Acton Postpones NARA Kids Concert, Eyes Fall Harvest Festival
Douglas Sturniolo has been formally appointed chief of the Acton Police Department, the town announced, while a planned Kids Concert Night at NARA Park featuring Ben Rudnick & Friends has been postponed with a makeup date to be set later this season.
TOWN HALL
Town Hall confirmed the appointment of Douglas Sturniolo as chief of the Acton Police Department in a News Flash announcement this week. Officials did not provide additional detail on the appointment in the release.
Separately, the town's News Flash feed announced that Kids Concert Night at NARA Park, which was to feature Ben Rudnick & Friends, has been postponed, with organizers saying a makeup date will be scheduled later this season. The July 2026 Municipal Monthly newsletter is also now available for download, and the town issued an extreme heat advisory this week with resources for residents coping with hot conditions. Several municipal meetings are on the calendar for the coming week, including the Select Board, Finance Subcommittee, and Council on Aging.
COMMUNITY & ARTS
The Acton Memorial Library's July-August newsletter and event calendar show a busy slate of upcoming programs, including Tech Time with Brian, a technology help session, and Meet-up Mondays, a social game gathering, both set for Monday, July 20. A new Sensory Storytime program launches the same day, designed for children who benefit from a modified, lower-sensory storytime format.
Later in the week, the library will host a Craft Night session for making Cricut-designed trucker hats on Tuesday, July 21, offered in both afternoon and evening sessions, along with a Mystery Book Club discussion of "Eight Perfect Murders" by Peter Swanson on Wednesday, July 22. Teens can join an all-ages Hamilton Karaoke event on the library patio the evening of July 22 as part of America's 250th anniversary programming, following a Dungeons and Dragons Summer Club session earlier that day.
ELSEWHERE IN THE NEWS
"What Acton's new police chief says his top priorities will be" — Patch reports on priorities laid out by the department's newly appointed leadership, a story that follows the town's own News Flash announcement of the appointment today (read it at https://patch.com/massachusetts/acton).
"How Acton's school buses could soon help power the electric grid" — according to Patch, the town is examining a vehicle-to-grid concept that could let electric school buses feed power back into the grid during off-hours (read it at https://patch.com/massachusetts/acton).
"Breathing Wildfire Smoke In MA Equal To Smoking 9 Cigarettes: Doctor" — Patch reports that hazy skies from Canadian wildfires cleared across the region Friday after days of poor air quality, per a physician's warning about health effects (read it at https://patch.com/massachusetts/acton).
COMING UP
The library's Pokémon Club for ages 6-11 meets Saturday, July 18, from 2 to 3 p.m. Styrofoam recycling collection is scheduled for the same day, July 18.
Sensory Storytime debuts Monday, July 20, at 10:30 a.m., alongside Tech Time with Brian and Meet-up Mondays, both also July 20. The Select Board and Finance Subcommittee meet July 20, with the Council on Aging meeting July 21.
Craft Night: Trucker Hat sessions run Tuesday, July 21, at 3 p.m. and 6 p.m., with the Lunch Bunch free lunch program for children also continuing that day. The Mystery Book Club meets Wednesday, July 22, at 1 p.m., followed that evening by the all-ages Hamilton Karaoke event.