SOUTHBRIDGE — Southbridge's Town Council took a vote of no confidence in the public schools' state-appointed receiver despite opposition to the move from some Southbridge teachers and staff Southbridge Public Schools have been under state receivership since 2016 the state appoints a receiver to serve as superintendent school districts in state receivership have very limited local control the Town Council voted no confidence in Villar's leadership a nonbinding resolution given the town has limited ability to influence the state's management of Southbridge Public Schools More: Southbridge schools face long road back out of state receivership Villar worked as a superintendent for several districts in Connecticut before coming to Southbridge. Last year, the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education released a report that gave Southbridge a 4.5 out of a possible 5 in terms of making progress on exiting receivership It cited improvements in support programs for special education students and English-language learners The report also cited notable areas where improvement was needed including a 66% graduation rate a fourth-grade teacher at Charlton Street School and a representative from the Southbridge Education Association said teachers in Southbridge have confidence in Villar's leadership "The SEA is here tonight to ask the town not to take a vote of no confidence in Dr and instead work with us to end state receivership," Bond said "We feel that there is a strong path forward by improving the way that schools function taking steps to retain quality educators and support students all of which can be addressed through the turnaround plan if we work together he has respected our views and tried to reach a compromise with us." said she has worked in the district for 25 years including a stretch where the district went through 10 superintendents in as many years Murray said losing Villar would only lead to further instability "One of the reasons we are in receivership besides the mismanagement of Southbridge Public Schools by the School Committee at that time is because of instability from having 10 different superintendents in 10 years "This vote will only lead to more instability." a special education teacher at Southbridge Middle School said working with Villar has helped improve student behavior "As a result of his support and multitier practices student behaviors have improved over the past eight years In the middle and high schools we have significantly fewer suspensions than we did before receivership and we have significantly fewer disruptive behaviors in the classroom," Makie said Southbridge School Committee Chair Andrew Murch said that the Town Council bringing the no confidence vote forward undermines the efforts conducted by the School Committee to get the district out of receivership which involve following a plan designed by the state and agreed upon by the town "All of the members of the school committee are against this," Murch said "The Town Council's decision to bring this forward does not establish a collaborative effort because this plan is the pathway out of receivership." Murch also said any no confidence vote should really be a joint vote between the council and the School Committee and requested that the motion be tabled Council votes 6-3 in favorTown Council Chair Scott Lazo was critical of Villar's leadership during the meeting who was chair of the Southbridge School Committee when the district first entered receivership previously clashed with Villar's predecessor as state receiver More: Southbridge School Committee chief blasts receivership Lazo criticized Villar for not supporting initiatives such as adding a student representative to the School Committee Lazo said Villar is not the person in charge that the district needs to move out of state receivership and I sit here tonight and I'm all filled with the delay of game and that is vote with what you think is in the best interests of this town," Lazo said I know what a superintendent looks like; that is not one that is ready for transitional." Lazo said the district is not moving forward quickly enough despite the support of school staff who spoke earlier in the meeting I sat in meetings with (state Acting Commissioner of Elementary and Secondary Education) Russell Johnston this blueprint is going to go forward with or without Mr I cannot see the light at the end of the tunnel that everyone else does until we change that position." Councilor Jasmin Rivas noted that the town voted in 2023 to exit receivership Rivas said the path out of receivership has been outlined by the state to build up the local School Committee and continue progress that has been made in the district More: Southbridge mapping exit plan to end school receivership "The voters voted for us to be out of receivership there was not vote from the voters about Dr students and families that we met with asked us to advocate to get rid of receivership This is the path out of receivership that we have been given," Rivas said "What we agreed on in June was to follow this plan for the School Committee People up here that know better know that this no confidence vote is not going to lead to Dr who voted to be out of receivership and this is the path." Villar issued a statement to the Telegram & Gazette thankful for the support he had received from school employees I saw the strong support of Southbridge Public Schools employees the Southbridge Education Association and their members joined by the Southbridge School Committee in unified opposition to a very misguided and political motion," Villar said "I have been proud to work closely with our Southbridge teachers and I am impressed by their hard work and dedication to our students every day I am also very pleased with the recent momentum among school committee members as we have worked together to execute the (Department of Elementary and Secondary Education's) plan to develop their capacity and move towards a return to local control." Southbridge schoolchild hit by pickup; severe injuries to hip and legWorcester Telegram & GazetteSOUTHBRIDGE — A young boy suffered hip and leg injuries when he was hit by a slow-moving vehicle on his way to school April 28 was rushed to UMass Memorial Medical Center — University Campus in Worcester where he was being treated for injuries that are severe but not life-threatening Police gave the following account: The boy was walking with friends near Plaza Liquors A Toyota Tacoma pickup was traveling through a parking lot "at a slow rate of speed" and the driver The vehicle first struck the child with the front bumper and then the vehicle's front passenger tire struck the child The matter remains under investigation by Southbridge police and the Central Massachusetts Law Enforcement Council SOUTHBRIDGE ― The state-appointed receiver who has been acting as superintendent of the Southbridge Public Schools has announced his resignation from the embattled school district Jeffrey Villar announced on Friday that he would resign effective April 30. Villar had been the state receiver in Southbridge since 2018 which was two years after the district went into state receivership due to consistent underperformance the state effectively runs the school district with an appointed receiver serving as the superintendent as opposed to a leader hired by the local school committee I write to you today to share my decision to resign as the Receiver of the Southbridge Public Schools," Villar wrote I have decided to bring my professional work back to my home state of Connecticut." Villar had gained support from some members of the Southbridge education community who said he had brought stability to a district that had gone through nine superintendents over a course of seven years prior to 2018 a member of the Southbridge Education Association and a fourth grade teacher said during a Town Council meeting in January that Villar had the district moving in the right direction all of which can be addressed through the turnaround plan if we work together," Bond said speaking on behalf of the local teachers union and the issue of state receivership in general have been subjects of resentment for years among some town leaders who say he has not moved the out of the receivership fast enough Moving out of receivership is ultimately