BY GAYLA CAWLEY

LYNN — A woman was kidnapped and assaulted by three men on Tuesday.

A 43-year-old Lynn woman was walking on Union Street at about 3:30 a.m. when a dark-colored Mercedes SUV pulled up beside her, with two men asking if she needed a ride. She got in, saying she needed a ride back to her home, near Goldfish Pond, Lynn Police Lt. Richard Donnelly said.

When she got in the car, the woman realized there was a third man. She noticed that they turned left on Chestnut Street towards Wyoma Square instead of making a right towards Goldfish Pond, and told them they were going the wrong way. She told police that the men started laughing at her, grabbing her arm and a $10 bill from her hand, while making fun of her, Donnelly said.

The woman asked the men to let her out, but they continued to drive and make fun of her. After a few minutes, the men threw her from the car at the intersection of Chestnut and Essex streets. One of the men, Kendrick Desormes, 19, of Salem, punched her in the side of the head and took her phone. All three men then jumped in the car and sped off, Donnelly said.

The car’s description was broadcast to police. After her ordeal, the woman came to the station to report the incident to police. As she was speaking, Salem Police reported having a suspect vehicle stopped matching the description. Lynn officers called Salem and asked if the woman’s stolen cell phone and purse were in the car. Police called the cell phone and it started ringing in the car and the purse also contained the woman’s identification, Donnelly said.

Two men were in the car stopped by Salem Police, Desormes and David Lucien, 43, of Salem. The third man was not there and hasn’t been found, and the incident is still under investigation, Donnelly said.

Desormes was arrested and charged with assault and battery, unarmed robbery and kidnapping. Lucien was arrested and charged with unarmed robbery and kidnapping. He also had pending warrant charges for motor vehicle violations.

Gayla Cawley can be reached at gcawley@itemlive.com. Follow her on Twitter @GaylaCawley.

SPONSORED BY NS NAVIGATORS.

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Kyle Devin of Lynn, MA will be playing with the Navigators this summer.  A catcher who played at Lynn Classical and then for a season at Stony Brook College, he is now heading into his sophomore year with the URI Rams.  From a family of athletes in Lynn, he is sure to see familair faces this season at Fraser Field.  Known for being an NEC All Star through all four years of high school, he was identified his senior year by Rawlings as a Preseason All-American.

Bring your family down to Fraser Field and cheer on this home town hero!

2016 Navigators baseball returns on Opening Night—Saturday, June 4th—complete with all of the fun and excitement that has become a staple at historic Fraser Field.

FIREWORKS at every FRIDAY home game thanks to Wayne Alarm and DOLLAR HOT DOGS from OLD Neighborhood all the time!

There are lots of snacks and drinks for kids and adults to choose from nightly, entertaining baseball by some incredible college athletes, and contests between innings!  Complete with a kids’ play area, to burn off some energy.  Affordable fun for the whole family in a beautiful local ballpark.  If you have never been, don’t wait, you won’t be disappointed.  To keep up-to-date on all of the North Shore Navigators news, you can like us on Facebook, follow us on Twitter (@NSNavigators), or check out our website at nsnavs.com.

ITEM PHOTO BY OWEN O’ROURKE
Emmanuel Sebit discusses his life prior to arriving in America.

BY DILLON DURST

LYNN — Emmanuel Sebit isn’t fond of New England weather.

But a winter storm is nothing compared to the hardships he faced as a Kenyan refugee.

Sebit, 24, received his GED last year through Catholic Charities North, an agency of the Archdiocese of Boston. The charity offers nearly 90 programs, including child care, refugee services and education.

Prior to his arrival in the U.S. in 2012, Sebit spent 11 years in a refugee camp. He, his mother and two younger sisters fled war-torn South Sudan when he was 9. Sebit said he was lucky to avoid abduction by South Sudan rebel forces, and noted that boys ages 11 and up are often taken from their families and forced into combat.

The Second Sudanese Civil War, which ended in 2005, resulted in the death of 2 million people. The Sudan People’s Liberation Army, a guerilla unit founded at the beginning of the war in 1983, eventually gained its independence from the central Sudanese government.

His mother, Susan, faced many hardships during their time in South Sudan.

“My mom has faced a lot of stuff,” he said. “She’s never told me what happened to her.”

While fleeing to Kenya, he and his family, along with a handful of others, only traveled at night to avoid the rebels. They couldn’t use roads, so they were forced to navigate the jungle. Sebit said he slept in trees during the day because of tigers and other jungle predators who roamed at night.

Since Sebit’s grandfather left South Sudan to fight for the Sudanese Armed Forces in the North, the United Nations considered his family at higher risk.

“Because of our grandfather, they thought we had become like an enemy to the south,” he said. “They saw us as traitors.”

The camp essentially stripped him of his identity, he said.

“You’re given a card and it doesn’t say your name or where you’re from,” he said. “It just says ‘refugee.’”

Sebit touched down at Logan Airport in 2012. He was introduced to Catholic Charities through the International Institute of Boston, which helps refugees and immigrants.

Sebit enrolled at North Shore Community College last fall and majors in criminal justice. He plans to pursue his bachelor’s degree afterward.

“I might be poor, but I don’t have to be poor in my brain,” he said.

Dillon Durst can be reached at ddurst@itemlive.com.

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ITEM PHOTO BY OWEN O’ROURKE
One sign that may impact the perception of the Lynnway is the Starbucks sign. Good luck finding it in the photo above.

BY THOMAS GRILLO

LYNN — For as long as anyone can remember, the Lynnway has been packed with car dealerships, fast-food restaurants, discount shops, billboards and hundreds of garish signs.

“When you drive up the Lynnway, you see every mistake that has been made over the last 75 years,” said James M. Cowdell, executive director of the  Development & Industrial Corp. (EDIC/Lynn).  

“Why is it ugly? It happened. A place opened and an ugly sign went up. Another place opened, another ugly sign went up. Now it’s a splattering of ugly signs that blend … and the one sign that should stand out, Starbucks, gets blended in with the ugliness. What message does that send as we are trying to change our image?”

As developers propose to transform portions of the Lynnway into a neighborhood for waterfront apartments and amenities that rival Boston’s Seaport District, some say it’s the right time for Lynn.

“It will change, someone will go first,” said Charles Morneau, who along with Joseph O’Donnell, founder of Boston Culinary Group and Belmont Capital in Cambridge, could be among the first when they break ground on a 17-acre site on the water side of the Lynnway adjacent to the General Edwards Bridge. They expect to start construction next spring on a $69 million luxury-apartment project that would include 250 units in a wood-frame, three-story building.

“The timing is right because the key political people have lined up behind it and are pushing to get things done,” Morneau said. He is referring to the Lynn Economic Advancement and Development (LEAD) Team, a panel that includes U.S. Rep. Seth Moulton, Secretary of Housing and Economic Development Jay Ash, Transportation Secretary Stephanie Pollack, Environmental Secretary Matthew Beaton, Cowdell and others who can cut through the bureaucracy and make things happen.

“That whole corridor in Lynn can really turn around and be an attraction,” Morneau said. “It’s in the right location, just miles from Boston and there’s ocean, nothing better.”

