Peabody teen organizes state youth art festival
For the last three summers, 17-year-old Peabody resident Sam Feinstein has gained inspiration from the imagination and talent of his fellow students at BIMA, Brandeis University's summer arts institute for high school students.
The soon-to-be high school senior sings, composes, plays the bass guitar, piano, and ukulele, among other instruments. About a year ago, Feinstein was struck with the idea of showcasing the work of talented youth all over the state.
Feinstein will finally get his chance by heading the Massachusetts Youth Arts Festival, which will take place on Sunday June 30 from 12 p.m. to 8 p.m. in the Slosberg Music Center at Brandeis University in Waltham.
All proceeds from the festival will go to Boston's Music and Youth Initiative.
"Right now I'm a bit nervous trying to make sure that everything goes exactly as planned, but I'm very excited," Feinstein said. "It should be an amazing thing."
The event will feature approximately 40 middle school, high school, and college students from the North Shore and beyond, showcasing their talent and skills in a variety of fields.
The auditorium in the Slosberg building will be host to several performances including that of music, dance, film, and poetry readings, among others.
The open space outside the auditorium will have paintings, sculptures and other visual arts on display.
"I think it's rare that a teen can put together something of this size and scope together by himself," said Rachel Happel, director of BIMA and Genesis, two of Brandeis University's summer high school programs. "He's focused just on Massachusetts, but just Massachusetts is pretty big. He really had this vision of artists from all different disciplines coming together to share their work."
Happel added that she thought one of Feinstein's biggest challenges was balancing his busy high school schedule of band practice, choir practice, studying for the SATs and music lessons, while organizing this event.
"At the end of the program [BIMA], all of the artists show their work," Feinstein said. "I thought it was a cool idea so I decided to implement it for the state."
Not only did Feinstein organize the event, but he's also participating in it.
Feinstein is set to perform on stage with his band, The Seabees, in a 45-minute set.
The Seabees is an eight-piece Ska band, which is a genre that fuses jazz, rock and reggae. "It was was very popular in the 90s," Feinstein said.
"It's really his idea and his baby," Happel said. "I'm really proud of him. He's an amazing musician and is a real leader and initiator in the community. I've seen tremendous growth in Sam over the course of the years."
Terri Ogan can be reached at oganglobe@gmail.com, or follow her on Twitter.
As construction on Peabody's Main Street wraps up, business owners are left relieved yet remain frustrated
After several months construction, contractors are wrapping up a major maintenance project on Main Street in Peabody, leaving business owners and officials thrilled, yet still frustrated with the impact of the construction.
Contractors from A.R. Belli, Inc. finished paving the road last Saturday The project was started late last year and was delayed due to inclement weather.
"It feels great to be complete with this project," said Blair Haney, Peabody's assistant director of planning. "We're seeing and hearing from people that they're very excited abbot the way it looks and the way it's going to change the feel of the downtown."
Chris Chmiel, owner of Peabody Vacuum Center at 77 Main St., said that construction went relatively smoothly, but the biggest issue was rectifying the bumpout located right outside of his business, an issue that frustrated several businesses on the street.
The bumpout was part of the long-planned Main Street Corridor Realignment Project approved in 2011. It extends the length of the sidewalk to decrease traffic lanes from four to two, slowing traffic and making it easier for pedestrians to cross.
The $1.5 million state-funded Main Street project entailed removing two parking spaces to make room for the bumpout, revamping sidewalks and crosswalks and making the roads more pedestrian friendly with new medians.
Due to the lack of parking, Mayor Edward Bettencourt proposed restoring the two spaces, and reducing the size of the bumpout, which city council members voted in favor of in April.
The Department of Transportation recently approved Bettencourt's request to reduce the size of the bumpout and the construction has been completed, according to the mayor's office.
"The biggest issue was trying to get the bumpout rectified," Chmiel said. "The way it seemed, because we [Main Street businesses] all created the ruckus, for them to pay us back, they'll leave the bumpout on that sidewalk the last on the list as an inconvenience."
Despite grievances with the bumpout, Chmiel said he's not only excited to have the paving complete, but he's pleased with the aesthetics of the project.
"It feels very good that you see that light at the end of the tunnel," Chmiel said. "The sidewalks are complete and they look phenomenal. Trees have been planted. It looks very nice."
Although the project is winding down, Vince Michaels, owner of Pat's Discount on Main Street, said he has lost thousands of dollars since the start of the project and remains frustrated with the lack of parking for his patrons.
"I went 83 days without a sidewalk. I was the last one to get a sidewalk," Michaels said. "I am extremely frustrated. There's still no parking…the longer it takes to do this, the longer my losses are and if they [customers] have to go around the block two or three times they're not going to come back. That's how most people in society react."
