The Saugus Review

On Saturday May 15, 2010 the Saugus Police Department in collaboration with Saugus Speaks Out will be hosting a prescription drug take back program.  The program provides a safe location for citizens to take medications they no longer need.  This will help reduce and prevent the potential abuse by others, and provides a system for destroying the medications by way of incineration, which is less likely to contaminate water systems.

Citizens are encouraged to drop off unwanted and unused medications in their original containers with the personal information crossed out.  Citizens dropping off medications may do so anonymously.

The drop off location will be located at the Saugus High School in conjunction with the Board of Health’s Hazardous material drop off.  The hours will be from 9:00am – 12:00pm.  Please forward all questions to Detective Sean Moynihan SPD 781-941-1187.

The American Red Cross teamed up with Saugus Emergency Management Agency (SEMA) volunteers to help out flood victims to recover from the flood that hit them a few weeks ago.

The two teams helped by distributing kits and giving flood victims cleanup assistance as well as give advice and information on how to manage flooding. The flood aid kits from Red Cross cleanup kits were packaged inside a cardboard box which included a broom, a mop, a squeegee, various sanitation supplies, salvage bags and other cleaning equipment.

Many flood-stricken homeowners from Saugus, Lynn and Revere as well went to the old firehouse at Hamilton Street to ask for assistance and receive the cleanup kits.

While the kits came from Red Cross, SEMA gave advice on how to handle flood and assistance on cleanup as well as informing people on how to make use of Federal Emergency Management Agency grants, since some flood victims may not be aware that they are eligible for it.

The team-up was a result of Red Cross contacting SEMA for a place where they can distribute the kits which SEMA was more than willing to help them with.

Steve White of SEMA said that the Red Cross contacted them looking for volunteers and a location to distribute the flood aid kits. Having done a lot of water pumping during these past storms, SEMA knew how much help the Red Cross would provide the local flood victims. White Added that they had a central location to distribute all kits, so that the Red Cross ended up supplying the kits SEMA supplied the labor and a location.

SEMA Director Paul Penachio admits that it wasn’t a complete solution but it was meant to help residents in any way they can for them to recover from the flood.

“The efforts here have been wonderful… These people are offering great services that people definitely need.” Remarked one resident who was able to receive a kit and assistance.

The storm that came to Saugus Massachusetts left numerous damages in its wake overnight. The storm brought winds that traveled 60 mph caused an estimated 100,000 families without power when the storm hit.  Trees fell all across town some on vehicles and even houses and then some entangled electric wires  and have fallen on the roads.

Overnight, the neighborhood was flooded and the river threatened to over flow and the winds were powerful enough to blow away a telephone booth out to the street.

From 6pm to 11 am the next day there was still no power in the area although up to 50,000 people already had their electricity restored.

Police have since had their hands full with calls starting 6pm about fallen trees to electrical fires. About 24 reports and calls were made from February 25-26.

Senator Scott Brown will be visiting Massachusetts over the coming days to personally thank his supporters in the state for his recent senatorial election victory.

Brown said that he owed everything to the grassroots support of the people, and that he wanted to personally show how much appreciation he has for that support by always striving to be an independent voice in the government. He also said that he will be looking to seeing not only familiar faces but also new ones as well. He says: “I want to be the Senator for all of the people of Massachusetts.”

The senator will be stopping over several locations in the city over a span of three days from January 29 to 31, 2010. The places he is scheduled to visit include Chicopee, the first stop being Hu Ke Lau restaurant at 705 Memorial Drive 7:00PM, and then Falmouth, followed by Saugus, Dracut and Worcester.  His last stop will be at Christina’s Function Facility at 2 Washington Street – Rt. 1, 5:00PM.

The huge Haiti earthquake last week rocked the world and shook our hearts with compassion for the victims. In the aftermath, there have been numerous international and local relief efforts to help the disaster-stricken country. In fact, more than $506,000 was raised right here in Massachusetts during WCVB-TV Channel 5’s fundraiser for American Red Cross International Disaster Relief in Haiti last Friday, January 15.

You can also take part — give help in your own small way! Making a difference is right at your fingertips: donate online to the Red Cross Haiti Relief and Development, or call 1-800-RED-CROSS. You can also text HAITI to 90999 to donate $10.

Breakheart Reservation, the main outdoor destination in the Saugus-Wakefield area, needs more volunteers to keep up with the reservation’s numerous activities. The recent funds and staff cutbacks have left the reservation understaffed, and its programs and services in danger of being cut back or eliminated. Be part of the Breakheart Volunteer Team and assist during movie nights, help with the Visitor’s Center, as well as with the various park maintenance checks.

The reservation is the venue of several activities, and has a couple of upcoming events such as  movie night (rescheduled on January 15), and a talk on ”Volcanoes, Old and New: In the Boston Basin and Hawaii“.

If you’re interested, you can attend the meeting on January 23 at 10:00 AM at the Breakheart Reservation Visitor’s Center to know more and sign up. You can also call 781-710-3129 or email breakheart1@aol.com.