WEST BOYLSTON ― West Boylston Public Schools has a new superintendent the current Marlborough High School principal had been Marlborough High principal since 2018 He was previously the district's director of STEM education worked for 23 years as the head of facilities for Marlborough Public Schools Riley takes over the West Boylston job from Richard Meagher Meagher announced earlier this school year that he would retire at the end of the year which led to the creation of a superintendent search committee The committee started with 22 applicants for the position Subsequent interviews and tours of the schools narrowed the search down to two candidates Southbridge Assistant Superintendent Kelly Williamson She subsequently took a position in Bedford School Committee Chairman James Pedone said during a meeting April 9 that both Riley and Williamson were strong candidates but Riley showcased a lot of strengths that the district needed "There were three key components that were very consistent that I think are important for our district," Pedone said "One is his knowledge and history of involvement in curriculum and he is innovative and he is open-minded At this point I think he would be an excellent fit for our community and going forward." School Committee member Emily Lehman Miller said during the April 9 meeting that was clear from interviews that Riley had the passion and enthusiasm to continue to learn and improve in his profession Riley is that he is a collaborative and creative problem solver I think that is what the district needs right now," Lehman Miller said "I also appreciate his enthusiasm about the work you can usually read when somebody is done and I appreciate the fact that he is still working to learn new things." "I am honored to be here," Riley said during his interview on April 9 "When I think about my philosophy as a leader I consider myself to be a servant-based leader but I come in every day to serve the students and the staff of the district When I get asked about why I wanted to be a teacher it was always because I wanted to help kids That is a very important decision to take as a career path and I am dealing with folks who have put their career path to serving kids Please select what you would like included for printing: Copy the text below and then paste that into your favorite email application Miles-Sterling Funeral Home and Tribute Center Enter your phone number above to have directions sent via text This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply Service map data © OpenStreetMap contributors After trailing by three scores at halftime the Blue Devils made it a one-score game late in the fourth the Blue Devils battled back into the game and trailed by six (22-16) late in the fourth quarter Randolph needed one more stop on fourth-and-2 from its own 23-yard line with just over three minutes remaining to get the ball back with a chance to tie or take the lead But West Boylston's Stephen Simpson had other plans essentially icing the game with Randolph out of timeouts The win gave West Boylston it's third straight title (the 2022 title came in Div "I'm really proud of the guys of how they fought back in the second half," Randolph coach Jon Marshall said "We got a three-and-out to start and then we punched it in the next series the comeback attempt was led by junior running back Mekhi White and junior lineman/kicker Alin Norisca White finished the game with 143 yards on 20 carries and scored both of Randolph's touchdowns in the second half White's first score came after he was brought down for a 5-yard loss on second down putting the Blue Devils in a third-and-long from the 11 with 4:24 left in the third quarter He made up for it on next play when he bounced a run to the right and down the sideline on a toss from quarterback Abraham Cornet and snuck inside the pylon to cut the deficit to 22-9 after the 2-point attempt failed "We call him Ashton Jeanty (Boise State's Heisman Trophy candidate) who set the edge for White on the touchdown More: 'Captain of the ship': First-year QB has record day for Scituate football in Super Bowl White scored again on a 1-yard run with 5:41 left in the fourth quarter His Super Bowl performance put him over 1,000 rushing yards on the season finishing with 1,123 yards and 24 touchdowns In addition to setting crucial blocks for his teammate Norisca put together some key moments of his own He opened the scoring with a 27-yard field goal after taking part as a lineman in the game-opening drive that took 8 minutes off the clock waiting for him to block," White said of Norisca "I really love that and I really feel the most comfortable running behind this guy." Norisca executed a successful surprise onside kick at midfield to give his team the ball back he added a tackle for loss and nearly came away with an interception on third-and-11 with 8:51 to go in the third after the ball was tipped by Josiah Germaine "Alin is one of the best players I've ever coached in 16 years," Marshall said More: 'Play the teams that recruit': Scott Zolak weighs in on CM football's Div. 2 reign the team will return a large number of players as only 12 out of 50 on this season's roster will graduate 1 overall seed and playing for the state title this season the returning Blue Devils feel that this won't be the last time they step foot on the turf at Gillette in December I know we're going to make it back here next year," Norisca said Get the best experience and stay connected to your community with our Spectrum News app. Learn More - Toughness is built in to the West Boylston High School football program and the Lions needed every bit of it Friday afternoon in the Division 8 state championship game against top-seeded Randolph the Lions had to dig deep to hold on to a 22-16 win in a game where the run game accounted for every yard.   The win gave West Boylston back-to-back Division 8 state championships and its third straight state title.  it's a dream come true," senior Stephen Simpson said.  Dominick Renzoni found the end zone twice leading the Lions with 97 yards on the ground gave West Boylston a 7-3 first quarter lead Stephen Simpson added 86 yards rushing and a score in the second quarter to give the second-seeded Lions a 15-3 lead Renzoni's second touchdown came after he recovered a fumble The junior followed Tommy Wyatt and Simpson's blocks into the end zone and West Boylston led 22-3 at halftime.  Randolph wrestled back some of the momentum in the third and fourth quarters thanks to Mekhi White's two scores and 143 yards on the ground The Lions won the battle in the trenches late though and were able to convert some key first downs including a Simpson rush to seal the contest late in the fourth quarter.  I couldn't be happier for these kids," West Boylston head coach Mike Ross said after the game.  Highlights and postgame reaction in the video above.  Ryan was fired by the Select Board last month amid controversy over a Donald Trump campaign flag inside the police station Butler is familiar to town officials. She was a finalist for the West Boylston job that went to Ryan She was interviewed by the Select Board in early December She will start in West Boylston on April 15 Weeks after starting in West Boylston, Ryan was at odds with Police Chief Dennis W. Minnich Sr. After a visit to the police station Ryan asked the chief to remove a Trump flag that he saw hanging inside The chief said he was unaware of the second flag; he later said Ryan had accused him of lying about the situation and questioning his integrity The issue became public, with the chief saying he'd never work for Ryan. After a Feb. 24 hearing in which Ryan said he wished he'd handled the situation differently Butler has been town administrator in Buckland for almost six years The town of 1,800 is in Western Massachusetts said officials in Buckland shared high praise of Butler “Her extensive experience in municipal government and proven leadership make her an excellent fit for our town," Pedone said in a statement announcing the hiring "We look forward to working with her to continue strengthening our community.” (This story has been updated with additional information Correction: An earlier version of this story incorrectly reported the nature and timing of the town administrator's firing.) WEST BOYLSTON ― The West Boylston Select Board on Monday voted to terminate Town Administrator James Ryan's contract over the way he handled the discovery of a Donald Trump campaign flag that he found hanging in the police station the Select Board found that there was just cause to fire Ryan with Ryan being paid through the close of business Tuesday He will be paid only for the time he held the position as well as any accrued but unused vacation time With 120 viewers watching the meeting via Zoom Rajeshkumar made the motion to terminate Ryan’s employment as town administrator which was seconded by Selectman James Morrissey Vanessa Kuzmanovski was the sole board member who voted against terminating Ryan's contract Ryan opts for open hearingThe hearing on Monday was initially scheduled to be held in closed session but was opened to the public at the request of Ryan Pedone said at the outset that the hearing was to give Ryan an opportunity to respond to the allegations made against him by Police Chief Dennis W and for the board to