Wakefield Daily Item Mock Newspaper--Wednesday, July 15, 2009

Most persons/stories fictional. Phyllis Hull is actual. Her actions mentioned/described here, however, are purely fictional to the best of my knowledge. The mention of the Lucius Beebe Library changing their closing hours is NOT fictional; this really did happen while I was there.

Wakefield Daily Item
Wednesday, July 15, 2009 copyright VII XV, MMIX

Hull can manage to muster support from Republican clerk of neighboring Essex County
-LYNN
-Phyllis Hull marched up the stairs to Essex County Hall in Lynn Monday in the same triumphant manner in which she marched up the stairs to Middlesex County Hall in Cambridge Friday.

"Sir?" she said, walking into the office of County Clerk John Amana-Litzswood. "The name is Hull. Phyllis Hull."

"Hull!" exclaimed Amana-Litzswood. "Phyllis Hull! Why, what an immense pleasure it is to find you in my office! Do, tell me of your presence here."

"I have been shunned by all my good folk in Wakefield and those at the Middlesex County Board. I need help--outside help--from someone who shares my views."

"Such help I would be honored to render to such a fantastical governmental figure."

And so Essex Co. Clerk John Amana-Litzswood has agreed to tag along with Hull on her campaign, claiming Hull will bring "better connections to Middlesex and Essex counties."

Said Hull, "Although Amana-Litzswood shares my views [and not those of the majority of voters], he can get [Democratic Middlesex County Clerk Sean] Shawset and him to see eye to eye so that he can dismiss Lehrer and Pittman."

Amana-Litzswood is planned to meet with Sean Shawset Thursday.

Reports released from the Shawset compound in Cambridge have stated, "Mr. Shawset is considering a meeting with Mr. Amana-Litzswood for Thurs., July 16, however, it should be noted that if he declines or is unprepared for such a meeting, Mr. Shawset will refuse to have the meeting held on that date, even if Mr. Amana-Litzswood is prepared and on the site."

"These are just methods Shawset is using to avoid talking with us," said Amana-Litzswood. "He needs to come out of his shell, or else he'll have to be forced out of it, and we do not wish to put a fellow government official in that position."



Selectmen to coordinate visit of Patrick

-WAKEFIELD
-The Board of Selectmen have announced that they will be the official coordinators for Massachusetts Governor Deval Patrick (D)'s visit to Wakefield, planned to take place Monday, July 20. "We are extremely excited to have Mr. Patrick coming to Wakefield, and we want to make sure his visit is wonderful," said Selectman Vagna Iltiforiini. Iltiforiini also said that Patrick will be meeting with the Selectmen, and that they [the Selectmen] select to stress to Patrick budget cuts, how they affect towns like Wakefield, and what Patrick can do to help solve the problem.

Surprisingly, Patrick has never made a formal visit to Wakefield before; Wakefield will be one of the final stops on a tour in which he visits dependent towns in Essex and Middlesex Counties.

Patrick is also planned to discourage Wakefieldians from voting for Phyllis Hull.

"While we appreciate Patrick's advice, no need," said Iltiforiini, "we already know not to do that."

Patrick will be speaking to Wakefieldians publicly from the Galvin Middle School auditorium from 3:45 to 4:30 p.m. on Monday, July 20. There is no cost for admission. Following a speech of about twenty to thirty minutes from Patrick will be a question-and-answer session in which local Wakefieldians will be welcomed to ask questions to Patrick about both local and statewide problems.


Record 8 WHS Grads accepted into Harvard; 14 to Ivy League schools overall
-WAKEFIELD
-8 Wakefield High School graduates, a one-year record, have been accepted to Harvard University in Cambridge. One has been accepted to Princeton in Princeton, N.J.; another to Dartmouth in Hanover, N.H.; and two each to Cornell in Ithaca, N.Y. and Yale in New Haven, Conn.

Harvard-bound graduates are:

Tony Randamantasa, of 34 Orchard St.

Maureen Keller, of 301 Main St.

John Bernham, of 1 Farm St.

Patrick Allager, of 4 Stone St.

Rachel Licama, of 20 Flint St.

Dean Danvers, of 86 New Salem St.

Michelle Dtaramo, of 12 Outlook Rd.

Cy Yount, of 11 Foundry St.

In all, 14 WHS grads were accepted into Ivy League schools, a one-year record (13 grads were Ivy League-bound in 1984, 1990, and 1999). It is a welcome year after several years of failure for WHS in this area; last year, WHS produced a mere 4 Ivy-bound students; in 2007, there were only 3. In 2004, 2005, 2006, and 2008, NO grads were accepted into Harvard, so the jump from zero to eight is pleasantly surprising. WHS also has 9 graduates going to the West Coast, the largest concentration since 1988.


OF UMASS D.L., TWO ARE WHS GRADS. ILTORIO, TONY, CLASS OF 2006, & JOHNSON, PETER, CLASS OF 2008, FOR SPRING SEMESTER OF 2008-09 SCHOOL YEAR.

OF UNIV. OF NEW HAMPSHIRE D.L., ONE IS WHS GRAD, MANSFIELD, MARKUS, CLASS OF 2007, FOR SPRING SEMESTER OF 2008-09 SCHOOL YEAR.

OF UNIV. OF PENNSYLVANIA STATE D.L., ONE IS WHS GRAD, MAINER, DANIELLE, CLASS OF 2006, FOR BOTH WINTER AND SPRING SEMESTERS OF 2008-09 SCHOOL YEAR.




Library's new hours not mulling over well with town
-WAKEFIELD
-Lucius Beebe Memorial Library usage has been down 5 per cent since the implementation of moving closing time Mondays through Thursdays an hour earlier, from 9 to 8 p.m.

"That final hour was in fact one of the busiest and most popular," said one Board of Selectmen spokesperson.

Said a library spokesperson, "We were forced to make this cut for the same reason that all other public organizations in Wakefield are making cuts like this--because of the deflating budget. We were never in favor of this change, we, like most other Wakefieldians, wanted to keep it from happening. At best, if all goes well, this well only be tentative, perhaps for a few months, then, if there's more money in the budget by then to support the extra hour, we could go back." The Library stresses that the change is most likely not indefinite and that the hours should, hopefully, revert to the original by October or November at the earliest and February or March at the latest.


Youth troubles/altercations die down; reports of credit card and other forms of fraud; fires and fireworks still being reported in slight occurrences
-WAKEFIELD
-Police will still be keeping thier eye on altercations involving youths, but for the most part, these altercations have stopped. From Sat., Jul. 12 to Tue., Jul. 15, there was only one report of an altercation involving youths, compared with twelve from Sat., Jul. 5 to Tue., Jul. 8.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Police broke up an altercation on Salem Street at 9:09 p.m. Tuesday that involved three Caucasian males. One began swinging at an officer, until, eventually, all followed suit. The cause of the altercation was identified as a fight over a stolen car parked outside the Salem Street house in which the altercation occurred. The car matched a vehicle reported stolen at 3:48 p.m. that afternoon. It belonged to one of the males involed in the altercation, and was stolen by another, it transpired. The role of the third male in the altercation was unknown. The names of those involved were unavailable at press time for unknown reasons.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Police launched an investigation after a 3:10 p.m. call from a New Salem Street resident saying her credit card had charges for flights to London, England and Los Angeles that she never took. Also listed on the credit card bill was premium lodging in five different locations: London, England; Bennington, Vermont; Portland, Maine; Halifax, Nova Scotia; and St. John's, Newfoundland.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

In other business Tuesday (yesterday) and this morning, police:

