Then Type "Wakefield Ma" Where it Reads "Enter an Address"
Poll Results: Maria Curtatone is Still The Voter's Favorite Top Choice Pick! Candidate Curtatone is predicted to win the Democratic election for Middlesex South Register Of Deeds
Favorite Top Choice Pick Candidate Maria Curtatone for Middlesex South Register Of Deeds
Vote for Maria Curtatone On September 6, 2012
My name is Maria Curtatone and I am running for Middlesex South Register of Deeds. I am a practicing attorney and small business owner with my own firm. I have worked in Middlesex County and the surrounding area for the last 25 years. I bring to this job strong administrative skills, leadership and a commitment to public service.
As a business owner and working professional with two children I bring a unique perspective to this office. I am not a politician. I am a working professional who understands the needs of other working professionals. As a business owner, I know what it takes to run a business. I will bring to the office effective management, strong leadership and administrative skills. I am and have been an active member of my community for the last 25 years and I look forward to giving back further and applying my skills to the office of Middlesex County Register of Deeds.
As the Register of Deeds, I will continue to expand and build upon the work the office already does in order to efficiently maintain property records while further implementing the utilization of state-of-the-art technology, electronic recording and accessibility online while simplifying the process and making certain that it is a customer service driven office. It is imperative to me that the office of Middlesex South Register of Deeds maintain ultimate transparency at all times.
I am a highly qualified candidate and the right person for the job of the Middlesex South Register of Deeds. I am committed to effectively serving the public and serving you as your Register of
Deeds. I am seeking your endorsement and humbly ask for your vote
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=endscreen&v=x5tIv228NBM&NR=1
ACTON, ARLINGTON, ASHBY, ASHLAND, AYER, BEDFORD, BELMONT, BOXBOROUGH, BURLINGTON, CAMBRIDGE, CONCORD, EVERETT, FRAMINGHAM, GROTON, HOLLISTON, HOPKINTON, HUDSON, LEXINGTON, LINCOLN, LITTLETON, MALDEN, MARLBOROUGH, MAYNARD, MEDFORD, MELROSE, NATICK, NEWTON, NORTH READING, PEPPERELL, READING, SHERBORN, SHIRLEY, SOMERVILLE, STONEHAM, STOW, SUDBURY, TOWNSEND, WAKEFIELD, WALTHAM, WATERTOWN, WAYLAND, WESTON, WINCHESTER, WOBURN
Posted at 09:28 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)
Governor Patrick is joined by legislators and family members while signing S.2132 “An Act Relative to Medical Emergency Response Plans for Schools.” (Photo credit: Eric Haynes / Governor’s Office). View full size photo.
BOSTON – Thursday, May 17, 2012 – Governor Deval Patrick today joined legislators and family members to sign Senate Bill 2132, “An Act Relative to Medical Emergency Response Plans for Schools.” Local school districts will now be required to develop efficient written medical response plans to be better prepared to respond to life-threatening emergencies.
The legislation, also known as “Michael’s Law” was filed in response to a tragic incident involving Sutton High School sophomore Michael Ellsessar, who died after suffering cardiac arrest while playing high school football in 2010. Michael was 16.
“I am proud that we are honoring Michael Ellsessar’s legacy and implementing important steps to stop tragedies like this from happening again,” said Governor Patrick.
“This new law will provide local school districts with the tools and resources to respond effectively and efficiently in the event of medical emergencies which will help prevent future tragedies like the loss of Michael Ellsessar,” said Lieutenant Governor Timothy Murray.
Schools will now be required to implement the following steps in addition to the required multihazard evacuation plan: (1) a method for establishing a rapid communication system and protocols, (2) a list of relevant contacts, (3) a method to efficiently direct emergency medical services, (4) safety precautions for injury prevention, (5) a method of providing access to CPR and first aid training, and (6) the location of defibrillators and personnel who are trained in their use.
“Life-threatening emergencies can happen in any school at any time," said Senator Mark Montigny. “A medical crisis can strike students, staff or visitors and occur during class, after school or at athletic events. This bill encourages every school to develop a program which provides the tools to react to any acute medical incident. Such a program will have the potential to save the greatest number of lives. We must ensure the safety of all the members of the public, young and old alike that utilize our public schools and this legislation will accomplish that goal.”
Local districts will be required to submit their plans to the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) every three years and DESE will be required to develop and biennially update a model medical emergency response plan to assist school districts in the formulation of their plans. Schools are required to conduct plan simulations at least annually and to evaluate and modify their plans as necessary. DESE will be required to submit a report to the legislature on the implementation of this initiative by July 1, 2013.
“This bill will save young lives in the future, and it's a fitting memorial tribute to a great young man, Mike Ellsessar of Sutton” said Senator Richard Moore.
Posted at 09:21 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)
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MMA Alert - Right to Repair passes MA Senate, but BAD for Motorcyclists!
Late Thursday evening, the Massachusetts State Senate passed SB2204, also known as "Right to Repair" in a mixed vote, but the Massachusetts Motorcycle Association (MMA), upon receiving and reviewing a copy of the passed bill cautions that this bill clearly excludes motorcycles meaning that motorcyclists are not protected under the new legislation. The MMA requests all riders to contact their State Senators to express their displeasure and contact your State Representative to request that they amend this bill to add Motorcycles back to the legislation!
Originally scheduled to be heard on April 26th, Senate Bill 2204 was being amended and was deferred several times until May 17th. The MMA previously reported that it could contain specific and potentially significant language that affects motorcycles adversely. Indeed, State Senator Thomas P Kennedy (D) Brockton filed an amendment to exempt motorcycles completely from this bill and the revised bill passed by the State Senate contains that very language which is based on heavy lobbying from the Motorcycle Industry Council representing the Motorcycle Manufacturers.
In essence, the Bill specifically removes Motorcycles from a list of defined “Motor Vehicles” despite their presence in the Massachusetts General Law, Chapter 90, Section 1. The specific listing of a Motorcycle as excluded from the definition of a Motor Vehicle means that motorcyclists who have bikes with computer controls could lose their right to repair our own motorcycles or to choose our favorite independent motorcycle service shop.
On May 17th, during the MMA’s Storm the State House, numerous MMA Board Members and riders visited Senator Kennedy’s office to ask for clarification of his position. The Senator seemed reluctant to speak with us asking if we were paid lobbyists (which we are not), but did hear our position, insisting that the bill was only still being written. Despite this, the re-drafted bill was presented to the Senate floor late in the evening with little time for anyone to review before it was passed by a mixed vote, even after some additional concern was raised by Senator Bob Hedlund on the floor.
Many modern motorcycles (those manufactured in the past few years and beyond) are now heavily computerized and many riders are already reporting that their independent service providers do not have the required access to manufacturer's authorized dealers in order to diagnose and reset computer codes.
The Right to Repair Coalition had been lobbying for this legislation to include Motorcycles, however their recent communication asks to support of the House passing the legislation as approved by the Senate. The MMA is actively in discussion with the Right to Repair Coalition to actively support amending the bill to include Motorcycles.
The MMA requests that you contact the Right to Repair Coalition, your favorite independent Motorcycle parts and repair providers, your State Senator, and your Representative via a phone call, letter, or a fax as soon as possible; let them know you do not want to be exempt from this law!! Tell them a Motorcycle is a Motor Vehicle – one requiring a special license, one requiring registration and inspection, and one you pay taxes on. Insist that the House amended Senate Bill 2204 to NOT have motorcycles exempted to the entire bill, rather only the specific section dealing with emissions testing during motor vehicle inspections which does not currently apply to motorcycles anyway.
To contact the Right to Repair Coalition, go to: http://massrighttorepair.com/
To find your State Senator please go to this link: http://www.malegislature.gov/People/Search and type in your address.
For more information see http://www.massmotorcycle.org/, contact chairman@massmotorcycle.org, or call 1-800-432-1MMA
©2012 Massachusetts Motorcycle Association
MMA 2012 Harley-Davidson Bike Raffle Tickets are ALMOST GONE! Visit http://www.massmotorcycle.org to get yours today!
MMA Announces Member Legal Services Program with Haymond Law Firm
The Massachusetts Motorcycle Association (MMA) and the Haymond Law Firm are proud to announce a partnership between the motorcycle rights association in Massachusetts and New England's premier motorcycle attorneys. On behalf of the Haymond Law Firm, John Haymond, a Gold Card member of the MMA has agreed to significantly lower his fees to 25% and simplify his fee structure for all active MMA members and their immediate families.
Left to Right: Legislative Director Rick Gleason, John Haymond, Chairman Dave Condon
Vice Chairman Doc D'Errico, Member Services Director Kevin Raiche
Law Firm President John Haymond proudly stated that "In my view It's only natural that our firm and the MMA would form such a partnership. After all, we both work on behalf and for the benefit of the motorcycle community. I'm very happy to be able to help the hard working members of this motorcycle rights organization and their families!"
MMA Chairman Dave Condon stated "The MMA is very pleased to establish this new relationship with John Haymond and his Law Firm. They have a proven track record of helping riders out in their worst time of need. We thank John and his firm for this generous offer to our membership and we look forward to working with them."
MMA Vice Chairman and Safety & Education director Doc D’Errico commented, "I know the MMA works diligently to assure that our riders are afforded educational opportunities, and our awareness programs are attempting to make the byways safer, but when an accident does occur, our members should also benefit from strong representation at an affordable cost to assure their efforts are aimed towards getting back on 2 wheels.”
Any questions about these exclusive MMA membership benefits can be answered by John Haymond directly at 1-800- HAYMOND or go to haymondlaw.com.
For further information about this and other benefits available to MMA members please contact the MMA's Member Services Director Kevin Raiche at MemberServicesDirector@MassMotorcycle.org or by visiting www.MassMotorcycle.org
©2012 Massachusetts Motorcycle Association
MMA 2012 Harley-Davidson Bike Raffle Tickets are ALMOST GONE! Visit http://www.massmotorcycle.org/ to get yours today!
-30-
Over a hundred motorcycles from all over the state assembled on New Washington Street in Somerville on Thursday morning to ride into Boston to the steps of the state house for the annually "Storm the State House Rally".
The bikes enjoyed a breakfast provided to them by the Somerville Lions Club as well a from Cindy Hicky one of the major organizers of "Toys For Local Children before their run into Boston.
