No arrests were reported.

Wednesday, February 15

  No arrests were reported.

Thursday, February 16

  Matthew A. Dionne, 28, of 406 Malden Street was charged with an arrest warrant.

Thomas Keefe, 34, of 14 Jefferson Ave., Everett was charged with illegal possession of a Class A substance.

Dante M. Regnetta, 31, of 194 Fenno Street was charged with an arrest warrant.

Friday, February 17

  William Alfredo Abrego, 32, of 19 Beach Road was charged with carrying a firearm without a license; and possession of a firearm, ammo, rife without Federal Identification.

Eric Michael Foley, 41, of address unknown was charged with operating a motor vehicle after license revoked; resisting arrest; operating a motor vehicle under the influence of drugs; and assault & battery on a police officer.

Saturday, February 18

  Guillemo E. Salama, 27, of 219 Revere Street was charged with malicious destruction of property over $250; being a disorderly person; resisting arrest; and violating the city knife ordinance.

Duane R. Spagnolo, 53, of 31 Newman Street was charged with assault & battery.

Sunday, February 19

  Erika M. DiMarzo, 28, of 75 Saint Andrew Rd., East Boston was charged with four arrest warrants.

Louis F. Guevara, 21, of 28 Thornton Street was charged with rude & disorderly conduct; and intimidation of a witness.

Monday, February 20

  William J. Brown, 52, of 19 John St., Chelsea was charged with an arrest warrant.

Steven T. Goodrich, 22, Homeless, was charged with violating a protective order; violating the city knife ordinance; and three outstanding arrest warrants.

Nicole J. Pistone, 23, of 111 Boardman St., East Boston was charged with larceny of property over $250.

Marcelino P. Robinson, 20, of 190 North Shore Road was charged with assault & battery; assault by dangerous weapon; and possession or sale of electric weapon.

At the mayor’s request, Terence Reardon, the former Chief of Police, resigned from his post nearly eight months before his contract expired. Cafarelli’s appointment is a bold step in the right direction, further enhanced by the fact that he received a unanimous vote of confidence from the city council.

In an interview in his office with The Revere Advocate last week, the new acting chief spoke candidly about the changes facing the department. His aim to instill a greater sense of public safety by placing more officers on the street reflects the mayor’s plan. But Cafarelli spoke more from a sense of duty, a testament to his multi-faceted career.

“There is no greater reward for a police officer than to work in patrol. That’s where the rubber meets the road; that’s where you have the opportunity to put the best face of the agency to the people,” he said.

He went on to say that the department’s Uniform Patrol Division “provides a safe environment for people to go about their business.” “Patrol is our primary function. Patrol is what the citizens of our city are paying for. They want to see a police car; they want to see a police officer.”

But limited manpower presents an immediate challenge for the new chief.  Cafarelli stated that when he came on the job, the Revere Police Department employed 118 officers. Currently, the force comprises 81, he said. The attrition rate, due to an increased number of officers who are ready to retire, also adds pressure to the department’s services.  In addition, the population of Revere has increased over the past decade.

To remedy these problems, Cafarelli said that he is planning to streamline the Criminal Investigative Bureau in order to make up for the limited number of officers. “We’ll still maintain detectives and narcotics, but it’s going to be very, very limited manpower,” he said.

There are pieces already in place to increase staffing levels. The acting chief stated that the department presently has two officers in the Police Academy and two additional ones slated to enter training there, increases in manpower initiated under the tenure of former chief Reardon. Currently, the department is looking to hire several other officers through grants, Cafarelli added.

In the short term, though, the new chief said that the department has hired officers on overtime

to patrol problem areas, such as Broadway, in order to address the current issues with youth violence. Because of this added strength, Mayor Rizzo informed The Revere Advocate last weekend, there have been five additional arrests. “The increase in manpower has paid off,” Cafarelli stated when called for comment.

To address criminal activity that crosses city lines, Cafarelli promotes increased regionalization. “Any kind of regionalization, not just in communication, but in jurisdiction is to be embraced,” he said.

Indeed, the new chief is poised to hit the ground running in this regard. He has experience with a regional SWAT team that operates in conjunction with Lynn, Winthrop, and Malden. He has worked in the Narcotics Unit and has been part of the Urban Area Security Initiative (USAI), a counterterrorism program encompassing Boston and the surrounding areas.

