Page 12 THE SAUGUS ADVOCATE – FriDAy, JAnUAry 13, 2023 The Sounds of Saugus By Mark E. Vogler Good Morning, Saugus! Best wishes to everyone for a safe, happy and productive three-day weekend. But take some time to reflect on the life and legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., the famous civil rights leader who is the reason for the holiday that we will observe on Monday. Dr. King accomplished a lot in his 39 years before an assassin’s bullet ended his life. He was best known for delivering his “I’ve got a dream” speech during the August 1963 March on Washington, which drew a quarter of a million people. Through peaceful, nonviolent protests, King was the catalyst for many social changes for the betterment of African Americans. Nobody played a bigger role in the Civil Rights movement of the 1950s and early 60s than King. He was truly a pioneer who blazed a trail for others to follow. And his legacy lives on nearly 55 years after his death. So, grab a book at the library, watch a documentary on television and reflect on the courage and great accomplishments at personal sacrifice of this great American. Looking ahead to Saugus Over Coffee I put out the word in last week’s column that I wanted to hang out in popular coffee joints all over town, talking to voters in each of the 10 precincts about their concerns. But I haven’t heard back from any readers with recommendations for good coffee shops around Saugus that would be conducive to citizen discussions about challenging neighborhood issues in this year’s town elections. Meanwhile, a Town Meeting member suggested to me that there could be distractions in a coffee shop that might interfere with a good discussion. After mulling it over, I decided it would be more productive to hold Saugus Over Coffee forums in the Community Room of the Saugus Public Library. The library and The Saugus Advocate will be cosponsoring a series of 10 Monday night forums – one devoted to each precinct. And we’ll spring for the coffee and tea for those folks who are willing to show up and tell us about the neighborhood issues that concern them the most. And hopefully, they will get a chance to meet their Town Meeting members. And, of course, the Town Meeting members will benefit from hearing some of their constituents talk about issues that concern them. Host agreement negotiations continue Board of Selectmen Chair Anthony Cogliano has rescheduled the meeting with representatives of WIN Waste Innovations to this Tuesday, Jan. 17 at 7 p.m. in the second floor auditorium at Town Hall. Cogliano said the purpose of this meeting is to listen to another proposal from WIN to selectmen. Selectmen, back in October, approved a Host Community Agreement (HCA) with WIN Waste Innovations that enables the company to extend the life of the ash landfill adjacent to its trash-to-energy plant on Route 107 by two decades. But the amended HCA, which selectmen supported by a slim 3-2 vote, includes substantial changes – including a provision that the Town of Saugus receive free tipping fees for waste disposal over the life of the agreement. The town currently pays about $900,000 in annual tipping fees to WIN Waste Innovations. Whatever selectmen do with the latest WIN offer is a moot point if it doesn’t have the blessing of the state Department of Environmental Protection (MassDEP), the Board of Health and Town Manager Scott C. Crabtree – all have to weigh in on any deal between the town and WIN. One-day trash delay The Town of Saugus announces that trash and recycling collection will run on a one-day delay for the Martin Luther King Holiday. Trash and recycling will not be collected on Monday, Jan. 16, due to the holiday. Collection will resume on a one-day delay on Tuesday, Jan. 17. Residents are kindly asked to leave trash and recycling items at the curbside by 7 a.m. the day after their normally scheduled collection day. The Town of Saugus would like to thank everyone for their cooperation. Please contact Solid Waste/ Recycling Coordinator Scott A. Brazis at 781-231-4036 with any questions. We have two winners! Congratulations to Jean Lyons and Sue Fleming for making the right identification in last week’s “Guess Who Got Sketched” contest. They were among several readers who responded, but they were the only ones to share their wishes. Here is the correct answer offered by the person who goes by the name of The Sketch Artist: “The answer to