Not Everyone Agrees with Baker's Cautious Approach
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MONDAY, MAY 18, 2020 Healthy Comcast response connects to virus with Lynn in Saugus Public By Elyse Carmosino ITEM STAFF Schools SAUGUS — Health of - cials in Saugus are re-exam- ining the town’s COVID-19 students restrictions on businesses By Gayla Cawley after receiving complaints ITEM STAFF from residents. At Thursday’s Board of LYNN — Superintendent Health meeting, chair Wil- Dr. Patrick Tutwiler said the liam Heffernan said he and city’s school district is plan- other members had received ning for a return to classes in several phone calls and the fall that will feature an “quite a bit of feedback” from “increased reliance” on virtu- residents calling for modi- al learning. cations to the new rules, To increase student access which were implemented and to allow for fewer disrup- early last week. Not everyone agrees with tions to learning in the event Created in accordance with of a closure, Tutwiler said Gov. Charlie Baker’s orders, the district will purchase an the restrictions currently additional 8,500 Chrome- allow no more than 25 peo- Baker’s cautious approach books and has entered into ple in any of Saugus’ conve- an agreement with Comcast nience stores at one time; no By David McLellan to provide Internet access for more than 50 inside Target ITEM STAFF 500 households that are in stores, Ocean State Job Lot, need of such connectivity. Lowes, or Home Depot; no SWAMPSCOTT — A few hundred Comcast will install the more than 75 inside Trader people gathered outside Gov. Char- equipment in each household Joes and J. Pace; no more lie Baker’s home this weekend with and the school district will than 150 inside other gro- a range of strong opinions about the pay for their Internet access, cery stores, including Stop & state government’s handling of the a cost that was not disclosed Shop and Big Y; and no more COVID-19 pandemic. The message, at last Thursday’s School than 100 inside Walmart primarily, was reopen businesses, get Committee meeting, where stores. the economy going, and get people Tutwiler announced the plan. “Limiting the number of back to work. At approximately $250 customers in establishments Around 2 p.m. Saturday, people apiece, the Chromebook pur- will help mitigate the spread started gathering at the intersection chases will cost the Lynn of the virus and protect es- of Elmwood Road and Monument Av- Public Schools about $2.125 sential businesses’ work enue — where Gov. Baker lives. Doz- million, which Tutwiler ex- base,” a statement from town ens of local and state police closed pects will bring the district’s health of cials said. off the two roads, while protesters amount of available devices Among those asking for a gathered with megaphones, Ameri- next school year to 14,000. change was Board of Select- can ags, and signs reading, “Keep “We know that there’s go- men chair Anthony Cogli- America Great,” “Trump 2020,” and ing to be an increased reli- ano, who suggested easing “Boycott China.” ance on virtual learning go- restrictions on some of the “I’m not going to comply, I’m not ing forward,” said Tutwiler. town’s larger businesses, “That is not one to one in ITEM PHOTOS | SPENSER HASAK going to wear a mask, and I’m over saying that the new guide- it,” said Leon Armstrong, who came this district, but with that lines don’t take into account Top, a crowd gathers on Monument Avenue in up from Florida to protest stay-at- number (of Chromebooks), I the physical size of a space. Swampscott on Saturday to protest Gov. Charlie home measures, and led the crowd in am fairly con dent that we According to Cogliano, the Baker’s COVID-19 policies. Above, Rena Demeo of a chant of “U.S.A.” would satisfy needs for those 50-person limit at the town’s Nahant, center, and Gail Simms of Swampscott, Many were angry at the govern- who have no device at home Home Depot accounts for right, exchange words of counterprotest with a ment’s “essential businesses” order, and then some.” roughly one percent of the man participating in a rally calling for the end of According to the state De- business’s 200,000 square the shutdown in Massachusetts. PROTEST, A6 partment of Elementary feet. and Secondary Education “To me, (that’s) completely (DESE), there were 16,088 unreasonable,” he said, add- students enrolled in the ing the restrictions have, at Gradual reopening set to begin Lynn Public Schools in 2019. times, resulted in an hour- Kevin McHugh, school tinue operating, and that there long wait outside Home De- By Gayla Cawley to a notice from the Massachu- business administrator, pot’s front door. ITEM STAFF setts Municipal Association would not be much change plans to order the Chrome- that was shared with munici- when stay-at-home orders and “I don’t