Mailed free to requesting homes in Charlton, Charlton City and Charlton Depot

Vol. 4, No. 12 COMPLIMENTARY HOME DELIVERY

ONLINE: WWW.CHARLTONVILLAGER.COM “A good weekly newspaper is like the first rough draft of history.” Friday, Mar 19, 2010 Mom seeks justice in son’s death Four in FAMILY TO FILE SUIT VS. STATE court on BY RYAN GRANNAN-DOLL Hospital in Southbridge last STAFF WRITER March. The death of a young Charlton Now, Messier’s mother, Lisa, man last year after a struggle at a wants someone held accountable. state mental hospital has been “I think this is going to be the drug ruled a homicide, according to the only way I will get a bit of relief death certificate issued by the from this horrendous void and state’s Medical Examiner Office. unspeakable pain,” Lisa Messier Joshua K. Messier, 23, of 78 wrote last week in an e-mail about North Sturbridge Road, died in her family’s plans to file a wrong- charges the morning hours of May 4, 2009 ful death lawsuit on behalf her at Brockton State Hospital after a son, a 2003 graduate of Shepherd scuffle with guards. He was stay- Hill Regional High School she Courtesy photos ing at the facility after having said suffered from paranoid MIDDLE SCHOOL Joshua Messier, above and at right as allegedly attacked three employ- schizophrenia. an infant with his mother, LIsa. ees at Harrington Memorial Turn To MESSIER, page 11 STUDENTS SUMMONSED

BY RYAN GRANNAN-DOLL Two THEY’RE OFF TO THE RACES! STAFF WRITER CHARLTON — Four Charlton Middle School students have been charged with a Shawn Kelley photos count of possession of a class E substance, teacher CHARLTON — It was, quite literally, a race to according to police. the finish at the Pinewood Derby held inside The youths are between the ages of 13-15 and the Heritage School on Saturday, March 13. were, according to Police Officer Keith Dozens of Scouts gathered with troop lead- Cloutier, scheduled for a hearing before a clerk magistrate at Dudley District Court. A police spots ers, friends and family, below, to cheer on source said the charges were officially filed their wooden model cars. Some took home Monday, March 15. prizes for winning their race. Others, like Dudley Charlton Jackson Squitier, 8, of Charlton, left, Regional School District cut earned recognition for creative design. Superintendent Sean Gilrein identified as stu- Jackson's car was a replica of a cookie dents at the middle school. cutter shark. For more photos, turn to The students were said the MOVE WILL SAVE page A8. group has been suspended from school for a period of $$$ IN SCHOOL time from and that he was kept up on the matter by middle school Principal BUDGET Dean Packard Dean Packard. “The administration has BY RYAN GRANNAN-DOLL issued appropriate discipline,” Gilrein said. STAFF WRITER Cloutier, citing the students’ age, did not DUDLEY — Tough times are tak- release details about the case and would not ing a toll on the Dudley-Charlton say whether any or all of the them had ingest- Regional School District’s budget. ed any illegal drugs. As part of the cuts made to reduce “They had a substance. They [school offi- the assessments to its member cials] were concerned, we thought, or believe, towns in the next fiscal year, the maybe a prescription medication … that some School Committee voted to elimi- students had,” Cloutier said. nate two teaching positions and is According to state law, class E substances considering reducing other posi- include caffeine pills, cough medication, an tions. Overall, the entire batch of anti-smoking drug, codeine and opium. cuts totals $238,759. The students, Cloutier said, could receive “We are not running into the probation or either have the case dismissed or streets … indicating the sky is continued without a finding. falling,” Superintendent Sean M. According to state law,“any person” convict- Gilrein said Wednesday, March 10. ed of possession faces up to one and a half The two posts cut — one at years in jail and a fine of between $500 and Shepherd Hill Regional High School $5,000. and the other at the Charlton Middle While Gilrein would not say whether the stu- School — are filled by two teachers dents would be expelled, under state law, drug who plan to retire at the end of the issues can result in expulsion. year, according to District Finance Citing student confidentiality regulations, Director William Trifone. Packard said little about the incident. Overall, the cuts will save $117,274. “It is an in-house matter,” he said. The budget now totals $46,120,688, Abuse of prescription drugs among youth is an ongoing problem, according to the federal Turn To TEACHERS, page 11 Turn To SCHOOL, page 11 Open govt. is REAL BASKET CASES officials’ goal

