merrimack river watershed council Archives

The owners of the Great Stone Dam in Lawrence recently lowered the crest gate — a long structure that runs along the top of the dam — to complete repair work, causing the river to suddenly drop about five vertical feet. The crest gate was temporarily raised to control the downstream current of Tropical Storm Ida, which contributed to a mild rise in water levels, but most of that excess flow has now ended. The work on the crest gate is expected to be completed today, Friday, Sept. 10, before the gate will be raised and the level of the river will rise back.

On the topic of water levels, local scientists and environmental organizations are studying the impact of rain on regions like the Merrimack Valley. As this past July was one of the rainiest months on record. This large amount of rainfall has contributed to multiple Combined Sewage Overflow (CSO) events. CSOs occur when combined sewer systems discharge excess wastewater directly into nearby streams, introducing toxic materials to the natural environment. According to Policy and Education Specialist John Macone of the Merrimack River Watershed Council (MRWC), there were 10 days in July when CSOs occurred, which is an unusually high number, and roughly 200 million gallons of CSO waste entered the Merrimack. “Scientists believe that as climate change occurs, the kind of heavy rainfall that we saw in July will be a more common event, and thus the river will see more CSO events and more pollution,” says Macone.

Organizations like the MRWC and Clean River Project are still working hard to fix CSO problems and prohibit pollutants from entering the river.

When the current comes downriver, workers and volunteers associated with the Clean River Project — a nonprofit organization that cleans and preserves a 45-mile stretch of the Merrimack River — go through and count every piece of trash they collect. According to Kristin Bachmann, who works part-time at the organization, their boats are custom-built because they are needed to perform specific jobs. The “River Monster” — so-called due to its enormous power — is one such vessel. It can pull out engines or bicycles that have been dumped and left behind. Roughly 84 cars have been pulled out of the riverbanks due to the efforts of the Clean River Project.

On Saturday, Sept. 18, the Merrimack River Watershed Council is hosting its first annual Save Our River Festival in Newburyport. There will be live music, barbecue and even a cornhole tournament. Click here to learn more.

AROUND THE VALLEY

Andreas Hired for Top Job at North Shore Chamber of Commerce

Karen Andreas has been named president and chief executive officer of the North Shore Chamber of Commerce in Danvers. The chamber’s board of directors voted unanimously last month to hire Andreas, praising her as a proven leader and natural fit for the leadership position.

Andreas unexpectedly departed the North of Boston Media Group in early December, where she had been regional publisher since 2013. She began her media career as a reporter before holding a series of positions including editor, vice president of news, and publisher.

She has been an active board member of the North Shore Chamber of Commerce for many years, recently serving as chair of the board of directors. In 2016, she was inducted into the chamber’s North Shore Academy of Distinguished Leaders.

A graduate of the University of New Hampshire, Andreas is active in the community and serves on numerous boards including The Salem Partnership, Salem State University Board of Overseers, Northern Essex Community College Foundation Board, and Essex National Heritage board of trustees. She is the immediate past president of the Massachusetts Newspaper Publishers Association.

Greater Lowell Community Foundation Awarded $829K for COVID-19 Relief Work

Over the next few months, the Greater Lowell Community Foundation (GLCF) will distribute $829,983 to nonprofit organizations serving Lowell to alleviate hardship due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Specifically, the GLCF aims to address emergency food, housing support, medical interpretation, educational program support and youth program support.

This new round of COVID-19 funding is made possible by the Baker-Polito administration’s $10 million Community Foundations Grant Program for COVID-19 Relief. The program, administered by the Executive Office of Housing and Economic Development and the Department of Housing and Community Development through community foundations across the state, was announced in late November.

Holy Family Hospital Named The Leapfrog Group’s Top Hospital of 2020

The Leapfrog Group has awarded Holy Family Hospital the Top Hospital of 2020 award. This prestigious award was granted based on the hospital’s low infection rates and high quality and patient safety ratings. The Leapfrog Top Hospital award is one of the most competitive honors American hospitals can receive. Holy Family is one of only 35 hospitals nationwide and is the only hospital in the Merrimack Valley and Southern New Hampshire to earn this distinction for performance on national standards of quality and safety.

Alternative Care Site Accepts First Patient, Expects More in Coming Days

The Lowell General Hospital Alternative Care Site (ACS) received its first patient from Lowell General at approximately 1 p.m. on Monday, Jan. 4, and officials expect more admissions in the coming days.

