Economy Down, but

(508) 943-4800 Newsstand: 75 cents www.auburnnews.net PROUD MEDIA SPONSOR OF THE CENTRAL SOUTH COUNTY RELAY FOR LIFE! Wednesday, February 24, 2010 Economy down, but ... Rockets BY JOY RICHARD AND TERESA A. FRANCO STAFF WRITERS sent to ex and alcohol are two industries often seen as S invulnerable to financial woes. But are they? As the country continues penalty to struggle to find a way out of the worst recession since the Great Depression, old adages like “sex sells” have been put to the test. So, too, has the alcohol business been box challenged. Still, as one Auburn drinking establishment owner put it, “It’s a simple fact — people are drink- PLAYOFFS NIXED ing.” Stonebridge Press and Villager AFTER FOURTH Newspapers wanted to know: Are sex and alcohol really immune to a GAME VIOLATION bad economy? We took to the streets and talked with people in BY TERESA A. FRANCO both industries to find an answer. NEWS STAFF WRITER The result? People, they say, are AUBURN — The Auburn High School still buying, but their purchases Hockey team won’t be skating its way into the aren’t as extravagant. At liquor playoffs this year, after one too many viola- and convenience stores around the tions of Massachusetts Interscholastic region, for example, owners and Athletic Association rules. managers say sales are steady, but The Rockets customers have chosen to “down- record at the grade” their final game of choices of alco- the season hol. against Oxford Package Marlborough Store manager Saturday, Feb. Stacey Warren ... booze, sex still sell 13 was 11-6-3, said she and her where it will father, Steve remain. With Adelman, who has owned the 18 minutes left Main Street establishment for on the clock, more than five years, are happy to the team see the faces of new customers, received a but not as many as they would penalty for hit- have hoped for. ting from “The store itself has been here behind — its for more than 30 years,” said fourth of the Warren. “[The recession] has had season accord- an impact. People still drink, but ing to Athletic some have made the downgrade to Director generic brands and have made the William Garneau. Under MIAA rules, teams choice to take advantage of all of are only allowed three penalties before being the sales from companies.” disqualified. “Downgrade” is the buzzword There is an appeal process, Garneau said, heard from many of the owners but the school is opting not to do it. and bar managers interviewed “We broke the rules and we took the punish- last week. They said they are more ment,” he said. “We didn’t feel as though we aware that people are stretching had a legitimate excuse for these penalties to their dollars, and have begun to take place.” stock the more moderately priced Garneau expressed his disappointment and brands on their shelves. Teresa Franco photo, top/Joy Richard photos, above left and right said the situation has been tough for the sen- At Hanks Drive-In in Webster, Top, Halligan’s Royal Lounge co-owner Diane Carroll makes a drink for Patrick Marroney of Worcester, Friday iors who will not be able to go to the playoffs, co-owner Patrick Fovel said he afternoon, Feb. 19. Above, right, Marty’s owner Marty NieskI in Dudley and other liquor store owners have the parents, coaching staff and the district as not seen a drop in business with the bad economy, per se, but more customers are downgrading their pur- a whole. Turn To SALES, page A13 chases. Above left, lingerie lines a wall inside Gallo Video on East Main Street in Webster. Garneau said the team was aware it had one penalty left before being disqualified and that the coaches had done their part in teaching the players about sportsmanship. “The coaching staff has done a great job in teaching these kids what’s proper and what’s Sabina calls it a day as dog officer Turn To TEAM, page A10 BY TERESA A. FRANCO She said she made the decision enemy when it comes to getting STAFF WRITER to retire as her 65th birthday the laws followed,” she said. AUBURN — Tuesday, March 16 approached. However, Sabina has come a will be a milestone for Dog Officer “I’m looking forward to having long way in her career.She landed Kathy Sabina. On that day, not peace in my life,” she said. “I’m a job 33 years ago when she lost only will she turn 65, but she will looking forward to having time one of her Afghan hounds in also retire her career as the with my grandkids and family town. She called the dog officer, town’s dog officer. and to not have to debate with she said, only to find out he had Even though Sabina said she is