MA State has one of the most lucrative solar programs in the country! Representatives from a local solar energy company (based in Ludlow) will show you how to get started with solar electric (PV). They will explain how the technology works, how much it costs, what incentives and rebates are available to you from State and Federal governments, and all about Solar Renewable Energy Credits (SRECs). Come to this free presentation to learn how you can start turning the sun into money today!
Where: Leverett Library, 75 Montague Road, Leverett, MA
Are you or someone you know talented? Mutton and Mead, the upcoming Robin Hood-themed Medieval Festival in Montague, MA, aims to provide a venue to showcase your talents as a performer, educator, crafter or artisan. We have stages and we have streets and we are looking to pack them with talent!
We are looking for musicians, singers, bards and other performers or entertainers to put the “festive” in “festival.” Are you or someone you know a singer, musician, bard, juggler, dancer, storyteller, puppeteer, sword fighter, acrobat, tumbler, fire eater, stilt walker, sword swallower, juggler, rope walker, ventriloquist, or otherwise talented person? We are looking for both professional and novice performers. Send them to www.MuttonAndMead.com where they can find out how to get involved.
We are also looking to tap into New England talented community of artists, artisans and crafters. Likewise, if you or someone you know is a painter, jewelry maker, wood artisan, sculptor, weaver, metal worker, glass worker, or otherwise makes or sells something visitors of Mutton and Mead might want to buy, please send them to www.MuttonAndMead.com
Open Auditions: Call for Talent
To be held Sunday, January 23rd, 2011 at the Montague Grange hall
For Immediate Release
Montague Renaissance Faire Seeks Talent
Mutton and Mead, Montague's Medieval Festival, seeks Actors, Singers, Dancers, Minstrels, and other creative types at an audition and open house on Sunday, January 23rd, 2011, from 10:00 AM to 4:00 PM at the Montague Grange hall, for "THIEVES OF HONOR" a Robin Hood-themed Renaissance Faire to be held on June 18th in Turners Falls, MA.
Actors should come with a two-minute monologue and be prepared to participate in some improvisational activities. Not looking for a major role? We are also seeking extras for "depth and color" and will provide training. If you sing or play an instrument please bring it and a song to present.
Not an actor, but still interested in helping bring our medieval village to life? Mutton and Mead is also seeking volunteers, crafts-people, merchants, theater crew, designers and carpenters, independent acts, interns and staff. Just contact us or stop by on audition day. There are several Managerial spots available as well, for those who like to work on these types of events.
Are you some other creative type? Our hope is that Mutton and Mead will provide a venue for the community. We welcome your ideas on how we can make that happen. We hope to see you or hear from you too.
Auditions and Open house to be held at the Montague Grange hall, 34 Main Street, Montague Center, on Sunday, January 23, 2011, from 10:00 AM through 4:00 PM.
MONTAGUE SOAPBOX RACE ENTRY DEADLINE EXTENDED TO AUGUST 30TH
Turners Falls - People wishing to enter the Montague Soapbox Races who haven't yet sent in their entry form now have an extra two weeks to get them in. The new entry deadline is Monday, August 30th, 8:00 PM.
The Montague Soapbox Races, the first of a new annual event, is a fundraising event for Montague Community TV, and will be held on Sunday, September 19th, from high noon till the last cart goes down the hill. Winners will be handed real metal trophy cups in a winners ceremony at the end, hosted by Russ Brown, State Senator Stan Rosenburg, and Montague Selctboard chair Pat Allen.
Entry forms are still coming in to the TV station every day. The race will stop at a maximum of 150 racers. The race entry fee is $25. Spectators attend for free.
Local businesses are encouraged to enter carts in the race as well, either solo or as a team of several carts.
Race entrants who need technical assistance putting their cart together will be invited to a cart building party on Sunday, August 29th, in Turners Falls. Some of the Race Inspectors and Race Officials will be on hand as well to give professional advice.