determined by the state based on test scores and other factors who was a School Committee member during the tumultuous period that led to receivership was highly critical of Villar during a Jan 30 meeting during which the council voted no confidence in Villar's leadership More: Southbridge Town Council votes no confidence in state-appointed schools receiver A state report that came out last year gave Southbridge an overall score of 4.5 out of 5 in terms of making progress toward exiting receivership It cited improvements in support programs for special education students and English language learners Villar told the Telegram that he has already accepted as superintendent of Regional School District 20 in western Connecticut The recently created school district includes the towns of Goshen Morris and Warren; Villar will be its first ever superintendent my wife and I would like to retire and live in the mountains of New Hampshire so we are moving to a beautiful part of Connecticut and taking on this new challenge," Villar said Villar said that when reflecting on his time in Southbridge he believes the district achieved significant growth and is on the right track towards exiting receivership "It's been an amazing professional and personal growth opportunity," Villar said "Looking back and seeing that we have measurable gains in the district We have the highest teacher satisfaction score since I've been here and I think that will translate to higher retention We have above-state-average student growth scores on the MCAS--there is a lot to be proud of." Villar told the T&G that the criticism he faced locally did not play a role in his decision "Ironically I had already filed my application for the Regional District 20 job by the time that vote was taken," Villar said referring to the Town Council's no confidence vote "That was a very disappointing moment in Southbridge our School Committee and others spoke out against the vote." the School Department's executive director of finance and human resources the state will appoint a full-time receiver most likely after the school year has concluded "I hope he becomes a long-term receiver," Villar said of Metzger he is an experienced high school principal SOUTHBRIDGE — Southbridge Middle School is home to one of the top teachers in the country who was awarded in a surprise ceremony on Friday morning a sixth grade science teacher at the school thought that she was attending an all-school assembly to hear Department of Elementary and Secondary Education acting commissioner Russell Johnston speak when she led her class into the school gymnasium on Friday morning it was a plan to surprise Lombardi with the award The Milken Educator Awards are an annual series of awards that are handed out to outstanding K-12 educators from around the country who are recognized for their energy and commitment to improving their school and the educational outcomes of their students approximately 40 teachers from around the country are recognized with Lombardi being the only recipient in Massachusetts who was unaware that she was even nominated for the award said that she was overwhelmed when she heard she was the winner "All I could really tell them was the assembly was about science and so I sat there and was listening and wasn't really sure what was going on my school really sold it to me," Lombardi said I thought that we have so many great teachers in the science department but primarily just grateful for recognition of the work I've been putting in." has been teaching in Southbridge for the past seven years According to the Milken Foundation, Lombardi was recognized for her work getting progressive outcomes for her students through teaching the inquiry-based OpenSciEd curriculum Lombardi is also dedicated to helping students in extracurricular activities working as a coach for both the girls' basketball and tennis teams they are being recognized too," Lombardi said Lombardi was also recognized for working with her peers leading weekly Science Department Inquiry Group discussions for her colleagues and serving on the school’s Instructional Leadership Team She was recognized as a mentor for new teachers just starting out their careers in Southbridge “Jill is a shining example of the incredible educators who work in Southbridge PublicSchools She has dedicated her career to making science come alive in her classes andis a quiet leader among her peers," Jeffrey Villar Southbridge Public Schools receiver/superintendent In addition to the award and the prize money Lombardi will be part of the Milken Friends Forever program which pairs new recipients of the award with an older mentor Lombardi will also attend a teaching development workshop sponsored by the Milken Foundation in April in Los Angeles Southbridge Public Schools is one of three districts in Massachusetts that is run under state receivership following years of academic decline That status has given state officials a close understanding of the challenges teachers like Lombardi face stated that he has seen the work Lombardi has done first-hand "I could not be happier to see Jillian Lombardi recognized with this honor,” Johnston said I know the outstanding work she has done with OpenSciEd and I know she is a wonderful representative of all the Southbridge and Massachusetts educators who believe in their students and work so hard for them every day.”  Lombardi said that winning the award sends a positive message of the progress being made in Southbridge Public Schools "There are a lot of great things that are going on in Southbridge and unfortunately the town doesn't always get recognized for the good that is going on but this has been happening for quite a while I am certainly not the only great educator in the school," Lombardi said and it isn't just people in Southbridge saying that other people from the outside are coming in and taking notice of that." Ken Uracius has purchased Cohasse Country Club in Southbridge from the club’s members and he has big plans for the nine-hole Donald Ross golf course There’s no reason to doubt that he’ll succeed because he already has done an impressive job of restoring Hardwick Crossing CC in Gilbertville on the grounds of the former Dunroamin Golf Club Uracius said he plans to restore the 107-year-old Cohasse CC to its former glory days Cohasse is nine holes over 3,061 yards and plays to a par 35 “It’s a beautiful piece of property,” he said “and I didn’t want to see it developed (for housing)." assumed Cohasse’s debt and has committed to pay whatever it takes to restore the club even though he doesn’t expect it to turn a profit for the next few years He figures he’ll end up spending about $3 million the same he has spent at Hardwick Crossing “You’ve got to give back once in a while,” he said “I’ve done very well working for the government.” Uracius owns Stone & Lime Historic Restoration Services in North Brookfield and he’s restored many government buildings across the country most of them for the National Park Service Now he’s restoring golf courses even though he’s not a golfer Uracius expects the renovations to begin in November after the golf season winds down and to finish in about three years He also plans to restore the clubhouse and to eventually build a restaurant and deck on the second floor of the pro shop building Cohasse CC has been a private club since it opened in 1918 but will become semi-private this season to generate revenue with public play along with memberships Uracius hopes new people will play Cohasse and decide to join He said he expects Cohasse to return to a private club after the renovations have been completed Uracius said the club has about 140 members Uracius has committed to not raising membership dues until after the club becomes private again “There’s going to be a public element at Cohasse every day now,” new head pro Greg Farland said I think the members are extremely lucky that Ken came along and was willing to purchase the club Who knows what would have happened if he didn’t You’ve got a Donald Ross gem that might have become condos or something else if nobody stepped up and did what Ken did left Marlborough CC after 12 years as head pro to return to Cohasse where he learned the game by playing with his grandmother he caddied for his father Jack in several invitationals at the club While he