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Shrewsbury to consider Town Center transportation study

Westborough Lions host Rubber Duck Derby

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Harlem Wizards come to Northborough

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Vol. 48 | No. 15 | April 15, 2022

Westborough notes surge in opioid overdoses, considers larger crisis By Dakota Antelman Managing Editor

Hunting for Easter eggs at Algonquin By Laura Hayes Senior Reporter

Overdose | 7

Easter | 13

WESTBOROUGH - Westborough police had noticed a surge in overdose calls earlier this year. But they were still “shocked” when they reviewed their 2022 data to find that, by March 18, they had already surpassed the total number of overdoses seen in town in 2021. “That’s outrageous,” Lt. Michael Daniels told the Community Advocate. Police saw 12 such overdoses through March 18, two of which had been fatal. That marked an increase over 2021, which saw a total of 11 overdoses and no reported deaths. “It’s tough,” Daniels said. “We’re seeing not just an uptick in Westborough, but really all over the Commonwealth.”

PHOTO/LAURA HAYES

Multiple factors compound crisis Daniels emphasized that there is likely not a singular cause of this recent surge. He named factors contributing to instances of drug use in Westborough, though. The town is centrally located between Worcester and Framingham, along I-495 and I-90. It also boasts Spectrum Health, which offers addiction treatment services. “There are people that are coming from other parts of the Commonwealth,” Daniels said. “They’re staying in Westborough. They’re seeking treatment.” COVID-19 also has compounded addiction problems, experts say, exacerbating issues of isolation, depression and stress that can sometimes lead to substance use disorder.

NORTHBOROUGH - Rain didn’t stop the Easter Bunny from coming to Algonquin Regional High School (ARHS) last Saturday morning. Sure enough, local families and children filled the ARHS bleachers ready to hunt for Easter eggs that covered the football field. The hunt was put on by the ARHS National Honor Society (NHS). “Honestly, I was a little nervous just because I looked at the weather, and it looked like a little bit of rain,” NHS President and Algonquin senior Delaney Cosentino told the Community Advocate. “It makes me so, so happy to see everyone come together.” The hunt was open to children in fifth grade and younger from Northborough and Southborough. “We just wanted to create a service project that really involved the entire community and made everyone a little happier because, with the pandemic, we haven’t had the community outreach. We haven’t been able to connect everyone,” Cosentino said. NHS thought an Easter egg hunt would be a great way to get that work started, she said. As part of the Easter egg hunt, NHS asked families to donate items to the Northborough Food Pantry — which is located at 37 Pierce Street

Alexander Komsta picks up an Easter egg at Algonquin Regional High School.

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sports | 35

2 • COMMUNITY ADVOCATE • Friday, April 15, 2022

The Marlborough Commuter Shuttle is back in service! REGISTER ONLINE TO RESERVE A SPOT 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.

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COMMUNITY ADVOCATE • Friday, April 15, 2022 • 3

THE

OVER TOP

I strongly support the election of John Samia and Michelle Conlin to the Shrewsbury Board of Selectman and ask that you vote for them as well. J o h n Samia is smart, does his homework and is not afraid to question the status quo. He is more informed about the inner workings of the School Department given his years of service there. He has already served our community well as a selectman and we will benefit from his continuing there. Michelle Conlin has been very active both in the community as well as the schools. Like Mr. Samia, she is hard working and intelligent and a team player. She is also creative and dedicated to improving our community. Please vote for John Samia and Michelle Conlin on Tuesday, May 3 for selectmen.

letters to the editor

PHOTO/TAMI WHITE

WESTBOROUGH - Aerial photography shows the I-90/I-495 interchange in Hopkinton and Westborough. The area was the site of a major accident last week. It’s also slated for a substantial overhaul and redesign focused on safety and efficiency improvements in the area. CORRECTION: The Marlborough/Hudson edition of last week’s Community Advocate contained a misplaced photo caption. The image attached to a story on Hudson businessman “Tuck” Walsh showed former employees of Tuck’s Service Station, including Marty Libby, Lee Murphy, Jay McQuillan, Nancy Mailett, Ken Patton, David Daigneault and Bob Comacho, in addition to Walsh himself. Patty Curley and her sister, Patty (Curley) McEachen were not pictured.

letters to the editor

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4 • COMMUNITY ADVOCATE • Friday, April 15, 2022

COMMUNITY NEWS Shrewsbury Town Meeting to consider Town Center transportation study By Laura Hayes Senior Reporter

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SHREWSBURY - Town Meeting will consider plans to study transportation in Shrewsbury’s Town Center when members convene next month, according to a recent presentation of the warrant by Town Manager Kevin Mizikar. One of the articles on the warrant will request funds to develop and fund what is called a Town Center comprehensive transportation and multimodal study. “We believe it’s important to really perform a detailed analysis of motor vehicle traffic in the Town Center to determine current traffic volumes in the area,” Mizikar said in his comments to the Board of Selectmen on April 5. This comprehensive analysis would go “beyond the scope” of any single project to determine how traffic is moving through the Town Center, according to Mizikar. He said the study would help residents and visitors find non-motor vehicle methods to use the shops and restaurants in the center. That could involve looking at pedestrian and bicycle opportunities, Mizikar said. The study would also investigate the impacts of tractor trailers and heavy-duty vehicles in the center. Mizikar said the town would be working with local operators of trucking compa-

Trucks drive through the intersection of Grafton and Main streets in Shrewsbury’s Town Center.

nies to find alternative routes outside of the Town Center. “We really think this is important, and a continuation of the work that we’ve already started,” Mizikar said. This comes as Shrewsbury has already moved forward with various efforts in the area, such as establishing a new Town Center zoning district. The town has also conducted studies for parking and wayfinding signs in the area. This also comes following progress on projects like the redevelopment of the former Beal School site on Maple Avenue. Developers have pitched the redevelopment of the school into a mixed-use project tentatively called Beal Commons. Town officials have said that this project would be

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a catalyst for the revitalization of the Town Center, with recent plans calling for 55 apartment units and between 7,000 and 8,000 square feet of commercial space. Shrewsbury would retain 0.7 acres of open space on the site. Mizikar noted that there will be traffic studies conducted in connection with any redevelopment in the Town Center, including the Beal site. “This is a much broader scope and is greater than just an individual site or a project area,” he reiterated. Selectmen signed the Town Meeting warrant during their April 5 meeting. There was a public hearing on the Town Meeting warrant, however, during a Finance Committee meeting on Thursday, April 14 at 6 p.m. in the Board of Selectmen’s meeting room.

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COMMUNITY ADVOCATE • Friday, April 15, 2022 • 5

COMMUNITY NEWS

Shrewsbury notes new polling location for Precinct 2 voters By Laura Hayes Senior Reporter SHREWSBURY - Shrewsbury town officials are reminding Precinct 2 voters that they have a new polling location for this year’s town elections. Those voters will now cast their ballots at the Senior Center instead of at Town Hall. The Senior Center is located next to Town Hall on the town campus at 100 Maple Ave. Precinct 2 is bound by Lake Quinsigamond, Main Street,

Maple Avenue and Route 9. Shrewsbury’s annual election will be May 3. Polls will open at 7 a.m. and close at 8 p.m. This year, the ballot will feature contested races for the Board of Selectmen and the School Committee. Three people are running for two open seats on the Board

of Selectmen after Selectman John Lebeaux announced that he would not seek re-election this year. Those include incumbent John Samia as well as Michelle Conlin and Rajesh Uppalapati. Four residents are running for two seats on the School Committee, including incumbent Lynsey Heffernan as well

as Erin Boucher, Jennifer Luke and Sanam Zaer. This change in voting location coincides with redistricting following the release of 2020 census data. That process resulted in boundary changes for nine of Shrewsbury’s 10 precincts. Voters can check their updated voting precinct and vot-

ing location by visiting the state’s “Where Do I Vote?” web service at https://www. sec.state.ma.us/wheredoivotema/bal/myelectioninfo. aspx. For more information on Shrewsbury’s annual election, visit https://shrewsburyma.gov/1079/2022-AnnualTown-Election.

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6 • COMMUNITY ADVOCATE • Friday, April 15, 2022

COMMUNITY NEWS

Articles addressing climate change headed to Shrewsbury Town Meeting

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By Laura Hayes Senior Reporter SHREWSBURY – Shrewsbury’s Town Meeting will consider a pair of articles next month addressing climate change, Town Manager Kevin Mizikar said during a presentation of the warrant to the Board of Selectmen last week. One of the articles will seek funding to develop a climate action and resiliency plan while the second article will look to regulate tree care and maintenance through a tree bylaw. Mizikar said approval of that article will set up parameters and put the responsibility for oversight of public trees onto a five-member forestry commission, with members appointed by the Board of Selectmen. “[This] is a part of our steps to help offset the impacts of climate change and plant more trees in the community,” Mizikar said during the Selectmen’s April 5 meeting. Town considers climate action and resiliency plan Over the years, Shrewsbury has worked through the state’s Municipal Vulnerability Preparedness (MVP) program to identify ways to mitigate the impacts of climate change, Mizikar said. The climate action and resiliency plan article will now specifically ask for funding to hire consultants to support the development of the plan. Consultants would also help find ways for the town to reduce its impacts on the climate, such as reducing greenhouse gas emissions or its carbon footprint.

PHOTO/LAURA HAYES

As Mizikar described it, the plan would provide advice and information “but not demands or requirements upon the residents of Shrewsbury.” The article is requesting $140,000 to cover the development of the plan, though Mizikar added that Shrewsbury is also seeking money through the MVP program’s current round of funding. “So, we may not have to use all of Shrewsbury’s dollars,” Mizikar said. “We’ll leverage those state grants where possible because a plan like this is eligible for reimbursement and funding through the MVP program.” Articles follow climate emergency declaration These efforts come after Town Meeting sounded the alarm on climate change last May, declaring a climate emergency. T h e d e c l a ra t i o n w a s prompted by a citizen petition that called on Shrewsbury to continue its effort to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and eventually become “net zero.” The petition also called on state and federal officials to mobilize and support communities’ climate initiatives. “I’ll be honest with you,” Shrewsbury High School student Deeptha Ganesh said during Town Meeting. “I’ve already lost a lot of my high school experience to a global pandemic. I don’t want to lose the rest of my life to climate change.” The Board of Selectmen voted to sign the Town Meeting warrant on April 5. Town Meeting is scheduled for May 21.

