Mailed free to requesting homes in Webster, Dudley and the Oxfords 508-764-4325 Complimentary to homes by request ONLINE: WWW.WEBSTERTIMES.NET “You cannot escape the responsibility of tomorrow by evading it today.” Friday, March 5, 2010 A TRIP TO THE ‘TOTEM POLE’ Earth removal fines revisited ATTORNEY GENERAL RULES FEES TOO HIGH BY JOY RICHARD office and received by the town TIMES STAFF WRITER Thursday, Feb. 18, the earth DUDLEY — Mandated by the removal bylaw went along with Attorney General, what the state man- selectmen voted dated in all but two Monday to revise a areas, which were as bylaw voted into far as fees were con- effect during the last cerned. special Town “We had fees high- Meeting. er than allowed by The Board of the state in two Selectmen voted to instances,” said make necessary Runkle. changes to the Earth Originally the Joy Richard photo Removal bylaw dur- town voted that fees WEBSTER — On Friday, Feb. 26, Webster Times Editor Adam Minor and Staff Writer Joy Richard paid a visit to Bartlett High ing its Monday, for unlawful earth School, where they spoke with Van Constantine’s Journalism class about their job duties, the newspaper industry and tips March 1 meeting. removal be set at a on good reporting. Students pictured include Peter Connors, Matthew James, Marissa Lussier, Devin Mongeau, Peter Olson, Selectman and Town first offense costing Kristi Willis, Shane Burns, Kristen Cameron, Crystal Cintron, Michael Duteau, Brain Humphrey, Thomas James, Antonio Lopez Planner Nancy Nancy Runkle $100, a second Jr., Tahisha Mercado, Maura O’Halloran, Danielle Moran, Ryan Munch, Kevin Owens, Zachary Rainey and Rosa Mia Snape. Runkle explained to offense at $1,000 and the board that any other offense at according to Massachusetts $5,000. Attorney General Martha Runkle said according to the Coakley’s office, the town of Dudley Attorney General’s office, the high- had originally set the fines for est a fee could be for these fines was unlawful earth removal too high $5 for a first offender, $100 for a sec- when they voted the bylaw into ond offense and all other offenses effect during the 2009 annual fall would be $200. Goodbye, Town Meeting held Nov. 9, 2009. The board agreed to vote in these Runkle said according to a letter David sent by the Attorney General’s Turn To EARTH, page A17 STONEBRIDGE PRESS Party of 29 in court OWNER DIES AT 66 BY WALTER BIRD JR. Courtesy photo STONEBRIDGE PRESS STAFF WRITER David S. Cutler, 1943-2010, co-owner of Stonebridge Press. The Webster Times family mourns the passing of David displayed his trademark humor him, and I know I never will Cutler, co-owner of Stonebridge and wit, visited briefly with edito- again. Press Newspapers, who suc- rial staff and took part in an exec- “I met David Cutler 20 years ago, cumbed to cancer at home early utive meeting. and I liked him from the moment I Sunday morning at the age of 66. His passing leaves a void most at met him. The longer I knew him, Diagnosed last August with Stonebridge Press know will the more I grew to admire him as metastasized bilary cancer, Cutler never be filled, a sentiment a great man, a great friend, and a continued doing what he loved — expressed by President and larger than life force in the com- working in and around newspa- Publisher Frank Chilinski. munity news business.” pers — even as he underwent “David had instincts for commu- Cutler spent his final days weekly chemotherapy treatments. nity journalism like no one else I receiving hospice care at home During what would be his last have ever met,” Chilinski said under the loving attention of his visit to Stonebridge Press head- Sunday night, hours after deliver- wife, Catherine. He received many quarters in Southbridge two ing the somber news to his man- weeks ago, an ailing Cutler still agers. “I’ve never met anyone like Turn To DAVID, page A16 A group of area residents stands in Dudley District Court Tuesday where they were charged with possession of alcohol under 21. MOST CHARGED WITH UNDERAGE DRINKING Hill ready to ‘dodge’ for Darfur ACCEPT DEAL TO EXPUNGE RECORD BY JOY RICHARD BY RYAN GRANNAN-DOLL said they could land back in TIMES STAFF WRITER STONEBRIDGE PRESS STAFF WRITER court. DUDLEY — Many causes are DUDLEY — Most of those bust- Two of those arrested at the supported for a time and then ed at an under-age drinking party party are under 16 and consid- fade away as the years move for- last weekend accepted a deal last ered juveniles and were not in ward, but for local Student Tuesday morning, Feb. 23, that court Tuesday. Council members, they will could expunge their legal Among those who did appear in always have room in their hearts records. court was Joseph Russell, 