Crime in suburbia

From The Landmark (subscription required):

[Editor's note: There were 20 suspicious items this week.]
[Editor's note 2: Reservoir St. victim was ‘Most Wanted’]

Holden

Monday, April 26

5:53 a.m. Suspicious pickup truck, Bryant Rd.
8:01 a.m. Suspicious vehicle by bridge, Princeton St.
10:00 a.m. Portable basketball hoop left in street, Mark Bradford Dr.
10:54 a.m. Yoda statue stolen from car wash, Reservoir St.
3:49 p.m. Police assist motorist getting into locked vehicle, Main St.
4:34 p.m. Officer out with two suspicious individuals on train tracks, Salisbury St.
5:57 p.m. Police assist person locked out of vehicle, Main St.
6:26 p.m. Caller’s husband bitten by a dog, Woodridge Rd.
8:31 p.m. Caller’s neighbor is playing/practicing with his band, creating loud noise, Valley Hill Dr.

Tuesday, April 27

8:00 a.m. Vehicle parked in business lot all night, Main St.
8:02 a.m. Graffiti on doors at radio towers; images depicting figures hanging from noose, Shrewsbury St.
8:09 a.m. Person at station to speak with officer about incident with dog from previous evening,Main St.
11:47 a.m. Police assist with motor vehicle lockout, Shrewsbury St.
11:40 p.m. Suspicious vehicle in parking lot, Shrewsbury St.

Wednesday, April 28

5:04 a.m. Police transport person to pick up vehicle, Quinapoxet St.
10:15 a.m. Suspicious vehicle on no-trespassing area of reservoir, Reservoir St.
11:20 a.m. Person parked behind snack shack taking scrap metal and other items, Main St.
3:29 p.m. Report that person drove off without paying for gas, Main St.
6:53 p.m. Caller heard loud bang and saw stop sign on ground, Bullard/Malden Sts.

Thursday, April 29

1:03 a.m. Person observed in business after hours, Main St. Found to be cleaning company
4:06 a.m. Parking violation, Princeton St.
5:15 a.m. Parking violation, vehicle towed, Princeton St.
5:41 a.m. Police check on vehicle parked at water pump station, Millbrook St.
6:35 a.m. Police check on pedestrian, Broad St.
6:38 a.m. Police conduct public service, Main St.
7:01 a.m. Attempt to serve summons, Bullard St.
7:11 a.m. Attempt to serve summons, Chapel St.
7:24 a.m. Attempt to serve summons, Brunnell Dr.
9:36 a.m. Suspicious person on front lawn of home, Dominitis Dr.
4:12 p.m. Vehicle is parked in front of construction sign before bridge, Princeton St.
8:17 p.m. Caller reports her vehicle appears to have been shot at by some kind of airsoft rifle, windshield shattered and other body damage, Reservoir St.

Friday, April 30

7:35 a.m. Police assist light dept. with traffic while bulb is changed, Main St.
10:37 a.m. Person calling about two females in area of Union St. soliciting
4:01 p.m. Four youths on tables at senior center. Officer requested, Main St.
4:16 p.m. Person at station to discuss parking violation, Main St.
11:22 p.m. Several youths behind building attempting to overturn porta-potty, Holden St.
11:36 p.m. Suspicious unattended vehicle in parking lot, Shrewsbury St.

Saturday, May 1

1:36 a.m. Suspicious vehicle in parking lot, Main St.
7:32 a.m. Motorist yelling at person blowing dust in air, Main St.
8:26 a.m. Parking violation, Main St./Zottoli Rd.
11:58 a.m. Police follow-up on previous incident, Main St.
12:16 p.m. Cable in roadway blocking traffic, Main St.
12:22 p.m. Suspicious person, Dominitis Dr.
4:33 p.m. Suspicious vehicle parked on watershed property, Princeton St.
5:12 p.m. Public service, Chapin Rd.
6:01 p.m. Report of cocker spaniel in middle of road near Laurel Hill
6:40 p.m. Public service, Reservoir St.
7:19 p.m. Suspicious person, possibly soliciting products, Clearview Rd.
7:37 p.m. Police preserve peace, Reservoir St.
8:22 p.m. Police investigation, transport juvenile to Worcester from Brattle St.

