CA 230505

Bill seeks to bolster local access revenue streams

Shrewsbury voters head to the polls

By Laura Hayes Managing Editor

SHREWSBURY – There will be new faces on the Select Board and School Committee. Shrewsbury voters headed to the ballot box on May 2 to cast their votes in a number of races.

According to the unofficial results, incumbent Beth Casavant was re-elected and Carlos Garcia was elected to the Select Board with Casavant leading the pack with 1,976 votes followed by Garcia with 1,654, Rajesh Uppalapati with 1,244, Siobhan Costello-Weber with 1,130 and James Brown with 534.

By Maureen Sullivan Assistant Editor

REGION – What happens when cable customers “cut the cord?”

It may mean lower bills and access to more programs via livestream, but it also means lower revenues for local cable access studios.

And that could lead to fewer programs produced by and for residents.

A bill currently in the State House would add livestream services to the revenue sources that provide funding for cable access programming. A similar bill filed last year did not come to a vote.

A ‘scary time’ for studios

For the past five years, revenues to keep West-

As for the School Committee, Sandra Fryc was elected to serve another term after receiving 2,352 votes. Rachel Sharifipour was also elected, receiving 1,747 votes. Rajesh Velagapudi rounded out the candidates, receiving 1,726 votes.

The third of the contested races was for Housing Authority. Incumbent Kathy McSweeney was re-elected over Anand Sharma.

Discussion continues on Islamic Society’s plans

By Maureen Sullivan Assistant Editor

WESTBOROUGH – Bellows Road continues to be the focus of conversation regarding the Boroughs Islamic Society’s (BIS) plans for a new mosque.

On April 25, the Planning Board continued its public hearing on the site plan application from the BIS, which has purchased the former

Home Equity Line of Credit

day-care center at 6 Bellows Road.

The BIS is converting the building and adjoining playground; it will include prayer halls, a babysitting room, a kitchen and a public area.

The playground will be removed in order to create more parking. The BIS is arranging with the post office next door and an office park for additional spaces.

Karen Henderson, general manager of Westborough TV, tapes the dedication of the new veterans’ monument at Minuteman Park on April 15.

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The Marlborough Commuter Shuttle is back in service!

The 12 -passenger handicap-accessible shuttle connects local commuters between three stops at the Southborough MBTA Commuter Rail, the Apex Center of New England, and the business park located at 200 Forest Street This option provides free public transportation for those who take the train to and/or from Boston and Worcester

REGISTER ONLINE TO RESERVE A SPOT

Monday through Friday Morning Trips: 6:00 a.m. to 9:00 a.m.

Afternoon/Evening Trips: 3:45 p m to 6:46 p m

Any questions or concerns, please contact us at 508-229-2010 or info@marlboroughedc.com

For a complete schedule and link to registration, go to marlboroughedc.com/commuter-shuttle

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HUDSON – As the weather gets warmer for spring, residents flocked to Ferjulian’s Farm for their tulip picking season. By late last week, most of the flowers were gone besides a vibrant row to the far left. Ferjulian’s has said that their tulip picking season has officially come to an end.

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Dear Editor, When looking for an auto repair shop, I ask for personal recommendations, check YELP reviews and seek out a shop with experience. My dentist, PCP, hairdresser, all had experience and were recommended or researched prior to my first appointment. Using that same approach, I have determined that I will cast my vote for Town Moderator for Fred George who has the experience, reputation and commitment for the position.

members as of May 9th. They along with the new TA will be challenged by a learning curve.

editor

Our town is about to embark on a journey with many changes in this next year. We will have hired an interim Town Administrator (TA) then a permanent TA. At the April 3rd BOS meeting, Selectman Wixted voiced concerns that it will be stressful for the residents and town staff during this period to endure so much change. I agree. We will also have a Select Board with 3 members with minimal experience and two brand new

Now let’s think about why we should return Fred George to Town Moderator for another term. Fred has been an active member of town government for over 30 years. His opponent has no elected or appointed experience and is an infrequent attendee at the Annual Town meeting. Fred has successfully led us through many Town Meetings that were contentious and peaceful, that went past 11pm or ran over 3 nights. He led us through changes caused by the pandemic, remaining steady at the podium, even as the wind threatened to blow canopies across the field.

The Town Moderator is also the appointing authority for the Appropriations Committee and 3 of the 6 members of our Financial Planning Committee. These committees advise and make recommendations on financial matters at Town Meeting as well as work alongside our TA and fiscal staff throughout the budget process. It’s no coincidence that we made it through

Ryan Maloney, owner

A Wise Widow

Champagne from the famous French wine region of France is quite different today from what it was at the beginning of the 19th Century. In those days, the wine was sweet, cloudy, and contained large bubbles. The 27-year-old Veuve (widow in French) Clicquot took over the management of her husband’s failing wine business. She felt that clearer wine would sell better and developed an A-frame rack with holes to hold wine bottles slanting downward. By rotating the bottles periodically by a quarter turn (a process called riddling), the yeast sediment settled near the cork and could be removed altogether at the end of the second fermentation. Wines made this way were dry, clear, and contained tinier bubbles.

JULIO’S LIQUORS has an extensive selection of wines from all over the globe. We offer exciting choices of complexity and individuality that are competitively priced. We want our customers to feel confident in their selections and encourage them to try new and unique wines. In addition to having one of the largest selections of product, we offer customers a unique shopping experience with our Angel Share Tasting Room, which has 40 wines on tap all the time. Stop by our 20,000 square foot space at 140 Turnpike Rd., Rt. 9 East. PH: 508-366-1942

HINT: In 1968, a gyropalette was patented to mechanize riddling. Instead of weeks of intensive hand labor, riddling can now be done in large batches in about seven days.

If

PHOTO/TAMI WHITE

the pandemic in good financial shape. It’s no coincidence that we enjoy a stellar bond rating.

Please consider joining me in voting for the best candidate, Fred George, for Town Moderator on May 9th.

Fran Bakstran Northborough

Vote YES to Limit Engine Braking in Hudson to Protect the Town

The Town of Hudson like so many local towns has experienced an increase in traffic including a particular spike in the number of large tractor trailer trucks. And many of these trucks are now traveling through residential neighborhoods as they try to avoid the congestion of the rotary downtown or of back-ups on Route 495/290. And with this additional traffic comes a disruption in the peace and quiet of many Hudson residents.

Article 33 on the Annual Town Meeting Warrant will prohibit non-emergency use of engine brakes on roads maintained by the Town. Engine braking (also known as “Jake

braking” after the developer of the Jacobs Brake) is a common practice for semis and diesel trucks. It uses the engine to slow down the truck instead of just relying on the brakes which causes the vehicle to make a loud “growling” or “jackhammer” like exhaust noise adversely affecting the public health and safety of many residents.

Please vote YES on Article 33 and help your fellow Hudson residents who have to deal with this increased truck traffic and noise. We have nothing against truckers or the companies they work for but we would like them to have more respect for the residents of Hudson. Article 33 will remind truckers to be more courteous and respectful when they travel through our neighborhoods. We need to preserve the well-being and quiet environment of our neighborhoods and stop this noise pollution and protect our property values.

This proposed By-Law is patterned exactly after the ByLaw in Berlin, MA that was approved at their Spring 2022 Town Meeting and subsequently approved by the MA Attorney General. Similar By-Laws can be found in nearby Northboro

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Elizabeth S. Brown Hudson, MA

Dear Editor

Nine years ago I and several other then present and former Town Officials signed a letter endorsing Scott Duplisea in his campaign for a seat on the Hudson Select Board. I signed that letter because I believed at the time that Scott was the best candidate to promote progress in Hudson while maintaining a balanced, collaborative, and creative approach to the town’s governance.

Looking at how the Town has prospered over those nine years, I feel certain that my belief at the time was well founded. Critical improvements have been made to the Town’s infrastructure, management of the Town’s workforce has been civil and harmonious, and the transformation of the downtown commercial district has been nothing short of miraculous. As

an early supporter of the downtown Business Improvement District, and with his extensive experience and knowledge, Scott is the perfect representative of the Town government to sit on the district’s Board of Directors; a seat he occupies today.

On May 8 the voters of Hudson will have the chance to vote for Scott once again. This is an opportunity to continue the progress that Scott and his fellow Board members have made so that Hudson’s future is every bit as productive as the last nine years have been.

Paul Blazar Former Executive Assistant

To the Editor,

My name is Fred George, and I am running for re-election as Northborough’s Town Moderator.

I am running because I have a successful track record of conducting Town Meetings and appointing dedicated and qualified citizens to committees and boards as openings become available. I take the role of Moderator very seriously and have worked to gain more knowledge by interacting with Modera-

tors from other municipalities throughout the Commonwealth while serving as President of the Massachusetts Moderators Association.

I have had the pleasure of serving as Town Moderator since 2003. It has been a wonderful experience as I have had the opportunity to meet and interact with many Northborough residents. The experience I have gained as Moderator has helped me to be prepared for situations that may occur in the Town Meetings. Each meeting is different and requires coordination with the Board of Selectmen, the Town Clerk, and the Town Administrator. A smooth meeting with a regular cadence is always the goal.

My education includes a bachelor’s degree in political science and psychology and a master’s degree in education, both from Alfred University (Alfred, NY). I have held management positions, at the corporate level, in Human Resources and Administration, and Finance Management.

I have lived in Northborough for over forty years. My wife, Virginia, and I have a grown son who is a product of the Northborough schools. I have been involved in fundraising efforts for many worthy causes in the community and have volunteered on efforts for celebrations and events to help bring the community closer together.

Today, the Town of Northborough is going through a leadership transition. The board of Selectmen is a good group, but the team is new. There will be a new Town Administrator soon. The leadership of the town will be in a learning curve. As Moderator, I have the experience, knowledge, and integrity to provide support to the leadership team of the town.

I would very much like to continue to serve as your Moderator and I ask for your vote Tuesday, May 9, 2023.

Fred George Northborough

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Say what you will about Northborough’s former Town Administrator John Coderre, but you cannot argue with a decade of national distinguished budget awards, reduced debt levels and increased financial reserves. Whoever is selected to become Northborough’s next Town Administrator better have a similar mindset towards financial planning. I served on the Board of Selectmen and worked closely with John to understand how state budget allocations, man-

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datory obligations like OPEB and public bidding laws handcuffed our town. I watched, year after year, as John went toe to toe with state legislators about their failure to prioritize Ch. 90 and special education circuit breaker funding, among others. In answering questions from town members, I never observed John respond in any manner other than with honesty and respect. Now that he’s no longer our administrator, I hope to see him raising his colored card at town meeting and making comments at the public microphones. Despite leaving us for Foxboro, he remains a resident of this town; and I hope we continue to benefit from his insight.

