Jim McGovern

New Spanish American Center food truck is feeding the local community

April 27, 2023 by pkzadmin

LEOMINSTER — Nourishing the community is at the heart and soul of the inspiration behind the new Spanish American Center food truck, which was celebrated with a ribbon cutting on Monday.

Dozens gathered at the Spruce Street nonprofit social service agency to christen the brand-new food truck, including SAC staff, board members, and volunteers, city police, representatives from City Hall, City Council, Making Opportunity Count, and North Central Massachusetts Chamber of Commerce, local and state dignitaries, and community members.

Congressman Jim McGovern spoke to the crowd gathered on Monday in Leominster to celebrate the new Spanish American Center food truck. "Food ought to be a fundamental human right." (DANIELLE RAY/SENTINEL & ENTERPRISE) — U.S. Rep. Jim McGovern spoke to the crowd gathered on Monday in Leominster to celebrate the new Spanish American Center food truck. “Food ought to be a fundamental human right.” (DANIELLE RAY/SENTINEL & ENTERPRISE)

U.S. Rep. Jim McGovern has long been an advocate for raising awareness about hunger and food insecurity and taking action to address those issues. The politician, who helped secure $110,000 in federal funding that was used to help purchase and outfit the truck, had high praise for longtime SAC Executive Director Neddy Latimer and her crew and thanked them for their tireless community efforts.

“This will help a lot of people in this community and how can you say no to Neddy,” McGovern quipped, drawing laughter from the crowd. “This is important work. This is what really matters.”

The total cost for the food truck was $125,000. Latimer said SAC covered the difference and state Rep. Natalie Higgins secured $50,000 in state funding that was used to purchase a food delivery truck.

“They say it takes a village and it really does,” McGovern said, adding that every person gathered for the celebration “had a part in making this happen.”

Both vehicles will be used to bring hot meals and fresh food out to members of the community who are dealing with food insecurity, homeless, families, and more, “nutritious food” for people who may not have access or transportation to grocery stores or the means to acquire fresh fruits and vegetables, McGovern pointed out.

The new Spanish American Center food truck that will be used to feed and nourish community members was celebrated with a ribbon cutting ceremony on Monday morning at the Leominster social service agency. (DANIELLE RAY/SENTINEL & ENTERPRISE)

Latimer was overcome with emotion when she thanked everyone involved, especially McGovern, Higgins, and state Sen. John Cronin and state Rep. Michael Kushmerek for their ongoing support and “for making a dream come true.”

“Thanks for joining us in this celebration,” she conveyed to the crowd. “This morning tears came to my eyes because I couldn’t believe this was happening. Words cannot express how I feel this morning, we are very happy and grateful.”

She went on to compliment the members of the SAC Board of Directors, whom she called “an asset to the community,” for their dedication and hard work, including board President Migdalia Velez.

“We all know that food insecurity is a big deal in our community,” Velez stated. “This is going to be instrumental in reaching those people who may not be able to get to the Spanish American Center. Thank you so much from the bottom of my heart.”

SAC Information and Referral Advocacy Specialist and Elder Services Coordinator Mickey Guzman, who has been with SAC for 27 years, introduced each speaker and shared that SAC is the “oldest minority Latin program in Worcester County” and has been around for 57 years. Latimer has been with SAC for over five decades and was recently selected as a Mount Wachusett Community College Service Above Self award honoree for her dedication and commitment to serving the community.

“Its amazing, what a journey it’s been for Neddy and the Spanish American Center,” said Mayor Dean Mazzarella. “[We] could have never dreamt this would come together … it’s all really come full circle.”

Mazzarella spoke about the financial challenges so many people face these days — high rent, the rising cost of groceries — “an indication of how tough it’s been” and that “it’s been difficult for families.”

“The Spanish American center is there to help everyone,” he said. “Today is part of that connection to make that happen.”

Earlier in the program McGovern said that “the idea of anti-hunger shouldn’t be a radical idea” and noted that there are “nearly 40 million citizens in our country don’t know where their next meal is coming from.”

