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Accessory dwelling units, liquor license top Town Meeting warrant HUDSON | 26 hudson | 18

Attaway propels Hudson past Maynard

Marlborough Hudson

Advocate

Work continues on Packard Commons at former police station

By Sarah Freedman

Contributing Writer

HUDSON – In early 2025, the Packard Street Commons development is expected to be open for business.

Located at the former police station at 62 Packard St., the construction of the development “is moving along on schedule,” according to Assistant Planning and Community Development Director Pam Helinek. She is also the town project manager for the development.

The development is owned by the MetroWest Collaborative Development and managed by Maloney Properties, which is running a lottery for housing units.

There are 40 units available with 22 twobedroom units, 13 one-bedroom units and five three-bedroom units. The lottery has an application deadline of Oct. 31, and Maloney Properties will provide assistance with the application or translation services.

As of Sept. 16, Helinek said over 200 people had already submitted an application, with people coming every day to pick up hard copies.

She said, “I suspect the number is higher by now and will continue to grow over the next month.”

Helinek said the project is important to the town for affordable housing because “our current affordable housing stock is aging.” In addition, much of the stock is almost exclusively one-bedroom, over-55 housing and not compliant with the Americans with Disabilities Act.

With ‘Hay Man,’ Marlborough resident enters scary-funny genre

By Maureen Sullivan Assistant Editor

MARLBOROUGH – Within the expanse of a New England farm, a monster flourishes.

It targets two brothers who resent each other.

What happens? Well, you’d have to go see “The Hay Man,” a comedyhorror film produced, co-written, directed and co-starring Zachary Benton, also known as “Melodious Zach.”

The premiere for his second film will take place on Saturday, Oct. 19, at the Lexington Venue. It will also be streamed, and Benton hopes it will be on Tubi by the end of October.

Benton said this production is along the lines of “Abbott and Costello Meet Frankenstein” and other films that blend a bit of laugh-

Former Registry building to be torn down

By Maureen Sullivan Assistant Editor

MARLBOROUGH – The former Registry of Motor Vehicles building on Maple Street will soon be demolished.

Bourgeois Wrecking & Excavation pulled a permit to demolish the building on Wednesday, Sept. 25, according to city records.

Built in 1960, the building served as a Registry of Motor Vehicles site until 2011, when it was purchased by the Robert Arcieri Trust. The current owner, Mina Property Group, bought the site in 2021.

The site was cleaned up, and the windows boarded up, following citations from the city for “recurring violations,” including over -

Zachary Benton, known as “Melodious Zach,” shares a secret with the cow at the Vin Bin in Marlborough. Benton will premiere his second film, “The Hay Man,” in October in Lexington. (Photo/Maureen Sullivan)

Westborough

01581. The editor reserves the right to reject letters on the basis of length, libelous content, suitability and space constraints. Multiple letters from the 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.

PUBLISHER/EDITOR: David Bagdon

ADVERTISING INQUIRIES: 508.930.9022

MANAGING EDITOR: Laura Hayes

ASSISTANT EDITOR: Maureen Sullivan

PROJECT EDITOR: Brett Peruzzi

REPORTER: Evan Walsh

ADVERTISING DEPARTMENT:

Diane Sabatini | 508.366.5500

Cynthia Merchant | 508.736.4332

Mary Ellen Cyganiewicz | 508.366.5500 ext. 17

Barbara Clifford | 508.769.6259

Melissa Tatten-Perry | 413.658.7372

LEGAL & CLASSIFIED ADVERTISING:

Cynthia Merchant | 508.736.4332

GRAPHIC DESIGNERS: Ellen Bishop

Lynne Fountain

OFFICE MANAGER: Tracy Nickerson

BILLING

Bookkeeping Dept. | ext. 19

Westborough Town Leaders,

Many are hurting as our citizens face residential property tax rates that have grown from 11% higher than our six abutting towns (Grafton, Hopkinton, Northborough, Shrewsbury, Southborough and Upton) 5 years ago to 15%.

As a citizen concerned by fellow citizens that are moving out or forced to use the services of the Food Pantry (usage was up 85% this year), I ask that town departments submit budgets that grow at 2.5% or at least, present this as an option for the voters at the Town Meeting.

Voters, please come to our TOWN MEETING October 21 at 7 PM at WHS.

Regards, Joe Considine

Westborough

owner

Growing Awareness

The Community Advocate is a weekly periodical, (U.S.P.S. # 014-423), published by Bagdon Advertising, Inc., with offices located at 32 South Street, Westborough, MA 01581. Periodicals postage is paid at Shrewsbury, MA 01546 and additional mailing offices. Postmaster: Please send address changes to: Community Advocate, 32 South Street, Westborough, MA 01581. Publication date is Friday. Deadline for R.O.P. advertising, local community news and classified advertising is Friday, noon, seven days prior to publication. Not liable for typographical errors, however, we will reprint that portion of the ad wherein error occurred if notified in writing within three working days of the publication date. All material included is the property of The Community Advocate and may include material produced under copyright or a syndicated ad service. Permission must be obtained in writing before reproducing any material from any issue of the Community Advocate.

TWITTER: @ CommunityAdNews FACEBOOK.COM /CommunityAdvocateNewspaper INSTAGRAM

EMAIL FOR CALENDAR ITEMS: calendar@communityadvocate.com

Non-alcoholic beer is increasingly gaining popularity as more people seek healthier lifestyle choices and alternatives to traditional alcoholic beverages. This trend is driven by a growing awareness of the negative health impacts of alcohol, including liver damage, addiction, and impaired judgment. Non-alcoholic beer offers the familiar taste and social experience of beer without these drawbacks, making it an attractive option. Additionally, advancements in brewing technology have significantly improved the taste and quality of non-alcoholic beers, making them more appealing to a broader audience. The rise of sober-curious movements and a general shift towards wellness and mindfulness are also contributing to the popularity of non-alcoholic beer, and it is a reflection of a significant change in consumer preferences and drinking culture.

The beer department at JULIO’S LIQUORS contains one of the largest selections of microbrews, domestics, imports, Belgians and Trappist beers, totaling over 1,000 beers in stock! Our Spirits department carries many hard-to-find items from single malt scotches to high-end vodkas and gins. Please call 508-366-1942 for more information, or visit us at 140 Turnpike Rd., Rt. 9 East P.S. With major breweries and craft beer makers alike expanding their non-alcoholic offerings, the market is poised for continued growth.

Ryan Maloney,

NIGHT LIGHTS

NOVEMBER 23, 2024 – JANUARY 5, 2025 / DAILY 4–10 PM

Immerse yourself in the magic of the season at New England Botanic Garden with a breathtaking winter light display that is unmatched in the region.

Enjoy early access and a 25% discount on Night Lights tickets if you become a member today! Tickets go on sale for members on October 16 and for the general public on October 28. Member benefits can be enjoyed year-round and include:

• Free general admission and discounted special event admission

• 10% discount at the Garden Shop, café, and 30 partner businesses

• Reciprocal admission privileges to 360+ gardens countrywide

• Savings on classes and workshops

• Invitations to member-only events

JOIN AND SAVE ON MEMBERSHIP NOW! Take 10% off your membership using promo code NLM24 at nebg.org/membership or in-person during your visit to the Garden. The discount is valid now through 11/30/24.

Classic car show held in memory of Tony Abu

By Maureen Sullivan Assistant Editor

WESTBOROUGH – Row upon row of memories — drives down country roads on a Sunday afternoon, hanging out with friends at the local joint, bragging about whose jalopy was the fastest, the tightest around curves, the loudest off the line.

On Sunday, Oct. 6, nearly 100 antiques and classic automobiles cruised to the parking lot at Arturo’s Ristorante on East Main Street for the second annual show in honor of Tony Abu.

Abu, who owned Abu Construction and was a car enthusiast, died of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) in October 2022. Proceeds from admissions (a $20 donation for each classic vehicle) will go to ALS ONE, a partnership that unites researchers, clinicians and care providers.

Executive Director Jennifer DiMartino credited the organizers, Fran Zarette and Dom

Fabiano, along with the nearperfect fall weather, for the success of this event.

“We’re so lucky with the weather,” she said. “It was great that everyone came out.”

Those attending the event — whether they were showing their vehicles, or being shown the vehicles — were also happy with the weather.

“We won’t have too many

days like these,” said Joan Bace of Natick, who attended the show with her husband, John, and their 1941 Pontiac.

The show featured plenty of muscle cars, such as Corvettes and TransAms, along with touring and racing cars. There was even a vintage Model T Ford.

For more information about ALS ONE, go to www.alsONE. org, or call 781-523-3304.

or a limited time, we are making our one-bedroom apartments available under an all-inclusive rental rate These units are perfectly designed for single residents (or a cozy couple) who are looking to downsize, simplify, and enjoy a stress-free lifestyle. More importantly, you’ll be part of The Willows at Westborough campus where comfort, care, and community make every day special. Simplify and start enjoying the comfort and care you deserve—schedule a visit now!

This custom-painted Chevy was among the nearly 100 vehicles taking part in the second annual classic car show in honor of Tony Abu.

Top: Enthusiasts discuss the inner workings of a Shelby. Bottom: Visitors check out a Model T Ford, one of the oldest vehicles at the second annual classic car show. (Photos/ Maureen Sullivan)

ter with the screams.

He got the idea from a boyhood memory — picking up hay in the summer at his grandparents’ farm. He said that afterward, while cleaning up, he would notice “all these little cuts” from the hay.

Benton began to develop the story of a monster made of hay, and of two brothers who inherit this farm. One son, played by Benton, leaves to pursue another career; when he gets fired, he returns to the farm, only to be shut out by the other son, played by collaborator Dave Allen.

The film features “lots of cameos” from local residents, including some of the staff from WMCT, where Benton currently works as a youth coordinator.

Benton is a native of New Hampshire and a graduate of Keene State University.

“I always liked to put on a show when I was a kid,” he said. “I took jazz and tap classes.”

Benton also put on comedy

Hampshire. He was soon producing content every week, but he had to cut back because of COVID-19.

After he was laid off from his day job at a radio station, Benton decided to do something with the episodes he had produced in New Hampshire.

“I learned how to edit, and film scoring,” he said.

then at Monadnock — and a substitute teacher at Goodnow Elementary School.

Much of the equipment and studio work for this production was done at WMCT.

“Thanks to the resources at WMCT, I was able to keep

the budget low,” said Benton. See the trailer at https:// www.youtube.com/ watch?v=YWheU9TlTEA

For information on “Melodious Zach,” visit https:// melodiouszach2.wixsite.com/ melodiouszach

Apply for Marlborough Cultural Council grants

MARLBOROUGH – The Marlborough Cultural Council is seeking applicants for its current grant cycle.

shows, and he began writing and performing music. He first got involved with creating video programs at a public access station in New

From these episodes, Benton created his first film — “O! Melodious Movie: Side 1,” a science fantasy-comedy. This film is currently available on Tubi.

When not filming, scoring, writing or singing, Benton has worked as a park ranger — first at Wellington State Park,

The mission of the council is to promote excellence, access, education and diversity in the arts, humanities and sciences in order to improve the quality of life for residents and to contribute to the economic vitality of our community.

Each year, the Marlborough Cultural Council gives out grant money to support programs that include everything from in-school enrichment to lectures, public art instal-

lations and musical performances, with priority given to applications submitted by Marlborough-based applicants and/or programs that occur within the city.

The grant funds are an allocation of public dollars from the state provided by the governor and state legislature and distributed through Massachusetts Cultural Council’s Local Cultural Council program. Visit www.marlboroughma.gov/cultural-council to learn more and apply for a grant. The current grant cycle is open until Oct. 16.

Hay Man | from page 1

The poster for “The Hay Man,” which will premiere at the Lexington Venue in October.

Work continues on Packard Commons at former police station

Packard | from page 1

“Packard Street Commons will provide modern amenities, has six handicapped accessible units, and nine twoand three-bedroom familyfriendly townhouses,” she said.

