As many of you know, my 10-year-old nephew Patrick was diagnosed with DIPG, a rare and aggressive form of brain cancer, in September 2025. It has been an incredibly long and challenging 11 months for my sister, Patrick, and my niece, Camilla, and our entire family.
To help support them, a group of us, together with the North Shore Music Theatre, have come together to create a special evening filled with music, laughter, and community.
Please join us on August 24th from 6–8 PM at the North Shore Music Theatre!
We are incredibly excited to welcome:
Jake Ryan Flynn — our host and Broadway star
Jolie Lubar — actor & singer
Jenn Gambatese — actor & singer
Justin Federico — singer & songwriter
It will be a wonderful night with incredible performances, special surprises, and, most importantly, an opportunity to come together and show Patrick and our family just how much they are loved and supported.
We would absolutely love to see you there! Please click the link to purchase your tickets and join us for this very special evening.
Thank you all for your continued love, kindness, and support as we navigate this journey together. It means more to our family than I can put into words. 💚
Katelyn
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GLOUCESTER, MA – The City of Gloucester will launch a new municipal trash and recycling collection program with Casella Waste Management beginning October 1, 2026, replacing the City’s Purple Bag program with automated cart collection.
The new program is designed to make collection safer and more efficient, and reduce litter. The City’s Municipal Waste Collection Program applies to single-family homes and multifamily properties with up to four units.
Each eligible unit will receive a City-provided trash cart and recycling cart. Residents will automatically be enrolled in the Standard Service:
Size Down Option: 35-gallon trash cart and choice of 35- or 65-gallon recycling cart for $200 annually ($50 per quarter)
Residents who are satisfied with the Standard Service do not need to take any action. Annual fees are billed quarterly on property utility bills.
Residents 65 and older are eligible for a 50% senior discount on their selected service tier at their primary residence.
Residents who need additional capacity may purchase additional carts. Residents with a private hauler contract may also opt out of the municipal program by submitting the required documentation.
See below for the important dates associated with the new service:
August 31: Deadline to request Size Down service, apply for the senior discount or submit an opt-out request.
Week of September 3: Casella begins delivering new carts. Residents’ regular collection day will remain the same.
September 3: Final appliance pickup under the existing yellow sticker program.
September 30: Final day Purple Bags and existing bulk stickers will be accepted.
October 1: Automated collection begins. All trash must fit inside the City-issued cart with the lid fully closed. Overflow bags will not be collected.
Beginning October 1, appliance pickups will occur monthly and bulk items will be collected city-wide on Fridays. Residents can schedule these services directly with Casella at 800-CASELLA.
Seasonal homes, vacation rentals, short-term rentals, Airbnbs and ADUs are subject to the annual fee for the service tier selected.
Residents can find service forms to apply for Size Down service, apply for the senior discount or submit an opt-out request, request additional carts, and can find additional information at www.gloucester-ma.gov/trashforms.
City staff will also be available to assist residents with forms:
Rose Baker Center for Aging Well
August 25, 9:00AM – 11:00AM
August 28, 11:00AM – 12:00PM
Cape Ann Veterans Services
August 25, 12:00PM – 2:00PM
August 28, 9:00AM – 10:00AM
Questions can also be directed to the Gloucester DPW Business Office at 978-325-5600.
— Mayor Paul Lundberg City of Gloucester
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Discover the magic when individual objects, no matter how similar or different, are joined into an entirely new work at the Cove Gallery in Rocky Neck, August 27, 2026 – September 20, 2026 Cove Gallery. The opening reception is Thursday, August 27 from 5 to 8pm.
The act of assembly reveals, to the artist, new forms, new relationships of color and shape. Perhaps another unit can be placed over here, or a new piece added there, giving a fresh and unexpected whole. These works by five Rocky Neck members explore assemblage, in its broadest sense. Using materials ranging from wire, corrugated cardboard, reclaimed wood and hardware, to toy figures, rocks, and recycled flameworked glass the pieces become, in the hands of the contributing artists, surprising and delightful 3-D works.