The Massachusetts Motorcycle Association (MMA) have played a key role in the success of the "Toys For Local Children Charity" since its formation in Somerville a few years ago.
MMA Supports Motorcycle Safety Programs and reminds riders that inspections are due!
May is national Motorcycle Safety Awareness Month which is a perfect extension to the Massachusetts Motorcycle Safety Awareness Period which runs through the Month of April. This period also concludes with all Annual Motorcycle Safety Inspections due on the last day of May. The Massachusetts Motorcycle Association (MMA), has been heavily active in promoting Motorcycle Safety and would like to remind Motorcyclists to renew their Motorcycle Inspections as well as joining all motorists to “Check Twice” because the life they save may be their own.
Motorcycle Safety is something that affects all of us, regardless of whether we’re in the saddle, or on 4 or more wheels. It’s hard to come across someone who hasn’t been impacted by someone they know who’s been in a Motorcycle Accident. Yet as much as we’re aware of these concerns, aggressive driving seems to be at an all-time high. Accidents involving Motorcycles are increasing, in part due to inattention and in part due to aggressive driving behaviors – not always on the part of the “other” driver…
Safety in traffic is a responsibility shared by everyone. According to the Massachusetts Rider Education Program (MREP), 65% of the time, when a Motorcycle is involved in a collision with another vehicle, it’s because the other vehicle turned left in front of the Motorcycle. Most experts would agree, however, that most crashes can be avoided with proper mental and physical preparedness. Such techniques are taught by the MREP schools and yet in approximately 80% of the fatalities involving motorcycles, the Motorcyclist had no rider education at all!
Because of statistics like these, coupled with an unusually high early-season accident rate in the Western part of Massachusetts, the North Adams Police Department began a campaign to promote Motorcycle Safety. Pictured here, the North Adams Police Department has posted signs asking all motorists to “Check Twice, Save a Life”.
Members of the North Adams Police Department proudly displaying their new banner!
The NAPD campaign, sponsored by the North Adams PD with support from the MMA, is aimed at creating greater awareness and respect between Motorists and also asks Motorcyclists to ride with respect in the local community referencing the MMA’s “When in Town, Throttle Down ©” campaign.
Other signage around the state has been visible on the highways, for example, these signs captured in early May on I-495, asking motorists to “Share the Road” and “Look Twice for Motorcycles”.
Road Signs on I-495 and other MA Highways this month ask ALL motorists to
"Share the Road" and to "Look Twice for Motorcycles"
The program, supported by MREP and MassDOT, is initiated every year in support of the MMA’s Motorcycle Safety Awareness Period, and will continue to run sporadically through the major North East Motorcycle Bike Weeks at Laconia and Americade in June.
The National Motorcycle Awareness Period, which ends May 31st, is also the end of the annual Motorcycle Safety Inspection period. The MMA reminds all riders to renew their Motorcycle Inspections annually, but visiting a local Motorcycle Inspection station. Authorized Motorcycle Inspection Stations for Massachusetts can be found here:
http://www.vehicletest.state.ma.us/find_inspection_station.php
For more information, please see www.MassMotorcycle.org or contact SafetyDirector@MassMotorcycle.org
©2012 Massachusetts Motorcycle Association
MMA 2012 Harley-Davidson Bike Raffle Tickets are ALMOST GONE! Visit http://www.massmotorcycle.org/ to get yours today!
Attorney Maria C. Curtatone, Democratic candidate for Middlesex (South) Register of Deeds issued the following message in observance of Memorial Day:
"On Memorial Day we fondly remember those we loved and lost. We honor the men and women who serve and have served for our nation.
We also recognize and appreciate the sacrifices of the families of those who have served and continue to do so.
Our hearts go out to the families who have paid the ultimate price, whose loved ones have died or were taken captive and never returned.
For anyone who may still be in captivity, we offer prayers for their safe return. We have not forgotten them. And we never will."
--
Attorney Maria C. Curtatone, Democratic candidate for Middlesex (South) Register of Deeds issued the following message in observance of Memorial Day:
"On Memorial Day we fondly remember those we loved and lost. We honor the men and women who serve and have served for our nation.
We also recognize and appreciate the sacrifices of the families of those who have served and continue to do so.
Our hearts go out to the families who have paid the ultimate price, whose loved ones have died or were taken captive and never returned.
For anyone who may still be in captivity, we offer prayers for their safe return. We have not forgotten them. And we never will."
Photo left to right: Sons Ed Tauro, Bill Tauro, Walter Tauro, Uncle Benny
Tauro, sons David Tauro and Ronald Tauro
~Photos by Bobbie Toner and William Tauro
On Saturday, May 5, the City of Somerville dedicated a square at the
intersection on McGrath Highway and Linwood Street to Sgt Pasquale “Patrick”
Tauro, 67th Anti-Aircraft Artillery Battalion of the United States Army.
Over a hundred friends, relatives, political figures attended to glorious
tribute to an American serviceman that served his country well during WWII.
Patrick Tauro was born in Mirabella, Italy in 1921. He enjoyed his childhood
in sunny Italy but always wanted a better life in the promised land. At age 15
he made his way, alone, to the USA and was processed at Ellis Island. He then
went to find his father, who was already established in Boston as an ironworks
laborer. He immediately took on any and all available jobs to pay the bills and
move him ahead. During this time he also found time to attend assimilation
classes which eventually lead to citizenship.
Since his desire to “fit in” was so strong, he eventually changed his birth
name at city hall from “Pasquale” to “Patrick”. A few years later he met his
wife to be, Emily, who had also arrived in Boston at an early age with her
family to follow that same dream. They hit it off immediately and got married
while they were both in their early twenties.
Shortly after the birth of their first child, WWII began. Patrick felt that
it was his duty to protect the new world he had so struggled to become a part
of, and so, voluntarily, joined the United States Army. He was assigned to the
infantry as a tank driver and proudly fought in Normandy, Germany, Northeast
France, Rhineland, Ardennes, Central Europe and other European war zones
including his birth country, Italy. Patrick was also the recipient of the Good
Conduct Medal and the European African Middle Eastern Campaign Ribbon Victory
Medal.
When the war ended Patrick returned to the Boston area and took advantage of
GI Trade Schooling. He chose auto body since he enjoyed working on vehicles. It
wasn’t long before he had jobs working in Somerville and Cambridge as an expert
auto body repairman and painter. But his desire to do it alone was so strong
that he broke away soon as it was possible to establish his own repair shop.
That shop was located on McGrath Highway in Cambridge. Later he made his way to
a more central location on McGrath Highway in the City of Somerville. He
believed that the most important aspect in repairs was customer satisfaction. He
eventually expanded his business to cover three locations in Somerville.
Patrick was a family orientated person who believed in the traditional Sunday
family get-together. During these times he always cooked and experimented with
various food dishes at which he excelled. Throughout his life he treasured his
family, his livelihood, his new friendships and his new country and he excelled
in all these areas.
He died in 1994 at the age of 73, leaving behind his wonderful wife, Emily
and five sons and their families, including thirteen grand children.
He truly made his mark and we will forever miss him.
We Salute you, Sgt Patrick Tauro.
Special thanks to Somerville Mayor Joseph Curtatone, Alderman Maryann
Heuston, former Veterans Services Director Frank Senesi as well as the Service’s
Kathy Carey for their continuous support in making this event possible.
~ The Tauro Family
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Well Nicholas Burtt provides us with a touching poem. By touching
earth—he touches us.
Touching Earth
Waves crash the seashore
The sandy beach in my sight
Sunbeams touching earth
Many colors here
Green and blue swirling around
Cover this planet
Remember the grass
The fields of insects and birds
A vital system
A grid of kingdoms
All of us free, together
Drawn to harmony
Watching a campfire
Reminding me my power
To kindle the flame
I sit, contemplate
Wondering awesome ideas
Holding always faith
This is me at peace
No violence to threaten
My heavenly space
Gather in the air
Thirsty lungs take into them
A meditation
Clouds drifting above
Dew collecting on flowers
I am still breathing
Gathering wisdom
The sandy beach in my sight
Waves crash the seashore.
–Nicholas Burtt
To have your work considered for the LYRICAL send
it to:
Doug Holder 25 School St.Somerville,Mass. 02143
dougholder@post.harvard.edu
Posted at 04:44 AM
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Well-there is a fairly new bookshop in town “THE BOOKSHOP” in Ball Square.
The owner is Gil Barbosa, and he is a brave man. I say this because it is damn
hard to keep an indie bookshop thriving in these days of Amazon.com, e books,
nooks, etc… Anyway Somerville resident, poet and painter, and longtime arts
editor at the Ibbetson Street Press, Richard Wilhelm, has organized a reading in
celebration of the store. Gloria Mindock and Lucy Holstedt, both Somerville
poets will be reading, as well as a number of talented local folks. Hope you can
come-and even read your own work in an open mic after the featured readers.
HOSTED BY: Gil Barbosa, proprietor
Richard Wilhelm, poet
WHERE: The
Book Shop at Ball Square
694 Broadway
Somerville, MA 02144
WHEN: 6
p.m.
Wednesday, May 23, 2012
FEATURED READERS:
DOUG HOLDER is
the founder of the Ibbetson Street Press. He teaches writing at Endicott College
in Beverly, MA and Bunker Hill Community College in Boston. His own poetry and
prose have been in such journals as Rattle, Main Street Review, Houston Literary
Review, Poesy, The Boston Globe, and many others. Holder is the Arts Editor of
The Somerville News, and curator of the Newton Free Library Poetry Series. He
holds an MA in Literature from Harvard University. One of his latest collections
of poetry is “The Man in the Booth in the Midtown Tunnel” (Cervena Barva
Press.)
JAMES DECRESCENTIS has had poems published in New
Letters, The Cafe Review, Ibbetson Street and other literary magazines. He
currently teaches at Bunker Hill Community College and runs the Gallery at the
Piano Factory in Boston.
GLORIA MINDOCK is editor of Cervena
Barva Press and The Istanbul Literary Review. Her poetry has been translated
into Romanian, Serbian, Spanish, and French. Widely published, her poetry
recently has appeared in Levure Litteraire (France) and in Vatra Veche
Romania).
LUCY HOLSTEDT teaches at Berklee College of Music.
She is a composer, songwriter, choral arranger, playwright , actor, piano
player, and vocalist. Her poetry has appeared in Ibbetson Street, The Wilderness
House Literary Review, and the Lyrical Somerville column of The Somerville
News.
