Santa to stop by Fete Noel Christmas Fair
MONTAGUE CENTER — The Fete Noel Christmas Fair is coming to the First Congregational Church, 4 North St., on Saturday, Nov. 14, from 8:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.
A morning breakfast with baked goods will be served, along with a lunch that will include corn chowder, minestrone soup, stuffed roles, pie and pumpkin rolls.
Guests can purchase a variety of goods at the fair, including crafts, knitted items and baked goods, and participate in basket drawings. There is a chance to win a lottery wreath.
From 10:30 to 11:30 a.m., Santa Claus will be available for photos at no cost. All proceeds will go to benefit local and global charitable missions.
Nov. 14: Build a fairy house at the Discovery Center
TURNERS FALLS — The Montague Public Libraries will host a fairy house workshop at the Great Falls Discovery Center, 2 Avenue A, on Saturday, Nov. 14, from 1 to 3 p.m.
Children and teens will be able to use natural and recycled materials to create their own fairy houses. This event is open to ages 3 to 16, with their caregivers.
Scouts holding spaghetti dinner fundraiser
TURNERS FALLS — Cub Scouts Pack 3 and Scouts Troop 5 are raising money to benefit Camp Avery through the third annual spaghetti dinner on Sunday, Nov. 15, from 4 to 6:30 p.m. at the Montague Elks Lodge, 1 Elks Ave.
The $12 dinner will benefit Camp Avery in Greenfield, where improvements have been taking place in collaboration with the Greenfield and Bernardston Kiwanis clubs. Dine-in or takeout meals will be available, with cash, check or Venmo accepted.
Montague tax rate hearing set for Nov. 23
MONTAGUE — The Selectboard and the Board of Assessors will host a public hearing regarding the fiscal year 2027 tax rate on Monday, Nov. 23, at 6:30 p.m.
During the Nov. 9 Selectboard meeting, Town Administrator Walter Ramsey said residents who attend the hearing will get the opportunity to learn about and weigh in on scenarios for a single tax rate or a split tax rate. The public hearing, to be held as part of a broader Selectboard meeting, will be held in person at Town Hall, 1 Avenue A.
Last year, the Selectboard voted to maintain a split tax rate of $15.13 per $1,000 valuation for residential properties and $25.07 per $1,000 valuation for commercial, industrial and personal properties.
Meeting information, including the proposed tax scenarios and an agenda, will be available on the town’s website at montague-ma.gov ahead of the Nov. 23 meeting.
Franklin Tech awarded $5K from MassDEP
TURNERS FALLS — Franklin County Technical School was the only local recipient of a Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection (MassDEP) Reduce, Reuse, Repair Micro-Grant, with $5,000 going to the school.
According to MassDEP, the program is designed to help municipalities, schools, nonprofits and other organizations fund reuse and recycling initiatives. The grant to Franklin Tech is part of a total $133,150 in funding distributed to 18 recipients across the state.
“Every item that’s reused or repaired is an opportunity to save natural resources and reduce our environmental impact,” MassDEP Commissioner Bonnie Heiple said in a statement. “Whether rescuing surplus food for people in need or teaching youth how to process salvaged wood, these grants keep good stuff in use. In many cases, they also strengthen the systems and partnerships that help make communities more resilient.”
