The views expressed here are the author's own Please join us as author Alexis Prescott discusses her recent release The First Witches: Women of Power in the Classical World a book which provides a readable overview of how the Western witch originated So profound was the impact of the classical witch upon Western thought and literature that she even lives on today as a prototype of the gruesome woman found in folklore If you are a lover of literature and the history of witches Click here to register. RECORDING NOTE: This program will be recorded All registrants will receive the recording via email within 48 hours of the program The First Witches: Women of Power in the Classical World takes you on a journey into the world of Classical literature from the adventurous Homeric epic of the Odyssey to the grim warfare of Lucan’s De Bello Civili you will be introduced to a handful of powerful women who will later be labelled as “witches” The chapters focus upon two specific groups of women from the Graeco-Roman world: the divine Hecate and the formidable yet beautiful Circe and the nefarious Thessalian witches and Erictho who become marked antagonists in Roman literature Both Hecate and Circe are fundamentally divine they harbour characteristics that will become distinct tropes of witchcraft from being associated with the underworld lunar lore and dangerous transformative powers With the onset of increased social tensions in the late Roman Republican to early imperial periods these divine women become increasingly more demonised within the literature culminating in Hecate becoming a consort for witches and Circe a seductress and the epitome of the femme fatale Roman writers adopted a stock character within prose and verse of the hag-witch who was shocking in both appearance and character displaying many elements of moral turpitude and a disturbing penchant for bestial activities such as cannibalism and the kidnapping and killing of infants most commonly associated with the world of the modern witch hunts and within the pages of modern fairy tale provides a readable overview of how the Western witch originated This is why the studying and reading of classical works is so relevant today as it was for our forebears since the literature contains the very ingredients that help to captivate our imaginations and our fears The authors of the literature and the characters within it will continue to serve as powerful reminders of how the Western world came to be Alexis holds a BA and MA in Ancient History and PGCE in Classics from King's College London she worked as a cataloguer of Roman Republican coins at the British Museum for three years before moving into teaching Alexis has since been a Classics teacher for over 16 years and has specialised in the teaching of Ancient Greek and Roman epic poetry Roman Republican history and early Roman imperial history Alexis has a passionate interest in the representation of folkloric figures in the Classical world and the influences these representations have had upon western thought These interests will be explored in her forthcoming book "The First Witches: Women of power in the Classical World" to be published in spring 2025 Presented in collaboration with the Ashland Public Library and other area libraries Friday, 8:00 pmBeverly, MA 2025 at 11:47 am ET.css-79elbk{position:relative;}Early voting will run from 10 a.m MA — Danvers residents are invited to take part in early This will be the one day of early voting for the annual town election The last day to register to vote for the annual town election is also Saturday by 5 p.m (Scott Souza is a Patch field editor covering Beverly He can be reached at Scott.Souza@Patch.com Get more local news delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up for free Patch newsletters and alerts. 2025 at 10:55 am ET.css-79elbk{position:relative;}Nutrition Coordinator Jennifer Baker Director of Senior and Social Services Matthew Mitchell and Director of Land Use and Community Services Aaron Henry at the Stone Street Bistro MA — Danvers Senior Center members will have a new lunch option with the opening of the Stone Street Bistro The Bistro is a revitalization of the Danvers Council on Aging Café program led by Nutrition Coordinator Jennifer Baker The Bistro will initially be dine-in only on Wednesdays and Fridays from 11:30 a.m. to 12:45 p.m., featuring a monthly rotating menu. The menu can be found in the Oniontown Seniors' monthly newsletter here A survey that garnered more than 225 responses generated improvement suggestions and nutrition options offered The town also held a dedication ceremony for Rosana "Roz" Masse made a generous financial donation to the DCOA in support of nutrition programming A portion of those funds was used to purchase items for the initial Birstro relaunch The dedication is on the wall just outside the kitchen door in the Great Room for individuals to learn more about Masse 2025 at 12:29 pm ET.css-79elbk{position:relative;}SAFE grants fund trained firefighter-educators who provide age-appropriate fire and life safety education to the public MA — Students and seniors in Beverly and Danvers will learn valuable fire safety and carbon monoxide lessons through $18,000 in state grants awarded this week Joan Lovely (D-Salem) announced the Student Awareness of Fire Education and Senior SAFE grants with Beverly set to receive $7,200 in SAFE and $2,600 in Senior SAFE grants and Danvers set to receive $5,693.55 in SAFE and $2,371.85 in Senior SAFE grants "Fire safety is a fundamental of public safety and it is crucial that we are educating our most vulnerable populations on the best practices to keep them and their families safe," Lovely said "SAFE and Senior SAFE are key in these efforts providing training that prevents tragedies and saves lives." SAFE grants fund trained firefighter-educators who provide age-appropriate fire and life safety education to the public and protection education that increases in complexity with each grade level and other life safety education programs for older adults