Author: Paige Albright

  • Ballot is set, preparations continue for March 28 town election

    The ballot for this month’s local election has been finalized. Arlington residents will cast votes to fill various seats in Town Meeting, and on two ballot questions, the big-ticket question is a proposed $14.8 million override of the tax override.

    All but two of the town office races on the March 28 ballot are uncontested. The Housing Authority has one opening, and two candidates are campaigning for the position: Jacob Henry Deck and Nicholas C. Mitropoulos. The single seat for the one-year appointment to the School Committee has three candidates: Dmitry Missiuro Vasilyev, Crystal S. Haynes Copithorne, and Shaun D. Berry. That seat was left vacant when Jane P. Morgan resigned from the committee to fill the spot on the Select Board after member Len Diggins moved out of town.

    The town will host a forum on March 18 for those running for townwide offices.

    Question One on the ballot is an operating override of the Proposition 2½ tax cap, which, if approved by voters, would permanently increase property taxes by $14.8 million to cover the operating costs of town and school departments. Prop. 2½ is a state law that limits how much property taxes can be increased to 2.5 percent town-wide annually. The tax base also increases each year based on “new growth” such as the construction of apartment buildings and home improvement projects.

    The most recent operating override of $7 million, approved by voters in November 2023, kept municipal finances afloat through the current fiscal year, which ends on June 30. Another type of override is a debt exclusion, such as the June 2019 vote that funded the new $290.4 million Arlington High School, which was completed earlier this year.

    Candidates on the ballot

    Also on the ballot are: the two seats on the Select Board, with two candidates running, incumbent Diane Mahon and Joseph A. Solomon; three incumbents for three seats on the School Committee: Elizabeth R. Exton, Paul Schlichtman, and Laura B. Gitelson; and Board of Assessors chair Mary Winstanley O’Connor is running unopposed. Arlington is facing a structural deficit in balancing its books, as revenue has not kept pace with the rising costs of maintaining services. Town officials – from elected to professional to volunteers – have been meeting for more than a year to cut the projected deficit and get costs under control. Because of Arlington’s small commercial tax base, there is a heavier tax burden placed on the residential taxpayers, according to the town’s website.

    According to a list of commitments approved by the Select Board, a successful vote would fund town and school operations for at least three fiscal years, and a promise that the town would not seek another operating override for at least three years. If the vote fails, the town could seek another override on next year’s ballot. The town government has posted an online calculator for residents to estimate their real estate taxes if the override passes for Fiscal Year 2027, which begins on July 1.

    No special election

    The Select Board approves all tax override questions for inclusion on the ballot and has traditionally set the election to come after Town Meeting has started so that the town’s voters have a full picture of the budget situation. This year, the Select Board decided not to wait for a special election later in the year.

    “The big decision for the Select Board during an override year is when it will be held, and traditionally, in Arlington, the overrides are held in June,” said Town Clerk Juli Brazile. “This is so we have more time for the state budgeting process to go further.

    “Because we don’t know exactly what the dollars are that we’re going to get from the state in March. But that has its own budgeting problems, and it means you’re holding an extra election, which is an extra expense.”

    Putting the override on the annual spring ballot saves the town roughly $50,000 by avoiding an additional election, said Brazile. While two of the three elections in this year’s cycle are at the state level, the town is still responsible for many of the expenses related to them.

    “The state provides the ballots [for state elections],” said Brazile. “So all of that is free. It just shows up. We have to pay the outgoing postage for all elections. But the state considers vote-by-mail an unfunded mandate because it’s a new expense. And so if I fill out forms, I can get reimbursed for all the postage costs, but we’re definitely out of pocket for the cost of operating the polls on election day.”

    Three elections this year

    With three elections this year, planning has been underway for months. Brazile said budget planning started last October to calculate the necessary allotment of town money to properly fund the three elections. Her office must organize and pay any personnel working the polls, like police security and poll staffers.  