starred in golf for Southbridge High and I have so much love for this place,” Farland said “It’s such a special place to me like it is for so many other people.” Farland had a 16-2 record in golf his senior year at Southbridge High and suffered both losses to St who went on to a successful professional career in golf and he always thought of returning to Cohasse one day After serving as head pro at Cohasse for four years Mark Klotz left this year to become head pro at Quinnatisset CC in Thompson New superintendent Frank Kulig reached out to Farland to see if he would be interested in coming to Cohasse Farland met with Uracius and began working at Cohasse on Feb Uracius also hired Kulig from Ludlow CC as superintendent and architect Tim Lewis of Tyler Rae Design to restore the greens and bunkers to their original shapes and sizes Kulig also helped restore Hardwick Crossing and he recommended that Uracius purchase Cohasse CC John’s High School golf coach Sean Noonan has been a Cohasse member for the past decade and on and off since 1987 He was one of the members who walked the course with Lewis twice late last fall Lewis has aerial photos of the course from the 1930s He plans to restore some bunkers which have been eliminated and add others He also plans to remove some trees and upgrade the practice facility “None of this would be possible if Ken didn’t buy the golf course,” Noonan said “because we couldn’t assess members the amount of money he’s committed to putting into the golf course to restore it.” Cohasse members will continue to have their own tournaments and preferred tee times “We should have opened it up to the public years ago,” Noonan said ‘I love driving up there and no one’s there.’ Well said Cohasse had many dedicated people serve on the board of directors over the years but they had their own careers off the course and couldn’t devote the amount of time required to run a golf course full time John’s golf team to its second consecutive state title last fall Now he’s looking forward to playing Cohasse this season “When people finally go out to Cohasse,” Noonan said this is a pretty cool place because it’s all golf.’ There are no houses around and it’s been hidden because it was private.” Friends convinced Uracius to buy Dunroamin a nine-hole public course that had closed in 2018 Uracius reopened the nine-hole public golf course in Gilbertville in 2022 as Hardwick Crossing CC Dunroamin became overgrown after it closed so Uracius paid a local farmer to mow and bale the weed-filled property When Uracius asked him if he was going to take the bales home to feed them to his cows the farmer replied that his cows wouldn’t eat that crap “crap” was a cleaner version of the word he used gutted the clubhouse and built a new restaurant and wedding venue “Everyone we’ve talked to says he has done an amazing job reforming that course because it was completely dead,” Noonan said Uracius said he explored purchasing Bay Path GC in East Brookfield then called him to see if he would be interested in buying his closed course which owned American Optical Company in Southbridge and founded Old Sturbridge Village hired Ross to design a nine-hole golf course for the AO employees The course opened in 1918 and was named Cohasse the Wells turned ownership of the club over to the members Members owned the club until they sold it to Uracius last fall Farland served as head pro at Broken Sound Club in Boca Raton at Quaboag CC in Monson from 2005-2012 and at Marlborough CC from 2014-2024 Liz left Marlborough to teach and run the golf shop at GreatHorse in Wilbraham Lewis is a design associate for Tyler Rae Design which redesigned the Pines Course at the International in Bolton He also worked with maintenance teams at such esteemed clubs as Eastward Ho former Southbridge resident Anthony Pioppi ranked Cohasse as the eighth best nine-hole golf course in North America in his book You can suggest story ideas by reaching me at the email listed below —Contact Bill Doyle at bcdoyle15@charter.net (WJAR) — A family of four was displaced after an early-morning fire in Southbridge firefighters responded to reports of a fire at a home on Warren Lane Firefighters had the blaze under control about 35 minutes later I've seen the devastating impact of house fires is especially heartbreaking," said Chief Paul Normandin but also the joy and togetherness that this season represents and my heart goes out to this family as they face this unimaginable loss Our community stands ready to support them through this difficult time The cause and origin of the fire are under investigation A family of four was displaced following a two-alarm blaze in Southbridge early Sunday morning Crews rushed to a single-family home at 5 Warren Lane around 4:40 a.m., immediately struck a second-alarm, and had the fire contained by about 5:15 a.m., Fire Chief Paul Normandin said in a news release The origin and cause of the fire remain under investigation and all occupants were able to exit the home under their own power safely is especially heartbreaking," said Normandin particularly with temperatures in the single digits "Our community stands reads to support them through this difficult time," he said Normandin thanked the Webster Fire Department and EMS and fire departments from Sturbridge Plans are moving forward for Southbridge Phase 1C the next phase of the larger Southbridge redevelopment the multiphase project is situated on an 11-acre site previously occupied by the Harold Ickes Homes Phase 1C will occupy a vacant parcel at the southeast corner of the intersection of E the new development will consist of a 12-story mixed-use building with 80 mixed-income residential units and 1,500 square feet of retail space The building’s retail space will occupy the corner of the footprint overlooking the intersection of E State St while the residential entry will front S Residents will have access to a bike room but there are no parking spaces included in the building the building will have 80 apartments with a mix of 20 studios Residents will have access to amenities on the top floor including a fitness center and a roof deck looking north towards downtown the structure will be clad in a combination of colors of metal paneling and brick at the ground floor With site plan review underway on the $49 million development the developer anticipates beginning construction by the end of 2025 Horror, healing, the natural and supernatural will light up the silver screen at Massachusetts Independent Film Festival With events set for April 24 to 26 in Southbridge and Worcester as well as online the festival will include 146 indie short films and features set in locations ranging from Ralph's Rock Diner to Ukraine The lineup includes documentaries, comedies, dramas, experimental and horror films, and more. "It's amazing the submissions and what we have," said festival director Skip Shea in a recent interview The festival is presented by the Shawna E. Shea Memorial Foundation Inc. Most of the films will be shown at the Wellsworth Hotel & Conference Center with a free special screening of student films 6 to 8 p.m In Southbridge the films will be shown in blocks with $10 admission for each block (all-access pass $50) Awards will be given at the close of the festival in Southbridge at 8:30 p.m Among the features will be Brooklyn Demme's family and Indigenous people-related drama "Mountain Lion: Healing Film of St. Francis" (5 p.m. April 25), with Demme, son of the late "Silence of the Lambs" director Jonathan Demme, in attendance. The teen comedy "Fakes” (noon "I'm very honored to be in the lineup," said Demme who lives in the small Western Massachusetts town of Shutesbury Hayeck is also glad "Fakes" is going to be shown the screenwriter and director will be coming back to the local area to attend the festival "It's been a target for us from the beginning It's important if you make a film to grow it local," he said The documentary "The Dirty Gerund Poetry Show" (2:30 p.m. April 26) by Manny Alvarado is about the iconic Worcester poetry reading series that has taken place at Ralph's Rock Diner for the last 15 years. "Porcelain War," a documentary film directed by Brendan Bellomo and Slava Leontyev won the 2024 Sundance Festival Grand Jury Prize and follows the experience of Ukrainian artists as their country is invaded by