Category Archives: Blogging

About blogging in Newburyport, MA

Photoshop Frames for Frogs

As most of you already know, but probably most of you don’t really care, George Cushing of Frog Pond, the political consultant to the Newburyport Blog, is pissed at me because he thinks the “new look” makes him look yucky.

I’m a sucker for frogs who feel sorry for themselves, and actually George has a point, he could look better. Also, in exploring my inner geek, I’m also falling in love with Photoshop all over again. So, I decided (not just for George, but also for my paintings that are on the World Wide Web) to see what I could come up with Photoshop frame-wise, to make him look just a little spiffier.

Placating frogs. Yup, that’s what we do over here at the Newburyport Blog.

National and Newburyport Local

In two and a half months so much has happened. I feel like I’ve been holding my breath. And the world is still swirling around and it still feels as if I’m out of balance.

A person who does seem to be in balance (and very calm), is our president-elect, Barack Obama.

My one very strong reservation when I went to the voting booth and cast my ballot, was that I had no indication, really, of how Mr. Obama would govern.

And so far, I am unbelievably relieved.

My great hope was that with the chit chat of the “middle” class, Mr. Obama would indeed govern from the “middle,” and with smarts.

And it appears from the appointment of his economic team and his foreign policy team that “middle” and with smarts may be us. In my book so far this is a, “Whew.”

Having blogged The Newburyport Blog for almost 3 years now, and having followed minutely how folks govern on the local level, as I’ve said before, I’ve become a downright “centrist,” because it appears to me that governing from the center, locally, has the best chance of getting things done.

And maybe it’s that just these “up in the air” times are making me cranky (they are making a lot of people cranky), but I’m having very little tolerance for the folks that are on either edge of the spectrum, right or left. My eye-rolling response to both is, “Please give it up, let us get important (vast understatement) things done.”

And what happens nationally, very much effects us locally. Such things as aid to states in financially perilous times, has a whole lot to do with Newburyport, MA, in the hopes that, if it arrives, state aid trickles down to our fair seaside city.

I am local, and I am hoping for good national (as my friend Frank Schaeffer would say) “Juju.”

Newburyport, Education and the Election

I’ve been consumed by the national election for president. Nothing on the local level (at least as of today) seems to be as intriguing as what is happening on the presidential campaign front.

And, for me, there is so much that would effect us locally in Newburyport, MA, depending on the outcome of the presidential election.

At the moment, mayor John Moak is asking the citizens of Newburyport, MA to consider voting on a tax increase to help with, among other things, education in Newburyport, MA.

This is at a time when people are loosing their jobs, not getting pay increases, dealing with the high cost of gasoline, increased cost of groceries and other staples, getting ready for more expensive heating and electric bills for the winter. This would be a tough sell for our mayor at any time, and it is a particularly tough sell at this point in tough economic times.

And we need a lot more money to help educate our children.

And one of the things that we as a community in Newburyport, MA, have discovered during the ordeal of the Override for funding for our schools last year, is that there is little help from the State of Massachusetts, one of the reasons being, the Federal government is not helping the states, or at least our state, with money to adequately fund education.

So I want someone in the White House next January who is going to pay attention and help local education, as well as help the financial plight of small cities and towns all across America. And during the last eight years we certainly have not seen the local support that we in Newburyport, MA need so badly, from the current administration. And I doubt we would see an improvement in support for our small cities and towns from 4 more years of a Republican administration.

It is one of the many reasons that I would like to see a Democrat in the White House.

And to compare the candidates’ voting records and educational priorities, I found a helpful site here and here.

“Judgmental and Intolerant”

When the Republicans were attempting to impeach President Clinton, basically for attempting to cover up an embarrassing blowjob, and not doing such a great job of it, Barney Frank said something to the effect (and I can’t find the exact quote),”When your opponent is shooting themselves in the foot, just stand back and let them do it.”

I always thought this was wise political advice, and ever since then, Barney Frank, Massachusetts US Representative, has always been one of my favorites.

And in Sunday’s Boston Globe, September 7, 2008 he has this to say about Sarah Palin, “The relevant political point about the existence of these incidents in Palin’s family is not that they reflect badly on her or her relatives, but that they further reveal the central flaw of the harshly judgmental and intolerant philosophy she exemplifies..”

