Mailed free to requesting homes in Webster, Dudley and the Oxfords 508-764-4325 Complimentary to homes by request ONLINE: WWW.WEBSTERTIMES.NET “Inaction may be the biggest form of action.” Friday, October 29, 2010 Reading is fundamental Campaign 2010 down to the wire STUDENTS CELEBRATE MOST OF LITERACY REGION’S SEATS BY JOY RICHARD CONTESTED TIMES STAFF WRITER BY CHRISTOPHER TANGUAY DUDLEY — Local officials, residents and STONEBRIDGE PRESS STAFF WRITER Dudley-Charlton Regional School District REGION — One of the most faculty celebrated literacy, the life-long heated races going into the Paul Kujawski Kim Roy love of reading and a passion for knowl- Tuesday, Nov. 2 election is for rep- edge with the school’s annual Community resentative of the 8th Worcester Reading Day event. District. Kindergarten and first grade students of Incumbent state Rep. Paul Mason Road Elementary School celebrated Kujawski, D-Webster, will square Halloween and literacy Wednesday,Oct. 20. off against Republican challenger All of the 12 participants read a story, Kevin Kuros, of Uxbridge. which centered on autumn or Halloween. Kujawski, a Beacon Hill veteran All added their own special touch to each for the last 16 years, defeated presentation. Kuros for the seat in 2008 by a rel- Dudley-Charlton Regional School atively narrow margin. Kevin Kuros Richard Moore District Superintendent Sean Gilrein With nearly two decades as a greeted kindergarten students with props legislator, Kuros said his opponent self as “a very to go along with his story. This included a is out of touch with his con- aggressive, yet very effective legis- large bag of leaves for the children to play stituents. lator,” said he is focused on bring- with. “It’s been 16 years since my ing jobs into the area by working Mason Road Principal Doris Dono, who opponent’s even been in the pri- toward ensuring loans for startup has been with the school for 11 years, and vate sector,” Kuros said in an ear- businesses or business expan- in the Dudley-Charlton district for 26 lier interview. As a private busi- sions in now defunct mills. years, said she was thankful to have as ness owner, Kuros said he would Kujawski recently received the many members of the local community Joy Richard photos bring a “real world perspective on endorsement of the Webster available to help with the day. She said it Superintendent Sean Gilrein helps Mason Road Elementary School what really needs to be fixed.” takes the support of everyone to help kids kindergarteners get into the sprit of autumn with a story during Kujawski, who described him- Turn To CAMPAIGN page A9 Turn To READING page A8 Community Reading Day. OCC sports a popular outlet BY JOY RICHARD TIMES STAFF WRITER OXFORD — As a way to get kids who might not take to organized team sports up and moving, staff at the Oxford Community Center have cre- ated an intramural, after- school, sports club. OCC program manager Diane Castello said she is happy to see the new group continue to take shape. She added she is pleased to see chil- dren, who were at first skeptical of sports, jump at the chance to get involved. “We started working on this during the summer,” Castello said. “I feel that any kind of sport activity is important for kids. So many things have been eliminated because of cost cutting measures at the schools, its just difficult for kids to participate in something they can afford.” Castello is glad to have volunteer athletic director Keith Giard on board to help organize the program, along with coaching children on a Joy Richard photos daily basis. She said Giard has been an involved parent who has taken Mohegan Bowl-A-Drome and Lic’s Restaurant on Thompson Road in Webster cele- part in activities at the community brate their 50th anniversary this year. center since its inception more than Joy Richard photo five years ago. Children participate in the Oxford Community Center’s most recent creation, an after- “Keith is a very active member of school intramural sports program. Bowling alley, eatery Turn To AFTER-SCHOOL page A7 IsIs thisthis househouse haunted?haunted? founded 50 years ago BY JOY RICHARD billiards room, game center and TIMES STAFF WRITER all seasons restaurant. BY CHRISTOPHER TANGUAY WEBSTER — While the signs James said he has enjoyed being STONEBRIDGE PRESS STAFF WRITER may not have changed much over a part of the business alongside SOUTHBRIDGE — Everyone’s gotten the the last 50 years, the owners of his brothers and other members of chills… the willies… the creeps… the goose Lic’s Restaurant and Mohegan the family who oversee the day-to- bumps… Bowl-A-Drome have seen both the day operations of Lic’s and the Whatever you want to call