Norwood May 2016

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Page 2 Local Town Pages www.norwoodtownnews.com May 2016 DISTRACTED continued from page 1 One Norwood resident knows this all too well. Tom Brannelly lost his 24 year old daughter Katie in 2013 to a distracted driver. “She was crossing the street in the center of Norwood on March 2nd, 2012, with her boyfriend Dom and her friend Kerri," Brannelly said. "Dom was able to push Kerri out of the way, but he and Katie were hit.” Katie sustained a traumatic brain injury and after several weeks in the Intensive Care Unit was transferred to a rehabilitation center, where she was in a minimal awareness coma; a shell of the vibrant young woman who was due to graduate from Bridgewater State University cum laude and who wanted to spend her life helping children. “For 15 months, my wife Valerie, our children Marty and Janeen, and her boyfriend Dom (who has since made a full recovery) visited Katie every day, spending, 10 to 12 hours a day talking to her, encouraging her, looking for any little sign of progress.” Brannelly said. “She became our whole life.” CLIP THIS AD TO USE COUPONS THROUGH SEPTEMBER! Honorable Mention For Chinese Restaurant in Westwood Readers Choice Award 2004, 2005 & 2006 Gift Certificates Available FREE Large order With any purchase of $20 or more. Choose from: Crab Rangoon, Vegetable Lo Mein, Peking Ravioli or Pork Fried Rice Westwood Jade Restaurant • 781-407-9229 With this coupon. Coupon good after 4 pm. Not valid with other offers. Offer expires 9/30/16. But, Katie ultimately lost her life due to complications from the injuries sustained in the motor vehicle crash. Evidence later revealed that the 25 year-old driver, a Suffolk law student, had either received or sent eight text messages before the crash, including one minute before, and was likely texting at the time. “Why?”, Brannelly asked. “What was so important that required eight texts from Boston to Norwood–that’s a text every three or four minutes. The woman was not convicted.” He believes it is a gross injustice. Brannelly continues to grieve. The pain is permanently etched on his face. He says he visits Katie’s gravesite every day, sometimes three times a day. “The pain does not go away,” Brannelly said. Brannelly has been very active in trying to put an end to distracted driving and is determined that Katie’s death serve some positive purpose. In December of 2015, Brannelly was contacted by Representative Cory Atkins and asked to speak on the issue of distracted driving. Atkins is the sponsor of a bill that would ban hand-held cell phone use while behind the wheel. Westwood Jade Restaurant WE DELIVER! $2 delivery charge (Westwood, Norwood, Dedham) CANTONESE & SZECHUAN CUISINE 220 Providence Pike Route 1 • Westwood 781-407-9229 Open 7 days a week: Mon. - Thurs. 11am - 10pm Fri. & Sat. 11am- 10:30pm • Sun. Noon - 10pm fax: 781-407-9339 FREE Large order of spring rolls 2006 or small pork fried rice With any purchase of $15 or more. Westwood Jade Restaurant • 781-407-9229 With this coupon. Coupon good after 4 pm. Not valid with other offers. Offer expires 9/30/16. FREE General Gua’s Chicken or Sesame Chicken With any purchase of $30 or more. Westwood Jade Restaurant • 781-407-9229 With this coupon. Coupon good after 4 pm. Not valid with other offers. Offer expires 9/30/16. View our menu at www.westwoodjade.webs.com Simple Steps We Can Take For Safer Driving Do your part to put an end to distracted driving. Below is EndDD’s checklist of simple steps you can take to avoid being a distracted driver and to protect yourself, your friends, family and others from preventable crashes. 1. Drive without reading or sending texts, snapchatting, using the internet, Facebook or social media of any kind. 2. Call/text before I start driving to let parents, friends and others know when I’ll arrive. 3. Wait to text or call others until they have stopped driving. 4. Pull over to a safe location to check texts, social media, or listen to voice mail. 5. Deputize my passenger when I am driving to text or make calls for me. 6. When alone, turn my cell phone off before starting to drive. 7. Stop texting, or end phone conversations with others once I learn they are driving. 8. Pull over to a safe location or wait until I am finished driving to eat or apply make-up. 9. Pull over to a safe location or wait until I am finished driving to adjust music, scroll through I-Pods, I -phones or similar devices. 10. When being driven by a distracted driver ask the driver to drive safer. 11. As a passenger, share the responsibility for arriving safely with my driver and offer help so my driver does not drive distracted. When it was his time to speak, he held up an enlarged photo of Katie and said: “I’m here because she’s not.” He wanted legislators to be able to put a face to the issue of distracted driving. Massachusetts already has a law banning texting while driving, but many drivers continue to do it while behind the wheel, often hiding their phones in their laps. Advocates for a hands-free phone option say it will improve public safety. “It might also help police enforce the current laws,” Brannelly said. But Brannelly said he believes the Legislature should go one step further and ban all cell phone use in vehicles while they are moving. He has been in regular contact with Jeff Larason, the State’s Highway Safety Director, who DESOUSA PLASTERING No Job Too Big or Too Small PLASTER • BLUEBOARD • DRYWALL Rafael DeSousa • 508-939-1664 WARNING TIME TO INSPECT YOUR TREES AFTER THIS WINTER’S STORMS Call the certified arborists at Destito Tree Services for an evaluation. The name you have trusted since 1984. Massachusetts Certified Arborist - Fully Insured Nicholas Destito 781-551-0266 508-699-4532 www.destitotreeservices.com FAMILY OWNED AND OPERATED has been working on the problem. Larason helps keep him informed of Massachusetts initiatives aimed at mitigating the problem. Larason’s division teamed up with state and local police in more than 140 cities and towns in a statewide crackdown of distracted driving for three weeks in April, during Distracted Driving Month, as part of a national campaign called “U Drive. U Text. U Pay.” Larason has said this problem is not limited to teenage drivers. In fact, according to public data, the preponderance of distracted driving fatalities from 2010 to 2013 were caused by adults between the ages of 45 and 64. Brannelly works tirelessly to keep Katie’s memory alive in the hope that another family will not have to go through what his family has endured. He asks that people go to the EndDD site http://www.http://www.enddd. org/end-distracted-driving/ established by Joel Feldman, whose 21-year-old daughter was also killed by a distracted driver. “There is a great deal of information there that might just help save someone’s life,” Brannelly said. Brannelly also hopes to establish a second scholarship at Norwood High School in Katie’s name. Donations to the Katie Brannelly Scholarship fund can be sent to Norwood Bank, 11 Central St., Norwood, MA 02062. Donna Lane is a Norwoodbased writer, lecturer and designer. You can reach her at addictedgardener@verizon.net.
