Day: February 7, 2024

Nominations Requested for Gloucester Historical Commission 2024 Preservation Awards

Posted on by Joey Ciaramitaro

The Gloucester Historical Commission is seeking nominations for awards to be presented to individuals, organizations or groups in the following categories:

 

·      Lifetime Achievement

·      Restoration and Rehabilitation

·      Local Preservation

·      Archaeology

·      Stewardship

·      Adaptive Reuse

·      Education and Outreach

·      Preserving Gloucester History

 

These awards are designed to inspire others while recognizing contributions to Gloucester’s history and culture.

 

Please send your nominations with a brief description to Lillian Olmsted at lillian.olmsted@gmail.com no later than February 28, 2024.

 

The Historical Commission will review submissions and send an award confirmation letter to those who best represent the categories listed above. Awardees will participate in the awards ceremony with a short presentation of their project.

 

The ceremony will be held on Sunday, May 19, 2024 between 2:00 PM and 4:00 PM in the Granite Gallery Auditorium at Cape Ann Museum. 

City of Gloucester and Sawyer Free Library Collaborate on Digital Equity Planning Initiative

Posted on by Joey Ciaramitaro

Plan aims to address barriers and close the digital divide

The City of Gloucester is proud to partner with the Sawyer Free Library to create the City’s first-ever Digital Equity Plan; this planning effort officially launched in November 2023 and is currently entering the community engagement phase.

The Digital Equity Plan, developed in collaboration with the Metropolitan Area Planning Council (MAPC), aims to bridge the digital divide within the community by assessing the three pillars of digital equity:  broadband connection, device access, and device literacy. 

“Access to reliable internet and understanding how to use this technology is pivotal to some of the most basic of things in life, like viewing your medical records online or applying for a job,” said Mayor Greg Verga. “We recognize that there are members of our City that may face different barriers than others, so this plan will help us identify those obstacles and understand what the challenges are. The plan will help us look ahead to the future and put forward realistic recommendations to help bridge these gaps.” 

The planning effort will be comprised of four phases, including:

  • Existing conditions Assessment and Data Analysis, December 2023 – February 2024
  • Community Engagement and Qualitative Research,  January – March 2024
  • Action Plan Development, February – April 2024
  • Documentation and Plan Communication, February – May 2024

“Sawyer Free Library is at the forefront of the work to close the digital divide in Gloucester and is recognized for its leadership in addressing public Internet access since the pandemic,” said Library Director Jenny Benedict.  “We are thrilled to see increased investment in our community and to work with community partners to  prioritize recommendations that are going to make the biggest difference and help the most number of people.” 

The City, the Library and MAPC will work with relevant stakeholders within the community to assess the current shortfalls through online community surveys, interviews, and focus groups.  

To learn more about Gloucester’s Digital Equity Plan, visit:https://digitalequity.gloucester-ma.gov/home. This project is fully funded by the Massachusetts Broadband Institute’s Municipal Digital Equity Planning Program. By having a Municipal Digital Equity Plan, Gloucester will be eligible for future digital equity funding opportunities through the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, including allocations from federal resources and programs.

Not Only Is It Wednesday Night 50 Cent Wing Night At Minglewood Harborside But They Added A Bonus For Reward Members!!!

Posted on by Joey Ciaramitaro

~ SAM

Looking for storage? Grove Street Self Storage is filling up fast, don’t wait until it’s too late! Call today 978-878-4524

Posted on by Joey Ciaramitaro

-151 Climate-controlled storage units ranging in sizing
-40 Parking spaces to rent for your boat, RV, trailer…
-Convenient, 24 hour, gated access
-Everything monitored by security cameras
-Free carts to move your stuff
-Boxes & moving supplies for sale on site
-Safe, secure, dry facility
-Easy online payment

For rates & availability go to www.GroveStreetSelfStorage.com
Or give us a call at 978-879-4524
Office hours: Monday-Friday, 8am-5pm
61A Grove Street, Gloucester

