Marlborough announces early voting schedule
Fire in Hudson damages DPW garage, snowplows Hudson
Wartime rations history comes to Historical Society
Marlborough announces early voting schedule
Fire in Hudson damages DPW garage, snowplows Hudson
Wartime rations history comes to Historical Society
The Hudson Select Board approved on Feb. 5 two contracts with New England Recreation Group to purchase and install playground equipment at the parks.
The cost for the installations will be $69,450 and $48,295, respectively, for Wood and Riverside parks.
Hudson Recreation Director Steven Santos explained that the history of the playground installations date back to 2016 when they received funding to do assessments and repairs to the existing playgrounds through a Town Meeting warrant article.
He said, “We completed those inspections in 2017. We started doing some minor repairs.”
Santos said they created a list of projects that needed to be completed regarding the playgrounds in town. Into 2019, they continued work on playground repairs and “then COVID hit,” he said.
In that time, the recreation department had
Playgrounds | 5
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By Evan Walsh Reporter
HUDSON – One routine layup stood between Jackson O’Brien and Hudson history.Sitting at 999 career points, O’Brien slipped behind the defense, corralled the incoming pass, and eyed the wide-open basket. O’Brien regularly makes more difficult layups, but just one point away from history, the shot was unexpectedly stressful.
By Maureen Sullivan Assistant Editor
MARLBOROUGH – Mayor J. Christian Dumais wants to create a new position within the mayor’s office – communications and special projects director.In a letter submitted to the City Council, Dumais is asking for the new position to help
improve communications between city departments and residents.
Dumais outlined some of the current challenges – a municipal website in need of an upgrade (funds were recently approved by the City Council); the use of just one social media platform; maintenance of a monthly city newsletter; and little to no resources when it comes
Director | 4
SHREWSBURY – On Dec. 18,
Pulte Homes went before the Shrewsbury Zoning Board of Appeals (ZBA) to provide an overview of Emerald Run, the proposed 300-unit 40B development that would occupy 33-69 Green St.
At the December meeting, Pulte promised subsequent
meetings would dive into further detail, and on Jan. 29, the developer returned to the ZBA to discuss the project site plans and stormwater runoff.
The meeting started with Jeff Walsh, the vice president of Graves Engineering, Inc., reviewing the project. Graves Engineering performed the peer-review process for the ZBA prior to the meeting.
“[Our findings include] a
few pages, a lot of engineering, discussion, but not many comments. The comments we have are essentially minor in nature. There are a few points that I would like to point out to the board… No fatal flaws in the plan with respect to engineering,” Walsh told the ZBA at the meeting.
Walsh’s comments included critiques of parking design, the lack of space for solid waste
storage, and concerns about flooding. Pulte Homes received the peer-review information just hours before the ZBA meeting and thus did not make any substantial comments regarding Graves Engineering’s assessment of the project.
Walsh voiced concerns that if there’s a “100-year event” — flooding so severe it likely only occurs once every century — the intersection of
South Street and Brook Street may be especially vulnerable. Emerald Run would result in a nine percent increase in runoff during extreme storms, Graves Engineering’s report said, and several homes are close to the intersection of South and Brook.
“The area you are referencing at the bottom of Brook Street… It’s a major issue. I’m up on the hill a bit, but any time there’s even a small rainstorm, you can hear it gushing from my kitchen if you have the windows open,” said Alex DeVivo, an Appaloosa Drive resident who spoke during the public participation section of the meeting. Appaloosa Drive abuts the proposed project.
Other abutters reported that the flooding was so bad in the Brook-South area that it destroyed their cars. Some neighbors alluded to how intense flooding is a regular event, not a “100-year event.”
“There has always been a stream in our backyard. Always,” said Joyce Smith, another Appaloosa resident.
Graves Engineering also recommended on-site sidewalks along both of the project’s two entrance ways.
WESTBOROUGH – The Westborough Garden Club will present “Welcoming Native Plants and Insects to Your Garden” on Wednesday, Feb. 28, at the Westborough Senior Center, 4 Rogers Road.
Social time at 6:30 p.m., followed by a business meeting at 6:45 p.m. and the program at 7 p.m.
The presenter will be Rebecca Warner, a home gardener from Newton with 30 years’ experience in maintaining a sustainable garden. She will describe how to choose plants that attract pollinators and other beneficial insects.
The program is free and open to the public.
WESTBOROUGH – A handful of volunteers will spend the day and night of Saturday, March 2, raising awareness about homelessness.
The annual Night in the Cold will take place at Colonial Plaza, 45 E. Main St. (near Dunkin’ Donuts). Four volunteers will spend the day outside in the parking lot soliciting donations and spreading awareness, and then they will sleep outside
overnight to bring attention to the plight of people experiencing homelessness.
This year, the focus will be on youth homelessness throughout the state. The beneficiary of this year’s event is Horizons for Homeless Children.
“After working for three years to help people currently experiencing homelessness, I felt that it was time to start focusing on the preventative measures that not only help to alleviate the trauma children currently face in homeless shelters, but also
give them the best opportunity to avoid homelessness in their adult life,” said John Bogaert, the founder and event coordinator for a Night in the Cold.
Bogaert said he recently visited the Horizons facility in Boston.
“It is very difficult to comprehend all that a child endures, along with everything they miss out on while being raised in a homeless shelter,” he said.
“John’s work to bring awareness to the homelessness issue is valuable, and we’re grateful he’s chosen to focus on family
same person will not be accepted within a 30 day period. “Form letter” submissions, in which the content of one letter is essentially duplicated, will not be accepted. Letters should be 350 words or less. Deadline is 12 p.m. Friday the week before publication. Opinions expressed in the letters to the editor do not necessarily represent the opinion of the Community Advocate management or its advertisers.
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homelessness this year by supporting Horizons for Homeless Children,” said Chief of Advancement and Strategic Partnerships Tara Spalding. “Families are unique because they typically live in shelters, spaces which are not conducive to the optimal development of young children. Proceeds from this fundraiser will support Horizons’ work to mitigate the negative effects of homelessness across Massachusetts.”
Sake, a traditional Japanese rice wine, is crafted through a meticulous brewing process. The key ingredient in sake production is polished rice, typically a particular sake rice variety. The rice undergoes a polishing process to remove the outer layers, exposing the starchy core essential for fermentation. Water, sourced from specific regions renowned for their purity, also plays a crucial role. The brewing process involves a unique fungus called koji, which converts the rice starch into fermentable sugars. Yeast is then introduced to facilitate the fermentation of these sugars into alcohol. The multiple parallel fermentation steps contribute to sake’s complexity and nuanced flavors. This centuries-old tradition harmonizes natural elements, showcasing sake as a beverage that encapsulates the essence of Japanese craftsmanship.
At JULIO’S LIQUORS we cater to all levels of experience and take pleasure in encouraging all Julio’s customers to learn more about wine and feel excited about their purchases. We host multiple seminars, formal tastings and wine festivals throughout the month which cater to every level of wine consumer. We feature an extensive selection of wines from all over
information, please
NORTHBOROUGH – This photo shows the roof at the Zeh Elementary School in Northborough. The school district wants to submit a statement of interest to the state’s School Building Authority to try and get the roof replaced. The roof was last renovated in 1998. See details on page 14.
Scott Henderson will again join Bogaert in raising funds and sleeping outside.
“For me, and I think for most parents, your children become the biggest love, focus and concern of your life, and even their minor pains and hurdles bring you heartache,” he said.
To donate, visit www.donate2homeless.org.
For information on Horizons for Homeless Children, visit https://horizonschildren.org/.
to training on communications tools.
Director | from page 1 wants to add Instagram, along with WhatsApp in order to provide information in Portuguese and Spanish.
Should the city approve the new position, the director would oversee the city’s website, including its upgrade and redesign and the implementation of ChatBot.
To improve the city’s presence on social media, Dumais
“In today’s digital age, providing communication at a 21st-century standard is essential to the success of a modern organization,” he said.
The director would also oversee the training of each
department on the best use of social media channels; creation of flyers/advertisements/ graphics; website use and updating; communication best practices; and more.
Dumais is hoping to recruit someone who can speak Portuguese “to assist with internal translation services and outreach to the growing Brazilian
community within the city.”
“This position will be an invaluable resource for all staff and departments to rely on for the website, social media, training, and communication strategies and best practices,” said Dumais.
The position would be 40 hours with benefits; the salary would start at $79,000. To
fund the position for the remainder of fiscal 2024, Dumais wants to transfer $25,900 from the position of substance abuse coordinator, which has been vacant for more than a year.
The director would report to the chief of staff.
The City Council has sent the request along to the council’s Finance Committee, which is scheduled to meet on Wednesday, Feb. 21.
“It’s long overdue,” said City Councilor David Doucette.
MARLBOROUGH -- State Rep. Carmine Gentile, D-Sudbury, will hold virtual office hours on Friday, Feb. 23.
