I am very happy to announce that S&P has affirmed our AAA rating for 2024. This allows the Town to borrow funding for capital projects at a lower rate, helping to reduce costs for the Town. Thank you to the Select Board for their leadership and policy direction to help demonstrate our commitment to financial best practices and thank you to the finance team for their hard work!

Congratulations to Acton Fire Fighter Emil Hristache for graduating from the Massachusetts Fire Academy on Friday March 29, 2024.

Did you know that March was National Social Worker Appreciation Month? Acton appreciates our Social Workers and are proud of all the hard work they do. I would like to thank Laura Ducharme and Beth Van Emburgh for their dedication and efforts in supporting our residents. 

ACTON CITIZENS POLICE ACADEMY

For ages 18+

An 8-week program held each Tuesday beginning April 2 through May 21 from 5-7 p.m. at the Public Safety Facility, 371 Main Street in Acton.

Topics include:  our the Public Safety Facility, 
Learn the History of the APD, Patrol Procedures, Traffic Enforcement, 
Use of Force, Drug Investigations, Dispatch Operations, Domestic Violence, Mental Health Issues, Criminal Investigations, Juveniles, Restorative Justice, Prosecution & Criminal Law

Here is a great opportunity to find out what the Acton Police Department and Dispatch Center do daily. Classes will be taught by officers specializing in each of the subject areas allowing participants to meet many members of the Acton Police Department and be able to ask questions and give feedback.  

For more information, contact Lieutenant Scott Krug by e-mail: skrug@actonma.gov or 978.929.7537

Limited enrollment:  click here to register.

COUNCIL ON AGING MONTHLY HIGHLIGHTS

• The Council on Aging at the Senior Center offers services, meals and activities for residents age 60 and up; most activities are free of charge
• Location:  Human Services building at 30 Sudbury Road Rear
• Contact us at 978-929-6652 or seniorcenter@actonma.gov 
• Hours: Monday, Wednesday, Thursday 8 am to 5 p.m., Tuesday 8 a.m. to 7:30 p.m., and Friday 8 a.m. to 12 noon
• Visit our website www.actoncoa.com to view our newsletter for more information on programs and services and for the latest updates; follow us on Facebook @actoncoa
  

For seniors and their family members seeking information on area social services, please contact Senior Services Coordinator Beverly Hutchings at 978-929-6652. She provides information on home care agencies, elder day programs, housing options, food and fuel assistance, and a variety of other services.

Acton Police Department Officers are offering ALICE Training on Tuesday, April 23, at 1 p.m. at the Senior Center to teach how to proactively handle the threat of a violent encounter or active shooter event. 

Annual Volunteer Appreciation Luncheon is Tuesday, April 30, at 12 noon. The COA is honoring our contingent of over 100 amazing volunteers who we very much depend on to offer many of our services and programs! If you are a volunteer who hasn’t received an invitation by April 16, please contact the COA office. 

Local Interest:

Java with John with Town Manager John Mangiaratti, Friday, April 12 at 9:45 a.m. following the monthly breakfast 

Lifelong Learning and Entertainment: 

• Learn about upcoming trip to Iceland, Tuesday, April 2 at 1 p.m.
• What is Bigfoot? Presentation with Discovery Channel’s Ronny Le Blanc, Tuesday, April 2 at 3:30 p.m. 
• Selling Your Home: Alternatives to MLS Listing, Wednesday, April 10 at 11 a.m. 
• From Lexington to Yorktown: Revolution, Independence and the Birth of the US, Thursday, April 11 at 1 p.m. 
• Big Band Music Presentation, Thursday, April 25 at 1 p.m. 
• Shifting Gears Driver Education presentation with Michele Ellicks from the RMV, Tuesday, April 30 at 1 p.m. 

Classes: 

• The spring session of drawing and watercolor class begins Tuesday April 9, at 9:30 a.m.; registration begins Monday, April 1 at 1 p.m. 
• Line dancing begins Wednesday, April 24 at 2:30 p.m. 

 Entertainment:

• Elvis Tribute with Calvin Benelli, Wednesday, April 10 at 2:30 pm 
• Cro-Magnon Blues: History and Legends Through Song with Jon Waterman, Tuesday, April 9 at 1 p.m.; funded by a grant from the Acton-Boxborough Cultural Council, a local agency supported by the Mass Cultural Council

 Health and Wellness Programs: 

• Asking for Help and Accepting Care presentation, Thursday, April 4, 1 p.m. 
• Pelvic Floor Health lecture, Tuesday, April 16 at 1 p.m. 
• Memory Lane Café for people with memory impairment and their care partners, Tuesday, April 30 at noon
• Weekly visits from therapy dog Bodacious, Wednesdays from 10 a.m. to noon
• Exercise classes for a variety of fitness levels as well as line dancing and a gym with senior-friendly equipment 

  Literature programs: 

• Book group is discussing A Long Petal of the Sea by Isabel Allende on Tuesday, April 9 at 10 a.m. 
• Poet of the Month: learn about the work of 17^th century poet Anne Bradstreet via Zoom on Thursday, April 4 at 10:30 a.m.
• LitLovers Study Group is discussing John Steinbeck’s The Grapes of Wrath on Tuesday, April 23 at 2:30 p.m.

