872 Southbridge Street • Auburn

WeekendWeekend EditionEdition (508) 764-4325/VISIT US AT: www.TheHeartOfMassachusetts.com SERVING OUR READERS SINCE 1923 FRIDAY, OCTOBER 12, 2012 Newsstand: 50 cents TODAY’S State rep candidates square off in Overlook debate QUOTE “Most people rust out WALKER, DURANT ANSWER SUBMITTED QUESTIONS due to lack of BY JOY RICHARD ted questions during the the event after finding out STONEBRIDGE PRESS STAFF WRITER challenge. Few peo- hour-long session moderat- about the issue, and Barbara CHARLTON — As the ed by Overlook resident Jim Delano was said to be a ple rust out due to election looms on the hori- Alexander. Republican. overuse.” zon, candidates for state rep- Earlier in the month, Alexander told a resentative in the 6th Durant voiced concern over Stonebridge Press reporter Unknown Worcester District stood toe- how the debate was organ- earlier in the month that he to-toe during a recent debate ized and how the questions was “neutral,” and made the at the Overlook Masonic were to be screened. conscious choice not to dis- LOCAL Health Center. According to an article cuss the event with the can- Residents from Charlton, published by Stonebridge didates prior to the night in Dudley and Southbridge Press earlier in the month, an effort to remain as unbi- almost completely filled the Durant said “red lights ased as possible. two-tiered auditorium at the started going off,” when his At the debate, each candi- Charlton-based health care campaign was informed date was given a two-minute facility on Tuesday, Oct. 9. that two of the residents opening and closing state- Joy Richard photo Incumbent State Rep. coordinating the event and ment and were able to Charlton Selectman and 6th Worcester District candidate Kathleen Peter Durant, R-Spencer, questions contributors to answer each question with a Walker and current State Rep. Peter Durant, R-Spencer, listen as mod- and Charlton Selectman Walker’s campaign. minute of rebuttal time. erator and Charlton resident Jim Alexander asks a question during a ‘Monkeybar Mafia’ pre- Kathleen Walker answered According to the article, debate at the Overlook Masonic Health Center on Tuesday, Oct. 9. more than 10 citizen-submit- Jane Cutting pulled out of mieres Oct. 26 at Gateway Please Read DEBATE, page A8 Page A3 SPORTS ‘INTERNATIONAL MOMENTS’ TO BE CELEBRATED SATURDAY Schools mulls SOUTHBRIDGE — It’s been months in the plan- ning, and now it’s finally exchange, surplus here. “All we need now are people!” says Dawn Clarke, one of the “energetic disposal workers” helping trans- BY GUS STEEVES other needs. “... This solves form Fellowship Hall at NEWS STAFF WRITER The Sports Historians the Elm Street our [space] problem once Congregational Church SOUTHBRIDGE — As if and for all.” Page B1 into a hall of International it hasn’t moved enough this The West Street site has Moments. year, the school district is about 3,500 square feet, The transformation will hoping it can trade the old while Foster has about be completed this Globe fire station on West 18,000. Foster last housed WINNING Saturday, Oct. 13, from 10 Street (its current mainte- the town water department a.m. to 3 p.m., when the nance building) for the years ago, but has only LOTTERY blue-aproned parishioners semi-vacant 70 Foster St. been partly leased for stor- and other volunteers wel- site the town owns. age by the Center of Hope NUMBERS come diners, crafts shop- “Foster Street is a much in recent years. During the pers, and other visitors of more practical building for bad winter of 2010, some all ages to the food-and-fun our maintenance depart- pipes burst, causing some MASS. DAILY NUMBERS fair for families. ment,” said Business water damage, but Wiggin drawn Wednesday Along with taste treats Manager Terry Wiggin, and Superintendent Eric afternoon were5-1-0-1 from a variety of the area’s noting if the transfer hap- Ely said that has been pens, they’ll have a lot repaired. MASS DAILY NUMBERS “international” restau- Mark Ashton photos more space for vehicles, drawn Wednesday night rants – and including From left, Dawn Clarke, Amaret Johnson, and Elizabeth Eckhardt Tantasqua High School’s materials storage and Please Read SCHOOLS, page A8 were 9-6-1-6 begin setting up tables of crafts, gift baskets, and other goodies for Conerstone Café – International Moments at the Elm Street Congregational Church this Megabucks Doubler: International Moments Saturday, Oct. 13. 