Former town clerk Hanson now will be on ballot
In addition to the incumbents who have already pulled nomination papers to run in March’s town elections, two more faces familiar to Andover life are preparing to run.
Larry Bruce, who has run for office previously, has pulled papers to run for one of two open Board of Selectmen seats, according to Town Clerk Larry Murphy. He joins Paul Salafia and Alex Vispoli, both of whom are incumbents and have said they are running for re-election.
Randy Hanson, who served as town clerk for 20 years until she retired in 2010, has pulled papers to run for a single three-year seat for the Trustees of Punchard Free School. Nobody else has pulled papers for the seat at this time, Murphy said.
On the School Committee, members Paula Colby-Clements and Dick Collins have both said they are running for re-election. Sheila Doherty, town moderator, is also running again for her one-year seat. There are no challengers in either of these races as of Monday, according to Murphy.
Nomination papers, which require 50 signatures from registered Andover voters, are due by Feb. 5. The election will be held March 26.
— Dustin Luca
Signing on
The new sign is up at the renovated Andover Village Square, but ice cream lovers will have to wait until March to get a cone at Mad Maggie’s on Main Street.
Maggie Repucci of Andover, who owns the ice cream business with her husband, Steve Repucci, said the shop will most likely open sometime that month. Last minute details, including an inspection by health officials, are now being worked on.
“We’re excited about this and can’t wait to open,” Maggie Repucci said.
The couple’s North Andover ice cream shop, also called Mad Maggie’s, is open year-round. The Andover shop will also be open year-round.
— Judy Wakefield
Collins Center hosts music video shoot
While the high school was empty over winter break this past week, a group organized by an Andover native took over the Collins Center for the Performing Arts to record a music video honoring those lost in the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting this month.
A total of 20 children and six adults took the stage as cranes with video cameras recorded them moving to the tune of “26 Angels” by Berklee College student Justin Cohen on Wednesday, Dec. 26. The adults represented each adult lost to the shooting, while the 20 children each held cards with the names of the school’s young victims.
Becki Dennis, owner and founder of TalentTools.biz and an Andover resident for 25 years before graduating from college and leaving town three years ago, secured the facility for the video shoot and helped run it.
“In the video, they’re holding these signs that they made while they’re singing,” Dennis said. “There’s a moment where each of them holds the signs up one at a time.”
For many, the video was a day-long endeavor. Coffee and breakfast was donated by Perfecto’s Coffee on North Main Street, and dinner was donated by the 99 Restaurant on Lowell Street.
Dennis said the goal of the video is “to go viral. We already have a Facebook page for the song. A lot of parents took pictures, and they’re posting them on that page too.”
Photos of the video shoot and a link to the video can be found at www.26AngelsTribute.com or the tribute’s Facebook page at facebook.com/26angelsvideo.
— Dustin Luca
