Elections on the horizon
Massachusetts voters will chose a replacement for the late Sen. Edward "Ted" Kennedy this winter, and Andover town clerk's office has election dates and details all scheduled.
Residents will vote in primaries on Tuesday, Dec. 8. The town's nine precincts are split between polling stations at Andover High School and the Senior Center, open 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. The last day to register to vote in the primary is Nov. 18.
Kennedy's replacement will be chosen in a special election on Tuesday, Jan. 19. Polling locations are the same as the primary, open 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. The last day to register to vote for the special election is Dec. 30. For more information, call 978-623-8255 or visit www.andoverma.gov/clerk.
- Bethany Bray
The People's Cheesecake
On Sunday, Oct. 25, Lowell General Hospital's Auxiliary hosted a sold-out 23rd Annual Taste of the Town. The winner of the Best Dessert, selected among 18 participating restaurants was awarded to chef-owner Jeanne Topham of I Dream of Jeanne Cakes for her cheesecake lollipops in assorted flavors. This is the second year in a row that the Andover cake specialist won the People's Choice Award.
Chronicling ghost hunts
It being October, Andover resident and self-described psychic investigator Maureen Wood and her partner Ron Kolek have been making the rounds to promote their book The Ghost Chronicles. The book is a collection of their investigations including one in Bow, N.H. where former Townsman reporter Rita Savard and photographer Tim Jean tagged along. Kolek said they included "The house that went to pot" in the book because of a collection of odd elements to the story, including that the homeowner believed a spirit was living inside her.
"There was a lot going on up there. The woman involved was playing with a ouija board," said Kolek. "The woman who owned the house was losing it to the bank. She'd had nothing but bad luck. We actually went out at midnight to the cemetery and found the graves (of children who had lived in the house)."
- Neil Fater
Affordable condo available
An affordable housing unit has become available at 3 Powder Mill Square.
The one-bedroom, 1,200 square foot condominium is open to applicants with a maximum income of $71,280 (single) or $81,360 (two or more people). The listed price is $153,340, with estimated monthly taxes of $150 and a condo fee of $136.
Interested parties should contact JTE Realty Associates at 978-258-3492 or powder@jterealtyassociates.com.
The condo has one bathroom, gas heat, refrigerator, stove, microwave, dishwasher, garbage disposal, washer/dryer, central air conditioning, hardwood floors, private entrance, front door with porch, elevator to back entrance and a gym.
- Bethany Bray
Tsongas backs public option
Having hit the two-year mark in office, US Congresswoman Niki Tsongas visited the Townsman recently to discus her service so far.
Tsongas, who represents Andover and the rest of the Massachusetts Fifth District, offered her case for including a public option in the nation's health care-reform bill saying it "gives people a choice and forces insurance companies to hold their costs down."
She also discussed the recovery act, the proposed new Interstate 93 interchange for Andover that would open 700 acres to development, and changes made along the Shawsheen River. More on the discussion will be included in next week's Townsman.
- Neil Fater
