SATURDAY, JULY 13, 2019 By Bella diGrazia Swampscott resident ITEM STAFF SWAMPSCOTT — While loud noises annoy making noise about noise some, it’s different for Neil Donnenfeld. The sounds are excruciatingly painful for him. Donnenfeld’s hearing troubles began about sev- en years ago, after he lost a third of his hearing. He was diagnosed with acous- tic neuroma, a benign brain tumor that sits on the hearing nerves. Treat- ment included radiation. His world turned upside down, which is why he left his beloved corporate job and dedicated his time to researching noise pol- lution. His goal? To raise awareness about the in- door and outdoor sounds that hurt people with hearing disabilities. “Noise was off my radar and irrelevant to my life until six years ago,” he said. “The effects of noise State Land Court Chief Justice for me throughout the day ITEM PHOTO | SPENSER HASAK are cumulative and there’s Gordon H. Piper swore in Christi- A motorcycle drives past Neil Donnenfeld’s house on Humphrey Street in a certain amount I can na Geaney of Lynn as Land Court Swampscott. Donnenfeld, who is noise disabled, wants to start raising aware- handle before I experience Chief Title Examiner. ness about the environmental hazards of loud noises, especially for people with hearing disabilities. SWAMPSCOTT, A3 Hail to By Bridget Turcotte ITEM STAFF Nahant ready for a the chief of NAHANT — Rowers will party like it’s 1971 on Saturday with a longtime Grand (Pram) old time Land Court tradition created for the fun and companionship of Lynn’s Christina Geaney is the new chief the town. title examiner for the state Land Court af- Town resident Robert ter being sworn in on Thursday by Chief Risch started Nahant’s Justice Gordon H. Piper. Grand Pram in the early Geaney works with Land Court jus- 1970s. He realized many tices on title issues, oversees the Title of the beachgoers he Examination department, works with the spent his summer days court’s Survey department and provides sunbathing beside often technical assistance to the 21 Land Reg- disappeared for the year istry Districts. after Labor Day. “I am excited. Being appointed to this “A friend of mine, Wayne job reinforces my belief that every day you Hanson, and I would have an opportunity to learn something spend the summer at new and to work hard toward your goals,” Short Beach like most of Geaney said. the town,” said Risch. “We Born in Guyana, a nation in South Amer- needed something to wrap ica, Geaney grew up mostly in Florida and up the summer.” attended the University of South Florida And so the Grand Pram before transferring to, and graduating was born. from the University of Miami. In its rst year, 10 con- She met her husband, Kevin, while at- testants lined up about tending the University of Notre Dame a dozen feet from the Law School. Geaney is the mother of three shore with their prams. children — Molly, Shelby and Liam. The small, box-shaped Geaney worked at the Southern Essex boats are popular in town. Registry of Deeds from 2003 to 2016 be- Contestants lifted up the fore joining the Land Court as a title ex- boats and ran towards the aminer. water. Two participants “Stepping into the Land Court on day one felt like a natural transition from my NAHANT, A3 Grand Pram competitors run into the water at Short Beach in the 1970s. registry experience,” she said. Developer hopes the fourth time’s the charm in Peabody By Thomas Grillo ated the 50-bed facility for a year ITEM STAFF before they closed, citing a decline in admissions and Medicare en- PEABODY — An overseas de- rollments. velopment team hopes its fourth But nearly two years later, the attempt to turn the vacant J.B. company is still trying to get the Thomas Hospital into an over- right number of units to win back- 55 community will win city and neighborhood support. ing for the plan. The developer Hemisphere Development rst proposed 150 units, then 135 Group, a Chinese company with an and 120. of ce in Boston, has reintroduced Under the latest proposal, the King’s Residence. The revised 112-year-old hospital would be project would include 110 one- and demolished and replaced with two-bedroom condominiums for three, four-story wood frame and seniors starting at $400,000. concrete buildings and parking for Hemisphere Development 238 cars. In its application for a special bought the two- and three-story RENDERING | HEMISPHERE DEVELOPMENT GROUP brick campus on King Street in permit, Hemisphere is seeking to 2017 for $1.9 million from Cura- Developers of the former J.B. Thomas Hospital hope by reducing their over-55 con- health Property LLC. They oper- PEABODY, A3 dominium project to 110 units, the neighborhood will support it. By Bridget Turcotte bringing them back. July 31, Aubrey Atwater of Atwa- INSIDE Saugus ITEM STAFF “This tradition started a long ter and Donnelly will perform tra- Opinion time