    Brazile said she is grateful for the support of the Arlington Police Department and the motivated group of Arlington poll workers. All poll workers are entitled to compensation for their time, in Arlington the average hourly rate is around $17, said Brazile. Many will work 12 or more hours while the polls are open.

    The most difficult part of planning an election today for Brazile is a timing battle that she has little control over.

    “Honestly, I think the hardest thing is just the logistics that vote by mail changed,” said Brazile. “It changed the flow of the work because in some cases, the time we get the ballots is closer to the date of the election. So we’re under more pressure to mail quickly.”

    For example, this year’s primary election is held at the beginning of September, but the election will not be certified until weeks later. Printing at the state-level for these ballots cannot happen until after the results have been certified, and then the state must deliver each community its allotment of ballots.

    Mail-in ballots

    “Best case, I get my ballots ready to go first of October,” said Brazile. “That’s not a lot of time to mail 10 or 15,000 ballots and for people to get them back to me. So that’s the logistically tricky thing.”

    Working with the Arlington Post Office during elections has helped Brazile and her team settle into a new pattern for vote-by-mail. After many voting laws changed during the pandemic, Brazile said the partnership with the post office has been a great help in making voters feel as comfortable as possible when casting their vote non-traditionally.  

    The Arlington post office was unable to provide a comment due to agency policy. U.S. Postal Service media representative, Judy Ferriera, said in an emailed comment, “Throughout the year, the postal service has engaged in regular communication and meetings with many stakeholders across the election ecosystem — including members of Congress, secretaries of state, governors and local boards of elections and election administrators — to educate stakeholders that choose to use the mail on how to do so effectively.”

    In local elections, the town is responsible for creating mail voting kits. Brazile said that as early as last fall, her office began preparing kits for Arlington residents who chose to vote by mail. As vote-by-mail is becoming increasingly popular in the town, Brazile and her department prepared 7,000 kits ahead of time, but due to the law, there is always a rush at the finish line.

    “For town elections, I can’t finalize the ballot by law any earlier than 33 days before the election,” said Brazile. “And then I put the order in, and I start praying that I can get my ballots as quickly as possible, so that we can have basically a week to mail them. Otherwise, there’s just not enough time for people to be comfortable.”

    This year, despite inclement weather and a quick turnaround, Brazile said her office is on track for a smooth election day. Town elections see a smaller turnout than state or presidential elections. However, with an override on the ballot, Brazile expects to see a bump in the norm to around a 40 percent turnout.

    There are other items on the March 28 town ballot. The other races on the ballot are the Town Meeting seats for the 21 precincts in town. You can find more about who your Town Meeting representatives are and where and how to vote on the town’s website.

    March 18 is the last day to register to vote in the town election.

    This news story, published on March 11, 2026, was written as part of the Boston University Statehouse Program.

  • Changes to MBTA bus routes could mean good news for riders

    Changes are coming to two Arlington bus routes on April 5, when the 87 and 350 routes will be streamlined. The changes come from MBTA’s multi-year Better Bus Project, and will bring more service to the town.

    The project, announced in 2018 and expected to be completed in 2029, aims to improve the MBTA’s service, matching demand levels and improving facilities. While MBTA ridership averages are still short of pre-pandemic levels, recent jumps in ridership are making the need for updates crucial to manage rising demand.

    “Improving bus service and connectivity continues to be a major priority for the MBTA. Keeping the entire system in mind, we aim to create an even more robust network and are consistently looking at ways to enhance service. We are proud of the ongoing work our employees partake in to improve bus service year-round, including accessibility upgrades, route changes, and rider outreach/education,” an MBTA spokesperson said in an emailed statement.

    The change is designed to eliminate non-standard patterns, increasing simplicity and connectivity. For example, routes like the 87 run “short-turn” patterns, where the bus will turn at Clarendon Hill instead of traveling the entire route from Lechmere to Arlington Center.

