SAUGUS Vol. 25, No. 6 -FREEHappy Valentine’s Day to all our Readers! ADDOCCO TEAT www.advocatenews.net Published Every Friday 781-233-4446 Friday, February 11, 2022 Off with the Masks! A Love For Helping People A dramatic drop in COVID-19 cases and a 76% vaccination rate among town residents prompts Board of Health to downgrade the indoor mask mandate to an advisory By Mark E. Vogler W hat a diff erence a month can make when it comes to COVID-19. At the Board of Health’s January meeting, a visibly frustrated Board Chair William Heffernan asked the town’s public health nurse, Teresa Riley-Singh “Are we ever going to start to turn a corner here?” Riley-Singh urged patience while acknowledging the early year spike in cases following a December she had declared “the month of COVID.” “But let’s get through the winter and then reevaluate, come the warmer months.” But Heffernan, the rest of the Board of Health and the rest of Saugus residents and business owners won’t have to wait that long to reevaluate the indoor mask mandate. A dramatic drop in COVID-19 cases and a 76 percent vacciMASKS | SEE PAGE 14 A Hockey Player’s Love HUGE HEARTS: Saugus residents Cathy and Ken Strum say their love has grown stronger after being married for more than 48 years. They also share a deep passion for volunteer missions that improve the lives of less fortunate people. See inside for more photos and this week’s “The Advocate Asks.” (Saugus Advocate photo by Mark E. Vogler) Top 10 Taxpayers WIN Waste Innovations and Square One Mall rank one and two in what they’ll pay Town of Saugus in 2022 property taxes By Mark E. Vogler Sachems Captain Christopher Regnetta presented a bouquet of red roses to his mother, Anna, on Wednesday night (Feb. 9) during the Saugus High School Hockey Senior Night. Joining them are Christopher’s father, Christopher, Sr., and his sister, Ariana, with her boyfriend, Justin Sensale. See inside for more photos. (Saugus Advocate photo by Tara Vocino) S o, who is the biggest taxpayer in Saugus this year? WIN Waste Innovations, formerly known as Wheelabrator Technologies, Inc. – owners of the trash-to-energy plant on Route 107, will wind up paying about $3.1 million in taxes this year. That is nearly $900,000 more than any other property owner. It was just three years ago that owners of the Square One Mall on Route 1 nosed out Wheelabrator for that distinction by close to $2,000, as both property owners paid more than $3 million. But in the years since the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic, the valuation of the mall properties has plummeted by close to $29.5 million, resulting in a tax bill of $839,404 less than what TOP 10 | SEE PAGE 14 ANGELO’S FULL SERVICE Regular Unleaded $3.359 Mid Unleaded $3.419 Super $3.519 Diesel Fuel $3.979 "43 Years of Excellence!" 1978-2021 KERO $4.99 DEF $3.49 9 Diesel $3.499 9 HEATING OIL 24-Hour Burner Service Call for Current Price! (125—gallon minimum) DEF Available by Pump! Open an account and order online at: www.angelosoil.com (781) 231-3500 (781) 231-3003 367 LINCOLN AVE • SAUGUS • OPEN 7 DAYS Prices subject to change Ask about our Conditioner! FLEET
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