׉?4ׁB!בCט((u׉׉ 7cassandra://HcJmrLsdcvZFV_TZLg9Hd5dd6sdVBdRtjPaNDkGqGx0`)׉ 7cassandra://yq3Frv8Y1-__02Iy8NYlpalnkcglJIoP70DDnXqbDt4͝`J׉ 7cassandra://DzMGH37ZYaIbgNmrdrWSYX-vUx1YQoL5DSuVtAnroIo1u`̰׉ 7cassandra://0jyV74dG1J7dfXrQRQ-ho23pK86rS0I1QIBaIgt1yas ?͠aצ,wj3iנaצ,wj3m ʁf 9ׁHhttp://www.angelosoil.comׁ ׁ Јנaצ,wj3ḻ 9ׁHhttp://www.advocatenews.netׁ ׁ Ј׈Eaצ,wj3S׉E ASAUGUS Vol. 25, No. 1 -FREETh e Advocate – A household word in Saugus! DVOD www.advocatenews.net A Wait Warning CCATTEAT Published Every Friday 2021: Year In Pictures The Saugus Advocate this week looks back on the past year with top photos that made the front pages. Shown above is our photo for June. World War II U.S. Navy veteran Joseph “Lenny” Atkinson, of Lynn, saluted the Saugus High Class of 2021 after receiving his honorary diploma from Principal Michael Hashem during the school’s 150th Commencement Exercises held at Stackpole Field. The 167 graduates responded with a standing ovation for the 98-year-old Saugus native who would have graduated with the Saugus High Class of 1943 had he not quit school to serve his country. See inside this week’s edition for the top cover photo for each month. (Saugus Advocate photo by Mark E. Vogler) 781-233-4446 Friday, January 7, 2022 December dubbed “the month of COVID” Board of Health adopts a mask mandate for indoors as town nurse reports 1,312 Coronavirus cases last month By Mark E. Vogler A nyone who enters a public building, business or other indoor place where people gather must wear a protective face covering. That is the basic intent of an indoor public mask mandate that the Board of Health adopted at Monday’s meeting on a unanimous 3-0 vote. The new regulation went into eff ect yesterday, and offi - cials acknowledged that they expect some resistance from citizens who are philosophically opposed to any mask mandates. “This is not something we’re doing to punish anybody,” Board of Health Chair William Heff ernan said during a virtual meeting conducted via Zoom videoconferencing. “I personally have friends who are against mask mandates – something we need to do to COVID | SEE PAGE 7 Helped By COVID? A sign at the front of the COVID-19 testing site outside Square One Mall forewarns a long wait time. The line averaged seven hours – and between 300 and 400 carloads – on Monday and Tuesday outside the mall. For a story and more photos about the long wait, please see inside. (Saugus Advocate photo by Tara Vocino) Dario Volante initially thought that COVID-19 ruined his last kidney, but the COVID actually brought to light the cancer, which eventually led to its removal. 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FLEET ׉ 7cassandra://DzMGH37ZYaIbgNmrdrWSYX-vUx1YQoL5DSuVtAnroIo1u`̰aצ,wj3Taצ,wj3S PבCט(u׉׉ 7cassandra://pYWZ_ft-GDiK_5eeGEbpJxyc-PdQssO9lbec3Ln0tww[`)׉ 7cassandra://ljEWj1VTTh5BquiuFwQpNgw5rWHa3tHSRZ8VeCF5yqQ͔)`J׉ 7cassandra://fOW5aJz0qNeF-97_UXA510yVN1oSg82kSiIBNbfaTgo,`̰׉ 7cassandra://12lbDVeCRc9KhUkCx5JHYX3NCjR99uq3uI1HDnpQzhI ͠aצ,wj3nט((u׉׉ 7cassandra://XkkrWIGMnBFee5gE9cHydvXW2QIG9OlcniXiMhdgjmU{7`)׉ 7cassandra://2PrlVajPABG3GnWTLaQbBIzYTUzDVFb4ZiEzWaTK3TM͞`J׉ 7cassandra://rT0HW6Lb_asKSTdwheR4o_c46v81OmBszwj2BR4JnJU/ `̰׉ 7cassandra://sqhuYzIu4FzHDUmSyeLeBGOoypv8iYj2z_970OqCHpg#V͠aצ,wj3oנaצ,wj3q̷9ׁH mailto:Lsimeonejr@simeonelaw.netׁ ׁ Ј׉EPage 2 THE SAUGUS ADVOCATE – FRIDAY, JANUARY 7, 2022 The First Day hike at Breakheart By Peter A Rossetti Jr., Esq. The Friends of Breakheart A pproximately 75 brave souls attended the First Day hike sponsored by the Friends of Breakheart and the Department of Conservation and Recreation (DCR) at Breakheart Reservation on Saturday, New Year’s Day, at 10 a.m. There were two hikes led by DCR Rangers and Staff. A short hike of about two miles and a longer and more challenging one of four miles. All ages were represented, from very young to more senior hikers. The rain held off until the end EVENT ORGANIZERS: Gillian Lay, Breakheart Reservation Visitor Services Supervisor Brett Powers of the state Department of Conservation & Recreation (DCR) with Jason Moreira and members of the Friends of Breakheart Reservation. of the hike and the hikers were treated to healthy snacks and Lawrence A. Simeone Jr. Attorney-at-Law ~ Since 1989 ~ * Corporate Litigation * Criminal/Civil * MCAD * Zoning/Land Court * Wetlands Litigation * Workmen’s Compensation * Landlord/Tenant Litigation * Real Estate Law * Construction Litigation * Tax Lein * Personal Injury * Bankruptcy * Wrongful Death * Zoning/Permitting Litigation 300 Broadway, Suite 1, Revere * 781-286-1560 Lsimeonejr@simeonelaw.net hot chocolate served by the Friends group, including Bob Nazzaro, Joyce Vecchiarelli, Val Kappa, Susan Tremonte Stein, and Peter Rossetti Jr. Breakheart is a 600-acre park bisected by a paved road. Relatively warm December temperatures allowed for a leisurely and peaceful event that was enjoyed by all. Future events are subject to weather and health conditions. However, snow sledding on the meadow next to the skating rink is planned if there is snow for weekends, and a possible Easter Egg Hunt. The park is open daily from dawn to dusk for walking and hiking. A TIME FOR FRIENDS: Val Kappa and Hannah Richardson of Saugus get some hiking in. IDEAL WEATHER: The rain held off until the end of the New Year’s Day hikes at Breakheart Reservation last Saturday (Jan. 1), and the walkers were treated to relatively warm December temperatures. (Courtesy photos to The Saugus Advocate) From foundation to finish, let’s make it happen. TALK TO JOE ABOUT OUR COMMERCIAL AND CONSTRUCTION LOANS. WE’RE READY TO HELP YOU GET STARTED. A FAMILY AFFAIR: Susan Tremonte Stein and her parents, Gerry and Ron Tremonte of Melrose, enjoy the day. COVID issues forcing game postponements By Greg Phipps A JOSEPH D. KEOHANE EVP & SENIOR LOAN OFFICER JKEOHANE@EVERETTBANK . COM 61 7-381-3622 fter getting through the fall sports season pret419 BROADWAY, EVERETT MA 02149 WWW.EVERETTBANK .COM/FOUNDATIONTOFINISH Member FDIC Member DIF ty much uninterrupted by COVID issues, the virus has surged again statewide and has forced the postponement of several winter sports games over the past two weeks. For Saugus, so far the issue has mostly affected basketball. The Sachem boys have not played since a 60-55 home win over Winthrop back on Dec. 20. Their next game at Peabody just two days later was postponed due to COVID protocol issues. The boys have not seen action since. The Saugus girls have also seen their last few games called off. They last competed when they hosted Peabody back on Dec. 22, which ended in a loss. So far, the Saugus hockey and wrestling teams had not been impacted until Saturday’s hockey tilt at Lynn was postponed as well as Wednesday’s wrestling meet at Beverly. The boys’ basketball team is off to a strong 3-0 start and hopes to get back on the court next Tuesday at Beverly. As well, the girls, who currently stand at 1-3, are hoping to resume with a home game next Tuesday against the Big Blue. ׉ 7cassandra://fOW5aJz0qNeF-97_UXA510yVN1oSg82kSiIBNbfaTgo,`̰aצ,wj3U׉E 3THE SAUGUS ADVOCATE – FRIDAY, JANUARY 7, 2022 Page 3 “I felt I was the luckiest person in the world” L A patient credits a Saugus kidney care center for helping to preserve his quality of life after COVID-19 and cancer By Mark E. Vogler ife dealt Dario Volante a dangerous double whammy two years ago that forced him to retire from his career as an optician to address some serious health issues. First, he came down with COVID-19. Soon after, he learned that his remaining kidney was being ravaged by cancer. He had lost his other kidney to cancer back in 2013, so the prospects of losing another one left his life in limbo. “Believe it or not, the COVID is how they found the cancer,” Volante, 58, said in a recent interview at Fresenius Kidney Care on Route 1 in Saugus, where he has been a patient. “My kidney was failing a litADVOCATES FOR HOME DIALYSIS: Pictured from left to right: Dario Volante, a kidney transplant patient who participated in a Transitional Care Unit at Fresenius Kidney Care in Saugus, and his nurse, Giavanna Cardarella, credit his home treatments to making him a candidate for a transplant sooner while improving his quality of life. (Saugus Advocate photo by Mark E. Vogler) out great,” Volante said. “It was not that difficult to make it work. About the kidney donation ... My wife tried. She couldn’t do it. I had a couple of friends who offered, but they couldn’t help. But my sister was the perfect match,” he said On average, dialysis patients THE COMFORTS OF HOME: This machine that Dario Volante used for his dialysis treatments at home is smaller, less noisy and more friendly than the ones he would be hooked up on at the Fresenius Kidney Care clinic in Saugus. (Courtesy photo to The Saugus Advocate) tle bit too fast. They originally thought it was the COVID ruining the kidney, but it turned out it was the cancer. Had I not had COVID, I’d probably have had to wait til the kidney showed other signs of cancer,” he said. “The COVID was a scary thing – because I did not know what to expect… If I had gone on dialysis after kidney failure, they probably wouldn’t have caught the cancer as quickly until it spread.” The doctors who discovered the kidney cancer removed the organ quickly, leaving Volante with a grim, life-altering prospect that he would have to go on dialysis until he could receive a kidney donation. “Once I got over the shock about the cancer, things worked have to wait seven years for a kidney transplant. With Sandra Volante, 56, of Wilmington, being willing and able to donate one of her kidneys to her brother, the retired optician from Lynnfield only had to spend 11 months on dialysis. Going home for dialysis Volante had his kidney removed in September of 2020. He received the new kidney from his sister last August and considers it a life-altering gift that may have extended his life another 20 to 25 years. The traditional life expectancy without a kidney transfer is five to 10 years. But Volante made a crucial decision about a year before his kidney transplant which enabled him to undergo the operation a lot sooner and end his dialysis much earlier, according to his registered nurse at Fresenius KidDIALYSIS | SEE PAGE 9 ney Care. “It possibly would have been years for the transplant because he wasn’t in such a healthy state,” Giavanna Cardarella said of ׉ 7cassandra://rT0HW6Lb_asKSTdwheR4o_c46v81OmBszwj2BR4JnJU/ `̰aצ,wj3Vaצ,wj3U PבCט(u׉׉ 7cassandra://LVxv5ehfgfLp-SCuWNgLxQHIC7GwccoukSBOOYbkw7cK`)׉ 7cassandra://_UlSjrke_97t131xeq8oSDPYQhNTND8537wWY_hygkQͭO`J׉ 7cassandra://XlLO_FubYBKshrgmkXSeDMngJVDIi-g-piMc3chTbac1`̰׉ 7cassandra://CK7NiGyEtDIrBvvkts8IrZfJmSxa1zaYwisxpCtHu30 ͠aצ ,wj3rט((u׉׉ 7cassandra://_TB0ACsXLLtkbmcKcVWpIEI7IBFY-wACazDkYMm2S6cZ`)׉ 7cassandra://XJlUC09W-HRKp-jV_SI-k_Qw-TSsCMsBlq0eHrZtf6w͠?