The, “harshly judgmental and intolerant philosophy she exemplifies,” wonderfully articulates my “dilemma” with Sarah Palin and with the Republican party of the last eight years.

Barney Frank also has this to say in the same opinion piece, “..the questions of divorce and teen pregnancy are relevant in discussions of the McCain/Palin ticket. The individuals involved in these cases deserve to be treated with compassion, but so do millions of other Americans who find themselves in similar situations.”

And in the Sarah Palin family saga, I find this weird double standard, harsh and judgmental toward others, but not harsh and judgmental towards Sarah Palin, perplexing.

And as a single mother I got to experience first hand the subtle and not so subtle harsh and judgmental attitude of a lot of people. And I have a visceral dislike of politicians, no matter how charming and disarming, who embrace this particular point of view.

Newburyport and a Palin World View

Would Sarah Palin’s world view matter to the folks of Newburyport, MA?

Yup, I think it would matter a lot.

Sarah Palin is absolutely upfront, unapologetic and proud of her world view. This would appear to be the same world view as George W. Bush, possibly even more extreme. (However, it would not appear to be the same world view as her running mate, John McCain.)

That world view put us in what is now understood as the hugely unpopular war in Iraq. Something that this community is very much affected by.

From an AP report (Gene Johnson, September 3, 2008), a quote by Sarah Palin: “Our national leaders are sending them (our troops) out on a task (Iraq) that is from God..”

Sarah Palin candidacy also, very possibly, reignites the receding culture wars that have been so divisive and destructive to our country, that neither John McCain or Barack Obama have seemed interested in revisiting or reviving.

I’ve said it in an earlier post, this enormously talented and effective young woman, who gave a very impressive speech last night in front of the National Republican Convention, could be more popular, more powerful and even more successful than Ronald Regan or George W. Bush, in getting the Christian Right’s social agenda enacted.

In eight years (2 terms), John McCain would be 80 years old. And whether he might fill one term or two terms, Sarah Palin, at the moment, would appear to be the next in line.

PS. Tony Auth has a great political cartoon on Sarah Palin here.

Palin Politics

I think faith is a good and wonderful thing, but I don’t think most Americans understand faithwise where Sarah Palin, the new Republican pick for VP, is coming from.

Ronald Regan paid lip service to a lot of the political conservative issues, but Sarah Palin is “saved.” Not that being “saved” is a bad thing, the passion and convictions that such faith could have, may be pretty amazing. However, it could be a puzzle and has been a puzzle for many “mainstream” Americans. (My friend Frank Schaeffer has a whole lot to say about this one.)

There is a post on the Huffington Post with a video of Sarah Palin speaking in the church where she found her faith, that would delight many a Conservative Christian, but my guess would be that it could probably be a head scratcher for a lot of folks.

You can see the video here.

A sort of Ok definition of “Conservative Christianity” is here.

And in helping to understand what is meant by Alaska being a refuge in the “last days,” a link to this definition could be helpful here.

North East View, Sarah Palin

My first impression when I saw the first appearance by John McCain and Sarah Palin, was that Sarah Palin made John McCain looked really, really old, and that John McCain looked, not like he was hugging his daughter, he looked like he was hugging his mistress, he made Sarah Palin look slutty.

This is exactly the sort of thing that the Obama campaign does not want anyone to mention.

Tough luck, it’s true.

How many years did we as a country obsess about Hillary Clinton’s hair. Aren’t we allowed to do the same with the new Republican VP pick without being accused of being sexist?

First introduction, too much hair and way too much make-up. My prediction, the hair is coming down (which it has), it will also get a lot flatter, no more possible hair pieces in the back. (I really don’t care if it sounds catty, it’s true). The hair high-lights are going to be toned way down, and a “trim” and a whole lot less hairspray and hair product. Honey, this ain’t Alaska anymore.

Honey, they want you to look “professional” bordering on frumpy. No “hot” or “sexy.” And let’s face it, the first impression was that she was a “babe.” My prediction is that the babe-alicious stuff is going to played way, way down. We could see this “gorgeous” woman, go to the frump-o-meter side of the scale.

Yes, untested Sarah Palin could bomb. Dems would be delighted. But, yes, she could also do really, really well. She’s already been a quick study, witness the hair coming down thing.