Constituents are encouraged to schedule a time to talk with Gentile and his staff. Meetings will take place via Microsoft Teams video call from 10 a.m.to noon. A timely RSVP is required for a meeting.
Office hours are for Gentile’s constituents, residents of the 13th Middlesex District, which includes: Sudbury
Wayland: Precincts 1 and 4
Marlborough: Ward 1 Precincts 1 and 2, Ward 2 Precinct 2A, and Ward 7 Precinct 2A
Lincoln: Precinct 1
Concord: Precincts 3 and 4
Any constituent who wishes to speak to Gentile can sign up for a 20-minute time slot by emailing Gentile’s legislative aide, Ravi Simon, at ravi.simon@mahouse.gov.
Constituents signing up for a meeting must provide their full name, address, phone number, email and their discussion topic.
Individuals must provide sufficient detail in describing the topic of discussion so that Gentile may prepare for the meeting if needed. Individuals should also make sure that they have the appropriate equipment and good internet service for a video call.
For any questions regarding office hours and other matters, please contact Simon at ravi.simon@mahouse.gov.
Playgrounds | from page 1
run out of funds from the warrant article, and Santos went to the Community Preservation Committee to ask for more funds for the Wood Park playground installation, which will have an Americans With Disabilities Act-complaint swing.
He said, “It’s a traditionallooking playground: six-anda-half swings. There’s two belt swings. There’s a mom-andme swing.”
Select Board Clerk Judy Congdon asked if the cost was for equipment only or if it included installation and assembly. Santos said they would be going out to bid through the contract and can directly secure the installation through the contract as well.
The pricing is not “always the best” through this mechanism, he noted. The quote they had received was $35,000 for installation, and he said the recreation department can work with the vendors to get the cost down to $25,000.
The total amount of funds
they requested from the committee was $90,000, so a portion of those funds would be used for installation of the playground equipment.
He said, “This is just to actually secure the playground equipment. And, the lead time on equipment is about 10 to 16 weeks. So we want to get this going ASAP, and then we can procure the installation services separately.”
Santos said the installation
costs for the Riverside Park playground equipment, which was estimated at $25,000, would follow the same strategy. He said the industry average for installation is 50% to 60% of the list price of the equipment itself. He said, “We have a vendor that we have worked with for years, and they’re really good to us. They provide us with some really great prices at prevailing wage — the way it’s
supposed to be done.”
The funding for the Riverside Park installation would come from monies given to the recreation department from the Tighe Hamilton Regional Funeral Home after the death of Tom Hamilton in 2015.
The Park Commission decided, knowing that several playgrounds across town needed replacement, to put aside the $50,630 in funds and allocate them toward Riverside Park. It will be named after Tom Hamilton, in a nod to the source of the funds for its completion.
The Select Board also approved a transfer of ownership of class I, II and III licenses from Durand Chevrolet, owners Steve and Richard Durand, to Copeland Chevrolet of Hudson, owner Todd Copeland, for the dealership located at 223 and 329 Washington St.
The applicant David Turner, who is the chief financial officer for the Copano Group, said, “As a group, we’re … very excited to come up here to
Hudson and get going as soon as General Motors allows us and approves the application.”
He said they are looking forward to doing business in the Hudson community.
Select Board Chair Scott Duplisea said they have “some big shoes to fill” as Durand Chevrolet was an established and long-time business in Hudson.
Although the Durand family would not own the dealership, he added he was glad to hear someone was coming in and taking over the business to keep it going.
He said, “It’s been a great business for this town.”
Turner said Durand met with other people besides the Copano Group and believed that Durand felt the group ran the same family-type of business as he had.
He added of Durand, “(Richard) felt comfortable with us taking over to continue this work that he does in the community. We’re looking forward to meeting all of the employees.”
HUDSON – There could be a race shaping up for Select Board.
Micheal D. Burks has pulled nomination papers for another term on the board. Two other residents – Steven C. Sharek and Herman Kabakoff – have also pulled papers.
Sharek is a current member of the School Committee and the Finance Committee. Kabakoff ran for Select Board last year.
There also could be a race for the three-year seat on the Hudson Light Board. The seat is currently held by Jeffrey Superior; as of Feb. 9, Thomas C. Green and Adam Tracy have pulled nomination papers.
Richard Harrity has pulled papers for another term as moderator, along with Michael Capobianco for library trustee, Robert D’Amelio for Planning Board (three-year seat), Joseph Mitchell (to fill a vacancy for
one year), Thomas E. Garrity for Cemetery Commission, Michael Schrenier for the threeyear seat for constable and Joanne F. McIntyre for Board of Assessors.
The other seats currently available:
School Committee (three seats, three-year terms) – incumbents are Molly Ellen MacKenzie, Mark Jose TerraSalomao and Christopher Paul Yates.
Trustees of Benevolent Funds (one seat, three years) – incumbent is Barbara A. Gustafson.
Housing Authority (one seat, five years) – incumbent is Bryan Russell Johannes.
Park Commission (one seat, three years) – incumbent is James D. Roan.
Board of Health (one seat, three years) – incumbent is Michael A. Delfino
Planning Board (two seats, three-year terms) – incumbents are Robert D’Amelio and
Rodney Frias.
Constable (vacancy – one seat, years)
Those wishing to run for office should call the Town Clerk’s office to pick up papers. The deadline to return nomination papers to the office is Monday, March 25, at 5 p.m. In order to appear on the bal-
lot, a candidate must obtain 50 signatures from registered voters in town.
The annual Town Election will be held on Monday, May 13. Polls will be open from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m.
The annual Town Meeting will be held on Monday, May 6, at the high school auditorium,
69 Brigham St., at 7:30 p.m.
The deadline to register for the annual Town Meeting and Election is April 26. The town clerk’s office will be open on that day from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
For more information, call the town clerk’s office at 978-568-9615, or visit www. townofhudson.org.
MARLBOROUGH – The city clerk’s office has announced the early voting schedule for the Presidential Primary on Tuesday, March 5.
In-person voting will take place at City Hall, 140 Main St., on the following dates and times:
Saturday, Feb. 24, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Sunday, Feb. 25, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Monday, Feb. 26, 8:30 a.m. to 7 p.m.
Tuesday, Feb. 27, 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Wednesday, Feb. 28, 7 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Thursday, Feb. 29, 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Friday, March 1, 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.
The last day to register to vote or change your political party for the Presidential Primary is Saturday, Feb. 24. The clerk’s office will be open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. to assist voters.
On Presidential Primary day, the polls will be open from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m.
Polling locations – Ward 1, precincts 1 and 2, and Ward 2, precincts 1 and 2 – Francis J. Kane Elementary School, 520
Farm Road; Ward 3, Precinct 1 – Senior Center, 40 New St.; Ward 3, Precinct 2 – Raymond J. Richer School, 80 Foley Road; Ward 4, precincts 1 and 2 – Senior Center, 40 New St.; Ward 5, precincts 1 and 2 – Masonic Lodge, 8 Newton St.; Ward 6, precincts 1 and 2 – 1st Lt. Charles W. Whitcomb School, 25 Union St.; Ward 7, precincts 1 and 2 – Hildreth School, 85 Sawin St.
At this election, voters will choose their nominee for U.S. President; State Committee man, State Committee woman; and ward committees.
For information, call the City Clerk’s Office at 508-4603775.
MARLBOROUGH – State Rep. Danielle Gregoire is holding office hours on Tuesday, Feb. 27, from 5 to 6 p.m. for her constituents at the Lost Shoe Brewing and Roasting Co., 19 Weed St.
If constituents cannot attend office hours, they may contact Gregoire or her chief of staff, Jennifer Mercadante, at 617-722-2140; Room 21, State House, Boston, MA 02133.
nightclub.
One (now deceased) resident, who grew up in Edgemere during the 1920s and 1930s recalled in an interview how, as a young man, he and his friends would see “fancy cars owned by rich men” coming “out of the city (Worcester)” to the “Lodge.” He added that these men were always accompanied
The Edgemere Lodge in Shrewsbury hosted many different groups for outings or conferences. by “young floozies!”
A business card from the Edgemere Lodge’s heyday pro-
claimed it as “As Fine Place To Dine” for “Outings, Banquets, Refreshments, A La Carte Ser-
vice, Bathing, Baseball, and Other Sports.”
The Edgemere Lodge hosted
“ … fancy cars owned by rich men … these men were always accompanied by “young floozies!”
Shrewsbury Resident
many different groups for outings or conferences, such as the Elks Lodge and the group in the photograph, the New England Grocers Association. It was also a popular spot for weddings, with the lakefront location providing beautiful scenery. People in the Edgemere neighborhood frequented the spot, too. In its later years, the Edgemere Lodge’s popularity waned. It eventually was torn down and condominiums were built on the site.
Multi-generational homes, which accommodate adults from two or more generations, are becoming more common. While challenges may exist, there are several ways that the elderly can bene t from living in a multi-generation household. Living with a family member is not the burden it once was. For starters, loneliness, depression, and fear for one’s safety are alleviated. Seniors can remain more active and engaged. e nancial burden and shared household responsibilities are also eased, which helps everyone. Most important, special connections and bonds can be made with more family time, particularly if a grandchild is in the home. Naturally, such a living situation may not work for someone with a signi cant health issue that requires constant care.
