By Dina Samfield The way we pay tribute to our deceased loved ones has evolved considerably over time, reflecting broader societal changes and shifts in cultural attitudes toward death and memorialization. Today, many people are moving beyond “conventional” funeral services in favor of more personalized, contemporary memorials that celebrate the
By Janet Tice Thomas Jefferson described the town meeting as “…the wisest invention ever devised by the wit of man for the perfect exercise of self-government…” On May 11, at Annual Town Meeting, the voters of Shirley will practice what Jefferson preached when they cast their votes regarding the town’s
By John Wilson & Janet Tice Split in two by the railroad tracks, the downtown Shirley “village” area faces many challenges. And things got even more challenging in 2021 when the state passed the “MBTA Communities Act” that required Shirley (and all communities with commuter rail) to allow multi-family housing
By Katie Aponte Our town’s youth soccer program is thriving like never before, with enrollment numbers steadily climbing across all age groups. Since Fall 2022, overall participation has grown by more than 50%, reflecting the community’s passion for youth sports and the dedication of our volunteer coaches and organizers. The
By Sherry Anders Shirley is a special place – we hear owls calling from our back yards, drive by herons fishing in streams on our way through town, and find traffic jams more often caused by wild turkeys crossing the road than by rush hour commuters. At any given moment,
By M.E. Jones DEVENS — When the Francis W. Parker Charter Essential School boys track team won the Massachusetts Interscholastic Athletic Association, MIAA, championship in February, it constituted a well-earned feather in the cap of a small public charter school better known for its non-traditonal philosophy than for sports. But