No swimming at Bare Hill Pond; testing for cyanotoxins underway
The Board of Health has issued a no-swimming advisory at the town beach and the beach at Thurston’s Cove due to an elevated level of blue-green algae, or cyanobacteria, in the water. The board advises against swimming in any part of the pond due to poor visibility. Pets should be kept away from the water.
Additional testing is underway to determine whether the water is toxic, and whether fishing and boating will also be banned. The Harvard Board of Health will post the latest information—as it becomes available—at the beach, and it will also post information on its webpage: harvard-ma.gov/board-health.
Outdoor water use banned for those on town water
Outdoor water use is banned for anyone who is hooked up to the town’s public water supply. The ban was imposed in the town center’s water district after testing turned up coliform bacteria in one of the town’s wells and at Town Hall. Until further notice, water district residents must not use irrigation systems, water lawns, pressure wash houses or driveways, wash vehicles, or fill pools.
Face coverings required inside municipal buildings
As of Aug. 23, all town employees and visitors, regardless of vaccination status, must wear masks or other face coverings when inside municipal buildings, including Town Hall, the library, Hildreth House, Public Safety Building, DPW offices, and at the Take-It-Or-Leave-It shed.
By vote of the School Committee, masks are also required in all school buildings.
Select Board to hold public hearings for liquor licenses
The Harvard Select Board will hold two public hearings about liquor licenses at their Tuesday, Aug. 31, meeting. The hearings will be held via Zoom; access information will be included on the meeting’s agenda at harvard-ma.gov/select-board.
At 7 p.m. the board will consider a request from Stony Brook Market to open a liquor store at 188 Ayer Road, next to Dunkin’ Donuts. Another hearing, scheduled for 7:20 p.m., will consider requests from Carlson Orchards of Oak Hill Road to expand its Farmer Winery Pouring license and its hours of operation.
Sports-writing workshop for high school students
The Harvard Press will offer its free sports-reporting workshop once again this fall for Bromfield students enrolled in eighth through 12th grade. In four to five sessions, students will learn the basics of reporting and writing about live events. Those who successfully complete the course will be offered an opportunity to join the paper’s sports-writing team. For more information, please send an email to editor@harvardpress.net.
Deadline extended to register for a Bromfield varsity, JV, or middle school team
The deadline for registering to play on a Bromfield team has been extended from Aug. 17 to Sept. 1. Athletic director Dave Boisvert told the Press Tuesday that while a few team rosters, such as middle school boys soccer, are full, most are not. For a list of fall teams, see this week’s story on pages 6 and 7. To register, go to: https://sites.google.com/psharvard.org/bromfieldathletics/home
