My Backyard

 Powered by Max Banner Ads 

Fur Seals Will Find New Home on Boston Harbor and Innovative Role in Teaching Children Healthy Habits

Cordova is a 12-year-old, 80-pound adult female Northern fur seal who is a part of the New Balance Foundation Marine Mammal Center, opening July 1 at the New England Aquarium in Boston.

In celebration of its 40th anniversary, the New England Aquarium proudly announces the opening of the New Balance Foundation Marine Mammal Center on July 1. Five northern fur seals will make this architecturally-striking structure on Boston Harbor their new home. The goals of the new center are to educate all visitors about wildlife conservation and to innovatively present these charismatic marine mammals as role models for children in developing and maintaining healthy, active lifestyles.

Driven by the New Balance Foundation’s lead gift of more than $3 million, the Aquarium designed an open-air structure overlooking a rejuvenated Boston Harbor that will allow visitors to interact up-close with the northern fur seals. A primary objective of the New Balance Foundation is to promote childhood fitness and activity. Programs in the new Center will reflect that objective by encouraging young people to “Move It” with an innovative New Balance Foundation Marine Mammal Center guide that highlights exercises that mimic the seals activities.

“The New Balance Foundation is committed to encouraging childhood fitness and activity, and there is no better way to connect with children than through animals,” said Anne Davis, managing trustee of the New Balance Foundation. “Our partnership with the New England Aquarium through the New Balance Foundation Marine Mammal Center will help kids get moving and active through exposure to the northern fur seal, one of the most engaging sea creatures on the planet.”

Young visitors to the Center will learn how Aquarium trainers keep the seals healthy with regular, vigorous play and exercise and by feeding them a closely monitored protein-rich fish diet. Trainers will demonstrate how they help the seals learn behaviors that maintain their health and hygiene, such as opening their mouths so that trainers can brush their teeth or lying still so that veterinarians can perform physical exams.

The exhibit will open with three adult female northern fur seals named Ursula, Cordova and JD. A fourth seal, a young adult male named Isaac will remain in a behind-the-scenes holding area for several weeks as he adjusts to his new habitat. Later this summer, a 450 pound adult male named Baranov will add his significant majesty to the Center. Fur seals were nearly hunted into extinction in the 19th Century as they have the second thickest fur in the world. In coming years, California sea lions may also join the exhibit.

Howard “Bud” Ris, the Aquarium’s president and chief executive officer, said the opening of the New Balance Foundation Marine Mammal Center is a major step in advancing the Aquarium’s mission: “Visionary community partners like the New Balance Foundation are vital in helping us to creatively maximize the magnetism of marine mammals in our effort to help shape the next generation of healthy kids for a healthier planet.”

The New Balance Foundation Marine Mammal Center is located on the harbor-side of the Aquarium and is connected with the Rose Kennedy Greenway via an entirely rebuilt HarborWalk that runs along the perimeter of Central Wharf. The publicly-accessible walkway has been elevated and resurfaced with a new wooden deck. Several small utility buildings have been removed to create better views of Boston Harbor, and passersby will be able to catch glimpses of the marine mammals through the glass walls that surround the new exhibit.

The covered but open space will feature shallow pools and large decks. The shallows with water depths from six inches to two feet are a training and interaction area for staff and some lucky visitors. Most of the remaining pool area is seven feet deep, and the entire exhibit will contain more than 68,000 gallons of water. Construction of the center began last September. The cost of the entire project including both the marine mammal center and the renovated HarborWalk and new public spaces was approximately $10 million.

About the New Balance Foundation The New Balance Foundation is a charitable foundation established in 1981 and funded by New Balance Athletic Shoe, Inc. The Foundation’s mission is to support effective charitable organizations which perform humanitarian services for the betterment of our children and our local community. Please visit www.newbalancefoundation.org

About the New England Aquarium Located on the Boston waterfront, the New England Aquarium is one of the most prominent and popular aquariums in the United States. Hosting more than 1.3 million visitors each year, the Aquarium is a leading ocean conservation organization with research scientists working around the globe yet is also a major public education resource in New England.

Patty Schilling works with the Northern fur seals in the New Balance Foundation Marine Mammal Center, opening July 1 at the New England Aquarium in Boston.

