Page 12 THE SAUGUS ADVOCATE – FriDAy, OCTObEr 11, 2024 The Sounds of Saugus By Mark E. Vogler Good morning, Saugus I lived in Florida for about seven years in the 1980s, working as a newspaper reporter and editor in several communities. I covered the news in places like Arcadia, Leesburg, Bushnell, Sanford, Winter Haven, Hollywood and Tallahassee. I did my share of weather reporting, especially in South Florida, where people always braced themselves for the hurricane season. And I’ve driven through pelting rain storms while worrying about tornadoes. But fortunately, when I was a Florida newsman I never had to worry about the kind of hurricanes that are devastating the Sunshine State now. As I’m writing this column, Hurricane Milton is already wreaking havoc on the Tampa Bay area, other parts of Florida’s west coast and the central part of the state – some places that have already been hammered by Hurricane Helene, which caused massive destruction and more than 200 deaths across the Southeastern United States late last month. I’m sure there are a few Saugus residents or people with Saugus connections who have or will be feeling the wrath of these two storms. Think of them in your to participate in the accident as fake accident victims who could file false claims later. In 2004, I was the lead reporter for an Eagle-Tribune investigative series titled “At Fault: Inside the Culture of Auto Insurance Fraud,” which sparked a grand jury investigation that led to the indictments and subsequent convictions of personal injury attorneys and chiropractors who had made millions of dollars off auto insurance fraud. Food Pantry notes The Saugus United Parish Food Pantry will be open today (Friday, Oct. 11) from 9:30-11 a.m. at 50 Essex St. in the basement of Cliftondale Congregational Church. The Saugus United Parish Food Pantry welcomes all neighbors facing food insecurity. If you are able to donate to the food pantry, you can also stop by during those hours or drop donations off at the Saugus Public Library during library hours. “ONE LIGHT OF MANY TOUCHES”: This is a photo of a painting by Joanie Allbee that is dedicated to the late Mrs. Joan Walton. “If we could pull back the spiritual veil for a brief pause … Perhaps we would be able to see how one life touches so many by words and deeds. Mrs Joan Walton was a bright light, a Luminous candle of great deeds. Her kindness and light reached deep into others souls till her last breath September 20, 2024.” (Photo Courtesy of Joanie Allbee) LET THE PROS HANDLE IT! ™ Say “NO” to Cleaning Out Your Gutters. 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Also, there FULL SERVICE GUTTER PROTECTION – SCHEDULE YOUR FREE INSPECTION NOW! 1-888-617-2908 are “shout outs” in order for the S augo - nians who are pitching in to help the Florida r esiden ts hurt by the storm, either thr ough c h a r i t a - ble donations or as part of voluntary public service work crews who travel to the scene to help rebuild homes and lives. They could be cops , firefighters, carpenters, engineers, emergency workers, college students or humanitarians on a mission. My “Chronicle” moment Ted Reinstein’s visit to the Saugus Public Library this week got me thinking about a personal experience I had with WCVB Channel 5’s “Chronicle.” A “Chronicle” TV crew came into The Lawrence Eagle-Tribune newsroom to interview me in conjunction with a program they were researching and producing on the auto insurance scam that put Lawrence in the national limelight in a very negative way. The “Chronicle” crew that came into the newsroom wasn’t interested in talking to any of the editors. Their reporter just wanted to interview me – on camera for less than a minute. I broke the original story about a great-grandmother from Lawrence who died in a staged car crash she helped set up as an insurance scam. Hours before her tragic death, Altagracia Arias was trying to sell seats to people Legion Breakfasts today The American Legion Post 210 has begun its 2024-25 breakfast season. There’s a good deal for Saugus veterans and other folks who enjoy a hearty breakfast on Friday mornings. Doors open at 7:30 a.m., with breakfast served from 8-9:00 a.m. for an $8 donation. Veterans who cannot afford the donation may be served free. This week’s “shout outs” We received three requests for “Shout Outs” this week. Here are our nominations: • Precinct 5 Town Meeting Member Ron Wallace: “I would like to do a “shout out” to Carl & Karen Spencer for continuing the Pumpkin Patch at the First Congregational Church in Saugus Center. This is an important fundraiser that requires a lot of volunteers to pull it off. “Great community event for the Town Of Saugus.” • Ann (Matrona) Bicchieri, whose late husband was Tony Barrie, the legendary leader of the Tony Barrie Marching Band: “My shout out is to Pace [J. Pace & Son] and to Angela who is the manager of this famous food chain on Main Street in Saugus. She extended extraordinary customer service in a store of great integrity.” • Frequent Saugus AdvoTHE SOUNDS | SEE PAGE 14
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