COMMUNITY ADVOCATE • Friday, April 15, 2022 • 7

COMMUNITY NEWS

Westborough notes surge in opioid overdoses, considers larger crisis Overdose | from page 1

On top of that, the prevalence of hotels in Westborough has police frequently responding to incidents involving people who book rooms. All this has coincided with a change in tactics for police, Daniels said. Calls reporting unresponsive people in cars come in, and Westborough police, who now all carry the overdose-reversing drug Narcan, respond prepared for an overdose scene, he said. “That’s the first thing we’re thinking,” Daniels continued. He noted that police often don’t aim to arrest individuals in these cases, preferring to simply issue court summons. Police also have a clinician available, in many cases, who can also work with individuals who have overdosed. “We try to get them help as best as we can,” Daniels said. Familiarity can inform police responses, as well, he added. “Sometimes we know who they are because we’ve dealt with them on numerous occasions,” Daniels said of individuals who overdose in town. “We get to know who they are as people.” ‘We haven’t even scratched the surface’ Daniels said he feels law enforcement is “doing everything that they can” to control the ongoing drug crisis. Even so, he said he knows that there is much that police are not able to document or address. “We haven’t even scratched the surface as to what travels through this town,” Daniels said. This problem is, indeed, widespread in Westborough and beyond, with the number of overdose deaths per year nearly quintupling in Massachusetts between 2000 and 2021, according to state data. Those deaths have hit home in Westborough and throughout the region. ‘We need to end the stigma’ Kate Donaghue lost her son, Brian Simpson, to an overdose in 2018. Simpson was a Westborough High School graduate. In comments after his death, Donaghue noted that he was also a “talented and passionate battle rapper who worked with, and inspired people, across the country.” “Brian was a thoughtful, caring, and compassionate young

“

We really have to start treating the opioid epidemic like the public health crisis it is and not a moral failing. Kate Donaghue

man,” she wrote. Simpson had struggled with addiction, though. As such, Donaghue has been vocal in her advocacy particularly since her son’s death, leading various efforts pushing to address addiction in Massachusetts. “We really have to start treating the opioid epidemic like the public health crisis it is and not a moral failing,” she said in a recent interview. “We need to end the stigma so that people who are struggling know how to get help.” Donaghue has called for a destigmatization of addiction and an increase in access for medications that can help individuals in their recovery. She has similarly noted legislative efforts to improve treat-

ment infrastructure. In the meantime, Donaghue acknowledged difficult experiences that those with substance use disorder and their families have had with law enforcement and other public safety officials. “You hear the horror stories,” she said. “I can’t say that it’s an improvement, but I can say that, anecdotally, the people who I’m talking with, including public safety officials…are very supportive of this issue,” she added though. Mother calls for change Elsewhere in Westborough, Ashley Tenczar Curran grew up in town and battled addiction herself. She achieved sobriety, but saw her son, Damien Hughes,

God has so much to speak into your life, but if you don’t draw apart from the business of your day and spend time alone with Him in quietness and solitude, you will not hear it.

similarly struggle with addiction as he grew up. He didn’t die due to an overdose. But addiction still played a role in his passing, as he had recently relapsed when he was fatally stabbed while living on the street in Boston’s Mass and Cass area in 2020. Like Simpson, Hughes had also graduated from Westborough High School. He was remembered as a caring, loving man with a persistent sense of humor and a beloved laugh. In the years since his death, Curran has led her own advocacy efforts, calling for change in how communities handle addiction and pushing for more addiction services outside of cities like Boston. She’s continued to mourn her son, all the while, recalling a particular lesson from his childhood in a recent interview with the Community Advocate. “I taught him when he was little, you always hug someone when they’re leaving,” she said. “And you don’t stop until they stop. Because you don’t know when you won’t be able to hug them anymore.”

Shrewsbury, Northborough note overdose upticks With the opioid crisis continuing, other area communities outside of Westborough have reported mixed data. Shrewsbury had six opioid related overdoses as of March 21, up from two at the same time a year ago, according to Lt. Nick Perna. Northborough had seen a “slight increase” in overdoses, according to Lt. Brian Griffin. Hudson’s number of overdoses had actually fallen as of March 18, with four overdoses compared to nine in the same time frame a year ago, according to Police Chief Rick DiPersio. Southborough, meanwhile, had only reported one overdose as of March 18, according to Lt. Ryan Newell. “Thankfully Southborough police has not seen the same uptick,” he said, in reference to Westborough’s data. Officials with the Marlborough and Grafton police departments did not respond to requests for data as of press time.

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8 • COMMUNITY ADVOCATE • Friday, April 15, 2022

COMMUNITY NEWS

Community Preservation Act moves forward in Westborough boat and vote to put CPA on the ballot in November.”

WESTBOROUGH - The question of whether to adopt the Community Preservation Act will be on Westborough voters’ ballots in November following a vote at Town Meeting last month. “This is just the first of two steps to adopt CPA,” said Jenn Doherty, who chaired the Westborough Community Preservation Act Exploratory Committee, during Town Meeting on March 19. If Westborough adopts the CPA, it will join neighboring communities like Grafton, Hudson, Northborough, Shrewsbury and Southborough in doing so. “I believe that we all love Westborough as much as they love their towns,” said committee member Kris Allen. “We care as much about our open space and recreation, about affordable housing and about historical preservation. It’s time for Westborough to catch that

Committee proposes 0.5% surcharge The CPA is a program with funds coming from the state’s Community Preservation Trust Fund and a surcharge on real estate property taxes. CPA money can be used for affordable housing, open space and recreation and historic preservation projects in the community. All funding requests are voted on by Town Meeting. Westborough is proposing a 0.5% surcharge. That would translate to an approximately $42 impact on tax bills for residential property owners. “Our goal was to make CPA as affordable as possible for Westborough residents,” Doherty said. The committee recommended that the town adopt total exemptions for low-income property owners and low- and moderate-income senior prop-

Westborough Community Preservation Act Exploratory Committee Chair Jenn Doherty speaks during Town Meeting.

PHOTO/LAURA HAYES

By Laura Hayes Senior Reporter

erty owners over the age of 60. Additionally, there would be an exemption for the first $100,000 of valuation for all property owners. Doherty said that CPA could have been used on projects that were also passed at this year’s Town Meeting — such the replacement of a bridge in the Bowman Conservation Area and the replacement of the Armstrong Elementary School playground – if Westborough had already had it in place. Residents weigh in Residents shared their thoughts on March 19, with some opposing the CPA article’s

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passage. “Westborough already has very high property taxes,” said resident Steven Buttiglieri. Property taxes are going to continue to “skyrocket” over the next several years, and costs are increasing for electricity, natural gas and heating gas, he said. “This is an incentive to raise taxes and increase spending,” Buttiglieri said. Others voiced their support, including Ellen Church, who recently moved to Westborough from Northborough. She recalled voting for articles to be funded through CPA when she attended Northborough town meetings. There,

the CPA funded projects like a renovation of the Northborough Free Library and open space acquisitions. “We’ve been spending it, and it’s a really good investment,” Church said. Resident Jody Hensley said she wished that Westborough adopted the CPA 20 years ago. “I think it is smart and responsible stewardship of our dollars by the community to set it aside for those things that are sometimes considered nice to have, but are very important, like historic preservation, and open space and recreation,” Hensley said. Next steps Town Meeting will discuss the CPA again next March if Westborough voters decide to adopt it in November. At that point, Town Meeting would be asked to vote to establish the Community Preservation Committee. Funds would begin to be collected on the tax bills beginning in July 2023.

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COMMUNITY ADVOCATE • Friday, April 15, 2022 • 9

COMMUNITY NEWS

Spectrum Health plans expansion at Westborough site By Laura Hayes Senior Reporter WESTBOROUGH - Spectrum Health Systems wants to construct two additional buildings on its campus on Oak Street in Westborough. Spectrum officials and their attorney, Mark Donahue, presented plans for the site to the Select Board on March 22 before then appearing before the Planning Board on April 5. Their plans would consolidate three existing parcels on the campus while adding roughly 15,000-square-feed of total facility space. “Spectrum has been part of this community for more than 40 years, offering recovery services to a variety of individuals throughout the commonwealth who come here for this facility and have been good neighbors over on Oak Street as part of that campus,” Donahue said during the Select Board meeting. The Select Board is a part of the site review plans in Westborough, though the final decision rests with the Planning Board. Select Board member Patrick Welch thanked Spectrum following their presentation, noting the “vital function” that he said this expansion will serve. “Sadly, our community and our state needs this, but I’m glad to see that the state and Spectrum are making the investments to give people the care that they need,” Welch said. Spectrum details plans Spectrum’s existing site is made up of three parcels. During the April 5 Planning Board meeting, though, engineer Randy Miron said Spectrum plans to remove the property lines and consolidate the space into one parcel. The two proposed new buildings associated with this project, in turn, would join three buildings already on the campus site. One of the buildings, which would be the closest to Oak Street, is envisioned as a twostory, 4,665-square-foot patient intake center. It would be accessed through a shared driveway that is also used to access the Massachusetts Technology Collaborative, which is located on nearby North Drive.

Spectrum Health Systems recently filed plans to expand its campus on Oak Street in Westborough.

PHOTO/LAURA HAYES

Donahue said during the Select Board meeting that the building would move intake services to limit the disruptive impacts of that intake process on the rest of Spectrum’s operation. The other new building would be a three-story 10,355-square-foot administrative and clinical facility.

Donahue said that building would combine a number of administrative efforts both on campus and off-site. Town officials talk parking, other concerns Outside of buildings, current plans call for a sidewalk that would stretch along Oak

Street. There would be parking at the two new buildings and an additional lot in between them for a total of 115 new spaces. “The campus, as it is right now, is a little short on parking that they’d like to have,” architect Luis Lobao said.

After consolidating the parking spaces, there will be a total of 172 spaces on the campus. Select Board member Allen Edinberg noted that staff currently park on the shoulder of Oak Street and on nearby side streets. Spectrum officials said they plan to eliminate that. During the Planning Board meeting, Chair Mark Silverberg said he would like to entertain a payment in lieu of taxes agreement, which could mirror a similar agreement inked with Mass General Brigham last year in response to now withdrawn plans for an ambulatory care clinic in Westborough. “You’re establishing a pretty big presence in town, and you have to be aware that you’re using quite a few town services — emergency response, water, sewer,” Silverberg said. The Planning Board continued its public hearing on the plans to April 26.

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10 • COMMUNITY ADVOCATE • Friday, April 15, 2022

COMMUNITY NEWS

Shrewsbury discusses next steps regarding hexavalent chromium By Laura Hayes Senior Reporter

Hexavalent chromium discussion dates back to 2013 Town staff and a consultant presented their next steps to the Shrewsbury Board of Selectmen on March 22, almost a year and a half after they re-started a pilot program assessing hexavalent chromium in the town’s water supply and seeking ways to filter it. “We’ve been monitoring, taking samples on a fairly routine basis since 2016 and continue to do so, and we have not seen a vast change in the hexavalent chromium concentrations,” Director of the Department of Public Works Jeffery Howland told the selectmen. Hexavalent chromium is

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had dropped to the point that the tests were not detecting the substance, however, Carroll said. She said the town and consultants believe that a drought and the fact that the water table was different back in 2016 contributed to this change in levels. The town tried other methods to find the source of the hexavalent chromium and test filtration. But Carroll said they ultimately ran out of time in part because Shrewsbury began construction of a new plant in 2017 and the town needed to demolish the former plant. Since 2016, the average concentration of hexavalent chromium concentrations in Shrewsbury’s finished water is around 3.6 ppb, Water and Sewer Superintendent Dan Rowley said. The town has continued

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SHREWSBURY - Filtration systems would not be able to fully remove hexavalent chromium from Shrewsbury’s water supply, instead making a slight dent in the chemical’s prevalence, according to a recent presentation to the Board of Selectmen. Additionally, work to install a filtration system would cost about $7.7 million and would nearly double the size of the water treatment plant. As a result, Shrewsbury is not moving forward with any new filtration systems, for the time being, opting instead to continue monitoring for hexavalent chromium, which has continued to be a topic of discussion in the town for several years, though rates are now well below federal standards for total chromium.

used in welding, chromate painting and electroplating. It can be harmful to the eyes, skin and respiratory system, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Town staff and consultants believe there is a plume of hexavalent chromium that has pooled together, but it hasn’t moved. It was documented in 2013 and 2014 through testing mandated by the Environmental Protection Agency, with results showing between 3 and 4 parts per billion (ppb) of hexavalent chromium in town water. That, the town said, was under the EPA and Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection’s (DEP) standards of 100 ppb for total chromium. In 2015, though, a report from the Environmental Working Group listed Shrewsbury, Danvers and a Cape Cod community as the three Massachusetts communities with the highest concentrations of hexavalent chromium. The town began efforts to track down the source of the hexavalent chromium as well as treat it. Tests in 2016 then showed concentrations above 100 ppb in four test wells drilled on the property line with Metso on Bowditch Drive, according to Justine Carroll, who is the Vice President of Tata & Howard and a consultant working with Shrewsbury. “But it is not coming from Metso,” Howland said of the chemical’s source. “It’s coming from upgradient of Metso.” As part of their work, the town installed a well with a slightly larger diameter. The levels of hexavalent chromium

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its search for the source of the chemical. Howland said DEP was also working to track down the source. But it has not found a confirmed responsible party, according to Carroll. The DEP has further stopped its program over the last several years mainly because the issue of PFAS chemical contaminations took precedence, though Carroll said it is still on their radar and the agency is interested in pursuing another location for additional test wells. Pilot testing results Shrewsbury still resumed its latest round of pilot testing in 2020, completing testing in a matter of months and generating a report in July of last year. As part of the testing, Shrewsbury seeded its water

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with 100 ppb of hexavalent chromium. According to Howland, two technologies tested were able to remove between 93% and 96% of the hexavalent chromium in tests. Neither would likely be able to replicate those results on town water, though, due to its lower concentration of hexavalent chromium. Howland said that AdEdge, a sub-consultant of Tata & Howard indicated that some hexavalent chromium would still pass through through the filter, meaning Shrewsbury could expect a reduction of 1 ppb or less from their current rates of around 3.6 ppb. Howland told Shrewsbury town leaders that there are no known methods that would get Shrewsbury down to a nondetectable level of hexavalent chromium. That fact coupled with the estimated $7.7 million price tag and additional annual costs of $1 million to maintain the filtration system had town officials feeling cautious about implementing new filtration strategies as of this March 22 selectmen meeting. Pilot testing is needed for any additions onto the water treatment plant, Howland said. “I’m not sure that it makes sense to go forward with a $7.7 million answer to just really have the same result,” said Selectman Beth Casavant. Howland suggested continuing to test quarterly. If the concentration of hexavalent chromium documented in testing increases, staff may return to the selectmen with a different suggestion.