• overlooked an 11:06 a.m. call about a loiterer at a store on June Cir. because there are no stores there.
• handed over to the DPW a complaint of an unattended sewer manhole on Albion Street reported in an 11:14 a.m. call.
• handed over to the F.D. a complaint of a brush fire on a hill near Savin Road reported in a 12:25 p.m. call.
• handed over to the Animal Control Dept. a 1:10 p.m. grievance of an unleashed dog romping on Ware Avenue.
• handed over to paramedics from Melrose-Wakefield hospital a 2:53 p.m. report of a screaming person on Yale Avenue.
• sent youths away from Fast Freddie's at 3:30 p.m.
• found youths playing baseball in the middle of Hillis Avenue at 3:32 p.m.; as a true Wakefield police officer will never want to interfere with a good baseball game, the youths were dispatched to Mapleway Playground. The same officer issued a request for checks at intervals on the youths until they had left the playground; the playground was found vacant by 5:06 p.m.
• responded to a collision at 5:11 p.m. at the intersection of North and Prospect. Mary B. Bruss, 39, of 114 Yolkeh Avenue, Milford, and Xavier H. Ayers, of 6 Bill Road, #1, Melrose, collided here when Ayers' 2005 Toyota Corolla S slammed into the rear-end of Bruss's 2005 Dodge Stratus, driving the front end of the Stratus into the sidewalk, knocking over and activating a fire hydrant in the process. Water sprayed out of the fire hydrant for about twelve minutes. Traffic in the area slowed for nearly two hours; it was 8:46 p.m. by the time it was reported that the miniature flood created by the busted fire hydrant had been fully cleaned up.
• responded to a collision at 6:22 p.m. at the intersection of Kendrick and Brandt. Gladys Johnston, 69, of 63 Farm Street, and Phil Willis, 22, of 3 Eunice Circle, collided here when Johnston's cruise control and ABS went haywire, causing her to drive erratically until she slammed head-on into the passenger side of Willis's 2002 Mitsubishi, who was backing out of a parking lot stationed at the intersection. Traffic slowed in the area for about forty-five minutes.
• sent a group of youths taking cardboard boxes to dumpsters on Crescent Hill on their way at 7:16 p.m.
• received a report that the MBTA gates were stuck in the "down" position at Broadway at 9:10 p.m. An MBTA station operator had reported the problem was fixed by 9:37 p.m. at the earliest.
• responded to a loud noise of unknown origin on Park Street at 10:11 p.m.
• found remnants of a smoltering firework in the middle of the street on Ashcroft Place at 10:44 p.m. after a resident had reported a large "boom" there. Motorists were found stranded in the middle of the street, confused, thinking the smoltering firework was possibly a police flare. Police assured drivers it was not, the firework was removed from the street, and traffic in the area resumed quickly.
• sent youths trespassing on the Breakheart Reservation at 12:50 a.m. during the wee hours of this morning.
• sent youths congregating inside a garage on Shady Avenue on their way at 2:50 a.m. Of six youths, two left the scene immediately, but four remained; by 3:11 a.m., three youths remained; by 3:46 a.m., two youths; by 4:04 a.m., one youth; and by 4:27 a.m. the garage door was found closed and no persons were found in the general vicinity.
• responded to a complaint of a loud group of youths on the Lower Common at 4:29 a.m. By the time police arrived at 4:33 a.m., the youths were already leaving the scene. By 4:48 a.m., a sweep of the area found the entire Common vacant.
• The DWP is set to dredge and clean Edgewater Pond today.

The police once again are issuing curfew warnings; due to the recent amount of curfew violations, the curfew for youths has been extended from 11 p.m. to 12 a.m., but no later; youths found in violation of curfew more than twice per one month will be cited.

Parents have issued concern that the youths formerly involved in altercations may now be involved in these curfew violations; the police have requested the Item print that of a total of 27 youths found violating curfew, only one had a name that matched that of a youth previously involved in the altercations.

Police are asking anyone who has contacts with the DWP call to ensure there are no open sewer manholes on their street, attended or unattended, as of yesterday's 12:25 p.m. complaint.

After several brush fires this week, the police are urging residents living near hills and woods to refrain from disposing of their trash in the wilds; this has been the suspected cause of several of the brush fires.

Police are reminding residents that should they become involved with police due to an incident, they have the right to request that their entry in the police log not be printed in the newspaper. This comes after recent complaints about privacy violation when a resident's police entry was printed in the paper when this was unwanted.


Amerks 11s/12s just can't muster it against Lynn
-WAKEFIELD
-The pitching was horrendous in the first playoff matchup for the Amerks, the playoffs being held in a double round-robin format (4 teams, each team plays 2 games against every other team; best record wins). Starter Bobby Allan gave up 12 runs and an astonishing 7 walks--this from the youth ace who dazzled Newburyport June 22 with 11 strikeouts and Malden June 28 with 9 strikeouts. Last night marked the career record for most walks in a single game for Allan, and, cleraly flustered, he left the game early. HR's by Lynn's Rory Newburg and Sanford Sattorre started the game on a low note for Wakefield--and it'd stay that way. Mikey Dowitcher and Philip Sange tripled in the second to drive in three runs. In the third, Booby Babcock hit a booming inside-the-park home run, followed by a double for Rory Newman, who would end up hitting for the cycle. Daniel Jackman nutcrackered a double to drive Newman home. By the end of the third inning, the score was 9-0, and the Wakefield pitchers were getting creamed. Bobby Allan gave up three walks in a row in the fourth to load the bases; then reliever Johnny Gardens walked again. Jacky Bluemont was called in to fill the pitching slot. After walking thrice, he got the hook. Allan was called back in and gave Wakefield its 8th consecutive walk, followed by a grand slam home run by Patrick Yungy. Reliever Brad Bryan Kyston was then called in, and he was sufficientsuch that Lynn crashed and burned after that, scoring no runs and only one hit. There were still five innings left, but the hitting staff collapsed as well, striking out twelve times. After giving up an astonishing nine runs in the top of the fourth, the game was relatively scoreless and apathetic. From the bottom fourth to the end of the game, there were only three hits. Lynn killed the Amerks, 18-0. The Amerks' tournament continues as they face the Woburn 11/12 Amerks, affectionally known as the "Woobin Sixth Gradahs," tonight at McGuire-McCarthy field in Woburn.

Wakefield Daily Item Mock Newspaper -- Monday, July 13, 2009

Disclaimer: Most stories fictional. Intended only for purposes of pure (positive) flattery.

Wakefield Daily Item
Monday, July 20, 2009 copyright VII XX, MMIX

AT LAST!!!
Town rejoices as Nats win championship; police say celebrations controlled
-WAKEFIELD
-Police say celebrations for the Nats' first championship win in 21 years went well, with no arrests despite a large spontaneous party on the Lower Common which begun immediately after the Nats' 14-8 thumping of Brockton Sunday and continued well into the night; police dispersed the gatherings around 12:30 a.m. after complaints from Main St. homes; additional crowds were dispersed at 1:15 and 1:45 a.m. until the Common was found largely empty by 2 a.m. Police say celebrations rivaled that of those on the Common after the Red Sox World Series win in 2004. Despite a few arrests over the weekend, the police could not reliably connect them in any way to the victory celebrations.