 Meals: 

The Minuteman Senior Service (MMSS) dining site offers in-person lunches Monday through Thursday at noon for $2 donation. Anyone celebrating a birthday receives a free lunch the fourth Tuesday of the month! Grab and Go lunches are offered Monday through Friday. Sign up for lunch at least 24-hours in advance in person or by phone 781-221-7098. 

Our popular lunch café, Bistro 30, is open 11:30-1:30 p.m. on Wednesdays and Thursdays for people of all ages, new menu each week, $6/item. The COA also partners with Open Table to provide free frozen meals to bring home. 

 Make a reservation with the Council on Aging for special culinary events:

• Rotary Club Dinner, Tuesday, April 2, 5:00 pm, stuffed shells, free
• Lunch with Chef McGuire, Tuesday, April 9 at noon, American chop suey, $3 donation 
• Monthly breakfast, Friday, April 12 at 9:00 am, $3; followed at 9:45 by Java with John
• Benchmark at Robbins Brook lunch, Tuesday, April 16 at noon, baked ham, $3 
• Friends of the Acton COA Honoring Excellence Dinner with wine and live jazz trio, Tuesday, April 23 at 5 p.m., free

Become a Senior Trail Blazer!

Walking a few short, fun, easy trails this fall is a great way to exercise and enjoy Acton’s natural beauty. Bring along a friend and make it a social time as well! Contact the COA or visit www.actoncoa.com and look under “News” for the guide to the four “senior approved” local trails or request a copy from the Council on Aging. All the trails are easy to get to and have accessible parking spots. Developed in collaboration with Acton’s Natural Resource and Health Divisions. If you would like a certificate for taking all four walks, email seniorcenter@actonma.gov . 

Countdown to April 19, 1775: The Gathering with J.L. Bell - Tuesday, April 2nd, 7 P.M., Acton Town Hall, Room 204

Noted historian and author J. L. Bell will be speaking on Tuesday, April 2 at 7:00 PM in Room 204, Acton Town Hall, 472 Main Street, Acton, MA. Please register for the talk at:  http://tinyurl.com/APR-02-Bell, or use the QR code above.  Remote Participation: You can participate in the Q&A using ZOOM http://tinyurl.com/Acton250-ZOOM or watch live at Acton TV http://tinyurl.com/Acton-TV. 

Acton Center Walking Tours with Amy Bell - Saturday, April 6 & Friday, April 12 

Please meet Amy Cole at the Acton Memorial Library parking lot at 1:50 PM.  The walk is free, but registration is required and capped at 20 attendees for each walk.  Registration links:

1. Saturday, April 6^th : http://tinyurl.com/APR-6-Cole
2. Friday, April 12^th: http://tinyurl.com/APR-12-Cole  

Patriots’ Day is coming soon! Get in the spirit by taking a nice walk while learning about some important Acton history. Because of the popularity of these offerings last year, extra Acton Center tours have been scheduled with tour leader Amy Cole. 

If you are not aware of our programming activities, please see https://www.actonma.gov/250.  Please consider supporting programming at our commemorative memorabilia site at http://tinyurl.com/Acton-250-Commemorative.

Reconstruction of the boardwalk at NARA is almost complete!  The project is expected to be complete in mid-April by M.J. Cataldo Inc. with construction engineering services provided by Comprehensive Environmental Inc. 

The reconstruction entailed the removal the existing boardwalk, drilling helical piles into the pond’s substrate, then building a similar boardwalk using long lasting Trex wood-alternative composite decking and railings. Trex is made from eco-friendly composite blend 95% recycled plastic and reclaimed sawdust.  Funding was provided by an earmark grant from the Commonwealth of Massachusetts and the Community Preservation Act.

This boardwalk is an essential link of the half-mile loop trail around the pond with benches located every 200 feet.  The original boardwalk was constructed in 1999, original design by Natural Resources Director, Tom Tidman, constructed by the Natural Resources Crew, supervised by Land Stewards Bob Guba and Dick Tavernier.

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