THURSDAY, JULY 2, 2020 New faces in new places in Swampscott By David McLellan scott’s near future, and newest Se- is to get more familiar with the pro- ITEM STAFF lect Board members Neal Duffy and cess of being a selectperson, how and David Grishman hope to bring a new when we get reports.” SWAMPSCOTT — Students will energy to the town’s chief executive Duffy said one of his main focus- return to school for in-person learn- body. Duffy and Grishman beat out es as a Select Board member is to ing, the town will grapple with Stephen T. Williams in Tuesday’s make sure the school building proj- whether to keep the Massachusetts town election, winning 1,263 and ect — which aims to replace Had- Civil Service system for its police 990 votes, respectively, compared to ley Elementary School — is done and re chiefs, and a new elementa- Williams’ 834. successfully and at the right price. ry school will potentially be built, if “I’m really excited. I’m super ex- A preliminary design for the school approved by voters. cited to get to work,” Duffy said fol- Neal Duffy There is a lot going on in Swamp- lowing his win. “The rst step for me SWAMPSCOTT, A2 David Grishman Saugus Virus looms Zooms large over through proposed Town $375.4M Meeting budget By Steve Krause ITEM STAFF By Gayla Cawley ITEM STAFF SAUGUS — It wasn’t under op- timal circumstances, but the an- LYNN — Mayor Thomas M. McGee has nual Town Meeting of Saugus pro- proposed a $375.4 million scal year 2021 ceeded smoothly over two nights budget that includes cuts for every city de- despite the Zoom format that, at partment, but no reduction in the current times, slowed things down. workforce. All but two of the 14 articles on The mayor’s proposed budget, which rep- the warrant were passed. The oth- resents a 1.5 percent increase over last er two were postponed inde nitely year’s spending, has been submitted to the because there wasn’t enough infor- City Council. The panel will hold a pub- mation for the members to take a lic hearing on the budget at their July 14 vote. meeting. “I’d say all things considered it The projected budget for the Lynn Public went well,” said Town Manager Schools is $165.8 million. Scott Crabtree. “Obviously you’d “The COVID-19 pandemic we have en- like to be doing some of these dured over the past four months has trig- things face to face. gered an unforeseeable nancial crisis “I’m a people person,” he said. “I nationwide, including here in the city of like people, and like to be around Lynn,” McGee wrote in a letter to the City people. Council. “Obviously we cannot do that “With economic activity all but grinding now, at this point, based on guid- to a halt, usual local revenue-generating ance by the (Centers for Disease operations and revenue streams signi - Control), the governor, state and local health of cials. But I think cantly curtailed, as well as an expected the Zoom was very effective. It was substantial reduction in state aid from different. Some things were effec- Another protest the Commonwealth, we are forced to make tive, and some were not.” dif cult, yet necessary decisions to present Most of the issues that tied down this balanced budget to you.” the meeting at some points were McGee said the budget was compiled in people who either couldn’t be planned for Lynn without a rm sense of what the city heard or couldn’t stay logged in. would receive in state aid. Without nal Crabtree gave particular credit to By Gayla Cawley in re ection of George Floyd’s From left, Neil BUDGET, A3 town clerk Ellen Schena and town ITEM STAFF death at the hands of a white Whittredge, An- moderator Steve Doherty. Minneapolis police of cer. thony Coleman LYNN — Another protest “Steve’s as straight as an arrow,” “During this time, we will and Letty Cole- against police brutality and COVID-19 Crabtree said. “He’s very matter- share our vision for the fu- man are the or- of-fact, and he keeps things mov- systemic racism is planned Lynn, Revere report additional ture — a future where the ganizers behind ing. He does a great job as moder- for this Saturday afternoon. virus deaths. A3 police of cers of Lynn work ator.” The protest, organized by a protest on Schena, Crabtree said, “really community activists Neil with and listen to law-abid- Saturday which Opinion did a good job in keeping things or- T. Whittredge and Anthony ing citizens, where situations will start at Charles: It’s time we faced our fears. A4 ganized” and in helping members Coleman, will begin in the are defused instead of esca- Manning Field navigate the sometimes-pesky ins Manning Field parking lot at lated, where people can be and march to LOOK! Lynn eld’s Chhour honored as and outs of the Zoom program. noon