(508) 943-4800 Newsstand: 75 cents www.auburnnews.net PROUD MEDIA SPONSOR OF THE CENTRAL SOUTH COUNTY RELAY FOR LIFE! Wednesday, March 31, 2010 Hurley axed as girls basketball coach Deputy COACH ‘TAKEN ABACK’ BY DISMISSAL BY TERESA A. FRANCO girls’ basketball said the school wanted kids enjoying basketball.” fire chief NEWS STAFF WRITER coach. to “take a different Handfield responded to the AUBURN — In his two years The news comes as direction” for the next Auburn News via e-mail coaching the girls’ basketball a surprise to Hurley, season. Monday, March 29, with a state- team, Joseph Hurley has who said he was noti- “When I received the ment that read: “Coach Hurley watched his team make it to the fied by a letter a cou- letter, I was a little will not return as the girls’ var- post state playoffs for the first time ple weeks ago he taken aback,” Hurley sity basketball coach at Auburn in 10 years. Hurley had said he would not be return- said. “I am saddened I High School next season. I am was looking forward to coaching ing for a third season won’t be a part of the grateful that he agreed to take the girls to more success for the with the girls basket- program and I feel on the responsibility of leading next two —but his tenure has ball team. The letter, good about what we’ve our girls’ basketball program been cut short. he said, was from accomplished. It was reinstated for the past two seasons and I A couple weeks ago, he found high school principal more than wins, it’s a out he has been let go as the Casey Handfield and Joseph Hurley matter of attitude and Turn To HURLEY, page A13 BY TERESA A. FRANCO NEWS STAFF WRITER AUBURN — A possible silver lining emerged from the Board of Selectmen’s meeting, Monday, March 29. After more than an hour of executive ses- sion discussion, the board reopened the meeting and voted to reinstate the deputy fire chief ’s position into its fiscal 2011 budg- et, as well as a patrolman position in the police department. WORKING Selectman Nicholas Hammond said it was his “pleasure” to announce the news before OUTSIDE making the motion to create the changes as a supplemental budget. The spending plan will now move on to the Finance Committee THE LINES Wednesday, March 31. Teresa A. Franco photo According to Town Accountant Edward Kazanovicz, the changes were made possible because they have indications that they will AUBURN — One-year-old Lucio receive more Chapter 70 funds. The total Astrella works on an Easter amount increase expected, Kazanovicz said, picture while wearing bunny is $835,000. The salary for the patrolman ears at the Auburn High School position is $58,000 annually, he said, and the Student Council’s Springtime Party Thursday, March 25. For deputy chief ’s position is $76,000 per year. more photos from the event, Despite the hopeful news, Kazanovicz said turn to page 12! that this is not yet final. “The numbers we are expecting are above level funding,” he said. “So, we feel comfort- able reinstating those positions.” In the original proposed budget from Acting Town Manager Charles O’Connor, Turn To SELECTMEN, page A13 Holding back the flood Defibrillator program officially kicks off DIVERSION CHANNELS PLAY KEY ROLE IN TOWN WILL HAVE KEEPING AREA DRY A ‘ROBUST SYSTEM’ BY TERESA A. FRANCO now during rainstorms, due to a IN PLACE NEWS STAFF WRITER structure created in Auburn during AUBURN — During the 1950s, the 1960s. During that time, diver- BY TERESA A. FRANCO whenever their was a heavy rain- sion channels were created in town, NEWS STAFF WRITER storm, Robert Platukis would go out near the Worcester line. on a boat on Cambridge Street in “Since the diversion tunnels, it’s AUBURN — After months of plan- Webster Square in Worcester with like a gorge has been built,” ning, the goal to provide the town his father to help people get out of Platukis said. “They don’t have as with defibrillators has finally come their homes because they water in much flooding.” to fruition. the streets had gotten so high, it The tunnels were built by the U.S. On Friday, March 26, representa- reached the second floor of their Army Corps of Engineers in the tives from the schools, churches and homes. other facilities in town gathered in The situation does not happen Turn To CHANNELS, page A16 the high school auditorium to receive the devices. The distribution Teresa A. Franco photos included speeches from local offi- The diversion channel that goes under Route 20 in Auburn near the Worcester line, cials and specialists from the field. after a few days of rain, Monday, March 15. The channel was created to stop flood- The project was made possible by ing in Webster Square in Worcester. a more