manOne wouldn’t think that auto body would be a business to profit off of the Super Bowl, but Danilchuk Auto Body in Eastie gets the spotlight each and every title chase with their unique displays. Revere residents Eric (right) and Rob (left) Danilchuk, along with employee Joe Marshall truly outdid themselves this time with a display that includes New York Giant Quarterback Eli Manning roasting on a spit. In addition to the Danilchuk’s, retailers all over the City are reporting increases in sales for television, sound systems and catering.

The New England Patriots’ Super Bowl march this year has meant business for a lot of local retailers, and this week businesses said they have seen a Super Bowl run on everything from televisions to catering to…auto body.

Revere residents Eric and Rob Danilchuk – who operate Danilchuk Auto Body in East Boston – may not the typical business owners one might think you would see interest due to the Super Bowl, but it has become just that for them.

Nearly 10 years ago, the brothers decided to decorate the outside of their shop – along busy Rt. 1A – with a sports themed car display.

Since then, as Boston sports teams have had successes, they’ve had dozens of displays for the Patriots, Red Sox, Celtics and Bruins.

However, this Super Bowl run has really topped it off.

Outside, a mannequin is dressed up in a New York Giants Eli Manning uniform, and it turns on a motorized spit that is placed above what looks like a car fire.

A fake fire and red lights shine upon a wrecked car with the New York Giants logo, while a stout pickup decked out in Patriots colors and logos crashed  head on.

There’s even a motor that curious onlookers can turn on so that the Manning mannequin will turn circles on the spit above the fake fire.

And it’s attracting quite a bit of attention to their business.

“All the news stations in Boston called us before we even started working on this one,” said Eric. “We had to think of how to top all the other ones we’ve done, so we thought of this. It took about a week to do it all and our fabricators really did a great job getting it together.”

Said Rob, “I think people remember us for these types of things we do. They drive by and see it or see us on the news. We get e-mails all the time saying that they want to ask a non-car related question about the display outside the business.”

In the more traditional Super Bowl business crowd, Beach Sales at Mahoney Circle reported that television and sound system sales have been really jumping off the shelves.

The popular electronics store said that they re-did their showroom two weeks ago in anticipation of something big, and it has paid off as shoppers have visited the store to upgrade their televisions or sound systems prior to the Super Bowl.

“Now, the bigger TVs are getting bigger,” said Howie Freedman of Beach Sales. “A 27-inch used to be the standard for tube TVs, and that moved up to 42-inches with the flat screens. Now, the standard TV size is up to a 46-inch or 50-inch television. That’s just the standard. A lot of people want the 60- or 65-inch models. We are absolutely getting people coming in for the Super Bowl and we’re ready for it. It’s been going gang-busters this whole week and we expect it to continue right through the weekend.”

Freedman said Beach Sales has its own installer who is a licensed electrician, and they’ve instructed him to keep installation slots open all week and on Saturday.

“People are getting more and more into sound systems now because the TVs are thinner and the speakers in them aren’t as good,” said Freedman. “The number one Super Bowl TV right now is a choice between two 60-inch models – one an LG and one a Panasonic. Each are $1,299 apiece and that’s amazing because a 60-inch TV that wasn’t as good a quality was up around $6,000 a few years ago.”

And once the eyes have been satisfied, then it’s time to turn to the stomachs.

With nearly everyone planning some type of Super Bowl party or gathering, catering services have seen a spike in business around Revere.

Kelly’s on the Beach said that catering orders have begun to really pick up in what is traditionally a slow time for business.

“All of our locations do catering and all of them have gotten an uptick in catering orders for the big game,” said Dean Murphy, director of operations for Kelly’s. “We have plenty of finger foods on our catering menu, but the chicken wings are our biggest order. The Clam Chowder is always popular as well as the reliable roast beef sandwiches.”

Murphy said all the locations, including Revere, are taking catering orders and could fulfill most orders with 24-hour notice.

At the two Revere Subway Sandwich locations, owner Harry Patel said that sales are picking up for their Super Bowl Party Platters, which serves 7-10 people for $24.99.

Patel said that the Broadway or Mahoney Circle locations are currently taking orders for Sunday, with any kind of sandwich available.

For a spicier Super Bowl, Margarita’s Cantina at the Comfort Inn on American Legion Highway has a special take-out menu in the works for the Super Bowl.

Additionally, they will also have the televisions on and the restaurant and bar open for guests to enjoy the game in comfort.

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.

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.

The mayor and the chief had a frank and open discussion about exactly when the chief was planning to leave – as his contract runs out in August. However, it is well known in City Hall circles that the new mayor wishes to get moving with changes that need to be made in the Police Department, but that cannot happen until the chief has stepped down.

The mayor has apparently said not much can be done until Reardon leaves.

Reardon is said to have understood this and would be getting back to the mayor.

This was supposed to happen this week.

Sources insisted Reardon had not gotten back to the mayor as of press time.

In anticipation of the changes he wished to make when Reardon is gone, the mayor has allegedly interviewed at least 30 Revere Police officers of all ranks.

“Dan is rather amazed at the information he’s been gathering,” said a source close to him. “He knows there’s much to be done to get the place going the way it ought to be.”

In recent weeks there has been discussion and the widespread belief that Lt. Joseph Cafarelli will replace Reardon when he steps down.

“Cafarelli is not the mayor’s appointee for the position just now. Several people are in the running,” said a source.

There is also the general feeling, said a source, that the mayor may go outside the city to choose a new chief. It is felt that by doing so, some leverage could be gained on making the hard decisions about how to improve the department without dismantling it. Also, an outsider that is appointed chief would not be bound to the various political and social alliances that prevail at the police headquarters and in the community.

“An outsider could do things an insider would never try to do,” said the source.

Efforts to reach Chief Reardon Tuesday were unsuccessful.

On the record, Mayoral Assistant Miles Land Kennedy would only say that all options are being looked at in regards to public safety.

“We are looking at all options with respect to the Police Department,” said Kennedy. “We don’t have anything concrete right now. Everything is being reviewed. Public safety is the mayor’s number one priority. Public safety is being reviewed as an entire issue right now.”

Seth Daniel contributed to this report.

Richard W. Sanders III, 37, of Winthrop, was arrested on charges of operating a motor vehicle while under the influence of liquor and operating a motor vehicle negligently so as to endanger.

WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 25 

Maricel Aparicio, 52, of 20 Rose St., was arrested on charges of being rude & disorderly in violation of the city ordinance, two counts of assault & battery by means of a dangerous weapon, assault & battery on a police officer, and resisting arrest.

THURSDAY, JANUARY 26 

Christopher B. Timm, 44, of No. Quincy, was arrested on charges of two counts of malicious destruction of property over $250 and resisting arrest.

FRIDAY, JANUARY 27 

Dino C. Binns, 52, of 82 Crescent Ave., was arrested on charges of assault and intimidation of a witness.

Dione Cassimiro DeSouza, 27, of East Boston, was arrested on an outstanding warrant and on a charge of unlicensed operation of a motor vehicle. He also was cited for making an illegal turn.

SATURDAY, JANUARY 28 

Nancy Espinoza, 40, of Chelsea, was arrested on an outstanding warrant.

Kathleen G. Palermo, 52, of 34 Franklin Ave., was arrested on two counts of assault & battery.

SUNDAY, JANUARY 29 

Raymond B. Melanson III, 31, of 209 Revere St., was arrested on an outstanding warrant.

Jose Antonio Rodriguez, 25, of 135 Ward St., was arrested on charges of illegal possession of a knife in violation of the city ordinance, assault by means of a dangerous weapon, possession of marijuana with intent to distribute, possession of drug paraphernalia with intent to distribute, carrying a firearm without a license, receiving a firearm with an altered serial number, and two counts of possession of ammunition without a license.

Revere High track star Mike Fitzpatrick added another laurel to his growing wreath of accomplishments, winning the 1000 meter run at Saturday’s Massachusetts State Coaches Association Invitational Track Meet held at the Reggie Lewis Center.

Fitzpatrick not only topped the field of 76 competitors in the 1000 meter run, which featured top runners from across the state, but he smashed the Revere High school record in the process, with his time of 2:35.49 bettering the previous mark of 2:37.20 set by Samnang Ros in 1998.

On the girls’ side at Saturday’s meet, Racquel MacDonald was the top Lady Patriot finisher, taking 10th place in the 55 meter hurdles in 9.35 seconds, which qualified Racquel for the semifinals.

Caramello hits clutch free throws in girls’ victory

Caitlin Caramello sank two free throws with 10 seconds to go to provide the winning margin in an exciting 45-44 victory for the Revere High girls basketball team Friday.

Until Caitlyn made her clutch shots from the charity stripe, the Lady Patriots had trailed for the entire contest, including an eight point deficit with about four minutes to play. Revere would have been further behind, had not Venous Hamza turned in a superb first half effort in which she sank a pair of three pointers and scored nine points to keep her team within striking range.

“Venous kept us alive in that first half,” said RHS head coach Katelyn Leonard.

However, it would prove to be the Lady Patriots’ tenacious defense that turned the tide down the stretch. “What’s great about our team is we don’t quit,” said Leonard. “In the fourthquarter, we stretched our half court man-to-man defense to full court and really started to apply the pressure. We were able to force turnovers and began to creep back into the game.”

With about a minute to go, Caramello stepped to the line for two free throws (Revere was in the double bonus) with the Lady Pats trailing 44-42. Caitlyn missed the front end, but hit the second to draw Revere within a point.

“On the next possession we played lock down defense and forced a missed shot, and Caramello came up with a huge defensive rebound,” said Leonard.

Danvers fouled Caitlin again, but this time she hit both shots to give Revere its first lead of the contest with 10 seconds showing on the clock.

“Our defense then stepped up to the challenge again and forced a bad shot to end the game,” said Leonard, who noted the outstanding defensive work of Jacqui Noel and Jen Fajardo, who were assigned to cover Danvers’ best player.  The duo held her to 12 points, none in the second half.

“The past week we talked a lot about playing to win, rather than playing not to lose,” noted the coach. “I think what happened in the Danvers game was our girls were willing to do whatever it took to win the game. I am very proud of the way they fought back.”

Caramello led the scoring chart for the Lady Pats with 18 points and pulled down 13 rebounds to turn in a huge double-double. Fajardo hit for 12 points, followed by Hamza with nine, Tiphani Harris with three, Noel with two, and Michaela Maguire with one.

Leonard and her crew were set to host Saugus last night (Tuesday) and Lynn English Friday evening.

The Lady Patriot will be playing for the rest of the season without their dynamic captain and leading scorer (16 points per game), junior Gena Restiano, who suffered a torn ACL.

“We all feel so badly for Gena,” said Leonard. “She’s a girl who is constantly working to get better  and does what it takes when nobody is watching. This is a huge loss for us this season.

“But our team is resilient and is ready to step up to the challenge,” added the coach.

RHS boys track meets Marblehead

Although the Revere High boys indoor track team came out on the short end of a 56-30 decision to Marblehead, a number of Patriots turned in fine performances.

Michael Fitzpatrick was the lone Revere competitor to finish in first place in the individual events, capturing the 1000 run in a time of 2:51.6, but Patriots grabbed second places in most of the other contests: Robert Rose in the high jump with a leap of 5-8; Omar Morales with a shotput toss of 43-2; Karim Sahila in the 55 meter hurdles in 8.5; Younes Hartout in the 55 meter dash in 6.9; and Robert Rose in the 300 in 40.5.

Adding one point to the Revere scoresheet with third place performances were: Ricardo Maldonado with a high jump of 5-8; Vito Licata with a throw of 42-7.25 in the shotput; Christian Ortez in the dash in 7.0; Kristi Nushi in the mile in 5:07.2; and John Dello Russo in the two mile in 11:32.

In addition, the Patriot 4 x 400 relay quartet defeated their Marblehead counterparts handily, circling the track in 3:51.2 compared to Marblehead’s 4:00.1.

MacDonald, Gonzalez win for RHS girls

Racquel MacDonald and Angel Gonzalez turned in first place efforts for the Revere High girls indoor track team in their meet last week with Marblehead.

MacDonald captured her specialty, the 55 meter hurdles, in 9.1 seconds, just edging the Marblehead girl who clocked the same official time. Teammate Lindsay Gurska came in third in the hurdles in 9.8.

MacDonald also earned half a point for the Revere cause by tying for third spot in the high jump with a leap of 4-8.

Gonzalez tossed the shotput a distance of 28 feet, 11 inches to bring home first place. Lady Patriot Noelle Galli’s throw of 27 5 was good for third place.

Raychel Adreani completed the Revere scoring with a second place performance in the 55 dash in 8.1 seconds. Lady Patriot Angeli Buenaventura showed the same time as the third place Marblehead girl at 8.4, but the edge went to her opponent.

Comfort Toglon also just missed the scoring column, taking fourth position in the 300 in 48.1. Daniella Fortuna also came close to the top three in the 600 in 2:00.7.

