November home sales hit 13-year low in MA

Home sales dropped 12.6 percent in November compared to a year ago as the residential real estate market continued a sluggish autumn stretch.

The Massachusetts Associated of Realtors yesterday reported that 2,986 single-family homes were sold last month, compared to 3,416 sold in November 2006. It was the slowest November since 1994, when 2,847 home sales were recorded.

The statewide median home price held steady at $330,000 compared to October but was down nearly 3 percent compared to a year ago, the Waltham-based trade group said yesterday.

You can read the details online at the Milford Daily News

Top Stories of 2007

The Franklin Gazette reviews 2007 and the top stories from the local area. The Franklin contributions to the listing are:

• The new Fire House
• Central Commons project stalled
• Brick classroom facing closure
• passing the first operational override
• named one of the Top 10 in Family Circle
• new Senior Center opens

Read the full article here to see what Plainville, Medway, Wrentham, Millis, and Foxboro contributed.

climate change a top priority

The state Department of Environmental Protection is making climate change a top priority, a senior official said yesterday.

Martin Suuberg, central region director for the state agency, outlined a handful of efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. He spoke before local business and municipal officials at a breakfast forum cohosted by the United Chamber of Commerce and the Norfolk County Commissioners' Office.

"Climate change is the central environmental challenge of our times," Suuberg said, adding the state will seek solutions to reduce emissions. "We've been waiting too long for a national solution."

Read the remainder of the article here

Franklin in the news

Need for money is not an act

By Aaron Wasserman/Daily News staff

FRANKLIN - When they learned money was tight for this year's high school musical, Alexandra Lonati and a group of student theater enthusiasts decided to take matters into their own hands.

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