These programs may also include services like smoke and carbon monoxide alarm replacement Lovely's office said the SAFE grant program has been issued annually since 1995 and has been linked to a 79% decrease in child fire fatalities addresses the alarming number of older adults who are injured or killed in home fires 2025 at 2:49 pm ET.css-79elbk{position:relative;}The following is a Letter to the Editor submitted to Patch (Patch Graphics)The following is a Letter to the Editor submitted to Patch: MA — When my father was elected to his first term as the Danvers town moderator in 1966 there was talk of a Democrat (my father) running against a Republican (Bill Ardiff) and my father was subsequently reelected for 22 years in that role I never once heard mention of Democrat versus Republican or any other indication of political party or any other form of "special designation." And from that first election through my 49 years of attention the character of town politics has always remained clean and stable — nothing partisan but commitment to the value of conscientiously elected town I have known Gardner Trask for all of those years and have worked with him in government matters in the 11 of my 12 years as a member of the Select Board and collaboration among people working together for the common goal of the public interest the best interest for all of the citizens of Danvers I will vote for Gardner's reelection and ask people to consider his length of service to the town the fact that he knows the business of the town and has great institutional memory always voted in the best interest of all of us Nothing about politics has infected his service and I thank Gardner for his past service and willingness to continue 2025 at 10:37 am ET.css-79elbk{position:relative;}Gloucester Chief Administrator Jill Cahill will become the next town manager in Danvers pending successful contract negotiations after the Select Board unanimously chose to offer her the position out of a field of 31 candidates MA — Gloucester Chief Administrator Jill Cahill will become the next town manager in Danvers pending successful contract negotiations after the Select Board unanimously chose to offer her the position out of a field of 31 candidates on Tuesday night Cahill has served in that position since January 2022 and previously served Gloucester as its Community Development Director from 2017 to 2021 She is also the former Chief of Staff of State Sen She was one of two finalists to interview publicly for the position last week along with former Swampscott Town Administrator Sean Fitzgerald who left the town in October to become the town manager in Lexington "She shows honesty and integrity and is someone I feel we want for our town," Select Board member Maureen Bernard said in endorsing Cahill "Her commitment and passion for Gloucester I feel her commitment and passion will be here in Danvers too and the state and federal government is a benefit to Danvers Her involvement with the (Gloucester) schools implementing policies and programs will be another asset for our town "Her leadership will showcase Danvers as a place to live Select Board Chair Dan Bennett highlighted Cahill's references as one determining factor in her being the ultimate choice "She has the faith and respect of everyone who works for the city," he said "She does a great job of balancing different interests listening to people and trying to build bridges (a strength) was her ability to build relationships and actively listen to people with respect I chose Jill Cahill to be our next town manager." 2025 at 2:30 pm ET.css-79elbk{position:relative;}Camila Ferrer Gomez​ earned the $1,000 scholarship awarded to a North Shore graduating high school senior with particular emphasis on students interested in entering the health and wellness profession.​ (Shutterstock)DANVERS MA — An Essex North Shore High School senior from Danvers is the inaugural recipient of the Marblehead Counseling Center's Community Service Scholarship Camila Ferrer Gomez earned the $1,000 scholarship awarded to a North Shore graduating high school senior with particular emphasis on students interested in entering the health and wellness profession "I can't tell you how thrilled we are to announce Camila Ferrer Gomez of Danvers as the winner of our scholarship," said Ruth Ferguson We’re so proud to be able to recognize her hard work." the Marblehead Counseling Center has provided social and mental health services to families and individuals in the area Ferrer Gomez plans to attend Boston University this fall to study Biochemistry and Molecular Biology she works at a biopharmaceutical company that is in the middle of developing microbiome therapeutics for neurodegenerative diseases She said working in such a high-risk environment has taught her the importance of precision "It has also made me increasingly aware of healthcare disparities," she wrote in her application "and I am driven to address them in my career I aspire to promote access to medical advancements for underserved communities." Ferrer Gomez has also been a Massachusetts soccer state referee for three years she often faces discrimination on the field Ferrer Gomez recently met a young girl who was inspired by her to become a referee "It reaffirmed my commitment to officiating and advocating for female representation in the sport," she said She is now a mentor in the Danvers Youth Soccer Program and hopes to continue working for equal representation of women in male-dominated fields in the future Ferguson says it's a high point for the Center to be able to publicly recognize Ferrer Gomez and to help her begin her journey into medical science Ferguson notes that both Ferrer Gomez and Marblehead resident Anne Tassel-Todisco will be celebrated on May 1 at the Community Champions Celebration at the Beacon Restaurant in Marblehead Tickets to the event help support the ongoing work of MCC and its mission to provide affordable quality mental health care and social services to Marblehead and surrounding towns 2025 at 11:09 am