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Summer evening edition
Welcome back!
If you were worried Sudbury Weekly wasn’t going to be delivered today, fear not! This isn’t like an UniUni delivery in Sudbury - it’s just an evening edition!
Here’s what we have for you this week:
SPS Gender Identity, SEPAC Policies Spark More Process Debate
Food Crisis Deepens in Massachusetts: Latest GBFB Report Arrives as Federal Safety Net Erodes
Select Board Approves Housing Production Plan
BEHIND THE PARADE: A Q&A with the Sudbury Chamber of Commerce Parade Committee
Voices of Democracy Speaker Series: How Durable is U.S. Democracy?
250 Years Ago…
Thoughts in Return? A Q&A with Ezra Home Care
Parade Watch
LSRHS 250th Essay Contest: Read the Winning Essays
For All the Saints & Sinners
Let’s get into it!
SPS Gender Identity, SEPAC Policies Spark More Process Debate
NEWS
By Kevin LaHaise
The Sudbury Public Schools School Committee (SPSSC) has a documented policy for developing new district policies, but the Monday, June 16 meeting of the committee featured a long, circular discussion about what “process” the committee is supposed to follow when developing new policies.
At issue were two policy matters —a gender identity policy and two policies pertaining to the Special Education Parent Advisory Council (SEPAC). The gender identity policy has been subject to significant debate about process and procedure since late 2024. The SEPAC policies were caught up in the controversy, but were not a focal point.
During the June 16 meeting, there wasn’t much specific discussion of the committee’s own policy—Policy BGB—which lays out a process for policy adoption. Instead, members voiced support for the gender identity policy in concept, all while questioning if it had been prematurely elevated to the full committee for deliberation, and if sufficient public input had been provided, all based on individual member preferences, and interpretations of varied precedents set by the committee in prior years.
Food Crisis Deepens in Massachusetts: Latest GBFB Report Arrives as Federal Safety Net Erodes
OPINION
By John Thomas
Proposed federal budget cuts to food and health programs will deepen the already serious hunger crisis facing 1 in 3 Massachusetts families. The Sudbury Community Food Pantry (SCFP) urges the public and policymakers to understand what’s at stake for thousands of vulnerable residents who rely on safety-net programs to survive.
This week, the Greater Boston Food Bank (GBFB) and Mass General Brigham reported that more than 1 in 3 Massachusetts households – approximately 2 million adults – faced food insecurity over the previous 12 months. Very low food security, the most severe form, affected 24% of Massachusetts residents – roughly 1.7 million statewide. This marks a continued rise from previous years, underscoring how surging food and housing costs, combined with rollbacks of pandemic-era Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits, have deepened the crisis. SNAP provides basic food assistance to 1 of every 5 children in the U.S. and notably, 59% of Massachusetts households receiving SNAP relied on food pantries like SCFP to meet their monthly needs.
Select Board Approves Housing Production Plan
NEWS
By Kevin LaHaise
After approximately a year of working its way through town boards and committees, the Sudbury Select Board voted to approve a new Housing Production Plan on June 10. (Page 139)
The Housing Production Plan describes itself as a fairly straightforward planning document “A Housing Production Plan is a planning document that helps local decision-makers respond to local housing needs and can help communities shape the location and type of future housing development. It also influences the location, type, and pace of affordable housing development. This plan emphasizes increasing Sudbury’s year-round market rate and affordable housing options to meet local and regional needs.”
BEHIND THE PARADE: A Q&A with the Sudbury Chamber of Commerce Parade Committee
FEATURES
By The Sudbury Chamber of Commerce
Rain or shine the traditional 4 th of July Parade marches down Union Ave, along Boston Post Rd and up Concord Rd to Town Center delighting residents of Sudbury and surrounding communities with the fabulous bands, multiple acts, vehicles of all manner.
It’s two hours of flag flying, cheering and community pride. As we lean in to the Sudbury 250 Celebrations and this year’s 4th of July Parade, we asked the Sudbury Chamber of Commerce Parade Committee some questions.
These responses are provided by Mike Hamill, the official parade “Commander” and his wife Libby (Rankin) who both grew up in Sudbury. As lifelong town residents, they have watched the parade evolve over time. Rounding out the panel is Doug Haartz, another lifelong Sudbury resident, as parade logistics master.
Over the last 20+ years, Mike and Libby have managed the parade with the assistance of various committee members. Other 2025 key committee members include, Olivia (Hamill) and Frankie Plummer, Pat (Hamill) and Tom Blanchette and Mery Buono.
