Sturbridge 7-27-07

PRSRT STD POSTAL U.S. POSTAGE PAID CUSTOMER PERMIT #231 ECR WSS SOUTHBRIDGE, MA 01550 Mailed weekly to every home in Sturbridge, Brimfield, Holland and Wales Vol. 2, No. 7 COMPLIMENTARY HOME DELIVERY ONLINE: WWW.STURBRIDGEVILLAGER.NET ‘To be loved, be lovable.’ Friday, February 15, 2008 Displaying their enterprising spirit OSV could TRHS SENIORS SET UP CUSTOM be on the T-SHIRT COMPANY rebound BY BRUCE COULTER VILLAGER STAFF WRITER ATTRACTION HAS BEST STURBRIDGE — Sean Conners and Joshua Thomson-Hansen may not be MONTH IN DECADE appearing on “The Big Idea” on CNBC any time soon, but the enterprising BY GUS STEEVES Tantasqua Regional High School sen- VILLAGER STAFF WRITER iors, both 17, have already become STURBRIDGE — After years of sliding attendance, entrepreneurs. Old Sturbridge Village might be on the rebound. Last year, the pair decided to start a Last month, the living history museum, which custom design T-shirt printing busi- depicts a New England village of the 1820s, saw a 23 per- ness, and more recently formed their cent increase in the number of visitors over January own company,aptly named Connsen, a 2007 and exceeded January attendance for every year combination of their last names. since 1998. Both were just looking for a way to “If January is any indication, this could be one of our make some money on the side and “it best years of the decade,” CEO James Donahue said. was something to do that was fun,” “To see double-digit attendance increases in January — said Conners. one of our coldest and snowiest months — is an “We started a year ago,” said extremely good sign that we will continue attendance Thomson-Hansen, “but we weren’t gains during the spring and summer, when we often really doing custom [shirts] back have thousands of visitors in a single day.” then.” January’s visitor count exceeded 4,000, a figure that About five months ago, after search- was almost 800 above that of January 2007, despite bit- ing the Internet, they bought their first ter cold and snowy periods, www.osv.org stated. The major piece of equipment, a heating museum has been in existence since 1946. press found on the popular auction site Marketing Manager Pam Lozier said she believes the eBay, for $400. figures represent the beginning of a new trend sparked Their next decision was which by a change in the way the museum does business. In brand of heat transfer paper would Bruce Coulter photo Sean Conners, left, and Joshua Thomson-Hansen, seniors at Tantasqua Regional High School, have Turn To OSV, page A11 Turn To T-SHIRT, page A11 started their own custom-designed T-shirt business. Brook plan draws locals’ ire BY GUS STEEVES trout, a species that has been elimi- Several citizens in attendance did- VILLAGER STAFF WRITER nated across large parts of its former n’t think it was, at least without more STURBRIDGE — A preliminary range. He said eliminating several information. proposal to eliminate the dams on dams along the brook and restoring William Muir said the small ponds Hamant Brook drew some opposition its flow could benefit that fish and there “have been there 100 years. The Monday, Feb. 11 from residents who other species “that are under-repre- Public Lands Advisory Committee argued the town bought the land for sented in the community.” [PLAC] looks at that as three ponds recreational use, “not saving a habi- “This is my first in-depth experi- where there is now fishing and tat for fish.” ence of a project of this nature. I’m a wildlife,” and that have been used for The concept was proposed by biologist, so I’m going to have a learn- swimming, picnicking and other Division of Fisheries and Wildlife ing curve,” Richards said. “I can’t see activities over the years. biologist Todd Richards, who said the anything we’re really looking for now “If I have to tell my grandkid he’s brook is one of the region’s few cold from the town other than, ‘Yeah, good Turn To BROOK, A14 water habitats still supporting brook idea.’” page Holland residents KO override PROPOSALS EASILY DEFEATED TOWN RUNNING AT BALLOT BOX $50,000 SNOW/ICE BY BRUCE COULTER DEFICIT VILLAGER STAFF WRITER HOLLAND — Residents BY BRUCE COULTER VILLAGER STAFF WRITER overwhelmingly defeated a pair of Proposition 2 1/2 over- HOLLAND — Following the defeat of a ride requests by the Board of proposed Proposition 2 1/2 override the Selectmen Tuesday, Feb. 5. day before, the Board of Selectmen Article 1 requested the tax vowed to move forward with the business levy limit be raised by of the town during its weekly meeting $475,000. Voters overruled Wednesday, Feb. 6. that request by a vote of 