Lindsay Bond puts up a short jumper.

The Bartlett High Lady Indians downward spiral continued last week with Monday nights 44-30 loss to the Oxford Pirates in Oxford, and a 61-32 drubbing by the Lady Rams of Shepherd Hill at home.

The losses drop Bartlett to 1-13 on the year, while the Lady Pirates improved to 3-8 and Shepherd Hill stands at 12-2, the only one of the three with a shot at post season play.

Caroline Bercier (42) puts up a shot over Lindsay Bond (10)
and Meghan Dwyer (14).

Alanna McDermott (15) drives around Meghan Dwyer (14)

Anissa White (3) looks up court for some help.

Bartlett’s Evan Anderson (10) takes it to the hoop in between Nathan Richard (22) and Jesse Gilchrist (3).

By Steev Riccardo

The Bartlett Indians put it all together and beat a very good Shepherd Hill Rams team 66-59 in Dudley Friday night (January 27) in front of a large and enthusiastic crowd.

Coming off their worst loss of the year, a humbling 48-38 defeat to the Oxford Pirates, the Indians showed true character and determination and outplayed their fierce rivals in a hard fought contest.
The Rams were also coming off a loss to a tough Uxbridge team earlier in the week and were looking to get back in the winning column, but ran into a hungrier Bartlett team.

Both teams fired away early as the Rams took a 16-15 first quarter lead behind seven early points from senior Kyle McKissick.

Indian senior co-captains Nick Kobel and DJ Kirby-Thomas each made some big shots as the Indians put together a solid 18-point second quarter and took a 33-28 lead at the half.

The third quarter was an all war, but it was Indian forward Akeem Belnavis who took control of the game, putting together a 9-point quarter. The Indian defense was also on the top of its game as the visitors held the Rams to only nine points and held a 48-39 lead heading into the final stanza.

McKissick was all over the court for the Rams and was not about to go down easy, but a key offensive foul drawn by Indian sophomore Evan Anderson proved costly for his team.

Despite being outscored by the Rams 20-16 in the final quarter, the Indians’ Matt Huberdault made five key free throws in the last minute to seal the huge victory for his team.

Bartlett Head Coach Tony Paranto reflected on the events of the past week. “We are going to chalk up Tuesday (Oxford game) as one of those stinker games I guess. I’m not sure if they were looking ahead or not, we try and stress in practice not to look ahead, but obviously in the back of their minds they knew they had the Rams coming on Friday night.”

“This win bodes really high for us, we beat some teams that are average, we weren’t sure if we could beat the better teams, Shepherd Hill is a perennial team, they play a Division I schedule, this is a big win for us.”

Paranto praised both Thomas and Belnavis for having “great games in the middle” and was also impressed with the play of one of his younger players, Evan Anderson, who was outstanding on defense. “He is one of those kids with a lot of basketball knowledge even though he is only a sophomore. He knows how to do the little things, the intangibles that don’t show up in the box score, and he is obviously starting for a reason right now.”

Kobel, who rebounded tremendously from an off game against Oxford, and Belnavis, who had one of his best games of the season, led the way with 18 points a piece, while Thomas and Huberdault also played key roles, each scoring 14 points.

McKissick led the Rams with 15 points and a great overall performance, while Matthew Rayla also had a strong game with 15 points.

The Shepherd Hill Junior Varsity team beat Bartlett 77-52 in the preliminary.  Drew Jean Guillaume led the Rams with 15 points, while Anthony Higbie played a strong game in defeat, scoring 20 for the Indians. Justin Stately added 15 for the visitors.

Shepherd Hill’s Matt Rayla (22) slaps the ball from the hands
of Alexander Givens-Perry (30).

Nick Terranova (14) and Bryan Stearns focus on securing a loose ball.

Nick Kobel (23) drives hard past Justin Terlizzi (30)
on his way to the hoop.

Kyle McKissick (24) takes a short jumper from the baseline.

Contact steev@patriotnewspaper.com and check out View from the Sidelines for more on local high school hoops. 

Freeland and Bostok star in win

By Steev Riccardo

The Oxford Pirates put on a defensive clinic in a tremendous effort and shut down the Bartlett Indians 48-38 Tuesday night (January 24) in an upset win at Bartlett High School.

Sparked by the outstanding defense of junior guard Donny Freeland, who held Bartlett star Nick Kobel to only one point, and the excellent overall play of senior forward Tyler Bostok, who scored 11 points and pulled down 16 rebounds, the Pirates were dominant from start to finish.

There was nothing fancy about the way the Pirates played the game. They had a plan to stop Kobel by putting their “lockdown defender” Freeland on him, they stuck with it, and everything else fell into place as they forced 18 Indian turnovers.

“Our plan was to have him (Freeland) cover Kobel and be in his face and not leave him,” said Pirate head coach Sean Halloran. “He gets the ball in the backcourt, you are there, he gets the ball in the front court you are there, he goes to the bathroom you are there.”

“Everyone else feeds off Donny’s energy, he is the leader out there.”

To hold this team in this gym to 38 points, if you told me this before the game I would have thought you were crazy.”

Halloran knows that his team has offensive deficiencies and has focused on defense with his young group. “They buy into the defensive philosophy, we have trouble scoring, I’m not going lie, but if you hold a team to 45 points and under, you are probably going to win most games.”

Halloran also praised Bostok for his solid inside play. ““I thought Tyler was tremendous on the boards, he was just a beast out there. He played behind DeCarlo Anderson last year and didn’t get a minute all year, now he is a senior, and he is finishing his career off really well. Patience has really paid off for him.”

Alex Givens-Perry played well in a losing effort for the Indians, scoring 14 points, while grabbing a season high 16 rebounds. Akeem Belnavis also added 11 points for the Indians, who dropped to 8-4.

Mike James and Cody Stone each contributed 10 points a piece to the Pirate victory.

Halloran and his 7-5 Pirates know they have to finish the season strong to get into the playoffs. “Every game from here on in is a big game. The SWCL is wide open this year. On any given night anyone can beat anyone. If we show up to play defense we are going to win a lot of games.”

Contact steev@patriotnewspaper.com

The Dudley-Charlton Education Foundation Board of Directors invites you to share a dazzling evening of dining, dancing, and spirited bidding. Join us at our Second Annual Gala Fundraising Event, a Semi-Formal Dinner Dance and Auction, 6:30pm., Saturday, March 31, 2012 at the Overlook Hotel in Charlton. Keepsake photographs will be available.

Purchase your tickets early and save. Ticket price: $50.00 now thru January 31, $55.00 February 1-20, $60 February 21 – March 17. To find out more details and to purchase tickets, visit us online at www.dcedfoundation.org. Many tables are booked. Limited seating is available.

