Peabody Girl's Birthday Pet Shelter Supply Drive: Patch Weekender

PEABODY, MA —Coming off a frigid few days with a storm on the way hopefully it's a cozy Sunday on the North Shore with residents staying out of the cold and waiting on the snow.

If you are already all stocked up on milk, bread and snacks from all those pre-Super Bowl sales, here are a few stories you may have missed on Patch this week:

Peabody 7-Year-Old's Birthday Drive To Help Animals In Shelter

Avery Ataide did not just want to adopt an animal in need of a home for her 7th birthday. She wanted to adopt "all of them."

Informed that might not exactly be in the cards for the Peabody family, the South Elementary School first-grader decided that if she couldn't have all the animals for herself she wanted to help them any way she could.

So, for her 7th birthday, instead of asking for toys and clothes like most girls her age, she asked for donations for local animals waiting for their forever homes.

North Shore Outdoor Dining Survives In Dead Of Winter

George Carey has always had winter outdoor dining at Finz Seafood Bar and Grill on Pickering Wharf.

This year, he's seen a much more resilient crew than most as those who might be averse to indoor dining during the coronavirus health crisis opt to sit on the deck or under the gazebo for a meal and a cocktail.

Carey told Patch Friday afternoon he would be especially impressed if anyone takes that option this weekend with temperatures plummeting below freezing.

MA High School Football Cleared For Kickoff In 3 Weeks

High school football teams throughout Massachusetts will kick off practices in a little more than three weeks after the coronavirus crisis kept them on the sidelines for the past six months.

And there will be tackling, with the Massachusetts Interscholastic Athletic Association calling for only minor virus-related rule modifications.

The MIAA Board of Directors on Friday approved rule modifications for the "Fall 2" season to begin Feb. 22. It includes high-contact sports such as football that were deemed too risky to play in the fall because of the virus. Other sports allowed to start Feb. 22 include cheerleading, indoor track, girls volleyball and girls swimming. Girls volleyball and girls swimming were allowed in the fall but many leagues chose to delay them.

Superintendents Still Hopeful Teacher Vaccinations On Fast Track

Peabody Superintendent of Schools Josh Vadala said he has watched teachers in his district head to the classroom diligently for the past four months to provide students as much in-person learning as possible and believes educators should be prioritized in the state's coronavirus vaccine rollout.

Vadala told Patch on Thursday he is also hopeful that will still be the case despite Gov. Charlie Baker saying last week that educations had been moved to the back end of Phase Two of the rollout that begins on Monday.

"It was a little disappointing to hear that the governor bumped teachers down one level," Vadala said. "It is encouraging that Phase Two starts on Monday. Moving up to Phase One at this point might be a moot point, but we're still advocating that teachers be vaccinated as soon as possible."

Salem State To Freeze Tuition, Fees Through Spring 2022

Salem State University will hold the line on undergraduate tuition and fees throughnext spring in what the school said is an effort to help students and families recovering from the coronavirus health crisis.

North Shore Seniors Anxious For Vaccine, Frustrated With Process

North Shore seniors hoping to sign up for the coronavirus vaccine on Wednesday expressed frustration with the inability to find appointments online and questions about how those with limited mobility and internet access can still get the sought-after shots.

The state began allowing for those 75 years old or older to begin registering for vaccination times as of Monday through the state website on Wednesday. Those 75-and-older are eligible for the vaccine at the start of Phase Two with those 65-and-older and those with comorbidities eligible later in phase 2 as federal vaccine supplies allow.

Beverly Launches Hotline For Senior Coronavirus Vaccine Issues

With Gov. Charlie Baker acknowledging a rough first few days when those age 75 or older were able to register for a coronavirus vaccination in Phase Two of the state's vaccine rollout, the Beverly Council on Aging is there to help city seniors struggling to navigate the appointment system.

Danvers Moves Out Of 'High Risk' Category For Coronavirus Spread

Nearly two months after the state moved Danvers into the "high risk" category for coronavirus community spread, the test positive rate has dropped to the point where the town is considered a "moderate risk" community.

The metrics, which were revamped in November to encourage more in-person schooling, still had 192 cities and towns listed as "high risk" when released on Thursday. Danvers was one of 30 communities to go from "red" to "yellow" this week.