5

THE REVERE ADVOCATE – FRIDAY, JANUARY 3, 2025 Page 5 TOP STORIES | FROM Page 2 the $30 million the city paid after taking the site through eminent domain. The city has bonded $493,217,901 and the Massachusetts School Building Authority approved a $233,889,807 grant to help pay for the school. Design and development work is wrapping up. Shovels should be in the ground this spring and students should be in the halls in September 2028. In Revere, and elsewhere, 2024 was a year of elections. From primaries to the presidential election, candidates seemed to be chasing votes all year. In the November 5 presidential election, 57 percent of the city’s eligible voters went to the polls. True blue Revere gave Vice President Kamala Harris 52 percent of the votes cast with President-elect Donald Trump picking up just over 43 percent of the vote. Revere voters also gave Senator Elizabeth Warren and Representative Katherine Clark substantial victories. Despite the daily drama of the presidential race, in Revere most eyes were on the local races. Four sitting city councillors were giving up their seats, two of whom, Councillors-at-Large Dan Rizzo and Steven Morabito, announced they were running to be the city’s next mayor, in a race with former Ward 4 Councillor Patrick Keefe. As the former City Council President, Keefe was named Acting Mayor when former Mayor Brian Arrigo was tapped to be the new Commissioner of the state’s Department of Conservation & Recreation. The mayoral race left a wide-open race for seats on the City Council and there were many new faces drawn in. Ultimately, voters elected a young and vibrant new council with Paul Argenzio, Michelle Kelley, Juan Pablo Jarmillo, Robert Haas and Angela Guarino-Sawaya bringing a new wave of energy and talent to the board. The mayoral race seemed to divide the city into two camps, one for Keefe and the other for Rizzo. Both candidates had proven records of leadership but they differed on one major issue, the new high school. Keefe was staunchly behind the plans to build the new school at Wonderland, while Rizzo, who cited concerns about fi nances and student safety, felt the new school should go in on the existing site. At a campaign debate held at Revere High, where Keefe and Rizzo supporters took up diff erent sides of the street, many in the Keefe camp said it was the high school that made up their minds to vote for Keefe. And ultimately, 31 percent to the city’s eligible voters went to the polls and gave Keefe a victory with 51 percent of the vote. But it didn’t end there. Rizzo, who lost by 367 votes, asked for a recount. He said he didn’t expect to change the result of the election, but he wanted to make sure all of the votes of his supporters were counted. The recount showed Keefe picking up one vote, while Rizzo’s final tally increased by fi ve. A new building for Revere High wasn’t the only big news from the school this year. Two ugly brawls at the beginning of the school year were the subject of news reports throughout Greater Boston. During the fi rst fi ght about 20 students began fi ghting in a hallway that led to an exit on Beach Street, where the fi ght spilled out into the surrounding neighborhood. Two weeks later, a second brawl broke out — sending one school administrator to the hospital. Students were disciplined, nine expelled, and Revere was forced to take action to make sure students and teachers are safe. The Revere Teachers Association took their concerns to the City Council. During the past year, councillors have mentioned several times that they have been receiving calls from parents complaining about violence at the high school. City offi cials agreed that no one wants to see a student expelled. Instead, they supported adding a fourth school resource offi cer and hiring a security consultant. Teachers also called for more resources, such as school counselors and social workers. Revere began working together to meet the needs of a generation coping with emotional, social and fi - nancial stress unlike anything previously seen. The City of Revere delivered on some longstanding promises in 2024 and began work on some projects that were welcomed by the community. The Haas Health & Wellness Center opened and is packed with state-of-the-art fitness equipment. There’s also a full schedule of fi tness and exercise classes. The goal of the center is the “collective wellbeing” of the city of Revere. Work started on the revitalization of McMackin Field, a favorite spot of many former players. City workers are taking care of the job in-house with the help of $25,000 in state funding thanks to Rep. Jessica Giannino. Planning and work continued on the city’s community arts center in the decommissioned Beachmont fire station. And work continued on the Alden Mills Point of Pines fire station, which former Ward 5 Councillor John Powers had been fi ghting for. This year, Ward 5 Councillor Angela Guarino-Sawaya fi led a motion to name the community room in the new station after Powers. While those projects have been welcomed by the community, the city also made progress helping residents struggling with homelessness and addiction. The city has established the 24-hour Chris Alba Warming Center at the American Legion. A state grant of nearly $143,000 will help Revere provide shelter and services to the city’s most vulnerable residents. In another move that demonstrates the forward thinking of city health officials, Revere health officials used money from Revere’s opioid settlement to post boxes where people can access free, no-questions-asked doses of Narcan, a nasal spray that reverses the eff ect of an opioid overdose. The boxes were placed in parts of the city where overdoses have been reported and syringes found. During a presentation on the program last October, city health offi cials reported 620 doses of Narcan had been distributed. Some have questioned the impression the boxes give to visitors to Revere. Hopefully, the impression is that Revere is a city looking out for all residents in every way possible. Gerry D’Ambrosio Attorney-at-Law Is Your Estate in Order? Do you have an update Will, Health Care Proxy or Power of Attorney? If Not, Please Call for a Free Consultation. 14 Proctor Avenue, Revere (781) 284-5657 425r Broadway, Saugus Located adjacent to Kohls Plaza Route 1 South in Saugus at the intersection of Walnut Street We are on MBTA Bus Route 429 781-231-1111 We are a Skating Rink with Bowling Alleys, Arcade and two TV’s where the ball games are always on! PUBLIC SKATING SCHEDULE 12-7 p.m. Sunday Monday Tuesday $10.00 Price includes Roller Skates Rollerblades/inline skates $3.00 additional cost Private Parties 7:30-11 p.m. Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday $11.00 Price includes Roller Skates 18+ Adults Only After 7 PM - ID Required Private Parties Private Parties 4-8 p.m. $10.00 8:30-11 p.m. $11. 18+ Adults Only After 7 PM - ID Required 12-9 p.m. $10.00 Everyone must pay admission after 6 p.m. Sorry No Checks - ATM on site Roller skate rentals included in all prices Inline Skate Rentals $3.00 additional BIRTHDAY & PRIVATE PARTIES AVAILABLE www.roller-world.com

6 Publizr Home