Nats championship game, which will immortalize hitters, can be attributed more to pitchers, analysts say
14-8 thumping driven by strong relief pitching
-A great championship game resulted in the Nats smushing cross-I-90 rivals Brockton 14-8. Analysts say it wasn't as much hitting but pitching that gave Wakefield the upper hand in a game the memorializes not ace pitchers like Robby Penton and "Kithy" Kyle Morton but rather slammers like Cody Richman and Stan Russell. J.J. Reding of Brockton brought out an explosive Brockton offense early. A double that caromed off the center-field wall brought in Peter Ryland and Danny Sacchionnia. Xavier Mossman cranked out a triple that just caromed off the tip of the glove of Cody Richman. A Mark Eirwich single brought Mossman in. Rian Lester of Wakefield hit a solo shot to righty in the bottom 1st. Reding brought out the big guns again in the top 3rd, a wraparound errored double bringing in Shausy and two consecutive homers by Jay Joyce and Sacchionnia. Brockton got out of a rundown out home plate as Pete Chays stole home successfully to up Brockton 7-1 by the middle 4th. But Wakefield would battle back. Cody Richman crushed one up to the International Space Station to bring in Johnny Rexford, scoring two runs. In the 5th, Stanley Russell hit a whizzing frozen rope to center and made a huge duststorm of a slide at 3rd just before the out, and then Peter Akolla did the same. Roy Menard, a great defensive player but "a clown at the plate," as he describes himself, made the wise decision belting a sac fly high enough to bring in Akolla. In the 6th, Robert Dwindell hit a booming double for Brockton and an error by Johnny Latman gave Brockton its final run. Mikey Mirrors and David Staucher clogged the bases in the 7th, and a crushing good-wood hit by Pete Jack just sailed over the fences by two inches to tie the game for Wakefield. In the 8th, Bobby Kescher of Brockton loaded the bases on three consecutive singles, and then hit Cody Richman in the ankle (rather hard, such that an on-the-spot med exam was ordered for Richman before he could continue play) to drive in a run. Kescher melted like the Wicked Witch of the West, walking Anoka and Akolla to drive in two more runs. Later in the inning, the bases cleared, and Gary Romano and Tony Danatoriana doubled to bring in a run, and then William Smithing singled to set-up a 2-run belter by, yes, you guessed it, Cody Richman. In the top 9th, Brockton hit two pop-outs and an easy 4-3 groundout, called thus by WCVE commentator Mike Rourke: "Russell... has only to toss it to Akolla, and, yep! It's that easy! It's that simple! The drought is over! Wakefield has won their first championship in 21 years!" Wakefield wraps up a 20-9 record in the regular season by sweeping the playoffs 3-0. Cody Richman, after a storied four-season career with the Nats 10-11, 11-12, 12-13, and 13-14 squads, wraps up his Little League career with 137 HRs. He comes out of 2009 with 47 of those 137. The next step for all members of the Nats 13-14 squad, of course, will be the Wakefield Warriors High School team, which scouters have already called Richman and Akolla "shoo-ins" for. Akolla has the second most L.L. career homers of anyone on the squad, finishing just behind Richman with 133 HRs (40 this year).



THE ITEM EXTENDS CONGRATS TO THE NATS ON FINALLY BREAKING THE CHAMPIONSHIP DROUGHT!!!!


Hull not persuasive to clerk
Clerk tells Hull to "bug herself"
-CAMBRIDGE
-"Ah, go bug yourself."

"But, sir, Lehrer and Pittman, they must be--"

"Oh, go ruin someone else's day. No one's going to take your side anyway, Hull."


Those just some of the disparaging comments that left the mouth of County Clerk Sean Shawset and penetrated the eardrum of Phyllis Hull Friday.


While most agree with Shawset's sentiments: that Hull should go mind her own business; some thought that Shawset's words were a bit TOO harsh. "He could have approached the situation with a more professional attitude," said one Wakefieldian. "Hull needs to get to get it together, but if Shawset has an outburst like that, it'll only set off more tirade fireworks," said another. As of the most recent reports, Shawset is refusing to respond when pressed for an apology by Hull's 2010 MS County Board Campaign.


Another busy weekend for police includes several vehicular incidents

-WAKEFIELD
-Police are investigating a possible assualt suspect after an arrest late Friday night. At 11:43 p.m., police were dispatched to an altercation on Spruce Street. A man swinging at a group there was found mentally incapacitated. A search of the man's name turned up results that may suggest warrants for similar incidents in Delaware and Connecticut. The matter will be investigated.

• At 4:22 p.m., Patrick Stevenson, 34, of 457 Main Street, and Paula Lowell, 35, of 112 Lowell Street, collided at the Junction.
• At 6:50 p.m., youths were reported as entering the woods near Harrison Court. The youths were sent on their way.
• At 7:59 p.m. and 8:06 p.m., two calls came regarding a tree that had fallen partway into the street on Hickory Road.
• At 10:11 p.m., youths playing baseball in the middle of Ruby Street were sent on their way after an automobilist reported he had nearly struck one of the youths there.
• At 11:56 p.m., police cited a youth for loitering at the Junction since 9 p.m. When police left the scene, the youth was not leaving; another check of the area 10 minutes later revealed he was still there; another check around 12:45 a.m. revealed the youth was still there. The youth was given another citation; by a 1:05 a.m. check, the youth had left the area.

On Saturday:

• At 7:50 a.m., a Vernon St. resident complained of incessantly barking dogs.
• Found a boom box thieved on High Road by an unidentified individual between the hours of 9:25 and 9:37 a.m.
• At 12:45 p.m., police responded to a false alarms call (carbon monoxide) at a Main St. office building.
• At 3:16 p.m., police assisted an ambulance with an emergency run after a severe five-car crash in Northern Melrose. Melrose police also arrived on the scene.
• At 4:40 p.m., police reported that a call from Summit Road concerning youths smashing the headlights of cars parked there was unfounded.
• At 5:59 p.m., police received a call from an elderly woman on Swain Place claiming someone had stolen the necklace, valued $250, she had been wearing. Health aides had come in about an hour earlier for a biweekly checkup, she said, and thought that a nurse had taken the necklace when touching her neck. The woman was sitting on the necklace in question, it transpired.
• At 11:58 p.m., the MBTA gates were reportedly stuck in the "down" position at Broadway.

Sunday and early Monday:

• Power was out for about an hour on Kathy Ln. and Whittier Rd. when lightning struck an underground wire at 3:01 a.m. Power had returned to the area by 3:58 a.m. at the earliest.
• Power was out for about twenty to thirty minutes on Teal Road when lightning struck an underground wire at 7:55 a.m. Power had returned by 8:22 a.m. at the earliest.
• A Farm Street resident reported his back license plate stolen at 12:01 p.m.
• Police forwarded to the fire legion a call about a dumpster fire on Audubon Road at 12:56 p.m.
• Police stopped John Steesle, 26, of 15 Sunset Drive, on crossing marked lines in the vicinty of the Junction and found alcohol on his person. He was placed under arrest at 2:59 p.m.
• Police placed a 19-year-old male into protective custody after a domestic disturbance on Salem Street at 6:50 p.m.
• Rob Sweitza, 39, of 200 Prongerby Road, #3, Tewksbury, and Carol Ipswich, 59, of 162 Whitman Place, #16, Concord, Mass., collided at the intersection of Jessica Lane and Old Colony Dr. at 8:11 p.m.
• Tony Fanzia, 40, of 55 Water Ave., Reading, and Suzanne Pinckney, 33, of 111 Sharon Rd., Sharon, collided at 9:23 p.m. at the Junction.
• Loud teenagers on Lantern Ln. were sent on their way at 11:50 p.m.
• Youths manhandling the playground equipment at 2:50 a.m. Monday morning at Moulton Playground were sent on their way.
  

