Celebrate the town’s 289th birthday with a free slice of cake on Thursday
It’s a big week for town board and committee meetings, with the Planning Board, Select Board and Board of Health as well as the Housing Authority and Council on Aging gathering. You can also support the TMHS Class of 2025 at a screening of Home Alone on Thursday.
Note that trash and recycling will be on a one-day delay due to the holiday for the week of Dec. 25. Pick up will be on Thursday, Dec. 28. Any missed pickups will take place on Dec. 29 and 30. Please contact the Town Manager’s office to be placed on the missed list.
Mark Dec. 28 on your calendar — it’s the very first special Winter Community Market, held from 4 – 7 p.m. at the Senior Center. The market will feature 30 vendors, including many favorites from the Tewksbury Community Market’s summer season at Livingston Street Park, along with a few new additions. Two food trucks will be in the Senior Center’s parking lot, while the remaining vendors selling an assortment of prepared foods and artisan goods can be found inside the large hall.
Remember that decorated spaces and trees will be on display through Jan. 1, 2024, at Rogers Park, the Pinnacle Trails and the Chandler Well Fields as part of the annual Winter Tree Walk.
If you’d prefer to walk indoors, a new TMHS walking club schedule is below. The track is open to the public on Mondays, Wednesdays and Thursdays from 4 – 7 p.m. when school is in session.
The Carnation will be mostly on hiatus between Christmas and New Years, but we will publish our annual list of top stories. Have a wonderful holiday, Tewksbury.
Monday, Dec. 18
Wellness Workshop: Making a Self Care Plan
When: 10 a.m.
Where: Senior Center
Good self care is important, especially as we grow older. A good care plan can help us stay strong, build the immune system, give us more energy and help to promote inner happiness. Join us to discuss this important topic and begin creating your plan.
DJ Dance & Lunch
When: Doors open 11:30 a.m.
Where: Senior Center
The monthly luncheon dance is $8 per person. Tickets may be purchased at the door but may not include lunch, and there is no discount for tickets purchased without the meal, which is provided by AgeSpan’s Traveling Chef. This month’s menu includes baked ham, au gratin potatoes, butternut squash, carrots, gingerbread dessert, bottled water and coffee/tea.
Tewksbury Housing Authority
When: 4 p.m.
Where: Saunders Circle Community Building
The Housing Authority will discuss the 2024 budget and salaries, among other matters. Agenda
Planning Board
When: 7 p.m.
Where: Town Hall or catch the meeting on Tewksbury TV or Comcast (6) or Verizon (33)
The Planning Board has a full agenda, including hearings on the proposed daycare at 770 Main St., cannabis projects on Andover St. and Clark Rd. and the Tree House overflow lot, which cleared the Conservation Commission last week. Agenda
Former CIA Agent Discusses “Moscow X”
When: 7 p.m.
Where: Virtual, register here
Fans of the spy genre can hear former CIA agent and bestselling thriller author David McCloskey discuss his new spy novel, Moscow X. While at the CIA, McCloskey wrote regularly for the President’s Daily Brief, delivered classified testimony to Congressional oversight committees and briefed senior White House officials.
Tuesday, Dec. 19
Council on Aging
When: 3 p.m.
Where: Senior Center
The COA will review the January events calendar and financials as presented by newly elected treasurer Donna Bell. Agenda
Lowell Chess Club
When: 5:30 – 8:30 p.m.
Where: Pollard Library, 401 Merrimack St.
The Lowell Chess Club will meet in the ground floor Community Room of the Pollard Memorial Library. All skill levels are welcome. Bring or borrow a chess set, and learn or share board moves with other chess aficionados. No registration is required. For more information, email chessinlowell@gmail.com or call the library at 978-674-4120.
Galilee Cafe
When: 5:30 – 7 p.m.
Where: Tewksbury Congregational Church
Tonight is the monthly community dinner at the Galilee Cafe at Tewksbury Congregational Church. This month there will be a ham dinner for the week before Christmas. Learn more.
Select Board
When: 7 p.m.
Where: Town Hall or catch the meeting on Tewksbury TV or Comcast (6) or Verizon (33)
After exiting executive session, the Select Board will consider a request by Hobart’s to exchange “Country Store” for “Liquors” and discuss a number of additional license renewals. The board will also discuss issuing an RFP for the Trahan property, as authorized by October Town Meeting. Agenda
Shawsheen Tech School Committee
When: 7 p.m.