DOUG WORTH is a Cambridge poet, a retired teacher, and
author of “Catch the Light: Selected Poems, 1963–2003″, a book that won praise
from such luminaries as Howard Zinn and Lawrence Ferlinghetti.
An Open Mike will follow the featured readers
How long will your retirement
last?
A 30-year retirement is a real possibility!
By Andrew Reitano
You have worked hard to get where you are, and your retirement should be
everything you have imagined. For you, this could mean anything from traveling,
pursuing hobbies to simply spending time with the people you love. Whatever your
plans, you will need income to support the retirement lifestyle you have always
dreamed of for yourself.
As you embark on your retirement, keep in mind you may face unforeseen risks
including: market volatility, longevity, and healthcare expenses. To help manage
some of the financial risks you may face, you should look for guaranteed sources
of income. In the past, people have traditionally depended on company-based
pensions and traditional Social Security benefits to solidify their financial
needs in retirement. As the retirement landscape changes, fewer of us are
covered by traditional pensions than a generation ago and Social Security is
covering a smaller percentage of our retirement income than in the past.
A lifetime income annuity (LIA) may address many of your retirement risks and
like a pension plan or Social Security, it provides features like: security,
protection, simplicity, and longevity. Contributing to the evolving face of
retirement is the fact that we are living longer lives. Thanks to medical
advances and healthier lifestyles, life expectancy in the United States has
risen over the last century – and continues to rise!1 A LIA is a just
one of the ways to leverage your money in retirement.
A LIA provides retirement income that is guaranteed to last as long as you
live, no matter how long that is and no matter how the financial markets
perform.2 A LIA is a single premium immediate fixed annuity that you
purchase using a single lump sum of money. Most LIAs let you customize the
income you will receive to include another person, legacy options, cash refund
and inflation protection.
Some of the factors that may determine the amount of payments you will
receive include: the amount of your premium, the number of people covered, your
age, and other custom features you may have chosen for your particular lifetime
income annuity.
One of the benefits of a LIA is that you can set it up to automatically
satisfy your Required Minimum Distributions (RMDs) for qualified money. The IRS
requires that people begin withdrawing money each year from their tax-qualified
accounts at age 70 ½. By rolling over qualified money from a 401(k), IRA, or
other retirement plan into a LIA, you may help to avoid penalties and free you
of the burden of having to figure out and withdraw the correct distribution
amount on your own each year. Payments from a LIA funded from a Roth IRA are tax
free.
Nonqualified money (“after tax dollars”) can also be used to purchase a LIA.
Each annuity income payment consists of a taxable income portion and a return of
premium portion, which is not taxable. The division between the taxable and
tax-free portions of your payments is determined by IRS rules based on several
factors. Once the tax-free payments you receive equal your policy’s cost basis,
all future payments you receive are 100 percent taxable as ordinary income.
Lifetime income annuities offer a combination of features that can help you
address your retirement income needs. When you select the one that is right for
you, it can be a great way to help you cover your basic expenses in retirement
and have a paycheck for the rest of your life.
Consult your financial professional to understand better how a lifetime
income annuity fits into your financial plan. This educational third-party
article is being provided as a courtesy by Andrew Reitano, Agent, New York Life
Insurance Company. To learn more about the information or topics discussed,
please contact Andrew at 781-392-1720 or at
areitano@ft.newyorklife.com.
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MARLBOROUGH – Tuesday, May 1, 2012 – Governor Deval Patrick today celebrated
the expansion of clean energy company SolarCity in Marlborough, where the
company plans to add 25 jobs. The job growth is attributed to the Patrick-Murray
Administration’s investments in the clean energy economy including the Green
Communities program.
“We have developed a nation-leading clean energy agenda because it is the
right thing to do for our environment, our energy independence and our public
health,” said Governor Patrick. “The growth of private companies like SolarCity
is a sign that our investment strategy in the clean energy industry is
working.”
SolarCity, a clean energy services company, expanded into Massachusetts in
2011. In less than a year, the company has tripled its workforce adding 33
employees to date and is adding 25 more positions at its new location. The
Marlborough expansion more than doubles the company’s warehouse square footage,
combining the 6,000 square feet in facilities the company held in Billerica and
Raynham.
The Massachusetts Clean Energy Center’s 2011 Massachusetts Clean Energy
Industry Report showed a 6.7 percent growth in Massachusetts clean energy
jobs between July 2010 and July 2011, with companies projecting continued growth
in the year ahead. The report found nearly 5,000 companies engaged in clean
energy work and employing more than 64,000 clean energy workers.
“Massachusetts is home to clean energy companies specializing in technologies
ranging from energy efficiency and energy storage to efficient lighting and
biofuels and we’re proud they’ve made Massachusetts home,” said Energy and
Environmental Affairs Secretary Richard K. Sullivan. “The clean energy industry
is growing and we’re here today to celebrate it.”
“Massachusetts has invested in the clean energy economy – and that investment
is paying off with jobs and lower energy costs,” said SolarCity's Regional
Director for Massachusetts Ed Steins. “We have tripled our local staff in less
than a year and are hiring for more positions in Massachusetts right now.”
With these latest designations, 42 percent of Massachusetts residents or 2.7
million people now live in Green
Communities across the Commonwealth. All of the 86 Green Communities
committed to reduce their municipal energy consumption by 20 percent. This
commitment collectively equates to the annual energy consumption of more than
13,000 Massachusetts homes and the greenhouse gases from more than 16,800
cars.
Under the Global Warming Solutions Act, Massachusetts has set the strongest
greenhouse gas reduction targets in the nation – 25 percent below 1990 levels by
2020 and 80 percent by 2050. The implementation of the state’s Clean Energy and
Climate Plan for 2020 is estimated to create at least 42,000
jobs.
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Governor Patrick plants flowers with students at the
launch of the “Plant Something” initiative. (Photo credit: Eric Haynes /
Governor’s Office). View full size photo.
BOSTON – Tuesday, May 1, 2012 – Governor Deval Patrick, Massachusetts Energy
and Environmental Affairs Secretary Richard K. Sullivan and Department of
Agricultural Resources (DAR) Commissioner Greg Watson today joined students,
school officials and members of the state’s horticulture industry at the Mather
Elementary School in Dorchester to launch the “Plant Something” campaign to
spotlight local flower and nursery growers and encourage residents to shop at
local garden centers.
Governor Patrick also announced May as Flower and Nursery Month, highlighting
the state’s strong agricultural sector.
“It gives me great pleasure to recognize a $2 billion industry that helps to
beautify Massachusetts and kick-off a program that will help enhance the outdoor
learning experience for students here at the Mather School,” said Governor
Patrick. “I encourage everyone to go out and ‘Plant Something.’”
The Mather Elementary School participates in the Boston Schoolyard Initiative
(BSI), a program that revitalizes Boston’s schoolyards, transforming asphalt
lots into dynamic centers for recreation, learning and community life. Members
from the Massachusetts Flower Growers Association (MFGA) and the Massachusetts
Nursery and Landscape Association (MNLA) generously donated the greenery for the
school yard.
“This is a great way to spotlight beautification projects at schools
throughout the Commonwealth,” said Secretary Sullivan. “To have our children
involved and planting flowers and trees only adds to their interactive hands on
education.”
The “Plant Something” initiative is being highlighted with the collaboration
between DAR, MFGA and MNLA. Slogans will be featured across the state at
independent garden centers, delivery trucks and at the MBTA’s commuter rail
stations and trains during the month of May.
“With spring here and Mother’s Day approaching, now is the perfect time to
select flowers, hanging baskets, flowering shrubs or trees at one of the
independent garden centers across the state,” said DAR Commissioner Greg
Watson.
The greenhouse and nursery industry is the top contributor to Massachusetts
agriculture, valued at $177 million in 2008 or 31 percent of the total cash
receipts in the state, according to the New England Agricultural Statistics
Service.
MFGA President Cindy Bertrand, of The Farmer’s Daughter at Hillcrest Farm in
Auburn, notes that Association members offer consumers a tremendous selection of
quality flowers and plants.
“We want to make gardening easy, fun and successful for our customers,” she
said. “We can give them individualized attention and knowledgeable advice on
choosing what will work best for them so their gardens will burst with dazzling
color. And with Mother’s Day coming up on Sunday, May 13, what could be a better
gift in honor of those special mothers in our families than a beautiful, locally
grown hanging basket or colorful planter.”
“We always have new plants and products but also focus on tried and true
items that have a track record of being reliable for Massachusetts gardeners,”
said Jim Connolly, Massachusetts-Certified Horticulturalist, MNLA president and
owner of Northeast Nurseries in Peabody.
DAR’s MassGrown & Fresher
Google Interactive Map features a list of over 125 local
garden centers across the Commonwealth, allowing consumers to easily find
ALL of their locally grown needs in one convenient one-stop-shopping spot.
DAR’s mission is to ensure the long-term viability of local agriculture in
Massachusetts. Through its four divisions – Agricultural Development, Animal
Health, Crop and Pest Services, and Technical Assistance – the DAR strives to
support, regulate and enhance the Commonwealth’s agricultural community, working
to promote economically and environmentally sound food safety and animal health
measures, and fulfill agriculture’s role in energy conservation and production.
For more information, visit DAR’s website at www.mass.gov/agr, and/or follow at twitter.com/mdarcommish.
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Advertise with the Boston Area
Small Press and Poetry Scene!
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Boston Area Small Press and Poetry
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Doug Holder's CV: http://dougholderresume.blogspot.com
Ibbetson Street Press
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Bookstore http://www.tinyurl.com/3x6rgv3
What to do about the national
debt
By William C. Shelton
I’ve never written a book review. But a recent work on the fiscal crisis is
so sensible, thoroughly researched and non ideological that its ideas are worth
sharing.
It is White House Burning: The Founding Fathers, our National Debt, and
Why it Matters to You. Its authors, Simon Johnson and James Kwak are
professors at MIT and the UConn respectively. Johnson was Chief Economist for
the International Monetary Fund.
They show that arguments over national debt and taxes are as old as the
Republic. The Continental Congress had borrowed heavily to finance the War of
Independence. So the new nation was bankrupt when the war ended.
Treasury Secretary Alexander Hamilton restructured the debt and successfully
argued that taxes must be imposed to pay it down. This reassured lenders, but
Thomas Jefferson and James Madison held that taxation gave the federal
government too much power.
