September 13, 2012 pdf edition - Quaboag Current

YOUR LOCAL
✓
A weekly source to local happenings.
Send all community calendar items to the editor
at tkane@turley.com, or through regular mail at
80 Main St., Ware, MA 01069. Final deadline for
all calendar submissions is Friday at noon the week
before intended publication.
Compiled by Tim Kane
tkane@turley.com
THE WEEK AHEAD
ROCKET CONTEST ENTRIES NEEDED The New Braintree Town Fair
Committee is looking for children who would be interested in entering
a rocket contest for the town fair on Sept. 15. We are also looking
for vendors with either crafts, demonstrations, or food to set up during
the fair. Spaces are $25. Please contact Cindy Cheever @508-
867-6065 or Cindy.cheever@yahoo.com.
SHIRLEY BATSIE MEMORIAL ROSE SALE on Sept 12 to 15. One
dozen roses only $8. Sponsored by Otto Florist & Gifts to benefi t Baystate
Regional Cancer Program. Pre-orders accepted for quantities
of 5 dozen or more by calling Otto Florist 413-967-5381 by 9/11/12.
Other sale locations will be announced soon.
2012 QHCC ANNUAL GOLF TOURNAMENT on Friday, Sept. 14 at
Cold Spring Country Club, 336 Chauncey Walker Street, Belchertown.
Enjoy a relaxing day of golf at the newest golf course in our area!
Registration 10 a.m. Shotgun Start 11 a.m. Dinner at approximately
4 p.m. For fee/admission information call 413-283-2418 or email
patty@qhma.com. Not a golfer? Please consider donating to the
Raffl e Table or Sponsoring a Tee.
JOIN US FOR THE SECOND in our Benefi t Concert Series on Friday,
Sept.14 at 7:30 p.m. Legendary Uillean piper, Paddy Keenan,
accompanied by Gene Durkee on guitar will bring their special brand
of traditional Irish music back to First Congregational, West Brookfi
eld, UCC. (36 N. Main St.) Since Paddy fi rst played there in June of
2011, he has been honored with a lifetime achievement award by
the Irish Music Association. Call the church offi ce to reserve a seat
at 508-867-7078. Tickets are $15 in advance, and $18 at the door,
with children’s admission just $10. Some proceeds will benefi t the
Children of Mali through the efforts of Save the Children. Also, visit
the church Facebook page for more details.
THE EAST BROOKFIELD PUBLIC LIBRARY is hosting a QUILT SHOW
and a FALL FLOWERS SHOW during the Connie Mack Day celebration
on Saturday, Sept. 15. Ribbons for fi rst, second and third place will be
awarded by “People’s Choice” vote during the show. Please enter your
quilts and fresh fl ower arrangements.... Now is your time to display
your creativity. Old and antique quilts welcomed! Please call 508-867-
7928 or come to the library for applications and show details.
POKER RUN to BENEFIT SECOND CHANCE ANIMAL SHELTER on
Saturday, Sept. 15. Registration begins at 9:30 a.m. Poker run starts
at the shelter’s Pet Wellness and Education Center at 372 N. Main
Street, N. Brookfi eld, MA. $20.00 for riders, $15.00 for passengers
(includes cookout). Details at http://www.secondchanceanimals.
org/events.html.
THE HAYLOFT STEPPERS SQUARE DANCE CLUB is holding a Special
“Advanced” dance on Sunday, Sept. 16 from 2 p.m. to 4:30 p.m.
(No rounds). The caller is Don Batcheldor. Admission is $7 per person.
The club is located at 232 Podunk Road in Sturbridge. For information
on our next beginner class, call Moe at (508) 867-8036 or Al at (413)
436-7849 or visit our website at www.hayloftsteppers.org
Don’t wait any longer!
Start saving money on your
heating bill when you heat
your entire home, water,
and more with the safe,
comfortable heat of a
Central Boiler outdoor
wood furnace.
Save up to
$ 1,100
on all Central E-Classic
Outdoor Wood Furnace Models*
*Instant rebate savings up to $1,100 on select in-stock Central Boiler outdoor furnace models.
Option to choose a rebate for a gas ignition kit ($1,100 value) or for an instant rebate only up to $600.
A Turley Publication • www.turley.com I Thursday, September 13, 2012 PAGE 3
Bridge project overwhelmingly passes at STM
-BROOKFIELD-
By Jennifer Grybowski
Turley Publications Reporter
With 226 people showing
up to Brookfi eld’s
Special Town Meeting
(STM) Friday night, 70 more than
the Annual Town Meeting in June
which saw only 156 voters, it was
clear the Quaboag River Bridge
project weighed heavy on the
townspeople’s minds.
