Dear Editor:

On Sunday, July 19, 2020, during a special meeting of the Negro Island Property Owners Association, the owners, listed below, unanimously voted to change the name of the island. The new name is Oak Island.

The 15-acre island is located at the mouth of Linekin Bay and just west of Ocean Point. There are currently five cottages on the island. While Negro Island appears on charts as far back as the mid 1700s, over the years, we have been increasingly uncomfortable with the name.

The new name is in recognition of the large number of oak trees on the island, and one in particular that is a significant landmark when seen at a distance. We embrace the new name as a symbol of strength, endurance and serenity.

John and Sarah Giles

Stuart and Bonnie Bennett

Neil and Maggie Newton

Scott and Catherine Stecher

David and Kristin Brett

Graham and Alison Bennett

See the original post:

Negro Island is now Oak Island - Boothbay Register

WATERTOWN For months, city officials have waited for a team of landscape engineers from Ohio to put together their ideas on how to redevelop Sewalls Island.

They will soon find out as the consultants, MKSK Studios, Ohio, are finishing up those efforts and will present their report to City Council during a work session on Aug. 10.

Were very excited to see what theyve done, said Jennifer Voss, the senior planner in the city Planning Department.

The folks at MKSK also were given the task about redeveloping the nearby Factory Square neighborhood, once the hub of the citys manufacturing district a century ago.

To get to this point, a long-awaited $1.5 million environmental cleanup of Sewalls Island was finally completed last year before any kind of development could proceed.

Since last winter, the Planning Department has worked closely with the consultant, but the coronavirus made it a little more difficult to get input from the public on what it would like to see on the island, once the home of the massive Black Clawson Co.

In January, the consultants gathered with about 10 interested residents to get some of their ideas. Those in attendance envisioned hiking and biking trails and some green space.

The consultants were going to come back in March and June to discuss their findings but the pandemic prevented them from returning. Instead, a public survey was completed.

With the pandemic still going on, the consultants will make their Aug. 10 presentation virtually through a Zoom meeting.

Councilwoman Lisa A. Ruggiero thinks the island has potential to be a focal point of the city once again.

Its going to be nice to see what theyve come up with, she said.

The city owns 18.6 acres of the 28.7-acre island property on the Black River, about 10 acres of which can be developed.

About 5.6 acres of the island can be designated only for park development after 2 feet of new soil was deposited there during the cleanup, while another section can be developed for commercial purposes after a foot of topsoil was added.

Theres been talk about making improvements to a pair of railroad bridges for pedestrian and bike use on the island and connect them with other city trails.

Over the years, the former Black Clawson site has been the source of complaints because of its unsightly condition, with piles of debris, parts of the building foundation and a long section of chain-link fencing that fronts Pearl Street visible.

The city obtained the property through back taxes from Black Clawson, which closed its foundry in 1991. The massive complex was destroyed in a fire in 1999.

The buildings were demolished in 2001, leaving remnants of concrete foundations that cover about 25 percent of the reusable site. Soil contaminants remain underneath.

The Factory Square area of downtown contains a series of industrial buildings along the river, some commercial businesses and a small park, where the city had once planned to create a dog park. For years, its been a goal of city officials to spruce up the neighborhood.

Brookfield Renewable Energy Partners operates a hydroelectric plant on the island. That section of the island was not part of the remediation project.

Read the rest here:

Ideas for Sewall's Island redevelopment soon will be unveiled - NNY360

STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. Mayor Bill de Blasio was at it again last week, making Staten Island feel like its not part of New York City. At least not a valued part.

How many times have we felt that way since de Blasio became mayor in 2014?

This time it had to do with funding for New York City Housing Authority community centers.

Last Tuesday, de Blasio said that $22 million shifted from the NYPD would go to NYCHA centers in every borough.

Except, it turns out, on Staten Island.

City Hall at first had no explanation for the oversight. Later, the mayors office said that the funding was allocated based on vacant or shuttered NYCHA centers in need of renovation.