Change is coming to the Lynnway. A pair of residential developments will bookend the Lynnway. Earlier this month, Louis Minicucci Jr. and Arthur Pappathanasi closed a $2.5 million purchase of the former Beacon Chevrolet site. When completed, the $80 million waterfront residential project will include 355 apartments on the 14-acre site on the northern end of the stretch with rents expected to be in the $2,000 range. At the other end of the stretch is O’Donnell’s $69 million project on a 17-acre waterfront site that would include 250 units in a wood frame, three-story building.

City Council President and state Rep. Daniel F. Cahill said the Lynnway is slowly changing and the transformation will take time. A decade ago, $6 million was spent to move the power lines off the ocean side as the first major step to spur development.

“We are still in the infrastructure phase,” he said. “The only reason we are talking about massive residential projects is because the path has been cleared for large scale development on the waterfront side. You won’t see much change to the Lynnway’s facade until a few developments break ground in the next few years.”

On signs, Cahill said it’s an issue that ignites controversy. Some say signs should be whatever businesses want. Others insist that the only way to clean up the city’s gateway is for a strict ordinance to control the size, height, color and lettering of signs.

While the City Council amended sign rules in 1993 to limit their size and height and ban flashing ones, any business can seek permission to override the regulation and nearly all have been successful in doing so. The rest have been grandfathered.

One marquee that may impact the perception of the city is Starbucks. Ironically, it’s easily missed because, while it’s so small compared to others, it’s larger than sign rules allow.

But there’s more than meets the eye when it comes to a Starbucks sign.

The arrival of a Starbucks has benefits beyond easy access to an espresso macchiato, decaf cappuccino or caffe latte. Between 1997 and 2014, homes within a quarter-mile of a Starbucks increased in value by 96 percent, on average, compared with 65 percent for all U.S. homes, based on a comparison by Zillow, the Seattle-based online real estate company.

When Starbucks arrived in Chelsea when Ash was city manager, he called it the Good Housekeeping Seal of Approval.

“Starbucks came to us for a special permit to erect the sign because there are restrictions in that section of the Lynnway,” Cahill said. “It was a symbolic event because for years Starbucks said they were not interested in locating in Lynn and they finally came so we approved it.”

Peter Capano, the Ward 6 city councilor whose district includes the Lynnway, said everyone agrees the highway’s aesthetics need to be improved.

“We are looking at a proposal for changes on the Lynnway,” he said.

A study is being done by the state’s Department of Conservation and Recreation (DCR) and the Department of Transportation that will offer ideas to improve it, he said. Public hearings will be held and a report is expected to be issued later this year.

Patrick McGrath, who owns the Lynnway Mart Indoor Mall & Flea Market that attracts thousands of buyers and sellers, has been seeking a developer to build on his 8.5-acre prime waterfront parcel.

“I don’t know what to say, the Lynnway is what it is,” he said. “I hope to have my site developed and it starts there. Hopefully, Joe O’Donnell’s site next door gets developed. Unfortunately,  we’ll always have the Creamery, the car wash and car lots. They’re not going anywhere, at least in my lifetime. I would like to see it all developed.”

One reason why the Lynnway looks the way it does is that officials have been reluctant to implement firm regulations because it is a major source of real estate taxes for the city. Peter Caron, the city’s assessing director, reports that 183 Lynnway businesses that employ hundreds of Lynn residents contribute $6,017,000 to the city’s coffers annually.  

Not every Lynnway business is a blight. Consider the handsome Solomon Metals Corp. property. Once the home of Harrison Dispatch, a former trucking terminal for General Electric Co., Steven Solomon has maintained the grass, shrubs, trees and added chains from the U.S.S. Wasp and later purchased a pair of bells to add to the front display.

“Even though we are in the scrap metal business, we take seriously the idea that we should put a positive face out front and be good neighbors,” said Solomon, whose family has owned the building since 1974.

The other good looking commercial site is the Clock Tower Business Center. The 305,000-square-foot office building is surrounded by a wrought iron fence, and its grounds are covered with green and trees.

One community, Framingham, has tackled the issue of landscaping and signs with success.

Susan Bernstein, a former Framingham Planning Board member, was part of the effort in the 1990s to remake Route 9. Her goal, along with fellow members, was to turn the road filled with unattractive signs and too little green space into a tree-lined boulevard. Twenty years later there’s been enormous improvements made, say planners.

The panel started with landscaping and implemented strict regulations on the number of trees and shrubs that must be planted on commercial lots.

“There was a great sensitivity towards changing the ambiance of Route 9,” she said. “When businesses came before us, we required lots of trees, and over time, as you can see, they mature and you start to get an improvement.”

Framingham required one tree for every three parking spaces,  or one every 27 feet. The rules called for trees with a two- to three-inch truck.

“We were specific about the type of trees, and it’s tedious work,” she said. “But developers prefer to spend as little as possible.”

As a result, hundreds of trees have been planted in the last two decades along the road, in parking lots and in front of buildings.

Later, the panel devised a bylaw to reduce the size of signs. At one time, there were few limits and signs rose to 35 feet. Today, the limit in most parts of the road is 20 feet.

“If you look at communities that have good signs, that says more about them than almost anything as you enter,” she said. “When you drive through communities with 40-foot signs you see that it demonstrates an image of a schlocky town.”

Bernstein, a real estate agent, said a community’s image greatly influences property values.

But how to get it done is another matter, she said.

“There has to be the political will on the various boards to do it,” she said. “It’s not easy.”

Thomas Grillo can be reached at tgrillo@itemlive.com.

Watertown — Margaret M. Riley, age 59, of Watertown, died Monday after a brief illness.

Born in Lynn, she was the daughter of Claire E. (Moran) Riley-Castraberti of Lynnfield, and the late Richard M. Riley. A graduate of Lynnfield High School, Class of 1975, she had lived in Lynnfield for the greater part of her life. She had lived in Watertown for the past 10 years.

Margaret loved the outdoors, and enjoyed gardening, camping and the ocean. She was devoted to her family and friends, and loved spending time with her dog, Dakota. She will be remembered for her beautiful smile and her infectious giggle.

In addition to her mother, she is survived by her siblings, Daniel Riley and his wife, Tanya, Richard Riley, and Maryann Biondi and her husband, Mark, her nieces and nephews, Amelia Riley, Michael Cavic, Kathryn Cavic, Kirsten Warren, Richard Riley, Jr., and Maeve Riley, her great-nieces and nephew, Ellen, Charlotte and Kane, her aunt, Janet Moran, as well as numerous friends.

Service information: Her funeral will be held on Saturday at 9 a.m., from the SOLIMINE FUNERAL HOME, 426 Broadway (Route 129), Lynn, followed by a funeral Mass in Our Lady of the Assumption Church, Lynnfield, at 10 a.m. Relatives and friends are respectfully invited. Visiting hours are Friday from 4-8 p.m. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Melanoma Research Foundation/Cure OM, 14 K St., Suite 800, Washington, DC 20005. Directions and guest book at Solimine.com.

Lynnfield — Mary E. Senk, 89, of Lynnfield, died on Wednesday, May 25, at the Union Hospital in Lynn.

Born in Lynn on June 4, 1926, she was the daughter of the late Edmund and Anna (O’Neil) Barrett.

