The YankeeXpress

NORTH EDITION: Auburn & Oxford

CROSSTOWN ADS & BUSINESS NEWS

Dori Vecchio, Auburn’s New Town

Manager, Plans Auburn Future

BY JANET STOICA

jstoica@TheYankeeXpress.com

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25 Union Street, 4th Floor,

Worcester, MA 01608

For Dori Vecchio, 1998 was a

very good year. It was then

that she began her career in

public service specifically in the

city of Worcester. Armed with

her Bachelor’s Degree in Business

Administration with a

concentration in Accounting,

along with her Master’s Degree

in Public Administration from

Clark University combined

with her Massachusetts Certification

as a Public Purchasing

Official, she stepped onto the

first rung of the civil service

ladder. When she was hired as

the Director of Administration

in the Worcester Parks

Department, Vecchio found

her niche.

“There was a lot of accounting

and staff management,”

said Vecchio. “The longer I’m

involved in government, the

better I realize the reason I’m

here. It’s to assist our town

residents, to resolve their issues,

and to speak with them about any

town situation whether positive

or negative. In all the municipal

positions I’ve held, this is where I

get the most satisfaction. I aspire

to get things done, so that fits well

with what I enjoy accomplishing

and I have a great staff that helps

me do it. The best part is that I

thoroughly enjoy working with

our Auburn residents and town

employees. I enjoy having them

be part of the decision-making

process. We are not separate entities;

we are united in our goals. I

feel that I am a team manager and

I want their input and feedback to

make the best of every decision for

our town. I very much look forward

to our residents’ feedback.”

On Monday, September 8, the

Auburn Select Board voted to appoint

Paul Dell’Aquila as Auburn’s

new Assistant Town Manager/

Economic Development Director.

Mr. Dell’Aquila’s experience as

Boylston’s Town Planner will serve

him well in his new position.

“He will focus on and oversee

our Economic Development and

Planning Division,” said Vecchio.

“He will work with our town

employees to develop an economic

plan to bring more business to

town. It’s our town priority and

my own priority. This is an area of

Auburn that needs attention. We

need to develop strong relationships

with commercial property

owners.

Currently, Stephen Coleman,

the Chief of our Auburn Fire Rescue

Department, has become our

part-time Assistant Town

Manager. He has a dual role

because of his immense

amount of expertise in the

town of Auburn and government

in general as well

as his excellent communication

skills.”

Ms. Vecchio has been

with the town of Auburn

since March of 2023 when

she was hired as the Assistant

Town Manager/

Human Resource Director.

Her goals for Auburn are to

reduce residential tax rates

as she is very much aware of

senior citizens’ challenges in

this area.

“We hope to reduce the

residential tax rate while

bringing in new business.

Mr. Dell’Aquila’s focus will be in

this area. We also want to manage

our 40B development while having

a positive impact on our residents’

lives with beneficial events and

programs and increased activity.

We look forward to mixeduse

development,” said Vecchio.

Chapter 40B is a state statute,

which enables local Zoning Boards

of Appeals to approve affordable

housing developments under flexible

rules if at least 20-25% of the

units have long-term affordability

restrictions.

Diane

Casey-Luong

recently received the

Outstanding Service

award from Homes

for Heroes.Only 3 are

given out in the

nation.

Firefighters and EMS

Law Enforcement

Military and Veterans

Healthcare Professionals

Teachers

Oxford DPW Projects

Improve Roadways,

Schools, and Dams

BY JANET STOICA


Oxford is moving rapidly

along this fiscal year with

many new street pavings

and safety improvements. Recent

projects include the resurfacing of

Maple Avenue, Millbury Boulevard,

and Virginia Lane. DPW

workers have done a superior job

on these projects and are to be

commended for their hard work.

There were many more street

resurfacings planned this fiscal

year as opposed to a very small

number in previous years. There

are a total of 11 resurfacings this

fiscal year that include Cherdon

Lane, Depot Road (Main Street

to Depot Road), Maple Avenue,

Millbury Road (28 Millbury Road

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– Federal Hill Road), Millbury

Boulevard, Newton Avenue,

North Water Drive, Norwood

Court, Old Depot Road, Thayer

Street, and Virginia Lane. These

streets will be/have been milled

and paved to enhance their structure

and rideability. The DPW

expects this reconstruction to

extend the life of the listed streets

by 12-15 years.

According to the town’s DPW

website, an expected Main Street

project is set for the summer of

2027 and is classified as a Main

Street TIP project (Transportation

Improvement Program). The

project entails the reconstruction

OXFORD

continued on page 3

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2 The Yankee Xpress • www.theyankeexpress.com • September 26, 2025

Paul Dell’Aquila Appointed as Auburn’s New

Assistant Town Manager

BY JANET STOICA


On Monday, September 8, the

Auburn Selectboard appointed

Mr. Paul Dell’Aquila as

their new Assistant Town Manager

and Economic Development

Director on the recommendation

of Town Manager Dori Vecchio.

“Paul will start with the Town of

Auburn on Monday, Sept. 22nd.

He will oversee the planning division

and the economic development

division. He has a wealth

of experience working in municipalities,

in planning and economic

development. At the same time, I

am able to keep on Fire Chief Steve

Coleman part-time to handle some

major projects that I am working

on all staying within the Town

Meeting approved budget. I am

excited to have both of these men

work with me to continue to move

this town forward with a focus

on bringing in development and

housing in areas outlined within

our housing production plan and

our strategic plan while at the same

time preserving our neighborhoods

and ultimately sharing the

tax burden in a way that reduces

the burden for homeowners,”

stated Town Manager Vecchio.

According to Mr. Dell’Aquila, he

has been a professional planner for

the past 10 years in Central Massachusetts

in housing, environmental

quality, public safety, and state

zoning requirements. He has built

an extensive network of colleagues

at the municipal, state, and federal

levels who have been vital in securing

grants through the One Stop,

LAND/PARC, and Community

Development Block Grant (CDBG)

programs. He has promoted

economic development while

employed with the town of Spencer

including downtown revitalization

projects that included state

and federal grants, disposition of

public properties through proposal

requests, business requirement,

reuse of a retail plaza, and creative

placemaking.

His most recent position with

the Town of Boylston involved

the development of over 1 million

square feet of new warehouse space

and the development of a friendly

40B project that tripled the town’s

affordable housing stock. He also

served as the lead staffer on the

creation of a Master Plan for a 300-

acre municipal complex balancing

open space and recreational uses,

municipal needs with opportunities

to increase housing supply and

to grow the tax base.

Dell’Aquila recently graduated

with distinction from Suffolk

University/Mass. Municipal Association’s

program in Municipal

Leadership and Governance. The

program focused on budgeting,

human resources, law and public

safety, and strategic leadership.

His education includes a Master’s

Degree in Urban Planning

from UCLA and a Bachelor of Arts

Degree from Tufts University. He is

a member of the Massachusetts Association

of Planning Professionals

and the American Institute of Certified

Planners in addition to being

a graduate of Worcester Academy

having received their Mark Levine

Life Award. His background also

includes being an Eagle Scout with

the Boy Scouts of America.

Paul Dell'Aquila Auburn's new Assistant

Town Manager and Economic Dev. Director

Health Care and Your

Retirement Seminar

Medicare Open Enrollment begins

October 15, 2025

The increasing cost of health care is a growing concern for current

and future retirees. In fact, 30 years ago, retirees spent almost twice as

much on food as on health care; now the amounts are nearly equal.

Join us for our presentation where we will discuss:

• Medicare coverage and traditional medical expenses

• Long-term medical care expenses

• Strategies for addressing out-of-pocket expenses

Speakers: Dennis Antonopoulos (Financial Advisor for Edward

Jones) & Lynne Mussulli (Medicare Specialist)

Date: Thursday – September 18, 2025

Time: 5:45pm Registration - 6:00pm Seminar begins

Location: Brookdale Eddy Pond West, 669 Washington Street, Auburn,

MA 01501

To Register: Please call Karen Rieser at 508-832-5385 or email

Karen.rieser@edwardjones.com by Sept. 17. Bring along a guest for

this no cost informational seminar.

A Place to Connect, a Day to Enjoy.

Accord Adult Day Center

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Accord Adult Day Center

provides a safe and engaging

environment for your loved ones

during the day. Our professional

staff offers personalized care,

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Contact us today to learn

more and schedule a visit.

Published on the 2nd and 4th Fridays of the month. Direct mailed to nearly 65,000

homes and businesses each month and available on news stands in the region.

2nd Friday: The YankeeXpress South: Charlton, Dudley, Webster

2nd Friday: Blackstone Valley South: Douglas, Northbridge & Uxbridge

4th Friday: The YankeeXpress North: Auburn, Oxford

4th Friday: Blackstone Valley North: Grafton, Millbury & Sutton

Contact us:

Patty Roy, Editor: proy@theyankeexpress.com

Submit business news and community events to news@theyankeexpress.com

To request advertising info, please email ads@theyankeexpress.com

Jen Schofield, Publisher: The Yankee Xpress, Blackstone Valley Xpress, Local Town

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Millbury, Grafton, Sutton); bcronan@theyankeexpress.com

Kate Carr, The Yankee Xpress North and South (Auburn, Charlton, Dudley, Oxford, and

Webster); katecarr@localtownpages.com

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Contributing Writers and Columnists: Tom D'Agostino, Christine Galeone,

Amy Palumbo-Leclaire, Mark Marzeotti, John Paul, Janet Stoica, Christopher Tremblay

The YankeeXpress/©2025

9 Industrial Road, Milford MA 01757 • 508-943-8784 • www.theyankeexpress.com

September 26, 2025 • www.theyankeexpress.com • The Yankee Xpress 3

Vietnam Recognition

Ceremony

The Chester P. Tuttle American

Legion Post 279, held a

Welcome Home ceremony

on September 6, to recognize

Vietnam Veterans from their post

and from the town of Auburn.

the American Legion, Scott Conner.

He spoke about the committee

that repatriates service

members lost in battle.