people.” quit that day. After finding her looking forward to retirement, Sabina admits that her role as dog sleeping in her neighbor’s she still tears up a little at the dog officer has been a difficult yard, Sabina said she decided to thought of leaving the place one. She said it is difficult dealing apply for the job and was immedi- where she has worked for the past with people and animals. Kathy Sabina 33 years. “For the most part, you are the Turn To SABINA, page A13 Selectmen vote to level fund fiscal 2011 budget BY TERESA A. FRANCO At a joint meeting with the motion made by Selectman Committee until they gave the NEWS STAFF WRITER Finance and School committees Robert Valentine. budgets requested of them. AUBURN – Selectmen on before their regular meeting The committees had decided a At the start of the budget Monday voted to level fund the fis- Monday night, selectmen talked few months ago to start meeting process in December, each town cal 2011 budget. about staying with the 1.25-per- as a way to work together on the department was asked to create The board was set to vote on a cent levy limit and keeping all the budget process. The meetings several budgets: one a level-fund- preliminary budget one night budgets level funded. Later, dur- temporarily came to a halt when ed budget, a second representing File photo later, after this newspaper’s dead- ing their meeting, selectmen selectmen said they did not want The Auburn High School hockey team, above and line. voted, 4-1, to do just that, on a to meet with the School Turn To SELECTMEN, page A13 top, has been disqualified from playoff action. E E CALENDAR .......A12 PAPPASES COME OPINION ............A6 FINGER FULL CIRCLE IN SENIORS............A9 PAINTING OBITUARIES ......A12 TOWN PAGE A4 SPORTS ......A10-11 PAGE A3 INSID 6 56525 10391 9 INSID 2 • THE AUBURN NEWS • Wednesday, February 24, 2010 Town gets wind of new energy plan ALMANAC BY TERESA A. FRANCO O’Connor, Selectmen Timothy QUOTE OF THE WEEK STAFF WRITER Hicks, Doreen Goodrich and Local and regional officials are Nicholas Hammond also spoke “My hope is that this celebrating a grant that will make last week and pledged their sup- will be one turbine of the town’s dream of going green port for the project, as did state closer to reality. Rep. Paul Frost, R-Auburn, and many for the town.” state Sen. Michael Moore, D- Officials on Thursday, Feb. 18 —TOWN PLANNER ADAM BURNEY, gathered behind a miniature Millbury. model of a wind turbine, a repre- Sustainable Energy ON THE ANNOUNCEMENT OF A WIND sentation of the turbine that is Development (SED) Project and TURBINE PROJECT IN AUBURN. now coming into clear view for Policy Manager Matt Auburn, thanks to an $85,000 Vanderbrook, the one responsible grant awarded by Massachusetts for helping the town write the Clean Energy Center, which grant proposal, said the next step PEN TO LOSE recently distributed more than in the process is to figure out the O C $2.5 million in grants across the best way to measure the wind state. speed in the potential wind tur- AUBURN TOWN HALL The money was made available bine location. The spot chosen for under the Commonwealth Wind the site is on Prospect Hill, Board of Selectmen (832-7720) Community-Scale Wind initia- behind the BJ’s on Route 20. Monday-Friday . .8 a.m. to 4 p.m. tive. Auburn was one of 14 other “I’m really excited to be work- Town Clerk (832-7701) communities and organizations ing with the town,” Vanderbrook Monday-Friday . .8 a.m. to 4 p.m. in the state to receive the grants said. for feasibility studies. Six other Teresa A. Franco photos Town Planner Adam Burney communities, including said he is happy the project is AUBURN PUBLIC LIBRARY Charlton, received construction Congressman James McGovern holds up a miniature model of a wind turbine dur- coming to fruition and is hopeful (832-7790) grants for wind turbines. ing a press conference about the $85,000 grant the town received for a wind tur- it will be a success. Monday, Wednesday10 a.m. to 8:30 bine feasibility study, Thursday, Feb. 18, at the Auburn Town Hall. Lt. Gov. Timothy Murray told “My hope is that this will be p.m. the crowd of mostly town depart- one turbine of many for the other towns to follow. buildings more green. Tuesday, Thursday . .9 a.m. to 8:30 ment heads that Auburn’s plan to town,” he said. “This town is going to be a trail- Wind Turbine Committee p.m. create a wind turbine goes along Other projects that received blazer,” he told the crowd at the Chair Robert Platukis cited the with Gov.

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