A recent study found that healthy members of multigenerational families have lower premature mortality rates and were likely to live longer. One reason for this might be because there are more adults to provide emotional support for each other.
Please call NOTRE DAME LONG TERM CARE CENTER at (508) 852-3011 to learn more about our long-term care services. We are located at 559 Plantation Street.
P.S. One drawback of a multi-generational living situation may be a lack of privacy.
(Family Features) e same risk factors that contribute to making heart disease the leading cause of death worldwide also impact the rising global prevalence of brain disease, including stroke, Alzheimer’s disease and dementia.
e global death rate from Alzheimer’s disease and other dementias is increasing even more than the rate of heart disease death, according to the American Heart Association’s Heart Disease and Stroke Statistics 2022 Update.
Globally, more than 54 million people had Alzheimer’s disease and other dementias in 2020, a 37% increase since 2010 and 144% increase over the past 30 years (19902020). Additionally, more than 1.89 million deaths were attributed to Alzheimer’s disease and other dementias worldwide in 2020, compared to nearly 9 million deaths from heart disease.
“ e global rate of brain disease is quickly outpacing heart disease,” said Mitchell S.V. Elkind, M.D. M.S., FAHA, the past president of the American Heart Association (2020-21), a professor of neurology and epidemiology at Columbia University’s Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons and attending neurologist at New YorkPresbyterian/Columbia University Irving Medical Center.
“We are learning more about how some types of dementia are related to aging, and how some types are due to poor vascular health. It’s becoming more evident that reducing vascular disease risk factors can make a real di erence in helping people live longer, healthier lives, free of heart disease and brain disease.”
According to the statistics update, people with midlife hypertension were ve times more likely to experience impairment on global cognition and about twice as likely to experience reduced executive function, dementia and
Alzheimer’s disease. e risk for dementia associated with heart failure was nearly two-fold.
Experts recommend maintaining a healthy weight, managing your blood pressure and following other hearthealthy lifestyle behaviors that can also support good brain health while studies show maintaining good vascular health is associated with healthy aging and retained cognitive function.
Optimal brain health includes the ability to perform tasks like movement, perception, learning and memory, communication, problem solving, judgment, decision making and emotion. Cognitive decline and dementia are o en seen following stroke or cerebrovascular disease and indicate a decline in brain health.
Consider these steps to live a healthier lifestyle and protect your heart and brain health:
• Don’t smoke; avoid secondhand smoke.
• Reach and maintain a healthy weight. Be mindful of your eating habits; eat foods low in saturated fat, trans fat, sodium and added sugars.
• Be physically active. Start slowly and build up to at least 150 minutes of moderate physical activity (such as brisk walking) each week. As an alternative, you can do 75 minutes of vigorous physical activity, or a combination of the two, to improve overall cardiovascular health.
• Get your blood pressure checked regularly and work with your health care team to manage it if it’s high.
• Have regular medical checkups and take your medicine as directed.
• Decrease your stress level and seek emotional support when needed.
Learn more about the relationship between heart health and brain health at heart.org. Source: American Heart Assoc
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REGION – Landmark Door understands the importance of family and accessibility.
After his previous Worcester-based employer was sold to a larger organization, Bob Haines took his 14-plus years of experience and started his own garage door service: Landmark Door. The family-owned company — which officially started in 2019 — is small and local in all the best ways.
“Both of my boys work for me. That’s the thing about being a family business: I trained my two boys to do the work how I’d want it done. With them having a vested interest in the company, they take a lot of pride in what they do. I don’t have people calling me back with many issues, and I think that’s because two people doing most of the work are my kids. They know how I’d want things done,” Haines told the Community Advocate.
Whereas some larger com-
panies are unreliable, bureaucratic and often unresponsive, Landmark Door’s smaller, local business model makes the company an easy choice. There is no “maybe we can come next week” with Landmark Door, and the company is able to offer timely, quality help; Landmark Door can offer same-day
and 24/7 emergency service.
“There’s a higher level of accountability and customer service. It’s a one-to-one customer relationship; you develop better customer relationships… They know that if there’s a problem, we’re going to get it fixed,” said Holly Haines, who spoke to the Community Ad-
vocate alongside Bob Haines. “I think a lot of homeowners appreciate a smaller company. I think they know that small companies tend to have better detail for things.”
With local technicians, Landmark Door is able to focus on building relationships with clients. When there’s an issue at your home, all it takes is one call for professional, expert service that has an interest in helping you — not quoting the maximum amount of money.
In fact, when called, Landmark Door will recognize the problem, measure the area, go over samples, describe the issue and provide a free quote.
When asked why he doesn’t initially charge clients for his expertise, Bob Haines said that “it’s just the right thing to do.”
“I measure everything, qualify what they’re looking for, go over products and then I give them a quote based on everything we covered,” he continued.
Haines has all the needed experience, but he also uses
top-quality products. Landmark Door is a platinum-level dealer of C.H.I. Overhead Doors and, according to the company’s website, offers a “wide variety of residential and commercial products from the industry’s leading manufacturers.” Every garage door installed by Landmark Door is made in America.
Landmark Door brings local, personable and quality service to Central and Eastern Massachusetts. If you’re needing a garage door replacement, repair, maintenance, or installation, choose the familyowned, dependable company.
Landmark Door services every Community Advocateregion town. For more information on Landmark Door, please visit https://landmarkdoor.com/ or call the company at (508) 612-0173.
Business Profiles are advertising features designed to provide information and background about Community Advocate advertisers.
starting at $2,400/month for one resident.
Keller Williams Realty
Boston-MetroWest
Member: KW Luxury Homes
Mobile: (508) 294-0778
I’ll Make It Happen. You’ll Make It Home.
Moving is often considered one of life’s stressful events. When children of any age are involved, this can sometimes add just that much more to the equation.
Whether your move is local or long-distance, how you help your children prepare mentally is key. Some observations I’ve made through the years
• Presentation is everything. How you present yourself and the plans, even if they react tense at first, will help pave the way. Most people don’t like change, and if a child is younger or this is the only house they’ve ever lived in,
change can be scary; it doesn’t have to be.
• Within reason, let them be part of the process. Little things can make a huge difference adults don’t think of immediately. During a showing, a little one was teary that the bedroom they were looking at didn’t “look the same” as their current one. With her parents’ permission, I assured her that yes, they could have a
yellow room there too even though the walls were blue at the moment.
• Where possible, finding the new school and activities in the beginning of a house tour rather than jumping into the houses has made some kids and even teens visualize their upcoming new surroundings better. I’ve heard younger kids think “but it’s too far for me to go to school” not fully understanding that there will be a school waiting for them in their new area. What we take for granted as understanding, we need to remember in many cases, this could be a child’s first
move or at least first they fully remember
• Once you have a definite closing and moving date set, let the kids know what it is. They can see it on a calendar, make it a countdown, and make the uncertainties of “what’s happening when” more tangible
• Wherever possible, keep your conversations as light as possible in front of them. This includes conversations about inspections, negotiations, financing, etc especially if they are stressful. Children pick up on everything and of course you know your children best, but keeping the tone easy around them or waiting until you can have certain conversations privately may help immensely
• Take photos of your current home *before* any staging, repairs, etc is done. That way, they have something to look back on if they ever wanted to in he way that they knew it. If nothing else, it’s a keepsake, and depending on the child, having a photo memory may be helpful. Regardless of the age of your children, these and other tips will help them “make it home”, too.
WESTBOROUGH – Julio’s Liquors has been named one of the 17 best liquor stores in the U.S. by Tasting Table.
Julio’s is the only liquor store named in New England, with the closest other honoree located in Brooklyn, N.Y.
According to Tasting Table,
WHITINSVILLE – UniBank, Central Massachusetts’ largest mutual community bank, received a silver level designation from Cigna Healthcare for its healthy work culture in 2023.
Michael Welch, CEO of UniBank, said, “We are both honored and humbled to receive this award for the culture we have developed for all at UniBank. While no institution is perfect, we recognize the importance of the ‘wholeness of being.’ We care about the whole person, and in so doing help our teammates journey to finding fulfillment in what they do and who they are.
“There are many positive outcomes of this. Both for our internal community, and for the outer community which we serve. So often I hear from customers that their interaction with UniBank is not only financially helpful and beneficial, but is also enjoyable — something that helps set UniBank apart.”
The Cigna Healthy Workforce designation evaluates organizations based on the core components of their wellbeing program, including leadership and culture; program foundations and execution; policies and fostering of personal self-actualization; and additional areas. Organizations recognized with this designation set the standard of excellence for organizational health and vitality.
Cigna Healthcare honored UniBank with the silver level designation for having a healthy work culture by establishing and growing their employee well-being and engagement programs.
