|
|
| Stories from Previous Vine Issues (see current stories in menu to the left)
We have a Letter to the Editor this week from Bret Williams, Oakmont alumni and President of Green Mountain Beverage and the Woodchuck Cidery.
Read Jay's Regional and National News Summary to find out just how many commercials there really were during the Olympics, how a Massachusetts swindler found out that Florida treats the same crimes 40 years less nicely, what the new credit card laws actually mean, and more.
There's no denying this yellow lab named Liberty is cute, but that's just the beginning. Read this story because you like triumph over adversity. Read it because you've heard of NEADS assistance dogs or know people from Westminster who work at NEADS and you want to know more. Read it because, like me, you've owned a hopelessly untrainable dog, or because you're a single parent. Read it because you know someone with Multiple Sclerosis or another debilitating illness. Or read it because you just need to refocus on what really matters. Please read this story.
The Westminster Democratic Town Committee held a caucus at the American Legion Hall on Saturday, February 13th. The caucus elected Emily Bergeron, Barbara Friedman, and Ken Marien to be delegates and Ceil and Phil Burgess to be alternates. As chair of the Democratic Town Committee, Kim Caisse is an ex-officio delegate.
Westminster is slated to get a Commuter Rail Station! Technically, Wachusett Station, as the new commuter rail station will be known, is in Fitchburg, but it's very close to Westminster, located at the intersection of Routes 2 and 31, just behind the Fitchburg Industrial Park (Authority Drive). This project, which includes a new layover station (site to be determined) will be built thanks to a grant from the US Department of Transportation for $55,000,000 of stimulus money.
Find out more about how teachers are using items purchased with grants from the Ashburnham Westminster Foundation for Academic Excellence to excite students. "An unexpected benefit has been that the students are signing up to use the maps in small groups even during indoor recess." commented second grade teacher Jane Leamy.
A strange thing happened at Forbush Memorial Library in Westminster over the recent school vacation. It was Monday, a day that the library is usually closed--the library was set up as a mini-golf course!
Ryan McDonald is a junior at Oakmont. This week Ryan writes about teen boredom and its effects on parents and teens and offers ideas on how parents can work with their teens to get through those interesting teen years.
Senator Jennifer Flanagan encourages readers to nominate their favorite places in Massachusetts for the Department of Conservation and Recreation's 1,000 Favorite Places in Massachusetts. Read about our own personal recommendations for nomination.
Thanks to the Department of Conservation and Recreation for sending information on lots of upcoming opportunities that are all worth exploring. There are cultural, historical, agricultural, environmental activities and grants and more.
Oakmont Visual Arts students in classes taught by Greg Barry, Theresa Berry and Larry Szalay submitted artwork and competed against more than sixty-five hundred pieces of individual art and almost 500 portfolios in the Boston Globe Art Awards.
Westminster Elementary School 5th grader Corey McGrath experienced a life threatening event due to blood vessel malformation in his brain. Corey came home from Spaulding Rehabilitation Hospital in Boston on Tuesday, February 9th. Help support Corey's hard work toward recovery with a T-shirt Fundraiser to help defray Corey's expenses.
Thanks to the community and Aubuchon Hardware as well as customers in their stores for donating supplies for God's Littlest Angels Orphanage in Haiti. While at the Aubuchon Hardware Distribution Center on Saturday, February 20th, I witnessed this generosity first hand.
Local pediatrician John Mulqueen and his wife Paula, a Registered Nurse have an ongoing effort in Haiti called Forward In Health. From their blog: "Team B has returned after a week in Haiti. The level of acute trauma has decreased but there are still many people affected by the earthquake. Haiti now has a population of amputees, people with poorly healing wounds, and an incredible number of displaced families without a home to return to."
News from Westminster's Department of Public Works on new Landfill stickers!
The Oakmont Boys and Girls Junior Varsity and Varsity Lacrosse Teams raise all funds for their playing season, which includes officials, transportation and equipment. The cost to run the sport is approximately $27,000, which is offset somewhat by the $195 per player fee. In an effort to raise funds to bridge the several thousand dollar gap, the Oakmont Lacrosse teams are selling March 2010 Calendars with one prize awarded each day in the month of March--31 chances to win! Calendars cost $5 each and prizes are in the $25 - $50 range with winners based on the daily Massachusetts lottery number. Call Linda Nivala at 874-5710 for more information or to purchase calendars.
Depot Road Bridge Update: The contractor has been working at the site, and seems to have completed a fair portion of the sub-structure on the northerly side of the bridge.