As housing prices in Hudson have been going up dramatically, she said, it has become difficult for young

Hudson church

HUDSON – First United Methodist Church, 34 Felton St., invites everyone to its annual yard and craft sale on Saturday, Oct. 12, from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. in the church parking lot.

There is no rain date.

As you get ready for the fall and winter season ahead, why not put aside some of those items you no longer want to hold on to and come set up at the yard sale?

Rec.

Department

sponsors scarecrow contest

MARLBOROUGH – The Marlborough Recreation Department will conduct its annual Build a Scarecrow Contest.

Residents and local groups of all ages are welcome to create something fun, scary, imaginative, etc.

A limited supply of wooden frames is available at the department’s offices, 239 Concord Road.

Entries — including contact information — must be delivered to the department offices by Friday, Oct. 18. Also indicate whether the entry will be picked up after the contest.

All submissions will be showcased around Union Common, leading up to the Horribles Parade on Thursday, Oct. 24.

Three scarecrow designers will be selected for a prize (gift cards) based on design and creativity.

Scarecrows will be available for pickup at the offices starting on Monday, Nov. 4. For information, call the Recreation Department at 508624-6925.

families or people on fixed incomes to afford a home in town.

The amenities include an on-site management office, 24-hour emergency maintenance, an outdoor patio, elevator accessible units located in the main building, on-site parking and on-site laundry. Heating and central air con-

ditioning are included as well. An application can be obtained at www.packardstreetcommons.com or at the Planning Department in Town Hall. To request one by mail or for further assistance with translation, contact Maloney Properties at packardstreetcommons@maloneyproperties.com or call 617-209-5460.

to hold yard and craft sale

The church has unlimited space available for a prepay fee of $15 (only refundable if the event is canceled due to weather). The church has a limited number of 6-foot tables that you can use, provided to the first responders, or bring your own setup. There is no additional charge if you need more than one space. Make checks out to “FUMC” with “yard sale” in

•

the subject area, and send to the church at 34 Felton St., Hudson, MA 01749.

Metal folding chairs are available at no charge, or bring your own.

The church will be selling homemade chicken salad sandwiches.

Call the office to reserve your space or for more information at 978-562-2932, or email hudsonfumc@gmail. com

Former Registry building to be torn down

Registry | from page 1

grown vegetation and broken windows.

The boards have since been removed.

According to Building Inspector Tin Htway, work is being done to clean out the interior. He said that the owners intend to expand their auto dealership, which is next door, to the site.

First Federated Church in Hudson Annual Fall Craft Fair Crafters & Vendors Wanted

The First Federated Church in Hudson Annual Fall Craft Fair Saturday November 9 • 9 am – 3 pm.

As always, coffee and other refreshments will be available for purchase in the morning and a lunch menu will be available for purchase from 9 am – 3 pm. Tables measure 8 feet x 30 inches and are available for $30.00. If you would like a spot with electricity those are available for $35.00.

If you are interested in reserving a table at the craft fair, please email or call with your information – 978-562-9207/ffchudson@yahoo.com

Make checks payable to First Federated Church, in memo please write Craft Fair or drop off cash to the office, $30.00 or for $35.00 electric spot — there aren’t that many available so book early. Setup on Friday November 8, 5 – 8 pm

First Federated Church, 200 Central St, Hudson, MA 01749 • 978-562-9207/ffchudson@yahoo.com

Sing and make music in your heart to the Lord, always giving thanks to God the Father for everything, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. — Ephesians 5:20

Many Christians have lost the art of giving thanks. They are so overwhelmed by problems that a cloud of depression has descended upon them and they see very little to thank God for. When a Christian stops giving thanks, he has lost a source of great inspiration and spiritual strength. Thanksgiving is a powerful force in your spiritual life. It can dispel the dark clouds of depression and despair.

To release the power of thanksgiving, start each day with a sincere prayer of appreciation to God for the gift of life. You will discover that, by doing this, you will establish an atmosphere for the day that will cause you to live in victory.

The former Registry of Motor Vehicles may soon be torn down. Photo/ Maureen Sullivan

Annual ASP drive collects 2,300 pounds of food

By Maureen Sullivan Assistant Editor

WESTBOROUGH – On Saturday, Oct. 5, the Appalachia Service Project conducted a food drive for the Westborough Food Pantry on East Main Street.

By noontime, the drive had yielded 2,320 pounds of nonperishable items, according to the pantry’s Polly Thayer.

Currently, the pantry could use cake mixes,

The annual ASP food drive on Saturday, Oct. 5, collected more than 2,300 pounds of nonperishable items for the Westborough Food Pantry. (Photo/ Courtesy of Polly Thayer)

cereals, vegetable oil, pasta, tomato sauce, salad dressing, condiments, personal hygiene items such as soap and shampoo, and paper towels.

The pantry is open on Tuesdays from 9 to 11 a.m. (for ages 60 years and older), and Thursdays from 9 to 11:30 a.m. and 6:30 to 8 p.m.

Donations and volunteers are also welcome.

For information, visit https://westboroughfoodpantry.org/, or call 508-366-3007.

Nowadays, who isn’t stressed? Children, education, career, jobs, social media, health, finances, budgeting, family — where do we stop? These daily challenges take a toll physically and mentally. A helpful respite? Monthly massages.

Jill and Andrew Dudka, owners of Elements Massage in Shrewsbury, just became grandparents.

“Wow, becoming grandparents has created so much joy, and we want to enjoy time with our granddaughter for as long as possible, and massage is part of our heath routine,” shared Jill.

Massage therapy has been shown to reduce stress ease muscle tightness, help flexibility, and boost circulation which can reduce backaches or headaches and help injuries heal faster too.

Jill continued, “Massage isn’t just relaxing —it’s mental health upkeep. Getting massages regularly means

The world is getting super complicated – Chill out with monthly massages

less anxiety and better sleep so people feel more content overall. While monthly massages may look like an extra cost, our Elements members have shared that the payoff for better health and work output is worth it.”

Jill informs customers considering joining the Elements membership model to think of monthly massages as part of self-care.

Elements Massage of Shrewsbury is ready to always meet our customers’ needs in a safe and nurturing environment. Try us today.

100 Boston Turnpike, White City Shopping Center, Shrewsbury 508-925-5100 shrewsbury@elementsmassage.com elementsmassage.com/shrewsbury Hours: 9am to 9pm Mon-Sun

Marlborough Historical Society continues to fundraise for Boyd statue

By Maureen Sullivan Assistant Editor

MARLBOROUGH – The Marlborough Historical Society continues to raise funds toward a statue for Samuel Boyd, a businessman and philanthropist considered to be the “father of the city.”

During the city’s street fair in early September, the society held its latest fundraiser — commemorative keychains with Boyd’s likeness.

The keychains are $10 each,

The Marlborough Historical Society kicked off its 202425 program season with appearances at the city’s street fair and food truck festival in early September. (Photo/Maureen Sullivan)

and available through the society.

Once funds are raised, the statue will be erected at the corner of South Bolton and Main streets – near the location of his old shoe factory.

2025 calendars available

The historical society also unveiled its 2025 calendar in early September. This year’s theme is “Marlborough Through the Years.”

The calendar honors many of the city’s movers and shakers,

such as Boyd and Charles Curtis. Calendars, at $10 each, are now available at the historical society, Main Street Bank, the senior center, St. Mary’s Credit Union (all three locations), Monnick Supply, and the Rowe Law Office.

Upcoming programs

The following will take place at the Peter Rice Homestead on Elm Street, unless otherwise noted.

Oct. 22, 6 p.m. – “The Salem Witchcraft Trials,” with Judge Dennis Curran. To be held at the Marlborough Public Library.

Nov. 26, 7 p.m. – “Silas Felton, Child of the Revolution: From the farm house to the school house,” with John Gately.

Dec. 7, 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. –“Christmas on the Farm.”

March 25, 2025, 6 p.m. –“Abigail Adams,” with George Baker. To be held at the Marlborough Public Library.

April 22, 2025, 7 p.m. –“Women Veterans,” with Mel Bloom of the ThreeFiveOhGirls. May 27, 2025, 7 p.m. – “WWII Timeline of Marlborough Men Who Died,” with Matt Sargent. The Peter Rice Homestead is open Tuesdays from 4 to 6 p.m., and by appointment.

For information on programs, and how to become a member, email info@historicMarlborough.org, or call 508485-4763.

Walk for the Poor in Marlborough raises $20,000

By Maureen Sullivan Assistant Editor

MARLBOROUGH – On Saturday, Oct. 5, the parishes of Immaculate Conception and St. Matthias teamed up for the eighth annual 3-mile Walk for the Poor.

Participants began at Immaculate Conception and traveled along the Assabet River Rail Trail.

The event raised more than

Affordable Housing Lottery

Alta French Hill 303 Lincoln Street, Marlborough, MA

YOU

https://form.jotform.com/SEBHousing/AltaFrenchHill

Seventeen 1 Bedrooms: $2,327; Ten 2 Bedrooms: $2,537; One 3 Bedroom: $2,717

Rents do not include the cost of utilities. Tenants will be responsible for paying electric (heating, cooking, hot water), electricity, water, and sewer. One parking space is available for residents and is included in the rent. Pets are permitted, subject to restrictions.

Alta French Hill is a brand-new apartment community located in Marlborough. There will be 28 affordable apartments within Alta French Hill that will be rented to households with incomes at or below 80% of the area median income through this application process. Units feature in-unit laundry, stainless steel appliances, quartz countertops, smart thermostats, and modern finishes throughout. The building features three elevators and accessible routes throughout. Amenities include a fitness center, work from home areas, a clubhouse, sports simulator lounge, pet spa, dog park, pool, firepit, grilling stations, outdoor lounge areas, and direct access to the adjacent rail trail. The community provides easy access to interstate 495 and is located near the shops and restaurants of downtown Marlborough.

Maximum Household Income Limits

$91,200 (1 person), $104,200 (2 people), $117,250 (3 people)

$130,250 (4 people), $140,700 (5 people) $151,100 (6 people)

Public Info Session: November 13, 2024 at 6:00 pm via Zoom

Go to zoom.com/join or call (646) 558-8656 and enter Meeting ID: 818 9317 7595. Passcode: 088159

Application Deadline: December 6, 2024 at 2:00 pm

Completed Applications and must be delivered or postmarked by this date. Applications postmarked by the deadline must be received no later than 5 business days from the deadline.

Lottery: January 7, 2025 at 6:00pm via Zoom

Go to zoom.com/join or call (646) 558-8656 and enter Meeting ID: 857 2736 5609, Passcode: 276410

Attendance is not required at Info or Lottery sessions. To view the recorded sessions at a later date, please search for Alta French Hill on the SEB Housing YouTube channel.

For Lottery Information and Applications, or for reasonable accommodations for persons with disabilities, go to www.sebhousing.com or call (617) 782-6900x1 and leave a message or postal mail SEB Housing, 257 Hillside Ave, Needham MA 02494. For TTY Services dial 711. Free translation available. Traducción gratuita disponible. Tradução livre disponível

duty. (Photo/Maureen Sullivan)

$20,000, according to Stacy Militello, president of Immaculate Conception’s Society of St. Vincent de Paul.

Proceeds will go to benefit those in need throughout the city.

For information about Immaculate Conception on Prospect Street, visit https://www. icmarlboro.org/

For information on St. Matthias on Hemenway Road, visit https://stmattpar.org/

to Routes 9, 495 and the Mass Pike

Scout and his owner, Mary Fay, get ready for crossing guard

Ayla Brown visits Hey Kiddos JMS School of Singing accepting new students

MARLBOROUGH – Musician and radio personality Ayla Brown recently stopped by Hey Kiddo’s Playtime, which opened in Solomon Pond Mall in August.

Brown brought her children to the business. She is partnering with Solomon Pond and participated in multiple events in 2023.

