Hello, Lexington!
Week of May 21: Lexington News Roundup
Sophie Culpepper
LexObserver Reporter
Good morning and welcome to this week’s LexObserver news roundup.
In case you haven’t noticed, much of MA is in for another serious taste of summer this weekend…stay hydrated…and enjoy!
Next Saturday, over Memorial Day Weekend, we will not be sending out a regular weekly news roundup. But, you’ll receive some reporting from us during the week in a special edition. And, instead of reading the news next Saturday, please come say hi to us in person at our Discovery Day table between 10 a.m. and 3 p.m.! You can share your ideas for future coverage, grab some merch, and more…
Now, this week’s news.
In this issue:
- COVID-19 Weekly Update: Cases drop a tiny bit at LPS.
- Community Announcements: Ongoing Skills for Life Series; plant sale today; two upcoming League of Women Voters events; two upcoming Munroe Center for the Arts events.
Why does Lexington need a new police station, and how will the new station’s design improve police operations?
In a tour of the current police station, Chief Michael McLean and Captain John Mazerall explain “we’re busting at the seams”
By Sophie Culpepper
In the evidence room, dozens of boxes sit crammed onto shelves all the way up to the ceiling. That’s the only way to make everything fit in the storage closet space. In one corner of the interview room, a couple of ceiling tiles are patched brown with damp; below, a crack runs along that wall.
What does AAPI Heritage Month mean to Lexingtonians?
CAAL, CALex, IAL, JPLex members reflect on AAPI Heritage
By Sophie Culpepper and Seiya Saneyoshi
LexObserver reached out to members of six Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) cultural groups in town to hear about how they are celebrating, experiencing and thinking about AAPI heritage – and how Lexington embraces that heritage – within and beyond this month.
Roughly 40 community members attended a vigil at Hastings Park for Buffalo shooting victims Sunday night
Vigil was organized by Lexington Community Coalition, Together We Rise, ABCL members
By Sophie Culpepper
On Sunday evening, a group of over 40 residents gathered at Hastings Park on short notice for a Vigil for Buffalo “to express our heartache, horror, and solidarity with those affected by this racist massacre.”
COVID-19 Weekly Update
Cases drop a tiny bit at LPS
- At press time, the Town dashboard had not been updated with this week’s numbers. Last week, Lexington had 161 new recorded COVID-19 cases as of May 12.
- At Lexington Public Schools, recorded cases dropped a tiny bit after last week’s robust increase. As of Thursday, 148 students or staff were absent who had tested positive, while just one student was on quarantine; last week, as of May 12, 5 staff or students were on quarantine, and 150 staff or students were absent who had tested positive.
Community Announcements
- Ongoing Skills of Life series has two shows left (from Police Chief Michael McLean): Brett Outchcunis is a professional entertainer, motivator, dancer and DJ rolled into one. Part of the Mental Health Awareness Month, these shows are for youth in grades appropriate for grades K – 8, along with a parent or caregiver(s). All shows take place at 7 PM at the Scottish Rite Masonic Museum and Library at 33 Marrett Road in Lexington. No registration necessary. The May 24 show will focus on “How to Make a Mistake” (and learn from them), while the May 31 show will focus on inclusion. This is a collaborative effort between Recreation, Human Services and Police. You can learn more here.
- Plant sale today (from Ashley Rooney): Do you remember those big wonderful Lexington Field & Garden Plant sales? It is back. The 89th Plant sale will be held from 7:30-12 at the DPW (201 Bedford St) today, Saturday, May 21. The plants you buy at the Lexington Field & Garden’s plant sale are big and healthy. They have been grown by our gardeners, divided, lovingly potted and tended carefully. There are native plants, plants that we all love, a table of dahlias and cannas leafed out, tools and sculpture, a knife sharpener, LHS Bee Club pollinator seeds, and many gardeners who are more than willing to share their secrets.
- Two upcoming League of Women Voter events (from Jeanne Canale): On Thursday, June 2 at 7:30 p.m., following the business portion of its in-person Annual Meeting at the Community Center, the League of Women Voters will welcome panelists to debate the merits of the proposed Massachusetts Income Tax for Education and Transportation Amendment to the State Constitution which will be presented to voters in a referendum this fall. Former State Representative Jay Kaufman will speak in favor of the amendment and Eileen McAnneny, President of the Massachusetts Taxpayers Foundation, will speak in opposition. The next day, on June 3, 2022 at 9:30 a.m., the LWV invites you to join them for at its First Friday by Zoom, for a presentation about the proposed new police station. Guest speakers will be James Malloy, Lexington Town Manager, Mike McLean, Lexington Police Chief, and Michael Cronin, Director of Public Facilities. The panelists will outline the need for the new facility and the time line that has led to the scheduling of the vote. There will be time for questions. You can find the webinar link here.
- Two upcoming Munroe Center for the Arts events (from Ashley Rooney): Tomorrow, May 22, stop by Room 104 in the Munroe Center for the Arts for Hands-On Haiku. Create poetry under the guidance of poet Jessie Brown, and transform it into art if you wish under the guidance of Laurie Bogdanmore. Learn more here. Then, over Memorial Day Weekend, create a house as part of Fairy Homes & Garden Tour (SUGGESTION: Mill Pond park near the bike path & Bow Street!) and get it on the map, or check out the map to see other wee little creations! Learn more here.
That’s a wrap for today. Was this roundup useful to you? What do you want to see in this email in two weeks? Let us know, and please ask your friends to sign up and DONATE too! Reach out to sophie@lexobserver.org with tips and questions anytime. As always, you can also check out and share our website, Twitter, Instagram and Facebook pages. Thanks so much for reading and have a great weekend!
With gratitude,
Nicco Mele, Sophie Culpepper and the LexObserver Team
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