As we get ready to ring in the new year, it’s only right that we take a look back at our top stories of 2025. According to our itemlive.com analytics data, below are the top three most-viewed stories from each of our communities with brief summaries.
LYNN
Marky Mark comes to Lynn
Massachusetts native Mark “Marky Mark” Wahlberg gave a nod to his roots by filming a movie in Lynn in September.
The movie star filmed scenes for an untitled project at the G.E. Field on Summer Street on Sept. 7, according to social media reports.
Production signage was also posted along Summer Street, and a truck from Massachusetts-based equipment rental agency Above the Line was seen on Avon Street.
Meanwhile, the film’s base camp — with trailers from Haddad’s Inc., crew parking, and holding for extras — was at the parking lot of Saint George Greek Orthodox Church.
Cast and crew members were then spotted filming scenes at the intersection of Dearborn Avenue and Raddin Street on Sept. 8. There, they used a bus stop that was built specifically as a set piece for the film.
The reason why Lynn was selected to be a filming location for Wahlberg’s upcoming project is currently unknown. The title, plot synopsis, and other talent involved in the film are also currently being kept under wraps.
Pedestrian struck and killed in Lynn
A 78-year-old woman was struck and killed on Feb. 7 on North Common Street. The woman was pushing a shopping cart and collecting bottles when she was hit by a 2014 Dodge flatbed truck.
Lynn Police Department and Massachusetts State Police, as well as the medical examiner, were on the scene.
The Office of the Medical Examiner, MSP, Collision Analysis and Reconstruction Section, MSP Commercial Vehicle Enforcement Section, and Lynn Police are all investigating the incident, according to the Essex County District Attorney’s Office.
The body was removed from the scene shortly after 8:50 a.m.
Lynn School Superintendent Alvarez resigns
Dr. Evonne S. Alvarez resigned from her position as superintendent of Lynn Public Schools. The news was announced during a School Committee meeting on Oct. 9 after an executive session.
Dr. Alvarez joined the Lynn Public Schools as superintendent in 2023. During her tenure, she set a clear strategic course for school improvement, leading measurable progress across the district. When she began, 14 schools were in the state’s lowest 10%; through her focused instructional leadership, that number dropped to 11 in 2024 and then to eight in 2025. Graduation rates increased by 8% in just one year, reflecting the district’s strengthened focus on academic rigor, student support, and postsecondary readiness.
Although there is work still to be done in Lynn, Dr. Alvarez leaves a solid foundation of measurable improvement, strategic coherence, and innovation — and she is now ready to embrace new challenges where her leadership can make a broader impact.
LYNNFIELD
Investigation into apparent Lynnfield homicide is ongoing
The investigation into an apparent homicide on Lookout Terrace on May 9 remains “active and ongoing,” according to Michael Keefe-Feldman of the Essex County District Attorney’s office.
Lynnfield Police Chief Nick Secatore said, “We do not have any updates to release at this time. I can reaffirm what we have already released, that it’s an open investigation, and we don’t believe there is any danger to the public at large. We are investigating.”
In a May 11 joint release, Essex County District Attorney Paul F. Tucker and Secatore said their offices were investigating an “apparent homicide” of a Lookout Terrace resident in Lynnfield.
Lynnfield Police responded to a 911 call at approximately 8:30 p.m. on May 9 and found Timothy O’Neil, 55, of Lynnfield, with apparent trauma. O’Neil was pronounced deceased on the scene.
Lynnfield graduation marred by racist remarks
On June 6, town officials learned that, after the high school graduation ceremony, Town employees had used racist words during a livestream of the event.
In a joint statement issued by Town Administrator Rob Dolan and Assistant Town Administrator Bob Curtin on June 6, they said the Town was informed of the incident at 7 p.m. that night in which “town employees were overheard using inappropriate and racist words, (and) this video and audio feed was seen and heard by people waiting to watch the graduation,” which began at 5 p.m.
The video appears to capture footage of workers setting up chairs on the football field for the ceremony. In it, the use of at least two racist words, including the N-word, can be heard clearly.
According to the Town’s statement, the individuals have been identified and placed on administrative leave pending a full investigation of the video and any other evidence.