Mrs. Senk was a graduate of Lynn English High School. She was an active member of Our Lady of the Assumption Parish in Lynnfield. Mrs. Senk had enjoyed volunteering at both the Church and the school. She was devoted to her family. She was known for her easy laugh, bright smile and her ability to share happiness with everyone she met. She loved being a homemaker, singing Irish tunes and baking blueberry muffins for neighbors and friends.

She was the wife of the late John E. Senk. Mrs. Senk is survived by her four children, John Senk and his wife, Rose, of Vermont, Peggy Curran and her husband, Mike, of Lynnfield, Rick Senk and his wife, Anne, of Nahant and Bob Senk and his wife, Marge, of Rowley and her sister-in-law, Doris Barrett, of Peabody. She is also survived by seven grandchildren and one great-grandchild. Mrs. Senk was predeceased by her son, Paul Senk.

Service information: Her funeral will be held from the McDonald Funeral Home, 19 Yale Ave., Wakefield, on Saturday, at 10:30 a.m., followed by a funeral Mass in Our Lady of the Assumption Church, corner of Grove and Salem Streets in Lynnfield at 11:30 a.m. Visitation for relatives and friends will be held at the funeral home on Friday from 5-8 p.m. Interment will be at Forest Hill Cemetery in Lynnfield. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made in Mary’s name to Our Lady of the Assumption Parish, 4 Grove St., Lynnfield, MA 01940.

Boca Raton, Fla. — Mary Agnes (McDonough) Annese, 84, of Boca Raton, Fla., formerly of Lynn, died peacefully on May 23, 2016, after a lengthy illness.

Born in Lynn on Feb. 27, 1932, she was a longtime resident of Lynn and educated at Lynn Classical High and retired from the Lynn Post Office. She relocated to Boca Raton in 1993, where she was able to live with her faithful dog, Jill, close to her sons and her young grandchildren. She was an avid online shopper and loved collecting jewelry, dolls and all things Irish.

She is survived by her children, Ida Haynes of Rowley, Mary Annese Leach and her husband, Wayne, of Duxbury, Paul Annese and his wife, Nanette, of Boca Raton, Fla., and Michael Annese and his wife, Kathi, of Boca Raton, Fla. She was the loving grandmother of Leah, Adam, Ryan, David, Aubrie, Anthony, Zachary, Ashley and Kasey. She was also a proud great-grandmother to Ava Haynes. Mary also leaves her brother, Daniel McDonough and his wife, Georgia, of Lynn as well as several nieces and nephews and remained in touch with many of them even from a distance. She will be missed by all.

Mary was the daughter of the late Matthew and Ellie (Malloy) McDonough. She was the loving mother of the late Anthony A. Annese. She was the sister of the late Barbara Beaupre, Evelyn Firicano, William, Matthew, Raymond and John McDonough.

Service information: Funeral from the Cuffe-McGinn Funeral Home, 157 Maple St., Lynn, on Saturday, May 28, 2016, at 11 a.m. A visiting hour will be held one hour prior to the service from 10-11 a.m. Burial will follow in St. Mary’s Cemetery, Lynn. For online guest book, please visit Cuffemcginn.com.

“There has to be the political will…”

Those words spoken by a former Framingham Planning Board member summarize the 1,500-word story on the Lynnway published in Wednesday’s Item.

With all its problems and promises, the Lynnway could not be better positioned to benefit from the political will if for no better reason than the fact that Monday marked the six-month anniversary of the formation of a joint city, state and federal effort aimed at bringing an economic renaissance to Lynn.

Some of the development opportunities underscored by the Lynn Economic Development and Advancement (LEAD) team are becoming realities, most notably, the $80 million residential redevelopment of the Lynnway’s northern end. But most of the road, from its gateway entrance to the city at the General Edwards Bridge to the Clock Tower Business Center, is buried beneath, to quote city Economic Development and Industrial Corporation (EDIC) Director James Cowdell, “every mistake that has been made over the last 75 years.”

How does Lynn dig its way out of those mistakes and transform the promises of the future into reality?

The work begins, as Framingham’s Susan Bernstein pointed out, with appointed officials on municipal boards demonstrating the will to make the Lynnway fertile ground for future development. That work begins by asking what developers want and need on the Lynnway before they put shovels in the ground.

The next step after those questions are asked and answered is articulating a vision for the Lynnway. Mayor Judith Flanagan Kennedy in her 2010 inaugural address set her sights on the Lynnway and the city’s waterfront. Now is the time for her to say the Lynnway will only host major development projects if the city begins changing the way the Lynnway looks. She must add: “I have the will and I will map out the way this transformation will take place.”

If Kennedy shares a vision and illustrates how it will unfold, then city appointed officials serving on the Zoning Board of Appeals, Planning Board and Site Plan Review Committee can make transformative changes.

They might borrow from Framingham’s experience and take a hard line on reducing sign sizes and adding more landscaping, specifically trees, to the Lynnway. This approach will require working with every business seeking to update a sign, rebuild or complete an addition or open a new business.

It will be slow work and it may encounter resistance. But it is work worth doing if local officials truly want to prime the Lynnway for promise.

Jay Ash, state Secretary of Housing and Economic Development, declared on June 16, 2015, “This is Lynn’s time.” He told his audience, including high-ranking local officials, that city leaders must be unified in their effort to push the city forward or face the prospect of another municipality grabbing his attention. He warned them: “The first sign of real difficulty and I’ll have to make a tough decision. Sometimes, you have to say no.”

Decision time is now in Lynn. With the Lynnway as their focus, city leaders must demonstrate the political will to articulate a clear way forward to turn past mistakes into fertile ground for a bright future.

All address information, particularly arrests, reflect police records. In the event of a perceived inaccuracy, it is the sole responsibility of the concerned party to contact the relevant police department and have the department issue a notice of correction to the Daily Item. Corrections or clarifications will not be made without express notice of change from the arresting police department.

LYNN

Arrests

William Leger, 30, of 64 Walnut St., Everett, was arrested and charged with operation of a motor vehicle with a suspended license, marked lanes violation and failure to signal at 2:21 a.m. Wednesday.

David Mitzen, 49, of 3 Edward St., was arrested and charged on protective custody at 5:43 p.m. Tuesday.

Charles Spaneas, of 77 Green St., was arrested on a warrant charge of larceny more than $250 at 2:08 p.m. Tuesday.

Georganne Toye, 53, of 30 Howard St., was arrested and charged with assault and battery with a dangerous weapon at 8:11 p.m. Tuesday.

Joyce Venetsanakos, 41, of 15 Rollin Terrace, was arrested and charged with drug possession to distribute at 11:01 a.m. Wednesday.

Katrina Watts, 34, was arrested and charged with assault and battery with a dangerous weapon at 2:08 a.m. Wednesday.

Accidents

A report of a motor vehicle hit and run accident at 3:20 p.m. Tuesday at 30 Webster St.; at 9:26 a.m. Wednesday at 11 Clearview Ave.

A report of a motor vehicle accident at 4:03 p.m. Tuesday on Lynnway; at 4:15 p.m. Tuesday at Broadway and Springvale Avenue; at 6:57 p.m. Tuesday at Boston and Federal streets; at 10:57 p.m. Tuesday on Union Place; at 7:28 a.m. Wednesday at Centre Street and Western Avenue; at 8:54 a.m. at 780 Lynnway.

A report of a motor vehicle accident with personal injury at 9:37 p.m. Tuesday at 591 Boston St.; at 10:04 p.m. Tuesday at Adams and Sheridan streets; at 11:19 a.m. Wednesday at 10 Western Ave.

