Crosswalk-Safety: District 4 Takes the Lead

District representatives are good to have and while some may be better at communicating with their constituents than others, I have to commend District 4 City Councilor, Barbara Haller, for her continued work with Main South residents on the Crosswalk-Safety Task Force.

On Monday, March 29, 2010, there was a Crosswalk-Safety Task Force gathering and en masse crossing at Clark University- 950 Main Street- to update folks regarding the previously held meeting and to encourage folks to pay more attention to crosswalks and pedestrians.

Councilor Haller mentioned that at the March 17th event at Marble and Main Streets, "More than 40 people participated in the March 17th event, including the Worcester Police Department's Traffic Division and the Department of Public Works & Parks. That same week, more than two dozen citations were issued to drivers within a 90-minute period- drivers who failed to stop for a pedestrian in the Marble Street crosswalk at Main Street."

Driving on Main Street, which I happen to do regularly, I have seen, on more than a few occasions, motorists speed up to drive by a pedestrian all-the-while the pedestrian has already stepped into the crosswalk.

Drivers that don't know what Chapter 89: Section 11. Marked crosswalks; yielding right of way to pedestrians; penalty is need to learn it immediately.

I commend Councilor Haller's dedication and I applaud the Crosswalk Safety Task Force.

CORI Reform: Slow Your Roll

This evening inside the City Council Chamber, at City Hall, there's going to be a meeting at 6:30 pm to discuss Criminal Offender Record Information (CORI) and how it is used for hiring full-time and part-time employees, as well as volunteering.

The meeting is being sponsored by the Worcester CORI Reform Coalition and a number of organizations such as Neighbor to Neighbor, American Civil Liberties Union-Worcester County Chapter, Office of Congressman Jim McGovern and Senator Harriet Chandler, to name a few.

Even City Manager, Michael V. O'Brien, has weighed in on CORI usage in today's T&G and asks for the City to pump the brakes to look more closely at how the City uses CORI throughout the hiring process.

CORI Meeting June 2, 2009

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