After the opening speeches, the

names of each Vietnam Veteran

OXFORD

continued from page 1

of Main Street from Fairlawn

Avenue to Front Street (across

from the Sunoco Station) with

accessible sidewalks, ramps, separated

bike facilities, transit bus

stops, traffic slowing measures,

and traffic signal upgrades at

the downtown intersection. The

estimated project cost as of January

2025 was $19,750,000 and a

partial design was submitted to

the Mass. Dept. of Transportation

for review in December 2024.

Project completion is expected by

the fall of 2029.

McKinstry Pond Dam rehab

was also tentatively scheduled to

begin in early September and to

end in the spring of 2026. The

$727,151 reconstruction project

is classified as a significant

hazard potential structure and

includes installation of temporary

cofferdam systems and dewatering,

construction of concrete

wingwalls, installation of two 24-

inch high-density polyethylene

pipes (known for their strength,

corrosion resistance, and long

lifespan), downstream stone

armor, and reconstruction of 200

feet of Waite Street over the dam

including installation of a stormwater

drainage system.

Additional ongoing town projects

included replacement of approximately

203,000 square feet

of roofing and 10,000 square feet

of siding at Clara Barton School,

Chaffee School, and Oxford High

School. The $5.4 million project

is expected to be completed by

the end of September 2025.

The Lowes Pond Dam Repair

Project was scheduled to begin

in the spring of 2025 and to be

substantially completed by the

end of 2025. The major aspects

of the rehabilitation dam design

include widening the spillway,

adding operational maintenance

features, removing the sluiceway,

constructing new training walls,

removing woody plants from the

dam embankment, and dredging

accumulated sediment upstream

from the dam. The design also

includes restoration of the

disturbed areas with native trees

and shrubs. Final planting and

seeding may occur in either the

fall of 2025 or the spring of 2026.

Total cost is anticipated to be approximately

$3 million. Failure of the dam

may cause damage to downstream

bridges and culverts.

To open the event, those in

attendance went outside to view

Traveling Vietnam Wall, a memorial

tribute to fallen veterans and

owned by the Vietnam Veterans

for the Community. Commander

Rich Larson led a dedication of

the memorial with the national

anthem, a prayer by Chaplain

Don Legasy, a dedication of the

monument representing soldiers

that never made it back, and

Taps.

Inside, Senior Vice Commander

Steve Gallant introduced Ray

Robidoux to read a poem by Red

Burnette. Speakers for the event

were State Sen. Michael Moore

followed by State Rep. Paul Frost.

Town manager Dori Vecchio also

spoke with Vietnam Veterans

for the Community speaker Phil

Madaio following.

The keynote speaker was the

Massachusetts Commander of

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was read out. The Post’s American

Legion Auxiliary pinned a

Vietnam Tribute Lapel Pin each

veteran and gave them a Proclamation

from the President of the

United

States, which they accepted

with gratitude.

A second pinning ceremony

followed for wives that supported

their spouse while they were

in the service. They were each

awarded a Veteran’s Spouse lapel

pin.

A light lunch was served following

the ceremonies.

Thanks are due to the committee

for their hard work in putting

the event together. They were

Chair Steve Gallant, Committee

Members: Millie Larson, Lorie

Zybus, Marsha Robidoux, Mike

McNamara, Ray Robidoux, and

Steve Conway.

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Auburn and the American Revolutionary War (part 6)

The Bancroft Men

The Bancroft name is a very

prominent name in the history

of the town. The Bancroft family

was one of the original families

that helped to form Worcester

South Parish which is what Auburn

was called in the beginning.

Bancroft family names included in

the General Court order that allowed

for the forming of the South

Parish of Worcester were William,

Pheobe, Daniel, Jonas, and David.

In the “American Guide Series

Auburn 1837-1937” book, other

Bancroft names appear and are

given credit for serving in the

Revolutionary War. James and

Jonas were sergeants, William

was a corporal, Jonas Jr., Rahan,

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It’s

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in

and Benjamin were privates. It is

not known how these people are

related or even if these names are

related to each other due to the

naming pattern that was followed

in this time period and a lack of

data.

David Eaton Bancroft was born

in 1718 in Reading. His first wife

Eunice was born in 1719 in Lynn.

She died in 1777. Their children

were Nathaniel, Timothy, Jonas,

Jonathan, Ebenezer, and Mary.

Timothy was the great-grandfather

to Enoch who married Julia F.

Knowles, a.k.a. Julia Bancroft. David

Bancroft was a representative to

the Worcester Provincial Congress

and General Assembly in July of

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1775. He served as a moderator at

the first meeting for South Parish

of Worcester in 1773. David also

served on many town committees

from 1773 -1785: finding the

preacher, overseer of the treasurer,

committee to incorporate, leather

sealer, moderator, church construction,

school committee to name

a few. David moved to Worcester

sometime before his son, Jonas,

was born in 1745. It is likely the

family lived around the Pakachoag

Hill area that was incorporated

into the South Parish of Worcester

in 1773.

Jonas did his part in the Revolutionary

War as a Fourth Sergeant

in Capt. John Crowl’s company

of Colonel Ebenezer Learned’s

regiment out of Oxford, which

marched on the alarm of April 19,

1775. He served eight days according

to “Massachusetts Soldiers and

Sailors who served in the Revolutionary

War.” Jonas married Sarah

Blood of Hollis, New Hampshire in

1769. They had two children, Jonas

II, and John. Jonas also served in

the town government and was

listed as “Major” Jonas Bancroft in

the town minutes of the first meeting

of the “Town of Ward” in 1778.

The Massachusetts colonial

town of Ward was incorporated

in 1778 and named in honor of

Revolutionary War Major General

Artemus Ward. The land that

became the town of Ward was previously

part of the outlying areas

of Worcester, Leicester, Sutton, and

Oxford. Due to the similarity in

spelling to nearby “Ware” the town

was renamed as Auburn in 1837 at

the request of the Post Office.

Jonas Bancroft was appointed

as the fence viewer and in 1782 he

was appointed as a hogreevers for

Ward.

According to a news article

dated March of 1817, Jonas’s farm

was in the southerly part of Ward

and was about ninety-five acres of

pasture and wood lots. The farm

was sold by Jonas Jr. for a down

payment of $600 and the rest on

credit. It was offered as a whole

package or could be broken down

into house lots.

A Daniel Bancroft was listed

on the first warrant for the South

Parish of Worcester on July 6, 1773,

and on the committee July 27. On

August 27 he was moderator for

the first parish meeting. There was

no Daniel Bancroft in the vital

records listing or in the burial

grounds.

“The American Guide Series

Auburn 1837 – 1937” states that

William Bancroft was credited to

Ward and was listed as a Corporal,

in Captain John Crowl’s company

in the Colonel Ebenezer Learned’s

regiment of Oxford which marched

on the alarm of April 19, 1775, and

served 12 days. No record of this

service was listed in the “Massachusetts

Soldiers and Sailors

who served in the Revolutionary

War.” William served the town of

Ward from 1778 – 1782 as sealer of

lumber, on the school squadron for

second district, field driver, fence

viewer, warden and a bondsman

for Benjamin Carter Jr., who didn’t

pay his taxes in 1785. Lastly, he was

a highway supervisor in 1782. In

the birth vital records of Auburn

there was a William married to

Mary, and they had a child Phebe

in November of 1782.

James Bancroft was also listed in

the same book and was a Fourth

Sergeant in the same company as

William, but again no listing in the

“Massachusetts Soldiers and Sailors

who served in the Revolutionary

War.”

As for Phoebe Bancroft being

listed as one of the original

families, women’s information in

this era is very scarce. No Phoebe

was listed as married to any of the

men coming from Worcester. It

could be that she was a widow and

was living on land that was being

included in the South Parish of

Worcester.

Bancroft Street runs between

Pakachoag Street and Millbury

Street, which might have been

where the Bancroft clan had

lived in the 1770s. The Bancroft

name has served the town greatly

through the years and rightly

deserves to have a street named

after them.

This article is made possible by

the Auburn Historical Society &

Museum, 41 South Street. The museum

is open Tuesday and Saturday

mornings 9:30-12:30 and may

be reached at auburnmuseum@

verizon.net or 508-832-6856. Visit

auburnhistoricalmuseum. org or

follow us on Facebook at Auburn

Historical.

Submitted by Helen Poirier of the

Auburn Historical Society

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To Tree or Not To Be

BY JANET STOICA


Being a regular driver on Old

Webster Road, I had noticed,

for quite some time, a

one-armed but proud tree precariously

overhanging the roadway.

It bloomed a little but not much

really and I often observed drivers

scooting over to the left driving

lane to avoid the possibility of that

one-armed tree falling onto their

vehicle. Old Webster Road is a

simple two-lane thoroughfare.

Even though its hazard had been

reported to the local authorities,

they stated that their inspection

revealed the one remaining tree

limb was healthy and no further

action would be taken. Despite the

inspection report, I still drove on

the opposite side of the road if no

oncoming cars were visible and

always noted that most vehicles

driving ahead of me also drove

over to the opposite side of the

road for safety reasons.

I am not the type of person

who ever wants to see a perfectly

healthy tree cut down. After all,

they are our life givers. They take

in human carbon dioxide exhalations,

among other nutrients of

course, and they then expel the

life-giving oxygen we humans desperately

need for our survival upon

this good green earth. Through

the process of photosynthesis, they

improve our air quality, filter pollutants,

and reduce ozone levels.

I could see that this once strong,

sturdy, and gnarly old tree had given

up most of its life many, many years

ago and that whoever had tended to

it had cut most of its other branches

from the main trunk leaving only a

shadow of the once pleasing foliage

with only one long arm remaining.

It was surely a survivor of numerous

amputations due to injury, disease,

or infection. You couldn’t help but

to feel sad for the old guy. He had

given his all to provide shade for

perhaps livestock or landowners for

the past 50+ years.

Left, the tree in question. Right, after removal.

Recently, however, I noticed that

the poor unfortunate one-armed

tree was no longer there. It had

been cut to ground level. The yard

was now open and filled with shiny

new riding lawnmowers for sale

splashed by the sun. Other nearby

trees, however, did provide a nice

level of shade. I felt sad that the old

guy was gone but he most likely

will provide warmth and coziness

to someone’s winter fireplace.

