First In-Person Session in Two Years
Reading, MA — With a strike of his gavel, Moderator Alan Foulds opened Reading’s 379th Annual Town Meeting on Monday, the first such meeting to be held in person since 2019. After the opening formalities, including the swearing in of all 192 newly elected members, the meeting got underway with the tabling of articles two and three. Article two, reports, were tabled as they are published in the warrant report. Article three, instructional motions, traditionally are addressed at the end of the meeting.
Article 4 – Capital Plan
Article four proposed to amend the town’s capital plan. Considerable debate was generated by a $110,000 proposal to add pay kiosks for the two downtown municipal parking lots to the capital plan. At its April 19 meeting, the Select Board listened to suggestions from the Parking Advisory and Recommendation Committee (PARC) to improve downtown parking. As a part of this plan, PARC proposed that kiosks could be established in the two lots. PARC suggests that one hour or less of parking would be free. Parking would cost $1 an hour for one to four hours of parking and would cost $5 per hour after four hours. Parking in the lots would remain unregulated after 5:00 pm. The PARC believes that this would increase turnover in the lots and thus create more parking opportunities for customers. The Select Board will hold a public hearing on the issue on May 3 at 7:45 pm. [Read More]
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In the “I’ll Follow You” category of the April 25 episode of “Jeopardy!” the town of Reading was part of the clue.
The Answer? “What are ducklings?”
What ducklings, you ask? Coolidge Middle School has become the home of a mother duck. According to their Twitter page: “Each year, a mother duck lays eggs in our courtyard, which has no food or water once hatched. We then allow them passage through the building and into nature.” [Read More]
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Celebrate ● Engage ● Learn
Where: Wood End School 85 Sunset Rock Lane
When: Sunday, May 1 from 12 (Noon) – 3 PM
Who: Anyone
Scheduled activities:
- Guided Bird Walk with Dave Williams (12:15-1:45PM)
- – Spots available on a first-come, first-serve basis
- – If you have them, bring binoculars!
- Self-Guided Scavenger Hunt
- Fairy House Building
- Mural Appreciation at the Cinder Block Building
- Invasive Species Pulling
Come learn about our town’s environmental initiatives and enter into multiple drawings for FREE Prizes! JOIN US! Sponsored by the Reading Town Forest Committee. [Read More]
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Baker-Polito Administration Awards $527K to Equip Municipal Emergency Response Vehicles with Automated External Defibrillators
Today, the Baker-Polito Administration announced grants to empower local municipalities to purchase Automated External Defibrillators (AED) for public safety and first responder vehicles. $527K of state and federal funding will equip 246 vehicles serving approximately 70% of the Commonwealth’s cities and towns. This grant opportunity was made possible by state legislation authorized by Chapter 24 of the Massachusetts Acts of 2021, An Act Making Appropriations for Fiscal Year 2022.
“Our administration remains committed to making sure local public safety officials have the tools they need to save lives,” Governor Charlie Baker said. “Providing first responders with immediate access to an AED will improve cardiac patient care and improve emergency response. We thank our partners in the Legislature for their support of this program.”
“Emergency responders bring their training and expertise to scenes where every second counts,”Lieutenant Governor Karyn Polito said. “t Our administration continues to focus on equipping local public safety departments with training, safety equipment, programming, and operational support. Complimenting the experience of first responders, AEDs create an opportunity to positively change a too often fatal outcome.” [Read More]
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In 2021, the Reading Municipal Light Department (RMLD) was awarded multiple MassEVIP Public Access Charging (PAC) Program grants from Massachusetts to install a total of five level 2 dual-port public electric vehicle (EV) charging stations within its service area. Three stations will be installed in Reading, and two will be installed in Wilmington.
The grant funding will cover a portion of the cost of the installations. The RMLD will contribute funding and operational support.
Reading Locations
The locations of the charging stations were confirmed by the Reading Select Board following input from the Town of Reading and the RMLD. Locations are as follows:
- 580 Main Street Parking Lot
- Lincoln Street Parking Area (by MBTA station)
- Reading Public Library Rear Parking Lot
Current parking policies will remain at each site (example: 580 Main Street maintains a two-hour limit). [Read More]
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We are thrilled to announce this year’s version of the annual Bike Recycling and Give-Away. Used bikes (in good condition) can be donated at RMLD, 230 Ash Street, on Friday, April 29 from 11 am to 12:30 pm and on Saturday, April 30, from 9 am to 11 am.
