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

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

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.

As House chairman of the Science and Technology Caucus, Cory is working to promote programs that will create new jobs in Massachusetts in the life sciences and the bio-tech sectors.

Cory is deeply concerned with the needs of her constituents and the commonwealth as a whole.

I support Cory Atkins, and I believe she deserves your vote to continue representing us for another two years.

Barbara Finan

Bedford Court

http://www.wickedlocal.com/concord/news/opinions/letters/x1157504410/Letters-to-the-editor-Oct-30-edition

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.”

By serving as House Chair of the Science and Technology Caucus, Cory Atkins has worked to promote new technology and bring jobs to our area, working with a coalition of leaders in both the public and private sectors. In large part because of that work, the economy of Massachusetts has diversified in the last 10 years, providing the commonwealth with the greater economic security we need more than ever during this highly critical time.

Effective legislators know how to work with one another to make government work. Anyone who has had the pleasure of meeting Rep. Cory Atkins can see that she is smart, insightful, compassionate and unflinching in her convictions and ability to work with House Democratic and Republican leaders to make government work. I urge all Concordians to cast their vote to re-elect Rep. Cory Atkins.

Mara Dolan

Dalton Road

http://www.wickedlocal.com/concord/news/opinions/letters/x1157504410/Letters-to-the-editor-Oct-30-edition

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.

As a career teacher, I am very aware of Cory’s efforts to secure substantial increases in Chapter 70 funding for our district. As a retired teacher, I am very thankful that Cory was able to help public school retired teachers gain a small COLA increase this year.

Cory is a fighter. She listens to her constituents, researches thoroughly the bills that are under discussion and is accountable to her electorate.

Sally K. Nelson

Silver Hill Road

http://www.wickedlocal.com/concord/news/opinions/letters/x1213267087/Atkins-is-a-fighter

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

http://www.wickedlocal.com/concord/news/opinions/letters/x633542808/Thank-you-Rep-Cory-Atkins

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.

Since the MSBA only accepts one school construction project per year from a community, the town will now submit a grant application for reimbursement for the construction work completed at the McCarthy Middle School. This will be followed by an application next year for the Parker Middle School’s new library and renovations. As we begin the new school year, Chelmsford students are being well served by this investment in the town’s school facilities that has been made possible by the partnership among State and Local officials and by the commitment of its residents.

Paul E. Cohen

Town Manager

http://www.wickedlocal.com/chelmsford/news/opinions/letters/x996440784/Thanks-are-due-to-town-officials