When I contacted the local authority

to ask if they had removed the

tree, they knew nothing about the

removal.

Apparently, the tree’s unusual

but beautiful stature notwithstanding,

it was an obvious driving safety

hazard and had been felled by

the owner of the property. When

I contacted the owner to ask about

the tree’s demise and to thank him

for his activity, he simply stated

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shout-out to the tree’s owner.

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ETIQUETTE EXPRESS

Making Everyday Interactions Better

Etiquette & Leadership Coach helping people show up with confidence, kindness, and credibility.

BY LEE-ANN BARKHOUSE

From the Classroom to the

Sidelines: Respect in Every

Season

As summer winds down, September

brings two big themes:

back-to-school routines and the

excitement of sporting events.

Whether you’re cheering at a game,

navigating school drop-off, or sharing

community spaces, good manners

keep life running smoother

for everyone.

THIS MONTH’S HOT-TOPIC QUES-

TIONS:

Q.

At a sporting event, people

around me stood for long

stretches blocking our view,

kids were disruptive, and parents

seemed more focused on their

phones than the game. It only

calmed down when a child got hurt.

How can I speak up respectfully?

A.

Cheering is part of the

fun—and it should never

come at the expense of

others’ enjoyment. If someone is

blocking your view or letting kids

run wild, a polite, “Excuse me,

would you mind sitting for a bit so

everyone can see?” or “Could you

help keep it down so we can all enjoy

the game?” is usually enough.

If nothing changes, moving seats

or quietly speaking with an usher

helps you stay respectful while

protecting your experience.

Q.

How should parents and

kids handle school pickup

and drop-off lines?

A.

These lines only work

when everyone does their

part. Stay in line, keep

your eyes on the task, and skip the

phone until you’re through. We

are all busy, and showing patience

and kindness—like pulling forward

quickly and respecting staff directions—keeps

the process safe and

stress-free for all.

A Pirate’s Life for Me

BY PATTY ROY

Not all pirate treasure is to

be found in the Caribbean.

In fact, considerable finds

may be much closer to home, as

detailed in “The Legend of the

Oxford Pirate,” a mystery for kids

by Rob Racicot.

What would a pirate be doing

so far inland, you ask. Well, so did

Racicot as he mused on the name

of the Oxford High School sports

teams, “The Pirates.”

The answer may be found in

“The Legend of the Oxford Pirate,”

a middle school coming of age

story for kids set in the author’s

hometown.

The background is this: in Feb.

1717, during the inaptly named

“Golden Age of Piracy,” notorious

buccaneer Captain Sam Bellamy

captured the English transport ship

Whydah Gally near the Bahamas,

along with her cargo of gold, silver,

ivory and jewels. Safeguarded by 28

six-pound cannons on board, Bellamy

commandeered the Whydah

and began a run up along the

eastern seaboard of the American

colonies towards Maine.

Late in April, the Whydah was

storm-driven onto a sandbar off

Cape Cod, splintering apart and

spilling her treasure into the sea

where it lay undisturbed for 260

years.

Racicot picks up the tale at this

point and sets it down again in his

hometown for an enthralling yarn.

The action takes place right in the

Newton Avenue neighborhood

where the former career Air Force

officer grew up. It’s an imaginative

retelling of what could have

happened to the Whydah’s plunder

amid scenes familiar to Oxford

residents.

Racicot recalled a friend once

THE LEGEND OF

THE OXFORD PIRATE

By ROBERT JAMES RACICOT

Available on Amazon in Kindle or print

BOOK SIGNING

•Oxford Fall Festival •

Saturday, Sept. 27, 10 to 4

•Oxford High School Craft Sale •

•Oxford High School Craft Sale •

Saturday, Dec. 6, 10 to 3

Q.

I live in an apartment,

and kids often run up and

down the hallway with no

supervision or respect for others

in the building. How can I address

this in the kindest way?

A.

Shared spaces like hallways

and elevators are meant

for everyone’s comfort,

and sometimes a simple reminder

makes all the difference. A kind

approach might be, “I know

kids need room to play, and the

hallway noise really carries into

the other spaces. Could you help

keep it down in the evenings?”

This frames it with empathy while

still making your needs clear. If

the problem continues, addressing

it neutrally through building

management helps resolve it

without creating tension with your

neighbors.

Q.

What is the best way to

handle people who constantly

talk about themselves,

bicker over nothing, and

telling him that long

ago, someone arrived in

Oxford with a pocketful

of gold doubloons.

From a visit to a Cape

Cod museum, Racicot

knew that one man

aboard the Whydah,

ship’s carpenter Thomas

Davis, was rescued by

a Cape Cod local and

landed in jail. However,

he escaped death

by hanging because he

convinced the authorities

that Bellamy forced him

into piracy.

Could Davis have

revisited the site of the

wreck where beachcombers

were finding bits of

treasure washed up on

shore, the story queries.

Was he connected to the

stranger who had arrived

in Oxford years ago via

the Bay Path?

The middle schoolers

of the story grow up in a

free-range kid wonderland

that encompasses

woods, Carbuncle Pond,

a creepy swamp, an

ancient farmhouse and an unusual

friend in Vic, the caretaker of St.

Roch’s Cemetery.

The Oxford woods of the early

1970s, when Racicot was a youth,

were not only an adventure land,

complain about everything? They

always seem negative.

A.

Constant negativity can

wear anyone down. Keep

your responses polite but

brief, and when possible, redirect

the conversation: “That’s one way

to see it—have you noticed…?” If

the behavior doesn’t change, limit

your time with them. Guarding

your own energy while staying

kind is the best balance.

AND FINALLY, THE ETIQUETTE TIP OF

THE MONTH:

Courtesy to Carry with You:

Good manners are never complicated—they’re

simply the small

choices that make life easier for

everyone. Wiping the counter,

keeping voices down, or showing

patience in line may seem ordinary,

yet those quiet gestures of kindness

are what transform shared

spaces into welcoming ones. A

little courtesy not only smooths the

moment, it also sets the tone for

the kind of community we all want

but practically a subdivision of

boy- built forts belonging to various

neighborhood groups, with

ownership setting the stage for

summer-long rivalries.

“I opened the story with ‘fort

to live in. Remember—people

may forget your words, but they’ll

always remember how you made

them feel.

See you next month—step into

fall with kindness leading the way.

—Lee-Ann

Have a situation you’d like help

with? Write in or email info@

investinuma.com and your question

may be featured in a future column.

Let’s build a kinder, more respectful

world, one interaction at a time.

Lee-Ann Barkhouse is a certified

etiquette and leadership coach who

helps people show up with confidence,

kindness, and credibility. At

Invest in You (www.investinuma.

com), she shares practical tools

to make everyday moments more

thoughtful and meaningful—whether

at work, at home, or right here in

the community.

wars’ in order to introduce

the cast of characters,

Racicot said

“This is a story for

Oxford people and

Oxford kids,” he said. He

enjoys the idea that they

will know the neighborhoods,

the geography

and be familiar with the

local lore that forms the

backbone of the story, all

things that can encourage

young readers.

“Legend” joins two other

books Racicot has published

that take place in

town – “The Haunting of

the Oxford Library” and

“The Legend of Carbuncle

Pond.”

Set against Oxford

scenery and boasting a

plot with more twists

than a clove hitch knot,

“The Legend of the

Oxford Pirate” is guaranteed

fun for kids aged

8 and older to read alone

or together with their

parents.

You can order the

book off Amazon or

meet the author at a book signing

at the Oxford Lions Club Fall Festival,

Main Street, Sept. 27. He will

also be at the Oxford High School

Craft Sale for a signing on Dec. 6.


My Journey to the Midstate Trail

BY THOMAS J. MCLAUGHLIN

Thomas McLaughin is writing

a series of articles on hiking in the

region.

When asked why she hiked,

Grandma “Emma” Gatewood,

the first woman to

complete the Appalachian Trail,

replied, “I want to see what’s on

the Appalachian Trail (AT) runs

through his new hometown. He

teams up with an old friend to

hike the AT. I loved both the

movie and the book.

This made me want to hike and

learn more about it. I devoured

whatever I could find on the AT

and hiking. I watched too many

AT hiking videos on YouTube,

and read numerous articles

and blogs on The Trek. I read

Ben Montgomery’s “Grandma

Gatewood’s Walk – The Inspiring

Story of the Woman Who Saved

the Appalachian Trail,” and D.

Dauphinee’s “When You Find

My Body – The Disappearance

of Geraldine Largay.” The former

was inspiring, the latter was sad,

but both were informative. I also

watched hiking and running documentaries

on Netflix – “Beyond

the Tree Line,” and “Like Harvey

Like Son.”

Late in the summer I drove out

to the Appalachian Trail in Western

Massachusetts in Lee, Becket,

and Tyringham, and I hiked some

small sections there. These were

just day hikes that reminded me

of my need for greater physical

conditioning, especially when going

uphill. On my way up Becket

Mountain I crossed paths with

a couple of southbound (SoBo)

hikers in late August who said

they had walked 640 miles in

three weeks from Mt. Katahdin,

Maine. The straight distance

between these points is far less,

but the AT meanders through the

Presidential Range of the White

Mountains and goes through

Vermont’s Green Mountains

before descending into Massachusetts

so it adds more than a

couple of hundred miles to the

journey. I was getting winded

going up Becket but the two thruhikers

were breathing fine as they

passed through their fourth state.

Northern New England is considered

to be the hardest, most

challenging part of the trail so it

seemed like clear sailing ahead

for these two hikers, but in the

month that followed, Hurricane

Helene would close 700 miles of

the southern portion of the trail.

I figured if they hiked 25-miles

per day, they probably made it

just past Virginia’s Shenandoah

Valley when Helene hit. A week

after I had been on that section

of the AT in Becket, 31-year-old

Tara Dower, ran through the area

on her record breaking 40-day

run to Georgia, reaching the end

of the trail just in the nick of time

as Helene was arriving there.

The winter came and went and

I yearned to get back out there

without snow and mud, but as

much as I liked being on the AT,

it was an 80-to-90-mile drive just

to reach to it. I knew a little bit

about the Midstate Trail from

seeing signs throughout this area

so I looked at online maps and

researched it.