According to Hanley, minor additions have to be made to finish the project, such as finishing crosswalks with cement pavers that look like brick, installing small traffic islands in the middle of the road and striping for lanes, turning lanes and parking, all of which will be completed in the next few weeks.
Peabody's voter turnout higher than anticipated in Tuesday's special Senate election
A higher number of Peabody voters cast their ballots than what officials anticipated in Tuesday's special state Senate election where Democrat Ed Markey defeated Republican newcomer Gabriel Gomez.
City Clerk Tim Spanos said 27 percent of Peabody residents came out to vote yesterday, according to unofficial numbers. There are 35,113 registered voters in the city.
"I thought it was higher than what I expected," Spanos said. "It's been so up and down lately with the elections that we had. I'm not sure what drove it up, but I'm sure the candidates had a lot to do with it and got their message out."
Gomez got about 51 percent of the votes. compared to 49 percent for Markey. Richard Heos took home less than one percent of the city's votes.
Terri Ogan can be reached at oganglobe@gmail.com, or follow her on Twitter.
Woburn-based foundation donates $100,000 to North Shore domestic violence agency
The Cummings Foundation of Woburn has awarded the North Shore's Healing Abuse Working for Change (HAWC) domestic violence agency a $100,000 donation.
HAWC will receive $25,000 annually for four years.
Employees of the Cummings Foundation were asked to nominate a local non-profit that would benefit from a sizeable donation and a majority of employees voted for HAWC.
"We were really impressed by all of the services HAWC has provided to 23 cities and towns of the North Shore since 1978," said Cummings employee and Swampscott resident Ernie Agresti, in an announcement. “Abuse impacts the whole community and we are grateful to have a local program that can help individuals who are vulnerable.”
The foundation was created by Joyce and Bill Cummings of Winchester in 1986 as a trust to "give back" to the communities in which Cummings Properties does business, and most of its employees reside. It continues to provide ongoing support to hundreds of local causes.
A HAWC spokesperson said that the funds will be distributed to support all free HAWC services, which include a 24-hour hotline, individual advocacy, legal advocacy, support groups, shelter, hospital based advocacy and youth violence prevention education.
HAWC’s 24 hour hotline can be reached at 1-800-547-1649. To learn more about HAWC or domestic violence visit HAWC’s website at www.hawcdv.org .
Terri Ogan can be reached at oganglobe.com, or follow her on Twitter.
State House of Representatives passes bill taking Peabody police and fire chief positions out of civil service
The state House of Representatives passed a bill earlier this week proposed by the mayor of Peabody to remove both police chief and fire chief positions in the city from the Civil Service jurisdiction.
Last March, Mayor Edward Bettencourt brought forth the proposal to the City Council, where members voted 8 to 1 in favor of his petition.
Co-sponsored by state Rep. Leah Cole and state Rep. Ted Speliotis, the bill now heads to the Senate, and must be signed by Gov. Deval Patrick become official.
"My first priority is always to represent the best interests of Peabody, and this bill had overwhelming support from the city council and the mayor," Cole said. "Representative Speliotis and myself acted quickly to facilitate the passage of this bill in the House, and now it moves onto the Senate."
The initial support of the bill came at a time when longtime Police Chief Robert Champagne announced his retirement earlier this year. Upon Champagne's retirement, Peabody will see a new chief for the first time in 25 years.
Champagne submitted his letter of resignation with the intent to retire by June 1, but agreed to stay on until the bill is signed by Gov. Deval Patrick and the process is complete.
Bettencourt said last spring that although the police and fire chief jobs will be removed from civil service jurisdiction, the departments will not be removed as a whole.
"I don't think the decision should be made just on the basis of one test, which is what the civil service currently allows," Bettencourt said. "I do want to put together a decision making process based on an assessment center in which the candidates are put through different roleplaying scenarios to determine leadership, handling of precious situations, and things of that nature. We'll work on the particulars as we get closer to making that decision, but I believe an assessment center is the way to go."
Under the civil service merit system in the state, those who are eligible and applying for police and fire chief positions must pass a competitive exam.
An appointing authority, in this case the mayor, then chooses the top scorer of that exam from a list of other certified applicants, which is provided by the Human Resources Division. The appointment is solely based on exam scores and bypasses other abilities.
Municipal departments can utilize a free assessment center under civil service to help choose a candidate for the job, but If removed from the civil service jurisdiction the individual applicant would have to pay a $250 fee to use an outside vender for assessment.
"A bill like this isn't always taken lightly, but the great weight is that it has a local community acceptance," Speliotis said. "The intention is to maximize the flexibility for the mayor to hire a person for the job. The mayor is the most accountable to our constituents and if he has ideas on how to run the police and fire, he deserves to have that person at the top to implement his policies."
Speliotis added that he is unsure as to when the bill will be read in the Senate.
