Happy Birthday, Denise Joy Karlin
Happy Birthday (Feb. 10) to Denise Joy Karlin, valedictorian of the Chelsea High School Class of 1976.
Denise went on to graduate from Harvard College and Harvard Law School. Denise, who grew up on Shurtleff Street and attended the Shurtleff School, is the daughter of the late Reuben and Golda Karlin.
Also celebrating their birthdays on that day were the great CHS basketball star Michael Wozniak and St. John’s Prep graduate Scott Feinstein, the outstanding 6-foot-5-inch center for Chelsea YMHA and AZA basketball teams.
Coaches wanted for Chelsea Spring & Summer Sports Programs
The city, in partnership with Chelsea’s youth sports leagues, is seeking passionate, community-oriented individuals to fill volunteer coaching positions for its spring and summer sports teams. Coaching opportunities are available for various Chelsea sports teams, including Baseball, Softball, Basketball, Flag Football, and Girls Volleyball.
As part of the City’s ongoing efforts to strengthen Chelsea’s sports programs, Charlie Guiffrida, Director of Athletic Infrastructure and Sports Tourism, is supporting the community’s youth sports leagues by helping recruit coaches.
“We’ve heard from many in the community who want to get involved, but aren’t sure where to start,” said Charlie Guiffrida, Director of Athletic Infrastructure and Sports Tourism for the City of Chelsea. “Volunteering as a coach for our community’s youth sports leagues is a great way to make a positive impact on Chelsea’s young athletes. Please help us support the next generation of athletes in our community and contribute to a more vibrant Chelsea.”
Those interested in applying are encouraged to submit a brief letter of interest outlining their qualifications and experience to [email protected].
Community invited to information session about 9-1-1 dispatch regionalization
The City of Chelsea is hosting a 9-1-1 Dispatch Regionalization Information Session to provide residents with information about the proposed regionalization of the 9-1-1 dispatch operations of Chelsea, Revere, and Winthrop into a shared, state-of-the-art Regional Emergency Communications Center (RECC).
The information session will be held on Tuesday, Feb. 25, from 6 – 7 p.m. at the Chelsea Senior Center located at 10 Riley Way. The event will also be livestreamed on Facebook at facebook.com/CityOfChelsea.
Hosted by the City of Chelsea, the information session will feature a panel discussion led by 9-1-1 communication professionals from the current Metro North RECC and Chelsea’s Director of Emergency Management Steve Staffier. It will also include a Question and Answer (Q&A) session.
The city has created a webpage dedicated to hosting information about the proposed regionalization at chelseama.gov/recc. On this page, community members can find answers to frequently asked questions, a proposed budget for the new center, a document clarifying the operational differences between Chelsea’s current dispatch operations and operations in a Tier-1 Regional Center, and more.
If approved by the City Council, the operations will be consolidated into a shared, state-of-the-art RECC designed to enhance public safety by improving the efficiency and coordination of emergency dispatch services across the three communities.
The proposed site for the RECC is Revere’s McKinley School — located 1.6 miles away from Chelsea City Hall.
By working together at a RECC, the communities can better respond to high-demand periods, reduce the burden on individual dispatch teams, and provide more efficient and consistent emergency services, according to city officials. Additional benefits to regionalization and information can be found at chelseama.gov/recc.
City to host Lunar New Year Celebration Saturday
For the first time, a Lunar New Year celebration will be hosted at the Chelsea Public Library on Saturday, Feb 15 at 10 a.m.
Windy Pham, author and founder of Little Ant World, will bring a free celebration with interactive book readings, arts and crafts activities, martial arts performances, and food tastings for all families in Chelsea.
This project is supported in part by a Cultural Council Grant.
Illegeal Alien Sentenced to prison for Unlawful Reentry
An El Salvadoran man living in Chelsea was sentenced last week in federal court in Boston for unlawful reentry.
Benancio Martinez-Diaz, 38, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Leo T. Sorokin to four months in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release. Martinez-Diaz will be subject to deportation upon completion of his sentence. In October 2024, Martinez-Diaz pleaded guilty to one count of unlawful reentry. In July 2024, Martinez-Diaz was indicted by a federal grand jury in this case.
Between 2006 and 2014, Martinez-Diaz was deported/removed from the United States on five separate occasions. He was most recently removed on or about May 30, 2014. On or about Oct. 8, 2023, Martinez-Diaz was arrested on state charges and Immigration and Customs Enforcement was notified and a detainer was lodged.
United States Attorney Leah B. Foley; Michael J. Krol, Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations in New England; and Chelsea Police Chief Keith Houghton made the announcement. Assistant U.S. Attorney Suzanne Sullivan Jacobus of the Major Crimes Unit prosecuted the case.