The Sounds of Saugus

By Mark E. Vogler

 

Good morning, Saugus

We’re in the dog days of summer, and I can hardly wait for autumn, when it’s a lot cooler and I can go to Gillette Stadium in Foxboro with my brother to watch the New England Patriots play NFL football.

Seriously, I do love tending to my marigold garden during the summer months and also enjoy my one-hour workouts in the backyard, mowing the lawn over a rough terrain with a mechanical Scotts push mower. And I find time to do some fun things, like enjoy a cookout on my charcoal grill or enjoy some serious grilling at my longtime photo buddy David Spink’s home in Cambridge. David, by the way, shares my interest in Saugus, as he once covered the town when he was a photographer and reporter at North Shore Sunday. We were coworkers at the once-great, free circulation, magazinish tabloid weekly that covered 11 cities and towns on the North Shore, including Saugus. I covered Saugus for five and a half years during my time at North Shore Sunday.

David, by the way, reads every issue of The Saugus Advocate. I often consult with him when it comes to deciding which photo is best for our front page. And he will frequently offer a journalistic critique, telling what he liked or didn’t like about the paper while offering some suggestions for future stories.

David is a great writer, a super photographer and tremendous friend who shares my passion for local journalism. He’s long retired from the newspaper business and enjoying his retirement years with his lovely wife Eileen.

Anyway, some people say I should have retired years ago. But at age 72, I still find great enjoyment putting out this little weekly newspaper. It keeps me busy and keeps my cognitive skills sharp.

Funny thing, though, if I were working for a daily newspaper, there’s no way I would be covering Saugus for as long as I’ve been The Saugus Advocate editor. It will be 10 years next March. I would have been promoted.

As an example, during my 18 years at The (Lawrence) Eagle-Tribune, I enjoyed covering City Hall and the City of Lawrence. But I wound up getting various promotions: to court reporter, education reporter, columnist, investigative reporter and weekend news editor. When you work on a weekly newspaper and decide to stick around, you develop longevity on the beat and develop continuity in the coverage. But on a daily newspaper, editors switch people around to more challenging jobs if they do good work. Also, editors think it’s a good thing to switch beats periodically to keep reporters fresh and reduce the chances of them getting lazy or too close to the people they cover so that their impartiality is compromised.

In Saugus, I don’t really have that problem. For one thing, I haven’t developed many friendships. I don’t live in town and I commute 60 miles roundtrip on days that I cover a meeting or do an interview.

I could have retired 10 years ago. But when I saw the opening for covering Saugus for Jim Mitchell and Advocate Newspapers, I jumped at the opportunity. And I tell folks I will continue to be The Saugus Advocate editor for as long as my health and/or the newspaper company’s health holds out.

Stay tuned.

 

One giant “Shout Out” for Bob Palleschi

The great thing about being the Editor of The Saugus Advocate for nine-plus years is that I have enough knowledge of the community that I don’t panic when stories collapse. There’s always something to write about.

Like this week, I wanted to do a follow-up story on how the first week went for the town after switching to a new company for trash, recycling and hauling services. Unfortunately, I guess folks at Town Hall were on vacation. I spoke with the recycling director, who said that I should talk to the town manager. So, I emailed the town manager. But nobody ever got back to me.

I guess I can’t really fault town officials on this one because a lot of folks were on summer vacation this week. So, that story can wait for another week.

That’s when I shifted gears to tackle a story on how the town will deal with the passing of Precinct 7 Town Meeting Member Bob Palleschi. He served on several boards. It was actually the “Shout Out” I received last week from Precinct 6 Town Meeting Member Jeanie Bartolo that got me going on doing some kind of story about Bob.

Of course, I’ve known Bob Palleschi almost as long as I’ve covered Saugus. And I always found him to be positive and respectful of others; but very savvy and knowledgeable about financial matters, especially municipal finances – and willing to be quoted, although he was a quiet and reserved man.

The last time I spoke with Bob was during the final session of Town Meeting this past spring. I mentioned to him that it was kind of disheartening that after covering 10 Town Meeting sessions in Saugus, probably 30 to 40 percent of the 50 members wanted nothing to do with me. And that some would even act with hostility, saying there was no need for their proceedings to be covered by a newspaper reporter. Some have told me very bluntly, “Get out of my way, I don’t have to talk to you.”

Bob Palleschi responded by shaking his head and saying, “That shouldn’t be. That shouldn’t be.”

“Well Bob,” I told him. “That’s the way it is. Some of the folks in this chamber don’t like newspapers.”

 

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 (mv***@*****st.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.

 

A Correction for Pola Andrews

I don’t like making mistakes. But when it’s truly obvious to me that I made a mistake, I do corrections.

In last week’s paper in a story about Pola Andrews receiving an award from the Massachusetts Association of School Business Officials, I incorrectly reported that she attended Mount Saint Joseph Academy, a Catholic, all-female preparatory school in Philadelphia. I made the mistake of punching the academy name in on the internet to find out where it was located.

