Five guys burgers is another wonderful addition to the culinary world developing at the Marketbas­ket Mall. Its grand opening attracted a great deal of attention Tuesday. Shown above are Five guys employees, Xiomara Perez and Marie Scali.

Chelsea has come a long way in fighting crime, and according to local officials, the last thing the city needs is to have to fight crime that doesn’t exist.

Suffolk County District Attorney Dan Conley’s office announced last Friday that charges are being filed against a former MBTA Route 111 bus driver for faking an armed robbery while driving her Chelsea route in order to collect worker’s compensation payments.

The October 2007 incident gained quite a bit of attention from the news media – especially since the initial facts reported that the driver had been shot and robbed while driving on Exeter Street.

It was unheard of and unprecedented.

And now, it appears that it could still be unheard of and unprecedented.

Chief Brian Kyes said it is the last thing that Chelsea needed at the time, more bad publicity just as the City was really turning a corner.

“It is unfortunate whenever we in law enforcement learn or discover that some people choose to abuse the criminal justice system for their own self benefit or personal gain,” he said. “Not only are these fraudulent acts illegal but they also instill an unwarranted escalation in the perception of the fear of crime in our community that is completely unjustified and is extremely difficult if not impossible to reverse.”

Conley’s office told the Record that Parker is being charged with worker’s compensation fraud, making a false police report and misleading an investigator.

Parker, 53, allegedly laid false claim to more than $7,000 in worker’s comp funds.

The genesis of the incident was on Oct. 2, 2007 when Parker was driving her Route 111 bus on Garfield Avenue and Exeter Street in Chelsea.

She made a frantic call to the Chelsea Police for shots being fired, and the CPD and the Transit Police immediately responded. Parker told investigators at the scene that she was headed inbound on her route when she stopped to pick up a passenger. The alleged male passenger pulled out a gun as soon as he entered the bus, she said, and then demanded money and shot her once as she sat on her driver’s seat.

She told them she tried to rush past him and flee out the door of the bus, and in the process was was shot three more times.

The passenger, she said, then pushed her to the ground outside of the bus and stole her wallet at gunpoint and fled.

Parker gave a detailed description.

She claimed she had no idea who he was or why he robbed her.

It led investigators to circulate a detailed sketch of the man around Chelsea and to post that sketch on the Mass Most Wanted website.

Eventually, investigators honed in on one man who had been suspected of similar robberies in the past and put him under their full investigative powers.

But he was cleared, obviously having no connection, and investigators were stumped.

That’s when things with Parker started to get a little weird.

Her MBTA jacket with three “bullet” holes began to be questioned.

Also, authorities were a little curious as to why she left work and filed a worker’s compensation claim – which netted $7,750 in payments and $2,063 in medical bills – after having been robbed.

With no other leads, Transit Police investigators decided to turn back to Parker and called her in for an interview.

In that interview, she shockingly revealed that she had lied, and that she knew the robber. She said that it was a former intimate partner who had sent the unknown gunman to collect a $5,000 debt from 14 years prior.

Seemed a little fishy as well.

But investigators checked it out, and it led to a dead end.

When investigators tried to contact her again, she was allegedly evasive and once, she allegedly shouted profanities as they tried to question her.

That’s when it became clear to investigators that Parker had possibly staged the robbery just to go on worker’s comp, and that’s exactly what they charged her with in 2009 in Chelsea District Court. Amazingly, though, a Chelsea Court judge threw the case out in 2010.

Last year, Conley’s office put the case in front of a Grand Jury, and that body returned an indictment on Dec. 20th.

Her arraignment last week made it official, and set her trial date for Oct. 15th.

Perhaps then, Chelsea officials hope, they can be cleared of the negative perceptions brought about by this fantastic and, perhaps, fictitious case.

The Chelsea District Court is in turmoil this week and one Revere firearms case against an alleged career criminal is now compromised as a result of three firearms – which were evidence in criminal cases – being stolen from the Court Clerk’s office.

One missing gun was related to a Chelsea Police Department arrest – a case that had been prosecuted unsuccessfully at the court more than two years ago.

According to Jake Wark of Suffolk County District Attorney Dan Conley’s Office, last November prosecutors sent word over to the Chelsea Court to ship one of the firearms over to Superior Court in Boston as it was evidence in an upcoming case out of Revere.

The response they got was unbelievable to them.

The weapon was missing, and perhaps stolen, and even maybe in the hands of criminals.

And in fact, two other firearms in separate, already tried, cases were also missing, perhaps stolen and perhaps now in criminal hands.

It was a startling revelation, and now this week the DA’s office and the court have taken some action on the matter. Wark said they believe the guns to be stolen and a State Police Detective Unit out of Conley’s Office is investigating.

“This gun was discovered missing in early November when we requested it for a routine court hearing; the others were discovered missing later,” said Wark. “I gather that Chelsea Court instituted a new policy on evidence storage after this came to light…I’m pretty sure Chelsea has some new standing orders, though, because the DA sent some of our senior prosecutors out there to insist on changes – not just because of the legal ramifications of missing evidence in our cases but also the public safety threat posed by three operable firearms in unknown, but presumably criminal, hands.”

Joan Kenney, a spokesperson for the state’s Trial Courts, did not return a request for information in time for this story.

