Page 12 THE SAUGUS ADVOCATE – FRIDAY, JUNE 30, 2023 The Sounds of Saugus By Mark E. Vogler Good morning, Saugus! There won’t be any parades in Saugus on July 4. There won’t be any fi reworks or barn fi res. But there’s a unique century-old patriotic tradition that lives on in Saugus — the 3rd of July Lynnhurst Block Party and the Fourth of July celebration, which brings great joy and pride to the neighborhood that will be hosting these festivities. It all starts at 6:30 p.m. Monday night (July 3) at the Lynnhurst School Field, also known as Dana H. Johnson Memorial Park. The folks who are organizing this event recommend that anyone who plans to go bring chairs, refreshments, snacks, bug spray and lawn games. The main event of the night will be the Brian Maes Band. There will also be a 50/50 raffl e — arm’s length for fi ve bucks. The night, which ends at 10 p.m., continues the next day at 9 a.m. at Dana H. Johnson Memorial Park with an old-fashioned field day that kids will love. There will be contests for kids of all ages, both boys and girls. They include most patriotic costumes, doll carriage, tricycles and bicycles. The athletic contests will feature potato sack races, three-legged races and tug of war — to name a few. Boys and girls from ages eight to 13 will be able to compete in watermelon and pie-eating contests. Hot dogs, popsicles and water will be provided. Well, if you have kids and don’t have any defi nitive plans on how to spend the holiday or night before, head over to Lynnhurst and partake in what has really become a neat July 4 family-oriented event. Imperio Mariense De Saugus weekend And if you have a hankering for Portuguese food, it will be worth your while to check out Imperio Mariense De Saugus, which will be held from 3 p.m. to midnight on Saturday (July 1) and 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. on Sunday (July 2) at 262 Lynn Fells Parkway in Saugus. Besides the food, this is an annual event that dates back to 1927, when a dozen immigrants from the island of Santa Maria, Azores, decided to bring their own feast and tradition here and share it with the community. According to the website, “the annual feast held in Saugus Massachusetts to celebrate the coronation of the Holy Ghost emperor and empress. Custom starts with a procession, followed by mass and coronation before the Holy Ghost soup lunch. The Holy Ghost celebration is specifi c to Azorean natives, established to reinforce a sense of community between the islands. “The feast is held on Lynn Fells Parkway for two days. The feast is put together in large part by the dedication and hard work of the board members and volunteers, who get together to bake and prepare a week leading to the event. “Imperio Mariense Feast visitors are Portuguese natives or descendants who come from surrounding cities such as Cambridge, Hudson, Stoughton, Taunton, Bridgewater and many other out of state cities. Visitors can expect plenty of entertainment over the weekend as there is usually bands and surprise guests that will take stage.” If you love Portuguese bread, kale and chouri?o, this might be your lucky weekend. Bon Appetit! What’s up at Saugus Public Schools? Shame on the town offi cials and/or school offi cials — whoever they are — for allowing Saugus Public School Superintendent Erin McMahon to hang in limbo on paid administrative leave for fi ve-plus months. Wouldn’t you think by now that the folks involved in the socalled investigation would be able to categorically say whether the superintendent committed acts of misconduct that call for disciplinary action — ranging from a warning to a suspension or even fi reable? It doesn’t help that there appears to be an Open Meeting Law violation committed by the School Committee at the time of the Jan. 19 Executive Session. And nobody is saying much of anything, other than the superintendent’s lawyer, whose Open Meeting Law complaint against the School Committee has raised more questions than answers. If the investigation that the town paid to have conducted has been completed — and it failed to produce hard evidence of misconduct by the superintendent — then a copy of that report needs to be released as soon as possible and McMahon needs to be reinstated immediately. By the same token, if there’s evidence of wrongdoing, the superintendent needs to be held accountable. This has taken much too long and needs to be concluded as soon as possible. Stay