Pola pointed out that she attended Mt. St. Joseph. But it was her high school in Boston – not Philadelphia.

Since readers of the article may have gotten the wrong impression that Pola attended a college preparatory school in Philadelphia, we need to set the record straight. Pola Andrews attended high school in Boston – not Philadelphia. I regret the error.

 

Saugus United Parish Food Pantry today

The Saugus United Parish Food Pantry has returned to its normal schedule today (Friday, July 11) from 9:30-11 a.m. at 50 Essex St. in the basement of Cliftondale Congregational Church. The food pantry welcomes all neighbors facing food insecurity on Friday mornings. Volunteers are also welcome. Please call the Food Pantry Office (781-233-2663) or go to the website (cliftondalecc.org) for details.

 

A Car Show Sunday for Cancer Fighting Angels

This just in from Guy Moley: an announcement about Moms Cancer Fighting Angels 11th Annual Car Show, which is set for Sunday (July 13). We’ll let Guy explain:

This Sunday Moms Cancer Fighting Angels 11th Annual Car Show will take place at Saugus Middle High School from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. and will feature cars, trucks and motorcycles. There will be food available from J&M, Emma’s Lemonade Stand and Boston Ice Cream. There will be trophies awarded, raffles, a 50/50. Todd Angilly will be singing the National Anthem at 6 p.m., followed by a flash mob dancing to Grease from Fox Run Dance company of NH. Lil Jimmy’s Stack of Records will also be spinning the tunes and special guest Boston Batman will be joining us as well as 105.7 WROR. All proceeds to benefit the American Cancer Society Relay For Life.

 

Narcan presentation July 14 at Senior Center

The Saugus Everett Elks Drug Awareness Committee will hold a Narcan Presentation at the Saugus Senior Center (466 Central St. in Saugus) on Monday, July 14, at 10 a.m. This is a free hour-long presentation. Become educated on how to save lives from an accidental overdose. Light refreshments will be served. Call the Senior Center at 781-231-4178 to reserve your seat. Walk-ins are welcome.

 

A special call for art

Here’s a special request from Tori Darnell, co-chair of the Saugus Cultural Council:

I wanted to share with you that the Saugus Cultural Council has partnered with Bike to the Sea to host an outdoor art show along the Northern Strand Trail on Saturday, July 19th. This special 1-day event is to celebrate local creativity and community spirit by showcasing artwork from residents of all ages who live along this community-connecting trail.

I am reaching out to community groups and leaders along the trail; Everett, Malden, Revere, Saugus, and Lynn, for their support in promoting the call for artists for this community-connecting event. Artists are to submit artwork through this online form: https://forms.gle/sM9KLBzskdJHKaUc6/. Artwork deadline entry is July 1st, 2025.

Tori can be reached at 339-440-1017 for more details.

 

Help plan the Second Annual Saugus Cultural Festival

Join the Saugus Cultural Festival Subcommittee to help organize the 2nd Annual Saugus Cultural Festival! The Saugus Cultural Council is looking for Saugus resident volunteers to serve on a Subcommittee to help plan and organize the 2026 Saugus Cultural Festival, which is happening on Saturday, March 21, 2026, at the Saugus Middle High School!

Help out with:

• Coordinate diverse entertainers, food vendors and miscellaneous activities
• Work with Saugus 411 Committee on community/information tables for community groups & local businesses/nonprofits
• Support in social media, print and other digital marketing
• Support in crowdsourcing for grants and festival sponsors
• And more!

Other commitments:

• Monthly evening meetings starting August 2025; Subcommittee may meet twice a month starting October 2025 until March 2026.
• Share progress at Saugus Cultural Council public meetings every first Tuesday starting September 2025 until March 2026

Interested in volunteering? Email us at sa*******************@***il.com by July 31.

 

Visitor Services available at Saugus Iron Works

The Saugus Iron Works National Historic Site has begun its “visitors’ services,” marking the opening of restrooms and the museum. This is the expected schedule of tours for the summer: Wednesday–Sunday at 11 a.m., house tours, 1/2 hour; Wednesday–Sunday at 2 p.m., industrial site tours, which will include waterwheel demonstrations when staffing permits. On Fridays and Saturdays only, there will also be a 10 a.m. waterwheel demonstration. Visitors’ services will end on Oct. 31.

 

Library events

• Henna For Teens: Get a free Henna Design tattoo from a professional Henna artist; July 21 from 5 to 7:30 p.m. in the Brooks Room. Registration required; fifth grade and up.
• Level Up at your library: Now through Aug. 20, submit what you read this summer and you may win an Amazon gift card. Enter to win by going to our website and filling out the book review form; grades 7-12.
• Adult Summer Reading Contest at the library: June 18-August 20; adults ages 18 and up can participate in our Adult Summer Reading Contest for the chance to win a gift card to a local restaurant! Fill out an online (www.sauguspubliclibrary.org) book review form for every book you read over the summer, and you will be entered to win! The more books you read, the greater your chances of winning! Graphic novels, manga, cookbooks, e-books and audio books count, too. Good luck!

