PHOTO BY ALENA KUZUB
Lynn firefighters set up a mass decontamination unit during a joint training exercise.

By THOMAS GRILLO

LYNN — Dozens of first responders gathered at Union Hospital Thursday to simulate a response to something they hope will never happen — a hazardous leak of a deadly chemical.

“You never know when this kind of thing will happen,” said William Klag, emergency preparedness coordinator at the North Shore Medical Center. “But we still have to be ready.”

A team of five dozen firefighters and emergency medical technicians quickly set up a 12 by 18 foot contamination unit in the hospital’s parking lot.

In an actual emergency, the yellow tent outfitted with showers would be used to remove chemicals from patients before they enter the hospital. For victims who cannot walk, there’s a conveyer belt in the tent for stretchers.

“We have not had a major incident in Lynn and that’s how we like it,” said Klag. “But there could be a chlorine leak and if so, we need to be able to handle it, make sure our staff, patients and the people who are coming in are kept safe.”

Paul Ricchi, Lynn’s emergency management director, said should a chlorine tanker crash or a spill occur at a public pool, first responders would be activated.

“We’d be at the scene and send casualties to the hospital,” he said.  

For patients who have to be taken to the hospital by ambulance, EMTs would wear protective suits, boots, and facial shields.

The drill is a key component to make sure emergency responders are ready to act quickly, Ricchi said.

“This is the place to make mistakes so they won’t happen in a real emergency,” he said.

3 charged after cocaine, cash seized from car

The key to keeping the public safe is routine training and the drill is a good way to do that, according to Fire Chief James McDonald.

“The decontamination unit is used to remove chemical exposure from victims because once they enter the ER the whole building is at risk,” he said. “It’s complicated and if people don’t get hands-on training, when it’s really needed it could cause delays and potentially further problems.”

John Coulon, Nahant’s health agent, said the parking lot would be the first stop for anyone in need of treatment from chemical exposure.

“It’s something that could happen at a public swimming pool if there was an accidental mix of chemicals that creates a gas that could cause harm if breathed or exposed to skin,” he said. “Once they are rinsed off and given a preliminary triage, then they enter the hospital for further treatment.”

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

She didn’t get picked to be Peabody’s next school superintendent, but Harrington School Principal Debra Ruggiero’s bid for the job reflected brilliantly on her and on Lynn public schools.

Ruggiero is a smart, committed, tough and ambitious educator who brought talent and experience to Peabody’s quest for a new school leader. She was the last candidate standing when the Peabody School Committee voted Wednesday to scrap its current superintendent search and keep Interim Superintendent Herb Levine on for another year.

Levine is an experienced superintendent with a steady hand and people in the know anticipate he will mentor an experienced veteran educator now working in the Peabody school system to become a superintendent candidate once a search resumes.

Committee members said they wanted candidates with collective bargaining and budget-building experience. At least one member pointed out the challenges of overseeing a school system with more than 6,000 students, 1,000 employees and a $72 million annual budget.

The Lynn public school’s enrollment, staff size and budget dwarfs the Peabody schools and Ruggiero is well-versed in the school system’s operations. She has literally sat in the front row at Lynn School Committee meetings and listened carefully as committee members and Superintendent Dr. Catherine Latham discuss school spending, personnel needs, enrollment and dozens of other topics.

Ruggiero denied Peabody superintendent post

As Harrington School principal, Ruggiero and fellow educators have made the big Art Deco school on Friend Street a place where pride dwells. Ruggiero has fostered a strong sense of school spirit during her tenure. She has supported an annual reading initiative and she takes a no-nonsense approach to education that puts a priority on kids and learning.

She is a strong, maybe the strongest, example of a Lynn principal embracing a principal’s responsibilities as defined by state law. She is clearly in charge at the Harrington and the school’s state assessment test scores speak to Ruggiero’s accomplishments and her ability to expect the best from her colleagues.

Peabody committee members made the safe choice in passing on Ruggiero in favor of continuing with Levine until a superintendent research can resume again in late 2018. Picking Ruggiero would have been a bolder move on the committee’s part. It would have also been a smart one.

Ruggiero has a strong connection to Peabody. She has hands-on leadership experience and it would be hard to find Lynn educators who do not think Ruggiero is a quick study when it comes to learning and mastering skills.

It will be interesting to see if Peabody’s next search for a superintendent yields a strong candidate crop. One or two candidates with superintendent experience are sure to be a perfect fit for Peabody. An associate or deputy superintendent will probably apply and bring strong budget and bargaining skills. Then again, a strong principal like Ruggiero will apply and seek an opportunity to show off his or her leadership skills.

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

Raelyn Barrett, 31, of 45 Tudor St., was arrested on warrant charges of leaving the scene of property damage and operation of a motor vehicle with a suspended license at 11:20 a.m. Thursday.

Brian Chandler, of 41 Light St., was arrested on warrant charges of assault and battery and refusing to produce DNA database sample at 3:19 p.m. Wednesday.

Courtney Feeley, 28, of 1000 Loring Ave., Salem, was arrested and charged with shoplifting by concealing merchandise and on warrants at 5:42 p.m. Wednesday.

Sixto Lopez-Nolasco, 38, of 20 New Park St., was arrested on a courtesy booking at 7:11 a.m. Thursday.

Lawrence Morrison, 54, of 33 High St., was arrested and charged with larceny from a building at 3:10 p.m. Thursday.

Julio Toro, 45, of 100 Willow St., was arrested and charged with shoplifting by asportation at 3:03 p.m. Wednesday.

Accidents

A report of a motor vehicle accident at 2:09 p.m. Wednesday at Chestnut and Howard streets; at 5:18 p.m. Wednesday at Boston and Chestnut streets; at 6:47 p.m. Wednesday at 50 Goodridge St.; at 7 p.m. Wednesday at 5 Union St.; at 10:03 p.m. Wednesday on Casco Road; at 1:50 p.m. Thursday at 24 Dexter St.; at 2:51 p.m. Thursday at East Boston Savings Bank at 335 Broadway.

A report of a motor vehicle hit and run accident at 9:49 p.m. Wednesday at 182 Alley St.; at 12:56 p.m. Thursday at Brimblecom Street and Western Avenue.

Assaults

A report of an assault at 12:32 p.m. Thursday at Joyce and Union streets.

Complaints

A report of a disturbance at 2:04 p.m. Wednesday at 35 Walnut St.; at 2:40 p.m. Wednesday at South Common and Shepard streets; at 4:22 p.m. Wednesday at 9 Lyman St.; at 5:38 p.m. Wednesday at 43 Cottage St.; at 7:09 p.m. Wednesday at 50-52 Newhall St.; at 11:20 p.m. Wednesday at Green Tea at 751 Lynnway; at 11:53 p.m. Wednesday at 150 Walnut St.; at 12:57 p.m. Thursday at DPW Garage & HQ at 250 Commercial St.; at 1:34 p.m. Thursday at Silsbee and Union streets; at 3:03 p.m. Thursday at Dental Office at 160 Market St.

Theft

A report of a larceny at 2:22 p.m. Wednesday at 29 Boston St.; at 3:44 p.m. Wednesday at 120 Broad St.; at 12:40 p.m. Thursday at State Street Liquors at 44 State St.

A report of a robbery at 4:43 p.m. Wednesday at 86 Lewis St.

Vandalism

A report of vandalism at 4:54 p.m. Wednesday at 227 Eastern Ave.; at 12:05 p.m. Thursday at 229 Curwin Circle.

A report of motor vehicle vandalism at 7:44 a.m. Thursday at 9 Milton St.; at 2:28 p.m. Thursday at Washington Street and Western Avenue.

Police log: 4-13-2017

MARBLEHEAD

Arrests

Anthony M. Stone, 25, of 51 Broughton Road, was arrested and charged with unlicensed operation of a motor vehicle at 8:28 p.m. Wednesday.