“Food ought to be a fundamental human right,” he stated. “Look at where the gaps are … maybe others will follow your lead. This food truck will really allow the Spanish American Center to expand their operation and help more people.”

Latimer’s husband Jose Latimer, who is the SAC Manager of Food Services, said he’ll be helping with the food truck along with other SAC team members.

“I drove it, it’s really good,” he said with a smile about test driving the food truck. “The food we are going to prepare for the people out there is homemade, nothing frozen or canned. This is going to be beautiful for the community. There’s nothing like warm food.”

Spanish American Center Manager of Food Services Jose Latimer, who will be help run the Leominster social service agency's food truck, spoke at the ribbon cutting about why this new endeavor is so important. "This is going to be beautiful for the community." (DANIELLE RAY/SENTINEL & ENTERPRISE) — Spanish American Center Manager of Food Services Jose Latimer, who will be help run the Leominster social service agency’s food truck, spoke at the ribbon cutting about why this new endeavor is so important. “This is going to be beautiful for the community.” (DANIELLE RAY/SENTINEL & ENTERPRISE)

After not one but two ribbons were cut and Latimer invited all the SAC team members up for a photo, Mazzarella noted that this kind of collaborative community work is typical in Leominster.

“Neddy, we can’t thank you enough, you’re our leader we follow you,” he said while presenting Latimer with a congratulatory citation. “All the agencies here work so well together, there’s nothing we can’t get done. Maybe it’s food that brings us together.”

Cronin’s Director of Communications Jake Simopoulos gave Latimer a citation on behalf of the senator, who was unable to attend the ribbon cutting, and Tracy Gagnon presented her with another from the chamber of commerce.

“Food is love,” Gagnon stated, to which Latimer replied, “food is medicine.”

Delicious scents wafted through the air and attendees were invited inside the center to feast on a sampling of the kinds of cuisine the food truck will be serving to community members such as rice and beans, empanadas, chicken and pulled pork, garden and potato salads, fresh fruit, drinks, and a homemade cake with a light up toy food truck perched on top.

Mount Wachusett Community College Leominster campus renovation project celebrated

April 6, 2023 by pkzadmin

LEOMINSTER — Community, collaboration, and leadership were at the forefront of the celebration on Tuesday at the Mount Wachusett Community College Leominster campus to mark the completion of the large-scale top to bottom expansion and renovation project.

“What an honor it is to welcome all of you,” said MWCC President James Vander Hooven, Ed.D., to the large crowd gathered at the state-of-the-art facility on Erdman Way.

Mount Wachusett Community College Leominster Assistant Dean of Student Services Sabine Dupoux welcomed everyone to the April 4 celebration of the completion of the large scale renovation and expansion project at the Erdman Way school. (DANIELLE RAY/SENTINEL & ENTERPRISE)

Lt. Gov. Kim Driscoll, state Sen. John Cronin, U.S. Rep. Jim McGovern, state Rep. Michael Kushmerek, Gardner Mayor Mike Nicholson, North Central Massachusetts Chamber of Commerce delegates, MWCC staff, and many more were on hand for the occasion.

MWCC Leominster Assistant Dean of Student Services Sabine Dupoux welcomed everyone before introducing Vander Hooven, who spoke about the eight-month long construction project which he called a “long and arduous process” that they are proud of accomplishing.

“I feel like it was just yesterday that we were realizing we were ending one chapter,” he said of the necessity to renovate and expand the campus by 2,000 square feet due to growth.

The modern campus now offers a variety of new training opportunities, a science lab, Food for Thought Food Pantry, Pearson Testing Site, new student lounge and study areas, and 14 upgraded classrooms and laboratories that include enhanced audio/visual equipment.

Vander Hooven outlined the reasons why “we need to be in this area” — students who may have transportation issues and not be able to get to the main Gardner campus, students of all ages with busy lives that need the flexibility the Leominster campus offers, proximity to the Twin Cities — and stated that they will be able to “better serve our students of color.”

“You will see that this campus is going to draw an extremely diverse student body of students looking to improve their lives,” Vander Hooven conveyed.

