by the staff of the Harvard Press ·
Saturday, March 28, 2020
Updated March 28, 2020 at 6:00 p.m.
Eleven days into a state of emergency, all town buildings, including the new and old libraries, remained closed, as were athletic fields and parks. Residents made the best of roads and sidewalks or headed to conservation areas and trails to stretch their legs. Some took to Bare Hill Pond to fish or paddle. There was conversation to be had at the Transfer Station—at a respectful distance—during Saturday hours. “I’ve never seen so many cars at Bowers Springs, ever,” commented one visitor.
All non-essential businesses in the state are closed until at least April 7. Only essential businesses are allowed to remain open, a designation that allowed restaurants, equipment stores, garages, food stores, and package stores in town to continue operating under rules designed to prevent the spread of COVID-19. Those businesses continue to adjust their hours and offerings as they experiment with ways to stay in business while adhering to COVID-19 safe practices. We’ve confirmed their status as of March 28.
In other news, President Donald Trump issued a major disaster declaration for Massachusetts today that will make federal disaster assistance available beyond what was included in the national emergency declared by President Trump on March 13, 2020. And in an additional step to slow the spread of the virus via out-of-state visitors, Gov. Charlie Baker yesterday ordered all travelers arriving in Massachusetts to self-quarantine for 14 days. Visitors are instructed not to travel to Massachusetts if they are experiencing symptoms. Health care workers, public health workers, public safety workers, transportation workers, and designated essential workers are exempt from this requirement.
Baker also reported that he and Senate President Karen Spilka and House Speaker Robert DeLeo had agreed on legislation to extend the 2019 Massachusetts individual income tax filing and payment deadline from April 15 to July 15. The Internal Revenue Service and the Treasury Department have already said that tax filings and payments for all federal income taxes (including self-employment tax) are also due July 15. The legislature is also considering bills that would give the town the power to defer payment of property taxes. Motor vehicle licenses and inspection stickers due to expire between March 1 and April 30 have been granted a 60-day extension.
Meanwhile, the COVID-19 virus continues to spread. The Department of Public Health reported today that as of 4 p.m., the tally of deaths due to COVID-19 in Massachusetts has climbed to 44. The number of confirmed cases in the state has increased by 1,017 to 4,257. So far, no confirmed cases or deaths have been reported by the Harvard Board of Health.
Harvard Press reporters are tracking the decisions of Harvard’s town government, businesses, schools, and other organizations as they adjust to state and local efforts to slow the spread of COVID-19. We’ve created this State of the Town site to provide readers with a single source of verified information on what’s open, what’s not, and what may lie ahead. We review this information daily and update the page as needed; please send additions, updates, and corrections to editor@harvardpress.net.
Need help or want to help?
The Harvard Council on Aging is setting up an “Adopt a Senior” program to make trips for groceries and supplies for homebound seniors. Volunteers must be willing to get a CORI, be trained in and use proper safety procedures, and be available to help one or two seniors. Volunteers should call the COA at 978-456-4120, Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., and ask to speak with COA Director Debbie Thompson. Seniors in need should call the COA to be matched with a volunteer.
Nextdoor Harvard now has a Help Map feature, which allows residents to sign up to help neighbors or to get help from a neighbor who has signed up. Nextdoor Harvard leader Robert Curran posted that residents who sign up to help will be warned to take precautions when offering assistance, such as performing common-sense decontamination, and initiating noncontact interactions (leaving items on doorsteps, and arranging for remote reimbursement, for example). The Help Map appears on computer browsers on the Nextdoor homepage in a box to the right of the main column. On the Nextdoor mobile app or in a mobile browser, it will be a choice in the “More” selection of the main dropdown window.
Town Hall
The building is closed to the public until further notice. Town personnel are continuing to report for work either at Town Hall or at home and can be reached by phone or email during regular business hours, Monday through Thursday, at 978-456-4100 or harvard.ma.us. For information on how to access the town administration, the town clerk’s office, land use offices, finance department (including treasurer/tax collector and assessor), or inspectional services (building, electric, gas, plumbing), go to https://www.harvard.ma.us/home/urgent-alerts/access-town-departments-during-town-hall-closure.