“She proved to be a popular and engaging guest, and we wanted to expand her role with us this year,” said Marketing Director Mark Willand. “As a mom with two young children and a loyal public following, we thought Ayla would be the ideal person to represent the mall and, in particularly, Hey Kiddo’s Playtime.”

Open Circle hires Quinlan

NORTHBOROUGH – Open Circle Acupuncture and Healing recently hired Brendan Quinlan.

Quinlan is a practicing acupuncturist who specializes in Chinese and particularly Earth style acupuncture. Earth style lends itself to a mix of strengthening the overall condition of the body and harmonizing anything that is out of balance.

Quinlan received his doctorate in acupuncture at Phoenix Institute of Herbal Medicine and Acupuncture. He is licensed by the Board of Registration of Medicine and is certified by the NCCAOM as a diplomat of acupuncture.

He is passionate about helping patients achieve their wellness goals through education and practicing holistic health modalities. Quinlan values Chinese medicine as a modality that provides benefits equal to the effort that is put in, making this medicine empowering and transformative.

Open Circle is located at 411 W. Main St., Suite 2R. For more information, call 508-393-1212.

SHREWSBURY – The JMS School of Singing is officially open and is accepting new voice students.

JMS School of Singing is a one-stop shop for singers who are looking to learn solid, healthy and reliable vocal techniques in addition to various performance styles, such as jazz, opera, musical theater and classical. The singers will

work under the guidance of vocal coaches, language and diction experts, dramatic coaches and Master Class instructors who are working in the professional music world.

The school gives serious voice student insight into the vocal instrument through the whole person, the entire instrument, body and mind, by learning and implement-

ing the technical concepts that bring a song, piece or solo work to life.

These seasoned instructors and coaches will provide the students opportunities to explore different techniques through private lessons, oneon-one coaching, Master Classes and performances. This will help the students understand the benefits of be-

Discover Great Savings!

coming a well-rounded singer at any age.

JMS School of Singing will host performances this January and June. For more information contact Master Teacher Jane Shivick at https://www. shivick.com/jms- school-ofsinging-llc/, 508-769-8116 or jmsschoolofsinging@gmail. com

Ayla Brown

HOMES MORE&

Buying and Selling in the Fall

By Gary Kelley

Iam

Not at all!

We are seeing rising inventories in the marketplace. Interest rates have trickled down a bit. It’s a great time to buy or sell!

When buying in the spring, there is often a frenzy as people try to get settled for the fall school year. In the fall, people are more relaxed and often trying to get settled by an artificial date (like I want to be in by the end of the year.)

Sue once fell in love with a house and kept going to look at it. Only walking around it in the daylight let us see a public service facility a block away. Sue would not have appreciated lights and sirens from the public service facility.

We recommend carrying a flashlight so you can see inside the home and sometimes use it to identify where the light switches are.

Fall also brings a variety of holidays. We recommend checking a holiday calendar so that you can avoid showings during someone’s holidays.

508-733-6005

MoveWithGary.com

Gary@MoveWithGary.com

There are some strategies to follow if buying or selling in the fall. If selling, it makes sense to leave extra lights on as sundown is heading to 7:00 (after November 3, we’ll be driving home in the dark.)

Some people like to have their house smell “homey” and will heat garlic in water. Some cultures are turned off by that scent, the only universally acceptable scent is one of clean. Even with holidays, try to keep decor neutral.

If buying, we suggest doing showings during the daylight. Most professional real estate agents are full time and can show houses during the daylight.

Another thing we are seeing this year is the hesitancy to pull the trigger. I would call it confidence. Some agents think it is a hesitation due to the election. We believe in supporting people in their journey. Remember, you will get pre approved for more than you should probably ever spend on a monthly basis. If in doubt, start putting money aside monthly equivalent to what you are willing to spend. This will help you build additional equity and be a cushion if necessary.

Enjoy the fall!

Need tools for home search: MoveWithGary.com

Gary is heard on WCRN AM 830 and “All Things Real Estate Podcast” on all the major podcast outlets.

If you need advice on selling your home or buying a new one, give us a call 508-733-6005.

COMMUNITY BUSINESS

Elements

By Evan Walsh Reporter

REGION – Elements Massage offers clients relaxation, comfort and customization.

The company, which Andrew and Jill Dudka opened in 2012, has 20 licensed therapists dedicated to “creating an atmosphere of well-being” for clients. Massage can provide numerous benefits, including better sleep, lower blood pressure, pain and soreness relief, and improved circulation.

Whether you’re looking for relaxation or recovering from an injury, Elements Massage is ready for you. The company offers numerous services ranging from deep tissue massage, which promotes blood flow into the muscles and accelerates healing, to cupping therapy, which uses suction to heal sore muscles. There’s something for everyone at Elements Massage.

“Massage has a lot of different meanings to a lot of different people,” Andrew Dudka told the Community Advocate. “As I’ve talked to our clients over the years, I would say the majority are looking for general stress relief and that overall feeling of well-being.”

Dudka explained that getting a massage at least once per month can greatly improve general well-being. Elements Massage makes it easy; the company offers a membership that includes a heavily discounted monthly massage. The membership isn’t a long-term commitment — it can be canceled within one month — and members can bank massages for the future if they prefer.

“Take an hour for you. Massage is one of the few activities in which your phone is off or out of reach. Knowing that it’s been put away can really settle the brain and give yourself one hour of peace,” Dudka said.

Elements Massage also offers several add-on services,

Elements Massage promotes well-being and stress relief. Give a massage a try. (Photo/Courtesy)

including CBD (short for cannabidiol, an ingredient that is derived from hemp but does not cause a high) and aromatherapy. Dudka explained that add-on enhancements can “go a long way to promote stress relief.”

Elements Massage takes pride in tailoring each experience to the specific needs of each client. From the start, the client explains to the therapist what they would like to focus on, allowing the therapist to develop a specific treatment.

Throughout the massage, therapists check in with the client, making sure they’re applying an appropriate and comfortable amount of pressure.

“It’s very important that the client feels secure and safe. That collaborative process helps ensure the client gets the best experience possible,” Dudka said. “We offer a very client-centered approach to massage. It’s about the client — their needs, their comfort level, their safety.”

While almost everyone understands what massage is, only certain people actually have them. Dudka urges the community to get off the sidelines: massage is an investment in oneself, an outlet for relaxation and rejuvenation. Still not convinced? Just ask those — friends and family, perhaps — who have had massages themselves.

“It’s how you feel afterwards. You want to have that feeling. You look forward to

that feeling at the end of the massage,” said Dudka. “I understand good intentions to follow through, but so many of us procrastinate — even me sometimes — and say ‘I’ll do it next week, I’ll get to booking that appointment next in a few days.’ I want to emphasize that booking with us is very easy. Call us, or book online. We’ll even remind you via text when your appointment is coming up. Allow us to make a difference in your well-being.”

Elements Massage is located at 100 Boston Turnpike (White City Shopping Center). Booking an appointment is as stress-free as the massage itself. For more information on Elements Massage, visit https://elementsmassage.com/shrewsbury or call (508) 925-5100.

Business Profiles are advertising features designed to provide information and background about Community Advocate advertisers.

Little Free Library at Marlborough Hospital marks one year

Marlborough at a Glance

MARY WENZEL

MARLBOROUGH – “The Salem Witchcraft Trials-What Really Happened!” will be presented by the Marlborough Historical Society and the Marlborough Public Library on Oct. 22 at 6 p.m. at the Marlborough Public Library. The Honorable Dennis J. Curran, Justice, Massachusetts Superior Court (Ret.) is the presenter.

These trials constitute one

Marlborough Mayor Christian Dumais was on hand as The Little Free Library at the UMass Memorial-Marlborough Hospital marked its first birthday.

of the most mysterious and fascinating events in American history. Discover the “perfect storm” of conditions that culminated in tragic circumstances that have haunted us for centuries. The public is invited and it is free.

Members of the GFWC Marlborough Junior Woman’s Club came together on the GFWC National Day of Service to assemble “Celebration Boxes” to donate to the Marlborough Community Cupboard. There were 60 boxes in recognition of the organization’s 60th anniversary.

THE LITTLE FREE LIBRARY at the UMass Memorial-Marlborough Hospital recently marked its first birthday. The Library has provided over 200 health and wellness educational books and cookbooks in multiple languages for the community. Attending the birthday celebration included Marlborough Mayor J. Christian Dumais, Marlborough Superintendent of Schools Mary Murphy and Marlborough Hospital Interim President Charles Cavagnaro

III, MD. Anyone can stop by the Little Free Library to either share or take a book.

A “RECYCLE YOUR JUNK” community event, will be held Saturday, Oct. 19, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., at the Navin Rink, 491 Bolton St. Sponsored by the Rotary Club of Marlborough and the Marlborough Regional Chamber of Commerce, any city or town can participate. You pay $40 per car load or pick-up truck load. Some items may not be accepted or may have an extra fee. For more information, go to marlboroughrotary.org.

THE HUDSON ELKS recently donated $1,000 to the Marlboro High School Athletic Department.

MEMBERS of the GFWC Marlborough Junior Woman’s Club came together on the GFWC National Day of Service to assemble “Celebration Boxes” to donate to the Marlborough Community Cupboard.

There were 60 boxes in recognition of their 60th Anniversary. The boxes include a cake mix, frosting, sprinkles, candles, festive themed tablecloth, plates and napkins as well as directions on how to make the cake with just a 12oz. bottle of soda.

PEOPLE ATTENDING the Saints

Anargyroi Greek Festival on Labor Day weekend could make donations to the Marlborough Community Cupboard with those donations matched by Festival funds. Recently a check for $5,000 was donated to the local food pantry.

THE MARLBOROUGH SPECIAL EDUCATION PARENT ADVISORY COUNCIL is excited to present an inclusive, sensory-friendly Fall Festival on Saturday, Oct. 19, 1 to 3 p.m., at the Kane Elementary School. Students of

The Hudson Elks recently donated $1,000 to the Marlborough High School Athletic Department. In photo, from left, are Nicole Fallon, Jeff Rudzinsky, Joanna Kelley, Bill Hopkins, Gina Paola, Taylor Cronis and Dan Riley, principal. (Photos/Courtesy)

all ages and abilities and their families are welcome.

Marlborough at a Glimpse

• Happy Work Anniversary to Mike Lawton, WMCT-TV’s assistant executive director, who is being recognized for his 15 years at our local cable station.

• The Boys & Girls Clubs of MetroWest will celebrate its 80th anniversary on Oct. 17 at The Verve Hotel in Natick.

• The Wildwood Steak House has been closed since February 2023 but its popular Mile High Chocolate Cake has made a reappearance at Kennedy’s restaurant.

• The GFWC Marlborough Junior Woman’s Club will mark its 60th anniversary on Oct. 18 at the Marlborough Country Club.

• The Marlborough Juniors family friendly and free Trunk or Treat will be held Oct. 27, noon to 3 p.m., at The Campus at Marlborough.

• Here’s a forecast for you: Harvey Leonard, WCVB Channel 5’s chief meteorologist emeritus, will be at the Marlborough Senior Center on Oct. 30 to discuss “Climate Change: Simple, Serious, Solvable.”

HAPPY BIRTHDAY

Oct. 12 – Mark Cappadona

Oct. 15 – Sue McCabe

Oct. 16 – Jan Keith and Nicole Benander

Oct. 19 – Chase Meyers and Cheryl Eaton

Oct. 20 – Bob Yesue

Oct. 21 – Paul Gilchrest

Oct. 22 – Maretina Colombo and Alan Slattery

Oct. 23 – Gretta Holland, Paul Priestley, Sarah Symes and Scott Howard

HAPPY ANNIVERSARY

Oct. 12 – Tom and Renee Deneen

Oct. 20 – Sandie and Ken Wheeler

Oct. 21 – Heidi and Adam Matthews

Oct. 24 – Robert and Maretina Colombo

Send items for “Marlborough at a Glance” to Mary Wenzel at marysampler@verizon.net. Put GLANCE in the subject line.