What goes into planning a parade of this scale?
Teamwork and lots of communication. Our group of 8 main volunteers works toward a common goal and we each rely upon any special skill sets of the team volunteers. We have team members who are good at overall parade management, email communication, logistics and problem solving.
We also have a secondary group of volunteers, (ie: family and friends) that show up on parade day to staff the staging areas, assist participants with questions and make sure the parade goes off on time. This parade “truly takes a village” to run.
How early do you have to start?
It is truly a yearlong endeavor. Starting with communication the day after the parade gauging interest in next year for participation. We plan our first official meeting in January of each year, and begin the outreach process to reconfirm interest and commitment to the upcoming July 4 th parade. We meet monthly initially, then move to biweekly and then weekly as we get closer to the parade date. There are also informal individual meetings, phone calls, emails, texts and tasks that occur daily on specific items
Are there any participants this year that you’re particularly excited about?
We are excited about all our participants, and we have some new performers joining us this year
The Aleppo Shriners Team. The Shriners performing teams are in high demand, so we are very fortunate to have them join us this year.
A Springfield MA based Veteran owned performing brass band.
The Chinese-American Association of Sudbury and their team of dragon dance performers.
How do you decide who gets to participate in the parade—bands, floats, local organizations, etc.?
The parade is open to all who want to participate. We encourage local businesses, car clubs and youth organizations (just to name a few) to participate in the parade. Each year we post requests for participants on social media channels.
Have you had any “parade day surprises” in the past—good or bad?
The most unpredictable impact is the weather. We have been blessed with perfect weather and we have been deluged by rain.
One year we encountered a lack of shuttle transportation for some of the performers. As the parade ends at the town center, many performers park behind Town Hall and take the shuttle to the staging area of the parade in Chiswick Park. We overcame this issue by some of our team using their personal vehicles to get the performers to the parade start on time.
What are some of the biggest logistical challenges you’ve had to tackle this year?
Every year we need more volunteers and community involvement.
How big is the volunteer effort, and how can people get involved?
The main core is comprised of 8 volunteers, (6 of the same family and 2 longtime friends). Our additional support volunteers on the day of the parade are family, friends and interested high school students (who can earn 4 community service hours) and town residents.
We are always looking to have more people become involved in the Parade Committee. It provides a sense of town pride that we are carrying on a time-honored tradition.
What role do the businesses members of the Sudbury Chamber of Commerce play?
Many Sudbury Chamber of Commerce members help to underwrite the cost of the annual parade by sponsoring the banners that hang along Boston Post Road. Without their generous contribution and commitment to Sudbury, we could not host the parade.
New banners will be hung before the parade this year. Other companies make donations to the parade and they are all acknowledged post-parade on our website www.sudbury.org. We encourage people to do business with and thank these businesses.
What’s your favorite part of parade day, personally?
Celebrating America’s Birthday!
Are there any lessons you’ve learned from organizing the parade that you’d want to pass on to future organizers?
Check, double check and triple check. Due to the large number of participants, the parade lineup, and division lineup are important and can be logistically challenging.
Have a “Plan B” available, because you may need it.
Voices of Democracy Speaker Series: How Durable is U.S. Democracy?
EVENTS
By First Parish of Sudbury
Thursday, June 26, 2025
7 pm
327 Concord Rd, Sudbury, MA
First Parish of Sudbury’s Faith in Democracy initiative will launch its Voices of Democracy Speaker Series at the Sudbury Meetinghouse with the question “How Durable is U.S. Democracy?” by Professor David A. Simon, Associate Professor of Law at Northeastern University School of Law.
The past 100 days have seen a flurry of Executive Orders, lawsuits, and tumult in the federal government that present challenges for American democracy. The Constitution and the law that governs how the federal government operates—the Administrative Procedure Act—dictate whether these actions are legally permissible. At the same time, the Supreme Court has been called on early and often to adjudicate disputes over the breadth of the powers asserted by the President. This talk will review key issues that arise in many of these disputes, explain their resolution, and provide commentary about how they are likely to be resolved in the future. It will also explore the consequences of resolving these disputes in favor of the current administration, both in the near and long term.
Professor Simon is an Associate Professor of Law at Northeastern University School of Law, where he teaches courses on liability, administrative law, and healthcare law & regulation.
A short reception will follow.
For more information, see fpsudbury.org.
