Ashburnham News

Carolyn Mugar told Clark University's 1,096 graduates Sunday to jump in and do what they can when something's wrong.

There were pony rides, cotton candy and hundreds of children at the Johnny Appleseed Elementary School PTO's 53rd annual Lawn Party Saturday.

A program of solo piano works by Finnish composers will be performed by Gail Olszewski, Sunday, May 19, at 4 p.m., at Ashburnham Community Church, 84 Main St.

Officials were a bit agitated Monday night that they will have to hold a special town meeting for a $37,000 request in additional school money that they say could have been requested at annual town meeting a little more than a week ago.

Selectmen in Ashburnham and Westminster are each preparing to set a date for a special Town Meetings in the next few weeks to re-approve next year's school budget.

Eleven arrests were made Thursday during "Spree Day," the annual unofficial party celebrating the last day of classes for the spring semester at Fitchburg State University.

Lunenburg police, with assistance from detectives in Westminster and Ashburnham, arrested Patrick E. Crane, 29, of Island Road, Lunenburg, on Thursday and charged him with two counts of receiving stolen property.

A plan to hire two new teachers to reduce class sizes in the Ashburnham-Westminster Regional School District was cut from next year's budget, following a failed vote at Westminster's annual Town Meeting Saturday to put a tax override to the voters.

Historical Piano Concerts' 28th season continues Sunday at Ashburnham Community Church, 84 Main St., at 4 p.m., with a program of solo and duo compositions for clarinet and piano featuring Chester Brezniak and Malcolm Halliday.

Down in her basement, Judy Kalagher steps lightly between raffle items wrapped in clear cellophane and bright yellow buckets, her late daughter's favorite color.

Water, water, everywhere..... but Chelmsford's is the best. Okay... that might not be how that line goes, but Chelmsford residents can take pride in the fact that the stuff coming out of their faucets is coming from a system that earned a Public Water System Award from the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection .

Fire departments from several area towns are responding to out-of-control brush fires in the area of Ball Hill Road in Princeton.

While many school districts are attempting to wrap up the current school year, many school committees and superintendents across North Central Massachusetts have already begun planning for the next school year.

SENTINEL & ENTERPRISE FILE PHOTO / JOHN LOVE The start of the 19th Relay for Life at Mount Wachusett Community College last year in Gardner.

Despite the beautiful sunny weather Saturday morning, 156 voters turned out for the annual town meeting, passing a $13.3 million town operating budget and nearly $400,000 in capital requests, and sending a $238,000 Proposition 2-1/2 tax cap override for additional school funding to the ballot.

Voters approved the town's $13.4 million budget for 2014, which includes hiring a new paramedic and increasing school funding by $110,000 over the previous year, at the annual Town Meeting Saturday morning.

For those who have always pondered the conundrum, a presentation on How Children Learn Mathematics is scheduled from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. Monday from at the Oakmont Regional High School auditorium, 9 Oakmont Drive, Ashburnham.

Law enforcement, trucking companies, delivery services, construction firms, and taxi and limousine services all use global positioning systems in vehicles.

A new paramedic will be included in the proposed town budget for next year, although Fire Chief Paul Zbikowski and Advisory Board Chairman Bill Johnson disagree over whether this will decrease night response times.

Voters have 25 articles to get through at town meeting Saturday, including a recommended $13.3 million town operating budget, $450,000 in capital requests and a request to provide $238,000 in additional funding to the school department through a Proposition 2-1/2 tax cap override that will require subsequent ballot approval.