Sturbridge 7-27-07
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Mailed free to requesting homes in Sturbridge, Brimfield, Holland and Wales Vol. 3, No. 14 COMPLIMENTARY HOME DELIVERY ONLINE: WWW.STURBRIDGEVILLAGER.NET ‘There are really only two plays: “Romeo and Juliet,” and put the darn ball in the basket.’ Friday, April 3, 2009 Harrington Signs of a problem at Tantasqua? takes over WORK SITE ALCOHOL REPORT PUTS SCHOOL’S POLICY TO TEST BY CHRISTOPHER TANGUAY fied on Friday, March 20 of an explaining that the call to police dent stated that the alcohol was VILLAGER STAFF WRITER incident during which three came after the fact, as part of an taken from a basement refrig- Hubbard STURBRIDGE — technical students, coming from ongoing dialogue between the erator at the house where the Administrators are keeping a an off-campus job site, were school district and local law students were working. tight lip about an alleged inci- found in possession of alcohol. enforcement that was estab- At what point of transport EBSTER SITE TO dent involving Tantasqua stu- According to Sturbridge Lt. lished by Worcester County the students were found to be W dents in possession of alcohol Alan Curboy, the incident did District Attorney Joseph in possession of the alcohol is during school hours recently — not occur on the day police were Early’s office. unknown. KEEP 101 JOBS, and it may not be the only notified. “Notifications are an exten- Attempts to contact infraction of its kind. “It didn’t happen on Friday, sion of that,” Curboy said. ACUTE SERVICES Sturbridge police were noti- [March 20]” Curboy said, The police report of the inci- Turn To TANTASQUA, page A11 Daniel Durgin BY GUS STEEVES VILLAGER STAFF WRITER As of May 3, Hubbard Hospital “will not exist as a corporation,” Arts and Flowers but most of its operations will con- More layoffs tinue under the name of “Harrington Healthcare at Hubbard Campus,” Harrington CEO Edward Moore said Friday. The change made at OSV will cost Hubbard between 65 and 70 full- CHANGES IN SCHOOL and part-time employees, PROGRAMS BRING LAYOFFS but Moore said the BY CHRISTOPHER TANGUAY takeover was VILLAGER STAFF WRITER necessary to save the hos- STURBRIDGE — For the second time this year, jobs have been elimi- Edward Moore pital’s approximate- nated at Old Sturbridge Village. ly 101 remain- Two educational department posi- ing jobs. Most of the cuts will come tions were terminated recently, as a from in-patient medical and ICU result of economizing programs services, which will cease to exist at offered to school groups. Hubbard. Some staff may be shifted Ann Lindblad, director of market- to other jobs in Webster, some may ing and communications for OSV get hired for Harrington openings said Thursday, March 26, that with in Southbridge when they come up, prime field trip season just about to and Harrington intends to help start, a close look was given to the those laid off find jobs at other area affordability of a trip to the Village. hospitals, Moore said. “Recently the Old Sturbridge “If the plan were not feasible, it’s Village management team did an our prediction that Hubbard would analysis of the educational pro- end up in a closure situation in the gram offering,” Lindblad said. Courtesy photo not-too-distant future,” Moore said. “So many schools are struggling “ … This was a strategy to retain these days with high transportation Costumed participants in Discovery essential health care services in the costs,” she continued, saying the Camp learn how to tap a maple tree at local community and allow this goal of the analysis was to answer OSV. That program is unaffected by campus to continue to operate. the question, “How can we make it recent layoffs prompted by an OSV analy- Hubbard was in a very challenging affordable to [schools] given the sis of what schools are looking for in financial situation.” other budget pressures they’re fac- more economical field trips this spring. Webster Selectman Robert Miller ing?” said he and others saw that fiscal Lindblad said the ultimate deci- One managerial position and the situation coming years ago. sion was to eliminate the most accompanying clerical position “When I was a corporator 20 expensive tour option in favor of were terminated. years ago, I said Hubbard would adding more elements to the more “We do hear from so many schools turn into a real estate holding com- STURBRIDGE — Eve Boyd, 8, of Sturbridge, paints the petals of her spring- affordable — and already more pop- that the transport costs are a con- pany then, and I was told to hold my time flower blue in the arts and crafts portion of the After School Enrichment ular — self guided tour. cern for them so our adjustments in tongue,” Miller