(508) 943-4800 Newsstand: 75 cents www.auburnnews.net Friday, May 22, 2015 THIS WEEK’S Perfection: Auburn’s QUOTE Handfield throws perfect game “Storms make oaks take deeper FRESHMAN WINS IT ON SENIOR NIGHT root.” VERSUS WESTBOROUGH BY NICK ETHIER George Herbert SPORTS STAFF WRITER AUBURN — The Auburn High var- sity softball team hosted Westborough High under the lights on Monday, May 18, for their Senior Night contest. INSIDE And freshman Julia Handfield made sure it would be a night to remember CALENDAR ................. for everyone. Handfield pitched a perfect game OPINION ................A6 with 14 strikeouts and added a solo SENIORS ................A8 homer over the center field fence as the Rockets won the game, 7-0. OBITUARIES ................ “I think it was just a combination Photos courtesy Dawn Cipro Dawn Cipro said that throughout it all, Aislen has kept a posi- PORTS of adrenaline, being our last home S .............. A10 game,” Handfield said, adding that tive attitude. Thanks to family friend Pat McHugh there will be she wanted to grab the win for seniors a fundraiser for Aislen on May 31 to raise money towards the EDITOR’S Jordan Lavallee and Carly Zona. “It family’s mounting medical bills. McHugh said that she wants was definitely all about them. I want- to help others as much as she can, since the community sup- OFFICE HOURS ed it to be about them.” ported her when her child had countless surgeries. Handfield was in the zone from the MONDAYS 12-5 moment the game started, striking WEDNESDAYS 1-5 out the side in the top of the first inning. And the Rockets grabbed the A show of support FRIDAYS 1-5 Nick Ethier photos lead with a run in the home half of Auburn’s Julia Handfield winds up and deliv- the first when Lavallee ripped an RBI ers a pitch versus Westborough during her LOCAL perfect game on May 18, a 7-0 Rockets for the Cipros victory. Please Read SOFTBALL, page A8 FUNDRAISER TO HELP PAY A FUN DAY FOR RELAY MOUNTING MEDICAL BILLS BY OLIVIA RICHMAN awareness about a mul- NEWS STAFF WRITER titude of things,” Cipro SOUTHBRIDGE — said. Southbridge resident On Sunday, May 31, Dawn Cipro is thankful at the Elk’s Club on Mill All aboard! for the community she Street, in Worcester, from Center of Hope lives in. 1 to 7 p.m., there will be a “I’m not surprised fundraiser for her daugh- sends off 65 to that the community has ter, “A Day of Love and shown us this much sup- Magic for Aislen Cipro.” Boston rally port. People are very gen- Tickets are $20. The Page A3 erous and kind. People money raised at the event want to help. Giving them will go towards medical an outlet to be able to help bills that have been accu- SPORTS Olivia Richman photo is all people really need. mulating over the years SOUTHBRIDGE — Relay Fun Day took place on the Town Common on It’s very rare that you for Aislen’s care. Saturday, May 16. Pictured, Nathaniel Diaz, 2, gets his faced painted by find people that just don’t “A Day Of Love Drama Dearies team member Anna Fish. For more photos, turn to page A14! care. This fundraiser is and Magic” will have helpful for Aislen and food provided by B.T. for us. But it also raises Please Read CIPROS, page A7 Rockets’ baseball STORY TIME! rallies late to take down Bartlett in extra innings Page A9 SPORTS Courtesy photos Zoe, 3, and Jacoby Lonergan, 5, of Auburn, snacked on some delicious Tutti Bay Path Mila, 3, and Mazie Vartabedian, 5, of Auburn, enjoyed listening to Frutti frozen yogurt treats after listening to stories. softball can’t keep stories and creating crafts at Auburn Mall’s Story Time. up with Nashoba AUBURN — Auburn Mall’s all new Monthly Story Time kicked off Tuesday, May 5. Guests enjoyed a story read by the Tutti Frutti Tech manager, crafts, and coupons to Tutti Frutti, making for an extra sweet day. Page A10 OPINION After a decade, Lions to resurrect golf fundraiser GET YOUR POINT ACROSS BY OLIVIA RICHMAN at the golf tournament the golf tournament back at it s a good way to give steak dinner,” he contin- NEWS STAFF WRITER will be going back into after a 10-year hiatus. back and support a good ued. “They’ll have the PAGE AX CHARLTON — the community. “Golf is something a cause.” steaks grilling outside. At Sturbridge Lions The Sturbridge Lions lot of people do. It will If the day is blessed the 18th hole people will Club’s inaugural Golf Club has many fundrais- bring the community with warm weather and be smelling that steak Tournament will come ers throughout the year, together. It will be a good, sun, Soraci believes the and we’ll all be ready to to the Heritage Country but Vice President Mark fun day, especially if the fundraiser will be a huge go have some dinner.” Club in Charlton on Soraci felt that some- weather is nice. People success and a great time. The Sturbridge Lions Sunday, May 31 at 1 p.m. thing was missing. With that normally don’t get But the fun won’t end Club has been around Participants pay $100 for so many golfers in the together will be brought once the participants for more than 100 years. 