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COMMUNITY ADVOCATE • Friday, April 15, 2022 • 11

COMMUNITY NEWS

Southborough eyes 300th anniversary preparations SOUTHBOROUGH - The Southborough Select Board is looking for residents to join a planning committee for celebrations of the town’s 300th anniversary in 2027. Speaking with the Community Advocate last week, Select Board Member Martin Healey said that the committee would look both at previous anniversary celebrations held in Southborough as well as other towns to guide their plans for the town’s tercentenary. He said that the goal is for there to be at least one tercentennial event per month in 2027. “We’d like to think that the town – and the committee as a vehicle for the town – will look at this pretty ambitiously, and want to do basically a yearlong celebration of the 300th,” Healey said. “The idea is a number of different events over the course of the year, not one weekend event.” Healey added the board

wants the committee to represent “as varied a cross-section of the community as possible.” Town seeks diverse representation on planning committee Healey said it would be helpful to have members from both multigenerational families and new residents, as well as a mix of people who have been involved in town government and those who have not been. He added that the Select Board hopes that residents with fundraising backgrounds or capabilities will become involved with the committee. “Ideally as little as possible of the financial costs of the 300th celebration should fall on the taxpayers,” Healey said. While Healey said that it is typical for planning committees like this to have a baseline of between 10 and 15 members, he added that the Select Board was not thinking of a hard cap on the amount of members who could join this group.

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He also said that there would be no deadline for applicants to get involved with the committee. Those interested would ideally join early, he said, but it would not be a problem if someone decided to get involved six months or a year from now. “On the one hand the 300th is five years away,” Healey said. “On the other hand, those five years are going to click by pretty fast, particularly when you’re talking about hopefully planning a number of different events.” Healey said that the Select

Board wants the committee to incorporate the history and perspectives of other town institutions like the Open Land Foundation, the town’s schools, and the Police and Fire Departments into celebrations. He also hoped that both the Southborough Historical Commission and Historical Society would play a role in planning the celebrations. The Historical Society’s museum, he said, has collected resources and pictures dating back to the invention of photography that help to track the town’s journey.

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“New England, Massachusetts, Southborough were some of the first places where the country got going,” he said. ‘Hopefully it ends up being a really big deal’ Healey said that those interested could apply to join the 300th Planning Committee by reaching out through the Town’s website, the Select Board’s email, at SelectmenOffice@Southboroughma.com, by phone or by an in-person visit to the Town House. Applicants will need to fill out a form describing their background and interest in the committee. Approaching three centuries since Southborough’s founding in 1727, Healey added that it is important for the town to recognize the 300-year journey of itself and its people. “It’s not going to happen for another hundred years, so hopefully it ends up being a really big deal for the town,” Healey said.

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12 • COMMUNITY ADVOCATE • Friday, April 15, 2022

COMMUNITY NEWS

Storm drops scattered hail on region

Westborough Lions host 2nd annual Rubber Duck Derby By Dakota Antelman Managing Editor

Hail piles on a curb in Hudson during a storm this past weekend.

By Dakota Antelman Managing Editor

cific warnings beginning around 12:30 p.m. for individual clusters of severe weather that could drop hail. Hail rolled through Hudson just before 2 p.m., piling pea-sized precipitation on surfaces over a brief period of time. Similar reports documented hail elsewhere across the region and the state. A warning encompassing Hudson, Marlborough, Westborough and Southborough remained in place for part of the afternoon.

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Above: Westborough Lion Angelo Cavaliere dumps rubber ducks into the Mill Pond spillway in Westborough at the start of this year’s Lions Club Rubber Duck Derby. Right: Head duck catching engineer Guido Lonardo calls out the number of a duck sponsored by Westborough TV General Manager Karen Henderson, who won this year’s Rubber Duck Derby.

said of the 2021 race. “So, this year, it was great to be able to have the people who adopted the ducks come and watch.” Money raised from 311 total

PHOTOS/DAKOTA ANTELMAN

REGION - A storm dropped a batch of hail on parts of the region early this past Saturday afternoon, surprising some amid a day of scattered spring storms. The National Weather Service’s Boston office warned early on Saturday that storms moving through the region could produce small hail particularly in the afternoon. The NWS then issued spe-

PHOTO/DAKOTA ANTELMAN

WESTBOROUGH - It was a morning of smiles last Saturday at the Mill Pond spillway in Westborough as community members gathered for the Westborough Lions Club’s second annual Rubber Duck Derby. With spectators flanking the spillway, club members pushed more than 300 ducks across the starting line of a short race for prize money and charity causes. “It’s just a fun event and we’re happy that we can host it,” Lions Club Publicity and Communications Officer Susan Ash told the Community Advocate after the conclusion of the race. Westborough TV General Manager Karen Henderson took the top prize when her sponsored duck won the race. Carol Smith of Naples, Florida took second place, while Select Board Member Shelby Marshall sponsored the third place duck. The Lions first ran their event a year ago. They did so, however, without spectators due to COVID-19 restrictions at the time. That made this the first duck derby in Westborough with a crowd on hand. “It was really just us,” Ash

duck sponsorships will help fund a $1,000 scholarship for a Westborough high-school-age student. Sponsorship fees also support prizes for duck derby winners as well as the ongoing, year-round charity work of the Lions Club. “The money will go to good use,” Ash said. Where this event turned out to be a major success, Ash and other organizers noted that it is not necessarily easy to find the kind of running water needed for a duck race at this time of year in Westborough. An added barrier, Ash said, has been the presence of a industrious beaver known to stop up part of the spillway stream. “Thankfully, he resolved to take a few days off and let the water flow so that we could have the race continue,” she said. The deadline to apply for the Lions Club’s scholarship is Friday, April 15. Learn more about the scholarship and the Lions Club at https://e-clubhouse.org/sites/ westborough/.

COMMUNITY ADVOCATE • Friday, April 15, 2022 • 13

PEOPLE

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Hunting for Easter eggs at Algonquin Easter | from page 1

PHOTOS/LAURA HAYES

Lillie Sullivan picks up an Easter egg Kids hurry down the track at ARHS to collect their Easter eggs.

— and the Southborough Food Pantry at 15 Common Street. “Algonquin has always supported our local food pantries,” Cosentino said. The members specifically asked the community to bring items like coffee, peanut butter, honey, rice and tuna, though they also accepted grocery store gift cards and cash. “We thought this would be a great way to really continue getting those donations [for the food pantries] and make sure that everything is all set for the summer,” Cosentino said. She said the NHS worked hard to spread the word about the Easter egg hunt throughout Northborough and Southborough. “It’s so rewarding to see it pay off and see everyone coming together and see all the kids. It’s super cute,” Cosentino said.

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14 • COMMUNITY ADVOCATE • Friday, April 15, 2022

COMMUNITY NEWS

Projected Northborough tax bill increase falls with new budget figures By Laura Hayes Senior Reporter

impacts of the pandemic on our operations,” Coderre said.

NORTHBOROUGH - Northborough town officials are anticipating that the average single family tax bill will increase by $513 for the 2023 fiscal year. Though higher than a typical increase, that projection is down from a $561 forecasted increase that officials shared back in December. These latest numbers were part of a presentation to the Board of Selectmen and Appropriations Committee on March 28 on Northborough’s budget for the 2023 fiscal year. Town Administrator John Coderre credited the change in the tax projection to a shift in enrollment at Algonquin Regional High School, though he said a “majority” of the increase was still due to rising single-family home values. He described the 2023 fiscal year budget as a “rebuilding year.” “We’re still trying to restore some of the budgetary

General fund budget In total, Northborough officials are proposing a 5.28% increase in the town’s general fund budget for a total of $71,242,642. This fund includes the general government and school budgets, as well as Town Meeting warrant articles, debt service and other adjustments. It does not include funds for water, sewer and solid waste enterprises. Specifically, the budget would restore reductions made during the pandemic, which Coderre said were never meant to be permanent. During the 2021 fiscal year, increases to the operating budgets were cut down to 1%. The 2022 fiscal year saw increases “heavily” constrained, Coderre said. Coderre walked through a number of the cuts, which included decreased contributions to both the town’s stabilization fund and its post-employment benefits (OPEB) trust fund, which pays for certain benefits

that retirees receive. A “significant” amount of capital was postponed in the 2021 fiscal year. Because budgets were tight when Northborough closed out the year, there was then little free cash to do payas-you-go projects in the 2022 fiscal year, Coderre said. “On the surface, that seems like a pretty healthy increase,” Coderre said of the 5.28% increase in this budget cycle. “But it’s really not.” The budget calls for allocating $2.024 million in pay-asyou-go capital projects and $200,000 from free cash into the stabilization fund. The budget increase would be 3.22% without those allocations. General government budget Seperate from the general fund budget, Northborough’s general government budget is projected to increase by 3.65% to a total of $24.5 million in the 2023 fiscal year. Northborough plans to restore a Department of Public Works light equipment operator position, which had been vacant

when it was cut during the pandemic. Additionally, the town is adding a part-time cable access position for remote meeting coverage, which will be paid through cable access fees. According to Coderre, all of the collective bargaining agreements with the town’s five unions are unsettled. A classification compensation study for employees is also wrapping up, but Coderre said most of the impacts of that process will still need to be negotiated. Northborough has set aside over $350,000 to handle the personnel costs from these negotiations and studies, Coderre said. Northborough’s health insurance budget is, likewise, anticipated to increase by 1% next year after the town formed a joint procurement association with Southborough and Algonquin Regional High School. This comes after the town’s provider, Fallon, decided to exit the commercial market. “That could have just as easily come in at a 7 or 8 or a 9% [increase],” Coderre said. “We

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Home values increase Coderre said that it seems that there is an event or issue that impacts the town’s finances every year. “This year, it’s home values,” Coderre said. Like other communities in the region, the values of homes in Northborough have increased, placing pressure on the tax bills for single-family homes. In Westborough, for example, town staff have anticipated the average single family tax bill to increase by $1,087, with about $515 of that being due to spikes in home values. Coderre said that, if the single-family home values in Northborough weren’t moving, the increase on this year’s tax bills would be a more typical value of between $260 and $280. Northborough’s budget process is ongoing. The budget will eventually go before Town Meeting for final approval.

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WESTBOROUGH - The Westborough Cultural Council recently announced recipients of more than $14,000 in grants for local events and projects this year. Funding for these grants comes from the state through the MA Cultural Council, from Westborough t h ro u g h a See a full regular Town list of grant Meeting aprecipients propriation, and from the Westborough Cultural Council’s own fundraising at the Arts in Common community art festival. That free event featuring local artists, musicians and performers will be held for the 12th time this year on Saturday, Oct. 1 on Bay State Green.

