Page 14 THE EVERETT ADVOCATE – FRiDAy, JAnuARy 23, 2026 Beacon Hill Roll Call Volume 51 - Report No. 3 January 12-16, 2026 By Bob Katzen THE HOUSE AND SENATE: Beacon Hill Roll Call records local senators’ votes on roll calls from the week of January 1216. There were no roll calls in the House last week. OFFER TAX CREDIT TO COVER LARGE PROPERTY TAX INCREASES (S 2899) Senate 37-1, approved and sent to the House a bill that supporters said would give cities and towns the ability to shield their most vulnerable taxpayers from the “shock” of an extraordinarily high third and fourth quarter tax bill in a year when the community’s residential property tax levy rises by SPORTS | FROM PAGE 9 Find another one higher in Mass. history — good luck on that one! ...The Saugus-P eabody-Swampscott Boys Hockey co-operative team is on a nice roll as of late: winners of three straight games heading into the New Year, over Everett-Malden-Revere co-op, 7-1, on December 23; 5-2 over Lynn on December 26; and 3-2 over St. Bernard’s on December 27. ...The win over the St. Bernard’s team was the Championship Final and won the Lynn Christmas Tournament, thanks to goals from Artie O’Leary and John Morello, strong play from Jake Kelley and a standout performance by goalie Dom Pappalardo. ...Discussions are underway on planning for the 2026 Malden Baseball Legacy Hall of Fame banquet and induction ceremony, which is tentatively set for Thursday, March 5, at 6:30 p.m. at the Malden Moose Hall (562 Broadway). The inaugural MBL Hall of Fame drew over 200 people in March 2024, and its top inductee was the late Bob Rotondi, his third Hall of Fame honor. ...According to reports, discussions are full on in plans to restructure the Greater Boston League into tiered divimore than 10 per cent. Qualifying groups of taxpayers include people aged 65 and older who own and occupy the home; people enrolled in MassHealth; and people living with children under age 6 or under 18. Under current law, the first and second quarter property tax bills for a given year are estimated based on the prior year’s tax levy and do not refl ect any tax increase. As a result, the third and fourth quarter bills must cover the entire increase, so those two bills increase by twice the full-year percentage increase. The legislation would allow a municipalsions, opening up the probability of opportunities to play fewer league games and to be able to schedule more nonleague games. Such a change would give GBLers the choice to be able to improve their MIAA Power Rankings in multiple sports. ...Masco and Beverly are atop the Northeastern Conference Boys Basketball standings in the Dunn Division. In the Lynch Division, where Saugus Sachems and Head Coach Joe Bertrand are looking for their fi rst Conference win (0-3 NEC, 2-3 overall), Swampscott (3-0 NEC, 5-0 overall) rules the roost. ...Everett High Boys Basketball and Head Coach Gerry Boyce have put together defi - nitely the most elaborate pregame “intros” for the Crimson Tide, complete with a darkened, no-lights gym, music and spotlights on the introduced, entering players. You gotta see it! ...Somerville and Medford have raced out to the lead in the GBL Girls Basketball race at 3-0 each, but the Revere Patriots and Malden Golden Tornado girls are right behind them at 2-1 each in league play. Revere dropped a close one to Medford, and Malden, likewise, led three quarters against unbeaten Somerville before runity to use its own funds to give qualifi ed persons a tax credit to cover the third and fourth quarter spike. “Every year across the state, there are a few communities in which homeowners face unusually large tax increases,” said sponsor Sen. Will Brownsberger (D-Belmont). “This legislation will give those communities tools to help their most vulnerable taxpayers.” “It is critical that we begin this new year by prioritizing municipal property tax relief,” said sponsor Sen. Nick Collins BEACON | SEE PAGE 16 ning into a lid on the basket and lost, so it looks like it might be a close battle moving forward with those “Top 4.” ...Former three-sport (football, basketball, baseball) Saugus High School standout (and captain of all three) Mike Mabee Jr. is on the Northeast Metro Tech Girls Basketball coaching staff this season. A Worcester State University grad and former WooState Lancer collegiate baseball player, Mabee formerly was a History teacher at Melrose High School for two years. ...A surprise in GBL Boys Basketball is the undefeated start of the Chelsea High Red Devils (3-0 GBL, 3-0 overall). They hustle, they defend…and