Come Meet Our Service Team! John Grande Dave Skehan -our new service management team 546 Providence Rd Whitinsville, MA 01588 (508) 266-6021 Mailed free to requesting homes in Douglas, Northbridge and Uxbridge Vol. II, No. xx Complimentary to homes by request ONLINE: WWW.BLACKSTONEVALLEYTRIBUNE.COM Friday, June 1, 2012 THIS WEEK’S QUOTE Honoring the sacrifice “Be charitable before wealth makes thee covetous.” Sir Thomas Browne INSIDE A2-3— LOCAL Adam T. Silva photo A4-5— OPINION Above, A salute to fall- A6— OBITUARIES en heroes in A6 — CALENDAR Northbridge. A9— SENIOR SCENE A11 — SPORTS B2-3 — LEGALS Photos courtesy Douglas Historical Society B4— REAL ESTATE Above left, Proud parents helped their children in the “Decorate Your Bike” event in Douglas Sunday. At right, Olivia Dunleavy, of Douglas, may be LOCAL hard to see (note the camouflage), but it’s patriotic nonetheless. Adam T. Silva photo Above, Northbridge Boy Scout Troop 155 salutes during the National Anthem Monday. To celebrate Memorial Day, different towns throughout the Valley gathered together to honor those who have served in the military and especially those who paid the ultimate price for freedom. At the Douglas Historical Society/E.N. Jenckes Store, kids took part in a “Decorate Your Bike” competition Sunday, Anti-bullying May 27, with Dayvee Gagnon coming in first. In Northbridge, project the town hosted its annual parade, with various local groups participating. Adam T. Silva photo Page A3 Men who proudly served, and what Memorial Day is all about Monday, May 28 in Northbridge For more Northbridge photos, turn to page A12! For more — from left, Joe LeBoeuf, Seabees/Navy; George Lathrop, Army; Bob Chenevert, Army; Tom Douglas photos, turn to page A13! Farley, Army; Kyrell Wooten, Army National Guard; Richard Menard, Army; Ken Trajanowski, Navy; LEARNING and Josh Gibson, Navy. Brown wins Students awarded free ride with scholarship KOPLIK AWARD GIVEN TO recount 10 DHS STUDENTS BY ADAM T. SILVA lege to keep the scholar- vote TRIBUNE STAFF WRITER ship. The tuition waiver is DOUGLAS — Ten good for eight consecutive BY ADAM T. SILVA Douglas High School stu- traditional semesters or TRIBUNE STAFF WRITER dents proved their out- four years and students DOUGLAS — In the world of poli- standing academic must begin using it the tics, nothing is a given. achievements recently by first fall semester after After losing by one vote in the receiving the Stanley Z. graduating high school. Blast Off! Douglas Board of Selectmen race on Koplik Certificate of While the tuition waiv- May 8 to Don Gonynor, Keith Brown Mastery with Distinction er is a big help, only Page A7 challenged the result with a recount, Award. Mengeam, who will be with winning results. The award allows them attending UMass Lowell; The recount free tuition to any Fitzpatrick, who will be put Brown one Massachusetts state col- attending UMass SPORTS vote ahead of lege or university. Amherst; and Daly, who Gonynor, mak- Julia Archambault, Jake will be attending ing him the Daly, Brenna Fitzpatrick, Massachusetts Maritime winner of the Connor King, Elizabeth Academy, will be taking election. Maguire, Christopher advantage of the situa- The original Masterson, Ross tion, as the rest will be Mengeam, Nicole attending private colleges count was 361- Adam T. Silva photo 360 in Sullivan, Kimberly and universities. Gonynor’s Sysopha and Kendra Students can qualify for Ten Douglas High School seniors were recently awarded the Koplik Keith Brown favor, but the Hildebrand were honored the Koplik Certificate by Award, which allows them free tuition to any Massachusetts state college or university. Clockwise from bottom left, Kimberly Sysopha, hand-counted with the award. scoring at the Advanced Julia Archambault, Connor King, Christopher Masterson, Kendra vote reversed Students need to main- Level on the 10th grade tain at least a 3.3 grade Hildebrand and Ross Mungeam. Not pictured are Jake Daly, Elizabeth Turn To RECOUNT, page A10 point average while at col- Turn To AWARD, page A10 Maguire and Nicole Sullivan. Waiting for the postseason Page A11 Baghdasarian, Rice claim selectmen seats BY ADAM T. SILVA law for this, but I don’t want to see the punish me,” said Baghdasarian. would come down to me or Tim fight- TRIBUNE STAFF WRITER school charged for this. It will be just “Some people could see this is as a ing for second, and I would pity who- UXBRIDGE — Selectman Beth going from one pocket into the other.” punishment for me. It’s just as likely ever that was.” OPINION Pitman was unseated in the Tuesday, Despite the