Aaron Hutchins Northborough

Re-elect Fred George Northborough Town Moderator

I steadfastly support the reelection of Fred George as our Town Moderator May 9. Since first meeting Fred over 30 years ago as our town selectman and in his current role as moderator he has provided strong leadership skills, at town meeting and the appointments to the many town board positions. His longstanding experience provides the necessary qualities in this position.

With all due respect, we can ill-afford to replace this experience and outstanding record to this vital town post.

I strongly urge you to vote Fred George, Town Moderator.

Jon Lien Northborough

Vote for Joanne Stocklin, Northborough Town Moderator

Although I write this letter as a Northborough resident, my experience as Chair of the Planning Board has opened my eyes to the value of fresh perspective in town government. Especially as we enter this exciting time of new vision and renewed commitment to downtown revitalization.

That’s why I’m supporting Joanne Stocklin for Town Moderator. Most of us see the Moderator’s role as running the Annual Town Meeting but there are other important duties that we may not see. The Moderator makes appointments to several critical committees in town such as Appropriations and the Personnel Board. Fresh perspective brings the opportunities for new voices and faces appointed to these committees. It also opens the door to a more transparent

appointment process where all candidates are fairly considered.

The new skillsets that Ms. Stocklin brings to the role could provide our town with a true advocate for a modernized, technology-enabled town meeting with electronic voting, instead of our paper voting process. Especially where we’ve seen razor sharp margins in the last few years on bylaw votes specifically, it’s important to advance our abilities to get an accurate count of every single vote.

As a leader for nearly 20 years

in the public school system, Joanne has the right experience in leadership and management to help create a culture of inclusiveness and collaboration; chair and facilitate our most important meeting of the year; and help drive positive change in the town of Northborough.

I hope you’ll join me in voting for Joanne Stocklin for Town Moderator on May 9th at Melican Middle School.

Kerri Martinek Northborough

At a time when Northborough is undergoing significant change in town administration, it is critical to preserve leadership, experience, and institutional knowledge to assist and smooth that transition. Fred George’s long participation in, and deep understanding of, our town municipal government make him the uniquely qualified candidate to serve as our Town Moderator. Fred brings a combination of knowledge, experience, organization, temperament, and humor to the Moderator position,

and his approach is strongly informed by his past service on the Board of Selectmen and the Personnel Board. Through the recent pandemic years, he offered sound judgment as to the timing and accommodations needed to safely conduct Town Meeting. In 2015, Fred and his spouse Virginia Simms George, an equally involved and accomplished contributor to our town, were selected as Applefest Grand Marshals in recognition of their dedication

Letters | 7

Letters | from page 5

and long records of valued service. Please join me on Election Day, Tuesday May 9, to re-elect Fred George as Northborough Town Moderator.

Jason Perreault Northborough

Re-elect Fred George Northborough Town Moderator

I have known Frederick George for 20 years and have supported his prior efforts running for Town Moderator. In my opinion, Fred has consistently done a fantastic job for our town.

The Moderator plays an important role in the overall town governance and is responsible for assisting in the planning of the annual town meeting, the posting of the warrant items, conducting the meeting, managing the questions and answers, motions, amendments and overseeing the actual voting process.

Depending on the scope of the warrant articles, questions and responses thereto, the annual town meeting can either be a very smooth process or a roller coaster event. Keeping to the agenda, fielding questions and responses and getting to a majority vote are challenging. When it comes to this, Fred George is a pro, an adaptive and effective meeting facilitator.

The Moderator is also responsible for appointing members to key boards and committees. These include, but are not limited to the: Appropriations Committee, Earthworks Board, Financial Planning Committee, Municipal Code & Bylaws Committee and the Personnel Board.

Fred brings considerable integrity, uncommon skills and years of experience to this elected position.

Fred is also member of the Massachusetts Moderators Association and frequently interacts with his counterparts from other towns on evolving issues of Massachusetts laws, town meeting preparation requirements, meeting conduct/ rules of order and the conduct of post-meeting reviews.

Our town is evolving: we face challenges from the turnover of elected town officials, the appointing of a new Town Administrator, the tax impacts from forthcoming large capital projects, the diminishing economic development and macro-economic events beyond our control.

Change can be good…but not just for the sake of change.

The future, newly-elected people that will inherit the reins in our town will have challenges

and fiduciary responsibilities to the town and its people. They will need to effectively manage the town’s resources and need a trusted advisor to help guide them.

Northborough needs the continuity and trusted counsel of an experienced Moderator. Fred George is that person.

Re-elect Fred as Town Moderator.

John Rapa Northborough

To the Editor:

Within Northborough, Fred George has served in multiple roles, but most residents know him in his current incarnation as Town Moderator. Despite those who think the Moderator merely “chairs a meeting,” Fred has demonstrated the full range of duties that extend beyond the single night (or most years, multiple nights) of Town Meeting and the appointments he has made to critical municipal positions. He has served as a coordinating force between multiple boards, committees, and commissions; and operates as a mentor to committee members within Northborough. Across the Commonwealth, Fred has shared his expertise through the Massachusetts Moderators Association, helping other Moderators be successful as well. With Fred George, we have a candidate with established experience and expertise. I urge Northborough residents to vote for Fred on May 9th.

T. Scott Rogers Northborough

My name is Joann Sharp and I have been a resident of Northborough for 52 yrs.

We brought up our 4 daughters here and they all graduated from Algonquin Regional High School... We have always been supporters of businesses and the educational system. In all of that time I have never felt more compelled to submit a letter to the editor until today. Fred George is running for re-election as our Town Moderator... He has served this community with integrity, knowledge and dedication. He has the experience and skill set necessary to be an effective Town Moderator. Mr. George has an opponent, Joanne Stocklin who has resided in this community for about 23 years and in all of those years according to official town records never show her attending a Town Meeting.

So, please on Tuesday, May 9th, let’s go to the polls and

re-elect Fred George, our Town Moderator... Thank you...

Joann Sharp Northborough

It occurred to me as I read your front page article about John Coderre’s departure to Foxborough that right now Northboro is losing a great deal of experience in key leadership roles. I hope that voters feel that Fred George’s commendable service in his role as Town Moderator should continue. Northboro voters can get behind this candidate whose intelligent, thoughtful approach to local government has been evident for years. On May 9, please vote to re-elect Fred George as Town Moderator.

Yours sincerely,

Loretta Williams Northborough

To the Editor: Pride. That’s the word that comes to my mind as I drive around Westborough this week. Anyone driving, biking, or walking in our town the past couple of weeks has surely noticed all the yellow bags full of trash

lining the roadways, and also noticed how clean our town has become. That is the result of the efforts of the 400 wonderful volunteers who participated in this year’s annual Earth Day Litter Cleanup, organized by the Westborough Community Land Trust.

WCLT is an all-volunteer, non-profit group in Westborough. As the WCLT volunteer who organized this year’s effort, I feel so proud of how beautiful our town looks. I’m proud of the spirit of community shared by the people who gave their time to clean up. And I’m proud to live in a town where so many people take pride in their own values of volunteerism, personal responsibility, and environmental stewardship. Thank you to all of you!

In addition to the individuals and families who volunteered, I would like to express sincere appreciation to the many businesses and organizations who supported this effort in a variety of ways. Food for the volunteer picnic was donated by Arturo’s Ristorante, Roche Bros., Stop & Shop, and DoubleTree Hilton. Flower bouquets for volunteers were donated by Mugford’s Flower Shoppe. The Westbor-

ough Department of Public Works donated the cleanup bags and collected the full bags. And the following clubs and businesses volunteered as a team to clean an area: Marvell Semiconductor, the Corridor 9 “HYPE 9” group, Eastern Dentists Insurance Company, Malvern Panalytical, Sika EMSEAL, Crossfit Prototype, CCR Wealth Management, DoubleTree Hilton, Westborough Civic Club, Westborough High School National Honor Society, Westborough Connects, Gurdwara Sahib Sikh Temple, Chapel of the Cross, residents of DelWebb Chauncy, Westborough Youth Lacrosse, Explorer Post 85, and 14 different Cub, Boy, and Girl Scout troops! Without these groups, this effort could not have taken place.

If you missed this year’s cleanup, it’s never too late to fill up a trash bag when you go for a walk! And next April, please go to WestboroughLandTrust. org to sign up for Litter Cleanup 2024!

Sincerely,

Janet Anderson WCLT Education Committee Chair

Sponsored by Chief Joseph Robert J. Terkanian P.O. Box 808 • Northborough, MA 01532

Bill seeks to bolster local access revenue streams

Cable access | from page 1 borough TV operating have declined, as cable customers opt to switch to livestreaming services.

“The viewing habits have shifted, and funding should shift as well,” said Karen Henderson, the general manager of Westborough TV.

She said revenues from cable providers, such as Comcast and Verizon, have dipped about 35% over the past five years.

“Cable subscriptions is how local access is paid in Westborough,” said Henderson.

In Shrewsbury, Executive Director for Shrewsbury Media Connection (SMC) Marc Serra said their cable revenue payments have decreased by 22% in the last five years.

“This is not surprising. SELCO has stated that they have lost 50% of their TV customers in the last decade,” said Serra.

As part of their agreement with SELCO and the Select Board, SMC is to receive 4.25% of cable TV-related revenue.

“It only makes sense that as customers cut the cord and look elsewhere for their content, that our revenue is directly impacted,” he said.

In Marlborough, WMCT-TV is the beneficiary of contracts between the city and the local cable providers, Comcast and Verizon Fios. As part of the contracts, there’s a small tax on residents’ cable bills that is collected and issued to the city.

Executive Director Ryan Malyar said WMCT makes an annual appeal to appropriate funds to allow them to operate.

“The number of cable subscribers has been decreasing rapidly in recent years with folks ‘cutting the cord’ in favor of Over the Top (OTT) streaming services such as Hulu, Netflix, Youtube TV, Disney +… this list goes on. This is a scary time for community television studios,” he added.

About the bill

The bill, “An act to modernize

funding for community media programming,” is now with the Joint Committee on Advanced Information Technology, the Internet and Cybersecurity; it is chaired by state Sen. Michael Moore (D-Millbury) whose district includes Grafton, Shrewsbury and Westborough.

“I have long been a supporter of local cable access programs because I believe they provide an invaluable service to their communities such as informing the public of local events, covering important news stories, and providing residents with a platform to share their thoughts and ideas. At a time where more and more local news outlets and media sources are disappearing every year, these programs are more critical than ever,” said Moore.

“[The act] employs a clever and unique method of raising money to fund these programs without creating a significant new tax burden for everyday Bay Staters. As with all bills in

the committee, the committee will hold a public hearing on the bill, and I look forward to the opportunity to hear from relevant stakeholders. While I can’t guarantee how or when this bill will move out of committee, I am very interested in this topic and in finding creative ways to fund local cable access programs,” he added.

State Rep. Hannah Kane, Sen. Jamie Eldridge and Sen. Robyn Kennedy are among the co-sponsors.

