Animal Control: Is This Your Dog?

This male Jack Russell Terrier found at Pine Banks Park on May 14th.

State House News Service Weekly Roundup: Three's Company

Recap and analysis of the week in state government.

Like pieces of a puzzle that don't quite fit together yet, the Big Three may have been separated at birth, but with each incremental step their destinies seem to grow more intertwined. No, we're not talking about those Big Three - Gov. Deval Patrick, Senate President Therese Murray and Speaker Robert DeLeo - though they play major character roles in this thickening plot.  Instead, three bills have come to define the early months of the 2013 legislative agenda and resolutions on tax hikes, local road funding and the annual state budget continue to be elusive and dependent on one another. Patrick spent the early part of his week welcoming British Prime Minister David Cameron to Boston for a few quick meetings and a visit to the Copley …

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Melrose Man, Four Others Allegedly Solicited Bribes from Logan Cabbies

The men solicited and took bribes and then let the cab drivers cut in line, according to the Suffolk County District Attorney’s Office.

Melrose's Michael Garvey and four other Massport employees allegedly solicited and took bribes from cab drivers at Logan Airport in exchange for letting them cut other taxis in line, according to the Suffolk County District Attorney’s Office. The men were indicted Tuesday by a Suffolk County Grand Jury. The men are all Ground Transportation Unit agents, or “cab starters,” at Logan. Suffolk County District Attorney Daniel Conley said the men “exploited a position of power to line their pockets.” “It’s hard enough to make a living without having to grease a palm or pay a bribe,” he said. Massport’s CEO, Thomas Glynn, said his agency assisted State Police with their investigation and said all five employees are suspended without pay and will …

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Is Massachusetts Bad for Business?

Results from a recent executive survey ranked Massachusetts 47th for business.

  A CEO magazine ranks Massachusetts as one of the worst states in the nation for business. Chief Executive Magazine ranked Massachusetts 47th based on a survey of corporate leaders. Survey respondents reported the Bay State is one of the worst for taxation and regulation. The state Republican Party is pointing to the survey and saying that Gov. Deval Patrick and the Democratic-led Legislature are bad for the economy and business. What do you think about Massachusetts’ business climate? Is this a good state in which to do business?

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Chris Noonan Funnell

7:14 am on Wednesday, May 15, 2013

Great talk was given on this topic last night at Greater Boston Tea Party/Medford. See my blog post "New Jobs for Massachusetts" on the Medford Patch   more ›

Markey Leads Gomez in New Suffolk/WHDH Poll

Congressman leads Gabriel Gomez by 17 points.

A new Suffolk University/7NEWS (WHDH) poll shows a strong lead for Democratic U.S. Congressman Edward Markey over Republican businessman and former U.S. Navy SEAL Gabriel Gomez in the race for the U.S. Senate special election. The poll of 500 likely voters has Markey at 52 percent and Gomez at 35 percent. Eleven percent of voters in the poll were undecided. A third-party candidate, Richard Heos of the Twelve Visions Party, got 1 percent and another 1 percent refused to respond. David Paleologos, director of the Suffolk University Political Research Center in Boston, said along with the announcement of the poll that Markey has "a large lead over his Republican opponent who voters are unsure about." Indeed, 32 percent of those polled said …

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Local Lawmakers, Police Chief, Testify on Sex Offender Legislation

Legislation filed in aftermath of John Burbine arrest aims to fix weaknesses in the state's sex offender registry system.

Local lawmakers and Wakefield’s chief of police were among those calling for changes to the state’s sex offender laws during a Tuesday hearing at the State House. State Sen. Katherine Clark, who represents Melrose, chaired the Joint Committee on the Judiciary hearing, focused on a bill she and State Rep. Paul Brodeur (D-Melrose) are sponsoring. The legislation aims to address weaknesses in the sex offender registry system that were brought to light by the John Burbine child sex abuse case. Burbine allegedly sexually abused children from in and around Melrose. Wakefield Police Chief Rick Smith testified at the hearing and was quoted in a Boston Herald report talking about how last summer a parent came to the station asking for information …

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You Ask, Patch Answers

What Events are Planned for Memorial Day in Melrose?

A schedule of events for Memorial Day 2013 in the city.

Wondering what the city has in store for Memorial Day 2013? Check out a schedule of events planned in Melrose around the holiday: Melrose Veteran Services' Memorial Day 2013 Schedule of Events

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Markey or Gomez: Who Would You Vote for Today?

The two will face off on June 25 in the U.S. Senate special election.

    After months of campaigning we now know who is going head to head in the June 25 special U.S. Senate election. Democratic Congressman Edward Markey (D-Malden) took the Democratic vote in the Tuesday election over fellow Congressman Stephen Lynch (D-South Boston). Political newcomer and former U.S. Navy SEAL Gabriel Gomez of Cohasset came out on top of a field of Republican candidates  - including more seasoned opponents former U.S. Attorney Michael Sullivan and State Rep. Dan Winslow of Norfolk. With a month and a half of campaigning still to come we wanted to stop and ask you this question. If the Special Election were today - who would you vote for right now? Markey or Gomez? Tell us in our comments section below.

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Tyler Jozefowicz

12:18 am on Wednesday, May 22, 2013

Rob C.:I said Gomer has no govt experience, applying for a govt post. As far as EW goes- EW fresh ideas: living wage for workers; just filed " Student Loan Fairness Act"; Banking Committee advocate for prosecutions in Subprime Scandal; EW prior govt experience- Chair of Congressional Oversight Committee (TARP); Asst to President on Consumer Protection matters; Special Advisor to Treasury …   more ›