Lynn Classical softball coach Chris Warren and his players are shown before their game against King Philip Friday night.

King Philip coach Jim Leonard and his phenomenal pitcher Meghan Rico knew their game against Lynn Classical was something special on their schedule.

They read about Classical’s 13-0 record and its mantle as a Northeastern Conference superpower that had won 34 league games in a row. They understood that the game would be viewed as a classic Division 1 North-South showdown and have a state tournament atmosphere.

“We knew we were facing a quality team and we’ve been following them all year,” said Leonard after his two-time defending state champions bested Classical 8-0 at Plainville Athletic League Field in Plainville. “We approached this game like we would a tournament game. We went undefeated last year so we know how hard it is to do that. We had a lot of respect for them and they were right on par with the tournament teams we’ve seen.”

Rico, who has a Division 1 softball scholarship and will attend George Washington University, held nothing back from her repertoire in a dominating no-hit, 13-strikeout performance. Included in the 5-foot-7-inch right-hander’s mound mastery was her 500th career strikeout.

“I felt pretty good. I threw all my pitches tonight – curves, screw, change, drop, rise ball,” said Rico. “They’re all around the same speed but I’m sure a few were a little bit faster than others.”

Rico said she and her teammates were excited to be playing an undefeated Classical team that they had been following from afar.

“We all knew about Classical and what a great team they are,” said Rico. “We weren’t nervous but we were more excited to play such a good team. We need to play competitive teams and this was a great out-of-league win.”

Classical bench boss Chris Warren said Rico is the best pitcher he has seen during his coaching career.

“I’ve been coaching a long time and that’s the best I’ve ever seen on the mound,” said Warren. “She had everything: the velocity, the screwball that she was throwing inside on our right-handers and we couldn’t touch it. She completely shut us down. I talked to our players and the majority said they’d that hadn’t seen anyone as good as Rico is.”

Warren would like to have the first inning back against King Phillip. Classical’s ace right-hander Mackenzie Coppinger was one strike away from ending the inning before KP exploded for seven runs on a three-run blast and a grand slam. Coppinger held KP to one more run while Katie Cuozzo pitched a scoreless sixth.

“It’s unfortunate because we had two outs and two strikes without giving up a run and then seven runs follow after that,” said Warren. “If you do get out of that jam and the runs don’t follow, it’s a different game. Maybe we can start bunting and make them make plays, and it’s not all Rico being dominant. But it didn’t happen that way.”

To the Rams’ credit, they went all out in what was an uphill battle after the tough first inning.

“The energy was there from the beginning until the end,” said Warren. “The lead-up to this game was like a state tournament feel for our players. There was excitement in our school. People were wishing them good luck. It was good for our girls to compete in this type of atmosphere and when June comes, hopefully it pays off.”

Welch ruled the residency requirement for Lynn Police Officers should be a subject of collective bargaining and he upheld an earlier ruling that the residency issue should be decided by the Joint Labor Management Committee.

Lynn City Solicitor Michael Barry said the city would be appealing the decision.

“Residency remains the law of the City of Lynn,” Barry said. “Nothing changes while the appeal is pending.. I am confident that an Appeals Court will affirm the Residency requirement after hearing all legal arguments,” he added.

Boston Attorney Susan Horwitz, representing the Lynn Police Association, believes that the city charter has no impact on collective bargaining.

Judge Welch agreed with her.

However, the matter is now off to the Appeals Court where it will receive a full review before a decision is made.

That process is expected to take months.

This $6 million funding request will ensure that adequate funding is available during the summer of 2012 to promote positive youth development and end youth violence. These jobs bring with them educational and skill-building opportunities with the expectation of reducing juvenile delinquency in high-risk areas of the Commonwealth.

“I am proud to support this $6 million funding request that will go to support summer jobs,” House Speaker Robert A. DeLeo said. “These jobs help provide our young people with a productive, healthy, safe experience during the summer months and teach them important life lessons as well.”

“The approval of this funding enables communities across the Commonwealth to offer the type of summer programs and jobs that are important to the development of our youth,” 2nd Assistant Majority Leader Kathi-Anne Reinstein stated.  “The grants will help local businesses, promote non-violence amongst youth and provide invaluable life experience for young people.”

The family representative didn’t quite give away the family’s best kept secret, which is, they are right now planning to do absolutely nothing with the building.

