News Briefs

Your Local Post Office Will be Closed in Recognition of Veterans Day

Post offices across the commonwealth will be closed on Friday, November 11, in honor of Veterans Day. There will be no street delivery, except for guaranteed overnight parcels, and all retail operations will be closed for the day. Full retail and delivery operations will resume on Saturday, November 12.

As one of the largest employers of US veterans, nearly 10% of our workforce nationally, the Postal Service is proud to honor the men and women who have selflessly served our country in war and in peacetime and those who continue that tradition today. As the saying goes, “America is the land of the free because of the brave.”

The Postal Service generally receives no tax dollars for operating expenses and relies on the sale of postage, products and services to fund its operations.

October Revenue Collections Total $2.359 Billion

Massachusetts Department of Revenue (DOR) Commissioner Geoffrey Snyder announced that preliminary revenue collections for October totaled $2.359 billion, $85 million or 3.5% less than actual collections in October 2021, but $293 million or 14.2% more than benchmark.[1]

FY2023 year-to-date collections totaled approximately $11.565 billion, which is $369 million or 3.3% more than collections in the same period of FY2022 and $529 million or 4.8% more than the year-to-date benchmark.  

“October collections decreased in non-withholding income tax, corporate and business tax, and ‘all other tax’ in comparison to October 2021” said Commissioner Snyder. “These decreases were partially offset by increases in withholding and sales and use tax. The decrease in non-withholding is primarily driven by two offsetting factors: an increase in income tax refunds (outflows) related to passthrough entity (“PTE”) member credits and a partially offsetting increase in income tax return payments. The decrease in ’all other tax’ is primarily attributable to estate tax, a category that tends to fluctuate. The increase in withholding is mostly due to the timing of the receipt of withholding payments: certain payments received in October 2022 were captured in November in 2021. The increase in sales and use tax reflects, in part, continued strength in retail sales.”

In general, October is among the lower months for revenue collection, because neither individual nor business taxpayers make significant estimated payments during the month. Historically, roughly 6.5% of annual revenue, on average, has been received during October.

Boston’s Official Tree Arrives November 22

The annual gift of an evergreen Christmas tree from Nova Scotia is scheduled to arrive by police escort at Boston Common at approximately 11 a.m. on Tuesday, November 22. 

This is the 51st year that a tree has been donated and commemorates 105 years of friendship with Nova Scotia after the people of Boston provided emergency assistance when Halifax, Nova Scotia’s capital, was devastated by a maritime munitions explosion in the harbor in 1917. The first Tree for Boston was donated in 1971 by Joseph Slauenwhite from Lunenburg County.

Boston’s official 2022  tree is a 45-foot white spruce donated by landowner Roddy Townsend of Christmas Island, along with his children Angela, Carmen, and Andrew.

“How appropriate that this year’s tree comes from Christmas Island,” said Boston Parks and Recreation Commissioner Ryan Woods. “For 51 years the province of Nova Scotia has provided this festive gift, a symbol that our bond endures and testimony to the resilience of their citizens in the face of disaster and the generosity of our own city in a time of need.”

A public tree-cutting ceremony will be held November 16 on the Townsend family’s property on Christmas Island, Cape Breton. Carmen Townsend, an award-winning musician, will perform a song she has written about the Tree for Boston, and a local Mi’Kmaq elder will conduct a smudging ceremony before the tree is cut. The tree will leave Halifax for Boston on November 21.

“The holidays are a time of reflection and gratitude,” said Tory Rushton, Minister of Natural Resources and Renewables. “The Tree for Boston continues to be a sign of our deep appreciation for the aid Boston provided after the Halifax Explosion.”

Parks Commissioner Woods, Santa Claus, and local school children will greet the tree at its final destination near the Boston Visitors Center at 139 Tremont Street. The tree will be lit at approximately 7:55 p.m. on Thursday, December 1, as the City of Boston’s Official Tree Lighting is celebrated on Boston Common from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. The ceremony will be broadcast live on WCVB Channel 5 starting at 7 p.m.

The annual Tree Lighting on Boston Common is co-sponsored by the Boston Parks and Recreation Department and the title sponsor, The Province of Nova Scotia. Amazon serves as our presenting sponsor, JetBlue is the Community Sponsor, Related Beal serves as Pyrotechnic Sponsor while Bank of America, Constellation, and the Greater Boston Convention and Visitors Bureau are supporting the event as key sponsors. Additional support provided by WCVB Channel 5 and the Boston Globe. 

Visit novascotia.ca/treeforboston and Boston.gov/Parks for more information on the Tree for Boston, and follow our social channels to stay up to date with all the holiday lighting events: @bostonparksdept on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram.

Museum Hosts Free Public Events to Celebrate Veterans Day

The USS Constitution Museum will honor veterans with a “Salute to Veterans”–a ticketed breakfast to celebrate the 247th birthday of the U.S. Marine Corps and free public programming on November 11, 2022, in the Charlestown Navy Yard. 

The day will begin with a ticketed breakfast at the Museum following Morning Colors in front of “Old Ironsides” on Pier 1. The breakfast features remarks from Major General Charles L. Hudson, USMC (Ret.), who will draw upon his experiences over a distinguished thirty-five-year career leading logistics planning and operations for the Marine Corps on land and sea to reflect upon the importance of solid leadership during turbulent times. General Hudson will also discuss the value of the leadership traits and principles learned as a Marine, as well as what we can learn from his recent experience assisting U.S. Government Security Cooperation and Institutional Capacity Building efforts in Saudi Arabia, Jordan, Kuwait, and Mexico.

The annual breakfast also honors the memory of LT. William S. Bush, the first U.S. Marine Corps officer to die in the War of 1812 aboard USS Constitution.

The Museum will also provide a special welcome for veteran visitors throughout the day, featuring a special veterans-only tour of the Ship and inviting military families to visit with free admission. Veterans who register in advance and participate in the tour will also receive a U.S. flag flown on board “Old Ironsides” as a special gift from the Museum.

Additionally, the public will have the chance to thank a member of our military community directly. Over the weekend, the Museum will host a write-a-thon to send personalized thanks to veterans, active-duty service members, and their families. This Veterans Day write-a-thon is part of a year-long initiative of the Museum to collect “50,000 Letters of Gratitude” for the military community. Anne Grimes Rand, President and CEO of the USS Constitution Museum, explains, “We believe that the simple art of letter-writing to express gratitude can tremendously impact lives. This act of kindness recognizes the important contribution of those who serve, while demonstrating a valuable skill to younger generations.”

Finally, the day’s events will cater to families, as the public is invited to enjoy a free round of USS Constitution mini golf in the Charlestown Navy Yard! This outdoor course, themed by key moments in the Ship’s history, is back by popular demand for the last time this season after its introduction at the recent Birthday Block Party. We will also have free snacks and treats while supplies last! For complete details on the day’s activities, visit usscm.org/events/veterans-day-2022.

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