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Todd Evans inaugurated as Medford fire chief after 11 months as interim chief

By Josué Pérez | March 26

Medford Fire Chief Todd Evans was sworn into his role on Feb. 24, with the inauguration ceremony taking place on Mar. 12. He had served as interim chief for 11 months, following the retirement of Chief John Freedman. The chief was chosen via assessment center examination. According to the city’s press release, Chief Evans earned the highest score out of two candidates on the assessment center exam. Mayor Breanna Lungo-Koehn had interviewed all five deputy chiefs, including Evans, in March 2024 to choose an interim chief.

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Local

Updated Medford City Charter moves forward with district-based council composition plan

By Julian Glickman | March 13

The Medford City Council Committee of the Whole approved updates to the City Charter on March 4, sending the new charter to a final vote. The updates include a highly-debated district-based council composition plan, setting it up to be sent to the state legislature for final authorization.

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Local

Nontoxic rat fertility control to be studied on properties in Lincoln Park

By Amelia Sammons | March 7

The city of Somerville announced on Feb. 19 that it is participating in a Rodent Fertility Control Study using Evolve, which is a hormonal fertility control product designed to curb rat reproduction in a humane manner. This is in partnership with the Cambridge Public Health Department and Cambridge Inspectional Services Department.

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Local

Somerville entrepreneur Jason Mackey to join mayoral race

By Grayton Goldsmith | March 7

Somerville-based entrepreneur and community advocate Jason Mackey announced on Feb. 20 his candidacy for mayor, joining other candidates, including the incumbent Mayor Katjana Ballantyne; City Councilors at-Large Jake Wilson and Willie Burnley Jr.; and perennial candidate William Tauro.

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Local

Somerville, Chelsea sue Trump administration to protect sanctuary city policies

By Anika Parr | March 6

The cities of Somerville and Chelsea filed a lawsuit in a Massachusetts district court challenging federal immigration policy on Feb. 24. The cities, represented by Lawyers for Civil Rights, argue that recent federal actions unconstitutionally pressure sanctuary cities to participate in federal immigration enforcement. 

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Local

Somerville City Council approves allocation of nearly $3 million in funding from Community Preservation Act

By Carly Hope | February 28

The Somerville City Council voted to approve the allocation of nearly $3 million in funding collected through the Community Preservation Act on Feb. 13. These funds will go to various projects throughout Somerville related to the preservation of historic buildings, maintenance of public open spaces, affordable housing initiatives and support for local nonprofits and community organizations.

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Local

Somerville City Council passes resolution supporting Tufts full-time lecturers in contract negotiations

By Varya Karpinskaya | February 28

The Somerville City Council passed a resolution in support of a contract for Tufts full-time lecturers in a meeting on Feb. 13. The resolution was sponsored by City Councilor at-Large Willie Burnley Jr., who also participated in the union’s walkout in January. Two full-time lecturers were invited to speak at the meeting, where council members expressed overwhelming support for Tufts FTLs.

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Local

Pedestrian deaths raise concerns about Medford road safety

By Julian Glickman | February 27

Concerns are growing over pedestrian safety among Medford residents and elected officials after two elderly men were fatally struck by vehicles in recent months.

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Local

Green Line collision at East Somerville station hospitalizes 5

By Grayton Goldsmith | February 24

In the early hours of Feb. 9, an MBTA Green Line train struck another train at the East Somerville station, hospitalizing five.

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Local

Copper Mill Development hears community feedback on Elm and Grove Street development

By Zoe Herrmann | February 21

Copper Mill Development hosted an open meeting at Somerville Community Baptist Church on Feb. 12 to discuss plans to develop their Elm and Grove Street property to include retail and residential apartments. This was the fifth event Copper Mill has hosted seeking community feedback.

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Local

Somerville’s Willie Burnley Jr. joins mayoral race

By Grayton Goldsmith | February 20

Sitting Somerville City Councilor-at-Large Willie Burnley Jr. announced on Feb. 2 his candidacy for mayor of Somerville, joining fellow Councilor Jake Wilson and two-term incumbent Mayor Katjana Ballantyne in the mayoral race. Burnley emphasized his background as a community organizer as well as his legislative record on the City Council when discussing his decision to run for mayor.

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Local

Massachusetts Transgender Political Coalition hosts name change clinic in Cambridge

By Anika Parr | February 18

The Massachusetts Transgender Political Coalition held a drop-in name change clinic on Feb. 11 in collaboration with the City of Cambridge LGBTQ+ Commission. This clinic was hosted at the Cambridge Public Library.

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Local

Medford, Somerville school leaders reaffirm immigration enforcement policies

By Marlee Stout | February 13

Superintendents in both the Medford and Somerville school districts sent messages to students and families in late January reaffirming existing policies on immigration enforcement after President Donald Trump rescinded a federal policy that prevented immigration raids in schools.

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Local

New Boston Avenue dorm approved by Community Development Board, construction to begin this spring

By Julian Glickman | February 13

The Medford Community Development Board approved Tufts’ proposed new dorm at 401 Boston Ave. on Feb. 5, allowing construction to begin this spring. The dorm will be a two-building complex with 299 units, and will house almost 700 upperclassmen when it is scheduled to open in 2027. The board expressed their reluctance to make the decision, recognizing the project’s strong public opposition, but focused the decision on whether existing legal restrictions were enough to deny the proposal.

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Local

Medford leaders deliver 2025 State of the City Address

By Julian Glickman and Josué Pérez | February 11

Medford Mayor Breanna Lungo-Koehn delivered her annual State of the City Address on Feb. 5 in City Hall, covering housing, zoning and transportation issues while reassuring residents about changes to federal policy.School Committee Vice Chair Jenny Graham and City Council President Zac Bears also provided updates from their respective body’s work.

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Local

Somerville’s Jake Wilson to challenge Ballantyne in 2025 municipal election

By Grayton Goldsmith | February 7

Sitting Somerville City Councilor-at-Large Jake Wilson announced his intention to run for mayor in the upcoming November election, on Dec. 16, 2024, becoming the first to challenge two-term incumbent Mayor Katjana Ballantyne.

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Local

Medford takes part in the annual Point-in-Time Count to address homelessness

By Varya Karpinskaya | February 7

On Jan. 29, an annual point-in-time (PIT) count of sheltered and unsheltered people took place in the state of Massachusetts. This year the cities of Medford, Everett and Malden came together with Action for Boston Community Development (ABCD) to organize the count with the help of volunteers from across the three areas.

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Local

Medford passes Welcoming City Ordinance

By Evan Vezmar | February 6

The Medford City Council passed a Welcoming City Ordinance on Jan. 14 with a 6–1 vote to establish Medford as a sanctuary city for immigrants and to ensure the Medford Police Department continues its policy of non-involvement with federal immigration enforcement.

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Local

Residents and wildlife experts sound alarm for escalated bird deaths in Somerville

By Anika Parr | February 6

Somerville residents and wildlife experts are raising concerns over the high frequency of bird deaths over the past months. Two owls were reported dead in Somerville over a two-week period in December 2024 with necropsies revealing internal bleeding indicative of anticoagulant rodenticide poisoning, according to the founder of the nonprofit Save Arlington Wildlife.

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Local

Medford to launch landlord incentive program aimed at housing veterans

By Julian Glickman | February 5

The City of Medford is launching a new program to offer participating landlords up to $750 per year for renting to veterans as a result of an ordinance passed by the City Council in January. Veterans will be vetted by the city and then partnered with landlords through Housing Families, a local non-profit that works to ensure housing stability. The city is prohibited from giving money directly to citizens.

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