'All Too Often, Public Safety Has Taken a Back Seat to Other Town Departments'

Editor's Note: Since we didn't run a comment roundup on Dec. 29, we're going to back up and include that week with this week's roundup.

UPDATE: Markey Responds to Brown's Residency Question
"I don't know if it's him or his campaign manager, but all he ever does is make allegations up out of the ether. You have to stand for something in this country - you can't just be against things. Unfortunately for Brown, he runs on a consistent fuel line of hot air. Go away already, Scott, and let another candidate with substance and real ideas stand up." - Eric

Where's the Best Sledding in Wayland?
"DeNormandie Farm in Lincoln is a great place. It's on Trapelo Road and there is a small parking lot. Two hills." - karen Montague

"Public Safety, which includes Police, Fire Joint Communications, and DPW should always be at full strength so they can respond promptly and professionally to any and all emergencies that occur in our community. Staffing for the Joint Communications Center should have two Telecommunicators on duty for all shifts, which is not currently the case. All too often, Public Safety has taken a back seat to other Town Departments and has borne the brunt of reductions in staff." - Thomas Turner

Weekly Question: What was the Best Gift You Received This Year?
"I love every gift I receive. I do not consider size, price, or usefulness when rating a gift. The little homemade bookmark meant as much to me as the gift that cost a lot of money. I have a Christmas gift story to share. My fiancé has a close friend who lives in a small hut type house in a remote town in England. She's been out of work for months, since a bad case of breast cancer turned her life into shambles. Her cancer has required many extreme doses of chemotherapy. The chemo made her very ill, required many hospital stays and blood transfusions. She lost her job and is not doing well. While in a bad state, her husband began having bad symptoms - nervousness, inability to concentrate, and fatigue and lost his job too. There was no more money and much difficulty. This artist had an oven that was old and too broken. A different local friend of the artist took it upon herself to write a letter to a large appliance store in England, to see if they would providing a reduced price stove to the artist, even if dented. A couple days before Christmas, the sick artist received a letter from the appliance store saying they wanted to deliver a free of charge, brand new, deluxe stove to her for Christmas. When it arrived, she smiled and felt a great deal of joy. Over Christmas she and her husband got to feel hope, joy, and some happiness on Christmas." - Lou Marcoccio