Assaults

A report of an assault and battery at 5:47 p.m. Tuesday on Willow Street; at 1:42 a.m. Wednesday on Kingsley Terrace; at 10:12 a.m. Wednesday on Curwin Circle.

Breaking and Entering

A report of a motor vehicle breaking and entering at 5:45 p.m. Tuesday at 27 Chatham St.; at 9:41 p.m. Tuesday at 16 Webster St.

Complaints

A report of a disturbance at 5:48 p.m. Tuesday at 95 Union St.; at 6:16 p.m. Tuesday at 112 Union St.; at 9:01 p.m. Tuesday at Fraser Field at 365 Western Ave.; at 9:05 p.m. Tuesday at 94 Kirtland St.; at 9:15 p.m. Tuesday at 20 Sigourney St.; at 2:20 a.m. Wednesday at 16 Quincy Terrace; at 2:25 a.m. Wednesday at 300 Washington St.; at 12:24 p.m. Wednesday at 279 Maple St.

A report of a fight at 2:32 p.m. Tuesday at Classical High School at 235 O’Callaghan Way; at 6:37 p.m. Tuesday at MBTA Parking Garage at 186 Market St.; at 10:58 p.m. Tuesday at 5 Hood St.; at 11:08 p.m. Tuesday at Belmont Avenue and Walnut Street.

Overdose

A report of an overdose at 1:14 a.m. Wednesday on N Common Street.

Theft

A report of a robbery at 2:29 p.m. Tuesday at 140 Adams St.

A report of a larceny at 2:47 p.m. Tuesday at 50 Western Ave.; at 3:43 p.m. Tuesday at 300 Broad St.  

Vandalism

A report of vandalism at 6:33 p.m. Tuesday at 107 Washington St.

MARBLEHEAD

Accidents

A report of a motor vehicle accident at 10:29 p.m. Tuesday on West Shore Drive. A caller they just witnessed a motor vehicle go through a yard, through a driveway and into a bush.

Complaints

A report of a neighborhood dispute at 8:21 a.m. Tuesday. A caller reported neighbors putting in a fence have destroyed her bushes. She said the neighbor wants to put an addition on his house but all of the neighbors are opposed to it; at 2:49 p.m. Tuesday on Tedesco Street. A walk-in reported that her neighbor’s son has made threats of burning her car and lighting her house on fire; at 4:43 p.m. Tuesday on Commercial Street. A caller reported an issue with a neighbor trimming their bushes in order to make room for a fence that the neighbor is putting in.

Theft

A report of a stolen passport at 12:06 p.m. Tuesday on Washington Street.

PEABODY

Accidents

A report of a motor vehicle accident at 4:19 p.m. Tuesday at 102 Lowell St.; at 4:49 p.m. Tuesday at Subway at 141 Summit St.; at 5:46 p.m. Tuesday at 63 Tremont St.; at 11:37 a.m. Wednesday at 306 Lowell St.; at 12:43 p.m. Tuesday at Peabody Shell at 85 Lynnfield St.

A report of a motor vehicle hit and run accident at 5:19 p.m. Tuesday at Wilson Square and 3 Endicott St.

Complaints

A report of suspicious activity at 7:24 p.m. Tuesday at 157 Russell St. A caller reported her neighbor has come to her door several times over the last couple of days and has been making odd requests. The officer spoke with the neighbor and he was advised to stay away from the residence and the caller; at 1:54 p.m. Wednesday at 35 Jacobs St. A caller reported two people involved in some lewd behavior in their back yard.

A report of a disturbance at 9:37 p.m. Tuesday at 16 Donegal Road and 2 Lisburn St.; at 2:12 a.m. Wednesday at 22 Tracey St.

A report of a cat complaint at 1:29 p.m. Wednesday at 1 Tuckers Court. A caller reported that his neighbor’s cat comes into his yard often. He was advised that Animal Control does not have the authority to force his neighbor to restrain the cat. The caller was adamant that police have the cat removed from the premise since the neighbor won’t listen to him. He was repeatedly told that there are no ordinances pertaining to cats — they are free roaming. He was advised to call the Housing Authority because they may have restrictions/rules pertaining to pets in public housing. He stated that it was a waste of time and continued to argue that just like dogs, there should be laws pertaining to cats. He was advised that Peabody Animal Control did not create the laws.

Home Invasion

A report of a home invasion at 8:01 a.m. Wednesday at 21 Buxton St. A caller reported three men entered the home with a firearm, put a gun to a man’s head and then left the residence. No items were taken and no one was injured. State Police sent in a K9. The officers checked the area and were not able to locate the suspects.

REVERE

Accidents

A report of a motor vehicle accident at 6:19 a.m. Tuesday at New Deal Fruit Inc. on Broadway; at 6:40 p.m. Tuesday at Speedway Gas Station on Lee Burbank Highway; at 6:41 p.m. Tuesday at Torretta’s Bakery on Winthrop Avenue; at 11:22 p.m. Tuesday at Salem and Franklin streets.

Assaults

A report of an assault at 1:10 p.m. Tuesday on Hopkins Street.

Breaking and Entering

A report of a breaking and entering at 10:29 a.m. Tuesday on Malden Street; at 12:15 p.m. Tuesday on Rumney Road.

Complaints

A report of a disturbance at 1:01 p.m. Tuesday at Taco Bell on Squire Road; at 1:10 p.m. Tuesday on Revere Beach Boulevard; at 8:21 p.m. Tuesday at Broadway Convenient Mart on Broadway; at 11:30 p.m. Tuesday at Roseland Properties on Overlook Ridge Drive.

Theft

A report of auto theft at 12:41 p.m. Tuesday on Charger Street.

A report of a larceny/forgery/fraud at 4:12 p.m. Tuesday on Bay View Street; at 4:22 p.m. Tuesday at Stop & Shop on Furlong Drive.

Vandalism

A report of vandalism at 6:54 p.m. Tuesday on Ambrose Street.

SWAMPSCOTT

Complaints

A report of suspicious activity at 10:39 a.m. Tuesday at middle school at 207 Forest Ave. A school employee asked to speak with an officer regarding a student’s post on Facebook; at 11:35 a.m. Tuesday at 12 Pine St. A caller reported that a neighbor from across the street had gone onto his property by opening a closed fence gate and was observed taking pictures of the inside of his building. The caller stated he has the incident on surveillance video. He stated he has bought and will install no trespass signs on his property.

A report of a disturbance at 12:25 p.m. Tuesday at high school at 200 Essex St.

Vandalism

A report of motor vehicle vandalism at 2:48 p.m. Tuesday at high school at 200 Essex St.

BY GAYLA CAWLEY

SWAMPSCOTT — A 23-year-old man was arrested for stealing a donation bucket from an elderly World War II veteran on Wednesday.

Swampscott Police Officer Michael Serino saw Michael Rogers, with addresses in Saugus and Lynn, running through the Swampscott Mall. He was holding a bucket and stuffing money down his pants, said Police Sgt. Tim Cassidy.

Serino chased Rogers while alerting other officers. Additional police, including Swampscott Police Chief Ronald Madigan and Officers Michael Bowden, Todd Pierce and John Loyte, responded. Serino apprehended Rogers without incident behind the Salem Five Bank, Cassidy said.

