Archive for the ‘Politics’ Category
A Fistful of Dollar Stores
Economic revitalization of downtown areas is usually aimed at sprucing up what’s already here through things like improved, uniform signage and dressing up storefronts as well as attracting the kinds of new businesses that reflect the quaint, warm and homey small town feel that we either remember from our childhoods or have seen on postcards […]
Filed under: Columns & Essays, History, Opinion, Politics, Wakefield | 3 Comments
Tags: 5 and 10, Dollar Store, Dollar Tree Store, downtown, F.W. Woolworth, Family Dollar, Five and Dime, Five and Ten, J.J. Newberry, Main Street, Mark Sardella, Massachusetts, retail business, stores, W.T. Grant, Wakefield Daily Item, Wakefield MA
Like other secular national holidays, Independence Day brings its share of reminders of the “true meaning” of the holiday. Enjoy your three-day weekend, we’re told, but take a moment to think about why we observe the day. This seems especially appropriate on Memorial Day and Veterans Day, when we pay tribute to those who fought […]
Filed under: Columns & Essays, History, Opinion, Politics, Wakefield | Leave a Comment
Tags: celebration, Fourth of July, Independence Day, John Adams, July 4th, Mark Sardella, Parade, Samuel Adams, Wakefield Daily Item, Wakefield MA
As expected, at their June 23 meeting the Board of Selectmen addressed at length the latest controversy over local peddlers, including Fred’s Franks, the hotdog vendor that had until recently occupied a spot at the head of the Lake. Several Board members indicated that they had been receiving phone calls and emails from local residents […]
Filed under: Community, News, Politics, Wakefield | 21 Comments
Tags: Betsy Sheeran, Board of Selectmen, Carl Galasso, Fred's Franks, hawkers, Mark Sardella, Patrick Glynn, peddlers, Stephen P. Maio, Thonas A. Mullen, vendors, Wakefield Daily Item, Wakefield MA
Immovable Objects
For the first time in living memory peddlers in Wakefield, MA are being asked to abide by the town’s regulations. But from the reaction, you’d think that instead of being asked to move 100 feet every two hours they were being forced to run the gauntlet. Contrary to popular belief, local regulations have always indicated […]
Filed under: Columns & Essays, History, News, Opinion, Politics, Wakefield | 8 Comments
Tags: Board of Appeals, Board of Selectmen, business, hawkers, hot dog, ice cream, Lake Quannapowitt, Mark Sardella, Massachusetts, peddlers, slush, transient vendors, vendor, Wakefield Daily Item, Wakefield MA, zoning
No Parking: Pot Zone
Over 900 Wakefield voters showed up at Monday’s opening Annual Town Meeting session to vote on a $3 million parking garage. Thursday night’s continued session opened with Article 3, the $79 million FY 2015 town budget. Math has never been my strong suit, so my fitness to be a Town Meeting teller would probably be […]
Filed under: Columns & Essays, Humor, News, Opinion, Politics, Wakefield | Leave a Comment
Tags: Assisted Living, Mark Sardella, Massachusetts, medical marijuana, parking garage, Town Meeting, Wakefield Daily Item, Wakefield MA
Information Pleas
Call it the calm before the storm. The fiery debate that raged in Wakefield, MA over the downtown parking garage issue up to the April 1 special election has of late been reduced to glowing embers. But it is beginning to heat up again in anticipation of the May 5 Annual Town Meeting. The hot […]
Filed under: Columns & Essays, Opinion, Politics, Wakefield | Leave a Comment
Tags: Assisted Living, election, free press, Galvin Middle School, information, Mark Sardella, Massachusetts, parking garage, Town Meeting, vote, voter apathy, Wakefield Daily Item, Wakefield MA, William Carroll
Twilight Zoning
Well, as it stands right now, there will not be a parking garage in downtown Wakefield, Massachusetts and based on recent developments, you might want to hold off on that down payment on an assisted living unit. It’s been anything but dull in our sleepy little town over the last few weeks. There’s blame being […]
Filed under: Columns & Essays, Opinion, Politics, Wakefield | Leave a Comment
Tags: Assisted Living, Brightview Senior Living, economy, Mark Sardella, Massachusetts, parking garage, Politics, Wakefield Daily Item, Wakefield MA
Starting July 1 Starting July 1, you won’t be able to buy cigarettes or any other tobacco products in Wakefield, Massachusetts if you are less than 21 years old. The Board of Health voted to amend local regulations this week by raising the age for purchasing tobacco from 18 to 21. The board’s unanimous vote […]
Filed under: Columns & Essays, News, Politics, Wakefield | 2 Comments
Tags: Board of Health, cigarettes, cigars, convenience stores, Dr. Lester Hartman, Mark Panagakas, Mark's Smoke Shop, Massachusetts, Matthew Durand, Police Chief Rick Smith, smoking, tobacco, Wakefield MA
Mark Sardella 