Page 14 THE SAUGUS ADVOCATE – Friday, February 7, 2020 THE SOUNDS OF SAUGUS By Mark Vogler H ere are a few tidbits that you might want to know about this week in Saugus. A “shout-out” for Joe Vecchione and Robert Camuso This week’s nomination comes from Doug and Linda Mellor: “We would like An Extra Shout Out for Town Meeting Members, Joe Vecchione and Robert Camuso for all the time and work they have put in to getting information out to the residents regarding Caddy Farms LLC. “It is a good feeling knowing that elected town officials are providing information and giving the residents a chance to express their views. “Thank you.” Want to “shout-out” a fellow Saugonian? This is an opportunity for our paper’s readers to single out – in a brief mention – remarkable acts or achievements by Saugus residents or an act of kindness or a nice gesture. Just send an email (mvoge@comcast.net) with the mention in the subject line of “An Extra Shout Out.” No more than a paragraph – anything longer might lend itself to a story and/or photo. A project worth shouting about How many Saugus Public Schools students can brag about hanging out with a crowd of Gentoo penguins in the Falkland Islands? Or staring at icebergs in turquoise-colored waters in the Antarctic Peninsula? Only two. Ariana Brown, 16, a junior at Saugus High School, and her sister, Rhianon, 12, a seventh grader at the Belmonte Middle School – the daughters of Eric W. and Nhung Pham Brown – just got back from a great educational adventure which is featured in this week’s “The Advocate Asks.” They were gone 16 days on a journey that took them to places that nearly all of us can only read about or see in television programs. Their dad, Eric, was responsible for instigating the trip, which he also participated in. But you also have to tip your hat to Saugus Public Schools Superintendent Dr. David DeRuosi, Jr. and the principals at Belmonte Middle School and Saugus High School for giving their support to this trip. Without the superintendent’s approval, it doesn’t happen. I’m sure Ariana and Rhianon are going to have some great stories to share with their classmates. And the various organizations in town ought to be inviting their dad to give a talk and photographic presentation once he organizes several thousand photos he took during the trip. I got to spend a good part of Super Bowl Sunday – maybe six hours – looking at some of those photos and hearing some of the stories from Eric and Rhianon. I later communicated in emails with Ariana. I understand that Ariana is going to prepare a travelogue in Latin as one of her school projects. What a great project, which should benefit Saugus Public Schools immensely. A time for citizen input Saugus residents who believe they have the answers for straightening out Town Hall have a chance to sound off to an audience of Town Manager Scott C. Crabtree and the Board of Selectmen at a workshop session set for 6 p.m., March 3 in the first floor conference room at Saugus Town Hall. “We’re hoping that a lot of the public gets involved and gives input,” Board of Selectmen Vice Chair Corinne Riley said at Tuesday night’s board meeting. “We hope to have a lot of people there to let us know what you think.” Residents who attend the workshop will be able to comment on what the town manager and selectmen recommend as top goals and projects. Here is a chance for citizens to chime in on what they see as to the future of Saugus. Should selectmen be meeting on primary night? Ever since the Board of Selectmen embraced Selectman Corinne Riley’s idea for a workshop to seek public input on goals for the town, we have done our part to promote the meeting. When selectmen scheduled the workshop for March 3, it didn’t register that it fell on the day of the Massachusetts Presidential Primary. I’m not sure that selectmen thought about that either when they set the date. But Ellen Santosuosso, who will be working the polls that day from 2 p.m., wrote to tell us this week that she thought it was Fixed Rate Mortgages NO POINTS 15 YEAR 2.990% RATE 3.096% APR* EVERET T – 419 BROADWAY LYNNFIELD – 7 7 1 SALEM STREET 6 1 7 - 3 8 7 -111 0 30 YEAR 3.500% RATE 3.559% APR* For more rates visit our website at EVERETTBANK . COM *Annual Percentage Rate (APR) is effective January 28, 2020 and is subject to change. All rates and APR’s are calculated based on a $250,000 loan for an owner-occupied single family dwelling with a 20% down payment. Rates are also based on Loan to Value and credit scores. The monthly principal and interest payment for a 15 Year fixed rate mortgage is $6.90 per $1,000 borrowed. The monthly principal and interest payment for a 30 Year fixed rate mortgage is $4.49 per $1,000 borrowed. Those payment do not included taxes and insurance. Your payment may be greater if the loan is secured by a first lien. Loans are subject to credit approval. NMLS #443050. “poor planning.” “Why would this open workshop be scheduled the same day as primary elections??” Ellen wrote to us this week. Well, Ellen raises a good point. And the other town residents who are scheduled to work the polls that night also won’t be able to be heard from. Perhaps it might be good for selectmen to reschedule the workshop to another night. Valentine Volunteer Information Night The Alliance for Health and Environment encourages residents of Revere, Saugus and Lynn to attend a public meeting of the Alliance on Thursday, Feb.13, from 6:30 to 8 p.m. at the Saugus ITAM (1 Beachview Ave., Saugus). The Alliance is hosting an informational public meeting to mobilize residents who are negatively impacted by the operations of the Saugus incinerator and its unlined ash landfill. Join neighbors to learn how you can volunteer and take action in the Alliance’s campaign to close the unlined Saugus ash landfill. This meeting will feature round-robin trainings in which residents will learn how to activate to make a positive difference! The Alliance for Health and EnMember FDIC Member SIF vironment was formed in 2016 with the goal of raising awareness of incinerator ash disposal activities in Saugus, reducing pollution associated with waste incineration and ash disposal and promoting environmental justice for communities impacted by waste incineration and ash disposal. Members include public officials and concerned residents of Saugus and Revere, as well as representatives from many highly respected environmental advocacy groups, including the Conservation Law Foundation, Clean Water Action, Toxics Action Center, the Saugus River Watershed Council, Saugus Action Volunteers for the Environment, Friends of Belle Isle Marsh, and the Point of Pines Beach Association. Early primary voting There will be Early Voting for five days only for the upcoming March 3, 2020, Presidential Primary Election. The dates for Early Voting are Monday, February 24 through Friday, February 28. Early Voting will take place in the Town Clerk’s Office during regular Town Hall hours: Monday, 8:30 a.m. to 7 p.m.; Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday: 8:15 a.m. to 5 p.m.; and Friday, 8:15 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Absentee Voting will remain the same as in all past elections. Deadline for registering to vote next week The last day to register to vote for the Presidential Primary is Wednesday, Feb. 12. The Town Clerk’s Office will be open until 8 p.m. that day. “As a remainder, the Annual Census DOES NOT register you to vote,” Town Clerk Ellen Schena advised us in an email this week. Dog Days are here The new 2020 Dog Licenses are now available in the Town Clerk’s Office – must have a copy of the Rabies Certificate to license your dog or use the new web portal. Saugus author writing up a storm Saugus author Tom Sheehan is like The Energizer Bunny. He just keeps going. In this case, he just keeps writing. Sheehan, a 1947 Saugus High School graduate and a 1956 Boston College graduate, was celebrated in England last December for being the first writer who had appeared 100 times in the website Literally Stories. He recently reached a new level in manuscript submissionsacceptances in January of 2020 with 37 pieces in magazine and internet sites. The sites include Short-Story-Me, Literally Stories (England), Rope and Wire Western Magazine and its Beyond the Western section, Frontier Tales, and The Linnet’s Wings (Ireland). Rope and Wire Magazine has published 12 pieces, including a break-out new section called Beyond the Western where his World War II war story, “The Emphatic Prisoner,” now appears, as well as “Death at the First SOUNDS | SEE PAGE 15
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