Sunday, May 2

6:08 p.m. Caller concerned about people parking in playground area, Salisbury St.
6:39 p.m. Male walking down street with what looked like a weapon, Highland St. Toy gun
7:21 p.m. Report of loud music, Montana Dr.
7:37 p.m. Report of men fighting, Shrewsbury St.
10:23 p.m. Report of loud music, Wachusett St.

Paxton

Monday, April 26

2:48 p.m. Request for incident number, Pleasant St.

Tuesday, April 27

7:40 a.m. Person at station reporting suspicious black sedan driving through neighborhood while kids are waiting for bus, Laurel St.
9:08 a.m. Officer off at East Brookfield District Court
2:20 p.m. Caller reports his window was recently damaged by pellet gun, Pleasant St.
4:27 p.m. Caller requesting assistance shutting off an alarm on her vehicle, Grove St.

Wednesday, April 28

12:07 p.m. Caller using 911 inappropriately, Pleasant St.
3:22 p.m. Police respond to residential burglar alarm, Hill St. Person having trouble with alarm

Thursday, April 29

5:54 p.m. Dead turkey in Turkey Hill Rd.

Friday, April 30

3:04 p.m. Police advised of low wires that might come down if large truck tries to pass, Asnebumskit Rd.
3:38 p.m. Report that manhole cover is broken, Marshall St.

Saturday, May 1

12:40 a.m. Suspicious vehicle in parking lot, Pleasant St.
8:10 a.m. Debris in road, Reservoir Rd.
11:42 a.m. Caller reports squirrel in his yard is going after him, Lancelot Dr.
4:30 p.m. Person at station about person that received wrong amount of change at business, Pleasant St.

Sunday, May 2

2:29 p.m. Person at station complaining about disabled vehicle blocking her driveway, Bel Arbor Dr.
2:47 p.m. Police out with driver of disabled vehicle, Bel Arbor Dr.
11:58 p.m. Suspicious vehicle with flashers on outside home, Richards Ave.

Princeton

Tuesday, April 27

3:51 p.m. Stray dog with Princeton tag in yard, Radford Rd.

Wednesday, April 28

No call for service other than police checks on several residences and public buildings

Thursday, April 29

11:17 a.m. Several calls reporting tree down blocking Mirick Rd. Police assist with traffic while highway department removes tree
11:58 a.m. Caller reports tree down on Ball Hill Rd.
4:30 p.m. Caller wants to speak with officer about property dispute, Goodnow Rd.
8:49 p.m. Report of camper parked in driveway 20 feet from garage is on fire, Redemption Rock Trl.

Friday, April 30

5:57 a.m. Entire town power loss; National Grid issue
7:58 a.m. Caller’s dog attacked by neighbor’s dog, Redwood Dr.
9:58 a.m. Caller requesting police to check to see if she left her stove on, Goodnow Rd.
10:45 p.m. Gate to building left open, Mountain Road
11:53 p.m. Possible gunshots, Ball Hill Rd.

Saturday, May 1

3:15 p.m. Caller reports hearing several gunshots, Ball Hill Rd.
11:03 p.m. Caller requests that police speak to people on Hubbardston Road to quiet down

Sunday, May 2

3:05 p.m. Assist fire dept.at home where propane tank is making strange noises, Mountain Rd.
3:57 p.m. Fallen tree blocking part of Mirick Rd.

Rutland

Monday, Aril 26

5:09 p.m. Loose dog running in an out of traffic, Pommogussett Rd.

Tuesday, April 27

10:38 a.m. Caller reports dog is still missing, Jackson Ave.

Wednesday, April 28

12:54 a.m. Police check on truck parked across from Whitehall Rd.
7:24 a.m. Parent complaining about having words with an irate bus driver, Main St.
11:15 a.m. Police respond to burglar alarm, Tanglewood Cir. Loose dog in house
1:20 p.m. Large black bear crossing Pommogussett Rd.
9:08 p.m. Older black dog walking on East County Rd.

Thursday, April 29

11:05 a.m. Person at station with several business cards found referencing “white supremacist group,” Watson Ln.
2:17 p.m. Missing golden retriever
8:37 p.m. Person came home to find back door open, Birchwood Rd. Told to stay in car until officer arrives

Friday, April 30

7:14 a.m. Suspicious male on motorcycle may be ill, Campbell St.
12:49 p.m. Request for officer about man taking pictures on property, Pommogussett Rd.
1:54 p.m. Person at station to speak with officer regarding suspicious person, Main St.