Wakefield Daily Item Mock Newspaper -- Friday, July 10, 2009

Intended purely as a positive form of flattery towards the real Wakefield Daily Item.
Most stories/persons fictional.
Phyllis Hull not fictional (her actions described here, however, are).
Names of other board members/selectmen/etc. fictional.
Remarks regarding earthquakes fictional.

Wakefield Daily Item
Friday, July 10th, 2009

Hull to lunge at Lehrer and Pittman for "abuse of position"
-WAKEFIELD
-Phyllis Hull announced Thursday that she wants to lunge at County Board representatives from Wakefield Pete Lehrer and Ivan Pittman for "abuse of position," claiming "nongovernmental conduct" towards Hull's speeches and ideals. She plans to also recommend to County Clerk Sean Shawset their dismissal from the county board. Said one concerned citizen, Pierce Warner, "where does she [Hull] come here with the guts or the nerve to do this? She's not even on the county board! She just announced that she was running for the county board two days ago! She's not even on it yet; and she's not even on the Board of Selectmen anymore, so she's not even part of any governmental officiating body where she has any right to take any action against this!"

Hull said, in response to Warner's comment, "I still am a strong presence around Middlesex County, and, even though I am not part of a governmental body, I do have the absolute sole right to recommend to the County Clerk their dismissal, as no 'talk-backers' like Lehrer and Pittman should be on the board. Those two really need to get with the program. Holding a governmental position means being courteous with it, not abusing it by using it to make themselves look more influential when they unleash trash talk towards me. Those two are just making themselves idiotic."

However, the consensus seems to be that if anybody is looking idiotic due to self-induced causes, it's Hull. Said Ivan Pittman, "This really is an enraging comment to hear from Hull, and an infuriating decision on her part. What really irks me is what the other citizen that was interviewed, Pierce Warner, said, was true. If Hull was on the county board or still a Selectwoman, fine. But she is not, and so she doesn't have any governmental right to take such action. While it is against codes of conduct for county board members to show vulgarity towards fellow members, this would not apply because Hull is NOT ON the county board yet, and, if she does become a part of it, I will rescind my comments because I know that they are in violation of the rules should that come to pass, and I am always for abiding by the rules of my office."

Hull plans to "emphasize the idiocy" of Lehrer and Pittman at a newly-scheduled August 2 rally in the Hull-supporting town of Tewksbury.


MGLD receives outcry from town over online payment rescindment
-WAKEFIELD
-The town wanted the MGLD to break their last ties to the Board of Selectmen, but not if that meant rescinding their immensely popular online payment system. MGLD customers have now created a gigantic outcry over the fact that they have rescinded their online payment program due to budget cuts and strapped funding. Said an MGLD spokesperson, who chose not to reveal his name for job safety reasons (several MGLD board members have received dismissal threats from citizens for what some citizens consider "a crime against Wakefield"), "The online payment program was an invention of the Board of Selectmen, and it choked us of all of our funding. Now that we're independent, we had to immediately rescind the program. We had no other choice. We would have gone belly-up had we kept it running."

The frustration over the rescindment has gotten so intense that a group of Wakefieldians bought the web page formerly used for MGLD online payment and renamed the web domain to turn it into a website warning Wakefieldians of "the coming age without online payment." On its home page it states, "Wakefield was fine all these years without online payment, but only with Selectmen moderation. Now with the independence of the MGLD, online payment is needed more than ever to keep the company alive and running. If you care about your water and power, you will go out and protest aganst this rescindment, and hope that the next time you visit this page this message will be gone and the online payment program will be back in its place!"

A long line formed again Thursday at the MGLD offices, the line that had been nonexistent with the online payment program.



More youths causing mischief in town due to summer boredom ; foreigners found with invalid certification ; first earthquake since Jan. 2006 hits Wakefield area
-WAKEFIELD
-In anticipation of more increases in youth mischief due to the big white elephant of the summer break: boredom, Deputy Will Halveles issued another bulletin at 4:16 p.m. yesterday urging parents to keep track of their children's whereabouts. "These kids get bored and then start fighting each other for no good reason; we see this every summer, but a lot especially this summer, so, just something to keep in mind when your kids are out unsupervised," said Halveles. To a group of concerned parents, Halveles assured them that "a rise in youth mischief is a part of summer here in Wakefield and should not be worried about if parents have a firm hold on their kids." Six out of sixteen calls yesterday into this morning involved youths.

----------------------------------------------------------

The INS is to be notified of a man from Nicaragua whose U.S. certification was found invalid and/or expired when an officer red-flagged a vehicle of unknown make or model for crossing marked lanes at 10:17 p.m. Thursday. The driver had a U.S. license, which was invalid, and a Nicaraguan license which was expired. The driver was taken into temporary custody. A passenger in the car had a legal U.S. license and valid U.S. certification. The driver was visiting Massachusetts from Nicaragua, while the passenger had lived legally in Massachusetts since 2007, it was found out. Police granted the passenger temporary posession of the vehicle while the driver was taken for investigation. After a search of the car, police confiscated eight empty Dunkin' Donuts boxes, a cell phone with 75 unread text messages dating to March 30, 2009, a PDA with 4 unread "notices" dating to June 6, 2009, and a leather strap that looked like a dog leash. While the driver was questioned, the phone received eight new text messages from a (413) area code (Western Massachusetts/Pittsfield.) After questioning, the driver was released, although the driver's license was confiscated and it was made clear that the passenger must be the driver of the vehicle. At 10:46 p.m., after a thorough investigation, the vehicle left the scene.

-----------------------------------------------------------

More youths were found in the middle of an altercation on Outlook Road, 11:29 a.m. Thursday. One of six youths involved obtained a minor injury to the arm; a call to that youth's home phone number shortly after revealed he had returned home. The other five involved fled the scene within about ninety seconds of the arrival of police. One of the five who fled was briefly questioned, giving his name but no other personal details.

------------------------------------------------------------

A second altercation occurred Thursday on the Upper Common, 5:11 p.m. Four youths were questioned; two fled the scene almost immediately. One youth, said a witness, had been raveled into the altercation unknowingly and by accident. That youth gave his name and phone number. By 6:21 p.m., police called that number and it was revealed the youth was home. The other of the two remaining youths gave his address and phone number but not his name. A call to that number shortly after revealed the youth still had not returned home. Calls repeated at half-hour intervals until, at 7:48 p.m., a call confirmed the youth had finally returned home.

--------------------------------------------------------------

A party of teenagers who had trespassed into a yard to congregate was dispersed at 8:50 a.m. The homeowner requested the street on which the trespassing occurred not be published. Of four teenagers, one gave full information; by 8:53 a.m., all had left the scene.

---------------------------------------------------------------

A party of eight teenagers was found playing pocket pool in a garage at 3:56 a.m. on Tamworth Hill Avenue. All gave phone numbers, except for one, who lived in the house adjoining the garage; subsequent calls to each number revealed all had returned home, by, at the latest, 4:27 a.m.

-----------------------------------------------------------------

A youth, or possibly a late night door-to-door salesman, was suspected for theft of a DVD player on Lowell Street at 10:32 p.m.; when police arrived, no youths or salesmen were seen in the vicinity.

In other business yesterday into this morning, police:

• asked residents of a Tamworth Hill Avenue bed and breakfast to evacuate after a carbon monoxide alarm went off at 9:22 a.m.; the alarm was faulty, it transpired.
• arrested Patrick Dekelshoft, 36, of 280 Main Street, for an open container at 10:55 a.m.
• were told that the MBTA gates at Broadway had become inadvertently stuck in the "up" position at 12:40 p.m.; by 1:15 p.m., an MBTA gate operator had fixed the problem.
• sent several youths hiking in the forest behind Greenwood on their way at 1:50 p.m.
• reported that a 2:43 p.m. call regarding further Hartshorne House vandalism was unfounded.
• reported that a 4:30 p.m. call regarding another altercation among youths was unfounded.
• stopped a foreigner on crossing marked lanes at Albion Street at 6:22 p.m.; the foreigner produced valid American and Romanian licenses.
• deported to Audubon Road a man who had received an eviction notice and refused to leave his apartment at Audubon Apartments at 7:47 p.m.
• impounded the car of a Maple Street man who used it to trespass onto the Breakheart Reservation at 9:59 p.m.

