Winners:  Mickey Northcutt and Joanne Scott had the raffle ticket, but there were no winners.

 

 

 

 

No calendar raffle this week.

There will be 2 winners next week.

 

 

 

 

 

There were no visiting Rotarians.

 

Stephen Digregorio was a guest of Patrick Langmaid.

 

Adria Leach was a guest of Mickey Northcutt.

 

Chris Casey went to Costa Rica with his children for February vacation.  Chris also reminded everyone to bring in a bottle of wine within the next 2 weeks for the auction's wine raffle.  The Scotch raffle is all set.  And, there is a surprise item for the live auction...ask Chris about it!

 

Claudia reported that there are only 25 slots left for the auction dinner.  We need more ads and donations.  There is still the premier ad space left on the back cover.

 

Randy Burba went to the windy city, Chicago, for a cosmetic dentistry convention.

 

Joanne Scott is selling $100 Shamrock Sweepstakes raffle tickets for the Boys & Girls Club with a 1 in 300 chance to win $10,000!

Joanne also reported that John Keenan has been named House Champion for Children by the Mass Alliance of Boys & Girls Clubs.  Congratulations, John!

 

John Walsh enjoyed warm Florida weather on a recent vacation.

 

John Neely attended the reunion of the 101st Airborn Division in Tampa, FL where he also visited his sister.  He continued on to vacation in Sedona, AZ, and then California where he attended a medieval convention where he met a close friend of Maryann Curtin.  John returned home with Christine for the funeral of her 102 year old uncle.

 

Liz Bradt, who was a former auction chair, suggested that Rotarians forward the informational email about the auction to their contacts.  Liz also mentioned that Rick Cohen of Tri-City Sales donated his annual contribution to the auction...a flat screen TV.

 

Mickey Northcutt is planning a trip to South Africa to visit a friend who was a Rotary exchange student with him.

 

Mark Leavitt reported that most money has been returned for the calendars.  Those who have not given their money will receive an invoice.

 

John Fisher enjoyed a staycation because his flight to Philadelphia, with a connection to the Virgin Islands, was canceled.  He and Joy went skiing, to the movies, and did other fun stuff more locally.

 

 

 

Brenda Smith will be leaving for the Bahamas where she will be engaged in "binge yoga", attending a yoga teacher-training course, followed by several days at a yoga retreat on the beach!  Hope you don't miss the white stuff too much Brenda!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Happy birthday to Jennifer Kocur on February 25th and to Rocky Pelletier on February 29th!  Also, happy birthday John Fisher on March 1st!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

John Keenan, who said he has not done binge yoga in years, introduced this week's speaker, Jonathan Blodgett, Essex County District Attorney.

 

John said that Jon has been the DA in our county for three terms since 2002, and is running for re-election this year.

 

Jon is a graduate of Peabody High School where he was on the baseball team and class president.  Jon went on to Princeton and Suffolk Law School.  He worked for DA Kevin Burke, and then began his own law practice before successfully running for DA.  Jon has been a leader in national and state district attorney associations.

 

Jon has had several important initiatives, including those about juvenile, diversion, oxycontin abuse, bullying, and texting and driving.  John heard Jon speak at an Anti-Defamation League conference in November where he showed his dedication to his constituents and his leadership traits.

 

 

 

Jon began his speech talking about his Salem roots.  His mother was a nurse in Salem for 37 years, he played Legion baseball for Doc Ryan, and his DA's office is in Salem.

 

His DA's office covers 34 cities and towns in the county; 8 District Courts in Lynn, Salem, Peabody, Ipswich, Newburyport, Gloucester, Haverhill, and Lawrence; 3 Superior Courts in Lawrence, Salem, and Newburyport; and Juvenile Courts in Lynn, Salem, and Lawrence.  The DA's office employs 72 attorneys, witness advocates and juvenile coordinators. Last year there were 30,000 criminal cases in Essex County.

 

The DA's office engages in the classical role of prosecution, but Jonathan's office also focuses on prevention.  In 2003, he began the initiative, "Choose to Refuse", to address the increasing problem of heroin use.  This year there have been 18 deaths already due to heroin overdose.  His office's initiatives also include "Don't Text & Drive", an underage drinking program, an anti-bullying campaign where 5th graders mentor kindergarten and 1st graders on the subject, a program called "Think Before You Send" about computer texting, and a program on teen dating violence.

 

Jonathan spoke about his staff of Assistant DA's who make only $37,500 with no overtime or comp time.  Attorneys enter this field because they want to do good, however low salaries make keeping good attorneys an issue.

 

Jonathan spoke particularly about 2 issues: the spike in heroin use, and medical marijuana.

 

The heroin problem cuts across all socio-economic classes.  People have been lulled into thinking it is not dangerous if it is snorted, but eventually there is a need to graduate to the needle to obtain the desired effects of the drug.  Education is the best tool to combat heroin use.  Basically, if you start using heroin, there are 2 possible outcomes - jail or death.

 

Law enforcement finds it very difficult to stop dealers.  South American heroin is cheap so people become easily hooked.  Then the price will increase resulting in more crime to pay for the habit.  Heroin use is the most serious public health problem in Essex County.  Jonathan spoke of Chris Herron, a former Celtics player from Fall River.  Herron speaks with kids about his excruciating journey with heroin use and its devastating effects.

 

The other issue Jonathan focused on is medical marijuana.  Jonathan is opposed to it, pointing to the fact that the American Medical Association has not endorsed it.  He stated that other states who have legalized marijuana are now trying to reverse that decision.  The medical marijuana law in Massachusetts did not state an age limit.  Jonathan said that it is important to remember that marijuana today has a THC (active ingredient) concentration of 33% as compared to 3% THC in marijuana of the 1970's.

 

Jonathan says it is folly to think a person would choose use of marijuana or use of alcohol exclusively.  In fact, most users use alcohol and marijuana together.  Jonathan states that more people are treated for problems with marijuana than any other drug, and he points to studies conducted by Joseph Califarno, Found and Chairman Emeritus of The National Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse (CASA) at Columbia University.

 

There were a few questions from the Rotary audience.  Patrick asked about the international take down of drug lord, Joaquin "El Chapo" Guzman, and its effect on the amount of drugs in our state.  Jonathan state that there will probably not be a decline in the amount of drugs, that the void will be rapidly filled.  John Neely asked about the comparison of alcohol use to marijuana use.  Jonathan responded that because alcohol is legal that should not mean marijuana should be legal, given the potential consequences of that action on developing minds and on society.  Anthony asked about drug treatment.  Jonathan stated that there is no "treatment on demand" in Massachusetts.  Treatment here begins as an alternative to incarceration during prosecution as long as the crime did not involve violence and restitution is made.  Maryann Curtin mentioned that it generally takes 6 "falls" before a drug habit is kicked.

 

Brenda thanked Jonathan for his presentation giving him the book of hero quotes.