Instead, the council heard a chemical expert (the family’s part-time real estate expert as well) describe how the entire downtown of the city of Lynn is saturated with chemicals from the former White Laundry factory.

To their credit, the councilors who spoke were a great credit to themselves and Crighton among them, took the family representative to task.

Bottom line, the council wants something done with the building.

The problem is that no one can be found to do anything with the building that would justify the investment.

Therefore, the family lets it sit vacant as to do anything else would make no economic sense.

Today, more than ever before, the numbers need to jive or investments are not going to be made.

The former Anthony’s Restaurant property is a white elephant. It is empty. It is old. It is in need of exterior refurbishing if it is just going to sit there.

And if this is the case, then the family should take some of its hard earned money from its successes elsewhere and remake the front modestly so it gives the appearance of public art at the very least.

By doing this the square would be brightened up substantially. The city would get off the family’s back, and an important corner of a city block that remains empty would serve as something bold and cool to look at with a nice façade.

Perhaps a 1960’s look would be suitable as that era, more than any other, was the time the restaurant dominated in what was then a far more robust downtown.

Just some paintings of people eating placed in the windows and the facade dressed up a bit and made to look like an operating restaurant with some exterior period lighting would do.

The crime is in doing nothing.

Tearing down the building doesn’t accomplish anything, either unless we want another downtown parking lot with not enough automobiles to justify it.

The free marketplace is a fickle place indeed.

With no one wanting to buy the building and no one wanting to invest in it and with no investment in it possible of returning the investment made, the building sits there aging and crumbling and looking like a wreck.

That should change. If the Athanis Family won’t do anything then maybe the city should do it for them in return for a lien on the property.

Of Marblehead, formerly of Lynn

Evelyn L. (Gartz) Kummins of Marblehead, formerly of Lynn, died on May 12. She was 81 years old.

Devoted to family and Temple Sinai, she was a graduate of Lynn Classical High School, Class of 1947 and Chandler School of Business.

She was the beloved wife of Bernard Kummins, the devoted mother of Susan Kummins, Rachael Kummins and Jerold Kummins and his wife, Randy; loving daughter of the late David and Jean (Stern) Gartz; dear sister of Doris Hirsch; loving “Bobie” of Joshua and Allyson.

Services will be held at Temple Sinai, 1 Community Road, Marblehead, today, Tuesday, May 15 at 11 a.m. Burial will be in Chevra Mishna Cemetery, Lynn. Memorial contributions may be made to the Evelyn L. Kummins discretionary fund for the benefit of Temple Sinai, 1 Community Road, Marblehead, MA  01945. Arrangements are by Torf Funeral Service, Chelsea. For online guestbook and directions, please visit the funeral home website:

www.torffuneralservice.com

Sharon Dobbyn, fitness director at the Lynn YMCA, invites local runners to participate in the Third Annual Spring Fling 5K on May 19 at Lynn Woods Reservation. Dobbyn is pictured at the Y’s indoor workout facility.

The Lynn YMCA is gearing up for its Third Annual Spring Fling 5K that will be held on Saturday, May 19 at 10 a.m. at the Lynn Woods Reservation on Great Woods Wood.

Kathy Walsh, vice president of development, said the race will benefit the YMCA’s Growing Stronger Together Annual Campaign.

“We hope to raise about $2,500 for the annual fund,” said Walsh. “We want to use the money for summer camp scholarships.”

Lynn ‘Y’ fitness director Sharon Dobbyn said T-shirts will be presented to the first 200 registrants. Awards will be presented to the top male and female winners. Medals will also be presented in the various age divisions.

The cost of entries is $15.

Registration will begin at 8 a.m. on the day of the race.

“We hope people will come out and support the YMCA,” said Walsh. “It’s a great way to get some exercise and support a great organization.”

Congressman John Tierney walking down the street with Frances Martínez, executive director of the North Shore Latino Business Association.

Congressman John Tierney joined Frances Martinez, executive director of the North Shore Latino Business Association (NSLBA), on a walking tour in the downtown business district Friday afternoon.

Business owners, such as Jaime Taveras of Downtown Market and William Sanchez of Casa Antigua, warmly greeted Tierney during the 45-minute tour.

Several residents recognized Tierney as he walked through the steady rain accompanied by Martinez, congressional office outreach coordinator D.J. Napolitano, and Rose Mary Sargent, congressional aide.

