News | Local
Medford receives $750,000 grant for Medford Connects expansion
By Zach Halverstam | October 4The Massachusetts state government provided $750,000 in funding for the expansion of City of Medford’s “Medford Connects” project, an environmental justice initiative introduced by Mayor Brianna Lungo-Koehn in 2020. The funding comes from the fourth round of Municipal Vulnerability Preparedness ...
Somerville launches second year of participatory budgeting, with changes from first cycle
By Amelia Sammons | October 3Somerville officially launched its second-ever round of participatory budgeting on Sept. 20, allocating $1 million of the city’s budget toward city improvement projects that will be voted on by residents. Participatory budgeting, which Somerville first implemented in 2023, strives to involve more community members in the democratic process by giving them a voice in how the city’s budget is spent.
Medford mayor to select new fire chief in January 2025 using new examination process
By Josue Perez | September 30The City of Medford announced on Sept. 18 that it would move forward with the search for a new fire chief and deputy chief with “assessment center” examinations. Deputy Fire Chief Todd Evans has been the acting fire chief since March, when former Fire Chief John Freedman retired following a period of mass sick leaves by firefighters in February.
Medford receives $250,000 grant to expand, maintain Bluebikes network
By Aaron Gruen | September 26The City of Medford has received a $250,000 grant to expand and maintain Bluebikes stations within the city. The city announced it had received funding from the Massachusetts Department of Transportation in an Aug. 14 press release.
Rep. Uyterhoeven defeats challenger Hornby in Democratic primary
By Nicholas Prather | September 25Rep. Erika Uyterhoeven defeated Kathleen Hornbyin the Sept. 3 Democratic primary for Somerville’s 27th Middlesex District, winning 69% of the vote. Uyterhoven earned 5,705 votes, while Hornby earned 2,571 votes.
Q&A: Louisa Terrell, former White House legislative director, talks politics, Harris campaign, favorite stories from Capitol Hill
By Estelle Anderson | September 19In an interview with the Daily, Terrell, a senior advisor to the Kamala Harris campaign and current Tisch College Visiting Fellow, highlighted the importance of building relationships across the aisle and how her experience as a Tufts student helped shape her career.
Somerville Central Library to maintain reduced schedule amid fears of teen violence
By Marlee Stout | September 19Somerville Public Library staff announced on Aug. 27 that, starting Sept. 3, the library’s Central branch would close in the hours surrounding the dismissal time of nearby Somerville High School. The move comes as a result of unsuccessful talks between library leadership and Mayor Katjana Ballantyne’s office after years of violent behavior from teenagers.
Somerville holds ceremony to remember 23rd anniversary of Sept. 11 attacks
By Toby Winick | September 19Somerville residents of all ages joined members of the city’s police and fire departments at the 9/11 Memorial in Davis Square as the city commemorated the 23rd anniversary of the Sept. 11 attacks on the World Trade Center. Mayor Katjana Ballantyne joined Director of Veterans’ Services Jerome Thomas, Rep. Erika Uyterhoeven and City Councilor-at-Large Kristen Strezo to honor both victims and first responders.
Somerville honors lives lost, looks forward during National Recovery Month
By Grayton Goldsmith | September 13Throughout the month of September, those passing by Somerville City Hall may notice the 14 purple flags flanking its front lawn. Each flag honors a Somerville resident lost to substance use disorder in 2023. Last year, 22 flags were placed, representing the 22 overdose deaths that occurred in Somerville in 2022. The city’s end goal is to have zero flags outside the city hall one day.September is National Recovery Month, and Somerville is regularly hosting naloxone distribution events and training sessions throughout the month. Naloxone, more commonly known by its brand name Narcan, is an easy-to-use nasal spray that can rapidly reverse the effects of an opioid overdose.
Tufts issues advisory about mosquito-borne viruses in Mass.
By Michael Onysko | September 9Tufts sent out an advisory to the university community on Aug. 27 warning about a rise in mosquito-borne illnesses throughout Massachusetts. The Massachusetts Department of Public Health has reported three human cases of Eastern Equine Encephalitis and seven human cases of West Nile virus so far in 2024.
