Good morning, Medford, Wednesday, July 8
Happy Wednesday, everyone. This morning, we've got an opportunity for a woodworking artist to breathe new life into an old tree. Plus, there is an important Election Commission meeting tonight. On the agenda is election security.
Today is the last day to apply for a chance to create a sculpture out of the trunk of a deceased tree at Logan Park.
The city has teamed up with the Medford Arts Council to offer this opportunity, which comes with a $9,000 commission. Here is the write-up about the project on the website:
"We hope to honor this large, beautiful oak tree with a design that speaks to rebirth and memory. This tree and sculpture is a part of a larger park project which adds natural play elements to the park. The play elements have been sourced from natural materials, many of which are from materials previously removed during City maintenance (stumps, logs, and stone debris). The park, and this sculpture, will celebrate renewal and thoughtful re-use of materials. We are seeking proposals for a piece that explores these themes; the design can be additive or subtractive, meaning we are open to sculptural elements in addition to woodcarving."
By the way, at the bottom of the website page, there is a link to the Chicago Tree Project, and you can see how artists there transformed dead trees. Check out this one.
Happening today in Medford
If you have an event happening in Medford in the coming days, send the information to gottaknowmedford@gmail.com so we can add you to our calendar.
Senior Center Activities: Tech and MBTA support at 9 a.m. – call to reserve your spot, 781-396-6010; zumba gold at 10 a.m.; Thai chi at 11 a.m.; bingo at 1 p.m.; movie at 1 p.m.; Silver Solidarity with Nike at 1 p.m. The topic will be "not so random acts of kindness." Call 781-396-6010 to reserve your seat.
- Jayna Stafford, director of legal services, is taking appointments from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. To prevent homelessness before it happens, Housing Families provides free legal service to help clients stay in their homes. Services may include advocacy, representation in court, referrals, and legal advice. Call 781-396-6010 to make an appointment.
- Jessica Phelan with Mystic Valley Elder Services will available from 12:30 to 1:30 p.m. to help seniors find support groups, one-on-one therapy, or any other services to help with overall well-being.
Medford Square Runners meet at 6:45 a.m. in front of Donuts with a Difference for a 5-6-mile run. This is a zero-drop run, meaning the group runs for a little bit and then stops to let everybody catch up if necessary. Group asks that all runners are able to keep a minimum pace of 10 minutes per mile.
Playgroups at the Park - Capen Street from 9 to 10:30 a.m. with Medford Family Network. Event for children up to age 8 includes art, music, and movement activities, balls, bubbles, parachute play, and storytelling.
Sisters in Sweat Exercise Group at 9:30 a.m. at West Medford Community Center Monday, Wednesday, and Friday. Walking and other self-led, low-impact activities.
Practicing English Conversation ESOL Class at 10 a.m. at Medford Public Library for beginning English learners.
Paddle Boston – Medford from 12 to 8 p.m. at the Condon Shell. Walk-up anytime to rent a boat. Limited advanced reservations also available. Last boat goes out at 7 p.m. All boats must be returned by 8 p.m.
Build Confidence in Speaking English: Session 6 from noon to 1 p.m. via Zoom through the Medford Public Library. Register to receive the Zoom link.
"Jabari Jumps" storytime at 10:30 a.m. at Moon and Back Bookstore.
Tech Help Drop-In Hour at 2 p.m. at the Medford Public Library. Library staff will be available to help with anything tech related.
Family Story Time at 3:30 p.m. at Medford Public Library. For children between the ages of 3 and 7 to explore new concepts with books and songs. Parents and caregivers welcome to join in.
Coding with Scratch from 3:30 to 5 p.m. at Medford Public Library for kids ages 8-12 to learn the basics of coding to use Scratch and create their own program No prior coding experience needed. Registration required.
Playstead Park tennis courts ribbon cutting at 4 p.m. The courts were resurfaced as part of the city's upgrades to parks.
Playgroups at the Park - Barry Park from 4 to 6 p.m. with Medford Family Network. Includes art, music, and movement activities, balls, bubbles, parachute play, and storytelling.
Medford Peer Recovery Group meets at 4:30 p.m. in room 201 at City Hall. Drop-in session.
Public reception for Lakota youth art exhibit from 4:30 to 6 p.m. at Medford Public Library. The exhibit, “Gaining Perspective: Seeing Ourselves and the World Around Us,” features photographs and art projects by youth from the Pine Ridge Reservation in South Dakota who are participating in Lakota YouthStay.
Hormel Stadium Commission meeting at 5 p.m. at City Hall and via Zoom. On the agenda: D1 soccer, discussion on noise ordinance; FY2027 finance reports.
Election Commission meeting at 6 p.m. in City Hall. Agenda includes: overview of recent Election commission activities and outcomes; voter registration and outreach; updates on any upcoming referendums; September 2026 Warrant and call for election; UOCAVA (Uniformed and Overseas Citizens Absentee Voting Act) current applications; election security measures; legislative updates that may impact elections; Commission member reports.
Peg Doll Book Reviews from 6 to 8 p.m. at Medford Public Library. For kids ages 4+ to decorate a peg doll avatar and help create video book reviews.
Jackbox Game Night from 6:30 to 8 p.m. at Medford Public Library for teens to play Quiplash, Drawful, Talking Points, and more.
Open Mic Night at 7 p.m. at Medford Public Library for adults to share their own poetry. Register.
Make + Mingle from 7 to 9 p.m. at Arts Collaborative Medford. Drop-in for anybody to come and create among other artists and artist-types. Bring your own sketchbook/art projects. RSVP appreciated.
Trivia with host Kevin Richman from 7 to 9 p.m. at The Ford Tavern. Three rounds of fast-paced trivia, including questions, music and images.
Future Teens w/Snarls and Shallow Pools perform beginning at 7 p.m. at Deep Cuts.
What we're working on
- Wendall is looking at election security, which is on the agenda for tonight's Election Commission meeting.
- Ryan is covering the ribbon-cutting for the tennis courts at Playstead.
- Crystal is covering the Lakota YouthStay program, what they've been up to and how it's going.
- Nell and Chris are putting together the 2026 election page where you can go for all things election related.
