Will Dowd

From designing electronic puzzle boxes to teaching second-graders with special needs, Marblehead High School seniors spent seven weeks this spring exploring careers and applying classroom knowledge to real-world experiences through the school’s senior project program. The program, which featured 163 student projects during a presentation event last month, requires graduating seniors to complete internships, independent

A Massachusetts Superior Court judge on Friday rejected claims by nine towns that the state's MBTA Communities Act constitutes an "unfunded mandate," delivering a significant blow to municipalities seeking to avoid compliance with the controversial multifamily housing law. The act requires 177 cities and towns served by or adjacent to MBTA transit to create zoning

Incumbent Town Clerk Robin Michaud is the subject of an ethics complaint filed by challenger Terri Tauro after Michaud posted on social media about her two election opponents’ alleged campaign finance filing errors. Tauro alleges Michaud may have misused her official role for political gain ahead of the June 10 election, though the filing of

The Marblehead Police Department has joined a statewide initiative designed to improve interactions between law enforcement and individuals on the autism spectrum during traffic stops. Chief Dennis King announced the department's participation in the Massachusetts Blue Envelope Program, which provides specially designed envelopes to help drivers with autism spectrum disorder communicate more effectively with police

Emergency responders rescued a man who fell from rocks at Chandler Hovey Park in Marblehead after he sustained injuries requiring hospitalization. The incident occurred at 11:55 a.m., and the man fell 15-20 feet onto rocks at the ocean’s edge. Crews arrived on scene and used a so-called stokes basket — a wire stretcher-type device —

Firefighters, families and local officials gathered at Waterside Cemetery on June 8 for the annual Firefighters Memorial Sunday ceremony, remembering fallen first responders while addressing the growing threat of occupational cancer in the fire service. Fire Chief Jason Gilliland delivered remarks emphasizing the silent dangers firefighters face long after leaving the profession. He highlighted how

Victor Dal Pozzal is stepping away from the piano bench after more than 20 years as music director at Clifton Lutheran Church in Marblehead. The Nahant resident, who is 87, has spent decades connecting with students from elementary classrooms to college lecture halls. His teaching career spanned the Johnson School in Nahant, Bishop Fenwick High

A boat caught fire while being towed through town Thursday evening, prompting its driver to pull directly up to the fire station where crews quickly extinguished the blaze. Fire Chief Jason Gilliland was the one who first spotted the flames and directed the response. No one was injured in the incident. The fire happened around

Standing before about 75 people at Abbot Hall, Ashley Skeffington wiped away tears as she described a student who asked to use their “dead name” in a school play program because they couldn’t come out to their parents. The Marblehead High School drama and English teacher recounted another student who survived only because they attended

Marblehead’s Compensation Committee voted unanimously June 18 to approve the job description and classification for a new chief procurement officer, assigning the position a grade 10 with a score of 690 — near the top of the town’s administrative pay scale. “This position reviews every single purchase order over threshold from every department before it

The Literary Festival returns to Marblehead July 2-6 with a mix of longtime favorites and new additions, including a Moth Radio Hour-inspired storytelling event and a literary walking tour. Margo Steiner, who chairs the Literary Festival as part of the Marblehead Festival of Arts, has spent months crafting a program she hopes will attract writers

The Marblehead Okos pulled its 1861 hand-pumped fire engine from storage June 26 for testing at Redd’s Pond ahead of eight summer competitions across New England. The team, part of the New England States Veterans Fireman’s League since 1894, represents the longest active association in the league. Its antique pumper, named Okonmamakamesit, will compete in

Recreation and Parks Commissioner Shelly Curran Bedrossian presented detailed plans to the Select Board on June 25 for a three-phase project that would transform the aging Green Street rink into a $2.6 million sports complex. The proposal represents the culmination of six years of planning to honor the Larz Anderson bequest, a $3 million trust

At its June 22 meeting, Marblehead’s Harbor Plan Implementation Committee reviewed three conceptual alternatives for protecting State Street Landing and Tucker’s Wharf from rising seas, while grappling with questions about the advisory group’s size and effectiveness. The committee examined findings from a $200,000 state-funded resilience study showing the harbor area faces significant flood risks, with

Voters began casting early ballots Monday on whether to uphold or overturn Article 23, a zoning bylaw creating multifamily overlay districts in Marblehead required under the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority Communities Act. On Election Day, July 8, polls will be open from 2 to 8 p.m., with precincts 3-6 voting at Marblehead High School field

Dogs filled Reynolds Park on Sunday morning for the inaugural Pup Party at the Marblehead Festival of Arts, with many sporting colorful costumes. The event turned the park into a busy mix of splash zones, ball pits and arts and crafts stations, drawing dozens of local families and their four-legged companions. Pups of all sizes

Residents will pay approximately $90 more annually for water and sewer service starting July 1, following rate increases approved by the town's Water and Sewer Commission on June 24. The combined annual water and sewer bill for a standard household will be $2,661.20 ($1,029.20 water + $1,632 sewer). For the 82% of Marblehead households (approximately

A single museum presentation sparked historian Pam Peterson’s years-long journey through Marblehead’s 13 historic cemeteries. What began as a basic presentation on them evolved into the first comprehensive book on these burial grounds. Peterson’s new book — “A Guide to Historic Burial Grounds of Marblehead” — fills what Marblehead Museum Executive Director Lauren McCormack calls

The Marblehead Municipal Light Commission plans to select its next general manager Tuesday from three finalists after deciding not to renew General Manager Joseph Kowalik’s contract, which expires April 7, 2026. The finalists, interviewed last week, were Salem resident Mary Usovicz, current general manager of Merrimac Municipal Light Department; Gloucester resident Jonathan Blair, a senior

As electric bicycles surge in popularity among Marblehead teens, town officials are wrestling with how to balance the technology’s benefits against mounting safety concerns, particularly for young riders navigating powerful adult-sized models on local streets. The Traffic Safety Advisory Committee devoted significant time during its recent meeting to discussing e-bike regulation, with members expressing concern