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Vol. 46 | No. 44 | October 30, 2020
Shrewsbury · Westborough · Northborough · Southborough · Marlborough · Hudson · Grafton
Board denies application for The Gutierrez Company
Friday night soccer under the lights WESTBOROUGH The Rangers varsity boys soccer team hosted the Algonquin Regional High School T-Hawks under the lights on Westborough’s turf field, Oct. 23. Westborough’s Richard Nunes scored the game’s only goal with an assist from Felipe De Andrade.
Amazon to move into vacant buildings on Bartlett Street By Liz Nolan Contributing Writer NORTHBOROUGH - A unanimous decision was made by the Northborough Planning Board at its October 20 meeting to deny The Gutierrez Company’s application for a special permit with site plan approval and two groundwater special permits for 0 Bartlett Street. The plan was to build a 150,000 square foot high bay distribution center abutting Stirrup Brook and near surrounding neighborhoods and Algonquin Regional High School. After months of continued hearings, thorough deliberations and heated opposition by residents, the Board’s decision was based on their concerns on the negative impacts to the area and their lack of confidence in the proper oversight of operational inspections and maintenance. Representatives from The Gutierrez Company did return to this meeting with an additional evaluation on the traffic impact, an updated snow removal and storage plan and a design for the driveway configuration to discourage truck traffic on Bartlett Street. The additional information didn’t convince the Board that the proposal was a good or safe fit. One outcome of the updated traffic study discussion was that if this project generated traffic at a higher level, including background traffic from other projects planned, the intersection of Bartlett Street and Lyman Street could meet the criteria for a traffic signal. That is typically part of a developed mitigation plan and often the developer would be responsible for funding it, as was the case for Northborough Commons. During this discussion, Town Building Inspector Bob Frederico revealed that Amazon will be moving into the vacant buildings at 330 and 350 Bartlett Street, ultimately adding to the Board’s traffic concerns for that area. The Gutierrez Company also owns those buildings. “The impact is too enormous for that area and the town doesn’t have the resources or there isn’t a mitigation package in place to help mitigate these huge impacts that are going to happen whether it is to the environment or to safety,” said Board member Michelle Gillespie. “It is too much of a huge impact for that area at this point in time as presented to us.” Board member Anthony Ziton’s concerns related to the site’s proximity to the high school, Stirrup Brook and the wetlands. An informed decision was also difficult to make with an unknown tenant. The full meeting can be reviewed on the Northborough Remote Meetings channel on YouTube.
T-Hawks Jacob Carulli ( #7) and WHS Charlie Deane (#6 ) battle for the ball.
PHOTO/KELLY BURNESON
inside this issue: viewpoint ..................2 news ........................4 business ....................13 schools ...................14
homes & more ........16 police log ..............17 obituaries .............17 classifieds .............18
Committee discusses reuse of Northborough’s White Cliffs
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2 • COMMUNITY ADVOCATE • Friday, October 30, 2020
COMMUNITY | Viewpoint Letters to the Editor Vote for Kilcoyne Nov. 3
To the Editor: As we approach Election Day, I want to express my gratitude for the outpouring of support you have shown for my candidacy to be your next State Representative. For ten years, I have had the privilege of serving these communities as Representative Naughton’s Budget and Legislative Director. The experience I gained was more than just learning the ins and outs of government. It’s about ensuring that the policies, legislation and budgets that are passed on Beacon Hill will translate to excellent public schools, good jobs, sound infrastructure and a clean environment for our community and meeting our
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local needs, such as funding for Lincoln Street Elementary School. I’ve centered my professional life around fighting for our towns to help enhance the quality of life for residents. I want to continue to serve our towns; this community is my home. My great-grandparents immigrated from Ireland and settled in Clinton. My grandparents, Joe and Kathy Prendergast and John and Mary Kilcoyne, lived there their whole lives. My parents, John and Mary Ellen Kilcoyne, settled in Sterling where I was raised and attended Wachusett Regional Schools. Now, I live in Northborough, where I was welcomed with open arms. I’m proud to have been born and raised here and I am running because I want to be part of our community’s future. On November 3rd, the 12th Worcester District will make history by sending a woman to the State House for the first time—a humbling reminder
of the progress we have made, and the work we must continue to do. Representative Naughton has done incredible work for our towns. With a decade of advocacy and legislative experience, and a lifetime spent living in and getting to know the people of the 12th Worcester District, I am confident I have the experience, and skillset to go to Boston to fight for us on day one. Meghan Kilcoyne Northborough
Vote Yes on Question 1 – Right to Repair
To the Editor, I have owned an independent mechanic’s shop for 45 years and have seen cars go from no computers to almost everything having a sensor. We need access to this data to fix and maintain your car properly. Car manufactures don’t want
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us to have this information which forces you to dealerships. Big auto is using the next generation of wireless technology to get around the current law and shut out independent repair shops. That’s not what we voted for. If you think their prices are high now, wait until they don’t have competition. I have built trusted relationships with three generations of customers. I am urging everyone to vote Yes on Question 1 / Right to Repair. If this law doesn’t pass, we will be shut out of this vital information. Cars need to be scanned so we know what has to be fixed. Dealers are using scare tactics to sway your vote. Here are some facts; We only pull your car’s data. We don’t collect, so we can’t sell, your data. We don’t see your personal data. We can’t take control of your car and crash it. They keep fixating on Hackers. Professional hackers can get into government, bank, and credit card files. Don’t you think they can get into the dealer’s files as well? Question 1 is about you having a say/choice as to where you take your car for repairs. Support your local businesses. This keeps jobs in your town, and shops from closing. (We can’t survive on oil changes alone). It’s your car, you should decide where you want it fixed. Don’t forget to VOTE! Richard Meisenheimer All Car Care/Southborough
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To the Editor: As 25-year residents of Shrewsbury, we are fortunate to live in a community where we feel safe and know that first responders will arrive quickly in an emergency. This is why we wholeheartedly support the campaign to build a new police station and upgrade the town-wide public safety radio communication system. This project provides a longterm solution to replace the nearly 50-year-old building that, while well maintained, has outlived its usefulness to support the changing needs
of our community. Upgrading the aging critical emergency communications system will provide adequate coverage in all areas of town. This is a fiscally responsible investment to assist officers in working more efficiently and effectively and to support safety for first responders, residents, and businesses in Shrewsbury. For more information visit www.Support4PS.com. Please join us in voting YES for Public Safety on Question 3 on Tuesday, November 3rd. Dick & Moira Miller Shrewsbury
Vote Yes for CPA in Shrewsbury
To the Editor: My family and I moved to Shrewsbury five years ago, attracted to this town by its excellent education system which my parents were eager to enroll my brother and I in. However, times change, and with schools going remote an excellent education system alone is no longer enough to attract young families to our town. With ongoing closures due to the pandemic, it is essential that Shrewsbury invests its parks, historic sites, and outdoor recreation. The benefits of having plentiful and well-maintained outdoor recreational spaces are plentiful. A happier, healthier, more social Shrewsbury is possible with more investment in our public spaces. The main drawback is the slight tax levy associated with the act, yet once we look closer this element becomes more complex. We are already paying taxes to the state which are going towards the Community Preservation Act, however, by not adopting it we haven’t been able to utilize our share of these funds. It’s worth the small additional investment “Question 4” proposes to access state funds we’re already contributing towards. Not to mention much of these additional state funds will be used to pay for projects that we are already paying for. These include, but are not limited to, repaving parks, repairing school playgrounds, and the upkeep of historical sites. Freeing up more town funds by using funding from the Community Preservation Act will give us more Letters | 3
COMMUNITY ADVOCATE • Friday, October 30, 2020 • 3 Letters | from page 2
breathing room in our budget which, when utilized strategically, will help us avoid or delay future tax hikes. With more outdoor space we can also show that Shrewsbury is a great place for families to live and invest in. As a teen who loved nature, I always struggled to find places near me to visit and enjoy. With the Community Preservation Act the future youths of Shrewsbury will always have somewhere to go to appreciate nature and gain a greater love for our town and all its natural beauty. I hope you’ll consider voting Yes on “Ballot Question #4”. Thank you for taking the time to read this letter. https://communitypreservationshrewsbury.org/ Vincent Pellegrino Shrewsbury
Sharing the streets safely in Shrewsbury SHREWSBURY – The town of Shrewsbury recently received a MassDOT Shared Streets and Spaces grant totaling $63,514.87 that will be used to promote public health and enhanced safe mobility. The funds will help provide new or repurposed space for socially-distanced walking, bicycling, dining, retail, and bus travel. Two bike racks will be installed at Town Hall and the Senior Center. The grant will include funding for two new ADA compliant crosswalks on Maple Avenue proximate to the Town Center and the Town Hall Campus (Senior Center, Police Station and Town Hall) as well as municipal playing fields. And flashing beacons at one or both of the proposed crosswalks will also be installed as an added safety measure.
