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THE SAUGUS ADVOCATE – FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 5, 2021 Page 19 GARDENS | FROM PAGE 8 1. On Feb. 5, 1852, the Hermitage Museum, the second largest museum in the world, opened to the public in what city? 2. What flag has a red background and five gold stars? 3. What sister of Dante Gabriel Rossetti wrote the lines “On the wind in February / Snowflakes float still, Half inclined to turn to rain, Nipping, dripping, chill”? 4. What two women are on U.S. one dollar coins? 5. On Feb. 6, 1788, what did Massachusetts ratify? 6. What American steel industrialist/philanthropist owned Skibo Castle in Scotland? 7. This year Merriam-Webster added what words to mean “an attractive middle-aged man having mostly gray or white hair”? 8. What game show has won the most awards of U.S. game shows? 9. On Feb. 7, 1812, what author was born who later wrote “Sketches by ‘Boz,’ Illustrative of Every-day Life and Every-day People”? 10. What team playing in this year’s Super Bowl also played at the first Super Bowl in 1967? 11. How are “Running Fence” in California, “The Gates” in Central Park and “Valley Curtain” in Colorado similar? 12. “The Star-Spangled Banner” has been performed at every Super Bowl except in 1977, when Vikki Carr sang what in its place? 13. A Reuben sandwich usually has what cheese? 14. On Feb. 8, 1971, what stock market index first opened? 15. What is Afghanistan’s capital? 16. February 9 is National Pizza Day; Moose’s Tooth Pub & Pizzeria is the nation’s highest grossing independent single-unit pizzeria; in what state is it? 17. The Beatles covered what song by The Marvelettes that was the first Motown song to be a number one hot pop single? 18. On Feb. 10, 1961, the Western world’s then largest hydroelectric project officially opened where? 19. How are Champ, Grendel and sphinx similar? 20. On Feb. 11, 1812, Massachusetts Governor Elbridge Gerry was accused of gerrymandering; what words were used to create that term? ANSWERS needles in a bundle is an important identification feature when trying to distinguish one pine species from another. No other eastern native pines have this number of needles, but there are several western native species, including Rocky Mountain white pine (Pinus flexilis) and the huge coned sugar pine (Pinus lambertiana), that also have five needles. Compared to those of many other pine species, white pine needles are long and flexible. Fresh needles bend quite bit before they will break, while many other pine needles snap. Even from a distance, white pine needles look feathery compared to the stiffness of red pine (Pinus resinosa) and most other pines, both native and introduced, which are commonly planted in this area. A large percentage of the tree’s needles are shed every fall even though the tree is evergreen. Each needle only remains on LEGISLATURE | FROM PAGE 7 Barrett (D-Lexington), who is Senate Chair of the Joint Committee on Telecommunications, Utilities, and Energy. “This bill is our chance to get back on track and stay there. It’s ambitious but balanced, and the most important piece of climate legislation to come before us since 2008. Tip of the hat to President Spilka and Speaker Mariano for putting us back to work on climate immediately. Because of them, the legislation’s odds of ultimate success are excellent.” “If not for the initiative and resolve of Speaker Mariano and Senate President Spilka, the Next-Generation Roadmap bill would not have been before the Legislature in the first month of the 2021-2022 session,” said Representative Thomas Golden, Jr. (D-Lowell), who is Chair of the Joint Committee on Telecommunications, Utilities, and Energy. “I am beyond proud to have once again voted with my colleagues on this path-breaking legislation and I look forward to continued collaboration to make it law and propel the Commonwealth towards its clean energy future.” The bill sets a 2050 net-zero greenhouse gas emissions limit, as well as statewide limits every five years; increases the requirements for offshore wind energy procurement bringing the statewide total authorization to 5,600 megawatts; requires emission reduction goals for Mass Save, the state’s energy efficiency program; the tree a year and a half. The needles begin to accumulate under the trees and form a natural mulch, which discourages other competing plants from growing under the trees. “Pine straw” is in fact a very effective mulch for plants which like acidic growing conditions. The cones are also a helpful identifying feature – they are curved and asymmetrical, unlike the relatively symmetrical cones of other pines. They are the largest cones of New England pines, 4-6" long. The seeds are