Attention Snow Lovers! The Westminster Crocker Pond Development Committee is pleased to announce that snowshoeing trails in the beautiful Crocker Woods are now accessible from the route 2A soccer field parking lot abutting TRW. Westminster residents and one guest car only. 2009 Crocker Pond stickers good through 2010. Limited parking, no dogs. Animal tracks one may observe: fox, gray squirrel, red squirrel, field mice, river otter, deer, fisher cat, moose, coyote, turkey, etc. If one is slow and quiet, you maybe lucky enough to see these wonderful creatures that live among us. Thanks to the DPW Commission for having the entrance road and parking lot plowed which now allows us to access the Crocker Woods.
On our Sports page this week read about the The Oakmont Track and Field Boys and Girls teams, led by coach Dan Dufour and assistant coach Sara Bottomley, when they capped a successful year with solid performances at the Division IV State Championship on Friday, February 19th at the Reggie Lewis Center.
Westminster Vine movie reviewer Lynn Breau writes about When In Rome and Tim Tata reviews the movie Wolfman this week.
Thanks to content contributor Kerrie Hertel of Maple Heights Farm: This week she discusses Cooking on the Edge: Pig's Feet and Chicken Toes, Oh My!...the new Westminster Farmers' Market website and more!
We now have a monthly report from Mass Local Food. In this month's report we find out about new producers to our locally produced food coop and the response to the showing of the movie Super Size Me at Dr. Linda Smith and Associates in Westminster.
The time has come to start thinking about 2010 Westminster Little League baseball, softball, and T-ball! Registration for the 2010 season is March 2nd from 6-8pm at WES.
How can you be involved in bringing cultural events to Westminster? Consider becoming a member of the Westminster Cultural Council.
We will now be publishing local senior news as provided by the Westminster Senior Center and Council on Aging. Forward In Health is promoting a benefit concert for Haiti Relief on Saturday, February 27 at 7pm at the Dukakis Performing Arts Center located at Montachusett Regional Vocation Technical School, 1050 Westminster Street, Fitchburg. The concert will feature country musicians THE MAVERICK STREET BAND, a country rock band that plays at the Bull Run in Shirley throughout the year. The burning season is open and will run until April 30th. Residents can get their permits at the Public Safety Building. The fee is $10 and must be paid in cash. Click here for rules regarding burning and call 978 874 2117 with any questions.
In each issue of Westminster Vine readers can see the progress made on the Westminster Confluence Project. This week's photo was taken by Dave Couture at the Westminster Country Club. Dave says "I'm not a golfer (other than the Chip & Putt course in Chicopee) so the beauty of the course was quite a revelation.
Local Economy: From the Vine of January 28, 2010
Local efforts to help people in Haiti:
From the January 14, 2010 Vine Oakmont Class of 1980 is looking for people who have changed their contact information in the past 5 years as well as the following classmates: April Blodgett, Bethelyn Bolling, Audrey Gray, Craig Grimes, Michael Selinga, Robert Vantuyl, Kenneth Wilson, Rachel Young, Douglas Erickson, Greg Kangas. Contact Carol Kaski for more information. Scroll down for previous stories |
| |
| Please support our advertising sponsors who allow us to bring you this FREE newsletter and website.
Previous Stories (by subject) Town Hall, Etc. H1N1 = No Fun: Westminster Board of Health Agent Elizabeth 'Wibby" Swedberg educates people on the big health issue now, H1N1. She is happy to answer questions when people have them, so read this one and ask away. Civility at Board of Selectmen Meetings: Board of Selectmen meetings in Westminster have become noticeably more uncivil lately, resulting in raised voices, letters to the editor, resignations by town volunteers, and a general tenseness during meetings. Minott Road Incident Many of us have read news stories about the incident on Minott Road that resulted in the death of Michael Membrino. We address this tragedy by reflecting on some of the administrative issues surrounding incidents like these. Tom O'Toole Resignation Tom O'Toole has resigned from Westminster's Board of Selectmen to take a job in Maine.
Local Economy
Regular Features and Updates Ten years ago Westminster Police Officer Larry was shot and eventually died from his wounds. Now his partner, Detective Ralph LeBlanc is fighting the law that allows Officer Jupin's killer to be declared NOT GUILTY by reason of insanity. Westminster History: I've been reading the newly released History of Westminster through 2008, and I LOVE it. Thinking every family should own a copy, I highlighted my favorite nuggets of information in several issues of Westminster Vine.
Schools and Sports Letter to Governor Deval Patrick: State Representative Lew Evangelidis and several other Senators and Representatives have written a letter to Governor Deval Patrick about cuts to Regional School Transportation Funding. Movie Reviews | |  Westminster Pharmacy
978 874 5812 phone
978 874 1817 fax 
Visit our Business Profile page on Westminster Vine!
