May 2025

Volunteers of the year honored with 2025 Faulkner awards

May 31, 2025

by The Acton Exchange Team

On May 22, the Select Board honored five Acton residents by bestowing Colonel Francis Faulkner Sr. Exemplary Volunteer of the Year awards to Pat Clifford, Peter Darlow, Michaela Moran, Sahana Purohit, and John Watlington. In a ceremony in the Meeting Room of Acton Memorial Library, the honorees were…

Acton rallies to defend immigrant rights amid ICE raids

May 31, 2025

by Greg Jarboe

On the evening of May 21, 2025, the Acton Democratic Town Committee (ADTC) convened a packed Community Forum on Immigration, responding to a surge in Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) raids in Acton and nearby towns that has shaken this small, diverse Massachusetts town. Just ten days earlier,…

Local Nordic skiing team caps successful season

May 31, 2025

Max KaufmannandLaura Krieger

Who has the most fun in the snow? Nordic skiers! Training on ever-growing landscapes of man-made and natural snow at the Weston Ski Track, and spending some fun-filled weekends on idyllic trails and steep mountains throughout New England, the Acton-Boxborough-Nashoba (ABN) Nordic Ski team had a fantastic 2025…

Acton Garden Club’s annual plant sale is beehive of activity

May 31, 2025

Greg JarboeandAnn Marie Testarmata

The Acton Garden Club’s annual plant sale transformed the grounds of the historic Red House at 468 Main Street into a beehive of activity and joy on Saturday, May 17, 2025. Garden Club members hurried to and fro, attending to last minute details and donning their Acton Garden…

The Bulletin Board – May 31, 2025

May 31, 2025

by The Acton Exchange Team

The Acton Exchange Bulletin Board is for volunteer opportunities and other announcements not tied to a single specific time and date. Please send your Bulletin Board announcements to editors@actonexchange.org. (Calendar events are submitted separately to calendar@actonexchange.org.) Free admission on summer Friday nights returns June 20 at Discovery Museum…

A man wearing a t-shirt and sporting a light beard and mustache looks intently at the camera.

Obituary: Adam Richard Mitchell-Hardt

May 31, 2025

by Family

Adam Richard Mitchell-Hardt, 41, passed away amid the beauty of the Remutaka Cycle Trail in Masterson, NZ on May 3, 2025. A Celebration of life service will be held at First Parish in Concord, MA (20 Lexington Road) on June 14 at 2 p.m. EDT. Born on July…

Mural in West Acton unveiled

May 31, 2025

by Sarah Shamel

The clouds were just beginning to part after Thursday’s Nor’easter, as a few dozen Actonions gathered on the still-damp pavement in West Acton Village on Friday morning to witness the unveiling of a new public art installation. “Public art helps create a community identity,” Town Manager John Mangiaratti…

Acton’s Memorial Day Parade honors those who gave their lives

May 31, 2025

Sharon GruetandFranny Osman

Memorial Day in Acton kicked off with a march from Acton-Boxborough Regional High School (ABRHS) to the Isaac Davis monument. In this 250th celebratory year, where better to be than to be the site of the revolution’s first veteran – Isaac Davis. The Minutemen reenactors led the march…

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Select Board Notes: May 12, 2025 and May 19, 2025

May 31, 2025

by Tom Beals

Opening remarks: In opening remarks to the May 12 and May 19, 2025 Acton Select Board meeting following the ICE action on May 10, a resident asked the Board for details regarding the Acton Police duty to respond to requests for assistance from other law enforcement agencies, and…

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School Committee Update: May 8, 2025 and May 22, 2025 meetings

May 31, 2025

by Diane Baum

District projects end-of-year surplus of $4.4M, teachers ask to restore cut positions As part of the third quarter financial report, Director of Finance and Operation Sheri Matthews announced at the May 8 School Committee business meeting that the district is projecting a significant end-of-year revenue surplus of approximately…

Acton Nature Watch: Flower Moon (April 27 – May 25)

May 31, 2025

by Rob Gogan

April April 24: TROUT LILIES show their yellow face-down flowers for a few short days near Mass. Ave. in West Acton. April 26: PILEATED WOODPECKER climbs CHERRY TREE in Acton condo and casts a suspicious glance through a window at their human spectator. April 27: NORWAY MAPLE blossoms…

AB softball: A full slate of games

May 31, 2025

by James Conboy

The AB Revs softball team had a busy few weeks, with a double-header against Concord-Carlisle Regional High School (CC) on May 19 followed by a Memorial Day makeup game against Shepherd Hill Regional (SH) on May 26. Revs earn split in double-header with CCRHS after bats heat up…

AB baseball feasts on Waltham walks, while defense, pitching shut down Hawks

May 31, 2025

by James Conboy

Despite being outhit 10-6, The AB Revolution took advantage of nine Waltham walks, while giving up only three themselves, to earn a 7-5 win over the Hawks on Senior Night. Trailing 2-0 in the third inning, the Revs broke the ice in their half when Leo Ciccone scored…

YV Museum concert: fascinating sounds from fantastical instruments

May 31, 2025

by Meg Stafford

It was impossible to know what to expect from the May 18 concert at the YV Museum. The photo alone does not conjure the possibilities of sound and motion that are created by this metal sculpture composed of some recognizable parts (Buddha head, horse shoes, hubcaps, parts of…

New economic development director outlines vision for Acton

May 31, 2025

by Tom Beals

Newly appointed Economic Development Director Patricia Costa introduced herself at the May 19, 2025 Select Board meeting, outlining her background and priorities for fostering the town’s economic and cultural vitality. Ms. Costa, originally from Brazil, brings her experience as a former college professor, where she guided students in…

Strategic Economic Development Action Plan: Public Comment Period Open until June 3rd

May 31, 2025

by The Acton Exchange Team

RKG Associates, Inc. was hired by the Town of Acton, MA, to develop a Strategic Economic Development Action Plan (SEDAP) aimed at guiding the town’s economic growth and business diversification from 2024 to 2034. The plan combines market trends, stakeholder interviews, and public engagement, incorporating feedback from both…

Town Manager Mangiaratti updates seniors on Town projects, roadwork, and budgets

May 31, 2025

by Greg Jarboe

Acton Town Manager John Mangiaratti provided a series of Town updates and engaged in a lively question-and-answer session with residents at the Acton Senior Center during his “Java with John” program on Friday morning, May 16, 2025. The event, broadcast live on local television, covered a wide range…

Salt & Sand Gallery opens for season with Acton artist Howard Wang

May 31, 2025

Mark MalinowskiandRandy Pipkin

Salt & Sand Fine Art Gallery, a collective of nine artists nestled in the vibrant Kennebunk, Maine community, celebrates its second season with a wide variety of new art created by both emerging and award-winning artists living throughout Maine and New England. The Gallery is located at 2…

ICE conducts federal immigration enforcement operation in Acton

May 18, 2025

by Greg Jarboe

On Saturday afternoon, May 10, 2025, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) conducted a federal immigration enforcement operation in Acton, Massachusetts. Several residents of the town witnessed what happened on Great Road (Route 2A). However, the community didn’t know who had been taken away by U.S. Immigration and…

Popup rally to protest ICE arrests draws large crowd

May 18, 2025

by Miriam Lezak

On Mother’s Day afternoon, several hundred people gathered in front of Acton Town Hall to protest the Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) action that occurred on Great Road (Rt 2A) less than 24 hours before. The protest, organized by The Peacemakers Network, Indivisible Acton Area, and other groups,…