Lou

Gus Bickford, Massachusetts Democratic Party Chairmen since 2016, plans to step down this spring, ending a 6½-year run in which the party flipped nearly 20 seats statewide — including the governor’s office — and grew its supermajority in the state Legislature.

Bickford announced his decision to party activists at a Democratic State Committee meeting Saturday, and will remain chairman until its next meeting on April 24, when it will hold a special election to replace him. Bickford also endorsed a successor in Steve Kerrigan, a former lieutenant governor nominee and Democratic National Convention Committee executive, telling activists that Kerrigan has both his and Governor Maura Healey’s support.

A Manhattan grand jury has voted to indict former president Donald Trump, making him the first person in U.S. history to serve as commander in chief and then be charged with a crime.

The indictment was sealed, which means the specific charge or charges are not publicly known. But the grand jury had been hearing evidence about money paid to adult-film actress Stormy Daniels during Trump’s 2016 presidential campaign, allegedly to keep her from saying she’d had a sexual encounter with Trump years earlier. Trump is expected to turn himself in and appear in court on Tuesday at 2:15 p.m., said a person familiar with the matter, speaking on the condition of anonymity to discuss plans that have not been publicly announced.

Today is a sad day for the country. There is no joy about this but it was necessary. No person, even a former President, is above the law. He is innocent until proven guilty in a court of law. He will have the opportunity to defend his actions in court, like you or me, and if he is proved innocent of breaking any law, he will go free.

Opponents of a new 55-megawatt “peaker” plant in Peabody are taking their fight to the big screen.
“#StopPeabodyPeaker,” a new documentary created by Peabody resident Steven Andrada.

Its 40-minute runtime will discuss what led to the construction of the plant at the Waters River substation (off Pulaski Street), which is expected to wrap up this summer, and why some activists, state legislators and local leaders have tried to stop it.

The new $85 million plant would be powered by oil and natural gas, and only run during peak times of energy use.

The Select Board voted unanimously to nix universal mail-in ballots for the town local election on May 2.

Danvers will have one day of early in-person voting but opted out of universal mail-in voting. Early voting day will be on Saturday, April 22 from 10:00 AM to 4:00 PM at the Town Hall. Absentee voting is still allowed by mail.

Positions open for this election are:

• Select Board member (Maureen Bernard’s seat is open.)
• Six Town Meeting spots in EACH precinct.
• Town Moderator
• Two School Committee seats
• Three Library Board of Trustees seats
• One spot on the Danvers Housing Authority

Nomination papers can be picked up at the Town Clerk’s office at the Town Hall beginning on February 1.

 Senator Joan Lovely, State Representative Sally Kerans and Chairman of Danvers Diversity Committee Dutroche Djoko present Dr. Charles Desmond with a Senate and Representative Citation in honor of his being awarded the Drum Major for Justice Award.

The House Ways and Means Committee has released copies six-years worth of former President Donald Trump’s tax returns, a week after releasing an extensive report that said the Internal Revenue Service failed to properly audit Trump while he was in office.

The public release of Trump’s tax returns – spanning the years 2015 through 2020 – comes after a protracted legal battle with Democrats that ultimately ended at the Supreme Court. Trump refused to voluntarily make them public as presidents before him have done.