water/sewer issue, Rice as the opposite. I would like to see the Eileen Gorman, Mason Seagrave spoke very highly about the school. board represent the people and do and Michelle Taparausky were elect- GET YOUR May 22 Uxbridge Annual Election, losing to former Selectman Peter He stated that it will last for the next what is best for the town, not their ed to the three School Committee POINT ACROSS Baghdasarian and Thomas “Tim” 40 to 50 years and looks forward to see- selfish private interests.” seats, scoring 547, 450 and 404 votes PAGE A4 Rice for the two seats. ing the sports complex fully complet- Baghdasarian was surprised at the respectively. “I’m appreciative of every voter ed in the years to come. polls, as he expected Pitman to come With write-in candidate Michael that came out to support me,” said The additional seat was open due to in first, with either Rice or himself Wilson obtaining only three votes in Contact the Rice. “I vow to do my best for this Cari Robertson not seeking re-elec- coming in second. the Board of Health one-year term, town, to get the town in harmony and tion. The results were relatively close, “I have no idea normally how peo- his decision to accept the seat is Tribune editor to move forward. We have a big deci- with Rice scoring 586 votes, ple are feeling since I have little to no unsure as of print time on Friday, at aminor@ sion coming up with the school’s Baghdasarian scoring 424 and Pitman contact with people in the town,” he May 25, according to Uxbridge Town stonebridgepress.com water and sewer hookup fee. It looks scoring 407. said. “I figured Beth would win first like there is no exception in the by- “Maybe people voted me in just to because of her e-mail lists and it Turn To ELECTION, page A10 2 • Friday, June 1, 2012 BLACKSTONE VALLEY TRIBUNE Budget woes may hurt senior center bus program BY ADAM T. SILVA Unfortunately,our cut is the senior Graveson explained. “This hap- If it’s going to Milford that day and The least impact to the seniors TRIBUNE STAFF WRITER van, which isn’t ideal, but as pened around 2002. When we got someone needs to go to West came through the bus.” DOUGLAS — Douglas senior cit- [Board of Selectman Chairman] the bus in 2005, it kind of filled the Boylston, it may not work.” If the bus program was kept, izens are going to have a little bit Tim Bonin said, ‘It’s bad or gap by going to Milford. Hopefully, At the present time, the idea of staff and hours would have been tougher time getting around. worse.’” this won’t have a negative effect on charging for the bus “does not cut, something that was simply not With budget cuts hitting every The fiscal year 2012 Douglas any of our seniors. Hopefully next seem feasible,” Graveson said. an option. Over a 50 percent budget department throughout the town, Senior Center budget is $90,763 and year, we will have money to rein- Since Sutton is involved, both cut for expenses has come recently. the Douglas Senior Center is lack- will be cut to $84,765 in fiscal year state it.” towns would have to come to an “We haven’t touched staff and ing the funds to operate their sen- 2013, a 4.4095-percent cut. Many who use the bus, according agreement and would go beyond that is key to this place,” Graveson ior bus. Thankfully, the Douglas bus isn’t to Graveson, still drive, but often the senior center to an administra- said. “We need our staff to keep “We are dependant on the town seniors’ only option to get around take the bus to places like tive level. this place open and to operate our for funding and they do not have when driving themselves isn’t an Worcester, where they are uncom- “We do our daily programs programs. None of our staff is full- funding to support what they need option. The CMS Elderbus, which fortable driving. Monday through Thursday, and we time. I work 17 hours a week and to fund,” said Douglas Senior is run out of Charlton, transports “The bus is used four days a have a lot of great people coming in the center is open 20.” Center Executive Director Alyssa seniors a 25-mile radius to doctor’s week, Tuesday through Friday,” utilizing our programs,” Graveson Graveson. “They have to support visits for a small fee. she explained. “Users have to call said. “It’s sad that we just could not Adam T. Silva may be reached at the Fire Department, Police “The bus was originally brought Sutton to book an appointment. afford to keep the bus, but there 508-909-4050 or by email at asil- Department, the highways and about because at the time, they Sutton uses it too, so it can’t go to were less seniors affected by end- [email protected].