The bikes will be cleaned and inspected, the tires will be pumped and minor repairs will be made. The bikes will then be offered for adoption at no charge to donors at 12noon and to the general public around 12:30 pm. Come by and pick out a free bike!
The event is co-sponsored by ReadingCares and the Climate Advisory Committee with support from RMLD and the Town of Reading. The Reading Police Department will be on hand to promote bike safety. [Read More]
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Celebrating Our 61st year on May 6th, and 7th
The Reading Art Association Spring Show returns this May with artwork of over 90 artist members representing surrounding towns and cities. The show will be held at the Congregational Church, Woburn Street in Reading on Friday, May 6, from 7:30 pm – 9:30 pm, and Saturday, May 7 from 10:00 am – 3:00 pm Entrance to Guild Hall where the art show is held is the middle side door on Sanborn Street. The presentation of awards is at 8:30 on Friday night.
A painting has been donated for the drawing. Tickets are available to be purchased for a $1 ticket. The winning ticket will be drawn on Saturday afternoon and the winner does not need to be present Saturday to win the painting. [Read More]
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California Suite
By Neil Simon
Directed by: John Pease
Produced by: Phyllis Uloth
Production Dates: April 29, 30 & May 1, 2022
Cast: Leslie Brebner, Lennie Chasse, Mike Cherone, Karen Fanale, J.P. Giuliotti, Jaime Hennessy, Sarah Logsdon, Mark Nichols, Angela Courtney Rossi, Glenn Wakeley, and Jeanne Zilliox
Simon has given us four playlets telling the stories of the different people who have stayed in the Suite 203-04. There are visitors from four cities – New York, Philadelphia, London and Chicago – and all with a story to tell in Simon style!
There is a divorced couple quarreling over their daughter’s life; a businessman who wakes up to find a prostitute in his bed moments before his wife arrives; and a British couple with a marriage of convenience and lot of anxiety! Then there are two affluent couples who are best friends taking a much-needed vacation together. Until it is not such a good idea! [Read More]
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Colonial Chorus Players of Reading is hoping Lady Luck is on their side as they present the classic Frank Loesser musical Guys and Dolls May 13–15, 2022, more than two years after it was originally slated to run.
The show had been cast in January 2020, with performances scheduled for Mother’s Day weekend that May. The cast had just held its first rehearsal on March 8 when the production was forced to shut down due to Covid. It was rescheduled for May 2021 but the CCP Executive Board soon realized that was being optimistic, and once again, it was postponed.
“We knew two years ago that we had something special, and it broke our hearts when we had to delay this show not once but twice,” says Heather Hamilton, president of Colonial Chorus Players and also one of the show’s producers. [Read More]
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The Reading Cultural Council (RCC) Annual Survey is now open. Let your Cultural Council know how you want us to allocate your funds.
The Mass Cultural Council receives an annual appropriation from the Commonwealth, as well as support from the National Endowment for the Arts for support of the arts in Massachusetts. The Reading Cultural Council is one of 329 local councils who are responsible for disbursing that money to local programs and events. Last year we disbursed $23,500 in grants to local individuals and organizations to support art and culture in Reading.
In order to know what types of programs you would like to see supported we reach out to the residents of Reading with an annual survey. You can fill out our survey by clicking on the link below to let us know what you think. [Read More]
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It’s said that Love Makes The World Go ‘Round, and The Reading Community Singers are setting out to prove it with a program of songs to make their case.
Come join us on Saturday, May 21 at 7:30 p.m. at Reading Memorial High School when we will be performing The Beatles’ ‘I’m Happy Just To Dance With You,’ Simon & Garfunkel’s ‘Bridge Over Troubled Water,’ Adele’s ‘To Make You Feel My Love.’ and much, much more.
The concert will also feature a medley of songs by the great 70’s rock band Chicago starring our fantastic pit band and ‘Disney Dazzle’ will fill the hearts of children and adults alike.
Tickets are going fast and space is limited. You can buy yours at the door, but we recommend an online purchase at our website ReadingCommunitySingers.org. Prices are as follows: adult tickets cost $25, Seniors and students pay $20, and kids under five get in free. To keep our audience and singers safe, please check our website for covid protocols. [Read More]
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Highlights from the Reading Police & Fire Logs
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