Mailed to requesting homes in Douglas, Northbridge and Uxbridge Vol. II, No. 28 Complimentary to homes by request ONLINE: www.blackstonevalleytribune.com “A people free to choose will always choose peace.” Friday, April 10, 2009 Standoff in Douglas ends with arrest PAUL MILLER ARRAIGNED ON 11 CHARGES BY THOMAS MATTSON me. You know who this is.” The man ing a rifle in his direction. As TRIBUNE STAFF WRITER then hung up. Police said dispatcher Majeau retreated toward his car, DOUGLAS — A local man faces 11 Dan Dunleavy recognized the voice police said, “a shot was fired in his charges, including threatening mur- as that of Miller. direction.” The policeman took der, after a four-hour standoff cen- Police rushed to the Yew Street cover behind his cruiser and tered on his barn off Yew Street. address to check out the possible radioed for assistance. Paul Miller Jr., 47, was arrested threat to safety. At that time, police Backup officers from Webster, after police negotiators talked with said, they were advised by Perkins Uxbridge, Sutton, Massachusetts him during the ordeal Sunday,April that her husband, Miller, was upset State Police and a SWAT team 5. Police became aware of the situa- and in the barn across the street.” responded. Scores of police cruisers tion when they received a 9-1-1 call Officer Raymond Majeau tried to were at the scene in the bucolic at 3:57 p.m. from 60 Yew St. When the make contact with Miller, calling neighborhood. dispatcher called back, Debra out to him. After negotiators made contact Perkins, 52, answered, saying no one “If you come in here,” police quot- with Miller, State Police took him had called. Shortly afterward, police ed Miller, “I’ll kill you.” into custody around 8 p.m. Miller got a second call from the same loca- At about the same time, police Thomas Mattson photo tion. A male voice said, “Come get said, Majeau observed Miller point- Turn To STANDOFF page A8 This barn on Yew Street was the scene of a gunman’s standoff with police last Sunday. Uxbridge school budget faces $1.4 million deficit BY ANDY LEVIN proposed $17,342,735 fiscal 2010 would be,” Esposito said. “We are TRIBUNE STAFF WRITER budget, even though the plan repre- looking at salaries, but are still try- UXBRIDGE — School Committee sents a decrease of more than ing to sort this out. There’s no ques- Chairman Ernest Esposito said the $300,000 from current levels of tion there will be layoffs, though.” key question to be answered is not spending. Interim School Superintendent “if” there will be any layoffs for fis- The School Committee was sched- Howard Boyaj was scheduled to cal year 2010, but rather “how uled to meet Tuesday, April 7, to meet with representatives of the many.” look for ways to pare the spending Uxbridge Teachers Association last Esposito said last week the school plan in anticipation of a public week to see whether the union department was facing an approxi- hearing a week later. mately $1.4 million shortfall in its “It’s even worse than I thought it Turn To BUDGET page A10 Thomas Mattson photo FIDDLER AT GRASS ROOTS NORTHBRIDGE — A large turnout of bluegrass fans packed the basement of the Rockdale Congregational Church last Friday night, April 3, to hear Maine singer and fiddler Erica Brown and other musicians. For story and more photos of what is becoming a Friday night tradition at the Grass Roots Coffeehouse, turn to Thomas Mattson photo page A13. John Rexford is slated to lead a trip to China next month. It will be his fourth trip to the People’s Republic. Attorney to lead group on May trip to China Murray challenges Marzec BY THOMAS MATTSON English in the mornings and doing a CANDIDATES BATTLE FOR NORTHBRIDGE SELECTMAN’SSEAT TRIBUNE STAFF WRITER myriad of activities in the after- NORTHBRIDGE — A local lawyer noons and evenings. BY THOMAS MATTSON ence, leadership and fiscal respon- who pastors a church on the side is Although the central government TRIBUNE STAFF WRITER sibility. leading a group of 18 persons from of China does not allow the NORTHBRIDGE — Former Murray added “integrity” to the six states on a two-week trip to Americans to preach Christianity,it School Committee Chairman list. China next month. apparently understands there are George Murray is challenging Marzec, a high school science “It’ll be my fourth trip to China many unofficial religious gather- Selectman James Marzec for a teacher, is completing three years since 1996,” said John Rexford as he ings in homes. Commentators with three-year term on the board. of service on the Board of sat one afternoon last week in his experience in China say that as long Polls will be open from 8 a.m. to 8 Selectmen. He said it is an honor to Whitinsville office on Church as such a small