Blog entries

MESSAGES BEHIND THE 1-YEAR SCHOOL COMMITTEE ELECTION PROCESS

Bob Sprague — Sun, 06 May 2012 16:45:45 +0100

Six members of the School Committee voted for a seventh in a fair process. The most experienced candidate for the one-year seat, Paul Schlichtman, drew four votes...

DONNELLY BACKS BILL TARGETING TOXIC CHEMICALS

Bob Sprague — Wed, 02 May 2012 20:41:50 +0100

The following opinion column was written by Sen. Ken Donnelly, who represents Arlington.

Residents of Massachusetts, and especially of the City of Woburn, remember the now-infamous case Anderson v. Cryovac, where Woburn residents brought suit against a local tannery whose use of toxic chemicals had contaminated the municipal water supply and subsequently poisoned people simply by drinking their tap water.

The media atten...

WHEN SHOULD NAMES BE PUBLISHED?

Bob Sprague — Fri, 20 Apr 2012 17:30:39 +0100

In news reporting, names are important. They establish a connection with the factual world.

False names veer away from facts. The lack of a name leaves questions.

An Arlington resident raised a question this week on the Arlington email list about the reporting of the name of a 16-year-old girl following her tragic death.

The poster, Joe Tully, wrote:

"I also feel compelled to remind everyone whe...

NEW SCHOOL COMMITTEE CHAIR AIMS TO SET SERIOUS TONE, WITH A BIT OF PLAY

Bob Sprague — Mon, 16 Apr 2012 12:47:50 +0100

Each chair of the School Committee imparts a style to the position that reflects who they are.

Joe Curran's was straightforward, like a sprinter heade...

WHY CHANGE IS NEEDED ON THE SCHOOL COMMITTEE

Debra Rose Brillati — Mon, 09 Apr 2012 04:00:00 +0100

The following letter to the editor was submitted by Debra Rose Brillati of Arlington:

On Tuesday, April 10, I will be voting for Matthew Pallett for School Committee. Matthew recognizes the School Committee’s central role in providing oversight of the administration and insuring that there is transparency and accountability in all aspects of the administration of our schools. This oversight, transparency and accountability have been sorely lacking over the p...

VOTE FOR PALLETT: RESIDENTS TELL WHY -- A POWERFUL, PERSONAL STORY

Jerri Newman — Sun, 08 Apr 2012 18:43:02 +0100

The following letter to the editor was submitted by Richard and Jerri Newman of Arlington.

Dear Arlington voters,

On Tuesday, April 10, we will be voting for Matthew Pallett for School Committee. We are not concerned about stability; staggered terms ensure the stability of the committee. We are concerned about transparency and accountability, collaboration, and the committee’s responsiveness to the input of parents.

Special education is costl...

18 AND VOTING: WHY IT MATTERS

Alexis Moisand — Mon, 02 Apr 2012 04:00:00 +0100

The following opinion piecs was submitted by Alexis Moisand, a senior at Arlington High School:

"The administration really should give us open campus. It would make the school feel like more of a community." - Eryk Dobrushkin, freshman

"I’m so happy someone put focus on the library again. It’s been way too long!" - Hayden Pretzman, senior

"I can’t believe my science teacher failed me for missing too many classes – I had an A and the last absenc...

POLITICAL LETTERS? THIS SITE'S DEADLINE IS APRIL 10

Bob Sprague — Fri, 30 Mar 2012 11:50:59 +0100

Want to write a letter to the editor about a candidate for the town election? You still can.

Now that the The Advocate no longer accepts April 10 election letters after March 29, your campaign and the public have a daily -- an hourly -- alternative: Post letters in support of a candidate -- or not in support -- to YourArlington's blog, Your View. See how here >>

YourArlington accepts letters supporting a candidate ...

2 ATHLETICS BACKERS SUPPORT FLANAGAN, PALLETT

colleen sleeper — Sun, 25 Mar 2012 11:53:50 +0100

Paul Cahill and Colleen Sleeper of Arlington have submitted the following letter to the editor, which they title "Make a Choice for Change": Vote F...

RESIDENT SUPPORTS PALLETT, FLANAGAN for SCHOOL COMMITTEE

Bob Sprague — Wed, 21 Mar 2012 18:04:29 +0100

The following letter to the editor was submitted by Trish A. Orlovsky of Iroquois Road. She writing as an ind...

