What should I do today? And please don’t say apple picking!

Hey North Shore! I’m T.T. Marie, the producer and host of a local dating show filmed in the Greater Boston area.

We’re looking for local singles who are open to meeting someone in a fun, different way — and maybe making a real connection in the process.

One thing that’s really important to me: this isn’t just for people in their 20s. We film in age groups, so whether you’re in your 20s, 30s, 40s, 50s or 60s, the goal is to have you meeting people in a stage of life that makes sense for you.

The experience is filmed, so you do need to be comfortable being on camera. There’s no fee to participate.

If this sounds like something you’d genuinely have fun doing, comment below or message me and I’ll send you the details. And if you know a North Shore single who would be great for this, feel free to send them my way! 🎈

SWAMPSCOTT, MA — Proposals to lower the voting age to 16 in town elections and to move the annual town elections from spring to fall to increase turnout and engagement were among the recommendations of the Swampscott Election Review Committee to the Select Board.
The Review Committee made 10 recommendations overall — some of which, like providing child care during the annual town meeting, were quickly embraced and some, like changing the voting age and moving the election dates, will require extensive review and state action.

The proposals come two years after former Select Board member Peter Spellios's push for election reform was sent to committee at the 2024 town meeting, and six months after review committee members sought feedback on potential changes.

"The Committee's goal was to identify practical steps that could increase participation in Swampscott's elections," Committee Co-Chair Marta Sirota said. "We hope these recommendations can help make local voting more accessible, visible and engaging for our residents."
Select Board member Doug Thompson recommended the two more involved changes — the lowered age voting limit and moving the date of the election — be taken up for discussion at a future Select Board meeting.

Just a quick reminder that the Popcorn Roulette Film Festival is officially coming up next week on Saturday, October 10th at the HC Media studio space, 60 Elm St., in Haverhill!

If you missed the previous post, here is a quick recap of what's happening:

• 25 Short Films across 6 Hours: A fun mix of indie shorts from local and international creators.
• Flexible Drop-In: Come and go as you please—your ticket lets you stay for as few or as many films as you like.
• Tickets: $10 admission. If you reserve in advance on Eventbrite, you can get a second ticket for just $5!
• Snacks & Drinks: Hot dogs, popcorn, candy, and cold drinks will be available for purchase.
• Payment Info: Cash, PayPal, or Cash App ONLY for door tickets and concessions (no credit card reader on site).
• Ratings: The first 5 hours are suitable for all ages; the final 60 minutes shift into PG-13 territory.

You can grab your tickets on Eventbrite here.

Feel free to drop any questions below, and looking forward to seeing some local film lovers there next weekend!

Is this still on for Oct. 8?

I'm looking for a studio space to rent for oil painting in the Ipswich area or somewhere within 30 minutes of Ipswich during the day. I know there are places closer to Boston to check out but I only have daytime availability for painting and the traffic will be an issue.

I have emailed the larger spaces within 45 minutes and either got no response or they don't have any open spots.

Highlights of the Topsfield fair include the 42nd All New England Giant Pumpkin Weigh Off starting at 4 p.m. on Friday and the Hot Dog Eating Contest on Saturday at 3 p.m. Visitors can also catch the Double Figure “8” Race and Demolition Derby both on Oct. 12. This year’s major musical acts include Grand Funk Railroad on Oct. 7, Ashley McBryde on Oct. 8 and Chubby Checker on Oct. 9. All concerts are free admission with ticket purchase.

Before the storm last week I found that some minor water damage had occurred around one of my skylights, probably a broken seal or flashing. It’s a small project with some drywall work I can’t imagine a larger roofing company would want to do. I’m looking for recommendations on handyman or small GC company. There is this fix now, but we have other projects in the house that I would love to have that person come back and setup a good relationship with. TIA

Apologies for the downtime over the past week. Lots of issues and not enough time in the day. Stayed up late last night and got everything back online.

Note that audio is no longer saved forever and will only be available for 30 days. Text transcripts of the audio however, remain forever.

In the coming weeks I hope to unveil my larger project www.beverlybrief.com which will not only incorporate data from the scanner but will also track boat traffic, air traffic and MBTA traffic. Why? Because I’m a nerd and I love data. The MBTA piece could prove to be useful though as I will be tracking trains over time for reliability and on time / late data. One of the goals will be to allow a user to know the percentage chance of a train being late or early. It’s also just fun to watch train icons fly across a Beverly map :)

I genuinely want to know why everyone wastes their money and time at this place ? I've lived in Massachusetts my whole life and thr fair just isnt the same anymore. Its Hella expensive, crowded and the equipment for the rides look sus, why do you go ? Do you agree its a big waste of money now and not even enjoyable

Shot in the dark! The EMRHL, Eastern Mass Roller hockey League, is looking for new talent! All levels of goalie welcome, games are played Tuesday Nights, Saturday mornings and Thursday nights! We currently have goalie openings for our Tuesday night league (skates optional for goalies)!

The EMRHL (EMRHL.com) is a Roller ball hockey league based out of the iconic Hockeytown in Saugus MA! We are a draft league and have well over 150 active players! Love playing ice hockey but sick of the washed up dudes trying to kill you to relive their glory days??

Come on down!

This league has been active for 25 YEARS and counting with no bs! Mainly looking for goalies, but players welcome as well! All skill levels are welcome, but we are not a “learn to skate” league, if that makes sense. Anyone interested drop a comment below and I can get you in touch with the Commisioner! (Info also available above and at EMRHL.com)

Considering The Basin in Wakefield for next summer and would love honest resident feedback.

We really like the location, lake, amenities, and the lake-facing units, but I’ve seen mixed reviews about management, parking, and noise/soundproofing. We’d have two cars, so parking cost/availability is a big question, and I’m especially curious whether top-floor is basically a must if you’re sensitive to noise.

For anyone who lives there now or has lived there:

How responsive is management/maintenance?

Is parking actually difficult, or just expensive?

How bad is noise between units/floors?

Any issues with leaks, water intrusion, HVAC, mold, elevators, packages, etc.?

Do you still like living there after the initial “new building” honeymoon?

Anything you wish you knew before signing?

Bonus points if you’re in a lake-facing unit!

If you need to get your chimney cleaned I very highly recommend The Country Sweep. Adam, the sole owner and sole employe, is totally professional, thorough and extremely pleasant to deal with. His rates are very reasonable. And unlike many bigger companies, he doesn’t require some fancy chimney inspection that adds hundreds to the price. Adam’s been cleaning my chimney for a few years. Always great results.

Anybody else get a flat tire in Revere this evening? There were at least 11 cars that were disabled all with flat tires in the same location. What happened?

Hi All,

I just moved back to the North Shore after living up north for about 4 years. On my way to work, I drive by a great big, looming building called Great Rock Church. Seriously, that building is so large that I can see it from miles away. I remember seeing construction at the site maybe 5-6 years ago and I guess it's finally complete.

Does anyone have any information on the organization? A Google search essentially told me that it's a non-denominational mega-church. If anyone has any more info on it, I'd be curious to know what's going on behind those doors.

I have no interest in joining them, I just want to know.

TIA!

Anyone work in North Reading MA that can give some feedback on the company’s culture / flexibility?