Before continuing he took the time to honor Spanish American Center Executive Director Neddy Latimer, who was selected as an MWCC Service Above Self award honoree, which recognizes individuals who have made significant contributions within the 29 cities and towns that make up the MWCC service area.

“When I think of great leaders I think of Neddy,” Vander Hooven said, noting her “relentless pursuit of partnerships,” dedication to the greater community and its residents, and some of the accomplishments she has made over her five decades at SAC including facilitating ESL and civics classes, after school programs, homeless and housing referrals, elderly outreach, domestic violence and senior services, arranging transportation for MWCC students, and more.

“Thank you very much for everything you’ve done,” he said to Latimer.

Mount Wachusett Community College President James Vander Hooven presents longtime Spanish American Center Executive Director Neddy Latimer with a Service Above Self award recognizing her continued dedication to the greater community. (DANIELLE RAY/SENTINEL & ENTERPRISE)

Latimer was visibly moved and said it was “a great honor” to be recognized. She thanked everyone, including her son Joey and his wife who were in attendance, and received a standing ovation before and after she spoke.

“At the center will do everything it takes to continue to refer students [to MWCC] and if they need transportation, we will make that happen,” she said.

McGovern was up next and gave a shout out to his “friend Neddy.”

“I can’t think of anybody more deserving of this award,” he said of Latimer, calling her “kind and compassionate and as you all know, she is a force to be reckoned with.”

“She has literally saved lives,” McGovern said before giving Latimer a certificate of recognition and a hug.

He surveyed the room and thanked everyone for coming, including Driscoll and his fellow politicians, commenting that there were “so many incredible friends here.”

“[They] say it takes a village, I say it takes a bigger room,” McGovern quipped about the packed space. “I am thrilled to be here to celebrate the grand opening of this beautiful campus. [You are] providing students with necessary but sometimes hard to come by support.”

He talked about how MWCC offers “an affordable education to anyone who wants it” and grows their own food, a topic near and dear to his heart as he is a champion for addressing food insecurity.

“No one should have to choose between eating and attending school,” McGovern said. “You are invested in the whole of every student. Thank all of you again for creating opportunity in North Central Massachusetts … this is a great day to celebrate.”

Vander Hooven noted that “a lot of work went into this and so many people were part of the planning,” giving high praise to MWCC staff, the contractors and construction workers, and more including Dupoux for her efforts in helping with the project. He joked that they didn’t have to form a committee to pick the paint colors for the project because Dupoux did that, to which she replied with a smile “that was the hardest part.”

Longtime Leominster City Councilor Claire Freda commented that she noticed “Leominster blue” in the colors, which drew laughter from the crowd, before introducing Driscoll.

“What a special time to be here,” Driscoll said, adding that “community colleges provide opportunities.”

“If you look in the classrooms, you’re going to see the future workers … the future leaders,” she said.

Massachusetts Lieutenant Governor Kim Driscoll praised Mount Wachusett Community College for their “one stop shopping” model, offering a wide variety of programs and services under one roof. (DANIELLE RAY/SENTINEL & ENTERPRISE)

She spoke about the program she and Gov. Maura Healey are proposing that would make community college free for state residents who are 25 years and older, MassReconnect, saying they “see it as a ticket to economic mobility.”

Driscoll went on to praise MWCC for their “one stop shopping” model, offering a wide variety of programs and services under one roof including a MassHire career center.

“Thanks so much for all you’re doing,” she said.

MWCC Vice President of Enrollment and Public Affairs Lea Ann Scales thanked the MWCC Board of Trustees members as well as the politicians for taking the time to be there before Nicholson conveyed that his mother and grandmother “learned English” at MWCC and that his parents earned degrees from there.

“I look forward to continuing to see how this center grows,” Nicholson said.

Kushmerek noted “the incredible work of … the entire MWCC team” and said it’s important to “meet students where they are.” He thanked Driscoll for her “commitment to gateway communities and Central Massachusetts” and Latimer “for all you do.”

“You don’t ask where people are from, you ask how you can help,” Kushmerek said to Latimer.