Police learned that Rogers had stolen the donation bucket from a 92-year-old veteran, a  volunteer for the annual Buddy Poppy fundraiser for disabled veterans, outside the Stop & Shop.

Rogers was charged with larceny.

Gayla Cawley can be reached at gcawley@itemlive.com. Follow her on Twitter @GaylaCawley.

ITEM PHOTO BY OWEN O’ROURKE
Simon Pilecki, a graduate of Lynn English High School and Emmanuel College, packs for a two-year stint in the Peace Corps, where he will be stationed in Zambia.

BY GAYLA CAWLEY

LYNN — Simon Pilecki is turning his love of travel into a chance to give back in the Peace Corps.

Pilecki, 23, of Lynn, will be teaching English to students between fifth and ninth grade in Zambia, a landlocked  country in South Africa.

“I don’t want to look down at my life in 20 years and regret not doing this,” Pilecki said.

While English is the country’s official language, it is not often the first language of Zambians. Bemba is the most widely spoken and the country’s citizens speak more than 72 languages.

Pilecki graduated from Lynn English High School in 2010 and Emmanuel College two years ago. He was a political science major with a focus in international relations. His double minor was in communications and religion.

He left his job as an administrative assistant with King’s Chapel, a historic church on the Freedom Trail in Boston, last week. He will fly from New York on June 6, take a 15-hour plane ride to South Africa the next day and then catch a two-hour flight to Zambia.

Once he arrives, Pilecki will receive three months of training and will teach for two years in a remote location. He’ll be in Zambia for 27 months and then has the option to extend for a year, but is unsure if he would. He is also also undecided on his career path.

“I definitely would like to work in the developing world, particularly promoting education, but I’m still not sure,” Pilecki said. “I’ll just see where I am in 27 months.”

To get selected, Pilecki was interviewed, went through a background check and received medical clearance before he could leave.

Pilecki is traveling to Zambia with 70 others, but will most likely be living on his own in a small house. To keep in touch back home, he’ll be using email, Facebook and blogging about his experiences.

He knows there won’t be any of the usual creature comforts, like electricity. But he’s not sure what else will greet him. He looks forward to bike riding and meeting new people.

Besides spending two semesters in India during college as part of a school group, Pilecki travels fairly regularly. He sees education as being the best factor in uplifting people economically.

“I like to travel a lot internationally,” Pilecki said. “I kind of like to break the mold.”

Gayla Cawley can be reached at gcawley@itemlive.com. Follow her on Twitter @GaylaCawley.

BY THOMAS GRILLO

LYNN — Sales of single-family homes in Lynn doubled last month making it the best April in more than a decade.

“The last time we sold this many houses in April was 2005,” said Eugene Clements, the broker-owner of Clements Realty Group. The number of Lynn single-family homes sold a month ago reached 53, up from 26 one year ago, a 104 percent increase, according to The Warren Group, the Boston-based real estate tracker.

As sales rose, so did prices. The median price for a single-family home climbed to $280,000, a 1 percent increase over $268,000 for the same month a year ago.

Condominium sales also took off in April. A total of 19 condos sold last month, up from 14 a year ago, a 36 percent increase. The median price of a condo climbed to $200,000, a 5 percent hike from a year ago when the median was $193,750.

Rising rents are turning tenants into homeowners, Clements said. Lynn rents have risen by 20 percent over the last few years. A one-bedroom is fetching $1,000 and a two-bedroom is getting as as much as $1,300, he added.

“Rents are through the roof,” he said. “I can sell someone a home with a mortgage that is lower than rent.”

The other factor driving sales is soaring prices in tonier North Shore communities. Buyers looking on the north of Boston once  excluded Lynn are now considering the city as they are priced out of places like Lynnfield, Danvers and West Peabody, he added.

Darlene Gray, a broker at Exit Elite Realty, said the lack of inventory is also boosting sales.

“Buyers are fighting to get into houses because there are so few,” she said. “When a new house is listed in Lynn, there are a 100 buyers ready to look.”

At press time, MLS Property Information Network listed 60 single-family homes for sale in Lynn and three dozen condos. Brokers say that number has been twice as high in the past.

Single-family homes also did well in Peabody where sales rose by 20 percent, while median prices were flat at $370,000. In Revere sales rose by 27 percent and the median price swelled to $308,500, a 7 percent hike.

But not every North Shore community did well in terms of sales. In Marblehead, sales dipped by 20 percent,while prices continued to increase. The median price for a single-family swelled to $555,000, up 11 percent compared to April of last year at $500,000.

In Lynnfield, sales and prices were off. Sales fell by 14 percent and the median slipped by 9 percent to $582,500. In Saugus, sales dipped by 15 percent while the median rose to $398,751, a 24 percent rise.

Swampscott sales were flat at 15 as median prices increased by a whopping 25 percent to $488,000.

Nahant didn’t have any sales last month.

Statewide, single-family home sales in Massachusetts rose by 34.7 percent in April. There were 4,278 homes sold in April, compared to 3,176 in April 2015.

The median sale price of a single-family home in Massachusetts in April increased by 3.9 percent to $336,850 from $324,250 last year.

“Sales are soaring,” said Timothy Warren Jr., CEO of The Warren Group, in a statement. “Buyers are out in force while prices remain below their peak in many communities. And threats of rising interest rates are pushing everyone to close their deals soon.”

Thomas Grillo can be reached at tgrillo@itemlive.com.

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All address information, particularly arrests, reflect police records. In the event of a perceived inaccuracy, it is the sole responsibility of the concerned party to contact the relevant police department and have the department issue a notice of correction to the Daily Item. Corrections or clarifications will not be made without express notice of change from the arresting police department.

LYNN

Arrests

William Burdulis, of 18 Bond St., was arrested on a warrant at 3:18 a.m. Wednesday.

Donald Dahlbeck, of 141 Tracy Ave., was arrested on a warrant charge of possession of a Class A drug at 3:33 p.m. Thursday.

Felipe Familia, 18, of 59 Oakwood Ave., was arrested and charged with trespassing/park rule at 10:41 p.m. Wednesday.

Leonel Fernandez, 33, of 94 Hanover St., was arrested and charged with assault and battery on a police officer, assault and battery in the presence of a police officer and assault and battery with a dangerous weapon at 12:51 a.m. Thursday.

Brian Kagan, of 7 Leo Road, Marblehead, was arrested on warrant charges of two counts of unarmed burglary, two counts of receiving stolen property, two counts of breaking and entering nighttime for a felony, three counts of larceny less than $250, receiving a stolen motor vehicle, malicious wanton property defacement and possession of a burglarious instrument at 12:13 p.m. Thursday.

Nelson Nieves Jr., of 66 Harwood St., was arrested on warrant charges of intimidating a witness, assault and battery on a pregnant victim, assault and battery with a dangerous weapon, assault and battery with serious bodily injury and assault and battery at 2:15 p.m. Thursday.

Jennifer O’Neill, of 13 Melville Place, was arrested on warrant charges of larceny less than $250, larceny from a person and possession of a Class B drug at 1:14 p.m. Thursday.

