16

Page 16 THE SAUGUS ADVOCATE – FriDAy, SEpTEmbEr 8, 2023 THE SOUNDS | FROM PAGE 15 setti Jr. PCT 3: Arthur Connors, Jr., Richard Thompson, Daniel Schena, Richard Thompson. PCT 4: Glen Davis, William Leuci, Robert Northrup, Maureen Whitcomb, Stephen Doherty. PCT 5: Pamela Goodwin, Jaclyn Hickman, Ronald Wallace. PCT 6: Elisa LeBrasseur, Jean Bartolo, Allen Panico, Kevin Currie, William Brown. PCT 7: Stefano D’Anna, John Chipouras, Robert Palleschi, Michael Paolini. PCT 8: William Kramich, Jr., William Cross III, Thomas Traverse. PCT 9: Katrina Berube, Judith Worthley, Robert Strasnick, Daniel Kelly. PCT 10: Martin Costello, Darren Ring, Peter Manoogian, Sr., Carla Scuzzarella, Peter Delios. Meanwhile, 11 potential new candidates had pulled papers to challenge the incumbents in their respective precincts. Precinct 9 Town Meeting Member Robert J. Long can’t run for reelection because a change in the boundaries of his precinct left him and his neighbors in Precinct 4. So, Long has pulled papers to run in Precinct 4. The other 10 potential challengers to incumbent Town Meeting members are: PCT 1: Stacey Herman-Dorent and John O’Brien. PCT 2: Joseph Malone, Matthew Parlante and Yves J. Lamite. PCT 4: Andrew Whitcomb and Stephanie Shalkoski. PCT 8: Arthur Grabowski. PCT 10: Steven C. DiVirgilio and James Tozza. Currently, there is a potential shortage of candidates in these five precincts: PCT 3: four candidates (four incumbents). PCT 5: three candidates (three incumbents). PCT 7: four candidates (four incumbents). PCT 8: four candidates (three incumbents and one challenger). PCT 9: four candidates (four incumbents). Meanwhile, these three precincts are shaping up to be competitive: PCT 4: eight candidates (five incumbents and three challengers). PCT 1: seven candidates (five incumbents and two challengers). PCT 10: seven candidates (five incumbents and two challengers). There isn’t much competition in these two precincts: PCT 2: six candidates (three incumbents and three challengers). PCT 6: five candidates (five incumbents). The good news is there is still time – up until Sept. 19 – for potential candidates to pull nomination papers and file them to the Town Clerk to qualify for placement on the Nov. 7 ballot. It’s also good news that two of the five precincts where only five candidates ran for the five seats two years ago have more than five potential candidates at the moment: seven potential candidates in Precinct 1 and six potential candidates in Precinct 2. Stay tuned. Special “Shout Outs” There were no nominations from readers this week to recognize fellow Saugonians with a “Shout Out.” So, using my editorial discretion, I recognize the girls of the Saugus Softball U12 All-Stars who were honored as special guests at Tuesday night’s Board of Selectmen’s meeting. Each of the players received a citation. The girls won the District 16 Championship – a first for a U12 in the history of Saugus Softball Little League. They went on to finish third in the Massachusetts State Championship Tournament. Hats off to the girls! 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. “Saugus Over Coffee” The next “Saugus Over Coffee” forum is set for 6:30 p.m. on Sept. 11 in the Community Room of the Saugus Public Library and will feature Precinct 9. Each of the five Town Meeting members received personal invitations mailed to their homes and emailed to them several weeks ago. Only Robert J. Long, the subject of this week’s “The Advocate Asks” column, responded to confirm his intention to attend the forum. We did not hear back from Town Meeting Members Katrina L. Berube, Judith Worthley, Robert M. Strasnick and Daniel Kelly. But for the sake of the Precinct 9 residents who plan to show up to meet their representatives, express concerns about issues affecting them in their neighborhoods and also listen to the Town Meeting members discuss their concerns, we hope the turnout of Town Meeting members is not similar to the past two forums. Only one member from Precinct 8 showed up last month, and none of the Town Meeting members from Precinct 7 showed up at the July forums. Fortunately, those forums were productive because a couple of selectmen showed up at each one and addressed the residents’ concerns. For those Saugus residents who are unfamiliar with the “Saugus Over Coffee” forums, they are cosponsored by The Saugus Advocate and the Saugus Public Library. The primary purpose is to give citizens in each of the town’s 10 precincts an opportunity to voice their concerns about top issues in their respective precincts. It also gives them an opportunity to meet their Town Meeting representatives and chat over a cup of coffee or tea. Town Meeting members will benefit by getting to know more about concerns in their precincts. Viewers of the forums videotaped by Saugus TV will also get to learn a little about the history or interesting things about the precinct being featured each month. One of my major hopes for the forums is that it spurs an interest in citizens to become potential candidates for Town Meeting in this fall’s town election. The public should keep in mind that there was a paucity of candidates for Town Meeting seats in the town elections back in 2021. In five of the 10 precincts, only five candidates ran for the five seats. That means half of the 