FAR EXPRESSES CONCERN ABOUT ALEWIFE DEVELOPMENT PERMITS

Bob Sprague — Sun, 18 Mar 2012 11:29:58 +0100

Bill Ackerly and Ellen Mass of the Friends of Alewife Reservation (FAR) have sent the following letter sent to Cambridge Mayor Henrietta Davis, Vice Mayor Denise Simmons and City Councillor Minka vanBeuzekom, chair, council's enviro...

LOST GREYHOUND IN MEDFORD AREA KILLED

Bob Sprague — Mon, 12 Mar 2012 04:00:00 +0100

The following was sent by Cara Fraley:

After asking for help in the search for a lost greyhound, those involved confirmed that the dog was struck and killed by a train in Somerville on Sunda...

REDISTRICTING PROPOSAL SUPPORTED BY 27 ARLINGTON FAMILIES

Bob Sprague — Wed, 07 Mar 2012 17:07:03 +0100

The following is a letter from Elizabeth Pyle sent Feb. 26 to the Redistricting Committee and presented publicly March 6. It is published with permission.

The letter comments on proposed redistricting ma...

REDISTRICTING SPURS FEARS OF NEIGHBORHOOD DIVISION -- AND SOME FORECASTS

Bob Sprague — Mon, 05 Mar 2012 22:22:34 +0100

The following letter was sent to the Arlington School Committee by Gunnar ...

AEA VICE PRESIDENT CALLS FOR MULTIYEAR BUDGET PROJECTION

Bob Sprague — Sun, 04 Mar 2012 05:00:00 +0100

Linda Hanson, a K-8 reading coach for the Arlington public schools and an Arlington Education Association 2nd vice president, presented the following remarks on March 1, 2012, during the hearing on the proposed fiscal 2013 budget. Numbers reported below were amended March 10, 2012, and you can see them here >>

Last June, the Arlington community gave us all the gift of the override, which...

WHY OPPOSITION TO PROJECT ALONG ROUTE 2 ISN'T NIMBYISM

Bob Sprague — Sat, 03 Mar 2012 13:37:02 +0100

Two letters to the editor in the March 3 Boston Globe, one by an Arlington Town Meeting member, make basic and essential points about development along Route 2 affecting Arlington:

by Brian Rehrig of Arlington

NIMBYism is easy. It requires little thought or judgment, just a mindset of "don’t build anything near me, and don’t bother me with facts." Paul McMorrow falls prey to its counterpart: the assumption that any opposition to a development proposal is based on...

The NIMBY playbook

Bob Sprague — Sat, 03 Mar 2012 08:20:01 +0100

Every so often, the NIMBY forces that dominate Massachusetts development win an especially symbolic victory or two, and the earth shakes. It happened here twice over the past two months, with the demolition of a seaside home in Mar...

SURPRISE ON AN ALEWIFE WALK: FROLICKING WILDLIFE

Bob Sprague — Fri, 24 Feb 2012 18:46:16 +0100

The following was written by Lourie August of Arlington and submitted by Ellen Mass of the Friends of Alewife Reservation (FAR)

On a recent Sunday, around noontime and under sunny skies, we entered Alewife Reservation in the back corner of the newly landscaped area - that would be near the intersection of Acorn Park Drive and the sign for "Forrester," past the "Sanitary Pump Station" heading toward Little River.

At a wooden foot bridge at the head of the path, ...

BLACK HISTORY MONTH: LOOK BACK, THEN LOOK AHEAD

Bob Sprague — Thu, 16 Feb 2012 01:19:01 +0100

The following opinion was submitted by st...

THREE STRIKES YOU'RE OUT LAW. BUT WHO REALLY LOSES IN THE END?

Neil Osborne — Sat, 04 Feb 2012 16:00:27 +0100

By whatever name you want to call it, the proposed changes to the Massachusetts Habitual Offender Law also know as three strikes you’re out (which includes the current House version the Senate version and the Governor’s version) all lead to the conclusion that the taxpayers of Massachusetts will shell out more money to house inmates longer.

Simply being tougher on crime by removing reasoned consideration from judges hired for their demonstrated skill of reasoned judgment ca...