u/Coyote-Run

​

Salem Mayor Dominick Pangallo announced today that the City of Salem is offering a free 30-day Bluebikes membership for anyone who lives or works in Salem. The membership includes unlimited 45-minute rides for up to 30 days and is available effective immediately. There is a $0.10 per minute charge for each additional minute after the first 45 minutes. Passes are limited and will be provided on a first come, first served basis while supplies last. Please note that e-bike rentals, should they be available, are not free of charge - they would be charged at $0.10 per minute.

"We're excited to partner with Bluebikes to again offer free October rides to Salem residents for the fifth year now, and to offer the program for a fourth year in a row to people who work in our community," Mayor Pangallo said, "I am grateful to City Staff members who have worked to make this happen, and I encourage residents and workers to take advantage of this offer for another way to get around in Salem during the busy month of October."

Bluebikes came to Salem in 2021 with funding from Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts, Salem State University, and the MassDOT Shared Streets & Spaces program. The system has since expanded to 17 stations at key destinations throughout Salem's neighborhoods. As a convenient and affordable transportation option for residents, workers, students, and visitors, ridership has continued to expand each year since the program's launch.

To claim the free 30-day membership, residents and workers should email Transportation Planner Eric Gemperline at egemperline@salem.com with your name and address (if a Salem resident) or your name and the name and address of your employer/workplace (if employed in Salem), for verification for your free code.

Please allow up to 24 hours during regular business hours for a response. Qualifying residents and employees will receive a code to use at bluebikes.com or on the Bluebikes mobile app to claim their free 30-day membership. A valid credit or debit card is required, and the program is limited to riders aged 16 and up. Visit City of Salem Transportation page for details.

September 10, 2026 by Sophia Harris.

A debate over the future of the Lynnway has moved beyond Lynn’s borders, with elected officials from neighboring communities joining residents and business owners in pressing the state to reconsider a redesign they say could have negative consequences for traffic, businesses, and emergency response across the region.

Officials in Marblehead, Nahant, and Swampscott have signed off on a letter to Lt. Gov. Kim Driscoll raising concerns about the Lynnway Multimodal Corridor Project, which would remove one general-purpose travel lane in each direction from a roughly 2.5-mile stretch of Route 1A to create dedicated bus lanes.

In a Sept. 3 letter to Lt. Gov. Kim Driscoll, the Select Boards of Marblehead, Swampscott, and Nahant requested a meeting with state transportation officials to discuss the Lynnway Multimodal Corridor Project and what they described as its broader regional impacts.

The boards said they support the project’s goals of improving public transportation and pedestrian and bicycle safety, but raised concerns about traffic, mobility, emergency response and the effect of changes to Route 1A on neighboring communities.

The letter asks the state to evaluate the combined effects of the Lynnway project, the General Edwards Bridge replacement, the new Revere High School near Wonderland, and planned changes around the Lynn commuter rail station. The boards also called for coordinated construction schedules, alternative transportation options, clear performance measures, and possible mitigation if traffic or emergency-response impacts exceed projections.

They stressed they are not asking the state to abandon the Lynnway project, but want it treated as a regional transportation issue rather than evaluated in isolation.

The coordinated effort marks a significant escalation in opposition that began with individual residents seeking traffic and safety data and Lynnway business owners warning about potential effects on their operations.

The MBTA and MassDOT maintain that updated traffic counts and computer modeling support the proposed configuration, which would include two general-purpose travel lanes and one dedicated bus lane in each direction, protected bicycle facilities, sidewalks, and pedestrian improvements.

The agencies say the redesign will improve safety and bus reliability while supporting Lynn’s long-planned waterfront redevelopment. More than 3,000 people ride buses on the Lynnway each day, according to the MBTA, while routes connected to the corridor serve more than 8,500 daily riders.

Traffic counts collected in 2023 and March 2026, combined with simulation modeling, project approximately one additional minute of travel during most peak-direction trips and just over two additional minutes southbound during the morning commute, according to the agencies.

