Crime in suburbia

From The Landmark (subscription required):

[Editor's note: There were 23 suspicious items this week.]

Holden

Monday, July 12

12:05 a.m. Suspicious vehicle parked in front of home, Montana Dr.
12:15 a.m. Patient asking for nurse who isn’t coming fast enough
6:51 a.m. Deceased cat, Reservoir St.
9:04 a.m. Illegal dumping at reservoir
10:15 a.m. Individuals without fishing licenses fishing at Peter Carr Pond
10:48 a.m. Caller says left bicycle at business last week, now gone
1:50 p.m. Incident at store, Reservoir St.
4:20 p.m. Suspicious truck, Bull Run; OK, waiting for the storm to pass
4:55 p.m. Suspicious male with case of beer sitting by pond; very talkative with caller and her children, made them feel uncomfortable; taken into protective custody
6:20 p.m. Undesirable person in house, Wachusett St.
9:07 pm Unwelcome male party at residence, Wachusett St.; family concerned about him taking items; OK, male removed and doors locked
11:02 p.m. Three suspicious cars near building, Main St.

Tuesday, July 13

12:57 a.m. Suspicious individuals on bicycles, Main St.
1:51 a.m. Suspicious motor vehicle with dome light, Manning St.
2:19 a.m. Suspicious vehicle going in and out of driveways, Main St.
5:09 a.m. Individual trying to exit moving vehicle, Main St.
6:30 a.m. Suspicious individual, Wachusett St., OK, just walking
8:48 a.m. Caller’s brother arrested for immigration issues; advised to contact arresting agency
10:40 a.m. Loose dog, Highland St.
12:23 p.m. Erratic driver using cell phone; driver warned
12:35 p.m. 911 caller lost six-year-old on Rail Trail
12:43 p.m. Child found in good condition
9:13 pm Youths playing on music stage, Main St.

Wednesday, July 14

1:07 a.m. Suspicious unoccupied vehicle, Willow Brook Rd.
2:10 a.m. Suspicious vehicle behind building, Parker Rd.

7:59 a.m. Caller believes tenants are dealing drugs out of basement


12:10 p.m. Suspicious motor vehicle, Main St.
1:45 p.m. Caller reports someone took pictures of his home
5:01 p.m. Caller reports father won’t talk to her, wants advice

Thursday, July 15

6:15 a.m. Vehicle left sideways and running in roadway, Shrewsbury St.
9:02 a.m. Construction barrel in Malden St.
9:41 a.m. Suspicious male exited vehicle and walked behind houses, Princeton St..
11:54 a.m. Suspicious vehicle, Nottingham Cir.
2:07 p.m. Complaint about kids driving homemade go cart back and forth, Lovell Rd.

3:20 p.m. Turtle in backyard
3:59 p.m. Someone drove through fence during night, Fisher Rd.
7:24 p.m. Vehicle with two dogs has windows rolled up
8:20 p.m. Caller heard 8 or 9 gun shots behind property, South Rd.; doesn’t believe it was fireworks
8:32 p.m. Suspicious vehicle off side of South Rd.; party urinating
9:48 p.m. Four gunshots, Shrewsbury/Brattle Sts.; believed to be fireworks
9:59 p.m. Suspicious vehicle in field, Main St.
10:39 p.m. Party requests police search son’s bag for missing Motrin and Tylenol; canceled, found medication
11:48 p.m. Scream heard in woods, possibly fisher cat, Muschopauge Rd.

Friday, July 16

10:10 a.m. Deceased skunk, Highland St.
4:36 p.m. Disgruntled customer at garage, Main St.
6:24 p.m. Small child riding ATV in Cranbrook Dr.
9:06 p.m. Suspicious van at school, Jamieson Rd.
10:57 p.m. Caller heard popping noises coming from Woodland St. area; electric company working

Saturday, July 17

12:35 a.m. Suspicious vehicle with no plates, Causeway St.
1:07 a.m. Erratic SUV driver yelling at other driver
1:46 a.m. Suspicious motor vehicle using air machine to pump tires, Main St.

6:41 a.m. South Rd. resident advises will be putting up fence today and expects complaints from neighbor
8:07 a.m. Caller reports vehicle missing; advised it was towed
8:47 a.m. Caller reports huge turtle trying to cross road, backing up traffic
9:13 a.m. Dead tree leaning on power lines, Whitney St.
9:14 a.m. Neighbor’s dog roaming in caller’s yard, aggressive toward her on multiple occasions
10:13 a.m. Water bubbling up through street, Brattle St.
11:01 a.m. Caller from W. Boylston received tickets from Holden; advised due to misunderstanding about location of Holden/West Boylston line
12:58 p.m. Lost black and white cat, River St.
1:43 p.m. Cat found
3:53 p.m. Caller reporting suspicious silent phone calls at 2:30 a.m. from restricted line
4:46 p.m. BB shot through window, Bullard St.
5:55 p.m. Caller states son at another residence in town last night where there was consumption of alcohol and other narcotics; would like officer to have parent call her; advised can’t force resident to call
11:08 p.m. Several reports of fireworks on Winthrop Ln., Flagler Dr. and Walnut St.; no contact

Sunday, July 18

8:11 a.m. Lost dog reported
8:49 a.m. Suspicious male carrying packpack, Newell Rd.
9:43 a.m. Caller wondering whether teen son involved in incident; advised report doesn’t indicate involvement

11:50 a.m. Male driver sitting alone in vehicle, River St.
12:14 p.m. Business requesting assistance for individual requesting to pick up vehicle from impound lot
1:33 p.m. Husband calling to thank officer for assisting wife back to their vehicle on Rail Trail; appreciated his “professionalism and thoughtfulness, and he made sure she had water”
3:52 p.m. Generator failure at septic pumping station, Jennifer Dr.
5:17 p.m. Loose dog, Wachusett St.
5:32 p.m. Dog reunited with owner
8:45 p.m. Ongoing problem with neighbor’s dog barking, Salisbury St.
9:19 p.m. Dog in distress, Salisbury St.
10:35 p.m. Motor vehicle lockout, Mason Rd., infant in vehicle

Paxton

Monday, July 12

3:41 p.m. Police attempt to serve summons, Monticello Dr.
5:06 p.m. Police attempt to serve warrant, Monticello Dr.
8:19 p.m. Attempt to serve warrant, Monticello Dr.

Tuesday, July 13

12:28 a.m. Caller states kids have been yelling and being loud, Grove St.
1:32 a.m. Complaint about loud noise from home, Grove St.
3:09 p.m. Attempt to serve paperwork, Monticello Dr.

Wednesday, July 14

3:30 a.m. Dog running in and out of the road, Pleasant St./Lincoln Cir.
10:54 a.m. Suspicious mini-van driving up and down Laurel St.
7:05 p.m. Summons served, Monticello Dr.

Thursday, July 15

10:18 a.m. Dog found in area, Camp/Pleasant Sts.
11:17 a.m. Person at station to speak with police about family member held in Canada, Pleasant St.

5:50 p.m. Male riding ATV in Black Hill Rd.
7:53 p.m. Possible illegal dumping at empty lot, South St.

Friday, July 15

11:09 a.m. Summons served, Monticello Dr.
3:56 p.m. Possible gun shots in woods behind home, Crystal St.
7:30 p.m. Request for well being check on juvenile walking on Marshall St.
9:40 p.m. Caller’s terrier ran off, Pond St.

Saturday, July 17

10:04 a.m. Person at station to have car seat inspected, Pleasant St.
11:13 a.m. Person found Labrador dog, Oakwood Rd.

Princeton

Monday, July 12

6:30 p.m. Dirt washed onto roadway from storm, highway dept. notified, Sterling Rd.

Tuesday, July 13

4:55 p.m. Tree blocking road, highway dept. requested, Bullock Ln.
5:48 p.m. Power line down, arcing in grass, Bullock Ln.
7:00 p.m. Police transport female to Pine Tree Ln., Hubbardston

Wednesday, July 14

6:50 p.m. Tree blocking Rte. 140 S, found to be in Sterling

Thursday, July 15

11:26 p.m. Person wants to speak to animal control officer about cat that got into screened porch, Sam Cobb Ln.
5:19 p.m. Police assist with vehicle lockout, Hubbardston Rd.
10:13 p.m. Suspicious vehicle in lot, Fitchburg Rd. Police find people camping in woods and asked them to leave

Friday, July 16

10:08 a.m. Pigeon on air conditioning unit all night, Main St.
5:09 p.m. Police secure door of home where two dogs got loose, Beaman Rd.

Saturday, July 17

10:38 a.m. Suspicious vehicle in driveway, Sterling Road.
3:02 p.m. Tree across Thompson Rd.
3:18 p.m. Highway dept. requested for large tree down, Thompson Rd.

Sunday, July 18

5:30 p.m. Police remove string running along roadway from Main St. to Sterling town line
7:45 p.m. Police assist person with vehicle lockout, Westminster Rd.
7:45 p.m. Small brown dog bothering homeowner’s dog, Mirick Rd.

Rutland

Monday, July 12

7:19 a.m. Stray white dog, Barre Paxton Rd.
3:15 p.m. Young male dancing near Main St.

Wednesday, July 14

8:55 a.m. Scruffy-looking male tried to flag down female motorist, Turkey Hill Rd.
11:15 a.m. Three dead Canada geese in road, mother and two fledglings, Barre Paxton Rd.
11:55 a.m. Person at station to ask about no-trespass laws, Main St.
1:54 p.m. Person at station to speak with officer regarding neighbor issues, Main St.

Thursday, July 15

4:50 a.m. Caller wants to know if papers were served, Main St.
7:23 a.m. Vehicle parked on caller’s front lawn, Bigelow Rd.
2:47 p.m. Police assist with vehicle lockout, Pommogussett Rd.
7:01 p.m. Large cat, described as mountain lion, in yard, Village Way
7:28 p.m. Barking dog complaint, Skyline Dr. Nothing found
7:39 p.m. Census taker threatened by male at home, Beechwood Dr.

Friday, July 16

9:48 a.m. Three young children fooling around near road, almost hit by car, Maple Ave.
10:33 a.m. Request for police officer for irate person causing disturbance, Glenwood Rd.

Saturday, July 17

1:08 a.m. Holden PD requests Rutland officer go to home on Maple Ave. to find out why vehicle was left parked at Eagle Lake
10:42 a.m. Caller concerned about well being of cats locked in camper for days during hot weather, River Rd.
7:24 p.m. Large female black bear and two cubs in area, Pommogussett Rd./Campbell St.

Sunday, July 18

6:34 p.m. Report of muddy, dirty dog in neighborhood, Michael Dr.

Sterling

Monday, July 12

11:25 a.m. Black sports coat found on lawn, Holden Rd.
2:33 p.m. Caller wants to speak with animal control officer about raccoon, Lake Shore Dr.
5:08 p.m. Injured cat, Lakeshore Dr.
7:23 p.m. Skunk in area, Lakeshore Dr.
7:54 p.m. Raccoon on porch and roof, Lakeshore Dr.
11:07 p.m. Large amount of realtor magazines thrown on Main St., traffic hazard

Tuesday, July 13

8:30 a.m. Van transport driver wants to speak with animal control officer, Park St.
2:57 p.m. Raccoon up tree in back yard, Lakeshore Dr. Have-a-Hart trap set up; caught

Wednesday, July 14

1:39 p.m. Calico cat missing, N. Row Rd.

6:27 p.m. Person at station for car seat installation, Leominster Rd.

Thursday, July 15

2:58 a.m. Caller’s boyfriend and car are gone, John Dee Rd.
10:51 a.m. Children observed pack of dogs in orchard, Wiles/Redstone Hill Rds.
7:56 p.m. TV set left on caller’s property, mailbox damaged, Mortimer Rd.
8:11 p.m. Attendant at recreation area having trouble with lots of cars without resident stickers coming to beach, and group of unruly teenagers, Hall Ave.

Friday, July 16

12:09 p.m. Person at station reports he has garter snake living in his home, keeps finding shed skins, E. Park Rd.
6:48 p.m. Person at station to turn in firearms, Leominster Rd.

Saturday, July 17

11:19 a.m. Boat trailer left at town beach, Hall Ave.
3:21 p.m. Female wants to speak with officer about vehicle that was sold and buyer is coming back, Maple St.
10:13 p.m. Water balloon possibly hit caller’s car, Princeton Rd.

Sunday, July 18

8:44 a.m. Report of 500 bicyclists speeding down Maple St. using front yard as bathroom and throwing water bottles
9:02 a.m. Complaint about people on bikes taking up too much of travel lane, Maple St.
12:51 p.m. Car off drive-through area, Leominster Rd.
1:06 p.m. Large pitbull running around yard, Pratts Jct. Rd.