Cafarelli also brings an impressive amount of military experience to the job. Such knowledge and training is applicable to police work, especially since the focus of law enforcement agencies worldwide has shifted to counterterrorism following 9/11, he said.

Following his graduation from Pope John XXIII High School, he enlisted in the Marine Corps. He served in deployments in Beirut, Lebanon and additional tours in the Mediterranean during the 1980s. After his discharge, Cafarelli remained active with the reserves, where he had the opportunity to work in Naval Intelligence.

But aside from these accolades, the Chief of Police is proud of his Revere roots. While working in construction following his military service, he helped build the seawall on Revere Beach. He even joined the Revere Police Department to follow in his family’s footsteps. His father, George, currently retired after over 30 years with the police, and two uncles, Lieut. Tony Cafarelli and Sgt. Lindy Cafarelli—both of whom are deceased—served in the department. And presently, the new chief works alongside his brother, John Cafarelli, and his cousin, Sgt. David Pressley.

Law enforcement even runs through the blood of his wife, Lisa, whose aunt and uncle served with the Greater Manchester Police in England.

Looking to members of the city council, Cafarelli asked that they continue to support the Police Department. “That’s the biggest thing they can do right now. We just ask for the means to do our jobs,” he said.

He went on to state his strongest message to the public:  “I want to maintain transparency and I want to maintain the confidence of the men and women of this department who are on the street. And I want to maintain the trust and confidence of the people we serve; they need to know that we’re here for them. We are here to provide the best quality of life for the citizens of the city that we can maintain.”

Will Broadway project have negative impact on CDBG proposals?:  Councillor  Robert Haas wants to know what capital improvement programs may be “delayed or replaced” if some of the city’s Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) funding is “diverted” to the mayor’s plan to revitalize Broadway. He’s asked for a report from the director of planning and community development on the issue.

Councillors want Point of Pines fire station reopened: The city council, led by John Correggio and John Powers, has passed a motion urging Mayor Dan Rizzo to consider reopening the Point of Pines fire station. Councillor-at-Large Correggio opined that the city now has the manpower to reopen the station since it recently hired over a dozen new firefighters. In addition, there may be casino “mitigation” money on the horizon to further support the functioning of the station. Correggio said increased local traffic in the area makes it a matter of public safety. Councillor Powers agreed, pointing out that Route 1A is “near impassable” at times, especially during “rush hours”.

Novoselsky says city should sue for damages:  Trucks from Budweiser and Burke Distributing are guilty of causing damage to the public sidewalks on Shirley Avenue while making their beer and liquor deliveries in that neighborhood, according to Councillor Ira Novoselsky, who says that the trucks make a habit of driving up onto the so-called “finger extensions” of the sidewalks. The Ward Two councillor wants the city solicitor to file damage claims against both companies.

Review of Franklin St. parking situation requested: Councillors Charlie Patch and John Correggio have charged that a portion of Franklin Street is too narrow for two-sided parking, as is now the case. They maintain that the street at the top of the steep hill is less than 16-feet wide, making it next-to-impossible for fire apparatus to pass safely with cars parked on both sides of the street. They convinced their colleagues to adopt a motion at their most recent meeting that calls for the traffic commission conduct a study on the parking issue.

Reimbursement for fire services being explored: Asserting that 85 percent of the motor vehicle accidents in the city involve “out-of-towners”, Councillor Ira Novoselsky is pushing for adoption of a plan to require the involved insurance companies to reimburse the city for the use of local fire services. The Ward Two councillor also wants reimbursement from the insurance companies when Revere fire apparatus responds to accidents in neighboring communities. The mayor has been asked to consider implementation of the proposal. -JDM

The formation of the transition team was not an indictment on the previous administration, Assistant to the Mayor Miles Lang-Kennedy stated in a telephone interview. “It was just a way for people to figure out ways to improve services; twelve years without a transition is a long time,” he said.