The language in the article asked
voters to give the town permission
to secure temporary and permanent
easements for construction
purposes; to exchange a parcel it
owns near the bridge with a parcel
the Division of Fisheries and Wildlife
owns, so that construction can
commence; and to dispose of the
property owned by the state to be
used in connection with the bridge
construction.
Before the vote was taken,
West Brookfi eld Board of Selectmen Notebook
By Jen Robert
Reporter
Viridian Energy presents
alternative energy option
WEST BROOKFIELD - Two
alternative energy groups were
slated on the agenda for the Tuesday,
Sept. 4 Board of Selectmen
meeting. Viridian Energy was
present with representatives from
Wilbraham, Hardwick and Barre,
explaining how the alternative energy
program works, and what the
potential benefi ts to the consumer
might be. Viridian explained that
they do not solicit door to door, nor
make cold calls to consumers in the
area, but rather have a vast wealth
of information to provide to consumers
who contact them. Viridian
Energy says they are, “a socially
responsible energy company providing
clean energy choices at competitive
prices. Viridian was found-
Visit us on
the web
www.turley.com
Board of Selectmen Chair Stephen
Comtois made a presentation
to voters about exactly what the
project would entail. He outlined
the work to be done, how abutting
properties would be affected and
pointed out changes that had been
made due to requests by White’s
Landing owners James Correia
and Patti White.
“I was not in favor of this [at the
ATM],” Comtois said. “I was uneducated.
The owners said, ‘The town
wants to take my land,’ and I said,
‘Absolutely not.’ But we don’t want
their land. We are asking for easements
to complete the project.”
He also shot down the notion
that there could be an alternative
plan for the bridge. He said the
alternative plan, which had only
been talked about with no plans
drawn up, would leave the crumbling
footings below and replace
the bridge span only, something he
compared to putting a new house
on an old foundation.
ed with the vision to empower our
customers to make a difference in
the environment and their personal
lives simply by switching energy
providers.” Utilizing alternative energy
sources, local solar farms were
one example cited, Viridian offers
customers a choice in their energy
provider and strives to decrease the
carbon footprint and collective impact
of energy consumers on the environment.
Customers who choose
to use an alternative energy source
will still continue to receive a bill
from National Grid, and will see a
small line item on their bill for delivery
charge, as the electrical lines
are owned by National Grid. Rates
for electricity would be determined
by vendor, and Viridian offers both
fl exible and fi xed rate options.
Viridian informed the board that
a consumer is also free to change
providers at any time. The other
company scheduled to appear before
the board did not appear. They
do solicit door to door.
NOTICE
ERRORS: Each advertiser
is requested to check
their advertisement the
first time it appears.
This paper will not be
responsible for more
than one corrected insertion,
nor will be liable
for any error in
an advertisement to a
greater extent than the
cost of the space occupied
by the item in the
advertisement.
“We are asking you tonight to
allow the Board of Selectmen to
manage this project,” Comtois said.
“We cannot do this project without
asking permission to legally do this
to someone’s property.”
The article also asked voters to
approve $30,000 to fund the project.
That amount is the number
determined by the Board of Assessor’s
offi ce, based on the tax rolls,
to be suffi cient reimbursement for
the properties taken.
Advisory Committee Chair Gerald
Johnson said his committee invited
Correia and White to make a
presentation to the committee and
although they said they would,
they didn’t.
“There seemed to be a difference
of information and a difference of
opinion out there and we wanted to
see if we could resolve that,” Johnson
said. “But we never had the opportunity.”
Johnson said his committee
See STM I PAGE 6
Dog hearing has
amicable outcome
The Board of Selectmen brought
before them Kennith and Cindy
Bliss and William Blanchard in the
matter of a hearing involving the
Bliss’s dog. Blanchard alleged that
the dog had been loose, and repeatedly
tried to attack his own dog.
Bliss explained to the board that he
has been very ill, and that his dog
simply got away from him. He was
apologetic to both the board and
Blanchard, his neighbor. The board
ordered that the Bliss’s are to keep
the dog on a chain from now on,
and warned that further incidence
could result in a mandate of fencing
the yard or getting rid of the dog.
Bliss was amenable to the requirement,
expressed his apology and
shook hands with Blanchard.
The next Board of Selectmen
meeting is scheduled for Sept. 18 at
6:15 p.m.
SKIN PROBLEM?
Trust a Dermatologist!
JOEL P. GORDON, M.D.
Certified, American Board of Dermatology
Dermatology &
Dermatologic Surgery
Skin Cancer, Moles and Other Skin
Growths, Acne, Warts, Rashes
85 South St., Ware • (413) 967-2246
Five Star
Gardens
Fall is for planting!
Landscaping and Design
Walkways ~ Patio ~ Walls
Rte 32 North • Palmer MA
413-283-4900
fi vestargardens.com