Cronin called Driscoll an “invaluable partner” and said that while “a lot of people talk the talk, Neddy Latimer walks the walk.” He noted that “the opportunities are unique” at MWCC and said that if he had to boil down the educational institution’s mission it would be “to build out and sustain the middle class.”

Leominster Center for Technical Education Innovation culinary arts students provided quite the spread of food for the guests. (DANIELLE RAY/SENTINEL & ENTERPRISE)

“No one is doing it better,” Cronin said of MWCC, urging staff to continue the work they are doing and noting that because of their dedication “a lot of good will happen in these four walls over the coming decades.”

A ribbon cutting was held following the program and Leominster Center for Technical Education Innovation culinary arts students provided quite the spread of food for the guests.

Congressional quintet celebrate more than $20 million in federal funding for Massachusetts community projects

February 14, 2023 by pkzadmin

U.S. Sens. Ed Markey and Elizabeth Warren, along with U.S. Reps. Lori Trahan, Jim McGovern and Richard Neal are touting successful efforts to secure federal funding for a number of community-based projects across the state in December’s end-of-year omnibus spending package.

In a press release, the lawmakers said they had secured over $20 million for 16 projects across the state, with more than $7 million directed toward projects in Fitchburg, Leominster and Gardner. Markey said the projects existed “at the forefront” of efforts to promote “health, environmental, and economic justice across our Commonwealth.”

“These projects will use federal dollars to add beds and improve systems at regional hospital campuses, promote educational resources and programming for immigrant communities, and enhance critical water infrastructure for our cities and towns in Central Massachusetts,” he said.

Funding in Fitchburg included $450,000 for HealthAlliance-Clinton Hospital’s Fitchburg Campus to acquire and install a digital breast tomosynthesis that will expand access to life-saving screenings. Additionally, $2 million was dedicated to Fitchburg State University’s Theater Block Revitalization Project to build a learning laboratory and black box theater to strengthen the city’s cultural and educational infrastructure.

Community Health Connections was awarded $2.5 million. CHC is a federally qualified health center that has served the low-income, underinsured, uninsured, publicly housed and homeless populations of Fitchburg, Leominster and other nearby communities for more than 20 years. The funds will be used to establish an 8,000-square-foot facility to meet the growing need of mental and behavioral health services for children, including outpatient therapy services, psychiatry, in-school therapy, therapeutic case management, peer mentoring and parenting classes.

North Star of Leominster was awarded $1 million to develop 15 units of affordable housing, while an additional $1 million was awarded to the city of Gardner to replace a 141-year-old water transmission main line and maintain the public health and safety of residents.

Trahan celebrated the work of the quintet and said “delivering for our state and our communities” has always been her “top priority.” Warren stressed the importance of these projects to the region while McGovern and Neal said these projects “will [affect] real change” and “undoubtedly go a long way” in their respective communities.

“I’m proud of all that the Massachusetts delegation has achieved together in securing funding that will make the Commonwealth an even better place to call home,” Trahan said.

“Federal investments like these will help fortify our aging water infrastructure, provide critical resources for immigrants and veterans, and advance health equity across this region,” Warren said. “I’ll keep pushing to ensure the federal government is a strong partner to communities across the Commonwealth.”

“These projects will effect real change, like expanding patient bed access and making our health system more equitable,” McGovern said in the press release. “For me, public service has always been about listening to and helping people, and after working with so many community leaders to move these projects forward, I’m proud we are delivering results and I look forward to seeing the impact these investments have on the Second District.”

“The more than $20 million in federal funding secured for central Massachusetts will undoubtedly go a long way in making many of these long-awaited projects a reality,” Neal said. “Congress has the fundamental responsibility to oversee the expenditure of the public purse, and I firmly believe that these projects are worthwhile investments for the people of central Massachusetts.”

Respect for Marriage Act awaits Joe Biden’s signature, passes with support from local reps

December 11, 2022 by pkzadmin

The Respect for Marriage Act is awaiting President Joe Biden’s signature after passing in the U.S. House of Representatives on Thursday.

