MSBA Approves Over $11.2M in Accelerated Repair Grants
State Treasurer Deborah B. Goldberg, Chair of the Massachusetts School Building Authority (“MSBA”), and MSBA Executive Director/Deputy CEO John K. McCarthy, announced that the MSBA Board of Directors has approved up to $11,205,988 for Accelerated Repair Projects for schools in six districts including the Webster School in Everett.
“The Accelerated Repair Program allows us to make critical repairs to more schools in less time,” said Treasurer Deborah B. Goldberg. “By improving the learning environment for our children, the Program also makes schools more energy efficient and generates significant cost savings.”
The main goals of the Accelerated Repair Program are to improve learning environments for children and teachers, reduce energy use, and generate cost savings for districts. The program provides funding for the repair or replacement of roofs, windows, and boilers in schools that are otherwise structurally, functionally, and educationally sound.
“The MSBA continues to partner with Massachusetts communities in the ongoing work of upgrading their public schools,” Executive Director/Deputy CEO McCarthy said. “These improvements to school facilities can only enhance students’ ability to excel in the classroom.”
A new roof at the Webster School was approved for the Accelerated Repair Program grant at the Board meeting. The roof will cost a total of $1,741.943 and the state grant that was received will total $911,315.
Aquarium Presents Cult Classic Movie Nights: JAWS
The New England Aquarium is screening ocean-inspired films for Cult Classic Movie Nights! Through, see cult classics as you’ve never seen them before, on one of the largest movie screens in New England at the Aquarium’s Simons Theatre. Tickets for Cult Classic Movie Nights are $5 each, and films begin at 7 p.m.
Pair a film with a visit to the Aquarium, grab a bite to eat and drinks at The Reef bar, and make a date night or an evening with friends to remember. With cocktails, snacks, lawn games, and a stunning backdrop along Boston Harbor, The Reef offers covered outdoor dining on Central Wharf, operating Monday through Sunday from 12 p.m. to 7 p.m.
The film schedule is as follows:
• September 10 – Jaws – The New England classic is back on the big screen. A massive great white shark terrorizes a summer resort town where a police chief, a grizzled fisherman, and an intrepid marine biologist battle the bloodthirsty beast.
• October 1 – The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou – A famous oceanographer and his trusty crew seek revenge on the shark that ate his best friend in this quirky comedy-adventure.
The movies can be seen at the Simons Theatre at the New England Aquarium, 1 Central Wharf, Boston, MA.
TSA Screened 8.76 Million Travelers During Labor Day Weekend,
During the Labor Day holiday, the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) screened 8.76 million travelers between Friday, Sept. 2 and Monday, Sept. 5. The weekend travel volume represents 106% of volume for the same pre-pandemic holiday weekend in 2019 and is the first time that a holiday weekend passenger screening volume exceeds that of 2019.
In 2019, Labor Day was on Monday, Sept. 2, and TSA screened 8.24 million passengers. The Labor Day weekend represents the conclusion of the summer travel season. This year, Friday marked the heaviest travel day. Transportation Security Officers screened 2.48 million passengers.
Over the course of the long weekend, 94.9% of TSA PreCheck® passengers waited less than 5 minutes. About 91.6% of those passengers in standard screening lanes waited less than 15 minutes.
During the weekend, Transportation Security Officers intercepted 67 firearms and prevented them from entering aircraft passenger cabins. On average, TSA stopped 17.3 firearms each day at checkpoints since the beginning of the year. If this pace continues, TSA anticipates that firearm catches at checkpoints will eclipse the current full year-record of 5,972 firearms intercepted at the nation’s checkpoints in 2021.
“TSA’s highly trained and dedicated workforce facilitated secure travel for millions of passengers during the busy summer travel season with very little disruptions at the checkpoint,” said TSA Acting Administrator David Pekoske. “We were also able to continue the deployment of new technologies that facilitate stronger identity verification procedures and enhanced security screening for carry-on bags.”
Through effective collaboration among airlines and airports within the transportation sector and with more than 12 million TSA PreCheck passengers enrolled, TSA actively monitored and managed wait times at airport security checkpoints. It is never too late to enroll and participate in the benefit of the expedited TSA PreCheck screening program that allows travelers to leave on shoes, jackets, and belts, and enables them to keep their electronics and 3-1-1 liquids in their carry-on bags. As a result of these benefits, TSA PreCheck lanes move faster and more efficiently than regular lanes.
As travelers prepare to embark on future trips, they may submit questions about TSA checkpoint procedures via Twitter at @AskTSA or via Facebook Messenger to a team of TSA employees who provide real-time responses on average within five minutes from 8am-6pm daily, including weekends and holidays.
Passengers or families of passengers with disabilities and/or medical conditions may call the TSA Cares helpline toll free at 855-787-2227 at least 72 hours prior to flying with any questions about screening policies, procedures, or to find out what to expect at the security checkpoint as well as arrange for assistance at the checkpoint.