Public Safety Building
Open hours have not changed, but all business will be conducted at the window only. Hours are Monday, 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.; Tuesday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.; and Saturday, 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. Closed Sundays.
Council on Aging
Hildreth House is closed, but staff is available by phone and email. All programs and gatherings are canceled until at least April 17. The COA will provide delivery of prepackaged lunches on Tuesdays and Thursdays to any senior in town who signs up for lunch delivery while Hildreth House is closed. Call the COA at 978-456-4120 to put your name on the list. Deliveries will be placed outside the door; there will be no contact between the delivery person and the recipient. COA vans will continue to offer rides for medical appointments. Meals on Wheels will continue to be delivered.
Library
The Harvard Public Library building is closed until further notice, but many of the library’s resources are still accessible.
Please do not return items while the library is closed. All items that were recently checked out will be renewed automatically, and all fines for overdue items will be waived.
Library staff will be present to answer reference questions and other queries by email or telephone. The children's department is launching virtual storytimes several mornings a week.
The online Spring Reading Challenge for Children started last week. There is a link to the program on the library's homepage
https://www.harvardpubliclibrary.org/children/blog/spring-reading-challenge
The library has a variety of online resources for both adults and children, including eBooks and eAudiobooks. It has also created virtual versions of some children’s programs, including the Lego Expo and the Edible Books Contest.
The library is now offering instant eCards for residents who may not have a card. There is a link to this service on the library’s homepage which then connects you to this page:
https://www.harvardpubliclibrary.org/about/programs/no-card-no-problem-new-temporary-ecards-available
The instant eCards work only with the Overdrive collection of eResources, but that is the largest of the collections.
Check harvardpubliclibrary.org for further updates. .
Transfer Station
Open at regularly scheduled hours, but with restrictions. Punch card items will not be accepted at this time; town officials are working on a policy for extending card expirations. People must keep 6 feet apart from others, drop their trash and recyclables, and leave. All gatherings are prohibited. The “take it or leave it” section is closed.
Schools
All public and private elementary and public schools in the state are closed until at least Monday, May 4.
Village Nursery School
Closed at least until Monday, May 4.
School athletics
The Massachusetts Interscholastic Athletics Association (MIAA) has postponed the start of spring season until April 27. As that date approaches, the MIAA board will revisit its decision.
Town playing fields, parks, beach, and Conservation Trust trails
All playing fields, parks, playgrounds, the town beach, the Common, and the McCurdy Track in Harvard are closed until further notice. The 28 trails of the Harvard Conservation Trust remain open. (For trail descriptions and maps go to https://harvardconservationtrust.org/trails/) And although the beach is closed, fishermen and residents may launch their boats at the beach boat ramp and head out onto the pond.
Summer beach programs
No change; registration is open. See beach webpage at www.harvard.ma.us/node/34/news for more information.
Town committee and board meetings
In-person meetings of town committees and boards are canceled. All public meetings are now virtual, implemented by Zoom conferencing software, which is also the choice of several neighboring towns. Participants can join a posted meeting via Zoom by clicking on the link that appears at the top of the posted meeting agenda. There is no need to download or install software. For the agendas and times of upcoming meetings, go to https://www.harvard.ma.us/calendar-by-event-type/16. Meetings can also be joined via phone; the number to call is also on the agenda.
Committee chairs will continue to send their agendas to Town Clerk Marlene Kenney 48 hours in advance of their meeting times. Instead of assigning a group a physical meeting room in Town Hall or elsewhere, she will assign one of four available virtual meeting rooms. Residents can either join a meeting as a participant or simply watch the proceedings on the Harvard Cable TV Facebook page. Because they will no longer be held in a physical room, meetings will not be broadcast live on cable. However, a recording and a transcript will be posted soon after on the HCTV Facebook page, as is currently done.
