Free Republic

MARBLEHEAD, Mass. -- It's still OK to use leaf blowers in Marblehead. Town Meeting members on Tuesday voted 285-211 to defeat a partial ban on the yard maintenance devices. Christopher Bergonzi had at first proposed a complete ban on leaf blowers, saying their emissions were a public health risk. He compared leaf blower emissions to second-hand smoke. But he later amended that, proposing a ban on gas-powered leaf blowers between May 15 and Sept. 15, while still allowing the use of battery-powered and electric leaf blowers. The Daily Item reports that resident Edward Friedman questioned Bergonzi's scientific research and said...

If you're running a leaf blower, some people in Marblehead want you to reconsider the rake. They've even put the issue on the warrant for the May 7 Town Meeting. The proposed article says simply, "To see if the town will ban the use of leaf blowers in the Town of Marblehead or take any other action relative thereto." Some supporters have suggested the wording be amended on the floor to merely limit leaf blowing. Noise is the main objection to leaf blowers, although there are other drawbacks touching on health and the environment. Getting rid of the noise, said...

MARBLEHEAD — Abbot Hall will host the new documentary "Gerrymandering" on Dec. 9. What's more, the selectmen agreed to waive the usual $450 fee for use of the hall. The event will be sponsored by the Marblehead Museum and Historical Society. After all, this film, which has already won critical acclaim across the country, is a tribute to the craftiness of Marbleheaders. Patriot, former governor and former vice president Elbridge Gerry is often painted as the originator of the practice of gerrymandering, which involves redrawing legislative district lines — often into bizarre shapes —to maximize the clout of your supporters....

Attitude strikes a nerve with the judge SALEM — When police found 22-year-old Taylor Jackson hiding near the scene of her wrecked car early yesterday morning, they say Jackson made one thing clear: "I'm not going to get arrested from a (expletive) Salem cop," Jackson allegedly told officers. "I'm from Marblehead." Police arrested her anyway, and Jackson was in Salem District Court yesterday to face charges of drunken driving and leaving the scene of a property damage accident. She also got a lecture from the judge. "If you were my daughter, I'd leave you in jail for the weekend," Judge...

Some Say Work Is Racist MARBLEHEAD, Mass. -- This week's opening of a new, multimillion-dollar high school in Marblehead has been overshadowed by a work of art that greets visitors and students. NewsCenter 5's Rhondella Richardson reported that the sculpture is supposed to depict Joseph Brown, a local black man who fought in the Revolutionary War. But critics said it presents a racist image. "[Students] think it's racist," Metco director Elaine Munn said. "Other students have said, 'It looks like a monkey, and we are not monkeys. We did not come out of trees.' Other students have said that it's...