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THE SAUGUS ADVOCATE – FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 5, 2021 Page 11 THE SOUNDS OF SAUGUS | FROM PAGE 10 from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. The Town of Saugus would like to thank everyone for their cooperation. Please contact Solid Waste/Recycling Coordinator Lorna Cerbone at 781-231-4036 with any questions. Hats off to Riley What an honor it was for Saugus Board of Selectmen Vice Chair Corinne Riley to have received a ceremonial pen from Gov. Baker’s ceremonial bill signing that sets up an emergency relief fund for town residents. She received the pen from state Rep. Donald Wong (R-Saugus) as a gesture of appreciation for her hard work introducing the home rule petition before selectmen and Saugus Town Meeting members last year. It looks like an inexpensive pen with the governor’s name on it. But for those folks – local officials, legislators, civilians and others – who are fortunate enough to be recognized with one, it’s a big deal. To be formally credited with helping to pass a state law is quite a satisfying accomplishment. And I’m sure that any other Saugonian who has been involved in something like that would. I certainly do. As a recipient of numerous national, state and regional journalism awards over a career of close to half a century, I cherish the framed pens from governors in two different states more than any of my journalism commendations. I got a pen from then-Florida Governor Bob Graham after being credited with helping to pass a 1984 Florida law requiring fingerprint and background checks on teacher applicants after writing a series of articles on dozens of convicted felons being certified as schoolteachers. Twenty years later, in 2004, I received a pen from then Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney for being the lead reporter for the (Lawrence) Eagle-Tribune in an exhaustive investigative series on auto insurance fraud. Romney credited the series with helping to pass the so called “anti-runner” law – which prohibits chiropractors and lawyers from paying shadowy figures known as “runners” to solicit clients in accident claims – which often turn out to be fraudulent. Even after being part of a Pulitzer Prize-winning project at the Eagle-Tribune and five national Sigma Delta Chi Awards, I am proudest of the pens from the two governors. Keep that line open! It’s pretty clear that the Saugus Health Department is being inundated with telephone calls – many of them about the COVID-19 vaccine and other virus-related matters. But there is no excuse for a town resident calling the health director’s number (781-231-4120) and not being able to leave a message because the voicemail box was full. This happened to me two days in a row – Monday (Feb. 1) and Tuesday (Feb. 2). On Wednesday, the voice mailbox was finally accepting messages. But by deadline yesterday, nobody had returned my call. And calls that I made a few weeks ago have also gone unanswered. So, I found it odd watching Monday’s Board of Health meeting and hearing the discussion about how to get information out to the public. “If you have information you want to get out, we are all ears. Mark at Saugus Advocate,” I texted Board of Health Chair William Heffernan during the meeting. “Will do. Thank you,” he answered. I’m still waiting and eager to help. Local concerns linger about Saugus cops at the Capitol If you accept last week’s comments by Saugus Board of Selectmen Chair Anthony Cogliano and Saugus Police Chief Michael Ricciardelli at their word (“The Sounds of Saugus,” Jan. 29), there is nothing more to say about two town police officers who were down in Washington, D.C., on the day that supporters of former President Donald Trump stormed the Capitol. About a month later, no evidence – website photos or videos – have surfaced showing that the two officers did anything improper. They were in Washington as Trump supporters, but were not part of the legions of rioters who swarmed the Capitol building, according to Cogliano. And the chief told us he was unaware of any officers being under investigation. Unless evidence surfaces that disputes their account, there doesn’t look like there will be anymore to the story. But globally the debate rages on in the law enforcement community. An interesting article by the Associated Press which we received this week from one of our readers has raised some interesting questions. And we’ve gotten a few emails from people who don’t want to let the issue go. And concerns may linger because of the optics of the situation. “...what about those officers who attended only the Trump rally before the riot?” the AP asked in its recent story. “How does a department balance an officer’s free speech rights with the blow to public trust that comes from the attendance of law enforcement at an event with far-right militants and white nationalists who went on to assault the seat of American democracy? “An Associated Press survey of law enforcement agencies nationwide found that at least 31 officers in 12 states are being scrutinized by their supervisors for their behavior in the District of Columbia or face criminal charges for participating in the riot. Officials are looking into whether the officers violated any laws or policies or participated in the violence while in Washington. “A Capitol Police officer died after he was hit in the head with a fire extinguisher as rioters descended on the building and many other officers were injured. A woman was shot to death by Capitol Police and three other people died after medical emergencies during the chaos.” The article quotes several legal and law enforcement sources saying it was a matter of free speech and the cops’ right to attend the rally for Trump – before it turned into an unruly mob scene. “But Ayesha Bell Hardaway, a professor at Case Western Reserve University law school, said an officer’s presence at the rally creates a credibility issue as law enforcement agencies work to repair community trust, especially after last summer’s protests against police brutality sparked by the police killings of George Floyd and Breonna Taylor,” according to the AP story. “Communities will question the integrity of officers who attended the rally along with ‘individuals