Merrimack Valley Magazine

NoteWorthy – 3/21/21

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AROUND THE VALLEY

NECC Announces Commencement and Reopening Plans for 2021

The Northern Essex Community College (NECC) 2021 commencement ceremony will feature five small in-person, socially distanced graduation ceremonies organized by academic area.

Each ceremony will be held outside on the Haverhill Campus on Saturday, May 15, starting with the first ceremony at 9 a.m. A student speaker from each of the areas — STEM, professional studies, health, liberal arts, and business — will be selected by the academic centers to speak and President Lane Glenn will present the diplomas. All graduates will be seated 6-feet apart and policies regarding guests will be announced closer to the date, when the guidelines regarding outside events become more clear.

Because last year’s ceremony was virtual, 2020 graduates have been invited to participate.

HC Media will be livestreaming all of the ceremonies so family and friends can watch from anywhere. The college also plans to hand out yard signs. Visit the college’s commencement website for up-to-date information. 

NECC also announced plans to expand its course options this fall, offering more opportunities for virtual and on-campus facetime between students and their professors.

 

UML to Return to Full On-Campus Operations

UMass Lowell (UML) plans to return to full on-campus operations for the fall 2021 semester, the university announced today.

“With vaccinations accelerating nationwide and multiple semesters of COVID-19 lessons learned and effectively implemented behind us, we believe we will be able to create a safe, social and interpersonal living and learning experience for all our students on campus,” Provost Joseph Hartman said. “This spring we’ve already increased our on-campus populations in classrooms and our residence halls. We’ve all learned through their absence just how important person-to-person interactions are.”

Current UML students can begin registering for fall classes on March 26 and new students can do so through the admissions process. 

 

Trahan Leads Reintroduction of Bipartisan Legislation to Tackle Root Causes of Addiction Crisis

U.S. Rep Lori Trahan, a member of the House Energy and Commerce Committee’s Health Subcommittee, led the reintroduction of the Medication Access and Training Expansion (MATE) Act,  bipartisan legislation to implement a standard for substance use disorder (SUD) training to require prescribers of highly addictive medications to have baseline knowledge in evidence-based addiction prevention and treatment.

“Every person in our community, in our Commonwealth, and in our country knows firsthand or through a loved one the devastating havoc the opioid epidemic continues to wreak. Congress has an obligation undertake a holistic approach to ending the addiction crisis that has taken far too many lives already,” said Trahan. “That can’t happen without understanding addiction’s root causes and the stigma associated with seeking out help. The MATE Act will ensure that medical professionals across the nation have standardized training that not only ensures a strong understanding of addiction, but also gives them the tools necessary to identify, treat, and manage patients with substance use disorders.”

Specifically, the bipartisan legislation would:

  • Create a one-time, non-repetitive requirement for all DEA controlled substance prescribers to complete training on treating and managing patients with opioid and other substance use disorders, unless the prescriber is otherwise qualified.
  • Allow accredited medical schools and residency programs, physician assistant schools, and schools of advanced practice nursing to fulfill the training requirement through comprehensive curriculum that meets the standards laid out in statute, without having to coordinate the development of their education with an outside medical society or state licensing body.
  • Normalize addiction medicine education across certain professional schools and phase out the need for these future practitioners to take a separate, federally mandated addiction course.
  • Authorize the federal government to appropriate grants to schools and medical programs to develop the curricula used to train prescribers on how to best identify and treat SUDs. 

Expert Says COVID-19 is Complicating Tax Season

The COVID-19 pandemic is creating complications for tax filers this season, according to a UMass Lowell (UML) taxation expert.

This week, the IRS extended the deadline until Monday, May 17, to give people filing individual returns more time to navigate tax implications for 2020. The economic stimulus programs instituted over last year, the millions of people who received unemployment compensation and the fact millions of others worked from home have created a perfect storm for accountants and other tax preparers, according to Janie Casello Bouges, a UML expert on taxation and regulation.

“The federal government has changed and eased a number of tax rules because of COVID. The question is whether the rules will return to the previous status quo once the pandemic is under control. This may represent a huge shift in taxation for business and individuals,” she said.

GLCF awards more than $500K in additional COVID-19 Response Grants 

After more than a year after the pandemic began, the Greater Lowell Community Foundation (GLCF) continues its work to support nonprofits providing relief to people affected by COVID-19.  The GLCF deployed a new round of COVID-19 related grants, providing an additional $550,142 to 32 area nonprofits through the Commonwealth COVID Grant Program and GLCF COVID-19 Emergency Response Fund.

GLCF awarded $414,992 in grant funding in the first round of the Commonwealth COVID Grant Program, made possible by the Baker-Polito Administration’s $10 million grant program for COVID-19 relief. The program is administered by the Executive Office of Housing and Economic Development through community foundations.

Among the 24 Commonwealth COVID Grants funded through GLCF, the International Institute of New England in Lowell received a grant to support food supplies and rental assistance.

The 24 nonprofits receiving $414,992 in grant funding in the first round of the Commonwealth COVID Grant Program are:

  • Boys & Girls Club of Greater Lowell:  Educational Support
  • Cambodian Mutual Assistance Association: CMAA Emergency Response Project
  • Catie’s Closet Inc.: Meeting the COVID-19 Needs of the Lowell Community
  • Coalition for a Better Acre:  Pandemic Response 2021
  • Community Teamwork Inc. . COVID Relief Projects
  • Dwelling House of Hope: Food Pantry
  • Girls, Inc. of Greater Lowell: Remote Learning
  • Greater Lowell Family YMCA: Remote Learning
  • House of Hope, Inc.: COVID Prevention Baskets
  • International Institute of New England: Food Supplies and Rental Assistance
  • Life Connection Center Inc.: COVID 19 Basic Needs Emergency Project
  • Lowell House Inc.: Housing Stabilization
  • Merrimack Valley Food Bank Inc.: Food Assistance in Lowell
  • Mill City Grows: Increasing Food Security in Lowell
  • NFI MA Inc.: COVID 19 Essential Supplies Support for Lowell
  • Northeast Legal Aid Inc.: – Supporting Lowell Tenants Facing Eviction
  • Project Home Again: New Items Program
  • Sankofa Support Services: Diaper Distribution Program
  • The Center for Hope and Healing Inc.: Hopeful Futures, Supporting BIPOC and LGBQ/T Youth
  • The Megan House Foundation: COVID-19 Relief Support
  • Troubled Waters Inc.: Bi-lingual Recovery Coach Program
  • VNA Care Network Inc.: Equipping VNA Care Network’s Frontline Nurses
  • Wayside Youth & Family Support Network: Wayside | Lowell – PPE and Addressing Food Insecurities
  • YWCA of Lowell: Acre Youth Center Educational Enrichment Support Resources

