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I read this Globe headline last Thursday: “Bush vows to veto children’s health insurance bill” and felt sick to my stomach, literally. What kind of a country are we? I know we value individualism, free speech, and competition, but don’t we also value our children? The fact that President Bush is not inclined to cover low-income uninsured children reminds me of President Reagan’s claim that ketchup counted as a vegetable in school lunches. (Are there people who actually think this is okay?) Tonight, my sister told me about an old friend who has just been laid off. She suspects it was due to his age (late 50s), and health concerns (he’s had a heart attack and other issues). When I asked if he would lose his health insurance, she wasn’t sure—probably, he’s too young for Medicare and has pre-existing conditions. Providing healthcare with for-profit companies and funding it on the backs of employers is like funding our public schools solely on property taxes: it’s not effective or fair. Anybody else see a correlation between healthcare for all, public schools, and the postal service? If the government can run the post office well enough to get my letter to California in two days for 41 cents, it can provide decent healthcare for its citizens. Perhaps we should let the postmaster general run it to make sure the service is superior and efficient.

On Friday, the Globe reported a plan by Boston Police Commissioner Ed Davis (our very own former chief) to institute an anonymous text messaging system to get tips on crime from residents—particularly young people familiar with this modern form of communication. On Saturday, the Herald ran an editorial “Crime-fighting now made EZ” where it reported that Hill, Holliday, a leading ad firm, was developing a free publicity campaign promoting the program. Great for Boston, huh? Good for them. (Maybe you’re sensing a bit of envy here. Well, it’s true; I’m envious.) As a member of the City Manager’s Gang Advisory Board, I can tell you some of the discussion at our June meeting centered on Lowell’s crime prevention hotline and its language, staffing, and other limitations due to lack of funding. For instance, are you aware we have a crime stoppers hotline? Do you know the number (978-459-tips) or that you can receive cash awards for information leading to an arrest? Did you know the information can be provided to police anonymously—and you still get the cash? Unfortunately, our hotline is not staffed 24/7 by multi-linguists who speak the diverse languages prevalent in our gateway city (not even close). Yet, we know residents in neighborhoods, witnesses, bystanders, and even victims can make a huge impact on police ability to capture criminals and prevent crime, but these same people are often afraid, unwilling, or unaware how to help. The fact is, like most complicated issues such as gangs, it takes a community to impact change—that means all of us, eyes open, and willing to make the call. It also means someone is at the other end to receive it. 

Special kudos to Gregg Croteau, executive director of the United Teen Equality Center (UTEC) and a member of the City Manager’s Gang Advisory Board. Gregg travelled to Washington this month to speak before Congress as part of the Senate Judiciary Committee Hearing on the Gang Abatement and Prevention Act 2007.  To view the  hearing and his testimony on C-span, click here. (Gregg is about two-thirds in.)  

Healthy Summer 2007 is a “private-public partnership providing educational programs, healthy meals and fun activities each summer for Lowell’s Youth.”  They’ve been around since 1996, but this year they have an excellent brochure that was mailed out listing everything there is to do in Lowell in the summer, from pool schedules to free lunches to concerts. They also had a fun kick-off party on Tuesday at the JFK Civic Center with food, face painting, crafts and a D.J.   We all know that private-public partnerships are one of Lowell’s strengths, but there is always the fear that services are overlapping, that groups aren’t talking to one another. The Healthy Summer brochure puts those fears to rest. You can see that the Lowell School Department, the Pollard Library, Community Teamwork (CTI), Lowell Parks & Rec, Girls Inc., the YMCA, the YWCA, the Boys & Girls Club, the Girl Scouts, and many of Lowell’s museums are on the same page, literally.   Budget cuts have forced the school department to continually whittle away at its after-school and summer programs, with a bare minimum remaining.  But this brochure shows us that some of our non-profits are taking up the slack and providing meaningful and fun experiences for Lowell’s youth population this summer.  In addition, free breakfasts and lunches for young people are being provided at many different locations across the city through CTI and the Merrimack Valley Food Bank.  For more information, contact Allison Carroll, Coordinator of Youth Services at 978-970-3342.

Today was the Spring State Finals for crew, with 20 public schools participating on the Merrimack River during what turned out to be a glorious, albeit windy, day. The Lowell High School Crew Team was in excellent form, going head-to-head in competition with teams from Wayland, Weston, and Brookline, and some of the other wealthiest communities in the state; yet Lowell held its own, earning gold, silver, and bronze medals. The boys second varsity 8 team, which last week made the nationals, won a silver medal, and the boys first varsity took third place, winning a bronze. The girls varsity also took second place, winning a silver medal. But it was the boys second novice team, many of them the newest members of crew, who caused the greatest upset of the day by winning a gold medal and earning the title of State Champions in their category. Last year, despite all kinds of trouble, from flooding to a boathouse in total disrepair, the team showed it had heart and stamina and continued to perform. (The state provided funding and UMass Lowell took over ownership, so the boathouse is once again functioning, which enabled today’s competition to be held in Lowell.) This year’s results demonstrate the LHS Crew Team not only has heart, it’s got stamina and depth from its youngest to most seasoned members. And it’s not over yet–the boys second varsity team will be heading to Ohio in June to compete nationally–so stay tuned! Check their website for more information on LHS Crew. 

