The creator of goodmorninggloucester.org Lover of all things Gloucester and Cape Ann. GMG where we bring you the very best our town has to offer because we love to share all the great news and believe that by promoting others in our community everyone wins.
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Join Sawyer Free Libraryand Backyard Growers on Saturday, October 14 from 10 to 11 a.m. to hear pumpkin stories while decorating your own pumpkin. All supplies and pumpkins will be provided.
At Seaside Cemetery on Saturday, October 14th, from 2 to 4PM the free cemetery event, “Bad Choices, Bad Luck”, will give you the opportunity to meet a group of people who died in Gloucester between 1905-1933 and were buried in the City Home Lot of Seaside Cemetery.
In appearance the City Home Lot is a grassy, open field with slight undulations that shelters the bodies of 118 individuals. Only 5 individual burial markers currently exist. The stories you will hear involve those individuals that died in the Gloucester almshouse or were unclaimed at the time of death or died as unknowns.
Present day Gloucester locals will assume the persona of those interred in the City Home Lot so that their individual stories can be shared with you.
The stories told come from extensive research by Sharron Cohen who unearthed the details of those buried in the City Home Lot.
To enter Seaside Cemetery (88R Langsford Street, Gloucester, MA 01930) from Lanesville, take the second left off Langsford Street or to enter from Rockport, take the second right off Langsford Street. Attendants will direct you to a parking spot. The cemetery’s roads are narrow and uneven so please be patient and drive slowly. The terrain in the cemetery is irregular, so be cautious when walking. Rain date Sunday, October 15, 2023, at 2PM.
News from the office of Rep. Ann-Margaret Ferrante
Dear Joey,
With the goal of providing financial relief to families across the Commonwealth while making Massachusetts more competitive with other states, the Massachusetts Legislature overwhelmingly passed a bipartisan tax relief package supporting residents across all income levels, which was signed into law last week by Governor Maura Healey.The bill includes the following tax changes: Child and Dependent Tax Credit The bill increases the refundable tax credit for a dependent child, disabled adult, or senior from $180 to $310 per dependent in taxable year 2023, and then to $440 in taxable year 2024 and beyond, while eliminating the child/dependent cap. This expanded credit, which will benefit more than 565,000 families, will be the most generous universal child and dependent tax credit in the country.Estate TaxMassachusetts’ current estate tax, which has not been updated in many years, has become an outlier in several ways. The changes made in this bill update the tax to bring it more in line with other states and eliminate punitive elements of the tax for those with incomes just high enough to trigger it. The bill reduces the estate tax for all taxpayers and eliminates the tax for all estates under $2 million by allowing a uniform credit of $99,600.Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC)This bill increases the refundable Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) from 30 percent to 40 percent of the federal credit. This increase will provide crucial support to working individuals and families, benefitting nearly 400,000 taxpayers with incomes under $60,000.Single Sales Factor Apportionment Currently, most businesses in Massachusetts are subject to a three-factor apportionment based on location, payroll, and receipts. To support companies headquartered in Massachusetts, this bill establishes a single sales factor apportionment in the Commonwealth based solely on receipts, matching what 39 other states currently do. Senior Circuit Breaker Tax Credit This bill doubles the refundable senior circuit breaker tax credit, which supports limited-income seniors facing high rents or real estate taxes, from $1,200 to $2,400. This change is expected to impact over 100,000 seniors across Massachusetts. Rental Deduction Cap This bill increases the rental deduction cap from $3,000 to $4,000. This is expected to impact about 800,000 Massachusetts taxpayers.Short-Term Capital Gains TaxAt 12 percent, Massachusetts is among the states with the highest short-term capital gains tax rate, and taxes short-term capital gains at a higher rate than long-term capital gains. The bill lowers the short-term capital gains tax rate to 8.5 per cent. Housing Development Incentive Program (HDIP)The bill increases the statewide cap from $10 million to $57 million for 2023, and subsequently to $30 million annually, which will provide Gateway Cities with an expanded tool to develop market rate housing. This increase is estimated to create 12,500 new homes in Gateway Cities and spur over $4 billion of private investment in these communities.Low Income Housing Tax CreditThis bill raises the annual authorization from $40 million to $60 million. This increased authorization cap provides enough funding to spur the creation of thousands of new units of affordable housing annually while also bolstering economic development.Local Option Property Tax Exemption for Affordable HousingThis new policy will permit municipalities to adopt a local property tax exemption for affordable real estate that is rented by a person whose income is less than a certain level set by the community.Title V Cesspool or Septic System Tax CreditThis bill will triple the maximum credit from $6,000 to $18,000 and increases the amount claimable to $4,000 per year, easing the burden on homeowners facing the high cost of septic tank replacement or repair.
