Merrimack Valley Magazine

NoteWorthy – 6/13/21

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AROUND THE VALLEY

Greater Haverhill Chamber Hosts 105th Annual Dinner

On Thursday, June 10, the Greater Haverhill Chamber hosted their 105th annual dinner at the Bradford Country Club.

The Chamber Service award was presented to Stephanie Guyette, associate director of UMass Lowell’s Innovation Hub. The Community Leadership award was given to Allison Heartquist, who works for the city of Haverhill. The Jerry Loy Outstanding Director of the Year award was received by Penelope Guerrero-Perez, a footwear design consultant. Northern Essex Community College President Lane Glenn received the Charles E. Billups award, which recognizes an individual that continuously supports the Greater Haverhill Chamber’s efforts.

(Photo caption: Greater Haverhill Chamber 105th Annual Dinner award recipients from left: NECC President Lane Glenn, Penelope Guerrero-Perez, Allison Heartquist and Stephanie Guyotte.)

Lawrence Partnership Announces New Executive Director

George Ramirez, a former state economic development official, has been named executive director of The Lawrence Partnership, the collaboration of business and civic leaders committed to building an inclusive and resilient economy in Lawrence.

Ramirez, who was born in Colombia and raised in Lowell, is an attorney and consultant to businesses and nonprofits. Ramirez previously served as executive vice president of operations for MassDevelopment and as general counsel to the secretary of housing and economic development under former Mass. Gov. Deval Patrick’s administration. Ramirez also served as chairman of the economic assistance coordinating council, a member of emerging technology fund advisory committee, and as a member of Patrick’s development cabinet. Earlier in his career, Ramirez served as a member of the Lowell City Council.

Ramirez will begin his role later this month.

State Sen. Diana DiZoglio Announces Run for State Auditor

This week, state Sen. Diana DiZoglio announced her run for state auditor.

“As state auditor, I will begin by auditing the Baker administration’s actions during the pandemic crisis,” DiZoglio said. “The millions of taxpayer dollars spent on no-bid contracts during the failed vaccine rollout requires greater transparency. I will also launch an audit into the tragedy surrounding the Holyoke Soldiers’ Home.”

DiZoglio reported that her other priorities include fighting for increased transparency, equity, accountability and accessibility, as well as addressing the abuse of nondisclosure agreements, which she states have been used to silence victims of harassment, discrimination and abuse.

Groundwork Lawrence Receives Honorary Degree from Merrimack College

Groundwork Lawrence (GWL) joined the 2021 Merrimack College graduate class to accept an honorary Doctor of Public Service degree from President Christopher E. Hopey.

GWL Executive Director Heather McMann accepted honorary degree on the organization’s behalf. During the ceremony, President Hopey recognized the empowering change that GWL has brought to marginalized communities within Greater Lawrence for over 22 years.

Hike for Hope 2021 Hike Event Raises $130,000 to Help Alleviate Food Insecurity

Lazarus House Ministries hosted its 22nd annual Hike for Hope Challenge, a virtual/in-person 5k walk/run, on the weekend of May 22. The 3-part challenge included the hike, food collection, and fundraising and was a 200-strong community gathered for the greater good many of whom walked the Andover route and stopped at the check points to win prizes at Town Hall, Spark Fitness, A3 Fitness and Free Christian Church.

Innovative Leadership Program Completes Its Second Cohort In Merrimack Valley

With state and local regulations recently lifted, over 100 regional leaders convened for the culmination of the inaugural Merrimack Valley LEADS fellowship, an executive leadership program delivered in partnership with Harvard Business School faculty.

In addition to a graduation ceremony, the event, hosted at NECC’s Haverhill Campus, featured presentations from 9 project teams that were organized through the program around the themes of food security, affordable/fair housing, youth mentoring, racial equity, and small business supports. As a result of the pitches, approximately $50,000 of funding was committed by philanthropists and foundations to launch projects to address these community and regional priorities.

LEADS was founded in 2018 in collaboration with the Lawrence Partnership. The initiative has since scaled to serve Lowell and Haverhill, and is scheduled to grow to another region in 2022.

The presentations were provided feedback from a high profile set of panelists, which included state officials, foundation heads, and corporate leaders. Panelists during the event included Beth Francis, president and CEO of Essex County Community Foundation, Mike Kennealy, secretary of the Massachusetts Executive Office of Housing/Economic Development and U.S. Rep. Lori Trahan.

