5 Ways the Government Shutdown Affects, or Doesn't Affect, Acton

1. Anyone planning to visit a national historical site or monument or park will have to make sure they still will be admitted. Some attractions, including Minute Man National Historical Park in Concord and the Freedom Trail in Boston, will be be open for self-guided walks, but will not have any guides at key sites. Others, including the JFK Library, are closed until further notice.

2. Mail delivery is not affected. The U.S. Postal Service is funded through sale of  stamps and other products.

3. Here in Acton, which is home to neither National Park nor military institution, it appears individuals will be affected moreso than town operations. Selectmen Chairwoman Janet Adachi said several Acton residents work for the government and may be furloughed as a result of the shutdown. Adachi also noted that the longer it takes to sort out the shutdown, the more potential there is for an impact on the town's more at-risk populations. 

4. Veterans services in Acton and other Massachusetts towns are state- and locally funded and so are NOT affected.

5. Federal employees may be furloughed, and several thousand already have been as of Tuesday. In Natick, the employees at Natick Labs were placed on unpaid furloughs. And, similarly, dozens of services at Hanscom Air Force Base have been impacted by the shutdown. Anyone seeking information from a federal agency, including the U.S. Department of Education, will learn that no one is updating their websites or social media accounts, because most employees are furloughed.