Essex Heritage Events and Activities
I believe that at this time late in 2012 that it is proper
to provide our readers with an update on the numerous accomplishments of the
people who have contributed much and provided so many achievements for the
region. We as a group of volunteers are very proud of the tasks attempted and
completed and promise to continue to seek and implement new initiatives that
enhance our mission to protect, preserve and promote the Historic, Cultural and
Natural Resources of this wonderful region where so many of us live and or
work. Those many Essex Heritage accomplishments follow:
Essex Heritage Programs & Initiatives
The mission of the Essex National Heritage Commission is to
preserve, promote and enhance the historic, cultural, and natural resources of
Essex County, MA.
Since 1996, The Essex National Heritage Commission (Essex
Heritage) has championed the heritage development of Essex County by fostering
public-private partnerships that enhance and promoting significant aspects of
the region’s history, cultural heritage and character. A few of our most significant initiatives and
accomplishments include:
Essex
Heritage Grants Programs
The
Commission from time to time directly invests in the Area though its grant
programs. To date, Essex Heritage has made 381 grants totaling $1,815,245
to non-profit organizations and municipalities within the National Heritage
Area. One hundred percent of the area’s communities have received a
grant; most have received many grants. The Essex Heritage Partnership
Grants initiative is the largest program and it provides funding for heritage
education, interpretation, historic preservation, historical records and trail
development. Acting as seed money, these grants have leveraged an
additional $20,944,657 in matching investment in the area, serving to drive
economic development along with heritage preservation and education. Learn more about the Partnership Grant Program.
Trails
& Sails:
Two Weekends of Walks and
Water
Trails
& Sails is Essex Heritage’s premier partnership activity. The free event
expands cultural tourism by bringing new audiences to dozens of historic sites
and open spaces and stimulating new business in the local economy. Held in late
September, residents and visitors alike experience the region’s best from a
wide array of events – guided walks, on-water tours, open houses
– organized by the front line stewards of the Area’s historic, cultural
and natural resources. Learn more about
Trails & Sails.
Essex
Coastal Scenic Byway
Essex
Heritage is leading the planning effort for the Essex Coastal Scenic Byway,
an 85-mile route linking 13 coastal communities between Lynn and Newburyport
featuring scenic views, period architecture, historic sites and recreational
opportunities. With the twin goals of preserving the byway’s intrinsic
qualities and spurring investment in its infrastructure, attractions and
amenities, Essex Heritage has worked to secure state byway designation and
federal funding for a comprehensive management plan that will help community
and regional leaders increase cultural tourism. Learn more
about the Coastal Scenic Byway.
Youth
Jobs Corps
Essex Heritage has built a strong summer youth employment
and training program through a unique partnership with the National Park
Service. The program is directed towards youth ages 14-18 years. The teens are
hired to work at the two national park sites in Salem and Saugus and this year
the program was expanded to include Appleton Farm in Ipswich - a working farm
owned and operated by The Trustees of Reservations.
Essex
Heritage hires the teens for 8 -12 weeks and they work under the careful
guidance and supervision of NPS staff. At the parks, they acquire skills
in historic preservation, building maintenance, natural resource management,
interpretation and visitor operations. For many of these students this is their
first job experience, so they are also given assistance on how to prepare for
work, work place expectations, resume preparation, and career development.
The
impact on these students’ lives has been substantial, and several have returned
to work at the park during the fall and also in subsequent summers. “The
program has taught me responsibility, appreciation for the city and its
history, and opened new doors for my future,” Daniel Mondragon.
Border
to Boston Trail
Working to expedite development of the 28-mile Border to
Boston Trail, Essex Heritage provides leadership and staff support to a
regional partnership composed of local officials, the Massachusetts Highway
Department, Merrimack Valley Planning Commission, Metropolitan Area Planning
Council, and National Grid. With portions already under construction, the
non-motorized, multi-use rail-trail will provide alternative transportation
links to town centers, schools, businesses, and public parklands in eight
communities from Salisbury to Danvers. When completed, the trail will be one of
the region’s most outstanding assets, facilitating safe, scenic and healthy
transportation and recreation for all. Read more
about the Border to Boston.
Friendship Sails!
Essex Heritage works with the National Park Service to
introduce the tall ship Friendship of Salem to new audiences along the
coast of New England. Part regional ambassador, part living history classroom,
the Friendship is a replica of a 171-foot, three-masted Salem East
Indiaman built in 1797. Since the launch of the Junior Ranger Ship’s Mate
program in 2007, history has “come alive” for thousands of school-aged children
and their families. Read more
about Friendship Sails.
