Audrey Hill shared this gem with me from her deceased mother Lydia Hill’s files a few months ago. Audrey and I and her six siblings were neighbors on Page Street in East Gloucester, and were fifth and sixth graders at the Eastern Avenue School in 1970 with Tory Bagshaw, Lenny Richardson, George Gale, Joey Bertolino, Anita Gillie, a whole bunch of other East Gloucester children.

Mr. Joseph (of Four Kings and a Queen at GHS hockey games in the late 1990’s (Herb Joseph, David Richardson, my dad Len Bolonsky, and Tommy and Sandy Spinola)) was our teacher. 

Mr. Joseph’s punishment for classroom transgressions was for the miscreant to copy out and hand in an entire dictionary page. Andrew Gleason got the most dictionary pages, I think. He was fearless and never really seemed to mind getting in trouble.

Audrey and her friends – all girls – protested to the principal, Mr. White, that they didn’t have as much playground equipment as the boys. 

GHS class of 1978 members will recognize the names of Eastern Avenue girls who became jocks in their own right (Judy Salah and so on) as well as the children of a local firefighter, the daughter of the owner of Brown’s Yacht Yard, the daughter of a local Coast Guardsman transferred to Gloucester from Hawaii, the daughter of the owner of one of Gloucester’s largest charter boat companies, and the daughter of one of Gloucester’s many, many artists, and the circulation manager for the Gloucester Daily.

It looks like one of the girls typed the petition: ome of the girls’ names are spelled wrong, and some girls’ last names are missing. 

Later, emboldened by their success, the girls likewise petitioned for equal access to the lower playgrounds and ballfied. 

Audrey and I had a brief romance in the 7th grade at the O’Maley. Audrey was a quite fickle girlfriend though, and within two weeks she had broken up with me and shifted her attention to someone else. But I already had my eye on Theresa Glenn, Janine DeCoaste, and a couple of other girls.

Here’s the text of the letter:

Dear Mr. White, 

You should do something about the fact that the girls only have one ball. You should get another ball for them. IF you do, I am sure that they would thank you for it.

It really is not fair. The boys get 5 or 6 balls, but the girls, one.

YOURS TRULY,

Isabel Hamor

Audrey Hill

Francina Monel

Susan Jedrey

Mary Roudolf (sic.)

Regina Mikinnon (sic.)

Judy Salah

Kathy Brown

Cindy Hadley

Cindy OLeary (sic.)

Susan Myett

Deana Brown

Denise Oliver

Peggy Bagshaw

Christa Hern (sic.)

Carol Howard

Dede Chaisson

Jodi Cunningham

Shirley (Stottlemyer) (?)

Elizabeth Fish

Grace (Moceri) (?)

Louice (Louise)

Susan Dodge

Hello,

Meet “spirit cat” Mr. Waffles! 

Mr. Waffles is a lovable little oddball who enjoys being near people but prefers not to be touched. He’s not a cuddler, but he’ll happily lounge at your feet and keep you company-especially if treats are involved! He’s come a long way and no longer shows signs of fear-based aggression. While he isn’t interested in affection, he’s curious, food-motivated, and enjoys the quiet presence of his people. Mr. Waffles would thrive in a home with another social cat to buddy up with. He’s not a fan of dogs but can coexist if they give him space. He’s the perfect match for someone who appreciates the unique companionship of a spirit cat-quiet, quirky, and full of personality. He’s currently in a loving foster home and is available to meet potential adopters via Zoom.

Submit an application by going to CapeAnnAnimalAid.org/CatApp

Thank you!

SpeciesCat BreedDomestic Shorthair/Mix Age4 months 30 days GenderMale SizeMedium ColorBlack Spayed/NeuteredDeclawedNo HousetrainedYes Special NeedsAdoption Price$275.00 

______________________________________
Cape Ann Animal Aid

Christopher Cutler Rich Animal Shelter
4 Paws Lane
Gloucester, MA 01930

(978) 283-6055

www.CapeAnnAnimalAid.org

www.facebook.com/CapeAnnAnimalAid

Artist bios

Winner of the Great American Jazz Piano Competition, Laszlo Gardony has been praised for his “fluid pianism” by The New York Times. Two of his albums were featured on DownBeat Magazine’s “Best of the Year” list. Described as a “formidable improviser who lives in the moment” (JazzTimes), pianist and composer Laszlo Gardony has performed in 27 countries and released 14 albums on labels such as Sunnyside, Antilles, and Avenue. He holds a professorship in piano at Berklee College of Music in Boston and is part of Harvard University’s “Jazz Combo Initiative” program. Gardony has collaborated with musicians like Dave Holland, Miroslav Vitous, David “Fathead” Newman, Bill Pierce, Don Braden, Randy Brecker, Eddie Gomez, Bob Moses, Victor Lewis, Yoron Israel, John Lockwood, Christian Artmann, Avery Sharpe, The Wayfaring Strangers, and Mick Goodrick, among others. Laszlo’s performances radiate the joy of inspired creation, audience connection, and spontaneous improvisation. His concerts are unique experiences that draw from deep emotions, impressive technique, and a playful curiosity that revels in interpreting each distinct moment.

 Drummer Yoron Israel stands as one of the most sought-after musicians of his generation. In addition to leading his own projects, Yoron’s exceptional musicality, intensity, and versatility are celebrated globally. Through consistent performances at prestigious concerts, notable festivals, and prominent clubs, he has contributed to over 200 recordings as an accompanist with luminaries like Sonny Rollins, Abbey Lincoln, Ahmad Jamal, and Horace Silver. He has been a member of the Laszlo Gardony Trio for over 20 years, and Laszlo is featured on two of Yoron’s albums as well.

