Youth services office to move

The Board of Selectmen has approved the relocation of Andover Youth Services from a 600-square-foot space in Town Hall to a Pearson Street duplex that was purchased by the town last year. The move is contingent on favorable findings in an annual review and traffic study. The Youth Services Department hopes to move to the new space this fall. - Brenda J. Buote

STEWARDS OF THE ARTS - The Chelmsford Cultural Council is seeking two new members for its nine-member board. The voluntary group is part of the Massachusetts Cultural Council, charged with supporting community-based programs and projects in the arts, humanities, and sciences. The group begins its review cycle each fall, meeting monthly to decide 16 grants, totaling almost $11,000. Awards are distributed in the winter. Those currently serving are Lois Alves, Gina Caires, Carmen Langthorne, Karen McHenry, Eric Salerno, Linda Jean Smith, and Alma Bella Sois. Contact Salerno at 781-492-0928 or salerno_e@yahoo.com for information.

- Joyce Pellino Crane

RAISE FOR PIENDAK - After unanimous agreement from the Board of Selectmen, Town Manager Dennis Piendak will receive a 3 percent raise that brings his annual salary to $122,698. According to selectmen, Piendak got high marks for his ethics and standards, as well as his daily oversight of the town's operations. Piendak's last raise came in 2006, and he received no raise last year because the board was not able to conduct his evaluation in time. Selectmen say the raise, in percentage terms, matches the raises given to department heads over the years. The increase will go into effect July 1. - Rocco Colella

BOOST FOR THE SCHOOLS - The Swallow Union Elementary School will be able to enliven its science lab, have a student storyteller, and buy two fiddles for a Colonial-era dance and music program with recent funding from the Groton Dunstable Education Foundation. In total, the school will benefit from eight grants from the organization. One of the larger ones was a $4,042 grant for Museum of Science-sponsored engineering program for all fourth-graders in the district. The education foundation dispensed 11 grants, totaling $24,012 for the current grant cycle.

- Matt Gunderson

TRANSFER STATION RATES - The Board of Selectmen has approved new transfer station rates that will go into effect July 1. Increases have been imposed for transfer station stickers, trash bags, and the disposal of bulk items. A list detailing the new rates is available at the town website, ci.groton.ma.us under Board of Health news. Primary transfer station stickers will now cost $47. - Matt Gunderson

SATISFIED CUSTOMERS - About 97 percent of parents surveyed said they were very satisfied with the care their child received from school nurses in Lawrence, a new state Department of Public Health survey reported. The survey was sent to 100 parents of students who visited school health offices for nursing services this school year. Thirty-nine responded.

- Russell Contreras

ROBOT PROJECT WINS FUNDING - Microsoft Corp. has selected professor Holly Yanco's robotics project as one of eight proposals that will share $500,000 in research funding and an array of advanced software development technologies, the University of Massachusetts at Lowell announced last week. Yanco was selected from a field of 74 by Microsoft External Research following a request for proposals that are intended to create devices that move robots forward from automated vacuums and human-operated devices to more complicated interaction between machines and people. - Russell Contreras

FREE CONCERT SERIES - The city will be kicking off its free summer concert series Thursday at Greycourt Park. The concert will feature the 16-piece Artie Barsamian Jazz Orchestra with Steve Marvin. "Frank Sinatra has been reborn when Steve is onstage," Mayor William M. Manzi wrote in his blog. The city-sponsored concerts are held behind the Searles Building, 41 Pleasant St., and begin at 7 p.m. The park opens at 6 p.m. on those nights. For a full schedule of the monthly concerts, visit the city's website, ci.methuen.ma.us. The city's Castle Fund is paying for the events. - Kytja Weir

RED SOX RAFFLE - The North Andover Youth Center is raising money with a raffle for tickets to a Boston Red Sox vs. New York Yankees game. The center has two tickets in Fenway Park's infield grandstand, Section 15, Row 5, Seats 8 and 9, for the July 25 evening game. Raffle tickets cost $2 each or three for $5 at the Youth Center at 33 Johnson St. or online at nayouth.com. All proceeds will benefit the center, which was built in 2000. Youth Services have helped more than 2,500 students annually for 20 years. The raffle drawing will be June 27. - Kytja Weir

SEWER EXTENSION - The Pepperell Highway Division began work last week on a municipal sewer extension on Nashua Road between Hadley Road and Mill Street. The extension will continue onto Hollis Street in July, according to a press release on the town website. Delays are expected on Nashua Road in coming weeks as the work progresses, and police details will direct traffic.

- Matt Gunderson

OVERRIDE DECISION - Voters in Saturday's special town election will consider an override of Proposition 2 1/2, the state tax-cap law. If approved, the override would give the town permission to assess an additional $5.35 million in real estate and personal property taxes to fund the town's operating budget and the local schools in fiscal 2009, which begins July 1. Registered voters may apply in writing for an absentee ballot until noon on Friday. The polls will be open from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. For more information, contact the town clerk's office at 978 640-4355.