However, what has become apparent is that the Clerk Magistrate of the Chelsea Court, Kevin Murphy – largely considered to be one of the more reliable, responsible and fair magistrates in the system, has been temporarily reassigned to Salem District Court while the investigation unfolds.

That, Kenney told other media outlets, is a very standard  practice and in no way has any bearing on Murphy.

The more serious matter for the DA’s Office is the potential of losing a crucial firearm possession case against a “career criminal,” Sokhorn Sor of Beach Street, who was arrested on Shirley Avenue last July with a loaded firearm.

The major flaw in the case now is that the firearm is gone.

That case started when Revere Police allegedly observed Sor with several gang members standing around a car in Fitzhenry Square. When plain clothes officers approached, allegedly, Sor and the men dispersed in several directions, with Sor allegedly tossing a loaded Sig Sauer handgun under a parked vehicle.

Now the case  might end with the mysterious disappearance of that gun from the very institution that sought to try the defendant.

“I will be filing what is called a McCarthy Motion (to dismiss the case),” said Sor’s attorney, Pamela Harris-Daley, on Monday. “It’s something that absolutely without a question will happen.”

Whether it’s successful is another story.

Wark said prosecutors believe they have case law on their side, and that might be clearer this week after a hearing in Superior Court on the case.

“We have photos of the weapon and testimony of police and criminalists who saw and tested it,” said Wark. “Defense counsel already had a chance to cross-examine the officers in district court. We also have case law that we believe will allow us to go to trial and secure a conviction without the firearm, as we have in past cases with missing or destroyed evidence. That case law comes from a 2004 SJC decision in a Suffolk County murder case (Comm. v. Dinkins) in which the murder weapon was destroyed during the multi-year span between the time the gun was recovered and the time the shooter was identified.”

At the same time, Harris-Daley countered by saying it would be nearly impossible to get a fair trial in a firearms case where there is no longer any firearm.

“I think Mr. Sor has the impossible task of being able to test the government’s evidence,” said  Harris-Daley. “The Commonwealth might want to say it’s a gun, but we didn’t have a gun to test. We have seen that just because the State Police ballistician says something is a handgun, other ballisticians have determined the same weapon is not a working firearm…We have to take everything they say as a truism and that’s not a fair trial.”

She said that there are allegations of fingerprints and DNA evidence that the State Police found on the weapon, but her experts were not able to test that evidence on the gun.

“They say they have DNA evidence and most everyone would think DNA evidence is blood,” she said. “Well, DNA evidence could be dog urine. Without the ability to test it to see, we are foreclosed from determining what that DNA evidence is.”

In the case of the other two missing weapons, one of those firearms came from a case brought by the Chelsea Police Department (CPD) and the other came from another Revere Police case. Both cases surrounding those guns had been concluded, and in both cases, the defendants were acquitted of the charges, yet the guns remained at the courthouse.

The first, a SportArms Model 54 handgun, was the result of a CPD arrest that went to trial in Sept. 2009. The stolen weapon had no effect on that proceeding, Wark said.

The second, a Glock Model 22, was from a case resolved in Chelsea Court this past November and brought by Revere Police. Wark said that missing weapon also did not effect prosecution of that case.

As the investigation into the three missing weapons has gone on quietly over the past week, there has been some pushback from sources who said the DA’s Office could be at fault for not filing motions to return evidence to the police departments.

“If the motion had been filed to return the evidence to the police at the end of the trials [in two of the instances], two of the missing firearms wouldn’t have been in the Clerk’s Office, but that’s to be hammered out by the DA and the courts,” said the source.

Wark said any inference that a motion to return evidence would have prevented  the problem is completely false.

“This is completely inaccurate,” said Wark. “No such motion is required in Chelsea or anywhere else for the court to return a gun or drugs or any other contraband to police. The court has custody and control of the evidence and exhibits, and I don’t see how a motion by any party would have enhanced the security policies that allowed these guns to be stolen in the first place.”

Trial Court spokesperson Kenney told media outlets that Murphy was reassigned on Jan. 18th, and that he would remain in that assignment for at least 60 days or until a full assessment of the Court is finished.

More streets will get resurfaced, water and sewer lines replaced, sidewalks repaired, public buildings renovated and equipment replaced as a result of the $5.6 million capital improvement plan (CIP) filed by City Manager Jay Ash with the City Council this past week.

Ash says his plan not only continues the investment City government is making in Chelsea, but also does so while reducing the future impact that debt service could otherwise have on budgets for years to come.

“The equally big news to the list of the 25 projects to be undertaken in this CIP is that our municipal government continues to operate efficiently and smartly to allow us to not only make significant capital expenditures but also to do so while balancing our overall budget. In fact, the way we’re doing our CIP ensures we don’t have to assume big bills down the road, either through more costly emergency repairs for neglected infrastructure or for years of interest payments on borrowing that many typically use to finance such work.”

Council President Leo Robinson, Councillor Brian Hatleberg (who serves as chairman of the Council’s Sub-Committee on Finance) and Ash have devised and are implementing a strategy to avoid borrowing in bulk for capital projects. The strategy could save hundreds of thousands of dollars in the process.

“Instead of borrowing, let’s say, a million dollars every year and eventually needing to pay a million plus interest back every year on the loans that accumulate, we’re committing a portion of our recurring revenues and Free Cash gained through tightening our belts and watching our every penny to instead pay for our capital needs up-front.  That saves us about $200,000 on every million that we would have otherwise financed,” explained Hatleberg.