Letters to the Editor
Good people, well intentioned, proposal flawed
To the Editor: A German proverb reads: “The road to ruin is paved with good intentions”. The proverb refers to well-intentioned peo-
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Letters | 8
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The Community Advocate’s Policy on Letters to the Editor All letters should be 350 words or less. Letters can be emailed to news@communityadvocate.com or mailed to Managing Editor, Community Advocate, 32 South St. Westborough MA 01581. Letters must have the name, address and phone number of the person submitting it (only name and town will be printed.) Letters will be reviewed and printed at the discretion of the Editor for suitability. Letters that are deemed slanderous, libelous or attacking a person or organization will not be printed. Opinions expressed in the letters to the editor are not necessarily the opinion of the Community Advocate or its advertisers.
ple advocating for a cause without evaluating other responsible alternatives or considering the unintended consequences. In this case, the proposed Community Preservation Act (CPA) would be funded by an open-ended, automatically increasing annual proposition 2-1/2 operating real estate surtax (a TAX on top of your already skyrocketing property taxes). As your property increases, so will the proposed surtax. Can you believe it? A TAX ON A TAX? Really? So when we can’t tax you more, we will add a SURTAX? What’s next? A SURFEE on trash bags?? I believe we should maintain our town and protect our heritage. However, an expected FIRST YEAR $500,000 (a halfmillion dollars) could be better spent supporting Police, Fire and Education operations. How can we preserve our community? One way is to build the CPA fund similarly to how we paid for the Senior Center without an override. Each year the town would allocate $500,000 dollars into the CPA fund. Additional funds could come from the generosity of benefactors, fund raisers, grants,
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4 • COMMUNITY ADVOCATE • Friday, October 30, 2020
COMMUNITY | News Committee discusses reuse of Northborough’s White Cliffs By Liz Nolan Contributing Writer NORTHBOROUGH - The White Cliffs Committee met on Oct. 14 to continue discussion on the next steps regarding the draft
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of the Assessment and Reuse Study provided by DBVW Architects at their Sept. 22 meeting. The information compiled for the report included what would fit on the site, how it might look and basic information in terms of budget. Event space, municipal use and residential use were the three reuses outlined. The costs, however, were significantly higher than the Committee predicted. It was estimated that restoration of the building’s historic structure would cost approximately $6.6 million. This combined with other project costs could result in a project’s funding shortfall of $10-$14 million. The Committee agreed that the numbers were financially out of reach. “I think all of us were disappointed when we saw those numbers,” said Town Administrator John Coderre. “These
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were things that were going to be difficult if not impossible to finance with subsidy from the community. I think, in general, the Committee recognized that in order for this project to move forward to the extent possible, we need to find an economically viable reuse.” The Committee requested a fourth option, which will preserve the streetscape and preserve the building as is, including some of the interior woodwork and key architectural features inside the building. Since the original three options are not viable due to cost, the fourth option is potentially the one to be pursued. Members of the Committee agreed to extend the existing contract with DBVW Architects at the fee of $5,800 plus $400 allowance for reimbursable expenses. The additional work involved in proposing a fourth reuse option was not part of the original contract. DBVW will present their full report at a future meeting in November. The goal of the fourth proposal is to see what can be done at a more reasonable price point while trying to preserve the building instead of a full historic restoration project. Upgrades will be needed including electrical, plumbing and fire protection systems in order to reopen the building as required by code. An evaluation of accessibility improvements will also be necessary. An additional market feasibility analysis will be part of the project scope by DBVW for the fourth option to indicate what would be needed to try to preserve the building and to get it back on the market potentially for a use. Coderre said DBVW will be looking at the minimum that is needed “to try to preserve the building and put it back into play where a private sector or individual might be willing to come in and potentially acquire the place or work with the town for a long term lease and make some of these upgrades so we have a viable option.” In the meantime, Coderre said there is work that needs to be done to keep the building from further deterioration. One area in immediate need are the rotted window sills. The chimney is another area of concern. Department of Public Works Director Scott Charpentier said some are rotted to the point where water is going through the wooden window sill, behind the wall and saturating the wood flooring. Prioritizing spending will be important because the timeline of the project process is unknown and funds are limited. “This is a very unique project and we are in a very unique situation,” said Coderre. The full meeting can be viewed on You Tube at the Northborough Remote Meetings link. All Committee meeting minutes can be viewed at www.town.northborough. ma.us/white-cliffs-committee.
COMMUNITY ADVOCATE • Friday, October 30, 2020 • 5
COMMUNITY | News
Board of Selectmen announces new hires By Liz Nolan Contributing Writer
PHOTO/JEFF POLLACK
Halloween fun in Westborough WESTBOROUGH – The family at 198 Ruggles St. is in the holiday spirit.
Northborough Library to hold virtual job seekers program NORTHBOROUGH – The Northborough Free Library will present a virtual Northborough Job Seekers Program, “How a Country Western Blog Led to an Unexpected Career Path,” Wednesday, Nov. 4, from 3 to 4 p.m. The program will be led by local resident Greg Arnold, whose career path has taken interesting turns. In college, Arnold’s country western-themed blog caught the interest of an ecommerce firm, who hired him to work in their marketing department. This inspired Arnold to start his own small custom
designed t-shirt business. As a sole proprietor, Arnold did it all - marketing, sales, design and shipping of his company’s t-shirts. While his business continues to flourish, Arnold has also taken a job in the corporate world, illustrating how entrepreneurship opens doors in unexpected ways. This event is free but registration and access to Zoom are required. To register, visit northboroughlibrary.org and click on “Events” in the main navigational bar; or call Adult Services at 508-393-5025, ext. 5.
NORTHBOROUGH - The Northborough Board of Selectmen met on Oct. 19 and shared updates and town news including welcoming new hires and a voting update. Rebecca Meekins started her new role as Assistant Town Administrator. “I am super excited to start with Northborough,” she said. “Your community has a great reputation particularly among its surrounding communities. You guys have lots of great projects going on that I am really excited to dig in and provide my expertise and services to the residents of Northborough.” Also, three new Northborough firefighters/paramedics were introduced by Fire Chief David Parenti and officially sworn in by Town Clerk Andrew Dowd: Anthony Riccardo, Cameron Tracia, and Matthew Tufo. All three will start the fire academy in February with anticipated graduation in May. “I have worked very hard to get to this point in my career,” said Tracia. “Northborough will definitely be a place where I can learn and grow and succeed as a firefighter and paramedic and am honored to be a part of it.” Riccardo echoed the same sentiments. “I am excited to get into the fire academy and start to absorb all those things and put it all to good use,” he said. Tufo, who is a Navy veteran, is also looking forward to joining the Northborough Fire Department. “I am excited for the opportunity to grow within the Department and to become a better fire fighter and paramedic.”