Additionally, GLCF distributed a round of support from the GLCF COVID-19 Emergency Response Fund. Of the six recent grants from the GLCF COVID-19 Emergency Response Fund, Boys and Girls Club of Greater Billerica received a grant to support COVID-19 Remote Learning and STEAM Enrichment.

The eight nonprofits receiving $135,150 in grants in the latest round of the GLCF COVID-19 Emergency Response Fund are:

  • Aaron’s Presents: Keeping Our Teens Engaged and Creative during the Pandemic
  • Boys and Girls Club of Greater Billerica: COVID-19 Remote Learning and STEAM Enrichment
  • Greater Lowell Health Alliance – Equitable COVID-19 Vaccine Community Education Roll-out
  • Lowell Community Health Center: Strengthening Health Equity – LCHC Patient Access Services
  • Minute Man Arc for Human Services Inc. – Safeguarding children with disabilities during COVID-19 pandemic
  • Nashua River Watershed Association: Wednesday Walks with NRWA Naturalists
  • UTEC Inc.: Madd Love Meals for Dracut + Tyngsboro Elders
  • VNA Care Network Inc.: COVID-19 Patient Isolation Kits

Western Avenue Resumes First Saturday Outdoor Art Market

Western Avenue artists are excited to welcome enthusiastic art lovers again. Their first Saturday in-person Outdoor Art Market of 2021 will be on Saturday, April 3,  from 12 p.m. until 4 p.m. Attendance inside the market will be limited to state guidelines and masks will be required to be worn at all times.

Henry Marte, Western Avenue’s marketing manager, is working hard to accommodate the 40 plus artists that want to participate in the outdoor event. Western Avenue will be using their social media feed to highlight the participating artists so the public can get to know participating artists before arriving on site.

This event will mark the first time the new Tiny Arms Coffee cafe (whose owners were recently featured on The 495 podcast) will be open to the public. Tiny Arms is located in the Studios building and will be serving up coffee and tea, as well as selling their beans roasted on site. The Loading Dock Gallery will be hosting their April show, “Invocation of Place,” featuring the work of Priscilla Levesque and Noel Soucy. Levesque is a Western Avenue artist who paint in the pointillist style, building her landscape images from small dots.

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MOVERS & SHAKERS

Pentucket Bank Welcomes Community Leaders to Board of Trustees

Michelle Lavigne, a corporator of Pentucket Bank since 2019, is the owner of several Servpro franchises, including Haverhill where their headquarters are located. Lavigne officially joined the Servpro team, her family’s business, in 2006 where she worked for her father and fellow Pentucket Bank Corporator, Dave Hart, as marketing and office manager before purchasing the business with her husband Patrick in 2013. Lavigne is a member of the Exchange Club of Haverhill and currently serves on the board as Treasurer. Lavigne is also an active supporter of numerous local organizations including the Liz Murphy Open Hand Food Pantry, Sacred Hearts School, the Boys & Girls Club of Greater Haverhill and many youth sports programs. Lavigne lives in Haverhill with Patrick and their two children.

 

Daniel Norris, became a Bank Corporator in 2011. He practices corporate law and is a director in the McLane Middleton Law firm in Manchester, N.H., and Woburn, Mass. Norris received his J.D. from Northeastern University School of Law and his B.A with distinction from Purdue University. Norris’ areas of focus at the firm include mergers and acquisition and corporate business law, as well as other corporate specialties. In the community, Norris is a member of the Central Catholic board of directors, a member of the Salem Chamber of Commerce, and has served on the Salem Boys & Girls Club board of directors, as well as many other local and statewide affiliations. Norris lives in Salem, N.H. with his wife, Lori, and their three children.

Jeanne D’Arc Credit Union announced the addition of two new team members.

Tracy Dodier-Brochu to AVP, Operational Risk Management

Dodier-Brochu has more than 30 years of experience at Newburyport Bank, holding multiple officer titles with the most recent being assistant vice president, security and information technology business analyst. Dodier-Brochu has an extensive background in information technology, information security, risk management, and quality assurance, as well as experience in various areas of operations, bank policies, programs, procedures, and Federal Financial Institutions Examination Council guidelines. She attended Northern Essex Community College and holds the following certification titles, Certified Banking Security Manager and Certified Banking Vendor Manager.

 

Yan Ventura to AT Business Services Advisor

Ventura joins Jeanne D’Arc’s Business Services Team with six years of banking experience. He was previously a small business specialist at Santander Bank where he was recognized as the number one small business specialist in the district and a top performer in the northeastern district. Ventura received his BA in Business Administration from Southern New Hampshire University. He holds his NMLS certification and is a certified Salesforce.com administrator.

 

NoteWorthy – 2/28/21

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AROUND THE VALLEY

Lawrence Partnership Holds Annual Meeting

This week, the Lawrence Partnership annual meeting celebrated the resilience of the Lawrence community. Guest speakers and community stakeholders discussed the challenges and opportunities to build a post-pandemic economic system that focuses on growth, justice and equity.

The Partnership welcomed Rawi Abdelal, Harvard School of Business’s Herbert F. Johnson Professor of International Management, who offered a global look at the economic disparities facing the nation and strategies to counter those trends on a local level.

Abdelal suggested priorities to making economic opportunity more equitable for all Americans should include decoupling parent income from a child’s future opportunity to earn, emphasizing lifelong, skills-based training, and supporting small businesses.