Simon and Kwak identify six episodes in which the nation has gone deeply into
debt. The first five were to support wars. Americans paid down those debts with
increased taxes, but did so over decades rather than years so as not to stifle
economic growth.
Nonmilitary events since 2000 are responsible for the sixth and toughest debt
problem: the George W. Bush tax cuts, adoption of the Medicare drug benefit, and
the 2008 financial crisis that wrecked the economy. A Congressional Budget
Office (CBO) analysis says that the financial meltdown’s total impact, including
reduced tax revenues, was a 50% increase in federal debt relative to gross
domestic product (GDP).
They present simple and unequivocal evidence disproving the notion of runaway
government spending. With the exception of defense, most government spending
categories, as a percent of GDP, have remained flat or declined since the late
1990s.
As a share of GDP, our government spending is low in comparison to that of
other nations with advanced economies. And investors around the world are
lending us money at an incredibly low interest rate—around 2%.
So do deficits matter? Dick Chaney famously told then Treasury Secretary Paul
O’Neill that Ronald Reagan had proven they don’t matter.
They do. We cannot keep borrowing indefinitely. Nor is there any way of
knowing when international investors will demand higher interest rates. And our
dysfunctional Congress is not giving them confidence.
We need to convince investors that we can stabilize the debt and then bring
it down, relative to the size of the economy. Higher interest rates would retard
economic growth, slow or reverse job creation, reduce tax revenues, and
indiscriminately reduce the needed services that government can
provide.
Johnson says that, “Politicians deal in illusions and dreams.” And
Republicans and Democrats are both doing it.
President Obama wants to tax those earning over $250,000 per year. But his
proposal would produce only a quarter of the total revenue lost by the Bush-era
tax cuts. The wealthiest 1% that we have heard so much about is still only 1%.
Although the Bush tax cuts disproportionately favored the rich, the bulk of
taxes comes from the middle class.
Republican politicians say that the crisis is driven by excessive spending,
and that deeper tax cuts would stimulate the economy, producing increased tax
revenues. Harvard Economist Gregory Mankiw was Chairman of George W. Bush’s
Council of Economic Advisers and is now a key consultant to Mitt Romney. His
exhaustive research shows that even under the most optimistic projections,
cutting taxes does not lead to greater revenue. Romney, however, is saying the
opposite.
Simon and Kwak identify the greatest expense-side threat to future budget
balancing as Medicare and Medicaid. Republican Congressman Paul Ryan, Chairman
of the House Budget Committee, offers one solution. He would replace Medicare
with a voucher with which to buy healthcare in the private market. Its value
would be capped. So what could be bought would continually decline.
But the private market has been unwilling to insure people in their 70s, 80s,
and 90s. This is why Medicare was first created. And the CBO says that
healthcare costs would rise with this plan because the government has much more
bargaining power than do individuals and companies.
The authors advocate a free and open debate about such basic issues as what
we want government to do. But it should be a fact-based debate.
What is their prescription? The worst economic medicine would be to
precipitously stop borrowing. We should phase in fiscal adjustment gradually,
balancing it with economic growth, as we did responsibly with past debt crises.
But we must start now.
The Bush tax cuts should be allowed to lapse for everyone. This would take us
back to the levels of the late 1990s, but would still be much lower than those
of the 50s and 60s. The cost to the average American family would be a few
hundred dollars per year.
If the economy is still weak at the time that the tax cuts expire, we should
implement a temporary payroll tax cut. They do propose increasing taxes on the
wealthy, but by closing tax loopholes and raising the rate on capital gains to
28 percent—still lower than historic levels.
Ultimately, say Simon and Kwak, the national debt is a political problem
rather than an economic problem. I would agree, but I would add that the
political problem continues because of politicians who encourage and exploit
voters’ misunderstanding and ignorance.
The authors quote James Madison, writing in 1822: “Knowledge will forever
govern ignorance, and the people who mean to be their own governors must arm
themselves with the power which knowledge gives.”
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NEW BEDFORD – Monday, April 30, 2012 – Lieutenant Governor Timothy Murray
today announced the formation of the Ports of Massachusetts Compact, an
agreement designed to boost economic development and capitalize on resources in
the Commonwealth’s seaports.
The compact was signed by the mayors of Boston, New Bedford, Fall River,
Gloucester and Salem; in addition to the Massachusetts Secretaries of
Transportation, Energy and Environmental Affairs, Housing and Economic
Development, Massport; and the Legislature’s Joint Committee on Transportation.
Lieutenant Governor Murray will serve as chair.
“With approximately 2,800 miles of coastline, there are valuable
opportunities for increased transportation and economic development in the
state’s seaport communities,” said Lieutenant Governor Murray, who also chairs
the Seaport Advisory Council. “The creation of the Ports of Massachusetts
Compact ensures we are strategically planning development opportunities and
sharing knowledge across agencies and municipalities to help benefit the entire
Commonwealth.”
The Massachusetts Department of Transportation (MassDOT) Planning Division
will lead research and planning efforts for the compact and will identify ways
to maximize funding to improve infrastructure.
“Coordinating efforts of the fishing, energy, shipping and transportation
industries that operate in our ports is healthy for business and job growth, as
well as the environment,” said MassDOT Secretary Richard Davey.
The Compact’s initial action items will include fishing regulations, coastal
shipping trends and recommending a plan for seaport coordination. Other Compact
goals will include moving people and goods safely, securely and more efficiently
through the five ports while providing intermodal connectivity for those doing
business and visiting the Commonwealth.
“The historic seaports of Massachusetts are a vital tool for local
communities to help support economic development and create local jobs,” said
Secretary of Housing and Economic Development Greg Bialecki. “The ‘Ports of
Massachusetts’ Compact will support the many vital industries that use these
seaports to operate and help boost economic development in these regions.”
“We look forward to working more closely with our fishing communities to
better protect and manage the development of our ports,” said Energy and
Environmental Affairs Secretary Rick Sullivan.
“As our roads and highways continue to grow more and more congested, we must
look to expand our usage of our waterways for both transit and commercial
purposes," said Senator Thomas M. McGee. "This compact will help us fully
explore sound environmental and economic policies for our ports, waterfronts and
waterways. I am looking forward to continuing our commitment to our ports and
exploring ways to maximize the impact they have on the Massachusetts
economy."
Ports of Massachusetts Compact Members
SEAPORT ADVISORY COUNCIL
Lt. Governor Timothy P. Murray, Chair
MASSACHUSETTS JOINT COMMITTEE ON TRANSPORTATION
Senator Thomas M. McGee,
Senate Chair
Representative William M. Straus, House Chair
MASSACHUSETTS DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
Richard A. Davey, Secretary
& CEO
EXECUTIVE OFFICE OF ENERGY AND ENVIRONMENTAL AFFAIRS
Richard K. Sullivan,
Jr., Secretary
EXECUTIVE OFFICE OF HOUSING AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT
Gregory Bialecki,
Secretary
MASSACHUSETTS PORT AUTHORITY
David S. Mackey, Interim CEO
CITY OF BOSTON
Thomas M. Menino, Mayor
CITY OF NEW BEDFORD
Jonathan F. Mitchell, Mayor
CITY OF FALL RIVER
William A. Flanagan, Mayor
CITY OF GLOUCESTER
Carolyn A. Kirk, Mayor
CITY OF SALEM
Kimberley Driscoll, Mayor
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BOSTON – Friday, April 27, 2012 – Governor Deval Patrick today signed S.2158,
“An Act Increasing Screening For HIV,” which removes barriers for patients to
get HIV screening, while maintaining all confidentiality protections.
Governor Patrick is joined by legislators and supporters
while signing S.2158 “An Act Increasing Screening For HIV.” (Photo credit:
Meghan Dhaliwal / Governor’s Office). View additional photos.
“This bill will lead to more lives being saved,” said Governor Patrick. “By
removing barriers to screening, we will continue to decrease rates of HIV in our
communities.”
S.2158 removes the requirement that patients give written
consent for HIV tests, and instead requires only verbal consent. This will
result in more instances of HIV being screened and detected early enough for
life saving treatments to be provided.
The product of several years of
work amongst the HIV advocacy community, clinicians, service providers and
others, this bill removes what physicians describe as a barrier to HIV
screening: written consent. Removing this requirement puts Massachusetts in line
with the majority of other jurisdictions.
“This is an important step
forward in getting more people tested for HIV in the Commonwealth, which is
critical to stopping the spread of HIV,” said Rebecca Haag, President & CEO
of AIDS Action Committee of Massachusetts. “We thank Senate President Therese
Murray, House Speaker Robert DeLeo and Governor Patrick for their leadership and
support on this issue. There are an estimated 25,000 to 27,000 people living
with HIV/AIDS in Massachusetts, but approximately 21 percent of them are unaware
that they are HIV positive according to estimates by the U.S. Centers for
Disease Control. The first step is learning your status. The next steps are
getting connected with care and treatment, fighting the stigma that is still
attached to HIV/AIDS in many communities; and shoring up resources for those
infected, affected, and at risk for HIV.”
“The March of Dimes is pleased
that the Commonwealth has taken an important step to making HIV testing a more
routine part of medical care,” said Ed Doherty, the Massachusetts State Director
of March of Dimes. “Given the advances in HIV prevention for pregnant women and
newborns, early identification and individualized treatment of HIV-positive
pregnant women is the best way to prevent pediatric HIV disease and maximize
maternal health.”
The bill will allow more comprehensive and accurate
information to reach the Massachusetts Department of Public Health, improving
its ability to survey and address HIV cases in Massachusetts. These changes do
not affect any of the confidentiality protections surrounding HIV testing and
diagnosis.
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BOSTON – Thursday, April 26, 2012 – Governor Deval Patrick and Lieutenant
Governor Timothy Murray were honored this evening with the “Stars of STEM” award
at the Museum of Science’s Science Behind the Stars annual event. Governor
Patrick and Lieutenant Governor Murray joined Intel Corporation to be honored
for promoting and supporting science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) in
Massachusetts.
“STEM plays a vital role in our growth strategy here in Massachusetts – a
strategy focused on education, innovation and infrastructure,” said Governor
Patrick. “We will continue our commitment to STEM education so all students can
be prepared for future careers in STEM and be a part of the Commonwealth’s
growing innovation economy.
