Sturbridge, Brimfield, Holland and Wales
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Mailed free to requesting homes in Sturbridge, Brimfield, Holland and Wales Vol. VI, No. 25 PROUD MEDIA SPONSOR OF RELAY FOR LIFE OF THE GREATER SOUTHBRIDGE AREA! COMPLIMENTARY HOME DELIVERY ONLINE: WWW.STURBRIDGEVILLAGER.NET Friday, June 22, 2012 THIS WEEK’S QUOTE Suhoski suspended for second time by selectmen “To make pleas- OFFICIALS MUM ON REASONS BEHIND MOVE BY KEVIN FLANDERS ed down by selectmen during time of arrival at work, time’ is a clear example of his ures pleasant, VILLAGER STAFF WRITER an executive session follow- which previously landed him failure/inability to accurate- shorten them.” STURBRIDGE — For the ing their June 11 meeting. in trouble with selectmen. ly interpret the direction of second time in as many years, While Suhoski sat out, DPW During Suhoski’s first per- the board,” that evaluation Town Administrator Shaun Director Greg Morse served formance evaluation in read. Charles Buxton Suhoski was suspended by as the interim town adminis- December 2010, he was Suhoski was suspended for the Board of Selectmen last trator. rebuked by selectmen for five days by the board in week. Describing the suspension excessive tardiness at work February 2011, the reason for Suhoski’s latest suspen- as a personnel matter, select- and town meetings. which has not been publicly sion, a three-day removal men declined to comment on “His failure to satisfactori- announced. Due to the prox- with pay lasting from 12 a.m. their reason for suspending ly respond to a clear directive imity of the suspension to the INSIDE on Tuesday,June 12 to 12 a.m. Suhoski. Some people specu- from the board to establish a December 2010 performance on Friday, June 15, was hand- lated that it might involve his ‘no later than 9 a.m. start Turn To SUHOSKI page A9 Shaun Suhoski ALMANAC ............2 POLICE LOGS........5 OBITUARIES .........7 Town utilizing OPINION ............10 CALENDAR .........11 new emergency SPORTS........14-16 notification system BY KEVIN FLANDERS local agencies, and mobile VILLAGER STAFF WRITER phones in a matter of minutes. LOCAL STURBRIDGE — The The system was first uti- destructive storms of 2011 lized on May 29, when a line of demonstrated how important storms prompted a tornado it is to be prepared for severe watch in Berkshire County weather. and severe thunderstorm Many people in the region warnings in Hampden and said they didn’t know about Worcester counties. A test had the June 1, 2011 tornado warn- been planned for that day, but ing until reports surfaced that town officials decided to go a twister was on the ground in with the real deal, sending Springfield, leading public alerts to over 4,000 telephone safety officials in several area numbers in the database. communities to seek “The Massachusetts improved communication Emergency Management tools. Agency, in conjunction with Sturbridge was among the National Weather Service, Adam Minor photo those communities, and with predicted severe weather in The Relay for Life crowd gathers to light a candle in remembrance of those the recent launch of its new Worcester County,” said Town emergency notification sys- Administrator Shaun lost to cancer. tem, town officials are making Suhoski. “In consult with the Principal follows sure residents won’t be sur- police chief, we determined to through on fundraising prised when strong storms utilize the emergency notifica- RELAY target central Massachusetts. tion system in lieu of the promise In the event of severe weather planned test call to alert resi- Page A3 or other urgent situations, the dents to the potential damag- RALLIES Blackboard Connect system ing storms.” allows officials to record and Town officials are now SOUTHBRIDGE send an unlimited number of encouraging residents to add LOCAL — The 15th Annual personalized voice messages to home phones, businesses, Turn To EMERGENCY page A11 Relay for Life of the Greater Southbridge Area netted nearly $190,000 and count- ing last weekend at McMahon Field in Southbridge. Participants from all over southern Worcester County took part in the event. Kevin Flanders photo Mark Ashton photo Picnic a welcome Writers on the Storm workshop leader Suzanne Strempek-Shea reads distraction from tornado At right: : The god of her work during an event on Tuesday, June 12 at HFA. recovery thunder himself, Thor Page A8 (a.k.a. Lee Gendron) won an award as The HFA writing workshop SPORTS Best Mascot. For the story and a therapeutic experience more photos, turn BY KEVIN FLANDERS subsequent recovery efforts. to pages A12-A13! VILLAGER STAFF WRITER “The process of writing BRIMFIELD — For partici- allows you to bring up all pants in a recent writing kinds of thoughts and emo- workshop at Hitchcock Free tions you might not even real- Academy, the last five weeks ize you had.” have provided opportunities The workshop culminated to turn the negative