Racers should bring whatever they have already completed, as well as all parts and supplies they intend to use, including bolts, screws, nails, wood, concept drawings and their own tools (very important). the build party host has a large supply of bicycle parts and wheels to provide for free. All racers under 18 years old must be accompanied by an adult.
Race rules and applications can be downloaded from the official race website and printed. If you don't have a printer you can pick up a pre-printed application at the Montague Town Hall clerk's office, any of the three Montague public libraries, or the TV station itself, at 34 Second Street in Turners Falls.
The race is still looking for vendors, either to sell food or wares, or distribute their information or fundraise. Please contact Nancy Paglia (413) 548-9015.
The race is also looking for sponsors and hay bale advertisers. Please contact Doug Fontaine (413) 522-8382.
WesternMA Connect, Inc. July 2010 Broadband Update
MBI Application Successful!
On July 2, 2010, Governor Deval Patrick and members of the Massachusetts Congressional delegation announced that the Massachusetts Broadband Institute (MBI) had been awarded $45.4 million of federal ARRA funds. These funds will be used to construct over 1,100 miles of fiber-optic middle-mile infrastructure in western and north central Massachusetts. The award was formally announced at a ceremony held on July 8 at Greenfield Community College. Event attendees included U.S. Commerce Secretary Gary Locke, U.S. Senator John Kerry, Governor Patrick, and Congressmen Richard Neal and John Olver. Both Senator Kerry and Congressman Olver recognized Connect for its decade-long support for the creation of an advanced telecommunications landscape throughout the region. All speakers made reference to the many letters received in support of the application. Your compelling stories definitely impacted the application outcome. Thank you to everyone who submitted letters and congratulations to the MBI!
What Does This Mean For You?
In 2008, Governor Patrick and the Massachusetts Legislature established the MBI with the mission to extend affordable high-speed Internet access to ALL residential, commercial and public places across the Commonwealth. This new federal award will be combined with the $26 million of state funding already in place to make this a reality. Internet service providers have stated that once the MBI's network is complete, it will become more cost effective for them to bring high-speed Internet access to those who currently have none.
What's Next?
In the coming months, the MBI will continue to be very busy designing and engineering the network, negotiating access to state-owned assets, forming partnerships to support network deployment, and encouraging the telecommunications industry to be prepared to provide services and invest in the region. Meanwhile, the MBI has contracted with Connect to work collaboratively with regional planning agencies, local municipalities, and other organizations to ensure that this network is constructed as quickly, cost-effectively and efficiently as possible. Under the terms of the federal grant, two-thirds of the project must be built by 2012 and the network completed in 2013. This is a huge undertaking. Although you may not visually see progress right away, be assured that the MBI and many others are working diligently to meet the federal timeline and requirements set.
How Can You Help?
If you have not already done so, please visit http://www.massbroadband.org/mapping/survey.html and complete the online survey. Encourage your friends and neighbors to do the same. This information will assist the MBI in its effort to more accurately map where broadband does and does not exist. If you are an elected official or local department head, please respond to outreach conducted by the MBI and Connect. This network cannot succeed without your participation!
MONTAGUE TO HOST SOAPBOX RACES, SEPTEMBER 19th, 2010
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
MONTAGUE TO HOST SOAPBOX RACES, SEPTEMBER 19th, 2010
First Local Soapbox Race in Decades
Montague will host the first Soapbox Race in Franklin County in decades on Sunday, September 19th, 2010. The gravity-fed race will take place at Unity Park in Turners Falls on the 1st Street hill. Racers must be at least 8-years old on race day. All carts must be made from scratch, not from kits or pre-fabricated, and must include no propulsion of any kind.
The entry fee is $25 per racer and only 150 applications will be accepted. There will be three age brackets: kids, teens and adults. Yes, adults may race! The application deadline is August 16th. Racers may obtain sponsorship to help defray the cost of building their vehicle.
