Page 12 THE SAUGUS ADVOCATE – FriDAy, SEpTEmbEr 2, 2022 THE SOUNDS | FROM PAGE 11 on Route 107 or support its expansion, this is a meeting that you might want to mark down on your calendar. Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection (MassDEP) representatives are scheduled to meet with town officials and concerned residents at 6 p.m. on Sept. 28 in the second-floor auditorium at Town Hall for what is expected to be a discussion on the potential future of the ash landfill. The meeting comes at a time when WIN Waste Innovation officials have offered to pay the town up to $18.8 million in return for using the ash landfill for another 25 years. A major obstacle to any deal would be whether MassDEP would allow extending the life of the ash landfill – which is expected to meet its capacity by the end of 2025. A subcommittee of what? When you get right down to it, it doesn’t really matter what town officials call the subcommittee which has been meeting with WIN Waste Innovation officials for about 20 months in an effort to improve communications between the company and the town. There has actually been considerable progress on a multitude of mutual issues, especially on efforts to reduce and to even eliminate the noise emanating from the plant – which has been the subject of numerous complaints from neighborhoods in East Saugus and Revere. The Wheelabrator Subcommittee? Initially, it was created by the Board of Health, which also approved the appointment of its members. When Wheelabrator changed its name to WIN Waste Innovations, people started calling it the Landfill Subcommittee or the WIN Waste Innovations Subcommittee. But it kind of struck me as odd last week when Board of Health Chair William Heffernan said that the subcommittee is not an entity of the Board of Health and did not report to the Board of Health. I attended all of those Board of Health meetings nearly two years ago, and it was pretty clear that the subcommittee was the creation of the Board of Health. The committee voted to establish the subcommittee and then voted to appoint its members. So, why wouldn’t the subcommittee be handing its final report and recommendations over to the Board of Health and not the Board of Selectmen? The only connection between the subcommittee and the Board of Selectmen is that Board of Selectmen Chair Anthony Cogliano made his recommendations to the Board of Health and he co-chaired the subcommittee with Board of Health Chair Heffernan. Perhaps the subcommittee should have been referred to as an ad hoc committee or special study group if the intent was to distance itself from the Board of Health. But, as long as town officials are calling it a subcommittee, they can’t sever its ties to its creator – the Board of Health. We have a winner! Congratulations to Roberta Williams for making the right identification in last week’s “Guess Who Got Sketched” contest. Roberta was one of 14 readers answering correctly. That is the most calls and emails we have received in any week from readers submitting the right answer. But Roberta was the only one to have her name picked in a drawing 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: “The answer to last week’s sketch is local D. J. Alan LaBella! Alan is a dynamic, lively entertainer with a large following of fans for his DJ performances! “Have you ever seen a movie with Adam Sandler Called the ‘The Wedding Singer’?… “That’s a perfect description of what you receive for your party with Alan LaBella! Adam Sandler, Alan La Bella who is who? Lots of fun and positive energy for your event! “Alan lives to put a smile on people’s faces. He loves encouraging others into singing, dancing and having a good time! As people sit in their chairs, Alan has them hold hands to songs, singalongs, swaying in chairs to the music. He conducts music trains and has the party up and moving all around the place! “He has the crowd line dancing, laughing, waving napkins and singing songs in the mike! Alan is 100 percent authentic and he is full of props like glow rings, disco balls, hats, T-shirts and he’s right there dancing along, enjoying every beat of the party! “Alan’s parties and events are usually sold out fast, although he gets gigs by word of mouth … A lot of folks love him as their party Entertainer! He does not advertise and has been an Entertainer for over 40 years. “Originally from East Boston, he’s a graduate of Boston Latin. He’s lived in Saugus for over 30 years. Alan is married to Debbie and will be celebrating a 39-year Anniversary in October! Alan and Debbie have two daughters Ashley and Cassie. Ashley’s two children – Logan and Brady – often help their grandfather ‘Papa’ with his Senior Citizen DJ gigs! “Alan & Debbie will soon be celebrating another grandchild; Cassie is expecting her first baby in October! “You can watch videos online of his parties from various functions and organizations people have posted. Although Alan is private, he can be contacted to host Entertain & DJ parties by calling 1-781-820-8702 and by contacting him on Facebook Alan LaBella. “Alan often does events in East Boston, Lynn Knights of Columbus, Malden Moose Club and many surrounding towns