AROUND THE VALLEY

MRWC Announces Grant to Help Tackle Climate Change

The Merrimack River Watershed Council (MRWC) and the U.S. Forest Service (USFS) will tackle climate change and the resilience of the Merrimack Valley’s drinking water supplies through a $250,297 Landscape-Scale Restoration grant.

The grant, announced this week, commences a three-year partnership between MRWC and the USFS, as well as Massachusetts Department of Conservation & Recreation, New Hampshire Division of Forests and Lands, University of NH Cooperative Extension, and the Nashua River Watershed Association, to implement riverbank resilience projects, fill an education gap in climate-resilient forest practices, and increase connections between private landowners across the two states.

As both forest fragmentation and climate change threaten the ability of riverfront forests to protect ponds, lakes, streams and rivers in the Merrimack River watershed, this project develops and implements a resilient riparian forest management approach. Through precision mapping, on-the-ground riparian restoration, and education of private landowners and foresters, the MRWC will create a cost-effective, replicable model, and the connective tissue between stakeholders, to advance the 2-state twin priorities of forest resilience and source water protection.

In 2010 the USFS identified the Merrimack River watershed as the No. 1 most threatened in the nation due to development of forest land, and No. 4 for associated threats to water quality. As identified in both N.H. and Mass. state forest action plans, the loss of forest lands in the watershed’s rural communities is far outpacing the conservation and restoration of forest lands to protect and filter source water. This is a risk to drinking water supplies, which are vulnerable to increased pollutant pressure, including nutrients, bacteria and emerging contaminants. The Merrimack River provides drinking water to 600,000 Merrimack Valley residents. It is one of the largest surface water drinking water supplies in New England.

The grant is part of the USDA Forest Service Eastern Region’s distribution of over $4.2 million in grants across the Northeast and Midwest to restore the health of rural forest landscapes.

This year, 15 funded projects will collectively:

• Improve forest ecosystem health and benefits for nearly 600,000 acres of forest land through forest management for wildlife, removal of invasive species, treatment for hazardous fuels, prescribed burns and restoration of riparian areas.
• Plant 18,000 trees and shrubs in rural communities.
• Provide technical assistance and training to over 8,400 private forest landowners and practitioners.
• Reach over 280,000 people through outreach and educational programs.
• Develop over 460 plans for improved management of over 28,000 acres.

 

Drive Custom Fit Opens At Tuscan Village

 

Drive Custom Fit debuted their new facility in Tuscan Village on Friday, April 16, before opening to the public on Saturday. The state-of-the-art facility holds 8 new studios, including a heated yoga studio and turf training area, new equipment from Keiser, Assault, Fitbench and more. Their new CafeFit expanded menu features acai bowls, protein and power bowls, shakes and smoothies. The facility opens daily at 4 a.m. and offers over 400 classes a month.

UML Math Professor Awarded NSF Grant for Research

A UMass Lowell (UML) professor recently received a grant from the National Science Foundation (NSF) to explore how change points affect statistics.

Nilabja Guha, assistant professor of mathematic sciences, received a three-year, $140,000 NSF grant for his project, “New Directions in Bayesian Change-Point Analysis,” which aims to fill a gap in the statistical tools used in the analysis of changes in data.

In his research, Guha will use the Bayesian method — a mathematical technique that applies probabilities or distributions to statistical problems and allows people to revise and update their assumptions after obtaining new experimental data – to develop methodologies for analyzing changes in the underlying data-generating process.

According to Guha, almost all dynamic and random processes in nature go through sudden and significant structural changes. Often, the change is expressed in an observable quantity, such as the change in fuel prices, stock indices, crime activities or population density, which responds significantly to a change in an unobservable factor such as an economic downturn, a change in public policy or an outbreak of disease.

Guha noted that while there is substantial literature proposing elaborate methods for detecting change points in different settings, there has been limited consideration of change points in what he considers as “hierarchical models with complex dependence or sparsity structures.”

