The Five Minute Read

Temporary lane shifts on Route 3A

BILLERICA — The Massachusetts Department of Transportation announced it will implement temporary lane shifts on Boston Road (Route 3A) northbound and southbound from Simmons Lane to Danforth Village in Billerica. The lane shifts are scheduled to start on Monday, March 18 and are expected to continue until Sunday, Sept. 1.

The temporary lane shifts are necessary to allow the contractor to safely and effectively perform roadway reconstruction, paving operations and other incidental work for the reconstruction of the Route 3A. The town of Billerica will also be performing a cleaning and relining of the water main.

Drivers who are traveling through the impacted areas should expect delays, reduce speed and use caution. All work is weather dependent and subject to cancellation or modification.

For more information, go to mass511.com.

Mini golf at the library

LITTLETON — The Reuben Hoar Library, at 35 Shattuck St., will be transformed into a unique, custom-designed 18-hole mini golf course on Saturday, March 16, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Participants of all ages can try their skills on the course for $5 per round.

Tickets can be purchased at the library on the day of the event. The course will feature 18 different tee markers, deflectors, obstacles and fairways between the library stacks to allow guests the opportunity to explore the library while scoring a hole-in-one.

Organized by the Friends of the Reuben Hoar Library. For information, call 978-540-2600.

Tap water testing volunteers needed

Are you concerned about lead or copper contamination in your drinking water? Through a National Science Foundation grant, the Merrimack River Watershed Council is helping UMass Lowell find volunteers who live in the communities of Dracut, Lowell and Lawrence to collect water samples from their home taps for testing.

A 20-minute virtual workshop on the tap water testing volunteer project, that will explain the project’s goals and the basics of water sample collection, will be held on Tuesday, March. 19, at 7 p.m.

Volunteers will test drinking water for a wide variety of contaminants, such as heavy metals and other pollutants, using a handheld device. Collecting a sample is easy, and participants will be provided with all of the required equipment and information. The samples provided by the volunteers will help validate and improve the new technology. The test is free, and the results will be emailed to you.

To register, for the Zoom session, visit us06web.zoom.us/j/89654918130.

‘Alice By Heart’ at MCC

LOWELL — The Middlesex Community College theater department presents “Alice By Heart” at the Richard and Nancy Donahue Family Academic Arts Center, 240 Central St. There is metered street parking, as well as public parking at the Early Garage at 135 Middlesex St.

“Alice By Heart” is a retelling of “Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland” as a musical from the Tony and Grammy award-winning Steven Sater and Duncan Sheik, co-written by Jessie Nelson.

Curtain times are Thursday, April 18 through Saturday, April 20 at 7 p.m., as well as 2 and 7 p.m. on Sunday, April 21.

Seating is limited. Tickets are $10 for MCC students and senior citizens, $15 for MCC faculty and staff and $20 for general admission. To purchase tickets, visit middlesex.universitytickets.com.