LYNN NEWS ROUND-UP
MARCH 15, 2021
See our COVID-19 related posts by clicking here.
BREAKING NEWS – 5PM UPDATE: Mayor Tom McGee will not seek reelection this year. Watch a video statement, with transcript, by clicking here.
Lynn municipal buildings will reopen to the public starting March 22nd.
SEE BELOW FOR MORE INFORMATION.
The state of MA is slowly reopening throughout the month of March.
Click here for more info.
A vaccination site has opened at Lynn Tech for Lynners.
Find out more & watch a video tour by clicking here.
COVID-19 testing in Lynn this week
PROJECT BEACON
Located at 398 Blossom St. in Lynn
The City of Lynn has been selected as one of four communities across the Commonwealth for a COVID-19 express testing site. The site will be run by Project Beacon which specializes in high-volume appointment only testing. The Lynn Project Beacon site has been extended through at least June 30th.
The site is located at the Blossom Street Extension parking lot, commonly known as the Lynn Ferry Terminal, and has the capacity to perform up to 2,000 tests per day. Residents will be able to schedule their test appointment in advance, drive up to the site at their assigned time, be tested from the comfort of their car, and receive their results within 24 hours. There will be no pedestrian, walk-up access allowed at this site. For all Massachusetts residents, there is no cost for this test, no health insurance is required, and you will not be asked about your immigration status.
Residents can create an account, make appointments, and view their test results all through one, online platform for the Project Beacon COVID-19 Express Testing site at the Blossom Street Extension by visiting app.beacontesting.com. If you have questions about getting tested or issues regarding appointments or results at Project Beacon, please go to www.mass.gov/express-testing, call Project Beacon’s Call Center at 617-741-7310, or email at help@beacontesting.com. Appointments will become available several days in advance at a time.
MASS GENERAL BRIGHAM (MONDAYS ONLY)
Located in Lynn Marketplace – 43 State St. in Lynn
EDITOR’S NOTE: The Mass General Brigham Mobile COVID-19 Testing Van located at 43 State Street (Lynn Marketplace) is CLOSED today, Monday, March 15 due to weather and high winds.
The City of Lynn has entered a partnership between Mass General Brigham and North Shore Medical Center to offer a testing site. A mobile van will offer free walk-up testing for asymptomatic Lynn adults and children every Monday from 1-5pm in the Lynn Marketplace parking lot at 43 State Street for the duration of the winter and spring. This testing site has moved from Manning Field.
This walk-in testing is available for asymptomatic individuals who primarily live, work and go to school in Lynn. No insurance is needed, no ID is required, and no appointment is necessary. They will also not ask about immigration status.
This program is made possible in part through funding from the National Institutes of Health grant and RADx-UP (Rapid Acceleration of Diagnostics in Underserved Populations). For more information please visit http://www.kraftcommunityhealth.org/mobile-covid-testing.
LYNN COMMUNITY HEALTH CENTER
Located at 50 Blake St. in Lynn
Testing for COVID-19 is available for everyone in the Greater Lynn Community at Lynn Community Health Center through March 31st. You may be tested regardless of your symptoms or exposure to COVID-19. Call 781-581-3900 for an appointment. Appointments are strongly recommended, limited walk-in appointments are available. You do not need to be a patient at LCHC or have health insurance.
Two trailers were set up along the Blake Street side of the lot directly across from the health center to continue testing this winter. Patients enter the site through the gate across from the Mulberry Street alleyway and enter the first trailer for registration. They will exit the first trailer and proceed to the second trailer for testing. After their test they will exit the second trailer and leave the site through the gate across from the LCHC entrance. Patient movement will be one-way through the site,with plans in place to support social distancing at all times.
LCHC has created a video that helps explains how to make an appointment, what happens when you get to LCHC for your test, & how to access your testing results. Please click here to view the video.
LCHC Coronavirus Updates / informacion sobre covid19
COVID-19 testing times this week at LCHC:
- Monday: 8:30 am – 12:30 pm
- Tuesday: 1:00 pm – 5:00 pm
- Wednesday: 1:00 pm – 5:00 pm
- Thursday: 10:00am- 7:00 pm
- Friday: 8:30 am – 12:30 pm
OTHER RESOURCES
- Testing at Lynn Urgent Care – 776 Western Ave in Lynn
- This location accepts MassHealth & tests children. Walk-ins are accepted, but it is recommended to make an appointment. This location is open from 8am-8pm every day, and you can call them at 781-281-7081 for more info. & to set up an appointment. Find out more by clicking here.
- Testing at CVS on South Common Street in Lynn
-
Every individual who wants a test must make an appointment by clicking here. Bring proof of identity & in-state residence, as well as test confirmation email/text message. Be sure to have your mobile phone in case we need to reach you. Stay in your car. Minors ages 10-15 will need to be accompanied by an adult. Confirm charge for asymptomatic testing online, before booking your appointment.
