THURSDAY, JANUARY 16, 2020 Porthole put on the back burner By Gayla Cawley The issue, McGrath said, is that boats ITEM STAFF from the adjacent Lynn Yacht Club are resting next to the building and imped- LYNN — Developer Patrick McGrath is ing demolition. planning to break ground on a $23 mil- “(With the way the building was) con- lion, 80-unit condominium project on a structed, it was too dangerous to tear the Blossom Street site shortly, but his plans building down,” said McGrath. “They’re for the former Porthole Restaurant have going to move the boats in the spring and hit a snag. then we can take the building down safely.” A groundbreaking for the $35 million In addition, McGrath said he’s still go- redevelopment of the Porthole site into 74 ing through the permitting process, which luxury condominiums was initially slated should take another four to six months. ITEM PHOTO | SPENSER HASAK for this past fall. But McGrath said the Because the site is located on the water- remainder of demolition at 98 Lynnway, front, he needs to go through Chapter Demolition of the former Porthole Restaurant has been placed on hold which started in late November, has been due to its close proximity to the Lynn Yacht Club and the boats that are pushed back until the spring. PORTHOLE, A3 housed on its property over the winter. Somber salute in Peabody Saugus sets its priorities for 2020 By Elyse Carmosino ITEM STAFF SAUGUS — At the top of the list for Saugus’ Board of Select- men’s issues to tackle in the com- ing months is updating the town’s master plan. “This master plan is our most important priority,” board member Jeff Cicolini told town manager Scott Crabtree at Tuesday’s meet- ing about the committee’s long term goals. Board member Debra Panet- ta agreed: “Absolutely,” she said. “That’s our guide moving forward.” Crabtree announced in Novem- ber that work on a town-wide mas- ter plan was underway as part of an effort to modernize Saugus and prepare it for future growth and development. Although the board will not be directly involved in the plan’s drafting, its members will have chances to hear from Saugus citi- ITEM PHOTO | SPENSER HASAK zens to make sure their voices are heard and the community’s needs Members of K-9 units and police departments from surrounding communities le into formation are met throughout the process. Wednesday as they pay tribute to Peabody Police K-9 Caine, who died last week. Since 2016, Caine was Once completed, the plan is in- credited with nding more than 30 people reported missing or sought by police. The procession began tended to create a more open, at Bulger Veterinary, 141 Winthrop Ave., Lawrence, and traveled Route 114 East to Peabody and past democratic planning process and the Northshore Mall before entering Wilson Square. It passed through Wilson Square onto Central introduce a clearer framework for Street to Peabody Square, then turned right onto Lowell Street. After passing City Hall, the procession future policy decisions. Panetta turned left on Perkins Street and onto Allens Lane before turning into the Peabody Police Department and Cicolini both said its ongoing parking lot. development will also affect near- ly all of the board’s future deci- sions. “It’s going to dictate so much. STEVE KRAUSE Public safety, infrastructure, COMMENTARY schooling, housing,” Panetta said. “(This plan) is literally going to be a catalyst for so many things in It’s time for baseball to sign off on reality the town.” Cicolini added it didn’t make There’s a brand new invention called nicating become less cumbersome and be in concert on what was being thrown sense for the board to lay out its the telegraph machine (let’s not get too more ef cient. By the end of the 20th for no other reason than to protect the goals for the plan too rmly with- far ahead of ourselves here). Thanks century we can even email and text. catcher’s life and limb. Balls thrown at 90 out rst having input from the community. to this new-fangled machine, and the Now surely, there have been people who miles per hour hurt. Even dead balls. “I think the process needs to be advances made in its technology, we are resisted every technological advance as It’s been this way for 150 years. The collaborative,” he said. “I would eventually able to make person-to-person if their lives were riding on it. I’m sure catcher puts down one nger for a fast- like to see if there’s some pub- communication easier by sending tele- there’s a scienti c name for such people. ball, two for a curve (this is the origin of lic input process. Why would we grams. But “crackpot” will do here. the term “deuce” for a breaking ball). do goals now and then bring the Once