Added Council President Robinson, “And that savings means we’re able to afford more infrastructure projects and not need to go to a Proposition 2 ½ vote to get more property taxes or otherwise raise fees to pay for that. In essence, we’re saving our dollars up front to pay out of pocket for our needs and by not incurring any long-term interest charges we’re able to save even more.”

To highlight the point, the trio noted that as recently as fiscal year 2010, the City borrowed $1.6 million for general projects. The fiscal year 2013 plan borrows just $590,000.

“We had two back-to-back years of borrowing $1.6 million,” said Hatleberg. “This last year and with today’s filing, instead of a combined $3.2 million in borrowing, we’re at $1 million and actually doing more infrastructure projects as a result. This is a great success story and one of the benefits of all of us being fiscally prudent.”

Regarding those 25 projects, seven costing $496,250 are for equipment acquisitions, two costing $315,300 are for open space, four costing $194,550 are for public buildings, two costing $152,000 are for public safety, three costing $630,000 are for surface enhancements and seven costing $3,789,600 are funding utility enhancements.

“I’m thrilled to see that Lash Street will get a complete make-over,” said new Councillor Paul Murphy, who advocated for the project after hearing from neighborhood residents of flooding problems on that street.  “That utility and roadway project and the others in the CIP are important for residents to see and us to be able to figure out how to afford.  It’s great that this CIP does both.”

In addition to Lash Street, a portion of John Street will also see utility and roadway work if the CIP is adopted. Other streets targeted for work include:

•a portion of Central Avenue for drainage repairs

•sidewalk and roadway replacements on Warren Avenue, Hillside Avenue and Summit Avenue, from Warren to Webster Avenues.

•both utility and surface replacements on the block created by Spruce, Sixth, Maple and Heard Streets.

“Additionally, we’re committing even more money to the pre-construction work necessary to undertake a massive Broadway reconstruction project, which could be a 2015 project that runs from City Hall to the Revere line,” projected Councillor Calvin Brown.

“The CIP also directs more sidewalk money for spot repairs around the city,” said Councillor Paula Barton.  “As far as I’m concerned, we can’t spend enough on making sure that pedestrians are safe as they walk around.”

Among the most anticipated CIP projects may be the citywide conversion of street lights to LEDs.  A pilot program on several streets and involving 100 lights has resulted in near universal satisfaction, so many Councillors have been anxious to see the City replace another 1,600 street lights with LEDs.

“Many of us have felt that the LEDs are brighter and provide a better quality light.  Those are important qualities for our public safety and neighborhood livability needs,” commented Councillor Dan Cortell.

Councillor Joseph Perlatonda added that the Council is actually working to “accelerate the LED light project even further,” hoping to get the installation performed this spring instead of late summer or early fall.

In addition to updating computer equipment and software, renovating several offices at City Hall and replacing old two-way radios, the CIP provides for the acquisition of three police cruisers, a fire command vehicle and a front end loader for the Department of Public Works.

“Maintaining our rolling fleet by swapping out older, problematic vehicles with new models makes sure our responses are reliable,” suggested Councillor Giovanni Recupero.

Several other visible projects are envisioned in the CIP, including the repair of Stebbins Fountain in Chelsea Square, funding for a future park project and completion of a Gateway Signage program to help direct motorists to various locations throughout the city.

“As we’re adding hotel rooms and seeing other forms of commerce expand here, it makes good business sense and will reduce overall traffic congestion if we make sure people get where their going,” said Councillor Matt Frank. “The Gateway Signage program will be another example that our community is able to respond to all the investment we’re attracting.”

While the CIP is the City’s plan for spending, Councillor Clifford Cunningham did note that a portion of the funds come to the City through State grants.

“Everyone’s pitching in here, including our legislative delegation of Representatives (Eugene) O’Flaherty, (Kathi-Anne) Reinstein and Senator (Sal) DiDomenico, to find the resources to continue to make substantial improvements to the physical aspects of our community, which, in turn, make it easier to help our residents and businesses achieve their own goals,” he said. “The State grant funding, for example, will pay for some of those road repairs and is critical to our park renovation strategies, so the help of our legislative delegation is much appreciated.”

The Council will have several weeks to review the CIP in its entirety before meeting again with Ash to discuss specifics and priorities.  Following that, the Council is expected to hold a public hearing to solicit more input from the public.

“We’re committing public dollars so we have to be very sure we have the public’s input in the process.  In the end, we all want Chelsea to look and be better, and this CIP is one way to reach that goal,” emphasized Councillor Christopher Cataldo.

If approved by the Council, which, by State law, may only delete projects or vote down the entire CIP, projects provided for the FY’13 CIP could begin as soon as July 1, 2012.

“We’ll line up what we can and get prepared once Council acts to add the approved projects to all that we’re doing to keep Chelsea moving forward.  And, we’ll be moving forward together, the Council and Administration again acting jointly to benefit our entire community,” said Ash.

District courts all over this state operate under the laws of the state of Massachusetts.

Those laws allow them each to be harsh district courts; angry district courts; drab and inconsistent district courts; and district courts wracked by inside politicking, petty and personal jealousy on the part of the clerks and employees, and by the kind of negative attitude being conveyed everyday that starts with the chief magistrate and trickles down.

Not so in Chelsea.

The Chelsea District Court is one of the state’s best working courts.

It is and has consistently been over the decades perhaps the best example of a compassionate court.