RHS hockey team tie Peabody, 4-4

The Revere High hockey team turned in one of its best performances of the season to come away with a 4-4 tie with Peabody. The teams battled to a 1-1 draw through the first period, with Chris Whalen, assisted by Pat Bartol and Nick Tran, lighting the lamp for Revere just 3:03 into the contest. Peabody evened matters at 12:07.

The Patriots opened up some room in the second frame, scoring twice on lamplightersby Bartol, assisted by Brandon Mastropietro, at 5:29, and Cam Whalen, assisted by Shayne Cambria, less than a minute later.

Revere moved out to a 4-1 advantage at 1:18 of the third stanza on Chris Whalen’s second marker of the night, assisted by R.J. Tiorano and Marco Mazzarelli.

However, Peabody got a chance to change the game’s momentum a minute later when a Patriot was whistled for a penalty. Revere earlier in the game successfully had killed a 5-on-3 Peabody advantage with Drew Lauria, Chris Whalen, and Mazzarelli and Mastropietro turning in a superb job of penalty killing. But this time Peabody took full advantage of the opportunity and scored to narrow the gap to 4-2. Peabody continued to maintain the pressure and pushed across the next two goals to leave matters at 4-4 with 6:44 to play.

Both teams had their chances at notching the potential game winner, but Revere goalie  Jon Papasadora and his Peabody counterpart held firm the rest of the way.

“I told the team after the second period that this was their best game of the season to that point,” said RHS head coach Jim Palumbo. “We were doing all of the little things that make such a big difference and really working together as a team.

“Although Peabody came back to tie, we still continued to play well,” added the coach.

The Patriots are back in action tonight, hosting Beverly at Cronin at 6:30, and then play at Lynn Saturday evening at 8:30.

Boys hoop team falls to Danvers

The Revere High boys basketball team ran into one of the elite teams in the Northeastern Conference this season, Danvers, which came into the contest sporting a 12-1 record, its lone loss coming to Winthrop, which also has only one loss in the NEC.  Danvers features a 6-7 center in George Merry who gives the Falcons a dominating presence at both ends of the floor.

The Pats started slowly, as Danvers took leads of 9-0 and 15-2, at both of which junctures RHS head coach Rick Hayes called timeouts to regroup his charges.

Although the Patriots picked up the pace, they never were able to bounce back from those early deficits, eventually falling by a 56-37 final score.

Alex Urena was high man for Revere with eight points, followed by Chris Palladino and Mike Ciambelli with six apiece, Tom Sor and Dom Boyce with five each, John Leone with three, and Joseph Aud and Geo Gomez with two points each.

The Pats were set to trek to Saugus last night (Tuesday) and to Lynn English Friday before returning home to host Lynn Classical next Tuesday.

Of Tewksbury, formerly of Revere

Dora (DeAcetis) DiCenso of Tewksbury, formerly of Revere, died on January 27.

She was the beloved wife of the late Domenic V. DiCenso; devoted mother of Anna O’Brien of Billerica and Rita Prevost and her husband, Stephen of Tewksbury; loving grandmother of Janeen, James and Jennifer O’Brien, Matthew McGonigle, Emily and Rachel Prevost and dear sister of Gino DeAcetis and the late Pasquale DeAcetis, Algissa Quaraglia and Nerina DiCenso.

Her Funeral will be held from the Dello Russo Funeral Home, 306 Main St., Medford, Thursday at 8 a.m. followed by a funeral mass to be celebrated in St. Mary of the Assumption Church, 660 Washington St., Revere, at 9 a.m. Relatives and friends are respectfully invited to attend. Visiting hours are today, Wednesday, from 4 to 8 p.m. Services will conclude with entombment at Woodlawn Mausoleum, Everett. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be sent to St. Jude Research Hospital, 501 St. Jude Place, Memphis, TN 38105. To leave a message of condolence www.dellorusso.net

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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 the 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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Laurence Curtis, Jr.

Employee of Bond Brothers of Everett

Laurence J. Curtis, Jr. died unexpectedly on January 28 at his home in Everett. He was 50 years old.

The loving father of Nicholas and Anthony Curtis, both of Revere, he was born and raised in Everett and was a graduate of Everett High School. He worked for Bond Brothers in Everett.

He was the son of Nancy (Girard) Curtis of Everett and Laurence Curtis, Sr. of Florida, former co-owner of the Elm Street Market in Everett. Mr. Curtis also leaves his devoted sister, Cheryl Ann Curtis of Everett and his former wife, Cindy Staff of Revere. He is also survived by many aunts, uncles, cousins and friends.

His funeral will be held from the Bisbee-Porcella Funeral Home, 549 Lincoln Ave., Saugus on Friday, February 3 at 9:30 a.m. followed by a funeral mass at Blessed Sacrament Church, 14 Summer St., Saugus at 10:30 a.m. Relatives and friends are invited. Visiting hours are Thursday, February 2 from 4 to 8 p.m. For directions and condolences: www.BisbeePorcella.com.

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Lena Luciano

Beachmont Resident

Lena M. Luciano of Beachmont Revere, formerly of the North End of Boston, died on January 30.

She was the loving daughter of the late Peter and Anita (Luongo) Luciano; beloved sister of Joseph Luciano and Katherine Lucacio, both of Revere and the late Carmen and Dominic Luciano and Theresa Brunco; loving companion of John DelPirore of the North End and is also survived by many cherished nieces and nephews.

A Funeral Mass in Celebration of her life will be held in St. Anthony’s Church, Revere Street. Revere on Thursday, February 2 at 11 a.m. Visiting hours will be held prior to the Mass in the Ruggiero Family Memorial Home, 971 Saratoga St. (Orient Heights) East Boston starting at 9 a.m. Relatives and friends are respectfully invited.  Services will conclude with burial in Holy Cross Cemetery. For more information: www.ruggieromh.com

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Carol Vasapolli

Credit Union Officer

Carol A. (Dieso) Vasapolli of Stoneham, formerly of Revere, died on January 29 after a brief illness.

An officer of the Metropolitan and River Works Credit Union, Lynn, she was the beloved wife of Michael J. Vasapolli with whom she shared 37 years of marriage; cherished daughter of Lena (Zani) Dieso of Revere and the late John Dieso; dear sister of Jeanne Young and her husband, Colin of Wakefield; daughter-in-law of Phyllis (Falzone) Vasapolli of Revere and the late Joseph Vasapolli; fond aunt of Kristine Robison and Lauren Young and many other nieces and nephews.

Her Funeral will be held from Vazza’s “Beechwood” Funeral Home, 262 Beach Street, Revere, today, Wednesday at 8 a.m. followed by a Mass of Christian Burial in St. Anthony’s Church, Revere at 9 a.m. Entombment will be in Woodlawn Cemetery, Everett. For directions and guest book, please visit: www.vazzafunerals.com

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Pauline Paolini-Anastasio

Past President of East Boston Ladies Lodge Sempre Avanti

Pauline (Chiodi) Paolini-Anastasio of Revere, formerly of East Boston, died on January 28.

The Past President of the East Boston Ladies Lodge 1600 Sempre Avanti and the Ladies Garment Workers Union, she was the loving mother of Vincent Anastasio and his wife, Mary and Joseph Anastasio Jr., all of Byfield and Roseann Micciulla of Revere;  the dear sister of Antonette Smith, Catherine Spagnola and Andrew Chiodi, all of Revere, Eleanor LaMonica, Rose Woodside, Ann Magner, and Salvatore Chiodi, all of East Boston, Lawrence Chiodi of Plymouth and the late Frances Imbrescia and Anthony Chiodi and former wife of the late Joseph Anastasio. She was the cherished grandmother of John Vincent Anastasio and Richard and Christine Micciulla.

Her Funeral will be held from Vazza’s “Beechwood” Funeral Home, 262 Beach Street, Revere today, Wednesday, at 9 a.m. followed by a Mass of Christian Burial in the Immaculate Conception Church, Revere at 10:30 a.m. For directions and guest book: www.vazzafunerals.com

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Margherita Ferullo

Former Revere Resident

Margherita (Ventola) Ferullo, formerly of Revere, died at Ashland Farms on on January 28 after a long illness, surrounded by her loving family. She was 85 years old.

The beloved wife of the late Dionisio Ferullo, she was the devoted mother of Anthony and his wife, Sarah of Revere, Diane Aversa and her husband, Richard, Denise Casaletto and husband, Gerry, all of N. Andover and Joseph and his wife, Maria of Swampscott; dear sister of Armando and Dante Ventola, Yolanda Gandolfo, Carmen Ventola, Mary Hynes and the late Angelo Ventola, and Carmela Corrente. She is also survived by 10 loving grandchildren who she adored.

Her Funeral will be held from the Paul Buonfiglio & Sons-Bruno Funeral Home, 128 Revere St., Revere today, Wednesday, February 1 at 10 a.m. followed by a Funeral Mass in St. Anthony’s Church at 11 a.m. Relatives and friends are kindly invited. Entombment will be in Woodlawn Mausoleum. Donations in her name may be made to Merrimack Valley Hospice, 360 Merrimack St. Building 9, Lawrence, MA 01843.

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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 will be held from the Frank A. Welsh & Sons Funeral Home, 718 Broadway, Chelsea, today, Wednesday, February 1 at 9 a.m. followed by a Funeral Mass at St. Joseph’s Church, 770 Salem St., Malden, at 10 a.m. Services will conclude with burial at Woodlawn Cemetery, Everett. Relatives and friends are most kindly invited to attend. For directions or to send expressions of sympathy, please visit www.WelshFuneralHome.com

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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 and Smith Funeral Home, Revere.
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Nancy Turco

East Boston Resident

Nancy J. (Buonopane) Turco of East Boston died on January 25.

The beloved mother of Denise and Joseph Hickey of East Boston and Joseph Turco and Michelle of Beverly, she was the cherished grandmother of Tiana, Nicholas, Lauren and Joseph; loving sister of Elena Baer of Topsfield, William Buonopane of Saugus and the late Ralph, Michael, Robert and Philomena Buonopane, Assunta and Mary Ciccone, Jeanette LoConte and Phyllis Gallo. She is also survived by many loving relatives and friends.

Funeral arrangements were by Vazza’s “Beechwood” Funeral Home, Revere. Entombment was in Holy Cross Cemetery, Malden. For guest book: www.vazzafunerals.com
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Madeline Masella

Lynn Resident

Madeline F. (Gallagher) Masella of Lynn died on January 26.

The wife of the late John J. Masella, she is survived by many nieces and nephews and her dear friends Julie Firicano and “Skippy.”

Funeral arrangements were by the Cuffe-McGinn Funeral Home, Lynn. Online guestbook at www.cuffemcginn.com
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Teresa Liberato

Of Revere, formerly of East Boston

Teresa (Gulla) Liberato of Revere, formerly East Boston, died on January 27. She was in her 97th year.

She was the beloved wife of Nicholas Liberato with whom she shared 77 years of marriage; loving mother of James Liberato of Saugus and his late wife, Charline, Nicholas Liberato and his wife, Carol of Revere, Virginia Stewart and her husband, Eugene of Peabody and Angelie Graham and her husband, Thomas of Washington; dear sister of Josephine Renda of Peabody, Frank Gulla of Florida, James “Skiboo” Gulla of Tennessee and the late Mary Mustone, Leo, William and John Gulla; cherished grandmother of Daniel and Tina Liberato, Rebecca Comier, Wendy Spinelli, Mark and Steven Stewart, John and Thomas Graham, Jr. and the late Charline and James Liberato and Christine Stewart. She also leaves 14 great grandchildren and many nieces and nephews.

Funeral arrangements were by Vazza’s “Beechwood” Funeral Home, Revere. Burial was in Woodlawn Cemetery, Everett. For guest book: www.vazzafunerals.com.
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Hannelore ‘Laura’ Buckholtz

Advocate for Autistic Children and Revere Democratic Committee Member

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. They will be remembered for the very special extravagant “treats” at Halloween for the neighborhood children, their generosity and for 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, 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 Revere Housing Authority Director

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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Rocco Balliro

North End Resident

Rocco A. Balliro of Boston’s North End died on January 18. He was 75 years old.

The son of the late Angela (Richardi) and Rosario C. Balliro, he was the brother of Mary Tzannos, Francis Bent, Lucille Winship, Rosario (Billy), Bruno Balliro, the late Josephine (Novello), Florence (Monteforte), Rosalie (Foy), Joseph, Frank, Salvatore (Rudy) Balliro and the very special friend of Dan and Mary Zimmerman. He also leaves many nieces and nephews.

His Funeral Mass was held at St. Anthony’s Church, Revere. Private burial will be held at a later date. For Guestbook www.casperfuneralservices.com
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Joseph ‘Jay’ Piazza, Jr.

Avid Photographer

Joseph K. “Jay” Piazza, Jr. of Revere died on January 21.

Mr. Piazza had a deep love of the sea, nature and animals. He was an avid photographer and had many of his photos published in local area newspapers.