Artisan at Hudson celebrates residents’ and staff’s heritage

HUDSON – Artisan at Hudson recently celebrated the theme of heritage by giving residents the opportunity to share their backgrounds and learn about the cultural traditions of their neighbors and team members.

One of the events during Heritage Month was led by Dr. Raj Anand, who is a retired professor and physician who teaches meditation classes three times a week for his Artisan neighbors. His special heritage session delved into the cultural origins of meditation, offering insight into its significance in Indian traditions.

Life Enrichment Director Ruta Pai shared the beauty and intricacies of Henna during her workshop, and Lead Concierge Christelle Ducasse led a workshop on the cultural tradition of African headwraps.

“We pride ourselves on creating an inclusive and vibrant community where residents can explore, engage and connect through meaningful activities,” said Executive Director Charles James. “The Artisan’s Build Your SageDay program highlights all the fulfilling, satisfying and fun activities, classes, clubs, events, games, parties, trips, performances and other opportunities that residents can choose from when building their perfect days.”

To learn more about Artisan at Hudson and its Build Your SafeDay program, visit https://www. sagelife.com/artisan-at-hudson/.

Early voting schedules for the Nov. 5 election

REGION – Early voting hours for the Tuesday, Nov. 5, general election will be held in the following communities.

The last day to register to vote for this election is Saturday, Oct. 26. Voters can register to vote, change their party, or change their address at the Massachusetts Secretary of State’s voter webpage.

Grafton

Municipal Center gym, Oct. 19-Nov. 1

Saturday, Oct. 19 and 26, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Monday, Oct. 21 and 28, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

Tuesday, Oct. 22 and 29, 8:30 a.m. to 7 p.m.

Wed, Oct. 23 and 30, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

Thursday, Oct. 24 and 31, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

Friday, Oct. 25 and Nov. 1, 8:30 a.m. to 1 p.m.

On Election Day Nov. 5, polls will be open from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m.

Precincts 1, 2 and 3 – Grafton Middle School (22 Providence Road).

Precincts 4 and 5 – Millbury Street Elementary School (105 Millbury St.).

Questions? Call the town clerk’s office at 508-839-5335, ext. 1300

Hudson

Town Hall, 78 Main St.

Saturday, Oct. 19, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Monday, Oct. 21, 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

Tuesday, Oct. 22, 8 a.m. to 6:30 p.m.

Wednesday, Oct. 23, 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

Thursday, Oct. 24, 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

Friday, Oct. 25, 8 a.m. to noon

Saturday, Oct. 26, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Monday, Oct. 28, 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

Tuesday, Oct. 29, 8 a.m. to 6:30 p.m.

Wednesday, Oct. 30, 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

Thursday, Oct. 31, 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

Friday, Nov. 1, 8 a.m. to noon

On Election Day Nov. 5, polls at the following locations will be open from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m.:

Precincts 1 and 5, Hudson High School; Precinct 2, Community Center; Precincts 3 and 4, David Quinn

Middle School, 201 Manning St.; Precinct 6, Town Hall, 78 Main St.

Questions? Contact the town clerk’s office at 978568-9615; jwordell@townofhudson.org

Marlborough

Early Voting will take place at City Hall, 140 Main St., on the following dates and times:

Sat., Oct. 19, and Sun., Oct. 20, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Monday, Oct. 21 and 28, 8:30 a.m. to 7 p.m.

Tuesday, Oct. 22 and 29, 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Wednesday, Oct. 23 and 30, 7 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Thursday, Oct. 24 and 31, 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Friday, Oct. 25, 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Saturday, Oct. 26, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Sunday, Oct. 27, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Friday, Nov. 1, 7 a.m. to 5 p.m.

On Election Day Nov. 5, polls will be open from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. at the following locations:

Wards 1 and 2 – Kane Elementary School, 520 Farm Rd. 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 – Whitcomb Middle School, 25 Union St. Ward 7, precincts 1 and 2, Hildreth School gymnasium, 85 Sawin St.

Questions: Contact the City Clerk’s office, 508-460-3775, https://www. marlborough-ma.gov/city-clerk

Northborough

Town Hall, 63 Main St.

Saturday, Oct. 19, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Monday, Oct. 21 and 28, 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Tuesday, Oct. 22 and 29, 8 a.m. to 7 p.m.

Wednesday, Oct. 23 and 30, 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Thursday, Oct. 24 and 31, 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Friday, Oct. 25 and Nov. 1, 7 a.m. to noon

Saturday, Oct. 26, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

On Election Day Nov. 5, polls at Melican Middle School, 145 Lincoln St., will be open from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m.

Questions? Call the town clerk’s office at 508-393-5040, ext. 0, or email townclerk@town.northborough.ma.us

Shrewsbury

Town Hall, 100 Maple Ave.

Saturday, Oct. 19, and Sunday, Oct. 20, 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Monday, Oct. 21, 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

Tuesday, Oct. 22, 8 a.m. to 6:30 p.m.

Wednesday, Oct. 23, 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

Thursday, Oct. 24, 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

Friday, Oct. 25, 8 a.m. to noon

Saturday, Oct. 26, 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Sunday, Oct. 27, 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Monday, Oct. 28, 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

Tuesday, Oct. 29, 8 a.m. to 6:30 p.m.

Wednesday, Oct. 30, 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

Thursday, Oct. 31, 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

Friday, Nov. 1, 8 a.m. to noon

BE SPOOKED BY HEAT PUMPS!

On Election Day Nov. 5, polls at the following locations will be open from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m.:

Precinct 1 – Municipal Office Building, 100 Maple Ave.; Precincts 2 and 6 –Senior Center, 98 Maple Ave.; Precinct 3 – Coolidge School, 1 Florence St.; Precinct 4 – Scandinavian Athletic Club, 438 Lake St.; Precincts 5 and 10 –Sewer/Water Department Garage, 209 South St.; Precincts 7 and 8 – Spring Street School, 123 Spring St.; Precinct 9 – Fire Station #3, 20 Centech Blvd.

Questions? Contact the town clerk’s office at 508-841-8507, clerk@ shrewsburyma.gov

Southborough

Town House, 17 Common St.

Saturday, Oct. 19, and Sunday, Oct. 20, 8 a.m. to noon

Monday, Oct. 21 to Friday, Oct. 25, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Saturday, Oct. 26, and Sunday, Oct. 27, 8 a.m. to noon

Monday, Oct. 28, to Friday, Nov. 1, 8 a.m. to noon

On Election Day Nov. 5, polls at Trottier Middle School Gym, 49 Parkerville Road, will be open from 6:30 a.m. to 8 p.m.

Questions? Call the town clerk’s office at 508-485-0710, ext. 3005, or email townclerk@southboroughma.com

Westborough

Town Hall, 34 West Main St., third floor

Saturday, Oct. 19 – 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Monday, Oct. 21 – 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Tuesday, Oct. 22 – 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.

Wednesday, Oct. 23 – 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Thursday, Oct. 24 – 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Friday, Oct. 25 – 7:30 a.m. to noon

Sunday, Oct. 27 – 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Monday, Oct. 28 - 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Tuesday, Oct. 29 - 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.

Wednesday, Oct. 30 - 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Thursday, Oct. 31 - 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Friday, Nov. 1 - 7:30 a.m. to noon.

On Election Day Nov. 5, polls at Westborough High School will be open from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m.

Questions? Contact the town clerk’s office at 508-366-3020 or email townclerk@westboroughma.gov.

Westborough’s Joel Nourse was an agricultural pioneer

WESTBOROUGH THEN NOW

By Kate Tobiasson History Columnist

WESTBOROUGH – Agricultural life following the American Revolution was difficult for a myriad of reasons. As markets reopened and trade developed, demand for fresh, healthy food was high. Farmers had little understanding of how to commercially farm produce, and technology struggled to keep up with farmers’ needs.

In the Northeast, rich soil was difficult to farm due to its abundantly rocky nature. Still, farming was the way of life, and developments in the agricultural industry were highly valued. At the turn of the 18th century, the first American letters patent was granted to Chas. Newbold in New Jersey for a plow “made of solid cast iron, consisting of a bar, sheath and mouldplate.” The plow was remarkable in that it was able to handle the rocky soil, but farmers rejected the idea of plowing with iron, fearing that it “poisoned the land.” Twenty years later, Jethro Wood’s industrial design revolutionized farming; it was the first mass-produced plow, and substituted wood for cast iron in Newbold’s design, while adding in cast-iron points. What was truly wonderful about this design was the interchangeability of parts; it was the first plow that allowed farmers to replace worn-out or broken pieces, rather than the entire plow.

Westborough’s Joel Nourse was the farmer and entrepreneur who helped to further the development of the plow, improving upon Wood’s design to help it better work in the Northeast. The Eagle Plow worked with a longer tilldboard than Wood’s, and with a deeper turn, breaking the soil more thoroughly. Simply put, the plow added a design which facilitated easier, straightlined tilling of the rocky soil. A gifted blacksmith, Joel Nourse was trained by his father. He also worked for years as the publisher of the New England Farmer, a successful and popular monthly periodical, and helped disseminate educational information about farming to citizens throughout the

Joel Nourse of Westborough was a farmer, blacksmith and entrepreneur who developed the Eagle Plow, an improvement of an earlier plow design, which was better at plowing the rocky New England soil.

Northeast. His commitment to better farming and increasing all farmers’ access to better knowledge and tools, was evident in all of his life’s work.

Joel Nourse entered a partnership with Draper Ruggles and John. C. Mason in 1835, and began mass production

of the plow in Worcester in 1842. The most popular plow for over a decade, the Eagle Plow produced and sold about 25,000-30,000 of them a year. In 1856, the company was changed to Nourse, Mason & Co. and was sold in 1860 to Oliver Ames & Co. The Ames

Plow Company successfully manufactured farming equipment and sold farming supplies until 1911, when the industry had changed too much to make updating the factory cost effective.

Today, the Nourse Eagle Plow is found in the Smith -

Westborough’s Joel Nourse was also the publisher of the New England Farmer, a monthly periodical that disseminated educational information about farming to citizens throughout the Northeast. (Photo/Courtesy of the Library of Congress)

sonian Museum of American History, and other agricultural museums throughout the northeast, marking its significance in history. Nourse Farm continues to operate and is the 15th oldest continually operating family-owned farm in the country.

Accessory dwelling units, liquor license top Town Meeting warrant

By Sarah Freedman Contributing Writer

HUDSON – An article on the Town Meeting warrant for November would amend language regarding accessory dwelling units (ADU).

The Select Board approved and signed the warrant for the November Town Meeting on Sept. 23.

Planning and Community Development Director Kristina Johnson said that statutes regarding ADUs changed in accordance with the Affordable Homes Act that was signed by Gov. Maura Healey in August.

She noted that there can be a prohibition of short-term uses of ADUs, such as having an Airbnb, at the building permit stage of the process. She said that the occupancy of an ADU cannot be regulated, but that the town building code does address how many people can occupy an ADU.

She said, “Building code has a lot to say about that issue.”

Johnson clarified that an ADU is not a rental unit, and requirements like two offstreet parking spaces would not be asked of applicants. Twenty-four ADUs have been approved since 2016, she said, with people constructing them mainly to accommodate an aging parent or another family member.

She said, “It is a good idea that we create a framework for the building commissioner to do his work.”

There is an amendment to the General Law, Chapter 40A that requires all municipalities to allow ADUs under 900 square feet by right on single-family lots. The point of the update, she said, was to comply with the statute, which will take effect February 2025. This statute change means that the discretion of the town boards like the Zoning Board of Appeals has been removed, Johnson said. The construction of an ADU requires a building permit instead of a special permit.

COMMUNITY SCHOOLS

School Committee talks AMSA enrollment, student retention

By Sarah Freedman Contributing Writer

HUDSON – The School Committee discussed the recent request of the Advanced Math and Science Academy (AMSA) to increase its maximum enrollment from 966 to 1,000.

The request was sent to the Massachusetts Board of Elementary and Secondary Education for approval at its Dec. 17 meeting.

