Category: Waltham Times

By Amber Morris

Arlington is inviting bids to lease the town-owned building occupied by Arlington Community Media Inc., a move that could displace the public-access cable station.

ACMi has been at 85 Park Ave. since 2006, and the station’s board president worries about what will happen if it loses the space.

“Without that studio we would be homeless,” said John Leone, president of the board of directors at ACMi. “I don’t know how we would continue to function.” He said he doesn’t know of any other places in town that could host ACMi and its equipment.

State law requires a competitive bidding process for real property transactions when the total cost of the transaction exceeds $35,000, regardless of appraised value. This rent abatement would be in addition to the $100,000 from the town budget that was approved at the spring Town Meeting.
Arlington has neglected to invite offers for bids at 85 Park Ave. since ACMi moved in 19 years ago, said Norm McLeod, ACMi’s executive director. The deputy town manager of operations, Christine Bongiorno, said she searched for documentation of a previous request for proposals and was not sure whether the property had previously gone out to bid.

Although it’s unclear, McLeod speculated that turnover of town staff and elected officials played into the failure to issue requests for proposals in 2016 as required.

Bids for a three-year lease, renewable for two additional years, are due by 10 a.m. on Sept. 26.
“Without that studio we would be homeless.”

Any people or groups wishing to lease the space must provide “educational, cultural, or community service activities to the residents of Arlington,” according to the request for proposals.

ACMi pays $45,116 a year to lease the 4,200-square-foot, brick building, under the current lease agreement. If ACMi lost the space, it would require rethinking the entire operation, Leone said. “We would not be able to provide probably 90% of the services we provide,” he said.

ACMi broadcasts government meetings, elections, community events and youth programs.

“We’re sort of like a mirror that is being held up to the Arlington community where they can see themselves, their grandchildren, and their children on TV,” McLeod said. “The community looks to us to cover events.”

ACMi has served as a crucial link between Arlington and its residents, providing unbiased information and civic engagement for the benefit of the community, Leone said. “Besides YourArlington, we’re the only real link left between the citizens and the government of the town of Arlington,” he said.

The town provided ACMi with $100,000 in financial support this year to help keep the nonprofit afloat amid the downturn in cable revenues. This rent abatement would be in addition to the $100,000 from the town budget that was approved at the spring Town Meeting. The proposed rent plan was announced by Town Manager Jim Feeney during a Town Meeting session in May. The request for proposals went out recently.

Public-access stations, which are funded by fees included in cable bills, are facing challenges across the country. As people migrate from cable to streaming services, less money is available for public-access stations. ACMi’s funding from cable fees has declined by 18% since 2022, McLeod said.
The local cable operation receives the majority of its funding through a state program, which takes 5 percent of user-paid subscription fees for public, educational, and/or governmental (PEG) public access programming. Unlike some neighboring communities, Arlington has passed on all of that funding to support ACMi’s efforts. That “PEG” funding of $680,281 was approved on May 21.

On May 28, the last night of the annual Town Meeting, members approved a warrant article by a vote of 191 to 19 to give $100,000 of taxpayer money to supplement ACMi’s annual budget. The Finance Committee proposed $100,000, but supporters of ACMi sought to increase that to $200,000. That amendment was rejected by Town Meeting.

The people who still have cable television in Arlington are subsidizing ACMi for the rest of the town. ACMi has a lot of older viewers, McLeod said. “In the middle of the winter, they may want to go to a meeting and be involved in community events or community government,” he said, “and they can’t do that if the weather is really bad.”

The building at 85 Park Ave. is fiber-optically wired to Comcast, Verizon, RCN, Arlington High School and Town Hall. “If we lost that building we would lose that hub,” Leone said.

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This story is part of a partnership between Your Arlington and the Boston University Department of Journalism.

This article was originally published on September 24, 2025.

By Daisy Levine

Mabray Andrews says he wasn’t the best at playing Pop Warner football, but he certainly wasn’t ready to give up. His dad, Isaiah, who was the assistant coach for the Medford High School Mustangs, hoped to be out on the same field as his son once his son was old enough.

Early last year, Mabray noticed a sharp pain in his leg. He went to the doctor hoping for answers, but the news changed his and his family’s lives.

At age 12, Mabray was diagnosed with osteosarcoma, an aggressive form of bone cancer that typically affects young people. The weekends that were usually spent at Hormel Stadium were taken away from him, replaced by the walls of the hospital saving his life.

But on Sept. 18, just weeks into his freshman year at MHS, Mabray served as the honorary captain of the Mustangs at their first home game of the season. For many, it was their first time seeing Mabray walk out onto the field without his wheelchair or crutches.

In about two years’ time, his dad says, he should be recovered enough to play football again.

“It’s nice being out here, seeing my team play and winning a game,” Mabray, now 14, said. “I’m out here because of my surgery. I had to remove my tumor and stuff [before I could be back].”

Osteosarcoma is often found in the long bones of the legs, affecting mostly boys, according to the American Cancer Society. About 500 new cases of childhood or adolescent osteosarcoma are diagnosed in the United States each year.