The bill, which codifies protections for same-sex and interracial marriage at the federal level, passed 258-169 in the House and 61-36 in the Senate in November. Once the legislation is signed into law, the federal government will recognize same-sex and interracial marriages performed in any state, and states will be prohibited from discriminating against same-sex or interracial couples legally married in another state. The bill repeals the Defense of Marriage Act, enacted in 1996, which saw the federal government recognize only marriages between men and women.

While the bill’s passage picked up the support of 39 Republicans in the House and 12 Republicans in the Senate, support for the bill vote stayed largely along party lines. Democrats, including U.S. Rep. Lori Trahan, said that the legislation is necessary.

“Millions of same-sex and interracial couples across our nation are breathing a sigh of relief today. Passage of the Respect for Marriage Act guarantees that their marriages will be recognized and safeguarded no matter what federal courts rule or state legislatures try to pass,” said Trahan, a member of the Congressional LGBTQ+ Equality Caucus.

While Trahan believes the bill is “an overdue step in the right direction,” there is more work to be done. She said the Supreme Court could still act to overturn same-sex marriage protections, leaving many with “no option to marry the person they love in the state they call home.”

Trahan said legislation like the Equality Act would see sexual orientation and gender identity become protected categories, where discrimination on the grounds of sex, sexual orientation and gender identity in public accommodations and facilities, education, federal funding, employment, housing, credit, and the jury system would be prohibited.

U.S. Rep. Jim McGovern, chair of the House Rules Committee, was also among those to vote in favor. McGovern said the legislation was “an amazing and historic victory for equal rights.” He said the bill’s passage “honored” decades of efforts by LGBTQ and civil rights activists to create a “more just and equitable country.”

McGovern and Trahan both said the move to enshrine marriage protections into federal law follows comments by Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas in his concurring opinion for Dobbs v. Jackson — the case which repealed Roe v. Wade this summer.

“Justice Clarence Thomas made clear that past rulings protecting same-sex marriage and interracial marriage should be reconsidered. To me — and I think to most people across America — that sentiment was repulsive and unacceptable. Love is love, hate has no place here, and no person should be denied equal rights because of who they are or who they want to spend their life with,” McGovern said in a statement.

McGovern also highlighted the 36 Republicans in the Senate and 169 in the House who opposed the legislation in his comments.

“GOP leaders continue to spew divisive and disgusting rhetoric about the LGBTQ+ community. America watches what we do here, and that includes those who wish to do harm to others. We have a sacred responsibility to serve, not score political points, especially when it puts the lives of others at risk. This vote is an important step — but also as a reminder of the work that lies ahead to overcome bigotry and hate and build a country that truly lives up to our promise of liberty and justice for all,” McGovern said.

Sunday Notebook: Charlie Baker among those seeking the national spotlight

November 20, 2022 by pkzadmin

We now have a clearer sense of what will feature on the to-do list for Gov. Charlie Baker’s remaining seven weeks in office: a final flurry of judicial appointments and clemency recommendations, celebrating the long-delayed and often uncertain completion of the Green Line Extension, and, despite his claimed distaste for national politics, pontification about the Republican Party’s future.

Baker made big news Friday morning when he announced he would move to commute the sentence of Ramadan Shabazz from first-degree murder to second-degree murder and pardon six people, including two convicted in a high-profile 1980s abuse case whose validity has long been disputed.

Gerald “Tooky” Amirault and Cheryl Amirault LeFave were convicted of sexually abusing young children at the Fells Acres Day Care Center they ran, but Baker said he has “grave doubt regarding the evidentiary strength of these convictions,” pointing to other experts and judicial officials who have reached similar conclusions over the years.

Baker’s recommendations — particularly the commutation of Shabazz, which would make the 72-year-old eligible for parole after he was initially sentenced to death and has since spent five decades behind bars — tee up noteworthy business for the Governor’s Council to tackle in the ongoing lame-duck session. His latest announcements also came only a couple of days after Baker tapped Parole Board member Tina Hurley to chair that panel.

Green Line extension launch near

Baker, or at least his team, this week circled another date on the calendar with a major announcement: the second and final leg of the Green Line Extension will launch for riders on Dec. 12.

