By Bonnie Adams, Government Editor
Region – Today is Wednesday, Oct. 31, the 305th day of 2012. Today is Halloween!
In honor of this wonderful spooky holiday, we offer a few interesting Halloween tidbits.
Halloween (or as it was commonly known, “All Hallows Eve,”) has its origins in the ancient Celtic festival, Samhain, which celebrated the end of the harvest season in Gaelic culture. Other theories have the holiday linked to pagan festivals of the dead. Many believe Oct. 31 was the day the dead would come back to cause havoc, by making people sick or damaging crops.
Trick or treating has evolved from the late medieval practice of “souling” which involved poor people going door to door begging for food in return for offering prayers for the dead on All Souls Day, Nov. 2.
In modern times, so many movie franchises have made so much money off of Halloween including “Halloween,” “Friday the 13th,” “Saw” and all their respective sequels.
Born on this day – Christopher Columbus (1451); Dan Rather (1931); and the founder of Girl Scouts, Juliette Low (1860).
The town of Northborough, in cooperation with United Industrial Services, Zecco Division, will be conducting a Household Hazardous Waste Collection Day Saturday, Nov. 3.? Northborough residents only, who have obtained a labeled waste carrier, may bring allowed materials to 345 West Main St. between 9 a.m. and 12 p.m.
http://communityadvocate.com/2012/10/03/northborough-household-hazardous-waste-day-2/
The town of Shrewsbury's website has some great post-storm safety tips from the Central MA Regional Public Health Alliance.
A public meeting will be held in the next few weeks to discuss renovations for the Washington Street Bridge in Hudson. Residents can see a report from a previous meeting here –
http://www.townofhudson.org/Public_Documents/HudsonMA_ComDev/WashingtonBridge/list
Saturday, Nov. 3, from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., the Shrewsbury Child Development Committee (SCDC) will be holding a Toy & Baby Gear Sale. The event takes place at Sherwood Middle School, 30 Sherwood Ave., Shrewsbury. The event promises great gently-used items at yard sale prices!
http://communityadvocate.com/2012/09/21/shrewsbury-scdc-toy-baby-gear-sale/
Saturday, Nov. 3, the Church of the Nativity in Northborough will be holding its annual Novemberfest Fair. There will be a bake table, silent auction, a children's room, book table, craft table, attic treasures, and a boutique, as well as a luncheon café.
http://communityadvocate.com/2012/10/25/northborough-novemberfest-at-church-of-the-nativity/
Here's a different and intriguing event being held in Hudson, Saturday, Nov. 3. Justin Locke will be at the Hudson Public Libraryto present “Real Men Don's Rehearse”. Locke dishes the dirt and tells you the real inside story of what really goes on in a major orchestra, both on and off the stage.
http://communityadvocate.com/2012/10/19/hudson-library-hosts-justin-locke/