THIS STORY HAS BEEN FORMATTED FOR EASY PRINTING
< Back to front page Text size – +

Marblehead residents vote to pass two override questions in special election

June 27, 2013 03:44 PM

By Terri Ogan, Globe Correspondent

In a special town election on Tuesday, Marblehead residents voted in favor of two override questions in addition to casting their ballots for the special state Senate election, where Democrat Ed Markey defeated Republican newcomer Gabriel Gomez.

Markey will fill the seat left vacant by Secretary of State John Kerry.

Nearly 70 percent of voters supported the first override question to fund a project to repair and restore the Abbott Hall clocktower, which will cost about $2.5 million.

The second override question to fund remediation and restoration on Green Street saw support from about 57 percent of voters.

In the Senate election 57 percent of the vote went to markey, while Gomez took 43 percent.

A total of 5,722 residents cast their ballots in the state Senate election.

tags Ed Markey, Gabriel Gomez, Marblehead, override questions, special state senate election, town election

Writers’ World featured at Marblehead Festival of Arts

June 25, 2013 10:20 AM
The following was submitted by Marblehead Festival of Arts: 

Each year, a devoted group of authors, novelists, poets, essayists and journalists gathers for the Marblehead Festival of Arts Writers’ World Workshops. This series of presentations highlight this extraordinary segment of the Festival, to be held July 3-July 7  at the Unitarian Universalist Church at 28 Mugford Street. The workshops promise fascinating presenters and lively conversation, according to chairperson Betty Dew.   
 
Friday, July 5th  at 2 pm there will be a chat with best selling young adult author Laurie Faria Stolarz.  Stolarz will talk about her young adult titles and her inspiration for writing them.  She will also describe her path to publication, sign books, and answer questions.  She’ll end the session with a writing workshop.
 
On Saturday, July 6 at 10:00 am, author and teacher Phyllis Karas returns to Writers’ World. Karas teaches writing at Boston University School of Journalism and is the author of nine fiction and non-fiction books, including the 2006 New York Times bestseller, BRUTAL: The Untold Story of My Life Inside Whitey Bulger’s Irish Mob and Where’s Whitey, released just last year. She has been a stringer for People Magazine and has written for Boston Magazine and Vogue and is the prose judge in this years’ Writers World exhibit.  In her workshop, Karas will discuss “Finding Your Voice”... Everyone has a story that belongs to him or her and finding the unique voice to tell that story is crucial to publication.  The workshop promises a dialogue to help dissolve some of the mystery around publication.  Also on Saturday the 6th at 2 pm  there will be a roundtable discussion about writers’ groups.  Everyone is welcome whether you have been in, are in or want to be in a writers’ group.
 
On Sunday at 2 pm the Mugford Street Players will again read, as they have done in the past, selections from the winning entries.  They will read Best of Show and Outstanding Work in each category and the Marcia Doehner award winning piece.  This is truly a wonderful way to spend time as the Festival winds down.

The Literary café in the Unitarian Church is a comfortable place to discuss works while enjoying a cold drink, coffee, or tea. 

For details visit www.marbleheadfestival.org
 
About Marblehead Festival of Arts (MFoA)
Founded in 1962, the Marblehead Festival of Arts has a rich history in producing a premier summer arts festival that has become a unique forum for artistic expression. Traditionally held each year over the July 4th holiday, the Marblehead Festival of Arts hosts a wide range of art exhibits (including painting, sculpture, photography and drawing), outdoor music concerts overlooking Marblehead Harbor, the Film Festival, Writers’ World, the Street Festival, the Children’s Festival, Artisans’ Marketplace and many other cultural activities designed to provide a fun and enriching experience for the entire family.
 
The Marblehead Festival of Arts is run by an all-volunteer organization comprised of more than 40 committees and involving several hundred volunteers. It operates year- round and relies solely on donations to fund its operations. Individuals, families and businesses may become Festival Sponsors by making a tax-deductible contribution. For additional information on MFoA, a calendar of events, volunteer opportunities and sponsorship, please visit www.MarbleheadFestival.org.

Find inspiration for life’s journey at Abbot Public Library

June 21, 2013 10:20 AM
The following was submitted by Four Square Press: 

Traveling to far-flung places around the globe has offered enduring life lessons for photographer and author Meg Pier, who will share some of her insights at the Abbot Public Library in Marblehead, Mass., on July 17 at 7:00 p.m.

