STERLING — Six months into his job, Town Administrator Bill Caldwell got praise from the Select Board for how he is doing his work. John Kilcoyne said at a recent meeting of the Select Board that he marked Caldwell mostly above average to excellent.

RUTLAND — The Select Board voted to assign a single tax rate to property in town at its Nov. 28 meeting.

HOLDEN — Having worked hard to prepare feed to see their animals through the winter, Lilac Hedge Farm workers responded last week to a new challenge, as a fire took the crucial stored feed from a silo.

STERLING — The Elizabeth Todorov Toy Drive for the UMass Memorial Children’s Child Life Medical Center continues this year, the 20th year in a row. Due to Covid-19, donations of toys must be only new and unopened items. Also, please donate toys before Friday, Dec. 16, as the toys must remain quarantined for a week. The deadline for all donations is Sunday, Dec. 18.

Leah Hitzrot of Sterling, 18, third from le_, in purple, shone onstage at Monty Tech for the last time as a member of the cast of Tchaikovsky’s “The Nutcracker.” The Wachusett Regional High School senior started out as one of the adorable lambs 12 years ago in the annual production now put on by MEM Dance Theatre in her hometown, formerly Paula Meola Dance & Performing Arts. She culminated her Nutcracker run in the coveted Sugar Plum Fairy role in this year’s performances, held the first weekend of December. Danielle Ray

STERLING — Members of the police department are taking No Shave November to great lengths, extending it into the month of December. Participants forgo shaving and grooming in order to inspire conversation and raise awareness and funds for men’s mental health and suicide prevention, prostate cancer and testicular cancer.