ET.css-79elbk{position:relative;}The field of finalists to become the next Danvers town manager is down to two with public interviews and a potential Select Board vote on a new town manager set for Wednesday night MA — The field of finalists to become the next Danvers town manager is down to two with public interviews and a potential Select Board vote on a new town manager set for Wednesday night Gloucester Chief Administrative Officer Jill Cahill and former Swampscott Town Administrator Sean Fitzgerald are the remaining finalists after the third finalist Belmont Town Administrator Patrice Garvin withdrew from consideration to stay in Belmont The public interviews will be at the Danvers Senior Center beginning at 6:30 p.m with a possible vote on a successor to Steve Bartha either to follow the interviews or be held on Tuesday The interviews will be aired on DCAT on delay to preserve the integrity of the process for each candidate There were 31 applicants for the town manager position The selection process whittled the field to 11 candidates before the three finalists were revealed publicly at last Tuesday's Select Board meeting Cahil has served in that position since January 2022 and previously served that city as its Community Development Director from 2017 to 2021 Fitzgerald was the administrative leader in that town for seven years before stepping down in December in the final months leading up to the expiration of his contract He previously served as the town administrator in Plaistow NH for nine years and was the Chief of Staff in the Peabody Mayor's Office for seven years Fitzgerald also served as the MAPC Regional Services Coordinator from 1995 to 2001 2025 at 4:39 pm ET.css-79elbk{position:relative;}Candidates shared their thoughts on development —​ or overdevelopment in the town in several cases —​ as well as how to help create more housing without increasing density the town needs to take to meet its DEI challenges MA — The seven candidates vying for two spots on the Danvers Select Board in the upcoming annual town election delivered their thoughts on development equity and inclusion issues facing the town during a candidates' forum two weeks before the May 6 election Incumbent and current Select Board Chair Daniel Bennett Natalie Luca Fiore and Mark Lentine are the candidates in the crowded field Candidates shared their thoughts on development — or overdevelopment in the town in several cases — as well as how to help create more housing without increasing density "The most important issue is development," Bennett said "We need to have a better plan to have development along Endicott Street and Route 1 corridor rather than in our neighborhoods." Lentine was one of multiple candidates to criticize the scope and impact of the new Maple Square development "We can no longer allow any Maple Squares in the town of Danvers," said Lentine financial responsibility and employee retention as other important issues facing the town Trask cited his previous experience on town boards commissions and the Select Board as strengths as he seeks to return to the Board stability and a return to civility will be important to helping the town navigate the challenges ahead of it "We need to talk to each other respectfully and understand there is more than one side to every issue," he said "Good people can disagree without being disagreeable I think we have wavered away from that as of late." Franceshini advocated for "Select Board office hours" to increase communication as well as bringing in more businesses downtown while being wary of overdevelopment "We are building way too much right now," she said We don't have enough to serve the demographic we have now we are going to need to hire more police officers and we're going to need more equipment as well." Berich said development is the most frequent issue that he hears from speaking to residents He said that while he agrees with the need to comply with state law when it comes to the MBTA Communities Act which requires increased zoning for "by right" multi-family housing development for cities and towns within the MBTA coverage zone to receive many state grants and funding "I am particularly concerned in our neighborhoods where we see three- and four-unit buildings being shoed into a lot," Berich said "We should start with dimensional requirements to make sure the appropriate-sized building is going into the appropriate-sized lot in the appropriate-sized neighborhood." Fiore said revitalizing the downtown by making it easier for businesses to navigate the town hall permit process would be among her primary focuses on the Board with the need to have "measured growth without overtaxing our resources." we had a lot of stores to shop at downtown," she said "Now I find myself leaving town to go shop at small businesses elsewhere thriving downtown is what most residents ultimately want." Baxter said the Select Board must hold the next town manager accountable and that he is a proponent of community engagement and small businesses "I really want to create a thriving local economy by supporting and fostering new economic opportunities in this town," he said On the question of equity and inclusiveness the candidates all said they support a town that promotes DEI principles but differed somewhat on whether Danvers currently has a problem in those areas beyond a handful of high-profile incidents "To paint the picture overall that Danvers is not an inclusive town is worrisome to me," Fiore said before adding "I feel that Danvers does not have an inclusivity problem overall and I would love for that narrative not to be." Baxter said he would support efforts to increase the town's human rights and inclusion work as well as promote events that support the diversity already present in the community "That means more open forums and regular dialogue with the underrepresented groups to ensure every resident has a safe Bennett said the town is an inclusive town and a welcoming community and supported hiring a community engagement director Lentine said equity and inclusion