Community - Page 18

Java with John: Budgets, buildings, and the everyday work of running Acton

December 20, 2025
On a cold December morning at the Senior Center, Acton Town Manager John Mangiaratti did what he has been doing since 2018: shared coffee, invited questions, and offered residents a candid look at how their town is being run. The December 12 edition of Java with John featured a wide-ranging discussion of budgets, construction projects, housing, traffic, energy, and public safety, grounded, not in abstractions, but in the practical realities of municipal governance. Mangiaratti opened with a reminder that while most residents are thinking about the end of calendar year 2025, town officials are already halfway through Fiscal Year 2026.…

Freezin’ for a Reason

February 8, 2025
A total of 60 hearty souls braved 27-degree temperatures, minus the wind chill, to take an aptly-named Polar Plunge on Feb. 1 at NARA Park, and raised $10,483.00 for the Massachusetts Special Olympics. Safety was paramount for the people climbing up to the dunk tank, with guides at…

Acton Garden Club Horticulture Hints for February 2025

February 8, 2025
“Check out stored bulbs, rhizomes, roots, corms, etc. of Canna, Dahlia, Gladiolus, and other summer flowering “bulbs” and cull any that are rotting or have shriveled beyond recognition.” * *Ron Kujawski, Berkshire Botanical Garden, January 13, 2025 “Do some winter planning this month. When the plants lose their…

January 2025 (Wolf Moon): Acton Nature Watch

February 8, 2025
December December 15: A CRAYFISH scuttles across the gravel bottom of Nagog Brook, still free of ice cover. Kyran Vig, a student at Acton-Boxborough Regional High School who monitors stream depth weekly for the Green Acton Water Committee, noticed the crustacean next to the stream gauge. Biologists at…

The Bulletin Board

February 8, 2025
The Acton Exchange team is pleased to announce that calendar events will now be shared in our online calendar. Going forward, we hope organizations will learn how to enter their own events into the calendar. Write to calendar@actonexchange.org for more details. Volunteer opportunities and other announcements (Please send…

Open house at DPW draws curious crowds

February 1, 2025
On Saturday, January 25, the Acton Department of Public Works (DPW) opened its doors and driveways to the public for a series of tours. The tours, led by several DPW employees, allowed Acton residents to get a peek at what goes on behind the scenes to keep the…
A map of the New England coast. A yellow star shows off the coast of Maine and many little dots show where people reported feeling the quake. The dots extend from north of Portland to south of Providence, RI and west of Springfield, MA.

Earthquake felt in Acton

February 1, 2025
On Monday, Jan. 27, at 10:22am EST, an earthquake shook the seafloor offshore York, Maine, sending out shock waves that were felt throughout New England, including in Acton. For the next two days, I asked every Actonian I met if they had felt the earthquake and I asked…

Acton celebrates the Lunar New Year

February 1, 2025
To celebrate the Lunar New Year 2025, the Acton Chinese American community partnered with local organizations to host a variety of events. On January 18, the Acton Memorial Library held a vibrant community celebration featuring activities such as lion dancing, cultural dance performances, calligraphy, and paper cutting. Shine-A-Light…
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Select Board Notes: Jan. 27, 2025

February 1, 2025
Opening remarks: A resident whose renovation would trigger an all-electric mandate asked the Board for assistance; and an Ironworks Farm representative asked for the use of an unpaved public way near the Faulkner House to grow flax (the fiber source for linen) for use in Acton 250 events.…

ABRHS whiz kids on GBH’s High School Quiz Show

January 25, 2025
Acton-Boxborough Regional High School (ABRHS) has a team that will be competing in Season 16 of GBH’s High School Quiz Show, and a strategy for winning the academic tournament for Massachusetts high school students. I interviewed three of four members of the ABRHS team last week along with…
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School Committee Update: December 19, 2024 and January 16, 2025 Meetings

January 25, 2025
School Committee approves Sustainability Policy The School Committee voted unanimously at their January 16 business meeting to approve a revised environmental Sustainability Policy. The updated policy strengthens the District’s commitment to renewable energy technologies and energy and resource conservation. The District will provide annual reports documenting greenhouse gas…

Town Manager updates residents at Java with John

January 25, 2025
Acton Town Manager John Mangiaratti gave town updates at his monthly Java with John meeting at the Acton Senior Center. Here are the key takeaways from the meeting: The second half of the meeting focused on specific town initiatives and resident concerns. Finally, the meeting concluded with a…
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