too. He is a very respectable honest man with much integrity. He lets his light shine for others, by providing a platform of energetic fun to forget the stresses of life while being entertained. “Thank you. Happy October Anniversary! “Yours Truly, “The Sketch Artist” This week’s “shout-outs” It’s always a great week when we receive multiple “shout-outs,” as we did this week. Board of Selectmen Chair Anthony Cogliano offered a posthumous “shout-out” for the late Tony Barrie, the renown Saugus musician and bandleader who passed away this week (Aug. 28): “I knew Tony my entire life...he was part of our Bristow Street Family. He made the annual feast special with his band. The thing I’ll always remember about Tony was his smile – it was permanently affixed to his face. He will surely be missed by all.” As a special tribute to Tony, we have reprinted an interview we had conducted with him in his living room last summer for “The Advocate Asks.” Joe Johnson observed an act of kindness for our fourlegged friends who have been suffering under the summer heat: “A Shout out to Anthony Vasi owner of Vasi AC for helping our furry friends stay hydrated along the rail trail. He’s on the corner of 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. “Zoom” Book Study The Rev. John Beach of St. John’s Episcopal Church wants to get the word out to Saugonians who might be interested in participating in a new book study via Zoom videoconferencing. The book is “The Violence Project: How to Stop A Mass Shooting Epidemic” by Jillian Peterson, PhD and James Densley, PhD. It’s the Winner of the 2022 Minnesota Book Award. According to theviolenceprojectbook.com, “Using data from the writers’ groundbreaking research on mass shooters, including first-person accounts from the perpetrators themselves, The Violence Project charts new pathways to prevention and innovative ways to stop the social contagion of violence. Frustrated by reactionary policy conversations that never seemed to convert into meaningful action, special investigator and psychologist Jill Peterson and sociologist James Densley built The Violence Project, the first comprehensive database of mass shooters. Their goal was to establish the root causes of mass shootings and figure out how to stop them…” According to Nicole Hockley, the cofounder and managing director of Sandy Hook Promise, “If you ever wondered how can we stop mass shootings, this is the book for you. By mixing compelSchool and Essex streets.” Joan Allbee nominated “Gloria’s husband, Joe Johnson” for “a BIG SHOUTOUT”.... “for having the courage to speak out about the condition of our American flags!” “It is because of men and women like U.S. Army Vietnam Veteran Joe Johnson that we are able to fly our American flag freely to begin with. Let’s show some respect as Veteran Joe Johnson asked for and many voiceless want, and hoist down and retire the ol’ tattered flags of Glory.; Post new American Flags to rise high on duty! Much gratitude.” ling first-person interviews with mass shooters and significant data analysis, The Violence Project illustrates the tangible ways we can intervene and prevent a tragedy from occurring. No one is helpless—read this book and help stop violence before it starts.” Rev. Beach says the book study group meets on Wednesday evenings from 7:30 - 8:30 East Coast Time from Sept.7 through Oct. 5. For more information, contact The Rev. John Beach at revjbeach@gmail.com What’s happening at the Saugus Public Library For schoolchildren looking for interesting projects and programs to participate in this summer, there’s plenty to do at the Saugus Public Library (295 Central St.). Curious about snakes? Cape Ann Vernal Ponds will present “Snakes of New England & the World” on Saturday, Sept. 17 at 10:30 a.m. outdoors at the Saugus Iron Works National Historic Site. This special program, which is cosponsored by the Saugus Public Library and the Iron Works, is open to folks of all ages – from children to senior citizens – of people who are interested in learning more about snakes. No registration is required. Please check the library’s online event calendar for weather-related updates. Reading Squad: The Reading Squad will be meeting on Sept. 8 from 4:30 to 5:30 p.m. in the Community Room at the Saugus Public Library, where there will be discussion, activities and snacks. Squad members will read the award-winning novel “The Year of the Dog” by Grace Lin. Copies are available at the Children’s Desk. This program is recommended for children from age nine to 12. “Be Cool! Learn to Sew! Here’s a great idea offered by Joyce Rodenhiser: “Would you like to save and have fun? JUST SEW! Come to the Saugus Public Library and learn to sew on the second Monday of the month at 6 P.M. The class is tailored to the needs of the students! We teach basic sewing skills that you can use now! It’s air conditioned and we can do a lot in an hour. Join the JUST SEW class, it’s Free.” A neat, new teen club: new Manga & Anime Club starting in September! Chat with friends! Make crafts! Try Japanese snacks! Grades six & up. The first meeting will be on THE SOUNDS | SEE PAGE 14
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