“Confronted by a pandemic that has disproportionately impacted communities like ours and an ongoing struggle for racial and social justice requires smart, collaborative solutions that extend across every level of our community, ” said Derek Mitchell, Lawrence Partnership’s executive director. “As evidenced by the people we are honoring this week and the network of committed partners, we’re in a position to advance a recovery that is robust, inclusive, more resilient, and offers more shared prosperity when we work together toward the common good. That’s the road ahead of us this year and we’re excited by the opportunity for real change.”

The Partnership honored Dan Rivera, former mayor of Lawrence and current CEO of MassDevelopment, and presented the David Tibbetts Award to Julia Isabel Perez Silverio, founder of Silverio Insurance Agency and longtime community leader and former city councilor.

David Tibbetts Award
The Lawrence Partnership presented the annual David Tibbetts Award to a leader who successfully promoted and implemented innovative economic development strategies.

This year’s award went to Julia Silverio, who committed herself to improve the city of Lawrence through her dedication to the immigrant population. After moving to Lawrence in 1973, she began providing services to the immigrant community from her home. In 1984 she opened her office, Julia’s Consulting Agency, which is now Silverio Insurance Agency and concentrates in the service of property and casualty insurance. She has served in various positions to contribute to the advancement of the citizens in Lawrence and surrounding areas.


Rising Star Awards
The Partnership also honored emerging leaders that have a significant impact. This years Rising Stars were:

Joanna de Pena, author and founder of Top Notch Scholars, Inc.
Top Notch Scholars is a nonprofit dedicated to leadership development, providing workshops and motivational speaking engagements for high school students. With a particular focus on leadership topics, confidence-building and interviewing skills, networking techniques, and career advancement. De Pena has reached more than 16,000 students and young professionals through Top Notch Scholars. She is heavily involved in her community by volunteering with local nonprofits, food pantries and city clean-ups.

Eddie Rosa, Groundwork Lawrence’s Community Engagement Director
Rosa discovered his passion for community development while working as Latino Outreach Coordinator for The Center and working on the Greening the Gateway Cities program. He has served on the Lawrence Conservation Commission and the Resilient Lands Initiative and is a member of the Lawrence Redevelopment Authority. Throughout the pandemic, Rosa has been working diligently to help meet the community’s immediate needs, including helping families in need of food. Rosa is chair of the Community Outreach and Education group and works on a significant project aimed at redesigning the city of Lawrence recreational parks.

Jorge Velez, Founder of Pentagon Studios & Locay
Velez is an entrepreneur and community leader who launched his first formal business in 2016, Aurea Vestes, an urban clothing line with an e-commerce platform. He launched Pentagon Studios to provide digital marketing solutions to companies and organizations. He provided hands-on workshops that helped small businesses with social media management, online presence, and digital marketing. He has been honored by the commonwealth for his work helping small businesses. He continues to support small businesses with his latest venture, Locay, a platform that facilitates COVID-safe food purchasing for restaurants and customers.

The meeting can be viewed here.

Massachusetts to Enter Phase 3, Step 2 of Reopening On Monday, March 1

Massachusetts will move forward into Phase 3, Step 2 of its reopening plan on Monday, March 1. This will re-open indoor performance venues such as concert halls, theaters, and other indoor performance spaces — who will operate at 50% capacity with a 500-person max — and indoor recreational activities with greater potential for contact such as laser tag, roller skating, trampolines and obstacle courses — who will also operate at 50% capacity.

Also effective March 1: restaurants will no longer be subject to a percent seated capacity limit and their capacity is limited only by the requirement of 6 feet between tables. Musical performances are allowed in restaurants (with appropriate distancing). The 90-minute time limit on tables, and the limit of no more than 6 people per table remain in place. Food courts remain closed. For more information on Phase 3, Step 2 of the Massachusetts re-opening plan, visit here.

 

Baker-Polito Administration Announces $4.7 Million for Vaccine Equity in Hardest-Hit Communities

The Baker-Polito administration announced a new $4.7 million initiative to promote COVID-19 vaccine equity in the 20 communities most disproportionately impacted by the pandemic. The administration also announced 11 high-efficiency regional vaccination collaboratives involving local health officials and other regional partners.

This week, 50,000 new vaccination appointments were added mass vaccination locations across the state. This includes the mass vaccination locations at Fenway Park, Gillette Stadium, Springfield, Danvers, Dartmouth and Natick. Retail pharmacies like CVS and Walgreens also plan to administer over 20,000 doses next week as well. Residents can visit here to find and schedule their appointments. Appointment availability is very limited due to the constrained supply of vaccine doses that the Commonwealth is receiving from the federal government.

The $4.7 million effort to support its vaccine equity initiative announced last week, which focuses on reducing barriers to vaccination in the 20 hardest-hit communities in the Commonwealth. The administration will work with Archipelago Strategies Group (ASG) and Health Care for All (HCFA) to best leverage these funds.

The initiative will support and coordinate with local leaders and community- and faith-based organizations to strengthen existing efforts in these cities and towns. These efforts will specifically focus on communities of color, homebound seniors, disabled individuals and other hard-to-reach populations. In the Merrimack Valley, these communities include Haverhill, Lawrence, Lowell and Methuen. This work will be coordinated with targeted opportunities for increased vaccine access through existing and new locations, including pop-up sites and mobile clinics.

ECCF Funds Methuen Public Art Project

By summer 2021, the Spicket River Falls in Methuen will be home to a dazzling display of vivid colors and hydro-powered lights designed by local artists bringing new life to this celebrated treasure, thanks to funding from the Essex County Community Foundation (ECCF).

“Light the Falls” – headed by nonprofit Methuen Arts – is just one of six new collaborative public art and creative placemaking projects being funded by ECCF’s Creative County Initiative (CCI). Launched in 2018 through a partnership with the Barr Foundation, CCI is designed – through a variety of facets – to elevate arts, culture and the creative economy in Essex County.

State Lawmakers Call on Insurance Companies to Deliver on Protection Promises to Small Businesses

Working with local advocacy groups, state Sen. Diana DiZoglio and state Rep. Dylan Fernandes filed legislation in both the Senate and the House last week that would provide a lifeline to small businesses struggling to make it through the COVID-19 pandemic. Both HD 3170 and SD 1845 would require insurance companies to honor legitimate claims around business interruption insurance and do away with virus-exclusion clauses.

