Mailed free to requesting homes in Douglas, Northbridge and Uxbridge Vol. III, No. 26 Complimentary to homes by request ONLINE: www.blackstonevalleytribune.com “If 'pro' is the opposite of 'con' what is the opposite of 'progress'?” Friday, March 26, 2010 Voters to decide fate of motocross track UXBRIDGE TO ACT ON PROPOSED BYLAW CHANGE BY ANDY LEVIN “Commercial Recreation, Outdoor” the track in August 2001. TRIBUNE STAFF WRITER to include, among other things, The town’s Zoning Board of UXBRIDGE — A closed-down “motocross facility [and] motor- Appeals initially ordered the track motocross track that was the subject sports facility.” The bylaw change, closed because the noise generated of several court battles could reopen which requires a two-thirds majori- by the bikes was deemed “noxious if a zoning bylaw change is ty to be approved, would apply to or detrimental to the town.” Griff approved at a Special Town Meeting industrial and agricultural zones. unsuccessfully appealed that deci- next week. The controversy involving sion in both Superior and Appeals Stephen Griff, owner of the Uxbridge MotorSports Park began court, most recently in 2005 and Quaker Highway property where shortly after Griff opened it on an 8- 2007. Griff was held in contempt by Uxbridge MotorSports Park operat- acre, industrial-zoned parcel in 2000. a trial court for opening the track ed until it was shut down by a court Residents of the southern portion of over Memorial Day weekend in 2005. order in 2007, submitted a petition town complained mostly about Since that time, the town has placed with 200 voters’ signatures calling noise created by the bikes, but also a $20,000 lien on the property due to for a Special Town Meeting, which of dust, dirt and several serious unpaid restitution of legal fees asso- will be held at 7 p.m., Tuesday, injuries sustained at the track. A ciated with the case. March 30 at Uxbridge High School. young man died of a massive head In September 2005, voters rejected Thomas Mattson photo The warrant article seeks to injury after crashing his all terrain Uxbridge voters will decide May 30 whether a zoning amendment should clear the amend the bylaw’s definition of vehicle during an attempted jump at Turn To TRACK page A10 way for the Uxbridge MotorSports Park to reopen its gates. Accused child rapists indicted BY ANDY LEVIN TRIBUNE STAFF WRITER NORTHBRIDGE — A Worcester County grand jury last week indicted a Whitinsville couple on a multitude of child sexual abuse charges. Joseph Mayotte, 47, of 67 Laura Lane, was charged with four counts of unnatural rape of a child, eight counts of indecent assault and battery on a child, five counts of indecent assault and bat- tery, as well as counts of rape of a child, rape aggravated by age dif- ference, assault with intent to rape, reckless endangerment of a child, dissemination of matter harmful to minors, morals offense, conspir- acy, failure to secure a firearm and intimidation. Linda Mayotte, 46, of the same address, was indicted on four File photo counts of unnatural rape of a Joseph Mayotte at his arraignment in child, eight counts of indecent Uxbridge District Court last June. Thomas Mattson photo assault and battery on a child, five Wayne Tucker, owner of Ironshoe Farm in Uxbridge, stands with an antique wagon. counts of indecent assault and bat- son are alleged to have begun in tery and single counts of rape of a early 2005, when he was 12, and child, assault with intent to rape, continued sporadically until June rape aggravated by age difference, 2007, when she became pregnant. reckless endangerment of a child, Now almost 18, the alleged victim conspiracy, morals offense, intimi- initially told police he is the bio- GGENTLEENTLE FFARMERSARMERS dation of a witness, possession of a logical father of Linda Mayotte’s firearm without a firearms identi- baby. fication card and resisting arrest. Joseph Mayotte, who grew up in Timothy Connolly, spokesman the neighborhood known as WAYNE AND LOIS TUCKER PRESERVE VALLEY HISTORY for Worcester County District Plummer’s Corner, was arrested Attorney Joseph Early Jr., said Thursday, June 18. His alleged vic- BY THOMAS MATTSON man” farmers since taking over give full time to their family and Monday the couple would be tim — the couple’s adopted daugh- TRIBUNE STAFF WRITER Ironshoe, a 12-acre rural spread to their animals, both four-legged arraigned in Worcester Superior ter, approximately four years UXBRIDGE — If there’s a tele- off Quaker Highway that Tucker’s and fowl. Court, though a date had not been younger than her brother — first vision show depicting abuse of father Milton bought in 1946. The couple built a new barn in set as of press time. complained to police about him in animals, Lois Tucker turns it off. Tucker was a truck driver for 1999 with a clerestory of small The Mayottes, who have deep the summer