Monday, February 4, 2013
The Baltimore Ravens' Bernard Pollard said last week to CBS Sports that he thinks that the NFL will be dead in 30 years at this rate. Now that the Super Bowl's over, we want to ask you if you think Pollard's prediction will also apply to the Grey Ghosts.
The NFL season is over, but controversy over the safety of the sport itself continues. Last week, the Baltimore Ravens' Bernard Pollard told CBS Sports that he thinks the NFL won't exist in 30 years due to concerns over safety and inconsistent rules intended to make the sport less dangerous, but he believes actually only ends up harming the game's entertainment value instead. Between concerns over safety and fears over concussions to the cost of equipment compared to other sports to the wide array of other sports competing for the time of kids, the long term popularity of the sport could be in question. And that's our question for you today: if Pollard is right, will there be a football program at Westford Academy in 2043 or for the …
Wednesday, January 30, 2013
A recent Boston Globe article noted that Shaw's is struggling against low-priced competition. Do you shop at Shaw's or somewhere else in the area?
Recently, a Boston Globe article noted that Shaws Supermarkets have been having a hard time keeping up with lower-priced competitors such as Market Basket and Stop & Shop. The article noted that the supermarket chain has seen its New England market share fall from 19 to 11% in New England since 2006, while also seeing a $1.5 billion sales decline in that period. The company was reportedly started in 1860 but things apparently started heading south with a series of corporate acquisitions starting in the late 1980s. In the Globe article, customer satisfaction and high prices were cited as leading factors for Shaw's. While there's no Shaws in Westford, there's one just a minute over the border in Groton, and one just up Route 3 in Nashua …
Friday, January 25, 2013
Here are some tips for carbon monoxide safety.
Local fire departments frequently get called out to homes on reports of carbon monoxide issues. Carbon monoxide (CO) is a poisonous gas that typically comes from heating equipment, gas stoves, fireplaces and hot water heaters and generators, among other fuel-burning items. It's also found in automobile emissions. Winter is the peak month for carbon monoxide emergencies, and fire departments deal with thousands of such emergencies across Massachusetts each winter. Unlike other gasses, carbon monoxide has no odor or color, making it impossible to detect without a special detector. Carbon monoxide decreases the oxygen in the blood, slowly suffocating its victims. Symptoms of carbon monoxide poisoning include headache, dizziness, nausea and …
Thursday, January 24, 2013
The Massachusetts Emergency Management Agency advises residents to minimize outdoor activity, keep an emergency kit, and check on elderly friends or relatives in extreme cold.
- GOVERNMENT
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Thursday, January 24
Editor's Note: The following is from the Massachusetts Emergency Management Agency. “As we enter the time of year when we can expect extremely low temperatures and wind chills, we all must take precautions to minimize the dangers presented by such severe weather,” stated Massachusetts Emergency Management Agency (MEMA) Director Kurt Schwartz. “To that end, MEMA presents these cold weather safety tips.” Continue to follow MEMA updates on Twitter at www.twitter.com/MassEMA; Facebook at www.facebook.com/MassachusettsEMA. Download the free ping4alert! app to your Smartphone to receive important weather alerts and emergency messages from MEMA. Easy instructions are available at www.mass.gov/mema/mobileappp. ...
U.S. Postal Service rates are set to change on Sunday, Jan. 27.
- GOVERNMENT
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Thursday, January 24
The cost to mail a letter will rise slightly next week when postal-rate changes go into effect, according to the U.S. Postal Service. Stamp prices will increase one cent, from 45 cents to 46 cents, to mail one-ounce letters, effective Jan. 27. The cost for letters weighing more than one ounce will stay the same, at 20 cents for each additional ounce, an announcement from the postal service says. Postcard stamps will also see a one-cent increase, from 32 cents to 33 cents. Letters under one ounce mailed anywhere internationally will cost $1.10, the announcement says. Those looking to save a few cents could stock up on the postal service's Forever stamps (costing 45 cents until the one-cent increase on Jan. 27), which are usable even after …
Tuesday, January 22, 2013
Flu season is upon us, and strong, officials say.
This month, the Red Cross called cases of the flu "widespread," while Boston officials declared the flu outbreak a public health emergency. Is this just another flu season — akin to past winters when H1N1 or norovirus flared up? Or is it more than just a bunch of hype? Some towns in the area are reporting that they're out of flu vaccine. Have you gotten a flu shot this year? Or do you not see the point? Tell us what you think — is the flu getting too much hype? Or does the headline-hogging flu deserve the attention?
AT&T officials offer tips to keep your cells germ-free this winter.
The following text was submitted by AT&T: Cell phone users can follow a few simple rules to avoid getting sick from their cell phones – some of these will sound familiar:
Monday, January 21, 2013
Last week, the item was discussed to the Selectmen, today we want your ideas.
As anyone going to Westford's town center knows....parking always has the potential to be tight during parades or Blueberry Festivals or Farmers' Markets or Snow Emergencys or days ending in Y. It caused headaches for the neighbors on Connell Drive, and has required parking restriction signs at certain times for Connolly Insurance and the Westford Museum. So today we ask you: what's your solution? Ease wetland restrictions and expand parking behind the Town Hall complex or the J.V. Fletcher Library? Expand time limited spaces along the Common? Purchase that house next to Town Hall? And for that matter, is parking even the biggest focus when it comes to Town Center issues, or is it even the worst parking situation in town? Let us know your …
Massachusetts comes in 50th in pet ownership.
Submitted by the AVMA The American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) recently released its U.S. Pet Ownership & Demographics Sourcebook, which revealed that Massachusetts ranks 50th out of 50 for pet ownership with 50.4 percent of households owning a pet. In 2006, which was the last time the AVMA put together the sourcebook, Massachusetts again made the bottom 10 list of pet owners, ranking 47th with 50.7 percent of households owning a pet. Massachusetts also ranked in the bottom 10 for dog ownership in 2011 with the lowest dog ownership of any U.S. state. The survey is conducted by the AVMA every five years and always includes a breakdown of pet ownership by state. The most recent survey, conducted in 2012 but based on December 31, …
Saturday, January 19, 2013
Check out prices and conditions.
Nashoba Valley is a great place to go skiing: an adult weekend lift ticket is $48, and it's right here in Westford, but sometimes it's fun to get away. So, here are some other nearby ski areas, and their current prices and conditions. For more on Nashoba conditions, call (978) 692-3033, or head to the Nashoba or Boston Globe Snow Report websites. Bradford Ski Area You won't find much - just 13 trails - but it's a perfect place to bring the family or to go as a beginner. 60 S. Cross Rd., Bradford, MA. (978) 373-0071 Price for an adult weekend lift ticket: $45 Website: www.skibradford.com Conditions: current conditions Wachusett Mountain Waah-wah-wachusett... is a great bet for good skiing and riding, at just over an hour away in Princeton…
Mitt
3:18 pm on Tuesday, February 5, 2013
If the money tree keeps having those dry spells its prone to it will be cut as a funding issue sooner rather than later more ›