“World's Most Complete Neighborpedia”
Sponsor a Community — What is Localism? | Register or Sign In
Explore:   What's happening in your neck of the woods?
Home Marcia Kramarz

Marcia Kramarz

Blog_tag

Medway -first in the state of MA to....

09-18-08
Marcia Kramarz

Medway Ma is rarely in the spotlight as the First in the State for anything but yesterday we did make the headlines as the first in the state to provide a “Minute Clinic” in our local CVS.
No one is surprised in the fast paced environment we live in, that some day we would try to make the time draining process of seeing your doctor a more efficient task. SO here it is ~ Good or Bad! Walk to the Pharmacy area of CVS and you will see patient rooms offering same day service for simple things like vaccinations and basic illnesses (whatever that is?).
Now that the policy debate is over, we can expect to see more of these “Minute Clinics” statewide before year’s end – 27 to be exact – With a total of 100 to be in our state before long. What are they trying to accomplish? Well let’s see – maybe convenience – We’re all for that! What about cost – Can they lower the cost of simple medical care? That’s their goal. Who wouldn’t mind shortening the waiting time in the doctor’s office. That’s certainly their goal as well.
But do we lose anything or is this a win-win situation? Well there is something to be said for the continuity of care you get from a primary care physician. If we buy our medical services the same way we buy lunch – we may find that when we’re looking for a history on our illnesses, it won’t easily be there. We may also find that a physician may not see the total picture because s/he is unaware of problems you may have had because he’s not seeing the pattern of all your medical visits.
Or what about traipsing through a retail environment when you’re ill to get treatment. How are you going to feel about that? How will the average consumer feel who is in shopping for nail polish and potentially gets exposed to a nasty cold? Well we’ll find out as time goes on. My guess is that this will be another success – in making our complicated lives a bit easier. Stay tuned!
1 Comment
Blog_tag

Reaping the Toils of Others

07-31-08
Marcia Kramarz
It's harvest time in Medway MA!
I always imagine in the spring that this will be the year my tomato plants will be planted early enough to reap succulent fruit and that I will be diligently watching over my garden, weeding, watering and waiting for results. I imagine poles of green beans growing from my rich organic soil and large leafy squash and pumkin plants growing at breakneck speed. But alas, the tasks of the day that don't necessarily lessen in the summer always seem to cut short my lofty dreams of a fruitful vegetable garden!
But wait, I still can benefit from the toils of others. I love this time of year, roasting fresh eggplant and zuccini, biting into a tomato snack as if it was an apple. And simply enjoying the fruits of summer. Well if you are like me and your tomato plants are non existant or possibly in the ground but shriveled up, don't miss the local farmer's market right here in Medway each Monday at Choate Park. Sponsored by the South Eastern Mass Agricultural Partnership, the market is briming with good things to put on your evening table. It runs from 4pm - 7pm a perfect time to stop in after work or to bring kids out to enjoy the park for a bit and do some shopping.
Good to know that when our lives get just a bit too busy to get in some of the goals of our summer, that we still can reap the benefits. It's harvest time - Don't miss out.
The next Farmer's market is Monday August 4, 2008!
Check out their website for more info!
Click here for Medway's Farmers' Market!
1 Comment
Blog_tag

Are you feeling it? If you live in Medway you are !

07-27-08
Marcia Kramarz
Maybe you're a townie - lived in this neck of the woods for a long time. Or maybe you just moved here a few years ago. One thing we know you all have in common, if you live in Medway or surrounding communities, you spend a lot of time on Route 109. It's the critical east-west Route that connects our community to the metro-area we live in.
You're feeling it, I know - that stress that builds up as you try to merge into traffic or the wait you have to endure for the light to change and allow you to enter Route 109. The increase of traffic on that route seems to grow exponentially each year.
What's a resident to do? It's unlikely that the traffic will decrease over the next few years. In Medway, both town officials and residents agree, where it makes sense, we need to increase our commercial base in town to improve the tax mix. But how can any increase in commercial traffic be absorbed by the already burdened roadway?
Well I'm happy to note that much needed funding has been included in a bond bill toward engineering work on Route 109 in the Medway area. We are told by State Reg James Vallee that the request actually "bubbled up" from the local officials here in town. The town's Planning Board in Medway has drafted a plan for the business district (defined as the area between Holliston St and Pond St on Route 109) . The funds will be used to complete engineering work to improve safety and traffic flow by studying the possibility of "reconstructing the road with sidewalks, crosswalks, benches, traffic signals and possibly even bike lanes."
We've seen similar improvements on this route in Millis and Westwood, and now it appears it's Medway's turn.
The goal is to plan for future needs over the next 10 years by researching other towns like Wellesley and Lexington where their designs allowed pedestrians to park and shop from business to business as opposed to driving short distances to shop in town.
We're told that the improvement could take 5 years and up to $30 million to complete. The town will actively pursue state and federal funds once design is far enough along to proceed.
I'm very excited about what's happening in Medway these days and this is one critical project that will improve the town for businesses, residents and for future growth.
0 Comments
Blog_tag

