TUESDAY, AUGUST 2, 2016 DA: Swampscott man lit re and laughed By Dillon Durst removed the family cat from the house before ITEM STAFF setting it on re. But the judge also denied that request. LYNN — A Swampscott man who prosecutors His wife, who had recently been awarded the say laughed about setting re to his home was house in a court order, was scheduled to move in arraigned in Lynn District Court Monday on an the following day. The couple is going through a arson charge. divorce. Timothy Brosnan, 57, pleaded not guilty and is being held without bail, pending a dangerous- On Saturday, Swampscott Police responded ness hearing. He is accused of setting re to his to a call that the windows of a house had ex- Swampscott home on Linden Avenue over the ploded and black smoke poured out, according weekend. His wife and children were not home to police. at the time. After securing the area, police found Brosnan The prosecution asked for a three-day contin- leaning against his SUV. He admitted to being uance to gather more information from an ongo- the homeowner and confessed that he started the re, police said. Timothy Brosnan, ing arson investigation report. But the defense of Swampscott, objected and asked that the hearing proceed as Brosnan was allegedly “laughing about start- was arraigned scheduled Monday. ing the re,” and said that he had poured gas District Court Judge James LaMothe agreed to in the garage and throughout the house, the in Lynn District continue the case to Wednesday at 2 p.m. report said. Court on Monday. The defense also argued for a bail hearing Dillon Durst can be reached at ddurst@itemlive. noting that Brosnan has no prior record and com. PHOTO | PAULA MULLER Lynn Moulton sees scores $2M nothing for literacy ‘super’ By Gayla Cawley ITEM STAFF in new SALEM — An AmeriCorps program at Lynn Public Schools that promises to im- prove academic opportunity for immigrant students is being extended. charter United Way, the Corporation for Na- By Thomas Grillo tional & Community Service, the of cial ITEM CITY EDITOR name for AmeriCorps, and the Massachu- setts Service Alliance are investing more LYNN — If Frank DeVi- than $2 million, which will place 25 of its to opens the city’s second members into Lynn schools, up from 15, to charter school next year, provide tutoring, mentoring and academic it will be greeted by hun- support to immigrants and their families. dreds of parents seeking ITEM PHOTO | OWEN O’ROURKE The program has been in Lynn for three to place their child in the years and is guaranteed for three more. new facility but it will get Congressman Seth Moulton was at the Collins Middle School in Salem to an- U.S. Rep. Seth Moulton (D-MA) was at a frosty reception from of- nounce the investment of $2 million over the next three years to expand Ameri- Collins Middle School on Monday, where cials. Corps, in partnership with Lynn Public Schools, to help improve academic out- Mayor Judith Flanagan comes among immigrant students. MOULTON, A7 Kennedy and the City Council may have their disagreements, but they’re on the same page when it comes to the controversial Watch out for new alternative public schools. While they claim it’s great for parents to have choice, they say it’s not so great cafe in Marblehead that charter schools “rob” money from traditional By Gayla Cawley ITEM STAFF schools. “I agree with giving MARBLEHEAD — The town’s newest cafe parents a choice and it brings a slice of Italy to the downtown. makes everyone perform Bello e Preciso Milano, an eatery specializing Fabrizio DiRienzo to their highest level, but in toast sandwiches, Italian coffee and pastries, tends to an espres- I don’t like the formula for opened on Washington Street over the weekend. so machine at Bello funding because it takes It combines two passions of the owner, Fabrizio e Preciso Milano in more than $1 million from DiRienzo. Marblehead. our school budget,” said Kennedy. “We are still re- WATCH, A7 quired to serve every child PHOTO | BOB ROCHE that comes through our door, but we lose money to the charter school when they take away children whom they have selected.” DeVito, 51, and his group Lynn school makes are in a national com- petition to redesign the American high school and learning REAL fun win $10 million towards opening the Equity Lab Jasman Nolas- By Michele Durgin Charter School in Lynn. co, a member FOR THE ITEM DeVito and his 22-mem- of the REAL ber team of educators are program, says LYNN — Jan Plourde is an enthusi- one of 50 nalists in the how old she is. astic educator with a dream to spread XQ: Super School Project, the love of reading. the California-based non- She has spent more than 35 years pro t chaired by Laurene ITEM PHOTO | enhancing