4 academy grads join town firefighters, including first African-American

State Fire Marshal Peter J. Ostroskey and Deputy State Fire Marshal Maribel Fournier have announced the graduation of 39 firefighters from the Massachusetts Firefighting Academy (MFA).

Four join the Arlington Fire Department. They are, from left in photo, Justin Brown, Matthew Shea, Daniel Jefferson and Stephen Leveroni. Brown is the town's first African-American firefighter, and Jefferson is the son of Bob Jefferson, the retired chief, Chief Kevin Kelley has confirmed.

The June 24 graduates completed the 50-day career recruit firefighting training program at two campuses: Class No. 302, including those from Arlington, trained at the Stow campus, and Class No. BW20 trained at the Bridgewater campus.

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Fire called suspicious hits Greek church rectory; public tips urged

Parish council issues statement

UPDATED, June 25: Public safety officials are seeking the community’s assistance as they investigate an early morning fire in the rectory of an Arlington church, said Fire Chief Kevin M. Kelley, Police Chief Julie Flaherty, and state Fire Marshal Peter J. Ostroskey in a statement.

Shortly before 1:30 a.m. Tuesday, June 21, an Arlington police officer observed smoke in the area of 22 Appleton St., the rectory of St. Athanasius the Great Church a short distance away. Arlington firefighters responded to the scene to find heavy smoke inside the structure, which was unoccupied while under renovation. They located a smoldering fire in the basement of the building and quickly extinguished it.

In response to questions from YourArlington, Deputy Chief Ryan Melly wrote that the fire, which began in the basement, is being investigated as suspicious and possibly caused by an intruder.

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Estimated 200 rally for reproductive rights at Town Hall, Center

Sen. Cindy Friedman speaks at Town Hall Roe rally. / Marjorie Howard photo

UPDATED June 25: "I am a woman, and I am pissed," said Sen. Cindy Friedman, Democrat of Arlington, at a rally in front of Town Hall on Friday, June 24.

She addressed an estimated 200 people gathered to protest the U.S. Supreme Court ruling that ended constitutional protections for abortion. These had been in place since Jan. 22, 1973, before a decision Friday by the current court's conservative majority to overturn Roe v. Wade. The ruling is expected to lead to abortion bans in roughly half the states.

In anticipation of this decision, Mystic Valley Action for Choice, a grassroots group that works to take action and provide education in support of reproductive access and rights, planned the rally, "Stand Up and Stand Together," at on the steps of Town Hall.

Joining the group were members of the Town Democratic Committee. Those taking part moved to Mass. Ave. and Pleasant after gathering at Town Hall. Adding his voice was state Rep. Sean Garballey.

As town residents held signs, horns from passing cars blared as drivers signaled support. However, one driver in a pickup truck dissented, calling from his cab, "Ya lost!"

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Looking ahead to fall: Science camp, before-school care, firearm safety urged

'It's been a bit of a roller-coaster ride.'

-- Superintendent Homan

In its final scheduled meeting until Sept. 8, the School Committee on Thursday, June 23, celebrated the school year’s end and responded to community demand to revive science camp, start before-school care and educate families about keeping firearms away from minors.

Friday, June 24 -- the final day of classes until fall -- found the Arlington Public Schools with only 17 Covid-19 cases across its 10 campuses, celebrating a year-plus of on-campus operation (since late spring 2021) and recognizing students honored at the national level.

“It’s been an amazing first year,” said Superintendent Elizabeth Homan, whose anniversary in that position will be July 1. 

“It’s been a bit of a roller-coaster ride, as omicron [the variant of the novel coronavirus that was the likely cause of a high rate of infections earlier in spring, topping out at 362 in mid-May] threw us for a bit of a loop, but we’ve had a successful year,” she said.

A notable triumph of the just-concluded school year was that of Ottoson Middle School students who created a website and a documentary recognized at the national level in the National History Day competition. Half-a-dozen of them made a brief report about their work at the meeting. Committee member Bill Hayner was impressed. “People often worry about the future [of youth] – I don’t,” he said.

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Armstrong workers vote to join Teamsters

More than 150 EMS workers at Armstrong Ambulance Service have voted to join Teamsters Local 25 in Boston, the union has reported. 

It is believed to be a first for employees of the the Arlington-based company, founded in 1946, which has not responded to requests for comment.

The union called the June 15 vote "overwhelming," but did not report a vote count. The union said the victory follows a nearly yearlong campaign, which "faced aggressive union busting by the company."

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Winning designs envision Broadway anew

How might East Arlington's Broadway find a fresher shape – even if it is not the grand vision its New York City counterpart suggests. Envision Arlington's Civic Engagement Group offered a competition this spring, and the winners are in. See them here >> 

Among them is one by Arlington High School computer-aided design students Petru Sofio and Talia Askenazi and their "Envision Broadway." See their slides here >> 

This was an opportunity for designers, architects, visionaries and planners to have some fun exercising creativity to leapfrog into the postpandemic future and create a 2040 and after vision of what the built environment of a specific neighborhood – the Broadway corridor area -- might look like.

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Heart-felt farewells to manager expressed with wit

Geoff Beckwith of the Mass. Municipal
Association congratulates Chapdelaine.

An estimated 100 people semi-circled the Town Hall stage, as a number of state officials helped say goodbye to Adam Chapdelaine, with generosity and humor, on June 17, his last day as town manager after serving here 12 years.

In September, he becomes deputy director of Boston’s Green Ribbon Commission, an agency begun in 2010 by then-Mayor Menino seeking to help the city adapt to climate change.

Following an indoor event on Friday, June 17, which almost seemed prepandemic, except for a few wearing masks, here is a summary of farewells to the town's manager on his last day. Jim Feeney, deputy town manager, served as emcee.

Lenard Diggins, Select Board chairman, let wit leaven a heart-felt opening:

"So, can you imagine having five people to whom you directly report? Whether they see themselves as your bosses or the presidents of your fan clubs, members of the Select Board are a handful; and with there being five members on the Select Board and five digits on a hand, the metonymymay be apropos.

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Friedman votes to pass bond bill that include town projects

Friedman

The state Senate has passed a $5.07 billion general government bond bill to fund construction projects related to health care, higher education, information technology, workforce development, the environment, affordable housing and local projects. Sen. Cindy F. Friedman (D-Arlington) joined her colleagues on June 16 to pass the bill, which includes a moratorium on the construction of new prisons in Massachusetts.

“The Senate bond bill sets the stage for important long-term investments in the Commonwealth,” said Friedman, vice chair of the Senate Committee on Ways and Means. “I’m really proud of the bond authorizations I secured for projects in the 4th Middlesex district. I am also pleased to see the bill includes a feasibility study for a replacement to Bridgewater State Hospital, whose oversight needs to be moved from the Department of Corrections to the Department of Mental Health.”

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