Terri Ogan can be reached at oganglobe@gmail.com, or follow her on Twitter.
Peabody hosts neighborhood movie night
Just in time for the first day of summer, the city of Peabody is hosting a neighborhood night at the movies.
All residents are invited to attend the showing of "ParaNorman" tonight at the Leather City Common located at 53 Lowell Street at 7 o'clock.
“It should be a nice night to watch a great family movie,” Mayor Edward Bettencourt said in a statement. “Be sure to dress warm, bring the kid’s sleeping bags and some popcorn and we will all have a good time under the stars.”
Released in 2012, "ParaNorman" is an animated adventure comedy about a young boy who battles ghosts, zombies, and adults to save his town from a centuries-old curse.
Neighborhood night at the movies is sponsored by local radio station 105.7 WROR.
Peabody receives state reimbursement for special spring election
The city of Peabody has received state reimbursement to help offset some of the costs of last spring’s special election for state representative, according to an announcement from Mayor Edward Bettencourt's office.
City Clerk Tim Spanos said the reimbursement of approximately $25,000 covered the cost of the special state primary election held on March 5 and a small portion of the cost of the special state election held on April 2.
“The reimbursement is very helpful,” Bettencourt said. “Elections are the pillars of our democratic system and they can be very expensive. From a local budget standpoint, we appreciate the relief. I want to thank Rep. [Leah] Cole and our state delegation as well as Treasurer Steven Grossman for facilitating this reimbursement.”
State law stipulates that in special elections called for the purposes of filling a vacancy in the Legislature, compensation for a legislator not spent during the period of vacancy is set aside in a special fund maintained by the state treasurer and made payable to the city or town in which the special election was held.
"I am extremely pleased to present the city of Peabody with a reimbursement check for some of the cost of the special election,” state Rep. Leah Cole said. “When I first got elected I heard about a bill that allowed for the salary that would have been collected by the former state representative during the time of the special election could be used towards the cost of the special election. I rolled up my sleeves and got to work with the House and the Treasury to make this a reality. I am pleased to make this one of my first acts as Peabody's new state representative."
Terri Ogan can be reached at oganglobe@gmail.com, or follow her on Twitter.
Thousands help kickoff Peabody's Relay for Life
Thousands of residents from Peabody and surrounding communities helped kickoff this year's Relay for Life event today at the Veterans' Memorial High School track and field house.
The annual event is an organized, overnight community walk that raises money to help fight cancer. Participants form teams that camp out around the track, and take turns walking laps over a period of about 24 hours.
This year, Peabody has over 45 teams. Setup for the event started at 12 p.m., and teams will pack up their belongings Saturday around 8:30 a.m.
Peabody's Relay for Life will feature an assortment of events and activities to keep team members occupied.
A special sing-a-long of “Sweet Caroline” will take place, as well as a “Boston Strong” lap and a “Peabody Strong” lap.
Las Vegas entertainer and recording star Joey Voices will make a special appearance at 5:30 p.m. along with ongoing music and entertainment that will take place with DJ’s spinning tunes and live bands performing throughout the stadium.
Live martial arts demonstrations, balloon artists, and the highly-anticipated Miss Relay competition will take place throughout the evening.
In addition to ongoing entertainment, meals and other items will be prepared and sold by Relay teams. New this year will be a dinner featuring meals from Santoros, Polcaris, Toscanas, Supinos and Edible Arrangements. Tickets for the meals cost $7 and can be purchased at the event.
All participants, as well as the public are invited to attend the 6 a.m. breakfast Saturday, and stay to participate in the 8 a.m. “Peabody Strong” lap with the closing ceremony taking place at 8:30 a.m.
A detailed schedule and more information can be found on the Peabody Relay website or on Facebook.
Terri Ogan can be reached at oganglobe@gmail.com, or follow her on Twitter.
City of Peabody to dedicate section of walking trail to the late Kristen Crowley
The city of Peabody is honoring the memory of the murder victim Kristen Gove Crowley by dedicating a newly added section of the Independence Greenway, Peabody's bike and walking trail, to the slain resident.
Crowley was beaten to death in the woods near her Peabody condo on June 1, 1996.
Timothy Dykens of Cambridge and and John B. Keegan of South Boston are serving life sentences after being convicted for the murder.
The dedication ceremony is taking place on Saturday June 15 at 11 a.m. at the entrance to the greenway near the Hess Express service station at 545 Lowell Street.
“Kristen’s life and the tragic circumstances surrounding her death left a deep impact on so many people,” Mayor Theodore Bettencourt said in an announcement. “We wanted to create a place where Kristen’s family, friends and members of our community could honor the memory of Kristen’s life. We hope the dedication of this portion of the Independence Greenway in Kristen’s name will reflect the very special place she still holds in the heart of so many.”
