BILLERICA
HELP FOR THOSE LAID OFF - The US Department of Labor is offering assistance to about 135 workers affected by the closing of LYNNFIELD
LICENSE FOR CACTUS - The Board of Selectmen recently approved a liquor license transfer for a Route 1 restaurant. The license was transferred from Naked Restaurants LLC to Broadway Lights LLC. The latter company plans to open a Mexican restaurant, The Fat Cactus, on the site that was most recently Lucille’s Fine Chicken, and prior to that Naked Fish.- David Rattigan NORTH READING
DADS AND STORIES - The story time group Dads and Donuts is meeting at 10:30 a.m. on Saturday at Flint Memorial Library, 147 Park St. Library staff member Dianne Dowd will read stories for preschool and elementary-age children on the theme “Celebrating Dads,’’ said Helena Minton, library director. Juice, coffee, and doughnuts will be served. The group meets on Saturday mornings from October to March and is sponsored by Friends of the Library. Mothers and other caretakers are welcomed as well as children of all ages. For more information, visit www.flintmemoriallibrary.org.- Bella Travaglini SOMERVILLE
FAR FROM MAY DAY - Fairies may be afoot in central Somerville: The bike path maypole has disappeared, specifically the ribbons some residents of a co-op attached to a lamppost on the Celtic fertility holiday of Beltaine - May Day to the nonmythological. The maypole wasn’t created for religious reasons; it was a surprise first-year-in-Somerville birthday gift for May Day baby Jon Sanders, he said via e-mail. At Stanford University, Sanders used to celebrate with a huge party involving a maypole, a drum circle, and various other festivities. Friends in Somerville held a small dance after secretly attaching ribbons to a lamppost by Willow Avenue. Cognizant of public maintenance needs, they edited the city services tag on the pole to read, “In case of MAYPOLE, call 311.’’ The ribbons flew freely all summer but started to wither with the leaves. Maypole fans suggested on the Davis Square LiveJournal website that hibernation time had come. Sanders agreed: “I had decided to take it down on Samhain, the fall harvest holiday’’ (also known as Halloween), he wrote. But that weekend he came down with the flu. He woke up on Nov. 1 and the ribbons had disappeared as if by magic. Sanders said he suspects that they may return on May 1. - Danielle Dreilinger WINTHROP
PAYING FOR SPECIAL ELECTION - The Town Council on Tuesday will consider appropriating about $20,000 to cover its costs from the special election to fill the seat of the late US Senator Edward M. Kennedy. Expenses include paying poll workers, police, and custodians at the Dec. 8 primary and the Jan. 19 general election, according to council president Thomas E. Reilly. He said the town is hoping to receive state reimbursement for the costs, but needs to appropriate the money now in order to hold the primary and general election. Meanwhile, Reilly and council president-elect Jeffrey R. Turco, who takes office in January, were set to begin transition meetings this week. Turco defeated Barbara A. Survilas and Susan R. Bolster in the Nov. 3 town election. Reilly, who did not seek reelection, said he would provide Turco with whatever information he requests to prepare for his new role.- John Laidler
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