But neighboring officials say the Lynnway’s regional role means those projections affect more than Lynn.

Marblehead Select Board member Erin Noonan said Route 1A serves commuters from Marblehead, Swampscott, Nahant, Salem, and elsewhere and questioned how the project will interact with other major construction planned for the region, including replacement of the General Edwards Bridge and the relocation of Revere High School near Wonderland Station.

“The Lynnway Multimodal Corridor Project is not just a Lynn project,” Noonan said in a written statement.

“These are not isolated projects,” she added.

Noonan has called for before-and-after traffic monitoring, public reporting for two years following completion, and a commitment from the state to make changes if actual delays exceed projections.

“North Shore residents deserve more than projections,” she said. “They deserve accountability.”

Those concerns are not limited to congestion.

Nahant Fire Chief Austin Antrim said between one-third and one-half of mutual-aid assistance coming into Nahant approaches through the Lynnway corridor, making emergency access a concern as plans advance.

Antrim said he has not concluded that the redesign will make emergency response worse. Dedicated bus lanes could potentially help emergency vehicles bypass traffic if they remain clear and buses can move aside, he said.

“It’s possible they’ll put something like that in place, and my concerns will be unfounded once it’s finished,” Antrim said. “I hope that they are considering that in all of their planning.”

Nahant resident Candace Cahill has separately spent months seeking information from MassDOT about safety conditions on a portion of the Lynnway already altered during construction of the Northern Strand Extension, a separate project.

Cahill began requesting crash reports, speed and traffic data, and engineering information after photographs and reports of vehicles striking newly installed curbing began circulating. MassDOT later told her no formal memorandum or report had been generated from a January field review. The review did result in a lane-drop sign being moved approximately 350 feet and recommendations for additional work-zone signage, a speed trailer, and possible State Police enforcement.

“I’d like to see an honest public update with the data that supports what they’re doing,” Cahill said. “I want to understand the outcome and the objective.”

That became a central concern for Marblehead resident Adeline Flynn, who grew up in Nahant, owns a business, and frequently travels the Lynnway.

Flynn began contacting city and state officials in September 2025, seeking current vehicle, pedestrian, and bicycle counts, bus ridership, accident data, and economic and transportation studies supporting the project.

“Why? Where is the demand for this?” Flynn said of the question that initially drove her research.

Flynn said she was repeatedly directed toward long-term planning documents but struggled to find a centralized source containing the current numbers and analyses supporting the design.

Business owners have organized their own opposition.

Lynnway Liquors owner Cliff Ansara launched the Save the Lynnway campaign, savelynnway.com, and circulated a petition calling for general-purpose travel lanes to remain.

The most recent database provided to The Daily Item contains 1,177 entries submitted between June 11 and Sept. 10.

After obvious variations in municipal names were standardized, 669 respondents listed Lynn, followed by 112 from Marblehead, 106 from Swampscott, 105 from Nahant, 45 from Revere, and 35 from Salem.

Respondents could select more than one category. The database includes 896 people identifying as residents, 538 as commuters, 284 as members of neighboring communities, and 83 as business owners. It also contains 581 written comments, many raising concerns about congestion, emergency access, construction, deliveries, and business access.

The petition is not a scientific survey and was circulated by a campaign opposing the project, meaning its results cannot be considered representative of public opinion overall.

Ansara said he has also visited approximately 60 businesses and found only three operators who understood the larger proposal. He said his concern is informed partly by his experience during an earlier Lynnway reconstruction, which he said redirected customers away from businesses for years.

“Had the government helped these people stay in business and helped people do business during construction correctly, you would still have those businesses on the Lynnway,” Ansara said.

Nahant Selectman Patrick O’Reilly has taken those concerns further, submitting an independent analysis of the project to the U.S. Department of Transportation in June.