Defendants in CDC must go to great lengths to have the court insist at various proceedings that that person be sent to jail.

Mind you, the bad guys go to jail. Everyone else willing to show reason for hope is given a break, and frankly, this is the way it should be.

Inside the Chelsea District Court that Kevin Murphy has overseen for two decades, there is an esprit de corps. The general feeling inside the courthouse is positive and affirmative, cases move along the right away, everyone is helpful and friendly. As district court experiences go throughout this state, Chelsea sets a great example.

Recently, two guns were stolen out of the evidence locker at the CDC, creating a problem for two separate cases being tried in the CDC.

An investigation by higher district court administrative authorities into the theft of those weapons is ongoing.

The investigators are after who ever stole the guns or who made them available or who helped them to disappear inside the district court. They want to know, as we want to know, how and why this could have happened.

As a result, Murphy has been transferred for 60 days to another court or until such time the investigation is completed. Assuming Murphy is shown to have had nothing whatsoever to do with the gun thefts, he will be allowed to return to his post in Chelsea, which would be the fair thing to do.

Murphy’s transfer is a cheap shot at a lifelong court employee whose record is unblemished and who runs a great courthouse.

The net effect of his temporary transfer is to give the appearance that he has somehow done something wrong.

Obviously, the man we know and whom we like didn’t steal those guns. Murphy’s modus operandi is that of an honest man with a pristine record at the courthouse he runs and which he loves.

Knowledgeable sources close to the investigation claim there is someone inside the courthouse that can’t be trusted which resulted in the theft of important evidence.

The perpetrator of that crime should be punished when he or she is caught.

Chief Magistrate Murphy should be moved back to the Chelsea court.

He’s not the perpetrator.

Making him look like one is worse than the crimes that were committed in stealing the guns.

The Chelsea High boys basketball team clinched a berth in the post season state tourney with a 73-44 romp over North Shore Tech Tuesday evening, marking the fifth consecutive season that Coach Jay Siegal’s Red Devils will be making a Journey to the Tourney.

The outcome never was in doubt as Chelsea jumped out to a 19-6 lead after one period which the Red Devils enlarged to 34-11 by the half.

Sean Quiroz led the CHS point parade with 22 points, followed by Sammy Mojica with 21, Eddie Rosales with 10, Kevin DeJesus with nine, Alex Ventura with five, Dennis Sanabria with four, and Ian Martin with three.

The win came on the heels of a 69-67 triumph over Peabody, a former Greater Boston League rival, on Monday. The teams engaged in a nip and tuck contest all the way in which  neither was able to pull ahead by more than four to six points throughout the game.

It all came down to the final eight seconds with Mojica at the foul line for Chelsea, whereupon Sammy sank both free throws in the clutch. Peabody could manage nothing better than a desperation shot at the end. Mojica led four Red Devils in double figures with 20 points. Quiroz tingled the twice for 19, DeJesus added 16, and Rosales chipped in with 14.

The triumph gave Chelsea victories in both meetings this season with Peabody, which is a Division 1 school now playing in the Northeastern Conference.

The lone down note for Chelsea came Friday with a 60-59 heartbreaking loss to Shawsheen Tech. The Red Devils held the advantage all the way and took a seemingly safe 14 point margin into the final quarter.

However, Shawsheen refused to give up, and combined with some careless ball control by the Red Devils, closed the gap, finally  pulling ahead with a basket with six seconds to play.

DeJesus had a bg night for Chelsea with 20 points. Mojica was next with 12 points, followed by Quiroz with 11, Rosales with eight, Martin with five, and Sanabria with two.

The Red Devils, who now stand at 10-6 on the season, host Greater Lawrence tomorrow (Friday) and Northeast Vocational Tuesday. Both games tip off at 5:00.

Tough loss for  Lady Red Devils to PMA

It is said that you can tell the final outcome of any basketball game by looking first at the free throw shooting stats.

In the case of the Chelsea High girls basketball team’s 47-46 loss last week to Presentation of Mary, that certainly proved true, as the Lady Red Devils connected on just nine of their 23 attempts from the charity stripe.

“Our free throw shooting proved the key to PMA’s win,” said CHS head coach Matt LaBranche. “We had the game in our hands, but we needed to make our free throws.”

The contest was a tight battle all the way, which was befitting of a game in which Chelsea was seeking to all but clinch an outright Small Division title of the Commonwealth Athletic Conference against their chief rival, PMA, with whom Chelsea shared the Small Division crown last year.

The Lady Red Devils had nipped PMA in their first meeting this season, and thus another win would have set PMA back two games behind Chelsea. However, another co-championship seems to be in the cards after the PMA victory.

Lindsay Fuentes turned in a powerful effort for Chelsea, putting together a nice double-double with 13 points and 12 rebounds. Frontcourt mate Shuly Sejour also made a big two-way contribution with 12 points and seven rebounds.

Tatiana Fontes added six points, followed by Madeleine Vielman and Carolyn Moni with five each, Barbara Carron with three, and Jennifer Medrano with two.

The Lady Red Devils returned to their winning ways with a 51-26 runaway victory over No. Shore/Essex Aggie. The outcome never was in doubt, as Chelsea grabbed a 10-3 lead after one period and a 26-16 advantage at the half. The CHS girls then put the game away by holding No. Shore to zero points in the third period and built their lead to 37-16.