To support the foundation in other ways, please visit the website for contact information: www.dcedfoundation.org

###

Webster resident Jillian Gatsogiannis lives on Klebart Avenue near the School Street intersection, which she says her neighbors call the “launching pad” for commuters speeding down to Lake Parkway and the highway. They pass by stopped school buses and drive through the school crossing while the guard and walkers are still in it, she says.

Ms. Gatsogiannis is “getting fed up with all that high speed traffic, especially because of all the kids walking to school,” and is now a woman on a mission to slow them down.

She called the Police Department last Thursday at 7:15 in the morning to ask them to patrol the area, at least when the kids are on their way to and from the nearby Middle School and Junior/Senior High School. The officer she spoke with told her that there were only three officers on duty and did she know how many miles of roads they have to cover?

She wasn’t happy with the answer and talked to his supervisor, and then to the sergeant. She got into a discussion with him about tax dollars at work…not a productive conversation, both concede.

Still, ten minutes later a squad car arrived on the scene, and in the next 45 minutes, the officer cited four cars for speeding. It takes time to write up each one, Ms. Gatsogiannis noted.

But she wasn’t done yet. She went to visit Police Chief Timothy J. Bent to tell him that speeding on Klebart and Lake Parkway is a problem. No one else has complained, she said he told her, but indicated they might start patrolling there, yet making no promises.

Her next stop was Town Administrator John McAuliffe’s office. He told her that he would look into it.

Then she stopped by the Filmer building to find School Superintendent Gregory Ciardi. He was not in, and she explained her mission to his secretary.

On Friday morning she called this newspaper to tell her story.

We talked with Police Chief Timothy J. Bent on Monday. “We take her complaint very seriously,” he said, “and we will speak with every agency that’s involved to resolve this issue.”

Chief Bent said Ms. Gatsogiannis was most concerned with the Klebart traffic. “I agree that cars are probably going too fast out there, and we plan to look aggressively at the problem.” He said the department does send radar patrol out there regularly and also brings the speed trailer that warns drivers they are exceeding the speed limit.

“We do have a lot of road to cover - 121 miles of it, so we can’t be out there every day.

But we’ll do what needs to be done,” he added.

Ms. Gatsogiannis would like to see better signage on the street. Perhaps a blinking school zone sign.

Right now there is a speed limit sign for 30 mph, but she says cars are going 45 miles an hour by the time they get from the School Street intersection to the third house on Klebart. And besides, shouldn’t school zones be posted 20 mph?

Chief Bent explained that some things, like signs, have to be done through the Safety Committee, and he promised to pursue that with them.

Police Sergeant Rodney Budrow, who took the call from Ms. Gatsogiannis, said that “when people call we do send officers to help out with the situation, but we can’t have one there every day.” He also said that he had contacted the school department, and they had already talked with the school bus company, which assured them that the bus drivers have reported no incidents of cars passing the busses.

Ms. Gatsogiannis has two eight-year old daughters, and she’s afraid “they’re going to get nailed by someone driving a car.” She says one neighbor’s dog was hit, another one was killed. Next time it could be a kid, she thinks.

And she’s not going to stop calling until someone listens. We think the Chief has.

By Steev Riccardo

The Boston music scene has always been a real hotbed for producing great female artists. This week we will talk about some of the female rockers that broke through the hub in the indie-rock world.

RR1: Although Mary Timony is originally from Washington DC, she has been associated with the Boston scene for several years, most notably since playing guitar and singing in the seminal indie-rock band Helium in the mid-nineties.

Timony is an indie-rock goddess in the highest form. She has been making music since 1991 and doing it the way she wants to do it, in a completely non-conformist style. If you admire all that is independent, it’s hard not to be in awe of the left of center direction Timony continues to take musically. She is a talented woman who can leave you speechless and full of admiration at the same time.

She has three really good solo records, “Mountains,” “The Golden Dove,” both on Matador Records, and 2005’s “Ex Hex” on Lookout! Records. Although she has never quite exceeded the mid-level fan base, she has always had enough loyal fans that support her and buy her albums to keep her artistic dream alive.

In the last couple years Timony has found herself in the company of three other talented women in a fantastic band called Wild Flag. Along with Carrie Brownstein (Sleater-Kinney), Janet Weiss (Sleater-Kinney), and Rebecca Cole (The Minders), Timony and Wild Flag released one of the most critically acclaimed albums of 2011. The self-titled masterpiece came out on the super hip Merge Records label in September and continues to pick up steam.

In Wild Flag, Timony is freed up to play lead guitar on the songs that Brownstein sings and vice versa on the songs that she sings. It’s a great arrangement and more of a team concept and an opportunity for her to showcase her guitar skills.

RR2: Juliana Hatfield started playing guitar and singing with the critically acclaimed Blake Babies in 1987 when she was 20 years old. She has done nothing since then but release one record after another while touring relentlessly and at the same time making contributions to the several Lemonheads recordings and her side project Some Girls.

Hatfield has released eleven solo records in her illustrious career. It was 1993’s “Become What You Are” and the hit song “My Sister” that brought her international fame, but it has been her outstanding body of work that has earned her the ultimate respect as a great artist.

Hatfield made a heavy contribution to the very successful Lemonheads “It’s a Shame about Ray” album, in which she plays bass on all the tracks and sings background vocals on several of them as well.

Even though she has been quietly releasing album after album the last few years without much fanfare, she continues to make great music. She is one of the most interesting and prolific songwriters to come from the Boston music scene.

RR3: Kristen Hersh is another one of those music lifers. She made a name for herself playing in the Newport, Rhode Island, based band Throwing Muses, who became indie rock darlings both in the States and in England.

Hersh has also matched her eight Throwing Muses releases with eight solo records. If that is not enough, she also released an album with her punk side project 50 Foot Wave. She is a true rock n roll warrior and has also spoken publically about battling her own demons and, oh, did we mention she has raised three children as well.

The diverse artist has an impressive catalogue but it’s her debut solo record “Hips And Makers” that was a real eye opener. Her songwriting has always been good, but seemed to reach another level on this masterpiece. This is not to say that she hasn’t continued her brilliance because she has, in a superior style, record after record.

Timony, Hatfield, and Hersh, a trio of amazing artists who all write and perform in a way that separates them from the pack and puts them in an elite rock n roll group.

LOCRIA (part 2): Last week we told you about a cool up-and-coming local band from Dudley called Locria, and one of their fans alerted us that we failed to mention one of the band’s key members, guitarist Ryan Kelleher.