The impact that the request could have on the Hudson Public Schools was the main focus for the committee on Sept. 24.

Located in Marlborough, AMSA is a seven-year charter public school that opened in 2005, and students from Hudson, Marlborough, Maynard and Clinton are eligible for admission to the school and enter a lottery.

Superintendent Brian Reagan said, “It’s not a significant increase, but I think this year is an example of what a few kids can do to the enrollments in the district.”

According to Finance Director Dan Gale, out of 1,000 applicants, there were 99 applicants from Hudson last year, and 40 to 50 students were accepted.

One of AMSA’s reasons for asking for an increase in enrollment was to expand to a broader student population.

Reagan presented data, which indicated that AMSA has significantly lower populations of English Language Learners and students in the high needs category, or who need more support academically. He said even with the additional 34 students, that percentage would not increase much.

Of the percentage of low-income and high-needs students in the four member districts compared with AMSA, he said that “the contrast is pretty stark.”

He said he did not share this data to “stick it to AMSA,” but rather to explain the fact that Marlborough has reached its cap of 50 plus for students ac-

cepted into AMSA, and there is an impact to Hudson, the next school district over.

Reagan did note the state board is the authority that would oversee any change in the enrollment of AMSA as those members approved charter schools, and any amendment to the charter of such a school goes through them.

School Committee member Zach Maule asked if AMSA has increased its enrollment annually. Reagan said the increase most likely happened when grade levels were added, but it maxed out after that. He said he would research its history.

Reagan said he has been in contact with Marlborough Public Schools Superintendent Mary Murphy to ask about the history of the charter school asking to increase enrollment.

Reagan also suggested drafting a letter from the School Committee about the potential impact to the member towns in the charter school’s lottery, much like Marlborough has considered.

Reagan said he would work with Murphy about it and find out more information about the Dec. 17 meeting and possibly commenting. Deadlines about drafting letters would also be important to know.

School Committee member Christopher Yates said, “I’d be

interested in attending and speaking at that meeting.”

Yates called it “a funding nightmare” as there are a total of four towns from which they accept students because it increases the impact on these communities in terms of losing

The Hudson School Committee recently discussed AMSA’s request to increase its maximum enrollment. (File Photo/Dakota Antelman)

goes with every student sent to AMSA, or a similar school. That is tax money that is going to another school to support a student there.

School Committee member Chris Monsini said the average number of students that Hudson sends to AMSA is around 30, but Yates added the cap on Marlborough’s number of students to AMSA has increased that number this year.

Yates said, “The major spike has been in the last six years.”

funding for a student. He noted that people do not realize the stress it puts on public school districts.

Yates noted the impact of one student going to another school instead of Hudson High School. He said that about $16,000

Gale believed that they need to market or promote to parents what Quinn Middle School and Hudson High School has that AMSA may not have. This is a point he said he had made in the past, but it was not acted upon.

School Committee member Erica Ankstitus said, “It would be great to highlight what Hudson does offer, and then also maybe what the financial burden it takes on the district to send kids.”

HARVEST FESTIVAL

LEGAL NOTICES

SHREWSBURY

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, October 17, 2024 at 7:00 PM in the Shrewsbury Police Department Training Room, at 106 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 VI Table I (Use Regulation Schedule), to add “Pub Brewery” to the Business Uses, “Restaurants, Indoor and Outdoor Service” and “Restaurants, Indoor service only” use cases and to replace references to “Brew Pub” with “Pub Brewery” for consistency with Massachusetts liquor licensing laws, 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.A (Definitions) to amend the definition of “Lot, Frontage” with regard to easements, and amend Section IV (Continuance of Existing Uses), to add a new Section IV.F to include protections for lots and structures rendered non-conforming by takings by eminent domain, 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.A (Definitions), Section VII.U.7 (Accessory Dwelling Units) and Section VII.C (Accessory Uses) to move the Accessory Dwelling Units provisions into the Accessory Uses section with amendments to align with the Affordable Homes Act (Chapter 150 of the Acts of 2024), 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.A Definitions, amend the definition of Mixed-Use Development– Vertical Mix and Mixed-Use Development–Horizontal Mix; In Section III.A Establishment of Districts, insert “Transit Oriented Development Overlay District”; In Section III.B District Intent, insert narrative describing the Transit Oriented Development Overlay (TOD) District as intended to encourage additional smart growth and transit oriented development, satisfy the requirements of MGL c. 40A, Section 3A, and contribute to the Town’s housing growth goals.; In Section III, Districts, insert in Section III.A, Establishment of Districts, 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 on file with the Office of the Town Clerk, 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

PUBLIC HEARING

The Chief of Police will hold a public hearing pursuant to MGL Chapter 140, Sec. 157, on October 17, 2024 at 1:30 PM in the Select Board Meeting Room to hear testimonies regarding nuisance dog as follows:

Complainant: A Hearing under M. G. L. Chapter 140 Section 157

Owner: Charles Snowdon

Address: 17 Orchard Road

Dog Identification: Jax (2024-2579)

Those interested in providing comments both oral and/or written may do so by attending this hearing or submitting a letter to the Chief of Police.

TOWN OF SHREWSBURY ZONING BOARD OF APPEALS

PUBLIC HEARINGS

RICHARD D. CARNEY MUNICIPAL OFFICE BUILDING

100 MAPLE AVENUE

SHREWSBURY, MA

October 28, 2024 6:30 PM

To hear the appeal of Tim Ivey of 16 Harback Rd, Sutton, MA 01590, for a Variance to the Shrewsbury Zoning Bylaw Section VII.C-Table IV to build a pool fourteen and one tenths (14.1’) feet from the side yard setback when twenty (20’) feet is required upon property located at 83 Gold Street in the Residence

A zoning district. The subject premise is described on the Shrewsbury Assessor’s Tax Plate 41 Plot 029002.

October 28, 2024 6:30 PM

To hear the appeal of Diana Sladen of 7 Holman Heights Circle, Shrewsbury MA 01545, for a Variance to the Shrewsbury Zoning Bylaw Section VII.C-Table III to build a pool four and four tenths feet (4.4’) from the principal structure when ten (10’) feet is required upon property located at 7 Holman Heights Circle in the Residence B-1 zoning district. The subject premise is described on the Shrewsbury Assessor’s Tax Plate 17 Plot 103004.

October 28, 2024 6:30 PM

To hear the appeal of Steve Ricciardi 148 Salisbury St., Holden, Mass 01520, for a Special Permit to the Shrewsbury Zoning Bylaw Section VI-Table I to construct an in law apartment upon property located at 40 Gold Street in the Residence A zoning district. The subject premise is described on the Shrewsbury Assessor’s Tax Plate 41 Plot 029002.

October 28, 2024 6:30 PM

To hear the appeal of Stephen Zindle of 135 Howe Street, Marlborough, MA 01752, for a Special Permit to the Shrewsbury Zoning Bylaw Section VII.BTable II to construct a deck thirty four and two tenths (34.2’) feet from the rear yard when 40 feet is required on a preexisting nonconforming dwelling upon property located at 5 Rivelly Street in the Residence A zoning district. The subject premise is described on the Shrewsbury Assessor’s Tax Plate 40 Plot 044000.

October 28, 2024 6:30 PM

To hear the appeal of David Randa 35 Lyman Street, Northborough, MA 01532, for two Special Permits to the Shrewsbury Zoning Bylaw Section VII.E.5(a) and Section VII.E.2(a) to remove and replace a preexisting nonconforming sign within the required setback and to exceed the 20 square feet allowed for a sign in the Apartment zoning district upon property located at 25-55 Commons Drive. The subject premise is described on the Shrewsbury Assessor’s Tax Plate 36 Plot 060000.

October 28, 2024 6:30 PM

To hear the appeal of David Randa 35 Lyman Street, Northborough, MA 01532, for two Special Permits to the Shrews-

bury Zoning Bylaw Section VII.E.5(a) and Section VII.E.2(a) to remove and replace a preexisting nonconforming sign five (5’) feet from the property line when twelve and five tenths (12.5’) feet is required and to exceed the 20 square feet allowed for a sign in the Apartment zoning district upon property located at 18 Commons Drive. The subject premise is described on the Shrewsbury Assessor’s Tax Plate 36 Plot 036000.

October 28, 2024 6:30 PM

To hear the appeal of Nicholas Consolmagno of 13 Fifth Ave. ROW, Shrewsbury, MA 01545, for a Special Permit to the Shrewsbury Zoning Bylaw Section IV.B and Section VII-Table I Table I to extend a nonconforming structure on a non-conforming lot and create a new nonconformity in the front yard setback in the Residence B-2 zoning district. The subject premise is described on the Shrewsbury Assessor’s Tax Plate 31 Plot 018000.

October 28, 2024 6:30 PM

To hear the appeal of Michele Crouse of 24 Floral St, Shrewsbury, MA 01545, for a renewal of a Special Permit to the Shrewsbury Zoning Bylaw Section VI-Table I to allow for the keeping of animals other than customary household pets on a parcel less than five (5) acres upon property located at 24 Floral Street in the Residence A zoning district. The subject premise is described on the Shrewsbury Assessor’s Tax Plate 29 Plot 068000.

October 28, 2024 6:30 PM

To hear the appeal of Renee Van Beekom of 10 School Street, Shrewsbury MA 01545 for Special Permit to the Shrewsbury Zoning Bylaw Section IV B to extend a nonconforming structure on a non-conforming lot and a Variance to the Shrewsbury Zoning Bylaws Section VII Table II to create a new nonconformity in the side yard setback upon property located at 10 School Street in the Residence B 1 zoning district. The subject premise is described on the Shrewsbury Assessor’s Tax Plate 23 Plot 104000.

October 11th & October 18th

Peter Mulcahy, Clerk

TOWN OF SHREWSBURY LEGAL NOTICE

The Shrewsbury Public Schools is seeking responses to a Request for Proposals [RFP] for a Comprehensive School Financial Review including a 5 year baseline budget projection as well as detailed budget projections related to the Shrewsbury Public School Strategic Priorities 2023-2027. RFP responses are due no later than October 29, 2024 at 4:00PM, EST. Please contact Chris Girardi, Asst Superintendent for Finance and Operations at cgirardi@shrewsbury.k12. ma.us or by calling 508-841-8405 for the RFP document. The RFP posting can also be accessed on the Town of Shrewsbury website at https://shrewsburyma.gov/Bids.aspx

WESTBOROUGH

The Westborough Housing Authority, the Awarding Authority, invites sealed bids from Electrical Contractors for the EOHLC #328061 Fire Alarm System Upgrades project at Mayberry Court 667-1 (20 Mayberry Drive, Westborough, MA 01581) and Cedar Estates 667-2 (2 Rogers Road, Westborough, MA 01581) in accordance with the documents prepared by Hesnor Engineering Associates, PLLC

The Project consists of but is not limited to: Fire alarm system upgrades, including replacement of the existing fire alarm control panel and devices, with

a new addressable system at the Mayberry Court (667-1) and Cedar Estates (667-2) Developments.

The work is estimated to cost $485,643 Bids are subject to M.G.L. c.149 §44A-J and to minimum wage rates as required by M.G.L. c.l49 §§26 to 27H inclusive.

THIS PROJECT IS BEING ELECTRONICALLY BID AND HARD COPY BIDS WILL NOT BE ACCEPTED. Please review the instructions in the bid documents on how to register as an electronic bidder. All Bids shall be submitted online at biddocs.com and received no later than the date and time specified.

General bidders must be certified by the Division of Capital Asset Management and Maintenance (DCAMM) in the following category of work, Electrical, and must submit a current DCAMM Certificate of Eligibility and signed DCAMM Prime/General Contractor Update Statement.

General Bids will be received until 1:00 PM on Wednesday, October 23, 2024 and publicly opened online, forthwith.

General bids shall be accompanied by a bid deposit that is not less than five (5%) of the greatest possible bid amount (including all alternates), and made payable to the Westborough Housing Authority

Bid Forms and Contract Documents will be available for review at biddocs.com on Wednesday, October 2, 2024 (may be viewed and downloaded electronically at no cost).