The Rizzo administration assembled the team with 40 professionals, politicians, community organizers, and business leaders from Revere and the surrounding areas, Kennedy said. Chief members included city councillors Brian Arrigo and Jessica Giannino; Andrea Cabral, Sheriff of Suffolk County; Ed Principe; Lori Holmes, Sun Program leader; Manny Lopez, CEO of East Boston Neighborhood Health Center; Sue O’Brien, Immigration Lawyer; State Representative Kathi-Anne Reinstein; and State Senator Anthony Petruccelli, each of whom worked in conjunction with the other members of the team to address and report on nine specific topics important to solving the city’s problems.  “It was a good overall experience for all involved,” Kennedy said of the process.

Although Rizzo stated in a letter accompanying the report that the findings represent only the opinions of the team itself and not necessarily those of the administration, steps have  been taken to meet some of the recommendations, much of which is geared towards fiscal responsibility, a primary theme of the his election campaign.

For instance, Rizzo announced last week that he will decline use of the mayor’s personal car in order to cut costs. The Police Public Safety Committee recommended in the report that the only take-home vehicles for the Chief of Police, the Executive Officer, and Chief of Detectives are deemed necessary.

The report also states that the mayor plans to continue collaboration with the town of Winthrop on implementing a Regional Dispatch Center. Such services, the report claims, will bolster savings for Revere. The plan, according to Kennedy, would not lead to the outsourcing of services. “We would be doing the heavy lifting and we would only receive money from Winthrop,” he added.

Among budgetary issues, the new administration is committed to spending tax dollars more efficiently. Kennedy said that the administration is considering a budget cut of about $300,000 dollars, although he could not specify where such cuts would take place.

But public safety remains a high priority according to the document and the mayor’s most recent actions.  “We need more officers on the street,” Kennedy said, reflecting the recent thrust for additional foot patrol on Broadway and elsewhere in the city. Overtime pay, though, needs to be distributed fairly, he added.

But increased investments in efficient safety procedures play a large part in economic plans to revitalize tourism in Revere. John Festa, the Director of Economic Development and chairman of the Economic Development Committee on the Transition Team, said that “this is very exciting time for the city.” For Broadway revitalization, the model to emulate is downtown Melrose, “but we want to add our own touch,” he said. Of Revere Beach, he went on to say that the Rizzo administration is encouraging commercial development. “We would like to see hotels and retail and, though it may seem a bit extreme, a pier with shops,” he added. “But we need to get a plan together to figure out what Revere wants.”

In education, Mayor Rizzo hopes to maintain the CASTLES program, a non-profit alumni organization that, along with a portion of funds allotted to Revere from the CDBG grant, raises money to help needy families pay for after-school extracurricular programs—such as arts and crafts, recreation, and homework helper—for their children. “The program has done a tremendous job and it brings energy to a community that Revere can be proud of,” Revere Schools Superintendent Paul Dakin said.

The Education Committee also recommended that the new administration establish an educational banking program, whereby a private bank or credit union will create internships and possible employment opportunities for Revere High School students. The document states that Rizzo supports educating the youth on how to manage money. Superintendent Dakin agrees: “The mayor’s goal is in line with the real world and is wise for us to be doing in schools.” And the High School’s new scheduling system—which   moves from the current 6-courses-per-year arrangement to a semester-based one resulting in 8 courses per year—will create more opportunities for students to take electives like money-management and business-oriented courses, Dakin added.

Kennedy further said that the administration plans to continue to work hard in order to reach the public.

For starters, the IT and Telecommunications Findings recommended that the city create a new website. “The current site is very old and outdated and not easy to access,” Kennedy said. The new site will involve more access for public input, he added.

The Rizzo administration has already created Facebook and Twitter accounts for the city in order to streamline communication. And for those who are not comfortable with social media, the administration will continue to hold public meetings, such as the casino mitigation and MBTA meetings.

In addition, the Delivery of City Services Committee and Community Revitalization recommended the establishment of a one-stop central office for DPW, Inspectional Services, and Planning and Economic Departments for the convenience for city businesses and residents. It also recommended that the city hold information sessions in order to educate the public about city-related issues, such as ordinances and building and health codes.

“We have to use both: the new technology as well as the old way,” Kennedy said, reflecting upon his experience with the mayoral campaign. We need to work hard at making phone calls and talking with people on the street, he added.

R.J. Tiorano was the hero on Monday as his second goal of the third period, with 5:45 left, broke a 2-2 tie. Peter Marino had the other Revere goal with 12:51 left in the game.

“It was one of our better wins,” said Revere head coach Jim Palumbo. “We played well.”