think there’s any- Gov. Charlie Baker’s of ce books Monday, calling it a one who can explain that pal leaders this past weekend the ban on non-essential busi- “top priority.” He said the has communicated to public at the governor’s request. nesses expires on Monday. that’s safer than ltering of cials that places of worship, district is covering the cost Until the memo, which was However, the rst phase of by pooling any non-expended people through the store,” construction sites and manu- he said. “Home Depot and shared with The Item, Baker Baker’s plan, “start,” which funds from the budget, such facturing facilities will be al- Lowe’s, to me, have been so had declined to discuss details calls for limited industries to as from unneeded salaries, lowed to operate with heavy grossly understated. They’ve about his “four-phased ap- resume operations with severe school supplies or other mis- been doing this for a week restrictions during the rst proach to reopening” ahead of restrictions, is now expected cellaneous items. now, and those lines get phase of his plan for reopen- his scheduled press conference to include the aforementioned In addition, Tutwiler said worse and worse every day.” ing the economy during the Monday. occupations and religious ven- the district has priced and is Cogliano also noted that COVID-19 pandemic. On a conference call with ues, according to the MMA no- prepared to order devices for lines form almost as soon as The two industries, along the Greater Lynn Chamber of tice. all staff members “to move the stores open in the morn- with places of worship, will Commerce last Tuesday, law- For all places of worship, us closer to scenarios that ings. be able to resume operations makers speculated that the those restrictions will include provide multiple modalities Monday, with social distancing rst phase would only allow SAUGUS, A3 measures in place, according for essential businesses to con- REOPENING, A6 LYNN, A5 Better Days Ahead in Lynn eld By Anne Marie Tobin that read, “Thank you 01940.” ITEM STAFF Of cer Marco DePalma provided a police escort, leading the slow-moving LYNNFIELD — Just hours after a line convoy through the town’s streets, much of severe thunderstorms swept through to the delight of many onlookers who the area Friday night, the sun came out showed their support by cheering, wav- just in time Saturday morning for Lynn- ing and displaying signs with messages eld residents to celebrate their rst re- of hope, love and thanks. Many of the sponders and essential workers with the homes along the parade route, which Better Days Ahead parade. began at the Lynn eld Middle School, More than 50 automobiles, ambulances, sported decorated windows, sidewalks, re trucks and police cruisers took part driveways and doors in support. in the parade, many of them decorated Lynn eld resident Emily Ciulla, an oc- with signs, American ags and balloons. cupational therapist at Devereux House ITEM PHOTO | SPENSER HASAK Even the Easter Bunny got in on the ac- Skilled Nursing and Care facility in The Better Days Ahead parade makes its way down Main Street in Lyn- tion, waving to the crowd from the back n eld on Saturday. of a pickup truck adorned with a sign LYNNFIELD, A5 Work with the Lynn police, European leaders: WHO urges world As mosques open, world on vaccine fi refi ghters Vaccine can’t come unity in hopes of virus fears are development, A4 hand out care kits, soon enough, B6 making Olympics growing, B7 A5 safe, B7 OBITUARIES .......................... A2-3 LOOK! .......................................A8 COMICS ....................................B4 HIGH 59° VOL. 141, ISSUE 133 OPINION ...................................A4 SPORTS ................................ B1-2 DIVERSIONS .............................B5 LOW 47° COMMUNITY CALENDAR ............A5 POLICE/FIRE .............................B3 CLASSIFIED ...............................B6 PAGE A8 $1.50 A2 THE DAILY ITEM MONDAY, MAY 18, 2020 MORE OBITUARIES, PAGE A3 OBITUARIES Grace Tammaro, 93 MaryAnn Brothers, 87 Robert F. Leslie, 75 1926-2020 LYNN — Grace (DeIulis) Tam- BEVERLY — MaryAnn (Coan) Robert F. Leslie, age 75, died maro, age 93, of Lynn, died Brothers, of Beverly and for- May 14, 2020 at Lahey Hospi- peacefully at her daughter’s merly of Peabody, Heaven tal in Burlington, after complica- home in New Hampshire after gained a sweet angel on May tions from the COVID-19 virus. a brief illness. She was prede- 14, 2020 after passing peace- Bob was born in Lynn to the ceased by her husband of 49 fully at the age of 87 years late Catherine (Hourihan) and years, Arthur Tammaro. old. She was the loving wife of John Leslie. He was a 1963 Born in Carapelle, Italy, one Donald L. Brothers whom she graduate of Lynn Classical of 11 children of Pasquale just shared her 54th wedding High School.