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Uxbridge Times “Your Hometown News” VOL. 25 • ISSUE 6
Free Monthly Since 1991
Uxbridge • North Uxbridge • Linwood • Douglas • Northbridge • Whitinsville • Sutton • Manchaug
Blackstone Heritage Corridor opens new office in Whitinsville
Douglas Override Fails By constance dwyer “The failing has more to do with the economy rather than citizens not wanting to support our school,” Douglas School Superintendent Norman yvon said the day after the May 11th Proposition 2 ½ override of $1.7 million did not pass. He added that “This is a difficult time for people to discern how much money they have to pay for taxes, child care…”
“there is not much left to cut back in the school department and any further cuts will have a direct impact on the students.” - Norman Yvon Douglas school superiNteNDeNt
Superintendent yvon, however, wanted to especially express his gratitude to all who worked hard to support our schools, students, teachers, and staff. “This time”, he continued, “The vote was closer, indicating a better sense of the urgency of the situation.” What now? “We will move forward and do the best we can with what we have.” He alluded to “larger classes” and “limits on supplies and materials.” Also in Fy18, unless there is a change in revenue, “We will have more difficult decisions.” He somberly admitted, “There is not much left to cut back in the school department and any further cuts will have a direct impact on the students.” After the brief interview, he admitted “I don’t think anyone (in the school system) is happy, but we will provide the best education and we have terrific families, students, faculty and staff.”
PoStAl PAtRon
JUNE 2016
ScoutS Send love & cookieS thoughtful Girl Scouts from troops 30930, 64717, 62425, and 30701 collected Girl Scout cookies and packed them up along with uxbridge Supports our troops. twenty-two large shipping boxes filled with an assortment of Girl Scout cookies were sent with love and appreciation to deployed troops serving overseas. nothing says, "thank you for your service" quite like a case of Girl Scout cookies! PRESORTED STANDARD uS POSTAGE PAID BOSTON, MA PERMIT NO 55800
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Business Bio:
Jim Morrissette’s Oil Burner Service, Inc. since 1992, Jim Morrissette, owner of Jim Morrissette’s oil Burner service, inc. has been ready to provide customers with top quality service. See story on page 33
Blackstone Heritage Corridor, Inc. (BHC) has moved its office to the historic Linwood Mill at 670 Linwood Avenue in Whitinsville, MA. An Open House is planned for Thursday, June 16th, from 4:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m., with a program beginning at 5:30 p.m. The new office was selected because it is in the geographic center of the Blackstone River Valley National Heritage Corridor. The new office will also serve as the northern headquarters for the new Blackstone River Valley National Historical Park. BHC built out 4,400 sq. ft. in the Linwood Mill and incorporated existing stone and brick walls, wood and steel beams, and other industrial elements in the office design. All of the construction in the new office space was done with an eye toward energy efficiency and meeting or exceeding LEED standards. The project manager was BHC’s own Deputy Director, Megan DiPrete. The Open House program will include the presentation of the prestigious John H. Chafee Award. Because of Senator John H. Chafee’s (1922-1999) extraordinary service to historic preservation and his advocacy for the Blackstone River Valley, the National Heritage Corridor was renamed in 1999 – the John H. Chafee Blackstone River Valley National Heritage Corridor. He was also the 66th Governor of Rhode Island and the Secretary of the Navy under President Nixon. John H. Chafee was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom posthumously in 2000 by President Clinton. BHC created the John H. Chafee Award in his memory to recognize people who give extraordinary service to the National Heritage Corridor and its communities. This year,
BHC will present the Chafee Award to Worcester City Manager, Ed Augustus. “Ed Augustus has worked for over a decade to create a northern gateway visitor center for the National Heritage Corridor and Worcester,” commented Charlene Perkins Cutler, BHC Executive Director. “ He began as Chief of Staff for Congressman McGovern, then as state representative, then as Director of Government and Community Relations at Holy Cross, and now as City Manager. Without his vision, this project would never have gotten to construction phase. This is a very important project for the whole Blackstone Valley.” HISTORy OF THE LINWOOD MILL: The Linwood Mill, originally owned by Charles P. and James F. Whitin, was built between 1866 and 1868 as a 15,000 spindle cotton mill. It remained within the Whitin family, with few interruptions, for close to one hundred years. Interestingly, the power for this mill evolved over the years from water, to steam, then to electricity. At its height of production, three hundred people work-ed at Linwood Mill. Essentially a cotton mill, the building has also been used as a facility for manufacturing ceramic tiles and as a warehouse. The Linwood Cotton Mill is also listed on the National Register of Historic Places. ABOuT BLACkSTONE HERITAGE CORRIDOR, INC.: An energetic nonprofit, the Blackstone Heritage Corridor, Inc., partners with organizations, local communities, businesses and residents to ensure the long term vitality of the Blackstone River Valley National Heritage Corridor. Learn more at BlackstoneHeritageCorridor.org.
~ INDEX ~ town news...............Page 4 calendar...................Page 21 Society .....................Page 23 Senior corner ..........Page 25 School news............Page 29 Business news........Page 33 Sports.......................Page 37 classifieds ...............Page 39