0% Financing on all Equipment Sales and Services 129 Worcester St. Southbridge, MA 01550 • www.zakmanequipment.com • 508-765-8004 Mailed free to requesting homes in Sturbridge, Brimfield, Holland and Wales Vol. VIII, No. 27 COMPLIMENTARY HOME DELIVERY ONLINE: WWW.STURBRIDGEVILLAGER.NET Friday, July 3, 2015 THIS WEEK’S QUOTE Living the dream “We can draw les- QVCAH CHOOSES FIRST sons from the past, but RESIDENT ARTIST we cannot live in it.” Lyndon B. Johnson BY OLIVIA RICHMAN NEWS STAFF WRITER SOUTHBRIDGE — Earlier in the year, EDITOR’S the Quinebaug Valley Council for the Arts & OFFICE HOURS Humanities (QVCAH) MONDAYS 12-5 began a search for their first ever artist residency WEDNESDAYS 1-5 program. The goal was to FRIDAYS 1-5 find a local artist to use Photos courtesy Kathy Colon the Art Center on Main This is the first year that the Tri-Community YMCA has taken over the public pool’s opera- Street for a few months tion. Southbridge’s Recreation Director Steve Roenfeldt said the town is glad to have their over the summer — expertise and experience at the public pool. someone who needed the INSIDE space to start or continue a creative project. ALMANAC ....................2 In mid-June, the POLICE LOGS................5 QVCAH picked Audrey YMCA takes over Weber, a Southbridge OBITUARIES ..................7 resident, to be the first OPINION ................... 10 artist to take part in the program. She will have CALENDAR ................ 11 Petro Pool use of the studio space Olivia Richman photos SPORTS ............... 14-16 into September. Southbridge artist Audrey When she is not work- Weber with pages from her POPULAR DESTINATION ing part-time at the new book, which focuses on LEARNING library, Weber is busy at human behavior and dancing. OPENS FOR THE SUMMER the Art Center. The art- ist stated that she tries to come in every day for about her being chosen for the program. BY OLIVIA RICHMAN Department of a large chunk of time. NEWS STAFF WRITER She is working on a book Conservation and How do you feel that SOUTHBRIDGE — Recreation and the of drawings, which she hopes to self publish. you were chosen to The Tri-Community town’s Recreation take part in the QVCAH YMCA proudly opened Department. Learn more about the illustrator, water color Artist Residency pro- the Andrew J. Petro “We are very excited,” gram? Public Pool for the sum- said Aquatics Director painter and quilter by mer on Saturday, June Barbara Suprenant. “It’s visiting audreyhelenwe- ber.com and check out “I’m very excited. 27. This will be the another way that we can I moved back home in Bay Path first summer that the help spread what we do QVCAH.org for more information on the resi- March and it perfectly YMCA has taken over well with the commu- coincided with the dead- underclassmen the pool’s operation, as nity. People who don’t A little girl enjoys play- dency program. ing with one of the pool’s Staff writer Olivia line. I was really, really part of a partnership come into the YMCA get excited to get it. I grew honored with between the YMCA, two water features on the Richman sat down with pool’s opening day. Weber recently to chat awards the Massachusetts Please Read POOL, page A11 Please Read ARTIST, page A11 Page A3 LOCAL Speaking out in A spirited start to summer Southbridge LIBRARY KICKS OFF SUMMER READING PROGRAM WITH LAUGHS ACTIVISTS VISIT BY OLIVIA RICHMAN LGBTQ NEWS STAFF WRITER LIBRARY FOR FORUM STURBRIDGE — Kids ‘blessed’ with “Hi, my name’s Joe. I local horse-riding BY OLIVIA RICHMAN We want everyone work in a button facto- NEWS STAFF WRITER to have a safe place to ry. I’ve got a wife and three kids. One day ministry SOUTHBRIDGE — ask questions or seek my boss came up to me Jacob Edwards Library answers for themselves. and said, ‘Joe, are you Page A4 held its 10th annual That’s really important, busy?’ I said, ‘No.’ He Pride in Southbridge especially for young peo- said push this button program on Thursday, ple.” with your head.” June 25, bringing in two Pride in Southbridge SPORTS A room full of chil- guest speakers from was founded by a pre- dren burst into laugh- Speak Out Boston. The vious librarian, James ter as Ryan Racette event coincided perfect- D. Patterson, as part of exclaims, “With my ly with the Supreme the library’s mission of head!?” Court’s ruling in favor reaching out to every- He has already been of same sex marriage, one in the community. pushing imaginary making it legal nation- While many familiar buttons with his left wide the following faces can be seen at the hand, right hand and morning, June 26. program, Morrissey said both feet. He begins “We as a country have she is pleased to see new to imitate pushing a changed our perspective faces each time, individ- button with his head Sturbridge and hopefully the library