Local Same Shirt Prank Goes Viral

Hi! We did a prank on our husbands at Cape Ann Lanes this past weekend and the video is going viral on TikTok (88k views as of today)! We thought maybe you’d want to share it on the Facebook page so others could enjoy. I made the video myself so no issue with copyright or anything like that. Let me know if you’d like any additional info!

Thanks,

Rachael Deary

Here’s a collection of Gloucester promos for Gloucester’s So Salty Jan 25&26

As more come in I’ll add them to the mix!

From Cape Ann Museum:

Free and open to the public
Celebrate the fish city’s recognizably salty character with local cultural institutions and businesses during the 4th Annual Gloucester’s So Salty festival on January 25 and 26, 2025 from 10:00 am – 5:00 pm! Over 1,800 people came out last year to share their salty pride while enjoying free ice sculptures and cultural activities around Downtown Gloucester.
The Cape Ann Museum is partnering with Discover Gloucester and several local cultural institutions and businesses to offer two full days of free programming in the coldest part of the year. Inspired by the annual Salem’s So Sweet event, this two-day event will include ice sculptures, live music, salty treats, free kids’ art activities, and much more.

Please send me your promos and I’ll add you.

Way more programming to be announced in the coming days!

Seals at Brace Cove

The other day went over to Brace Cove and Gloucester’s winter friends were enjoying the sun on the rocks.  The seal were far out but look how cute are they.

Brunch At 525

We were invited to podcast from Magnolia 525 on Lexington Ave Sunday morning and their brunch menu was at the top of our list of discussion points. Brunch is served 10:30-2 on Sundays then the full menu becomes available. If you haven’t tried this place out in a while, it’s definitely a worthwhile stop for delicious food, warm and welcoming atmosphere and to see your neighbors! Tamie and Larry were very gracious hosts and we had a great time. Some brunch menu items include a variety of mimosa flavors, eggs, french toast, quiche, crab cakes benedict and MORE!

Special thanks to my undercover photographer who gets all the photo cred but can’t be revealed because of the undercover nature of the work 🙂

Gloucester Fishermen vs Triton Vikings Boys Varsity Hockey (Replay) 1/6/25 From Cape Ann Live

Gloucester Fishermen vs Triton Vikings Boys Varsity Hockey (Replay) 1/6/25
https://youtu.be/sGR1pqtxA1o

City of Gloucester Works with MAPC to Develop Digital Equity Plan to Bridge the Digital Divide and Empower Residents

Gloucester, a vital economic anchor for the Greater Cape Ann region, faces challenges similar to those of Massachusetts’ Gateway Cities, including ensuring that all residents can access and take full advantage of the online environment. To address this challenge, the City of Gloucester — specifically the Sawyer Free Library and municipal IT Department — has been working with the Metropolitan Area Planning Council (MAPC) to develop Gloucester’s first Digital Equity Plan. This plan is a roadmap for how the community can address the digital divide by helping underconnected residents better access the Internet and obtain the devices and digital skills needed to fully participate in digital and everyday life. The Gloucester City Council heard a presentation on the Digital Equity Plan on Tuesday, December 10, 2024. 

“The digital divide in Gloucester highlights the need for increased accessibility. Our city is taking steps to ensure that all residents have the opportunity to learn and build technology skills as the online environment becomes increasingly more important for educational attainment, upward economic mobility and personal well-being,” said Mayor Greg Verga.

The plan has been developed and funded as part of the Mass Broadband Institute’s Municipal Digital Equity Planning Program, and consists of existing conditions assessment, community engagement analysis and recommended actions that the community can collectively take, as well as recommendations for resources to implement them. Once approved by the Massachusetts Broadband Institute, the City will be eligible for certain grants and funding sources, including the Massachusetts Broadband Institute’s Municipal Digital Equity Implementation Grant program

“Gloucester’s Digital Equity Plan is an actionable plan that will drive the strategic investment of resources to deliver equitable access, opportunities and outcomes for all Gloucester households,” stated Sawyer Free Library Director Jenny Benedict, who co-led the planning process. “We are so grateful to all the community partners and focus group participants for engaging in this planning process and providing thoughtful and valuable feedback which has informed the recommendations.”

The digital divide does not impact all households equally, and as in many Massachusetts Gateway Cities, income disparity poses a barrier for the community of Gloucester. Many households struggle to afford basic necessities, including internet access and computing devices. Gloucester’s rates of over 10.7% of households lacking internet access and over 7% of households lacking a computer are high figures compared to neighboring municipalities and compared to Essex County as a whole. This gap disproportionately affects residents of color, non-English speaking residents, and immigrants.

After spending much of the last year reviewing data and conducting outreach to residents and community leaders, MAPC alongside the Sawyer Free Library and municipal IT Department, have compiled findings and recommendations for the community into a plan document. Recommendations include ways to support internet access, such as providing public Wi-Fi in community spaces, or subsidized or free internet at public housing sites. The plan also includes recommendations to expand digital literacy and device access programs, as well as to build capacity, for instance, by forming a Gloucester Digital Equity Steering Committee and launching the Digital Learning Lab at the Sawyer Free Library.

Links