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. Thursday will be frigid. Some tips for keeping warm and safe: minimize outdoor activity. When using fireplaces, wood stoves and space heaters, be sure to ventilate them correctly. Test smoke alarms and keep carbon monoxide detectors handy. And bring pets out of the cold. 2. The Milford School Committee meets at 7 tonight. The agenda includes an update of the Woodland Elementary School project. 3. Milford TV will hold a…

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 Schools reopen Wednesday, so keep an eye out for the kids. 2. Temperatures will remain below freezing on Wednesday and Thursday, although the skies will be clear. 3. If one of your New Year's resolutions is getting into shape, you may consider a program being offered by Milford Community School Use program: "4 Weeks to Fabulous" will begin Jan. 29 and will include fitness and nutritional counseling. Visit 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. How much snow did Milford get on Saturday? According to the National Weather Service, Milford had 11 inches recorded, as did several surrounding towns. That's among the highest amounts recorded for the storm. 2. Milford Community School Use program has announced its winter lineup of adult recreational and educational classes. Check out some of the options. The registration night is Jan. 16 at Milford High School. 3. …

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 Samaritans is a non-profit that operates a help line reaching out to people feeling suicidal, and it is recruiting volunteers. About 400 people die each year in Massachusetts due to suicide, stemming from reasons including depression. The Samaritans operate a call center in Framingham and will hold a training session in February. See the announcement for more information. 2. Monday is New Year's Eve, and like all …

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. Leah Socorro, a teacher at Stacy Middle School who has a friend in Newtown, CT, is helping to gather snowflakes, for a project that will welcome students back to the new school for Sandy Hook students. According to Milford Superintendent Robert Tremblay, they plan to create a winter wonderland and are requesting paper snowflakes of all kinds, as no two snowflakes are alike.  Please contact Leah Socorro at lsocorro@…

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 reminder that trash will be collected this week from Wednesday through Saturday on a one-day delay, meaning if your trash was normally picked up on Tuesday, it will be picked up on Wednesday instead, and so on. The same thing will happen next week, because of the New Year's Day holiday. 2. Now that Christmas has ended, you may be looking for a way to retire the tree. The Boy Scouts will collect trees in Milford for a…

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 trash will be collected as usual, on schedule on Monday, Dec. 24, as well as on Dec. 31. Tuesday through Friday collections will be delayed by a day this coming week, due to the Christmas holiday, and next week following New Year's Day holiday. 2. Milford Town Hall and the Milford Senior Center will close early on Monday, Dec. 24. The closings will happen at 1 p.m. Monday. 3. Newly elected 4th Congressional …

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. Hats, scarves, gloves and mittens will be collected through Friday at Milford Town Library as part of its Mitten Tree. The tree is located in the Children's Room. For questions about donations, call 508-473-2145, Ext. 216 or e-mail at milfchil@cwmars.org.  2. The deadline is approaching fast to drop off an unwrapped toy for a child through the Toys for Tots campaign. Collections will be cut off on Friday. Here is 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. Milford Town Library has a new software program for resumes, allowing people to create them quickly. More information is here. If you are looking for a new job, don't forget that Milford Patch has hundreds of employment ads. 2. The agenda for the Milford School Committee meeting Thursday has been changed to include discussion of school security. The meeting is at 7 p.m. at Milford High School. 3. A play group 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. Milford Schools Superintendent Robert Tremblay spoke live Monday night on WBZ Radio, a nationally-broadcast show, as part of a program on school security. The superintendent fielded calls from parents in Massachusetts, including Milford, as well as Fort Lauderdale, FL and other cities. The host chose Tremblay after seeing his messages sent to parents about school security this weekend. 2. A house on South Main Street …

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. School security measures in Milford have been increased this week, in the aftermath of the mass shooting at an elementary school in Newtown, CT. In addition to police officers being present at the schools, visitors will have to make appointments and parents will have to pre-arrange early dismissal of children. The Christmas vacation begins at the close of the day Friday. 2. A 5,520-square-foot office building on Water …

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 like to shop through Amazon.com, please visit the Friends of the Milford Town Library site here before you go. By using the link on their site, the friends will get a small percentage from Amazon, at no additional cost to you. 2. A recent change in state ethics law has cleared the way for teachers to accept class gifts that exceed the standard $50 limit on gifts. Teachers can now accept a gift from a class …

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 public hearing on Wednesday, concerning the water rate increase requested by the Milford Water Company, here is the address for written comments: Mark Marini, Department of Public Utilities Secretary, Department of Public Utilities, 1 South Station, Boston, MA 02110, Docket No. 1286. 2. Ready for another round of elections? The election process for town government will begin in early January. …

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 homeowner at 37 Prospect Heights who built an in-law apartment in his basement, without town approval, is now trying to get town approval. Antonio DaCosta is seeking a special permit from the Zoning Board of Appeals that would allow the unauthorized work already done in the basement, to remain, according to a summary from Milford Town Planner Larry Dunkin. Because the apartment is in a house that is not detached, 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. Correction: Thing 2 had incorrect information concerning the date of the office hours for state Sen. Richard Moore. Sen. Moore will hold office hours on Dec. 17. The item has been corrected to reflect that. 1. If you hear shooting on Wednesday night, don't panic. Milford Police are practicing their shooting from 2 to 8 p.m. Wednesday at a weapons range off Cedar Street. 2. A reminder: state Sen. Richard T. Moore 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. 1. Shining Star Early Childhood Center, which is operated by the Milford public schools, recently received a five-year reaccreditation. The accrediting agency is the National Association for the Education of Young Children. 2. The Milford Planning Board will meet Tuesday. The agenda includes discussion of a zoning amendment for medical marijuana dispensaries. The proposal would require a 200-foot setback from residential …

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 groundbreaking ceremony was held Thursday for the new Cornerstone project, at Birch Street and Route 109. Cornerstone will feature assisted living and state-of-the-art Alzheimer's care. The 85-unit building is expected to open in fall 2013. 2. Why does this remind me of Willy Wonka? Rockland Trust is giving away free chocolate bars to customers and prospective customers at all of its branches, including in Milford, …

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 reminder that we're in hunting season. Milford Police have received several complaints about hunters, who may be in woods within earshot of homes and public areas. State law prohibits anyone from discharging a firearm within 500 feet of a dwelling. This puts much of the town off-limits. The shotgun deer season runs through Saturday, and then is followed by blackpowder deer season which continues through the month. 2…

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 Woodland School Building Committee meets at 7 tonight, and the panel is expected to dicuss selection of a project manager. This is the firm that would examine options for new construction or renovation, and make recommendations to the committee. 2. Do you ride a motorcycle? An insurance settlement could benefit you. According to a press release from the state Attorney General, Massachusetts motorcycle owners will …

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. Kate Mastroianni has been appointed to fill a vacancy on the Milford Board of Library Trustees, left by the recent resignation of Victor Valenti. The trustee board voted to fill the opening Monday. 2. The Milford Association of Clerical Employees recently voted to become members of the Laborers' International Union of North America. In a letter to selectmen, MACE President Barbara Rummo said "we believe it is in our …