FREE tonight from 7-10 p.m. is the first of the Revolving Museum’s ARTventures Series.  The experience, at the Lowell National Park Visitors Center, will include massive video projections on a smokestack, carnival acts, a Native American Pow Wow, experimental light projects, and ethnic music and dance. Only in Lowell can you find an artistic revolution that spans all ages, turns history into urban rebirth, and partners artists with scientists, techies, and activists. According to their website: “…ARTventures will integrate some of the country’s most innovative art, science, and educational programs, creating a truly extraordinary artistic and theatrical adventure.” This sounds worth checking out–especially if the weather is nice.

Today is also the last day to see the amazing work of Lowell’s youngest artists, on display at the nearby ALL Arts Gallery across from the Visitors Center at 246 Market Street (gallery hours: 11-4 p.m. and 7-9 p.m.) 

At its monthly meeting this morning, the City Manager’s Gang Advisory Board reviewed its progress in a number of ongoing areas around gang prevention, as well as determined some new, immediate priorities. The board’s efforts include developing summer jobs for youth, improving community access to a crime prevention hotline, and renewing emphasis on neighborhood groups and services to those areas most burdened by gang activity. Better communication with diverse groups throughout the city, such as the rebirth of the city’s Race Relations Council which met last week, were also discussed as a way to improve relations between residents and government agencies. Created as an outgrowth of the city’s gang prevention summits held over the past few years, members of the Gang Advisory Board include the city manager, superintendents of both the police and the schools, the district attorney and staff from his office, Middlesex Community College president and her staff, a representative from the University of Massachusetts at Lowell, as well as youth provider organizations, and other members of the community. 

From the start of today’s meeting, the news was not great as Acting Police Superintendent Lavallee explained that gang activity in the city had increased since March, and with warmer weather, those incidents will likely continue to rise. He also noted that increased police presence in high-gang areas tended to displace activities to other locations rather than simply reducing them. A key problem with reducing gang activity is the lack of cooperation from victims and witnesses, mostly due to fear, which is why improving access to hotline reporting services and outreach to the community are seen as essential components to reducing gang-related crime. News on the summer job front, however, was not as bleak. The city expects to offer more »

At its seventh annual Celebration of Teaching Awards dinner last night, the Rotary Club of Lowell awarded $500 each to the top three teachers of the year: Judith Conners from the Lincoln Elementary School, Patty Manning from the Bartlett Community Partnership School, and Michelle Richiotte from Lowell High School. The club chose the three winners, who represent excellence in teaching at the elementary, middle and high school levels, from 25 candidates nominated by their peers–a group of nearly 1,200 full-time teachers from across the district. 

As the nominees were announced and their qualifications read to the crowd of 500 people, each school cheered loudly for its candidate—some more wildly than others. For instance, the Shaughnessy displayed support for their candidate by waving multi-colored pom poms and the McAvinnue belted out an original, rhyming cheer. The best parts of all, though, were the written comments by elementary children in support of their teachers: One student wrote: “Mrs. Goes is a good teacher because she makes me learn a lot of things. She makes me learn so much that it can’t all fit in my head.” Another student wrote: “I have not known you for a very long time, but for as long as I’ve known you, you’ve been a very good teacher.” My favorite was from a Varnum School student: “Mrs. Rizzo is nice and she doesn’t yell. She is smart too. Teachers are usually smart, but she is especially smart!” In addition to the teachers’ awards, the Rotary Club gives out $10,000 in student scholarships annually. The 25 teachers honored to be nominated by their colleagues this year were more »

They probably won’t be featured on the front page of the Lowell Sun tomorrow like some teen stories we read about. But if you were driving downtown this morning, you must have noticed the hordes of young people painting benches, parking meters, and railings along the canal, as well as raking, mulching, and cleaning. More than 300 Lowell High ROTC students committed to give two days of work in the downtown area as part of the group’s goal to achieve 20,000 hours of community service this year. Undoubtedly they’ll make that goal even though it’s the most ambitious yet. (Last year, they completed 15,000 hours of service.) Then again, this group has a proven success record in so many areas.

The ROTC program at Lowell High, which currently involves about 400 kids and grows larger each year, has a number of other successes. The largest ROTC program in New England, it is also considered one of the best by people in the know. Last fall, I met Colonel Gary Chilicott, whose job is to inspect ROTC programs in the eastern United States and in Europe. The colonel could not say enough good things about the Lowell program and its students. He told me that Florida may have larger programs due primarily to bases located near its schools, but none he’s seen could match Lowell for student diversity and quality programming. I believe him. The statistics alone tell part of the story: 98% of Lowell’s ROTC students go to college; many of them earning scholarships to do so. But the real evidence of the leadership and quality of our ROTC program comes with seeing the students in action: dressed in crisp, blue uniforms with young faces showing discipline and focus–whether they are raising the flag, marching, or standing proud–these students and the retired Air Force officers who teach them are some of the brightest stars we have, giving us a reassuring glimmer of our community’s future that often doesn’t get the notice it deserves.