Melanie Gilbert

Arlington

Multimedia Reporter at The Lowell Sun

Reporter @LowellSun & @DetroitNews. [email protected]. If it's happening, I'm on it.

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Articles

CTI to open women's shelter in Lowell

2 weeks ago | lowellsun.com | Melanie Gilbert

LOWELL - According to a 2024 report published by the National Alliance to End Homelessness, the total number of homeless women in Massachusetts between 2022 and 2023 increased by 24.2%. Lowell is not immune to the state's homeless crisis, and Community Teamwork Inc., a locally-based nonprofit community action agency, is opening the first women's shelter in the city to address the increased need.
Tradition, surprises send off Greater Lowell Tech grads

3 weeks ago | lowellsun.com | Melanie Gilbert

LOWELL - It was a night of traditional pomp and circumstance, as well as unconventional surprises, during the 51st commencement exercise for Greater Lowell Technical High School Friday night. Army Staff Sgt. Kelsey Baez flew in from her posting in Hawaii to surprise her brother Kelvyn during his graduation with the Class of 2025 at UMass Lowell's Tsongas Center.
'Extraordinary' Lowell High Class of 2025 graduates

3 weeks ago | lowellsun.com | Melanie Gilbert

LOWELL - There were speeches and vocal performances, cheering and foot stomping, and of course, decorated mortarboards and the presenting of diplomas during the Lowell High School commencement exercises at the Tsongas Center Wednesday evening.
Sun shines down on Lowell

3 weeks ago | lowellsun.com | Melanie Gilbert

LOWELL - Referred to by many as Lowell's Citgo sign that illuminates Kenmore Square in Boston, the giant red and green Sun letters sitting atop the 10-story former Sun Building in Kearney Square will again light up the city's night sky. It's been a preservation and restoration project long in the making for Lowell's Historic Board, which first started work on the idea back in 2017.
State aims to turn its surplus properties into housing

3 weeks ago | sentinelandenterprise.com | Melanie Gilbert

• None Gov. Maura Healey speaks during the “Unlocking Public Land Opening New Homes” event on June 2, 2025 in Boston, with, from left, Division of Capital Asset Management and Maintenance Commissioner Adam Baacke, Lt. Gov. Kim Driscoll and Housing and Livable Communities Secretary Ed Augustus. (Courtesy Office of Gov. Maura Healey)• None The abandoned District Court of Lowell on Hurd Street. All court operations were moved to the new Lowell Justice Center on Jackson Street in 2020.
State aims to turn its surplus properties into housing

3 weeks ago | lowellsun.com | Melanie Gilbert

LOWELL - The Healey-Driscoll administration threw open the doors to more housing in the commonwealth during an announcement at an inaugural Developers' Fair held in Downtown Boston Monday morning. "Today, we released the first-ever inventory of state-owned surplus land that can be used for housing," Gov. Maura Healey said during the "Unlocking Public Land Opening New Homes" event.
Public input to Markley data center expansion

3 weeks ago | lowellsun.com | Melanie Gilbert

LOWELL - By the time the Markley data center in Lowell's Sacred Heart neighborhood is built out, it will boast 27 diesel emergency generators, 16 cooling towers, a water treatment plant and other infrastructure to support its growing footprint in the artificial intelligence and data storage field. The amount of combustible fuel to power the large-scale, diesel-fired plant concerned Councilor Kim Scott, who represents District 5, which includes Sacred Heart and South Lowell.
Fate of Smith Baker Center comes down to the wire

4 weeks ago | lowellsun.com | Melanie Gilbert

LOWELL - Almost six months ago, the City Council voted to demolish the 141-year-old, three-story, red-brick building known as the Smith Baker Center. But this week, the Department of Planning and Development issued a request for proposals for the sale of the historic structure located across the street from City Hall at 412 Merrimack St., demonstrating the hold the majestic and iconic, but vacant and deteriorating structure has on both councilors and members of the community.
Lowell City Council passes $549.6M budget

4 weeks ago | lowellsun.com | Melanie Gilbert

LOWELL - The City Council unanimously approved the fiscal 2026 general budget of $549,599,846 during a lengthy and controversy-free session at City Hall Tuesday night. Vice Mayor Paul Ratha Yem presided over the meeting for the absent Mayor Dan Rourke. On a separate funding vote, District 8 Councilor John Descoteaux's motion to take $2 million out of the city's stabilization fund to help fund the Lowell Public Schools also unanimously passed.
State delegation funds Lowell's nonprofits

1 month ago | lowellsun.com | Melanie Gilbert

LOWELL - Following weeks of debate, both the Massachusetts House and Senate passed fiscal 2026 budget proposals of roughly $61.4 billion. In addition to critical investments, the budgets include significant funding for education, transportation, health care, housing, workforce development, as well as significant earmarks for area nonprofits. Lowell's delegation of state Reps. Vanna Howard, Rodney Elliott, Tara Hong and state Sen.