`J׉ 7cassandra://zmkoZ-l2HrHhvBRT2OmzEpIO6KNvfPUv7Zprp23dVgs,`̰׉ 7cassandra://1eu_axok1Nb0oPV83HTAky0prsisx-SRXDoxB3HM6yUuN͠aצ ,wj3sנaצ ,wj3vo~9ׁHhttp://facebook.com/ׁ ׁ Ј׉E Page 4 THE SAUGUS ADVOCATE – FRIDAY, JANUARY 7, 2022 Northeast Metro Tech School Building Project Zoom Meetings planned for Jan. 12 and 19 Key vote on funding across 12-member district, including Malden, Revere and Saugus, set for Jan. 25 bove is an artist's rendering of the proposed new school building. Leading up to a Tuesday, January 25 Special Election regarding funding for the proposed new school, the Northeast Metro Tech Building Project Committee is hosting three virtual Zoom meetings where details will be explained to all who attend. Anyone from the 12 school A districts who send students to Northeast Metro Tech may attend, receive information and have questions answered by members of the committee. Voters from Malden, Revere and Saugus (in The Advocate readership area) are encouraged to attend. Learn more about the Northeast Metro Tech Construction Project at any of the upcoming info sessions on Wednesdays, January 12 and January 19 at 6:30 p.m. via Zoom. (The first one was held on January 5. Event details are at facebook.com/ NewNEMT/events. World Series Park welcomes Jersey Mike’s to Saugus (Editor’s Note: The following info is from a press release issued by World Series Park this week.) J ersey Mike’s Subs recently opened at 741 Broadway in Saugus in the same strip mall as Pearle Vision. Started in 1956, Jersey Mike’s is a national chain of 2,034 sub shops that offers fresh sliced subs on freshly baked bread. Other Jersey Mike’s in the area include in Swampscott, Brighton and – soon to open – Peabody. Jersey Mike’s has agreed to be one of the World Series Park sponsors starting in the 2022 season. Jersey Mike’s subs will be served at the World Series Park snack bar for all games. Jersey Mike’s is passionate about giving back to its local communities. Yearly they offer five $5,000 grants to those working to make a difference in their local communities. They are also a longtime sponsor of the Special Olympics. Jersey Mike’s believes in serving the community by not only catering to people’s food needs but also supporting causes that make Saugus a better place to live, like World Series Park, which provides a great facility for the youngsters of Saugus to play baseball at. World Series Park in Saugus depends on the support of Saugus businesses. Many Saugus businesses purchase advertising signs that are displayed on the outfield fence each season. People who come to the park are encouraged to support these businesses, since without the support of these businesses the park wouldn’t be possible. Each season, World Series Park hosts over 250 games. “We very much appreciate Jersey Mike’s support and encourage people to try their delicious and reasonably priced subs,” World Series Park Superintendent Bob Davis said. “We hope that other new and already established Saugus businesses will help us by purchasing advertising signs and making donations. This kind of support is what got us started and has kept us going over the last seventeen years.” NEW SPONSOR: Pictured from left to right are World Series Park Superintendent Bob Davis and Jersey Mike’s Subs Saugus Manager Tim McLaughlin holding the Jersey Mike’s Subs sign that will be displayed at World Series Park starting in the 2022 season. (Courtesy photo to The Saugus Advocate) ׉ 7cassandra://XlLO_FubYBKshrgmkXSeDMngJVDIi-g-piMc3chTbac1`̰aצ,wj3W׉ETHE SAUGUS ADVOCATE – FRIDAY, JANUARY 7, 2022 Page 5 ~ THE ADVOCATE ASKS ~ A public conversation about prostate cancer Community leader Peter Manoogian shares his experience of being diagnosed with the disease and his treatment Editor’s Note: The Saugus Senior Center will host a new community-based group that will focus on prostate cancer awareness at 10 a.m. on Jan. 19 at the center. We decided to reach out to one of the organizers of the upcoming forum – Precinct 10 Town Meeting Member Peter Manoogian – a lifelong Saugus resident, who agreed to share his own health experience after being diagnosed with the disease and treated. Manoogian is one of three longtime community members who will discuss their experience with the disease at the upcoming forum. They will share what they have learned with participants to inform and encourage men and their partners about the importance of accurate screening and detection. The goal of Saugus Prostate Awareness is to raise awareness of prostate cancer, to encourage men to seek screening, to share personal experiences and to provide suggestions for participants. While this disease is specific to men, women are welcome and encouraged to attend the group meeting. For more information about the meeting or to register, please call the Senior Center at 781-231-4182. Highlights of this week’s interview follow. Q: When did you learn you had prostate cancer? A: I was diagnosed on April 7, 2021. Q: What were the major symptoms? Is frequent nighttime urination one of them? A: Frequent nighttime urination is not considered a symptom. It can be associated with prostate cancer, but the main symptom is a steep increase in your PSA [Prostate-Specific Antigen]. Once it goes over 4.0, bells and whistles should go off. Mine went over 4, and then I found in another blood test that it was 5.9. A steep rise in the PSA in a short period of time is an indicator that you should have the MRI on the prostate and have it looked at. Mine was hovering around 2 for many years. In 2017, it started to climb. On Dec. 10, 2019, it was 3.99. On January 4, 2021, I was 4.49. On March 17, 2021, it was 6.11. On March 31, it was 4.94. Q: So, if you weren’t paying attention to your numbers, you might have prostate cancer, but you might not know anything about it until it was too late? A: Bingo! Having a PSA that PROSTATE CANCER SURVIVOR: Precinct 10 Town Meeting Member Peter Manoogian was diagnosed with prostate cancer on April 7, 2021. He had surgery on November 8. From a few days before his surgery to a few days after, his PSA went from 5.91 to .03. He is one of three longtime community members who will talk about their experience with the disease at a prostate cancer awareness forum being hosted by the Saugus Senior Center at 10 a.m. on Jan 19. (Saugus Advocate file photo by Mark E. Vogler) has a sharp rate of increase in a short period of time is what you want to be concerned about. Part of your physical should be a PSA test. And don’t assume that your PSA is being tested when you go for your regular testing. You should request it – and not just one – having it done over a period of time is important. Q: Do you have a family history of this disease? A: My older brother had it 11 years ago, and he had treatment. Two of my first cousins had it. Family history is one of the factors, which is true with my family. Having a father or brother with prostate cancer doubles your risk of having this disease. Q: What are some of the other factors? A: Diet is a factor. Stress is a factor. Prostate cancer feeds on testosterone. Other risk factors are race and ethnicity. For some reason, African American men have a higher risk factor. Prostate cancer is more common in North America and Northwestern Europe and in your industrialized countries and less prevalent in Asia. Even in America, Asian Americans have a lower risk of having prostate cancer, but it’s higher than their counPeter Manoogian’s PSA readings terparts in Asia. With veterans, a possible exposure to Agent Orange could be a factor, but it’s not definitive. And, sadly, ethnic minorities may not get screened as often as they should. And Saugus is becoming more diverse ethnically. Prostate cancer is more likely to develop in older men and in non-Hispanic Black men. About six cases in 10 are diagnosed in men who are 65 or older, and it is rare in men under 40. The average age of men at diagnosis is about 66. Q: So, what about Saugus? A: The men in this community would be more at risk because it’s an older population. The 2020 U.S. Census has revealed that the median age of Saugus residents is 48 compared to the state [median age, which] is 39.4, [which] suggests that prostate cancer could be more commonplace in Saugus compared to the state. As you get older, the risk gets higher. There’s a saying out there: More men die with prostate cancer than from it. Q: What was your treatment program? A: I selected surgery – the removal of my prostate. I made a decision that was best for me, for my particular goals and my particular cancer – being on the edge, it was ready to break out. It was bulging up against the edge. Q: What were the results? A: They took out my prostate and my PSA is undetectable. I will be having my PSA tested for the rest of my life. It’s just like having your A1c [average blood glucose] tested or your blood pressure tested. You learn to live with your diagnosis. But you have to do your own research and ask a ASKS | SEE PAGE 14 ׉ 7cassandra://zmkoZ-l2HrHhvBRT2OmzEpIO6KNvfPUv7Zprp23dVgs,`̰aצ,wj3Xaצ,wj3W PבCט(u׉׉ 7cassandra://i7VsGEBd2Ym8Hclv2NtMQ-GukV1GAYW8kWViDMt0WX0r`)׉ 7cassandra://IGSv8nFBpWJFrqfAMlcIDZj_KmqwgFItwUGJww_XiX0ͣ`J׉ 7cassandra://O9XK-oW6kSew-WV2Ej-2e1KZ9HKOzvAW8L_OoDUCjwU1~`̰׉ 7cassandra://LWJBDlXw9sEH8gR6bycBNboy__z_jyzdrUrh0VxKKNYf͠aצ",wj3wט((u׉׉ 7cassandra://OJ8VioqeujvO5m_ZFcACWfqsIsssNVGWA1XHTAhtcXs;&`)׉ 7cassandra://ZiTGbRUA6_FFsXUXUwQu_iVJHxR9yrs1JaGtB-CHGRwͲC`J׉ 7cassandra://fCI-Ret3m1vv1fbCQBiJHOeTQusAaAorpVO1zIpvgCs4`̰׉ 7cassandra://KrXheIsUbtJPTrSYGC9b2GZFosQurl8N7XL7YfE3gK4͆:͠aצ",wj3x׉E Page 6 THE SAUGUS ADVOCATE – FRIDAY, JANUARY 7, 2022 Police and prosecutors now investigating two December murders in Saugus T he death of the Woburn woman whose body was discovered on Dec. 21 in the marsh area along Route 107 was officially ruled a homicide this week, making it the second slaying that police investigated in Saugus last year. The boyfriend of Sherell Pringle, 40, was charged with her murder on Jan. 4 in Lynn District Court. Bruce Maiben, 44, of Lynn, was ordered held without bail at his arraignment. Judge Jean Curran entered a plea of not guilty on his behalf. Maiben is accused of murdering Pringle, who was reported missing after not returning home from a date with Maiben on Saturday, Dec. 18, 2021. Her body was discovered the following Tuesday in Saugus. Initially, Maiben was charged with larceny of over $1,200, tampering with evidence and obstruction of justice. Meanwhile, a second suspect has been charged with murder in connection with another homicide that police were investigating in Saugus last month. Jorge Delgado Medina, 25, was arraigned in Lynn District Court on Jan. 5 for the Dec. 11 murder of Michael Norton, 26. Family members discovered Norton’s lifeless body in his Essex Landing apartment at 44 Collins Ave., which is off Route 1 South. Medina was arraigned on Dec.14 for unlicensed operation of a motor vehicle, negligent operation and failure to stop following a police pursuit in Saugus. He was being held on $10,000 cash bail and a federal detainer at the time of his arrest, but he is now being held without bail. Two others have been charged in connection with the homicide: Angjeliki Hodaj, 33, of Saugus, was arraigned for murder on Dec.17 and remains held without bail; Kiara Rosario, 26, of Chelsea, was arraigned on Dec. 31 for accesSeniors Ring In New Year S By Tara Vocino augus and Revere residents rang in 2022 at the Winthrop Elks Club on New Year’s Eve, hosted by Saugus resident Alan LaBella, a disc jockey. sory after the fact of unarmed robbery. She was ordered held on $50,000 bail and to remain under house arrest with a GPS monitoring device if she posts bail. Essex County District Attorney Jonathan Blodgett’s Office has released few details in connection with the two murders. Many Revere and Saugus residents joined in on the fun. Revere residents Jerry and Mary Vigliotta with Geri Damiano and Charles Russo sing to the tune. Revere residents Marian Maffeo, Al Russo, Irma Accettullo, Geri Damiano and Charles Russo are shown near a Happy New Year ball. Sporting a party hat, Saugus resident Deborah LaBella does the electric slide on the dance floor. Saugus resident Ruth Berg is shown inside a Happy New Year window. In the center is Disc Jockey Alan LaBella, of Saugus, who gave each woman a ring during the “Single Ladies” song. ׉ 