The former husband of Marlene (English), he was the father of Briana Piazza of Rockport and Joseph III of Virginia; son of Joseph K. Sr. and his wife, Rita Piazza of Lynnfield; brother of Steven Piazza and his wife, Maria of Lynnfield, Thomas of Ipswich and John and his wife, Renee Piazza of Reading and the longtime companion of Karen Cleary of Revere. He is also survived by many loving nieces and nephews.

Funeral arrangements were by the Cota Funeral Home, North Reading. Memorial donations may be made in his name to the St. Jude Hospital for Children, 501 St. Jude Pl., Memphis, TN 38105-1905. www.cotafuneralhomes.com

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Eleanor ‘Ella’ Marino

Nurse’s Aide

Eleanor A. “Ella” (Siciliano) Marino of Revere died unexpectedly on  January 23. She was 88 years old.

“Ella” served within the VNA Network as a nurse’s aide for more than 30 years.

The beloved wife of 61 years to John J. Marino, she was the devoted mother of John J. Marino, III and his wife, Sandra A. of Saugus and Michele Harter and her husband, Tracey of Long Beach, CA; dear sister of Phyllis A. Tata and her husband, former Revere City Councilor, Pasquale “Pat” Tata of Revere and the late Louis “Gino” Siciliano; cherished grandmother of Jasmine G. Fiandaca and her husband, Keith of Saugus and the late Christopher J. Considine. She is also lovingly survived by her great-granddaughter, Sophia G. Fiandaca and many nieces, nephews, grandnieces and grandnephews.

Funeral arrangements were by the Vertuccio & Smith Home for Funerals, Revere. Burial was private. In lieu of flowers, remembrances may be made to the Boston VNA, 500 Rutherford Ave., Boston, MA 02127.

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Audry Salvi

Orient Heights Resident

Audrey A. Salvi of Orient Heights, East Boston died on January 24.

She was the beloved daughter of Myra (Colarossi) and the late Romano Salvi; loving sister of Robert Salvi and his wife, Tracy of Groveland and Mark Salvi and his wife, Janine of East Boston; cherished aunt of Daniel, Nicholas, Joseph, Romano, Dante, Ava and Tasia.

Funeral arrangements were by Vazza’s “Beechwood” Funeral Home, Revere. For guest book www.vazzafunerals.com

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Regina Burke

Of Revere, formerly of Charlestown

Regina Burke of Revere, formerly of Charlestown, died on January 24.

The cherished daughter of the late William G. and Dorothy (Moore) Burke, she was the loving sister of 10 siblings.

Her Funeral was private. Remembrances may be made in her name to the St. Joseph’s Indian School, Chamberlain SD 57826; or St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, 501 St. Jude Place, Memphis, TN 38105. For online guest book: www.vazzafunerals.com
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Marguerite ‘Peg’ Fothergill

Longtime Chelsea Resident

Marguerite L. ‘Peg’ (Marchand) Fothergill, a longtime Chelsea resident, died on January 24 at the Rosewood Nursing Center in Peabody where she had been receiving supportive care for the past few months. She was 83 years old.

Born in Medford, she was the daughter of the late Curtis and Marguerite L (Falstitch) Marchand.  She grew up in Revere and graduated from Revere High School.  She began working as a Telephone Operator for New England Tel and Tel Co., at the Chelsea Office and was one of the last “Chelsea Girls” as they were known.

She married John “Jack” Fothergill in 1952 and together began to raise their family of a son and two daughters in Chelsea.  She left the phone company in 1960 as the need to have an operator place a local call was replaced with the now familiar dial tone.  Her husband, “Jack” died in 1996 after sharing 44 years of love and devotion. A devoted homemaker and loving mother, “Peg” was a dedicated parishioner at Our Lady of Grace Parish in Chelsea, a member of the Liturgy Committee and a Eucharistic Minister at the Church.

She was the beloved wife of the late John E. “Jack” Fothergill; devoted mother of Michael Fothergill of Chelsea, Denise Gillespie and her husband, Gerard of Danvers and Kimberly Boucher and her husband, Giles of Boxford; dear sister of Jeanette Lehman of Revere, Carol Repucci, the late Curtis Marchand and Barbara Quigley; cherished grandmother of Liberation Iannillo of New York, Jared Fothergill (FF/MFD) of Malden, Allison, Elizabeth and Thomas Gillespie of Danvers, Kevin and Paige Boucher of Boxford and adored great-grandmother of Emma and Jack Fothergill.

Funeral arrangements were by the Frank A. Welsh & Sons Funeral Home, Chelsea. Burial was in Woodlawn Cemetery, Everett. To send expressions of sympathy, please visit  www.WelshFuneralHome.com

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Marie Albano 

Of Stoneham, formerly of 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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Susan Comeau 

Of Boxford, formerly of Revere 

Susan F. (Falzarano) Comeau of Boxford, formerly of Revere, died unexpectedly on January 22.

She was the beloved wife of Gerald A. “Gerry” Comeau with whom she shared 28 years of marriage; loving mother of Jason J., Jessica J., and Jonathan J. Comeau, all at home; dear sister of Sandra Masiello and her husband, Eric of Lynnfield and the late James Falzarano Jr. and his wife, Susan Falzarano of Revere; fond aunt to many nieces and nephews.

Funeral arrangements were by Vazza’s “Beechwood” Funeral Home, Revere. Committal was private. For guest book: www.vazzafunerals.com

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George Coviello 

Of Revere, formerly of the North End of Boston 

George D. Coviello of Revere, formerly of Boston’s North End, died on January 22.

He was a former employee of H.W. Powers Candy Company and the beloved husband of Nancy (Palermo); devoted father of Steven Coviello of Methuen and Kenneth Coviello of Revere; dear brother of Richard of Lynn, Rosemarie Steph of Reading, Fredrick of Whitman, Charles of Saugus, James of Stoneham, Kathleen Sorace of Revere, David of Everett and the late Patrick and Gloria Giglio. He is also survived by two loving grandchildren, David and Matthew and many nieces and nephews.

Funeral arrangements were by the Paul Buonfiglio & Sons – Bruno Funeral Home, Revere. Burial was in Puritan Lawn Cemetery. For guest book, please visit: www.Buonfiglio.com

Big Brother Bill Davison of Charlestown with his Little Brother, Nathaniel Gonzalez of Revere, after a ceremony last year at the State House. The two have been paired in the Big Brother program for the past eight years. Big Brother Big Sisters of Massachusetts Bay say they are in great need of more male role models in the Revere area.

When Big Brother volunteer Joe Butler asked his Little Brother Michael Rivera, of Revere, about Kelly’s on Revere Beach, Rivera looked at him with a puzzled expression.

“What’s Kelly’s?” he asked.

Without another word, Butler, 28, gave his Little Brother a little advice and some tasty fried clams that he hasn’t yet forgotten.

“I brought him to Kelly’s on Revere Beach for one of our times together because he had never been to Kelly’s,” said Butler in a recent interview. “I told him, ‘How can you live in Revere and not know about Kelly’s on the Beach?’ He didn’t even know it was such a popular restaurant on his own city’s shoreline. I had to show him what he was missing and now he begs his mother to go there all the time and he loves Kelly’s. We laugh about it a lot now.”

Butler, a real estate manager and broker from Malden, volunteered for the Big Brother program last year and was paired up with Rivera in April. Since that time, the two have taken several trips to have fun and to provide a mentoring male relationship.

Right now, which is National Mentoring Month, the Big Brothers are looking for more volunteers from the Revere area, and there are numerous teen-age boys who are waiting to be paired up in the program with a positive male role model.

The commitment is only a few hours a month – at the minimum – and the rewards are potentially lifesaving.

Statistics provided by the organization show that after spending 18 months with a Big Brother or Big Sister, young people in the program are 46 percent less likely to use illegal drugs than their counterparts not in the program.

They are also 52 percent less likely to skip school, 33 percent less likely to hit someone, and 27 percent less likely to use alcohol.

Rivera, 14, and Butler have gone to the Zoo, to the Museum of Science, they’ve gone bowling and they’ve even had a pretty competitive game of football at Harry Della Russo Stadium.

One time, Butler was even able to help out by driving Rivera to a school dance when he had no other way to get there.

“I felt bad because he doesn’t have a Dad and he’s in a very feminine environment,” said Butler. “With his mothers and sisters, there aren’t a lot of men in his household. So, any time I can get him out and be a good male role model, it’s a good thing.

“Becoming a Big Brother is a very easy thing and I urge anyone who is thinking about it not to hesitate,” he added. “A lot of people seem concerned about the time commitment, but I don’t find it to be a constraint. The time commitment is well worth it. I don’t consider it a burden at all. I consider it good time spent with a good friend.”

Butler said he plans to continue the relationship for many years, as long as Rivera is agreeable to that.

“Definitely I have a new friend and I hope it’s going to be a long-term thing,” he said. “I’m definitely in it for the long haul – a lifelong friend that I can talk to and bounce questions off of, someone who can always give me a young person’s perspective on things…I have had a lot of good male mentors in my life to guide me along the way, and I thought now was a good time for me to give back and teach a young kid the lessons I’ve learned from my mentors. I hope to give him a positive outlook on life for many years.”

One Big Brother team that has stood the test of time is Bill Davison and Revere’s Nathaniel Gonzalez. The two have been paired since 2004, going back to when Nathanial was only 6.

He is now 14.

Last year, out of 1,400 volunteers, Davison was one of only a few finalists as Big of the Year.

Davison, of Charlestown, said he took early retirement in 2003 from a Boston computer services company, and decided he wanted to do volunteer work.

One place he went was Big Brothers.

The duo has gone to see Shakespeare in the Park, to a Bob Dylan concert and even on a trip to London.

“Nathaniel is Colombian and he is open to doing all sorts of things,” said Davison. “My son is a teacher in London and I took Nathaniel when I went to visit family. So, for a couple of days, this little Colombian kid from Revere went to school in London…I tend to do things with him that he otherwise might not do. That has been the routine.”

The two have gotten together on most Saturdays since Nathaniel was little, and Davison said it has been very extraordinary to watch Nathaniel grow up from a boy to a teen-ager.

In that time, they have gone from having a fun time every week to having more of a constructive time.

“Nathaniel is very bright and he is a very good and serious student,” said Davison. “His mother is terrific and I like her a lot, but they live in a small place and the environment isn’t great for him to get down to serious studying. I don’t like to say he comes over to do his homework, but nowadays I often provide him a quiet place where he does his homework and gets on with it. He’s a very determined little boy – though I guess he’s not a little boy anymore.”

Davison said that he knows he has provided Nathaniel with some unique experiences, yet the relationship has been anything but one sided.

“Sometimes people say, ‘You’re doing a great thing here, Bill,’” said Davison. “The thing is it’s been as beneficial for me as it has been for him…We often do things that he wouldn’t normally do and now I’ve started doing things as a result of his influence that I wouldn’t normally do. He’s a great kid.”

For more information on the Big Brother program, contact the organization at (617) 542-9090.

The Rizzo Administration and two key municipal unions have already met in the new mayor’s first month in office.

The Revere Firefighters Union and the Revere Teacher’s Association (RTA) met within the last week with Mayor Dan Rizzo and members of his administration or with the School Committee (which he is now chair of) to get an overview of contract discussions. After more than 12 years of negotiating with former Mayor Tom Ambrosino on the City side and as chair of the School Committee, city unions will face a new chief executive in Rizzo, and perhaps a totally different style as well.

The Firefighters have been out of a contract for more than a year, and will lead the way for the rest of the city’s public safety unions this time – including the police and Department of Public Works. Typically, one union leads the way, and whatever they negotiate is offered to the others.

“We have the privilege of being up first on this one,” said Firefighter’s President Guy Landry. “We did endorse [Rizzo] so we did already know him. We met already and talked about long-term goals and an overview/update of where we are at…Our expectations are really just having a seat at the table now. He’s a straight shooter and we like that.”

The RTA said that they met with the School Committee (which is now chaired by Rizzo) and Superintendent Paul Dakin on Tuesday, and that it was the first meeting in their contract negotiation process.

While the teachers do work with the city’s other municipal unions, they typically strike somewhat different deals than the rest of the unions – as they don’t directly negotiate with City government.

RTA Present Susan Lanza said that she expects contract work to be a seamless transition.

“The RTA is confident that we will bring the same collegial and mutual respect to these negotiations that we have brought to past initiatives,” said Lanza. “This, hopefully, will result in an agreement that will continue the Revere Public Schools ‘tradition of excellence’.”

In further comments, Lanza said they would not be willing to concede any more furlough days, as they have over the last three years.

“That’s our first proposal, that there be no further furlough days,” said Lanza. “We won’t tolerate any more. We’ve given them six over the past three years. No more. No more.”

Both groups agreed that this time around figures to be much less contentious than the previous two contracts, when budget cutting was at the forefront and tough decisions had to be made.

The RTA has taken furlough days the last three years, as discussed above.

In 2009, the Police Patrolmen’s Union squared off with Ambrosino on a contract issue and chose to lose officers from the contingent rather than fold to key concessions involving pay.

