By Bob Katzen

Helps cities, towns, businesses and individuals solve some of the problems created by COVID-19.

Provisions permit a moderator of a town meeting to declare a 30-day postponement due to a public health emergency after consulting with the Select Board; permit a Select Board to vote to extend the date of an annual town meeting beyond the existing statutory cut-off of June 30; allow towns that are unable to finalize a budget before the start of the new fiscal year to continue month-to-month spending on essential operations at the same levels as the current fiscal year; and modify local permitting processes, extend municipal tax deadlines and allow municipalities to extend property tax exemptions and deferrals. Continue reading HELP CITY AND TOWN GOVERNMENTS, BUSINESSES AND INDIVIDUALS →

By Bob Katzen

Allows changes to the state’s high school standardized testing requirements. The measure would allow Department of Elementary and Secondary Education Commissioner Jeffrey Riley to authorize changes to the state’s high school standardized testing requirements, including suspending the MCAS test. Continue reading CHANGES TO HIGH SCHOOL STANDARDIZED TESTING REQUIREMENTS AND THE MBTA →

By Bob Katzen

Places a moratorium on most residential, commercial and nonprofit evictions and foreclosures until August 18 and gives the governor the power to postpone the August 18 expiration in increments of up to 90 days. At the end of July, Gov. Baker extended the moratorium until October 17. Continue reading MORATORIUM ON EVICTIONS AND FORECLOSURES →

By Bob Katzen

Authorizes a notary public to notarize documents via electronic video conferencing in real time as long as both the notary and each principal involved in the transaction are physically located within Massachusetts. Documents include mortgages, wills, trusts, durable power of attorney, health care proxies and caregiver authorizations. Continue reading VIRTUAL NOTARY PUBLIC →

By Bob Katzen

On March 19, Reps. Smitty Pignatelli (D-Lenox) and John Barrett filed a bill that would create the COVID-19 Quarantine Assistance Fund to provide grants to workers who have lost money from not being able to work because of viral infection, quarantines or isolation. Continue reading QUARANTINE ASSISTANCE FUND →

By Bob Katzen

On April 9, Rep. Jonathan Zlotnik filed legislation that would allow acting mayors to act with full mayoral authority for the duration of the governor’s declared state of emergency concerning COVID-19. The city of Gardner and some other cities’ charters limit the power of their acting mayor. Continue reading ACTING MAYORS →

By Bob Katzen

A bill proposed on April 2 would provide monthly cash assistance of $1,500 per month for persons over age 65 who are not eligible for Unemployment Insurance (UI) but stopped working as a result of a pre-existing condition placing them in a high-risk category for COVID-19’s most serious symptoms or death. Continue reading $1,500 PER MONTH FOR SOME SENIORS →

By Bob Katzen

On April 16, Sen. Jamie Eldridge (D-Acton) filed a bill that would provide a stimulus check to taxpayers who use an Individual Taxpayer Identification Number (ITIN) and who are not eligible to obtain a Social Security number. Continue reading STIMULUS CHECKS TO IMMIGRANT TAXPAYERS →

By Bob Katzen

On April 15, Rep. Alan Silvia  filed a bill that would prohibit retail food stores from accepting the bulk return of any groceries and other household goods purchased by a consumer during, and for 30 days following, a declared state of emergency resulting from a pandemic or other public health emergency. Violators would be fined $250 for the first offense, $500 for the second offense and $1,000 for a third or subsequent offense. Continue reading BAN HOARDING DURING EMERGENCY →

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GOOD MORNING – TODAY IS SUNDAY, September 13, the 256th day of 2020 with 110 to follow. Sunrise in the Boston area is @ 6:21 and sunset is @ 6:58. The moon is waning. The morning stars are Mars, Neptune and Uranus. Evening stars are Jupiter, Neptune, Saturn, Uranus and Venus.

ON THIS DAY IN: 1759 – The French were defeated by the British on the Plains of Abraham in the final French and Indian War. Continue reading GOOD MORNING – TODAY IS by John Dwyer →

On September 1, 2020, I was patrolling area East 2 for the Somerville Police Department. At approximately 12:07 AM, East 3, Ofc. Sousa, and I, were dispatched to 14 McGrath Highway (Star Market), for a male party with a knife threatening the reporting party’s husband. While en route, a description was given by dispatch of a white male wearing a tan shirt, jeans, glasses, and on a bike.

Continue reading Real Life Somerville Police Stories: Paul PHANEUF (Assault w/ Dangerous Weapon) →

The Somerville Public Schools and the City of Somerville will be jointly hosting an online Schools Reopening Town Hall on local efforts to prepare for the 2020/2021 school year amid the coronavirus pandemic. The meeting is scheduled for Monday, September 21, at 5:30 p.m. Spanish, Portuguese, and Haitian Creole interpretation will be available.
How to participate: Continue reading Somerville Public Schools Reopening Town Hall, 9/21 →

• This week, the Massachusetts Department of Public Health (DPH) elevated Somerville and some surrounding communities to high risk for West Nile virus (WNV). One case of WNV has been confirmed in Somerville this year. Continue reading One Case of West Nile Virus Confirmed in Somerville; City Now Considered ‘High Risk’ →