Kelleher is joined by Alex Mitti on bass and vocals, Adam Marengo on guitar, Jamal Mufti on percussion, and Patrick Yeo on piano and mandolin. Check out the band on Facebook here: http://www.facebook.com/Locriaband?sk=app_178091127385,

and on band camp at: http://locria.bandcamp.com/ where they have a four-song demo on line.

Check out the Rock N Roll Buzz in the Yankee Shopper, which is published every Thursday for more musical tributes and music reviews.

Please send your comments to steev@patriotnewspaper.com. Please follow Rock N Roll Road Stories on twitter account @RNRRoadstories and check out the new Rock N Roll Road Stories Facebook page and please LIKE it! Until next time, keep the Rock alive!

Location: Point Breeze Restaurant, Webster

Particulars: Stella Bishop celebrated her 100th birthday on Sunday January 22nd at the Point Breeze Restaurant in Webster. Stella grew up in Dudley, and has resided in the Webster/Dudley area for all of her life.

Her century milestone was recognized with a dinner and birthday party at Point Breeze Restaurant, her favorite local eatery. Stella’s nieces, who organized the party, stated that she frequented the restaurant over the years, especially enjoying the seafood dinners. Yesterday, as family and guests partook of a wonderful buffet arranged by AJ Alkire and his staff at the restaurant, Stella ordered off the menu, choosing one of her favorites, a huge bowl of muscles. She quickly and deftly laid waste to the mollusks, leaving behind only empty shells!

A large group of Stella’s family and friends were on hand to congratulate her on her birthday and wish her well. Happy Birthday Stella, and many happy returns!

The Guest of Honor with her nieces (L-R): Clement Gebo, Loretta Chabot,
Birthday Girl Stella Bishop, Elaine McClean, and Phyllis Gebo.

Date: Thursday January 19, 2012

Location: Dresser Hill Road & Northwest Schoolhouse Road, Dudley

Particulars: Two vehicle operators narrowly escaped serious injury in Dudley Thursday morning, as a pick up truck collided with a Dudley Highway Department dump truck towing a wood chipper. The accident occurred at the intersection of Route 31 (Dresser Hill Rd.) and Northwest Schoolhouse Road at approximately 8:30 AM.

A Toyota Tacoma pick up truck was traveling east on NW Schoolhouse Road as it approached the intersection at Dresser Hill Road. Apparently, the driver of the pick up truck failed to stop at the intersection as the Dudley Highway dump truck, with an industrial wood chipper in tow, was proceeding through the intersection northbound on Dresser Hill Road.

The dump truck was hit broad-side and was spun 180 degrees, ending up facing south in the southbound lane. The wood chipper was up-ended and came to rest on its side, still attached to the dump truck. The pick up truck came to rest facing north in the southbound lane of Dresser Hill Road. Both vehicles were heavily damaged.

Dudley Police and Fire departments responded to the scene. The driver of the pick up truck was treated on scene for his injuries by Dudley paramedics and transported to the hospital for evaluation. The driver of the dump truck did not require medical aid. Dudley firefighters assisted Dudley Highway personnel in removing debris from the roadway.

The accident restricted travel on the road to one lane for about 45 minutes. The accident is currently being investigated by the Dudley Police Department.

January 23, 2012:

On Sunday, January 22, 2012 at approximately 8:30pm, Dudley Police personnel Sgt. Paul Ceppetelli and Officer Marek Karlowicz were dispatched to Big Al’s Pizza Plus Restaurant at 23 Brandon Road for a report of a person using a stolen credit card. Initial investigation revealed a female victim had credit cards and other property stolen from her vehicle while it was parked in the lot of another establishment nearby. The victim obtained a description of a blonde female suspect who was possibly traveling in a gray Hyundai. The victim found the suspect vehicle parked in front of the pizza shop. When the victim entered the restaurant, she discovered the female suspect, later identified as Crystal A. Duran age 30 of 2 Hartman Court, West Warwick, RI. At that time, Ms. Duran was in the process of purchasing approximately $99 in food from the restaurant using the victim’s credit card and name. When the suspect was confronted and informed the police would be called, she fled through the kitchen and out the rear of the shop. Officers arrived shortly after and the suspect was located. She attempted to flee the scene while the officers were on hand; however, she was apprehended in the vicinity of 29 Brandon Road. She initially provided the officers with a false name. Her true identity was discovered later through further investigation.

By conducting a computer check of the suspect’s vehicle, the officers learned the car Ms. Duran was driving, a gray 2010 Hyundai Accent, had been reported stolen out of East Greenwich, Rhode Island on Friday, January 20th. Based upon all the information, she was placed under arrest and charged with the following offenses:

• Chapter 266 Section 16 B&E vehicle night time for felony

• Chapter 266 Section 60 Receive stolen property under $250

• Chapter 266 Section 28 Receive stolen motor vehicle

• Chapter 266 Section 30 Larceny under $250

• Chapter 266 Section 37E Identity Fraud

• Chapter 268 Section 34A Arrestee furnish false name

• Chapter 267 Section 1 Forge document

• Chapter 90 Section 24 Use of motor vehicle without authority

She was ordered held on $500 cash bail for arraignment at Dudley District Court on Monday, January 23rd.

I've struggled with writing today's column for several months.

Do I share this story with a sense of humor, even though for some the subject matter might not seem very funny? Conversely, if I focus only on the serious or dramatic will the readers get lost in the painful emotions instead of enjoying the journey?

Well, I've decided to write it as I've lived it; a mixture of both as there certainly have been some incredibly funny moments while others have rocked the very fiber of my being and quite honestly, traveling down those roads again is not an experience that I necessarily cherish.

However, as many of us know, in life we don't always get to choose the road we are destined to travel or whether the experience will bring laughter or tears. More importantly though, we do get to choose if the moment destroyed the journey or made it a trip to remember.

With that said, I wish to acknowledge that I'm thankful for my moments as the trip has been one to remember. But not for the reason that you might think.

Most people would've finished that statement with:"for it has made me the person I am today." Seriously? How do we know that? Is there a way to compare? Is there a Staples Easy-Life Button somewhere that I didn't know about? I for one would like to live a stress-free life that was completely filled with joy and happiness first before I make that statement.

So while my journey may or may not have made me the person I am today, it has most definitely made me thankful, for it was anything but dull and boring. So when, and hopefully not if, I get to stand before God I can honestly say, "Thank you God, that was one wild ride on the roller coaster of life!"

Hmmm, wait a minute. Since I'm already talking to Him that seems redundant. Perhaps it would be better to say "Thank yourself"? No that seems a bit awkward. Just plain "Thanks" or 'Thank you" seems insincere. How much time will I have for this conversation? I need to know these things before I get there. What if we're not allowed to talk to God when we get to Heaven? I wonder if He has a cell phone with unlimited texting? I'll ask my family to quickly send this message, OMG TY!, before I get there.