are more societal issues than Danvers-centered issues and that he believes the town is "very welcoming." "What matters is that everybody in Danvers should be treated with dignity and respect." Trask said that a lot of work needs to be done on diversity and equity in the town "Most of us are sitting here from a viewpoint of privilege," he said "We have to recognize that not all of our citizens have those privileges and the equal rights that we enjoy." Franceshini said having a gay brother makes the issue one "that really hits home to me." they have what's called a Heritage Day," she said "I think that's a great way for kids to learn about other ethnicities a favorite activity that you did as a family and I thought that was a great way to open the door to speak to that." Berich said he believes that Danvers is an inclusive and welcoming community and that while the attack on a special needs resident near Plains Park this past fall was "absolutely terrible," the town's collective response was a sign of its strength "I have never been more proud of my community in some ways for the way it rallied around him," he said 2025 at 3:49 pm ET.css-79elbk{position:relative;}Normal collection will be delayed by one day due to the observance of Patriots Day on Monday MA — Yard waste will be picked up curbside on the regular trash/recycling collection day next week in Danvers Normal collection will be delayed by one day due to the observance of Patriots Day on Monday Yard Waste may be in a paper yard waste bag or an open barrel labeled YARD WASTE (stickers are available at Town Hall) Bags and barrels must not weigh more than 50 pounds Those with any questions regarding yard waste collection can contact the DPW at 978-777-0001 x3011 2025 at 2:35 pm ET.css-79elbk{position:relative;}The Select Board voted after the two interviews to delay a discussion and vote on making an offer to one of the candidates until its next Tuesday night meeting on March 18 MA — The Danvers Select Board is set to discuss interviews of the two town manager finalists and vote on a chosen candidate next week after former Swampscott Town Administrator Sean Fitzgerald and Gloucester Chief Administrator Jill Cahill each answered public questions for more than an hour on Wednesday night Both stressed their collaboration and communication skills their extensive town management experience and their ability to negotiate the tough fiscal decisions necessary to run a community as strengths during the interviews with development Equity and Inclusion initiatives among the key questions from Select Board members Cahill called the opening "once-in-a-lifetime" and said "when these opportunities come up you go for it." She said her approach to town staff and management is "honesty and transparency," adding that she is not a micromanager but that she intends to cultivate a staff she believes in as she makes sure staff members follow through on achieving goals and objectives Fitzgerald said one of his priorities at previous stops has been to "coach and support" staff as municipal jobs have become harder and harder in recent years Cahill said of the MBTA Communities Act — which the Supreme Judicial Court recently ruled is a constitutional law that forces many cities and towns in eastern Massachusetts to increase multi-family by-right zoning or lose state grant funding — that while divisive in many communities "It's state law and as municipalities we follow state law," she said "We all swear to do that when we take these jobs We're feeling it really strongly in Gloucester "The process has been really challenging for our community It's really torn our community apart to some extent We do know housing is a challenge that is going to affect all of us so we work hard to meet those state laws in a way that is best for our community." Fitzgerald said that while he is not a fan of a "top-down" approach of a state mandate he believes the concept of increasing housing inventory should be embraced "Development is not necessarily a bad thing in the sense that it comes with new growth," he said "Your budget is so tight and you're so close to your (tax) levy you need some responsible development to help grow your real estate tax base." Fitzgerald said it could be considered "disconcerting" that Danvers taxes nearly to the maximum of its levy each year he looked to back away from the tax levy brink occasionally to the criticism of those who said the town was forgoing necessary revenue for schools and other municipal needs Cahill said being a town manager must mean making the tough fiscal calls but trying to do them in a way where those most effective can be shown the reason for them "You've got to walk in the room with people who may or may not like you when you walk in there but you've got to be ready to listen," Cahill said On DE&I initiatives in the current political environment Cahill said "it's tricky" but that she would work with the Human Rights Commission to create a welcoming environment for all residents and employees as a means to hire and retain the best people during a challenging time for recruiting municipal employees She said one way that has successfully been done in Gloucester is by hiring some staff and managers outside of traditional municipal employment background and experience Fitzgerald was a bit more emphatic about the need for proactive DE&I initiatives now more than ever "I am someone who has spent a lot of time around a lot of bigotry and hatred," Fitzgerald said I see it as an opportunity for us to be more engaging I believe that we need to see infinite value and infinite dignity in every person that we meet There is more hatred out there than there was five years ago We have to combat that with more kindness and more careful conversations." Fitzgerald was questioned about three discrimination complaints brought against him and the town during his seven years in Swampscott which he characterized as a misunderstanding of a question during an interview with a female police officer candidate an unfounded accusation of what he called "reverse discrimination" while the town transitioned from civil service and a pandemic-related layoff that was under disputed circumstances He noted that a Select Board investigation concluded that no town policy was violated or bias determined Video of both full interviews can be found here The Select Board voted after the two interviews to delay a discussion and vote on making an offer to one of the candidates until its next Tuesday night meeting on March 18 2025 at 7:58 pm ET.css-79elbk{position:relative;}Three finalists with town administration experience in Gloucester Swampscott and Belmont will interview publicly to become the new Danvers town manager next week with a possible Select Board vote on preferred candidate as soon as later that night MA — Three finalists with town administration experience in Gloucester The trio of one-hour Select Board interviews is set for March 12 from 6:30 to 9:30 p.m The Select Board will then consider the candidates with a vote on offering the position likely either later that night or on March 18 There were 31 applicants for the town manager position vacated when Steve Bartha resigned to take the town manager job in Lexington in October before the three finalists were revealed publicly at Tuesday's Select Board meeting Gloucester CEO Jill Cahill is one finalist She has served in that position since January 2022 and previously served that city as its Community Development Director from 2017 to 2021 Former Swampscott Town Administrator Sean Fitzgerald was the administrative leader in that town for seven years before stepping down in December in the final months leading up to the expiration of his contract Patrice Garvin has been the town administrator in Belmont for the past seven years Garvin was previously the town administrator in the north central Massachusetts town of Shirley from 2013 through 2018 and worked as the assistant town administrator in neighboring Groton from 2007 through 2013 2025 at 2:12 am ET.css-79elbk{position:relative;}The deadline for submitting papers to be on the ballot was on Tuesday with the ballot placement taking place on Thursday MA — A crowded field of seven candidates will vie for two open seats on the Danvers Select Board in the May 6 annual town election The deadline for submitting papers to be on the ballot was on Tuesday incumbent Daniel Bennett submitted signatures for re-election including former Select Board member Gardner Trask Natalie Lara Fiore and Mark Lentine are the other candidates to be placed on the ballot on Thursday The only other race with a contested election is the School Committee where incumbent Gabe Lopes is being challenged on the ballot by Maxwell Rudin The vote-by-mail application deadline is April 29 at 5 p.m Early voting will take place on April 26 from 10 a.m in the Toomey Room at Town Hall at 1 Sylvan Street when all precincts will vote at Danvers High School Baird is marking a first in Massachussets as it welcomes a veteran advisory team from Janney Montgomery Scott the national IBD revealed the addition of another team from Wells Fargo Coming from Janney, the OARS Group previously managed $211 million in client assets, according to Baird's announcement Wednesday afternoon.The team serves a variety of clients in Danvers Massachussets with a focus on providing customized financial planning and investment strategies The Danvers location marks Baird's first wealth management office in the state complementing its existing capital markets presence in Boston The OARS Group includes financial advisors Robert Clark along with senior client specialists Heidi Riley and Lisa Morgan. Clark brings more than 30 years of wealth management experience while Freeman offers nearly five decades of expertise Glavin has more than 20 years of industry experience the Hittle Morris Group joined Baird’s Scottsdale office after previously managing $240 million in assets at Wells Fargo The team includes financial advisors Julie Hittle and Jennifer Morris both of whom bring more than a decade of experience helping clients achieve their financial goals Baird's first hires for 2025 build on its recruitment record last year, which included a former B. Riley team that joined in October and a $510 million advisor duo from Edelman who joined Baird earlier that month Baird’s Private Wealth Management team includes more than 1,400 advisors nationwide overseeing client assets exceeding $330 billion as of September 30 2025 at 6:04 pm ET.css-79elbk{position:relative;}Danvers police are seeking the public's help following the robbery at gunpoint of the CVS Pharmacy on Maple Street early Wednesday night MA — Danvers police are seeking the public's help following the robbery at gunpoint of the CVS Pharmacy on Maple Street early Wednesday night Police said the man entered the drugstore at about 5:15 p.m and pointed a gun at the pharmacists while demanding numerous prescription drugs Police said he then left the store on foot toward the area of Conant Street and Berry Street A search of the area was conducted with the assistance of the Essex County Sheriff's Department's K-9 unit but the police did not indicate anyone was in custody as of late Thursday afternoon The man is described as white and tall with a thin build and dark-colored hair sunglasses and black shoes at the time of the accused robbery Police said no workers or customers were physically harmed during the incident If anyone has any information regarding this incident they are asked to contact the Danvers Police Department's Criminal Investigations Division at 978-774-1212 They can also submit a tip anonymously by texting Tip411 (847411) and typing "DanversPD" in the message field followed by the information you would like to provide 2025 at 2:15 pm ET.css-79elbk{position:relative;}Town officials said this program is aimed at providing residents with affordable and sustainable transportation options while promoting carbon emission reduction methods in Danvers MA — Danvers residents willing to go electric to get around town are eligible for a rebate program of up