determine if there was just cause for disciplinary action stressed that Ryan and the five-member Select Board were not there to determine whether a flag with the name of the sitting president could in fact be hung in a private area of the police station but whether Ryan had handled the situation appropriately Ryan had just been hired as town administrator in January He had previously been assistant town manager in Salisbury 28 and noticed a Trump campaign flag hanging in a gym area that is not normally accessible to the public Ryan directed the town’s facility director to access the private area of the police station to see if the flag was still hanging The facility director texted Ryan a photo showing that a flag was still being displayed Ryan texted the facility director back the message “Are you bold enough to grab it for me and sneak out with it,” Klein said “You unnecessarily chose a path and direction so soon in your tenure that it virtually guaranteed a broken relationship and complete loss of trust with the Police Department and the police chief,” Klein scolded chaotic and distrustful environment being created that permanently damages your ability to work productively with the police chief the Police Department and other town officials and department heads moving forward you (Ryan) did not inquire a counsel or any law enforcement official whether or not it was legally problematic that a civilian employee access private restricted areas of the Police Department without proper notice to any police officer where CORI (Massachusetts Criminal Offender Record Information) and other confidential law enforcement information could be in sight,” Klein said there are far more measured and responsible ways to manage and to review the situation.” Ryan: Would have handled things differentlyRyan said it was never his intention to irreparably harm his relationship with Minnich “Although my reaction may have caused an unfortunate rift between myself and Chief Minnich I had no role having this dispute play out in public.,” Ryan said "I can admit that I would have handled things differently if I could go back I would have considered the situation closed after Chief Minnich told me the flag was down and I wouldn’t have involved another member of the staff The true fact is I was brand-new to the position and it threw me off my game to have my authority challenged early and so directly And I was probably a little sensitive to that fact.” Ryan said his actions were not to make a political statement but were an attempt to negate a potential problem internally before it became a political problem externally Ryan said he was attempting to enforce the town bylaws “I’m no enemy of President Trump,” Ryan said state and federal partners whenever needed so I can assure that West Boylston receives its share of support and federal funds for the things our residents need.” said his client was not wrong in insisting that the flag be taken down “James has no problem with President Trump or anybody who supports the president,” Clifford said “One of the most important takeaways from the last election is citizens demand that those in government do their jobs impartially James certainly understands that and agrees with those principals.” Lawyer says police chief has much powerClifford repeatedly chastised Minnich for addressing the situation in the media and creating “this circus.” Clifford said during the hearing it was inevitable that Ryan would be fired He said the police chief has much power in town is what you call a menu approach to complying with the law,” Clifford said “The board and the chief have made it clear that they’re not going to comply with your special act charter which was adopted by the town and Legislature 30 years ago The chief has made it pretty clear that he’s not going abide by anything Clifford said he and his client had asked the Select Board for a two-week continuance and for Minnich to be present for Monday’s hearing Klein said Minnich wasn’t present because he was out of the country on his honeymoon Clifford said Ryan would respond to a firing with a lawsuit will have to take the job knowing that the board won’t honor the charter they’re taking the job on the hope that they get along with Chief Minnich the real hiring and firing authority,” Clifford said Seconds prior to the vote to terminate Ryan’s employment Clifford again chastised the actions of the Select Board I hope that he is at least given notice and an opportunity to attend the disciplinary hearing that you should be having for your police chief so he could get his 15 minutes of fame on Fox News at the expense of your residents,” Clifford said He would have gotten the scalp of a new town administrator your third town administrator in less than a year is watching very carefully before applying here.” West Boylston is not a town that has been friendly to Trump during his three presidential campaigns The town favored Kamala Harris in the 2024 election by more than 17 percentage points Trump earned 38.6% of the town's votes in the 2020 presidential election and 41.6% in the 2016 presidential election WEST BOYLSTON — Residents were given an opportunity to speak out Wednesday night about the controversy that arose over a Trump flag that the town administrator ordered removed from the police station The 13 residents who spoke during the public comment session of the Select Board meeting included the police chief’s son a Worcester police officer who lives in town a volunteer member of the search committee that recommended the new town administrator to the Select Board and a person with the same name as the town administrator who is “sick and tired” of being inundated with calls from the press At issue is a dispute between long-standing Police Chief Dennis W and newly hired Town Administrator James J the administrator asked the chief to remove a Trump flag he saw in a nonpublic area of the station The fallout coming after the chief's strong reaction to Ryan's action has been a hot topic in West Boylston and beyond More: 'Either he's gone or I'm gone': Trump flag leads to rift between West Boylston officials Minnich and Ryan were not at the Wednesday board meeting which was moved from the Town Hall to the Senior Center to better accommodate crowds “I ask that everyone stays respectful to each other and to the board and to conduct themselves civilly during the meeting,” Select Board chair Kristina A Pedone advised before the public comment period “I know that many of you are upset that the board did not have public comment last night (Tuesday night) said a “political flag” is not right for town buildings “I think everyone would agree that it is wrong to portray or to put a political flag in a town building,” Sullivan said “It is not wrong to display the president of the United States which is that flag right there,” he said pointing to the American flag behind the Select Board said the real issue is not the flag but how the matter was handled virtually every department is run very well especially the Police Department,” DeCarlo said “That is a reflection of the character of the chief.” After saying she supports the chief and the Police Department Cardarelli said she thinks the reason why officers feel the need to display the Trump flag is because it gives officers “hope” that better days and improved public opinion toward police are ahead hope that the incoming president would honor his promises to bring respect support and dignity back to the police and first responders everywhere,” Cardarelli said “The past four years of our last administration has brought about severe public opinion…and hatred toward the police.” He was hired to serve our community but his actions have only served himself,” Cardarelli said “I ask that the police be allowed to hang their reminder of hope in their private place.” who introduced herself as a “relatively new resident in town,” expressed her support for the town administrator adding that the police chief should be removed “I am incredibly disappointed and embarrassed by the behavior of the police chief,” Ashwell said “Not only is he unwilling to follow the rules to take down a campaign flag he is also given an ultimatum that the town must pick him over the town administrator saying threateningly that he will not go quietly and the town will pay for it.” a West Boylston resident for more than 10 years and a Worcester police officer saying the department has the right to hang the flag in a “private place” in the Police Department Calling the area a “private place” caused some grumbling in the audience and made the Select Board chair remind the audience to be civil who has lived in town for close to 40 years and unsuccessfully ran for 14th Worcester District state representative in 2012 asked how many in the audience were in favor of the chief Speaking against “police overreach,” Tracy L who has lived in town for five years and served on the Board of Health during COVID-19 said she wanted to register her vote of “no confidence” in the police chief “I support police and I support the work they do I have a son that’s in the military but I feel West Boylston needs to be a town where people feel safe with their public safety officials and not fear retribution over matters where political become personal,” Gagnon said “I feel these actions are highly