At a time when so many small businesses in Massachusetts have had their business operations interrupted in some way, insurers have been strictly denying all claims under business interruption coverage saying the current situation doesn’t fit the insuring agreement; that pandemics are not covered. However, one argument presented by policyholders, and amplified by nationwide hospitality industry advocacy group THIRST, is that it was not the pandemic that forced their closure – state orders did, triggering additional coverage under most policies called “civil authority action” which is covered by most business interruption insurance policies.

THIRST was founded in early 2020 to help owners in the hospitality industry lobby for protection they have paid for after there were widespread reports of insurance companies denying business interruption claims from small restaurants and bars across the country. DiZoglio’s and Fernandes’ offices worked with the THIRST’s Massachusetts Chapter to rework and bolster a similar bill that was introduced into last year’s legislative session.

“This essential piece of legislation is crucial for protecting our small businesses, who have faced one challenge after another throughout this pandemic,” DiZoglio said. “It is unacceptable that our local mom and pop shops pay insurance claims to protect against incidents of this nature while not being permitted to access much-needed funds. Insurance companies have done just fine during this emergency – and are sitting on significant money, set aside to pay out claims like these, that our small businesses desperately need. I am hopeful we will get this bill passed and on the Governor’s desk as soon as possible.”

GLCF awards record $152,500 in Community Grants to 30 Local Nonprofits 

The Greater Lowell Community Foundation (GLCF) awarded $152,500 in competitive grants to 30 local nonprofits within a framework of children’s services, elder services, racial equity and inclusion, as well as water resources initiatives. The focus areas collectively work toward creating a better quality of life for Greater Lowell residents and supporting local nonprofits.

These grant awards are part of a competitive grant process in which nonprofit organizations apply for funds, and an independent committee reviews the proposals and selects awardees. The discretionary grants program is one of several competitive grant programs offered through the community foundation each year.

Included in this round of grants are Catie’s Closet of Dracut, which received a children’s services grant to assist supplying clothing and toiletries through their ‘stores’ for students in need; the Cambodian American Literary Arts Association in Lowell, who received a programming grant to address racial equity and inclusion; and OARS, Inc. in Concord who received a $5,000 grant to improve environmental and public health.

Local Author Releases Debut YA Novel

Lowell native Chris Boucher has released his first novel, “Pivot Move,” which dropped into retail February 1.

Inspired by his time as a basketball coach in area rec leagues, Boucher worked the idea into book form while a student in the master’s creative writing program at Southern New Hampshire University.

Boucher majored in English and minored in philosophy at UMass Lowell, which helps to explain his protagonist’s twin interests in hip-hop culture and Friedrich Nietzsche, the German philosopher whose ideas inspired the Superman comic book hero.

“Pivot Move” is now available at Amazon in digital and print editions and will soon be available at Barnes and Noble and other brick-and-mortar bookstores. For more on Boucher’s work or workshops, visit here.

Jeanne D’Arc Credit Union Accepting College Scholarship Applications

Jeanne D’Arc Credit Union is now accepting applications for its Annual MoneyStrong College Scholarship and the Cooperative Credit Union Association’s 2021 Credit Union College Scholarship Program.

The Credit Union’s MoneyStrong College Scholarship will award $10,000 in scholarships to applicants currently enrolled in college, as well as incoming freshmen for the Fall 2021 semester. Student applicants or their guardians must be members of Jeanne D’Arc Credit Union to be eligible.

The Cooperative Credit Union Association will be awarding six $1,500 scholarships across all chapters, with one scholarship awarded per chapter. Jeanne D’Arc Credit Union falls under the Massachusetts Chapter. Eligibility is limited to incoming college freshmen who will be enrolled in an undergraduate college degree program during the 2021-2022 academic year. More information including submission forms, instructions, required documentation, and application deadlines for each scholarship can be accessed here.

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MOVERS & SHAKERS

MassDevelopment Agency President and CEO Dan Rivera Hires Economic Development Veteran Theresa Park

Theresa Park, current executive director of the Merrimack Valley Planning Commission, will join the agency as deputy director and senior executive vice president. Park will be second in command at MassDevelopment per the bylaws and will focus on program effectiveness and development. Park comes to MassDevelopment with 25 years of regional and municipal planning experience, including leading economic development in Lowell. Park received her master’s in urban and regional planning from The George Washington University and a bachelor’s in business administration from the UMass Amherst. She also attended the International Summer School in Oslo, Norway, while in graduate school and spent a semester abroad in Kenya as an undergraduate student. Park will join the agency on March 15.

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Check out the latest episode of The 495 Podcast!

Chocolate fans unite! This week on The 495, we talked with yummy food expert and Northern Essex Community College chemistry professor Mike Cross about theobromines, Mayan history, and the time he went undercover as a student to better understand the challenges they face. Click here to listen.

Wellness Wednesday – 2/24/21

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When’s the last time you practiced self-care? No, I don’t mean squeezing in a shower after a long day, or meal-prepping healthy foods for the week ahead. Self-care is not only essential to our mental health but nurtures our overall well-being. Even so, it is often something that we neglect due to our busy lives.

Among my family and circle of friends consist are many front line workers who have worked tirelessly this past year responding to calls, securing PPE, or caring for patients on ventilators in ICU floors. They are the true heroes of this pandemic, so for everyone working on the front lines — from first responders to nursing home caregivers to restaurant workers — this one’s for you. Gain some insight on self-care and learn how to incorporate it into your life. After all, self-care, like these workers, is essential.

What Is Self-Care?

Self-care is often misinterpreted as something we do because we think we should be doing it, rather than because we want to do it. For example, if working out feels like a chore, but you exercise five days a week because you want to look fit, it’s not self-care. If you hate eating spinach, but force yourself to eat a spinach salad every night because of the health benefits, that’s not self-care! According to this article for PsychCentral by Raphailla Michael, “self-care is any activity that we do deliberately in order to take care of our mental, emotional, and physical health.”