eaten by many bird species, but also by small animals, like red squirrels and rabbits, and even very large animals, such as bears. They are also very useful at sheltering wildlife from wind and cold. In the 1930’s, white pine blister rust was a significant threat to white pine. This fungus requires an alternate host, currants and gooseberries (Ribes spp.), before it can inand, for the first time, establishes the criteria in statute that define EJ populations. The legislation also increases support for clean energy workforce development programs, including those targeting low-income communities, and improves gas pipeline safety. The legislation includes, among other items, the following provisions. • Sets a statewide net-zero limit on greenhouse gas emissions by 2050 and mandates emissions limits every five years, as well as limits for specific sectors of the economy, including transportation and buildings • Codifies EJ provisions into Massachusetts law, defining EJ populations and providing new tools and protections for affected neighborhoods • Requires an additional 2,400 megawatts of offshore wind, building on previous legislation action, and increases the total authorization to 5,600 megawatts in the Commonwealth • Directs the Department of Public Utilities (DPU), regulator of the state's electric and natural gas utilities, to balance priorities going forward: system safety and security, reliability, affordability, equity and, significantly, reductions in greenhouse gas emissions • Sets appliance energy efficiency standards for a variety of common appliances, including plumbing, faucets, computers and commercial appliances • Adopts several measures aimed at improving gas pipeline safety, including increased fect the pines, so these fruiting shrubs were made illegal in many areas. Today it is still illegal to grow them in some towns, although disease resistant gooseberries are available and it is no longer a significant threat to the pines. They are still prohibited in some nearby towns, including Wenham and Topsfield. They are allowed in Saugus, but it is still necessary to get a permit from the Massachusetts Dept. of Food and Agriculture. Editor’s Note: Laura Eisener is a landscape design consultant who helps homeowners with landscape design, plant selection and placement of trees and shrubs as well as perennials. She is a member of the Saugus Garden Club and offered to write a series of articles about “what’s blooming in town, since so many people have taken to walking the streets in their neighborhoods as a way to get some exercise and get out of the house” during the global pandemic. fines for safety violations and regulations related to training and certifying utility contractors • Increases the Renewable Portfolio Standard (RPS) by 3 percent each year from 2025– 2029, resulting in 40 percent renewable energy by 2030 • Establishes an opt-in municipal net-zero energy stretch code, including a definition of “net-zero building” • Prioritizes equitable access to the state’s solar programs by low-income communities • Establishes $12 million in annual funding for the Massachusetts Clean Energy Center in order to create a pathway to the clean energy industry for EJ populations and minority- and women-owned businesses • Provides solar incentives for businesses by exempting them from the net metering cap to allow them to install solar systems on their premises to help offset their electricity use and save money • Requires utilities to include an explicit value for greenhouse gas reductions when they calculate the cost-effectiveness of an offering of Mass Save • Creates a first-time greenhouse gas emissions standard for municipal lighting plants that requires them to purchase 50 percent non-emitting electricity by 2030 and “net-zero” by 2050 • Sets benchmarks for the adoption of clean energy technologies, including electric vehicles, charging stations, solar technology, energy storage, heat pumps and anaerobic digestor 1. St. Petersburg, Russia 2. China’s 3. Christina Georgina Rossetti 4. Sacagawea and Susan B. Anthony 5. The United States Constitution 6. Andrew Carnegie 7. Silver fox 8. Jeopardy! 9. Charles Dickens 10. The Kansas City Chiefs 11. They are monumental fabric art pieces by Christo. 12. “America the Beautiful” 13. Swiss 14. The National Association of Securities Dealers Automated Quotations (NASDAQ) 15. Kabul 16. Alaska (Anchorage) 17. “Please Mr. Postman” 18. Niagara Falls 19. They are fictional monsters (in Lake Champlain, Vt., the poem “Beowulf” and ancient mythology, respectively) 20. His last name and salamander (In a political cartoon, the shape of an Essex County district was compared to the creature.)

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