to $500 through a new town program that begins next week Town officials said this program is aimed at providing residents with affordable and sustainable transportation options while promoting carbon emission reduction methods in Danvers Danvers Electric customers who purchase a Class 1 or Class 2 standard or cargo e-bike are eligible for the rebate Class 2 e-bikes are equipped with a throttle that can also propel the bike up to 20 mph "We are proud to support Danvers' transition to greener transportation options," said Clint Allen "This initiative aligns with the goals of the town's Climate Action Plan reinforcing our commitment to sustainability and emissions reductions." For all eligibility requirements and for more information on the program and how to apply, visit the Town of Danvers Electric Division page There’s something for everyone’s taste at this show the irresponsible grandson of Angela Channing (Jane Wyman) the tyrannical matriarch of the Falcon Crest Winery on the popular nighttime soap “Falcon Crest.” who is framed for murder after testifying against bad cops and becomes a motorcycle-riding If his roles in “Falcon Crest” and “Renegade” aren’t enough to woo you Hollywood on the Nickelodeon TV series “Big Time Rush,” Hector Ramirez in the soap opera “The Bold and the Beautiful” and Meap on “Phineas and Ferb.” 'Ch-ch-ch-cherry bomb'Once described as “the lost daughter of Iggy Pop and Brigitte Bardot” by Bomp “Cherry Bomb” chanteuse Cherie Currie will be rocking this weekend’s con her famous bandmates and the chances of a reunion ever happening with the surviving band members Two-time Emmy-winner Kristy McNichol played tomboy and eventually Leif Garrett’s love interest on “Family” and Barbara Weston daughter of pediatrician dad Harry Weston (Richard Mulligan) McNichol also starred in “Little Darlings" alongside Tatum O’Neal the two girls make a friendly wager on who can lose their virginity first who played Judy Robinson from Irwin Allen’s sci-fi television series “Lost in Space,” will be landing at the comic con pilot of the Jupiter 2 on “Lost In Space.” A big attraction to the con will be “The Warriors” reunion Apache Ramos (The Orphan) and Rob Ryder (The Purple Baseball Fury) For those who are too young to remember or weren’t even born yet Walter Hill’s “The Warriors” was one of the coolest and most controversial films of the ‘70s what “Saturday Night Fever” did for dancing leader of the most powerful gang in New York City requests an audience of nine unarmed delegates from each of the city’s gangs to discuss the unification of the gangs and controlling the city together Cyrus is assassinated and the Warriors are wrongly blamed for the gang leader’s death all the rival gangs are out to get the Warriors They have to keep their wits if they want to get back home to Coney Island (in New York not Southbridge Street in Worcester) and stay alive More: 'De-escalation and myth busting': How local libraries handle attempts to challenge books More: Worcester County Wonders: Uhlman's Ice Cream scoops signature recipe for 58 years Other celebrity guests include Jack O’Halloran (Non in “Superman: The Movie” and “Superman II”); Margaret Kerry (the inspiration behind Tinker Bell in Disney’s Peter Pan); James B Jones (Netflix’s reality series “Love on the Spectrum”); John Fiore (“The Sopranos”); Steve Cardenas (The Red Ranger on the “Mighty Morphin Power Rangers”); Paul Blake (Greedo in “Star Wars”); Jeryl Prescott (“The Walking Dead,” “Swamp Thing” and “Star Wars: Ahsoka”); Mary Gibbs (Boo from Disney’s Pixar Monsters Inc.); Tony Daniels (voice of "X-Men’s" Gambit Kellogg’s Tony the Tiger and "Sailor Moon’s" Jadeite); John Morris (Andy from “Toy Story” and Santa Boy from "Tim Burton’s The Nightmare Before Christmas); and Rosanne Sorrento and Toni Ann Gisondi (both from 1982’s “Annie”) if you'd like to have dinner with one of your favorite celebrity icons there’s a Saturday-night dinner with Marta Kristen for $244.78 and Cherie Currie for $234.58 if you want to hear the Runaways’ “Cherry Bomb” by the best singer to ever sing it (sorry you might want to catch the Saturday-night concert with Cherie Currie Tom Waites (not to be confused with the similarly named singer-songwriter Tom Waits) and Tony Daniels How much: Saturday or Sunday admission, $36.70; Saturday and Sunday admission, $52; Saturday child under 12 admission $16.30; Sunday child under 12 admission, $11.20; VIP admission (starting at 9:30 a.m.) for Saturday or Sunday, $41.80; VIP both days, $61.18. For more information, visit superretrofestcomiccon.com 2024 at 5:57 pm ET.css-79elbk{position:relative;}Shane Smith pitched for Wake Forest University before signing as an undrafted free agent with the Milwaukee Brewers (Scott Kinser/Wake Forest University)DANVERS MA — Danvers pitcher Shane Smith could be ticketed for a spot on the opening day roster of the Chicago White Sox after the Governor's Academy alumnus was taken with the top pick in Major League Baseball's Rule 5 draft on Wednesday who pitched in parts of two seasons at Wake Forest University before signing with the Milwaukee Brewers was drafted as part of the MLB draft that makes players eligible for selection if they were left off their parent club's 40-man roster after multiple years of minor league experience The team selecting the player must keep that player on the active MLB roster for the entire following season or offer him back to the former squad for $50,000 that means the White Sox must keep him from opening day until the end of the 2025 season or they must either send him back to the Brewers was one of the top pitching prospects in the state at Governor's Academy as well as a star in basketball and football before choosing to attend Wake Forest University His time in Winston-Salem was complicated by injuries and the COVID-19 health crisis that cut short one of his seasons He was 2-0 during the COVID-19 season of 2020 coming off shoulder surgery in 2019 before athletics were shut down for the remainder of the spring He returned the next year but pitched just