Pasta the bearded dragon. || Brendan Cassidy Connor Chiarello sets a screen for Teddy O’Neill. || Brendan Cassidy 
Firefighter Brian Crescenzo and Ryan pose. || Brendan Cassidy 
Seven candidates debate in Billerica for the Congressional seat. || Monica Sager 
Children learn about Purim at the library || Brendan Cassidy 
The team huddles during overtime. || Photo Courtesy of Nantucket Community Television 
Anna Cruikshank and Liam O’Brien pose with coaches. || Photo Courtesy: Marblehead/Swampscott Wrestling 
Boys basketball played their final game of the season Tuesday ||. Brendan Cassidy The Swampscott High School drama club advanced to the semi-final round of Drama Fest || Courtesy Photo A couple has started a company to create art and designs on vertical wall spaces || Courtesy Photo
The week started off with a debate in Billerica among the seven candidates for the 6th Congressional District. The contenders shared their ideas on health care, senior support, child care, bipartisanship and the attack on Iran.
Also in politics, Rep. Ayanna Pressley endorsed Sen. Ed Markey in his re-election campaign ahead of the 2026 Democratic Senate primary against Rep. Seth Moulton. The Swampscott Tides also interviewed Markey this week, and you can read his meet your elected official story here.
The Swampscott Tides also had a chance to sit down with District Attorney Paul Tucker, who is also up for his first re-election. Tucker succeeded former District Attorney Jonathan Blodgett in 2023, after defeating fellow Democrat James O’Shea in the primary.
In local politics, Democrats are invited to convene at the Senior Center on Wednesday, March 11, at 7 p.m. to elect 11 delegates and four alternates to represent Swampscott at the 2026 Massachusetts State Democratic Convention.
Town Administrator Nick Connors presented the first draft of the 2027 fiscal year budget, which includes a 7.7% increase in the operating budget. Connors said he did not want to “give a rosy picture of where we may not end up,” and he presented that the “single largest pressure” is health insurance, with a budgeted 14.5% increase, or about $1.18 million.
The Select Board also backed a short-term lease for the Swampscott Performing Arts Center to take over the former Hawthorne-by-the-Sea restaurant location.
The week also brought final matches for wrestling and boys basketball, who lost in a last second buzzer-beater half-court throw. Swampscott High School Varsity Boys Basketball Coach Jason Knowles announced following the game that he is stepping down from the role after seven years.
Other fun stories this week: read about Purim at the Swampscott Public Library, Ryan the firefighter dog, Pasta the DPW’s bearded dragon, a vertical wall printing business, a local yoga instructor and the school’s results in a drama competition.
