Lowell Sun-August 8, 2023
Rebuilding American Infrastructure with Sustainability and Equity grant for Lowell Bridges
LOWELL — There’s the Merrimack River, and then there’s the river of money that is about to flow through Lowell in the coming years thanks to federal and local partnerships that secured millions of dollars for the city’s bridges.
On Monday, the federal delegation of Senators Ed Markey and Elizabeth Warren and U.S. Rep. Lori Trahan showed up at City Hall with a check for $21.4 million in Bipartisan Infrastructure Law federal funding for four Mill City bridges that span canals fed by the mighty Merrimack.
Trahan called the funding a “once-in-a-generation infrastructure package” that will “transform cities like Lowell that have long been left to fend for themselves.”
The four city-owned bridges that are part of the Rebuilding American Infrastructure with Sustainability and Equity grant program, called RAISE, that is embedded within the legislation, includes:
• Broadway Street Bridge over the West Canal in the Acre
• Market Street Bridge over the Merrimack Canal in Downtown Lowell
• Lawrence Street Bridge over the River Meadow Brook in Back Central
• Swamp Locks Pedestrian Bridge over the Lower Pawtucket Canal in the Acre
An enthusiastic crowd packed the Mayor’s Reception Room on the second floor of City Hall to hear the remarks from the federal delegation and city leadership on the RAISE grant funding project, as well as to witness the ceremonial celebration of a facsimile of the check, which Trahan called “just the start” of securing more funding for critical infrastructure projects.
“I look forward to seeing these critical projects completed in the months and years ahead, and working with everyone here this morning to make sure we keep delivering the resources necessary to make Lowell an even better place to raise a family, to work and to call home,” she said.
This isn’t the first time Senators Warren and Markey have delivered a significant investment for Lowell bridges. In 2015, the duo worked with then-Congresswoman Niki Tsongas to secure a $19.2 million Department of Transportation Investment Generating Economic Recovery, or TIGER grant, for five canal bridges. The Central Street Bridge was the last bridge in that reconstruction and rehabilitation project.
The other four bridges were the Merrimack Street bridges over Western Canal and Pawtucket Canal and the Pawtucket Street bridges over Pawtucket Canal and Northern Canal.
This is the second time this month that Lowell has hosted visiting dignitaries bearing gifts. Last week, Gov. Maura Healey and Lt. Gov. Kim Driscoll beat a path to Lowell’s door to sign the Chapter 90 bill that includes $1.87 million for Lowell. The bill will reimburse municipalities for maintenance on bridges and roads and authorize funding for transportation infrastructure grants.
The ending of that project and the launch of a new one was serendipitous, said Trahan.
“The Central Street Bridge represents the last of the five bridges funded through that grant so it’s perfect timing for this new federal investment to roll into this city,” she said, to applause.
Both Warren and Markey called the bridge money “historic,” and highlighted the role the Merrimack River and the canals play in the Lowell’s founding and future.
“Canals and the river are part of what make Lowell Lowell,” Warren said.
Markey said his family settled in Lawrence because of the Merrimack River.
“I would not be here if not for the Merrimack River,” he said. The Senator often weaves in personal anecdotes to his public remarks.
“I’d still be on a farm in Iowa somewhere,” Markey said. “It’s the Merrimack River that brought the Markey family to Lawrence. Lawrence, like Lowell, dammed that river and built the bridges in order to have the infrastructure that draw families to this region.”
He called the bridges “vital connections” for economic and population growth — especially immigrants.
“It’s all about community, family,” he said. “It’s all about families and having a welcome mat for the new generation of immigrant families. We know that immigrants will make American great again. We know that in Lowell – the city of immigrants.”
The detailed and complicated application was completed by the Department of Planning and Development’s Transportation Engineer Elizabeth Oltman, whose efforts City Manager Tom Golden specifically recognized in his remarks, saying “she did a fabulous job.”
Oltman said she had never done a grant of this size or expertise before, but a team effort made the process possible.
“I was the primary grant writer,” she said. “I worked with the team to pull everything together to make sure we had the i’s dotted and t’s crossed.”
She said it may take at least six years to complete all four bridges with the pedestrian access Swamp Lock Bridge, which has already gone through a design phase, being completed first.