Using
Essex History
Using Essex History has been a highly successful program
aimed at training middle school and high school teachers in ways to improve the
relevancy of American history for their students by providing developmental
seminars and instruction on creating curricula based on local historical
assets. Using Essex History was supported by a Teaching American History Grant
and 130 Essex County teachers have participated. Although the grant has run its course, the
information remains live and updated by Salem State College’s History
Department. Learn more about Using Essex History.
Essex
LINCs (Local History in a National
Context)
Essex Heritage was part of a team guiding a three-year
heritage education initiative designed to connect Essex County elementary
teachers with local primary source material. During visits to historical sites
throughout Essex County and beyond teachers learn how to infuse their social
studies lessons with stories, places, and artifacts that make history relevant
for the future stewards of the heritage area. Other core partners include
Beverly Public Schools, Salem State College, and the National Archives,
Northeast Region. The project was funded with a Teaching American History grant
from the U.S. Department of Education. Learn more about LINCs.
Essex
National Heritage Area Visitor Centers
Essex Heritage coordinates a network of ten visitor centers
that provide information on the heritage resources throughout Essex
County. The centers include the National Park Service’s Regional Visitor
Center in Salem, the Hall Haskell House and Visitor Center in Ipswich, and the
NBC&VB’s Maria Miles Visitor Center in Salisbury. Essex Heritage works cooperatively with these
centers to promote regional tourist visitation.
By providing consistent and knowledgeable assistance about the area’s
myriad of natural, historic and cultural attractions, the visitor centers, most
run by volunteers, are a key to competing well in the growing and lucrative
cultural tourism market. Learn more about the ENHA Visitor Centers.
Area
Visitor Guides
Essex Heritage has a series of thematic guides to the
region, which connect residents, visitors and future stewards with heritage
sites and encourage regional exploration. Themes range from Art Escapes and Birding to Farms and First Period Architecture.
Guides are built with the cooperation of local experts and participating
organizations throughout the Area. View, Download and/or Request a Printed Guide (depending on
availability).
Essex
Heritage Membership Program
Through the Commission’s signature membership program, area
residents are encouraged to take an active role in supporting the
organization’s stewardship mission while exploring the region’s unparalleled
historic, cultural and natural assets. Members enjoy “behind the scenes”
excursions to heritage area sites for guided tours, educational lectures and
interpretive demonstrations. More about Membership.
Essex
Heritage Photo Safaris
The photo
safaris program connects new audiences with the region’s heritage resources.
Through a unique partnership with Hunt's Photo and Video, major camera
companies provide safari participants with the latest in digital camera
equipment and expertise as they learn photography tips using some of the area’s
most extraordinary natural, cultural and historic landscapes as a backdrop. Learn more about the Photo Safaris.
Coastal
Trails Coalition
The Coastal Trails Coalition, Inc. is a non-profit
organization whose mission is to assist in the development of the Coastal
Trails Network, a 30-mile system of interconnected foot trails and bikeways
throughout the lower Merrimack River Valley communities of Amesbury, Newbury,
Newburyport and Salisbury. Launched in 2003, Essex Heritage, with early
assistance from the National Park Service Rivers and Trails Program and
Merrimack Valley Planning Commission, provides leadership and technical support
in the areas of visioning, outreach, and project development and
implementation. Visit the Coastal Trails Coalition website.
Great
Marsh Coalition
Essex Heritage is a founding member of the Great Marsh
Coalition, an informal coalition of organizations and agencies that promote
greater awareness and stewardship of the Great Marsh, the largest salt marsh in
New England. Essex Heritage supports the
coalition’s advocacy efforts, including its annual educational symposium. Learn more about the Great Marsh.
Heritage
Landscape Inventory
Twenty-four communities participated in a unique year long
program that brought together those interested in preserving the built
environment with those working to protect land. Through a local developed
inventory process, information and recommendations pertaining to threatened or
unprotected heritage landscapes such as farms, cemeteries, rail corridors and
"water's edge" properties are being incorporated into local and
regional smart growth plans. More about Heritage Landscapes.
Historical
Records Council
Initially convened in 1999 by Essex Heritage as a forum for
identifying and addressing the preservation and promotion needs of the ENHA’s
nationally significant and irreplaceable paper-based collections, the ad hoc
council is expanding its reach across the state. With a membership consisting
of experts from local, state, and regional archival organizations, the council
produces educational workshops and advocates for improved awareness and
stewardship.