said, attributing the program at Burgess Elementary School last week. See additional photos, “By changing what we offer and our program offerings were a way to hospital’s troubles to “high-level Page A-9. eliminating the more expensive pro- add value to the more affordable mismanagement” over many years. gram it resulted in a change of “…It’s sad because of the Hubbard staffing levels,” she continued. Turn To OSV, page A11 name. I knew Mr. Hubbard person- ally and I think he’d be very, very disappointed.” Miller was referring to the hospi- tal’s namesake, local businessman and philanthropist Ralph Hubbard. Safety, $$$ surround Town Hall Hubbard founded the facility as Webster Regional Hospital in 1929, and it was given his name in 1955. BY CHRISTOPHER TANGUAY Starting in May, Hubbard Health NEWS STAFF WRITER Systems will become the facility’s RELATED STORY landlord, but still retain control of BRIMFIELD — With space get- Webster EMS. Harrington will lease ting tighter and tighter in the Town ON PAGE 2 the facility from Hubbard and pro- Hall Annex, Selectmen last night vide the services under its own discussed not only where to put peo- With people sharing office space license as a “satellite campus,” ple, but how to pay for it. in the annex, the most pressing case Moore said. Selectmen Chairman Diane of homelessness before the Despite the historical change of Panaccione has already said the Selectmen is that of the police. fortunes, Miller said he has “a lot of Town Hall would most likely Police Chief Charles T. Kuss told confidence in Mr. Moore and his remain off limits to the public for selectmen last night that he and his company that they’ll salvage what’s the remainder of the year. department would adapt to whatev- left … [and provide] an infusion to Since Building Inspector Jack er situation they had to work in, but reassure local folks that they can Keough’s condemnation of the ideally would require a more per- still get acute care here.” building earlier this month the manent temporary home in the Harrington’s board approved the police department, town clerk and near future. plan last Tuesday, and Hubbard’s Conservation Commission have “Right now, we’re starting to feel did so Thursday night. The plan taken up temporary residence at the effects of not having a perma- still needs approval from the state the neighboring Town Hall Annex, nent location,” Kuss said. Department of Public Health and but as no one can quite pin down “depends upon final successful Currently working out of the just how long “temporary” is sup- annex second floor — which, unlike Brimfielfma.org posed to be, more long-term Workers on a scaffolding remove a portrait of Washington in the Great Room of Turn To HUBBARD, page A11 Turn To TOWN HALL, page A15 arrangements will have to be made. Brimfield Town Hall to a safer location while repair work is being done. ALMANAC ..............2 LOCAL POLICE LOGS ..........5 SPORTS VILLAGER TRIVIA OPINION ..............10 BENEFET FOR This former three-time CALENDAR ...........14 OPENING DAY NCAA scoring leader’s shoot- JACOB ing touch earned him the nick- OBITUARIES ..........15 PAGE 18 name “Pistol.” Who was he? PAGE 4 Answer inside. INSIDE SPORTS ..........18-19 2 STURBRIDGE VILLAGER • Friday, April 3, 2009 Town Hall to remain closed as repairs continue VILLAGER BY CHRISTOPHER TANGUAY ALMANAC VILLAGER STAFF WRITER BRIMFIELD — As stabilization work continues at the Town Hall, OPEN TO CLOSE the true extent of the damage hid- den within the ceiling and walls is HOLLAND: 413-245-7108 becoming clearer by the day. Mon – Thurs 9:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. and “There is more shoring work 1:00 p.m. – 4:00 p.m. that needs to be done,” Carol FISKDALE: 508-347-6486 DelNegro, assistant to the Board Weekdays 9:00-4:30 and Sat. 9:00 -12:00 of Selectmen said Tuesday, March 24, following a subsequent visit to STURBRIDGE 508-347-6463 the Town Hall by a structural engi- Weekdays 8:30 – 5:00 and Sat. 9:00 -12:00 neer. BRIMFIELD: 413-245-3451 The purpose of the engineer’s Weekdays: 9:00 – 4:30 and Sat. 9:00 -12:00 visit, which took place on Monday, was to assess the stability of the WALES: 413-245-9808 attic level after the initial phase of Weekdays 8:30 – 12:30 and 2:00 – 4:30 and Sat. 9:00 – 12:00 shoring up the building, and to Brimfieldma.org determine if the structure was In a photo taken by the Brimfield sound enough for an architectural Inspector of Buildings, showing the REAL ESTATE TRANSACTIONS engineer to come in and begin structural beam deterioration in the STURBRIDGE drafting a repair plan. attic above the Great Hall directly over $100, 92 Paradise Lane, Nathaniel R. The Town Hall was closed on the painting of George Washington.