inappropriate and any town employee or select person who’s defending his (the chief’s) action needs to be reassigned.” received robust applause from the audience when he said his name and after he made his brief statement  “I just want to ask if any of you guys before this happened ever felt afraid of your police department or ever felt that they did not stick up for you?” Dennis Minnich Jr who shares the same name as the new town administrator requested that the town administrator makes himself available to the press because he and his son (who also share the same name) are “sick and tired” of being bombarded by phone calls from the press Ryan said the matter is an unnecessary waste of time this might have been a reasonable thing to discuss no one is using this flag to influence an election “The setting that it was displayed in is approximately equivalent to me wearing a Yankees T-shirt to a downtown Boston joint Toppin showed his support to the chief while slamming the town administrator and the Select Board “This town administrator should be canned and it should not cost the taxpayers of our town one cent,” Toppin said one of the volunteer members of the town administrator search and selection committee said his “sincere hope” is that the Select Board the chief and the town administrator can find a way to “reconcile and resolve their differences.” Arruda said while the flag might have been put up “without an ounce of maliciousness” it could be inappropriate to display “It doesn’t matter what the campaign flag is for It’s meant to influence politically,” Arruda said It’s inherently political by nature and public servants need to be held to a higher standard to show their impartiality.” said he supports the chief and the Police Department “100%.” the Select Board will have an executive session meeting to discuss the discipline or dismissal or complaints or charges brought against the town administrator The backgroundMinnich gave the new town administrator a tour of the police station on Jan he received a call in which Ryan directed him to remove a “President Trump flag” from a wall inside the gym The chief said he did remove the flag and sent a picture as confirmation Ryan called again to say he had photos from inside the Police Department that showed the flag had never been taken down He said Ryan told the chief the photos had been taken on Jan 31 by the town facilities director at Ryan's request Minnich said Ryan accused him of lying and questioning his integrity Minnich wrote that he found a different flag hanging in the gym that said “Trump 2024.” Minnich said he was unaware of the second flag at the time he was notified about it The chief's frustration was shared with the Select Board On Feb. 4, Minnich, who has been police chief since 1997, sent a three-page memo to the board requesting “an immediate and thorough review” of the recent actions of Ryan Minnich later said he wanted Ryan removed from his post and that he would be taking vacation time in the short term he will report directly to the Select Board rather than the town administrator due to the “hostile work environment” that the town administrator has created has not responded to requests for comment by the Telegram & Gazette WEST BOYLSTON — Positive cases of bird flu have been detected in West Boylston according to the state Department of Fish and Game Five dead birds in the Quinapoxet River were discovered late last month and Tuesday's preliminary test results were positive for the highly pathogenic avian influenza H5N1 virus Investigators are collecting bird carcasses in the area as ice and wind conditions allow The Quinapoxet River basin has an active daily live bird population including approximately 150 to 200 Canada geese More than 100 wild birds in Massachusetts so far this year have a preliminary positive test result for bird flu the number could be higher because the state said most dead birds aren't tested Only a few may be tested when there's a flock of dead birds in one spot Testing usually takes several days and a confirmed positive can take several months for wild birds Last month, Massachusetts public health officials said bird flu is widespread in the state among wild water birds the state says the number of reported cases is falling and should continue when the warmer weather arrives and birds won't be able to congregate in large numbers that could spread the virus More: Officials: Bird flu spreading in state, but cases still low in Central Mass. Residents are advised to have no contact with wildlife especially any sick or dead birds or other animals Residents are also urged to report any sightings of dead birds, especially flocks of five or more in one spot, to mass.gov/reportbirds Contact Henry Schwan at henry.schwan@telegram.com. Follow him on X: @henrytelegram WEST BOYLSTON — FedEx will be closing its shipping facility at 300 Century Drive the company said: “FedEx regularly evaluates its network and makes adjustments to align with the evolving needs of the business We recently informed employees that a FedEx facility on Century Drive in West Boylston will close in June and certain team members will be offered opportunities at other FedEx locations Decisions of this nature are the result of much thought and consideration for maintaining the high level of service expected from our customers and other needs of our business Affected team members were notified several months before any changes occur and receive assistance with finding other employment opportunities within the company including additional support options like relocation assistance or severance where applicable.” The cuts in West Boylston are included in the latest statewide layoff report, known as Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification (WARN) Companies are required to file a notice with the state in advance of sizable cuts This is the latest in a series of stories about city and town payrolls in Worcester County WEST BOYLSTON ― Former Town Administrator Jennifer Warren-Dyment led the list of highest-paid municipal employees in 2024 followed by the manager of the municipal light plant Warren-Dyment earned a total of $194,653.21 in calendar 2024 Since Warren-Dyment left the job in the fall of last year, the town has seen a rapid succession of town administrators following a clash between her replacement Minnich over a Donald Trump campaign flag that had been hung inside the police station The Select Board eventually fired Ryan and replaced him with Heather Butler Eleven members of the Police Department were among the 25 highest-earning employees based on gross pay Timothy Provencal led the way with $171,121.10 which comprised a base pay of $158,384.10 and $12,737 in other payments the list also included another five members of the municipal light plant town employees earned $18.1 million in 2024 Here are the 25 highest-paid municipal employees in West Boylston for 2024 WEST BOYLSTON ― The town's longtime police chief said he was “targeted” by the new town administrator due to a Trump flag that was hanging inside an area of the Police Department that is usually not seen by the public sent a three-page memo to the Board of Selectmen requesting “an immediate and thorough review” of the recent actions of Town Administrator James Ryan “Either he’s gone or I’m gone,” Minnich said Friday “I’m going to take all vacation time until this is resolved Minnich filed a formal complaint against Ryan “This horrendous action has created an environment of distrust and has already negatively impacted my ability to work against me my employment and the entire department,” Minnich stated in a memo titled “Topic: Urgent Concern Regarding Unauthorized Photos & Targeted Actions.” Ryan did not return a voice message left with his office on Friday Minnich explained he met Ryan at Ryan's request on Jan “I just walked him down the hallways and I said We have a training room,’” Minnich said Friday And there was a sergeant working out and he stopped he received a call from Ryan requiring that he remove a “President Trump flag” from a wall inside the gym after verbalizing that I did not see any harm or lawful violation to hang a flag of the sitting President of the United States,” Minnich wrote in the memo in front of a member of the Police Department and sent James (Ryan) a picture as confirmation.” Ryan called the chief to tell him that he had photos from inside the Police Department that proved the flag had never been taken down Ryan told the chief that he received photographs Jan 31 from both the gym and the men’s room showing Trump flags being displayed Minnich said Ryan had accused him of lying and questioning his integrity “I assured him (Ryan) that I most certainly had taken it down and stated that I would not lie about the situation and that if I wanted to push the issue that I would have denied his requiring me to it,” Minnich wrote I don’t believe that,’" Minnich said Friday ‘Who took that picture?’ And he (Ryan) said it’s pretty serious because it’s in a secure area and the guys know they can’t do that and I don’t know who would do that Minnich wrote that Ryan ordered him to retrieve the “Trump’ flag(S)” and bring them to the town administrator’s office Minnich said he received a call from the facilities director who apologized and informed him that Ryan had instructed him to enter the police station to take photographs without the police chief knowing Minnich calls the situation “highly unprofessional and deeply alarming” and accused the town administrator of “unfairly” targeting him through his directive to his subordinate “The fact that James would target the police station and myself in this way raises serious concerns,” Minnich wrote in the memo “It is now clear that the situation was not just about the flag it was targeted action against me as the Police Chief.” Minnich said town counsel has advised him that he did nothing wrong and that the town administrator should not have had a civilian employee enter the police station to take the photos the West Boylston police officers union voted no confidence in Ryan's leadership The selectmen are scheduled to take up the matter in executive session on Tuesday night This post was updated to add new information WEST BOYLSTON ― A closed-door meeting of the Select Board to focus on the fallout of a Trump flag displayed inside the police station The five-member board initially said it would meet in person at Town Hall But the format was changed at the recommendation of the Police Department according to an announcement by the town Tuesday morning The board expects to tackle an issue that has been a hot topic in West Boylston and beyond Remote meetings of public boards are allowed under a provision that dates to the early days of the CVOID-19 pandemic The change to the Open Meeting Law was eventually extended to March 31 At issue is a dispute between Police Chief Dennis W and newly appointed Town Administrator James Ryan that arose from the hanging of a Trump flag in a nonpublic area of the police station when the executive session meeting was slated for Town Hall officials said the building would be closed during the discussion Town Hall will be closed during the executive session and we ask that attendees refrain from remaining in the building once the board enters executive session,” the statement said The statement also said the meeting would not return to public session after the closed session ended Minnich – who has said he will not report to Ryan and will use vacation time until the situation is "resolved" – said his officers will not enforcing the closing of Town Hall during executive session “That will not be enforced by me or my guys," Minnich said Ryan did not immediately respond to messages left with his office on Friday and Monday Rajeshkumar confirmed the meeting was scheduled to take place at 8:30 p.m. but said he would have nothing to add about the situation until after the meeting He also said he did not know about a plan to close Town Hall we come out of executive session and then we announce it in open meeting,” Rajeshkumar said He also said: “In a normal situation at all our meetings Other members of the board did not immediately respond to messages Minnich has publicly alleged that he had been “targeted” by Ryan due to a Trump flag that was hanging inside a gym in the police station The stated purpose of the executive session Tuesday night is “to discuss the reputation or to discuss the discipline or dismissal of Monday, the town statement said there had been many requests for people to make “public comment” during Tuesday’s meeting due to the notice requirements of the Open Meeting Law the board cannot adjust the agenda to add a public comment period The meeting will begin in public session and there will be a vote to move into executive session Ryan had previously been assistant town manager in Salisbury Minnich said Ryan toured the police station Jan Ryan called again to say he had photos from inside the Police Department that proved the flag had never been taken down Minnich said he found a totally different flag hanging in the gym that said “Trump 2024.” Minnich said he was unaware of the second flag at the time he was notified about it Minnich said he did not put up either flag Minnich calls the situation “highly unprofessional and deeply alarming” and accused the town administrator of “unfairly” targeting him through his directive to a subordinate Rajeshkumar said the town administrator is so new in town that he doesn’t even have his contact information Friday marks the final day of the high school football season in Massachusetts Just six teams are left standing with the hopes bringing the three remaining MIAA Super Bowls (Div 8 kicks off the day at Gillette Stadium as Randolph and West Boylston will go head-to-head at 3 p.m Shawsheen Valley Tech takes on Foxboro in Div Mansfield meets North Attleboro in an all-Hockomock League final 8 final between Randolph and West Boylston Randolph 16Dominick Renzoni ran 16 times for 97 yards and 2 TDs for the Lions in the win Stephen Simpson ran times for 86 yards and a TD Mekhi White ran for game-highs of 20 carries and 143 yards Haggai Joseph ran 16 times for 48 yards and Abe Cornett had 6 totes for 50 yards 3:14 LEFT IN THE FOURTH QUARTER: West Boylston 22 Randolph 16Play of the game coming up here West Boylston has a fourth-and-3 from the Randolph 19 The Blue Devils have no timeouts remaining West Boylston has a second-and-8 from the Randolph 24 Randolph's Mekhi White rushes for a 1-yard TD on fourth down The Blue Devils were down 22-3 at halftime 9:22 LEFT IN THE FOURTH QUARTER: West Boylston 22 Randolph 9Randoloh defense forces a three-and-out Randolph's Mekhi White returns it 28 yards to the WB 20 Abe Cornet comes up with a great effort to scramble Randolph will open the quarter with a third-and-18 from the WB 29 Randolph's Alin Norscia tries a surprise onside kick and Christian Nyaglio recovers Randolph's Mekhi White rushes for an 11-yard TD on third-and-goal Randolph forces a punt on the opening drive and takes over at its own 12 but a fourth-down pass falls incomplete in the end zone 2:25 LEFT IN THE SECOND QUARTER QUARTER: West Boylston 22 Randolph 3Dominick Renzoni rushes for a 2-yard TD after his fumble recovery West Boylston's Dominick Renzoni forces a fumble and recovers but a 15-yard penalty moves the Lions back to the 17 West Boylston's Brad Divirgillio recovers a fumble on a muffed snap Stephen Simpson gets around the edge and is off for a 19-yard score Dominick Renzoni adds the 2-point conversion 11:25 LEFT IN THE SECOND QUARTER QUARTER: West Boylston 7 Randolph 3On a fourth-and-5 from the WB 29 Randolph's drive is kickstarted by a nice return on the kick from Andy Vilceron Blue Devils will start the second quarter with a third-and-8 from the WB 32 West Boylston's Dominick Renzoni takes a run outside and is untouched for a 36-yard TD run Randolph opens the game with a long drive and Alin Norisca turns it into points with a 27-yard field goal 12 MINUTES LEFT IN THE FIRST QUARTER: Randolph 0 West Boylston 0And we're underway in the Div Randolph’s captains are Abraham Cornet and Nathan Gomes-Correia West Boylston’s captains are Stephen Simpson West Boylston statsWest Boylston enters scoring 33.2 points per game with four games this season scoring 40 or more the Lions are giving up just 11.18 points per game including a three-game stretch of allowing just six points to their opponents 8 Super Bowl with averaging 40 points a game The Blue Devils high-powered rushing attack is led by junior Mekhi White and senior Haggai Joseph White has rushed for 980 yards and has 136 receiving yards with 22 total touchdowns scored this season Joseph churned out 632 rushing yards to go along with 187 receiving yards and 13 touchdowns Randolph won the program’s first Super Bowl title by defeating Hull in the Div The Blue Devils went on a Cinderella run as the No West Boylston has won two consecutive state titles 8 final in 2023 and Saint Bernard’s in the Div How West Boylston got hereAfter going 6-2 in the regular season 3 Carver (36-14) en route to the Super Bowl 4 Nashoba Valley Tech (28-12) en route to the Super Bowl (This story has been updated with additional information.) WEST BOYLSTON — In a Zoom meeting closed to the public the five-member Select Board on Tuesday night took turns questioning the police chief about allegations he made about the way the new town administrator handled the removal of a Trump flag hanging in the police station The board has scheduled a "formal hearing" at 5 p.m with more than 40 people logged into the remote meeting at the outset board Chair Kristina Pedone took a roll call vote among members that resulted in the meeting going into executive session with the board stating that it would not be returning to a public session Rajeshkumar and Vanessa Kuzmanovski — were joined in the closed session by Faye Zukowski the board asked Minnich to “sign off” and leave the meeting “I attended a Zoom executive session meeting I was questioned heavily and I have no idea the outcome,” Minnich later told the Telegram & Gazette And I was told I would hear something at a later date.” Minnich said he does not know how long the meeting continued the purpose of last night’s (Tuesday night’s) executive session was to initially discuss the complaint and determine how the select board should proceed,” Pedone said in a statement released Wednesday afternoon “I understand that the complaint from the chief was shared on social media days ago we are obligated to follow Open Meeting Law in all personnel matters and have a responsibility to ensure the protection and privacy