Tewksbury Community Market Returns July 16 With 30 Vendors

Tewksbury preps a July 16 community market as Patch reports a battery project approval and a bank sentencing. The town's News Flash detailed Thursday's Community Market, running 4 to 7 p.m. at Livingston Street Park with roughly 30 vendors, including food trucks, farms and sweets seller…

Stow Posts Level 3 Critical Drought Alert, Flags Barton Road Closure

Stow's town website is now displaying a Level 3 Critical Drought alert, its most prominent current notice, directing residents to the Alert Center for water-use guidance. Town Hall also posted a road closure notice for Barton Road and continues the Crescent Street Sidewalk Project, wher…

Stoneham Approves Housing Production Plan, Lands IT Modernization Grant

Stoneham's Housing Production Plan won approval this week, setting the town's course on housing supply as state Rep. Day and state Sen. Jason Lewis secured $290,000 for local priorities in the new $63.4 billion state budget, Patch reports. The town also landed a Community Compact IT gra…

Somerville Breaks Ground on 319-Home Affordable Housing Project

Developers are breaking ground on 319 new homes at the former Star Market site in Winter Hill. Wicked Local reports the affordable housing project's groundbreaking is set for this week, while Patch reports the city has opened applications for four rent-restricted apartments in a separat…

Sherborn Board of Health Urges Water Conservation Amid Drought

Sherborn officials urged private well owners to conserve water as a regional drought continues to lower groundwater levels. The town's Board of Health said in a News Flash notice that declining groundwater can affect both the quantity and quality of water drawn from private wells, and e…

Reading Rolls Out Automated Trash Program, Closes High Street for Repairs

Reading is overhauling trash and recycling collection while High Street closes for four days of repairs this week. Town Manager Jayne Wellman detailed the new automated program on the town's "Reading Between the Lines" podcast, and High Street will be closed to through traffic from Mond…

Newton Board Approves Walmart Fulfillment Facility Under New Variance Law

A Newton board approved a 20,000-square-foot Walmart fulfillment facility under a newly enacted variance law this week, as the city also opened a lottery for more than 70 affordable apartments at its newest residential development, per Newton Patch. The city separately announced a new d…

Natick Launches Survey on Interim Uses for Former Johnson School

Natick asks residents to weigh in on interim uses for the former Johnson School. Town staff this week posted a survey and a companion interim-use matrix outlining possible short-term options for the vacant elementary school property, part of a Johnson Future Use project that has pivoted…

Melrose Advances $10.3 Million Ell Pond Park Overhaul

Melrose is advancing a $10.3 million overhaul of Ell Pond Park that would add new pickleball courts, while the city also launched a new online tool designed to make thousands of public documents easier for residents to search and access. The park project remains in the planning stages, …

Littleton-Area Transit Group Receives $96,690 State Grant

CrossTown Connect wins $96,690 grant to relaunch regional transportation programs serving Littleton. The Transportation Management Association's award, announced by the town this week, will help restore transit services the group runs across Littleton and surrounding communities, though…