It’s always fun to dash away to a quintessential New England hamlet. We have so many choices — towns with names like Stowe and Woodstock and Franconia that are known for their charm not just here, but ...

Dump trucks and heavy equipment beep and bulldoze on either side of Ludlow, clearing the roads and stirring up a hazy layer of dust. The wet sludge that covered much of the downtown has begun to dry, ...