6 • COMMUNITY ADVOCATE • Friday, October 30, 2020
COMMUNITY | News
Shrewsbury family continues tradition of spooky fun By Melanie Petrucci Senior Community Reporter SHREWSBURY – The McNamara family is well known for their “Haunted Hillando Halloween Maze” each year. This year the family hadn’t planned on doing it due to the coronavirus pandemic. But after Meg McArdle came home one day with a pumpkin they came up
with a new plan – a large display of carved pumpkins. McArdle’s husband, Sean McNamara, said that if they were going to do this, that he may as well bring out some of his skeletons and ghosts to make it festive. “We weren’t going to do anything. We weren’t going to do a display. We were just going to do a really basic front
yard thing, maybe a skeleton or two, just to dissuade people from coming and congregating,” he said. From now until Halloween night, Saturday, Oct. 31, the family will display outside their 48 Hillando Dr. home over 120 carved and lit pumpkins. There will also be a few skeletons and ghoulish ghosts on display to spread some Halloween spirit
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for all to enjoy – safely. McNamara said that the goal is to have people drive by. It is okay for people to stop and get a quick photo but not to congregate and no walking around the yard. “I do want people to come and see it and I do want to spread the holiday cheer but I feel very strongly that we don’t contribute to any vector of infection at all,” he stressed. Last year, the family took
donations for the Shrewsbury Youth and Family Services (SYFS) in lieu of an entrance fee. They were able to donate $5,000 to SYFS. This year, they set up a gofund-me page with the goal of raising $2,500 for the agency. To donate, visit https:// www.communityadvocate. com/2020/10/20/mcnamara-family-to-share-halloween-spirit-with-festive-andspooky-drive-by.
FOR MORE INFORMATION & TO PARTICIPATE GO TO: VISIT-MARLBOROUGH.COM
COMMUNITY ADVOCATE • Friday, October 30, 2020 • 7
COMMUNITY | News
Hudson residents push plans for diversity and inclusion committee By Dakota Antelman Contributing Writer HUDSON - Two town residents are moving forward with a proposal to form a diversity and inclusion committee after a summer of tough local and national conversations about race and discrimination. Jane Chertoff and Tina Grosowsky presented their proposal to the Hudson Board of Selectmen Sept. 14 and obtained support, albeit with some criticism from board members. Now, they’re planning early meetings and gathering residents interested in participating in presentations, discussions and focus groups about race and discrimination in Hudson. “This is our way to respond [to racism],” Grosowsky said. “This is us taking some action.” Already on a journey of reflection and reconciliation of her own “white privilege,” Grosowsky said she was horrified by this year’s police shootings of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, Jacob Blake and others. She attended protests outside Town Hall and joined a growing group of progressively minded locals in the new Facebook page “Hudson, MA Antiracist Resources and Allies” to talk about change in town. With Chertoff, Grosowsky then spent the past two months meeting on three separate occasions with town leaders to get their input on this new committee. “I just felt like it was something that was really important to do to raise up the subject in Hudson,” she said. Though created with input from Executive Assistant Tom Moses and Police Chief Rick DiPersio, in particular, this committee exists outside of town government. Therefore, it is not subject to open meeting laws and did not need the support of the Board of Selectmen to move forward with its organization. Nevertheless, Chertoff and Grosowsky wanted to present their idea to Hudson’s top governing body to seek verbal support. Though members said they were open to speaking further with the committee and its members, Selectman Scott Duplisia joined colleague Jim Quinn in opposing some aspects of Grosowsky and Chertoff’s message and presentation. “If you’re not doing something to help and make change
for people who are not white, you are contributing to the problem,” Grosowsky said near the end of her remarks. “Youhadmeuntilyousaidthat if I’m not with you, I’m against you,” Duplisia responded. He elaborated in a recent interview, further bristling at Grosowsky and Chertoff’s argument that a lack of diversity on the Board of Selectmen and the School Committee reflects
discrimination and bias within Hudson’s government. Duplisia noted that voters, not town bureaucracy, chose board members. Digging into the offices for which the town does handle hiring, though, Duplisia pointed out that Hudson’s recently retired Police Chief Michael Burks is African-American and the town’s human resources director has Portuguese heritage and
speaks fluent Portuguese. “I’m not naive to say [racism] doesn’t exist,” he said, “but show me where we have an issue.” Differences in opinion persist, but Chertoff and Grosowsky, meanwhile, reiterate that they are excited to continue setting up their committee. “They each come to the situation with their own background and history and ed-
ucation,” Grosowsky said of the selectmen. “I come with a different perspective from the work that I’ve done...Everybody comes to the table with what they can. We’re glad they were supportive of us.” Those interested in joining Hudson’s diversity and inclusion committee can reach out to Grosowsky or Chertoff at tgrosowsky@gmail.com or janefchertoff@gmail.com.
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8 • COMMUNITY ADVOCATE • Friday, October 30, 2020
COMMUNITY | News
Online ordering available at Marlborough Garden Club’s annual Pear Tree Boutique
MEDC receives grant to fund City Shuttle for seniors
A City Shuttle will assist local seniors.
By Vicki Greene Contributing Writer
Members of the Colonial Garden Club of Marlborough
MARLBOROUGH – The Colonial Garden Club of Marlborough’s annual Pear Tree Boutique has expanded this year to include both fall and Christmas items. The 42nd Annual Pear Tree Boutique will feature fall and traditional Christmas fresh and faux arrangements, wreaths and more, now available for ordering. All ordering may be done online at the club’s website, https://sites.google. com/view/colonialgardenclubmarlborough. Items will be available on a first-come, first-served basis, so community members are encouraged to order early. To learn more about membership, receive the club’s customer newsletter about meetings, special events, the annual Plant Sale and Pear Tree Boutique, email gardenclub01752@gmail.com.
MARLBOROUGH – The Marlborough Economic Development Corporation (MEDC) launched a commuter shuttle service in September 2019 for commuters going into and out of Boston via the MBTA Commuter Rail. The 12-person, handicap-accessible van funded by the MEDC transported commuters to the Southborough station from Marlborough Hills and the Apex Center. Due to business shutdowns
and more people working from home due to COVID-19, the shuttle service to the commuter rail was no longer needed. However, the MEDC applied for and received a $29,484 grant from the Massachusetts Area Planning Council (MAPC) to fund the City Shuttle three days per week on demand, for meal deliveries, groceries and medical appointments booked through the Senior Center. This grant will cover these services through March according to City Council President Michael Ossing.
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Letters | from page 2
private sponsorships and volunteer support. There could still be a committee to oversee and recommend. Town Meeting would approve the town’s annual allocation through the usual budget process. There is an inherent unfairness to the proposal. Although everyone will benefit from CPA as proposed, only those who pay real estate taxes will pay for it. There is a lot of record keeping involved with the CPA proposal. There are exemptions for income, age, size of household which must be applied
for annually. Who will keep track, verify the data, communicate with the homeowners, visit disputed properties and prepare and report to the Board of Selectmen, the Finance Committee and Town Meeting? The proposal will impose another layer of administration. I urge you to VOTE NO on CPA as proposed. The Proponents should make the required changes and resubmit a modified proposal addressing how to preserve our incredible community. Benjamin W. Tartaglia Shrewsbury
Dr. Katherine (Katie) Dodd and Dr. Auroa Badin
were married on August 29th at St Fernando's Cathedral in San Antonio, Texas.