That news cheered Lowell National Historical Park Superintendent Julie Galonska, who looked forward to the Market Street Bridge repairs, too, both of which she called “gateways” to Lowell.
“The Lowell National Historical Park is really the core of downtown,” she said. “We tell the story of the Industrial Revolution here in Lowell and its legacies. The canals and the river are a huge part of that. So these bridges that go over canals are very integral to our experience within the National Park for visitors and for local folks. The Market Street Bridge is right by our Visitor Center. The Swamp Locks Bridge, one of our lock-and-dam structures, is where our canal boat tours are.”
As the room cleared out after the ceremony, Oltman said the grant project was an eye-popping experience.
“It’s amazing the amount of money that is coming from the federal government to do these types of projects,” she said. “I already have the next grant in mind.”
Lowell Sun-August 4, 2023
Healey signs transportation funding bill in Lowell
LOWELL — Massachusetts Gov. Maura Healey came to Lowell Friday morning to sign the $375 million annual Chapter 90 conference committee infrastructure bill that will reimburse municipalities for maintenance on bridges and roads and authorize funding for transportation infrastructure grants.
The Massachusetts state legislature approved the bill July 27, sending it to Healey’s desk to sign, which she chose to do in back-to-back ceremonies in Lowell and Amesbury to highlight much-needed infrastructure projects in both communities.
Lowell Mayor Sokhary Chau said at the signing ceremony at City Hall Friday that through the bill, Lowell will receive $1.87 million in funding that will be used on a list of ongoing infrastructure projects in the city, most of which will be bridge work. Most of the funding will be in the form of Chapter 90 funding, a state program that has helped municipalities to fund transportation infrastructure projects since 1973.
“We are grateful to Gov. Healey and Lt. Gov. (Kim) Driscoll for continuing this tradition with a city like Lowell, the Gateway City,” said Chau.
Healey said before signing the bill that the transportation funding will be put towards projects that citizens and officials believe to be critical to their communities. The ceremony was planned to take place outside next to the Beaver Street bridge in Lowell, but was moved to City Hall because of rain. The Beaver Street bridge has been closed to vehicular traffic since 2019, and is one critical project that Lowell will use the funding on.
“MassDOT recently approved $1.6 million to replace the superstructure of the bridge over Beaver Brook, and getting this bridge back on-line, we know, is going to make a difference for the neighborhood and the city,” said Healey.
The bill will allocate the $375 million into two major categories, with $200 million to be used as Chapter 90 transportation funds for road and bridge projects statewide, while $175 million will be allocated to public transit infrastructure projects, electric vehicle infrastructure and Complete Streets projects.
“We are committed to building on these programs and others, to grow our state and local partnerships with all of our communities as we move forward,” said Healey.
Driscoll said when she was the mayor of Salem, she was often concerned about safety as it relates to transportation, which this kind of funding will help bolster.
“These are the investments that really matter. I think about the things that kept me up at night when I was the mayor, and it was safety, and making sure we had the resources to make these investments, particularly in our older communities,” said Driscoll. “It is great being in local government in a community that is nearly 400 years old, except for when you think about the infrastructure.”
Lowell’s City Manager Tom Golden said that Chapter 90 funds help Lowell make the financial commitments to do these transportation infrastructure projects, like the recently completed project to repair the Central Street bridge.
“To MassDOT, and this administration, thank you so much for helping us with the Central Street bridge,” said Golden. “We ran into a few issues at the last minute, and this administration and MassDOT has always been there, ready and willing to help.”
Here is a list of 2024 Chapter 90 apportionment to local communities as outlined in the newly signed bill:
Acton: $711,623.08
Ashburnham: $336,737.35
Ashby: $223,809.80
Ayer: $268,135.39
Billerica: $1,323,747.43
Dracut: $818,361.53
Carlisle: $252,918.28
Chelmsford: $1,157,400.91
Dunstable: $185,313.59
Fitchburg: $1,106,175.10
Groton: $512,233.45
Lancaster: $323,209.91
Leominster: $1,132,023.23
Littleton: $402,476.79
Lowell: $1,872,635.93
Lunenburg: $418,064.75
Pepperell: $412,844.15
Shirley: $250,076.29
Tewksbury: $918,999.22
Townsend: $409,413.42
Tyngsboro: $437,315.37
Westford: $889,839.94
Westminster: $421,938.06
Wilmington: $786,073.56
Lowell Sun Editorial - June 20, 2023
Representative Elliott Files Legislation to Protect Youth Sports Referees
We’ve all either witnessed, participated or heard about it – the out-of-control harassment, intimidation and physical violence directed at sports referees, from youth leagues to professional sports.
