COMMUNITY SCHOOLS SPORTS Pet of the week: Gold for Mustangs fall in Meet Caius PHS Student quarterfinals Page 2 Page 12 Page 7 SERVING PALMER, MONSON, BRIMFIELD, HOLLAND & WALES The Journal Register A TURLEY PUBLICATION ❙ www.turley.com July 8, 2021 ❙ Vol. CLXX, No. 23 ❙ $1.00 www.journalregister.turley.com GOVERNMENT COMMUNITY Selectman HONORING Library bursting with resigns a diverse activity for all ages week after WOUNDED raucous VETS meeting Rubio plans a 2nd run Alexander Sawicki is one of several By Michael Harrison veterans and Purple [email protected] Heart recipients honored with a BRIMFIELD — One week banner in town. after his first meeting since taking office, Brimfield Selectman Pat Leaming resigned Tuesday night. Leaming didn’t attend the July 6 select board meeting but for- warded a letter read to audience members and those watch- Courtesy photos Residents are encouraged to participate in “Palmer Villages, Palmer Voic- ing the stream es,” a project to preserve local stories and town history through a series of or listening by interviews. phone. Ref- erencing the PALMER — The Palmer Li- Palmer Villages, Palmer backlash to brary has a summer full of fun and Voices – Join the Palmer Public his part in a interesting programs for residents Library, the Palmer Historical & contentious of all ages, including a pet show, Cultural Center, the Palmer His- and sometimes local history project, an antiques torical Commission, and the Elbow rowdy June appraisal, and, of course, incentives Plantation Historical Society, Inc. in 29 meeting in Billie Jean Rubio to read. a new collaborative project to help which he voted The “Tails & Tales” themed preserve the amazing history and with the majority in a 3-2 vote to ef- summer reading program – open to stories of Palmer and its residents. fectively fire popular police officer all ages – as well as the adult pro- The goal of this project is to collect Ryan Olszta, Leaming said in his gramming and events, are offered interviews from people who have letter he was subject to harsh and to provide an enriching and enter- stories to tell about life in Palmer. unfair criticism in the past week. Plans underway for Palmer’s 1st annual ‘Purple Heart Day’ taining experience for residents all To participate, download and print A past member of the select summer long. Patrons of all ages a kit from the library website at pal- board, but not an incumbent in By Jonah Snowden Light Up Palmer Chairperson Chris- can sign-up for the 2021 Tails & merlibrary.org/palmervoices or pick June’s election, Leaming won one [email protected] tine Smith said this upcoming dedication Tales Summer Reading Program at one up at the library. This kit will of two terms contested with 365 is an extension of their recently devel- palmer.beanstack.org and at the end guide you through the interview votes, the second-highest among PALMER – Light Up Palmer invites oped Purple Heart Recognition Pro- of the summer receive book prizes, process with someone (friend, rel- the four candidates. Martin Kelly residents to come together and honor the gram, which honors 49 Palmer residents T-shirts, and be entered to win a raf- ative, or someone from a different received the most votes, 388. First- town’s Purple Heart recipients on Aug. who served in the military and received fle prize. generation) who has past & present time candidate Billie Jean Rubio 7, soon to be known as “Purple Heart Here are the adult programs the Palmer stories to share. Record at came in third with 175 votes and in- Day.” VETS ❙ page 5 library has lined up: cumbent Carolyn Haley was fourth LIBRARY ❙ page 9 with 139. Kelly, Leaming, and Select- woman Suzanne Collins all voted against retaining Olszta, despite Police Chief Charles Kuss endors- SUMMER FUN ing all of his veteran officers for re-appointment. Olszta has since said he has re- tained an attorney and will contest Hitchcock Free Academy turns up the heat with July events the select board’s decision in court. BRIMFIELD — Hitchcock man, who opens her latest book spacious lawn. A new Fencing Even without the bombshell Free Academy makes July sizzle with a shocking murder at the class begins outdoors, weather per- announcement about Leaming, the with live music, mindfulness, art, Brimfield Flea Market. “The Bar- mitting, on July 1 and a new ses- July 6 meeting, which ran about yoga, and with insight on an edge- on of Brimfield: Murder at Mid- sion of outdoor Yoga, for all levels two-and-a-half hours, was filled of-your- seat whodunit set at the night” puts her 72-year-old ama- of practitioners, starts on July 12. with drama. Town Moderator Mi- Brimfield Flea Market. July kicks