Page 12 THE SAUGUS ADVOCATE – FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 11, 2022 THE SOUNDS OF SAUGUS By Mark E. Vogler Hold onto your masks Saugus, like the rest of Massachusetts, seems to be trending in the right direction, as far as COVID-19 is concerned. It’s great news that the town this week joined dozens of other Massachusetts communities in lifting their facemask mandates for indoors. And the same thing will happen in the Schools, with the state Department of Elementary and Secondary Education set to roll back its masked mandate on Feb. 28. But let’s be prudent and remain patient as life seems to be getting back to normal. Don’t throw away your masks and PPE just yet. Let’s see a continued drop in the positive COVID-19 cases to the point where things are really back to normal and nobody is dying. I know that at least through the transition weeks, I’m going to be still packing face masks whenever I head into buildings where I suspect there might be a crowd. I’m 69 and I don’t need to be getting COVID-19 at my age. And I know a lot of seniors feel the same way. And I will continue to post the COVID-19 Update in the paper until the town manager stops reporting confirmed cases and the numbers cease to exist. Town residents should be patient with those business and restaurant owners who still insist on people wearing masks when they enter their establishments. It is still their right to turn away customers who don’t respect their rules. It appears the worst is over and we’re headed in the right direction. But we should remain cautiously optimistic until we’re really back to near-normalcy, though it’s doubtful we’ll ever be fully back to the way things were before March of 2020. Good luck and stay safe, Saugus. We have a winner! Congratulations to Linda Pogson for making the right identification in last week’s “Guess Who got CONTEST SKETCH OF THE WEEK Sketched!” Contest. Pogson was one of several readers answering correctly, and the one who had their name selected from the green Boston Red Sox cap. Here’s the correct answer, offered by the person who goes by the name of The Sketch Artist: “Last week’s paper was full of our Firefighter heroes, and the timing of a firefighter’s sketch who was featured was fun to see! Last week’s 2014 Medal of Valor sketch answer was a breeze, like a test with an open book. “But it’s the ones who enter who win! (it’s a joy to have winners for the Red Sox green hat drawing to give our Sponsor’s prizes to!) It was interesting reading about this Hero, see the Feb. 4th Cover story of Saugus Advocate paper/online continued on page 4 (his picture on pg. 3) & Oct. 4th 2018 Issue; I would encourage you to read more: “Our Captain was front and center at the Fire Station putting on various Fire safety & Awareness Programs for Adults and children. He made the programs fun to attend so families would walk away benefitting from all they learned. “In December 2011 he dove into the Saugus River’s icy waters to rescue a woman from her trapped submerged car. “The featured sketch is of our 30 years on duty for Saugus Firefighter Captain James Hughes. “Captain James Hughes retired last month after serving a total of 35 years in Firefighter Services. “Our hats off to you Captain James Hughes! Fire Chief Michael C. Newbury stated in Saugus Advocate paper Feb.4th Cover story: ‘You don’t just end up being a Lieutenant and Captain’ “Wishing you a retirement surrounded by loving family & attaining dreams of fruition! “*You may pass the torch forward but you still carry a megawatt brilliance! “Thank you for your service. “Yours Truly, “The Sketch Artist” Multiple “Shout-Outs” again! We received two nominations from readers this week for people deserving of “Shout-Outs.” Three from Jeannie Meredith: “I have three Shout Outs: “The first ‘Shout Out’ is for Captain James Hughes. We thank you for your 35 years as a firefighter. Saugus is sorry to see you go. Have fun and enjoy your retirement, it is well deserved! “The second ‘Shout Out’ is for firefighter Billy Cross on his promotion to Captain within the Saugus Fire Department. Billy is probably one of the most popular and well known firefighters in Saugus and respected by all. Congratulations and best of luck Billy you earned it!! “The third ‘Shout Out’ goes to firefighter Donald ‘DJ’ Blandini on his promotion to Lieutenant within the Saugus Fire Department. He’s a great guy and has worked hard and has earned this promotion. Congratulations and the best of luck DJ!!” A special “shout out” from the Sketch Artist: “BIG thankyou & Shout Out to J & M Italian American Cuisine for their Sponsorship of the past 4-weeks of $10.00 gift certificates to the winners of the ‘Guess 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 was sketched this week? If you do, please email me at mvoge@comcast.net or leave a phone message at 978683-7773. Anyone who between now and Tuesday at noon identifies the loving Saugonian couple sketched in this week’s paper 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 Dunkin’ in the Food Court at Saugus’s Square One Mall. 