Five Minute Read

Westminster to hold walk-in flu clinic

WESTMINSTER — The Board of Health is hosting a walk-in flu clinic from 4 to 7 p.m. Thursday at the Meetinghouse School Gym, 8 South St.

The flu shots are available to town residents and town employees.

There will be a check-in process. Fill out the insurance form at https://bit.ly/3GJk03u to expedite check-in. Make sure you bring your insurance cards.

Park in the Westminster Elementary School parking lot and proceed to Meetinghouse School for check-in. Masks are mandatory.

Vaccine booster clinic being held in Fitchburg

FITCHBURG — The city will be offering several vaccine clinics over the next month.

From noon to 4 p.m. Friday, first and booster doses of the Pfizer vaccine will be offered.

Additional clinics will be held from noon to 4 p.m. on Nov. 12, Nov. 19 and Nov. 24, with a vaccine that’s yet to be determined.

To make an appointment, go to https://bit.ly/3bBCc0I.

All clinics to be held in the Legislative Building, 700 Main St., which is next to City Hall.

Appointment availability and more information will be available as it becomes available.

Read to a therapy pet at the Fitchburg Youth Library

FITCHBURG — Be PAWSitive Therapy Pets and Community Education is delighted to welcome young readers to Fitchburg Youth Library, 610 Main St., Fitchburg, from 10:30 a.m. to noon Saturday for the popular “Read To A TheraPAWS Therapy Pet” program, which began in 2016.

Help your child improve their reading and volunteers can read stories to younger children. Children who read aloud improve comprehension and reading skills. Multiple pets will be available. For more information, visit “Be PAWSitive” on Facebook. Confirmed Therapy Pets include Livvy, Yorkie, Spencercat, British Bombay-mix.

Sportsmen’s Association will host fundraiser for veterans

LEOMINSTER — The Leominster Sportsmen’s Association, located at 1455 Elm St., will commemorate Veterans Day with a Rattle Battle Rifle and Pistol Plate match on Sunday.

First relay starts at 9 a.m. Cost is $10. Participants will be shooting the rifles in four-man teams and the pistols head-to-head at plate racks. Bring your buddies, your favorite rifle, sling, extra clips/mags and 50-100 rounds, and your pistol or revolver and 50 rounds (more if you’re a good shot). Any rifle or pistol is OK; 10-point bonus for competing with a U.S. Service Rifle.

Instead of prizes, proceeds will be donated to the Fisher House, a “home away from home” for the families of patients at military and VA medical centers.

The clubhouse kitchen will be open for breakfast. For more information on this event, visit www.lsa-ma.org.

For more information on the Fisher House, visit www.fisherhouse.org.

Sixth annual Westminster Cracker Festival is Saturday

WESTMINSTER — The sixth annual Westminster Cracker Festival will take place from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., Saturday and is a free event.

On Saturday, the Village Square will be transformed into a large festival with stage, big tent, Wachusett Brewing Co. Beer Garden and craft vendors. There will be a great lineup of music, including Max Recoil, Mr Stickland and the Tribe.

There will also be local food, crafts and Wachusett beer.

The festival’s major sponsors are Aubuchon Hardware, Wachusett Brewing Co., Wachusett Mountain, IC Credit Union, Fitchburg Welding and many other local businesses and patrons.

The day will kick off at 9 a.m. with a 5K run/walk through the town past hills and lakes, starting and finishing in the Center. All runners who sign up ahead of time get their own Wachusett Brewing pint glass and coupons. Go crackerfestival.com to register. While at the festival, check out all the painted life-size dogs lining Main Street as part of our own Westminster Dog Show.

This is a kid friendly and fun for the whole family. For locals it has become a homecoming event always celebrated on the third Saturday in October. For more information, contact Joe Serio 978-870-2361

Fitchburg High School Class of 1951 plans reunion

FITCHBURG — The 70th reunion of the Fitchburg High School Class of 1951 will be held from 1 to 4 p.m. Saturday at Slattery’s Restaurant, which is located at 160 Lunenburg St., Fitchburg.

For more information, call Dick Nyman at 978-827-5815

Fitchburg State University gets grant funding

BOSTON – MassDevelopment has awarded $390,000 in grants to nine organizations, including Fitchburg State University, to implement outdoor dining, business signage improvements, district branding and marketing plans, placemaking and wayfinding projects, public events, and more through locally developed business assistance programs in Gateway Cities. The grants were awarded through MassDevelopment’s Transformative Development Initiative (TDI) Local program.

Fitchburg State University will use a $30,000 district grant and a $10,000 competitive grant to support the Fitchburg TDI Partnership’s storefront improvement efforts, deploying funding for technical assistance, storefront improvements, lease subsidies for startups and growing businesses, and other strategic projects.

Leominster to auction real estate

LEOMINSTER — The city will hold a multi-property real estate auction at noon on June 24 at City Hall at 25 West St. The live auction, conducted by The Zekos Group, Municipal Auction Strategies, will highlight two single family homes located at 98 Pleasant Terrace and 72 Carter St., a commercial/industrial building at 98 Pleasant St., a commercial lot at 603 North Main St., a 5.8 acre residential site on Elm Street and four additional land parcels. This will provide an excellent opportunity for local residents, builders and investors.

“We are pleased to have been retained by the city of Leominster to offer these properties to the highest bidder in an open and public process,” Zekos Group President, Paul T. Zekos said.

City officials are looking forward to the one-time revenue the auction will generate and getting these properties back on the tax rolls.

Prospective bidders can find a complete list of properties at WWW.ZEKOSGROUP.COM and will be required to present positive identification and a deposit in the form of a bank check (treasurer’s, cashier’s, or certified) to qualify to bid.

Interested parties are urged to research the properties and contact The Zekos Group at 508-842-9000 or visit their website for detailed information.

Fidelity Bank appoints Joseph Silva to lead Commercial Banking team

LEOMINSTER — Fidelity Bank recently announced the appointment of Joseph Silva to Senior Vice President, Chief Commercial Banking Officer.

In this role, he will lead all aspects of Commercial Banking and Cash Management sales with a focus on growing the business while also embracing Fidelity Bank’s LifeDesign approach. He succeeds Barry Bliss, Chief Commercial Banking Officer, who recently announced his retirement forthcoming in August.

“Joe has extensive experience in credit, lending and business development, as well as leading teams toward exceptional results in client-focused growth,” said Christopher W. McCarthy, President and COO. “He is a positive, collaborative and innovative leader, making him a terrific match for our LifeDesign approach to banking.”

“Fidelity Bank has a strong reputation of understanding the complexities of today’s business environment by offering sound solutions to empower business owners and their companies,” said Silva.

Fitchburg looking for proposals from artists

FITCHBURG — The city is seeking proposals from artists interested in creating a mural in the heart of downtown Fitchburg this summer and fall.

Artists and designers experienced in outdoor installation are encouraged to submit proposals.

This call to artists is looking for a mural inspired by and honoring the legacy of Lionel Reinford, a local educator, community activist, artist, and Fitchburg resident who passed away in the spring of 2020. Examples of Mr. Reinford’s art, and more information on his inspiring life story, can be found here.

Residents of the city are strongly encouraged to submit proposals. The city does not and shall not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, gender, gender expression, age, national origin, disability, marital status, sexual orientation, or military status, in any of its activities or operations. Grants to artists are funded by Community Development Block Grant funds. Click here for more information, submission criteria, and submission schedule.

For more information, email Cindy Dalton at CDalton@FitchburgMA.gov