SAUGUS Vol. 24, No. 39 -FREETh e Advocate–A household word in Saugus! OC C www.advocatenews.net Published Every Friday Behold The Orange Glow! THE PUMPKIN PATCH IS BACK: Hundreds of orange pumpkins brightened the lawn at First Congregational Church at Saugus Center last Saturday evening (Sept. 25) as a shipment of 4,000 pumpkins arrived from the Navajo Reservation in Farmington, N.M. Please see inside for story and more photos of the church’s 19th Annual Pumpkin Patch. (Saugus Advocate Photos by Christopher Roberson) D O TE CAT 781-233-4446 Friday, October 1, 2021 Town Election 2021 Five of Saugus’s 10 precincts will have no ballot competition to fi ll their fi ve Town Meeting seats By Mark E. Vogler G regory Nickolas, the town’s popular youth and recreation director, was seeking his second two-year term as a Town Meeting member representing Precinct 3. But his tragic death this week means that half of the candidates vying for seats on the 50-member Town Meeting won’t have any competition on the ballot for the Nov. 2 town election. With the passing of Nickolas, who was fi rst elected in March of 2019 to fi ll the unexpired term of Steve W. Murphy, there are now just fi ve candidates in Precinct 3 running for the fi ve seats. Four other precincts (1, 2, 6 and 7) only have fi ve candidates running for the five seats. In three of the precincts (4, 8 and 9), only six candidates are running for the fi ve seats. The most competitive Town Meeting race is in Precinct 10, where there are three candidates challenging the fi ve incumbent members. In Precinct 5, there are seven candidates running. It appears there will be little change in the composition of the next Town Meeting. Of the 58 candidates running for Town ELECTION | SEE PAGE 17 “He was a wonderful man with a giant heart” Saugus’s Youth & Recreation Director Gregory Nickolas passes at 58; graveside services set for today in Peabody By Mark E. Vogler M ost town offi cials characterize Gregory Nickolas as the nicest guy you would ever want to meet on the streets of Saugus. They describe him as a “proud Saugonian,” a dedicated family man who loved his hometown, a passionate advocate for children, a huge booster of youth sports, a compassionate man who sought to save kids as well as adults from the perils of substance abuse, and somebody with a huge heart and a strong faith. These are few of the many tributes that fl owed this week as people across the community mourned the passing of their beloved town youth and recreation director: “Greg was one of the most selfless people I have ever known,” Former School Committee Chair Jeannie Meredith said yesterday, refl ecting on the life of “a dear friend” she’d known for more than three decades. “He dedicated his life to helping and saving our youth as well as any adult that needed his help. Greg was the true meaning of a ‘proud sachem’; he loved his town. He had many passions that he worked hard and fought for, including but not limited to, introducing town programs for our youth, Athletics, awareness and education to the major opioid crisis we all face,” Meredith said. “Greg Nickolas had a huge heart with a strong faith foundation. He was a huge asset to our town and Saugus suff ers a terrible loss with his passing,” she said. Word of his death spread through town Tuesday afternoon and lit up local social media sites. He was 58 and just a month shy of completing his 17th year as the director of the town’s Youth & Recreation Department. “He passed at 2 p.m. yesterday [Tuesday] and had been battling the virus for the past month,” Board of Selectmen Chair Anthony Cogliano told The Saugus Advocate. WONDERFUL | SEE PAGE 11 “A DEVASTATING LOSS”: That’s how many Saugus community leaders described this week’s passing of the town’s Youth and Recreation Director, Gregory Nickolas, who was a month shy of completing his 17th year in that role. (Courtesy photo to The Saugus Advocate). ANGELO’S FULL SERVICE Regular Unleaded $2.959 Mid Unleaded $2.999 Super $3.119 Diesel Fuel $3.149 "42 Years of Excellence!" 1978-2020 KERO $4.65 DEF $3.49 9 Diesel $2.799 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 Fill Up & Save! Fall is Coming! FLEET
2 Publizr Home