Complaints

A report of an elderly woman in traffic at 2:55 p.m. Wednesday at Jersey and Shepard streets. A caller reported an elderly woman in a hot pink outfit jumping out into traffic attempting to catch a ride. Police couldn’t find the woman.

PEABODY

Arrests

Jorge L. Gonzalez Jr., 41, of 44 Tracey St., Apt. 1, was arrested and charged with daytime building breaking and entering for a felony, larceny from a building and on a warrant at 1:56 p.m. Thursday.

Jennifer Guarino, 34, of 44 Tracey St., Apt. 1, was arrested and charged with daytime building breaking and entering for a felony and larceny from a building at 1:56 p.m. Thursday.

Michelle M. Mackenzie, 56, of 7221 Crane Brook Way, was arrested on warrants at 9:32 a.m. Thursday.

Christopher D. Tilley, 49, of 60 Harrison Ave., was arrested on a warrant at 12:21 p.m. Thursday.

Accidents

A report of a motor vehicle accident at 2:02 p.m. Wednesday at 485 Lowell St.; at 5:14 p.m. Wednesday at 2 Emery St. and 80 Prospect St.; at 5:32 p.m. Wednesday at Bertucci’s Pizza at 15 Newbury St.; at 9:05 p.m. Wednesday at 564 Lowell St. A head-on collision was reported; at 10:03 p.m. Wednesday on Lynnfield Street; at 6:19 a.m. Thursday at 56 Washington St.; at 10:16 a.m. Thursday at 12 Wallis Ann Road and 22 Sutton St.; at 2:59 p.m. Thursday at St. Ann’s Church at 140 Lynn St.; at 3:47 p.m. Thursday at Dunkin’ Donuts at 162 Washington St.; at 4 p.m. Thursday at 36 Prospect St. and 2 Tomah Drive.

A report of a motor vehicle hit and run accident at 6:42 p.m. Wednesday at 44 Keys Drive.

Breaking and Entering

A report of a breaking and entering at 2:22 p.m. Wednesday at 6 Johnson St.; at 1:56 p.m. Thursday at 1 Andover Drive. A caller reported two people breaking and entering at 2 Andover Drive Building B. Police reported having two suspects stopped on Tracey Street. Jorge L. Gonzalez Jr., 41, of Peabody, and Jennifer Guarino, 34, of Peabody, were arrested.

Complaints

A report of a disturbance at 9:34 p.m. Wednesday at 7 School St.; at 11:52 p.m. Wednesday at 29 Oak St.

A report of suspicious activity at 12:58 p.m. Thursday at 278 Newbury St. A caller reported holes in the back of his trailer, possible from a BB gun. Police reported two BB holes in the shed

A report of gunshots at 1:40 p.m. Thursday at Just In Time Cafe at 2 First Ave. A caller reported she heard gunshots in the area. Police reported the sound was likely coming from the construction at 5 Fifth St. They are repairing the roof and when they drop the material, it is making a banging sound.

Theft

A report of a larceny at 1:31 p.m. Wednesday at T.J. Maxx at 300 Andover St.; at 4:12 p.m. Wednesday at Police Department at 6 Allens Lane. A person walked into the station to report a theft; at 6:25 p.m. Wednesday at Latitude’s at 194 Newbury St. A caller reported his gym bag was stolen from the locker room; at 3:23 p.m. Thursday at Speedway at 545 Lowell St.

REVERE

Arrests

Johnnie E. Martin, 18, of 54 Baxendale Road, Apt. 2, Brockton, was arrested and charged with shoplifting by concealing merchandise, possession of burglarious tools and malicious destruction of property at 2:52 p.m. Wednesday.

Victor Joseph Russo, 52, of 35 Warren St., Apt. 1, was arrested and charged with receiving a stolen motor vehicle, OUI liquor third offense and operation of a motor vehicle with a suspended or revoked license and operating a motor vehicle negligently so as to endanger at 4:39 p.m. Wednesday.

Accidents

A report of a motor vehicle accident at 10:36 a.m. Wednesday at Price Rite on Squire Road; at 5:42 p.m. Wednesday at Railroad Street and Lee Burbank Highway; at 6:26 p.m. Wednesday at Dunkin’ Donuts on Bennington Street.

Assaults

A report of an assault at 7:56 p.m. Wednesday on Winthrop Avenue.

Breaking and Entering

A report of a breaking and entering at 4:31 a.m. Wednesday on Reservoir Avenue.

Complaints

A report of a disturbance at 12:12 a.m. Wednesday at 7-Eleven on North Shore Road; at 7:37 a.m. Wednesday at Revere Housing Authority on Constitution Avenue; at 12:15 p.m. Wednesday on Orr Square; at 12:53 p.m. Wednesday at Wonderland Auto on North Shore Road.

Overdose

A report of a possible overdose at 1:21 a.m. Wednesday on Revere Beach Boulevard; at 8:40 p.m. Wednesday on Ward Street.

Theft

A report of auto theft at 4:39 p.m. Wednesday on Shirley Avenue.

A report of larceny from a car at 6:57 p.m. Wednesday at Buonfiglio Funeral Home on Revere Street; at 7:55 p.m. Wednesday at Vertuccio Funeral Home on Broadway.

A report of a larceny at 9:02 p.m. Wednesday at Luberto’s Pastry Shop on Broadway.

Vandalism

A report of vandalism at 12:27 a.m. Wednesday on Ocean Avenue; at 2:52 p.m. Wednesday on Broadway; at 8:19 p.m. Wednesday on Broadway.

Kostas N. Spyropoulos, 42, died from cardiac arrest on April 10, 2017. He was the son of Nicholas and Angela (Milonas) Spyropoulos of Lynn. He was born in Lynn, graduated from Lynn English High School and Northeastern University, and lived the majority of his life in Lynn before moving to Chelsea where he resided the past few years.

Kostas worked in finance at John Hancock for 15 years before deciding to pursue his dream of becoming a real estate investor. He owned and managed many properties in Methuen, Chelsea, and Lynn. He enjoyed working with numbers, electronics, and walking the beach. He enjoyed spending time with his family especially his niece and nephew, Mia and George, whom he adored.

Kostas is survived by his parents, Nicholas and Angela Spyropoulos, his sister Linda Nikolakopoulos and her husband Taso of Lynn, his niece and nephew Mia and George Nikolakopoulos, many aunts, uncles, and cousins in Massachusetts, Canada, and Greece, as well as many close friends, all of whom loved him dearly.

Service information: A visiting hour will be held on Saturday, April 15, 2017, at 11 a.m. at St. George Greek Orthodox Church, 54 S. Common St., Lynn, followed by a funeral service at 12 p.m. and then burial in Pine Grove Cemetery, Lynn. Relatives and friends are respectfully invited.

In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to St. George Greek Orthodox Church. For guestbook and directions visit www.Solimine.com?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss.

LYNN — Warren Chester Butcher, 93, of Lynn, died Monday in a local nursing home. Born in Lynn, he was the son of the late Chester Leon and Stella (Herridge) Butcher. A lifelong Lynn resident, he was a graduate of Lynn English High School. Warren served in the United States Navy during World War II. He worked as a draftsman for Raytheon in Bedford until his retirement.

Warren enjoyed fishing and boating and was a member of the Lynn Yacht Club and Volunteer Yacht Club. He also enjoyed woodworking as a hobby, and created custom made fishing rods.

He is survived by three daughters- and sons-in-law; Susan and Richard Harris of Newbury, Cyndi and Fabien Victor of Cape Coral, Fla., and Judi and the late Peter Joyce of Rockport; two sons and daughters-in-law; Richard W. Butcher and Natalie Femino of Salem and Doug and Faye Butcher of Peabody; seven grandchildren; Kina Dean of Norwood, Melissa Butcher of Salem, Katherine McCaslin of New Orleans, La., Peter Butcher of Malden, Brandon Butcher of Peabody, Bryan Silva of Florida, and Colin Silva of Florida; six great-grandchildren; as well as his former wife, Claire (Reiss) Butcher of Sarasota, Fla. He was the former husband of the late Janet Eggleston, and brother of the late Virginia Crowell and Arline Bernard.

