Council presses mayor on legal costs

From Medford News

• Bicycle commission renews free light giveaway to students. Medford's Bicycle Advisory Commission kept up its yearly give-away of free safety lights to schoolchildren, while its vice chair and chair began planning a meeting with police on cyclist harassment and crash reporting. Members also noted a Mystic River bridge project advancing near Encore Boston Harbor.Medford News
• Ward 1 residents press council on noise, traffic. Medford City Councilors Liz Moline and a colleague identified as Justin heard from about two dozen Ward 1 residents on a neighbor's disruptive motorcycle, outdated noise rules, a large Wellington apartment proposal and malfunctioning pedestrian signals near the Fellsway.Medford News
• Disability commission begins ranking crosswalks for ADA fixes. Medford's Commission for Persons with Disabilities spent most of its meeting helping a consultant prioritize nine intersections for a grant-funded accessible pedestrian signal project, with Boston Avenue at Winthrop Street and the library crossing among early contenders. One commissioner said repeated attempts to flag the city website's accessibility have gone unanswered.Medford News
• Planning director details year of federal housing grants. Medford Planning, Development and Sustainability Director Alicia Hunt presented the city's annual federal grant report at a September 23 hearing, covering spending on sidewalks, ADA intersection upgrades, housing rehab loans and vacant storefront grants, as the city works to hire a dedicated CDBG manager.Medford News
• Zoning board wrestles with new state ADU law. Medford's Zoning Board of Appeals continued two contested accessory-dwelling-unit dormer cases to October while seeking more legal guidance on the state's new ADU law, with neighbors raising fire-truck access and parking concerns at proposed Vassar Street and Wellesley Street units.Medford News
• Arts council opens review of 2026 grant requests. Medford's Arts Council opened review of its 2026 grant cycle ahead of an October 15 deadline, with applicants already seeking tens of thousands of dollars, while members also discussed a stalled Logan Park art installation and a possible Tufts University cultural partnership.Medford News
• School committee sees district's state ranking climb. Medford's School Committee heard that the district's state accountability ranking climbed to the 50th percentile, with seven of eight schools improving, as members also took up a midyear budget transfer and a natural-gas equipment exception for three schools.Medford News
• Council presses mayor on mounting legal costs. Medford's City Council extended a fight over law department funding for another month, with Council President Bears citing years of outside counsel spending and Councillor Michael Singh questioning unauditable retainer lines, as Mayor Brianna Longo Kern has tied hiring a new city solicitor to how the dispute ends.Medford News

Medford on Fri, Oct 2

• West Medford restaurant closes after decade in business. Snappy Pattys has permanently closed in West Medford after more than ten years, Medford Patch reports, though the outlet notes a successor for the space was found quickly.Medford Patch
• Combat FC tickets go on sale for Oct. 23 card. Tickets are now on sale for a Combat FC fight card October 23 at the Great American Beer Hall on Mystic Avenue, FightNews reports.FightNews

Coming up

• Sat, Oct 3: Citywide yard sale returns to Medford this weekend. Medford's citywide yard sale returns this weekend, Medford Patch reports, with residents invited to browse neighborhood sales around town.Medford Patch
• Sun, Oct 18: ALS and MS Walk for Living returns Oct. 18. The 18th annual ALS and MS Walk for Living is set for October 18 in Medford, Medford Patch reports.Medford Patch

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Compiled from official town feeds, community organizations, and local press. Outside reporting is attributed inline.