Flea Market booths available
There is still booth space available at the Oct. 6 Harvard Flea Market. Be part of one of Harvard’s signature events and sell some of those items that are just taking up space in your attic or basement. Visit harvardfleamarket.com for more information and to download the booth reservation form. The fee is $50 for Harvard/Still River/Devens residents; $75 for out-of-town vendors. Proceeds benefit the Harvard Schools Trust and the League of Women Voters of Harvard.
Join Harvard Ambulance!
The Harvard Ambulance Service personnel will train you to become an EMT. Class starts in the fall. For more details email hr@harvardEMS.org.
Cultural Council is accepting grant applications
Each year the Harvard Cultural Council, which is part of a network of 329 local councils serving all cities and towns in Massachusetts, funds a wide variety of activities, including community gatherings, plays, festivals, arts and science education, and other projects focusing on local history, diversity, restoration, and preservation. Last year the council awarded $4,500, supporting 17 projects in and around Harvard.
Applications for the council’s 2019 grant cycle will be available online starting Saturday, Sept. 1. Additional details and forms can be accessed online at www.mass-culture.org/Harvard. Applications are due Monday, Oct. 15. Local individuals and organizations are encouraged to apply. Please contact chairwoman Lucy Clerkin at harvardculturalcouncil@gmail.com for more information.
2018 Harvard election dates
Harvard’s town clerk reminds residents of these dates:
- Sept. 4 – State Primary
- Sept. 17 – Special Town Caucus
- Nov. 6 – State Election and Special Town Election
State health officials announce first human cases of West Nile virus
The Massachusetts Department of Public Health (DPH) has announced the state’s first three human cases of West Nile virus (WNV) this year: a woman in her 70s from Worcester County who was hospitalized and later discharged, a woman in her 60s from Middlesex County who was not hospitalized, and a woman in her 50s from Suffolk County who was hospitalized and later discharged. In addition, a horse stabled in Hampshire County was infected, became severely ill, and was euthanized.
DPH has raised the risk level for WNV from low to moderate in every Massachusetts city and town. This is only the second time since WNV was first detected in the commonwealth that public health officials have raised the risk level statewide. Residents are urged to take precautions to avoid mosquito bites. For more information visit www.mass.gov/dph/mosquito or call 617-983-6800.
League of Women Voters provides online voter guide for state primary
With the state primary coming up next Tuesday, Sept. 4, the League of Women Voters of Massachusetts (LWVM) is giving citizens a handy online reference about federal, state, and local candidates. The 2018 Voter’s Guide, found at www.informedvoterma.org is an easy way to study the candidates and create a sample ballot. Voters can even send their ballot to a smart phone and use it as a reference at the polls.
The information provided in the guide is nonpartisan. The League does not support or oppose any candidate or political party. The information in the guide is aggregated from candidate websites, social media, and the press. If there is no information for a candidate in the guide, that means that no online sources were available for that candidate.
In a primary election such as on Sept. 4, voters are asked to choose a specific ballot from Democratic, Republican, and Libertarian options, and choose candidates to represent that party in the general election in November. The voter’s guide first asks for a voter’s address and party choice and then produces an online list of all federal, state, and local candidates that will appear on that voter’s ballot.
Most candidate listings have a photo and information about that person’s experience and education. Each candidate’s responses to three to five key questions are included. Topics include the 2020 US census, climate change, gun safety, immigration, housing, transportation, education, and Social Security. The LWVM emailed a questionnaire to each candidate for each race featured in the guide, but not all candidates responded.
“Democracy is not a spectator sport,” said Meg Bagdonas, president of the LWV in Harvard. “The 2018 Voter’s Guide empowers voters with comprehensive information about voting, elections, and candidates to help them participate fully in their government,” she added. For more information about the League of Women Voters of Harvard, go to www.LWVHarvard.org.