Town Caucus and Town Election
The March 23 Town Caucus was rescheduled to May 11. The Town Election has been moved to June 23. The delay of caucus delays the nomination of candidates for several open seats on the Select Board, School Committee, Library Trustees, and Warner Free Lecture Trustees.
Special 37th Middlesex State Election
The March 31, 2020 Special State Election in the 37th Middlesex District has been postponed until Tuesday, June 2, 2020.
Town Clerk Kenney has encouraged voters to vote by absentee ballots and to mail them to Town Hall rather than risk coronavirus exposure by venturing out to the polls. To apply, visit the town clerk's webpage at https://www.harvard.ma.us/town-clerk. Contact the town clerk's office at (978) 456-4100 or by email at mkenney@harvard.ma.us for more information or with any questions.
MassDevelopment
The offices at 33 Andrews Parkway in Devens are closed to the public. The Devens Fire Department, Department of Public Works & Recreation, and Devens Utilities will continue providing essential services to the community.
Churches
- St. Theresa’s Catholic Church: Masses are canceled on Sundays, weekdays, and Holy Days of Obligation until further notice.
- Harvard Unitarian Church: Worship services and programs are canceled until further notice. Virtual services will be conducted via Zoom; for details see uuharvard.org
- Congregational Church: Services will be held online until further notice; see the church’s Facebook page for instructions
General Store
Only the online store is open, with curbside pickup available Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, and Saturday, noon to 3 p.m. Order ahead, online, at www.harvardgeneralstore.com for groceries, beer, wine, bakery items, prepared foods, as well as other pantry items, and copies of the Harvard Press. Small and large Harvard trash bags were restocked March 27, and may be ordered online as well. Contact the store at online@harvardgeneralstore.com or 978-430-0062.
Fivesparks
Closed until at least April 6. Links to online classes of interest will be posted on the website, which will be updated regularly.
Fruitlands Museum
The museum and grounds are closed until April 7.
Eateries
- Dunkin’ Donuts: Reduced hours are 5 a.m. to 5 p.m. at service window only.
- Siam Pepper Thai Cuisine: Hours: 11:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. and 4 to 8:45 p.m. Take-out services only; DoorDash delivery available.
- Sorrento's Pizzeria: Hours unchanged; take-out service only, online and text ordering available.
- Bull Run (Shirley): Delivering to Harvard Thursday to Saturday, 3 to 8:45 p.m., Wednesday and Sunday, 3 to 8 p.m. Featuring "family meals to go," pizza, and extensive delivery menu. Details at bullrunrestaurant.com/menus.
- Lucia’s Tavola and Markoh’s on Main (Ayer): Closed this week for an updated takeout menu. Call for updates at 978-391-4837.
- Il Forno (Littleton): Open for take-out orders, curbside pickup only, Tuesday to Thursday, 4 to 7 p.m. and Friday to Sunday, 4 to 8 p.m. Order from lunch or dinner menus, il-forno.com or 978-540-2880.
Supermarkets
Governor Baker has ordered all supermarkets in Massachusetts to provide shopping hours for seniors only; those hours are listed below. In addition, reusable bags are prohibited, plastic bags are no longer prohibited, and stores may not charge for plastic or paper bags. All supermarkets have closed in-store dining areas, and most have closed salad bars and other self-serve food areas.
- Market Basket: Effective Thursday, March 26, regular hours are 7 a.m to 6 p.m., daily. Customers 60 years and older may begin shopping at 6:00 a.m. daily.
- Roche Brothers: Open 8 a.m to 6 p.m daily. Opens at 7 a.m. for shoppers 60 and older and disabled persons. Curbside pickup of online orders is limited. Products visible online may not be available. The butcher counter is closed. The deli is open.