who proudly profess racist and divisive viewpoints,’ she said. ‘It calls into question whether those officers are interested in engaging in policing in a way that builds trust and legitimacy in all communities, including communities of color’,” the story quotes Hardaway as saying. Essentially, a national debate has evolved over whether there was at least an appearance of improper conduct by the cops who participated in the Trump rally, even if they weren’t involved in the deadly storming of the Capitol. If people in law enforcement are talking about this on the national level, surely there will be discussions among cops, criminal justice officials and law enforcement lawyers at the state and local level – if there aren’t already. Stay tuned. Healthy Students-Healthy Saugus (HS2) continues The Grab-N-Go meals program is back for another year at the Saugus Public Schools to keep needy students from going hungry. Healthy Students-Healthy Saugus (HS2), in partnership with Whitsons Food Service, continues with its noble program. Breakfasts and lunches will be available for pick up at Veterans Memorial School at 39 Hurd Ave. every Tuesday and Friday from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. HS2 is a nonprofit group that helps to offset food insecurity in households. HS2 provides a supply of nutritious food for weekends or school holidays during the school year. For more information or assistance, please email hs2information@gmail.com or visit the Healthy Students-Healthy Saugus Facebook page. Food Pantry still open The Saugus United Parish Food Pantry will continue to remain open on Fridays between 9:30 a.m. and 11:00 a.m. despite concerns over the Coronavirus. They have made adjustments to protect their core of volunteers and the needy people who receive the food. “For the protection of our volunteers & clients, and to limit personal contact & crowding/gathering, the food pantry has been distributing pre-bagged groceries,” says Wendy Reed, Clerk of the Saugus Board of Selectmen, who also oversees the operation of the all-volunteer food pantry. “We understand clients may receive items they don’t want or need, but feel this is the best course of action to mitigate the potential spread of COVID-19. Those in need, even for short term or one-time assistance are encouraged to come.” The food pantry is in the basement of Cliftondale Congregational Church at 50 Essex St. in Saugus. Food help for veterans Saugus offers a Veterans Food Pantry on the third Wednesday of each month. “We have been holding it in Melrose since the Saugus Senior Center has been closed,” Saugus Veteran Services Officer Jay Pinette says. “The pantry provides a mix of fresh produce and non-perishable foods. The pantry is open to Veterans and/or surviving spouses. Registration is required and may be done by contacting the Veterans Services Office.” “The food market is generally held at the Saugus Senior Center, but given the current COVID-19 pandemic, we are currently offering a contact-free, drive-thru food pantry at Memorial Hall on Main Street in Melrose. If you are unable to pick-up, some limited deliveries may be available. This offering is year round. Please call the Saugus Veterans’ Service Office at 781-231-4010 or e-mail VeteransServices@saugus-ma.gov in order to register. Proof of Veteran status is required.” Helping the Vet During these challenging times, your local Veterans’ Service Officers (VSOs) would like to share some information on a benefit program that is available to those who qualify. If you are a Veteran or the surviving spouse of a Veteran, the “Chapter 115 Benefits Program” is a Massachusetts state initiative that provides financial aid for Veterans and/or their surviving spouses who reside in Massachusetts and meet certain income and asset guidelines. Benefits may include monthly ordinary benefits and/or payment/reimbursement for medical expenses. Whether you are laid off, in transition or living on a fixed income, the program is designed to provide short-term or longterm assistance as needed to provide relief. The program is overseen by the Massachusetts Department Veterans’ Services (DVS), which runs the program in partnership with local VSOs. Every town or district in Massachusetts has a VSO. VSOs assist Veterans and their dependents in learning about, applying for and receiving Chapter 115 benefits. VSOs can also help you in applying for other benefits and connecting with local resources. Your local VSO handles applications, obtains program approval from DVS and provides local benefits. The program is funded by a combination of state and local funds. DVS pays for 75% of the approved benefits and your city or town pays for 25%. There are income and asset limits for the program. As a general rule, income and asset requirements are: Family of 1 – monthly income less than $2,081and an asset limit of $5,000. Family of 2 – monthly income less than $2,818 and an asset limit of $9,800. To determine if you may be eligible for financial assistance through the Chapter 115 program, visit the following website and follow the instructions – https://massvetben.org/ – or call your local VSO for more information. The VSOs are also able to help Veterans apply for Federal VA benefits and local benefits and provide food assistance monthly. For example, did you know that if you own a home and have a VA service-connected disability, you are eligible for a partial or full exemption of your property taxes? “Please contact your local Veterans’ Service Officer for more information on any of the services mentioned. We are all here to assist. We are regularly checking voicemails and emails as we continue to work remotely and in our offices throughout COVID-19.” Melrose: Karen Burke, 781-979-4186, kburke@cityofmelrose.org. Wakefield: David Mangan, 781-246-6377, dmangan@ wakefield.ma.us. Saugus: Jay Pinette, 781-231-4010, jpinette@saugus-ma. gov. Buy a brick to honor your vets “Veterans Buy-a-Brick Program. Due to the low number of orders and the uncertainty of how a Veterans Day ceremony will be allowed, the program will be extended until May. The installation of bricks will be during the Memorial Day ceremony. We will be contacting the peoTHE SOUNDS OF SAUGUS | SEE PAGE 16

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