Adults acting like spoiled children – hurling insults at these often little-paid or volunteer arbiters, especially at the youth to high-school level – has taken its toll on the officiating ranks.
In an effort to discourage this behavior, which can border on the outrageous to outright unlawful, one local state representative wants to take a stand by sending an unmistakable message that these extreme sideline antics won’t be tolerated.
As a longtime local youth sports coach and referee, Rodney Elliott has endured his share of harassment, intimidation, and threats.
In soccer matches he officiates, Elliott, a high school certified ref, said he’s seen an increase in red and yellow cards for unsportsmanlike conduct and other behaviors.
“It’s not restricted to spectators or parents,” Elliott said of the assaults. “It’s coaches and players and it’s a trend that needs to change.”
Other states have adopted similar legislation, with potentially positive results, so Elliott said he views legal action as a necessary solution.
The Lowell Democrat’s filing of “An Act to Prevent Assaults on Sports Officials” would amend state law by fining or imprisoning those who commit assault on an official before, during or after a game.
The bill is one of other similar pieces of legislation currently being considered before the House Judiciary Committee.
Elliott told the newspaper that an incident at Cohasset High School in December, where a basketball player allegedly punched a referee, and a more recent episode at a Taunton West Little League game that subjected two umpires to verbal assaults and threats of violence, served as the catalyst for seeking a legal remedy.
The issue has seemingly worsened in recent years, as Elliott said he sees the violence as a growing, nationwide trend. There are now much fewer people becoming referees, he said, meaning many leagues end up canceling or postponing games simply because there’s no one available to officiate.
An article by Jon Solomon, the editorial director of the Aspen Institute Sports & Society Program, published in April 2022 by Global Sports Matters, supports Elliott’s observations.
Solomon interviewed Barry Mano, the founder and president of the National Association of Sports Officials, on the decline of referees due to verbal abuse.
Local leaders react as Maura Healey celebrates historic inauguration Healey is state's first elected woman, lesbian to become governor
The story of Gov. Maura Healey’s administration is yet to be written.
But if the energetic crowd at the TD Garden on Thursday night is any indication, there’s a lot of people excited for the stories to be told and the work that lies ahead. Under a sports theme, a nod to Healey and Lt. Gov. Kim Driscoll’s days on the basketball court, was history.
For the first time in state history, women occupy the governor and lieutenant governor positions. Additionally, Healey is now the first woman elected governor and first lesbian woman to hold the office in Massachusetts — the first state to legalize same-sex marriage in 2004.
Healey’s election is also a step forward for LGBTQ representation in state houses across the country, following the election of Oregon Gov. Kate Brown, a bisexual woman elected in 2016, and Colorado Gov. Jared Polis, a gay man, elected in 2019. A second lesbian woman, Gov. Tina Kotek of Oregon, was also elected in 2022.
The Boston Gay Men’s Chorus performs at the TD Garden in Boston on Thursday as part of the inauguration celebration for Gov. Maura Healey and Lt. Gov. Kim Driscoll. (DANIELLE RAY/SENTINEL & ENTERPRISE)
Sitting in the front row of the TD Garden, Judy Maruca of Charlton said she thought Healey did a tremendous job as attorney general and was excited to be a part of the historic event. She added that she enjoyed seeing the peaceful transition of power with now-former Gov. Charlie Baker.
“I think she’s a strong negotiator and a passionate advocate for housing,” Maruca said of Healey.
The history of Healey’s inauguration was not lost on Maruca. The energy inside the TD Garden in Boston at the Jan. 5 inauguration ball for Massachusetts Gov. Maura Healey and Lt. Gov. Kim Driscoll was absolutely electric as thousands gathered to celebrate history in the making. The festive basketball themed fete featured speeches from the dynamic female duo, musical acts and performances from the Boston Gay Men’s Chorus, Grammy award winning artist Brandi Carlile, who brought her wife up on stage for a duet, and many more. (DANIELLE RAY/SENTINEL & ENTERPRISE)
“It bothers me that [gender] is even still an issue that that should be a factor in how somebody performs a job. There’s reason to celebrate and there’s reason for us to continue to ask why it’s still relevant,” Maruca said.