The opening of the first branch, which featured a rebuilt Lechmere Station and only one new stop at Union Square, drew a day of festivities and victory speeches from Baker, his top deputies and former officials who had a hand in the years-long project.

MBTA and Baker administration higher-ups have not yet indicated the level of fanfare over the start of service on the five-station Medford Branch, but they might see it as a way to draw focus back toward a landmark accomplishment after months of intense scrutiny on the T’s safety failures that spiraled out under their watch.

Baker appears on CNN

And as Baker’s eight years in the corner office draw to a close, the governor has started to turn his attention toward a type of political punditry he has often resisted.

During his two terms, he often found common ground with Democrats and sometimes voiced disagreement with or disapproval for former President Donald Trump, a position that both reflected and accelerated the growing divide between the popular governor and MassGOP Chair Jim Lyons.

But Baker also made a frequent point to stay uninvolved in many political fights. For months leading up to and then in the wake of the election to succeed him, Baker declined to endorse either Republican challenger Geoff Diehl or eventual winner Maura Healey, nor any statewide candidate besides Republican auditor hopeful Anthony Amore. When Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis flew dozens of migrants to Martha’s Vineyard — an action that prompted a class action lawsuit and an investigation by a Texas sheriff — Baker displayed little interest in publicly criticizing a fellow Republican governor.

Baker apparently decided he had a lot more to say after the dust settled on last week’s elections, when Republicans won back a narrow U.S. House majority but failed to flip the Senate or capitalize on a midterm position that historically favors whichever party does not hold the White House.

The governor sought out the spotlight by inviting CNN to his State House office for an election post-mortem, waxing about how he believes Trump’s influence “probably hurt the (Republican) party and hurt the party’s chances on Election Day.”

“One of the messages from the election is, for Republicans generally, is we need, we need as a party to move past President Trump and to move on to an agenda that represents the voices of all those in the party and the people of the country,” Baker told CNN’s Jake Tapper.

It’s worth noting that Baker chose to deliver his assessment nearly a year after the widely popular governor opted not to seek a third term, during which he might have used his platform to try and push the party in the direction he desired. In his own assessment, what’s next for Baker once he hands over the corner office will be a trip “some place far” and first-time grandparenting, but his comments suggest he’s got more in the tank.

Baker for president

Baker stopped short of ruling out a run for some kind of position down the line, but not in 2024, in an interview with WCVB’s “On The Record” set to air Sunday morning.

“If I was looking at this point in my career to continue to engage in public service, I think (my wife) Lauren and I and Karyn Polito, the lieutenant governor, and her husband, Steve, would have run for another term,” he said. “I certainly plan to be involved in 2024, but I think the likelihood I’d be on the ballot in 2024 is pretty small.”

“I think anybody in public life never slams anything completely (shut), but I’m not going to be a candidate in 2024, period,” Baker replied when hosts Ed Harding and Janet Wu observed that Baker’s name has been floated among some pundits on the national stage this week. After a beat, he added, “If I don’t say that, my wife will be very unhappy with me.”

Wu pressed the governor on whether he would ever be a candidate for public office again.

“I’m not going to rule out ever running for anything,” Baker said.

To which we have to add: “I am not, nor will I ever be — OK? My wife is standing right back there and she will be the first to vouch — a candidate for national office.” That’s a Baker quote from July 2015.

Baker’s not alone on the national stage

Baker was not the only Massachusetts politician to claim a place on the national stage this week. Congresswoman Katherine Clark, who has served as a top deputy to House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, announced she would run for the number-two position in the chamber’s Democrat caucus with Pelosi preparing to step back from leadership.

While Clark seeks her own path in the next Congress, the state’s all-Democrat House delegation must prepare for a different dynamic starting in January when they become members of the minority party. That’ll be a shift from the current set-up, which features Congressman Richard Neal as chair of the House Ways and Means Committee and Congressman James McGovern as chair of the House Rules Committee.

