01940 Fall 2024

Fire 

& Flour 

and friends 

FALL 2024, VOL. 7 NO. 3

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*Based on closed sales volume and total number of units closed information from MLS for Lynnfield in all price ranges as reported on 6/6/2024 for the period of 6/6/2023-6/6/2024. Sales volume calculated by multiplying the number of buyer 

and/or seller sides by sales price. One unit equals one side of a transaction (buyer or seller). Source data is deemed reliable but not guaranteed. Affiliated real estate agents are independent contractor sales associates, not employees. ©2024 

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2 | 01940 FALL 2024 | 3 

A publication of Essex Media Group 

Publisher 

Edward M. Grant 

Chief Executive Officer 

Michael H. Shanahan 

Directors 

Edward L. Cahill 

John M. Gilberg 

Edward M. Grant 

Gordon R. Hall 

Monica Connell Healey 

J. Patrick Norton 

Michael H. Shanahan 

Controller 

Susan Conti 

News Editor 

Sophia Harris 

Creative Director 

Spenser R. Hasak 

Art Director 

Samuel R. Deeb 

Contributing Editors 

Joey Barrett 

Stuart Foster 

Writers 

Mark Aboyoun 

Lauren DiMarco 

Sophia Harris 

Adam Levine 

Benjamin Pierce 

Emily Rosenberg 

Sidnee Short 

Photographers 

Emma Fringuelli 

Spenser Hasak 

Advertising Sales 

Ernie Carpenter 

Ralph Mitchell 

Patricia Whalen 

Magazine Design 

Sam Deeb 

INSIDE 

04 What's up 

06 State Rep. Jones 

11 Hank Finkel 

12 House Money 

18 Fire & Flour 

22 John Scenna 

26 An autism advocate 

28 Choosing compassion 

34 Dallas sisters 

37 Lynne Montesanto 

41 Floral design blooms 

ESSEX MEDIA GROUP 

85 Exchange St., 

Lynn, MA 01901 

781-593-7700 

Subscriptions: 

781-214-8237 

01940themagazine.com 

LETTER FROM THE PUBLISHER 

Rising stars 

TED GRANT 

Given their age, the name Curly Howard probably doesn’t register with Jacqui 

Viscarello and Athene Yagjian. But I’m old, and when I read Adam Levine’s cover 

story on them pursuing their dream, Curly popped into my head. 

Curly was, of course, one of the Three Stooges (a TV show from my childhood; 

Google them, children), and a line of his – I can’t remember the context, but maybe 

they were working in a bakery – is pretty much the antithesis of Jacqui and Athene: 

“I got sick of the dough and decided to go on the loaf.” 

Not so Jacqui and Athene. Just the opposite, in fact. 

Athene’s desire to bake healthy bread for her children and friends has risen into 

what she and Jacqui call their part-time side gig: Fire & Flour. 

The pair spend days in their kitchens exploring the science of baking and 

carefully navigating the flaming ovens — something they learned after a few too 

many burns. Just check out the scars on their arms. 

Thus their most practical piece of advice — wear gloves when baking, maybe all 

the way up to your shoulders. 

It is not only baking that inspires Jacqui and Athene, but also their love for 

experimenting and being able to bring joy to others through their passion. 

Fire & Flour isn’t the only example of food for thought in this edition of 01940. 

Our guy Ben Pierce catches up with House Minority Leader Bradley H. Jones 

Jr., who has represented Lynnfield at the State House for 30 years. Jones continues 

to prove his dedication to his district, being present for more than 8,000 consecutive 

roll-call votes since he took office. 

Adam Levine comes back with a story about John Scenna, drawing him out from 

behind his desk and away from construction sites. Scenna’s career in public works 

has led him back home as the town’s new Department of Public Works director. 

Levine also shines a light on what it means to support the community’s seniors, 

something that would be valuable for the younger generation to read. The Friends 

of the Lynnfield Senior Center provide funding and donations to help people stay 

vibrant in their post-retirement years. 

To some, Boston is the greatest city in the world, or at least they’ll argue you 

to death about it. Boston Magazine publisher Lynne Montesanto took everything 

she learned as a longtime resident of 01940 with her to Boston. Sophia Harris 

highlights Montesanto’s success as a publisher. 

No issue of 01940 is complete without highlighting the town’s athletes. 

Sportswriter Mark Aboyoun connects with Henry Finkel – all seven feet of 

him – 50 years after he was a center of attention during the Celtics’ 12th 

championship season. Finkel’s legacy rises above most, but Aboyoun brings him 

down to the reader’s level. 

Florist Jessica Saccardo blossoms with EightTwentyNine Blooms. Emily 

Rosenberg brings Saccardo’s floral prowess to our pages. As fall approaches and the 

leaves start to change, get off the sofa and smell the flowers. 

For those who know Terri Farrell, congratulate her for being named as a 2024 

Commonwealth Heroine. Lauren DiMarco focuses on Farrell’s hard work and 

dedicated support as an autism advocate. Her work has impacted the region on a 

local and policy level as she continues to support a cause close to her heart. 

Anchoring the issue is Sidnee Short’s investigation into the Lynnfield Police 

Department's local outreach is eye-opening. While Capt. Chris DeCarlo and Chief 

Nick Secatore aren’t out fighting crime and filling out paperwork, they help the 

community in other ways. Their mental health and addiction community outreach 

program is just the tip of the iceberg demonstrating how Lynnfield supports 

Lynnfield. DeCarlo and Secatore serve as shining examples of how to use their 

badges for the greater good outside the lines of typical police work. 

May I suggest digging into this issue along with a sampling of Jacqui and 

Athene’s creations. 

COVER: Owners of Fire & Flour Athene Yagjian Jacqui Viscarello prep their work space for a batch of sourdough. PHOTO: Spenser Hasak 

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WHAT’S UP 

See the Good 5K Walk 

What: The annual See the 

Good 5K Walk will celebrate 

the life of Sharla Sieve, who 

was diagnosed with Stage IV 

metastatic colorectal cancer 

in spring 2021. One of Sieve’s 

favorite things to do was take a 

long walk around town, and the 

5K honors her memory with one 

of her favorite pastimes. Money 

raised for the 5K will benefit 

causes that were important to 

Sieve, such as Lynnfield High 

School’s graduating senior 

scholarship, Lynnfield teacherappreciation 

activities, future 

tennis-related town initiatives, 

and funding for the Mass General 

Sharla Sieve Liver Pump Fund. 