The artists in this show include:
David Covert has been involved in art making for nearly fifty years. Basically self-taught, by virtue of continuing to draw, paint, and occasionally sculpt since the late sixties. Much of his work has been in the two-dimensional arts, dominated by drawing and painting and printmaking. His training has been mostly informal, interspersed with individual classes at Boston area art schools including the Museum School of the MFA, Mass College of Art, and the late DeCordova Museum school. For more information see https://www.davidcovert.art/.
Brian Murphy graduated from Rhode Island School of Design, then off to NYC honing agency skills. He settled in Beverly, Massachusetts, where he continues to work with ad agencies and individual clients. In-between he still finds time to create original artwork made from scrap materials. To learn more, visit https://brianmurphyartanddesign.com/.
Marion Powers is a mixed media artist and a painter who lives and works in Manchester-by-the-Sea. Her studio practice draws upon a lifetime of travel from the streets of Paris to the jungles of Borneo with her work inspired by the colors, landscapes and visual impressions of places she has experienced. Her assemblages incorporate objects collected during her travels. She earned her BFA from Massachusetts College of Art and Design. Her work is held in private collections in New York City, Cape Ann and beyond.
Judy Robinson-Cox creates miniature shadowboxes, collages and small assembled sculptures using a variety of found objects and tiny plastic people. She creates these light-hearted artworks to make people smile and appreciate the world in which we live. She attended NYU School of Fine Arts and earned a BFA from the University of Connecticut and additional classes at Montserrat College of Art. For more information, see https://judy.robinson-cox.com/.
Beth Williams explores the qualities of glass and color. Using light and transparency in surprising ways along with layering color on color helps her to create unusual contemporary beads, jewelry and small sculptures. She gleans inspiration from her gardens, the ever-changing light on the ocean, the seascapes that surround her…anywhere colors collide in nature. To learn more, see https://www.bethwilliams.com/
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Wellspring House is pleased to announce two additions to its Board of Directors: Leo Zerilli of Gloucester, MA, who rejoins the board following his return to the North Shore, and Luke McCabe, Vice President, Senior Business Banking Relationship Manager at Bank of America.
Wellspring House’s mission is to inspire families, adults, and young adults across the North Shore to achieve employment and financial security through stable housing, education, job training, and career readiness. This year, Wellspring served more than 2,000 individuals, including families, young adults, and adults, across more than 20 cities and towns on the North Shore.
“Luke and Leo join our board at an important moment for Wellspring House, as housing costs and financial pressure continue to rise for families across the North Shore and beyond,” said Joan Quinlan, Chair of the Wellspring House Board of Directors. “Luke and Leo bring exactly the kind of financial discipline, governance experience, and community commitment we need as we continue our work helping our neighbors build economic stability through stable housing, education, and employment – and a lasting foundation for self-sufficiency. We are thrilled to welcome them to the board.”
Leo Zerilli is an independent board leader with nearly 30 years of leadership experience in global wealth and investment management. He is the former President & CEO of Manulife Investment Management (Canada), where he held full P&L accountability across the firm’s investment, wealth management, and advisory businesses in Canada and the United States. Earlier in his career, he served as Chief Investment Officer of the John Hancock Group of Funds.
Zerilli has extensive board experience across public, private, and nonprofit organizations in North America, Europe, and offshore jurisdictions, including service as Chair of Manulife Group of Funds (Canada) and as a director of John Hancock Investment Advisors. He is a seasoned audit committee chair and holds an NACD Directorship Certification, along with an MBA, magna cum laude, from Boston University and a BA from Colgate University.
Zerilli previously served on the Wellspring House Board from 2019 to 2022, before relocating for his role leading Manulife Investment Management in Canada. Having recently returned to Gloucester, Massachusetts, he is rejoining the board and resuming his commitment to the North Shore community.
“I am thrilled to rejoin the Board of Directors at Wellspring House after a few years away,” said Zerilli. “Wellspring’s mission to foster job training, education, skill development, and economic independence addresses a root cause of hardship and remains vital to the strength of our community. It is a privilege to return at this pivotal moment, and I look forward to working alongside such dedicated leaders to advance our shared goals.”
