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.
CLEANING SERVICES
GARDEN CLEAN UP / FALL-SPRING
PERSONAL CARE ASSISTANTS: COOKING, CLEANING, DRIVING, SHOPPING, CATERING,
WE USE ONLY HEALTHY PRODUCTS
ESTIMATES FOR BIG JOBS.
ONCE A WEEK, BI-MONTHLY, ONCE A MONTH, ONCE IN A WHILE
HOLIDAYS OR SPECIAL OCCASIONS HELP
FLEXIBLE AM/PM
RESPONSIBLE, LOTS OF REFERENCES
MARIA & JANE
978-544-7926
LEAVE NAME & NUMBER AND GOOD TIME
TO RETURN CALL
THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY
The next meeting of the Hilltown Business Club will be this Thursday, August 27, from 6:30 to 8 p.m. at the home of John & Lisa DeWitt, 16 West Main Street in New Salem (across 202 from Whittier Plumbing). Hot on the heels of our first successful public business club event – the HilltownConnect.com pavilion at New Salem's Old Home Day – we’re now planning fall and winter activities. Ideas and goals that are in the works include:
- Putting together a Hilltown Business Club giveaway basket that will be raffled off at the Hilltown Brewfest 2009 on Saturday, Sept. 12 in New Salem (see www.hilltownbrewfest.com)
- Creating a printed business/phone directory for New Salem, Wendell, and Shutesbury
- Planning and hosting a fall/holiday business fair
All businesses and businesspeople, independent contractors, artists, farmers, and others interested in the business club and local economic development are invited to join us. Our monthly meetings feature substantial time for networking – and feel free to come hungry and thirsty as we always serve beer, wine, and hors d'oeuvres. Come join us!
Please encourage your friends and colleagues to attend our meeting this Thursday night. And be sure to bring your business cards and/or literature to share at the meeting.
The North Quabbin TimeBank has just about 100 members who offer and receive services for time. The options are endless - sign up on the website - nqtimebank.org, come in for an orientation, then start trading!!! for more info, contact Amber @ 978-544-1869 or 413.522.3453!
Inviting all New Salem residents to share their accomplishments with the town!
This year on Old Home Day July 18th, we will be displaying photographs of what our townspeople, young and old, have accomplished.
An accomplishment could be a youngster who has learned how to ride a bike, a teenager who has fashioned a dove-tailed box, or a grandmother who has finished a quilt.
Please forward us a photograph of your accomplishment by mailing it to:
Old Home Day Committee,
19 South Main Street, New Salem, 01355
Or by e-mailing it: nsoldhomeday@gmail.com
Be sure to include:
· your name
· a description of your accomplishment (15 words or less)
· a photograph of your accomplishment
In July, we will announce a local Accomplishment Photographing Station. If you don’t have your own camera, we will have a photo booth with assistants available for you.
We hope you will join us!
Attention: Comics, poets, singers, musicians, and songwriters!
Open Mic starts at 12:30 pm.
Performers please email: nsoldhomeday@gmail.com to register.
- Tue, Aug 17, 2010, 12:50 P
