Big Week For Natick Mask Mandates Ending: Monday Manual

NATICK, MA — Welcome to the Feb. 28 edition of Monday Manual, where we highlight important events coming up during the week in seven Patch communities between Framingham and Worcester.

Here's what to know for the week of Feb. 28:

Natick

It'll be a big week in Natick for masks. First, the town-wide mask mandate goes away on Monday. That same day, the Natick School Committee may approve a new school policy, which would make masks optional. On Friday, Superintendent Anna Nolin meets with the Board of Health to potentially decide when the schools can go mask-optional.

Worcester

A vote to decertify the Massachusetts Nurses Association (MNA) union at St. Vincent Hospital ends Monday at noon. C. Richard Avola, a replacement nurse hired during the strike, started the decertification effort with the help of the National Right To Work Foundation, whose goal is to reduce union power across U.S. workplaces. MNA leaders say they are confident the vote will go their way.

Wayland

A developer will speak to the Board of Selectmen on Monday about potentially building at the former Whole Foods site along Route 20. The developer, Mill Creek Residential, has built apartment buildings nearby, including the Modera-branded developments in Framingham, Natick, Needham and Hopkinton.

Marlborough

Marlborough police on Sunday will host a polar plunge at the Special Olympics headquarters along Forest Street. The fundraiser will help the Special Olympics reach a 2022 goal of raising $500,000. You can sign up to take the plunge here.

Milford

New life may be coming to a former Rite Aid in Milford. A developer has applied to construct a Chase bank branch at the former pharmacy at the Big Y shopping plaza along Medway Road. The bank would take up most, but not all, of the former Rite Aid. The Planning Board will hear the proposal on Tuesday.

Sudbury

Don't be afraid: voting begins on Tuesday in the Goodnow Library's March Madness tournament of fantasy books for kids and young adults. The contest will run through the end of the month, with the winner revealed the week of March 22.

Framingham

Framingham this week may increase the number of available cannabis licenses from six to eight. District 8 Councilor John Stefanini's Ordinance and Rules committee has been working the issue for a while, largely to avoid legal trouble. Framingham granted a medical marijuana company a license to operate before Massachusetts legalized recreational marijuana in 2016. Now, that company wants to convert its medical marijuana license into a retail one, and has the legal right to do so based on a recent state Supreme Court ruling.

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