The Concord Journal
Attn: Cheryl Lecesse
Re: Operation Blanding’s Landing
Dear Editor,
I would like to extend warm congratulations to Ms. Erickson’s fourth grade class at Thoreau Elementary School for their second place finish in the Disney Planet Challenge. These students have worked tirelessly to teach us all about the importance of preserving the Blanding’s turtle, a threatened species in our community and beyond. I had the privilege of having these accomplished students on my CCTV show. Their commitment to the environment should be commended. These students truly deserved the honor from Disney, and are an example of the thriving academic community in Concord.
Sincerely,
Rep. Cory Atkins
14th Middlesex District
Seniors face deadline on health-care change
The Lowell Sun
Updated: 12/09/2010 06:36:28 AM EST
I am writing to make my constituents aware of an important change in senior health-care insurance in the area. If you are a Medicare recipient or have a family member who is on Medicare, please read on.
In early October, Harvard Pilgrim Health Care (HPHC) announced that, as of Dec. 31, 2010, it is discontinuing its Medicare Advantage Private Fee-for-Service plan, “First Seniority Freedom.” A number of smaller plans offered by other companies will also be discontinued. According to media reports, the decisions to discontinue these programs were made because of changes to Medicare made in 2008. These changes will affect thousands of Medicare recipients in Massachusetts, including many in the 4th Middlesex District.
All patients who are enrolled in First Seniority Freedom or other discontinued plans should have received letters from their insurance company telling them that their plan is ending. Patients should have also received a list of companies that will continue to offer Medicare Advantage plans. If you or a family member is enrolled in the First Seniority Freedom or another discontinued plan, and if you take no action before Dec. 31 to enroll in a new Medicare Advantage plan, your coverage will automatically revert to standard Medicare coverage.
If you are interested in finding out how this will affect you and in understanding your options, I suggest contacting Serving Health Information Needs of Elders (SHINE). SHINE provides free health-insurance counseling for seniors and Medicare beneficiaries. You can obtain information about SHINE by calling Elder Services of Merrimack Valley at 978-683-7747. Please also feel welcome to call my office at 617-722-1432 for further information.
SEN. KEN DONNELLY
D-Burlington
Read more: http://www.lowellsun.com/editorials/ci_16815293#ixzz17dl9yisC
Atkins vows to work for solutions
Updated: 11/09/2010 10:11:55 AM EST
Thank you to the voters for returning me to the state House of Representatives. I feel it is an honor and privilege to continue to serve as your State Representative. Thank you to family, friends, and supporters who worked tirelessly holding signs, walking door-to-door, and talking directly to voters about the issues important to this community.
I have great respect for those that engage in the hands-on work of an electoral democracy. In that spirit I would also like to thank my opponent KC Winslow. Ms. Winslow ran a great campaign. She brought new concepts and encouraged a new group of voters to get involved in public engagement. KC and her supporters kept the race both lively and positive at all times.
I am a Democrat, but I’m also the representative for all the residents of the 14th Middlesex District. Almost all of my legislation has passed with universal support. I pledge to continue to work in a manner that considers everyone’s ideas and concerns.
The challenges that face our towns in the next two years will be tremendous. It will require a lot of creative thinking and cooperative effort for our communities to prevail. The talent, compassion and commitment I observe in every one of my towns convinces me that we have the “stuff” to survive and thrive during these difficult times.
Cory Atkins
State Representative
Concord
Read more: http://www.lowellsun.com/editorials/ci_16562766#ixzz14nrCNvjd
Concord -
To the editor:
Cory Atkins, our state representative, is just as she says: “fiercely committed to working hard” for her constituents and the communities she represents.
Education funding is always at the top of her list, and this year she was successful in getting a 9.1 percent increase in state education aid for Concord. In addition she worked with the Concord School Committee and the state School Building Authority to secure state reimbursement for Concord’s two new schools.
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Concord -
To the editor:
Concord needs Cory Atkins. Rep. Atkins has served Concord with distinction and conviction since 1999. By working to strengthen our economy and increase hiring needs to bring more jobs to our area, Rep. Atkins is building the foundation required to work on all the critical issues we need to address: Education, health care, affordable housing, security, infrastructure and the environment. As Rep. Atkins puts it, “Too many hardworking, educated Massachusetts residents are underemployed or out of work altogether.”
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Concord -
To the editor:
I would like to endorse Cory Atkins for reelection to the General Court from Concord. I have known her as a caring parent, neighbor, hard-working P.T.A member throughout her children’s public school careers, and, of course, as an excellent state representative.
In particular, I am grateful that Cory has been able to secure reimbursement funds from the Massachusetts School Building Authority to pay for school construction of Thoreau Elementary School. This was a very wonderful feat, considering the economic climate of the last several years.
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Concord -
To the editor:
I would like to express my deepest appreciation to Rep. Cory Atkins for her leadership in ending Boston Bark’s industrial mulching operation on Barretts Mill Road. Within three months of meeting with me and my neighbors to hear our concerns, Boston Bark has been forced to end operations at this site, thanks to Cory’s effective work with state and town officials. She has shown her strong commitment to preserving the integrity of Concord’s small farms, wetlands and quality of life.
Ruth Crocker
Barretts Mill Road
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Chelmsford -
To the Editor:
The Massachusetts School Building Authority (MSBA) has awarded the Town of Chelmsford a construction grant in the amount of $8,739,542 for the Chelmsford High School addition/renovation project. The town qualified for a 56.31 percent reimbursement rate on this project. The grant monies will be used to pay the debt service for the project.
In 2004, Chelmsford voters approved a $31 million borrowing to fund the renovation and expansion of portions of Chelmsford High School, McCarthy Middle School, and Parker Middle School. At the time of the Town Meeting vote and subsequent approval at the Town Election, Chelmsford officials and voters faced tremendous uncertainty as to the amount of reimbursement, if any, that the Town would receive from the State for these school building projects. The State had imposed a moratorium on financing new school construction projects as it restructured the MSBA program.
Thanks should be given today to former and current town officials, employees, and volunteers whose efforts over the past five years contributed to the successful school renovation project and subsequent state reimbursement. Reps. Cory Atkins, Thomas Golden, Geoff Hall, and Dave Nangle, along with Sen. Susan Fargo, contributed greatly to the effort to obtain state construction funding. MSBA Executive Director Katherine Craven and her staff have worked tirelessly with town officials to review the construction work and audit financial documents.
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