7:41 p.m. Two kittens found on rail trail, transferred to animal control officer

Ready, even though others are better at it

Today's cool and damp air reminds us that summer doesn't last forever. The weather will get chilly again, even cold, and we'll need heat from a variety of sources.
Ours is hybrid house of sorts with wood, hot water heated by oil, and some electric baseboards. We get most of our heat from a wood stove in the family room. We burn between four and five cords a season. During the ice storm, when we were without power for 11 days, the stove kept even the most remote regions of the house above freezing.
My mother lived with us for the last years of her life. Along with my in-laws, she literally kept the home fires burning during the work day. After her death, when Sandra and I were both at work, and the in-laws decided that winters in Canada were almost a good idea, the family room got quite chilly. So, we added a loop of hot water heat to keep the temperature steady.
The rooms where my wife's mother lives have electric baseboards, providing quick but expensive heat. Those rooms were added in the 80s and not connected to one of the many small cellars in this nearly 200-year-old house, so running hot water pipes wasn't practical.
We got a good price on greed firewood from a guy named Ed. His big truck broke down in the early spring and so brought our order in half-cord loads, a lot more handling for the same amount of money.
There are, of course, lots of people who do all of this better. Son Adam has new wood-fired boiler that burns cleanly and gives his family all of the heat and hot water they need. Friends Liz and Robert have solar panels that reduced their electric bills from $100/month to about $4. My father and his father before him wore long underwear.
As I write, the temperature has dropped to the mid-60s with a steady rain. We might even need a small fire at suppertime to dry out the chill. Funny weather, this, but, as a New Englander, we come to expect it. Tomorrow, it'll be 90.

---

This post originally appeared in Karl Hakkarainen's Holden Blog on OntheCommon.com .

What price cable?

I think that this is the first time that the road to our camp has made it into the newspapers. I wish it was for better news than this.

via Cable linesman hurt touching power line

We've been without television at the camp since the digital changeover in June of last year. In the fall, we made contact with a very helpful man, Miguel, at Comcast who said assured us that cable could and would be strung to our property. Through the fall and winter and spring, he navigated through the approval processes and change requests that led to a work order to begin installation this week. The poles, dating back to the Rural Electrification project of the New Deal, are jointly owned by the power and telephone companies. National Grid finished its make-ready work a couple of weeks ago, clearing away branches around the poles and lines and making other adjustments. We needed a new, taller pole on our property, which was installed in June.

Last Saturday morning, an installation crew from Comcast showed up. They first pulled a wire from our pole, the last on the line, back toward the last cable connection a dozen poles away. During the week, the crew then installed the cable that would carry the precious signals to our 25-year-old television. (With the installation, we will also get Internet access. Currently, we have a wireless gadget that I have to hang in a particular corner of the house to fetch a signal.)
This morning,  we'd just read the news about the accident in the newspaper when I received a call from Miguel. He apologized that the project would be delayed. OSHA had investigated yesterday. He would be meeting with an engineer from National Grid on-site to review plans for changes to the power lines to ensure safe completion of the installation. I assured him that safety of the workers is paramount to us. Work is hard enough as it is without the dangers of injury.We sent along our wishes for a speedy recovery to the linesman. TV can wait.

More on Great Laws

I've been thinking about Hakkarainen's Law of Great Events^™ lately. The law, briefly restated, is that, in any great event, such as a death, wedding, divorce, or other crisis, someone close to you will unexpectedly let you down.
Most recently, with the death of Sandra's father and the subsequent return of Sandra' mother to Holden, the wonderful people in our lives have delivered prodigies of compassion, comfort, and service. We've received notes and calls from afar and casseroles from family and friends nearby. People have inconvenienced themselves for our sake, bringing good works and sage advice.
Measured on these days, the state of the world's soul is pretty darn good.
And so, the ones who let you down with willful silence, the ones who quickly shift the focus from sympathy to self-centeredness ("I'm sorry for your loss. Now, let me talk about what's important to me."), those folks can take over one's thoughts if we're not careful.
And so, a way through it is two-fold: be grateful for the gifts we've received and act on that gratitude.
Acting on that gratitude, for me, requires that I remember thank each person for each gift and, more importantly, pay better attention when great events come to family and friends. That's easy to remember now, when the feelings of gratitude are strong, but not so much later, when life gets full and what's important to me takes center stage. As has often been said, "I may not be much, but I'm all I think about."

Google does many things right, but not these

1. The latest version of Google Docs appears to have removed the ability to add words to the spell-check dictionary.
   
   
2. The Google Docs spreadsheet doesn't have a simple way of displaying just the month and year of a date. You can write a formula that will do that, but Excel allows you to specify custom display fields easily.
3. Google Chrome doesn't allow you to use multiple Google accounts for email and other apps. Firefox has a nifty extension, called GMail Manager that monitors as many GMail accounts as you want, including those in different Google domains.
   There are reports that Google is rolling out a feature that allows you to log in to multiple Google domains and keep those logins active simultaneously. See Google Tests Multiple Accounts Sign in. I've not seen that feature in my account(s) yet.

Additional meaning to " haista napa"

Kids of Finnish heritage and their fellow travelers usually remember just a few words and phrases of Finnish by the time that they're adults. One such phrase, haista napa or "smell my belly button,"survives long after it makes sense.
Anyway, a recent study indicates that the location of the belly button, if not its fragrance, is an important indicator of sports performance. The navel marks the center of gravity. A higher center of gravity is favorable for sports that involve running, while a lower relative center of gravity favors swimming. Athletes from West Africa typically have longer legs and higher navels. As a result, runners from this region tend to do better than Europeans.
The article, AFP: Belly-buttons key to success in sport: study, notes that some scientists are uneasy about drawing major conclusions from these findings because our troubled history of assigning attributes to racial or ethnic groups.

More on work

"Do you work for Intel?" he asked me. The young man works at a large grocery store, helping the folks who are using the self-service check-out stations.
I glanced down at my shirt pocket. "This? No, I got this shirt at Morgan Memorial." I paused. "I do work with computers, though."
"I do, too," he said, eagerly, waving his hand in a broad arc to indicate the check-out stations. "These are all computers." He said most of the problems he'd encountered were related to power, but the diagnostics in the registers were pretty good.
We talked a bit about the user interface, the need for the barcode scanner to be clean, and the conveyor belt free of dirt. "These things are running Windows XP," he said, pointing to the cabinet below the register. "They have a keyboard. I can get onto the Internet."
"Cool," I said, watching the honeydew melons spin and tumble down the belt and into the tomatoes.
It's good when work is more than something you get through in order to get money, when work gets you to think about more than just what you're doing, and when you're a person who wants to talk with other people about things of interest.

No argument here

via My Way News - Test Strange News Story

No argument here

via My Way News - Test Strange News Story

Crime in suburbia

From The Landmark (subscription required):
[Editor's note: There were 24 suspicious items this week.]

Holden

Monday, July 5

7:41 a.m. Stray beagle brought in; slept in neighbor’s garage
11:00 a.m. Brown water, Main St.
6:50 p.m. Transformer leaking fluid, Dorothy Ave.

Tuesday, July 6

1:57 a.m. Suspicious motor vehicle with wallet and Ipod on seat and windows open, Winthrop Ln.
2:13 a.m. Two suspicious persons, Wachusett St.; transported

9:05 a.m. Pipe sticking up in road/water main popped, Main St.
4:27 p.m. Suspicious vehicles parked in authorized zone, Harris St.
5:07 p.m. Putnam Ln. resident concerned about helicopter overhead; probably news chopper for brush fire
5:27 p.m. Child fell into pool, unconscious/not breathing. Parents given CPR instructions; child crying
5:55 p.m. Numerous calls from residents about fire, reporting smoke
8:47 p.m. Sinkhole in front of residence, Bull Run Rd.
8:54 p.m. Holly Cir. resident returning GPS found in recovered stolen vehicle
9:08 p.m. Suspicious vehicle near Eagle Lake; driver appears to be fishing
9:09 p.m. Vehicle appears to be attaching a boat, Eagle Lake

Wednesday, July 7

12:16 a.m. Suspicious vehicle near Holden Pool; no one around
1:46 a.m. Suspicious incident, Dorothy Ave.
6:02 a.m. Large branch removed from Boyden Rd.
12:26 p.m. Well-being check on resident who felt bad and can’t be contacted, Putnam Ln.; OK, problems with phone
1:10 p.m. Two males with clipboards and camera in yard, Doyle Rd.; OK, Asian longhorned beetle workers
6:32 p.m. Neighbor’s pitbull running up Shrewsubury St.

Thursday, July 8

9:28 a.m. Dead skunk, Main St.
11:04 a.m. Request for assistance with smoke alarms that won’t turn off, no sign of fire or smoke
11:14 a.m. Request for lookout for bicycle rider; mother needs to speak with her; found at 11:52 a.m.
5:08 p.m. Caller inquiring if anyone reported dog missing
5:53 p.m. Parties skateboarding at Mountview School; refusing to leave
6:54 p.m. Kids skateboarding, Princeton St.

Friday, July 9

12:01 a.m. Suspicious person walking by Causeway St.
12:28 a.m. Suspicious vehicle at high school
7:17 a.m. Moose near Heather Cir. moving toward Quinapoxet St.
7:25 a.m. Two people walking dogs advised to leave area, Shrewsbury St.
7:40 a.m. Request for traffic assistance to remove tree
10:17 a.m. Caller may have marijuana growing on his property; wants officer to check
10:39 a.m. Small white dog lost; reunited with owner
10:48 a.m. Caller believes someone using her pool at night, concerned about liability; will post property
2:17 p.m. Suspicious van under trees, Coventry Rd.
4:19 p.m. Walk-in reporting suspicious incident
9:29 p.m. Suspicious motor vehicle parked in lot, Trout Brook

Saturday, July 10

1:27 a.m. Suspicious motor vehicles pulling into driveways, Mark Cir.
10:29 a.m. Water Dept. shut-off valve cover missing
12:29 p.m. Solicitors with no permits advised to leave town center
2:15 p.m. Shrewsbury PD would like to speak with Salsibury St. resident about illegal dumping
2:19 p.m. Vehicle beside road asked to move along
2:28 p.m. Subject riding bicycle in unsafe manner, Main St.
7:17 p.m. Caller reports three phone calls from U.S. Census; wondering if HPD could validate; no information
7:33 p.m. Vehicles parked on both sides of Nola Dr.
8:24 p.m. Caller reports seeing vehicle throw trash bag near St. Peter-Marian High School; Worcester PD advised
11:30 p.m. Group of youths walking, Manning St.

Sunday, July 11

1:49 a.m. Several individuals walking on railroad tracks, Industrial Park
11:40 a.m. Motorcycle charity ride coming through town
12:43 p.m. Solicitors selling furniture out of trailer, Fox Hill Dr.; permit temporarily revoked
2:24 p.m. Dog found, Parker Ave.
8:26 p.m. Caller says he wasn’t operating ATV unreasonably; says situation with neighbors is bordering on harassment

Paxton

Monday, July 5

3:56 a.m. Caller reports at least four people in her backyard, West St. No one found
1:46 p.m. Police at scene of gas grill fire, Burtenmar Cir.
11:11 p.m. Suspicious vehicles filled with kids going down driveway, Pleasant St.

Tuesday, July 6

6:42 p.m. Person at station to speak to supervisor, Pleasant St.

Wednesday, July 7

12:31 a.m. Person at station to report hitting deer on Streeter Rd. Vehicle damaged, deer went into woods
8:10 p.m. Request for police to check on person talking with kids in front of building, West St.

Thursday, July 8

7:49 p.m. Neighbor in street causing disturbance, Monticello Dr.

Friday, July 9

12:45 p.m. Suspicious white truck parked in neighborhood, South St.
2:51 p.m. Police follow person having mechanical problems, Pleasant St.

Saturday, July 10

10:19 p.m. Vehicle egged during night, Lancelot Dr.
11:29 a.m. Person at station to have car seat inspected, Pleasant St.
12:10 p.m. Person wants car seat inspected, Pleasant St.

Sunday, July 11

6:00 p.m. Elderly male walking looks ill, Pleasant St.

Princeton

Monday, July 5

7:09 a.m. Dog found, Sharon Dr.
12:52 p.m. Motorcyclist speeding up and down Rte. 140
8:12 p.m. Caller reports suspicious vehicle and someone removing items from residence, Ball Hill Rd.

Tuesday, July 6

1:30 p.m. Calf stuck under barn, Grow Ln.
9:13 p.m. Car locked behind gate, Mountain Rd.

Wednesday, July 7

9:24 a.m. Police set up radar, Goodnow Rd.
5:45 p.m. Motorcycle speeding past traffic, Hubbardston Rd.
6:10 p.m. Low power throughout eastern and northern parts of town
8:10 p.m. No power, Main St.

Thursday, July 8

1:10 p.m. Suspicious vehicle parked at end of Calamint Hill Rd. S
4:58 p.m. Police set up radar, Mountain Rd.

Friday, July 9

8:35 a.m. Two unleashed dogs beside Ball Hill Rd.
10:40 a.m. Police assist person bringing weapons to station for storage, Town Hall Dr.
4:05 p.m. Police set up radar, Mountain Rd.