18 holes, a golf cart, priz- Lions Club and within together to do something reach the 18th hole. One of their first support- 6 5652510391 9 es, raffles and a steak din- the community, Soraci fun and relaxing,” said “Heritage Country ner. All proceeds raised felt it was time to bring Soraci. “People can look Club is known for their Please Read FUNDRAISER, page A7 Friday, May 22, 2015 2 • THE AUBURN NEWS • Spring fishing season opportunities My first fishing Fishing trip of the sea- pressure son started last THE GREAT on the week when Ray Westport Dougdale and OUTDOORS River was myself spent a heavy for few hours on the RALPH two weeks Westport River as the com- fishing for tautog. TRUE mercial The wind was off season for of the water and tautog con- was keeping the temperature tinued this past Friday in down, making it a bit unpleas- Massachusetts! There were ant. A group of commercial very few legal-size tautog anglers were catching some nice left in the river when the Courtesy photo tautog in the river but I was the commercial guys got done This week’s picture shows Harry Salmon with only one to catch fish while my with them. a couple of nice fluke he caught while fish- buddy Ray complained constant- Tautog is another fish ing with this writer last year. Harry resides ly, as he was unable to get a sin- that has been receiving in Florida but is planning a few weeks in gle bite. Being the nice guy that a lot of pressure over the Douglas this summer to take in a few more I am, I gave my one fish to Mr. last 10 years and regulators days of saltwater fishing. Dougdale for his evening meal need to change the season with his wife. before they too become a The next trip a few days later casualty of over fishing. schools of menhaden, which had a slow start for my brother Why are tautog regulations should provide the stripers Ken and I. We finally started to made allowing a season before with some fish to feed on in the catch fish they finish their breeding and coming weeks. Snagging a few using the laying of eggs? Would it not seem of these baitfish and hooking half dozen more responsible to have the sea- one on your striper fishing rod sea worms son after they deposit their eggs? should have anglers enjoying that we It is like the guy killing the hen some great fishing through the purchased that was laying the golden eggs. month of May and most of June. at the bait He wanted all of the eggs now Trout fishing remains very shop along and was not concerned about good locally and Cape Ponds with a next week or next year. are also heating up. Rivers and half-gallon Fluke fishing in Rhode Island streams have a low water prob- of crabs. is starting to heat up and I am lem in some areas causing Mass. A small looking forward to catching a Fish & Wildlife to stop stocking piece of few of these tasty fish before the the low water areas. Hopefully sea worm draggers and rod and reel com- the area will receive some rain was the mercial fishermen take them soon to help alleviate more prob- magic bait all. Fishermen possessing a lems for fish stockings and for of the day commercial fishing license can local gardens and farmland. as tautog take fluke at 14 inches while the June 6-7 is free fishing week- were being average angler must abide by an end in Massachusetts on fresh caught by 18-inch minimum size. One local water and July 4-5 is free fishing both my angler also had a similar prob- for saltwater anglers. No fish- brother lem on the Cape catching fluke ing licenses are needed during and I at last week. Most fish were under- the free fishing weekend, but all a fairly sized and needed to be released anglers need to abide by all fish- good pace. back to the sea. ing regulations, including bag The prob- Striper fishing is also heating limits.