In a talk titled, “From Curacao to Estonia,” Pier will recount some of her adventures and epiphanies around the world.Theevent is free and open to the public, and will celebrate publication of her new book, Visions of Discovery.

With colorful, heartfelt anecdotes, Pier's talk will touch on universal aspects of the human condition in locales ranging from tropical jungles to mist-covered mountains.

Many of these locales are captured in Visions of Discovery, a collection of Pier’s photos paired with famous quotes and layered with her observations about how the experience of travel has changed her outlook.

“I used to see the journey as a means to an end. I asked, ‘are we there yet?’ until I was 50 years old,” Pier writes. “Now I see it as a state of being; a dimension, like time and space. To me, it means awareness that I may see things differently further down the road.” 

Places of Interest 

In addition to Curacao and Estonia—which was featured on NPR this week as the most digitally advanced country in the world, Visions of Discoveryoffers snapshots from Slovenia, Cyprus, Mexico, Colombia, Scotland, and Canada, and in the U.S., from Big Sur, New Orleans, Vermont and Maine. 

About the Author
Meg Pier departed a high-flying job in corporate P.R. several years ago to find herself in another jungle, literally and figuratively. Her new media platform now encompasses viewfromthepier.com, with blogs and interviews with philanthropic leaders including the head of UNESCO’s intangible cultural heritage division, the CEO of the U.N. Foundation, and the founder of the Global Heritage Fund; a new app for www.viewfromthepier.com in the Microsoft store, numerous articles for the Boston Globe, Huffington Post, and the website of CBS Travel Editor Peter Greenberg; and a handful of previously self-published books. 

“My passion for travel keeps me focused on the here and now, a reminder that I may never pass this way again.” –Meg Pier

Visions of Discovery, published by Four Square Press, is available with free shipping from www.foursquarepress.com, and from booksellers including Spirit of ’76 in Marblehead and The Book Rack Bookstore of Newburyport, as well as select gift stores including Maison de Mer in Swampscott and Scribe Paper & Gift in Marblehead.

Please feel free to bring previously purchased books to the library for Pier to sign. She will also have signed copies available for sale at the event.

Bookstores and librarians may purchase Visions of Discovery through Ingram Content Group’s distribution channel, or through the Four Square Press website at wholesale and volume discount prices.

Marblehead Chamber of Commerce to host Maritime Festival

June 21, 2013 09:49 AM

By Terri Ogan, Globe Correspondent

The Marblehead Chamber of Commerce is gearing up for second annual Maritime Festival featuring an array of events including boating vendors, activities and a peek into the maritime life in Marblehead.

The event kicks off on Thursday August 8 and will run through the weekend, wrapping up on Sunday August 11.

The weekend event starts Thursday night with a garden party at the historic Jeremiah Lee Mansion on Washington street with live entertainment, a cash bar and prizes. Organizers will be collecting $20 at the door from members of the Chamber of Commerce and $30 from nonmembers.

Following the kickoff party will be a maritime-themed lecture at Abbott Hall at 6 p.m. on Friday August 9.

Residents and visitors will hit the State Street Landing on Saturday for harbor tours and water activities, along with maritime exhibits, vendors from boat builders and artists, food, music, live entertainment, and other various activities.

The Marblehead Bags tournament will start at 1 p.m. on Saturday, followed by the Salty Dog parade at 3 p.m.

Also on Saturday will be a maritime market place at State Street Landing from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. featuring several exhibitors, which have yet to be announced.

Wrapping up the festivities will be a celebration at Fort Sewall on Sunday with a tour of the historic fort, a food and beer truck, along with a bouncy house and activities for the kids.

For more information, visit the Marblehead Maritime Festival website, or call 781-631-2868.

tags boating, Chamber of Commerce, Marblehead, Maritime Festival, yachts

Marblehead School Committee and Board of Selectmen to interview candidates for open seat on School Committee

June 20, 2013 12:43 PM

By Terri Ogan, Globe Correspondent

The Marblehead School Committee and the Board of Selectmen will be conducting interviews to fill an anticipated vacancy on the School Committee.

Former Chairwoman EuRim Chun submitted her official resignation, effective June 30, after ongoing tensions among committee members.

The newly appointed board member will serve until the May 2014 town election.

