This Week in Essex County: Jun 22 - Jun 28
Here's everything published on Essex County News this week.
Salem Hosts Pride Parade, Eyes Green Expo and 400+ Heritage Milestones This Weekend
Salem's Pride Parade, a green-living expo, and a filling Heritage Days roster define a landmark weekend. The 15th North Shore Pride Parade stepped off at noon Saturday on city streets, road closure...
Peabody Bans All Outdoor Water Use as Drought Reaches Critical Level
Peabody finishes the week under a sweeping outdoor water ban as a critical drought grips the city. The ban, which prohibits sprinklers, lawn watering, and car washing, is the most consequential mun...
Methuen Ratifies GIC Health Insurance Deal Covering City Employees and Retirees
Methuen locks in a structural benefits overhaul as Mayor Beauregard and city employees reach a deal. Mayor D.J. Beauregard and Public Employee Committee President Kara Blatt announced the ratificat...
Lynn Public Library Opens "Plant a Seed, Read" Summer Reading for All Ages
Lynn's summer reading season is underway, with the library inviting all residents to join. The Lynn Public Library has launched its 2026 "Plant a Seed, Read" summer reading program, with enrollment...
Boxford Library Expands Streaming Access With Kanopy and Hoopla for Cardholders
Boxford's Friday news centers on the Town Library's summer reading push and expanded digital access for cardholders. The library has launched its summer reading program — open to all ages — and...
Lynnfield Library Launches Summer Reading Program Sunday With All-Ages Kickoff
Lynnfield's library takes center stage this weekend as the Summer Reading 2026 program launches Sunday. The Lynnfield Public Library opens its "Plant a Seed, Read" season with an all-ages kickoff p...
National Grid Plans Gas Main Work on Central Street and Lincoln Avenue
National Grid gas main work is coming to Central Street and Lincoln Avenue, the sharpest town-hall development in Saugus over the past 24 hours. The town posted the alert on June 26, flagging plann...
Methuen Employees, Retirees to Join State GIC Under New Health Insurance Pact
Methuen reaches a landmark health insurance agreement, moving city workers and retirees to the state GIC. Mayor D.J. Beauregard and Public Employee Committee President Kara Blatt announced Thursday...
Boxford Library Launches Kanopy Streaming as Summer Reading Opens
Boxford Town Library doubles down on digital access as summer reading begins. The library has activated Kanopy, a free streaming service for films and documentaries, available immediately to all ca...
Salem Hosts Pride Parade, World Cup Watch Party, and Green Expo This Weekend
Salem's milestone-heavy summer hits full stride this weekend, with North Shore Pride, a World Cup watch party, and the Living Green Expo all converging on the city June 26–28. Mayor Dominick Pang...
Lynn Launches Summer Reading Program as Rabies Clinic Set for Friday
Lynn enters summer with its library's "Plant a Seed, Read" program open to children, teens, and adults, and a free rabies clinic set for Friday, June 27, from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. The Lynn Public Libra...
Library Sets Summer Reading Kickoff as Lynnfield Crash Story Gains Regional Notice
A Lynnfield-linked crash is drawing regional scrutiny while the Public Library launches its summer calendar. Lynnfield Patch reports that a collision tied to the town has disrupted School Street Fo...
Peabody Bans Non-Essential Outdoor Water Use Under Critical Drought Declaration
Peabody bans all non-essential outdoor water use as a critical drought puts the city under new restrictions. A city-wide prohibition on lawn watering, sprinklers, and car washing is now in force, t...
2026-06-26
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Lynn Launches Summer Reading Program as Rabies Clinic Approaches Friday
Lynn kicks off summer programming with a library reading challenge and a city rabies clinic Friday. The Lynn Public Library's "Plant a Seed, Read" summer reading program is now open to children, te...
Saugus Library Launches Summer Reading Series With Free Iron Works Concerts
Saugus kicks off summer with library programming and free Iron Works concerts as the town's quieter news cycle centers on community events. The Saugus Public Library has launched its 2026 summer re...
Salem Posts Road Closures for Saturday's 15th North Shore Pride Parade
Salem braces for its largest Pride celebration yet as road closures take effect Saturday. The city posted route and security details Thursday for the 15th North Shore Pride Parade and Festival, set...
Methuen Ratifies Landmark GIC Health Insurance Deal for City Workers and Retirees
Methuen reaches a landmark labor-management health insurance agreement, covering city employees and retirees. Mayor D.J. Beauregard and Public Employee Committee President Kara Blatt jointly announ...
Peabody Bans Non-Essential Outdoor Water Use as Critical Drought Deepens
Peabody enters summer under a citywide outdoor water ban as critical drought conditions force the city to prohibit lawn watering, sprinkler use, and car washing until further notice. The Peabody In...