Under the bill, a streaming entertainment operator would pay an assessment equal to 5% of its gross annual revenues derived from the sale or provision of streaming services to individuals and businesses in the state.

The bill could be considered over the summer. Locally, cable access providers voiced their support.

“I’m in favor of the bill. Over the last few years people have worried about PEG [public, educational and government] access going away as consumers cut the cable cord,” said Bob DeToma, digital media manager for Grafton Community TV. “This bill may help calm those fears. Now that people have become used to government-streaming meetings, they will want to keep that source of government information flowing.”

Serra said it would go a “long way” to restore them to previous funding.

“Public, educational and government access channels deliver invaluable public programming on a daily basis, commercialfree and with the sole purpose of informing and educating our community,” he said. “As local

budgets tighten and content delivery methods change, I feel it’s imperative to ensure that our local access channels are able to continue to reflect local interests and bring diverse programming to the public.

“Our government access channel is, without question, an important exercise of selfgovernance. It allows residents to watch their leaders do their community’s business. We can then form our own opinions and become better-informed voters.

“As residents ‘cut the cord’ and move to streaming services, the very nature and survival of PEG access is threatened in a profound way. We’ve been here since the 80s providing voices to the voiceless, capturing town events, highlighting our student athletes, and providing transparency to local government. We hope it’s not a case of you don’t know what you’ve got ‘til it’s gone.”

Meanwhile, Malyar said it was exciting to see the bill discussed again, noting there have been drafts in the past that didn’t get traction.

He said, “Observing the decline in revenue over recent years has been worrisome. I have many colleagues in the field who left community television to pursue other work as they were anticipating a total collapse of the industry.

“The prospect of an additional revenue source for WMCT-TV is invigorating. As the bill is currently written, this would also be a new revenue stream to benefit the city as well. I am glad to see support from Marlborough’s State Rep. Danielle Gregoire, who has been a steadfast supporter of the work we do at WMCT.”

Discussion continues on Islamic Society’s plans

Islamic Society | from page 1

While the parking situation is close to being resolved, there remains the question of Bellows Road, a narrow, one-way roadway that exits onto East Main Street. Concerns about traffic, especially when the BIS conducts services, led to discussions around ways to mitigate this traffic.

Suggestions included having attendants and a police detail direct traffic after services; in-

stalling “right turn only” and “do not block intersection” signs; and to now allow parking on Bellows Road.

Interim Town Planner Jim Robbins recommended that the BIS work with the town engineer to work out a traffic plan.

BIS officials said that once permits are approved and the mosque is open, they could conduct a four-week trial on traffic flow.

It was continued until May 2.

Learn about the environment at Westborough fair

WESTBOROUGH – Sustainable Westborough and the Rotary Club of Westborough will sponsor the Environmental Action Fair on Saturday, May 13, at Westborough High School.

Exhibits will be open from 1 to 4 p.m.

The keynote presentation at noon will be “Climate Emer-

gency: Feedback Loops” with Melanie Wallace, an Emmy award-winning producer formerly with the PBS series “Nova.”

The presentation is meant to raise awareness about natural warming loops that have scientists alarmed.

In addition to Wallace’s talk, some short films will be

shown and Sandra Kearney, Rotary Club president, will facilitate a Q&A engagement with the audience. There will be two other speakers, including Robert Gegear, professor of biology, discussing the plight of pollinators, and a panel of Mill Pond students who will provide their perspectives on climate change.

There will be around 40 exhibitors, including state and regional agencies and nonprofits. There will also be an interactive art project that encourages attendees to participate in the art and in environmental actions; and 20 student exhibitors representing all of the schools in town showing their work on a wide

array of environmental topics. Have a rechargeable lithium-ion battery from a cell phone, laptop, tablet, electric toothbrush, wireless headphones or power tool batteries? Bring them to the fair, where a collection will take place from noon to 4 p.m. For information, visit www. sustainablewestborough.org.

CARING FOR YOUR SKIN IS NOT VAIN

Practicing proper skin care as we age is about more than just looking good. It can also help us avoid problems such as skin cancer, severe itching, and bedsores. We all know that staying out of the sun is the best way to avoid skin cancer, but this becomes truer are we age and our skin becomes more delicate and vulnerable. We also lose oil glands as we get older, causing our skin to become dry and itchy. Consistent, daily moisturizing everywhere can help prevent this discomfort. If you are regularly confined to a bed or chair, you can keep bedsores from forming by changing positions frequently, standing up whenever possible, and keeping your skin dry. Keeping indoor humidity between 45 and 60 percent can reduce dry, itchy skin. You can easily measure the humidity in the air with a hydrometer, which you can buy at a hardware or home-improvement store. Working around your house and in your

garden can expose your skin to harsh chemicals, sunlight, and other things that can irritate and dry your skin. At NOTRE DAME LONG TERM CARE CENTER, we can provide the necessary care to help residents maintain the best quality of life possible. To learn more, please call (508) 852-3011. You can also schedule a tour of our facilities at 559 Plantation Street.

P.S When choosing and using moisturizers, be sure to use products that are appropriate for the different skin on your face, body, hands and feet.

MariAnn Paladino, Dir. of Admissions, Notre Dame Health Care Center, Inc. Long Term Care Center 559 Plantation Street, Worcester, MA 508.852.3011

Notre Dame Health Care

MariAnn Paladino, Director of Admissions

Iget it, dealing with your taxes can be emotional. Add the IRS stating that the average tax refund paid out was 9.8% less than 2022. Ugh.

You’ve had some separation, it’s time to return for an honest conversation. Maybe even bring in some outside help.

A CFP’s goal with tax planning is to help clients take proactive steps to save money on their taxes now and help reduce liabilities in the future. Aspects include lowering your AGI (adjusted gross income), leveraging tax deductions, taking advantage of tax credits, tax deferrals and timing of large purchases, sales and realization of income.

Consider potential ways to make impact for 2023:

Exercising Restricted Stock Units (RSUs). Sold some RSUs and get a large tax bill? Connect with HR to discuss withholding options before your next exercise. Also, learn of the benefits and drawbacks of concentrated positions as well as short-term versus long-term capital gains.

Adjust your W-4. If you got a large refund, lower your withholding and do more with your money, like ~4% money market interest. Also, if both spouses work and one is self-employed, consider raising your W-4 withholding to avoid potential penalties for underpaying estimated taxes on a growing small business.

Track Your Side Hustle - Government announced Venmo and payment apps report income for goods and services worth $600 or more annually — a sharp drop from previous $20,000 threshold. Panic and confusion followed, so the IRS postposted by a year.

Whether you receive a 1099-K form or not, you’ve always been obligated to report income. To help offset, get up to speed on potential deductions including expenses, amortization, and dedicated home office space.

Revisit Work Benefits. You can impact your adjusted gross income (AGI) through 401k contributions as well as funding a HSA funding, FSA for

Your Tax Returns

dental/vision, FSA dependent care and Commuter Benefits - especially if required to go back into the office.

While some changes can’t happen until open enrollment (and impact 2024), don’t forget if you have a life event - new child, spouse loses or changes job - you have 30 days to revisit and reset your work benefits.

Minimize Taxes In Retirement

Taxes are inevitable with retirement savings, deferred compensation and/or pension income, but consider:

Before Retirement - Contribute to Roth 401(k) and Roth IRA (if eligible) now. After age 59 ½ and owned for at least 5 years, withdrawals are completely tax free. Added bonus is Required Minimum Distributions (RMDs) don’t exist for Roth accounts nor are balances in Roth accounts a factor in determining RMDs for your tax deferred accounts.

During Retirement - Distribute funds in certain years that you claim large deductions, such as the breaks for medical expenses or charitable gifts that temporarily lower your tax rate.

Before or During - Roth Conversion and Backdoor Roth. Yes, pay the taxes now for benefits of Roth later. Consider larger conversions in years of lower income if self-employed and/or time away from work. Also, when 20% (or more) market corrections occur consider an opportunity to convert investments over to Roth, paying less in taxes and allowing for rebound inside Roth.

Tax planning is complex, but it doesn’t need to be complicated. Work with someone to help you save money, stay organized and reduce liabilities in the future.

The opinions voiced in this material are for general information only and are not intended to provide specific advice or recommendations for any individual.

Glenn Brown lives in MetroWest and is owner of PlanDynamic, LLC, www.PlanDynamic.com. He is a fee-only Certified Financial Planner™ helping motivated people take control of their planning and investing, so they can balance kids, aging parents and financial independence.

“Hey, I showed this last year, do something!”, Sincerely

Glenn Brown, CFP

RIVER’S EDGE Garden Center

The Big Advantage If You Sell This Spring

“. . . the big question is whether we are finally starting to see the seasonal spring increase in inventory. The answer is no, because active listings fell to a new low last week for 2023 . . .”

The National Association of Realtors (NAR) confirms today’s housing inventory is low by looking at the months’ supply of homes on the market. In a balanced market, about a six-month supply is needed. Anything lower is a sellers’ market. And today, the number

is much lower:

“Total housing inventory registered at the end of February was 980,000 units, identical to January and up 15.3% from one year ago (850,000). Unsold inventory sits at a 2.6-month supply at the current sales pace, down 10.3% from January but up from 1.7 months in February 2022.”

Why Does Low Inventory Make It a Good Time To Sell?

The less inventory there is

on the market when you sell, the less competition you’re likely to face from other sellers. That means your house will get more attention from the buyers looking for a home

this spring. And since there are significantly more buyers in the market than there are homes for sale, you could even receive more than one offer on your house. Multiple offers are on the rise again (see graph above):

If you get more than one offer on your house, it becomes a bidding war between buyers – and that means you have greater leverage to sell on your terms. But if you want to maximize the opportunity for a bidding war to spark, be sure to lean on your expert real estate advisor. While we’re still in a strong sellers’ market, it isn’t the frenzy we saw a couple of years ago, and today’s buyers are focused on the houses with the greatest appeal. Clare Trapasso, Executive News Editor at Realtor. com, explains:

“Well-priced, move-in ready homes with curb appeal in desirable areas are still receiving multiple offers and selling for over the asking price in many parts of the country. So, this spring, it’s especially important for sellers to make their homes as attractive as possible to appeal to as many buyers as possible.”

Bottom Line

If you’ve been waiting for the right time to sell your house, low inventory this spring sets you up with a big advantage. Let’s connect today to make sure your house is ready to sell.

Decorated electrical boxes coming to Shrewsbury

school’s entrance. The stipend would be given to support the school’s art program.

Lividini said that art and color are incredibly important to public spaces.

“I think bringing art into a town makes the whole community more aware of art and looking for the things we already have in town. I think this will just go to promoting

By Evan Walsh Reporter

SHREWSBURY – Certain areas of Shrewsbury are set to receive a splash of color in the coming months.