ago,” said Ranger Mike Parr. ditional American and Celtic folk SAUGUS — Summer concerts “It’s something that several of us music and dance. Stop making City Hall resurrects are making an encore at the Sau- rangers on staff remember from Aug. 7 will be a mix of jazz by the workers feel the heat. A4 gus Iron Works. years past. We felt it was import- New New Orleans Jazz Band, fol- concerts For decades, spectators brought a ant to bring back that concert se- lowed by bluegrass by Fort Point Krause: He built upon chair and a picnic basket to the na- a solid Foundation. A4 ries, and spirit of the art of music, Ramblers on Aug. 14. The next tional park and spent warm sum- and just get back and meet the week will be Cajun and zydeco by LOOK! in the park mer evenings enjoying tunes by neighbors and reconnect through Squeeze Box Stompers. Breaking it down with various military bands, high school a fun, festive event.” Nick Finestone and Shiver, a Bella: It was a man’s bands and other regulars. The The series will kick off on new age jazz band, will perform world in new music. A8 weeknight concerts began in 1974 Wednesday, July 24 with ’60s, ’70s, on Aug. 28. and continued into the early 2000s. and ’80s music by Tony Malionek Now, a group of rangers are and Company. The next week, on SAUGUS, A3 OBITUARIES ..............................A2 ENTERTAINMENT .......................A7 COMICS/DIVERSIONS ........... B4-5 HIGH 86° VOL. 141, ISSUE 183 OPINION ...................................A4 LOOK! .......................................A8 CLASSIFIED ...............................B7 LOW 74° POLICE/FIRE .............................A6 SPORTS ................................ B1-3 REAL ESTATE .............................B8 PAGE A8 ONE DOLLAR A2 THE DAILY ITEM SATURDAY, JULY 13, 2019 OBITUARIES Cheryl A. Church, 62 Offshore wind farm dealt 1957-2019 BEVERLY — Cheryl A. (Ragu- setbacks by regulators sa) Church, age 62, of Beverly and formerly of Lynn, died on Wednesday, July 10, 2019, EDGARTOWN (AP) — was concerned Vineyard provided the commission The latest stumbles for at Massachusetts General The company hoping to Wind had not provided as- with a detailed, compre- Vineyard Wind comes as Hospital, Boston following a build a wind farm off the surances against “adverse hensive ling and re- Massachusetts of cials courageous 18-month battle coast of Massachusetts ap- effects” from the cables, sponded to all requests for are recommending the with pancreatic cancer. She pealed to the state Friday saying the area is critical information. state double its commit- was the wife of the late John after the project hit snags for the protection of ma- The commission also ment to offshore wind Church, with whom she shared with local and federal reg- rine sheries, ood control had access to the project’s projects as part of an on- more than ve years of mar- ulators. and protection of wildlife construction and opera- going effort to transition riage. The Edgartown Con- habitat. tions plan, and received the state toward more re- Born in Boston in 1957, servation Commission on Commercial shermen con rmation that the newable energy sources. Cheryl was the daughter of Martha’s Vineyard voted have also questioned the project would not impact A report released in May the late Phillip and Carol this week to deny Vine- plan. endangered species from by the Department of En- (Malerba) Ragusa. She was yard Wind’s application Vineyard Wind said Fri- the state’s Natural Heri- ergy Resources calls for to lay transmission cables day it will ask the Massa- tage and Endangered Spe- raised and educated in East the state to move forward that would pass about a chusetts Department of cies Program, according to Boston and Lynn, attended with an additional pro- mile east of Edgartown. Environmental Protection Vineyard Wind. Lynn English High School, and curement of up to 1,600 Separately, the federal to override the Edgartown Another body, the Mar- has lived in Beverly for the “Baby Girl” Memioglu, due in megawatts of offshore past 10 years. She received September; her brothers, Phil- Bureau of Ocean Energy decision. tha’s Vineyard Commis- Management has delayed “We are disappointed sion, approved the cables wind capacity, or enough her medical billing certi cate lip Ragusa of Lynn, Anthony to power up to 1 million from Southern Maine Com- Ragusa and his wife Wendy issuing a nal environ- in the Commission’s de- earlier this year. mental impact statement cision, which was awed, Planners are hoping the homes. munity College and worked as of Peabody and Mark Ragusa That would be on top of and his signi cant other Karen that would help clear the inconsistent with the evi- project will begin produc- a medical biller at American the 1,600 megawatts of of Gloucester; her sisters, Car- way for construction of the dence before it, and in con- ing power in 2021.