UniBank has assets of $2.5 billion as of Dec. 31, 2023.
the list was “compiled based on personal visits, recommendations from industry folk, and store reviews.” From there, “independent stores that had high local praise for customer service, an established presence in the community, and staff expertise” were chosen as top 17 locations. Tasting Table also focused on the stores’ selection of spe -
cialty spirits when making the rankings.
Julio’s Liquors has been in business for 50 years. The 20,000-square-foot retailer has been recognized before, earning Whisky Retailer of the Year honors from Drink Insider for three consecutive years. Julio’s boasts an expansive liquor selection options, has countless mixer options,
and was recently featured in the Community Advocate for the store’s new non-alcoholic section, which includes 100plus zero-proof choices.
“It’s always an honor, and we appreciate the recognition, especially by such a wellrespected operation as Tasting Table,” Julio’s Liquors owner Ryan Maloney told the Community Advocate.
And while Maloney was happy with the award, he emphasized that accolades aren’t everything; the company’s real goal is creating the best shopping experience for customers.
Julio’s Liquors is at 140 Turnpike Road in Westborough. For more information, visit https://juliosliquors. com/ or call 508-366-1942.
At New Horizons retirement community in Marlborough, our spacious residences and on-site amenities have aesthetic appeal and ensure comfort. Available housekeeping and transportation services, group activities, and delicious home-cooked meals add to the convenience. We are sure that you will feel right at home whether you choose independent living or assisted living care plans.
Immediate availability, including three homecooked meals daily, starting at $2,400/month for one resident.
HUDSON – Personnel from Natick Labs will be guest speakers at the meeting of Hudson Historical Society Tuesday, Feb. 27, at 7 p.m. at First Federated Church Hall, 200 Central St., Hudson.
David Accetta, U.S. Army chief publicity officer, and Ms. Lauren Oleksyk, senior food technologist (retired), will describe “Evolution of Military
Combat Rations” from 1775 until now. They will have rations on display and will list “technology transfers,” results of Natick Labs experiments which can be seen in the grocery store. The public is invited and refreshments will be served.
90th birthday
Hudson native and life-long resident Ruby DesRochers marked her 90th birthday on Feb. 6. She was honored by a
Natick Labs personnel Ms. Lauren Olelsyk, left, and David Accetta, will tell “The Evolution of Military Combat Rations” from 1775 until the present at the meeting of the Hudson Historical Society, First Federated Church Hall, 200 Central St., Hudson, Tuesday, Feb. 27, at 7 p.m. The public is invited.
(Photo/Courtesy)
Military rations, dating back to the origin of the Army in 1775, will be displayed at the meeting of Hudson Historical Society Tuesday, Feb. 27 at 7 p.m. at First Federated Church Hall, 200 Central St., Hudson. Speakers will be senior personnel from Natick Labs. (Photo/Courtesy)
group of friends with a birthday cake and lunch at Finnegan’s Pub, South Street, on Feb. 7. Ruby is a retired employee of Avidia Bank and an active member and volunteer at the Hudson Senior Center.
Of local interest
Word has been received of the death of Hudson native Patricia “Patty” Walsh, 75, retired employee of Hudson Public Library, on Oct. 27, 2023. Funeral
arrangements were private and burial was at Forestvale Cemetery. She was the daughter of the late James and Phyllis (Videto) Walsh. Ms. Walsh was a 1966 graduate of Hudson High School and a graduate of Worcester State College. She was assistant circulation librarian at the Hudson Public Library from 1971 until her retirement in 2003.
New theology post for Hudson native Rev. Dr. Jennifer Quigley and her husband, Rev. Dr. Soren Hessler, have been appointed
to join the faculty of Candler School of Theology, Atlanta, Ga., in fall 2024. Rev. Dr. Quigley is the daughter of Hudson natives Prof. Dan Quigley and Joanne (Mega) Quigley R.N., of Huntington, Long Island, N.Y. She is currently assistant professor at Vanderbilt University Divinity School, Nashville, Tenn. Her husband, Rev. Dr. Hessler is director of recruitment and admissions at Vanderbilt University Divinity School.
JFK remembered Hudson Public Library will present a program “Gifts We
The 14 – passenger handicap-accessible shuttle connects local commuters and employees between the City of Marlborough and the Southborough MBTA Commuter Rail. The commuter route includes three round trips in the morning and in the evening to and from the business park at 200 Forest Street/ Campus Drive, Apex Center of New England, and downtown Marlborough. This option provides free public transportation for those who take the train to and/or from Boston & Worcester.
Monday through Friday
Morning Trips: 6:00 a.m. to 9:00 a.m.
Afternoon/Evening Trips: 3:45 p.m. to 7:00 p.m.
Any questions or concerns, please contact us at 508-229-2010 or info@marlboroughedc.com
Can Barely Carry,” featuring songs from President John F. Kennedy’s Ireland visit, and a concert/film by Kevin Farley, Tuesday, March 12, at 6:30 p.m. at the library, 3 Washington St. The program is supported by grant from Hudson Cultural Council, a local agency, and Mass. Cultural Council, a state agency. Nancy DelVecchio, circulation librarian, invites the public to this interesting program honoring the memory of JFK.
Celebration of Life
A “Celebration of Life” in honor of Gregg “Reech” Kenyon will be Saturday, March 2, from noon to 4 p.m. at Hudson Lodge of Elks, Park St. Kenyon, 59, died on Jan. 23, 2024. He
Hudson resident Ruby DesRocher, seated with cake at rear, was honored on her 90th birthday with a party at Finnigan’s Pub, South Street, by group of friends, seated from left: Joanne Buckley, Sheila Caty, Donna Dimmock, Nancy Jacobs, (Ruby) Kathy Glynn, Mary Coffey, Pat Ledoux, Audrey Davidson
was a 1983 graduate of Hudson High School and retired employee of Hudson Light and Power Dept. after 30 years.
Symphony Pro Musica
Hudson’s own orchestra, Symphony Pro Musica, will present its next concert, “Happy Birthday Herr Bruckner,” Saturday, March 16, at 7:30 p.m. at Paul “Skip” Johnson auditorium, Hudson High School, and Sunday, March 17, at 3 p.m. at Putnam Family Arts Center, St. Mark’s School, Southborough. As a prelude to Bruckner’s Symphony No. 5, gifted young virtuoso musician, 22-year-old French hornist Graham Lovely will perform Mozart’s Horn Concerto No. 4. For information about tickets
go to www.symphonypromusica.org or call the SPM office 508-380-6018.
Milestone birthday
Hudson resident Trisha Desmond, retired librarian at Hudson Public Library, was honored on her milestone birthday, Feb. 8, with a dinner party at Ruth Chris Steak House in Worcester. Those attending were, her husband, Tom Desmond, Linda LeSage, Chuck LeSage, Corinne Ethier, all of Hudson, Bill and Joanne Wiggins of Acton, Pam and Dave Ellingwood of Shrewsbury and Deb Kane of Medway.
HAPPY BIRTHDAY
Feb. 24 – Peggi Sullivan, Katie DeRusha, Tammy Loring and Ralph Davis
Feb. 25 – Bob Berube, Haley Donahue, Joan Vincent, Tom Boudreau, Martin Miller, Aimee Chaves, ZoeAnn Leipens, George Sousa and Grace Masciarelli
Feb. 26 – Wally Howard, Bethann Bruso, Rebecca Moran, Hugo Correa, Nicole Hogan and Sara Neuffer
Feb. 27 – Kelsey Nicole
Ruiz, Andy Bauer and Katie Dunnell
Feb. 28 – Linda Palmer, Bob Durand, David Bairos, Ann Marie Lopez and Jimmy McMahon
Feb. 29 – Angie Wilcox Flynn and Keaghan O’Leary
Mar. 1 – Will Sullivan, Meghan May, Ella Crue, Steve Calvao and Kathy Nutter
Mar. 3 – Warren Cunningham and Matt Mayo
Mar. 4 – Melissa DiFonzo and Corinne Bouchard
Mar. 5 – Sue Ellen Ferguson and Melissa Little
Mar. 6 – David Opp, Michael Wood, Stephanie Domenicucci and Fran Wolfe
Mar. 7 – Beth Bumbarger, Frank Lindsey, Lorenzo Percuoco, Donna Marques, Robert Mitchell, Morganda Bairos, Kelly Fitzpatrick, Brianna Moran, Juvenalia Figueiredo and Mark Coelho
Mar. 8 – Lynette Davis, Kerri Lampinen, Ryan Pinto and Harry Millman Sr.
Feb. 24 – Allen and Laurie
Brown
Feb. 26 – Leo and Connie
Palatino.
TO 1973
Hudson Girls Club members were planning a skating party at Cox Street hockey rink. Hudson Lodge of Elks celebrated a mortgage burning, weekend of March 31. Two out-of -town men were arrested for fishing through the ice at Gate’s Pond, Hudson water reservoir.