Trahan, State and Local Leaders Tour GLCAC Head Start Facility in Methuen, Tout American Rescue Plan Investments in Child Care Facilities

U.S. Rep. Lori Trahan toured Greater Lawrence Community Action Council’s (GLCAC) Methuen Head Start facility and met with its leadership to hear about the importance of continued federal investments in head start and child care programs like those in the American Rescue Plan.

Trahan was joined on the tour by state Sen. Diana DiZoglio, state Rep. Linda Dean Campbell, Methuen Mayor Neil Perry, GLCAC Director of Early Division Learning Justine Donovan, and GLCAC Methuen Head Start Supervisors Brenda Adorno and Connie Quinn.

GLCAC serves 507 children across their Methuen and Lawrence Head Start facilities. The organization offers a wide array of services to the most vulnerable in Methuen and the Greater Lawrence area, including health and mental health services, professional development, transportation, meals, case management, family engagement, parent training, transition to kindergarten, and more.

Additionally, GLCAC was also the recipient of a recent $5,882,634 federal Head Start grant through the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Head Start. The program received $11.6 billion in funding for FY2020, an increase of $1.5 billion from the year before. Trahan continues to advocate for additional funding for this important program.

NECC Celebrates Early College Graduates 

214 graduates from ten local high schools earned college credits in addition to their high school diplomas this year, as participants in Northern Essex Community College’s (NECC) Early College Program.

The students, along with their families, celebrated at an early college recognition ceremony held under a tent on NECC’s Haverhill Campus on May 13.

Graduating early college students earned an average of 23 credits — close to eight college courses each — which they will take to 40 colleges in the fall, including public universities and private institutions, such as UMass Amherst, UMass Lowell, Boston University, Clark University, Merrimack College and Providence College. Thirty-eight of the graduates will attend NECC.

Check out the full story on the graduates of the Early College Program here.

We Share A Common Thread Foundation Donates More Than $95k to Local Organizations

Jeanne D’Arc Credit Union (JDCU) recently held its 11th annual We Share A Common Thread Foundation fundraiser, raising more than $95,000 to support the foundation’s mission. The event kicked off online on Tuesday, April 27, and ended with an in-person walkthrough event on Wednesday, May 5, at Four Oaks Country Club. The We Share a Common Thread Foundation was established in 2011 to help support the lives of people in the community by assisting with food, shelter, clothing, health, and education.

This year’s event, allowed for the We Share A Common Thread Foundation to make donations to 132 non-profit organizations in 19 communities.

MassDevelopment Funds Business Assistance Programs through Transformative Development Initiative

MassDevelopment has awarded $390,000 in grants to multiple organizations to implement outdoor dining, business signage improvements, district branding and marketing plans, placemaking and wayfinding projects, public events, and more through locally developed business assistance programs in gateway cities. The grants were awarded through MassDevelopment’s Transformative Development Initiative (TDI) Local program.

Created in 2017, TDI Local is a small-business grants program that supports local market development by fostering business, resident, and property-owner engagement, building community identity, and improving the public realm in TDI districts.

For this round, fiscal agents in TDI districts in Chelsea, Chicopee, Fall River, Fitchburg, Lawrence, Springfield, and Worcester (Main South) will receive $30,000 district grants.

The Essex Art Center in Lawrence, one of the projects who received a TDI award, will use the $30,000 district grant to implement a key component of a downtown action strategy, which was funded and managed by the Lawrence TDI Partnership, that includes improving pedestrian and auto-oriented placemaking and wayfinding on the corridor from Island Street and Canal Street into downtown Lawrence. The Canal Activation Program aims to create temporary creative visual markers, including asphalt and sidewalk art and a flash flower field installation, which are aimed at helping establish a future downtown arts and culture district.

Trahan Calls for Robust Investments to Stop Sewage Overflows, Bolster Renewable Energy Initiatives

U.S. Rep. Lori Trahan testified before the House Appropriations Committee about the need for long overdue federal investments in preventing combined sewage overflows (CSOs) that pollute waterways like the Merrimack River and strong support for the fusion energy research, a renewable energy source that holds unprecedented promises for America’s transition to a clean energy economy.

The Merrimack River Watershed Council estimates that hundreds of millions of gallons of untreated sewage are released into the Merrimack from urban treatment plants each year, and a recent Boston Herald report highlighted a recent discharge of 84 million gallons of wastewater and stormwater from Lowell’s combined sewage system as recently as April.

