Annual Fun Day on Rowley Common, Saturday, August 30th
August 8, 2008
Festivities formally begin at 9:00 a.m. with the Decorated Bike/Anything on Wheels parade at 8:30 a.m. at the VFW and finish at the Rowley Town common. If you want to participate in the parade, you need to register at the VFW at 8:30 a.m. Prizes will be awarded for the most patriotic and original bikes in the parade.
After the parade, running races for children, ages toddler to sixth grade, will be held on the Common, with medals awarded to the top three runners.
There will also be a children’s bike race sponsored by Essex County Velo at 11:00 a.m. Children ages 5 through 12 are welcome to participate in the event. Bike race registration (with parent/guardian consent) will start at 10:00 a.m. Please note that helmets are required for the race.
Riverside Cycle of Newburyport will provide free bike safety inspections.
Refreshments will be available during the events for all to enjoy at the Annual Fun Day on the Town Common.
For more information, contact Selectman Stu Dalzell at 978-948-2674.
“Sizzling Sidewalk Sale for Artists,” Rowley, August 8 & 9, Rowley
August 7, 2008
When: Friday and Saturday, August 8 and 9, from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m
Where: Leslane Gallery & Design, 144 Newburyport Turnpike, A-7, Rowely
Leslane Gallery & Design, Rowley, is having a “Sizzling Sidewalk Sale for Artists,” Friday and Saturday, August 8 and 9, from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. at their Rowley design studio and gallery.
The sidewalk sale will offer discounted items such as aluminum easels in cases, an oak floor easel, a folding metal print bin with acid-free sleeves, various sized custom wood and metal frames, easel frames, mantel frames, a wall mounted mat cutter, precut mats, mat board scraps, seaglass jewelry, and more.
The Sidewalk Sale is being held rain or shine at their gallery located at 144 Newburyport Turnpike (Route 1), A-7, Rowely. For more information, call 978-948-2105, or send email to info@leslanegallery.com.
Website: Leslane Gallery & Design
Essex County Greenbelt “Paddle and Walk” at Sawyer’s Island, Rowley, Sunday June 29th
June 25, 2008
When: Sunday, June 29, 1:00 p.m. - 5:00 p.m
Where: Sawyer’s Island (access from Patmos Road, Rowley)
The Essex County Greenbelt Association is offering a free monthly ramble “Paddle and Walk” led by nature enthusiast Pike Messenger on Sunday, June 29, from 1:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. at Sawyer’s Island and the surrounding coastal mashes in Rowley.
The timing of the “Paddle and Walk” is scheduled to occur during low tide. This will provide a better opportunity to explore some of the sandbars of the Plum Island River and the surrounding coastal salt marsh and observe birds, plants and other creatures of the Plum Island estuary.
Directions To Sawyer;s Island:
From the traffic light in Rowley Center, drive north on Route 1A for about 0.1 mile, at first fork, bear left and continue on Patmos Road about one mile to Sawyer’s Island. If you have questions or need a canoe, please call Pike at 978-774-1507.
Website: Essex County Greenbelt Association
Sand-A-Claus Not on Newburyport’s Beach Restoration Agenda
February 16, 2008
Newburyport Is Not Going To Provide Funding To Hire Beach Restoration Lobbyist
Property owners on Plum Island and the Town of Newbury are probably disappointed with City of Newburyport Mayor John Moak’s recent decision not to request that the City Council authorize spending $18,000 for hiring a Washington, DC lobbying firm to help secure Federal funding for the replenishment and restoration of Plum Island beaches.
A group of Plum Island property owners and the Town of Newbury had been hoping Newburyport would join in theiir effort to raise $40,000 to hire a Wahington D.C based lobbying firm, Marlowe & Company a Washington, D.C., lobbying firm that specializes in persuading Congress to put up money for beach replenishment projects. As stated in a Daily News of Newburyport article, the company’s president, Howard Marlowe, has been called “Sand-a Claus” by the national newspaper USA Today for his ability to deliver beach funds for clients.
The $18,000 represented Newburyport’s portion of the $40,000 annual fee that was to be charged by the lobbying group. The Town of Newbury would be responsible for providing $18,000 as well and a group of homeowners had already raised $4,000 privately to use for hiring the lobbying firm.
Plum Island is a barrier beach that, from the center of Plum Island northward, has sustained serious erosion in recent years. Additionally, the jetty at the north end of the island is in need of serious repair. The lack of regular dredging and beach replenishment efforts together with weakened jetties at the mouth of the Merrimack River and a series of strong coastal storms over the past few years have put some structures on the Island in a perilous situation.
Mayor Moak said that he and the council “strongly support the efforts of our senatorial and congressional delegation and have confidence in our elected officials and their staff to procure the funding for a three-phase urgent plan to protect Plum Island beaches.”
Urgency is definitely the key word here. Barrier beaches are dynamic environments and Plum Island is a barrier beach that is in a weakened state. The three-pronged plan of dredging, jetty repairs and replenishment must be performed on a regular, recurring basis. A few well-timed, strong storms can change the Island’s coastline quickly and dramatically. Hopefully, our elected officials can work in a timely manner to help replenish the Plum Island coastline.
The time factor associated with getting a response from our elected officials is the “wildcard” here. How long can Plum Island afford to wait for funding to be procured through normal channels? For the Plum Island property owners and the Town of Newbury, it would be prudent to explore all options for other ways to raise that additional $18,000. It is always wise to have an alternative plan, especially if there is a way to jumpstart the process.
The Plum Island beach replenishment effort is going to need all the help it can get to make the wheels in Washington, D.C. move. If a lobbyist who knows how to make the process work can also be brought onboard to help, then that is another option that should be utilized. Time is of the essence when you live on a barrier beach.
You can find additional information about the Plum Island beach restoration effort and the lobbying funding issue in the article by Victor Tine in the February 13th issue of the Newburyport Daily News.
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