Service information: At Warren’s request, there will be no services. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the VFW Foundation, 406 W. 34th St. Ste. 920, Kansas City, MO 64111. Arrangements by the SOLIMINE Funeral Home, Lynn. Guestbook at www.solimine.com?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss.

Saturday, April 15 ~ 7:30 p.m.
Lynn Common and St. Mary’s Church

The Lynn Catholic Collaborative of St. Mary and Sacred Heart
Offices: 8 South Common Street Lynn, MA 01902 (781) 598-4907
admin@lynncatholic.org

Reawakening, growing and celebrating our Catholic Faith together—welcoming all.
All are welcome and invited to join!

Holy Week Schedule

Palm Sunday

Palms distributed at all Masses

Saturday, April 8
4:00 p.m. Mass St. Mary
4:00 p.m. Mass Sacred Heart

Sunday, April 9
7:00 a.m. Mass Sacred Heart
10:00 a.m. Mass Sacred Heart
9:00 a.m. Mass St. Mary
11:30 a.m. Mass St. Mary
6:00 p.m. Mass St. Mary

Reconciliation/Confession

Wednesday, April 12 6:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. at Sacred Heart followed by Mass at 7:00 p.m.

Holy Thursday, April 13
9:00 a.m. Morning Prayer at Sacred Heart
7:30 p.m. Mass of the Lord’s Supper at Sacred Heart

Good Friday, April 14
9:00 a.m. Morning Prayer at Sacred Heart
12:05 p.m. Stations of the Cross at St. Mary’s
7:30 p.m. Service at Sacred Heart

Holy Saturday, April 15
9:00 a.m. Morning Prayer at Sacred Heart
7:30 p.m. Easter Vigil Lynn Common and St. Mary’s

Easter Sunday, April 16
Same as the regular Sunday Schedule (below), but we will not have our 6:00 p.m. mass.

Regular Weekly Mass Schedule

St. Mary’s – 8 South Common Street Lynn
Saturdays – 4:00 p.m.
Sundays – 9:00 a.m., 11:30 a.m.,
1:30 p.m. (Haitian),
4:30 p.m. (Congolese), 6:00 p.m.

Sacred Heart – 571 Boston Street Lynn
Saturdays – 4:00 p.m.
Sundays – 7:00 a.m. and 10:00 a.m.

Weekdays
Monday – 8:15 a.m. Sacred Heart
Tuesday – 12:05 p.m. St. Mary’s
Wednesday – 7:00 p.m. Sacred Heart
Thursday – 12:05 p.m. St. Mary’s
Friday – 8:15 a.m. Sacred Heart
Saturday – 9:00 a.m. St. Mary’s

LYNN — Helen Elaine (Maciejewski) McCourt, 78, of Lynn, passed away with her family by her side. She fought strong against a brief illness: lung cancer.

Helen graduated from Lynn Classical Class of 1956. She began her career as a secretary for Kalikow and Kalikow. Helen then worked for local law firms in Lynn, transitioned to the State House in Boston and retired as administrative assistant to former Mayor Clancy of Lynn.

Helen was the beloved wife of Gerald McCourt of Lynn. They spent 60 years of marriage. They raised their three daughters in Lynn. Helen enjoyed many days with her girls at the Pollack Beach in Lynn. She made great interesting clothes for her girls, they were always so fashionable. Helen and Jerry had some amazing adventures in their younger years. Together they enjoyed mapping out their annual vacations which they covered almost half of the United States with their road trips. Their daily “rides” gave them a chance to reminisce about their heydays and they would make a pit stop to feed squirrels. They both enjoyed watching NASCAR races and Helen LOVED watching “The Walking Dead,” “Survivor” and “NCIS.”  

Helen truly enjoyed spending time with her family. Every birthday party she made sure to get a picture of the cake! Helen attended many plays, concerts, dance recitals, graduations, and any sporting event her grandchildren and great-grandchildren were involved in, regardless of the weather. Just recently she taught Olivia and Alijah how to knit, they made beautiful blankets together. She shared her Golabki recipe with only a few of her family members and Harmony makes them pretty close to her recipe. Her grandchildren and great-grandchildren were her pride and joy.  

Helen was the daughter of the late Joseph and Mary Maciejewski. She is survived by her husband, Gerald McCourt of Lynn; three daughters, Lorrie Dow of Lynn, Darlene O’Connell and her husband Edward of Marshfield and Jere McClory of Lynn; her sister, Marion Walzak of Lynnfield; and brother, Joseph Maciejewski and his wife Barbara of Florida. Helen also has nine grandchildren, Rebecca and her husband Otis Wallace, Ray and Harmony Dow of Lynn, Kevin, Erin, Candice and Corrine McClory of Lynn and Amanda and Lindsey O’Connell of Marshfield. She has seven great-grandchildren, Olivia and Alijah Wallace, Kaiser and Chase Bodden, Isabelle Sutson, Caleb McClory and Brandon McClory. Helen also has several cousins, nieces and nephews.  

Service information: Helen will be greatly missed by her husband, family and friends. Her funeral will be held on Tuesday at 8 a.m. from the SOLIMINE Funeral Home, 426 Broadway (Route 129), Lynn, followed by a funeral Mass in St. Mary’s Church, Lynn, at 10:30 a.m. Burial will be in Pine Grove Cemetery, Lynn. Relatives and friends are respectfully invited. Visitation will be on Tuesday from 8-10 a.m., prior to the funeral. Directions and guestbook at Solimine.com.

LYNN — Charles Edward Coughlan, a longtime resident of Lynn, passed away Sunday morning, April 9, 2017 at the age of 83 in the Life Care Center of the North Shore in Lynn.

Born in Boston on Feb. 22, 1934, he was the son of the late William and Mary (Allwood) Coughlan. Charlie was raised in Dorchester and educated in Charlestown and was a graduate of Charlestown High School. After his schooling, Charlie enlisted into the U.S. Army. He served honorably in the Vietnam War from Dec. 12, 1956 until Dec. 11, 1958.

Charlie met and married his sweetheart, Joan M. Aldrich, in April of 1966 in St. Mary’s Church in Charlestown before the couple settled into Lynn to begin their family. Charlie was an extremely hard-working and dedicated man to his family. He worked many years doing various maintenance jobs around the area; most notably a long stint with West Lynn Creamery.

In addition to his wife of almost 51 years, Charles leaves his daughters, Cynthia Crenscenzi and her husband Adam of Lynn and Amanda Debs and her husband Jerar of Canada. Charles also leaves his grandchildren, Matthew, Dylan, and Noah Croft, Emily Crescenzi, and Miriam and Elie Debs, as well as his great-grandchildren, Lorelai Croft and Patrick Dellea. Charles was preceded in death by his daughter, Rebecca Croft.

Service information: Charles’ funeral will be held from the CUFFE-MCGINN Funeral Home, 157 Maple St., Lynn, on Tuesday, April 18, 2017 at 10 a.m., followed by a funeral Mass in St. Joseph Parish, 115 Union St., Lynn, at 11 a.m. Interment service will be held privately. Relatives and friends are invited to the visiting hours in the funeral home on Monday, April 17, 2017 from 4-8 p.m. For directions or to sign the online guestbook, please visit Cuffemcginn.com.

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

Mayya Shoykhet, 28, of 10 Farrar St., was arrested at 4:24 p.m. Thursday for trespassing.

Eliza Wallner, 28, of 10 Farrar St., was arrested at 4:26 p.m. Thursday for driving with a suspended license and a state highway traffic violation and trespassing.

