen the city's fisheries and waterfront, will include a showing of the film "Saving Gloucester Harbor." Scheduled speakers for the forum are former Gloucester Times columnist Peter Anastas, fisherman Vito Giacalone, and former Gloucester city councilor Valerie Nelson. - Steven Rosenberg

GIFTS FOR FOSTER CHILDREN - Foster Kids of the Merrimack Valley Inc., a nonprofit organization that strives to help meet the needs of area foster children, is seeking anonymous volunteers to become Santa's Helpers and bring joy to a foster child this Christmas. Volunteers will be asked to fulfill a specific wish list, including a personal item and a toy. The estimated average gift value per child is $100. Santa's Helpers are asked not to spend more than $125, to ensure parity among the children's gifts. All gifts must be purchased and dropped off by Dec. 6. The Haverhill drop-off location is Adamson Industries at 45 Research Drive. If you would like to participate in the Santa's Helper program and shop for a foster child this holiday season, contact santashelpers@fosterkidsmv.org. Cash donations in lieu of gifts will be gratefully accepted. For more information, visit www.fosterkidsmv.org

- Brenda J. Buote

PERSONAL FINANCE SEMINAR - The Hamilton-Wenham Public Library is sponsoring a personal finance seminar to cover how to plan for your financial future, individual financial planning, homestead exemptions, and more. The seminar is scheduled for Wednesday, Dec. 3, from 6 to 9 p.m. and is free. It will be cosponsored by the Wenham Council on Aging. For more information call 978-468-5577 or visit www.hwlibrary.org. The library is located at 14 Union St., Hamilton. - David Rattigan

SELECTMEN'S AGENDA - The Board of Selectmen plans to hold a tax classification hearing and determine whether to renew shellfish grants for an aquaculture project on town-owned clam flats as part of tomorrow's meeting at 7:30 p.m. at Town Hall, Green Street. - David Rattigan

PROPERTY TAX HIKE - The town has established a fiscal 2009 tax rate of $8.25 per $1,000, subject to approval from the state Department of Revenue. The rate, set by the Board of Assessors, maintains the town's policy of having a single tax rate for residential and commercial property. The new rate would represent a 72-cent increase over the fiscal 2008 tax rate of $7.53 per $1,000. Town Administrator Wayne Melville said 63 cents of that increase will cover debt for the ongoing construction of a new regional middle and high school. Based on an $8.25 rate, the owner of an average single-family home valued at $1,061,100 would pay $8,754 in fiscal 2009. That's an increase of $849 over the $7,905 paid in fiscal 2008 by the owner of an average single-family home valued at $1,049,800, according to principal assessor Ginny Thompson. - John Laidler

CELEBRATE ALL MONTH - The annual Marblehead Christmas Walk kicks off Thursday. Unlike past years, the 2008 holiday festival is not just a four-day event, but instead will extend through the month of December. The Chamber of Commerce, which runs the festival, decided on the longer schedule to accommodate more visitors and spending. Also new this year, the chamber is partnering with the town's Light Department, which will provide energy-efficient lighting for the tree at Abbot Hall and other locations. The festival is designed to give residents and visitors an opportunity to shop in downtown stores and enjoy varied entertainment. For a full schedule and additional information, go to www.visitmarblehead.com. - John Laidler

TAX HEARING TUESDAY - The Board of Selectmen will hold its annual tax classification hearing Tuesday. The town is required to hold a hearing each year to decide whether to set separate tax rates for residents and businesses, and if so how much of the tax burden to shift on to businesses. Middleton has always had a single tax rate, according to Board of Selectman chairman Kosta Prentakis. Based on the board's decision, the town will establish its fiscal 2009 tax rate or rates, subject to approval from the state Department of Revenue. - John Laidler

LANDFILL TRIAL SCHEDULED FOR APRIL - It will be at least another five months before court action is taken against the owner and operator of the Crow Lane Landfill, after a Suffolk Superior Court judge determined that he could not proceed with a trial until April. The office of Attorney General Martha Coakley earlier this month filed a complaint in Suffolk Superior Court against New Ventures Associates LLC, alleging the company is in contempt of a preliminary injunction previously entered by the court in October 2006. Coakley's office asked the court to order New Ventures to control leachate, a foul-smelling liquid that drains from the landfill; respond to odor complaints; and to operate the landfill gas control system to properly filter noxious hydrogen sulfide emissions that continue to threaten the health and safety of nearby residents. Superior Court Judge Peter M. Lauriat ordered New Ventures to answer the attorney general's complaint by Dec. 19 and scheduled the contempt trial for April 23 and 24. If New Ventures is found to be in contempt of the 2006 preliminary injunction, the company will be forced to comply with its terms. - Brenda J. Buote