Meanwhile, all of the unions inked an agreement in 2011 to make major changes to the City’s health insurance – taking on changes that included bearing an additional 5 percent of costs. That concession plan saves the City about $700,000 per year.

Landry said he didn’t expect any sweeping reforms in this year’s negotiations.

“I don’t expect anything big right now,” he said. “Hopefully, this will be a more typical contract. There’s nothing major on the table like health insurance last year.”

Lanza agreed, saying they’ve had enough of the heated talks.

“We don’t expect anything big at all,” she said. “Really, we have a good contract. We’re looking to get this done in a month with no controversy…I don’t anticipate any problems.”

It’s even more difficult these days being a Revere Moose.

The often-charitable social club has found itself in a heaping mess this week, as they forgot to renew their liquor license last year and are scurrying to find a way to hold their popular Super Bowl party at the Broadway hall.

For a while, it appeared as if the License Commission would bend over backwards for the group and call a special meeting for the day before the Super Bowl, Saturday, Feb. 4, to grant the Moose a one-day liquor license. However, on Tuesday, that accommodation was thwarted when the state Alcoholic Beverages Control Commission (ABCC) vetoed the plan on a technicality.

Now, it appears the Moose will be dry.

The situation began last December when the club – despite numerous phone calls from License Commission officials – forgot to renew their liquor license and other licenses.

When Manager Ron Marciello realized the oversight, it was more than a week late, and the Commission couldn’t accept the late application due to a more stringent regulatory push by the state ABCC.

So, at December’s Commission meeting, the old Moose club lost all of their licenses, including the liquor license.

The only way to get it back was to apply for a new license in January – though ABCC officials did tell the Journal the club could have applied to the state for a temporary waiver.

That, however, didn’t happen, and last Thursday the club found itself in a predicament at the License Commission meeting.

First of all, they applied for and were granted all of their new licenses, but those licenses would not be in effect until some time in February after the ABCC considers them. All liquor licenses approved locally must also be approved at the state ABCC before they become official.

That left the Moose hanging out to dry for the popular Super Bowl party on Feb. 5.

“That party isn’t going to happen anyway because even if we approve this, it still has to go before the ABCC and the ABCC is not going to act on this until the first of next month,” said Chair Thomas Henneberry. “You’re just not going to be able to have any functions until that’s done.”

But several members of the Moose were in the audience and they had a number of public officials ready to go to bat for them, to ask if any accommodations could be made to ensure the Super Bowl is a super time.

“They have spent a significant amount of money to come into compliance with the Fire Department,” said Mayor Dan Rizzo. “It comes down to a late application which would have been approved under normal course for them, but was seven or eight days late. Try as best you can to keep this organization going as best you can…A 4-day temporary license…I think would be a terrific thing for them because in terms of the bills, they had to pay to come up to speed with the Fire Department and the regular monthly expenses that they have and cannot meet.”

Councillors John Correggio and Ira Novoselsky also spoke in favor of making an accommodation.

Additionally, Fire Department officials testified that the Club had some serious issues with its fire protection systems, but that those had been corrected or would soon be corrected.

“They’ve made a tremendous good faith effort; they just fell behind on the management aspect here,” said Chief Gene Doherty.

As things unfolded, it became clear that time would be of the essence and a special Saturday hearing would be the only way to get the Moose temporarily back on its hooves.

“In the meantime, we are amenable to having a Special Hearing to consider a one-day alcohol license,” said Henneberry.

For that to happen the Moose would have had to advertise it for two weeks in the newspaper and then they could have their hearing. The only day left for that hearing under the time constraints would have been Saturday, Feb. 4th.

Begrudgingly, that seemed to be the course of action to help the Moose until early this week, when the ABCC ruled the Moose couldn’t have their Super Bowl cake and eat it too. The ABCC indicated that the Moose could not have a one-day license at the same time that they are in the pipeline for getting a permanent license.

It seems like things are back to square one for the Moose, and many are hinting that this faux pas might spell the end for the club unless someone is able to save them.

“We’ve written a tremendous amount of fines,” Catinazzo said. “To be honest, it’s not really easy to enforce. The rodent-free bags are not marked well enough, and we’ve given out some fines mistakenly to people who had the bags. We talked with the manufacturer and they have indicated that they will start adding better markings and a green drawstring on their next run.

“Overall, a lot of people were non-compliant,” he continued. “We went back to some neighborhoods that were 100 percent non-compliant the first week and saw that it was about 50 percent non-compliant the second time. So, it is getting better with time.”

He said that by the end of last week, they had written $9,000 in tickets, the majority of them for people putting out improper bags (not rodent-proof) on the curb.

Catinazzo said he hopes that the trash contractor might adopt a policy of not picking up bags that are non-compliant, leaving them on the curb. He said that would help them to enforce the ordinance more accurately and easily.

One of the issues that have boiled over into a showdown has been the Revere Housing Authority’s (RHA) compliance with the new ordinance.

RHA Director Linda Shaw told the Journal last week that she considered it an “unfunded mandate,” and that the RHA was working on coming into compliance, though it was an expensive proposition.

Catinazzo told the Journal that the RHA is actually a big problem for trash issues, and said that folks on Sargent Street are experiencing problems because of the RHA trash.

“To be honest, most of the bad trash problems we have are with Revere Housing, their property,” said Catinazzo. “The City picks up their trash and they have to comply…The people on Sargent Street never had rodents. It is because of the Housing Authority. If you drive through the Housing Authority, you will see trash. If the taxpayers of the City aren’t complying and we have to fine them, then we have to do the same for the Housing Authority.”

Those frustrations amongst all parties played out at the City Council meeting on Monday when Shaw and the RHA Board appeared before the Council, along with Catinazzo.

For the most part, things were cordial, but Shaw and Councillor Tony Zambuto did have a little spat, though they ended on good terms.

“This was put into place to deal with our rodent problem,” Zambuto said. “That’s why I took offense to comments calling this an ‘unfunded mandate.’”

Quipped Shaw, “I took offense to what took place at the Council without being invited to participate in the discussion.”

“Comments about unfunded mandates are offensive to me and the taxpayers,” continued Zambuto. “We don’t need to go down the road of all the City does for the Authority.”

In the end, they agreed to move on in a positive direction and not make any more offensive comments in the paper.

“I’ll agree to that with one caveat, that you promise to pick up the phone and say, ‘Linda, let’s talk,’ then ok.”

Catinazzo said he is confident that the ordinance can work itself out and that everyone will eventually comply.

The measure passed the Council last summer and went into effect on Jan. 1st.

Anthony S. Nicholes, 41, of 124 Crescent Ave., was arrested on a charge of making a threat to commit a crime.

THURSDAY, JANUARY 19 

Jason C. Bailey, 33, of Mattapan, was arrested on charges of malicious destruction of property over $250, resisting arrest, disorderly conduct, and two counts of assault & battery upon a police officer.

Robert Andrew Wilkins, 48, of 418 Revere Beach Parkway, was arrested on a charge of shoplifting.

FRIDAY, JANUARY 20 

Mark E. D’Entremont, 51, of Avon, was arrested on an outstanding warrant and on charges of illegal possession of a knife in violation of the city ordinance and unarmed robbery of a person 60 years of age and older.

SATURDAY, JANUARY 21 

David Loren Ovalle Zacarias, 33, of Lynn, was arrested on charges of being rude & disorderly in violation of the city ordinance, resisting arrest, and two counts of larceny of property under $250.

Some councillors want to do away with the absolute right for anyone to speak before every legitimately convened meeting of the council.

Councillors Arthur Guinasso and Council President Richard Penta seem to think that by changing the rules a bit about the right to speak that something beneficial will be gained for this city and its people.

They want the right to speak to be limited to speaking on matters that are coming before the council only by those who take advantage of the 3 minute free speech ritual before every meeting.

In other words, they want to do away with the right as it now stands for any resident to come before the council and for 3 minutes to have their say about anything that is bothering them or which they believe should be changed at the beginning of every council meeting.

It is likely this desire for changing the rules of the free speaking period before the council has been caused by the same people coming up every week to have a political or personal say that can sometimes be at the expense of a councilor or councilors.

After all, the right to speak before the council about whatever one wishes should not allow the councilors to be bashed by that person or persons who make a habit of doing so.

However, the essence of the discussion should not be to stop certain people from coming up all the time as this is not so important as the fact they get to express themselves freely as residents of this city for better or worse.

The council cannot presume to make rules about what ought to be spoken about anymore than the council should restrict certain people from speaking.

To that end, we urge Councillor Brian Arrigo to kill the effort to obstruct free speech by killing the bill which is now before him in committee.

Free speech is the very essence of council meetings.

What’s good for the councilors should be good for residents who wish to speak.

Papa John’s received all its permits as it is a first class structure. Its manager claims he did not know he was required to appear at a Licensing Board meeting to receive a common victualer license.

The manager has been told to come back next month sometime to get his license.

The operation will lose at least two weeks revenues. Its employees will not be paid and this will be the wrong kind of welcome to Revere that should be laid out for such a business.

Reopen Papa Johns. Put the new employees back to work.

Scold the manager if it is necessary but issue the license.

Closing the place does no one any good.

The Revere High boys indoor track team swept the shotput and the 50 yard dash and took six of nine individual events en route to claiming a 47-39 win over Gloucester last week.

Omar Morales led the sweep in the shot with a toss of 43 feet and .75 inches. Teammate Vito Licata was next with a throw of 42-9.75 and Patriot Abdul Hamedeh was third with a heave of 38-10.75, far better than the top Gloucester thrower’s effort of 37-2.

Speedy Joe Ritchie outsprinted the field in the 50 yard dash in 5.8 seconds. He was followed across the line by teammates Younes Hartout (6.0) and Christian Ortez (6.3), who just edged a Gloucester rival.

Other first place finishers for the Patriots were: Karim Sahila in the 50 yard hurdles in 7.1; Robert Rose in the 300 in 39.1; Mike Fitzpatrick in the 600 in 1:27.8; and Rawlings Toglan in the 1000 in 3:06.4.

Adding three points to the Revere score sheet with second place efforts were: Kristi Nushi in the mile in 5:06 and Tarik Maddrey in the high jump with a leap of 5-8.

Patriots who contributed single points with third place performances were: Ricardo Maldonado with a high jump of 5-6; Johnny Lopes in the 300 in 40.7; and John Dellorusso in the two mile in 11:35.7.

“We had great races by Rawlings Toglon, Mike Fitzpatrick, Bobby Rose, the sweep by the 50 yard sprinters (Joe Ritchie, Younes Hartout, and Christian Ortez), and the sweep by the shotputters (Omar Morales, Vito Licata and Abdul Hamedeh),” said RHS head coach Jack Mosko. “The best surprise of the day was the outstanding mile of Kristi Nushi in 5:06, which good for second place and three points.”

Dreeszen’s 3 pointer  sinks Chelsea, 65-64

Sophomore Mike Dreeszen came around a screen by Mike Ciambelli, took a pass from Alex Urena beyond the arc, and swished a three pointer with nine seconds to go to propel the Revere High boys basketball team to a thrilling 65-64 victory at Chelsea last Thursday.

Mike is as cool as a cucumber in the clutch,” said RHS head coach Rick Hayes of his ace sophomore, who had inbounded the ball to Urena, who was at the elbow,  from under the Chelsea basket.

The contest was typical of the closely fought battles the two teams have waged in the past few years since reinstituting their ancient rivalry which dates back almost 100 years when both schools were in the Greater Boston League.

Chris Palladino led the Patriots with 15 points, followed by Urena with 14, Dom Boyce with 10, Geo Gomez with nine, Dreeszen with six on a pair of treys, Tom Sor with five, Mike Ciambelli with four, and Jason Siegal with two.

The contest featured the sidelight of a Siegal father/son match, inasmuch as the Dad, Jay Siegal, is the long time head coach of the Chelsea Red Devil quintet. (And thus, it can be said without exaggeration that son Jason’s two points proved the margin of victory for his Dad’s defeat.)

However, Thursday’s dramatic positive conclusion would prove to be the highlight of the week for the Patriots, who fell by a 68-38 score to Marblehead the following night and then came out on the short end of a 74-64 decision to Chelsea at Revere on Monday.

“We played well for a half against Marblehead even though we came out flat,” said Hayes, noting that his charges trailed by a slim four point margin, 23-19, at the intermission. “But in the second half we didn’t do anything right.” Revere committed 30 turnovers and only hit on 8 of 19 free throws.

Monday’s rematch with Chelsea once again proved to be a hard-fought, up and down affair, but this time the Red Devils emerged on top, 74-64. The Patriots show well from the foul line, converting on 17 of their 22 charity stripe attempts, but were outrebounded by Chelsea, yielding too many second chances via Chelsea offensive rebounds.

Boyce was the leading Patriot in the scoring column with 17 points. Palladino hit for 12, followed by Joseph Aud with eight, Urena with seven, Sor with six, Dreeszen with five, Siegal and Gomez with four each, and Ciambelli with three.

Hayes and his crew, who now stand at 5-8 on the season, travel to Danvers Friday and to Saugus next Tuesday.