250 Years Ago…
FEATURES
By Jan Hardenbergh
250 years ago on June 17th, 1775, the Battle of Bunker Hill was fought and the phrase “don’t fire until you see the whites of their eyes” was made famous. Officers Colonel John Nixon and Major Cudworth had both been promoted from Captains, who led the Sudbury Militia on April 19th, two months prior. The provincials tried to hold two hills in Charleston, which had strategic importance due to their commanding view of Boston, as seen from the NPS webcam.
The British won the battle, but they paid a terrible price. Sudbury was represented by over 100 men, who had enlisted in the Massachusetts army, in two regiments, one was led by Nixon. There is a wealth of information in Hudson’s History of Sudbury. See Chapter XXI. One thing Hudson got wrong was the start of the Siege of Boston. It did not begin, as he says, after Bunker Hill. It started on April 19th, with most of the Sudbury Militia staying on in Cambridge for days and then being reinforced by others. Sudbury played a part in ending the siege, which this humble historian hopes to elucidate in time.
Thoughts in Return? A Q&A with Ezra Home Care
FEATURES
By Sudbury Weekly
1 — Can you walk us through the range of home care services Ezra offers to clients in the MetroWest Boston area?
Ezra Home Care is a private pay, non-medical home care company dedicated to provide reliable, compassionate, and individualized home care supportive services for people with cognitive, mobility and behavioral challenges in their homes or in a community setting.
We are one of few elite agencies that has been accredited by the Home Care Alliance of Massachusetts (HCA); recognized for having high operational and quality standards including fair employment practices, caregiver background screening, training and supervision, insurance coverage, and compliance with all applicable federal, state & local laws.
2 — What types of specialized care does Ezra provide, particularly for clients with conditions like Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, or post-surgical needs?
Parade Watch
EVENTS
By the Sudbury Chamber of Commerce
Mark your calendars for a fun-filled fundraiser on Wednesday, June 25 5:00 -8:00 PM at the all new Franco’s Trattoria Craft Beer & Wine in Mill Village 365 Boston Post Rd., Sudbury.
We’ll have live music, raffles, great food and drink and Owner Alex Nunes is generously donating a percent of sales to support the 4th of July Parade.
A Terrific Line-up The 2025 4TH of July Parade will feature at least ten bands.
LSRHS 250th Essay Contest: Read the Winning Essays
FEATURES
By Sudbury Weekly
Earlier this month, the LSRHS 250th Essay Contest winners were announced. This week, Sudbury Weekly published the winning essays from Lincoln-Sudbury Regional High School students.
Read Molly Hatcher’s essay HERE.
Read Marin Reniere’s essay HERE.
Read Goeun Rottmann’s essay HERE.
Congratulations to the winners and all the students who submitted essays!
For All the Saints & Sinners
FEATURES
By Rev. Eric Wolf
A Voice from Beyond
I still hear his voice in my head when I think of Rev. Clementa Pinckney, Clem. It was deep, rich, and welcoming.
Clem graduated from Lutheran Theological Southern Seminary a year or two after me, so around 2008. It wasn’t unusual for our liberal Lutheran seminary to host people from other denominations, and theologically, the AME Church is pretty closely aligned with us. That’s why I can hear his distinctive voice. We didn’t know each other well, but we’d talked enough to know each other.
Fast forward to June 17, 2015, we learned that nine black people were martyred at a Wednesday evening Bible study at Mother Emanuel AME Church in Charleston, SC. Clem was their pastor. We know them as the Emanuel 9. Their murderer is a man named Dylann Storm Roof. At the time, Dylann was a young radicalized white man hoping to start a race war. In truth, he became just another tragic footnote because there was nothing to start. America’s race war has ever been cold at any point in our history. It’s our first war, and its bullets have never stopped flying at black and brown bodies strewn across cotton fields and amber waves of grain.
Parting Thoughts
Assembling today’s edition was… joyful. The newsletter has evolved over the last few years to include many different voices, more coverage areas, and different types of writing. From straight news reporting to historical vignettes and thought-provoking columns, the breadth of content that Sudbury Weekly publishes each week has grown beyond the early expectations when bullet-point summaries and bare-bones reporting were the norm.
If you haven’t noticed, we’ve been playing with the format of the newsletter in recent weeks, and that will continue over the summer. As the editorial content expands, we want to make sure the newsletter remains a useful digest for readers.
To that point - please don’t hesitate to send feedback to [email protected]. Reader feedback guides Sudbury Weekly more than you might realize. As we take some time during the slower summer months to play around with the newsletter, your input will make all the difference.
As always… Thanks for reading!
Onward!