Cape Ann Chamber of Commerce Celebrates Small Business Week - Honors Four Leaders

Great celebration with the Cape Ann Chamber of Commerce today at Castle Manor Inn in Gloucester. As part of Small Business Week the Chamber selected four people working in business in Essex, Gloucester, Manchester-by-the-Sea and Rockport to honor.

They are:
2019 Manchester-by-the-Sea Small Business Person of the Year - Dave Hersey from Standley's Garage.

2019 Rockport Small Business Person of the Year - D.J. Tardif, Jr. from Bearskin Neck Leathers.

2019 Essex Small Business Person of the Year - Michele French, Branch Manager at BankGloucester's Essex Branch.

2019 Gloucester Small Business Person of the Year - Rosaria Giambanco-Floyd from Soft Touch Hair Salon.

Manchester-Essex Regional Middle School Letters About Literature

Students welcomed me to come to the Manchester-Essex Regional Middle School to hear about their involvement in a national program sponsored by the Library of Congress called Letters About Literature.  The enthusiasm for learning and reading was apparent and I thoroughly enjoyed my visit with the students and their teachers.

Letters About Literature asks 4th - to 12th graders to write letters to authors about books, poems or speeches which had a profound effect on them.  6th grader Joshua Cohen, earned honors the national writing contest receiving Honors in Level 1 for his letter to Australian writer John Flanagan about the "Ranger’s Apprentice" book series about Will, an orphan, who is chosen as an apprentice ranger.

John Dold Boxford DPW Superintendent Retirement Party

A fond farewell to Superintendent and Town Engineer John Dold. I was glad to be able to thank him personally for his years of service at his retirement party at Lincoln Hall.

The Public Works maintains and protects the the town's infrastructure. They also construct and pave the roads and with a 100 road miles to look after - including clearing snow and ice - the job is tireless. John and his department's work in Boxford has been admirable.
 

 

Senate Supports Funding For District Roads and Bridges

The Senate has just finished a vote which will result in our Senate district receiving important dollars to make improvements for roads and bridges. We use a formula defined in Chapter 90 of the General Laws so we often refer to this as the Chapter 90 program. The formula takes into account factors such as population, employment levels and the total number of miles of local roadways in the community. Although communities have already received notification of the funding amounts they can expect to receive, municipalities cannot sign project contracts until the Legislature delivers a bill authorizing the release of the funds to Governor Baker for his signature.

A Prized Trophy Under the Golden Dome

As New Englanders, we enjoy our sports teams in good times and in bad; sometimes a season ends with the ultimate prize. Today, I had the pleasure of seeing the result of the Boston Red Sox' hard work - the Commissioner's Trophy. My friend and former Senate colleague Bob Travaglini, he served the Senate as President from 2003 through 2007, facilitated the visit of the trophy to the Senate Reading Room.

Balfour Jewelers of Attleboro was commissioned to design the first Commissioners Trophy in 1967. There are 30 golden flags above a silver baseball and a new one is made and presented each season. Looking forward to more well-earned victories.

D- Day Commemoration at the Patton Homestead

This week marks the 75 anniversary of D-Day - the day the Allied Forces invaded Normandy during World War II in order to end Nazi control of Europe.

General George S. Patton Jr., who served in World War I and World War II, and his son, Major General George S. Patton, who commanded in the Korean and Vietnam Wars.lived in this home which was built in 1786. Joanne Holbrook Patton, the wife of the Major General, pictured with Representative Brad Hill and I, gifted the property to the town of Hamilton in 2012.

Massachusetts Cultural Facilities Fund Grant Award Event

Today at the the Cape Ann Museum in downtown Gloucester we had a reception and round-table to celebrate $1 million in new capital funding for the North Shore’s creative economy.

With Cultural Council Executive Director Anita Walker, Oliver Barker, Director, Cape Ann Museum, Mayor Sefatia Romeo Theken, Representative Ann Margaret Ferrante and North Shore arts & cultural leaders.