The Shrewsbury Cultural Council (SCC) will be sponsoring artists to wrap electrical boxes throughout town with colorful designs meant to celebrate Shrewsbury’s unique culture.

Five electrical boxes have been tentatively chosen to be decorated. The boxes are located at the Shrewsbury Public Library, Lakeway Commons (between Starbucks and Whole Foods), White City Shopping Center, Shrewsbury’s Secret Garden (19 Stoney Hill Road) and the entrance of Shrewsbury High School.

The SCC hopes that the public art will be an eyecatching, interesting addition to Shrewsbury that helps the community celebrate the town’s culture. Sarah Lividini, chair of the SCC, told the Community Advocate that she hopes the art will emphasize the town’s culture instead of physical landmarks.

“We’re hoping that the boxes are not just reproductions of places in town, but more toward the spirit of the town and the different cultures we have in Shrewsbury – both ethnic cultures and ways of looking at the world,” she said.

Moira Chan, another member of the SCC, agreed with Lividini.

“We didn’t want it to be just a historical look back at what the culture of Shrewsbury has been,” she said. “We want to think about what it currently is and what it could be. It’s a very diverse little town. We wanted to focus more on culture rather

than location.”

The colorful electrical boxes will hopefully intrigue both town residents and passersby.

“It’s such a small little town, and you pass it very quickly on Route 9 without really focusing on it, so a couple of bright pops of color [will be nice] to get people looking and talking and wondering,” Chan said.

The SCC would like to incorporate the boxes into a scavenger or treasure hunt that would encourage families to travel around town and explore the local area in search of the artwork.

Supporting local artists is also a goal of the project. The artists whose designs are chosen for the project will receive a stipend from the SCC.

According to its website, the SCC receives funds from the Massachusetts Cultural Council annually to sponsor “deserving projects that take place in our schools, cultural organizations, community centers, libraries, elder care facilities, town buildings… parks [and] wherever our community comes together.”

The project was designed to involve as many people as possible. Chan noted that the SCC chose the electrical boxes over other art forms like murals. While murals generally occupy one artist, several artists or groups could work on the boxes’ designs.

“This way, you can go around and find the box that your neighbor created or that the kids at the school did. It brings a bit more pride and ownership into the mix,” Chan said.

The SCC has made preliminary plans to have Shrewsbury High School’s National Art Honor Society students decorate the box at the high

the idea of seeing beauty and art in our town,” Lividini said Lividini and Chan credited SCC members Kalaimangai Anbalagan, Lauren Blumberg, Shi Wen Chen, Brian Clark, Barbara Luby and Jane Siebels for their hard work organizing the project.

The SCC plans to have the boxes completed by midSeptember for the Spirit of

The SCC is currently accepting applications to participate in this project. Anyone – amateur and professional artists, nonprofit organizations, cultural groups, youth groups and more – can apply. The application and additional information about the project can be found at tinyurl. com/mrxwu5sn.

Repair

PROVIDED/SHREWSBURY CULTURAL COUNCIL

Northborough candidates share their platforms

NORTHBOROUGH – Northborough’s annual election is May 9. In Northborough, there are contested races for town moderator and School Committee.

Read the full responses online at communityadvocate. com and last week’s paper for the rest of the candidates.

School Committee (Vote for 2)

Incumbent Joan Frank, Kristen Willems-Tietjen and Gigi Lisa Howell are running for School Committee. Frank and Willems-Tietjen were featured in last week’s paper.

Gigi Lisa Howell

Please provide a brief biographical background on yourself. What should vot-

ers know about you?

I grew up in Framingham, then joined the military after high school at the age of 18. I met my husband in the service, and we are still together 13 years later. I have traveled all over the world and finally settled here in the amazing town of Northborough. Most importantly, I am a mother of two amazing children, they are my everything. I am now a veteran and working as mental health counselor serving the Worcester and Metrowest counties. I have various experiences in mental health and

NACC goes groovy with ‘70s concert

have a vast cultural diverse background. I am intensely invested and continue to bring awareness to the lack of mental health resources within our community here in Northborough and in our schools.

Why are you running?

I am running to help bridge the gap between the mental health setbacks our schools, staff/administration and most importantly our babies are facing every day. There are no sides to choose here. Remember our goal is to vote in a member who will be diverse, and advocate for the parents, not themselves. I am running to help create a team within the Northborough School Committee, not a side. It takes a village to raise our babies, let us set the example and work together as a team to support our village of Northborough.

NORTHBOROUGH – The Northborough Area Community Chorus is inviting the community to their 51st annual spring concert “That ‘70s Show and More!”

The concert is Sunday, May 7 at 3 p.m. at Algonquin Regional High School. Tickets cost $5 at

Saturday, August

and 1-mile Swims

9:00am USATF-Certified 5K/10K Runs

9:05am 3-mile Fitness Walk

the door.

Attendees are encouraged to dress in their ‘70s clothing and visit their photo booth. Visit www.facebook.com/ northboroughareacommunitychorus or www.nacc.net for more information.

Interfaith concert coming to Bay State Commons

WESTBOROUGH – Central Massachusetts Connections in Faith and the Westborough Interfaith Clergy announce the return of the popular Faiths in Tune music festival on Sunday, May 7, from 1:30 to 4:30 p.m. at Bay State Commons, 1100 Union St.

Faiths in Tune 2 will once again feature performances from a range of faith organizations, with Muslim, Christian, Jewish, Hindu, Sikh and other performers sharing music from their diverse traditions. This year’s festival also includes local artisans and food vendors.

This outdoor event is free to the public, with ample free parking. Attendees are encouraged to bring their own chairs or blankets.

In case of rain, the festival will take place at Good Shepherd Church, 183 West Main St.

Central Massachusetts Connections in Faith is a network of individuals, places of worship and organizations from many Central Massachusetts towns focused on building bridges and friendships across diverse religions and cultures, based on the core values of respect, curiosity, inclusivity and open-mindedness.

Westborough Interfaith Clergy is a group of more than a dozen local clergy and faith representatives who meet monthly and sponsor several events a year, including Westborough Interfaith Thanksgiving, Westborough’s Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Day of Celebration, and a Good Friday Ecumenical service. The group also provides clergy leaders for moments of prayer at the town’s annual Memorial and Veterans Day parades.

Westborough named ‘Tree City USA’ for 2022

WESTBOROUGH – Westborough was named a 2022 Tree City USA by the Arbor Day Foundation to honor its commitment to effective urban forest management.

Westborough achieved Tree City USA recognition by meeting the program’s four requirements: maintaining a tree board or department; having a tree care ordinance; dedicating an annual community forestry budget of at least $2 per capita; and hosting an Arbor Day observance and proclamation.

The Tree City USA program is sponsored by the Arbor Day Foundation in partnership with the U.S. Forest Service

and the National Association of State Foresters.

“Tree City USA communities see the positive effects of an urban forest firsthand,” said Dan Lambe, chief executive of the Arbor Day Foundation. “The trees being planted and cared for by Westborough are ensuring that generations to come will enjoy a better quality of life. Additionally, participation in this program brings residents together and creates a sense of civic pride, whether it’s through volunteer engagement or public education.”

For information about the town’s tree program, visit www.town.westborough. ma.us/public-works.

Northborough quilting group gives back to the community

By Evan Walsh Reporter

NORTHBOROUGH – A Northborough-based quilting group gathered in February to collect and donate over 30 quilts to the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) and pediatric unit at UMass Memorial Medical Center in Worcester.

Members filed into the meeting room one by one, each bringing a collection of beautiful, unique, and intricate quilts. Once all of the quilts had been collected in the center of the room, the group cheered and admired each one’s design. No quilt was left uncomplimented.

The group, which has roughly 20 members, came up with the idea to donate to the hospital last year. After months of work, the group will donate 30 quilts, each of which took 20 or more hours to create.

“I brought in the idea of doing UMass pediatrics because one of my sons was a junior in high school and was diagnosed with bone cancer, and we spent nine months at UMass,” group

member Pat Link told the Community Advocate.

“We wanted to keep it local. For us, we’ve all used the services at UMass for one thing or another,” Terry Crean added.

The group donated the quilts in part to make the community aware of a worthwhile opportunity to make a difference in the local community.

“I don’t think a lot of people realize that you can donate to the hospitals,” group member

Library service award available

NORTHBOROUGH – Applicants can now apply for the Northborough Library Service Award.

This year, the award will be $500, and it is open to graduating seniors who have volunteered with the library. Volunteer service does not necessarily have to have occurred in the past year.

Applications are available at the Algonquin Regional High School, Assabet Val -

ley Regional Technical High School, Advanced Math and Science Academy and Saint John’s guidance offices or at the Northborough Free Library. Interested applicants can inquire at the circulation desk or teen room.

The awardee will be chosen by a committee appointed by the Friends of the Northborough Library.

The deadline for the application is May 15.

Amy Graham said. “It doesn’t necessarily have to be a group, you can just make a couple of quilts and take them in.”

“I feel strongly that small acts of kindness make a big difference, and we may never understand the ripple effect, but I think that it’s important to do [them],” Crean said.

A community forms

Though the group primarily focuses on creating quilts, they

From left, Amy Graham, Pat Link, Lisa Ferguson, Linda Lauretano, Terry Crean, and Patricia Cumming collected quilts for donation during the group’s February 17 meeting.

and creating a welcoming atmosphere for new members.

“Terry is, I like to say, the binding that holds us all together… she’s the one that started it and has graciously invited all of us in, and we invited other people in,” Link mentioned.

For some, like Linda Lauretano, quilting has created a new sense of community.

“To me, it’s marvelous,” she said. “When I moved into town, I didn’t know anybody. So, it was great to be around really nice people.”

have also formed a tight-knit community.

“One of the wonderful things about a quilting community is how it brings people together from different backgrounds and different levels of experience. We can all share this love of quilting… and then we all find out other things we have in common,” said Crean.

Group members credited Crean with starting the group

The group members share countless laughs and conversations, each excited to both help the community and spend a morning among friends.

Members of the quilting group, all of whom contributed toward the quilting donation, include Jan Brown, Terry Crean, Patricia Cumming, Kathy Daly, Lynn DeAngelis, Barbara Durand, Lisa Ferguson, Amy Graham, Jodi Jones, Linda Lauretano, Pat Link, Wanda Moody, Wendy Morrison, and Sara Schiavi.

PHYSICAL

JOIN US FOR A FREE EDUCATIONAL LOW BACK PAIN & SCIATICA WORKSHOP

Thursday May 11th 6 P.M. Hudson Office

Saturday May 13th 11 A.M. Northborough Office

Call 508-393-9000

Today to RSVP! Learn

Northborough has a long legacy of public libraries

NORTHBOROUGH THEN NOW

By Zenya Molnar History Columnist

NORTHBOROUGH – It’s 1874 and you are looking for a book at the library, which was a room at the town hall. You reference the finding list, titled Classified List of Books of the Northborough Free Library, and skim the table of contents for topics such as philosophy, useful and industrial arts, language, geography and travels, and fiction.