Saturday, May 1

1:59 a.m. Caller reports someone fighting outside, Maple Ave.

Sunday, May 2

12:22 a.m. Caller complaining about fireworks, Cameron Dr.
12:00 p.m. Caller reporting lost license plate from motorcycle, possibly
on Rte. 122

Sterling

Tuesday, April 27

9:13 a.m. Police assist at residential lockout, Princeton Rd.

Wednesday, April 28

9:44 a.m. Suspicious green van in neighborhood, Mellon Hollow Rd.
7:15 p.m. Bear carving is missing, Flanagan Hill Rd.

Thursday, April 29

2:15 a.m. Complaint about barking dog, Wilder Rd.
10:58 a.m. Suspicious male appears to be hiding behind a tree, Jill Ln./Greenland Rd.
12:11 p.m. Police assist homeowner locked in garage, Newell Hill Rd.

Friday, April 30

6:45 a.m. Gold mastiff ran after coyotes, Clinton Rd. Dog later returned home
6:50 a.m. Gunshots in area of Upper N. Row Rd. Turkey hunting season, possibly hunter
p.m. Report of dog running down road toward Clinton and Wiles Rds.
10:22 p.m. Suspicious white sedan, going up and down Bean and Mortimer Rds.

Saturday, May 1

12:20 a.m. Deceased orange-colored cat beside Leominster Rd.
6:00 a.m. Husky got loose, Mortimer Rd.; later found on Albright Rd.
8:30 p.m. Police check area where caller reported youths playing loud music and “peeling out,” Redemption Rock Trl.

Sunday, May 2

12:56 a.m. Report of loud party going on Mellon Hollow Rd./Evergreen Cir.
1:46 a.m. Large party in area of Mellon Hollow Rd./Evergreen Cir. People outside yelling
4:28 p.m. Suspicious car parked in area ofUpper N. Row Rd.
11:04 p.m. Report of loud party on Maple St. Nothing found

Happy 85th

My mother would have been 85 today.
Fortunately, she left behind a rich collection of wisdom, guidance for children of any age.

More on bottled water

At the rate we're going, we're in serious danger of depleting our snark resources. This morning's column by Dianne Williamson, Tapping political correctness, means that the rest of us are on rations for the rest of the week.
Yes, bottled water is convenient, vital for emergencies and national defense, and even tasty. It is also, when delivered in plastic bottles to folks who are neither in harms way or in desperate need, expensive and wasteful.
It's also worth noting that carbonated waters, such as the ones sold by Mr. Crowley's Polar Beverages, are subject to the bottle deposit law while plain water is not.

I don't need the local paid pontificators to agree with me. In fact, it's probably a lot simpler for everyone if they don/t. I just kinda wish that they'd believe believe in something.
Full disclosure: Yes, I live in Holden.

"Verify, verify, verify"

We're in a hurry and it shows. The rush to get the news to us right now routinely comes at the price of getting it right. And, if you don't get it right, you're not just doing your jobs badly., You're hurting people, real people who read and hear and see what you've done and believe you.
I asked Liane Hansen, host of NPR's Weekend Edition Sunday for two decades and local gal made good, about her thoughts regarding the often adversarial relationship between bloggers and the professional journalists. Hansen observed that there was "a tendency to knee-jerk." She was insistent the need for accuracy even in the climate of instantaneous communications. "We don't have the tenacity to follow through," she said.
As troubling as the Twittersphere and bloggers might be in their impulses to regard first impressions as facts, the cable networks are more problematic. On cable, unedited video and audio can show up, devoid of context and often unconfirmed, and run repeatedly until it's overtaken by another of its kind.
Hansen then told of being on the other side of the desk when her husband, Neal Conan, was taken hostage in Iraq during the first Gulf war. (Conan writes of his experience in a book that's primarily about baseball, Play by Play: Baseball, Radio, and Life in the Last Chance League.) Hansen was getting incomplete and incorrect media reports about her husband's status. It was only after the Red Cross contacted her that she knew that Conan had been released and was safe.
That comes back to a central them for Hansen, that we're dealing with people. "You're not interviewing a book," she was told early on in her career. "You're interviewing a person."
And so, a shy Joyce Carol Oates could say after an interview, "You know, that wasn't like a dentist appointment."
Interviews are best done in person. When a politician or businessman might be reciting what was basically a press release, she could ask, "Where'd you get that tie?" as a way of getting the person off-balance. The purpose of getting them off-balance is not to play gotcha, but to get the other person to talk like a human being.
Hansen was speaking at a breakfast gathering at Amherst College, sponsored by WFCR. She grew up in Worcester and graduated from Marian High School. A few of the locals drew out anecdotes about her life in and around the city. In 1972, she worked on Gene McCarthy's second campaign and, year later, interviewed him for her show.
She's hosted all of the NPR shows except for Car Talk. (She called herself "The NPR Slut"). She's probably the only other one who could handle the Car Talk accent. She noted that she has the accent pretty well tamed in most situation until she hears herself speak the phrase "Former head of FEMA," only to have it come out as "Forma head of Feemer."
I had a brief chat with Fred Bever, news director at WFCR, about the challenges of providing high quality local news with very limited resources. Good reporting takes smart people with enough time and determination to do the proper research, reflection, and writing.
As I was leaving, I had a few moments to speak with Ms. Hansen. I handed her a copy of the Liane Hansen page on the NPR site. I got out my red pen and circled the place where the bio referred to Footlights Theater, instead of Foothills.

