Peabody Power Plant Foes Cheer Project "Pause": Patch Weekender

PEABODY, MA —The warm weather has arrived and masks are coming off in certain situations — more on that from Gov. Charlie Baker in the next few days — so these certainly are eventful times on the North Shore.

Patch covered plenty of news in the region this week from the announced 30-day "pause" in the proposed Peabody power plant project, to Salem Mayor Kim Driscoll declaring her re-election bid, to word that the historic Cabot Street Cinema in Beverly will show its first movie to a live audience in nearly 15 months when it screens the original summer blockbuster "Jaws" on Memorial Day weekend.

Here's your chance to get caught up on all the stuff you need to know along with some lighter fare on this beautiful Sunday.

Peabody Power Plant Opponents Cheer Pause In Project

Elected officials and climate advocacy groups cheered the "pause" announced Tuesday in the proposed gas power plant project in Peabody near the Danvers line.

The Massachusetts Municipal Wholesale Electric Company, which had pushed the plant to satisfy surge capacity requirements for Peabody Municipal Light and the region, said Tuesday morning its board of directors authorized the 30-day "pause" during a special meeting held on Monday.

It said the delay was to address concerns brought before the board, while also "considering available options to fulfill its participants' required capacity obligations under ISO New England rules."

Salem Mayor Kim Driscoll Declares Bid For Re-Election

Salem Mayor Kim Driscoll touted the strength and resiliency the city exhibited showed throughout the coronavirus health crisis, and her desire to build off lessons learned and challenges met amid the adversity of the pandemic, as she announced Tuesday she is running for re-election.

Marblehead Rotary Helps Unite 9-Year-Old Boy With Service Dog

Six months after the Marblehead Rotary Service Dog Project began raising funds to unite a 9-year-old, autistic Chelsea boy and his new service dog, Gabriel and Kacey are now together.

Danvers Native Eyes Special PMC Winter Cycle Ride At Fenway Park

Allison Pyburn said her involvement with the Pan-Mass Challenge had already changed her life long before this year when she decided to use the event to honor the life of her late father.

Salem Drops Outdoor Face Mask Order Downtown

Salem joined most of the rest of the state in making face coverings optional outdoors when social distancing can be achieved.

The Board of Health voted unanimously after about an hour of public discussion Tuesday night to drop the mandate for downtown areas and all city parks and beaches. Gov. Baker allowed the statewide mandate to expire on April 30, but Salem's Board of Health had issued a separate ordinance last spring mandating them in certain areas of the city.

Peabody War Memorial Crushed Under Christmas Tree Replaced

A symbol of a "What else could go wrong?" 2020 has been replaced in Peabody as part of its 2021 reopening from the yearlong coronavirus health crisis.

Beverly's Cabot Theater To Reopen For First Film In 15 Months

The Cabot Street Cinema might need a bigger boat to contain all the enthusiasm over what will be the historic theater's first movie screening to a live audience in nearly 15 months.

Salem Coronavirus Test Sites Still 'Crucial' As Restrictions Lift

As coronavirus vaccinations expand, and virus-related restrictions continue to ease, testing remains what Gov. Baker this week called a "crucial surveillance tool" in mitigating any outbreaks across the state.

Because of that, Baker said on Wednesday the 35 free "Stop the Spread" testing sites across the state — including the two in Salem — will be open at least another three months through the end of September.

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(Scott Souza is a Patch field editor covering Beverly, Danvers, Marblehead, Peabody, Salem and Swampscott. He can be reached at Scott.Souza@Patch.com. Twitter: @Scott_Souza.)