7cassandra://O9XK-oW6kSew-WV2Ej-2e1KZ9HKOzvAW8L_OoDUCjwU1~`̰aצ,wj3Y׉ETHE SAUGUS ADVOCATE – FRIDAY, JANUARY 7, 2022 Page 7 2021: Year in Photos JANUARY: Second-grader Christian Cerna, 7, of Saugus, slid down the top of the hill toward the playground at Veterans Memorial Elementary School after the season’s second snowstorm. (Saugus Advocate photo by Tara Vocino) FEBRUARY: Parishioner Donna Zinna of Blessed Sacrament Parish administered ashes to Robert O’Leary during the church’s first Ash Wednesday drive-by observance, with precautions taken to prevent the spread of COVID-19. (Saugus Advocate photo by Tara Vocino) MARCH: Dylan Mallahan, 10, learned how it rains as he lay down on a blanket on the lawn outside Douglas Waybright Elementary School while using a cloud watcher’s guide to scan the sky. (Saugus Advocate photo by Tara Vocino) APRIL: Over the course of six decades of living in Saugus, Norwegian native Lee Dyment, 92, has treated her friends and many who know her to the angel food cakes she bakes for them. Here, she shares some tips during the filming of the SaugusTV program “What’s Cookin’?” (Saugus Advocate photo by Mark E. Vogler) MAY: This little bunny seemed to have found cover rather than a meal as he hung out beneath the spring tulips. (Courtesy photo to The Saugus Advocate by Laura Eisener) JULY: Father Jason Makos, the new pastor of Saugus Catholics Collaborative, showed some love to his five-year-old Boston terrier, Thea, during an interview at the Collaborative’s offices at 14 Summer St. in Saugus. (Saugus Advocate photo by Mark E. Vogler) AUGUST: Thorn, a prehensile-tailed porcupine, ate a banana received as a reward for good behavior from Wildlife Encounters Senior Environmental Educator Drew Stazesky. About 160 children and caregivers enjoyed Wildlife Encounters Ecology Center & Farm School’s Jr. Zookeeper Encounter outside of the Saugus Iron Works. The Saugus Public Library sponsored the event, which was funded by the Saugus Cultural Council. (Saugus Advocate photo by Tara Vocino) SEPTEMBER: For the 19th consecutive year, members of the Saugus Fire Department lined up to observe the local anniversary of the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks that killed more than 3,000 people in the highjacking and crashing of four jets – in New York City, Arlington, Va., and Shanksville, Pa. (Saugus Advocate photo by Mark E. Vogler) OCTOBER: A mass of pumpkins brightened the lawn at the First Congregational Church in Saugus Center as a shipment of 4,000 pumpkins arrived from the Navajo Reservation in Farmington, N.M., for the church’s 19th Annual Pumpkin Patch. (Saugus Advocate Photo by Christopher Roberson) COVID | FROM PAGE 1 try to slow this down,” Heffernan said, referring to the recent surge of COVID-19 cases in Saugus and most other communities throughout Massachusetts and across the nation. “I know people who have had COVID multiple times even though they are vaccinated and boosted,” he said. The board decided that it would reevaluate the need for the mask mandate at its March meeting. Earlier in the meeting, the NOVEMBER: Pictured from left to right, getting sworn in by Town Clerk Ellen Schena for another two-year term together, are incumbent Saugus Selectmen Debra C. Panetta, Anthony Cogliano W. Cogliano, Sr., Jeffrey V. Cicolini, Corinne R. Riley and Michael J. Serino. (Saugus Advocate photo by Mark E. Vogler) town’s public health nurse, Teresa Riley-Singh, briefed the board on new data which showed why the town needed to join most other surrounding communities that have adopted mask mandates already. “December was definitely the month of COVID,” Riley-Singh told the board. The number of confirmed COVID-19 cases in Saugus as of Monday was 6,703 since March 1, 2020 – which included 1,312 cases last month, according to Riley-Singh. Christmas holiday contribute to the spike DECEMBER: Christine Moreschi, chief administrative aide for the town manager, and Jeannie Meredith, an administrative assistant at Town Hall, hung out with Mushroom – the Juliana potbellied pig cross at the petting zoo – a popular event at the town’s Christmas Tree Lighting and Festivities. (Saugus Advocate photo by Mark E. Vogler) The 545 cases reported in the town last week was more than double the 253 cases reported in the same time period last year, she said. “We’re definitely in a major surge,” she said. Even though the numbers of confirmed cases are considerably higher, the death toll is lower than last year, Riley-Singh noted. For instance, there were seven COVID-related deaths in December of 2020 compared to four deaths linked to COVID last month. The people who COVID | SEE PAGE 12 ׉ 7cassandra://fCI-Ret3m1vv1fbCQBiJHOeTQusAaAorpVO1zIpvgCs4`̰aצ,wj3Zaצ,wj3Y PבCט(u׉׉ 7cassandra://dLHzbNQ1D5hPP3b2grSQndraDbA2WA9Tfb-XzwSPnIAL`)׉ 7cassandra://qu2ZSllzvqrNSsvePjRtHHNrIXVtMg6Aj588zKiwdcgͩD`J׉ 7cassandra://VI0dWO66XmKuVal_SwoIOztQM0Wtj8jcr3snjXzBHiU1`̰׉ 7cassandra://_3tx6tKI4Rm0RJoeBek6MakyCTbZuTVvhWVSwxWb_LML͠aצ$,wj3{ט((u׉׉ 7cassandra://bdtEunEaQxsGvs9zLNZCSM_lGjO0Bp1tecImErqaWMo >`)׉ 7cassandra://2MaJpaKV4APUjRgfH-ZBt7JGxOGrA0nQ4-gq6Xr5OEcͪ^`J׉ 7cassandra://2Nk4Q4SyEW02AOsfs9mg5TG-KrGN-_TUSMB1zer6AIY/h`̰׉ 7cassandra://EMwK73-clPVZ67eTFh5-xgk4mNgr77zeeXcVrI7j4IY͠aצ%,wj3|נaצ%,wj3xV9ׁHmailto:twkennedylaw@gmail.comׁ ׁ Ј׉EPage 8 THE SAUGUS ADVOCATE – FRIDAY, JANUARY 7, 2022 SAUGUS GARDENS IN THE WINTER Here’s what’s blooming in town this week to make your walks more enjoyable D By Laura Eisener uring the winter in our climate extra attention goes to evergreen trees and shrubs. The term “evergreen” means what it sounds like – it keeps its foliage through all the seasons. Unlike all the deciduous trees we have been observing all fall as their leaves turn color and drop, evergreens maintain some or most of their foliage through the winter. Conifers, which have cones for fruit, are among the most recognizable categories of evergreens, as they can be identifi ed by their needle-like foliage even if no cones are present. Many conifers do have cones in their branches all winter, which may provide additional help in narrowing their identifi cation down to species and variety. It may come as a surprise that not all trees with cones for fruit or needle-like foliage are A MOURNING DOVE sitting in the snow is one of several regular winter visitors to our feeder. (Courtesy photo to The Saugus Advocate by Laura Eisener) TREES IN CLIFTONDALE SQUARE: This view shows the yellow needles of the weeping European larch in its late fall color, and beside it the evergreen needles of the Colorado spruce. (Courtesy photo to The Saugus Advocate by Laura Eisener) actually evergreen. Most conifers do drop some of their older needles in the fall but retain most of them. A few species drop all their needles for the winter and grow new ones in the spring. Law Offices of Terrence W. Kennedy 512 Broadway, Everett • Criminal Defense • Personal Injury • Medical Malpractice Tel: (617) 387-9809 Cell: (617) 308-8178 twkennedylaw@gmail.com The contrast between two adjacent conifers in the Cliftondale rotary becomes quite apparent as winter sets in. One, a Colorado spruce (Picea pungens), will keep its foliage all winter. It stands out in the holiday season because of its red bows at the top, but all year the blue-green needles remain on the tree, helping it to stand out among the bare branched deciduous trees around it. Next to it, much smaller and shaped very diff erently than the conical form of the spruce, is another interesting conifer – a weeping European larch (Larix decidua pendula) which loses its foliage every fall. There were a few clusters of golden needles remaining at the start of 2022. Larch needles are small, about an inch long and clustered in groups of 30-40 on the branches. The bright yellow color rivals the golden leaves of birch (Betula spp.), ginkgo (Ginkgo biloba) and many other deciduous trees. For those not familiar with this natural seasonal cySOME BIRDS THRIVE on a diet of winterberry (Ilex verticillata) or other small fruit through the winter, such as this American robin at the Saugus Ironworks National Historic Site. (Courtesy photo to The Saugus Advocate by Laura Eisener) cle, it is easy to assume the tree is dead when it is seen leafl ess in winter. As long as it remains in the square, however, we can expect it to produce new pale green needles again in the spring. Larches produce small cones, which are quite attractive and which do last all winter as do those of many other coniAN AMERICAN ROBIN perched in a hawthorn tree (Crataegus sp.) on January 4. (Courtesy photo to The Saugus Advocate by Laura Eisener) fers. The weeping variety of European larch is popular because of its unusual shape, which can be made even more dramatic by various pruning styles. Pruning can also keep the size of the trees down, which is the case with the larch in Cliftondale. The picture accompanying this article was taken just a few weeks ago when most of the needles were still clinging GARDENS | SEE PAGE 14 A trusted family name combined with exceptional craftsmanship & professionalism. Call for a consultation & quote. 63 Years! • Vinyl Siding • Carpentry Work • Decks • Roofing • Replacement Windows • Free Estimates • Fully Licensed • Fully Insured ׉ 7cassandra://VI0dWO66XmKuVal_SwoIOztQM0Wtj8jcr3snjXzBHiU1`̰aצ,wj3[׉ETHE SAUGUS ADVOCATE – FRIDAY, JANUARY 7, 2022 Page 9 DIALYSIS | FROM PAGE 3 her patient. “They wouldn’t want to do the transplant as soon as they did,” she said. Cardarella, a registered nurse from Wakefield, has worked at the center for two years. She’s been in the dialysis field for 12 years – seven as an RN. These days, Cardarella is a huge advocate of home dialysis – an option that she says is simply better for the patient for many reasons, particularly during these perilous times of COVID-19. Fresenius Kidney Care – like many of its locations throughout Massachusetts and the nation – is home to a transitional care unit (TCU) which enables dialysis patients to treat themselves in the comfort of their own homes. Fresenius’ TCU at 124 Broadway (Route 1 North) is just one of more than 100 TCUs the company has across the country. “It’s something that’s being pushed by the company and is better for the patients,” Cardarella said. “With this transitional care unit dynamic, you get to learn your options. You’re less likely to have an infection. You’re a more compliant patient.” “With home patients, they’re never in the hospital. They’re more healthy. They’re happier and they are more active in their care,” she said. There are currently 100 patients being treated by Fresenius Kidney Care in Saugus. Of those, 23 patients (23 percent) are involved in home dialysis while the other 77 patients receive their treatment an average of three times a week at the Route 1 clinic, where there are 27 stations. Cardarella acknowledges that patients may find the option of managing their own dialysis at home “initially is very intimidating.” “I’ve had people who are reluctant to do this,” Cardarella said. “Having kidney failure is already a life-changing event. But with DCU, you have the opportunity to see things differently. As long as you are educated and have the right nurse, you can do it. Most of my patients who do it at home also work,” she said. Meanwhile, most of the people who do their dialysis at the center can’t hold full-time jobs. The dialysis clinics are usually open from 5 a.m. to 10 at night. And scheduling the three-to-four weekly visits usually dictates the rest of a patient’s life, according to Cardarella. “There are other options, and your life doesn’t have to revolve around dialysis at a center,” Cardarella