RHS hockey team defeats N.E. Voke, 5-4

The Revere High hockey team battled from behind to score two goals in the third period, erasing a 4-3 deficit, to edge the Northeast Regional Vocational School 5-4 last Thursday in Malden.

The contest was a cat and mouse affair al the way until Revere took the lead for the first time with the two unanswered lamplighters in the final stanza.

After Northeast took a 1-0 lead 4:16 into the game, Drew Lauria brought the Pats even with a lamplighter, assisted by Chris Whalen, less than a minute later. Northeast retook the lead at 10:43, only to have Whalen strike back 21 seconds later when he intercepted a pass at the enemy blue lien and skated in alone on the Northeast goalie. However, a marker by Northeast less than a minute after that made it 3-2 at the first horn.

The lone tally of the middle frame came off the stick of junior Shayne Cambria, assisted by Pat Bartol and Peter Marino, leaving the teams deadlocked at 3-3 entering the final period.

Northeast struck early at 0:59, but that would prove to be their last lead of the contest. Marino, assisted by Bartol, evened matters once again at 3:10 and then R.J. Tiorano potted what would be the game winner at 3:57 on an unassisted tally that looked almost like a replay of Whalen’s, with R.J. stealing an errant Northeast pass in the Northeast zone and skating in on the N.E. goalie.

The final 11:03 saw both teams have their chances to score, but Patriot goalie Jon Papasadora held firm the rest of the way to preserve the victory.

The Patriots did not prove to be as successful Saturday night against a Danvers team from the Northeastern Conferences’s North Division that is sporting a 10-2 record.

After Danvers grabbed a 2-0 advantage in the opening period, Tiorano made it a 2-1 affair just 1:09 into the second stanza, assisted by Marco Mazzarelli. But that would prove to be as close as the Pats would get on the night. Danvers lit the lamp before the second period ended to  make it 3-1 and then added two more insurance markers in the final frame for the 5-1 finale.

Papasadora was outstanding in the net for Revere, turning aside 39 Danvers shots.

Palumbo and his crew, who now are 3-6-2 on the season, journey to Peabody on Saturday.

Girls hoop team edges Medford, 40-38

The Revere High girls basketball team turned in a tenacious effort on defense to earn a hard fought 40-38 win over former Greater Boston League rival Medford last week.

The Lady Patriots suffered a crippling blow at the outset of the contest when their all-star point guard, Gena Restiano, was forced to leave the game with a knee injury early in the first quarter.

However, the Revere girls pulled together and upped their defensive intensity against the Lady Mustangs, who came into the encounter ranked 17th in the state. The game down to the final minute, with Revere nursing a two point advantage. Medford got two cracks at notching the equalizer, but the Revere defense held firm, limiting the Lady Mustangs to two bad shots in the final 53 seconds.

“This was a great team effort,” said RHS head coach Katelyn Leonard. “Everyone contributed especially on the defensive end after Gena went down with the knee injury. The team rallied around her and stepped up their game to get the win It was our defense and control of the boards that won this game.”

Caitlin Caramello, who had a monster game in the rebounding department with 15 boards, also led Revere in the scoring column with nine points. Venous Hamza and Jen Fajardo added eight apiece. Amy Rotger hit for five, Michaela Maguire popped in four, and Alex Ambrosino,  Jacquie Noel, and Restiano chipped in with two points each.

The Lady Patriots were without Restiano, who is day to day, three days later when they took on Marblehead.. Revere sprinted to a 23-9 advantage at the intermission, but the affair was a tale of two halves, with the Lady Patriots unable to find the basket in the final two frames and Marblehead’s full court pressure forcing Revere  into 15 turnovers.

“We got into early foul trouble and could never bounce back,” noted Leonard.

Caramello had a nice double-double, scoring 10 points and grabbing 13 caroms. She was followed in the scoring column by Hamza with nine points, Tiphani Harris (who had eight rebounds) and  Fajardo with four, Rotger with two, and  Noel with one.

Revere boys compete in State Relay Meet

A large contingent of      members of the Revere High boys track team competed in the Division 1 State Coaches Relay Meet Saturday at the Reggie Lewis Center.

Sharing honors for the top Patriot finishes were the sprint medley quartet of Mike Fitzpatrick, Robert Rose, Joe Ritchie, and John Lopes and the shotput trio of Omar Morales, Vito Licata, and Abdul Hamedeh, both of whom finished in seventh place in the field.

The threesome of Tarik Maddrey, Ricardo Maldonado, and Rose also came through with a strong effort in the high jump, grabbing 11th place in the meet.

The 4 x 50 yard dash foursome of Ritchie, Christian Ortez, Ricardo Maldonado, and Tarik Maddrey grabbed 16th spot overall. The 4 x 200 team of Rose, Maldonado, Fitzpatrick, and Lopes finished in 18th spot.

The quartet of Karim Sahila, Matt Roncevich, John Carnabucci, and Ortez came across the line in 20th place in the hurdles. In the 4 x 800, the team of Rawlings Toglan, Kristi Nushi, Abel Alcanter, and Sahila finished in 29th place.

Girls track team runs against Gloucester

The Revere High girls indoor track team competed against Gloucester last week. Although the Lady Patriots came out on the short end of a 59-26 decision, a number of the Revere girls turned in fine individual performances.

Lindsay Gurska defeated the field in the 50 yard hurdles, capturing first place in a time of 8.8 seconds. Teammate Noelle MacDonald was next in second place in 9.1.

Angel Gonzalez captured second place in the shotput with a toss of 29 feet and 6.75 inches. Teammate Noelle Galli took the third spot with her throw of 28-.25.

Revere also went 2-3 in the 50 yard dash, with Raychel Adreani in second in 7.0 and Angel Buenaventura right behind in third in 7.1.

The 300 meter dash also saw a strong 2-3 finish for the Lady Patriots, led by Comfort Toglan in 47.9. Mondy Telfort took third in 50.3.

Alanna Pasco added a point to the Revere scoresheet with a third place effort in the 600 in 2:01.4. Danielle Fortuna did likewise in the 1000 in 4:00.6, as did Taylor O’Neil in the mile in 7:15.6.

Maggie DiPlatzi contributed three points to the Revere cause with a second place showing in th two mile in 15:06.4.

Educator

Sister Lucy Leonard, SND died in Worcester on January 23. She was 91 years old and was with the Sisters of Notre Dame for 72 years.

Born in Somerville, daughter of Jeremiah and Lucille (Johnson) Leonard, she lived in Connecticut for 33 years before moving to Worcester in 1989.

She was a graduate of St. Joseph’s High School, Somerville and Emmanuel College. She later earned a Master’s Degree in Art from the University of Notre Dame in South Bend, Ind.

A teacher for more than 30 years in Notre Dame schools in Southwest Connecticut and Massachusetts, for most of those years she taught art to students in the early grades. She also ministered to her Notre Dame community at their provincial house in Fairfield, Conn. for many years before retiring.

She leaves a sister, Judith Walsh of Revere, two brothers, Leo Leonard and his wife, Mary of Jacksonville, Florida and Daniel Leonard and his wife, Carol of Danvers, a brother-in-law Walter Cabral; many nieces and nephews and her sisters in religion, the Sisters of Notre Dame. Her sisters MaryJo Cabral, Geraldine Cidado, Delphine Cabral and Alice McCarthy predeceased her.

Calling hours are today, Wednesday, January 25 starting at 1:30 p.m. with a prayer service at 2:30 p.m. at the Notre Dame du Lac Chapel, 555 Plantation St., Worcester. The Funeral Mass will follow at 3:30 p.m. in the chapel. Burial in Notre Dame du Lac Cemetery will be private. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Sisters of Notre Dame Conn. Province, 468 Poquonock Ave., Windsor, CT 06095

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Mary Jo Brown

Admitting Director at Tufts Medical Center

Mary Jo (Bonasoro) Brown of Wilmington died suddenly at Tufts New England Medical Center in Boston on January 21 with her family and friends by her side. She was 59 years old.

Born in Boston, she graduated from Winthrop High School, Class of 1970. For the past 35 years, she worked at Tufts Medical Center in Boston as the Director of Admitting. A former 25 year resident of Wakefield, she has been residing in Wilmington for the past 12 years.

She enjoyed travelling and loved vacationing and visiting her friends in Hawaii. She also loved hosting large Fourth of July celebrations at her home.

Mary Jo will be remembered as a kind and compassionate person who would go out of her way to help everyone whether you were a stranger, friend or family member and never asking for anything in return.

Her family would like to thank her extended family at the Tufts Medical Center for their support during this difficult time.

She was the beloved best friend, soulmate and wife of 42 years to Thomas Brown of Wilmington; loving and caring mother of Christina and her husband, Kevin Furlong of Methuen; devoted daughter of Salvatore and Mary (Kelly) Bonasoro of Revere; dear sister of James Bonasoro and his wife, Mary of Danvers and Ellen Babcock and her husband, Walter of Wilmington; cherished “Auntie” of James Jr. and Anthony Bonasoro, Chelsie, Christopher and Sara Babcock. She is also survived by many extended family members and dear friends.

Her Funeral will be held from the Frank A. Welsh & Sons Funeral Home, 718 Broadway, Chelsea on Thursday, January 26 at 9 a.m. followed by a Funeral Mass at Sacred Heart Church, 45 Brooks St., East Boston at 10 a.m. Services will conclude with Entombment at Woodlawn Cemetery, Everett. Relatives and friends are most kindly invited to attend. Visiting hours will be held at the Welsh Funeral Home today, Wednesday, from 3 to 8 p.m. The Funeral Home is fully handicap accessible, ample parking opposite Funeral Home. For directions or to send expressions of sympathy, please visit www.WelshFuneralHome.com

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Eva Dembkoski

Active in Many Organizations

Eva F. (Wojciechowski) Dembkoski died January 21 at the Whidden Memorial Hospital in Everett after a very brief illness.  She was 83 years old.

Born and raised in Chelsea, she was the daughter of the late Tadeausz and Stella (Wodzenska) Wojciechowski.  She attended local schools and graduated from Chelsea High School.

She married Roman “Ray” Dembkoski and together they raised their two daughters and son in Chelsea.  A longtime resident of Beacon Street, Chelsea, she and her husband relocated to Rochester NH in 1986, residing there for 13 years prior to making their home in Revere for the last 12 years.

Ray and Eva were predeceased by their daughter Dolores in 1999 and she was predeceased by her husband, Ray six years ago.

A devoted homemaker, she also worked outside of her home for Kayem Foods in the factory kitchen for many years.  She was active at the Revere Senior Center and was a member of the Polish Falcons Nest 485 and the PPC Ladies Auxiliary in Chelsea.

She was the beloved wife of the late Roman Dembkoski, devoted mother of Raymond Dembkoski and his wife, Janet of Salem, Diane Logins of Chelsea and the late Dolores Sheehan; dear sister of the late Helen Flower and Loretta Reid.  She was the cherished grandmother of Ralph W. Burley Jr., Lisa Parady, Rachel Dembkoski, Michelle Logins, Andrea Campbell and Sara Dembkoski, she is also survived by 11 adoring great grandchildren.

Her funeral will begin from the Frank A. Welsh & Sons Funeral Home, 718 Broadway, Chelsea today, Wednesday January 25 at 8 a.m. followed by a Funeral Mass at St. Stanislaus Church, 163 Chestnut St., Chelsea at 9 a.m. Services will conclude with burial at Puritan Lawn Memorial Park, Peabody.  Relatives and friends are most kindly invited to attend.  For directions or to send expressions of sympathy, please visit

www.WelshFuneralHome.com

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John Quigley, Sr.

Revere Resident

John P. Quigley, Sr. of Revere, formerly of East Boston, died on January 21. He was 58 years old.

He was self employed in a glass company and was the beloved husband of Joanne (Pompeo) Quigley of Revere; devoted father of John P Quigley II and his wife, Maggie and Jamie P. Quigley, all of Virginia; dear brother of Marie DeFeo and her husband, Bruno of Revere, Joseph Quigley and wife, Linda of Florida and the late William and Thomas Quigley and Louise Dickson and the cherished grandfather of John P. Quigley III of Virginia. He is also survived by many loving nieces and nephews. His funeral will be held from the Paul Buonfiglio & Sons~Bruno Funeral Home, 128 Revere St., Revere on Thursday, January 26 at 9:30 a.m. followed by a Funeral Mass in the Immaculate Conception Church at 10:30 a.m. Relatives and friends are kindly invited to attend. Visiting Hours are today, Wednesday, from 4 to 8 p.m. Burial will be in Woodlawn Cemetery. For guestbook please visit: www.Buonfiglio.com

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Margaret Andersen

Worked for Globe Ticket Company

Margaret (Raffo) Andersen of Apollo Beach Florida, formerly of East Boston, died on her 98th birthday, January 22.