O’Reilly’s analysis projected that reducing general-purpose lanes could cut vehicle capacity by 25% to 30% and add three to eight minutes to some emergency responses. His calculations relied primarily on traffic data from the 2016 corridor study and did not incorporate the agencies’ newer traffic counts. His projections are not measured outcomes or conclusions adopted by MassDOT or the MBTA.

O’Reilly has called for independent traffic modeling, emergency-vehicle preemption, alternate street connections, and a construction plan aimed at protecting existing businesses.

“We’re trading capacity for 44,000 daily vehicles for a bus lane that serves 3,000 riders,” O’Reilly said.

State officials say the project has already changed in response to concerns.

State Rep. Jenny Armini said she and state Sen. Brendan Crighton have taken feedback from constituents back to the MBTA and project team.

“We went from the two center-running bus lanes to the one center-running bus lane and the side bus lane,” Armini said. “We went from a bike lane to a shared-use path. We went from no turnoff lanes to turnoff lanes.”

Armini said she is now focused on limiting disruptions during construction and ensuring residents of surrounding communities have alternatives for getting to work and other destinations.

“My focus now is on mitigation and making sure that my constituents have opportunities to get from point A to point B in a reasonable, timely fashion during construction of this project, and potentially afterwards,” Armini said.

She said she plans to discuss options with the MBTA and project managers, including the possibility of a shuttle connecting Marblehead and Swampscott to the Swampscott commuter rail station during construction.

“Infrastructure changes are by definition disruptive,” Armini said. “But we will use our voices to find ways to mitigate those disruptions.”

Crighton said obtaining updated traffic information was something lawmakers had demanded as planning progressed.

“That was something that we had demanded of the administration and the T, to make sure that we have the most up-to-date information,” Crighton said. “Obviously, traffic congestion is a concern across the city, but in particular along such an important route.”

Crighton said safety remains the project’s primary driver, along with waterfront access, housing, and economic development, and said he welcomes concerns from neighboring communities.

Driscoll, who regularly uses Route 1A while commuting to the State House, also acknowledged that the Lynnway serves more than Lynn.

“The city of Lynn — this is in their city, so that voice is really important,” Driscoll said. “But they’re not the only one who uses the corridor.”

“I think we can agree we want the roadway to be safer, and I think we can agree we don’t want the congestion to get worse,” she said.

Some Lynn officials continue to support the redesign.

Former Lynn Planning Director Aaron Clausen said the project is consistent with Vision Lynn, the South Harbor Implementation Plan, and years of planning aimed at reconnecting downtown neighborhoods with the city’s waterfront.

Lynn’s long-term plans call for housing, employment, public open space, and an interconnected street network along the waterfront. City officials argue that the existing Lynnway remains a physical barrier to those goals.

“The Lynnway project is a unique, generational opportunity to rebuild this critical roadway,” the city said.

MassDOT and the MBTA say emergency access, business and customer traffic, deliveries, and driveway turning movements have been considered during design.

But the agencies have not identified numerical thresholds for travel time, crashes, ridership, or business impacts that would automatically trigger changes if the completed project performs differently than expected.

Driscoll said leaving the roadway unchanged also carries consequences as Lynn’s waterfront develops.

“If we do nothing, congestion is going to get worse,” Driscoll said. “So let’s focus on what are the tools we have that can drive a better corridor that we can all be proud of.”

As Nahant’s Pat O’Reilly said, “We’re trading capacity for 44,000 daily vehicles for a bus lane that serves 3,000 riders

https://nashua.inklink.news/goodlander-urges-focused-approach-as-nashua-revives-commuter-rail-effort/

Revere could get a new rail trail on the blue line right of way from Wonderland into Lynn towards the Northern Strand.

The Revere Walk-Bike-Roll Advsory Committee is seeking new members! The committee is local citizens' advisory board that helps steer, guide, and advocate for safe, accessible infrastructure for walking, biking, and rolling throughout the city in partnership with the Metropolitan Area Planning Council (MAPC).