Wellspring’s board also welcomes Luke McCabe, Vice President, Senior Business Banking Relationship Manager at Bank of America, where he works with business owners across Northeastern Massachusetts and Southern New Hampshire to strengthen cash flow, support growth, and build long-term financial stability — coverage that spans much of the North Shore community Wellspring serves. He began his banking career in 2017 with J.P. Morgan in New York City before joining Bank of America’s Middle Market Regional Credit team as an underwriter in 2021. He holds the CFA designation.
Before entering financial services, McCabe served on active duty as an officer in a U.S. Army paratrooper unit, an experience that continues to shape his approach to leadership, teamwork, and service. He lives in Kensington, NH, with his wife and their two young sons.
“I am honored to join the Board of Wellspring House and look forward to supporting its mission,” said McCabe. “Wellspring House has built an incredible reputation for helping individuals and families achieve housing stability and long-term self-sufficiency, and I am excited to contribute to that important work.”
McCabe and Zerilli join Wellspring House’s Board of Directors as the organization continues its work providing housing, education, and stability to individuals and families throughout the North Shore.
Wellspring House is governed by an all-volunteer Board of Directors, whose members serve staggered three-year terms and contribute their time, expertise, and professional skills to guide the organization’s reach across the region. Board members are drawn from Gloucester, Cape Ann, and the broader North Shore, reflecting Wellspring’s long-standing commitment to community-rooted governance.
Leo Zerilli and Luke McCabe join Wellspring House’s Board of Directors
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The SAVVY Caregiver is a free 6-week workshop is for caregivers of memory-impaired recipients, meets weekly and will help caregivers understand the impact of dementia, learn skills to manage daily life and communicate more effectively, and take care of themselves. To register, contact Abby Considine at 978-281-1750, ext. 581.
Taking care of a person living with Alzheimer’s or related dementia is specialized work. To do this work successfully, caregivers need special skills, knowledge, and a positive attitude that helps them care for themselves.
Savvy Caregiver Training will help you: • Understand the impact of dementia on both you and the person you are caring for. • Learn the skills you need to manage daily life. • Take control and set goals. • Communicate more effectively. • Strengthen family resources. • Feel better about your caregiving. • Take care of you!
This workshop will take place on Thursdays, Sept 17-Oct 22, 2026, at the Essex Council on Aging. Participants should plan to attend all six sessions of the workshop. For information and to register, call Abby Considine at 978-281-1750 x-581.
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Thank you Awesome Gloucester for providing funds to help get these new banners installed around the Harbor Loop to celebrate the annual Labor Day Schooner Festival. Thank you also Melissa Cox for coming up with the idea and following through! We look forward to seeing you all Labor Day Weekend for Schooner Festival.
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For the remainder of August, Cape Ann Animal Aid (CAAA) is joining NBCUniversal Local’s Clear The Shelters™ nationwide effort with a special promotion designed to help more deserving animals find loving homes!
Throughout the month, more than 30 adult, special-needs, and extended-stay animals at CAAA will be featured in a “Name Your Price” adoption promotion. For select animals, adopters can choose what they are able to pay for the adoption fee, and CAAA will honor it.
CAAA is going a step further by providing additional resources with select adoptions:
Dogs in the promotion will receive a $200 professional training reimbursement and six months of flea, tick, and heartworm preventative to help set them up for success.
London, a diabetic cat, will go home with one year of insulin provided by CAAA, along with a $200 reimbursement toward veterinary care related to his diabetes.
The “Name Your Price” animals represent just a portion of the pets currently available for adoption at Cape Ann Animal Aid. Each participating animal’s bio will include information about their eligibility for the promotion and any additional resources available with their adoption.
Interested adopters can visitcapeannanimalaid.orgto view the animals currently participating in the promotion and learn more about their individual needs and personalities.
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Good Morning Gloucester 