Those interested in being considered for appointment must submit a letter of interest, detailed resume, and a description of what qualities they would bring to the board, according to an announcement from the School Committee.

Two copies of the materials must be submitted to both the Board of Selectmen and the School Committee by Wednesday July 17.

The two boards are scheduled to interview candidates and appoint a new member on Wednesday July 24 in an open meeting at Abbott Hall.

Should the newly appointed member choose to continue in their seat beyond the May 2014 election, they must officially run for a position on the School Committee.

tags Marblehead, school committee, vacant seat

Author presents 'Song Without Words: Discovering my Deafness Halfway Through Life'

June 19, 2013 10:20 AM
The following was submitted by the Abbot Library:

Song without Words - Cover.jpg
On Wednesday, June 26, at 7:00 pm, at the Abbot Public Library, author Gerald Shea will talk about his book "Song without Words: Discovering My Deafness Halfway Through Life." Copies of the book, for purchase and signing, will be provided at the event by the Spirit of '76 Bookstore. 

Much has been written about the profoundly deaf, but the lives of the nearly 30 million partially deaf in the United States today remain hidden. "Song without Words: Discovering My Deafness Halfway Through Life" tells the astonishing story of a man who, at the age of thirty-four, discovered that he had been deaf since childhood, yet somehow had managed to navigate his way through Andover, Yale, and Columbia Law School, and to establish a prestigious international legal career.

Gerald Shea’s witty and candid memoir reveals how he compensated for his deafness—through sheer determination and an amazing ability to translate the melody of vowels. His experience gives fascinating new insight into the nature and significance of language, the meaning of deafness, the fierce controversy between advocates of signing and of oral education, and the longing for full communication that unites us all.

Gerald Shea has lived most of his life in New York and in Paris, and practiced law in both cities for many years with Debevoise & Plimpton as a member of the New York and Paris bars. While at Phillips Academy he studied with Dudley Fitts, and at Yale with Maynard Mack and Robert Penn Warren. At Columbia Law School, he was a Harlan Fiske Stone Scholar and was awarded the Jerome Michael Scholarship for academic excellence, and clerked for Professor Julius Goebel, Jr., the preeminent legal historian of our time. He has published internationally in legal and financial journals but this is his first work for a general audience. He and his wife, Claire de Gramont, live in Paris and spend summers on the North Shore of Massachusetts.

The Abbot Public Library is located at 235 Pleasant Street, Marblehead, MA 01945. For additional information, please call 781-631- 1481 or visit www.abbotlibrary.org.

Marblehead Arts Association hosts summer show

June 19, 2013 10:20 AM
The following was submitted by the Marblehead Arts Association:

The Annual Summer Member Art Exhibit of the Marblehead Arts Association (MAA) is open to the public through July 14 at the King Hooper Mansion. All media, from painting to photography to sculpture to crafts are on display. 

The show has been juried in two categories, Fine Art and Photography, judged by John Caggiano and Rich Ashley, respectively.

The Judges Award winners in Fine Art are Anita Helen Cohen for “Lace Cap Hydrangea,” Paula Engman for “Marlene” and Louis Rizzo for “Fishing Party.” Honorable Mentions are given to Carin Doben for “Changing Directions,” Christine Whalen-Walker for “The Lovely Bones” and Martin Whitkin for “Winter.”

The Judges Award winners in Photography are Karen Hosking for “Rainy Day Reflections on 42nd Street,” Eyal Oren for “Towering in the Fog” and John Weidenbruch for “Yellow Taxi.” Honorable Mentions are given to Glenn Engman for “Plum Island” and Herb Goldberg for “Window Flowers.”
The judges have also awarded an Honorable Mention in Craft to Dawn Livigne for her copper cuff bracelet.

In addition to the Member Show, the MAA is proud to host the Marblehead Festival of Arts’ Plein Air Exhibit from July 5-14. “We are pleased to welcome our Festival friends – many of whom are MAA award winners at the Festival – to our year-round home,” said Deborah Greel, MAA Executive Director.

Gallery hours are Tuesday, Wednesday and Sunday from 12 to 5 pm and Thursday through Saturday from 10 am to 5 pm. For more information, please contact Greel at 781-631-2608 or visit marbleheadarts.org.
 

