To the Editor: First of all, we would like to thank every organization, group and individual in the community who has offered us donations and well-wishes since the Boston Marathon.  The responses we’ve gotten from the community have been overwhelming and have run the gamut: everything from donations to the fund established for our family; to offers to pet sit/babysit/houseclean/landscape/chauffeur and everything in between; to at least one freezer on the North Shore that is full to the brim with meals, ensuring that we won’t have to cook for months; and to friends, acquaintances and …

The ordinance with which I am concerned is section 24-7 “it shall be unlawful for any person to play at skateboarding in any street or sidewalk within the city limits”. My name is Michael Rappa, I have been a resident of Salem for four years. I currently live on Jefferson Ave in Salem. Wednesday, the 27th of March, my brother, Brian Rappa, and I were ticketed for violating ordinance Sec. 24-7, despite the fact that we were wearing helmets, protective gloves and demonstrated that we could come to a safe and controlled stop. But the purpose of this letter is not to focus on what happened …

A Letter from Salem Seniors to the Editor and All Our Fellow Citizens: We in Massachusetts know better than most Americans that toxic waste can cause health problems. There are toxic compounds (a.k.a., volatile organic compounds) under the site of the new Salem Community Life Center. We know they’re there. We can’t know how much. But Salem Mayor Kim Driscoll and City Councillors are going to build on the site anyway. Their only concern: To protect the City from liability if children or seniors – or you – get sick. They and State Senator Joan Lovely refuse to demand that the developer remove …

The following letter to the editor was submitted by Heather Famico, who pulled papers for candidacy in Salem’s Ward 2 on March 12. What do the following groups in Salem have in common: young families, newlyweds, first time homeowners, people who recently moved to our vibrant downtown, and those from different cultures? They all need a council woman who is willing to listen, connect, and represent their unique needs.  My name is Heather Famico, and I am that council woman. I’m running to make a difference for the town I love. Salem needs concrete solutions to real problems. I want to close the…

The following letter to the editor was submitted by David Eppley: Salem attorney David Eppley recently pulled nomination papers for Salem City Council, Ward 4, which includes all of the Gallows Hill / Witchcraft Heights area. Eppley, 41, was recently appointed to the Salem Zoning Board of Appeals. Eppley and his husband, Chad Garner, own a historical home on Boston Street. "While I have attended all the City Council meetings this year, I look forward to knocking on doors in Ward 4 as I did during my recent run for Governor's Council to get a real sense of where voters are on the issues," …

The following Letter to the Editor was submitted by Cafe Polonia co-owner Darek Barcikowski: Despite changes, restaurant industry in Salem continues to prosper Tuesday, February 12th, will be the last day Café Polonia in downtown Salem will be open business. Soon after that, it will be taken over by new owners who, after minor renovations, will reopen the location under a new name. While the new restaurant will feature some of Polonia’s menu items, the new concept will be significantly different. Café Polonia is one of a number of restaurants in our community which have recently closed or …

To the Editor: On behalf of It Starts With ME!, a big thank you to everyone who helped make the 5th Annual Turkey Drive a huge success!  This year with help from family, friends, strangers, volunteers and sponsors we were able to provide 81 Thanksgiving meals to families and veterans on the North Shore. Our 5th year was our most successful turkey drive to date!  In total, we fed 405 people as well as provided 15 boxes and 5 bags of food to local shelters.  It was great to see people from all over  along with  their friends, families, student-athletes and coworkers, come together to help those…

Dear Editor, The 3rd-8th graders at The Phoenix School hosted their annual Haunted Happening celebration for all kids in Salem to come and celebrate Halloween. This is one of the big community service projects that The Phoenix School does for the city of Salem. We have a costume parade, a public party for all kids aged 3 through 12, and a party for some of the nursery schools in Salem. On Saturday, October 20, little kids gathered at Salem Common and waited for the costume parade to start. Led by Officer O'Donnell, kids paraded through the streets of Salem in costumes galore. It was fun to …

Smart homeowners know the best investment they can make is in the value of their properties, which is intrinsically linked the larger community. The Community Preservation Act (CPA) is exactly the kind of investment this city needs to make to maintain the revitalization we’ve enjoyed in recent years. After the forum hosted by the Mack Park Neighborhood Association last week, I’m very confident about supporting CPA (voting YES on question #4), which would add 1% to Salem property taxes to leverage state funds for parks, open spaces, historic preservation and affordable housing. The State would…