    This means that riders between Clarendon Hill and Arlington Center are not served by the 87’s non-standard route. In eliminating the “short-turn,” the 87 will run its current full-length route only, which will increase service to Arlington.

    Non-standard patterns will also be eliminated on Route 350. Currently, some runs skip the North Burlington Road and spend the entire route on Cambridge Street. This change will provide more service and connection to the retail area and Lahey Hospital.

    Arlington Town Manager Jim Feeney said his office hasn’t received any concerns regarding the change, adding that based on information from the MBTA, it appears Arlington may get more service, especially on weekends.

    The town can expect to see a 23 percent increase in service of the 87 on weekdays, a 30 percent increase on Saturdays, and an 8 percent increase on Sundays, according to MBTA data.

    Eliminating non-standard patterns will cause timetables to shift. However, the change should have no significant downside, according to the MBTA.

    Riders of the short-turn pattern of the 87 should see no changes, except that outbound riders to Clarendon Hill will now need to cross Broadway. As the bus will now continue to Arlington, it will not pull directly into the busway.

    Non-standard route riders of the 350 will no longer be able to use the stop at Cambridge Street and Burlington Mall Road, as the full route does not service that stop. Users of that stop can use the 76 Cambridge Street stop instead, which is less than a quarter of a mile up the road.

    This story, published Feb. 27, 2026, is part of the Boston University Statehouse Program.

  • Marijuana revenue falling in Arlington as consumers move to delivery services

    Marijuana sales broke records statewide this year, but trends in Arlington are headed in the opposite direction.

    Since legal sales of recreational marijuana use in Massachusetts began in 2018, the industry has generated over $8.6 billion in sales, according to the Cannabis Control Commission. Last month alone, the state reported over $140 million in sales. Marijuana sales have produced $264 million in tax revenue for the state and the communities where stores are located.

    Last year, the same commission released a dataset outlining the tax revenue benefits of marijuana legalization for municipalities that allow sales. The report said Arlington would bring in $309,000 in 2024. In reality, Arlington collected about half that much – $166,104.

    The town’s tax collection projections have been adjusted downward for next year, said Town Manager Jim Feeney. The last time Arlington reported an increase in revenue was 2022, the year after marijuana sales began in town.

    In Massachusetts, consumers typically pay three separate taxes totaling 20 percent on marijuana products, driving up their bill at the register: the 6.25 percent state sales tax, a 10.75 percent excise tax and usually a 3 percent local option tax.

    The state imposes the excise tax at the retailer level of the supply chain. Individual businesses collect the tax from customers and remit it to the state. That is on top of the statewide 6.25 percent sales tax that applies to most products sold in Massachusetts. Each municipality that allows recreational sales can also impose a local option tax of up to 3 percent, and most do.

    Since peaking at $340,940 in 2022, Arlington’s revenue from cannabis sales has steadily declined, dropping another $75,526 this year.

    Feeney said retailers have told him prices of products have dropped because of a drastic oversupply in the market. Local retailers have to compete harder for consumer attention, as buyers are overloaded with too many sellers and products.

    There are two dispensaries in Arlington, Eskar and Apothca.

    “This industry alone had such a huge expansion so quickly that the economy couldn’t support the growth,” said Anthony Lenoir, a longtime Apothca employee. “A lot of dispensaries are shutting down as the market has become so saturated. The state just wasn’t ready for such a big boom.”

    Eskar did not respond to repeated interview requests.

    Oversaturation, however, doesn’t seem to be the only cause for local retail stores to see a decline in business. Since recreational courier licenses were legalized in 2020, the annual revenue for delivery services has nearly quadrupled.

    In the first six months of this year, sales through online delivery services brought in $10.7 million in sales revenue, compared to $7.9 million from the same period the year before, according to the Cannabis Control Commission.

