Quinn Middle School track team makes great strides
HUDSON | 23 Two Marlborough firefighters retire
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Vol. 49 | No. 28
hudson happ’nings
marlbrough | 16
July 14, 2023
Holy Ghost Society holds 49th celebration
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Marlborough Hudson E DI T I ON
Freeman alum searches for time capsule
Marlborough braces for possible influx of homeless families
By Maureen Sullivan Assistant Editor
By Maureen Sullivan Assistant Editor MARLBOROUGH – As Marlborough Public Schools (MPS) begins summer programs and projects, the look ahead to September is clouded with uncertainty. During the School Committee meeting on June 27, MPS Superintendent Mary Murphy announced that up to 140 homeless families may be coming to the city. Murphy said she recently got word from the state’s Department of Elementary and Secondary Education regarding the families. She said that she had “no specifics” as to the exact number or when these families would arrive. “We don’t have any information at this point,” she said. Mayor Arthur Vigeant, the chair of the School Committee, provided a few more details — 40 immigrant families would be housed at the Holiday Inn on Lakeside Avenue; if the other families are sent there, the entire hotel would be occupied. Although the state is picking up the tab for the rooms and meals, Vigeant said the city would lose revenue from the rooms tax. The biggest question facing MPS — how many students would enroll in the district? Homeless families | 7
MARLBOROUGH – Somewhere near the front entrance of the old Freeman School on Washington Street, there lies a photo of Henry Winkler as “The Fonz.” And a Timex watch, postage stamps and currency, baseball cards and more. These items are part of a time capsule buried on the school grounds in May 1976 by Freeman School fourth-graders in Grace Ponti’s class. One of these students, Cindy Durand, now lives in Florida. She came back to Marlborough in late June, and she stopped by the site to make sure the capsule is still there. Each student contributed something to the capsule, including Durand, who submitted a letter. “Mrs. Ponti took me under her wing,” said DuTime capsule | 20
Cindy Durand uses a metal detector to search for the time capsule, which was buried in 1976.
Select Board gives the thumbs up to flag policy By Sarah Freedman Contributing Writer HUDSON — The Select Board approved an official flag policy for the poles near Town Hall as well as on town property at its June 26 meeting. The topic sparked discussion about what types of flags could potentially be flown, such the Canadian flag or Pride flag.
Select Board Shawn Sadowski asked if there was a specific reason why the policy was before them. The policy was drafted by Veterans Agent Brian Stearns, who said it was not prompted by anything. The reason was simply because “we don’t have one,” said Stearns. He added that he believed the town should have a flag policy to “identify Hudson’s gov-
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PHOTO/MAUREEN SULLIVAN