SATURDAY, MARCH 6, 2021 STEVE KRAUSE AN APPRECIATION Peabody Lynn loses stuck with a character racist images By Steve Krause By Anne Marie Tobin ITEM STAFF ITEM STAFF LYNN — Charlie Reed lived a life lled PEABODY — The Peabody Police Depart- with challenges. He just never let any of ment is investigating several incidents of them get him down. “slap-tagging” white supremacist stickers “Charlie lived with disabilities all his onto public property in the Gardner Park life,” said James Cowdell, who is now the area. executive director of the Lynn Economic The stickers, bearing the message “Bet- Development & Industrial Corporation ter Dead Than Red,” are alleged to be the (EDIC/Lynn), but was once president of the Lynn Parks Softball Association. “But handiwork of Patriot Front, a Texas-based he never let those challenges defeat him.” organization that ProPublica describes as Just the opposite, says Jim Ward, who “perhaps the most active white supremacist was also a past president of the associa- group in the nation.” tion. He lived a full life despite them. “These incidents have occurred recently “He was one of the best fast-pitch soft- in Salem and Beverly and we think it’s the ball pitchers we’ve ever had in Lynn,” said same Patriot Front group that has been do- Ward, a sentiment backed up by Cowdell. ing this in all three cities,” said Police Chief “He only had one arm, and a stump for Thomas Grif n. “This group (Patriot Front) the other arm. He’d put his glove under has been identi ed by the ADL (Anti-Defa- the arm, throw the ball, and then put the mation League) as anti-Semitic, so we are glove on his hand, just like (former Ma- actively paying a lot of attention to this and jor League pitcher) Jim Abbott used to do. it is de nitely an ongoing investigation.” Same exact thing.” The stickers — spotted on light poles and In fact, says Cowdell, Reed is a softball electrical boxes — have been removed. Pho- legend. tos have been documented and may be used “At one time,” Cowdell said, “there were as evidence if charges are brought. 143 teams in Lynn. In 1984, when I was “It may be a stretch, but the most likely APPRECIATION, A2 IMAGES, A5 Pig out City tees up in Salem — bids for $2.1M if you know Gannon Project the password By Allysha Dunnigan ITEM STAFF By Guthrie Scrimgeour LYNN — The city of Lynn is seeking an ITEM STAFF experienced company to construct a new ir- rigation system for the Gannon Municipal SALEM — I cautiously approached the Golf Course, a project that carries an esti- door on Salem’s Liberty Street and rang mated price tag of $2.1 million. the buzzer under the lit red lantern, which The city, which leases the property to Golf lets customers know that the restaurant Facilities Management Inc., started so- is in operation. liciting bids this week, a process that will “All roads lead to bacon,” I said, reciting PHOTO | SHUTTERSTOCK remain open until March 25 at 2 p.m. The the password that was released on Face- project is expected to start next fall. book earlier in the day. Chris Carter and Steve Murphy, co-owners A few minutes later, a man materialized of Golf Facilities Management Inc. (GFMI), in the doorway wearing a pig mask — Birds of a feather have operated the golf course for eight years. which under other circumstances could be The company is currently operating under a horrifying — and holding a metal bucket. $2.38 million contract that was approved by I dropped $13 into his bucket and was the Lynn Park Commission in 2019. handed a brown paper bag lled with food ock to Lynn eld The city has a ve-year plan to update and in return: a loaded baked potato with bits restore Gannon, which includes a 190-acre of bacon, a pork loin doused in sauce and By Anne Marie Tobin March 5 through April 12. golf course, banquet/restaurant facilities, a Caesar salad. ITEM STAFF “Our amingo installation allows bar concession, function hall, pro shop and This is an average Wednesday night sale visitors to nd humor in the unusu- snack shop. Massive tree jobs have already LYNNFIELD — A ock of hot at Back Alley Bacon, the underground pork al, the absurd and the unexpected been completed throughout the course, pink amingos is slated to descend restaurant which opened in the city in 2015. when they visit four of our New along with work on holes one through ve on MarketStreet, just in time for “We started it as a way to bring bacon England properties this March and and holes 11 through 13. The installation to the masses,” said one of the owners, April Fools’ Day. April,” said WS Development Di- The amingos are part of a WS of a new irrigation system is a large part of who preferred to be known only as Chef rector of Field Marketing Lindsay Development initiative to usher that plan, according to