uals from the commu- and the kids erupt into has been part of help- nity who may not fre- Legion hits past cheers and giggles as ing people change their quent the library’s other they copy him, flailing Cherry Valley minds by providing events. their arms, stomping information. Sometimes “Our main purpose their feet and shaking to break out of it really is just a lack is to create a dialogue,” around their heads. of knowledge and we said Ellyn Ruthstrom of Olivia Richman photos slump Complete with pup- want to change that,” Speak Out Boston. “We Big Ryan’s Tall Tales incorporates puppets, interactive pets, singing, inter- Page A16 said Library Director want to open up a dis- skits, unique stories and comedy, keeping kids interested Margaret Morrissey. and laughing. Please Read READING, page A13 “Information is power. OPINION Please Read ACTIVISTS, page A13 GET YOUR POINT ACROSS PAGE A10 Council discusses future of landfill, Casella contract POLICE LOGS BY OLIVIA RICHMAN with Casella coming to include the erection of a they would pay for the to build this pre-treat- NEWS STAFF WRITER an end, which would pre-treatment facility to town to get their sewer ment facility for a greater PAGE A5 SOUTHBRIDGE — cause the town to lose a deal with leachate. Since line extended through to capacity, at which point With the town’s landfill couple million dollars in the pre-treatment facil- the industrial park and the town could basi- estimated to reach its full royalties each year. ity would save Casella airport, making those cally open up the facil- capacity in two to three On Monday, June 22, a large sum of money operations more viable, ity to other towns and short years, the Town the Town Council voted (since they wouldn’t have if the amendment were make money off of that,” Council has finally begun on a controversial pro- to truck out the leachate passed. explained Town Council to discuss the possibili- posal to amend the town’s to facilities elsewhere), “The deal would allow ty of the town’s contract contract with Casella to the company stated that the town, if it so desired, Please Read LANDFILL, page A15 2 STURBRIDGE VILLAGER • Friday, July 3, 2015 SHEPHERD HILL REGIONAL HIGH SCHOOL FOURTH QUARTER HONOR ROLL GRADE 9 Erin Masciangioli, Andrew Second Honors: Allison Anthony Hakala, Vaughn Sean McGuigan, Brianna McCoy, Rachel McCoy, Scott Bolton, Emily Butkus, Sydney Hammond, Charles Hill, McKinstry, Samantha Morse, First Honors: Sarah McKinstry, Rebecca Moore, Campbell, Leila Card, Kaylee Brittany Jette, Isabella Johnson, Alex Myers, Lauren Oppewall, Bellantoni, Zachary Blauvelt, Abagayle Morin, Matthew Ceppetelli, Anthony D’Elia, Sara Kolinski, Katarina Kye, Heidi Rousseau, Emily Bellalorraine Carey-Hicks, Mulcahy, Eryk Pecyna, Isabella Kylie Deem, Hailey Delphia, Alec Lindstrom, Stephanie Rusack, Elizabeth Saravara, Tyler Cierpich, Kasey Clark, Pellegrine, Billie Porter, Karina Ryan Duhamel, Jack Erlich, Lohnes, Cameron MacLean, Olivia Tsoumakas, Meaghan John Davison, Eric Dileone, Provost, Bailey Savage, Sophia Marissa Fontaine, Diana Brynne Mandeville, Richard Turner, Julia Ucher, Gavin Madeline Doyle, Thomas Sciarappa, Julia Scioletti, Giorgio, Jacob Greenough, March, Jonathan Martin, White, Mikaela White, Eliza Dziechciarz, Emily French, Rithika Senthilkumar, Eric Adam Hall, Bethany Irish, Rebecca Nguyen, Morgan Wolkowicz Megan Hueras, Brandon Sutherland, Kristin Tagg, Francesca Johnson, Jillian O’Malley, Chastity Olszta, Johnson, Luke Keller, Jared Tetreau, Sarah Tonkin, Laabs,Christopher LaFortune, Nicholas Perez, Kayla Phillips, Jan Kopas III, Gabrielle Theodora Veronis, Jamie Matthew Mackay, Hannah Victoria Puczydlowski, Sarah GRADE 12 Lawrence, Tyler Lizotte, Woods, Hannah Zieminski Marrier, Olivia McAleer, Redmond, Jessica Rousakos, First Honors: Brandt Nicholas Megas, Nicole Grace Scanlon, Ryan Stanard, Ambrosia, Michelle Berry, Riley Morrison, Jennifer Morrissey, Marissa Stuart, Gillian Szabo, Bishop, Alyssa Bronzo, Lianna Remodeling Expert Bryanna O’Kelley, Kyle Pastore, Devon Teague, Keara Vangel, Churchill, Kathryn Coleman, Jessika Rachholz, Jordan Paul Veronis, Ethan Weiland, Victoria Crowe, Gabriel daSil- Robinson, Nicholas Saravara, Alexandra Wheeler, Taylor ADDITIONS va, Roisin Donnelly, Michael © Morgan Silk, Emily Snay, Sean Whittredge, Marc Widing, Cole © GARAGES Foss, Taylor Gallegan, Darien Tully, Paige Vaillancourt, Wilk, Tessa Wise,Josephine Gaudet, Kelsey Gingras, Lucy © SIDING Brittany Warrington, Matthew Zielinski Harmon, Lance Harms, Emily © ROOFING Waterhouse, Chloe Zastrow, Recognition: Elyse Ijams, Monika Kicilinska, Cody © DECKS Hadley Zibel Baillargeon, Hailey Beaudette, Kingman, Zoe Kiritsis, Emily Recognition: Dominic Matteo Belsito, Harry Card, Leclerc, Talia Manzi, Benjamin Quality