“My research fills this gap with new statistical tools motivated by specific, real-life applications by developing a theoretical framework while retaining efficiency and usefulness in current applications,” he said. Through the project, Guha hopes to outline a comprehensive framework for estimating the change point in problems that may arise in different applications.

Trahan, Pappas, Kuster, Moulton Applaud New EPA Grant Funding to Prevent CSOs

On Wednesday, U.S. Rep. Lori Trahan, Chris Pappas, Annie Kuster, and Seth Moulton applauded the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) newly announced availability of $67 million in federal grant funding through the Sewer Overflow and Stormwater Reuse Municipal Grant program. The funding will help local communities like those along the Merrimack River address stormwater and wastewater overflows that pollute local waterways.

“Every community along the Merrimack River like Lowell, Dracut, Methuen, Lawrence, and Haverhill knows just how devastating combined sewer overflows can be. For too long, Washington has shifted the financial and environmental burdens of addressing this issue to local governments, who are already being asked to do more with less,” said Trahan.

The Sewer Overflow and Stormwater Reuse Municipal Grant program allocates federal grants for combined sewer and stormwater overflow infrastructure projects in local communities.

Francis Gruber, Trahan’s communications director, noted by email: “This is a new allocation for the EPA’s grant program, so it’ll be up to states like Mass. to apply for the funds which can then be sub-awarded to local communities in need like Lowell, Lawrence, Methuen, Haverhill and others. … [W]e’re not sure how much yet, but this $67 million amount is an increase of allocations from years’ past, which is a good sign.”

Since its reauthorization in 2018, the Sewer Overflow and Stormwater Reuse Municipal Grants program has seen consistently higher annual appropriations, from $28 million in fiscal year 2020 to $40 million in fiscal year 2021.

The lawmakers also successfully included key provisions of their Stop Sewage Overflow Act, which would authorize hundreds of millions of dollars over the next five years for CSO projects through the Sewer Overflow and Stormwater Reuse Municipal Grant program, in the Moving Forward Act, the infrastructure bill passed by the House last year.

Baker-Polito Administration Announces Regional Pilot Project Grant Awards to Support Economic Recovery

On Thursday, the Baker-Polito Administration announced 37 grants totaling $5 million were awarded to cities, towns and nonprofit entities through the Regional Pilot Project Grant Program.

Awards were made according to several factors, including an ability to demonstrate a collaborative approach on strategies to support recovery from the economic impacts of the COVID-19 public health crisis. Additionally, successful applications drew ties to one or more of the four pillars of the administration’s plan to spur economic recovery from the pandemic, Partnerships for Recovery: Get Massachusetts Back to Work, Support Small Businesses, Revitalize Downtowns, and Foster Innovation.

Grant award totals varied based on each applicant’s request, with awards limited to a maximum of $250,000. The Regional Pilot Project Grant Program was funded through the Commonwealth’s fiscal year 2021 operating budget signed by Gov. Baker in December 2020.

Local awardees include the 495/Metro West Corridor Partnership, the Hispanic-American Institute, the Lawrence Partnership, the Middlesex 3 Coalition, the town of Westford for their childhood subsidy assistance program, and the city of Lowell for a marketing campaign.

Haverhill Volunteer Leads New Merrimack Valley Hospice Support Group for LGBTQ+ Community

Following the death of his husband of 20 years at Merrimack Valley Hospice’s High Pointe House in October 2018, David Zoffoli experienced shock, overwhelming grief and numbness. Despite ongoing support from a strong network of family and close friends, Zoffoli said his healing has been slowed by discriminatory behaviors and anti-queer microaggressions which are common to marginalized groups.

Recognizing the vital nature of a sense of community, shared experiences and connection, Zoffoli and Merrimack Valley Hospice Clinical Social Worker Kara Cheek are co-facilitating a new virtual support group for individuals in the LGBTQ+ community who are grieving a death. The group meets every other Tuesday, from 5:30 to 7 p.m., via Zoom in a drop-in format, with no long-term commitment required.

Zoffoli said he was so appreciative of the compassionate care which he received alongside his late husband, Stephen Fales, that he resolved to give back to Merrimack Valley Hospice. In addition to donating an award-winning photograph taken by Fales to a fundraiser benefiting the nonprofit organization, Zoffoli became an active volunteer following the required one-year waiting period following a loss.