Moreover, self-care is essential to reducing stress, anxiety exhaustion and helping prevent depression. “Good self-care is key to improved mood and reduced anxiety,” Michael writes. “It’s also key to a good relationship with oneself and others.” This article also discusses the three golden roles of self-care: stick to the basics; plan self-care rather than wait for it to happen; and be conscious of how your activities make you feel.

Some easy self-care ideas from the article that we can all implement into our routines are getting enough sleep, do at least one relaxing activity each day, follow-up with medical care and spend more quality time with loved ones.

 

Where Do I Begin?

Implementing self-care into your daily routine can be as simple as taking 15 minutes to meditate daily or stepping outside for fresh air every hour during the workday. However, it can be difficult to shift our routines to include self-care when we already work long hours or lead busy lives. I encourage you to consider the advice in this article from the University of Buffalo, which provides a step-by-step process for developing a self-care plan. Interestingly, the article distinguishes between maintenance and emergency self-care. The former “refers to the activities that you have identified as important to your well-being and that you have committed to engage in on a regular basis to take care of yourself,” while the latter prepares you for emergency situations that might induce extreme stress or panic.

For frontline workers specifically, check out these self-care tips that can be adapted to your demanding work schedule. For mental health, the article suggests that you:

  • Practice self-monitoring to gage your mental, emotional and physical status
  • Take brief relaxation and stress management breaks as needed
  • Consult with co-workers and supervisors on a regular basis
  • Recognize when you need time for yourself versus when you need to reach out to your support network
  • Follow trusted sources for information, but remember to limit exposure to graphic images or worrisome statistics
  • Honor your service. Remember that your work is extremely important, valued and appreciated

Remember that it is difficult to alter our existing routines, but making time for self-care is not only important, but integral to promoting our mental and physical well-being.

On Happiness and Sadness 

When it comes to self-care, the goal is to promote happiness, for developing a positive mindset will in turn will benefit all other aspects of our lives. Take a look at this article that describes advice from Ashley Whillans, assistant professor of business administration at Harvard Business School, who describes five easy activities that increase your happiness fast. Included activities are: organizing your errands, reaching out to a loved one and watch a relaxing nature video, all of which only take up about five to ten minutes of your day.

Dealing with emotions as we near one year of restrictions and lockdowns can be extremely difficult. Although negative emotions are ones we typically try to avoid enduring at all costs, sometimes it is necessary to simple acknowledge and accept how we feel in order to heal. This article by Sydni Ellis details how allowing herself to feel sad actually helped improve her anxiety. Ellis described that during this process, she identified the source of her sadness either verbally or in a journal, allowed herself to feel sad for as long as necessary, and refrained from judging herself for anything she felt sad over. No matter what we endure, negative or positive, refraining from judgement lays the foundation for practicing self-care.

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COVID-19: NECC Hosts Community Forum on COVID-19 Vaccine

Northern Essex Community College (NECC) students are teaming up with doctors from the Greater Lawrence Family Health Center to present a community forum that will answer questions about the COVID-19 vaccine. During the forum, three doctors from Greater Lawrence Family Health Center will be on hand to take questions, dispel myths, and share the latest information on the COVID-19 vaccine and how to get it. Free and open the public, the forum will be held on Zoom next Tuesday, March 2 at 4:30 pm, and those interested can register here. 

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GOOD READS

To kick off this week’s good reads section, meet Tiffany Bell, a Haverhill Mother of Six Wants to Be a Nurse:

Northern Essex Community College (NECC) practical nursing student Tiffany Bell has a motto: when you make yourself better, you’re making your whole family better. It’s something this Haverhill mom of six children, ages 5 to 23, considers as she balances her full-time classes, her kids’ hybrid school schedules and running a household. “I told them, this will be craziest 10 months of my life but at the end of it I will be a nurse.’”

Bell knows a lot about perseverance. Despite having her first son when she was 17, she graduated high school with honors. She worked odd jobs while getting her nursing assistant certification. A few years later, while working fulltime as a CNA and caring for her young son, Bell went back to school, and became a medical assistant at a busy pediatric office.

Life was moving right along- she had a job she loved, she got married and had two more children — until an autoimmune disease stopped her in her tracks. While Bell took time off to focus on her health, she started to entertain the idea of getting a nursing degree.

“My youngest was in pre-k and I just wanted more for myself. I felt lost,” she recalls. She re-enrolled in NECC and started chipping again. And despite a few set-backs and a global pandemic, this Dean’s List student is on track to become a nurse this year.

When she graduates in August, it will be a full-circle moment for Tiffany Bell. For anyone who feels overwhelmed about the thought of taking on something new, especially mothers, she offers this advice: “Have a short term goal. Take a few classes, take them online when it’s convenient for you…you’re worth it. Invest in yourself.”

Peace & Quiet. Research has found that “ambient noise generated by human activity such as travel and machinery dropped by 50% last year,” meaning that small earthquakes that otherwise would not be observed have been detected in some areas.

There’s No Place Like Mars. Last Thursday, NASA’s Perseverence rover finally landed on Mars and sent over stunning images that suggest what it’s like to land on mars. Keep this story bookmarked, for the rover is sending more images this week!

NoteWorthy – 2/21/21

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AROUND THE VALLEY

Massachusetts Sewage Notification Bill Signed into Law

Under legislation recently signed into law by Gov. Charlie Baker, a statewide sewage discharge notification system will be established to alert residents when such discharges make public rivers and beaches unsafe.

An act promoting awareness of sewage pollution in public waters, sponsored by Sen. Pat Jehlen and co-sponsored by Sen. Diana DiZoglio alongside House sponsors Reps. Denise Provost and Linda Dean Campbell, was introduced in response to pollution issues that for decades have plagued the Commonwealth’s public waters, namely discharge from combined sewer overflows (CSOs).

A recent report released by the nonprofit Environment America found that “each year in the U.S., swimmers in oceans, lakes, rivers and ponds suffer from an estimated 57 million cases of recreational waterborne illness.” It also found that “an analysis of fecal indicator bacteria sampling data from beaches in 29 coastal and Great Lakes states and Puerto Rico reveals that 386 beaches — nearly one of every eight surveyed — were potentially unsafe on at least 25 percent of the days that sampling took place last year.”