Additional Tax Changes Lead Paint Abatement: Doubles the credit to $3,000 for full abatement and $1,000 for partial abatement, to support families with older homes.Dairy Tax Credit: Increases the statewide cap from $6 million to $8 million, to provide more assistance for local farmers during downturns in milk prices.Student Loan Repayment Exemption: Ensures that employer student loan payments are not treated as taxable compensation.Commuter Transit Benefits: Makes public transit fares, as well as ferry and regional transit passes and bike commuter expenses, eligible for the commuter expense tax deduction.Apprenticeship Tax Credit Reforms: Expands the occupations for which this workforce development credit is available.Cider Tax: Raises the maximum amount of alcohol for these classes of drinks to 8.5 per cent, allowing more locally produced hard cider and still wines to be taxed at a lower rate.Senior Property Tax Volunteer Program: Increases from $1,500 to $2,000 the maximum that municipalities may allow for certain seniors to reduce from their property tax by participating in the senior work-off program.Additional Reforms In addition to tax relief, the bill updates Chapter 62F of the Massachusetts General Laws, which triggered nearly $3 billion in taxpayer refunds in 2022. This law requires that excess revenue be returned to taxpayers when tax revenue collections in a given fiscal year exceed an annual tax revenue cap. This bill ensures that each credit is applied equally to every taxpayer.The bill also adjusts the Stabilization Fund cap, allowing the Commonwealth’s savings account to retain more funding. In addition, the bill requires married taxpayers who file a joint return with the federal government to file a joint state return, subject to exemptions or adjustments promulgated by the Department of Revenue (DOR).
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Our dear brother, Andrew Ernest, needs your support. On September 30th, Andrew suffered severe head trauma and was med-flighted to a level one trauma center. He is currently receiving treatment in a neurological critical care unit. Earlier this week, he underwent decompressive craniectomy surgery to remove a large blood clot and reduce brain swelling. The surgery was successful, but he remains in critical condition and is at risk of several complications. We are grateful he is alive and receiving exceptional care.
For Andrew, the road ahead will be long and arduous. He will require tremendous, unwavering support—the kind of support he provides to others without hesitation or conditions. Those lucky enough to know him will tell you he has a heart of gold and would walk to the ends of the earth to help you. Love emanates from him and is present in every bear hug given to his nieces, nephew, godson, and friends’ children. He advocates for rescue dogs and is happiest cuddled up with his own. He is a dedicated son, loving brother, proud uncle, and loyal friend. He is an established engineering technician in the semiconductor industry, and his colleagues respect him deeply. He’s a self-taught auto mechanic who generously repairs the vehicles of friends and family and can troubleshoot any mechanical issue. The bottom line is that he is a good guy who needs your support.
We hope that with time, continued medical care, and support, he will return to giving bear hugs, caring for his beloved dogs, and turning wrenches. With your support, this fund will help offset the significant medical costs and financial burdens Andrew will face on his road to recovery. We appreciate any financial contribution made; no amount is too small. Please also consider supporting Andrew by sharing this campaign with friends, family, and on social networks. Let’s show up for Andrew in the way he would for others.
We are humbled and immensely grateful for every prayer and every ounce of love and positivity. Thank you from the bottom of our hearts.
Sincerely,
The Family of Andrew Ernest
Amy Ernest-Orlando & Adam Orlando, Hilary Ernest-Lawrence & Jeff Lawrence, Melissa Ernest (Aptt) & Tyler Ernest, Judith Dagle-Ernest, Chet Ernest & Gerri Cluney
GloucesterCast 690 Livestream 10/14/23
Good Morning Gloucester 