Saturday, July 10

5:57 p.m. Police assist person looking for lost dog, Worcester Rd.
7:05 p.m. Police assist person with disabled vehicle, Worcester Rd.
7:22 p.m. Police remove branch from road, Ball Hill Rd.

Sunday, July 11

10:34 a.m. Complaint about large group of bicyclists taking up entire road, Sterling Rd.
11:35 a.m. Police control traffic for approximately 100 motorcycles passing through center of town

Rutland

Monday, July 5

9:53 a.m. Missing Australian/lab mix dog
5:22 p.m. Vehicle parked on caller’s property, Maple Spring Dr.
9:27 p.m. Loud neighbors, Carly Cir.

Tuesday, July 6

11:20 a.m. Caller reports 10 speed bike left in his front yard Friday evening
9:32 p.m. Officer wanted at Main St. restaurant for intoxicated patron. Officer at location until ride arrives.
11:47 p.m. Suspicious auto, Glenwood Rd.

Wednesday, July 7

12:15 a.m. Suspicious auto, Barre Paxton Rd.
12:50 p.m. Management Co. in with a list of cars towed from Maple Ave. property, but still on the property

Thursday, July 8

8:13 a.m. Sick-looking fox in middle of Heritage Hill Dr.; there for three days
9:33 a.m. Walk-in reports expensive touring bike on side of road for three days, Prescott St.
10:21 p.m. Caller requesting to speak with officer about possible unwanted guest coming to his residence tonight.
10:36 p.m. Suspicious auto reported near Glenwood
School. Parties are stargazing on top of their vehicle.

Friday, July 9

1:42 p.m. Request to move skateboarders along, Main St.
7:04 p.m. Two males seen abandoning sick-looking cat, Breezy Ln.
9:54 p.m. Fireworks, Naqaug St.

Saturday, July 10

8:15 a.m. Report of duck with injured leg, Fisherman’s Rd.
8:58 a.m. Caller’s car egged during night, Brunelle Dr.
9:42 p.m. Loud fireworks, Ware Rd.

Sterling

Monday, July 5

7:38 p.m. People riding dirt bikes in roadway, not wearing helmets, Sunset Dr.
9:17 p.m. Fireworks and firecrackers set off third night in row, Worcester Rd.

Tuesday, July 6

1:38 a.m. Video tapes reviewed regarding previous incident, N. Row Rd.
6:35 p.m. Older German shepherd standing in travel lane, Leominster Rd.
8:00 p.m. Skunk walking in yard, Justice Hill Rd.

Wednesday, July 7

6:27 a.m. Caller wants to speak with officer about youths drinking, Main St.
6:43 a.m. Caller reports person running backhoe before 7 a.m., Greenland Rd.
10:48 a.m. Dog appears to have been hit by vehicle; owner taking it to vet
11:20 a.m. Suspicious male looked in garage, last seen heading into woods, Meetinghouse Hill Rd.
11:49 a.m. Suspicious activity, vehicle parked at loading dock, Leominster Rd.
12:15 p.m. Suspicious activity, vehicle parked at end of driveway, Justice Hill Rd.
4:30 p.m. Strange vehicle parked in driveway, Shady Ln.
5:44 p.m. Lost male boxer dog from Clinton
8:34 p.m. Suspicious vehicle parked in driveway, James Rd.

Thursday, July 8

5:11 p.m. Possibly intoxicated male staggering up Wiles Rd.
9:29 a.m. Caller thinks rabid raccoon is at her home, Lakeshore Dr.
10:36 a.m. Caller thinks squirrel is living in ceiling, Beaman Rd.
3:25 p.m. Large group of youths heading to reservoir, Upper N. Row Rd.
7:03 p.m. Complaint about boat on water, Hall Ave.
9:24 p.m. Suspicious vehicle, Patriots Way

Saturday, July 10

9:22 a.m. Several domestic chickens in road, John Dee Rd. West Boylston ACO looking for them

Sunday, July 11

7:29 a.m. Loose cow, Princeton/Jewett Rds.
12:43 p.m. Black Labrador in yard, Blueberry Ln.
10:01 p.m. Person concerned about young male trying to hitchhike, Main St.

Crime in suburbia

From The Landmark (subscription required):
[Editor's note: There were 24 suspicious items this week.]

Holden

Monday, July 5

7:41 a.m. Stray beagle brought in; slept in neighbor’s garage
11:00 a.m. Brown water, Main St.
6:50 p.m. Transformer leaking fluid, Dorothy Ave.

Tuesday, July 6

1:57 a.m. Suspicious motor vehicle with wallet and Ipod on seat and windows open, Winthrop Ln.
2:13 a.m. Two suspicious persons, Wachusett St.; transported

9:05 a.m. Pipe sticking up in road/water main popped, Main St.
4:27 p.m. Suspicious vehicles parked in authorized zone, Harris St.
5:07 p.m. Putnam Ln. resident concerned about helicopter overhead; probably news chopper for brush fire
5:27 p.m. Child fell into pool, unconscious/not breathing. Parents given CPR instructions; child crying
5:55 p.m. Numerous calls from residents about fire, reporting smoke
8:47 p.m. Sinkhole in front of residence, Bull Run Rd.
8:54 p.m. Holly Cir. resident returning GPS found in recovered stolen vehicle
9:08 p.m. Suspicious vehicle near Eagle Lake; driver appears to be fishing
9:09 p.m. Vehicle appears to be attaching a boat, Eagle Lake

Wednesday, July 7

12:16 a.m. Suspicious vehicle near Holden Pool; no one around
1:46 a.m. Suspicious incident, Dorothy Ave.
6:02 a.m. Large branch removed from Boyden Rd.
12:26 p.m. Well-being check on resident who felt bad and can’t be contacted, Putnam Ln.; OK, problems with phone
1:10 p.m. Two males with clipboards and camera in yard, Doyle Rd.; OK, Asian longhorned beetle workers
6:32 p.m. Neighbor’s pitbull running up Shrewsubury St.

Thursday, July 8

9:28 a.m. Dead skunk, Main St.
11:04 a.m. Request for assistance with smoke alarms that won’t turn off, no sign of fire or smoke
11:14 a.m. Request for lookout for bicycle rider; mother needs to speak with her; found at 11:52 a.m.
5:08 p.m. Caller inquiring if anyone reported dog missing
5:53 p.m. Parties skateboarding at Mountview School; refusing to leave
6:54 p.m. Kids skateboarding, Princeton St.

Friday, July 9

12:01 a.m. Suspicious person walking by Causeway St.
12:28 a.m. Suspicious vehicle at high school
7:17 a.m. Moose near Heather Cir. moving toward Quinapoxet St.
7:25 a.m. Two people walking dogs advised to leave area, Shrewsbury St.
7:40 a.m. Request for traffic assistance to remove tree
10:17 a.m. Caller may have marijuana growing on his property; wants officer to check
10:39 a.m. Small white dog lost; reunited with owner
10:48 a.m. Caller believes someone using her pool at night, concerned about liability; will post property
2:17 p.m. Suspicious van under trees, Coventry Rd.
4:19 p.m. Walk-in reporting suspicious incident
9:29 p.m. Suspicious motor vehicle parked in lot, Trout Brook

Saturday, July 10

1:27 a.m. Suspicious motor vehicles pulling into driveways, Mark Cir.
10:29 a.m. Water Dept. shut-off valve cover missing
12:29 p.m. Solicitors with no permits advised to leave town center
2:15 p.m. Shrewsbury PD would like to speak with Salsibury St. resident about illegal dumping
2:19 p.m. Vehicle beside road asked to move along
2:28 p.m. Subject riding bicycle in unsafe manner, Main St.
7:17 p.m. Caller reports three phone calls from U.S. Census; wondering if HPD could validate; no information
7:33 p.m. Vehicles parked on both sides of Nola Dr.
8:24 p.m. Caller reports seeing vehicle throw trash bag near St. Peter-Marian High School; Worcester PD advised
11:30 p.m. Group of youths walking, Manning St.

Sunday, July 11

1:49 a.m. Several individuals walking on railroad tracks, Industrial Park
11:40 a.m. Motorcycle charity ride coming through town
12:43 p.m. Solicitors selling furniture out of trailer, Fox Hill Dr.; permit temporarily revoked
2:24 p.m. Dog found, Parker Ave.
8:26 p.m. Caller says he wasn’t operating ATV unreasonably; says situation with neighbors is bordering on harassment

Paxton

Monday, July 5

3:56 a.m. Caller reports at least four people in her backyard, West St. No one found
1:46 p.m. Police at scene of gas grill fire, Burtenmar Cir.
11:11 p.m. Suspicious vehicles filled with kids going down driveway, Pleasant St.

Tuesday, July 6

6:42 p.m. Person at station to speak to supervisor, Pleasant St.

Wednesday, July 7

12:31 a.m. Person at station to report hitting deer on Streeter Rd. Vehicle damaged, deer went into woods
8:10 p.m. Request for police to check on person talking with kids in front of building, West St.

Thursday, July 8

7:49 p.m. Neighbor in street causing disturbance, Monticello Dr.

Friday, July 9

12:45 p.m. Suspicious white truck parked in neighborhood, South St.
2:51 p.m. Police follow person having mechanical problems, Pleasant St.

Saturday, July 10

10:19 p.m. Vehicle egged during night, Lancelot Dr.
11:29 a.m. Person at station to have car seat inspected, Pleasant St.
12:10 p.m. Person wants car seat inspected, Pleasant St.

Sunday, July 11

6:00 p.m. Elderly male walking looks ill, Pleasant St.

Princeton

Monday, July 5

7:09 a.m. Dog found, Sharon Dr.
12:52 p.m. Motorcyclist speeding up and down Rte. 140
8:12 p.m. Caller reports suspicious vehicle and someone removing items from residence, Ball Hill Rd.

Tuesday, July 6

1:30 p.m. Calf stuck under barn, Grow Ln.
9:13 p.m. Car locked behind gate, Mountain Rd.

Wednesday, July 7

9:24 a.m. Police set up radar, Goodnow Rd.
5:45 p.m. Motorcycle speeding past traffic, Hubbardston Rd.
6:10 p.m. Low power throughout eastern and northern parts of town
8:10 p.m. No power, Main St.

Thursday, July 8

1:10 p.m. Suspicious vehicle parked at end of Calamint Hill Rd. S
4:58 p.m. Police set up radar, Mountain Rd.

Friday, July 9

8:35 a.m. Two unleashed dogs beside Ball Hill Rd.
10:40 a.m. Police assist person bringing weapons to station for storage, Town Hall Dr.
4:05 p.m. Police set up radar, Mountain Rd.

Saturday, July 10

5:57 p.m. Police assist person looking for lost dog, Worcester Rd.
7:05 p.m. Police assist person with disabled vehicle, Worcester Rd.
7:22 p.m. Police remove branch from road, Ball Hill Rd.

Sunday, July 11

10:34 a.m. Complaint about large group of bicyclists taking up entire road, Sterling Rd.
11:35 a.m. Police control traffic for approximately 100 motorcycles passing through center of town

Rutland

Monday, July 5

9:53 a.m. Missing Australian/lab mix dog
5:22 p.m. Vehicle parked on caller’s property, Maple Spring Dr.
9:27 p.m. Loud neighbors, Carly Cir.

Tuesday, July 6

11:20 a.m. Caller reports 10 speed bike left in his front yard Friday evening
9:32 p.m. Officer wanted at Main St. restaurant for intoxicated patron. Officer at location until ride arrives.
11:47 p.m. Suspicious auto, Glenwood Rd.

Wednesday, July 7

12:15 a.m. Suspicious auto, Barre Paxton Rd.
12:50 p.m. Management Co. in with a list of cars towed from Maple Ave. property, but still on the property

Thursday, July 8

8:13 a.m. Sick-looking fox in middle of Heritage Hill Dr.; there for three days
9:33 a.m. Walk-in reports expensive touring bike on side of road for three days, Prescott St.
10:21 p.m. Caller requesting to speak with officer about possible unwanted guest coming to his residence tonight.
10:36 p.m. Suspicious auto reported near Glenwood
School. Parties are stargazing on top of their vehicle.

Friday, July 9

1:42 p.m. Request to move skateboarders along, Main St.
7:04 p.m. Two males seen abandoning sick-looking cat, Breezy Ln.
9:54 p.m. Fireworks, Naqaug St.

Saturday, July 10

8:15 a.m. Report of duck with injured leg, Fisherman’s Rd.
8:58 a.m. Caller’s car egged during night, Brunelle Dr.
9:42 p.m. Loud fireworks, Ware Rd.

Sterling

Monday, July 5

7:38 p.m. People riding dirt bikes in roadway, not wearing helmets, Sunset Dr.
9:17 p.m. Fireworks and firecrackers set off third night in row, Worcester Rd.

Tuesday, July 6

1:38 a.m. Video tapes reviewed regarding previous incident, N. Row Rd.
6:35 p.m. Older German shepherd standing in travel lane, Leominster Rd.
8:00 p.m. Skunk walking in yard, Justice Hill Rd.