But that's getting ahead of the story.

Some of you may have noticed that I'm not writing as many stories as I used to these past couple of weeks. Well, rest assured it's not because I'm at a loss for words. That would be a cold day in Hell. Wait another minute... How does someone know when the weather is going to change in Hell? Do they have meteorologists? If so, how does one go to school to learn about the weather in Hell?

I bet the forecast would go something like this: "The weekend shows a cooling trend as we'll be lucky to reach 225 degrees on Saturday which as you old-timers know, is unseasonably cold for this time of year," they'd probably say. "But Sunday you'll need a jacket as it's going to drop down to a chilly 175 degrees." If Earth has "Global Warming" does Hell have "Pital Cooling"?

Okay Ginger, refocus as that's another story for another time.

So if I haven't been writing and there's nothing to do in the garden, what have I been doing to keep out of trouble? I'm in the Bariatric program with the Reliant Medical Group.

Since the word "Bariatric" may not be familiar to everyone, let me explain. Bariatrics is the branch of medicine that deals with the causes, prevention, and treatment of obesity. The term bariatrics was created around 1965. The field encompasses dieting, exercise and behavioral therapy approaches to weight loss, as well as pharmacotherapy and surgery.

That brings us back to why I haven't been writing. Since October, I've been actively involved in the pre-surgical program. With each step, the requirements and expectations become more time consuming and often enlightening.

So what does this have to do with the rest of the population? With increasing prevalence in both adults and children, obesity is the leading preventable cause of death worldwide and one of the most serious public health problems of the 21st century. Therefore, my editor, Barbara Van Reed, and the collective membership of my weight loss group have asked me to share this journey. Not only to help others to learn more about the program but also about how a person can reach this crossroads and possibly avoid the trip.

During the next several months I plan to document this process here within my column. However, since this is an election year there may be an occasional thought that must take priority over my fat journey. So please don't think I've taken a detour, it's just that right now it's difficult to stay quiet when there's such a target rich political environment.

So let's start with this thought... Obesity is stigmatized in much of the modern world (particularly in the Western world), though it was widely perceived as a symbol of wealth and fertility at other times in history, and still is in some parts of the world. Therefore, I'm either living in the wrong country or time since I honestly can't remember a single event in my life that wasn't overshadowed by my weight. I can even go one step further and say that I'm 61 years-old and have been on a diet for 60 of those years.

Let the journey begin...

Dudley firefighters stand by at the dock
to receive one of the victims.

Date: January 21, 2012 17:25 hrs.

Location: NewPond, Off Hillcrest Road, Dudley

Particulars: One man died and two others were injured when the snowmobile they were riding crashed through thin ice on New Pond in Dudley Saturday night. New Pond is located off Hillcrest Road, near Hayden Pond.

At approximately 5:25 PM, Dudley Fire Alarm received a 911 call reporting that a snowmobile had crashed through the ice on New Pond, and there were three people in the water in need of rescue. On duty Paramedics Brian Ceccarelli and Scott Benoit responded with the ambulance as fire/rescue crews responded to the station to get much needed water rescue equipment to the scene. While enroute to the scene, Paramedic Ceccarelli requested Dudley Fire Alarm notify the Webster Rescue Squad to respond to the scene to assist with their Hovercraft.

As the ambulance arrived on scene, they found out that one of the victims, Wayne Montigny of Killingly CT, had extricated himself from the icy waters and had gotten to shore where a neighbor had taken him in and began warming him. Two others remained in the waters about 225-feet off shore, with only one man being visible.

Firefighters arrived minutes later equipped in cold-weather ice rescue suits and immediately deployed two rescuers onto the unsafe ice. Both were tethered to shore by ropes that were controlled by other firefighters. The second victim, Jeffrey Lougie of Dudley, was able to get out of the first hole in the ice with the assistance of a bystander, but as he made his way to shore, he fell through a second time. Rescuers assisted him out of the hole and escorted him the remainder of his trip to shore. He was placed in an ambulance and treated for hypothermia.

While this was being accomplished, Dudley Fire Lieutenant George Patrinos, who was one of the original rescuers, made his way out to where the last victim, Richard Redfield of Southbridge, was last seen. He began searching the murky water as additional rescuers arrived from the Webster Rescue Squad in their Hovercraft. Illuminating the area with the lights from the watercraft, Rescue Squad member Joel Grzyb noticed a light-reflective material below the surface of the water. What he saw was the reflective decals on Redfield’s snowmobile helmet. Within minutes of entering the water, rescuers were able to locate the unconscious man and removed him to the waiting hovercraft for a quick trip to shore. The hovercraft encountered mechanical problems and was unable to make it back. The victim was quickly transferred to a Stokes basket stretcher, which was pulled back to shore by rope.

Paramedics immediately whisked Mr. Redfield to a waiting ambulance for treatment and transport to Harrington Healthcare at Hubbard, where after several hours of treatment, he unfortunately succumbed to his injuries.

Of the other two victims, Mr. Lougie was transported to UMASS Hospital – University Campus for further treatment and Mr. Montigny refused medical attention.

The incident is being investigated by the District Attorney’s Office, the Massachusetts Environmental Police, and the Dudley Police Department. Dudley firefighters were assisted at the scene by the Webster Rescue Squad and a Charlton Fire Department ambulance. Divers from the Fire District 7 Dive Team and the Douglas Dive Team were activated, but their services were not utilized at the scene.

Dudley firefighter Mike Bonnette, Lt. George Patrinos (center),
and Webster Rescue Lt. Mike Annese stand down after
the last victim was pulled from the water.

Dudley firefighter Joe Marcinkus helps get Lt. Patrinos
out of his cold water rescue suit.

By Thomas D’Agostino
Patriot Correspondent

Are the Webster town stickers for ease of resident entrance and access to the beach, compost facility, beach maintenance, funding operations and repairs to the facilities, cost of monitoring and safety of the beach, or just an unnecessary expense for the residents? The answer is all of the above except for the latter.

Once again, the issue of the town sticker floated to the surface during the Board of Selectmen’s Meeting on Monday, January 23, and it was completely clarified that the sticker is not a parking fee.

During the town meeting on October 17, a citizen petition was voted by the residents in attendance to change the cost of the sticker from thirty-five dollars to one dollar for town residents. Officials kept reiterating that the sticker price is not a parking fee but a fee for use of the compost facility and upkeep of the beach and recreation area.

Town Administrator John McAuliffe stated that Chapter 334 of 1958 in the town by-laws states that the town may charge out of town residents a fee but says nothing in regard to residents being exempt from any fees. “You might feel like it’s a great victory to say no more thirty-five dollar fee, we will go back to a dollar, I guess we’ll go back to zero, but that does mean the compost facility is not going to be funded. It does mean that any operation at the beach is not going to be funded.” McAuliffe stated.

