30th Annual Gloucester Pride Stride

On Sunday I was pleased to support the 30^th annual Gloucester Pride Stride, a community- wide event that facilitates fundraising for a host of participating non-profit organizations that collect pledges for the miles walked by their volunteers on the day of the event.

 

This year’s milestone walk was marked by sunny skies, a robust and enthusiastic crowd, and overwhelming community spirit. I was able to join with Pride Stride Organizers for the count-down that started the event, and to once again host a water stop to keep walkers (and their dogs in some cases) fully hydrated. A special thanks to Mike Dougherty, Joe Tofalo, and Peter Solomon for helping with the water stop, and to Joann Marks for organizing our efforts.

 

Also, a hearty thanks to President Melissa Cox and her entire team for another successful Pride Stride, and keeping the spirit of this great Gloucester tradition alive.

 

Posted here are a few photos from Sunday’s walk.  

North Shore MBTA Meetings May 1 and May 2 Are Postponed

PTC-related public meetings in Newburyport and Beverly will be rescheduled

BOSTON –The MBTA has announced that public meetings scheduled on the North Shore on Monday, May 1, and Tuesday, May 2, in Newburyport and Beverly regarding Positive Train Control (PTC) installation and the Beverly Drawbridge Project are being postponed and will be rescheduled. The postponement will allow the MBTA to further evaluate travel options for its customers who will be impacted with necessary commuter rail service adjustments occurring this summer and ending on September 30. In addition to scheduled PTC-related weekend service shutdowns for the Newburyport and Rockport Commuter Rail Lines, there will be a 28-day shutdown of service to stations north of Beverly Station in order to replace the 130-year-old Beverly Drawbridge, which is used by trains.   

 

The MBTA at this time is working on travel options for its customers and anticipates the presentation of these options at public meetings to be held this spring. Additional information will be provided in the coming weeks on the dates for train service suspensions at various station locations.

 

For more information regarding PTC implementation on the MBTA Commuter Rail system, please visit mbta.com.

*Please note that the public meeting on May 2nd in Beverly will still be held without the MBTA/DOT.  The meeting will be at 6:30 pm in the Beverly City Council Chambers on 191 Cabot Street*

Greek Independence Day

Today we celebrated Greek Independence Day at the State House. The invocation was offered by His Eminence Metropolitan Methodias. We were greeted by special guest Konstontinos Bakagiannis, Governor of Central Greece, and we gave our appreciation to Ifigenia Kanara, Consul General of Greece in Boston - this was her final visit to the House Chamber for this annual event. We thank her for her service.

A presentation of a proclamation from Governor Charlie Baker and Lt. Governor Polito was offered to Milton Athanasopoulos, President of the Federation of Hellenic-American Societies of New England.

Essays from Nikolaos Valayannopoulos and Eleni Georgoutzos of the Greek Orthodox Annunciation Cathedral of Boston School were recited. Ellie Pantekidis from St. Nicholas of Lexington.

Concerns Raised – Taking Action on Commuter Rail

The MBTA recently announced its intention to shut down commuter rail service during summer weekends in order to complete federally mandated safety projects and bridge repairs. I have met several times with Department of Transportation officials to share the many concerns that all of us have about the rail service and the impact that a shutdown would have. At this time, the T has not offered to provide alternative service through buses or other means.

Earlier this month I announced a public meeting in Gloucester to hear from those impacted by these plans. Although MBTA officials postponed their attendance at this meeting, it took place last night at Gloucester City Hall. A large number of people attended and shared their concerns about the impacts of losing train service without alternatives.

I am thankful to the many who attended last night and to those who have contacted me in other ways.

I invite you to consider this online petition which we will share with the T officials: PETITION IS AS FOLLOWS: The undersigned oppose closure of all public transit for the commuter rail north of the Salem Commuter Rail Station, as has been proposed for a minimum of 28 days from July 17 through August 13, and of the entire North Station to Rockport line for a series of weekends in the summer of 2017, without suitable mitigation. We and others rely on the commuter service to get to work, school, food shop, visit family and friends and also to reach recreation and entertainment and shopping destinations on Cape Ann. Many people, especially lower paid workers, will lose their jobs if they have no public transit, as they have no private car to use instead or cannot afford the parking costs. Cape Ann businesses often rely on summer income to hit sustainable revenue needs for the entire year and some will fail due to absence of public transit. The valuation of all Cape Ann real estate will be diminished by the enduring poor reputation as having unreliable essential public transit. Alternative public transit must be made available to serve residents and visitors, at times and prices sufficiently affordable to accommodate all public needs. You may participate in this petition by clicking this link - https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSd3X6rDBw6B7xEfgXGm9FKBFswVumBOUYEFRCj4036HQr9PKA/viewform

Senator Tarr’s Statement on a Recent News Article

Boston- Senate Minority Leader Bruce Tarr (R-Gloucester) released the following statement today on a recently published newspaper article entitled: “Plan to Seize Guns Hits Opposition”:

A recent newspaper article entitled “Plan to Seize Guns Hits Opposition” correctly indicated that I had some questions about a particular piece of pending legislation. Unfortunately and disturbingly, it also created an impression that I am opposed to the concept of preventing those who present an “extreme risk” from having access to firearms.  That is not accurate.  While I have raised such questions about this bill, I do not disagree with its goal.

Massachusetts currently has some of the strongest laws in our nation to prevent this from happening, and I have worked diligently to strengthen them.  Should there be a gap in this area that needs to be filled to protect public safety, we should consider and act on the best means to fill it, and do so in a sustainable and constitutional way.

Those who pose a risk of harm to themselves or others should not only be prevented from having access to firearms, they should receive effective treatment, to prevent them from harming others with anything, including a truck or a bomb improvised from a pressure cooker.

That is a priority we should all share, and I hope we can work together to address it.

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Spofford Pond Elementary Concert and Jazz Band

I was delighted to welcome the 6th grade Concert and Jazz Band from Spofford Pond Elementary School in Boxford to the State House today.

Representative Lenny Mirra and I had the opportunity to listen to show the students around the Senate and House chambers. We also were able to stick around with the students’ friends, family, and other State House employees to hear them put on a fantastic show led by Mrs. Andrea Monty.