(508) 943-4800 Newsstand: 75 cents www.auburnnews.net Saturday, August 25, 2012 THIS WEEK’S Abandoned homes, QUOTE Riding for Kaitlyn “Experience businesses being teaches slowly and at the cost of mistakes.” watched James A. Froude OFFICIALS: PROPERTIES MAY BE UNSIGHTLY, BUT SAFETY IS MAIN INSIDE PRIORITY BY JESSICA HUGHES “There are a lot of aban- PINION NEWS STAFF WRITER O ................A6 doned homes out there that LEGALS ..............A8-9 AUBURN — It’s no secret we don’t know about, purely SPORTS ..........A10-11 that the economy is strug- because they are being main- gling, and this financial hard- tained.” OBITUARIES ..........A12 ship makes it that much more Vacant homes or buildings CALENDAR ............A12 difficult to own a home or a can become an issue because business. of rodent infestation, theft REAL ESTATE ........A15 That is the reason for all problems or even children the abandoned and unoccu- breaking in for innocent rea- pied buildings around town, sons, according to Anderson. LOCAL according to Auburn Fire But that doesn’t mean that Captain Stephan Anderson. the fire department isn’t “Abandoned homes are an doing everything they can to issue, and where are they is keep these places safe for the Jessica Hughes photo what everyone wants to Karen Johnson and Laurie Weinheimer sit on their bikes before making the ride to Quabbin as they know,” said Anderson. Please Read WATCH, page A9 ride to raise money for the Kaitlyn Langlois Memorial Foundation. BY JESSICA HUGHES NEWS STAFF WRITER State regulation changes AUBURN — For the eighth year in a row, motorcycles of all kinds forces schools to adapt gathered at Sheldon’s BY JESSICA HUGHES schools has changed quite a Harley Davidson in NEWS STAFF WRITER Performance at Auburn Sunday, Aug. 19, bit, and has decreased the Pappas to ride about 100 miles to AUBURN — With recent amount of options the stu- the Quabbin Reservoir studies saying childhood obe- dents will have. Page A3 and back to the Spencer sity is on the rise, concerns To break it down, the stu- Fish and Game Club in about the diets of children dents now have five choices of order to raise money for are becoming an increasingly foods, with each of those five SPORTS the Kaityln Langlois alarming subject, especially choices representing a food Memorial Foundation. for public school districts — group. There are fruits and The memorial founda- and Auburn is no exception. vegetables, vegetables, meat/meat alternate, grains, tion was founded in 2006, The desire to help kids eat healthier is one of the pri- whole grains, and milk, in memory of Kaitlyn mary goals of the food that is according to the new lunch Langlois, a 16-year-old available to children in the program informational sheet girl who lost her battle public schools in Auburn, given to Pitzen. with cancer on May 21, said Director of Food In order to fulfill the 2005. Services Ann Pitzen. requirements, each child “More than 10 years New regulations have come must take at least three ago, our excitement, as into effect as of July, so this options, and one of those we watched our daughter change is brand new to the options must be a fruit or veg- Kaitlyn play soccer, schools, said Pitzen. And this etable, as indicated by Pitzen. Courtesy photo new way of overseeing food Of course, every child is wel- Kaitlyn Langlois at the age of 16. Please Read RIDE, page A9 distribution within the Auburn Please Read STATE, page A9 Tournament Page A10 LEARNING Red Cross has critical need for blood donations BY AMANDA COLLINS profit, as schools and colleges emergency levels. businesses that typically hold the summer that forced the STONEBRIDGE PRESS STAFF WRITER that often hold blood drives American Red Cross of blood drives in early July,and cancellation of many blood The American Red Cross are closed and travelers take Massachusetts spokesperson a decrease in student partici- drives have had an impact on has a critical need for blood off for vacations, this year Jecoliah Ellis said several fac- pations at blood drives, a pop- the supply here in donations, as it announced has been worse than most. tors made for “the perfect ulation that makes up about Massachusetts, she said. last month its blood supply According to their website, storm” this summer as far as 15 percent of the organiza- In July the organization level had dipped to a 15-year when the organization blood donations went, includ- tion’s donors. issued an emergency plea to low. received 50,000 fewer dona- ing warm weather earlier in As a national system, even the public, and while Ellis While summer months are tions than expected in June, the