Revere outshot Pentucket, 35-20, on goal. Patriots goalie John Papasovora made 18 stops in net.

It was the team’s fourth win in a row.

Last Saturday night, the Patriots beat Salem, 4-1, at Salem State University. Tiorano had two goals and one assist while Pat Bartol had a goal and one assist. Cam Whelan chipped in two assists while Marino had the other goal.

Revere, who finished at 3-7-4 in the Northeastern Conference, outshot the Witches on goal, 32-15, as Papasovora made 14 saves.

On Senior Night on Feb. 15, the Patriots edged visiting Marblehead, 2-1, at Cronin Rink. Papasovora was the star in this game as he made 32 saves as the Headers outshot the Patriots on goal, 33-15.

“He was phenomenal,” stated Palumbo. “He also stopped a couple of breakaways.”

Tiorano accounted for both goals which came in the second period. Chris Whelan and Drew Lauria assisted on the game-winner while Marco Mazzarelli and Cam Whelan assisted on the first goal.

If the Patriots beat Matignon, they will find out this weekend who they will open up with in the states starting next week.

His time is a full five seconds better than the record once held by assistant coach Sam Nag Ros, and 2.18 seconds better than his Division 1 qualifying time.

The Patriots also qualified the sprint medley team of Fitzpatrick (800m), Robert Rose (200m), Joe Ritchie (200m), and Johnny Lopes with their time of 3:42.43 for the Nationals

However, due to injuries, they will not be able to compete.

Omar Morales threw the shot-put 40 feet to finish 18th of 23 throwers. It was well below his average of 45 feet.

Fitzpatrick, Younes Hartout, Karim Sahila, and Johnny Lopes, ran the 4×200 relay that finished 28th out of 38 teams at 1:37.

“It was a good meet for us just to be there,” said Patriots head coach Jack Mosko. “The competition at that level is so tough.”

Revere finished the regular season at 3-4 overall and 1-4 in the Northeastern Conference Large division.

The Reinstein Committee will be hosting a complimentary Campaign Kick-Off at Noon at the Beachmont VFW in Revere on Sunday, April 15, 2012.  “I would be honored if people would join us on April 15th as my guest,” Reinstein stated.  ”I deeply appreciate the overwhelming dedication and support of family, friends & supporters and look forward to joining with all of you to kick off our campaign,” she said.

In a letter to the city council, Mayor Rizzo stated that “I just can’t justify, particularly at this juncture in time, placing any unnecessary burdens on the hard-working taxpayers of the city”.

The mayor added: “While I have decided to decline the use of a city vehicle and will utilize my own personal vehicle, there is one caveat – since the duties of my office require me to travel by automobile to various locations, I plan to have the city assume the cost of the fuel”.

Rizzo also cautioned those city employees who currently have the use of “take home” city-owned vehicles of his intent to “curtail” that policy in the future.

“It has long been a belief of mine that the issuance of city-owned vehicles should be greatly reduced,” asserted the mayor.

But before he acts to eliminate most of the “take home” vehicles in other city departments, Mayor Rizzo said he feels that he should lead by example.

“It’s appropriate that we start this policy with my office,” said the chief executive.

Council President Richard Penta agreed saying that the mayor was setting a fine example and that if Ward Six Councillor Charlie Patch would like bring back his motion of discontinuing the use of “take home” vehicles, then he would support it.

Last year, Patch introduced a motion to eliminate the use of city-owned vehicles by certain department heads, particularly vehicles used by city employees living outside the city who he felt were a burden to the city budget during tough economic times.

Former Mayor Thomas Ambrosino and former police Chief Terence Reardon disagreed with Patch’s assessment and felt the vehicles were needed by superior officers, especially during emergencies.

SWEET SURPRISE: Mayor Dan Rizzo is shown accepting a new sound system from Danielle Salvetti of BJ’s Wholesale Club for the Rossetti-Cowen Senior Center during Tuesday’s Valentine’s Day social. Also shown, from left: Barbara Bishop of Rep. DeLeo’s office, Lois Diamond, Rossetti-Cowan activities director; Valentino Capobianco, candidate for Democratic State Committee, and councillors Tony Zambuto and John Correggio. (Revere Advocate photo by JD Mitchell)