Wednesday, July 7

6:27 a.m. Caller wants to speak with officer about youths drinking, Main St.
6:43 a.m. Caller reports person running backhoe before 7 a.m., Greenland Rd.
10:48 a.m. Dog appears to have been hit by vehicle; owner taking it to vet
11:20 a.m. Suspicious male looked in garage, last seen heading into woods, Meetinghouse Hill Rd.
11:49 a.m. Suspicious activity, vehicle parked at loading dock, Leominster Rd.
12:15 p.m. Suspicious activity, vehicle parked at end of driveway, Justice Hill Rd.
4:30 p.m. Strange vehicle parked in driveway, Shady Ln.
5:44 p.m. Lost male boxer dog from Clinton
8:34 p.m. Suspicious vehicle parked in driveway, James Rd.

Thursday, July 8

5:11 p.m. Possibly intoxicated male staggering up Wiles Rd.
9:29 a.m. Caller thinks rabid raccoon is at her home, Lakeshore Dr.
10:36 a.m. Caller thinks squirrel is living in ceiling, Beaman Rd.
3:25 p.m. Large group of youths heading to reservoir, Upper N. Row Rd.
7:03 p.m. Complaint about boat on water, Hall Ave.
9:24 p.m. Suspicious vehicle, Patriots Way

Saturday, July 10

9:22 a.m. Several domestic chickens in road, John Dee Rd. West Boylston ACO looking for them

Sunday, July 11

7:29 a.m. Loose cow, Princeton/Jewett Rds.
12:43 p.m. Black Labrador in yard, Blueberry Ln.
10:01 p.m. Person concerned about young male trying to hitchhike, Main St.

Eventually, we learn these things

As I'm tightening the screws that hold the clamp that holds the pole upon which the bird feeders hang, I'm thinking, "This screw should be longer. And, it needs a washer." A washer would give the head of the screw more surface area and would hold everything more securely.
That thought was followed quickly by a line from the 2000 Year Old Man, "We mock the thing we are to be."
My father didn't just use washers religiously. He was the Pope.
The windows on the boat house have been covered up since whenever. We wanted to remove the cover so we could check on the condition of the windows and also let more light into the building. Most people, meaning not my father, would have nailed some plywood over the window. Huck had built a nicely-framed wood cover and bolted it to the window frame. The bolts had a broad head and gripped securely on the outside, but the nuts that secured the cover from the inside needed help. Each had four washers. Sixteen washers in all. I'll bet most people don't use 16 washers in a lifetime.
I'm not very handy or clever or careful when it comes to home projects, a set of diminished skills that was well established a long time ago.That doesn't stop me from appreciating good work and learning just a little bit.

Eventually, we learn these things

As I'm tightening the screws that hold the clamp that holds the pole upon which the bird feeders hang, I'm thinking, "This screw should be longer. And, it needs a washer." A washer would give the head of the screw more surface area and would hold everything more securely.
That thought was followed quickly by a line from the 2000 Year Old Man, "We mock the thing we are to be."
My father didn't just use washers religiously. He was the Pope.
The windows on the boat house have been covered up since whenever. We wanted to remove the cover so we could check on the condition of the windows and also let more light into the building. Most people, meaning not my father, would have nailed some plywood over the window. Huck had built a nicely-framed wood cover and bolted it to the window frame. The bolts had a broad head and gripped securely on the outside, but the nuts that secured the cover from the inside needed help. Each had four washers. Sixteen washers in all. I'll bet most people don't use 16 washers in a lifetime.
I'm not very handy or clever or careful when it comes to home projects, a set of diminished skills that was well established a long time ago.That doesn't stop me from appreciating good work and learning just a little bit.

More on health care

When Sandra's mother returned from Prince Edward Island to live with us, we learned some important things about the current state of health care in the United States. Well, in central Massachusetts, anyway. Note: it's unclear what, if anything, will change as the result of the health care reform legislation that President Obama signed in the spring. I suspect, but cannot yet confirm, that the health care legislation pretty much extended the status quo to larger numbers of people. Your mileage may vary.
Anyway,

• There are a lot of compassionate, competent, and helpful people in the health care system.
  From the nurse who couldn't complete the treatment of Marian once she discovered that we didn't have the right insurance coverage to the intern in the UMass ER who loved the Anne of Green Gables stories to the phlebotomist with the pretty hair, all were kind, respectful, and eager to comfort and help.
• Having a good insurance policy is no guarantee that, if your circumstances change, you'll be able to see the doctor you want.
  The Medicare version of a health plan might exclude doctors that would be allowed under the non-Medicare version. The doctor you want might not be taking new patients; in one sampling, half of the family practice doctors listed by an insurance company weren't taking new patients.
• Your insurance company uses the primary care physician as the focal point for all activities. You might have a doctor listed as your primary care physician.
  You might also, however, have an insurance plan with that company that won't let you see that doctor.
  As a result, you can't get services. You have to get a new primary care physician and get that physician's name into the many databases that enable additional services. Plan to spend a half hour on the phone with earnest people who get confused easily.
• Each hospital and specialty has its own jargon for the same basic issues. If you ask the right question with the wrong terminology, it can take 15 minutes for the conversation to recover. (I'm sorry that I can't provide examples right now. I lost track too many times. For an example of what it was like, see this Monty Python police station sketch.)
• Canadian prescription drugs may be offered in dosages that differ from those available in the U.S. As a result, you can send a U.S. doctor into a four-wheel skid by reporting that the patient is taking, as prescribed by a Canadian doctor,  a particular medication at 37.5 mcg four times per day. Stateside, the drug is offered as a 50 mcg dosage three times a day.
• Two tiny, white medications, prescribed for completely different conditions, can lead to life-threatening results if the pills are mixed up. You have many medications given at complex intervals and it's often the case that the bottles look alike and the pills look alike and kaboom. Any good drug reference book or website will show you pictures of the various medications, but tired and hurried eyes rarely have such references nearby when it's time for the bedtime meds.
  I don't know if the FDA has done much research in this area (the likelihood of confusion of prescription medications). I'm gonna guess, however, that quite a few people have died and that the cause may not have been identified.
• Callie Crossley's show on July 14 addresses some of the misinformation that's become common knowledge regarding emergency room usage. In brief, many people, for a variety of reasons, use emergency rooms for treatment of chronic conditions that could be treated more effectively and cheaply in the home or in a clinic.
• With all of the well-intentioned people on the other side of the counter or on the other end of the phone,  it will still take longer than you think it should to get the attention  that's needed. 
• It's tempting to think that the insurance companies and medical services organizations behave this way because it's somehow to their advantage. My suspicion, however, is that we/they just don't know how to do this right. We didn't know how to do it before. We don't know how to do it now. We won't know how to do it right in the near future.
  We might get it right at the macro level, such that problems aren't statistically significant and still wind up performing some skilled-nursing tasks ourselves because we can't see a skilled nurse.

[Editor's note: I've generalized several of the comments because they deal with the details of another person's medical treatments.]

More on health care

When Sandra's mother returned from Prince Edward Island to live with us, we learned some important things about the current state of health care in the United States. Well, in central Massachusetts, anyway. Note: it's unclear what, if anything, will change as the result of the health care reform legislation that President Obama signed in the spring. I suspect, but cannot yet confirm, that the health care legislation pretty much extended the status quo to larger numbers of people. Your mileage may vary.
Anyway,

• There are a lot of compassionate, competent, and helpful people in the health care system.
  From the nurse who couldn't complete the treatment of Marian once she discovered that we didn't have the right insurance coverage to the intern in the UMass ER who loved the Anne of Green Gables stories to the phlebotomist with the pretty hair, all were kind, respectful, and eager to comfort and help.
• Having a good insurance policy is no guarantee that, if your circumstances change, you'll be able to see the doctor you want.
  The Medicare version of a health plan might exclude doctors that would be allowed under the non-Medicare version. The doctor you want might not be taking new patients; in one sampling, half of the family practice doctors listed by an insurance company weren't taking new patients.
• Your insurance company uses the primary care physician as the focal point for all activities. You might have a doctor listed as your primary care physician.
  You might also, however, have an insurance plan with that company that won't let you see that doctor.
  As a result, you can't get services. You have to get a new primary care physician and get that physician's name into the many databases that enable additional services. Plan to spend a half hour on the phone with earnest people who get confused easily.
• Each hospital and specialty has its own jargon for the same basic issues. If you ask the right question with the wrong terminology, it can take 15 minutes for the conversation to recover. (I'm sorry that I can't provide examples right now. I lost track too many times. For an example of what it was like, see this Monty Python police station sketch.)
• Canadian prescription drugs may be offered in dosages that differ from those available in the U.S. As a result, you can send a U.S. doctor into a four-wheel skid by reporting that the patient is taking, as prescribed by a Canadian doctor,  a particular medication at 37.5 mcg four times per day. Stateside, the drug is offered as a 50 mcg dosage three times a day.
• Two tiny, white medications, prescribed for completely different conditions, can lead to life-threatening results if the pills are mixed up. You have many medications given at complex intervals and it's often the case that the bottles look alike and the pills look alike and kaboom. Any good drug reference book or website will show you pictures of the various medications, but tired and hurried eyes rarely have such references nearby when it's time for the bedtime meds.
  I don't know if the FDA has done much research in this area (the likelihood of confusion of prescription medications). I'm gonna guess, however, that quite a few people have died and that the cause may not have been identified.
• Callie Crossley's show on July 14 addresses some of the misinformation that's become common knowledge regarding emergency room usage. In brief, many people, for a variety of reasons, use emergency rooms for treatment of chronic conditions that could be treated more effectively and cheaply in the home or in a clinic.
• With all of the well-intentioned people on the other side of the counter or on the other end of the phone,  it will still take longer than you think it should to get the attention  that's needed. 
• It's tempting to think that the insurance companies and medical services organizations behave this way because it's somehow to their advantage. My suspicion, however, is that we/they just don't know how to do this right. We didn't know how to do it before. We don't know how to do it now. We won't know how to do it right in the near future.
  We might get it right at the macro level, such that problems aren't statistically significant and still wind up performing some skilled-nursing tasks ourselves because we can't see a skilled nurse.

[Editor's note: I've generalized several of the comments because they deal with the details of another person's medical treatments.]

On being too possessive

via Blogger

On being too possessive

via Blogger

Crime in suburbia

From The Landmark (subscription required).
[Editor's note: There were 16 suspicious items this week.]

Holden

Monday, June 28

9:24 a.m. Obscene drawing on front door of building, Chapel St.
9:46 a.m. Lots of water in road, Rte. 31
10:11 a.m. Caller received what he believes is fraudulent call from oil burner repair
11:12 a.m. Neighbor’s dog out in sun without shelter or water, Holden St.
2:25 p.m. Young person on ATV in driveway, Brattle St.
7:01 p.m. Box on trail near causeway with note inside
9:20 p.m. Group of underage kids asked male outside store to purchase cigarettes for them, swore at him when he refused
9:32 p.m. Suspicious motor vehicle near doctor’s office
9:46 p.m. Possible fox hit in roadway

Tuesday, June 29

1:25 a.m. Suspicious person behind business, Main St.
6:45 a.m. Walk-through of bank with staff for security
8:52 a.m. Driver left gas station without paying; note left on door at driver’s home
10:15 a.m. Motor vehicle lockout, Reservoir St.
11:05 a.m. Eggs thrown at home, Lovell Rd.
11:36 a.m. Mountview Dr. resident asking about noise bylaws
12:06 p.m. Bicycle accident with rider injuries
2:44 p.m. Reservoir St. resident heard yelling and screaming followed by loud bang; three juveniles making noise, brought to station
9:21 p.m. Mother hasn’t heard from son who is with father; son OK, at Hampton Beach with friends
10:58 p.m. Two reports of black bear on Shrewsbury and Brattle Sts.

Wednesday, June 30

5:56 a.m. Deceased fawn in road, Reservoir St.
7:45 a.m. Dead cat, Quinapoxet St. 8:15 a.m. Stray dog, Nola Dr.
10:11 a.m. White husky loose, Bullard St.
10:38 a.m. Suspicious motor vehicle, Brentwood Dr.; confirmed stolen from Worcester
1:00 p.m. Severely injured cat, Main St.
4:55 p.m. Suspicious motor vehicle, Mason Rd.

