Page 12 THE EVERETT ADVOCATE – FRIDAY, JUNE 18, 2021 KARMA | FROM PAGE 8 city of Boston,” he said. Jacob Graham said he visits Karma about three times a week, traveling more than an hour from his home in Providence, Rhode Island. “Karma Lounge is one of my favorite places to go,” he said, adding that he has been a patron since 2017. “From what I’ve seen, it seems like a lounge setting. I don’t see people dancing.” Varun Punj, who owns Karma, said that although he can have up to 320 patrons, he has been capping the capacity at 96 patrons. He asked Police Chief Steven Mazzie if it was possible to have a police detail rather than a direct patrol, adding that a direct patrol sends the wrong message as the officer is outside the building rather than inside. “If we ask for a police detail, 99 percent of the time we don’t get it,” said Punj. Mazzie said he would pass Punj’s request along to his officers. However, he said a direct patrol should not be seen as a negative. “We do tons of direct patrols,” said Mazzie. He also called attention to Karma’s location in Glendale Square. “It’s surrounded by a residential neighborhood; noise travels and it disturbs people,” he said, adding that patrons cannot linger outside. “We just want people to go home.” Going forward, Punj said, he will improve his line of communication with the police. “I give you my word that if anything happens, we will reach out to you guys,” he said. MATEWSKY | FROM PAGE 5 ed by yet another visitor. “I woke up one morning and there was Anthony DiPierro,” he said. On April 12, the council chose DiPierro to serve as president pro tempore until Matewsky was well enough to return. Matewsky said that during his recovery he received more than 400 cards as well as countless floral arrangements, fruit baskets and gifts, including a Bonsai tree from Ward 1 Councillor Fred Capone. “They thought I was some kind of celebrity in Fort Lauderdale,” he said. After one month at the Florida hospital, Matewsky flew back to Boston on April 17 and was admitted to Spaulding Rehabilitation Hospital before finally returning home to Everett. “I’ve never been sick like this before,” he said. “I’m lucky to be alive.”
13 Publizr Home