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”) Who got sketched Contest’ “Thank you! Our contest winners will sure be in for a BIG treat; your food is delicious!) Love your chicken parm sub!) Yours Truly, “The Sketch Artist” 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 a 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 a photo. Town Republicans hold Convention Caucus next week This just in from James J. Harrington, Chairman, Saugus Republican Town Committee: The Saugus Republican Town Committee will hold a meeting and a caucus to elect delegates to the Republican State Convention. This will be held on Thursday, Feb. 17 at the M.E.G. Building, 58 Essex Street, Saugus at 7 p.m. Committee offices of Chairman, Vice Chairman, Treasurer and Secretary will be voted upon during the meeting. Republicans, who are registered Republicans as of December 31, 2021, and reside in Saugus, are eligible to join the Committee, be eligible to serve as Committee officers and vote for Committee officers. This caucus will elect 28 delegates from Saugus to the Republican State Convention, which will be held on Saturday, May 21, 2022, in Worcester, MA. Republicans who are registered Republicans as of December 31, 2021, and reside in Saugus are eligible to be elected as delegates. Attendance at this caucus meeting is not required; however, persons wishing to be elected as delegates must be nominated before or during this caucus. In the event of bad weather, this meeting and caucus will take place on Saturday, Feb. 19 – location and time to be determined. For any further information or to have any questions you may have answered, please email me at: SunocoJim@gmail.com or you may message me on Facebook, either on the Saugus Republican Town Committee page or my private Facebook page: Jim Harrington. Tonal Chaos competes on Sunday Last Friday’s winter weather, which created treacherous road conditions, led to a cancellation of a preview performance by Tonal Chaos at the MEG Building that night. But the Saugus High School a cappella group (formerly known as “The Sachimes”) plans to reschedule in what would amount to an encore presentation. Stay tuned for details. Meanwhile, if you have some time on Sunday (Feb. 13) and want to see and hear something special, plan on watching Tonal Chaos compete in the International Championship of High School A Cappella (ICHSA). Tickets to the ICHSA performance – set for 3 p.m. – can be purchased: Venue: Galvin Middle School, 525 Main St., Wakefield; phone: 781-246-6410; website: http://wakefieldpublicschools.org/WPS/galvin/. Goodbye, Tom, finally! As a longtime New England Patriots season ticket holder (since 1993), I, for one, am happy to finally see the retirement of the GOAT – quarterback great Tom Brady from the NFL. If another comeback is planned, hope it’s just for one day so Brady can come back to Foxboro and retire as a Patriot. It still hurts that he left the Pats to play his last two seasons in Tampa Bay, where he led the Buccaneers to a Super Bowl title last season. I have mixed emotions about that. But I took some joy in seeing him add his seventh championship ring to his collection of awards and honors. Hopefully, the Patriots front office lines up a special day for next season to bring Brady back for a one-day contract at Gillette Stadium. Hey, Bob Kraft, why not treat New England fans to a special day? And don’t charge admission. As a long-time season ticket holder, I have a personal investment here. I had the pleasure of watching every regular season and playoff home game Brady got to play in his illustrious Patriots career under the legendary Pats Coach Bill Belichick. He didn’t play much in his rookie season. But in his second season, he became the starter after star quarterback Drew Bledsoe suffered a life-threatening injury that knocked him out of the lineup for most of that season. Brady did such a great job of managing the game in helping to lead the Pats into the playoffs that Bledsoe never got his starting job back. THE SOUNDS OF SAUGUS | SEE PAGE 13
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