said. “At the center, your life revolves around dialysis. And you wind up having a poor quality of life,” she said. “But at home, the house revolves around your life. You don’t have to plan your life around dialysis. You can do it at 3 in the morning or any other time of the day that fits your schedule. And you end up having a better quality of life,” she said. “And another positive during these times: There’s less exposure to COVID when you are getting treated at home. I think the more people who know about home dialysis, the more people who are going to want to try it.” “It saved my lifestyle” It’s been about five months since Volante received his kidney transplant – ending nearly a year’s worth of dialysis at his home. But he agrees that his life would have been a lot different had he decided to receive the dialysis treatments at Fresenius Kidney Care. “I would never have the transplant this fast if I had decided to do my treatments at the center,” Volante said. “Looking back, I’m so glad when I said ‘yes’ to the doctor. It saved my lifestyle. It really did,” he said. “The home health kept me in really good shape. There’s a lot of positives to having home hemo: You feel better; it’s a more flexible life. I would do a Monday-Wednesday-Friday schedule, then Saturday or Sunday, depending upon what was going on in my life that week. And the doctor who was treating me was able to adjust my time. You don’t have that option when you’re going to the center,” he said. Volante credits a conversation he had with his wife, Constance Leccese, with influencing his decision to have his treatments at home rather than in the clinic. “My wife asked me: ‘If you want to live 10 years, do you want to live miserably or the best way possible?’” Volante recalled. “That’s what I did. I felt I was the luckiest person in the world because I didn’t lose my lifestyle. Even though this trauma – COVID and cancer – was a temporary setback; I was able to lead my life in a more normal way,” he said. “Why would you want to leave the center – beat up and exhausted – if you didn’t have to? I chose to be at home because I wanted to give myself the best quality of life that I could and keep my body in the best shape possible,” he said. Meanwhile, he has learned to live with a few inconveniences that go with being a kidney transplant patient. He goes for blood work weekly. He also knows that he will be on anti-rejection pills for the rest of his life. But when he adds up all the benefits derived from picking home treatment over dialysis at the clinic, Volante counts his blessings. It was more convenient doing his treatments at home. He felt better and less fatigued. It just became a function of his daily life – four days a week. And he could spend time watching a movie while undergoing his dialysis. “The future looks bright. I retired because of kidney failure,” Volante said. “Either I will stay retired or go back to work. I feel I have options now that I didn’t have before. What’s great about home hemo – it gave me options to do things – home hemo has given me a new lease on life,” he said. Cardarella said she’s noticed a huge difference, which explains how the home dialysis “added years to your life and made a difference in your lifestyle” “Who’s smiling and happy when you feel like crap?” Gerry D’Ambrosio Attorney-at-Law Is Your Estate in Order? Do you have an update Will, Health Care Proxy or Power of Attorney? If Not, Please Call for a Free Consultation. 14 Proctor Avenue, Revere (781) 284-5657 ׉ 7cassandra://2Nk4Q4SyEW02AOsfs9mg5TG-KrGN-_TUSMB1zer6AIY/h`̰aצ,wj3\aצ,wj3[ PבCט(u׉׉ 7cassandra://1BaPvfx-RuwkYhWLyOBD4SC5jIg5uknwi1pNKOlteW4 t`)׉ 7cassandra://F_o9IogZMu6mQPImxp9BhVOVnNrAdSFE8ZkvzdyqoQYͤO`J׉ 7cassandra://huXLezA8rtQhpSpJS1d9PlrznF1q971F7WAYjwLF38c'`̰׉ 7cassandra://k5ocevYp6NJUxALmU82Y_d3Zeybygm2FfFR4TtsgUnY2$͠aצ&,wj3ט((u׉׉ 7cassandra://tCeSLYlzLM5Cx7WLwbAo1841MFpcFXF_acYf8nB6Sa4%`)׉ 7cassandra://9dvAMhhiEoagkcBQSjyEwwRQS6p8bJpNBVHBFz3fk0M͞`J׉ 7cassandra://86caGO5gPsSmIdKoAsEdycO9aqouNSU84LQTLcD1NlA%v`̰׉ 7cassandra://k6lnSPmVLY4jA8ZrtfXQsEq6jwRF9-WtSFaXGSZjBakͱ͠aצ&,wj3נaצ&,wj3D[ 9ׁHhttp://comcast.netׁ ׁ Јנaצ&,wj3 9ׁH%https://givebutter.com/HealthySaugus.ׁ ׁ Јנaצ&,wj3-̪9ׁHmailto:HS2Saugus@gmail.comׁ ׁ Јנaצ&,wj3 .̔9ׁHhttps://forms.glׁ ׁ Јנaצ&,wj39ׁH"mailto:stevecastinetti@comcast.netׁ ׁ Јנaצ&,wj3̧9ׁHmailto:SaugusPLF@gmail.comׁ ׁ Јנaצ&,wj3,9ׁH(http://www.sauguspubliclibrary.org/virtuׁ ׁ Јנaצ&,wj3b'9ׁHhttp://12.Toׁ ׁ Јנaצ&,wj3#̢9ׁHmailto:mvoge@comcast.netׁ ׁ Ј׉E)Page 10 THE SAUGUS ADVOCATE – FRIDAY, JANUARY 7, 2022 THE SOUNDS OF SAUGUS By Mark E. Vogler Prostate Cancer Awareness There’s no better way to top this week’s column than with a well-crafted press release from the Saugus Senior Center about a very important upcoming forum about prostate cancer: The Senior Center is excited to host a new community-based group that will focus on Prostate Cancer Awareness. The meeting will take place on January 19th at 10 AM. Refreshments will be provided. The goal of Saugus Prostate Awareness is to raise awareness of prostate cancer, to encourage men to seek screening, to share personal experiences, and to provide suggestions for participants. The American Cancer Society informs us that about 1 in 8 men will be diagnosed with prostate cancer during his lifetime. Prostate cancer is more likely to develop in older men and in non-Hispanic Black men. About 6 cases in 10 are diagnosed in men who are 65 or older, and it is rare in men under 40. The average age of men at diagnosis is about 66. The 2020 US Census has revealed that the median age of Saugus residents is 48 compared to the state is 39.4 suggests that prostate cancer could be more commonplace in Saugus compared to the state. The first meeting will feature three long time community members who have experienced diagnosis and treatment. They will share what they have learned with participants to inform and encourage men and their partners about the importance of accurate screening and detection. While this disease is specific to men, women are welcome and encouraged to attend. Please call the Senior Center at 781-231-4182 to indicate that you will be participating. It sounds like an invaluable forum that would be in the best interests of any Saugonian to attend. What better way than to promote a community conversation about a very serious health issue? The Voke vote is set for Jan. 25 Saugus voters will get to provide a “yes” or “no” answer to the following question in a special ballot election to be held later this month: Do you approve of the vote of the Regional District School Committee of the Northeast Metropolitan Regional Vocational School District adopted on December 9, 2021, to authorize the borrowing of $317,422,620 to pay costs of designing, constructing, originally equipping and furnishing a new Northeast Metropolitan Regional Vocational School and related athletic facilities, located at 100 Hemlock Road in Wakefield, Massachusetts, including the payment of all costs incidental and related thereto ….” Saugus is just one of 12 communities in the Northeast Metro Tech Regional School District that will be voting in the Special Election on Jan. 25. Voting for all 10 town precincts will take place at the Saugus Senior Center at 466 Central St. from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m., instead of being held at the usual polling locations. Postcards notifying voters of the upcoming election were mailed out recently. There will be no early voting for this election. However, residents can vote absentee. The last day to request an absentee ballot is Jan. 19. I’ve become a New Year’s Eve snoozer I’m not a huge fan of New Year’s Eve celebrations and I think it’s been years since I partook in one. And last Friday, I was again dozing off in my reclining chair with my long-haired tuxedo cat Panda sleeping my legs as I snoozed through the televised festivities before the ball even dropped at Times Square. To be honest with you, I can’t remember the last time I was awake for the famous countdown and to watch that expensive glass ball slide slowly down the pole. Decades ago, I did take a few trips to Boston to check out “First Night” with my brother and his friends. I remember the ice sculptures, taking in a concert in Trinity Church and other musical performances in Old South Church. Those were some of the highlights we took in before ending the evening with a couple of beers at the Cheers Bar on Beacon Hill. Sure, I’ve been to my share of parties over the years – some outstanding ones on Nantucket Island, where I didn’t have to worry about driving home because I could walk home. But I’ve had my share of New Year’s Eve work shifts, because I preferred to earn extra pay and go home sober instead of hanging out with friends – only to nurse a throbbing hangover the next day. Bureau on weekend nights. A friend had invited me to a New Year’s Eve party at a fraternity house on campus. I had nothing else to do, so I went there after work. But the drinks weren’t the best part of the night. When I met up with a college buddy, Marty Kelly, at the party, he gave me a really good scoop about two police officers and the head cook of the Worcester Dining Commons losing their jobs for stealing food from the dining commons. Part of the story involved steaks and cheese products being found in a police cruiser. For me, it was not only a great story, but a chance to redeem myself after an investigation by UMass police determined there was no truth to a series of investigative stories I wrote on food thefts at the same dining commons. My exposé was accompanied by a photo of two dining commons workers with their eyes blotted out who were allegedly carrying large plastic bags that allegedly contained stolen food. The stories that ran in The Massachusetts Daily ColleGUESS WHO GOT SKETCHED! In this week’s edition, we continue our weekly feature where a local artist sketches people, places and things in Saugus. Got an idea who was sketched this week? If you do, please email me at mvoge@comcast.net or leave a phone message at 978-683-7773. Anyone who between now and Tuesday at noon correctly identifies the Saugonian being sketched qualifies to have their name put in a green Boston Red Sox hat with a chance to be selected as the winner of a $10 gift certificate, compliments of Dunkin’ at the 1204 Broadway Saugus location on Route 1 North. But you have to enter to win! Look for the winner and identification in next week’s “The Sounds of Saugus.” Please leave your mailing address in case you are a winner. (Courtesy illustration to The Saugus Advocate by a Saugonian who goes by the name of “The Sketch Artist”) I remember covering a three-alarm house fire in Methuen for The Eagle Tribune of North Andover one New Year’s Eve when the temperature hovered close to zero. It was so cold that my paging device and handheld Bearcat Scanner radio froze up and went black while my Cross pen wouldn’t write. So, I used a Sharpie to write in my notebook that night. I wore gloves, of course, but I could have used two pairs that night to protect my fingers from the painful tingling brought on by the cold. I also remember being one of four reporters who got hoodwinked by an Eagle-Tribune editor to work on New Year’s Eve of 1999. The assignment was for us to give extensive local coverage on the infamous Y2K – the overhyped electronics event that never happened – as the year changed from 1999 to 2000; a widespread computer programming problem was supposed to cause major chaos. It was supposed to be a technological nightmare. I and the three other reporters were promised double