    As online delivery services become increasingly popular, it isn’t a surprise that in-person stores are closing across the state, Lenoir said. These delivery businesses operate without a storefront, mimicking a business model like Amazon, where the entire operation is done online with products stored in warehouses. And the convenience of delivery is making it hard for in-person stores to compete.

    When a consumer in Arlington orders cannabis products online through a delivery business based in a different municipality, Arlington does not collect that local tax revenue. Instead, the community where the delivery business is located gets the tax revenue.

    There are 451 cannabis businesses operating in the state. In the first months of 2025 alone, 23 cannabis stores in Massachusetts have surrendered or let their licenses expire, according to data from the Cannabis Control Commission obtained by the Boston Business Journal.

    Last year, 2.4 percent of adult-use marijuana retail licenses were surrendered. This year, the number jumped to 5.4 percent, according to data from the Cannabis Control Commission’s annual report.

    The number of licenses in Arlington has not changed. The two original dispensaries remain open. There has been an interest in opening a third business, even going as far as issuing another licensing agreement for the establishment; however, progress has stalled, said Feeney.

  • Marijuana revenue falling in Arlington as consumers move to delivery services

    Paige Albright

    Marijuana sales broke records statewide this year, but trends in Arlington are headed in the opposite direction.

    Since legal sales of recreational marijuana use in Massachusetts began in 2018, the industry has generated over $8.6 billion in sales, according to the Cannabis Control Commission. Last month alone, the state reported over $140 million in sales. Marijuana sales have produced $264 million in tax revenue for the state and the communities where stores are located.

    Last year, the same commission released a dataset outlining the tax revenue benefits of marijuana legalization for municipalities that allow sales. The report said Arlington would bring in $309,000 in 2024. In reality, Arlington collected about half that much – $166,104.

    The town’s tax collection projections have been adjusted downward for next year, said Town Manager Jim Feeney. The last time Arlington reported an increase in revenue was 2022, the year after marijuana sales began in town.

    In Massachusetts, consumers typically pay three separate taxes totaling 20 percent on marijuana products, driving up their bill at the register: the 6.25 percent state sales tax, a 10.75 percent excise tax and usually a 3 percent local option tax.

    The state imposes the excise tax at the retailer level of the supply chain. Individual businesses collect the tax from customers and remit it to the state. That is on top of the statewide 6.25 percent sales tax that applies to most products sold in Massachusetts. Each municipality that allows recreational sales can also impose a local option tax of up to 3 percent, and most do.

    Since peaking at $340,940 in 2022, Arlington’s revenue from cannabis sales has steadily declined, dropping another $75,526 this year.

    Feeney said retailers have told him prices of products have dropped because of a drastic oversupply in the market. Local retailers have to compete harder for consumer attention, as buyers are overloaded with too many sellers and products.

    There are two dispensaries in Arlington, Eskar and Apothca.

    “This industry alone had such a huge expansion so quickly that the economy couldn’t support the growth,” said Anthony Lenoir, a longtime Apothca employee. “A lot of dispensaries are shutting down as the market has become so saturated. The state just wasn’t ready for such a big boom.”

    Eskar did not respond to repeated interview requests.

    Oversaturation, however, doesn’t seem to be the only cause for local retail stores to see a decline in business. Since recreational courier licenses were legalized in 2020, the annual revenue for delivery services has nearly quadrupled.

    In the first six months of this year, sales through online delivery services brought in $10.7 million in sales revenue, compared to $7.9 million from the same period the year before, according to the Cannabis Control Commission.

    As online delivery services become increasingly popular, it isn’t a surprise that in-person stores are closing across the state, Lenoir said. These delivery businesses operate without a storefront, mimicking a business model like Amazon, where the entire operation is done online with products stored in warehouses. And the convenience of delivery is making it hard for in-person stores to compete.

    When a consumer in Arlington orders cannabis products online through a delivery business based in a different municipality, Arlington does not collect that local tax revenue. Instead, the community where the delivery business is located gets the tax revenue.

