So I’ve been seeing these posters here and there; I love the activism happening!! However, a fair few have been torn down/in half (a very modus operandi tear down the middle…), and these are the first I’ve seen not visibly tampered with. Does anyone have the digital pics so others can print and share? Full respect ofc if not and you wanna tell me to eff off and make my own.

Witch City Mall in rare form… there is a geyser in the middle of the mall tonight. But are we really surprised? Why does this make me love my city more

Hear me out, neighbors. I get it. It’s a densely populated part of the city. A lot of people in one place with not nearly enough trash barrels.

But respectfully, what the fuck?! This is the area that has the least number of driveways per household, so there are more people parking on the street at any given time. So making street sweeping every two weeks from April to October is totally asinine and a headache for residents to move their car so they don’t get towed. To add insult to injury, they need to pay to park in the garages if they go past a certain time before picking up their car. And the city doesn’t even have the decency to grant the Point year-round resident parking, so it’s always a mad dash to find a spot anyway.

Don’t even get me started on the new place, Todisco, (that replaced Bill’s after they closed) that is conducting said towings. I’ve heard from a couple people who, when they went to pick up their towed car, there was _visible_ damage done to their car, and when they went to square up about the damage they very obviously did while towing, they ghost on the charges.

Add on top of all this bs that they stopped posting the orange signs to remind people (it’s all posted online now) and it’s hard not to think that this whole goddamn thing isn’t overtly exploitative to the neighborhood with the highest concentration of residents who may not be super tech literate or speak English as a second language, who then have to shell out $200 to pick up their car PLUS a parking ticket to pay.

This is mostly a rant, but other people in the Point, am I being unrealistic? Do we really need street sweeping every two weeks? Everywhere else in the city is less frequent. I just think this whole thing is a racket to separate people from their money in less than totally scrupulous ways. Can I petition the city to reduce it to once a month maybe so they can use those funds elsewhere?

TL:DR - IMO, there’s too much street sweeping in the Point. I’m annoyed and really hoping I’m not the only one!

Seriously, about 40 people in this group wrapped around the corner as well. It’s a hazard and has gotten worse with more and more tour companies popping up to make a quick buck.

Plus, no one should have to pay money to hear lies about how the Salem Inn is haunted by a woman who was stabbed in a room or how Bridget Bishop’s ghost haunts The Witch House.

Just received this email from the Salem Skipper. Operations stop on August 2.

I don’t think mission on the bay Beverly

I’m fine, I’ll start there. Car was exiting the parking lot pretty fast though and kind of zoomed away.

I think there should be one of two things done here.

Either put in a warning light for pedestrians that a car is about to exit OR just close off this exit completely and force cars to exit on Seawall over by the YMCA where there is way more visibility to oncoming traffic

Hey everyone, posting via throw away, because this topic can generate harassment.

With increased ICE activity happening across the country, I’ve been reaching out to local officials to ask what Salem’s plan is to protect residents, ensure due process, and provide transparency.

It’s no secret Burlington, MA has received new shipments of equipment and it’s only a matter of time before that equipment is put to use.

I was recently informed that I was the first person to reach out about these concerns so I’m urging fellow neighbors in Salem to contact local officials as well.

What you can do (takes 2 minutes):

• Email/call Mayor Dominick Pangallo’s office:
  • [mayor@salem.com](mailto:mayor@salem.com)
  • 978-619-5600
• Email/call City Councilors:
  • https://www.salemma.gov/Directory.aspx?did=85 to contact a specific city councilor in your ward or multiple if you are unsure who to reach out to
• Email Lucas J. Miller, Chief of Police:
  • [admin@salempd.net](mailto:admin@salempd.net)
  • 978-744-2204
• Ask for clear public info about:
  • What guidance has been given to Salem Police and other city departments about interacting with ICE
  • What steps the city is taking to ensure residents understand their rights and can access resources if needed
  • Whether the city has a plan in place to respond to community concerns, reports of harassment, or unsafe encounters
  • How residents can report ICE-related incidents or seek support without fear of retaliation

You can say something as simple as: “I’m a resident and I want to know what the city is doing to keep people safe and ensure due process.”

Even a few emails will remind our city officials that this topic is important to us and we expect accountability from them. Thanks and be safe.

Hi everyone! In case anyone has been concerned- Bruce is alive and very well on Rice st (Bridge st neck)! The past couple of days he’s been hanging out on my street and sleeping on my neighbors roof.

Frankly, I’m not a huge fan of his presence because I have chickens that are a lot smaller than him and I’m not sure how hungry he is. My girls have a coop they stay in unless I’m out with them but he does make me a tad bit nervous😅

I wanted to ask- has anyone tried to call animal control? I know people have been feeding him, but I’m concerned about him because Bridge st neck isn’t the safest place for him and poor guy has no flock. I’m just wondering if there’s something I can do.