That took care of facilities in Manhattan, Brooklyn and the Bronx. And a center in Queens was given expense money for programming.

City Halls justification changed nothing: It was a four-borough effort in a five-borough city.

All this is happening while a planned $5.7 million renovation to a community center in Mariners Harbor remains stuck in limbo.

Its the second time lately that the Island was left out of a City Hall initiative. De Blasio also neglected to include Staten Island in his cool streets plan, which added spray caps to hydrants around the city in an order to help New Yorkers beat the heat.

Streets on Staten Island were included only after the Advance highlighted the oversight.

Do the maps used by City Hall include all five boroughs? For an avowedly political animal, de Blasio can be positively clueless when it comes to simple political optics.

City Hall couldnt find an Island community center that needed some upgrading? He didnt think we needed any cool streets here? Just how do these decisions get made?

Sadly, were getting used to this kind of dismissive treatment during the coronavirus pandemic.

Back in April, as the worst of the pandemic was taking hold here, we learned that Staten Island would receive none of the military medical personnel sent to the city by the federal government.

De Blasio had asked the Trump administration for doctors, nurses and other medical personnel to help us deal with the growing virus problem.

But the personnel that the feds sent were ticketed for city Health + Hospitals facilities. Staten Island is the only borough without an H+H hospital, so we received none of those resources.

We were also left wanting when the city sent more of its own resources to stressed H+H hospitals. City hospitals got more beds, more personnel, and free COVID testing for staff.

But, again, Staten Island received nothing because we dont have a city hospital here.

You see how that keeps snowballing?

De Blasio and the city Department of Transportation also used the cover of the pandemic to cut back on overnight Staten Island Ferry service, even though service every 30 minutes is mandated by city law.

The schedule has been beefed up recently as the city has come back to life, but heres no telling when the full schedule will be returned to us. The city also took away lower-level boarding of the boats during the pandemic, even though that can cause more crowding when loading the boats.

If you didnt know any better, youd think that the city was using the pandemic to give the Island a final kiss-off. Although, yes, de Blasio did close streets to traffic here so that pedestrians and cyclists could use the roads. And we did get some personal protective equipment from the city. And the mayor did come here to help paint a Black Lives Matter tribute on the street near the 120th Precinct stationhouse.

So de Blasio does have his priorities. Its just that Staten Island isnt often among them.

Read the rest here:

Another Staten Island slight from de Blasio (opinion) - SILive.com

Stranded on a tiny Italian island, a cancer researcher grew increasingly alarmed to hear that one, and then three more visitors had fallen ill with COVID-19.Paola Muti braced for a rapid spread of the coronavirus to the 800 closely-knit islanders, many of whom she knows well. Her mother was born on Giglio Island and she often stays at the family home with its charming view of the sea through the parlors windows.But days passed and none of Giglios islanders developed any COVID-19 symptoms even though the conditions seemed favorable for the disease to spread like wildfire.The Gigliesi, as the residents are known, socialize in the steep alleys near the port or on the granite steps that serve as narrow streets in the hilltop Castle neighborhood, with densely packed homes built against the remnants of a fortress erected centuries ago to protect against pirates. Dr. Armando Schiaffino, the islands sole physician for around 40 years, shared Mutis worry that there would be a local outbreak.Every time an ordinary childhood illness, like scarlet fever, measles or chicken pox strikes, within a very few days practically all get infected on Giglio, he said in an interview in his office near the port.Muti, a breast cancer researcher at the University of Milan where she is an epidemiology professor, decided to try to find out why it wasnt happening this time.Were residents perhaps infected but didnt show symptoms? Was it something genetic? Something else? Or just plain luck?Dr. Schiaffino came to me and told me, Hey, look, Paola, this is incredible. In this full pandemic, with all the cases that came to the island, nobody is sick. So I said to myself: Right, here we can do a study, no? I am here, Muti said.Related video: Hawaii discussing concept of tourists abiding by geofence while in quarantine By then, Muti was trapped on the island by Italys strict lockdown rules. What was especially puzzling to her was that many of the islanders had had close contact with the visitors.Giglios first known COVID-19 case was a man in his 60s who arrived on Feb. 18 a couple of days before Italys first native case would be diagnosed in the north. The man came to Giglio for a relatives funeral, and had been coughing all the way though the service, Muti said.The virus is mainly spread through droplets when someone coughs, sneezes or talks. The man headed back on the ferry the same day to the mainland and died three weeks later in a hospital.On March 5, four days before the national lockdown was declared, three more visitors came from the mainland and would test positive on the island. One of them was a German man from northern Italy, the initial epicenter of Europes outbreak. He socialized for several days with longtime friends in Giglio, including in public eateries. After a week, due to a bad cough, he was tested on the island and the result was positive. He self-isolated in a house on Giglio.There were other known cases, including an islander who had lived in Australia for two years before slipping back onto Giglio in mid-March during lockdown to see his parents. Three days after arriving on Giglio, he developed a mild fever and tested positive, Muti said. He self-isolated at his parents home.No other case has surfaced on Giglio, including since lockdown was lifted in early June, and tourists from throughout Italy have been arriving.Giglio is part of Tuscany, and its health office quickly sent over kits to test for antibodies to see if others may have had COVID-19. In late April, just before the first lockdown travel restrictions would be eased, the islanders had their blood tested, lining up outside the islands school and doctors office.Of the 800 or so year-round residents, 723 volunteered to be tested.We all wanted to do it, to be tranquil about any possible infection, but also to help science, said Simone Madaro, who had been working at the cemetery while the infected man had gathered with fellow mourners.The Rev. Lorenzo Pasquotti, the priest who conducted the service for around 50 mourners, and who himself was tested recalled: After the funeral, there were greetings, hugging and kissing, as is the custom. Then came the procession to the cemetery, where there were more hugs and kisses.Of the islanders tested, only one was found to have antibodies, an elderly Gigliese man who had sailed on the same ferry to the island with the German visitor, Muti said.Intrigued about why the virus didnt seem to interact with the islands native population, Muti hadnt reached any conclusions by the time she was preparing to leave the island this month. She plans to write up up her study for eventual publication.Its possible, Muti guessed, that islanders werent exposed to enough COVID-19 to get infected.That possibility was also voiced by Massimo Andreoni, head of infectious diseases at Romes Tor Vergata hospital. He noted some patients are simply less capable of spreading the disease for reasons that are still unclear.Chance might have played a role, said Daniel Altmann, a professor of immunology at Imperial College London. It could be something more or less trivial nobody got infected because through good luck there was little contact, he said in an email exchange.Or, Altmann also noted that it could be something important and exotic, such as a genetic variant common among the islands population.With many of the Gigliesi intermarrying through generations, Muti would like to do a genetic study someday if she could obtain funding.Giglio lies in pristine waters in a protected regional marine sanctuary, and the islanders voice relief that they live in a natural environment they like to think is good for health, whatever Mutis study might determine.As an island, as the environment goes, were OK, no? said Domenico Pignatelli, as the elderly man kept company with friends in chairs placed on a stony street atop Giglio.

Stranded on a tiny Italian island, a cancer researcher grew increasingly alarmed to hear that one, and then three more visitors had fallen ill with COVID-19.

Paola Muti braced for a rapid spread of the coronavirus to the 800 closely-knit islanders, many of whom she knows well. Her mother was born on Giglio Island and she often stays at the family home with its charming view of the sea through the parlors windows.

But days passed and none of Giglios islanders developed any COVID-19 symptoms even though the conditions seemed favorable for the disease to spread like wildfire.

The Gigliesi, as the residents are known, socialize in the steep alleys near the port or on the granite steps that serve as narrow streets in the hilltop Castle neighborhood, with densely packed homes built against the remnants of a fortress erected centuries ago to protect against pirates.

