SATURDAY, JULY 30, 2016 Dance troupe to lift Group gets down and Spirits in Swampscott dirty to clean Lynn By Dillon Durst ITEM STAFF LYNN — Soraya Cacici and her neighbors were so fed up with litter in the downtown, they decided to do something about it. Cacici, a resident at Boston Machine Lofts, along with frustrated neighbors, Forty Steps recently founded the Lynn Beauti ca- Dance Troupe tion Project. will perform The group of ve volunteer proper- dances from its ty owners and tenants meet weekly to collect trash, sweep sidewalks, mulch newest show, trees and plant owers. Spirits, in Swamp- “For me, this is about being so frus- scott next week. trated about local government,” she said. “This is a grassroots effort to be PHOTO | FORTY STEPS the change you want to see and many By Michele Durgin day, Aug. 6 at 5:30 p.m., is free. of my neighbors feel the same way. It’s a big city, the Department of Pub- FOR THE ITEM Sallee Slagle, the group’s founder and lic Works (DPW) is understaffed and artistic director, said this is the troupe’s NAHANT — Forty Steps Dance Troupe don’t have enough bodies to manage will perform dances from its newest third year performing in Swampscott. the beauti cation of the entire city.” show, Spirits, in Swampscott next week. “There aren’t a lot of professional dance Trash cans are over owing, many companies in the area,” she said. “Events It’s a dance collection that pays hom- are broken and tagged with graf ti, ITEM PHOTO | OWEN O’ROURKE age to the ocean and its in uence over like this introduce dance to more and she said. While the city’s street sweep- ghosts moving from the earth to the sky. more people and help contribute to the ing efforts work, it fails to take care of Soraya Cacici, foreground, and Teri The troupe is preparing a performance local cultural scene in a positive way.” the sidewalks or litter. Faulisi put dirt into ower boxes in at Fisherman’s Beach on Humphrey Central Square in Lynn as part of Street. The show, scheduled for Satur- FORTY STEPS, A7 CLEAN, A7 their efforts to beautify the area. No tricks: A summer Happy trail treat in Saugus in Peabody By Bridget Turcotte ITEM STAFF SAUGUS — Saugus children screamed for Halloween a little early this year. The Saugus Youth and Recreation summer program celebrated Hallow- een Day on Friday and encouraged the children to arrive in costume. “It’s really cool because it’s my favor- ite holiday and you don’t have to put a jacket on,” said Skylar Ross, 7, who Walkers take off dressed as an ’80s girl. on a short hike on Plans included a parade, but the idea the Spring Pond of a march from the Belmonte Middle Nature Trail in School to Town Hall was washed away Peabody. by rain. The group made the best of the morning, wearing costumes and PHOTO | BOB ROCHE playing outside until they could be By Leah Dearborn tion to Peabody,” said Mayor Edward A. bused to the building, where trick-or- FOR THE ITEM Bettencourt Jr., who grew up on nearby treating awaited them. County Street. “Town Hall has been really great,” PEABODY — Residents of South Pea- said Crystal Cakounes, program coor- body sought shelter from scorching tem- The mayor said the trail has been used dinator. “Some of the employees even peratures on Wednesday by turning out by generations of Peabody residents; the city just made improvements by clean- PHOTO | PAULA MULLER bought candy to give to them.” for a historic walk in the woods. Cakounes said events are planned The Spring Pond Nature Trail ribbon ing up the area and making it more ac- Aidan Andrews wears his “chub each week to keep the children enter- cutting ceremony was held in honor of cessible to pedestrians and bikers. suit” at the Belmonte Middle School tained. the completion of phase two of the South The Spring Pond Nature Trail is the as part of Saugus Youth and Recre- Peabody Trail Project. ation’s Halloween Day on Friday. TREAT, A7 “I really believe this is a special addi- TRAIL, A7 Mora happy to accept House call By Michele Durgin “I was shocked when the call came and four sisters. FOR THE ITEM in April telling me I had the job,” he “He is a good man who works very said. “I do believe things fall into hard, and his new job at the White When Alexander Mora was pre- place for a reason and I am grateful House is exciting,” said his mom, a paring to graduate from Lynn Clas- for all that has happened in my life.” home health aide. “He calls me ev- sical High School, he was undecided Mora said he divides his time be- eryday and sounds so happy.” about his future. tween the White House and the Pen- Retired