The new spur of the trail connects to a similar eight mile trail running through Danvers and Topsfield and will include a bench and plaque with Crowley’s name inscribed.
The bench and new bike path spur were paid for by $50,000 of Community Preservation Act funds while Northeast Nursery of Peabody donated landscaping in and around the Crowley memorial.
Local and state officials pledge to advocate for struggling North Shore residents
Local and state officials conveyed their support for issues regarding immigration, employee wages and the criminal justice system at a meeting in Peabody that garnered a diverse group of over two hundred attendees from over 25 religious congregations on the North Shore.
The Essex County Community Organization (ECCO), a congregation-based group that aims to help communities in areas like job training, health care, youth development, housing, and safety, hosted the event, which addressed immigration reform, criminal justice reform and raising minimum wage.
At the “Action Assemly,” which was held at St. John the Baptist Parish, residents gave testimony on what it’s like to make ends meet earning minimum wage, adapting to society after being in prison, and the expensive cost of applying for legalization, which can cost up to $4,000 due to fines and fees, testifiers said.
“It’s immensely gratifying to hear the wonderful support we got tonight,” said Sam Silverman, a member of the board of directors at ECCO. “I think we will be able to make some real progress knowing that we have their support.”
State Sen. Joan Lovely, state Rep. Ted Speliotis, and a spokesperson representing US Sen. Elizabeth Warren, agreed to advocate for the many immigrants, minimum-wage employees, and residents struggling to find jobs and to stay out of trouble after incarceration.
Lovely said she was especially shocked by how people manage to live off of minimum wage, which is $8 per hour, or $16,000 per year if working full-time.
“It’s next to impossible for people to be able to really support themselves in this economy on minimum wage,” Lovely said. “We just need to take a hard look at it. Sometimes it’s a disincentive to work. People say ‘I don’t want to go out to work,’ and then what do they do? They end up on public assistance and we want to avoid that.”
The senator added that she plans on attending a minimum wage hearing at the State House today to get as much information on the issue as possible.
Once Lovely does “all the homework,” she will take the next steps in pressing to raise minimum wage.
Brenda Paredez,16, testified on the suffering of her parents, who immigrated from Paraguay about 12 years ago, and have yet to find stable jobs. Paredez’s father works as a painter in Boston, while her mother cleans homes on the North Shore.
Despite her family’s struggles, the sophomore at the Salem Academy Charter School has hopes of attending Tufts University and becoming an accomplished businesswoman.
“To me it was a blessing because for years there was nothing good happening for immigration,” Paredez said. “To see this support, it’s amazing.”
Paredez added that it gives her hope knowing elected officials support immigration reform and lowering the cost of the application process to becoming a legal citizen.
Chris Lange,, Sen. Warren's regional director, read a statement regarding immigration reform on the senator’s behalf.
“Today 15 percent of people in Massachusetts were born in a foreign country,” Lange said. “Immigration is who we are as a people and we’re stronger because of it. Senator Warren will work with her colleagues for an affordable path to citizenship. I think we all agree that this is a good starting point.”
The third issue addressed at the assembly was the need for reforming the current criminal justice system.
According to a recent report endorsed by the Massachusetts Criminal Justice Coalition, incarceration has a lasting impact on the economic potential of ex-offenders with real implications for their families.
The coalition, which is made up of prominent attorneys, justice officials and former prosecutors, said in the report that on average, former inmates earn 40 percent less annually than they would have had they not been sent to prison.
Based on this national estimate, formerly incarcerated workers in Massachusetts lose about $760 million in wages annually, which in turn reduces tax collections by $20 million per year.
In order to improve these conditions, ECCO is advocating for increased funding for evidence-based diversion, in-prison training programs and reentry programs for when incarcerated workers are released.
“People make mistakes, but people do change,” said Cassandra Bensahih, a Lynn resident who said she served a short stint in prison after committing a drug-related crime. “The way our criminal justice system is set up today seems to just perpetuate the idea of incarceration.”
Bensahih added that she felt unprepared to endure life outside of prison when she was released and that no one showed her the way to find a job with a criminal record.
Lovely said in determining what needs to be done with the criminal justice system, she plans on talking to judges, district attorneys and other officials with “boots on the ground”.
“It’s clear that we need some type of reform,” Lovely said. “Exactly what it is, the devil is in the details, so we’ll see.”
Despite a slight disappointment in the number of legislators that attended the meeting, ECCO leader Sam Silverman said that last night’s event was a huge success.
“What this evening has shown is that we can take people of diverse backgrounds, race, class, religion, identify common social justice issues, and have them come together to work and influence our elected officials to support these issues,” Silverman said. “That’s a significant accomplishment.”
Terri Ogan can be reached at oganglobe@gmail.com, or follow her on Twitter.
