Acton names Douglas Sturniolo as new police chief
ACTON — The Town of Acton has appointed Douglas Sturniolo as chief of the Acton Police Department, an announcement posted to the town's website as residents head into a summer week reshaped by extreme heat warnings and holiday-week service changes.
TOWN HALL
The town confirmed the appointment of Douglas Sturniolo as the new chief of the Acton Police Department, according to a formal announcement on the town's website. Details on his start date and priorities were not included in the town's release, though the appointment follows recent community interest in the department's leadership transition.
Town officials also issued an extreme heat advisory this week, posting resources for residents to cope with the hot weather, according to the town's website. Separately, the town corrected its earlier notice on Independence Day weekend service hours, confirming that town offices and most non-emergency services were closed Friday, while the Acton Memorial Library and Transfer Station remained open Friday but closed Saturday.
The town also continues to highlight ongoing capital projects, including the Kelley's Corner Infrastructure Project, the Powder Mill Road Sewer Extension Project, the DPW Facility Project, and the MBTA/South Acton Village Planning Process, all listed among current initiatives on the town website.
COMMUNITY & ARTS
The Acton Memorial Library's summer slate continues this week with a mix of adult, teen, and children's programming. A scheduled evening talk, "Medium: Patricia Griffin," originally set for Tuesday, July 7, was canceled due to the presenter's illness and has been rescheduled for Monday, July 13, at 6 p.m.
Ongoing weekly programs include Acton Compassion-Knits on Wednesday, July 8, from 3:30 to 4:30 p.m., where participants knit or crochet charity donations, and the Books on Tap Book Club, also July 8, which meets off-site to discuss "A Guardian and a Thief" by Megha Majumdar. The library's "Lunch Bunch" free summer meal program for children and teens ages 2-18 continues Tuesdays and Wednesdays through July 29, from 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., supported by donated meals from local restaurants.
Teens can also join the Dungeons and Dragons Summer Club, weekly Peace Crane Folding sessions aimed at collecting 1,000 origami cranes for charity, and Tech Time drop-in help sessions with library staff on Thursdays.
ELSEWHERE IN THE NEWS
"🌱 Patch AM: Acton's senator joins push to avert UMass Memorial nurses' strike" — Acton Patch reports that a state senator representing Acton is involved in efforts to head off a possible nurses' strike at UMass Memorial, according to Patch's daily roundup (read it at https://patch.com/massachusetts/acton).
"🌱 Patch AM: What changes will Acton's new police chief prioritize first?" — Acton Patch had flagged the police leadership transition ahead of the town's formal confirmation, a story the town's News Flash also covered today with the announcement of Chief Sturniolo's appointment (read it at https://patch.com/massachusetts/acton).
"12 Sudbury Roads Included In 2026 Paving Project" — Patch reports on a regional paving initiative affecting a dozen Sudbury roads, part of broader MetroWest infrastructure coverage that touches on Acton-area transportation planning (read it at https://patch.com/massachusetts/sudbury/12-sudbury-roads-included-2026-paving-project).
COMING UP
The Historical Commission meets Wednesday, July 8. The Design Review Board and Water Resources Advisory Committee both meet Thursday, July 9. The Open Space Committee and Economic Development Committee meet Friday, July 10, the same evening as the NARA Summer Concert Series presents "Animals — The Maroon 5 Tribute." The rescheduled library talk "Medium: Patricia Griffin" is set for Monday, July 13, at 6 p.m.