The fire legion was summoned for a kitchen fire at 7:11 a.m. Thursday morning on Catalpa Street. No major damage was found.

The fire legion was summoned for a complaint of mild shaking from two separate houses on Ames Street, and another house on Morel Circle, at 7:41 a.m. Thursday morning. It transpired that a 2.1-magnitude intraplate earthquake had occurred to the southwest in Stoneham. The Stoneham P.D. also reported shaking complaints. This marks the first intraplate quake felt in the Wakefield area since a 2.8-magnitude quake centered in Reading on January 2, 2006.



Townies lose again...
21-6 against Greater Good of Peabody
-PEABODY
-Wakefield's Townies suffered a bone-breaking loss to Peabody Thursday night at Wilks Field in Peabody, with pitcher Alex J. Rustin, despite a 3-0 record on the season, flopping for the first time this year and giving up 14 runs. The game ended in the bottom 4th by way of the mercy rule as Peabody took a 15-run lead. (Mercy rule holds that: if a 15-run lead is obtained by a team before the middle of the 5th, the game ends.) Jay Ristemorio homered a career-best thrice, including a grand slam in the 3rd. "Rock" David Houlton drove in a two-run sailor to right field to give Peabody a 15-run lead, and, thus, a win via the mercy rule inducing a forced forfeit for Wakefield. The Townies face Salem Saturday night in Salem.

Wakefield 15/16s continue winning streak in stairball
Obliterate rival Tyngsboro 37-17 in game littered with whistles.
-WAKEFIELD
-Wakefield can add another "W" to their standings after the 15/16 Year-Old Stairball team obliterated their fierce rival Tyngsboro yesterday afternoon at Yueull Field and Stairwell in Wakefield. Wakefield immediately took the upper hand in a game littered with whistles for stops, struglles, offsides, steals, slides, and out-of-bounds crashes. "When the whistle's being blown that often, it can be hard to keep your composure to play well," said Wakefield coach Teddy Ryan, "and that's why I'm proud of the performance my guys were able to pull off tonight." Wakefield and Tyngsboro combined for an unprecedented 226 stops, 29 struggles, 27 offsides, 67 steals, 89 slides, and 72 out-of-bounds crashes. Wakefield alone had 63 out-of-bounds crashes and 157 stops. While no number has been set, it can be reliably predicted that the whistle blew an astounding 510 times. The game took almost five hours to finish, down from the normal 3 1/2 hours. "In most games, the whistle only blows about half that amount of times," said Ryan. This, we remind you, was a game that took 5 hours to play for only 48 minutes of actual ball-in-play time. "It was a long, exhuasting game," said Ryan, "but Tyngsboro let their guard down and we didn't, so we come out with a 'W.'"

Wakefield Daily Item Mock Newspaper -- Wednesday, July 8, 2009

Most stories/persons fictional.

Phyllis Hull not fictional. Her actions mentioned here, however, are.

Wakefield Daily Item
Wednesday, July 8th, 2009

Hull stirs mixed reactions at speech
-WAKEFIELD
Phyllis Hull made the opening speech of her 2010 Middlesex County Board membership campaign in Chelmsford Tuesday, the first of twenty-three scheduled "Hull rallies" from now through February 2010, with rally dates after February pending.
She spoke to conservative voters from the Merrimack Valley area, promising "better leadership under the good Hull name." Hull also promised better relations between Wakefield and the Merrimack Valley region, a region that Wakefield has trouble reaching to and agreeing with, such to an extent that when a P.A. announcer said the words, "representing Wakefield," the crowd booed. A passage from Hull's speech reads thus:

Chelmsford...relations between my town and yours have disbanded. Just because the classes and demographics of our towns differentiate, it does not mean that with a good, strong, firm hold over Wakefield we cannot come to a stable, satisfying conservative, Republican agreement.

Pete Lehrer said, in response, "The [Merrimack] Valley is a highly Republican area ... unfortunately, Hull will be able to make a big impact there."

Hull's tour schedule includes speeches in central Wakefield (July 16), North Andover (July 25), Medford (July 29), and the Montrose section of Wakefield (August 1).

Vote in our "Phyllis Polls" online.


MGLD announces pull-away from Board of Selectmen
-WAKEFIELD
-Tuesday, the Municipal Gas and Light Department polled their Board of Directors to see if they should break their last ties to the Board of Selectmen, and the vote, which involved 14 B.O.D. members, was unanimous. Two other board members who are on vacation had submitted yes votes before their leave on Friday. The MGLD had "grown tired of the controlling, whining grip of the Board of Selectmen." As of their independence, the MGLD announced that they will be rescinding their online payment program that was implemented by the B.O.S. due to the great loss of funds it has caused them. An emergency debriefing has been set for Thursday at 1:30 p.m.



EMERGENCY MOSQUITO SPRAYING TO TAKE PLACE IN GREENWOOD
-WAKEFIELD
-Due to the intense growth of mosquitoes, especially in the Greenwood/South Wakefield area, an emergency mosquito spraying has been set for tomorrow, 7:30-8:30 p.m. If residents see a spray truck coming, they are advised to go indoors and stay indoors for at least twenty minutes until the spray has dissipated.


Wakefield/Lynnfield debate intercounty board connections
-WAKEFIELD
-County board reps from both Wakefield and neighboring Lynnfield met in Lynnfield Town Hall yesterday to see if they would agree to keep the connections between the towns on their respective Middlesex and Essex County boards. Wakefield found themselves at a disadvantage as the meeting was held in Lynnfield. While Wakefield favors holding onto Lynnfield relations, Lynnfield feels that, in the words of Lynnfield selectman Drymon Russell, "our two towns have grown apart politically in the past few years. While we feel the utmost respect for Wakefield, it has an extremely strong Democratic presence as of the Democratic Takeover of 2006, and we're not sure how much longer we will be able to [work with] that." Michael Kearney, representing Wakefield, was one of the few Wakefieldian reps who agreed with Lynnfield, saying, "The feeling is mutual. If Lynnfield continues their course of conservative Republican action, we will have to let go of them." Lynnfield has now dropped from 6th to 11th on Wakefield's "ally towns list." (1st is Reading.)

WE ASKED LOCAL WAKEFIELDIANS!
Is letting go of Lynnfield a good choice?
Yes 61%
No 39%


Police log includes several thefts and altercations, some by youths
-WAKEFIELD
-The police department is urging parents to keep track of where their children go throughout town this summer, due to an increase of calls complaining about youths roughhousing or being involved in altercations of some kind.

At 5:49 p.m. yesterday, police were called to the scene of a fight of several youths on the lower Common. The combative youths were separated from each other temporarily. It is unknown what caused the altercation. One cooperative youth, who said he had become involved in the altercation unknowingly and unintentionally, said he believed the argument was over stolen items of some kind. The other youths had left the scene before further details could be acquired.

--------------------------------------------

At 6:44 p.m., another youth was found loitering at the Junction for almost an hour. When an officer arrived, the youth appeared combative, but eventually left the scene.

