COMMUNITY BRIEFING

GLOBE WEST 2

BERLIN

MORE COYOTE CALLS - The wild turkey population in town is up thisyear and with the increase has come a jump in coyote sightings. "Thecoyotes are chasing the turkeys around," Police Chief Otto Rhode Jr.said recently. His department has responded to an increased numberof calls about coyotes this year, but many of the calls turn out tobe false alarms. The Berlin Memorial School puts out fake coyotes toscare away the geese, Rhode explained. So far this season, roughlyfive of the calls have turned out to be real coyotes. Even so, Rhodeasked residents, especially those with small pets, to be alert. "Asthe snow gets deeper and there's less and less food, you have to becareful," he said. - Julia Rappaport

BOLTON

HELP WITH ICE DAMAGE - With farms across the region hit hard bythe recent ice storms, Governor Deval Patrick has asked the WhiteHouse to issue a presidential emergency declaration that wouldprovide assistance for them. Among local properties, Bolton Orchardssustained damage to a number of its fruit trees, with several peachtrees splitting in two due to ice on the limbs. Farms can access thepotential assistance by reporting their losses to the County FarmService Agency. - Matt Gunderson

BOYLSTON

CLEANUP IN BEETLE AREAS - The US Department of Agriculture hasagreed to clean up debris from ice-damaged trees in the section oftown under watch for Asian longhorned beetles. Residents who wantbrush removed by the department must complete a permission formallowing access to their property. The forms can be found on thetown website, Boylston-ma.gov. The invasive beetle, which is athreat to hardwood trees, was discovered earlier this year inseveral area communities, and a restricted zone set up to block itsspread includes a southern portion of Boylston. - Matt Gunderson

FRAMINGHAM

SUPERINTENDENT SEMIFINALISTS - The School Committee has announcedfour semifinalists for the district's superintendent position, whichhas been held on an interim basis by Eugene Thayer since last year.According to a written statement released last week, the candidatesare Wayne Alexander, superintendent of the Hernando County SchoolDistrict in Brooksville, Fla.; David Fleishman, superintendent ofthe Chappaqua Central School District in Chappaqua, N.Y.; StevenHiersche, superintendent of Watertown's school district; and StephenMills, a deputy superintendent in the Worcester schools. The SchoolCommittee will conduct one-hour public interviews with them on Jan.10, and the field should be narrowed to the finalists no later thanJan. 13, according to the board's chairman, Philip Dinsky. The finalcandidates are slated to have interviews with district officials andstaff members, and participate in a community forum. Framinghamofficials have said they plan to choose a new superintendent byFebruary. Thayer took over for Christopher Martes, who resigned lastyear to take the superintendent's job in Foxborough.

- Tanya Perez-Brennan

HUDSON

SCROOGE PAYING A CALL - The Arts Alliance is presenting a specialholiday production of "A Christmas Carol" as part of their Focus onthe Arts! series, which brings family entertainment to town duringschool vacation week. The curtain will rise at 4:30 p.m. Tuesday inTown Hall. Town resident Michelle Holmes will direct this adaptationof the Charles Dickens classic. Tickets are $9; $7 for students orseniors. A $2 discount is available for tickets ordered in advance.For more information, visit upwitharts.org or call 978-562-1646.-Julia Rappaport

MARLBOROUGH

FREE PASSES AT LIBRARY - With a week left in the school vacation,families may find it a perfect time to take advantage of theMarlborough Public Library's museum pass program. The library offers18 discount passes to area museums, from the New England Aquariumand the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston to the Spellman Museum ofStamps and Postal History in Weston and the Roger Williams Park Zooin Providence. Passes can be reserved online atwww.libraryinsight.com, and librarians advise booking in advance.For more information, contact the library at 508-624-6900. - JuliaRappaport

MAYNARD

ONLINE SOURCE FOR STUDENTS - School officials have opened up afree educational resource for students, allowing them to access anonline encyclopedia from their homes. Known as Grolier Multi-MediaEncyclopedia, the service can be used by students with Internetaccess at home for research projects and homework.- Matt Gunderson

NORTHBOROUGH

NO NEW DATE FOR BRUSH CLEARING - Due to the flurry of recentwinter storms, a brush-clearing day originally scheduled for Dec. 19has been indefinitely postponed. The original date was set after anice storm left yards and streets cluttered with downed branches anddebris. The town's Department of Public Works had planned to holdthe collection at its garage at 190 Main St. According to anannouncement at Town Hall, the new date will be set "whenever theweather is going to cooperate." Residents are asked to monitor thelocal-access television station and the town website,www.town.northborough.ma.us, for more information. - Julia Rappaport

SHREWSBURY

SNOW HAMPERS CLEANUP - Volunteers worked last weekend to removetree branches and debris left by the Dec. 11 ice storm, butSelectman Maurice M. DePalo said additional snowfall and coldtemperatures last Saturday and Sunday impeded their efforts. "It'sjust really hard with the snow, and the branches starting to freezeto the ground," DePalo said. While the town was still taking callsfor assistance, and volunteers were still calling to offer help,DePalo said all but emergency-circumstance debris removal could bedelayed until warmer weather arrives. Approximately 25 volunteers -plus members of the Boy Scouts and the Shrewsbury High SchoolNational Honor Society - have signed on to gather fallen branchesmeasuring up to 6 inches in diameter. A first pass at cleanup bytown personnel, completed Dec. 18, reached 40 Shrewsbury streets.Residents requiring assistance with debris, or wishing to volunteer,can call 508-841-8374. - James O'Brien