COMMUNITY ADVOCATE • Friday, April 15, 2022 • 15

COMMUNITY SCHOOLS Algonquin track and field team to host fundraiser for uniforms By Stuart Foster Reporter NORTHBOROUGH - The Algonquin Regional High School track and field team is planning a “fund run” to raise money for new uniforms and equipment later this month. The Fund Run will seek to raise $10,000 through two packages for runners and walkers. “Our uniforms represent our spirit and commitment to Algonquin,” the team wrote in a press release. “They are the opening statement to other schools that we have a passion for running and are serious about this sport.” The runner package will consist of a 5K race over the rock-covered trails around the Algonquin campus, with minor elevation. It will cost $15 to participate. The walker package will be a 1-mile scenic walk through trails behind the school. It will cost $10. This comes a matter of weeks after Algonquin finalized its decision to retire its “Tomahawk” mascot in favor of the “Titan.” School officials have noted that the transition to the new branding will take time and money as programs phase out uniforms and other branded equipment, among other things. The track and field team wrote that their rebranding for the uniforms exceeds the school’s expense limit, though, prompting the need for this fundraiser. They added they will also use proceeds to support efforts to upgrade Algonquin’s track. “If you choose not to participate in any event, we still ask you to show up and bring that Algonquin pride as you cheer on every race,” the team wrote. The run will have a concession stand where guests can buy food and drinks. There will also be prizes and a raffle after the race. The Fund Run is scheduled for Saturday, April 23 from 1 to 3 p.m. Those interested in registering can do so by visiting https:// tinyurl.com/4ueftkfh.

This is just one of two upcoming events, with the track and field team also getting set to host a free meet-and-greet designed for middle school students interested in high school sports. That event will take place at the high school

track entrance from 11 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. on Friday, April 22. “Everyone will be instructed and have the opportunity to meet state and regional champions and the fantastic coaching staff at ARHS,” the team wrote.

The meet and greet will begin with a meeting introducing student volunteers and describing the events that attendees can try out. The team wrote that attendees should come dressed with the weather in mind, and with

the knowledge that they will be exercising. “This event is open to all ages, and we encourage parents and adults to participate, as this is a unique opportunity to see this sport firsthand,” the team wrote.

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16 • COMMUNITY ADVOCATE • Friday, April 15, 2022

COMMUNITY SCHOOLS

Authors launch storytelling project in Northborough, Southborough By Laura Hayes Senior Reporter

De Leon shares her story De Leon’s presentation called “The Power of Story Telling” was put on by the Northborough/Southborough school district’s Coalition for Equity, which is launching

PHOTOS/LAURA HAYES

SOUTHBOROUGH - Two Southborough writers are launching a new project to highlight stories in Northborough and Southborough. Led by Jennifer De Leon and her husband, Adam Stumacher, the project is called Story Bridge. It was kicked off during a keynote address De Leon delivered last week at Trottier Middle School in Southborough. “Our goal is to help others use their stories and narratives to help build bridges across identity and to use stories as a way to break down these walls,” De Leon said on April 7. De Leon and Stumacher have done similar work throughout communities in Massachusetts.

Author Jennifer De Leon signs books following her keynote address last week.

conversation kits to encourage community engagement. De Leon spent two hours at Algonquin Regional High School on the morning of April 7, leading a workshop with freshmen students, who are reading her novel “Don’t Ask Me Where I’m From.” “My missive in being an author is to write books that are counter-narratives to what you might see in the news about Guatemala,” De Leon said. De Leon is currently an Assistant Professor of English at

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Framingham State University and a faculty member of Bay Path University’s MFA Program in Creative Nonfiction. “Don’t Ask Me Where I’m From” tells the story of 15-yearold Liliana, who is struggling to fit into her high school after being accepted in the Metropolitan Council for Educational Opportunity Program in Massachusetts. Throughout the novel, Liliana discovers that her father is undocumented and has been deported to Guatemala. “This is a book that I needed as a young person,” De Leon said. Author grew up outside of Boston De Leon’s parents are from Guatemala and moved to the United States when they were 18. Growing up in the suburbs of Boston, De Leon felt divided. “I had to code switch a lot. … I was one Jenn during the week, and another Jenn on the weekends,” De Leon recalled. Thinking it would get better when she got to college, De Leon said she faced various micro-aggressions that still

Jennifer De Leon signed a book for ARHS student Tomas Megaly.

made things difficult. De Leon said one of the ways she found her way was through stories. She read “The House on Mango Street” by Sandra Cisneros in her freshman year. It felt like the dialogue was jumping off the page, sounding like her aunts and uncles, she said. De Leon shared a 2018 statistic about diversity in children’s books, which showed that 5% of the characters were Latinx. In comparison, 50% were white and 27% were animals. “If young people don’t see themselves reflected in the books that they’re reading, then they feel invisible,” De Leon said. “They feel that they don’t matter.”

Applications due May 1 Story Bridge is open to Northborough and Southborough community members who are at least 14 years old. “We’re wired to remember stories…Why not cultivate that and harness that and use that to fight against hate?” De Leon said. There are 10 spaces in the program, which will see De Leon and Stumacher coach the members through writing and presenting their stories. The group will be able to share their stories during an event in October. Those interested must apply by May 1. Visit https://jenniferdeleonauthor.com/nsboro-storybridge/ for more information.

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COMMUNITY BUSINESS Martial Arts Center focuses on discipline, education; eyes move to new location HUDSON - Jeffrey Konich told his teacher in second grade exactly what he wanted to do when he grew up. Twenty six years later, that dream came to fruition. “I was referred by the guidance counselor in elementary school to get into karate,” Konich recalled in a recent interview. “After five to 10 weeks of training, I knew I would do this for a lifetime.” “The training gave me an ability to envision what I wanted to be and it also gave me self-discipline,” he continued. For three years, Konich has run Jeffrey Konich’s the Family Martial Arts Center at 59 Apsley Street in Hudson. It’s a place where education and discipline reigns supreme. “At Family Martial Arts Center, we’re not training fighters, we are teaching students. We are not a sport; we are a school!” Konich, a Leominster native said. “We teach holistic education and give people lessons to help them be better than they were yesterday, while developing the necessary vision and goal setting skills for a successful future.” The students at Konich’s center receive homework assignments to develop habits of character which help them fight the enemy within using their secret weapon called Self Discipline! “Most of the battles we’re facing are within our minds,”

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Konich said. “We must learn to conquer our internal battles.” Students in Konich’s center have ranged in age from three to more than 70 years of age. “Our training is at your own pace,” he said. “We start wherever you are but the idea is to achieve the same goals. Practice makes progress.” That was the case with Konich’s daughter, who thrived at just three years of age. “She was able to do more than a five-year-old could do because she went through training where she was able to learn general mobility skills, posture to strengthen her ankles, wrists and toes and resistance to know how to twist and pull,” Konich said. Karate provides countless health benefits, Konich noted. “It regulates blood flow, provides endurance and is an outlet for mental health,” he said.

Perhaps most prominently, it helps increase flexibility, improve structural alignment, and strengthen the body to increase longevity and prevent injury. Konich has taught karate to each of his three children, ages 10, 9 and 4. They, in turn, are helping him teach beginners classes at the center. “By teaching classes with my kids, it gives parents a safe space to learn and grow with their kids,” Konich said. “About 90 percent of our parents are training with their kids.” By the end of this year, Konich will be moving his martial arts center to a new 3,000-square-foot space in the Highland Commons area in Hudson. “I’ve been eyeing that area since we’ve moved to Hudson,” Konich said. “The area has a lot of visibility and I’m sure we’ll be attracting more students when we get there.”

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Perhaps, one day, one of those students will go on to open their own martial arts center, Konich said. “I’m looking for an eightyear-old like me with the same vision, and they’re definitely

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18 • COMMUNITY ADVOCATE • Friday, April 15, 2022

SPECIAL FEATURE

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The challenges of moving with children By Michelle Gillespie

n this very active real estate market, many families are looking to move to a larger home or relocate to another community. This brings many challenges while buying or selling a home but I can help.

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Moving into a new home brings with it a lot of emotions, particularly for families moving with children. Excitement and enthusiasm are coupled with anxiety and apprehension as to whether children will take to the new home and neighborhood. Carefully preparing children for the move, both practically and psychologically, will help ease the transition and make the process smoother and more enjoyable for the entire family. For over 17 years I have been helping families move and offer the following advice on how to make sure children of all ages cope with the home buying process and the big move. Here are a few recommendations that I share with my clients when it comes to moving with children.

FINDING A NEW HOME Communicate - Maintain an open dialogue with children about the decision to move to a new house. Engaging them at the beginning of the process will give them time to get used to the idea and ultimately accept the change. Explain the reasons behind the move, and answer questions truthfully. However, early discussion does not mean it is necessary to bring them to every single home being considered, especially very young children. Once the choices have been narrowed down to perhaps two or three, bring them to the homes so they can begin to feel familiar with new surroundings. Listen - Listening to what children are saying about the

move is just as important as talking to them about it. By paying close attention to their statements and reactions, parents can alleviate any fears. This is especially important for school-age children and teenagers who may be reluctant to leave their friends and classmates. Avoid being dismissive of their social concerns; acknowledge them and remind them about the new opportunities that await them. Focusing on the positives of the move may help settle down anxious children. Explore - After deciding on a new home, I can help your family discover their new neighborhood by showing you the playgrounds, community centers, recreation areas and other areas important to the children that help make the environment seem more familiar.

MOVING IN Comfort - Pack up the children’s rooms last to minimize disruption. The longer they feel secure in their own rooms, the easier the transition will be. Then, set up their new bedrooms first so they feel like they’re back in familiar surroundings. And do not completely redecorate the children’s rooms in the new home; maintain continuity so the children feel secure. It is very important to return to normal routines as quickly as possible, so set up the kitchen second. Try to serve meals at the same times as before, so there is not too much change all at once. Engage - Show the children all the other rooms in the new home and let them

participate to a degree in decorating decision-making. By accepting input on decoration, parents will make their children feel like they are part of the process. Surprise - Arrange for special treats to be waiting for everyone at the new house. New games or new cuddly friends will keep the children busy during unpacking and make the first memory of the new house a pleasant one to remember.

OUR CURRENT MARKET Make the most of this April, May and June. With the record low inventory, it is a win-win for you as a seller. Time over time, my sellers receive top dollars for their homes and making a move now will help you ensure success. If you are ready or would like a free market analysis, give me a call. Or Email me Michelle@michellegillespie. com. Let me help you market,

stage and prepare your home to sell for the highest price. Let us maximize first impressions and attract great offers by following the tips in this article.

LET ME HELP YOU I have many years of experience working with families to sell and buy a new home. During the COVID-19 pandemic, I sold many homes and moved many families successfully and safely into their new homes. I have a family of my own, so I understand the unique challenges involved with moving families. In addition, we have many safety protocols in place when selling a home to give the sellers peace of mind. If you are thinking of selling this year, please give me a call. I would love to talk with you about selling your home. You can reach me at 508-934-9818 or Email me at Michelle@ michellegillespie.com. Visit my website at www.michellegillespie.com to request a free market analysis. I look forward to hearing from you.

COMMUNITY ADVOCATE • Friday, April 15, 2022 • 19

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4 Stylish Color Trends for 2022

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new year brings opportunities to refresh your living space and add colors into your life. These four trends are all about incorporating more of yourself and your lifestyle into your home, whether it’s answering your need for a serene escape or dialing up the energy with vibrant surroundings.

Bring in Nature Soothing earthy tones help bring a sense of calm and balance indoors. When designing with nature in mind, use gray-green tones to connect your aesthetic with the serene elements of the outdoors. Incorporate nature’s palette with greens in fabrics, accessories and even on the walls. Wood and stone materials naturally complement these shades for a look that’s cohesively pleasing and peaceful.

