Bible School at First Congregational
First Congregational Church, 230 Beach Street, is hosting Vacation Bible School for children and adults during the evenings, Monday-Friday through July 16. All are invited, even if you are joining part way through the week. There will be a family style dinner at 5 pm, followed by Bible Study for all age groups. Children age four years old to fifth grade will participate in “Concrete and Cranes†VBS learning about how Jesus is our firm foundation. Youth and adults can join in the Bible Study being held upstairs in the sanctuary. Nursery will be provided from 6-7:30 p.m. The link to register is on our church websitewww.firstcongrevere.org
Keefe seeks water features at local parks
The City Council approved a request by Ward 4 Councillor Patrick Keefe that the Mayor Brian Arrigo be requested to use free cash or seek grant funding to install water features at city parks.
“It’s pretty self-explanatory,†said Keefe. “Outside of the Beach, which is beautiful in its own natural water feature, I think a lot of residents of Revere have spoken up and request to have some water features at some of our community parks – not all of them, but I think it would be nice to have a fountain of some sort.â€
Keefe added that the children of Revere especially “would appreciate some water features at our community parks.â€
Assistant Speaker Clark Secures Funding for Future Wonderland Commuter Rail
Today, Wednesday, July 14, 2021, at 9 a.m. Assistant Speaker Katherine Clark (MA-5) is scheduled to tour the site of the future Wonderland Commuter Rail and Multimodal Connector at the Wonderland MBTA Station located on North Shore Road. The project will be paid for by a Community Project Funding request made by Assistant Speaker Clark for $4 million.
The funding will be used for the planning and design of the new commuter rail platform and multimodal transportation connector in the City of Revere, linking the Newburyport/Rockport commuter rail line to the MBTA Blue Line. This project will benefit not only the City of Revere, but the entire region by alleviating regional congestion for commuters into the City of Boston and local congestion along Route 1A. The project will also increase connectivity for the communities of Revere, East Boston, Chelsea, and Winthrop to major transit hubs.
SJC issues new orders on court operations
Prompted by the continued improving situation in the Commonwealth with respect to COVID-19, the Supreme Judicial Court (SJC) last week issued two updated orders regarding access to and the operation of Massachusetts state courts. The new orders go into effect on July 12.
The first order updates the rules for those seeking entry to a courthouse. It also removes occupancy limits and physical distancing requirements in courthouses, but requires everyone, whether fully vaccinated or not, to continue to wear a mask that covers their nose and mouth.
The second order provides for courts to largely begin conducting business as they did prior to the pandemic. Courthouses will be open and courts will be conducting business in person, although certain proceedings may still be conducted virtually. As for jury trials, there will be no further COVID-19-related limitations or restrictions on where and how they are conducted, other than the mask requirements noted above. While courts continue to work through the backlog of jury trials caused by the pandemic, however, certain cases that typically would be tried to juries of 12 (e.g., Superior and Housing Court civil cases) will continue to be tried to juries of six and subject to limitations on the number of peremptory challenges. Priority will continue to be given to conducting jury trials in cases where a party is in custody. The general tolling of speedy trial deadlines will expire on Oct. 1.
“We are truly encouraged by the progress in the Commonwealth with respect to COVID-19,†said Supreme Judicial Court Chief Justice Kimberly Budd, “and hope it will continue and allow courts to gradually return to normal. At the same time, we hope to take some of the lessons learned during the pandemic and apply them going forward, particularly when it comes to conducting certain proceedings virtually.â€
As throughout the pandemic, all plans and expectations regarding court access and operations may be adjusted at any time if the COVID-19 situation in the Commonwealth changes significantly.
Due to juror notice requirements, jurors will not be available for trials in some locations until Sept. 7. For a list of locations and the dates they will have access to jury pools, visit https://www.mass.gov/info-details/covid-19-jury-information.
Each Trial Court department will continue to post notices to the court system’s COVID-19 webpage identifying how (in-person or virtually) it is addressing various categories of matters.