Selectman Deborah A. Keefe brought forth the issue of checking cars at the gate without the sticker on the windshield. “We cannot afford to have twenty, thirty cars lined up checking registrations to see whether or not they are Webster residents. And that’s what would happen if we don’t have a sticker on your car.” Keefe said.

Selectman Keefe went on to state that without the funding, there would be no lifeguards, no police monitoring trash throwing or cleanup. “I hate to say it but in this day in age, if you don’t have people monitoring it, the place becomes a dump…So, without some form of revenue associated with maintaining the compost and the beach, and I said from day one, it is not, not a parking pass, it is the use of the access of the location.” Keefe stated.

Another issue is without stickers; people would have to be hired to check the registrations and driver’s license of every vehicle coming into the beach. This means that town residents who once had free rein to drive right in would also have to wait in line to be checked. The longer the line, the longer the wait. Keefe went on to state that she hoped the residents understand what the board is trying to do is maintain the safety, usage and upkeep of both the beach and the compost facility. If the fee did not exist, then it would have to be added to the town budget and that burden would be put on all residents.

Town Administrator McAuliffe stated that the fee is a voluntary one. If residents do not wish to use the compost facility or the beach, they are not liable for the fee.

It was unanimously voted to keep the fee at thirty-five dollars. There will be a provision for families with two vehicles to obtain a second sticker if both registrations are brought in at the same time.

Also on the agenda was the Sex Offender By-law update. The updated article is slated to be on the warrant for the May town meeting.

Cindy Howard and Linda Cournoyer from the Center of Hope gave an overview of their mission and invited the Board of Selectmen to tour their facility to see the work they perform for the surrounding communities. The Center of Hope Foundation provides people with disabilities and their families with the resources, services and opportunities to be contributing members of their communities and to achieve the most fulfilling and meaningful lives possible. The board stated their appreciation for their cause and agreed to meet at some point in support of the center.

The remaining sewer abatements were accepted.

Arthur Hunt was named as new manager of the 200 Sportsmen’s Club.

A Class II License application for 8 East Main Street was tabled until further information on the facility could be gathered.

The board voted and approved four articles sponsored by the Town Administrator to be voted on at the Special Town Meeting, Monday, February 13. The articles will be posted in the Patriot Newspaper.

State Representative Kevin Kuros was also on the agenda to give a local update but could not make the Board of Selectmen’s Meeting due to a State of the State Address.

by Chief Steven J Wojnar

This past week I was asked a question about transporting items in a motor vehicle.  The main issue involved trash or other debris being transported in the back of trucks.  Some of this material can fall from vehicles while they travel down the road.  This is not only a littering issue; it can create a potential hazard for other travelers.  I was asked to bring this to the attention of the readers of this column.

Massachusetts General Laws Chapter 85 Section 36 addresses many of the issues involving the covering of vehicle loads while traveling on the road.  Any vehicle operator or owner has the responsibility to control the possibility of items dropping from their vehicle.  Section 36 requires these people “to prevent any of its load from dropping, sifting, leaking or otherwise escaping therefrom, and, if it is loaded with sand, gravel, loam, dirt, stone, rubbish or debris that could fall on other vehicles or on the highway and create litter or potential hazards to other vehicles, unless its load is fully and adequately covered.”  Some exceptions exist for road maintenance; otherwise, there is an obligation to prevent anything from leaving a vehicle.

Violators are subject to a fine of $200.  If an accident occurs as a result of this debris, the violators could incur some liability as a contributing factor.  In addition to creating a potential hazard, it is completely unfair for others to clean up the mess caused by another person.  Take the few extra moments to secure your loads.  It can be important in preventing accidents or injuries and provide some peace of mind for property owners.

Thanks again for your questions and comments.  Please send them to me at the Dudley Police Department 71 West Main St., Dudley, Ma. 01571 or email at swojnar@dudleypolice.com.  Opinions expressed in this weekly column are those of Chief Wojnar only and unless clearly noted, do not reflect the ideas or opinions of any other organization or citizen

Q: What can I do about the dry itchy skin I get in the cold winter weather? No matter how much lotion I slather on it still seems to be very dry………..Jane, S

Q. I have such dry scratchy feet in the winter, what can I do to make them smoother and not ‘catch’ my socks as I put them on? …………….Steve, C

Q: I love to use a chap stick on my lips during winter but my friends say it is not good for my lips. It feels pretty good when I use it though. ………………….Stanley, S

A: The joys of winter! We spend lots more time in artificially created heat, wearing long sleeves and warm jackets, drying out our skin, scratching, sniffling, skin crackling and hair standing on end. Not to mention getting shocked by your car door when you get out of the car, or shocking a friend when you go in for a kiss.

Even if you don’t keep your home really warm, your skin still dries out, lips crack and winter dryness becomes annoying. Experts agree that it’s especially important to keep skin moist and supple in the winter, avoiding cracks in fingers, hands and feet. These can be very painful, causing infection and bleeding.

A great daily regime is to smooth on a light water based moisturizer, while your skin is still damp from the shower. Pay particular attention to those parts of your body that are especially dry, hands, elbows, heels shins. Stay away from any moisturizer that contains mineral oil or petroleum jelly (petrolatum). These create an artificial film on your skin and lips which signal your skin to stop producing the natural lipids. Choose a lip moisturizer with natural botanical waxes or shea butter, such as Burt’s Bees. For the body use products including plant based oils such as grape seed, avocado, shea butter, jojoba, olive and palm oil. These humectants are nearly identical to human sebum and are much more available for the skin cells. Shea butter is a little heavier, and better suited to evening use. On the face and neck consider using creams with humectants like aloe, hyaluronic acid and lactic acid.

Although warm showers and baths feel great on bone chilling days, they are extremely drying for the skin. Water over 98.6 degrees causes blood vessels to dilate, resulting in more water loss throughout the entire epidermis. If you crave heat, keep it under 5 minutes, and use a soap free body wash instead of bar soap. Pat—don’t rub– your skin dry, and moisturize immediately (within 3 minutes) while skin is still damp to help the oils penetrate.

Sloughing off dry dead skin cells with an enzyme based exfoliant will help new moisture rich skin cells to rise to the top. Wear layered clothing with natural cotton or silk touching the skin. A humidifier can help—especially at night, when combined with night cream, skin is more likely to drink in moisture. It also defrizzes staticky winter hair.

Have a question, or is there something you’ve always wondered about. Ask Madalyn invites your questions.

