YOUR LOCAL NEWS & SPORTS ONLINE. SCAN HERE! Vol. 36, No.40 -FREEwww.advocatenews.net oca Free Every Friday Family Fun at the Fall Festival 781-286-8500 Friday, October 9, 2026 City Council Considers Free Metered Parking for Seniors Advocate Staff Report W ard 5 Councillor Angela Guarino-Sawaya is proposing a program that would give senior residents free twohour parking at city meters. At Monday night’s meeting, the City Council supported a motion fi led by Councillor Guarino-Sawaya requesting Mayor Patrick Keefe to have the city’s Parking Department and Traffi c Commission conduct a feasibility study on the proposal. Pictured enjoying a great day at the city’s Fall Festival at The Yard @ Beachmont on Saturday were Lena El Hassnaoui, 7, Dana El Hassnaoui, 5, and Ehssan El Hassnaoui, 5, by the Fall decorations. See inside for photo highlights. (Advocate photo by Tara Vocino) Under the plan, Revere residents age 65 and older could receive up to two hours of free parking at metered spaces. Eligible residents would need to have a valid driver’s license and a vehicle registered in their name. Angela Guarino-Sawaya Ward 5 Councillor Guarino-Sawaya said the proposal could benefi t both seniors and local businesses, particularly along the Broadway corridor. CITY COUNCIL | SEE Page 3 Revere Fire Dept. receives $2.5 million FEMA grant to hire 12 firefighters Advocate Staff Report T his week FEMA awarded nearly $4 million in grant funding for fi re departments and other fi rst responder organizations in Massachusetts. Revere was the biggest recipient of the FEMA grants, with a $2.5 million award that will allow the Revere Fire Department to hire 12 new fi refi ghters. City and state leaders, as well as Senator Ed Markey, were on hand at the Revere Fire Headquarters on Monday afternoon to help celebrate the award. “These types of awards in communities like Revere do not go unnoticed,” said Mayor Patrick Keefe. “The Revere Fire Department will have the opportunity to add 12 fi refi ghters to its ranks, strengthening our capacity to respond quickly and eff ectively when residents need us most. Investments in public safety have always been a key priority of mine, and just in the past month, we are graduating 11 new fi refi ghters from the academy.” Keefe said the city has consistently sought to increase its ranks in the fire department. In recent years, with the FEMA SAFER grant and other grants, he said, the city has been able to reopen and fully staff its Point of Pines fi re station and increase staffi ng across the city. “You need all the help, you need the equipment, you need all the assistance that is possible,” Markey told the fi refi ghters. Markey thanked Revere Fire Chief James Cullen and the department for their dedication and commitment to public service. “You keep the community of Revere safe every single day, and that is why I am so excited to announce the $2.5 million in federal funding for the Revere Fire Department,” said Markey. “You are one of the very few communities in the country to receive this funding, because we know that you need it, and that Revere will use it in ways to keep this city safer.” Markey also thanked State Senator Lydia Edwards for her role in helping to secure the grant funding. Cullen said it was a monumental day for the city and the fi re department. “I am incredibly proud to stand before you and accept the Staffi ng for Adequate Fire and Emergency Response, or SAFER grant, as it is more commonly known,” said Cullen. “This funding is a true game changer for our department, directly translating into more fi refi ghters on the job every day, and enhanced safety for our members who serve the citizens of the city of Revere. An achievement like this does not happen in a vacuum; it takes immense dedication and advocacy, and we are profoundly grateful for the leadership that has made this possible.” Revere Fire Captain Kevin O’Hara said the support and advocacy of Keefe, Markey and Edwards is helping the department reach its staffi ng goals. “I am here not just to celebrate, but also to thank all of our hard workers in the Revere Fire Department,” said Edwards. “I want you to know that an investment of this size that adds to the personnel of this department isn’t just for Revere. I am keenly aware of the mutual aid that this department provides to the region, so investing here is also investing in helping out folks in Winthrop, Chelsea, and East Boston.”
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