they’re winning. As expected, Lynn Classical is also off to an unbeaten GBL start (3-0), and with wins on the road at Everett and also on the road at Lynn English, quite frankly, the Rams have had a tougher schedule. Classical’s third GBL win is also on the road. ...That no one brings more enthusiasm to the Revere High home basketball games than Joy Leone, wife of Revere High assistant basketball coach and Revere Recreation Dept.’s John Leone and mother of fi ve present and former Revere High School student-athletes. Happy New Year, Joy! Say nr Sa a y Senior Seni by Jim Miller How To Find a Quality Nursing Home for Your Loved One Dear Savvy Senior, Can you give me some tips on picking a good nursing home for my father? Since his stroke, I’ve been taking care of him at home, but he’s gotten to the point where it’s too much for me to handle. Exhausted Daughter Dear Exhausted, Choosing a nursing home for a loved one that provides quality is a very important decision that requires careful evaluation and some homework. Here are some steps you can take that can help you fi nd a good facility and avoid a bad one. Make a list: There are several sources you can turn to for referrals to top nursing homes in your area including the Area Agency on Aging (call 800677-1116 or visit Eldercare.acl. gov for contact information); your dad’s doctor or nearby hospital discharge planner; friends or neighbors who may have had a loved one in a nursing home; and online at Medicare’s nursing home compare tool at Medicare.gov/care-compare. This tool will not only help you locate nursing homes in your area, but it also provides a 5-star rating system on recent health inspections, staff - ing, quality of care, and overall rating. Also, keep in mind that it’s always best to choose a nursing home that’s close to family members and friends who can visit often, because residents with frequent visitors usually get better care. Call your long-term care ombudsman: This is a government offi cial who investigates nursing home complaints and advocates for residents and their families. This person can tell you which nursing homes have had complaints or problems in the past and can help you locate a good facility. Visit LTCombudsman.org for local contact information. Cont ac t the nurs i ng homes: Once you’ve narrowed your search, call the nursing homes you’re interested in to verify that they can facilitate your dad’s needs. Also, find out if they have any vacancies, what they charge, and if they accept Medicaid. Tour your top choic - es: During your nursing home visit, notice the cleanness and smell of the facility. Is it homey and inviting? Does the staff seem responsive and kind to its residents? Additionally, be sure to taste the food, and talk to the residents and their family members, if available. It’s also a good idea to visit several times at different times of the day and diff erent days of the week to get a broader perspective. And be sure to fi nd out about their staff screening and training procedures, staff-to-patient ratio, and the staff turnover rate. To help you rate your visit, Medicare offers a helpful checklist of questions to ask at Medicare.gov/media/document/12130nursing-home-checklist508.pdf that you can print and take with you on your visit. Paying for Care With nursing home costs now averaging $324 per day nationally for a semi-private room and nearly $371 for a private room, paying for care is another area you may have questions about or need assistance with. Medicare only helps pay up to 100 days of rehabilitative nursing home care, which must occur after a hospital stay of at least three days. Most nursing home residents pay for care from either personal savings, a long-term care insurance policy, or through Medicaid once their savings are depleted. Or, if your dad is a veteran, he may be able to get funds through the VA’s Aid and Attendance benefit (see VA.gov/pension/aid-attendance-housebound). To learn more about the payment options, ask the nursing home director. You can also get help from your State Health Insurance Assistance Program (SHIP), which provides free counseling on all Medicare and Medicaid issues. To fi nd a local SHIP counselor visit ShipHelp. org or call 877-839-2675. And for more information, see Medicare’s booklet “Your Guide to Choosing a Nursing Home” (product # 02174). You can view it online at Medicare. gov/Publications. Send your questions or comments to questions@savvysenior.org, or to Savvy Senior, P.O. Box 5443, Norman, OK 73070. nior ior
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