spin of with a session on Tuesday, Habitat home set for dedication the June 2011 tornado into a June 12 during which many of positive one. the participants read their BY KEVIN FLANDERS ment and present the keys to Charlton,” said Leslie Led by Bondsville author works aloud. All of their VILLAGER STAFF WRITER the new homeowners, HFH- Lesperance, the interim exec- Suzanne Strempek-Shea, the poems and stories were fea- Kids ‘Play With STURBRIDGE — A little MW/GW will hold a dedica- utive director of HFH- Writers on the Storm work- tured in a short book that also The Band’ at local over a year ago, a hole for the tion ceremony and volunteer MW/GW. “We are grateful for shop was funded by grants included artwork submitted foundation was being dug at 79 appreciation event on the way these communities from Blue Cross-Blue Shield of by participants of a family art triathlon Fairview Park Road. Saturday, June 23, at 9:30 a.m. came together and gave gener- Massachusetts, Hanover therapy workshop at HFA. It was the beginning of a at the home. The public is ously of their time and finan- Insurance, and the A recurring theme in most Page A14 building process that united invited to attend and tour the cial resources to make this Community Foundation of of the poems and stories was the community and brought house, and all attendees are home a reality.” Western Massachusetts. Many destruction, as it is impossible countless volunteers to asked to park at Bethlehem The dedication ceremony of the participants saw their to look past the devastating OPINION Sturbridge to construct the Lutheran Church (345 Main will include brief remarks by homes damaged or destroyed power of the tornado, espe- first Habitat for Humanity Street in Sturbridge) and take Charles Blanchard, the chair by the tornado, and writing cially for participants who GET YOUR MetroWest/Greater Worcester the free shuttle to the property. of Sturbridge Housing about their ordeals proved to survived the storm and saw (HFH-MW/GW) home in the “This is the 33rd house built Partnership, Penny Dumas, POINT ACROSS be a therapeutic experience. their homes damaged or com- tri-community area. by the HFH-MW/GW affiliate the chair of the Sturbridge “It was amazingly healing to pletely leveled. But there was PAGE A10 Now the construction work since its founding in 1985. It is Community Preservation be able to share our angst and also an emphasis on solidarity, is nearing completion on the a testimony to Habitat’s com- Committee, and Michael concerns with others through recovery, renewal, and the 1,200-square-foot, single-fami- mitment to bring decent, Wimberly, the Local Project writing,” said HFA Executive promise of a bright future. POLICE LOGS ly home, a raised ranch that affordable housing to families Committee chair for the Director Susan Gregory, who Many people feel the tornado boasts three bedrooms and in need in the tri-community Sturbridge build. Reverend took part in the workshop and brought neighbors and com- PAGE A9 one and a half bathrooms. To area, which includes Kenneth Bean, the interim wrote a poem called Blending celebrate this accomplish- Sturbridge, Southbridge and Turn To HABITAT page A11 about the tornado’s wrath and Turn To WRITING page A11 2 STURBRIDGE VILLAGER • Friday, June 22, 2012 Principal follows through on fundraising promise ‘THE STUDENTS HAD A LOT OF FUN’ BY KEVIN FLANDERS dents were able to raise $10,000 and VILLAGER STAFF WRITER would camp out on the roof with STURBRIDGE — Burgess Emrich if $12,000 were raised, so Elementary School students needless to say there wasn’t much received an unusual morning hair to keep him warm on a chilly greeting from assistant principal June night. Jack Canavan and physical educa- “There was about two weeks of tion teacher Bill Emrich last week. growth there, but it was still pretty On Thursday, June 7, students short,” he said. arrived at school to find Canavan Lennon described the 2012 Jog-a- and Emrich welcoming them from Thon as one of the most successful the rooftop, where they camped the events to date. The money raised previous night. They’d promised to will support several cultural arts spend a night atop the school roof programs, field trips, supplies, lit- if students raised more than eracy programs, and a host of $12,000 during the annual Burgess other things that enhance the qual- Jog-a-Thon in April, and sure ity of education students receive. enough, students surpassed the “The kids love participating in goal and sent them to the roof. In the Jog-a-Thon each year,” Lennon total, about $12,700 were raised. added. “The camaraderie they “Jack and Bill are always showed was tremendous, and involved in fun things like this. It everyone was involved.” makes a huge impact and helps get Both Canavan and Emrich are the kids excited about raising the Sturbridge natives who under- money,” said Burgess PTO presi- stand the importance of fundrais- dent Wendy Lennon.