teur sleuths, Ellen and Charlie, on Bring your own mat, blanket/sheet chael Miller sniped back at accu- off with Art is for Everyone, an the trail of a murderer who seeks to (one for under your mat, and one sations that he was caught drink- exploratory art experience geared evade detection under the cover of for relaxation if you choose) and ing beer on-camera during the last for kindergarteners to fifth graders, the May flea market. Readers are any other props you might want to meeting – he said he wasn’t, but and their parent or caregiver, 9- sure to enjoy following the chase use such as block, straps, or cush- defended his right to if he wished, 10:15 a.m. every Thursday through through many area localities. Free- ions and prepare to breathe in and while at home – and one resident July. man will be at Hitchcock Academy relax. demanded he resign. Agenda dis- cussions included prospective can- Students will work with a vari- at 6 p.m. July 14. During this free On July 20 instructor Annette nabis growers and shops, historic ety of mediums in order to learn to event she plans to discuss both her Farrington introduces students to preservation, the legality of local be creative by experimenting and current work and to share the un- the benefits of Mindfulness Med- bylaws, and more. by learning different artistic tech- conventional path which led her to itation using techniques from dif- niques. The class culminates with writing. ferent traditions over the four week An open seat an art show on the final Thursday Refreshments will be served. course. The class will also be held A special election will be of the month so that family and outside, weather permitting, and scheduled to fill Leaming’s vacat- friends can admire students’ imag- Classes for all students are encouraged to bring a ed term, though no date has been inative work. Hitchcock Academy’s upcom- note pad for journaling and a sit- Courtesy photo released at press time. Haley said Mystery lovers can meet au- ing roster of classes take full ad- ting cushion or folding camp chair From music that will get you up and dancing, to a literary event, an array Tuesday night she will not run thor and antique dealer Carol Free- vantage of the warm weather and HITCHCOCK ❙ page 2 of classes, and more, Hitchcock Free Academy brings some sizzle to July. again. “I’m not interested,” she said by phone. “I do hope all those (con- tentious) issues are straightened IT’S SHOWTIME! out.” Rubio, however, said she is ready to make another run. Summer antique fairs return after “I have emailed the town clerk already asking for the process to become nominated and get on the pandemic hiatus ballot for the special election,” Ru- BRIMFIELD — If the spring Brimfield An- bio said in an interview conducted tique Show was an appetizer with just one field – by text Tuesday night. She said the Brimfield Auction Acres, owned by Kate and Rusty experience gained from her first Corriveau – opening with 250 dealers, this week is time seeking office just a couple of a main course. weeks ago should help her this time With pandemic restrictions in place at the time, around. all but one field decided to sit out the opening week “I learned that I was able to of the spring-summer-fall trilogy in May. Now, reach many more people than I with the Commonwealth all but wide open, the rest thought possible by just being open are back on-board. and communicating on online fo- There were no shows in 2020 because of the BRIMFIELD ❙ page 5 pandemic. “The Brimfield Antique Show Promoters are thrilled to reopen once again!” the field owners said in a collective statement. Turley Publications file photo by Michael Harrison ANTIQUES ❙ page 3 July 8, 2021 ❙ THE JOURNAL REGISTER PAGE 7 [email protected] @turleysports acebook.com/turleysports A TURLEY PUBLICATION ❙ www.turley.com SPORTSSEND US YOUR SPORTS SUBMISSIONS www.sports.turley.com BASEBALL SOCCER Mustangs fall in quarterfinals of D3 tourney Photos by David Henry www.sweetdogphotos.com Mackayla St. George dribbles the ball for Monson. Cole Johnson swings and connects for the Mustangs. By Tim Peterson Baseball Field, on June 21. PVSSL returns MONSON – After no action a bit while the PVSSL waited for “We do have a pretty good line- Sports Correspondent last summer, the Pioneer Val- the high school spring season to up and trailing by five runs to me is ley Summer Soccer League has begin. But action is now under- the same as being down by only one MONSON—After watch- returned to action. The league, way with Monson taking on South run,” Orlik said. “I have a lot of con- ing his baseball team fall behind which has been around for more Hadley last week.