Representing the First Middlesex District: Dracut, Dunstable, Lowell, Pepperell, and Tyngsborough
On Sunday, June 26 State Senator Ed Kennedy attended a retirement reception for Reverend Dr. Ennis Duffis at Saint Anne’s Church in Lowell. Reverend Ennis Duffis or “Father Ennis” is retiring after 43 years of pastoral service, including 12 years at Saint Anne’s and saint John’s. At the well-attended event Father Ennis received citations from the state senate and from Lowell Mayor Sokhary Chau.
On Friday, June 24, the Whistler House Museum of Art presented the James MacNeill Whistler Distinguished Art Award to Nancy L. Donahue of Lowell at a fun filled gala that took place at the UMass-Lowell Inn and Conference Center. The prestigious award was established in 2010 to recognize an individual who has demonstrated leadership, innovation, progressive thinking, and promotion of the visual arts. Nancy Donahue is well-known in the Greater Lowell area as a community activist, humanitarian, and philanthropist. The special day, June 24, was also Nancy Donahue’s 92nd birthday and so the award gala also doubled as a birthday party.
State Senator Ed Kennedy attended the gala and was honored to present Nancy Donahue with a citation from the Massachusetts State Senate recognizing Nancy as the 2022 Whistler Distinguished Art Award recipient. The citation also included happy birthday wishes.
Those who attended the gala were also able to view a special art exhibition entitled Lowell: My Hometown. The exhibition was comprised of works of art that showcase the city of Lowell and all it has to offer. The exhibition will be on display at the UMass-Lowell Inn and Conference Center for two weeks before moving to the Parker Gallery.
The Whistler House Museum of Art is located at 243 Worthen Street in Lowell. It is open Wednesday thru Saturday from 11 AM to 4 PM.
Photos courtesy of Harkins Photography.
State Senator Ed Kennedy joined Former Select Board Chair and Democratic State Representative Candidate Margaret Scarsdale at the annual Pepperell Fourth of July Parade on the morning of Saturday, June 25. Later on, there was an evening celebration at the Varnum Brook Elementary School campus that included music, food, games and fireworks at dusk. Congratulations to the Pepperell Fourth Committee on a well-planned and very successful Independence Day Celebration and to all of the volunteers who make it all happen.
Dwelling House of Hope held its second Family Hygiene Day on Saturday, June 18 during which they gave out several hundred bags of personal hygiene products (soap, shampoo, toothpaste, toothbrushes, razors, etc.) in addition to the usual food distribution. Cataldo Ambulance Service provided Covid-19 Vaccines to anyone who requested a vaccine.
BOSTON – On Thursday, the Massachusetts State Senate passed legislation authorizing $200 million in Chapter 90 funding. The Chapter 90 Program, authorized by Massachusetts General Law Chapter 90, Section 34, provides funding to municipalities to implement capital improvements on public ways.
In addition to the annual Chapter 90 funding, the State Senate also authorized an additional $150 million in grant-based programs to assist municipalities with diverse transportation-related projects. Grant awards will be distributed separately from the Chapter 90 funding which is based on formula funding and represents a yearly source of investment and improvement for local transportation networks.
“The additional $150 million in grant-based programs authorized today further allow the Senate to maintain its commitment to invest in, and improve our infrastructure, while allowing municipalities to address their unique transportation needs,” said Sen. Ed Kennedy.
The $150 million is additional grant-based programs includes $25 million for bus-related projects and $25 million for increased access to mass transit and commuter rail stations to be used for bus station improvements, intersections, and connections between bus and commuter rail services.
Typically the responsibility of cities and towns, the Senate has included $40 million for pavement and surface area improvements to non-federally aided roadways.
Additionally, $30 million for the municipal small bridge repair program for use in the replacement, preservation, and rehabilitation of eligible bridges. Thirty million has also been included for the Complete Streets grant program. The Complete Streets grant program provides funding for projects like intersection redesign and pedestrian crossing modification.
The bill, having already passed the House of Representatives, now travels to the Governor’s desk to be signed.
State Senator Ed Kennedy took part in the groundbreaking ceremony for the new Florence Roche Elementary School yesterday June 6, 2022. Originally constructed in 1951, the Florence Roche Elementary School has served the community of Groton for over 70 years. On May 4th, 1980, the school was dedicated to Florence M. Roche, a teacher and later principal in the Town of Groton who lived between 1917 and 1963. Yesterday’s groundbreaking represents the beginning of the final chapter for the Florence Roche Elementary Building Project. Once completed in late Spring of 2024, the new Florence Roche School will be a safe, modern, and inclusive space for Groton’s elementary students.
Senator Kennedy thanks Superintendent Laura Chesson, Town Manager Mark Haddad, the members of the Florence Roche Elementary School Building Committee, Groton-Dunstable School Committee, the Groton Select Board, Leftfield for their project management services, Studio G Architects for their design schematics, State Treasurer Goldberg and the MSBA for $25,835,473 in grant funding, and Gilbane for their construction services, all of which have been instrumental to the Florence Roche Elementary School Project.