Murphy. Hamm and spoke in what was possibly a Binette. in spring with a quirky and cheer- The current irrigation system at Gannon British accent. “Everyone loves bacon.” “With the pink lawn amingo’s ful celebration of warmer weather is more than 50 years old, which far exceeds It also served as a chance for Hamm’s origins in Massachusetts, there is a ahead that will see large ocks of the average life expectancy of a golf course chefs — rumor has it they’re af liated wonderful connection to Massachu- anywhere from 200 to 1,500 amin- irrigation system, which is between 20 to 30 with Bambolina — to get creative with setts-made pop art with this instal- gos making their way to several WS years. lation, making it all the more fun their menu. Development shopping locations “It’s a compliment to the city workers that PIG, A3 in the Greater Boston area from FLOCK, A3 GANNON, A3 Swampscott Select Board hopes INSIDE Opinion Shribman: for removal of Trump assures that there will be no post- Trump era. A4 blighted properties • A one-size- ts-all By Tréa Lavery and around Swampscott, challenge. A4 ITEM STAFF and ultimately, that costs everybody.” LOOK! SWAMPSCOTT — The At the board’s meeting Sacred Heart Swampscott Select Board Wednesday night, mem- celebrates 100 days of is taking steps to elimi- bers met with Building in-person learning. A8 nate blighted properties Commissioner Rich Balda- around town, including cci, who explained that the Sports the former General Glov- Glover property, located at Classical girls er Restaurant building on 299 Salem St., and which basketball looks to Humphrey Street. also extends into Marble- continue growth this “A number of properties head and Salem, has been season. B1 in town continue to re ect collecting daily nes for • a deteriorating condition,” blight for approximately KIPP boys soccer set said Town Administrator 12 months. to embark on rst Sean Fitzgerald. “They season in MIAA. B1 ITEM PHOTO | SPENSER HASAK “The property is fall- detract from the overall ing apart,” Baldacci said. The Swampscott Select Board has discussed plans for the former Sunoco quality of the town, but gas station on Paradise Road, which has an active demolition permit. also the property values in BLIGHTED, A2 OBITUARIES ..............................A2 LOOK! .......................................A8 DIVERSIONS .............................B5 HIGH 34° VOL. 142, ISSUE 75 OPINION ...................................A4 SPORTS ................................ B1-2 CLASSIFIED ........................... B6-7 LOW 19° POLICE/FIRE .............................A5 COMICS ....................................B4 REAL ESTATE .............................B8 PAGE A8 $1.50 A2 THE DAILY ITEM SATURDAY, MARCH 6, 2021 OBITUARIES Revere out, Lynn and Peabody Bruce M. Remick, 79 1942 - 2021 stay in the red for COVID-19 LOS ANGELES - Bruce Ma- son Remick passed away on By Gayla Cawley over the past 14 days, daily incidence rate (26.1 New cases were also re- January 2, 2021. ITEM STAFF according to the state De- new cases per 100,000 res- ported in Lynneld, Mar- Bruce was born in Lynn, partment of Public Health idents) both declined, the blehead and Salem on Massachusetts, on January 7, Revere is out, but Lynn (DPH). city’s infection rate is still Friday. Lynneld (1,041 1942 to Raymond Remick and and Peabody are still in However, 30 new cas- more than two times high- cases, 29 deaths) report- Ethel Humphries, and gradu- the red this week, which es and three additional er than the state average ed eight new cases, Mar- ated from Lynn English High is how the state denotes deaths were reported in of 1.93 percent. blehead (1,172 cases, 31 School in 1959. communities that are at Revere on Friday, which The same is true for deaths) has reported three He went on to graduate a high risk of coronavirus brings the city’s total Peabody, which has a pos- new cases since last Fri- from Boston University with a spread. numbers to 9,667 cases itive test rate of 4.29 per- day, and Salem (4,111 cas- Bachelor’s Degree in Health It’s a milestone of sorts and 152 deaths, the city cent and a daily incidence es, 75 deaths) reported 11 Sciences, and then to became for Revere, which is out of website reported. rate of 30.8 new cases per new cases. an instructor of Allied Medical the red for the rst time In Lynn, 27 new cases 100,000 residents, accord- Numbers remained the Health at Northeastern Univer- since the state started and two additional deaths ing to the DPH. same in Nahant (223 sity. color-coding communi- were reported to bring Peabody has reported cases, six deaths) and In 1970, he was hired by ties based on their risk of the city’s total numbers 15 new cases and three have not been updated in Siemens Medical Systems, COVID-19 spread.