Since I was only doing day

hikes anyway it donned on me

that I should put my time into

hiking on our own parallel trail

right here in Central Mass. The

Massachusetts portion of the AT

is 90-miles long and runs through

Western Massachusetts in the

Berkshires, south and north from

Connecticut to Vermont and

vice versa. The Midstate Trail is

92-miles long and runs through

Central Massachusetts from

Rhode Island to New Hampshire,

south to north. It didn’t make

sense to ignore what was right

here in my own backyard, just

one town away, so I began hiking

the Midstate in April and I’m

glad I did.

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the other side of the hill – then

what’s beyond that.” Earl Shaffer,

a World War II combat veteran

and the first person to hike the

entire Appalachian Trail, gave a

different reason. Shaffer wrote

that it was to “walk the war out of

my system.”

There’s something both intriguing

and therapeutic about a

long walk on an open-ended trail

with no end in sight. You don’t

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know what’s ahead and there’s a

calming, repetitiveness to each

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of forests, fields, meadows, hills,

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It had been more than 30-years

since I had done any climbing,

hiking, or walking that could be

measured in miles. In my early

twenties I climbed Mt. Washington,

but I hadn’t hiked much

since then. My desire to hike

again was rekindled by rising

blood pressure readings and a

movie.

The movie was, “A Walk in the

Woods,” based on Bill Bryson’s

best-selling book, starring Robert

Redford and Nick Nolte. Bryson

moves to Hanover, New Hampshire

where he discovers that

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SPORTS

Football Field of Dreams

BY CHRISTOPHER TREMBLAY,

STAFF SPORTS WRITER

Having a father who played

high school football, Bradyn

Belanger was inspired to

pick up the sport himself. He was

around five years old when he

first handled a football and soon

after found himself playing on a

flag football team. Before long,

the Auburn native was playing

tackle football and a deep love for

the game.

From the first time he stepped

onto a football field, Belanger

was destined to tote the football

and has been a running back his

entire career. He would watch the

National Football League on TV

and was enamored by the players

who played the position. Originally,

he wrote number 20 for

Barry Sanders of the Detroit Lions

and eventually switched over

to the number 22 for Christian

McCaffrey.

“Growing up I never thought

that I was good enough to play

the sport to become something

special,” he said. “I am one that is

never satisfied with my play; I am

always looking to get better.”

As a youngster looking to improve

his game he found his way

to each and every Auburn High

School match-up, where he found

the environment to be electric.

That electricity gave him the

spark he needed and, right there,

Bradyn decided that he wanted to

play football on the high school

level.

As a freshman, he found the

football tryouts to be hard and

rough, going up against the older

players, but being a competitive

individual he used it to improve

upon his game.

“I immediately knew that I was

going to have to get better and

playing against the older players

would allow myself to do just

that,” the Rockets running back

said. “I definitely thought that

I could compete with them but

I did know that I would have to

work for my spot on the team, a

spot I really wanted.”

Finding his name on the varsity

roster was purely amazing and

although only a first-year player,

the upper classman didn’t see

him as a freshman, they thought

of him as one of their own.

Belanger found his way into

the starting lineup each game,

but that first year, especially that

first game, it came as somewhat

of a surprise as the Auburn

Coach had him playing in the

wildcat quarterback role. Having

never really played the position

Belanger entered the game

scared, but also realized that he

needed to go out and adapt to the

position while proving his coach

right for placing him there.

“It was about two weeks earlier

that he told me his intentions

and my jaw just dropped. I didn’t

complain, I was grateful for the

opportunity to be on the field,”

Belanger said. “It was one of

those things that I had never

experienced before, but that was

where I played the majority of

that season.”

During his sophomore year,

the Rockets had a quarterback

and Belanger would go back

to lining up behind him at his

normal position. That season as

the Auburn back Belanger rushed

for over a 1,000 yards and found

the endzone on 20 occasions.

While it was an overall impressive

season for the running back,

he strongly felt that he could have

done better.

“There’s really not too much

more he could do,” Auburn coach

Jeff Cormier said. “He is already

a really good runner, catches the

ball out of the backfield, blocks

and plays special teams. He’s an

all-around player that works at

his craft 12 months a year.”

Although called a jack of all

trades on the football field, Belanger

noted that he loves playing

multiple sports. On the basketball

court, he lines up as a small forward

and is a 100- and 200-meter

runner as well as a shot-put

thrower for the track team in the

spring. Playing those other sports

all goes back to football.

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“Basketball helps me with my

hand and eye coordination, while

running track helps me to get

faster,” he said. “The other sports

allow me to focus and stay active

during the football offseason.

I never thought that there was

nothing that I couldn’t do. I just

want to go out and try my best,

no matter what I am doing.”

The Rockets coach noted that

the now-junior competes to win

all the time, including the weight

room.

“He is always giving his best effort

and that’s all that I am looking

for from him,” Cormier said.

“He even practices like he is in

a game situation and that effort

raises the level of everyone else.”

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Although he had himself a

remarkable sophomore campaign

Belanger is looking to improve

upon those numbers while helping

the team become successful.

“I feel good coming into the

season and am ready, but I am

never happy and feel I can always

improve,” the junior back said. “I

want to help this team go as far

as possible; individual stats don’t

mean anything to me. I just want

to go out and perform to my best

ability while helping everyone

around me become better.”

When he was a freshman, the

Rockets made their way into

the post-season, unfortunately

Belanger was unable to play due

to an injury, but he made up for

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it the following season. The next

yea, participating in the Division

5 Football Tournament, Belanger

scored four touchdowns and ran

for 200 plus yards in the opening

win 32-7 against BVT. Auburn

would then fall to the number

two seed Hanover in the second

round 28-9.

Although the junior still has

two seasons left to play with the

Rockets he is definitely hoping to

take his game to the next level.

“I want to keep getting better

overt the next two years as my

dream is to play Division 1 college

football,” he said. “I have

already been in contact with

multiple coaches and have even

attended some college camps as

well.”

While it looks like the Auburn

running back will eventually

get his wish and play collegiate

football somewhere in the future,

he still has two years left with

Auburn and would like to add

a State Championship to his

resume before departing.


TALES FROM BEYOND

The Dancing Mortar

BY THOMAS D’AGOSTINO

There are many tales and

ghost stories of Block Island,

a small island just off the

coast of Southern Rhode Island.

The Palatine Light, Dutch Kattern,

and the Pirate Lee are just

a few of the famous narratives

islanders still tell. One lesser tale

told is that of the dancing mortar.

A mortar, along with a pestle, is

a device used to grind grains or

herbs, depending on the size. The

possessed implement in question

was said to have been fashioned

from the lignum-vitae wood of

the famous ghost ship Palatine.

The vessel was actually called

the Princess Augusta, but became

known by the former moniker,

being made famous in John

Greenleaf Whittier’s famous

poem of the ghost ship. Old

timers on the island once related

the story with utmost certainty,

swearing that the mortar was a

cursed byproduct of the devil.

The mortar stood 14 inches

high and 10 inches in diameter

and was quite heavy compared to

its size. It was first owned by a

man named Simon Ray, who had

the distinction of sheltering and

nursing many of the survivors of

the Princess Augusta shipwreck.

Those who passed while in the

family’s care were buried in a

grave not far from the home.

When he and his family passed

on, the property, including the

mortar, came into the possession

of a man named Dodge. Dodge

was convinced that the spirits

of the former tenants, including

those of the famous shipwreck

who passed within its walls, were

still in the house.

The mortar, which came with

the homestead, was claimed to be

possessed with some unknown

spectral powers. Wild accounts

soon flooded the local stores and

shops, of how the mortar would

suddenly start flitting about or

spinning on its base without any

human intervention. When the

tool became bored with such

meager antics, it began to flip

itself on its side and roll around

the room. It would then right

itself and start hopping up and

down, sometimes touching the

ceiling rafters before hopping

across the room again.

Attempts to exorcise the

demon in the mortar were to no

avail. It was used as a chopping

block, but would not sit still long

enough to fulfill such a task.

Finally, it was laid on the base of

a large stone and anchored with

heavy boulders, whereas Ethel

Colt Ritchie put it in her book

Block Island Legends and Lore,

“it lay restrained from its ghostly

ballet by the sober cold stone

surrounding it.”

This is not the end of the dancing

mortar tale, for it was later

removed from the stone crypt

by the Dickens family, and once

again began its recreation to the

point where they decided to finally

rid the island of it. The mortar

was donated to Brown University,

where it was displayed with

other artifacts of early Americana

in the university’s Rhode

Island Hall. The mortar stayed

on display throughout the 1950s

but vanished around 1960 when

the hall was cleaned out to make

room for a new department.

The whereabouts of the dancing

mortar has been a mystery

since. No one from the Block Island

Historical Society or Brown

University has any recollection

of where the mortar may have

gone. Perhaps it sits in someone’s

private home, waiting for

the right time to once again come

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to life and begin hopping and

jumping around. Or, just maybe,

the demons that once possessed

the object left the dancing mortar

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island. If so, where did they go

and what may they be currently

possessing on the magical atoll

we call Block Island?

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BY AMY LECLAIRE

Every dog deserves the chance

to live its best life. For many

— especially big dogs — one

of the key ingredients is freedom.

The Great Outdoors isn’t just a

bathroom break; it’s a place for

discovery. To explore is to engage,

to be curious, to connect with the

world. A routine walk, no matter

how pleasant, rarely offers the same

adventure as time spent off-leash.

That time is quite literally unleashed—filled

with energy, joy,

and sometimes pure silliness.

Like us, dogs need mental

stimulation. They need opportunities

to solve problems, encounter

new sights and smells, and interact

with their surroundings. In short, a

dog needs to be a dog—sometimes

in structured settings, sometimes

in spontaneous ones.

Is a dog born to be wild? Maybe

not in the wilderness sense, but

a “safely free” dog is certainly a

happy one. And when that freedom

is balanced with guidance, the

reward is immeasurable: boundless

joy, deep appreciation, and—most

endearingly—the sight of a tired

dog curled up to sleep.

