Nashoba Publishing

Car vs. Town Hall

Car vs. Town Hall
On Saturday October 4th a car careened off the road and on to the lawn of Ayer Town Hall, striking a tree. The driver and her two daughters were treated by Ayer Fire Department. All three were transported to Nashoba Valley Medical Center for further evaluation. AFD's Engine 2, Rescue 1, Ambulance 1 and Ambulance 2 responded.

Ayer fireworks

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With bad weather looming all week, Ayer’s Independence Day celebration went off with out a hitch. The town’s 4th of July committiee put on a parade, activities at Pirone Park and a very good fireworks display (see the slideshow) produced by Telstar Display Fireworks, Inc


Independence Day celebrations at Devens

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At Devens' Independence Day Celebration, Robert L. Culver, President & CEO of MassDevelopment, guest conducted the Metropolitan Wind Symphony.

Federated Church steeple and bell restoration

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Zelda Moore rings the bell at the Federated Church of Ayer Sunday morning. The bell has been silent for one year as the bell housing was repaired thanks to a donation from her.



Memorial Day Celebrations

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Ayer's war memorial garden at Town Hall. This was part of an assignment to photograph Memorial Days activities in Ayer for the Lowell Sun.



Janis Bresnahan Run for Education!

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Janis Bresnahan Run for Education!


Appointment of new Ayer Police Chief

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Ayer Board of Selectmen unanimously appointed to the position of Police Chief, William A. Murray. Murray is a 20 year veteran of the Ayer Police Department and was the acting Police Chief.



Townsend Earth Day celebration

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At the Townsend Earth Day activities on the town common, Ashelyn Hoffman learns about turrtles from Jennifer Pettit.

Pepperll Earth Day celebration

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To celebrate Earth Day, Ellie (last name withheld) 'helps' Lucy Brown transplant a frasier fur so that she could take it home. The Friends of the Lawrence Library donatted the trees.



Fishing Derby

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Ray Warren Jr. of Shirley tests his angling skills during the Annual Louie Collins Fishing Derby at the Ayer Gun and Sportsmen’s Club.



Katrina car wash

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North Middlesex Regional High School student Amy Valera, vacuums a floor mat at the Katrina Car wash. Amy and some of her fellow classmates are spending their April school vacation helping victims of Hurricane Katrina in Louisiana. The car wash was to raise extra money to pay for unexpectedly high airline tickets.

Church auction

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At the Townsend Congregational Church, Auctioneer Ron Pelletier lead the sale of collectibles, art, pottery, vacation rental, antique sewing machines and
more.


Stormwater Committee meeting

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At a Stormwater Committee meeting, Michael J. Madigan, PE, Ayer DPW Superintendent talks about two bylaws that will be on the May 12, 2008 Special Town Meeting warrant.

Ayer Police Departmant Awards Ceremony

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Ayer, MA - Chief of Police, Richard J. Rizzo address the audience at the Ayer Police Department Awards Ceremony. The ceremony recognized uniformed and civilian personnel for outstanding service to the department and the citizens of Ayer.



Burns Dinner

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Ayer, MA - Pipe Major Ken Smith is helped into his uniform by his wife Susan. Ken played the bagpipes during the 1st Burns Supper that was held at Thirty-One Main honoring Robert Burns and his poetry, wit, and songs. Burn's was the first Poet Laureate of Scotland.

Burns Night, effectively a second national day in Scotland, is celebrated on 25 January with Burns suppers around the world, and is still more widely observed than the official national day, Saint Andrew's Day, or the proposed North American celebration Tartan Day. The format of Burns suppers has not changed since Robert's death in 1796. The basic format starts with a general welcome and announcements followed with the Selkirk Grace. Just post the grace comes the piping and cutting of the Haggis, where Robert's famous Address To a Haggis is read, and the haggis is cut open. The event usually allows for people to start eating just after the haggis is presented. This is when the reading called the "immortal memory", an overview of Robert's life and work is given; the event usually concludes with the singing of Auld Lang Syne.

Youth Center Open House

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Devens, MA - At the Ayer, Shirley and Devens Youth Center Open House, Sariah Willard of Ayer, gets ready for a game of pool against her mom.




Photographers notes...

In shooting for Nashoba I get to see lots of events in the towns they publish paper in. If I've seen one Christmas Fair I've seen them all. The two that really stand out are Harvard Congregational Church and the Community Church of Pepperell. They both are well attended and have lots of activities for kids. Which makes for great shooting!

I highly recommend them both.

Harvard Congregational Church Christmas Fair

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Harvard, MA - With lots of beautifully decorated trees in the tree trimming contest, Leah Robinson's favorite was an obvious choice.






Community Church of Pepperell Christmas Fair

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Pepperell, MA - For as long as Emily Francis can remember, she has been coming to the Christmas Fair at the Community Church of Pepperell to decorates cookies.






Federated Church of Ayer Holly Fair

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Ayer, MA - Sam Torosian decorating a gingerbraed man cookie during the annual Holly Fair at the Federated Church of Ayer.






