Tony and Ann's returning to Dracut

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. - David Rattigan

WINTER PARKING RULES - The Police Department is reminding residents that the annual winter parking ban will begin on Nov. 15 and run through April 1. Motor vehicles are prohibited from parking in any street or highway for more than one hour from 11 p.m. to 6 a.m. - David Cogger

TAX HEARING SCHEDULED - The annual tax classification public hearing is scheduled for 7 p.m. Monday at Town Hall. The Board of Selectmen will meet with the Board of Assessors to determine tax classification rates for residential, open space, commercial-industrial, and personal property for fiscal year 2010. All town residents are invited to attend the hearing. - David Cogger

OVERRIDE VOTE LOOMS - The proposed new police station is expected to cost an estimated $7.5 million. Architects announced the figure as part of a presentation about the project held last Thursday. The project will require a Proposition 2 1/2 debt exclusion override - a property tax increase for a specified number of years - and will be presented at a Special Town Meeting Nov. 16.

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. - Taryn Plumb

INTERNET TOWERS RECOMMENDED - A committee has recommended that the School Board approve the construction of communication towers at two schools that would be leased for as much as $1,500 a month each. Last week the board’s Finance and Operations Committee recommended approval of a contract with Goodman Networks to raise towers on the grounds of the Birch Hill Elementary School and Nashua High School North. The proposed towers would be 130 and 150 feet high and would be built to resemble pine trees. The towers would allow wireless Internet access throughout the area.

CONDO REJECTION STANDS - The Board of Adjustment has elected not to hold another hearing for the proposed condominium development on the site of Saunders at Rye Harbor. Rye Harbor Realty was seeking to build six single-family condominiums on the 2.8-acre oceanfront site. The board rejected the proposal in August because of zoning objections, but attorneys for Rye Harbor Realty sought a new hearing on the grounds that the board made the decision based on misleading and inaccurate information presented by opponents of the project. - Tom Long

ANOTHER TRY ON ROUTE 1 - The Board of Selectmen has scheduled a liquor license transfer hearing as part of its Monday meeting. A business group is proposing to open The Fat Cactus, a Mexican restaurant, at the site of the former Naked Fish restaurant on Route 1. The meeting is scheduled for 7 p.m. at Town Hall.

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. The meeting will be held at 6:30 p.m. in the William P. Gorman/Fort Banks School. - John Laidler