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Vol. 50 | No. 30 | July 26, 2024
Shrewsbury · Westborough · Northborough · Southborough · Marlborough · Hudson · Grafton
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Clinton St. industrial park provokes 17 hrs of contentious debate
Wiles Farm neighbors celebrate 40th anniversary of block party
Average household projected to pay $344 for fire station project
By Evan Walsh Reporter SHREWSBURY – Though the project has been before the Planning Board since January, the fate of a proposed industrial park on Clinton Street is still uncertain. After the project was introduced to the Planning Board on January 4, the board met monthly, discussing the project at length in February and March as more residents participated in public hearings. By April, the potential industrial park had emerged as one of the town’s most debated topics. It was discussed at Select Board meetings, Finance Committee meetings and at Town Meeting in May, following a citizens’ petition to Clinton St. | 9
Westborough Shopping Center housing project approved by Planning Board By Maureen Sullivan Assistant Editor WESTBOROUGH – The project to convert part of the Westborough Shopping Center into a mix of retail and housing has received approval from the Planning Board. During its meeting on Tuesday, July 16, the board gave the green light on the special permit and site plan review application for 18 and 30 Lyman St. The Colangelo family, which has owned the Westborough Shopping Center for nearly 50 years, wants to convert three buildings into a mix of retail and housing. Housing project | 5
northborough | 12 Central House Tavern celebrates 50th
Westborough | 15 Shrewsbury Police Dept. mourns the loss of K9 Hunter
The original residents of Wiles Farm Road return to celebrate the 40th anniversary of the block party on July 13.
By Laney Halsey Contributing Writer NORTHBOROUGH – For the past 40 years, Wiles Farm Road has been the home of block parties. Twelve houses line the street, leading to a cul-de-sac filled with childhood memories. Every summer, the residents on Wiles Farm Road meet at the end of the road to celebrate summer and reconnect with a block party. This summer, the event was especially important as it marked the 40th anniversary of the block party and welcomed back former residents. Ron Koshko, the operations manager of the event, worked to contact those who moved away. The event hosted around 80 people, who hailed from as far away as Oregon, Australia and Singapore. “It’s rare to find anybody doing a block party for 40 years,” Koshko said. “I think that’s what makes it really special. It’s in the interest of the kids who grew up in the neighborhood to come back and be part of that celebration.” Although it has now gained global
Shrewsbury | 24 Man wanted on murder charge for Northborough shooting Ron Koshko and Rick Leif are the cofounders of the block party and have worked to keep the event going for 40 years. (Photos/Laney Halsey)
significance, the party started 40 years ago with a simple gathering of neighbors. “We were the last house to move in on this 12-house cul-de-sac and Rick Leif came down and said, ‘I’m glad you moved in, now that we have the entire neighborhood occupied, we’re gonna have a block party,’ ” Koshko said. Leif was one of the first people to move into the neighborhood in 1984, and he
norhtborough | 25
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