Downtown Amesbury Welcomes New Home Decor Boutique and Artisan Marketplace

This week, Aumnii Emporium opened its doors on 82 Main Street in downtown Amesbury.

Owner Tanya Webster, a Lawrence native, has strong family ties to Listuguj, a small Mi’qmaq reservation in Quebec. At a young age she learned traditional Mi’qmaq crafts such as basket weaving, dream catchers and moccasins.

The new Amesbury location will offer products like signs, supplies, and refinished furniture, as well as a space for other artisans to feature their own products and build their own business.

North Andover Merchants Association Announce Community Gift Card Program

The North Andover Merchants Association announced the new “Shop NA Community E-Gift Card,” a community-based digital gift card that makes it fun and easy to shop local. Purchase a Shop NA E-Card here to use at any of the participating shops in North Andover. With this card, you can write a personal message and send it to family, friends and colleagues via email, text, or physical copy. Recipients can choose to spend it at one of over 25 (and growing) participating merchants — or mix it up and spend flexibly at multiple locations.

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MOVERS & SHAKERS

Lawrence City Council Recognizes 2021 Biology Grad

2021 Northern Essex Community College Biology Graduate Mariel Bloise received honors for her academic success from the Lawrence City Council, which recognizes one outstanding graduate from the city each year, based on a recommendation from Northern Essex President Lane Glenn. Bloise came to Lawrence from the Dominican Republic with her family in 2015. She began taking college classes as a high school senior through the NECC Early College Program. Bloise graduated from Northern Essex with high honors and is transferring to UMass Lowell to continue her studies in biology. Her goal is to enroll in physician’s assistant school after getting her bachelor’s, and she is considering dermatology as a specialty. She comes from a family of doctors (her uncle and cousins) which is what interested her in the medical field.

UML Educator Honored with Manning Prize

Stacy Szczesiul, an associate professor in the university’s college of education, has received the 2021 Manning Prize for excellence in teaching. Szczesiul joined UMass Lowell’s college of education in 2010. For the past five years, Szczesiul has taught exclusively in and served as coordinator of the college’s nationally recognized online leadership in schooling doctoral program, which has doubled in size since its inaugural cohort in 2016 and includes students who work as school administrators all over the world.

 

Covenant Health Welcomes Jennifer Newburger as Vice President of Quality Improvement and Safety

Newburger will provide leadership and direction to system-wide quality and safety programs, which specifically focus on the continuous improvement of quality of care; patient safety and satisfaction; as well as overall efficiency. Newburger earned her master of science in health education from Hofstra University in Hempstead, N.Y., and a bachelor of art in sociology from George Mason University in Fairfax, V.A. She also attended Beth Israel Nursing School in N.Y. and is a registered nurse. In addition, Newburger is a certified professional in healthcare quality as well as a current member of the National Association for Healthcare Quality and American College of Healthcare Executives.

NoteWorthy – 5/30/21

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AROUND THE VALLEY

The Palace Theatres to Reopen This Summer 

The Palace Theatres have announced that they will be retaking the stage Friday, June 4. Venues including the historic Palace Theatre, the Rex Theatre, the Spotlight Room and Forever Emma Studios will be open to the public for the first time since December.

As the school year comes to a close, the Palace will present the Bank of New Hampshire’s Children’s Summer Series beginning June 30. This year’s series will feature magician BJ Hickman, “Snow White,” “Peter Pan,” “Wizard of Oz,” “The Little Mermaid,” and more.

From Palace Artistic Director Carl Rajotte comes “Queen of the Night,” a new show celebrating the music of Whitney Houston. “Queen of the Night” will be The St. Mary’s Bank 2021-2022 Performing Arts Series opening show on September 10.

Also showcased in the professional series will be longtime favorites including “Mama Mia!” which returns in October. Holiday tradition will continue in November and December with “The Nutcracker” and “A Christmas Carol.” The new year will bring back theater classics including “The Full Monty,” “Bye Bye Birdie,” “The Producers” and “Legally Blonde.”

Friday Night Comedy is back at The Rex Theatre in Manchester, and will kick off with Juston McKinney on June 4 and 5. Other comedians include Tony V, Kelly MacFarland, Joe Yannetty, Corey Rodrigues and Christine Hurley. In addition to comedy, live music is much anticipated at the Rex this summer. Purchase tickets for No Shoes Nation Band, The Youngsters, American Elton, Panorama, The Spain Brothers online or by calling the box office.