  The following was submitted by Lisa Marie Smith. What is up with the way the voting districts are divided?    I've lived in Salem for just shy of two years now and [Thursday night] would have been my first time voting here in Salem...had my polling place not moved.  I do understand the need to occassionally break up areas to ensure a fair demographic balance but this re-districting makes no sense.    My polling place used to be St. John's on St. Peter's Street, which is essentially across the street from where I live. I went to St. John's [Thursday night] to vote and was told that my …

The following letter to the editor courtesy of Councillor Paul Prevey is in response to an editorial published by the Salem News on Aug. 29. Myself and five of my other colleagues recently voted against putting the Community Preservation Act (CPA) on the ballot this November. As noted in the editorial, this initiative was affirmatively voted on by the City Council in 2007, however it was ultimately rejected by the voters at the ballot box. It’s now being put forward again by the Administration, however many of us on the Council that supported its placement on the 2007 ballot believe that this…

The following was submitted by Darek Barcikowski, Salem Democratic Committee Chair. On September 6th, let’s reverse the trend! One thing that is certain about Thursday, September 6th is that voters will go to the polls and elect the Democratic candidate for the 2nd Essex state Senate seat. The winner will face off with a Republican challenger in November, but it’s probable that the Democratic candidate elected on September 6th will in fact become our next state Senator. What remains uncertain, however, is how many of us will participate in this election. Word on the street, as well as in …

The attached letter to the editor was submitted by John Slattery.

The following was submitted by Edward Carroll. I am a candidate for the office of State Senator for the Second Essex District (i.e., Salem, Peabody, Danvers, Beverly, and Topsfield). I am running because I would like to see an increase in employment in the Second Essex District and I would like to see the residential property tax reduced or eliminated. Therefore, if I am elected, my proposal for the eyesore that is the present power plant in Salem would be to replace it with a casino/hotel complex. The site is a 65-acre parcel of waterfront land, which is sufficient space for a casino complex…

The following letter to the editor was submitted by Kenneth Novack. What does the Winter Island Wind Turbine project have to do with the United Nations Agenda for the 21st century?  I present to you a fact and ask some hard questions. Fact: Sustainable Development Policies equals Big Big Big Government. Questions:  If this is such a good plan for the 21st Century then why did they (our government) not call it by its real name? (United Nations Agenda 21) Why the deception? How come they did not tell us the names of the people,their motives, their objectives and the organizations that are …

The following Letter to the Editor was submitted by Rinus Oosthoek, Executive Director of the Salem Chamber of Commerce. To the Editor: Have you been in downtown Salem lately? Have you noticed the new parking meters being installed, incorrect signage being replaced, handicapped spaces being painted, and parking posters and brochures on display? These are just the latest in a series of improvements to the downtown parking system. As was reported in May, the first change was a drop in the hourly rate of $1.50 to $0.75 in the Downtown Garage and $0.25 in the Waterfront Garage. These changes are …

The following letter to the editor was submitted by Bruce W. Callahan. Dear Editor,  Massachusetts has an important decision to make this November. Who will fight for middle class families? Republicans in Congress have catered their agenda to help Wall Street and the super wealthy. The Republicans have proven to us that their trickle down economics do not work. Republicans not only want to extend the Bush tax cuts for the wealthiest 1%, but give millionaires even more in tax breaks. Republican leadership in Washington shows little understanding of the concerns of the middle class, so this …

the following was submitted by Heather Famico. As you may know, the city owns and operates the Teen Resource Center which is located at 50 Leavitt St. in Salem. The center is used by the Plummer Home for Boys for teen services in the afternoon - music club, basketball tournaments, dance club, anger management classes and has an on-site counselor for the teens. Recently, we formed a partnership between the Teen Resource Center and the North Shore Community Development Coalition (NSCDC) to use the center to provide NSCDC English classes on Tuesday and Thursday evenings from 6-8PM. At present, …

To the Editor: Only the City Council, which passed the Ordinance on the Comprehensive Parking Plan, has the power to revise it. A patrons’ petition on behalf of the businesses on, not just Margin St., but also Gedney St. which runs alongside Steve’s Market, Steve’s Quality Liquors, Salon L’Ondina, New Life Barbershop, North Shore Driving School, and Extra Effort Personal Trainers, now has over 4,000 signatures. The petition requests the City Council to revise the Parking Ordinance to eliminate all four-hour meters adjacent to these businesses. I own a small building on Gedney St. that I …

The attached letter to the editor was submitted by Richard Savoy.