How do we give our dogs both

freedom and safety? The answer is

multi-faceted, and includes training,

patience, boundaries, and consistency.

Freedom must be earned

and guided. Much like a toddler at

a playground, a dog should explore

under the watchful eye of someone

who knows when to step in and

when to let curiosity run its course.

Luke’s world may not be his

oyster—if I let him follow every

scent, he’d be lost at sea—but it’s

endlessly fascinating. And for him,

that’s freedom enough.

LUKE GETS CURIOUS

“Momma, the baby bird is

trapped in the bush!”

Licensed & Insured

LIVING WITH LUKE

amyleclaire@hotmail.com

Off the Rails with Luke

What a baby bird, a garden hose, and Ozzy Osbourne taught me about doggy freedom.

Sure enough, our rhododendron

held the proof: a tiny bird, quivering

on a branch.

“Ohhhh, you must be learning

to fly,” I whispered.

Luke nosed the shrub, tail in

overdrive, and barked like a first

responder calling in backup.

“Wahk! Wahk!”

Luke may have been trying to

help, but the baby bird’s parents,

sniping the situation from a high

branch in our maple, were not appreciative.

They dove and scolded

and flapped furious wings. Back

off, big guy. Our baby needs space.

I got the message. Luke, not

so much. He barked louder. The

birds squawked back. Soon it was

“WAHK! WAHK! WAHK!” versus

“WOOF! WOOF! WOOF!”

Time for a distraction.

“Bring it on, Snake-O!”

The garden hose never fails. Set

to “wild fountain mode,” it instantly

shifted the drama into comedy.

Free Estimates

Luke bounded through the spray,

barking in rhythm as though doing

karaoke to Ozzy Osbourne’s Crazy

Train. Off the rails? Absolutely.

But now everyone—the baby bird

included—was safe and free.

Freedom with dogs raises a bigger

question: how free is too free?

What if your dog is shy but

meets a bossy one? Or your dog

is bossy and meets another bossy

one? Years of owning and wrangling

dogs has taught me this:

extremes don’t work. A dog kept

too confined gets stir-crazy. A dog

raised without boundaries turns

into a wild child. The sweet spot is

somewhere in between.

Luke was a calm and curious

pup. When big dogs passed, he’d

flatten himself, chin on paws, and

wag his tail longingly. Wanna

be my friend? Most people were

charmed. “Your puppy is so calm

and cute!” they’d say.

But not every encounter was

storybook. A silver Lab once

snapped at him after a friendly

sniff. A golden snarled at him in

the park. A German Shepherd

went for his neck. Did it toughen

him up? Maybe. These days, Luke

stands his ground. He doesn’t start

trouble, but if another dog growls,

he’ll growl louder.

Still, “tough” isn’t the badge I

want for him. “Safe and confident”

is. Luke has learned the joy of

ignoring drama with an abundance

of training treats, along with the

all-important “leave it” command.

He struts back to me after walking

away from a scuffle like he’s earned

a medal.

“Momma, I don’t need their

headaches. All I need is you.” Such

simple behavior—the choice to

focus on me instead of the dogs—

has earned Luke rich rewards. Who

wouldn’t turn a head for a slice of

salmon?

That, to me, is the best kind of

freedom.

WHEN TRAINING GOES

OFF THE RAILS

Sometimes even good dogs—and

good owners—get schooled.

My relationship with Luke, like

any good relationship, is imperfectly

perfect. I care deeply. He genuinely

wants to please. But every so

often, life throws us a curveball.

And nothing spells “teachable moment”

quite like a real-world doggy

conflict.

Take, for instance, The Lake

Incident.

Luke had been swimming happily

in his lane at my parents’ lake

house, minding his own bubblemaking

business. (His art form?

Smacking the water with his paws

to create bubbles, then chomping

at them like he’s auditioning

for Shark Week.) If Luke ever wrote

a book, it would be called The Joy

of Swimming.

But more than water, Luke loves

people. And he adores our lake

neighbors. So, when I wandered toward

their dock—midway between

my parents’ shoreline and the

poodles who live down the way—

Luke followed. “Hi Cathy! What a

great day for boating!” I called out.

Luke chimed in with a full-body

paddle, the dolphin of the family.

Cathy, ever the gracious lake hostess,

called back, “Hi Luke! You’re

such a good swimmer!”

Luke basked in the stroke to his

ego. He lifted his head high and

- Serving RI & MA Since 2001 -

401-356-4699 - LYNCHFENCECO.COM

LUKE

continued on page 11


REAL ESTATE

More contracts are falling through.

Here’s how to get ahead.

When you sell a house, the

last thing you want is for

the deal to fall apart right

before closing. But according to

the latest data, that’s happening

a bit more often lately. The good

news is,

it’s completely

avoidable

if you lean

on your

Realtor

for insight

into why

that is and

how to

avoid it

BY MARK MARZEOTTI happening

to you.

This June, 15 percent of pending

home sales fell through. That

means those buyers backed out

of their contracts. That’s not too

much higher than the norm of

roughly 12 percent from 2017-

2019, but it’s still an increase and

it’s one you don’t want to have to

deal with. The key to avoiding this

headache is knowing what’s causing

the issues that lead to a buyer

walking away. A recent survey

from agents reported the number

one reason deals are falling apart

today is stemming from the home

inspection. Here’s why. With high

prices and mortgage rates stretching

buyers’ budgets, they don’t

have a lot of room (or appetite)

for unexpected repairs. Not to

LUKE


paddled closer. The poodles down

the road were less impressed.

Barking from the shore escalated

into a chorus. Ignore, ignore,

ignore, Luke. Swimming made him

a different animal. I prayed that

he’d rely on the muscle memory

of good habits learned. “WOOF,

WOOF, WOOF!!” Unfortunately,

the curly temptation before him

was too great. A tall white poodle

leapt from the weeds like a llama

on candid camera! Luke’s curiosity

detonated. “A new friend!” He

bumbled through tall grass with

zero intention of obeying me.

“Luke! Luke! Come!” I hollered,

Pocahontas in a bikini carrying her

weapon, a soaked stick. Sadly, Luke

wasn’t wearing his training collar.

Commands bounced right off his

wet ears. Meanwhile the poodles,

clever and agile, darted back and

forth, taunting him into a strange

game of freeze tag. “Betcha can’t

mention, buyers have more options

to choose from now that there are

more homes on the market. So, if

the inspection turns up a major

issue, they may opt to walk away.

After all, there are plenty of other

homes they could buy instead. Or,

if the seller isn’t willing to take care

of repairs as a result of the inspection,

a buyer may back out because

they don’t want the expense and

the hassle of dealing with those

issues themselves.

The good news is, there’s a way

you can get ahead of any unpleasant

surprises as a seller, and that’s

getting a pre-listing inspection.

It’s not required, but the National

Association of Realtors (NAR)

explains why it’s helpful right now:

To keep deals from unraveling, it

allows a seller the opportunity to

address any repairs before the “For

Sale” sign even goes up. It also can

help avoid surprises like a costly

plumbing problem, a failing roof

or an outdated electrical panel that

could cause financially stretched

buyers to check out before closing.

What’s a Pre-Listing Inspection?

It’s exactly what it sounds like: a

professional home inspection you

schedule before your home hits the

market. Here’s what it can do for

you: Give you time to fix what matters.

You’ll know what issues could

come up in the buyer’s inspection.

So, you’ll have time to take care

of them before anyone even walks

through the door.

catch me. Woof, woof! You don’t

belong here!”

Then—confrontation. Luke

lunged from the tall grass with a

snarl. One poodle retreated. The

other circled back, snapping at his

backside. Suddenly my sweet, wetheaded

teddy bear transformed

into a wildebeest in a nature documentary,

growling, twisting, and

snapping—adrenaline spraying

everywhere. My pup was ensnarled

in a two-on-one fight!

And then, as quickly as it began,

it stopped.

Luke caught sight of me, mudsplattered

and breathless on the

shore. His expression softened.

“They started it, Momma,” his eyes

seemed to say. Then, head low, he

waded back toward me. “Sorry.”

I clipped his collar, and we

walked home, both of us humbled.

No one was hurt—not a nip in

sight. Just a lot of noise, territory

disputes, and egos. Dogs being

dogs.

The lesson? Knowledge is your

best tool. That, and a long leash for

Avoid last-minute renegotiations.

When buyers uncover

unexpected issues after you’re

under contract, it opens the door

for concessions you may have to

make like price drops or repairs, or

worse, a canceled deal. A pre-listing

inspection helps you stay ahead

of those things before they become

deal breakers.

Show buyers you’re serious.

When your home is clean, wellmaintained,

and already vetted,

buyers see that. It builds trust and

can help you sell faster with fewer

back-and-forth negotiations. Did

you know that The Marzeotti

Group has taken the Home Inspectors

course in it’s entirely so we

are trained to see the home flaws

to be addressed before listing your

property? This too will help avoid

a failed sale! We are not licensed

home inspectors, but know what to

look for!

Should Every Seller Do This?

Not necessarily. Your real estate

agent can help you decide what

makes the most sense for your situation,

your house, and your market.

If you decide to move forward

with a pre-listing inspection, your

agent will guide you every step of

the way. They’ll advise on whether

to fix or what to disclose on each

issue. We will help you prioritize

repairs based on what buyers in

your area care about.

lake swims. Because even the best

training doesn’t guarantee perfection.

And sometimes, the real lessons

come from the messy parts.

Write to Amy:

amyleclaire@hotmail.com

Follow Luke on IG

livingwithlukevalentino

34 Providence Road, Sutton, MA

www.smallloadconcrete.com

Mark Marzeotti

REALTOR®

Marzeotti Group

Mark.Marzeotti@LamacchiaRealty.com

(617) 519-1871

www.MarzeottiGroup.net

945 W Boylston Street

Worcester, MA 01606

Your Resource

for All Your Home

Financing Needs!

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508.847.0728

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Ron Moscoffian

Appr. #9537

jpaul@aaanortheast.com

Things to Consider When the Manufacturer States Fluid

is Lifetime

Q.

I

like new with coolant,

have a 2016 Mazda CX5

with 115, 000 miles, runs

brake, trans axle fluid changes as

well as numerous engine oil changes.