-
- Additional resources, although some info. may now be out of date:
The information above was taken from the City of Lynn, Lynn Community
Health Center, & State of Massachusetts websites.
Find a mass vaccine location near you by clicking here.
Residents of Lynn & Nahant can schedule an appointment at the Lynn Tech Vaccination site by clicking here.
For phasing details and the most up-to-date status of where MA is
in our vaccination timeline please click here.
Co-founders of Building Bridges Through Music, Inc. recognized as Black Excellence Honorees by the MBLLC
Mrs. Doreen Murray and Mrs.Virginia Peacock-Makkers, Co-founders of Building Bridges Through Music, Inc. were recognized as Black Excellence Honorees by the Massachusetts Black & Latino Legislative Caucus during the Black Excellence on the Hill event held Friday, February 26.
Building Bridges Through Music focuses on Cultural responsiveness which is built into every aspect of the curriculum. Their mission is to bring together diverse neighboring communities for the purpose of increasing cultural awareness and racial harmony by using music, dance, and dramatic presentation as a multicultural, educational tool.
They were nominated by State Representative Peter Capano and Senator, “for the love and the commitment that they both have to the youth of Lynn, MA”, Senator Creighton expressed. He further stated, “I was honored to nominate Mrs. Murray and Mrs. Makkers to be Honorees for the MBLLC’s 2021 Black Excellence on the Hill celebration”.
Senator Crighton and Representative Capano made a visit to Building Bridges to personally present the Excellence Awards to the mother and daughter team. Rep. Capano said he fell in love with the program, the passion of Mrs. Murray and Mrs. Makkers as well as the charisma they had. He loved the smiles on the students’ faces when he attended an event 10 years ago and has been a fan and avid supporter of BBTMusic ever since.
Mrs. Murray was extremely grateful and said that they had not achieved their program’s success alone. It has been through the kindness, support, and generosity of so many others in and beyond the community that helped to make all they do for children and families they serve possible. Thanking everyone who has and continues to support BBTMusic.
Mrs. Makkers concluded the message by expressing, “ the youth are teaching us every day” and continued to express her sincere appreciation to the Massachusetts Black & Latino Legislative Caucus for recognizing and celebrating what Building Bridges has done for the past 20 years and continues to do today.
To learn more about Building Bridges Through Music visit www.bbtmusic.org
WATCH THE CITATION PRESENTATION BELOW:
About The 2021 Black Excellence on the Hill Event
The 2021 Black Excellence on the Hill event is an annual event hosted by the Massachusetts Black & Latino Legislative Caucus to commemorate Black community leaders and trailblazers that are moving the needle forward in their respective communities. Our 2021 nominees are activists, teachers, musicians, chocolatiers, and more — demonstrating that the excellence inherent to Blackness emulates from how expansive it is. Learn more about the MBLLC at http://www.mablacklatinocaucus.com
The above press release was submitted to us by Building Bridges Through Music.
City of Lynn Vaccinated Individuals Update & Categorization as Yellow Risk Level Community
The City of Lynn has been categorized for the first time as a “Yellow” community in the State’s Weekly COVID-19 Public Health Report, which tracks the risk level by municipality.
As of Thursday, March 11th, 18,790 Lynn residents have received at least one dose of a COVID-19 Vaccine, which is approximately 19% of our population. 9,041 Lynn residents have been fully vaccinated, or 9% of our population. This information can be found on the new weekly COVID-19 Municipality Vaccination Data report released today by the State with a new breakdown by Municipal Zip Code. You can find the full report by searching for “Weekly COVID-19 Municipality Vaccination Data Report” at this link.
“Nearly a full year has passed since the Lynn Board of Health declared a Public Health Emergency in the City of Lynn on March 17th, 2020. There has been an incredible amount of work done by our public health and frontline workers, first responders, and the residents of the City of Lynn to diligently follow the appropriate health and safety protocols to stop the spread of COVID-19,” said Mayor Thomas McGee. “It has been an extremely challenging year but being categorized as a ‘Yellow’ community for the first time is a significant step in the right direction. I want to thank our partners at Lynn Community Health Center and Lynn DPH, as well as all of the workers who have put in a tremendous amount of effort to get Lynn residents vaccinated thus far. I am excited for our community to continue trending in a positive direction as we remain committed to doing what we have to, to eliminate the spread of COVID-19 within our community.”
“The Lynn Department Public Health has been working very hard to decrease the number of positive COVID-19 cases by testing, contact tracing and now organizing and offering vaccination clinics for eligible Lynn residents, with a special focus on our most vulnerable populations,” said Public Health Director Michele Desmarais. “I want to thank MJ Duffy Alexander, Jen Almonte and the entire Public Health Staff for their continuous hard work and dedication to alleviate COVID-19 in the City of Lynn.”
The above information is courtesy of Mayor McGee’s office.
Please note that the above info. is current as of Friday, March 12th.