“It’s great to see him in our city and to talk to him one-on-one,” said Melissa Marquez, a visitor to Downtown Market. “I’d like to see more of our public officials doing this and seeing what’s going on.”

Tierney said he had attended the opening of the NSLBA offices on Sutton Street last May and wanted to reaffirm his support of the group and its growing membership.

“We were here for the opening and it appeared they were very excited about it, and today we had a chance to see visit the members and see how their businesses are growing and how well they’re doing.”

Tierney commended Martinez’s leadership of the NSLBA.

“Frances is doing a terrific job and her services are pro bono right now,” said Tierney. “She’s putting in a lot of time and effort to make this work and I think she’s doing an admirable job.”

Tierney said his office has been assisting small businesses throughout his tenure in the House of Representatives.

“The idea is that people out there are working hard and we have to be as supportive as we can possibly be,” said Tierney. “And I think we’ve done that. We’ve had 17 small business tax cuts in recent times and we’re trying to make sure we get people back to work so they have customers. That’s what I heard from all the folks today – they need customers and that only comes when you put people back to work which is what we’re focusing on doing.”

Tierney said the economy is on the upswing.

“There are good signs in the economy,” he said. “It’s not booming, but it’s doing a lot better. I think we need to keep investing in people, making sure they have the skills to get the jobs and the resources they need to put people to work. Lynn is a great city and we’ve been able through the Recovery Act to make some investments with the federal government partnering with the state and the local community.”

Martinez said the congressman’s visit meant a lot to her organization that was launched last May. There are 128 members in the NSLBA.

“It means a lot to have Congressman Tierney here,” said Martinez. “We want to make sure we have the support of our public officials. By coming here to talk to local business owners, it’s a way to get the community involved as well. Congressman Tierney has been supportive of the NSLBA since the beginning. The reception he got from our members was tremendous.”

Those of us who listened to the three hours of testimony and debate about the issue were impressed with the passion that was brought before the school committee by residents who deeply care about the education their children are receiving from the Lynn school system.

Also impressive were the testimonials given by Superintendent Latham’s colleagues, some of whom are her closest supporters.

Those testimonials and especially one given by Lynn English High School Principal Thomas Strangie, were professional, to the point but more importantly, from the heart. After all, that’s what really counts when all is said and done.

Strangie’s words for his superintendent evoked a wide round of applause when he was finished and justifiably so.

The bulk of the comments made by all those who testified pointed to the fact that Superintendent Latham is deeply involved in what she is doing. If everything in the school system is not perfect, we came away from such talk with the understanding that she gives her job her all.

Especially notable is that this is a woman who works late, who is in early, who fully participates during weekends and who has a good idea about what she is doing.

Complaints directed toward her should have been directed toward the city’s plight – that is – having too many old schools that are inefficient and in some cases decrepit.

The complaints should have been directed at a very large and difficult to manage student body made up of thousands of students who come from broken homes where English is a second language.

There is no antidote for plugging the gaps that come to exist when so many students given so much time and attention by dedicated staff leave the school system and move somewhere else. Transiency is a big problem.

It is not the superintendent’s fault that the school system needs millions more in funds than it has. Running the schools isn’t all about money but try to run them without enough of it.

Principal Strangie hit the proverbial nail on the head when he noted that for the most part, only a relatively few parents who are feeling hard done by come out to complain about the school system and the superintendent. He said the vast majority of parents feel comfortable about what is going on in the Lynn Public Schools.

He is absolutely right.

The School Board’s vote against posting the superintendent’s position was, in this instance, a profile in courage.

The superintendent’s reputation, indeed, even her job, should not rely on the negative feelings about her of a relative few when the huge majority supports her good work.

We may not agree with some of the superintendent’s policies but we agree that she works hard, has the support of important colleagues as well as that of a vast majority of parents of school children in this city.

She should be left to do her work.

Lifelong Lynn Resident

June Paul, a lifelong Lynn resident, died in peace at the Kaplan Family Hospice House in Danvers on April 26 after a brief battle with cancer.  She was surrounded by loving family members including her two children when she passed.  She was 58 years old.

She was an avid animal lover, enjoyed spending time with her family and friends and was especially fond of Lynn Beach and Flax Pond.