In “Volunteering From a Distance, the fifth podcast episode of “Compassionate Journeys: Conversations About Home Care and Hospice,” Zoffoli discusses his roles co-facilitating the support group; sewing memory pillows and teddy bears from clothing of the deceased; and leading the virtual Calm Breathing session each week for staff members and fellow volunteers of Home Health Foundation, which includes providers Merrimack Valley Hospice, Circle Home, Commonwealth Nursing Services, Hallmark Health VNA, Home Health VNA, Home Health VNA of NH and York Hospital Hospice as part of the Wellforce Health System.

New Degree Option Provides New Path for UML Exercise Science Students

A new UMass Lowell (UML) course of study for students interested in pursuing a career in fitness and sports management is already proving to be a popular option.

Students enrolled in UML’s Zuckerberg College of Health Sciences as exercise science majors now have their choice of two academic options to pursue. The first provides the coursework and clinical experience essential to becoming a physical therapist, physician’s assistant or other health-care practitioner. A new option in exercise and fitness management (EFM), combines courses in science with business, public health and psychology to prepare students for careers as athletic trainers, exercise and fitness business managers and more.

Westford resident Michael Hines, who enrolled in the exercise science program before the new option existed, found his way to the EFM option as one if its first students. An accomplished basketball player, he said the new option combines his twin passions: business and sports. As he prepares to graduate in May, he’s not sure if he wants to go on for his doctorate in physical therapy. But he does know that he wants to run his own athletic training or physical therapy business one day.

The academic path for the EFM option was developed by the Zuckerberg College of Health Sciences and UML’s Manning School of Business to provide enough elective courses in business for students to complete a business minor.

EFM is especially exciting for students who want to pursue careers in college or professional athletics, according to Kyle Coffey, assistant teaching professor of physical therapy and kinesiology, who directs the exercise science program.

Coffey is hoping to grow the program with the addition of a for-credit internship, similar to the experience that students in the clinical option must complete.

Hines has already gotten a head start. With help from Coffey, he got an internship at Athletic Evolution in Woburn, which has high-level athletic strength and conditioning, physical therapy and general fitness all under one roof, he said.

Hines is already working with the certified strength and conditioning trainers. He will also get to rotate through the business operations and the physical therapy unit, giving him insight into several aspects of the operation, he said.

Boston Business Journal names Touchstone Closing a 2021 Best Places to Work Company

The Boston Business Journal (BBJ) has named Touchstone Closing, who is locally owned and has offices in Andover and Salem, N.H., to its 2021 Best Places to Work — the BBJ’s exclusive ranking of the Massachusetts companies that have built outstanding work environments for their people.

The 80 companies honored in 2021 range in size and industry, with winners from the technology sector, retail industry, health care space, commercial real estate and more.

The 165 businesses that met criteria for office location and size participated in employee-engagement surveys distributed by Business Journal partner Quantum Workplace. Employees were asked to rate their work environment, work-life balance, job satisfaction, advancement opportunities, management, compensation and benefits.

Based on the results of those surveys, businesses were assigned a score out of 100 percent and ranked by Quantum. The top-rated companies are listed in five size categories — extra small (20 to 49 employees), small (50 to 99 employees), medium (100 to 249 employees), large (250 to 999 employees) and extra-large (1,000 employees and up).

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MOVERS & SHAKERS

Ezequiel Cruz Joins Mortgage Network’s Burlington Branch

Ezequiel Cruz has joined the company’s Burlington, Mass., branch as a loan officer and sales assistant. Cruz will help residents in both Mass. and N.H. with their home financing needs. A longtime Essex County resident, Cruz brings almost a decade of mortgage banking experience to his role. Cruz is involved in the Greater Lawrence Community Action Council and the Kiwanis Club of Methuen. Fluent in Spanish, Cruz is able to assist Hispanic borrowers, who have accounted for more than half of the homeownership growth in the U.S. over the past 10 years.