Douglas School Project May Have 2010 Vote LANE HOPES $52M EXPANSION/RENOVATION COULD BE COMPLETE by 2013
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Mailed free to requesting homes in Douglas, Northbridge and Uxbridge Vol. II, No. 50 Complimentary to homes by request ONLINE: www.blackstonevalleytribune.com “Freedom is never more than one generation away from extinction.” September 11, 2009 Douglas school project may have 2010 vote LANE HOPES $52M EXPANSION/RENOVATION COULD BE COMPLETE BY 2013 BY THOMAS MATTSON intermediate/ele- is in the high school. There has been TRIBUNE STAFF WRITER mentary school talk for several years that, as the DOUGLAS — During an update to would share some school enrollment grows, grade 8 the School Committee Sept. 2, common space — could be pulled back into a rehabili- Superintendent Nancy Lane said an auditorium, a tated middle school, leaving the the $52 million building project large gymnasi- high school for use only by grades 9- would probably come up for a vote of um, and possibly 12. Grades K-2 are currently in the approval at the fall Town Meeting in a cafeteria — but elementary school on Gleason 2010, with occupancy anticipated by would otherwise Court. 2013, if all goes well. operate as a sepa- Nancy Lane Back in September 2008, Lane esti- If approved by voters, the new rate middle mated a project manager would not complex will serve an estimated school and elementary school. be named until at least early in 2009. 1,000 students in grades 2-8, Lane She underlined an approach the Obviously that proved a too robust said. school administration approves for prediction, given the recession. But The unspoken background to renovation of the current interme- not by much, because she Lane’s comments about the pace of diate/elementary school and recon- announced last week that the feasi- the project may well be an expecta- figuration of the grades in the build- bility study will begin during the tion that the economic climate will ing to include 6-8, a middle school current school year. be much improved by the end of model, with grades 2-5 in a new ele- “Strategic Building Solutions has 2010. mentary wing. Currently the I/E been selected as the owner’s project Thomas Mattson photo Lane reminded the board that the school houses grades 3-7 and grade 8 The Douglas Intermediate/Elementary School could be renovated if voters approve a Turn To SCHOOL page A6 $52 million building project next year. THE TRIBUNE INTERVIEW New library director planning for growth BY ANDY LEVIN TRIBUNE STAFF WRITER UXBRIDGE — Jane Granatino wants to grow the Uxbridge Free Public Library within its walls. Granatino, library director here since May, has several goals in mind, including expanding pro- gramming and converting the top floor, now used for storage, into a local history center. Originally from Hingham, Granatino received a bachelor’s degree at Providence College and later a master’s in library and infor- mation sciences from Simmons College. She now lives just over the Rhode Island border in Burrillville. The Uxbridge Free Public Library Thomas Mattson photo is scheduled to hold an open house From left, Joseph Montecalvo, Mary Frances Powers, Kenneth Guertin, Donald Lange and Burnham Miller. Sept. 30 to formally welcome Granatino to town. BVT: How did you end up taking Andy Levin photo this job in Uxbridge? Jane Granatino JG: I was working at the Dover AT YOUR SERVICE Library as assistant director and I was laid off. That’s when I saw the wanted more of a challenge, so I listing for Uxbridge Free Public went to the Worcester Public Library. So I made a detour on the NORTHBRIDGE OFFICIALS’ DEDICATION HONORED Library. That was very different, way home one day, saw the place, because previous to that I had and fell in love with it. I was called worked in rural libraries. Worcester in for an interview and have been BY THOMAS MATTSON Of course, there is the hired often not just by long membership TRIBUNE STAFF WRITER was a challenge because it was very here since May. staff, which constitutes the bulk on one board, but on several. urban and very busy. There were 30 NORTHBRIDGE — They say 20 of those doing work for the com- For example, the six residents different languages spoken in BVT: How have your first four percent of the people in any busi- munity. Town Manager Theodore Kozak Worcester — very different from months here gone? ness do 80 percent of the work. But it is always a bit surprising awarded town service plaques to what I was used to. I loved that envi- JG: I think things are going pret- That may also be true of town to see just how few volunteers ronment… I felt I was able to hone ty well. One thing we are very excit- government. “run the town.” And they do it Turn To SERVICE page A7 my reference skills. But unfortu- nately, due to budget constraints, I Turn To LIBRARY page A10 Rams to kick