6:47 p.m. Suspicious vehicle behind business, Industrial Dr.; OK, belongs to employee
8:13 p.m. Call regarding stolen gun
10:30 p.m. Suspicious female holding baby, running down Grove St, chased by male in vehicle
11:23 p.m. Suspicious vehicle on Boyden Rd., driving erratically

Thursday, July 1

8:45 a.m. Dog with Holden tags found in Paxton
11:03 a.m. Caller asking for help retrieving belongings in Worcester; advised to contact Worcester PD
12:12 p.m. Call about wooded area behind T&G towers
2:55 p.m. Reservoir Security requesting cruiser for trash dumped by Reservoir St.; contains live ammunition
3:49 p.m. Request for radar in neighborhood
6:06 p.m. Resident reports solicitation call from police agency in Utah
8:53 p.m. Complaint of loud music from neighbor’s driveway

Friday, July 2

7:23 a.m. Dispute at business, Main St.
8:54 a.m. Paving crew working without detail, Parker Ave.
10:21 a.m. Reservoir Security asking for officer to speak with person dumping items in woods
8:50 p.m. 911 caller reports husband had too much to drink, very angry
9:30 p.m. Possible pot smoking in vehicle in front of building, Village Way

Saturday, July 3

1:51 a.m. Worcester PD sent lookout for resident; doesn’t live at address anymore
2:28 a.m. Caller reports sound of injured dog, Donald Ave.
9:31 a.m. Suspicious vehicle on Reservoir St.
12:00 p.m. Caller reports vehicle following her and banged on her vehicle, Doyle Rd.
12:04 p.m. Crack or marijuana pipe found, Brattle St.; paraphernalia destroyed
1:21 p.m. Broken hose gushing water into parking lot, Reservoir St.
3:03 p.m. 911 accidental; trying to call 411
9:30 p.m. Someone knocking at caller’s door, Sterling Rd.; OK, family member, no police needed
10:06 p.m. Assist citizen home from business, Main St.
11:37 p.m. Fireworks, Chapin Rd.

Sunday, July 4

1:52 a.m. Suspicious motor vehicle, Chapel St.
5:40 a.m. Three motor vehicles broken into, Raymond St.
7:21 a.m. Glove compartment gone through, Dawson Cir.
9:13 am. Someone tried to gain access to motor vehicle overnight, Centerwood Dr.
10:09 a.m. Five more Raymond St. residents report motor vehicles broken into overnight; one from Holly Cir.; two from Sycamore Dr.
1:35 p.m. Golf cart damaged at Holden Hills
4:13 p.m. Two individuals behind business, possibly dumping things, Industrial Dr.
7:35 p.m. Suspicious unoccupied motor vehicle, Jamieson Rd.
10:02 p.m. Fireworks, Ann St.
10:35 p.m. Suspicious motor vehicle at Eagle Lake; there to chill, no problem

Paxton

Monday, June 28

3:17 p.m. Bus driver needs help with unruly child
3:42 p.m. Suspicious males walking property on Grove St.
4:40 p.m. Caller reports trash not picked up today
5:39 p.m. Walk-in asking if friend has a warrant; asked to have friend come to station

Tuesday, June 29

7:32 p.m. 911 abandoned call, Crowningshield Dr.; trying to call Leicester PD
11:43 p.m. Motor vehicle hit deer, Pleasant St.

Wednesday, June 30

4:33 a.m. Two suspicious people walking on Marshall St.; OK, vehicle trouble
7:23 a.m. Black bear spotted, Grove St.

Thursday, July 1

1:00 a.m. Repossession of vehicle, Lancelot Dr.
7:41 a.m. Lost dog, Nanigian Rd.
8:19 a.m. Sick fox in back yard, Shanandoah Dr.
8:42 a.m. Disabled motor vehicle in station lot
9:19 a.m. Fox in garage, Shanandoah Dr.
11:04 a.m. Lost dog found
1:12 p.m. Suspicious male on bicycle with backpack, possibly soliciting, Pleasant St.
7:58 p.m. Caller saying he doesn’t like “what we’ve been doing”; dialed wrong number, thought he was calling nephew

Friday, July 2

2:46 p.m. Caller demanding girlfriend’s plates be returned to him; advised department doesn’t have her plates
4:44 p.m. Male in vehicle staring at residence, Streeter Rd., rang doorbell; OK, was delivering lawn mower, wrong address
6:04 p.m. Dog in middle of Pleasant St.

Sunday, July 4

10:59 p.m. Strange dog at front door of residence, Marshall St.

Princeton

Monday, June 28

5:55 a.m. Several reports of unlocked vehicles entered. Hobbs Rd.
8:49 a.m. Two vehicles parked in driveway ransacked overnight, Hobbs Rd.
9:05 a.m. Two vehicles gone through overnight, Hobbs Rd.
9:50 a.m. Police find item beside road in area of vehicle break-ins, Hobbs Rd.
11:33 a.m. Truck and car broken into, wallet and money taken, Hobbs Rd.
6:06 p.m. Ipod and money stolen from vehicle during night, Hobbs Rd.

Tuesday, June 29

8:50 a.m. Car leaking fuel, fire dept. called, vehicle towed, Sterling Rd.
2:53 p.m. Person riding go-cart in roadway, Stagecoach Rd.
8:10 p.m. Two people on bicycles in driveway of vacant house, Ball Hill Rd.

Wednesday, June 30

7:11 a.m. Caller reports large, lion-type animal, about 40-50 pounds, in his yard, Coal Kiln Rd.
12:46 p.m. Abandoned 911 call from pay phone, Mountain Rd.
6:57 p.m. Sterling PD reports 15-20 motorcycles racing on Rte. 140 N

Thursday, July 1

8:13 a.m. Two cows in roadway, Leominster Rd.
5:05 p.m. Cars parked on Thompson Road. Found to be people going to pond
9:17 p.m. Gunshots, Rte. 140 N

Friday, July 2

3:25 p.m. Window broken, vehicle entered, pocketbook taken, Fitchburg Rd.
4:47 p.m. Suspicious male asking to use phone, Rte. 140 S
6:29 p.m. Police conduct radar patrol due to speeding complaints, Mountain Rd.
7:10 p.m. Police assist individual to his street, Rte. 140 N

Saturday, July 3

1:55 p.m. Assist fire dept. at car fire, Gregory/ Mountain Rds.
4:18 p.m. Police assist ambulance personnel with exhausted bike rider, E. Princeton Rd.
10:00 a.m. Police return dog to owner, Clearings Way

Sunday, July 4

12:49 p.m. Two dogs wandering on Merriam Rd.
9:28 p.m. Missing border collie, Stagecoach Rd.

Rutland

Monday, June 28

7:50 a.m. Caller requesting officer for disgruntled customer, Pleasantdale Rd.
7:58 a.m. Injured dog, Clealand Cir.
8:09 a.m. Vandalism, two eggs thrown into car. Caller claims it’s a frequent problem, Juniper Ln.
8:34 a.m. Caller wants police representation at horse show, Main St.
11:50 a.m. Unauthorized use of Dumpster, Main St.
11:50 a.m. Unknown vehicle parked at rental property, Pommogussett Rd.
1:27 p.m. Officer requested at business where person is disgruntled with owner, Pleasantdale Rd.
2:44 p.m. Small brush fire in backyard, Clearview Rd.
4:10 p.m. Person at station for assistance getting keys from locked vehicle, Main St.
5:10 p.m. Wires across Breezy Ln. Motorist unsure whether she should drive over them
5:53 p.m. Stray dog in yard, Intervale Rd.
8:33 p.m. Bicycle damaged by neighbor’s child, Maple Ave.

Tuesday, June 29

3:14 p.m. Barking dog complaint, Skyline Dr.
4:01 p.m. Boston terrier ran away, Main St. Dog later returned
4:06 p.m. Male selling meat from back of pickup truck, Orchard Hill Dr.

Wednesday, June 30

7:52 a.m. Injured dog, Cleland Cir. Dog went into woods
8:01 p.m. Possible cougar sighting, Charnock Hill Rd.

Thursday, July 1

12:31 a.m. Person at station to speak with officer about family member, Main St.
7:58 p.m. Police transport two males from Maple Ave.
11:28 p.m. Loud music from upstairs apartment, Maple Ave.
11:46 p.m. Two young males walking, Fernwood Dr.
11:59 p.m. Loud music, Maple Ave.

Friday, July 2

7:51 a.m. Request for officer for irate resident who doesn’t want to move his car for paving project, Maple Ave.
9:40 a.m. Request for officer to stand by while individual is taken into custody, Upper Intervale
9:50 a.m. Person at station to pick up glasses found on Charnock Hill Rd.
11:40 a.m. Dead coyote pup, Blueberry Ln.
3:11 p.m. Person riding bicycle hit with frozen can of soda by youths in van, Barre Paxton Rd.
3:50 p.m. Assist Oakham PD looking for vehicle that didn’t stop for police, Rte. 122
6:55 p.m. Person requesting assistance with vehicle lockout, Main St.
8:34 p.m. Request for fire dept. for lift assist for 1,800 lb. horse that is stuck, Kenwood Dr.
10:26 p.m. Caller heard coyotes and loud squeal, believes pet may have been attacked, Central Tree Rd.
11:55 p.m. Dog barking for hours, Thurston Hill Rd.

Saturday, July 3

12:49 a.m. Complaint of loud party, Cameron Dr.
12:30 p.m. Person at station with cell phone, Main St.
3:22 p.m. Trespassing incidents, Barre Paxton Rd.
8:56 p.m. Fireworks hitting home, Pommogussett Rd.
9:12 p.m. Homeowner locked keys in car with baby inside, Arline Dr.
10:01 p.m. Homeowner advised to stop shooting off fireworks and clean up debris, Valley View Cir.
11:02 p.m. Cars speeding around area, Rebecca Ann Dr.

Sunday, July 4

1:52 a.m. Male with backpack took off running towards Nancy Dr.
7:56 a.m. Person did search for fireworks that did not go off, Main St. None found
2:25 p.m. Officer wanted regarding possible picture of woman with baby that may have been stolen, Main St.
4:38 p.m. Dog hit and injured, Pommogussett Rd.
9:03 p.m. Person in small tan car dropped off cat, Maple Ave.
10:00 p.m. Strange dog on porch, Maple Ave.

Sterling

Monday, June 28

1:22 a.m. Kids lit spray paint can on fire in middle of Main St.
4:37 a.m. Cars broken into during night, Heywood Rd.
5:02 a.m. Multiple vehicle breaks, Heywood Rd.
5:06 a.m. Vehicles broken into, Still River Rd.
6:03 a.m. Twenty-two reports of motor vehicle break-ins: Quail Roost Dr., Upper N. Row Rd., Still River Rd., Justice Hill Rd., Leominster Rd.
9:03 a.m. Caller wants suggestions about what to do about foxes living under shed, John Dee Rd.
1:32 p.m. Males in black pickup truck picking up wood chips delivered to property, Princeton Rd.
6:33 p.m. Assist citizen, Leominster Rd.
11:13 p.m. Two males running down Burpee Road carrying lit tiki torches, entered vehicle and took off headed towards Princeton

Tuesday, June 29

1:44 p.m. Raccoon in trash barrel at lake
4:16 p.m. Assist employer regarding issue of fired employee, Leominster Rd.
4:46 p.m. Assist with car seat installation
5:10 p.m. Suspicious male at door offering refrigerator cleaning services, asked if parents were home, Sky Farm Ln.

Wednesday, June 30

10:10 a.m. Cow roaming Princeton Rd.
5:27 p.m. Goats running in the roadway, North Row/Leominster Rds.
11:26 p.m. Fireworks at reservoir, Heywood/N. Row Rds.

Thursday, July 1

6:00 a.m. Skunk running in circles in front of building with plastic cup stuck on head, Industrial Dr.

Friday, July 2

9:03 a.m. Theft of street signs belonging to country club, Albright Rd.
2:23 p.m. Several cars parked in area of Upper N. Row Rd.
3:19 p.m. Caller concerned about neighbor’s dog, Pratts Junction/Albright Rds.
9:00 p.m. Verbal dispute between two males in middle of road about dog defecating in yard, Lakeview Ave.
10:32 p.m. No-parking signs damaged, Heywood Rd.
11:15 p.m. Complaint about loud party, Charles Patten Dr.
11:30 p.m. Person saw two or three males take trampoline from neighbor’s yard, Upper N. Row Rd. Found to be kids placing several lawn ornaments in cul de sac

Saturday, July 2

6:24 p.m. Illegal dumping on private property, Redemption Rock Trl.
6:30 p.m. Loose pitbull, Pratts Junction Rd.
9:03 p.m. Fireworks near Muddy Pond Rd.
9:33 p.m. Fireworks, Greenland Rd.

Sunday, July 3

12:19 p.m. Check on skateboarder, Laurelwood/ Leominster Rds.
6:48 p.m. Door-to-door solicitor, Cole Rd.
9:05 p.m. Kids in area running around, using firecrackers, Jewett Rd.
9:15 p.m. Dog ran away, frightened by fireworks, Lakeshore Dr.

Crime in suburbia

From The Landmark (subscription required).
[Editor's note: There were 16 suspicious items this week.]

