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Vol. 47 | No. 23 | June 4, 2021
COVID-19 memorial in Grafton going strong over a year later
Shrewsbury Town Meeting declares climate emergency
By Morgan Hume Contributing writer
By Laura Hayes Contributing Writer SHREWSBURY — Voters green lit a climate emergency declaration and bylaws for the new Community Preservation Committee during Shrewsbury’s Town Meeting on May 22. A number of topics were on the warrant, including a stabilization fund to manage funds received from the recently approved Proposition 2-1/2 override. There was also a warrant to appropriate nearly $7,000 to pay for retired, disabled police officers and firefighters’ medical expenses. Additionally, Shrewsbury will now recognize Juneteenth as a legal holiday in its personnel bylaws, and Columbus Day will now be Indigenous People’s Day/Columbus Day following Town Meeting votes.
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Memorial begins in early 2020 Labee began building the memorial in March of last year, just as the first wave of the pandemic began to crash on the region. What started out as only a handful of flags has now grown. Labee said he has volunteered in the past to help people affected by natural disasters, like Hurricane Katrina. A former first responder himself, he likes to be the one with his boots on the ground when tragedy strikes. But the pandemic was Memorial | 13
A sign notes the number of deaths due to COVID-19 in Massachusetts as marked by flags on the property of Grafton’s Mike Labee.
PHOTOS/DAKOTA ANTELMAN
Declaration sounds alarm on climate change There were three petitioned articles on the warrant — one proposed term limits for selectmen and School Committee members. A second opposed adding fluoride to the water, and a third asked for a declaration of a climate emergency. The climate and ecological emergency declaration was the only petitioned article approved by Town Meeting members. “We’re thrilled,” co-sponsor Rachael Missall told the Community Advocate after the vote.
GRAFTON - It has been over a year since the coronavirus pandemic began. Millions of people around the world have been battling COVID-19. In Massachusetts alone, nearly 18,000 had died as of May 27. Throughout this, Mike Labee has been honoring those lost by setting up a memorial right in his front yard off Keith Hill Road. Each American flag represents one person who has died from COVID-19 in Massachusetts. “One for every soul taken from us here in Massachusetts,” Labee said in a recent interview. “There’s no race, no religion, no nothing. It’s every soul taken from us; they get a flag out there out of respect.”
A statue of an eagle looks out from a flower bed filled with flags memorializing COVID-19 victims in Massachusetts.
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