Everything is organized under the name of the author; otherwise, if you are looking for a title, you must use the card catalogue. You would have access to about 1500 volumes, and you would see three magazines — Littell’s Living Age, The Atlantic Monthly, and Harper’s Monthly. You would also be using an oil lamp, which would eventually be replaced with electric lights

in 1908-09.

Let’s go back to the very beginning of the story. In as early as 1792, a social library was established by 30 men and had 100 books. Then in 1817, “The Young Ladies’ Library” formed, in which 60 members gathered weekly to work on braiding or sewing and listen to their pastor read books, the proceeds of their labor going towards the purchase of books and charitable donations.

About 10 years later in May of 1827, the Free Parish Library was founded, which was managed by the church, and later that year, the Free Library of the Congregational Society in Northborough was established, when the books from the social library were added to the collection. Any resident over 16 years old could borrow books, which were mostly of a religious nature, free of charge. After a few more libraries

Free Virtual First-Time Home Buyer Seminar

to the public on September 12. Hours were very limited at the start, especially in comparison to the library today—it was open on Saturday from 2-5 p.m. and then 6:30-9:00 p.m. Three years later, it opened on an additional day, on Wednesday afternoon and evening, and then in 1900, Monday was added as a third day.

were established, such as a juvenile and agricultural, in 1866 Captain Cyrus Gale offered $1000 to the town to start a library and was joined by fellow resident and jewelry factory owner Milo Hildreth, who donated $250. Both donors offered on the condition that a town hall should be built with a room for books. In 1868, the Northborough Free Library was established in the Northborough town hall and opened

In 1894, Cyrus Gale Jr., son of Captain Cyrus Gale, proposed that the library should be in its own building to have more space for the collection and gave $15,000 to fund it. Consequently, a new library was built on a site that was formerly Dr. Stephen Ball II’s apothecary shop, a shoe shop, and a clothing shop and Peinze’s bakery. The library as we know it today at its location at 34 Main Street was dedicated on June 12, 1895, as the Gale Memorial Library. Since the momentous occasion of the dedication, the library has been a thriving source of not only books but programming, digital collections, and community for people of all ages.

Dr. Eric Bryan

The Northborough Free Library in the Gale Library Building has served generations of readers since 1895.

PHOTO/ZENYA MOLNAR

First stage of Mass. Pike, I-495 project about to begin

By Maureen Sullivan Assistant Editor

WESTBOROUGH – The first stage to improve the interchange at Route 495 and the Massachusetts Turnpike is about to begin.

On April 25, officials from the state’s Department of Transportation conducted a public information meeting on the project, which will include the demolition of the Fruit Street bridge over Route 495 and the construction of a new ramp near Cumberland Farms on Flanders Road.

About the project

On an average day, this interchange carries hundreds of thousands of vehicles that travel on both I-90 and I-495, with approximately half of all trucking entering eastern Massachusetts. The deficient geometry concentrates movements through the former toll plaza area, resulting in queuing onto the interstate mainlines and crash rates twice the statewide average.

The project will replace the interchange; eliminate the old toll booth area and weaving areas; improve ramp spacing, acceleration and deceleration lanes; and add an auxiliary lane from I-495 northbound to Route 9. New bridges will be constructed on I-495 over I-90; on I-495 and I-90 over the MBTA/CSX/Amtrak lines; on I-495 northbound over Flanders Road and on Fruit Street.

The project design is taking place now through December 2024 with project completion scheduled for June 2027.

Fruit Street Bridge

Starting on Monday, May 8, crews will begin overnight demolition of the Fruit Street bridge in Hopkinton as part of the I-495/I-90 Interchange Improvements Project. Demolition is planned to occur on Monday through Friday between 8 p.m. and 5 a.m. for three weeks.

Fruit Street in Hopkinton will be open to only local traffic between North Street and Saddle Hill Road while detours are in place. The demolition work requires temporary overnight detours. During this time, the following signed detour routes will be in place for vehicles traveling on Fruit Street:

Westbound traffic looking to cross over I-495: Turn left to head south on Saddle Hill Road. Turn slightly right onto Walker Street, then turn right onto Wood Street (Route 135 West) and continue until you reach Fruit Street.

Eastbound traffic looking to cross over I-495: Follow detour signage in place to

Wood Street (Route 135 East). Turn left onto Walker Street, then continue onto Saddle Hill Road until you reach Fruit Street.

New ramp

Ramp WN will connect the westbound lane of the Massachusetts Turnpike to Route 495 northbound. It will be a

single lane, with about 1,500 feet over the spur tracks at Cumberland Farms.

The ramp to 495 will also add an auxiliary lane to Route 9.

MassDOT officials said they plan to restore the wetlands around that area.

Construction should begin by the end of the year.

Stay Informed

If someone you know would like to subscribe to receive project updates, meeting notices and traffic impact advisories, visit www.mass. gov/massdot/495-90interchange.

To report a noise complaint, please call the project hotline: 508-676-3551.

Transform your home with window treatments from Simply Windows

By Kathryn Acciari Contributing Writer

WESTBOROUGH – When decorating their homes, the windows of a room are often the last feature to be considered.

Kendra Weldon, owner of Simply Windows of Westborough, and her team of designers, have a multitude of ideas that can make window decor complement and highlight a room’s presentation.

“Window decor can tie together your room’s overall design,” said Weldon. “Similar to adding a tie or scarf to an outfit, window treatments finish the room’s look and feel.”

Weldon has an extensive background in interior design. She graduated from the Chamberlayne School of Design and spent over 15 years working in home design before opening Simply Windows.

“I discovered there was a need for design professionals who focus on windows,” said

Weldon. “Windows require treatments that are both functional and attractive. I enjoy that challenge.”

Weldon and her team offer valuable input and expertise to homeowners, business own-

ers, and other design professionals.

At Simply Windows, the design process starts with an on-site consultation. Fabric samples are provided so that the client can see how they

Owner

seeing a trend in contemporary selections, simple treatments that integrate into the room’s design, adding texture and depth.”

Clients may also visit the showroom at Simply Windows to review their vast selection of shutters, blinds, shades, and fabric options.

“We strive to deliver stunning window features within each client’s budget. Such a wide array of choices are available; I am always confident that our clients will have a wonderful end-result,” said Weldon.

look in the space.

“Just like bringing home paint chips, being able to see how a fabric works in the actual room is an invaluable part of the design process,” said Weldon. “This year, we are

Simply Windows proudly serves Boston, MetroWest, and Central Massachusetts. Visit their website at simplywindows.com or call (508) 544-2813 to schedule a consultation with a designer.

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

This photo shows floorto-ceiling draperies by Simply Windows.

Kendra Weldon says window decor can tie a room’s design together.

PHOTO/COURTESY KENDRA WELDON

Ransford Pest Control service manager celebrates 25 years

SHREWSBURY - Benjamin

Gianakos II is celebrating 25 years at Ransford Pest Control.

Gianakos who is the Service Manager, supervising the entire technician team at Ransford, started in May of 1998. His employment was recommended by his father, Ben Gianakos Sr., who has now been working at Ransford for over 40 years.

Ransford has been incredibly lucky to have had the benefits of decades of experience and hard work from the Gianakos family.

Gianakos advises all customers, both residential and commercial, on controlling a variety of pests.

“Communication and cooperation are imperative for successful pest control,” he said. “We work together with our customers as a team; we thoroughly inspect, provide detailed reports and advise them on changes they can

make to help us achieve the goal of a pest-free home or business.”

Gianakos continued, “Sometimes little things can make a big difference, moving a bird feeder, adding weather stripping or replacing the seal of a garage door. This collaboration with the customer, along with our pest treatments ensure a successful outcome.”

Gianakos noted a recent report from the CDC on the rise of tick-borne diseases in the Northeast. Ransford has had a busy spring season with tick and mosquito treatments.

“It’s beneficial to start tick and mosquito treatments early in the spring,” said Gianakos. “This ensures the best control for the summer months.”

Gianakos also noted “ A common problem in the early spring is misidentifying small, winged insects seen in or around the home. Quite often homeowners are seeing swarming termites, and this is evidence of subterranean termites in or around the home structure.”

Ransford uses a superior termite product to eliminate this problem around your home. Contact Ransford Pest Control at 508-756-5197 or ransfordpc.com for your pest control needs.

SHREWSBURY – Central One Federal Credit Union is the title sponsor for the upcoming Corridor 9/495 Regional Chamber of Commerce 37th annual School/Business Partnership Golf Tournament.

The proceeds of the tournament go toward the chamber’s scholarship program for graduating high school seniors and fosters business development programs for members of the chamber.

The tournament is sched-

uled for Thursday, June 15 at Juniper Hill.

For more information on the tournament, visit https:// corridorninema.chambermaster.com/events/details/37thannual-school-business-partnership-golf-tournament-1656.

Central One Federal Credit Union has branches located in Auburn, Northborough, Shrewsbury, Westborough and Worcester. Their Milford branch is slated to open this spring.

Benjamin Gianakos II

Carlene Covino, David Kaiser, Karen Chapman, and Devon Lyon pose for a photo.

RenovoMD welcomes new doctor Boulay, Thomas to leave Shrewsbury Planning Board

NORTHBOROUGH – RenovoMD is proud to welcome Dr. David Tiber to their talented team of medical professionals. With extensive experience in aesthetic medicine, Dr. Tiber received his medical degree from Rutgers Medical School, completed his residency at the University of Miami, and his pediatric intensive care fellowship at Stanford. Throughout his career, Dr. Tiber has had a special interest in non-surgical procedures such as Botox, fillers, and laser treatments.

At RenovoMD, Dr. Tiber will work alongside RenovoMD’s owner and medical director Dr. Jean Casello. and the rest of the team to offer services including Botox and fillers, laser skin rejuvenation, and CoolSculpting.

“We are overjoyed to have Dr. Tiber join our team,” said Casello. “His expertise in aesthetic medicine, combined with his passion for helping

David Tiber

patients look and feel their best, makes him a valuable addition to our practice.”

Dr. Tiber is currently accepting new patients at RenovoMD’s office located at 96 W Main St., Northborough.

To schedule an appointment or learn more, contact the office at 508-393-6398 or visit them on the web at www. RenovoMD.com.

By Evan Walsh Reporter

SHREWSBURY – At the end of the Planning Board’s April 13 meeting, Chair Steven Boulay and member Joseph Thomas announced that they would not be returning to the board for the upcoming term.

Boulay will be moving out of Shrewsbury and therefore will no longer be eligible to participate in meetings. Boulay said that this would be his last meeting with the board.

Thomas, whose term expires on June 30, has asked not to be reappointed to the board.