Holden

Monday, June 28

9:24 a.m. Obscene drawing on front door of building, Chapel St.
9:46 a.m. Lots of water in road, Rte. 31
10:11 a.m. Caller received what he believes is fraudulent call from oil burner repair
11:12 a.m. Neighbor’s dog out in sun without shelter or water, Holden St.
2:25 p.m. Young person on ATV in driveway, Brattle St.
7:01 p.m. Box on trail near causeway with note inside
9:20 p.m. Group of underage kids asked male outside store to purchase cigarettes for them, swore at him when he refused
9:32 p.m. Suspicious motor vehicle near doctor’s office
9:46 p.m. Possible fox hit in roadway

Tuesday, June 29

1:25 a.m. Suspicious person behind business, Main St.
6:45 a.m. Walk-through of bank with staff for security
8:52 a.m. Driver left gas station without paying; note left on door at driver’s home
10:15 a.m. Motor vehicle lockout, Reservoir St.
11:05 a.m. Eggs thrown at home, Lovell Rd.
11:36 a.m. Mountview Dr. resident asking about noise bylaws
12:06 p.m. Bicycle accident with rider injuries
2:44 p.m. Reservoir St. resident heard yelling and screaming followed by loud bang; three juveniles making noise, brought to station
9:21 p.m. Mother hasn’t heard from son who is with father; son OK, at Hampton Beach with friends
10:58 p.m. Two reports of black bear on Shrewsbury and Brattle Sts.

Wednesday, June 30

5:56 a.m. Deceased fawn in road, Reservoir St.
7:45 a.m. Dead cat, Quinapoxet St. 8:15 a.m. Stray dog, Nola Dr.
10:11 a.m. White husky loose, Bullard St.
10:38 a.m. Suspicious motor vehicle, Brentwood Dr.; confirmed stolen from Worcester
1:00 p.m. Severely injured cat, Main St.
4:55 p.m. Suspicious motor vehicle, Mason Rd.

6:47 p.m. Suspicious vehicle behind business, Industrial Dr.; OK, belongs to employee
8:13 p.m. Call regarding stolen gun
10:30 p.m. Suspicious female holding baby, running down Grove St, chased by male in vehicle
11:23 p.m. Suspicious vehicle on Boyden Rd., driving erratically

Thursday, July 1

8:45 a.m. Dog with Holden tags found in Paxton
11:03 a.m. Caller asking for help retrieving belongings in Worcester; advised to contact Worcester PD
12:12 p.m. Call about wooded area behind T&G towers
2:55 p.m. Reservoir Security requesting cruiser for trash dumped by Reservoir St.; contains live ammunition
3:49 p.m. Request for radar in neighborhood
6:06 p.m. Resident reports solicitation call from police agency in Utah
8:53 p.m. Complaint of loud music from neighbor’s driveway

Friday, July 2

7:23 a.m. Dispute at business, Main St.
8:54 a.m. Paving crew working without detail, Parker Ave.
10:21 a.m. Reservoir Security asking for officer to speak with person dumping items in woods
8:50 p.m. 911 caller reports husband had too much to drink, very angry
9:30 p.m. Possible pot smoking in vehicle in front of building, Village Way

Saturday, July 3

1:51 a.m. Worcester PD sent lookout for resident; doesn’t live at address anymore
2:28 a.m. Caller reports sound of injured dog, Donald Ave.
9:31 a.m. Suspicious vehicle on Reservoir St.
12:00 p.m. Caller reports vehicle following her and banged on her vehicle, Doyle Rd.
12:04 p.m. Crack or marijuana pipe found, Brattle St.; paraphernalia destroyed
1:21 p.m. Broken hose gushing water into parking lot, Reservoir St.
3:03 p.m. 911 accidental; trying to call 411
9:30 p.m. Someone knocking at caller’s door, Sterling Rd.; OK, family member, no police needed
10:06 p.m. Assist citizen home from business, Main St.
11:37 p.m. Fireworks, Chapin Rd.

Sunday, July 4

1:52 a.m. Suspicious motor vehicle, Chapel St.
5:40 a.m. Three motor vehicles broken into, Raymond St.
7:21 a.m. Glove compartment gone through, Dawson Cir.
9:13 am. Someone tried to gain access to motor vehicle overnight, Centerwood Dr.
10:09 a.m. Five more Raymond St. residents report motor vehicles broken into overnight; one from Holly Cir.; two from Sycamore Dr.
1:35 p.m. Golf cart damaged at Holden Hills
4:13 p.m. Two individuals behind business, possibly dumping things, Industrial Dr.
7:35 p.m. Suspicious unoccupied motor vehicle, Jamieson Rd.
10:02 p.m. Fireworks, Ann St.
10:35 p.m. Suspicious motor vehicle at Eagle Lake; there to chill, no problem

Paxton

Monday, June 28

3:17 p.m. Bus driver needs help with unruly child
3:42 p.m. Suspicious males walking property on Grove St.
4:40 p.m. Caller reports trash not picked up today
5:39 p.m. Walk-in asking if friend has a warrant; asked to have friend come to station

Tuesday, June 29

7:32 p.m. 911 abandoned call, Crowningshield Dr.; trying to call Leicester PD
11:43 p.m. Motor vehicle hit deer, Pleasant St.

Wednesday, June 30

4:33 a.m. Two suspicious people walking on Marshall St.; OK, vehicle trouble
7:23 a.m. Black bear spotted, Grove St.

Thursday, July 1

1:00 a.m. Repossession of vehicle, Lancelot Dr.
7:41 a.m. Lost dog, Nanigian Rd.
8:19 a.m. Sick fox in back yard, Shanandoah Dr.
8:42 a.m. Disabled motor vehicle in station lot
9:19 a.m. Fox in garage, Shanandoah Dr.
11:04 a.m. Lost dog found
1:12 p.m. Suspicious male on bicycle with backpack, possibly soliciting, Pleasant St.
7:58 p.m. Caller saying he doesn’t like “what we’ve been doing”; dialed wrong number, thought he was calling nephew

Friday, July 2

2:46 p.m. Caller demanding girlfriend’s plates be returned to him; advised department doesn’t have her plates
4:44 p.m. Male in vehicle staring at residence, Streeter Rd., rang doorbell; OK, was delivering lawn mower, wrong address
6:04 p.m. Dog in middle of Pleasant St.

Sunday, July 4

10:59 p.m. Strange dog at front door of residence, Marshall St.

Princeton

Monday, June 28

5:55 a.m. Several reports of unlocked vehicles entered. Hobbs Rd.
8:49 a.m. Two vehicles parked in driveway ransacked overnight, Hobbs Rd.
9:05 a.m. Two vehicles gone through overnight, Hobbs Rd.
9:50 a.m. Police find item beside road in area of vehicle break-ins, Hobbs Rd.
11:33 a.m. Truck and car broken into, wallet and money taken, Hobbs Rd.
6:06 p.m. Ipod and money stolen from vehicle during night, Hobbs Rd.

Tuesday, June 29

8:50 a.m. Car leaking fuel, fire dept. called, vehicle towed, Sterling Rd.
2:53 p.m. Person riding go-cart in roadway, Stagecoach Rd.
8:10 p.m. Two people on bicycles in driveway of vacant house, Ball Hill Rd.

Wednesday, June 30

7:11 a.m. Caller reports large, lion-type animal, about 40-50 pounds, in his yard, Coal Kiln Rd.
12:46 p.m. Abandoned 911 call from pay phone, Mountain Rd.
6:57 p.m. Sterling PD reports 15-20 motorcycles racing on Rte. 140 N

Thursday, July 1

8:13 a.m. Two cows in roadway, Leominster Rd.
5:05 p.m. Cars parked on Thompson Road. Found to be people going to pond
9:17 p.m. Gunshots, Rte. 140 N

Friday, July 2

3:25 p.m. Window broken, vehicle entered, pocketbook taken, Fitchburg Rd.
4:47 p.m. Suspicious male asking to use phone, Rte. 140 S
6:29 p.m. Police conduct radar patrol due to speeding complaints, Mountain Rd.
7:10 p.m. Police assist individual to his street, Rte. 140 N

Saturday, July 3

1:55 p.m. Assist fire dept. at car fire, Gregory/ Mountain Rds.
4:18 p.m. Police assist ambulance personnel with exhausted bike rider, E. Princeton Rd.
10:00 a.m. Police return dog to owner, Clearings Way

Sunday, July 4

12:49 p.m. Two dogs wandering on Merriam Rd.
9:28 p.m. Missing border collie, Stagecoach Rd.

Rutland

Monday, June 28

7:50 a.m. Caller requesting officer for disgruntled customer, Pleasantdale Rd.
7:58 a.m. Injured dog, Clealand Cir.
8:09 a.m. Vandalism, two eggs thrown into car. Caller claims it’s a frequent problem, Juniper Ln.
8:34 a.m. Caller wants police representation at horse show, Main St.
11:50 a.m. Unauthorized use of Dumpster, Main St.
11:50 a.m. Unknown vehicle parked at rental property, Pommogussett Rd.
1:27 p.m. Officer requested at business where person is disgruntled with owner, Pleasantdale Rd.
2:44 p.m. Small brush fire in backyard, Clearview Rd.
4:10 p.m. Person at station for assistance getting keys from locked vehicle, Main St.
5:10 p.m. Wires across Breezy Ln. Motorist unsure whether she should drive over them
5:53 p.m. Stray dog in yard, Intervale Rd.
8:33 p.m. Bicycle damaged by neighbor’s child, Maple Ave.

Tuesday, June 29

3:14 p.m. Barking dog complaint, Skyline Dr.
4:01 p.m. Boston terrier ran away, Main St. Dog later returned
4:06 p.m. Male selling meat from back of pickup truck, Orchard Hill Dr.

Wednesday, June 30

7:52 a.m. Injured dog, Cleland Cir. Dog went into woods
8:01 p.m. Possible cougar sighting, Charnock Hill Rd.

Thursday, July 1

12:31 a.m. Person at station to speak with officer about family member, Main St.
7:58 p.m. Police transport two males from Maple Ave.
11:28 p.m. Loud music from upstairs apartment, Maple Ave.
11:46 p.m. Two young males walking, Fernwood Dr.
11:59 p.m. Loud music, Maple Ave.

Friday, July 2

7:51 a.m. Request for officer for irate resident who doesn’t want to move his car for paving project, Maple Ave.
9:40 a.m. Request for officer to stand by while individual is taken into custody, Upper Intervale
9:50 a.m. Person at station to pick up glasses found on Charnock Hill Rd.
11:40 a.m. Dead coyote pup, Blueberry Ln.
3:11 p.m. Person riding bicycle hit with frozen can of soda by youths in van, Barre Paxton Rd.
3:50 p.m. Assist Oakham PD looking for vehicle that didn’t stop for police, Rte. 122
6:55 p.m. Person requesting assistance with vehicle lockout, Main St.
8:34 p.m. Request for fire dept. for lift assist for 1,800 lb. horse that is stuck, Kenwood Dr.
10:26 p.m. Caller heard coyotes and loud squeal, believes pet may have been attacked, Central Tree Rd.
11:55 p.m. Dog barking for hours, Thurston Hill Rd.

Saturday, July 3

12:49 a.m. Complaint of loud party, Cameron Dr.
12:30 p.m. Person at station with cell phone, Main St.
3:22 p.m. Trespassing incidents, Barre Paxton Rd.
8:56 p.m. Fireworks hitting home, Pommogussett Rd.
9:12 p.m. Homeowner locked keys in car with baby inside, Arline Dr.
10:01 p.m. Homeowner advised to stop shooting off fireworks and clean up debris, Valley View Cir.
11:02 p.m. Cars speeding around area, Rebecca Ann Dr.

Sunday, July 4

1:52 a.m. Male with backpack took off running towards Nancy Dr.
7:56 a.m. Person did search for fireworks that did not go off, Main St. None found
2:25 p.m. Officer wanted regarding possible picture of woman with baby that may have been stolen, Main St.
4:38 p.m. Dog hit and injured, Pommogussett Rd.
9:03 p.m. Person in small tan car dropped off cat, Maple Ave.
10:00 p.m. Strange dog on porch, Maple Ave.

Sterling

Monday, June 28

1:22 a.m. Kids lit spray paint can on fire in middle of Main St.
4:37 a.m. Cars broken into during night, Heywood Rd.
5:02 a.m. Multiple vehicle breaks, Heywood Rd.
5:06 a.m. Vehicles broken into, Still River Rd.
6:03 a.m. Twenty-two reports of motor vehicle break-ins: Quail Roost Dr., Upper N. Row Rd., Still River Rd., Justice Hill Rd., Leominster Rd.
9:03 a.m. Caller wants suggestions about what to do about foxes living under shed, John Dee Rd.
1:32 p.m. Males in black pickup truck picking up wood chips delivered to property, Princeton Rd.
6:33 p.m. Assist citizen, Leominster Rd.
11:13 p.m. Two males running down Burpee Road carrying lit tiki torches, entered vehicle and took off headed towards Princeton

Tuesday, June 29

1:44 p.m. Raccoon in trash barrel at lake
4:16 p.m. Assist employer regarding issue of fired employee, Leominster Rd.
4:46 p.m. Assist with car seat installation
5:10 p.m. Suspicious male at door offering refrigerator cleaning services, asked if parents were home, Sky Farm Ln.

Wednesday, June 30

10:10 a.m. Cow roaming Princeton Rd.
5:27 p.m. Goats running in the roadway, North Row/Leominster Rds.
11:26 p.m. Fireworks at reservoir, Heywood/N. Row Rds.

Thursday, July 1

6:00 a.m. Skunk running in circles in front of building with plastic cup stuck on head, Industrial Dr.

