February 2024

2024 Lunar New Year Celebration at the Westford Academy.

Celebrating Lunar New Year through Volunteering: A Student’s Perspective

February 28, 2024

by Joanna Dong

During Lunar New Year, my teammates from Shine-A-Light Volunteer Team and I volunteered to promote Chinese culture and celebrate the new year. We held our first celebration at the Acton Memorial Library two weeks before the Lunar New Year. We set up some stations there and, at the…

Shine-A-Light event at Acton Memorial Library

Chinese New Year Celebrations in Our Community

February 28, 2024

Dani FengandKaiping Fu

Chinese New Year isn’t just celebrated in Chinatown in big cities; many Chinese bring their biggest holiday to their adopted home communities, in honor of their indigenous culture. In Acton and Boxborough, the Acton Chinese Language School has made it part of their mission since 2004 to create…

Acton-Boxborough School Committee Chair Adam Klein and Superintendent Peter LIght at the School’s “Budget Saturday” meeting.

Acton-Boxborough School Committee February News Update

February 28, 2024

by Diane Baum

After a day-long “Budget Saturday” workshop on February 10 and a subsequent budget discussion on February 15, the School Committee voted unanimously to set the 2024-25 recommended Acton-Boxborough Regional School District budget at $114,380,105. Both meetings were recorded and are available at Acton TV’s government channel. The budget…

Acton-Boxborough School Committee Chair Adam Klein and Superintendent Peter LIght at the School’s “Budget Saturday” meeting.

Acton-Boxborough School Committee February News Update

February 28, 2024

by Diane Baum

After a day-long “Budget Saturday” workshop on February 10 and a subsequent budget discussion on February 15, the School Committee voted unanimously to set the 2024-25 recommended Acton-Boxborough Regional School District budget at $114,380,105. Both meetings were recorded and are available at Acton TV’s government channel. The budget reflects…

two people seated, facing away from a table

Backgrounder: The Acton Commission on Disabilities, a Short History

February 24, 2024

by Joan Burrows

When we first brought the idea of a commission on disabilities to the town manager in 1987, we were told that there were already too many committees and the Select Board could not find members to be liaisons. Well, both issues were quickly negated as we put out…

Fire Chief Anita Arnum

Acton’s Fire Department to the Rescue

February 24, 2024

by Nancy Knoblock Hunton

Fire Chief Anita Arnum and recently appointed Deputy Chief Chris Sammet have amassed 60 years of experience serving the Acton Fire Department. Through those years, they have not only fought fires but have helped people facing a variety of crises, ranging from injuries from a car accident to…

Cover of Clegg and Kennedy’s book on local journalism.

REVIEW: Why should we care about What Works in Community News?

February 24, 2024

by Greg Jarboe

In partnership with the Acton Exchange, The Silver Unicorn Bookstore will host authors Ellen Clegg and Dan Kennedy on March 1 to discuss their new book, What Works in Community News: Media Startups, News Deserts, and the Future of the Fourth Estate. Residents can ask questions and engage…

Photo of Electric Vehicle charger at the South Acton Commuter Rail parking lot.

Expedition to Find the Best EV Charging Stations in Acton, MA

February 15, 2024

by Greg Jarboe

Recently, I went on a journey to find the lowest gas prices in Acton, MA. That article triggered questions about the location, price, and charge-speed of public EV charging stations in and near Acton. So, on Saturday, Feb. 3, 2024, I set out on an expedition to find the…

Photo of D K Halley

An Interview with Acton’s New Assistant Town Manager

February 15, 2024

by D.K. Halley

On November 20, 2023, Thomas (Thom) Begin started his new job as Acton’s Assistant Town Manager. He had previously worked in the Framingham School system as Assistant Director of Buildings and Grounds. He achieved a bachelor’s degree in Political Science and Government in 2006 and a master’s degree…

Photo of an Acton Select Board meeting.

Select Board Meeting, February 5, 2024: Finance in a Time of Overrides

February 15, 2024

by Tom Beals

The February 5, 2024 Select Board meeting led off with finance and budget talk. Select Board chair Jim Snyder-Grant reported that the Acton Leadership Group had reached a consensus on a $6.6M override amount; he emphasized that the division of override funds between schools and town had not…

Cold water plunge tank with onlookers.

Brrrr-ave Supporters of Special Olympics Participate in Acton’s Second Annual Polar Plunge

February 7, 2024

by Alissa Nicol

The Acton Police Department partnered with The Law Enforcement Torch Run (LETR) to host the second annual Polar Plunge at NARA Park on a sunny, but nippy, Saturday, February 3. At last year’s inaugural event, plungers supported Special Olympics by running into the lake at NARA beach. This…

Trackers examining evidence on the ground and on a fallen tree of otter visits.

Winter Tracking Walk

February 7, 2024

by Jody Harris

Adapted by Franny Osman from an article by Jody Harris written for Acton Conservation Trust The last snowfall had been a week before, but as temps all week were low and skies gray, the woods still held plenty of snow for tracking the animals who make their home…

Photo of Acton 250 presentation and presentors.

A Revolution in the News with Historian Joseph Adelman

February 7, 2024

by Greg Jarboe

Looking forward to next year’s 250th anniversary of the start of the American Revolution, the Acton 250 Committee is hosting a series of lectures by historians, looking back at what the community was like when our nation was born. The third lecture in the series, by Professor Joseph…

Badge icon representing Boards and Committees

Override Talks and Economic Development Plans: Finance Committee and Acton Leadership Group Meetings

February 7, 2024

by Tom Beals

The upcoming budget override, its amount, and how it would be split between the town and schools, were the primary topics of discussion at the January 23, 2024 Finance Committee and January 29, 2024 Acton Leadership Group meetings. Of note at the Finance Committee meeting was a presentation…

Acton Town Hall facade on a snow covered day.

It Takes a Village – Revitalization of the Oval Garden

February 5, 2024

Cathy FochtmanandLinda O’Neil

with commentary by Ann Marie Testarmata The Acton Garden Club, with the support of the Town of Acton, the Acton Historic District Commission, Club members, volunteers, members of the Acton community, and grants, is celebrating its 90th birthday with a revitalization of the Oval Garden in its very…

Badge icon representing Boards and Committees

January 22, 2024 Select Board Meeting Notes

February 1, 2024

by Tom Beals

Finances update At the January 8 Select Board meeting the Board asked Town Manager John Mangiaratti to prepare a budget that reduced the level services budget by $1 million. Before presenting the revised budget, Mr. Mangiaratti gave a brief update on health insurance, saying that a hiring freeze and other…