SALUTE TO BERRY - Senate majority leader Frederick E. Berry, a Peabody Democrat, was recently recognized by Heritage Industries for his service to the organization as its former director and for his 26 years in the state Senate as an advocate for people with disabilities. The award came during the a 50th anniversary celebration of the group on Nov. 21 at Peabody City Hall. Now a division of North Shore Arc, Heritage provides vocational services to people with disabilities. - John Laidler

SANTA CLAUS IS COMING - Santa Claus is scheduled to arrive via lobster boat at Tuna Wharf on Bearskin Neck Saturday, Dec. 6, at 3:45 p.m. Santa's appearance will come just before the annual 4 p.m. tree-lighting festivities at Dock Square. Singers are invited to join the Dock Square Carolers to welcome in the season, greeting Santa and the public at the tree lighting. A rehearsal for carolers will be held at the Rockport Art Association prior to the ceremony at 2:15 p.m. - David Rattigan

GRANT TO FUND PARK IMPROVEMENTS - Salem has received a $500,000 grant from the state's Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs to renovate Furlong Park on Franklin Street. Renovations will include construction of a new boat launch, repairs to the Little League baseball diamond and tennis court, replacement of an existing tot lot, and improved erosion control. - Steven Rosenberg

FLOOD FUNDS RECEIVED - The town recently applied for a $767,000 Federal Emergency Management Agency grant to help fund a project to alleviate chronic flooding at Town Creek. The funding would cover 75 percent of the estimated $1.02 million project, according to Board of Selectmen chairman Jerry Klima. The recent state environmental bond bill authorized funding for the project, which the town also will seek. The proposed work entails replacing the existing culvert with two new ones, and installing two tide gates to better control the flow of storm surges at the creek. The project also will help restore the Town Creek salt marsh. - John Laidler

WINTER PARKING BAN BEGINS - The Police Department is reminding residents that the town's annual winter parking restrictions begin tomorrow morning. Until March 30, motor vehicles cannot be parked for more than one hour on any town street between 1 and 6 a.m., regardless of weather conditions. There is one exception: residents who do not have off-street parking are eligible to purchase a sticker from the Police Department that exempts them from the restriction. Any other vehicles parked in violation of the rule will be towed. During snow emergencies, there is no parking on streets regardless of the hours.

- John Laidler

FOSTER CHILDREN HAVE NEW HOMES - Eleven foster children from Essex County celebrated Thanksgiving with their new families after being adopted on National Adoption Day. The county's four juvenile court judges - First Justice Sally F. Padden of Salem, Judge Amy L. Nechtem of Salem, Judge Michael F. Edgerton of Lynn, and Judge Jose Sanchez of Lawrence - approved the adoptions during a special session at Salem Juvenile Court on Nov. 21 The children - two boys and nine girls - now live with new families in Lawrence, Lynn, Peabody, Saugus, Tyngsborough, and Holliston. Statewide, 209 children, ages 7 months to 18 years, were adopted by 165 families in special court sessions at eight juvenile courts. The Salem session handled all of the adoptions for Essex County. - Kathy McCabe

SMALLER STEPS - The Town Budget Recommendations Committee has suggested cutting $225,000 from the budget for a feasibility study and design and engineering work on the renovation of the town offices. The reduction from $350,000 to $125,000 would fund only a feasibility study and must be approved by the Board of Selectmen before it is presented to voters in March. The Town Offices building was built in 1892 and was purchased by the town in 1966.

- Tom Long

NO SKATEBOARDING, YET - The City Council has decided to wait to hear from the Traffic and Safety Committee before deciding whether to lift the ban on skateboards and inline skates on city streets. Most councilors appear to be in favor of continuing the ban downtown, but some favor lifting it in the city's neighborhoods. The Police Department is opposed to lifting the ban. The Traffic and Safety Committee will take up the issue at its December meeting.

- Tom Long