To donate, visit https://www. 

seesthegood.com/donate. 

IT’S NOT JUST A WINDOW, 

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Where: The 5K will start at the 

Lynnfield Common. 

When: The 5K will be held on 

Sept. 8 from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. 

Run for Inclusion 2024 

What: Northeast Arc’s 5K Run, 

Walk, and Roll for Inclusion is 

returning to Lynnfield this year. 

Participants will be able to walk, 

run, or roll to support services 

that change lives and discover 

peoples’ abilities. Afterward, 

there will be a Family Fun Fest 

featuring balloon art, bubbles, 

face-painting, music, and more, 

along with swag and samples 

from MarketStreet. Visit https:// 

bit.ly/runforinclusion2024 to 

register. 

Where: This event will be held at 

MarketStreet. 

When: The run will be held on 

Sept. 24. Registration will open at 

7:30 a.m., the run and walk will 

start at 9 a.m., and the Family 

Fun Fest will last from 9:30 to 

11:30 a.m. 

DO I HAVE YOU 

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State Rep. Bradley H. Jones Jr. has voted more 

than 8,000 consecutive times in the House of 

Representatives. 

30 years, 0 misses 

Results Through Passion, Expertise and Integrity 

Story: Benjamin Pierce 

Photography: Spenser Hasak 

State Rep. Bradley H. Jones Jr. has 

never missed a roll-call vote in his 30 

years as a member of the House of 

Representatives, and he has had more 

than 8,000 opportunities to do so. 

The Republican House minority 

leader likens his streak to that of 

a quarterback in the NFL never 

missing a start. He prides himself on 

always being present to represent his 

constituents in Lynnfield, Reading, 

Middleton, and his hometown of North 

Reading. 

Jones began in the education field 

as both a tutor and substitute teacher, 

before deciding to earn his bachelor’s 

degree at Harvard Extension School. 

He got his start in state politics 

under former state representative and 

senator Richard Tisei of Lynnfield, 

who Jones was an aide for in 1991. 

After gathering some additional 

experience by serving on the North 

Reading Board of Selectmen, Jones 

launched his first campaign for the 

House in 1994 against Democratic 

candidate Sandra Trainor. Jones alluded 

to being the “underdog” in that race, 

but believes his effort to garner support 

in North Reading is what delivered him 

the victory. 

“I lost the first nine out of 13 

districts to come in… and then North 

Reading came in and I did very well,” 

Jones said. “So I ended up winning 

55 to 45 by the strength of the great 

margin in North Reading.” 

Jones became the Republican 

minority leader in 2002. He described 

his responsibilities as having two 

constituencies, one being the residents 

and the other being his colleagues. 

As a Republican in a House heavily 

occupied by Democrats, Jones 

emphasized the importance of working 

in a bipartisan fashion in order to 

JONES, continued on page 8 

2 Wirthmore Lane, Lynnfield 2 Parkwood Road, Lynnfield


JONES, continued from page 6 

accomplish different tasks. 

“I believe in trying to build consensus. I 

want to come and get some things done,” Jones 

said. “Mathematically speaking, the only way 

I can get things done is to work with people 

on the other side of the aisle… It’s about 

relationships.” 

He named the friendship he developed with 

Trainor as an example of a relationship he 

fostered despite having political differences and 

being a former competitor of hers. 

“If I disagree with you today does not 

preclude us from working together tomorrow,” 

Jones said. 

Jones’ district gained three Lynnfield 

precincts in 2002, and another one a decade 

later. He expressed pride in being able to 

represent Lynnfield and described it as a great 

community. 

“I’ve had a great relationship with the local 

officials,” Jones said about the town’s leadership. 

Jones lives in North Reading, where he 

governs over his family with his wife, Linda. 

His daughter, Alexis, graduated from Boston 

College earlier this year, while his son, 

Nicholas, is just starting his collegiate career as 

a freshman at Villanova University. 

We Know 

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State Rep. Bradley H. Jones Jr. shows off the 

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House of Representatives. 

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Boston Celtic Henry Finkel, left, blocks an 

attempted layup shot by Cincinnati Royal 

Connie Dierking at the Boston Garden on 

Jan. 30, 1970. 

Henry “Hank” Finkel is a Lynnfield 

resident and NBA champion with the 

Boston Celtics. The New Jersey-born 

7-footer never thought he’d make it to the 

big stage in basketball, mostly because his 

main goal was to get a college education. 

Finkel attended Dayton University, 

where his shooting started to make a name 

for him. 

“The only thing I was looking forward 

to at that time was my college education. 

Once I started playing basketball, I 

realized I was a pretty good shooter for a 

7-footer. Once I started scoring, people 

started to pay attention. I guess that’s 

when the Lakers took notice,” Finkel 

said. 

Nowadays, the NBA Draft is 

a big occasion that fans look 

forward to each year, and 

draft prospects have draft 

parties and do promotional 

and marketing events. 

However, back in 1966, 

it wasn’t so glamorous. 

In fact, Finkel didn’t 

even realize he was 

drafted initially. 

“I found out I 

was drafted by 

reading a newspaper,” 

Finkel said. “I remember reading 

the paper and seeing my name and was 

like, ‘Wow, that’s my name.’” 

Finkel was drafted with the 17th pick 

in the second round by the Los Angeles 

Lakers. Before his NBA career took 

off, Finkel said two players helped him 

FINKEL, continued on page 15


HOUSE MONEY 

A peek inside 

3 Walsh Road 

SALE PRICE: $2,000,000 

SALE DATE: June 10, 2024 

LISTING PRICE: $2,149,000 

TIME ON MARKET: 239 days 

to closing 

LISTING BROKER: 

Louise Touchette, Coldwell Banker 

BUYING BROKER: 

Louise Touchette, Coldwell Banker 

LATEST ASSESSED 

VALUE: $565,600 (land only) 

PROPERTY TAXES: $6,391 

PREVIOUS SALE PRICE: 

New construction 

YEAR BUILT: 2023 

LOT SIZE: .61 acres (40,000 sq. ft.) 

LIVING AREA: 4,280 sq. ft. 

