Briefs: Christmas Tree Pickup, Election Season, Code 1 Ribbon Cutting

Make sure you remove all the tinsel before putting out your tree. Plus: Time to license your pup, and beware of scammers

Oh Tannen-gone: Tewksbury residents can put their trees out for pickup the week of Jan. 9. Leave the tree curbside before 7 a.m. on your street’s regular trash pickup day. Christmas trees must be free of tinsel and ornaments, and please do not use plastic bags as they will not be picked up. If your tree is not collected, you can call Republic Services at 800-442-9006. Please consult the Recycling Calendar for more info.

Off to the races: Town offices and the Library will be closed on Monday, Jan. 2 in observance of New Year’s Day. The Clerk’s office reopens at 7:30 a.m. and will have nomination papers available for residents interested in running for office. Nine seats are available, and 50 signatures from registered voters are required.

Paw (license) patrol: All dogs over six months must be licensed annually. Costs vary but rise by $5 on March 15. A rabies certificate and various other paperwork need to be on file, and you can license by mail, in person or online. Learn more.

Tree talk: The Tewksbury Winter Tree Walk will wind down next week. Be sure to get out to the Pinnacle Trails, Chandler Well Fields and Rogers Park to see the decorated trees by Tewksbury nonprofits. Why not plan your “First Walk” of 2023 to be one exploring the town’s open spaces? Find more info and trail maps here.

Restaurant shuffle: Residents who enjoyed Code 1 BBQ at the Community Market this summer can now get their brisket fix year round at 211 Main St. in Wilmington, next to Casablanca. Code 1 has taken over the storefront that formerly housed LaRosa, which is moving to the former Panera across the street. There will be a ribbon cutting for Code 1 at 11 a.m. on Tuesday.

Scam alert: Finally, a Merrimac resident was scammed out of $18,000 just before Christmas. The resident received a telephone call from an individual claiming to be a grandchild who was in jail. The caller claimed he needed $18,000 in bail money, and had the grandmother speak to a second individual who claimed to be her grandchild’s attorney.

MPD shared the following tips from the Federal Trade Commission regarding these scams:

Resist the urge to act immediately, no matter how dramatic the story is.
Verify the person’s identity by asking questions that a stranger couldn’t possibly answer.
Call a phone number for your family member or friend that you know to be genuine.
Check the story out with someone else in your family or circle of friends, even if you’ve been told to keep it a secret.
Don’t wire money or send a check or money order by overnight delivery or courier.
Report possible fraud at ftc.gov/complaint or by calling 1-877-FTC-HELP.

For more information on grandparent and bail scams, click here. Residents who believe they may have fallen victim to such a scam are encouraged to contact their local police department.