Stories from surrounding communities, closest first.
Washington City Paper · Cambridge, MA
Nearby: Cambridge, MAAfter nearly two years since the release of their self-titled sophomore EP, Strutman Lane are gearing up to release their third EP, Made Up, on Friday. In December, the local eight-piece band will take their show on the road with performances in D.C., Philadelphia, and Boston. Since forming as a funk-pop band in late 2019, Strutman Lane have evolved in sound and genre. At least when it comes to making studio recordings, the band has moved from what drummer Henry Godfrey describes as a “jammier” process toward a “more ruthless” editing and mixing style. “We still jam live and we still love doing that, but the focus is shifting more toward the storytelling of the songs,” Godfrey says. Strutman Lane returned to the studio last November, and spent the year crafting Made Up.
The Lexington Observer · Lexington, MA
Nearby: Lexington, MAHave you ever wondered about what surprise might await you around the next turn in the road? Or have you stopped to think about what your life might be like after you caught a reflection in the mirror? These elements and more shape the next Voices on the Green production on November 20 at First Parish in Lexington. “Chance Encounters” takes the stage beginning at 7:00 PM, featuring six engaging and compelling stories, along with music from composer/instrumentalist/singer Theo Griffin. The event is hosted by Regie Gibson. A portion of the revenue from the performance will benefit the METCO College Scholarship Fund. Reserved Seats are now available for $20/ticket. Beverages and refreshments are also available beginning at 6:30 PM. Don’t miss Voices on the Green, celebrating our stories and music for nine years! More info: https://voicesonthegreen.org
The Lexington Observer · Lexington, MA
Nearby: Lexington, MALexington, we have a problem. As of today, the majority of Lexington Public School employees have been working without a contract for 72 days. Your children’s teachers, instructional assistants, academic coaches, interventionists, administrative support staff, special education service providers, nurses, mental health professionals, recess supervisors, and more show up daily to educate Lexington students. To make this happen in the next fiscal cycle, we need your support at the Budget Summit on November 18. As the Lexington Select Board continues to direct money into special accounts, they place the Lexington School Committee in the untenable position of offering salaries that keep many of my colleagues working below a living wage. The dedicated School Committee team meets with the Lexington Education Association to negotiate new contracts, but educators cannot accept their low compensation proposals.
The Lexington Observer · Lexington, MA
Nearby: Lexington, MAThe Lexington Pickleball Club recently completed a Community Health and Wellness Survey of its membership, and what our members told us is worth sharing with the broader Lexington community. Lexington Pickleball Club (LPC) is a non-profit recreational pickleball club in its fourth year, offering leveled pickleball sessions, social leagues and skills workshops to adults in Lexington and the surrounding communities. In May 2026, 223 of our 1,430 members responded to a survey designed by club leadership—including a physician, a nurse practitioner, and a public health researcher—that asked a simple question: “Is LPC actually making a difference in your life?”. The answer, in our members’ own words, was a resounding YES! Seven in ten active members reported being more physically active since joining LPC. More than half reported improved fitness. Nearly all, 98%, said the sessions were fun and that other players were kind to them. Those numbers alone are encouraging.
The Lexington Observer · Lexington, MA
Nearby: Lexington, MAThe following incidents were selected from the Lexington Police Department log during the week leading up to November 9. The Lexington Observer does not independently verify this information. Animal Control and Complaints (4) Tuesday, November 3 at 6:45 p.m., a caller reported he had struck an animal with his car near Maple St. and Solomon Pierce Rd. The responding officer said a raccoon had been moved to the side of Maple St. MassDOT was notified for removal. Sunday, November 8 at 4:20 p.m., a School St. resident reported an earlier incident that occurred while she was walking in the area of School St. She encountered a woman walking two dogs, one of them a pit bull that lunged at her from a few feet away before the woman regained control of it. The resident returned home, and the woman followed, walking in her direction with the dogs, then yelled “I know you” at her before walking away. The resident did not know the woman and had seen her only occasionally in the past.
New Hampshire Bulletin · Concord, MA
Nearby: Concord, MAThis story was changed on Nov. 10 at 8:58 a.m. to correct Bob Loiacono’s school district. New Hampshire voters took out their affordability frustrations on more than just lawmakers last Tuesday. As they elected Democrats into eye-popping legislative majorities in Concord Nov. 3, Granite Staters also voted in large numbers for a tax cap over their school districts, a policy many of those same Democrats opposed. The numbers are decisive. A majority of school districts — 91 out of 168 — cleared the 60% requirement to impose a tax cap, according to a tally of Associated Press results by Chris Maidment, a Republican consultant. In total, 58.8% of voters statewide opted for a cap, the tally shows. Now, school boards and superintendents in districts with the caps are grappling with a new mandate just in time for the winter budget-crafting season: Produce a budget that respects the will of their voters this November without upsetting them in March. For many, it’s a delicate task.
Rockland Review News · Rockland, MA
Nearby: Rockland, MAFebruary break asks a lot of Rockland County parents. Five weekdays, kids home, cold outside, and a budget already tired from the holidays. The good news: a full week of family events near me does not require tickets to anything expensive. It requires a plan that mixes free library programs, low-cost town recreation, and one or two paid outings spaced out so no single day carries the whole week. The trick is treating the break like a small budget line, not a scramble. Families who decide the week's shape before it starts spend less and hear less complaining. That is not a slogan; it is how the county's own event calendar works. Most towns, libraries and the mall publish their schedules weeks ahead, and the parents who read them early get the free slots before they fill. This guide explains how to build that plan: what counts as a family outing, where the free options hide, how to space the paid ones, and what to do when the weather refuses to cooperate.