And if she does really, really well, look out America, this woman could be not the most conservative, formidable politician since Ronald Regan. From what I can tell she is way, way more conservative than Ronald Regan. Ronald Regan paid lip service to some of the stuff that flows happily and proudly through Sarah Palin’s vanes. This goes way beyond “more of the same,” this woman’s views are so rightwing that it’s just downright spooky.

Paying Your Dues and All Things Newburyport

Jim Roy asked me why I said “all those nice things” about him.

a) They’re true.

b) And Jim Roy has “paid his dues.” This is not someone who has wandered into town for a few months or whatever, and decided to become an expert on all things Newburyport.

I looked up the definition of “paying your dues”–“Respect because you have worked hard.”

And in doing some research on the notion of “paying one’s dues” it became evident mucho quickly, that “paying your dues” has gone way out of fashion, as one article put it, it’s just “so old school.”

Sort of like the “wisdom” thing– another possible antiquated idea.

I like the old adage of “things take time.” (Adage–“A saying that sets forth a general truth and that has gained credit through long use.” There it is again, the time thing.)

But then there are the “having paid your dues” folks, writing, as I perused through one book, how important it is to grasp the concept of “email,” and to beware of “bloggers.” Yes, I understand, gives the “pay your dues” thing a bad name (and rightly so).

The “pay your dues” folks need to keep up and appreciate new technology as it continues to unfold. And a great example of someone like this, is Bill Moyers, someone who has really paid their dues, someone who cares passionately, is wise and also has his antennae up for “new stuff.” And as a result of that combination, is respected by the antiquated and non-antiquated alike.

So, yes, I like to see someone who has paid their dues start an alternative newspaper. But those other things (among many other things) are a good mix to be mixed into the stew. Otherwise it quickly becomes irrelevant, sort of like the buggy whip in the age of the automobile (to steal a line from Danny Devito in “Other People’s Money”).

1991–A long time ago, but still relevant.

Political Journals, Time and Place

When Tom Ryan came to town and started his local political journal in 1996, Newburyport, MA was somewhere between “at the beginning” and “in the middle” of a very interesting transition. A transition from a working class, blue collar town, to a professional, upper to upper middleclass destination.

Newburyport had literally rebuilt its downtown from destitution, and that renaissance had begun to spread gradually to the rest of the city. In 20/20 it was almost certain that it would become the desirable place to live, work, visit and play, that it is today.

Lisa Mead, a then Newburyport City Councilor, an intelligent, strong, interesting, young woman, became mayor, and started (consciously or unconsciously, probably a little bit of both) to move the city from its blue collar sensibility.

And folks didn’t like that, and there were some very strong and colorful characters who resisted Mayor Mead with vigor.

Tom Ryan, really and truly, had some real life drama to write about. He not only created a “niche” for himself and the Undertoad, but he was in the right place at the right time, with a gift for chronically a story, in a compelling way, that was gradually unfolding.

Not only did Tom Ryan have the talent for telling dramatic stories of Newburyport’s “heroes” and “villains” (see previous post), but he also had some real interesting folks and times to write about.

The dramatic internal struggles and power-plays that Tom Ryan wrote about in earlier years, seem to me, to be pretty much mitigated. A lot of the very colorful characters, might now occasionally, verging on never, make a “guest appearance.”

It seems to me (and I could definitely be wrong here) that this could make it more difficult for local journals (and blogs) to engage folks in the story and the issues of our small New England seaport city.

And, ironically, for me, Jim Roy, the editor of the latest political journal, The Newburyport Liberator, could be one of the most colorful characters in town.

Newspapers in Trouble

Newspapers are in trouble, for all sorts of reasons, from cable news to the World Wide Web, other stuff, multi-determined, not exactly new news.

I was reminded of this yet again by my friend Frank Schaeffer’s piece on the Huffington Post on the very same subject.

Newspapers are caught in the middle between the old form of print and, trying to persuade their advertisers to pay the same price for advertising on the World Wide Web.

I happen to read almost all my news online now, because I figure I’m saving a whole lot of trees. My small contribution to going “green.” I got a Sunday paper and felt as if I had felled a forest. No forests felled by reading stuff on my computer.

As Frank Schaeffer points out, the World Wide Web is instant news.

For example I waited for the Newburyport Daily News to report today that, from what I understand, our mayor and the Newburyport City Council got “served” by the landfill owner. Huge story. Huge, huge story. Not in today’s Daily News, that I can find. So if you might not have heard about that possibility, you have now.

