Armstrong Ambulance hosts K-9 first-aid course after passage of Nero's Law

Armstrong Ambulance  team members recently took part in a special training focused on providing critical aid to police K-9s injured in the line of duty. 

On June 28, Armstrong was the host for K-9 first-aid training at its Arlington headquarters. Armstrong partnered with the Arlington Police Department's K-9 officer, Mike Hogan, who brought his personal dog, Ivy, to support the effort.

The training was led by Dr. Beth Eisenberg of the Massachusetts Veterinary Referral Hospital in Woburn. It was coordinated by Armstrong Field Operations Manager Victor Marchese.

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Town's support for trees again recognized

Arlington remains a town, but to the Arbor Day Foundation it is again "Tree City USA."

The the largest nonprofit membership organization dedicated to planting trees has named Arlington among those so honored in 2021, recognizing the town's commitment to effective urban forest management.

The group has honored the town, whose tree warden is Tim Lecuivre, for 20 years.

See the recognized municipalities here >>

Arlington achieved the honor by meeting four requirements: forming a tree board or department, creating a tree-care ordinance, having an annual community forestry budget of at least $2 per capita and observing and proclaiming Arbor Day.

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Board approves Park Ave. bus-stop consolidation, with caveat

The Select Board at its June 27 meeting followed recommendations by town planning and unanimously approved consolidating MBTA bus stops on Park Avenue.

The board’s motion includes a caveat to reexamine and possibly reestablish the Wachusett/Hillside stop, though it’s not contingent that it must happen. The board will seek feedback from planning, MBTA and outside consultants.

For a full schematic of all proposed bus-route changes, see among all of the agenda documents >>

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Senate passes juvenile-court, asset-forfeiture legislation

Friedman

The state Senate has passed three bills that seek to reform various aspects of the criminal legal system to create fairer processes and encourage rehabilitation.

Two of the bills, S.2942 An Act promoting diversion of juveniles to community supervision and services, and S.2943, An Act updating bail procedures for justice involved youth, address how criminal courts divert convicted youth from jail and improve processes that allow certain youth to stay out of jail while their cases are pending.

A third bill, S.2944 An Act relative to forfeiture reform, would raise the burden of proof required for civil asset forfeiture, which allows law enforcement to seize items alleged to have been connected to a crime. Sen. Cindy F. Friedman (D-Arlington) supported all three bills.

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Electrify Arlington aims to support town’s climate-change goals 

The Town of Arlington is launching Electrify Arlington, a community-wide campaign to power buildings and transportation with clean electricity.

The campaign begins this summer with the launch of the Electrify Arlington website,to be a “one-stop shop” for residents and business owners to find information about rebates and incentives, as well as technical assistance -- all aimed to encourage the installation of clean-energy technologies. 

The town has partnered with several organizations to work directly with residents and business owners to help them meet their individual energy-efficiency goals. Nonprofit All In Energy will help participants schedule no-cost home-energy assessments with Mass Save, the state’s utility-administered energy-efficiency program.

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Plan for pub, microbrewery at Tango location approved

The Redevelopment Board on June 27 approved a proposal with conditions from Deep Cuts Deli of Medford to open at 464 Mass. Ave., the former location of Tango, a restaurant with a microbrewery in the basement. 

Both uses are allowed in the B5 district where this property is located. Applicant Jeff Wetzel, who said he has outgrown his location in Medford, expects to have about 15 employees. 

Board Chair Rachel Zsembery summarized the conditions for the application, including:

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Couple stays upbeat despite worsening health challenges

Sue and Jeff Thompson face trials, keep smiling.

On July 19 it will be one year since Jeff Thompson was diagnosed with ALS, and during that time his condition has worsened, but he and his wife, Sue, have learned some important lessons: Be prepared before the next thing happens so you’re ready; live each day the best you can, even if it’s doing something simple, and don’t lose your sense of optimism. 

It hasn’t been easy. Jeff was a carpenter who did fine woodworking but began having difficulty using tools at work or even buttoning clothing. After visits to doctors and numerous tests, he and Sue learned he had ALS, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, better known as ALS, or Lou Gehrig’s disease. ALS is a progressive neurodegenerative disease that affects nerve cells in the brain and the spinal cord.

According to the ALS Association, once ALS starts, it almost always progresses, eventually taking away the ability to walk, dress, write, speak, swallow and breathe, and shortening the life span; the average survival time is three years.

GoFundMe: $81,297 of $100,000 goal raised by July 11

Jeff now struggles with weakness in his hands and arms so that he drops things or takes five minutes to do something that would have taken seconds. He is in the early stages of having difficulty chewing and speaking. “By fall, he will have a feeding tube,” his wife says. “They like to do this when they think it’s about six months before you’ll actually need it, so you don’t have to struggle, because it’s a tough decision and hard to get used to.”

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Local, state, federal funds support ambitious AHA projects

Hauser electrical panel. / Melanie Gilbert photo

'We're grateful to the CPA and Town Meeting.’
-- Jack Nagle

The Arlington Housing Authority (AHA) – under new executive-level leadership in the front office and maintenance department – is charting an ambitious repair and renovation program of the buildings in its extensive and aging portfolio.

The effort is possible because of a more than $6 million infusion to the authority in American Rescue Plan Act money from both federal and state levels, as well as funding from the Town of Arlington’s Community Preservation Act Committee (CPA) and Community Development and Block Grant programs.  

At the June 16 board meeting, Executive Director Jack Nagle said these funds will allow the authority to address critical and long-term infrastructure needs.

“We’re very grateful to the CPA and Town Meeting members for approving the Menotomy Manor window-replacement project, and the Hauser building’s electrical panel project,” Nagle said.

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