“The Remarkable Cyrus Wakefield”

24Feb13

A Talk by John Wall Many people know the story of how the town of South Reading, MA came to be renamed after industrialist Cyrus Wakefield. But most people probably don’t realize the extent to which he shaped the town of Wakefield as we know it today. In a talk on Feb. 20, 2013 to […]

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Tags: business, Capt. Henry Bancroft, Cyrus Wakefield, furniture, History, industry, John Wall, Mark Sardella, rattan, South Reading, Wakefield Daily Item, Wakefield MA, Wakefield Massachusetts

Pot Law Takes a Hit

21Sep12

When the Board of Selectmen last week moved to use zoning to nip in the bud any chance of a medical marijuana dispensary opening in Wakefield Massachusetts, they were not alone. Many Massachusetts cities and towns have put in motion measures to stem the possibility of a pot store opening in their communities. This widespread […]

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Tags: Ballot Questions, cannabis, Daily Item, election, elections, herb, marihuana, marijuana, Mark Sardella, Massachusetts, medical marijuana, pot, vote, Wakefield Daily Item, Wakefield Item, Wakefield MA, Wakefield Massachusetts, weed

Extreme Moderates

06Sep12

“Why are there no moderate Republicans?” That’s the lament we hear with increasing frequency from some quarters as the fall election season heats up. Meanwhile, many of the same people who decry this supposed lack of moderation are working overtime to paint a couple of true moderates as “extreme.” Last year, Congressional Quarterly ranked Scott […]

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Tags: Congress, Democrats, election, elections, John Tierney, Mark Sardella, moderate, moderates, Politics, Republican, Republicans, Richard Tisei, Scott Brown, Senate, Senator Scott Brown, Twitter, Wakefield, Wakefield Daily Item, Wakefield MA, Wakefield Mass, Wakefield Massachusetts

Yes, he built that

29Aug12

Sardella Sign & Graphics, 68 North Ave., Wakefield, MA was this week’s winner in WRKO radio’s “Small Business Appreciation Initiative.” On Monday morning, WRKO delivered coffee and baked goods from Greenhills Irish Bakery to the staff at Sardella Signs. I know that my brother Bob built this business all on his own. I watched him […]

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Tags: Batten Bros, Bob Sardella, business, Chris Harris, Greenhills Irish Bakery, John Connors, Meghan Sardella, radio, Sardella, Sardella Sign & Display, small business, Wakefield, Wakefield MA, Wakefield Mass, Wakefield Massachusetts, WRKO

New Portrait Kicks Off Civic Center Centennial

23Aug12

On January 15, 2013, the Wakefield, Massachusetts building now known as the Americal Civic Center will turn 100 years old. Last night, it received an early birthday present. In ceremonies held last night in the Heritage Room, a new portrait of the historic building, painted by local artist Elizabeth O’Neill Lowry, was unveiled.

Filed under: Art, Columns & Essays, Feature stories, History, News, Profiles, Wakefield   |  Leave a Comment
Tags: Americal Civic Center, Armory, Art, artist, centennial, Elizabeth Lowry, House Proud Portraits, Massachusetts, Massachusetts State Armory, painting, State Armory, Wakefield MA, Wakefield Massachusetts

Marching Orders

26Jul12

I love a parade. I’m especially fond of the Wakefield, MA Independence Day Parade, having attended most of them since the Eisenhower Administration. Over the years, I became less interested in the clowns and more interested in the politicians. In other words, my tastes haven’t changed very much. The 2012 Wakefield Independence Day Parade featured […]

Filed under: Columns & Essays, Opinion, Politics, Wakefield   |  2 Comments
Tags: Daily Item, Donald Wong, Elizabeth Warren, Fourth of July, holiday, John Tierney, July 4, Mark Sardella, Parade, parades, Peter Koutoujian, politicians, Richard Tisei, Sen. Scott Brown, Wakefield, Wakefield Daily Item, Wakefield Independence Day Parade, Wakefield Item, Wakefield MA, Wakefield Massachusetts

Keep Neighborhood Polling Places

14Jun12

Largely ignored in all the excitement over the margin of victory in the June 9 Special Election was the fact that the decision to build a new Galvin Middle School was made by a minority of the town’s voters. Less than one-third of those eligible weighed in with a vote. If you count only the […]

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Tags: Daily Item, election, elections, Galvin, Galvin Middle School, Galvinize, Galvinize Wakefield, Mark Sardella, polling places, Proposition 2 1/2, school, schools, tax, taxes, vote, voters, votes, voting, Wakefield, Wakefield Daily Item, Wakefield Item, Wakefield MA, Wakefield Massachusetts

One Issue Wonders

31May12

Every time a special interest group manages to pack Town Meeting to ram their pet measure through, local government geeks find themselves wondering if there will be some long-term residual benefit, some lasting silver lining to this cynical exercise. Surely, they imagine, out of this great mass of people here to vote on their one […]

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Tags: ballot, ballot question, debt exclusion, election, Galvin Middle School, Galvinize, Galvinize Wakefield, June 9, Mark Sardella, new Galvin Middle School, property tax, Proposition 2 1/2, rebuild, school, school building project, school construction, schools, taxes, Town Meeting, vote, Wakefield MA, Wakefield Mass, Wakefield Massachusetts

Quannapowitt Players Present a Moving Diary of Anne Frank

24May12

With a cast of 15, the Quannapowitt Players‘ “The Diary of Anne Frank” captures the terror, tension and tenderness experienced by two Jewish families being hidden from the Nazis in Amsterdam during World War II, as told by Anne Frank in her diary of her family’s two years in hiding. The production is directed by […]

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Tags: Anne Frank, Becky Klein, community theater, Daily Item, Diary of Anne Frank, drama, Nancy Curran Willis, play, QP, Quannapowitt Players, Quannapowitt Playhouse, Reading, Reading MA, Reading Massachusetts, stage, theater, theatre, Wakefield, Wakefield Daily Item, Wakefield Item, Wakefield MA, Wakefield Massachusetts

Galvinizers’ Night Out

17May12

Pro-debt exclusion crowd dominates Wakefield, MA Annual Town Meeting The Monday, May 14 Galvin Gala was scheduled to begin at 7:30, but if you arrived later than 7 p.m., you may have found yourself parking, as I did, in Victory Village down off Richardson Street. Packing the Galvin Auditorium and the cafeteria, the crowd of […]

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Tags: Bill Carroll, Daily Item, debt exclusion, Galvin, Galvin Middle School, Galvinize Wakefield, Mark Sardella, property tax, Proposition 2 1/2, school, schools, taxes, Wakefield, Wakefield Daily Item, Wakefield Item, Wakefield MA, Wakefield Mass, Wakefield Massachusetts