Willard museum sets its sights on the next 50 years Grafton | 4
Two-alarm fire displaces five residents Westborough | 14
Developer pitches project under MBTA guidelines northborough | 7
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Vol. 48 | No. 52 | December 30, 2022
Westborough stormwater user fee could be on tap for residents By Maureen Sullivan Senior Reporter WESTBOROUGH - A new user fee could be flowing to the town’s residents and businesses. During the Select Board’s Dec. 13 meeting, Department of Public Works Director Chris Payant presented to the board why a stormwater user fee is needed. Payant said the costs to repair and replace the town’s stormwater infrastructure – including 4,763 catch basins, 1,576 drain manholes, 458 outfalls, 203 culverts, 53 detention basins and 314,305 linear feet of pipes – continue to increase. “There’s always been a funding gap, and it’s increasing,” said Payant. He cited not only the aging infrastructure, but also state mandates and capital improvements as reasons why he believes a user fee is needed. “One hundred and fifty-five culverts Stormwater fee | 10
Afghan refugees reflect on their life after coming to Northborough By Laura Hayes Managing Editor NORTHBOROUGH - On a fall Sunday, Northborough community members gathered at Trinity Church of Northborough for a celebration. This was a special celebration to mark the one year anniversary since they decided to form the Neighborhood Support Team (NST) Northborough, which helped support Afghan refugees Rose and Mark Amiri. “We all took a huge risk. We didn’t know what to expect, and it’s all come together,” said then CoChair of NST John Posluszny. “The level of effort that people have put into ensuring that we are successful in what we are doing has just blown me away.” Afghan refugees | 11
Rose and Mark Amiri attended a celebration at Trinity Church this fall.
RISE Program to open store in Shrewsbury Center By Evan Walsh Contributing Writer SHREWSBURY - A new retail store is coming to Shrewsbury center. The store, yet to be named, will be located at 557 Main Street. The store will be run by Shrewsbury’s Reaching Independence through Support-
ed Employment (RISE) Program, which, according to the program’s website, aims to provide special education students ages 18 to 22 with “the skills and experiences they need to be successful members of the local community.” In “Center Pieces,” a podcast produced in association with the Shrewsbury Town RISE | 10
Westborough girls basketball team defeats Shrewsbury
sports | 18
PHOTO/LAURA HAYES