Accidents

A report of a motor vehicle accident at 1:50 p.m. Thursday at 24 Dexter St.; at 4:22 p.m. Thursday at 494 Western Ave.; at North Shore Community College at 30 Broad St. at 7:35 p.m.

Breaking and Entering

A report of a breaking and entering at 11:32 a.m. Friday at 79 Newhall St.

MARBLEHEAD

Suspicious Activity

Report of a lost Citi credit card on Thursday at 12:26 p.m. in the area of the Bliss Salon; on Thursday at 3:13 p.m. caller said she received a telephone call from someone claiming to be from the IRS at 240-848-7050 but is convinced it’s a scam. Woman with two young children called on Thursday at 4:19 p.m. to say she was at the park and is afraid to walk to her car because of turkeys. Officer assisted family back to the car.

NAHANT

Citizens Assisted

Police report of citizen assists on Flash Road on Wednesday at 1:55 p.m.; at the Nahant Housing Authority on Wednesday at 4:10 p.m.; of a gas odor on Nahant Road Wednesday at 8:32 p.m.

SAUGUS

Complaints

A building check was requested for the Oaklandvale Elementary School at 266 Main St. on Wednesday at 1:27 a.m.; police officers reported an unoccupied vehicle in the Dick’s Sporting Goods parking lot at the Square One Mall on Wednesday at 2:32 a.m. When they ran the plates, they discovered the green GMC Envoy had revoked insurance. Car seized and impounded. On Wednesday at 4:28 a.m. caller reported a white male in a dark shirt riding a bike was looking into multiple vehicles near the Square One Mall at 455 Essex St. Four police officers spotted suspect and placed him under arrest.

BY BRIDGET TURCOTTE

LYNN — First they marched, now they’ll huddle.

The Lynn Huddle will meet on Wednesday at First Lutheran Church at 280 Broadway to construct a vision for transforming the energy they experienced at Women’s Marches all over the world into local and national action.

The members of the Lynn Huddle welcome new members who are interested in exchanging ideas, engaging in interesting conversation and planning for positive change. At the end of the meeting, they’ll also discuss “Hillbilly Elegy: A Memoir of a Family and a Culture in Crisis” by J.D. Vance.

The huddle begins at 7 p.m.

BY LEAH DEARBORN

LYNN — The school committee voted on Thursday to implement a pilot uniform policy at the Aborn and Callahan elementary schools.

Jared C. Nicholson, chair of the Ad Hoc Uniform Policy Sub-Committee, said the policy was authorized under principal direction for the 2017-2018 school year.

In March, principals Patricia Muxie and Brian Fay appeared before the committee to voice willingness for their schools to take part in a pilot program.

He said the only feedback the committee has received on the policy so far comes from a survey that was sent home with parents several months ago.

It was originally the comments of parents, however, that first brought the concept of implementing uniforms to the committee’s attention.

Nicholson said it’s a topic he’s been regularly asked about.

The design of the uniforms will be left up to the discretion of the principals and taking part in the program will be voluntary for students. Those who don’t wish to participate can choose to opt out.

“It’s been experiment-driven by parent feedback,” said Nicholson. He said there’s a lot to be learned from the pilot, which he called a thoughtful experiment.

BY THOMAS GRILLO

LYNN — With less than two months to go before the city budget is set, Mayor Judith Flanagan Kennedy said layoffs are not a sure thing.

“The budgets we’ve seen so far from department heads have not called for any city employee to lose their job,” she said.

Last month, the mayor instructed managers to level fund the 2018 budget which begins on July 1. In addition, she asked senior managers to absorb a 5 percent retroactive raise to city employees and another 2 percent increase set to take effect this summer to fill an $8 million budget gap.

The mayor’s remarks come on the heels of a financial report from a team of consultants who said the city should not issue raises after union contracts expire, freeze hiring, contract EMS services to a private company, and eliminate 35 city jobs.  

While Kennedy said her administration is already undertaking cost saving measures recommended by Philadelphia-based PFM Group in its 18-page review of the city’s finances, other suggestions won’t fly.

“Over the years, I have asked unions to take a zero increase, but it’s awfully difficult to do because they can appeal the Joint Labor-Management Committee for relief and they can impose whatever salary increases they think is fair,” she said. “The thought of people not getting a raise for five years doesn’t seem to be realistic.”

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

PHOTO BY THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
Kathrine Switzer holds up her original bib number as she answers a question during a media availability at the Copley Plaza Hotel near the Boston Marathon finish line Thursday.

By KATIE MORRISON

Fifty years ago, 20-year-old Kathrine Switzer became the first woman ever to compete in the Boston Marathon with an official number.

Though she tried to put one over on the race organizers by registering as “K.V. Switzer,” her ploy did not get past the late John Duncan “Jock” Semple, an athletic trainer who was also a race official.

Early in the race — around the 4-mile mark — Semple chased after Switzer and tried to snatch her No. 261 bib and remove her from the course. Her then-boyfriend, Tom Miller, pushed aside Semple and Switzer went on to complete the race.

The incident was captured in a picture made famous by the Boston Herald-Traveler’s Harry Trask.

Race officials later argued that by registering only with her first and middle initials, Switzer did not make it clear she was a woman. At the time, women were not permitted to run the race. One year earlier, Roberta “Bobbi” Gibb had run as a bandit (meaning she didn’t register, and didn’t have a number).

A half century after changing the landscape of the race, Switzer, 70, will be back in Hopkinton Monday morning, getting ready to run it again.

With the story of her groundbreaking run back at the forefront of the running world, Switzer is inspiring the generation of runners for whom she paved the way.

Peabody’s Jackie Kurkowski, 34, said prior to this year, she hadn’t read much about Switzer’s story. But when she did, it struck a chord with her.

“If she didn’t try to run, I might not be able to today,” Kurkowski, who will be running her third Boston Marathon Monday, said. “Someone has to be the first. She fought back, she set the benchmark, and I’m thankful she did.”

Nahant’s Ellen Goldberg, 48, felt a personal connection to the story as well.

“I was born in 1968, a little over a year after she ran,” Goldberg said, remarking that because of Switzer, she never knew a world when women couldn’t participate in the race.

“She had to fight for the right to run. That picture of her running, with (Semple) trying to pull her off the course? That’s an amazing photo.

“She was just going to keep going,” Goldberg said, referencing some of the famous photos of the altercation between her, Semple and Miller.

Lynn’s Hazel Boyd, who will run Boston for the fourth time Monday, is no stranger to male-dominated fields, having a military background and currently working in the healthcare field.

Boyd knows all about Switzer’s story and she’s even met her before. Switzer’s accomplishments are not lost on her.
“If you’re a female runner, you know she’s a legend, she’s the one that broke the glass ceiling to give us all the opportunity to run,” Boyd, 37, said. “I think it’s evident in some places where we’ve made huge strides in a society, like being more accepting of female athletes and things of that nature.

“It was just a few years ago that the military allowed women in combat,” Boyd added, referring to the removal of the ban on women engaging in combat in the American military in 2013. “It’s a gradual thing for equality as long as people like Switzer aren’t held back because of their gender, we can continue to progress.”

This year at Boston, Switzer will run in an atmosphere wildly different than that of the 1967 race. Instead of being unwelcome, Switzer will be celebrated. The Boston Athletic Association said Thursday that Switzer’s No. 261 will be retired Monday. It is only the second number retired by the Boston Marathon (the only other one being No. 61, which signifies John Kelly’s 61 races).

Boyd said Switzer will undoubtedly receive some of the loudest cheers along the course Monday.

“(They) are warranted,” she said. “It’s a beautiful thing and I will definitely participate,” she said.

And this time, Switzer will run alongside thousands of other women. Fifty years ago, she was the sole representative of her gender; last year, a little less than half of the 30,000 participants were female (14,112).

Local runners say it’s an honor to run alongside the pioneer.