So, I have this new phone

1. When I touch it, I don't know whether I'm turning it on or off.
2. When I've used it, I've turned it off when I'm in the middle of something important. I've also turned it on when I wasn't ready to use it.
3. When it makes an inviting noise, I'm nervous about touching it because I've already turned it off a few times by mistake.
4. There are colorful things to touch, but I don't always remember what they do.
5. I changed something and now I want to change it back and can't remember where I did what.
6. It'll vibrate when I do something right. It'll also vibrate when I do something wrong.
7. Most of the time it vibrates. I think I know how to make it make a noise, but I'm not always sure what that noise will be in what circumstance.
8. There are things that I can get for it that are free and things that cost money. Most of the things that I can get are junk or are better for someone else.
9. If I was a teenager again, I'd be more impressed with how cool the phone is and wouldn't care so much if I using it right. 
10. I've never had such a nice phone. Now, if I can just get my fingers in the right places at the right times, a good time can be had by all.

40 years ago, four white kids were shot and killed

When the news of the shootings at Kent State University came across the news wires, we all found a great opportunity to draw deeply from the wellspring of outrage.We were already mad about the invasion of Cambodia (which, according to soldiers on the ground, happened long before it happened officially).

1970 Kent State shootings become enduring history lesson | MichaelMoore.com

There were marches and rallies and gatherings, both organized and dis-. And then there was confusion. In the next week, young black people were shot, six in Augusta, Georgia (with no photographs in their remembrance) and two at Jackson State. We went again to the wellspring, but had nothing much left. We knew we should be even more outraged ("Remember Jackson State!" went the cry), but we weren't, really.
And, by the end of the month, crickets. Nothing much had been changed. Nothing much had been solved. The war went on. Nixon was driven from office not by our earnestedness, but by his own animus.
Crosby, Stills, Nash, and Young got a single out of it, which, according to Rolling Stone (according to Wikipedia), is the 385th greatest song of all time.

Mother's Day edition of Why Holden needs three national pharmacy chains

Another in the occasional series about Holden's need for three national pharmacy chains.
---
Because we need three stores to give us opportunities to buy stuff for Mom that is sure to make her wonder what kind of kid would give a mother stuff such as this.

Yes, Mom wants to know that she needs to be stuffed into a smaller size except for the parts that need to seem larger:

via Walgreens.com - Local Weekly Ad

My mother didn't do well with house plants. As a joke, I think, my father bought her a cactus. Guess how much she liked the joke.

via CVS - Store Circular Online
And, finally, who wouldn't want to give Mom some of these special products?

via Rite Aid : Weekly Circular : Single Page View

Crime in suburbia

From The Landmark (subscription required):

[Editor's note: There were 20 suspicious items this week.]

Holden

Monday, April 19

12:45 a.m. Well-being check; resident thought he was wanted due to earlier dispute, Chapin Rd.
11:25 a.m. Neighbor reporting neighbor needed to move car and hasn’t; unattended death
1:29 p.m. No one able to get into store, computer issue, Shrewsbury St.
2:49 p.m. Caller reporting log in roadway, Wachusett St.; Princeton PD reports no log in road
5:22 p.m. Store owner reports regular customer trying to leave with liquor without paying
9:07 p.m. 911 hang-up; meant to dial 411
11:36 p.m. Caller arrived home to find 15-20 minors drinking in her house; ran away
11:51 p.m. Large truck lingering on Blueberry Ln.