Yoron holds the position of Chair and Professor of Percussion at Berklee College of Music. 

Bassist John Lockwood has earned an esteemed international reputation throughout his career, performing alongside legends such as Joe Henderson, Dizzy Gillespie, Pat Metheny, and Freddie Hubbard, to name a few. He is widely regarded as a premier bassist in the New England region and is recognized for his regular collaborations with The Fringe, Laszlo Gardony, George Garzone, Joe Maneri, Billy Pierce, and others. John also serves as an Associate Professor at Berklee College of Music.

https://www.lgjazz.com

www.facebook.com/LaszloGardony

www.youtube.com/lgjazzvideos

www.instagram.com/laszlogardonymusic 

Gloucester Resident Beach Sticker applications will be available online starting April 22nd! 🗓️

💻 Apply online starting Tuesday, April 22
🏢 In-person sales will begin in May

Before you apply, please check what documents you’ll need. You can find all the requirements and regulations here:https://tinyurl.com/3y6utc4f

Get ready for a great summer! 🌞🌊 #GloucesterMA #BeachSeason #ResidentSticker

Graduation Presents! Mother’s day Presents! Super Soft and Warm “Gloucester Drinking Town With A Fishing Problem” Hoodies Available Now!

Order here

🍕Buy any 18” Pizza get an 18” Cheese for $5
🍕Buy any 16” Pizza get a 16” Cheese for $5
🍕Half Off Large Pizzas
🍕 Half Off Calzones
🍔 $4.99 cheeseburgers w/ Chips & Pickles

excludes gluten free

APRIL 18, 2025 BY ANGEL WINGS WELLNESS

Cannabidiol “CBD” in Anxiety and Sleep: A Large Case Study. Wicked Interesting!

Cannabidiol (CBD) is one of many cannabinoid compounds found in cannabis. It does not appear to alter consciousness or trigger a “high.” A recent surge in scientific publications has found preclinical and clinical evidence documenting value for CBD in some neuropsychiatric disorders, including epilepsy, anxiety, and schizophrenia. Evidence points toward a calming effect for CBD in the central nervous system. Interest in CBD as a treatment of a wide range of disorders has exploded, yet few clinical studies of CBD exist in the psychiatric literature.

Objective
To determine whether CBD helps improve sleep and/or anxiety in a clinical population.

Design
A large retrospective case series at a psychiatric clinic involving clinical application of CBD for anxiety and sleep complaints as an adjunct to usual treatment. The retrospective chart review included monthly documentation of anxiety and sleep quality in 103 adult patients.

Main Outcome Measures
Sleep and anxiety scores, using validated instruments, at baseline and after CBD treatment.

Results
The final sample consisted of 72 adults presenting with primary concerns of anxiety (n = 47) or poor sleep (n = 25). Anxiety scores decreased within the first month in 57 patients (79.2%) and remained decreased during the study duration. Sleep scores improved within the first month in 48 patients (66.7%) but fluctuated over time. In this chart review, CBD was well tolerated in all but 3 patients.

Conclusion
Cannabidiol may hold benefit for anxiety-related disorders. Controlled clinical studies are needed.

READ THIS ENTIRE STUDY HERE! Super interesting!

Angel Wings Wellness  12 Rogers Street, Gloucester, MA

Friday and Saturday 11-4 Come by for a FREE consultation and get some FREE samples! Or call for a private consultation or in person appointment.

AngelWingsCBD.com

Chief Eric Smith reports that the Gloucester Fire Department extinguished a kitchen fire in an apartment complex Thursday afternoon. 

On Thursday, April 17, at about 12:29 p.m., Gloucester Fire was dispatched to 1110 Heights at Cape Ann for reports of a fire in the kitchen of an apartment. 

Responding crews observed smoke showing from the side of the apartment building and took immediate action to knock the fire down. Crews were able to extinguish the bulk of the fire using a water can. 

The fire was completely knocked down by 12:40 p.m. Crews remained on scene to ventilate the building and ensure the fire had not spread. A building inspector also arrived on scene for further examination. 

Pets were treated at the scene for smoke inhalation and were returned to their owners. No other injuries were reported. 

Beauport Fire provided mutual aid on the scene, while Rockport Fire provided station coverage. 

Gloucester Fire determined the cause of the fire to be accidental. 

“Hey Joe, I got a great topic for you. What do we do with the Shrink wrap every year? It drives me nuts. I want to recycle it somehow. Good little topic for you. Hopefully you know the answer. Thank you for all your hard work. Awesome stuff.”

I’ll do some digging Joe and get some answers.

I asked Jamie Mathison and she pointed me in the right direction:

https://www.seasidesustainability.org/shrinkwrap

How does it work?

Seaside Sustainability is partnering with Dynamic Waste to distribute dumpster bins to different locations in the Cape Ann area so boaters can bring their shrink wrap to be recycled. The bins are accessible to the public during normal business hours throughout the week and the program is free and open to boat owners everywhere, no marina membership required.  This program will run annually in Gloucester, Manchester, Essex, and Rockport from April to June. The plastic has to be free of foreign material (dirt, sand, trash, wooden supports, plastic vents) and rolled neatly before being placed in the dumpster bins.Dynamic Waste is committed to sustainability and diverting waste from landfills. It invests in our environment by ensuring the safe, practical, and economic recycling of many different types of waste.

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLScSq2ZVFjeYvXs6Dj5zn9UYf5DQZWQTkNP1t6ZbbgT5hvtOmw/viewform