Portsmouth TTimesimeseastbayri.com THURSDAY, JUNE 5, 2014 VOL. 2, NO. 23 FREE Town AAvvooiiddiinngg moves to fix tthhee ttaagg turbine Recommissioning of machine estimated to cost $885,000 BY JIM MCGAW [email protected] Despite pleas from several resi- dents to tear it down and cut tax- payers’ losses, the Town Council voted 4-2 Tuesday night to start the process of getting the broken tur- bine at the high school repaired and put back into service — a job that would cost an estimated $855,000. The vote gets the ball rolling on the recommissioning of the tur- JIM MCGAW bine, but there are many more decisions and agreements to be Portsmouth High School’s Derek Lima dives back to the bag to avoid a pickoff attempt at first base against Pilgrim on Friday. The PHS varsity baseball team won the game, 11-4, but got knocked out of the playoffs by La Salle on Monday. For more, see page 9. negotiated — such as a warranty on a new gearbox — before the council makes a final decision, members said. The majority of council mem- bers said they simply couldn’t walk PHS names its ‘10 outstanding seniors’ away from the voter-approved tur- bine with $2.1 million in debt ser- Lauded for excellence in O’Brien Leadership Program. She served as a vice still owed on the machine, academics, art and music, senior mentor for freshman students and was which was commissioned in sports, leadership and more elected to the PHS Student Council. Morganne March 2009 and spun until its completed five advanced placement (AP) PHS to graduate gearbox failed in May 2012. courses in high school. She will attend the Uni- Recommissioning the turbine — n anticipation of its graduation cer- versity of Rhode Island in the fall. with new measures in place to emonies set for Friday night, Melissa Chen completed seven AP courses, largest class ever ensure it operates smoothly — Portsmouth High School has played in the PHS marching band and sym- would be the only way to pay the named its “10 outstanding seniors” phonic band, Members of Portsmouth High debt off and possibly turn a profit in the Class of 2014. received the School’s Class of 2014 will not only be again years down the road. Here they are in alphabetical order, Bausch and receiving their diplomas Friday night, “What will not go away regard- as selected by the PHS administra- Lomb Award as they’ll be making school history. less of the decision tonight is that tion: the outstanding According to PHS Principal Robert Lit- we owe $2 million on the existing IMorganne Adroved is a member of the science student tlefield, the 258 graduating seniors con- turbine,” said Council President cross-country, in the Class of stitute the largest class in the 50-year James Seveney. “There’s no reason indoor and out- 2014, and partici- history of the school. why a machine can’t work indefi- door track teams, pated in the It is also the first ceremony to be nitely if taken care of properly.” the National Hon- Undersea Tech- scheduled on the school’s baseball dia- Council members Elizabeth or Society and nology Appren- mond due to the ongoing construction Pedro and David Gleason voted Foreign Language ticeship Program on the track and athletic field. The grad- against recommissioning the tur- Honor Society. In at NUWC as a uation ceremony is scheduled for 6 p.m. bine. They said it was too risky a her sophomore sophomore. She’s also a member of the on Friday, June 6, on Robert Crudup venture and that a replacement year, she was National Honor Society. Melissa will attend Baseball Field. gearbox would also likely fail. selected as the Northeastern University in the fall. “When you buy a car and it’s a school’s represen- See GRADUATION Page 12 tative to the Hugh See SENIORS Page 12 See TURBINE Page 16 Season-ending loss It’s a dog’s world PHS softball team knocked out of Furry friends invade Glen Park playoffs by Exeter/West Greenwich for Potter League fund-raiser PAGE 10 PAGE 3 Page 2 Portsmouth Times June 5, 2014 Gael Berberick leads the PHS chorus, which was the first group to per- form at Faneuil Hall Saturday. PHOTOS BY JIM MCGAW Trombonist Maria Cardone performs with the symphonic band. PHS band, chorus invade Boston Musicians perform at Faneuil Hall in last public concert of the year In their last public performance of the school year, members of the Portsmouth High School band and chorus traveled to Boston Sat- urday to visit a well-known stop on the Freedom Trail. The school’s chorus, concert and symphonic bands played before hundreds of family mem- bers, friends, tourists and shop- pers at Faneuil Hall on a glorious- ly sunny day. Getting there was quite the pro- duction, as musicians and adult volunteers broke