Our weekday morning column, 5 Things You Need to Know, provides you with information that can help you plan your day and give you some fodder for water cooler conversations. 1. A public reception for the incoming Town Administrator, Richard Villani, will be from 10 a.m. to noon at Milford Town Hall. Appointed last month, Villani, an attorney, will step into his new role on Monday. Retiring administrator Louis Celozzi also will attend the reception. 2. A fire fund has been established for the first of two families displaced by the devastating fire on Water Street this week. The family of the …

Our weekday morning column, 5 Things You Need to Know, provides you with information that can help you plan your day and give you some fodder for water cooler conversations. 1. U.S. Rep. Joseph Kennedy III had a live chat on Patch Wednesday, and a resident of Hopkinton asked him whether he would support an I-495 interchange for a casino development in Milford. The access to the highway is a key feature of the proposal. Kennedy said he will only back the casino development if Milford votes for it, and cited his support for a casino in Taunton, which he said is wanted there. 2. The first "Talk …

Our weekday morning column, 5 Things You Need to Know, provides you with information that can help you plan your day and give you some fodder for water cooler conversations. 1. Now that the winter is over, the focus of the Milford Highway Department turns to spring cleaning. Street-sweepers and sidewalk sweepers will start moving around town next week. 2. Milford TV has a state-of-the-art community television studio, but it also has an art gallery. The Blackstone Valley Art Association is now displaying "Artful Animals" through April 30, featuring primarily the artwork of Carolyn Letvin and …

Our weekday morning column, 5 Things You Need to Know, provides you with information that can help you plan your day and give you some fodder for water cooler conversations. 1. If you are the parent of a rising Kindergartener, the registration process begins Tuesday. Registration for children with last names beginning with G — P will be from 6 to 8 p.m. Tuesday The children with last names beginning with A – F will be 6 to 8 p.m. April 9, while children with last names beginning Q – Z is April 2. 2. A reminder for readers: Patch will host a live chat with newly elected U.S. Rep. Joseph …

Our weekday morning column, 5 Things You Need to Know, provides you with information that can help you plan your day and give you some fodder for water cooler conversations. 1. A little more than three weeks remain before the Boston Marathon. Milford has 17 runners who are registered entrants this year, ages 18 to 72. Last year, brutally hot temperatures caused a general slowdown for most runners, and the marathon organizers allowed registrants to wait a year if they wished. Too soon to tell what the race day conditions will be this year. 2. The Massachusetts Gaming Commission will meet at 1 …

Our weekday morning column, 5 Things You Need to Know, provides you with information that can help you plan your day and give you some fodder for water cooler conversations. 1. State Sen. Richard T. Moore (D-Uxbridge) on Thursday was among 20 state senators who sponsored a resolution calling on the federal government to provide enough funding and personnel to process veterans claims in a timely manner. "We need action from the federal government so that these deserving men and women are not waiting more than one would reasonably expect," Moore said. A recent report of the Center for …

Our weekday morning column, 5 Things You Need to Know, provides you with information that can help you plan your day and give you some fodder for water cooler conversations. 1. The Milford Area Chamber of Commerce will hold its annual Home and Business Expo on Saturday. Along with dozens of businesses, the expo will feature the Easter Bunny. Admission is free. See the announcement for more details. 2. The Massachusetts Gaming Commission will travel from its Boston headquarters to Fall River this afternoon, for a meeting that will focus on gaming possibilities for the southeastern region of …

Our weekday morning column, 5 Things You Need to Know, provides you with information that can help you plan your day and give you some fodder for water cooler conversations. 1. Welcome, Spring! It may still feel chilly, but the winter has ended. If you snap a photo that says spring, share it and win a chance at a $25 gift card. 2. Garbage will be collected a day late this week, due to the storm Tuesday that prevented collections. 3. A new laundromat — EZ Laundromat — has opened in downtown Milford, on School Street, next to Memorial Hall. It features free wireless and allows customers to use …

Our weekday morning column, 5 Things You Need to Know, provides you with information that can help you plan your day and give you some fodder for water cooler conversations. 1. If you missed the Milford Selectmen's meeting Monday night on Milford TV, or couldn't squeeze into the selectmen's meeting room, and want to watch the presentation made by Casino-Free Milford, the meeting will be re-broadcast several times this week, including twice on Wednesday. See the Milford TV schedule for specific times. 2. The warrant for the Annual Town Meeting in Milford will close on Thursday. 3. Town …

Our weekday morning column, 5 Things You Need to Know, provides you with information that can help you plan your day and give you some fodder for water cooler conversations. 1. The former Krystal Room, at 49 Cedar St., was extensively renovated and was to become a gym and fitness facility. But that plan has been changed, and it will now continue as a function hall. Milford Selectmen on Monday will be asked to transfer the existing all-alcohol license from The Krystal Room to the new Crystal Room. Keith Usher of Mendon will serve as corporation president and treasurer, and Andrew Noyes of …