the last two week’s sketch, ‘Father Time’ was just a fun sketch thrown in the mix: This version of Father Time, and baby New Year was created from a compilation of faces and objects observed while reflecting. “So the answer was a two for one! You could guess ‘Father Time’ and be right or you could be brave and venture out with your three wishes and hopes for 2023 the New Year. “Wishing you Shalom, Health and Joy for the New Year “Yours Truly, “The Sketch Artist” Here are the New Year’s wishes expressed by our winners. Jean: “I have three good wishes for the whole town. One is continued success from both of our new directors at the Youth Center and the senior center. All the best for our students in all of our schools and very good health for all the Saugonians. Those are my wishes. I hope they all come true. Sue: I am hoping for a good 2023 for everyone. Wishing for happiness, health and peace. Also a new fire station for Saugus wouldn’t hurt! Fifth Grade Open House Saugus Public Schools invites all fifth-grade families for an open house at the Saugus Middle/High School Complex on Wednesday, Jan. 18 at 6 p.m. Families and students will have an opportunity to learn more about the town’s state-of-theart middle and high schools and the work going on inside, including the new Early College Program. Comedy at the Kowloon The Kowloon Restaurant has set its January comedy lineup with talent featuring Tony V. Here’s the lineup: Paul D’Angelo, Friday, January 13; Harrison Stebbins, Friday, January 20; Tony V, Friday, January 27. Tickets are $20 and show time is 8 p.m. at the Kowloon Restaurant on Route 1 North in Saugus. For tickets, call the Kowloon Restaurant at 781233-0077. Craft Fair and Flea Market The Knights of Columbus Council 1829 will host an indoor craft fair and flea market on Saturday, Feb. 18 from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. at 57 Appleton St., Saugus. A snow date has been set for Feb. 25. Vendors/Table cost: $25. There will be refreshments, a cash bar and raffles. To reserve a table or obtain more information, please call Paul Giannetta at 978-239-1392. “Shout Outs” to the Youth Cross Country program We didn’t receive any nominations from our readers this week. So, using editorial discretion, I’m going to send a mega “shout out” to the Youth Cross Country program (firstthrough fifth-graders), which is sponsored by the Youth and Recreation Department. The team, under the leadership of Coach Chris Tarantino, finished its second season in the fall. The team had 27 participants with 15 participating in the season-ending eighth annual Elementary Cross Country Championship meet on Veterans Day, November 11, at Gannon Municipal Golf Course in Lynn, followed by a pizza and pasta lunch at Prince Pizzeria (Route 1, Saugus). The group then gathered the following Tuesday and Thursday for games and acknowledgments. “Over the ten week program, the student athletes dedicated themselves to the hard work and training all along while having fun and developed a stronger sense of focus and determination,” Coach Tarantino wrote me in an email back in the fall. “Between practice meets at Frye Park in Lynn, popsicle practices, Halloween Fun Runs, and numerous social and team building games and activities, the participants had a lot to challenge and engage them during that time,” he said. “Thanks to coach Boudreau and coach Babcock for all their THE SOUNDS | SEE PAGE 13 —Cont est— CONTEST SKETCH OF THE WEEK GUESS WHO GOT SKETCHED? If you know the right answer, you might win the contest. In this week’s edition, we continue our weekly feature where a local artist sketches people, places and things in Saugus. Got an idea who’s being sketched this week? If you do, please email me at mvoge@comcast.net or leave a phone message at 978 683-7773. Anyone who identifies the Saugonian sketched in this week’s paper between now and Tuesday at Noon qualifies to have their name put in a green Boston Red Sox hat with a chance to be selected as the winner of a $10 gift certificate, compliments of Hammersmith Family Restaurant, 330 Central Street in Saugus. But you have to enter to win! Look for the winner and identification in next week’s “The Sounds of Saugus.” Please leave your mailing address in case you are a winner. (Courtesy illustration to The Saugus Advocate by a Saugonian who goes by the name of “The Sketch Artist”)
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