Email: AskMadalyn@gmail.com

Donohue requested open hearing

The town’s animal control officer Sheila S. Donohue was terminated on January 3 and last week the town posted on its website a 24-page audit report which describes the irregularities and concerns that prompted the firing.

The audit had been requested in early 2011 by Town Manager Joseph M. Zeneski and was completed last June. Mr. Zeneski said that he had worked with Ms. Donohue since that time to correct the problems, but it didn’t work out. “Some people are beating me up over this,” he said, “because they say Sheila cared for animals. Others are saying, ‘what took you so long.’ “

It has become a very public issue; twenty or so supporters of Ms. Donohue picketed the Town Hall before a Board of Selectmen meeting two weeks ago, and the internet airways have been filled with vitriol.

Mr. Zeneski said the seven cats that were in the animal shelter in December were moved to the Barton Brook Kennel in Leicester under the supervision of the MSPCA. All but one of the cats has now been placed. The shelter was not a safe place for animals, he said, with just a small space heater to warm it.

Ms. Donohue had been the part-time Oxford animal control officer since 2006. In August 2011 she was also appointed as part-time animal control officer in Dudley, and began that job October 3. Town Administrator Peter Jankowski said this week that she’s been doing a good job in Dudley. “We’ve had no issues in the few months that she has been here.”

Ms. Donohue said: “Working in Dudley has been a pleasure. Everyone has been welcoming and receptive. I plan to continue working very hard and perform the job to the best of my abilities. I’m committed to my career and my job.”

Ms. Donohue’s resume attests to her love for animals, with work experience including twelve years at the UMass Medical School Department of Animal Medicine and eleven years at Tufts University School of Veterinary Medicine. She has a large number of certifications and has participated in numerous professional organizations and activities. In April she will be completing a program at the National Animal Control Academy for national certification as an animal control officer.

The Oxford audit was prepared by Melanson Heath & Co. of Andover. It confirmed that the following had occurred.

1. Failure to submit accurate and timely activity and collections reports

2. Submitting payroll hours in excess of limits place by management

3. Holding animals beyond minimum time periods and providing medical treatment after the time periods have expired

4. Running an animal shelter without express authorization from the town

5. Failure to turn over activity logs maintained at the town facility

6. Failure to meet with the town auditor or to provide requested information

7. Failure to keep accurate control over veterinary bills to avoid duplicate payment

One of the items, not holding animals beyond minimum time periods seems to be especially galling to animal lovers and supporters.

The report states: “The Massachusetts General Laws and Town By-Laws authorize the animal control officer to pick-up stray dogs and cats and to release the animals for a fee paid by the owners or custodians. The General Laws and By-Laws also call for the animals to be killed, adopted or turned over to a licensed facility after a period of ten days for dogs and three days for cats. The MGL or Town By-Laws do not authorize the Town to accept or release animals surrendered by their owners and to hold them for adoption.”

In other words, the animal control officer is authorized only to impound animals, not accept them for adoption. Mr. Zeneski said it’s fine to use common sense with the animals. “Certainly, if we know an owner is on vacation we can wait until he returns. But, he said, the town by-laws require that if an animal is diseased or feral or rabid, there are procedures to follow.”

He said he discussed the irregularities with Ms. Donohue early on, but “she reacted extremely defensively, which suggested that there might be something wrong here.” That prompted his request for the audit.

Ms. Donohue received a copy of the audit at a meeting with Mr. Zeneski on December 22nd. She said she submitted a request in writing to him and every member of the Board of Selectman asking for an open hearing.

“My integrity has been questioned,” she said. “I’m willing to discuss the audit.”

In describing the role of an animal control officer, Ms. Donohue said that in many towns it has evolved quite a bit over the last 10 or 20 years. “It’s not just the old dog catcher job anymore. We are becoming more professional and now work with all kinds of animals. We can come take care of the raccoon on your deck, too.”

In spite of the difficulty with the Town, Ms. Donohue says Oxford has a lot of wonderful, generous people, and she is proud of her accomplishments there, especially her work on the new animal shelter. “That has been a great community effort,” she said, “sort of like an old-fashioned barn raising.”

Ms. Donohue said she plans to “defend my honor and integrity.” She would not say what form that might take.

The auditors recommended that their report be turned over to appropriate authorities; it has been sent to the district attorney and the attorney general’s office.

To read the report, go to www.town.oxford.ma.us, then click on accountant, then on ACO Forensic Audit.

Henry J. Lane, Attorney, Lane & Hamer LLC

The role of the notary public in the United States has been fairly consistent over the last several centuries. The duties primarily consist of acknowledging signatures and administering oaths. In both cases the notary is responsible for determining that the person who has signed a document is in fact the person who is identified in the document and also that the signature was a voluntary act. Documents that require notarization include deeds, mortgages and self-proving wills. In both cases the notary must personally know the person who is signing the document or must examine documents to establish the person's identity such as a driver’s license, passport or other government issued identification. If such documents are not available, the notary public may rely on identification provided by witnesses the notary public considers to be reliable. In addition to confirming the identity of the individual signing the document, the notary must also determine that the document is being signed voluntarily and that the person signing the document, whether a deed or a will, was not being pressured or forced to sign the deed by another person. In both cases the notary must also be satisfied that the person signing the document understands what the document is although the notary is not responsible for investigating or determining the legality, propriety, accuracy or truthfulness of the document that is being notarized. The second category of documents that require notarization are affidavits and related sworn statements. Affidavits and similar documents are often required when administering estates, applying for public benefits and providing evidence in legal proceedings. When notarizing such documents the notary also has to confirm the identity of the person signing the document and then must administer an oath by requesting the person signing the document to swear or affirm that the contents of the document are truthful and accurate to the best of the person's knowledge.

Although the role of the notary public in United States is generally limited, the term is used much differently in many other countries, including Canada, Mexico and much of Europe. In many other countries the term "notary" or a local variation thereof is used to identify a person engaged in the practice of law. In those countries the term is used to identify a lawyer who prepares deeds, wills, mortgages and handles real estate transactions and the probating of estates. A lawyer in those countries who conducts trials is often referred to as a "barrister" in English-speaking countries or as an "abogado" in Spanish- speaking countries. The distinction between the use of the term "notary" in the United States and the use of the term in foreign countries was of little consequence until large numbers of immigrants from Latin American countries arrived over the last several decades. Many people from Spanish- speaking countries assumed that a "notary public" in United States had the same qualifications as a "notario" in their home countries. And, to add to the confusion, apparently in some communities notaries held themselves out as having the ability to provide legal services with respect to immigration issues.

