Month: March 2020

City of Gloucester Coronavirus Advisory

-Number of actions in place to prevent community transmission

-Local officials urge social distancing to slow the spread of the virus

GLOUCESTER, Mass. (March 21, 2020) – Mayor Sefatia Romeo Theken and the City of Gloucester’s COVID-19 Response Team have taken significant unprecedented precautionary measures to limit person-to-person contact and to slow the spread of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19). As of this morning, Saturday, March 21, 2020, there are 3 confirmed cases of COVID-19 in the City of Gloucester.

This is not an unexpected development and our local health officials have been preparing for this scenario.  The number of cases in Massachusetts, and Essex County, increase daily and the City expects this number to rise as testing becomes more widely available.

Once notified, the City’s Health Department began their investigation which includes tracing back these individuals’ recent contacts.  If you have not been contacted by the Gloucester Board of Health (BOH), you are not considered a contact of any of these cases.

At this time, all individuals are recovering at home and following the recommended isolation protocols.  The Gloucester Health Department will be in regular contact with these individuals to monitor their status and condition.

City of Gloucester Public Health Director Karin Carroll said, “We’ve seen a spike in cases in Massachusetts and across the nation.  The Gloucester BOH and the City of Gloucester have been preparing for the last several weeks for the arrival of COVID-19 in our community. The City has been at the forefront on planning for this outbreak and has taken appropriate steps to adapt to the situation.”

In consultation with Gloucester’s BOH, Mayor Romeo Theken has taken a number of actions in the interest of public health and safety and to prevent community transmission of coronavirus, including:

·         Closed all Gloucester Publics Schools before the state mandate;

·         Closed all municipals buildings to the public;

·         Declared a State of Emergency in the City of Gloucester to implement broad emergency measures to ensure public health and safety;

·         Ordered the closure of all City playgrounds; and

·         Earlier today issued an emergency order for all personal care businesses in the city to close by 12:00 p.m. on Sunday, March 22.  Personal care business include, but are not limited to:  hair salons, barbershops, nail salons, day spas, message and body work establishments, tattoo, piercing and body art establishments, aesthetics establishments, tanning salons, gyms and fitness centers.

 

The City’s COVID-19 Response Team continue to work closely and meet regularly to discuss the latest guidance and determine the actions needed to keep the City prepared as the situation continues to evolve.  Mayor Romeo Theken is being briefed daily to coordinate efforts across City departments. The Mayor and City officials are also joining daily briefings with state and federal officials to coordinate containment strategies regionally while at the same time prioritizing public communication and ensuring critical continuity of City operations.

 

According to the CDC, symptoms of the virus appear within 2-14 days of exposure. The DPH reports that symptoms of COVID-19 include fever, cough, shortness of breath and pneumonia in severe cases.  Anyone who displays symptoms of COVID-19 are advised to contact their primary care physician.

Mayor Romeo Theken said, “We are relying on you, our residents, to help us slow the spread of the virus in our community.  This is a very fluid situation with many fast moving developments.  Everyone in Gloucester needs to follow all the local and state guidelines and recommendations.  Please check in on your family, neighbors and friends – especially seniors.  We all have a responsibility to do our part to keep each other and our City safe.”

 

The Gloucester Health Department and the Mayor’s Office encourage the following precautions to prevent infectious diseases from spreading:

·         Wash your hands frequently, with soap and water, for a minimum of 20 seconds;

·         If you are sick, stay home to protect others;

·         Using proper techniques when coughing or sneezing;

·         Avoiding touching your face;

·         Clean frequently touched surfaces and objects daily;

·         Practice social distancing (remain at least 6-foot distance between others); and

·         Restrict all social interactions to essential activities, such as getting food, medicine and gas.

 

Mayor Romeo Theken said, “Our City has always pulled together during difficult and trying times.  The thoughts of the entire community are with the affected individuals and their families.  Together we will all get through this.”

 

For more information about COVID-19, call 2-1-1 from any landline or cellphone, visit the City’s website www.gloucester-ma.gov, the state’s website www.mass.gov, or the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention website www.cdc.gov .

We are confident the hygienic precautions at Savour minimize risk to remain a safe environment. Our plan is to remain open as usual and in compliance with city, state 

and federal guidance.