Accidents

A report of a motor vehicle accident at 3:04 p.m. Wednesday at Bowler and Ford streets; at 3:39 p.m. Wednesday at 32 Ford St.; at 4:59 p.m. Wednesday at Nahant Rotary at 1 Lynnway; at 5:05 p.m. Wednesday at Broad and Washington streets; at 6:28 p.m. Wednesday at City Hall Square and N Common Street; at 7:33 p.m. Wednesday at Boston and Cottage streets; at 8:32 a.m. Thursday at 734 Western Ave.; at 12:47 p.m. Thursday on Maple Street; at 3:05 p.m. Thursday at Broadway and Pendexter Street.

A report of a motor vehicle accident with personal injury at 6:17 a.m. Thursday at Gallo Road and Lynnfield Street; at 9:16 a.m. Thursday at 230 Broad St.; at 1:37 p.m. Thursday at Boston and Chestnut streets.

Assaults

A report of an assault and battery at 2:11 p.m. Wednesday on Haviland Avenue; at 11:45 p.m. Wednesday on Chestnut Street; at 12:31 p.m. Thursday on Boston Street.

A report of an assault and battery with a dangerous weapon at 2:53 p.m. Wednesday on O’Callaghan Way.

A report of an assault at 7:20 p.m. Wednesday on Chestnut Street.

Breaking and Entering

A report of a motor vehicle breaking and entering at 10:01 p.m. Wednesday at 25 Exchange St.; at 5:30 a.m. Thursday at 103 Broad St.; at 12:22 p.m. Thursday at 75 Johnson St.

Complaints

A report of a disturbance at 3:13 p.m. Wednesday at 14 Quincy Terrace; at 4:25 p.m. Wednesday at 308 Essex St.; at 5:06 p.m. Wednesday at Brother’s Deli at 41 Market St.; at 5:07 p.m. Wednesday at 67 Grove St.; at 8:28 p.m. Wednesday at Wendy’s at 377 Lynnway; at 8:29 p.m. Wednesday at 33 Newcastle St.; at 9:29 p.m. Wednesday on Blossom Street Extension; at 9:31 p.m. Wednesday at 360 Washington St.; at 9:37 p.m. Wednesday at Broad and Union streets; at 10:13 p.m. Wednesday at 70 Woodlawn St.; at 10:27 p.m. Wednesday on Circuit Avenue; at 2:09 a.m. Thursday at MBTA Parking Garage at 186 Market St.; at 9:22 a.m. Thursday at 16 Quincy Terrace; at 10:02 a.m. Thursday at 182 Chestnut St.; at 12:37 p.m. Thursday at Federal Street and Western Avenue; at 3:08 p.m. Thursday at 52 Eutaw Ave.

Overdose

A report of an overdose at 6:37 p.m. Wednesday at Brookline and Empire streets.

Theft

A report of a larceny at 1:09 p.m. Thursday at Sonny’s Car Wash at 700 Lynnway; at 2:59 p.m. Thursday at 79 Fayette St.

Vandalism

A report of vandalism at 10 p.m. Wednesday at 501 Washington St.; at 8:51 a.m. Thursday at Marshall Middle School at 100 Brookline St.; at 3:01 p.m. Thursday at 40 Newhall St.

A report of motor vehicle vandalism at 1:57 a.m. Thursday at 68 Henry Ave.; at 10:35 a.m. Thursday at 72 Neptune St.; at 1:34 p.m. Thursday at 203 Lewis St.

LYNNFIELD

Accidents

A report of a motor vehicle accident at 10:55 a.m. Sunday at 592 Main St. and South Common Street; at 1:45 p.m. Sunday at Pottery Barn Kids at 1500 Market St.; at 9:58 a.m. Monday at Lynnfield Senior Center at 525 Salem St.; at 10:51 a.m. Monday at Chico’s at 325 Market St.; at 3:03 p.m. Tuesday at Everett Bank on Salem Street.

A report of a motor vehicle hit and run accident at 10:01 p.m. Monday at Whole Foods Market at 100 Market St. Junius Beebe, 66, of 30 Stony Brook Road, Marblehead, was summoned for leaving the scene of property damage.

A report of a motor vehicle accident with personal injury at 6:14 a.m. Wednesday at 128 South before Exit 41; at 5:33 p.m. Wednesday on Otter Pond Road.

Complaints

A report of a disturbance at 5:12 p.m. Sunday at 19 Driftwood Lane; at 9:02 p.m. Tuesday on Melch Road.

A report of kids urinating on the field at 10:54 a.m. Monday at Lynnfield High School at 275 Essex St.

A report of an animal complaint at 6 p.m. Tuesday at 28 Fernway. A caller reported that a man walking his dog in front of her house let the dog onto her lawn and did not clean up after it.

A report of sick looking fox at 7:10 p.m. Tuesday at 11 Walnut St. and 449 Summer St.

MARBLEHEAD

Accidents

A report of a motor vehicle accident at 12:22 p.m. Wednesday on Creesy Street; at 2:30 p.m. Wednesday at West Shore Drive and Village Street.

Complaints

A report of kids on private property at 1:49 p.m. Wednesday on Crowninshield Road. A caller reported a group of kids on the rocks at the end of the street. He stated they must cross his property in order to get to the area and wanted the kids informed of the private property issue.

A report of a disturbance at 8:03 p.m. Wednesday on Ocean Avenue.

Theft

A report of a digital scale stolen at 9:38 a.m. Wednesday on Humphrey Street.

PEABODY

Arrest

Juan J. Claudio, 31, of 10 Dow St., Apt. 2, Salem, was arrested and charged with a municipal bylaw or ordinance violation at 9:27 a.m. Thursday.

Accidents

A report of a motor vehicle accident at 3:10 p.m. Wednesday at 2 Loris Road and 155 Andover St.; at 4:39 p.m. Wednesday at Boston Children’s Hospital at 10 Centennial Drive; at 6:23 p.m. Wednesday at Toscana’s Ristorante & Cafe at 3 Bourbon St.; at 10:34 p.m. Wednesday on Caller Street; at 9:05 a.m. Thursday at 2 Corporation Way; at 9:58 a.m. Thursday at 210 Andover St.; at 10:25 a.m. Thursday at Keating Services at 20 Forest St. and 2 Kingdom Terrace; at 1:22 p.m. Thursday at Capt. Pete’s Lobster Trap at 5 Caller St.

A report of a bicyclist hit by a motor vehicle at 7:45 p.m. Wednesday at 2 School St. and 58 Lowell St.

Complaints

A report of suspicious activity at 8:55 p.m. Wednesday at Sears at 210S Andover St. A caller reported there was a man following her. She then stated that the man tried to open the door to her motor vehicle.

A report of a disturbance at 11:51 p.m. Wednesday at 19 Keys Drive; at 8:13 a.m. Thursday at 57 Northend St. and 25 Shamrock St. An officer reported one of the people had a baseball bat. A man fled the area on foot, wearing no shirt and carrying a baseball bat. The man was located at 100 Tremont St. in Salem on foot and was transported to Beverly Hospital.

Theft

A report of a larceny at 2:28 p.m. Wednesday at Marriott Hotel at 8A Centennial Drive. A housekeeper reported her purse was stolen.

REVERE

Arrests

Edwin C. Bedoya-Coral, 22, of 71 Thornton St., Apt. 2, was arrested and charged with OUI liquor and negligent operation of a motor vehicle at 12:15 a.m. Wednesday.