Bravo By The Sea Manchester Dinner Fun

Posted on by Pat D

We thought it would be fun to take Bravo By The Sea in Manchester up on the offer to provide one free beverage with a dine in experience Mon-Thursday, so we stopped by Monday evening. We were greeted by our friendly server Sari and comfortably seated in the separate side room on Beach St in Manchester. There were a moderate number of other diners enjoying a Monday meal. We ordered a BLT and a meatball sub. The bread and sauce on the meatball sub were just perfectly suited to my tastes and Jim ate every bit of his BLT. Sari was attentive and efficient and let us know early on that we could take advantage of the special offer, which was welcome news. We enjoyed the meal and the atmosphere. and encourage you to consider it especially on a Monday when many places are closed.

Concert on Sunday! CAS Musicians Unleashed: BLAZING BRASS!

Posted on by Catherine

Cape Ann Symphony Musicians Unleashed Concert Series

SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 11 at 3:00PM

BLAZING BRASS!

at Gloucester’s St. Paul Lutheran Church

Featuring SAMUEL COSTA Trumpet; KURT CHARLES, Trumpet; EARL POWERS, Horn; JOHN MITCHELL, Trombone ROB NEEDS, Tuba

Cape Ann Symphony proudly announces the Musicians Unleashed Concert, Blazing Brass!, on Sunday, February 11, 2024 at 3:00 PM at The  St. Paul Lutheran Church, 1123 Washington Street, Gloucester. The ticket price for Blazing Brass! is $40 for Adults and $15 for Youth.  Call CAS at 978-281-0543 or go to www.capeannsymphony.org to purchase tickets. The Cape Ann Symphony’s Musicians Unleashed programs were launched in 2019 and have become a wonderfully popular series with an overwhelmingly enthusiastic audience response.

Blazing Brass! celebrates the brass section of the orchestra and features 5 accomplished brass players including Ipswich resident and CAS principal horn, Earl Powers; Samuel Costa, trumpet; Kurt Charles, trumpet; John Mitchell, trombone; and Rob Needs, tuba. These 5 musicians have planned an exciting journey of brass music through the decades featuring the music of George M. Cohan, Duke Ellington, Fats Waller, Leonard Bernstein and America’s March King John Philip Sousa. The program for Blazing Brass! includes the classics:  Just a Closer Walk With Thee, Amazing Grace; The Saints’ Hallelujah and America The Beautiful; Jaime Texidor Dalmau ‘s Amparito Roca; Fats Waller’s Ain’t Misbehavin’; John Philip Sousa’s Fairest of the Fair; Duke Ellington’s It Don’t Mean A Thing; and  Selections from  Leonard Bernstein’s West Side Story: Maria, Tonight, I Feel Pretty and Somewhere.

THE PLAYERS:

Earl Powers is currently the principal horn of the Cape Ann Symphony and has been a

member of the 215th Army Band since 2012. Earl received his Bachelor of Music degree from Wichita State University and his Master’s degree from the University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music. Prior to joining the 215th , he was principal horn for 10 years in the United States Navy Band in Washington, DC, and spent two years as 3rd horn in the Barcelona Symphony Orchestra. In 1989 Earl was selected as a Rotary Scholar from District 569 in Kansas and spent a year abroad studying horn at the Hochschule “Mozarteum” in Salzburg, Austria. Now a software engineer by day and a horn player by night, Earl lives in Ipswich with his amazing and talented wife, Susanne,along with their four equally talented and amazing children.

Samuel Costa is currently the Director of Bands at Ponaganset Middle School in North Scituate, Rhode Island. He has also held the position of Principal Trumpet for the 215th Army Band of the Massachusetts Army National Guard for the last 24 years. He has performed all over New England and is a founding member of the Nebula Brass Quintet.Samuel has performed frequently with the Cape Ann Symphony in addition to other orchestras, including the Rhode Island Philharmonic, Cape Cod Symphony, and Rhode Island Civic Chorale and Orchestra.

