MONDAY, AUGUST 14, 2017 STEVE KRAUSE COMMENTARY Swampscott boxer Enough looks to ring a Belle By Gayla Cawley 5,” said Leigh Cassidy, a 29-year-old with the ITEM STAFF Swampscott native. Leigh Cassidy, a Boston resident, said BOSTON — One Swampscott Cassidy, Haymakers for Hope is a nonpro t games in 29, will High School graduate will try to knock out cancer when she gets into organization that puts together am- compete ateur charity boxing events to raise for Hope’s the ring in October. “It is with great pleasure and a money and awareness for cancer re- Saugus 5th annual little bit of terror that I am under- search, care, awareness and survivor- Belles of taking the grueling challenge of par- ship. The town of Saugus is at it the Brawl. again. Nothing, it seems, is ticipating in Haymakers for Hope’s She said the Belles of the Brawl 5th annual Belles of the Brawl event easy over there. Not even the CASSIDY, A7 hiring of an athletic director PHOTO | LOPSAN at Boston’s House of Blues on Oct. to replace the departed Mike Nelson. This shouldn’t be the proj- ect it’s become. And the back- Marblehead and Swampscott A record and-forth bickering between members of the school com- mittee — which really isn’t the city supposed to be involved in voice their hatred of hate this at all — makes you won- der whether there’s an adult By Gayla Cawley Robert E. Lee. “Pro-white” pro- killing a woman and causing mul- could live in the room; and whether the ITEM STAFF testers, as the event’s organizer tiple injuries. A state police heli- ones play-acting at it are for called them, including Neo-Na- copter crash that killed two troop- the children or are the chil- SWAMPSCOTT — Swamp- zis, Ku Klux Klan members and ers was also linked to the rally, as dren. scott and Marblehead joined other white nationalists, rallied it was monitoring the event. without Seriously, why can’t the communities across the coun- to “take America back.” Some On Sunday, Swampscott and Most-ever heroin town form a committee, meet, try holding rallies and vigils reportedly stated their beliefs Marblehead each held events conduct interviews and come denouncing a white suprema- were validated by the election in response to the events that overdoses in Lynn up with a candidate to pres- cist rally in Charlottesville, Va., of President Donald Trump. transpired a day earlier. A di- ent to the superintendent, that erupted into fatal violence The rally quickly deteriorat- versity group in Swampscott, By Thomas Grillo and do so in a timely manner? this weekend. ed into violence, with clashes S.U.R.E. (Swampscott Unites, ITEM STAFF Before the school year end- The Virginia rally on Satur- between white nationalists and Respects, Embraces Diversity), ed in June, two area ADs an- day was organized to protest counter-protesters. A car lat- held a rally on the Town Hall LYNN — The number of nounced they were moving the city’s decision to remove a er plowed into a group of an- heroin overdoses has soared on: Phil Sheridan of Peabody statue of confederate General ti-white-nationalist protesters, HATE, A7 to their highest level ever as and Nelson. Peabody lled its a more potent mixture of the position with minimal fan- drug is making its way to the fare, and Bobby Bua has been streets. working all summer long to “We don’t think there are ensure an easy transition. Having a ball more users, but what they’re Saugus? Different story. using is so much more pow- Like much of what has hap- erful that it’s increasing over- pened over there in the last doses and deaths,” said Dr. two years, this has become a Kiame Mahaniah, chief med- public spectacle. And it’s been ical of cer at the Lynn Com- a asco from the get-go. The munity Health Center. job was originally posted as The Lynn Police Department a full-time position. Then, reported 283 heroin overdoses last week, the town realized from January through July, that Nelson had been doing it up 12 percent for the same on a part-time basis (he was period a year ago. That’s the also assistant principal) and most ever in the seven-month changed the description to re- period since records started ect that. being kept a decade ago. So Then, last Monday it was far this year, there have been re-classi ed as full-time. Has 38 deaths and experts say your head stopped spinning the city will likely exceed last yet? year’s number of 50 fatalities. Complicating things even The culprit, doctors say, is more is the presence of school fentanyl. When a few grains committeewoman Eliza- of the powerful painkiller is beth Marchese as one of the mixed with heroin, often with- candidates, though it really out users’ knowledge, it can cause an