Free by request to residents of Webster, Dudley and the Oxfords SEND YOUR NEWS AND PICS TO [email protected] Friday, August 27, 2021 Storm floods streets, Opening the basements in Dudley Word Peer BY JASON BLEAU CORRESPONDENT Recovery Center DUDLEY – Severe weather in a short amount of time can cause a myriad of issues for both home- to host A Taste owners and commuters, a fact that many in Dudley learned the hard way on Aug. 19 when several inch- of Webster event es of rain fell in a short amount of time result- WEBSTER — Opening the Word Peer Recovery ing in a busy day for the Center, Inc., 174 Main Street, Webster, presents A Dudley Fire Department. Taste of Webster Sunday, Sept. 12, 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Fire Chief Dean at Davis Street/French River Park. Kochanowski said the Opening the Word Peer Recovery Center, Inc. is department responded to a non-profit organization whose mission is to sup- several flooded basements port people in recovery from substance use disor- and pulled cars from flood- der (drugs and alcohol) in Webster and surround- ed roadways after a strong ing towns. We host recovery meetings as well as storm, which also dropped several sober activities every week. Recovery a tornado in nearby coaches are available for resources and guidance. Thompson, Connecticut, The Center is open to anyone in recovery in need doused the community of support. with heavy rain. At least A dozen or more of your favorite restaurants in 12 emergency calls were Webster, Dudley and Oxford are setting up booths answered in just one hour on Davis Street (which will be closed to traffic) as vehicles became strand- with hearty samples of their specialty items. You ed and some homeowners purchase a ticket ($20 ages 12 and up; $10 ages 11-7; experienced over a foot and kids six and under are free) which entitles you of flooding in their base- to a sample from each booth. All proceeds from the ments. ticket sales go to Opening the Word Peer Recovery “When you get a lot of Center, Inc. Highlights include Great food, live rain like that in a short music, raffles and fun. amount of time, I think it Tickets can be obtained in advance from partic- was probably three or four ipating restaurants: Point Breeze, Monte Bianco, inches of rain we got in Big Belly Café, B Kind Café, Mike’s Crunchies and an hour or two, the storm Munchies, Lake Pizza, The Whistle Stop, Webster drains just can’t handle House of Pizza, Factor Level Nutrition, the Ice that flow, and everything Cream Pharm, etc. becomes overwhelmed. Tickets can also be purchased at the gate on the Courtesy day of the event. This is a rain or shine event, and Dudley Emergency Responders pull a vehicle from a flooded roadway on Aug. 19 using a mil- Turn To STORM page A17 refunds will not be possible. itary-grade Humvee. Baker defends stance Dudley Board of Health on school mask policies urges diligence as Delta Turn To XXX page A1 BY KEVIN FLANDERS opportunity to own the household member who STAFF WRITER decisions they make is a is at high risk, is encour- variant spreads REGION – Facing big and important issue,” aged to mask indoors increased pressure as Baker said. “If you look regardless of vaccination BY JASON BLEAU States Dudley’s Board of Johnson couldn’t confirm the school year looms at what has played out status. CORRESPONDENT Health is urging renewed how many of these cases and the Delta variant in other states where the diligence to help keep the were due to the Delta spreads, Gov. Charlie government has taken Looking ahead, Baker DUDLEY – Coronavirus local numbers low. Variant the rise in prev- Baker recently defended away the authority for hopes the Commonwealth news out of Dudley has The Board of Health alence on the national current policies. locals to make their own continues to serve as an been few and far between met on Aug. 17 where level of the strain led her During a press confer- decisions, that’s not the example to states that are over the past few months board member and pub- to recommend citizens ence on Aug. 16, Baker right way to play this lagging behind with vac- as mandates ended and lic health nurse Roberta continue to take precau- said there are no immi- game.” cinations. public limitations loos- Johnson provided an tions in the months to nent plans to alter mask- “I hope that many other ened with the increase in update on the COVID sit- come. ing recommendations Several local stu- states move as aggres- vaccinations. However, uation in town. As of that “I have seen a lot of statewide. Even with the dents, parents, and edu- sively as the people in with the Delta Variant date 23 active cases were folks come through posi- nation’s steady rise in cators agree with the Massachusetts have becoming