Page 10 THE SAUGUS ADVOCATE – FriDAy, AUGUST 8, 2025 Melrose Arts & Crafts Society and “Eddie’s Ranch” M elrose’s Lisa Mattuchio rescues animals, rehabilitates them and then finds them loving homes. “Eddies Ranch” was named after her first rescue dog, Eddie. Since then she has rescued, rehabilitated and found 10 dogs and one cat loving homes. At the moment she has eight rescue dogs, four cats and two ferrets. “Eddie’s Ranch” is a nonprofit, and Lisa welcomes monetary donations as well as canned dog food, cat food, litter, pee pads, etc. Pictured here are Lisa and a few of her rescued dogs; she is holding one of the sewn blankets donated by Melrose Arts & Crafts Society. To learn more, please go to Facebook, and look up Eddie’s Ranch@gmail.com if you would like to donate. The Melrose Arts & Crafts Society’s first meeting will be on September 22 from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the First Baptist Church Upham Street entrance. Love to learn something new or make things or just want to meet some lovely people? This is the right place! All are welcome. Any questions or interest in joining our group, please call Membership Chairperson Carol Butt at 781-729-7527 and leave your name and phone number, and she will return your call. ~ Local History ~ Gerrymandering happened in Revere first in 1812 By John Henry T he term “gerrymandering” is in the national news once again across the nation. In U.S. politics gerrymandering is a practice of manipulation of the boundaries of an electoral voting district or constituency, so as to favor one political party or class over another. Currently, the Texas legislature has unveiled proposed new congressional district maps, with the aim of securing more congressional seats for the Republican Party at the urging of the President. Democrats strongly oppose the changes, asserting that the proposed new districts constitute racially motivated gerrymandering. The term was originally written as “Gerry-Mander”, which derives from the name of the 19th century Massachusetts Governor, Elbridge Gerry, in reaction to the redrawing of Massachusetts state senatorial election districts in 1812 during Governor Gerry’s term of office. One of the new senatorial districts included the town of Chelsea, a porThe Gerrymander cartoon tion of which is now Revere. The new meandering senatorial district extended from Chelsea, adjacent to Boston, all the way to the northern part of Massachusetts, to the town of Salisbury, adjacent to the New Hampshire state boundary line. The new senatorial district resembled an amphibian salamander. The new district was satirized in a political cartoon, by Elkanah Tisdale, published in the 1812 edition of the Boston Gazette, graphically illustrating the newly created senatorial district as a mythical amphibian,” The Gerry-Mander,” forever fixing the term gerrymander in American political history to Gerry’s name negatively linking him to political power brokering. FBI Boston Warns New Englanders to Beware of Law Enforcement and Government Impersonation Scams Federal agencies do not threaten individuals or demand immediate payment T Lisa Mattuchio and her “residents” of Eddie’s Ranch. (Courtesy photo) he FBI Boston Division has seen an increase in reports of scammers targeting New Englanders through unsolicited telephone calls in which the caller claims to be a representative of wellknown law enforcement and government agencies, including the FBI, to extort money or steal personally identifiable information. Be advised, law enforcement and federal agencies do not call individuals threatening arrest or demanding money. Scammers often spoof caller ID information, and these phone calls are fraudulent even if they appear to be coming from an agency’s legitimate phone number. Recipients should hang up immediately and report the call. The tactics used by scammers continually change, but often share many of the same characteristics, including the utilization of intimidation tactics. Typically, the scammers will use an urgent tone, advise the recipient of the call that charges have been, or will soon be, filed against them, and threaten to confiscate the recipient’s propSCAMS | SEE PAGE 14
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