So, after several hundred years with very little regulation of notaries public, Governor Mitt Romney issued an executive order in December of 2003 which significantly changed the way notary public services were provided in Massachusetts. The Executive Order had three basic components. First, it updated the language used to notarize documents that had traditionally been used and made the requirement to confirm the identity of the party whose signature was being notarized more explicit. Secondly, it formalized the requirement that notaries public who are not attorneys are required to record every notarial act in a bound ledger so that there is a permanent record of those transactions. Thirdly, it reinforced the prohibition against notaries public providing legal advice or services unless they are also attorneys. In the case of notaries public using the term "notario" or other foreign-language equivalent of notary public, an express disclaimer is required indicating that the individual is not an attorney and cannot give advice on immigration or other legal matters.

Mitt Romney may be off pursuing a larger dream but his footprint in Massachusetts remains in the form of his Executive Order modernizing the role of the notary public, a copy of which is available on the website of the Massachusetts Secretary of State.

On Friday morning, Officers responded to #38 Chestnut Hill Road. The homeowner of the residence was reporting that he returned to the house to find that there was a ladder propped to the back side of the house and he had discovered a broken basement window. When he entered the home, he found that his son was in the basement. The son, Robert M. Maynard (25yoa), lives at #32 Leicester Street in Oxford. He noticed that his son had a black pellet hand gun in his possession. Mr. Maynard then told his son to leave or he would call the police. He did not leave.

Upon arrival of the Officers, they were informed by Mr. Maynard that his son had a pellet hand gun on him. The first officer entered the home and confronted the son in the living room area. Maynard was pointing the pellet gun at the officer when he entered. Officers deployed their service weapons and repeatedly order Maynard to drop the gun and he refused. Maynard then retreated to the 2nd floor bedroom. Officers Picard & McDonald followed him upstairs. Another standoff occurred in the bedroom. At that time, officers had the opportunity to deploy pepper spray. Maynard succumbed to the spray and officers were able to restrain him.

Maynard was transported to the police department where he was booked and subsequently transported to the Dudley District Court for his arraignment.

Maynard is being charged with Breaking & Entering into the residence and Assault with a dangerous weapon (pellet gun) against the officers.

By Steev Riccardo

A big weekend is coming up in local sports as Bartlett prepares to clash with Shepherd Hill on the basketball court this coming Friday night in Dudley. At press time, the Rams were 9-2 while the Indians stood at 8-3. With both teams having strong campaigns, something has to give on Friday.
Last season when the two teams met, the Rams came away with a 68-56 victory.  The Rams are the favorites, but the Indians are a much better team this year, which means it could be a real battle and probably will be.

Bartlett head coach Tony Paranto said, “We obviously play one game at a time but I think the kids in the back of their minds are looking at the rivalry with Shepherd Hill.”  Bartlett players DJ Kirby-Thomas and Akeem Belnavis surely remember what happened to them this past season on the football field when they were beaten badly by the Rams at home.

Matt Huberdault: Last Wednesday Bartlett junior co-captain Matt Huberdault had a break-out game against the Grafton Indians in his teams’ 79-54 victory.  Huberdault was six for nine from the floor, scoring 17 points, while dishing out five assists.

Huberdault wasted no time following up that game with another 17- point effort in Bartlett’s 74-69 win over Millbury.  Coach Paranto said his junior star was getting hot at the right time and he’s right about that.

The thing that you have to really like about Huberdault’s game is the way he plays hard the entire time he is on the court. His effort is tremendous and when he scores like he did last week, it’s an added bonus.

Slam-dunk: Bartlett’s Akeem Belnavis threw down his second outstanding dunk of the season last Friday against Millbury. Seeing this high flier, who is still a junior, show off his athleticism has been a real pleasure this season.  Things are only going to get better for the green machine with this kid around. 

Central Mass hoops scoring leaders: At press time, Bartlett’s Nick Kobel was tied for fourth in the Central Mass scoring race with a 21.4 average. Bay Path Regional’s TJ Gentry is twelfth with a 19.3 average.  Oxford High continues to get some quality scoring from Cody Stone who is at 15.3.  Shepherd Hill’s Chris Patrinos is 13.7, Kobel’s high flying teammate Akeem Belnavis is at 13.5 and the Rams Jesse Gilchrist is at 13.3.

Meghan Fornaro of Shepherd Hill continues to lead all local high school girls with a 19.5 average. Lauren Puishys of Oxford is second amongst the locals with a 12.7 scoring average.  Fornaro’s teammate Brooke Packard is at 10.5. Lindsay Bond leads Bartlett with a 10.0 average.

BHS football banquet: We are looking forward to attending the Bartlett High School football banquet at Point Breeze in Webster this Saturday. The event will feature video highlights, team awards, and dinner.  It’s a lock that the video segment will feature “The Play” from the David Prouty game at Worcester Tech. Expect a full report of the evening’s events in next week’s column.

Correction department: Last week in my story about the Bartlett high brother and sister tandem of Nikita and Deanna Truhanovitch, we called their older sister Amanda; she is actually Amber. Sorry about that kids!

Contact steev@patriotnewspaper.com with comments and feedback.

Huberdault, Belnavis, lead way

By Steev Riccardo

The Bartlett Indians used an effective pressing defense and some timely outside shooting to beat the Millbury Woolies 74-69 on Friday night in a Southern Worcester County League game played at the Bartlett gym in Webster.

 
Sparked by the hot shooting of junior Matt Huberdault and the strong second half play of fellow junior Akeem Belnavis, who brought the crowd to its feet with a huge third quarter steal and slam-dunk, the Indians were in control most of the night en route to their eighth win of the season.

The Indians came out quick and took a 21-10 first quarter lead, primarily due to three long range three-pointers by Huberdault and a clutch three-pointer at the buzzer by senior co-captain Nick Kobel. 
A strong Woolies defense put the clamps on the Indians, not allowing them to score until half way through the second quarter.  Alex Givens-Perry finally broke the drought with a big offensive rebound and basket.  Despite being outscored 16-12, the Indians still led 33-30 at the break.

The Indians came out in the second half with their signature full court press that forced the Woolies to turn the ball over on numerous occasions, but when the visitors broke the press they were able to hit some long shots that kept them in the game.

Indians co-captain and power forward DJ Kirby-Thomas, who was in a real battle all night long with Woolies big-man Tristan Cano, led the way with seven tough third quarter points as the Indians maintained a slim 50-46 lead heading into the fourth quarter.

The athletic Belnavis, who had 12 huge second-half points, was a real spark on both ends of the court and brought the house down with a huge steal and breakaway slam-dunk at the 4:39 mark. 
Still the Woolies didn’t make it easy, hitting a bunch more long range shots to keep it close, but the Indians made their free throws down the stretch and held on for the victory.