five innings before an injury forced him to get Tommy John surgery The 24-year-old Smith turned professional and signed with the Brewers in 2021 where he flashed with a 7-4 record and 196 ERA in 38 games in 2023 and 6-3 with a 3.05 ERA in 32 games with Triple-A Nashville and Double-A Biloxi Smith displayed a dominant fastball in his minor league seasons and joins a White Sox team that also on Wednesday traded ace hurler Garrett Crochet to the Boston Red Sox for four minor-league prospects Increasing his chances of remaining with the big club for the duration of the upcoming season is that the White Sox are in desperate search of talent coming off one of the worst seasons in MLB history where they went 41-121 The record was the worst in Major League Baseball in 125 years dating back to 1899 2025 at 2:58 pm ET.css-79elbk{position:relative;}"There is a committed community a great teaching corps and good relationships in the community all things I was looking for." - incoming Danvers Assistant Superintendent Kristen Anderson (Shutterstock)DANVERS the assistant superintendent of Nauset Public Schools will join Danvers Public Schools as its new assistant superintendent in July as she replaces the retiring Mary Wermers Anderson is a 35-year educator with extensive experience in curriculum and administration "Danvers is poised to have all the ingredients to be great," Anderson said Anderson also worked as assistant superintendent in the Concord-Carlisle district for 11 years and was the principal of a preK-8 school in Brookline for four years She taught for 15 years and moved to administration in 2005 "We are very pleased to welcome Kristen to Danvers," said Superintendent of Schools Dan Bauer "She brings a wealth of experience that will help us continue to move our district forward." the high school was named one of the top five STEM high schools in the U.S When she was math department head at Wayland High School "You have success and the community trusts you more and more," said Anderson who has written math curriculum and has published several articles and books on the subject "Kristen has demonstrated a strong track record in improving academic achievement fostering a sense of belonging and supporting mental-health initiatives," Bauer said "Her leadership is rooted in strategic thinking Anderson earned a bachelor’s degree from Oberlin College in Ohio and a master's in education from Harvard 2025 at 11:36 am ET.css-79elbk{position:relative;}"Together we can uphold every child's right to a free and public education every child's right to an education free of harassment and every child's right to an education free of discrimination." - Danvers Superintendent Dan Bauer (Scott Anderson/Patch)DANVERS MA — Danvers Superintendent Dan Bauer issued a statement backing the importance of diversity nonbinary and transgender students amid changing federal policies and executive orders of the past month Bauer read the statement during Monday night's School Committee meeting in which he said Danvers Public Schools aim to provide an environment that is "free from hate" and "safe for all" — welcoming to all students regardless of economic and racial background "We stand strongly against any discriminatory practices that may impact any child's sense of belonging," Bauer said "These include rhetoric and actions that target immigrant Not only is this a duty fundamental to our profession as educators Bauer said Danvers Public Schools will uphold its legal responsibility to "create an environment free of discrimination and respect the dignity of every child and every staff member." we can uphold every child's right to a free and public education," Bauer said "every child's right to an education free of harassment and every child's right to an education free of discrimination." 2025 at 7:19 pm ET.css-79elbk{position:relative;}Danvers Public Schools were canceled on Thursday with a quick-moving winter storm expected to bring up to 4 inches of snow to the North Shore from mid-morning into the afternoon MA — Danvers Public Schools were canceled on Thursday with a quick-moving winter storm expected to bring up to 4 inches of snow to the North Shore from mid-morning into the afternoon All after-school athletic events and activities are also postponed While snow totals are not forecast to be particularly high — 2 to 4 inches across the state with higher amounts in the Merrimack Valley and Worcester Hills and lesser amounts near the South Shore and South Coast — it will be a messy one with the National Weather Service saying on Wednesday that snow will rapidly overspread the region between 7 a.m "The snow may be briefly heavy with 2 to 3 inches in just a couple hours," the NWS said "Snow then changes to sleet/light freezing rain with diminishing intensity Temps remain near or below freezing through Thursday afternoon." 2025 at 11:04 am ET.css-79elbk{position:relative;}Danvers High seniors Audrey Lapine Lizzie Farrell and Mia Gongas at the business fair at Smith School Lapine and Farrell created and implemented the Boss Babies project with Kelly McCrea MA — A record 132 Danvers High students representing more than 60 projects qualified for the DECA State Career Development Conference in Boston later this month The Distributive Education Clubs of America prepares students for careers in marketing The Massachusetts program includes eight districts of competing high schools Danvers High DECA students performed very well in the District 3 competition held at the Doubletree by Hilton Hotel in Danvers on Dec Students who finished in the top seven in their respective category qualified for the state conference There were 10 schools and more than 1,500 students competing Some competitors took a 100-question test and then performed a role-play in front of the judges solving a problem and presenting their solution to the judges prepared a paper and presented their ideas on the day of the conference "The conference highlights the creativity and hard work of our DECA students," DHS business teacher and DECA advisor Meghan Beaulieu