Racers in each age bracket will win real-metal trophy cups based on distance or creativity. The event will be free to watch, and it is hoped families will come out to picnic with the many local food vendors.
Race Director Mik Muller remarked “Unity Park is a perfect location for a downhill race: the 1st Street hill is quite steep and the bend at the bottom requires some skill, both in vehicle construction and driving; the wide lawns in the park are perfect for spectators to gather and cheer; there is plenty of room for vendors to sell their food and wares; and of course there is the Connecticut River spanned by the Turners Falls Gill Bridge as a beautiful backdrop, an icon for Turners Falls.”
This is the first derby since the Old Home Days derbies of the mid-1960’s in Montague Center, and before that the 3rd Street derbies of the late-1940’s in Turners Falls.
Vendors interested in having a table at the race should call Nancy Paglia at (413) 548-9015. Those wishing to advertise, sponsor or underwrite the race please call Doug Fontaine at (413) 522-8382. Anyone wishing to volunteer on race day (free staff t-shirt!), please call Mik Muller at (413) 320-5336.
Race rules, all required forms, and more information can be found on the official race website.
Wired West at New Salem Town Hall - Wednesday, May 26th 7-8
Everyone is invited to attend a WiredWest information session in New Salem at the Town Hall. The session will cover the details of the proposed project, as well as the warrant article for upcoming town meetings.
Date: Wednesday, May 26, 2010
Time: 7:00pm - 8:00pm
Location: Town Hall
This group is interested in building a municipally-owned, universal, open-access fiber-to-the-home network will fundamentally improve the prospects for Western Massachusetts, ensuring our prosperity today, tomorrow, and for the foreseeable future.
Personally, I support this effort because it not only addresses the connectivity needs of today, but it also addresses bandwidth needs of the future.
The Montague Soapbox Race committee is looking for sources of hay. This would be what's officially called "crap hay" -- the lowest quality stuff that can still be baled and used as safety siding for a soapbox race.
We will need about 800 bales for about six hours.
So, either we rent the bales, or we split the cost of buying bales with someone who is buying that much hay, and have it sit on the road for an afternoon before being transported to the new owner.
Keep your eyes peeled for my three year old beagle Voodoo somewhere in the Shutesbury area. He escaped April 20th, Tuesday. He was last seen wearing a black harness, but may have slipped that at some point. Please call Jake 413 325 7339 if you have any leads.
I've just created an artist network for Western Massachusetts artists. Join to network, showcase your work, post and view events, blog, etc.
Totally free.
Hoping to build an artist community for sharing and support, showcasing, etc.
To join go to: http://wmartists.ning.com
From the Western Mass Connect latest update - they are asking people to support their application for a grant to fund fiber installations in Western Mass. The more community support they can demonstrate, the better their chances are to receive a grant. I expect many members of the Hilltown Business Club would benefit from better Internet connectivity, so please see their information on how to respond:
Connect is a non-profit organization with the mission to support the creation of an advanced telecommunications landscape that will provide affordable, reliable and redundant high-capacity broadband services throughout the four counties of western Massachusetts.
Round II Application for Federal Broadband Funding for Western Massachusetts:
Infrastructure
The Massachusetts Broadband Institute (MBI) is actively working on an application for the federal Comprehensive Community Infrastructure grant program that would fund a middle mile fiber network in Western Massachusetts. This second round application will build upon lessons learned from Round I and information gathered from attending a workshop sponsored by the funding authority. An important part of this application is getting letters of support for the application from municipal governments, residents, businesses and institutions. The MBI and Connect are conducting specific outreach to municipal governments. As a resident or a business, it would be greatly appreciated if you would contribute a letter of support as well. Go to www.westernmaconnect.org for address information and to learn more about how to submit a letter. For more information about the MBI's efforts, go to their website at www.massbroadband.org.