Marblehead Festival of Arts presents an evening of film

June 19, 2013 10:20 AM
The following was submitted by The Marblehead Festival of Arts:

The Marblehead Festival of Arts always-anticipated Juried Film Festival will be screened on Wednesday evening, July 3, from  9:00 to 10:30 pm. Thirteen short films, ranging in length from 2:22 minutes to19:25 minutes, comprise this year’s offerings.  Of the thirteen films being shown, the makers of at least nine either live or have lived on the North Shore and three currently live in Marblehead. The films will be shown at Crocker Park, 11 Front Street, with a rain location of the Gerry #5, 210 Beacon Street.  The films will be rerun at the Marblehead Public Library on the mornings of Friday July 5 and Saturday July 6 with a short discussion period after the showings.

For the first time this year Film Festival is presenting itself as an exhibit which means that it will give awards and present workshops. Two of the Filmmakers, Ken Wasserman and John Bonner, both Marblehead residents, will be giving workshops at the Marblehead Public Library on July 5 and 6. John’s focus will be on putting together a personal documentary film based on his own interests, while Keith’s will be on putting together a dramatic fictional film with a story, setting and actors.  A great opportunity for Film makers or those who “want to be” to learn how to make it happen. 

These are the films, listed with their producers and running times, in the 2013 Film Festival:

These works are intended to show the many ways that film and video can be used as an art form to inform and express.  They are not commercial films of the sort that you can find in your standard multiplex.  Although some of these works can certainly be enjoyed by children, not all of the films will be understood by them.  Parents should review the lineup and decide if these films are all appropriate for their younger children.

Crocker Park, 11 Front Street (for rain location, please consult the Festival Web site)

Co-Chairpersons:  Mike Evers, Laurie Stolarz

These works are intended to show the many ways that film and video can be used as an art form to inform and express.  They are not commercial films of the sort that you can find in your standard multiplex.  Although some of these works can certainly be enjoyed by children, not all of the films will be understood by them.  Parents should review the lineup and decide if these films are all appropriate for their younger children.

Wednesday, July 3    9:00 pm

The Broken Necklace          John Bonner              7:56  minutes
Marblehead’s intrepid bicycle explorer takes the “silver bracelet” bicycle path from Marblehead to Swampscott.  Dangers abound as our hero risks life and limb.  Does he make it out alive to go on to more adventures? John Bonner is an artist living in Marblehead who makes his living designing and animating educational software.

Beautiful              Devyn Jaffe                    5:28
The filmmaker, a participant in Lynn’s Raw Arts Real to Reel Film School, asks passersby on Boston Common a very unusual question—one that you can ask yourself. See what the question is and what the (surprising and not so surprising) answers are.

Ode to Beauty in Imperfection   Ties de Blij     7:32 minutes
Directed by Ties de Blij, an abstract expressionist painter, performance artist, and filmmaker, this film combines visual impressions of Marblehead with Marty Riskin’s memories of his fleeting relationship with his grandfather both in life and death. With audio by Nick Mancini.

The Ballad of Chicken Soup   Ben Abarelli    3:54 Minutes
Ben Albarelli, an animator, created this music video from a song by Ben Rudnick and Friends, a family-oriented music group, about the joys of making and eating chicken soup. Even the chicken is a willing participant in this feast.

Bitter Sweet     Keith Wasserman    6:28 minutes
A young woman goes on a (real? imaginary?) journey using the directions left by her recently deceased father.  Keith Wasserman is an artist, filmmaker and teacher and has been working in these professions for fifteen years.

Home           Tahisha Garner      2:22 minutes
A young bicycle rider observes and talks about Lynn, the city she is growing up in.  This film is another production by the Raw Arts Real to Reel Film School.

Thumbosis            Steve Stuart        6:23  minutes
This documentary explores a serious disorder prevalent among today’s youth, and it’s supported by case studies and an opinionating expert with a roomful of books and colorful charts.  Steve Stuart is a filmmaker who has provided many films, both comic and serious, to the Film Festival. The Film Festival is grateful for his contribution toward eliminating this dread disease.   

Six Five Four    Colter Beote and Tyler Norgeot    19:25 minutes
It’s Winter, and you are shoveling snow, trying to keep warm, and maybe planning a ski trip or two, but these guys are surfing!  This documentary lets you in on the thrills and spills of winter sea surfing.  Colter Beote  is a media production specialist who lives in Salem; Tyler Norgeot is a budding documentarian who graduated from Keene State College in 2012.