Community raises $125,000 for Lynnfield teacher
Last February, doctors found a tumor behind Lynnfield High School teacher and Peabody native Chris Sakelakos’s knee. In May, he was diagnosed with osteosarcoma, an aggressive type of bone cancer, and received a 12-hour surgery to completely replace his knee.
Almost a year after that surgery and after rehab, treatment, and the cancer spreading to his lungs, Chris Sakelakos’s brother, Mark Sakelakos, and his wife, Emily Sakelakos, set up a GoFundMe page to hopefully pay for the medical expenses and to support the family.
When Mark Sakelakos was asked to run the page, he was quick to accept the responsibility, and on April 1, the fundraiser was set with a $10,000 goal.
However, no one in the Sakelakos family could predict the speed at which people donated, and within two hours, they doubled their goal. Now, it stands at just below $125,000 and is rising by the hour.
Even though Chris Sakelakos hasn’t been in a classroom since his diagnosis, his passion for learning becomes apparent with the well wishes and support his students are sending his way.
MARBLEHEAD
Change urged in wake of 13-year-old’s death in Marblehead
The Marblehead community is reeling after a tragic crash on Aug. 19 claimed the life of 13-year-old Savanah Gatchell and left a 16-year-old boy facing serious criminal charges.
Authorities said the teen has been charged with motor vehicle homicide by reckless operation, receiving a stolen motor vehicle, and operating under the influence of liquor, along with two civil motor vehicle infractions.
The crash occurred just before 3 a.m. on Atlantic Avenue, where the vehicle struck a stone wall. The site has since become a growing memorial, with flowers, candles, and handwritten notes honoring Gatchell’s memory.
As Marblehead mourns the loss of Gatchell, the call to action has struck a chord with many residents. Community members have begun reaching out to elected officials to push for changes that would prevent future tragedies.
Marblehead to pay $295,000 to fired cop
More than four years after he was first placed on administrative leave, Marblehead Police Officer Christopher Gallo’s long-running employment dispute with the Town has finally reached a financial settlement.
The resolution, announced at the Select Board’s Oct. 22 meeting, brings closure to a case that spanned multiple town administrations, cost hundreds of thousands of dollars in paid leave, and culminated in arbitration after Gallo’s 2024 termination.
Chair Dan Fox summarized the settlement terms reached between the Town and Gallo. Under the agreement, the Town will pay $295,000 to resolve all financial issues stemming from the arbitration award.
With the settlement executed, Marblehead has officially closed the books on a disciplinary saga that spanned from 2021-2025, involving multiple extensions, legal challenges, and administrative transitions.
ICE targets landscaping crew in Marblehead
At approximately 8:21 a.m. on Sept. 12 on Beach Street in Marblehead, three unmarked vehicles, believed to be U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, stopped a Lassana’s Landscaping truck to capture multiple individuals.
The Marblehead Police Department and District Attorney Paul Tucker were not notified of ICE’s presence before the arrest.
Sarah Fox described seeing several vehicles surrounding the landscaping truck, blocking it from the front and side. When she approached, she noticed one individual wearing a vest labeled “FBI” and another marked “police.” She said the men yelled at the driver, accusing him of having fake identification.
Alarmed, Fox phoned her husband, Matt, an attorney who speaks Spanish. He ran to the scene, identified himself as both a lawyer and resident of the street — and he refused orders to leave.
Fox said her husband had attempted to cite laws and call attention to what she believed were violations, but the agents continued with the detention.
NAHANT
Nahant Fire lieutenant arraigned on multiple charges
Nahant Fire Lt. Frank Pappalardo III was arraigned on May 20 at Essex County Superior Court in Salem on 10 charges, with multiple counts of rape and assault and battery, according to the Essex County District Attorney’s Office.
Pappalardo was held pending a dangerousness hearing, the District Attorney’s office noted.
He was arraigned on four counts of rape, two counts of assault and battery causing serious bodily injury, two counts of assault and battery, one count of assault and battery with a dangerous weapon, and one count of witness intimidation.
Students lead rescue at Nahant beach
Students from both Nahant and Swampscott schools worked quickly to save a man in distress in the water on Short Beach on Aug. 23 before the man was promptly transported to a hospital in the area for medical attention.
