May 2021 – Everett Leader Herald

McLaughlin at-large bid sets up spirited Ward 6 race

By JOSH RESNEK

Ward 6 Councilor Mike McLaughlin is going for an at-large council seat.

The popular councilor told the Leader Herald he will be running at large, keeping with the spirit of his belief that he wants to help people in all the wards.

“When the legislature signed into law the charter change regarding how we elect councilors in Everett, I made my decision. I want to continue serving the community as a whole. I want to continue moving the city for- ward in a positive direction as a bridge-builder with everyone including the schools, city hall, business owners, and residents. Everyone in this city has a seat at my table at city hall,” he said.

His decision to go at large set off a contest between Ward 6 local businessman and friend of the mayor, Al Lattanzi, and widely known local Ward 6 resident Ross Pietrantonio.

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Adrien has signatures in

MAY 22: Mayoral candidate Gerly Adrien collects signatures from Everett residents in Everett Square. (Photo by Jim Mahoney)

By JOSH RESNEK

Mayoral candidate Gerly Adrien handed in her nomination papers Monday morning to the Election Commission at city hall.

Her forces gathered 623 signatures since nomination papers were handed out last week.

Thus ended a flurry of activity by Adrien to get her name officially on the ballot before the mayor and Fred Capone, both of whom are now gathering signatures.

Adrien again proved she is likely the most highly organized candidate for public office in Everett.

Most signature collection drives take several weeks. Her rapid collection of 623 signatures effortlessly reveals several things about her candidacy.

By filing her nomination papers first, she has shown an ability to get out in front of the mayor and Capone.

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Mayor’s hopefuls out early seeking votes

MAY 22: Mayoral candidate Fred Capone greets supporters while campaigning and collecting signatures in Everett Square Saturday. (Photo by Jim Mahoney)

Candidates strategies differ as they vie for corner office

By JOSH RESNEK

As May transits to June, the mayoral hopefuls are all showing their hands, and their strategies to get themselves elected mayor.

All three races are especially transparent as to what each candidate is doing or not doing at this early moment in a race that will end with a primary during the first week in September.

Gerly Adrien and Fred Capone have both been campaigning door to door and with noticeable early morning visibilities every day.

In what must be considered a first, Adrien has already filed her signatures following an organized, early signature campaign.

Filing signatures after only a week since the nomination papers were issued is fairly extraordinary.

The mayor appeared to be giving away an early start to his two opponents.

Not really.

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Capone wants new EFD hires to be fire firefighters first

EFD Ladder 1 battling a multi-alarm fire on Bellingham Ave. Saturday. (Photo by Kevin Wiles)

Grills Chief Carli on recruit’s role

By JOSH RESNEK

Councilor Fred Capone questioned Fire Chief Anthony Carli about 20 new firefighter hires against the backdrop of Everett firefighters having fought two major fires during the weekend.

New firefighters haven’t joined day-to-day line forces in Everett for the past five years.

Firefighting suppression resources have been lacking here.

The chief was quick to defend the department, which is now training approximately 20 new firefighters to act as EMTs first and firefighters second, as the city morphs into having its own emergency ambulance service.

A five-alarm fire in Revere on Endicott Avenue brought Everett firefighters to the scene on a nearly all-day call which required mutual aid companies from out of the city to be stationed in firehouses here.

A day following that fire, a fire on Bellingham Avenue emptied Everett’s firehouses again until the fire was suppressed.

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Reflection on the death of George Floyd

Participants in a vigil at Glendale Park for murdered George Floyd in June 2020.(File photo by Jim Mahoney)

By GERLY ADRIEN

One year later, as we reflect on the murder of George Floyd, let us remember that he should be home with his family today.

We need to fight for real changes at every level of government.

We must hold our federal legislators accountable for passing the George Floyd Justice in Policing Act. This bill would ban choke holds, end qualified immunity, prohibit discriminatory profiling, stop no-knock warrants in federal drug cases, create a nationwide police misconduct registry, and would also limit the amount of military equipment given to local police. This bill would be a game-changer nationwide in the fight for racial equity in policing.

Locally, there’s a lot of work that we as a community, and legislators like myself can do.

We need allies to speak up with us, listen to us, and get to work with us.

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