Stylish Sophistication If you’re aiming to infuse some sophistication with an update to a favorite space, opt for a monochromatic look in a dark (almost black) hue. The approach is simultaneously

bold and classic, but the secret to this trend is finding a shade that’s rich and deep, but not quite black, then complementing it with fabrics and furnishings that let the hint of color shine.

Connect with Your Inner Self Creating a living space that is uniquely yours requires understanding your inner motivations, traits and talents. One source of personal inspiration may be your zodiac sign, a reflection of the earth’s orientation to the sun on your birthday. The color experts at Valspar partnered with Ophira and Tali Edut of the AstroTwins to make it easy to explore the intersection of your character and style by explaining which 2022 Color of the Year best aligns with each zodiac sign. When you combine your sign with the convenience and advanced one-coat coverage of premium Valspar Reserve Interior Paint + Primer, available at Lowe’s, you can create a luxurious space that reflects the real you. * Aries - Sunset Curtains: A warm and soothing color

like this supports a transformational year full of new opportunities. * Taurus - Gilded Linen: This clean, cozy color makes spaces feel open, perfect for celebrating togetherness. * Gemini - Grey Suit: This is a color of warmth and versatility, a signature combination for Geminis. * Cancer - Delightful Moon: A spirited, playful color inspires a year of growth and adventure. * Leo - Mountain River: A dark and dreamy color invites inspiration for a year filled with abundance. * Virgo - Subtle Peach: It’s the year of partnerships for Virgos; this harmonious color works well alongside others but can also stand on its own. * Libra - Orchid Ash: A cool and breezy color keeps it simple so Libras can focus on a year of vitality. * Scorpio - Fired Earth: This warm and approachable color is perfect for Scorpios who plan to bring new people into their lives this year. * Sagittarius: Rustic Oak: A relaxing and comforting color that welcomes coziness in the new year. * Capricorn - Blanched Color | 22

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20 • COMMUNITY ADVOCATE • Friday, April 15, 2022

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Simple Tips to Attract Hummingbirds to Your Yard Family Features

hroughout the warmer months, many backyards play host to a variety of birds, including hummingbirds. When you see flowers and trees begin to bud and bloom and other migrating birds, like warblers, that’s nature’s way of letting you know it’s time to ready your yard for hummingbirds. It’s enchanting watching hummingbirds - named for the humming sound of their fastflapping wings - as their tiny size and speed make them natural wonders. Hummingbirds can fly 25-30 miles per hour, flapping their wings an estimated 70 times per second. They fly in every direction, even backwards, which only hummers can do, and float majestically in midair. The birds get their brilliant color from the iridescence in the arrangement of their feathers, not color pigment. Plus, they have the fastest metabolism of any animal on Earth, burning

1-2 times their body weight in food daily. Hummingbirds draw nectar from its source into their mouths, lapping it up almost 12 times per second. To increase your chances of observing these petite powerhouses at home, consider these tips from the experts at Cole’s Wild Bird Products:

Water Mitigation

Be conscious of beneficial insects. Hummingbirds rely on insects, which provide essential protein, to complement the nectar they crave. To attract insects, try placing rotting fruit near feeders and leave it until insects arrive for hummers’ easy eats. Leave spiderwebs alone: Hummingbirds use spiderwebs

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as construction material to hold their nests together and pluck insects caught in the webbing. Offer a water mister: Hummingbirds adore bathing; a mister gives them the fine spray they prefer. Once soaked, they’re off to find a preening perch. Provide tiny perches. Leave small, sturdy, bare branches for hummingbirds, to perch on for rest, preening and hunting. Perches provide vantage points to see danger and launching pads to swiftly pounce on insects. Once hummingbirds find a favorite perch, they’ll use it repeatedly. Hang hummingbird feeders first. Feeders are one of the most effective ways to consistently entice and encourage hummingbirds to come visit. However, not all feeders are created equal. For example, Cole’s Hummer High Rise Feeder is scientifically designed with elevated perches to make hummingbirds feel safe and comfortable, which encourages their consistent

return. Although hummingbird feeders can attract bees and ants, this feeder is uniquely designed to keep pests at bay. It doesn’t drip, so large bees can’t get to the nectar, plus it has a built-in ant moat to keep ants away from nectar when filled with plain water. Since birds drink from the moat, never use any repellents or additives. Hummingbirds are territorial and not likely to share feeders, so hang multiple feeders far enough apart to attract more birds. To ensure a steady stream of birds, hang feeders in the shade to avoid fermentation of sugar-based liquids, check feeders bi-weekly to keep food fresh and clean feeders as needed with one part white vinegar to four parts water. Plant flowers. Trumpet honeysuckle, bee balm and sage plants are particularly attractive to hummingbirds and provide rich nectar. Hummingbirds Hummingbirds | 21

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COMMUNITY ADVOCATE • Friday, April 15, 2022 • 21

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5 Steps to Prep Your Yard for Spring

PHOTO COURTESY OF GETTY IMAGES

Family Features

hen spring arrives, days of enjoying your outdoor living space aren’t far away. Getting your yard ready for months of outdoor enjoyment will take a little work, but you’ll quickly see and appreciate the results. These five steps can have you on your way to a lush, healthy lawn and outdoor area in no time.

1. Dethatch

Throughout the winter, dead grass and other debris accumulate on your lawn. This waste, known as thatch, can be quite a hindrance to your spring lawn. It promotes fungi, encourages pests and keeps new grass seed from sprouting. You can use a special dethatching rake or any rake with sturdy tines.

2. Aerate

Before spreading grass seed,

you’ll want to give the new roots room to spread and grow. Aerating the lawn helps make your soil more welcoming to new growth by allowing moisture, nutrients and air to sink deeper into the soil. Depending on the size of area you need to aerate, two of the easiest options are doing the job by hand or using an attachment on a riding lawn mower.

3. Prune

consume 1 1/2 times their body weight daily, eating every 10-15 minutes and visiting 1,0002,000 flowers per day. Choose the right nectar. Not all nectar is alike, and hummingbirds can taste the difference. Almost all commercial nectars contain one sugar source - sucrose - because it’s cheaper to make. However, real flower nectar contains three sugar sources - sucrose, fructose and glucose - in varying amounts depending on the flower. Researched and designed to attract the greatest variety of

so these remedies are best used along borders and within beds to discourage weed growth.

5. Seed

Winter weather and wear can cause uneven patches in the lawn. Seeding in the spring requires more work than the fall (especially if you tend to

have hot, dry summers), but with enough nurturing and regular water, you can fill those spots in for a more uniform lawn. Visit eLivingtoday.com for more advice to make your outdoor living space spectacular. SOURCE: FAMILY FEATURES

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The lawn isn’t the only place debris can pile up. Your flower beds and any other vegetation can become a holding ground for twigs, branches, leaves and other yard waste. Give your plants, shrubs and trees a close look to find broken, damaged or dead material and remove it to make way for new growth.

4. Weed

Even the healthiest lawns are susceptible to weeds, but getting a jump start on weeding early in the season can

Simple Tips to Attract Hummingbirds to Your Yard Hummingbirds | from page 20

help you keep control. You can manage weeds by treating with an herbicide before the sprout or, if you prefer, there are chemical-free alternatives like vinegar, salt or cornmeal. Be aware that many alternative products don’t distinguish between the vegetation you want (like grass) and weeds,

hummingbirds, Cole’s Nature’s Garden is a high energy, nutrient-rich nectar that combines all three types of organically sourced sugars North American hummingbirds love, with a spring water base. It closely mimics the sugar ratios they favor and provides a healthier, nutritious, all-natural alternative to table sugar. Don’t forget, hummingbirds have memories like elephants; once they discover your hummer-friendly habitat, they’ll come back every year if there’s a reliable food source. Learn more at coleswildbird.com. SOURCE: COLE’S WILD BIRD PRODUCTS

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22 • COMMUNITY ADVOCATE • Friday, April 15, 2022

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4 Stylish Color Trends for 2022 Color | from page 19

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Thyme: For Capricorns, this is the year of variety, and this is a refreshing tone to support change. * Aquarius - Country Charm: This hue provides warmth and stability for a year of productivity. * Pisces - Lilac Lane: A playful pastel hue that brings softness along with optimism and renewal.

Add Comfort and Warmth Treating your home like a sanctuary never goes out of style, and one way to create a soothing, inviting space is through the use of cozy neutrals. Whether it’s applied to a bedroom retreat or a more bustling space like the living room, a neutral palette can add to the allure of

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COMMUNITY ADVOCATE • Friday, April 15, 2022 • 23

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On-Trend Ideas for Sprucing Up Your Deck Family Features

nstalling or updating a deck can transform your outdoor living area. Not only is a deck aesthetically appealing, but it also allows you to create additional space for a wide range of uses, whether it’s a lively entertainment zone or tranquil, relaxing retreat. If you’re planning a deck build or renovation in 2022, consider incorporating one or more of these design trends identified by Westlake Royal Building Products, a leading manufacturer and distributor of materials for home remodeling, building and construction.

Creativity in Design While decking design features used to be reserved for luxury upgrades, creative flair is increasingly mainstream. Some options for incorporating greater depth and style into your deck design include mixing and matching boards to create patterns, inlays and focal points or utilizing twotone designs for more visually interesting aesthetics.

On-Trend Colors

Classic lumber-toned decks never go out of style, but adding some flair with an eyecatching color is a subtle way to elevate your deck’s aesthetic appeal. Some designs incorporate color throughout while another way to bring color to your deck is through distinctive inlay design or other design features. Working with a product like Zuri Premium Decking gives you a selection of six on-trend colors, including Hickory, a true mid-tone brown, as well as Chestnut, Walnut, Pecan, Brazilia and Weathered Gray. The planks feature minimal grain repetition to capture the look of true exotic hardwood with no painting, staining or resealing needed, and all are backed by a 25-year warranty against color shifting.

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Deck | 27

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24 • COMMUNITY ADVOCATE • Friday, April 15, 2022

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5 Tips for Gardening with Kids Family Features

fter months of cool weather, the first hint of spring will likely have the whole family eager to dive into outdoor activities. This year, as you begin tackling the garden, find ways to get the youngest family members in on the action, too.

Not only is gardening an activity you can enjoy together, there are numerous ways to incorporate age-appropriate, teachable moments from counting and colors to responsible care of living things. Creating a positive first experience with gardening can start with this simple advice:

* Dedicate a spot for a junior garden, which allows you to instill a sense of pride and ownership in the little gardener while protecting your own garden areas from ambitious young hands. * Provide appropriate tools in child sizes. Just as you would

PHOTO COURTESY OF UNSPLASH

teach a child the finer points of baseball using a bat and glove, demonstrate the joys of gardening with tools such as a rake, hoe and trowel, all of which can be found in sizes more manageable for little helpers. * Let the kids choose what to plant. Whether flowers or food plants, allow children to make

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their own decisions (within reason) about what they would like to grow. This can help them engage in the magic of watching items they selected emerge from the ground and grow into their finished forms. * Encourage exposure to unfamiliar plants that entice the senses with appealing smells and flavors. Herbs such as chives, mint and basil are good choices, or consider edible flowers such as pansies or violets. * Set an example for your child to imitate by giving regular and proper care to your own garden. Remember to bring the lesson full circle by enjoying the bounty of your garden together, whether it’s a small hand-cut bouquet or a meal featuring your child’s freshgrown produce. Find more tips for gardening with your kids at eLivingtoday.com.

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Well-known for outstanding customer service. Feel confident and satisfied you’ve chosen the right products for excellent results. Westborough - Shrewsbury - Worcester - Auburn - Leominster BOGO Coupon available on our website ©2021 Benjamin Moore & Co. ARBORCOAT, Aura, Benjamin Moore, Color Lock, REGAL, and the triangle “M” symbol are registered trademarks licensed to Benjamin Moore & Co.