Patron safety continues to be a top priority for the organization. The Palace and Rex will operate at a reduced capacity. Face masks are recommended, and health and safety guidance regarding occupancy and masks is subject to change as summer goes on. He encourages people to visit the Palace website in advance.

Baker-Polito Administration Re-Files Bill to Honor Veterans Lost to Service-Related Illness

The Baker-Polito administration this week re-filed legislation to establish the Massachusetts Medal of Fidelity, which will be presented by the Massachusetts National Guard to the families of veterans who lost their lives to service-related illnesses and injuries.

The bill, entitled “An Act Relative to Establishing the Massachusetts Medal of Fidelity,” will authorize the Commonwealth to award the Medal of Fidelity to the next-of-kin of Massachusetts service members who “died as the result of service-connected diseases, conditions or injuries that are related to either exposure to harmful toxins, herbicides, agents, and materials or service-related post-traumatic stress disorder.”

 

 

MCC’s Class of 2021 Graduates Amid Pandemic

Amid the pandemic and unprecedented challenges, Middlesex Community College (MCC) celebrated the successes of the graduating Class of 2021. MCC conferred 1,065 degrees and certificates to 983 graduates.

MCC held a virtual ceremony to celebrate commencement on Thursday, May 27. The video includes speeches from President James Mabry, President-elect Phil Sisson, and two student speakers, Nicole Smay and Mannuery Arias.

After the conferring of degrees, the virtual ceremony showed a photo montage and messages from the MCC community from faculty, staff and local politicians. In individual division breakout videos, student names were displayed in a slideshow presentation, including honors and distinctions. Graduates and their families could select which division they wanted to watch.

Serving a diverse population of learners, the age range of MCC’s Class of 2021 is 16 to 69, with the graduates representing 10 states and 56 countries. There are 39 veterans, 10 dual-enrollment high school graduates, 74 MCC employees and 410 first generation students.

There were 194 associate in arts, 687 associate in science and 184 certificates, as well as 82 students who earned more than one award. MCC’s health programs pinned 198 graduates and 57 students received department awards for their achievements. MCC’s Commonwealth Honors Program graduated 27 scholars, and 113 graduates are members of Phi Theta Kappa, the national honor society for two-year colleges.

Hannah Ditmars, Gianna Tringali and Riana Willsie were named to the 2020-2021 All-Massachusetts Academic Team, and MCC nursing student Micaela Rainha was named MCC’s “29 Who Shine” by the Mass. Department of Higher Education.

NDA Establishes First All-Girls Golf Team in the MV

The Academy of Notre Dame (NDA) in Tyngsboro, Mass., has put together the first female golf team in the Merrimack Valley.

According to head coach Patrick Moriarty, the team’s record is 2-2-1. “[They are an] impressive group of girls who work hard and enjoy the game,” Moriarty says. The team is made up by  co-captains sophomore Mya Shanahan  and junior Kate McNamee; sophomore Caroline Hanson; freshmen Molly Shanahan, Lily Golden and Halianna Gacek; and seventh graders Ella Hanson and Elizabeth Beauregard.

Trahan Announces Nearly $82 Million in American Rescue Plan Funding for Local Colleges and Students

U.S. Rep. Lori Trahan announced $81,819,954 in emergency funding for colleges, universities, and students in Massachusetts’ Third Congressional District under the American Rescue Plan. The relief funding will help local colleges address severe financial challenges caused by the COVID-19 pandemic and continue serving their students safely.

At least half of the funding each institution receives will be distributed in the form of emergency cash assistance grants to students who are facing hunger, homelessness, and other hardships. The American Rescue Plan allocated $36 billion for nearly 3,500 public and private, nonprofit colleges and universities nationwide.

The colleges and universities in Massachusetts’ Third District receiving funding under the American Rescue Plan are:

  • UMass Lowell: $27,551,474
  • Fitchburg State University: $11,428,049
  • Merrimack College: $7,228,654
  • Middlesex Community College: $13,649,527
  • Northern Essex Community College: $12,426,922
  • Mount Wachusett Community College: $9,535,328

UML Engineering Researcher Receives $450K Grant

UMass Lowell (UML) researcher Marianna Maiaru, assistant professor of mechanical engineering, was recently recognized by the U.S. Air Force with funding for her work on process modeling of composite materials.