ROOMS: 8 

BEDROOMS: 4 

BATHROOMS: 4.5 

SPECIAL FEATURES: 

New construction overlooking 

Pillings Pond on a sizable wooded 

corner lot featuring open floor 

plan with gourmet kitchen with 

attached deck/porch, fireplaced 

family room and separate living 

room. Fully finished basement 

and 2-car garage. Second floor 

includes 4 generous bedrooms 

– 3 with ensuite baths – and a 

laundry room. Hardwood floors 

throughout. 

Source: MLS Property Information Network. 

PHOTOS COURTESY OF BOSTONREP.


Henry Finkel, shown with coach 

Tom Heinsohn on Sept. 17, 1969. 

Dick Barnett (12) of the New York Knickerbockers 

hooks a shot up between Boston Celtics Henry Finkel 

(29) and Tom Sanders. 

FINKEL, continued from page 11 

tremendously. 

“The first was Vinnie Ernst. We played 

in an All-Star Game in New York when 

I went back to New Jersey. He threw me 

a pass and it bounced off the back of my 

head. He came up to me and said, ‘Don’t 

you turn your back when I have the ball,’” 

Finkel said. “I ended up scoring like 25 

or 30 points that night because of him. 

That was the first time I had a player 

really helping me.” 

The second player was Jerry West. 

“When I was with the Lakers, I was 

known as a shooter in college. I tried to 

shoot over LeRoy Ellis, who was playing 

center for the Lakers at the time, and 

he blocked my first two or three shots,” 

Finkel said. “Jerry West came over and 

said, ‘Hey, you don’t have to shoot it 

every time you get the ball. Go around 

and set some picks. Set a pick for me 

and if I have a shot, I’ll take it. If not, 

roll to the hoop and I’ll get you the ball.’ 

That was the second biggest factor in 

my career. I ended up making a career 

of setting picks and it worked out really 

well for nine years.” 

Finkel eventually found himself on the 

San Diego Rockets (now the Houston 

Rockets), where he enjoyed a successful 

first season with the team, averaging 11.6 

points and 7.1 rebounds per game. 

However, his stint in San Diego didn’t 

last long, mainly because San Diego 

drafted future Hall of Famer Elvin 

Hayes. 

“I played quite a bit in San Diego in 

my first year. Then they drafted Elvin 

Hayes. Elvin is a great player and 

played center, so he took over the center 

position in my second year. I felt like I 

could play in the league, so I asked to be 

traded,” Finkel said. 

Finkel’s wish was granted and he was 

traded back to the East Coast, where he 

would wear the iconic green and white. 

“When Pete Newell was the general 

manager at San Diego and I asked 

for a trade, he told me they had the 

opportunity to trade me to Boston 

and asked what I thought. I remember 

thinking how much I liked San Diego 

as a town, but I didn’t like it as a team 

anymore. So when I heard they were 

thinking of trading me to Boston, I 

remember thinking about the parquet 

floor, Red Auerbach, Sam Jones, K.C. 

Jones, and Bill Russell, I just thought 

it would be great to be traded from 

an expansion team to an established 

championship team,” Finkel said. 

When Finkel was traded in 1969, it 

was the same year when legendary player 

Tommy Heinsohn took over as head 

coach for the Celtics. 

“Tommy came in to coach the same 

year I came to Boston in 1969. Tommy 

took over from where Red left off. Red 

was so successful, all Heiny had to do 

was run the same plays,” Finkel said. 

“The first year I was in Boston, the fans 

weren’t so happy because they just won 

the championship. We still won 38 

games, whereas today you get teams that 

don’t even win 15.” 

“We had the likes of Jo Jo White, John 

Havlicek, Don Chaney, Don Nelson, 

myself, we had a pretty smart team. We 

knew how to win not from talent, but 

from using our brain,” Finkel said. “Then 

we drafted Dave Cowens, and the rest is 

history and he made us a contender every 

year.” 

Finkel said that playing with Hall of 

Fame players and coaches was a great 

experience. 

“They all knew how to win. The only 

FINKEL, continued on page 17

Let’s Find You A Backyard That 

Will Make Your Dog Smile 


FINKEL, continued from page 15 

thing you wanted to do was win. If you 

won, everyone was happy, and if you 

didn’t, they weren’t,” Finkel said. 

With Russell retiring in 1969 when 

Finkel was traded to Boston, fans 

expected the team to stay the same and 

competitive. 

“I’m not a Russell and never claimed 

to be a Russell, I was just a fringe player. 

I remember Red would come and talk 

to me once in a while and try to calm 

me down and told me we would get me 

some help,” Finkel said. “Sure enough 

the help was Dave Cowens and the rest 

is history. He turned the team around 

and I turned into a backup center which 

was ok to me.” 

The acquisition of Cowens proved to 

be a difference-maker, as Boston would 

go on to win the 1974 Championship in 

seven games. 

“We beat Milwaukee in Game 

7 in Milwaukee. They had Oscar 

Robertson, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, and 

Bob Dandridge,” Finkel said. “I just 

remember playing with guys who wanted 

to win. That was what was so great about 

that championship, all those guys wanted 

to do was win. The championship in a 

way was secondary because they just 

wanted to win, no matter what was at 

stake.” 

After a solid NBA career, Finkel said 

he doesn’t watch the NBA anymore, 

as the game is completely different 

from when he used to play. He did 

acknowledge that he checked into some 

of the Finals this year to see how Boston 

did and was happy when the Celtics won. 

“It’s such a dramatically different 

game from when I played. When I 

played it was offense and defense, you 

had set plays and had people talking to 

each other on defense. Nowadays it’s 

all three-pointers. I’m not knocking the 

game, I’m just saying it’s different now,” 

Finkel said. “I remember Red saying 

once, ‘I don’t care who has the ball, if 

there’s a better shot, give them the ball.’ 

Nowadays, they just throw the ball back 

for a three-point shot.” 

Finkel now resides in Lynnfield and 

has been a resident here for the last 50 

years. 

Finkel will forever be etched in Celtics 

basketball history as he helped bring a 

title to Boston, which at the end of the 

day, is what matters most in Title Town. 

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Some chocolate chip cookies from Fire & Flour. 

Give us this day 

their daily bread 

Friends-turned-bakers Athene Yagjian, left, and 

Jacqui Viscarello proudly present their freshly baked 

sourdough loaves, the heart and soul of their new 

venture, Fire & Flour. 

bread, bags of cookies, cups of honey 

cinnamon butter, and endless smiles. 