of all parties involved.” At issue is a dispute between Minnich and Ryan that arose from the hanging of a Trump flag in a nonpublic area of the police station he found a different flag hanging in the gym that said “Trump 2024.” Minnich said he was unaware of the second flag at the time he was notified about it Minnich told the T&G he did not put up either flag Ryan has not responded to multiple requests for comment In a memo sent out Tuesday morning to the board Minnich said he will begin a planned vacation Wednesday and will be returning on Feb with plans to resume his duties as police chief on Feb I have determined that after thirty-two years of dedicated service to the Town of West Boylston I cannot allow the actions of one individual to deter me from my duty,” Minnich wrote “It is my firm belief that the Town Administrator’s actions have been detrimental to the well-being of the town and I strongly urge the Select Board to take appropriate action regardless of the outcome of this situation The Select Board is slated to meet at 6 p.m there will be an opportunity for public comment This is not the first time Minnich has found himself at the center of a controversy in town Charlie Baker’s COVID-19 business restrictions Earlier Chief's email is 'closed' matter “I am absolutely incensed by this email and believe that Mr Minnich should be dismissed from the West Boylston Police Department,” Dr John Sullivan wrote in an email to then Town Administrator Nancy Lucier titled “Open up My Town,” May 17 to Karyn E director of the Department of Public Health in Worcester which provides health inspectional services to West Boylston I hope that all is well with you,” Minnich began “I am alerting all of our businesses today that this ‘shut down’ is unconstitutional and illegal and that the PD will not enforce any actions by the B of H and furthermore that they should advise the ‘agents’ of the B of H to leave the premises immediately “The WBPD will most certainly follow trespassing policies which are to arrest trespassers after notice Please advise your personnel so as to avoid any issues “These so called ‘Orders’ by the Governor are not valid nor (constitutional) and will not be enforced who specializes in allergy and immunology at UMass Memorial told the T&G in May 2020 that he took the chief’s words as a threat: Come in to my town to enforce Baker’s orders Minnich said he sent the email because he wanted it to be known that he did not believe it to be his department’s purview to enforce Baker’s business restrictions WEST BOYLSTON — The Select Board is moving forward with a “termination” meeting for new Town Administrator James Ryan The issue has become a point of controversy in town A Select Board meeting is slated for 4 p.m the Select Board has decided to terminate Mr Ryan based solely on Chief Minnich’s allegations,” Clifford said in a statement The meeting is scheduled as an executive session via Zoom but Ryan will be opting to have the meeting held in open session The police chief outlined his frustration with the town administrator in a three-page letter to the Select Board He characterized Ryan's actions as “highly unprofessional and deeply alarming” and stated that he would report to the Select Board Clifford said he asked that Minnich be present to testify in support of his allegations and to be cross-examined he has been informed Minnich will not be produced as a witness “Chief Minnich makes several references to his ‘professionalism’ as chief yet apparently doesn’t understand or respect due process including the right to confront one’s accuser,” Clifford said in the statement who started last month as town administrator Calls to Select Board members have not been returned Ryan saw a “Trump 2024” flag on the wall of the Police Department workout room “after some reflection,” asked the chief to remove the flag “Rather than discuss his concerns with the Town Administrator or seek a legal opinion as towhether it was appropriate to have such material in a public building Chief Minnich elected toturn this into a political circus embarrassing himself and West Boylston in the process,” Clifford said Clifford said that several of the “factual statements” made by Minnich are “false” but “he (Minnich) is completely free to make those statements secure in the knowledge he can’t be questioned.” Clifford alleges that the board has “actually not done any investigation into the allegations and are simply moving forward with a ‘ready as the outcome has already been dictated to the Select Board by Chief Minnich,” Clifford said “Having the meeting in open session will not make the process fair but it will allow the public to see how its Select Board operates.” Clifford said his client has chosen not to speak publicly about the situation because he would have preferred that the issue be resolved “privately Ryan’s “offer” to meet with Minnich and town counsel privately was rejected by the chief  “James (Ryan) has never taken a position for or against President Trump or any political candidate or party,” Clifford said the West Boylston police station is a public building,period.” Clifford said if Minnich had engaged the town administrator in a “rational" dialogue they could have resolved this issue in any one of a number of ways Ryan supports the practice of having photographs of sitting presidents in town offices Clifford said the only issue that will be resolved Monday night is that Chief Minnich “answers to no one,” including the Select Board “If the Select Board doesn’t give him (Minnich) what he wants he will stop coming to work until they fold as they intend to do this Monday,” Clifford said “Residents should carefully watch Monday’s Select Board meeting There are a lot of questions about Chief Minnich’s conduct and that of the Select Board right now More: 'Does it really bother anyone?' W. Boylston residents have say on removal of Trump flag at PD Return to telegram.com for more on this story There’ll be something for everyone at the psychic fair set for Feb or just want a new lens to look through at life the center of attention will be three tarot readers who learned their craft in Salem including Witch City Tarot Gathering founder Kris Gurky If you’re looking for a sweet treat or a hot drink if you’re just looking for something green to brighten up your living room as the shop has received a cascade of emails and phone calls asking about the event since it was announced in January “It's absolutely wild to see people come out of the woodwork for things like this,” Diaz said but not the first time Diaz and Gurky have put together a day full of tarot cards as the duo have previously worked together on several similar fairs in Salem Gurky built her herbalist business of 15 years but it also attracted a sizable amount of customers from Central Massachusetts “One of my goals when I moved out here was that we had a lot of people at the shop in Salem who were coming from Central Massachusetts I wanted to bring a lot of people from Salem here,” Gurky said stand at the Live Flea or Buy flea market in Millbury More: Hope and health for Wachusett Brewing Co., as blueberries return to famous ale’s label More: Shot in Worcester: Short psychological thriller 'Solus' to be screened at Dead of Winter had downsized the store while she underwent treatment for breast cancer and on days when she was on duty at the flea market she couldn’t help noticing Gurky’s stand across the room you saw the black mirrors and old Victorian furniture “The herbal witchy thing with all the plants just meshed.” bonding over a shared interest in herbs and their many uses Diaz had been researching teas and tinctures rumored to boost the effects of modern cancer treatments and pain relievers while Gurky grew up foraging for edible plants and mushrooms with her grandmother folkwaysBoth were fascinated by the scientific explanations behind herbal medicine passed down through generations with Gurky citing folklore in her grandmother’s home country warning against harvesting a certain plant at a certain time of year or else the other plants surrounding it would die but they knew that those plants couldn't be picked Science now knows there's a mycelium network underground between these plants that helps them survive “I found it really fascinating when you blend science with the things our ancestors would have no knowledge about moved into its current West Boylston location Diaz and Gurky linked up again and began running herbal workshops that quickly gained a following customers will be able to pick up some herbal knowledge who learned to read tarot cards from her grandmother said she and many of her clients over the years found tarot card readings to be reassuring rather than foreboding “What's truly the gift is if you don't know me and I don't know you because how could they possibly know that?” Gurky said “I never believe that the cards predict the future but it's really comforting when you have someone who can deliver things to help people through.” Gurky’s advice to those interested in experiencing a tarot reading for the first time was to “expect the unexpected.” “If you come open-minded and you're willing to receive whatever comes through People leave really comforted and inspired.” The T.A.J. Tropicals Psychic Fair will take place 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Feb. 