“Governor Patrick and I thank the Museum of Science for this recognition, but
the real stars of STEM are our students who are all destined to be future
leaders in Massachusetts as well as educators and industry partners who support
them,” said Lieutenant Governor Murray, Chair of the Governor’s STEM Advisory
Council. “As we work towards building a stronger economy, our Administration has
focused on supporting statewide initiatives aimed at increasing student interest
in STEM related fields. With more and more students excited about STEM,
Massachusetts will have bright future led by many stars of STEM.”
The Science Behind the Stars was established by the Museum of Science as a
signature event in 2009 to help raise awareness of the Museum’s commitment to
promote STEM education and to also honor Massachusetts leaders, including
individuals and companies, who are leading the way to educate the next
generation of scientists and engineers. Since the creation of the Governor’s
STEM Advisory Council in 2009, the Museum of Science has partnered with the
Patrick-Murray Administration to support the statewide STEM initiative. Ioannis
Miaoulis, President of the Museum, and Yvonne Spicer, Vice President of the
Museum, also serve on the Governor’s STEM Advisory Council.
“We are pleased to recognize individuals who have made such a strong
commitment to STEM education and who share the Museum’s mission of transforming
people’s relationship with science and technology,” said Ioannis Miaoulis,
president and director of the Museum of Science in Boston. “Governor Deval
Patrick and Lieutenant Governor Timothy Murray made STEM education and job
development a statewide priority in 2009 with the formation of the Governor’s
STEM Advisory Council, on which I am proud to serve. Their leadership in
convening STEM advocates from the public and private sectors has made
Massachusetts a model for the nation and the world.”
Early in the Patrick-Murray Administration, Lieutenant Governor Murray began
collaborating with STEM stakeholders across the state to assess existing STEM
related programs in Massachusetts. With more than 1,000 different programs in
the Commonwealth, Governor Patrick signed an Executive Order in 2009 creating
the Governor’s STEM Advisory Council to increase collaboration, coordination and
results in STEM education, jobs and workforce development. The Council, chaired
by Lieutenant Governor Murray, released the state’s first STEM Plan at the 2010
STEM Summit. Since the plan’s implementation, Lieutenant Governor Murray and the
Council have organized regional networks and infrastructure across the state to
move STEM policies towards the goals and benchmarks outlined in the plan.
Through the work of the Council, Massachusetts has received national recognition
as a nationwide leader in STEM from the National Governor’s Association, Change
the Equation and Innovate+Educate.
In 2011, the Patrick-Murray Administration endorsed six @Scale Initiatives
selected by the Council for projects aimed at increasing PreK-12 student
interest in and readiness for STEM college majors. The Governor’s Fiscal Year
2013 budget proposed $1.5 million in funding for the STEM Pipeline Fund, an
increase of $500,000 from Fiscal Year 2012 which will support the state’s @Scale
Initiatives and STEM Plan to increase the number of students and teachers
engaged in STEM and improve the state’s STEM educational offerings.
“The leadership shown by Governor Patrick and Lieutenant Governor Murray on
STEM education has been remarkable, leading to a nationally recognized state
STEM initiative that serves as a model for the rest of the country,” said JD
Chesloff, Executive Director of the Massachusetts Business Roundtable (MBR).
“This Administration, and particularly Lieutenant Governor Murray through his
leadership of the Governor’s STEM Advisory Council, understands the important
link between producing a pipeline of workers skilled in STEM competencies and
the long-term economic success of the Commonwealth. MBR congratulates Governor
Patrick and Lieutenant Governor Murray, and thanks the Administration for their
continued investment in STEM education to help Massachusetts remain competitive
in a 21st century global economy.”
To learn more about the Patrick-Murray Administration’s STEM initiatives and
the Governor’s STEM Advisory Council, visit www.mass.gov/governor/stem.
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BOSTON – Thursday, April 26, 2012 – Governor Deval Patrick and Lieutenant
Governor Timothy Murray today met with members of the Massachusetts Chapter of
the Gold Star Wives to honor their work supporting veterans and their families
across the Commonwealth.
Governor Patrick and Lieutenant Governor Murray honor the
Massachusetts Chapter of the Gold Star Wives. (Photo credit: Eric Haynes /
Governor’s Press Office). View full size photo.
“It's an honor for me to acknowledge the Massachusetts Gold Star Wives for
their steadfast dedication to veterans and their families,” said Governor
Patrick. “What a difference their service makes to military families and their
example makes to us all.”
“Massachusetts is proud to honor our military servicemen and women who have
sacrificed their lives to defend our country and protect our freedom,” said
Lieutenant Governor Murray. “The Massachusetts Gold Star Wives have experienced
great loss, but through their dedication we are all able to carry out the legacy
of our brave soldiers and further support Massachusetts veterans and military
families.
Gold Star Wives of America, Inc. is an organization of widows and widowers
whose spouses died while on active duty in the military services or as the
result of a military service connected cause. The primary mission of Gold Star
Wives is to provide service, support and friendship to the widows and widowers
of military personnel.
The Gold Star Wives has approximately 10,000 members nationwide, with 53
chapters in 26 states. There are four Massachusetts chapters of the Gold Star
Wives which include: the Greater Boston Chapter, the Patriot Chapter based in
Chicopee, the Lowell Chapter and the New Bedford Chapter.
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Boys and Girls Clubs Get New Executive
Director
Good evening friends of the Boys and Girls Clubs of Middlesex
County,
The Boys and Girls Clubs of Middlesex County Board of Directors
and staff are happy to introduce the organization’s new Interim Executive
Director, Lorita Williams. Lorita joins the BGCMC family as a versatile
executive with extensive experience spanning corporate, higher education and
non-profit organizations. Having held executive positions at Campfire USA,
Simmons College and IBM, she has become an agent of change - effectively
facilitating and mobilizing high performance teams to collaborate and realize
successful outcomes.
“This is an exciting time of growth for the Boys
and Girls Clubs of Middlesex County and I am delighted to be a part of it,” says
Williams.
We are very excited about the potential that lay ahead for
BGCMC. Please join us in welcoming Lorita to our family. She can be reached at (617) 623-7320 ext 158 or at LWilliams@kidsclubs.org.
Sincerely,
Rich
Fields
Chairman of the BGCMC Board of Directors
Maria Curtatone Democratic Candidate for Middlesex
South Register of Deeds is predicted to win this election on September 6th and
is still the leading the way with a monumental lead accross the board according
to many voter polls in just about every Middlesex County city and
town.
The People have spoken and although she is
up against the political machine, the people are speaking and voicing their
support for "Curtatone in Deed" and it shows! Curtatone with her enormous amount
of statewide supporters began her campaign for Register of Deeds in December with positive ideas and a commitment to make changes in the registry where
needed without all the red tape and political bureaucracy and favoritism that
other candidates and political hacks tend to deliver, for the people while other
potential candidates were scrambling in disarray still deciding and struggling
to get needed signature to even get on the ballot.
Latest Poll Results: Looks Like Curtatone is Still The Voter's Favorite Top
Choice Pick! Candidate Maria Curtatone for Middlesex South Register Of Deeds and
she is hitting the pavement daily and has team captains and hundreds of loyal
supporters spreading the word in all forty-four cities and towns in South
Middlesex County.
While the other candidates still struggle vigorously to gather their needed
signatures, Maria Curtatone's signatures were certified and turned in months
ago! If this alone is any indication of what the voters are saying about who
they want as our next register of deeds, well the writing is on the wall that
Curtatone will be our next Register of Deeds for South Middlesex County!
ACTON, ARLINGTON, ASHBY, ASHLAND, AYER, BEDFORD, BELMONT, BOXBOROUGH,
BURLINGTON, CAMBRIDGE, CONCORD, EVERETT, FRAMINGHAM, GROTON, HOLLISTON,
HOPKINTON, HUDSON, LEXINGTON, LINCOLN, LITTLETON, MALDEN, MARLBOROUGH, MAYNARD,
MEDFORD, MELROSE, NATICK, NEWTON, NORTH READING, PEPPERELL, READING, SHERBORN,
SHIRLEY, SOMERVILLE, STONEHAM, STOW, SUDBURY, TOWNSEND, WAKEFIELD, WALTHAM,
WATERTOWN, WAYLAND, WESTON, WINCHESTER, WOBURN
By Boston News Group staff
My name is Maria Curtatone and I am running for Middlesex South Register of
Deeds. I am a practicing attorney and small business owner with my own firm. I
have worked in Middlesex County and the surrounding area for the last 25 years.
I bring to this job strong administrative skills, leadership and a commitment to
public service.
As a business owner and working professional with two children I bring a
unique perspective to this office. I am not a politician. I am a working
professional who understands the needs of other working professionals. As a
business owner, I know what it takes to run a business. I will bring to the
office effective management, strong leadership and administrative skills. I am
and have been an active member of my community for the last 25 years and I look
forward to giving back further and applying my skills to the office of Middlesex
County Register of Deeds.
As the Register of Deeds, I will continue to expand and build upon the work
the office already does in order to efficiently maintain property records while
further implementing the utilization of state-of-the-art technology, electronic
recording and accessibility online while simplifying the process and making
certain that it is a customer service driven office. It is imperative to me that
the office of Middlesex South Register of Deeds maintain ultimate transparency
at all times.
I am a highly qualified candidate and the right person for the job of the
Middlesex South Register of Deeds. I am committed to effectively serving the
public and serving you as your Register of
Deeds. I am seeking your endorsement and humbly ask for your vote
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=endscreen&v=x5tIv228NBM&NR=1
and please
like her on her Face Book!
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BOSTON – Thursday, April 26, 2012 – Governor Deval Patrick today joined
Lieutenant Governor Timothy Murray, legislators and advocates to sign S. 2017,
“An Act Designating World Voice Week.” The legislation requires the Governor to
annually issue a proclamation establishing the week beginning April 16 as World
Voice Week, to recognize and support individuals suffering from voice
disorders.
Governor Patrick and Lieutenant Governor Murray joined by
legislators and advocates at a ceremonial bill signing. (Photo credit: Eric
Haynes / Governor’s Office). View full size photo.
“I am proud to sign this legislation that will raise awareness for the many
individuals in the Commonwealth who suffer from voice disorders, and honor the
medical professionals who work day in and day out to treat and prevent these
disorders.” said Governor Patrick.
“By partnering with the state legislature, Massachusetts will designate World
Voice Week every year to recognize individuals with voice disorders and also
increase awareness about voice disorders to help deliver more resources within
the health industry and communities across the state,” said Lieutenant Governor
Murray.