literacy in day care pro- Powell Jobs, the widow of OWEN O’ROURKE grams, at North Shore Community Apple Inc. founder Steve College and in Salem State University. Jobs. She is president of In 2013, she founded the Reading, CHARTER, A7 REAL, A7 Saugus board and Wheelabrator at odds over land ll INSIDE In Opinion By Bridget Turcotte At issue is a proposal by Wheelabrator, an land ll and the change in quality, character A hot July ITEM STAFF energy-from-waste facility that provides dis- and degree of use of the land ll,” said George in Swampscott. A4 posal of up to 1,500 tons per day of waste Hailer, the Board of Health’s (BOH) attorney. SAUGUS — The Board of Health has asked from 10 Massachusetts communities, to ex- “The increased capacity and change in qual- the state to require Wheelabrator Saugus to In Sports assess its impact on public health and the en- tend the life of its ash land ll for an addition- ity, character and degree of use obviates any World Series-bound vironment. al four-and-a-half to ve years. The request is exemptions from site assignment require- Babe Ruth team The request was made in a letter to Mat- undergoing a MEPA review. ments that may exist.” gets inspired. B1 thew Beaton, Secretary of the Massachusetts Some residents and of cials are opposed to But Wheelabrator of cials argue they are Environmental Policy Act (MEPA) of ce. the extension, while others are in support. only seeking to continue to operate “in the In Business These reviews are conducted to determine if “The proposed expansion of the capacity of way that we have been for several years.” Senior housing a parcel of land is suitable for a solid waste the valleys in the land ll warrants a site as- unit adds community management facility. signment due to the increased capacity of the WHEELABRATOR, A7 room, gym. B8 OBITUARIES ..............................A2 LOOK! .......................................A8 DIVERSIONS .............................B5 HIGH 73° VOL. 138, ISSUE 203 OPINION ...................................A4 SPORTS ................................ B1-3 CLASSIFIED ........................... B6-7 LOW 62° POLICE/FIRE .............................A6 COMICS ....................................B4 BUSINESS ................................B8 PAGE A8 ONE DOLLAR A2 THE DAILY ITEM TUESDAY, AUGUST 2, 2016 OBITUARIES Leonard F. Smith Barbara M. Plecinoga, 65 1929-2016 CENTERVILLE — until recently. SALEM — Barba- Marie CSSF, of Our Leonard F. Smith MD, The primary joy of ra M. (Stankiewicz) Lady of Angels Con- of Centerville, died his life was his be- Plecinoga, 65, of Sa- vent, Enfield, Conn., peacefully on July loved family in whom lem, wife of the late an aunt, Alice Cote 27, 2016, surround- he took great pride Peter P. Plecinoga, of Salem, an uncle, ed by his family. A na- and instilled a love who died in 2014, Rev. Louis Bilicky of tive of Swampscott, of family, faith, the passed away Friday, Framingham, several Len was the son of Cape, travel, sea- July 22, 2016 at the cousins, and a dear Arthur K. and Eileen food/lobster and Blueberry Hill Health- friend whom Barba- M. Smith. Dr. Smith the Red Sox. Len care Center, Beverly ra looked upon as was a graduate of St. John’s was pre-deceased by his best following a long illness. a sister, Deborah Branford Prep, the College of the Holy friend and wife of 53 years, Born in Salem, she was the of Williamsburg, Va. She was PHOTO | ASSOCIATED PRESS Cross (1951), (from which Joan, and leaves his eight daughter of the late Joseph predeceased by an infant son, four of his children graduated) children, their spouses, and F. and Eugenia (Lipinska) John Michael Plecinoga. Massachusetts Gov. Charlie Baker smiles as he and Georgetown University 24 grandchildren: son Dr. Stankiewicz and was a life- Service information: Her is applauded by Lt. Gov. Karen Polito, left, as School of Medicine (1955), Brian and daughter-in-law, long resident of the city. funeral service will be held State Treasurer Deborah Goldberg, far right, (where one of his sons and Holly, and their sons, Bren- Barbara was employed out Thursday, Aug. 4, 2016, at looks on after he signed a bill into law at the grandsons also received Doc- dan, Sean, Colin and Kevin of high school at John Han- 9 a.m., from the FULL-SPY- State House on Monday in Boston. tor of Medicine degrees). Len of Avon, Conn., son, Kevin, cock Insurance until the sum- CHALSKI FUNERAL HOME, did his internship at Mercy and wife, Julie, and children, mer of 1971, and later worked 84 Washington Square Hospital, Baltimore, Md., and Colman, Clare and Katherine for the Salem Evening News. East, on Salem Common, his residency in Obstetrics of Arlington, Va., daughter, She was a lifelong parishio- Salem, followed by a fu- Gov.