Katie is the daughter of Susan E. and the late Attorney Alan F. Dodd of Westborough MA. She is a 2001 graduate of Westborough High School. Dr. Dodd has recently completed her final year of training at Northwestern Medical Center in the area of Advanced Heart Failure. Dr Badin is also an Advanced trained Cardiologist in Cardiac EP. A wedding reception will take place in Boston on September 25th , 2021.
Dr. Katherine (Katie) Dodd and Dr. Auroa Badin
COMMUNITY ADVOCATE • Friday, October 30, 2020 • 9
COMMUNITY | News
Feeding the hungry, one at a time, in Marlborough (l to r) Father Mike McKinnon, Joanne Gauvin, Charlie Place, David Tucker, Diane Place, Father Isaac Fisher and Sarah McKinnon organize donated groceries
By Cindy Zomar Contributing Writer MARLBOROUGH - For several years, the Holy Trinity Anglican Church (HTAC) on Lincoln Street in Marlborough had served a warm dinner every other Saturday to local residents who were down on their luck. Volunteers welcomed the guests and served them with compassion and dignity. Students from Advanced Math and Science Academy Charter School, members of Greater Grace Christian Fellowship and members of the Rotary took turns serving meals with the HTAC volunteers. However, when the pandemic forced a shutdown of business as usual, Father Michael McKinnon, HTAC’s pastor, realized that he and his volunteers had to step up, not down. “During COVID-19, in addition to providing a wonderful meal every Saturday evening, we are providing people with masks, bags of groceries, bags of toiletries, fresh eggs, loaves of bread, milk and additional
PHOTO/CINDY ZOMAR
items,” he said. “It is by the grace of God that we have been able to do this for the past several months.” The meals are no longer served as a sit-down dinner, but are packaged individually and distributed. Recently McKinnon reached out to other congregations in the community to request help with procuring the weekly grocery donations. “A good portion of our donations each week come from the members of my small church family,” he explained. “Alas,
supplies are running quite low. However, I feel strongly in my heart that we must keep up our emergency response to this present crisis at least through the end of the year or hopefully through March 2021.” Items needed include small jars of peanut butter and jelly, spaghetti and jars or cans of sauce, canned tuna or chicken and jars of mayonnaise, Progresso soups, mac-n-cheese, bags of rice, canned vegetables, dishwashing liquid and detergent for washing clothes. They can also use donations of plastic
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grocery bags or paper bags with handles. There is an occasional need for toiletries and paper products in individual packages. Volunteers are present in the church’s Outreach Center, 478 Lincoln St., Saturdays from 3:30 to 4:15 p.m. to receive donations. McKinnon is also already beginning to prepare for Thanksgiving. “We have traditionally served a sit-down family style meal with all the fixings, pie for dessert, and hot cider and more,” he said. “Sadly, this year, due to COVID-19, we will need
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to serve this as a take-out dinner. Many who have attended this special event every Thanksgiving holiday are people who have no family or have not received an invitation to join their family. This is where we come in!” McKinnon is hoping to get enough supplies to prepare and distribute 140 meals on Thanksgiving. “We hope that with help from other churches and organizations, as well as some individuals, we will be able to help and bless the homeless, the sheltered, the recovering, the financially challenged, and the lonely, on Thanksgiving Day,” he noted. “We have people to distribute the meals, but are hoping for donations of serving containers and food items.” To donate or to check on items still needed, McKinnon can be reached at bible.catholic.7@gmail.com or 508-4818493. He is also collecting clean winter coats, hats, scarves and gloves to distribute to those in need.
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10 • COMMUNITY ADVOCATE • Friday, October 30, 2020
COMMUNITY | News
Shrewsbury officials note life sciences company Cytiva to expand into Route 9 facility By Melanie Petrucci Senior Community Reporter SHREWSBURY – A life sciences company, Cytiva, formerly part of GE Healthcare Life Science, is anticipated to be moving into an 80,000 square facility on Route 9 by the end of the year. That news and other economic updates were shared re-
cently by Town Manager Kevin Mizikar with the Shrewsbury Board of Selectmen. “We are extremely happy to have Cytiva going into 800 Boston Turnpike (Route 9). It’s part of their worldwide expansion and includes roughly 200 additional jobs to the commonwealth (including at their Westborough facility) and
80,000 square foot of manufacturing,” he told he Board. According to a statement from the company, bioreactors, hardware used by drug manufacturers for growing organisms under controlled conditions needed for making biopharmaceuticals, vaccines and antibodies will be manufactured at the Shrewsbury
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were in the final stages of permitting with MassDOT go out to bid in early 2021 for improvements to the intersection of Route 20 and Lake Street. That work will be done in accordance with a MassWorks Grant that the town was awarded in 2018 for $3.75 million to do improvements to the Route 20 Corridor associated with the Edgemere development. Other economic news Mizikar shared include: the Midas building in the Trader Joe’s Plaza, 77 Boston Turnpike, will be converted into a Verizon retail store and FedEx will expand in its space; Geico is planning on moving into the space vacated by 2 Ovens restaurant in the White City Plaza and the retail outlet 5 Below will move into another vacant space in the same plaza; Rockland Trust is moving into the former Qdoba space at the Lakeway Commons, 193 Boston Turnpike; and the former India Store at 264 Boston Turnpike is being retrofitted to become a butcher/meat market.
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facility. Mizikar also updated the BOS on the status of the Edgemere Crossing at Flint Pond, a 68-acre mixed use project, formerly known as the Edgemere Drive-in, located at 180, 200 and 228 Hartford Turnpike. “We’ve been holding a series of meetings and understand that the developers are ready to begin pulling building permits for the residential component,” he said. “The commercial component including the Market Basket will start in early calendar year of 2021 and looks to open in the spring of 2022 so that project continues to move forward which will be a great economic asset to the community.” “We probably will see building permit applications come in this month but we most likely won’t see building construction until the spring for the residential units or the commercial units,” added Kristen Las, assistant town manager, in a phone call after the Board meeting. She also noted that they
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Karaoke fans perform on Chuck Dilts’ lawn in Southborough.
By Bonnie Adams Managing Editor SOUTHBOROUGH – During this time of a continuing pandemic, we are all looking for ways to keep our social connections. For Chuck Dilts, that meant hosting a series of fun karaoke events on his Southborough front lawn. “This was started as a way for those of us who would get together at the Natick Elks for karaoke every other Saturday to have a bit of normalcy,” he said. “Everyone was disappointed not to be able to do it so I decided to hold these on my lawn.” Approximately 12 people attended the different get-togethers, Dilts said. At all times, social distancing and health protocols were followed to ensure everyone was safe. “We were all spaced out with only people from the same house sitting together. Masks were worn whenever we were milling about or talking to each other,” he noted. “Each table had its own microphone. Sanitizer was available and I had alcohol to sanitize mics if needed. Each group brought their own food and drink so there was no cross contamination.” “Everyone felt safe and had a blast!” he said.
