State Representative Dawne Shand

State Representative Dawne Shand MA State Representative in the First Essex District

National Gun Violence Awareness Day was June 5th this year, marking the start of Wear Orange Weekend, June 6-7. Massachu...
06/07/2026

National Gun Violence Awareness Day was June 5th this year, marking the start of Wear Orange Weekend, June 6-7.

Massachusetts is a leader in gun violence prevention. This weekend, we honor victims and survivors of gun violence, and hear the call to action for its prevention.

Help spread the word to raise awareness about gun safety and unite communities in the fight to end the nation's gun violence epidemic.

made Newburyport proud. A great day to celebrate and stand with our LGBTQIA+ community.
06/06/2026

made Newburyport proud. A great day to celebrate and stand with our LGBTQIA+ community.

threw an excellent ice cream social at Dinoland where small business owners got to interact with their legislative dele...
06/05/2026

threw an excellent ice cream social at Dinoland where small business owners got to interact with their legislative delegation! ended the event with a few rounds on the course. See more, I’m sure, at

I got to celebrate Yvonne Cosgrove's retirement, after 39 years of service, from the Merrimac public library board of tr...
06/03/2026

I got to celebrate Yvonne Cosgrove's retirement, after 39 years of service, from the Merrimac public library board of trustees. The Merrimac Public Library is really the heart of this community.

Thanks for letting me be part of this milestone moment.

Thanks to the Friends of the Salisbury Center on Aging, I got to host this morning’s coffee hour. A great start to the w...
06/01/2026

Thanks to the Friends of the Salisbury Center on Aging, I got to host this morning’s coffee hour. A great start to the work week! Thanks to Fred Knowles for the reminder not to make him register his e-bike. I saw old friends and met new people. (I’m looking forward to coming back for craft classes.) and thanks to Salisbury selectman Wendy Kimball for her participation too. Great seeing everyone.

Introducing our 2026 Interns for the summer! Sarah Price is going into her sophomore year at Harvard, where she is study...
05/29/2026

Introducing our 2026 Interns for the summer!

Sarah Price is going into her sophomore year at Harvard, where she is studying Environmental Science and Public Policy with a secondary concentration in Theater, Dance, and Media. Originally from Philadelphia, Sarah is looking forward to learning more about state-level climate legislation. She is interested in climate policy and environmental justice and is excited to see how such legislative work can shape communities and outcomes.

Declan Callahan is a junior at the University of Vermont studying Political Science and History. As a Newburyport local, he is looking forward to helping his hometown and the surrounding communities. He hopes to use his first-hand experience with the issues that are facing the district to add valuable information and perspective to the work done at the State House.

Milo Freundlich is a rising junior studying economics and political science at Holy Cross in Worcester, MA. Also a Newburyport resident, Milo is excited for the opportunity to learn more about the legislative process. He is interested in public service and is looking forward to this phenomenal opportunity.

Please join me in welcoming our Summer 2026 team!

05/26/2026

Last Thursday, the members, guests, and employees stood in a moment of silent tribute in respect to the memory of James McCauley, a dedicated public servant, who died May 7, 2026, at the age of 62.

Between 2019 and 2025, Mr. McCauley served six years as Ward 5 city councilor in Newburyport. He was known for his preparedness in council debates and his attention to detail. He demonstrated a fierce love for the city and selfless service. To bring attention to an intersection in his district he thought too difficult to navigate, he served as a school crossing guard while he simultaneously pushed for safety improvements. He served on the building committee for two of the city’s most critical projects: the West End Fire Station and Market Landing Park.

He is survived by his wife, Liz, and their two children.

Yesterday, the State House celebrated its Second Annual Military Appreciation Day. I welcomed Dudley Farquhar from Merri...
05/22/2026

Yesterday, the State House celebrated its Second Annual Military Appreciation Day. I welcomed Dudley Farquhar from Merrimac as my guest and nominee for this year’s event.

In the late 1980s, Dudley approached Governor Dukakis with an early POW/MIA flag, which was then flown at the State House. That flag was the first POW/MIA flag flown in Massachusetts, setting the example and tradition of flying POW/MIA flags on all the flagpoles in the Commonwealth.

Dudley has been an instrumental organizer for sending foodstuffs to our troops overseas and soliciting local charities to help with postage costs for the supplies. He also helped organize contacts overseas to cut down on the time of delivery to specific units. Dudley participates in year-round events to raise awareness and recognition of veterans in our communities, including the Amesbury Post of the Veterans of Foreign Wars, the Newburyport Chapter of the Disabled American Veterans, and the Newburyport Exchange Club.

As a former tank driver in the Vietnam War, his intense dedication and volunteerism set him apart as a leader, organizer, and significant contributor to veteran causes and recognition in Massachusetts.

You can watch the full event on the Legislature’s website: https://malegislature.gov/Events/SpecialEvents/Detail/446

Congratulations to Merrimac, Salisbury, and Merrimack Valley Transit for being awarded grant funding from MassDOT. Merri...
05/20/2026

Congratulations to Merrimac, Salisbury, and Merrimack Valley Transit for being awarded grant funding from MassDOT.

Merrimac will be receiving $1 million from the Municipal Small Bridge Program, which provides funding to municipalities for the replacement, preservation, and rehabilitation of eligible bridges.

Salisbury and MEVA will be receiving funding from the Shared Streets and Spaces Program, which provides funding to municipalities and public transit authorities to quickly implement improvements in support of public health, safe mobility, and strengthened commerce.

Thank you to MassDOT for investing in the First Essex!

I had the real honor of speaking at the retirement party for my friend, Abbie Goodman. I first met Abbie on a Zoom call...
05/18/2026

I had the real honor of speaking at the retirement party for my friend, Abbie Goodman.

I first met Abbie on a Zoom call during the pandemic. The purpose of the meeting was to hear Abbie talk about her accomplishments as a very young president of the Massachusetts Women's Political Caucus . What I remember most, however, is that she sat in front of an ACEC sign so big it dwarfed the entire screen. I soon learned this was emblematic of her commitment to the organization.

The following year, Abbie was also one of the first people to congratulate me on winning my race. And I remember her saying on a visit to Newburyport, “You’re going to hear from us.”

And I did! Abbie introduced me to the issues, the movers and the shakers in your industry, and the very effective coalitions she built. Abbie has been such an extraordinarily effective leader on funding and building the transportation and water infrastructure projects, critical to our housing strategy.

Address

18 Boardman Street
Newburyport, MA
01950

Telephone

+16177222000

Website

Alerts

Be the first to know and let us send you an email when State Representative Dawne Shand posts news and promotions. Your email address will not be used for any other purpose, and you can unsubscribe at any time.

Contact The Organization

Send a message to State Representative Dawne Shand:

Shortcuts

Share

Category