by Steev Riccardo

OXFORD –  Oxford sophomore Dan Caissie delivered the goods, driving home Dennis Sneade with a pinch hit RBI single in the bottom of the seventh inning to give the Pirates a dramatic walk-off 3-2 win over the Bartlett Indians in a tough encounter between the neighboring towns’ schools.

The game featured a good pitching duel between Pirates senior ace right-hander Nick Cardoni and rookie left-hander freshman John Hughes, who sparkled in his varsity debut performance on the mound.

by Steev Riccardo

OXFORD – The Oxford Lady Pirates split two games last week, defeating Bartlett 15-2 and falling to Auburn 8-7.

In their 15-2 win, sophomore Erica Fradsham made her varsity debut and pitched extremely well, while junior Jamie Brodeur banged out a pair of hits and drove in three runs.

by Steev Riccardo

WEBSTER – The Shepherd Hill girls' tennis team squeezed by the Bartlett girls 3-2 in a very competitive contest last Wednesday.

In singles action, the Rams' top singles, player sophomore Abbey Packard, defeated senior Amanda Stevens, 6-4, 3-6, 6-0; Indians' sophomore Karolina Dzieminski, who has been very impressive in the early season, beat senior Callie Mulcahy in straight sets 6-3, 7-5, and the Indians' Indre Noujokiate was also a straight sets winner, beating Victoria Crowe, 6-3, 6-1.

Greg Gibbs of Wicked Tuna will be in attendance

By Steev Riccardo

WEBSTER – The Powerhouse Gym in Webster and Webster Police Athletic Association are teaming up once again to host an exciting night of boxing at the Town Hall this Friday night at 7:00 p.m.

As in years past, every boxing event helps promote and raise money for a charity. This year’s event has all its proceeds going to Brady’s Mission.

Brady’s Mission is a charity that was created for three-year-old Brady Smith of Webster who was diagnosed with Stage 4 Neuroblastoma and is currently at the Boston’s Children hospital receiving treatment.

Text and photos by Steev Riccardo

WEBSTER – Bartlett Junior High School eighth grader Keyshla Falcon has been accepted for a full scholarship to attend NASA Space Camp this summer in Huntsville, Alabama.

The eighth grader is part of the school’s advanced STEM (Science Technology Mathematics Engineering) class, which is taught by teacher Brandy Whitney.

“To get accepted to space camp, Keyshla had to come up with an experiment on her own and build a solar-powered race car. She had to document it and do a lab report,” said Whitney. “She also had to write several essays on why she should go and who inspired her to go, and she had to get three teachers to recommend her. She spent many hours working on this project alone; shewas really incredibly motivated to this.”

WEBSTER – Nomination papers have been turned in and certified. There will be three candidates for two selectmen positions on the ballot, and three candidates for one Town Treasurer position. Incumbents for the Board of Selectmen Donald Bourque and Mark Dowgiewics are running for re-election, while William Starzec is running his first race. Linda Slota is the incumbent Town Treasurer, and she will be challenged by Deborah Keefe, who is currently a member of the Board of Selectmen, and Julie Dell'Anna.

The complete slate is shown. Continue reading below.  

By Thomas D’Agostino
Patriot Correspondent.

WEBSTER -   Health Agent Cathleen Liberty Monday night addressed the Webster Board of Health with an issue regarding a separate entity, which will be located inside the new  Price Chopper, applying for a food permit. Angel Sushi, a company that contracts with Price Chopper, did not meet the minimum requirements for sinks needed in food preparation. The main food service area has the proper three-bay sink and hand sink. However, the law requires a separate three-bay sink and hand sink for each permit issued, regardless of whether the businesses share space. Nancie Zecco stated that sushi, being a raw food service, could cause cross contamination to foods being prepared by the Price Chopper food service. The board agreed to address the situation promptly and make the establishment take necessary steps to insure safety and compliance.

The new Price Chopper is scheduled to open April 23.

Dowgiewics proposes responsible property owner initiative

By Thomas D’Agostino
Patriot Correspondent

WEBSTER -   Town Administrator John McAuliffe presented the Board of Selectmen with the past year’s accomplishments. Mr. McAuliffe started by expressing his feelings on working as town administrator: “I am very fortunate to work with the bulk of the same board that hired me. I mean, that’s actually an unusual thing in this business, so I feel very fortunate… Quite candidly, I say this a lot off camera, so it’s nice to say on camera, that it really is a pleasure and an honor to serve Webster. This has been a tremendous Board of Selectmen…This is a welcome relief for a town administrator, working with a board that doesn’t care about the petty nonsense, that really cares about the big stuff and the goals in making the community a better place to live, and work, and raise a family…”

Southbridge, Webster Wait Times Rank Harrington In The Top 2 Percent

SOUTHBRIDGEand WEBSTER  Harrington HealthCare System’s Emergency Departments in both Southbridge and Webster rank among the top 2 percent of all hospitals in the country for short wait times, according to statistics compiled by an influential healthcare publication.

The average wait in the EDs at Harrington Hospital and Harrington HealthCare at Hubbard in Webster was 6 minutes for the first quarter of 2012, the latest period examined by Becker’s Hospital Review. The 6-minute wait time put Harrington HealthCare System among the top 49 healthcare systems in the country, or the top 2 percent.

WEBSTER - Demolition of the buildings at 38-42 Prospect Street was completed last week, the materials and rubble have been removed, and the property is now a vacant lot. The town ordered the three buildings housing 13 apartment units to be razed because they were deemed a safety hazard by the building inspector and fire chief. Two of the buildings were constructed with a 4-inch granite veneer. Town Administrator John McAuliffe said that some town residents had thought these buildings might have some historical value, but there is nothing unique about the buildings' construction. Building Inspector Ted Tetreault said they were constructed of wood and masonry, not of granite blocks. Some family members of the owner of record, Paul O'Donnell, had expressed an interest in the blocks as well, thinking they were solid granite, but lost interest when it was discovered that the granite was a veneer only. The Town paid $35,000 for the demolition from a nuisance properties fund, and will attempt to collect that amount from the owner.