News Briefs

Affordable Health Screenings Coming to Town

Residents living in and around the Winthrop, Massachusetts can learn about their risk for cardiovascular disease, osteoporosis, diabetes, and other chronic, serious conditions with affordable screenings by Life Line Screening.  St  Michael the Archangel Parish will host this communi-ty event on 4/13/2022.  The site is located at 320 Winthrop St in Winthrop.

Screenings can check for:

• The level of plaque buildup in your arteries, related to risk for cardiovascular disease, stroke and overall vascular health.

• Narrowing of the smaller arteries of your ankles and feet, called Peripheral Arterial Disease

• HDL and LDL Cholesterol levels

• Diabetes risk

• Bone density as a risk for possible osteoporosis

Screenings are affordable and convenient.  Free parking is also available. 

Special package pricing starts at $159, but consultants will work with you to create a package that is right for you based on your age and risk factors.  Call 1-877-237-1354 or visit our website at www.lifelinescreening.com.  Pre-registration is required.

CCS Continues Weekly Vaccination Clinics

Commonwealth Clinical Services, Inc., (CCS) Winthrop’s Visiting Nurse Asso-ciation/Home Health Care Agency, will be hosting another vaccination clinic at St. Michael’s Gym (formerly St. John’s) offering both Moderna and Pfizer vaccinations for first, second, third, and booster doses.  CCS is offering the Pfizer vaccine to ages 5+, 12-18, and Moderna vaccine will also be offered to adults 18+.  Those who do not have computer access to register can call our offices at 617-846-7676 (RNRN).

When:  Thursday, February 24, 2022

Time:    3pm-7pm

Where:  Saint Michael’s Gymnasium (formerly St. John’s), 229 Lincoln Street, Winthrop, MA

“We encourage people to take advantage of this local clinic and continue their vaccine regi-ment with 2nd shots, and boosters,” said Sandra Hurley, RN, MBA, NE-BC, Executive Director of Commonwealth Clinical Services, Inc.  “Our office staff is happy to help those who need assis-tance with registering,” she added.

How to Register:  Go to Commonwealth Clinical Services, Inc. website at ccscare.com and click on the link on our homepage OR follow the link at: https://home.color.com/vaccine/register/ccs

Keep Your Heart Healthy With Good Food Choices

Treat your heart as you would a friend. Making mindful food choices, moving your body regularly, and sleeping well are all key to maintaining a healthy relationship with your heart and avoiding heart disease. In recognition of National Heart Health Month, Mystic Valley Elder Services (MVES) Nutrition Services has the following good food choice tips

• Choose a variety of fruits and vegetables every day.

• Include whole-grain, high fiber foods such as barley, bran cereals, brown rice, buckwheat, corn, oatmeal, plain popcorn, quinoa, rye, whole wheat bread, wild rice, whole grain pasta.

• Consume fish at least twice each week, especially herring, mackerel, salmon, sardines, trout, or tuna.

• Choose lean meats and non-meat protein alternatives â€” chicken, turkey, fish, pork, lean beef, beans, nuts, egg substitutes, or egg whites.

• Select fat-free, skim or 1% milk, and low-fat cheeses and low-fat yogurt. (You can also try the new variety of non-dairy milks available, such as almond milk or rice milk, which have less saturated fat than dairy.)

• Minimize your intake of partially hydrogenated fats, such as butter or margarine.

• Minimize intake of high-sugar, high-fat pastries such as muffins, donuts, cakes, pies, cookies, candies.

• Limit beverages high in added sugars such as soda, fruit punch, and sweetened coffee and teas.

• Choose & prepare foods with little or no salt.

• If you consume alcohol, do so in moderation. Dietary guidelines suggest one drink/day for women and up to two drinks for men.

• Be attentive to your portion sizes and the balance of foods on your plate. Changes in weight can put stress on your heart.

If you are interested in learning more about MVES’ Nutrition Programs, please visit us at mves.org or call 781-324-7705.

Rockland Trust Launches Annual Scholarship Program

Rockland Trust announced the launch of its 2022 Scholarship Program for students who are enrolling in a part-time or full-time undergraduate study for the first time at an accredited two- or four-year college, university, or vocational-technical school for the entire upcoming academic year (2022-2023). Rockland Trust has expanded the program to provide up to sixteen $3,000 renewable scholarships. This year scholarships will be renewable up to three years or until a bachelor’s degree is earned.

Rockland Trust has opened the program to high school graduates and GED recipients in addition to current high school seniors. Applications will be considered based on financial need, academic performance, participation in school and community activities, work experience, a statement of career and educational goals and objectives, and unusual personal or family circumstances.  Applicants must reside in one of the following counties to be eligible: Barnstable, Bristol, Dukes, Essex, Middlesex, Nantucket, Norfolk, Plymouth, Suffolk, or Worcester in Massachusetts or Providence County in Rhode Island.

“Rockland Trust is delighted to enhance our annual scholarship program to reach additional students throughout the communities we serve,” said Christopher Oddleifson, Chief Executive Officer at Rockland Trust. “With the renewable benefit of the program, we look forward to building a more meaningful relationship with the scholarship recipients throughout their post-secondary education as they prepare for their future.”

Rockland Trust Scholarship applications will be available online at RocklandTrust.com/scholarship, beginning Tuesday, February 15th. To learn more about Rockland Trust’s scholarship application, guidelines, and eligibility criteria, please visit RocklandTrust.com/Scholarship.

House Passes Driver’s License Bill  

In an unprecedented effort to increase safety on the roads, the Massachusetts House of Representatives passed legislation that will allow applicants who are unable to prove lawful presence in the United States to apply for a Massachusetts driver’s license.