What baffles me is that Mazda

does not recommend transmission

fluid/ filter changes. They say it is

good for ‘ the life of the car.’ Your

thoughts on this and what exactly

should be done? A simple fluid

drain and refill, pan dropped and

cleaned with new filter or complete

flush.? What should I be paying for

this service?

A.

Always an interesting

question, when the

manufacturer says lifetime

fluid. As an example, BMW lists

the transmission fluid as a lifetime

fill, but the transmission manufacturers

state the fluid should be

changed every 60,000 miles. I think

it is a good idea to change the fluid

(drain and refill) depending on

how you drive. If you tow a trailer,

drive for ride hailing or part time

deliveries I would change the fluid

every 50-60,000 miles. If you drive

nice and easy perhaps you can go

much longer. As for cost, I would

only use Mazda fluid at $10-$20

per quart with about five quarts

needed. Expect about an hour

labor for the service. I would avoid

a transmission flush and stay with

a drain and refill.

Q. and it is only Thursday.

I have had to jumpstart my

car eight times this week

This eighth time, before I could

leave my office AAA had to come

out and jump it for me because my

jumper kit had run out of battery

from jumping the car on average

twice a day for the past three

weeks. My current battery is only

13 months old, and I turn off the

headlights, the radio, unplug any

chargers from the car every time I

turn it off. What more can I do to

ensure I have a reliable car? It’s a

2015 Honda CRV.

A.

Although the battery may

have an issue now (you can

only jumpstart a battery

so many times), at some point the

battery needs to be charged with

a battery charger and then tested.

From your description, it sounds

like your car has a parasitic drain.

Some component is not shutting

down and draining the battery.

Common issues are defective

relays, hood latch and the driver’s

door handle which can cause

curtesy lights to come on. At this

point the car needs to have the battery

charged, alternator tested for

output and then a test for parasitic

drain. The shop may need the car

for more than one day to test the

electronics.

Q.

Question about trading in

my 2019 Subaru Outback.

Carvana offered $11,600

trade in, sight unseen. If they see

something they don’t like, can they

drop that price? And if so, would I

still be obligated?

A.

Carvana claims you can get

a real offer in two minutes.

You can trade in the car or

sell it to them 100 percent online.

In Carvana words: “No haggling,

no headaches”. A neighbor of mine

wanted to trade in his Ford F-150

for the smaller Ford Ranger. The

local Ford dealer offered $19,000

for a trade, Carvana offered

$23,000. He was prepared to take

the Carvana offer, and the local

dealer stepped up and matched the

price. So Carvana can make it easy

to sell your car or use their price as

a negotiating tool.

Q.

I still listen to AM radio

and lately the reception is

not good. What can I do to

improve the radio reception back

to when the car was new?

A.

The most common issue

is a dead ground with the

antenna. As rust builds up

under the antenna mount, this can

cause electrical noise, introducing

static and interference into the

radio signal. Start with checking

BY JOHN PAUL

M&M Auto Body

Scott Milner R.S. #3926

the antenna

and if possible

clean up the

mounting area.

Also, check

any chassis

ground cables

for green corrosion.

Q.

Have you ever tested out

the Harbor Freight ICON

scan tools. I was about five

years into working as a tech and

although our shop has a Snap -on

scan tool, sometimes others are

using it. In the meantime, I purchased

an Innova 5610 scan tool

and it does pretty good, but I was

looking for something better.

A.

The Innova 5610 is a good

tool and with bi-directional

controls can handle many

tasks. I recently have been using

the Harbor Freight ICON T-10

and it is very impressive. There are

submenus listed that I did not see

on much more expensive tools.

Not cheap but it also comes with a

battery tester and borescope. The

borescope with the large tablet display

is very nice. Everything from

the unit itself, charging dock, to

cables, to the quality case put it in

the professional scan tool category.

Q.

I have noticed I use only

the metric sockets when

working on my car. Is it safe

to donate or sell the SAE sockets?

A.

Although your car may use

metric sockets, sometimes

working around the house

you will need SAE sizes. I have an

old Honda push mower that was

given to me, and the Honda engine

is metric but the deck bolts are

all SAE sizes. When I quit being

a working mechanic, I kept SAE

sockets and wrenches and donated

more specialized tools, large sockets,

pullers, air tools and testers to

the local vocational school.

7 Industrial Park West,

Building 2

Oxford, MA 01540

508-987-7070

“Guaranteed Fast Service, No Matter How Long It Takes”


TIPS ON FINANCIAL PLANNING dennis.antonopoulos@edwardjones.com

When Investing, One of the Best

Abilities is Durability

You’ve probably heard about

“genius” investors or those

who got in on the “ground

floor” of a company that grew to be

a huge success.

These

stories may

be interesting,

but they

are also rare

— and sometimes

not

BY DENNIS

ANTONOPOULOS

even true.

The

truth is that

successful

investing isn’t

glamorous, and it isn’t necessarily

quick. Instead, a well-founded

investing strategy is a durable one

— one that can withstand the test

of time.

Here are some actions that can

help you build durability.

Take your time: Most individual

investors make their money over

time, not overnight. Despite stories

about fortunes made on one or

two trades, you›re more likely

to be successful making money

over time. You›ll want to own a

well-diversified portfolio of quality

investments — and plan to own

those investments for the long

term.

A long-term perspective can

help you ignore the constant noise

in the markets and stay invested.

When you hear about the latest

“hot” investment tip, especially if

it’s already performed well, the best

advice is this: Ignore it. Although it

may be tempting to buy a popular

investment, it may not fit with

the rest of your portfolio, it may

have already peaked and it may be

riskier than you expect. If it sounds

too good to be true, it probably is.

Invest in quality: When building

your investment portfolio, quality

should be a top priority. For stocks,

quality is frequently measured

by the steadiness of earnings and

dividend growth over time. For

bonds, one measure of quality is

an investment-grade credit rating,

which indicates that the borrower

has a good track record of making

its promised interest and principal

payments and the bond has a

relatively low risk of default.

Quality investments are more

likely to overcome temporary

challenges, which is why a good

track record can be an indication

of quality. Don’t reach for yield by

looking for investments offering

the highest dividend or interest

rate without considering the risk.

Remember, there is no perfect investment

— a higher rate generally

means higher risk.

Stick to your strategy: Building a

long-term strategy can anchor your

decisions and provide a roadmap

for your investment choices. Your

strategy should consider your

goals, tolerance for risk and the

time needed to save toward each

goal.

Within that strategy, you can be

flexible. Buy and hold, for example,

doesn’t mean buy and forget. Over

time, your goals may change, or

you may choose to hold more

conservative investments. But it’s

important to make changes for the

right reasons, not simply because

stocks or your other investments

may have dropped in price.

Perhaps one of the biggest

mistakes you can make is trying to

time the markets, moving in and

out in response to short-term declines

or the latest prediction. This

often results in getting into and out

of the market at the wrong times,

costing time and money — and

resulting in lower returns over time.

Remember that investments

don’t all move up or down at the

same time but portfolio diversification

can help smooth the ups and

downs of the market. A long-term

perspective can help you see past

short-term fluctuations in some

investments.

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Successful investing isn’t about

making dramatic moves or chasing

the latest trends. It’s about developing

a durable strategy personalized

for your life, then sticking with it

through market ups and downs. In

investing, as in life, slow and steady

could help win the race.

This article was written by

Edward Jones for use by your local

Edward Jones Financial Advisor.

Your goals are as unique as you.

> edwardjones.com | Member SIPC

Personalized service means having a financial advisor who

understands you and what you’re trying to achieve, and helps

to create a unique strategy based on your needs and

circumstances.

Let’s talk. Contact us today to learn more.

Dennis Antonopoulos

Financial Advisor

5 Albert St

Auburn, MA 01501

508-832-5385

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• Servicing customers for over 25 years

American Legion

Chester P. Tuttle Post 279

By

Wise Guy

Trivia

Sept. 26

Fender Road

88 Bancroft St., Auburn, MA 01501

$10 cover

charge for bands

unless receipt of same

day liquor and/or food

purchase from

the Tuttle.

ALL Are Welcome!

Membership Not Required!

Monday - Saturday: 11:00-1:00 • Sunday: 11:30-close

Cruise Nights

Every Tuesday • 4-7pm

Hamburgers•Hot Dogs

•Sausage Sandwiches

Featuring...

Tiny Tim’s at the Tuttle

Open for Breakfast & Lunch 7 days a week

Sun. & Mon. 7am-2pm, Tues. to Thurs. 7am-8pm,

Fri. & Sat. 7am-9pm

Phone: (508) 832-2701

For Hall Reservations: (508)-721-5142

or email TinyTimsCatering@gmail.com

ENTERTAINMENT

Karaoke every Saturday

Richie and his Famous

Ice Cream Truck!

8-11:00 pm


Happenings!

NOTE: Community bulletin board-type

items are welcome for inclusion in the Happenings!

section of the Xpress newspapers.

Please allow enough lead time for publication.

Email your calendar or event notice to

news@theyankeexpress.com.

SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 27

• Oxford Fall Festival sponsored by the

Oxford Lions Club at Joslin Park, Oxford

Center from 10 a.m. – 4 p.m. Lots of vendors.

Food available for purchase, kids’

activities, entertainment, 50/50 raffle.

• Friends of WSL Book Sale from 10:30

a.m. – 1:30 p.m. The Friends of the

Whitinsville Social Library are holding

their annual fall book sale with a ton of

great quality used books and media for

great prices! Support your local library

and snag your next read. The sale is on

the library’s front lawn, weather permitting.

• Book Sale - Friends of the Auburn Public

Library, 369 Southbridge Street, Auburn.

Tables will be set up outdoors by the

pond - 10 am - 12:30 pm

Payment: Cash, Check, or PayPal

Questions? email: friendsofauburnplibrary@gmail.com

HAWK HILL

ORCHARDS

PICK YOUR OWN

APPLES

OPEN

Columbus Day

10am-5pm

OPEN Wednesday

thru Sunday

10am-5pm

Visit Our

Americana

Country

Store

•Apples •Peaches •Jams/Preserves

•Cider

•Dessert Breads

• Specialty Sauces •Gifts •Honey

and Salsas

•Fruit Pies

•Apple Crisp

•Apple Dumplings

•Apple Cider Donuts

83 Carleton Rd., Millbury, MA

508-865-4037

THURSDAY, OCTOBER 2

• The Museum of the Millbury Historical

society will be open from 4-6 p.m.

