Westport
in Brief!
EverythingWestport.com
Thursday, October 06, 2011
Quick
Article Index . . .
Town of Westport Receives Grant For Stormwater Work.
SouthCoast holds promise for high tech
jobs.
SouthCoast Legislators Meet with State
Health Officials over Triple E Threat.
Historical preservation dynamo is feted by local and state
officials.
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Town of Westport Receives Grant For Stormwater Work. EverythingWestport.com Monday, October 03, 2011 It
was just announced that the Town of Westport will receive a grant of $20,000
that was authored by the Westport River Watershed Alliance. The grant will pay
for the development of engineered designs to treat municipal stormwater discharges from River Road into the West
Branch of the Westport River. These discharges contribute pollution to the
Westport River, which is degraded due to elevated levels of fecal coliform bacteria, which triggers shellfish bed closures.
Stormwater picks up debris,
chemicals, dirt, oil, animal waste and other pollutants and channels them
directly into the river or streams that feed into the river. There are
hundreds of stormwater drains in the Westport River
watershed that do little or nothing to remove these pollutants. Many
roadways, such as River Road turn into raging “streams” in a heavy storm and
dump the water, with its accumulated pollutants, directly into the river.
After
heavy rainstorms many areas of the Westport River are closed to swimming and shellfishing because of the increased bacteria levels.
The environmental benefit of the proposed work is to minimize, detain, and
retain stormwater runoff and reduce fecal coliform pollution. The goal of the proposed project is
to eventually improve water quality to open previously closed shellfish
habitats for economic and recreational benefit of the community. The
Westport River Watershed Alliance has worked closely with Town of Westport to
reduce municipal stormwater pollution, remediate stormwater discharges, to help farmers implement
agricultural best management practices, and teach homeowners the importance
of maintaining adequate and maintained septic systems. This
project is one of only eight chosen within Buzzard Bay watershed
municipalities, with grants totaling $180,958, announced by The Massachusetts
Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs’ (EOEEA) Office of
Coastal Zone Management (CZM). Funded by the U.S. Environmental Protection
Agency (EPA) and administered by CZM’s Buzzards Bay National Estuary Program,
these grants will aid towns in testing and treating stormwater
discharges, protecting wetlands and wildlife habitat, improving water
supplies and safeguarding open spaces. SouthCoast holds promise
for high tech jobs. EverythingWestport.com Wednesday,
October 05, 2011 By
State Senator Michael J. Rodrigues
Our
reception featured presentations from industry experts and company officials
from the SouthCoast, University of Massachusetts
President Robert Caret and Chancellor of UMass Dartmouth Jean McCormack as
well as Governor Deval Patrick himself. All spoke
about the tremendous assets that the SouthCoast
possesses in terms of a highly skilled work force, University investments and
collaboration, affordable housing, inexpensive but fully serviced
manufacturing sites, and a superb quality of life. The
attendance at the reception and the response far exceeded our expectations
and we have organized a team of advocates, through the SouthCoast
Development Partnership, to follow- up with interested parties to arrange
customized tours of the SouthCoast. Growing
the life science cluster on the SouthCoast will not
happen overnight and it will require long term promotional and marketing efforts
such as the reception in Boston in order to get the word out to companies
that are based in Boston and beyond regarding the advantages of the SouthCoast as a place to do business. But
there is no reason why the SouthCoast can’t share
in the job creation benefits of the so-called “Massachusetts Super Cluster”
which ranks among the top two or three most significant life science clusters
in the US. According to the Massachusetts Biotechnology Council, biopharma jobs in Massachusetts have grown 52% over the
last decade and have been remarkably resilient during the ugly recession of
the last few years. One job in bio manufacturing creates a ripple effect and
can lead to the creation of as many as 3 to 5 other jobs in related
industries and services. Moreover, many industry watchers observe that once
investments are made in workforce development and infrastructure, life
science companies tend to stay put. "But there is
no reason why the SouthCoast can’t share in the job
creation benefits of the so-called “Massachusetts Super Cluster” which ranks
among the top two or three most significant life science clusters in the
US." - State Senator
Michael J. Rodrigues Last
week the SouthCoast demonstrated to these 200
representatives of the “Massachusetts Super Cluster” that, with 50,000
technology workers based in our region and 15,000 new college grads coming
out every year from our region’s 13 universities and colleges, we have the
labor force to meet their needs. We already are home to 25 medical device and
life science companies. And UMass Dartmouth has a long history of
collaboration with the private sector making significant investments to
foster such growth, the latest example being the $26 million dollar bio
processing facility which will open in 2013 in the new 300 acre SouthCoast Life Science and Technology Park in Fall
River. We have over 500 acres of shovel ready sites with ample public water
and sewer capacity for new medical device and bio manufacturing companies.
And through the SouthCoast Development Partnership,
we have organized a team of advocates that will help life science companies
get the information and resources they need to make a SouthCoast
location part of their successful business strategies. It
will take patience and perseverance and last week’s SouthCoast
life science reception was just one of many steps we will need to take in the
months and years ahead to become a full participant in the Massachusetts
Super Cluster. But the end result will be good paying jobs for the residents
of the SouthCoast and an opportunity to make the SouthCoast an even better place to live, work and raise a
family." Thank
you, Michael
J. Rodrigues State
Senator First
Bristol & Plymouth SouthCoast Legislators Meet with State Health Officials over Triple
E Threat. EverythingWestport.com Thursday, October 06, 2011 Click here for more information and learn how to protect
yourself from EEE. Review Mosquito Control, Triple E
Prevention.