The Medford Mustangs are supported by Swirls Around the World, a local nonprofit that empowers young people and their families impacted by cancer. Named for Medford native Matthew “Swirls” Cirelli, who lost his battle to Ewing’s sarcoma at age 19 in 2013, the group emphasizes a love of sports, travel, and scholarship, all of which Cirelli prioritized. Cirelli was also the honorary captain of Medford High’s cross-country team.

“He was the unsung hero,” his aunt, Diane Caruso, said while giving out bracelets and cookies at Thursday’s game to support Pediatric Cancer Awareness Month. “Matthew definitely loved all his sports…He always loved coming to the games with his friends.”

The Medford Mustangs wear Swirls stickers on their helmets to support Cirelli and people battling childhood cancer. The cheerleaders incorporate gold, which is the color of Pediatric Cancer Awareness Month (observed in September) into their uniforms.

“Matthew being from Medford, they welcome Swirls here,” Caruso said. “It means so much.”

Swirls called Mabray a “warrior” on its Facebook page, praising him for championing Medford, not only as an athlete but also as a cancer survivor.

“It’s awesome, it’s so exciting,” Isaiah said just after bringing the Mustangs to their first undefeated win of the season. “Hopefully, [Mabray] will be out here soon and be able to play with these guys… I know he wants to get back out here.”

Mabray’s loved ones say they never see him looking back on his diagnosis, now that he’s cancer-free. They call him a very typical teenager with an incredible story.

“It’s good having them out here, my friends, [my team],” he said. “I can basically call them family, how they’re here for me.”

Daisy Levine is a journalism student at Boston University. This story is part of a partnership between Gotta Know Medford and the Boston University Department of Journalism.

This article was originally published on September 24, 2025.

By Sangmin Song

Arts Collaborative Medford (ACM) will soon award a second round of scholarships that provide free studio space, mentorship, and a stipend to emerging artists.

Now in its second year, the program – which honors the legacy of local artist Louise Musto-Choate – supports artists who might not otherwise have access to affordable work spaces.

Each year, two scholarship recipients receive a 60-square-foot studio for 12 months with 24/7 access to the building, a $350 materials stipend, and mentorship tailored to their goals. They also join ACM’s artist community, which includes potlucks, networking events, and collaboration with other local creators.

“We’re welcoming artists into an accessible space, we’re creating a more welcoming, friendly culture citywide,” ACM Executive Director Regina Parkinson said. “That’s really important right now as we continue to grow in the city… We’re really trying to foster that as much as we can in our space, and this is just one of the many ways that we do that.”

ACM has received several applications for this year’s scholarship, for which the deadline closed Thursday, Parkinson said. The scholarship is funded largely by private donations.

“It’s a barrier for people to come in on their first studio [knowing] that they have to spend money and worry about how they’re going to make it back,” she said. “But taking yourself seriously by having a specific space, it makes you feel more professional [and] it makes you handle your work more seriously.”

The Louise Musto-Choate Scholarship reflects the AMC’s mission to make Medford a hub for creativity while addressing inequities in access to artistic opportunities. Musto-Choate helped lay the groundwork for the center before her death in 2020.

“Louise was a very effusive artist [who] always wanted to help other people, and was always trying new things,” Parkinson said. “It really honors her name to be giving away space and helping artists under her scholarship.”

For last year’s recipient, Emily Kwong, the impact was immediate. Before the scholarship, her practice of art in acrylic paints and watercolors often took place in the corner of the small apartment she shared with her boyfriend and their cats. Space was tight, and the chaos of everyday life sometimes spilled onto her canvases.

“God forbid my cat steps on something, and then he gets paint everywhere, so there [were] a lot of hurdles,” Kwong said. “I can’t really dedicate more than a small corner for myself to make work, rather than actually have a large enough space to breathe.”

Beyond the physical space, Kwong said, the scholarship changed how she approaches her work. With a dedicated studio to return to, she could step away from unfinished pieces and come back with a fresh eye.

“I actually get to step away from it now, and when I come back to it I’m like, ‘Oh, I don’t actually like that [and ] I actually want to change that,’” she said. “It’s actually giving me time to problem solve.”

Kwong said she had struggled to find her place in other art circles after college, where her style and practice didn’t always fit in. At ACM, she said, the environment felt different, supportive and open.

“When I graduated college, I found it really difficult to get my footing anywhere outside the dedicated space I had in college,” she said. “There wasn’t a huge opportunity for me to grow… but here it feels like a very positive environment.”

The experience has encouraged Kwong to apply for a second year in the program. She also hopes other communities take notice.

“This is a really good step in the right direction, and I really hope other art communities start doing this work,” she said. “I feel supporting younger artists right now [is] such a big thing, where they should be giving more opportunities to other people in the community.”

As ACM prepares to select its next scholars, Parkinson said, the organization remains committed to honoring Musto-Choate’s legacy and building a strong arts community in Medford.

