Dave Watkins

Rutland town offices and the public library both adjusted their hours this month amid tighter budgets and ongoing street work. Town Hall and the Town Annex posted new office hours in a News Flash alert, while the Rutland Free Public Library, headed by Director Kerry Remington, confirmed…

Milford home sales rose in June while prices eased, new housing data shows. According to Patch's "Milford Home Sales Rose In June As Prices Dipped," the town recorded roughly 25 home sales for the month even as the median sale price slipped slightly — a modest shift for a Milford housin…

Grafton lands a statewide accessibility grant as town hall opens applications for a new traffic panel. The town was named one of six New England communities to receive a 2026 SMILE Mass Floating Beach Wheelchair Grant, funding a floating wheelchair to improve access at Silver Lake Beach…

Athol Public Library launches Teen Jeopardy and a two-day escape room challenge for local teens this week. The library has Teen Jeopardy scheduled for Monday, July 20, at 3:30 p.m., followed by multiple sessions of an escape room challenge, "Escape From the Terrible Thicket," on July 22…

Ashburnham posted news of a new outdoor concert at Winchester Park today, while Stevens Memorial Library announced a $20,000 provisional federal grant win. The Massachusetts Board of Library Commissioners awarded the Library Services and Technology Act grant to fund "At the Table: Food …

A Templeton man turned a lucky tee shot into a brand-new car this week. He sank a hole-in-one at the Swings for Seniors charity golf tournament in West Springfield and handed the prize straight to his wife, Western Mass News reports. The July 14 win is the standout Templeton item circul…

Spencer's Town Hall rolled out its 2026 summer concert schedule and a wildfire-smoke safety advisory for outdoor workers via the official News Flash feed on July 17, while the Richard Sugden Library kicked off its all-ages Summer Reading program. Town boards have a busy week ahead: the …

Flanders Road closes July 18 for I-495/I-90 interchange work as Town Hall also warns of a permit email scam. The town's News Flash system detailed the closure and detour alongside a Conservation Commission summer meeting schedule change and an August 12 Spotted Lanternfly identification…

Rutland Free Public Library cut its hours effective July 1, citing budget restrictions, and will stay closed on Saturdays through Labor Day. The Main Street branch, led by Library Director Kerry Remington, now opens Tuesdays 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., Wednesdays 10 a.m. to 8 p.m., Thursdays noo…

Athol Public Library opens registration for a two-session "Escape From the Terrible Thicket" escape room set for Wednesday and Thursday, July 22-23, one of several new programs the library announced this week. Teens can compete in a Jeopardy-style trivia night Monday, July 20, at 3:30 p…