578- But the business of the town could suf- 237. fer in the coming months without an The second article, this one infusion of cash. asking for a levy override of “You need to understand that you get $565,000, was defeated 639-155. what you pay for,” said Chairman James According to Town Clerk James Wettlaufer Wettlaufer. “In this case, you’re going to Kristin LaPlante, the turnout not get what you don’t pay for.” The town, he said, still faces a shortage was higher than she’s seen added. Just 810 residents Shawn Kelley photo before. voted in the primary. of cash for the current fiscal year. “Roughly 50 percent (827) of Despite the turnout, elec- The town’s snow and ice budget, said our registered voters came tion officials had little trouble Wettlaufer, has doubled because of heavy CIRCLE OF LIFE out,” she said. “It’s unbeliev- accommodating voters at December snows, and is now in the red able. I’ve never seen anything Town Hall. by $50,000. STURBRIDGE — Jiedais Matos, 3, of Worcester, gets ready to enter the cir- like it.” “We had no problem fitting “The snow and ice account deficit has cle for a dance in his Indian gear during the New England Native American Oddly, 17 more residents everyone in,” said LaPlante. doubled what the appropriation was,” he Institute’s annual winter powwow Saturday, Feb. 9 at Burgess Elementary voted for the override than in School. For more photos from the event, please turn to Page A8. Turn To DEFICIT, page A9 the presidential primary, she Turn To BALLOT, page A7 ALMANAC ..............2 LOCAL SPORTS POLICE LOGS ..........5 VILLAGER TRIVIA OBITUARIES ............7 CHILDRESS TANTASQUA TAKES 595,340; 559,034; 955,034. OPINION ..............10 Which was the 2005 popula- RESIGNS SECOND CROWN tion estimate of Boston? CALENDAR ...........11 Answer inside. PAGE 2 PAGE 12 INSIDE SPORTS ..........12-13 2 STURBRIDGE VILLAGER • Friday, February 15, 2008 Childress resigns as Opacum president VILLAGER ALMANAC WILL CONTINUE TO SERVE AS DIRECTOR QUOTATION OF THE WEEK BY BRUCE COULTER protest of the blog was the e-mail “Sports are a bigger thing for kids now than VILLAGER STAFF WRITER removed. STURBRIDGE — Citing the near com- “I had to go to that extreme to make years before. It’s the best thing in the world, pletion of Opacum Land Trust’s strate- him remove it,” Childress said. other than education, of course.” gic planning process, Carol Childress is “This is absolute nonsense,” said stepping down as president of the trust. Creamer, referring to the blog issue. — Sturbridge Recreation Committee Chairman Al Jones, speaking in support of a She made the announcement in an e- “The e-mail she is referencing was plan to build new athletic fields in town. mail to members and supporters of the written by the benefactor of Opacum trust earlier this month. Land Trust,” he said. “That’s why I Childress has been president for the drew that analogy.” OPEN TO CLOSE past eight years. Creamer said the reference was “The deck of officers is being shuf- removed not because of her threat to HOLLAND: (413) 245-7108 fled,” she wrote. “A new president will resign, but rather, because of all of the Mon – Thurs 9:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. and 1:00 p.m. – 4:00 p.m. be announced at Opacum’s annual “static” she was giving Morrison. FISKDALE: 508-347-6486 meeting, and a part-time staff is being Morrison, he said, functions only as a Weekdays 9:00-4:30 and Sat. 9:00 -12:00 sought to do those duties that I have copy editor: “She has no authority to been committed to for so long.” remove anything from that blog.” Carol Childress STURBRIDGE 508-347-6463 Childress said she also hopes to sepa- In response to Childress’ comments, Weekdays 8:30 – 5:00 and Sat. 9:00 -12:00 political conflicts,” said Childress. rate Opacum from the “political unrest Morrison said, “I explained that it BRIMFIELD: 413-245-3451 in Sturbridge,” and decided it would be would be inappropriate for me to alter According to Ohop, Opacum will be Weekdays: 9:00 – 4:30 and Sat. 9:00 -12:00 best that a resident from another town Tom’s public e-mail, and further, that it “concentrating our efforts on where we lead the trust. is inappropriate for me to alter content live.” WALES: 413-245-9808 Weekdays 8:30 – 12:30 and 2:00 – 4:00 and Sat. 9:00 – 12:00 In the past, Childress has authored a on the blog.” “I’d like to branch out to all of the cor- number of letters to the editor to the Childress “disagreed with my asser- ners of Opacum and try to get more peo- Villager and other local newspapers, tion of my role,” added Morrison.

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