Month: October 2021

On Wednesday, October 27, the State Senate voted to approve the redistricting plan for the State Senate and for the House of Representatives in Massachusetts. Each of the forty state senate districts will have a population of approximately 175,000 people. Currently, the First Middlesex Senate District consists of Dunstable, Groton, Lowell, Pepperell, Tyngsborough and Westford. Due to a population shift in the Commonwealth, the First Middlesex Senate District had to be reconfigured in order to supplement a a senate district to the West. In January of 2023, the town of Dracut will be added to the First Middlesex District the towns of Groton and Westford will become part of an adjoining district. However, I will be the state senator representing Groton and Westford for the remainder of 2021 and all of 2022. 

On Monday, October 18 the Gateway Cities Legislative Caucus toured the gateway cities of Salem, Peabody and Lynn in Essex County. It was the fourth tour conducted by the Gateway Cities Legislative Caucus during the current legislative session. Earlier this year the caucus toured Lowell, Lawrence and Methuen in the Merrimack Valley.

October is Farm-to-School Month and I was honored to join State Representative Vanna Howard, Lowell Superintendent of Schools Joel Boyd, Lowell School Committeeman Dominik Lay and the Stem Academy faculty and staff in celebrating Farm-to-School Month at the Stem Academy in Lowell on Monday, October 25. 

  The Farm-to-School Program is offered by the Massachusetts Department of Agricultural Resources. Farm-to-School does several things for communities throughout the Commonwealth. It helps local farms and fisheries by increasing local food purchases, which helps the local economy. It improves the nutritional value and taste of school meals and it provides valuable lessons for students on agriculture, food and nutrition. 

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Lowell School Department Food Services manager Alysia Spooner-Gomez, Lowell Farm-to-School manager Maggie Nowak and Mike Emmons, the School Department’s executive chef provided an overview of the Farm-to-School Program in Lowell. .

I am delighted to announce the newest addition to my staff, Joshua Hendriks, who will be taking over the roll of Communications Director for my office. Joshua graduated from the Commonwealth Honors College at the University of Massachusetts Amherst, in 2018 with a bachelor’s degree in political science. Originally from Westford, he worked as a legislative aid in the House of Representatives for Representative James Arciero. A dedicated public servant, Joshua is passionate about bettering the lives of the citizens of the First Middlesex district, and the Commonwealth. Team Kennedy is excited to welcome him onboard!

On, Sunday, October 17, I joined with 19 family members and friends for the 15th Annual Marianne Kennedy Memorial Hike to the summit of Mount Major near Alton Bay in New Hampshire. The weather was perfect for hiking and the summit provides a panoramic view of Lake Winnipesaukee.. Every year we do a different hike in memory  of my sister Marianne.