Monday Manual: Ice Cream Fest, Rent Help, Halloween Season

MILFORD, MA — Welcome to the Aug. 16 edition of Monday Manual, where we highlight important events coming up during the week (plus an interesting local fact) in seven Patch communities between Natick and Worcester.

This week we're starting in Milford, a town dotted with stone quarries, some even visible from I-495. That's because a special kind of pink granite was discovered there in the 19th Century. The stone can be seen around the world in famous buildings like the Museum of Natural History in New York City and even the main airport in Singapore — and right at home in Worcester City Hall and the Boston Public Library.

1) Milford

The town is in the process of finding a replacement for a Milford School Committee member who resigned in July to take a job within the school district. Letters of interest need to be sent to the town this week ahead of a planned Aug. 23 meeting to pick the new member.

2) Worcester

All week, city officials will be holding events to raise awareness about assistance paying rent and utilities. Each event will provide resources to people who need help paying bills, and there will be gift cards and other prizes available.

3) Natick

Do you like ice cream? The Charles River Rotary Club on Sunday will bring back its annual "Scoopapalooza" ice cream festival, an all-you-can-eat event that benefits the rotary's scholarship fund and the Natick Food Pantry.

4) Framingham

Halloween season is here. The Spirit Halloween store will go before the Planning Board on Thursday to get permission to put up a temporary sign at Shopper's World for a seasonal store.

5) Sudbury

The Sudbury Finance Committee is seeking a new member. Applications are due for the post on Sept. 7, and the chosen candidate will serve through the next Town Meeting in April. The committee is among the most powerful in town, charged with recommending to Town Meeting how to spend tax dollars.

6) Wayland

On Monday morning, the Wayland Planning Board will visit to 27 Sherman's Bridge Road, the site of a proposed new residential subdivision. A group of nearby residents have organized to oppose the development to preserve the 8.3-acre forested site.

7) Marlborough

Candidate filing season in Marlborough will close on Tuesday, which means anyone who wants to run in a 2021 race must get their paperwork — including signatures — in by 5 p.m. that day. As of Friday, only three challengers had signed up to run against incumbents this year. If the field stays that way, Marlborough won't have any primary elections, and most candidates will coast to reelection in November.

If you have an event or activity you want included in Monday Manual, email neal.mcnamara@patch.com.