Brief thoughts on some of the events making news from around Franklin County and the North Quabbin area:
Kudos to the area’s fire departments that go above and beyond their normal duties to make sure people not only get the message about smoke detectors but actively help people change out old smoke alarms for new. For example, the Greenfield Fire Department and the American Red Cross teamed up recently to install free smoke and carbon monoxide detectors in about 20 homes. The department is considering doing more of this service in the future. The Orange Fire Department did the same earlier this month.
While it plays into October as fire prevention month, the departments know they have to get the word out about checking batteries and replacing smoke detectors not just this month but other times as well. After all, according to the National Fire Prevention Association, “three of every five home fire deaths in the United States result from fires in homes with no smoke alarms or no working smoke alarms. Almost 40 percent of the fire deaths that occur in the U.S. are in homes with no smoke alarms.”
The Greenfield Planning Board’s decision to delay a ruling on the first auxiliary dwelling unit application may not sit well with everyone, but everyone should be thankful. The board, in part, wants to have more information before making a decision. We already know that this decision, whichever way it goes, will not make everyone happy. But that doesn’t mean the board shouldn’t get it right.
The discussion in Gill and Montague over Turners Falls High School’s mascot continues to evolve. School Superintendent Michael Sullivan has suggested a couple of public presentations to provide more information in considering whether the use of “Indians” as a mascot is appropriate. This includes looking at the early history of the area, one that involves the clashes between European settlers and the Native Americans during the King Philip’s War; the perspective provided by Native American representatives; and the importance of the mascot to the community. With more information comes the power to make a decision that is right for the community.
That the Workers Credit Union in Orange has said that it is seeing more people apply for new accounts since TD Bank announced its plan to close its East Main Street branch, leaving customers to go to the branch in Athol, shouldn’t be too much of a surprise. Even when using regional or national businesses, people want them to be local. And while TD Bank’s Athol branch isn’t that far from Orange, residents obviously don’t like the inconvenience or the message the change sends.