Your Local News in 6 Languages! Scan Here to Subscribe! Vol. 33, No.39 -FREEwww.advocatenews.net Free Every Friday 10th Annual Shirley Ave. Cultural Festival embraces all 781-286-8500 Friday, September 29, 2023 Night of the Scvary Sounds A bad valve at the WIN Waste Innovations plant caused a deafening noise that frightened hundreds in Saugus and Revere By Mark E. Vogler SAUGUS - At about 8:20 CELEBRATING DIVERSITY: Shown from left to right: Ward 2 City Councillor Ira Novoselsky, Guadelupe Panameno, Acting Mayor Patrick Keefe, Jr., Alexandra Panameno, School Committee Member candidate Ralph DeCicco, Councillor-at-Large candidate Stephen Damiano and his son, Jack, during Saturday’s 10th Annual Shirley Avenue Cultural Festival at the Garfi eld School. See photo highlights on page 12. (Advocate photo by Tara Vocino) City Council discusses voting, free speech, political sign restrictions By Barbara Taormina W ith November’s General Election looming, the City Council had three pieces of election business on their agenda this week. The council held a public hearing on repealing the city’s lengthy and detailed ordinance on posting political yard signs that infringe on resident’s First Amendment rights to free speech. The Mass. Chapter of the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) has been working with cities and towns that have ordinances regulating political signs without compelling safety reasons. No members of the public spoke in favor or opposition to the proposal. “I think this is a great amendment,” said Councillor-at-Large Marc Silvestri, who suggested that the right to free speech trumped other issues about political signs. Silvestri did note that some residents are erecting large 4-by-8 billboard-type signs and said maybe a license or permit was warranted for those type of displays. Ward 3 Councillor Anthony Cogliandro said the political sign question was about accountability. He proposed holding a public meeting with all incumbents and candidates once the ballot is set so they can agree when signs can go up and when they need to come down. Cogliandro also proposed having the Election Department work with the School Department to ensure that there are no staff or students at schools used as polling locations during elections. During the Preliminary Election, the schools held a professional development day for teachers and as a result parking lots were fi lled with cars. Several councillors recounted stories of voters who drove to the polls but went home without voting because they couldn’t fi nd a place to park. “We have one or two elections a year,” said Councillor-at-Large Dan Rizzo. “We need to do better.” Revere Election Commissioner Paul Fahey acknowledged parking was a problem but said his department has a good working relationship with the schools. He also said any school business planned for November 7 will take place virtually. Fahey also agreed there needs to be some outreach to voters in Ward 3 who now vote in the high school fi eld house. Some people were confused because the old polling location was outside the superintendent’s offi ce but that was changed three years ago. The council also voted to approve the city’s early voting schedule. Early voting will take VOTING | SEE Page 19 p.m. Monday (Sept. 25), a loud noise emanating from the WIN Waste Innovations trash-to-energy plant disrupted the night for hundreds of frightened Saugus and Revere residents. The noise was so loud that the Saugus Police Department wound up fielding more than 400 calls on its emergency 911 and business lines during a period of about 30 minutes, according to Police Chief Michael Ricciardelli. “Many of the people calling on the 9-1-1 were extremely scared … asking if they should evacuate the area,” Chief Ricciardelli told the Board of Health during an emergency public meeting held State Rep. Jessica Ann Giannino (DRevere) said she could hear the loud sounds generated at the WIN Waste Innovations plant on Monday in her Revere home – 3.2 miles away from the plant. (Saugus Advocate photo by Mark E. Vogler) NOISE | SEE Page 18 Supt. reviews school district Covid policy; Student Senate pushback on cell phone policy By Barbara Taormina T he School Committee briefly reviewed the district's covid policy, which School Supt. Dianne Kelly said is very similar to last year. Any student who tests positive for covid will be required to quarantine for fi ve days. On days six to 10, following a positive test, a student will be required to wear a mask at school. Assistant Superintendent Richard Gallucci said the one big change is that staff in the school nurses’ offi ces will not be testing students. They will refer families to testing facilities if needed. The Revere High School Student Senate delivered a blistering letter to the committee on the cell phone policy, which requires students to keep phones in lockers or backpacks or risk having their phones confi scated. Students called the policy irresponsible and said it failed to consider how cell phones aid education and are important safety devices. Students blasted the School Committee for not including them in a policy decision that signifi cantly affects them. Committee member Carol Tye said there will be more meetings on proposed changes to the policy in order to gather more input from parents and students.
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