--------------------------------------------

Also on Tuesday, Jul. 7:

• At 3:40 a.m., youths on the Lower Common were sent on their way.
• At 6:15 a.m., Selectmen Ken Royey, 39, of 218 Oak St., and Linda Cameron, 41, collided at the intersection of Hopkins and Brook Streets. Cameron's 2001 Toyota Corolla suffered significant rear end damage. Royey's 2004 Chevrolet Malibu suffered significant front end damage.
• At 7:25 a.m., police deported a homeless person from North Avenue Dunkin' Donuts to North Emerson Street.
• At 8:06 a.m., a Prospect Street resident reported that someone had stolen a $400 diamond jewelry piece after smashing the front window of her residence. A middle-age man, whose name could not be identified, was found with the offending object and arrested.
• At 10:34 a.m., a Linda Road resident reported that someone had stolen the back license plate off of his 2007 Chrysler 300. A youth was found with the plate and returned it, claiming the plate had became detached from the vehicle, slid across the street and into his backyard after a runaway skateboard struck the vehicle's rear end. These claims were found valid as a skateboard was found about three feet away from the vehicle. The owner of the skateboard has yet to be identified.
• At 11:11 a.m., a Quannapowitt resident reported that a large mahogany desk was to be found in the middle of the street and that it had caused several cars on the street to stop, creating a mini traffic jam. Police moved the desk.
• At 11:56 a.m., a Pearl St. resident reported that a large buck had just galloped down the street. The animal was not found anywhere in the vicinity when police arrived.
• At 12:05 p.m., a Bartley St. resident reported a group of youths playing in the street. They were gone when police arrived.
• At 1:22 p.m., an Outlook Road resident announced she had placed a man under citizen's arrest. Police asked the resident to rescind the citizen's arrest when they arrived.
• At 4:00 p.m., Rob Keller, 26, of 250 Whitegrove Road, was arrested for assualt and battery after an altercation with an unidentified individual who fled the scene.
• At 4:26 p.m., a call about an altercation involving youths came from Sweetser St. The youths were leaving when police arrived; police noticed they looked very much like the youths that had been sent on their way for curfew violation on the Common at 3:40 a.m. the preceding morning.
• At 7:58 p.m., fireworks began for the eighth night in a row on Foundry and Maple Streets.
• At 8:12 p.m., fireworks citations were given out on Harrison and Minot Streets. Police have recorded Southern Greenwood to be the most active area for personal-use fireworks calls throughout the town, with over 1/4 of all personal-use fireworks calls coming from Southern Greenwood.
• At 9:06 p.m., an adult and a youth, found not to be related to each other, were sent on their way from Fernald Field.
  
• At 9:55 p.m., Mike Kollom, 41, of 41 North Avenue, reported that he had encountered a security officer at the Breakheart Reservation who had acted out of bounds. He reported that the officer accussed him of trespassing and threatened him with arrest. The matter is under investigation.
• At 12:08 a.m. this morning, police broke up firework-setters on Main, Railroad, Nahant, Franklin, Orchard, and Charles Streets.
• At 4:17 a.m. this morning, youths found on the Common were sent on their way for curfew violation.
• At 4:46 a.m. this morning, more youths were found on the Common and sent on their way for curfew violation. (The curfew for unaccompanied youths runs from 11 p.m. to 5:30 a.m. during the summer months.)

Amerks 11s/12s pull one over on Winchester
-WINCHESTER
-The Wakefield American 11/12 year-old All Stars pulled a Cinderella victory over Winchester Tuesday at Noonan Field in Winchester. Marcus Tyler and Roy Keugany (KOO-gah-NEE) both grand-slammed in the 7th and Mickey Millwood hit out a 3-run homer to combine with a 2-run RBI in the 8th.

Just as it looked like the Amerks would lose to the mercy rule, down 12 runs with the bases loaded in the bottom 6th, relief pitcher Joshua Ryansfield struck out a batter, then assisted in a double play to retire the side, stopping the bleeding and setting up the beginning of the spectacular comeback in the top 7th.

Pitch: W - Dolbeare Jr. (WKF) (1-3)
L - Bradley (WIN) (2-2)
SV - Ryansfield (WKF) (1-2) (2d SV)
Bat: WKF - Tyler (GS) (2), Keugany (GS) (4), Millwood (3RHR) (1)

WIN - Chairston (2RHR) (3), Maxwell (3RHR) (1), Allister (3 RBI 3B) (1)

Wakefield Daily Item Mock Newspaper -- Tuesday, July 7, 2009

Thought I'd get back to making these after quite a long absence, however, you never fully enjoyed all of my mock newspapers, so, here you go, another from way back in Jul.; most stories/persons fictional; Phyllis Hull NOT fictional; however, her actions depicted here ARE.

Wakefield Daily Item
Tuesday, July 7, 2009

Hull causes outcry at 2010 election announcement
Plans to run for Middlesex County board in 2010
-WAKEFIELD
-The public voters are stirring after Phyllis Hull made an announcement Monday, Jul. 6, that she intends to run for the Middlesex County Board in 2010, causing a huge outcry. Said Pete Lehrer, "Hull's actions controlling Wakefield as a Selectwoman are examples of why if we want our local governments to get anywhere, we do not want her having power at a higher level, which being on the County Board would give her." Said Hull, "I can help improve many of the governments all throughout the county and many of their tyrannical leaders." However, this is just one of many of Hull's quotes that have met with fervent opposition from Dem leaders. It's a far cry until the next County election, but it should be quite a campaign for Hull.

WE ASKED LOCAL WAKEFIELDIANS!
Is Hull a good choice for the county?
Yes 14%
No 86%

Wakefield gets even more spotlight off of Pleasure Island book
-WAKEFIELD
-The public is paying more spotlight to Wakefield after the publication of a new book on Pleasure Island, just released this month. The book is drawing tourists and former park visitors to the worn-out, disheveled grounds. The Wakefield Board of Selectmen is currently concocting a plan to possibly build a memorial at the site of where Pleasure Island used to stand. "It was the first thing that brought visitors to our little town... [so] jovial ... [so] wonderful, ... it rightly deserves a monument, or at least something that will expose the future generations to what Pleasure Island used to do... what [joy it used to] bring to everyone who visited it," said Selectman Michael Kearney.


4th weekend includes everything from fireworks to juicers for P.D.
-WAKEFIELD
-An extremely busy Fourth of July weekend for the P.D. included 15 arrests and countless calls for fireworks, misbehaving, and medical aid.


Friday, July 3rd, night, police:

• Responded to five fireworks calls from Catalpa, Ross, Outlook, Main, and Shaw Streets from 7-8 p.m. 5 people were cited.
• Forwarded to the F.D. a smoke alarm call at 8:11 p.m.
• Ticketed illegally parked cars near the Common at 9:10 p.m.
• Cited more firework-setters on Montrose and New Salem Streets at 10:22 p.m.