50-member body was elected without competition. Stay tuned for more information as “Saugus Over Coffee” continues. Here is the remaining schedule: Precinct 9 – Sept. 11; Precinct 10 – Oct. 23. Please check with The Saugus Advocate or library for any changes in dates. Residents can check the programming guide on the station’s website (www.saugustv.org) for dates and times. A video of the forum will also be available for viewing on the station’s vimeo page within a day or two after the event – www.vimeo.com/ saugustelevision. Healthy Students-Healthy Saugus (HS2) is back T he Healthy Stu - dents-Healthy Saugus (HS2) Program has returned for the 23-24 School Year! The nonprofit organization will begin service starting on Friday, Sept. 22, and continue during the school year. HS2 volunteers help to offset food insecurity in households by providing a supply of nutritious food for when school lunches and breakfasts are unavailable to them on weekends. How HS2 works: ● HS2 bags are distributed at Saugus Public Schools on Fridays to take home to anyone who signs up. Bags include such items as peanut butter, canned meals/soups/tuna/ vegetables, pasta, fruit cups, cereal, oatmeal, goldfish, pretzels and granola bars. • All food is provided to children free of charge. • There is no qualification needed. It is our hope these resources will support the health, behavior and achievement of every student who participates. To sign up go here to complete online form: https://forms. gle/gmMGguycSHBdziuE9 Feel free to email HS2Saugus@gmail.com for additional information. What’s happening at the Saugus Public Library For schoolchildren looking for interesting projects and programs to participate in this fall, there’s plenty to do at the Saugus Public Library. There are some very good programs offered for grownups, too. “Sketch Artist” exhibit: This month’s art exhibit in the Reading Room features the Saugonian Luminaries of 2021, done by the Saugus Advocate Sketch Artist in the “Guess Who Got Sketched” series. For the past three years, Saugus’ only newspaper ran a weekly sketch done by the formerly secret sketch artist – unveiled this year as Joanie Allbee. These sketches depict, describe and honor prominent Saugonians. Each week, The Advocate publishes one of these works in its pages and invites readers to guess who the subject is. The accolades on each artwork provide clues for the reader to identify the subject of the sketch. Readers could guess the identity of the portrait subject and there would be a drawing from the correct answers – the person whose name was drawn would receive an award, usually a gift card to a local business. Stop by the Library’s Reading Room this month to see a sampling of sketches you might remember from past issues of The Advocate and to help celebrate some of our good friends and neighbors! Join our Teen Advisory Board: first Tuesday of each month at 6 p.m. in the Teen Room; fifth grade and up. Meet with the Teen Librarian once a month to talk about what you’d like for programs and materials at the library. Your opinion matters! No registration required. Snacks provided! (sauguspubliclibrary.org – 781-2314168) Calling all Teen Club Readers: Lisa LeJeune, Young Adult/ Reference Librarian, invites members of the Teen Club to meet once a month to discuss a teen graphic novel. Interested club members can pick up copies of the book at the Main Desk. Club meetings will be held on the last Tuesday of the month, starting Tuesday, Sept. 26, at 5-5:30 p.m. in the Teen Room. Grade 5 and up – to sign up, please call 781-231-4168, come in, or sign up using the library’s Online Events Calendar. The first book will be “Pumpkinheads” by Rainbow Rowell. Just Sew! Saugonians are welcome to join a monthly sewing class for adults that is held the third Monday of each month from 6:30-7:30 p.m. in the Community Room of the Saugus Public Library. The class covers basic topics like sewing buttons, hemming clothing and mending torn fabric and will move on to more advanced topics in the coming weeks. This class is free. (See sauguspubliclibrary.org) Adult Coloring Group: Come relax with our continuing Adult Coloring Group. It’s a great opportunity to take time to unwind, be creative and have fun – no experience necessary! We have pencils and coloring pages ready and waiting… See you there! Space is limited; please call to register (781-231-4168 x 3106). The next session is Wednesday, Sept. 20, at 10 a.m. in the Brooks Room on the second floor of the library. Reaching out to Sachem sports champs Calling all former Saugus High School athletes – boys and girls – who played on regional and/or state championship teams. Saugus Public Schools officials invites you to be part of a special upcoming event planned for the fall that seeks to honor any members of Saugus High School Girls and Boys sports who were on Conference, Regional and/or State Championship teams who could come to the Saugus Middle School/High School Complex for the unveiling ceremony for new banners in the Gym. The Saugus School Committee Athletic sub-committee, along with Acting Superintendent Mike Hashem, is looking to locate Saugus High School athletes who participated on the following Conference and/or State Championship teams to invite them to the unveiling of THE SOUNDS | SEE PAGE 17

17 Publizr Home