Boulay expressed appreciation for his colleagues after his announcement.

“I just wanted to say thank you to all of the board members that are present here this evening for all the service, time, and support I’ve gotten over the years that I’ve been working with you,” Boulay said.

Boulay also thanked town

staff and previous planning board members.

“I will miss everyone. I promise I’ll be coming back to visit every once in a while,” he continued.

Boulay moved to adjourn the meeting, but board members wouldn’t let him leave without recognizing and complimenting him.

“I’m going to miss you greatly,” Thomas said, “I’ve learned a lot from you; you’ve always done well for the community, [and] you’ve done well for this board. You have — whether it’s the biggest project or the smallest project

— you’ve tackled it exactly the same. I give you all the credit in the world, and I wish you the best.”

Other board members echoed Thomas’ sentiment. Timothy Jarry thanked Boulay for his leadership.

“I think your demeanor in handling these meetings — in particular the last few — has been really admirable. Thank you for your time and service,” he said.

The town of Shrewsbury is now accepting applications to serve on the planning board. Applications available via the town’s website.

“ You’ve always done well for the community, [and] you’ve done well for this board … I give you all the credit in the world, and I wish you the best.

Joseph Thomas

POLICE FIRE&

Suspect in attempted killing arrested by

By Maureen Sullivan Assistant Editor

MARLBOROUGH – A man from Marlborough was taken into custody by state police after a pursuit on routes 20, 95 and 93 on Thursday, April 27.

Mark T. Donahue, 41, is suspected in what police describe as an attempted murder that took place in Marlborough.

At around 9:50 p.m., Massachusetts State Police were notified that Weston Police were in pursuit of a 2022 Toyota Highlander SUV. The pursuit was on Route 20 approaching Route 95. State troopers responded to the area and assumed a secondary position in the pursuit as it entered Route 95.

state police

State troopers moved into the primary pursuit position as the suspect continued to flee on Route 95 and onto Route 93. Pursuing agencies were notified that the suspect was in possession of a knife.

A trooper deployed “stop sticks,” a tire-deflation device, on the highway ahead of the suspect vehicle. At approximately 10:15 p.m., the Highlander struck the sticks and sustained tire damage. Several troopers then used their cruisers to box-in the suspect vehicle in the left lane of 93 North and brought it to a complete stop a quarter-mile south of the Granite Avenue exit in Milton.

Troopers approached the Highlander and found the sus-

pect to have serious, suspected self-inflicted lacerations. They removed him from the vehicle and performed first aid. Troopers requested EMS, and an ambulance transported the suspect to Boston Medical Center with a police escort. A trooper recovered two knives from the Highlander.

Marlborough Police assumed custody of the suspect.

According to a story posted by NECN, Marlborough Police “would only characterize the incident that led to the pursuit as a ‘disturbance,’ and said the nature of what happened prevented them from sharing more details.

The investigation was ongoing as of Monday, May 1.

Two men arrested by Shrewsbury police on OUI, firearms charges

By Maureen Sullivan

Assistant Editor

SHREWSBURY – Two local men are facing several charges, including possession of a firearm without a license, following a traffic stop on April 24.

Around 2:41 a.m., Shrewsbury police said it conducted a traffic stop of a gray 2014 BMW at the corner of Lake Street and Boston Turnpike for marked lanes violations.

The driver was identified

POLICE LOG

The information in the police log is obtained directly from the official records maintained at each police station in our circulation area. Those arrested are innocent until proven guilty. The Community Advocate will publish news of acquittals upon notification and a copy of court issued documentation.

Marlborough battalion chief calls it a career

By Ron Ayotte Contributing Writer

MARLBOROUGH –

Marlborough Battalion Chief Brian Gould worked his final tour of duty on April 24, 2023.

A small collation to wish him well was held at fire headquarters at 215 Maple St., and it was attended by both active firefighters and retirees.

Marlborough

Monday, April 17

6:46 p.m. Arrested, Rita Boaheng, 34, of 6 Hollis St., Worcester, for larceny over $1200 by single scheme, conspiracy; and Hilda Agyei, 20, of 6 Hollis St., Worcester, for larceny over $1200 by single scheme, conspiracy.

Wednesday, April 19

as Javier Orellano-Linares

Jr., 29, of Clinton. As a result of the officer’s observations, Orellano-Linares was placed under arrest for allegedly being under the influence of liquor, according to a press release from Shrewsbury police.

During the investigation, officers observed a black fanny pack-style bag at the feet of a passenger. Officers located a loaded firearm inside of that bag, according to police. The firearm was a Smith & Wesson M&P Shield, .40 caliber, with

8:40 a.m. Arrested, Scott M. Cooper, 52, of 161 Worster Dr., Marlborough, on true warrant.

Friday, April 21

12:10 p.m. Arrested, Jovi M. Liborio, 33, of 198 West Main St., Apt. 1, Marlborough, for A&B with weapon.

Shrewsbury

Monday, April 24 10:13 p.m. Arrested, Michael S. Laperle-Whalen, 24, of 5 Fontaine St., Millbury, for OUI liquor, neg operation of MV (operate to endanger).

Westborough

Thursday, April 20

9:49 a.m. Arrested , Destinyimani

Delianina Blass, 28, of 919 Norwest Dr., Norwood, for OUI-liquor or .08%, negligent operation of motor vehicle, intoxicated licensee carry firearm, OUIdrugs, improper store firearm, state highway violation.

5:58 p.m. Arrested , Jeffrey Terrell Joyner, 33, of 16B Rock Ave., Hudson, for default warrant, MV not meeting RMV safety standards, op MV with license suspended.

six rounds in the magazine and one round loaded into the chamber.

The passenger — identified as Tyler Masciarelli, 32, of Marlborough — did not have a license to carry firearms.

Orellano-Linares was arrested and charged with OUI liquor (second offense) and marked lanes violation.

Masciarelli was arrested and charged with possession of a firearm without a license and carrying a loaded firearm without a license.

Sunday, April 23

8:20 a.m. Arrested, Jane Eileen McNamee, 59, of 10B Mayberry Dr., Apt. 1, Westborough, for OUI-liquor or .08% 2nd offense, negligent operation of motor vehicle, marked lanes violation.

9:08 p.m. Arrested, Barbara E. Dejesus, 35, of 11 Rodney St., Apt. 1, Worcester, for shoplifting by asportation, and Hector Manuel Feliciano Martinez, 40, of 87 Gage St., Apt. 2, Worcester, for shoplifting by asportation, default warrant.

Tuesday, April 25

11:09 p.m. Arrested , Marvia Cecile Wagnac, 23, of 56 Posco Ave., Leominster, for intimidate witness/juror/police/ court official, A&B on police officer (2 cts).

Wednesday, April 26

8:41 a.m. Arrested , Robson Sousa Moura, 37, of 65 Howard St., Milford, on straight warrant.

9:50 a.m. Arrested, Vincent Penney, 60, of 58 N Main St., Apt. 314, Charlton, for assault with dangerous weapon, vandalize property.

10:22 p.m. Arrested, Amy L. TatreauSmith, 42, of 36 Parkhurst St., Apt. 1, Milford, for OUI-liquor or .08% 2nd offense, negligent operation of motor vehicle, fail to stop/yield.

Gould started his career with the Marlborough Fire Department in April 1998. He was promoted to lieutenant in 2006 and to captain in 2015. He got promoted to the rank of battalion chief in 2017. He served most of his career on Group 4, and when he got appointed battalion chief, he went to Group 2.

During his career, Gould served as a member of the ju-

venile fire setters intervention team. Gould is also an instructor at the Department of Fire Services/Massachusetts Firefighting Academy. His uncle, Paul Lefevre, is a retired Marlborough firefighter.

Gould resides in Marlborough with his wife Elita, and they have three grown children: Ian, Kathryn and Bethany. Now that he is retired, he said he plans to spend time in Maine.

Marlborough Battalion Chief Brian Gould has retired

PROBATE & FAMILY COURT INFORMAL PROBATE PUBLICATION NOTICE

Docket No. WO23P0612EA

Commonwealth of Massachusetts

The Trial Court

Worcester Division

Probate and Family Court

Estate of: Frances Elizabeth Anderson

Date of Death: February 3, 2023

To all persons interested in the above captioned estate by Petition of Petitioner Karena Anderson Hansen of Northborough, MA.

A Will has been admitted to informal probate.

Karena Anderson Hansen of Northborough, MA has been informally appointed as the Personal Representative of the estate to serve without surety on the bond.

The estate is being administered under informal procedure by the Personal Representative under the Massachusetts Uniform Probate Code without supervision by the Court.  Inventory and accounts are not required to be filed with the Court, but interested parties are entitled to notice regarding the administration from the Personal Representative and can petition the Court in any matter relating to the estate, including distribution of assets and expenses of administration.  Interested parties are entitled to petition the Court to institute formal proceedings and to obtain orders terminating or restricting the powers of Personal Representatives appointed under informal procedure.  A copy of the Petition and Will, if any, can be obtained from the Petitioner.

INFORMAL PROBATE PUBLICATION NOTICE

Docket No. WO23P0955EA

Commonwealth of Massachusetts

The Trial Court

Worcester Division

Probate and Family Court

Estate of: Richard James Boutilier

Also Known as: Richard J. Boutilier

Date of Death: November 26, 2022

To all persons interested in the above captioned estate, by Petition of Petitioners Craig R. Boutilier of Northborough, MA and Nancy W. Boutilier of Concord, MAA Will has been admitted to informal probate.

The estate is being administered under informal procedure by the Personal Representative under the Massachusetts Uniform Probate Code without supervision by the Court. Inventory and accounts are not required to be filed with the Court, but interested parties are entitled to notice regarding the administration from the Personal Representative and can petition the Court in any matter relating to the estate, including distribution of assets and expenses of administration. Interested parties are entitled to petition the Court to institute formal proceedings and to obtain orders terminating or restricting the powers of Personal Representatives appointed under informal procedure. A copy of the Petition and Will, if any, can be obtained from the Petitioner.

OFFICE OF THE CITY CLERK MARLBOROUGH, MA 01752

LEGAL NOTICE

Public Hearing –Proposed Zoning Amendment to Chapter 650, §36 Executive Residential Overlay District.

Notice is hereby given that the City Council of the City of Marlborough will hold a PUBLIC HEARING on Monday, May 22, 2023, at 8:00 PM in the City Council Chamber, 2nd floor, City Hall, 140 Main Street, Marlborough, Massachusetts to amend Chapter 650, to amend provisions of §36 “Executive Residential Overlay District.

