The Harvard Press

09/10/2026

A celestial coincidence in Spain

Bromfield 10th-grader Maxwell Weiss had been settled into his eclipse viewing spot in the foothills of Parque de la Candamia in Léon, Spain, for a couple of hours. The moon had begun its traverse. People were still filling in along the walking trail that the Weiss family of Warren Avenue had scouted out the night before—a vista with no trees, mountains, or buildings to obstruct the astronomical event that was happening low in the sky on Aug. 11. As totality–the point at which the moon obscures the sun–approached, two women sat down next to the Weisses. Max glanced over, and then did a double take: “Profe?”

“Max?”

https://harvardpress.com/2026/09/a-celestial-coincidence-in-spain/

09/08/2026

Depot Road remains top choice for Transfer Station, DPW as landfill options advance

Harvard’s Transfer Station and Department of Public Works facilities will remain on Depot Road, according to the options Town Administrator Dawn Dunbar laid out for the Select Board at their meeting on Tuesday evening, Sept. 1. Additionally, retaining the Transfer Station, as opposed to town-wide trash collection, remained a priority for Dunbar as an option for dealing with the state requirements to officially cap and close the landfill. All plans remain subject to Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection mandates.

Government·News Depot Road remains top choice for Transfer Station, DPW as landfill options advance September 4, 2026 by Julie Gowel Harvard’s Transfer Station and Department of Public Works facilities will remain on Depot Road, according to the options Town Administrator Dawn Dunbar laid out for...

09/05/2026

‘The trophy is staying home’: Harvard wins 99th annual Wachusett Fire Truck Muster

They say where there’s smoke, there’s fire. Well, where there are teams of local fire departments competing in high-spirited fire-service races using their oldest firetrucks, there’s a muster. And in this year’s muster, the hometown hosts were the victors.

Photo: Competitors from the Harvard Fire Department, from left, Bill Barton, Frank deBettencourt, and Christopher Tse race with hoses in the pump relay at the 99th annual Wachusett Fire Truck Muster held on Still River Road, Aug. 30. Six towns competed in six events that tested their endurance, technical skills, and teamwork. (Photo by Lisa Aciukewicz)

https://harvardpress.com/2026/09/the-trophy-is-staying-home-harvard-wins-99th-annual-wachusett-fire-truck-muster/

09/04/2026

Harvard voters back Markey, Minogue for November ballot

Out of 4,883 registered voters in Harvard, 1,458 cast ballots in Tuesday’s primary election, according to preliminary accounts. Voters selected the incumbent U.S. Senator Ed Markey to run against unopposed Republican candidate John Deaton and Michael Minogue to challenge Gov. Maura Healey in the Nov. 3 general election.

Government·News Harvard voters back Markey, Minogue for November ballot September 4, 2026 by Valerie Hurley Out of 4,883 registered voters in Harvard, 1,458 cast ballots in Tuesday’s primary election, according to preliminary accounts. Voters selected the incumbent U.S. Senator Ed Markey to run a...

09/02/2026

The most recent cost estimates for replacing the Bromfield School’s problem-plagued heating, ventilation, and air conditioning system are substantially higher than expected. The School Committee discussed that unwelcome news at its Monday meeting this week. Superintendent Dana Labb had prepared a request for the Capital Planning and Investment Committee, asking for nearly $28.3 million for the project in fiscal years 2028 and 2029. That amount is roughly double last year’s estimate, mainly because the new figures include the cost of replacing Bromfield’s roof as well as the cost of the new HVAC equipment itself.

News·School News Price tag tops $28 million for new HVAC system, roof at Bromfield August 27, 2026 by Marty Green The most recent cost estimates for replacing the Bromfield School’s problem-plagued heating, ventilation, and air conditioning system are substantially higher than expected. The Schoo...

09/01/2026

The Harvard Historical Commission will hold a public hearing at its regularly scheduled meeting Sept. 2, to vote on a proposal to install three large sculptures on the grounds of Fivesparks at 7 Fairbank Street, after town counsel determined the commission has jurisdiction over the project.

https://harvardpress.com/2026/08/historical-commission-to-hear-fivesparks-sculpture-proposal/

08/31/2026

The Press returned to the office two weeks ago after our annual summer print hiatus. And during that time, some of us were hard at work on a new website, the first major redesign since our inception in 2006.

We invite you and nonsubscribers alike to explore the new website. Kick the tires, test out the navigation, take in the new look and feel. The site will be free for all for the next two weeks. After that, readers will need a subscription to log in and continue reading beyond two free articles per month. We do this because we appreciate the support from our subscribers. Your subscriptions keep the bills paid. We also do it to honor our writers, editors, and photographers who put hard work in each week and deserve to see that work valued.

What you’ll find on the new harvardpress.com

• A faster, easier-to-navigate site on your phone or computer
• A cleaner layout with stories organized in ways that make sense
• An improved search function that allows you to filter stories by author and other categories
• A new community calendar where events are searchable and can be posted further in advance than the current two weeks
• A new “Meet the Team” section spotlighting our editors, writers, and photographers
• Faster breaking-news updates, thanks to expanded posting access for our staff.

https://harvardpress.com/2026/08/our-new-website-is-launched-and-free-but-not-for-long/

Image: Adobe Stock

08/23/2026

Legal finding opens Ryan Land to DPW facility, Transfer Station uses

A recent legal review of the warrant article used at the 1983 Harvard Town Meeting to purchase the 30.33 acres of land on Depot Road indicates the parcel can be used for municipal purposes other than recreation. Currently, three of Harvard’s athletic fields occupy the land that was assumed by many residents to be covered under Article 97, which provides protection to open spaces. Town Administrator Dawn Dunbar presented her findings at the Select Board meeting held virtually on Tuesday, Aug. 18.

A recent legal review of the warrant article used at the 1983 Harvard Town Meeting to purchase the 30.33 acres of land on Depot Road indicates the...

08/21/2026

The adage “Third time’s the charm” has proven true for writer Evann Normandin of Old Littleton Road, whose debut novel, “The Good Parts,” has been published recently. During the pandemic Normandin drafted a novel that ended up in a drawer. The second attempt was a book based on a myth that didn’t make it to publication but resulted in her getting a literary agent. Through that agent, whom Normandin said she was very lucky to find, and her own perseverance, “The Good Parts” was published by Grand Central Publishing, a division of Hachette Book Group. Her contract is for two books, and she is working on her second novel, due out in the fall of 2027.

https://harvardpress.com/Features/Feature-Articles/local-author-publishes-a-literary-love-story-the-good-parts

08/17/2026

A recent comprehensive site assessment of the town’s land on Depot Road confirmed that the old landfill boundary extends beneath approximately three-quarters of the Transfer Station and several Department of Public Works structures. The Select Board met Tuesday, Aug. 4, to hear from Town Administrator Dawn Dunbar about the options available for state compliance in capping the landfill.

https://harvardpress.com/News/News-Articles/dunbar-and-ryder-lay-out-landfill-options-promise-community-engagement