    There are 451 cannabis businesses operating in the state. In the first months of 2025 alone, 23 cannabis stores in Massachusetts have surrendered or let their licenses expire, according to data from the Cannabis Control Commission obtained by the Boston Business Journal.

    Last year, 2.4 percent of adult-use marijuana retail licenses were surrendered. This year, the number jumped to 5.4 percent, according to data from the Cannabis Control Commission’s annual report.

    The number of licenses in Arlington has not changed. The two original dispensaries remain open. There has been an interest in opening a third business, even going as far as issuing another licensing agreement for the establishment; however, progress has stalled, said Feeney.

  • Capitol Theatre marks centennial season with new leadership

    Capitol Theatre marks centennial season with new leadership

    Paige Albright

    When the family that owned Arlington’s Capitol Theatre decided to step away from the business, they didn’t have to look far to find new owners. A group of four longtime employees took over the five-screen movie house and its sister, the Somerville Theatre, in May.

    The new owners say they will preserve the Capitol, which turns 100 years old this month, and work to keep it open for generations to come.

    “We basically said, ‘Why not us?’” said Ian Judge, the theater’s longtime manager and president of the new ownership group, CSB Theatres. “We put a deal together, and the old owners were happy to hand it off to a group they trusted. It’s definitely a risk, but nobody is better suited to run the theaters, so it was a calculated risk.”

    Richard Fraiman and his family had been involved with the two theaters since 1979, when they acquired the Capitol Theatre building. After over 50 years in the business, Fraiman said it was time to look to a younger generation to take over. He said he was more than happy to step back, knowing the theaters were in good hands.

    “My staff has been working with me for over 20 years, and they are good people,” Fraiman said. “They know the theaters. They love them. That’s their life. And I couldn’t think of anybody better to operate them, the people whom I trust.”

    Visiting the Capitol is like stepping back into 1925. The vaulted ceilings, gold-plated crowning and old movie posters have remained through the decades, even as the original grand ballroom theaters were converted into five auditoriums.

    Judge, Ian Brownell, Jamie Mattchen and Jay O’Leary are veteran employees of both the Capitol and Somerville theaters, the two businesses they took over. The Fraimans remain as landlords of the properties, with CSB leasing and operating the theaters. While none of the four has owned a business before, their experience and passion made it the right call, despite the risk, Judge said.

    Mattchen walked into work at the theaters for the first time almost 20 years ago. As a recent college graduate at the time, she never envisioned that she would come to own that very theater.

    “I literally showed up for work one day, and they were like, ‘Do you think you could run a building?’” Mattchen said. “I had no idea what I was doing, but I figured it out, and I’ve just kind of been here ever since.” 

    The group took over operations in May, and while their titles have changed, the day-to-day operations have stayed similar. The popcorn machines are switched on at the same time, and the old-timey ice cream parlor still serves up a chance to forget life for a while. 

    The group has no plans to change or overhaul the theaters. Their goal is simple: to keep the doors open to a crucial artistic haven.

    “I want to make an honest living, and I want to keep the theater going for the next generation and preserve what it is here and make sure that people don’t get boxed out,” Mattchen said. “We are a cradle-to-grave service, meaning affordable experiences for any member of the community.”

    The Capitol screens a range of movies, from blockbusters and arthouse films to classics. The movies playing there this week include top-name new movies like “The Mastermind” and “Blue Moon” and classics like “Pulp Fiction,” “Titanic” and “Casablanca.” 

    Tickets range from $10 to $15, depending on the movie and showtime. Judge and Mattchen said that even when theaters had financial troubles, raising prices was not an option. 

    Running a movie theater in 2025 is a challenge. Streaming platforms have drastically changed people’s viewing habits. Some 65 percent of Americans prefer to watch movies at home, The Wall Street Journal reported last year. Box office revenues this year are down 11 percent compared to last year, according to Comscore, a company that tracks audience data.

    The new owners are not deterred.

