TURNERS FALLS — Semi-annual bills from the Turners Falls Water Department were mailed May 1.
Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Water Department’s office is closed to the public. Payments can be made online at turnersfallswater.com, by mail to the Water Department at 226 Millers Falls Road, Turners Falls, MA 01376, or left in the drop box at the office’s front door. Water Department Clerk Suzanne Leh noted that cash payments are discouraged.
TURNERS FALLS — Most of the recreation areas owned by FirstLight Hydro Generating Co. have been closed, in keeping with the state’s guidelines on public activity during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Closures include the Turners Falls Fishway, Barton Cove, Munn’s Ferry campground, Northfield Mountain trails and the river cruises.
Recreation areas that allow for social distancing and that don’t involve employees are still open, including Cabot Camp and the Poplar Street river access in Montague.
In general, FirstLight has closed its facilities and services that couldn’t accommodate social distancing, according to FirstLight’s Community Relations Manager Carter Wall. These include facilities with public bathrooms, kiosks or offices, as well as guided tours. Last week, FirstLight announced that its facilities that normally open at the end of May definitely won’t open on time this year.
Wall said FirstLight still hopes to open the rest of its recreation facilities this year if and when the state government deems it is safe to do so.
MONTAGUE — The Montague Democratic Town Committee has endorsed Ed Markey as the Democratic candidate for U.S. Senate.
“Sen. Markey has represented us well, and has shown particularly important leadership in the battle against catastrophic climate change, introducing the Green New Deal legislation with Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez,” Mark Wisnewski, chair of the Montague Democratic Town Committee, wrote in a statement. “This congressional resolution calls on the federal government to wean the United States from fossil fuels and curb planet-warming greenhouse gas emissions across the economy, while guaranteeing millions of new high-paying jobs in clean energy industries.”
TURNERS FALLS — Though the eighth annual Day of Remembrance to commemorate the 344th anniversary of the May 19, 1676 Great Falls Massacre has been canceled as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Nolumbeka Project is asking people to share their personal impressions of the event in writing.
According to a Nolumbeka Project newsletter, written pieces should be emailed to nolumbekaproject@gmail.com by May 17, along with a note regarding whether organizers have permission to share the writer’s name. The submissions will be shared on May 19.