Want to get involved? Visit this link: https://forms.cloud.microsoft/Pages/ResponsePage.aspx?id=s44Jlpz6W0KbTRZnm0R7HYBrNC0zGy9NvbPTpsRlfNJURE1MTjlXNzRWNDZIUkFYTFFQTkYzMzI0OC4u

Diane Adame, a reporter with GBH News in Boston, is working on a story about the Lynn Multimodal Corridor Project, or the plan to add bus and bike lanes to the Lynnway (both Bike to the Sea, and the planned bike lanes from the Revere border to Commercial St Lynn where a pedestrian and a cyclist were recently killed. She's looking to speak with Lynn residents or commuter on why they are for or against this project. If you're able to speak with her this morning, feel free to send her an email at diane_adame@wgbh.org.

Section 108. Animal Abuse Registry

Creation of an animal abuse registry.

The Department of Criminal Justice Information Services shall establish and maintain a central computerized registry of all persons convicted of an animal abuse crime who are required to register pursuant to subsection (c) of this act, to be known as the Massachusetts animal abuse registry.

The registry shall be updated based on information made available to the Department of Criminal Justice Information Services, including information acquired pursuant to the registration provisions of subsection (c).

The registry shall include the following information: the offender’s name, the offender’s residential address, the date and a description of the crime for which registration is required, and a photograph of the offender’s head and shoulders from the front.

(c) Registration requirement and required information.

All persons 18 years of age or older, or minors who have been tried as adults, who reside in Massachusetts and are convicted of an animal abuse crime on or after the effective date of this law, shall register within 10 days following either the date of judgment or date of release from incarceration, whichever is later. Residents of other states who are convicted of an animal abuse crime on or after the effective date of this law, who subsequently reside in Massachusetts, shall register within their first 10 days of residing in Massachusetts.

Each person required to register under this section shall submit to the Department of Criminal Justice Information Services for inclusion on the registry:

(1) Their name;

(2) Their residential address;

(3) A description of the offense for which registration is required, the city or town where the offense occurred, the date of conviction or adjudication, and the sentence imposed; and

(4) A photograph of their head and shoulders from the front.

A person required to register under this section shall update registration information to reflect any change in address which may occur, or if no change in address occurs, annually from the date of their first registration.

Registration pursuant to this section shall remain in effect for a period of 5 years following either the date of judgment or date of release from incarceration, whichever is later, provided that such period shall be extended for additional 5 year periods for each conviction which may occur subsequent to an initial registration.

(d) Fees.

Every person required to register under subsection (c) shall pay an annual fee of $50 to the Department of Criminal Justice Information Services. These funds shall be used to pay the administrative costs of maintaining the registry.

(e) Failure to register.

Any person required to register under subsection (c) who knowingly: (i) fails to register; (ii) fails to verify registration information; (iii) fails to provide notice of a change of address; or (iv) knowingly provides false information shall be punished in accordance with this section.

a. A first conviction under this subsection shall be punished by imprisonment for not less than six months and not more than two and one-half years in a house of correction nor more than 5 years in a state prison or by a fine of not more than $1,000 or by both such fine and imprisonment.

b. A second and subsequent conviction under this subsection shall be punished by imprisonment in the state prison for not less than 5 years.

c. A first conviction under this subsection shall be punished by a fine of not more than $1,000 or imprisonment in a house of correction for not more than 10 days, or both.

d. A second conviction under this subsection shall be punished by a fine of not more than $5, 000 or imprisonment in a house of correction for not more than 2 years, or both.

(f) Appealing registration.

Anyone convicted of an animal abuse crime who would otherwise be required to register under subsection (c), may appeal to District Court for a determination of the level of danger posed by the offender. The department may, upon making specific written findings that the circumstances of the offense, in conjunction with the offender’s criminal history, do not indicate a risk of reoffense or a danger to the public and the reasons therefor, relieve such offender of any further obligation to register, and shall remove such offender’s registration information from the registry.

(g) Availability of registry.