Coordinated
by House Speaker Pro Tempore, Patricia A. Haddad (D-Somerset), Rep.
Paul A. Schmid (D-Westport) and Sen. Michael J. Rodrigues (D-Westport),
the meeting covered the agency's current funding, recent budgetary cuts,
areas of mosquito control responsibilities and a review of educational issues
concerning public health aspects of mosquito control and Eastern Equine
Encephalitis. “I
thought the meeting with DPH was a very frank discussion which covered a
number of topics, stated House Speaker Pro Tem Haddad, “I feel the department
clearly understands our concerns as well as the public's concerns and
expectations”. “I'm
pleased the department met with us,” said Sen. Rodrigues. “As legislators
it's important to understand the steps that are being taken to reduce risk
factors and keep the public safe from mosquito borne illnesses.” Rep. Schmid
agreed, stating “Education and awareness are essential to lessen the risk to
the community. The meeting proved to be informative; I believe DPH is working
hard to keep the Commonwealth safe.” Joining
the legislators at the meeting were Department of Public Health Commissioner
John Auerbach, Kevin Cranston, DPH Bureau Director
of Infectious Diseases, Dr. Sandra Smole, DPH
Director of Virology at the Hinton State Laboratory and Dr. Catherine Brown,
State Veterinarian. The
meeting was held in response to this season's fatal „Triple E‟ case and
discussions surround area mosquito breeding grounds such as the Hockomock Swamp which traverses both Bristol and Plymouth
Counties. Historical preservation dynamo is
feted by local and state officials. EverythingWestport.com Sunday,
October 9, 2011 > > Click here
to view video of the awards to Betty Slade and retiring Veterans' Agent Ronnie Costa, and
the Boston Post Cane presentation to Yvette Landry.
Slade
was part of an exemplary group of 10 individuals from across the state
recently honored by the Community Preservation Coalition for going above the
call of duty in adopting, enhancing or supporting CPA. She
was recognized for her hard work and dedication to the CPC in her community. Left: Dr. Betty Slade, accompanied by Westport
legislators State Senator Michael Rodrigues (right) and State Representative Paul
Schmid, was honored at the state house with a Robert Kuehn Community
Preservation Award for her efforts on behalf of the Community Preservation
Act in Westport. The
Handy House acquisition by the Westport Historical Society and its subsequent
conservation was due to Slade's efforts. "Beyond
the work on the Westport CPC committee itself, Betty is truly a Community
Preservation hero, being an absolute force in Westport," said Westport's
State Representative Paul Schmid. "She led great projects that all fall
within the umbrella of community preservation," Schmid said. "These
recipients have upheld the highest standards and worked tirelessly to move
the CPA forward." - Coalition Executive Director Stuart Saginor Westport
Senator Michael Rodrigues hosted a tour for the 50 Westport residents who
accompanied Dr. Slade to the ceremony in the Great Hall at the State House, and
honored her with a Senate Citation recognizing her efforts. "Betty
Slade has done so much for her community, I was pleased to honor her for all
her hard work and efforts," Rodrigues said. Mo
Cowan, the Governor's Chief of Staff, and Rosemary Powers, director of
Governmental Affairs for Govenor patrick, made an appearance art the ceremony. "This was
truly a great turnout. Westport is proud of the work that Betty and the CPC
put in, and we want to keep it that way." - Westport
State Representative Paul Schmid.
There
were official citations all way round as Westport residents Veterans' Agent Ronnie
Costa and Dr. Betty Slade received citations from Selectmen, State Senator
Michael Rodrigues and State Representative Paul Schmid for their outstanding
and unwavering tenure and invaluable community service to the Town of
Westport. Slade
received an official citation from Westport Selectmen, and citations from Westport
State Senator Michael Rodrigues and Westport State Representative Paul
Schmid. > > Click here to
view video of the awards to Betty Slade and Ronnie Costa, and the Boston Post Cane
presentation to Yvette Landry. "On behalf of
the citizens of the town of Westport, we extend our thanks to a very special
resident and offer congratulations on the recognition of her extraordinary commitment
and contribution to the town of Westport." -
Chairman of the Board of Selectmen, Richard Spirlet Chairman
of the Board of Selectmen Richard Spirlet presented
a town citation to Dr. Slade saying "Be it known that the Westport Board
of Selectmen extend congratulations to Dr. Betty Slade in recognition of her
receiving the Robert Kuehn Community
Preservation Award from the Massachusetts Community Preservation Coalition.
Dr. Slade was one of only 10 state-wide recipients to be honored for her work
on the community preservation committee for the Town of Westport, MA for the
period of 2007 to 2011." "On
behalf of the citizens of the town of Westport, we extend our thanks to a
very special resident and offer congratulations on the recognition of her
extraordinary commitment and contribution to the town of Westport,"
Selectman Spirlet said. "I was pleased
to honor her (Betty Slade) for all her hard work, and efforts." - Westport State Senator Michael Rodrigues. © 2011 Community Events of Westport. All rights
reserved. EverythingWestport.com |