overtime. But that turned out to be a phony story, too, after our paper’s human resources department learned of the generous bribe. Our city editor also put the kibosh on the double overtime deal, saying we would only get paid the compensation for which we were entitled and no more. New Year’s Eve payback One of my most memorable New Year’s Eve work assignments while working for a newspaper happened when I was a student at UMass-Amherst working parttime for The Springfield Union out of the Northampton gian caused a furor on campus. We got swamped with letters to the editor, most of them critical of my investigation, which was labeled as “yellow journalism.” The investigation was basically a whitewash, I believed, because the investigation focused on the two women carrying the plastic bags – not the actual incidence of thefts. In one of my first stories, I had quoted UMass officials as blaming a steep increase in board on thefts of silverware and un-estimated quantities of food. That was basically the catalyst for my investigation in the college paper. By the end of the semester, The Massachusetts Daily Collegian had published an apology to the women in the photo and concluded, like the campus police, that there was no evidence that they or anyone had stolen food. So, I took a lot of grief for my first crack at investigative journalism. That would have been the end of the story. But sometime between the end of the UMass police investigation and New Year’s Eve, there was another investigation. And it led to the quiet resignation of the head cook at the dining commons, a UMass police officer and a Hadley, Mass., police officer. I spent New Year’s Day and two days after trying to confirm the tip and what appeared to be a coverup of the dining commons scandal that would follow. I had the pleasure of calling the public affairs director at the UMass-Amherst for a quote. He had castigated me publicly and privately for what he regarded as irresponsible journalism. When I called, he told me that The Massachusetts Daily Collegian editor already had a statement, and a story would be published when students returned for the spring semester. I told him I wasn’t writing the story for The Massachusetts Daily Collegian, that I was writing it for The Springfield Union. The PR guy didn’t sound happy after I told him. The next day, a front-page story with my byline ran in The Springfield Union: “Three Quit in Probe of UMass Thefts.” I got to write a few more stories. The Hampshire County District Attorney called for a grand jury investigation. The two police officers and the cook were indicted. Going to that party kind of made my New Year’s Eve a productive one. No winners this week It looks like our readers got stumped again in our weekly “Guess Who Got Sketched” contest. In recent weeks, we’ve had plenty of names to drop into the green Boston Red Sox cap to pick a weekly winner. But nobody was able to identify the sketch in last Friday’s (Jan. 31) paper. In fact, we received no answers. So, did our loyal readers take the week off because they were out celebrating New Year’s Eve? Anyway, for those who are interested, 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 Miss Ceiny DuPlessie! Ceiny is the daughter of Beth DuPlessie who’s the daughter of Donna Manoogian! THE SOUNDS OF SAUGUS | SEE PAGE 11 ׉ 7cassandra://huXLezA8rtQhpSpJS1d9PlrznF1q971F7WAYjwLF38c'`̰aצ,wj3]׉E.uTHE SAUGUS ADVOCATE – FRIDAY, JANUARY 7, 2022 Page 11 THE SOUNDS OF SAUGUS | FROM PAGE 10 Donna’s Granddaughter Ceiny attained the starring role of Clara in the Foxboro Classical Ballet Academy Ballet Performance. To perform “Clara” in a Ballet one must show promise, talent & skill, showmanship, and master basic ballet. It is a special honor to play such a central iconic piece as “Clara” and oftentimes just this one accomplishment has launched a few stars! The role of Clara is the aspirations of many ballet dancers! In the Nutcracker Ballet, The main character Clara receives a nutcracker for Christmas and then falls asleep and dreams, the nutcracker becomes real and … You have to see it! (That’s it No spoiler alert here!) Ceiny’s mom Beth DuPlessie states “Ceiny has been dancing since she was 3 years old and started on pointe this year. She loves ballet, and dancing the role of Clara in the Nutcracker was a dream come true. Both Ceiny's mother Beth and her grandmother Donna have danced pointe (toe). Ceiny’s little sister Clara is also a ballet dancer.” Beth DuPlessie. Thank you to ALL you talented Ballerina’s in this family! Keep on dancing with your whole heart and soul! Thankyou and Congratulations Ceiny! You are Excellent and on point! :) Yours Truly, The Sketch Artist” A “Shout-Out” to “The Sketch Artist” Despite this week’s apparent lack of interest in last week’s sketch or perhaps lack of recognition of who the subject was, people down at Town Hall sure must be talking about “The Sketch Artist” because of several town employees who were recently sketched. One of the Town Hall employees who was sketched last month – Jeannie Meredith – offered this week’s nomination: “I would like to give a ‘shout out’ to the anonymous sketch artist for managing to not only capture people’s identity through the drawings, but to always have kind words that follow. Unfortunately, we live in a cynical world and this weekly piece of The Advocate is refreshing and fun to read. “Thank you to the sketch artist for always shining a bright light on our town and its people. “Happy Healthy New Year!!” An “extra shout-out” for these pet owners and walkers Linda Mellor contributed this “extra shout-out”: “I would like to shout out to all those owners and walkers who pick up after their pets, especially on the Rail Trail, which I consider a positive asset to Saugus. Thank you for your consideration in keeping Saugus clean.” Editor’s Note: Hopefully, conscientious efforts like this are contagious and we see the cleanups spread to unkept properties that are strewn with litter and clutter. 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. Virtual Bingo Night at the library next week The Saugus Public Library Foundation will hold its second annual Virtual Bingo Night on Thursday, January 13, beginning at 7 p.m. This family-fun event is open to bingo players of all ages and abilities. “Last year’s Virtual Bingo Night was a great success, and we look forward to beginning the new year with another night of fun and excitement,” Foundation President Kristen Tozza said. “We hope Saugus residents will join us as we raise funds for the Saugus Public Library’s programs and services.” The cost to participate is $25 for five cards, $40 for 10 cards and $50 for 15 cards. Bingo cards will be sent via email after registration and payment are received. The registration deadline is January 12.To register, scan the QR Code or click on the “Register Now” button on the library website: www.sauguspubliclibrary.org/virtual-bingo-2/. About the Saugus Public Library Foundation: The Saugus Public Library Foundation was established in 2004 through significant gifts from the estates of Douglas Lockwood, Josephine Kibbey and Marie Weeks, as well as funds turned over by the now-disbanded environmental nonprofit Noblast, Inc. and smaller individual trust funds and bequests. The Foundation provides the means for the library to make long-range plans and commitments using the interest earned on the principal balance of the Foundation, and promote and carry out charitable and fundraising activities. To learn more about the Saugus Public Library Foundation, or to make a donation to the Saugus Public Library, please email SaugusPLF@gmail.com. Veterans Council Meeting date switched We received this email from CAPT Stephen L. Castinetti, USN (Ret.), Commander of the Saugus Veterans Council, regarding a change of dates in the upcoming Veterans Council meeting: “Good afternoon and I hope you all had a great holiday. Unfortunately, I will be out of state on January 3, 2022 so I am moving the meeting to January 10, 2022 at 1900,” Steve writes. “Hopefully that’s not a major inconvenience for anyone. “I have rapid home Covid tests available and I will have them at the meeting if anyone needs them. In the meantime, have a Happy New Year and let’s hope that 2022 is better than the first two 20’s!” CAPT Stephen L. Castinetti, USN (Ret.); Commander, Saugus Veterans Council; stevecastinetti@comcast.net; 781-389-3678. Friday breakfasts at Legion Hall still on hold Concerns about COVID-19 have led to a temporary shutdown of the popular Friday morning breakfasts at the Saugus American Legion Cpl Scott J. Procopio Post 210 Legion Hall located at 44 Taylor St. Legion Hall was supposed to reopen today for the breakfasts, but the reopening has been delayed again. Here’s an email we received this week from Debra Dion Faust, Building Manager of American Legion Post 210: We want to thank all of you who took the time to respond, especially those intrepid souls (and there were quite a few of you) who were willing to jump back into breakfast-going this Friday. However, research with the town and online says that the numbers of Omicron cases are still spiking from Christmas, and we may have another spike of sorts from New Year’s Eve festivities. So at last night’s January Legion meeting, the membership voted to delay re-opening until Friday, February 4. Hang in there. Stay safe and healthy. We look forward to eventually being able to resume service for you again. Debra Dion Faust for the Kitchen Crew An inquiring reader wants to know … was it COVID-related? We received this email from a concerned reader just before press time yesterday (Thursday, Jan. 6) Any connection between the ZBA meeting scheduled for today [that was subsequently canceled on 01.04.22] and the fact that Ms. Stephanie Puracchio the ConComm /ZBA Clerk has not responded this week to either email or the phone. Could it be that another valuable Saugus employee has resigned? Or is this Covid related absence? It initially took six months for the U.S. to report 4 million cases of COVID-19. This week, it took just seven days to report 4 million cases, a USA Today analysis of John Hopkins University data shows. Interesting question, and we will try to get you an answer and publish it in next week’s edition. Town posts Compost Site Winter Schedule This press release just in from Saugus Town Hall: The Town of Saugus announces that the community’s compost site and recycling center will be open to residents the third Saturday of the month during the winter months. The site will be open on Saturday, January 15th, February 19th and March 19th , 2022 from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. The site is located behind the Department of Public Works at 515 Main Street. Yard waste must be disposed of in brown compost bags or open containers. The Town will accept grass clippings, leaves, and brush. As in years past, no branches or limbs larger than three inches in diameter are permitted. At this time residents will NOT need a compost site sticker to access the site. We ask all residents to please wear a mask, maintain and respect social distancing from others while visiting the site. Residents may call Lorna Cerbone at the Solid Waste and Recycling Department at 781-231-4036 with questions or for more information. Trash/Recycling one-day Holiday Delay The Town of Saugus announced that the trash and recycling collection will run on a one-day delay from Tuesday, January 18, 2022, through Saturday, January 22, 2022 due to the observance of Martin Luther King Day. There will be no collection on Monday, January 17, 2022, due