For your convenience, peace of mind and a desire to limit social contact, we are 

expanding our “To Home” delivery program throughout the week, including Sunday and Monday, 7-days .

Home Delivery: Guidelines to Place Your Order  

-Call – (978) 282. 1455, Tues. -Sat., during business hours.  

-Call – (312) 286. 1924,  Sundays & Mondays,

-email: kathleen@savourwineandcheese.com …anytime.     

We have all your recent purchases on our database for reference, and I can select wines for you, please ask.      

>Free Delivery (Gloucester, Rockport, Manchester, Magnolia and Essex).

>Minimum Purchase of $50 includes: wine, beer, cheese, charcuterie, pantry item, bread, snacks… everything Savor.  

>Require a person 21yrs to receive order & please provide recipient’s phone # to confirm delivery time. 

> http://savourwineandcheese.com/

homepage for list of prepared foods for take out. 

>Delivery schedule: by arrangement, usually same or next day.  

Curbside Pickup: Please call ahead, orders arranged to your schedule.

Store Hours: Tuesday – Saturday 11AM -6PM

Healthy Food PS: We are ramping up our production of our fortified chicken bone broth 

our fortified broth: Misty Knoll Farm chicken, onion, celery, carrot, cabbage, filtered water, ginger, turmeric root, sea kelp, dried mushroom, garlic, parsley, thyme, rosemary, apple cider vinegar, Himalayan pink salt, black peppercorns, bay leaf, avocado oil, lemon zest, lemon juice and cayenne pepper.

We have also made up our three popular stews: Tuscan Vegetable (Vegetarian), Beef Barley, and Brunswick County Chicken Vegetable.  We vacuum seal them the day we make them and freeze them in Mason jars for a one year shelf life,

We also picked up breads from our supplier, Boulart in Montreal, Canada. both olive ciabatta and baguettes selling frozen. Reheat from frozen – 350 degrees for 15 minutes and you have freshly-baked bread! 

We hope these enhanced services will complement your efforts to safeguard your health by proactive social distancing.  Be well, be safe, be thoughtful to others.   

                                                              – Kathleen Morgan and the Savour Team.

www.mass.gov/covid19

#covid19ma

Census Day is April 1 2020. The US Census is mandated by the Constitution to be taken every ten years and the data that results drives federal funding for local schools, roads, hospitals, fire departments and others. The resulting data is also used to determine seats in the US House of Representatives and helps determine those district borders.

And that’s all important stuff, yes…BUT census records are one of the most valuable tools for family history research! Individual census records don’t become available until 72 years later (for 2020, that would be 2092 and I’ll be forced to miss that one……). The most recent census available is from 1940 and we are lucky enough to have it available free from Ancestry.com and FamilySearch.org.  Anyone can look at them anytime…like under the current circumstances of our at-home time. Here’s an example from Gloucester that highlights some familiar family names…see Ciaramitaro and Orlando? These provide a glimpse into life just prior to our entry into World War II.

It’s very easy to do your part and submit your 2020 Census report. You should receive an “invitation” by mail. You can respond by mail, phone or online. It’s required by law  and you might have a little extra time on your hands anyhow. I filled ours out online in just about 10 minutes. Your descendants will be very thankful!  Here is a link to some common questions.  

source: @rolandparis

https://theopendoor.networkforgood.com/?fbclid=IwAR3kg7YJhrK48M2NmENGxFr-fhuXgzCJd_uuoYL2Z0sBH8qShXbJBrvS_1A

Four turkeys climbing on our cars, and a new roof ornament.

Update from the Massachusetts Cultural Council (MCC)

We are collecting data from the field on how Coronavirus is impacting you or your organization. Please respond to our survey for artists and arts and culture educators and/or our survey for cultural organizations by Sunday, March 22 at 11:59pm (EST). We have begun conversations with state legislators on future state mitigation efforts and we want to make sure they are able to craft this legislation with real data and impacts in mind. 

MCC Covid-19 Impact survey for Artists/Individuals here

MCC Covid-19 Impact survey for Cultural Organizations here

And check the MCC COVID-19 Resources page for more updates and resources.

About the Mass Cultural Council

The Mass Cultural Council is a state agency supporting the arts, sciences, and humanities, to improve the quality of life in Massachusetts and its communities. It pursues its mission through a combination of grants, services, and advocacy for nonprofit cultural organizations, schools, communities, and artists.