the dominant recorded including nine Turn To DUDLEY page A17 COVID-19 cases and hos- Governor’s current han- Turn To BAKER page A15 strain across the United new cases that day. While pitalizations over the last dling of the Delta vari- month, Baker believes ant. Others fear that his Massachusetts is in a hands-off approach is a far better position than dangerous gamble. As of other states in the battle last week, every county against the virus. in the Commonwealth “I’m not considering had reached a threshold changing the mask guid- of COVID-19 transmis- ance at this time. We sion that automatically pay a lot of attention to triggers a CDC recom- the data associated with mendation for public case counts, hospitaliza- indoor masking, regard- tions, and the tragic loss less of vaccination status. of life,” Baker said. “The During his Aug. 16 fact that so many people press conference, Baker in Massachusetts have reiterated his recommen- been vaccinated has put dation that students in us in a dramatically dif- grades K-6 continue to ferent place than many wear masks indoors. other states across this “We’ve made a very country.” strong recommendation Baker also supported to our colleagues in K-6 the joint decision from education. Because there the state’s Department is not a vaccine currently of Public Health available for that popu- and the Department lation, we recommend of Elementary and that those kids should Secondary Education to be masked up until they leave masking policies up have an opportunity to be to individual school dis- vaccinated,” Baker said. tricts for the fall of 2021. State officials also rec- Statewide, each school ommend that unvacci- committee has voted on nated students in grades Courtesy policies that will deter- seven and above, as well mine how to address the as unvaccinated staff highly contagious Delta members and visitors LIFELONG WEBSTER RESIDENT CELEBRATES variant in the classroom to schools, wear masks this fall. Information on indoors. Additionally, 85TH BIRTHDAY policies has been mailed any individual at high- out to families. er risk for severe illness Virginia Woznicki celebrated her 85th Birthday over the weekend of Aug. 14 in Webster and Natick with her children, “Giving the locals the from COVID-19, or with a grandchildren, and new great-grandson Teddy. She is a lifelong resident of Webster and Dudley, worked at Nichols College and St. Joseph’s Basilica, and remains active and involved in the St. Joseph’s Basilica community. 2 • THE WEBSTER TIMES • Friday, August 27, 2021 www.StonebridgePress.com Hernandez receives Community Service award CHARLTON — Kalie for compassion, service, giving was a member of the UNICEF Hernandez, LPN of Southbridge, back, and striving to make the Club. Hernandez participated in a member of the Bay Path world a better place. the admissions panel interviews Practical Nursing Academy Hernandez’s passion is in help- and competed in SkillsUSA Class of 2017, received the 2021 ing others. She has made import- earning a Silver Medal in both Community Service Award at ant contributions to the Bay Path District and State level for the Bay Path Practical Nursing Practical Nursing Academy. She Practical Nursing category. Academy. The award was grant- remains connected with Bay Hernandez takes pride in the ed in recognition of Hernandez’s Path Practical Nursing Academy work she does at the Holyoke volunteer work creating criti- serving as an active member of Public Schools and credits cal partnerships between the the Advisory Committee, volun- her training and education at Academy, the Bay Path commu- teering as a mentor, speaking Bay Path Practical Nursing nity and the Worcester County. at information sessions & work- Academy especially her School The Community Service shops, and participating in the Nurse Observation experience Award was developed to honor a Mock Code Team preparation in her success. Hernandez has person who is making significant day. formed a tight bond with the contributions to the Bay Path While a student at Bay Path Bay Path Community that has Practical Nursing community Practical Nursing Academy allowed her to work cohesively through their time, actions, tal- Hernandez was voted as a stu- with faculty, staff, students, and ents and dedication through any dent representative. She was fellow alumni. volunteer work done. The honor- inducted into the National ee selected serves as a role model Technical Honor Society and Ladies Auxiliary of Quinebaug Courtesy Kalie Hernandez and her daughter receiving award from Professor Lindsay Guertin, BSN, RN. Lodge to host Craft Market Courtesy Just one example of the craft tents set up by Norah’s Fabric Creations that will be at Quinebaug Masonic Lodge in Southbridge on Sunday, Aug.