“As many know, we’ve done a tremendous amount of work as a region to highlight this issue – to the point of kayaking the entire 117-mile-long length of the Merrimack River to help raise awareness,” said DiZoglio, following her remarks at the legislation’s bill signing ceremony. “This legislation is long overdue to keep the public informed about sewage overflows into our beloved Merrimack River and all waterways across the Commonwealth. It is just one step and we have much more work to do but we must celebrate this significant step in the right direction that was able to be accomplished through teamwork. Thank you to all residents and advocates who have been pushing for years for this. Your persistence and determination made this happen. Thanks to Governor Baker for signing this important bill into law.”

Researchers Pioneer 3D Imaging to Detect Breast Cancer, COVID-19 and Other Diseases

A UMass Lowell (UML) research team is pioneering a new 3D imaging technique to better detect breast cancer and other diseases, including COVID-19.

The noninvasive medical technology uses specialized contrasting dye that recognizes breast cancer cells, allowing practitioners to better visualize human tissue inside the body. The dye amplifies the X-ray signal in tumors when used together with a state-of-the-art computed tomography (CT) scanner, called a “photon-counting spectral CT,” which produces multi-colored, 3D images.

Leading the project is UML Chemistry Assistant Prof. Manos Gkikas with team members Hengyong Yu, professor of electrical and computer engineering, and Mary Rusckowski, associate professor of radiology at UMass Medical School in Worcester. UML doctoral students Shayesteh Tafazoli, Dayang Wang and Yongshun Xu, all of Lowell, are contributing to the work under the direction of Gkikas and Yu.

The research team believes the combined use of the specialized dye and the colored 3D X-ray images generated by spectral CT will revolutionize medical imaging. Moreover, unlike conventional contrasting agents, the specialized dye being developed by the research team can specifically target cancer cells and remain in the body for an extended time, which would improve the accuracy of diagnoses, according to Gkikas.

The imaging would also allow practitioners to track a tumor’s progression in primary breast cancer. In addition, the researchers hope to expand the technology to one day detect secondary, metastatic cancers that have spread beyond their primary site to other tissues or organs in the body. Such metastatic cancers can sometimes emerge anywhere from four to 10 years after treatment of the original cancer, according to Gkikas.

In a separate project funded by UMass Lowell, Gkikas is applying the imaging technique to detect COVID-19 and track the progress of lung inflammation in patients coping with the disease.

 

Essex County Greenbelt Announces Next Farmers for former Green Meadows Farm

After a yearlong process of proposals and vetting applicants, Essex County Greenbelt announced that Iron Ox Farm of Topsfield will be the new farm operator at the former Green Meadows Farm in Hamilton and Topsfield starting in 2021.

Iron Ox Farm’s principals, Alex Cecchinelli and Stacy Apple, have had success in the past years growing their business. Using organic and regenerative methods, Iron Ox produces high quality vegetables for customers, farmers markets and wholesale to restaurants. Like many farmers, Cechinelli and Apple found ways to ramp up their production to feed the increased demand that they saw in 2020 as a result of COVID.

Iron Ox plans to continue to utilize their existing fields at Nutter Farm while starting the process of reopening the former Green Meadows. Future plans include expanding the CSA and reestablishing the farm stand, formerly a vibrant community space.

Iron Ox plans to have their farm fully transitioned to the former Green Meadows site by spring 2022 with continued sales to local restaurants and the opening of a farm stand. Their long-term plans will be to grow the farm into a community hub where people can come to learn more about agriculture, get involved with their food and enjoy nature together.

MRT Receives National New Play Network Grant for Vichet Chum Play

The National New Play Network (NNPN) announced last week that Merrimack Repertory Theatre (MRT) will receive one of its first “Bridge Program” grants for “Kween” by Vichet Chum, a quick-witted, inspirational story of a 16-year-old, Cambodian American Lowell High School student who aspires to be a poet under the alias Khmer Kerouac. The $10,000 grant is one of only 18 nationwide.

The Cambodian Mutual Assistance Association will partner on the production, which will premiere in a later season.

The NNPN created the Bridge Program this year to support new work “centering Black, Indigenous, and People of color (BIPOC) artists and anti-racist practices within its member theatres.” The D.C.-based Network is an alliance of professional theaters that collaborate in innovative ways to develop new works.

A frequent MRT collaborator, Cambodian-American playwright and actor Chum appeared here in 2018 in his autobiographical play “KNYUM.” He also appeared the next year in “Miss Bennet: Christmas at Pemberley” and “Jack Kerouac’s The Haunted Life.” His plays focus on Cambodian American stories.

NNPN said, “’Kween’ follows 16-year-old Soma, a Cambodian American student at Lowell High School, who discovers her secret powers as a poet. Under the alias of the Khmer Kerouac, Soma’s new-found passion arises against the back drop of her father’s recent deportation, her mother’s journey to Cambodia to rectify the situation, and her sister Dahvy’s upcoming wedding.”

NECC Faculty Receive National Honors for Excellence

Five Northern Essex Community College faculty were recently named recipients of the National Institute for Staff and Organizational Development (NISOD) Awards for Excellence, a national honor that recognizes outstanding faculty and staff working at the country’s community colleges. NISOD’s Excellence Awards recognize men and women each year who have demonstrated an outstanding commitment and contribution to their students and colleagues

This year’s recipients include Tom Greene of Salem, Mass., professor, English; Scott Joubert of Oxford, professor, criminal justice; Sharon McDermot of Amesbury, adjunct professor, business; Kristen Sparrow of Haverhill, assistant professor, computer information sciences; and Sue Tashjian of Haverhill, coordinator of instructional technology and online learning.

Greater Lowell Community Foundation Tackles Barriers to Food in Latest COVID-19 Response

The Greater Lowell Community Foundation (GLCF) announced a new round of COVID-19 related grants, providing an additional $72,000 to seven area nonprofits in Greater Lowell addressing mobile pantry and food delivery needs. These grants were part of the latest round of distributions from the GLCF COVID-19 Emergency Response Fund.

