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Candidates in full stride

MAY 16: Gerly Adrien waves to passersby at Glendale Park. (Photo by Jim Mahoney)

Capone, Adrien, mayor’s campaigns race out of the gate

By JOSH RESNEK

All three mayoral candidates have jumped from the starting gate with vigorous campaigns, featuring highly professionalized social media platforms – Facebook and Instagram and websites – as well as videos, and press releases.

Early in the campaign visibilities by Adrien and Capone, that is, in-person early morning and during the day public campaigning in Glendale Square and door to door meet- ups with voters throughout the city, have raised eyebrows throughout the community.

Everett is a political community. City hall is important. Who sits as mayor is the veritable top of the mountain.

All three candidates want to get there.

The mayor very badly wants to remain there.

He has been ramping up his media machine for months. The staff devoted to his media runs into the hundreds of thousands in salaries.

The mayor has been using his office to propel his public relations in a variety of ways.

He publishes an informational newsletter with his photograph on it that is distributed throughout the city once a month. This costs the city $4000 a month. He claims it is not a political newsletter, but local voters are a bit more discerning than that.

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Newcomers join political veterans seeking offices

By JOSH RESNEK

Nomination papers were made available by the Election Department at city hall Monday morning. By Monday evening, 33 men and women took papers out.

This is by no means the final list. It was the opening salvo of more candidates to come in what is turning out to be a full-fledged political season in Everett.

All three mayoral candidates took out papers.

Gerly Adrien, Fred Capone, and the mayor are all out gathering signatures as we go to press.

The councilor at large race looks to be well contested with six candidates for five seats.

The list of candidates is expected to grow.

At the moment, Councilors at Large Richard Dell Isola, Jr. and Michael Marchese have taken out papers.

A host of newcomers have also taken out papers for at large.

This includes Angel DiNunzio, James Mastrocola, Stephanie Smith, James LaVecchio, Allen Panarese and Keith Gianelli.

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Full house at Encore, COVID requirements due to change

Gaming earnings start to slowly tick up in MA

By JOSH RESNEK

New guidance from state and federal regulators has allowed the biggest Las Vegas casino operators – Wynn Resorts Ltd. And Las Vegas Sands Corp to allow vaccinated guests to stop wearing masks.

This contrasts with strict regulations that remain in force at Encore Boston Harbor, where masks are still required inside.

However, Tuesday’s announcement by Governor Charlie Baker that all restrictions are being done away with on May 29 gives rise to the belief the Massachusetts Gaming Commission is sure to follow with an edict allowing full capacity without masks for the Encore Boston Harbor Casino and Hotel.

In Las Vegas, it has been announced, plexiglass shields have been removed from gaming tables inside the casino parlors and in poker rooms all over Las Vegas.

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Capone rails against potential stadium deal

A rumored sale by the mayor of Veterans Memorial Stadium to make way for redevelopment is opposed by mayoral candidate and city councilor Fred Capone. (Photo by Jim Mahoney)

Says preserve site, honor vet’s memories

By JOSH RESNEK

The mayor’s plans to sell Everett Memorial Stadium and to build a hotel or 300 units of apartment housing on the site, is being questioned and discouraged by candidate for mayor, Councilor Fred Capone.

The mayor and a developer have apparently agreed on a money deal, as reported more than a year ago by the Leader Herald.

How much will be paid and by whom and what will be built on the site remains in question.

Those questions are being pursued in earnest by Capone. He believes the stadium, which was built as a war memorial to the city’s fallen war dead, would be better left alone by the mayor.

“Relocating the stadium would result in the loss of one of our community’s most historical treasures. Additionally, without the stadium, the veteran memorials both outside the park and within it would be out of place, lose some of its significance or risk significant damage during a relocation effort. Moreover, if another large-scale construction project is proposed one more neighborhood would become overcrowded and engulfed,” Capone said during a recent Zoom meeting where he discussed the issue with voters and members of the city government.

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City launches effort for new high school

Overcrowding, population growth cited as need

By JOSH RESNEK

The School Committee has begun the equivalent of a long march informing the state the city wishes to be considered for a new school to alleviate a serious overcrowding problem.

The overcrowding is worsening from year to year.

Everett High School is named as the school most overcrowded to satisfy the state’s requirements for application.

Thus begins what School Chairperson Frank Parker said would be a five-year process at the very least for the city.

By that time, it is likely the public schools will need seats for an extra thousand students if growth continues as it has during the past decade.

Presently at the high school, an additional 500 students are matriculating in a school built for 1600 students.

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