Public Health Warning Issued Related to Recent Sewage Discharge
The following is a public health warning related to a recent sewage discharge, also known as a combined sewer overflow (CSO). State regulations require local public health departments to provide notice to the public when these discharges may create a risk to public health, including when a discharge lasts for more than two hours.
Massachusetts Water Resources Authority Outflow MWR203, located in the Upper Inner Harbor, upstream of North Washington St. Bridge, experienced a treated discharge or overflow starting on November 30th at 8:20pm, creating a potential public health risk. This overflow ended at 10:30pm and this advisory will expire 48 hours after the overflow has ended. This data is preliminary and may be revised. Check the Massachusetts Water Resources Authority website here for current updates about this discharge. This event may potentially affect waters in Boston Inner Harbor.
The public is advised to avoid contact with affected water bodies for at least 48 hours after a sewage discharge or overflow, during rainstorms, and for 48 hours after rainstorms end, due to increased health risks from bacteria or other pollutants associated with urban stormwater runoff and discharges of untreated or partially treated wastewater.
A combined sewer overflow occurs when a large storm overwhelms the combined sewerage system causing rainwater to mix with wastewater and discharge to a nearby water body. This prevents sewage backups into homes and businesses.
More information about CSOs and public health is available at www.boston.gov/cso.
Charlestown Library Map Sale
The Friends of the Charlestown Branch Library are selling maps of Charlestown. The maps were created by Charlestown artist, Joseph Connelly, set digitally by designer, Linda Murray. The black and white is $15, the colored is $25. These maps would make a great Holiday gift, and are available at the Library at 179 Main Street. Library hours are: Mon-Wed 10a.m. to 6p.m., Thurs. 12 – 8p.m., Fri. 9a.m. to 5p.m. and Sat. 9a.m.-2p.m.
Lions Club Winter Coat Drive
The Charlestown Lions Club is collecting new and slightly used oats again this year. The coats should be dropped off at the Cooperative Bank at 209 Main Street. Coats collected will be professionally cleaned before being distributed to those in need of a warm coat this winter. The Lions Clubs want to thank Mr. Tom Coots, VP and Branch Manager of the bank and his staff for their help with this initiative.
Become a Friend of the Library
The Friends of the Charlestown Branch of the Boston Public Library (BPL), established in 1953, is a non-profit organization comprised of dues-paying members that support the needs of our neighborhood’s library, its staff, patrons, and the local community. When you become a friend of the Charlestown Branch of the BPL, your annual membership dues and generous donations fund a variety of programs and activities for the entire community – author visits, concerts, art and culture programs, and more. Friends also support our local library in ways the central BPL cannot, providing funding for furniture and lighting improvements, piano upkeep, restoration of our historic paintings, the purchase of hundreds of books, and the maintenance of several Little Free Libraries around our community. Become a Friend of the Charlestown Library and signal your commitment to lifelong learning and enjoyment in our community.
Visit http://www.friendsofcharlestownlib.org/ for more information.
Support Charlestown Arts
The Artists’ Group of Charlestown offers Supporting Memberships for individuals who wish to support local arts and to help the AGC reach the wider community. Visit the AGC website for details https://artistsgroupofcharlestown.com/supporting/.
Assisted Living Locators Urges Adult Children To Have Long Term Care Plan
The holiday season is a time of giving and sharing special moments with your family. As you decorate the tree and bake those cookies, don’t forget about an important gift you can give to your aging parent – the gift of a long-term care plan.
Assisted Living Locators Boston, a local senior placement and referral service, is urging adult children to have a very merry … long term care plan to make sure their parents have personalized care and support when they need it.
As parents get older, many will turn to their adult children to help them in the next steps of senior living. Many of these adult children live an average of 450 miles from their parents and are having to assume the role of a long-distance caregiver. According to the National Center on Caregiving, approximately 5 to 7 million adult children in the U.S. are long-distance caregivers.
Assisted Living Locators Boston Vice President of Placement and Aging Strategy John Moniz, a Marshfield resident, stated that adult children, especially those who are long distance caregivers, should use the holiday season as an opportunity to assess the current lifestyle of aging parents and evaluate what can be improved to strengthen their loved one’s health and happiness. “No matter what stage of life your parents are in, talking about long term care and creating a plan now for the future can help them live their life on their own terms,” he explained.
“Assisted Living Locators is a free service that can help you explore and understand elder care options,” said Moniz. “Our senior care advisors meet with each family to learn about their loved one’s needs, living conditions, and personal preferences in order to build a care plan.”
He noted that Assisted Living Locators website also offers an easy-to-use Assessment Tool that can quickly give one insight if it’s time to find a new environment and appropriate senior housing for your aging parent.
Moniz advises adult children to set these long-term planning goals in 2023:
1) Prepare and gather essential medical and financial documents for their aging loved one
2) Make a plan for paying for long-term care
3) Connect with the right kind of support and resources.
“The challenge families with aging parents face today is finding a single source for reliable assistance for a long-term care plan,” he explained. “Assisted Living Locators has a full roster of services for seniors around there need for in-home care or senior living arrangements. From relocation to respite care to alternative solutions for paying for long-term care, our comprehensive resources can help you prepare for the future.”