Lieutenant Governor Elizabeth Roberts announced today that she will seek re-election, pledging to use her position to make health care affordable for every Rhode Islander.

“National health care reform is happening now and will not wait for Rhode Island to be ready to respond. As President Obama and Congress develop national health care reform, I will work all day, every day, to ensure that federal policies reflect the reality of the struggles of everyday Rhode Islanders,” Roberts said. “Given the urgency of the national health care reforms coming to Rhode Island at a time when our economy is so seriously distressed, Rhode Islanders need leadership on this issue now.”

“As Lieutenant Governor, I have visited every Rhode Island city and town,” Roberts continued. “What I have heard time and again from small businesses, working families and seniors is the desperate need for high quality, affordable health care that is accessible to everyone. My career, both in private life and as a public servant, has been focused on improving health care. It is clear that this fight must continue, and I am committed as Lieutenant Governor to making affordable health care a reality for all Rhode Islanders.”

From 1997 to 2007, Roberts served as a State Senator, where she worked to reform Blue Cross and create the Office of Health Insurance Commissioner. Most recently, Lieutenant Governor Roberts’ leadership was crucial to saving the Health Insurance Commissioner’s position and the critical protections for affordability and fairness that the office provides. The Commissioner is credited with saving over $150 million dollars in health insurance premiums for Rhode Islanders, but was slated for elimination in the General Assembly’s budget. Her leadership also proved pivotal in stopping the state’s health insurers’ request for double-digit rate increases last month.

“These rate increases would have come at a time when Rhode Island’s small businesses and families simply could not afford them,” Roberts explained. “They had to be stopped.”

“I’ve spent the past few months exploring a run for governor, and I want to thank all of my supporters and let them know that I will continue to work to turn the page on politics as usual in Rhode Island,” Roberts said. “I will continue to fight for quality health care for all; a stronger, more diverse Rhode Island economy; and honest, open and effective government. These have been, and will continue to be, the focus of my public service.”

RIDOC Correctional Officer Michael LaPlume of Warwick says he hasn’t seen anything like the camaraderie and support he’s witnessed since deciding to launch the Correctional Officers Search and Rescue (COSAR) Team about a year ago. Designed to assist in woodland searches for missing or lost children, Alzheimers patients, or even hikers and hunters who lose their way, the team is the only one of its kind in the state. It is on call 24/7.

Officer LaPlume initially received 110 applications (all RIDOC Correctional Officers) for the 42-person team. He made his selections based on an interview process which determined the commitment level and experience of the applicants. He has donated some of his own money and has received support from the Rhode Island Brotherhood of Correctional Officers (RIBCO) to get the non-profit team up and running. The team has been trained and certified by the Rhode Island State Police and the Rhode Island Emergency Management Association (RIEMA). Officer LaPlume recently signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the State Police outlining how the team will operate.

COSAR is a multi-agency group called Task Force Two (TF-2), which is led by the State Police. Each member of COSAR winds up spending up to $400 between equipment and uniforms. Officer LaPlume is looking into grant funding to help defray some of these costs.

Officer LaPlume says forming the team has been a “huge endeavor,” but one he is pleased and proud to have undertaken. He has set up a website (www.mycosar.com), training schedule, ordered all equipment, formed a board of directors, and just recently incorporated the team (with help from C.O. Jason Messier of the RIDOC’s Women’s Division). COSAR has a treasurer, recording secretary, and even a photographer. Officer LaPlume recognizes his team members for their dedication. “I couldn’t do any of this without them. With their help, hopefully we can save a life someday,” he says.

All members must complete a 16-hour course with the RISP, offered as two eight-hour days, as well as a 16-hour land/navigation course. There are 12 drills per year and some classroom sessions. The most recent training was held on Wednesday, June 24th, from 3:30-6:30 p.m. at the Training Academy. The team will participate in a multi-agency drill conducted by the Rhode Island State Police on Sunday, August 30th.

Because of the enthusiastic response, Officer LaPlume is in the process of recruiting more members, hoping to add another 20 new positions to the team. So far, he has three medics, one nurse, and two EMTs on the team. He has about eight female members and males with the title of Captain, Lieutenant, and C.O., ranging from two years on the job to over 30. All members are current active duty Correctional Officers who have been trained in crime scene preservation through the rigorous nine-week Correctional Officer Training Academy.

