Morning Current, Tuesday, October 6

Transcript

Good morning. It's Tuesday, October 6. From the Cape Ann Current, I'm Kerry Jane. Today we look at the Woodman family foundation's million dollar milestone, how Cape Ann schools feed 4,500 students for free, and what the switch to trash carts costs.

The Daily Brief is free, and supported by local businesses. To sponsor it, visit capeanncurrent dot com slash advertise.

In Essex, the family foundation tied to Woodman's says it has given more than 1 million dollars to local students and groups since 1988. The foundation started as a single scholarship and expanded in 2022 to help families in need and groups like Action Incorporated. It also funds scholarships for Manchester Essex seniors and Woodman's student workers. The foundation has two fundraisers this month. The James in Essex donates 10 percent of its proceeds on Wednesday, October 14. On Saturday, October 24, the foundation hosts a dice game night at the Manchester American Legion.

Across Cape Ann, kitchen crews in Gloucester, Rockport and Manchester Essex feed about 4,500 students every school day. Under a Massachusetts law, every meal is free to every student. The state set aside 180 million dollars this year to reimburse districts. Project Bread estimates the free meals save families about 1,200 dollars a year per child. Gloucester runs the largest program, feeding about 2,780 students. The city says it will start serving snack pack style lunches on half days beginning Thursday, October 15. Manchester Essex feeds about 1,150 students, and Rockport feeds 620.

In Gloucester and Manchester by the Sea, new automated trash carts are changing what residents pay. Gloucester's trash budget jumped 69 percent this year to 4.92 million dollars. Most eligible Gloucester homes now pay a 300 dollar yearly fee for standard carts. In Manchester, most households will see a 100 dollar yearly charge on their water and sewer bills starting in November. Essex and Rockport still use transfer stations with no curbside pickup. An Essex household throwing away one large bag a week pays about 358 dollars a year, while a similar Rockport household pays about 296 dollars.

Gloucester and Manchester by the Sea town offices will be closed on Monday, October 12, for Columbus Day. They reopen at regular hours on Tuesday, October 13. The Gloucester City Clerk's office will also close for general business on Friday, October 30, to prepare for the state election. The city says the office will stay open that day only for election related business, as it is the last day of early voting.

In public meetings today, the Gloucester Board of Health Eastern Waste Service Subcommittee meets at 4 p.m. The Rockport Select Board meets at 6 p.m. to vote on a Christmas in Rockport proposal. Also at 6 p.m., Gloucester hosts a citywide arts plan session at City Hall, and the Manchester Essex Regional School Committee meets to hear elementary school improvement plans. Several other boards also meet today.

In events today, you can catch a live painting demonstration at Hammond Castle in Gloucester from noon to 1:30 p.m. The Manchester Essex boys golf team hosts Georgetown at 3:30 p.m. Tonight, Cape Ann Lanes in Gloucester hosts free music video bingo from 7:30 to 9:30 p.m.

In high school sports, the Manchester Essex field hockey team shut out Rockport 6 to 0 on Monday. Gloucester volleyball swept KIPP Academy Lynn 3 to 0. In soccer, Marblehead beat the Gloucester boys 2 to 0, and the Marblehead girls beat Gloucester 6 to 0. In golf, Danvers defeated Gloucester 43.5 to 28.5. Today, the unbeaten Gloucester field hockey team hosts Beverly at 4:30 p.m. In soccer, Rockport and Manchester Essex face off twice, with the girls in Manchester at 4 p.m. and the boys in Rockport at 6 p.m.

The National Weather Service expects a sunny, cool and gusty Tuesday, with a high near 58 and northwest wind gusts up to 32 miles per hour, and says tonight will be clear and chilly, with a low around 42. A small craft advisory is in effect for Massachusetts Bay and Ipswich Bay until 8 a.m. today. NOAA predicts high tides in Gloucester Harbor will reach 8.7 feet at 8:15 a.m. and 9.7 feet at 8:36 p.m.

We also remember Barbara Harvey, 83, of Gloucester.

That's the Daily Brief for Tuesday. Every story, with its sources, is at capeanncurrent dot com, along with short editions for each town. I'm Kerry Jane, the Cape Ann Current's newsreader. Every story comes from public records and is listed with its sources on our website. Keeping Cape Ann current.

Stories in this episode

• Woodman family foundation passes $1 million in giving, with two fundraisers this month
• School lunch for everyone: how each Cape Ann town feeds 4,500 kids for free
• Gloucester city offices close Monday, Oct. 12, and the clerk's office pauses regular business Oct. 30 for the election
• Essex trash pays for itself. Here is what a household pays, and how it compares
• Gloucester's trash bill jumps to $4.9 million. Here is who pays, and how it compares
• Manchester's new trash carts: who pays more, who pays less and how the neighbors compare
• Rockport's transfer station costs $804,000 a year. Here is what a household pays, and how it compares
• Sunny, cool and gusty Tuesday, then warming to near 69 by Thursday
• Scoreboard: Unbeaten Gloucester field hockey hosts Beverly, and Rockport and Manchester Essex meet twice in soccer

All Morning Current episodes and ways to listen