Russia "We have films known globally to a great local documentary about a poetry show probably more than we ever have," Shea said 'Hold on to your feet'The majority of the films at the festival are shorts, and blocks include international shorts (4:30 p.m. April 24), horror shorts (7:30 p.m. April 25) and experimental/animated shorts (noon, April 26). The horror short "Mr. Ankles," directed by Mike Canale begins with a woman in parking lot who notices a pair of bare ankles under a car About 25 festival films will screened exclusively online from April 24 to 26 for people who subscribe to the Shawna Foundation's Patreon site. They include the comedy-horror-thriller “Atrabilious” by William Atticus Parker with a cast that includes Steven Joyner Alec Baldwin and Whoopi Goldberg; and the Canadian drama "Home Free” by Avi Ronn Federgreen about sisters who return home for their parents' 50th wedding anniversary and discover their father has cancer "Patreon allows us to show movies to people who can't get out to see them (in person) More: Hanover Theatre reveals upcoming seasons for Broadway series, dance, and THT Repertory More: Worcester County Wonders: Dishing out dogs since WWII, Hot Dog Annie's is a local favorite The Massachusetts Independent Film Festival had shown films annually since 2011 in the Boston area but was taken over by the Shawna Foundation in 2022 which moved it to Worcester and later to Southbridge The Shawna Foundation also runs the Shawna Shea Film Festival which will return to Southbridge in July and the Scandriglia Film Festival in Italy every other year in October (the next date there is October Shea is an acclaimed Uxbridge-based filmmaker director and producer in his own right who founded the Shawna Foundation in memory of his daughter Shawna E an Uxbridge High School student and a creative and artistic young woman The nonprofit organization runs a number of arts and film programs all with the Shawna Foundation’s mission to equitably promote and support students through scholarship and showcase artists in filmmaking poetry and other creative endeavors with a focus on underrepresented communities The difference between the Massachusetts Independent Film Festival and the Shawna Shea Film Festival is that "Mass Indie is still more mainstream both film festivals have broken records for submissions While most of the films have already had their respective premieres the people behind the projects submit the movies for a number of reasons The festivals give filmmakers a chance to screen their work and interact with both other people in the industry and a broader audience The Shawna Foundation has a working relationship with BayView Entertainment which gives filmmakers looking for distribution for their movies an additional incentive to have their work shown Shea has noted in the past, that "it's a very small group of people that actually love to come to see this kind of cinema." He estimated that about 200 non-filmmakers would attend April 24-26 Demme said he has considerations beyond the commercial I corresponded with the organizer of the festival I have the distinct sense of it being run by people who are passionate about film," he said Three judges evaluated the more than 250 submissions to the Massachusetts Independent Film Festival and Shea selected the films based on that and some other factors such as wanting to have as many short films as possible so that if a film was shorter than another of equal quality it would be more likely to get the nod Regarding whether there are any common themes to be discerned at this year's festival Shea said the affects of the COVID-19 pandemic and lockdown can still be seen in a lot of the works by filmmakers But you can see them starting to shift back to broader storytelling Also the theme has been changing from isolation to identity People are exploring who they are at this time in the world." In keeping with the mission of the Shawna Foundation roughly 60% of the movies to be screened at the festival "were made by people in the underrepresented communities," Shea said That percentage also "reflects roughly the average amount of films submitted by the same community" to all three festivals that the foundation runs "The Shawna Foundation has become known that we are the home for all voices We truly believe that showing the stories of a diverse population only shows how much we have in common To purchase tickets, visit filmfreeway.com.. More info at shawnafoundation.org. Get the best experience and stay connected to your community with our Spectrum News app. Learn More — Two buildings destroyed by a seven-alarm fire in Southbridge are now piles of rubble Crews tore down the apartments on Union Street Friday for safety reasons Southbridge Fire Chief Paul Normandin confirms the buildings were structurally unstable and needed to be demolished The town's building commissioner said they're now waiting on a plan for the debris removal Nearly 30 people made it out of last week's fire safely The cause is under investigation by Southbridge Police and the State Fire Marshal's Office Firefighters battled another fire Friday on nearby Cross Street Chief Normandin said it appears to be accidental and caused by the improper disposal of smoking materials He's reminding everyone outdoor fires are prohibited as drought conditions spread across the state (This story has been updated to add new information.) missing for 79 years after his plane crashed in Austria will finally return home now that his remains have been identified made the announcement Friday morning in a news release who before leaving for the war had been the owner of Eddie's Market on Woodstock Road was an engineer and ball turret gunner on board a B-24J Liberator that crashed near Hüttenberg just about two weeks before the end of the war in Europe was assigned to the 760th Bombardment Squadron The plane was en route to a bombing mission when it malfunctioned and crashed and since no one had witnessed any deployed parachute it was believed that he had gone down with the plane when it crashed the Worcester Daily Telegram printed an obituary for Kovaleski after the U.S The article said a first anniversary Mass would be held at St Kovaleski joined the Army Air Forces in November 1942 and had been in service for six months when his disappearance was announced in April 1945 He was a member of the 15th Air Force and was on his 18th mission when the aircraft The obituary listed his surviving relatives researchers with the POW/MIA Accounting Agency investigated a suspected crash site in Austria following a lead from an independent researcher The site was excavated between 2021 and 2022 and remains found there were sent to a laboratory for identification According to the announcement, the remains were identified using anthropological analysis, as well as circumstantial evidence. Additionally, scientists from the Armed Forces Medical Examiner System used mitochondrial DNA Y-chromosome DNA (Y-STR) and autosomal DNA (auSTR) analysis The remains were confirmed as belonging to Kovaleski on June 4 and members of his family were later notified Kovaleski’s name is among those listed on the Tablets of the Missing at the Florence American Cemetery, an American Battle Monuments Commission site in Firenze The POW/MIA Accounting Agency said a rosette will be placed next to his name to indicate he has been accounted for He will be buried at Arlington National Cemetery in Arlington With reporting from staff writer Kinga Borondy SOUTHBRIDGE — A home rule petition in the State House that would allow the City of Lawrence to change the construction of its School Committee could provide a different plan for Southbridge to eventually exit state receivership of its schools Legislatures out of Lawrence have put forth a home rule petition, H. 5098 that would allow the city to change the way it would construct its School Committee with six elected School Committee members from different districts the Lawrence City Council would be allowed to appoint three members to the School Committee with three additional members being elected by city voters The petition was approved by both sides of the State House on Dec a program that overturns almost all administrative school duties over to the state a condition that occurs after the state determines that the schools cannot