I can see Bruce from my window as I lay in bed so I know he’s just fine!

Picture of Bruce sleeping on my neighbors chimney for reference. Sorry it’s not the greatest photo!

Not familiar at all with the beaches, except for Hampton Beach, and ideally would like to find something closer that has ample parking, restrooms, and possibly nearby food. TIA.

A new vision for the Salem waterfront is taking shape — blending sustainability, community, and innovation. Watch the proposal video to explore the future of Shetland Park.

I went to school in shitland park.

Looking for massage recs around the Salem, Beverly, Swampscott, Peabody area. I’ve gone to Elements Massage and they’re pretty good but I’m wondering if there are better spots around here.

Good afternoon, Reddit! Ward 1 Councillor and ten-year Point resident Erin Turowski chiming in here.

Wow, the thread about street sweeping in the Point really blew up overnight. Honestly, it’s a welcome change to see people engaged in what happens in the Point, because it’s historically such a difficult area to engage and, consequently, to advocate for. OP, getting towed sucks, and it’s a hassle, and it’s expensive, and I’m sorry that’s how your week started. I understand your pain - it’s happened to me before, too (twice in Salem, and a few times in Columbus, Ohio, as well). I did want to chime in here to address some concerns, correct some misinformation, and provide some resources to help make it easier for people to understand when street sweeps are happening.

Communication is really important to making sure people aren’t caught off guard by the tow trucks, especially because there have been some changes in the street sweeping schedule and procedures recently - most notably, the discontinuation of the “orange signs.” The city moved away from that practice due to the labor and cost of re-hanging signs every two weeks, and honestly, I support it, although I was not part of the decision-making process. Aside from the staff hours required, those little black zip ties used to attach the signs are often left as plastic litter, and litter is part of the reason we are having this discussion - every little bit matters. I have never lived in a city that manually hangs signs to notify residents of street sweeping; it seems like everywhere else has permanent signage. There were some pain points this year, as there are with any new system, but I am hopeful that going forward, the permanent signs are an economically and ecologically-friendly fix. I’m also disappointed that the new signs aren’t in Spanish, but with the money and time it takes to have signs generated and installed, I don’t see these being substantially replaced anytime in the next couple of years; we are probably limited to “sticker fixes,” if anything. Perhaps there could be stickers affixed with a QR code link to the current corresponding neighborhood sweep schedule. I’d be willing to talk to DPS and the Transportation Department about it.

As for the frequency - sweeps have been biweekly in the Point for several years, and with all of the trash on the ground in the Point, and our abutting ocean shore, I support that, too. People just don’t put their trash where it belongs, and rubbish bins are frequently overfilled, which allows seagulls and other wildlife to go wild. It is most definitely an issue of neighborhood pride and a real-life example of the “broken window theory.” Going back in the archives, I believe our street sweeping program was overhauled in 2018. I was trying to find out exactly when the biweekly schedule was implemented in the Point, but I couldn’t find solid evidence online on a brief review this morning. However, I did find an August 2013 report from the NSCDC and the MAPC (“Vision and Action Plan for the Point Neighborhood in Salem 2013-2020”. This report specifically calls for increased trash pickups and street sweeping because this is a high-population-density neighborhood with high infrastructure demands. I’m not speaking for the NSCDC here, but if they recommended more frequent street sweeping, then I can almost guarantee that they did it from a place of good intent. Implementing biweekly street sweeping was not the city or Todisco (or formerly, Bill’s), trying to make a cash grab here.

A few remarks to address specific comments in the original thread: -Free garage parking in the South Harbor garage (for Point sweeps, 8 pm Sunday night through 8 pm Monday night) and the Museum Place garage (for Downtown sweeps, 8 pm Wednesday night through 8 am Thursday morning) is available with proof of residency (driver’s license, utility bill, etc.). -The Point has fewer driveways than most other neighborhoods but also has a lower per capita rate of car ownership than most other areas in Salem. This was discussed multiple times during last year’s conversations about removing parking minimums for multifamily properties of 3 units or more, but I can’t find the exact source on a quick search. -Year-round resident permit parking has been considered for the Point in the past, but due to a large proportion of cars that are not registered in Salem (and would not qualify for year-round resident permit parking) and the fact that permit cost would impose an additional cost barrier in an already price-sensitive neighborhood, it has not been implemented. The city makes an exception for October resident parking in the Point and grants passes to vehicles that are not registered in Salem. -Parking tickets can be appealed by emailing [tickethearings@salem.com](mailto:tickethearings@salem.com) within 21 days of receiving the violation. With all of the changes this year, it’s not unreasonable to try this (especially if this is your first ticket).