Also on Saturday, July 4th, police:

• Were informed at 12:44 a.m. that fireworks had closed up shop in Greenwood.
• Forwarded to Action Ambulance a complaint of a hip injury at an Overlake Road home at 5:59 a.m.
• Responded to two crashes in succession at the Junction, at 6:10 a.m. and 7:08 a.m., in which both drivers exchanged information.
• Arrested Willis Burnaby, 35, of 66 Hemlock Road, for leaving the scene of an accident at 9:55 a.m.
• Responded to a crash at Water St. and Scott Ln. in which a 17-year-old driver was injured, as was 39-year-old driver.
• Arrested a complement of three for grnad larceny and grand theft on Main Street at 1:46 p.m. The complement included Jacob Isbury, 41, of 421 Water Street, Mike Rollins, 38, of 14 Kendrick Rd., and one 19-year-old individual whose name could not be released.
• Police arrested Pete Wasset, 55, of 17 Pheasantwood Ter., for an open bottle violation at 4:22 p.m.
• At 5:00 p.m. Saturday, a Holland Rd. resident reported that he was juicing an orange when the juicer exploded into flames, causing a small fire.
• At 6:10 p.m., young juveniles were removed from the Common after a physical altercation.
• At 6:43 p.m., a 35-year-old man who at this point cannot be identified was arrested for reasons that cannot be identified.
• At 6:59 p.m., police handed out their first fireworks citations of the evening on Foundry and Elm Sts.
• At 9:22 p.m., police sited firework-setters on Main, Walton, and Evans Sts.
• At 11:51 p.m., Action Ambulance responded to a broken leg.
• At 11:55 p.m., another physical altercation involving youths was dispersed on the Common.

On Sunday, Jul. 5:

• At 12:15 a.m., police were informed that fireworks on Walton, Catalpa, and Evans Streets had closed up shop.
• At 12:46 a.m., police placed a homeless man into protective custody after an altercation on Old Nahant Road Two significant others, Peter Walls, 30, of 578 Hemlock Blvd., Woburn, and Neville Garmand, of 5 White Way, Woburn, were arrested.
• At 3:51 a.m., police broke up a group of youths trespassing on the Breakheart Reservation.
• At 6:28 a.m., a Wicker Lane resident complained of two women yelling in the street. They were gone when police arrived.
• At 8:18 a.m., police found a call about vandalism on Gumwood Lane to be unfounded.
• At 10:22 a.m, police arrested Frank Michens, 49, of 632 Oak Street, for an opened container violation on Oak Street.
• At 12:48 p.m., a Memory Ln. grease fire was forwarded to the F.D.
• At 5:10 p.m., a group of men congregating in the middle of Muriel Avenue was dispersed.
• At 6:57 p.m., police found a group of men on Morrison Road to be intoxicated.
• Police handed out fireworks citations on Collins, Butler, Water, Spring, Sentley, and Sumner Streets from 8 to 9 p.m.
• Police handed out fireworks citations on Ames and Minot Streets, circa 9:30 p.m.
• Police were informed fireworks had closed up shop on Nahant and Valley Streets at 10:44 p.m.

On Monday, Jul. 6:

• Police arrested Ken Greene, 33, of 1 Hemlock Road, for leaving the scene of an accident on Hwy. 129 at 3:15 a.m.
• Fireworks on Sycamore and MacKenzie Streets continued until 4 a.m. At 4:11 a.m., the official call came that fireworks had closed up shop.
• Fireworks on Albion and Spruce Streets continued until 4:30 a.m. At 4:37 a.m., the official call came that fireworks had closed up shop.
• Fireworks on Ames and Howard Sts. continued until 5 a.m. At 5:02 a.m., the official call came that fireworks had closed up shop.
• Police were informed of a break-in at a Madison Avenue office at 8:22 a.m.
• At 1:56 p.m., a young juvenile was detained for petty theft. After about thirty minutes, officers dropped the decision to arrest the youth and the youth was released.

Nats 13s/14s pull off smash
-WAKEFIELD
-Friday, July 3, after Thursday's game was postponed due to rain, Wakefield met Saugus at Jackman Field in Saugus. Johnny Latman, an underestimated second-stringer, pulled off a grand slam in the 5th, which was followed up by a solo shot by Cody Richman in the 6th. Wakefield just kept racking up runs. With Saugus's star pitcher injured, the Nats just couldn't stop hitting, scoring 3 runs in the 7th, 3 in the 8th, and 3 in the previous 4th for a 14-2 win. The Nats face 3rd-seeded Brockton for the CHAMPIONSHIP July 12th in Wakefield.

Up in Yo-Semite

Just updating from Yosemite N.P. Got here the 23rd, leaving the 29th.

Got this new laptop for Christmas!!! =D (Or else this post wouldn't be here xD)

Hiked Mirror Lake today, an easy 2.4-mi. round trip. Icy conditions, the slip-and-fall-if-you're-not-careful kind, though. The lake is fast filling up with sediment and in less than a half century could be no more.

The cafeteria at the Lodge is yet to fill up with the huge Badger Pass ski crowds, which usually come in the very day after Christmas.

The staff at the Lodge have been very friendly and helpful to us, as always. Some of the employees we see year after year.

No snow yet, only rain in the forecast. Snow has been on the GROUND the whole time, yet none has fallen since we arrived.

Rain forecast tonight into tomorrow, temperatures have been and will stay in the mid to upper 40s in the daytime, that's just enough cold for me ;)

Lows at night have reached the low 20s, but we're not out that late. I'd say the coldest temps I've experienced so far on the trip have been low 30s.

Well, will be off now for sleep. Another hike tomorrow if the weather holds up.

Wakefield Daily Item Mock Newspaper -- Tuesday, June 30, 2009

Wakefield Daily Item
Tuesday, June 30, 2009

Selectmen Speak of rallying votes for Gs
-WAKEFIELD
-The Wakefield Board of Selectmen are gathering votes for Props G1 and G2 from radical Republican government officials. Said Chrmn. Lawrence Gailor Seiseman (R), "The budgets of the P.D. and F.D. are overinflated as it is." The vote of the Board of Selectmen will be put forth as a full town electorate vote, and with a 8-4 Rep/Dem balance on the Board, including the outlandish Phyllis Hull, the Wakefield electorate will probably go "Yes" toward G1 and G2, despite over 70% of Wakefieldian voters having claimed to vote "No" on G1/G2 in the popular vote. But Dem rallyers such as Halle Wille are turning votes over on Reps to change the flow for voters. Of a 61%/23% D/R balance, there is a 70%/30% N/Y balance on Props G1 and G2. Wille also convinced Selectmen today to drop Prop J, the prop for the new overlay area code.

Cambridge Univ. College of Christ Choir to hit the Cong tonight
-WAKEFIELD
-As part of their U.S. tour, the Choir of College of Christ of Oxford University in England will hit Congregational Church tonight at 7:30 p.m. Attendance is free. The C of C Cambridge choir is one of the most renowned in the world, and they park it in Wakefield on the second stop of their 12-city tour. The choir performed in Beverly tonight and hits Burlington, Vt. Thursday and Alton, N.H., Friday.

Busy Police Day Includes Attempted Vehicular Arson
-WAKEFIELD
-It wasn't a sit-and-the-depot-and-drink-coffee day for the P.D. yesterday, as they were called out off and on throughout the day. The main call was from a Ledyard Court resident who reported at 10:53 a.m. this morning that a man, identified as Amos Brakleton, 24, 24 Stillwell Av., was trying to set a car alight and drive it into a tree.

_____

The P.D. continued their ticketing Monday, striking over forty cars on Albion, Church, and North Streets on parking violations.

_____

Police placed a 27-year-old man, unidentified, under arrest at 6:27 a.m. yesterday morning after he struck a police officer for unknown reasons on Spruce Street.

