Mailed free to requesting homes in Sturbridge, Brimfield, Holland and Wales Vol. 3, No. 29 COMPLIMENTARY HOME DELIVERY ONLINE: WWW.STURBRIDGEVILLAGER.NET ‘Wonder rather than doubt is the root of all knowledge.’ Friday, July 17, 2009 Construction zone condundrum Town reaches out DEBATE CENTERS ON BEST WAY to grieving family TO MAINTAIN TRAFFIC SAFETY OFFER AID, COMFORT AFTER BY CHRISTOPHER TANGUAY VILLAGER STAFF WRITER ‘HORRIBLE ACCIDENT’ STURBRIDGE — Whether travel- ing the Turnpike or running BY CHRISTOPHER TANGUAY errands around town, motorists VILLAGER STAFF WRITER are almost certain to encounter STURBRIDGE — It is a devastat- roadway distractions. ing blow, but they are not alone. On Wednesday, July 8, a minivan Following the tragic death of 2- rear-ended a school bus full of chil- year-old Eli Hoy on Tuesday, the dren on Cedar Street in Sturbridge Sturbridge community has rallied [see report, Page A-5]. While no one together to support their grieving was injured in the accident, the Christopher Tanguay photo neighbors. operator of the minivan later told Officer Ron Obuchowski directs traffic around roadwork on Cedar Street Friday. Cedar Eli was accidentally killed “when police that she was not paying Street was the scene of a minivan-versus-bus last Wednesday. he was struck by a minivan operat- attention to the bus in front of her, ed by his mother in the driveway of but was rather looking at the their home,” according to Worcester “That inconsistent application of however, that work areas should be Highway Department in the oppo- County District Attorney Joseph speed has a high possibility of clearly marked to alert motorists to site lane preparing the road for Early’s office. causing a crash,” Curboy said. “A potential road congestion or haz- repaving. According to a friend of the moth- good traffic pattern could stop a lot ards. According to Lt. Alan Curboy of er, the boy ran behind the minivan of problems in a construction Curboy responded to a call on the Sturbridge Police Department, while she was backing out. zone.” Thursday regarding that very accidents such as this one are not a The accident occurred at approxi- Curboy said he has no personal issue, when a motorist reported a huge issue in town, but any situa- mately 8:30 a.m. Tuesday, and by opinion as to whether that traffic construction vehicle in one lane of tion where a distraction might Wednesday morning, Assistant pattern is best established by a uni- Hall Road surrounded only by a cause a motorist’s mind to wander District Attorney Don Xenos said formed police officer or a civilian from their rate of travel has the that while the state must follow pro- flagger directing traffic. He did say, Turn To FLAGGERS, A11 makings of a disaster. page tocol in investigating the incident, it appears to be nothing more than a tragedy. “What this looks like is just a hor- rible accident,” Xenos said. “I don’t anticipate any additional informa- Meeting post raises confusion tion coming out of the DA’s office.” According to a National Highway The Angel of Hope statue in the memo- Traffic Safety Administration study, rial garden of the St. Anne Shrine in SELECTMEN, HEALTH BOARD FLIRT WITH OPEN MEETING LAW 221 people were killed in back-over Sturbridge is a place where bereaved accidents in 2007. The most common parents can go and reflect on the life of cause of such accidents are blind a lost child. BY CHRISTOPHER TANGUAY Linda Cocalis, chairman of the the status of their operations. spots — or areas to the side or back VILLAGER STAFF WRITER Board of Health however, said that The legality of the meeting came of a vehicle that cannot be seen Dedicated last year, the STURBRIDGE — the undisclosed issue pertained into question as well when it was through the side or rearview mir- Sturbridge Angel of Hope is only Miscommunication was only the specifically to former Town announced that the Board of Health rors — in which children can be one of 100 angels across the United beginning. Administrator James Malloy, and did not post the date as an official concealed from the sight of the driv- States memorializing children, of At a meeting between the Board that like Malloy,the problem has all meeting, as they were invited to the er. any age, who have died too soon. of Selectmen and the Board of but vacated Town Hall. selectmen’s meeting by Malloy Sylvia Gaumond of Southbridge, “Losing a child is something that Health Monday, July 13, nearly “They’re issues that I think some- prior to his departure. local chapter leader of Bereaved is beyond words,” Gaumond said, everyone in the room had a differ- what have been resolved already,” Cocalis initially suggested recus- Parents of the U.S.A., a national speaking from her own experience. ent understanding as to why they