Archive for the ‘Politics’ Category
Let’s get serious
A funny thing happened the other day. And that’s the problem. The state that our world, our country, our commonwealth and even our town are in is no laughing matter. We have serious problems, and yet some people continue to go on their merry way without a care in the world. That’s all well and […]
Filed under: Humor, Opinion, Politics, Wakefield | Leave a Comment
Tags: Civitas, comedians, comedy, funny, Gravitas, hubris, Humor, laughter, Mark Sardella, Opinion, Politics, snark, virtue, Wakefield Daily Item, Wakefield MA
By MARK SARDELLA GLOUCESTER – “Bringing history to life” is about as cliched as it gets, but it happens to be an apt description for what Gloucester Stage’s current production, The Agitators, succeeds in doing. Mat Smart’s play takes us into the 19th century world of icons of equal rights Frederick Douglass and Susan B. […]
Filed under: Columns & Essays, History, Politics, Reviews, theater | Leave a Comment
Tags: 15th Amendment, 19th Amendment, abolitionist, drama, equality, Frederick Douglass, Gloucester Stage, History, Jacqui Parker, James Ricardo Milord, Mark Sardella, Mat Smart, play, Rochester NY, Sara Elizabeth Bedard, slavery, Susan B. Anthony, The Agitators, theater, theatre, vote, Wakefield Daily Item, womens suffrage
Foreseen Circumstances
QUESTION: During the campaign to legalize recreational marijuana in Massachusetts, how many times were we assured that legalization would never lead to increased use by teens? ANSWER: About the same number of times we were told that legalizing weed would not result in more highway deaths in Massachusetts. Go explain how that works to the […]
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Tags: alcohol, Christopher Desir, crash, David Bell, driving, drugs, DUI, East Bridgewater, Eryck Sablah, herb, legalization, marijuana, Mark Sardella, Naiquan D. Hamilton, Nicholas Joyce, Opinion, OUI, Politics, pot, Wakefield Daily Item, Wakefield High School, Wakefield MA, weed, Youth Risk Behavior Survey, YRBS
Street view
Monday was like Christmas in August for me. Did the town rescind the plastic bag ban? Did the Town Council go back to being the Board of Selectmen? Sadly, the answer to both of those questions is “no.” But something almost as good happened. The 2018 edition of my favorite book was released. I’m not […]
Filed under: Columns & Essays, History, Humor, News, Opinion, Politics, Wakefield | Leave a Comment
Tags: 1936, 2018, Board of Assessors, Board of Registrars, Board of Selectmen, books, Christmas, directory, female, genders, Humor, inclusivity, male, Mark Sardella, Massachusetts, Opinion, Politics, residents, Street List, Town Council, voters, Wakefield Daily Item, Wakefield MA, World War II Memorial
Meeting expectations
I’m starting a petition to ban petitions. Actually, I would never do that. First of all, I’m much too lazy and second, it would involve talking to people, which I try to avoid whenever possible. Saying that I want to start a petition against petitions is an attempt at irony. Not intended to be ironic […]
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Tags: agendas, Board of Selectmen, branding, digital, downtown, Favermann Design, government meetings, Humor, kiosk, Mark Favermann, Mark Sardella, Massachusetts, Open Meeting Law, Opinion, Politics, Town Council, transparency, Wakefield Daily Item, Wakefield MA, Wakefield Main Streets, wayfinding, WCAT
How to vote
There are few responsibilities easier for citizens to fulfill than voting. Last week, the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court agreed, at least when it comes to requiring voters to be registered before election day. It’s a safeguard that allows city and town clerks to verify the eligibility of each would-be voter. Why anyone would be against […]
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Tags: apathy, Attorney General, early voting, elections, Mark Sardella, notification, Open Meeting Law, public meetings, Public Safety Building, registration, SJC, Stephen P. Maio, Supreme Judicial Court, town hall, Town Meeting, Tpwn Clerk, voter fraud, voters, voting, Wakefield Daily Item, Wakefield MA
SMWs Unite!
If there’s anyone more insufferable than a Social Justice Warrior, it’s a Social Media Warrior. However irritating they may be, at least Social Justice Warriors can usually parrot some tired talking points in defense of their positions. All Social Media Warriors care about is being one of the cool kids. They’ll say whatever they think […]
Filed under: Columns & Essays, Humor, News, Opinion, Politics, Wakefield | 2 Comments
Tags: alcohol, Board of Selectmen, COPS, DUI, eatery, fingerprints, food, Greenwood Plaza, law, law enforcement, liquor, liquor license, Mark Sardella, police, Police Chief Rick Smith, restaurant, Richard Smith, SJW, SMW, Social Justice Warrior, Social Media Warrior, Tequilas Mexican Cantina, Town Council, Wakefield Daily Item, Wakefield MA
I’ll resist calling it “entertaining,” but it has been fascinating to watch the ongoing feud between the Wakefield Farmers Market and The Bread Shop. A year ago, Farmers Market manager Wendy Dennis initially denied The Bread Shop’s application to have a table at the Wakefield Farmers Market but later grudgingly relented after The Bread Shop […]
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Tags: artisan, bakery, Board of Selectmen, bread, cheese, competition, elitist, food, France, fruit, hippie, Humor, locally grown, Mark Sardella, Opinion, pastry, Politics, shop local, social media, Socialist, The Bread Shop, Town Council, vegetables, vendors, Wakefield Daily Item, Wakefield Farmers Market, Wendy Dennis
Mark Sardella 