A proof reader for Globe Ticket Company for more than 45 years, she was the beloved wife of the late Arthur Andersen; devoted mother of Arthur Jr. and his wife, Virginia of Revere, Richard and his wife, Beth of Arlington, Donald and his wife, Patricia of Lawrence and the late Beverly DiTullio and her surviving husband, William of Apollo Beach, Florida. She was the dear sister of the late Rose Grogan, John Raffo, Adeline Aery, George Raffo, Anna Sconce, Mary Corvo, Helen Thom and Edward Raffo and is also survived by seven loving grandchildren, six cherished great grandchildren and her adored nieces and nephews.

Her Funeral will be held from the Ruggiero Family Memorial Home, 971 Saratoga St. (Orient Heights) East Boston on Friday, January 27 at 9 a.m. with a Mass of Christian Burial in celebration of her life in St Joseph St. Lazarus Church, Ashley Street at 10 a.m. Relatives and friends are respectfully invited to attend visiting hours on Thursday from 4 to 8 p.m. Services will conclude with Mrs. Andersen being laid to rest with her beloved husband in Woodlawn Cemetery. May they rest in peace.

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Maurice ‘Murray’ Band

Fought in US Army in World War II and in the Israeli War of Independence

Maurice “Murray” Band of Malden, formerly of Chelsea, died on January 20.

A US Army veteran of World War II, he also fought in the Israeli War of Independence of 1948 as a member of the Haganah.

He was the beloved husband of Ethel (Borr) Band; devoted father of Richard L. Band and his wife, Loretta and the late Kenneth J. Band; dear brother of Dorothy Goldfarb, Pearl Anapol, Channon Band, David Band, and Marcia Kostick and the late Myer Band and loving grandfather of Stephanie L. Band, Joshua M. Band and Jonathan A. Band. He is also survived by many nieces and nephews.

Funeral arrangements were by the Torf Funeral Chapel, Chelsea. Burial was in Agudath Sholom Cemetery, Everett. Contributions in his memory may be made to the Chelsea Jewish Nursing Home, 17 Lafayette Avenue, Chelsea, MA 02150. For online guestbook, please visit the funeral home website: www.torffuneralservice.com

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Benjamin Torf

Educator, Inventor and Former Funeral Director

Benjamin Torf of Revere died on January 22. He was 86 years old and had been a resident of Revere for 80 years.

He was a graduate of Boston Latin High School, received his bachelors degree from Harvard University and his masters from the University of Massachusetts, Boston. He was a long time teacher of both biology and chemistry at Saugus High School.

He was a former funeral director at the Torf Funeral Service and was also the election commissioner for the City of Worcester. He put his chemistry background and experience to use and invented several pest repellents. Currently, he still holds patents for his pest repellents.

He was the beloved lifelong partner of Ethel Blumenthal; the dear brother of Dorothy Berman and her husband, Leo, the late Lena Millstone, the late Anna Garber, the late Bertha Weinberg and the late Rachel Priluck. He was the dear uncle of 11.

Graveside services will be held at the New Tifereth Israel of Everett Cemetery, 232 Fuller St. Everett today, Wednesday, January 25 at 11 a.m. Memorial observance will be held at the home of Phyllis Vitale today, Wednesday, from 3 to 7 p.m. Memorial donations may be made to the Alzheimer’s Foundation of America, 322 Eighth Ave., 7th fl., New York, NY 10001 or to the Leonard Florence Center for Living, 165 Captains Row Chelsea, MA 02150. For directions and online guestbook please visit the funeral home website, www.torffuneralservice.com. Arrangements entrusted to the Torf Funeral Chapel.

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Joel Cohen

Manager of Ken’s Deli; Member of Knights of Pythias

Joel Cohen of Revere died on January 16. He was 82 years old.

He was born in Boston, educated in the Revere School System and was a resident of Revere for 78 years. He was the manager of Ken’s Deli in Copley Square and was a member of the Knights of Pythias. He will be remembered for his funny, dry sense of humor.

He was the beloved husband of 59 years of Mildred (Goldstein) Cohen; the devoted father of Michael Cohen and his wife, Joan and Stacey Wyzanski and her husband, Steven.  He was the loving grandfather of Benjamin and his wife, Nicole, Joel A., Sarah and her husband, David, Hannah, Samuel, Sofie and Seth. He is also survived by one great-grandchild, Autumn.

Services were previously held. For online guestbook, please visit the funeral home website, www.torffuneralservice.com. Services entrusted to the Torf Funeral Chapel.

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Teresa White

Former Bookkeeper for American Nut and Bolt

Teresa R. (Masella) White, a lifelong resident of Revere, died on January 21.

The daughter of the late John and Maria (D’Amore) Masella, she was a former book keeper for American Nut and Bolt, a longtime parishioner of St. Anthony’s Church and an avid fan of horse racing.

She was the beloved wife of the late David J.; devoted mother of David and his wife, Shirley of Andover, Catherine Dolliver and her husband, Stephen of Everett and Debora White of Revere; dear sister of the late Nellie Masella, Eleanor Tenerini, John Masella, Edward Masella, Margherita DeLucia, Daniel Masella, Michael Masella, Peter Masella and Ralph Masella and loving grandmother of Lee Durocher, Keith Durocher, Jennifer White and Christopher White. She is also survived by many loving nieces and nephews.

Her Funeral will be held from the Paul Buonfiglio & Sons – Bruno Funeral Home, 128 Revere St., Revere on Thursday, January 26 at 9 a.m. followed by a Funeral Mass in St Anthony’s Church at 11 a.m. Relatives and friends are kindly invited. Visitation will be from 9 to 10:30 a.m. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Alzheimer’s Association of MA, 311Arsenal St., Watertown, Ma 02472. Burial will be in Puritan Lawn Cemetery. For guest book please visit www.Buonfiglio.com

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Joseph “Jay” Piazza, Jr.

Salesman and Photographer

Joseph H. “Jay” Piazza, Jr. a 27 year resident of Revere, formerly of Lynnfield, died recently. He was 51 years old.

A produce salesman for Community Suffolk Produce, he had a deep love of the sea, nature and animals and was an avid photographer. Many of his photos have been published in local area newspapers.

Born in Boston, he was the former husband of Marlene (English); father of Rita Piazza of Lynnfield; brother of Steven Piazza and his wife, Maria, of Lynnfield, Thomas of Ipswich and John and his wife, Renee Piazza of Reading. He was the longtime companion of Karen Cleary of Revere and is also survived by many loving nieces and nephews.

Calling hours will be from 4 to 7 p.m. Friday at the Cota Funeral Home, 335 Park St., North Reading. His Funeral will be held in the Funeral Home at 7 p.m. Burial will be private. Please omit flowers and make memorial donations to the St. Jude Hospital for Children, 501 St. Jude Place, Memphis, TN 38105-1905.

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Robert Durante

Accountant, Broker and Educator

Robert J. “Bob” Durante of East Boston died on January 17. He was 59 years old.

He was a 1971 graduate of St. Dominic Savio High School, a 1977 graduate of Bentley College and a 1982 graduate of Suffolk University. An accountant and broker, he served on several boards and experienced one of his greatest joys teaching finance at the college level for 18 years.

He was the beloved fiancé of Anita Belmonte of Winthrop and East Boston; loving father of Nicole Wade and her husband, Michael of Melrose and Michelle Durante and her fiancé, Craig Hanson of Rowley and their mother, Judith (Beal) Durante of Revere; dear brother of Dorothy Curran and her husband, Daniel of Revere and Carlo Durante and his wife, Patricia of Revere. He is also survived by his niece Danielle Durante of Revere, cousins and friends.

Funeral arrangements were by the Kirby-Rapino Memorial Home, (Orient Heights) East Boston. Burial was in Woodlawn Cemetery, Everett. Memorial donations may be made to Allcare Hospice, 210 Market St., Lynn, MA 01901. For online condolences please visit www.kirby-rapino.com

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Eleanor ‘Ella’ Marino

Longtime VNA Employee

Eleanor A. “Ella” Marino, a lifelong Revere resident, died following a brief illness at the Whidden Memorial Hospital, Everett on January 23. She was 88 years old.

For more than 35 years, “Ella” worked for the Visiting Nurses Association as a Nurse’s Aide, caring for people in their homes. She retired at age 75.

She lived in Revere all of her live and was a devotee of St. Anthony’s Parish.

She leaves her beloved husband of almost 62 years, John J. Marino and is the devoted mother of John J. Marino III and his wife, Sandra of Saugus and Michele Harter and her husband, Tracey of Long Beach, California; the cherished grandmother of Jasmine G. Fiandaca and her husband, Keith of Saugus and the late Christopher J. Considine. She was the dear sister of Phyllis A. Tata and her husband, former City Councillor Pasquale “Pat” Tata of Revere and the late Louis “Geno” Siciliano. She is also lovingly survived by her great grand daughter, Sofia Fiandaca and many nieces, nephews, grand nieces and grand nephews.

Family and friends are invited to attend visiting hours on Friday, January 27 from 4 to 8 p.m. in the Vertuccio & Smith Home for Funerals, 773 Broadway (Route 107) Revere. Her Funeral will be conducted from the Funeral Home on Saturday, January 28 at 9 a.m. followed by a Funeral Mass at 10 a.m. Burial will be private. In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to: Boston Visiting Nurses Association, 500 Rutherford Avenue, Boston, MA 02129.

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Robert Trusselle

Melrose Resident

Robert S. Trusselle of Melrose died on January 22. He was 84 years old.

. Bob was born in Chelsea, raised in Revere and was a graduate of Revere High School, Class of 1945. He attended Bridgton Academy in Maine where he played hockey for one year before going on to earn his degree from Wentworth Institute. Mr. Trusselle served in the Army during World War II. He resided in Melrose since 1959 and enjoyed playing golf, woodworking and was a pen maker. Bob was a founding member of Incarnation Church in Melrose, where he was active in CCD, renovations and the Holy Name Society for many years. Mr. Trusselle worked as a Draftsman for jet engines and the stealth aircraft for General Electric in Lynn for 42 years before his retirement in 1993. He was a loving, gentle and kind man and his family was the most important part of his life.

He was the beloved husband of the late Gertrude I. (Garrity) Trusselle; loving father of Susan M. DeMatteo and her husband, Nicholas of Reading, Joan M. Mueskes and her husband, Edward of Methuen and James R. Trusselle and his wife, Rachel of S. Berwick, ME; cherished grandfather of Robert and Lauren DeMatteo, Matthew Mueskes and his wife, Jessica, Brian Mueskes, Megan Levesque and her husband, James, Jessica Mills and her husband, Shane; caring great grandfather of Chase Mills and Jonathan Mueskes; devoted brother of the late William Trusselle and his wife, Emily of South Carolina and the late Shirley Brackett and her late husband, Frank; brother in law of the Rev. Francis D. Garrity, Sr. Retired Priest of Salem and Virginia Grayson and her late husband, Bernard, also of Salem. He is also survived by many nieces, nephews and cousins.

His Funeral will be held from the Gately Funeral Home, 79 W. Foster St., Melrose today, Wednesday, January 25 at 9 a.m. followed by a Funeral Mass to be celebrated in the Church of the Incarnation, 425 Upham St., Melrose at 10 a.m. Family and friends are respectfully invited. Burial will be in Wyoming Cemetery, Melrose. Memorial contributions in his name to Polycystic Kidney Foundation, 8330 Ward Parkway, Suite 510, Kansas City, MO 64114-2000. For directions, obituary, flowers or to sign guest book, visit www.gatelyfh.com

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Margaret Fitzpatrick

Everett Resident

Margaret T. (McDermott) Fitzpatrick, a longtime Everett resident, died on January 19 at the Golden Living Center-Dexter House, Malden. She was 80 years old.

A homemaker born in County Sliego, Ireland, she was the beloved wife of the late John C. Fitzpatrick; dear and devoted mother of Deborah A. O’Neill and her husband, Kevin of Everett, Kevin M. of Everett, Paul of Florida, John E. of Peabody and Michael J. of Everett; sister of Winifred Coppola of Peabody, Delia Penzo of Quincy and Joseph McDermott of Dorchester.  She is also survived by 11 loving grandchildren and five great-grandchildren.

Her Funeral will be held from the Cafasso & Sons Funeral Home, 65 Clark St. (Corner of Main St.) Everett, Saturday morning at 9:30 followed by a Funeral Mass in Our Lady of Grace Church, Nichols Street, Everett-Chelsea line at 10:30 a.m.  Relatives and friends are respectfully invited. Burial will be in Woodlawn Cemetery, Everett.  In lieu of flowers, contributions in her memory to The Community Family Adult Day Health Center, 106 Wyllis Ave. Everett, MA, 02149 would be sincerely appreciated.

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Robert Trusselle

Melrose Resident

Robert S. Trusselle of Melrose died on January 22.