General bidders must agree to contract with minority and women business enterprises as certified by the Supplier Diversity Office (SDO), formerly known as SOMWBA. The combined participation benchmark reserved for such enterprises shall not be less than 13% of the final contract price including accepted alternates. Request for waivers must be sent to EOHLC (david.mcclave@mass.gov) 5 calendar days prior to the General Bid date. NO WAIVERS WILL BE GRANTED AFTER THE GENERAL BIDS ARE OPENED.

A pre-bid walkthrough is scheduled for Thursday, October 10, 2024 at 10:00 AM at 2 Rogers Road, Westborough, MA 01581. The walkthrough will begin at Cedar Estates and continue to the

Mayberry Court Site afterwards. The Contract Documents may be seen, but not removed at: Nashoba Blue Inc. 433 Main Street Hudson, MA 01749 978-568-1167

MARLBOROUGH

CITY OF MARLBOROUGH CONSERVATION COMMISSION REQUEST FOR DETERMINATION OF APPLICABILITY

NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING

Notice is hereby given that the Marlborough Conservation Commission will hold a public hearing on Oct 17, 2024, at 7:00 PM at Marlborough City Hall, 140 Main St. on the 3rd Floor Memorial Hall.

Brian & Lynda Egan of 33 McCabe Dr. proposes to remove repair and replace broken headwall of intermittent stream next to driveway. Work is at culvert and stream.

Plans and other information will be available in the Conservation Commission office at City Hall Monday thru Friday 8:30 AM to 5:00 PM. All interested persons are invited to the public hearing.

Edward Clancy Conservation Commission Chairman

WORCESTER

PUBLIC NOTICE

Notice is hereby given pursuant to the provision of M.G.L. c 255 Section 39A that on November 12, 2024, the following vehicles will be sold at a private sale to satisfy our garage keeper’s lien thereof for towing, storage & notices of sale. To be sold at Belsito Auto 245 SW Cutoff Worcester MA.

2015 Ford Fusion VIN #3FA6P0H71FR251566

1997 Jeep Wrangler VIN #1J4FY29PXVP426219

2004 Ford F150 VIN #1FTPW14534KC27413

Konstantin Eliadi

COMMUNITY OBITUARIES

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).

DEATHS

Ausanka, Joseph of Shrewsbury

Bozenhard, Gladys of Shrewsbury

Castano, James of Hudson Chaves, Albert of Hudson Chaves, Ivone of Hudson Cleves, Jorge of Marlborough Cox, Jerry of Northborough DiTerlizzi, Pasqualina formerly of Shrewsbury Farrar, David of Westborough Griffin, Josephine of Northborough Grillo, James of Hudson Hamel, Jason formerly of Southborough Hogan-Keaney, Ana formerly of Marlborough and Hudson

Horrigan, Sean formerly of Westborough Isaacs, Laurence formerly of Grafton

Korna, Betty of Shrewsbury Labaire, Maryan formerly of Shrewsbury

Lauria, Norman of Grafton Pereira, Anna of Shrewsbury Smith, Deborah of Grafton Soghomonian, Isabelle of Shrewsbury

Vizzo, Donna of Northborough White, Ahmed of Marlborough

Wigglesworth, Mary formerly of Shrewsbury Williams, Linda of Marlborough

Jason M. Hamel, 45

PALM SPRINGS, CA - Jason M. Hamel of Palm Springs CA, formerly of Southborough MA, passed away suddenly in Palm Springs CA on Thursday September 12, 2024.

Jason is survived by his mother Maryann Rossley and her husband Jay Rossley of Southborough MA and his father Charles Hamel jr. of Wendel MA. He also leaves behind his partner Jim Lande of Palm Springs and large circle of family and close friends from coast to coast. Jason will be sadly

missed by all.

A private family memorial will be held in Mass. at a later date.

James G. Castano, 84

HUDSON - James G. Castano (Jim), 84, of Hudson, passed away on August 29, 2024.

Jim was born on October 16, 1939 to Frances (Nicolazzo) Castano and Frank Castano and raised in West Newton, MA. He graduated from Newton High School, Class of 1957, with his lifelong love, Josephine (Gentile) Castano, who became his wife of 67 years.

In addition to Jo, Jim is survived by his children: Kathleen (Castano) Wilson and her husband David of Hudson; Corinne Castano and her husband Keith Zizza of Shrewsbury; and James F. Castano and his wife Janet of Phoenix, AZ. He is proud Grandpa/Papa to Kaitlan, Marina, Trevor, and Talia.

Jim also leaves behind his sister, Constance Montagna of Acton, his brother, Patrick Castano of Marlborough, and their families, along with many nieces, nephews, and extended family, friends, and neighbors, whom he loved sitting around the dinner table with, sharing old stories and good Italian food.

He was preceded in death by his infant son, and his daughter Christine (Castano) King. Tighe Hamilton Regional Funeral Home of Hudson assisted with arrangements.

Sean R. Horrigan, 58

YORK, MAINE - Sean Richard Horrigan, 58, passed away unexpectedly in York, Maine on September 25, 2024 after a suffering a heart attack. Sean was born on St. Patricks Day, March 17, 1966, to Paul and Patricia Horrigan and grew up in Westborough, Massachusetts.

Sean is survived by three beautiful children: Julia Chace Horrigan, 24, Owen Timothy Horrigan, 20 Luke Richard Horrigan, 14, and their mother,

Rebecca Malatesta Horrigan. He is also survived by his parents, Paul and Patricia Horrigan, his sister Susan Horrigan, niece Brigid Lynch and her husband Conal and niece Ciara Regan and her husband Ciaran. Sean was predeceased by his younger brother, Timothy Paul Horrigan, who passed away on February 19, 1990.

The Lucas & Eaton Funeral Home of York, Maine assisted with arrangements.

Jorge Cleves, 54

MARLBOROUGH - It is with deep sorrow that we announce the sudden passing of Jorge Alberto Forero Cleves, born on June 11, 1970, in Bogotá, Colombia to Luis Alberto Forero de Francisco and Josephine (Pina) Cleves de Forero. Jorge’s heart stopped unexpectedly on September 23, 2024, at his home in Marlborough, Massachusetts.

He loved his daughters, Cecilia Grace Forero and Eliana Pilar Forero with every fiber of his being. His devotion to his entire family was unwavering. Jorge is survived by his daughters, his parents, as well as his siblings: Juan Carlos Forero and his wife Julie (Carson) Forero, and their daughters Olivea Forero and Sofia Forero; Dr. Pilar Forero Taylor and her husband Rev. Dr. David Taylor, sons Christian Andres Hammock Forero, Connor Ethan Hammock Forero, Collin Nicholas Hammock Forero, and Andrew Taylor; and Camilo Forero and his husband Kyle McKenna; as well as his extended family in Colombia.

Toomey-O’Brien Funeral Home of West Springfield assisted the family.

Maryan E. Labaire, 90

MILLBURY - Maryan E. Labaire, age 90 passed away peacefully on September 25, 2024. She was the daughter of the late Marvin K. and Goldie Sanborn. She leaves a son, James Brodeur and his wife Kathie of Whitinsville; three daugh-

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ters, Jean MacDonald and her husband Roderick of Millbury, Nancy Brodeur of Millbury and Gaelle Brodeur of New Hampshire. Grandchildren Julie Berube Eaton, Lisa Berube, Jillian Cano, Joshua Brodeur, Benjamin Brodeur and Rod P. MacDonald. Great grandchildren, Olivia Dean, Zoey Richmond, Calli Brodeur and Tatum Cano, her brother Bradley Sanborn of Hubbardston and many nieces and nephews. She is predeceased by her husband Wallace Labaire and first husband E. Robert Brodeur, brothers Marvin K. Sanborn, Jr. and Melvin Sanborn.

Norman R. Lauria, 90

GRAFTON - Norman R. Lauria, 90, passed away unexpectedly on September 27, 2024. Born in Somerville, MA, Norm was the son of the late Hazel (Cunningham) and Frank Lauria. His loving wife of 57 years, Geraldine (MacKay) Lauria predeceased him in 2013. He leaves his three sons, Stephen R. Lauria, Scott M. Lauria and his wife Pamela, and Paul J. Lauria and his wife Lori; his grandchildren Jeffrey and Shaun Lauria, Ashley Langella, Nicholas and Jesse Lauria and 3 great-grandchildren who gave him great joy: Benjamin and Payton Lauria and Julian Langella, who will all dearly miss their beloved “Papa Norman”. He also leaves his companion of 10 years Anita Hudson and many friends.

Roney Funeral Home of North Grafton assisted with arrangements.

David S. Farrar, 89

WESTBOROUGH - David Stone Farrar, 89, passed away at his home in Westborough, surrounded by his beloved family. He was born in Worcester on November 20, 1934, born again of the Spirit in March, 1982, and was escorted by angels into the presence of the Lord on September 24, 2024.

The Lord blessed David with a large family, all dearly loved.

He is survived by his beloved wife of 51 years, Vida (Maddocks) Martin Farrar. He leaves three sons and three step-sons: Kevin Farrar and his wife, Debra; David Farrar and his former wife, Kathy; Scott Farrar and his wife, Cynthia; William Martin and his former wife, Pamela; James Martin and his wife, Tamara; Richard Martin and his former wife, Kathy; and Donna Martin, widow of Roger Martin, who predeceased him. He leaves 21 grandchildren, 16 great grandchildren, and many nieces and nephews, all beloved beyond degree. David was predeceased by his first wife, Shirley Thompson Farrar. The Pickering and Son Westborough Funeral Home assisted with arrangements.

Josephine Griffin,

91 NORTHBOROUGH - In the late evening hours of Saturday, September 28, 2024, in the familiar surroundings of her own home of 62 years, Josephine Griffin peacefully closed her eyes to this world; awaking to the welcoming arms of her Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. At the time of her passing, Josephine was comforted by the supportive presence of her beloved family. She was the wife of the Peter Griffin.

Surviving Josephine is her devoted daughter, Kathleen Griffin (Michael Russo) of Northborough; three beloved granddaughters, Tanya Rubio (Justin), Colette Russo (Paul), Kasandra J Russo (Tiffany); five great-grandchildren, Jayden and Elleigh Rubio, Amelia, Jack and Aren Alger and one sister, Erna Ortmeier of Germany. Hayes Funeral Home of Northborough assisted with arrangements.

Deborah L. Smith, 58 GRAFTON - Deborah L. (Holm) Smith, 58, died Thursday, Sept. 26, 2024, at her home in Grafton. She was the daughter of the late Carl and Karen (Bowley) Holm.

COMMUNITY CLASSIFIED

COMMUNITY CLASSIFIEDS

Corporation

Virtusa Corporation has multiple openings for the following positions in Southborough, MA and other unanticipated locations across U.S.: Salesforce Consultant II: Master’s degree in CS, Info Systms, Engrng (any fld) +2yrs dvlpng Salesforce.com CRM pltfrms wrkng in a glbly distrib environ. Ref # VIR- 1018. Senior Consultant - QA: Bach in CS, IT or rel fld +5yrs prgrsv post-bach exper in QA tstng, incl 3+yrs distrib tstng for Enterprise Class Systms; OR Master’s in CS, IT or rel fld +3yrs distrib QA tstng for Enterprise Class Systms. Ref #VCS-1012.

Java Analyst II: Bach (or equiv obtained thru combo of edu/exper as determined by a reputable crdntls eval srvce) in CS, Elctrncs Engrng or rel fld +3yrs exper w/ Java/J2EE wrkng in a distrib environ. Ref #VIR-1072. Java Systems Engineer III: Bach in CS, or Engrng (any fld) +5yrs prgrsv post-bach IT exper, incl 3+yrs systms dsgn using Java Enterprise/J2EE, wrkng in a distrib (onshore/ offshore) environ; OR Master’s in CS, or Engrng (any fld) +3yrs distrib (onshore/offshore) IT exper using Java Enterprise/J2EE. Ref #VIR-1073.