“I was proud to be part of the Governor’s World Voice Week bill signing
today,” said Senate President Therese Murray. “With so many of us who are
challenged by voice disorders, this recognition will help raise awareness within
our communities and the health industry. Congratulations to all the citizens and
advocates who worked so hard on this issue.”
“I was proud to sponsor this legislation on behalf of the thousands
throughout the Commonwealth and more than 7 million people around the country
who suffer from some sort of voice disorder,” said Senator Michael Moore. “My
goals in filing this legislation are to raise awareness for those individuals
who suffer from voice disabilities, to honor the medical professionals who work
tirelessly to treat voice disabilities, and to bring a greater focus on the
prevention and treatment of voice disabilities in the medical community. I am
truly grateful to the Governor for his leadership in making these goals a
reality.”
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BOSTON – Thursday, April 26, 2012 – Lieutenant Governor Timothy Murray today
announced that the Patrick-Murray Administration is filing a supplemental
capital bond bill that will include $5 million in funding over five years for a
grant program to help vocational schools purchase modern laboratory and shop
equipment. There are currently more than 44,000 students in 60 vocational
technical schools across the Commonwealth and this funding will help provide
these students access to state of the art equipment that will prepare them for
learning in higher education and the workforce beyond.
“As we prepare the next generation of leaders in Massachusetts, our
vocational-technical school model expands a student's education and career
opportunities,” said Lieutenant Governor Murray. “With this proposed funding,
Massachusetts will enhance students' learning in our vocational schools, and
further engage and motivate students to learn in and outside of the
classroom.”
Lieutenant Governor Murray recently highlighted the initiative at the 26th
annual Massachusetts Association of Vocational Administrators (MAVA) and the
Massachusetts Vocational Association (MVA) Awards Banquet honoring 51
outstanding vocational technical students from across the Commonwealth.
“Our new fiscal reality requires that we provide the tools and resources our
students need to succeed in and outside of the classroom,” said Secretary of
Administration and Finance Jay Gonzalez. “This funding will allow vocational
technical schools an opportunity to partner with local industry and non-profits
to achieve that goal.”
The Fiscal Year 2012 – 2016 Capital Plan includes $1 million in FY2012 for
the grant program, which is administered by the Executive Office of Education.
The supplemental bond bill will require legislative authorization, which the
Administration will seek, to help the program move forward in 2013.
“Our vocational technical schools are achieving great success with students
and these additional resources will help us expand those positive results to
reach even more young people across the Commonwealth,” said Education Secretary
Paul Reville.
“We are pleased about the collaboration that brings together vocational
technical students with the state’s apprenticeship programs offering a critical
step in an individual’s career path,” said Secretary of Labor and Workforce
Development, Joanne F. Goldstein. “A collaboration like this one is helpful to
employers and to our workforce as the training leads to excellent jobs in
growing sectors.”
“One of our best resources here in Massachusetts is our strong pool of talent
and this funding will further our goals to creating a strong workforce,
particularly for middle-skill employers,” said Greg Bialecki, Secretary of
Housing and Economic Development. “This funding will help vocational schools
throughout the state help prepare students better than ever for their
careers.”
Vocational Technical education programs have been an important component of
the Patrick-Murray Administration’s efforts to close achievement gaps through
promoting innovative learning strategies. Last year, Lieutenant Governor Murray
announced a new leadership model to help advance and expand access to vocational
technical education programs across Massachusetts. This new leadership model
will increase the focus on successful vocation technical education and expand
partnerships between educators and employers and increase collaboration among
state agencies with the goal of expanding the use of vocational technical
schools, which on average demonstrate higher graduation and lower dropout rates
compared to overall high school rates statewide.
“The Massachusetts Association of Vocational Administrators was excited to
learn of the potential funding of $5 million over the next five years for
equipment in the Commonwealth’s vocational technical schools,” said David
Ferreira, Executive Director of MAVA. “With the continually changing technology,
it is imperative that equipment be upgraded to meet the training needs of
business and industry in high demand occupations. With the additional funding,
graduates of the state’s vocational technical schools will be prepared to enter
the labor market trained with state-of-the-art technical skills and be capable
of growing the Massachusetts economy.”
Recently, the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education hired an
Associate Commissioner for Vocational, Workforce and College Readiness Programs
to head this work. The Associate Commissioner, Patricia Gregson, is working to
cultivate relationships across Education, Labor and Workforce Development and
Housing and Economic Development as well as build strategic partnerships
throughout the community college system and with private sector leaders who
understand the importance of vocational technical education to their businesses
and the Massachusetts economy.
Additionally, the Massachusetts Executive Office of Labor and Workforce
Development’s Division of Apprentice Training, in collaboration with MAVA, has
created statewide Apprentice
Articulations in Sheet Metal, Carpentry and Construction Craft Laborers.
These agreements, formed between vocational technical schools and apprenticeship
programs in the three trades, allow vocational technical students to receive
apprenticeship cards upon graduation, promoting a seamless transition between
registered apprenticeship programs and eligible graduates of state-approved
Vocational High Schools. Apprenticeship cards are now available to graduates of
the Class of 2012.
Posted at 05:45 AM
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BOSTON – April 24, 2012 – Lieutenant Governor Timothy Murray, Chair of the
Interagency Council on Substance Abuse and Prevention, today hosted the first in
a series of statewide Town Hall Meetings that will examine what can be done to
prevent underage alcohol use, prescription and other forms of drug abuse in the
Commonwealth. Lieutenant Governor Murray was joined by Commissioner John
Auerbach of the Department of Public Health, state legislators and student
representatives from Students Against Destructive Decisions (SADD), the state's
recovery high schools, and schools across the Commonwealth.
“Massachusetts is proud to join states across the country for this town hall
meeting series to help raise awareness and help prevent underage drinking and
prescription drug abuse,” said Lieutenant Governor Murray. “These meetings will
provide an opportunity to begin the discussion, but it should not be where it
ends. In working with students, families, schools, and community organizations,
we will continue to talk and educate our youth about the consequences of
drinking and other drug use before they start.”
Today's event at the State House is part of a national campaign led by the
federal Interagency Coordinating Committee on the Prevention of Underage
Drinking (ICCPUD) in partnership with the Patrick-Murray Administration's
Interagency Council on Substance Abuse and Prevention and the Massachusetts
Department of Public Health’s Bureau of Substance Abuse Services (BSAS). The
series of Town Hall Meetings that will be held across the state are designed to
raise awareness and provide youth, parents, caregivers, and other adults with
the tools necessary to help protect children, youth and young adults from
abusing alcohol and the misuse of prescription and other drugs.
“The Lieutenant Governor has made awareness and education about the dangers
of substance abuse among young people in the Commonwealth one of his top
priorities,” said Secretary of Health and Human Services Dr.JudyAnn Bigby. “We
know it takes a concerted effort to combat the ways that youth are encouraged to
use alcohol and other substances. I’m delighted that we are partnering in this
national campaign to host Town Halls and help young people safeguard their
health and that of their communities.”
Lieutenant Governor Murray has chaired the Interagency Council on Substance
Abuse and Prevention since 2008, and has focused on expanding Recovery High
Schools; increasing awareness of underage drinking; reforming the Prescription
Monitoring Program; and working with local municipalities, individuals, and
families to provide resources to help prevent and treat substance abuse. During
today's event, resource materials as well as DVDs of prevention activities in
which youth are involved across Massachusetts, were available and will be
available for each Town Hall Meeting.
Communities throughout the Commonwealth are encouraged to communicate with
teens about the dangers of underage drinking, and to work together to prevent
youths’ access to alcohol. The link between underage drinking, other drug use
and the misuse of prescription drugs remains a major concern. By working
together, communities can have a dramatic and lasting impact on underage
drinking and misuse of prescription and other drugs in Massachusetts.
“Not a single community meeting goes by where someone doesn’t talk to me
about a problem a loved one is having with drugs and alcohol,” said Senator John
F. Keenan, Senate Chair of the Joint Committee on Mental Health and Substance
Abuse. “This is a pervasive problem that can be found on every block, in every
neighborhood, in every community across the Commonwealth. We cannot afford to
ignore this ongoing epidemic, or pretend our families, friends and neighborhoods
are immune from it.”
“I am excited to participate in this initiative with my colleagues in the
Legislature and the Administration. The issue of substance abuse among youth is
one of the most important public health concerns of this generation. I hope that
through these town hall meetings we will be able to reach both youth and
caregivers, and thus reduce the rate of substance abuse, underage drinking, and
overdoses," said Representative Elizabeth A. Malia, House Chair of the Joint
Committee on Mental Health and Substance Abuse.
Throughout April and May Town Hall meetings will be held in 50 communities
across the Commonwealth as part of the campaign and to engage youth and adults
in developing effective solutions. For updates about local events, visit https://www.stopalcoholabuse.gov/townhallmeetings.
Poll
Results: Looks Like Curtatone is Still The Voter's Favorite Top Choice Pick!
Candidate Maria Curtatone for Middlesex South Register Of
Deeds.
By William Tauro, Publisher, Boston News Group, Serving Seventy Cities in
Massachusetts
Posted at 07:33 AM
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Favorite Top Choice Pick Candidate Maria
Curtatone for Middlesex South Register Of Deeds
Vote for Maria Curtatone On September 6,
2012
My name is Maria Curtatone and I am running for Middlesex South Register of
Deeds. I am a practicing attorney and small business owner with my own firm. I
have worked in Middlesex County and the surrounding area for the last 25 years.
I bring to this job strong administrative skills, leadership and a commitment to
public service.
As a business owner and working professional with two children I bring a
unique perspective to this office. I am not a politician. I am a working
professional who understands the needs of other working professionals. As a
business owner, I know what it takes to run a business. I will bring to the
office effective management, strong leadership and administrative skills. I am
and have been an active member of my community for the last 25 years and I look
forward to giving back further and applying my skills to the office of Middlesex
County Register of Deeds.
As the Register of Deeds, I will continue to expand and build upon the work
the office already does in order to efficiently maintain property records while
further implementing the utilization of state-of-the-art technology, electronic
recording and accessibility online while simplifying the process and making
certain that it is a customer service driven office. It is imperative to me that
the office of Middlesex South Register of Deeds maintain ultimate transparency
at all times.
