Westport in Brief!
EverythingWestport.com
Friday, March 11, 2016
photos/EverythingWestport.com except as
noted
Environment Committee spearheads
comprehensive Agricultural Bill.
Westport
Fire Department CARES Outreach Program for seniors and at risk residents.
Forever Paws Animal Shelter
announces their annual Spring Fling.
Habitat for Cats offers
bowling and board games fundraiser that will benefit homeless cats.
Westport candidate for
Board of Selectmen wants to bring change, give back to the community.
Westport Free Public Library will
feature two exhibits during March.
Feasting
with Friends at Buzzards Bay Brewery!
|
Environment Committee
spearheads comprehensive Agricultural Bill. EverythingWestport.com Friday, March 11, 2016 State
Representative Paul A. Schmid (D-Westport) and State Senator Anne M. Gobi
(D-Spencer), Co-Chairs of the Joint Committee on the Environment, Natural
Resources and Agriculture filed a comprehensive, omnibus agricultural package
today. The measure aims to provide
opportunities and protections to current and prospective farmers throughout
Massachusetts, increase access and availability of locally grown food
products, and invest in educational and agricultural programs to further grow
the industry. “Westport is a leading
agricultural community in the region,” said Schmid. “This bill will provide valuable
benefits to farmers to continue the economic development and growth that the
agriculture and farming industry has had
here and all over the Commonwealth, and also incentivize consumers to
participate in the process.” “Maintaining
a robust agricultural economy is the right thing to do, for our farmers,
communities and the Commonwealth,” said Gobi.
“We are fortunate to have so many people willing to spend their time
and finances to make sure the rest of us enjoy a wide array of agricultural
products. This bill is a step in
recognizing their efforts and to support them moving forward.” The
legislation, An Act to promote agriculture in the Commonwealth, reflects
recommendations from the Massachusetts Local Food Action Plan, finalized in
December 2015, including the option to create agricultural commissions in
municipalities and utilizing state-owned land for non-commercial community
gardens and farmers markets.
An
aspect that particularly resonates to Schmid is the included incentives to
encourage veterans to get involved in agriculture. The bill creates a separate fund and
program through the Department of Agricultural Resources to integrate
veterans into the field of agriculture and support veterans currently working
in agriculture. “Men
and women who have served in the military are self-starters and often enjoy
being outside,” commented Schmid. “Agriculture
may be a perfect fit for veterans to utilize their various skills, expertise,
and talents.” New
initiatives suggested under the pending legislation seek to craft programs
and industries not yet regulated by state government, including the allowance
of off-premise raw milk distribution and contractual shared animal ownership
agreements that will work to spur dairy business in the Commonwealth. Additionally, a retained revenue account
for the Department of Agricultural Resources, in conjunction with the
Agricultural Resolve and Security Fund, will contribute to the funding of
various educational and innovative initiatives to promote food growth and
security. The
bill cleared the Joint Committee on the Environment, Natural Resources and
Agriculture and will now move to the Senate for consideration. If passed, this legislation will benefit
current and future populations of the Commonwealth by stimulating economic
growth through agriculture and providing added local, sustainable food
selections to consumers. Westport Fire Department CARES Outreach Program. EverythingWestport.com Saturday,
March 12, 2016 The
Westport Fire Department announces its Community Outreach program designed to
assist the at risk population in the community. The
Westport CARES program offers services to the elderly and at risk members of
the community by working in collaboration with the Westport Council on Aging
and providing access to a variety of services the Council on Aging has to
offer. The
program provides an opportunity for a friendly well-being check with its
focus on a needs assessment, medication identification, education on fall
prevention, fire prevention, cooking safety and installation of Smoke and CO
detectors. For
more information on their program or to schedule an in-home assessment,
please contact Deputy Manley or Ann Marie Peckham
of the Westport Fire Department at 508.636.1110 or email ffpeckham@westport-ma.gov. Forever Paws Animal Shelter announces their annual
Spring Fling. EverythingWestport.com Saturday,
March 12, 2016
The
event will feature Card Readings (Angel and Tarot), Reflexology, Chair
Massage, Astrology, Reiki and much more. Vendors featured at the event will
include Red Velvet Florist, KG Krafts, Jorge's. Jewelry
and Aura Photography. There will be games and a Bake Sale. Free refreshments
of coffee, tea etc. will be available. General Admission is $2.00. For
further information please call 508.678.0804. All
proceeds will benefit the shelter animals at Forever Paws. Visit their website. Habitat for Cats offers bowling and board games
fundraiser that will benefit homeless cats. EverythingWestport.com Saturday,
March 12, 2016 Join
Habitat for Cats for a fun-filled, family afternoon of bowling and board
games. The
event is set for Sunday, March 20th from 1:00 to 4:00 p.m., at Holiday Lanes,
236 State Road, Westport. Admission is $20 for adults and $10 for children
younger than 10. Bowl a
few games while your children play Jenga, Bop It,
Clue, Sorry!, Trouble and other family-friendly games, including Pie Face,
which was a popular seller over the holidays. The event also will feature a
raffle and refreshments.
