Page 6 THE EVERETT ADVOCATE – FRiDAy, JAnuARy 3, 2025 TOP STORIES | FROM PAGE 1 the Mayor. DeMaria said the fake and inaccurate stories and the negative impression they left took a toll on him and his family. Part of the settlement involved the Leader Herald closing its doors, leaving the city with two weekly newspapers. In return, DeMaria agreed to drop a defamation lawsuit, which was scheduled to begin January 21 in Middlesex Superior Court. The last local election was in 2023, but 2024 was a presidential election year. Republican Donald Trump won the presidency in November, but most Everett voters supported Democrat Vice President Kamala Harris, although by a lower margin than Joe Biden carried the city against Trump in 2020. In the presidential primary in the spring, Biden won among Democrats before he dropped out of the race and Trump won the Republican primary. In races for state offi ces and seats in the state legislature in the September state primary and general election in November, most incumbent Democrats won. The highest profi le race was between incumbent Joseph McGonagle and Councillor-at-Large Michael Marchese in the Democratic primary where McGonagle garnered 1,478 votes If We Happen To Meet By Accident ... You’ll Be Glad You Found Us! There is a difference between the rest and the BEST! Celebrating 46 Years In Business! TONY’S AUTO BODY Call or Visit 781-321-0032 34 Sharon Street Malden, MA 02148 TONYSAUTOBODYLLC.COM COME VISIT OUR STATE OF THE ART BODY SHOP • Computerized Paint Matching (State of the Art Spray Booth) • Computerized Frame Machines • P.P.G. Refinishing System • R134 + 1234yf A/C Machines Fully Insured -RS2415 Insurance Company Approval ALL OUR WORK IS GUARANTEED! TONY BARTOLO Owner 46 Years Let Us Handle Your Next Insurance Claim. Go With the BEST It Doesn’t Get BETTER! RENTAL CARS Available At a Legislative Breakfast presented by Mystic Valley Elder Services (MVES), Jon Norton spoke with State Senator Sal DiDomenico and State Representative Joe McGonagle. Mr. Norton was a dedicated Board of Directors member for MVES for over 20 years. (Courtesy photo/MVES) VICTORY: State Representative Joe McGonagle is shown being congratulated by supporters Dianne Lees and his cousin, Eileen McGonagle, during September’s primary celebration at his home. (Advocate photo) to Marche’s paltry 704 votes in the state Democratic Party primary for the 28th Middlesex County District seat. McGonagle won and, with no candidates in the Republican primary, he was reelected without opposition in November. Everett voters followed state trends by voting in favor of a ballot question to eliminate the state Comprehensive Assessment System (MCAS) test as a requirement to graduate from High School. DeMaria, the City Council and the School Committee all expressed their support for the measure in October. Councillor-at-Large Katy Rogers, who is young enough to have taken the test to graduate from High School, was particularly vocal. Turnouts for the elections were low, around 20%, except for the presidential election, which brought out over half the voters. In various City Council meetings, if and when to appropriate over $70 million to renovate portions of the old High School to house 7th and 8th grade classes was a topic of ongoing and only semi-conclusive discussion. In June, Everett Public Schools Superintendent William Hart presented a plan to the relocate 7th and 8th graders out of overcrowded neighborhood schools for $72 million. It has since risen to $79 million while the members have debated and reviewed how it will happen, where current occupants of the building will be relocated in it or elsewhere and how reactivating the building as a school will aff ect the neighborhood. Plans are still up in the air, but in mid-December the Councillors seemed satisfi ed that Mount Vernon Group ArTOP STORIES | SEE PAGE 18
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