Dr. Armando Schiaffino, the islands sole physician for around 40 years, shared Mutis worry that there would be a local outbreak.

Every time an ordinary childhood illness, like scarlet fever, measles or chicken pox strikes, within a very few days practically all get infected on Giglio, he said in an interview in his office near the port.

Muti, a breast cancer researcher at the University of Milan where she is an epidemiology professor, decided to try to find out why it wasnt happening this time.

Were residents perhaps infected but didnt show symptoms? Was it something genetic? Something else? Or just plain luck?

Dr. Schiaffino came to me and told me, Hey, look, Paola, this is incredible. In this full pandemic, with all the cases that came to the island, nobody is sick. So I said to myself: Right, here we can do a study, no? I am here, Muti said.

Related video: Hawaii discussing concept of tourists abiding by geofence while in quarantine

By then, Muti was trapped on the island by Italys strict lockdown rules. What was especially puzzling to her was that many of the islanders had had close contact with the visitors.

Giglios first known COVID-19 case was a man in his 60s who arrived on Feb. 18 a couple of days before Italys first native case would be diagnosed in the north. The man came to Giglio for a relatives funeral, and had been coughing all the way though the service, Muti said.

The virus is mainly spread through droplets when someone coughs, sneezes or talks. The man headed back on the ferry the same day to the mainland and died three weeks later in a hospital.

On March 5, four days before the national lockdown was declared, three more visitors came from the mainland and would test positive on the island. One of them was a German man from northern Italy, the initial epicenter of Europes outbreak. He socialized for several days with longtime friends in Giglio, including in public eateries. After a week, due to a bad cough, he was tested on the island and the result was positive. He self-isolated in a house on Giglio.

There were other known cases, including an islander who had lived in Australia for two years before slipping back onto Giglio in mid-March during lockdown to see his parents. Three days after arriving on Giglio, he developed a mild fever and tested positive, Muti said. He self-isolated at his parents home.

No other case has surfaced on Giglio, including since lockdown was lifted in early June, and tourists from throughout Italy have been arriving.

Giglio is part of Tuscany, and its health office quickly sent over kits to test for antibodies to see if others may have had COVID-19. In late April, just before the first lockdown travel restrictions would be eased, the islanders had their blood tested, lining up outside the islands school and doctors office.

Of the 800 or so year-round residents, 723 volunteered to be tested.

We all wanted to do it, to be tranquil about any possible infection, but also to help science, said Simone Madaro, who had been working at the cemetery while the infected man had gathered with fellow mourners.

The Rev. Lorenzo Pasquotti, the priest who conducted the service for around 50 mourners, and who himself was tested recalled: After the funeral, there were greetings, hugging and kissing, as is the custom. Then came the procession to the cemetery, where there were more hugs and kisses.

Of the islanders tested, only one was found to have antibodies, an elderly Gigliese man who had sailed on the same ferry to the island with the German visitor, Muti said.

Intrigued about why the virus didnt seem to interact with the islands native population, Muti hadnt reached any conclusions by the time she was preparing to leave the island this month. She plans to write up up her study for eventual publication.

Its possible, Muti guessed, that islanders werent exposed to enough COVID-19 to get infected.

That possibility was also voiced by Massimo Andreoni, head of infectious diseases at Romes Tor Vergata hospital. He noted some patients are simply less capable of spreading the disease for reasons that are still unclear.

Chance might have played a role, said Daniel Altmann, a professor of immunology at Imperial College London. It could be something more or less trivial nobody got infected because through good luck there was little contact, he said in an email exchange.

Or, Altmann also noted that it could be something important and exotic, such as a genetic variant common among the islands population.

With many of the Gigliesi intermarrying through generations, Muti would like to do a genetic study someday if she could obtain funding.

Giglio lies in pristine waters in a protected regional marine sanctuary, and the islanders voice relief that they live in a natural environment they like to think is good for health, whatever Mutis study might determine.

