The Somerville Municipal Employees Union ratified a new contract with the city of Somerville on Jan. 9. Mayor Katjana Ballantyne and union leadership signed a tentative agreement that includes wage increases across the board and family leave, among other benefits.
Three community journalists are revitalizing local coverage in Medford with a new digital newspaper: Gotta Know Medford. This effort to produce more Medford news comes years after Gannett, the Medford Transcript’s parent company, forced the paper to merge with the Somerville Journal in 2022, leaving the city without a devoted paper of its own.
On Dec. 16, Medford Mayor Breanna Lungo-Koehn announced that her office sent an updated draft of a new city charter to the Medford City Council. The Medford Charter Study Committee – established in December 2022 – reviewed and made recommendations for a new city charter in a nearly two year process. The charter has not been changed since the 1980s.
The Somerville Commission on Energy Use and Climate Change held a meeting to discuss progress on school decarbonization, youth climate engagement and advancements in renewable energy accessibility for the community, on Jan. 7.
Leaders of the Center for the Arts at the Armory agree that the City of Somerville’s master plan for the future of the center, released on Nov. 25, leaves many unanswered questions. The center expressed frustration about how the Somerville government did not fully acknowledge tenants’ need for a lease agreement.
The Somerville City Council approved a resolution on Nov. 26 reaffirming Somerville as a “Welcoming Community for justice, equity, and inclusion.” The resolution reconfirmed Somerville’s status as a sanctuary city and communicated the city’s stance on immigration in the wake of President-elect Donald Trump’s election.
With the approval of Massachusetts Question 2, the Massachusetts Comprehensive Assessment System — a standardized test administered annually in grades three through eight and in one year of high school — has been officially eliminated as a graduation requirement. While Massachusetts is not alone ...
The Green Line will be closed from Dec. 6–20 between the Medford/Tufts and Park Street stations, along with Union Square, as the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority continues repairs on tracks across the system.
Starting in the beginning of November, many residents across Medford received notices that their residence is serviced by lead pipes.
Medford is working to reduce its number of vacant storefronts through the Vacant Storefront District Program, which will award up to $10,000 worth of tax credits to businesses interested in moving into storefronts that have been vacant for 12 months or more. The eligible storefronts are located in six districts, which include Medford Square, Haines Square, Hillside, South Medford, Wellington and West Medford.
Local election results in Medford and Somerville show a largely successful campaign for proponents of the ballot questions in both municipalities. Voters in Somerville approved Question 6, which will increase the surcharge on the Community Preservation Act from 1.5% to 3%.
The city of Medford has officially been named a Purple Heart City, a U.S. military honor that commemorates local residents — both living and deceased — who were the recipients of Purple Heart medals. Bestowed by the president, the Purple Heart is not only the oldest but also one of the most revered military decorations in the U.S.
Medford, along with seven other Boston suburbs, is asking for input from residents as it develops a new plan to spend funding it receives as part of two separate programs through the Department of Housing and Urban Development.
In an email sent to the Tufts community Friday afternoon, Executive Director of Public Safety Yolanda Smith provided further information about the fire. “At approximately 11:05 a.m. this morning, a fire was reported at 74 Raymond Avenue in Somerville, a privately owned property where 10 Tufts undergraduate students lived. Somerville Fire and Police, as well as Tufts University police, EMS, and paramedics responded quickly,”
The Medford Police Department is searching for the individual who fired eight gunshots near 364 Boston Avenue around 1 a.m. on Friday morning. The incident occurred next to Pizza Days, a popular, late-night pizza shop frequented by Tufts students on weekend nights.
In addition to answering “Yes” or “No” on five statewide ballot questions, Somerville residents are voting on one local ballot question. Question 6 asks if the city of Somerville should “amend its acceptance of the Community Preservation Act.”
The city councils of Medford and Somerville both voted unanimously to pass resolutions in support of Massachusetts Question 2 in October. If passed, the question — one of five on the ballot — would eliminate the statewide requirement that public school students must receive a passing score on the Massachusetts Comprehensive Assessment System in order to graduate from high school.
Medford ballot Questions 7 and 8 will determine whether the city can collect an additional $7.5 million in personal property and real estate taxes to fund the public school system and infrastructure repairs. Questions 7 and 8 are two of three local ballot questions Medford residents will vote on this Election Day.
After Tufts’ Graduate School of Arts and Sciences paused its Master of Public Policy earlier this year, local community members have mobilized in support of the Neighborhood Fellows Program, which annually selects up to five urban leaders to participate in the masters program. The leaders come from underrepresented groups and have experience working in urban communities within the Boston area.
Medford residents will vote on three local ballot questions on Nov. 5, in addition to the five state-wide questions. The first of the three, Question 6, asks voters to approve a debt exclusion for a new fire headquarters that will replace the current one at 120 Main St.
