I started my full-time reporting career in Marblehead in 2012 and have failed spectacularly at leaving. Now I cover the town through The Independent, following its people and stories with the curiosity that makes this place impossible to quit.
BOSTON — The Elections Division of the Secretary of the Commonwealth has certified the first five initiative petitions that have cleared the initial signature hurdle for the 2026 state election ballot, confirming each contains more than the 74,574 certified signatures required to advance to the next step in the process.
The hearing came after an outside review authorized up to $25,000 last year. A report released early April 2025 found no substantiation for antisemitism, harassment, retaliatory conduct, though it cited flaws in prior handling.
Enrollment is trending down across grade levels at an average annual drop of about four percent, a pattern administrators said complicates staffing plans and raises questions about where resident students are choosing to go.
After a summer marked by short bursts of extreme heat, officials say the town’s highest load landed at 34 megawatts this year.
A fall survey found 89.7% overall approval, with reliability and restoration drawing the strongest marks; participation skewed toward higher-income homeowners and empty nesters.
Pringles, an adult male domestic short hair, is one of the newest cats available for adoption at the Marblehead Animal Shelter, located at 44 Village St., and is already making a quiet impression. With soft tabby fur, expressive eyes and an easygoing presence, Pringles is described by staff as a
A patchwork of donated labor and services carried the build from plan to install, with Rotary filling the remaining gaps after town approval.
DPW’s add ADA curb ramps, new curbing and smoother walking routes between Abbot Public Library and the Veterans Memorial campus.
Fire and public works officials say the event combines safety, disposal and a shared community tradition.
The municipal electric utility laid out a three-step effort to harden lines between Salem and Marblehead, shifting thousands of feet of sub-transmission wires into underground conduits along the former rail corridor.
His work became the backbone of the committee’s effort to bring Marblehead’s bylaws, special acts and practices into one reference document.
Findings point to modest support alongside notable uncertainty, highlighting differing views on development likelihood, local impacts and the town’s loss of state funding since July.
Local officials sought advance feedback from Boston before going back to residents, hoping to avoid another long public process built around a concept that might not meet Section 3A.
Sewall Street site becomes 24/7 home for town’s dedicated EMS crew, with living quarters designed for long shifts and overnight coverage.
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What began as a playful contest between two neighbors is now a meticulously managed neighborhood ritual, complete with tongue-in-cheek rule memos from self-appointed “Chairman of the Cord.”