SHELBURNE FALLS — Shelburne village residents are reminded that a winter parking ban is in effect whenever the blue lights are flashing on Bridge and Water streets. The flashing lights mean that no on-street parking is allowed between 1 a.m. to 6 a.m., so that town highway plows can better clean the roadways during snowstorms. During parking bans, motorists without designated off-street parking spaces must use town parking lots at Arms Academy, below the former Mole Hollow Candle Co. building, or on Cross Street.
“These lights are in place to assist residents in knowing when the winter parking ban is in effect,” said Selectmen’s Chairman Joseph Judd. “People must be aware of this and check the lights periodically, especially when they know a winter storm is in the forecast and is approaching. The whole idea here is to keep people from being towed … and people will be towed if the winter parking ban is not adhered too.”
“We also always try to send out a voice message to let people know that the winter parking ban is in effect, but those blue lights are really the key component,” he said. “If your car is in the way when the Highway Department is trying to clear the streets, it will be towed … and we’re trying our best to avoid that.”
On the Buckland side of the village (State Street and above), the winter overnight parking ban is in effect every night through March 31. No on-street parking is permitted there from midnight until 6 a.m.
SHELBURNE FALLS — The Shelburne Highway Department will collect discarded Christmas trees from its village section of Shelburne Falls on Jan. 9, begining at 7 p.m., weather permitting.
Rural residents may bring their Christmas trees to the town garage site on Colrain-Shelburne Road.
SHELBURNE FALLS — Find out how your favorite chili stacks up against the best of Franklin County’s in the 21st annual Chili Cook Off, to be held later this month at the Shelburne Falls Eagles Club, 52 State St.
Sponsored by the Friends of the Charlemont Fairgrounds, the Chili Cook Off raises money for the Charlemont Fairgrounds and for the annual Yankee Doodle Days celebration, which is being planned for this summer.
Chili cooks need to enter the contest by Jan. 20 and arrive at the Eagles by 3:30 p.m. with at least two gallons of chili in crock pots.
Admission is free for chili entrants. Those who come just to eat and enjoy the live music pay $7 per adult. They get to sample a variety of chili before casting their vote for the favorite. There is also a 50/50 drawing and a drawing for $50 worth of Massachusetts Lottery scratch tickets.
Entry forms may be filled out online, at: www.yankeedoodledays.com/chili
You can also email an entry form to: hicksff@verizon.net, or mail a paper form to: Friends of Charlemont Fairgrounds, PO Box 75, Charlemont, MA 01339.
The Chili Cook Off takes place on Jan. 29 from 4 to 6:30 p.m.