A US Army veteran of World War II, he was the beloved husband of the late Gertrude I. (Garrity) Trusselle; loving father of Susan M. DeMatteo and her husband, Nicholas of Reading, Joan M. Mueskes and her husband, Edward of Methuen and James R. Trusselle and his wife, Rachel of S. Berwick, ME; cherished grandfather of Robert and Lauren DeMatteo, Matthew Mueskes and his wife, Jessica, Brian Mueskes, Megan Levesque and her husband, James, Jessica Mills and her husband, Shane; caring great grandfather of Chase Mills and Jonathan Mueskes; devoted brother of the late William Trusselle and his wife, Emily of South Carolina and the late Shirley Brackett and her late husband, Frank; brother in law of the Rev. Francis D. Garrity, Sr. Retired Priest of Salem and Virginia Grayson and her late husband, Bernard, also of Salem. He is also survived by many nieces, nephews and cousins.

His Funeral will be held from the Gately Funeral Home, 79 W. Foster St., Melrose today, Wednesday, January 25 at 9 a.m. followed by a Funeral Mass to be celebrated in the Church of the Incarnation, 425 Upham St., Melrose at 10 a.m. Family and friends are respectfully invited. Burial will be in Wyoming Cemetery, Melrose. Memorial contributions in his name to Polycystic Kidney Foundation, 8330 Ward Parkway, Suite 510, Kansas City, MO 64114-2000. For directions, obituary, flowers or to sign guest book, visit www.gatelyfh.com

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Antoinette Colella

Lifelong Revere Resident

Antoinette (Signore) Colella, a lifelong Revere resident, died on January 22. She was 100 years old.

The beloved wife of the late Charles, she was the dear sister of Alfred Signore of Florida, Delma Terenzio of Revere, Margaret Pestandria of Florida and the late Arthur Signore, Rose Barbuto, Mary Rosa, Anthony Signore, Pasquale Signore, Frank Signore, Philomena Mannetta, Mafalda Kostopoulos and Laura Ferragamo. She is also survived by many loving nieces and nephews. Her Funeral will be held from the Paul Buonfiglio & Sons-Bruno Funeral Home, 128 Revere St., Revere today, Wednesday, January 25 at 8 a.m. followed by a Funeral Mass in St. Anthony Church at 9 a.m. Relatives and friends are kindly invited. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Perkins School for the Blind, 175 North Beacon St., Watertown, MA 02472. Burial will be in Woodlawn Cemetery. For guestbook please visit www.buonfiglio.com.

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Eva Dembkoski

Of Revere, formerly of Chelsea

Eva F. (Wojciechowski) Dembkoski of Revere, formerly of Chelsea and Rochester NH, died on January 21. She was the beloved wife of the late Roman Dembkoski; devoted mother of Raymond Dembkoski and his wife, Janet of Salem, Diane Logins of Chelsea and the late Dolores Sheehan; dear sister of the late Helen Flower and Loretta Reid and is also survived by six grandchildren and 11 great grandchildren.

Her Funeral will be held from the Frank A. Welsh & Sons Funeral Home, 718 Broadway, Chelsea today, Wednesday, January 25 at 8 a.m. followed by a Funeral Mass at St. Stanislaus Church, 163 Chestnut St., Chelsea at 9 a.m. Services will conclude with burial at Puritan Lawn Memorial Park, Peabody. Relatives and friends are most kindly invited to attend. For directions or to send expressions of sympathy, please visit www.WelshFuneralHome.com

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Theresa ‘Terry’ Ireton

Blue Cross and J.M. Fields of Swampscott Retiree

Theresa F. “Terry” (Abbondondola) Ireton of Revere died unexpectedly at Brigham & Womens’ Hospital, Boston on January 16 following a brief illness. Mrs. Ireton was taken ill suddenly on December 16 and then diagnosed with Acute Monocytic Leukemia. She was 83 years old and would have been 84 years old on January 22.

Born, raised and a lifelong resident of Revere, she

was a graduate of Revere High School, Class of 1946.

In 2007 “Terry” retired after 23 years of service with Blue Cross & Blue Shield of Boston at the age of 79. Prior to that, she enjoyed a 20 year career as Office Manager at the former J.M. Fields Dept. Store at their Swampscott location.

She was the wife of the late Robert W. Ireton who died in 1994; the daughter of the late Joseph and Maria (Mottolo) Abbondondola; cherished mother of Roberta M. Lindberg and her husband, Charles A., Teresa A. Ireton and Richard R. Ireton, all of Revere and his fiancée, Attorney Patricia Wright of Melrose; devoted grandmother of Keith P. Vasapolle of Revere and Brandon R. Vasapolle of Riverview, Florida; dear sister of Carmine Abbondondola and his wife, Lillian of Palm Springs, CA, Joseph Abbondondola of Portland, ME and the late Florence Crescenzi, Angelina Sacco, Rose Damiano, Anthony “Bambi” Abbondondola and Grace Mercuri-Hutchinson. She is also lovingly survived by her two great grandsons, Matthew and Nicholas and her son’s finance, Atty. Patricia Wright of Melrose.

Funeral arrangements were entrusted to the Vertuccio & Smith Home for Funerals, Revere. Burial was in Woodlawn Cemetery. Remembrances may be made to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, PO Box 1000 Dept. 142, Memphis, TN 38148-0142.

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Charlotte Rivera

Of Revere, formerly of East Boston

Charlotte (Tedesco) Rivera of Revere, formerly of East Boston, died on January 19. She was 71 years old.

The cherished daughter of the late Anna (Abramovitch) and Anthony Tedesco, Sr., she was the loving wife of the late Bruno Richard Rivera, Sr.; beloved mother of Basil Anthony Tedesco, Patricia Ann Tedesco, and the late Robert Basil Tedesco and Bruno Richard Rivera, Jr.; loving grandmother of Gabriela Tedesco-Cromwell and her husband, Bruce, Stephanieleigh Tedesco and her fiancé, Alexis, Nicole Tedesco, Richard Amaro and James Paul “JP”; cherished great grandmother of Camron, Antonio, Amariyah, Amiyah, and Dominic and loving sister of Helen Sinno, Margaret Gardina and the late Billy, Theodore, and Anthony Tedesco Jr. She is also survived by many loving nephews and nieces.

Funeral arrangements were by the Rapino Memorial Home, East Boston. In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to the American Cancer Society, New England Division Inc., 30 Speen St., P.O. Box 9376, Framingham, MA, 01701. www.rapinomemorialhome.com

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Eleanor Terlino

Of Saugus, formerly of East Boston

Eleanor J. (Giovanni) Terlino of Saugus, formerly of East Boston and Hyde Park, died on January 20.

She was the beloved wife of the late Vincent J. Terlino with whom she shared 61 years of marriage; loving mother of Patricia Frongillo and her husband, Robert of Saugus; dear sister of Elsie Milano of Florida, Danny Giovanni of Hyde Park and the late Antoinette Paventi, and Josephine Tanzi; cherished grandmother of Vincent and Robert Frongillo and great grandmother of Nicholas and Mikayla Frongillo.

Funeral arrangements were by Vazza’s “Beechwood” Funeral Home, Revere. Burial was at Woodlawn Cemetery, Everett. For guest book: www.vazzafunerals.com.

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Shirley Golder Rosenberg

Of Revere, formerly of Chelsea

Shirley (Golder) Rosenberg of Revere, formerly of Chelsea, died on January 19.

An active member of the Jack Satter Tenants Association and 420 Congregation, she was the beloved wife of the late Murray Rosenberg; 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. 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 Assoc., 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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Robert Durante

East Boston Resident

Robert Durante of East Boston died on January 17.

He was the beloved fiancé of Anita Belmonte of Winthrop and East Boston; loving father of Nicole Wade and her husband, Michael of Melrose and Michelle Durante and her fiancé, Craig Hanson of Rowley and their mother, Judith (Beal) Durante of Revere; dear brother of Dorothy Curran and her husband, Daniel of Revere and Carlo Durante and his wife, Patricia of Revere. He is also survived by his niece, Danielle Durante of Revere, cousins and friends.

Funeral arrangements were by the Kirby-Rapino Memorial Home, (Orient Heights) East Boston. Burial was in Woodlawn Cemetery, Everett. For online condolences please visit www.kirby-rapino.com

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June Marie Butts

Amesbury Resident

June Marie Butts of Amesbury died on January 17.

She was the daughter of the late Thomas and Evelyn Powers and the cherished wife of Carl Butts. Together for 55 years, they blossomed a large, loving, and tightly knit family tree.

She was the beloved and devoted mother of James Butts of Amesbury, Lisa and Peter Sturgis of Winthrop, the late Kyle Butts and his wife, Andrea of Amesbury, Corinne Powers of Winthrop, Kevin and Terri Butts of Florida, Rene and Tom Preziosi of Pepperell, and Damon and Dawn Butts of Sanborn, ME. She was the dearly devoted grandmother of Jason, Erin, Justin, Christopher, Leighanne, Joshua, Jordan, Michael, Nicholas, Aaron, Thomas, Anthony, Joseph, Robin, Jonathan, Carl, Dean, Jeremy, and Tanya and the loving great-grandmother to Aaron Jr., Jocelyn, Layla, and the soon to be born baby Butts.

A memorial service was held at the First Congregational Church of Revere.

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Henry Francesconi

Of Wakefield, formerly of Revere

Henry J. Francesconi of Wakefield, formerly of Chelmsford and Revere, died on January 18 at the Lahey Clinic Medical Center. He was 74 years old.

Born in Boston on June 4, 1937, the son of the late Alexander and Mary (Fredericoni) Francesconi, he was a graduate of Christopher Columbus High School in the North End of Boston and received his Associates Degree from Wentworth College.  Mr. Francesconi was a retired salesman for Majilite.  He was a former member of the Elks Lodge in Chelmsford.

Mr. Francesconi is survived by three children; Alec J. Francesconi and his wife, Michelle Puntillo of Bedford, Cara M. Childs and her husband, Thomas of Standish, Maine and Suzanne J. Donovan and her husband, John of Woburn; three brothers: Carl Francesconi and his wife, Ann of Revere, Alexander Francesconi of Wakefield and Ralph Francesconi and his wife, Rita of Wakefield and his sister, Dorothy King of Tewksbury.  He is also survived by six grandchildren; Michaela and Alexa Francesconi, George and Dylan Childs and Marion and John Donovan.

Funeral arrangements were by the McDonald Funeral Home, Wakefield. Burial was at Forest Glade Cemetery in Wakefield.  In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to the St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, 501 St. Jude Pl, Memphis, TN 38105.

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Joseph Caputo

Of Revere, formerly of the North End

Joseph A. Caputo of Revere, formerly of Boston’s North End, died on November 13, 2011 after a long illness. He was 92 years old.

He was the husband of the late Carmela J. (Cantino); beloved father of Angela J. Tabb and her husband, Robert and Joseph A. Caputo, Jr. and his wife, Mary-Lou, all of Florida, Camille M. Punch and her husband, William A. of Boston’s Back Bay and Joanne T. Caputo-Carfagna and her husband, Alfred of Revere. He was the devoted grandfather of Denise and Jeffrey Taro, both of New Hampshire, Devon Punch of Tewksbury and Anthony J. Caputo of New York City; dear brother of Viola Boffa of Saugus and the late Jennie Boccuzzi and is also lovingly survived by two great granddaughters, Chelsey Ioia and Gianna Taro, both of New Hampshire.

Arrangements were in the care of Vertuccio & Smith Home for Funerals of Revere.

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Kevin Armstrong

Of Florida, formerly of Revere

Kevin S. Armstrong died unexpectedly on December 31 at his home in Polk County, Florida. He was 55 years old.

A longtime resident of Revere, he graduated from Revere High School in 1975. He has lived in Florida for the past 23 years and worked as an Engineer for Orange Lake Country Club of Orlando.

He leaves his sister, Valerie Thompson of Arlington, brothers, Shawn and Mark of Revere, sister-in-law Johannah Conway of Danvers and eight nieces and nephews.

Family and friends are invited to a Funeral Mass at St. Camillus Church, 1175 Concord Turnpike, Arlington, MA on Saturday, February 11 at 9 a.m. Burial will be private.

Arrangements are by J. L. Locke Cremation Services of Mid Florida- 1-863-421-4900

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Geraldine Elizabeth Glennon

Of Maine, formerly of Revere

Geraldine Elizabeth (Daley) Glennon of Lewiston, ME, formerly of Chelsea and Revere, died on January 16. She was 69 years old.

Born October 31, 1942, Geraldine Elizabeth Daley Glennon lived a very spirited life and leaves behind a legacy of humor, practicality, great cooking, and a compassion for those less fortunate. We will miss you Mama.

“Gerry” was the beloved mother of Jodie Glennon of Melrose, James Glennon of Quincy, Joseph Glennon and his wife, Kate of Scituate and Jon Glennon of Hudson; loving grandmother of Michael and Isabella Saracco of Melrose, and Liam and Marina Glennon of Scituate; dearest daughter of the late Bernard Patrick Daley and the late Geraldine Barry Whitmyer; beloved wife of the late George B. Glennon, Jr. She is also survived by her sister Susan (Whitmyer) and her husband, Timothy Blanchard of Marblehead; her brother, James Whitmyer and his wife, Carol of New Hampshire as well as many nieces and nephews.

Services honoring her life are private. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in her memory to St. Mary’s d’Youville Pavillion, 102 Campus Ave, Lewiston, MA, 04240.

