CONGRATULATIONS CLASS OF 2018!
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Vol. 3, No. 23
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Friday, June 8, 2018
State awards climate change grants to Peabody By Christopher Roberson
T
he city recently received two state grants totaling $467,616 to help fund the North River Canal Resilient Wall, Riverwalk and Park as well as flood mitigation and water quality improvements to the Lawrence Brook Watershed. During her presentation on June 1, Lt. Gov. Karyn Polito said $224,216 is for the North River Canal and the remaining $243,400 is for the Lawrence Brook Watershed. The purpose of the North River Canal project would be to prevent flooding in Peabody Square, which has historically been a problem. Specifically, the project would entail “a resiliency evaluation to determine how best to accommodate flood wa-
Lt. Gov. Karyn Polito and Mayor Edward Bettencourt (center) joined state and city officials as Peabody was awarded two state grants totaling $467,616 for Municipal Vulnerability Preparedness at East End Peabody Veterans Memorial Park on June 1. (Advocate Photos by Christopher Roberson)
ters along the banks of the canal, a preliminary redesign of the wall on the south bank, portions of which are crumbling into the canal; a preliminary design of a
City takes steps to keep Winona Pond algae at bay By Christopher Roberson
A
fter an algae bloom was found in Winona Pond earlier this year, Mayor Edward Bettencourt is requesting that $100,000 be paid to SOLitude Lake Management to ensure that the pond’s algae levels remain under control.
was kind of ignored,” said Bettencourt. “We’re spending millions of dollars on the restoration of Crystal Lake.” In addition to at Winona Pond, SOLitude would take the same preventative measures at Fountain Pond, Brown’s Pond, Suntaug Lake, Sidney’s Pond, Upper Spring Pond and Lower Spring
Environmental Scientist Eric Kuhn of Solitude Lake Management during a recent visit to Winona Pond. The city has hired Solitude to dispense monthly algaecide treatments.
He said the situation at Crystal Lake is an example of what happens without proactive treatment. Bettencourt said those problems were all avoidable and only happened because the city did not act in time. “For years it
Pond. “It’s important for the city to maintain and protect our ecosystems,” said Bettencourt. He said Brown’s Pond sits in the middle of a neighborhood.
POND | SEE PAGE 5
Riverwalk along the south bank; and development of a permitting strategy.” Polito lauded the efforts of Mayor Edward Bettencourt and
other city officials for developState Rep. Thomas Walsh said ing such innovative projects. climate change is detrimental to “These are great ideas emu- businesses as well. lating from this city’s leadership,” SEE PAGE 2 she said.
AWARDS |
PVMHS graduates 360 By Christopher Roberson
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fter starting at Peabody Veterans Memorial High School in the fall of 2014, approximately 360 students made it to the end. During the June 1 graduation ceremony, interim Superintendent of Schools Dr. Herbert Levine shared an experience he had on the Saturday before Mother’s Day. That day he had been on the phone for 90 minutes with a Comcast representative in an attempt to restore Internet service to his home. The call was interrupted when a serviceman arrived to fix Levine’s pool motor. At the same time, a dozen roses were being delivered for Mother’s Day. “I have a 100-pound dog who wanted to eat both of those guys,” he said. “I was home by myself and I yelled out a word that I cannot share with you.” His point in telling the story was to convey that losing one’s temper is“one of the worst things you can do.” Levine also called attention to the female graduates, saying women, not men, will go on to become the chief executives of insurance companies, banks and pharmaceutical companies.“Do better than we have,” he said. Levine said that in May, Stac-
Senior Class Co-Presidents Ann Manning (left) and Tabbitha Bono address the Class of 2018 during Peabody Veterans Memorial High School Graduation Exercises on Friday, June 1.
ey Cunningham became the director of the New York Stock Exchange, the first woman to hold the position in the 226-year history of the Big Board. In addition, Levine said that in April, Gina Haspel became the first female director of the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA). “There is no greater men’s club than the CIA,” he said. Levine then asked the graduates to give a “senior salute” to 12 of their classmates – Anxhelo Ripa came to the United States three years ago from Albania, has graduated 12th in his class and will be attending Worcester Polytechnic Institute in the fall. A member of the wrestling team, Noah Freedman tore his anterior cruciate ligament in both his junior and senior years. However, Levine said, Freedman was able to recover from both inju-
ries and will attend the University of Maine. Levine said football captain Eric DeMayo earned a reputation for “being especially kind to underclassmen” and will be going to Wagner College. For the class gift, Senior Class President Ann Manning said $500 will be donated to Ella’s Army, which is a change from prior years when classes would spend “hundreds of dollars” on water bottles. “We decided we should do something more effective with that money,” she said. “Hopefully, donating this class money to a charity becomes a tradition.” Manning also urged her fellow graduates to “live life in the moment.”“We cannot get wasted time back,” she said. Senior Class Co-President Tab-
GRADUATES | SEE PAGE 8