Nahant Police and Fire responded to Short Beach for reports of an individual in distress in the water at 3:22 p.m. A preliminary investigation determined that an individual was riding what appeared to be a surfboard apparatus before being located in the water.
The individual was brought to shore by passersby who were identified as minors from both Swampscott and Nahant schools, who helped call 911 after getting the man to safety. An off-duty Cambridge Firefighter and an off-duty nurse began life-saving aid prior to the arrival of first responders.
“This is another example of students being leaders and showing extreme bravery in ultimately saving a man’s life,” Swampscott Superintendent of Schools Jason Calichman said. “We hope he’s healthy and has a speedy recovery.”
Nahant Town Meeting passes zoning mandate
At the Nov. 19 Special Town Meeting, the MBTA 3A Multi Family Zoning Bylaw warrant article passed. The vote was taken verbally, and a majority of the crowd shouted in support of the proposal.
The Act requires the Town to create at least one zoning overlay district where multi-family housing is permitted as of right.
The Planning Board determined Bass Point had “the least impact on the community” because it already has multi-family units via a special permit, which means the Town can create a multi-family overlay district there and achieve compliance with state requirements.
PEABODY
Peabody plumber wins HVAC National Championship
When most people are good at their jobs, they get a $1 raise. But when some are really great at their jobs, they wind up winning more than $100,000 in competitions that showcase their talents. At least, that was the case for Craig Childress.
Childress has now won the ServiceTitan Elite Trades Championship Series’ HVAC National Competition three years in a row, earning $40,000 for each win. On top of that, he won the Plumbing National Championship back-to-back in 2023 and 2024, earning an additional $10,000 for each win and bringing his grand total to a whopping $140,000.
He also became the first person to win two championships in the same year in 2023 before proceeding to do it again in 2024.
“It’s been a crazy couple of years for me,” Childress said.
Moving Inn to Northshore Mall
In February, Utah-based real estate developer PEG Companies began construction on a Residence Inn by Marriott Hotel that will occupy 2.7 acres of space on the Northshore Mall property.
Simon, the investment trust that owns the mall, successfully closed on financing to build the 142-room hotel on the parking lot between Barnes & Noble and the Rockland Trust Bank, which was most recently being used for the Logan Express shuttle service.
Originally, PEG was exploring the possibility of purchasing the land from Simon, but with the hotel’s walkable distance from the main mall building, a partnership between the two companies was mutually beneficial, and the two have remained closely aligned, according to PEG Development Manager Anthony Maxfield.
Maxfield also highlighted how the old Residence Inn conversion will provide the city with crucial attainable workforce housing, something he believes is “a win-win for both the Peabody community and our valued investor partners.”
Concerns over safety in Peabody shelters
In response to a motion made by City Councilor-at-Large Anne Manning-Martin at the Jan. 9 City Council meeting, Police Chief Thomas Griffin gathered all data on calls, arrests, and specific charges made at the three hotels serving as shelters for homeless families, many of whom are migrants.
His report includes data from Jan. 1, 2023 to Jan. 30, 2025, where 31 arrests and criminal complaints took place between the three sites.
One, the Springhill Suites on Newbury Street, ended its shelter operation on Dec. 31, 2024, while the other two, the Holiday Inn also on Newbury Street and Extended Stay on Jubilee Drive, are still shelters.
According to Griffin, some of the more violent situations include an arrest for two counts of aggravated assault and battery on a pregnant individual and aggravated rape, a juvenile summons for assault and battery with a dangerous weapon, and an arrest for strangulation.
SAUGUS
Saugus Board looks at Continental property plans
Scott Cameron, who is the engineer for the property on 266, 266R, and 268 Broadway, also known as the address of the now-closed Continental Restaurant, spoke at a November Planning Board meeting to discuss the plans of the property for co-owners Paul and Chris Kourkoulis.
Cameron explained that the property is 17.5 acres, with the main frontage on Broadway, and it extends into three parcels.
He said the restaurant is currently under “substantial renovation” because a new restaurant, Charkoal’s Brazilian Steakhouse, will operate the building. The restaurant will seat 500 people. Part of the lease was to obtain 125 parking spaces adjacent to the building; there are currently 50.
The target opening date is in February.
A motion was made to continue the hearing, which passed.
