Meet the Candidates: Select Board
By Kevin Vendt
The Democratic Town Committee hosted a “Meet the Candidates” night on March 16, featuring the three candidates for the two available seats on the Select Board. Each candidate made an opening statement and fielded questions from the gathered audience at the Reading Public Library.

Incumbent Mark Dockser is a 25-year resident of Reading who has served on the Select Board for three years after having served nine years on the Finance Committee. “I’m running for reelection because I believe I have made a positive difference in town,” Dockser shared. Dockser then highlighted some board accomplishments from the past three years, including navigating the pandemic, renewal of the RMLD payment agreement, and the hiring of a new town manager.
Dockser emphasized three themes he would like to focus on moving forward: acting as a compass leading the community, promoting financial stability, and advocating for the needs of senior citizens. When asked why he considers the building of a new senior center to be preferable over remodeling the current Pleasant Street Center, Dockser noted that seniors make up over 27 percent of the community and that many prefer to use senior centers in other towns due to the deficiencies of Reading’s current space, such as the lack of accessible bathrooms and limited rooms. In conclusion, Dockser shared a vision of a Reading that acts with “balance, civility, kindness, and pragmatism.” [Read More]
Meet the Candidates: School Committee
Despite it being an uncontested election, both candidates for the two seats on the School Committee participated in the “Meet the Candidates” night hosted by the Reading Democratic Town Committee on March 16.

The first candidate is fifteen-year School Committee veteran Chuck Robinson. Robinson shared his excitement over how the new central office staff is already transforming the district. He believes that his years on the School Committee and his nine prior years on the Finance Committee make him the “gray hair in the room,” suggesting that his experience can help guide the committee in its work. Robinson continued by sharing his years of coaching experience and his direct participation in four rounds of collective bargaining agreements. [Read More]
Reading Local Election - APRIL 5, 2022
Location: Hawkes Field House at RMHS 7am - 8pm
By Kevin Vendt
Jayne Wellman, Reading’s Business Administrator, shared the new town website with the Select Board. As Wellman showed off new interactive features such as quick link buttons and more user-friendly drop-down menus, she described an interface that should be easier for citizens to use and find the information they need. Other improvements include an improved news section, links to RCTV videos of government meetings, and an enhanced calendar that will show both government and as well as other town-wide activities. All five members of the Select Board expressed appreciation for the new look and functionality of the site.

Select Board member Christopher Haley expressed concern over how messages are shared with boards and committees. The new site will allow board members to be messaged through the site while keeping their personal email addresses private. Haley wondered if a different type of indirect system could be used. Town Manager Fidel Maltez suggested that the new system be tried first and affirmed that adjustments could be made if the system does not work as planned. Wellman concluded, sharing that the new site should be live by Wednesday afternoon, though a link on the new site will direct residents to the former site if needed. “Have patience with us; there will be some glitches,” Wellman added.

John O’Neill, chair of the Reading Center for Active Living Committee (RECALC), presented an update of the work that RECALC has accomplished since its establishment in November of 2021. Twenty-seven percent of Reading’s population is over sixty years of age, and that number is growing. O’Neill shared that the Pleasant Street Center has outlived its useful life and has several issues, including having only one bathroom located on the third floor, a small activity space, and insufficient lobby and gathering spaces. O’Neill estimates that only ten to fifteen percent of the current senior population uses the Pleasant Street Center. [Read More]
As always, Reading is well represented at the World’s oldest annual marathon. Below are the names with their corresponding bib numbers.

The famed and fabled race began in 1897 and is traditionally staged on Patriots’ Day. Due to Covid restrictions, it was run virtually in 2020 and was moved to October last year. The upcoming edition marks its return to April, for the first time since 2019. [Read More]

Reading Runners
29309 Kevin Bednarzyk
26164 Christine Cerretani
25371 Katelynn Conlon
28120 Keith Cruickshank
25769 Bridget Donovan
27872 Charles Emmons
25559 Erin Engelson
25850 Robert Hackett
27468 Adam Halley
26748 David Parziale
25788 Kathleen Pinette
26106 Jamie Santos
27193 John Simpson
15763 Tammy Stapleton
29175 Jonathan Weber
The Reading-North Reading Chamber of Commerce will host two events on this Thursday, March 24 to connect the community with our new Town Manager, Fidel Maltez.

The business community, both owners and staff, are invited to a casual open house on Thursday, March 24 from 8:30 – 9:30 AM at Reading Cooperative Bank, 180 Haven Street in Reading. Tickets are free and refreshments will be provided. Kindly RSVP so we can plan accordingly on the chamber website: readingnreadingchamber.com.

Residents are invited to meet Fidel at an evening open house, also on Thursday, March 24 from 6 – 7 PM at Tin Bucket, 12 Woburn Street in Reading. No need to RSVP for the evening event. The mission of the Reading-North Reading Chamber of Commerce is to foster a thriving business community that facilitates connections between businesses, engagement between businesses and residents, and long-term economic growth in our community. [Read More]
Winterfest Highlight Video from RCTV
Metro Credit Union, Massachusetts’ largest state-chartered credit union, is hosting meetings this month with city officials to discuss benefits of their new 40-year mortgage. Metro recently added the 40-year mortgage to its product lineup, which includes options for jumbo loans and bi-weekly payments.

