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Dave Watkins

North Shore beaches close as heat wave grips Swampscott's July 4th weekend

A heat wave has shut down multiple North Shore beaches just as Swampscott heads into the Fourth of July holiday weekend. Swampscott Patch reports that scorching temperatures have forced additional beach closures along the North Shore, compounding an earlier round of shutdowns tied to Me…

North Shore beaches close as heat wave grips Swampscott's July 4th weekend

A heat wave has shut down multiple North Shore beaches just as Swampscott heads into the Fourth of July holiday weekend. Swampscott Patch reports that scorching temperatures have forced additional beach closures along the North Shore, compounding an earlier round of shutdowns tied to Me…

Saugus warns residents ahead of dangerous extreme heat forecast this weekend

Saugus Town Manager Scott Crabtree is warning residents to brace for an extreme heat event expected to hit the area this weekend. The town's advisory urges hydration and checking on neighbors as the Fourth of July holiday approaches; the C.H.a.R.M. Center and Saugus Public Library will …

Salem offices closed July 3 as SummerEats free meal program launches citywide

Salem High School teacher Lori Marenda-Lang has been named to the Massachusetts Heroine Class of 2026. City offices are closed all day today in observance of Independence Day, with the SummerEats 2026 free lunch-and-dinner program now running at open meal sites through Aug. 21. Salem Pa…

Peabody receives Declaration of Independence reproduction to mark nation's 250th anniversary

Peabody received a framed reproduction of the Declaration of Independence this week, just in time for the nation's 250th birthday. State Representatives Tom Walsh and Sally Kerans presented the document to the city, which plans to display it in Wiggin Auditorium. The Beverly/Peabody Lod…

Andiamo Restaurant closes in North Andover, brand reduced to one location

Andiamo Restaurant + Bar has closed in North Andover, leaving the Italian dining brand with just one location remaining. MassLive reported the closure this week, marking the end of the eatery's several-year run in town. Meanwhile, town offices are shuttered Friday for the Independence D…

Andiamo Restaurant closes in North Andover, brand reduced to one location

Andiamo Restaurant + Bar has closed in North Andover, leaving the Italian dining brand with just one location remaining. MassLive reported the closure this week, marking the end of the eatery's several-year run in town. Meanwhile, town offices are shuttered Friday for the Independence D…

Newburyport Post Office earns America 250 recognition ahead of Independence Day

Newburyport's post office has been recognized as part of the national America 250 commemoration this Independence Day weekend. The Daily News of Newburyport reports the designation ties the local landmark to monthlong celebrations marking the country's 250th anniversary. Separately, Man…

Methuen City Hall runs on holiday hours as Fourth of July weekend begins

Methuen enters the Fourth of July holiday weekend with City Hall on modified hours and cooling stations open across the region. The city is also reminding residents that free Summer Eats meals are available at four locations for children and teens 18 and under, with no registration or p…

Marblehead Heads Into July 4th Weekend With No Major Town Announcements

Marblehead enters the Independence Day holiday weekend with no qualifying town, school, or library announcements in the coverage window. No meetings were scheduled and no press releases cleared the July 3 window by publication time. Check back Saturday for the next roundup.

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