COMMUNITY ADVOCATE • Friday, April 15, 2022 • 25

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Installing Bathroom Tile Like a Pro Family Features

eliminate the need to make multiple awkward cuts, and small tiles are perfect for creating accent patterns or introducing a splash of color. When you’ve got your overall look and materials selected, keep these steps in mind as you begin laying the flooring:

PHOTOS COURTESY OF UNSPLASH

pdating the flooring can help infuse new life into tired, outdated bathrooms. For an upscale, polished look that doesn’t have to break the bank, consider installing tile flooring. Before you get started, you’ll want to make some decisions about the look and feel of your flooring: Ceramic or stone? Weigh factors such as porosity, how slippery the surface may be when wet and how well it retains heat or cold. Ultimately, your decision hinges on the needs and uses of your family. Complement or contrast? Define the overall style you want as well as the colors and tones that will help best achieve your vision. Big or small? Generally, the larger the tile, the fewer grout lines, and too many grout lines in a smaller space can create the illusion of clutter. However, smaller tiles can

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1. Prepare your subfloor. Use a level to check for uneven spots; you need an even surface to prevent cracks in the tile or grout as well as rough spots that could pose tripping hazards. Use patching and leveling material to create a consistent surface. Apply a thin layer of mortar then attach your cement backer board with screws. Cover joints with cement board tape, apply another thin layer of mortar, smooth and allow to dry.

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26 • COMMUNITY ADVOCATE • Friday, April 15, 2022

HOME

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Installing Bathroom Tile Like a Pro Tile | from page 25

5. When laying tile, use your reference lines as guides. Press and wiggle tile slightly for the best adherence.

ment, draw reference lines on the subfloor using a level and carpenter square. Tile should start in the middle of the room and move out toward the walls, so make your initial reference lines as close to the center as possible. Mark additional reference lines as space allows, such as 2-footby-2-foot squares.

6. Use spacers to create even lines between one tile and the next, removing excess mortar with a damp sponge or rag. 7. As you complete a section of tile, use a level and mallet to verify the tiles are sitting evenly.

3. Do a test run with your chosen tile by laying it out on the floor. There are color variations in most tile patterns, so you’ll want to verify each tile blends well with the next.

8. Let mortar dry 24 hours before grouting.

AA Royal Than aa Full House 9. Remove then apply grout Royal Flush Flush is is Better Better Thanspacers Full House to joints, removing excess as you go.

4. Mix tile mortar and use the thin side of a trowel to apply mortar at a 45-degree angle. Use the combed side to spread evenly and return excess mortar to the bucket. Remember to apply mortar in small areas, working as you go, so it doesn’t dry before you’re ready to lay the tile.

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107148 • Mar 2011

COMMUNITY ADVOCATE • Friday, April 15, 2022 • 27

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On-Trend Ideas for Sprucing Up Your Deck Deck | from page 23

owners are designing decks with multiple seasons in mind. Features like retractable walls can help you block cool breezes and trap the warmth of space heaters or a fireplace while roofs provide shade and fans help circulate the breeze during warmer months. Decks built with clean, simple lines can offer a connection to nature as well as convenience for homeowners transitioning from indoor to outdoor spaces.

Popularity of Composite Decking

Weather patterns can cause substantial damage to a home’s exterior materials, including a deck where natural wood is prone to drying out. This creates an upkeep cycle that requires ongoing investments of time and money. An alternative to natural wood, such as Zuri Premium Decking by Royal, combines the lowmaintenance, high-durability properties of composite decking with the exterior environment-defining presence of exotic wood. The result is an authentic look with zeromaintenance upkeep.

Bringing the Inside Out

A deck’s design elements were once limited to predictable furnishings like a picnic table and grill, but those days are gone. Homeowners seeking to create an outdoor oasis are bringing amenities of the indoors outside. You’ll find outdoor kitchens and weatherproof TVs, rugs and furniture, allowing homeowners to incorporate the convenience and comfort of indoor living rooms and kitchens into their outdoor spaces despite elements like snow, wind and rain.

Masonry as an Accessory

If you love the look of masonry but have your heart set on a deck, you can take the path of many homeowners and incorporate masonry as an accessory or design element. Mixing building mediums provides texture, which creates an immersive tactile experience through sight and touch. Options like a fireplace

or firepit, pillars, skirting, bench seats, planters, water features, kitchen or bar space and walkways can all complement and enhance the decking so you get to enjoy the best of both worlds.

Clean Sightlines

A deck is an ideal vantage point when you have a beautiful view to enjoy and using the right materials can enhance that experience. Creating a clean, sophisticated and unobstructed view is easy when you outfit your deck with the right lighting and use cable or glass railings, which provide safety along with clear views of the landscape beyond. Find more tips and ideas to spruce up your outdoor living space at liveabode. com. SOURCE: WESTLAKE ROYAL BUILDING PRODUCTS

28 • COMMUNITY ADVOCATE • Friday, April 15, 2022

CLASSIFIED DEADLINE IS FRIDAY AT NOON, ONE WEEK PRIOR TO PUBLICATION DATE

Home Repair & Services ICE DAM REMOVAL

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Interior/Exterior Powerwashing Deck Staining, etc.

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26 year professional mover Licensed & Insured

Trailer Dumpsters Available for On-site Rental

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ATC SERVICES

(508) 868-2025

LAWN BOYZ

774-462-2671

www.atcjunkremoval.com

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LANDSCAPING

508-410-2756

• Spring Clean up/Mulching • Lawn Renovations • Walkways/Patios/Walls • Trimming • Designing & Sprinkler install • Bobcat services

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Neighborhood Painting Interior/Exterior 10% OFF for work over $1,000 30 Years’ Experience Fully Insured & Licensed Free Estimates Please call 857-266-2137

Attics, Sheds, Garages, Basements, etc.

DEMOLITION SERVICES 25 Years of Experience Interior/Exterior • Free Estimates

Joseph Lucier Owner/Painter

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call: 978-897-junk cell: 978-460-1192 Quickremovalservice.com

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CommunityAdvocate.com

Legal Commonwealth of Massachusetts Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs MEPA Office 100 Cambridge St., Suite 900, Boston, MA 02114 Telephone 617-626-1020

PUBLIC NOTICE OF ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW PROJECT: 25-29 Research Drive LOCATION: 25-29 Research Drive, Westborough, MA 01581 PROPONENT: 25 Research Drive Properties LLC The undersigned is submitting an Environmental Notification Form (“ENF”) to the Secretary of Energy & Environmental Affairs on or before April 15th, 2022 (date) This will initiate review of the above project pursuant to the Massachusetts Environmental Policy Act (“MEPA”, M.G.L. c. 30, s.s. 61-62I). Copies of the ENF may be obtained from: Geoff Starsiak; gstarsiak@epsilonassociates.com; 978.897.7100 _______________________ ______________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________ (Name, email address, phone number of proponent or proponent’s agent) Electronic copies of the ENF are also being sent to the Conservation Commission and Planning Board of the Town of Westborough (Municipality). The Secretary of Energy & Environmental Affairs will publish notice of the ENF in the Environmental Monitor, will receive public comments on the project for 30 days, and will then decide, within seven days, if an Environmental Impact Report is needed. A site visit and/or remote consultation session on the project may also be scheduled. All persons wishing to comment on the project, or to be notified of a site visit and/or remote consultation session, should email MEPA@mass.gov. Mail correspondence will continue to be accepted, though responses may be delayed. Mail correspondence should be direct to the Secretary of Energy & Environmental Affairs, 100 Cambridge St., Suite 900, Boston, Massachusetts 02114, Attention: MEPA Office, referencing the above project. By 25 Research Drive Properties LLC (Proponent)

CITY OF MARLBOROUGH CONSERVATION COMMISSION CITY OF MARLBOROUGH CONSERVATION COMMISSION AMEND ORDER OF CONDITIONS (212-1229)

NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING

Plans and other information will be available in the Conservation Commission office. All interested persons are invited to the public hearing.

A Notice is hereby given that the Marlborough Conservation Commission will hold a public meeting on April 21, 2022 at 7:00 PM at Marlborough City Hall, 140 Main St. on the 3rd Floor-Memorial Hall. Request for Determination of Applicability was filed under provisions of the Massachusetts Wetlands Protection Act, G.L. c. 131, §40. Petition: ALTA Marlborough LLC request a determination as to whether an area is subject to jurisdiction under the Wetlands Protection Act. On property off Mechanic St and Lincoln St. and the bike path shown on Assessor’s Map as Map 69 Parcels 337 thru 345 and Map 56 Parcel 85 and a portion of an old rail spur. Plans and other information can be viewed in the Conservation Office. All interested persons are invited. Applicant or representative must be present.

Edward Clancy Chairman Conservation Commission

NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING Notice is hereby given that the Marlborough Conservation Commission will hold a public meeting on April 21, 2022 at 7:15 PM at Marlborough City Hall, 140 Main St. on the 3rd Floor-Memorial Hall. Petition: Marlborough/Northborough Land Realty Trust request an amended Order of Conditions (DEP 212-1229) for 322 Hayes Memorial Dr. based on site modifications to parking lot and building which are near wetlands.

LEGAL NOTICES Call today for a quote! 508.366.5500

Call Mary Ellen at 508-366-5500 or email classified@communityadvocate.com

COMMUNITY ADVOCATE • Friday, April 15, 2022 • 29

CLASSIFIED DEADLINE IS FRIDAY AT NOON, ONE WEEK PRIOR TO PUBLICATION DATE

Career Marketplace

Prayers Need A Message Of Hope?

PART TIME

Light Maintenance Work Shrewsbury Building

24 Hours Everyday

Call Dial-A-Friend

(508) 852-5242

Call Bruce 774-535-1134

For Sale

Pools

REE RY BEFOR TTR YYOU BUYY!!

NO POOL TOO SMALL

FULLER RV RENTALS & SALES CLASS A, B, C & SUPER C MOTORHOMES TRAILERS PROPANE

POOL REMOVAL

Call Herb Tebo for Estimates

Family Owned & Operated

Celebrating 37 Years in Business 150 Shrewsbury St. Boylston

Mellanox Technologies, an NVIDIA company in Westborough, MA, has multiple openings at various levels. Please ref code & title and send resume to: NVIDIA, 2701 San Tomas Expressway, Santa Clara, CA 95050, Attn: KC HR or send to NVIDIA-RecruitAd@nvidia.com. These positions will support, serve and engage in the design, development and/or marketing of NVIDIA PC graphics, GPUs, AIs and supercomputing for various industries. ASIC Engr (ASICDE579): Work on variety of complicated physical implementation tasks (including high density and high-speed blocks). Sr. ASIC Eng (SRASIC03) Create verification plans and strategies on how to verify compute subsystem designs.

Cell: 508.328.3838 1.800.649.3095 508.476.3095

1-800-338-2578 www.fullerrv.com

HIGH QUALITY PEOPLE FOR OUR 1ST AND 2ND SHIFTS We recognize and reward talent with the highest wages in the industry. • CNC programmer Amada & Haas

• Shipper/Receiver & shipping help

• Press brake mechanic NC9EX Amada

• Customer service, sales & estimator

• Turret punch press set up/ operator

• Working Forman all around mechanic

• Methods Engineer (JOBBOSS shop control )

• Book keeper/QuickBooks excel

• Quality control inspector (flat pattern)

• Part time (general shop help)

• Welder (hielarc/mig) Great benefits including medical matched 401 contributions and paid vacations. Located at 40 Hayes Memorial Drive, Marlborough, MA 01752.

by Tebo. com

• SPAS • ABOVE GROUND •LINER POOLS • GUNITE

WANTED

ENGINEERING/TECHNOLOGY

BJ’s Wholesale Club, Inc. seeks

Lead Application Dev Analyst

Tel 508-786-0309 fax 508-786-0310 Email resume to: sales@apahouser.com

in Westborough, MA. Responsible for leading development, configuration/ testing efforts, reviewing and approving the work of others for the Supply Chain group. Bachelor’s’ degree plus 5 years exp. in a Professional IT software/ development, supply chain role. Qualified Applicants send resume to: Chris Rouleau, 25 Research Drive, Westborough, MA 01581. Equal Employment Opportunity Employer.