said "Many of the projects were connected to our school district and the community." Three Danvers High seniors were the project managers for a project that was undertaken with the Smith Elementary School — Boss Babies — in which two dozen Smith fifth-graders made products Kelly McCrea and Lizzie Farrell worked with the students on developing a budget The Boss Babie project culminated in a business fair at which students from other classes came down and spent their Boss Bucks on the products the other students created "It is always incredibly impressive to see the amount of collaboration and innovation that our students put into their DECA projects," DHS Principal Peter DiMauro said "We are very proud of their continued success "It is especially gratifying to see them working with younger students and making a difference in the community." The goal is for DECA students to be academically prepared and community-oriented "DECA helps build a variety of skills in students," Beaulieu said "from communication to collaboration to problem-solving "Their commitment and passion for the work leads to success and prepares them for their future." said May 1 will be its final day of operation at that location "It is with a heavy heart and bittersweet emotion that we announce the upcoming closure of The Hardcover Restaurant," owners posted "The unwavering loyalty of our customers and the dedication of our employees We are deeply grateful for the incredible support we have been shown throughout these years." The Hardcover plans to maintain its sister locations at the Beverly Depot on Park Street and the Barnsider in Albany recommended us and shared your special moments with us we offer our sincerest thanks," the restaurant said and it has truly been a privilege to serve you." 2025 at 4:36 pm ET.css-79elbk{position:relative;}Power Danvers officials said crews were responding as of 4 p.m and "will work to resolve the issue as quickly as possible."Outage (Patch Graphics)DANVERS MA — Nearly 700 Danvers customers were without power Friday afternoon because of an outage in the area of Andover Street and Newbury Street Danvers officials said crews were responding as of 4 p.m and "will work to resolve the issue as quickly as possible." An updated Danvers power outage map can be found here 2024 at 5:20 pm ET.css-79elbk{position:relative;}Here are the Danvers vote totals for leading candidates MA — Danvers voters aligned with much of the rest of the state — if not necessarily the country — in their votes on Tuesday with town residents narrowly backing U.S Vice President Kamala Harris for president and mostly following state trends on the five state ballot initiatives Danvers voters only gave Warren a 62-vote margin against Republican challenger John Deaton as Warren won 60 percent of the vote statewide Danvers also bucked the state trend on one of the ballot questions in not backing unionization opportunities for rideshare drivers and in the vote for District 5 Governor's Council where Democrat Eunice Zeigler edged Peabody Republican Anne Manning-Martin Here are the Danvers vote totals for leading candidates (unofficial): Question 2 (MCAS HS Graduation Requirement Elimination) Question 3 (Rideshare Driver Unionization) Question 4 (Psychedelic Drug Legalization) This month, Maison Esthetique Christiane Bourque Spa in Danvers will celebrate 20 years in business. And it’s not just their top-notch services and facility that makes them one of the best spas north of Boston “We have dedicated longtime employees who have been the heart of Maison Esthetique for years,” says Christiane “setting our standard for excellence.” Their esthetics department lead dedicated staff that maintains top-tier quality across all treatments,” says Christiane “whether the client receives a classic manicure or a cutting-edge facial.” Christiane says it was always her dream to open a luxury day spa on the North Shore that resembled the sophistication she felt at top European spas she had visited throughout her travels that dream came true when she transformed a historic Victorian house in Danvers into an Old World spa oasis “The wellness and beauty industry is always evolving and Maison Esthetique has evolved with it,” says Melissa noting that the spa offers plenty of cutting-edge technologically advanced services along with the more basic massages “This combination of constant innovation and a personalized caring approach has helped build deep customer loyalty,” says Melissa Some of their most popular services are their high-tech facial services like their Hydrafacial which uses a water-based technology to cleanse which “utilizes fine needles to create micro-injuries in the skin promoting natural collagen and elastin production,” explains Melissa “so you’ll experience improved skin texture Another popular offering, according to Melissa, is the half-day “Cloud Nine Package,” which includes a 50-minute massage, a customized facial, and a champagne and rose body scrub. And an offering you won’t find anywhere else? Their “Romance Package,” which includes a couples massage and a gift card to nearby Pellana Steakhouse Other offerings include their classic therapeutic massage customized by a skilled licensed massage therapist Maison Esthetique also boasts a steam room and Himalayan salt stone and cedar sauna where guests can relax before or after services “It’s a resort-caliber perk that most local spas simply don’t have,” says Melissa “Reaching a 20-year milestone is very exciting for us,” says Christiane the spa is dedicating the week of April 1 through 5 to “celebrate our cherished clients and devoted team members who have been a part of this journey,” she says The week will be filled with “surprises to thank our most loyal clients and recognize our longest standing team members,” says Christiane Melissa is now taking the helm of the business in her mother’s wake “This is more than a new chapter,” says Melissa a continuation of a beautiful story that began 20 years ago.” maisonesthetique.net Subscribe Purchase Back Issues Digital Edition