Tuesday, April 20

12:42 a.m. Suspicious persons from earlier disturbance, Hilltop Ave.
2:37 a.m. Fireworks observed in Pinecroft/Parker Ave. area
9:47 a.m. Elderly driver traveling in breakdown lane, Main St.
12:15 p.m. Suspicious motor vehicle, Wachusett St., worried about daughter home alone
2:26 p.m. 911 caller concerned about older gentleman on side of Union St.; advised to move along
3:33 p.m. Older male lying in dirt with pack and bicycle; same as earlier call; advised to move along
4:44 p.m. Caller reports individual lying down on Wachusett St. again
5:10 p.m. Caller says landscape vehicle poses hazard, Brattle St.; no hazard and will be moving along
9:32 p.m. Caller reports someone rang doorbell, mumbled and took off, Lovell Rd.
10:26 p.m. Someone rang doorbell and took off, Lovell Rd.

Wednesday, April 21

12:49 a.m. Open door at high school; can’t be secured
8:35 a.m. Miscellaneous ammunition turned in
8:58 a.m. Party locked out of motor vehicle, Main St.
9:24 a.m. Lockout of motor vehicle at post office
9:59 a.m. Motor vehicle disrupting flow of traffic, Reservoir St.; advised to move along
10:23 a.m. Church advises kids have been moving trash cans, and other mischief
1:06 p.m. Suspicious person, Salisbury St.
5:54 p.m. Large fight with about 20 youths in front of Senior Center; juvenile arrested
9:31 p.m. Road rage, Shrewsbury St.

Thursday, April 22

9:15 a.m. Walk-in reports son is in presence of individual in violation of restraining order; advised to present order
12:04 p.m. Snake in yard, Mountview Dr.
7:30 p.m. Suspicious motor vehicle in lot, Main St.
9:33 p.m. Generator being left on at all hours by well company; advised to contact company

Friday, April 23

9:03 a.m. Resident reported in trouble, Wachusett St.
3:10 p.m. Suspicious people soliciting, Shrewsbury St.
3:30 p.m. Debris in roadway, Main St.
7:54 p.m. Checking area for solicitors, Putnam Ln.
8:11 p.m. Lights in front of fire station keep turning red
9:20 p.m. Individual drove away without paying for gas
9:26 p.m. Suspicious motor vehicle in front of house, River St.
10:24 p.m. Several vehicles blocking driveway, Main St.

Saturday, April 24

7:08 a.m. Caller has no water, Mayflower Cir.
12:07 p.m. Injured raccoon behind post office
2:09 p.m. Injured raccoon, Heather Cir.
3:37 p.m. Gang-related saying spray-painted on garage door, Mt. Pleasant
Ave.
3:39 p.m. Ten kids wearing red, Industrial Dr. area
11:30 p.m. Vehicle playing loud music and group of individuals making noise, Boyden Rd.; spoken to
11:46 p.m. Suspicious vehicles in lot, Main St.

Sunday, April 25

2:16 a.m. Suspicious motor vehicles behind light dept.
2:22 a.m. Suspicious motor vehicle at church, Shrewsbury St.
7:51 a.m. Power outage planned, Industrial Dr.
10:11 a.m. Trees cut down in Boynton Park, possibly on Holden side; Paxton PD advises it was from ice storm, no crime committed
3:50 p.m. Suspicious male getting into sports car, Main St.
3:54 p.m. Suspicious vehicle and individuals on General Hobbs Rd.; OK, just came to ride scooters
5:18 p.m. Caller reports very little water pressure

Paxton

Monday, April 19

1:44 p.m. Report of several youths lying in roadway, Suomi St.

Tuesday, April 20

12:18 p.m. Suspicious male walking down Rte. 31 asking people for rides. Police transport to Worcester line
1:14 p.m. Report of contractor working in area with wire hanging across roadway, possible traffic hazard, Pleasant St.
6:30 p.m. Report of missing child, doors open, Howard St. Later found hiding in house

Wednesday, April 21

4:18 p.m. Caller reports female is cutting down trees, Mower St.
5:28 p.m. Person at station to talk with officer about ongoing neighbor dispute, Woodland Dr.