Why Live in Medway - Part 2

06-07-08
Marcia Kramarz
As you're considering a home for your family, one of the top concerns is whether the school system will work well for your children. If you're considering MetroWest, just thought I'd share some good news about the Medway School System. According to the The Massachusetts Department of Education in its 2007 Graduation Rate Report. Medway High School's 4-Year graduation rate of all students is 98.1. This graduation rate ranked Medway High 7th best out of the 281 districts reporting in Massachusetts.
And according to a February 2008 article in the Boston Globe, Medway High School ranked 27th out of 341 high schools across the state on the 2007 English Language Arts MCAS test and 38th out of 341 high schools on the 2007 Mathematics MCAS test.
Congrats to students and teachers!
0 Comments
Blog_tag

Living in Medway, Ma

06-05-08
Marcia Kramarz

I moved to Medway in 1988 when my children were 3 and 5. My husband found this town because it would make an easier commute for him. We did the things you all do when you consider a town for your children to grow up in. We looked at the schools, made an appointment with the principal of the primary school they would attend. We looked at the data (pre – internet – so that wasn’t easy) we could get our hands on about the town and all its amenities. We visited the parks and surrounding communities. We just had a sense this would work out well for our entire family.

Take a look at the town (click here) and I think you’ll get a feel for what appealed to us.

It was a major decision for us – But when we looked at it more closely, we knew the work commute for my husband would be much better than if we had lived on the North Shore where my family lived. We seemed to get more home for the price in Medway over the North Shore (which is still the case) . And Medway had (and still has ) so much charm. This town still has a small school system, one that has won awards, but small enough that the teachers remember your children, years after they’ve attended school. There’s something nice about meeting a teacher now who will ask about how my two sons are doing years after they’ve graduated. You feel connected.

My sons now 23 and 25 are also connected to the town. Now out of college, one is still living at home (an interim solution as he plans for graduate school) and recently attended a number of high school graduation parties for siblings of old Medway School friends. Even a year after college graduation his classmates still get together for a tennis match at the middle school, use instant messaging to see who is home (in Medway) from school or work for the weekend to re-connect.

Sometimes those connections now take them quite far away from here. My younger son was doing a semester in Spain when he decided to take a side trip to Germany to meet up with another Medway long time friend from BC who was also doing a semester in Germany. While in the library of the college this friend was attending, my son stumbled upon a young lady who was also a Medway high school alumni . He covered her eyes from behind and asked "Guess Who"? She recognized his voice. Here they were half way around the globe – neither of them expecting to meet up with the other. As I say it’s a small connected community – And yet its residents (certainly this generation) are very mobile .

My older son is now in LA doing an internship with Toyota Corporate . The first week on the West Coast was a bit of an adjustment and he was lonely but when I called him the second week, he said he and Alex were out a few times. Alex? I asked. Yes, said he, "You know, Mom, Alex from Medway"… Yes I do and I’m thrilled he’s met up with Alex. Turns out Alex settled in LA after graduating college and is doing quite well in his new career. I’m glad they made another connect out there.

At the last high school graduation ceremony in Medway, Diane Borgatti , the School Committee Chairwoman told the graduating class: "You are all poised to follow your dreams and create success, We hope you will continue to carry a piece of Medway wherever you go." I like to think my sons have.

Clearly making a decision about where you are going to raise your family is a major one. Some may raise their family in two – three – maybe four different places. But for many when you’re settling in with your children, you may be settling in for a generation as we did. Medway was such a good choice for us, for so many reasons. Stay tuned for my next blog which will tell you why Medway should be on your list when considering a move to MetroWest.

2 Comments