And Tom Salemi did an excellent job in writing up in almost real time, the fact that yes, whew, a miracle happened, the Newburyport City Council voted “Yes” to designated a site for the Senior Center at Cushing Park. If you haven’t read it, read it here. And Gillian Swart was on the case too. Good go’n.

And the fact that we are losing newspapers, and newspapers are cutting back like mad, is, at least in the short run, for me, real bad news. Because there is less and less really hard journalism going on. All of this is discussed earlier on the Newburyport Blog, in particular in regards to Bill Moyers’ amazing speech on the subject.

Frank Schaeffer is always fun to read, and I’m glad he’s switched over to the Huffington Post.

Newburyport From Another Perspective

A while ago a got an email from a gentleman called Shawn Gearin who has started a site called NBPTMA.com.

According to my email from Mr. Gearin, the site “covers the Newburyport experience from a blue collar perspective from 1950-1990.” In my mind, this would be welcomed perspective on Newburyport, MA on the World Wide Web.

Mr. Gearin’s desire is “to connect with people who remember Newburyport as she was during reconstruction, but prior to the current inflated home prices.”

The site is a work in progress and I hope Mr. Gearin preservers. We need more insight from people who know the history of Newburyport, and who have seen it change, evolve, whatever you would like to call it, over the years.

So far, my favorite part of the site is the marvelous photo album which is at the top right hand side of the site. You can either have a slide presentation, or see the photo album in its entirety. There are so many historic photographs that I have never seen, including one of the clam shacks, which I think is my favorite. So please, treat yourself and go take a look.

I am hoping that this would develop into another “treasure trove” of insight and information for those who love Newburyport, MA.

Kay Lazar on the Newburyport Landfill

Kay Lazar has written an awesome piece in today’s Boston Globe North on the Newburyport Landfill, its owner and the relationship to Everett, MA. The article is a must read, so press here to read it.

Kay Lazar is a first rate reporter, and when I called her last week, she said it was her last day as a reporter at Globe North, and that she is being moved to another beat on the Boston Globe.

One of the joys of doing the Newburyport Blog has been getting to know various editors and reporters at different newspapers and publications. And I first got to know Kay Lazar when she did a front page article, September 17, 2006, on blogs on the North Shore and she included the Newburyport Blog.

A friend of mine had told me to be very careful of reporters, that unless I said, “We are off the record, you agree,” and they did agree, I was on the record, you betcha, and anything I said could be used.

Not having known this, and having been quoted in not too flattering ways in various civic endeavors that had been reported on, I was mighty wary of reporters, you better believe it.

And when Kate Lazar showed up to interview me, I was mighty, mighty on my guard. But Kate could not have been more professional or kind. And after that article was published, and I realized that she could be trusted, I’d like to say that we became friends.

So I will miss Kate Lazar, and her trusted reporting on Newburyport, MA and the North Shore. And wish her all the luck in the world on her new beat. Can’t wait to see what she is going to do.

Pulling a New Yorker in Newburyport MA

Pulling a “New Yorker” in Newburyport, MA.

Good grief it is good to see The Newburyport Blog up and running correctly again. Whew!

(Please press here to go back to the main page of the Newburyport Blog if you are not on the main page already.)

After 2 weeks of being told by the hosting company that the blog was going to be just fine shortly–Nada, Zip, same old frustrating technical difficulties.

Oy veh. What to do?

Switch hosting companies, or summon the energy to throw a “New Yorker.”

(For those of you who have been reading the Newburyport Blog for a while now, back in November 2007 I wrote a post called Political Rules of Accomplishment that explains what a “New Yorker” might be. I was going to call the post “Rules of Engagement,” but then I realized that there was a TV sitcom by that name, so that title was out.)

I’ve been with this particular hosting company since the birth of my website, and I’m a sentimental sap when it comes to switching. So I summon up lots of energy and write one off the wall, angry, boy am I going to make your life miserable, message. And felt very sorry for the poor, probably underpaid techie who got the darn thing.

But, for the moment, throwing that darn “New Yorker” worked (I think, I hope). And I wrote the techie who made it happen a nice “thank you so much” note.

And as a PS. When the blog was completely down and I was at my wits end, I contacted some folks here in Newburyport called iMarc and got an email back right away saying they would be more than happy to help me and the Newburyport Blog.

