My beautiful wife Kate and I are going to feature one or two local places to buy holiday gifts each day highlighting the fact that there’s no need to buy your presents online or trudge up to the mall.
There’s excellent places to shop right here in Gloucester.
Reblogged from Hammond Castle Hammond Facebook page
Local-favorite the Jambalaya Horns kicks off the season of light and hope with joyous holiday favorites here at Hammond Castle Museum, starting at 6pm. (This concert will be held outdoors, in front of our 12th and 13th Century Arches. In case of inclement weather, the performance will be held inside, in the Museum’s Great Hall.) Holiday lights will be cast upon our majestic castle and romantic arches, creating a magical holiday scene across the Museum grounds. Guests who wish to peek into the Hammond’s historic home to see the Great Hall decked out for the holidays are welcome to do so.
This performance and celebration is free and open to the public.
Please note: Not all portions of the Museum will be open to guests. Guests will only have access to the Great Hall and rooms leading down to the Great Hall.
This event is generously sponsored in part by Cape Ann Savings Bank.
Photo by: CMO Photography Studios
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Strategic appropriation of Covid Local Fiscal Recovery Funds to help tackle the affordable housing crisis in Gloucester.
Today, Mayor Greg Verga announced the significant investment of $1.5 million of Covid Local Fiscal Recovery Funds to Gloucester’s Affordable Housing Trust and the City’s continued commitment to addressing the affordable housing shortage. The City of Gloucester was allocated $23 million under the American Rescue Plan Act’s local funding provisions and will distribute these funds to several categories within the community.
The Covid Local Fiscal Recovery Fund Listening Group was launched to host several listening posts throughout the City to solicit input from residents and organizations on potential uses of this funding opportunity. The group received an overwhelming number of requests to utilize this federal funding to support affordable housing initiatives. Mayor Verga has been committed to delivering creative solutions in the affordable housing sector to support the Trust’s work to create, preserve, and maintain affordable housing in the City of Gloucester. A significant amount of the $23 million was dedicated to critical and overdue infrastructure work to improve roads and address the secondary sewer treatment. This investment represents 15% of the remaining Covid Local Fiscal Recovery Funds after an initial $13 million investment for critical and overdue infrastructure projects, including major road repair and upgrades to the wastewater treatment plant.
“We have worked hard to bring the Affordable Housing Trust back to its full potential, and this funding will give the group an opportunity to have a big impact on their mission,” said Mayor Verga. “The Trust is formalizing a strategic plan to be more proactive in their work, and the members are motivated to make a real difference in our community. Supporting affordable housing is critical in Gloucester, so I am proud to allocate this funding to help this important work.”
In addition to this lump sum investment into the Affordable Housing Trust, Mayor Verga has determined a dedicated funding stream for the Trust through the City’s Short-Term Rental Fee. Earlier this year, the City deposited $50,828 into the Trust from this revenue stream and will be regularly directing that funding to the Trust. This consistent funding will provide a regular source of income to support the Trust’s work.
“The Affordable Housing Trust is very appreciative of Mayor Verga’s allocation of $1.5M from the City’s Federal ARPA funding to our mission. Now more than ever the Affordable Housing Trust must continue and expand our efforts to help create, preserve and maintain affordable housing in the City of Gloucester. With his strong financial commitment and his ongoing involvement, Mayor Verga has helped make that possible,” said Michael Luster, Gloucester resident and chair of Gloucester’s Affordable Housing Trust.
Mayor Verga has also been exploring other creative opportunities to provide and encourage affordable housing in Gloucester. As mentioned earlier in the year, Mayor Verga is working with the Community Development Department to identify potential City-owned land that could be used to create affordable housing units.
“We are actively working to find strategic and creative ways to address the affordable housing crisis,” said Verga. “This issue is not unique to Gloucester, but we must find ways to increase our affordable housing stock to help our residents and community.”
For the final Covid Local Fiscal Recovery Funds Listening Group report and public submissions, please visit: https://arpa.gloucester-ma.gov/
The sun sets every night no matter the cold and wind discouraging onlookers. Magnolia sunsets are pretty spectacular. There are some additional pictures and story details at Pat D’s Photos and Adventures on Facebook if you are interested.
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Use this time to observe your loved one and know the signs of when additional help is needed
As you visit your loved one this holiday season, it is important to use this time not only to enjoy the time with them but also to observe their living environment, physical health and mental/emotional well-being.
Here are a few of top warning signs that you or your loved one might benefit from additional help in the home:
Changes in Balance or Mobility Are they having a more difficult time getting around?
Significant Weight Changes Do you notice significant weight gain or weight loss?
Emotional Well-Being Detecting depression, especially over the phone, can be difficult. Learn what to look for.
Living Conditions Is the mail piling up? Are they keeping up with the household needs?
My beautiful wife Kate and I are going to feature one or two local places to buy holiday gifts each day highlighting the fact that there’s no need to buy your presents online or trudge up to the mall.
There’s excellent places to shop right here in Gloucester.
Chief Eric Smith and the Gloucester Fire Department wish to share safety tips with community members planning to cook, bake and enjoy holiday meals over the coming days and weeks.
According to the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA), Thanksgiving and Christmas are peak days for home cooking fires, followed by the day before Thanksgiving and Easter, and Christmas Eve. A 2020 report also identified unattended cooking as the leading cause of cooking fires and casualties.
To prevent cooking fires and injuries this holiday season, the Gloucester Fire Department encourages residents to review the following tips from the NFPA:
Never leave anything cooking unattended.
Stay in the kitchen when you are cooking so you can keep an eye on the food. Check on cooking turkeys frequently.
Keep anything that can catch fire away from your stovetop.
If a small grease fire starts in a pan, smother the flames by carefully sliding the lid over the pan. Turn off the burner and do not move the pan. To keep the fire from restarting, leave the lid on until the pan is completely cool.
If a fire starts in the oven, turn off the oven and leave the door closed. The oven should be checked and/or serviced before being used again.
Keep children and pets at least 3 feet away from the stove.
Make sure kids stay away from hot food and liquids. The steam or splash from vegetables, gravy, coffee and other food and drink could cause serious burns.
Keep knives out of the reach of children.
Be sure electric cords from an electric knife, coffee maker, plate warmer or mixer are not dangling off the counter within easy reach of a child.
Keep matches and utility lighters out of the reach of children. They should be kept up high in a locked cabinet.
Keep the kitchen and dining room floor clear so you don’t trip over kids, toys, bags or other items while cooking or handling food.
Test your smoke alarms and make sure the batteries are replaced if needed.
Additionally, the NFPA discourages the use of deep fryers for cooking turkeys, but those who do use one should do so on a flat surface outdoors and at least 10 feet away from structures, including porches. Turkeys should be completely thawed and dried before being placed in a deep fryer to avoid flare-ups.
For questions about cooking safety, please contact the Gloucester Fire Department at (978) 325-5300.
The Gloucester Fire Department wishes everyone a happy, healthy and safe holiday season.
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Good Morning Gloucester 