Community Corner
🌱 How will Lowell’s fire station shutdowns affect emergency response in your neighborhood?
Also, don't miss Oktoberfest on the Lowell Patch calendar

Good morning Lowell! We're back in your inbox this morning to keep you in the loop with what's happening in and around town. Grab a cup of coffee and read on. ☕️️
🎃 Hosting a Halloween event in Lowell? Let Patch get the word out for you. Post it to the Patch calendar.
In today's newsletter:
- How will Lowell's fire station shutdowns affect emergency response in your neighborhood?
- What Elliott's exit means for Pawtucketville's upcoming District 1 election
- Why this Acton murder case first came through Lowell Juvenile Court
Also on today's calendar: Oktoberfest and 9 more events.
Today's riddle: What is clean when it is black and dirty when it is white? 🤔 (Answer below!)
- Thursday: An a.m. shower; partly sunny, with a high of 72 and low of 46 degrees.
- Friday: Mostly sunny, temps: high: 67, low: 42.
- Saturday: Plenty of sunshine, with a high of 68 and low of 44 degrees.
📰 News we're reading
1. Lowell fire stations are temporarily closing due to staffing. City leaders blame excessive sick days. (cbsnews.com) — Lowell fire stations have begun temporarily closing because of staffing shortages, adding several minutes to emergency response times in some neighborhoods. Firefighters say the city must hire more staff, while councilors point to hundreds of sick days and soaring overtime costs. City leaders and the union remain sharply divided over what's really driving the closures and how to fix them.
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2. Elliott Decides Against District 1 Run (insidelowell.com) — Lowell's District 1 City Council race shifted when former mayor and state representative Rodney Elliott decided not to pursue the Pawtucketville seat vacated by Danny Rourke. The City Council has scheduled a special election for February 2, 2027, leaving local realtor Ray Boutin as the only declared candidate so far while other hopefuls consider entering the race.
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3. Grand jury indicts Acton teen in killings of mother, brother (lowellsun.com) — A high-profile Middlesex County murder case involving an Acton teen has a direct Lowell connection, as he was first arraigned in Lowell Juvenile Court before the case moved to Superior Court. Prosecutors say the 17-year-old is now indicted on two counts of first-degree murder in the deaths of his mother and younger brother, while his defense awaits key digital evidence and a psychological evaluation continues.
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4. Two men charged with trafficking fentanyl, cocaine in Tewksbury (lowellsun.com) — Two men from Methuen and Lawrence are facing fentanyl and cocaine trafficking charges after Tewksbury police say they witnessed a suspicious parking‑lot exchange near Motel 6 and McDonald's. Officers later reported finding nearly 100 grams of fentanyl and over 30 grams of cocaine hidden in the car. The pair were arraigned in Lowell District Court and remain held on cash bail.
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📸 Around Lowell
Show off your photography skills and the sights around town! Click here to submit your Photo of the Day to Patch AM!
🗓 Upcoming Events in Lowell
Add your event to our calendar and newsletter!
★ Featured events ★
- Oktoberfest →
Good Pickin' Farm, 5 Gould Rd, Westford
3:00 pm - Ryukyukoku Matsuri Daiko Massachusetts Branch 6th Anniversary Concert →
Cary Hall, 1605 Massachusetts Ave, Lexington
6:00 pm - UNWIND & REALIGN: Navigating Anxiety, Menopause & Intuition →
Tranquility Wellness Center, Inc, 235 Littleton Rd, Westford
10:00 am - Girl Scouts STEM Challenge →
UMass Lowell, 327 Aiken Ave, Lowell
9:00 am
Saturday October 10
Sunday October 18
Sunday October 25
Want to see your event featured? Click here!
Other local events
- Adult Craft Night: Simple Jewelry →
Main Branch, 401 Merrimack St., Lowell
6:00 pm - 3rd Year Painters and Tapers - Group A →
Lowell MA Training Center, 120 Stedman St., Lowell
7:00 am - One Time Pottery Wheel Workshop →
325 Chelmsford St, Entrance on Shaw Street, Lowell
7:00 pm - Saturday Pediatric Vaccine Clinics →
Lowell Community Health Center, 161 Jackson Street, Lowell
9:00 am - Flute Lessons →
Main Branch, 401 Merrimack St., Lowell
11:30 am - LCK Talking Jack: Cathy Cassady Sylvia—My Life with Mom and Dad →
Main Branch, 401 Merrimack St., Lowell
12:00 pm - Kerouac's Library Haunts and Hooky Tour →
Main Branch, 401 Merrimack St., Lowell
1:00 pm - Trinity's Trunk or Treat 2026 →
170 Old Westford Rd, Chelmsford
2:00 pm
Thursday October 8
Friday October 9
Saturday October 10
Saturday October 17
📣 Lowell Shout Outs!
Want to say something great about someone in town? Click here to submit your Shout Out to Patch AM! It's free!
Have we missed something on our calendar? Add an event yourself! As always, before attending confirm event details to ensure accuracy.
Thank you 👏👏👏 to these businesses for making Lowell PatchAM possible:
- Beantown Statie Production Company-Beantown Studios — (978) 408-1573
- Cardinal Pediatrics — (978) 934-9474
- Friends Beyond Boston-Waltham Social
- Mayhem Tattoo, LLC — (603) 912-4724
- Heavey Quinn Irish Dance — 9782509100
- Mill City Marketing MA — (978) 942-0389
Click here to show your appreciation! 💚
Want to see your business here? Click here to connect with local customers.
💬 Chatter
What your neighbors are talking about on social media
- Hi, everyone so as some of you may know.
3 years ago I have lost my cat, but he came back and he didn't go missing again until last year. I had experienced a really tough situation. I health… (Nextdoor Bellevue St)
- Chuck E. Cheese posted a job opening for Food Prep, Cook, and Pizza Maker - Cast Member in Lowell. Apply here.
- CVS posted a job opening for Shift Supervisor in Lowell. Apply here. You can search for other jobs near Lowell here.
Ok Lowell! So now you're in the loop about what's happening today. Thanks for reading, and see you in your inbox next time! Oh -- and if you like what you're reading, invite a friend to Patch AM!
-- The Patch AM Team
P.S. The answer to today's riddle: "What is clean when it is black and dirty when it is white?" — A chalk board (Thank you Charlie H. for sending it in!)
Got a good riddle for PatchAM? Submit it here!
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