Politics & Government

5 Ways the Government Shutdown Impacts Holliston and Hopkinton

The shutdown of U.S. government functions took effect at midnight.

Written by Mary MacDonald and Sam Bonacci

1. Anyone planning to visit a national historical site or monument or park will have to make sure they still will be admitted. Some attractions, including the Freedom Trail in Boston, will be be open for self-guided walks, but will not have any guides at key sites. Others, including the JFK Library, are closed until further notice.

2. Mail delivery is not affected. The U.S. Postal Service is funded through sale of  stamps and other products.

3. Veterans services in Holliston and Hopkinton and other Massachusetts towns are state- and locally funded and so are NOT affected, according to Milford Veterans Agent John Pilla. 

4. All local governments are checking to determine what impacts the federal shutdown will have on local operations, including federal grants.

5. Federal employees may be furloughed, and several thousand already have been as of Tuesday. In Natick, the employees at Natick Labs were placed on unpaid furloughs. And anyone seeking information from a federal agency, including the U.S. Department of Education, will learn that no one is updating their websites or social media accounts, because most employees are furloughed. 


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