Around Town

Pride 2023 Has Special Meaning for State Sen. Will Brownsberger

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State Sen. Will Brownsberger

State Sen. Will Brownsberger posted the following piece on his website. Brownsberger represents the Suffolk & Middlesex District, which includes Watertown. For me, the Pride parades and festivals are special this year because I am coming out as bisexual. I’ve been married to my wife for almost thirty-eight years.  I love, cherish, and enjoy her and I’m not about to change my lifestyle. I am moved to speak openly about myself for all the reasons that Pride month matters.

Around Town

Volunteers Will Cleanup Along the Charles River for Earth Day

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The Charles River Cleanup will take place at different areas along the river in Watertown on Saturday. The following announcement was provided by State Sen. Will Brownsberger’s Office:

Join Senator Brownsberger and staff for the annual Earth Day Charles River Cleanup on Saturday, April 22, 2023 to pick up litter along the river. Teams will gather at three locations:

Herter Park from 10 AM – 12 PM

Squibnocket Park from 10 AM – 12 PM

Charles River Greenway (behind Stop & Shop) from 9 AM – 12 PM

We encourage all volunteers to bring a reusable water bottle. Upon your arrival, we will provide direction regarding what area of the park & river pathway you and your group can focus on. In partnership with DCR, we will provide bags and gloves. If you have any questions, feel welcome to email me directly.

Government

Internships Available in State Sen. Will Brownsberger’s Office

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State Sen. Will Brownsberger

The following information was provided by State Sen. Will Brownsberger’s office:

The Office of Senator Will Brownsberger is accepting applications for part-time, unpaid, internships for the summer of 2023. There are two types of opportunities available – general office internships and legislative internships. All applications are due Monday, April 10, 2023. General Office Internships are designed for applicants in the beginning stages of exploring policy-making and government, seeking opportunities to learn more and refine their interests. Legislative Internships are designed for those who have already gained some experience, either professionally or academically, and are looking to delve deeper into a topic of interest.

Election 2022

OP-ED: Watertown State House Delegation Supports Question 4, Will Lead to Safer Roads

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By State Representative Steve Owens, State Representative John Lawn & State Senator Will Brownsberger

This past June, the legislature approved an important advancement for road safety and immigrant rights in Massachusetts by voting the Work and Family Mobility Act into law. This law allows all Massachusetts residents to apply for a driver’s license, regardless of their immigration status. Years in the making and backed by law enforcement, immigrant advocates, and organized labor, the law passed overwhelmingly with support of more than three-quarters of the Massachusetts House and Senate. This new measure will ensure that all drivers on our roads are licensed and insured. Unfortunately, this law is now in jeopardy; an opposition group obtained enough signatures to attempt to repeal the law on the November 8th ballot.

Government

Speak With State Sen. Brownsberger’s Staff at the Farmers Market

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State Sen. Will Brownsberger

State Sen. Will Brownsberger’s office sent out the following announcement:

Staff from the office of Senator Will Brownsberger will have a table at the Watertown Farmer’s Market on Wednesday, August 31 from 2:30-6:30 p.m.

The event is being held at Saltonstall Park, located at 149 Main Street, Watertown, MA 02472. The farmer’s market will take place rain or shine. This is a great opportunity to meet our district staff and connect with us about any state-related issues that are on your mind. We are available to discuss legislative topics, such as policy interests or specific bills in the Massachusetts Legislature, as well as any state-related personal issues, such as navigating the unemployment system or the RMV. Please reach out with any questions.

Around Town

State Sen. Will Brownsberger Seeks Applications for Summer Internships

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Wikimedia Commons / ChensiyuanMassachusetts State House. The following information was provided by State Sen. Will Brownsberger:

The Office of Senator Will Brownsberger is accepting applications for part-time, unpaid, summer 2022 internships. All applicants must have a permanent residence or attend school in the 2nd Suffolk and Middlesex District (which includes all of Watertown). 

Legislative internships offer a variety of professional experiences, including policy research, constituent services, and legislation and budget analysis. Daily seminars on different aspects of state government are scheduled by the Senate. Internships require a commitment of 8-20 hours a week for a minimum of five weeks, with possible added research work outside of scheduled hours.

Government

State Rep. Owens, State Sen. Brownsberger Hosting Joint Virtual Office Hours

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State Rep. Steve Owens (left) and State Sen. Will Brownsberger will host joint office hours. The following announcement was provided by State. Rep. Steve Owens’ office:

State Representative Steve Owens will be hosting Joint Office Hours alongside State Senator Will Brownsberger next week on Tuesday, January 11th. The event will be virtual and begin at 5:00 p.m. EST and end at 7:00 p.m. EST. Both legislators are looking forward to hearing from constituents on state-related legislative or personal matters.

Around Town

OP-ED: Keep Health Care Workers in Mind, System Strained by More Than COVID

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State Sen. Will Brownsberger

The following piece was provided by State Sen. Will Brownsberger, who represents Watertown, Belmont and parts of Boston:

Please keep our health care workers in mind as you make decisions about what COVID risks to take over the coming weeks. As of Tuesday, December 14, there were 1411 people hospitalized with COVID in Massachusetts, of which 326 were in the ICU and 176 were intubated. That is well below the level in the first April 2020 surge when hospitalizations peaked at almost 4,000, yet for a combination of reasons, the hospital system is feeling a lot of strain. Steve Walsh, President of the Massachusetts Hospital Association testified at a hearing on December 16 about the state of the hospital system. He made the following points in his testimony:

Like many employers across the country, hospitals are having difficulty recruiting staff — nurses and behavioral health specialists are most in demand, but all hospital jobs are hard to fill.Caregivers are exhausted and burnt out — many are leaving for other fields or retiring.In the early days of COVID, it was possible to recruit travel nurses — acute surges were happening in only a few states.