 
Bartlett Head Coach Tony Paranto was pleased with the win but still saw some room for improvement in his team’s play. “I thought we did a pretty good job with our press, they had a lot of turnovers, but it seems like every time they did got the ball down the other end of the court, we couldn’t find their outside shooters. We didn’t cover back defensively and that is something we need to correct.”
Paranto also went on to praise his junior co-captain Huberdault, “He has given us a good spark. He’s finding his stroke right now, which is good. We need him obviously as we get down to the stretch run. It couldn’t happen at a better time.”

 
Givens-Perry continued to give the Indians a strong presence on the inside, having another strong game scoring 10 points, and more importantly, snagging 12 rebounds, which has been his average all season long.

The Bartlett junior varsity squad defeated Millbury 55-48 behind a solid game from Anthony “the bull” Caffarelli, who had a season high 13 points. Anthony Higbie added 12 points and Jacob Semonis scored 10 points for the winners.

The Indians play the Oxford Pirates Tuesday the 24th. Go to http://www.patriotnewspaper.com/ to read the story on-line.  On Friday the 8-3 Indians take on their key rivals the Shepherd Hill Rams, who were also 8-3 heading into last night’s game versus the Uxbridge Spartans.

Contact steev@patriotnewspaper.com for more sports news check out View from the Sidelines every week exclusively in The Patriot newspaper.

Bartlett siblings excel

By Steev Riccardo

Webster - It’s really hard not to like the dynamic brother and sister duo Nikita and Deanna Truhanovitch the moment you meet them.

Nikita is a senior and Deanna is a junior at Bartlett High School, and though in many ways they’re normal high school students, both excel in other ways which draw the attention of their peers.

The Truhanovitch family also includes of Mom and Dad, who came to America from Russia, and older sister Amanda. The family moved to Webster in 1997 when they bought an abandoned house, “fixed it up,” and made the town their home.

Even though he calls himself “a very boring kid,” Nikita is far from that. Two of his fellow senior classmates Rocco DiStefano and Jackie Finkel rave about Nikita and Deanna and their athletic ability, their positive outlook and attitude, and their overall great demeanor.

Nikita started making his mark in town as a gifted athlete upon his arrival. He began playing soccer in the seventh grade and later discovered that his running and jumping abilities would make him a standout in track and field as well.

He credits his freshmen track coach Patricia Dupree for “throwing me out on the track and telling me to do the hurdles.” He finished first and has been at the top of the standings ever since.

The senior currently competes in the 55-meter dash, which he usually finishes neck and neck with DiStefano in competition after competition, the 55-meter hurdles, the high jump, and the shot put in indoor track. On the outdoor track team he competes in the 110-meter hurdles, 400-meter hurdles, the high jump, and the triple jump.

When running around on the soccer field for the Indians, Nikita “will do anything and everything that the coach needs me to do.” In other words, he plays a key role on the team, playing whatever position he is asked to play.

Nikita is quick to describe his relationships with DiStefano and Central Mass all-star soccer teammate Nick Kobel as strong and very competitive, helping him stay on top of his game.

“Rocco can joke around because of how competitive we are with each other and Nick Kobel and I have been friends since we were eight years old, and it’s a mainly competitive relationship as well.”

When asked about his most important role model and mentor, Nikita immediately credits his father, “He is always trying to push me to do the best I can and he has this funny way of doing it, he loves being sarcastic.”

“Academically he (his father) tries to get me to do my best, I’m very lazy when it comes to homework. It may just be the way he was brought up in Russia but he can be very strict with his approach. He doesn’t want me working in a factory, he wants me to do something good with my life and I take that to heart. He is very strict, apparently he did things when he was growing up that he doesn’t want us to do. We have curfews which our friends don’t have. We have to be at home way before everyone else. We are in our rooms by ten o’clock.”

Then there is the relationship with his younger sister Deanna. “People say we are twins, sometimes we have that twin moment where we say the exact same thing at the same time. When we listen to a song we both start jamming to it at the same time. When we fight it’s over really quickly. We are like best friends.”

Deanna, also an accomplished athlete, uses her talents in different ways. She started playing basketball and soccer in middle school but soon switched to cheerleading. She’s now an all-star cheerleader as part of a group that travels all over the state and out of state competing.

She is also on the track team and competes in the high jump, 55- meter dash, and the 55-meter hurdles, despite the fact that she had an on-field injury that resulted in a broken wrist last year.

Deanna’s real calling, however, appears to be in music, where she is somewhat of a virtuoso. She has been in the Senior Show Choir since the seventh grade and is part of the school’s Select Choir. Along with her best friend Alyssa Corey, she has choreographed one of the junior high songs. She also conducted the junior high winter choir this year.

With high hopes of becoming a music teacher and singing professionally, she has developed a strong relationship with Bartlett High School choir teacher and instructor Peter Carney.

“I look up to my choir teacher Mr. Carney a lot. He pushes us to our limit and helps us to be the best we can be. He also is there to help us get through a bad day. He is like a father to me, even though I don’t think he knows that yet, but he will now (laughs).”

Deanna also credits her sister Amber with being a great role model. A 2008 Bartlett graduate, Amber is currently attending WPI where she is majoring in bio-engineering.

She also values the importance of her friendship with Alyssa Corey, who is the dance captain of the show choir. “We have a lot of the same thoughts. We both went to visit Keene State College together for a tour because we have our goals set on attending school there. We are also both into show choir and whenever we need help we help each other.”

If that is not enough, Deanna has also done some modeling, but stopped when she got braces. She still has hopes of doing more of that work at some point as well.

Ultimately the siblings are team players and have a lot of pride in their school. “There are those select kids who say that the school isn’t very good, but the athletes here have a lot of pride in what they do. They want to make Bartlett a better place,” says Nikita.

“I think we have a lot of pride at Bartlett because a lot of other schools put us down and say that Bartlett is not a good school,” adds Deanna, who does not agree with mindset.

“Even when things do go wrong we all come together and act like a family. It is hard to see our players’ emotions when they lose a game. I know one player, Conor McCarthy, who took it very bad when we lost to Southbridge on Thanksgiving in football. He just wanted to show people that Bartlett was not bad. He has the most pride in the school and it’s really influential.”

Nikita continues: “You feel for our football players cause you know it’s a big rivalry with Southbridge and you want to see your team come out on top, but you can’t really hate on the other team because it’s the same thing for them.”

Once the school year is over, Nikita plans on attending college and is heavily leaning towards UMass Amherst to study game design and “possibly software programming.”

The siblings will stay close once Nikita graduates. “We are like best friends, a lot of people think we are twins, we never fight, we look out for each other,” says Deanna.

With kids like this, things are certainly looking up at Bartlett High School.

Contact steev@patriotnewspaper.com