Hudson Catholic High School cheerleader Janice Costedio suffered a broken leg in a fall at practice. Helen Gibbons, principal at Linden St. School, returned to her duties after being confined with a broken ankle. Hudson Selectmen estimated the Hudson population at 17,000.
MaryAnn Foisy was on the dean’s list at Middlesex Community College. Donna Eastman modeled an original Finnish Girl Guide uniform at Hudson Girl Scout International Festival.
Send items for Hudson Happ’nings to 18 Cottage St., Hudson, MA 01749 or email rrimkus18@comcast.net.
– The Public Schools of Northborough is hoping Zeh Elementary School’s roof will soon be replaced with the help of the Massachusetts School Building Authority’s accelerated repair program.
According to Superintendent Greg Martineau, the Massachusetts School Building Authority (MSBA) offers the accelerated repair program, which helps school districts focus on repairs for roofs and windows.
The authority paused the repair program last year due to economic conditions, but it has since reinitiated the program, Martineau said during the Feb. 7 Northborough School Committee meeting.
The school district was interested in submitting a state-
ment of interest for Zeh’s roof. Assistant Superintendent of Operations Keith Lavoie said Zeh’s roof has been on the capital budget for a while. According to the draft statement of interest, the roof replacement project is the priority for
fiscal 2027.
Lavoie said the roof was inspected again to “validate some concerns that existed, and they are unchanged.”
Zeh was constructed in 1950 and renovated in 1998, which is when the roof was replaced
completely.
According to the statement of interest, the roof is a combination of sections of a shingled roof and a ballasted EPDM membrane flat roof. A report from the Garland Company calls for replacing both the membrane and shingled roof, which is what the district is pursuing.
The membrane section of the roof has “significant failures,” according to the statement, including punctures; drainage concerns; and flashing peeling away from the side of the building.
As for the shingled roof, there are missing shingles and the flashing is losing its adherence.
According to the statement, the school district has “kept pace” with issues regarding leaking, and staff have repaired sections where the flashing was peeling away. Staff also
frequently inspect the roof for punctures.
“The combination of factors leads the district to conclude that a full roof replacement is warranted,” the statement read.
According to Lavoie, if Zeh’s roof is accepted, the school district would continue to explore whether a solar array could be added to the school – only if the roof replacement occurred. A solar project at Zeh was one of seven projects proposed during a combined School Committee meeting in December.
“The idea is that because we have done that prework in getting ourselves in the queue for a solar project, perhaps MSBA would look finely upon our statement of interest,” said Lavoie.
The Northborough School Committee and Select Board voted to submit the statement of interest.
SHREWSBURY – Do you know which Arthur Miller play is an allegory for McCarthyism?
Saint John’s students did — and the answer is “The Crucible.”
Some of Saint John’s most knowledgeable students appeared on WGBH’s “High School Quiz Show” during the show’s season 15 premiere on Feb. 2. The Pioneers — who were appearing on the quiz show for the first time in program history — defeated Maynard in the wild-card round to open this year’s tournament.
The group’s achievement came rather incidentally. Just three days before “Super Sunday” — when teams compete to qualify for the show — Saint John’s students had no intention of participating. With less than 72 hours prior to the competition, Rohil Mohan and Andrew Yacoub — two friends and avid “High School Quiz Show” watchers — nonchalantly decided to try their luck. The duo soon called some of their friends to form the team.
“I think we were kind of like ‘Hey, do you want to try it?’”
Mohan told the Community Advocate in an interview at Saint John’s High School. “We called up the guys… We got the group together.”
Ryan Jenoski, Lawson Mitchell, and Rushil Mohan — Rohil Mohan’s brother — joined the competition, and of the 58 schools that competed to qualify, the Saint John’s team was placed in the tournament’s wild-card round.
The group said that, in some ways, its more laid-back attitude helped them succeed.
“I think one of the things that separated us from other teams is that when we were doing the test to qualify, all the other teams were stone-cold serious and we were cracking jokes,” Rohil Mohan said.
That’s not to say that the group didn’t seriously prepare for the tournament. Rohil Mohan said the group watched just about every episode of the show while studying, and Rushil Mohan said Quizlet was one of his main methods of preparation. Saint John’s also helped the students, giving them an education that includes knowledge in just about every area.
“What I love about Saint John’s is [the] wide variety of material — you get to learn basically everything,” said Yacoub
You have to be well-studied to succeed on the show, but the game also includes strategy. In
the first round of competition, each team is allowed to confer while the question is being read, giving participants the ability to briefly collaborate with teammates and arrive at the correct answer. Timing is everything.
“The week before [the show], practically every single day, we just practiced standing in a line and whispering to each other. That was really helpful for us,” said Rushil Mohan. “It’s really important that all four of us talk to each other, because one of us probably knows the answer. It’s just who can buzz first.”
Each of the students had an area of expertise; Mitchell was the history guy, for instance.
But even if the Saint John’s students knew everything, they had to master another important aspect of the competition. To even get the opportunity to answer the question,
said Yacoub, who admitted his button-pressing strategy was less than sophisticated.
The group got together the night before the competition for some last-minute cramming. Most members, cognizant that they would be on TV, were nervous, but as soon as the first questions were asked, the anxiousness faded, and the competitors were able to tune out the bright lights and livestudio audience.
they needed to be first to hit the buzzer.
“You kind of just slam and pray, to be honest with you… There’s like people who have written books on this, but we kind of just went on feeling,”
In bright-red Saint John’s sweatshirts, the team took it to Maynard immediately, dominating the episode from start to finish. Some Saint John’s students made the journey into Boston to see the team compete live. When the episode premiered on TV weeks later, the team was able to watch the success with friends and family.
“I watched it with a couple of my friends… It’s kind of hard to see yourself on TV or hear yourself through a micro-
HUDSON – A two-alarm fire at the Department of Public Works’ fleet garage on Feb. 13 damaged three snowplows and rendered the garage unusable.
“We are currently working with our insurance company,” said DPW Director Eric Ryder on Feb. 14. “We will work to see if we can use a portion of the garage and breakroom for the employees. As far as equipment, I have had surrounding communities reach out and are willing to loan us trucks and help us in any way.”
According to information provided by the town’s police and fire departments, at around 5 p.m. on Feb. 13, emergency crews responded to a report of a fire in the garage at 1 Municipal Drive. Upon arrival, crews observed heavy smoke coming
Three snowplows were damaged in a fire at the Hudson DPW garage on Municipal Drive on Feb. 13. (Photo Courtesy of Hudson Police)
from the garage. Crews discovered three large snow plows on fire; three other vehicles were damaged.
The building itself sustained heavy damage and is not operational. The nearby town administration building was not affected.
Nobody was inside the building; there were no injuries.
A preliminary investigation found that the fire began in a sanding truck parked inside the
garage. The fire does not appear to be suspicious.
“We are grateful to all first responders who came to the scene and assisted in fighting the fire,” said Ryder. “Quick action by all made sure that the fire did not damage more equipment.”
On-scene mutual aid was provided by Marlborough, Northborough, Stow and Sudbury firefighters. Berlin and Clinton covered Hudson’s fire stations.
MARLBOROUGH – A Marlborough resident is facing charges of drug trafficking following a search of his residence, vehicles and storage unit, according to information provided by police.
On Feb. 6, at around 11:45 a.m., personnel from the Massachusetts State Police Gang Unit, State Police Detective Unit, the MetroWest Drug Task Force and Homeland Security Investigations went to execute a search warrant for an apartment at 25 Briarwood Lane; a unit at Extra Space Storage at 456 Main St., Northborough; and two vehicles — a green
Kia Sorrento and gray Honda Accent.Investigators observed Joseph Urbinstondo, 31, exit his residence with a bag of trash. Officers approached Urbinstondo in the parking lot and identified themselves. He was compliant, and he was detained outside his residence.
Meanwhile, another team of investigators went into the residence. Urbinstondo was brought into the residence, and he was asked about a storage unit in Northborough.
A search of the residence came up with more than $18,000 in U.S. currency, police said.
Police said a search of the storage unit revealed the fol-
lowing:
• A reusable bag with about 785 grams of a white chunky substance (purportedly cocaine).
• Another 1 gram of purported cocaine in a sandwich bag.
• A box containing a digital scale, metal spoon, knife, sandwich bags, scissors and a plastic bowl.
• A paper bag filled with used packaging material, rubber gloves and sandwich boxes. There was nothing found in either vehicle.
Urbinstondo was taken into custody and brought to the State Police in Millbury for booking.
He was arraigned in Westborough District Court.
MARLBOROUGH – A man was arrested by Marlborough Police on several charges following accusations that he beat up and tried a strangle someone in a dentist office.
According to police, officers were sent to 116 Main St. on
Wednesday, Feb. 14, on reports of two males fighting. One of the males, identified as Uriel J. Sanchez, reportedly approached a male unknown to him in the waiting room and punched him in the face several times.
Sanchez then allegedly began to strangle the victim. Both separated prior to the arrival of police. Sanchez was arrested and
charged with assault and battery, disturbing the peace and strangulation.
