The Archives

The Saugus Historical Commission Meeting will be at 6:30 PM in the Local History Room of the Saugus Public Library.

The Saugus Housing Authority Meeting will be at 6:00 PM in the Heritage Heights Conference Room.

All proceeds go in fundraising account to benefit all Saugus Public Schools. Food provided. Live entertainment. Auction items include trips to Miami and NY, Red Sox 406 club tickets... Raffle items include a new Dell Computer system, gift baskets, dinner gift certificates... Door prizes and much more! $25 per person, or reserve a table for 10 for discounted price of $200.

It's time for the annual Prankers Pond Day. We will have cold drinks, face painting, canoe rides, etc. Everyone is welcome to attend and encouraged to bring a picnic lunch.

This is the first annual Software Freedom Day. If you've never used free software before, today's the day to try it. Free and Open Source Software (FOSS) comes with the right to use it for any purpose, including commercial use. Anyone has the right and access to examine the programs' designs, in the form of source code, and make any changes he or she may wish to make. Anyone can redistribute the software to others, either in the original form or with modifications. If you have no interest in source code, you may ask why its availability matters. One reason is that the release of source allows other self-interested users who understand source code to inspect the inner workings of the program, which means that you can be confident that the program treats your private data with care. Simply surfing the 'Net can show you that the most privacy- and security-conscious folks in the world frequently run FOSS, because they can know for themselves that the source code is robust. Another reason is that proprietary software often creates a problem by hiding your own data in a proprietary, "secret" file format, which means that you may eventually be forced to upgrade to newer versions of that software to retain access to your data. This does not happen with FOSS, because when the source code for opening and saving files is available, a third party can easily write an import filter for the next generation of software, ensuring that your data will always be available. Finally, the release of source code has in some cases spawned large communities of volunteer developers who have in turn provided the world with highly useful, and entirely free software such as GNU/Linux, OpenOffice, and Mozilla. These are then available free of charge to schools or anyone else who may not have a large budget available for software. So, freedom of software is important for everyone, not just software developers.

The 5th Annual Nelson's Ride and Concert, Sunday, August 29, 2004, benefiting the Essex County division of the Massachusetts Motorcyclists Survivor's Fund. Riders helping other rider's families in need! "The Fools" will be play live at this event, open to the public, so ride, drive, walk, run or peddle to Raymond's Field, Route 133 Ipswich. Bike staging begins at 9:30, on Raymond's Field, Route 133, Ipswich. The permitted parade Ride leaves 11:00 SHARP! General admition after 11:15 am. The 40 mile scenic ride through the North Shore will be police escorted, and return to Raymond's Field about 12:30. This is an AMA sanctioned - MMA supported event. The lawn concert with the Fools (www.thefools-band.com) begins at 1:00. Bike games at 3:00. Silent auction, raffles, vendors. Suggested donation $15 a person. Celebrate with us the passage of "Nelly's bill," an act the will put motorcycle awareness in the auto driver training schools. Event shirts, patches and pins available also. See www.nelsonsride.org or contact Paul W. Cote at 978-388-3629. All funds from this event help Essex County families of riders killed in accidents. Riders, 'helping our own.' To start a ride or event that helps riders in other areas of Massachusetts, contact info@nelsonsride.org. ========= Thanks - Paul W. Cote/Chris Cerino/Anthony Pretti

Come join us for the opening and dedication of the Christopher P. Dunne Visitors Center at Breakheart Reservation. Open house and tours of this beautiful addition to Breakheart will be held from 10 AM until 2 PM with a dedication ceremony at noon. Refreshments will be served.

The Saugus Chamber of Commerce's Candidates' Night will enable the State Representative candidates to answer prepared questions before a live audience.