There’s no guarantee that they reclaim those influential positions if Democrats win back a House majority in 2024 or beyond, especially with new leadership inbound, though a Clark elevation certainly could help the delegation’s chances of controlling some levers of power. If it appears that Republicans will hold on to the House in 2024, that could also factor into the reelection plans of senior Massachusetts U.S. House members.

House Republicans in search of speaker?

GOP lawmakers, meanwhile, face leadership decisions of their own. House Republicans reportedly chose current Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy as their next top leader, but it’s unclear whether McCarthy has the votes lined up to become speaker. He would need an outright majority in the House, and the narrow majority Republicans are forecast to wield could make any intraparty dissent particularly impactful.

Some high-ranking Republicans signaled Thursday their priorities next term will be investigating President Joe Biden and his family, according to CNN. Meanwhile, Attorney General Merrick Garland — a Biden appointee — on Friday named former Justice Department official Jack Smith as special counsel to investigate Trump’s handling of government documents and his involvement in events leading up to the Jan. 6, 2021 attack on the U.S. Capitol.

The balance of power in Massachusetts remains strongly weighted for Democrats, though party bosses are still waiting more than a week after the election to find out the final Democrat-Republican breakdown in the House and voters in two districts still do not know who their next representative will be.

Recounts still pending

The race between Republican Rep. Leonard Mirra and Democrat challenger Kristin Kassner to represent Georgetown, Hamilton, Ipswich, Newbury, Rowley and part of Topsfield remains undecided, as does the contest between Democrat Margaret Scarsdale and Republican Andrew Shepherd to represent Ashby, Dunstable, Pepperell, Townsend and parts of Groton and Lunenburg.

Both contests appear headed for recounts with only a handful of votes separating the candidates. How those play out will determine whether Democrats pick up three, four or five House seats over the margins they had to begin the 2021-2022 lawmaking session.

LOOSE ENDS: Gov.-elect Maura Healey and Lt. Gov.-elect Kim Driscoll named Danielle Cerny as their transition director and convened policy committees that will focus on housing, transportation, climate and energy, jobs and the economy, youth and young adults, and safe and healthy communities … A new report concluded that telehealth is “here to stay” but warned that its usage remained uneven across different demographic groups … Fare evasion fines are returning to the MBTA after more than a year without enforcement, though arrests and driver’s license impacts will no longer be deployed.

STORY OF THE WEEK: Whether playing out quietly in private committee meetings or broadcast on national news, transitions and a reckoning with what comes next are underway across state government.

SONG OF THE WEEK: A very rough paraphrase of Baker’s message to other Republicans who continued to embrace Trump into last week’s elections: I’m watching you all, I’m seeing you sinking.

Local Congressional delegation reacts to Nancy Pelosi’s announcement

November 17, 2022 by pkzadmin

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi announced Thursday she won’t be seeking a leadership role in the Democratic caucus, meaning for the first time in nearly 20 years House Democrats will have a new leader.

“I will not seek re-election to Democratic leadership in the next Congress,” Pelosi said on the House floor. “For me, the hour has come for a new generation to lead the Democratic caucus that I so deeply respect.”

Pelosi was the first woman to serve as Speaker of the House and her impact over the past two decades has left an impression on representatives from Massachusetts.

“Our nation is stronger today because of the service of Speaker Pelosi. Over the past 35 years, no one has done more for workers, for women, for children, for LGTBQ+ individuals, or for our democracy than the Speaker. She has proven to be the most effective Speaker in the history of the House, spearheading passage of the landmark Affordable Care Act and leading a single-digit majority to pass the most significant climate action legislation, infrastructure investments, and gun violence prevention proposal ever signed into law,” U.S. Rep. Lori Trahan, D-Westford, said in a statement shortly after the announcement.

Trahan continued, “More than anything, Speaker Pelosi is a trailblazer. She has shattered glass ceilings so young women like my two daughters know they can do the same. She is the Lioness of the House, and thanks to her steadfast leadership and unwavering commitment to the prosperity of our nation, she will not be the last woman to lead this chamber.”