Under this legislation, the Massachusetts Registry of Motor Vehicles (RMV) will not inquire about immigration status when processing an application for a Massachusetts driver’s license or registration, solely basing the issuance of driver’s licenses to residents who provide required documents to prove their identity, pass the corresponding driver tests, and meet all other eligibility criteria.

“I’m proud of the significant step that the House took today towards bringing all drivers under the same licensing and insurance standards, regardless of immigration status,” said House Speaker Ronald J. Mariano (D-Quincy). “In addition to increasing safety on our roads for all drivers, this legislation recognizes the essential role our immigrant neighbors play in our society and economy by ensuring that everyone has access to a driver’s license. I thank Chair Straus, Chair Michlewitz, the bill’s sponsors, and all my colleagues in the House, as well as countless supporters, immigration and labor advocates, and law enforcement officials for their tireless work to ensure its passage.”

“In line with the 16 other states that have passed laws offering standard licenses to those providing secure identification documents, this carefully crafted public safety legislation will mean that all drivers using our roads are identifiable, competent and insured,” said Representative William M. Straus (D-Mattapoisett), House Chair of the Joint Committee on Transportation.

“I’m extremely grateful for the tireless advocacy that led to this pivotal moment. I also want to thank Speaker Mariano, Chair Michlewitz, Chair Straus, and the House for their leadership on this important issue,” said Boston Mayor Michelle Wu. “All Boston and Massachusetts adults deserve access to driver’s licenses regardless of immigration status. I support the Family Mobility Act because it will make all of us safer.”

“We cannot overstate our joy, pride and gratitude for today’s historic vote in the Massachusetts House of Representatives,” said the leaders of the organizations that co-chair the Driving Families Forward Coalition, Brazilian Worker Center Executive Director Lenita Reason and 32BJ SEIU Vice President Roxana Rivera. “We extend our deepest thanks to Speaker Mariano for his clear support in moving the bill through the legislative process, and we also thank the bill’s four lead sponsors, dozens of cosponsors and many thousands of individual supporters. Today, all of them have helped move our state toward safer roads, stronger public security, better public health, and a more robust economy, while also taking a step toward transforming the lives of immigrants and their families across the Commonwealth.”

“Immigrants without status are essential workers and card-carrying, dues-paying union members. Moreover, they are our neighbors, friends, and family and an integral part of our economy and community. With overwhelming support from law enforcement, this bill will provide greater public safety and allow workers to obtain and keep good paying jobs, all while making facets of everyday life that many of us take for granted, like getting kids to school, a reality. We commend Speaker Mariano and the entire Massachusetts House for voting to pass this important legislation that will result in safer roads for all Massachusetts residents,” said Steven A. Tolman, President, MA AFL-CIO.

“I want to thank all those legislators, law enforcement leaders, immigration advocates and public health officials who worked tirelessly to advance this bill through today’s historic vote in the House,” said Middlesex Sheriff Peter J. Koutoujian. “Efforts on this issue date back to my time as a state representative. Then, as now, it was clear that this bill would improve public safety and public health. While I was supportive of this concept 20 years ago, it was the rigorous identification requirements in the final version of this bill that strengthened it further and made today’s vote possible. I applaud Speaker Mariano for bringing it to the floor and the individuals who lent their stories and voices to this important cause.”

To apply for a standard driver’s license, applicants will need to provide at least two documents to prove their identity and date of birth. All documents written in a foreign language must be accompanied by a certified translation to English:

• Document #1: valid unexpired foreign passport or valid unexpired consular ID

• Document #2: valid US driver’s license, birth certificate, valid foreign national ID card, valid foreign driver’s license, ora marriage certificate or divorce decree

Residents who cannot prove lawful presence in the United States would remain ineligible for a “REAL ID” which requires documentation of U.S. citizenship or lawful status as a matter of federal law. To protect applicants’ privacy, the legislation also prohibits the RMV from disclosing any information about applicants for and holders of a standard driver’s license except as authorized by regulations promulgated by the Attorney General.

“An Act relative to work and family mobility” (H.4461) passed the House of Representatives 120-36. It now goes to the Senate for their consideration.

MVES Offers Safety Tips When Walking in Icy Conditions

 Each winter, slip and fall accidents cause serious injuries. Even when surfaces do not look especially icy or slippery, it is very possible that a thin sheet of transparent ice or “Black Ice” is covering your pathway putting you at risk. When you approach a footpath or roadway that appears to be covered with ice or snow, always use extreme caution. Many slips and falls happen in places people regard as safe and secure, typically outside their front door, on the doorstep, on the path or while getting out of the car.

With the winter weather upon us, Mystic Valley Elder Services’ (MVES) Safety Committee advises these 10 tips to make sure you are staying safe when walking around in snowy and icy conditions.

• Walk slowly and carefully. Wear boots or other slip-resistant footwear.

• Use special care when getting in and out of vehicles. Use the vehicle for support if you need to do so.

• Watch for slippery floors when you enter any building or home.

• Avoid walking with your hands in your pockets; this can reduce your ability to catch yourself if you lose your balance.

• Watch out for black ice.

• Tap your foot on potentially slick areas to see if the areas are slippery.

• Walk as flat-footed as possible in very icy areas.

• Avoid uneven surfaces if possible. Avoid steps or curbs with ice on them.

• Report any untreated surfaces to your town, property owner, or work’s maintenance department to help keep you safe.

• Remember: Ice and snow mean, “take it slow!”

If you are interested in knowing more about Mystic Valley Elder Services’ programs, please visit us here or call