Although they have full-time jobs 

and consider this a “side hustle,” 

Yagjian and Viscarello put in countless 

hours at Fire & Flour. The pair said 

they shop for fresh ingredients on 

Tuesdays, prep the dough on Tuesdays 

and Wednesdays, and then get up at 

4 a.m. for a baking “marathon” on 

Thursdays to have the loaves out on 

their porch for pick-up that afternoon. 

All the baking takes place in the 

comfort of their own homes. 

Viscarello and Yagjian said they 

met in 2008 when they began 

working at the newly-built P.F. 

Chang’s at the Northshore Mall as 

waitresses, and have been friends 

ever since. They said they became 

closer when Viscarello, a Lynn native, 

BREAD, continued on page 20 

Story: Adam Levine 


It took months of practice and 

countless burn scars before Jacqui 

Viscarello and Athene Yagjian could 

enjoy their oven-fresh, homemade 

sourdough bread. 

Lynnfield residents Viscarello and 

Yagjian have turned the COVID-19 

trend of do-it-yourself sourdough 

bread into a part-time business called 

Fire & Flour. 

On the outside, Viscarello’s 

home seems like any other in her 

neighborhood — and it usually is. But, 

from Tuesdays to Thursdays, she and 

Yagjian turn the residential kitchen 

into a factory for dozens of loaves of 

Fire & Flour co-owner Athene 

Yagjian forms a sourdough boule. 

Jacqui Viscarello preps a batch of sourdough 

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Fire & Flour co-owner Jacqui Viscarello folds a sourdough boule before allowing it to proof. 

Sourdough boules for Fire & Flour's classic artisan loaf rest on the countertop. 

Fire & Flour co-owner Jacqui Viscarello carefully places a sourdough boule to rest. 

Fire & Flour's classic artisan loaf. 

BREAD, continued from page 19 

moved to Lynnfield in 2019. 

Yagjian said she began baking 

sourdough in November 2023 to give 

out as Christmas presents. 

“I wanted to master it… but that was 

a fail,” she said. 

Despite her failed attempts, Yagjian 

kept trying. 

“I was just determined to show 

people I could do it,” she said. “I 

wanted to feed my kids bread that 

didn't have preservatives… I wanted to 

build a three-ingredient bread.” 

“She gifted me a loaf and I was like, 

‘This is really good,’” Viscarello said. 

“I always knew that if there were to be 

some opportunity, we would make good 

business partners.” 

The pair said they first launched 

their “mini drop” in the beginning of 

April 2024, and now sell a rotating 

menu, which includes a variety of 

sourdough and focaccia breads, pizza 

dough, cookies, spreads, butters, and 

dehydrated sourdough-starter packs. 

“The excitement has been so strong 

since the mini drop,” Yagjian said. 

This became clear to the duo from 

the support on Instagram and other 

social-media platforms. 

Since then, they have been constantly 

teaching themselves about the “science” 

of baking sourdough to expand their 

menu. 

Viscarello and Yagjian said they only 

use three key ingredients for their basic 

sourdough starter — flour, filtered 

water, and salt. Their starter, which 

they’ve named “Pia,” is the foundation 

for all of their baked goods. 

“We’re always building the menu,” 

Viscarello said. 

They include their plain sourdough 

bread every week and add in a sweet 

and a savory loaf, which ranges from 

chocolate chip and honey and oats 

to everything bagel and jalapeño and 

cheddar. 

The duo embraces the process of 

experimenting with new flavors and 

toppings, but both agree that the 

everything-bagel loaf is their favorite. 

“One day when we first tested the 

everything loaf — our first one — we 

took a tub of cream cheese out of her 

fridge and just sat there and pounded 

the whole loaf,” Yagjian said with a 

smile. 

Viscarello and Yagjian are both 

Lynnfield moms raising their children 

through the town’s school district. 

Despite their kids’ ages, they are strictly 

forbidden from the kitchen on dough 

and baking days. 

“They're funny. On bake days 

they’ll be scavenging outside the 

rooms being like, ‘Is there any bread 

today, Mom? Can we get a chocolate 

loaf?’” Yagjian said. 

Since the beginning, their mission 

at Fire & Flour has been “education,” 

Yagjian said. As they look toward the 

future, they want to help other people 

learn how to bake their own bread. 

“It’s been very rewarding,” Viscarello 

said. 

“Mistakes are OK,” Yagjian advises 

future bakers. “You have to be willing 

to fail forward… You're never going to 

be ready, so you kind of just have to do 

things.”


Did you 

know? 

As a community, we 

encourage young people 

to be resilient, take a 

stand and choose healthy 

alternatives over alcohol 

and other drugs. Thank 

a young person today 

for making a decision 

to be substance-free. 

Lynnfield Department of 

Public Works Director John 

Scenna oversees the major 

projects in town, including the 

construction of the new Fire 

Department Headquarters. 

Most LHS students 90% 

choose to use 

marijuana products. 

Source: Lynnfield Youth Health Survey, 2023 

Substance 

Use 

Prevent ion 

Coalit ion 

A Healthy 

Lynnfield 

www.ahealthylynnfield.org 

Scenna makes 

Lynnfield work 

Benchmark community residents 

share countless opportunities 

to participate and engage. 

Assisted Living | Mind & Memory Care 



After working as the Lynnfield 

Center Water District director for five 

years, John Scenna was appointed as 

the town’s Department of Public Works 

director by the Select Board in June. 

“DPW plays a huge role in a 

community… behind the scenes — very 

fitting to how I like to kind of spend 

my life,” he said. 

While his life is often “behind the 

scenes,” Scenna can be spotted on 

construction sites or on the sideline of 

the town’s soccer fields. 

Scenna, an Everett native and the 

son of two Italian immigrants, married 

lifetime Lynnfield resident Rebecca 

Canter 18 years ago and has lived 

in town ever since. He credits her 

with their move to Lynnfield and his 

involvement in the community, which 

also includes coaching his sons in youth 

and high-school soccer. 

John and Rebecca Scenna have 

three sons — Rocco, a rising junior 

at Lynnfield High School, and their 

twin sons, Charlie and Phillip, who 

are entering sixth grade at Lynnfield 

Middle School. 

He said his favorite part of the town 

is its school district, but also that 

Lynnfield is somewhere he can “settle 

down” at night. 

“How quiet it gets at night is just 

something that I always cherish,” John 

Scenna said. 

