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Nahant News

Flu Clinic and COVID Testing

We have two clinics coming up for Nahant Residents. 

COVID Testing:

Saturday September 25, 2021 12:00pm-4:00pm- St. Thomas Aquinas church in Nahant. Drive-Thru only, No appointment or registration required. Nahant Residents ONLY. Photo ID required.

Flu Clinics: Town Hall 

Tuesday September 28, 2021 3pm-7pm Regular Flu Shot 18 years and older 

Wednesday September 29, 2021 10am-2pm High Dose Flu Shot 65 years and older 

Register at the link below- Nahant Residents ONLY 

https://home.color.com/vaccine/register/nahant

Nahant Urges Residents to Take Precautions After West Nile Virus Case Reported in Essex County

The Town of Nahant wishes to share that the Massachusetts Department of Public Health has announced cases of West Nile virus in Essex County and Middlesex County, and offers the following tips to keep residents safe.

No case of WNV has been reported in the Town of Nahant.

Mosquitoes are most prevalent from May to August, but remain active until the first time temperatures fall below freezing. According to the Massachusetts Department of Public Health, mosquito bites in the state typically result in skin irritation and itching. However, serious diseases including West Nile virus and Eastern Equine Encephalitis (EEE) are also spread by mosquitoes in rare instances. These viruses can cause illness ranging from a mild fever to more serious disease like encephalitis or meningitis.

EEE was first detected in the state in 1938. The most recent outbreak, which began in 2019, included 12 cases with six fatalities, and the outbreak continued into 2020 with five cases resulting in one fatality.

West Nile virus was first detected in the United States in 1999. Since the majority of those exposed to West Nile virus have no symptoms, it’s difficult to identify exactly how many people have been infected. Only those who develop severe illnesses with West Nile virus are often reported.

The Town of Nahant encourages residents to follow these tips provided by the DPH:

  • Use insect repellent with DEET any time you are outdoors. Be sure to follow the application directions on the label.
  • Be aware of peak mosquito hours, which are generally from dusk to dawn. Residents who are ages 50 and older, or those who are immunocompromised, should limit outdoor activities from dusk to dawn.
  • Wear protective clothing when outdoors during peak mosquito hours such as long sleeves, long pants, high socks, hats with netting to cover the face, and any other clothing that will cover exposed skin.
  • Use mosquito netting around baby carriages or child playpens when your baby is outdoors.
  • Make sure screens are repaired and are tightly attached to doors and windows.
  • Remove standing water from places such as puddles, ditches, bird baths and gutters, which are breeding grounds for mosquitoes.

The Town of Nahant also wishes to share the following tips from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention:

  • Apply sunscreen first and insect repellent second.
  • Do not apply insect repellent on the skin beneath clothing. 
  • Consider buying permethrin-treated clothing and gear, or using permethrin to treat your clothing and gear. Do not use permethrin products directly on skin.
  • Use an indoor insect fogger or indoor insect spray to kill mosquitoes and treat areas where they rest. Always follow label instructions.
  • To prevent mosquito bites when traveling overseas, choose a hotel or lodging with air conditioning or screens on windows and doors, or sleep under a mosquito bed net if you are outside or in a room that does not have screens.

Parents, guardians and caregivers of babies and children are advised:

  • Dress children in long layers to cover their arms and legs.
  • Use mosquito netting to cover strollers and baby carriers outdoors.
  • When using insect repellent on a child, follow instructions on the label and never use products that contain oil of lemon eucalyptus or para-menthane-diol on children under 3 years old. 
  • NEVER apply insect repellent on a child’s hands, eyes, mouth, cuts, or irritated skin. To apply insect repellent to a child’s face, carefully spray it onto your hands and apply it to the skin.

Massachusetts DPH risk maps may be found here.

More CDC prevention tips may be found here.

National POW/MIA Recognition Day

September 17 is National POW/MIA Recognition Day.
Every third Friday in September, we remember the hardships
endured by Americans captured during war, the loss of those
still missing and unaccounted for, and the continuing grief
borne by more than 81 thousand families awaiting news of
their loved ones.

The Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency (DPAA) reports that 1,584 of that number (1,556 military, 28 civilian) are from the Vietnam War.

To commemorate this day, the Town of Nahant and its Veteran Services Department, will proudly display the POW/MIA Table, in the Great Hall at the Town Hall, provided to us by the American Legion Post 215 throughout the week leading up to Friday September 17, 2021.

This year’s theme is entitled America’s Commitment, Globally Fulfilled and was proclaimed recently at the Pentagon. During the ceremony, Deputy Secretary of Defense Kathleen H. Hicks stated, “Working closely with partner nations, the Department of Defense is firmly committed to the fullest possible accounting for those U.S. personnel who remain missing. … We owe nothing less to the families who continue to wait for answers about the losses of their loved ones.”

September 11th Remembrance Ceremony

Please join us outside of the Nahant Fire Department on Saturday, September 11, 2021 to remember and honor those that lost their life as result of the tragic events on September 11, 2001, 20 years ago. Refreshments at 9:30 AM and the Ceremony will start at 10:00 AM

Nahant Board of Selectmen vote to take Northeastern University Property by Eminent Domain

During the Board of Selectmen’s (BOS) meeting on September 8, 2021, the selectmen voted unanimously to approve an Order of Intention to Take Conservation Easement by Eminent Domain to preserve these 12.5 acres as conservation land.  This action was taken to ensure this land is preserved in the manner expected by the people of Nahant when they voted on May 15, 2021 and when they voted to designate this area as a Natural Resource Area over 30 years ago. 

