Obituary
James Flint Brayton – Of Somerville, formerly a long-time resident of Little Compton, Rhode Island and Westport, Massachusetts, passed away peacefully at home on Wednesday, February 25, 2025. He was 100 years old.
Continue reading Somerville/Medford Remembering James Flint Brayton →

Program offerings encourage movement for preventative social, mental, and physical health

SOMERVILLE — A January dance party was in full swing at the Holland Street Senior Center when the Somerville Council on Aging announced it is officially joining the Massachusetts Councils on Aging’s (MCOA) Active Agers Program. The new initiative aims to promote physical activity to enhance mental and physical health as well as quality of life for seniors across Massachusetts. Possible participation prizes and rewards for participating COAs and individuals are also included. Continue reading Somerville’s Council on Aging Joins Statewide Active Agers Initiative →

Obituary
Brian J. Brady, a beloved resident of Arlington and formerly of Somerville, passed away peacefully at home on Thursday, February 26, 2026, at the age of 82. Born in Boston, he was the cherished son of the late Edward P. and Vivian (Vizard) Brady. Brian was a proud United States Army veteran who honorably served his country during the Vietnam War, a source of great pride throughout his life.
Continue reading Somerville/Medford Remembering Brian J. Brady →

Obituary
Emmanuel Destin of Cambridge, Massachusetts, passed away peacefully on Thursday, February 26, 2026, surrounded by his loving family. He was 84 years old. Continue reading Somerville/Medford Remembering Emmanuel Destin →

Obituary
Robert L. Bailot, aged 62, passed away unexpectedly on February 25th. Born and raised in Somerville, he was the son of the late Mary Meck and Joseph Bailot. Robert, affectionately known as Bob, was the beloved husband of the late Lorraine Bailot (Frye) for 38 years. Together, they raised their family in Everett.
Continue reading Somerville/Medford Remembering Robert L. Bailot →

By Bob Katzen

“For more than a year, we’ve been fighting to protect the constitutional rights of babies born in Massachusetts and across the country from the Trump Administration’s blatantly unlawful order that would rip away their right to citizenship. Courts have ruled again and again that President Trump does not have the authority to rewrite the Constitution, and I will continue to stand up for the rule of law and for American children across the country whose fundamental rights are being attacked by this administration.” Continue reading THIS WEEK’S QUOTABLE QUOTES ON BEACON HILL →

By Bob Katzen

Would raise from $35 to $200 the fine for violating the traffic rule that provides when two vehicles approach or enter an intersection at approximately the same instant, the operator of the vehicle on the left must yield the right-of-way to the vehicle on the right. The proposal also imposes additional penalties and/or license revocation for up to six months for any of these violations that cause death, serious bodily harm or bodily harm.
Continue reading RAISE FINE FOR “RIGHT OF WAY” VIOLATIONS (H 3817) →

By Bob Katzen

Would prohibit anyone from retrofitting any diesel-powered vehicle with any device, smokestack or other equipment that enhances the vehicle’s capacity to emit soot, smoke or other particulate emissions. Violators would be subject to a fine of between $100 and $1,000.

Continue reading BAN RETROFITTING OF DIESEL-POWERED VEHICLES (H 3746) →

By Bob Katzen

Would allow cities and towns to increase fines for handicapped parking violations by $450. Current fines are between $100 and $300 so the bill would increase that range to between $550 and $750.
Continue reading INCREASE FINES FOR ILLEGAL HANDICAPPED PARKING VIOLATIONS (H 3614) →

By Bob Katzen

Would establish a 120-hour training period for new employees under the age of 18 who work 20 hours or less per week and require a work permit. During this initial training period with a new employer, these workers would be paid a minimum wage of at least $10 per hour.
Continue reading NEW EMPLOYEES UNDER 18 (H 2175) →