Hi! Are you, or perhaps someone you know who lives in North Leverett missing a dog? We found a very friendly border collie mix last night near the Leverett Co-op. He is black with white on his head and black spots mixed in with the white parts, and a white tip on his tail. Very energetic. He is currently at home with us in Montague, but we'll be taking him to Dakin soon if no one claims him—too much energy for our little house! Very sweet though.
Give us a call if this puppy sounds familiar. 676-9890. Thanks!
Piano for sale. $20. You pick up at the Montague Grange hall in Montague Center, across from the town common, library and church. Call Mik at 413 320 5336 to arrange a viewing. You'll need a pickup truck.
Posted by
dxfoundation
- Mon, Nov 30, 2009, 12:41 P
New Salem Now Meeting - Emergency Preparation & Communication
New Salem Now
-
You’re Invited to Attend a Meeting On
Communication &
Emergency Preparation
Emergency Preparation: Did you experience disruptions during last year’s ice storm? What is already available to help in these situations? What can individuals do to prepare for events like this in the future?
Communications: Do you have information that you want other people to know about? Do other people want to know about your group? Do you want to know what else is going on in town? What avenues already exist for communications and what else is needed?
This meeting is open to all and will be held:
When: Wednesday, December 2, 2009
Time: 6:30—8:30 PM
Where: Swift River School
Note: New Salem Now is a community action group that promotes connections and initiatives for life in the area. It is a not affiliated with any government or official agency that would be responding during an actual emergency. Everybody is welcome to attend any and all meetings.
It was great to meet everyone the other night, and it was nice to see some familiar faces! Most of you have probably heard that the First-Time Homebuyers Tax Credit has been extended through April 30th of 2010, with a closing by June 30th. The US Government has added an extra bonus for current homeowners.
Existing homeowners who have resided in their principal residence for five consecutive years out of the last eight and are purchasing a home to be their principal residence, may be eligible for up to a $6,500 tax credit! The same closing deadlines apply.
This is great news for those homeowners who have been "on the fence" about whether to sell and downsize, or upgrade to something with more space in this buyers market! If you have any questions or would like further details, don't hesitate to give me a call. If you know of anyone who is looking to buy or sell a home, I am never too busy for your refferals. I will look forward to taking good care of them!
The Town of New Salem is offering a FREE Home Energy Savings Seminar
Wednesday, October 28, 7 p.m.
New Salem Public Library
FACT: Most Massachusetts homes could save 20% or more on their fuel use.
Learn more about …
• Tips to reduce your home energy costs
• Ways to save on heat and electricity
• Hands-on, no-cost/low-cost solutions
• Home energy efficiency programs and incentives that make improvements more affordable
You’ll learn about all this and more by attending a FREE Home Energy Savings Seminar:
Presenters will teach home energy basics, indicate how energy improvements work and which are the most cost effective, and describe home energy efficiency programs and incentives. There will be a power point presentation and free educational materials for everyone who attends.
CALLING ALL LOCAL BUSINESSES – Great advertising opportunity!!
Each year the Swift River School PTCA holds the Fall Fest at the Swift River School in New Salem in mid-October. This year on October 17th, the events will include a rock climbing wall, a bounce house, a horse drawn hay ride, and a yo-yo performance. Each of these events is free for the families that attend, so we depend on local business support to help us out. The events listed cost from $125 to $675, and donations in any amount will be appreciated in helping make our Fall Fest a more lively occasion.
Each sponsoring business will be recognized on a large poster displayed near the sponsored event, repeatedly in the school newsletter, and in fliers displayed in New Salem and Wendell. It’s a great way to reach out to the community!
Thank you to last year’s sponsors: Orange Oil, Adams Animal Hospital, C&M Roughcut, Whittier Plumbing, and Diemand Egg Farm! Please consider adding your business to the list supporting the Swift River Fall Fest this year at any amount.
Call Beth Bone at (978)544-5673 for more information.
Thank you for your support!
The Swift River PTCA
Site content by JW DeWitt Business Communications - Web platform by Montague WebWorks
- Mon, Oct 3, 2011, 5:03 P