of 2007. The “We like to take care of ani- decades and Lois Tucker was an windows over the main entrance roots in the community,are alleged Department of Children and mals,” she said. administrative assistant to the and a series of stalls for horses of to have sexually assaulted their Families also probed the allega- Her husband Wayne Tucker and Uxbridge Board of Health for adopted children. tions, but the case was closed with- she have been more than “gentle- many years before they retired to Turn To FARM page A16 Linda Mayotte was arrested Tuesday, June 16. The rapes of her Turn To INDICTED page A10 Student data upgraded Mitchell lays out plan for fields BY THOMAS MATTSON cating BY THOMAS MATTSON much of the use of the artificial-grass idea say such TRIBUNE STAFF WRITER between the TRIBUNE STAFF WRITER of Lasell Field a surface would make it possible for DOUGLAS — The School separate mod- NORTHBRIDGE — Resident Neal could be cur- many teams to use the field without Committee has approved a new stu- ules. Mitchell, a former member of the tailed. wearing it out. dent information system to be Sousa said Building, Planning & Construction Meanwhile, The cost of artificial turf has been implemented in the fall. the district Committee and a practicing struc- he said, a new estimated at around $900,000, Technology Director Donna compared tural engineer, has aired a proposal grass covering according to members of the Sousa told the board last week why Rediker with to develop a parking lot atop the at Lasell Field Friends of Lasell Field, a private she and the school administration something high school’s athletic fields to would make organization supporting artificial thought it necessary to explore known as the accommodate 140 vehicles. sense, and an turf. alternatives to the current student IPASS system Mitchell said he has been speak- artificial-grass The Friends of Lasell Field is rem- data system. to determine ing with a small circle of other resi- field unneces- iniscent of a similar private group Neal Mitchell Sousa pointed out that with the the best fit for dents about his proposal and has sary. The rea- that raised nearly $100,000 in 2008 to current Rediker system, the district Douglas. Donna Sousa received some interest and also son there has keep sports and clubs alive during has to purchase separate modules Sousa noted some critiques of his plan. been such a push for the artificial huge school budget cutbacks that to increase its functionality. the district decided about 18 An almost equal interest of his, as turf at Lasell, he said, is because of would have eliminated those activi- Moreover, Sousa told the School months ago to re-evaluate whether he has expressed it, is the conviction the field’s overuse, leaving it in ties to help balance the town budget. Committee at its March 17 session, that with the new upper athletic deplorable condition midway there are problems with communi- Turn To STUDENTS page A10 fields available at the high school, through the football season. Backers Turn To FIELDS page A10 A2-3 ...................................... LOCAL A9 ...................... SENIOR SCENE A4-5 ..................................... OPINION A11-12 ......................... SPORTS THE BLACKSTONE VALLEY TRIBUNE CAN BE A7 ................................... OBITUARIES A13........................... CALENDAR REACHED VIA E-MAIL: [email protected] INSIDE 2 • Friday, March 26, 2010 BLACKSTONE VALLEY TRIBUNE VALLEY NOTEBOOK TRIBUNE ALMANAC Sutton, MSBA reach agreement QUOTATION OF THE WEEK BY ANDY LEVIN school space is to the long-term project in a way that accommo- implement an anti-bullying cur- TRIBUNE STAFF WRITER educational needs of the school dates Sutton’s ‘team teaching’ riculum. It would prohibit bully- “You’ve got to give the REGION — Sutton officials and district,” Callahan said. “I want- curriculum,” MSBA Executive ing not only at school, but also at the Massachusetts School ed to share with them the worthi- Director Katherine Craven said. school-sponsored events, on kids something to do. Building Authority have forged ness and essential need for the Mahlman said the MSBA has to school busses and at bus stops. an agreement relative to the reno- ‘team teaching’ model and date made some $6.6 billion in The bill bans the use of certain Otherwise, you won’t like vation/expansion project at the instructional preparatory space reimbursements to municipali- electronic devises used to intimi- middle/high schools. we were seeking to be included in ties and regional school districts date others and also prohibits bul- what they come up with.” MSBA staff, state Rep. Jennifer the final proposal.” for school building projects. lying outside of school if it has an Callahan, D-Sutton, and a repre- The Sutton school building “These timely payments have impact on the school environ- sentative of Sen.