August 21, 2009 RSS feed / Front Page

003p1_xlg.jpg

Flipping for summer

Mackenzie Buxton, 4, of Ashburnham somersaults around the bars on the playground on Monday evening. She did not let this week's high temperatures dampen her fun. JOURNAL PHOTO/CAITLYN KELLEHER More...

Scooping out some summer fun

By Caitlyn Kelleher JOURNAL REPORTER

A free sample of ice cream is the tasty treat at the end of the Ben and Jerry's Ice Cream Factory Ic tour, which will cost less wh than a pint of the famous p ice cream. More...

Special Sections

Opinion

A new year

Editorial

Over the next few weeks everyone will settle into the "new normal" — a normal that includes homework, practices and morning alarm clocks. More...

State House stayed busy during the summer

By Sen. Jennifer Flanagan

Thank you state house staffers and elected officials. The month of July proved to be extremely busy on Beacon Hill. The Senate worked on various legislative proposals and many budget items. More...

Rotary says thanks for support

To the Editor: On Friday, July 31, the Ashburnham- Westminster Rotary Club held their fourteenth annual Scholarship Scramble at the Westminster Country Club. More...

Click here for all stories

Living Well

Enjoy a summer breakfast at Saima Park on Saturday

FITCHBURG — A Summer Breakfast will be held from 8 to 10:30 a.m. on Saturday, Aug. 22, at the Finnish Center at Saima Park, 67 Scott Road, Fitchburg. Finnish Oven Pancake (Pannukakku), bacon, sausage, coffee, pulla, and juice will be served. More...

Run-walk to support Relay for Life team is upcoming

LEOMINSTER — A 5K run-walk in Leominster, to benefit American Cancer Society Herbey's Harem 2009 Relay for Life Team, will be held on Saturday, Oct. 10. The walk will begin at 7:45 a.m., followed by the run at 8:30 a.m. More...

Theatre At The Mount nominated for many achievement awards

The Theatre at the Mount received eight nominations in the Eastern Massachusetts Association of Community Theatres (EMACT) 2008- 2009 Distinguished Achievement and Special Honors Awards. More...

Click here for all stories

Schools

Job fairs: how to make the most of the time

As unemployment rises, many Americans find themselves unexpectedly looking for work. Suddenly, attending a job fair becomes a vital opportunity to network, develop interviewing skills and, hopefully, find a job. More...

Brown named to Dean's List

Heather Brown was named to the Dean's List for both semesters at Rivier College. She also carried a 4.0 GPA for the whole year. More...

Jarvis named to Maritime Academy Dean's List

BUZZARDS BAY — Massachusetts Maritime Academy named Westminster resident Alex Jarvis to the Dean's List during the Spring 2009 semester. More...

Click here for all stories

Worship

WORSHIP COLUMN

ASHBY CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH Located at the Common in Ashby. If you are seeking a Christian worship service and fellowship, please join us Sunday mornings at 9:00 a.m. (July 5th through September 6th) for worship service. More...

Click here for all stories

Ashburnham

Meeting Matters

Ashburnham Board of Selectmen Monday, Aug. 17, 2009
Compiled by Caitlyn Kelleher JOURNAL REPORTER

Top Story: The Board of Assessors met with selectmen to go over goals for the upcoming year. The assessors' goals were mostly focused on completing a series of reviews to establish the tax rate and the tax base for the town. More...

Food pantry in need of donations

The Ashburnham Community Church food pantry is seeking donations of non-perishable food items which the community can be brought to the Ashburnham Market Place, Family Hair Designs, Tweedo's, Ashley Court, Ashburnham Municipal Light Plant, and Ashb More...

St. Denis Parish to host Fall Festival

St. Denis Parish will host its Fall Festival from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Saturday, Sept. 12, at the parish on Main Street/Route 12 in Ashburnham. More...