Lowell General officials are reviewing additional patients in their care for possible transfer. They are also in contact with hospitals around the region looking to create more inpatient capacity in anticipation of an expected rise in patients after the holiday season.

The ACS opened its first 14 beds on Monday and has plans to scale up to as many as 28 beds by the end of the week. The beds will be a regional resource for transfer of recovering patients who need some additional medications or therapies before being discharged to home, opening up inpatient capacity for more severely ill patients.

“We are proud to be able to provide this resource for the region and stand ready to accept additional patients,” said Jody White, President and CEO of Lowell General Hospital and Circle Health. “Patients and families should take comfort that this site is staffed by skilled physicians, nurses and support personnel, and will provide the same standard of care as they would expect in the hospital.”

MCC’s Corporate Ed. Partners with Lowell General Hospital to Offer Training to Staff

Middlesex Community College’s (MCC) Corporate Education and Training program has partnered with Lowell General Hospital (LGH) for a number of years to provide leadership training to the hospital’s employees.

The partnership between MCC’s Corporate Ed. and LGH began in 2013 after they were awarded a $50,000 workforce training grant by the Mass. Department of Higher Education. They received a $250,000 Healthcare Transformation Training Fund Grant in 2015 from the Department of Labor to develop leaders.

In their ongoing partnership, MCC offers training in English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL), Certified Healthcare Access Associate (CHAA) exam prep course, and numerous leadership development courses. They also offer an enhanced tuition reimbursement process for employees to pay for trainings.

With MCC’s trainings, LGH hopes to bring out the best in their employees to build a stronger organization overall. It is also important to them to support their staff in their professional development

The New Hampshire Philharmonic Orchestra Harpist Donates Instrument to Manchester Community Music School

Diana Kolben, a Salem, N.H., resident who studied music at Oberlin College and worked as a music educator throughout her life, is parting with her beloved harp after more than 50 years. Since she is no longer able to play, Kolben has decided to donate her instrument the Manchester Community Music School (MCMS).

“We are so happy to continue working with MCMS and its own mission to change lives through the power of learning, sharing and making music,’” says Mark Latham, music director of the NH Philharmonic Orchestra. When asked how music impacts youth, Kolben, a long-time music educator, replied: “It impacts everything! There isn’t a thing that music doesn’t touch.” She hopes that students at MCMS will share her love for the instrument.

LMACS Seeks New Executive Director

Lowell Middlesex Academy Charter School (LMACS) offers an inclusive and supportive environment that holds its students to high standards to ensure that they reach their goals. Margaret McDevitt will be retiring from LMACS this spring after 17 years of service and leadership to the school. James Mabry, president of Middlesex Community College (MCC) and chair of LMACS Board of Trustees, announced on Tuesday that a search committee is looking to hire the next LMACS executive director.

The accredited public charter high school partners with MCC to serve students between the ages of 15 and 21 who have left school or are at risk of dropping out. The program provides academic, social and career skills necessary to succeed post-graduation — emphasizing the importance of college education. The search committee will be looking for a candidate who will contribute leadership, enthusiasm and efforts toward the fulfillment of the school’s mission and the development of an innovative learning community that serves its diverse student body. The executive director is responsible for providing administrative leadership, instructional leadership and student leadership, as well as building community relationships for LMACS.

Click here for details regarding the job posting.

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MOVERS & SHAKERS

Irene Haley Hired as CEO of The Greater Haverhill Chamber Board of Directors
Irene Haley has been hired as The Greater Haverhill Chamber (GHC) next chief executive officer. Haley will assume the role of GHC President and CEO on Jan. 11, 2021. Haley brings over 20 years of experience in corporate management at both Exxon Mobil and Starbucks. She has a Master of Business Administration degree from Boston University and a Bachelor of Arts degree in English Literature from UMass Lowell.

“I am thrilled to be joining this amazing team and vibrant, diverse community. I bring more than 20 years of leadership experience and a passion to serve others to this role and to this critical moment. I look forward to partnering with other local leaders to serve our members and our community,” said Haley.

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Check out the latest episode of The 495 Podcast!

The 495 is back in a BIG way! Host Doug Sparks opens 2021 talking with the crew from Red Antler Apothecary and Hive & Forge. Listen to the podcast here.

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