The organizations selected have continued to meet an unprecedented spike in demand for access to food amid the coronavirus crisis.

According to a recent report released by Feeding America in October 2020, Massachusetts has the highest projected rate percent change in food insecurity between 2018 and 2020 at 59%. Greater Lowell nonprofits addressing food insecurity report a record increase in the number of people needing assistance, with an average increase of 55% more demand than before the pandemic. Feeding America has found that roughly 4 in 10 people visiting food banks had not received food assistance before the pandemic.

The the seven nonprofits receiving grants from the COVID-19 Emergency Response Fund to address food insecurity are: Carlisle Council on Aging, Catie’s Closet, Inc., Gaining Ground, Inc., Merrimack Valley Food Bank, Inc., People Helping People, Inc., The Cameron Senior Center in Westford and Open Table.

International Institute of New England to be Housed at Lowell Community Health Center

The International Institute of New England (IINE) Lowell office will relocate to Lowell Community Health Center (Lowell CHC) on Jackson Street in downtown Lowell.

The two organizations have a long-standing collaboration to provide social services, education, and physical and behavioral healthcare to Lowell’s refugee and immigrant communities.

IINE was founded in Lowell in 1918 and has operated continuously for 103 years. Co-locating with Lowell CHC will provide a “one stop shop,” where refugee and immigrant community members can meet with their primary care provider, case manager, and immigration attorney; enroll in MassHealth; attend English classes; and prepare for careers in healthcare, all in one welcoming, accessible environment. IINE offices will be located on the second floor of Lowell CHC’s 101 Jackson Street location.

Eversource and National Grid Announce 2021 Municipal Partnership Participants

The Sponsors of Mass Save announced that Andover, Cambridge, Chelsea, Framingham, Haverhill, Lawrence, Marshfield, Methuen and Westborough have been selected to participate in the 2021 Municipal Partnership and will benefit from funding and support to implement energy efficiency outreach in their communities. The Mass Save Sponsors serving the cities and towns selected for the Municipal Partnership effort include Eversource and National Grid.

The Municipal Partnership provides grants of up to $25,000 to Massachusetts municipalities that meet the partnership’s goals for implementing energy efficiency outreach in their residential and small business communities and achieve exceptional energy savings by completing energy assessments and the installation of energy upgrades. These incentives are in addition to energy efficiency incentives already available to residents.

In addition to providing a financial incentive, these communities will have support throughout the duration of the year including collaboration calls with municipalities to learn best practices for outreach and local event support.

Joel Hellmann and John Chemaly Announce Retirement from Home Health Foundation Board of Trustees

Since joining the board in 2004, Joel Hellmann’s fellow members have relied on his clinical expertise regarding services, insights into healthcare trends. A resident of Methuen, he served on numerous committees including finance, compensation and strategic planning.

In his 12 years on the Board of Trustees, John Chemaly of Chelmsford supported Home Health Foundation with his keen business knowledge, health care industry passion and community advocacy. His committee involvement included governance and nominating, compensation and strategic planning.

Karen Gomes, president and CEO of Home Health Foundation, said it has been a “privilege and honor” to work alongside Hellmann and Chemaly. “We thank Joel and John for strengthening our organization through their time, talent and friendship,” she said. “We wish them all the best in the next chapters of their careers and lives.”

Pentucket Bank Purchases 4th Floor of Pentucket Bank Plaza at Harbor Place

Pentucket Bank announce the purchase of the fourth floor of the Pentucket Bank Plaza building at Harbor Place in Haverhill.

Pentucket Bank currently occupies the entire fourth floor of the building with several of their administrative offices, which began as a ten-year lease agreement in 2016.  Following Pentucket Bank’s commitment, others, such as UMass Lowell, MTM Insurance Company and HC Media Inc. signed their respective occupancy agreements and the Harbor Place development project proceeded to completion and the Pentucket Bank Plaza building is now fully occupied.

As part of their initial, early phase lease commitment, Pentucket Bank negotiated naming rights to the commercial building, now known as Pentucket Bank Plaza at Harbor Place. Pentucket Bank Plaza at Harbor Place is located directly across the street from the bank’s Main Office Branch and office building at One Merrimack Street, anchoring Pentucket Bank on both corners of a gateway into Haverhill’s downtown district.

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Check out the latest episode of The 495 Podcast!

Hungry? Join us this week on The 495 as we sit down with restaurateur Caroline Jolliffe, whose just-opened Newburyport restaurant The Joy Nest promises live jazz, boozy cocktails and a classic speakeasy environment. Click here to listen.

Wellness Wednesday – 2/17/21

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COVID-19 vaccinations have finally made their way to the Merrimack Valley as states began their respective rollout plans earlier this month. “To vaccinate or not to vaccinate” is an increasingly popular dilemma, so this week we’re providing everything you need to know about the novel COVID-19 vaccine. Whether you are for or against the vaccine is trivial, for when it comes to matters of health and wellness, research is always paramount. So, allow us to start that research for you with the latest vaccine facts from reliable sources around the web.

Facts & Resources

While getting any sort of shot can be intimidating (especially for those of us with a fear of needles) they are a lab-tested, CDC-approved way to help our bodies build immunity. According to the CDC, the COVID-19 vaccine does not actually contain a live virus, and thus will not make you sick with COVID-19. However, the process of the vaccine entering your body can result in symptoms, but “these symptoms are normal and are a sign that the body is protection against the virus that causes COVID-19.”

Moreover, the CDC has debunked many common myths going around about this vaccine. Here’s what they can confirm: you will not test positive on a COVID-19 viral test after receiving the vaccine, your DNA is not affected in any way, it is safe for those looking to get pregnant and most importantly, even if you have had COVID-19 in the past, you can still opt to get the vaccine.

“Due to the severe health risks associated with COVID-19 and the fact that re-infection with COVID-19 is possible,” their website notes, “vaccine should be offered to you regardless of whether you already had COVID-19 infection.”

 

The CDC has also created a guide of “Key Things to Know About the COVID-19 Vaccine” which can be read here. The article affirms what they do and do not know about the vaccine. Importantly, while they know the vaccine can prevent the person receiving it from getting ill, there still may be a risk in spreading it to others as a carrier. Their website notes, “Scientists are still learning how well vaccines prevent you from spreading the virus that causes COVID-19 to others, even if you do not get sick.”