Sejour led the way with 12 points and 13 rebounds. Fontes also reached double figures with 12 points. Vielman added nine, Moni and Marsha Mars hit for six each, Bahiya Nasuuna chipped in with four, and Medrano scored two.

The Lady Red Devils were set to take on Mystic Valley in a key contest yesterday (Wednesday). They travel to Fellowship of Christian Academy tomorrow (Friday) and go to Northeast Regional Tuesday.

Harry Rubitsky, a resident of Winthrop for 60 years, died on January 30. He was 85 years old.

Born in Boston, he attended Boston Public Schools and Roxbury High School and was a graduate of Mass College of Pharmacy. He worked as a Pharmacist and in Pharmaceutical sales. He also attended Hebrew College for Cantorial Studies until he was selected for Military Service during World War II.

He was the Past President of Temple Tifereth Israel of Winthrop, Past President of B’nai Brith of Winthrop and a member of the Jewish War Veterans. He was recognized for his superior sales performance and was the manager of a little league team in Winthrop. He was also a member of the Tifereth Israel choir and enjoyed photography.

The beloved husband of Ida (Bodkins) Rubitsky, he was the devoted father of Marlene Moyer and her husband, Bruce, David Rubitsky and his wife, Debra, Gloria Himmelstein, Rachel Alix and her husband, Roland and the late Frederick Rubitsky; dear brother of Dr. Hy Roberts and Esther Sokol; dear nephew of Ruth Stein and loving grandfather of Ilana, Shira, Davita, Jason, Shoshana, Lilly, Edina and Andrew.

Funeral arrangements were by the Torf Funeral Chapel, Chelsea. Burial was in Everett. Memorial contributions in his name may be made to American Parkinson Disease Assoc., 720 Harrison Avenue, Boston, MA 02118 or Temple Tifereth Israel, 93 Veterans Rd, Winthrop, MA 02152.
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Miriam Locke

Retired Chelsea Teacher

Miriam Locke, formerly of Marblehead and Chelsea, a retired teacher of the Chelsea School System, died on January 30. She was 94 years old.

She was the beloved daughter of the late Joseph and Ella Locke; dear sister of the late Anna Weiner, Sarah Sloane, Ruth Sack, Milton, Herbert, Benjamin and Jacob Locke; cherished aunt of many nieces, nephews, grandnieces and grandnephews.

Services were held at Moses Mendelsohn Lodge Cemetery, West Roxbury. In lieu of flowers, expressions of sympathy may be made to Rosewood Nursing Home, 22 Johnson St., Peabody, MA 01960 or Hospice of the North Shore, 75 Sylvan St., Danvers, MA 01923. For online condolences and directions go to www.goldmanfc.com Goldman Funeral Chapel-Malden

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Ellen Galatis

Chelsea resident

Ellen D. (Godfrey) Galatis of Chelsea died on January 29. She was the beloved wife of the late Socrates K. “Socky” Galatis; devoted mother of James C. Galatis and Charles S. Galatis, both of Chelsea; dear sister of Mary Bullock of Chelsea and the late John Godfrey; cherished great aunt of Shamus Murphy of Wilmington and is also survived by many nieces, nephews, great nieces and great nephews. Funeral Services will be conducted from the Frank A. Welsh & Son’s Funeral Home, 718 Broadway, Chelsea today, Thursday, February 2 at 12 o’clock noon. Services will conclude with burial in Woodlawn Cemetery, Everett. Relatives and friends are most kindly invited to attend. To send expressions of sympathy or for directions, please visit www.WelshFuneralHome.com Should friends desire, contributions in her memory may be made to the Shriners Hospital for Children, 51 Blossom St., Boston MA 02114. www.ShrinersHQ.org

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Vincent McLellan

Field Director of BU/Chelsea School Partnership

Vincent B. “Vin” McLellan of Chelsea died on January 27.  He was 65 years old.

He was born in Quincy, the son of the late Vincent and Isabel McLellan, graduated from Archbishop Williams High School and attended Northeastern University in Boston where he was class president.

He was a renowned Information Security and Privacy Consultant with the Privacy Guild, the firm he founded.  He worked with many innovative businesses including RSA and then EMC.  He was a thought leader on the intersection of technology and privacy and an online evangelist on these issues.

As a reporter, essayist, and speech writer, he was also an influential member of the national literary community.  He helped start the Phoenix newspaper as the City Editor and authored the award winning book The Voices of Guns.

“Vin” was a passionate activist and worked tirelessly to educate the public and support causes such as privacy, anti-terrorism, civil rights, protection against ethnic and religious violence, and the importance of public K-12 education excellence for all.

One of his most lasting contributions was to education.  He served as Field Director of the Boston University Chelsea School Partnership where he was instrumental in the positive transformation of the school system, expanding educational opportunities for hundreds of students.  His commitment to making a difference included his unwavering support of the Choice Thru Education organization and countless other local institutions.  He touched many people through his efforts and will be remembered as a true hero for the encouragement and support he selflessly gave every day.

He was the beloved husband of Saldis “Sara” B. (Lugo) McLellan; the devoted father of Bonnie McLellan and her husband, Doug Beyer of Needham, Joshua, Gabriella and Isabella McLellan, all of Chelsea; son of the late Vincent and Isabel (Campbell) McLellan; dear brother of Elaine I. Babineau of Falmouth, Mary Joy Perry of Wisconsin, Mark R. McLellan of Utah, Anne T. McCrory of Maine and Christopher McLellan of Medford.  He is also lovingly survived by numerous nieces and nephews.

