Talk of the Times: Ferrante relishes Ways and Means chair for a day

Gaining appointment to the House Ways and Means Committee earlier this year was seen as a feather in the cap of state Rep. Ann-Margaret Ferrante, D-Gloucester, who has just begun her second term in the Legislature.

Now, she can claim having served as chairman of the House's most powerful panel — even if it was only for a day.

Ferrante co-chaired a Ways and Means Committee public hearing on the state budget proposal on Friday. The Statehouse hearing was the latest in a series of sessions on Gov. Deval Patrick's fiscal 2012 state spending plan, and carried throughout the day.

During the past month, the Committee on Ways and Means has been traveling to cities from Boston to Pittsfield to hear testimony from various constitutional offices and state agencies on the governor's budget.

Ferrante said she was glad to have the chance "to hear first-hand the comments and concerns of those affected by the ... proposed budget, especially the impacts on my own constituents."

The Ways and Means panels in both the House and Senate are the primary committees that handle the state budget, both in terms of revenues and spending.

Police humor

We often read or see movie portrayals of the black humor of law enforcement and rescue personnel involved with gruesome cases.

It's seldom we able to hear it from our hometown cops, albeit over the scanner. But that was case when local police, firefighters, state police and MBTA Transit Police officers were called to the scene in the Babson Reservoir watershed Wednesday after a man seated between the tracks was hit by a commuter train.

Those first to reach the crash site warned those following to wear boots or heavy shoes, "not work shoes" because the icy conditions were "treacherous."

At one point, a commanding officer at the scene told the Gloucester officers on perimeter not to let anyone else close, but some out-of-towners apparently thought that didn't apply to them.

"There are two women Transit Police here with attitude. Maybe you want to talk to them — make an adjustment," an officer told his superior.

Finally, as authorities packed up for the night and headed back into town, officers were scrambling for rides and keys in the dark, and one noted that Officer Kevin Mackey was unaccounted for.

After another indicated that Mackey was apparently walking back on the trail, the first officer said he'd still keep an eye out for him.

"I'm gonna find him, make sure he's not lying on the side here," he said.

Ward 5 meeting

Covering the parts of Gloucester on the mainland, or western, side of the Annisquam River, Ward 5 is also home of some of the city's liveliest neighborhood issues, from the approved plans for a Hampton Inn off Essex Avenue to the needs cited by school officials and residents for West Parish School.

Monday, the latest issue will be the focal point of "ward meeting" slated by City Councilor Greg Verga, who will host the event starting at 6:30 p.m. at Magnolia Library.

The subject? The city Planning Department is set to outline Gloucester's goals for advancing wind energy projects, and the discussion will cover a number of possible sites, including Magnolia Woods.

Gloucester has been awarded an $85,000 grant from the Massachusetts Clean Energy Center to conduct a feasibility study for the installation of a wind turbine capable of generating up to 2 megawatts of power from city-owned land in the vicinity of the Magnolia Woods Recreational Area.

At a previous City Council committee meeting, Jane Porter of Ryan Road suggested there should be more residential involvement in considering the grant application, Wind projects need a special permit from City Council.

College seeks award candidates

The North Shore Community College Alumni Association is seeking nominations for the annual Distinguished Alumnus Award, designed to recognize outstanding alumni of the college. Any interested party on behalf of an alumnus may submit nominations.

Candidates for the award will be chosen on the basis of integrity, professional accomplishment, and community or college service. The award recipient, however, must be able to attend the college's commencement May 26.

Submit a letter of nomination describing the nominee's special achievements and, or contributions, or complete the nomination form available online at www.northshore.edu/alumni.

Forward nomination letters no later than March 11 to the NSCC Alumni Office: 1 Ferncroft Road, P.O. Box 3340, Danvers, MA 01923.

For more information, contact Sandy Rochon, alumni coordinator, at 978-762-4000, ext. 5481, or srochon@northshore.edu.

Honored veteran

The flag at the Veterans' Center will fly this week in honor of World War II veteran Richard Robert Silva. Born March 13, 1922, he entered the U.S. Coast Guard on Nov. 21, 1942, and was discharged March 22, 1946.

The signalman third class served with USS Key West (PF-17). He served in the Atlantic and Pacific Theatres of Operations.

Silva was awarded the American Area Ribbon, the European African Middle Eastern Area Ribbon, the Asiatic Pacific Area Ribbon, and the World War II Victory Medal.

He served on the Gloucester School Committee for eight years, beginning in 1961, and was elected as a Massachusetts state representative in 1971. In 1984 Silva was elected the mayor of the city of Gloucester and served until 1988.

He died Jan. 27, 2009.

The flag was requested to fly in his honor by his wife, Janet Silva. Anyone wishing to fly a flag in honor of a deceased veteran can call the Office of Veterans' Services at 978-281-9740.

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