Where: Shawsheen Tech or YouTube
The Shaw Tech School Committee will consider authorizing a stabilization fund, discuss the school council selection process and hear an update on the MSBA process. As reported by the Apple, in 2022 Shaw Tech began the process to seek state funding for new building or major renovation. Agenda
Wednesday, Dec. 20
Free Friends & Family CPR Class
When: 6 – 8 p.m.
Where: Beehive Coworking Community, Tyngsboro
Join Curantis Private Nursing Services for an exciting and informative event where you can learn life-saving skills. The Family and Friends CPR event is a hands-on workshop designed for individuals of all ages and backgrounds. Whether you’re a parent, grandparent, or simply interested in acquiring essential CPR skills, this event is perfect for you. Not a certification class. Learn more and register here.
Open Mic Night
When: 6 – 9 p.m.
Where: Coffee & Cotton, Mill No. 5
Enjoy poetry, music and storytelling during the Untitled Open Mic at Mill No. 5, 250 Jackson St. Talent signup starts at 6 p.m. This event will include a poetry feature after the open reading segment. Learn more.
Climate Cafe
When: 7 – 8:30 p.m.
Where: Virtual, register here
Don’t feel bad you never got a beach house. Days before the UN climate conference in Dubai, scientists released updates about the future of the climate. They concluded that changes are happening faster than most predictions and called for bold action over the next few years. What are your reactions now that the conference is over? Whatever they are – including wanting to ignore the whole problem – you’re invited to share them at the virtual Climate Café. It’s a welcoming place for your concerns about climate change, proposed solutions, and activism. It’s supportive, non-partisan, and hopeful. The discussion is co-facilitated by a volunteer from Tewksbury.
Thursday, Dec. 21
Celebrate Tewksbury’s Birthday With A Free Cupcake Or Slice Of Cake
When: noon – 5 p.m.
Where: Library
Did you know Tewksbury was officially incorporated on December 23, 1734 from Billerica? To celebrate the town’s 289th birthday, a couple of days early, the library is giving out slices of cake and cupcakes, while supplies last. Information about the library’s local history resources and a Tewksbury history trivia quiz will also be available.
TMHS Class of 2025 Holiday Dinner & Movie Night
When: 5:30 – 8 p.m.
Where: TMHS Auditorium
The TMHS Class of 2025 is hosting a Holiday Dinner & Movie Night with a screening of Home Alone, a Christmas classic beloved by both children and adults. Admission to the event will be by donation to the Class of 2025, so you may pay as little or as much as you’d like. Pizza, snacks, and drinks will be available in the TMHS cafeteria for a small fee. Not a drop-off event. Learn more and RSVP here.
Board of Health
When: 7 p.m.
Where: Town Hall or Tewksbury TV
The BoH will hear from tobacco agent Ron Beauregard regarding a potential cap on retail tobacco sales permits and discuss a working group for body art regulations. Agenda
Blue Christmas Service
When: 7 p.m.
Where: Tewksbury Congregational Church. This service of comfort and hope is for anyone coping with the loss of a loved one, a broken relationship, health issues, job changes or other difficult life circumstances. For questions, call 978-851-9411. Learn more.
Weekend
Christmas Eve Day Indoor Nativity & Petting Zoo
When: Sunday, 10:30 a.m.
Where: Northeast Christian Church, 995 Andover St.
Every year the NECC celebrates the Christmas Season with an indoor reenactment of the real manger scene, animals and all. The community is invited to share in this joyous celebration, where hearts unite in gratitude. Join Northeast Christian Church for a Christmas Eve like no other, a cherished gathering where we celebrate with live animals in the church service, and an indoor petting zoo afterwards for the whole family. Learn more.
Lorna Garey
Lorna is a past and current Malden resident, U.S. Army veteran, and longtime tech and community journalist who has written for organizations ranging from the DIA to InformationWeek. In her previous hometown she founded a hyperlocal news site, the Tewksbury Carnation.
Thursday at the Board of Health meeting, a potential cap on retail tobacco sales permits will be discussed. In this instance setting a cap is nothing more than a monopoly for those that will have such permits and contradicts the idea of a local free market economy.