    “We live in these communities that these theaters are a part of; they mean something to the communities that they are in,” Judge said. “I think now more than ever there’s a lot of wear and tear on the social fabric, so these communal places are so important to everyone, a place to find inspiration.”

    Outlasting economic recessions, wars and more, the doors to the Capitol have stayed open. Mattchen said it became apparent to her that Arlington truly cared for the Capitol during the pandemic. While the world was on lockdown, community members sent support and donations, she said.

    The theater hosted the Arlington International Film Festival last month, screening 127 films from 29 countries. Anderson Pereira of Boston had no connection to Arlington before the festival, but as an immigrant from Brazil he was drawn in by the chance to experience something new. 

    “So this is fun for me to network with people,” Pereira said. “As a realtor, I have a lot of ideas for empty spaces to create, and it’s good to connect with the artists in the area. But my dream, honestly, my whole life, was to be an actor, really.”

    For others, this was just another weekend at their beloved hometown theater, said Ishkhan Kozelian, a member of the festival’s management team who saw his first big-screen movie at the Capitol decades ago.

    “We’ve been here for 100 years, and that was by no accident,” Mattchen said.

    oin us in a celebration of our centennial! The Capitol Theatre has been Arlington’s neighborhood theater for 100 years. Help us continue this tradition for 100 more.

    Centennial Celebration: The Capitol is marking its anniversary with special screenings of classic movies that will culminate with a celebration on the centennial on Tuesday, Nov. 25 at 7 p.m. for “Casablanca,” a champagne toast and more (formal attire encouraged!)

    This story, published Nov. 22. 2025, is part of a partnership between YourArlington and the Boston University Department of Journalism.

  • Capitol Theatre marks centennial season with new leadership

    Paige Albright

    When the family that owned Arlington’s Capitol Theatre decided to step away from the business, they didn’t have to look far to find new owners. A group of four longtime employees took over the five-screen movie house and its sister, the Somerville Theatre, in May.

    The new owners say they will preserve the Capitol, which turns 100 years old this month, and work to keep it open for generations to come.

    “We basically said, ‘Why not us?’” said Ian Judge, the theater’s longtime manager and president of the new ownership group, CSB Theatres. “We put a deal together, and the old owners were happy to hand it off to a group they trusted. It’s definitely a risk, but nobody is better suited to run the theaters, so it was a calculated risk.”

    Richard Fraiman and his family had been involved with the two theaters since 1979, when they acquired the Capitol Theatre building. After over 50 years in the business, Fraiman said it was time to look to a younger generation to take over. He said he was more than happy to step back, knowing the theaters were in good hands.

    “My staff has been working with me for over 20 years, and they are good people,” Fraiman said. “They know the theaters. They love them. That’s their life. And I couldn’t think of anybody better to operate them, the people whom I trust.”

    Visiting the Capitol is like stepping back into 1925. The vaulted ceilings, gold-plated crowning and old movie posters have remained through the decades, even as the original grand ballroom theaters were converted into five auditoriums.

    Judge, Ian Brownell, Jamie Mattchen and Jay O’Leary are veteran employees of both the Capitol and Somerville theaters, the two businesses they took over. The Fraimans remain as landlords of the properties, with CSB leasing and operating the theaters. While none of the four has owned a business before, their experience and passion made it the right call, despite the risk, Judge said.

    Mattchen walked into work at the theaters for the first time almost 20 years ago. As a recent college graduate at the time, she never envisioned that she would come to own that very theater.

    “I literally showed up for work one day, and they were like, ‘Do you think you could run a building?’” Mattchen said. “I had no idea what I was doing, but I figured it out, and I’ve just kind of been here ever since.” 

    The group took over operations in May, and while their titles have changed, the day-to-day operations have stayed similar. The popcorn machines are switched on at the same time, and the old-timey ice cream parlor still serves up a chance to forget life for a while. 

    The group has no plans to change or overhaul the theaters. Their goal is simple: to keep the doors open to a crucial artistic haven.