- Brenda J. Buote

BUDGET APPROVED - Town Meeting on May 20 approved a fiscal 2009 budget of $30.6 million, which includes $16.6 million for the school district. The budget for the coming year, beginning July 1, is about $300,000 higher than the current fiscal year, and with rising salary and fuel costs, cuts to both school and municipal operations are needed. Almost 190 voters attended the two-hour meeting, in which 26 articles were decided and one withdrawn. A Special Town Meeting the same evening completed four articles, including one that gave officials permission to transfer $45,000 to the Highway Department for fuel and vehicle repairs. - Joyce Pellino Crane

IN THE RUNNING - The North Shore Music Theater will announce its third annual Spotlight Awards tomorrow at a black-tie affair in Beverly, where 24 high schools from Massachusetts and New Hampshire will be represented. Four Westford Academy students are in contention for acting awards, and this winter's performance of "Into the Woods" is one of 10 high school productions vying for Best Musical and five competing for best lighting design. The pit orchestra that accompanied the singers was nominated for best orchestra, along with four other area high schools. The Westford string students were led by Kenneth Culver, who is also nominated for best musical director. In all, 15 awards will be distributed.

- Joyce Pellino Crane

SITE FOR DOG PARK - At its June 10 meeting, the Recreation Commission plans to discuss the idea of a park where dogs can frolic without a leash in a fenced area. The commission is considering a field across from Joppa Hill, but it is only in a preliminary stage and will require voter approval to proceed. The commission is also looking at two other locations, but will not say where they are, according to Town Manager Russ Marcoux. - Meg Villeneuve

RELIGIOUS CONVERSION - Now that the town has inked a deal to purchase the Infant Jesus of Prague Church, it is looking for volunteers who will be in charge of getting the buildings ready for short-term use as meeting space. Linda Saari, chairwoman of the Board of Selectmen, said selectmen closed on the $280,000 sale in April, after voters in March approved a warrant article to purchase the building. The purchase includes the 2,400-square-foot church, Brusch Hall behind the church, and about a half-acre of land across the street. - Meg Villeneuve

TOWN OFFICIAL INDICTED - The town's former treasurer has been indicted on felony theft charges, for allegedly embezzling $5,000 from the town. Horace W. Seymour, 50, was arrested a day before being reelected in March, and the New Hampshire attorney general's office announced the indictment on May 23. Seymour was charged with theft by deception, a Class A felony punishable by up 15 years in prison. He is free on bail, and a probable cause hearing is scheduled for June 12 in Hillsborough County Superior Court. - Meg Villeneuve

VANDALS STRIKE AGAIN - For the second time in a month, vandals have spray-painted public property. The latest target was the Nutfield Crossing Bridge sometime in the week of May 19, according to police. In mid-May, the bandstand on the Town Common was spray-painted with graffiti. Police have no leads on the vandalism, but are offering a reward to anyone who leads them to a suspect. For more information, contact the Police Department at 603-432-1118.

- Meg Villeneuve

GANGS IN TOWN - The nearly 200 people who attended last month's forum on gang-related problems heard police say that they have identified 15 core gang members in Milford, with a fringe group of 40 to 50. Milford's juvenile officer, Mark Peppler, said that in 2006, Milford police investigated eight cases in which gangs were involved. In 2007, they investigated 41. This year, the number is 13. "The problem is that we cannot say how many went unreported because of intimidation and citizens or victims being reluctant to report incidents," said Police Chief Fred Douglas. "Our intelligence would indicate that there are crimes that went unreported because of intimidation factors." - Meg Villeneuve

GOLDEN TONES - The R.J. Grey Junior High Brass Ensemble, featuring students from Acton and Boxborough, won a gold medal for its performance at the Massachusetts Instrumental and Choral Conductors Association Solo and Ensemble Festival held in Concord recently. For some members of the group, it was their fifth brass ensemble gold medal in a row, going back to their time at the Blanchard Memorial School in Boxborough. Phoebe Liang won a silver medal for her violin solo, and trombonist Gina Finnerty won a gold medal for her solo performance.

- Jennifer Fenn Lefferts

HOMEGROWN - The Bedford-based Massachusetts Flower Growers Association was awarded a $25,000 grant from the state to promote locally grown plants and flowers. The association, which represents more than 250 growers, urges gardeners to choose locally grown plants for their gardens during the spring planting season, said the association's secretary and treasurer, Bob Luczai. Growers suffered in recent years with rain-drenched springs, he said. The state Department of Agricultural Resources awarded the money as part of $300,000 in marketing grants to 36 organizations to support the state's agriculture.

- Kytja Weir

PRECAUTIONS FOR SCHOOL WATER - School officials have taken steps to protect students from elevated lead levels recently discovered in some sinks and drinking fountains at all nine of the district's school buildings. The discovery was made after a state environmental study was completed last winter. About 25 percent of the 1,300 water samples taken were found to have lead levels higher than the state limit of 15 parts per billion, and some faucets have been turned off as a precautionary measure.

- Joyce Pellino Crane

HOLIDAYS UNDER REVIEW - School officials have been soliciting comments from residents about the district's policy regarding religious holidays, including the decision to stop holding classes on Good Friday. Last year, the School Committee voted to hold classes on the Friday before Easter, instead of making it a vacation day as it had in the past. But on March 21, the date of the Christian holy day this year, 44 percent of students districtwide skipped school. At the high school, nearly two-thirds of the students were absent. The committee voted in April to reverse the decision and cancel classes again on Good Friday next year, noting that the schools need teachers and students to create a meaningful and safe learning environment. But the school district solicited public opinion last month on a proposal that would give students of any faith some flexibility on assignments that are due on their religion's holidays and would prevent teachers from scheduling tests or field trips on those days. The School Committee plans to review the feedback before taking a final vote. - Kytja Weir