Maiaru’s three-year, $450,000 Young Investigator Program (YIP) grant from the Air Force Office of Scientific Research will support her work to advance the development and processing of high-strength, high-temperature structural materials for the next generation of aerospace vehicles.

The Air Force awards the YIP grant to faculty researchers who “show exceptional ability and promise” in conducting creative, fundamental research in science and engineering. Maiaru is among the 36 scientists and engineers from 27 research institutions across the country selected by the Air Force for the recognition.

Maiaru is working on process modeling of advanced composites for structural applications and integrated computational materials engineering under the sponsorship of the National Science Foundation, NASA and the Air Force Research Laboratory.

Baker-Polito Administration, MassDevelopment Announce $1M in Funding for Coworking Spaces

The Baker-Polito Administration and MassDevelopment announced up to $1 million in funding for the sixth round of the Collaborative Workspace Program, a MassDevelopment program that accelerates business formation, job creation, and entrepreneurial activity in communities by supporting infrastructure that fuels locally based innovation. The funding will help coworking spaces plan, expand, buy equipment and make COVID-19 safety improvements.

Since its pilot launch, and through the first five rounds of grants, the Collaborative Workspace Program has made 164 awards totaling $9,842,041 for the planning, development, and build-out of collaborative workspaces.

M2D2 Programs Explore the Clinical Trial Process

Biotech and medical device entrepreneurs preparing to test their innovations in clinical trials will gain insights into that process during free programs presented by the Massachusetts Medical Device Development Center (M2D2).

The Clinical Trial Program Series, which begins next month via Zoom, will unite entrepreneurs with industry and government leaders to share best practices, challenges, funding issues and a road map for successful clinical trials. M2D2 is a joint venture of UMass Lowell (UML) and UMass Medical School in Worcester. The center assists entrepreneurs with all aspects of moving new products and technologies from the drawing board to the marketplace. Each program in the three-part series will focus on a different topic and feature a variety of leaders in this sector.

M2D2 operates lab-based business incubators in Lowell and Worcester and provides networking opportunities, pitch competitions and other programs for startups. The clinical trials series is the latest contribution to these efforts. Visit here for more on M2D2.

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MOVERS & SHAKERS

Home Health Foundation Promotes Kelli True to Director of Referral Management and Transitions of Care at Home Health Foundation

True joined Home Health Foundation as a nurse case manager in 1999. In her new position, True will play a strategic role in executing the organization’s marketing and referral growth plans. True earned her BSN from Northeastern University and is currently pursuing an MBA in healthcare administration/management from Fitchburg State University. Even with nearly 25 years of experience as a registered nurse, True said she feels the same sense of commitment each day while working with her team to make a difference for patients and families throughout the region. True lives in Hampstead, N.H.

NoteWorthy – 4/11/21

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AROUND THE VALLEY

Reps. Trahan and Castor, Sens. Markey and Blumenthal Press Facebook on Plans to Develop Instagram for Children

U.S Reps. Lori Trahan and Kathy Castor, both of whom pressed Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg on his company’s targeting of kids during a recent House Energy and Commerce Committee hearing, partnered with Sens. Edward Markey and Richard Blumenthal to demand answers regarding Facebook’s recent announcement that the company is exploring plans to develop a version of Instagram for children. In their letter, the lawmakers express concerns about Facebook’s past failures to protect children on Facebook’s messenger kids app and highlight evidence that young people’s use of social media platforms like Instagram may be detrimental to those users’ well-being and mental health.

“Children are a uniquely vulnerable population online, and images of kids are highly sensitive data,” write the lawmakers in their letter. “Facebook has an obligation to ensure that any new platforms or projects targeting children put those users’ welfare first, and we are skeptical that Facebook is prepared to fulfil this obligation.”

In their letter, the lawmakers ask Mr. Zuckerberg a series a questions and request detailed commitments about how any future version of Instagram for children would operate.

The lawmakers’ letter concludes, “Should Facebook fail to provide adequate responses to the questions above or otherwise fail to demonstrate that a future version of Instagram for children would meet the highest standards of user protection, we would advise you to abandon your plans to launch this new platform.”

A copy of the letter may be found here.

UML Prof. Creates Mentoring Network for Asian American Teachers

UMass Lowell (UML) Associate Professor Phitsamay Uy was the first refugee from Laos to receive tenure as a professor of education in the United States. And for years, she was the only one.