Thursday, April 22

2:43 p.m. Bobcat walking on Pleasant St. in area of Asnebumskit Rd.
3:45 p.m. Request for wellbeing check on elderly female walking on Grove St.

Friday, April 23

12:57 a.m. Prisoner released, Pleasant St.
8:34 a.m. Loose husky in area, Bel Arbor Dr.
8:36 a.m. Person wants incident number for issue on Arrowhead Rd.
11:05 a.m. Suspicious vehicle in front of business, Pleasant St.
1:15 p.m. Person at station with male cocker spaniel found at Moore State Park
5:26 p.m. Group of youths playing wiffle ball in parking lot behind building, Pleasant St. Cars can’t park for ball game

Saturday, April 24

6:49 a.m. Assist person by changing battery in CO alarm, Pleasant St.
9:25 a.m. Beige pug found in yard, Davis Hill Rd.
11:57 a.m. Customer had more mulch than they paid for at farm stand, Pleasant St.
12:54 p.m. Person at station to speak with officer about dog that was found
4:53 p.m. Male soliciting door-to-door for magazine sales, Camp St. Person picked up and advised of proper procedure to solicit in town
8:14 p.m. Suspicious vehicle in parking lot, Pleasant St.

Sunday, April 25

10:12 a.m. 911 hang-up/child playing with phone, Nanigian Rd.

Princeton

Monday, April 19

6:52 p.m. Brown dog in roadway causing traffic problems, Hubbardston Rd.

Tuesday, April 20

3:05 p.m. Two dogs in middle of road, Brooks Station Rd.
4:35 p.m. Police set up radar, Ball Hill Rd.

Wednesday, April 21

7:34 a.m. Police set up radar, Ball Hill Rd.
9:10 a.m. Black poodle with face full of quills headed west on Hubbardston Road with a golden Labrador. Animal Control Officer found poodle

Thursday, April 22

12:55 p.m. Person in road trying to flag down cars, Main St.

Friday, April 23

1:13 p.m. Skunk in back yard of home, Mountain Rd.
1:31 p.m. Suspicious male in vehicle, Esty Rd.
2:34 p.m. Person at station to speak with officer regarding suspicious incident the previous night, Worcester Rd.
11:23 p.m. Police check on individuals in vehicle parked beside Fitchburg Rd./Rte. 140 N; text messaging

Saturday, April 24

3:02 p.m. Person saw possible Coke bottle with tin foil in mailbox, Houghton Rd

Sunday, April 25

5:03 p.m. Black dog following person, Mirick Rd. Later picked up and brought home

Rutland

Monday, April 19

10:48 a.m. Caller reports young female trying to get ride to Worcester, Rte. 122
2:07 p.m. Two stray dogs in yard, Wildbrook Dr.

Tuesday, April 20

6:52 a.m. Suspicious vehicle parked in front of home, Davis St.
7:28 p.m. Caller found large black and white declawed cat, E. County Rd.

Wednesday, April 21

6:19 a.m. Boston terrier missing, later found, River Rd.
5:30 p.m. Caller reports missing poodle and coon hound, one found in Princeton

Thursday, April 22

10:25 a.m. Sick raccoon, Pequot Trl.
11:53 a.m. Caller reports raccoon in her cellar had altercation with her dog, Welch Ave.
2:15 p.m. Dog escaped with leash attached, Wheeler Rd.; later found

Friday, April 23

10:5 a.m. Caller’s two Labradors took off,Pleasantdale Rd.
11:25 a.m. Assist Paxton PD contacting owner of vehicle from Rutland whose car has been parked in Paxton for past 24 hours
6:04 p.m. Police respond to Sassawanna Rd. to keep peace. Not needed
9:01 p.m. Person on ladder trying to get into building, locked himself out of apartment, Maple Ave.

Saturday, April 24

9:28 a.m. Stray dog at home, Intervale Rd.
10:34 a.m. Suspicious vehicle, male driver dumping contents of beer can, Tanglewood Rd.
1:00 p.m. Caller picked up dog that looked lost, Wheeler Rd./Haven Hill area
1:11 p.m. Several people report small dog left in car with windows up, church parking lot
1:38 p.m. Report of dog in yard, Kenwood Dr.
4:11 p.m. Assist motorist whose horse trailer has come unhitched, advise Holden PD in area of Main St.
6:06 p.m. Caller concerned about well being of elderly female walking on Main St. toward Holden
7:05 p.m. Complaint of four-wheeler riding up and down Thornapple Cir.

