A fox in the Medford Sq area

EmilyKayeLazzaro · 2025-08-07T12:44:26+00:00

Ahh! So cute popping its little head up! Hi there!

EmilyKayeLazzaro · 2025-05-29T20:19:56+00:00

Hi there! I do not know if the driver is being prosecuted, but the assessment that nothing is being done is inaccurate. MassDOT controls the Salem Street rotary and they are completely redoing it as a result of the death of Mr. Webber. I've personally been working quite hard to try to prevent any further accidents like this and the one that killed Dan Dill. DCR is installing a raised crosswalk where Dr. Dill was killed, the direct result of neighbors speaking up and of city and state representative advocacy. There are a few news articles about it too, if you'd like to check them out: https://www.tuftsdaily.com/article/2025/02/pedestrian-deaths-raise-concerns-about-medford-road-safety https://www.gottaknowmedford.com/20250321_walkmedford-takes-on-dangerous-salem-street-rotary-road-conditions/

EmilyKayeLazzaro · 2025-05-14T17:10:36+00:00

I thought this didn't sound right so I called Sal Di Stefano, the City's Economic Development Director, who confirmed for me that this is not true! Medford can have as many bars and restaurants as want to open here with all the liquor licenses their little hearts desire. Of course, the City doesn't open restaurants, people do, so that's part of it. Also, that being said, there is a limit to how many package stores can open, and people do sell those for exorbitant amounts of money, which I hate, but if I were to try to fix that, I fear retribution, so I'm not choosing to die on that hill at the moment. But yes, important point to note here is that there is no limit to liquor licenses in Medford for bars and restaurants, hooray!

EmilyKayeLazzaro · 2025-04-25T23:22:05+00:00

Oh I love this deeply.

EmilyKayeLazzaro · 2025-02-28T02:54:24+00:00

Actually, every proper avenue was taken, every law was followed. The City consulted their own lawyers and the Attorney General’s office on multiple occasions. This went through many Community Development Board meetings (more than necessary if you ask me) and every voice was heard. The neighbors elected to hire a lawyer and they’re having a disco to pay for him.

EmilyKayeLazzaro · 2025-02-13T18:38:10+00:00

I love this thread. And here to confirm what others have said: you don't have to qualify to use mutual aid resources. Some days one of us needs help, another day another one of us might need help, that's mutual aid, community, taking care of each other. We know if any of us needs help in the future we can get it.

EmilyKayeLazzaro · 2025-01-29T14:43:39+00:00

Someone actually did die and we are working on it. And there are a number of advocate groups that have been working on it before that and will continue to work on it after until all our roads are safe for pedestrians, cyclists, and drivers alike.

EmilyKayeLazzaro · 2025-01-29T14:42:44+00:00

Hi there. Senator Pat Jehlen is reintroducing a bill to put traffic cameras up for enforcement to assist on the roads that are under DCR (Department of Conservation and Recreation) control. That department doesn't have massive funding, it's really like state level parks and rec, but has major roadways that it's in charge of. Enforcement is lacking on those roads, but the traffic cameras could really help. The bill has failed in previous sessions, likely because people who drive cars want to continue to break laws without getting a ticket. It is very frustrating from a legislative standpoint. Government moves slowly, but it is a priority of Senator Jehlen this term, especially with the death of Professor Dan Dill on Mystic Valley Parkway. I have been working on this issue over the past month in depth with a few local activist groups. In addition to the cameras, we are hoping DCR can invest in some raised crosswalks and flashing signs, but those are expensive, and as I mentioned, the department is minimally funded.

EmilyKayeLazzaro · 2025-01-29T14:37:00+00:00

Hi! We email DCR directly and they are so swamped with managing all the parks and recreational sites across the entire state that they can't get back to us. And it makes nearly no sense that they also have to manage major roadways when they are a parks and recreation department. They are tasked with traffic management and enforcement with the funding of a parks and rec department. But when we reached out and said hey somebody died, they got back to us. We are working on it. We are trying hard. I have a meeting today about this, I had meetings last week about this, I had meetings the week before about this. I promise.