A remembrance gathering will be conducted at the William R. Carafa & Son Home For Funerals, 389 Washington Ave., Chelsea today, Thursday, February 2 from 4 to 7 p.m.  A religious service will be held at 6 p.m. with the Rev. Richard T. Loring officiating.  Relatives and friends are kindly invited to attend.      In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Choice Thru Education PO BOX 505599 Chelsea, MA 02150, www.choicethrueducation.org

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Antonino Di Maggio

Chelsea Resident

Antonino Di Maggio of Chelsea died on January 27.

He was the beloved husband of Elizabeth (Rosmarinofski) Di Maggio of Chelsea; devoted father of Ginett Di Maggio of Revere, Salvatore Di Maggio of Wakefield, RI, and Debra O’Brien of Billerica; cherished grandfather of Brianna and Caitlyn Costa, Jordan Brady Di Maggio and Miguel Angel Marin; loving son of the late Salvatore and Crocifissa (Lemba) Di Maggio and dear cousin of Anna and Leno Giovannucci. He is also survived by many nieces and nephews.

His Funeral was held from the Frank A. Welsh & Sons Funeral Home, Chelsea. Burial was at Woodlawn Cemetery, Everett. To send expressions of sympathy, please visit www.WelshFuneralHome.com

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Shirley Rosenberg

Of Revere, formerly of Chelsea

Shirley (Golder) Rosenberg of Revere, formerly of Chelsea, died on January 19. She was 86 years old.

An active member of the Jack Satter House Tenants Association and 420 Congregation, she was the beloved wife of the late Murray Rosenberg, the devoted mother of Bonnie Rosenberg Cutler and Arthur Rosenberg; loving daughter of the late Harry and Clara (Tabachnik) Golder; dear sister of the late Molly Norman and the late Betty Rosen and loving Nana of Elana Cutler and Evan Landry. Funeral arrangements were by the Torf Funeral Chapel, Chelsea. Burial was in Mishna Cemetery, Everett. Memorial Contributions may be made to Congregation 420, and Jack Satter Tenants Association, both at 420 Revere Beach Blvd, Revere, MA 02151 or to the Chelsea Jewish Nursing Home, 17 Lafayette Avenue, Chelsea, MA 02150.

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Mary ‘Mae’ Keefe

Lifelong Chelsea Resident

Mary C. “Mae” (Dunn) Keefe, a lifelong resident of Chelsea, died on January 28 at the Chelsea Jewish Nursing Home after a lingering illness. She was 83 years old.

A devoted homemaker, she attended St. Rose Parochial School and graduated from St. Rose High School in 1946.  She married the late L. “Arthur” Keefe and together they settled in Chelsea raising their five children.

She was the beloved mother of Maureen Dunn and her husband, John of Chelsea, Dorothy Keefe and her husband, John Waid of Ireland, Sheila Ortiz and her husband, Marcos of New York, Christine Pedi and her husband, William of Vermont and Michael P. Keefe of Chelsea; daughter of the late William and Catherine M. (Harvey) Dunn; dear sister of John Dunn of Peabody, William Dunn and his wife, Patricia of Reading, Helen Magee of Fairhaven, Dorothy Wilson of Weymouth, June Antle of New Hampshire and the late Joseph Dunn, Patrick Dunn, Agnes Mareshi, Alice Lombard and Christine Dunn of Weymouth; sister-in-law of Bernice Dunn of Saugus, Jeannie Dunn of Saugus and the late Margie Dunn, James Magee, George Mareshi, Neil Wilson and Ernest Lombard.  She is also lovingly survived by 10 grandchildren, six great-grandchildren and many nieces and nephews.

Funeral arrangements were by the William R. Carafa and Son Home For Funerals, Chelsea. Burial was at Winthrop Cemetery in Winthrop. Memorial donations may be made to the Dr. Matthew S. Shwartz Hospice and Palliative Care, 285 Commandants Way, Chelsea, MA 02150.

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Selina Strong

Member of Order of Eastern Star and Glendale Methodist Church 

Selina Strong of Malden, formerly of Everett, died on January 23 at the Melrose-Wakefield Hospital. She was 95 years old.

She was born and raised in Newfoundland, Canada and traveled to the United States when she was just 20 years old, settling in Everett where she lived for the rest of her life.  For over 40 years, she worked as a repair technician at the Schick Electric Company in Boston.  She retired in 1979 at 62 years old and had the opportunity to enjoy over 30 years of retirement.

She enjoyed knitting and teaching others how to knit.  She was an excellent baker and would help with many of the dinners held at the Glendale Methodist Church in Everett where she was an active member until her health did not permit her to attend services.  She was a member of the Glendale Women’s Circle and a member of the Order of Eastern Star.

The sister of the late Joseph Strong, Hector Strong, Ethel E. Bursey and Druscilla Isaacs, she is lovingly survived by her niece Joyce Roberts of Newfoundland and cousins Nancy A. Wilhelm of Norton and Jack Janes of Everett.  She was the aunt of the late Burt Strong and cousin of the late William Janes.

Funeral arrangements were by the William R. Carafa & Son Home For Funerals, Chelsea. Burial was in Woodlawn Cemetery in Everett.

