Editorials
The Massachusetts Senate recently allocated $3.82 billion in Covid relief funds [ARPA Funds] received from the federal government as well as some surplus funds from the state’s fiscal year 2021 budget earmarked for relief and recovery from COVID. All funding allocation decisions were conducted...
The changes in the House and Senate district maps are a reality check, an indication of Groton’s waning political influence statewide. In addition it is a ‘wake-up call’ showing we have work to do. [See Front Page Story]
There is no other way to interpret the legislature’s decisions to...
In our little neighborhood at the foot of Longley road, in the late 1970s and 1980s, there lived a man - a hermit really - with severe Tourette’s syndrome. Most days, twice a day, he walked to the Center and back, bringing home a few groceries. He walked past our house, bent over, cupping a...
Town Meeting heard presentations of the two opposing views on whether to elect of appoint the Town Clerk, both thoughtful and respectful and soundly based in history and reason in the best tradition of democracy. Mike Bouchard, who has held the position for the past 13 years, is an advocate for...
When Police Chief Luth spoke about his department’s response to incidents of hate and discrimination at last week’s Select Board meeting, he spoke with calmness, clarity and respect. He offered advice, insights into the law and positive examples with commonsense ideas on how to combat hate...
When Mike Bouchard was newly elected Town Clerk in 2008, it was impossible to predict what a godsend his
steady hand would be for our town. We could not have predicted the turmoil of the 2016 or 2020 national presidential elections. We could not have imagined what damage a partisan - or...
Groton Town Meeting voters have been patient and understanding, putting up with three rushed, uncomfortable outdoor meetings since the start of the Covid pandemic. These outdoor Town Meetings have been difficult for many voters, having truncated consent agendas to shorten time spent outside and...
Transforming the open space in front of the Prescott School Building, making it a more welcoming and useful public space, is a great idea. This small scrap of land on Main Street is precious, precious because it belongs to the people of Groton - a place where people can organize car washes,...
The Planning Board’s insistence on imposing their own plan for the intersection at Old Ayer Road and Rte. 119 is unfortunate. In our view, the Planning Board, like many others in town, must have missed the basic conclusions of the traffic engineers who crafted the original traffic plan for this...
The resurgence of Covid-19 in Massachusetts is perplexing, unsettling and discouraging. By now, many of us had anticipated that life would be returning to pre-covid patterns and rhythms because we followed the rules of masking and vaccines. Instead, we seem to be entering an era whereby our...