Saturday, May 18, 2013
Recap and analysis of the week in state government.
Like pieces of a puzzle that don't quite fit together yet, the Big Three may have been separated at birth, but with each incremental step their destinies seem to grow more intertwined. No, we're not talking about those Big Three - Gov. Deval Patrick, Senate President Therese Murray and Speaker Robert DeLeo - though they play major character roles in this thickening plot. Instead, three bills have come to define the early months of the 2013 legislative agenda and resolutions on tax hikes, local road funding and the annual state budget continue to be elusive and dependent on one another. Patrick spent the early part of his week welcoming British Prime Minister David Cameron to Boston for a few quick meetings and a visit to the Copley …
Saturday, May 11, 2013
Recap and analysis of the week in state government.
Massachusetts' problem is now Virginia's. After a macabre, around-the-clock stakeout of a Worcester funeral home this week by frenzied reporters and furious protestors, the remains of alleged Boston Marathon bomber Tamerlan Tsarnaev were secreted out of central Massachusetts and buried in a small Muslim cemetery in rural Virginia. No cemetery in Massachusetts, or public official for that matter, wanted Tsarnaev's body. And Gov. Deval Patrick just seemed relieved the tense standoff was over. "No. I have enough to do," Patrick said, when asked if he wished he had gotten involved to end the theatrics sooner. The April 15 attacks on the finish line of the Boston Marathon threw Beacon Hill policymakers off stride, quieting the raging debate …
Friday, May 10, 2013
New regulations from state will go into effect May 24. In Lynnfield, one possibility could be a zoning by-law similar to the adult entertainment by-law.
New rules for the medical use of marijuana have been written into the commonwealth's regulatory code by the Massachusetts Public Health Council Wednesday, according to State House News Service report published on LowellSun.com. Among the new regulations are how much marijuana can be generally used by patients, the licensing procedure for medical marijuana dispensaries and how low-income patients can get access, according to the report. These regulations will go into effect May 24, according to the Sun. In November, Massachusetts voters approved a ballot measure that would allow doctors to prescribe marijuana as part of a treatment. In Lynnfield, voters approved a moratorium on medical marijuana dispensaries at last month's town meeting in …
Thursday, May 9, 2013
Congressman leads Gabriel Gomez by 17 points.
A new Suffolk University/7NEWS (WHDH) poll shows a strong lead for Democratic U.S. Congressman Edward Markey over Republican businessman and former Navy SEAL Gabriel Gomez in the race for the U.S. Senate special election. The poll of 500 likely voters has Markey at 52 percent and Gomez at 35 percent. Eleven percent of voters in the poll were undecided. A third-party candidate, Richard Heos of the Twelve Visions Party, got 1 percent and another 1 percent refused to respond. David Paleologos, director of the Suffolk University Political Research Center in Boston, said along with the announcement of the poll that Markey has "a large lead over his Republican opponent who voters are unsure about." Indeed, 32 percent of those polled said they'd …
Activities will coincide with Lynnfield Day celebration on the Town Common next Saturday.
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Thursday, May 9
The following was provided by the Lynnfield Tree Committee: In 1970, the last Friday in April was first proclaimed “National Arbor Day” as a special day to be set aside and dedicated to tree planting and increasing awareness of the importance of trees. The Town of Lynnfield celebrates Arbor Day and is a proud recipient of the Tree City designation for seven years. This year the town will hold its annual Arbor Day celebration during the Lynnfield Day festivities at 11:00 a.m., Saturday May 18th on the Town Common. The public is invited to join members of the Tree Committee and a member of the Board of Selectman in the reading of the Arbor Day proclamation. As part of our ceremony visit the Tree Committee’s booth on the Common and …
Wednesday, May 8, 2013
Legislation filed in aftermath of John Burbine arrest aims to fix weaknesses in the state's sex offender registry system.
