The Highlands Watch

HONORING HARRY HIGHLIGHTED

2012-07-18T08:55:00.001-07:00

Ford School salutes garden guru

It's nice to see HARRY'S MEMORY relived and recognized. Community and education must come together if we are to find solutions on how to live together and live healthy!

HICO TO GET THE LEAD OUT

2012-07-18T08:36:00.000-07:00

» LHAND awards lead-abatement contract to Highlands Coalition

Looks like WORKING FOR THE COMMUNITY is going to result in "workers" in the community.

GROWING HEALTHY

2012-06-30T06:29:00.001-07:00

The Daily Item: Ford students learn healthy eating in their own backyard

www.itemlive.com

At FORD SCHOOL'S INTERNATIONAL GARDEN student's see both the forest and the trees. Science is best learned when you can touch it or smell it or even TASTE it.

A FESTIVAL OF THE WORLD FROM THE HIGHLANDS

2012-06-20T09:36:00.000-07:00

The HIGHLANDS COALITION along with a few others will be sponsering the upcoming event on June 30 from 12 to 6 at Lynn Heritage Park. Get there early. I have inside sources that say there is a great opening act, my daughter ASIAH. She just happens to be a FORD SCHOOL alumni.

COMMUNITY COMPARISONS

2012-06-19T12:56:00.001-07:00

I'm down here in WEST "BY GOD" VIRGINIA on assignment looking for KIPP stragglers and they had a startup meeting for a NEIGHBORHOOD WATCH lasr night. They had 200 people. It was in the STEALY section of CLARKSBURG, WV. STEALY is to CLARKSBURG as the HIGHLANDS is to LYNN. Don't you just LOVE those IQ type comparisons.

Anyway CLARKSBURG has about 22,000 people. How many does LYNN have? How many people we have come to the meetings in the HIGHLANDS. And mind you, the HIGHLANDS has the most in LYNN.

CITY CURRENCY TO SWITCH TO THE "LEAD STANDARD"

2012-06-09T15:03:00.004-07:00

A "LEAD REMOVAL" grant is rumored to be headed to the HIGHLANDS COALITION worth a LOT of dollars. Election time is just around the corner.

HIGHLANDS CLEANUP

2012-06-09T14:46:00.001-07:00

At least twenty people today gathered at the FORD SCHOOL to take a broom , shovel, or leaf blower to not only the parking lot around the school but to the community streets as well. The committed community group include CLEO, TRIPPY, LESLIE AND STEVE GREENBERG, AREDA HEREFORD, LISA CONNALLY, DAVID GASS, and myself. Along with several neighborhood kids (a homework pass had been mentioned) 10 ESSEX DISTRICT REPRESENTATIVE CANDIDATE DUSTY CAUFIELD was out getting his hands dirty. Others were there but I'm too tired to type anymore.

Of course pizzas were available for lunch along with a tray of eggrolls. BROTHER'S DELI generously provided some kickin chicken salad.

Several bags of trash have found a new home and it isn't on the side of the road.

HIGHLAND’S HERO

2012-06-09T13:44:00.003-07:00

Now I don’t claim to know all the details, that’s the talk of lawyers, trustees, and the like, far beyond the comprehension of this poor poet but I hear tell of a NEW SCHOLARSHIP targeted first for HIGHLANDS residents and if there are none it would default to a LYNN student for a full scholarship to SALEM STATE COLLEGE.

Going forward it will be known as the DR. CLAIRE CRANE SCHOLARSHIP. Hence forth her tireless efforts to promote the value of education to members of the HIGHLANDS community will be forever memorialized. Legacy notwithstanding, I will repeat to you the words I have heard DR. CRANE utter countless times, “It’s all about THE KIDS”.

THIS IS HOW WE DO IT…….

2012-06-09T13:40:00.002-07:00

At the HIGHLANDS COALITION meeting Monday night the FORD SCHOOL was packed with politicians to engage in a UNITED WAY listening meeting. LPS was represented by MARIA CARRASCO while the LYNN CITY COUNCIL members HONG NET and RICH COLUCCI were in attendance. All three candidates for the 10^th ESSEX DISTRICT REPRESENTATIVE were present, with 18 year incumbent REPRESENTATIVE BOB FENNELL joined by fellow Democrat GARDY JEAN FRANSCOIS and Republican DUSTY CAUFIELD.

Now this was my fourth time attending one of these UNITED WAY community listening meetings and it was the most energetic one since the big initial one down at the old EASTERN BANK which is at the foot of the HIGHLANDS I might add. Hopes and dreams for our community and us were the topics for our discussion. A realistic look at LYNN’S strengths and weaknesses will hopefully give the UNITED WAY helpful insights into how to best allocate their resources.

Keeping our fingers crossed that the nice turnout and active participation will translate into the HIGHLANDS getting a nice slice of the resource pie!

2012-05-27T17:29:00.000-07:00

NEW RESIDENT ON BAY VIEW AVE.

2012-05-27T15:23:00.001-07:00

About two thirds the way up on the left side is some swelling member of the rodent family. Back in West "By God" Virginia we might call that varmint a WHISTLE PIG but I kind of doubt that's what it was.

Any way since the DPW hasn't had much snow to remove this past winter, I would think they might have some time to pick up a dead animal.

