Month: June 2020

We rarely see the fleet as close to Eastern Point as it was this morning.

Parker River Wildlife Refuge announces on its Facebook page that it is reopening to motor vehicle traffic today Thurs June 4. This is one of my very favorite places to go and I have been missing it badly, so this is great news for us and I hope for others as well.  This is part of their announcement:

As of June 4, 2020, access to the refuge is as follows:

These are from my last visit April 14. I wonder if they miss me……see you again very soon! Now waiting for good news from Mass Audubon……..

• Short-term Rental & Mortgage Assistance is Now Available   Action Inc. has new short-term rental and mortgage assistance available for renters and homeowners who have recently lost their jobs, been furloughed, or lost significant income due to COVID-19.   We have the following new COVID-related assistance available:   –  Rental and mortgage assistance for Gloucester residents up to 80% Area Median Income –  Rental assistance for Ipswich residents up to 80% Area Median Income –  Rental and mortgage assistance for Manchester residents up to 100% Area Median Income   We have some existing funds available to assist Rockport and Essex renters and homeowners, as well.   If you need assistance, please contact us at 978-282-1000 to complete a short intake and schedule an appointment with one of our Client Services advocates. If you are approved, you may receive assistance with back or future rent or mortgage payments, based on your current income. This new funding has been made available thanks to the City of Gloucester Community Preservation Act, the Manchester Affordable Housing Trust, and the Ipswich Affordable Housing Trust Fund. Visit our Client Services page for more information. Action Inc. 180 Main Street Gloucester, MA 01930 Email not displaying correctly? View it in your browser Unsubscribe

  

  ---

• 

  Megan Merlin <mail@networkforgood.com>

  To:goodmorninggloucester@yahoo.com

  Mon, Jun 1 at 2:24 PM

  Short-term Rental & Mortgage Assistance is Now Available   Action Inc. has new short-term rental and mortgage assistance available for renters and homeowners who have recently lost their jobs, been furloughed, or lost significant income due to COVID-19.   We have the following new COVID-related assistance available:   –  Rental and mortgage assistance for Gloucester residents up to 80% Area Median Income –  Rental assistance for Ipswich residents up to 80% Area Median Income –  Rental and mortgage assistance for Manchester residents up to 100% Area Median Income   We have some existing funds available to assist Rockport and Essex renters and homeowners, as well.   If you need assistance, please contact us at 978-282-1000 to complete a short intake and schedule an appointment with one of our Client Services advocates. If you are approved, you may receive assistance with back or future rent or mortgage payments, based on your current income. This new funding has been made available thanks to the City of Gloucester Community Preservation Act, the Manchester Affordable Housing Trust, and the Ipswich Affordable Housing Trust Fund. Visit our Client Services page for more information.

It was a little bit gray and overcast but that didn’t stop the fun at Good Harbor Beach one weekday afternoon recently. There seemed to be more birds than people. The lifeguards appeared a bit lonely and chilled but the nesting plover appeared calm and in charge. Others braved the water or just read.

The plover exclosure and the nesting plover. They are well camouflaged!

GMG contributor Pat Dalpiaz (yours truly) was recently interviewed by renowned genealogist and podcaster Lisa Louise Cooke for an episode of Genealogy Gems Premium. It was Gloucester hero John Handran’s story as told here on Good Morning Gloucester as well as on my personal family history blog Gathering the Cousins that Lisa thought her listeners might like to hear.

It’s a story I’ve told here previously. John Handran was a US Naval seaman on duty in Lisbon Portugal in 1876 when he rescued a fellow seaman from drowning. Apparently this was not his first successful rescue, and it did earn him the US Medal of Honor as presented by President U.S. Grant. He was only 24 at the time. A few years later he married Sarah Campbell and they made a home here in Gloucester with 3 children.

John’s life was cut short in 1885 upon the sinking of the Schooner Cleopatra, itself an amazing tale. His story has been told in our family circles for many years thanks largely to the research skills of our cousin George Handran, a former Gloucester resident and esteemed genealogist.

Now, thanks to the work done as told in this podcast episode, John’s memory is honored by a plaque placed at Calvary Cemetery just prior to the quarantine. This was an arduous effort finally come to fruition due in part to the wide reach of the Good Morning Gloucester blog. Researchers looking to honor John Handran found me through GMG and the story began! It’s a lesson in how far and wide the interests of the readers and followers of the blog stretch.

When restrictions are lifted, a dedication ceremony will be held at Calvary Cemetery and I hope anyone interested or related can attend. I would love to  meet you all.

Lisa Louise Cooke has generously made this episode freely available here. Genealogy Gems Premium is a paid subscription service and is worth every penny of the $49.95 per year for its reasoned advice and responsive nature. Please give a listen as yours truly tells the story of researching Gloucester resident John Handran to verify his service to our country and his heroic acts.  If you cannot listen, read the story as told in the shownotes.  His story might have been lost to history but now can be celebrated.

Thank you readers and listeners for sharing these stories widely. Thank you Joey for your vision and support for all of us who love Gloucester.

HomieCast 28 Livestream 

Click To Subscribe(make sure you verify your email address)-

—

Here are some of the many Mallards at Niles Pond.

Drift Cafe announced on their Facebook page that they plan to reopen June 8 at 10 AM.  That’s only 5 days from now, by my count!! This seems a very positive sign of hope to me. Sharing their menu from the Facebook page.

They are also looking for help: Servers, cooks, bartenders, Hosts. Rick@driftgloucesrer.com. Tell him about yourself. Experienced only please.

(Image borrowed from Facebook page)