Wakefield News

By MARK SARDELLA

WAKEFIELD — An “average” Wakefield homeowner will see a $447 property tax increase for FY 2015, based on the average single-family home value of $416,000. Monday night the Board of Selectmen shifted the maximum allowable percentage of the town’s tax burden to the Commercial Industrial Property (CIP) class, thereby affording residential property…

By GAIL LOWE

WAKEFIELD — A discussion offering free full-day kindergarten in Wakefield will be front and center at tonight’s school board meeting.

Discussions will then continue at an informational meeting for parents on Thursday, Dec. 11 from 7 to 8:30 p.m. at the Woodville School on Farm Street.

The focus of the session will…

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WAKEFIELD — The selectmen tonight will hold their annual tax classification hearing at which they determine what shift interval to implement so residential taxpayers and commercial property owners share the fiscal year 2015 tax burden.

The joint public hearing with the assessors is scheduled for 7:40 p.m.

A shift of 1 would create the same…

WAKEFIELD — VNA of Middlesex-East announced today that it has been named to the Top 500 of the 2014 HomeCare Elite, a recognition of the top-performing home health agencies in the United States.

Now in its ninth year, the HomeCare Elite identifies the top 25 percent of agencies and highlights the top 100 and top…

WAKEFIELD — A 47-year-old Salem man was arrested on several charges after he allegedly sold another man a bag of heroin not far from Wakefied Square.

Police said Juan A. Reynoso, 67 Palmer St., apartment 2, Salem, was arrested Friday, Nov. 21, around 2:20 p.m. following observations made by Detectives Chris Grace and Ken Silva…

WAKEFIELD — A truck carrying multiple canisters of hydrogen and oxygen caught fire yesterday afternoon on Rte. 128 south at Exit 42 near the Sheraton Colonial Hotel when the vehicle’s brakes locked up, igniting a fire. Traffic in the area was snarled for about 45 minutes when both sides of the highway were shut down…

WAKEFIELD — Wakefield’s annual Interfaith Thanksgiving service will be held on Tuesday, Nov. 25 at 7 p.m. at First Parish Congregational Church. Organized by the town’s clergy and musicians, this year’s service will include scripture readings, prayers, choral anthems and instrumental music with a brass quartet.

Leaders from the Emmanuel Episcopal Church, First Baptist Church…

By MARK SARDELLA

WAKEFIELD — “I think it’s the best thing that ever could have happened,” said Conservation Commission Chairman Frank J. Luciani Jr., speaking of the land swap that Town Meeting approved this week resolving a 27 year-old dispute between a land-owner and the town.

The Town Meeting action authorized the Board of Selectmen…