Government

Voters approve $14.8M override in record-setting vote Arlington voters approved a $14.8 million Proposition 2½ operating override on March 28 — reported to be the largest ever passed by a Massachusetts community — with 9,666 votes in favor (roughly 72%) and 3,775 against on a 41% turnout. The funding takes effect July 1, 2026, and without it the town faced potential closure of Fox Library and dozens of school layoffs. The Select Board has committed to not seeking another operating override before FY2030. YourArlington

Voters also approved two new liquor licenses Question 2 passed alongside the override, authorizing the Select Board to issue two additional all-alcoholic-beverages licenses. arlingtonma.gov

Election results: new and returning officials Crystal Haynes Copithorne won the contested one-year School Committee seat with 4,556 votes, becoming the first person of color to serve on the Arlington School Committee; she narrowly defeated Shaun Berry (4,240) and Dmitry Vasilyev (1,964). On the Select Board, incumbent Diane M. Mahon (9,015 votes) and newcomer Joseph A. Solomon (7,978 votes) claimed the two open seats. Incumbents Elizabeth R. Exton, Laura B. Gitelson, and Paul Schlichtman were re-elected to three-year School Committee terms. Nicholas C. Mitropoulos held his Housing Authority seat over challenger Jacob Deck, 5,005 to 4,717. YourArlington

Town Meeting and Comprehensive Plan deadlines approaching Annual Town Meeting begins Monday, April 27; residents should be receiving the Town Warrant by mail now. The public comment window for the Comprehensive Plan Update closes April 12. arlingtonma.gov

Today's Meetings

Four public bodies meet today. The School Committee's Community Relations Subcommittee convenes remotely at 5:15 PM; the Veterans Council meets at 5:30 PM. At 7:00 PM, both the Conservation Commission (virtual, via Zoom) and the Commission for Arts & Culture hold meetings simultaneously — the Arts & Culture meeting runs until 8:30 PM in hybrid format at the Town Hall Annex, 2nd Floor Conference Room. arlingtonma.gov

Transportation

MBTA Route 87 and 350 changes start Sunday Starting April 5, all Route 87 trips will run the full distance between Lechmere and Arlington Center — no more short-turns at Clarendon Hill — adding roughly 23% more service on weekdays and 30% on Saturdays. Route 350 will now serve Burlington Mall Road on every trip, guaranteeing access to Burlington Mall, Lahey Hospital, and Wegmans. MBTA

Arts & Culture

Teresa Cader named Arlington's fifth Poet Laureate The Select Board appointed Teresa Cader on March 30; her term began April 1, the first day of National Poetry Month. Author of four collections including At Risk (2024), Cader said: "I believe that communal sharing of poetry connects people to each other." A public welcome event honoring Cader and outgoing laureate Jean Flanagan is set for April 23, 7–8 PM at the Robbins Library Community Room. arlingtonma.gov

Coming Up

15th Arlington Jazz Festival — April 8–12 The festival opens Wednesday with the Mitch Livstone Quartet at Town Tavern (8 PM, free) and closes Sunday, April 12, with the Stanley Jordan Trio at the Regent Theatre, 7 Medford St. (7:30 PM; tickets $27–$65). Most performances throughout the week are free. YourArlington

Patriots' Day weekend — April 18–20 The 251st anniversary celebration, part of the "Arlington 250: The Untold Stories of Menotomy" initiative, runs across three days. Highlights include free guided tours of the Jason Russell House, a Menotomy Beer Hall at Town Hall (Saturday, noon–6 PM), Family Day at the Jason Russell House (Sunday), and a Whittemore Park ceremony followed by National Lancers reenactment riders arriving at Town Hall around noon on Monday. arlingtonma.gov

Schools

Today is the second day of MCAS English Language Arts testing across Arlington Public Schools. YourArlington

Sustainability

Arlington commissioned its third electric school bus earlier this year, bringing the electric share of its 13-bus fleet to three vehicles. The town is also one of five districts selected for MassCEC's V2X bi-directional charging demonstration, with a charging station to be installed at Ed Burns Arena & Skating Rink by summer 2026. YourArlington