By Bob Katzen

This bill Would double fines for motor vehicles speeding in the far-right lane, otherwise known as the “breakdown” lane, in areas where travel is permitted during peak commuting hours.
Continue reading DOUBLE FINES FOR SPEEDING IN THE BREAKDOWN LANE (H 3729) →

By Bob Katzen

– Would prohibit an operator of a motor vehicle from recording, broadcasting or otherwise capturing images or video of themselves while driving. Continue reading PROHIBIT RECORDING OR BROADCASTING WHILE DRIVING (H 3748) →

By Bob Katzen

Senate 5-32, rejected an amendment that would remove a section in the higher education bill that exempts tax revenue generated from the voter-approved Millionaire’s Tax from counting toward the allowable state tax revenue limitations, under Chapter 62F, which provides that whenever revenue collections in a fiscal year exceed an annual cap tied to wage and salary growth, the excess is returned to taxpayers.
Continue reading TAX REVENUE FROM MILLIONAIRE’S TAX (S 3) →

By Bob Katzen

Senate 6-31, rejected an amendment that would provide local cities and towns with $300 million in education aid for public elementary and secondary education, including “programs, services, operations, supports and improvements that advance educational quality, equity, access and student success in the commonwealth.”
Continue reading $300 MILLION FOR K-12 EDUCATION (S 2962) →

By Bob Katzen

Senate 37-0, approved a $3.28 billion package, known as the BRIGHT Act, that funds the modernization of Bay State public colleges and universities by using the revenue from the 2022 voter-approved law, known as the Millionaire’s Tax, that imposes an additional 4 percent income tax, in addition to the current flat 5 percent one, on taxpayers’ earnings of more than $1 million annually. The House has already approved its own version of the bill and a House-Senate conference committee will likely hammer out a compromise version.
Continue reading $3.28 BILLION TO MODERNIZE BAY STATE PUBLIC COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES (S 2962) →

By Bob Katzen

House 26-127, rejected an amendment that would prohibit the state from approving a battery storage facility in a municipality, unless the city or town governing body of the municipality in which the facility is proposed has voted to approve the project. The amendment also gives cities and towns the authority to establish additional siting, safety and environmental requirements for these storage facilities, as long as they don’t conflict with state law.
Continue reading BATTERY STORAGE FACILITY (H 5151) →

By Bob Katzen

Senate 37-0, approved and sent to the House a bill that amends a current law which exempts smaller convenience stores from being required to display unit pricing. Unit pricing is the identification of and labeling of items for sale with the retail price per unit, permitting easier price comparisons among similar products in different sized containers.
Continue reading UNIT PRICING IN CONVENIENCE STORES (S 2965) →

By Bob Katzen

The House 25-129, rejected an amendment that would require the Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs, in consultation with the Department of Public Utilities and the Energy Facilities Siting Board, to conduct a competitive solicitation for proposals to increase firm interstate natural gas transmission capacity into the Bay State with a goal of enhancing winter energy reliability and mitigating price volatility affecting ratepayers.
Continue reading NATURAL GAS (H 5151) →

By Bob Katzen

House 25-130, rejected an amendment that would suspend the electric distribution companies from assessing and collecting from consumers “public benefit energy charges” on electric utility bills for twelve consecutive billing months. These charges currently fund programs such as energy efficiency, renewable and clean energy initiatives, distributed solar, electric vehicle programs and residential assistance.
Continue reading SUSPEND CHARGES (H 5151) →

By Bob Katzen

House 128-27, approved and sent to the Senate legislation that supporters said would result in over $9 billion in savings for utility ratepayers over the next ten years. The measure cuts roughly $1 billion from the Mass Save program’s marketing and administrative budgets; returns 70 percent of alternative compliance payments to ratepayers through mid-2029; expands clean energy procurement authority; eases political barriers to nuclear development by repealing a voter law that placed restrictions on it; and delays an offshore wind contracting deadline by two years to 2029.
Continue reading ENERGY (H 5151) →