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Friday, November 22, 2024

Historic $4B economic development bill clears path for major housing expansion in Devens

After months of negotiation, the Massachusetts House and Senate, meeting in special session last week, passed and sent to Gov. Maura Healey the $4 billion “Mass Leads” economic development bill she proposed in February, including two provisions that could dramatically increase housing in Devens.

Friday, November 22, 2024

With fatter budget and flat property values, tax rate set to rise nearly 5%

The tax bills of most property owners will jump in January to cover the rising cost of town government, including the Proposition 2½ override approved by voters last spring.

Friday, November 22, 2024

Proposal for Small land adds to Harvard’s search for additional athletic fields

The Select Board’s quest to find land for athletic playing fields has expanded to include the possibility of using the town-owned land behind Hildreth Elementary School, known as the Small land, for two playing fields and a ball field. 

Friday, November 22, 2024

Select Board to evaluate field sites, aims to winnow list by January

Here are the sites currently under consideration by the Select Board for additional athletic fields.

Friday, November 22, 2024

Parks and Rec requests over $4 million to reconstruct track, create field house

While the Parks and Recreation Commission continues its search for a location to install new athletic fields, an existing facility has outlived its expected lifespan and needs to be revived—the McCurdy Track and the playing field inside it. 

Friday, November 22, 2024

Schools trim budget request by $465,000

The fiscal 2026 budget request that School Committee members voted to approve last Monday was about $465,000 smaller than the budget the committee had discussed just a week before.

Friday, November 15, 2024

Election analysis: Harvard follows state, neighboring towns—mostly

It was no surprise that Harvard, like Massachusetts, supported the Democratic nominee, Kamala Harris. But Harvard joined only a few other towns in the state to say “no” to ballot Question 2, which asked if the state should drop the requirement that high school students pass the grade 10 MCAS test to graduate.

Friday, November 15, 2024

Drought reaches critical level; all outdoor burning banned

An exceptionally dry fall prompted the state to raise the drought level in Central and Northeast Massachusetts from mild to critical on Nov. 7. The critical region includes Harvard, and the declaration prompted Fire Chief Rick Sicard to ban all outdoor fires in town.

Friday, November 15, 2024

Preliminary plans for pump track at Harvard Park inch forward

The Parks and Recreation Commission voted Nov. 4 to authorize Bruce Ringwall of engineering firm Goldsmith, Prest, and Ringwall to create a conceptual plan for a circular bicycle course, known as a pump track, in Harvard Park on Lancaster County Road.

Friday, November 15, 2024

School Committee predicts need for override in FY26

After weeks of work by its budget subcommittee and school administrators, this week the full School Committee saw a draft of the proposed school budget request for fiscal 2026. 

Friday, November 8, 2024

Harvard voters back Harris and Warren, vote to keep MCAS as a graduation requirement

Harvard voters turned out in substantial, though not record-breaking, numbers for this 2024 presidential election. Overall, 84% of the town’s 4,800 registered voters cast ballots. That’s down slightly from the 91% turnout rate in 2020, but still impressive compared to this year’s statewide turnout of 67%.

Friday, November 8, 2024

How Harvard voted on the candidates

Harvard voters largely agreed with those across Massachusetts in the presidential and senatorial races. Of Harvard's 4,800 registered voters, 4,042 (84.2%) case ballots. Here are the preliminary results.

Friday, November 8, 2024

How Harvard voted on the ballot questions

While Harvard voters largely agreed with those across Massachusetts in the presidential and senatorial races, the five ballot questions followed a slightly different pattern. Harvard voters agreed with the state on Questions 1, 4, and 5, but differed on Question 2.

Friday, November 8, 2024

Youth survey finds less stress and substance abuse; more bullying, harassment

Last spring, more than 400 Bromfield students answered a broad range of questions as part of the Youth Risk Behavior Survey, sponsored by Emerson Hospital. The questions dealt with stress, depression, sexual activity, drug and alcohol use, self-harm, and more.

Friday, November 1, 2024

Election 2024: What’s on the ballot?

For those who have yet to cast their ballots, the Press offers this guide to remind voters about the eight elective offices and five binding statewide ballot questions that they will need to consider on the day.

Friday, November 1, 2024

Sena and Eldridge discuss accomplishments, ballot questions, and what makes them proud

Harvard’s delegates to the Legislature, Rep. Dan Sena and Sen. Jamie Eldridge, are unopposed in this year’s state election. Nevertheless, the Press invited them to respond to seven questions on the minds of Harvard residents. Here are the questions asked and their responses.

Friday, November 1, 2024

Third time’s the charm: Final opioid listening session draws an engaged crowd

Things looked pretty dismal when the first two of three sessions intended to gather input from residents on how to spend the town’s opioid settlement funds drew a crowd of one. But the third session, held in person at the Harvard Senior Center on Oct. 22, was attended by nine residents who brought a variety of perspectives on the topic.

Friday, October 25, 2024

Healey visits Ayer for first time since Nashoba hospital closure, vows to revitalize region’s health care system

Gov. Maura Healey traveled to Ayer Town Hall Tuesday morning to attend a meeting of the group tasked by her administration with rebuilding the emergency services and regional health care system disrupted by Steward Health Care.

Friday, October 25, 2024

State Ballot Question 2 will decide role of MCAS in high school graduation

Passage of Ballot Question 2 would end the current requirement that a student must pass the 10th-grade Massachusetts Comprehensive Assessment System (MCAS) to graduate from high school. If Question 2 is defeated, the requirement will stay in place.

Friday, October 25, 2024

State Ballot Question 5: Raising tipped employees’ wages to the state minimum

Question 5 on the Massachusetts state ballot asks voters to decide if the minimum wage for tipped employees should be raised from $6.75 per hour to the state’s minimum hourly wage over a five-year period.

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