BE IT ORDAINED BY THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF MARLBOROUGH THAT THE CODE OF THE CITY OF MARLBOROUGH, AS MOST RECENTLY AMENDED, BE FURTHER AMENDED BY AMENDING THE ZONING ORDINANCE OF THE CITY OF MARLBOROUGH, MASSACHUSETTS, SECTION 650-36, AS FOLLOWS:

Amend Section 650-36.C(1) as follows (new text underlined):

The City Council shall be the permit granting authority for special permits and site plan approvals in the EROD. Special permits shall require a two-thirds-vote of the City Council, except as modified by M.G.L. c. 40A; site plan approvals shall require a simple majority vote.

Amend Section 650-36.D(2) as follows (deleted text in strikethrough, new text underlined):

Multifamily dwellings, provided that the total number of units within the entire EROD shall not exceed 475 950.

Mixed-use development, consisting of a combination of by right or special permit residential/business uses as listed in this section (§650-36, et seq.)

Per Order of the City Council #23-1008872

NORTHBOROUGH

TOWN OF NORTHBOROUGH

ZONING BOARD OF APPEALS

Town Hall Offices

63 Main Street Northborough, MA 01532

508-393-5040 x7 • 508-393-6996 Fax

Public Hearing Notice Northborough Zoning Board of Appeals

In accordance with the provisions of MGL Chapter 40A, Section 9, the Northborough Zoning Board of Appeals will hold public hearings on Tuesday, May 23, 2023 at 7pm to consider the applications below.

Pursuant to Chapter 2 of the Acts of 2023, An Act Relative to Extending Certain COVID-19 Measures Adopted During the State of Emergency, signed into law on March 29, 2023, this meeting will be conducted via remote participation.  No in-person attendance by members of the public will be permitted. To participate in the public comment portions of this meeting from a PC, Mac, iPad, iPhone or Android device, please click this URL to join: https://town-northborough-ma-us.zoom.

us/j/84075375325 Or join by phone: +1

646 876 9923 Webinar ID: 840 7537 5325

Passcode: 311390

Live Stream link YouTube: https://www. youtube.com/channel/UCRdBrw3HeEAMB_

KFKasrgXA

To consider the petition of 78 W LLC for a Dimensional Variance for insufficient area, Special Permit to expand a non-conforming structure, Special Permits for multi-family use in the Downtown Business District and

Groundwater Protection Overlay District Areas 2 and 3, Special Permit to extend a use into a more restricted Groundwater Protection Overlay District by no more than 50 feet, and Special Permit with Site Plan Review, for a proposed multi-family expansion to an existing structure at 78 West Main Street, Map 63, Parcel 55.

To consider the petition of Victoria Cammarano for a Special Permit for indoor commercial recreation use and Special Permit with Site Plan Approval for the operation of a yoga and meditation studio on the property located at 299 West Main Street, Map 82, Parcel 7, in the Business West Zoning District.

To consider the petition of NBI Northborough LLC for a Special Permit to extend a non-conforming use, and Special Permit with Site Plan Approval to expand an existing trucking terminal by 12,218 square feet and 20 loading docks, and to construct a new 10,780 square foot accessory maintenance facility on the property located at 300 Bartlett Street, Map 67, Parcel 7, in the Industrial District.

These applications are on file in the Planning Office and can viewed online at: https://www.town.northborough.ma.us/ zoning-board-appeals/pages/currentlyunder-review-zba

Brad Blanchette, Clerk

SHREWSBURY

NOTICE OF HEARING - G.L. CHAPTER 131, S. 40

Notice is hereby given in accordance with the provisions of General Laws, Chapter 131, s. 40, that Gary & Patricia Sweet, P.O. Box 4323, Shrewsbury, MA, have filed a Notice of Intent for the construction of a portion of a single family home and driveway at 230A Gulf Street.

A public hearing will be held on the above notice at 7:00 p.m. on Thursday Evening, May 25, 2023, in the Selectman’s Room at Shrewsbury Town Hall, 100 Maple Avenue, Shrewsbury, MA 01545.

SHREWSBURY CONSERVATION COMMISSION

John Ostrosky, Chairman

NOTICE OF HEARING - G.L. CHAPTER 131, S. 40

Notice is hereby given in accordance with the provisions of General Laws, Chapter 131, s. 40, that John Cignetti, 16 Brooklawn Parkway, Shrewsbury, MA, have filed a Request for Determination of Applicability for the removal of 3 trees adjacent to 8, 16, and 20 Brooklawn Parkway.

A public hearing will be held on the above notice at 7:00 p.m. on Thursday Evening, May 25, 2023, in the Selectman’s Room at Shrewsbury Town Hall, 100 Maple Avenue, Shrewsbury, MA 01545.

SHREWSBURY CONSERVATION COMMISSION

John Ostrosky, Chairman

NOTICE OF HEARING - G.L. CHAPTER 131, S. 40

Notice is hereby given in accordance with the provisions of General Laws, Chapter 131, s. 40, that Victor Deoliveira, 272 South Quinsigamond Avenue, Shrewsbury, MA, has filed a Notice of Intent for the removal and replacement of existing asphalt, the installation of vertical curbing and the elimination of stormwater ponding at Stoneland Road.

A public hearing will be held on the above notice at 7:00 p.m. on Thursday Evening,

May 25, 2023, in the Selectman’s Room at Shrewsbury Town Hall, 100 Maple Avenue, Shrewsbury, MA 01545.

SHREWSBURY CONSERVATION COMMISSION

John Ostrosky, Chairman

TOWN OF SHREWSBURY

ZONING BOARD OF APPEALS

PUBLIC HEARINGS

RICHARD D. CARNEY MUNICIPAL OFFICE BUILDING 100 MAPLE AVENUE SHREWSBURY, MA

May 22, 2023

6:30 PM

To hear the appeal of William Gaudettte, 400 Oak Street, Shrewsbury MA for Variance to the Shrewsbury Zoning Bylaw Section VII.B – Table II to construct a deck with a nonconforming rear yard setback of  31.9 feet on a pre-existing nonconforming dwelling in the Residence B-2 zoning district. The subject premise is described on the Shrewsbury Assessor’s Tax Plate 46 Plot 107000.

Peter C. Mulcahy, Clerk

NOTICE OF HEARING - G.L. CHAPTER 131, S. 40

Notice is hereby given in accordance with the provisions of General Laws, Chapter 131, s. 40, that Adam Mason, 27 Edgemere Boulevard, Shrewsbury, MA, has filed a Request for Determination of Applicability for the replacement of a roof and associated site work at 23 Bay View Drive.

A public hearing will be held on the above notice at 7:00 p.m. on Thursday Evening, May 25, 2023, in the Selectman’s Room at Shrewsbury Town Hall, 100 Maple Avenue, Shrewsbury, MA 01545.

SHREWSBURY CONSERVATION

COMMISSION

John

Ostrosky, Chairman

TOWN OF SHREWSBURY

Sealed bids are requested by the Town Manager for BITUMINOUS CONCRETE and PATCH MATERIALS for various Town departments for requirements for the year ending June 30, 2024.

Specifications and quantities required may be obtained at the Highway Division office, Municipal Office Building, 100 Maple Avenue, Shrewsbury, Massachusetts 01545.

All bids must be submitted on forms furnished by the Town.

Specifications can be downloaded from the Towns Website www.Shrewsburyma.gov/ bids.

All bids shall be sealed and appropriately marked “Bituminous Concrete and Patch Materials”.

Bids will be received in the Town Manager’s Office, 100 Maple Avenue, Shrewsbury, MA 01545 until 1:00 p.m., Thursday May 25, 2023 at which time and place they will be publicly opened and read.

All bids must meet the Commonwealth of Massachusetts Department of Public Works Standard Specifications for Highways, Bridges and Waterways (2022).

The Town of Shrewsbury acting through its Town Manager reserves the right to reject any and all bids and to award the bid it deems to be in the best interests of the Town pursuant to General Laws Chapter 30B.

TOWN OF SHREWSBURY

Kevin J. Mizikar

Town Manager

May 8, 2023

Specifications for Bituminous Concrete and Bituminous Patch Materials May 2023

Bids shall be sealed and appropriately marked “BITUMINOUS CONCRETE and BITUMINOUS PATCH MATERIALS” and will be received in the Office of the Town Manager, 100 Maple Avenue, Shrewsbury, MA 01545, until 1:00 p.m., on Thursday May 25, 2023 at which time and place they will be publicly opened and read aloud.

GENERAL CONDITIONS

1. STANDARD SPECIFICATIONS. All materials supplied under this bid shall meet the Commonwealth of Massachusetts Department of Public Works Standard Specifications for Highways, Bridges and Waterways (2022 Edition).

2. BID FORMS. All bids must be submitted on the attached Bid Form.

3. CONTRACT. The successful bidder will be required to enter into a contract with the Town of Shrewsbury.

4. INDEMNIFICATION. The Contractor agrees to guarantee and indemnify the Owner against all damages or loss the Owner may incur or sustain by or through the misconduct or negligence of any agent, servant or employee of the Contractor during the performance of services required by this contract. The Contractor further agrees to maintain adequate insurance to ensure compliance with the above provision. The Contractor shall, to the maximum extent permitted by law, indemnify and save harmless the Town of Shrewsbury, its officers, agents and employees from and against any and all damages, liabilities, actions, suits, proceedings, claims, demands, losses, costs and expenses (including reasonable attorney’s fees) that may arise out of or in connection with the work being performed or to be performed by the Contractor, his/ her employees, agents, subcontractors or material persons. The existence of insurance shall in no way limit the scope of this indemnification. The Contractor further agrees to reimburse the Town of Shrewsbury for damage to its property caused by the Contractor, his/ her employees, agents, subcontractors or material persons, including damages caused by his/her, its or their use of faulty, defective or unsuitable material or equipment, unless the damage is caused by the Town of Shrewsbury’s gross negligence or willful misconduct.

5. BID AWARD. The award will be made to the responsive and responsible bidder that offers the best price pursuant to General Laws Chapter 30B. This contract is not being awarded pursuant to General Laws Chapter 30, Section 39M.

SPECIFIC CONDITIONS

1. The contract under this bid may be awarded separately to various vendors determined by price.

2. All pick up of materials must state product and weights.

3. The weights shall be on a computerized delivery ticket for each delivery, indicating the net weight, tare weight, gross weight and product.

4. All bituminous and incidental materials must meet the Commonwealth of Massachusetts Department of Public Works Standard Specifications for Highway Bridges and Waterways (2022) Sections M3.11.00., Class I and all applicable sections.

5. All materials bid shall be picked up at the plant by various Town departments.

6. There shall be no restrictions at any time, on the amount of material/materials that may be picked up.

MATERIALS

M3.11.00 Class I Bituminous Concrete

M3.11.01 General

These mixtures shall be composed of mineral aggregate, mineral filler (if re-

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THE RELENTLESS PURSUIT OF HEALING

KHAHNTY

Marlborough boys volleyball shuts down Assabet COMMUNITY SPORTS

By Evan Walsh Reporter

MARLBOROUGH – In an energy-filled and action-packed game, the Marlborough High School Panthers boys’ volleyball team soundly defeated the Assabet Valley Regional Technical High School Aztecs by a score of 3-0 last Friday afternoon.

