Each year at this time, we republish snippets of the year’s events that have made their way onto the pages of the newspaper. The “Year in Review,” printed in two consecutive editions, provides a momentary slowing to reflect on 2023 before answering the call of 2024.
In looking at this past year on Cape Ann, it’s been a whirlwind of milestones and change. Locally, there has been the heavy lifting of planning our future and what that will look like, from school budgets to infrastructure to new developments and state-mandated questions that will shape our community’s future. Beyond Manchester and Essex, the entire region of Cape Ann was pulled this year into the gravitational pull of Gloucester’s monumental, 400+h anniversary celebration of local history from Indigenous life to the decades and centuries of life in fishing, shipbuilding, quarrying, the arts, and more.
In looking back at the 52 weeks that made up 2023 in a Year In Review, it’s comforting and even satisfying to revisit our community’s life. Our goal at the Cricket is to chronicle our life together as a community with trustworthy content—in print and online—that drives a sense of belonging. The team sports and games and rites and rituals of school life. The passing of important people in local life. The progress of our volunteer boards and the Town Meetings and elections posed important questions to voters in Manchester and Essex. And the celebrations and milestones of people and organizations.
Check out the flippable PDF version of Dec 28th's Year in Review, Part I HERE.
And check out the flippable PDF version of Jan 5th's Year in Review, Part II HERE.
