Dave Watkins

State funding boosts a major Newburyport housing project as local outlets round up community news. The Daily News of Newburyport reported the state awarded $6.5 million to the Newburyport Crossings multifamily development, a notable step for the project's progress. Elsewhere, the paper …

Methuen City Hall begins Friday closures through Labor Day as a new furlough program tied to the FY2027 budget takes effect July 10. Mayor D.J. Beauregard separately announced legislation aimed at eliminating unpaid employee furloughs and boosting public school funding, while he and Pub…

Three Marblehead beaches closed to swimmers as statewide advisory hits nearly 70 beaches amid hot weather. The town saw two notable items surface Thursday and Friday: a swimming closure affecting local beaches during a heat wave, and a leadership change at the Marblehead Arts Associatio…

State Rep. Bradley Jones cancels his July 10 Lynnfield office hours, with the next session set for August. The Select Board and Finance Committee meet Monday, July 13, followed by the Library Trustees on July 14 — a board currently seeking to fill a posted vacancy — and the Open Space &…

Lynn Public Library shifts to summer hours as teen and family programming continues through the month. The library will operate Monday through Thursday from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. and Friday from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. through September 7, closing weekends in the meantime. A Movie Night is set for …

Merrimack River contamination concerns persist after recent rainfall complicates a sewage spill cleanup. NBC Boston reports in "Merrimack River still contaminated after sewage spill, rain brings new concern" that testing continues to show elevated pollution levels along the waterway tha…

An SUV crashed into a Newbury Street hair salon Thursday afternoon, injuring three people, while St. John's Prep secured major financing for a campus upgrade. MassDevelopment issued a $25 million tax-exempt bond to the private school to convert its Memorial Dining Hall into a new studen…

Boxford's FY27 proposed budget and capital plan is now open for public review as town officials also seek residents willing to serve as election workers, per the town website. The Select Board meets Monday, July 13, followed by the Planning Board on Wednesday, July 15. Meanwhile, the Bo…

Endicott College unveiled a new AI-focused bachelor's degree Thursday as Beverly Bootstraps pressed residents for backpack-drive donations ahead of its final deadline. The college's new Bachelor of Science in Artificial Intelligence & Analytics Management was billed as a first for the r…

West Newbury Select Board unanimously approves budget transfer, special permits, and two appointments at July 9 meeting.