Christine L. Broderick, 45, of 15 Argyle St., was arrested and charged with disorderly conduct, malicious destruction of property more than $250 and on protective custody at 9:49 p.m. Wednesday.

Accidents

A report of a motor vehicle accident at 12:15 a.m. Wednesday on Lee Burbank Highway; at 1:52 a.m. Wednesday at Extra Space Storage on Revere Beach Parkway; at 2:02 p.m. Wednesday at Centennial and Campbell avenues; at 6:09 p.m. Wednesday at Casazza Overpass on Broadway; at 6:47 p.m. Wednesday on North Shore Road; at 6:52 p.m. Wednesday on Ocean Avenue; at 7:52 p.m. Wednesday at Yeamans Street and Park Avenue; at 7:55 p.m. Wednesday at General Edwards Bridge on North Shore Road; at 8:07 p.m. Wednesday on Jefferson Drive.

Complaints

A report of a disturbance at 12:31 a.m. Wednesday on Bradstreet Avenue; at 1:34 a.m. Wednesday at Roseland Properties on Overlook Ridge Terrace; at 6:36 a.m. Wednesday at Revere Housing Authority on Rose Street; at 2:23 p.m. Wednesday at Susan B. Anthony School on Newhall Street; at 3:33 p.m. Wednesday at Lee’s Trailer Park on Revere Beach Parkway; at 4 p.m. Wednesday on Rice Avenue; at 9:49 p.m. Wednesday on Argyle Street; at 11:56 p.m. Wednesday on Bradstreet Avenue.

Overdose

A report of a possible overdose at 10:59 p.m. Wednesday on Winthrop Avenue.

Vandalism

A report of vandalism at 11:04 a.m. Wednesday on Oakwood Avenue.

SAUGUS

Accidents

A report of a motor vehicle accident at 8:29 a.m. Wednesday at 5 Ballard St. and 82 Lincoln Ave.

A report of a motor vehicle accident with personal injury at 1:40 p.m. Wednesday at 1252 Broadway. Multiple calls reporting a motorcyclist down in the area of Speedway near Essex Street.

Breaking and Entering

A report of a motor vehicle breaking and entering at 8:56 a.m. Wednesday at 347 Main St.; at 1:09 p.m. Wednesday at 1 Pennybrook Road.

Complaints

A report of a disturbance at 7:19 p.m. Wednesday at 47 Newhall St.

Fire

A report of a fire at 10:49 p.m. Wednesday at 2 Tuscan Ave. A caller reported a strong smell of smoke outside of his home. Engine 1 reported an outside fire behind 22 Curtis Road. The homeowners extinguished the fire.

Theft

A report of a larceny at 1:59 p.m. Wednesday at Seven Hills Community Services at 260 Lynn Fells Parkway. A caller reported someone has taken a statue of a deer from the front lawn.

Vandalism

A report of vandalism at 7:26 a.m. Thursday at Saugus High School on Pierce Memorial Drive.

SWAMPSCOTT

Accidents

A report of a motor vehicle hit and run accident at 12:30 p.m. Wednesday at Stop & Shop at 450 Paradise Road.

A report of a motor vehicle accident at 6 a.m. Thursday at Atlantic Avenue and Humphrey Street.

Complaints

A report of a disturbance at 10:32 a.m. Wednesday at 357 Essex St.; at 10:41 p.m. Wednesday at Essex and Hanley streets.

A report of an animal at 6:52 p.m. Wednesday at 38 Outlook Road. A caller reported a raccoon that looks disoriented walking on a neighbor’s porch and feels it may be sick.

Fire

A report of a bonfire on the beach at 8:58 p.m. Wednesday at Phillips Beach at 199 Ocean Ave. The fire department put it out.

Theft

A report of a robbery at 12:43 p.m. Wednesday at Gourmet Garden at 430 Paradise Road. A man took off running into the woods. A detail officer observed a larceny of money from a man collecting money for a veteran’s agency. The officer gave chase as the man fled on foot. An officer caught the man and arrested him.

Mary Ellen Callahan, a Gold Star family member with Massachusetts Fallen Heroes, speaks with Revere High School students about her son, Marine Sgt. William J. Callahan, who died while serving in Iraq in 2007.

BY GAYLA CAWLEY

REVERE — Mary Ellen Callahan vividly remembers the morning she found out her 28-year-old son was killed in battle.

She recalled the story for Revere High School students this week to remind them why Memorial Day is important.

Callahan, of Hanson, is a Gold Star family member with Massachusetts Fallen Heroes (MSH), an organization dedicated to honoring soldiers killed in the line of duty.

She spoke to students on Tuesday about her son, U.S. Marine Corps. Sgt. William J. Callahan, who was killed in 2007 in Iraq when a homemade bomb exploded.

William Callahan was deployed twice to Iraq and worked as an Explosive Ordinance Disposal (EOD) technician. He received the 2006 EOD of the Year award.

“I’m very proud of him,” Callahan said. “It’s very emotional. It sits in me like a knife in my heart. My heart is broken forever. There’s days when it’s a little more challenging to say the words that he’s been killed but it means bringing in awareness for another family for their fallen to be remembered.”

Her son’s first deployment to Iraq was in 2005, which was a bad year for the bomb squad, she said. He came home in 2006 and was deployed again. That same year, he learned that his wife was pregnant with their first child. He was sent back to Iraq in February.

Two months later, Callahan said her son received a call from a friend who asked him to disarm a bomb. He went out with another friend, Peter Woodall, to disarm the device. They successfully disarmed it, but they didn’t realize that there was a second one planted underground. As soon as her son cleared the first one, it detonated the second one, which killed him and Woodall instantly.

His son was just born two weeks earlier and never met his father.

Callahan said she had a phone call with her son planned for that night. When the call never came, she figured he was too busy and fell asleep at 3:30 a.m.

About two hours later, she woke up to her dog crying and noticed a small, white car outside her home. As she was doing outreach work at the time, she didn’t think anything of it and returned to bed. Minutes later, two marines knocked on her door. She said her first thought was that her son had just won an award and was the best in his field.

“I never thought anything would happen to him,” Callahan said.

She then had to tell her daughter, 19 at the time, that her brother had died.

Callahan and MSH hope to educate students about Armed Forces Day and Memorial Day. She said Memorial Day is not just about barbeques and  department store sales, but it’s about bringing awareness to fallen heroes.

“As family members, we want people to remember them,” Callahan said.

Jonathan Mitchell, deputy principal of Revere High School, said it was important for Callahan to talk to the students because everyone needs a reminder about what Memorial Day is about. He said most people should take time to reflect on how someone sacrificed everything they have to preserve the nation’s freedom.

“Freedom isn’t free,” Mitchell said. “It’s a cliche but it’s true.”

Revere will also celebrate Memorial Day on Monday at 11 a.m. on the American Legion building lawn next to City Hall. Names of the city’s war dead from the Revolutionary War to modern times will be read aloud.

Massachusetts House Speaker Robert DeLeo (D-Winthrop) and other elected officials are scheduled to speak and ceremonial wreaths will be laid.

Peabody’s services begin today at 9 a.m. when veterans’ burial grounds will be flagged. A memorial Mass is scheduled at 8:30 a.m. on Sunday in St. Adelaide’s Church with events following at the Kiley School Oak Grove, Lexington Monument and the Civil War monument.  