    “I want to make an honest living, and I want to keep the theater going for the next generation and preserve what it is here and make sure that people don’t get boxed out,” Mattchen said. “We are a cradle-to-grave service, meaning affordable experiences for any member of the community.”

    The Capitol screens a range of movies, from blockbusters and arthouse films to classics. The movies playing there this week include top-name new movies like “The Mastermind” and “Blue Moon” and classics like “Pulp Fiction,” “Titanic” and “Casablanca.” 

    Tickets range from $10 to $15, depending on the movie and showtime. Judge and Mattchen said that even when theaters had financial troubles, raising prices was not an option. 

    Running a movie theater in 2025 is a challenge. Streaming platforms have drastically changed people’s viewing habits. Some 65 percent of Americans prefer to watch movies at home, The Wall Street Journal reported last year. Box office revenues this year are down 11 percent compared to last year, according to Comscore, a company that tracks audience data.

    The new owners are not deterred.

    “We live in these communities that these theaters are a part of; they mean something to the communities that they are in,” Judge said. “I think now more than ever there’s a lot of wear and tear on the social fabric, so these communal places are so important to everyone, a place to find inspiration.”

    Outlasting economic recessions, wars and more, the doors to the Capitol have stayed open. Mattchen said it became apparent to her that Arlington truly cared for the Capitol during the pandemic. While the world was on lockdown, community members sent support and donations, she said.

    The theater hosted the Arlington International Film Festival last month, screening 127 films from 29 countries. Anderson Pereira of Boston had no connection to Arlington before the festival, but as an immigrant from Brazil he was drawn in by the chance to experience something new. 

    “So this is fun for me to network with people,” Pereira said. “As a realtor, I have a lot of ideas for empty spaces to create, and it’s good to connect with the artists in the area. But my dream, honestly, my whole life, was to be an actor, really.”

    For others, this was just another weekend at their beloved hometown theater, said Ishkhan Kozelian, a member of the festival’s management team who saw his first big-screen movie at the Capitol decades ago.

    “We’ve been here for 100 years, and that was by no accident,” Mattchen said.

    oin us in a celebration of our centennial! The Capitol Theatre has been Arlington’s neighborhood theater for 100 years. Help us continue this tradition for 100 more.

    Centennial Celebration: The Capitol is marking its anniversary with special screenings of classic movies that will culminate with a celebration on the centennial on Tuesday, Nov. 25 at 7 p.m. for “Casablanca,” a champagne toast and more (formal attire encouraged!)

  • AHS student turns her home into a guinea pig haven

    The rustling and squeaking begin as Emily Ristuccia walks down the stairs to her basement.

    The 17-year-old peers into a row of cages lined with hay and bedding as she feeds guinea pigs their favorite snack, pea flakes. Between this room and her upstairs bedroom, she hosts 16 guinea pigs.

    She created this small rescue, which she calls Piggy Overnight Camp, to save guinea pigs that have been abandoned, neglected or simply unwanted.

    In 2024, guinea pig surrenders at the Massachusetts Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Boston adoption center rose 37 percent compared to the previous three years, said Kara Holmquist, the MSPCA director of advocacy.

    More than 4,000 guinea pigs entered Massachusetts shelters and rescues in 2023 and 2024, and all but one shelter surveyed reported rising intake over the past three, five and 10 years, according to MSPCA-Angell data.

    At the root is a mix of overbreeding, misunderstanding and a lack of regulation. Many owners become overwhelmed by how quickly guinea pigs reproduce when males and females are kept together, while others aren’t aware of how much care, space and social interaction these animals require, Ristuccia said.

    Unlike dogs or cats, there are few laws governing their surrender or abandonment, making it easy for people to give them up. Sometimes they’re left outside in boxes or backyards.

    About 53% of the guinea pigs that are in local shelters and rescues were originally purchased from pet stores, Holmquist said.