Cleaning MC

RESIDENTIAL CLEANING

Cleaning Services

FREE ESTIMATES GREAT REFERENCES

Legal

Call Sue! (508)756-9842

Home/Office Call us for a free quote

781-658-0493

MARLBOROUGH COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY 250 Main Street, Marlborough, MA 01752

AFFORDABLE RENTAL HOME IN MARLBOROUGH 2 BEDROOM - $1,510* Newly renovated two-bedroom single-family home. $1,510 rent: heat, hot water, water & sewer included Applications are available by calling the MCDA at (508) 624-6908 ext. 7 or on the MCDA website: www.marlborough-ma.gov/mcda > Affordable Housing > Apply for Housing > Forms & Applications > 223 Mechanic St. Rental App. Income eligibility requirements. *Section 8 Vouchers are welcome. *Rents for voucher holders determined by the subsidizing agency.

Available Immediately It is unlawful to discriminate against any person because of race, color, religion, familiar status, age, sex, sexual orientation, disability, veteran’s status, national origin or ancestry. Marlborough CDA-Housing Division provides reasonable accommodations to persons with disabilities

NOTICE OF TIER RE-CLASSIFICATION

Family owned & operated • Solid References

WYMAN GORDON COMPANY 244 WORCESTER STREET, NORTH GRAFTON MASSACHUSETTS 02148 RELEASE TRACKING NUMBER 2-0535

Earn a Free Cleaning

A historical release of oil and/or hazardous materials has occurred at this location, which is a disposal site as defined by M.G.L. c. 21E, § 2 and the Massachusetts Contingency Plan, 310 CMR 40.0000. To evaluate the release, a supplemental Phase I Initial Site Investigation was performed pursuant to 310 CMR 40.0480, followed by response actions and risk reduction measures performed in accordance with the MCP. The site has been re-classified as TIER II pursuant to 310 CMR 40.0500. The week of April 11, 2022 Wyman Gordon Company (WG) filed a TIER II Re-Classification Submittal with the Department of Environmental Protection (MassDEP). To obtain more information on this disposal site, please contact Mr. James Wright, Wyman Gordon Company, 7743 Adams Street, Paramount, CA 90723, phone 508 756-5111. The Tier Re-Classification Submittal and the disposal site file can be viewed at MassDEP website using Release Tracking Number (RTN) 2-0535 at http://public.dep.state.ma.us/SearchableSites2/ Search.aspx or at MassDEP, Central Regional Office, 8 New Bond Street Worcester, Massachusetts 01606, 508 7927650. Additional public involvement opportunities are available under 310 CMR 40.1403(9) and 310 CMR 40.1404.

On your 4th regularly scheduled cleaning

Media Convert Your Camcorder

Tapes to DVDs!

Transfer any format Including Movie Film & Audio Tape. I also fix your broken tapes. Please call Jeff

508-393-9440 www.northboromedia.com

“Tape is not forever!”

CALL NOW!

We do Pick-up & Delivery

30 • COMMUNITY ADVOCATE • Friday, April 15, 2022

COMMUNITY OBITUARIES The Community Advocate will post obituaries online (and in print, as space allows). Please send information (and a picture if desired) to tracy@communityadvocate.com. Here is a complete list of individual obituaries posted on the Community Advocate website (www. communityadvocate.com).

DEATHS Belmore, Joseph of Marlborough Cleary, James of Westborough Demeritt Jr., George of Marlborough Gustafson Sr., Robert of Marlborough Hannon III, Timothy formerly of Marlborough Hebert, Dolores of Shrewsbury Holovnia, Joseph of Shrewsbury Kelly Jr., John of North Grafton Lloyd, Wayne formerly of Westborough Mauro, Anita formerly of Marlborough McCarthy, Maxwell of Northborough McGrath, Mary of Hudson Monteiro, Maria of Hudson Porter, Richard of Marlborough Quinn, Brendan formerly of Southborough Shaw, Matthew of Westborough

Scan QR code to read all of this week’s obituaries on our website.

“PET NAMES”

Joseph T. Holovnia, 90

John F. Kelly Jr., 75

Matthew P. Shaw, 38

SHREWSBURY - Joseph T. Holovnia, 90 a longtime resident of Shrewsbury, passed away at home surrounded by loved ones, Wednesday, March 30, 2022. Joseph Theodore Holovnia, was born, September 20th, 1931 in Worcester, the son of Stella (Borek) and Joseph P. Holovnia and has lived in Shrewsbury for over 67 years. He leaves behind the love of his life Sarah (Thomasian) with whom he enjoyed 67 wonderful years of marriage at their home in Shrewsbury. He also leaves a son Mark Holovnia, his wife Mary and adored granddaughter Jaclyn, three daughters Karin Holovnia and her partner Jim French of Sterling, Lisa Welty and her husband Jim of York, Pa., Kristin Holovnia and her partner Skip vonKuske of Portland Oregon: Many nieces and nephews. The Mercadante Funeral Home & Chapel assisted with arrangements.

NORTH GRAFTON - John F. “Jack” Kelly, Jr., 75, of North Grafton and formerly of Shrewsbury, passed away after a short illness with his family by his side on Wednesday, March 30, 2022 at UMASS Memorial Medical Center. Jack leaves his two children, Jeffrey F. Kelly and his wife Danielle of Reading, Mass., and Angela E. Kelly and her longtime companion Paul Maddalena of Shrewsbury; three grandchildren Dylan Gordon of Shrewsbury, and Nathaniel and Audrey Kelly of Reading; three siblings, Marguerite Kelly of Florence, Mass., Maureen Conrad of Grafton, and Michael Kelly and his wife Margaret of Sydney, Australia; also survived by several nieces and nephews. He was predeceased by his parents, John F. Kelly, Sr., and Angela M. (Limoli) Kelly, and by a sister, Kathleen Costello. The Britton-Shrewsbury Funeral Home assisted with arrangements.

WESTBOROUGH - Matthew P. Shaw, 38, of Westborough, passed away peacefully on Tuesday, Mar 29, 2022 at home surrounded by his loving family following a lengthy and hard-fought battle with AML. He was the loving husband of Meagan M. (McAleavey) Shaw and a devoted father of three children: Torin A. McAleavey, Mason K. McAleavey, and Avery J. Shaw all of Westborough. Born in Concord, MA he is the son of Peter B. Shaw of Sutton and the late Mary Lee (Colgan) Shaw. In addition to his wife, kids and father he is survived by his sister, Erin M. Piccioli and her husband, Christopher, of Sutton; his brother Peter B. Shaw, Jr., and his girlfriend, Gina Carrico, of Douglas and many aunts, uncles, nieces, nephews and cousins. The Pickering & Son Westborough Funeral Home assisted with arrangements.

Wayne Lloyd, 68 CORAL BAY, ST. JOHN, USVI - Wayne Lloyd of Coral Bay had a dry wit, a poet’s soul, a philosopher’s mind, and an empathetic heart. When he was diagnosed in 2019 with a liver disease that was certain to progress, he began writing a blog that would help reveal all these aspects of himself to others. “In a couple years I will, ‘if life is fair,’ (as my Scan QR code friend Percy to read the often says) full obituary. celebrate my seventieth birthday,” he wrote on April 5, 2021. “Many things are starting to feel like now or never. I have a lot of stuff in my head, my heart and what’s left of my memory that I want to explore. Hopefully some I can resolve. Mostly I want to tidy up the place and compose those things I may never resolve into a format someone else might find useful as a starting place.”

SUPER CROSSWORD

COMMUNITY ADVOCATE • Friday, April 15, 2022 • 31

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. Scan QR code to read this week’s police and fire news on our website.

Southborough

Thursday, March 31 9:10 p.m. Arrested, Chelsea L. Herr, of Maple St., Marlborough, for op MV with license suspended, speeding/rate of speed exceeding posted limit, warrant.

Northborough

Monday, March 28 6:11 a.m. Arrested, Xavier Broughton, 36, of 4 Valley Hill Dr., Worcester, on warrant. Tuesday, March 29 12:55 a.m. Arrested, Amy M. Kannegieser, 42, of 511 Southbridge St., Worcester, for op MV with license suspended, use MV without authority. Wednesday, March 30 6:59 a.m. Arrested, Patrick Neal Wadkins, 52, of 380 Southwest Cutoff, Apt. 201, Northborough, for sex offender fail to register. 8:38 a.m. Arrested, Jahir Shammar Lawrence, 20, of 234 Church St., Northborough, on warrant.

Grafton

Tuesday, March 29 4:58 a.m. Arrested, Moustapha Sene, 19, of 51 Junius St., Brooklyn, N.Y., for receiving stolen property +$1200, arrestee furnishing false ID information to law enforcement.

Answers to Super Crossword

Shrewsbury

Saturday, April 2 1:05 a.m. Arrested, Jason Curtis Maloney, 46, of 12 Brookside Pl., Shrewsbury, for poss Class A substance. Monday, April 4 1:01 a.m. Arrested, Sage H. Horeluk, 24, of 649 Grafton St., Shrewsbury, on warrant. 1:59 a.m. Arrested, Janet Sisavath, 29, of 3 Clifton Ter., Apt. 2, Worcester, for possession Class B substance, warrant. 11:49 a.m. Arrested, Christopher P. Behr, 43, of 1325 Worcester Rd., Apt. D5, Framingham, for B&E daytime for felony, larceny under $1200, larceny from building, vandalize property. Tuesday, April 5 3:54 a.m. Arrested, Allyx M. Fournier, 29, of 193 Hamilton St., Apt. 3, Worcester, on warrant. Thursday, April 7 1:06 a.m. Arrested, Richard J. Rose, 51, of 44 Vernon St., Worcester, on warrant, and Michael Anthony Harris, 45, of 22 Eden St., Worcester, for possession Class B substance.

Westborough

Tuesday, March 29 1:24 a.m. Arrested, Paul M. Holding, 45, of 47 Lakeshore Dr., Norfolk, for op MV with license suspended. Friday, April 1 12:49 a.m. Arrested, Daryl C. Morency, 32, of 27 Auburn St., Apt. 8, Framingham, on warrant. 12:30 p.m. Arrested, Demetric C. McNeil, 48, of 31 Bentley St., Apt. 2, new Bedford, on warrant, op MV with license suspended. 6:27 p.m. Arrested, Hely Goulart, 54, of 153 2nd St., Apt. 253, Framingham, for op MV with license suspended, MV brakes violation, no inspection sticker. Sunday, April 3 5:30 p.m. Arrested, Yolanda Elisia Montalvo, 49, of 510 Cambridge St., Apt. 104, Worcester, on warrant, unsafe operation of MV (obstructed view), unlicensed operation of MV, license not in possession, possess Class E drug (3 cts), possess Class B drug. Monday, April 4 1:58 a.m. Arrested, Joel Rivera, 35, of 6 Elizabeth St., Apt. 2F, Worcester, on warrant.

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32 • COMMUNITY ADVOCATE • Friday, April 15, 2022

POLICE

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Major crash snarls I-495/I-90 interchange By Dakota Antelman Managing Editor

Traffic backed up for miles on I-495 and I-90 following a major crash last week.

WESTBOROUGH - A crash on I-495 on the morning of April 8 sent multiple vehicles careening off the road, drawing an emergency response and snarling traffic near the Westborough/ Hopkinton town line. The incident made headaches for first responders and commuters alike. But it was far from the first major crash in that stretch of highway, which has troubled state and local authorities alike for years. Now, with tire tread marks still gouged in the highway’s shoulder, the state is coincidentally moving forward with a long awaited redesign of the entire I-495/I-90 interchange. “Anything you’ve become accustomed to going through, in the course of the next five years, will change significantly,” project manager Michael O’Dowd said in a Department of Transportation (MassDOT) capital programs committee meeting earlier this month, as noted by

PHOTO/DAKOTA ANTELMAN

State House News. Crash triggers lengthy backups The Hopkinton Fire Department first reported last Friday’s crash around 7:30 a.m. Emergency crews from Hopkinton, Westborough and Southborough were then on scene as of 8 a.m. that day, with a photo showing at least two

large vehicles with damage. Firefighters reported injuries associated with this crash, but they did not provide additional information The Massachusetts State Police separately called for EMS crews related to a second incident in traffic behind the crash on I-495 just after 8 a.m., according to the Westborough Fire Department.

