Good morning, Medford, Tuesday, April 14

We hope your Tuesday is off to a great start, whatever you have planned. This morning, we have a couple heads-ups coming from City Hall. But, first, we want to mention an issue brought up recently by a GKM reader.

We received an email asking us if we can reduce the number of emails we send to subscribers each day. The subscriber said his email was blowing up from too many GKM emails. We totally get that. We wrestle with that, too, in our personal and professional lives. So, we appreciated having him bring it up.

We are in the process of creating a once-daily newsletter that would include links to the stories we are posting each day. We hope to have that done soon so you all receive fewer emails. We so appreciate you, and we want to make it as easy as possible for you to stay up to date with what's going on in Medford. Hang in there with us, and we will let you know when to expect the transition.

Now, there are two items posted recently to the city website that we want to let give you a heads-up on.

First: Did you know Medford teams up with the Dave McGillivray Finish Strong Foundation to run the annual Run Medford Road Race? It isn't just one race. The event will be held at Hormel and includes runs for all ages, and it will raise money for Medford PTAs.

McGillivray graduated from Medford High School in 1972, and in 1978, he ran from Medford, Oregon, to Medford, Mass., to support the Jimmy Fund. Now, he runs Dave McGillivray Sports Enterprises.

Register here to join the Run Medford Road Race event.

Second: Medford's Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) draft action plan for program year 2026, which runs from July 1, 2026, to June 30, 2027, is ready for you to review, and comments about it will be taken through May 13.

The Office of Planning, Development & Sustainability (PDS) will send the plan to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). According to PDS, “In order to receive CDBG funds, plan must be consistent with the primary objective of Title I of the Housing and Community Development Act of 1974, as amended, which is to develop viable urban communities by providing decent housing, a suitable living environment and expanding economic opportunities, principally for persons of low and moderate income.”

The city’s plan is based on its “5-year consolidated plan.” The city expects to receive approximately $1,466,160 in new grant funds from HUD but has yet to receive confirmation of that. However, based on the amount the city is requesting, monies will be allocated for affordable housing, economic development, public facilities and infrastructure, public services, and planning and administration.  City officials anticipate that approximately 85% of CDBG funds over a three-year period will be used toward projects benefiting low-and-moderate income residents.

There are several ways you can review the plan:

• Pick up a copy in Room 308 at City Hall.
• Call the Office of Planning, Development & Sustainability at 781-393-2480.
• Email the office at ocd@medford-ma.gov.
• View it online www.medfordma.org/cdbg.

Comments must be sent in writing on or before May 13, 2026. You can submit in two ways:

• Mail to the Office of Planning, Development & Sustainability, 85 George P. Hassett Dr., Room 308, Medford, MA 02155.
• Send your comments electronically via this form: https://tinyurl.com/MedfordCDBGPlan

Happening Today in Medford
Senior Center events and activities include ChairFit Rhythms at 9:30 a.m., Knit and Crochet at 10 a.m., Core and Balance with Sheri at 10:30 a.m., International Culture at 1 p.m.

Baby Lapsit at 9:30 a.m. at Medford Public Library. drop-in storytime with songs, rhymes, and gentle movement activities for babies up to 24 months old.

English as a Second Language from 10 a.m. to noon at Medford Public Library. Registration required.

Senior Yoga with Rosa Brown at 11 a.m. at West Medford Community Center.

Truth Under Fire: Journalism, Dissent, and Repression from noon to 1 p.m. in Barnum Hall at Tufts and via Zoom. Lunch will be provided. Registration required.

Medford Winter Farmers Market from 3 to 7 p.m. at Great American Beer Hall.

Skill Issues (for teens) at at 3:30 p.m. at Medford Public Library. For teens in middle school and high school to learn new skills, from sewing a button to managing finances. Registration required.

First Grade Book Club at 3:30 p.m. at Medford Public Library. Registration required.

Traffic Commission meeting at 5 p.m. via Zoom. Hosted by the Medford Police Department Traffic Unit. Agenda includes requests for handicap parking signs, no-parking designations, and a permit-parking variance.

City Council Committee of the Whole meeting at 6 p.m. at City Hall and via Zoom, TV, and live-streams. On the agenda is an amendment to the Medford Standard Compensation Ordinance.

Community Preservation meeting at 6:30 p.m. at City Hall and via Zoom. On the agenda: small grant application for Tufts Park community garden expansion; officer elections, review of annual plan, and the budget.

City Council special meeting at 7 p.m. in City Hall and via Zoom, TV, and live-streams. On the agenda: Council resolution to request the mayor fund the legal defense in the lawsuit filed against the Values Aligned Local Investments Ordinance; proposed amendments to the Zoning Ordinance (Medford Square / City Hall Overlay District).

Spring Cooking Refresh with Empty Nest Kitchen from 7 to 8:15 p.m. via Zoom. Registration required.

Record Rally with DJs Johnny Stevens and Ned Egg Spinnin' at Deep Cuts from 7 to 10 p.m.

Trivia Night at Medford Brewing from 7 to 9 p.m.

City Council Resident Services and Public Engagement Committee meeting at 7:30 p.m. at City Hall and via Zoom, TV, and live-streams. Agenda includes: resolution to publish a City Council newsletter; resolution to establish City Council listening sessions; resolution to schedule neighborhood ward meetings hosted by the Council.

Early Music Ensemble: Pastime with Good Company at 8 p.m. in the Granoff Music center at Tufts. Music from the time of King Henry VIII and his daughter, Elizabeth I.

In case you missed it

Nell sat down with everyone's favorite library director:

Medford library director Barbara Kerr to retire

Medford Public Library Director Barbara Kerr is retiring on April 30 after more than 42 years.

Gotta Know MedfordNell Escobar Coakley | Staff Writer

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