“If I came upon her, I would just say ‘thank you,’” Goldberg said. “Would I have the courage you need to run a marathon where you knew you weren’t wanted? I’d like to think I would, but I don’t know.”

“I’ll be screaming for her. I’ll tell her ‘thanks for paving the way,’” Boyd said. “It’s an extra motivating tactic. I won’t even be thinking about walking.”

Kurkowski said she just found out Switzer was running again this year, and hopes she gets to see her. But even moreso, she’s excited about the next generation learning about Switzer’s story.

“A lot of kids on the sidelines want high fives, and it’s cool that they’re going to get to see her, whether they realize who it is or not, someone around them will,” Kurkowski said. “They can tell them that the lady they just gave a high five to ran 50 years ago so other women would be able to. It’s a big deal.”

Switzer is still inspiring women, not just for breaking the barrier, but for coming back 50 years later and showing that running is a lifelong sport.

Goldberg said that while she feels immense gratitude for helping to create a world in which women were equal in the race, the fact that Switzer is running at 70 is an inspiration in itself.

“She’s showing it’s possible to run at any age,” Goldberg, who is getting ready for her eighth consecutive time running Boston, said.

The women believe Switzer’s historic run is still just as relevant today, and has served as motivation for women to keep pushing the limits.

“I do believe there are still people who feel that women shouldn’t do certain things, or that they shouldn’t be running,” Kurkowski said. “There will always be someone who feels that women shouldn’t. But we prove we are able to do it and we belong out on the course and have a right to run for any cause or reason.”

Katie Morrison can be reached at kmorrison@itemlive.com.

ITEM PHOTO BY OWEN O’ROURKE
From left, Caitlin Foley and Kayla Magwood carry the cross from Short Beach to St. Thomas Church during the annual Hunger for Justice retreat.

By BRIDGET TURCOTTE

NAHANT — Hundreds of teens gathered at Short Beach Friday afternoon to kick off a 40-hour mission to honor the sacrifices made by Jesus Christ.

“A lot of people think Easter can be boring but when you pray and do service projects, it can be a lot of fun,” said Jack Carroll, a St. Mary’s junior.

High school students have participated in the Hunger for Justice retreat for 20 years; St. Mary’s of Lynn has hosted the event for about a decade, said Grace Cotter Regan, St. Mary’s head of school. It focuses on service and prayer while celebrating the Triduum, a three-day period in the liturgical calendar from Holy Thursday to Easter Sunday.

The event started with a prayer service and a skit by St. Mary’s students on the beach. The students then marched to St. Thomas Church, carrying a cross and praying the Sorrowful Mysteries of the Rosary for a Good Friday service and a veneration of the cross. They then went to St. Mary’s for their Last Supper before fasting for 30 hours to allow them to focus less on their bodies and, instead, connect with the spiritual.

The meal was followed by games, prayer and team building activities. Finally, they were issued cardboard boxes to use as their homes for the night.

The primary focus of the retreat is the homeless experience, according to St. Mary’s website. Attendees build and spend the night in the gymnasium in the home they create using only cardboard.

After waking up this morning, the students were bused to Boston to hand out food, drinks, socks, hats, and gloves to the homeless behind the Franciscan Shrine on Arch Street and at the Pine Street Inn.

“I think the best part is that you get the experience of having absolutely nothing so the next day it means more,” said Elizabeth Weisse, a St. Mary’s senior.

After returning to the North Shore, they are expected to split up into groups to complete several hours of community service in a variety of forms; some will volunteer at food pantries, family homes, and homeless shelters. Others will clean, do yard work, and organize food and clothing donations.

The participants are seeking sponsors for each hour of the fast. Proceeds will go to Haiti180, a mission that has built a school, orphanage, and a home for the elderly, and is currently building a medical clinic benefitting the Haitian villages of Duverger and Dan Dann.

Bridget Turcotte can be reached at bturcotte@itemlive.com. Follow her on Twitter @BridgetTurcotte.

PHOTO AND VIDEO BY MARK LORENZ
Jesus, portrayed by Juan Carlos Marin, carries the cross along the Lynn Common during the annual Good Friday procession.

By LEAH DEARBORN

LYNN — It was Juan Carlos Marin’s first time playing Jesus in the annual Passion of Jesus Christ procession that set off from Lynn Common on Good Friday.

Because Jesus’ makeup takes the most time of any of the actors to apply, Marin, 19, started getting ready in a residence near the Common at 8 a.m.

Speaking as St. Joseph’s Church parishioner Marlene Lara applied skin tears and whip marks, Marin said he fasted throughout Lent as part of his preparation for the role, eating only one small meal per day. Still, he said he would do it all again.

“It means life,” said Marin in response to a question about the personal significance of Easter. “It means for us, heaven was opened.”

Preparations for the Good Friday procession, which lasts over an hour and involves nearly 140 people, began back in mid-January with practice held every weekend, said volunteer organizer Dora Garcia.

Hundreds of spectators gathered in spring sunlight for the event at the Frederick Douglass Bandstand, some clutching crucifixes or framed prints of the Virgin Mary.

Rehearsal started early Friday at St. Joseph’s Parish Hall on Union Street. Jose Deleon, 13, played one of the Roman soldiers who later arrived at the Common via a truck and followed Jesus as he carried a cross down the street.

Deleon, whose father also took part in the procession, said he was participating to get other people his age more involved with church events.

The procession has been taking place for approximately 15 years, said Garcia. For many families in the city, it’s become a tradition.

Garcia translated from Spanish for William Chavez, who was dressed in a burlap as the thief executed beside Jesus.

“First of all, I wanted to participate in this very special day. It means a lot to me and my family,” said Chavez.

PHOTO BY BOB ROCHE
Juan Sossa looks to make a clearing pass to the outside during Saturday’s friendly game with Boston at Manning Field.

By STEVE KRAUSE

LYNN –The Lynn United men’s soccer team is going upscale.

Team CEO Eric Moreno said the team, which had been playing at the amateur level with the Massachusetts State Soccer League, has accepted a berth in the Champions Soccer League USA — a semipro organization with teams throughout New England.

“The opportunity was presented to us, and we started looking into it,” said Moreno, during a break in the action at Saturday night’s “friendly” at Manning Field with the Boston Siege. “We liked how it sounded, and we accepted.”

Moreno said the team had two tryouts and had close to 100 applicants. Of the team he picked, an overwhelming majority of them come from Lynn, with players also coming from Peabody, Salem and as far away as Lowell.

There are  lot of names on this team that should be familiar to soccer fans who followed the sport at the high school level in recent years. Among them are Salvador Castro, Abitalib Girdia, Yabesi Musema and Dami Dada, all of whom played for Lynn Classical; Francisco Franco (Lynn Tech), King Agbedun (English) and Moreno’s son, Eric, who played for Bishop Fenwick and Salem State.

Musema played in the Lynn Youth Soccer association, and his U18 team won two state championships. At Classical, Musema was a three-time Northeastern Conference all-star, the Rams won three league titles, and he was the league MVP. He was also a Daily item Player of the Year.

“Right now,” the younger Moreno said, “we’re in the fourth tier (of the semipro level). This is something similar to the North Shore Navigators (Futures Collegiate Baseball League) and the North Shore Generals (a Triple-A-level team in the New England Football League).”

In addition to some of the local talent, Moreno has signed players who spent most of their younger years in a country where soccer is more prevalent than it is up here.

Among them are Carlos Garcia, a winger, who is actually a returnee from last year’s club. Garcia was born in Boston, but raised in Honduras. When he came to Lynn, Moreno signed him up with his team.

German Fuentes, a midfielder-defender, began playing at a young age in El Salvador. When he came to the United States to pursue an education, he enrolled at Bunker Hill Community College, where he plans to play this fall. He has hopes of playing Division 1 soccer eventually.

Midfielder Juan Sossa’s career began in Colombia, where he played in several leagues. He caught the eye of Lynn United scouts during a local tournament, and they signed him to play. He is another returnee.