Determined to change that, Uy has started a mentoring network for Asian American and Pacific Islander teachers and education students.

“One of my goals is to try to bring as many Asian American educators up through the K-12 and higher-education ranks as I can,” said Uy, who joined UML’s college of education in 2011.

Working with educators in Canton, Charlestown and Medford, Uy launched the Asian American Educator Mentor Program in 2019 with a $35,000 award from a National Education Association grant program that provides support for diverse teachers. The grant was just renewed.

Teachers of color are greatly underrepresented in the nation’s schools, even as the school-age population is becoming more diverse, according to the National Center for Education Statistics. Nationwide, 79 percent of teachers are white, but nearly half of K-12 public school students are Black, Hispanic, Asian American, Pacific Islander, Native American or multiracial, according to the U.S. Census.

 

The need to support Asian American and Pacific Islander educators is particularly acute, according to Uy. Although educators are highly respected in most Asian countries, many Asian American families discourage their children from pursuing teaching careers in the United States in favor of higher paying jobs in other fields, Uy said.

Only 2 percent of U.S. public school teachers are Asian American, and less than 1 percent are Pacific Islanders, according to the National Center for Education Statistics.

The mentoring program has 40 participants and has expanded this year to include several veteran teachers in California and Minnesota. Connecting via Zoom meetings, the full group convenes regularly for educational presentations and discussions with scholars and leaders of community organizations. Smaller mentoring groups that include one education student, one or two early-career teachers and one veteran teacher also meet on a rotating basis.

 

MassDevelopment Bond Helps CREST Finance New Location in Andover

MassDevelopment has issued a $17 million tax-exempt bond on behalf of Collaborative for Regional Educational Services and Training (CREST), a nonprofit that provides educational, vocational, and therapeutic programs for children with developmental disabilities. CREST used bond proceeds to buy an approximately 127,470-square-foot newly renovated school building in Andover, where the organization will consolidate programs offered at its three existing locations in Methuen under one roof.

The new facility, which was recently converted from its previous use as an office building, consists of 62 classrooms, 10 conference rooms, 55 private offices, a gymnasium, a cafeteria, several workshops, including art, music, computer, and woodshops, an auto repair facility, group restrooms, and a kitchen area. TD Bank, N.A., purchased the bond, which MassDevelopment enhanced with a guarantee.

CREST is comprised of 16 member school districts including Andover, Dracut, Greater Lawrence Technical School, Haverhill, Lawrence, Lowell, Methuen, Newburyport and North Andover. The organization offers educational programs and services for students with developmental disabilities to supplement and strengthen existing school programs and services that otherwise would be neither affordable nor accessible to each local school district on its own.

Pentucket Bank & Cote Family Establish Memorial Scholarship at Haverhill High School

Pentucket Bank and the family of former bank president and CEO Edmund Cote Jr. have established a scholarship for graduating Haverhill High School Seniors in the name of the late Mr. Cote, beginning in 2021.

Cote served as the president and CEO of Pentucket Bank for more than 15 years from 1983 to 1998 and remained a part of the Pentucket Bank family as a director and corporator until his passing in June 2020. Cote was instrumental in several strategic growth initiatives at Pentucket Bank, most notably spearheading the purchase of what is now the bank’s main office branch and office building at One Merrimack Street in downtown Haverhill.

As a tribute to Cote, his family raised $20,000 to establish a memorial scholarship in his name at Haverhill High School. In honor of the bank’s former leader, Pentucket Bank matched the funds in full, providing the city of Haverhill with a $40,000 investment to The Edmund J. Cote Jr. | Pentucket Bank Scholarship Fund.

The scholarship will be awarding two $1,000 scholarships annually to two Haverhill High School graduating seniors beginning in 2021.

On the Move Inc. Announces “Reading with Rowdy” Literacy Program

On the Move Inc. (OTMINC), in partnership with Jeanne D’Arc Credit Union and UMass Lowell, launches “Reading with Rowdy,” a program that encourages reading and literacy. Local Division I head coaches, politicians, celebrities, business leaders, and other members of the community have come together to share some of their favorite books in a series of videos with mascot Rowdy the Riverhawk for the children of Lowell.