“We’re here and we have very specific opportunities, but we’re also a young and new organization that welcomes the voices of our community,” Parkinson said. “If there are things that people want to see or need, I want to hear about that. We’re also looking for support at any time, for people that feel moved by what we’re doing.”

For Kwong, the message to future applicants is simple.

“You really just have to have that confidence to be, ‘If I apply to it, the worst-case scenario is [just] a no,’” she said. “A big part of life, honestly, is just being able to [put] yourself out there. Life is all about those risks, and you really need to just stick [to] yourself.”

More information about the LMC Scholarship can be found here.

Sangmin Song is a senior journalism student. This story is part of a partnership between Gotta Know Medford and the Boston University Department of Journalism.

This article was originally published on September 23, 2025.

By Siena Griffin

When Newton residents vote in this November’s election, many will choose candidates for neighborhood area councils in Newton Highlands, Newton Upper Falls, Waban and Newtonville.

But what are area councils, and what exactly do they do?

Julie Irish, president of Newton Upper Falls Area Council, says she thinks a lot of people don’t know—but she believes they should.

“I see a lot of benefit of having area councils,” Irish said. “It’s just another way to communicate and solve problems.”

Nomination papers for area councils (each candidate must have at least 25 signatures) are due Sept. 22.

How did area councils start?

A revision of Newton’s city charter that took effect Jan. 1, 1972, created a framework for area councils with the goal “to encourage citizen involvement in government at the neighborhood level by permitting limited self-government.”

Newton Highlands created the first area council in 1974, followed by Upper Falls in 2011 and Newtonville and Waban in 2013, according to each council’s by-laws. 

Any Newton neighborhood can establish an area council. A resident must submit a petition, signed by at least 20% of the area’s voters, to the city council, followed by a public hearing and a city council vote. 

“There has been some talk about creating other area councils,” said Jeremy Freudberg, Newton Highlands Area Council president. “It’s just a matter of whether or not there’s enough cohesion or consistent identity in a certain area to accomplish that.” 

What is their purpose?

Area councils are “a bridge between city government and the local residents,” Freudberg said, and this “two-way street” helps bring residents’ questions and concerns to the city’s attention.

“A lot of people don’t know where to start as far as getting those answers,” he said. “The area council is there to bring up topics of interest in the community.”

Although each area council’s nine members are elected, they are volunteers and do not have governing power, Irish said. Rather, area councils’ relationship to the city government means they can effectively field residents’ questions and contact relevant city councilors or departments. 

When residents brought up safety issues with the Upper Falls Greenway Splash Park, which opened in June 2025, Irish said the Upper Falls Area Council wrote a letter to the Newton Parks, Recreation and Culture Department. The department took action, and Irish could report to residents that the city heard their concerns. 

“That’s kind of the perfect situation,” she said. “We hear from residents, we’re able to get to the next level, rather than having a resident write a letter.”

Each area council hosts a monthly open meeting to hear from residents. Newtonville also holds a monthly listening hour at local cafés, where residents can speak to councilors in an informal setting, said Laura De Veau, Newtonville Area Council president. 

To De Veau, area councilors are “the face on the street and the boots on the ground” to address residents’ issues. 

Area councils also plan community-building events, such as an annual Village Day, typically each village’s main event of the year. 

How do they differ from neighborhood associations?

Some of Newton’s 13 villages, including Nonantum, Newton Corner and Newton Lower Falls, have neighborhood associations instead of area councils.

Both area councils and neighborhood associations volunteer to advocate for residents and sponsor community events, including individual Village Days.

One difference between the two groups is that area councils must follow the state Open Meeting Law, said Ward 2 City Councilman At-Large Tarik Lucas, who served on the Newtonville Area Council from 2018 to 2019. Area councils are required to publicize minutes and agendas from their monthly meetings, which are available on the city website.

“[Neighborhood associations are] not subject to open meeting laws, and they don’t have strict rules and regulations they have to follow, whereas neighborhood area councils do,” Lucas said.

Unlike neighborhood associations, Newton’s area councils are written into the city charter, so members must undergo a formal local election process. Area council members also host the Newton city election debates, which occur this year on Oct. 18 and 19.

How are members elected?

Area councilors serve two-year terms. Elections take place in November every odd year, on the same day as elections for city council, school committee and mayor. Election day is Nov. 4. 

“It’s a contested race if there’s enough candidates,” Freudberg said. 

Area councils are on a ballot separate from the citywide elections, and residents can vote for area council members only in person, either on election day or during early voting. As a result, Freudberg said, promoting area council voting can be difficult.

“All four area councils have been working with the city, the interim city clerk and some of the city councilors, who have been there to help advocate with us, to improve that process,” De Veau said. 

To appear on the ballot, area council candidates must collect 25 signatures from residents in their catchment and submit nomination papers to the City Clerk’s Office, this year by Sept. 22. 

This story is part of a partnership between the Newton Beacon and the Boston University Department of Journalism.

This article was originally published on September 18, 2025.