Uptick in COVID Cases Makes Salem and Saugus See
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DEALS OF THE $DAY$ PG. 3 FRIDAY, AUGUST 14, 2020 DEALS LHAND OF THE Uptick in COVID cases makes$DAY$ CARES Salem and Saugus see redPG. 3 about By Elyse Carmosino DEALS ITEM STAFF OF THE low-income SAUGUS — Saugus is now considered a high- risk zone for COVID-19, according to a numbers report released by the state Wednesday. $DAY$ Previously pegged as a moderate-risk communi- PG. 3 families ty, Saugus was one of 11 Massachusetts munici- palities identi ed for the classi cation after it re- By Gayla Cawley ITEM STAFF ported an average daily incidence rate of 9 cases per 100,000 people between July 29 and August LYNN — The Lynn Housing Au- 12. DEALS thority & Neighborhood Develop- In particular, 36 new cases were reported in OF THE ment has received nearly $400,000 Saugus over that 14-day period, tying the town in federal funding to support low-in- with Holyoke for the state’s fth-highest daily av- come families and others who have erage. $DAY$ been impacted by the coronavirus “The Board of Health and the Saugus Health PG. 3 pandemic. Department will be partnering with the state GRAPHIC | MASSACHUSETTS DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC HEALTH LHAND is one of many public Saugus and Salem join Lynn, Revere, Chelsea, and Everett on the housing authorities throughout the COVID-19, A3 state’s list of higher-risk communities for COVID-19. state that will receive funding from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), which DEALS has been made available through OF THE the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Eco- Splashing through summer Countdown nomic Security (CARES) Act. On Tuesday, the HUD announced $DAY$ more than $17.8 million in CARES is onPG for. 3 Act funding was being distributed to help low-income families in Mas- sachusetts during the coronavirus pandemic. Lynn In Lynn, LHAND will receive $396,342, which will allow the hous- ing agency to support residents who census need assistance with their rent, util- ity, and mortgage payments through a variety of existing programs, ac- count cording to Carly McClain, executive counsel for LHAND. By Thor Jourgensen “It’s just to continue to provide a ITEM STAFF continuity of services to members LYNN — More than a month of our community and also expand after accelerating publicity for on the services we’re already offer- census counting efforts, city of - ing and providing,” said McClain. cials and community leaders are “We had to pivot pretty signi cantly reaching out to “hard-to-count” since March and some of that pivot residents. has given us an opportunity to em- The clock is ticking on the count: brace a larger portion of our commu- According to the U.S. Census, the nity in terms of services.” goal is to collect all Census infor- For instance, LHAND is usually mation by Sept. 30 for processing limited to providing services for in- by Dec. 31, as required by federal dividuals and households that make up to 50 percent of the Area Medi- law. an Income (AMI), but the emergen- Mandated in the U.S. Constitu- cy funding through the virus relief tion and vital to assuring feder- package allows the agency to help al funding ows to communities, some people who make up to 80 per- the census is conducted every 10 cent, McClain said. years. Lynn in past census counts That higher-income group of peo- have had poor participation in ple would not typically be eligible for some neighborhoods. But City bene ts, but may be in need due to Clerk Janet L. Rowe said the city the economic downturn that has re- response rate stands at 59.2 per- sulted from the virus, which includes cent compared to the 65.7 percent a high level of unemployment. statewide response rate. In some cases, the funds would be Rowe said local census organiz- supporting tenants who cannot af- ers are taking a multi-pronged ford to pay their rent or utility bills, approach to pushing up the per- but in other instances, the landlords centage. may also be in need of support if Rowe said more than 200 peo- their tenants are not able to make ple are committed to encouraging their monthly rent payments, Mc- census participation through “so- Clain said. cial media blasts” publicizing the Small property owners who fall ITEM PHOTO | SPENSER HASAK census’ importance and outreach into that higher income bracket have efforts. to provide documented proof that Nora De Leon of Lynn swings her daughter Alexandra, 3, through a water jet City youth workers are at the Flax Pond Playground splash pad in Lynn on Thursday as they cool off LHAND, A2 on a hot summer afternoon. CENSUS, A3 Opinion Sports APPRECIATION School sports Jourgensen: North