 

Buy-A-Brick for a veteran

The Saugus War Monument Committee, once again, is sponsoring the Buy-A-Brick Program to honor all those who have served their country. If you would like to purchase one in the name of someone who is presently serving or has served, in the memory of a loved one, or just someone from your family, school, etc., the general pricing is $100 for a 4″ x 8″ brick (three lines) or $200 for a 8″ x 8″ brick (five lines). Each line has a maximum of 15 characters. The improvement and upkeep of the monument on the corner of Winter and Central Streets rely on the generosity of donors through fundraising.

The brick application must be in by September 10 to ensure the bricks will be ready for Veterans Day. Please contact Corinne Riley at 781-231-7995 for more information and applications.

 

C.H.a.R.M. Center is open

The Town of Saugus Solid Waste/Recycling Department announced that the Center for Hard to Recycle Materials (C.H.a.R.M.) has opened for the season, with normal operational hours of Wednesdays and Saturdays from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m.

The C.H.a.R.M. Center is located at 515 Main St., Saugus, behind the Saugus Department of Public Works. Residents are welcome to use the C.H.a.R.M. Center for their recycling needs. Saugus was the first municipality in Massachusetts to open a C.H.a.R.M. Center.

The C.H.a.R.M. Center accepts the following items at no cost to residents:

• Bottles and cans
• Paper and cardboard
• Scrap metal
• Shoes, clothes and other textiles
• Fluorescent light bulbs and batteries (button and rechargeable)

Residents are also permitted the free disposal of three TVs or computers/CRT monitors per household each year at the C.H.a.R.M. Center.

Residents can obtain new stickers for this year free of charge when visiting the C.H.a.R.M. Center. By purchasing a $25 sticker that is valid for the entirety of the season, residents will be permitted to dispose of yard waste and brush at the C.H.a.R.M. Center. The $25 sticker also covers the cost to dispose of hard/rigid plastics at the facility. The C.H.a.R.M. Center accepts CHECKS ONLY, no cash or cards.

Please note that the C.H.a.R.M. Center does not accept any household trash or construction materials and debris. The Town of Saugus reserves the right to refuse any material if quantity or quality is questionable. Go to https://www.saugus-ma.gov/solid-waste-recycling-department and click on “Recycling Guide” for a comprehensive list of items that are accepted or not accepted at the C.H.a.R.M. Center, in addition to guidelines for how to prepare different items for disposal at the facility.

The C.H.a.R.M. Center will remain open on Wednesdays and Saturdays through the season until the winter. Please contact Solid Waste/Recycling Coordinator Scott A. Brazis at 781-231-4036 with any questions.

 

Saugus High Class of 1980

Attention, Saugus High Class of 1980. Mark your calendars for Nov. 29 (Saturday after Thanksgiving) and reach out to your friends that you’d like to see at the 45th Class Reunion for 1980 graduates and friends. The reunion will be held that day from 1 to 6 p.m. inside the Saugus Elks.

Invite Saugus High friends from other classes that you may want to be at our 1980 Class Reunion. Our last Saugus Class BBQ event a couple of years ago had three sisters from three different classes attend and they had a blast – so many loved seeing them and appreciated them being there. So many old friends reconnecting after decades; friends from overseas and across the country came; Saugus Classmates that left in Jr. High and that went to other High Schools came. How special it was for so many people to see each other after over 40 years.

Reach out to your friends who are not on Facebook to give them some early notice in case they may want to attend and need to make travel plans. Some of our Classmates have kept in touch with some of our High School teachers, and they attended our last two Saugus High Reunion events – we hope they’ll join us again. Feel free to reach out to any of your favorite teachers that you may want there – I’m sure they would love to hear from you.

More information is forthcoming. Any questions, please feel free to reach out to Andrea or Pete:

Andrea Saunders (1980 Class President) can be reached at pa********@*ol.com or 978-482-5787.

Pete Nicolo can be reached PS**********@*****st.net or 978-815-8234.

 

About The Saugus Advocate

We welcome press releases, news announcements, freelance articles and courtesy photos from the community. Our deadline is 6 p.m. on Tuesday. If you have a story idea, an article or a photo to submit, please email me at mv***@*****st.net or leave a message at 978-683-7773. Or send your press release to me in the mail at PO Box 485, North Andover, MA 01845. Let us become your hometown newspaper. The Saugus Advocate is available in the Saugus Public Library, the Saugus Senior Center, Saugus Town Hall, local convenience stores and restaurants throughout town.