Photo courtesy of Medford Police Department

Today Medford Police Department and Medford Fire Department conducted its first Mock Emergency Operations Command Center. Continue reading Medford Police and Medford Fire Departments Conducted Its First Mock Emergency Operations Command Center →

LEGO Discovery Center unveiled a brand new style for this Assembly Row icon this morning, and he’s ready to greet visitors to the LEGO Discovery Center when it reopens later this spring. Stay tuned for more opening news! Continue reading Gio has a fresh set of spots! →

By Bob Katzen

Rep. Angelo Puppolo (D-Springfield) and other Springfield officials have begun a campaign lobbying National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) President and former Bay State Gov. Charlie Baker to return the annual Tip-Off Classic game to Springfield, the home of the Basketball Hall of Fame. The city hosted the games for some 26 years at the former Springfield Civic Center from 1979 to 2005. Continue reading BRING BACK THE ANNUAL TIP OFF CLASSIC TO SPRINGFIELD →

By Bob Katzen

The Labor and Workforce Development Committee held a hearing on a proposed constitutional amendment providing that “each and every inhabitant of the commonwealth of Massachusetts, has a right to employable skills training.”
Continue reading CONSTITUTIONAL RIGHT TO EMPLOYABLE SKILLS TRAINING (H 39) →

By Bob Katzen

The Housing Committee held a hearing on a proposed constitutional amendment requiring that the state provide “sufficient and comprehensive planning, for affordable, well-constructed and reasonably varied housing for all residents.” The housing policies would focus on restoration, rehabilitation and new construction of housing units to all identifiable population groups, without discrimination. Continue reading CONSTITUTIONAL RIGHT TO HOUSING (H 29) →

By Bob Katzen

The Municipalities and Regional Government Committee held a hearing on a proposed constitutional amendment that would replace the gendered reference to “Selectmen” with “Select Board” in the state’s constitution.
Continue reading CHANGE “SELECTMEN” TO “SELECT BOARD” (S 12) →

By Bob Katzen

The House fired the second shot in the long battle over the state budget for fiscal year 2022 that begins on July 1. Gov. Maura Healey fired the opening volley in January when she filed her version of the spending package. The House Ways and Means Committee last week unveiled its own $56.2 billion version. Continue reading HOUSE WAYS AND MEANS COMMITTEE PROPOSES $56.2 BILLION FISCAL 2024 STATE BUDGET (H 4000) →

By Bob Katzen

The Senate 39-0, approved and sent to the House Gov. Maura Healey’s reorganization plan that would split the current Executive Office of Housing and Economic Development into two separate cabinet level departments: the new Secretary of Housing and Livable Communities and the renamed Secretary of Economic Development.
Continue reading NEW CABINET POSITION: SECRETARY OF HOUSING AND LIVABLE COMMUNITIES (H 43) →

By Bob Katzen

The House 25-129, rejected a Republican amendment to a section of the Democrats’ tax relief bill that would change a current law that provides when the state’s Stabilization Fund, also known as the Rainy Day Fund, exceeds 15 percent of budgeted revenues, the excess is transferred to the Tax Reduction Fund which eventually is returned to taxpayers. The Democrats’ tax relief bill would raise that percent to 25.5 percent.
Continue reading RAISE TRIGGER POINT FOR TAX REFUND (H 3770) →

By Bob Katzen

The House 26-128, rejected an amendment that would change the current law (known as 62F), approved by voters on the 1986 ballot, that requires that annual tax revenue above a certain amount collected by the state go back to the taxpayers. Continue reading HOW TO DISTRIBUTE SOME FUTURE TAX REFUND (H 3770) →

By Bob Katzen

The House 153-3, approved and sent to the Senate a $1.1 billion tax relief package. Provisions include combining the Child Care Expenses Credit with the Dependent Member of Household Credit to create one refundable $600 credit per dependent, while eliminating the current cap; exempt the first $2 million, Continue reading $1.1 BILLION TAX CUT PACKAGE (H 3770) →

CAROLUS’ OBITUARY

Semerzier, Carolus- Of Cambridge, passed away peacefully surrounded by his loving family on Saturday, April 8, 2023. He was 87 years old.
Born and raised in Ansed’haitnault, Haiti. He was the son of the late Saint Just and Dercilie (Edmond) Semerzier. Continue reading Somerville/Medford Remembering Carolus Semerzier →

Plan establishes community-based vision for an 88-mile network of connected bike facilities citywide

Network will support safer, more sustainable, more equitable transit
Continue reading Somerville Publishes City’s First Bicycle Network Plan →

LILLIAN’S OBITUARY:

Mrs. Lillian (Strozzi) Guglietta, of Somerville, passed away peacefully on Easter Sunday, April 9, 2023, she was 97. Continue reading Somerville/Medford Remembering Lillian S. Guglietta →

Search Warrants Executed Across Framingham and Multiple Communities

Middlesex District Attorney Marian Ryan, Framingham Chief of Police Lester Baker, Massachusetts State Police Colonel John Mawn, the MetroWest Drug Task Force, Michael Krol, Acting Special Agent in Charge for Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) in New England and the Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) Boston, Financial Investigations Team have confirmed that 13 individuals have been arrested in connection with a large scale operation to traffic drugs including fentanyl, methamphetamine, pills and cocaine. Continue reading 13 Arrested in Connection with Large Scale, $2 Million a Year, Drug Operation that Included Sale of Drugs Containing Dangerous Tranquilizer, Xylazine →

The City of Somerville Anti-Displacement Task Force (ADTF), which was formed to research and recommend policies to prevent residential displacement, has now expanded to advocate for a wider range of the Somerville community, including small business displacement and cultural displacement. Continue reading Somerville Anti-Displacement Task Force Seeks New Members for Cultural, Residential and Small Business Displacement Committees →

Dear Billy T and Somerville/Medford News Weekly Speakup Line,

The only way this was done.
Was by the help of William Tauro ..
For the longest time I’ve been calling the city of SOMERVILLE & my request were fallen on deaf ears .. Continue reading Somerville/Medford News Weekly Speakup Line:Dangerous Sidewalk Finally Repaired →