The goal of this collaboration is to help students achieve reading proficiency by the time they complete the third grade. To help foster children’s love of reading and to help build home libraries, OTMINC has purchased over 3,000 books to go along with the stories. The students of the Abraham Lincoln and the S. Christa McAuliffe schools, as well as the Cardinal O’Connell Early Learning Center in Lowell, will each receive an age and reading level appropriate copy of one of the featured books, so that they may read along while watching the videos on YouTube.

“Literacy is such an important factor in a child’s life. Not only did we want to do something to help the kids in our community, we wanted to make it fun,” said Mark Cochran, president and CEO of Jeanne D’Arc Credit Union.

To view the first and subsequent titles in the series of “Reading with Rowdy” videos, visit Jeanne D’Arc Credit Union You Tube channel or OTMINC.org and click on the link on the web page.

Area Child In Need of Life-Saving Transplant

With the cost of a life-saving transplant often exceeding $800,000, most transplant families are unable to shoulder that financial burden. The Children’s Organ Transplant Association (COTA) is a national 501(c)3 charity dedicated to organizing and guiding communities in raising funds for transplant-related expenses. In Newburyport, volunteers are raising funds for COTA in honor of transplant patients like local child, Heeth Atanasoff.

Heeth is the son of Molly and Todd Atanasoff. Born in 2012, Heeth was diagnosed with aplastic anemia. The transplant team at Tufts Medical Center in Boston, Mass., recommends a life-saving bone marrow transplant. Newburyport volunteers are raising $100,000 for COTA to assist with transplant-related expenses.

Volunteers are needed for this COTA community campaign. Individuals and groups interested in more information should contact Community Coordinator Kerry Marshall at (978) 609-0866 or kerrymarshall48@gmail.com.

Heeth’s family has asked for assistance from the Children’s Organ Transplant Association. One hundred percent of all funds raised for COTA in honor of patients assist with transplant-related expenses.

Contributions may be sent to the Children’s Organ Transplant Association, 2501 West COTA Drive, Bloomington, Indiana, 47403. Checks should be made payable to COTA, with “In Honor of Heeths Hope” written on the memo line. Secure credit card gifts are accepted online at COTAforHeethsHope.com.

NECC Health Students are Administering Vaccines in Lawrence

When the city of Lawrence was in need of staff for its vaccine clinics, Northern Essex Community College answered the call.

Since March 11, 35 health care students have been volunteering at the site located at the Arlington Middle School. Nursing and medical assistant students are administering the vaccines and medical office administration students are registering those getting the vaccines.

It all started with a phone call from Elicia Miller ’13, community coordinator of the Mayor’s Health Task Force in Lawrence, to Kathy Hudson, her former professor.

“They wanted to open another vaccine site and they needed help,” says Hudson.

At the time, Hudson was struggling to find externships for her medical assisting students because many of the sites were no longer available due to COVID restrictions.

The end result was a win-win. The city had staffing help for the vaccine sites and students were gaining valuable experience administering vaccines and working with patients and their health records.

Medical assistant student Catherine Ripalda of Methuen was volunteering for the first time last week and she says it’s “a really good experience.” With each vaccine, she became “a little more comfortable” and she said she is proud to tell her son “I’m doing something for the community.”

Ripalda is bilingual as are most of the students in the college’s medical assistant program, which is a plus when giving vaccines in Lawrence, a city which is over 80% Hispanic.

Before giving the vaccines, students are fielding questions about side effects, existing health conditions, and COVID-19, according to Hudson, all under the supervision of NECC faculty.

To learn more, visit the website or contact Lancaster at slancaster@necc.mass.edu.

 

Outdoor Dining is Open at Tuscan Kitchen Burlington, Salem & Tuscan Sea Grill in Newburyport

Tuscan Brands has announced that their Burlington and Salem locations are open this weekend for dining, as is the new Tuscan Sea Grill in Newburyport.

Additionally, they have announced that the Salem Tuscan Market is moving to Tuscan Village, with a grand opening scheduled for May 2021. To learn more or to make reservations, click here.

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MOVERS & SHAKERS

Physics Professor Wins $1M in Funding for Quantum Information Processing Research

UMass Lowell (UML) researcher Archana Kamal has won two early career development awards totaling more than $1 million from the U.S. Air Force and the National Science Foundation (NSF) for her research in the emerging field of quantum information processing (QIP) with open quantum systems.

QIP is based on the principles of quantum mechanics, which mathematically describe the behavior and interaction of matter and light on the atomic and subatomic scale.

 

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.

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