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Westborough approves 388-unit housing development By Leighah Beausoleil Assistant Editor
100% FREE
Vol. 52 | No. 11 | March 13, 2026
From 510 pounds to half-marathon hopes:
Chill Kitchen and Bar targeting April opening
Shrewsbury man turns life around through running
WESTBOROUGH | 2 Perrone’s Barber Shop may be demolished to make way for new bank
WESTBOROUGH – On March 3, the Westborough Planning Board unanimously approved the 388-unit multifamily housing project slated for Route 9. The project, brought by Connecticut-based developer Post Road Residential, will include parcels on both sides of Route 9 near its intersection with Route 135. The 5.74-acre north parcel, at 171 Milk Street, will have 206 units and 292 parking spaces. The 4.5-acre south parcel, at 222 Turnpike Road, will have
SHREWSBURY | 8 Grafton could have ‘menu’ of options for potential override
Housing | 5
Planning Board eyes sharper bylaws for data centers By Evan Walsh Managing Editor NORTHBOROUGH – The Northborough Planning Board is looking at “data centers,” and it may bring potential bylaw changes to Town Meeting. A “data center,” according to Cisco Systems, is “a physical facility that organizations use to house their critical applications and data. A data center’s design is based on a network of computing and storage resources that enable the delivery of shared applications and data.” The Planning Board is looking to establish a definition for “data center” within the bylaws, specifying that they Data Centers | 6
GRAFTON | 10 At St. Mary’s Fish Fry, community consumes 500 pounds of haddock
Matthew Kaestner (Photo/Evan Walsh)
By Evan Walsh Managing Editor SHREWSBURY – This year, Matthew Kaestner was in the running to become Mr. Health and Fitness. In 2020, that couldn’t have been further from the truth. In just over a half-decade, the Shrewsbury resident’s physical fitness has gone from life-threatening problem to lifesaving priority. Through a series of lifestyle changes, Kaestner is a new man, and now, he’s showing others that change is not only possible, but extremely fulfilling. “I just want other people to know that it’s always possible. You can always make that change,” he said. “No matter the challenges, just keep going. Keep going. Keep going. Keep going. Sometimes
I think I was put here on Earth to show you can go through so much battling and still come out on top.” Kaestner was once totally different. At the 500-pound mark, he started to get dizzy. He always felt angry, and hunger was an every-minute occurrence. At his worst, he could eat three large pizzas without feeling fulfilled, and his waistline kept getting bigger and bigger. He went to the doctor with a blood sugar level measuring 1,300 milligrams per deciliter he said. “You should be in the hospital right now,” he was told. From that moment, he made a change. He started a plant-based vegan diet — meticulously eating nutritious foods — and started walking around his
WESTBOROUGH TOWN MEETING Westborough’s Town Meeting is set to be held on Saturday, March 21 at 9 a.m. The meeting will take place at Westborough High School, located at 90 West Main Street. Thirty-five articles will be debated, and the Community Advocate has you covered.
Kaestner | 6
Are you caught up? Read up on what’s to come on the Community Advocate website.
Westborough, Southborough to consider regionalizing fire departments.......................... 6 IN THIS ISSUE Westborough High seeks approximately $5.7 million for partial roof replacement...........13
SHREWSBURY | 15
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