“Expect heavy delays,” Westborough firefighters wrote of the situation on Friday morning. This all took place in the southbound lanes of I-495 near the I-495/I-90 interchange. This is close to the site of another crash back on March 19 where a pickup truck and a sedan collided before crashing into a guardrail on the ramp connecting I-495 south to I-90

eastbound. Area saw 460 accidents in four year span The state’s efforts to overhaul the interchange are far from new. Instead, talks about the estimated $466 million project stretch back years, with officials noting at one listening session in Hudson in 2019 that they had specifically identified 460 traffic accidents within the interchange area between 2011 and 2015 alone. There were two fatal accidents in that span. Years later, that MassDOT capital programs committee recently approved an agreement with a trio of contractors to pay for work at the interchange. Part of their work will involve updating highway infrastructure and adding a new lane for drivers to speed up and slow down while reshaping exit ramps themselves. Previous estimates have projected work on the new interchange to start this year and wrap up in either 2026 or 2027.

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COMMUNITY ADVOCATE • Friday, April 15, 2022 • 33

PEOPLE

Northborough residents ‘go out doors’ for public art exhibit By Laura Hayes Senior Reporter

Exhibit inspired by bike ride observation The NCC got its inspiration for Go Out Doors after NCC members Craig and Suzanne Cox spotted a similar painted door while on a bike ride on the Bruce Freeman Rail Trail in Concord. That exhibit was put on by the Umbrella Arts Center of Concord, which then helped Northborough with its exhibit. “We’re all trying to make Northborough a place of interest for people,” Selectmen Kristen Wixted said of the display. “I think that’s a great thing.” The doors were painted by nine artists — Heather Baer, Karla Collins, Samantha Con-

PHOTOS/LAURA HAYES

NORTHBOROUGH - The path running through Ellsworth McAfee Park is now lined with upcycled, painted doors. It’s part of the Northborough Cultural Council’s (NCC) public art exhibit “Go Out Doors – Northborough,” which serves to launch of the council’s new public art campaign called Love Northborough. Chair Terry Underwood noted the visibility of the Go Out Doors project in its current home in the park, speaking during a recent unveiling event this past weekend. “If you’re walking your dog, you’re walking with your children, just stop and wonder and enjoy the art,” Underwood told the Community Advocate. “Enjoy each other. Go outdoors.”

Northborough Cultural Council member Suzanne Cox presents the exhibit.

don, Peggy Ann Davidoff, Lisa Hayden, Pam Haynes, Lori Tiron-Pandit, Nicole Nolan and Bich-Ngan Nguyen. Doors were subsequently sealed with a protective coating to be able to better withstand the weather. Baer was one of the five artists from Northborough. Her door is called “A Fractured Mind” and represents pieces of herself and her family. It is split into four panels, which depict scenes from important places including Cape May, where Baer grew up; Sunset Beach in North Carolina; and a look out her back door in Northborough. The wood in between the panels is decorated with patterns in the Zentangle art method. Baer said it was incredible to have the exhibit in town. “It makes me feel more val-

ued as an artist,” she said. “I think it’s very validating for the community, and it creates a different experience in town.” Auction planned The exhibit will be on display in the park for about two months. After that, the art will be auctioned off. “We’re hoping that that will continue the excitement and generate some funds,” Underwood said. Money raised will go toward supporting other artists or another project in Northborough. Dollars will also go back to the artists themselves. “We hope that this is the start of many, many more things in Northborough,” Suzanne said. “Public arts can really define our place and help everybody here in town connect with their town in a unique way.”

Northborough artist Heather Baer stands next to her door. NothingBundtCakes.com

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34 • COMMUNITY ADVOCATE • Friday, April 15, 2022

COMMUNITY SPORTS HIGH SCHOOL SCOREBOARD ALGONQUIN GIRLS’ TENNIS – APRIL 1 Algonquin – 4, AMSA – 1 BOYS’ TENNIS – APRIL 4 Algonquin – 4, Hopedale – 1 GIRLS’ TENNIS – APRIL 4 Algonquin – 5, Shepherd Hill – 0 BOYS’ VOLLEYBALL – APRIL 4 Algonquin – 0, Acton-Boxborough – 3 BASEBALL – APRIL 5 Algonquin – 5, Andover – 6 BOYS’ LACROSSE – APRIL 5 Algonquin – 10, Shrewsbury – 6 GIRLS’ LACROSSE – APRIL 5 Algonquin – 19, Shrewsbury – 10 BOYS’ LACROSSE – APRIL 7 Algonquin – 11, Wachusett – 1 GIRLS’ LACROSSE – APRIL 7 Algonquin – 21, Wachusett – 11 BOYS’ VOLLEYBALL – APRIL 7 Algonquin – 3, Leominster – 0 SOFTBALL – APRIL 8 Algonquin – 14, North Middlesex – 13

AMSA BOYS’ LACROSSE – MARCH 31 AMSA – 15, Ashland – 13 GIRLS’ LACROSSE – APRIL 1 AMSA – 17, Hudson – 4 GIRLS’ TRACK – APRIL 1 AMSA – 75, Hudson – 52 GIRLS’ TRACK – APRIL 1 AMSA – 75, Marlborough – 52 BASEBALL – APRIL 4 AMSA – 6, Assabet – 1 BOYS’ LACROSSE – APRIL 4 AMSA – 8, Auburn – 3 GIRLS’ LACROSSE – APRIL 4 AMSA – 5, Northbridge – 8 SOFTBALL – APRIL 4 AMSA – 20, Assabet – 0

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ASSABET BASEBALL – APRIL 2 Assabet – 1, Hopedale – 11 BOYS’ LACROSSE – APRIL 4 Assabet – 11, Seekonk – 2 BASEBALL – APRIL 6 Assabet – 10, Monty Tech – 1 GIRLS’ LACROSSE – APRIL 6 Assabet – 4, AMSA – 11

GRAFTON BOYS’ LACROSSE – APRIL 1 Grafton – 8, Nipmuc – 4 GIRLS’ LACROSSE – APRIL 1 Grafton – 7, Bromfield – 8 BOYS’ TENNIS – APRIL 1 Grafton – 1, Nashoba – 4 BASEBALL – APRIL 4 Grafton – 12, David Prouty – 0 SOFTBALL – APRIL 4 Grafton – 0, Wachusett – 1 GIRLS’ TENNIS – APRIL 4 Grafton – 5, David Prouty – 0 BASEBALL – APRIL 5 Grafton – 5, Leicester – 6 BOYS’ LACROSSE – APRIL 5 Grafton – 15, Tantasqua – 4 GIRLS’ LACROSSE – APRIL 5 Grafton – 15, Tantasqua – 3

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MARLBOROUGH BOYS’ TRACK – APRIL 1 Marlborough – 33.5, AMSA – 68

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SHREWSBURY BASEBALL – APRIL 4 Shrewsbury – 3, Nashoba – 2 SOFTBALL – APRIL 4 Shrewsbury – 6, Nashoba – 5 SOFTBALL – APRIL 5 Shrewsbury – 5, Acton-Boxborough –4 BOYS’ LACROSSE – APRIL 7 Shrewsbury – 14, Tantasqua – 5 BOYS’ TENNIS – APRIL 8 Shrewsbury – 2, Wachusett – 3 BASEBALL – APRIL 9 Shrewsbury – 8, Minnechaug – 2 BOYS’ LACROSSE – APRIL 9 Shrewsbury – 5, Nashoba – 12

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BOYS’ VOLLEYBALL – APRIL 2 St. John’s – 0, Winchester – 3 BOYS’ TENNIS – APRIL 4 St. John’s – 5, Shrewsbury – 0 BOYS’ LACROSSE – APRIL 5 St. John’s – 7, St. John’s Prep – 13 BOYS’ VOLLEYBALL – APRIL 5 St. John’s – 1, St. John’s Prep – 3 BOYS’ LACROSSE – APRIL 7 St. John’s – 14, Malden Catholic – 5 BOYS’ TENNIS – APRIL 7 St. John’s – 4, Westborough – 1 BOYS’ TRACK – APRIL 8 St. John’s – 75.5, Xaverian – 69.5 BOYS’ VOLLEYBALL – APRIL 8 St. John’s – 3, Wachusett – 0 BOYS’ LACROSSE – APRIL 9 St. John’s 17, Framingham – 6

WESTBOROUGH GIRLS’ TENNIS – APRIL 4 Westborough – 3, Longmeadow – 2 BASEBALL – APRIL 5 Westborough – 12, Marlborough – 0 BOYS’ LACROSSE – APRIL 5 Westborough – 16, Shepherd Hill – 9 GIRLS’ LACROSSE – APRIL 5 Westborough – 12, Wachusett – 11 SOFTBALL – APRIL 5 Westborough – 12, Marlborough – 4 BOYS’ LACROSSE – APRIL 7 Westborough – 9, Groton-Dunstable – 12 GIRLS’ LACROSSE – APRIL 7 Westborough – 5, Bromfield – 17 BASEBALL – APRIL 8 Westborough – 5, Algonquin – 1 SOFTBALL – APRIL 8 Westborough – 4, Hudson – 5 BOYS’ TENNIS – APRIL 8 Westborough – 5, Algonquin – 0 GIRLS’ TENNIS – APRIL 8 Westborough – 5, Algonquin – 0 BOYS’ TRACK – APRIL 8 Westborough – 73, Wachusett – 72

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COMMUNITY ADVOCATE • Friday, April 15, 2022 • 35

COMMUNITY SPORTS

Grafton baseball enjoys game under the lights at Polar Park

Harlem Wizards come to Northborough

Grafton baseball players took the field at Polar Park in Worcester last week, falling to Doherty 7-0.

The Borough Breakers face off against the Harlem Wizards.

PHOTO/DAKOTA ANTELMAN

By Dakota Antelman Managing Editor PHOTOS/LAURA HAYES

Right: A Harlem Wizards player high fives Borough Breakers players as players rotate out.

By Laura Hayes Senior Reporter NORTHBOROUGH - Cheers filled the gymnasium at Algonquin Regional High School on April 8 as fans gathered to see the Harlem Wizards face off against a team of teachers and staff called the Borough Breakers. The Wizards are a “show basketball entity” performing and supporting fundraising events across the country. This event served as a fundraiser for Northborough kindergarten through eighth grade schools. Initially slated to take place in 2020, the game had been postponed many times, according to Peaslee Elementary School PTO co-chair Erin Tagliaferri.

“We’re happy that we’re finally able to hold it,” she told the Community Advocate. The game had previously been held several years ago, and Tagliaferri said it was a success. “People were looking forward to it,” she said. Tagliaferri said 750 tickets were sold in a presale ahead of the game. Guests were also able to get tickets at the door on the day of the game. Tagliaferri estimated that upward of 800 total tickets had been sold when she spoke prior to tip-off. “I think it’s a great community event,” Tagliaferri said. “People haven’t really been together in two years. So, we were happy to be able to do this and bring everybody together for a fun family night.”

GRAFTON - The Grafton High School baseball team enjoyed a unique, early season opportunity last week when they headed to Polar Park in Worcester for a game against Doherty. Originally scheduled as a typical regular season matchup in Grafton, the game was relocated to Worcester as part of an afternoon triple-header

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that also saw contests between North and South high schools and Burncoat and Narragansett last Friday. “This opportunity was something we couldn’t pass up, given the student-athlete experience,” Grafton Athletic Director Kevin Anderson wrote in his weekly newsletter update to families as game plans took shape. Grafton baseball fans subsequently filed into Polar Park on April 8, filling cordoned off

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