be run effectively at the local level approval of the measure would have no official bearing on any community except Lawrence if Lawrence does find success using the proposed committee method it's possible that the path of restructuring the School Committee to appointed members may be an option in other communities local officials in Southbridge have cited a lack of capable School Committee members as a major issue that has hindered the district from exiting state receivership who has been serving as the state receiver/superintendent for Southbridge Public Schools since 2018 Southbridge has not demonstrated the ability to effectively administrate the district More: Southbridge schools face long road back out of state receivership which rests on the School Committee primarily there is no local capacity to supervise the superintendent absolutely none," Villar told the Telegram & Gazette in September "You have to be dedicated to wanting to improve outcomes for kids Unfortunately that may not be the current motivation." said that the ruling in Lawrence could set a dangerous precedent for communities like Southbridge It is taking away the citizens of Lawrence's right to elect their School Committee," Murch said "It will set a dangerous precedent which could allow the town council or the town manager to appoint School Committee members in Southbridge Southbridge would still have to request their own home rule petition but it would definitely open up doors for not only Southbridge but other municipalities to take away the ability to vote for your School Committee which is ingrained in the state constitution." Murch said that the situation in Lawrence presumes that the general public is not capable of voting for competent elected officials something he said is not the case in Southbridge and would be a dangerous assumption to make anywhere "When government presumes that the electorate cannot elect those with the ability to govern Nobody knows better than the voters," Murch said "Southbridge just had a competitive race for School Committee we have people that want to step up and help be able to govern and build the capacity." During a speech on the State Senate floor on Dec said that despite the fact that the bill is a home rule petition for Lawrence the decision could have ramifications for any other district that is currently in state receivership breathing and feeling the consequences of this (receivership) law — of which I support — I've learned what happens to a district in receivership is not monolithic or not done in a vacuum," Fattman said "While Southbridge may be dozens of miles away from Lawrence deliberation that happens in peer communities in receivership becomes hyperlocalized and raises a lot of questions about its consequences and the impact on the other communities." said that the motion undermines democratic progress that has been made across the state which has been aimed at getting greater portions of the community involved in local elected positions "From a little 'd' democracy point of view I think one of the more powerful movements that has happened in the past 10 years of in Massachusetts that have moved from at-large elections — whether School Committee to make sure that the voices of every neighborhood in often diverse communities are best represented," Eldridge said during a speech on Dec SOUTHBRIDGE ― Firefighters fought a raging fire early Wednesday morning on Union Street that displaced up to 35 people Two three-story apartment buildings with six families each caught fire All the residents safely got out of the buildings at 7 and 9 Union St and between 25 and 35 people were estimated to have been displaced due to the fire the gutted apartments overlooked fire-scorched cars covered with fallen debris The Southbridge Senior Center at 153 Chestnut St was serving as a temporary shelter for those who were displaced and the American Red Cross has also responded to help those displaced Normandin said the fire broke out shortly before 3:30 a.m Heavy fire was coming from the backside of the building when firefighters arrived He’s already released from the hospital and back in service,” Normandin said “And everybody else on the fire side and the civilians are all good." Firefighters were able to keep the fire from spreading to a third building nearby Mutual aid came from firefighters representing several nearby communities including Grafton The cause and the origin of the fire has yet to be determined It is under investigation by the State Fire Marshal's office and the Southbridge Fire Department Details: cache-fra-eddf8230138-FRA 1746535221 1677157336 - The state fire marshal's office is investigating what caused a seven-alarm fire in Southbridge early Wednesday morning The town's fire chief said working fire alarms helped alert people and without them A woman who lives across the street shared this video with us and said she woke up to what sounded like explosions Nearly 30 people who live in the two apartment buildings are without a home but the fire chief said everyone made it out safely Chief Paul Normandin said it was a fast-moving fire in the middle of the night and it took multiple departments to help put it out "We called up to the total number of seven alarms for this fire mainly for manpower and probably 30 fire departments around the Southern Worcester County area," Normandin said all the citizens involved with this fire are all at the Community Center in Southbridge They're receiving aid from the Red Cross and other agencies that we've already contacted." One firefighter was brought to the hospital for a hand injury Two vehicles parked between the buildings were also destroyed State police and fire investigators are assisting the Southbridge Fire Department – A week after it was announced that Holyoke will be removed from state receivership Southbridge Public School's receiver said their district has seen measurable improvement The state took control of Southbridge in 2016 citing a report showing a lack of improvement between 2012 and 2015 when the district was already in a warning stage Jeffrey Villar has served as the district's receiver since 2018 He said the district's turnaround plan looks at things like attendance discipline ratios and if the town is able to manage the system based on the progress we have on climate culture and based on the fact that we are beginning to see some academic improvement We're definitely on the closer to the exit side of things than on the 'we're just getting started,'” said Villar Holyoke's Public Schools will no longer be under state receivership starting next year Villar periodically meets with the state's commissioner of elementary and secondary education The commissioner will need to extend the district's turnaround plan next November The decision is ultimately up to the commissioner SOUTHBRIDGE — The seven-alarm fire that displaced 12 families last month in Southbridge was intentionally set and investigators are asking the public for help finding who did it Southbridge Fire Chief Paul Normandin and state Fire Marshal Jon Davine made the announcement in a press release Thursday morning It followed three weeks of investigation by local and state authorities 13 and quickly spread to the neighboring building at 9-11 Union St The first arriving companies observed heavy fire and immediately struck second and third alarms to bring in additional resources drawing firefighters and apparatus from more than a dozen communities One firefighter reported a hand injury and was transported to UMass Memorial - Harrington Hospital for evaluation Between 25 to 35 people were displaced when the two three-story apartment buildings with six families each caught fire The gutted apartments overlooked fire-scorched cars covered with fallen debris Authorities said the fire easily could have led to loss of life it wasn’t for prompt action and working smoke alarms that woke up sleeping residents and allowed them to escape safely The Arson Watch Reward Program is coordinated by the Massachusetts Property Insurance Underwriting association and offers rewards of up to $5,000 for information that detects or prevents arson crimes Anyone with information on the incident can contact the Arson Watch Reward Hotline at 1-800-682-9229 and tipsters may remain anonymous if they prefer Wilmington police are