A well marked home saves lives in an emergency: Request your sign
The Harvard Fire Department, with the help of Bromfield senior Zach Schoenberg, has been working to place reflective house number signs at driveways around Harvard. Police, ambulance, and fire personnel need to be able to quickly locate a house in case of emergency, especially at night.
Selectboard Chair Stu Sklar said he came to appreciate a well marked driveway after having difficulty finding driveways when delivering supplies to senior citizens last year— even in daylight hours. He was one of the first residents to sign up for a driveway sign and encourages others to get them, too.
Any resident who wants a reflective house number sign for their driveway should email firefighter Jen Schoenberg at JSchoenberg@harvard-ma.gov as soon as possible. All signs are being paid for with SAFE grant money and are free to Harvard residents.
From left, Zach Schoenberg, Stu Sklar, and Jen Schoenberg (with canines Alice and Elsie) stand on Scott Road beside the reflective house number recently installed at Sklar’s driveway. (Courtesy photo)
Christmas trees still available
The Bromfield Baseball Booster Club is selling Christmas trees next to Harvard Realty. Fraser firs and balsams 6 to 8 feet tall will be offered Saturday, Dec. 18, and Sunday, Dec. 19, from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.
‘Fill the Cruiser’ ends Friday
The Harvard Police Association is holding its annual “Fill the Cruiser’’ event through Friday, Dec. 17. This year’s drive benefits abused and neglected children in the Worcester County court system. Use the drop-off box in the Harvard Police Department lobby (40 Ayer Road) to donate gift cards from Amazon or other stores like Staples, Target, TJ Maxx, or Market Basket. Learn more about court-appointed special advocates for foster children at thecasaproject.org. Contact Trish Rouvel at 978-456-8276 or prouvel@harvard-ma.gov with questions.
Avoid losing service in 3G shutdown
If your mobile phone is more than a few years old, you may need to upgrade—or risk losing service—when your mobile provider shuts down its 3G network. For more information on mobile providers’ plans for 3G retirement and how to prepare, contact your provider. Some providers will begin withdrawing 3G service as soon as Dec. 31.
Transfer Station holiday hours
The Transfer Station will be closed on Saturday, Dec. 25, and Saturday, Jan. 1, but will be open from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Monday, Dec. 27, and Monday, Jan. 3. Wednesday hours will be unaffected by the holidays.
New driveway patterns at elementary school
The school is shifting its pickup and drop-off pattern to use the new driveway and loop around the parking lot at Hildreth Elementary School. Use only the driveway across from Pond Road when entering and exiting the school parking lot; Fairbank Street is no longer open during the school day.
Avoid stopping in the striped box at the head of the driveway; the buses need that space to turn into the driveway when leaving school.
The bus lane is for buses only, except for parents picking up a half-day kindergarten student or a sick child at the nurse’s office. Anyone dropping off a child after the school day starts or picking up a child early should use the new Pond Road driveway; either park in the lot or pull up to the “Pickup/Drop-off only” signs and walk the student into the building.
The speed limit on school property is always 5 mph, including on the new driveway.
Avoid Pond Road
Work on the water pipes under Pond Road is ongoing. While work is underway, cars should avoid Pond Road, and people who want to reach the pond should walk there. According to town officials, water service will not be interrupted during this project, which will allow town well #2 to be brought back online after it was closed due to coliform contamination months ago.
Food pantry open for drive-thru pickup
The Loaves & Fishes food pantry, 234 Barnum Road, Devens, serves residents of Harvard, Ayer, Dunstable, Devens, Groton, Littleton, and Shirley. It will be open for drive-thru access Dec. 18, 20, 22, and 29, 9 a.m. to noon. For more information, visit loavesfishes pantry.org.
Hunting season underway
Deer hunting with “primitive firearms” (shoulder-fired muzzleloaders) continues through Dec. 31. By state law, hunting is prohibited on Sunday. Walkers should wear blaze orange vests or caps and make their presence known by whistling or talking loudly, and they should also keep their pets leashed and outfitted with bright vests or bandanas. For more information, go to www.mass.gov/service-details/safety-tips-for-non-hunters.
Archery hunting has begun on 13 conservation properties until Dec. 31. For a list of the properties open to hunting and for information on the program, visit bit.ly/3lMA1wL.
To report hunting violations, call the Massachusetts Environmental Police at 800-632-8075.
Parker School applications available
The Francis W. Parker Charter Essential School in Devens is now accepting applications for students entering grades 7, 8, and 9. Application deadline is Feb. 1, 2022. Apply at theparkerschool.org/enrollment/enrollment-application. More information about the school may be found at theparkerschool.org.
Fort Devens noise report
- Dec. 1 to 31: small arms ranges
- Dec. 1 to 22: demolitions
- Dec. 27 to 30: demolitions
Annual ‘Messiah Sing’ canceled
Because of ongoing COVID-19 concerns, the Harvard Unitarian Universalist Church will not be hosting the annual Messiah Sing. The church hopes to reinstate this local tradition in the 2022 holiday season. The tentative date is Dec. 18, 2022.