Supporter Sue Smith-Scott of Charlton said she liked that Healey wasn’t afraid to stand up to the administration of former President Donald Trump.
“The first time I heard her speak was at the [Boston] Women’s March, right after Trump was elected,” Scott-Smith said. “And she gave me hope.”
Speaking from centerstage, Lt. Gov. Kim Driscoll said, “For all the little girls out there, we may be the first all-female team leading the state, but we will not be the last.”
The energy inside the TD Garden in Boston at the Jan. 5 inauguration ball for Massachusetts Gov. Maura Healey and Lt. Gov. Kim Driscoll was absolutely electric as thousands gathered to celebrate history in the making. The festive basketball themed fete featured speeches from the dynamic female duo, musical acts and performances from the Boston Gay Men’s Chorus, Grammy award winning artist Brandi Carlile, who brought her wife up on stage for a duet, and many more. (DANIELLE RAY/SENTINEL & ENTERPRISE)
As Driscoll’s “teammate” Healey took the stage, she pledged both she and Driscoll were committed to having Massachusetts be “truly a commonwealth.”
“We know like any great team, and I will always be a point guard, it’s about the assist,” Healey said to cheers. “That’s the statistic that matters — the assist — and I know I can count on you people, all across the great state of Massachusetts to do just that.” On the floor of the event, a number of local dignitaries shared reflections of the historic affair.
State Rep. Michael Kushmerek, D-Fitchburg, said the moment was about the “peaceful and democratic transfer of power from one administration to another.” State Rep. Michael Kushmerek and (left) and Fitchburg State University Special Assistant to the President for Community, Governmental Affairs and Special Projects A. J. Tourigny joined in the festivities at the TD Garden in Boston on Jan. 5 for the inauguration ball for Massachusetts Gov. Maura Healey and Lt. Gov. Kim Driscoll. (DANIELLE RAY/SENTINEL & ENTERPRISE)
“Everybody’s working together seamlessly to make sure that from governor to governor, from Legislature Legislature, that everybody is set up for success to ensure that businesses and residents are going to prosper,” Kushmerek added.
Leominster School Committee member and Executive Director of Ginny’s Helping Hand Brandon Robbins expressed optimism about the state’s future under Healey and Driscoll’s leadership.
“As a School Committee member, education is a top priority for me,” Robbins said. “The administration’s track record for support of public education is strong, and the commitment to funding mechanisms such as the Student Opportunity Act was clear in the governor’s inaugural remarks.”
Robbins added, “Their victory and administration provides an opportunity for everyone of us to see themselves in our leaders. I am excited as they ‘move the ball forward’ and bring our commonwealth forward.”
Lowell Mayor Sokhary Chau said, “There is a new paradigm of openness and inclusion in Massachusetts. Gov. Healey and Lt. Gov. Driscoll are true leaders making history, putting our commonwealth on a new and successful path. Tonight demonstrates the America we love.”
Like Kushmerek, Lowell’s newest Democratic state Rep. Rodney Elliott was in attendance for the swearing-in ceremony and the nighttime celebration. Elliott said both events marked a significant moment in the state’s history.
“At both events you could feel enthusiasm, energy and electricity in the air. We face a lot of challenges but I feel the governor and Legislature are ready and prepared to tackle issues of mental health, affordable housing, infrastructure, and I am very enthusiastic to be part of the House to play a role,” Elliott said after the ceremony.
For state Rep. Natalie Higgins, D-Leominster, it is an incredible moment to have two women leading the commonwealth with the first LGBTQ governor in the state.
“While Massachusetts continues to bring equity to the forefront of our legislation, we don’t always see that equity play out in our reality. While over 20,000 men have been elected to the Massachusetts Legislature, only 232 women have been elected in that same time,” Higgins said. “Further, while Massachusetts has long been a leader on LGBTQ+ rights, we continue to face increased discrimination of our LGBTQ+ neighbors and legislation targeting LGTBQ+ people in schools, libraries, healthcare and more. This week fills me with so much hope as a queer woman in this Commonwealth, and I know it will pave the way for many more firsts.”