This coincides with the Millbury Farmes

Market held outside at the Mansion from

3-7 p.m. with many vendors participating.

You can pick your fresh produce,

groceries and other items from numerous

vendors and picking up some Millbury

history, too!

SATURDAY, OCTOBER 4

• Friends of the Uxbridge Free Public

Library Book & Bake Sale from 9 a.m.- 1

p.m.

It’s a great opportunity to find literary

treasures and homemade treats while

supporting your library! At 15 North

Main Street.

• Douglas Oktoberfest 9 a.m. – 4 p.m.

Main Street, Douglas. The event is a high

point of the season, drawing thousands

each year. Main Street is lined with

vendors offering food, crafts, games,

displays and even weiner dog races.

There are also performances by singers,

bands, choral groups, dancers and variety

shows. Enjoy the family friendly rides

and games including the popular Huge

Slide, train and obstacle course. The cash

cube with prizes remains a highlight.

Craft vendors, food, kids’ attractions and

more.

• Dudley Grange # 163 Annual Apple

Festival from 10 a.m .- 3 p.m.

The Festival takes place on the lawn in

front of the historic Dudley Grange Hall,

139 Center Road, Dudley. The Festival is

held in conjunction with the Black Tavern

Historical Society’s Annual Craft Fair, located

across from the Grange. The Apple

Festival features live music, hot apple

crisp and other delicious food options.

This is a rain or shine event.

• The Overlook in Charlton hosts its 8th

Annual Fall Festival from 11 a.m. – 4

p.m. This public event takes place at 88

Masonic Home Road and will feature

vendor booths, live music, hayrides, kids’

games, and seasonal treats.

SUNDAY, OCTOBER 5

• Dudley Fall Festival at Shepherd Hill

Regional High School, 68 Dudley-Oxford

Road, Dudley. From 11:30 a.m. – 2:30

p.m. Enjoy a free trunk or treat event.

Food trucks, carnival games and vendors.

Rain date Oct. 19.

• Sing with the BVCC! The Blackstone Valley

Community Chorus welcomes new and

returning singers to Open Call for our 2025

GIANT CHURCH

Saturday, September 27

8 am to 2 pm

St. Roch Church parking lot

334 Main Street, Oxford, MA

Rain date - Sat., Oct. 4

Artist Exhibition

holiday concert season! Open Call will take

place on Sunday, October 5th, at 6:00pm

at the Douglas Municipal Center Resource

Room located at 29 Depot Street in Douglas.

New members do not need to prepare an

audition song, but should come ready to

sing. There is a $35 membership fee to

join. Rehearsals take place on Sundays at

6:00pm at the Douglas Municipal Center

beginning on October 19th. This season the

BVCC is preparing a Holiday Spectacular to

be performed with a full orchestra on December

14th at Valley Chapel in Uxbridge.

TUESDAY, OCTOBER 7

• Sutton Historical Society will hold its

Annual Meeting at 7 pm in the First

Congregational Church, 307 Boston Road,

Sutton.

WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 8

• Cybersecurity and You: learn how

to stay safe online at Charlton Public

Library. Join the Charlton Public Library

for a Cybersecurity class on Wednesday,

October 8 at 10:30 am. Art Torres from

POST Computer Systems will be here to

teach techniques and tips to help you

avoid losing your valuable information

and money to cyber criminals. There

will be plenty of time for questions! A

complete schedule of upcoming digital

literacy events can be viewed on the

Library’s calendar at https://charltonlibrary.org/event-calendar/

Charlton

Public Library is located at 40 Main Street

in Charlton.

OCTOBER 9 - 23

• History Leads At Simon Fairfield Online

Library Auction! The sixth annual Friends

of the Simon Fairfield Public Library

Online Auction will run October 9 – 23.

This year’s featured items include a 19th

c. Douglas Axe from the Hunt Manufacturing

Company, and a rare first edition

Civil War Military Dictionary inscribed by

Brevet Major Louis Edwin Granger, 13th

Massachusetts Infantry, who fought at

Bull Run, Antietam, and Gettysburg, and

was breveted three times for bravery.

This is a unique opportunity to own a

piece of Civil War and Massachusetts

history. The auction also offers a great

selection of goods and services, including

home and garden treasures, handcrafted,

antiques and vintage goods, vacation

packages, and useful services. For more

information visit the Friends page on the

library website at: mysfpl.org/friends .

SATURDAY, OCTOBER 11

• Halloween Harvest Festival at Douglas

Orchard and Farm, 36 Locust Street,

Douglas from 10 a.m.-3 p.m. Get ready

for a tail-wagging, treat-filled Halloween

Festival with our amazing partners, Dog

Orphans. Bring your pups dressed in

their spookiest, silliest, or most creative

Halloween costumes for our pawsitively

adorable Dog Costume Parade

Contest—winners will be announced

with fang-tastic prizes. Kids can join the

spooky scavenger hunt around the farm

Drawings and Mixed

Media Art by Tim

Oliver will be on

display and for sale

September 6th-30th at

Booklovers’ Gourmet,

72 East Main Street,

Webster, MA. A meet

the artist reception will

take place on Saturday,

September 13, from

2-4 p.m. Free and

open to the public with

light refreshments. For

more information, call

508-949-6232.

“My artwork is

quite varied. Works

range from pen & ink,

sharpies, stained glass,

working with real spider

webs & mosaics from

crushed egg shells. My

joy of course is creating

the actual art. But there

is also great joy when

one of my pieces makes

a person stop & want to

explore it a bit. I view

this as a gift & privilege,”

said artist Tim Oliver.

and grab their treat bags full of goodies.

Don’t forget to come in your Halloween

best, because it’s costumes galore for

everyone! Plus, enjoy magical performances

by the Witches of Sutton and

the talented Dance Sensation children’s

dance troupe. It’s going to be frightfully

fun for the whole family!

THURSDAY, OCTOBER 16

• The Blackstone Valley Chamber of

Commerce (BVCC) announces its upcoming

Business After Hours networking

event, hosted by Fidelity Bank in Millbury.

The event will take place on from

5:30 - 7:30 p.m. at Fidelity Bank’s Armory

Village branch, located at 16 South Main

Street, Millbury. It’s free to attend!

• The Friends of the Auburn Public

Library host Robert Stacy, historian at

the Museum of Worcester who will give

a presentation on “The Lives of Worcester

Workers 1830-Present from 6:30-8 p.m.

at the Pakachoag Center, 203 Pakachoag

Street, Auburn. The doors open at 6 p.m.

Admission is $15. Payment by cash,

check or PayPal. The event is a fundraiser

for the Friends. Kindly pre-register at

friendsofauburnplibrary@gmail.com

SATURDAY OCTOBER 18 AND SUN-

DAY OCTOBER 19

• 45th Annual Waters Farm Days 53

Waters Farm Road, West Sutton. 10 a.m.

HAPPENINGS!

continued on page 15


Camp Gleason Ribbon Cutting Set

BY PATTY ROY

Restoration on the main building

at Camp Gleason has been

ongoing for about five years

and the ribbon cutting is finally

scheduled.

Monday, Oct. 6 at 6 p.m. will

be the unveiling on the updated

recreational facility that has been

close to Auburnites’ hearts since

the 1940s.

“We’re excited to have it re-open

to be used for classes for the town,”

said Kristen Pappas, Director

of Recreation and Culture for

Auburn.

All the work was completed by

the Auburn Department of Public

Works, Facilities Section employees

and Highway and Parks staff.

“I’m over the moon excited. Of

course, I grew up going there as a

young girl,” Pappas said. “For me,

it’s full circle.”

The completed work included

mini-splits for HVAC, plumbing

and electrical was roughed-in

and insulation. Drywall, painting,

flooring, finish plumbing and electrical,

and accessibility improvements

were also accomplished

in-house.

According to the Auburn Historical

Society, Camp Gleason was

started in 1942 by the United States

Steel Corporation for recreational

opportunities for their employees.

Camp Gleason was started in

1942 by United States Steel Corporation

for their employee’s recreational

enjoyment. At this time, it

was not open to the public.

One of the camp’s founders, Jack

Murphy, had two daughters, Ethel

and Eileen Murphy who ran the

recreation activities there. Activities

included swimming lessons,

The full renovation work on Camp Gleason's interior.

picnicking, and outdoor fun.

The United States Steel Corporation

eventually gave the land

to Auburn on May 4, 1967 when

a town meeting voted to “accept

a deed from United States Steel

Corporation conveying land and

water rights and all buildings and

structures located in the vicinity of

Eddy Pond and Moss Reservoir.

Pappas remembers when buses

ferried youngsters to swimming

lessons. She went from attending

the summer camp, earning her

lifeguard credentials to running

the swimming program when it

existed. She has been head of Recreation

for 18 years now.

“We’re looking forward to using

Camp Gleason again, and having it

for the community also,” she said,

although the pond remains offlimits

for swimming.

Local dignataries – Town Manager

Dorie Vecchio, DPW Director

and Town Engineer Joanna Paquin,

Select Board members will be on

hand for the ribbon cutting.

The first yoga class will take

place at 9:30 a.m. Oct. 15, moving

from being held outside at the Pappas

Recreation Complex.

All are invited to the ribbon

cutting to take a first look at the

improvements. Light refreshments

will be served.

HAPPENINGS!


– 4 p.m. Antique tractor and Doodlebug

show, animal exhibition, 4H animals,

craft vendors, tractor pull, car show,

food vendors, barrel train, kids’ bouncy

houses, robotics club, police/fireman

meet and greet, blacksmith and shingle

making demonstration, pottery demonstration,

peddler shop, tractor-pulled hay

rides, apple crisp, and circa 1757 farm

house tours.

