Essex Happenings 2.25.12

Essex Happenings 2. 25.12

Attend an Essex Heritage Trails & Sails Planning Session!

There are many ways for heritage sites, organizations and businesses to participate in the 11th annual Trails & Sails: Two Weekends of Walks & Water, taking place September 21-23 & September 28-30, 2012! Event submission will begin online next month. We seek all kinds of experiences appealing to all ages, skill levels and interests so spread the word! Together we can continue to offer the LARGEST collection of unique and exciting experiences in our region.

Get Involved! All past and prospective event hosts are invited to attend a Trails & Sails planning session to learn more about the benefits of hosting an event. Connect with other event hosts, generate ideas for events, scheduling, and marketing and promoting your site to thousands of people who participate in Trails & Sails each year. Email Emily to add your organization to the event host line-up and let her know which of the following Trails & Sails planning sessions you can attend:
• Friday, March 2, 9:00 - 10:00 AM 
Beverly Historical Society's Cabot House
117 Cabot Street, Beverly, MA 01915
• Thursday, March 8, 9:00 - 10:00 AM 
Parker River National Wildlife Refuge Headquarters
6 Plum Island Turnpike, Newburyport, MA 01950
A very special thanks you to TD Bank and Eastern Bank for their generous commitment to sponsor Trails & Sails 2012. Without their contributions, Trails & Sails would not be possible.

Special Thanks to Corporate Members
Essex Heritage would like to extend special thanks to our new and renewing corporate members! Thank you to Newburyport Five Cent Savings Bank for renewing their commitment as a Sustainer Circle Members and to Merrimack College for becoming a new Corporate Sustainer Circle Member. In addition, Essex Heritage would like to thank St. John's Preparatory School and Atlantic Hospitality Group, Inc. for renewing their Supporter Circle memberships!

Business contributions to Essex Heritage illustrate a strong demonstration of your company's investment in the unique quality of life we enjoy in the Essex National Heritage Area. Find out more here.

Become a member at any level! Discover special places and experiences throughout the county. Your tax-deductible Essex Heritage Membership helps to support programs that enhance, preserve and promote the unique historic, cultural and natural resources found within the Essex National Heritage Area. Join today!


Special Thanks to Essex Heritage Corporate Members

Essex Heritage would like to extend special thanks to our new and renewing corporate members! Thank you to Newburyport Five Cent Savings Bank for renewing their commitment as a Sustainer Circle Members and to Merrimack College for becoming a new Corporate Sustainer Circle Member. In addition, Essex Heritage would like to thank St. John's Preparatory School and Atlantic Hospitality Group, Inc. for renewing their Supporter Circle memberships!

Business contributions to Essex Heritage illustrate a strong demonstration of your company's investment in the unique quality of life we enjoy in the Essex National Heritage Area. Find out more here.

Become a member at any level! Discover special places and experiences throughout the county. Your tax-deductible Essex Heritage Membership helps to support programs that enhance, preserve and promote the unique historic, cultural and natural resources found within the Essex National Heritage Area. Join today!


Director Harris speaks at
America's Summit on National Parks

The leading advocates for the National Park Service (NPS) recently gathered in Washington, DC to discuss the future of the Park Service. Essex Heritage executive director, Annie Harris, was invited to speak about "Connecting and Conserving Cultural Landscapes." She was joined on the panel by Stephanie Toothman, NPS Associate Director for Cultural Resources and Deanna Beacham, American Indian Specialist.

The panelists discussed the importance of integrating cultural and natural resource preservation strategies - especially for large landscape conservation. Ms. Harris emphasized the role that strong public-private partnerships must play in the future of the National Parks since the NPS cannot own and manage all of the landscapes and resources that scientists and educators say need to be conserved. "American citizens will not tolerate so much public ownership, and besides, we don't have the money," observed Ms. Harris. Ms. Harris used examples of the successful partnerships that Essex Heritage has formed with the National Park Service at the Salem Maritime and Saugus Iron Works National Historic Sites and projects such as Friendship Sails! and the summer youth job corps to illustrate her points. Read more (pdf).



Good News for National Heritage Areas!

The US Congressional Caucus for National Heritage Areas is introducing legislation to standardize the heritage area program within the Park Service and establish a process for creating new areas. The bill has support from Republicans and Democrats as both see the benefits of National Heritage Areas. Congressman Tierney and Congresswoman Tsongas have both signed on as original sponsors of the bill.

City of Lynn Seeks to Build Breakwater

Officials from the City of Lynn recently met with Federal and State officials to discuss what steps would need to be taken to gain approval. The city believes that such an improvement would protect The Lynn waterfront to and would provide an incentive to more waterfront development in this city. It appears that the next step for Lynn would be to prepare a grant application to carry out a study to learn if there would be any impediments to their proposal.

Andover to Form Business Council

The town manager of Andover will present a slate of Andover business, to the board of selectmen for approval at an upcoming meeting. The new council that will be made up of ten business representatives of all sizes will meet quarterly with the Selectmen and report to them to provide updates on the business climate in that community, make suggestions on proposed improvements and would propose short term strategies that might attract more opportunities for Andover businesses. Their recommendations will be advisory and the Selectmen will have to approve the recommended members. The council will be quite a bit different from the community business organization that exists in Salem, but this organization will offer a level of communications that will certainly assist the selectman as they act to support business interests in Andover.


Beverly Announces Cultural Grants

Like a number of other communities in the region, the City of Beverly provided a series of cultural grants to twenty two artists and organization that totaled $11.000. The winners of the grants were varied and included schools, independent artists, the YMCA and in every case, the residents of the City were the beneficiaries.

Town of Wenham to Hire Interim Town Administrator

The Board of Selectmen of the Town of Wenham have decided to and seek and hire an interim Town Administrator to replace Jeff Chelgren who recently was selected to fill a similar post in Marblehead. The Selectmen hope to have the interim administrator in place by March before Chelgren leaves for his new post.

Mayor Betencourt of Peabody Makes two new Appointments

The new Mayor in Peabody is starting to put his management team in place. The new mayor has replaced the current city treasurer and named Ms. Jeanne Carnavalle to be the new Treasurer of the Leather City. Ms. Carnavalle has an extensive background in finance and will take on the responsibility of all city financial matters. When the leadership of Essex Heritage visited with the Mayor recently we were greeted most pleasantly by his recently hired Executive Secretary, Daryl Ann Mc McCarthy who was also recently named to that post.

Salem Affordable Housing Complex to Install Solar Panels

The City of Salem with the help of a $100,000 grant will soon install solar panels on an 283 unit affordable housing complex on Pope Street in that community. The new installation will reduce the use of natural gas that currently is used to heat the apartments and will substantially reduce energy costs for the tenants in the property.

Continuing Rehabilitation Progress

One on the primary reasons this year that we traveled to Florida was to be able to continue my rehabilitation by having a long walk almost every day as I continue to master Walking on a prosthetic leg with crutches, I am also able to get into a wonderful heated pool and am improving my swimming capabilities that is also most therapeutic.

SPECIAL NOTE
I want to offer my thanks to Elizabeth Rankin The Assistant Communications Director of Essex Heritage, for her efforts to produce a monthly newsletter for the Commission and allows me to reprint some of that information in this BLOG