North Andover Fire Department Badge Pinning Ceremony

On Monday, April 14th, I had the honor of celebrating several members of the North Andover Fire Department during their Badge Pinning Ceremony - recognizing the dedication required to protect our community.

Please join me in congratulating:

Promotion to Fire Lieutenant: Christopher Dufresne
Promotion to Fire Lieutenant: Neil Patnaude

Receiving their Badges:

Firefighter/EMT John Brouder, Firefighter/EMT Jonathan Dufresne, and Firefighter/EMT James Nussbaum

Thank you for your service and commitment to keeping the North Andover community safe.

Welcome aboard to our new members and congratulations to our new Lieutenants!

Tarr Announces FY'25 SAFE and Senior SAFE Grant Awards

I am happy to share that a number of local fire departments have been selected to receive FY'25 Student Awareness and Fire Education (SAFE) and Senior SAFE programs grant awards.

 
These funds will be used to promote fire and life safety education for children and older adults, who are most vulnerable to burns, injury and death stemming from fires and related hazards.

TARR IN THE NEWS 4.18.25

TARR IN THE NEWS | 4.18.25

'It gives people another option': Legislators seek to turn empty lots into community gardens: Legislators seek to turn urban eyesores into community gardens'

Worcester Telegram & Gazette article by Kinga Borondy

"“We want to encourage as many people as possible to grow their own food,” Tarr said.

State support for smaller farms and gardens, Tarr said, is key to ensuring that people don’t lose their understanding of where food comes from. He fears that without that connection, farmers could lose support for their work. Community farms remind residents of their connections to their food.

“When you are growing food in your backyard, it really hits home,” Tarr said."

Read the full article here:
https://www.telegram.com/.../legislators.../83140264007/

Thank You to the Generous Gardeners Team

A heartfelt thank you to Susan Kelly, Antonietta Calabrese, and the entire Generous Gardeners team for their incredible work getting our Gloucester Boulevard ready for the spring season!

Your dedication and care keep our flowerbeds vibrant and beautiful, bringing joy to residents and visitors alike.

We’re grateful for all you do to make Gloucester bloom!

Tarr Announces Round 2 of the Massachusetts Department of Fire Services Firefighter Safety Equipment Grant Awards Support Support Local Fire Departments

I am happy to share that a number of local fire departments have been selected to receive a second round of Firefighter Safety Equipment grants. These funds will be used to purchase a variety of equipment that will help protect responders and the public. The long-term health of our firefighters will be enhanced, a fact that we can all celebrate.

I am deeply thankful for their efforts on our behalf every single day.

Massachusetts Announces Flexibilities for Clean Trucks Requirements

Please see press release shared with our office from the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection RE: enforcement discretion regarding the Advanced Clean Truck rule announced by MassDEP.

The enforcement discretion will provide relief to vehicle manufacturers that cannot meet the Advanced Clean Truck sales requirements for Model Years 2025 and 2026.

Please visit Massachusetts Low Emission Vehicle Program page for additional details: https://www.mass.gov/.../massachusetts-low-emission...

Greater Newburyport Chamber of Commerce’s Annual Legislative Dinner

Last week, I had the pleasure of joining a distinguished panel at the Greater Newburyport Chamber of Commerce’s Annual Legislative Dinner held at the Mission Oak Grill.

I had the opportunity to share a brief update on the state of the Commonwealth and highlight key legislation and budget priorities myself and my colleagues are working on to support our region — from bolstering small businesses to investing in local infrastructure and workforce development.

A special thank you to the Chamber for hosting this important event, and to my fellow panelists — State Representative Dawne Shand, State Representative Adrianne Ramos, State Representative Kristin Kassner, Newburyport Mayor Sean Reardon, Topsfield Town Administrator Kevin Harutunian, and Executive Director of the North of Boston Convention & Visitors Bureau Nancy Gardella — for their continued commitment to our local business community.

Thank you also to special guest - award-winning news anchor and longtime investigative consumer reporter - Susan Wornick, whose insight and energy added so much to the evening.