I figured out the “why the Newburyport Blog wasn’t coming up at all stuff” in the end all by myself, and ended up not needing their help (yet). However, their thoughtfulness was a ray of sunshine in a dark, frustrating, technical difficulty day.

iMarc is a very successful small web firm located on Inn Street in Newburyport, MA. At one point after I discovered them on the web, I went over just to say “hello.” And I continue to be mucho impressed by these young, smart Newburyport entrepreneurs.

Landfill and Everett

On the Landfill, one of the things that I have never seen happen, is that, as far as I know, and as far as I can imagine, I could not imagine that any of our local politicians, Mayor John Moak or any person on the Newburyport City Council ever taking a campaign contribution from the owners of the Landfill.

From what I remember, that could not be the case in other towns.

And eons and eons ago I talked to one of the editors of The Everett Mirror and said that I would let the readers of the Newburyport Blog know of the existence of their blog and the ongoing “relationship” that Everett has with our very same Landfill owner, and the “unfortunate” situation that they would also be in.

And recently Gillian Swart over at Port Reporter Unlimited in one of her post on the Landfill alerts readers to another blog, The Doughboy Chronicals and their account of the very same folks.

Newburyport is not alone.

Missing in Action

I’ve been missing in blogosphere action for a while. A sad amount of posts for the month of May.

But, personal stuff, due to the death of my Dad (along with lots and lots of technical difficulties, like the blog not even showing up at all, good grief, see previous post) has kept me off my blogger feed. We’ll just see how things go. And I appreciate the calls and emails checking in to see if everything is/was Ok. Thank you. That was very kind.

And, I’ve also been fascinated by what has been happening on the national political scene. A Democratic candidate, finally. Whew.

I love national politics. (It’s one of the things I miss talking with my Dad about. I have so many questions I’d like to run by him.) Part of the reason I started a local Newburyport blog, back in January 2006, was that I was so discouraged about what was happening on the national stage. (And there were lots of other reasons too.)

But now I am interested, really, really interested again. And I’m looking forward to how the whole thing will unfold.

And there are lots of things to say since I’ve been gone from the blogosphere. But the thing that most readily comes to mind, is that I miss Jim Roy’s column in the Newburyport Current. I hardly glance at the Newburyport Current now, it just seems so lifeless without his voice (which I didn’t necessarily agree with all the time, but I sure did enjoy reading it). Bring back Jim Roy, blustery fellow that he is. I know that I’m not the only one that misses him. (Editor’s Note: Blogger minds think alike! Tom Salemi over at the Newburyport Posts, just said the same thing! Love when that happens.)

The Newburyport Blog, Technical Difficulties

(Editor’s Note: The Newburyport Blog is no longer having technical difficulties. Please press here to go back to the main page of the Newburyport Blog if you are not there already. Thank you so much for your patience.)

One of the things that I’ve been reading in the local blogosphere is why don’t I have “comments” and why do I have a “Testimonial Page.”

Well, it’s a long story, and maybe the one good thing about the “technical difficulties” that the Newburyport Blog has been experiencing (because, of the server, and it’s worldwide, and it’s going to take a couple of weeks to fix, maybe, and that’s why the last pages are now showing up first on the Newburyport Blog) is that if folks are really curious as to why there are no “comments” and there is a “Testimonial Page,” the story of how that all came about, can be found on the beginning of Newburyport Blog (which is the “Home Page,” for the moment, because of technical difficulties–can you tell I’m pissed, because I am really pissed) and through the first 10 months of the Newburyport Blog’s history.

There is no longer the quaint “guidelines for posting” or the “Newburyport Political Blog Overview and Information” page (although there sure is the “Disclaimer” page). And the goal of giving “people, besides myself, a forum for expressing their feelings on different subjects” concerning Newburyport, backfired big time (all of how that happened is told on the blog itself). And, yes, the Newburyport Blog has evolved into mainly my own voice and my own entries, with the very, very occasional “guest blogger.”

And in the beginning, folks thought I was nuts to have a blog, most people had never heard of blogs. But now we have lots and lots and lots of local blogs, on a whole lot of subjects, from a variety of different points of view. So, the Newburyport Blog is no longer the anomaly it once was, and has lots of company in the local blogosphere.

Mary Eaton
Newburyport
(And maybe, I no longer need to sign my name, because I no longer have lots and lots of folks posting. But I’ve been doing it for so long that it’s become sort a comforting habit. The posts could seem naked without it. No one has questioned that one, that I know of, in the local blogosphere. I’ll mull it over.)