Another player Moreno is high on is defender Gabriel Rojas Perez, who began his soccer career in high school in Venezuela. Afterward he played in a third-division team in Venezuela before going to St. Thomas University in the United States. He then transferred to Colorado State.

After graduating, Rojas Perez played for Greater Lowell United, and then last season for Mass. United FC in the American Soccer League.

Moreno sees Rojas-Perez as a field general who will help mold the team together.

Agbedun was born in Nigeria, where he developed in interest in soccer at an early age. By the time he came to Lynn, he was a two-time league all-star in the Northeastern Conference, and was the Bulldogs’ captain his senior year.

Saturday night at Manning Field, the Lynn United team got a chance to stretch its legs a little in a friendly with the Boston Siege, also part of the CSL, and won, 6-2. The team plays for keeps beginning Saturday, April 29, at Manning Field against the Rockingham (N.H.) Rangers.

LYNN — Ethel M. (Whitcomb) Clifford, 91, a resident of Lynn for more than 60 years, passed away suddenly on Thursday, April 13, at Salem Hospital.

Ethel was the beloved wife of the late Donald Clifford, with whom she shared more than 39 years of marriage. She was the loving mother of Joanne Perlino and her husband, Carl of Lynn, and the late Janet Adams; the mother-in-law of Melvin Adams of California; the cherished grandmother of Staci Price and her husband, Jason of Texas, Kathy Parker and her husband, Frank of Lynn, and Anne and Jessica Adams of California; the adoring great-grandmother of Emily, Lucian, Jake, Aaron, Randy, Haley, Chance, Hunter, Elias, Natalie, Matthew and Adrian; the dear sister of the late Mattie, Thelma, Minnie, Vera, Virgil, Mamie, Ellen, and Lewis. She also lovingly leaves behind Ronald Bourne of California, whom she loved as a son, many nieces and nephews, extended family and close friends.

Ethel was born in Waldo, Maine, on May 4, 1925, the daughter of the late Albert and Sadie (Cross) Whitcomb. She was a graduate of Crosby High School, Class of 1945, Belfast, Maine. Always a hard worker, she was employed as a finisher for Margin Sportswear and then Domenico, Inc. until her retirement. She was a member of the International Ladies Garment Union. She was also a member of the Saugus Senior Center and enjoyed their many trips and spent many afternoons playing bingo. She also loved to crochet for others and make puzzles with her grandchildren. She loved spending time with her entire family, most especially the “spoil” nights when her great-grandchildren would stay over.

Service information: Ethel’s funeral service will be held on Thursday, April 20, at 11 a.m. in the CUFFE-McGINN Funeral Home, 157 Maple St., Lynn. Burial will follow at Puritan Lawn Memorial Park, Peabody. Relatives and friends are invited. Visiting hours will be held on Wednesday, April 19, from 4-7 p.m. at the funeral home. In lieu of flowers, please donate to your favorite charity in Ethel’s memory. For the online guestbook please visit Cuffemcginn.com.

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

Allison Avagianos, 35, was arrested and charged with receiving a stolen motor vehicle at 4:56 a.m. Sunday.

Ieisha Clements, 34, was arrested and charged with receiving a stolen motor vehicle and operating with a revoked license as a habitual traffic offender at 4:52 a.m. Sunday.

Cecilia Gutierrez, 20, of 34 Tudor St., was arrested and charged with operation of a motor vehicle with a suspended license, assault and battery on a police officer, resisting arrest and drug possession with intent to distribute at 6:02 a.m. Sunday.

Patrick Lynch, 48, of 58 Estes St., was arrested and charged with trash/litter, Class B drug possession, Class C drug possession, Class E drug possession and destruction of property at 11:24 a.m. Sunday.

Theodore Meserve, 26, of 282A Bryant St., Malden, was arrested on warrant charges of two counts of operation of a motor vehicle with a suspended license and unregistered motor vehicle at 11:51 p.m. Friday.

Diane Nelson, 47, of 156 Linwood St., was arrested and charged with disorderly conduct and assault and battery on a police officer at 10:11 a.m. Sunday.

Ronald Spraglin, 29, of 508 E 27th Ave., Pine Bluff, Arkansas, was arrested and charged with unlicensed operation of a motor vehicle at 4:05 p.m. Saturday.

David Torres, 27, was arrested and charged with violation of the open container law and on warrant charges of three counts of trespassing at 9:59 a.m. Sunday.

Lawrence Walker, 45, of 134 Williams Ave., was arrested and charged with operation of a motor vehicle with a suspended license, unregistered motor vehicle, uninsured motor vehicle/trailer, number plate violation to conceal and Class B drug possession at 11:49 p.m. Friday.

Accidents

A report of a motor vehicle accident at 1:59 p.m. Friday at Hood and Spencer streets; at 5:19 p.m. Friday at Broad and Market streets; at 10:41 p.m. Friday at 608 Western Ave.; at 10:55 p.m. Friday at Brightwood Terrace and Essex Street; at 10:55 p.m. Friday on James Street; at 2:58 a.m. Saturday at 428 Broadway; at 12:42 p.m. Saturday at Walgreens at 21 Joyce St.; at 1:32 p.m. Saturday at 36 Walden St.; at 3:44 p.m. Saturday at PriceRite at 395 Lynnway; at 4:32 p.m. Saturday at 23 Linwood Road; at 5:03 p.m. Saturday at Shaw’s Supermarket at 43 State St.; at 6 p.m. Saturday at 85 O’Callaghan Way; at 10:17 p.m. Saturday at 18 Rockingham St.; at 3:07 a.m. Sunday at 44 Cherry St.; at 5:20 a.m. Sunday at 129 Empire St.; at 6:10 a.m. Sunday at 41 Laighton St.

A report of a motor vehicle accident with personal injury at 2:13 p.m. Friday at McDonald’s at 567 Lynnway; at 3:51 p.m. Saturday at 796 Boston St.

A report of a motor vehicle hit and run accident at 5:27 a.m. Saturday at 190 Hamilton Ave.; at 2:13 a.m. Sunday at 39 New Park St.

Assaults

A report of an assault and battery at 10:29 p.m. Friday on Circuit Avenue.

Breaking and Entering

A report of a breaking and entering at 7:48 a.m. Sunday at 104 Newhall St.

Complaints

A report of a disturbance at 3:37 p.m. Friday at 501 Washington St.; at 4:46 p.m. Friday at 381 Western Ave.; at 6:49 p.m. Friday at 50 Western Ave.; at 7:52 p.m. Friday at 201 Essex St.; at 8:03 p.m. Friday at 201 Essex St.; at 11:52 p.m. Friday at 30 Surfside Road; at 12:32 a.m. Saturday at 104 Newhall St.; at 1:43 a.m. Saturday at 30 Franklin St.; at 6:46 a.m. Saturday on Lafayette Park; at 8:02 a.m. Saturday on Essex Circle; at 3:43 p.m. Saturday at 100 Willow St.; at 4:19 p.m. Saturday at 307 Eastern Ave.; at 5:41 p.m. Saturday at 409 Lynnway; at 8:53 p.m. Saturday at 164 Essex St.; at 11:49 p.m. Saturday at Knights of Columbus Hall at 177 Lynnfield St.; at 12:07 a.m. Sunday at 88 Mall St.; at 1:06 a.m. Sunday at Boston and Cedar streets; at 1:40 a.m. Sunday at 856 Western Ave.; at 3:40 a.m. Sunday at 856 Western Ave.; at 3:57 a.m. Sunday at 9 Salem St.; at 4:03 a.m. Sunday at 209 Fayette St.

A report of a gunshot at 7:25 p.m. Friday at 25 Hamilton Ave.; at 2:50 a.m. Sunday at Sagamore and Washington streets.