The beloved daughter of the late Erna and Eldridge Hudson of Lynn, she was the loving mother of Keith Paul, his wife, Meghan and their son, Dylan of Lynn and Theresa Keeley, her husband, Kevin and their sons, Joseph and Jacob of Marblehead.  She was also the dear sister of Wayne Hudson and his wife, Jackie of Lynn, Tina Messenger and her husband, Mike of Lynn, Mark Hudson and his companion, Pauline Cenami of Lynn, Sandra and Cora Hudson of Lynn, Helen DeMars of Lynn, Shirley Huntington and her husband, Peter of Michigan, Chucky Hudson of Lynn and Butch Hudson of Michigan.  She will be sadly missed by all.

She was preceded in death by her brothers Richard, Walter and Edgar Hudson, all of Lynn.

Final arrangements were entrusted to the Goodrich Funeral Home, Lynn.  In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be made in her name to the Kaplan Family Hospice House, 78 Liberty Street Danvers, MA 01923

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Louis Panakio, Jr.

President of Panakio Adusters of Lynn, Longest Serving Member of

Lynn Board of Appeals

Louis J. Panakio, Jr., a lifelong resident of Lynn, died April 29 in Naples Florida after a brief illness. He was 80 years old.

The husband of the late Marcia A. (Irvine) Panakio with whom he shared 53 years of marriage, he was born and raised in Lynn, the son of the late Louis J. Panakio, Sr. and Helen (Warden) Panakio. He was a graduate of St. Mary’s High School and St. Michael’s College in Vermont and attended Northeastern University in their Real Estate and Appraisal Division.

A US Army veteran of the Korean Conflict, he was an avid golfer, a former member of Gannon Country Club, a longtime member of Salem Country Club in Peabody, the Wilderness Country Club of Naples, Florida and a former member of Tedesco Country Club.

He was a member of the Knights of Columbus, Council 70 in Lynn and the Sons of Italy, the Greater Lynn Real Estate Board, the National Association of Real Estate Boards, the National Association of Public Insurance Adjusters and a member and past president of the Massachusetts Association of Public Insurance Adjusters.

The president of Panakio Adjusters in Lynn, he had been associated with Panakio Adjusters since 1952 after taking over the company following the death of his father. Mr. Panakio was a licensed Real Estate Broker, a Licensed Public Adjuster in Massachusetts, Vermont and in New Hampshire and the longest member of the Lynn Board of Appeals, serving the city for over 40 years until retiring in 1995. Lou was involved in appraising, evaluating and adjusting commercial, residential, fire losses, personal property and land. He was a Veterans Administration Fee Appraiser, FHA fee appraiser and Lynn Redevelopment Authority Certified Appraiser.

He is survived by a daughter, Lisa Panakio Rowe and her husband, Attorney Harvey F. Rowe, Jr. of Lynn and a son, Jay Panakio of Lincoln, NH. , his grandchildren, John and Kelsey Panakio of Lincoln NH, Shannon Gardner of Lynn, Melissa Sherwood and her husband, Norm of Marblehead, Mark Rowe and his wife, Jenna of Marblehead and his great grandchildren, Lily Gardner, Maeve and Tegan Sherwood, Maren and Wesley Rowe and his sister, Louise Stanley of Sandown, NH.

Funeral arrangements were entrusted to the Solimine, Landergan and Richardson Funeral Home, Lynn. Burial was in Pine Grove Cemetery, Lynn. Donations may be made to My Brothers Table, Attn: Donations, 98 Willow Street, Lynn, MA 01901. For guestbook: www.solimine.com.

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Toni Ann Aresco

Of New Hampshire, formerly of Revere

Toni Ann Aresco of Pelham, NH, formerly of Revere, died by accident on May 5. She was 41 years old.

A member of the Revere High School, Class of 1988, she was the Manager of Technical Operations for Navisite and an avid runner who enjoyed being outdoors.

The beloved life companion of Joseph Addario of Pelham, she was the devoted daughter of the late Angelo and Palma (Alfonso); dear step daughter of William “Bill” Lapio of Lynn and is also survived by many loving cousins, friends and her beloved dog, Brandy.

Her Funeral will be from the Paul Buonfiglio & Sons-Bruno Funeral Home, 128 Revere St., Revere on Friday, May 11 at 9 a.m. followed by a Funeral Mass in St. Anthony’s Church at 10 a.m. Memorial visiting hours will be Thursday from 5 to 9 p.m. In lieu of flowers donations may be made to Susan G Komen for the cure Po Box 650309 Dallas TX 75265-0309. For guest book please visit www.Buonfiglio.com