Although Democrat Margaret Scarsdale, the 1st Middlesex District state representative-elect, was unable to be seated this week with the rest of her colleagues, she too paused to reflect on the historic moment. She was in attendance as Healey took the oath at the State House.
“What more powerful and meaningful way to once again demonstrate that Massachusetts is a leader than by our inauguration of Maura Healey, our first woman governor and first openly gay governor,” Scarsdale said Friday. “These are not just symbolic firsts: They are a forceful reaffirmation that we understand the importance and power of diversity, of welcoming all voices to the table. Diversity empowers everyone, and is the path towards a better future for all our residents. Gov. Healey is a dedicated and proven leader, and I look forward to working with her administration.”
Headlining the evening’s festivities was six-time Grammy Award winner and Americana extraordinaire Brandi Carlile. Healey said that if she was allowed to have one performer at inauguration, Carlile was her choice.
“I really admire how much she’s put herself out there,” Healey said. “I admire her voice — not just her singing voice of course — but also the voice she gives to so many, so many women, young LGBTQ people. So many people, from whatever walk of life, may have felt vulnerable, may have felt marginalized, may have been made to feel less than.”
In between songs during her set, Carlile said Massachusetts had chosen a “hellraiser” in Healey and shared her own story as a lesbian woman. When she wanted to marry her wife, Catherine Shepherd, she said they did so in Massachusetts, a place they could feel “legitimized.” Throughout the performance, people from the audience could be heard encouraging to Carlile to move to the state permanently.
Lowell Sun Newspaper
January 6, 2023
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Lowell SUN
By MELANIE GILBERT | mgilbert@lowellsun.com |
PUBLISHED: September 6, 2022 at 10:55 p.m. | UPDATED: September 6, 2022 at 11:42 p.m.
BREAKING: Rodney Elliott has won the 16th Middlesex District Democratic primary by 102 votes over Zoe Dzineku. According to unofficial results released by Lowell and Chelmsford, Elliott received 1,875 votes to Dzineku’s 1,773.
After a day of frenzied voting, sign holding and last-minute campaign pitches by the candidates, the voters of the 16th Middlesex District have spoken — kind of.
Lowell Democrats Zoe Dzineku, who immigrated from Liberia when she was 4 years old, a pivotal life event that she said made her into a “fighter” and “consensus builder,” and Rodney Elliott, who ran on his long career in public service to deliver constituent services, were neck-and-neck in a race to take the open seat in the 16th Middlesex District. The winner will face Republican challenger Karla Miller on Nov. 8.
Polls closed at 8 p.m. Tuesday, and unofficial Lowell results gathered by the Dzineku campaign showed Dzineku and Elliott in a race too close to call as of 10 p.m.
Dzineku credited her aggressive door-to-door, get-out-the-vote campaign, during which she wore through three pairs of sneakers, with her effort.
“I knocked on over 2,500 doors,” Dzineku said. “People were amazed that I was actually speaking to them and encouraging them to come out to vote.”
She said turnout was good despite the rainy weather, but was grateful for mail-in ballots as well as early voting options.
“It was such a joy to vote this morning and exercise one of the most important civil liberties that we have,” Dzineku said upon exiting Robinson School on June Street her Centralville voting location.
Elliott credited his supporters, who he said had worked tirelessly on the campaign since February.
Elliott said he’s been voting “since he was able,” and called casting his vote exciting.
“Today is the culmination of months and months of work,” he said after voting at the Pawtucketville Memorial Elementary School on Meadow Road, in Pawtucketville’s Ward 1.
The winner of the Democratic primary will run against Miller in November, to represent a diverse constituency, encompassing an area that extends from Lowell’s Pawtucketville and Centralville neighborhoods, to the northeast parts of Chelmsford. It’s an area one-fourth as large as Disney World, that 42,000 people call home.
Dzineku is on leave from her position in constituent services for state Sen. Ed Kennedy, D-Lowell, and is former chair of the Lowell Election Commission. For 24 years, Elliott served as a city councilor and two terms as mayor. He also held positions in state and federal government
House seats open up every two years, but this race is to replace former state Rep. Tom Golden, who stepped down in April to accept the role as Lowell’s city manager.