As an island, as the environment goes, were OK, no? said Domenico Pignatelli, as the elderly man kept company with friends in chairs placed on a stony street atop Giglio.

Excerpt from:

Is it luck? Genetics? An Italian island has been spared from coronavirus outbreak - KCRA Sacramento

STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- The following is a roundup of obituaries published on SILive.com. Viewing times and guestbooks can be found here.

Joan A. Conanan (nee Driscoll), 75, of Travis, passed away peacefully on July 23, 2020. Mrs. Conanan was born and raised in Brooklyn and graduated from Bay Ridge High School. She relocated to Staten Island in 1970, settling in Travis.

Victor DeMarco, 73, passed away Tuesday, April 7, 2020, at Carmel Richmond Nursing Home at the age of 73. He was a Staten Island native, a loving husband, and the best father a son could ask for.

Joanne Naomi Fendt, 80, of Venice, Fla., a devoted wife and mother; operated Florida resort and marina, died July 16, 2020. Joanne was born in 1939 in Hoboken, N.J., and grew up in South Beach, Staten Island, N.Y. She was a graduate of New Dorp High School and Indiana University.

Kevin McPadden, 62, a proud native Staten Islander who was a beloved husband, stepfather, grandfather, uncle and friend, passed away peacefully on July 24, 2020. Kevin is a graduate of New Dorp High School, where he won MVP in Track and Field in 1972 for the 880 yards long distance run.

Mildred Wells died peacefully on July 19, 2020, in her home in Boynton Beach, Fla., at age 94. Mildred retired as a physical education teacher in the mid-80s. The schools that she taught at included I.S. 24, I.S. 27 and P.S. 45 on Staten Island, N.Y. Following her retirement, Mildred volunteered to provide help to victims of rape.

More:

Staten Island obituaries for July 26, 2020 - SILive.com

STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- The following is a roundup of obituaries published onSILive.com. Viewing times and guestbooks can be foundhere.

Hector Reyes, 70, who loved playing sports and was a member of the Staten Island touch tackle league, and had retired from Resurrection Cemetery after 25 years, died July 10, 2020.

Agnes M. Tarasovis, 95, a Staten Island resident since 1930 who was a bookkeeper for Triangle Plumbing & Heating Supply Co. for 33 years and volunteered for many years with Pax Christi Hospice, died July 25, 2020.

YESTERDAYS OBITUARIES

Joan A. Conanan(nee Driscoll), 75, of Travis, passed away peacefully on July 23, 2020. Mrs. Conanan was born and raised in Brooklyn and graduated from Bay Ridge High School. She relocated to Staten Island in 1970, settling in Travis.

Victor DeMarco, 73, passed away Tuesday, April 7, 2020, at Carmel Richmond Nursing Home at the age of 73. He was a Staten Island native, a loving husband, and the best father a son could ask for.

Joanne Naomi Fendt, 80, of Venice, Fla., a devoted wife and mother, who operated a Florida resort and marina, died July 16, 2020. Joanne was born in 1939 in Hoboken, N.J., and grew up in South Beach, Staten Island. She was a graduate of New Dorp High School and Indiana University.

Kevin McPadden, 62, a proud native Staten Islander who was a beloved husband, stepfather, grandfather, uncle and friend, passed away peacefully on July 24, 2020. Kevin was a graduate of New Dorp High School, where he won MVP in Track and Field in 1972 for the 880-yard long distance run.

Mildred Wellsdied peacefully on July 19, 2020, in her home in Boynton Beach, Fla., at age 94. Mildred retired as a physical education teacher in the mid-80s. The schools where she taught included I.S. 24, I.S. 27 and P.S. 45 on Staten Island. Following her retirement, Mildred volunteered to provide help to victims of rape.

Read more:

Staten Island obituaries for July 27, 2020 - SILive.com

STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- Nestled on a quiet cul-de-sac, this single-family home is located at 15 Elizabeth Court in Tottenville, as listed on SILive.com

It is priced at $1,998,000.