investigating a shooting in the Southbridge section of Wilmington that killed a 24-year-old man Friday in the area of Lobdell and Bradford streets Officers located a 24-year-old gunshot victim who was taken to the hospital in critical condition SEAFORD CRIME: 23-year-old man arrested in shooting death in park and anyone with information is encouraged to reach out to Wilmington police or Delaware Crime Stoppers will be screened the Wellsworth Hotel & Conference Center Demme's debut feature film, the family and Indigenous people-related drama "Mountain Lion: Healing Film of St Demme is the son of the late Academy Award-winning filmmaker Jonathan Demme ("Silence of the Lambs," "Philadelphia") and lives in the small Western Massachusetts town of Shutesbury Hayeck's first film, the teen comedy "Fakes,” will be presented at noon April 26 Hayeck grew up in Boylston but is now based in Los Angeles Both Demme and Hayeck will be at the festival 'Intense and impressionistic'"Mountain Lion" has been described as being an intense and impressionistic film that explores "personal relationships family dynamics and magical realism to express mindfulness in intimate relationships and seriousness in prayer." It is produced by Truth 2 Power TurtleGang Edutainment and the SandHill Band of Lenape & Cherokee Indians of Scheyichbi and had screenings last year at festivals and events that included the Meshanticut Placemaking Confestival in Providence Demme wrote and directed "Mountain Lion" and is one of the cast members A humble feature film which intently tries to say a lot Basically intently to encourage mindfulness in intimate relationships," Demme said during a recent interview "faces a catastrophe brought on by his inability to honor and respect his own limitations," Demme said The film "posits that mental health might be addressed by our attention to hereditary stewards of the land so that we might find more clarity in our lives." Another aspect of the film "is the importance of prayer and basically the importance of tending our gardens." The film has "a wonderful cast of independent actors" headed by Rodriguez who is "very passionate about what he does," Demme said 'Community, education and film'In 2020 Demme co-founded Truth 2 Power Media "in order to bring people together at the intersection of community education and film," according to its website had also made documentaries that explored issues of social justice "Akuy Eenda Maawehaang" had begun after Jonathan and Brooklyn witnessed a prayer circle on tribal land in 2016 Brooklyn's Demme's engagement has continued he said the idea for "Mountain Lion" began when he spent some time in the Amazon rainforest "in a context where people really live fully recognizing the richness of the forest and people carry their ancestral traditions .. Basically the whole script came to me after that." At first Demme felt a "despair out of our lack of cultural richness," but the script did not end with despair as "the protagonist finds a way forward." The film premiered last year at the Bare Bones International Film and Music Festival in Muskogee Demme said he was "happy with completing a film on a very humble basis having created a story people believe in enough to contribute their talents to." He hopes "Mountain Lion" will "inspire other people to tell their stories." At the Massachusetts Independent Film Festival "I'm very honored to be in the lineup I have the distinct sense of it being run by people who are passionate about film," Demme said Asked if he hopes that "Mountain Lion" could get some sort of national distribution/Netflix type of deal "If it came to pass it would be a dream and delight but more than anything else I'd like the film to contribute meaningfully to the health of the planet We would like to continue sharing this with other people who are engaged with it." "Diligence," will premiere at the Native Voices from the LandReclamation Movement event hosted by Pocasset Wampanoag Chief Two Running Elk of the Pokanoket Nation on June 7 at Weatherlow Farms in Westport Demme said "Diligence" is about Sand Hill Band Lenape & Cherokee Tribal Historian Carrie Jones’ victory in restoring her family’s burial ground The premiere "is an example of the sort of gathering which 'Mountain Lion' encourages people to give attention to," Demme said Regarding whether his late father inspired him to become a filmmaker I didn't anticipate this beautiful turn of events I was following in his footsteps as a documentary filmmaker and I realized fictional narrative films can convey a truth just like documentaries can But 100 percent of it comes from the love of film I learned from him." In Hayeck's "Fakes," the home away from home of 15-year-old Newton (Lucas Randazzo) In an attempt to raise money to keep the theater open he starts selling fake IDs with his sister someone else has already established a nice local business selling fake IDs and doesn't take kindly to anyone venturing on to his turf "It's a comedy with suspenseful set pieces," Hayeck said The film started on the film-festival circuit last year and the Massachusetts Independent Film Festival is a keenly awaited stop It's important if you make a film to grow it local feel they can claim it as their own," he said "It's a real honor to be playing at the Mass and "created some opportunities for young people in the arts," Hayeck said The Strand Theatre in Clinton served as the movie theater in the film Other scenes were shot at locations including St John's High School in Shrewsbury and Webster Lake Hayeck grew up in Boylston and graduated from St He first went to Los Angeles to study at the University of Southern California's School of Cinematic Arts served as a script evaluator and worked on the production end of films including "Don’t Look Up” and “Killers of the Flower Moon." He spent some time back in the local area during the COVID-19 pandemic but has now returned to Los Angeles and has two other scripts in the works After filming "Fakes" Hayeck spent 10 months editing the film and began taking it to festivals At a small showing in Los Angeles there were "a lot of laughs "I want to entertain and inspire an audience," he said his girlfriend's grandfather was laughing heartily Hayeck would love to have a distribution deal for "Fakes" and there could be some real developments in the works "I hope to have some release news in the next two months," he said To learn more, visit shawnafoundation.org. (ABC 6 News) — Two new tenants moved into the Southbridge Mall in Mason City this month: Mason City Gyro and Powder Street Pizza According to city administrator Aaron Burnett, it’s a step in the right direction after the city took over ownership of the property in May after numerous financing delays with the mall’s previous developer “The mall didn’t find its way into a set of high vacancy and dilapidation overnight,” Burnett said “But we are seeing that buildings start to come back; together with the new offerings and new opportunities and new private investment.” Mason City Gyro operates now operates two brick-and-mortar locations (one in Clear Lake) and a popular food truck Powder Street Pizza is a new venture from first-time business owner Dustin Fratzke who jumped at the opportunity to put his dream of owning a pizza parlor to action “This is something that my late grandpa always wanted to open,” said Fratzke The name comes from a nickname for Jackson Street in Mason City popularly called ‘Powder Street’ back in the 1930’s when the area was ridden with gang and mob activity “We make everything in-house,” said Fratzke We don’t really buy anything pre-made.” The two additions effectively tripled the options at the food court which had dwindled down to just one tenant: Pad Thai Express adding food and drink was an obvious first step as the City is weighing several options for attracting new tenants to the mall “I think one of the I think two of the most frequent comments I’ve heard from the community,” said Burnett “…is the desire to have the theater in some capacity open back up along with bringing bowling back to Mason City new entertainment to be able to be in this space But then you’ve got those really big spaces Any person with disabilities who needs help accessing the FCC Public file should email news@kaaltv.com or call (507) 288-7555 - A Central Massachusetts man is sharing his story of battling cancer saying a screening at a local hospital no doubt saved his life It comes during colorectal cancer awareness month The state's department of public health says colon cancer is the fourth-leading cause of cancer death in Massachusetts A history of kidney stones led Keith Syders to believe his stomach pains in 2021 were nothing too serious But after passing out and going to UMass Memorial Health's Harrington Hospital "That's how they found out," said Syders "You don't think about it until it happens to someone you know or what have you it was a shellshock to be honest with you." “Early screening might have picked up the cancer at an earlier stage and thus decreased his risk of a subsequent recurrence of colon cancer,” says Syders’ oncologist Jeffrey Gordon of the Cancer Center at Harrington Hospital.  