While the team hasn’t yet been pressed into service for an actual search, they held a mock search recently and were pleased when 35 of the 42 members reported. All members must participate on the team on their own time.Officer LaPlume credits his comrade Lt. Michael Reis with inspiring him to start COSAR. Lt. Reis launched a dog rescue team and has been “a great inspiration.”

Realizing running the team was taking up more time than he’d ever imagined, Officer LaPlume recruited 18-year RIDOC veteran Stephen Aceto to serve as assistant team leader. Officer Aceto, also of Warwick, recently held a class for team members on map reading and plotting. He designed the team patch, ordered all of the uniforms, and shares in making team decisions. He works in Maximum Security and Officer LaPlume in Minimum Security, but the team members come from every building within the ACI.

Corrections Director Ashbel T. Wall recently wrote to Officer LaPlume, commending him for his effort and congratulating him for forming a volunteer team with a common mission. “The public spiritedness and professional manner in which the team conducts itself will reflect well on the Department of Corrections,” Wall wrote.

Parents Can Easily Vote Online for Him Through July 15

Steve Zany of Attleboro, Mass., a professional children’s magician and ventriloquist who has been performing for families in the Attleboro area for more than two decades, has been named a local nominee for ‘Best Party Entertainer’ in Nickelodeon’s 2009 Parents’ Picks Awards.

Zany was nominated based on recommendations from Nickelodeon’s local city editors, in conjunction with online feedback. The winner ultimately will be chosen by area parents based on the number of online votes received at Nickelodeon’s ‘Parents Connect’ Web site at http://tinyurl.com/qbtqzs. Parents can quickly and easily vote for nominees once every day through July 15 as well as make their “top picks” in 30 different categories.

The winner will be announced on August 17, 2009.

A parent of two children, Zany’s credentials include performing at the White House in Washington, D.C. Excerpts of Zany’s show can be viewed at http://www.zanymagic.com/video.

Get Out!
Summer Series at Providence Children’s Museum

Brittney Mitchell and Emilia Mendez of Providence explore The Children’s Garden at Providence Children’s Museum.

Get out and play at the Children’s Museum this summer!  Kids explore the Museum’s great outdoors as they jump, stretch and climb in The Children’s Garden.  Splash in the fountain, beat and drum on a colorful interactive sound sculpture, and discover a host of plants native to Rhode Island.  Pack a picnic and join a series of active outdoor programs all month long.

Children chase a giant bubble at Providence Children’s Museum.
–

Museum's blog: http://providencechildrensmuseum.blogspot.com/

    Book clubs are again examining the highly acclaimed novel The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie by Muriel Spark.  Not only did Spark achieve great success with the book, she also saw her most famous work adapted as a play and as a film. Weaver Library, 41 Grove Ave., East Providence, RI 02914 invites the community to see Maggie Smith’s 1969 Oscar-winning performance in The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie on Tuesday, July 7, 2009 at 6:30PM in the Champlin Program Room.  Compare the best-selling novel with the film, or just come for a relaxing evening complete with popcorn!

           Questions?  Call Adult Services Librarian Joyce May at 434-2453 or email jmay@eplib.org.  This program is free and open to all.

Staying local this summer? Not taking a summer vacation? The weather will eventually be summer-like! When that happens…stay cool right here in Norton at the Attleboro YMCA’S family aquatic recreation facility, the Norton Outdoor Center !

Enjoy the beautiful outdoor pool for lap or family swim, basketball courts, activity fields, hiking trails,   showers & changing areas, picnic areas and pavilion! The facility hours are Monday - Friday 4-8pm and Saturday & Sunday 10 am - 8 pm.

Summer season passes to the NOC are available at any of the Attleboro YMCA locations.

Call 508-222-7422 or 508-285-7574 for more information about this beautiful facility. Or, stop by and visit the Norton Outdoor center. Located at 290 West Main St. (across from Downtown Pizza) and ask Edwin or Aina to show you around! 

Watch for more information about big special events happening at the NOC like the Hawaiian Luau scheduled for July 18^th and the Family adventure race in August!

The Chorus of East Providence to Perform

At the East Providence Senior Center!