Sunday, April 25

1:58 a.m. Police pick up debris in road, Barre Paxton Rd.
8:59 a.m. Caller reports horse in his back yard, Jonathan Cir.
5:50 p.m. Person at station to file complaint about person driving on his street, E. Hill Rd.
10:55 p.m. Police assist with vehicle lockout, River Rd.

Sterling

Monday, April 19

12:48 p.m. Caller reports orange and white cat in neighborhood, Park St.
1:18 p.m. Assist Environmental Police with unregistered ATV seized on Pratts Jct. Rd.
3:25 p.m. Officer wanted, release dirt bike, Leominster Rd.

Tuesday, April 20

7:54 a.m. Large deer hit in roadway, badly injured, I-190. Mass State Police advised
9:05 a.m. Person at station to speak with officer about air-soft guns, Leominster Rd.
9:12 a.m. Questions regarding legality of ownership of descented skunk, advised to call Mass. Wildlife
1:08 p.m. Police respond to burglar alarm, Fitch Farm Rd. Set off by dog

Wednesday, April 21

8:34 a.m. Caller reporting neighbor’s dogs on her property, urinating in garage, Fitch Farm Rd.
1:52 p.m. Report of missing poodle and coon hound, Sterling Rd. Similar dogs reported in Princeton

Thursday, April 22

7:07 p.m. Person at station reporting three youths walking down I-190 median. Another caller reports youths throwing rocks at car windshields.

Friday, April 23

12:35 a.m. Suspicious vehicle in parking lot, Chocksett Rd.
9:54 a.m. Wild duck stuck in pool, injured wing; animal control officer fostered duck for two days, then released it
10:01 a.m. Report of thin adult Labrador mix dog, Forsythia Dr.
2:24 p.m. Motorists reports teens in the small children’s play area, climbing on equipment, Griffin Rd.
9:30 p.m. Caller requesting officer for possible gun shots or fireworks, Mellon Hollow Rd.

Saturday, April 24

10:58 a.m. Calls about poodle and brown dog, Rte. 140

Sunday, April 25

12:06 a.m. Two youths hanging around driveway, Princeton Rd.
2:37 p.m. Unattended motorcycle, Maple St.
3:15 p.m. Caller reports couple walking up I-190. Mass State Police advised
9:43 p.m. Suspicious male walking around looking at houses, Chamberlain Rd.

Dept. of opposable thumbs

It's happened a couple of times. The first time, I was in my hotel room in California on a business trip. My hands, without provocation, cramped up in acute pain. After an hour or so, I decided I'd best get to the hospital. It took a long time to button my shirt. I waited eight hours in the ER before seeing a doctor who gave me a shot of Dilaudid. With the help of good friends who happened to be co-workers, I was able to make it back home within a day.
By the time I got to see a local doctor, the symptoms were subsiding. The rheumatologist concluded that it was likely a virus that triggered the severe symptoms. There were no last effects.
Except that it happened again this weekend. This time, we'd been working at the camp, doing the usual spring cleanup on that hot afternoon. I felt achy all over but attributed it to the bending and stretching necessarily to move stuff from here to there. My hands were sore, I thought, because I'd been stacking wood.
Within a couple of hours, though, it was much worse, such that I couldn't turn the key to shut off the car. The ibuprofen wasn't touching it. For a few hours, I was running a fever, but that settled back to my normal 97 by the time that The Best of The Kumars at No. 42 was over.
By morning, I was better. Most of the pain had settled its fury in my thumb joints. I still couldn't hold a pen, but I learned how to lift things without using my thumbs. I was able to get the lawn mower started. It was Sandra, however, who mowed the lawn. (You can add your own jokes here, but I'd much preferred to be out there pushing the mower.)
We wandered through the day capped by a nice visit from Lynn, Tess, and Cassie.
And now, while waiting for the storms to clear away this early season heat, I can also anticipate a return to normality. With some difficulty, I can write my name. I am hoping that I'll be able to operate the can opener when it comes time for Marley's breakfast. And, if not today, then tomorrow for sure.