off 2009 season BY THOMAS MATTSON school’s eight Super Bowl titles in with the signal caller’s 4.4 seconds TRIBUNE STAFF WRITER 12 appearances, and numerous con- in the 40. Other key players were NORTHBRIDGE — “Every year ference or division championships. Adam Mummenthey, Jon Zenquis, it’s the same… I don’t care [what The 2009 season opens Friday, J.J. Royster, Chris Heney and Derek they say],” said a coach after a Sept. 11, with the Rams playing Connors. game with the Northbridge Rams’ Millbury on the Woolies’ field. The But other times the depth chart is football team in a down year for the game starts at 7 p.m. not apparent. latter. Sometimes the Northbridge man- Looking at some of the champi- He was expressing the frustra- power has been obvious, as in 2002, onship teams at the start of the sea- tion a lot of coaches and teams when the Rams had a quarterback son, you could have no idea of their have felt over the years at playing a (Dan Brown) who wound up his eventual success. The same goes for Ken LaChapelle-coached football career throwing for 67 touchdowns teams that seemed loaded but did team, even when the Rams are and running for 38 more (almost just all right. struggling. entirely in the first half) a tight end So you never know. It is going on year number 34 for (Matt Krevis) 6-6 and 263, tackles That may be why LaChapelle the wizard of Lasell Field, whose (M.D. D’Alfonso and Tony Bullio) tries to stay philosophical about record since he took over as head weighing an average of 275, and things, except for one thing. coach in 1975 is 267-84-5. two running backs (Darryl Tomzer He wants to win. Thomas Mattson photo That includes seven of the and Dave Kuntz), who kept pace Turn To RAMS page A12 Northbridge High senior captains are, from left, Nick Ducey, Casey Hippert, Matt Consigli and John Perro. A2-3 ...................................... LOCAL A9 ..................... SENIOR SCENE HE LACKSTONE ALLEY RIBUNE CAN BE A4-5 ..................................... OPINION A11 ......................... CALENDAR T B V T A7..................................... OBITUARIES A12-14 ........................ SPORTS REACHED VIA E-MAIL: [email protected] INSIDE 2 • Friday, September 11, 2009 BLACKSTONE VALLEY TRIBUNE Barber wants to give back TRIBUNE BY ANDY LEVIN ALMANAC TRIBUNE STAFF WRITER UXBRIDGE — Matt Brunet is doing pretty QUOTATION OF THE WEEK well these days — a successful new business and the anticipated birth of a child among his blessings. “You don’t have to physical- Because of his good fortune, Brunet, owner ly come into the library to be of Uppercuts barbershop at the intersection of South Main and Mendon streets down- able to use the library.” town, said he feels obliged to give something — Uxbridge Free Public Library’s director, back. Jane Granatino, on one way the Internet Brunet plans to offer free haircuts to any has changed life. person who is either unemployed or on dis- ability the last Wednesday of each month, at least through the end of this year. “Times are tough now and we want to help out,” said Brunet. “We’ll take care of them, THE STATS on the house.” Total square miles (land) Originally from Connecticut, Brunet, 27, Auburn ..............................15.36 has been cutting hair for about eight years. Brimfield ............................34.71 He studied at Rob Roy Hair Academy in Brookfield ..........................15.52 Worcester after moving to Massachusetts Charlton ............................42.53 about a decade ago, but admitted he really Douglas ..............................36.37 learned his trade during the three years he Dudley ................................21.05 worked at Clippin’ Times, a barbershop in Holland ..............................12.39 Webster. Leicester ............................23.36 “That taught me a lot about cutting hair,” Northbridge ......................17.18 he said. “When you get out of barber school Oxford ................................26.63 you think you know everything, but really Southbridge ......................20.36 you don’t know anything. They key to a good Spencer ..............................32.85 haircut is taking your time and working on Sturbridge..........................37.41 quality, not quantity.” Uxbridge ............................29.54 After leaving Clippin’ Times, Brunet Wales ..................................15.75 worked for a time at a since-closed barber- Webster ..............................12.49 shop here. Living in town but no longer with a job, he decided to take a chance and start * Information as of 2000 U.S. Census his own business. Uppercuts opened in late June SUNRISE/SUNSET “I had some money saved and friends who helped me out with all the work,” he said. “I Andy Levin photo Sat., Sept. 12 ——6:25 a.m. ——7:03 p.m. didn’t have to pay for any labor — the floor, Matt Brunet gives a haircut to Jeffrey Lyness, Jr.