Robert Cashman, Metro Credit Union’s Chief Executive Officer, met with Fidel Maltez, Reading Town Manager, at Reading City Hall this week to discuss the new offering. The 40-year mortgage will make becoming a homeowner a reality for more individuals, including first-time homebuyers who are having difficulty getting into the market.

“Our new 40-year mortgage is a welcome addition to our existing line-up of mortgage offerings,” said Robert Cashman, CEO, and President of Metro Credit Union. “I hope Reading residents are able to utilize this new product to become homeowners or save money in the long-term by refinancing an existing mortgage.” [Read More]
The Office of State Representative Richard M. Haggerty (D-Woburn) is currently accepting applications for position of Legislative Aide.

Representative Haggerty serves as Vice Chair of the Joint Committee on Community Development and Small Business, serves on the Joint Committee on Financial Services, and the Joint Committee on Telecommunications, Utilities and Energy. The 30th Middlesex District consists of the City of Woburn: Wards 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 and the Town of Reading: Precincts 2, 3, 4, 5. [Read More]
The Reading PorchFest Committee announces the return of the popular music festival, this year slated for Saturday, June 25.

PorchFest is just as the name implies. It is an afternoon of music literally on porches or, maybe, driveways or front lawns all over town. As in past years, the organizers are looking for as much diversity in the types of music as possible: anything from jazz to pop to rock, country, rap, and anything in between.

The website, ReadingPorchFest.com, is up and running with information, and within two weeks, the registration site for both musical acts and host venues will go live. News and announcements also can be found on the Reading PorchFest 2022 Facebook page.

The PorchFest tradition in Reading sprang from the town’s 375th anniversary in 2019. It was so popular that it was decided to make it a permanent part of the local cultural scene. That first edition was held in June during the anniversary festivities. The pandemic caused the second year’s festival to go virtual in a special presentation on RCTV, Facebook, and Youtube over the Fourth of July weekend. In 2021, the pandemic again caused problems, delaying PorchFest until the fall, but this year it springs back to its roots in June.

In keeping with the tradition of PorchFests everywhere, the Reading event is an all-volunteer affair: from the bands and the host porches to the organizers. [Read More]
Video Production for Ages 9-13
In this 8-week course, students will get hands-on experience with video cameras and editing software while producing PSA’s, commercials, and/or short scenes. 
Instructor: Angela Merrill
Tuesdays, 4:00-5:30pm March 29th-May 24th (No class 4/19: Make-Up if needed, 5/31) 8 weeks.
Cost: $190

Screen Acting for Ages 7-11
In this 8-week course, students will work together to learn improvisational skills, as well as acting on camera through commercials and small scenes.
Instructor: Angela Merrill
Wednesdays, 4:00-5:30pm March 30th- May 25th (No class 4/20: Make-Up if needed, 6/1) 8 weeks
Cost: $190

Intermediate Video Production for Ages 10-14
In this 8-week course, students will add on to the skills they learned in Video Production and learn what it takes to create a full episode or short film. Instructor: Angela Merrill
Thursdays, 4:00-5:30pm March 31st – May 26th (No class 4/21: Make-Up if needed, 6/2) 8 weeks
Cost: $190 Prerequisite: Video Production [Read More]
In our first return to in-person events, Whitelam Books is thrilled and honored to host the book launch party for Reading author/illustrator Scott Magoon as he presents his new graphic novel, “The Extincts: Quest for the Unicorn Horn (The Extincts #1)” on Sunday, March 27 at 2:00 pm. 

Whitelam Books is located in downtown Reading at 610 Main Street, near the intersection of Haven Street and Main Street. Books will be available for purchase and signing. This event is free and open to the public – all are welcome to help celebrate the newest book of a Reading author!  

A team of genetically enhanced extinct animals embark on top-secret missions around the world in this new graphic novel series.

Meet Scratch, Martie, Lug, and Quito, members of a secret organization called R.O.A.R., or the Rescue Ops Acquisition Rangers. When their boss, Dr. Z, finally calls on them for their first big mission, the team heads to Siberia to retrieve an ancient unicorn horn from the thawing permafrost. Scratch is thrilled at the chance to prove his worth to Dr. Z—but as soon as they land, the team runs into a mysterious enemy determined to take them down.[Read More]
ERIK ROBERTS Class of ‘22

Favorite Book: “The Lies of Locke Lamora” by Scott Lynch

Favorite Quote: “Knowledge is Good.” Emil Faber

Favorite Subject: Chemistry

Athletics/Clubs/Activities: RMHS Jazz Band, Soccer

Plans After Graduation: Erik will be attending college in the fall to pursue a career in medicine.