Kurt Charles was born and raised in Manchester, Connecticut, where he started playing the trumpet in grade school. He has worked as a local musician performing for church services, marching bands, dance bands, and musicals around Connecticut and Western Massachusetts. Kurt studied music education at the University of Massachusetts Amherst from 2011 to 2016. He joined the 215th Army National Guard Band of Massachusetts in 2012 and is a member of the Commonwealth Brass Quintet. Kurt currently resides in Stafford Springs, Connecticut and works full time in the field of Information technology while continuing to serve as an Army Bandsman in Massachusetts and a civilian musician in his local community.

John Mitchell, a trombonist of unwavering passion, embarked on his musical journey at the University of Massachusetts Lowell, where he cultivated his skills and developed a profound appreciation for the art. Currently, he proudly serves in the 215th Army Band,showcasing both his musical prowess and dedication to his country. Alongside his military commitments, John finds fulfillment in shaping the next generation of musicians through private lessons. With a rich blend of training, service, and a love for teaching,  John Mitchell continues to leave an indelible mark on the world of music.

Rob Needs started playing euphonium in 1972. He joined the 215th Army Band in 1980, started learning tuba in 1985, and in 1987 became the principal tuba player for the Army Band. Rob recently retired with 41 years of service! Rob has played on severa loccasions with the Cape Ann Symphony on tuba and is currently the principal French horn player in the Southeastern Philharmonic Orchestra and Our Lady of Light band. Additionally he is lead trombonist in the Swansea Community Musicians, euphonium player in the Saint Cecilia Philharmonic Band, tuba player in the Nebula Brass Quintet, French horn player in the North River Brass Quintet, and regularly switches instrumentsas needed in the Bridgewater Antiphonal Brass Society. He has performed vocally, on bass guitar, on keyboards, and has written brass quintet arrangements, several of which are being performed today.

Blazing Brass! is  Sunday, February 11 at 3:00 PM at The  St. Paul Lutheran Church, 1123 Washington Street, Gloucester. Ticket prices for Blazing Brass!  are $40 for Adults and $15 for Youth. Call Cape Ann Symphony at 978-281-0543 or go to www.capeannsymphony.org for tickets.

Photos  Attached:

  • Photo 1: Samuel Costa, Trumpet
  • Photo 2: Earl Powers. CAS Principal Horn and Ipswich resident
  • Photo 3: John Mitchell, Trombone
  • Photo 4: Kurt Charles, Trumpet
  • Photo 5: Rob Needs, 

Classes for all ages!

Posted on by Catherine

February school vacation week at Cape Ann YMCA

printable here

feb2024vacationclassesflyerDownload

Author Talk with Eric Lessinger: Stethoscope on Reality

Posted on by Joey Ciaramitaro

~ SAWYER FREE LIBRARY

Please join the Sawyer Free Library at 21 Main Street this Thursday, February 8 at 5:30 p.m. for an author talk with Gloucester resident, Eric Lessinger, who will be discussing his book Stethoscope on Reality: how my journey as a working-class Jew from Brooklyn informed my 50 years of medical practice, opening my heart and mind.

In his book, Dr. Lessinger documents his education as a striving, intelligent, upwardly mobile student in New York City public schools who went to Harvard College and NYU Medical School. He exposes the oppressive nature of medical training, from medical school through the years as an intern and resident. Overwork, exhaustion, humiliation in front of one’s peers, and competition rather than cooperation were routine parts of his daily experience. Still, he refused to relinquish his full humanity in the process. Working as a family doctor, utilizing both science and deep caring, he is not defensive about his mistakes, but rather, honest and remarkably willing to show us his vulnerability.

Eric Lessinger, MD grew up in Brooklyn, New York. He is a family doctor who graduated from NYU Medical School in 1972 and did his internship at Lincoln Hospital in Bronx, New York. He completed his residency in Rochester, New York. He practiced Family Medicine and Hospice and Palliative care in Trumansburg, New York, near Ithaca, for many years. He is now happily retired and lives in Gloucester, Massachusetts, with his wife Meredith and two cats. 

No registration required for the event. For more information, visit sawyerfreelibrary.org.

Details: Thursday, February 8, 2024 from 5:30-6:30pm at Sawyer Free Library at 21 Main Street.