5-18-23-32-44-49 will offer a wide range of Powerball: flea market bargains (books and such), home-made crafts (knitted, Several local Walktober 18-26-29-35-43 crocheted items, recycled T-shirts Powerball: 28 turned into blossoms and scarves, events remain oven mitts), Sadie Green jewelry, African arts, fair-trade chocolate, BY GUS STEEVES an Bob Briere plans to talk OPINION home-made jellies, jams, and pre- NEWS STAFF WRITER about the fact the U.S. serves, apple items, and a host of Formally, the Last Green Army had a training and goodies on the “big bake table.” Valley’s “Walktober” is aircraft observation facili- There will also be a “huge silent already well underway, but ty back in those woods in auction” of gift baskets and cer- most of the events north of World War II. tificates from at least 30 local mer- the Connecticut line have “They had a building chants, games outside for the kid- yet to come. way down at the end of the dies (a moonwalk and other This Saturday, swampy area” where peo- attractions on the front lawn), and Sturbridge’s Joe Ouellette ple used guidebooks to live entertainment inside leads one that is likely to identify aircraft and main- throughout the event. The enter- hit home for a lot of people tained contact with Things to ‘go bump’ tainment includes bluegrass — a guided walk titled Westover Air Base, he singers, dance demonstrations “Tornadoes, Twisters and recalled. As a child then, at OSV from local studios, Spanish Terror.” It meets at 10 a.m. Briere remembered resi- singers, bell ringers, and vocalists at Sturbridge Town Hall, dents “had to turn all the Page A4 from the local congregation. from which participants lights off in the house. But Pastor Pat McLoud will serve as walk down Haynes Street I remember getting all emcee. What can you make out of recycled T-shirts? Find out at and through the backside upset because the neigh- Saturday’s food and craft fair at Elm Street of the Publick House prop- OPINION Congregational Church. erty.En route, local histori- Please Read WALKTOBER, page A9 GET YOUR POINT ACROSS PAGE A4 WHAT TO DO Are you the next ‘Idol’? come from if not from the South) Director Alix A CALENDAR LOCAL towns and cities – even McNitt. “It was lots of fun. OF AREA EVENTS local communities – where The Local Idol Contest PAGE A5 VOCALISTS most Americans reside? ended with a winner being The answer will likely be crowned while her dad SOUGHT FOR evident at Sturbridge’s looked on in tears. It was a UPCOMING upcoming Harvest Festival very touching moment.” (scheduled for Saturday This year’s contest prom- HARVEST and Sunday, Oct. 20 and 21) ises just as much fun, emo- on Sturbridge Common. tion, and entertainment, FESTIVAL That’s where (and when) according to its organizers. the second annual Local Bill Ryan, for one, the CONTEST Idol Singing Contest and an town’s premier music accompanying Open Mic industry connection, BY MARK ASHTON Blues Jam are being held. returns as one of the three NEWS STAFF WRITER “We debuted these events Local Idol judges – the one STURBRIDGE — If Courtesy photos by Tom Nutile at last year’s festival as a who delivers on the first- way to showcase local tal- place winner’s prize, which “America Has Talent” (and Lauren Gerrish performs for last year’s judges, from left: Harrington ent,” says Chamber of it decidedly does), then Hospital CEO Ed Moore, Bill Ryan, and Chamber Director Alix McNitt. Commerce (Central Mass where does all that talent Harrington Healthcare System is the contest’s major sponsor. Please Read IDOL, page A7 6 56525 10441 1 2 • Friday, October 12, 2012 THE FRIDAY CONVERSATION WITH... Robert McMaster Southbridge native explores New England’s past in first novel BY MARK ASHTON mous outing shared by the author, this NEWS STAFF WRITER reporter, and another SHS alumnus in which SOUTHBRIDGE — A baby-boomer by the trio were paddling in Brimfield as birth, Robert T. McMaster wasn’t alive for teenagers and were ultimately threatened by the “trolley days” of Southbridge, but he def- the local constabulary with incarceration for initely shares fond memories of the town he – allegedly – attacking a goose. Three partici- grew up in during the 1950s through ’70s, and pants, three different versions of the same out- where his father did recall talk of a trolley or ing. At least two versions paint this reporter in two. an unflattering light!) RTM remembers getting his first library card (at Jacob Edwards Library), sledding At the Library next week, will your down Spring Street in the winters, playing talk include any personal memories of pranks on golfers at Cohasse Country Club, growing up in Southbridge? taking dance classes “from Miss Magwood” in the seventh grade, going on hikes through “In talking about the book, I plan to refer local woods, and canoeing with high school to Southbridge quite a bit. One thing will be friends in Brimfield. how we (in this case, the author and “I think He’s still doing many of those things, but it was Mike Colognesi” – now an attorney in now in the western end of the state, where Southbridge) used to pull pranks down at the he’s lived for more than two decades.

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