_____

In other business yesterday:

• A homeless man inside a Starbucks was deported to Vale View Rd. at 6:41 a.m.
• A cat who attacked a woman and boy on Foundry Street was taken to the Wakefield Animal Hospital at 7:12 a.m.
• A man on Stowitcher Court called police at 7:35 a.m. to ask if they could scare away birds waking him up. Police overlooked the call.
• A collision happened off-road at a pole near Audubon Rd. when Dale Rye, 23, 115 Court St., Reading, veered to avoid colliding with Joseph Lamatou, 26, of 1250 Great Wy., Cambridge, but instead fender-bendered Lamatou and drove into a pole. This occurred at 7:37 a.m.
• At 9:11 a.m., Joshlin Weaver, 23, 201 South Ave., Medford, and Frank Mataro, 51, 112 Water St., collided at the intersection of Main and Morel.
• At 10:07 a.m., an elderly woman on Main St. complained of noise when police found no noise to be present.
• At 11:51 a.m., Rob Andlerst, 49, 146 Johnston Ter., Tewksbury, was questioned for entering Alano's on Main Street with a football helmet on his head.
• At 4:44 p.m., police arrested a man on Ledyard Ct. who had reportedly kicked an off-duty officer in the shin.
• At 7:16 p.m., police arrested Roy Halmont, 30, 13 Flint St., for operating an illegal firework that caused a loud, startling boom all throughout the central Greenwood area.

_____

In other business this morning:

• Police sent kids yelling and playing in the middle of Foundry St. on their way at 12:29 a.m.

_____

The fire legion put out a kitchen fire on Merion Street at 7:50 a.m.

_____

The Department of Water and Power is set to dredge and clean Lake Quannapowitt today.

Waltham clobbers Reds

-WAKEFIELD

-In Babe Ruth League action at Greenwood Field yest., the Waltham Cubs clobbered our Wakefield Reds 17-0. Pitcher/pinch hitter Shawn Jackman had a no-hitter against the Wakefield lineup, and only recorded one walk. Rory Stefeneman grand slammed for Waltham, and third baseman Petey Lotus had a 3RBI triple. Rightfielder Patrick Pinckney snagged what would have been a Wakefield grand slam in the 8th.

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 R H E

Waltham 0 0 0 1 0 1 1 10 4 17 25 1

WAKEFIELD 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1

Wakefield Daily Item Mock Newspaper -- Monday, June 29, 2009

Most stories, persons fictional. NOTE: Starting in this mock paper, you'll be hearing a lot about someone named Phyllis Hull. Unlike most people mentioned in the mock newspapers, Phyllis Hull IS real--and, boy, does she need to get a life.

Wakefield Daily Item
Monday, June 29, 2009

WIDC/WSSC Release Schedules for 4th of July
-WAKEFIELD
-The Wakefield Independence Day Committee/West Side Social Club have jointly released their schedules for the 4th of July festivities Saturday. Times are subject to change.

Schedule -- Wakefield Independence Day Committee Events
2:00p WSSC Float Registry
5:00p Parade
7:15-10:30p Music on Lower Common
9:45p Fireworks, on Lower Common, over Lake

Schedule -- West Side Social Club
6:30a Fishing Registration
7:00a Fishing
8:00a Pet Show
8:45a Cart/Wagon Parade Registry
9:00a Bicycle Parade Registry
9:15a Cart Parade
9:55a Bicycle Parade
12:00p Canoe Race ends - Head of Lake
12:15-1:05p Races

Wakefieldians speak out against Props G1, G2, J
-WAKEFIELD
-Wakefield is among many towns in Middlesex County trying to rack up "No" votes for props G1, G2, and J for Wednesday's Middlesex County election. G1 and G2 would scoop up funding from Medicaid programs and transfer it to local Mayoral Offices, Boards of Selectmen, and Officiating Offices. J would implement a new overlay area code. Halle Wille was among the most outspoken voters who gathered citizens to a Main Street rally over the weekend. "Our selectmen are too pompous monetarily already!" Wille preached to voters. "Our amorphous entities of rulers must be reinvented!" Wille spoke to a good chunk of the 63% of Wakefieldian voters who are registered as Democrat. "We must elect new leaders, and propositions like G1 and G2 need to be eradicated!" Wille told Item her rallies will continue until Wednesday.

Pittman, Royey hope to regain power for 3rd term
-WAKEFIELD
-Ivan Pittman and Dr. Kenny Royey will be running for county representative to Wakefield in the county election Wednesday. Pittman (D) is running for a third term, having served since 2007. Dr. Royey served from 1999-2001, and is running to fill the spot of David Johnson, who opted out of running for a second term after winning a slot in 2008. Peter Monikan (R) is also opting out; Pauline Allensford (D), a former Selectwoman, is running to fill that spot for a Democratic sweep.
26-year-old representative Bradley Ravell (D), according to a June 14th Item article, was considering opting out of running for a second term. The AP and the Middlesex County Board have now confirmed that he has dropped that consideration and that he will run for reelection Wednesday. The June 14 article said the consideration was pending a June 26 decision.

Further statue desecrations
-WAKEFIELD
-The town of Wakefield, as of Sunday, plans to issue a formal complaint against the Wakefield Police Department for not patrolling the area around the Upper Common heavily enough. The statement, planned to be issued by the Board of Selectmen Monday, says that the P.D. is "20% at fault" for the World War II memorial desecrations Friday and Sunday. Added to the peace sign and trampled flowers of Friday were a "thumbs down" or similar sign and the words "NO CONFLICT." A black spray-paint arrow was also added, the meaning of which has not been determined. Said a Police Department spokesperson in regards to both matters, "We'd like to assure the town that the Police Dept has many troupes and outsets of officers in every part of the town, with equal amounts near the Common, if not more--in addition, we will be beefing up night security around the area." Selectwoman Phyllis Hull remarked, "This laziness on behalf of the P.D. is only all the MORE reason for a transfer of their funds to us."

_____

At 5:11 p.m. Saturday, Bill Mashee, 35, 204 Outlook Rd., and Sara Jolvus, 33, of 166 Mayward Rd., Mashpee, collided at the Junction. No injuries were reported.

_____

At 9:00 p.m. Saturday, an arrest was made on the Common when a man stole the hat off of a police officer's head and attempted to throw it into Lake Quannapowitt.

_____

A resident complained about incessantly barking dogs 6:33 a.m. Sunday.

_____

Youths found loitering in front of a CVS at 10:10a.m. Sunday were sent on their way.

_____

A chest of drawers, valued at $150 including contents, was stolen from a Redfield Road home 1:23 p.m. Sunday.

Nats 13/14s advance to Winners Bracket Semis for first time since '98

-WAKEFIELD

-The Wakefield National 13/14-year-old All Stars just edged Quincy Sunday night at Walsh Field. Cody Richman was once again the driving force of the offense for Wakefield, scoring an unanswered walkoff 2RBI double to give Wakefield the 8-6 win. "Our pitching and defense was shaky at first," said Mgr. Mike Deltore, who started Ben Brouae, a pitcher who gave up 6 runs in the first 2 innings. Steven Whalen, third baseman, had two infield flubs. Mikey Deltore Jr. belted a solo shot in the 7th inning to tie the game for Wakefield in what was truly a comeback victory. "We overcompenstaed for hitting, but it worked," said Deltore.

Richman has had 35 home runs and 19 walkoff plays in the season. Wakefield's leading scorer, Richman is 2nd out of players of the eight winners' bracket teams with 67 RBI, a number superceded only by star centerfielder John Bibbie of the undefeated-in-winners-bracket-since-2006 Saugus. The Nats play top seeded Saugus next. When the two teams meet in Saugus Thursday, only nine days will have separated that matchup from the two teams' previosu one on Tuesday, the final game of the season where the Nats toppled Saugus 2-0.

STANDINGS AMONG WINNERS' BRACKET TEAMS

Team W L T

Saugus 21 3 0

Methuen 19 4 1

Brockton 19 5 0

WAKEFIELD 16 8 0

Quincy 15 9 0

Stoneham 14 7 3

Reading 14 8 2

Melrose 14 10 0