Corporate,
Government and Non-profit Partnerships and an Affiliation with the National Park
Service
One of the most unique benefits that Essex Heritage provides
to this region is the ability to partner with the National Park Service.
This special public-private relationship allows Essex Heritage to develop
educational and interpretive programs with Park Service staff and resources
that bring history and environmental stewardship to life for people of all ages
and backgrounds. Essex Heritage is particularly excited about current pilot
programs that are designed to engage underserved, urban youth in natural
resource and ocean stewardship within and beyond the Park boundaries. Read more
about our successful partnership with the National Park Service in youth
engagement initiatives such as First Bloom, F1rst Jobs and America’s Best Idea.
Alliance
of National Heritage Areas
The Alliance of National Heritage Areas (ANHA) is a national
organization that represents the 49 National Heritage Areas. The Alliance is a
leading advocate for heritage area development in the U.S. Essex Heritage plays
a very active role and its Executive Director, Annie C. Harris, serves as Vice
President. Visit the ANHA website to learn more.
Preservation
Mass
Essex Heritage is a member of this statewide, private
non-profit preservation organization dedicated to preserving the Commonwealth’s
historic and cultural heritage. View the Preservation Mass website.
Investing
in Community Partnerships
The Essex National Heritage Commission has successfully
built a thriving network of partnerships and collaborations, which have become
an important catalyst for regionalism amid the independent interests of the 34
cities and town we support. The Essex Heritage is at the table or leading the
discussion on all issues of significance to the heritage resources in Essex
County.
To accomplish our mission the Essex Heritage is committed to:
·
Building public awareness of these heritage resources
through outreach events and activities;
·
Increasing the capacity of non-profit and public
organizations who own or manage these resources;
·
Making connections to the next generation and to more
diverse audiences;
·
Fostering partnerships to develop new resources and assets
for the region to embrace.
·
Increasing local stewardship of the Area's important
historical, cultural and natural resources;
·
Encouraging efficiencies and effectiveness in local
non-profit organizations by supporting the training programs and partnership
offerings;
•
Enhancing and expanding program offerings run in partnership
with the National Park Service to promote the region’s rich Maritime Heritage.
Essex
Heritage Corporate Partnership Program
During the year (2012) that is about to end, I am
particularly pleased with the incredible support that I and Essex Heritage have
received from the region’s corporate and organizational especially during the
last six months. The most recent
commitment of support has been offered by the law firm of Serafini, Correnti
and Darling in Salem which has recently joined the Corporate Membership
Program. Their support is much
appreciated and it brings the total of commitments offered through my appeals
to an even dozen participants in the last six months. For a complete listing of the members of the
Essex Heritage Corporate Membership Program visit the Essex Heritage web site
at www.essexheritsge.org. I am most pleased that in addition the many
respondents to our appeal, we have a dozen or more local companies and
organizations considering membership applications. As more organizations join, we will advise
you of their participation.
Holiday
Season 2012/2013
With
only a couple on more days before the calendar is turned to 2013, let me offer
a comment hoping that the Holiday Season was pleasant for all of you, and to
wish you all the happiest of New Years and hope that the new year is both
prosperous and healthy for all.
Regional
Matters
City of Methuen Seeking
Preservation Projects for Grant Funding
As a result of a another very successful Parade of Trees event,
preservationists in The City of Methuen are seeking applicants for preservation
grants up to $10,000 to enhance
preservation actions in that community.
City of Newburyport to Create
Small Historic District
The City of Newburyport had considered a large scale Historic
District Plan in the community, but has decided to scale back the original
plans for a large local historic district and enact a plan that will protect
just five significant properties on High Street. This is an important step in this
preservation of this architecturally important city.
Communities of Salem and Beverly
Working Collectively Together
As an organization that is most in favor and one that fosters
regionalization, Essex Heritage applauds the effort of two local and adjoining
communities in this region joining together to put rubbish collection in the
adjoining communities up for a cooperative bid. At this point in time it is not clear if
there is a benefit to Salem and Beverly, but the idea has merit and we
compliment the two communities on their efforts to find a way to possibly save
funds and at the same time be more efficient.
We will keep you posted on these efforts to save some funds and to
produce a possibly more efficient collection process.