For all positions, employee will work in various unanticipated locations in U.S., travel/re-location possible. Please email resumes to: apply@virtusa.com, making specific reference to the Ref # of the position you are applying to.

COMMUNITY OBITUARIES

Obituaries | from page 21

She is survived by her daughter, Nicole Ricard and her husband Kenneth of Jefferson, MA, her brother, Joseph Holm and his wife Ann of Bellingham, MA, her niece, Rachel Drane of Raynham, MA and her nephew, Dylan Holm of Jersey City, NJ. She is also survived by her cat Midnight.

The Slattery Funeral Home, Inc. of Marlborough assisted with arrangements.

Linda P. Williams, 72

MARLBOROUGH - Linda P. Williams, 72 of Marlborough died on Friday, September 27, 2024 in Parlin Hospice House, Wayland, MA surrounded by her loving family. Linda was born in Needham, MA, the daughter of the late Gerry A. and Virginia (Miller) Pinkham. She was predeceased by her husband of 29 years Robert “Bob” R. Williams in 2011.

Linda is survived by her 2 daughters, Jennifer Sour of NC, Carol Thebado and her husband Kyle of Marlborough, 5 grandchildren, Kyle Jr, Ashley, Brandon, Christian, Emma, and her beloved dog Hayley.

The Short & Rowe Funeral Home of Marlborough assisted with arrangements.

Alberto M. Chaves, 77

HUDSON - Alberto M. Chaves, A cherished husband, father, grandfather, brother, and uncle, passed away peacefully on September 28, 2024, at UMass Medical Center University Campus, surrounded by his loving family.

He shared a remarkable life with his beloved wife, Filomena (Amaral) Chaves, whom he married after returning to Santa Maria to win her heart. Their 56 years of marriage is a testament to their unwavering love and partnership. Alberto’s legacy continues through his sons, Michael A. Chaves and his fiancé Diane Ryan of Hudson, and Scott A. Chaves and wife Kelly of Hudson. As a grandfather, he took great joy in his grandchildren Cameron Chaves, Kailey Chaves, and Cole Chaves, creating lasting memories filled with laughter and warmth.

In addition to his immediate family, Alberto is survived by his brothers Herculano M. Chaves of Portsmouth, RI, and Antonio M. Chaves and wife Helena of Hudson, MA, as well as many cherished nieces and nephews who held a special place in his heart.

He was preceded in death by his father, Jose M. Chaves; mother, Filomena (Monteiro) Chaves; brothers Jose M. M. Chaves and Jose A. Chaves; and sisters, Maria de Conceicao Monteiro and Filomena Casavecchia. Their memories remain an integral part of his legacy.

Tighe Hamilton Regional Funeral Home of Hudson assisted with arrangements.

Ana N. Hogan-Keaney, 67

SUTTON - Ana N. (Neves) Hogan-Keaney, 67, of Sutton, MA, formerly of Marlborough and Hudson, MA, died unexpectedly at Marlborough Hospital on Thursday, September 26, 2024.

She leaves her beloved husband of 6 years, Robert J. Keaney of Sutton, MA; her son, Diego Batista of Marlborough, MA; her daughter, Mary Ellen Neves of Sao Paulo, Brazil and her 6 siblings, Vera Neves, Antonio Neves, Joaquim Neves, Maria Aparecida Neves, Sueli Stefanini and Livia Neves. She is also survived by her former husband Paul Hogan of Marlborough, MA along with many nieces, nephews, other relatives and friends.

Tighe Hamilton Regional Funeral Home of Hudson assisted with arrangements.

Ivone Chaves, 78

HUDSON - Ivone (de Rezendes) Chaves, 78, of Hudson, MA, passed on Friday, September 20, 2024, surrounded by her loving family. Ivone was born on August 29, 1946, to her late parents Mario Alves de Rezendes and Elvira Carneiro de Rezendes.

Ivone is survived by her daughters Vera L. Resendes of Hudson, MA, and Jaqueline Rezendes of Brazil; her granddaughter Isabella Rezendes de Lima of FL; her former husband Jose Chaves, as well as other relatives and friends. She is predeceased by her parents Mario and Elvira de Rezendes.

Tighe Hamilton Regional Funeral Home of Hudson assisted with arrangements.

Ahmed I. White, 69

MARLBOROUGH - Ahmed White, 69, of Marlborough, died Wednesday, September 25, 2024, at UMass Memorial Health – Marlborough Hospital. He was the son of the late Phillip White and Roslyn (Penn) Peterson and was the husband to Karen (Baugh) White to whom he had been married for 37 years.

Along with his wife Karen, Ahmed is also survived by his daughter, Cassidy White of Marlborough, his son, Brian David White and his wife Aida of Shrewsbury and his granddaughter, Isabel White. He also leaves behind a sister-in-law, Lynn Richards and her husband Jeff, a brother-in-law, Kevin Baugh of Marlborough and a nephew Grayer, who knew him as Uncle Happy.

The Morris-Johnston Funeral Home of Southborough assisted with arrangements.

Shrewsbury police locate over 100 grams of cocaine in vehicle

By Laura Hayes Managing Editor

SHREWSBURY – A Worcester resident is facing charges of drug trafficking after the Shrewsbury Police Department said it located over 100 grams of cocaine in a vehicle that was parked at Buca di Beppo.

At 8:23 p.m. Sept. 28, a Shrewsbury officer was on patrol and checked the property at 7 Boston Turnpike, which is the site of the former Buca di Beppo.

Westborough

Monday, Sept. 16

1:49 p.m. W Main St. Vandalism.

7:13 p.m. W Main St. Fraud.

Tuesday, Sept. 17

12:33 p.m. W Main St. Fraud.

1:45 p.m. Arrested , Yedier Rivera, 35, of 27 Westfield St., Apt. 2, Worcester, on straight warrant, default warrant.

8:39 p.m. Arrested, Richard V. Tedesco, 49, of 100 Worthington Ave., Apt. B, Shrewsbury, for negligent operation of motor vehicle, op MV with license suspended, marked lanes violation, OUI-drugs 2nd offense.

Wednesday, Sept. 18

12:14 a.m. Summer St. Burglary/breaking & entering.

4:37 a.m. Otis St. Motor vehicle theft.

9:27 p.m. Arrested , Robert Boutin, 33, of 358 Bream St., New Bedford, on straight warrant.

Thursday, Sept. 19

3:24 p.m. Baylor Ave. Fraud.

Friday, Sept. 20

8:25 a.m. W Main St. Identity theft.

10:08 a.m. W Main St. Identity theft.

1:12 p.m. Arrested, Tammy J. Mickey, 45, of 23 George St., Apt. 36, Leominster, on default warrant.

Saturday, Sept. 21

10:04 a.m. W Main St. Identity theft.

According to a press release from the department, the officer saw a vehicle in the parking lot, which has “no trespassing” signs. Police said there was one person inside the vehicle, who was later identified as Angel Penaloza, 38, of Worcester. Officers found over 119 grams of cocaine and crack cocaine, over 14 grams of black tar heroin, 54 grams of marijuana, over six grams of oxycodone pills and $6,010 in cash, the department said.

POLICE LOG

Sunday, Sept. 22

12:55 a.m. Arrested , Ramon Duarte Nascime Castro, 36, of 68 St. Ives Way, Apt. 23, Marlborough, for OUI-liquor or .08%, possess Class B drug, unregistered motor vehicle.

Monday, Sept. 23

3:22 p.m. Connector Rd. Threats made.

Tuesday, Sept. 24

2:02 p.m. W Main St. Fraud.

5:36 p.m. Arrested, Judith Marie Dionne, 56, of 2 Lodge St., Worcester, on warrant.

Thursday, Sept. 26

9:06 a.m. Arrested, Frederick A. Koomson Jr., 23, of 64 Crapo St., Apt. 3, Bridgewater, on warrant.

11:44 a.m. Turnpike Rd. Fraud. Friday, Sept. 27

9:28 a.m. Arrested , Jhonata Miranda De Sousa, 31, of 49 Baker Ave., Shrewsbury, on warrant.

Sunday, Sept. 29

2:24 p.m. Lyman St. Assault. Shrewsbury

Wednesday, Sept. 25

2:50 p.m. Hartford Tpke. Threats.

4:24 p.m. Walnut St. Identity theft.

Thursday, Sept. 26

11:51 a.m. Arrested , Wesley John Wright, 41, of 76 Harriet Ave., Shrewsbury, for OUI drugs, possession Class A substance, possession Class C substance.

Penaloza has been charged with trafficking a Class B substance (cocaine) over 100 grams, possession with intent to distribute a Class A substance (black tar heroin), possession with intent to distribute a Class D substance and possession with intent to distribute a Class B substance (oxycodone).

Penaloza was arraigned in Westborough District Court on Sept. 30 and will return to court on Dec. 6.

Friday, Sept. 27

10:20 a.m. Arrested, Jhonata Miranda De Sousa, 31, of 17 Lakeside Dr., Shrewsbury, on warrant.

5:15 p.m. Saint James Rd. Identity theft.

6:46 p.m. Arrested , Wesley John Wright, 41, of 76 Harriet Ave., Shrewsbury, for possession Class A substance, possession Class B substance, warrant.

Saturday, Sept. 28

11:03 a.m. Glen Gerry Rd. Identity theft.

4:14 p.m. Venus Dr. Illegal dumping.

8:23 p.m. Arrested , Angel A. Penaloza, 38, of 5 Hathaway St., Apt. 3, Worcester, for trafficking in Class B substance, possess Class A with intent to distribute, possess Class D with intent to distribute, distribution of Class B substance (not cocaine).

Sunday, Sept. 29

1:45 p.m. Park View Ln. Vandalism.

Monday, Sept. 30

11:13 p.m. Memorial Dr. B&E motor vehicle.

Marlborough

Tuesday, Sept. 24

9:12 a.m. Kane Elementary School/Farm Rd. Threats. 11:54 a.m. Maple St. Recovered stolen MV.

8:06 p.m. The Heights/Briarwood Ln. Burglary/B&E past.

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11:58 p.m. Arrested, Gerson De Jesu Vichez Gonzales, 27, of 42 Farm Rd., Marlborough, on true warrant.

Wednesday, Sept. 25

4:13 p.m. Highland St. Vandalism.

Thursday, Sept. 26

1:33 p.m. Foley Rd. Vandalism. 2:48 p.m. AVRTHS/Fitchburg St. Threats.

6:52 p.m. Arrested , Josue Cambara, 27, homeless, Hudson, for disorderly conduct, accost/annoy another person, municipal by-law or ordinance violation, threat to commit crime.

Sunday, Sept. 29

10:44 a.m. Bolton Street Tavern/ Bolton St. Burglary/B&E past. 11:09 p.m. Roosevelt St. Fraud/ forgery.

Monday, Sept. 30

12:40 p.m. Arrested, Jeferson Santos Andrade, 31, of 319 East Main St., Apt. 8N, Marlborough, for OUI-liquor or .08%, op MV with license suspended/revoked, negligent operation of motor vehicle.

8:14 a.m. Anderson Rd. Vandalism.

11:35 a.m. Orchard Apartments/ Farmhouse Ln. Fraud/forgery.

12:33 p.m. Dudley St. Fraud/ forgery.

12:43 p.m. Jaworek Elementary School/Hosmer St. Threats.

1:14 p.m. The Reservoir Center Health Care/Bolton St. Fraud/ forgery.

3:37 p.m. Stow Rd. Fraud/ forgery.

5:23 p.m. Crystal Brook Way. Fraud/forgery.

11:00 p.m. Friendly’s/Apex Dr. Vandalism.

Tuesday, Oct. 1

12:12 a.m. Sudbury St. Threats. 12:17 p.m. South Bolton St. Assault.

12:39 p.m. Royal Crest Apartments/Royal Crest Dr. Fraud/ forgery.

