Good Morning Gloucester

MIT CSAIL upgrades its self-driving boats to actually transport passengers

By Rowan Walrath – Inno Associate EditorOctober 26, 2020, 02:40pm EDT

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It’s two meters long, it drives itself, and is capable of carrying passengers. Meet the “Roboat II,” the second iteration of an autonomous boat developed by researchers at MIT’s Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence Laboratory (CSAIL) and the Amsterdam Institute for Advanced Metropolitan Solutions.

The first Roboat floated onto the scene four years ago — a smaller version of the new Roboat II that MIT CSAIL announced on Monday. The team is now working on another, even larger vessel with the aim of carrying four to six people.

Read entire story here

Morning twilight 2….

ANNOUNCING THE PREMIERE OF QUARRY DANCE lX

Live streaming the film on:
Thursday, October 29th from 8:00pm-9:00pm and
Sunday, November 1st from 6:00pm-7:00pm  (daylight savings time)

Meet the Team:

Quarry Dance lX Producer: Lisa Hahn, Executive Director of Windhover Performing Arts Center
Choreographer: Dušan Týnek of Dušan Týnek Dance Theatre
Composer: Russ Gershon
Videographer: Anders Johnson
Dancers: Alexandra Berger, Gary Champi, Jessica Cipriano, Elizabeth Hepp and Dušan Týnek.
Moderated by Maureen Aylward and Streamed live

The Quarry Dance lX film is 35 minutes in length. This premiere of the film will be followed by 15 minutes of questions from the audience with answers from the Quarry Dance team which includes some of the dancers as well. This will be moderated by Maureen Aylward.

Please sign up for free on Big Marker: CLICK HERE BELOW:

Thursday, October 29th at 8:00pm OR Sunday, November 1st at 6:00pm

Here is a 60 second trailer preview of the Quarry Dance lX, with new music composed specially for it by Russ Gershon. Just click here: https://youtu.be/e4E-BIclfHg 

Windhover Performing Arts Center, located in Rockport, MA, is proud to partner once again with NYC-based Dušan Týnek Dance Theatre to present Quarry Dance IX. This year’s Quarry Dance takes the form of a 35-minute film capturing the natural elements surrounding three different private and stunning Cape Ann quarries.

The Quarry Dances are the result of a vision by Windhover’s founder, the late Ina Hahn. The aim was to marry the art of dance with the pristine granite landscapes of the quarries of Cape Ann. (for more information, please visit www.windhover.org). “It has been a great privilege of mine,” says Lisa Hahn, Executive Director of Windhover, to continue working with the critically-acclaimed Dušan Týnek Dance Theatre (www.dusantynek.org), who have been integral to the conception and execution of this film, since the inception of the Quarry Dances nine years ago in 2012.”  The Quarry Dances have become synonymous with the dance company’s summer presence on Cape Ann over these many years. This performance was choreographed on site by Dušan, in collaboration with his dancers (two at a time), using these selected private quarries during one week in August 2020. 

Lisa Hahn is the Producer of Quarry Dance lX, carrying these inspiring dances forward, mindful of bringing attention to the natural world and the beauty of the Cape Ann landscape. Utilizing the quarries as natural amphitheaters for dance is a unique and uplifting perspective.

An original score was composed for this quarry dance by the talented Boston-based composer, multi-instrumentalist and frequent Quarry Dance collaborator Russ Gershon. (www.Either-Orchestra.org)

The videographer, Anders Johnson, filmed from canoes, rowboats and even an inflatable swan to capture creative perspectives.

Primary funding was provided by Harvard Pilgrim Health Care Foundation, along with assistance from the Rockport and Gloucester Cultural Councils.

Please consider donating towards this project as well as future performances by visiting the Windhover website atwww.windhover.org and using the PAYPAL button to DONATE. WINDHOVER is a 501©3 ORGANIZATION SO ALL DONATIONS ARE FULLY TAX DEDUCTIBLE. Thank you.

 Lisa Hahn, Executive Director
Windhover Performing Arts Center

P.O. Box 2249
(257 rear Granite Street)
Rockport, MA. 01966
978-546-3611
windhover@verizon.net
www.windhover.org

Cheryl Dubinsky submits:

A new sign shows a new business coming soon to the Walgreens Plaza on Main Street!

The Gloucester Elks are trying to make this Halloween a little more fun this year by hosting a pumpkin decorating contest for children. Here’s the information copy and pasted from the Elks Facebook page:

Kid’s Halloween Fun
Decorating Pumpkin Contest
Ages 3-12 Welcome to Participate

“Decorate your pumpkin at home and drop your decorated pumpkin to the Gloucester Ellks Lodge
between 10am-12noon on Saturday 10/31”

Judging begins at Noon

Winners will receive
1. $50 Gift Certificates to Toodloos prizes award to each age group below
3 – 6 years
7 – 9 years
& 10 -12 years

Due to Covid 19 only Judges will be allowed to stay and all participates will drop of wearing a mask.
Please give a volunteer an idea card with your child’s name – age and parents contact number in case you win

Images also borrowed from Elks Facebook page.

***The Elks are also seeking a short order cook*** Also copied from their Facebook page:

Elks Kitchen Help Needed
Now hiring 20+hour week position
Hours increasing very soon
Please email resumes to
Don Ressel

barmanager@gloucesterelks892.com

The following is a statement from Mayor Sefatia Romeo Theken regarding the alert sent Monday evening to cellphones in communities at high risk for COVID-19: “A Wireless Emergency Alert was sent to cellphones in the Gloucester area tonight regarding COVID-19. “We want residents to know that this alert does not indicate an additional rise in cases in Gloucester. This is a standard, routine alert that is sent by the state to those in “Red” high risk communities as a reminder to follow the proper health and safety precautions. “Though Gloucester is designated as a “Red” high risk community according to public health data released on Thursday, Oct. 22, our case counts have decreased significantly and have continued to decline since the first spike. We had 79 active cases one week ago to now 32 today. “As of Monday, the status of positive COVID-19 cases in the City of Gloucester were as follows: 32 active cases; 449 overall cases (402 confirmed and 47 probable); 391 recovered; and 26 COVID-19 related deaths. “Our current active case count has dropped significantly as cases continue to be released daily from quarantine. Even with five days of free community testing, we are not seeing an additional uptick in cases. “The City also uses Biobot Analytics as another tool to track COVID-19 locally and wastewater virus levels have come down this past week as the count of new active cases have also declined. “Gloucester is trending in the right direction and we are encouraged by this news. Residents must continue to practice social distancing, wear facemasks whenever out in public, practice proper hygiene and avoid gathering in large groups. With these measures, we are hopeful that Gloucester will be able to transition out of a high risk designation soon.”