LYNN NEWS ROUND-UP
MARCH 10, 2021
See our COVID-19 related posts by clicking here.
Lynn is currently in Phase 3, Step 1 of Reopening.
Click here for more info.
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.
MA schools to return to in-person learning in phases, remote/hybrid hours no longer count starting April 5th.
On March 5, 2021, the Board of Elementary and Secondary Education adopted amendments to the Student Learning Time regulations on an emergency basis. These amendments provide me with the authority to determine when hybrid and remote models will no longer count toward meeting the required student learning time hours. 603 CMR 27.08(2)(d). Consistent with these amendments, and following consultation with medical experts and state health officials, I am exercising that authority as follows:
- Elementary school phase (grades K-5): For elementary schools, hybrid and remote learning models will no longer count towards meeting the required student learning time hours as of Monday, April 5, 2021. As a result, districts and schools are required to shift their learning model for elementary school grade levels to full-time, in-person instruction five days per week effective Monday, April 5, 2021.
- Middle school phase (grades 6-8): For middle schools, hybrid and remote learning models will no longer count towards meeting the required student learning time hours as of Wednesday, April 28, 2021. As a result, districts and schools will be required to shift their learning model for middle school grade levels to full-time, in-person instruction five days per week, effective Wednesday, April 28, 2021.
- High school phase (grades 9-12): We will announce the details and timing of the high school phase of the plan in April. Districts will be provided with at least two weeks in advance of the date for high school students to return to full-time, in-person instruction, but should start making such plans now.
Accompanying this message is a guidance document that provides detailed information to support districts in the transition to full in-person learning.
Sincerely,
Jeffrey C. Riley
Commissioner, MA Dept. of Elementary & Secondary Education
The above press release is courtesy of MDESE.
Find a mass vaccine location near you by clicking here.
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.
Massachusetts community media centers fighting for funding at State House
An Act relative to a streaming entertainment operator’s use of public rights of way has been introduced in the 2021 Massachusetts legislative session by Senator Jason Lewis and Representatives Joan Meschino and Paul Tucker.
MassAccess is encouraging all Massachusetts community media centers to reach out to their state legislators and ask them to cosign on the bill.
Why this, and why now?
Streaming video providers continue to profit from subscriptions in Massachusetts but don’t pay for the use of the public rights of way like cable providers do. The Commonwealth of Massachusetts, its municipalities and the community media centers that serve them can all benefit from asking streaming entertainment providers to pay for their use of public property.
Community media stations are providing more vital services to Massachusetts residents than ever before and are doing so on increasingly lower budgets. The time is right to update Massachusetts laws to ensure that these services can continue well into the future.
Read the bill | Read the summary
You Can Help
In the last legislative session, the bill had over 80 cosigners in the House and Senate – which tells us there is an appetite for this type of reform. This session, we want to be sure we have the support of many more legislators, as well as local governmental bodies. You can help this effort!
Please call your state legislators and ask them to sign on to the bill. A show of strength is imperative! You can also ask your local city council or select board to pass a resolution in support of this effort. Every little bit of support is crucial. Use the talking points below as a guide for when you reach out. Follow up often!
Talking points | Find your legislator
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The above information is courtesy of MassAccess.
Find out more by clicking here.
Virtual program on March 28th on history of Black women in Essex County
In celebration of Salem Women’s History Day, join us for a virtual program, “Unsung Heroes: Black Women in Essex County,” at 1:00p.m. on Sunday, March 28, 2021. Presented in partnership with Essex Heritage this program is free, but registration is required.
Read about MBTA subway & bus schedule changes effective March 14 by clicking here.
MBTA to Offer Two New Online Resources for Reduced Fare Customers
Riders requesting a Senior CharlieCard for the first time can now apply online.
Senior/TAP customers can make appointments online.
Beginning March 8, 2021 two new online resources will be available to Reduced Fare Customers: riders requesting a Senior CharlieCard for the first time can utilize a new online application to do so, and Senior and Transportation Access Pass (TAP) customers can make online reservations to visit the CharlieCard Store.
“We are happy to offer these new tools that are both a convenience for our riders but also an added layer of safety for customers that may have concerns interacting in a public setting during the pandemic,” said MBTA General Manager Steve Poftak. “A customer will now be able to make an appointment online or upload a photo and required documents based on the criteria for the Senior CharlieCard. Once the card is ready, the customer can opt to pick it up at the CharlieCard Store or have it mailed.”
MBTA riders looking to request a Senior CharlieCard for the first time will be able to use the new online application. People 65 years of age and older are eligible for reduced MBTA fares with a Senior CharlieCard. This online application will provide seniors with a convenient method to apply for and receive a new Senior CharlieCard without having to visit the Store. This is the first phase of a pilot rollout that will include future online services for TAP and Blind Access CharlieCard customers.
In addition, Senior and TAP customers will be able to book appointments online for the CharlieCard Store to avoid standing in line during regular service hours.
On Monday, March 8, 2021, at 8 AM, the MBTA will launch both tools, offering first-time senior applicants the ability to securely upload Senior CharlieCard applications, photos, and verifying documentation, and allowing Senior/TAP customers to book CharlieCard Store appointments online. The new tools will be available at mbta.com/charliecardstore.
The online tools are a component of the MBTA’s efforts to transform the fare payment process to make it easier and more convenient for customers to get where they’re going. Fare Transformation includes a schedule of continuous improvements over a five-year period. In 2020, benefits of the project began to materialize with pilots that included new fare policy, greater access to CharlieCards, improved reliability of subway gates, and tap acceptance on the Fairmount Commuter Rail Line. By 2024, riders will be able to board buses and Green Line trains through all doors, pay their fares using mobile devices or contactless credit cards, and tap on and transfer between all MBTA modes.
The CharlieCard Store is fully accessible and is located in Boston’s Downtown Crossing Station. MBTA riders looking to request a Senior, TAP, or Blind CharlieCard or replace a lost, expired, or damaged card and make deposits to RIDE accounts can visit the Store during the business hours below:
- Tuesdays and Thursdays, 8:30 AM to 1 PM: Seniors, TAP customers, riders with chronic health conditions, and legally blind riders.
- Wednesday and Fridays, 12:30 PM to 5 PM: RIDE transactions and for riders who need to replace a damaged or expired CharlieCard (excluding corporate passes, semester passes, and student passes).
- The CharlieCard Store is closed on Mondays.
For more information, visit www.mbta.com/charliecardstore, or connect with the T on Twitter @MBTA, Facebook /TheMBTA, or Instagram @theMBTA.
The above press release was submitted to us by the MBTA.
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 243 with 29 new cases today. 15,330 Lynn residents have recovered and 198 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 15,771. Please visit the City of Lynn COVID-19 Data Dashboard which is updated daily.
Lynn City Hall & Other Buildings to Reopen to the
Public on Monday, March 22nd
Lynn City Buildings including: City Hall, DPW, Police and Fire Department Offices will reopen to the public on Monday, March 22nd. Limited in-person services at City Hall for tax and ticket payments will continue on the first floor through Friday, March 19th. Also starting Monday, March 22nd, the Library will be open regular hours for in-person services to the public by appointment only.
Face coverings and social distancing will be mandatory for those entering all city buildings. Entrance and exit for visitors will continue to be limited to Johnson Street for City Hall and Main Entrances for the other City Buildings. Visitors will also be asked to provide contact information and what specific departments they are visiting for contact tracing purposes.
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.
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