Reminder: Tuesday, March 5 is our state primary election day. Polls are open from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. I will be an election worker again. However, I will be in a new space: the Immanuel Lutheran Church. I will get to meet North Amherst residents but will miss my Crocker Farm regulars.

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Good news: Maple trees are being tapped to make syrup. One street I saw had buckets attached to trees, while other trees had plastic tubing and large clear jugs.

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Correction: The name of the cellist in the Juilliard String Quartet is Astrid Schween. I transposed a lot of letters to misspell her name last week. I apologize for the mistake. Thank you to the reader who pointed out the error.

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Kari Ridge of Leverett sent me an email listing of the many programs and events to celebrate the town’s 250th birthday this year. She is on the Celebration Committee that has been working for three years. First up is a pancake breakfast sponsored by the Firefighters Association on Saturday, March 2 from 8 to 11:30 a.m. at the elementary school. A special postmark will be available Tuesday, March 5 at the post office. Later that day, the giant 2,000-pound birthday cake that has been used by several communities will be on view at 6:30 p.m.

Speakers, a parade, and a plant walk are some of the events planned. See the full schedule at celebrateleverett250@gmail.com.

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The next takeout dinner prepared by the South Amherst Congregational Church on March 16 will feature corned beef and cabbage (you know St. Patrick’s is coming). Also on the menu: potatoes, carrots, soda bread and carrot cake. A vegetarian option is available. Pickup is scheduled between 5 and 6 p.m. Call 253-2977 or visit www.amherstsouthchurch.org for reservations.

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Marcie Sclove of Amherst shared photos of her trip to India to attend a wedding. The shots included the gorgeous outfit she wore and her beautifully decorated henna hands. The photos count in the postcard contest.

Mary Carey of Amherst (a former Gazette reporter) sent an email photo of the postcard she was going to send from Cartegna, Columbia. She also sent an email photo of herself at the bright blue mailbox.

She spent three weeks there taking intensive Spanish language classes. She said it is a beautiful city on the Caribbean coast with a wall enclosing the city center dating back to the 1600s. She said beautiful flowers cascade from rooftops and balconies.

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