to the holiday. Services will resume on a one-day delay from Tuesday, January 18, 2022, through Saturday, January 22, 2022. Trash and Recycling will continue to run on a one-day delay for the remainder of the week. The Town of Saugus would like to thank everyone for their cooperation. Please contact Solid Waste/Recycling Coordinator Lorna Cerbone at 781-231-4036 with any questions. Want to be a Knight? The Knights of Columbus is looking for new members to join. If you are interested in becoming a member of this local organization, please call 781-233-9858. Healthy Students-Healthy Saugus Program (Editor’s Note: The following info is from an announcement submitted by Julie Cicolini, a member of the Board of Directors for Healthy Students-Healthy Saugus, providing information about the program.) Who we are: Healthy Students-Healthy Saugus (HS2) is a nonprofit group of volunteers that is helping to offset food insecurity in households. HS2 provides students/ families that enroll in the program a supply of nutritious food for when school lunches and breakfasts are unavailable to them on weekends. How HS2 can help you: HS2 bags are distributed at school on Fridays to take home. Bags include such items as peanut butter, jelly, a loaf of bread, canned meals/ soups/tuna/vegetables, pasta/sauce, fruit cups, cereal, oatmeal, goldfish, pretzels and granola bars. To sign up go here to complete online form: https://forms.gle/gmMGguycSHBdziuE9. Want to partner with us: HS2 relies on donations to create take-home bags for a weekend full of meals. All food is provided to children free of charge. It is our hope these resources will support the health, behavior and achievement of every student who participates. We would love to partner with organizations, youth groups, PTOs, businesses and individuals to assist in feeding students of Saugus. To learn more about how you can partner with us visit the Healthy Students-Healthy Saugus Facebook page or email us at HS2Saugus@gmail.com. Checks can also be sent directly to: Salem Five c/o Healthy Students-Healthy Saugus, 855-5 Broadway, Saugus, MA 01906. Online donations can also be made at https://givebutter.com/HealthySaugus. Let’s hear it! Got an idea, passing thought or gripe you would like to share with The Saugus Advocate? I’m always interested in your feedback. It’s been close to six years since I began work at The Saugus Advocate. I’m always interested in hearing readers’ suggestions for possible stories or good candidates for “The Advocate Asks” interview of the week. Feel free to email me at mvoge@ comcast.net. Do you have some interesting views on an issue that you want to express to the community? Submit your idea. If I like it, we can meet for a 15- to 20-minute interview over a hot drink at a local coffee shop. And I’ll buy the coffee or tea. Or, if you prefer to continue practicing social distancing and be interviewed from the safety of your home on the phone or via email, I will provide that option to you as the nation recovers from the Coronavirus crisis. If it’s a nice day, my preferred site for a coffee and interview would be the picnic area of the Saugus Iron Works. ׉ 7cassandra://86caGO5gPsSmIdKoAsEdycO9aqouNSU84LQTLcD1NlA%v`̰aצ,wj3^aצ,wj3] PבCט(u׉׉ 7cassandra://tiYqYpo0gS6g4bDWPJQNnX0-QfMU17A8vXdCrM2OZFc`)׉ 7cassandra://OmIvYwSB5_2EJnHZ3zodkS0Vf17COM9vxXAAI633kL8͛z`J׉ 7cassandra://AzuFrWiDH75Ly9Mu2IbhCfjrOMvf129knhp5hDB2qmo-`̰׉ 7cassandra://OzNtAIk2Ztsd5LBhzdHB2f35avGUKSb-_CYtp55GlKU;h͠aצ&,wj3ט((u׉׉ 7cassandra://0lqc3VTrr7B13g1w9aF3zVn9Dazatu4-3_ppTSQRY3Yy`)׉ 7cassandra://3fQEtGhvYQ5n-C2_LLGf8bKGJCHIzgKOouWPNhcLhxE͔`J׉ 7cassandra://4KcjRoAjQ2lmr6XIcLqaP9ZrANSgnVbsGuzQrtRx0JM.P`̰׉ 7cassandra://_oP2lFZh97wzQVF7tF8a3SbqVyKu111lFjCQ3DDYMQ8? B͠aצ&,wj3נaצ&,wj3̙9ׁHhttp://www.saugustv.orgׁ ׁ Ј׉EPage 12 THE SAUGUS ADVOCATE – FRIDAY, JANUARY 7, 2022 COVID-19 testing line averages seven hours; patients share their experience Advocate staff report W ith the recent surge, the COVID-19 testing line averaged seven hours – and between 300 and 400 carloads – on Monday and Tuesday outside of Square One Mall. Everett resident Oziel Silva arrived at 6:30 a.m. on Tuesday and was first in line – waiting approximately eight hours. He added that he was prepared for a long wait time. Cars were lined up at the former Sears store to Dick’s Sporting Goods. “I have to do it to save a life,” Silva said. “I’ve been experiencing some symptoms and wouldn’t want to spread it to anyone else.” Saugus resident Jennifer Powers, whose family tested positive for COVID-19, was second in line on Tuesday. She arrived at 7 a.m., waiting nearly seven hours. Powers switched with her mother to alleviate waiting times. “There has got to be a better way,” Powers said. “I’m not sure what can be done, but I’m sure someone will come up with a remedy.” On Monday, Saugus resident Deborah Barrett-Cutulle arrived at noon, and she waited seven hours, getting tested at approximately 7 p.m. Barrett-Cutulle described the scene. “We watched people (at least 2 cars) having to put gas in their cars,” she said. “We saw some people get out of their car to go get food in the mall for their families and to take their children to the mall restroom.” To alleviate wait time, she thinks, arrangements should be made to have at least three or four technicians taking tests for each line. On Tuesday, there were two technicians. She came somewhat prepared, but it wasn’t enough. “We wished we had brought On Tuesday the Square One Mall COVID-19 outdoor testing line was closed before 2 p.m. due to the volume of people in cars waiting to be tested. The COVID-19 Update Town reports 668 newly confirmed cases over the past seven days – doubling last week’s total By Mark E. Vogler T he number of confirmed COVID-19 cases continues to soar at a record pace not seen since the outbreak of the deadly virus in March of 2020. Town Manager Scott C. Crabtree announced that the state Department of Public Health (DPH) has notified the town of 668 new cases over the past seven days through yesterday (Thursday, Jan. 6), bringing the overall total to 7,100 cases. Crabtree also noted that the DPH confirmed one adCOVID | FROM PAGE 7 died were mostly unvaccinated, she said. Given that the nation had just completed the holiday season, officials expected that “the numbers are going to soar,” Riley-Singh noted. “People were packed in stores and restaurants. We didn’t have a mask mandate like we had last year,” she told the board. ditional COVID-19-related death, bringing the overall total to 88. Our hearts and prayers go out to those families affected by this health pandemic,” Crabtree said. This week’s COVID-19 case total surpassed what was thought to be a record-setting amount last week – 446 cases. The town has reported 1,831 new COVID-19 cases since Nov. 22. The ongoing surge prompted the Board of Health to adopt an indoor mask mandate this week. (See related story.) A visibly frustrated Heffernan asked the nurse, “Are we ever going to start to turn a corner here?” “I know,” Riley-Singh answered. “It’s definitely not where anyone wanted to be in December 2021 and still talking about it in January 2022. But let’s get through the winter and then reevaluate, come the warmer months.” Health Director John R. Fralick III told board members that Samore food with us,” Barrett-Cutulle said. “We only brought one bag of sweet and salty kettle popcorn, and we were afraid to drink water in fear of needing to go the bathroom.” They watched someone deliver food to one of the cars. “If I had known the car in front of us was headed into the mall for food, not just the restroom, I would have asked them to get us something,” Barrett-Cutulle said. “We were stranded in our car because we left the house with our pajamas on never imaging it would take seven hours.” They brought a tablet to watch shows on Netflix while they waited. A spokesperson for Transformative Health Solutions said a large volume of cars are expected for the next few weeks, adding that people are panicked. He said the police department has been tremendous in guiding traffic. The site is open Monday through Saturday from 2 to 7 p.m. lem, Peabody, Danvers, Beverly and most of Essex County have already adopted temporary mask mandates. “I think it’s going to be a necessary thing in the fight against Omicron,” Fralick said, referring to the latest variant to concern national health officials. He noted that the town has distributed some 10,000 free COVID | SEE PAGE 17 People in the front of the line were waiting for several hours – since early morning – before the site opened in the afternoon. (Advocate photos by Tara Vocino) A Saugus Police cruiser blocked off the entrance of the testing site at the Square One Mall’s rear entrance. Certified Nursing Assistant Edward Castor fills a syringe. A patient is shown being tested for COVID-19 on Tuesday. A string of cars lined up from outside the former Sears store to Dick’s Sporting Goods. ׉ 7cassandra://AzuFrWiDH75Ly9Mu2IbhCfjrOMvf129knhp5hDB2qmo-`̰aצ,wj3_׉E THE SAUGUS ADVOCATE – FRIDAY, JANUARY 7, 2022 Page 13 Sachems hockey shutout by Marblehead A By Greg Phipps s the current COVID surge begins to affect high school sports competition around the state, the Saugus High School hockey team did manage to play its sixth game of the season Wednesday night at Salem State University's Rockett Arena. The contest against Northeastern Conference foe Marblehead was played before no spectators and even the press was kept away due to the COVID situation. The Sachems may wish the contest hadn't taken place at all, as they were routed 9-0 by the host Magicians. Circumstances were rough from the beginning for the visitors. Marblehead scored four times in the first period for an early 4-0 edge. Two of those goals came within a seven second window. Saugus, which fell to 2-4 overall on the season, weren't able to dent the net as the Magicians tallied five more times over the final two periods to account for the final margin. Saugus managed a few good scoring bids (12 shots on goal) but couldn't produce much in EXTRA EFFORT: Sachems goaltender Matt Smith pokes the puck off a Winnacunnet, NH player’s stick during the recent annual Hillie Christmas Tournament in Haverhill. (Advocate photos by Mike Riley) the way of offensive threats against Marblehead goalie Nick Peters. It was actually the second straight shutout win for Marblehead, now 2-4 as well, who had blanked Beverly, 4-0, last week. The Magicians opened their season with four consecutive losses but seem to have turned things around. Meanwhile, the Sachems have dropped four straight after opening the season with a promising 2-0 start. Saugus has been outscored 20-1 in its last three contests and head Coach Jeff Natalucci is hoping his squad can get back on the winning track against Swampscott next Wednesday in the home opener at Kasabuski Arena. A scheduled rematch Saturday against the Lynn Jets at Connery Rink in Lynn has been postponed. Saugus can now only hope the recent COVID spike won't end up affecting next week's scheduled home opener against Swampscott. Sachem forward Joe Soares carries the puck up ice. Sachems Mike Capone drives past a Winnacunnet defender. Saugus’ Alex Fondulis battles a Winnacunnet player for position against during tourney action in Haverhill. Sachem hockey team members listen intently to Saugus Assistant Coach Dwayne Oxley. THIS WEEK ON SAUGUS TV Sunday, Jan. 9 from 9–11 p.m. on Channel 8 – “Sunday Night Stooges” (The Three Stooges). Monday, Jan. 10 all day on Channel 8 – “Movie Monday” (classic movies). Tuesday, Jan. 11 at 8:30 p.m. on Channel 9 – Planning Board Meeting from Jan. 6. Wednesday, Jan. 12 at 8:30 p.m. on Channel 9 – Board of Health Meeting from Jan. 3. Thursday, Jan. 13 at 6 p.m. on Channel 9 – School Committee Meeting ***live***. Friday, Jan. 14 at 10:30 a.m. on Channel 8 – Jesus Center of Good News Service. Saturday, Jan. 15 at 8:30 p.m. on Channel 22 – SHS Boys Basketball vs. Masconomet from Jan. 4. Saugus TV can be seen on Comcast Channels 8, 9 & 22. For complete schedules, please visit www.saugustv.org. ***programming may be subject to change without notice*** Sachem Chris Regnetta carries the puck out of the corner. ׉ 7cassandra://4KcjRoAjQ2lmr6XIcLqaP9ZrANSgnVbsGuzQrtRx0JM.P`̰aצ,wj3`aצ,wj3_ PבCט(u׉׉ 7cassandra://Tm62Ivj5zzlczvYlMdjjlSizfJ2itaGEEFjGe2bAHUI! `)׉ 7cassandra://QSmi4IcdJXFl8HEQ5BKkKojsZy16WeEYrcMvT_JmxFA͝n`J׉ 7cassandra://DHUWt4nn8JnL5KAIlP_Qp3Mb61YKI1iZM6eXkD_Ikb8'`̰׉ 7cassandra://4Yj_k3QR-DfLxafASShIZpkUbagXejgaalIvvMv2w2E{`h͠aצ),wj3ט((u׉׉ 7cassandra://zx8OeVISQZvN6T4g-_I6pceUEkvZhXwf77QXezZAH_M `)׉ 7cassandra://OuB9l0mdSS3HJUogqTVwwmoAkVu5ktFzkh9yfHOAJ-Aͦn`J׉ 7cassandra://Y1WtwoSDZ7ZcUnwwpD2-mBpe_pcORys22MTxJ26l9Bc.C`̰׉ 7cassandra://M3KKc8sqZbJom5nuFbVN9ZJrvMmioiXIIoHEksgQ4Qsp͠aצ),wj3נaצ*,wj3 4B 9ׁHhttp://call.comׁ ׁ Јנaצ),wj3X9ׁH http://massterlist.com/subscribeׁ ׁ Ј׉E [Page 14 THE SAUGUS ADVOCATE – FRIDAY, JANUARY 7, 2022 ASKS | FROM PAGE 5 lot of questions – and be your own advocate. Having your PSA done at various points and compared over a period of time is a surefire way of determining whether you have prostate cancer. But a high number doesn’t necessarily mean you have it. You can have a low PSA under 4 and have a very aggressive prostate cancer. And you can have a high PSA and not have prostate cancer. It’s the sharp increase in the short period of time that should be the major concern. Q: How long did it take you to get it under control? A: On Nov. 2 [2021], it was 5.91. On Nov. 8, I had the surgery. On Nov. 12, it was at 1.63. On Dec. 20, my PSA was .03, which is considered undetectable. Q: What were the challenges? A: The uncertainty – the anxiety of not knowing what you’re facing – your heart is in your mouth every time you have a PSA test. There are so many variations of treatment of the disease that it really challenges you to do a lot of research to not only understand the nature of your prostate cancer, but to select the form of treatment that is best suited for your cancer and your particular goals. One of the concerns men have is about incontinence; they worry about leakage. If that becomes your top priority, you communicate that to your doctor. Q: So, what worked for you? A: The best thing I think you can have done is an MRI. That would identify any lesions that are present. But you need to talk to your doctor about things that are important to you. And one of the important messages I can pass on is that you’ve got to be your own advocate and do your own research. That includes information you get from friends and acquaintances from various social circles – people who had it or have it. There are two prominent people in town government who have dealt with this in recent months. You would be absolutely amazed by how many people are dealing with this. If you choose surgery, you want to find a surgeon who has done thousands – not hundreds. And most of these surgeons are in the Boston hospitals. A common question that is asked of urologists who notify patients of a diagnosis: “What would you recommend if you were telling your father, Doctor?” If you have radiation, it’s generally more difficult to have surgery if the cancer comes back. If you have surgery, you can always have radiation. But it’s more difficult to have the surgery after radiation. When it comes to treatment, you have to decide what’s best for your situation; you try to pick the best of many bad choices. Can you imagine going to the hospital and worrying whether you have to wear a diaper for the rest of your life? Q: What is your status now? A: Right now my PSA is undetectable. They took out my lymph nodes, and I didn’t have any cancer in my lymph nodes. Q: Please tell me about the upcoming forum. A: It will be at least an hour. We’ll be social distancing and with face coverings and at least six feet apart – following the COVID protocols. This is for anyone who has questions or concerns about prostate canGARDENS | FROM PAGE 8 to the branches, but this week they are almost completely gone. Non-weeping European larches are also occasionally available in nurseries. There is also a native species of larch which we may see growing wild in parts of New England. While North American larches (Larix laricina) – also known as tamarack or hackmatack – are more common further north, they can grow in the woods around here. Other deciduous conifers which can be occasionally found in nurseries and can be grown in our area include bald cypress (Taxodium distichum) and dawn redwood (Metasequoia glyptostroboides). cer and for anyone who wants to share their experience. We want to point them in the right direction. This is basically an outlet for men who got a diagnosis. We want them to recognize that this is common, and that this is the second leading cause of death behind heart disease. Sharing information can be helpful. Not only for the recipient of the information, but for the giver as well. Q: Why have you decided to go public? A: I was partially inspired by Theresa Whittredge [the late wife of School Committee Chair Tom Whittredge]. She was very public on social media on what she was going through with her cancer. She went out of her way to share her experiences on social media. I messaged her and she messaged me back. She was a warrior and fought the fight. (She died of metastatic breast cancer in November.) And prostate cancer guys consider themselves to be warriors. Q: What do you hope to accomplish by this upcoming forum? A: To help at least one person; have people share their experiences. We’re not going to advise people on what the best treatment is for them, because every situation is different. We hope to increase awareness. The ultimate measure of success will be a year or two from now when somebody tells us that they addressed their prostate cancer because of something we said. We want to create an awareness and make sure men get their PSA tests. A lot of guys don’t go for a checkup. And, all of a sudden, they get a pain in their hip. I want to make it clear that we are not dispensing medical advice. We’re just advocating for screening. Our whole Many birds spend the entire winter here, so there are quite a few visitors to the feeders in January and February. Mourning doves, sparrows, nuthatches, chickadees, juncos, cardinals, blue jays and a couple of woodpecker species are daily visitors. While robins (Turdus migratorius) are often seen in spring and summer looking for worms in the lawn, they don’t seem interested in the feeder. Often considered harbingers of spring, they are the state birds of Connecticut, Wisconsin and Michigan. While some robins do migrate to warmer climates for the winter, some stay all winter. They usually roost in groups where there are wild berries or small fruits that will furnish food until the goal is to get people there on January 19 who can benefit by sharing information and experiences and raising their awareness about prostate cancer. Believe me, if you get this disease, your goal is to die from something else. If you catch it early, it’s treatable. I don’t want to see anybody go through the unnecessary pain and suffering of prostate cancer. For guys who die of prostate cancer, it gets into their bones. They don’t get medical checkups, then one day they get a sore hip or sore back. Q: Anything else that you would like to share with our readers? A: It’s very treatable when it’s detected early. About 2.9 million American men count themselves as prostate cancer survivors. There are a lot of famous people who have been treated for prostate cancer: Colin Powell, Roger Moore – 007, Elton John. Even John Kerry had it when he was running for president. Survivors include actor Robert De Niro, former California Governor Jerry Brown, movie star Ryan O’Neal, pro golfer Arnold Palmer and former Yankees Manager Joe Torre – he was an outspoken advocate about prostate cancer awareness. We want women to be involved in this program. Often the wife winds up becoming the Florence Nightingale and is actively involved in her husband’s treatment, so we feel women should participate. And I can’t stress enough that you’ve got to be your own advocate, to ask questions and do a lot of research. It’s a very treatable disease; it need not be a death sentence; and in many cases it isn’t. But men need to get their PSA tests and checked out regularly. It’s very beatable with early detection. ground thaws out again. On New Year’s Eve I saw one robin in a hawthorn (Crataegus sp.) tree near Route 1, and on one of the coldest recent days, January 4, there were seven robins in another heavily fruiting hawthorn tree in Lynnhurst. Editor’s Note: Laura Eisener is a landscape design consultant who helps homeowners with landscape design, plant selection and placement of trees and shrubs, as well as perennials. She is a member of the Saugus Garden Club and offered to write a series of articles about “what’s blooming in town” shortly after the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic. She was inspired after seeing so many people taking up walking. ׉ 7cassandra://DHUWt4nn8JnL5KAIlP_Qp3Mb61YKI1iZM6eXkD_Ikb8'`̰aצ,wj3a׉E}THE SAUGUS ADVOCATE – FRIDAY, JANUARY 7, 2022 Page 15 Beacon Hill Roll Call By Bob Katzen GET A FREE SUBSCRIPTION TO MASSTERLIST–Join more than 22,000 people, from movers and shakers to political junkies and interested citizens, who start their weekday morning with MASSterList—the popular newsletter that chronicles news and informed analysis about what’s going on up on Beacon Hill, in Massachusetts politics, policy, media and influence. The stories are drawn from major news organizations as well as specialized publications selected by widely acclaimed and highly experienced writers Chris Van Buskirk and Keith Regan who introduce each article in their own clever and never-boring, inimitable way. MASSterlist will be e-mailed to you FREE every Monday through Friday morning and will give you a leg up on what’s happening in the blood sport of Bay State politics. For more information and to get your free subscription go to: www. massterlist.com/subscribe THE HOUSE AND SENATE: There were no roll calls in the House and Senate last week. This week, Beacon Hill Roll Call reports on the number of times each representative sided with Gov. Charlie Baker on his 25 vetoes of mostly state budget items in 2021. A two-thirds vote is required to override a gubernatorial veto. In a full 160-member House, the governor needs the support of 54 representatives to sustain a veto when all 160 representatives vote— and fewer votes when some members are absent or a seat is vacant. Baker fell short of that goal as 35 votes was the most support he received on any veto. The House easily overrode all 25 vetoes, including four that were overridden unanimously. It was mostly the 29 GOP members who voted with the Republican governor to sustain the vetoes but no Republican representative voted with Baker 100 percent of the time. The four GOP members who voted with Baker the most times are Reps. Shawn Dooley (R-Norfolk), 21 times (84.0 percent); Norman Orrall (R-Lakeville), 19 times (76.0 percent); Brad Jones (R-North Reading) and Donald Berthiaume (R-Spencer) who both voted with Baker 18 times (72.0 percent). The three GOP members who supported Baker the least number of times were Rep. Jim Kelcourse (R-Amesbury) who voted with Baker only 12 times (48.0 percent); and Reps. Marc Lombardo (R-Billerica) and David Vieira (R-Falmouth) voted with Baker only 13 times (52.0 percent). The vetoes had little support among the 129 Democrats in the House. One hundred and twenty-five (96.9 percent) did not support the governor even once. The other four (3.1 percent) voted with Baker to sustain only bombshell” made a New Year’s resolution to “Never miss actor’s studio sessions”? 