by Barbara Van Reed

Connecticut author Chuck Miceli published his first novel last year and is on the road to do his most favorite thing: greeting and talking with his readers. The book is Amanda's Room and he will be at Dudley's Pearle L. Crawford Library for a reading and signing event next Monday.

Amanda's Room, a paranormal thriller, has had good reviews from readers. One called it “a real page turner.”  It takes place in the Catskills in upstate New York. Miceli describes it this way: “When death came for Amanda Reynolds, it could not pry her from the room. Katie Jarvis knows that Amanda is trying to communicate in the only way she knows how: by altering the weather. But Katie cannot decipher what Amanda is saying or why, and time is running out. Something is stalking Katie and her team. As the violence of the weather takes on monstrous proportions, they must unravel the meaning in the storms, or no one will be safe from the power of Amanda’s room.”

Miceli told us the story of how the book came to be, and how he became a novelist, a story equally intriguing.

By Steev Riccardo

OXFORD -The Oxford Lady Pirates fell to the Tantasqua Warriors 42-31 in Southern Worcester County League play last Wednesday,  January 9.

Senior co-captain Caroline Bercier led the Pirates in scoring with 11 points and nine rebounds. Sophomore Callie Andrews added seven points, while senior Abbey Kyei, sophomore Evelyn Marquis, and senior Blair Reilly all had four points in the loss.

By Steev Riccardo and Jacob Murphy

WEBSTER – The highly talented Southbridge Pioneers knocked off the Bartlett Indians 45-20 last Tuesday, January 8, in Southern Worcester County League action at Bartlett High School.

The Indians kept it close in the first half but were the victims of the Pioneers’ strong defensive pressure that forced multiple turnovers, especially in the second half, and propelled a 26-10 score.

By Steev Riccardo

WARREN - The Quaboag Cougars stymied the Bartlett Indians defensively and used some of their own hot shooting en route to defeating their Southern Worcester County League rival 56-40 on Wednesday, January 9, in a game that raised a few eyebrows.

The Indians were coming off a huge offensive performance in which they scored 104 points against Southbridge two days earlier and were on a seven-game winning streak, so no one really expected a role reversal this extreme.

SOUTHBRIDGE, Mass., January 10, 2013-- Harrington Hospital is taking additional steps to protect its patients from the flu.

Children 16 and under will not be allowed to visit patients at Harrington Hospital beginning Monday, January14. In addition, each patient will be limited to two healthy visitors at a time.

"Flu season is upon us and, as always, the safety of our patients is of primary concern to us,” said Harrington HealthCare System President and CEO Edward H. Moore. “The flu is a very serious illness, and this is one of the most severe flu seasons we have seen in this region in several years.

“It’s not too late to get a flu vaccination,” Moore said. “Flu season typically peaks in the winter and can last until spring.”

DUDLEY - Nichols College President Susan West Engelkemeyer and Tom Cafarro visited Dudley Fire Chief Dean Kochanowski and several members of the Dudley Board of Selectmen at Dudley Fire Headquarters last Wednesday to donate a timely piece of life-saving equipment to local firefighters.

Every year, horror stories make their way into the headlines about people who venture out onto unsafe ice only to fall through, jeopardizing their lives and the lives of others who attempt to rescue them from imminent drowning.  Enter the Town of Dudley’s good neighbor, Nichols College.

BOSTON – Students at the Bartlett Junior Senior High School and Park Avenue School in Webster will benefit from afterschool activities that support their learning, announced Sen. Richard T. Moore, D-Uxbridge. The Webster Public Schools was one of 22 school districts awarded a highly competitive
$264,000 21^st Century Community Learning Center (CLC) grant that will fund this initiative.

“The 21^st Century Community Learning Center grant program is an excellent means for extending the school day to promote enrichment and positive student outcomes,” said Sen. Moore, a supporter of Webster’s effort in applying for the CLC grant. “The need for CLC services often outpaces districts’ ability to pay for them. I therefore applaud the Webster Public School for taking full advantage of this alternative funding source, for the full benefit of its students.”

Text and photos by Steev Riccardo

OXFORD – The Oxford Pirates took an early 9-0 lead and led all the way and went on to defeat the Leicester Wolverines 75-55 in a Southern Worcester League battle between the two rivals on Friday night, Jan. 4, at Oxford high school.

The Orange and Black used their aggressive defense and rattled the Wolverines early, which led to some turnovers and easy baskets and helped them open a 21-9 lead after one quarter. 

The hometown onslaught continued in the second quarter as the Pirates connected on four 3- pointers, including a pair by senior co-captain Donny Freeland, to open a commanding 41-23 half-time lead.

by Steev Riccardo

WEBSTER – The Bartlett Indians fell to the Millbury Woolies 53-14 last Thursday, Jan. 4, in girls SWCL action.

Junior Kayla Podell played a solid defensive game, blocking eight shots to go along with four points for the Indians, who stayed close to the Woolies early, trailing only 7-4 after one quarter.

Freshman Katie Kobel scored four points, while freshman Natalie Terranova, playing in her second varsity game, scored her first points in a varsity uniform for the Indians.

By Charles Kelleher Harris
Patriot correspondent

DUDLEY-The Board of Selectmen want to make sure that the decision to issue a soil and loam removal permit is made with the community in mind.

At Monday's regularly scheduled meeting, James Pioppi, of Pioppi Construction was present for a public hearing about the permit application.

Pioppi sought a permit for removal at a gravel pit off Fish Road. However, during recent work at the site Pioppi Construction accidentally damaged a portion of the rail trail, which is property of the Commonwealth. Repairs to that area have not yet been made.