Fluid Community

More heresy on the part of moi.

“Newburyport According to X” has this to say about Todd Freemont-Smith’s project in back of the Wheelwright property:

“The real kicker is that while he (Todd Freemont-Smith) and his family may live there for decades, they will more than likely, as many who move to Newburyport these days, live there a couple years until they move on to their next business or financial opportunity…”

And, Mr X is right.

I think I’ve gone and am going through a mourning process for Newburyport, MA. I liked it far better before it became an “it” town. But it has become an “it” town. And I am pretty powerless over its growing “it-ness.” So I have a choice, I can be angry and bitter, or I can be curious as to what will transpire.

For a long time my anger at the change to Newburyport’s blossoming “it-ness” felt like sticking a finger in a dike that was bursting all around it. It felt as if I was left with my finger in a small piece of concrete, while the water was gushing down all around me.

Todd Freemont-Smith is part of that gushing water thing. And yes, I agree with Mr. X, Newburyport no longer has become a rooted community, but one in which people stay for a while, or in many cases are forced out, and move on, leaving their mark, good, bad and indifferent.

But Newburyport reflects the larger world in which we live–global and mobile. And it seems that fewer and fewer offspring stay in the place that they were born. And fewer and fewer families, because of so many mobile jobs, can afford to stay in one place for a lifetime or enjoy a generational span.

So, Ok, this is what we appear to have. And what I guess I now hope, is that even as we would become a more and more fluid community, we could agree on the boundaries of the marks that people, who would come and go, could leave. How that would be done, I don’t know.

Mary Eaton
Newburyport

Newburyport Politics as a Contact Sport

Wow, the last comment on Newburyport City Councilor Ed Cameron’s blog would be quite something.

It is “Anonymous” and in my mind, a good example of why politics in Newburyport is referred to as a “contact sport,” and why this town has often been called “Cannibal City.”

A partial quote:

“I hope those who raise perhaps valid questions about the wisdom of building a senior center at Cushing Park will not be depicted as “anti-senior” or villified like some neighborhood school advocates were. And I hope councilors will not dismiss their concerns as simple resistance to change. Jim Roy raises some valid questions, which I hope are not dismissed in a cavalier fashion, especially by those elected by all citizens.”

It’s hard for me to imagine this Newburyport City Council as being the sort of folks who are going to be “dismissive,” “cavalier” or “vilify” their constituents.

And it takes a lot of courage for our local politicians to take a stand and advocate a position.

I could not possibly speak for Mr. Cameron, but reservations about a site for a Newburyport Senior Center, would hardly make any citizen “anti-senior.”

To say finding a consensus for a location for a Senior Center would be difficult, could be an understatement. And I applaud Mr. Cameron and Mayor John Moak for taking what definitely is for some, a very unpopular stand.

Mary Eaton,
Newburyport

Newburyport According to X

There is a funky new blog called Newburyport According to X, by “Mr. X nbpt.” Mr. X appears to be a no-nonsense, long time resident of Newburyport, Massachusetts. Very refreshing.

And “Mr. X nbpt” has a blog entry called Karp-etbaggers. Mr. X quotes the Wikipedia definition of carpetbagger: “Since 1900 the term has also been used to describe outsiders attempting to gain political office or economic advantage, especially in areas (thematically or geographically) to which they previously had no connection.”

Take a gander.

Mary Eaton, Newburyport

Senior Center, Newburyport , MA

The frogs are concerned. There has been a family “call for” and they are afraid that I would not get around to blogging the Newburyport Blog. Well, obviously they are wrong. It’s very sweet of them.

(Although the more I think about it, not to be a cynic here, I hope it’s not because they want to make sure that they would continue to make an appearance on the World Wide Web.)

George expressing his concern to moi

I checked in on Ed Cameron’s Blog, and was delighted that he addressed the issue of the Senior Center. Well articulated, and in a calm and sensible manner, no less. A definite must read.

I appreciate all his thoughts, including Mr. Cameron’s thoughts on the proposed location of Cushing Park, and who exactly is going to use the Senior Center, and the number of folks that there might be.

Good for Ed Cameron.

The frogs although not seniors (far from it), are quite pleased by Mr. Cameron’s, what they feel is good go’n chutzpah.

Mary Eaton, Newburyport