Open space meeting

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Ayer, MA - In an effort to create greater cooperation and communication among Ayer's land-use boards, public recreation and private environmental groups, officials and residents held a meeting/workshop to inspire more collaboration in preserving open land. Pictured is Beth Suedmeyer the workshop co-facilitator.




Assignment - Mass Development meeting

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Devens MA - Mass Development meeting with the Joint Borard of Selectmen from the towns of Ayer, Harvard and Shirley.




Assignment - Ayer Masonic Association’s fund-raising breakfast

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Ayer, MA - At the Ayer Masonic Association’s monthly fund-raising breakfast, Jason Adam of Shirley, thoroughly enjoyed his. The breakfast is served the first Sunday of every month.






Assignment - Hazen Memorial Library Holiday Fair

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Shirley, MA - Gloria Jean Curcio shows off some of her handy work that she does on custom pillows. A wide variety of quality products were for sale. Vendors include artisans, crafters and home party consultants.





Assignment - Chili Cook-off

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Devens, MA - Neil Evens of North Chelmsford tastes some chili while holding his daughter Ella at the 3rd Annual Devens Charity Chili Cook-Off to raise money for the Doug Flutie Jr. Foundation for Autism.





Assignment - Harvard Flea Market

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Harvard, MA - Watching all the activity around them, Cooper Pennell and his sister Lulu, take a break at the Harvard Flea Market.






Assignment - Pastel painting class

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Ayer, Ma - Kelsey Taylor applies what she has learned during a pastel painting class at the Ayer Library.




Assignment - Citizens Police Academy

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Ayer, MA - In a controled enviroment, Sergeant Todd Crumpton of the Ayer Police Department administers a Breathalyzer test to Christine Mauro. Christine drank alcohol in-order to demonstrate how it affects a persons ability to drive.



Assignment - Family Health day

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Ayer, MA - Tim Rollo of the Tim Rollo Trio, belts out another song, entertaining the crowd during Nashoba Hospital's Family Health Festival.






Assignment - Saturday Storytimes

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Harvard, MA - Liz Frothingham a volunteer for the Harvard Public library reads a story to Liam Mayes of Ayer and Ben Rotker of Harvard.






Assignment - Beautify Ayer

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Ayer, MA - Beautify Ayer volunteer, Julie Bissell works at the town dump sorting items that can be recycled.






Assignment - Parade

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Townsend, MA - A Dixieland jazz band was just one of many things to see at the parade celebrating the 275th Anniversary of Townsend.



Assignment - Train show

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Pepperll, MA - Kyle Ford of Ayer, with remote in hand, shows his expertise controlling a freight train.







Assignment - Breakfast

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Ayer, MA - Bruce Mauro, cooks-up breakfast at the Ayer Gun and Sportsmen’s Club

Published





Assignment - Harvard Farmer's Market

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Harvard, MA - Regina Jugovich of Bolton brings in a load of grapes to sell. The grapes were a very popular item.






Assignment - Harvard Fall Festival

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Harvard, MA - Liam Morison of Harvard enjoys a run through an inflatable obstical course at the 3rd annual Harvard Fall Festival.

Published




Assignment - Public saftey day

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Assignment - Devens Recycling

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Devens, MA - Inside the Devens Recycling Center, principal owners Kurt Macnamara and Jim Benson stand next to a mountain of construction debris.







Assignment - Harvard farmer's market

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Harvard, MA - Matt Flanagan gets some localy grown tomatos at the Harvard Farmer's Market.

Published





Assignment - Ayer farmer's market

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Ayer, MA - At the Ayer Farmer's Market, Chirstina Dery (right) gets some flowers from Joe Twomey of Groton for her mom.

Published





Assignment - Cardboard boat race

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Ayer, MA - Frank Maxant and Amanda Mackkinnon pass Julie, Shane, Deven (not in photo) and Brian Muldoon after the boat sank.

Published





Assignment - Fill the boot (Ayer)

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Ayer, MA - Fire Fighter, Robert DaCosta works the Ayer rotary for the Muscular Dystrophy Association's 'Fill the Boot' fundraiser.

Published





Assignment - Fill the boot (Shirley)

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Shirley, MA - Brain Callahan and Shirley Fire Fighter, Kristy Levesque help out with the Muscular Dystrophy Association's 'Fill the Boot' fundraiser.







Assignments...

I'm going to post what is my favorite photo from each assignment, but they may not be the photo that the paper published. I will note if it was or was not.

Stringer

I'm now a Stringer* for Nashoba Publishing. They are a division of Media News Group. It's typical small town news coverage... the selectmen meeting, the church social, a fundraiser, etc. I'm doing it to get more experience in main-stream photojournalism. Picking up some extra cash does not hurt either. It may not be AP or the Boston Globe with national or even state news, but I'm really enjoying it.


*A stringer is a freelance journalist, who is paid for each assignment or piece of published work, rather than receiving a regular salary
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