John Scenna graduated from Malden 

Catholic High School, where he played 

high-school soccer, before attending 

Merrimack College, where he said he had 

to end his soccer career due to injuries. 

Now, he has raised his sons, their 

friends, and countless other Lynnfield 

residents on the pitch. He currently 

coaches fifth - and sixth-graders and 

the high-school summer team. He said 

he has been coaching the members of 

the fifth- and sixth-grade teams since 

they were 4 and 5 years old. 

“I have pictures that pop up on 

my phone as memories of these boys 

that are now taller than me, and more 

handsome, and they have this cool 

lifestyle. Then I have these goofy 

pictures that pop up when they were 

young and I always say, ‘Someday 

these pictures are going to be worth 

something,’” John Scenna said jokingly. 

As the eldest of three sons of 

immigrants, working hard is in the 

“essence of everything I do,” John 

SCENNA, continued on page 25 

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over breakfast, to bonding over music, to making 

plans to see the newest art exhibit at a nearby 

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SCENNA, continued from page 22 

Scenna said. 

“If you put in the work, good things 

happen,” he said. “I like to be described 

as hardworking, but I like to be behind 

the scenes.” 

He grew up always working on home 

projects with his grandfathers and two 

younger brothers, Nick and Paul. Both 

of his brothers now also have careers in 

the same industry. 

“With Italian grandfathers, there’s 

always something. They’re either 

painting, or adding a patio, or making 

the patio bigger,” he said. “I always 

liked that, and I like math and science.” 

Although John Scenna now sits atop 

the DPW’s chain of command, he 

attributes his success to everyone that 

works with him. 

“I can’t do it alone,” he said. 

His goal is to create a department 

that works without him. 

“We’re trying to create a structure 

not just for today, but for the future… 

Public works, in my opinion, is the 

backbone of every community,” he 

said. “Every day when it comes to 

work, my goal is to make sure that our 

staff understands what they do and 

they value what they do. And at the 

same time, my goal — my hope — is 

that our work and our production will 

create value.” 

Throughout his work, John Scenna 

said he has learned about the two 

major groups within the community 

of Lynnfield — the longtime residents 

and the newcomers to the town. Both 

of these groups share their pride for 

the town. 

“Lynnfield, for me, has always been a 

very quiet community with very proud 

people,” he said. 

He said many people in the 

construction-management field move 

on to the private sector, but he decided 

to stay working in the public sector 

because of the impact he makes. 

“I liked the ability to find the 

problem, create a solution, and then 

deliver it,” John Scenna said. “Now, 

here at home in Lynnfield, where the 

benefits aren’t just professional, I’m 

doing things that help my family, to 

help my boys, help their friends, and 

it’ll help the community that I don’t 

leave.” 

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An autism advocate 

Story: Lauren DiMarco 


Terri Farrell is a real doer. If you asked 

her in her 20s or 30s if she’d be working 

in insurance and teaching, she would have 

said no. She fell into her current path 

when her oldest son was diagnosed with 

autism. 

Her son Connor is now 25, but the 

road his mother has traversed has been 

anything but easy. 

Conner Farrell explained autism in a 

simple way. 

“Imagine being invited to a party but 

the front door is locked and you see 

everybody in there and you go over to 

the window and you can hear everything 

going on but you can’t connect,” he said. 

“So you’re at the party, but you’re not at 

the party,” 

Terri Farrell said his explanation of 

being somewhere without being a part of 

what is happening explains a lot. 

“There’s a lack of deep, meaningful 

friendships and social connections and 

relationships,” Terri Farrell said. 

Trying to find resources for people with 

autism 23 years ago was like wandering in 

a vast wasteland with no services. Living 

in Lynnfield was helpful because it had an 

integrated preschool, but Terri Farrell felt 

that not all of the necessary services for 

people with autism could be relied upon 

from the school district. 

She explained that getting an autism 

diagnosis didn’t result in insurance 

benefits. Most health plans had 

exclusions. If you got an autism diagnosis 

outside of school, the services were not 

covered. 

“Speech, occupational therapy, physical 

therapy, ABA etc. were not covered,” she 

said. 

That’s when Terri Farrell joined 

the battle for autism activism. She 

volunteered with the Autism Speaks 

fundraising walk and a couple years later, 

she was the walk’s chair. She said the walk 

was held at Suffolk Downs and raised 

almost $1 million. Boston Mayor Thomas 

Menino was a guest speaker and Terri 

Farrell had the opportunity to speak with 

him. 

“I’m trying to pass meaningful 

autism-insurance legislation,” Terri Farrell 

said. “Why is it that an autism diagnosis 

Terri Farrell was named 

a 2024 Commonwealth 

Heroine for the work she 

does for autism awareness. 

is discriminated against in health 

insurance?” 

After working with Bradley Jones Jr., 

Terri Farrell’s state representative and 

the House minority leader, and joining 

forces with Advocates for Autism of 

Massachusetts in 2011, autism-insurance 

legislation was enacted in Massachusetts. 

“It was parents, moms and dads, that 

went to legislators and said, ‘I don’t 

understand’ that made it all possible,” she 

said. 

Not only does Terri Farrell work 

as the senior project director of the 

Insurance Resource Center for Autism 

and Behavioral Health, she also has been 

co-teaching a course at the University of 

Massachusetts Chan Medical School’s 

Eunice Kennedy Shriver Center. The 

course is Leadership Education in 

Neurodevelopmental and Related 

Disabilities, and it will be her seventh 

year co-teaching. 

In addition, she teaches a course 

with Harvard Medical School called 

Clinical Care for Autistic Adults. The 

online course has video vignettes in four 

different modules and is a continuingeducation 

course that is free of charge 

until July 2026. 

“10,000 people have taken the course 

in 160 countries in the first year. It’s free 

and you’re getting continuing-education 

credits,” Terri Farrell said. 

Along with the course, a website has 

been created called Adult Autism Health 

Resources that has all kinds of free, 

downloadable tools. 

“It’s really comprehensive of every issue 

that families face when they go to the 

doctor,” Terri Farrell said. 

Terri Farrell was designated a 2024 

Commonwealth Heroine in June after 

being nominated by Jones. 

“It was really nice to be recognized,” 

she said. 