teacher and friend Staf- Paul Stafford, his teacher and tagon, where he conducts inquiries, ford said he is delighted with his mentor, suggested the military. which he can’t discuss. former student’s success and looks Lynn native and Today, Mora, a U.S. Marine Corps Mora said he has earned several forward to their weekly phone calls Marine Corps Cap- captain, is the secretary of the Na- decorations, including a Commen- and emails. tain Alexander Mora vy’s White House liaison of cer sta- dation Medal, an Achievement Med- “I still can’t believe that a two-min- serves at 1600 Penn- tioned at the White House. al, the Combat Action Ribbon and ute conversation we had in 1999 sylvania Ave. as sec- Mora, 34, said he was interviewed the Good Conduct Medal. about his plans has led to Alex being retary of the Navy’s for the position last year, but didn’t His family includes grandmother stationed at the White House,” he White House liaison think he had much of a chance and Dorotea Frometa, mother Francisca, said. “I know he will do a great job.” of cer. barely gave it a thought after the in- who lives in Lynn, dad Rafel, who terview was over. calls the Dominican Republic home MORA, A7 PHOTO | ADELA MORA INSIDE Lynn salutes Korean War veterans In Opinion Shribman: ected on their experiences and was in rice paddies in Korea.” plant Marine Corps ags on the Tectonic plates are By Bridget Turcotte ITEM STAFF recognized each other for their McDonough found himself at lawn of City Hall. on the move. A4 service. The Lynn Department of the “bridge of no return,” which “I was a part of it,” he said. “It’s LYNN — The city proclaimed Veterans Services and the Lynn was used for prisoner exchang- a small way to remember it.” In Revere July 29 Korean War Veteran Day Lynn man charged Veterans Council sponsored the es at the end of the war. Prison- George King said he spent 20 during a service held at City Hall. with attempted annual Korean War Memorial ers could choose to remain in the years in the Army and was in one kidnap, assault. A6 “The so-called forgotten war is Ceremony. country of their captivity or cross of the rst groups to land in Ko- not forgotten in the city of Lynn,” “In 1953 I was 18 years old,” the bridge to their home country, rea. In Sports said Mayor Judith Flanagan Ken- said Martin McDonough, a Ma- but could not change their mind. “I did my job,” he said. Wyoma nedy. rine Corps veteran. “I was captain McDonough is humble when it He added that the ceremony walks off with win Veterans who served in the Ko- of the Lynn Vocational football comes to talking about his experi- in City Series. B1 rean War and other con icts re- team. Before the year was over, I ence, but takes it upon himself to VETERANS, A7 OBITUARIES ..............................A2 LOOK! .......................................A8 DIVERSIONS .............................B5 HIGH 80 VOL. 138, ISSUE 201 OPINION ...................................A4 SPORTS ................................ B1-3 CLASSIFIED ........................... B6-7 LOW 67 POLICE/FIRE .............................A6 COMICS ....................................B4 REAL ESTATE ............................ B8 PAGE A8 ONE DOLLAR A2 THE DAILY ITEM SATURDAY, JULY 30, 2016 OBITUARIES Lyndon W. Ellis Jr., 86 Texting suicide suspect seeks SWAMPSCOTT — Lyndon suppression of statements Webster “Lyn” Ellis Jr., age 86, of Swampscott, died on TAUNTON (AP) — A Wednesday, July 27, 2016, at woman who sent her boy- his home, surrounded by his friend text messages en- family, after a lengthy illness. couraging him to kill him- He was the husband of Jean self asked a judge Friday Ethel (Morey) Ellis, with whom to keep statements she he shared 35 years of mar- about the old days. made to police out of her riage. In addition to his wife, he is involuntary manslaughter Born and raised in Swamp- survived by three sons, Lyndon trial. scott, he was the son of the W. Ellis III and his wife Lori and The request was among late Lyndon W. and Ethel M. their children, of Cypress, Tex- almost two dozen motions (Shirley) Ellis. Lyn graduated as, Brian M. Ellis and his chil- filed by lawyers for Michelle dren, of Mayfield, N.Y., Scott from Swampscott High School Carter, 19, in Taunton Ju- R. Ellis of Friendwood, Texas; and then from the Massachu- venile Court, The Boston a step son, William F. Hetting- setts School of Art in 1957. Globe reported. He had lived in Northville and er III and his wife Megan and their child, of Marblehead; a The Plainville woman is Hope, N.Y., prior to returning to charged in the 2014 death Swampscott.