Our weekday morning column, 5 Things You Need to Know, provides you with information that can help you plan your day and give you some fodder for water cooler conversations. 1. Milford High School will be the setting for several hours Friday for security training, which will include police and first responders. Do not mistake the police presence outside the building for a real incident. The training will take place from noon to 4 p.m. and will involve about 450 school employees. Milford Police ask the public to not enter the training area. 2. The overnight parking ban in Milford ends tonight …

Our weekday morning column, 5 Things You Need to Know, provides you with information that can help you plan your day and give you some fodder for water cooler conversations. 1. Judi Miller and Nancy Derderian of Milford were among the volunteers recognized recently by the Jimmy Fund, for a commitment to organizing golf tournaments that rais funds for adult and pediatric cancer care and research. Miller and Derderian, together with Bob Brack of Concord, organized the Joan H. Brack Memorial Golf Tournament at the Stowe Acres Country Club in Stowe, which raised $200,000 for the Dana-Farber …

Our weekday morning column, 5 Things You Need to Know, provides you with information that can help you plan your day and give you some fodder for water cooler conversations. 1. Looking for a summer job? Milford is hiring. The town Parks Department is looking for seasonal laborers, who will earn $10.26/hour, and permanent part-time laborers, who will earn $15.71/hour. Also, this summer, a pool manager, an assistant pool manager and lifeguards. And the town's Highway Department also needs summer help. The department has five positions for seasonal laborers, who will earn $10.26 an hour. These …

Our weekday morning column, 5 Things You Need to Know, provides you with information that can help you plan your day and give you some fodder for water cooler conversations. 1. Last summer, Milford Selectmen authorized a program through ICE that allowed for an audit of the town employee I-9s, to make sure that all town employees are authorized to work in the U.S. A recent email from an ICE administrator to Milford officials confirms that, yes, everyone is all set. The town will get an ICE IMAGE program certificate soon. 2. The Milford High School yearbook staff is seeking business sponsors. …

Our weekday morning column, 5 Things You Need to Know, provides you with information that can help you plan your day and give you some fodder for water cooler conversations. 1. The winter parking ban will end on Friday. 2. The Milford Boys Basketball team won the Central Division 1 championship Sunday night in Worcester, defeating St. John's. The next stop: semi-finals against Putnam, the Western Division champions, at the DCU Center in Worcester Tuesday night. 3. A state championship involving Pokemon Trading Cards will be held in Milford this month, at TJ Collectibles on Main Street. See …

Our weekday morning column, 5 Things You Need to Know, provides you with information that can help you plan your day and give you some fodder for water cooler conversations. 1. March Madness is beginning soon at the Milford Youth Center, which is seeking high school or adult volunteers to help referee the youth games for its 4th annual March Madness Tourney. Youth players can sign up to participate throughout March. Draft will be 4 p.m. on March 18. Games will run Tuesday through Friday, and playoffs will be March 25 to 27. The championship game, three point contest, and dunk contest will be …

Our weekday morning column, 5 Things You Need to Know, provides you with information that can help you plan your day and give you some fodder for water cooler conversations. Correction: The Milford School Committee agenda was incorrectly described in item No. 2. It's now updated to reflect the agenda for tonight. 1. First Nemo, now Saturn. The Weather Channel is naming all major storms now, and the one that is arriving in our area this morning is named Saturn. 2. The Milford School Committee is scheduled to meet tonight, weather permitting. The agenda includes discussion of the fiscal 2014 …

Our weekday morning column, 5 Things You Need to Know, provides you with information that can help you plan your day and give you some fodder for water cooler conversations. 1. The end of the winter parking ban is approaching, but not before another big storm. With an expected snowfall Thursday of up to 12 inches, according to some meteorologists, it's worth reminding people that the winter parking ban is in effect through March 15. It prevents parking from midnight to 6 a.m. on town streets. 2. Are you an unheard talent? The Milford Performing Arts Center will conduct auditions for the Sound…

Our weekday morning column, 5 Things You Need to Know, provides you with information that can help you plan your day and give you some fodder for water cooler conversations. 1. Town employees who use their personal cars for work purposes, including health and construction inspectors, will get the IRS standard for gasoline reimbursement. Starting July 1, the town will increase its reimbursement rate from 35 cents a mile to the IRS standard of 56.5 cents. The town last increased the mileage reimbursement rate in January 2006. 2. Thanks to Yanks, a non-profit that helps military families, has …

Our weekday morning column, 5 Things You Need to Know, provides you with information that can help you plan your day and give you some fodder for water cooler conversations. 1. Milford Selectmen will meet tonight, and are expected to hear a presentation from a Chicago-based law firm with some expertise in gaming negotiations. On recommendation of its town counsel, the board is looking at hiring a firm that has experience in gaming. The expense is expected to be reimbursed by the casino applicant. 2. The Friends of the Milford Upper Charles Trail will host a symposium on Tuesday, to gather …