season, a mid-week July 4 severe weather in the said 15,000 more donations typically rough for the non- their blood supply sank to holiday that closed down Southeast and Midwest over Please Read BLOOD, page A14 Mustang at the Mall Girls basketball summer Page A5 league continues success OPINION GET YOUR TEAMS FROM ALL AROUND POINT ACROSS NEW ENGLAND PARTICIPATE PAGE A6 BY JESSICA HUGHES NEWS STAFF WRITER WHAT TO DO WHAT TO DO AUBURN — It’s often hard for teen athletes to gain the experience A CALENDAR needed to compete at a top level dur- OF AREA EVENTS ing the summer, but it’s even harder PAGE A12 when they don’t even have to oppor- tunity to do so, according to Director of Recreation and Culture Kristen Jessica Hughes photos Pappas. For the second year in a row, the Auburn team won the championship. Which is exactly why she created the first girls summer basketball league for girls in Auburn about boys, so I created this program,” the program has now doubled in four years ago. said Pappas, explaining how the size, and the teams are not just from “When I came to this job about girls summer league came to be. The central Massachusetts, either — four years ago, there was a boys bas- program is being supported by teams like Marianapolis (from Auburn and Marianapolis start the cham- ketball summer league in Auburn, Auburn’s Recreation and Culture Thompson, Conn.) come up from pionship game in typical basketball fash- but nothing for the girls. I wanted to Department. give the girls the same chance as the ion. Starting off with only six teams, Please Read GAME, page A14 6 56525 10391 9 2 • THE AUBURN NEWS • Saturday, August 25, 2012 From Ward to Auburn BY JESSICA HUGHES At the time that this happened, the popula- States, at about 3,365 miles. 1800s, as many people used the land in Auburn NEWS STAFF WRITER tion of the newly named town of Auburn was For education, Auburn has many different to build their houses, and commuted to AUBURN — To see how well the community only 649 people. The town outlines what where choices for the community.There are four ele- Worcester. But this meant that agricultural of Auburn knows their town, every week parts of Worcester, Leicester, Sutton and mentary schools in town, one middle school, life declined, and by 1957 there were only four there will be a trivia question testing the Oxford in the colonial times. But there is and one newly rebuilt high school. Residents working farms in Auburn, compared to the knowledge of the people of the town. much more to the history of Auburn. also have the option of sending their children more than 100 that were listed in 1857, just a There are currently five highways that run to Bay Path Regional Vocational Technical 100 years earlier. Last week’s question asked: What was through the town of Auburn. I-90, or the High School, which is located in Charlton. the town of Auburn originally named Massachusetts Turnpike, was built in 1957 As stated on Auburn’s website, “Auburn has Next week’s question: What was previ- when it was settled in 1789? and is apart of the longest Interstate in the experienced rapid growth in industrial and ously in the area where the Auburn Mall country.About five miles of the highway runs business development while the population now stands? The town of Auburn was originally named through Auburn, which equals about 200 has only gained a few thousand in number Ward, but was changed when the Post Office, a acres of land. Interstate 290 is another one of since the 1970’s. Improved roads have moved Please send your answer to Jessica Hughes center for mail distribution in 1825, com- Auburn’s highways, of which the first three industry to the suburbs. Auburn has many via email at [email protected]. plained that the name “Ward” was too similar miles are in Auburn. Interstate 395 is the third industrial and shopping areas. While Auburn All answers must be submitted before Monday, in spelling to the town of Ware. highway that runs through Auburn, and only is struggling to maintain its small town flavor, Aug. 27. The first individual to send the correct It was originally named after Major General about two miles of this roadway are in there has been major business development answer will have their name published in the Artemas Ward, who was the commander of Auburn. The fourth highway is Route 12, and along the main roads.” following week’s paper. Thank you to Dolores colonial forces in Cambridge until about five miles of the road passes through One last point of historic interest is Malooly for being the first person to answer last Washington arrived. But a petition sent to the Auburn.