He was arraigned in Marlborough District Court on Thursday, Feb. 15. He was ordered sent to Bridgewater State Hospital for evaluation.
A hearing to review his status is scheduled for Tuesday, March 5.
Scan QR code to read this week’s police and fire news on our website.
The information in the police log is obtained directly from the official records maintained at each police station in our circulation area.Those arrested are innocent until proven guilty. The Community Advocate will publish news of acquittals upon notification and a copy of court issued documentation. The below is a representation of this week’s police log. Some calls lacking severity have been omitted due to space constraints.
Wednesday, Feb. 7
1:00 p.m. Arrested , James V. Cardillo, 54, of 81 Redemption Rock Trl., Sterling, for possession Class B substance, MV lights violation, OUI drugs.
Thursday, Feb. 8
12:22 p.m. Arrested , Lance Richard Riendeau, 43, of 64 Beaverbrook Pkwy., Worcester, for unregistered vehicle, uninsured MV/trailer, attach plate not assigned, possession Class A substance, possession Class B substance, possession Class C substance, warrants.
Saturday, Feb. 10
3:41 p.m. Arrested , John M. Lane, 32, of 150 Chandler St., Worcester, for possession Class A substance, and Luz Noemi Serrano, 38, of 51 Willow St., Unit 2530, Lynn, for possession Class C substance, possession Class A substance, possession Class B substance.
Sunday, Feb. 11
3:01 a.m. Arrested, Jose Luis Rodriguez, 38, of 13 Merrick St., Apt. 3, Worcester, on warrant, and Luiz Enrique Ferreira, 50, of 17 Winthrop St., Apt. 2, Worcester, for possession Class B substance.
8:05 p.m. Arrested , David W. Dahlstrom, 54, of 25 Gordon Rd., Shrewsbury, for OUI liquor, neg operation of MV (operate to endanger).
Wednesday, Feb. 14
6:22 p.m. Arrested, Amy Beth Bell, 48, of 7 Ryan Rd., Shrewsbury, for OUI liquor, neg operation of MV (operate to endanger).
Friday, Feb. 9
6:35 a.m. Arrested , Jose E. Nieves, 47, of 29 William St.,
Apt. 31, Worcester, for speeding in viol special regulation, op MV with license suspended.
Saturday, Feb. 10
3:12 a.m. Arrested, Kenneth F. Grierson, 54, of 14A Mayberry Dr., Apt. 2, Westborough, for fail to stop/yield, OUI while licensed suspended for OUI, negligent operation of motor vehicle, OUI-drugs, OUI-liquor or .08% 3rd offense.
Westborough
Friday, Feb. 9
6:43 p.m. Arrested , Daniel Matthew Bardellini, 47, of 334 South St., Northborough, for op MV with license suspended.
Tuesday, Feb. 13
7:14 p.m. Arrested, Lucas Salomao, 29, of 140 Union Ave., Apt. 8, Framingham, on straight warrant.
Marlborough
Friday, Feb. 9
5:56 p.m. Arrested , Tony H. Dobert, 61, of 24 Shawmut Ave., Apt. 3, Marlborough, for OUI-liquor or .08% 2nd offense, unlicensed operation of MV.
Monday, Feb. 12
9:34 a.m. Arrested, Arlen Gonzalez Medina, 22, of 195 East Main St., Apt. 2, Marlborough, for A&B on +60/disabled.
7:08 p.m. Arrested, Felicia M. Marrero, 32, of 51 Christie Way, Apt. 52E, Marlborough, for A&B on police officer, resist arrest, vandalize property, A&B (2 cts), disorderly conduct, A&B with dangerous weapon (3 cts).
Wednesday, Feb. 14
1:51 p.m. Arrested, Uriel Jose Sanchez, 29, of 223 Reservoir St., Marlborough, on A&B, strangulation or suffocation, disturbing the peace.
The Community Advocate will post obituaries online (and in print, as space allows). Please send information (and a picture if desired) to tracy@communityadvocate.com. Here is a complete list of individual obituaries posted on the Community Advocate website (www. communityadvocate.com).
Brown, Craig, formerly of Marlborough
Cost, Adrienne of Northborough
Hanson, Cynthia of Northborough, formerly of Southborough
Norton, Philip formerly of Westborough
Peck, Yvonne of Marlborough
Putnam, Cynthia formerly of Marlborough
Reis, Carlos of Framingham Smith, Michael of Grafton Trent, John of Marlborough Weaver, Jean of Hudson Williams, Craig of Marlborough
FRAMINGHAM - Carlos Reis, husband of Mizia Paiva, father of Loizia Paiva and Milos Paiva, father-in-law of Gabriel Tiburcio, grandfather of Alicia Tiburcio, and son of Aparecida Ferreira and Carlos Ferreira, died on February 10th, 2024, at age 62 after battling an aggressive cancer for 7 months and 18 days.
Carlos is survived by his mother, his wife, his children, grandchild, two sisters and one brother. He is predeceased by his father.
Carlos was born on August 11, 1961, in Anápolis, Brazil. He married in 1990, had his first child in 1992 and emigrated to the United States with his family in 1995. In 1999, his second child was born in Framingham, MA.
He was an amazing son, husband, father, brother and friend. He will be deeply missed by his family and friends. He impacted the lives of everyone he interacted with in this world. Carlos will never be forgotten.
Collins Funeral Home of Marlborough assisted with arrangements.
Scan QR code to read all of this week’s obituaries on our website.
MARLBOROUGH - Craig J. Williams, 71 of Marlborough, died peacefully after a brief illness on Tuesday, February 6, 2024.
Craig was born in Marlborough, MA, the son of the late Robert and Marion (Beaulac) Williams, and brother of the late Robert “Bob” Williams.
Craig was predeceased by his best friend and loving wife of 21 years, Christine “Chrissy” Williams in December 2021. May their love and true partnership always be remembered.
He is survived by his daughters, Cali (Williams) Madden and her husband Sean of Belchertown, his granddaughter, Kyla Madden of WA, His forgotten daughter, Stepfanie Williams and her Husband Neil Kouyoumjian of Hudson, and his grandchildren, Sophie Kouyoumjian & Nolan Kouyoumjian of Hudson. As well as nieces, nephews, and friends.
The Short & Rowe Funeral Home of Marlborough assisted with arrangements.
HUDSON - Jean Ann (Myshrall) Weaver, 88, of Hudson, MA, passed in her home on Tuesday, February 13, 2024, surrounded by family. She was the beloved wife of sixty years to her late husband Donald Weaver, Sr., also of Hudson, MA, who passed in 2013.
Jean is survived by her sons Donald L. Weaver Jr. and his wife Barbara of Hudson, Ma ; Deborah Deyoung of Ocean Park, Me; James M Weaver and his wife Susan of New Durham, NH; Janice Guarino and her Husband Joseph of Chapel Hill, NC; Dale A. Weaver and his partner Lorraine Murray of Randolph; and Diane Lockhart and her husband Bruce of Saco, ME.
She is also survived by her 8 grandchildren, Daniel Weaver, Michael Weaver, Nicole Weaver, Stacy Weaver-Sweeney, Brooke Lockhart-Likens, Matthew Weaver, Dale Weaver Jr. Bruce Lockhart, Jr.; 14 great
grandchildren; 2 great-great -grandchildren as well 2 Nieces and other friends. Jean is predeceased by her husband, Donald Sr.; her parents George and Gertrude; her brother Buddy Myshrall; and her sister Madeline Bonin.
Tighe Hamilton Regional Funeral Home of Hudson assisted with arrangements.
MARLBOROUGH - Yvonne Ann Peck, 81, passed away peacefully and unexpectedly in her sleep on February 9, 2024. She was the wife of the late Kenneth Peck who died in 1973.
She leaves behind her children Brian Peck of Worcester, Desiree Plante and her husband Eric Plante of Fitchburg, and Donna Mello and her wife Kathleen Firlings of Worcester. Nine grandchildren Sylphina Peck, Lauren Peck, Madeline Peck, Kaitlyn Plante, Emily Plante, Zachary Plante, Molly Plante, Jeffrey Plante and Lilyanna Plante. She also leaves behind her siblings Alice Daniliuk of Cambridge, Patricia Joyce of Hollis NH, and John Paris and his wife Jo Panke of Westford. She was predeceased by her siblings Robert Paris, Lorraine Hannon, and Andrew Paris.
The Collins Funeral Home of Marlborough assisted with arrangements.
SOUTH GRAFTON - Mary Pauline (Baszner) Gauthier, 88, was embraced in the arms of her high school sweetheart and the love of her life, Philip, a year to the day of Philip’s passing on February 7, 2024. Their bond is a true testament to the power of love. Now Nana and Poppy can spoil Violet, their granddaughter, while she, in return, gives hugs, pats on the back, and kisses while showing them who is boss.