    Boston banned the sale of guinea pigs in pet stores in December 2023. While legislation has been proposed at the state level to ban their sale in pet stores across Massachusetts, these bills remain pending in committee. If passed, pet stores partnered with rescue organizations would still be able to sell the animal.

    Ristuccia’s rescue began in 2021 when she volunteered to foster a guinea pig named Vinny from the MSPCA. “He was my first foster but also my first foster fail, because I just couldn’t let him go,” she said. After Vinny’s death, her desire to foster guinea pigs diminished because of the sadness of the loss.

    “Then I saw these guinea pigs on Craigslist, and that was my first rescue on my own,” Ristuccia said.

    Ristuccia could tell the two guinea pigs had been abused, unsure if they would survive that night. They did, and a neighbor eventually adopted them.

    “I realized how many cases there are out there of abuse, neglect, hoarding and dumping,” Ristuccia said, “It’s every day, you see it all of the time.” Ristuccia estimates that she’s cared for around 80 guinea pigs since 2021.

    The monthly cost to care for the guinea pigs in her home is usually between $700 and $1,000, depending on factors such as the number of animals, donations received, and specific expenses in each month.

    Ristuccia funds the rescue operation through fees charged to people who temporarily board their guinea pigs, adoption fees, and donations of money, food and supplies.

    There are two regular volunteers at Piggy Overnight Camp. One works at an animal shelter and has previous experience with animal care and cleaning, while the other shares a love for guinea pigs but can’t currently own one. Ristuccia found both volunteers through local community postings.

    As a senior at Arlington High School, Ristuccia spends her afternoons balancing schoolwork, cleaning cages, feeding and caring for the guinea pigs.

    Ristuccia plans to study animal sciences on a pre-veterinary track next year in college.

    “We’re figuring out what we’re going to do with the rescue operation when Emily goes to college,” said her mother, Christina Ristuccia.

    Ristuccia is exploring options to turn Piggy Overnight Camp into a nonprofit to attract resources, volunteers and community support.

    People often think guinea pigs are easy, low-maintenance pets or “starter pets” for children, when they require a lot of care and attention, Ristuccia said. Some people don’t realize they can live up to 10 years, she said.

    “We tell Emily as she goes about her education, maybe those are problems that she might have to look into and solve,” Christina Ristuccia said, adding that there are gaps in rules for surrendering animals and education on guinea pigs.

    To ensure each guinea pig leaves the rescue in good hands, Ristuccia requires the adopter to sign a contract along with several requirements such as having the cage approved by her and showing proof of access to a vet who treats guinea pigs. The adopter also signs a commitment to never breed the guinea pig and to return it to Piggy Overnight Camp if it cannot be kept.

    “It does seem like there’s no end in sight to this problem, but Emily also seems to have no end to her ambition,” said her father, Brian Ristuccia.

    All photos by Archer Liang.

    Emily Ristuccia holds Benny and Jerry, two young guinea pigs born with defects from inbreeding, at Piggy Overnight Camp in Ristuccia’s bedroom-turned-rescue space Arlington. Ristuccia, a high school student, runs a home-based rescue and currently cares for 16 guinea pigs, many of whom were surrendered or neglected.

    Louie, a 4-year-old guinea pig rescued from an animal flipper, is one of 16 guinea pigs cared for by high-school student Emily Ristuccia in her home-based rescue.

    Emily Ristuccia feeds Benny. Ristuccia, a high-school student, runs the home-based rescue and cares for 16 guinea pigs, including Benny, who was born during a large hoarding case.
    Teddy and Remy, 4-year-old bonded guinea pigs, at Piggy Overnight Camp in Arlington. The pair were rescued from an animal flipper and are living in their fifth home under the care of high-school student Emily Ristuccia.

    This story, published Nov. 9, 2025, is part of a partnership between Your Arlington and the Boston University Department of Journalism. The images for this story are by Boston University student Archer Liang.