Lynnfield Library Launches Summer Reading Week With Kickoff Party June 29
Lynnfield's public library opens its summer season this week as a local tragedy drives road-safety change statewide. The Lynnfield Public Library kicks off its "Plant a Seed, Read" Summer Reading 2...
Boxford Library Launches Kanopy Streaming and Summer Reading Program
Boxford's library steps into summer with two digital expansions, giving all cardholders free access to the Kanopy streaming service and opening registration for the annual summer reading program, w...
Library Trustee Vacancy Opens as Summer Programming Kicks Into Gear
The Lynnfield Public Library anchors Wednesday's community calendar with three programs — a Classic Film Club, Virtual Yoga, and an evening author talk with Rob Fitzgibbon on "Murder in Salem" at...
Peabody Marks 50 Years of Brooksby Farm City Ownership With Ceremony
Peabody marks civic milestones and braces for constraints this week, as a Brooksby Farm anniversary ceremony and a state drought emergency arrive together. The city is celebrating 50 years of publi...
Saugus Library Opens Summer Season With Concerts, Pokemon Reading Challenge
Saugus Public Library anchors the town's summer with a packed slate of programs and free outdoor concerts. The library's summer reading challenge — themed around Pokemon — is running now for ch...
Boxford Library Adds Kanopy Streaming Service for All Cardholders
Boxford Town Library expands free digital access with Kanopy streaming now live for all cardholders. The library announced this week that residents holding a valid library card can immediately acce...
Methuen Seeks Poll Workers for September and November 2026 Elections
Methuen's summer civic calendar moves quietly forward, with no new municipal announcements in the June 24 window. Mayor D.J. Beauregard's standing priorities — a no-override FY27 budget built on ...
Salem Extends Skipper Ride-Share Service Two Months Through September 30
Salem's on-demand Skipper ride-share will keep running through the end of summer, buying residents more time. The city announced Tuesday that one-time funding and service adjustments will extend th...
Lynn Library Launches "Plant a Seed, Read" Summer Reading Program for All Ages
Lynn's summer library season is open, anchored by a new reading program and a tighter schedule. The Lynn Public Library has launched its "Plant a Seed, Read" summer reading program with separate tr...
Methuen Election Department Opens Recruitment for 2026 Poll Workers
Methuen is recruiting poll workers for its two 2026 elections. The city's Election Department opened recruitment Tuesday for volunteers to staff the September 1 and November 3 elections, asking int...
Peabody Library Cuts Branch Hours as Mayor Moves to Return $320K to Residents
Peabody's summer pivot brings service cuts and giveaways in the same week. Mayor Edward A. Bettencourt Jr. is calling on residents to check a newly posted unclaimed property list that could return ...
Lynn Library Launches Weekly "Messy Mornings" as Summer Programming Begins June 24
Lynn Public Library opens its summer programming run Tuesday, June 24, with the first weekly "Messy Mornings" session from 10 to 11 a.m. at 5 North Common St., anchoring a full slate that also incl...
Nahant Enters Midsummer With No Major Town Hall Activity
A midsummer lull settles over Nahant as Tuesday, June 23 produces no press releases, district announcements, library bulletins, or commercial-outlet coverage of the town. Town Hall, Nahant Public S...
West Newbury Sees No Official Announcements in Tuesday's News Cycle
West Newbury went dark across all reporting channels on June 23, 2026. No town hall releases, school district notices, library announcements, or commercial-outlet coverage of West Newbury arrived i...
Library Roof Repairs Underway as Summer Reading Season Opens in Lynnfield
Lynnfield's library and schools are pivoting to summer mode even as roof repairs and unresolved questions linger. The Lynnfield Public Library's "Plant a Seed, Read" Summer Reading 2026 program is ...
Saugus Library Launches Summer Reading, Pokémon Club, and Free Iron Works Concerts
The Saugus Public Library's 2026 summer season is open for business, anchored by a Pokémon-themed children's reading challenge, parallel adult and teen tracks, and a returning series of free outdo...
Salem Skipper Ride-Share Extended Through September 30 With New Funding
Salem's on-demand Salem Skipper ride-share will keep running through September 30, roughly two months beyond its expected early-August end date. The city announced Tuesday it cobbled together one-t...
Boxford Park Program Shuts Down Tuesday as Weather Moves In
Boxford's Park Program closed for the day Tuesday after the Recreation Department issued a weather cancellation just before 9 a.m., the town's lone municipal announcement in a slow 24-hour window. ...
This digest covers June 22 - 28, 2026. Visit Essex County News for full articles and transcripts.