Thank You      Jelenny Clark                 2:25 minutes
Jelenny Clark,  a participant in the Raw Arts Real to Reel film program, uses this film to thank the special person in her life. 

Big Kid, Little Bike        Bill Politis   6:30 minutes
This film invites you into the life of Matty Long, a BMX rider from Burlington now in his twenties.  Matty’s an unusual guy and this is an unusual documentary. According to filmmaker Bill Politis, who also grew up in Burlington as a BMX fanatic, “I tried to use visual language when making this documentary.  This basically means I wanted the camera work to tell the story instead of a voiceover or subtitles.”  

Make It Out          Raw Arts              4:43 minutes
“Make It Out” is a music video of an original song, and it’s a collaborative project of the entire Raw Arts Real to Reel community. In a few short moments the film uses visuals, words and music to describe what it feels like to be both a teenager and gay.

Adlai            Michelle Tsiakaros        7:06 minutes
“Adlai” is a portrait of Adlai Grayson, one of the founders of PROject Nailz, an all-female dance company based in Boston. The film shows Adlai at his day job, at home, and preparing his group for a performance. Michelle Tsiakaros is a senior in Film and Television at Boston University, a dancer, and “a constant observer,” with documentary subject interests in race, gender, and class—and food.

Sanjiban         Ben Pender-Cudlip           7:34
This documentary records the last days and final rest of filmmaker and video artist Sanjiban Sellew and is a testament to one unique man’s life and the people who surrounded him at the end. Ben Pender-Cudlip is a founder of Unrendered Films, with interests in “nonfiction films that explore our common experiences and feelings as human beings.”         


For more information, visit www.MarbleheadFestival.org.

Marblehead man charged with aggravated child rape

June 18, 2013 04:21 PM

By Terri Ogan, Globe Correspondent

Marblehead police, along with two agents from The Department of Homeland Security, arrested a Marblehead man last Thursday afternoon after officials allegedly found images online of the man performing sexual acts on a girl under the age of 14.

Raymond Depaula, 39, of 23 Puritan Road, has been charged with aggravated rape of a child under 16, indecent assault and battery on a child under 14, disseminating child pornography, and posing a child for sexual photographs.

Depaula was arraigned last Friday in Lynn District Court. Bail was set at $500,000 for the aggravated rape charge.

According to a police report, Sergeant Sean Brady was granted an arrest warrant for Depaula after being contacted by a special agent from Homeland Security regarding sexually implicit images of Depaula and the victim that were posted on the Internet on June 6.

When Brady, along with two other Marblehead police officers and two Homeland Security agents, arrived at Depaula's home, Brady asked him if he had ever been involved with a child sexually, the report said.

"Depaula told me he would never touch a child in that way," Brady said in his report. "I showed Depaula three photographs with him and [the victim] involved in sexual activity. Depaula admitted to me that the photos were of him and [the victim]."

After police read him his Miranda Rights, Depaula agreed to speak with them and was transported to the Marblehead Police station for questioning.

From Depaula's home on Puritan Road, police seized a Cannon EOS Rebel XT camera and accessories, an LG smart phone, an LG flip phone, 39 DVDs or CDs, a micro SD card, one photograph in a frame, and one pillow case and sheets.

According to reports, there were a total of 17 images of Depaula and the victim, which he said were taken a few years ago.

"When I asked Depaula about posting the images onto the Internet, he denied ever posting them," Brady said in his report. "Depaula claimed that someone must have stolen his SD card from the camera, posted the pictures, and then returned the SD card to the camera without his knowledge. I told Depaula that was very hard to believe."

Depaula will return to court for a pre-trial hearing on July 11.

Two Marblehead beaches closed until further notice

June 14, 2013 03:59 PM

By Terri Ogan, Globe Correspondent

The Marblehead Board of Health has closed Stramski Beach and Grace Oliver Beach as they have failed to meet the Massachusetts Office of Health and Human Service's minimum standards for bathing beaches.

Stramski Beach is located on Stramski Way off of West Shore Drive. Grace Oliver Beach is located on Beacon Street.

The beaches will remain closed until they pass a water quality test.

For additional information contact Andrew Petty, director of public health at 781-631-0212 and to access most current information, go to the Marblehead website.

tags beach, Grace Oliver Beach, Marblehead, Stramski Beach

[an error occurred while processing this directive]