The Advocate - A household word for 30 years! Vol.30, No.24 -FREEwww.advocatenews.net City Clerk Ashley Melnik honored as 2021 Commonwealth Heroine T his month the Massachusetts Commission on the Status of Women announced the 2021 Commonwealth Heroine award honorees. The annual awards recognize women across the Commonwealth for their extraordinary contributions to their local communities in public or community service. Among this year’s honorees is Ashley E. Melnik, a Revere resident nominated by State Representative Jessica Giannino. “Ashley Melnik is a shining example of an unsung heroine who works tirelessly to make the City HONORED | SEE Page 8 ASHLEY MELNIK 2021 Commonwealth Heroine Federal relief grants help fund new school positions By Adam Swift T hanks to federal pandemic relief funds, and the upcoming increase in state aid through the Student OpportuW nity Act, this year’s school budget process has had a diff erent feel than in years past. On Tuesday, the School Committee approved moving forward with a School Department budget of $102,691,777 for Fiscal Year 2022, but that number does not include the windfall of new positions that will be funded through the pandemic funding. “That’s the total amount that the school department will be fi nancing this year,” said School Committee Member Michael Ferrante. Ferrante said the budgeting process was diff erent this year because of the money coming in from the Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief MICHAEL FERRANTE School Committee Member SCHOOL | SEE Page 13 Free Every Friday 781-286-8500 Friday, June 18, 2021 Council honors officer who saved drowning girl Police Offi cer David Wilson (center) was honored by the City Council last Monday night for saving a 16-year-old girl from drowning. He is shown with Councillor-at-Large Jessica Giannino, council President Anthony Zambuto, Police Chief David Callahan and Councillor-at-Large George Rotondo. (Photo Courtesy of Ira Novoselsky) By Adam Swift hen Police Chief David Callahan got the call on the night of May 14 that Offi - cer David Wilson had risked his life to save a distraught young woman who was drowning off of Revere Beach, he said he wasn’t surprised by the offi cer’s heroism. “Over the course of his 25 years, he has always been selfless where he puts other people before himself,” said Callahan. “In this situation here, it could have been a very diff erent situation, but he inserted himself into harm’s way, at night time, in the ocean, and in frigid temperatures.” Last Monday night, the City Council honored Wilson with a Certifi cate of Merit, the highest award the city hands out, for going above and beyond the call of HEROISM | SEE Page 10 Fallen firefighters remembered during RFD Memorial service Firefi ghters’ Union President Kevin O’Hara (at right) and Barry Johnson salute during the 73rd Annual Revere Firefi ghter Memorial exercises at the Alden Mills Point of Pines fi re station on Sunday. See page 12 for story and photo highlights. (Advocate photo by Tara Vocino)
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