I am a highly qualified candidate and the right person for the job of the
Middlesex South Register of Deeds. I am committed to effectively serving the
public and serving you as your Register of
Deeds. I am seeking your endorsement and humbly ask for your vote
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=endscreen&v=x5tIv228NBM&NR=1
ACTON, ARLINGTON, ASHBY, ASHLAND, AYER, BEDFORD, BELMONT, BOXBOROUGH,
BURLINGTON, CAMBRIDGE, CONCORD, EVERETT, FRAMINGHAM, GROTON, HOLLISTON,
HOPKINTON, HUDSON, LEXINGTON, LINCOLN, LITTLETON, MALDEN, MARLBOROUGH, MAYNARD,
MEDFORD, MELROSE, NATICK, NEWTON, NORTH READING, PEPPERELL, READING, SHERBORN,
SHIRLEY, SOMERVILLE, STONEHAM, STOW, SUDBURY, TOWNSEND, WAKEFIELD, WALTHAM,
WATERTOWN, WAYLAND, WESTON, WINCHESTER,
WOBURN
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Governor Patrick participates in the annual trout
stocking at Jamaica Pond. (Photo: Eric Haynes / Governor's Office). View
additional photos.
BOSTON – Wednesday, April 18, 2012 – Governor Deval Patrick today joined
Massachusetts Energy and Environmental Affairs (EEA) Secretary Richard K.
Sullivan Jr. and local school children to usher in the spring fishing season by
releasing more than 1,150 state hatchery-raised trout and salmon into Jamaica
Pond in Jamaica Plain.
The event is part of an annual effort to stock the 500 Massachusetts
waterways with fish produced at hatcheries operated by MassWildlife, a division
of the Department of Fish and Game (DFG).
“This event is a great way to educate our young people about fishing,
wildlife and the importance of protecting our natural resources,” said Governor
Patrick. “When we teach children about their connection to nature, we foster a
greater appreciation and respect for the natural world.”
Students and teachers from West Roxbury YMCA, Friends of the Children-Boston
and Boy Scouts from Troop 1837 Athol/Orange Elks assisted officials in stocking
the pond with 900 rainbow trout, 100 brook trout, 100 brown trout and about ten
8-pound brood stock salmon. Also added were 50 tiger trout – a cross between a
female brown trout and a male brook trout – which measure an average of 14
inches long.
“Our annual trout stocking at Jamaica Pond is a spring tradition,” said
Secretary Sullivan. “With the warmer weather, there has never been a better time
to get outside, whether it’s to cast a reel, ride a bike or hike a trail and
enjoy the natural beauty of Massachusetts.”
This spring, MassWildlife’s stocking program, supported by revenue from state
fishing licenses, plans to release 529,000 trout – raised at state hatcheries in
Sandwich, Belchertown, Sunderland and Montague – in rivers, ponds and streams
across the Commonwealth.
Department of Conservation and Recreation Commissioner Edward Lambert Jr.,
Boston City Councilor Matt O’Malley and Boston Energy and Chief of Environmental
Services James Hunt also took part in the stocking.
“Mayor Menino and the City of Boston thank Governor Patrick and Secretary
Sullivan for the continued partnership to expand environmental education and
outdoor recreation opportunities for Boston’s neighborhoods and communities,”
said Chief Hunt.
A natural pond believed to be tens of thousands of years old, Jamaica Pond is
60 feet deep and home to fish such as largemouth bass, yellow perch and chain
pickerel, as well as snapping turtles, crayfish, eels and freshwater clams. The
pond is a property of the City of Boston and is surrounded by parklands managed
by the Massachusetts Department of Conservation and Recreation.
Click
here for a list of all trout-stocked waters in Massachusetts
MassWildlife publishes weekly reports at the same website each Friday
detailing where fish were stocked in various ponds, lakes, and rivers around the
Commonwealth. Trout stocking began in mid-March.
DFG is responsible for promoting the conservation and enjoyment of the
Commonwealth's natural resources. DFG carries out this mission through land
protection and wildlife habitat management, management of inland and marine fish
and wildlife species, and ecological restoration of fresh water, salt water and
terrestrial habitats. DFG promotes enjoyment of the Massachusetts environment
through outdoor skills workshops, fishing festivals and other educational
programs, and by enhancing access to the Commonwealth's rivers, lakes and
coastal waters.
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BOSTON – Thursday, April 19, 2012 – Governor Deval Patrick, Senate President
Therese Murray, House Speaker Robert A. DeLeo and Massachusetts legislators this
week celebrated the 100th Anniversary of Fenway Park. A banner
commemorating this milestone currently hangs on the front of the Massachusetts
State House. Fenway Park hosted its first professional baseball game on April
20, 1912.
A banner celebrating the 100th Anniversary of
Fenway Park hangs on the front of the Massachusetts State House. (Photo credit:
Eric Haynes/Governor’s Office). View full size photo.
“I am proud to celebrate 100 years of great Red Sox baseball at Fenway Park,”
said Governor Patrick. “Its rich history and character make it one of the finest
and most beloved ball parks.”
“Fenway Park is essential to the fabric of our landscape and our identity as
New Englanders,” said Senate President Murray. “Fenway is not just the home of
our beloved Red Sox; it has become the enduring and ultimate symbol of the
American Pastime. I am proud to support and participate in this historic
celebration marking the 100th anniversary of the world's greatest ballpark.”
“Looking back as we celebrate Fenway’s hundredth birthday, we remember how
great a role the ballpark has played in shaping Boston’s history,” said House
Speaker DeLeo. “For the past hundred years, Fenway Park has been a staple of
Boston tourism and is home to so many precious moments, a curse reversed, and a
timeless baseball club whose spirit will live on for many more years to
come.”
The Boston Red Sox will commemorate 100 years of history at Fenway Park with
a large-scale pre-game ceremony Friday night before they play the New York
Yankees. The Red Sox played the same team (then the New York Highlanders) on
April 20, 1912. Both teams will wear 1912 throwback uniforms.
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The Spanking New Herbal Academy of New England will
open this JUNE!
By Doug Holder
The Herbal Academy of New England in Woburn, Mass. will be opening to
the public June 2 and 3. The Herbal Cottage, where the school will be located,
overlooks a scenic pond which makes for an ideal setting. The founder Marlene
Adelmann, a graduate of the Boston School of Herbal Studies, has ambitious plans
for the school that will have two sites; the other site slated to open later in
the year in Bedford, Mass. The school will have an open house June 2 and 3, the
details of which are below.
Saturday June 2nd:
2:00-7:00 Refreshments
Free herbal talks at 4:00 and 6:00
Sunday, June 3rd 2:00-6:00
Refreshments Free herbal talk at 4:00
120 Arlington Rd.
Woburn, Mass.
Adelmann sent me the mission statement for the school that will provide a comprehensive learning experience about the power of plants to heal.
“At the Herbal Academy of New England, we believe that we can heal ourselves,
and that plants can serve as powerful allies to us in our healing processes.
Healing involves finding wholeness within ourselves and deepening our web of
healing connections, including other people as well as the flowers, trees, and
other herbs that help us on our path. We train ourselves and our students to
work responsibly with people and plants to provide safe, nourishing means of
healing, and to empower our students and clients on their own journeys of
learning and healing. While healing may begin with treating an illness, we
believe that it must ultimately incorporate a holistic lifestyle in order to
move from mere recovery to vitality. Learning to work with the herbs directly
for one's own healing allows us to take charge of our own health.
Working with plant medicine, we connect deeply with the earth and recognize
the beautiful gifts the earth fosters. We feel awe as we contemplate the
beautiful plants surrounding us, and we strive to protect both plants and earth,
and to reciprocate their bountiful gifts. The Herbal Academy of New England
seeks to encourage individuals and society to make sustainable and meaningful
changes so as to use earth's resources with greater wisdom and respect.
Herbalism includes stewardship of the earth.
As an academy, we bring teachers and students together to learn and to share
in an atmosphere of rigor and of community. We seek to engage learners and
teachers in serious study and exploration, both academic and experiential.
Rather than favoring one school of thought or philosophy of healing, we
encourage our students to find their own ways and we welcome teachers with
diverse backgrounds and approaches. We welcome both teachers and students to
share their knowledge and experience. We seek to build an inclusive, supportive
community, and we believe that such an approach promotes rigorous thought and
exploration.
The Herbal Academy has its own programs and courses to teach plant knowledge
and the art and practice of medicine-making, but we welcome other herbalists and
practitioners to share our space and teach among us when possible. We support
other holistic healing modalities that empower individuals to care for
themselves and support the integrity of bodies, minds, and spirit. As an
inclusive community, we specifically reach out to all herbalists, students of
herbalism, newcomers interested in exploring, and practitioners of related
fields to share information and downtime together.”
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Senator DiDomenico Supports Joint
Resolution Honoring the American Parkinson Disease
Association
BOSTON- Senator Sal DiDomenico recently co-sponsored a Resolution declaring
the month of April Parkinson’s Awareness Month. This resolution resolves that
the Massachusetts Senate commends and recognizes the Massachusetts Chapter of
the American Parkinson Disease Association (MCAPDA) for its efforts to improve
the lives of people and families affected by Parkinson’s disease.
“By declaring the month of April Parkinson’s Awareness Month, I hope that our
residents will learn more about the effects of this degenerative disease,” said
Senator DiDomenico. “The Massachusetts Chapter of the American Parkinson Disease
Association has done an outstanding job of educating the general public on
Parkinson’s and advancing the development of essential services for Parkinson’s
patients and their caregivers. Their effort to ‘ease the burden and find the
cure’ for Parkinson’s Disease deserves our support.”
The MCAPDA works to raise awareness and find a cure for Parkinson’s through
education, program development, support group assistance, fundraising and
community involved
Governor Patrick welcomes students from across the Commonwealth to the 65th annual Student Government Day at the State House. (Photos: Meghan Dhaliwal / Governor's Office). View additional photos.
BOSTON – Friday, April 13, 2012 – Governor Deval Patrick and Lieutenant Governor Timothy Murray today joined education officials, legislators and hundreds of students from across the Commonwealth at the State House for the 65th Annual Student Government Day. The Governor and Lieutenant Governor helped kick off the day’s activities during a morning welcoming ceremony in Gardner Auditorium.
“The youth voice is extremely important for a productive and effective state government,” said Governor Patrick. “I am proud to welcome these students here today, who already understand the importance of civic engagement, and working together to fulfill our generational responsibility.”