SOUTHBOROUGH

TO THE RESCUE WITH TOYS - Fire Department personnel havedelivered three pickup-truck loads of toys to nonprofitorganizations that provide Southborough families with gifts for theholidays. Donated by students at the Fay School, the Margaret A.Neary School, the Southborough Girl Scouts, the Thursday LineDancing Group, and town residents, the toys were to be distributedby Southborough Youth and Family Services, the Salvation Army, andProject Just Because. The toy drive was coordinated by Fire ChiefJohn Mauro Jr. - James O'Brien

STOW

QUESTIONING CPA'S FUTURE - Selectmen and other town officials arereexamining whether the Community Preservation Act still makes sensefor the town in light of the economic downturn, said SelectmanStephen Dungan. The program, which provides money through a propertytax surcharge and matching state grants for affordable housing, openspace and historical conservation efforts, has been doling outdramatically less funding in the downturn. Officials in Stow areconsidering repealing the town's enrollment in the program, but noconsensus has been reached, said Dungan. - Matt Gunderson

SUDBURY

LAP POOL REOPENS - The Atkinson Lap Pool reopened last week afternew, specialized drain covers were installed, as required by afederal law. The Virginia Graeme Baker Pool and Spa Safety Actcalled for safer covers be installed on the main drains of swimmingpools and spas open to the public by Dec. 19. The drain covers forthe Atkinson facility were late in arriving, however, after beingordered last month, town officials said. With the new drain coversinstalled by a scuba diver, the pool reopened for the morning ofChristmas Eve, and then after the holiday resumed its scheduledoperating hours. The municipal pool's dive well had remained open,because its drain required a more readily available cover, and thework was performed before the deadline. For more information, visitwww.pool.sudbury.ma.us.

- John M. Guilfoil

WAYLAND

DEADLINE FOR AFFORDABLE CONDOS - The deadline for applying topurchase one of 16 affordable condominiums in Wayland is Wednesday.The condos, in the Residences at 89 Oxbow Road complex, are two- orthree-bedroom units and have maximum income eligibility requirementsthat vary depending on the size of the unit and the size of thefamily purchasing it. For more information, visit www.wayland.ma.us.Applications may be picked up at the town offices or the WaylandFree Public Library.

- John M. Guilfoil

WESTBOROUGH

AUDITIONS FOR SWEENEY TODD - The Westborough Players' Club isholding auditions for its production of a Stephen Sondheim musical,"Sweeney Todd," Jan. 9 from 7 to 10 p.m. and Jan. 10 from noon to 4p.m. at its 20 Phillips St. headquarters. Anyone age 16 or older iswelcome to audition; organizers request that candidates prepare tosing 16 measures of a Broadway song and bring a copy of the sheetmusic. Board member Jackie Hughes said she's heard from communitytheater enthusiasts that performing "Sweeney Todd" is a delight forsingers. Brian Kelly was picked to direct the production, to beperformed in May at the Sarah Gibbons Middle School.

- Megan McKee

AROUND THE REGION

HOPKINTON

PROM DRESS EXTRAVAGANZA - The Hopkinton PTA will host its thirdannual prom-gown recycling event, "The Perfect Dress," Jan. 10 from10 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Hopkinton High School. Cochairwoman Sue O'Keefelikened the event, which features hundreds of donated dresses pricedfrom $20 to $40, to the storied bridal dress extravaganza that washeld at Filene's Basement in Boston, although she said the sceneisn't quite as crazy. The day kicks off with a fashion show at 10a.m., and its participants are allowed first dibs on the selectionof prom dresses. There will be an alterations consultant on hand toadvise shoppers about the chances of adjusting a particular dress,and there will be a dressing room with mirrors. Also, jewelry willbe sold by local vendors. Admission is $5, and the cost will becredited toward the price of a dress. O'Keefe said that last yearshe paid $40 for a dress with a $450 price tag still attached. Allthe money raised benefits Hopkinton's schools. - Megan McKee

WALTHAM

REHABBING WATCH FACTORY - The Waltham Historical Society ishoping a local institution can be returned to "its former glory,"according to an announcement by the organization. The society ishosting a lecture, "Rehabilitation of the Historic Waltham WatchFactory," on Jan. 13, at 7 p.m., at the RTN Federal Credit Union,600 Main St. A representative from Boston-based Berkeley Investmentswill explain how his company plans to rehabilitate the 400,000-square-foot Queen Anne and Romanesque Revival style complex alongthe Charles River into a mix of office, residential, and retailspaces. - Lisa Kocian

WRENTHAM

WARMED BY PAJAMA DRIVE - Fourth-grade teacher Sara Drake'sstudents at the Charles E. Roderick School collected 225 pairs ofpajamas for children in need, and in the process learned aboutcommunity outreach. "Instead of asking their parents" for donations,Drake said, "the kids made fliers and brought them around todifferent businesses in town." Each of her 21 students were allowedto have their families donate one set of pajamas, but most of thecollection was the result of the fliers and hand-written letterscrafted by the children and sent to business owners. A student-written thank-you note was sent in response to each donation, Drakesaid. An additional 59 sets of pajamas came from teachers MandiKelley and Mark O'Connell's fourth-graders at the school. All of thepajamas will be distributed through the Foxborough office ofBirthday Wishes, a nonprofit organization that helps homelesschildren. - James O'Brien