May 2016 Local Town Pages www.norwoodtownnews.com Page 3 Cleveland PTA Scholarship Applications The F.A. Cleveland School PTA will present three scholarships on June 13. Two scholarships will be presented based on special achievement and the third VANDALIZED continued from page 1 all assets at our disposal to find those responsible and hold them accountable.” Billerica Police Chief Daniel Rosa also spoke out about the attacks, stating the department will continue to seek out the culprits. "We are actively investigating this disturbing crime and will continue to do so until we find those responsible," he said in a press release. At St. Catherine’s, the church continues to mourn the attack, but are working toward a resolution. In its weekly bulletin, Father Donohoe expressed the that church and its members were New England “saddened and dismayed” by the vandalism, but noted it is the “hallmark of Christianity” to remain resolved in faith and to pray for the persons responsible. Father Donohoe also stated that the outpouring of support has been uplifting, and that the church is working with various agencies to restore the statue. “Local and out of state contractors have volunteered their skills to help restore the statue,” Father Donohoe wrote. “Numerous contributions, from little children to the Norwood Police Association, have poured in to help in the restoration. Clearly, no amount of black paint could obscure the good will of the people of Norwood and beyond.” Outdoor Power Equipment Parts & Service Lawn Mowers • Lawn Tractors • Snow Blowers Call to Schedule Service PICK-UP & DELIVERY 781-269-1555 242 Pleasant Street, Norwood Inc. Ballistic Services Instant cash paid for your valuable firearms. Call today for a confidential consultation 508-381-0230 • www.neballistic.com MURRAY ROOFING & GUTTERS Roof Replacement Gutter Installation & Clean-outs Gutter Guards Ice Cables Call Steve for a FREE Estimate 617.596.9570 In business since 1984 in Norfolk County on character in memory of former Cleveland School Principal, William P. Kenny. The awards will be given to outstanding young men and women who attended the Cleveland School, are presently residing in Norwood and are graduating from high school in June, 2016. Applicants will be judged on scholastic achievements, extracurricular activities, work experience, citizenship, recommendation of guidance counselor, and essay quality. It is not necessary that the Steve Callahan, Realtor 781.704.5356 Email: Scals@verizon.net candidate plan to continue his/ her education. The awards consist of a $500.00 check and having their names inscribed on a plaque, which hangs in the Cleveland School. Applications are now available from the Guidance Department Foxboro $169,900 Fox Run Condominiums 5 Rooms, 2 Bedrooms, 1 Bath FOR SALE If YOUR DREAMS include Buying, Selling or Renting a home... CALL TODAY for a confidential consultation 601 Washington Street Suite 3, Norwood ❏ ✓ All Makes & Models, Foreign & Domestic ❏ ✓ “Check Engine Lights” ❏ ✓ Alignments ❏ ✓ Towing ❏ ✓ Tune-ups & Scheduled Maintenance ❏ ✓ Suspension & Brakes ❏ ✓ Air Conditioning Service ❏ ✓ Electrical Diagnosis ❏ ✓ Engine & Transmission at Norwood High School, at the Principal’s office at the Cleveland School and on the Cleveland PTA Facebook page. All applica-tions must be returned to the Cleveland School, attn: Mrs. Nancy Coppola, Principal, no later than May 6, 2016. Life’s A Journey Built on the Foundation of YOUR DREAMS and YOUR VISION... Norwood $227,900 Eaton Village Townhouse 4 Rooms, 2 Bedrooms, 1 Bath Tim McCusker, Realtor 781.413.4423 Email: timmccusker@norwoodlight.com Visit us online at www.localtownpages.com BRAKE & ALIGNMENT SPECIALIST Your Neighborhood Auto Repair Shop For Over 30 Years Disc Brake Special Most Cars & Small SUV’s European & Trucks Slightly Higher $ 239.95 Parts & Labor Includes New Pads and Rotors Valid thru June 2016 Joe Gill, Owner/ASE Certified Technician 781-762-1858 81 Cedar Street, Norwood 4 High Speed Wheel Balance & Front End Alignment $ 119.95 Parts & Labor, Tax Included No need to mention you have a coupon just bring it with you at pick-up. Oil & Filter Change Up to 5 Qrts & A/C Recharge up to 2lbs Freon for only $ 100.00 Most Foreign & Domestic Cars, European Cars Slightly Higher Valid thru June 2016
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Norwood May 2016

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