overdose, sometimes shouldn’t. The feeling here is fatal. that Marchese has conducted Traces of fentanyl, 200 times herself openly, honestly and more powerful than heroin, above board throughout this has been found in patient whole process. drug screenings in the last six Marchese has coached and months, Mahaniah said. volunteered in various youth “We’re seeing fentanyl in sports organizations in Sau- people who say they’ve done gus. She meets the criteria heroin, but it’s also showing the town outlined for the po- up in people who say they are sition. She checked with the just smoking marijuana,” he state ethics board before she said. “Clearly, drug dealers applied. She’s recused herself are using the same equipment from any vote that involves to weigh and sell pot that they the process (including the one use for heroin.” the committee took Monday Fentanyl is so dangerous, he ITEM PHOTO | OWEN O’ROURKE to change the job from part- to said, police use extra caution full-time). She’s even offered From left, Dom Finelli, Mike Cella, and John Leavitt playing bocce at the Italian during raids where they ex- to resign from the committee American Citizen’s Club on Harbor Street in Lynn, where bocce has been played pect to nd it. The man-made — even though she legally for the last 20 years. drug is used as part of anes- SAUGUS, A7 thesia to help prevent pain af- ter surgery. Dr. Bennett Shamsai, the OVERDOSE, A7 BY BILL BROTHERTON Boston INSIDE Rockabilly will play Elvis left the building of In Medford a rare gig Kids graduate sheriff’s Saturday rockabilly to Revere musician program. A2 night at the In Lynn Spear Post Lynn Shelter Association in Beverly. Elvis Presley died 40 years ago in the rock and roll style. It gave a Wednesday. The shocking death of purpose to a lot of us kids.” has an eye on fashion. A3 Band mem- • bers are, the King of Rock and Roll at age 42 A few years later, Layne met Rink haunts his fans to this day. Gallant, a guitarist, at Salem State Caffeine and creativity at from left, Land of a Thousand Hills. A3 Ray Gillette Vic Layne of Revere is one of the College. Their common bond was rock and roll. “Rink, who has passed (guitar), many musicians whose life was In Opinion changed after hearing Presley’s away, and I were the best of friends. Mike Young Crystal clear in Peabody. A4 raucous rockabilly records on the We started out doing record hops (drums), radio. with DJs Arnie “Woo Woo” Gins- In LOOK! Vic Layne “Elvis was the roots of rock and burg and Joe Smith.” Eventually, (piano) and Tough guys don’t roll, the original foundation of rock- when they were family men/full- do drugs. A8 Jim Bois- abilly music,” said Layne. “For me, blown working adults (Layne, born clair (bass). as a 15-year-old kid, the impact was Victor Lospennato, was a teacher at In Sports huge. I took piano lessons at the Lynn still alive in COURTESY PHOTO time, and I suddenly wanted to play ROCKABILLY, A7 Gallant tournament. B1 OBITUARIES ..............................A2 POLICE/FIRE .............................A6 COMICS/DIVERSIONS ........... B4-5 HIGH 78° VOL. 139, ISSUE 210 LYNN .........................................A3 LOOK! .......................................A8 CLASSIFIED ........................... B6-7 LOW 66° OPINION ...................................A4 SPORTS ................................ B1-3 HEALTH .....................................B8 PAGE A8 ONE DOLLAR A2 THE DAILY ITEM MONDAY, AUGUST 14, 2017 OBITUARIES Medford kids graduate sheriff’s program Richard T. Otting Jr., 70 STAFF REPORT YPSA program. ments who they come to Medford Mayor Stepha- “This program makes trust.” nie M. Burke was on hand MEDFORD – Forty Med- a real difference in the The cadets participate in last Friday at Chelmsford ford residents are among LYNN — Mr. Richard wife JuliAnn of Tewks- lives of Middlesex County several exercises during High School to congratu- 160 graduates of the Mid- T. Otting Jr., 70 years bury, Teagan Buyer families,” said Middlesex the week, including fire late the Medford gradu- of Lynn, died on and her husband dlesex Sheriff’s Office (MSO) annual Youth Public Sheriff Peter J. Koutouji- hazard training in the ates. Thursday, August 10, Joshua of Newmar- an. “Not only do hundreds MSO’s fire safety trailer; The Youth Public Safety 2017, in the North ket, N.H., his niece Safety Academy (YPSA). of youngsters get to have team building activities Academy is offered as a low- Shore Medical Cen- and nephews, Justin Youths ages 8 to 12 years ter at Union Hospital Otting and his wife old spent five days learn- a fun and safe summer at the Boys & Girls Club cost, educational camp for after a long illness.