The Department of Criminal Justice Information Services shall keep confidential and shall not publish the information contained in the registry, except that the information contained in the registry shall be made available for inspection by any animal shelter, pet store, or animal breeder in Massachusetts.

(h) Requirement to check registry.

All animal shelters, pet stores, and animal breeders in Massachusetts shall determine whether the name and address of any person seeking to purchase or adopt an animal appears on the registry.

No animal shelter, pet store, or animal breeder shall knowingly offer, sell, deliver, give or provide an animal to any person registered on the registry.

(i) Punishment for not checking registry.

Any animal shelter, pet store, or animal breeder who violates the provisions of this section shall be punished by a fine of not less than $1,000 or imprisonment for a period of not more than one year for a first offense, provided that each subsequent offense shall be punishable by a fine of not less than $5,000 and imprisonment in a jail or house of correction for not more than 5 years.".

(a) Definitions.

The following words as used in this chapter, unless the context otherwise requires, shall have the following meanings:

“animal abuse crime”, the commission of any crime against an animal under Chapter 272, Sections 77 through 81, inclusive, of the General Laws, and the comparable animal cruelty statutes of any other state.

“animal breeder”, any entity engaged in the practice of facilitating the reproduction of animals for the purpose of distributing the resulting offspring to one or more other individuals or entities.

“animal shelter”, a public animal control facility, or any other facility which is operated by any organization or individual for the purpose of protecting animals from cruelty, neglect, or abuse.

“convicted of”, an adjudication of guilt by any court of competent jurisdiction, whether upon a verdict or plea of guilty or nolo contendere.

“pet store”, every place or premise where birds, mammals or reptiles are kept for the purpose of sale at either wholesale or retail, import, export, barter, exchange or gift.

https://malegislature.gov/Bills/194/S3028/Amendments/House

2026:

https://www.mass.gov/guides/masstrails-grants

The DCR managed Lynnway had another vulnerable road user fatality today unfortunately.

Mystic to Minuteman Design Review Committee Opening:

The Town seeks two residents to join the new Mystic to Minuteman Design Review Committee (MMDRC) to develop a shovel-ready plan for the Mystic River Path Connection to the Minuteman Bikeway. This plan builds on a detailed 2022 feasibility study to expand the region’s trail network and create safer, more connected transportation options for walking and biking between the Mystic River and Minuteman Bikeway.

Planned enhancements include wayfinding, seating, gathering spaces, and scenic overlooks to create a more welcoming public experience for a wide range of users and mobility needs through shared-use paths, pedestrian connections, and bike facilities. Safety and accessibility are central goals, with redesigned intersections and improved ADA access throughout the corridor. For more information and to view the feasibility study, visit the Mystic to Minuteman project page.

The MMDRC will likely meet once per month at a to-be-determined day/time for approximately one year. If you are interested in serving on this committee, send a resume and letter of interest to Claire Ricker, Director of Planning & Community Development at cricker@town.arlington.ma.us. The deadline to apply is June 14th. 

Got a warranty claim for a broken zipper approved through photos. Followed the step by step instructions to have it sent to the warranty department in Colorado. UPS tracking shows it arrived in February. I've tried to get updates every week since March and been ghosted. Jacket had warranty claim number on it, it arrived, and now I can't get a response from warranty department at all. No "it'll be a few weeks", no "we have it but don't have an ETA on repair yet" no "it's unrepairable" no "we lost it" or no "despite what UPS says we don't have it". Give me any update and return my jacket Northface! Went the whole winter without my coat (took them long enough to approve the warranty claim in the first place.)

Between write downs and depreciation, why would a dealer keep a pickup for 3 full years after it was bought from auction and only put 150 miles on it?

Claims it was a manager/owner demo, which makes no sense at only 50 miles per Year. Claims it was not used as a lot plow truck. Bought at auction May 2023, but not listed for sale until April 2026. Confirmed mileage is correct online which is only 150 more than CARFAX auction 3 years ago when they bought it. Last service record in 2023 was "Body water leak checked". No damage reported to Carfax.

Thoughts?