Shore Baseball A superhero League playoffs heat up guidelines are steps up. A4 on second day. B1 Saugus’ Varone falling into place was a ‘great guy’ By Elyse Carmosino Selectmen chair and long- By Mike Alongi the DESE recommenda- ITEM STAFF time friend Anthony Cog- ITEM SPORTS EDITOR tions come in, the MIAA liano. “I developed a great Board of Directors and SAUGUS — Building in- friendship with him. He The Massachusetts Ex- the MIAA COVID-19 spector and beloved resi- ecutive Of ce of Energy would do whatever he could Task Force will then dent Fred Varone has died and Environmental Af- to help people and explain meet to make a decision at 81 following a long bat- fairs (EEA) released its how they could do things to on what to do about fall tle with cancer. updated guidelines for get their projects moving sports. “He wasn’t a mean-spir- youth and adult ama- VARONE, A2 teur sports on Thursday, The MIAA also released ited person,” said Board of speci cally noting the a statement saying that modi cations that sports the Board of Directors will have to make in or- will meet no later than der to be safely played. three business days after Swampscott investigating uses for old station The guidance will com- the release of the DESE plement the forthcoming guidance. By Steve Krause phrey Street were completed. Now, Arts, so it has a ton of potential to be recommendations from The guidance begins by ITEM STAFF the town is actively engaged in try- something extraordinary. It’s been addressing which sports the Massachusetts De- ing to make a decision on how to use mothballed for too long, and the partment of Elementary fall into which categories, SWAMPSCOTT — The old it. town is looking for the right partner and Secondary Educa- with no changes coming Swampscott Police Station sits “We are looking to breathe new tion (DESE) on how K-12 since the last update. As on Burrill Street, in the middle of life into the building,” said Town who has a vision and a can-do idea schools can safely admin- of now, the sports are cat- a block that contains most of the Administrator Sean Fitzgerald. “It’s that will support our master plan.” ister sports, which is set egorized as follows: town’s municipal buildings. one of the key municipal buildings The master plan includes goals, to be released within the It has sat vacant since 2013, when in the town, across from the library, next 24-72 hours. Once FALL SPORTS, A3 the new headquarters on Hum- Town Hall, re station and Reach SWAMPSCOTT, A3 OBITUARY ..................................A2 LOOK! .......................................A8 DIVERSIONS .............................B5 HIGH 80° VOL. 141, ISSUE 207 OPINION ...................................A4 SPORTS ................................ B1-2 CLASSIFIED ........................... B6-7 LOW 64° POLICE/FIRE .............................A5 COMICS ....................................B4 PAGE A8 $1.50 A2 THE DAILY ITEM FRIDAY, AUGUST 14, 2020 Saugus’ Fred Varone New coronavirus cases are on was a ‘great guy’ the rise in Lynn and Saugus VARONE screaming and yelling at From A1 each other one minute and By Gayla Cawley communities” have a high seven new cities and Elsewhere, numbers re- then the next day we’d be ITEM STAFF level of infection over the towns had been added to mained the same in Nah- forward. He brought a lot having a beer. I’m going to past two weeks and will that high risk category. ant (50 cases, six deaths) of stability to the position miss him.” New coronavirus cases receive additional support The list now includes and he was a good step in and at press time, had not were reported in Lynn and from the state to curb the Chelsea, Everett, Fall Riv- the right direction when Outside of work, Varone been updated in Lynneld, Saugus on Thursday, but spread. er, Granby, Holyoke, Hull, he joined the town.” continued to make an im- Marblehead, Peabody, Re- numbers remained un- Lynn, which reported Lawrence, Lynn, Revere, Considered by many pact in his community. vere, or Swampscott. changed in several other 16 new cases on Thurs- Salem, and Saugus. to be a pillar of the Sau- Neighbor Corinne Riley As of Wednesday, Lynn- North Shore communities. day, was designated a As of Thursday, Lynn gus community, Varone, said the building inspec- eld had 111 cases and 11 An additional death was higher risk community has 4,276 cases and 111 a widower who served tor was also a talented deaths, Marblehead had also reported in Saugus, to on Tuesday, when Gov. deaths. Of the city’s case- in his position for more 255 cases and 30 deaths, carpenter who had for- bring the town’s death toll Charlie Baker’s ofce re- load, 629 cases are active than two decades, was Peabody had 1,185 cases merly taken on something to 39.