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ASHBY, MA — More than 230 years after his death, John Fitch — the colonial settler whose courage and civic vision gave the city of Fitchburg its name — will finally receive a proper grave marker. The Ashby Historical Society will hold a headstone dedication ceremony on Saturday,
May 16, 2026 at 11:00 AM at the Old Burial Ground at the First Parish Church in Ashby, the small town that was also shaped by Fitch’s life and where he spent his final years.

(April 21, 2026) – Police Chief Brian Gill shared a story of a young life saved at this week’s Select Board meeting. On Monday April 6th, a 911 call came into the Ayer-Shirley regional dispatch center around 1:30 p.m. The dispatch center is located at the Ayer Police Station on Park Street, but receives calls…

(April 22, 2026) – Ayer, Devens and the Oxbow National Wildlife Refuge hosted the Open Street and Greenway Event for Earth Day on Wednesday. Vendor tables were set up on the grassy area where Bishop and MacPherson roads meet, including for the Friends of the Ayer Senior Center, the Devens Climate Resiliency Project (MVP 2.0),…

Whether you run, bike, hike, roll, scoot, or stroll this is your dedicated, safe space for Earth Day play in a beautiful natural area! Ayer, Devens, and the Oxbow National Wildlife Refuge will again host the Open Street and Greenway Earth Day Event on Wednesday, April 22nd, from 2pm-6pm on MacPherson Road. This will be the 5th annual open streets event, celebrating Earth Day by opening the streets to people for recreational activities and the opportunity to experience the beautiful Wild and Scenic Nashua River and Oxbow National Wildlife Refuge in a safe and peaceful manner.

On April 7th, the Select Board voted 3-0 to approve the April 27th Annual Town Meeting warrant which includes 28 articles and a citizens petition. The Finance Committee voted to recommend all the articles with a financial impact. For additional information related to the articles and Budget Book, visit www.ayer.ma.us/townmeeting. The town will share its…

(April 11, 2026) – A group of residents gathered at Pirone Park on Saturday for the Ayer-Shirley Baseball & Softball Cleanup Day to get ready for Opening Day in a few weeks. This is an annual event. With a blue sky and a little breeze off Grove Pond, the volunteers raked the fields and hung…

(April 7, 2026) – Three residents appeared at the Select Board meeting on Tuesday night, asking the board to consider establishing an elected town ombudsman position. The residents submitted a written proposal before the meeting. This was signed by 22 residents directly impacted by the Lincoln Hill development. Last October, the Planning Board approved a…

Hello Neighbors! My name is Peter Kush and I am running for Planning Board Commissioner! I had originally intended to run for Housing Authority Commissioner, however I recently learned that the position was not in fact open this election cycle. I still feel passionately about serving my community and the future of Ayer therefore I…

Over the next five years, the Community Foundation of North Central Massachusetts plans a new $500,000 investment to help local students and families navigate the complex financial aid process for higher education and access more affordable pathways. This investment will make our region the first in Massachusetts where every high school has coordinated access to…

Ayer News will start publishing occasional summaries on Ayer Police and Fire logs, in response to resident requests. Our process: we will review the police logs posted on the town website and request incident information from the police and fire department at times. Then our Ayer News reporter will independently compile a partial, abbreviated summary…