More information about these 

programs can be found at the following 

websites: 

Insurance Resource Center for Autism 

and Behavioral Health: https://massairc. 

org/ 

Leadership Education in 

Neurodevelopmental and Related 

Disabilities: https://shriver.umassmed. 

edu/programs/lend/ 

Clinical Care for Autistic Adults: 

https://cmecatalog.hms.harvard.edu/ 

clinical-care-for-autistic-adults 

Adult Autism Health Resources: 

https://adult-autism.health.harvard.edu/ 

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Photography: Sidnee Short and Chris DeCarolo 

Since October 2023, the Lynnfield 

Community Outreach Team has sought 

to help community members dealing 

with mental-health problems and 

substance-use disorder stay out of the 

judicial system while getting the help 

they need. 

The team is made up of psychologist 

Dr. Jennifer Burns and Lynnfield Police 

officers Capt. Chris DeCarlo, the 

outreach coordinator; and Patrolmen 

James Caponigro and Gianfranco 

Pisano, the outreach officers. 

DeCarlo said he created the program 

when he noticed there were funding 

COMPASSION, continued on page 30 

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opportunities to create a part-time 

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“We didn’t think there was that 

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need, but I think what we’re 

seeing is it’s more work than we 

thought, which is not a bad thing,” 

DeCarlo said. 

LCOT has an individual line that 

people can call when a wellness check 

is needed. DeCarlo said that a team 

member will also be sent to a dispatch 

call if an outreach officer is needed at 

the scene. 

“When we show up to your house, 

we’re in an unmarked cruiser, we’re 

out of (police) uniform. What we talk 

to you about is not your neighbor’s 

business, it’s nobody’s business but 

yours, so we try to keep it as low-key 

as possible because we want the people 

to call us and welcome us into their 

house,” Caponigro said. 

All cases are kept confidential, with 

a policy in place that keeps information 

from being shared outside of LCOT. 

All officers on the team have 

received Crisis Intervention and 

Mental Health First Aid training. 

Depending on the case, the team will 

partner with entities in the community, 

including community-based health 

centers, Massachusetts Behavioral 

Health, and the National Alliance 

on Mental Illness, to make sure the 

individual in need gets the help they 

deserve. 

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COMPASSION, continued from page 30 

“If we can address the issue before it 

becomes an issue, then it’s just an issue 

and not a crime, and the police really 

aren’t needed,” Caponigro said. “So 

if we can intervene early on, we stop 

something that may turn into a crime 

from ever happening.” 

Dr. Burns provided a statistic 

that 89% of individuals incarcerated 

have untreated mental-health and/or 

substance-abuse issues. 

“Once an individual has a criminal 

record, or gets into that system, it’s 

not easy to get out of that system. And 

if they’re in that system because they 

have a mental-health prognosis or 

substance-use disorder, then that’s what 

needs to be treated and that doesn’t 

get treated in our system, our judicial 

system,” Dr. Burns said. 

Once the team has done an initial 

wellness check, its members will then 

complete follow-ups, and ask the 

individual how much help they want to 

receive from the team. 

DeCarlo said sometimes an 

individual will have LCOT set up 

appointments and reach out to facilities 

for them. Other times, the individual 

just needs the contact information and 

will do the work themselves. 

The members of LCOT said their 

goal is to help those in need get the 

help they need while avoiding arrest or 

criminal charges. 

“Not that we have that big of a 

problem in Lynnfield. But, now you’re 

dealing with a police officer in a 

‘I’m not going to arrest you’ type of 

situation,” Caponigro said. “It’s never 

not known that we’re the Lynnfield 

Police, but we’re not here to (take 

people away). We’re here to make it 

better.” 

Anyone seeking more information or 

help from LCOT can call (781) 334- 

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Residents of Lynnfield and 

surrounding towns can happily count 

down the days until they turn 60, 

knowing they will be welcomed with 

open arms to the Lynnfield Senior 

Center. 

The center offers a variety of 

activities, including boat-cruise field 

trips, educational seminars, movie 

nights, and even a salon. The walls 

are decorated with vibrant paintings, 

the rooms furnished with comfortable 

chairs for seated exercises, and the 

drawers for the Lego group are always 

stocked with new sets to build. 

Behind the scenes of it all are the 

Friends of the Lynnfield Senior Center, 

the group responsible for almost 

everything that the center has to offer. 

The town pays for the salaries of the 

employees, maintains the building, and 

provides a budget for office supplies, 

Council on Aging Director Linda 

Naccara said. 

“As far as any programming or the 

furnishings, that’s 100% the Friends,” 

she said. 

At the peak of the support are the 

young-spirited sisters Pauline Finberg 

and Georgann Lieb from Dallas, Texas. 

They have given back to the Lynnfield 

Senior Center for more than 20 years 

by serving as Friends of the Lynnfield 

Senior Center. 

Finberg said she has been president 

of the Friends for 18 years, while 

her younger sister has been the 

treasurer for three years. They are 

two of the members who serve 

on the organization’s board along 

with Secretary Josie Weaver, Venita 

Armstrong, Virginia Doocy, Pat 

Gengemi, Anne Hourihan, Debby 

Huard, Ann Leskiw, and Lorraine 

Wilson. Together, this team helps 

senior citizens in the area feel a sense 

of belonging at the Senior Center. 

The center hosts up to 170 guests 

each day, all of whom take advantage 

of the lively activities provided by the 

Friends, Naccara said. 

“What we're all learning is, your 

body kind of starts to give out. But 

your heart — your heart and your soul 

do not,” she said. “But everybody still 

has the need to get up and get out and 

have a purpose to their day.” 

Although neither Finberg or Lieb 

live in Lynnfield, they work to keep 

Friends Board members 

Lorraine Wilson, Pauline 

Finberg, and Ann Leskew 

pose with their pom-poms. 

Sisters Georgann 

Lieb and Pauline 

Finberg stand in 

the Senior Center's 

thrift store. 

the center running with donations and 

fundraising, she said. 

“Their dedication — the whole group, 

but these two in particular — is a true gift 

because they are here all the time… They 

are tireless in their efforts,” she said. “I 

say, I get in bed at night and I think, ‘OK, 

I can live another day because I have this 

amazing support.’” 

Finberg spends a few days a week at 

the center, whether as a participant in the 

pom-pom exercise class or operating the 

thrift store. 

“I’m retired and I was looking for 

something that I felt would contribute,” 

she said. 