an increase in the number of young people (less than 50 years old) being diagnosed with colon cancer. The specific causes have not yet been identified but it might be due to sedentary lifestyle types of foods being eaten (such as high-processed meats) and possibly environmental factors. So far genetic predispositions have not been identified to account for the uptick in the number of young people getting colon cancer,” says Dr is part of an unfortunate trend in the U.S incidence rates for early-onset colorectal cancer have increased by more than 2% per year from 2012 to 2021 death rates have been increasing by about 1% per year since the mid-2000s Syders was in remission for about a year and a half But a trip to his doctor about a year ago showed that his cancer had returned "It would've been awesome if it wasn't but "I'm not that bad today," Syders said during an interview Thursday I just turned 53-years-old and a body in motion stays in motion "You got to get tested," he emphasized Keith says while only in the earlier part of the process the chemotherapy is much more challenging the second time around His one regret is not getting a colonoscopy before turning 50.  DE PERE (NBC 26) — The future South Bridge in De Pere is finally nearing reality after decades of discussion work and boat in that area of the Fox River are turning their attention to the bridge's design Local leaders are set to decide this week whether to add certain aesthetic features to the bridge's design (The following is a transcription of the full broadcast story Crossing the Fox River will soon get easier About 10 miles separate the Claude Allouez Bridge in De Pere and the Wrightstown Bridge a new bridge is in the works on the south side of De Pere The long-discussed South Bridge Connector may soon be coming to this area of the Fox River are starting to learn what the bridge might look like Julie Zifferblatt and her husband raised their four sons on the Fox River a few hundred yards from where the South Bridge will be with the flag and the pergola," Zifferblatt said Having lived near both the Wrightstown Bridge and the Claude Allouez Bridge while raising her family she has some thoughts about which one the South Bridge should seek to emulate "I think the Wrightstown Bridge is a lot classier," Zifferblatt said "The De Pere Bridge — the white is just not appealing De Pere leaders will decide whether to spend extra money on things like slanted columns We asked Zifferblatt to choose between these two options — and she liked the cut stone addition to the pier's base would cost De Pere and Brown County an extra $1.44 million I think I would like that better than just [the plain concrete]." Some options — like these pedestrian viewpoints ($60,000) or these decorative light stands ($264,000) — would cost more "I think [that's] a better deal than having to not like it and then go backtrack and try to fix things." Despite the potential bridge being what she calls an eyesore for her and her neighbors — Zifferblatt says she's coming around to the idea citing quicker travel times for residents and emergency services which version of the bridge they like at Tuesday night's meeting We cover stories making an impact in De Pere. This is your home to stay on top of what is changing in De Pere and why it matters to you and your family. We want to hear from you! Click here and tell us what we should be covering in your neighborhood SOUTHBRIDGE — Fire officials are investigating the cause of a fire at a three-decker Sunday morning that displaced three families of an appliance that was smoking inside a three-decker at 101 Worcester St The building was evacuated before firefighters arrived It's believed the source of the fire was a dryer on the second floor and it spread to other parts of the building One resident suffered burns believed to be minor and was taken to UMass Memorial Health-Harrington Hospital while three others were cleared as habitable by a building inspector Charlton and Dudley firefighters assisted at the scene Contact Henry Schwan at henry.schwan@telegram.com. Follow him on X: @henrytelegram. Nisi autem molestiae quasi itaque sunt saepe optio maxime. iste repellendus quos necessitatibus fuga in nam placeat. Lorem, ipsum dolor sit amet consectetur adipisicing elit. Sign inSign in to access your account, subscription and more. Create a new account to access your subscription. The CEO of SouthBridge Investment sees a lot more women in finance, engineering, and in high level positions in investing. AB: Is the glass ceiling getting easier to crack for African women in business Throughout my life I never thought of glass ceilings or limits when I approaching my studies or my work I just did what I was interested in and went after any opportunities open to me at the time When I was being interviewed for a role or a position was being offered to me and the people interviewing or making the offer made reference to or mentioned that I was being considered because I was a woman I would systematically stop the interview and turn down the opportunity So it is hard for me to give you a fact based answer on whether I have seen the glass ceiling getting easier to crack And I serve as a board member on a listed company with a woman CEO I serve on boards with more than one other woman on it So from my perspective things seem to have improved compared to what they were even five years ago AB: Which leaders inspire you / have inspired you by those who have struck new ground and discovered new theories or concepts or brought new ideas to the fore the inspiration comes from people in the fields of science But not in the academic way of defining these fields; rather in the practice was of action I am inspired mostly by ways of doing things I am impressed and seek to learn from people who are brave and who have taken bold decisions As such there are quite a few people who inspire me And I find inspiration every day and in many people They have preserved techniques for water preservation over centuries and have innovated blending their traditionally learned techniques with new ideas thereby providing us with solutions to deal with the growing water shortage challenges the world is currently facing As a student I was inspired by the relentlessness of Marie Curie who I admired when I first learned about her What inspired me about her was that she took such risks to experiment and learn and leave us with not only new theories but a method of work we can learn from I am inspired by my grandfather who built a connected system of single column housing units for his chicken and taught them how to nest and be safe at night amongst all the predators that could snatch them He was adept at combining natural instincts and ways of learning with his own keen self-taught observation and training skills He taught me to use all my knowledge — intellectual instinctive and sensual to arrive at a solution to a problem I was facing This made me interested in physics and math where I could feel the equations and theories in my person And learned later on how to use my own understanding of a subject and starting knowledge at each stage Because I grew up in rural areas and doing agricultural activities I have long been inspired by the pioneers of finance who quantified risk in the early markets for traded coffee beans from Yemen to Amsterdam giving birth to modern techniques from risk management to credit risk assessment and pricing of guarantees And of course very early on in my childhood