3:14 p.m. Arrested, Christopher P. Senecal, 43, of 48 Old Charter Rd., Marlborough, for OUI-liquor or .08%, marked lanes violation, negligent operation of motor vehicle.

4:30 p.m. Alliance Health at Marie Esther (St. Anne)/BPRE. Assault.

4:35 p.m. Sudbury St. Threats.

6:43 p.m. Arrested, Leo Lessa Cortez, 18, of 20 Whitney Rd., Berlin, for unlicensed operation of MV, unregistered motor vehicle, number plate violation to conceal ID, uninsured motor vehicle.

8:48 p.m. Azalea Ln. Burglary/ B&E past.

Southborough

Friday, Sept. 27

1:32 a.m. Arrested , Matheus Araujo Rodrigues, of McEnelly St., Worcester, on warrant, MV not meeting RMV safety standards.

Saturday, Sept. 28

12:06 a.m. Arrested , Israel F. Silva, of Park St., Clinton, for OUI-liquor or .08%, negligent operation of motor vehicle, speeding/rate of speed exceeding posted limit.

9:43 a.m. Arrested , Sonia J. Chaves, of River Rd., Hudson, on warrant.

Sunday, Sept. 29

7:29 p.m. Arrested, Marcos E. Rodrigues Rocha, of Seminole Ave., Waltham, for unlicensed operation of MV, fail to wear seat belt, no inspection sticker. Monday, Sept. 30

12:49 a.m. Arrested , Elton I. De Oliveira Almeida, of High St., Hudson, for op MV with license suspended, speeding/rate of speed exceeding posted limit. 6:37 p.m. Cordaville Rd. Vandalism.

9:49 p.m. Cordaville Rd. Threats investigation.

Wednesday, Oct. 2

5:37 a.m. Arrested , Jesse A. Chillari, of Howland St., Marlborough, for speeding/rate of speed exceeding posted limit, MV operator refusing to identify self, possess Class B drug, warrant.

12:46 p.m. Walnut Dr. Soliciting.

6:25 p.m. Arrested , Marveli A. Diaz Guzman, of Grant St., Marlborough, on warrant, MV lights violation, unlicensed operation of MV.

Thursday, Oct. 3

12:29 p.m. Arrested , Adam T. Kingsley, of Pine Hill Rd., Southborough, for malicious destruction of property +$1200, A&B, trespass.

Grafton

Sunday, Sept. 22

12:09 p.m. Cross St. B&E – in progress.

2:26 p.m. Ferry St. Illegal dumping.

Monday, Sept. 23

2:13 p.m. Providence Rd. Fraud/ identity theft.

Wednesday, Sept. 25

2:33 p.m. Providence Rd. Credit fraud/identity theft.

Thursday, Sept. 26

6:42 p.m. Cross St. Threatening.

Local residents help with hurricane relief efforts

By Maureen Sullivan Assistant Editor

REGION – Kathy Dunsmore went to Asheville, North Carolina, to visit a friend.

She came just after Hurricane Helene tore through much of the southeastern U.S., including western North Carolina and much of Tennessee.

“The roads were closed” when she tried to visit her friend, Dunsmore said. “There were trees all over the road.”

She recalled seeing some stores open, and people lined up around the block just to charge their phones.

When she finally got to see her friend and brought them food, “they said it was like living in 1850,” she said.

“The hardest thing is not having water,” Dunsmore said. “They were going to the creek with buckets so they can flush their toilets.”

It may take weeks for the region to recover. In the meantime, Dunsmore has become part of local efforts to send supplies to areas impacted by Helene.

At the Southborough Senior Center on Saturday, Oct. 5, a big Ted’s Towing truck awaited donations. In front of the truck, a dozen volunteers sorted donations, from diapers to bottled water.

“People are giving with their hearts,” said Lisa Braccio, who helped organize the event.

She said the drive began Thursday morning when a phone call or two resulted in

the donations of a truck from Ted’s and storage boxes from United Global Packaging Solutions.

Two days and one social media post later, volunteers were taking donations, sorting them and getting them ready for transport. By the end of Saturday, the truck was full and ready to head south.

“It was an amazing community event,” said Braccio.

In Hudson, two members of the Hudson Light & Power line crew went to Georgia to help restore power to those affected. In Northborough, Hays Funeral Home on Main Street staged a three-day donation drive.

On Sunday, Oct. 6, Dawna and Virginia Hurst sorted

SOUTHBOROUGH – The Southborough Gardeners will be selling daffodil bulbs at Heritage Day on Monday, Oct. 14, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Come to St. Mark’s Field, intersection of routes 85 and 30, and purchase a mesh bag of five bulbs for $10. Each bag includes planting instructions.

Plant bulbs now for a colorful garden next spring.

The Southborough Gardeners will also have tickets for its annual guest day in November. For information about the club, visit www.SouthboroughGardeners.org.

clothes into boxes. Just beyond were boxes of toothbrushes, diapers, pet food, bottled water and more, ready to be sorted and packed.

Just outside the main entrance were several portable grills. According to Funeral Home Director Jeff Koopman, the lightweight grills could be placed on a bicycle or horse so they could be delivered to remote locations.

The donations “surpassed everyone’s expectations,” said Dawna Hurst.

Organized by Koopman’s wife, Rachel, the donations will be delivered via truck to a funeral home on the Tennessee/North Carolina border. From there, their staff will be distributing the items to where they are needed most.

Kathy Dunsmore packs a carton full of donations during a drive at the Southborough Senior Center

From left: Virginia and Dawna Hurst sort and store clothing donations into bins at the Hays Funeral Home in Northborough (Photos/Maureen Sullivan)

COMMUNITY SPORTS

Attaway’s eight touchdowns propel Hudson past Maynard

By Evan Walsh Reporter

HUDSON – Jake Attaway — the Hudson Hawks’ starting quarterback since his freshman year — registered eight touchdowns on Oct. 5 as his team defeated the Mid-Wach-C rival Maynard Tigers 63-28 during Homecoming weekend.

After a tight, 28-22 loss to Maynard last season, the Hawks left little doubt this time; the team’s 63-point performance set a school record for points in a game.

“Offensively, we have a lot of weapons on the field. The offensive line has been doing a great job — you can’t throw the ball if you don’t have time to throw, and we’ve had plenty of time to get the ball in the air. All around, it’s a team effort. There’s great buy-in from the guys at practice,” Hudson Head Coach Zac Attaway told the Community Advocate after the win.

Jake Attaway opened the game strong, finding senior wideout Nolan Yates for an opening-drive score that put Hudson ahead 7-0. After the Hawks’ defense forced a threeand-out, Attaway returned the

Hudson’s Treson Meuse fights through two tackles to advance the ball. (Photo/

punt to give his team a twoscore lead. He connected with Yates again — this time on a 56-yard pass — for another touchdown on Hudson’s next drive.

By halftime, Hudson led

When all was said and done, Attaway had eight touchdowns — three passing, four rushing and the punt return. He also completed a pass for a two-point conversion and

accumulated over 200 rushing yards. Two potential 50-plusyard touchdown tosses were called back by penalties.

Attaway attributed his success to his teammates.

“It starts with the line, which helps give me time to make my throws and make my runs. Then, whatever we need to do, I’ve got receivers that can catch the ball, people that can block for me, and I can try to make plays happen when I’ve got them in front of me,” he said.

“Anything that we do successfully is a total team effort, but Jake does put in a lot of hard work. It’s what he does behind closed doors. It’s what he does when nobody is watching. That goes for the rest of these guys, who put a lot of hard work in during the offseason, during practice. Then, we come out here and we put that on display for everybody on a Friday or Saturday night,” said Zac Attaway.

The Homecoming-weekend win brought the Hawks’ record to 5-0. From the passionate student section to the residents that came from the RecFest that was hosted by the Hudson Recreation Department just before the game, historic Morgan Bowl was packed.

As teams shook hands after the game, fireworks erupted outside the stadium. Though the act wasn’t sanctioned by the school — the result of some well-timed mischief, some remarked — it served as an excellent symbol of just how special this season is feeling for the Hawks.

“It means a lot to have that community support. They had the RecFest earlier today, so we were hoping to pull some people in from that event, maybe people that don’t typically watch football, to enjoy the game. The community support is unbelievable – we had a great crowd tonight,” said Zac Attaway.

“There was a huge crowd this week. Last year, we lost to [Maynard]. Obviously, everyone wanted to get back at them, so there was a huge crowd. There was the [RecFest], so people were coming back from there. There was just a sick crowd. I loved it,” said Jake Attaway.

35-14.

Evan Walsh

‘Underdog mindset’ helps Algonquin soccer beat Saint John’s

By Evan Walsh Reporter

SHREWSBURY – Before the match, Algonquin senior captain Zachary Ruthfield shared some words with his team.

The Titans — ranked at No. 31 in the latest MIAA Division 1 power rankings — were traveling to play No. 3 Saint John’s. Coming in at 8-1, the Pioneers’ last loss was 29 days before this match, and the team recently won decisively over Catholic Conference rival No. 6 St. John’s Prep (Danvers).

Taking on the Pioneers was a tall task for Algonquin, but Ruthfield’s Titans were unbothered by the stakes. In fact, the team embraced the opportunity to pull the upset and shake up the rankings.

The Titans outmatched Saint John’s from the start on Oct. 5, winning the match 1-0 and continuing an excellent season of their own.

“Before the game, I was talking to the guys,” said Ruthfield. “I let them know this was the No. 3 team — we’re going to remember this for the rest of our lives, looking back on high school soccer. We came in with that underdog mindset. We wanted to win this game. Ultimately, we played harder the whole game, and we came out on top.”

After a competitive first halfhour of play, Ruthfield helped the Titans pull ahead. In the 28th minute, senior Caden Hansen grabbed the ball and separated himself from the Saint John’s defender, eventually tapping a smooth pass to Ruthfield as he ran toward the middle of the field. Ruthfield wasted no time, cracking a wellplaced shot past the goalkeeper and into the net.

The goal gave his team its enduring 1-0 lead.

“I thought we played a solid game throughout. Offensively and defensively, I thought we played really well. We didn’t make any mistakes, which was key,” said Algonquin Head Coach Fred Zupicich, who coached on the Saint John’s staff for several years prior to leading the Titans. “In the beginning of the year we struggled with some consistency, and now, we’re just playing very solid soccer. We’re very talented.”

Though Algonquin will take the win, it looked different than previous victories. Coming

into the game, the Titans were averaging 2.8 goals per game, and the one-goal effort against Saint John’s represented Algonquin’s lowest offensive output in a victory this season. Aside from Ruthfield’s early goal, the Pioneers’ defense held firm.

“That was the least amount

of goals we’ve scored all year — only one. We’ve averaged almost three, so to beat us, you usually need to score three.

Saint John’s played really well — they’re a good team, we knew they were a good team — but we’re playing better,” Zupicich said.

The match wasn’t without stress, however.

With almost 50 minutes to play after the Titans scored, the Pioneers had the time to look for an equalizer. Saint John’s didn’t have many opportunities in the second half, but finally managed to put the pressure

on in the final minutes, forcing three corner kicks in the last 120 seconds.

All three corners were effectively defended by Algonquin, including two special saves by sophomore goalkeeper Frazier Bosch. In the last 15 seconds, Bosch made another dramatic, match-saving play to secure the win for the Titans. At the time of the victory, Algonquin had won five of its last six matches; all of the wins had been shutouts.

“It was chaos,” said Bosch. “I think we had great defense … It was great play from us.”

“[Bosch is] phenomenal. This is the thing: He makes the great saves and he doesn’t make the simple mistakes, which is what you really need. To have a great team, you need to have a goalie that’s going to make a great save every once in a while, and he did that. He made two at the end,” said Zupicich. “We focused. We cleared the ball and did what we had to do to get the win. Yeah, it was stressful, but it’s high-school soccer. It was a good, solid win.”

Saint John’s Seta Tah moves past a sliding Rowan Miller. (Photo/ Evan Walsh)