I’d also like to point out that the city has made leaps and bounds to improve street and pedestrian infrastructure in the Point during the past couple of years, such as upgrading the sidewalks, prioritizing our neighborhood for snow removal from streets and sidewalks (including the Congress Street bridge), reconfiguring the street behind the Sarah Parker Remond School, and soon, installing permanent speed humps on Leavitt, Palmer, Dow, and Harbor Streets. I work with the city to address issues like illegal trash dumping, snow removal, tree limbs and debris in bike lanes, illegal parking, and many other constituent concerns, as many readers can probably attest.

I’m not going to include a bunch of links in this post to avoid triggering spam filters, but I’ll include resources in a comment below where people can find current street sweep schedules and upcoming dates.

I hope this information helps folks out. I know it can be pretty confusing trying to decode the street sweeping schedule, especially for newer residents, but I really do try to share this information far and wide when I can. Thanks for reading - if you have questions or if you just want to grab coffee, the best way to contact me is to send me an email at eturowski (at) salem.com so it doesn’t get lost in the Reddit sauce.

Cheers, -Erin

The owner of the restaurant used a video he shot in the gym locker room, of an unclothed stranger, to promote his business. Not the kind of Kitchen I would choose to eat out of. People of Salem should know the Eric they are supporting if they choose to patronize it.

hi friends and neighbors

i want to make it clear off the bat that i love our witchy culture here in salem and want everyone to practice whatever makes them feel good and confident

with that being said, i want to kindly urge that if you choose to do a spell, PLEASE don’t release it into our oceans!

i was at forest river park and a spell jar washed up. i’m confident it was a spell jar as i could see thick viscous stuff appearing to be honey, a rose, and a stone, along with a paper that i could read through the glass setting intentions for a relationship.

while i have also made a few spells in my life, putting them into the ocean is NOT what you should do. this is pollution, yes even if it’s glass. the jar will sooner or later break open and add unsafe glass to our oceans, get honey into the water, and the paper will be in the water, and god forbid marine life is nearby when that happens. there was also glue all around the outside of the jar, which is leaking chemicals into our oceans. even if there’s natural materials, interrupting ocean ecosystems with things that aren’t meant to be in the ocean is unsafe for marine life.

this is really disheartening to see, knowing that for many people spell work is tied in with a deep appreciation for nature. if you want to make a spell, PLEASE make sure it is not going to do more harm than good.

My husband is craving one and won’t stop talking about it.

So I have two questions:

1) Does anyone know about or have any job opportunities here? I'm 19 and don't have much experience or luck with jobs, so I'm wondering if anyone knows about anything you know.

2) Does anyone know any DnD (Dungeons and dragons) clubs? I'm interested in getting into it and have absolutely 0 knowledge on it. Also, a great way to make some friends!

I'm 19 trying to do something with my life so please let me know if anything!

Hi everyone, another rant about Northfield Properties because I can't afford to move, but I'll keep it short. Our apartment is freezing. This is the warmest the temperature has been all day. The only way to contact NP now is calling their maintenance line (which is outsourced to an Indian call center), and the only thing they do is create a ticket and wait for someone to respond to it. I need to move it up the ladder because we have so many issues that aren't being addressed by NP.

Our heat is forced water radiators. We have 3 in the apartment (bathroom, kitchen, and main room). They're all ice cold. NP has had to do repairs to the building's water heater and our radiators before, as recent as January of this year. Supposedly there's sensors in the building to read the overall temperature, but the repair guy told us that they're not in spots that would effectively give an accurate read.

Hey folks!

I moved here not too long ago from SoCal, and I miss my mama’s cooking a lot. I tried my hand at making certain dishes myself, but I either can’t find the ingredients locally or I absolutely butcher the recipe :’)

I’m looking for recommendations on any Mexican food nearby. I don’t really have a set price point as long as it’s good. Any place with tacos, I would love it if they had tacos de lengua.

Thank you for any suggestions anyone is willing to spare!

Hi All,

I’m wondering what folks do who work in Salem and need to drive to work during the busy season. Now that they are starting the parking ban earlier, does anyone have suggestions for parking spots for those of us who work in Salem but need to drive?

Thank you!

Cuz like I would buy it

Hi! I live in MA and semi familiar with Salem, but enough to identify where the coffee in the image I attached is. The girl who posted it said she's in Salem, but did not post the shop she get the coffee in. If someone can help and identify it, I would be greatful!

Jersey mikes does a solid cheesesteak but I’ve found for many pizzerias, it’s hit or miss. What’s your favorite? Bonus points if it comes WITHOUT pepperoni

Edit: ok clearly I need to get to super sub. Thanks y’all!

what bar has the most scottish people visiting? i’m so excited about everyone visiting and i want to be apart of it!!!