Remember to Register to Vote!

Today marks the last day anyone can register to vote in this year’s upcoming elections. You can register to vote by visiting your local town clerk’s office or at any Registry of Motor Vehicles office. The act of voting is a tremendous responsibility entrusted in every individual who is at least 18 years of age.

After the American Revolution in 1783, our forefathers recognized the importance of a society able to elect its own representation of leaders, and now, nearly 230 years later, the United States stands as a true beacon of democracy. The American voting process serves as a model for both fledgling countries, and nations of great history. Voting is a tradition and honor that makes our country so great. Essentially, voting equates to freedom, and freedom is the very fiber with which this country is sewn together.

I hope you will join with me in being an active and engaged voter and make our democratic process strong. If you haven’t yet registered to vote, please make some time available today to do so. Please click here to read more information about registering to vote at the Secretary of State’s website.

Restoring Burnham's Field

This past Saturday I joined with Representative Ann-Margaret Ferrante and Mayor Carolyn Kirk to announce the funding of over $345,000 dedicated funds to restore Burnham's Field in Gloucester. The restoration project was awarded $195,109 by the Natural Resource Damages Assessment and Restoration Program provided by the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection, and the city will fulfill its commitment to provide a match of $150,000 from Federal Community Development Block Grant funds to design and construct the renovations.

Key components of the Burnham's Field Restoration Project include:

• Improved lighting to increase accessibility and to better monitor the park;
• A water playground to be utilized during the summer months;
• Freshly planted trees to provide shade for spectators; and
• Neighborhood gardens to be used for the planting of flowers, fruits, vegetables and other plants.

The funding that is offered through the Natural Resource Damages Assessment and Restoration Program is a result of an order by the Suffolk Superior Court on March 10, 2010 requiring the distribution of approximately $747,000 in surplus funds from the closure of the Rubinchuk landfill in Middleton. The program offers a competitive process for Essex County communities for the construction of community gardens and neighborhood parks that have suffered disproportionate environmental degradation.

Posted below are some photos taken of Saturday’s announcement.

A Special Guest at the State House

On Tuesday, October 9th, Selectman Mary Anne Nay of Boxford stopped by my State House office. Her visit provided us with the opportunity to discuss a number of issues relating to Boxford, and the condition of our state budget, I was able to bring her into the Senate Chamber for a photo.

I welcome all of my constituents to come to the State House for a visit. The State House offers free tours year round from 10:00 am to 4:00 pm, and last approximately 40 minutes. To reserve a tour please call the tour desk at (617) 727-3676. The State House is rich with portraits and historical artifacts of Massachusetts' long and storied history.

Enjoying the Willowdale Estate

Years ago if you had visited the Willowdale Estate, you would have found a building that had fallen in disrepair due to years of neglect and harsh weather. However, due to a state program called the Historic Curatorship Program that creates a unique public-private partnership, the estate has been returned to its former grandeur through the dedicated work of Gerald Fandetti, Charlotte Fandetti, and Briar Fandetti-Forsythe.

Not wanting to see the mansion fall into further disrepair, the Fandetti’s answered the call by not only repairing the mansion and the Coach House but also manage and maintain the estate, and on Tuesday night it was on full display. I was honored to attend the Willowdale Estate Coach House ribbon cutting and the 5th anniversary party of its grand reopening. Attendees of the party listened to a swing band while dressed in traditional 1920 attire, creating a fun and energetic evening.

To learn more about the Willowdale Estate please click here. Posted below are several photos of Tuesday’s event.

Celebrating Ocean Culture in New Bedford

For the 9th year in a row the Working Waterfront Festival in New Bedford was a huge success. This past weekend’s festival brought droves of fishermen and their families, seaside businesses, school children, ocean enthusiasts and seafood lovers across New England together to enjoy a closer look at the “life on the water” culture. Musical acts, poets, and entertainers from near and far joined with local fishermen and organizations to showcase this year’s theme “Fishtales: Fact, Fiction and Narrative Tradition.”

The free and open to the public festival, located at the State Fish Pier, the Steamship Pier and Fishermen’s Wharf off of MacArthur Drive, offered event goers the opportunity to witness whale boat racing, cooking demonstrations, and even a touch tank provided by Ellen Goethal of Explore the Ocean World. At approximately 1:00pm on Sunday the Very Rev. Constantine S. Bebis of St. George Greek Orthodox Church in Dartmouth provided the 43rd blessing of the fleet ceremony.

I was happy to not only show my support for the fishing industry but to also participate as a member of the Northeast Seafood Coalition. It was a pleasure to be there, and I look forward to next year’s event. Please click here to learn more about the Working Waterfront Festival in New Bedford. Posted below are a few photos that I took on Sunday.

Celebrating Agriculture at the Topsfield Parade

This past Saturday hundreds of people braved the cool autumn weather to watch the annual Topsfield Parade, which is one of the many festivities associated with the Topsfield Fair. The parade featured wonderful floats; marching bands from Masconomet Regional High School and Danvers High School; federal, state and local officials; veterans groups; the Massachusetts State Police Mounted Unit; the Royal Canadian Mounted Police; and much, much more. The fall of some early light rain didn’t dampen the spirits of the participants or the attendees. The parade provided some excellent entertainment and showcased the importance of agriculture.

If you were unable to attend this year’s parade, you can still join in on much of the festivities of the Topsfield Fair, which is the oldest country fair in the country. The fair continues through this week and will conclude on Monday, October 8th. The fair features extraordinary exhibits, fun rides, incredible shows and extremely talented musical acts. This year Frankie Avalon, Austin Mahone, John Michael Montgomery and The Flying Wallendas are all performing at different occasions throughout the week.

To see the Topsfield Fair’s complete schedule of events please click here. Posted below are several photos I was able to capture during Saturday’s parade.

On the Air with Fox 25

This morning I had the opportunity to be a guest political analyst on Fox 25’s “Monday Morning Quarterbacks” segment with former Attorney General Scott Harshbarger. Scott and I discussed with News Anchor Shannon Mulaire tonight’s second debate for the U.S. Senate race here in Massachusetts and Wednesday’s Presidential debate. To watch today’s segment please play the posted video below. Boston News, Weather, Sports | FOX 25 | MyFoxBoston