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.
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.
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.
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.
The Medford School Committee voted unanimously to appropriate $7 million to retain over 14 positions across the school district, fund infrastructure upgrades and reserve funds for a new collective bargaining agreement on Jan. 13. The city’s approval of Proposition 2 ½ override questions 7 and 8 in the November 2024 election, generating $3 million and $4 million, respectively, for Medford schools.
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.
