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DanversDem and State Committee member Julie Curtis featured on page one of The Salem News on Monday. Julie attended the exhibit “Social Fabric” a textile work engaging with the migration stories of 80 local residents.

The DanversDems hosted our annual MLK Jr. Day of Service.  This year we held a food drive for our Danvers People to People Food Pantry. We had a very significant amount of donations of food, diapers, personal items and cash.

Thank you to Paul from the Food Pantry for meeting us in the early morning to clear and salt the stairs and for letting us stay inside the pantry on this very cold day.

Thanks to everyone who donated. As always, Dems show up and are very generous.

Thanks to Liz Brennan for running this event.

The Human Rights and Inclusion Committee and the Danvers Public Schools is hosting a Martin Luther King Jr Day of Celebration on January 20 from 4 PM – 6 PM at the Danvers High School Atrium.

Highlights from th eJanuary 8 Meeting

MLK Jr Food drive will be on January 20 from 10 AM to 2:30 PM at the Danvers Food Pantry. 

Presented the new DDTC logo 

Meetings will be moved to the Library Classroom Conference Room.  Going forward meetings will be on the 4th Thursday of the month.  

The scholarship amount will be increased from $500 to $1,000 with an annual amount review

 Jillian and Joe Durand will host a Find Your Community Cocktail Party at their home on Saturday, January 25 @ 7 PM 

Jimmy Carter, the 39th President of the United States and a tireless advocate for peace, human rights, and humanitarian causes, passed away at the age of 100.

Born on October 1, 1924, in Plains, Georgia, Carter rose from a humble farming background to attend the U.S. Naval Academy and later serve as a naval officer. After returning to Georgia, he entered politics, eventually winning the presidency in 1976 as a Washington outsider, promising honesty and integrity in government following the Watergate scandal.

During his presidency from 1977 to 1981, Carter achieved notable successes, including brokering the landmark Camp David Accords between Egypt and Israel, which led to a historic peace treaty. He also oversaw the Panama Canal Treaty, returning control of the canal to Panama, and emphasized environmental conservation and energy independence, creating the Department of Energy.

However, Carter’s presidency also faced significant challenges and setbacks. High inflation, an energy crisis, and rising unemployment created domestic unrest. His handling of the Iran Hostage Crisis, in which 52 Americans were held captive for 444 days, overshadowed his final year in office and contributed to his defeat in the 1980 election to Ronald Reagan.

Undeterred by political loss, Carter embarked on an extraordinary post-presidency, dedicating himself to humanitarian efforts through the Carter Center, which he founded with his wife, Rosalynn. He worked to advance democracy, monitor elections, fight disease, and build affordable housing with Habitat for Humanity. In recognition of his lifelong dedication to peace and human rights, he was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 2002.

Carter’s legacy is one of perseverance, humility, and service. It is fitting that he has passed during the Biden Presidency and will receive the full honor that he deserves. The contrast between Jimmy Carter, a very decent and deeply religious man versus Donald Trump, the most indecent and fake religious man to ever hold the office will be stark.

Beverly Democrat Jerald Parisella was one of three new judges approved Wednesday by the Governor’s Council.

Parisella is a seven-term State Rep from Beverly. He was Governor Healey’s choice for the district court bench. His appointment was unanimous.

Judicial candidates have 90 days to swear their oaths of office after confirmation by the Governor’s Council, meaning Parisella could wait until the current legislative session ends before jumping to the judicial branch. A special election will be required to fill his seat representing the North Shore. Two Democrats and one Republican have already thrown their hat into the ring.

Message from Steve Kerrigan:

I’m very saddened to be writing to you today to share the sad news that former Massachusetts Attorney General and towering figure in the Democratic Party, Frank Bellotti, has passed away at the age of 101.

He was a powerful presence in Massachusetts politics throughout a career that spanned four decades. In his time as Lieutenant Governor, and during the twelve years he served as Attorney General, his love of politics was only matched by the respect he held for those he served. His tireless work on behalf of the people of the Commonwealth established the standard for the modern state AG’s Office, a model that carries on today here and across the country. 

He was a dedicated member of the Democratic Party, and we all will dearly miss his leadership, counsel and boundless enthusiasm that marked his 101 years of life. 

Our sincerest condolences to the Bellotti family and all his many friends.

From a personal standpoint, growing up in an Italian household for my Dad it was Pat Caggiano and Frank Bellotti.