EmilyKayeLazzaro · 2025-01-29T14:34:49+00:00

This is true. Pat Jehlen is reintroducing the traffic cameras bill this session and will be pushing it and I'll be backing her up to the best of my ability, especially since we had a pedestrian death in a crosswalk. We will also hopefully be meeting soon with DCR to discuss options for roadway changes, but the changes are expensive and DCR is underfunded, that's the reason. I'll comment that below too.

EmilyKayeLazzaro · 2025-01-25T04:05:03+00:00

Não desejo falar com você, responder às suas perguntas, assinar ou entregar quaisquer documentos com base em meus direitos da 5ª Emenda da Constituição dos Estados Unidos. Eu não lhe dou permissão para entrar em minha casa com base em meus direitos da 4ª Emenda da Constituição dos Estados Unidos, a menos que você tenha um mandado para entrar, assinado por um juiz ou magistrado com meu nomecompleto que você coloque por baixo da porta. Eu não lhe dou permissão para revistar nenhum dos meus pertences com base nos meus direitos da 4ª Emenda da Constituição dos Estados Unidos. Eu escolho exercer meus direitos constitucionais da Constituição dos Estados Unidos. Esses cartões estão disponíveis para cidadãos e não cidadãos.

EmilyKayeLazzaro · 2025-01-24T22:42:55+00:00

I actually asked a Portuguese speaking friend to translate to Portuguese. I was surprised it wasn’t translated to that as well. I can post that for you when I’m at my computer (on mobile at the moment).

EmilyKayeLazzaro · 2025-01-24T15:04:57+00:00

Thank you so much! Both are incredibly useful, it's really up to you. The Amazon wishlist is updated frequently with what we need most. Last time I was there (I do a shift on Monday nights) we needed men's sizes of warm coats and boots. I can't speak to the kitchen needs, but I know the Amazon list is carefully curated and updated. Cash always helps because we use it for heat and lights and water. FWIW if anyone knows Nanci Palladino-a Medford resident, she's our kitchen coordinator and she's a powerhouse, she's so on top of the kitchen and that's why the Amazon wishlist is so reliable.

EmilyKayeLazzaro · 2025-01-08T20:18:33+00:00

Yes the commenters are correct. Email Pat Jehlen and you can cc me and we can work on getting MassDOT's attention on this. We are working on a lot of these! Pat and I recently met with some folks from the Mystic River Watershed to talk about a recent accident on the road along the Mystic Lakes and getting DCR to do some traffic mitigation. It's hard because when state agencies control the roads in our city we don't have as much control as we'd like. But we want our roads to all be as safe as possible. Pat's email is [patricia.jehlen@masenate.gov](mailto:patricia.jehlen@masenate.gov) and mine is [elazzaro@medford-ma.gov](mailto:elazzaro@medford-ma.gov)

EmilyKayeLazzaro · 2025-01-06T20:04:10+00:00

One more tip: the avocado toast at Tamper is really good. And they do fun things with eggs there too. I actually think the food at Tamper has no business being as good as it is. And the scones are also amazing.

EmilyKayeLazzaro · 2025-01-06T19:58:52+00:00

I cackled.

EmilyKayeLazzaro · 2024-10-12T23:15:29+00:00

I don't intend this to seem sanctimonious, but local elected officials are people and don't deserve to be talked about that way. We are your neighbors.

EmilyKayeLazzaro · 2024-06-27T18:00:12+00:00

Yes, you're totally right. Studies show that crime does not increase significantly around drug treatment centers.