18, of for one region in Africa. At the same time, police are 63 Old Worcester Road, Charlton, Students, teachers and staff at being criticized for their han- accompanied by his father, Shepherd Hill Regional High dling of the incident Saturday, Worcester Telegram & Gazette School will show their support Feb. 20, during which Charlton Editor Gerald Russell. for the province of Darfur located and State Police arrested 29 peo- “I think Judge Snider and the in Sudan Friday, March 5, in the ple attending a party at 22 City assistant district attorney … Third Annual Dodge Ball for Depot Road. Most of the partygo- were very compassionate and Darfur event. The games will be ers, according to police, were handled this in the best possible held in the school’s gym at 7 p.m., under 21 and drinking alcohol. way,” Gerald Russell said and tickets at the door will be $3. In Dudley District Court, Judge Tuesday evening. All of the money raised during Neil Snider offered defendants Duane Williams, 21, of Auburn, the event will go straight to the the choice of paying a $50 court did not enter a plea Tuesday dur- citizens living in the Darfur fine and attending an “honor ing a hearing at Dudley District region, via the Save Darfur court” meeting, which is similar Court, where the others Coalition charity.The genocide in to an Alcoholics Anonymous appeared, according to court Joy Richard photo Darfur began in 2003 and the vio- meeting. The deal, he told them, records, and is scheduled for a lence and complicated political Shepherd Hill Regional High School students Morgan Hill, 15, Sam Miller, 16, Leo means the incident would not Wednesday, March 17 pre trial Harmon, 15, Konstantinos Karamannis, 14, Dylan Pehil, 15, Kerry Walsh, 15, appear on their records. If they Turn To DARFUR, page A16 Kelsey Hayes, 16, Adam Banks, 16 and Connor Gillespie, 16, take a break from failed to meet the deal, Snider preparing for the Dodge Ball for Darfur event, after school Thursday, Feb. 25. Turn To BUSTED, page A15 Seniors ................. A5 Obituaries ............. B2 LEARNING SPORTS Learning .............A6-7 Events Calendar ...... B3 ST. JOSEPH SCHOOL WELCOMES BOUTILETTE Viewpoint ............. A10 Real Estate ........Sect.B Sports ..................A12 Legal Notices ..... Sect.B EXCHANGE STUDENTS BREAKS 1,000 PAGE A6 PAGE A12 INDEX 2 • THE WEBSTER TIMES • Friday, March 5, 2010 www.webstertimes.net Schools reveal $46.3M preliminary budget ALMANAC BY RYAN GRANNAN-DOLL that we have,” he said. QUOTE OF THE WEEK STONEBRIDGE PRESS STAFF WRITER Enrollment figures were also a concern for CHARLTON — The fiscal 2011 budget for the Charlton Middle School. Chairman the Dudley-Charlton Regional School District Geraldine Nowicki said the district should “David had instincts was unveiled last week, with officials cau- monitor enrollment to spot any sudden tioning it is based on three major factors out jumps. Projected enrollment, however, is 787, for community of their control. lower than this year’s final number of 809, The $46,359,447 preliminary budget, which according to the school’s initial budget. journalism like no the School Committee approved at its Student teacher ratios would be down next Wednesday, Feb. 24 meeting at the Charlton year to 24.5:1 from 26:1. one else I have Middle School, is based on the assumption The burgeoning class concerns came as state aid funding will remain at its current officials noted the declining enrollment it has ever met … proposed levels. seen over the past several years. Gilrein said Gov.Deval Patrick’s budget calls for the dis- the numbers had dropped by 54 since last I’ve never met anyone trict to receive $24,412,589 in Chapter 70 gen- year and about 100 over the past two years. eral aid, the same as this year, and $1,184,210 “Our numbers at all of our schools are like him, and I know in transportation aid, down from $1,1540,695 down,” he said. this year. State lawmakers still have to pro- Gilrein said the figures will likely start to I never will again.” pose their own budgets and then settle on a increase again as the economy starts to final plan that could result in lower educa- recover. - Stonebridge Press President and tion aid. It is also based on level funding of Many of the principals last week asked for special education statewide. money for several improvements to their Publisher Frank Chilinski, remarking Overall, the school budget is 1.7 percent buildings. Charlton Middle School Principal on the passing of the company’s higher than this year’s and does not call for Dean Packard asked for $10,000 to refinish the co-owner David Cutler. any additional positions, but does include gymnasium floor and paint a new logo on it.