Mary leaves her children Cheryl A. Trilligan and her husband Michael of South Grafton, Michael E. Gauthier and his
wife Susanna of South Grafton, and Alison M. Ahearn and her husband William of Sutton; her Grandchildren Brendan Ahearn of Sutton, Megan Leger and her husband John along with their daughter Aubrey of South Grafton, Amy Gauthier of Millbury and Matthew Gauthier of South Grafton; her Step-Grandchildren Daniel Eerhart and his wife Sandra along with their daughters Carmen, Vivian, and Maya of Baldwin Place, NY, and Michael Eerhart and his spouse Eric of Cincinnati, OH; a niece and two nephews. Mary was predeceased by her husband Philip L. Gauthier, granddaughter Violet Ahearn, her brothers Joseph Richard Baszner and Gerard J. Baszner. Mulhane Home for Funerals of Millbury assisted with arrangements.
Adrienne H. Cost, 88
NORTHBOROUGH - Adrienne H. Cost, aged 88 years old, passed away peacefully on February 8, 2024. She was born and raised Mckeesport, PA, the oldest daughter to Clark C. and Elsie L. (Hatcher) Hamilton. Surviving Adrienne are her two children, Cheryl L. Cost of N. Grafton and James H. Cost and his wife Donna of Lancaster; three grandchildren, James M. Cost, Alexandrea L. St. Jean and her husband Andrew, Elizabeth M. Cost; two great-grandchildren, James M. Cost, Jr. and Lily Cost. She also leaves one sister, Phyllis Heller and her husband Carl of Atlanta, GA and a sister-in-law Bettye Blunt of Smyrna, GA, nieces and a nephew.
Hays Funeral Home of Northborough assisted with arrangements.
Michael E. Smith, 73
GRAFTON - Michael E. Smith, 73, of Grafton, MA passed away peacefully at home on Thursday, February 8, 2024 after a long illness with Parkinson’s Disease.
Michael spent his last days surrounded by family and is
survived by his wife Nancy (Lombardo) of 44 years; his children, Lauren Smith, Rachel Collette and her husband Matt, Stephen Smith and his wife Molly; and two grandchildren, Riley Smith and Tyler Collette.
Michael is also survived by his loving siblings: Robert Smith (Anne), Judith Daviau (John Brochu), Anne Sinclair (David), Margaret Chin (Thomas), Peter Smith, John Smith, Joseph Smith, James Smith, and David Smith (Alicia) along with many cousins, nieces, nephews, and extended families.
Roney Funeral Home of North Grafton assisted with arrangements.
Craig A. Brown, 79
WOLFEBORO, NH - Craig A. Brown passed away on February 8, 2024 at age 79 after a lengthy illness. He is survived by his daughters, Ashley LeClerc and her husband Dan of Alton, NH and Blair Brown and her husband Peter of Swampscott, MA as well as his sister Susan Brown of Marlborough. He is also survived by his five grandchildren, Sierra, Rex and Clara LeClerc and Abigail and Isabel Brown as well as many cousins. He is the son of the late Dorothea (Craig) Brown and United States Air Force Major Rudolph H. Brown of Gilford, NH.
Short & Row Funeral Home of Marlborough
Deborah A. Bassett, 60
SUTTON/GRAFTON - Deborah A. (Moran) Bassett, 60, passed away February 11, 2024 after a lengthy illness.
She leaves her husband John Bassett, her brother Robert Moran, Jr. and his wife Lisa and several nieces and nephews.
Deborah was born January 10, 1964 in Worcester. She and her husband lived in South Grafton and then Sutton for many years.
Roney Funeral Home of North Grafton assisted with arrangements.
Call 508.366.5500 to advertise your legal notice
In accordance with the provisions of M.G.L. Chapter 40A, Section 5, the Shrewsbury Planning Board will hold a public hearing on Thursday, March 7, 2024 at 7:00 PM in the Selectboard Meeting Room, at the Richard D. Carney Municipal Office Building, 100 Maple Avenue, Shrewsbury, Massachusetts regarding proposed amendments to the Shrewsbury Zoning Bylaw, as follows:
ARTICLE
To see if the Town will vote to amend the Zoning Bylaw of the Town of Shrewsbury, Section VII. E (Signs), by inserting regulations with regard to digital signage or to take any other action in relation thereto.
ARTICLE
To see if the Town will vote to amend the Zoning Bylaw of the Town of Shrewsbury, Section II Definitions, to amend the definition of indoor or outdoor farmer’s markets with regard to the allowable ratio of vendors of arts and crafts items at a farmer’s market, or to take any other action in relation thereto.
ARTICLE
To see if the Town will vote to amend the Zoning Bylaw of the Town of Shrewsbury, as follows:
In Section II Definitions, amend the definition of horizontal and vertical mixed use developments;
In Section III.A Establishment of Districts, insert “Transit Oriented Development Overlay”;
In Section III.B District Intent, insert narrative describing The Transit Oriented Development Overlay (TOD) District as intended to encourage additional smart growth development in accordance with the purposes of MGL c. 40R, satisfy the requirements of MGL c. 40A 3a, and contribute to the Town’s housing growth goals.;
In Section III.C Location of Districts, insert a new Section VII.X to be entitled “TOD Overlay District”’; and To amend the Zoning Map of the Town of Shrewsbury by adding the TOD Overlay District as shown on the Exhibit Plan as on file with the Office of the Town Clerk, or to take
any other action in relation thereto.
The Draft Zoning Exhibit and Plan may be seen on the Planning Board webpage at: https://shrewsburyma. gov/284/Planning-Board
ARTICLE
To see if the Town will vote to amend the Zoning Bylaw of the Town of Shrewsbury, Section VII by inserting a new Section W, to be entitled “Senior Housing Overlay,” to establish an Overlay Zoning District in regard to Senior Housing, or to take any other action in relation thereto.
The complete text, where applicable, may be seen during regular business hours in the Office of the Planning and Economic Development Department, the Office of the Town Clerk at the Municipal Office Building at 100 Maple Avenue and the Shrewsbury Public Library at 609 Main Street.
SHREWSBURY PLANNING BOARD
Maurice DePalo, Chairman
Stephan M. Rodolakis, Vice Chairman
Julie Holstrom., Clerk
Purnachander Rao Konstantin Eliadi
MIDDLEBOROUGH - Philip
“Phil” Albert Norton, 88, a resident of Middleborough and formerly of Westborough, passed away peacefully in the comfort of his home with the love of family by his side, on February 7, 2024, after a brief period of declining health.
Phil is survived by his beloved wife of 33 years, Mary Norton (Marges/McGoldrick), of Middleborough. He was preceded in death by his brother, Walter Norton, Jr., of Grafton and his sister, Sandy Burnham, of Westborough. Phil is also survived by his children Pamela Bleakney and her husband, Charles, of Blue Hill, ME, Beth Renner and her husband, Stewart, of Rockport, Penny Connolly and her husband, Richard, of Westborough, Timothy Norton and his wife, Claudia, of Somerville and Hilo, HI, Phyllis Lupisella and her husband, Jeffrey, of Worcester, Carolyn Pavlos and her husband, John, of Roslindale, and stepchildren Holly Lawrence and her husband, Todd, of Swanzey, NH, and Tina Westgate and her husband, Mike, of Attleboro. He leaves 17 grandchildren and 5 great-grandchildren.
Dahlborg-MacNevin Funeral Home of Lakeville assisted with arrangements.
John A. Trent, 86
MARLBOROUGH - John A. Trent, 86, of Marlborough died January 9, 2024 after a lengthy battle with Alzheimer’s.
Cynthia G. Hanson, 79
NORTHBOROUGH - Cynthia G. (Gibson) Hanson, 79, of Northborough, formerly of Southborough, died Monday, February 12, 2024, at UMass Memorial Medical Center, Worcester, MA. She was the daughter of the late F. Swift Gibson, II and Elizabeth (Houdlette) Carlton.
Cynthia is survived by her son, Jeffrey G. Hanson of Northborough and Elizabeth D. Hanson and her husband Robert W. Wild of Fernley, NV and her stepson Christopher G Hanson and his wife Maria M Hanson of Northborough and their two children Eric and Ella Hanson. She is also survived by her granddaughter Riley H Hanson of Sudbury. She also loved Rob’s daughter Symphany R. Wild. She is predeceased by her older brother R. Carlton Gibson. Her younger brother F. Swift Gibson III lives with his
wife Kathy in Colebrook, CT. The Morris-Johnston Funeral Home of Southborough assisted with arrangements.
Cynthia A. Putnam, 63
GROTON - Cynthia A. Putnam, beloved wife of Susan Cormier passed away unexpectedly on Friday, February 9, 2024 at Lowell General Hospital with her family by her side. She was 63 years old.
Surviving Cindy besides her wife, Sue, and mother, Sherry A. (Hill) DeSimone, are her brother and sister-in-law, David and Paula Putnam of Orleans, MA; a sister and brotherin-law, Jenifer and Craig Bautz of Green Acres, FL; four nephews and a niece, Alex Putnam and his wife Blair, Stephen Putnam all of San Francisco, CA, Brendan Putnam of Orleans, MA, Cody Bautz and Logann Bautz both of Green Acres, FL, the extended Cormier family, and many friends.
