Kimball's Ice Cream Seeking New Crew to Finish the Season

 

Looking for a job? All Kimball's locations seeking new crew to fill in for those who are heading off to college. 

Check-in at any Kimball's or go to their website.

Greenville Rd Closure, Recycling Center Access and Hours Update

PLEASE NOTE: None of his information is available on the Townsend website. 

Many residents have gotten the word that there is bridge construction on Greenville Rd. requiring part of the road to be closed. The closure began on July 29, 2024.  There is no announced end date on the closure.

Those heading up to the Country Mile or towards Kimball's in New Ipswich will need to seek alternate routes.

The road up to the Recycling Center will be open at least on the days the Recycling Center is open. Here is the updated schedule for the Recycling Center for this calendar year:

BREAKING: Nashoba Valley Hospital Slated to Close by End of August

 Steward Healthcare, the embattled owner of multiple hospital systems in Massachusetts, has announced the closure of two of its facilities, Nashoba and Carney Hospitals.

Nashoba Hospital has provided healthcare to the Nashoba Valley for generations. The Governor's office stated that plans are in place to assist patients who are using these hospitals to transition their care to other facilities. Those who infrequently use the facility will need to plan to use other local hospitals such as Emerson, Leominster, or St Joe's in the future.

The closure comes as no surprise to many local residents who have listened to the news and rumors for many months. Many patients and healthcare providers had already moved on. 

The loss of Nashoba Valley Medical Center will be felt by locals for both their healthcare and employment. 

The financial outlook for healthcare has been dim in the healthcare industry. Hospital systems have been consolidating and regionalizing for many years. The business side of healthcare has been impacted by low insurance reimbursements and the need to keep healthcare affordable. Patients in rural areas have been traveling farther and farther for their healthcare needs.

BREAKING NEWS: Biden Drops Out and Endorses Harris

 President Joe Biden, who has steadfastly refused to drop out of the race for reelection, has decided to drop out. He has endorsed Vice President Kamala Harris.

The Vice President was in Massachusetts yesterday campaigning for the Biden/Harris ticket, insisting the ticket was Biden/Harris. She was surrounded by strong supporters who traveled to Provincetown to great and support her and President Biden. She is reported to have raised over $2 million for their campaign. 

Harris has many years of experience in public service and politics. Nearly four years serving as Vice President being the most significant experience anyone could bring to the Presidency. She ran for President last time against Joe Biden in the Democratic Primary.

Vice President Harris has also been a US Senator representing her home state of California. She was also Attorney General for California and previously the District Attorney of San Francisco.

She has already broken many barriers. Should she be elected President, she will be the first woman to hold that office.

Information about Vice President Harris can be found at the White House website - https://www.whitehouse.gov/administration/vice-president-harris/

Old Brick Store Reopening Stymied by Lack of Tobacco License

The Old Brick Store in West Townsend has been closed for the better part of 4 years. They shut down operations during the COVID pandemic in 2000 and have not reopened. 

The property was put up for sale briefly a few years ago. There was an open house, and it was taken off the market shortly thereafter. It was not sold at that time.

Maintenance has not been kept up on the property. The formerly paved parking lot has mostly disintegrated into many pockets of hazardous potholes. Trees can be seen popping up in spots. Quite a bit of work may be needed if the store ever reopens.

The owner of “The Brick” applied to the Board of Health for a license to sell tobacco as part of a plan to reopen the business. The application never saw the light of day. He was denied administratively by the Health Administrator, Carla, due to a town cap on the number of Tobacco licenses available for the town.

The Board of Health met on Tuesday, June 25th. The Old Brick Store was not on the agenda, but the owner of the store was in attendance. At the end of the meeting the Chair, Jim LeCuyer, asked the owner how he could help. Carla informed Jim about the application and denial. Jim concurred that if there are no available licenses, there is nothing they could do. 

Townsend bylaw Chapter 160 covers Board of Health matters. Section 160-99 defines the process of Tobacco licenses. There is a limit of 10 licenses allowed in Townsend. It appears to be a dwindling authorization. In other words, when a license is retired or surrendered, it is not reissued, and the total available licenses drops. It does not appear that any new licenses are available or will be.

It is unclear whether the Old Brick Store will reopen without a license to sell tobacco products.

Townsend Recycling Center Update for June and July 2024

 This blog hasn't published in awhile. Hopefully that will change.....  Sorry for the absence.

The Townsend Recycling Center is usually posted as open the 1st and 3rd Saturday of the month. Holidays usually impact the schedule. The upcoming 4th of July weekend is no exception.

The Recycling Center will be open on Saturday June 29th.

It will be closed on July 6th.

Plan accordingly.

The Townsend website is still under reconstruction. The Recycling Center schedule is posted for 2023 only.

Press Release: FEDERAL ELECTION COMMISSION: DESIGNED TO FAIL

 Received by Reel News 4/30/24

Press Release

The Townsend Democratic Town Committee is pleased to

present the following talk to the public. Questions should be sent

to townsendmassdemocrats@gmail.com

FEDERAL ELECTION COMMISSION: DESIGNED TO FAIL

Who is surprised that Congress designed the agency that

governs campaign finance to fail? Created in 1974 in the wake

of the campaign funding abuses uncovered during Watergate, the

FEC has six Commissioners. No more than three can be from

any one party, but it takes four Commissioners for the FEC to

take any formal action. As a result, the Commission rarely takes

action in controversial, but important cases. With, for example,

a billion dollars having poured into the 2020 election cycle,

what could possibly go wrong?

Atty. Abigail Shaine

Former Assistant General Counsel of the Federal Election

Commission

7pm, May 14, 2024

Room 2, Memorial Hall

Townsend, Mass