house-centered p.m. May 19 at Northbridge High represent Northbridge citizens. Street. church does not make waves, it will School. Marzec said the current Board of Rexford said the trip to China May probably be left alone. Both candidates pledge experi- James Marzec, left, will face off against 14-27 “occurs once a year and fosters Rexford is a graduate of the Turn To BALLOT page A15 George Murray next month. cross-cultural world relations by University of Michigan and of loving and helping Chinese college Suffolk University Law School in students improve their English and 1984. learn other basic life skills while He grew up near Detroit and he getting to know some Americans and his wife Debra bought a house Victim reacts to Teczar conviction face to face and visa versa.” in Uxbridge, from where he com- He said the project is adminis- muted to work at a law firm in BY ANDY LEVIN the second trial of the pedophile A 2007 conviction in the same case tered by a nonprofit organization in Cambridge. A while later, the TRIBUNE STAFF WRITER priest. Teczar, 68, was found guilty was overturned on appeal last fall. Maryland. Rexfords decided they wanted their UXBRIDGE — David Lewcon March 26 on three counts of aggra- The Teczar story is all too familiar “We hope to take more people three children to get to know their believes Rev. Thomas Teczar still vated sexual assault of a child and to Lewcon: As a 16-year-old parish- from New England in the future,” he grandparents back in Michigan, so “doesn’t get it.” indecency with a child in a case ioner of St. Mary’s Church in 1971, said. the family moved back to the Lewcon returned home recently involving an 11-year-old boy two he was one of Teczar’s numerous The group will have a full sched- Wolverine state, where they from Eastland, Texas, where he decades ago. A jury sentenced him victims. Lewcon said the priest used ule teaching university students spent several days as a witness in to 50 years in prison. Turn To CHINA page A10 Turn To VICTIM page A18 A2, 3 ...................................... LOCAL A11......................... CALENDAR THE BLACKSTONE VALLEY TRIBUNE CAN BE A4,5 ..................................... OPINION A12............................. SPORTS A7 .................................... OBITUARIES B3 ....................... REAL ESTATE REACHED VIA E-MAIL: [email protected] INSIDE 2 • Friday, April 10, 2009 BLACKSTONE VALLEY TRIBUNE Desilets pulls out of BOS race TRIBUNE BY ANDY LEVIN Stacy last summer. mine to give back to the commu- Technical High School in Upton ALMANAC TRIBUNE STAFF WRITER Desilets, 56, a lifelong resident nity,”Stacy said. “I can contribute last year, another who is a senior UXBRIDGE — The unexpected of town, said acute pancreatitis a common sense approach to there, and a daughter who attends QUOTATION OF THE WEEK withdrawal of Bruce Desilets and has left him unable to serve the things like infrastructure and the private school. the late entry of two additional public they way he has been budget.” Keeler first ran for the board in candidates has reshuffled the accustomed to doing for the better Selectmen have been exploring 2005. Current Selectmen “He’s pitiful. I don’t think he gets it. race for the Board of Selectmen part of a year. The painful condi- a regional police dispatch agree- Chairman Kevin Kuros defeated He hasn’t accepted the fact he has here. tion is extremely serious and ment with Millville as well other him in that special election. done what he has done.” Desilets, a there is no cure other than to have coordinated operations with sur- Keeler could not be reached for selectman a pancreas transplant, according rounding communities. Count comment last week. — David Lewcon, of Uxbridge, on pedophile since winning a to Desilets. For now, he is under- Stacy as a supporter of similar Desilets and Robertson won the priest Thomas Teczar, who was convicted in Texas special election going enzyme replacement thera- ideas. remaining months left in seats last month. last July, py in an attempt to mitigate the “It takes citizens like myself to formerly held by James Dwyer intended to run disease. get together and make these type and Daniel Stack, both of whom for a full three- “I just take it in stride,” he said. of changes,” he said. “I’d like to resigned for personal reasons. THE STATS year term “I told the town manager I’d still see a discussion about regionaliz- In a related matter, Peter The percentage of widowed men, Tuesday, May be at his disposal, but I just can’t ing DPW operations with Upton, Baghdasarian, who also serves as 15 and older Bruce Desilets 19, but a serious do everything I had been trying to seeing as neither of us has a a selectman, is among three health issue has do.