TTC_04_29_20_Vol.16-No.27

Page 8 www.TheTownCommon.com
April 29, 2020
Community Announcements
Community Announcements, from page 7
Food4Vets through the Mass Military Support Foundation, and
supported by Eagle Leasing and Shaheen Brothers Food Distributing.
The program is designed to get necessary food to area military
veterans who are uncomfortable shopping at a supermarket
at this time or who are running short on money to buy
food. Distributions will be held, until the coronavirus pandemic
has eased, at NSCC every other Wednesday from 10
a.m. to noon on the college's Danvers Campus parking lot
6 near the Health Professions and Student Services building.
A similar pop-up center began this week at Northern Essex
Community College, distributing over 70 boxes of food
to veterans. Each box of supplies includes canned goods,
non-perishable food items and personal hygiene products that
should support two people for two weeks.
Veterans wishing to take part must sign up online at vneoc.
org or massmilitarysupportfoundation.org, under one of the
distribution sites noted on that webpage. If people don’t have
internet access or have problems they can call 978-372-3626.
Portsmouth, NH City Manager's
Advisory update
The Governor’s “Stay At Home” order remains in effect
through May 4, 2020. Governor Sununu announced the formation
of an Economic Reopening Task Force composed of
a broad spectrum of NH businesses and organizations and
that he anticipates no change in the restrictions at this time.
The City Health Officer reminds everyone to be vigilant. DO
NOT CONGREGATE!
A NEW HEALTHCARE WORKER/FIRST RESPONDER
PARKING PASS PROGRAM STARTS APRIL 27
City Manager Karen Conard has directed the creation of a
program to provide free parking on City streets to Portsmouth
residents who are healthcare workers or First Responders.
The return to paid parking on city streets has imposed an extra
burden, in the form of erratic and late hours, on these residents
who are on the frontlines of the COVID-19 pandemic
response. To allow them to park as close as possible to their
homes, the new program, starting Monday, April 27, will provide
them with hang tags to place on the rearview mirrors of
their vehicles. The presence of the hangtags alerts parking enforcement
officers that on-street parking fees are being waived.
The procedure for residents to obtain a Healthcare Worker/
First Responder Parking Pass is as follows:
1. Applicants go to Foundry Place office with proof of employment
in healthcare or as a First Responder, and Portsmouth
residency.
2. Applicants fill out an application for the Healthcare/First
Responder hang tag free parking pass.
3. Applicant receives a hangtag and places it on the rearview
mirror of the vehicle.
4. The hang tag indicates a waiver of any fee for 'paid parking'
spots. As with all hangtag pass programs, this waiver does
not apply to Foundry Place or Hanover garages because of the
mechanics of the automated-gate entry.
5. The Healthcare Worker/First Responder Parking Pass
program is in effect April 27 through June 30, 2020.
All Portsmouth parking has a 72-hour limit, which will apply
to these pass-holders, as well.
UPDATE FROM THE PORTSMOUTH PUBLIC
LIBRARY – Although the library building is closed, the
Portsmouth Public Library staff still work remotely. They
have 3D-printed over 200 mask-extenders for local healthcare
workers at Portsmouth Regional Hospital, Edgewood
Centre and others, to make the long hours of mask-wearing
more comfortable. The Library experts are hosting events online,
including weekly meditation, a world affairs discussion
group, four weekly language discussion groups, reading dogs,
classes, and nine different book clubs for all ages. In May, the
Library is offering new events, including Harry Potter Trivia,
an Organic Gardening Q&A, an End of Life discussion, and
a lecture on Wild Edible Plants. These events are all open to
the general public. The Library’s Special Collections staff have
just launched the Pandemic Community Diary, an initiative
to record historical observations about this strange time. The
library acts as a repository for Portsmouth and Seacoast history,
and with this project hopes to record shared history as
it happens. All residents are encouraged to share their story!
Every Portsmouth resident is entitled to a library card and
access to all of the events, programs and resources: download
ebooks, audiobooks, movies, TV, and music from Hoopla and
Overdrive, take classes on arts, crafts, and computer topics
with Creativebug and Lynda Learning, learn a new language
with Mango, access free unlimited New York Times articles,
and so much more. It’s easy to apply for a library card: Just visit
libcat.cityofportsmouth.com/ and click “Log in to your account”
and then select Enter your current Portsmouth address
and correct contact information. A library staff member will
contact you promptly to give you a library card number and
verify your information! You’ll then be able to use the library’s
online resources. When the library reopens, you will need to
show proof of ID in order to extend your account.
FACE MASK DRIVE CONTINUES! Drop-off or Pickup
Donations of PPE Masks for Healthcare Workers/First Responders
and Fabric Masks for Seniors The City of Portsmouth
Senior Services is collecting donated masks Homemade Masks
will be distributed to seniors and other individuals in need
throughout the community. Medical/surgical/construction
type masks will be distributed to healthcare workers and first
responders. All donations should be brought to the Community
Campus tennis court parking lot. Drive up and leave the
masks in the box. Brinn Sullivan, Senior Services Supervisor
will be on site to collect them. Contact 603-767-2697 to coordinate
or if you have any questions. If these times do not
work, please call. All homemade masks will be washed before
being distributed.
Face Mask Donation Drive-Thru Hours:
Tuesday, April 28, 10-11am
Thursday, April 30, 1-2pm
The City Health Officer also reminds everyone to wear cloth
face masks in public. Reserve medical grade PPE for healthcare
workers and first-responders. The NH State Epidemiologist
Dr. Benjamin Chan issued a formal statement this week, urging
citizens to wear cloth face masks whenever they are out in
public, and where there is risk of transmitting the virus, even
when there are no symptoms in homes and offices. Facemasks
should fit snugly but comfortably against the side of the face,
be secured with ties or ear loops including multiple layers of
fabric, preferably a tight weave material to allow for breathing
without restriction and be able to be laundered and machine
dried without damage or change to shape. If you need a cloth
face mask, homemade masks can be mailed to those who could
not attend the Distribution Drives. Please email or call Brinn
Sullivan, Senior Services Manager, and she will mail you a
mask. 603-767-2697. bsullivan@cityofportsmouth.com
Thank you healthcare workers!
Stewart Lytle / The Town Common