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Marsha Couch

Revere Resident

Marsha M. (McDonough) Couch of Revere died on January 26.

The wife of the late Ransom Couch, she was the loving mother of Melody and her husband, Mark DePari of Billerica, Ransom “Randy” Couch of Revere, Patrick “Rick” and his wife, Koral Couch of Chelmsford, Melissa of North Reading and Patricia Couch and her companion, Dennis of Revere; sister of John McDonough of Randolph, Jay McDonough of Beverly, Joan Embree of Revere and Patricia Sullivan of Chelsea and is also survived by 14 grandchildren and several nieces and nephews.

Funeral arrangements were by the Vertuccio & Smith Funeral Home, Revere.

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Hannelore ‘Laura’ Buckholtz

Advocate for Autistic Children

Hannelore H. M. “Laura” (Trieb) Buckholtz, a 57 year resident of Revere, formerly of Germany, died on January 26 at the Chelsea Jewish Nursing Home following a long illness. She was 83 years old.

Born in Karlsrube, Germany, she met her late husband in 1948 while he was serving with the US Army in Germany. They fell in love, married and she came to the United States as a G.I. war bride in 1956, settling in Revere. (Her late husband, Adolphus M. “Bucky” Buckholtz died in August of 1990.)

She was a member of the Revere Democratic Committee and worked at the polls for many years. Although she and her husband were never blessed with children of their own, they had an extraordinary affection for all children, particularly children afflicted with autism. They were early advocates for the care of autistic children, fostering them in their home and maintaining active membership in fund raising efforts for autistic research. The couple will be remembered for the very special extravagant “treats” at Halloween for the neighborhood children, their generosity and the many holiday parties they hosted at their home and at their pool.

The beloved wife of the late Adolphus M. “Bucky” Buckholtz, she left no immediate family. She is, however, is lovingly survived by Robert E. Ginsburg and his wife, Susan M. Conley and Marijane Natalie, all of Revere.

Funeral arrangements were by the Vertuccio & Smith Home for Funerals, Revere. In lieu of flowers, remembrances may be made to The Autism Project, Mass. Advocate for Children, 25 Kingston St., Boston, MA 02111.

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Jean Kerrins

Retired Director of the Revere Housing Authority

Jean F. (Innes) Kerrins, a resident of Revere for more than 60 years, formerly of Chelsea, died on January 24 at the Chelsea Jewish Nursing Home after a brief illness. She was 81 years old.

The retired Director of the Revere Housing Authority, Mrs. Kerrins was a graduate of St. Rose High School of Chelsea, Class of 1948. She had a 10 year career as a telephone operator for AT&T from 1964 to 1974 and retired in 1990 after 14 years of service as Director of the Revere Housing Authority.

She was the wife of the late Thomas J. Kerrins, Jr.; cherished mother of Kathleen J. Kerrins of Revere, Thomas J. Kerrins III and his wife, Ellen Torres of Danville, CA, Atty. Michael P. Kerrins and his wife, Paula M. of Lynn and the late Patricia A. Kerrins; devoted grandmother of Jessica Britt and her husband, Jarrett of Quincy, Thomas Kerrins-Torres and Stephen Kerrins-Torres, both of Danville, CA, Sophia M. and Benjamin D. Kerrins, both of Lynn; dear sister of Jack Proverb and his wife, Lois of Chelmsford and the late Joseph Innes Jr., Mary Proverb, Barbara Paone, Gertrude Coviello and Jill Pellegrino. She is also lovingly survived by several nieces and nephews.

Funeral arrangements were by the Vertuccio & Smith Home for Funerals, Revere. Burial was in Holy Cross Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, remembrances may be made to the Dana Farber Cancer Institute & the Jimmy Fund, 10 Brookline Pl. West, Brookline, MA 02445-9924

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Marie Albano 

Of Stoneham, formerly of Chelsea and Revere 

Marie A. (Cerulli) Albano of Stoneham, formerly of Chelsea and Revere, died on January 25.

The beloved wife of Carmen J. Albano, she was the mother of Deborah M. Lingiewicz of Wakefield, Christine A. Bresnahan of Needham and Valerie Farnesi of Cumberland, RI.; sister of Joseph Cerulli of Acushnet and grandmother of Kathleen, Brian, Andrea, Alec and Kyle.

Funeral arrangements were by the McDonald Funeral Home, Wakefield. Burial was in Woodlawn Cemetery, Everett. For obit/ guestbook, www.mcdonaldfs.com

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Sidney Levine 

Former Owner of Just-Rite Auto Upholstery, Always a ‘Chelsea Boy’

Sidney Levine of Swampscott, formerly of Lynnfield, but always a Chelsea Boy, died on January 24. He was 82 years old.

Born in Boston and raised in Chelsea. he was a graduate of Chelsea High School, Class of 1948 and also attended Bentley University. He was the former owner and operator of Just-Rite Auto Upholstery of Chelsea.

The beloved husband of Janice (Mankin) Levine, he was the devoted father of Arthur Levine and his wife, Martha and Robert Levine;  the loving son of the late Samuel and Elizabeth Levine; the dear brother of Irving Levine and Philip Levine and the loving grandfather of Jeremy Levine and his wife, Marina and Daniel Levine.

Services were previously held with arrangements entrusted to the Torf Funeral Chapel. Memorial donations may be made to the Jewish Rehabilitation Center, 330 Paradise Rd. Swampscott, MA 01907 or to a charity of your choice. For online guestbook, please visit the funeral home website, www.torffuneralservice.com.