With the help of volunteers, she 

operates the center’s thrift store. Guests of 

the center can walk in the store with just 

a few dollars and leave with a bag filled 

with jewelry, books, scarves, and anything 

else the Friends receive as donations. All 

of the proceeds from the sales go toward 

activities and decorations for the center. 

“That, seriously, is a full-time job 

because any donations we get, I have to go 

SISTERS, continued on page 36 

Board members of the 

Friends of the Senior 

Center meet to discuss 

upcoming events.


SISTERS, continued from page 35 

through them,” she said. 

While Finberg spends most of her 

days at the center, Lieb works tirelessly 

behind the scenes and takes pride in 

her work. She feels one of the most 

important fundraisers the Friends 

run is their annual donation letter 

to the town’s residents. It helps raise 

awareness and funds for the center and 

reaches all parts of Lynnfield. 

“I grew up old. I just wanted to 

continue to contribute to the town and 

felt that was a good way to do it,” Lieb 

said. 

Both sisters are looking forward 

to the annual week-long purse and 

jewelry sale this November, one of the 

Friends’ biggest fundraisers of the year. 

“The center is so pretty thanks to 

this group. People want to come here,” 

Naccara said. “A problem all senior 

centers have is seniors living in their 

town say, ‘I'm not going to a senior 

center. I am not going to a senior 

center.’ But, if you can get them in the 

door to the Lynnfield Senior Center, 

and they see it's beautiful, it's bright, 

it's welcoming, it's vibrant, then they 

come back. Then they come back.” 

Joie Edson, left, leads the 

pom-pom exercise class. 

Lynne Montesanto at 

Boston Magazine's 100 Most 

Influential Bostonians event. 

Montesanto’s inf luence 

in Boston is felt 

Story: Sophia Harris 

Photography: Lynne Montesanto 

Boston Magazine Publisher Lynne 

Montesanto has experienced a lot of 

inspiring moments over the course of 

her career, but she said her favorite was 

when she was invited to attend an event 

at the John F. Kennedy Presidential 

Library and Museum, where she was 

able to see Prince William and Princess 

Kate in December 2022. 

From England to Boston, Montesanto 

has seen it all, but laid her roots in 

Lynnfield, where she raised her family 

for 25 years. 

Montesanto raised her two children, 

Jack and Whitney, alongside her 

husband, Peet, in Lynnfield after 

moving from Charlestown for a “better 

life in the suburbs.” 

She said she and her husband had no 

previous connection to Lynnfield and 

found it when they were looking for a 

home to raise a family. 

After the COVID-19 pandemic, the 

office for Boston was no longer needed, 

so Montesanto moved with her family 

to York, Maine. 

However, Montesanto is still a part 

of her Lynnfield book club, which is 

celebrating a 20-year anniversary in 

October with a trip to the Azores. The 

club is currently reading “The Women” 

by Kristin Hannah. 

Prior to working at Boston, 

Montesanto worked at The Wall Street 

Journal, running the sales department in 

Boston for 11 years. 

In that position, she was driven 

by retail finance, her biggest clients 

being Fidelity, Liberty Mutual, State 

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Street Corporation, and John Hancock 

Finance. 

A friend of hers was tasked with 

finding a publisher for Boston and called 

her up one day. 

Montesanto said she “really had to 

think about it” because the offered job 

was very different from and much bigger 

than her job at The Wall Street Journal. 

Technically, she was going from 

business-to-business sales to 

business-to-consumer sales. 

“This was my biggest leap in terms of 

doing something that I was scared of, 

but I also figured, how could I pass it 

up, right?” Montesanto said. 

Once she got past her fears, 

Montesanto once again flourished in the 

Boston market. 

Montesanto said one of her favorite 

things about working at Boston has been 

being able to make personal connections 

with the people who make Boston a 

community. 

“I’ve met all the most famous 

chefs, the heads of all the arts 

and entertainment museums and 

institutions, and been exposed to the 

150 Most Influential Bostonians,” 

Montesanto said. “It's really given me 

an opportunity to engage in the Boston 

market in a way I would never have been 

able to on my own.” 

Montesanto highlighted working with 

other influential women in the field of 

journalism and publishing, including 

Boston Globe CEO Linda Henry, who 

also happens to be from Lynnfield. 

During COVID-19, Montesanto 

said the industry had to figure out how 

to get through the pandemic when 

businesses were not advertising. 

“Advertising came to a standstill in 

almost every category, except for real 

estate,” she said. 

She ended up heading an advertising 

campaign, Faces of Family Businesses, 

MONTESANTO, continued on page 40 

Supino Insurance Agency 

Your local agency since 1980 

www.supinoinsurance.com 

781-334-4888 

550 Summer Street@Pillings Pond 

Lynnfield, MA 01940 

1012 Eastern Ave 

Malden, MA 02148 

Did you 

know? 

3 out of 4 LHS 

students choose 

to use alcohol. 











Substance 

Use 

Prevent ion 

Coalit ion 

A Healthy 

Lynnfield 


Lynne Montesanto, second 

from right below, with her 

Lynnfield book club.


MONTESANTO, continued from page 39 

that connected the people behind local 

businesses and made them faces of the 

community. 

Montesanto said oftentimes, 

consumers might see an advertisement 

without knowing the behind-the-scenes 

story. 

“Because we're all about helping 

local businesses succeed, we took an 

angle where we said we're going to do 

a profile of you, the business owner, so 

people can connect in a different way 

with you,” she said. 

She said she enjoyed being able to 

make the businesses “more human by 

showing the people behind the business. 

“That was something that I was really 

proud of,” she said. 

She said she cares about the 

local businesses in Boston and the 

generations behind them, which has 

been a very different experience from 

when she worked with the Fortune 500 

companies on State Street. 

“There's no face behind the corporate 

business. With this, you're seeing 

generations of family businesses trying 

to either grow their business, maintain 

the business they had, or compete in the 

market that's been really tough since 

COVID-19,” Montesanto said. “You 

want to work with them to help them 

succeed and have them feel like we are 

a dedicated, loyal partner that's part of 

their team.” 

Montesanto also highlighted one of 

the largest campaigns the magazine 

runs, the Best of Boston Awards. 

“We help make and break businesses 

in a way that not many other 

publications or media types can do in a 

market,” she said. 

The awards are especially important 

because they help local businesses make 

a name for themselves in the city’s 

vibrant community. 

Montesanto also guest-lectures 

business classes at Boston College 

“The interesting thing is, I start every 

single class by saying to the students, 

‘How many of you read magazines?’” she 

said. 