I was inspired by my mother who never set any limits on what I could possibly do or be She could multitask and make amazing things with such limited resources — like making us dresses from recycled old drapes mending our shoes using pieces of leather recycled from older pairs of shoes or making interesting meals using plants that grew naturally around us and could serve as greens for the grains she would grow on the land around us or how she would mix brilliant shades of paint for our walls from natural earth tones taken from around us She was the first person who introduced me to circular economy ideas And she was the one who taught me that I could always start from what I have to make what I need I apply this principle every day to this day AB: What mentors have facilitated this journey I have been very fortunate to have one mentor who guided me during my early career and life and defining my lifestyle to a resource level that made me happy And he showed me how once I reached that level of happiness and satisfaction and save or invest any extra income I earned That allowed me to do what I wanted to do since the age of 40 without having to depend on anyone to hire me or give me a job I could do impactful work without worrying about what it would earn me And I could take risks in investing to test new ideas and strike new ground Other mentors I have had have been mostly men I make it a point to recognize them on International Women’s Day Politicians who put their neck on the line to support me build an institution that could provide capabilities to ministers of finance and central bank governors in Africa Two Bank presidents who took a chance on me giving a first time leadership role with major responsibilities A peer who guided me through major risks that had materialized helping me learn how to communicate effectively under crisis scenarios She taught me how to learn from failure and how to cover people who report to you so they can take risks AB: What were the biggest hurdles you had to overcome on your journey to the top The biggest hurdle I had to overcome on my journey to the top was to pace myself and be patient I was always anxious to see results or to see change or transformation quickly patient enough to bring other along to your idea or vision or to build teams and capacities and develop others and to simply give a solution time to work And also from experience I figured out that what I was able to do in one setting which may not have achieved results would be a brilliant solution in another setting Another major challenge to navigate was how to manage my desire to be a mother with my desire to see transformation and work in the most difficult settings or on the most challenging problems Balancing where I needed to be when and whom I needed to prioritize and how was a constant effort I learned how to do it eventually but there are things I would differently today if I had the chance And I share these lessons with people that I mentor AB: What surprised or shocked you most on your journey What surprised me most was what a vast array of challenges are just waiting for someone to take them on and bring a fresh perspective And that when you try to propose new ways to solve long standing problems and overcome them people are very quick to adopt the ideas and make them their own And you then have to go and figure out something else to do stayed in a role where I could benefit from the tough work and new ideas that helped resolve major problems As soon as the pathway to resolve challenging issues was uncovered and shared I would be asked to go and do something else What shocked me is how hungry the world is for fresh thinking And that when you bring such thinking and execute the ideas successfully there is no shortage of opportunities to go and try something new It also meant for me that I was never really in an easy role I was always taking on major challenging roles Seeing solutions implemented and moving on to tackle new challenges I am an adventurer at heart and like seeing new territory and learning new things But as I grow older I am learning that I also want these days to stick around and see things through their first AB: What would you tell your 20 year old self I actually feel as energetic or maybe even more energetic than I was when I was 20 I feel a strong sense of confidence as if I can take on any challenge I feel somewhat invincible if that is a possible way to feel being human And this is what I would tell my 20 year old self As we face a world that has changed so much there is hardly anything that resembles what we understood just five years ago be confident that you know what you are doing but also be humble enough to learn from others and learn from failure or you experience many disappointments before you can celebrate success So keep at it and don’t despair and drop a good idea because it didn’t work initially The idea may have use in another time for another problem Discover the world around you and experience life outside of work Stop to contemplate the universe and my place and role in it Stop to engage with people around me and not be too busy with trying to reach an objective to forget to do that And pacing myself to catch breath and rest between major challenges to solidify my own learning and recuperate and regenerate I do that reflective work and resting time a lot now AB: If you were 20 today what industry would you go into and skills would you get I was fascinated when I was 20 with cognitive science which is what we would also see these days as the basis for a lot of work in artificial intelligence I used to love hanging out at the robotics lab at MIT and spending time on the floor of the various libraries reading about chaos theory But I also loved to explore the spiritual and mystical world and always saw connections between the hard sciences I was learning and this more esoteric knowledge I enjoyed learning about I also loved human systems and cultures and histories and stories With the capabilities of AI I can now easily mix and match different sources of knowledge and see all kinds of possibilities that were not reachable a few years ago I wanted to focus on these fields when I was in my 20’s but didn’t have the financial independence to do it as I had to specialize in something that would get me a good job and earn enough to support myself and my family If I could do it again I would have struck it out into that field and stayed a student a little bit longer to specialize in that area as it is so critical for the future of humanity and of our planet AB: Is greater women representation in business/boardroom a fight that you are continuing to fight I am very fortunate to be in a situation where I am no longer the only woman on a board or in a business role I feel that where I am people don’t even question whether a woman can or should do something I never doubted that it’s possible and never allowed myself to be limited by what others thought I could or could not do I select on the basis of merit and I find a lot of meritorious women to choose from I have never even stopped to think whether we are taking on a woman or a man We have recruited young men at my firm who work on working capital solutions for SMEs led by women or impacting women They are men seeking solutions to support a gap in the market of finance for issues related tp women we have women who we have hired to seta on investment committees that make decisions on innovative finance for sports like soccer or rugby So I see women in leadership roles in areas impacting men and men in roles or making decisions is areas impacting women For me it is always a question of what new ideas and ways of working do you bring to solve this particular problem And I have not had to struggle to find the best talented men or women to work on challenges impact women You've read all your free articles for this month Subscribe now to enjoy full access to our content Receive full unlimited access to our articles Our best value offer - save £26 and gain access to all of our digital content for an entire year Arts & Culture Africa has some of the world's most precious ecosystems including vast carbon-storing rainforests of global significance Protecting biodiversity is both a response and challenge to global warming Terms of use Cookie Policy Privacy Policy