Features include vacation, oasis-style backyard with saltwater in-ground pool, elevator access on three floors, and a six-car garage, according to the listing on Staten Island Multiple Listing Service at SIBOR.com.

The five-bedroom, five-bathroom home has more than 8,000 square feet of interior space, as listed.

Jorge Mendoza of United National Realty is the listing agent.

SIBOR

SIBOR

SIBOR

SIBOR

SIBOR

SIBOR

SIBOR

SIBOR

SIBOR

SIBOR

SIBOR

SIBOR

SIBOR

SIBOR

SIBOR

SIBOR

SIBOR

SIBOR

SIBOR

SIBOR

SIBOR

SIBOR

SIBOR

Read the original post:

Staten Island Home of the Week: Builders own, elevator access on three floors, Tottenville, $2M - SILive.com

A loud, expletive-filled argument reportedly took place on Tom Sawyer Island at Magic Kingdom this afternoon. Guests reported hearing the altercation from several locations in the theme park.

According to an update shared on a Walt Disney World Annual Passholders group on Facebook, Guests reported that a loud altercation took place on Tom Sawyer Island, which is located in the center of the Rivers of America near Frontierland in Magic Kingdom park.

The Facebook post said that a male Guest was heard repeatedly shouting expletives. Other Guests noted that the mans voice was so loud that his foul language could be heard from several locations throughout the park, including the entrance of the Pirates of the Caribbean attraction in Adventureland, Liberty Tree Tavern in Liberty Square, and Big Thunder Mountain Railroad and Pecos Bill Tall Tale Inn and Cafe in Frontierland.

Related: List of Outdoor Activities at Magic Kingdom

Guests reported on social media that Cast Members gathered on the main land and waited for Magic Kingdom security to arrive on the scene. According to the original post on Facebook, Disney staff dealt with the situation as soon as possible.

At the time of this articles publication, it is not known what happened to the Guest who was reportedly involved in the altercation. It also has not been reported whether the incident ever turned physical or if it was only a verbal dispute. One witness reported that the altercation at one point involved the male Guest screaming in a womans face.

It is important to note that even though Walt Disney World is the Most Magical Place on Earth, it is not immune to real-world issues. Altercations involving Guests are not uncommon. However, Disney Cast Members and security officials are at the theme parks in order to maintain a safe, happy, and healthy environment as much as possible.

If you ever witness activity like this or you are uncomfortable or concerned when visiting one of the Disney Parks, be sure to find the nearest Cast Member or report your issue with Guest Relations, located in each of the Disney Parks.

We will update Inside the Magic as more information regarding this incident becomes available.

See the original post here:

