🌱 Patch AM: How could new “dark money” rules change Concord town meetings?

Greetings Concord! Your go-to source for what's happening in town is here. Stay in the loop and read on. ☀️

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In today's newsletter:

• How could new “dark money” rules change Concord town meetings?
• Why Sleepy Hollow Cemetery ranks among New England’s most beautiful resting places
• Which beloved Concord-set classic made this winter reading list?

Also on today's calendar: Christmas Eve Services at United Methodist Church of Westford and 7 more events.

Today's riddle: What did one magnet say to the other magnet? 🤔 (Answer below!)

Weather forecast:

• Tuesday: Snow at times, 1-3", with a high of 35 and low of 32 degrees.
• Wednesday: Breezy with clouds and sun, temps: high: 37, low: 24.
• Thursday: Clouds and breaks of sun, with a high of 42 and low of 26 degrees.

📰 News we're reading

• Massachusetts Lawmakers Target Dark Money Spending to Influence Local Town Votes (fallriverreporter.com) — A statewide bill to expose “dark money” in town meeting campaigns is moving forward on Beacon Hill, with Concord Rep. Simon Cataldo among its lead sponsors. If it passes, anyone spending $1,000 or more to sway a town warrant article—including in Concord—would have to disclose donors and expenditures in detailed reports to the town clerk.
   

• These are New England's most beautiful garden cemeteries (nationalgeographic.com) — Sleepy Hollow Cemetery in Concord is spotlighted as one of New England’s most beautiful “garden cemeteries,” celebrated for its natural, transcendentalist-inspired landscape and Authors Ridge, where Thoreau, Emerson, Alcott, and Hawthorne are buried. The piece also compares Concord’s historic burial ground with similarly scenic cemeteries across Massachusetts and neighboring states, inviting thoughtful, low-key visits rather than spooky tourism.
   

• Beautiful & Nostalgic Reads for Winter (bookstr.com) — One of the winter reading picks is Louisa May Alcott’s Little Women, rooted in the lives of the March sisters in Civil War–era Concord. While most recommendations range from noir to contemporary romance, this beloved Concord-set classic stands out for locals who want a nostalgic story grounded in their own town’s literary history.
   

📸 Around Concord

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 Concord

Add your event to our calendar and newsletter!

★ Featured events ★

Wednesday December 24

• Christmas Eve Services at United Methodist Church of Westford
  10 Church St, Westford
  5:30 pm

Wednesday December 31

• Dead Ahead NYE Ball at Sanctuary Maynard
  Sanctuary, 82 Main St, Maynard
  9:00 pm

Want to see your event featured? Click here!

Other local events

Wednesday December 24

• Coffee & Pastries
  Concord, MA Calendar , 1276 Main St , Concord
  9:30 am
• Toddler Time, ages 0-5
  Children's Activity Room Main Library , 129 Main Street , Concord
  10:30 am
• Baby Storytime
  Children's Activity Room Main Library , 129 Main Street , Concord
  11:30 am
• Mahjong
  Concord, MA Calendar , 1276 Main St , Concord
  1:00 pm
• Ping Pong
  Concord, MA Calendar , 1276 Main St , Concord
  2:00 pm
• Teen Dungeons and Dragons: Baldur's Fate
  Teen Room Main Library , 129 Main Street , Concord
  3:00 pm

Thursday December 25

• Coffee & Snacks
  Concord, MA Calendar , 1276 Main St , Concord
  10:00 am

Friday December 26

• Alphabet Storytime, ages 0-5
  Children's Activity Room Main Library , 129 Main Street , Concord
  10:30 am

📣 Concord Shout Outs!

Want to say something great about someone in town? Click here to submit your Shout Out to Patch AM! It's free!

🗓 Events Nearby

Tuesday December 23

• Chair Yoga
  Concord, MA Calendar , 1276 Main St , Concord
  9:00 am
• Fowler Storytime, Ages 5 & under
  Labyrinth Garden at West Concord Union Church , 1322 Main Street , Concord
  10:00 am
• Caregivers Support Group
  Concord, MA Calendar , 1276 Main St , Concord
  10:30 am
• Storytime! For All Ages
  Tarbell Room Lincoln Public Library , 3 Bedford Rd , Lincoln
  10:30 am

Have we missed something on our calendar? Add an event yourself! As always, before attending confirm event details to ensure accuracy.

💬 Chatter

What your neighbors are talking about on social media

• Cumberland Farms posted a job opening for Retail Sales Associate in Concord. Apply here.
• Town of Concord Massachusetts posted a job opening for Preschool Teacher Morning -Fall 2025 in Concord. Apply here. You can search for other jobs near Concord here.

🗞 Nearby News

Lincoln

• Dark Skies making another push to limit nighttime outdoor lighting (lincolnsquirrel.com)
• The Lincoln Experimental Satellite Launched In 1965 And Is Still Sporadically Communicating After Sixty Years (twistedsifter.com)

Acton

• Russ Cohen, plant forager, speaks in Acton (actonexchange.org)
• Acton Fire Department lands $50,000 state grant for turnout gear, radio upgrades (actonexchange.org)
• Two down, one to go: School Committee votes to eliminate two of four school reorganization options (actonexchange.org)

Bedford

Ok Concord! 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: I find you very attractive!
Got a good riddle for PatchAM? Send it to us!

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