            The Weaver Library is proud to present The Chorus of East Providence in a free concert at the East Providence Senior Center, 610 Waterman Avenue, on Tuesday, July 14, 2009 at 7:00PM.  The Chorus, under the direction of Beth Armstrong, will present a dynamic program of music ranging from traditional spirituals like My Lord, What a Morning and Down to the River to Pray to songs from Broadway shows and movies to 60s pop tunes.  Cherished songs such as Turn, Turn, Turn, See You in September, Summer Nights and long-time audience favorites One Tin Soldier and Let There Be Peace on Earth are also on the evening’s program.

            The Chorus of East Providence, a non-profit organization, is a diverse, intergenerational, non-auditioned group of people who love to sing. Led by Director, Beth Armstrong and accompanied by Victoria Lambrozo, the mission of The Chorus of East Providence is to educate its members and the public about music and choral singing, while fostering an appreciation of music by all.

Join in the community spirit as the library and the senior center come together to offer another wonderful program.  Bring the whole family to a delightful indoor concert in the spacious cafeteria of the East Providence Senior Center.  Questions?  Call Adult Services Librarian Joyce May at 434-2453 or email jmay@eplib.org.  This concert is free and open to all.

GREATER ATTLEBORO AREA DELEGATION MEETS WITH CHIEF JUSTICE MULLIGAN

TO DISCUSS THE REOPENING OF THE ATTLEBORO COURTHOUSE 

            State Representative Elizabeth ‘Betty’ Poirier (R-North Attleboro) along with Senators Scott Brown (R-Wrentham) and James Timilty (D-Walpole) as well as Representatives F. Jay Barrows (R-Mansfield), Bill Bowles (D-Attleboro), Steven D’Amico (D-Seekonk) and Louis Kafka (D-Stoughton) held a meeting last week with Chief Justice Robert Mulligan to discuss the re-opening the Attleboro Courthouse.

            During the meeting, Chief Justice Mulligan informed the delegation that a meeting had been scheduled between the Construction Company and the Insurance Inspector in an effort to reach an agreement as to the exact aspects of the repair so that the construction process may begin.

            At present, all of the debris has been removed from the damaged area but the demolition of all of the burned and charred remains must be removed prior to any re-occupancy. 

Chief Justices Mulligan and Connolly are very aware of the tremendous desire for staff and the public to regain use and access of the Attleboro Courthouse and are working diligently to make this a reality as soon as possible.

In the meanwhile, Chief Justice Mulligan has made arrangements for the Attleboro District Court to conduct a session in the Superior Courthouse in Taunton in July. 

Also, Chief Justice Mulligan has assured the Greater Attleboro Area Delegation that weekly updates on the process of the reconstruction of the Attleboro Courthouse will be made available to the Delegation and is hopeful that the first floor and basement level, of the Attleboro Courthouse, will be available for occupancy on or about August 1^st.

The Greater Attleboro Area Delegation state that they are working diligently and in close conjunction with the Chief Justices so that the cleanup, construction and re-opening of the Courthouse is achieved in a timely manner.  Also, as the updates are obtained from the Chief Justice they will be made available to the public. 

A second tour and inspection of the Courthouse is scheduled for mid-July.

Bob Smith of Wanderer Imports recently brought back the latest artwork created by the pacaderm residents of Thailand’s Elephant Conservation Center. A handful of the elephants there have shown a talent for painting and their latest efforts will be on view at Gallery 4 in Tiverton, Rhode Island beginning with an opening reception on July 10 from 4 to 7 pm. Says Smith, “This is the 4th year I’ve visited the elephants, and I see changes and refinements in their paintings each time.” He added, “While I’m there, it also gives me the opportunity to visit the Center’s hospital dedicated to caring for sick, abused and malnourished elephants. It makes for a very inspiring visit.”  

About particular elephant artisans Smith explains, “Keaw, who’s been painting elephant portraits for several years, has added the charming touch of a flower held in the elephant’s trunk while her baby grazes nearby. And Nua-An’s new floral paintings are the most extraordinary compositions, filled with color and life. It just makes you smile.” 

The exhibit continues through July 22. Gallery 4 is located at 3848 Main Road, Tiverton 4 Corners in Tiverton, RI. The gallery is open Monday through Saturday from 10 am to 5 pm and Sunday from 11 am to 5 pm. For more information call 401-816-0999.