Mailed free to requesting homes in Douglas, Northbridge and Uxbridge Vol. III, No. 33 Complimentary to homes by request ONLINE: WWW.BLACKSTONEVALLEYTRIBUNE.COM Friday, June 12, 2015 THIS WEEK’S QUOTE A NEW BEGINNING FOR GRADUATES “Don’t give up. Don’t ever give up.” Jim Valvano INSIDE A2-3— LOCAL A4-5— OPINION A7— OBITUARIES A9— SENIOR SCENE A11 — SPORTS Kevin Flanders photos Mark Blatchford with his parents, Jack and Kris Blatchford. B2 — CALENDAR Now that everyone has received their diplomas, it’s time to toss the caps! B4— REAL ESTATE B5 — LEGALS EDITOR’S OFFICE HOURS MONDAYS 12-5 WEDNESDAYS 1-5 FRIDAYS 1-5 LOCAL Andrew Brown with his siblings, Katelyn and Connor Brown. Graduate Bryan Pineo with his parents, Melissa and Jimmy Pineo. DOUGLAS — Graduation season came to a close, and futures for many area students began anew on Friday, June 5, as Douglas High School held its annual commencement ceremony, honoring the Class of 2015 for a job well done and sending them off into the next chapter of their lives. For more photos, turn to pages A14-A15! Four years later, the scars remain The zoo comes to DPS Page A3 GWCF announces ‘ANIMAL LEARNING ADVENTURES’ grants GIVES STUDENTS BY JASON BLEAU HANDS ON NEWS STAFF WRITER - EXPERIENCE The Greater Worcester Community Foundation recent- ly announced the awarding of BY KEVIN FLANDERS more that $715,000 to non-profits NEWS STAFF WRITER Munchkins with throughout the Commonwealth DOUGLAS — Students at of Massachusetts, with many moms Douglas Primary School got a local organizations benefiting field trip to the zoo last month from the money to help them Page A9 without even having to leave provide services to countless their school. underprivileged or strug- In an event sponsored by gling families and individuals the Douglas Parent Teacher throughout the communities of SPORTS Organization, representatives South Central Massachusetts. from Animal Adventures, of The awards from the Bolton, visited the school along Foundation were part of the 2015 with several of their furry – Spring Discretionary Grants and slimy – friends. Students program that were announced encountered rabbits, ferrets, a on June 2 and provide fund- turtle, skunks, a lizard, and a ing annually to non-profit orga- snake, among others. nizations to help them “build “This event exposed the chil- Courtesy photo healthy and vibrant communi- Douglas Primary School students got some special visitors last month, as Turn To FUNDING, page A17 Turn To ZOO, page A16 Animal Adventures provided a morning of fun and education. Rams’ baseball Ready to Relay: Fundraiser to kick off this weekend takes down BY OLIVIA RICHMAN 555 participants have raised over and fight back against the dis- together, especially for causes NEWS STAFF WRITER Worcester Tech $71,215 towards cancer research, ease that has affected so many such as the American Cancer SOUTHBRIDGE — The cancer treatment, patient care of us.” Society, said Falco. in Division 3 dis- Relay For Life of the Greater and cancer prevention. The goal The Relay for Life of Greater “I was talking to a volunteer Southbridge Area is ready to go. is to raise $220,000. The bulk of Southbridge is one of the top 25 yesterday,” said Falco. “We were trict quarterfinal From Friday, June 12 to that money is raised at the Relay Relays in New England. In 2014, saying that Southbridge may be Page A10 Saturday, June 13, 57 Relay for Life itself. Southbridge ranked 12th out a small town but there’s a lot of for Life teams will come out to “All of the money goes to a of 256 Relay For Life events in people who have been affected McMahon Field to socialize, cel- really great cause and it’s a real- Massachusetts. That year they by cancer. Sometimes in areas ebrate cancer survivors, remem- ly fun event,” said Community had 54 teams and 743 total par- that don’t have a lot, they tend to ber those that have been lost to Manager for the Relay For Life ticipants, and 174 of those par- give the most.” Contact the cancer, raise more money for Lauren Falco. “It’s a huge com- ticipants were cancer survivors. Another reason that Tribune editor the American Cancer Society munity event. So many people According to Falco, this year’s Southbridge raises so much at aminor@ and raise awareness. The event from Southbridge and surround- Relay for Life is looking to be is the dedication of the Relay is free and open to the general ing towns come out. So many even bigger. for Life teams that hold fund- stonebridgepress.com public. people have been affected. It’s A lot of people in Southbridge Turn To RELAY, A16 As of press time, 57 teams and good to remember those we lost and the surrounding area come page 2 • Friday, June 12, 2015 BLACKSTONE VALLEY TRIBUNE TRIBUNE ALMANAC 8x7-9x7 Steel Liftmaster 1/2 hp QUOTATION OF THE WEEK 2 Sided Insulated Chain Drive Garage Door “For one night people from all walks r-value 9.65 Inc, standard hardware & 7ft Opener of life and from many different areas track, 8 color & 3 panel design options $270 come together for a common cause. $570 inc Installation Come check out our event, feel the inc Installation price matching available on all written quotes strength and hope offered by so many, many that are strangers or friends we haven’t met yet. We can’t sum up our event in words that would ever accu- rately describe it well enough so come be part of the experience and see and feel it for yourselves.” All In-stock Wallpaper Valley Tech - Relay for Life of Greater Southbridge Co-Chair Jackie Brogna, $12.50 Double Roll budget earns commenting on this year’s event, slated $ 6.50 15’ Borders unanimous to start on June 12. approval Drive a little to choose a lot UPTON — A 505 Worcester St., minimal budget OPEN TO CLOSE Call us today: 508.234.6800 Southbridge, MA increase of 1.65 per- 01550 cent has earned a Northbridge Town Manager 100 percent approv- (508) 234-2095 508-764-2075 al rating from Northbridge Town Clerk member communi- (508) 234-2001 ties of the Blackstone Valley Vocational Northbridge Middle School, Pleasant Regional School District. Street, Whitinsville (508) 234-8718 Final votes on the fiscal 2016 oper- Northbridge Elementary School, 87 ational blueprint for the Blackstone Linwood Ave., Whitinsville (508) 234- Valley Regional Vocational Technical 5264 High School were cast on June 4, when Northbridge High School, Linwood Upton became the 13th district town to Avenue, Whitinsville (508) 234-6221 approve the plan at town meeting. With a Balmer School, Crescent Street, $21,317,222 bottom line, the approved bud- Whitinsville (508) 234-8161 get utilized a litany of cost-containment Grammar & Primary Schools, Cross initiatives to reach a minimal increase Street, Whitinsville (508) 234-6346 of 1.65 percent, and kept member-town Special Education Department, assessments at the state minimum by 87 Linwood Ave. Whitinsville drawing on $250,000 in available reserves (508) 234-8701 funds and incorporating the projected Douglas Primary School, 17 Gleason receipt of grants, gifts, and additional Court, Douglas (508-476-2154) revenue sources. Douglas Elementary School, According to Superintendent-Director 19 Davis Street, Douglas (508-476-4200) Dr. Michael Fitzpatrick, the minimal Douglas Middle School, 21 Davis increase was made possible by cost-con- Street, Douglas (508-476-3332) tainment measures such as refinanc- Douglas High School, 33 Davis Street, ing existing debt, earning an improved Douglas 508-476-4100 bond rating from Moody’s Investment Douglas Special Education Services, and negotiating with healthcare Department, 17 Gleason Court (508- providers to secure an insurance line 476-4034) item decrease. The low budget increase Douglas Superintendent’s Office, was further facilitated by ongoing 21 Davis Street, Douglas (508-476-7901) efforts to improve efficiencies in Valley Uxbridge Town Manager Tech’s facilities, including upgrades to (508) 278-8600 the building’s boilers, a comprehensive Uxbridge Town Clerk study of the plumbing system, and the (508) 278-3156 school-wide consolidation of printers and Uxbridge High School, 300 Quaker copiers. Highway, Uxbridge (508) 278-8633 Although only two-thirds of District McCloskey Middle School communities needed to approve the bud- , 62 Capron get to make it official, School Committee Street, Uxbridge (508) 278-8634 Chairman Joseph M. Hall of Bellingham Whitin Elementary School, 120 said that approval from all 13 towns was Granite St., Uxbridge (508) 278-8640 an equally important milestone. Taft Early Learning Center, 16 “The School Committee did its part to Granite St., Uxbridge (508) 278-8643 help District towns by limiting the budget Special Education (508) 278-8654 increase to less than 2 percent, keeping Veterans Agent (Northbridge, assessments at the required state min- Douglas, Uxbridge and Sutton) imum, and responsibly drawing from Ron Tetreau (508) 234-9808 reserve funding,” Hall said. “Unanimous approval tells us that voters recognized and appreciated those efforts.” Fitzpatrick shared Hall’s appreciation for the unanimous approval rating, not- ing that the District’s annual goal is to advance the quality of a Valley Tech REAL ESTATE education while presenting voters with a justifiable budget request worthy of their DOUGLAS support. “Although many of us wish we could $133,885, Webster Road and Route say the same about the Red Sox, we are 16, Robert Patton TR, Robert E. Patton very pleased to see Valley Tech’s bud- TR and Douglas Woods Development get batting one-thousand this spring,” Trust to James M. Sullivan Fitzpatrick commented. $33,750, Webster Road and Route Fitzpatrick added that Valley Tech will 16, James A Seraphin and Tami J.