Salem Slips In Coronavirus Fight: Patch PM

SALEM, MA — It's Monday, August 17. Here's what Patch has been covering on the North Shore and across Massachusetts today.

Salem is one of the Massachusetts communities that acted fast at the outset of the coronavirus pandemic in March, and for awhile, the city's efforts seemed to be paying dividends. As recently as a month ago, Salem's active case count and positive test rate was well below the state average. Still, Salem clamped down, announcing in July it would begin flinging people who were not wearing face coverings downtown, along its waterfront and in parks.

So the sudden uptick in cases is perplexing. Salem joined the state's "Stop the Spread" testing program Monday after the state said it was a high-risk community for spreading COVID-19. The designation by the Massachusetts Department of Public Health last week forced Salem officials to scrap a plan to begin the school year with some in-person learning.

On Monday, Salem Public Schools said it asked five students and five to seven staff members at the LEAP Saltonstall Summer program to quarantine after another staff member tested positive for the coronavirus. Last week the Salem YMCA reported that a staff member and several children at its daycare program had contracted the virus.

Now, officials are asking residents to report gatherings that violate the state's order banning indoor gatherings of more than 25 people and outdoor gatherings of more than 50 people to Salem police. Officials also want help in enforcing Salem's mask order, which calls for fines of up to $300 for people caught without a face covering in certain areas of the city.

The sudden change of coronavirus fortune in Salem features some concerning details, as well. About a fifth of Salem's new coronavirus cases since July 1 have been in people under the age of 19, and 40 percent have been in people under the age of 40. Since July 1, 51 percent of cases have been reported by Latino residents, event though the city's Latino population is just 19 percent of the total population.

Also on the North Shore

North Shore Police Departments See Increase In Crystal Meth Use

Police in Beverly, Salem and other North Shore towns are reporting an increase in the use of crystal methamphetamine, a powerful, illegal stimulant that has plagued other parts of the country for several years. "It's making inroads," Jon DeLena, associate special agent in charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration New England field office, told the Salem News. "I think it's solidified itself here in this region much more than anybody realizes."

Danvers Family Finds 11-Year-Old Message In Bottle On Cape Beach

A message put in a bottle in the United Kingdom on Jan. 3, 2009 ended up on a Cape Cod beach more than 11 years after it was thrown into the Atlantic. The Chin family of Danvers was visiting a beach in Falmouth, MA when three-year-old Lila found the bottle as she looked for shells along the shoreline.

Across Massachusetts

Protest Planned At Tufts President's House In Medford

Our Revolution Medford says it will rally outside Tufts President Tony Monaco's house this week to protest the university's reopening.

Also today:

• MA Leaders Accuse Trump Of 'Blatant Attacks' On Mail-In Voting
• Young People Struggling With Mental Burden Of Pandemic: CDC
• Police Sign Report Portrays Unwitting Sergeant, Furious Mayor
• Waltham Marshalls Fire Ruled Arson, $5K Reward
• Crash Leaves Car In 'Precarious Position'

Dave Copeland covers the North Shore for Patch. He can be reached at dave.copeland@patch.com or by calling 617-433-7851. Follow him on Twitter (@CopeWrites) and Facebook (/copewrites).