“It is great to see so many young students engaged in civics and state government,” said Lieutenant Governor Murray. “Students today are our future leaders, and we will continue to encourage active community engagement as we build a stronger Commonwealth for future generations.”
The Student Government Day program was first enacted by the Massachusetts Legislature in 1947. One Friday in April each year, students from across the Commonwealth gather at the State House to learn about the role of state government. The program provides educators and students from Massachusetts' public and private high schools with an opportunity to learn firsthand about state government and have direct interactions with their local officials.
Student Government Day participants are selected by a process similar to local elections. Their elections are held in high schools throughout the state, traditionally on the first Tuesday in November, to elect the student delegates and alternates who will participate in the program.
"The Student Government Day program is an excellent way to get our young people civically engaged and to help them better understand the ins and outs of public service," said Secretary of Education Paul Reville.
During Student Government Day, students play the role of elected or appointed officials to better understand what that individual’s role is in state government. Students also participate in mock debates, simulated committee hearings and House and Senate formal sessions.
For more information on Student Government Day and to find student participants from your city or town, click here. This year’s student leaders for the day include:
| Position | Name | High School | City/Town |
| Governor | Sofia Pagliuca | Nazareth Academy (High School) | Wakefield |
| Lieutenant Governor | David Joyce | Worcester Technical High School | Worcester |
| Attorney General | Will McGrath | Stoughton High School | Stoughton |
| Treasurer | Faith Macharia | Southbridge High School | Southbridge |
| Secretary of State | Christopher Campbell | Cotting School | Lexington |
| Auditor | Delaney McWalters | Millbury Memorial Junior/Senior High School | Millbury |
| Supreme Judicial Court Chief Justice | Joseph Theall | Dracut High School | Dracut |
| Senate President | Lauren Mariano | Pembroke High School | Pembroke |
| Speaker of the House | Jennie Maibor | Winthrop High School | Winthrop |
Photos by Michelle Webb
America's finest walking the Boston Marathon route.
Mobility impaired leaving the start line
Hand chair start
Collecting sports memorabilia can become a game changer once the bug bites you. – Photo courtesy of Kenneth Gloss
By Kenneth Gloss
This is a reprinted article from the September 7, 2011, edition of The Somerville News. We present it again this week to commemorate the 100th anniversary of Fenway Park.
Since the incredible World Series win of 2004 by the Boston Red Sox, interest in all sports has increased and over the past 25 years, interest in sports collectibles has continued to skyrocket. Baseball has been particularly popular – it is the epitome of America. There is a little bit of baseball woven throughout much of the American story, and there are books to collect for every era, every team, every league and every standout player in the history of the game.
One of the first recorded references to baseball appeared in a Civil War soldier’s diary that I once had. The writer described a baseball game he played while behind the front lines, enjoying a reprieve from the action. He writes about being hit by a baseball, then running around the bases and jamming his leg while sliding. He wrote, “I’ve had more injuries in this one day of baseball than in all my days in the Civil War.” Because it is one of the earliest references to baseball, it is worth thousands of dollars.
Mementos of baseball from the 19th century and the World War I era are rare and highly valued, even though the players then aren’t as well known as those from other times. Unlike today, souvenirs weren’t produced to be future collector items, but they have continued to increase as evidenced by their value in the today’s market.
Baseball became segregated after the turn of the century and many collectors concentrate on material from the Negro leagues. They are very rare because they were produced in smaller quantities than items for the major leagues as fewer people attended Negro league games and they had less money to promote their teams.
Moe Berg, a Jewish player on the Red Sox team, used to come into our store when I was a boy. Besides playing baseball, he was a linguist and during World War II he had been a spy. He traveled to Japan with the All-Star Team, including Babe Ruth and the game was broadcast in Japanese. He also went to the top floor of his hotel and took pictures of Tokyo. At one point, he was flown behind German lines to gather information on Germany’s progress towards building an atomic bomb. Back then he wasn’t well known, but today anything to do with Moe Berg is very collectible.
Some collect only team histories of their favorite club. The first book to detail the history of a particular baseball team was The History of the Red Stockings, the precursor of today’s Red Sox squad. This book is now very rare and worth up to $3,000. One of their stars was King Kelly. Kelly traded himself from team to team – once for the hefty sum of $10,000. It is one of baseball’s earliest examples of high stakes contract peddling.
As much as baseball has changed over the years, some things have stayed the same. One baseball collectible I treasure is a program from the 1912 Red Sox versus New York Giants World Series. Not only did the Red Sox win that series, but it also was the first year that Fenway Park was open. An original program such as this one isn’t found very often and is worth $3,000 or more.
Not all collectors focus on the historical aspect of baseball. One of my customers has defined his own collecting niche that other people hadn’t thought of before. He likes fiction and sports, particularly baseball so he collects novels that have baseball as a theme or that have a good baseball scene in them. There are countless books that fit that description. This is a fascinating collection to have, and is really pioneering in that few, if any, other collectors are hunting the same set of books. For most collectors there are set parameters – book lists, prices, etc. and a collector has only to hunt down particular items. For him, it is all “new,” and he never knows when or where a perfect addition to his collection will turn up. His collection serves as the list for other collectors who decide to venture into this area.
Unfortunately, fakes and forgeries abound in sports collectibles and baseball is no exception. You must be cautious about whom you deal with and what you buy. One thing that should raise a red flag is a big certificate of authenticity because sellers who try too hard to prove authenticity may be trying to convince you a fake is the real thing. Be especially wary of autographed material, unless you are able to authenticate the autograph.
There are so many books about baseball that many can be picked up inexpensively, while others sell for thousands of dollars. Ironically, some of the more modern pieces are often more expensive than the earlier examples. People’s memories are short and many collectors are only willing to pay high prices for modern celebrities of the sport or for the true legends. Babe Ruth, Ted Williams, and Mickey Mantle are always in the higher price range. Some of the best selling issues of our large collection of Life magazines are the ones that show their faces on the cover.
Twenty-five years ago, everyone was collecting movie star memorabilia. Today, sports collectibles, especially from baseball, are the hottest items. With a wealth of material available, baseball memorabilia is fun to collect, whether your collection is an historical aspect of the game, a hometown team, a favorite player, or some unique criteria based on your own personal interests.
Ken Gloss is the owner of the Brattle Book Shop in Boston, the oldest antiquarian bookstore in America. The Brattle Book Shop is currently celebrating its 58th year of ownership by the Gloss family. Visit the shop at 9 West Street in downtown Boston, their website at: http://www.brattlebookshop.com or call them at 800-447-9595. Ken can be seen on PBS’ “Antiques Roadshow” from time to time.
By William C. Shelton
(The opinions and views expressed in the commentaries of The Somerville News belong solely to the authors of those commentaries and do not reflect the views or opinions of The Somerville News, its staff or publishers.)
Presuming to define love is an act of hubris. So please understand that I am writing about what love means to me.
I should explain that I’m not talking about the completely selfless love ancient Greeks called “agape” and Christians call “grace.” That is a love that is inspired by the beloved’s mere existence, and it endures no matter how pleasing or disgusting, kind or cruel, loving or hateful the beloved’s behavior may be.
Instead, I’m talking about love that emerges from clearly seeing the beloved and being moved by what you see. It is impossible to love people in this way without knowing who and what they are. You can’t love what you don’t know. But genuinely knowing the loved one inspires delight and a desire to know more.
This is not romance, which we imagine just happens to us. It is an act of will. It isn’t so much a state of being as a process of becoming, requiring skills that we develop and improve only through practice.
With growing knowledge and delight comes a desire to enable our beloved to become fully him- or herself, to overcome what constrains them, to realize their full potential. Real love expresses itself through a commitment to learn and do what is necessary to make this happen. It has the power to transform both the lover and the beloved.
It is not a feeling. But it produces the richest feelings that humans experience. It is not a means to an end. It is the end itself, and it need never end.
When we live with this kind of love, so much becomes possible. Without it, nothing is enough. Its presence supports good physical and mental health, and its absence undermines them.
Psychologists and sociologists have conducted numerous studies of relationships. Partners who have sustained fulfilling unions over many years cite romance as one of the least essential elements in making their relationships work. Factors like communication, affection, compassion, honesty, acceptance, dependability, and a sense of humor dominate romance in their responses.
With loving comes vulnerability to disappointment and hurt. And inevitably, we hurt each other.
Being hurt when we are vulnerable activates a complex network of feelings, painful memories, a sense of betrayal, and old behavior patterns. These obscure accurate perception of the moment and of each other. They undermine our capacity to respond in the most effective way. At such times we can momentarily forget all the love and caring that we have shared.
When we feel anger, it is useful before reacting to consider all the things that we love about the other. It may not make us less angry, but it can make us more effective in expressing it.
Acceptance doesn’t mean tolerating a pattern of hurtful behavior. But effective criticism involves expressing how such behavior hurts us. It means confronting what is, with what realistically could be. It involves making an effort to understand what lies behind the other’s behavior.
Such understanding does not come easily, and especially when we are hurt. It requires honesty, listening to each other, and looking at the shared conflict through each other’s eyes. If we do this, we can recognize that the other’s experience is as authentic as our own. We can craft solutions that honor each other’s experience of the situation.
We come to understand that deep trust does not come from what we have in common. It comes from reconciling our differences. This is where acceptance can come in. If we can’t craft effective solutions, sometimes we must just accept the other’s annoying behaviors, recognizing that they are not motivated by malice or indifference.
Each of us has disagreeable behaviors. But when we clearly see what the other is struggling with and how they’re doing the best they know how, it’s difficult not to love them.
It’s also important to accept that we don’t love each other with the same constant intensity. That’s an ideal that can be striven for but never achieved.
Intensity flows, ebbs, and flows again. Idealizing love ensures that it will never live up to our expectations. We should expect what is reasonable, not what is perfect.
All that I have said thus far need not apply to loving only one person. We can apply what we learn in a loving relationship to others.
We can love our country, seeing past symbols like its flag and politicians to the underlying reality of its people and land. We can care about a group that has experienced common distress and faces common challenges.
We can even love our city. But doing so requires delving beyond public relations happy talk, understanding its underlying reality, and embracing its potential.
So that’s what I think about love. If it sounds self-righteous, I apologize. I’m no expert in such matters. In fact, I’m just a beginner.