- Donelan’s Supermarket: Effective Thursday, March 26, regular hours are 7 a.m. to 7 p.m., daily. First hour of shopping, 7 a.m. to 8 a.m., is reserved for seniors. Online orders are suspended for now.
- Ayer Shop ߴn Save: Open regular hours, Monday to Saturday 7 a.m. to 9 p.m., Sunday 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. First hour of shopping, 7 a.m. to 8 a.m., is reserved daily for seniors and disabled people.
- Whole Foods Market: Westford store open daily 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. Customers 60 or older may begin shopping at 8 a.m. daily. Online shopping is available, but availability “must be confirmed at checkout,” according to the website.
Loaves & Fishes
The pantry is open as a drive-through service only; recorded message at 978-772-4627. Volunteers must sign up in advance by email, volunteer@loavesfishespantry.org
Pharmacies
Ayer Family Pharmacy, Acton Pharmacy (in West Acton), and CVS Pharmacy in Acton are all offering free delivery to Harvard. CVS also offers video MinuteClinic visits, see the website for details.
Banks
Rollstone Bank, Middlesex Savings Bank, and Main Street Bank are now conducting service at drive-through windows only. Call to access safety deposit boxes or conduct in-bank transactions
Veterinarians
- Harvard Family Pet Clinic: Open regular hours for urgent or routine care. Call two weeks ahead for medicine refills or prescription food, shipping services are experiencing delays.
- Shepherd Veterinary Clinic: Open regular hours for urgent or routine care. Pet owners must stay outside the building while pets are being treated; phone the posted number when you arrive.
Other businesses
- Carlson Orchards: Farm store open daily, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Offering apples, regular and hard cider, eggs, cheese, coffee beans, maple syrup, and other pantry items. For information, call 978-456-3916 or visit their Facebook page.
- The Fiber Loft: Closed until further notice.
- Harvard Kennels: Closed until further notice.
- Bodylines Pilates: Studio is closed. Offering virtual classes, see the website for more information.
- Harvard Cleaners: Closed until April 7.
- Z Drycleaners: Closed until April 7.
- The Grape Vine: Hours are 11 a.m. to 8 p.m., Monday through Saturday at the Harvard store.
- Indian Hill Music School: No on-site activities through May 4; online instruction available.
- Harvard Bowling Lanes: Closed until April 7.
- Harvard Outdoor Power Equipment: Open regular hours with social distancing.
- Mill Road Tire & Auto: Open Monday through Friday, 7 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
- Toreku Tractor and Equipment: Open regular hours with social distancing.
Miscellaneous
- Garden Club: March meetings of the Garden Club and Garden Club Board are canceled.
- Alcoholic Anonymous at the Congregational Church on Wednesday nights is canceled until further notice.
- Firefighter training/classes: Fire academy training has been suspended. Only career recruit classes have been deemed essential; all call/volunteer classes have been suspended.
- Nashoba Nursing Service & Hospice: All Well-Adult Clinics are canceled until the end of April. Updated schedules are available at www.nashoba.org.
For updates on scheduled happenings around town, go to our online Current Events page at https://www.harvardpress.com/Happenings/Current-Events
Up-to-date information on COVID-19 is available at cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov and at mass.gov/resource/information-on-the-outbreak-of-coronavirus-disease-2019-covid-19. Massachusetts residents can also subscribe to up-to-the-minute notifications from state health officials by texting COVIDMA to 888-777. The nonprofit mass211.org provides free, confidential information in several languages, both on its website and for callers who dial 211; callers may experience delays because of the high volume of calls.
If you have not done so yet, please register for MyConnect on the town website to receive townwide announcements as either a phone call, email, or text message. To sign up, click the “One-Step Notification Sign Up Now” button on the town website home page. All announcements will also be posted on the town website. Questions regarding town operations during the COVID-19 emergency may be emailed to asktheTA@Harvard.ma.us. The town website also has a COVID-19 page with various updates from the Town Administrator at https://www.harvard.ma.us/home/news/coronavirus-covid-19..