15 at T.A.J. Tropicals, 45 Sterling St., Suite 9, West Boylston. Admission is free, and a 15-minute tarot reading costs $45, with sign-up sheets available at the door. tajtropicals.com WORCESTER — A project with blueprints to build a 24-unit affordable condo building at the former location of a D’Angelo sub shop along West Boylston Street is moving forward as it received approval from the Zoning Board of Appeals Monday Across five floors at 342 West Boylston St. the building that owners and developers Steve Rothschild and Jackson Restrepo look to erect will contain 24 studios The 20,098-square-foot property is located in the Greendale neighborhood and has long stood vacant Rothschild and Restrepo bought the property under 342 West Boylston LLC for $400,000 on Nov The owners are looking to raze an existing building on the property in order to build and replace with the new five-story building All of the condo units will be for sale to those who fall between 80% to 100% of the area median income The project will include the building of 16 parking spaces with one space for a van An outdoor recreational space is also part of the project Plans have previously received approvals from the city for a change of a commercial corridor overlay district to the zoning to being zoned solely a business limited district Then, plans were to build 28 units comprising 16 two-bedroom units and 12 studio units the new project was approved by the ZBA for adjustments to zoning which allowed the building to exceed the limits of height and parking for it to be financially viable to the owners approvals didn’t come without reservations said that he has “high safety concerns” for vehicles exiting the future parking lot which he said would be at risk of colliding with cars along West Boylston Street Cortes asked Borenstein to entertain the idea of reconfiguring the building to not face West Boylston Street but the adjacent Andover Street forcing the exiting vehicles to face a stop sign which Cortes said could be replaced with traffic lights “that I brought this issue here and be ready for what’s coming in the future if we don’t take care of something better than what’s here.” a resident called Ron and said to live on Andover Street also adding that he thought it was “great to put something (on the property) that can generate money." Borenstein said the blueprints have moved the building back “We were certainly aware of the potential issues associated with that curb cut,” Borenstein said given that it provides more time for vehicles to react to vehicles coming down the street.” is situated right across the street from Saint-Gobain's Worcester operation - The West Boylston football team is gunning for their 3rd straight state championship The Lions play Carver on Saturday at Woburn High School in the Division 8 semifinals at 3 p.m.  While each of the past 3 years for West Boylston has brought new challenges and new faces in starting roles the one constant has been their head coach "I love playing for Coach Ross he's a great guy," said OT/DT Jonathan Jameson and I wouldn't want to have any other coach." "Playing for Coach Ross it's a different kind of ball," added OT/DT Will Brunner I see coaches everywhere else like the D-1 levels that aren't as tough as him man "The last three years playing for Coach Ross have been amazing," said OT Rowen Noel WEST BOYLSTON — Officials are dismissing claims by the town administrator's lawyer that the decision to fire James Ryan has been made before a scheduled hearing about the handling of a Trump flag being displayed inside the police station Ryan has been criticized by the police chief and others for apparently ordering that the flag be removed suggested that members of the Select Board have made up their minds about Ryan's future with the town He questioned whether Ryan would have a fair chance to state his case at the hearing "Attorney Clifford’s statements are inaccurate," Kristina Pedone wrote in an email to the Telegram & Gazette Friday evening "The Select Board has not made any decision and Monday’s hearing is an opportunity for Mr Ryan to fully respond to the allegations presented to him." Ryan is at the center of a growing controversy in West Boylston. He was hired as town administrator last month He had been the assistant town manager in Salisbury the chief voiced anger at Ryan's actions and the way he went about the matter The chief said he refused to work under Ryan "Either he's gone or I'm gone," the chief said The Select Board, which hired Ryan, had been quiet about the matter, until Pedone's statement. A meeting on Wednesday gave the public a chance to weigh in Ryan has said nothing publicly about the controversy. On Thursday, Clifford, Ryan's lawyer, issued a statement that downplayed the value of Monday's hearing Clifford alleged that the board has “actually not done any investigation into the allegations "It is evident that Attorney Clifford is attempting to shift focus away from his client," she said She said the hearing will focus on Ryan's handling of the matter The hearing Monday will be in executive session (This story has been updated to add new information.) a mainstay on West Boylston Street since 1989 reopened on May 1 after closing for at least a week except to host large parties and private functions The restaurant announced in a social media post that it would be open from from 11:30 a.m until 9 p.m.; an employee answering the phone on May 1 confirmed the opening In a post from April 25 they announced that the restaurant was "a bit short on hands" as the reason behind the decision to "only accommodating large parties." It did not specify the period of time the restaurant would remain closed for On April 26 the restaurant said they would reopen by the end of this week "Buisness (sic) has been great and everything has been going really well the staff we do have is one big hard working family," the post said "Times are tough in this industry and very different than in the past." More: Mexican restaurant at DCU Center in Worcester has closed "We want to make sure everyone gets the top-notch experience they deserve," it said The post appeared on social media on April 25, with commenting blocked. Two days earlier the restaurant had posted that it would "be closed for the next few days to accommodate a few private functions." A sign on the door the afternoon of April 25 said “Closed for private party"; a larger sign by the entrance said No one answered knocking on the front and rear doors Calls to the restaurant were not immediately answered The Maxwells bought the business in 2022 from original owners Brendan and Claire O'Connor Thank you for completing the form, here is your download: "+jQuery("body").attr("docName")+" Thank you for completing the form, here is the link to your on-demand webinar: On-Demand Webinar Link West Boylston Police Station was ordered to remove a Trump flag from the headquarters WEST BOYLSTON, Mass. — The West Boylston Select Board voted to terminate the new town administrator’s contract Monday, after he reportedly demanded the removal of a Trump flag hanging in the police station gym The Select Board voted 4-1 to terminate Town Administrator James Ryan ’s contract over his handling of the flag incident, with member Vanessa Kuzmanovski the only vote against, the Worcester Telegram and Gazette reported The hearing was originally scheduled to be closed to the public Ryan has served in the position for just over a month since Jan The incident began shortly after he started the position and took a walk through of the station The administrator reportedly told Minnich to remove the flag “James is disappointed with the Select Board’s decision to terminate him tonight,” said attorney John Clifford on behalf of Ryan on Monday night “James acknowledges that he could have handled the situation differently but his insistence that there be no political signs in a public building was completely justified James expressed his sincere regret that he had any role in what became an embarrassment and distraction for the entire town.” Clifford said the result of the meeting was a “foregone conclusion” and blamed Minnich for creating controversy in the “press and on social media.” “The Select Board simply acquiesced to Chief Minnich’s demand that James be fired and made it clear that the Chief will be able to enforce the law as he sees fit going forward,” said Clifford a majority of the Board didn’t seem to think that putting political signs in a public building is a problem.” Minnich, who has served in the town’s 13-officer police department for 32 years, told the Herald he would not back down in an interview in mid-February and I told the town board that I will not be back until either he’s gone or you get rid of me,” Minnich said Minnich said he reluctantly took the flag down in response to Ryan’s initial demand but told him he “did not see any harm or lawful violation to hang a flag of the sitting President of the United States.” Ryan reportedly said he had concerns that the flag’s presence was a civil rights violation Ryan obtained photos of flags back up in the station and confronted Minnich again The police union took a vote of no confidence in the town administrator later in February The police chief did not respond to a request for comment immediately Monday night The Select Board also did not respond to a request immediately Monday Clifford said his client will be “reviewing his options with respect to litigating his termination but he would like to make it clear that he has no ill feelings toward town employees ©2025 MediaNews Group, Inc. Visit at bostonherald.com. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC. Copyright © 2025 Lexipol. All rights reserved.Do Not Sell My Personal Information WEST BOYLSTON ― A local priest and a Catholic charitable organization have declined to press charges against a man who police say is a church employee who was caught on video stealing from a prayer box said Monday that members of Society of Saint Vincent de Paul a Catholic organization that uses donations collected at a prayer box at Our Lady of Good Counsel on Worcester Street to help those who struggle financially alleged that as much as $1,700 had been taken throughout a series of thefts starting in September The organization placed a Ring camera to observe the prayer box and a recording showed an employee of the church using a code to access the inside of the prayer box after checking his surroundings Minnich said the alleged thief was identified through assistance from the community after a posting on social media in November that has since then been removed “(the man) admitted he had nothing to do with the box he's not supposed to unload it or take money from it.” When that information was shared with the Rev neither opted to press charges against the individual Vincent de Paul Society to help people if they're running short on money “(The man) said he was going to make it right with the society.” Attempts to reach members of Our Lady of Good Counsel and the Society of St Vincent de Paul were not immediately successful The MIAA has released the schedule for the high school football Super Bowls next week at Gillette Stadium More: THAT CHAMPIONSHIP FEELING: It was a sensational season for several area high school teams More: Against a familiar foe, Uxbridge football wins its 25th straight game to advance to D7 Super Bowl More: Hudson football reaches Division 6 Super Bowl after grinding past Norwell in Final Four More: 'Gillette never gets old': West Boylston is headed back to Foxborough after winning Division 8 state semifinal Fans can purchase tickets starting at 10 a.m. Tuesday via Ticketmaster No tickets will be sold at Gillette Stadium and all tickets will be digital and accessible via mobile device only and children 5 and under will receive free admission admission to the games and a $3 discount on the Patriots Hall of Fame Each ticket provides access to all games played on that day Premier Assisted Stretching Franchise Welcomes Newest Location Under Local Leadership the nation's premier assisted stretching brand featuring a patented strapping system on proprietary tables is proud to announce the opening of its newest location in West Boylston This marks Stretch Zone's 386th location in the United States and is owned and operated by Fernando Zengotita and Michael Scott Fernando enters the recovery and wellness space with the mindset and experience of an athlete himself As the owners of the Integrated Martial Arts facility in the Worcester/ West Boylston area Fernando and Michael are familiar with the structure and tradition of mixed martial arts and the physical strength necessary to practice With years of training and the physical toll that comes with that Fernando recognizes the value and need for the body to recover and the mobility training necessary to further excel in his craft Fernando and Michael made the move to incorporate practitioner-assisted stretching into their martial arts gym Introducing Stretch Zone West Boylston to their community of fighters and the locals of the West Boylston area was a natural addition in their minds and they are excited to introduce a new perspective of wellness that would be complimentary to their established facility Stretch Zone welcomes members eager to improve their mobility offering personalized memberships tailored to their specific abilities and goals with the help of certified and trained practitioners The West Boylston location will serve as an exciting extension of Stretch Zone's footprint offering a prime space where people can experience the transformative benefits of assisted stretching "Having Stretch Zone as another avenue of wellness expanding into our community allows me and IMA to enhance the recovery options for those looking to build a strong foundation of growth and mobility training," shares Zengotita Stretch Zone is the only nationally accredited stretch franchise thanks to its patented equipment and proprietary training methodology The brand takes a scientific approach to stretching focusing on re-educating muscles to achieve optimal resting muscle tone and enhance range of motion With a welcoming environment and an open studio layout personalized approach that helps members safely increase their mobility and range of motion over time there's a plan that suits every lifestyle and price point Stretch Zone West Boylston is located at 342 W Boylston Street, West Boylston, MA, 01583. Operating hours are M-F 7am-8pm, Saturday and Sunday 8am-5pm. The studio phone number is (774) 261-4238. The first visit is free for any new Stretch Zone member. For more information, visit www.stretchzone.com Media Contact:Stephanie Hall, Pitch Public Relations[email protected]  the nation's premier assisted-stretching brand featuring a patented strapping system on proprietary tables Health Care & Hospitals Fitness/Wellness General Sports Corporate Expansion Do not sell or share my personal information: - The West Boylston football team will look for an MIAA state championship three-peat at Gillette Stadium today The Lions (9-2) meet top seed Randolph in the Division 8 title game at 3 p.m West Boylston has a lot of new players on this year's team leading the way but their formula is always the same: be tough and tight knit those guys right there putting their bodies on the line every play," said defensive lineman Will Brunner "as well as the friendships and brotherhood made along the way In other MIAA football news, after 11 years as head of the Grafton football team Chris McMahon announced he has stepped down McMahon had a record of 87-35 with Grafton He led them to state championship games in 2016 and 2022 and he's known for starting the tradition in which a bagpiper leads the team out before the game.  © 2025 Boxcar Media LLC - All rights reserved Matt Kursonis and his Worcester Junior Sharks teams practiced at Holy Cross’ Hart Center rink who was born in Worcester and moved to West Boylston when he was 8 and had a nice run in the summer of 2013 with the West Boylston/Boylston Little League All-Stars where he was his team’s captain and MVP as a senior and went on to have two productive years with the Alberni Valley Bulldogs in British Columbia “It’s been a journey for sure,” Kursonis said before HC’s practice Tuesday afternoon “Being in Canada for two years and away from my family and friends and being away for high school I wanted to be somewhere close to home (for college) 195-pound Kursonis has played a major role in the Crusaders’ recent run of success since returning from a knee injury suffered in the 2024-25 opener at Boston University 14-4-2) is 7-0-1 in its last eight games and trails first-place Sacred Heart by five points in the Atlantic Hockey Association Kursonis has at least one point in seven straight games who has been centering the second and third lines has scored six goals with seven assists in the 15 games he has played and he has a great one-timer,” Holy Cross coach Bill Riga said “He had to work on his skating and his playmaking and his defensive play but one thing he could always do was shoot pucks and score goals We knew that would happen when he got here but we’re not surprised he was able to pick it back up.” Kursonis injured his left mensiscus in the third period of the BU game “You dream about playing your first collegiate hockey game,” Kursonis said “I was in the stands for the first part of the season and I got to watch from a different perspective and see where I could fit in while also taking care of my knee and staying in shape so when the opportunity arose for me to come back I could ease back into it.” He scored his first collegiate goal against Omaha Jan 3 in the Coachella Valley Cactus Cup in Palm Springs “Returning was definitely a special moment,” Kursonis said “I wanted to hit the ground running and make an impact on the game and not be shy of contact I felt very confident the first two periods against BU and I wanted to make sure I didn’t lose that I wanted to help this team and be ready to produce and be a guy everyone could count on.” Kursonis is a two-time AHA Rookie of the Week honoree “I think coming back and having some success and scoring his first couple of goals and it’s almost like he’s a junior instead of a freshman.” Kursonis scored the Crusaders’ third power-play goal of the game in the third period off a pass from senior Liam McLinskey whose first-period goal gave him 100 career points the 2023-24 AHA Player of the Year and Hobey Baker Award Top 10 finalist was recently announced as a semifinalist for the Walter Brown Award there was a lot of pressure on him,” Riga said “To