Patch Facts

Five Things to Know on Jan. 2: Free Open Skating

An essential get-me-going daily morning column from Hamilton-Wenham Patch.

Today is Wednesday, Jan. 2. Here are five things you need to know in Hamilton and Wenham: 1. Cold: The sun is forecasted to shine bright on Wednesday, but it will not do much the warm things up. The high temperature will be in the upper 20s with winds gusting to 25 miles per hour. 2. Governor’s Council: The Governor’s Council meets for the first time in the new year on Wednesday. Hamilton and Wenham have a new representative on the council, Eileen Duff (D-Gloucester), who was elected in November to replace Mary-Ellen Manning (D-Peabody), who decided to not seek reelection to run for the state Senate. The council’s Wednesday meeting will include a tribute to the late Councilor Kelly A. Timilty. 3. Energy Help: The Salvation Army’s …

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Duff Takes Open Governor's Council Seat

Eileen Duff in the apparent winner of a seat on the Governor's Council in the Fifth District.

Eileen Duff of Gloucester is the apparent winner of the Governor’s Council seat in the Fifth District. Duff, a Democrat, had 57 percent of the vote to 43 percent for Maura Ciardiello of Haverhill - with 97 percent of precincts reporting on Wednesday morning, according to reports by the Boston Globe. Both candidates are seeking the position for the first time after incumbent Mary-Ellen Manning (U-Peabody) decided against reelection to run for the state Senate. She was defeated in a four person Democratic Primary in September. She has since changed her party affiliation from Democratic to unenrolled. The District covers most of the North Shore and Merrimack Valley and neighboring areas north and northwest of Boston. Duff will become one of …

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One Contested Race for Democrats on Thursday's Primary Ballot

There is one contested race on the ballot on Thursday in the primary election on Thursday in Hamilton and Wenham.

There’s one contested race on the Democratic Party ballot in Thursday’s primary election. Voters in both Hamilton and Wenham will decide among four Democrats seeking the backing of voters to face Republican Maura Ciardiello in November for the Fifth District seat on the Governor’s Council. The Democrats are Donald Bumiller, Eileen Duff, David Eppley and George O’Brine. There are no contested races on the Republican and Green Rainbow ballots. A copy of all three ballots in both towns are attached to this story as a PDF. Polls are open from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. in both town. Wenham votes at Wenham Town Hall and Hamilton voters at Winthrop Elementary School. Statewide, the Secretary of States office predicts about a 15 percent turnout rate. In …

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