HENRY AVENUE PARK - TRAHANT STEPS UP TO CLEANUP

2012-05-19T06:53:00.001-07:00

On a sunny Saturday morning(TODAY), ANTONIO and TERESA were joined by BOB CONALLY, CLAY WALSH, BARRY MCCAUL, TRIPPY and myself (THERE WAS ALSO ANOTHER GIRL WHO GOES TO THE FORD SCHOOL AND LIVES BY THE PARK) to cleanup Henry Avenue Park. The park was pretty much devoid of minor trash.....,

BUT

there was a pile of poles cemented in concrete that had been dug up and place in a pile in the middle of the park. Many thanks go to WARD 2 COUNCILMAN BILLY TRAHANT who donated a backhow and operator to help clean up the mess left behind. (Also when we were done a little after 12 BILLY sent pizzas by - now TRIPPY will be a TRAHANT supporter for life).

Today's cleanup was only phase I of the upcoming park makeover. EASY LANDSCAPING is set to come by and green the place up and there is talk of a play structure coming to the park. We've got to get more community involvement, perhaps the HIGHLAND COALITION could take on more of an active role cause like ANTONIO says he's not getting any younger. "After today, it's bring on the MOTRIN,"

2012-04-30T16:26:00.000-07:00

PLANT FAIR POSTER

2012-04-30T15:55:00.001-07:00

PLANT FAIR HAS BUMPER CROP

2012-04-30T15:54:00.001-07:00

AL NESSER SINGS A LITTLE PLANT MUSIC

TIS THE SEASON

2012-04-29T14:45:00.000-07:00

Planting Fair at the Ford School Monday | Lynn Happens

lynnhappens.com

PUSHING PLANTS FOR THE NEW YEAR

2012-04-28T09:21:00.001-07:00

The HIGHLANDS COALITION had a booth today at the KHMER NEW YEAR celebration in LYNN COMMON. Well we do have an INTERNATIONAL GARDEN at FORD SCHOOL.

MUST BE SOMETHING TO THAT GARDEN THING AT FORD SCHOOL

2012-04-06T16:28:00.001-07:00

4-H Clubs Thrive in Postwar Iraq

BE CAREFUL OF WHO'S IN THE SHADOWS

2012-04-05T06:23:00.001-07:00

Lynn VFW theft tied to gambling

"Innocent, until proven guilty." "Beyond the shadow of a doubt," that's the bar we set our justice system. I have my doubts that this man could have acted alone or without someone knowing what was going on unless the transaction was done with a handshake and KIPP just gave him a briefcase full of cash.

Lends a little more credence to the HIGHLAND COALITION'S warnings and the lawsuit that was going on, It's a shame that their lawyer who turned out to be the future employer of KIPP'S attorney ended up parting ways.

HIGH ROCK HIEST

2012-04-04T10:09:00.001-07:00

The Daily Item: Report: Former VFW treasurer admits to stealing more than $100,000

COOK-OUTS ARE IN

2012-03-21T13:51:00.000-07:00

They say "ALL GOOD THINGS COME IN PAIRS", that's at least what MOSES thought and there is that PEANUT-BUTTER AND JELLY combination. So why not have a series of COOK STREET COOKOUTS, you know pair FOOD and PLACE together.

Once everybody is together, they could band together for a community cleanup or even just learn their neighbor's name.The cost could easily be defrayed by contributions from savvy businesses or more savvy politicians.

What's more, what works in the HIGHLANDS could work throughout the city!

EVERYBODY WANTS TO HANG OUT WITH HICO

2012-03-19T18:16:00.000-07:00

The HIGHLANDS COALITION meeting tonight was well attended tonight with over 30 people in attendance. COOK STREET PARK was a big topic of discussion specifically the plans for a community garden.

The meeting attracted a good amount of attention from politicians who realize the potential power of citizens engaged in their own community's development. LYNN SCHOOL COMMITTEE members RICK STARBARD and MARIA CARRASCO along with LYNN WARD 4 COUNCILLOR RICHARD COLUCCI and WARD 2 COUNCILLOR BILLY TRAHANT were in attendance. COUNCILLOR-AT-LARGE HONG NET was represented by his aide BOB (I'm not going to try and spell his name) and 10th ESSEX DISTRICT REPRESENTATIVE GARDY JEAN-FRANCOIS was also there.

Unfortunately I was shuttling between this meeting and a PAC meeting for LPS but the vibes for positive change in our community were strong a new energy of ownership and responsibility is being born.

PLANTING IN THE PARK

2012-03-19T06:11:00.002-07:00

Tonight's HIGHLAND COALITION'S meeting will have a discussion about a COMMUNITY GARDEN at the top of the agenda. The benefits of such a proposal abound. Although a more healthy diet is surely one of them, better nutrition for the body is not the most one.

It is the nutrition for our community's soul that will be most enhanced, a potential for revitalization, and will reap the rewards from a bumper crop of involvement. The growth in our community will parallel the growth in the garden as a new sense of ownership permeates the land. This is our park, this is my park.

2012-03-12T14:48:00.002-07:00

GROW YOUR COMMUNITY

HEALTHY PLANTS CAN HEAL THE MIND

2012-02-23T10:12:00.000-08:00

Can Gardening Help Troubled Minds Heal?

www.wbur.org

Thanks to CLEO for posting yet another reason David Gass can push the need for gardens!