Patrolman Jon Bedard and his 2 1/2yr old German Shepherd- Thor, will be heading to downtown Boston on Monday, April 21, for an event that the whole world will be watching in the wake of last year’s tragic bombing. Boston Police requested Thor 2 months ago.

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This week two Salem residents told a court they are dropping their appeals of the $800 million project. However, Foorprint Power still must resolve a federal appeal filed by four other Salem and area residents with the Environmental Appeals Board of the Environmental Protection Agency in Washington, D.C.

http://goo.gl/XHa4eO

Students got to interact personally with Sheila Galo, the principal of the Siyabulela Primary School in Langa, a township outside of Cape Town, on her nine-day visit to the U.S. Judy McKenzie arranged in 2008 for Swampscott Middle School to become a sister school to the one in Africa.

http://goo.gl/OkUHru

Mayor Ted Bettencourt will be hiring a city facilities manager to oversee all school and city buildings and develop a strategic plan for their upkeep. With one person managing a capital plan and maintenance program for 10 city schools, five fire stations, three public libraries, the police station, City Hall and other municipal buildings, the city can save millions of dollars over the years, he said.

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A large physicians’ group, Pediatric Associates of Greater Salem, has filed plans with the City of Salem to construct a medical office building at the long unused site of a former tannery at the intersection of Boston and Bridge Streets.

http://goo.gl/UWmVvQ

Voters approved a rezoning of a 3.6-acre parcel of land between Brimbal Avenue and Route 128, in order to develop a redesigned interchange and a new shopping plaza. However, the option might not even be viable due to concerns over and the cost of building the road on the CEA land, an old city landfill.

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Approximately 400 demonstrators protested the $800 million proposal by Footprint Power, to open a 674-megawatt natural gas plant in Salem in 2016. It is strongly opposed by multiple environmental groups that want to reduce the state’s reliance on fossil fuels.

http://goo.gl/KvTmWE

A sinkhole has been discovered beneath the cobblestones and brick that top Salem's Essex Street Pedestrian Mall. The sinkhole was located near the intersection of Central Street and Essex Street, a location heavy in foot traffic particularly from spring until Halloween.

The sinkhole had a depth of 10 feet, a width of 4 feet, and would have likely collapsed within a few months had it not been discovered during work related to the expansion of the Peabody Essex Museum. 

City engineers believe the sinkhole developed when a concrete-based sewer pipe broke down, causing it to begin leaking into a nearby manhole. This action in turn washed away the soil over time and created the sinkhole.

Read the full article here:

http://www.salemnews.com/local/x1262662458/Sinkhole-discovered-beneath-pedestrian-mall

Congress Street, a significant roadway in Salem stretching from Pickering Wharf through The Point neighborhood, already has numerous shops and stores. However, there are also many unused and under-utilized storefronts. A new study is under way to determine what types of businesses might succeed in the area and how to attract new commercial development. The current appearance of the area is believed to be working against the latter at present, and improving the appearance would be one recommended starting point.

Read the full article here: 

http://goo.gl/u7XMh4

Last year’s “Salem’s Christmas Party,” which was held at Victoria Station restaurant for the 20th time, raised more than $32,000 for the charity, which was hands down the most ever raised. Turner Construction made a particularly generous donation of $10,000. Santa took time out of his busy holiday schedule to make an appearance, and various entertainers contributed to the wonderful night as well.

Read more:

http://goo.gl/9kcxFb