Local lawmakers and Wakefield’s chief of police were among those calling for changes to the state’s sex offender laws during a Tuesday hearing at the State House. State Senator Katherine Clark, who represents Wakefield, chaired the Joint Committee on the Judiciary hearing, focused on a bill she and Rep. Paul Brodeur are sponsoring. The legislation aims to address weaknesses in the sex offender registry system that were brought to light by the John Burbine child sex abuse case. Rep. Brad Jones, the House Republican Leader who also represents Lynnfield, has introduced his own bill, saying in a statement that it's the only one of the current pending bills that would bring the state into compliance with the federal Adam Walsh Act. "The …
Saturday, May 4, 2013
There is a lot of campaigning to do before the Democrat and Republican face off on June 25 in the U.S. Senate special election.
After months of campaigning we now know who is going head-to-head in the June 25 special U.S. Senate election. Democratic Congressman Edward Markey (D-Malden) took the Democratic vote in the Tuesday election over fellow Congressman Stephen Lynch (D-South Boston). Political newcomer and former U.S. Navy SEAL Gabriel Gomez of Cohasset came out on top of a field of Republican candidates - including more seasoned opponents former U.S. Attorney Michael Sullivan and State Rep. Dan Winslow of Norfolk. With a month-and-a-half of campaigning still to come, we wanted to stop and ask: if the special election was held today - who would you vote for right now? Markey or Gomez? Tell us in our comments section below.
Recap and analysis of the week in state government.
In case voters weren't paying attention, and turnout suggested many weren't, his name is Gabriel Gomez. And now only Ed Markey stands between him and the United States Senate. "My name is Gabriel Gomez, and I'm a proud Republican," Gomez said, reciting his full name for the second time during a five-minute chat with reporters outside the new go-to, post-election Broadway T stop in South Boston Wednesday morning. The reporters already knew who he was, but part of Gomez's strategy now is to make sure everybody else does too. The newly minted face of the Republican Party captured the Republican nomination for U.S. Senate on Tuesday by defeating two better known names in Massachusetts Republican politics. Former U.S. Attorney Michael Sullivan …
Thursday, May 2, 2013
With available space at a premium in Lynnfield, the future of Reedy Meadow Golf Course has been coming up
One topic that came up during Monday night's town meeting was the Reedy Meadow and King Rail Golf courses and the costs and revenues they bring. The attached video clip up above from Monday night shows Town Administrator Bill Gustus saying that when the King Rail Golf Course re-opens next year, golf should account for several hundred thousand dollars in net town revenues. Selectman Tom Terranova released the statement below about Reedy Meadow Golf Course the day after town meeting: "Town Meeting was livelier than most, with various topics being raised, one of which was the true financial picture of Reedy Meadow Golf Course. Tom Terranova pointed out that $791,318 and $799,338 was transferred to the golf course enterprise fund in 2011 and …
Wednesday, May 1, 2013
Town's primary elections reflected statewide outcomes.
Lynnfield voters reflected the statewide trend in Tuesday's special Senate primaries, setting the stage for a general election race between Republican Gabriel Gomez and Democratic Congressman Ed Markey. Townwide, Markey defeated his Democratic rival, Congressman Stephen Lynch, by a 434-372 margin. Gomez carried Lynnfield with 266 total votes over 186 for Michael Sullivan and 103 for Winslow. By Lynnfield's four precincts, the Markey/Lynch race and the Gomez/Sullivan/Winslow race broke down as follows: Precinct 1 (348 total ballots cast) Markey 114 Lynch 96 Gomez 56 Sullivan 48 Winslow 33 Precinct 2 (302 total ballots cast) Markey 96 Lynch 110 Gomez 50 Sullivan 22 Winslow 22 Precinct 3 (286 total ballots cast) Markey 107 Lynch 62 Gomez 54 …
Ken B.
10:34 am on Sunday, May 19, 2013
The problem was in more than one office and involved more than 2 "clerks". So Gene, what is "real news" to you ? The IRS problem being blamed on a Bush appointee ? Benghazi attack was the result of a video ? more ›