that system is perfected, it’s no Now let’s translate that scenario to Ma- There’s nothing too scienti c about this. public in? Because I think the longer necessary to rely solely on the U.S. jor League Baseball. Flashing signs goes Nothing holy. It’s just the catcher putting public is going to want to have mail for urgent communication. back to when the game began — perhaps his ngers between his legs. It’s not as if input.” Next comes the telephone. Even better. as a survival mechanism as much as any- And with each year, our ways of commu- thing else. The catcher and pitcher had to KRAUSE, A3 SAUGUS, A3 Opinion Charles: Hair-raising Here comes the sun: journey should be a non-issue. A4 Swampscott church goes solar Sports Fenwick, Beverly By Steve Krause of the Christian message to do one’s part girls hockey battle ITEM STAFF in a time of crisis (climate change). “One translation of the Book of Gen- to a draw. B1 SWAMPSCOTT — Pastor Ian Holland esis is that God gave Adam and Eve the says that spending almost $85,000 to in- Marblehead boys hockey stall solar panels on the roof of his church responsibility to be stewards of all living rallies late to force tie. B1 on Monument Avenue is de nitely in keep- things. ing with the faith. “As Christians, we are called to love our St. Mary’s boys hockey “It’s our duty to take care of the earth neighbors as ourselves,” stated Holland. falls to Austin Prep. B1 that God has given to us,” said Holland, “Our panels will reduce our carbon foot- pastor of the First Church Swampscott. print dramatically, and are a powerful St. Mary’s girls track “We need to live out our responsibility to gesture of love to our neighbors locally and team notches statement Solar panels will help The First Church be stewards of the earth and to all living globally, and the generations to come who victory. B1 Swampscott “reduce our carbon footprint things.” dramatically.” So, said Holland, it is entirely re ective SWAMPSCOTT, A3 OBITUARIES ..............................A2 ENTERTAINMENT .......................A7 COMICS ....................................B4 HIGH 44° VOL. 142, ISSUE 32 OPINION ...................................A4 LOOK! .......................................A8 DIVERSIONS .............................B5 LOW 19° POLICE/FIRE .............................A6 SPORTS ................................ B1-3 CLASSIFIED ...............................B6 PAGE A8 $1.50 A2 THE DAILY ITEM THURSDAY, JANUARY 16, 2020 OBITUARIES U.S. lobster industry hopes new Barbara F. Eldridge, 73 1947-2020 deal renews trade with China SWAMPSCOTT — Mrs. Bar- bara F. (Slate) Eldridge, age By Patrick Whittle deau said. “You don't leave 73, of Swampscott, died on ASSOCIATED PRESS somebody as a supplier for Sunday, January 12th at the 18 months and have them Kaplan Family Hospice House, PORTLAND, Maine — not nd someone else.” Danvers. She was the wife of Members of the American The U.S. lobster industry the late William E. Eldridge. lobster industry are hope- bene ted from the growth Born in Lynn on January 8, ful the thawing of trade of the Chinese market pri- 1947 and raised in Lynn, she relations between the U.S. or to the trade hostilities was the daughter of the late and China will reopen one because shermen are in Ira and Marie (Evans) Slate, of the biggest markets in the midst of a multi-year and graduated from Lynn the world for lobsters. boom in lobster hauls. Chi- English High School Class of China is one of the big- na emerged as a new trade 1964. For the past 45 years gest export destinations partner in a time when she lived in Swampscott. for lobster, which are lobstermen were catching Barbara was a travel agent trapped in the cold waters more of the crustaceans at Durgin Travel, a Matron for of the Atlantic Ocean by than ever, and that served the Swampscott Police De- American and Canadian to help buoy prices for the partment, and had worked for shermen and are worth Cuffe-McGinn Funeral Home FILE PHOTO | ASSOCIATED PRESS seafood. Winter is an espe- John Hancock Life Insurance hundreds of millions of cially busy time of year for 157 Maple Street, Lynn on A dealer at Cape Porpoise holds a 3½ pound Company. dollars per year. But Pres- lobster exports to China be- Friday, January 17th from She was a Swampscott ident Donald Trump's lobster in Kennebunkport, Maine. cause the seafood delicacy 5-8 PM. A Memorial Service Town Meeting member and trade hostilities with Chi- is especially popular on the member of the Board. For will be held on Saturday, Jan- na resulted in heavy tar- ers to take back access to $138 million in 2018 Chinese New Year, which 35 years she served on the uary 18th at 11:00 AM in the iffs on U.S.