than $80,000 donation from Drs. Arthur and Martha Pappas. Two officials present at the distri- bution event were examples of how important immediate response is to Teresa A. Franco photos cardiac emergencies. Both Auburn firefighters Aaron Reed and Justin Brigham demonstrate how a Lucas 2 Selectman Robert Grossman and machine works on a dummy, Friday, March 26, at the distribution of 25 defibrillators Fire Chief William Whynot experi- donated to the town by Drs. Arthur and Martha Pappas. The Lucas 2 machines were enced heart attacks two years ago. part of the program. “We are grateful,” Grossman said. “The chief and I can speak from also consisted of two Lucas 2 Vincent’s Hospital in Worcester. experience because both of us had machines, devices that perform the “It was a huge success,” Whynot heart attacks.” actions of CPR when strapped to a said, acknowledging that already 75 Whynot gave some “alarming” patient. The benefit of the $13,000 residents in town have been CPR statistics to the audience. Every day, machines is that it continually per- and AED certified. He said having he said, nearly 1,000 people die from forms CPR. The Lucas 2 machines people trained in these areas is an cardiac arrest. Those that experi- have been on the Auburn Fire important part of the emergency ence cardiac emergencies, he said, Department’s ambulances for the response process. This, in addition have a survival rate of 1 out of 20. past two months. At the event, to the defibrillators in town, he said, Survival rates can now increase for Whynot said the department used will be beneficial. the town, he said, with the technolo- the machine for the first time, “Thanks to the Pappases, Auburn gy now available. Wednesday, March 23. He said the A positive outcome has already patient was safely transported to St. occurred through the project, which Turn To DEFIBRILLATOR, page A13 E E CALENDAR.........A14 CHAMBER EXPO PRACTICE RUN OPINION..............A6 OFFERS HEALTHY SENIORS .............A8 FOR ROCKETS OBITUARIES.......A14 ALTERNATIVES PAGE A10 SPORTS ............A10 PAGE A18 INSID 6 56525 10391 9 INSID 2 • THE AUBURN NEWS • Wednesday, March 31, 2010 Budget hearing goes off without a hitch ALMANAC LOW ATTENDANCE VIEWED AS POSITIVE BY OFFICIALS QUOTE OF THE WEEK BY TERESA A. FRANCO Brunelle said cable access televi- tell us how they feel,” he “I am saddened I won’t be a NEWS STAFF WRITER she thinks the sion and residents said. AUBURN — A little small crowd in might be getting Page noted he has office part of the program and I feel more than a dozen resi- attendance and their information hours every Wednesday good about what we’ve accom- dents attended a School few questions that way. night at the Lorraine Budget Hearing Tuesday, asked is probably a However, Page Gleick Nordgren Senior plished. It was more than wins, March 23, and though the good thing. said the hearing Center and residents can it’s a matter of attitude and kids number of attendees was “I see it as a pos- gives the public a reach him there if they not astronomical, school itive sign that the chance to get their wish. enjoying basketball.” officials said they think it people thought questions answered “Sometimes, we don’t means the public is satis- [the budget] was immediately. learn anything without - FORMER AUBURN HIGH SCHOOL GIRLS BAS- fied with the proposed fiscally responsi- “We can’t do any- being told by the resi- KETBALL HEAD COACH, REACTING TO BEING budget. ble and an extreme thing unless the peo- dents. RECENTLY LET GO FROM HIS POSITION. The hearing was open to effort to work with Maryellen Brunelle Wayne Page ple let us know,” he The budget process the public and the other the town,” she said. “We get voted would be made easier, committees in town. In said. are “recognizing the by the residents and Page said, if the state gov- addition, all Town The school depart- efforts” the school district they need to bring [their ernment came out with OPEN TO CLOSE Meeting members were ment’s current proposed is making. questions] forward where their numbers earlier. sent personal invitations budget is $20,574,389, a it can be taken care of or Page said he would not Brunelle said she appre- AUBURN TOWN HALL to the event. The hearing $10,153 decrease from the ciates the support of those addressed.” mind going back and is state mandated and fiscal 2010 budget. The who did come to the hear- Page said it was nice to adjusting the budget if Board of Selectmen (832-7720) gives residents a chance to reduction was made by ing and that anyone who see the School Committee changes are made with voice their thoughts or easing the retirement candidates at the hearing, the state numbers.