Lynn Mayor Thomas McGee Selected to Participate in Mayor’s Institute on City Design Alumni Technical Assistance Program
Mayor Thomas M. McGee has been selected to participate as an inaugural participant in the Mayors’ Institute on City Design (MICD) Alumni Technical Assistance (ATA) program which includes 12 mayors and 27 design professionals. MICD ATA matches selected mayors with nationally renowned design experts for assistance with a case study project, either a continuation of their original MICD case study project or a new project focused on racial justice in the built environment. This program brings the spirit of MICD – candid, concrete, expert
advice in a trusted setting – to a virtual offering while in-person Institute sessions are on hold.
Mayor McGee will be building upon a 2018 MICD Lynnway case study project which he presented to the MICD conference in Anchorage, Alaska in 2018. The case study focused on utilizing the Lynnway to connect the downtown and adjacent residential neighborhoods with the waterfront. As part of the ATA program, the MICD technical assistance team will assist in creating a baseline for reimagining the Lynnway that transitions away from an auto oriented context to a walkable urban environment.
“I am honored to be selected to participate in the MICD Alumni Technical Assistance program to develop new ideas on how to reimagine the Lynnway to act as a bridge rather than a barrier to our current and future waterfront development,” said Mayor Thomas M. McGee. “The goal will be to ensure the public has easy access to the amenities planned for the waterfront and ultimately realize well designed, walkable, transit-oriented development for Lynn’s waterfront.
The ATA program matches each alumni mayor with two or three Resource Team members to develop recommendations on their project. Over approximately six weeks, the Resource Team works with the mayor, city staff, and stakeholders to develop concrete solutions to the city’s challenges. MICD Alumni Technical Assistance is offered at no cost to participating cities; MICD compensates participating design professionals directly.
Participating mayors represent 10 states across the country and lead communities with populations ranging from 13,000 to 305,000 residents. Project topics include: visioning for multi-purpose parks in flood-prone, underserved neighborhoods; connecting residents to transit hubs and economic opportunity through urban design; developing vacant city-owned parcels in
overlooked neighborhoods; making overdue investments in streetscape improvements; and reviving main streets to bring walkability, economic opportunity, and a shared sense of community to geographically isolated neighborhoods.
Participating Resource Team members hail from across the U.S. and represent the fields of architecture, landscape architecture, urban planning, urban design, transportation planning, creative placemaking, economic development, real estate development, and more.
MICD is honored to connect city design experts with local leaders to advance projects that will bring greater equity, opportunity, safety, and well-being to communities across the country.
Participating Mayors
- Beverly, MA Mayor Michael Cahill
- Cayce, SC Mayor Elise Partin
- Framingham, MA Mayor Yvonne Spicer
- Greenville, MS Mayor Errick Simmons
- Lansing, MI Mayor Andy Schor
- Lincoln, NE Mayor Leirion Gaylor Baird
- Lynn, MA Mayor Thomas McGee
- Mooresville, NC Mayor Miles Atkins
- Mount Vernon, NY Mayor Shawyn Patterson-Howard
- Muskegon, MI Mayor Stephen Gawron
- Pittsburgh, PA Mayor Bill Peduto
- Union City, GA Mayor Vince Williams
The above press release was submitted to us by Mayor McGee’s office.
Click for full-resolution images
From Mayor McGee’s office: The Lynn Public Health Department has confirmed that as of today, the number of active, confirmed positive COVID-19 cases is 289 with 16 new cases today. 15,435 Lynn residents have recovered and 199 have died. The total number of confirmed positive COVID-19 cases in Lynn since March 21, 2020, including those who have died and recovered, is 15,923. Please visit the City of Lynn COVID-19 Data Dashboard which is updated daily.
MGB Mobile COVID Testing Van CLOSED TODAY 3/15
The Mass General Brigham Mobile COVID-19 Testing Van located at 43 State Street (Lynn Marketplace) is CLOSED today, Monday, March 15 due to weather and high winds. Please follow www.lynnma.gov for more updates.
COVID-19 vaccine appointments are available at Lynn Tech Fieldhouse for people who live or work in Lynn & Nahant or are Lynn Community Health Center Patients and meet state eligibility requirements (Massachusetts Phase 1 & Phase 2 Step 1 & 2: 65 year of age or older or with two or more chronic health conditions. Educators are eligible March 11. Residents age 75+ may be accompanied by one caregiver who can book an appointment themselves.) Please visit https://www.lchcnet.org/covid-19-vaccine-scheduling to make an appointment online. Residents without access to the Internet can call 2-1-1 to make an appointment 7 days a week.
Please visit http://www.ci.lynn.ma.us/covid19/resources.shtml#p7GPc1_2 for the most up to date COVID-19 testing information, as well as more detailed information on the State and City of Lynn’s Reopening Guidelines. We will continue to provide regular updates on COVID-19 through the City website (www.lynnma.gov), social media, and the Smart 911 emergency notification system (sign up at www.smart911.com).
If you have a news story that you would like to share, please contact us via email or call 781-780-9460.