Football fans watch sports action on the large HD televisions at the New Brown Jug located at 1014 Revere Beach Parkway.

Jessica Cormier

As the murder investigation into the tragic death of Jessica Cormier continues, her grieving parents say they have been told nothing by the district attorney’s office or the police with regard to the stabbing death of their daughter.

Clarence Earl Berry, who was living at the Chelsea Y, remains in jail without bail awaiting a hearing on February 2 as a result of being charged with the murder of Cormier, whom he allegedly stabbed twice two weeks ago as she walked on a sidewalk near her home on Pearl Street in Everett.

The 59 year -old Berry pleaded innocent to the murder charge in Malden District Court the day Jessica Cormier was buried.

The dead woman’s parents, Walter and Barbara Cormier, both grew up in Chelsea. Barbara Cormier heard Jessica Cormier’s screams. Her mother said she felt Jessica hit the front door when she collapsed. Her mother ran down the stairs to find her daughter breathing heavily but with no wounds showing and no blood at all spilled at the scene.

While her mother screamed for help – she had no cell phone – neighbors called 911.

“Jessica was trying to say something but the words never came out. The EMT’s took her out of our hallway. It was then that they found her wounds and realized how serious her condition was. They took my girl away in the ambulance. She died at the hospital. The last time I saw her is all I remember,” Barbara Cormier told the Independent.

She and her husband said their lives have been turned into a nightmare since their daughter died.

“Jessica laying on the floor in the hallway finding it hard to breathe but holding my hand and unable to talk and fading away is what I am always thinking about. It is hard to walk through the hallway for me,” she said.

Cormier later died at the Massachusetts General Hospital from a stab wound to the heart and a second stab wound to the chest.

Cormier and Barry apparently knew one another. However the dead girl’s parents are at a total loss as to what exactly the relationship was between their daughter and the man being held for her murder.

“We never met him. We never ate with him. We never got a phone call from him. We know absolutely nothing about him,” Barbara Cormier said.

Her husband Walter agreed.

“Jessica worked  7 days a week. She just finished school to be a dental technician. We were all helping her out looking for a job – and now this,” said her father.

Her mother said their daughter was quiet, weighed 90 pounds, worked all the time, would come home from work, have a bite or rest a bit and then go out with friends.

It was after just such a day that she was murdered on the street where she grew up.

“I can tell you this,” her mother promised. “We are waiting for justice to be done. We are waiting for the trial. We’ll be there all the time everyday until this guy gets what he deserves,” said Barbara Cormier.

Walter and Barbara Cormier want to know what happened.

Her mother heard her screams and ran out of the house and cried out for someone to call 911.

Her father was taking a nap and didn’t hear the commotion.

“I never got to say good-bye,” Walter Cormier said.

Barbara Cormier’s late father is former Chelsea city building inspector, Steve Melesuic.

Football fans have their choice of 21 large hd televisions and one huge projector screen at the dockside Restaurant located at 170 everett ave.

The bar at The Brown Jug in the Parkway Plaza reached a point of complete silence last Sunday afternoon as Baltimore Ravens kicker Billy Cundiff lined up to kick what would have been the tying field goal in last seconds of the Patriots-Ravens AFC Championship game.

Owner Michael Matrinko said it was quite a moment in the packed bar, and probably the quietest the place has been in years.

“There was definitely pause in the place when the field goal team came on and the ball was snapped,” he said this week. “Everyone held their breath. For one or two seconds, it was quiet, completely quiet, and then when the referee signalled that the kick was no good, the place went crazy and customers started hoisting the Budweiser Towers as if they were the AFC’s Lamar Hunt Trophy. It was a fantastic time. It really was.”

The same situation unfolded at the new Dockside Restaurant in the Mystic Mall where close to 100 patrons turned out to to watch the game on the 21 televisions and one big projector screen.

Waitress Debbie Murphy donned a complete Patriots uniform – shoulder pads, helmet and all.

“It was a bit difficult getting around with those shoulder pads, but people loved it,” she said.

She said the bar took on a eerie silence when Cundiff lined up for his kick.

“I was in the back doing some work and everything got quiet out front,” she said. “Then I just heard everyone yelling and screaming. I might have missed it, but I certainly heard it. When people started chanting I knew it must have been something very good.”

Meanwhile, at the Jug, Matrinko said that his bar was packed and at maximum capacity.

“People couldn’t get a seat at the bar and most people had trouble finding a place to stand,” he said. “It was a great mix of Chelsea people. You had old, young, black, white and everybody. You had Patriots nation down here.”

While the Patriots Super Bowl run this year means jubilation for fans, Matrinko and other establishment owners said it also means a good piece of unexpected business.

“Without a question of a doubt, the days the Patriots play in the playoffs, the bar business picks up a solid 33 1/3 percent,” he said. “That’s without a doubt…We anticipate the Super Bowl is going to be really big because it’s been some time since the Patriots have been there.”

He said that the Super Bowl is always a good day for his restaurant, but he said business goes through the roof if the Patriots are in the game.

“When the Pats were going to so many Super Bowls in the 2000s, our Super Bowl parties here were great,” he said. “When they’re not in it, you get a crowd, but they’re not in it as much. You don’t get the excitement we had here Sunday or the buzz of the crowd.”