and conclude at Wyoma arrested without fear of bodi- Wyoma Square. Commonwealth Heroine. A8 “There were also more people Square. ly harm, where police are of- there this year, doing it this way, People will gather until cers of the court, not self-ap- ITEM PHOTO | Local students earn academic than have been there in past meet- 12:30 p.m. when the speak- pointed judge, and jury,” said SPENSER HASAK honors at UNH. A8 ings,” Crabtree said. “And more ing portion is scheduled to Whittredge. people asked questions.” begin. Following the speeches, “In keeping with our dem- Sports The meeting got off to a slow start protesters will march toward ocratic ideals, attendees will Lynn football community comes together and occupy Wyoma Square for for social justice rally. B1 SAUGUS, A3 eight minutes and 46 seconds PROTEST, A2 Interim Peabody Lynn eld students super signs off brighten seniors’ day By Anne Marie Tobin Kerble, whose efforts in step- By Anne Marie Tobin quarantine-induced separation from ITEM STAFF ping in after the unexpected ITEM STAFF friends and family. Even worse, how- death of popular Superinten- ever, are those living in senior hous- PEABODY — To say it’s dent Cara Murtagh in late LYNNFIELD — A Healthy Lyn- ing, assisted living or nursing facili- been a challenging and un- November prompted heaps n eld (AHL) is doing what it can to ties, which, until recently had closed precedented year for Pea- of praise from committee help senior citizens who are unable their doors to visitors, leaving resi- body schools is putting it members. to spend time with their loved ones dents in those facilities going weeks mildly. “I was going through old during these dif cult times. on their own without being able to A year like no other in records and was shocked at It’s no secret that the COVID-19 see their families. anyone’s memory of cially how many superintendents pandemic has hit elderly people With so many mental health chal- ended Tuesday with the nal we have had, but I can hon- harder than any other age group. lenges facing seniors today, AHL is School Committee meeting estly say that other than the Interim Superinten- And while the number of deaths is committed to give seniors a healthy of the 2019-2020 academic transition from Herb Levine dent Dr. Marc Kerble the best evidence of that statement, dose of much-needed socialization year. to Cara, I have never seen a stepped in after the the elderly have also been hit hard in that has been lost in the midst of the The day also marked the more positive transition than unexpected death of other, less obvious ways. months-long lockdown. last day on the job for Inter- popular Superinten- Many have suffered added feelings im Superintendent Dr. Marc PEABODY, A3 dent Cara Murtagh. of depression and anxiety caused by LYNNFIELD, A3 OPINION ...................................A4 SPORTS ................................ B1-2 CLASSIFIED ...............................B6 HIGH 84° VOL. 141, ISSUE 171 POLICE/FIRE .............................A5 COMICS ....................................B4 BUSINESS ................................B8 LOW 70° LOOK! .......................................A8 DIVERSIONS .............................B5 PAGE A8 $1.50 A2 THE DAILY ITEM THURSDAY, JULY 2, 2020 New faces in new Markey, Kennedy each raised places in Swampscott SWAMPSCOTT as establishing the Anchor $1.9M during pandemic From A1 Food Pantry as a perma- nent and well-run source By Matt Murphy shires to southeastern $56.37. states like New York and is expected this year, with of food for Swampscott STATE HOUSE Massachusetts. “These donations are in- Kentucky when progres- residents expecting to and Nahant residents. NEWS SERVICE Kennedy’s campaign dicative of the momentum sive candidates, both win- vote on the project, which Dreeben chose to leave said it had slightly less of this campaign. From ners and losers, fared well. will be mostly funded by the Select Board and focus With just two months than Markey — $4.7 mil- Pittsfield to Provincetown, Markey has spent much of the Massachusetts School on creating more housing until voters go to the polls lion — in the bank at the from Springfield to Somer- the campaign highlighting Building Authority, in fall opportunities for resi- to decide the Democratic end of the second fund- ville, and from Newburyp- his support for liberal pol- of 2021. dents, getting “better ben- primary for U.S. Senate, raising quarter of the year, ort to Northampton, we icies like the Green New Duffy has lived in efits for people in public U.S. Sen. Edward Markey but raised over $1 million are witnessing a surge of Deal and his allegiance Swampscott for 16 years housing,” and using age- and his rival U.S.