Medical,
Senior and Disability Matters
Social
Security Recipients to Receive Increase in 2013
The Nation’s elderly and disabled Social Security recipients will
receive a small but in many cases valuable 1.75% raise in 2013 SS
benefits. This increase is expected to
see the average retired worker experience a $21 monthly increase. This increase is less than half of what was
authorized last year. Unfortunately the
projected increase will be offset by an expected increase being scheduled, but
not yet announced, in Medicare for 2013.
News Release Provided by NSES
Partners hit with $42M high-cost hospital tax in Boston Business Journal by Julie M. Donnelly,
Reporter, Date:
Friday, December 14, 2012, 3:05pm EST
The state’s largest health care system posted an operating
loss of $2 million due to a tax levied against it for operating some of the
most expensive hospitals in Massachusetts.
Partners HealthCare,
the parent organization of Massachusetts
General Hospital and Brigham and Women’s
Hospital, cited a one-time charge of $42 million levied on high-cost
hospitals, a provision on the new state health care cost containment law. The
hospital operator booked the charge in its fiscal-year fourth quarter, which
ended Sept. 30. For the same period in 2011, Partners reported operating income
of $55 million.
Partners recorded an overall gain of $33 million in the 2012
fourth quarter, due to non-operating investment and philanthropy gains of $35
million. In the corresponding quarter last year, Partners recorded an overall
loss of $122 million, due to non-operating losses of $177 million.
“Throughout 2012, operating performance was reasonably
strong, reflecting continued progress in our efforts to improve the quality of
the care we deliver and to make it more affordable for our patients,” Partners
CFO Peter K. Markell
said in a statement. “Partners, like many other health care providers, is
taking on more financial risk in our contracts with health insurance companies.
In order to be successful in this environment we must continue to focus on
managing the health of our patient populations – particularly those patients
with complex medical conditions. Our organization, with the recent addition of
Neighborhood Health Plan into the Partners family, is well positioned to
develop and implement new and innovative models of care aimed at achieving this
level of success for our patients.”
For the fiscal year as a whole, Partners reported operating
income of $191 million, for an operating margin of 2.1 percent, down from
operating income of $233 million, for a 2.7 percent operating margin in 2011.
Partners grew its total operating revenue to $9 billion in
fiscal 2012, from $8.5 billion the previous year. Net patient service revenue
increased $486 million to $6.8 billion, reflecting increases in both inpatient
and outpatient areas of the hospital system. Total operating expenses rose $542
billion to $8.8 billion in fiscal 2012, including a one-time charge of $114
million when Partners decided to abandon one of its clinical information
systems.
Partners' overall gain for fiscal 2012 was $352 million, including
non-operating gains of $161 million. In 2011, Partners reported an overall gain
of $264 million, including non-operating gains of $31 million.
People
in the News
Manchester Man Make Donation
Manchester-By-The Sea Philanthropist Ralph Bates has provided a
$100,000 contribution to Northeast Senior Health. The generous gift will allow Spectrum Adult
Day Care Health Program that serves patients with Alzheimer’s is a Beverly non
profit to purchase two new vans to help transport patients to facilities in
Beverly and North Andover. Earlier this
year, Mr. Bates made a $100,000 contribution to River House, a homeless shelter
in Beverly.
Bell Resigns Salem Main Streets
Post
After a term of five years as the head of Salem’s Mall Streets
program, Ms. Jennifer Bell has resigned to accept a very similar position in
the community of Winchester, Virginia, whose character is much like that of
Salem.
Personal
Observations
Tragedy in New Town Connecticut
During recent days we have all been exposed to horrendous
circumstances in a small rural Southern New England community. The mainstream media has done an excellent
job of covering all of the devastating events that transpired as a result of
the mindless acts of a young man in an elementary School. I will not share the facts in this case again
that were so mind-numbing. It is clear
that elected officials in this country must take corrective action on our
mental health conditions, the ease that troubled individuals can access
multiple firing guns, and the images shown in local movies and computer
games. The case was compounded by a
threat of violence against that community again while they were attending a
mourning service in a community church that caused the evacuation of a local
church.
New England Patriots
In their 14th game of this 2012 season, the New England
Patriots failed to back up their earlier sterling win over Houston and lost a
game played in very foul weather in Foxboro.
They have now made any trip to New Orleans for a Super Bowl Game most
difficult. The local entry after an
unusually inept first half, mounted a furious comeback, but ultimately lost by
7 points. Now unless something most
unusual happens during the final two weeks of the season, they will have a
single home game and then will have to travel for the next two games before the
title game is played.
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