Shrewbury Community Adv-150 ad.qxp_Layout 1 9/16/20 9:18 AM Page 1 COMMUNITY ADVOCATE • Friday, October 30, 2020 • 11
COMMUNITY | News
‘It’s okay to not be okay…’ Walk to support mental health services By Melanie Petrucci Senior Community Reporter SHREWSBURY – The community is invited to show support for those suffering from mental illness by taking part in a weekend of activities, Saturday, Oct. 31 and Sunday, Nov. 1. The events to be held virtually will include a community walk on Saturday and vigil on Sunday evening and benefit Shrewsbury Youth and Family Services (SYFS) and the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention Team -”Be a Bro, Walk for Zoe”. Zoe Wolfus was a young Shrewsbury woman who died Aug. 27 after struggling with depression. The goal of the weekend, organizers said, is to help eradicate the stigma around issues related to mental health and to affirm that “it’s okay to not be okay.” And the walk/vigil is truly a coming together of the community as two groups were planning similar but overlapping events, but then Zoe Wolfus decided to join forces. SYFS board member Kathleen Keohane shared that they were planning to revive a Community Walk for Mental Health that was forced to cancel last spring. Shrewsbury resident Lisa Abair Vuona said that she and her friend, local Realtor and philanthropist, Andrea Castinetti had wanted to do something for the Wolfus family. “We wanted to bring some exposure to what teens and others might be struggling with when it comes to depression and mental illness,” Vuona remarked. “…I wanted to do something to show support,” Castinetti said. “We want to end the stigma; we want to raise awareness and we want to see all walks of life come together so it’s not such a hush hush thing that these kids are battling.” Keohane said that a lot of teens are struggling but no one wants to talk about it. “You aren’t alone, you can talk about it. It’s okay and there shouldn’t be a stigma,” she stressed. “Every day, and particularly during this demanding year of challenges and changes, it’s important to us to let people know that they aren’t alone, they never will be, and that SYFS is here to help ease their pain and get them through difficult times. We are here in the community and accessible to all,” added Christine Mowry, executive director of SYFS. During the pandemic Zoe would paint “Kindness Rocks” with uplifting messages that she then placed around town. “The Wolfuses are grateful for the walk and the opportunity to extend the idea of the rocks and supporting Zoe’s cause,” Keohane commented. The Garden of Sweet Remembrance at Prospect Park is a favorite spot for the Wolfus family and that is where they go to find solace. As such, the Friends of Prospect Park will be creating a rock walkway there. Keohane noted that there are some friends of Zoe’s that also plan to hold safe rock painting parties via Zoom in her honor. Participants are encouraged to wear the colors of teal and purple for suicide awareness, or green for mental health awareness and post their pictures on Facebook or Instagram using the hashtag #YOUarenotalone. While events are free, a $25 donation would be appreciated to either Shrewsbury Youth and Family Services at https://syfs-ma.org. or to Be a Bro, Walk for Zoe at https://afsp.donordrive.com/index.cfm. For more information and to post photos visit: https://www. facebook.com/CWMHforSYFS/photos/gm.354381745888334/189 010296029974
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12 • COMMUNITY ADVOCATE • Friday, October 30, 2020
COMMUNITY | News
Divoll is Marlborough’s new DPW Commissioner By Vicki Greene Contributing Writer MARLBOROUGH - Sean Divoll seemed ready for any challenge as he settled into his new role as the city’s newly hired Commissioner of the Department of Public Works (DPW) on Oct. 19. Helping him to learn the ropes during a series of meetings and tours the first week was Ted Scott, who has been serving as the Interim Commissioner. “I always wanted to find a place where the challenges are there, the needs are there – a
place where I can help take on those needs,” Divoll said. “I can bring a fresh new set of eyes, look at the challenges, what’s worked and what hasn’t and help find efficiencies while still delivering vital services.” He has over 20 years of experience and had most recently been the Director of Public Works for the town of Oxford for the past 13 years. Prior to his work in Oxford, Divoll was Public Works Engineer for the town of Concord for four years and spent six years as a senior engineer at Weston & Sampson
Volunteers sought for Rotary Club’s ‘Roll to the Polls’ WESTBOROUGH – The Rotary Club of Westborough is seeking volunteers to help out on Election Day, Tuesday, Nov. 3 with their initiative “Roll to the Polls”. Volunteers are needed to work at the polls at Westborough High School that day, assisting voters on things such as where to park and where to go when inside. You may sign up for two or four-hour slots throughout the day, starting at 7 a.m. All are welcome - this is a great way for high school students to get community service hours. For more information visit https:// www.signupgenius.com/go/4090a4baea62aa4ff2-election.
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Engineers, Inc. in Peabody. In Oxford, Divoll managed a staff of 30 and now in Marlborough he oversees a staff of approximately 100 employees. He said that the organizational maturity of the DPW in Marlborough means staff have well-defined roles with a depth of knowledge and expertise in their designated positions and that in some ways it’s “easier to navigate” than a smaller department such as Oxford, where each staff member had to wear many hats. Divoll is now managing an annual budget of $33 million. It is the “second largest line item
in the city’s budget behind the school department, and typically operates on average, from 15 to 30 capital projects throughout the year including road reconstruction, street resurfacing, utility upgrades, public facility maintenance, and park renovations,” according to Mayor Arthur Vigeant’s office. Big projects are nothing new to Divoll. He said he spent time consulting on large water and sewer projects while at Weston & Sampson, in large cities including Chelsea and Quincy. Divoll grew up in Orange, Mass. and currently lives in Worcester with his wife, who is a hydrogeologist, and two children. He said he had been
following things going on in Marlborough and that he was first introduced to former DPW Commissioner, the late Ron LaFreniere, through his wife’s friendship with LaFreniere’s sister. LaFreniere left the position in 2014 which was then filled by the recently retired John Ghiloni. “Marlborough was always in the back of my mind,” Divoll said, “as a good place to work and a good career opportunity.” When he is not in the office or on a project site, you may see Divoll on his bicycle. He said road cycling is a passion and that he has just purchased his first gravel bike and ready to try it out.
Girl Scouts to collect Halloween candy for vets By Melanie Petrucci Senior Community Reporter SHREWSBURY/GRAFTON - If you are wondering what to do with all your left-over Halloween candy (if there is any) then the Shrewsbury and Grafton Girl Scouts have a solution. They are teaming up and will be holding a candy drive to benefit Veterans, Inc. The drive will take place Sunday, Nov. 1 through Monday, Nov. 16. The two collection
points will be at Papa’s Hardware, 276 Boston Turnpike in Shrewsbury and at Koopman Lumber and Hardware, 82 Worcester St, North Grafton. “Both my daughters are proud of my husband’s [military] service and were interested in his participation in his veterans’ organization...” shared Patricia Minton, troop leader and junior consultant with Shrewsbury Girl Scouts. She reached out to Amy Marr, service unit leader of the
Grafton Girl Scouts to invite them to join their Halloween Candy Collection effort and Marr graciously agreed. When asked why they chose Veterans Inc. Minton explained: “Many years ago when I asked my troop what organization we could donate cookies to, my daughter and the other girls suggested military veterans. We ultimately decided on Veterans, Inc. and have continued to donate through various fundraisers to them.”
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COMMUNITY ADVOCATE • Friday, October 30, 2020 • 13
COMMUNITY | Business Tavolino Restaurant offers Fall specials and heated outdoor patio By Catherine Twing Contributing Writer WESTBOROUGH - When the COVID-19 pandemic struck in March, restaurants across the state were forced to close or offer take-out only. But for Tavolino Restaurant in Westborough, this was their second closure in less than 12 months. After a water heater issue caused flooding in 2019, the restaurant was closed for nearly a year, reopening in January 2020. “It’s definitely been tough. We haven’t even had time to have a grand reopening,” said General Manager Abby Winant. “We still have people calling saying they didn’t even realize we had reopened.” During the pandemic the restaurant was able to offer take out and are grateful for the support of their loyal patrons. As soon as they were able, they opened for outdoor dining, with an expanded patio permitted by the town of Westborough. They now have 17 outdoor tables and are able to seat 76 customers outside with social distancing, as well as limited indoor dining. They plan to offer outdoor seating as long as the weather allows.