TOWN LAUDED FOR ONLINE EFFORTS Ryan Grannan-Doll photo A fundraiser designed to raise BY RYAN GRANNAN-DOLL according to Web site admin- STAFF WRITER money to help earthquake vic- istrator Lisa Westwell. tims in Haiti lured people to CHARLTON — While not directly connect- Charlton Elementary School Governments, we know, keep ed to the new material, last week, where they could some information from the Charlton has received an take part in a raffle of almost public. award for the materials it two dozen baskets filled with Locally,residents push their posts online. various goodies. For more officials to operate with trans- “I’m extremely proud. I take photos, turn to page A4. parency. In Charlton, open pride in the Web site. I spend a government is a goal select- lot of time keeping it updated. men insist is taken seriously. I think the town should be Over the past several really proud of it as well,” months, for example, more Westwell said. municipal information has One example of additional been made available on the information is minutes for the town’s Web site, including selectmen’s Tuesday, Feb. 9 executive session minutes, Turn To TRANSPARENCY, page 11

TEACHERS PUT TRIVIA RAMS LOSE What did Leonardo da Almanac ...... 2 Learning...... 18 HEARTS INTO HEARTBREAKER IN Vinci, Winston Obituaries ...... 12 Calendar ...... 17 BASKETS FOR Churchill, Albert Police Logs ...... 5 Real Estate ...B Section SOLDIERS STATE SEMIFINALS Einstein, Thomas Edison INDEX INDEX Opinion ...... 10 Sports ...... 16 PAGE 16 and General George PAGE 4 Patton have in common? 2 •THE CHARLTON VILLAGER• Friday, March 19, 2010 www.charltonvillager.com

State turns down chief’s crosswalk request CHARLTON ALMANAC

BY RYAN GRANNAN-DOLL THEY SAID IT STAFF WRITER “I think this is going to be the only CHARLTON — Highway Division officials way I will get a bit of relief from this with the Mass. Department of Transportation horrendous void and unspeakable pain.” have turned down Police Chief James —LISA MESSIER, MOTHER OF JOSHUA Pervier’s request to install crosswalks and a MESSIER, WHO DIED WHILE IN CUSTODY AT traffic light at the intersections of Route 20, BROCKTON STATE HOSPITAL, ON MOVING FOR- North Main Street and Center Depot Road. WARD WITH A LAWSUIT. They do, however, plan to install jersey bar- riers at the intersections of Northside and L. Stevens roads, where only soft barriers now OPEN TO CLOSE stand, according to state DOT Spokesman TOWN HALL (508) 248-2200 Adam Hurtubise. Board of Selectmen (248-2206): The work, he said, will most likely be done Mondays, Wednesdays, Thursdays this spring. Pervier, who made the request in ...... 7:30 a.m to 3:30 p.m. January in response to death on the roadway, Tuesdays...... 7:30 a.m. to 7 p.m. hailed the department for its decision on the Fridays ...... 7:30 a.m to 12 p.m. barriers. Town Clerk (248-2249): “That is at least an improvement,” he said. Monday to Thursday...... 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Transportation officials cited several con- Fridays...... Closed First and Third Tuesday...... 5:30 to 7 p.m. cerns in its refusal to install crosswalks. PUBLIC LIBRARY (248-0452) “Our representatives told the town officials Mondays, Wednesdays...... 9:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. that the Highway Division cannot support a Tuesdays, Thursdays ...... 9:30 a.m. to 8 p.m. sidewalk at