tuned. One-Day Holiday Trash Delay The Town of Saugus announced that trash and recycling collection will run on a oneHAPPY FOURTH OF JULY: This 10x12 painting, “In Celebration of America,” by Joanie Allbee, will be one of the raffl e prizes for the “4th Annual Motorcycle Run in memory of Gregory King.” Date is August 6 at the Saugus Elks (401 Main St. in Saugus). For more information about this event you can contact Ellen Santosuosso at esantosuosso@gmail.com. Many thanks. (Courtesy photo to The Saugus Advocate by Joanie Allbee) day delay for the July 4th Holiday. Trash and recycling will not be collected on Tuesday, July 4, due to the holiday. Collection will resume on a one-day delay on Wednesday, July 5. Residents are kindly asked to leave trash and recycling curbside by 7 a.m. on 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. C.H.a.R.M. Center closed tomorrow The Town of Saugus announced that the C.H.a.R.M. Center Compost Site will be closed tomorrow (Saturday, July 1) as the town prepares for the July 4 observance. The Compost Site will reopen on Wednesday, July 5, from 8 a.m.—2 p.m. The C.H.a.R.M. Center will be open during the summer to residents on Wednesdays and Saturdays from 8 am.-2 p.m. The site is located behind the Department of Public Works at 515 Main St.. Stickers are required to gain seasonal access to the site. Stickers may be purchased for $25.00 at the Department of Public Works (DPW) located at the Compost Site when making your visit to the Compost Site. The Town accepts checks only for payment of the $25. No cash will be accepted. Kindly bring a check when visiting. Thank you! Compost site stickers must be permanently placed on the lower left corner of residents’ automobile windshields. Vehicles registered out of state are not permitted. Yard waste must be disposed of in brown compost bags or open containers. The Town will accept grass clippings, leaves and brush. As in years past, no branches or limbs larger than three inches in diameter are permitted. Residents may call Scott Brazis at the Solid Waste and Recycling Department at 781-2314036 with questions. Last call for FinCom applicants Saugus Town Moderator Stephen N. Doherty is seeking volunteers to serve on the Town’s Finance Committee. The Finance Committee is responsible for reviewing all fi nancial articles that come before Town Meeting and advising the members on their feasibility. Applicants can send a letter of interest outlining their qualifi cations toprecinct4steve@ gmail.com or can mail it to the Saugus Town Clerk’s Offi ce at 298 Central St. Suite 7, Saugus, MA 01906 marked “Attention Town Moderator”’. Letters should be submitted by today (Friday, June 30) for consideration. Some Special “Shout Outs” We have several “Shout Outs” from readers this week. Selectman Corinne Riley: “I’d like to shout out SAVE on their 50 year anniversary. Over the years they have been instrumental in helping with the environment. So many have volunteered through the years, and I’m sure they will continue to get new members to continue their mission for many years to come.” Precinct 6 Town Meeting Member Jeanie Bartolo: “These ‘Shout Outs’ go to the three ‘Bobs’ Cubed’ aka (in alphabetical order) Bob Davis, Bob Long and Bob Palleschi. They get together for breakfast every week at the Hammersmith. Well, this morning I decided to crash their little breakfast by just showing up and sitting down at their table! I consider these three gentlemen ‘the Greats’ of Saugus: Bob Davis for World Series Park (if you build it, they will come). He saw a need, rallied the troops and made it happen, because of him we have one of the best ball fi elds around and none of it paid for with Town money. Town Meeting Member Bob Long for all his knowledge as a former Selectman, Town Moderator and Planning Board for the town and the hours and hours he has spent giving me guidance on Town Meeting, not to mention all the laughter in between; I just love picking on him! When me and his wife Carol get started on him he doesn’t stand a chance! Finally, Town Meeting Member Bob Palleschi, former Chairman of the Finance Committee. His leadership saved the Saugus Public Library. If it wasn’t for him and the board the Library would be closed. I was Chairman of the Board of Library Trustees at that time and was given a zero budget for 2008. Bob brought the Fin Com together and got
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