“We have five heaters outdoors, strategically placed around the entire patio to try to keep the entire patio open as long as possible,” Winant said. “People are more willing to sit outside. It was cold a few weeks ago and some people still wanted to be outside.” Winant calls the food scratch Italian with a twist. “We try to really stick to classic Italian dishes, but also with items on our menu that are more contemporary American. You’ll find something like truffle fries with a basil ketchup. You’ll also find more classic Italian dishes like Bolognese or marinara sauces, all prepped in-house.” Longtime customers will be excited to hear that Brian Boudreau has returned as chef. He had worked at Tavolino from 2011-2016 and has come back with some of his specialty dishes like wild boar. “It’s a slow braised wild boar in a chianti sauce with spices. There’s a lot of love that goes into that dish,” Winant said. “It’s something you can’t get everywhere.” Tavolino also has Fall specials such as butternut sacchetti with sage. She described the dish as squash filled dumpling
UniBank Appoints Nobo Sircar as Chief Financial Officer REGION - UniBank, Central Massachusetts’ premier community bank, today announced that Nobo Sircar has joined UniBank as its new Chief Financial Officer. Sircar comes to UniBank with significant financial executive experience in the banking industry. He recently served as EVP and CFO of Bank of New Hampshire and had extensive experience as EVP and CFO at South Shore Bank. He currently serves on the Board of Directors for the Massachusetts Bankers Association. Past positions held include Chairman (ABA RNAC Board of Directors) for the American Bankers Association, Board of Directors for the South Shore Habitat for Humanity and Board of Trustees at Bridgewater State College Foundation.
Tavolino Restaurant in Westborough is open and ready to welcome customers for the Fall with indoor and outdoor seating. Their heated patio can accommodate over 70 guests.
pasta with dried cranberries and mascarpone cheese, served with an apple cider drizzle. For those looking for glutenfree options. Tavolino is well versed in handling allergies and especially gluten allergies. “A lot of people come here for our gluten-free pasta and pizza. A wide variety of items on our menu can be prepared glutenfree,” Winant said. Tavolino in Westborough is the second restaurant with that name. The first Tavolino is at Patriot Place in Foxborough. Both are owned by Graham Filliman as part of Better Foods LLC. Filliman also owns Siena Restaurant in Mashpee. Tavolino Restaurant is located at 33 East Main Street in Westborough in the Bay State Commons. They’re open every evening for dinner (4-9 p.m.) and for lunch at 11:30 a.m. Wednesday through Sunday.
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14 • COMMUNITY ADVOCATE • Friday, October 30, 2020
COMMUNITY | Schools School Superintendent urges families not to change learning models By Jennifer L. Grybowski Community Reporter WESTBOROUGH - The Westborough School Committee heard a variety of COVID-related updates at their meeting Oct. 21. Changing learning models Superintendent Amber Bock told the committee the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) requires the district to offer parents the opportunity to change learning models at the end of the trimester/semester. “Public educators who are just getting systems in place are not in favor of this,” she said. “I want to be on record in saying that this is a DESE guideline that is causing consternation among multiple districts as we face concerns around a break in stability and a continuity in daily instruction that we are
“
It’s a giant jigsaw puzzle. Current students will get shuffled around and be impacted even though they didn’t ask for a change.
starting to seeing starting to occur in both models.” Requests need to be made four weeks before the end of the term and approved K-8 students will transfer Monday, Jan. 4, 2021 while grade 9-12 students will transfer Monday, Feb. 1, 2020. Parents will be given instructions and deadlines for how to request a transfer in late November. However, Bock urged people to stay within the model they originally selected. “They should commit to the relationships and the decisions you made and the class structure you’ve been given,”
Daniel Mayer Assistant Superintendent
she said. “Our faculty prefers that and I want to be firmly on record in saying that.” Assistant Superintendent Daniel Mayer agreed, saying there is no doubt there will be some academic loss for those who transfer. This is due to the fact that when students transfer, they are going to be dropping into new classes as if they just moved to town. Bock and Mayer also pointed out that if too many students request to come back into the building, grades and classes will have to be configured, and that parents should consider the effects of their
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decisions on the entirety of the student population. “It’s a giant jigsaw puzzle,” Mayer said. “Current students will get shuffled around and be impacted even though they didn’t ask for a change. We will do the best we can under the circumstances to accommodate but we want to flag very clearly to the whole community how the impact of your decision if they move in massive numbers are going to have on disrupting our mid-year.” Bock said she realizes that some students are having a difficult time working re-
motely, both for academic and social-emotional needs. “But I want to emphasize the importance of instructional stability for students and the models they are in,” she said “When you selected to be remote, you have to commit you can sustain that level of screen time all year. If you want to switch because your student is beginning to fatigue doing that much learning on screen, you’re still going to come into a new classroom setting where they are going to have to plug into what’s going on and figure out how to make up what’s in between. It’s an important family decision that really needs to be thoughtful.” Mayer also said that if people are thinking about going fully remote due to rising cases, they are encouraged not to switch because if infection rates become unsafe the school will go fully remote.
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COMMUNITY ADVOCATE • Friday, October 30, 2020 • 15
COMMUNITY | Schools
Local music educators adapt to unique COVID-19 challenges By Dakota Antelman Contributing Writer
PHOTOS/COURTESY MICHELLE SHEPPARD
NORTHBOROUGH - Eric Vincent needs to buy buckets. A music teacher at Algonquin High School, Vincent’s plans for the year have been upended by COVID-19, which has shrunk class sizes and created odd challenges for music educators. When weather permits, Vincent and his colleagues can take their students outside where they can sing or remove masks to play wind instruments safely. But, when it rains, frosts or snows, the doors stay closed, and the masks stay on. Therefore, needing to get creative to fill time, Vincent and the Algonquin music department plan to launch a new unit this winter focused on the kind of “bucket drumming” popular as a street performing act in many cities. “It’s a weird year,” Vincent said. Virtual classes started in mid-September. But students didn’t return to Algonquin in person until Oct. 6. As other academic disciplines wrestle with their own restrictions, music departments at Algonquin and across the region have had to make perhaps some of the most drastic changes to their instructional plans. Large ensemble classes, which often seat more than 30 students, are nearly half the size this year. Split hybrid cohorts are wreaking havoc for teachers trying to organize performance pieces around the students they have in front of them at
The students practice outside on the Algonquin lawn.
Eric Vincent leads the students.
any given time. Meanwhile, state regulations have banned the playing of wind instruments indoors altogether. “[The restrictions] require, right now, that we basically revamp everything that we do,” Vincent said. “I’m willing to do that, but it is different.” Vincent said he and other music staff are working harder, now, than they ever have before. They’re putting in 12hour workdays and preparing activities both for in-person learners, and students studying at home. They’re physically reshaping their classrooms all while revising and outright replacing huge swaths of long perfected curricula. The day before in person
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classes started this month, Vincent was outside with a 100-foot tape measure and a can of spray paint marking a grid for students to space themselves out during outdoor classes. Elsewhere on the Algonquin property, a colleague teaching a chorus class was setting up shop under a large overhang that she hopes will allow her to teach and have students sing even when it rains. “You could say it’s a pain,” Vincent said of these adaptations. Through the frustration, Vincent stresses, how-
ever, there is a silver lining. That aforementioned bucket drumming unit represents a chance for students to practice rhythm, Vincent says, in a way they have not previously. Likewise, the loss of traditional major ensemble performance opportunities takes the pressure off students and teachers to learn elaborate large group compositions. Many students, now, are developing their improvisational skills. “As terrible as all this is, it does present us with some unique opportunities to do some things that we may not have time for,” Vincent said. Unaware of what the rest of the semester will bring amid the ever-evolving story of COVID-19, Eric Vincent says he remains dedicated to his students, pushing onward in circumstances few saw before March of this year. “I’m just trying to give my students a quality musical education and something worthwhile,” he said.
