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Uxbridge Times “Your Hometown News” Vo LUME 26 • ISSUE 4
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Uxbridge • North Uxbridge • Linwood • Douglas • Northbridge • Whitinsville • Sutton • Manchaug
Watershed in search of monitors
Spring Cleanups announced by BHC
In preparation for the annual spring “The momentum is building in Mendon cleanup season, Blackstone Heritage after last year’s cleanup where over 75 Corridor, Inc. (BHC) reached out to volunteers came out,” noted Combs. each community within the National “We’re pleased to see such enthusiasm Heritage Corridor and has a couple of from the community to keep it clean.” exciting new additions this year. For Volunteers can register and select a starters, the Town of Uxbridge is kick- street at Mendonma.gov/cleanup. ing off the 2017 cleanApril 8th is also a up season with a town- “The Board of Health busy day in Worcester, wide cleanup on Satwhere the Regional and DPW were very urday, April 1st from Environmental Council supportive, as well as hosts its 28th Annual 9:00 a.m. to Noon. “The Uxbridge com- Boy Scout Troop 25, Earth Day Cleanup munity came together Koopman Lumber, Pre- from 8:00 a.m. to very quickly on this meer Real Estate, and Noon. According to one,” noted Bonnie First Night Uxbridge, organizers, this is a Combs, Marketing Di- Inc., which is providing city-wide cleanup of rector at BHC, who free hot dogs to all vol- parks, gardens, and also manages its Trash neighborhoods involvunteers. Premeer Real Responsibly™ proing more than 1,000 gram. “The Board of Estate is providing en- volunteers who will Health and DPW were tertainment & music pick up more than 50 very supportive, as and is debuting its new tons of trash at more well as, Boy Scout Green Team, while than 60 locations Troop 25, Koopman Koopman Lumber has throughout Worcester. Lumber, Premeer Real donated trash bags.” The same day, the Ten Estate, and First Night Mile River Watershed Uxbridge, Inc., which Council is hosting its - Bonnie Combs is providing free hot Earth Day Cleanup at Ma r k e t in g Dir e c t o r at BHc dogs to all volunteers. Slater Park in PawPremeer Real Estate is tucket, RI. Volunteers providing music and entertainment and will meet at 9:00 a.m. and will disperse is debuting its new Green Team, and along the Ten Mile River. April 8th is Koopman Lumber has donated trash also “Yellow Bag Day” in the Town of bags. The celebration starts and ends on Cumberland, RI, and is presented by the Town Common, in the heart of The Valley Breeze. Residents can pick Uxbridge. Volunteers can register in up yellow trash bags ahead of time advance and select a street at tinyurl. from The Valley Breeze office in com/UxbridgeCleanup.” Lincoln and the town collects the bags In preparation for its 350th the following Monday. Anniversary this year, the town of A resident from Upton, was inspired Mendon, is hosting its community by reading an article about the Mendon cleanup on Saturday, April 8th from cleanup and reached out to BHC for 9:00 a.m. to Noon, meeting at the support in planning a town cleanup in Clough School. Volunteers will be her hometown. “I got a call one day treated to a free lunch, compliments of from Lara Whal, who is part of a the Mendon Lions Club, and South- mom’s group, who said there were wick’s Zoo is giving volunteers a many people in her community intercoupon for a free admission to the zoo. ested in getting a cleanup going,”
Po STAL PATRo N
PRESORTED STANDARD US POSTAGE PAID BOSTON, MA PERMIT NO 55800
e c r WSS
APRIL 2017
EASTER EGG-CITEMENT: This year’s Sutton Annual EggStravaganza will be held Saturday, April 15th at the historic Waters Farm from 11:00 a.m. - 1:00 p.m. at the Bunny’s Big Barn and Cotton Tail Fields! See story on page 15 Combs explained. The Board of Health and the Department of Public Works granted all the necessary permissions and provided lots of support. “We worked as a team and it’s a very rewarding experience to work with people who are passionate about keeping their communities clean and healthy. We are very happy to be
adding Upton to list this year.” According to Combs, some communities are concerned about hosting events due to liability and lack of supplies, but with BHC’s Volunteers-in-Parks program, volunteers are covered with liability insurance for the day and are outfitted with safety vests, litter pickers continued on page 16
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Bu Sin e SS Bio :
Brown Painting
if you require superior craftsmanship and a timely estimate, then you should consider partnering with Joel Brown. His speciality is homes, both exterior and interior. See story on page 35
The Blackstone River Coalition (BRC) is in need of volunteer water quality monitors to collect data at five sites in the headwaters region of the watershed. These include the following towns: Millbury (Singletary Brook on Sycamore Circle), Sutton (Cold Spring Brook on Hatchery Rd), Worcester (Kettle Brook on Stafford Street), and Auburn (Leesville Pond Inlet on Sword Street and Leesville Pond Outlet on Webster Street). The BRC is also seeking monitors who can serve as "floaters" to cover sites on an "as needed" basis. Fieldwork not your thing? Come volunteer in the water-testing lab. The lab is located at Mass Audubon's Broad Meadow Brook Wildlife Sanctuary in Worcester. The BRC recruits and trains citizen scientists to participate in the Coalition's watershed-wide volunteer water quality monitoring program. The goal of this long-running program is to gather information about the current status of, and long-term changes in, the health of the Blackstone River watershed. This information helps policy makers, state officials, and concerned citizens make the Blackstone River cleaner for people and wildlife. Over 80 volunteers work with the BRC to sample 75 sites throughout the watershed from Worcester to Pawtucket. Sites are sampled on the second Saturday of each month from April through November. Field monitors are trained to test for dissolved oxygen at the site, record physical and aesthetic parameters, and collect a water sample. If you live between Upton and Blackstone, you can assist the Midreach Team, which runs its testing lab out of the TriRivers Medical Center on Oak Street in Uxbridge. To volunteer, contact Susan Thomas, Coordinator, BRC Volunteer WQM Program at 508471-0988/ acadia94@ verizon.net.
Joel Brown
Town News ..............Page 4 Calendar...................Page 21 Senior Corner ..........Page 23 Society .....................Page 27 School News............Page 31 Business News........Page 35 Sports.......................Page 37 Classified .................Page 39