For live updates on COVID-19 news from around the world, bookmark these pages and check back frequently.

For general facts, FAQs and helpful resources: Mayo Clinic

Massachusetts residents: mass.gov

New Hampshire residents: nh.gov

NPR

Bloomberg

The New York Times

CDC

Moderna, Pfizer, What’s the Difference?

If you are someone who kept hearing the words “Moderna” and “Pfizer” and had no idea what they meant, you’re not alone. Essentially, each are vaccines developed by different companies and labs who have the same goal in mind. Before reading further, check out this video that explains how vaccines work and how they work to protect us from viral infections.

Now back to our friends Pfizer and Moderna. This article comparing the various vaccines states that:

“The Pfizer and Moderna vaccines are made using messenger RNA, or mRNA, a technology that delivers a bit of genetic code to cells — in effect, a recipe to make the surface protein (known as spike) on the SARS-2 virus. The proteins made with the mRNA instructions activate the immune system, teaching it to see the spike protein as foreign and develop antibodies and other immunity weapons with which to fight it.”

So far, the Pfizer vaccine has an efficacy rate of 95%, while Moderna’s vaccine is 94.1%. Both vaccines require two doses; for the former 21 days and for the latter, 28 days between shots. Pfizer contains 30 micrograms of the vaccine while Moderna contains 100 micrograms. Interestingly, this article mentions is that while the Moderna vaccine uses a “little more than three times as much vaccine per person as Pfizer is,” they aren’t seeing better results than Pfizer.

There are notable side effects with each vaccine. So far, the most commonly reported side effects are injection site pain, fatigue, headache, muscle pain, joint discomfort and fever. For more detailed comparisons, read the rest of the article here.

Now that the vaccinations have begun in Massachusetts, many members of my family who are first responders have received both doses of the COVID-19 vaccine. I asked each of them about their experiences with post vaccination symptoms with the hopes of providing insight into what can be expected if one opts to receive the vaccine. Here’s what they had to say:

Robert, 51, firefighter: “I received the Moderna vaccine. During the first shot, I only had a sore arm. After the second shot, I experienced muscle aches, a slight fever, chills and a headache for approximately 12 hours.”

Bobby, 27, firefighter: “I had the Moderna vaccine. I experienced extreme body aches for 36 hours post-shot after both doses, but it was definitely worse after the second vaccine. I also felt very cold after the second shot.”

Victoria, 28, oncology nurse: (Victoria is currently is over three months pregnant.) “At my second OB (obstetrics) appointment, I was informed that the OB committee was in agreement for pregnant women to get the shot because it doesn’t go through the placenta, possibly harming the baby. That was my only concern so when I knew that, I was all in! I received the Pfizer vaccine and after the first shot, I experienced a headache and fatigue, but it was hard to tell if it was because of the vaccine or because of the pregnancy. My second shot was tougher, I was tired and had a headache, aches and chills until the next day.”

Emma, 24, MedSurge RN: “I got the Moderna vaccine. A few hours into the second dose I had pretty intense muscle pain at the injection site and was feeling fatigued. These symptoms lasted for about two to three days. I got the vaccine at 9 a.m. and spiked a fever of 102 at 1 a.m., then again at 1 p.m. the following day. All the symptoms were lessened with rotating ibuprofen and acetaminophen.”

Jessica, 21, nursing student: “I got the Pfizer. After the first dose I only had arm soreness, but after my second dose I experienced body aches, a low-grade fever and slight nausea. The symptoms started exactly 12 hours after I got the shot and lasted only about 24 hours.”

Lauren, 21, nursing student: “With my first dose of the Pfizer vaccine, I felt no significant symptoms other than soreness in my arm. The second dose was a bit more intense as I woke up the next morning with chills, fatigue, and body aches. I felt totally fine after one day and definitely think everyone should get the vaccine if they are able to.”

Whatever your decision, make it the most educated one possible.

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Breaking (vaccine) News: DiZoglio Vaccine Pre-Registration Bill Gets Boost After Federal Lawmakers Call on Governor to Establish System 

Massachusetts’ federal legislative delegation is calling on Gov. Charlie Baker to launch a pre-registration system for the COVID-19 vaccine, a push that comes on the heels of State Senator Diana DiZoglio’s filing of SD709, an act relative to COVID-19 vaccination pre-registration.

In a letter penned by U.S. Representative Katherine Clark and co-signed by U.S. Senators Elizabeth Warren and Edward Markey and U.S. Representatives Lori Trahan, Seth Moulton, Ayanna Pressley, Jim McGovern, Stephen Lynch, Bill Keating and Jake Auchincloss, the lawmakers express their concerns over the state’s vaccine rollout and lack of the sort of pre-registration system that has been launched in other U.S. states, such as Florida, New Jersey and West Virginia.

“We remain deeply concerned that the absence of a centralized pre-registration system for vaccine appointments has contributed to a slow and inequitable deployment of vaccines in Massachusetts, a trend that will only be exacerbated by increased demand as appointments open up to future eligibility groups,” wrote the lawmakers. “We therefore implore you to act with the requisite urgency to develop and implement a centralized, accessible system for all Massachusetts residents to pre-register for COVID-19 vaccinations, confirm eligibility details, and receive notification when an appointment becomes available at a convenient location.”

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Good Reads

This week, our good reads are great companions to the vaccine read above. So if you’re still worried, still quarantined and still hoping for normalcy someday, ease your mind here.

Have you or a loved received the vaccine? Check out this article which details the safety precautions that are still recommended even after you or someone in your bubble has been vaccinated.

Yay Immunity! In a recent study detailed here, researchers have found that the immune system mounts a lasting defense after recovering from COVID-19, specifically “at least six months, and likely much longer.”

Don’t Dispose of Your PPE.  A recent survey from The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center found that “a majority of people in the United States indicated they will continue COVID-19 safety protocols, such as wearing masks and keeping physical distance, even after the pandemic eases” because, really, while everyone’s experience is different, we’re all in this together.

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