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16 • COMMUNITY ADVOCATE • Friday, October 30, 2020
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Obituaries Robert L. Primmer, 88 SHREWSBURY - Robert L. Primmer, 88, of Shrewsbury, passed away Oct. 20, 2020 at home, with his family by his side. A graveside service for Robert was held Oct. 24 at Mountain View Cemetery of Shrewsbury. Mercadante Funeral Home & Chapel assisted arrangements.
Bridget F. McSweeney, 86 HUDSON - Bridget F. McSweeney, 86, died peacefully Oct. 9, 2020 in the comfort of her home, with her devoted husband, Morgan J. McSweeney, by her side. She was born to the late Timothy and Bridget “Delia” (O’Donoghue) Fitzpatrick, on June 27, 1934 in Corofin, County
Clare, Ireland, and immigrated to the United States at the age of 16. She married Morgan J. McSweeney Jan. 7, 1961 in New York City. She is survived by her daughter, Mary Maloney and her husband, Kevin, of Hopkinton, and their children, Kaelynn and Connor; her son, Morgan McSweeney, and his wife Lisa, of Hudson, and their son, Morgan; her son, Terence McSweeney, and his wife Sharon, of Ashburnham, and Terence’s children, Emily and Quinn. One of nine siblings, she is survived by her identical twin sister, Pauline Hayes, and her husband, Tom of New Yor;, brother Patrick Fitzpatrick, and his wife Mary, of New Jersey; sister Kathleen Sweeney, of New York; sister Anne Kehoe, and her husband Leo of New York; sister Eileen O’Halloran, and her husband Michael of Corofin, Ireland; her brotherin-law, John McSweeney and his wife Betty McSweeney, of New York; her sisters-in-law, Margaret Fitzpatrick, of New York, and Martina Fitzpatrick, of Corofin, County Clare, Ireland; and she was a loving “Auntie” to so many nieces, nephews and cousins from
around the globe. Bridget was predeceased by her brothers, Tom Fitzpatrick and John Fitzpatrick; her sister, Nuala O’Connor; and brother-in-law Frank Sweeney. All are invited to attend her visiting hours Saturday, Nov. 14, from 10 a.m. to noon, in the Tighe Hamilton Regional Funeral Home, 50 Central St., Hudson. Services will be private. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in her memory to the Alzheimer’s Association, 309 Waverley Oaks Rd., Waltham, MA 02452.
Wendy Rielly, 83 SHREWSBURY - Wendy Rielly, 83, of Shrewsbury, passed away peacefully Oct. 18, 2020. Wendy adored her beloved husband, John R. Rielly, 86, who passed away July 22, 2020. Wendy and John celebrated 64 years of marriage in December 2019. Wendy leaves behind two children, John Scott Rielly of Milford and David A. Rielly of
Upton; five grandchildren, and three great-grandchildren. She was predeceased by her parents, Sally Vasco and Walter Vasco. A graveside service was held Oct. 23 at Massachusetts National Cemetery of Bourne. Chiampa Funeral Home of Shrewsbury assisted with arrangements.
granddaughter, Victoria Vangel, all whom she adored. She was preceded in death by her son, Donald Libby. Calling hours were held Oct. 21 at Hays Funeral Home of Northborough, with a Mass of Christian Burial celebrated Oct. 22 at St. Rose of Lima Parish and interment at Howard Street Cemetery.
Ruth A. Libby, 95
Edward G. Sowa, 79
NORTHBOROUGH - Ruth A. (Carr) Libby, 95, a longtime resident of Northborough, passed away peacefully with her loving family by her side, on Oct. 18, 2020, at the UMass-Memorial Center - University Campus. She was the devoted wife of 63 years to Raymond D. Libby until his passing in 2009. Ruth is survived by her four loving children, Roger D. Libby of Northborough, Richard D. Libby of Worcester, Rae Libby of Millbury, and Robin T. Libby of Worcester; four grandchildren, Beth Harrington, Christopher Libby, Craig Libby, and Cristianna; and one great-
POLICE LOG The information in the police log is obtained directly from the official records maintained at each police station in our circulation area. Those arrested are innocent until proven guilty. The Community Advocate will publish news of acquittals upon notification and a copy of court issued documentation.
Marlborough
Wednesday, Oct. 14 10:33 p.m. Arrested, Roberto Carrizales Santillan, 31, for 34 Lincoln St., Marlborough, for red light violation, OUI-liquor or .08%, possess Class B drug. Thursday, Oct. 15 2:54 a.m. Arrested, Andrew J. Deleon, 20, of 149 Phelps St., Marlborough, for unlicensed operation of MV, OUI-liquor or .08%, resist arrest, A&B on police officer, warrant, civil poss Class D marijuana.
Friday, Oct. 16 6:51 p.m. Arrested, Jeremy Tyler Frotten, 26, of 3 Sherri Ln., Leicester, for larceny under $1,200 by single scheme, fail to stop for police, conspiracy (2 cts), larceny over $1,200 by single scheme, and Marco A. Johnson, 36, of 26 Old Lincoln St., Apt. 2, Worcester, for larceny under $1,200 by single scheme, conspiracy (2 cts), larceny over $1,200 by single scheme (2 cts), warrant. Saturday, Oct. 17 1:42 a.m. Arrested, Brandon Gorman, 21, of 17 Virginia Ave., Marlborough, for OUI-liquor or .08%, speeding in viol special regulation. 2:43 a.m. Arrested, Danilo Fernandes Desouza, 23, of 6 Briarwood Ln., Marlborough, for OUI-liquor or .08%, unlicensed operation of MV. 11:06 p.m. Arrested, Erick E. Gregorioramirez, 33, of 3 Church St., Apt. 2, Marlborough, for OUI-liquor or .08%, negligent operation of motor vehicle, unregistered motor
Sunday, Oct. 11 12:59 a.m. Arrested, Stratos J. Bonos, 44, of 64 Depot St., Grafton, for OUI-drugs, negligent operation of motor vehicle, marked lanes violation.
lights violation, number plate violation, possess Class E drug. Tuesday, Oct. 13 12:35 a.m. Arrested, William Joseph Boria, 54, of 54 Davis Rd., Millbury, for carry dangerous weapon, possess Class B drug. Wednesday, Oct. 14 3:12 a.m. Arrested, Nicole Kalinowski, 41, of 10 Auburn St., Worcester, for possess Class B drug, possess Class E drug. 11:11 a.m. Arrested, Kamal Afshari, 62, of 18 South St., Westborough, for OUI while license suspended for OUI, op MV with registration suspended, uninsured motor vehicle, unregistered motor vehicle.
Westborough
Shrewsbury
vehicle, fail to stop/yield.
Northborough
Wednesday, Oct. 14 6:43 a.m. Arrested, John Henry Tablada, 38, of 35 Hopkinton Rd., Westborough, on warrant. 5:15 p.m. Arrested, Kayla Lavery, 30, of 302 Kenyon Ave., Pawtucket, R.I., for larceny under $1200.
Grafton
Monday, Oct. 12 2:38 a.m. Arrested, Holly Jeane Flaherty, 38, of 25 Buckley St., Apt. 3, Quincy, for unlicensed operation of MV, op MV with revoked registration, uninsured motor vehicle, MV
Wednesday, Oct. 21 7:24 p.m. Arrested, Saulo do Carmo de Assis, 36, of 106 Fairmont Ave., Apt. 3, Worcester, for unlicensed operation of MV, negligent operation of motor vehicle.