down nearly the entire band and chorus room, loading chairs, music stands, instruments and more onto a car- avan of four buses and two trail- ers. The trailers had been previ- ously purchased by the Portsmouth Music Boosters. The gang enjoyed lunch at Fire + Ice in the city before a 3 p.m. per- formance at Faneuil Hall in front of an appreciative audience. After that, everyone headed over to Fenway Park, where they rooted on the Red Sox to a 7-1 vic- Sam Boswell, tuba in hand, waits to perform with the PHS band at tory over Tampa Bay. Faneuil Hall Saturday. PHS band direc- tor Ted Rausch introduces the next song. View a gallery of photos of the performances at Faneuil Hall at eastbayri.com Portsmouth Times June 5, 2014 Page 3 It’s a dog’s world at Glen Park Potter League hosts 25th annual Heart & Sole Walk fund-raiser Phyllis Seeba brought her husky, Nan, closer to her and howled. Nothing. Ms. Seeba howled again. Still nothing. After five or six tries, Ms. Seeba gave up, threw her head back and laughed. She and Nan would not be winning the creative pet tricks contest this year, apparently. Dogs of all breeds, shapes and sizes took over Glen Park Sunday for the 25th annual Heart & Sole Walk for the Animals, the Potter League’s largest fund-raiser that typically features ON THE WEB more than 450 people and 250 View a ABOVE: Liz Allen gets her dog Murphy, a 2-year-old Nova Scotia duck- PHOTOS BY JIM MCGAW gallery of dogs to raise mon- tolling retriever, to “pray” during the pet tricks contest. TOP LEFT: photos from ey — this year’s Eddie, one of the best-dressed dogs at Glen Park Sunday, was accompa- Anne Gendron dances with Keely, her golden retriever, during the pet the Potter goal was $125,000 nied by his owner, Matthew White. tricks contest. Keely is a pet therapy dog, Ms. Gendron said. League event. — and awareness eastbayri.com for the homeless pets in the shel- ter’s care. Besides the pet tricks competi- tion, the event also featured a dog/owner look-a-like contest, prizes for the best-dressed dog and best tail-wagger and an egg race. There was also an obstacle course and agility showcase, games for kids, a healthy pet mar- ketplace, a “Doggie Day Spa,” music and more. The one-mile walk took teams of two- and four-legged partici- pants through the fields of Glen Park, which was followed by lunch and awards. Since 1989, the event has raised more than $500,000 to support the care of homeless animals in New- port County. The walk has saved the lives of more than 50,000 ani- mals over the years, according to the Potter League. Anyone who couldn’t make the walk but still wants to make a donation can do so by visiting www.firstgiving.com/potter- Phyllis Seeba laughs after failing to get her husky, Nan, to howl along Luann Botelho leads her bloodhound Abby — a search-and-rescue dog league. with her during the pet tricks contest. —around the agility course at Glen Park. How to reach us Index PORTSMOUTH TIMES For news contact: Jim McGaw, Editor For advertising information contact: For subscription or newsstand Around Town . .13 424-9138 information contact: At the Library . .15 1 Bradford St, Bristol [email protected] Christine Camara, Circulation Department Advertising Representative 253-6000, ext. 131 Opinion . .6 245-6000 • 253-6055 (fax) 424-9131 [email protected] Police Report . .7 Mailing address: P.O. Box 90, Bristol, RI 02809 [email protected] [email protected] Published continuously since 1967. Sports . .9 A weekly publication of East Bay Newspapers, Matthew Hayes, Publisher 1 Bradford St., Bristol, R.I. 02809 424-9140 For classified information contact: [email protected] 253-1000 or 800-382-8477 (MA) [email protected] News deadline ..... noon Tuesday Advertising deadline ..... noon Tuesday Page 4 Portsmouth Times June 5, 2014 TThheeyy’’rree lloonngg ggoonnee Portsmouth Historical Main Road. Society hosts “There is a wind turbine in ‘Lost to Time’ exhibit about the same spot where Thurston’s Mill was,” said Ms. Schmidt, noting that the exhibit BY JIM MCGAW includes picture of the mill on [email protected] fire in 1961. “Two of our wind- Nadeau’s Pharmacy, Thurston mills are now in Middletown — Mill, the roller rink, Cashman’s at Prescott Farm and on Paradise Ballroom, Bernie’s Hardware … (Avenue).” Seeing a familiar thread here? The exhibit also touches upon: Yup, they’re all gone. I Farms: Hathaway peach The Portsmouth Historical orchards, Anthony seed farm, Society’s new exhibit, “Lost to Sandy Point Farms, Oakland Time,” will most likely educate Farms, Briggs dairy farm, Glen younger visitors on the town’s Farm history while jogging some hap- I Social organizations, places py memories for the older folks.