Theft

A report of a larceny at 12:36 p.m. Friday at 2 Market St.; at 9:50 p.m. Friday on City Hall Square; at 11:18 a.m. Saturday at McDonald’s at 60 Boston St.; at 5:29 p.m. Saturday at 230 Broadway; at 8:19 p.m. Saturday at 123 Jefferson St.; at 2:51 a.m. Sunday at 6 Wardwell Ave.; at 8:06 a.m. Sunday at 4 Regent Place.  

A report of motor vehicle theft at 8:34 p.m. Saturday at 330 Lynnway.

Vandalism

A report of motor vehicle vandalism at 7:20 p.m. Friday at 44 Fernwood Ave.

A report of vandalism at 8:26 p.m. Friday at 55 Laighton St.; at 5:59 p.m. Saturday at 9 Evans Lane; at 12:53 a.m. Sunday at 154 Jenness St.

MARBLEHEAD

Accidents

A report of a motor vehicle accident at 5:30 p.m. Friday at Rockaway Avenue and Humphrey Street.

Breaking and Entering

A report of a shed broken into at 8:05 p.m. Saturday on Old Salem Road. A caller reported that the realtor dealing with his mother’s vacant house noticed the shed was broken into. He stated the broker didn’t think anything was taken and he was unsure himself.

Complaints

A report of baseballs hitting the house at 1:56 p.m. Saturday on Gerald Road. A caller complained that two baseballs had hit her house already that day. When there is a baseball game going on at the lower field at MHS, she is unable to use her yard for fear of falling baseballs. She said last year, two windows were shattered and the town paid to repair them. In the past, her son’s bedroom was shattered, along with her bedroom window. She was nervous because her kitchen window doesn’t have a screen. She stated she thinks there should be a tall net up along the length of the fence that parallels the tracks and will be in touch with the school department.

A report of a disturbance at 9:37 p.m. Saturday on Beach Street.

Theft

A report of a skateboard taken at 5:32 p.m. Saturday on Elm Street. A caller reported her son’s skateboard was taken while they were playing at the playground.

SWAMPSCOTT

Arrests

Franciely Pereira, 28, was arrested and charged with OUI liquor and motor vehicle lights violation at 2:35 a.m. Saturday.

Ariel Yoffe, 26, was arrested and charged with marked lanes violation, speeding, negligent operation of a motor vehicle and OUI liquor at 12:02 a.m. Saturday.

Accidents

A report of a motor vehicle accident at 2:25 p.m. Friday at Qdoba Mexican Eats at 1016 Paradise Road; at 3 p.m. Friday at 224 Salem St.; at 11:45 a.m. Saturday at Stop & Shop at 450 Paradise Road; at 2 p.m. Saturday at Fish House at 431 Humphrey St.

A report of a motor vehicle hit and run accident at 6:37 p.m. Saturday at Humphrey Street and Lynn Shore Drive.

Breaking and Entering

A report of a breaking and entering at 5:35 p.m. Friday at 19 Young Ave.

Complaints

A report of a disturbance at 12:15 p.m. Saturday at Eastern Bank at 405 Paradise Road; at 7:43 p.m. Saturday at Duncan Terrace and Superior Street.

Theft

A report of a larceny at 9:43 a.m. Saturday at 168 Humphrey St.

ITEM PHOTO BY JIM WILSON
Toree Morris, a 6-foot-11-inch former basketball center, sleeps on a cot in the Lynn Shelter, but he is looking to get back on his feet.

By THOMAS GRILLO

LYNN  —  When Toree Morris played basketball in Europe, he traveled first class, stayed in fancy hotels and dined like a king.

Today, the 6-foot-11-inch former center sleeps on a cot in the Lynn Shelter and isn’t sure where his next meal is coming from.

“I was living the dream,” said Morris, who turned 35 last week. “I had the glitz and the glam, but now I have to make do with table scraps.”

It wasn’t always that way.

Born in Iowa and raised in Oak Ridge, Tenn., Morris said he was introduced to basketball at age 12 by his father.

“I watched my dad play and I got hooked,” he said.

In high school, Morris was ranked among the nation’s Top 100 prospects by the Insiders Report and dubbed a “diamond in the rough” by a recruiter.

He holds his Tennessee high school’s record with nine blocked shots in a game and 150 of them in a single season. Morris, who attended Clinton High School, averaged 18 points, 10 rebounds and 4 blocks per game as a senior and helped Clinton to three consecutive district championships and a three-year record of 79-20.

“When I was a high school senior, I imagined playing pro ball,” he said. “In 12th grade, I went from 5-foot-9 to 6-foot-2.”

He caught the attention of dozens of colleges who tried to recruit him. He chose the University of Pittsburgh because he loved the Panthers, the city and the school, he said. His record from 2000-04 averaged 2.9 points and 2.6 rebounds in 131 games.

“I didn’t have a luxurious college career, but I was a big body and very athletic, so I had plays that people remembered,” he said. “Like the time Carmelo Anthony, who would later join the New York Knicks, tried to dunk on me and I blocked him.”

While a member of the Panthers, Morris played in March Madness, the National Collegiate Athletic Association tournament, three times.

“We never got to the Final Four, but it was great to play with a bunch of guys like that,” he said.  “I loved the camaraderie.”

While still trying to make a career of basketball, Morris played in 21 Euroleague games from 2003-5. The league features top-tier-level professional players in competition.

In 2005, Morris got a shot at the NBA when he tried out for the Raptors. He was with the team for three weeks until he was released after accumulating six points along with six rebounds in five preseason games.

“It sucked,” he said of Toronto’s decision. “I was not a big scorer, that wasn’t my thing, I would guard anybody, get rebounds and score inside, but it wasn’t enough.”

He was later invited to the Boston Celtics Training Camp in Waltham for a tryout, Morris said. But he didn’t make the team.

A Celtics spokesman said he couldn’t find any record of Morris. “But that’s not unusual for guys to come in to be looked at for a few days and there would be no official record of it,” said Christian Megliola.

When the Celtics didn’t work out, it was party time, Morris said. He rented an apartment in Lynn, started hanging out late nights and got arrested several times.

“I fell out of love with basketball, starting drinking and, in 2008, had a knee injury,” he said. “All that alcohol hurt my lifestyle and made my joints deteriorate.”

In 2009, he served a six-month sentence at the Middlesex County Jail for assaulting his girlfriend.

“I pled guilty,” he said. “It wasn’t the end of the world being locked up, but when I got out I was stigmatized by what had happened, that I had put my hands on a woman.”  

After the conviction, he had a hard time finding work. He briefly sold Kirby vacuums, worked for a debt collection company and eventually found a job at the YMCA of Metro North in Lynn.

Audrey Jimenez, executive director of the Y, said three years ago she was brainstorming with staff about how they needed a strong trainer.

“At that very moment, Toree showed up and told us of his skills and certifications and we said ‘We will hire you right now,’ ” she said. “It was like he fell from the sky.”

Morris made a huge impact as a personal trainer at the fitness center, Jimenez said, members liked him and his approach to getting in shape.

“He mentored our members and they took to him really well,” she said.  “He can train and work you out like no other, he has a gift.”

But a year after he was hired, Morris and the Y parted ways.  Jimenez said he wasn’t ready for a traditional 9-to-5 job and had difficulty with the organization’s chain of command.

“He was an inconsistent worker,” she said. “But I liked him personally very much and we all wish him the best.”

The job loss led to getting evicted and becoming homeless.

Morris said he is close to getting an apartment and finding a job. He is working with the state’s Massachusetts Rehabilitation Commission to launch a new career.

“I don’t drink anymore, but I do smoke weed, but I’ve been thinking of quitting,” he said. “I’m hopeful for my future.”

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

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

Timothy Taylor, of 7 Rantoul Ave., was arrested on warrant charges of two counts of armed robbery and larceny from person at 11:13 a.m. Monday.