Also reflecting on Pelosi’s career in public service was U.S. Rep. Jim McGovern, D-Worcester, who said it is “true” that Pelosi is the hardest-working member in Congress. He cited a “record of success” on passing legislation including: The Affordable Care Act. the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act, the Dodd–Frank Wall Street Reform bill, the American Rescue Plan, and the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act.

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi of Calif., right, poses during a ceremonial swearing-in with Rep. Jim McGovern, D-Mass., on Capitol Hill in Washington, Thursday, Jan. 3, 2019, during the opening session of the 116th Congress. Washington, Thursday, Jan. 3, 2019. (AP Photo/Cliff Owen) — House Speaker Nancy Pelosi of Calif., right, poses during a ceremonial swearing-in with Rep. Jim McGovern, D-Mass., on Capitol Hill in Washington, Thursday, Jan. 3, 2019, during the opening session of the 116th Congress. (AP Photo/Cliff Owen)

“Nancy Pelosi has been, without a doubt, the greatest, most effective speaker in the history of the House of Representatives. Guiding our caucus and the Congress through moments of triumph and tragedy, she has been an iconic leader, an unrelenting champion for children, an unsurpassed voice for human rights, and an unmatched legislator. Her integrity, decency, patriotism, and persistence are awe inspiring, and her selfless service to America has been a gift to the people of this country,” McGovern said.

McGovern, who is a member of House leadership as Chair of the House Rules Committee, also touted Pelosi’s legacy of “upholding democratic principles and human rights around the world.”

“Each time we have traveled abroad to represent the people of the United States, I have been in awe of her tenacity, her courage, and her persistence in doing what is right — no matter what. I’ve seen her stand up to tyrants, bullies, and dictators. She uses her power not to diminish or demean, but to uplift and empower the poor, the oppressed, and the marginalized,” McGovern said.

McGovern highlighted how when traveling to China, the government informed both that they would not be permitted to visit Tibet. Pelosi challenged the government and brought attention to the Tibetan people’s struggle for justice.

In this image released by the Ukrainian Presidential Press Office on Sunday, May 1, 2022, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, right, awards the Order of Princess Olga, the third grade, to U.S. Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi in Kyiv, Ukraine, Saturday, April 30, 2022. Pelosi, second in line to the presidency after the vice president, is the highest-ranking American leader to visit Ukraine since the start of the war, and her visit marks a major show of continuing support for the country's struggle against Russia. (Ukrainian Presidential Press Office via AP) — In this image released by the Ukrainian Presidential Press Office on Sunday, May 1, 2022, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, right, awards the Order of Princess Olga, the third grade, to U.S. Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi in Kyiv, Ukraine, Saturday, April 30, 2022. Pelosi, second in line to the presidency after the vice president, was the highest-ranking American leader to visit Ukraine since the start of the war, and her visit marked a major show of continuing support for the country’s struggle against Russia. (Ukrainian Presidential Press Office via AP)

“It was a special honor to join her to visit Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on the first American delegation to Ukraine following Russia’s invasion. Speaker Pelosi insisted on doing the right thing, despite the security risks. It was my honor to stand with her, in solidarity with the Ukrainian people, in their fight for freedom, democracy, and peace,” McGovern said of their trip to Ukraine in May.

“On a personal level, Speaker Pelosi has been a friend, a mentor, and an inspiration to my family. Young women like my daughter Molly look up to her as a role model. And because of her history-making leadership, little girls across the country now see a future for themselves here in Congress,” McGovern added.

One-time challenger for the speaker’s gavel, U.S. Rep. Seth Moulton, D-Salem, expressed his well wishes to Pelosi on Twitter.

“(Pelosi) will go down in history as a historic Speaker and legendary Democrat. She inspired generations of women and set an example I will use with my two daughters. I am grateful for what she has done, and I am excited to support a new leader who will move us forward,” Moulton wrote.

In 2016 and 2018, Moulton led a small and unsuccessful group of House Democrats who did not want to see Pelosi remain as speaker, instead favoring younger leadership at the head of the caucus. However, Moulton backed Pelosi’s re-election as speaker in 2020.

Although she will not be seeking a leadership position, Pelosi said she will continue serving in the House as the representative from San Francisco, California, a position she has held for 35 years.