More
information is available by calling 508.636.3294. Tickets
are still available by clicking
here. To
adopt, donate or volunteer please visit www.habitatforcats.org. Westport candidate for Board of Selectmen wants to bring
change, give back to the community. EverythingWestport.com Sunday,
March 13, 2016 Westport - When Shana Shufelt announced her candidacy for Selectman two months
ago, she thought that Westport was home to some of the best people around,
and now that “I have met so many more of you I am certain of it. I want to be sure you know who I am so you
can make an informed decision with your vote on April 12th.” “My
husband Gary and I found Westport when we were looking for a place to raise
our family. Our childhoods involved a
lot of moving around so it was important for us to give our children a
hometown. Those kids are teenagers now
and I want to give back to the community that has been so important to our
family.
Professionally,
I work in software development as a systems analyst and project manager. I want to bring the processes and
methodologies I use at work to our Town government. Process-based decision-making brings the
right people together to understand a problem, set clear objectives and
evaluate a range of possible solutions.
Businesses use this process to achieve results; our Select Board
should too. I want
to change the way our Selectmen work with each other. I work in project teams and highly
performing teams figure out how to work together in a way that creates energy
and enthusiasm. They get a lot done,
and others want to be a part of it.
Our Board of Selectmen can work like that; I want to get us there. I want
our Selectmen to lead through communication.
Voters must have access to easy to
understand, unbiased information about an issue long before they are asked to
make a decision at Town Meeting. I
want to make sure you get that information in a timely manner. I want
to be your next Selectman because Westport is an amazing place to live and I
hope to work with you to make it even better.
Every vote will count on April 12, please Vote Shana. Shana
M. Shufelt Westport Free Public Library will feature two exhibits
during March. EverythingWestport.com Sunday,
March 13, 2015 The Helen
E. Ellis Case has a display describing the Macomber
Primary School's ongoing hand-sewing project with sample hourglass quilt
blocks. The
project continues through March and April, 2016 with the same students, who
are now in second grade, completing two quilts. Volunteers
to help with the project are welcome. Interested people should email education@westporthistory.net. Also,
the Manton Community Room is displaying "Equus:
Strength and Joy," an exhibition of Nancy R.M. Whitin's
paintings of horses and donkeys. A member of the SouthCoast
Artists group, the Westport Art Group and The Pastel Painters Society of Cape
Cod, Whitin's pastels of donkeys are
internationally collected. Also
known for her seascapes and landscapes, she paints what brings her joy, such
as sandpipers, waves and fields of flowers.
Both
exhibits are available for viewing during regular library hours: Monday and
Thursday, 12 to 8:30 p.m.; Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.;
and Saturday, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. The library is located 408 Old County Road,
Westport. Feasting with Friends at Buzzards Bay Brewery! EverythingWestport.com Sunday. March 13, 2016
They're
corning the beef themselves and serving it up with heaps of vegetables at two
separate seatings - 5:15 p.m. and 6:30 p.m. Only $20 Space is limited and pre-event tickets only; you can purchase tickets
by clicking here or visiting our Tap Room. * * * If ordered via
our online store, we won't be shipping tickets. Just come and we'll have you
on our list. * * * New Brew for St Patrick's Day! They're
releasing The Doctor, their Scottish Ale for St Patrick's Day. Whether
you're coming in for an Irish Feast or stopping by for a growler, you've got
to try this latest brew!
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