Friday, July 2

9:03 a.m. Theft of street signs belonging to country club, Albright Rd.
2:23 p.m. Several cars parked in area of Upper N. Row Rd.
3:19 p.m. Caller concerned about neighbor’s dog, Pratts Junction/Albright Rds.
9:00 p.m. Verbal dispute between two males in middle of road about dog defecating in yard, Lakeview Ave.
10:32 p.m. No-parking signs damaged, Heywood Rd.
11:15 p.m. Complaint about loud party, Charles Patten Dr.
11:30 p.m. Person saw two or three males take trampoline from neighbor’s yard, Upper N. Row Rd. Found to be kids placing several lawn ornaments in cul de sac

Saturday, July 2

6:24 p.m. Illegal dumping on private property, Redemption Rock Trl.
6:30 p.m. Loose pitbull, Pratts Junction Rd.
9:03 p.m. Fireworks near Muddy Pond Rd.
9:33 p.m. Fireworks, Greenland Rd.

Sunday, July 3

12:19 p.m. Check on skateboarder, Laurelwood/ Leominster Rds.
6:48 p.m. Door-to-door solicitor, Cole Rd.
9:05 p.m. Kids in area running around, using firecrackers, Jewett Rd.
9:15 p.m. Dog ran away, frightened by fireworks, Lakeshore Dr.

Not one of those days

"It's a quiet neighborhood," Marian observed.
The rain had stopped. We were sitting on the front porch with our light supper. Ours had been a full day of visitors at home, a trip to Phillipston for a dose of small-town democracy, a return home to sign some important papers, a gift of a casserole from a kind neighbor, and then a good cry triggered by pictures and songs.
But, now it was quiet. The heavy rain of mid-day had reduced the temperature by 20 degrees from the days before. Not much air was moving and it was still humid, so you couldn't always tell if it was cool yet or not.
Inside the house, the infrastructure is in rebellion. The burner on our furnace has little puffs of electrical smoke. (I've turned off the power to the burner and will call for repairs in the morning.) The dehumidifier growls, but doesn't run. One of the toilets is decidedly unenthusiastic about fulfilling its purpose.
A neighbor with her small dog, Hyacinth, came up to the porch and chatted for a bit. We sit on the front porch whenever we can, just for this reason. Marley wasn't a gracious host to Hyacinth; he had a few sharp words to her, but his tail was wagging.
In the morning, a visiting nurse will, well, visit. We've a lot to understand about how to care for our housemate (and ourselves). Next week, we'll talk with doctors of one type and another, move more furniture, learn about insurances and pensions, learn more about what's safe, what's respectful.
When we say, "It's been one of those days," we refer to a type of day that's happened before. This one that we've just finished up, though, isn't like others that we've known. This is not unique; we know that. Plenty of families perform miracles every day. We've a lot to learn. We'll find something that we'll call ordinary again and maybe it'll look like this.
In the meantime, we can enjoy the quiet.

Not one of those days

"It's a quiet neighborhood," Marian observed.
The rain had stopped. We were sitting on the front porch with our light supper. Ours had been a full day of visitors at home, a trip to Phillipston for a dose of small-town democracy, a return home to sign some important papers, a gift of a casserole from a kind neighbor, and then a good cry triggered by pictures and songs.
But, now it was quiet. The heavy rain of mid-day had reduced the temperature by 20 degrees from the days before. Not much air was moving and it was still humid, so you couldn't always tell if it was cool yet or not.
Inside the house, the infrastructure is in rebellion. The burner on our furnace has little puffs of electrical smoke. (I've turned off the power to the burner and will call for repairs in the morning.) The dehumidifier growls, but doesn't run. One of the toilets is decidedly unenthusiastic about fulfilling its purpose.
A neighbor with her small dog, Hyacinth, came up to the porch and chatted for a bit. We sit on the front porch whenever we can, just for this reason. Marley wasn't a gracious host to Hyacinth; he had a few sharp words to her, but his tail was wagging.
In the morning, a visiting nurse will, well, visit. We've a lot to understand about how to care for our housemate (and ourselves). Next week, we'll talk with doctors of one type and another, move more furniture, learn about insurances and pensions, learn more about what's safe, what's respectful.
When we say, "It's been one of those days," we refer to a type of day that's happened before. This one that we've just finished up, though, isn't like others that we've known. This is not unique; we know that. Plenty of families perform miracles every day. We've a lot to learn. We'll find something that we'll call ordinary again and maybe it'll look like this.
In the meantime, we can enjoy the quiet.

It takes a village

Sandra and Marian are returning from PEI today. Adam's driving. Mike will be here in a while to build a ramp leading to the house from the driveway, making it accessible for MRM's wheelchair. Yesterday, grandsons Michael, Matt, and Joe helped me move furniture from and to the in-law apartment. Lynn, Krista, and Tess made one couch available to us and found a place for another.
We weren't able to get the fold-out couch through the front door at M&L's. Michael was trying to turn the couch on edge to see if it would make it through that way. It was a struggle. "You need to work out some more," Cassie said to Michael. "Do some push-ups."
For about $10 less a month than what we're now paying, we can get phone service through the cable company, Charter. They'll be here on Monday to set up the phone for Marian. Last year I was trying to figure out the telephone wiring in the house. (At one point 10 years ago, we'd had as many as four land-line numbers.) I found out which of the supposedly low-voltage lines are still live. I concluded that I'd better stop fixing things before they got even worse. A short while later, Sandra and I discontinued the land-lines and just use our mobile phones.
This is a big change for everyone, mostly for Marian. She has lost her companion of 66+ years. She'll have lots of family and friends around, in this town where she's lived since the 50s. But, it's not the same and we all know it. We'll do what we can, welcome ideas, and try to have a sense of humility and humor.
The air-conditioner is working well. I might move it to a different window for better circulation around the room. Space is tight in a few places and I think we'll have to remove a door or two. Mobility is more important than modesty this time around.
Marley will glad for Marian's company as she will be for his. He'll also like the ramp. Those back legs of his aren't fond of stairs.

It takes a village

Sandra and Marian are returning from PEI today. Adam's driving. Mike will be here in a while to build a ramp leading to the house from the driveway, making it accessible for MRM's wheelchair. Yesterday, grandsons Michael, Matt, and Joe helped me move furniture from and to the in-law apartment. Lynn, Krista, and Tess made one couch available to us and found a place for another.
We weren't able to get the fold-out couch through the front door at M&L's. Michael was trying to turn the couch on edge to see if it would make it through that way. It was a struggle. "You need to work out some more," Cassie said to Michael. "Do some push-ups."
For about $10 less a month than what we're now paying, we can get phone service through the cable company, Charter. They'll be here on Monday to set up the phone for Marian. Last year I was trying to figure out the telephone wiring in the house. (At one point 10 years ago, we'd had as many as four land-line numbers.) I found out which of the supposedly low-voltage lines are still live. I concluded that I'd better stop fixing things before they got even worse. A short while later, Sandra and I discontinued the land-lines and just use our mobile phones.
This is a big change for everyone, mostly for Marian. She has lost her companion of 66+ years. She'll have lots of family and friends around, in this town where she's lived since the 50s. But, it's not the same and we all know it. We'll do what we can, welcome ideas, and try to have a sense of humility and humor.
The air-conditioner is working well. I might move it to a different window for better circulation around the room. Space is tight in a few places and I think we'll have to remove a door or two. Mobility is more important than modesty this time around.
Marley will glad for Marian's company as she will be for his. He'll also like the ramp. Those back legs of his aren't fond of stairs.

WEATHER ALERT for MA - Worcester County

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: EmergencyEmail.ORG <bounced@emergencyemailnetwork.net>
Date: Tue, Jul 6, 2010 at 4:40 AM
Subject: WEATHER ALERT for MA - Worcester County
To: kh@queenlake.com

Your CURRENT SEVERE Weather RADAR MAP Link...
http://www.emergencyemail.org/weathergetWANG1.asp?src=DS.p19r0/si.kBOX

REFER OTHERS in your area
to get FREE Severe Weather Alerts.
http://www.EmergencyEmail.org?src=wxem

SEVERE WEATHER ALERT LINK

http://www.EmergencyEmail.org/wxl/wxl25027-16853.17.asp

YOUR LOCAL FORECAST
http://www.Emergencyemail.org/wx/us/MA/25027.asp

DANGEROUS HEAT INDICES EXPECTED TODAY.

MAZ003-004-006-008-009-015-016-020-NHZ015-RIZ006-062300-
/O.EXA.KBOX.HT.Y.0002.100706T1600Z-100706T2300Z/
EASTERN FRANKLIN MA-NORTHERN WORCESTER MA-WESTERN ESSEX MA-
WESTERN HAMPSHIRE MA-WESTERN HAMPDEN MA-SUFFOLK MA-
EASTERN NORFOLK MA-SOUTHERN BRISTOL MA-
WESTERN & CNTL HILLSBOROUGH NH-WA RI-
INCLUDING THE CITIES OF.GREENFIELD.ORANGE.BARRE.
FITCHBURG.LAWRENCE.CHESTERFIELD.BLANDFORD.BOSTON.
QUINCY.FALL RIVER.NEW BEDFORD.PETERBOROUGH.WEARE.
NARRAGANSETT.WESTERLY
440 AM EDT TUE JUL 6 2010

HEAT ADVISORY IN EFFECT FROM NOON TODAY TO 7 PM EDT THIS
EVENING.

THE NATL WEATHER SVC IN TAUNTON HAS ISSUED A HEAT

ADVISORY.WHICH IS IN EFFECT FROM NOON TO 7 PM EDT THIS EVENING.

THIS HEAT ADVISORY IS FOR INTERIOR PORTIONS OF SUFFOLK.ESSEX
BRISTOL COUNTIES IN MASSACHUSETTS.AS WELL AS THE LWR
ELEVATIONS OF WORCESTER & FRANKLIN COUNTIES IN MASSACHUSETTS
AND CNTL HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY NH. THIS ADVISORY ALSO
INCLUDES INTERIOR WA COUNTY IN RI.

HEAT INDICES WILL REACH 100 TO 104 DEGREES FOR SEVERAL HRS THIS

AFTERNOON. ACTUAL AIR TEMPS WILL SOAR INTO THE UPPER 90S
WITH INCREASING HUMIDITY LEVELS.

PROLONGED OUTDOOR WORK OR EXERCISE IN THESE CONDITIONS CAN RESULT
IN HEAT EXHAUSTION OR EVEN HEAT STROKE.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS.

A HEAT ADVISORY IS ISSUED WHEN HIGH HUMIDITIES ARE EXPECTED TO
COMBINE WITH HOT TEMPS RESULTING IN HEAT INDICES OF
100 DEGREES OR GREATER. AVOID PROLONGED WORK IN THE SUN OR IN
POORLY VENTILATED AREAS.  ALSO.DRINK PLENTY OF WATER & TRY TO
STAY IN AN AIR CONDITIONED ENVIRONMENT.

&&

$$

CTZ002>004-MAZ005-010>014-017-018-026-NHZ012-RIZ001>005-062300-

/O.CON.KBOX.HT.Y.0002.100706T1600Z-100706T2300Z/
HARTFORD CT-TOLLAND CT-WINDHAM CT-CNTL MIDDLESEX MA-
EASTERN HAMPSHIRE MA-EASTERN HAMPDEN MA-SOUTHERN WORCESTER MA-
WESTERN NORFOLK MA-SOUTHEAST MIDDLESEX MA-NORTHERN BRISTOL MA-
WESTERN PLYMOUTH MA-NORTHERN MIDDLESEX MA-EASTERN HILLSBOROUGH NH-
NORTHWEST PROVIDENCE RI-SOUTHEAST PROVIDENCE RI-WESTERN KENT RI-
EASTERN KENT RI-BRISTOL RI-
INCLUDING THE CITIES OF.HARTFORD.WINDSOR LOCKS.UNION.
VERNON.PUTNAM.WILLIMANTIC.FRAMINGHAM.LOWELL.AMHERST.
NORTHAMPTON.SPRINGFIELD.MILFORD.WORCESTER.FOXBORO.
NORWOOD.CAMBRIDGE.TAUNTON.BROCKTON.AYER.MANCHESTER.
NASHUA.FOSTER.SMITHFIELD.PROVIDENCE.WEST GREENWICH.
WARWICK.BRISTOL

440 AM EDT TUE JUL 6 2010

HEAT ADVISORY REMAINS IN EFFECT FROM NOON TODAY TO 7 PM EDT
THIS EVENING.

A HEAT ADVISORY REMAINS IN EFFECT FROM NOON TODAY TO 7 PM EDT
THIS EVENING.

THIS HEAT ADVISORY IS FOR N. CT.ALL OF RHODE

ISLAND EXCEPT FOR NEWPORT COUNTY & BLOCK ISLAND.CNTL AND

EASTERN MASSACHUSETTS AWAY FROM THE COAST.& THE MERRIMACK
VALLEY IN S. NH.