Voting lines were steady, according to election worker Kenneth Davis, of Chelmsford. He was the first face voters saw when they entered the McCarthy Middle School polling place on North Road for Chelmsford’s Precincts 3 through 8.
Assistant Town Clerk Maria Vasquez said that without volunteers like Davis, “elections wouldn’t be possible.”
Dzineku, wearing a colorful pair of sneakers, was passing out her campaign flyer to voters entering the building.
Sahr (he asked that his last name not be used), of Lowell, said his wife told him “to go vote” but he didn’t know his polling place. He came to the Pawtucketville Memorial Elementary School gymnasium, where he was issued a provisional ballot by election workers.
In Lowell, sign holders braved the elements to do last-minute campaigning for their candidates and perhaps sway any undecided voters. By law, they must not interfere with voters, and maintain 150-foot distance from the entrance to the polling location.
As polls closed at 8 p.m. the candidates gathered at their respective election night celebration spots. For Dzineku, it was the East End Social Club in Centralville where supporters gathered around a horseshoe-shaped bar that featured several large televisions soundlessly tuned to local news channels.
Elliott gathered with his family — his wife, Laurie, and two daughters and their families — friends and supporters at his Pawtucketville home.
The food was gone, the speeches left unsaid, as the votes continued to be counted at City Hall.
Unofficial results from Lowell and Chelmsford were not available before The Sun’s print deadline.t. Clearly list and describe the services you offer. Also, be sure to showcase a premium service.
Letters: We need Diana DiZoglio’s leadership; North Chelmsford needs Rodney Elliott
North Chelmsford and Vinal Square needs Rodney Elliott for state representative
Those who know me, know that my heart and soul is in doing what is best for North Chelmsford and that is why I believe Rodney Elliott is the best candidate for state representative in the 16th Middlesex District.
I read the recent op-ed piece in The Sun newspaper on the Economic Development Bill submitted by Rodney, and I appreciate that he is already paying attention to pending economic development legislation. I am impressed that he is advocating for important funding for Chelmsford programs already (e.g., improvements to Varney Park, wastewater flow system, PFAS remediation system). To me, his attention already demonstrates that he understands the issues and funding needs affecting our district and town.
As past chairman and current member of the Vinal Square Strategic Action Plan Committee, we are at a critical crossroads of an exciting vision for redevelopment. Progress has been made, but we are still not there, and state funding is imperative to continue this progress.
Rodney took the time to meet and learn the needs of North Chelmsford and shared his experience as Chairman of the Economic Development Subcommittee on the Lowell City Council. As we move forward with our master plan, we must have a state representative that has this experience, with an understanding of state government and is able forge private/public partnerships.
The upcoming election is critical to North Chelmsford, and we need this experienced leader. I ask you to join me and please vote for Rodney Elliott on Tuesday, Sept. 6.
— Bill Gilet
North Chelmsford
Chelmsford Patch: Elliott Wins Dem Primary, Will Face Karla Miller In General Election
CHELMSFORD, MA —Just 102 votes. That's all that separated the victorious Rodney Elliott from Zoe Dzineku in Tuesday's Democratic primary for state representative in the 16th Middlesex District.
According to the Associated Press, Elliot, of Lowell, received 1,875 votes (51.4 percent), while Dzineku, also of Lowell, got 1,773 votes (48.6 percent).
Now, Elliott will face Karla Miller in the general election. Miller ran unopposed in the Republican primary.
Elliott, who currently works as an assistant regional manager for the Massachusetts Department of Conservation and Recreation, reflected on the primary and looked ahead to the general election.
"I would like to thank all the voters and all those who supported me throughout this election," Elliott said in a statement to Patch. "Zoe Dzineku and I worked hard campaigning day in and day out and we focused on issues and how best to improve our communities."
Elliott continued: "Moving forward, I look forward to continuing to reach out to even more residents in Lowell and North Chelmsford, listen to their concerns and priorities, and earn their votes in November. "
On his campaign website, Elliott said his priorities in office would include: evaluating the Massachusetts School Building Authority formula and increasing funding for schools, supporting an increase in Chapter 90 funding for road repairs, and supporting legislation to fund more mental health counseling in schools.