Have a Very Merry Christmas! Have a Ve y Me Christmas! Vol. 33, No.51 -FREEwww.advocatenews.net Free Every Friday City’s Inauguration Ceremony Jan. 1 at Susan B. Anthony School Auditorium Mayor Patrick Keefe Celebrates First Inauguration as City’s Mayor with a Week of Public Events Showcasing the City’s Cultural Diversity and Economic Strength REVERE, MA - On January 1, 2024, Mayor Patrick M. Keefe Jr. will be sworn into his fi rst full four-year term as the City of Revere’s Mayor alongside the Revere City Council and the Revere School Committee. The Inauguration ceremony, which is open to the public, will take place at the Susan B. Anthony Middle School Auditorium on New Year’s Day at 7:00 p.m. This year’s inauguration activities will celebrate the City of Revere’s economic growth and cultural expansion with a series of events moving forward into the New Year. Inaugural Flavors of Revere Event: Directly following the Inauguration Ceremony, the City collation this year will highlight the Flavors of Revere, an event featuring culinary delights donated from more than a dozen local restaurants. The event will include Legal Sea Foods, Kelly’s Roast Beef, Murray’s Tavern, Cafй Montecristo, Nick’s Deli Restaurant, La Suegra Airport Diner, Las Delicias Colombianas, Nick’s Bistro, Dandee Donut Factory, Luberto’s Bakery, Billy C Chinese Restaurant and Sushi Bar, Fajitas Sports Bar, Seas The Day, Beyrut Espresso and more. The Flavors of Revere event will celebrate the cultural diversity of the local restaurants and their contribution to Revere’s economic growth and city success. Healthy Starts: Kicking off a year of good health in 2024, the City of Revere will also host its Grand Opening ribbon cutting of the new Robert J. Haas Jr. Health and WellCEREMONY | SEE Page 19 781-286-8500 Friday, December 22, 2023 Annual Robert A. Marra Memorial “Sounds of Christmas” Concert an epic holiday musical event Special to Th e Advocate M usic fi lled the air Sunday night when the North Shore Philharmonic Orchestra performed the 2023 Robert A. Marra Memorial “Sounds of Christmas” Concert before a huge audience that packed St. Anthony’s Church. Music Director Robert Lehmann and guest soprano Katie Oberholtzer had the crowd on their feet and calling for more as the Orchestra concluded the concert with the traditional “Let There Be Peace On Earth.” Concert patrons started to stream into the church an hour before the 4 p.m. start, and they were generous with their donations to the Revere Food Pantry in the Food Drive that is part of the holiday season celebration. “It’s a wonderful audience,” said Music Director Lehmann, who has conducted the concert since 2000. “Every year you can feel their heart is in the season, and their donations to the Food Drive prove that…and their love of the music. My holiday season doesn’t begin until we play this A young concert patron was one of a dozen who used Conductor Robert Lehmann’s “Magical Baton” to lead the Orchestra in excerpts from The Nutcracker.” concert.” “To me it’s a magical experience,” said soprano Oberholtzer, who was making her fi rst appearance with the North Shore Philharmonic. “To be in the middle of the orchestra and singing to so many people, bringing joy to the crowd in the holiday spirit – it really is magical,” Katie told a RevereTV audience after the concert. The audience loved Oberholtzer’s sparkling renditions of “Ave Maria” and Mel Torme’s famous “The Christmas Song,” among others. Event co-chair Dom Bocchino remarked, “I was getting text messages from CONCERT | SEE Page 18 Outgoing City Councillors bid farewell to peers, constituents By Barbara Taormina T he City Council is poised to see some signifi cant change at their next meeting when fi ve newly elected councillors come on board in 2024. But this week, the council gave some time to outgoing members to share their fi nal thoughts on their time on the council. Councillor-at-Large Steven Morabito, who served on the council from January 2014 to December 2023, said he pursued public service because he wanted to make change. Morabito said he feels deep gratitude for his fellow councillors and stressed that unity and collaboration were keys to success. “It makes you appreciate the input they all have,” he said. “Everyone is an asset with their JOHN POWERS Ward 5 City Councillor own ideas, their own suggestions, and that’s how we make change.” Next to speak was Ward 5 City Councillor John Powers, who served from May 2000 to December 2021 and again from July 2022 to December 2023. Powers lost his bid for reelection to Ward RICHARD SERINO Ward 6 City Councillor 5 City Councillor-elect Agela Guarino-Sawaya. Powers spoke briefly about some of his successes during his time on the council. Five new schools, a police station and a public works facility were at the top of the list. He stressed the city needs growth to continue exDAN RIZZO Candidate for Mayor panding its work and services for residents. Next, Councillor-at-Large Dan Rizzo off ered his thanks to everyone he has worked with over the years. Rizzo served from March 2000 to December 2011, from January 2018 to December 2019 GERRY VISCONTI Councillor-At-Large and from January 2022 to December 2023. “I want to thank my colleagues, past and presCOUNCILLORS | SEE Page 18
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