GRAFTON Edward G. Sowa, 79, of Grafton, passed away Oct. 18, 2020 at Beaumont Skilled Nursing and Rehabilitation in Northbridge following complications from Leukemia. Ed is survived by his wife Carol A. (Crepeau) Sowa; two daughters, Michelle, wife of Jeff Koren of Ohio, and Cindy, wife of Lance Forgit of Sturbridge; a sister, Irene of Virginia; two grandchildren, Samantha and Jack; and several nieces and nephews. In addition to his parents, Edward and Nellie (Jezak) Sowa, Ed was predeceased by his brother, Charles Sowa. Funeral services and burial will be private and are under the care of Roney Funeral Home of North Grafton. The Community Advocate will post obituaries online (and in print, as space allows) at no charge as a courtesy to our readers. 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). Bucchino, Joseph formerly of Marlborough Corey, Joan of Marlborough LeDuc, Kenneth of Marlborough Libby, Ruth of Northborough McLaughlin, Diane of Cape Cod McSweeney, Bridget of Hudson Ouellette, Jeffrey of Marlborough Primmer, Robert of Shrewsbury Rielly, Wendy of Shrewsbury Rivard, Daniel of Shrewsbury Roberts, Elaine of Shrewsbury Sowa, Edward of Grafton Tessier, Kenneth of Grafton Tetreault, Mark of Marlborough
18 • COMMUNITY ADVOCATE • Friday, October 30, 2020
Place your FOR SALE AD with us!
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The Town of Northborough is seeking qualified applicants for a part-time Office Assistant position with the Department of Family & Youth Services. For information on how to apply, please visit: www.town.northborough.ma.us/ human-resources.
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COMMONWEALTH OF MASSACHUSETTS WILLIAM FRANCIS GALVIN SECRETARY OF THE COMMONWEALTH WARRANT FOR 2020 STATE ELECTION In the name of the Commonwealth, you are hereby required to notify and warn the inhabitants of the City of Marlborough who are qualified to vote in Elections to vote at: WARD ONE: Precinct 1 and 2 - Francis J. Kane School, 520 Farm Road WARD TWO: Precinct 1 and 2 - Francis J. Kane School, 520 Farm Road WARD THREE: Precinct 1 - Senior Center, 40 New Street WARD THREE: Precinct 2 - Raymond J. Richer School, 80 Foley Road WARD FOUR: Precinct 1 and 2 - Senior Center, 40 New Street WARD FIVE: Precinct 1 and 2 - Masonic Lodge, 8 Newton Street WARD SIX: Precinct 1 and 2 - 1LT Charles W. Whitcomb School, 25 Union Street WARD SEVEN: Precinct 1 and 2 - Hildreth School, 85 Sawin Street
QUESTION 1: Law Proposed by Initiative Petition Do you approve of a law summarized below, on which no vote was taken by the Senate or the House of Representatives on or before May 5, 2020 ? SUMMARY This proposed law would require that motor vehicle owners and independent repair facilities be provided with expanded access to mechanical data related to vehicle maintenance and repair. Starting with model year 2022, the proposed law would require manufacturers of motor vehicles sold in Massachusetts to equip any such vehicles that use telematics systems –- systems that collect and wirelessly transmit mechanical data to a remote server –- with a standardized open access data platform. Owners of motor vehicles with telematics systems would get access to mechanical data through a mobile device application. With vehicle owner authorization, independent repair facilities (those not affiliated with a manufacturer) and independent dealerships would be able to retrieve mechanical data from,
and send commands to, the vehicle for repair, maintenance, and diagnostic testing. QUESTION 2: Law Proposed by Initiative Petition Do you approve of a law summarized below, on which no vote was taken by the Senate or the House of Representatives on or before May 5, 2020? SUMMARY This proposed law would implement a voting system known as “ranked-choice voting,” in which voters rank one or more candidates by order of preference. Ranked-choice voting would be used in primary and general elections for all Massachusetts statewide offices, state legislative offices, federal congressional offices, and certain other offices beginning in 2022. Ranked-choice voting would not be used in elections for president, county commissioner, or regional district school committee member. Under the proposed law, votes would be counted in a series of rounds. In the first round, if one candidate received more than 50 percent of the firstplace votes, that candidate would be declared the winner and no other rounds would be necessary. If no candidate received more than 50 percent of the first-place votes, then the candidate or candidates who received the fewest first-place votes would be eliminated and, in the next round, each vote for an eliminated candidate would instead be counted toward the next highest-ranked candidate on that voter’s ballot. Depending on the number of candidates, additional rounds of counting could occur, with the last-place candidate or candidates in each round being eliminated and the votes for an eliminated candidate going to the voter’s next choice out of the remaining candidates. A tie for last place in any round would be broken by comparing the tied candidates’ support in earlier rounds. Ultimately, the candidate who was, out of the remaining candidates, the preference of a majority of voters would be declared the winner. Ranked-choice voting would be used only in races where a single candidate is to be declared the winner and not in races where more than one person is to be elected. Under the proposed law, if no candidate received more than 50 percent of first-place votes in the first round, the rounds of ballotcounting necessary for ranked-choice voting would be conducted at
CommunityAdvocate
a central tabulation facility. At the facility, voters’ rankings would be entered into a computer, which would then be used to calculate the results of each round of the counting process. The proposed law provides that candidates in a statewide or district election would have at least three days to request a recount. The Secretary of State would be required to issue regulations to implement the proposed law and conduct a voter education campaign about the ranked-choice voting process. The proposed law would take effect on January 1, 2022. A YES VOTE would create a system of ranked-choice voting in which voters would have the option to rank candidates in order of preference and votes would be counted in rounds, eliminating candidates with the lowest votes until one candidate has received a majority. A NO VOTE would make no change in the laws governing voting and how votes are counted. It is further ordered that the polling places legally designated by the City Council be opened at 7:00 o’clock in the forenoon and be closed at 8:00 o’clock in the evening. The City Clerk be and hereby is authorized to cause notice to be given by publication of this Order in a local newspaper and by posting a copy of the same in a conspicuous place in the office of the City Clerk. Per Order of the City Council, Michael H. Ossing, President Attest: Steven W. Kerrigan, City Clerk This Legal advertisement will be published on www.communityadvocate.com and www.masspublicnotices.org.
Local news at: C ommunity Advocate.com
For classified advertising, contact Mary Ellen at 508-366-5500 x17 or classified@communityadvocate.com
COMMUNITY ADVOCATE • Friday, October 30, 2020 • 19
Interested in placing a HELP WANTED AD?
CLASSIFIED
Contact Mary Ellen at
508-366-5500 x17 or please send an email to us at Classified@CommunityAdvocate.com
@communityadvocate.com
* CLASSIFIED DEADLINE IS FRIDAY AT NOON, ONE WEEK PRIOR TO PUBLICATION DATE
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20 • COMMUNITY ADVOCATE • Friday, October 30, 2020
JOIN US
VIRTUAL VIRTUAL JOIN US VIRTUAL VIRTUAL OPEN OPEN VIRTUAL OPEN OPEN HOUSE HOUSE OPEN HOUSE HOUSE HOUSE JOIN US US JOINJOIN US
Please join us for one of our Virtual Open House sessions Thursday November 5 6:30 PM - 7:30PM
Thursday November 19 6:30 PM - 7:30PM
Entrance Exams Saturday, November 14 Saturday, December 5 Visit www. SaintPaulKnights.org for more information and to register 144 Granite Street, Worcester, MA 01604 (508) 852- 5555