Saugus reviews plans for Kowloon
The Planning Board met in October to discuss the Master Plan Review Permit and Site Plan Review Permit for 948 Broadway, which is the Kowloon Restaurant property.
Michael McKeown of Dennis Mires PA, The Architects, represented the Wong family.
He explained that there are two mixed-use buildings proposed for the development. Half of Building 1 will be retail use, while the other half is under building parking. The entire first floor of Building 2 will be retail, commercial space. A small area in the back of Building 2 is a deliberate separation of retail and the residential arrival experience.
Both buildings will be six stories tall. Each one-bedroom apartment will be roughly 700-850 square feet.
The Board has been recommending using Tetra Tech for peer reviewing, which has been used in the past with construction in town. A motion was made to engage with Tetra Tech to provide a quote to the applicant for the peer review, and the motion passed. Another motion was made to hire Tetra Tech for the Site Plan Review, and it passed unanimously.
Developer sues for millions in Saugus
On Aug. 21, real estate developer TB Holdings LLC, home of the iconic orange dinosaur, filed a multimillion-dollar lawsuit against the Town of Saugus and Town Manager Scott Crabtree for “arbitrary and discriminatory treatment.”
In 2021, into 2022, TB Holdings was planning the development of their undeveloped units, Condominium Units 4, 5, and 6. This included the sale of Units 4 and 5 to Wingate Living, to be used as an assisted living facility. During negotiations of a purchase and sales agreement, TB Holdings hoped to meet with town officials to discuss the assisted living facility.
The real estate developer eventually heard back from Crabtree, who said that TB Holdings was supposed to provide a “grant” to the Town. This was the payment of $200,000. Despite noting that they were “under absolutely no obligation” to make said payment, TB Holdings did.
But they don’t know where the money was allocated. The docket states the payment “was never requested or approved by the Board of Selectmen.”
TB Holdings alleges that despite the payment, development was still obstructed by the Town and Crabtree. The complaint also noted the violation of the Massachusetts Public Records Law.
SWAMPSCOTT
Swampscott Mall adds four new restaurants
In December, Swampscott Mall began undergoing renovations that will add four new businesses to the location and allow for the area to be revamped in a similar style to MarketStreet in Lynnfield.
According to Sarah Klaman, leasing associate from Centercorp Retail Properties, which owns the site, the entire facade is being renovated to create more green space and more walkability.
She added that the project will add three outparcel buildings, free standing structures that are not connected to each other, which will be casual restaurants. She did not disclose what those three businesses will be, but Sam Walker’s American Tavern has opened.
Matt Murray’s death leaves Swampscott ‘heartbroken’
In June, Matt Murray, a former standout athlete at Swampscott High School who pitched for the Atlanta Braves and Boston Red Sox, died at the age of 54 after complications from surgery.
Murray, who was born in Boston in 1970 before moving to Swampscott with his family as a child, was a resident of Calhoun, Ga., at the time of his death.
The Atlanta Braves drafted Murray in the second round of the 1988 entry draft (41st overall), after his junior year at Loomis Chaffee School in Windsor, Conn., where he transferred from Swampscott High School.
He was 17 when he was assigned to the Pulaski Braves in the rookie-level Appalachian League, where he appeared in 13 games and struck out 76 batters in 54 innings. In his third year in professional baseball, he played for the Braves affiliate in the Single-A South Atlantic League.
In August 1995, he made his major league debut for the Braves before being traded to the Red Sox in August of that year. Murray appeared in six major league games and tossed 14 innings to go with four strikeouts.
“He was a tremendous athlete, but a tremendous person. He was a role model for his community,” said childhood friend Tony Nicosia.
Swampscott protester arrested for beating up inflated Trump
An individual at the “No Kings” protest on Oct. 18 was arrested for assaulting another attendee during an altercation at the event, according to the Swampscott Police Department.
The protest, which began at 10 a.m. that morning on Humphrey Street, yielded approximately 1,200 people, according to Michael Paquette, the event organizer.
The individual who was assaulted was seen wearing an inflatable costume of President Donald Trump, waving a flag and interacting with attendees before the incident occurred.
Police Capt. Joe Kable confirmed that an arrest was quickly made as a result of the altercation, but no other comment could be made at that time.