SUNDAY, OCTOBER 19

• The Museum of the Millbury Historical

Society at the Asa Waters Mansion,

123 Elm Street, will be open from 11

a.m. until 5 p.m. This coincides with the

Asa Waters Fall Festival. Some of the

museum’s holdings are: 100 years of

Aftermath yearbooks; photos: churches,

schools, downtown, sports; scrapbooks;

research books & histories of Millbury &

Sutton going back to colonial times. Also,

President Taft photos and memorabilia;

military uniforms, guns, and flags.

• Fall Festival in Nelson Park, North

Grafton, 6 Prentice Street from 11 a.m.

– 2 p.m. There will be music, inflatables,

food trucks, and local businesses joining

in on the fun! FREE!! Music, food, games

and more ! Decorate a pumpkin and

build a scarecrow while supplies last.

Halloween fun! Presented by Coral Care &

Country Bank.

• Join Oxford Ecumenical Food Shelf

Volunteers for the Annual Crop Hunger

Walk. Beginning at First Congregational

Church, 355 Main Street, Oxford at 1 p.m.

Please arrive at 12:30 to sign in. This is

an easy 3.5 mile walk through Oxford. A

small monetary donation is requested.

This year’s goal is $2500 which will

help stock the shelves of the Food Shelf,

Oxford’s community food pantry, in the

weeks ahead. Register at crophungerwalk.org

or just show up on the 19th. The

food pantry is open to Oxford residents

for free.

WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 22

• Friendly Trick or Treat from 3 – 4 p.m.at

Grafton Municipal Center, 30 Providence

Road,Grafton. Hosted by Grafton Rec

and sponsored by the Town. The event is

designed for ages 5 and under, though

all are welcome. Come visit Town Hall

and trick or treat at town offices and

tables set up by local businesses. Dress

up in your costume and collect goodies in

a safely lighted and non-scary environment.

Start at the Senior Center Gym

tent to collect your bag and a map. Face

painting available! Halloween Fun!

THURSDAY, OCTOBER 23

• The Sutton Garden Club will host Gretel

Anspach, Trustee of Mass Horticulture

and a Lifetime Master Gardener of the

MA Master Gardener Association,who

will talk about cold frames and hoop

houses to extend the growing season by

as much as 2-4 weeks. These tools let

you transition seedlings and from windowsills

or greenhouses to the outdoors.

Presented at 7 p.m. at the A.L. Dudley-

Gendron Post 414, 156 Boston Post Road,

Sutton. The Garden Club welcomes new

members: $20 individual or $30 for a

family.

SATURDAY, OCTOBER 25

• St. Patrick’s Church Autumn Recycling

Event, 7 East Street, Whitinsville. 8

a.m. – 1 p.m. Accepting gently used

books (no encyclopedias), media &

magazines, gently used textiles/clothing

and accessories, electronics for a

fee (no propane, batteries, lightbulbs),

rinsed bottles/cans returnable in MA (no

glass). Please keep items for each station

separate. Call 508-234-5656 or contact

Officesupport@mystpatricks.com for

price list or questions. Proceeds benefit

Youth in Action service projects.

• The Sutton Historical Society will be set

up at the M. M. Sherman Blacksmith Shop,

6 Singletary Avenue, from 4-7 p.m. as part

of the OMG Pumpkin Festival 2025 hosting

a miniature Halloween village exhibit,

Revolutionary War metal detecting finds

from several Sutton farms, and interpreters

sharing some of Sutton’s more colorful

and historic events. This community event

at the Sutton Common is sponsored by the

Sutton Fourth organization and includes a

costume parade, tractor parade, scarecrow

and jack-o-lantern contests, trunk-or-treat

at the school complex, as well as a Boo

Bash at the Sutton Library. More information

can be found at thesuttonfourth.org.

This event is free and open to the general

public of all ages. The Historic Sutton

Center Walking Tour begins at 5 p.m. on

Sutton Town Common, 4 Uxbridge Road.

Re-enactors will guide visitors to multiple

stops around the Common sharing the

town’s history and some stories befitting

the Halloween season.

• Food Truck Fright Fest 2025, 3:00 PM

- 9:00 PM. On the grounds of Nichols College

121 Center Road, Dudley. Parking and

Admission is FREE - Open to the General

Public. The event of the season, Fright

Fest 2025 offers visitors and their families

a safe, fun environment to “trick or treat”

among the festively decorated grounds

and food trucks. Enjoy fantastic food from

all your favorite food trucks. Visit the

Oktoberfest Beer Garden for craft beer,

wine and seasonal favorites. Costumes are

encouraged. Cash prizes awarded for best

costumes. There will be music and fun for

everyone!

The Blackstone Valley Crop Hunger Walk

will be held on Saturday, October 25

- starting at 9 am at the Village Congregational

Church in Whitinsville with

registration at 8:30 am. For more

information, contact Barbara Fortin at

508-234-2137.

SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 1

• Annual Holiday Fair from 9 a.m. – 2

p.m. at St. Denis Church, 23 Manchaug

Road, Douglas. Crafts, raffles, baked

goods, kids’ table. Luncheon served from

11 a.m. – 1 p.m. Vendor spaces still

available.

FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 7

• Then Grafton Land Trust will hold its

annual dinner meeting at 6 p.m. at

the Highfields Golf Club in Grafton.

This year’s speaker will be Dr. Stephen

Mrozowski, the founding director of

the Andrew Fiske Memorial Center for

Archeological Research at University of

Massachusetts Boston.

•24 Hour Emergency Service

•Automatic Delivery

•Fuel Assistance Accepted

•Burner Service

We do NOT add biofuel to our product

DELIVERY AREAS

MASSACHUSETTS: Auburn, Brimfield, Brookfield, Charlton,

Cherry Valley, Dudley, East Brookfield, Fiskdale, Holland, Leicester, North

Brookfield, North Oxford, Millbury, Oxford, Rochdale, Spencer, Southbridge,

Sturbridge, Sutton & Webster.

CONNECTICUT: N. Grosvenordale, Quinebaug, Thompson & Woodstock.

Monday-Friday 7:30am-5pm Saturday 9:30am-2pm

SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 9

• The Polish American Social & Civil Club

is having a Polka Dance 1-5pm Featuring

Dennis Polisky & Maestro's Men. Located

at 217 Mendon Street Uxbridge.. Plenty

of seating and area for dancing. Full

bar,food, and raffles will be available for

purchase. $15 admission for more info

please email uxbridgepascc@gmail.com

or call 508-278-7583. POLKA MUSIC returns

to Uxbridge so mark your calendar

so you don't miss out on a great time!!!

TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 11

• Charlotte Wilson will share fascinating

facts about Sutton’s citizenry during

Revolutionary days at 7 p.m. in the first

Congregational Church, 307 Boston Road,

Sutton. Courtesy of the Sutton Historical

Society.

•Licensed in House Technicians

(NO subcontracting)

•Oil Tank Installations

(Free Estimates)

5 ¢ OFF

PER GALLON

OF OIL

OF 175 GALLONS OR MORE

Must present coupon.

Offer cannot be combined.

OFFICE LOCATION: 34 NEWMAN AVE., SOUTHBRIDGE


FOR ALL YOUR FUEL NEEDS

NEW BOILER INSTALLS

• Crown Boilers

• Williamson Furnaces

• Oil Tank Installs

Central air conditioning

and ductless mini splits

ALL NEW

INSTALLS COME WITH

A 3 YEAR PARTS

AND LABOR WARRANTY,

AS WELL AS THE

MANUFACTURERS

WARRANTY.

A Full Service Oil Company

24-Hour Emergency Service

We do NOT

Sell Biofuel!

Which will help prevent

system breakdowns.

HELP WANTED -

Class B CDL driver with air brake, tanker and hazmat

endorsements. Must have DOT Medical Card.

WWW.LMTOIL.COM • WE DO ONLINE ORDERING

Print & Deliver

We Print and Deliver

your inserts.

Victoria’s

Pizza, Kabob & Fried Chicken

Dine in, take-out,

Delivery and Catering

655 Washington Street

Norwood, MA 02062

(781) 352-4999

(781) 352-3583 fax

Monday - Sunday: 11am-10pm

We Deliver $10 Minimum

$1 Delivery Charge

Order Online

www.victoriascafeandpizza.com

Why Dean?

FREE Medium Pizza

With Purchase of Two at Regular Price

Victoria’s



Norwood, MA 02062

(781) 352-4999

Coupon can not be combined with other o fers. Mention coupon when ordering.

FREE 6 Wings

With Purchase of $25

Victoria’s



Norwood, MA 02062

(781) 352-4999


FREE French Fries

With Purchase of Two Sandwiches

Victoria’s



Norwood, MA 02062

(781) 352-4999


THERE’S STILL TIME TO APPLY FOR THE

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DEAN COLLEGE • 877-TRY-DEAN • DEAN.EDU • ADMISSIONS@DEAN.EDU •

Perfect for

Big Events,

Coupons,

Menus

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For more information, or to schedule your insert,

please contact Laura Gleim at 508-943-8784

or by email at lgleim@theyankeexpress.com

Al’s

77

Al’s Rubbish Provides

• Dumpster Rental

Services 7 Days

• All Rentals Include

Drop Off and Pick Up

• No Service or Fuel Charges

• Estate Clean Outs

• Furniture and

Appliance Removal

• We Recycle

FREE DROP

OFF AND

PICK UP!

RUBBISH & CONTAINER SERVICE

77 Providence Rd., Sutton, MA 01590

Phone: (508) 865-4193

Website: www.alsrubbish.com

E-Mail: alsrubbish@gmail.com

30

YEARS IN BUSINESS

1995-2025

Celebrating

Locally Owned

and Operated

DUMPSTER

RENTAL SPECIAL!

508-865-4193 • WWW.ALSRUBBISH.COM

$ 475

Sutton, Millbury

15 yard dumpster

For 2 tons

Grafton, Auburn, Oxford, Webster,

Whitinsville and Northbridge

15 yard dumpster

For 2 tons

All Other Towns

$ 495

$ 525

Additional charges for tvs/monitors, mattresses & box springs

Serving the Blackstone Valley and the

Surrounding Towns in Worcester County

Support

Local Small

Business

The YankeeXpress - Sept. 26, 2025

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