Revere High Senior Kristina Aiello (left) learned last month that she had been chosen as the school’s most recent Posse Foundation Scholar, providing her with a full-tuition scholarship to the private Hamilton College. She is pictured with RHS Guidance Counselor Vincent O’Connor, who helped her navigate the intense Posse interview process for the last nine months.

For most Revere High School (RHS) students, the college application and student loan process is at full throttle this month, and for it, a good many students and their parents are pulling their hair out.

Not so for RHS Senior Kristina Aiello, whose hair is completely intact, and who is heading to the private Hamilton College (of New York) next fall with a full scholarship courtesy of an innovative program that has found a good partner in the Revere schools.

Aiello found out last month that she had won the Posse Scholarship after a very competitive process that she had been participating in for the past nine months.

“I had my final interview in mid-December and I had heard that if you don’t get called back that day, then you didn’t get it,” said Aiello. “I came home from work and saw they had called me and I was so excited. They told me I had won and I just balled my eyes out. My Dad cried also when he heard.

“It’s funny, because I was really hesitant at first and wasn’t sure if I wanted to go for the scholarship because they want you to go to schools that are all far away,” she continued. “I didn’t know how I felt about leaving because I am so family-oriented. I almost didn’t go to my interview, but my Dad convinced me that I should and even gave me an incentive; that I would get new car if I actually got the scholarship.”

The scholarship comes from the Posse Scholar Foundation in Boston and Aiello is by no means the first RHS student to leave the city courtesy of the foundation. In fact, over the last four years, there have been more than a half-dozen Revere students picked by the foundation’s Boston franchise, and many more than have made it to the final rounds of interviews – something that, despite losing out, still helps in securing generous college scholarships and financial aid packages.

Posse has numerous franchises across the country, including offices in Atlanta and California, and it centers on the idea of helping young people who are in disadvantaged situations or might have a hard time financing college costs. By paying the tuition and providing an intensive college preparation and support program, Posse seeks to help urban kids be successful at private, liberal arts schools.

In Boston, Posse Scholars have the choice of six schools, including the likes of Hamilton, Bucknell and Union Colleges. Every year, the foundation awards 10 scholarships to each of the six schools for a total of 60 Posse Scholars per year.

Naturally, such a generous program features very intense competition among many students, but it’s a competition that Revere students have prevailed in many times recently.

“They like special students and our kids here are very special,” said Maureen Lenihan, RHS Director of Guidance. “They like that Revere students are excited about Posse. It’s an excellent opportunity and it’s just wonderful our kids can have the opportunity to be in such an excellent organization. These are all kids that might not otherwise get to go to college. RHS is sometimes undervalued and underestimated in what we do.”

Four years ago, Faton Begolli was the first RHS student taken by Posse, and he is now a senior at Hamilton. Since then, some six or seven other students have been awarded the scholarship and scores of students have advanced in the interview process.

Guidance Counselor Vincent O’Connor, who has helped Aiello through the process, said it is notable the number of kids from Revere who have been awarded such generous scholarships from Posse.

“We’re fortunate that the previous students they have picked from Revere have been very successful in the program and they speak well for our school,” he said. “Kristina and the others in the Posse program end up being great PR for us. It is amazing the amount of kids who have gone through RHS and received the scholarship or advanced to the interview process.”

Aiello – who works at the Danvers movie theatre – is a top student in her class and hopes to become a forensic psychiatrist – though she loves English and literature as well.

“I do love English, but I also have to be realistic because I need to provide for myself,” she said.

She moved to Revere from Peabody when she was 9 years old, and attended the Lincoln School, the Beachmont Middle School/Rumney Marsh Academy and RHS.

She said things have been tough for her over the years as she has been raised by a single father – Scott Aiello. A series of difficult family situations with her mother led to life being a challenge for her throughout her middle school and high school years.

However, she said she remains close to her mother, Amy Mangiafico, and her grandmother, Brenda Mangiafico, and has persevered by being organized and putting her full effort into school and work.

She said that winning the scholarship was a major relief for her and her father, and it has helped her to make that leap from being a child to being a young adult.

“It was definitely a load off my Dad’s back because he’s a single parent and my mom doesn’t make a lot of money,” she said. “It’s been stressful for us thinking about college. When I found out I was getting all of this money for college, it definitely improved our relationship…I appreciate all he’s done for me though I  might not show it all the time. This was my chance to do something to help him and I showed him I could do it.”

For the next several months, Aiello will be going back and forth to Boston to participate in the Posse college readiness program and bonding with the other nine students who will be going to Hamilton with her. The intense program will bring the students together and get them ready to head off for New York in the fall.

“I am hesitant to leave my family and Revere, but I know I’m just a phone call away and my Dad said I can Skype on the computer every night with him and my cat,” she said.

Many probably haven’t given a second thought to that change over the past 24 months, but in the schools, it’s a topic of conversation just about every day.

And Revere school officials say the double standard between inside the school and out on the streets has made it much more difficult – if not impossible – to keep drugs and drug dealing out of the schools.

Superintendent Paul Dakin said it has become a Catch-22 for schools all over the state.

“It haunts us and it has made our lives harder and has made things much more difficult,” he said. “It’s not affecting us in a good way. We have to do intense re-education of the kids because they feel if they can have marijuana on the street, then they should be able to have it in the schools. Society is giving them the right to hold pot in the street. The way an adolescent thinks is that we’re taking away their rights when we enforce our zero-tolerance policy because there is this great disconnect between the street and the schools. It makes adults look foolish because you can’t expect to keep schools safe and drug-free and not follow your own procedures. This society sends mixed messages to kids with this and it’s not good.”

In November 2009, after a well-funded media campaign by out-of-state individuals, voters across the Commonwealth overwhelmingly voted to decriminalize the possession of an ounce or less of marijuana – which meant that one could not be arrested for possessing that amount. The new procedure called for tickets or citations to be written, though public safety officials complained that the civil ticketing process was vague and difficult to implement.

When it came to young people, the law was fairly vague, only requiring that any young person caught with marijuana be referred to a state program. It was still technically illegal for young people to possess, but they could no longer be arrested. They could only be referred to the state program. That program, though, was slow to be implemented and was cumbersome to wade through.

The law went into effect in January 2010.

Two years later, public safety officials, school officials and youth advocates are saying it has levied a major toll on the school-age generation – who grapple to understand why marijuana is frowned upon at school and smiled upon in the law books.

“Our anecdotal reports suggest that the decriminalization of marijuana has led to the misconception that marijuana is now ‘legal,’ when in reality, it is still illegal for youth to possess it or use it in any amount; it’s just that the consequences of doing so have changed,” said Katie Sugarman of RevereCARES. “Based on the information we have received from youth in Revere, there appear to be skewed perceptions of how harmful marijuana actually is – and its decriminalization just reinforces this misunderstanding. Many youth mistakenly believe that marijuana must not be ‘that bad for you’ if the regulations governing it have loosened.”

Added RevereCARES Director Kitty Bowman, “For youth it creates a very confusing situation. You cannot drink legally, but if you are caught with a small amount of marijuana on the street it is only a civil offense. Then you factor in the differences between consequences in the schools and in the street.”

Sugarman added that there isn’t enough emphasis being put on the long-term ramifications of youthful drug use – especially that of marijuana.

“In reality, marijuana use is associated with a number of health problems for adolescents, including negative impacts on brain and lung development,” she said. “Furthermore, youth marijuana use is associated with an increased risk of substance abuse later in life.”

Revere Police Chief Terence Reardon said that the well-funded campaign during the 2009 Election came from moneyed interests like MoveOn.org founder and multi-billionaire currency trader George Soros. He said that Soros and others championing the cause did not pay enough attention to how their crusade would negatively affect young people.

“What most disturbs me is the rise of marijuana as the substance of choice among kids,” said the Chief. “It is sad that the public while availing themselves of the access to the drug never even considered the negative affect it might have our youth. George Soros, with all his billions, should be ashamed of himself for wrapping the issue in the blanket of personal freedom while ignoring the consequences.”

The law, nevertheless, will likely see no change or amendment any time soon and, perhaps, could possibly get emboldened as similar advocates continue their annual call for a medical marijuana law to be implemented in Massachusetts.

In the interim, superintendents such as Dakin are left to sort out the mess that is left behind two years after the initial law became implemented.

That involves sorting out who is dealing drugs, whether or not to expel kids who are carrying drugs and how to explain to young people that pot isn’t harmless.

“If we catch a kid with 15 bags packaged for what is obviously a selling situation, the law does nothing to them if they have less than an ounce, but we expel them,” said Dakin. “We would get no place in the courts with something like that. It could be an amount under the quantity and the laws don’t say anything about how it’s packaged. That’s the law, but for the school purposes, we can expel and sometimes we do.

“Meanwhile, people say we shouldn’t be expelling kids for something that’s not illegal and I say, ‘Then what?’” Dakin continued. “How do we keep schools safe and drug-free?”

Even more importantly, he said, is keeping kids on the edges of bad behavior drug-free.

“There are a lot of kids on the fringes that will not go down a bad path if they know there are consequences,” he said. “Once you relax those consequences, these kids are the ones that will end up going down that bad path that they otherwise would not. That’s the biggest tragedy here.”

State Sen. Anthony Petruccelli (D-Eastie) and State Rep. Kathi-Anne Reinstein (D-Revere) enlightened a Revere City Council Committee of the Whole last Thursday night in a special meeting that concerned expanded gaming and lasted more than one hour.

Reinstein and Petruccelli laboriously explained the detailed process that is set out in the recently passed expanded gaming bill – which allows for one casino in the Greater Boston area.

At the moment, Reinstein said that the process is at a standstill while everyone waits for the new Gaming Commission to be appointed. So far, only the chair has been chosen.

“It’s tough to tell people what the timeline would be,” said Reinstein. “We can’t determine the timeline. By March 21st the Commission has to be established and so far only one person has been appointed. You could be negotiating a mitigation package (with Suffolk Downs) by the end of February or you could be negotiating a mitigation package by the end of July. So, it’s all about when all of the Commission is ready to roll.”

Added Petruccelli, “I think anywhere in Massachusetts you’re looking at 2 ½ years of time from when this was signed in November until we see a casino open. That’s been the average in other jurisdictions that have passed expanded gaming.”

Most of the meeting, though, was spent explaining the detailed steps that will be taken once the new Gaming Commission is established.

They said that once that is done, an entity like Suffolk Downs would be charged with presenting a proposal to a host community – in the local case, both Revere and Boston.

That proposal would initiate a host community agreement negotiating process with the City Council – a process that must be completed before anything else is done.

“If the Council decides that they don’t want to enter into any process, that stops the developer right there,” said Reinstein. “If you do decide to enter into negotiations, you will discuss specifics like mitigation issues at that time. It’s during that mitigation process that issues like roadway infrastructure, additional needs for police and fire personnel, and community improvement needs would be determined.”

Petruccelli said the mitigation package is really something that should be defined by the community.

“There’s no wrong or right answer to it,” said Petruccelli. “I’ve seen places in Pennsylvania that have provided property tax relief for seniors and I’ve seen places in Pennsylvania that allow points that are built up in the casino to be transferred and used in local businesses. In Iowa they’ve established a successful scholarship program for kids. It’s about reflecting the priorities of the community.”

Revere Economic Development Director John Festa said the Mayor’s Office had begun compiling an early mitigation package and invited the councillors and the public to collaborate.

“We want the public to give us input on this and we’d like the councillors to make lists of priorities and we can add those things to our package,” said Festa.

Council President Richard Penta – who called the meeting – said that this was the time for councillors to begin making wish lists, but he also cautioned them not to think too big.

“I don’t want us to look ridiculous in putting together a $3 billion wish list here,” he said. “I’m not saying to not throw what you want on there, but let’s be realistic about it.”

Once any mitigation package is agreed upon by the Council, the matter will move to a vote of the people. A binding referendum vote must take place and the casino question and mitigation package must get the thumbs up from a majority of voters. If that referendum does pass, then the developer could finally submit an application package to the new Gaming Commission seeking a casino license.

At that point, the Commission would evaluate the application along with any other submissions. Each submission would be evaluated competitively with the other, and only one licensee would prevail.

“This is a competitive bidding process and it’s not a done deal for Suffolk in any sense,” said Petruccelli. “Any applicant has to earn their license and what I would suggest to the City and people of the City of Revere that is a good thing because the competition is a competition over who has the best application and mitigation package.”

However, when and if that vote occurs, the basics are as follows.

•Any successfully negotiated mitigation package with Suffolk Downs would have to be submitted within seven days after striking that agreement with the City of Revere so that a referendum election can be called.

•The City would be charged with conducting that referendum no earlier than 60 days after calling for the election, and no later than 90 days after calling for it.

•The successfully negotiated mitigation package must be publicized for at least 45 days before the election.

•The package must be publicized in the newspaper of record and on the City’s website.

•The applicant, Suffolk Downs, must reimburse the City for the full cost of the election – whether they win or lose – within 30 days after the election.