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Sad final curtain for North Shore Music Theatre
Posted on June 18, 2009 by wwaters
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The closing for good of the North Shore Music Theatre is sad indeed. Beverly Citizen editor Wendall Waters worked in the restaurant at NSMT some 30 years ago. That was one of her first jobs, and she loved it, bussing tables while singers performed. There are countless thousands of people who have fond memories of NSMT. But, what does its closing say about the economy, changing views on musical theatre or even the management of NSMT in particular?
Animal cruelty in Beverly
Posted on June 10, 2009 by wwaters
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The Mass. Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals has brought charges against James Dooling III, who has been breeding cats at his 32 Roundy St. property.
The MSPCA actually filed charges, two counts of animal cruelty, back in February. Since then, the organization has seized approximately 25 cats and kittens, including those taken this week from the property. On Sunday and then again on Tuesday, MSPCA officials working on court orders seized cats from the premises.
Dooling, 76, has been breeding cats at the building, which is just off Rantoul Street near Walgreens. According to court documents dated June 10, 2009, his cats “have suffered from prolonged herpes infections leading to said cats being severely ill and blind. Neglect of said animals has resulted in loss of limbs and death due to improper breeding conditions.”
Dooling is due is due back in court June 19 to answer charges that he violated the pretrial probation conditions set down in the MSPCA case, including “a prohibition upon breeding, abusing or neglecting animals during the pendency of this matter.”
On just the two counts, Dooling could be sentenced to a maximum of $2,500 in fines and five years in prison.
Conditions at the building have been called atrocious and it has been condemned by the city.
Are early retirements good fiscal policy?
Posted on June 4, 2009 by wwaters
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Mayor Bill Scanlon recently announced the retirement of 14 city workers who took advantage of a $10,000 one-time cash bonus to retire by June 30. But, not everyone thinks offering the bonuses to get people to retire is good fiscal policy, especially given what the city pays in retirement benefits each year. What do you think? Did Scanlon make a good decision?
WICKED LOCAL POLL: Which of the following comments would you most like to direct to former VP dick Cheney?
Posted on May 18, 2009 by wwaters
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WICKED LOCAL POLL: What do you think is in store for newspapers?
Posted on May 4, 2009 by wwaters
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Nothing new on school budget
Posted on March 27, 2009 by dmacalpine
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Citizen correspondent Kim Trigilio reports nothing new on the school budget from Thursday night’s School Committee meeting.
The committee is still waiting for further word on state funding before making any real progress on next year’s school budget.
Cahill done before he begins?
Posted on March 24, 2009 by dmacalpine
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State Treasurer Tim Cahill has been flinging darts and shooting arrows at Gov. Deval Patrick and his fiscal policies at every opportunity for past year or so.
Clearly, Cahill has his sights set on a run for governor himself.
Yet, an ethics probe into Cahill’s awarding a $21 million state lottery contract to a company may cut off a Cahill gubernatorial run off at the knees.
Reports say Cahill awarded the contract over his top aides’ objections to a company that was secretly paying a Cahill friend consulting fees.
Regardless of the probe’s outcome, the report will make an Cahill run much more difficult. Given the need to raise money early on, the probe will certainly keep big donors away until or if the cloud clears. Any fundraising delay could prove fatal.
Given AIG, former Speaker of the House Sal DiMasi’s resignation over ethics problems and some movement on new ethics legislation on Beacon Hill, it’s doubtful donors will flock to Cahill.
Patrick has his own problems, awarding a $175,000-a-year job to a political ally and his transportation secretary’s sister holding a legislative aide job for six months with no legislator to aide.
Those issues make the Patrick administration look bad, but they’re not ethical violations, nor do they link Patrick to any undo influence by a company in exchange for “consulting fees” or campaign contributions.
Cahill can’t make the same claim.
One wonders exactly how this story broke — perhaps Patrick does have a steel fist somewhere under his velvet glove?
Desperately seeking spring
Posted on March 20, 2009 by dmacalpine
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There’s still ice on the upper shoe pond. A few piles of blackened, crusty snow persist. The temperature in the upper 30s, topped off with a nice, stiff sea breeze giving the cold just the right cutting edge, feels more like January than March, the first day of spring.
But spring arrived today none the less.
Look a little harder and the signs are there.
Snowdrops in my back yard have popped and bloomed, white puffs against the brown, crumbled leaves and yellow grass.
And I’ve shaved my goatee, an annual first-day-of spring ritual. I grow it for winter, to protect against the cold on my runs. I know I still face tough days and cutting winds and keeping it a few more weeks would probably be more comfortable, but I cut on the first day of spring. An act of faith to appease the gods.
It’s not winter that makes a New Englander. It’s spring.
‘Copacabana’ looks like a fun show
Posted on March 12, 2009 by dmacalpine
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Had the chance to see the final dress rehearsal for the BHS production of “Copacabana,” which starts tonight, Thursday night, and run through Sunday at the Memorial Building auditorium.
Looks like a real fun show for the audience and like a ton of hard work for the students particitpating.
It still amazes me that the high school music department can pull off a musical every year. Every year it’s an ambitious project including a live pit orchestra of high school musicians, sets, lighting and, of course, an all-student cast.
“Copacabana” is no exception and features solo numbers for the leads and large dance numbers for the chorus as well. Everyone has a chance to shine. And with all the work the students put into the show, they shine brightly.
For a $7 ticket, it’s more than worth checking out. Have fun. And enjoy all the music and passion.
Salem Film Fest worth seeing
Posted on March 3, 2009 by dmacalpine
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Saw the film “Life. Support. Music.” at the Salem Film Festival this weekend and it was a rich and rewarding experience. The film traces the long, painful and loving recovery of guitarist Jason Crigler from a nearly fatal brain injury.
Others who’d seen other films were saying how difficult it was to rate the films because so many were of equally high quality.
The festival runs through Thursday, March 5 — it’s worth the trip over the bridge.
For more information go to: http://salemfilmfest.com/
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