Local News
Grant provides helper for pregnant women
BEVERLY — It's no secret that not all young pregnant mothers have husbands or boyfriends, or even friends or family, for support.
At Beverly Hospital, the Connecting Young Moms program just received a $2,000 grant to provide these women with a doula — someone trained to provide them with emotional and physical support while they're giving birth.
"It gives them a caring person they can depend on through their labor," said Jodie Berry, co-facilitator of Connecting Young Moms.
The grant was through the Women's Fund of Essex County and the second award of a two-year $5,000 grant.
"It's a program we're really hoping we can get more funding for," Berry said.
It's helped nearly a dozen women a year, usually high-risk girls between 13 and 25 who were referred to the program by a doctor or nurse.
The six doulas, Berry said, are all nationally certified and have other jobs, but for a small stipend they volunteer their services at Connecting Young Moms. They're available to pregnant women 24/7 for 10 days before their due date, and 10 days after, and are there during the entire labor to provide back rubs and encouraging words, help them speak up if they need anything, or even mediate between family members or friends in some situations.
"They devote many hours of their time," Berry said.
She said she'd eventually like to get funding to have one doula on staff full time. The service, she said, is invaluable to many of the new moms and can make the difference between a smooth and a stressful birth.
Staff writer Cate Lecuyer can be reached at clecuyer@salem news.com.
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Salem mayor's health care proposal spurned by Firefighters Union
SALEM — One day after the leadership of the police patrolmen's union voted not to bring a contract proposal before its membership, the firefighters followed suit.
Mayor Kim Driscoll said she was told late yesterday that the fire union's bargaining team rejected the city's offer and voted not to bring it to a membership vote. -
Fix sought for wall at Folly Hill development
DANVERS — A failed section of a riprap overlooking Bradley Road is one of the issues the Planning Board wants more information about when it takes up the luxury housing development on Folly Hill next month.
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Argument over welfare of rabbit leads to father's arrest
DANVERS — Danvers police played "who's got the rabbit?" Wednesday afternoon as they investigated simultaneous reports of a domestic dispute and a call to check on the well-being of a bunny.
It turned out to be a fight between a father and a son over how the father was caring — or failing to care — for the hare. -
Salem advocate gets to shake president's hand
SALEM — It has been a big two weeks for Mary Margaret Moore.
The executive director of the Independent Living Center of the North Shore and Cape Ann, the regional disabilities agency based in Salem, was in Washington, D.C., for national conferences and for the celebration Monday of the 20th anniversary of the passage of the landmark civil rights legislation, the Americans With Disabilities Act. -
Auto body worker admits fleeing scene of collision
DANVERS — A now-former employee of an auto body shop pleaded guilty yesterday to crashing into two customers' cars there and then leaving the scene.
Daniel Borowiecki, 28, formerly of Atkinson, N.H., also admitted that his driver's license was under suspension at the time. - Police
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Salem mayor's health care proposal spurned by Firefighters Union