Somerville City Council endorses November ballot question legalizing psychedelic-assisted therapy in Massachusetts
By Nicholas Prather | September 3The Somerville City Council passed a resolution on July 11 to endorse the “Natural Psychedelic Substances Act,” an upcoming proposition on the November ballot that would legalize the usage of psychedelics in Massachusetts. If enough voters vote “yes” to the act, which will appear as Question 4 on their ballots, it would allow adults 21 and older to legally grow, possess and use specific amounts of psychedelics that have been shown to have therapeutic benefits for certain mental health conditions.
SMFA students to receive unlimited MBTA access for two years
By Estelle Anderson | July 4Undergraduate students at Tufts’ School of the Museum of Fine Arts will receive free, unlimited rides on local subways and buses beginning this fall. Tufts is the first school to partner with the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority for this two-year pilot program, called the “University Pass.”
Medford and Somerville collaborate on new Area Plan for Broadway Corridor
By Nicholas Prather | April 29Medford and Somerville have partnered to create a new Area Plan for the Broadway Corridor, a one-mile stretch of street along the border between Medford and Somerville. Created with the help of community feedback and support from the Horsley Witten Group, the plan will address zoning challenges that have made it a challenge to develop the corridor.
Tufts students, local community rally at ‘Gaza Solidarity Encampment’
By Estelle Anderson and Matthew Sage | April 26In the largest protest Tufts has seen this semester, over 300 students, faculty, nearby residents and Somerville High School students rallied on Friday in solidarity with Gaza. The demonstration, stretching from the Academic Quad to the front steps of the Mayer Campus Center, follows a wave of heightened student activism across the country.
H Mart to open in Davis Square
By Dhruvii Mehta and Carly Cohen | April 25A new branch of the beloved Asian supermarket, H Mart, is expected to open in Davis Square, according to employees of company locations in both Burlington and Cambridge. Over the phone, one worker told the Daily that although the opening has been continuously delayed, she believes its doors will open this summer.
Medford receives $300,000 grant to fund decarbonization efforts
By Josue Perez | April 22The City of Medford has received a grant from the Massachusetts Clean Energy Center’s EmPower Massachusetts program to help low-income residents reduce their carbon emissions. Medford received $300,000, the maximum amount they could apply for, from MassCEC.
Somerville pilot program to provide families with guaranteed basic income
By Grayton Goldsmith | April 19In March, Mayor Katjana Ballantyne announced that Somerville will begin a one-year guaranteed basic income pilot program this July. Approximately 200 households will receive monthly payments of $750 to use for self-identified expenses with the ultimate goal of increasing financial and housing stability. Much of this program’s funding comes from the American Rescue Plan Act, established in 2021.
Residents conflicted over Boston-based developer’s plans to revamp Union Square’s ‘Somernova’ campus
By Grayton Goldsmith | April 17After withdrawing its original rezoning proposal, Boston-based developer Rafi Properties has gone back to the drawing board with its plans to redevelop “Somernova,” a commercial facility in Somerville’s Union Square neighborhood.
Mayor Ballantyne reopens Somerville’s search for a new police chief
By Nicholas Prather | April 9At the end of January, Somerville Mayor Katjana Ballantyne announced the resumption of the City of Somerville’s search for their next chief of police after three finalists for the position were ultimately rejected by the mayor’s office last November. The search will be led by the city’s Racial and Social Justice Department, its Human Resources Department and public-sector executive recruitment firm GovHR, which serves as the requisite external consultant to identify and certify potential candidates. This search has been ongoing since March 2020, when former Chief David Fallon announced his retirement. Interim Police Chief Charlie Femino has led the department since Fallon’s retirement took effect in December 2020.
Somerville builds community through CultureHouse
By Teagan Mustone | April 8CultureHouse, a nonprofit placemaking organization based in Somerville, transformed a vacant storefront into a vibrant community center in Union Square. Since its opening in January 2024, the pop-up, located at 64 Union Square, has offered a space to foster community and build intercultural and intergenerational relationships.