At the Annual Town Meeting on May 15, 2021, the voters of Nahant voted 647-241 in favor of authorizing the Board of Selectmen to execute eminent domain as a means of preserving as publicly accessible conservation land, approximately 12.5 acres of land at East Point currently zoned as a Natural Resource Area.  As representatives of the citizens of Nahant, the Board of Selectmen share this commitment to preserving and caring for Nahant’s limited open spaces and Natural Resource Areas.    

The Order of Intention is an eleven-page legal document, which will soon be posted on www.Nahant.org.  However, the following excerpt captures key elements of the Order of Intention: “The purpose of this taking is to preserve the East Point Easement Areas…in perpetuity in their natural, scenic, and open condition and to protect against any use of the East Point Easement Areas that will interfere with the conservation values of said property. The public benefits resulting from conservation of the East Point Easement Areas… include, without limitation: the preservation of open space for the use and enjoyment of the general public, the creation and buffering of an expanded Henry Cabot Lodge, Jr. Memorial Park…, the protection of the scenic and natural beauty and character of the East Point Easement Areas, the protection of public access to the sea, the protection of wildlife habitat, wildlife connectivity and biodiversity, the reduction of pollution and improvement of air quality, the provision of a buffer to sea level rise, the promotion of resiliency and protection against climate changes, and the protection of the public passive recreational use of the land.” 

The next steps in the process are defined by the provisions of Chapter 80A of the Massachusetts General Law. Under the guidance of a judge at Salem Superior Court, a 3-person commission is formed to determine the compensation value of the Conservation Easement. The Town and the property owner may submit documentation to aid the commission in making this determination. It is expected that the commission will take approximately 8 months to determine the required compensation. Once the value is determined, the Board of Selectmen can make the decision to proceed with acquiring the Conservation Easement, with the use of funds approved during Annual Town Meeting.  An appeal process by either side may occur.

The Board of Selectmen look forward to a Nahant where “the preservation of open space for the use and enjoyment of the general public” is ensured…”in perpetuity”.

Sincerely,

Nahant Board of Selectmen

Joshua Antrim, Chairman    Eugene Canty, Vice Chairman   Mark Cullinan, Recording Secretary

West Nile Virus Confirmed in a Mosquito in Nahant

The Massachusetts Department of Public Health announced today that West Nile Virus has been detected in a mosquito sample collected in Nahant, MA. We urge the public to use precautions and protect themselves by wearing long sleeves and pants, applying insect repellent, especially at dawn and dusk, draining any standing water and repairing any broken screens. The Town of Nahant and the Nahant Health Department are working closely with the MDPH to monitor the situation.

Town of Nahant Launches New Website

NAHANT — Town Administrator Antonio Barletta is pleased to announce the launch of a brand-new website for the Town of Nahant, giving community members an updated and modern space to access information, news, events and other important info. 

The new website, www.nahant.org, features a user-friendly, easy-to-navigate design with a clean layout and bright photos and includes:

  • A news blog
  • A documents and forms section
  • A resource page that features important information for residents
  • A calendar of events
  • Department pages with contact information
  • Employment opportunities
  • COVID-19 information

The homepage includes a helpful links section and a search feature that allows users to quickly navigate to desired pages.

The site also directly links to the Town’s social media pages, which residents are encouraged to connect with in order to have quick access to the latest updates from the Town of Nahant. To follow the Town on Facebook, please click here. To follow the Town on Twitter, please click here. 

“We are overjoyed to launch this new website as a way to stay better connected to everyone in the community. This site will serve as a one-stop amenity for residents, business owners and visitors to learn more about the town,” said Town Administrator Barletta. “We hope that they take advantage of this wonderful resource and its many great features.”

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Town of Nahant Invites Community to Attend ‘The Wall That Heals’ Exhibit

“The Wall That Heals” exhibit, which is stopping in Nahant, features a three-quarter scale replica of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial, located in Washington D.C.

The Town of Nahant, in partnership with American Legion Post 215, invites the community to visit “The Walls That Heals” exhibit, a replica of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial.

The Memorial in Washington, D.C., bears the names of more than 58,000 American service members who made the ultimate sacrifice in Vietnam, and honors the more than 3 million Americans who served in the U.S. Armed Forces in that conflict. The touring exhibit is a three-quarter scale replica of the Memorial, 375 feet long and 7 ½ feet at its tallest.

“The Walls That Heal” opened for free public viewing at Nahant Lowlands Activity Field (across from Short Beach) beginning on Thursday, July 15, at 12:01 a.m.

The exhibit consists of the replica, Mobile Education Center and information tent. The Center’s trailer includes a timeline called “The War and The Wall.” The Mobile Education Center will occupy the Short Beach parking lot. The Center also is free and open around the clock.

A Welcome Home Ceremony will take place at the Field on Saturday, July 17, at 6 p.m. The ceremony will include a selection of patriotic music, speeches, a Missing Man Table Ceremony, and a Sundown Flag Ceremony.

The exhibit concludes on Sunday, July 18, at 2 p.m.

All are welcome to attend. Event parking is available; signs and attendants will direct visitors to the event parking areas. Attendees are asked to not park on the streets in the area, which are reserved for local residents with parking stickers.

Those wishing to defray the cost of “The Wall That Heals” exhibit are asked to donate by check to: American Legion Post 215; P.O. Box 82; Nahant, MA 01908.