Relatives and friends are invited to Cindy’s Celebration of Life on Saturday, February 24, 2024 at 12:00 PM in the Parish Center for the Arts, 10 Lincoln Street, Westford, MA. The service is open to all and a reception will immediately follow.
Westford Healy Funeral Home of Westford assisted with arrangements.
WESTBOROUGH – The Cub Scouts of Pack 100 Westborough held its annual Pinewood Derby on Feb. 10 at Mill Pond Elementary School.
The event kicked off at 11 a.m. where 45 kids in Pack 100 (K-5th grade) submitted their official cars to be raced, along with 10 siblings, three den chiefs from Troop 100 and nine parent submissions.
All the race cars are constructed from an official Boy Scouts of America Pinewood Derby kit and can weigh no more than 5 ounces. They all have to be the same length and use the same wheels from the kits, but they can be cut and shaped into whatever the Scout imagines.
The cars varied in style — some looked like traditional race cars, others took on the appearance of a teddy in a bed, a Lego tree, a hotdog, a hedgehog, a shark, etc.
Once the races got started, the kids cheered on their friends and siblings; at the very end, the parents even got a chance to race. Trophies were awarded for fastest Scout overall, fastest
sibling and fastest adult. There were also awards given to those who took the creativity to the next level, so it wasn’t just about which cars were the fastest.
Imagination was a key component in the Pinewood Derby on Feb. 10 at Mill Pond Elementary School.
phone. I felt like we represented ourselves and the school well, and I’m happy with how it went,” said Yacoub.
Quiz Show | from page 15 viewed spoke highly of Curran, who put aside other commitments — including rescheduling basketball practice — to spend his Saturday morning supporting the team in Boston.
Michael Curran, an English teacher and basketball coach at Saint John’s, coached the team. All of the team members the Community Advocate inter-
After defeating Maynard, Saint John’s competed against Buckingham Browne & Nichols School, which won last year’s
tournament. The Pioneers didn’t fare as well against the Cambridge-based school, but the Saint John’s students are still proud of their accomplishments and tournament run.
Although the team’s spurof-the-moment decision to compete on “High School Quiz Show” was successful, stu -
dents said that future Saint John’s quiz show teams will be better prepared. Next year, the group hopes to form an actual club, increase the number of people interested, and head back to Boston for upcoming competitions.
“Some of these guys are graduating next year, but I’m
hopefully trying to get something started with an actual club and actual team. We want to grow with a lot more people,” said Mitchell, one of the team’s junior members.
To watch the Saint John’s students in action, visit www. wgbh.org/tv-shows/highschool-quiz-show.
“I get told all the time ‘Don’t think about it.’ If you think about it, the game’s not going to come to you. At that moment, I wasn’t thinking about it. I was thinking ‘Let’s hit this layup.’ Everybody — my coaches, my teammates, my dad, my mom — told me not to think about it, so that’s what I thought about at that moment.”
And at 5:22 p.m., O’Brien registered points 1,000 and 1,001, becoming the sixth-ever Hudson boys basketball athlete to reach the 1,000-point mark, the first since Tim Person in 2019. Person and Nicholas DiBlasi — a 2009 1,000-point-club inductee – were on hand to celebrate O’Brien’s milestone, which came in the CMADA tournament against Northbridge High School.
Once O’Brien made the all-important basket, he was mobbed by excited teammates. After briefly visiting the bench, he sprinted up the bleachers to hug his father, Ken O’Brien. The two shared an embrace as the Hudson High School crowd applauded.
“It’s a proud moment. You start working with them when they’re 3, 4 [years old].
You start working with the ball, you see them progress throughout the years… You see him improve his basketball IQ,” Ken O’Brien told the Community Advocate after the game. “He works hard. It’s not me. It’s him. I don’t score the baskets — he does. You can’t teach drive. You can’t teach energy. You can’t teach enthusiasm… He puts that effort in, and I’m really proud of him.”
According to Hudson Head Coach Mike Notaro Jr., “effort” perfectly describes what Jackson O’Brien brings to the team. O’Brien finished the game with 20 points — including 18 in the first half — and captured several tough rebounds to give Hudson second-chance shots. It’s maximum effort for O’Brien all the time.
“He’s our best player, but as I say to everybody he’s our hardest worker. He’s pushing everybody at practice. He’s winning every sprint. For the kids coming up in the program to see their best player do that every night, every practice, and push the rest of the team, it’s a really strong message to send. I can’t say enough about him. He’s definitely the heart and soul of our team. Without him, I don’t know where we’d
be,” Notaro said about his senior captain.
Hudson lost to Northbridge, 58-57, in a last-second heartbreaker, but O’Brien’s story won the night. After the game, O’Brien was presented with the game ball and an honorary 1,000-point-club Tshirt, and he briefly met with Person and DiBlasi. Coaches, teammates and peers from around the Hudson community congratulated O’Brien.
Amid the constant congratulations, O’Brien found the time to meet with Hudson’s youth athletes, even signing autographs for some of his young fans.
“He talks to [kids] — not at them, or around them. He hugs them. He’s excited to see them. They’re excited to see him. He’s got the kindest heart. He’s a big-hearted kid,” Ken O’Brien said as his son fist-bumped kids around the basketball court.
Jackson O’Brien voiced his appreciation for all the support.
“It’s family. Being part of that club, that’s a family right there. Being part of the Hudson Hawks, it’s all a family. Everyone is so welcoming, making me feel at home,” he said after the game.
SHREWSBURY – Nick Barnes couldn’t be stopped in the third quarter.
It started with two straight 3-point shots and a hard-won layup. Then, before the packed Saint John’s fan section could catch its breath, Barnes nailed another 3-pointer. The crowd erupted nonetheless.
“I got that one open look and I made that. I came down the court the next play, and I got another open look. I was just like, ‘I’m going to let it fly.’ My teammates kept finding me. I’m going to keep shooting those every time. I’m confident – and we’ve got to win,” Barnes said after the game.
When all was said and done, Barnes had scored 11 consecutive unanswered points in about 30 seconds, nearly as many points as the Shrewsbury Colonials scored the entire first half. Barnes led both teams in scoring with 20 total points.
“He’s just a heck of a basketball player,” said Saint John’s Head Coach Robert
Foley. Barnes’ hot streak was the highlight in an otherwise
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underwhelming intratown rivalry matchup. Although fans can ordinarily count on the “Battle of the ’Bury” for start-to-finish action, Saint John’s was the better team from the start, dominating the Shrewsbury Colonials, 53-28, at home on Friday night.
The shots weren’t falling for Shrewsbury, which managed just 12 points in the first half. The Saint John’s defense was suffocating, and the Colonials struggled to grab rebounds all night.
“During the game, all we did was talk about defense. We’re going to be the best defensive team around — and [Shrewsbury] had trouble scoring. These kids [are] great defensive players,” Foley said.
Foley credited Noah Basgaard with propelling the team to victory, calling him “the guy that makes us go.”
“Everything revolves around him,” Foley told reporters after speaking to his team after the game. “Teams can’t press us because we throw him the ball and he finds someone alone… He does a heck of a lot for us.”
And for Basgaard, who hails from Shrewsbury, the game had special meaning.
“[Playing Shrewsbury] does change the meaning. It’s a big game for everyone, but we still approach it the same as any other team. The same
intensity and everything. But, it means a lot, especially for me, to come out and beat these guys,” Basgaard told the Community Advocate.
Shrewsbury, which won against Saint John’s in double overtime earlier in the year at Assumption University, seemed to have found a spark early in the third quarter after Julian Cho’s 3-point make, but Saint John’s stayed steady. Barnes quickly took over the quarter.
“Obviously we had more of a chip on our shoulder. We lost to them earlier in the year, and we don’t want to lose to them again. We just knew they were going to play hard. They always do, and we had to match their intensity. That’s what we did,” Barnes said.
While both teams are preparing for playoff action, the win was an indication Saint John’s basketball has survived an up-and-down season. The Pioneers finished their schedule 8-12, including a stretch of six straight losses, but closed regular-season action by winning four of five games.
“I think we’ve come an awful long way, and we’re getting better. We’ve always said, ‘Make the tournament and see what happens.’ We’re ready,” Foley said.
“We’re feeling confident. We’re playing our best basketball right now,” Barnes said.
MARLBOROUGH – The Marlborough boys basketball team defeated Algonquin Regional by a score of 49-47 in a game played Friday evening, Feb. 16.
Both teams battled back and forth all night with frequent lead changes throughout the game.
Prior to the start of the game, Marlborough honored their three senior players — Jahki Brookins, Chris Krueger and Ryan Dillon.
Jahki Brookins was the game’s top scorer for Marlborough with 19 points, followed by Chris Krueger with 16. Patrick Biamou netted 12 for Algonquin, with Dylan Poirier adding 11.
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