On Saturday at 9 a.m. in Saugus, Veterans Council members will place flags at veterans’ graves in Riverside Cemetery, with the parade to proceed down Jackson Street to Lincoln Avenue to Town Hall.

In Lynn, Memorial Day observances will be held on Monday beginning with the Polish Legion of American Veterans service at 10 a.m. in Breed Square followed by the parade at 1:30 p.m. It starts at Market Street and ends at Pine Grove.

In Swampscott, Monday’s observances will be held at the veterans lot in Swampscott Cemetery beginning at noon followed by an open house at the Veterans of Foreign Wars Post Hall, 8 Pine St.

The Memorial Day parade is set for 9:30 a.m. at Short Beach and proceeds to the wharf for a ceremony. After proceeding down Nahant Road past Town Hall, a ceremonies will be held in the cemetery and Veterans Park.

A Memorial Day parade will be held in Lynnfield at 8:15 a.m. at Our Lady of Assumption Church.

Ceremonies will be held at the South Burying Ground on Salem Street and Willow Cemetery on Summer Street. After a recess at the South Lynnfield fire station, the parade will reassemble at the middle school at 10 a.m. and proceed to the West Burying Ground, Old Burying Ground and Forest Hill Cemetery for ceremonies.

Gayla Cawley can be reached at gcawley@itemlive.com. Follow her on Twitter @GaylaCawley.

ITEM PHOTO BY OWEN O’ROURKE
Billy Carroll will be throwing the javelin in the Special Olympics at Boston University and Harvard this weekend.

BY MICHELE DURGIN

LYNN — Billy Carroll knows what he wants heading into the Massachusetts Special Olympics Summer Games this weekend.

He wants to win.

“I’m proud to be going there and I hope I win,” said Carroll, 14, a student at the Cotting School in Lexington. “It’s fun to win.”

The games will be held at Boston University and Harvard University. Both schools provide housing, meals and shuttle services for hundreds of special needs athletes, coaches and chaperones. An opening ceremony is scheduled for Friday at 5 p.m. at BU’s Nickerson Field.

The three-day event is comprised of more than 30 individual and team sports, including aquatics, gymnastics, powerlifting, tennis, volleyball and track and field.

Carroll, of Lynn, is a javelin thrower and a 100-meter sprinter.

Susan Carroll, Billy’s mom, said she is looking forward to the busy weekend full of celebration and love.

“It’s a proud moment to see my son, as well as so many other athletes have an opportunity to show off their talents and be rewarded,” she said. “Our family feels so much support and friendship from many wonderful people and we are grateful for all of it.”

She also said one of her favorite moments will be when the participants recite the Special Olympics athlete oath.

It reads,“Let me win, but if I cannot win, let me be brave in the attempt.”

The oath was originally introduced in 1968 by Eunice Kennedy Shriver at the inaugural Special Olympics,which were held in Chicago.

Billy’s dad, Jack Carroll, said he appreciates events like this, along with the organizers who help make it happen for the athletes and their families.  

He praised Dan Cutty, the team’s coach and physical education teacher at the school.

“He does an unbelievable job with the kids,” he said. “All of the weekend’s events are great. The  kids  always love it. We are looking forward to a terrific weekend with a lot of big hearted  people.”

PHOTO BY PAULA MULLER
Graduates of St. Mary’s High School throw their caps in the air on the steps of Lynn City Hall at the end of the ceremony.

BY GAYLA CAWLEY

LYNN — St. Mary’s High School graduated 98 students on Thursday who were encouraged to continue being their authentic self.

Grace Cotter Regan, head of the school, opened St. Mary’s 134th commencement exercise with praise for the graduates.

“They are authentic,” she said. “Our students are not afraid to take risks or try something new.”

The class of 2016 is organically diverse and includes artists, thespians, scientists, athletes and leaders, she added.

Mayor Judith Flanagan Kennedy said she visited the school earlier in the year and was met with a sign that read “Be Yourself. Everyone else is already taken.” She couldn’t think of any better advice to give the graduates.

“Please always know that the Commonwealth of Massachusetts is so proud of your achievements,” said City Council President and State Rep. Dan Cahill (D-Lynn).

William S. Mosakowski, chairman of the school’s Board of Trustees, told graduates to never forget where they came from. He said researchers recognize grit and resilience as important attributes for success, something that he said they have.

“To those who possess grit and resilience, they gain a tremendous competitive advantage,” Mosakowski said.

Valedictorian Christina Marie Hallisey talked about how success comes through sacrifice. She said that could mean only going out every other weekend in college to focus on studying. Success is nearly impossible to define because it differs for each person, Hallisey added.

“Today, I am happy to say we have all succeeded,” she said.

Salutatorian Aislinn Flaherty McCormack said she was supposed to be a nerd, but as St. Mary’s is a small school, it is scientifically impossible to get stuck in a stereotype while finding “your authentic self.” She said her class is full of survivors, starting off strong as lowly freshmen.

“You’ve shown every person in this room that you’re a survivor,” McCormack said. “And now you have to show everyone in the world that you can thrive.”

Also honored were members of the Class of 1966 for their Golden Jubilarian 50th Class Reunion.

Gayla Cawley can be reached at gcawley@itemlive.com. Follow her on Twitter @GaylaCawley.

ITEM PHOTO BY OWEN O’ROURKE
The chimney at 175 Alley St. in Lynn is being taken down one small section at a time.

BY THOMAS GRILLO

A wrecking ball is demolishing the former Atlantic Coast Seafood Market behind the Lynnway to make way for the city’s latest business or apartment complex.

Two years ago, the 175-189 Alley Street LLC, an entity managed by Thomas Demakes paid $1 million for the 2-acre parcel that included a one-story brick building.

Demakes, president of Old Neighborhood Quality Foods, a family-owned company that started in 1914, said he is still studying the market to determine what will work best for the site.

“I’m trying to clean up that section of the neighborhood,” he said.

Originally, he thought it was a good location for a warehouse, but Alley Street is too narrow to accommodate tractor trailers.

Now, Demakes is considering business condominiums similar to the project at the nearby former Lynn Lumber site on Commercial Street.

Lynn Business Park RT and the Nicholas Mennino Trust bought the 84,000-square-foot Commercial Street lot in 2014 for $1.4 million. They used a portion of the land for a series of business storefronts including the Beantown Barbell Club and Safe & Secure Limousine across from Bent Water Brewing Co.

“Nick did a good job over there,” he said. “But I’m not 100 percent sure what I’ll do because I have real estate people checking out the market to see what will work and what the City Council wants.”

One possibility is apartments, he said.

“Market rate housing is also something we’re considering,” Demakes said. “My kids have been critical of me because I get involved in these projects more to help the city than to make money on the project. I’m trying to do both.”

James Cowdell, executive director of the Economic Development & Industrial Corp., said the 53,034-square-foot facility had been mostly vacant for years. Given the property’s uniqueness, Cowdell said the best alternative was to demolish it and start anew.  

Peter Capano, the Ward 6 City Councilor, said he likes the idea of a handsome one-story structure for business condominiums. He said it would be a good fit for the neighborhood
“The people in this neighborhood would favor it,” he said. “Tom will do it right with landscaping and make it look really nice.”

Thomas Grillo can be reached at tgrillo@itemlive.com.