Natick Porchfest music line-up is out

September 24, 2021 by Bob Brown Leave a Comment

Get ready for a wide variety of outdoor music on Saturday as Natick Porchfest returns on Sept. 25 from 2-6pm, with an after-party from 6-7pm.

A searchable map is available at the Porchfest website where you can plot your travels. The music clustered around a handful of streets, including Walnut, Washington, Sheriden and Plain.

Performers include Stretch Pants, Miguel Melendez, Broken Vanity, Chris Wagner, and many others. Musical genres range from R&B to rock, and from punk to acapella.

A band called Los Goutos will wind things up. with. a performance from 6-7pm behind Music Go Round at 810 Worcester St. (Rte. 9 east).

Porchfest started in Natick in 2019, but was nixed in 2020 due to the pandemic. Let’s hope this year’s gets the momentum back.

We’ve been to pre-COVID porchfests in Arlington and Brookline and they were a ton of fun. Great vibes and discoveries while sampling a variety of music you might not otherwise be exposed to if left to your own tastes.

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Update: Gun searched for in Natick found on Rte. 128

September 23, 2021 by Bob Brown Leave a Comment

Update: Natick Police on Monday night issued the following brief update regarding the gun that they and state police had been searching for in town:

The missing firearm was located on Rte. 128 by the Massachusetts State Police. This event remains under investigation.

Natick Police issued an alert on social media Thursday morning regarding a missing gun that may have fallen from atop a vehicle being driven through town.

The warning reads: “A person has reported that they inadvertently left a firearm on top of their vehicle and it may have fallen off in the area of Lilja School. The area has been thoroughly searched by police and is being searched again. If you see anything, please do not handle it and call 911 immediately. As a precaution Officers will be stationed in the area for the start of school today.”

Lilja Elementary School parents and guardians were notified of the situation as well by the school via email on Thursday morning, for some as they were arriving at bus stops.

Some residents were alerted by a text from the police and Natick Public Schools superintendent:

Dear Lilja Families,

A person has reported that they inadvertently left a firearm on top of their vehicle and it may have fallen off the car in the area of Lilja. The area has been thoroughly searched by police all night long and is being searched again. If you see anything please do not handle it and call 911 right away. As a precaution Officers will be stationed in the area for the start of school today.

– Natick Police and Superintendent of Schools

The police department Facebook post set off a serious of comments from concerned parents and general rabble-rousers, with obligatory gun rights debate.

The police post went on to say that the incident involved a visitor to a private residence in Natick who reported the situation. Natick and state police K-9 unit searched the area near Lilja and along the driver’s route throughout the night and early hours. The gun was not lost on school grounds, according to the police.

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Natick readies 2 free flu clinics

September 23, 2021 by Admin Leave a Comment

Natick’s Health Department is encouraging residents to get vaccinated against the flu by offering 2 free clinics in October. Here’s how to schedule an appointment:

50-plus clinic: Oct. 13

Those 50-plus can sign up for the Oct. 13 clinic, which runs from 9am-2pm at Natick Community Senior Center at 117 East Central St.

Regular and high dose flu shots will be available (high dose while supplies last).

Masks are mandatory, and it’s a good idea to wear short sleeves.

If you need help making an appointment, call the Community Senior Center at 508-647-6540 option 6 or Call the Natick Health Department at 508-647-6460.

6 months-plus drive-through clinic: Oct. 23

This is a drive-thru clinic to take place Oct. 23 from 8am-2pm at the DPW at 75 West St.

Regular and high dose flu shots will be available (high dose while supplies last).

Masks are mandatory, and it’s a good idea to wear short sleeves.

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Natick MCAS scores released

September 22, 2021 by Bob Brown Leave a Comment

Half the battle with digesting MCAS scores is finding them on the Massachusetts Department of Education website. We’ve gotten that far, but haven’t had a chance yet to dive into the numbers.

The common headline about the standardized test scores is that they’ve fallen in many communities from 2019 to 2021, reflecting the results of trying to learn during the pandemic in remote and hybrid fashion (we’ve embedded the 2019 and 2021 Natick overall stats below, though note numerous cuts of the data can be viewed on the state site). Tests weren’t administered in 2020 due to the pandemic.

The Department of Elementary and Secondary Education reported that 46% of students in grades 3-8 across the state scored “Meeting Expectations” or higher in English language arts in 2021, and 33% did so in math. Both of these represent a drop compared to 2019, when 52% scored at that level in English language arts and 49% did so in math.

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Natick formally recognizes retiring public health director

September 20, 2021 by Bob Brown Leave a Comment

Natick Public Health Director Jim White’s longer than expected goodbye will end on Sept. 30, when he officially retires. Born and raised in Natick, White devoted his entire career over 40-plus years to the town, which named him to his current position in 2009.

He had planned to be doing this in March, but when the pandemic hit he felt compelled to stick around and help the town cope with COVID-19. Like other local health directors, he wished the state had allowed his team to play an even bigger role, including with vaccination clinics.

Due to the pandemic, White didn’t get his due during the canceled July 4th parade in Natick, but he was named grand marshal for the replacement house decorating contest. We spied him, masked up, roaming the streets during the recent Natick Days festival.

On Monday, the Select Board s issuing a proclamation (embedded below) touting White’s contributions to the town.

The proclamation reads in part: “throughout his forty-one years of service to the Town of Natick, Jim has always adhered to the highest standards of ethics, and represented the Town with the utmost integrity and professionalism; and WHEREAS, as Director of Public Health, Jim has been supported by a dedicated team of public health professionals, for whom he always expresses gratitude and admiration, and with whom he always shares credit for the important work and countless accomplishments of the Public Health Department…”

Download (PDF, 129KB)

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