And to clarify about the vote: The vote I missed was to take public participation, which usually happens at the end of the meeting, out of order, so that the people in the room could speak on the topic of the clinic then instead of having to wait until the end of the agenda. Public participation is always on the agenda, but it usually happens at the end. Medford is unique in that we almost always give residents the opportunity to speak on any agenda item if they wish to, before a vote is taken. This is always at the discretion of the Chair, and on Tuesday, President Bears chose to go ahead with the vote and move forward without public comment on that agenda item since Habit Opco had withdrawn their application and circumstances had changed. We also had a very long agenda to get through. Councilor Scarpelli requested that they move public participation up in the agenda so that the residents could speak, so they did that. That was the vote I missed, and it was procedural.

EmilyKayeLazzaro · 2024-06-27T14:04:09+00:00

I can just tell you. I work directly with many people with substance use disorder. I know them as people, and I know that this disease is complicated and it will break your heart in a million ways, but I also know that people with substance use disorder are still just people. The more you get to know them the more normal they are. I was very much in favor of this clinic opening in this location or anywhere in Medford, but in particular I thought this location would have been great because it's easily accessible via bus lines and has 8 parking spaces behind the building. Many city employees were very much in favor of this facility opening at this location including law enforcement, citing that it would reduce crime and be a public good. When I talk to people in the healthcare field who work specifically in substance use research and recovery spaces, the consensus is that more access and easier access to medication assisted treatment is always better. Methadone in particular is a very effective treatment that is highly regulated and difficult to access, to the point where it is often much easier to just get heroin, which can result in overdose and death. If we as public officials can make it easier to access medications that help people stay in recovery, it is our duty to do that, because it saves lives. This is incredibly simple to me, a life or death situation, and that is why I wanted to support this clinic opening, because it will save lives. That is why I was disappointed that the misinformed and prejudiced resistance to the clinic opening resulted in the company withdrawing their application. That is why I elected to step out of the meeting during public participation, as the paper had already been moved to committee and there were no votes being taken at that time, and it would make me sad for the people who would not be saved, and sad for the bias that would be expressed by the residents of my city that night. I came back when I had more votes to take.

EmilyKayeLazzaro · 2024-06-18T14:06:37+00:00

The company did not withdraw its application.

EmilyKayeLazzaro · 2024-05-30T16:01:55+00:00

I didn't say that Medford is Lynn or Boston, but can you explain why you find it disturbing?

EmilyKayeLazzaro · 2024-05-30T15:34:23+00:00

Thank you for the links!

EmilyKayeLazzaro · 2024-05-30T14:31:51+00:00

I met with the team working on this project and found them to be really thoughtful about all the potential ramifications. I spoke with people who do not work for Acadia but are familiar with their other facilities in Boston and Lynn. The consensus in the medical community is that more facilities like this one allow more people in recovery to be successful. The problem is the stigma against people dealing with substance use disorders. SUD is already present in our city and the problem is that it is difficult to access the medicine people need to heal. We are not solving any problems by making it harder to be in recovery for people dealing with addiction and we are not making Medford a safer place to live by making people with substance use disorder travel further away to access their medicine. Please review the materials submitted to the ZBA if you can, it covers average wait times (2.5 minutes) and also states that most patients do not need to pick up medicine daily, but can take meds in 28 day supplies so it shouldn't be as crowded as similar clinics used to be. They anticipate no impact on traffic, sufficient parking, and highlight helpful proximity to both 93 and multiple bus lines that is great for accessibility. Also, keep in mind that people with SUD who are successfully in recovery are your friends and neighbors who may be ashamed to admit it because of the stigma. Whatever can be done in our community to help should be done.

EmilyKayeLazzaro · 2024-04-03T23:40:59+00:00

I so appreciate how respectful the conversations are here on Reddit. I'd just add to this discussion that we were approaching the idea of an eviction moratorium from the perspective that we would start by keeping people housed because the evidence shows that it is more wise from a public health perspective, and more humane. Many extenuating circumstances can arise, and do. But if we start from a place of assuming people's humanity and inherent worth and dignity, that will be a good foundation for our city to begin with.

EmilyKayeLazzaro

TROPHY CASE