Tuesday, July 17, 2012
Voters will decide whether to grant doctors, patients and other care-givers the right to provide medical marijuana this fall. What do you think?
The states of Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, Delaware, Hawaii, Maine, Maryland, Michigan, Montana, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, Oregon, Rhode Island, Vermont, Washington and Washington, D.C., all already allow medical marijuana to varying degrees - but is it right for Massachusetts? That's the question state voters will decide this Fall, when they consider “A Law for the Humanitarian Medical Use of Marijuana,” the first of three questions on the ballot this year. The initiative “seeks to legalize the use and cultivation of marijuana as a medical drug” and ends penalties on “qualifying patients, physicians and health care professionals, personal caregivers for patients, or medical marijuana treatment center agents for the medical…
Friday, July 13, 2012
The "true cost" of the project of the highway project is estimated at $24 billion, according to the Boston Globe.
Boston's "Big Dig" project took decades to complete, and now estimates peg its cost at $24 billion, according to the Boston Globe. The project moved the city's central highway artery underground, helping to alleviate traffic and create the Rose Kennedy Greenway. But digging the tunnel cost over $14 billion, plus another $7 billion in interest on the project's bond, which expires in 2038, according to the Globe. Add in supplemental transportation projects, including the implementation of the Silver Line rapid transit service, upgrades to the MBTA's blue line and the in-progress Green Line Extension project, and the Big Dig's true cost equals $24 billion. (Read the full Globe Report: True cost of Big Dig exceeds $24 billion with interest). …
Thursday, May 17, 2012
The city council is seeking state approval to install such cameras at some intersections in the city.
This week, the city council voted to seek approval from the state legislature for red camera lights in the city that could automatically issue tickets to those who fail to stop at major intersections. Groups like the Masachusetts Police Chiefs Association and AAA are in favor of the cameras, saying they can help reduce crime without the cost of adding additional officers to the payroll. Others, such as the ACLU of Massachusetts, criticize the cameras for decreasing certain kinds of crashes while increasing the likelihood of others, as well as concerns about due process and privacy. But readers – what do you think? Is there a particularly busy intersection in which you'd like to see a red light camera? Think it's a dumb idea? Take our poll …
Wednesday, April 11, 2012
Voters may have the chance to vote on a ballot question that, if passed, could legalize marijuana in Massachusetts for people with debilitating conditions.
The Massachusetts' legislature's Committee On Public Health held a hearing yesterday to evaluate a possible ballot question that would legalize marijuana for "patients with debilitating medical conditions such as cancer, AIDS and multiple sclerosis" who have a doctor's prescription for it, according to an article on MyFox Boston. The ballot question, which Attorney General Martha Coakley has already certified to appear on the ballot, also "calls for the state to register up to 35 nonprofit medical treatment centers around the state to distribute the marijuana." 15 states and Washington, D.C. already allow medical marijuana to varying degrees, but is it right for Massachusetts? Vote in our poll and leave a comment with your take on the …
Tuesday, April 3, 2012
Councilor Neil Kinnon has proposed the measure for years, and the council will hear a discussion about it tonight during their 7 p.m. meeting.
Note: If you can't make the meeting, remember you can always watch it live on Malden Patch. Tonight at 7 p.m., the Malden City Council will reconsider a discussion tabled last week exploring the possibility of requiring pit bulls and pit bull mixes to be muzzled on public property. A number of animal groups, such as the MSPCA, say the measure is cruel, but the sponsor, Councilor Neil Kinnon, points to a number of attacks in the city he said could've been prevented with such an ordinance. What do you think, readers? Are you a pit bull owner or lover? A victim of a dog attack? We want to hear from you - take our poll above and let us know in the comments.
Thursday, March 29, 2012
As a part of their bankruptcy claim, the company is selling off the names, addresses, and email addresses of customers who have joined their loyalty programs. Does this seem fair to you?
Filene's is bankrupt, and as a part of their bankruptcy filing they're putting their intellectual property on sale. Filene's intellectual property doesn't just include the famous "Running Of The Brides," which they've trademarked, it also includes the names, email addresses, and home addresses of the nearly 2 million customers who have signed up for the loyalty programs "the Syms Educated Consumer program" and "the Filene’s Basement Fan Club." According to CBS Boston, barring any disapproval from bankruptcy courts, the auction will take place May 3rd. Other items they've got up for sale include the phrases "I Just Got A Bargain" and "The Basement" and both "The Educated Consumer" and "An Educated Consumer." The full legal brief, …
Friday, March 16, 2012
Have things gotten out of hand, or is this all just good fun and culture?
Whether it's with green beer, an "Irish car bomb," longer-lived mixed drinks like Irish coffee or just a pint of Guinness, those who want to get drunk in the name of Ireland have plenty of beverage choices this weekend. Those choices were available last year, too, and at 2011's St. Patrick's Day Parade in South Boston, Boston Police arrested 11 people for disorderly conduct and public drinking and issued 380 citations for public drinking, according to an article on TheBostonChannel.com. Readers, is all this drinking a non-negotiable feature of the holiday, or are communities better off with a more moderate approach? Vote in our poll and leave your opinion in the comments.
Wednesday, February 22, 2012
The Supreme Judicial Court ruled a Bay State party's hosts were not liable for underage "bring your own booze" (BYOB) drinking at their home. Should hosts be held civilly responsible when their guests make mistakes?
Recently, the commonwealth's Supreme Judicial Court ruled a Bay State party's hosts were not liable for underage "bring your own booze" (BYOB) drinking. With that in mind, we'd like to know: Do you agree that residents who host BYOB parties should not be held liable if underage guests drive drunk and cause injuries, death, or damage? Let us know by taking our poll and posting a comment.
Tuesday, February 21, 2012
A Massachusetts family will face a judge this week to ask to remove "under God" from the Pledge of Allegiance.
For generations, it has been a tradition for students across the country to start the day by placing their hands over their hearts and reciting the Pledge of Allegiance. The controversy over the words "under God" in the pledge - added to the original text by an act of Congress in 1953 - is almost as much of a tradition as the pledge itself. Recently, a Massachusetts family reportedly asked a judge to force their school district to exclude the phrase during recitation, according to a Fox News story. The family members, who consider themselves atheists, are reportedly arguing that the phrase violates "equal protection" laws and will face a Superior Court judge this week. It's not the first time a first amendment case about the pledge has …
Wednesday, January 11, 2012
Taxes, schools, downtown development, better transparency; vote or tell us.
The New Year provides an opportunity for personal resolutions - weight loss, saving money, correcting personality flaws – as well as a chance to collectively shape our community for the better. Since the common denominator for readers of Malden Patch is the city we live, Patch wants to know: What should be the city's main priority in 2012? If there's an issue we missed, let us know in the comments.
Kevin_Hunt
10:17 am on Monday, July 30, 2012
I agree, David. What about the Saugus Peat fire that Robert was asking about? more ›