In Lynnfield, another try on Route 1

FOOD PANTRY HOURS - The North Reading Food Pantry is open from 9 a.m. to 10 a.m. every Monday and from 7 to 8 p.m. the first and third Mondays of the month. Residents and members of North Reading churches are eligible to obtain nonperishable food, paper products, and cleaning supplies from the pantry, which is sponsored by the Christian Community Service organization of North Reading and located at Town Hall. For more information, call 978-276-0040 or e-mail nrfoodpantry@gmail.com.

VIKING PRIDE COMES THROUGH - At the School Committee’s Nov. 12 meeting, the Viking Pride Foundation is scheduled to present its annual donation to the school district. The local nonprofit supports athletic and extracurricular activities. This year’s contribution, which the committee must vote to accept, will be $43,500, according to School Committee chairwoman Patricia Milano. She said that in the past, grants were used to help defray the cost of user fees for families, but the foundation this year is asking that its donations be used in ways that bring benefits beyond the current year, such as for the purchase of equipment and uniforms. The meeting will be held at 6:30 p.m. in the William P. Gorman/Fort Banks School. - John Laidler

CLEANUP STUDY CONTINUES - The US Environmental Protection Agency intends to conduct more studies and complete more field work at the former Olin Chemical site, according to EPA project manager Jim DiLorenzo. The additional studies are needed, DiLorenzo told local residents at a public meeting on Oct. 19, to assess all potential compounds that create risk at the site, where companies once manufactured specialty chemicals for the rubber and plastics industry. The 53-acre site is located at 51 Eames St. DiLorenzo is hopeful that a remediation plan for soil and sediment could be ready for public input as early as 2011, with plans for the cleanup of surface sediment and ground water to follow in future years. Public comments will be solicited once the remediation plans are prepared.

TONY AND ANN’S RETURNING - A new Tony and Ann’s Pizza is scheduled to open on Broadway Road this fall. Tony and Ann Privitera opened their original Chelmsford location in 1953 and kept the business in the family for nearly 50 years before closing in 2002. Now, the iconic pizza shop is coming back under the ownership of Annamaria Getman, the granddaughter of Tony and Ann, and her husband, Paul. The Getmans are in the process of renovating the Broadway Road space, and are promising a fall opening. No specific date has been named, but pizza lovers can track updates on the restaurant’s Facebook page. - Karen Sackowitz

PARK CLEANUPS - Several public areas in Lawrence are looking newly spruced up thanks to the work of dozens of volunteers who took part in the New England Two Ten Foundation Day of Service on Oct. 22. Two Ten is a national organization that provides professional support and services to individuals and companies in the footwear industry. As part of its commitment to community building through volunteerism, Two Ten sponsored the day, during which close to 150 employees from New Balance, Clarks, Puma, Converse, and ShoeBuy.com worked to plant bulbs and clean up parts of Den Rock Park, Jacques Pond, The Greater Lawrence Boating Program boathouse, and other parks around the city.

MOVE THIS HOUSE - Bids are being accepted until Nov. 12 for one of three Pine Street houses purchased by the town earlier this year for the purpose of cleaning up the home lots on which they were built. The town is trying to avoid the cost of tearing the houses down, and Town Administrator Wayne Melville said there are at least three people who have indicated an interest in purchasing and moving one of the homes. The home currently for sale is the one at 156 Pine St. There is no minimum bid, and more information is available by calling Town Hall at 978-526-2000.

COLONIAL COURT TALK - The Topsfield Historical Society will host Lexington resident and lawyer-turned-author Diane Rapaport, who will discuss her latest book, “The Naked Quaker: True Crimes and Controversies from the Courts of Colonial New England,’’ at 7:30 p.m. Nov. 13 at The Gould Barn, Howlett Street. “Practicing law was interesting but I’m having so much more fun writing about history,’’ Rapaport said in a press release. Rapaport also has published a research guide for genealogists. Her talk, which is free and open to the public, will include stories from the past and a look at the history of the court system. Refreshments will be served. For further information, contact Alison D’Amario at 508-641-8814 or 978-887-8321.

UPGRADE AT PAGE SCHOOL - Thanks to a grass-roots campaign, technology at the Dr. John C. Page Elementary School will soon get a significant upgrade. As approved by voters at Town Meeting last week, $86,000 will be used to purchase and install a Web-based card catalog system called Destiny, 25 new desktop computers, five mobile laptop computing carts, two smart boards, wireless network hardware, and 12 ceiling-mounted projectors. The hope is to have the equipment in place this school year, according to Anna Marie Beech and Sandra Capo, who spearheaded a citizens’ petition that put the question to voters at the Town Meeting. According to a press release from Beech, about 80 percent of the school’s current computers are low-end or average. The technology budget from the district is zero this year, as has been the case for three years. Therefore, the school parent-teacher organization pays for 100 percent of the school’s technology needs - totaling more than $100,000 over the last few years and recently included 12 laptops.