Cocalis said. ing John Degnan from her board to support organization for parents “It’s the most pain that a parent can were all together — and if that was Freshman Selectman Thomas the audience to avoid violating the who have lost children, openly invit- ever go through.” OK. Creamer indicated that not being open meeting law with a quorum ed the Hoys, Jordan and Pam, to “What really helps parents that Chairman of the Board of on the board in February, he was participating in the meeting. visit the Angel of Hope statue in the have lost a child is that this is a Selectmen Mary Blanchard first not even aware of the issue they Interim Town Administrator memorial garden at the St. Anne place where we can go to get peace alluded to the joint meeting being spoke of, and was under the impres- Michael Racicot explained that as Shrine in Sturbridge, only minutes and solace, and have a common called to discuss a Board of Health sion that the Board of Health was away from where the accident issue dating back to February. present for a requested update on Turn To MEETING, page A12 occurred. Turn To FAMILY, page A11 With help, widow fights — and wins — benefits BENEFIT RIDE WILL REMEMBER HUSBAND BY CHRISTOPHER TANGUAY VILLAGER STAFF WRITER SOUTHBRIDGE — No one truly understands the struggles of a soldier except other soldiers, and no one understands the struggles of a veter- an except other veterans. Bernard “Ben” Hudon was born and raised in Southbridge. Like many young men his age, Hudon enlisted in the United States Army follow- ing graduation from high school, and served two tours of duty in Vietnam. In November 2006, Hudon passed away from complications caused by exposure to Agent Orange, after years of failing health. Agent Orange was a defoliant used to clear vegetation in the jungles of Southeast Asia, the effects of which had not been thoroughly understood in humans before it was used in combat zones. Following Hudon’s death, his wife of nearly two decades, Joan, who had left her job to take care of her husband during his illness, was dis- mayed to see Uncle Sam, who Ben had willfully defended, slapping the family in the face. Because of a note on the death certificate, indicating his cause of death was not service related, Joan was Shawn Kelley photos denied Ben’s posthumous benefits. These old snapshots, as provided by Joan Hudon. show her late husband, Ben, a Vietnam veteran she said died from complications from exposure to Agent Turn To BENEFITS, page A11 Orange. A benefit in his memory will be held in August. ALMANAC ..............2 POLICE LOGS ..........5 LOCAL SPORTS VILLAGER TRIVIA OPINION ..............10 Its capital is Olympia and its OBITUARIES ..........13 GIANT LEAP VFW ROAD RACE state motto, “Al-Ki,”means “by and by.” Which U.S. state is SPORTS ..........14-15 PAGE 3 PAGE 15 this? Answer inside. INSIDE CALENDAR ...........16 2 STURBRIDGE VILLAGER • Friday, July 17, 2009 Economy turns the windmills of minds in Holland VILLAGER BY CHRISTOPHER TANGUAY Through that process, publicly or privately Acting Police Chief, Sgt. Brian Haughey VILLAGER STAFF WRITER owned windpower generators can send elec- proposed forming an Emergency Response ALMANAC HOLLAND — There’s a lot of wind in tricity back into the power grid for use at Committee in town, which at the encourage- Holland. specified locations, offsetting the current cost ment of the Massachusetts Emergency QUOTATION OF THE WEEK Some of that wind may be commercially of energy. Management Administration (MEMA), viable according to Brian D. Kuhn of “In New England, we have the highest would make sure all the departments essen- Aeronautica Windpower of Plymouth. power costs in the United States, bar none,” tial to emergency response have the same “Losing a child is something Kuhn met with the selectmen on Tuesday, Kuhn said, indicating that the rate of return understanding of the town’s Emergency that is beyond words...” at the behest of private citizens interested in on windpower, or the amount of power that Management Plan, a multifaceted document the possibility of generating windpower in can be sold into the power grid, is between 12 that is the framework for Holland’s opera- Sylvia Gaumond of Southbridge, local chapter leader Holland. and 20 percent. tions in the event of an emergency or disas- of Bereaved Parents of the U.S.A., a national support “The reason that were here tonight is real- The first step toward identifying the prime ter. organization for parents who have lost children. ly at the requests of some residents consider- locations in town for wind turbines according “We may have a couple meetings and turn ing wind energy on their property,” Kuhn to Kuhn, would be to place and monitor mete- around and say ok, we’re good to go,” OPEN TO CLOSE said.