Saturday, June 8, 2013
Recap and analysis of the week in state government.
It could have been a turning point in the race, the moment when the lights flicked on and the much-anticipated contest finally lived up to expectations for a U.S Senate race. Would Congressman Edward Markey finally slam the door on Gabriel Gomez and dash the GOP's dream of Scott Brown redux? Could Gomez shine, narrow the polls and entice national Republican donors to start paying attention? Instead, all anyone wanted to talk about Thursday morning was the thrilling Bruins double overtime victory in Game 3 of the NHL Eastern Conference finals. Tuukka Rask as a write-in? At long last, Markey and Gomez shared the same debate stage. In fact, they were so close to each other in the WBZ studios they practically shared a podium. It was all Markey…
Thursday, June 6, 2013
Gun control, health care, economy, foreign policy among major topics in first meeting of candidates.
Gabriel Gomez and Edward Markey engaged Wednesday in their first debate before the U.S. Senate special election this month, and the tone was markedly similar to the tone of the overall campaign thus far. Gomez, the Republican Cohasset businessman and former U.S. Navy SEAL, and Markey, the Democratic Malden congressman since his election in 1976, jabbed at each other during the hour-long debate at WBZ-TV's studios and sponsored by the news station and the Boston Globe. Topics for the evening included gun control, health care, the economy, foreign policy, recent national political scandals, immigration and abortion. Time and again, Gomez pounded Markey for his years in Washington, painting the congressman as out of touch with Bay State …
Wednesday, June 5, 2013
AP reports the president will campaign for the Senate hopeful in Copley Plaza.
President Barack Obama will campaign in Boston next week for Democratic Congressman Edward Markey in the U.S. Senate special election race, according to an Associated Press report published by CBS Boston. The president recently issued his endorsement of Markey's bid and First Lady Michelle Obama also appeared at a Boston fundraiser for Markey. The AP reports President Obama will attend a fundraiser for Markey in Copley Plaza next Wednesday, June 12. The Boston Herald was first to report on the visit, according to the AP. Markey will face Republican Cohasset businessman and former Navy SEAL Gabriel Gomez in the June 25 election to replace U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry in the Senate.
Saturday, June 1, 2013
Recap and analysis of the week in state government.
The specter of deceased citizens collecting welfare benefits haunted the marbled halls of the State House this week as Lt. Gov. Timothy Murray tied up the loose ends dangling on his six-and-a-half years with the Patrick administration and Attorney General Martha Coakley sued the Obama administration for allegedly putting fishermen on death row. Other than that, the arrival of steamy days in Boston ushered in a post-Memorial Day and budget week lull at the State House with the governor out of town, politicos watching two special elections and committees plodding forward with bill hearings while lawmakers wait for word from on high about their next big votes. Congressman Ed Markey and Republican Gabriel Gomez also continued sniping from a …
Tuesday, May 28, 2013
The minimum bid is $200,000.
The Town of Reading is selling one-third of an acre of land of land on Audubon Road that is zoned for a single-family home. Audubon Road is a dead-end street off Pearl Street. Town Meeting voted to sell the 17,935 square-foot parcel in 2011. “The lot is relatively flat, is not sub-dividable, and can only be used for purposes of a single family house lot. The lot has all utilities available to it. There is a water utility easement along the southerly side. Driveway access is limited to the Audubon Road frontage. It is located in an established and very desirable residential neighborhood of Reading,” according to the town's press release. There are no environmental issues with the property, according to town officials. Bids are being …
42.53373
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Pearl St & Audubon Rd, Reading, MA
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Town Manager Peter Hechenbleikner is retiring after 26.5 years.
Over 200 people gathered at the Hillview Country Club Thursday evening to celebrate Town Manager Peter Hechenbleikner's career. He was Reading's first town manager and he held the position for 26.5 years. The night started with dinner and then guests watched a slide show with interviews from town employees, state officials and more. Everyone who was interviewed spoke highly of Hechenbleikner and said that he made Reading a better place. During the slide show, Hechenbleikner was credited by several different people for the economic development downtown and on Walkers Brook Drive, switching to MWRA for water, the Fall Street Faire, starting "Ask the Town Manager" and even getting rid of the traffic light, or dummy, on Main Street. State and …
Saturday, May 25, 2013
Recap and analysis of the week in state government.
The rush from Beacon Hill to the westbound turnpike this week had as much to do with two of Worcester's political sons beating feet from the capitol as with the impending Memorial Day weekend. As Lt. Gov. Timothy Murray attempted as graceful an exit as possible from politics, fellow Worcester Democrat Rep. John Fresolo made his hasty escape under an ethics cloud feeling "marginalized" by his peers and pressured to resign, which he did. If not for those two storylines, the focus may have been on the Senate's breakneck budget debate concluding Thursday night as senators wiped their hands clean of 725 amendments and passed a $34 billion fiscal 2014 budget without the need for Senate President Therese Murray to threaten a Friday or Saturday …
Friday, May 24, 2013
The temporary moratorium would last for one year.
Last Fall, Town Meeting voted for a zoning bylaw that prohibited medical marijuana dispensaries in town. However, Attorney General Martha Coakley did not approve the bylaw given that it conflicts with state law. The selectmen and Community Planning and Development Commission are now in favor of imposing a temporary moratorium for dispensaries. Town Meeting will have to approve the moratorium before it is finalized. The CPDC met Monday and agreed to move forward with the moratorium after the selectmen recommended it earlier this month, according to Staff Planner Jessie Wilson. The temporary moratorium will allow the town to investigate the dispensaries and see how other towns are handling them. "It will give the town some time to think …
The zoning change will allow an assisted living facility to be built on Main Street.
The attorney general’s office approved a zoning change Town Meeting members voted on last month, according to the Chronicle. Town Meeting voted 124 to 9 to approve the zoning change to allow an assisted living facility for people with Alzheimer’s to open at the site of Eric’s garden center on Main Street. Current zoning allows assisted living facilities in that zoning district, according to the warrant article, but the current zoning language would limit the number of locations where one could be built. Under the zoning change, an assisted living facility can now be built at the Main Street site, with certain approvals and stipulations. The following criteria must be met, the Chronicle said: Artis Senior Living proposes to build a 64-unit …
Thursday, May 23, 2013
The campaign committee called “Koutoujian for Congress” allows the candidate to raise money for a campaign and hire campaign staff.
Middlesex County Sheriff Peter J. Koutoujian announced Thursday that he is opening a Congressional campaign committee account. The move is a serious indication that Koutoujian will run for U.S. Congress if Congressman Edward Markey wins the U.S. Senate special election next month. "I have dedicated my life to working on issues important to the people I have been honored to represent as a legislator and now as Sheriff. If given the opportunity, I intend to fight for the people of the 5th Congressional district as their representative in Washington," said Koutoujian. "Throughout my career, I have focused on guaranteeing access to quality, affordable health care, enacting common sense measures to strengthen our economy, ensuring public …
Rob C.
6:48 pm on Thursday, June 13, 2013
I have a hobby. It is trying to educate the misinformed like Tyler with actual facts. It gives me something to do between naps at work. more ›