HEAT INDICES WILL REACH 100 TO 104 DEGREES FOR SEVERAL HRS THIS

AFTERNOON. ACTUAL AIR TEMPS WILL SOAR INTO THE UPPER 90S
WITH INCREASING HUMIDITY LEVELS.

PROLONGED OUTDOOR WORK OR EXERCISE IN THESE CONDITIONS CAN RESULT
IN HEAT EXHAUSTION OR EVEN HEAT STROKE.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS.

A HEAT ADVISORY IS ISSUED WHEN HIGH HUMIDITIES ARE EXPECTED TO
COMBINE WITH HOT TEMPS RESULTING IN HEAT INDICES OF
100 DEGREES OR GREATER. AVOID PROLONGED WORK IN THE SUN OR IN
POORLY VENTILATED AREAS.  ALSO.DRINK PLENTY OF WATER & TRY TO
STAY IN AN AIR CONDITIONED ENVIRONMENT.

&&

$$

BELK




To make changes to your email profile or to unsubscribe
Go to....
http://www.EmergencyEmail.ORG
click on the UPDATE E-mail Link
----

THE EMERGENCY EMAIL & WIRELESS NETWORK
http://www.EmergencyEmail.org

--
Karl A. Hakkarainen
www.roasterboy.com

WEATHER ALERT for MA - Worcester County

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: EmergencyEmail.ORG <bounced@emergencyemailnetwork.net>
Date: Tue, Jul 6, 2010 at 4:40 AM
Subject: WEATHER ALERT for MA - Worcester County
To: kh@queenlake.com

Your CURRENT SEVERE Weather RADAR MAP Link...
http://www.emergencyemail.org/weathergetWANG1.asp?src=DS.p19r0/si.kBOX

REFER OTHERS in your area
to get FREE Severe Weather Alerts.
http://www.EmergencyEmail.org?src=wxem

SEVERE WEATHER ALERT LINK

http://www.EmergencyEmail.org/wxl/wxl25027-16853.17.asp

YOUR LOCAL FORECAST
http://www.Emergencyemail.org/wx/us/MA/25027.asp

DANGEROUS HEAT INDICES EXPECTED TODAY.

MAZ003-004-006-008-009-015-016-020-NHZ015-RIZ006-062300-
/O.EXA.KBOX.HT.Y.0002.100706T1600Z-100706T2300Z/
EASTERN FRANKLIN MA-NORTHERN WORCESTER MA-WESTERN ESSEX MA-
WESTERN HAMPSHIRE MA-WESTERN HAMPDEN MA-SUFFOLK MA-
EASTERN NORFOLK MA-SOUTHERN BRISTOL MA-
WESTERN & CNTL HILLSBOROUGH NH-WA RI-
INCLUDING THE CITIES OF.GREENFIELD.ORANGE.BARRE.
FITCHBURG.LAWRENCE.CHESTERFIELD.BLANDFORD.BOSTON.
QUINCY.FALL RIVER.NEW BEDFORD.PETERBOROUGH.WEARE.
NARRAGANSETT.WESTERLY
440 AM EDT TUE JUL 6 2010

HEAT ADVISORY IN EFFECT FROM NOON TODAY TO 7 PM EDT THIS
EVENING.

THE NATL WEATHER SVC IN TAUNTON HAS ISSUED A HEAT

ADVISORY.WHICH IS IN EFFECT FROM NOON TO 7 PM EDT THIS EVENING.

THIS HEAT ADVISORY IS FOR INTERIOR PORTIONS OF SUFFOLK.ESSEX
BRISTOL COUNTIES IN MASSACHUSETTS.AS WELL AS THE LWR
ELEVATIONS OF WORCESTER & FRANKLIN COUNTIES IN MASSACHUSETTS
AND CNTL HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY NH. THIS ADVISORY ALSO
INCLUDES INTERIOR WA COUNTY IN RI.

HEAT INDICES WILL REACH 100 TO 104 DEGREES FOR SEVERAL HRS THIS

AFTERNOON. ACTUAL AIR TEMPS WILL SOAR INTO THE UPPER 90S
WITH INCREASING HUMIDITY LEVELS.

PROLONGED OUTDOOR WORK OR EXERCISE IN THESE CONDITIONS CAN RESULT
IN HEAT EXHAUSTION OR EVEN HEAT STROKE.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS.

A HEAT ADVISORY IS ISSUED WHEN HIGH HUMIDITIES ARE EXPECTED TO
COMBINE WITH HOT TEMPS RESULTING IN HEAT INDICES OF
100 DEGREES OR GREATER. AVOID PROLONGED WORK IN THE SUN OR IN
POORLY VENTILATED AREAS.  ALSO.DRINK PLENTY OF WATER & TRY TO
STAY IN AN AIR CONDITIONED ENVIRONMENT.

&&

$$

CTZ002>004-MAZ005-010>014-017-018-026-NHZ012-RIZ001>005-062300-

/O.CON.KBOX.HT.Y.0002.100706T1600Z-100706T2300Z/
HARTFORD CT-TOLLAND CT-WINDHAM CT-CNTL MIDDLESEX MA-
EASTERN HAMPSHIRE MA-EASTERN HAMPDEN MA-SOUTHERN WORCESTER MA-
WESTERN NORFOLK MA-SOUTHEAST MIDDLESEX MA-NORTHERN BRISTOL MA-
WESTERN PLYMOUTH MA-NORTHERN MIDDLESEX MA-EASTERN HILLSBOROUGH NH-
NORTHWEST PROVIDENCE RI-SOUTHEAST PROVIDENCE RI-WESTERN KENT RI-
EASTERN KENT RI-BRISTOL RI-
INCLUDING THE CITIES OF.HARTFORD.WINDSOR LOCKS.UNION.
VERNON.PUTNAM.WILLIMANTIC.FRAMINGHAM.LOWELL.AMHERST.
NORTHAMPTON.SPRINGFIELD.MILFORD.WORCESTER.FOXBORO.
NORWOOD.CAMBRIDGE.TAUNTON.BROCKTON.AYER.MANCHESTER.
NASHUA.FOSTER.SMITHFIELD.PROVIDENCE.WEST GREENWICH.
WARWICK.BRISTOL

440 AM EDT TUE JUL 6 2010

HEAT ADVISORY REMAINS IN EFFECT FROM NOON TODAY TO 7 PM EDT
THIS EVENING.

A HEAT ADVISORY REMAINS IN EFFECT FROM NOON TODAY TO 7 PM EDT
THIS EVENING.

THIS HEAT ADVISORY IS FOR N. CT.ALL OF RHODE

ISLAND EXCEPT FOR NEWPORT COUNTY & BLOCK ISLAND.CNTL AND

EASTERN MASSACHUSETTS AWAY FROM THE COAST.& THE MERRIMACK
VALLEY IN S. NH.

HEAT INDICES WILL REACH 100 TO 104 DEGREES FOR SEVERAL HRS THIS

AFTERNOON. ACTUAL AIR TEMPS WILL SOAR INTO THE UPPER 90S
WITH INCREASING HUMIDITY LEVELS.

PROLONGED OUTDOOR WORK OR EXERCISE IN THESE CONDITIONS CAN RESULT
IN HEAT EXHAUSTION OR EVEN HEAT STROKE.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS.

A HEAT ADVISORY IS ISSUED WHEN HIGH HUMIDITIES ARE EXPECTED TO
COMBINE WITH HOT TEMPS RESULTING IN HEAT INDICES OF
100 DEGREES OR GREATER. AVOID PROLONGED WORK IN THE SUN OR IN
POORLY VENTILATED AREAS.  ALSO.DRINK PLENTY OF WATER & TRY TO
STAY IN AN AIR CONDITIONED ENVIRONMENT.

&&

$$

BELK




To make changes to your email profile or to unsubscribe
Go to....
http://www.EmergencyEmail.ORG
click on the UPDATE E-mail Link
----

THE EMERGENCY EMAIL & WIRELESS NETWORK
http://www.EmergencyEmail.org

--
Karl A. Hakkarainen
www.roasterboy.com

Don't make me come out there and think

I usually try to give family and friends fair warning when I launch into big thoughts. To paraphrase Arlo Guthrie, it's usually the case that, when I get to thinking, I'm usually not any better off after I'm done than when I started.
My mother often said, and I've often quoted her as saying, that she was planting winter wheat. The things that she was doing wouldn't be completed in her lifetime, but would, with proper attention by family and friends, yield a good and early crop.
With the passing of Sandra's father, I've been wondering what crops will we bring forth from his life. What crops did we bring from my parents, grandparents, other relatives, friends? What of those friends who died by their own hands or, in pretty much the same way, by too much booze, too many drugs, too much of everything? You see, it isn't always wheat that we're planting. Sometimes, it's thistles. Sometimes, it's poison ivy. Sometimes, as any New England farmer will tell you, it's just rocks that we'll harvest.
See? This is where too much thinking tangles up the metaphors and leaves us not much better off. Our language gets all twisted up and we don't know what we're talking about or what we're gonna do next.

Don't make me come out there and think

I usually try to give family and friends fair warning when I launch into big thoughts. To paraphrase Arlo Guthrie, it's usually the case that, when I get to thinking, I'm usually not any better off after I'm done than when I started.
My mother often said, and I've often quoted her as saying, that she was planting winter wheat. The things that she was doing wouldn't be completed in her lifetime, but would, with proper attention by family and friends, yield a good and early crop.
With the passing of Sandra's father, I've been wondering what crops will we bring forth from his life. What crops did we bring from my parents, grandparents, other relatives, friends? What of those friends who died by their own hands or, in pretty much the same way, by too much booze, too many drugs, too much of everything? You see, it isn't always wheat that we're planting. Sometimes, it's thistles. Sometimes, it's poison ivy. Sometimes, as any New England farmer will tell you, it's just rocks that we'll harvest.
See? This is where too much thinking tangles up the metaphors and leaves us not much better off. Our language gets all twisted up and we don't know what we're talking about or what we're gonna do next.

Obituary for Woody MacGregor

Harold "Woodrow" MacGregor

At his residence in Cardigan North on Saturday, July 3, 2010, of Harold "Woodrow" MacGregor, age 91 years. Beloved husband of Marian (nee Bradford). Loving father of Sandy (Karl) Hakkarainen, John (Suanne), Barbara (Craig) Ball and Scott (Valeria), all from Massachusetts. Cherished grandfather of Michael (Lynn) and Adam (Jennifer) Hakkarainen, Lori MacGregor, Timothy and Matthew Ball, Russel, Phillip and Scott MacGregor and great-grandfather of Michael, Matthew, Joseph, Krista, Tess, Cassie and Lily. Pre-deceased by sister Marie Woodward and brother Arthur MacGregor. Resting at Ferguson's Montague Funeral Home until Tuesday, then to St. Andrew's Presbyterian, Cardigan for funeral service at 2 p.m. No visitation by personal request. If so desired, memorials to the St. Andrew's Presbyterian Church, Cardigan would be appreciated. www.fergusonsfh.com

Obituary Posted By Ferguson Funeral Homes Ltd., 

In Memoriam.ca 

via Charlottetown, The Guardian: Covers Prince Edward Island Like The Dew

Obituary for Woody MacGregor

Harold "Woodrow" MacGregor

At his residence in Cardigan North on Saturday, July 3, 2010, of Harold "Woodrow" MacGregor, age 91 years. Beloved husband of Marian (nee Bradford). Loving father of Sandy (Karl) Hakkarainen, John (Suanne), Barbara (Craig) Ball and Scott (Valeria), all from Massachusetts. Cherished grandfather of Michael (Lynn) and Adam (Jennifer) Hakkarainen, Lori MacGregor, Timothy and Matthew Ball, Russel, Phillip and Scott MacGregor and great-grandfather of Michael, Matthew, Joseph, Krista, Tess, Cassie and Lily. Pre-deceased by sister Marie Woodward and brother Arthur MacGregor. Resting at Ferguson's Montague Funeral Home until Tuesday, then to St. Andrew's Presbyterian, Cardigan for funeral service at 2 p.m. No visitation by personal request. If so desired, memorials to the St. Andrew's Presbyterian Church, Cardigan would be appreciated. www.fergusonsfh.com

Obituary Posted By Ferguson Funeral Homes Ltd., 

In Memoriam.ca 

via Charlottetown, The Guardian: Covers Prince Edward Island Like The Dew

Familiarity with spelling desired, but not required

via Malden MA Technical Writer Boston, MA job on HelpWantedWorcester.com

Familiarity with spelling desired, but not required

via Malden MA Technical Writer Boston, MA job on HelpWantedWorcester.com

H.L. Mencken -Declaration of Independence in American

Even though we're off by two, according to John Adams (The Second Day of July 1776, will be the most memorable Epocha, in the History of America.), let us celebrate this most American holiday by re-reading our Declaration in American:
H.L. Mencken -Declaration of Independence in American: "And we swear on the Bible on this proposition, one and all, and agree to stick to it no matter what happens, whether we win or we lose, and whether we get away with it or get the worst of it, no matter whether we lose all our property by it or even get hung for it."