Usually, she said, one student, if that, 

will raise their hand. 

“‘How many of your parents read 

magazines?’” she asks next. “100%. 

That’s how quickly this has turned 

around.” 

Lynne Montesanto and 

Boston Magazine Home 

Editor Jaci Conry at a 

Best of Boston Home 

event. 

Montesanto poses with a 

Clydesdale replica at an 

Anheuser-Busch Christmas 

party. 

Floral design blooms 

Jessica Saccardo is the 

owner of EightTwentyNine 

Blooms, a floral design 

business that she runs out 

of her home. 

Story: Emily Rosenberg 


Jessica Saccardo, the creator of 

the floral business EightTwentyNine 

Blooms, believes that flowers bring 

everything together, and that it's the 

flowers that people will remember at a 

wedding. 

Saccardo, who studied marketing 

and business at the University of New 

Hampshire and worked in eventsplanning 

for more than 10 years, said 

she always thought a party wasn’t a party 

until every detail was perfect, including 

the flowers. 

“You can’t help but look at flowers and 

get happy,” she said. “Your body kind of 

relaxes… and it just makes everything 

better.” 

829blooms, which is named after 

Saccardo’s birthday on Aug. 29, began 

as a pandemic project in April 2020. 

FLORAL, continued on page 43 

A floral arrangement 

created by Saccardo.


FLORAL, continued from page 41 

Saccardo said she started doing 

no-contact delivery to nursing homes and 

as many people as she could reach. 

“People very much loved it, and it was 

because of what we were going through. 

We all needed something beautiful,” she 

said. 

By November 2020, Saccardo had 

her website up and running, and was 

providing arrangements for Thanksgiving 

and Christmas. 

Her business has since “skyrocketed” 

through word of mouth and social media, 

and she does it all on her own while 

being a mother of two and working 

the desk at Summer Street Elementary 

School during the day. 

EightTwentyNine Blooms provides an 

array of services, including wedding and 

event floral arrangements, different sizes 

of bouquets, and a biweekly subscription 

that delivers the subscriber a new 

bouquet every other week. 

Saccardo also offers “designer’s choice” 

bouquets, which give her the creative 

freedom to make floral arrangements 

based on the quality of the flowers and 

colors she wants. 

“I usually ask people what they want, 

but nine times out of 10, everyone's 

just like, ‘Nope, whatever looks good, 

whatever you feel works for me,’” she 

added. 

And while she has studied and accepts 

color theory, she says often the bouquets 

are made based on how she feels in her 

gut. 

“I love kind of doing unexpected colors 

as well, something that you normally 

wouldn't put together,” she added. 

Saccardo’s workshop is in a nook 

below her garage and filled with flower 

processing tools — some of which are 

incredibly sharp — mason jars and 

vases, and lots and lots of freshly picked 

roses, sunflowers, hydrangeas, tulips, or 

basically any flower that might come to 

mind. 

She said during the Valentine’s Day 

and Christmas seasons, the workshop can 

be filled wall-to-wall with arrangements 

to be sent out to customers. 

A typical day for Saccardo starts at 

5:30 a.m. From there, she heads to the 

flower market in Boston, then brings 

the flowers home to process and hydrate 

while she goes to work. 

When she gets home from work, she 

throws on some Fleetwood Mac and an 

apron and starts filling the room with 

floral arrangements. 

FLORAL, continued on page 44 

Did you 

know? 










Saccardo cleans thorns 

and excess leaves from a 

rose before placing it in a 

floral arrangement. 

Most LHS students 90% 

choose to use 

electronic vaping products. 


Substance 

Use 

Prevent ion 

Coalit ion 

A Healthy 

Lynnfield 


Jessica Saccardo, owner of 

EightTwentyNine Blooms, 

wraps up a finished 

bouquet of flowers. 

A small floral arrangement 

created by Saccardo.

44 | 01940 

Cut flowers ready to be turned into 

arrangements in Saccardo's workshop. 

FLORAL, continued from page 43 

Also in the workshop are bright yellow 

aprons for when Saccardo teaches flower 

workshops. 

During the workshops, Saccardo is 

invited to someone’s home or business to 

teach them how to process and hydrate 

flowers and create a beautiful bouquet 

of their own. Everyone gets a vase that 

could sit nicely on a kitchen table, shears, 

a thorn stripper, and ribbon to line the 

vase. 

“It’s almost like a cooking class,” she 

said. “You’re just using flowers.” 

She said the class is often a fun girls’ 

night in, but other times she has taught 

the class for men who are creating gifts 

for their wives and girlfriends. 

“And that's even better, because they 

are taking it so seriously. They're like, 

‘Did I cut that enough? Did I do that 

right? I'm not sure if she's going to like 

it.’” 

This February, she taught a loveletter 

class at Tin Bucket in Reading, 

in which attendees made bouquets in a 

freestanding envelope. 

“I always try and see what else I can 

A brightly colored rose pops from 

one of Saccardo's floral designs. 

do. How can I create something fresh?” 

Saccardo said. 

She said the classes are just like 

hanging out with friends and having a 

great time. 

“I love teaching people the 

step-by-step how to do that, whether it's 

flowers, whether it's wreaths… because 

they walk into it being like, ‘I have no 

creativity.’” 

She added that she always tells 

attendees, “you start with something 

beautiful, you end with something 

beautiful. You can never make a flower 

look ugly. It’s just not possible.” 

Saccardo said her love for flowers 

started when she was a young girl and 

her grandfather introduced her to his 

“incredible” gardens. She said he would 

always come over to her parents’ house to 

help with their gardens. 

“I always had a love for flowers 

throughout school, and we always had 

flowers in the house,” she said. 

She said the need for extra and 

beautiful details has carried on 

throughout her life and career. 

“You see these beautiful flowers and it 

just makes everything better,” Saccardo 

said.

Coming to the... Lynn Auditorium 

The Lynn Auditorium is excited to share our current lineup. From classic rock to country, kids shows to 

comedy, 80’s & 90’s pop to hip-hop, there’s a show for everyone! Grab a pair of tickets, make a 

reservation at a local restaurant and you’ve got a night out right here in downtown Lynn! 

Mayor Jared Nicholson & James Marsh - Executive Director 

LynnAuditorium.com 781-599-SHOW

01940 Fall 2024

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