Visit our website at www.naturaldrugstore.com |
Visit the Wachusett Travel profile page on Westminster Vine to see why you should use this free and local service to plan your next vacation!
Call Allison Streeter at
978 874 1623 or
email her to start
your vacation planning! |
Community Interest
Weight Watchers at Work Starting Another Session Just In Time for Your New Year's Resolution Adventures in Trick or Treating on Bacon Street: After a quick trip around our neighborhood with four or five kids in tow (Michael Jackson, a young Marilyn Monroe, and two monsters), we decided to head for Bacon Street and the Friends of the Library and WFD bonfire. Our Landfill: When we first moved into town, my husband came home from the landfill and said 'You won't believe it. There's a guy up there playing an acordian in an empty trailer truck box and there are two beautiful women working in the recycling area'. A lot has changed in the years we've been here, but there are some things about the landfill I wanted to share with readers. Wildlife: Over the last month or so there have been two large cat sightings on Carter Road, according to Westminster police logs. There was also a possible sighting recently in the field by Wachusett Brewery that was not reported to police, while a mountain lion sighting on Betty Spring Road near Maki’s was reported to the Gardner police. One of those sightings was subsequently determined to be a bobcat, while the others remain unresolved. Decluttering: I had a secret plan to get my kids organized and their rooms decluttered. Although I had planned this for a long time, I waited until 8:30 that morning to break it to the kids that my friend who cleans houses was coming over at 9am not to clean our house, but to work with the kids to clean their own rooms. In South Africa, a violent divide and Little hope at the blackboard in South African township: Elizabeth Haney grew up in Westminster and graduated from Oakmont. She is currently studying in Grahamstown, South Africa and sends home periodic dispatches. Coach Wyman: Oakmont Boys Basketball Coach Eric Dawley shares some memories of his years playing for Coach Wyman, then later coaching with him. Frederick Piano Collection: A look inside the Frederick Historical Piano Collection and Study Center including a slideshow. A very enlightening afternoon was spent learning about this fascinating place, so close to home. Westminster Historical Society Annual Meeting: A short article about the Annual Meeting held recently at The Old Mill Restaurant. There is a slideshow and recap of President Betsy Hannula's story about things the committee who wrote our new Westminster History Book found out along the way. A restaurant review of sorts. This 'restaurant' is located in Putney, Vermont (just outside of Westminster, VT) and was something we stumbled upon on a foliage ride. Ashburnham Westminster Foundation for Academic Excellence: The Ashburnham Westminster Foundation for Academic Excellence is up and running! The kickoff event at the Fitchburg Art Museum that will be held on Thursday, November 19th from 6pm-9pm will be a great social event. This 'Night at the Museum' will include a wine tasting by Wyman's Liquors, a beer tasting by Wachusett Brewery, appetizers by Wachusett Village Inn and live entertainment by The Wil Darcangelo Band. All of this, plus a great opportunity to explore the beautiful museum, costs just $25 per person. In addition there will be a silent auction complete with items such as: Bruins, Red Sox and Patriots tickets, a week in a waterfroint Florida vacation home, services and much more! Read this article to find out where to get tickets, or order your tickets by sending an email to info@ashwestfoundation.org. Parade Recap: The weather wasn't completely cooperative, but townspeople young and old alike enjoyed the day 250th Anniversary Celebration parade on September 27th. George and Betsy Lane: We visited with George and Betsy Lane and learned a lot about their travels with 4 children while George worked in the Foreign Service. Seeing Things Clearly: How to make sense out of the taxes you pay and how the government plays with numbers and definitions. Close Call On Saturday, August 1, 2009, a woman from Westminster was walking on Main Street in broad daylight when she was approached by a man in a car. She reported the license plate and description of his vehicle to the police. Police determined that the man was wanted in connection with the death of a woman in Fitchburg. This led to a standoff at the Rodeway Inn involving the State and Local Police, a SWAT team and the eventual suicide of the alleged attacker. The woman, who narrowly escaped a potential tragedy, is a friend of ours and has agreed to anonymously share her experience in an effort to educate people and hopefully prevent something similar, but with a worse outcome, from happening in Westminster. Spring: Spring! My favorite season, with the bright chartreuse glow from the huge rock maple tree right outside my bedroom window. Every morning that view creates the first thought of each day…..“love that green!”. But this spring things are different. For starters, and very literally, we lost a big chunk of that beautiful tree during the ice storm, and further cutting back of the entire tree was necessary. That December night radically changed the view from all four sides of our 220+ year old farmhouse.
| |
|