Karen Vasquez, 29, of 130 Lewis St., was arrested and charged with assault and battery, disorderly conduct and resisting arrest at 12:18 a.m. Monday.

Accidents

A report of a motor vehicle hit and run accident at 12:34 p.m. Sunday at 5 Lowell St.; at 4:20 a.m. Monday at 19 Lafayette Park; at 12:50 p.m. Monday at 177 Chatham St.

A report of a motor vehicle accident with personal injury at 2:06 p.m. Sunday at 307 Curwin Circle; at 11:08 p.m. Sunday at Holyoke and Myrtle streets; at 12:16 a.m. Monday at 15 Parkland Ave.; at 11:44 a.m. Monday at 546 Lynnfield St.

A report of a motor vehicle accident at 3:11 p.m. Sunday at 26 Waitt Road; at 3:15 p.m. Sunday at Broad and Green streets; at 4:16 p.m. Sunday at 559 Western Ave.; at 10:01 p.m. Sunday at Adams and Rockaway streets; at 10:23 a.m. Monday at Nahant Rotary at 1 Lynnway.

Assaults

A report of an assault at 12:53 p.m. Monday on Western Avenue.

Breaking and Entering

A report of a breaking and entering at 7:48 a.m. Sunday at 104 Newhall St.

A report of a motor vehicle breaking and entering at 7:43 a.m. Monday at 28 Lincoln St.

Complaints

A report of a disturbance at 10:57 a.m. Sunday at 58 Estes St.; at 6:07 p.m. Sunday at 161 Broad St.; at 12 a.m. Monday at 85 Alley St.; at 1:20 a.m. Monday at 35 Washington St.; at 1:21 a.m. Monday at 124 Central Ave.; at 1:26 a.m. Monday at 137 Broad St.; at 2:20 a.m. Monday at Tech Field at 80 Neptune Blvd.; at 4:03 a.m. Monday at 29A Mall St.; at 2:44 p.m. Monday at 751 Lynnway.

A report of a gunshot at 3:09 p.m. Sunday at 25 Exchange St.; at 5:33 p.m. Sunday at 75 Marion St.

Overdose

A report of an overdose at 8:19 p.m. Sunday on Farrar Street; at 10:14 p.m. Sunday on Lockwood Road; at 12:59 p.m. Monday at Greystone Park and Lynn Shore Drive.

Theft

A report of a larceny at 8:06 a.m. Sunday at 4 Regent Place; at 12:08 p.m. Sunday at 149 Walnut St.; at 9:22 a.m. Monday at 108 Gardiner St.; at 1:26 p.m. Monday at 780 Lynnway.

Police log: 04-17-2017

MARBLEHEAD

Complaints

A report of a couple all over each other at 7 p.m. Sunday on Ocean Avenue. A caller reported he witnessed a couple “all over each other and exposing themselves in the process.” He wanted someone to check it out and have them stop. The couple appeared to be in their late teens. Police reported the couple was leaving the beach and nothing was going on.

A report of a man hiding behind a tree at 10:38 p.m. Sunday on Pleasant Street. A caller reported he could “see a man hiding behind a tree and he has no business being there.”

A report of tapping at the door at 2:10 a.m. Monday on Locust Street. A caller reported hearing tapping sounds at the front or her back of her residence. She didn’t see anyone. She went downstairs and turned the lights on, and the tapping sounds continued. Police spoke with the resident and reported it was a skunk.

PEABODY

Arrests

Kelley Lyn Guillette, 43, of 33 St Anns Ave., was arrested and charged with operation of a motor vehicle with a suspended license and failure to wear a seat belt at 1:08 p.m. Friday.

Walter Maldonado, 40, of 136 Denson St., Apt. 1, Lynn, was arrested and charged with unlicensed operation of a motor vehicle at 6:34 a.m. Saturday.

Accidents

A report of a motor vehicle accident at 2:04 p.m. Friday at Bank of America at 189 Andover St.; at 5:40 p.m. Friday at Petco at 10 Sylvan St.; at 6:33 p.m. Friday at 23 Driscoll St.; at 9:02 p.m. Friday at Main and Foster streets. One person was taken to Salem Hospital; at 9:32 a.m. Saturday at 2 Walnut St. and 3 Central St.; at 11:50 a.m. Saturday at 39 Cross St.; at 10:44 a.m. Sunday at Four Season Cleaners at 37 Margin St.; at 3:38 p.m. Sunday at CVS at 637 Lowell St.; at 5:19 p.m. Sunday at Wendy’s on Dearborn Road; at 11:23 p.m. Sunday at 9 Driscoll St.

Assaults

A report of an assault and battery at 1:43 a.m. Monday on Walnut Street.

Breaking and Entering

A report of a breaking and entering at 12:18 p.m. Saturday at 4 Forest St. Bryson Poland, 21, of 27 Union St., Apt. 1, Hillsboro, New Hampshire, was summoned for malicious destruction of property and nighttime building breaking and entering for a felony.

Complaints

A report of a disturbance at 1:10 p.m. Friday at Four Star Service at 134R Newbury St.; at 8 p.m. Friday at 44 Holten St. and 6 Pleasant St.; at 8:09 p.m. Friday at 5 Pleasant St.; at 10:03 p.m. Friday at 5 Bragg St.; at 8:23 p.m. Saturday at 1 Belfast St. A distraught woman reported she had some money missing. Amber Marie Williams, 23, of 271 Chatham St., Apt. 2, Lynn, was summoned for unarmed robbery and larceny from person; at 9:20 p.m. Saturday at Carraba’s Restaurant at 1A Newbury St. A caller reported being involved in a fight with his coworker. Joshua S. Silva, 27, of 34 Riverview Road, Gloucester, was summoned for two counts of assault and battery; at 9:42 p.m. Saturday at 2 Market St. and 115 Russell St.; at 1:24 a.m. Sunday at 111 Foster St.; at 4:18 a.m. Sunday on Hardy Street; at 8:46 p.m. Sunday at Mobile Estates at 286 Newbury St.; at 9:07 p.m. Sunday at 89 Endicott St.; at 10:13 p.m. Sunday at 10 Holten St.; at 12:50 a.m. Monday at Plaza Motel at 125 Newbury St.; at 5:28 a.m. Monday at Walgreens at 229 Andover St.; at 5:31 a.m. Monday at 34 Sherman St.; at 5:48 a.m. Monday at Pilgrim Rehabilitation & Skilled Nursing Center at 96 Forest St.

A report of suspicious activity at 6:07 p.m. Friday at Peabody House at 18 Walnut St. A caller reported a suspicious “bucket” in the lobby. Police reported an officer had already removed the bucket; at 4:19 p.m. Sunday at Tedeschi Food Shops at 598 Lowell St. A caller reported that a man was reaching for something inside. The caller reported being nervous because of they thought it might have been a gun based on the actions of the person; at 7:38 p.m. Sunday at 7 Hilltop Drive. A caller reported an ongoing issue regarding youths in the neighborhood hitting his fence was lacrosse balls.

Overdose

A report of an overdose at 11:36 p.m. Friday on Overlook Trail. Police reported the person overdosed on sleeping pills and was taken to Salem Hospital.

Theft

A report of a larceny at 3:27 p.m. Friday at Puritan Lawn Cemetery at 185 Lake St. A caller reported a bronze vase was stolen from her father’s grave site; at 1:36 p.m. Saturday at Puritan Lawn Cemetery at 185 Lake St.; at 9:31 p.m. Sunday at Sunoco at 144 Newbury St. A caller reported a wallet was stolen. A wallet containing two credit cards, along with $500 was stolen.

SWAMPSCOTT

Assaults

A report of an assault at 9:39 p.m. Sunday on Cherry Street.

Vandalism

A report of vandalism at 10:29 p.m. Sunday at 33 Cherry St.

A report of motor vehicle vandalism at 6:30 a.m. Monday at 500 Puritan Road.