Click here for all stories

Westminster

Rehabbed cannon returns

The 1905 03-inch field artillery cannon was fully rehabbed this summer before returning to be displayed on Academy Hill. More...

Second town planner search heads to next step

By Caitlyn Kelleher JOURNAL REPORTER

The Town Planner Search Committee plans to interview up to 11 semi-finalists for the position as they work through 26 applications. The committee is conducting a second search to fill the position, which has been vacant for over a year. More...

Registration for Girl Scouts planned

Girl Scout registration will be held from 5 to 7 p.m. on Tuesday, Sept. 15, at the Meetinghouse School Cafeteria in Westminster. For girls ages 5 through 17. Adult volunteers are needed. More...

Click here for all stories

And the survey says…

Students speak out on drugs, alcohol, sex
By Caitlyn Kelleher JOURNAL REPORTER

Teenagers living in Ashburnham and Westminster are more likely than their peers to have an adult that they talk with, to be physically active, to smoke cigars or marijuana, and to use Ecstasy. More...

Dear Reader:

In the next 10 days students will be returning to school and as summer ends we at The Community Journal want to share one more edition of the newspaper with you. More...

News

Overheated

A small fire at Eustis Chair, on Westminster Street in Ashburnham, became a two-alarm fire Tuesday as Ashburnham firefighters needed more manpower. More...

Volunteers needed for pilot mentoring program

By Diane Beaudoin PRIDE CORRESPONDENT

By volunteering for the Montachusett Interfaith Hospitality Network, volunteers are not just simply helping the community; they are helping a family in distress. More...

Concern raised about former superintendent's house

By Phyllis Booth JOURNAL CORRESPONDENT

MassAudubon representative Deborah Cary is urging the Wachusett Mountain Advisory Council not to forget the former superintendent's house. The building has long been vacant and has suffered from vandalism. More...

Click here for all stories

Sports

Practice Time

The Oakmont Pop Warner Tiny Mites line up to learn some of the basics of football at practice on Tuesday, Aug. 18. More...

Roller derby wheels into Central Mass.

By Doreen Manning JOURNAL CORRESPONDENT

Roller derby. If those words give you a black-and-white flashback of women slamming elbows into noses and cat fights on a ramped track, you haven't met the men and women of Central Mass. Roller Derby yet. More...

Fall Sports Practice Schedule

There will be an informational meeting for all Oakmont fall athletes and parents on Sunday, Aug. 23, at 6 p.m., in the Oakmont Alumni Auditorium, to discuss the upcoming fall sports seasons. More...

Click here for all stories

Police Log

POLICE LOG

Ashburnham Tuesday, Aug. 11 1:01 a.m. Westminster Street - Suspicious Activity 8:31 a.m. South School Street - Medical Emergency 12:52 p.m. Goldmine Road - Assist Other Agency 12:58 p.m. More...

Click here for all stories

Obituaries

Norma J. McFadden, 59

Worked at Fort Devens; enjoyed traveling

FITCHBURG — Norma J. (Richard) McFadden, 59, of Fitchburg, and recently of Phillipston, died Saturday, Aug. 15, 2009, in Athol Memorial Hospital after a long illness with lung disease. She was born on Jan. More...

Joseph J. Pisano Sr., 86

Was accomplished musician

WESTMINSTER — Joseph J. Pisano, Sr., 86, of 140 Ellis Road, died Aug. 14, 2009, at his home after an illness. He was born in Natick on Jan. 22, 1923, the only son of the late Pasquale and Adelia (Maresca) Pisano. More...

Maria J. (Kotesovic) Courtney Swenson, 85

Was good wife, mother, sister and friend

WESTMINSTER — Maria J. (Kotesovic) Courtney Swenson, 85, of 45 North Common Road, died Friday, August 14, 2009, at the Nashoba Valley Medical Center in Ayer after an illness. Maria was born in Prague, Czechoslovakia on Nov. More...

Click here for all stories