be able to produce again is impressive.” guided the Crusaders to the AHA tourney final in 2022-23 and to 21 wins and a semifinal appearance last year In addition to HC’s proximity to his family the college’s academics and the hockey program’s upward trajectory and coaching staff attracted Kursonis “Their goal is to win a championship,” Kursonis said “What they have done the past couple years is something I was passionate about and wanted to contribute to.” The Kursonis fan section at the Hart Center is about 20-30 strong for every game “They are here to support the team as well as me,” Kursonis said is studying nursing at the University of Rhode Island and his siblings Hannah and Thomas attend and play sports at Doherty High Hannah was an eighth grader on West Boylston’s basketball state finalist team last year and Grandpa Ed Kursonis continues to build a memorabilia collection for his grandson “I think he has every jersey I wore since I was 2 years old,” Kursonis said Kursonis’ family took great comfort knowing he was in good hands while playing in Canada and almost 3,000 miles from home and they are planning to come to a Holy Cross game The Crusaders play two games at RIT this weekend before wrapping up the regular season with four straight home games and we’re looking to hang a banner for Holy Cross,” Kursonis said We’re very close and everyone has expectations It’s fun to come out and compete with these guys every day.” —Contact Jennifer Toland at jennifer.toland@telegram.com Clifford has claimed the board is set to “terminate” his client Town Administrator James Ryan and is looking to solve the debacle with a “ready but Select Board Chairwoman Kristina Pedone has rebuked that stance The Select Board is set to meet Monday in executive session to hear from Ryan who started his $208,000 town administrator role on Jan “Attorney Clifford’s statements are inaccurate,” Pedone told the Herald late Thursday night “The Select Board has not made any decision and Monday’s hearing is an opportunity for Mr Ryan to fully respond to the allegations present … It is evident that Attorney Clifford is attempting to shift focus away from his client.” West Boylston Police Chief Dennis Minnich Sr. who has headed the 13-member department in the small Worcester County town since 1997 put himself on leave after Ryan demanded a Trump flag be removed from the station’s gym late last month Minnich said he “reluctantly complied” with Ryan’s demand telling the town administrator he “did not see any harm or lawful violation to hang a flag of the sitting President of the United States.” The police union has also taken a vote of no confidence in the town manager for allegedly ordering the town facilities director to enter the police station unbeknownst to the chief and take photos of Trump flags that had gone up which Minnich said he also wasn’t aware of In a phone interview with the Herald on Feb Minnich said: “I told the town board that I will not be back until either he’s gone or you get rid of me Minnich sent a memo to the board last Tuesday saying he plans to come back to work this coming Wednesday and that he will report “directly to the Select Board rather than the town administrator due to the hostile work environment.” About a dozen residents voiced mixed opinions, both in support of and critical of the chief, at a Select Board meeting the next day Clifford issued a press release Thursday night accusing Minnich of turning the situation into a “political circus embarrassing himself and West Boylston in the process.” Under a town law that has been in place since 1995 the police chief is required to report to the town administrator Citing the “Code of Ethics for municipal managers,” the attorney said his client “cannot be involved in political matters” and “would have preferred that the issue be resolved privately Clifford asked Minnich to be present at Monday’s meeting “to testify in support of his allegations and to be cross-examined.” Pedone said the Select Board’s “hearing concerns Mr Ryan’s handling of a specific situation and it is not focused on the Police Chief the Police Chief’s attendance is not required.” Clifford added: “Chief Minnich makes several references to his ‘professionalism’ as Chief yet apparently doesn’t understand or respect due process including the right to confront one’s accuser.” ©2025 MediaNews Group, Inc. Visit at bostonherald.com. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC. I’ve been calling it the Gong Show but I need to update the description It’s really more like a Follies — a Broadway musical where the entire cast gets on stage and does a dance City Councilor Thu Nguyen announced that they were taking a monthlong hiatus from attending council meetings Nguyen announced that they would not seek reelection this fall District 5 Councilor Etel Haxhiaj has announced that temporarily she will be attending meetings only remotely Haxhiaj said that she wouldn’t appear at City Hall in person because she was getting threats There are a lot of crazies out there and any threat It got so bad that I had police stationed outside my house overnight and had to be escorted to council meetings When I was questioned about it by the media I didn’t want to give the cowards any publicity My wife was worried sick every time I left the house I had a job to do and I wasn’t going to let some whack-job keep me from doing it To get anything done you need to be in the room kept all my appearances scheduled and kept moving forward I write this to acknowledge that threats like these need to be taken seriously — today more than ever Most likely the threats are from some cowardly blowhard who wouldn’t have the nerve to face Haxhiaj in person But why add to the City Council sideshow by making a dramatic public announcement Why not just tell the mayor and the manager privately why she will be attending the meetings remotely and let the police do their jobs By her public announcement she gives the nut jobs the publicity that they crave And she adds drama to a City Council that could do with less I guess it didn’t like all the attention being given to the City Council so the School Committee decided it wanted in on the action At a time when members of the LGBTQ+ community are under attack nationally committee member Sue Mailman submitted a resolution that would have designated the school district as a safe space for members of the LGBTQ+ community The resolution would not have changed a single thing It just said we see you and you are welcome and safe here the majority of the members watered down the resolution to the point that it was meaningless by including everyone Of course that didn’t sit well with most of the people in attendance the School Committee accomplished absolutely nothing In her criticism of the city’s snow-removal efforts Haxhiaj complained about all of the calls that she was getting from citizens who weren’t happy with the plowing She said that she “was not elected to be a customer service representative.” Well City councilors have important work to do — helping those who are homeless making the city safer and a host of other things But a councilor’s job is also to take and answer phone calls when people are unhappy with city services but it’s most definitely a part of the job West BoylstonYou could see it coming from a mile away It was a car wreck and the Select Board in West Boylston is completely responsible It started with the local police chief hanging a Trump flag inside the police station in what he called “the guys gym.” Then the new town administrator showed up for a tour saw the flag and asked that it get taken down The chief said he did but then two additional Trump flags went up Anyone who knows the chief wasn’t at all surprised the chief has had public food fights with Gov Charlie Baker and the town’s Health Board over things as silly as trick-or-treating The guy does whatever he wants and town officials let him the chief decided to make his private disagreement with the town administrator public and demanded that either he or the town administrator be fired He knew the board would crumble — so did everyone else the town administrator got canned and the chief got a new jewel in his crown four of them get to wear a cloak of shame for the entire town to see KingWith councilor Khrystian King deciding to run for mayor against Mayor Joe Petty any hope of the City Council getting itself under control is all but lost In his public statement King hit Petty saying “divisive politics is causing dysfunction.” Petty hit back and said that King was responsible for contributing to the council’s dysfunction Petty also slammed King for participating in what he called “illegal non-public subcommittee meeting(s)” and that he said that King now faces “multiple open meeting law violations.” City Clerk Nikolin Vangjeli confirmed that two open meeting complaints do exist and are being assessed by the city’s lawyer Email Raymond V. Mariano at rmariano.telegram@gmail.com He served four terms as mayor of Worcester and previously served on the City Council and School Committee He grew up in Great Brook Valley and holds degrees from Worcester State College and Clark University He was most recently executive director of the Worcester Housing Authority His endorsements do not necessarily reflect the position of the Telegram & Gazette.