The Melrose Messenger

Hamilton Hall Lecture Series on World Affairs at the Milano Center

For the second year in a row, Melrose residents will have local access to the renowned Hamiton Hall Lecture Series on World Affairs. The series of weekly lectures held at the historic Hamilton Hall in Salem, MA, will be aired remotely at the Milano Center each Tuesday evening from 6:00 pm to 7:00 pm through April 1st.

Follow Your Art To Host a Variety of Community Events This Winter

Melrose is emerging from a quiet January into a busier late winter season, and Follow Your Art Community Studios (FYACS) is driving much of that increased activity with a number of new events aimed at community members with a variety of interests, experiences, and skill levels.

City and Schools Facing Millions in Budget Cuts for Next Year

Last night, the City Council and the School Committee held a joint meeting to hear about the status of the budget for the City of Melrose and Melrose Public Schools (MPS) for the remainder of Fiscal Year 2025 (FY25) and what the budget process will look like for FY26, which starts in July.

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New Affordable Housing Trust Fund Aims to Make Home Buying More Accessible

The price of a single-family home in Melrose has risen steadily over the last decade or more. The Warren Group, a provider of real estate transaction data, pegged the median price at $869,000 at the end of 2024. This continues a trend of increasing prices that, by some measures, has made Melrose one of the hottest real estate markets in the state.

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Melrose Police Chief Kevin Faller Reflects on Two Years as Chief

It’s been two challenging and productive years since Kevin Faller was hired as the Melrose Chief of Police in December 2022. Previously, Faller was a Medford police captain and a 28-year veteran of that city’s police force. He was seeking a new challenge in his law enforcement career when he applied for the Melrose position, which became available upon the retirement of former Chief Michael Lyle.

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Commuter Rail Crossing Issues Cause Delays Across Melrose

Over the last few days, Melrose residents have experienced traffic jams and snarl-ups at all four of the city’s street-level train crossings. At West Foster Street and West Wyoming Street in particular, but at West Emerson Street and Franklin Street as well, cars have been stuck in long lines, waiting for train gates that appear to be stuck in the “down” position.

School Committee and Teachers Union Agree to One-Year Contract Extension in Anticipation of Challenging Budget Season

On Tuesday night, the School Committee announced that they had come to an agreement with the Melrose Educators Union (MEU) to extend the current Unit A and Unit C contracts to June 2026.

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Melrose-Based Middlesex County Baby Café Hosts Fundraiser for Breastfeeding Support

On February 12th, the Middlesex County Baby Café, which provides a free, drop-in breastfeeding support group in Melrose at the Church of the Nazarene, will be hosting a fundraiser at T’ahpas 529 to further their mission of helping parents in the region make breastfeeding work for them.

Planted Organic Cafe Opens on Main Street

Last week, Planted Organic Cafe celebrated its Grand Opening on Main Street and officially stepped onto the downtown Melrose food scene. A collaboration between Melrose natives Zack Pietrantonio and Jenine Wright, who owns Fit Life, Planted rounds out the breakfast and lunch options on Main Street and makes healthy, clean eating easy and delicious.

Melrose Observes Annual Martin Luther King Jr. Day of Service

In spite of our largest snowfall so far this year, dozens of Melrosians still turned out for the annual Martin Luther King Jr. Day of Service, hosted at Melrose Unitarian Universalist Church (MUUC) and at several other sites across the city. Participants were able to choose from activities supporting a variety of organizations, including The Milano Center, The Food Drive, Pantry of Hope, Bread of Life, and several Melrose churches.

The Ride Cafe Launches Bike Classes for Kids

The Ride Cafe will be offering several bike programs for kids this spring and summer, following two successful sessions of Kids Learn to Ride classes in November and December. Owner Kara Oberg hopes that these classes will help children gain confidence in their skills and ultimately support a strong bike culture in Melrose.

Hometown Comedian Julie Nolan Hosts Residency at Knights of Columbus

Melrose native Julie Nolan, who is familiar to many Melrosians from her work on MMTV and her comedy shows in the area, will be launching a new set of monthly shows at the Knights of Columbus.

Paper and Clay Celebrates 2nd Anniversary

This week, Paper and Clay, the local artisan gift shop and community crafting hub that has quickly become a community staple, is celebrating their second anniversary. After two years of experimentation and change - including three moves - Paper and Clay has settled into its role as a staple of the Melrose art scene and an exciting new destination in the revitalized Franklin Square.