Tom Sawyer Island Altercation Heard Across Magic Kingdom - Inside the Magic

'); $("#expandable-weather-block .modal-body #mrd-alert"+ alertCount).append(""+val.title+""); // if (window.location.hostname == "www.kmov.com" || window.location.hostname == "www.kctv5.com" || window.location.hostname == "www.azfamily.com" || window.location.hostname == "www.kptv.com" || window.location.hostname == "www.fox5vegas.com" || window.location.hostname == "www.wfsb.com") { if (val.poly != "" && val.polyimg != "") { $("#expandable-weather-block .modal-body #mrd-alert"+ alertCount).append('"+val.ihtml+""); $("#expandable-weather-block .weather-index-alerts").show(); $("#expandable-weather-block .modal-body h2").css({"font-family":"'Fira Sans', sans-serif", "font-weight":"500", "padding-bottom":"10px"}); $("#expandable-weather-block .modal-body p").css({"font-size":"14px", "line-height":"24px"}); $("#expandable-weather-block .modal-body span.wxalertnum").css({"float":"left", "width":"40px", "height":"40px", "color":"#ffffff", "line-height":"40px", "background-color":"#888888", "border-radius":"40px", "text-align":"center", "margin-right":"12px"}); $("#expandable-weather-block .modal-body b").css("font-size", "18px"); $("#expandable-weather-block .modal-body li").css({"font-size":"14px", "line-height":"18px", "margin-bottom":"10px"}); $("#expandable-weather-block .modal-body ul").css({"margin-bottom":"24px"}); $("#expandable-weather-block .modal-body pre").css({"margin-bottom":"24px"}); $("#expandable-weather-block .modal-body img").css({"width":"100%", "margin-bottom":"20px", "borderWidth":"1px", "border-style":"solid", "border-color":"#aaaaaa"}); $("#expandable-weather-block .modal-body #mrd-alert"+ alertCount).css({"borderWidth":"0", "border-bottom-width":"1px", "border-style":"dashed", "border-color":"#aaaaaa", "padding-bottom":"10px", "margin-bottom":"40px"}); }); } function parseAlertJSON(json) { console.log(json); alertCount = 0; if (Object.keys(json.alerts).length > 0) { $("#mrd-wx-alerts .modal-body ").empty(); } $.each(json.alerts, function(key, val) { alertCount++; $("#mrd-wx-alerts .alert_count").text(alertCount); $("#mrd-wx-alerts .modal-body ").append(''); $("#mrd-wx-alerts .modal-body #mrd-alert"+ alertCount).append(""+val.title+""); // if (window.location.hostname == "www.kmov.com" || window.location.hostname == "www.kctv5.com" || window.location.hostname == "www.azfamily.com" || window.location.hostname == "www.kptv.com" || window.location.hostname == "www.fox5vegas.com" || window.location.hostname == "www.wfsb.com") { if (val.poly != "" && val.polyimg != "") { $("#mrd-wx-alerts .modal-body #mrd-alert"+ alertCount).append(''); } else if (val.fips != "" && val.fipsimg != "") { // $("#mrd-wx-alerts .modal-body #mrd-alert"+ alertCount).append(''); } // } //val.instr = val.instr.replace(/[W_]+/g," "); $("#mrd-wx-alerts .modal-body #mrd-alert"+ alertCount).append(val.dhtml+"

Instruction

Here is the original post:

Firefighters battle 91 acre wildfire on Sauvie Island - KPTV.com

Beginning this weekend, beach parking is restricted at Plum Island due to concerns about overcrowding during the coronavirus pandemic.

Newburyport Mayor Donna D. Holaday announced Wednesday that the Plum Island Point Public Lot is now reserved for residents every weekend through Labor Day. Residents with an active city of Newburyport resident parking pass, city yard waste sticker, or Plum Island Parking Lot 2020 sticker can park in the lot on weekends at a discounted resident rate of $12 per day.

In addition, parking will not be allowed on Northern Boulevard, parking rules on all streets off Northern Boulevard will be strictly enforced, and violators will be ticketed and towed, Holaday said.

With summer in full swing, its understandable that more people are looking to enjoy the outdoors during this beautiful time of year, Holaday said in a statement. However, its important to remember that we must still be following the necessary guidelines to prevent any further spread of COVID-19. Thank you for your continued patience and understanding.

To reduce traffic congestion and improve public safety, between July 25 and Sept. 6 the paved area at the entrance of the public lot will be designated a turn-around area, electronic signs warning that the beach lot is open only to residents will be placed on Northern Boulevard at 51st Street and on the Plum Island Turnpike, and No Parking, No Beach Access signs will be placed on the ocean side streets off Northern Boulevard.

Earlier this month, the city of Gloucester closed the parking lotsat Stage Fort Park, Good Harbor Beach,and Wingaersheek Beach to non-residents after complaints of excessive traffic, illegal parking, and littering, and concerns over social distancing due to COVID-19. Beginning this weekend, the lots will open again in a limited capacity.

Sign up and receive coronavirus news and breaking updates, from our newsroom to your inbox.

See the rest here:

Plum Island parking closed to nonresidents every weekend through Labor Day - Boston.com