The Aztecs were within striking distance for much of the game, but they were never able to gather enough momentum to challenge Marlborough.

The Panthers won the first two sets. Marlborough jumped out to a commanding lead in the third set, scoring the first six points. Assabet pushed back — as it had done throughout the game — but Marlborough proved to be too much and won the third set by a score of 25-16.

Chris Lowe, the Marlbor -

ough boys’ volleyball coach, was pleased with his team’s performance.

“It went great,” he said. “We stuck together. Volleyball goes best when you have fun playing it and play it as a team, and we did that really well today, so I’m really proud of [the players].”

The win was extra special for Lowe. After the victory, Lowe brought the team over to the stands to meet several of his family members and closest friends who were in attendance.

“This is our only real Friday home game of the year, so my college friends and

their wives came. One of my friends from work is here, and my parents came in from New York today to support the kids,” he said.

For Lowe’s mother, “supporting the kids” meant delivering a batch of homemade cookies. The team was incredibly excited and headed to the

locker room to enjoy a surprise postgame treat.

The Aztecs fall to 2-7 after they later fell to Worcester Technical High School on May 1. They faced Bay Path Regional Vocational Technical High School May 3.

The Panthers snap a fourgame losing streak and improve to 3-6. Marlborough later fell to North Middlesex May 1.

“We have a few tough games coming up. We definitely have some things we need to clean up, which we’ll work on in practice, but the biggest thing is sticking together,” Lowe said prior to the North Middlesex game.

“It’s easier to stick together in a game where you have the lead and are winning… it gets tougher when your backs are up against the wall. We have to keep working on sticking together and doing what we do,” he said.

Marlborough coach Chris Lowe coaches his players during a timeout.

PHOTO/EVAN WALSH

St. John’s boys’ tennis outlasts Shrewsbury

By Evan Walsh Reporter

SHREWSBURY – An intertown rivalry was renewed last Friday as the St. John’s Pioneers defeated the Shrewsbury Colonials by a score of 4-1 in a hard-fought afternoon of boys’ tennis.

The Pioneers decisively took the first two singles games. Hriday Karthik won in straight sets (6-1, 6-2) against Shrewsbury’s Krish Gupta, and Agamjot Kukreja defeated Mihir Patil in a similar fashion (6-0, 6-3).

However, after standout Shrewsbury freshman Tysan Dang defeated Tejas Balaji (6-2, 6-2), closing the gap between the Pioneers and Colonials to 2-1, the attention shifted toward the two highly competitive doubles matches.

On one court, St. John’s Arjun Nargolwala and Lukas Pannenborg took the court against Shrewsbury’s Raghav Kanzaria and Harish Rajago -

palan. Kanzaria and Rajagopalan took the first set 6-4 for the Colonials, but Nargolwala and Pannenborg battled back and won the second set 6-2 to even the match.

On the other court, St. John’s Andrew D’Angelo and Rushil Mohan won the first set 6-4, while Shrewsbury’s Arjun Kataria and Shrikar Jemolla won the second set 6-3.

The crowd — mostly from

St. John’s, although several Shrewsbury fans made the short trip — descended upon the adjacent courts holding the two doubles matches. Loud cheers came from both fanbases. Shrewsbury needed to win both doubles matches to defeat the St. John’s team, and after two back-and-forth sets, nobody quite knew which players were going to emerge victorious and capture

the momentum.

However, St. John’s soon took control of both matches.

Nargolwala and Pannenborg took the third set 6-2, while D’Angelo and Mohan blanked the Shrewsbury team in their deciding set, winning 6-0.

The loss ended a five-game winning streak for the Colonials, who had been dominating their competition. Now 6-3, Shrewsbury faces two

red-hot teams — Westborough and Longmeadow — over the next week.

St. John’s improved its record to 6-3 beating Catholic Memorial May 1 before traveling to Danvers to face an undefeated St. John’s Preparatory School team.

The Pioneers and the Colonials will meet again at Shrewsbury High School on May 11.

A St. John’s doubles team celebrates after winning a point.

A Shrewsbury player redirects the ball back to the St. John’s players.

PHOTOS/EVAN WALSH

Camp & Activity Guide

COMMUNITY SCHOOLS

Bus drivers may go on strike May 8

By Maureen Sullivan Assistant Editor

REGION – Schools in Westborough, Marlborough and Framingham are bracing for a possible strike by school bus drivers next week.

According to a Facebook post, Teamsters Local 170, the union representing the drivers, issued a 10-day notice to the three school districts on Thursday, April 27.

“Teamsters Local 170 issued a strike notice to their vendor, NRT Bus, that on May 8th we plan to strike if a contract has not been reached,” according to the post. “These 150 drivers reached out to Teamsters Local 170 and overwhelmingly voted for us to represent them.”

The local said that “after more than 41 negotiation sessions with NRT and very little movement by the company, long caucuses, which resulted in no movement, we made the decision to issue a strike notice.”

Local 170 added that they will continue to negotiate with NRT Bus through Sunday, May 7.

“While we respect our employees’ federally protected right to strike, we are extremely saddened that the Teamsters are considering moving forward with a strike, particularly given the progress that we’ve made in our collective bargaining discussions over the last few months,” said a spokesperson

for NRT Bus on Sunday, April 30.

“Since January 2023, NRT has actively and respectfully negotiated in good faith with the union, and this includes attending every meeting and remaining in discussion for as long as requested. We are deeply committed to creating and maintaining a work environment that is supportive of our drivers and the communities that rely on us to provide safe and reliable transportation for the children in our care.

“We remain optimistic that we will reach a fair and mutually agreeable resolution.”

Mary Murphy, the superintendent for Marlborough Public Schools, said the district received the notice from the Teamsters on Friday, April 28.

“We shared that this potential strike comes from the inability for Teamsters Local 170 Union, who represent Marl-

Members of Teamsters Local 170 and their supporters held an informational picket in Marlborough in April.

borough bus drivers, and North Reading Transportation, who employ the bus drivers, to suc-

cessfully negotiate a contract. This is a labor matter between the two parties that the Marlborough Public Schools has no control over.”

Murphy also described the impact a strike could have on the district.

“If the strike materializes, the impact to our students will be significant. We normally transport up to 3,800 students daily, many of whom have no alternative transportation option to school and every minute in school is valuable. Additionally, many of our students rely on services provided at school including daily breakfast and lunch.”

She said the district is creating plans to “minimize the impact,” and hoped that NRT and the drivers can reach a settlement before the deadline.

A letter sent to Westborough Public Schools Superintendent Amber Bock advised of the “likely” strike, and the disruptions it may cause.

Drivers held informational pickets in Westborough and Marlborough over the past couple of months in an effort to raise awareness about ongoing negotiations.

Among the top issues — wages, benefits, and the way NRT determines where drivers are assigned, and for how long.

YMCA honors BORO Program with diversity award

WESTBOROUGH – Students of the BORO Program have been volunteering at the YMCA Boroughs Family branch since the fall of 2021 under the supervision of Slader Lyell, senior experience director for the branch.

The opportunity to engage in the various work tasks that the YMCA has to offer has allowed these students to transfer skills learned in the BORO Sugar Shack to other vocational environments, and it has also provided them the opportunity to regularly socialize with other members of their home community. In recognition of the work

that BORO students have done, the YMCA of Central Massachusetts awarded the BORO Program its award for 2023 Global Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Volunteer of the Year at its 159th annual meeting and volunteer recognition event on April 26.

Accepting the award on behalf of the BORO Program and the Westborough Public Schools were current student volunteers Lydia Ferreira, Hunter Tompkins and Pranav Hariharan, as well as BORO special education teacher Angelina McCarthy and BORO Program Director Erin LaPrad.

Hunter Tompkins and Lydia Ferreira, student volunteers for the BORO Program, with the award from the YMCA.

PHOTO/LAURA HAYES

Camp & Activity Guide

COMMUNITY SCHOOLS

Algonquin Inclusive DECA hits the runway

By Evan Walsh Reporter

NORTHBOROUGH – Throughout the day, the Algonquin Regional High School cafeteria operated as usual — over 1,000 students entered and exited the room during lunch period. However, by the afternoon, students had completely transformed the space. What was once a collection of tables and chairs became an elaborately decorated fashion runaway, and the show was about to begin.

In late March, Algonquin’s Inclusive Distributive Education Clubs of America (DECA) program held a fashion show that showcased several unique outfits and the school’s ability to meaningfully include those with different abilities.

According to a press release given to the Community Advocate, “Inclusive DECA is a business club for students with and without intellectual disabilities. Students learn the basics of business processes such as interview skills, marketing, inventory control, working in groups, money management, and so much more with handson activities to create products and plan events.”

Families, friends, and community members cheered as club members made their way down the runway. Models were met with thunderous applause and a chorus of “oohs”

and “aahs.” Each model chose their own outfits for the show, displaying a broad range of personal styles.

“It was great,” Algonquin student and event emcee Jessica Valentine said. “[The atmosphere] was very positive and it was a lot of fun. Everyone got to see the amazing models.”

The fashion show was the result of months of planning by students in the Inclusive DECA program and club advisor Zybsia Giegucz.

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thing different [and] we have a different theme we do,” Giegucz said. “This year, we decided to do something fun… the kids saw that there are a lot of kids with different abilities that are actual fashion models, so they thought it would be a fun idea to do it.”

While Giegucz clearly had a large role in coordinating and running the event, she continually attributed the success of the event to the group.

“They picked out all their outfits… they coordinated…

and they did the backdrop. They put the whole thing together… we were here after school decorating the place. There are some kids from Inclusive DECA doing concessions because they didn’t want to model. Everyone had a part in it… whether it was doing the flyers [or] advertising… every kid did something,” she said. At the end of the event, club members shared a group hug before finding their families and friends in the audience. Many people took pictures

on the runway, against the backdrop, and all around the cafeteria filled with streamers, glitz, and glamour. Before long, winners of the raffle were announced.

Inclusion was the word of the night.

“We feel that every person, no matter what your ability or disability, you have something to offer,” Giegucz said. “We pull out what the kids can do, and we all work together and try to build each other up. Everyone had something they can do, and we find what the student can do, and we work on it.”

Catherine Campbell, one of the event’s models, clearly had a great time.

“It was really fun,” she told the Community Advocate.

Top left: Shane Curran strikes a pose as he makes his way down the runway.

Top right: Inclusive DECA advisor Zbysia Giegucz receives flowers and embraces a member of the club after the event’s grand finale.

Bottom right: Megan Chute, Jessica Valentine, and Betsy Bertonazzi (back, left to right) show their support as Catherine Campbell (front, center) begins her walk down the runway.

PHOTOS/EVAN WALSH