8. Where in Washington would you find the National Portrait Gallery? 9. What hockey teams competed in the game called the 1. On Jan. 7, 1927, what touring Pro basketball team that was to popularize the “figure-eight weave” played its first road game in Illinois? 2. What quiz show’s name ends with an exclamation point? 3. What American singer-songwriter in 1943 created a list of 33 “New Year’s Rulin’s,” including “Keep rancho clean,” “Take bath” and “Wear clean clothes – look good”? 4. On Jan. 8, 1835, for the only time, what was the U.S. National Debt? 5. What is Merriam-Webster’s 2021 Word of the Year: nomad, vaccine or woke? 6. On Jan. 9, 1878, John Watson was born, who, influenced by Ivan Pavlov, initiated what branch of psychology? 7. In 1955 what “blonde “Miracle on Ice” at Lake Placid, N.Y? 10. On Jan. 10, 1949, RCA debuted the “single” 45 rpm record, which was how many inches wide: seven, eight or nine? 11. Who authored the play “Private Lives” in 1930 and in January 1947 resolved to “stand no more nonsense”? 12. What would you use to do the Sleeper, the Throw Down and the Gravity Pull? 13. What 1943 Pulitzer-Prize winning musical with a title with an exclamation point originally was titled “Away We Go!” one veto (4.0 percent). They are Reps. Nika Elugardo (D-Jamaica Plain); Chris Markey (D-Dartmouth); Joan Meschino (D-Hull); and David Robertson (D-Tewksbury). NUMBER OF TIMES REPRESENTATIVES SUPPORTED GOV. BAKER’S VETOES IN 2021 Here is how your representative fared in his or her support of Baker on the vetoes. The percentage next to the representative’s name represents the percentage of times that he or she supported Baker. The number in parentheses represents the actual number of times the representative supported Baker. Rep. Jessica Giannino 0 percent (0) Rep. Donald Wong 60.0 percent (15) HOW LONG WAS LAST WEEK’S SESSION? Beacon Hill Roll Call tracks the length of time that the House and Senate were in session each week. Many legislators say that legislative sessions are only one aspect of the Legislature’s job and that a lot of important work is done outside of the House and Senate chambers. They note that their jobs also involve committee work, research, constituent work and other matters 14. January 11 is annual National Milk Day; What food contains all nine essential amino acids and Vitamin C? 15. Tofu is made from what legume? 16. In 1699 who resolved “Not to neglect decency, or cleenlyness, for fear of falling into Nastiness” and “Not to be over severe with young people”? (Hint: “Gulliver’s Travels author.”) 17. On Jan. 12, 1906, the football rules committee legalized what kind of pass? 18. What part of a cow does a tomahawk steak come from? 19. What was the first name of Dr. Johnson, an 18th-century English writer who had a recurring resolution “to rise by degrees more early in the morning”? 20. On Jan. 13, 1930, what comic strip first appeared? that are important to their districts. Critics say that the Legislature does not meet regularly or long enough to debate and vote in public view on the thousands of pieces of legislation that have been filed. They note that the infrequency and brief length of sessions are misguided and lead to irresponsible late-night sessions and a mad rush to act on dozens of bills in the days immediately preceding the end of an annual session. During the week of December 27-31, the House met for a total of 29 minutes and the Senate met for a total of 37 minutes. Mon. Dec. 27 House 11:04 a.m. to 11:27 a.m. Senate 11:05 a.m. to 11:28 a.m. Tues. Dec. 28 No House session No Senate session Wed. Dec. 29 No House session No Senate session Thurs. Dec. 30 House 11:01 a.m. to 11:07 a.m. Senate 11:13 a.m. to 11:27 a.m. Fri. Dec. 31 No House session No Senate session Bob Katzen welcomes feedback at bob@beaconhillrollcall.com ANSWERS 1. The Harlem Globetrotters 2. “Jeopardy!” 3. Woody Guthrie 4. Zero 5. Vaccine 6. Behaviorism 7. Marilyn Monroe 8. The Smithsonian Institution 9. The Soviet Union (four-time defending Olympic gold medalist) and the United States, which won, 4-3 10. Seven 11. Noël Coward 12. A yo-yo 13. “Oklahoma!” 14. Milk 15. Soybean 16. Jonathan Swift 17. Forward 18. The rib area (a bone-in ribeye) 19. Samuel 20. Mickey Mouse ׉ 7cassandra://Y1WtwoSDZ7ZcUnwwpD2-mBpe_pcORys22MTxJ26l9Bc.C`̰aצ,wj3baצ,wj3a PבCט(u׉׉ 7cassandra://Bn-69zFdWQ19QQ6wulB3xR2OBYuU635G7trbrWA3kyUZ`)׉ 7cassandra://yIp1c665whCIfSmO5jynyVqCA-nE0J3aquIrO0Ve3vsͧC`J׉ 7cassandra://DxtpOPBjUitc3CW2gsqqV0TFDBGRilnom0Z9Az0eadc4`̰׉ 7cassandra://CFtZ7f_LCmYOyn-NQhvKV3CnbhlmH-zUpsku3-oD1-oRJ͠aצ,,wj3ט((u׉׉ 7cassandra://eK16N4H8sB4xu1eJKnJWb5UFI5SF8bD5qZXz2kDd2ng=3`)׉ 7cassandra://KDwefnB3QakSvXT7VMmYmRSn_puuLkOXXq2YSWjKwr0͞`J׉ 7cassandra://AYcOr8TyHRxqLsGQZOg2sGfAL7i62VHDe2HtN2Nxkms,`̰׉ 7cassandra://ab3nTvejUDYqI6dwZDCuEABxzTvbO_aFHqeFctcHwdM͠aצ-,wj3נaצ.,wj3 39ׁHhttp://www.thewarrengroup.comׁ ׁ Ј׉E`Page 16 THE SAUGUS ADVOCATE – FRIDAY, JANUARY 7, 2022 Cash Pay Guaranteed! "If it snows, you'll be working!" FRANK’S Housepainting (781) 289-0698 • Exterior • Ceiling Dr. • Power Wash • Paper Removal • Carpentry FREE ESTIMATES — Fully Insured “Proper prep makes all the difference” – F. Ferrera • Interior Frank Berardino MA License 31811 • 24 - Hour Service • Emergency Repairs BERARDINO Plumbing & Heating Residential & Commercial Service Gas Fitting • Drain Service 617.699.9383 Senior Citizen Discount We follow Social Distancing Guidelines! ADVOCATE Call now! 781 233 4446 ׉ 7cassandra://DxtpOPBjUitc3CW2gsqqV0TFDBGRilnom0Z9Az0eadc4`̰aצ,wj3c׉E_THE SAUGUS ADVOCATE – FRIDAY, JANUARY 7, 2022 Page 17 REAL ESTATE TRANSAC TIONS Copyrighted material previously published in Banker & Tradesman/The Commercial Record, a weekly trade newspaper. It is reprinted with permission from the publisher, The Warren Group. For a searchable database of real estate transactions and property information visit: www.thewarrengroup.com. BUYER1 BUYER2 Marcelo, Eron D COVID | FROM PAGE 12 COVID tests to the general public, with a major emphasis on reaching out to senior citizens, residents of low-income housing and the local veterans community. Offi cials doubt mandate can be enforced Fralick said he was generally satisfi ed with eff orts he has observed of people trying to take precautions to protect themselves from the deadly virus that has led to 87 COVID-related deaths in Saugus. “When I go out in the fi eld, I see most people wearing masks and doing the right thing,” Fralick said. To that comment, Heff ernan said he was “struggling with the SELLER1 Gizzi, Peter enforcement part of it.” “Who’s going to enforce it?” Fralick asked. “When you’re talking about punitive measures, there’s not a whole lot we can do,” the health director told Heff ernan. Town Manager Scott C. Crabtree told the Board of Health that he believes the town is “late” in adopting measures to require masks in public buildings and public places. “Most of the communities that surround us, they all have requirements for masks in public buildings,” Crabtree said. “We have to do whatever we can to keep educating people,” the town manager said. Crabtree noted that with students, teachers and educational staff returning to Saugus Public Schools this week from the SELLER2 holiday vacation “that a bunch of people in the School Department, a bunch of children as well as town employees told us they are positive and have gone home.” “This is significant how it’s spreading,” he said. Heff ernan responded, “I don’t think masks are a terrible idea.” But he added that his “main concern” was “people are going to come back and say ‘nope.’” Riley-Singh told Heffernan there was “no way” the town would be able to enforce the mask mandate against those people who are adamant about not wearing masks. “If we do a mask mandate and leave it with the businesses, the businesses are going to enforce it. There will be more people wearing masks,” she said. “I don’t think we’re going to catch the group that’s anti-mask,” she said. Fralick declared “there definitely needs to be a crusade of education, if anything, just to keep people reeled in and aware of the fact we’re still in the fi ght.” “The issue is people have turned the page on COVID when they absolutely shouldn’t be turning the page,” Fralick said. “A lot of the businesses are on ADDRESS 6 Mount Vernon St CITY board with whatever we decide to do.” Heff ernan wasn’t convinced that all businesses would be DATE PRICE Saugus 14.12.2021 $685 000,00 Board of Health Member Macommitted to a mask mandate. “I’m sure there’s going to be more than a few who say, ‘You don’t have to wear a mask, come on in,’” he said. Board of Health Member Geraldine Gatchell said she believes that businesses are “already on board with this.” ria Tamagna said she is concerned about some of the negative feedback that local businesses receive from people who are opposed to a mask mandate. “I hope it doesn’t come down to what we’ve seen in the past … of people getting angry and aggressive about it,” Gatchell said. “It’s not the business owners’ fault this is in place,” she said. g ׉ 7cassandra://AYcOr8TyHRxqLsGQZOg2sGfAL7i62VHDe2HtN2Nxkms,`̰aצ,wj3daצ,wj3c PבCט(u׉׉ 7cassandra://JCjt77d_mnqL9QKTUy3cwgAtCFwwjvwrmexEZySsjSk`)׉ 7cassandra://ukdghlrWsN7Y7sG2Ng0ns5en2SNF2xsOGvy_p_eN64Y͕`J׉ 7cassandra://Wl1RolD1ClXoM8LWbYTWPxN4QOXK7TLg8xb8pletdiQ-}`̰׉ 7cassandra://KJo8INU1q0NHCpN3SLb55TDPJ9UFULy9FQ0P2nFXjFw͠aצ1,wj3ט((u׉׉ 7cassandra://7peInmbhoubBQ2f27MB-dmUq2fab2IukDZLVrWw7XlA2a`)׉ 7cassandra://SNpp5h6sx1x9ceNbpW8uXe3980fHuyoRXQVsCHL3u-Q͕`J׉ 7cassandra://xE5lxJPXI3Ijw81652BnvtCSB-tyd05U8F6cJCSurS8.v`̰׉ 7cassandra://ODLTFA-UZsbTaU1JG7kfc9SZoutDMLSM75lvfCB25Ks(͠aצ1,wj3נaצ1,wj3(9ׁHhttp://www.jrs-properties.comׁ ׁ Ј׉E8Page 18 THE SAUGUS ADVOCATE – FRIDAY, JANUARY 7, 2022 ׉ 7cassandra://Wl1RolD1ClXoM8LWbYTWPxN4QOXK7TLg8xb8pletdiQ-}`̰aצ,wj3e׉ESTHE SAUGUS ADVOCATE – FRIDAY, JANUARY 7, 2022 Page 19 Follow Us On: COMMERCIAL & RESIDENTIAL PROPERTY SALES & RENTALS Sandy Juliano Broker/President As 2021 closes and 2022 begins, we thank you for your business and wish good health, much happiness and many moments of joy to all our families, friends and clients! 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EVERETT Open Daily From 10:00 A.M. - 5:00 P.M. 433 Broadway, Suite B, Everett, MA 02149 Open Daily From 10:0 Joe DiNuzzo - Broker Associate :0 00 AM 5:00 PM www.jrs-properties.com Follow Us On: 617.544.6274 Norma Capuano Parziale - Agent Denise Matarazz - Agent Maria Scrima - Agent Rosemarie Ciampi - Agent Michael Matarazzo -Agent Mark Sachetta - Agent ׉ 7cassandra://xE5lxJPXI3Ijw81652BnvtCSB-tyd05U8F6cJCSurS8.v`̰aצ,wj3faצ,wj3e PבCט(u׉׉ 7cassandra://gIWZoQd1YYpnReRMnyU10DKbDyV3RxX0eOfW4YWDO9w]`)׉ 7cassandra://OpDZ-nK_7U7B8_4Eg8bGm-0_MgT0gtSwxg1lbGzoi5s͚`J׉ 7cassandra://tepo0okBT21K3Im5JrTWikaV5493x_HoD7KZ1YrENyI/`̰׉ 7cassandra://F1eq9kcVAqKamAPDffCQlRdKh0pTu6AO6yJIRwRE2X0͠aצ5,wj3׉E8Page 20 THE SAUGUS ADVOCATE – FRIDAY, JANUARY 7, 2022 ׉ 7cassandra://tepo0okBT21K3Im5JrTWikaV5493x_HoD7KZ1YrENyI/`̰aצ,wj3g׈Eaצ,wj3haצ,wj3g P,Saugus Advocate 01/07/2022Saugus Advocate 01/07/2022aצfrJµ