them, whether community and their Thompson bowling ally. you believe in the paranormal or not, every- Road business develop and grow He said even though there have one has been made to feel uneasy,unsettled or with each decade gone by. been changes in the way people generally nervous by their surroundings. According to James Pelletier, are entertained, some of the same The reasons for many of these feelings and the business was created in 1960, faces come through the door every suspicions are often unknown, and without and was developed by his mother year and they still seem to enjoy immediate explanation can fester in one’s Irene Pelletier and her late hus- the memories the bowling ally mind, making some question their own judg- band. James. Originally every- brings both to them and their chil- ment: Did I really just hear that? Did I really thing began with the bowling dren. just see that? Did I really just feel that? alley. During the last five decades, Photo courtesy Dick Whitney that small ally has grown into a Turn To BOWL-A-DROME page A7 Turn To HAUNTED page A9 An old photo of the Tiffany-Leonard House, date unknown. Learning .............A6-7 Events Calendar ...... B3 LOCAL SPORTS Viewpoint ............. A10 Real Estate ........Sect.B SOLDIER COMES BARTLETT HALL Sports ..............A11-15 Legal Notices ..... Sect.B HOME Obituaries ............. B2 OF FAME DINNER PAGE A3 PAGES B2-3 INDEX 2 • THE WEBSTER TIMES • Friday, October 29, 2010 www.webstertimes.net DMS restaurant in the works ALMANAC QUOTE OF THE WEEK BY JOY RICHARD TIMES STAFF WRITER “We wanted them to feel in DUDLEY — Looking to test charge. It is empowering for the entrepreneurial waters, them. Dudley Middle School students have launched the first restau- — DMS teacher Amy Schulze, on the school’s venture rant in the school’s history. into the food business. The restaurant will be open and staffed by students and fac- ulty for three days on Thursday, Dec. 2, 9 and 16. PEN TO LOSE According to Dudley Middle O C School science teacher Amy DUDLEY Schulze, tickets will become DUDLEY TOWN HALL (508) 949-8000 available in November for $10 Board of Selectmen (949-8001) per patron. Monday-Thursday . .8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Schulze said the goal of the Fridays . .8 a.m. to 1 p.m. restaurant is to show students Evening appointments if needed. Note: Office what a business is like from hours are for selectmen’s secretary and town every point of view. She said administrator. Selectmen do not hold office this includes the job interview hours. process, which the children Town Clerk (949-8004) went through after they Monday-Thursday . .8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. applied for the program. Thursday nights . .5 to 7 p.m. Students are also learning Fridays . .9 a.m. to 1 p.m. about managing a restaurant, creating a menu, keeping with DUDLEY POLICE DEPARTMENT (943-4411) a budget and even graphic Staffed 24 hours a day, seven days a week design and advertising. DUDLEY FIRE DEPARTMENT (949-8040) Schulze said she is grateful Joy Richard photos Monday-Sunday . .6 a.m. to 6 p.m. to the Dudley-Charlton Left, Students develop menu items. Right, Dudley Middle School students work on graphic designs for the menus and fly- Education Foundation for its OXFORD ers they will be using for their upcoming restaurant project. original $3,000 grant, which is OXFORD TOWN HALL (508) 987-6027 what got the restaurant project Board of Selectmen first moving. She said she is this year will lead to many when he was chosen earlier in Eighth-grader Allison Ryel, proud to see that more than 30 more similar business ven- the fall. 13, was also surprised at how Monday-Friday . .9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. children are involved and have Town Clerk (987-6032) tures at the school. He said he has always had a many decisions and plans she Monday-Friday . .9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. so strongly taken to the idea. “We wanted them to feel in passion for cooking after help- and the other students had to They are doing almost all of charge,” said Schulze. “It is ing and watching his father make during over the course of OXFORD POLICE DEPARTMENT (987-0156) the planning work and always empowering for them. The only working in the restaurant and the last few months. For emergencies, call 911 with a smile on their faces, requirement was that they catering business. “We had to think about what OXFORD FIRE DEPARTMENT (987-6012) according to Schulze. wanted to do it. We wanted “I love to cook,” said Raheb. we thought would sell, go well Monday-Friday . .8 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.