Do you remember?

What was going on in Harvard a year ago today ... 5, 10, 15 years ago? Here are Press headlines from previous issues on or near today’s date. 

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February 8, 2008

• Devens housing process on boil, not simmer
• Ayer Road business robbed
• Obama takes Bromfield
• Caucus heats up two races
• Department of Ed praises special ed improvements

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February 6, 2009

• Layoffs limited in fiscal year 2009
• ‘Worst week ever’ at library
• FinCom plots new strategy for FY10
• Ann Lee Road standoff ends peacefully

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February 5, 2010

• Charrette reveals vision of vibrant town center
• Selectmen approve town’s first two off-premise liquor license applications
• ‘Chronicle’ show to air Monday
• Groton’s cable access program soars, while Harvard’s inches along

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February 11, 2011

• Heavy snow loads close the schools
• Snow causes roof collapse at Appleworks building
• CPIC pushes for ‘quasi decision’ on Municipal Buildings Committee proposal at quad board meeting

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February 10, 2012

• Trinity pitches plan to Historical Commission
• Selectmen to request local MBTA hearing
• New strategy helps Healing Garden compete for scarce funds
• Capital Committee: Add road repairs to excluded debt

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February 8, 2013

• Appleworks to be temporary Town Hall
• Town caucus seeks candidates for 17 open seats
• Grading Bromfield: NEASC delivers a mixed report card
• FinCom sets final wish list items; earmarks dollars for OPEB

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February 7, 2014

• Park Association seeks CPC funds for McCurdy Track resurfacing
• No referendum on Devens at town elections this spring
• Oxbow explains fire control policy; some remain unsatisfied
• Two Brittany spaniels declared ‘dangerous’ at dog hearing
• Meet-the-candidate forums scheduled for HES principal candidates

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February 6, 2015

• February 10 hearing set for zoning changes in Devens
• Decided: Town offices to move to old library
• DPW digs out from historic snowfall, responds to complaints

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February 5, 2016

• Selectmen back off plan for majority membership on Municipal Affordable Housing Trust
• Harvard will receive state funds to solve K-wing problems, upgrade HES
• No easy solutions as General Store struggles for profitability
• Town will vote on charter question in April

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February 10, 2017

• Three bidders respond to RFP for Hildreth housing engineering study
• Bromfield to offer ‘global competency’ certificate
• Community Harvest survives 2016’s small apple crop
• Selectmen choose new DPW director
• Parking clerk named, police can issue tickets
• Legislation threatens millions in future local aid from lottery
• 2017 Annual Town Meeting Warrant: Higher spending, few surprises

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February 9, 2018

• Selectmen raise propane tank disposal fees
• League announces forum on running for office, engaging with town government
• Selectmen vote to implement SMART recycling
• From pot to school construction, BOS gets first look at 2018 Town Warrant
• New school could cost $53 million; state would pay a third
• Overlay district would encourage preservation of farms through agritourism

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February 8, 2019

• Cut or override? Select Board sends unfinished budget to Finance Committee
• Personnel Board sets ceiling on merit pay for nonunion workers
• Park and Rec votes to permit skating lessons at town center ice rink

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February 7, 2020

• Pouring license for Carlson Orchards edges toward approval
• Distracted driver strikes hydrant, disrupting schools, town water, businesses
• Harvard men wanted for helping Nissan tycoon escape
• FinCom, School Committee struggle with budget
• Board drops plan for Hildreth connector

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February 5, 2021

• Council on Aging considers former medical building for senior center
• Harvard police will soon have Tasers, purchased with a grant
• Outdated punch card purchase procedure irks residents
• Town committees say Park and Rec parcels are unsuitable for athletic fields

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February 4, 2022

• Snowstorm delivers less than promised, DPW and public safety deliver more
• Fire, ambulance, and finance add to requests for additional staff support
• Crane test shows visual impact of cell tower limited to center of town

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February 3, 2023

• State says town must close and monitor long-dormant landfill
• New Seqens lab joins growing biotech, pharmaceutical cluster at Devens
• Architects honored for work on HES
• Ayer Road report envisions mixed-use projects to discourage sprawl

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February 9, 2024

• Plans for Devens-Harvard connector path stall as proponents and stakeholders wrangle
• Steward executive says hospitals will not close; officials’ concerns unresolved
• Select Board takes first step to sell Bromfield House
• Vision for athletic fields and future complex at Harvard Woods takes shape

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February 7, 2025

• Immigration policies worry families, schools, and churches
• Seven open seats at Town Election: What’s it like to serve?

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Logged-on subscribers can read the stories behind these headlines and more in the Harvard Press online archives.