Financial help for students

The Bristol County Savings charitable foundation has pledged $250,000 over five years to Bridgewater State College for financial aid to first-generation college students and others who might not otherwise be able to afford higher education. E. Dennis Kelly Jr., bank president and CEO, recently presented the first of five installments of $50,000 to Bridgewater State College president Dana Mohler-Faria. Kelly is chairman of the Bridgewater State College Foundation and a supporter of the school's capital campaign to raise in excess of $15 million. - Christine Wallgren

HEROIC DEEDS - Four local residents will be honored as heroes by My Turn Inc. for their work in the community. My Turn is a social-service agency targeting at-risk students ages 14-21. At the group's Going Places Gala on Nov. 2, Robert Gustafson, president and CEO of Crescent Credit Union, will be named a business hero; Fred Clark, chairman of the Massachusetts Board of Higher Education, will be named a community hero; state Senator Robert S. Creedon Jr. will be given a government hero award; and Donnaree Wynter, admissions counselor at Pine Manor College and a former My Turn participant, will be named alumni hero. The ceremony is at 7 p.m. at the F1 Boston, 290 Wood Road, Braintree. Tickets are $100. Contact My Turn at 508-580-2659, ext. 206. - Milton Valencia

MEETING ON WESTWOOD STATION - Residents are encouraged to attend a special meeting tomorrow on the proposed Westwood Station development. Selectmen called the meeting to present their objections to the project's Final Environmental Impact Report. The public comment period ends Oct. 25 and residents are also invited to submit written comments to the Massachusetts Executive Office of Environmental Affairs. Selectmen chairman Bob Burr said the town's chief concern is the impact of traffic on neighboring communities. The meeting will be at 6:30 p.m. at the public library. - Elaine Cushman Carroll

DEVELOPER SEEKS APPROVAL TO REGRADE - A potential developer of 127 acres in North Carver is seeking permission to regrade the site to make it more attractive to possible tenants. Once targeted as a dump site by owner Ed Whitworth, the property at the intersection of routes 44 and 58 was the site of an earth-removal project. Engineering and Management Services of Rochester, which holds a purchase-and-sale agreement on the property, wants to regrade it. The Planning Board has scheduled a hearing on the request for Nov. 20 at Town Hall. - Robert Knox

CLEANER HEAT - Alvin Hollis, a Weymouth-based fuel supplier, has dedicated its new oil terminal in East Bridgewater, with its 40,000-gallon capacity, to storing a fuel oil blend called bioheat. Bioheat is a more environmentally friendly heating oil, company representatives say, created from a mixture of traditional oil and American-grown vegetable oils. It creates 10 percent less emissions than traditional oil, and will extend the life of oil burners, according to company representatives. Company president Len Bicknell said the average fuel user will see an increase of about $70 in heating costs due to the switch. Customers have been notified, Bicknell said. - Christine Wallgren

LOUD AND CLEAR - The bell at the historic Unity Church on Main Street will ring this month for the first time since May, when a large restoration project began on the bell tower. The ceremonial ringing on Oct. 25 will be part of a fund-raiser for the $2 million restoration. Local historian Ed Hands will give a presentation - "A Passion for Stained Glass - An Evening of La Farge and Fromage" - that will explain the history of stained glass with an emphasis on the techniques used on the work inside Unity Church. The presentation will also focus on the career of stained-glass master John La Farge, who created two windows in the church. The event, which will include a wine and cheese reception, will be at 7:30 p.m. at the church, 13 Main St. Tickets are $25 in advance or $30 at the door. - Milton Valencia

FIELDS TO OPEN IN SPRING - Work is finished on three athletic fields built by the developers of the coming mixed-use development off Payson Road at the site of the former Foxborough State Hospital, said recreation director Deborah Giardino. The fields, which will not open until the grass has grown in the spring, were part of a deal developers made with the state and the town for reuse of the site. The land was deeded to the town for recreation purposes; who will pay for the fields' upkeep and electricity bills has yet to be established. - Joan Wilder

WEEDING APPROVED - The Conservation Commission has approved weeding for the western section of West Monponsett Pond and along Stump Brook to the Brockton Dam. Conservation agent Mary Guiney said the work should be done this month by Lycott Environmental of Southbridge with a mechanical harvester. The weeding will help with water flow, although Guiney noted both East and West Monponsett Ponds, as well as the brook, are at low levels. - Christine Wallgren

SECOND ACT FOR STATION - Officials are exploring possible uses of the former police station on Route 58. Town administrator Michael Finglas said one idea being considered is to lease the building for a nominal fee to youth sports organizations to use for office space, meetings, storage, and other purposes. Several baseball fields and a skateboard park are adjacent to the building, which has been vacant since the Police Department relocated in July to its new station on Route 27. Finglas said use of the building is expected to be discussed by selectmen in the coming weeks. - John Laidler

SWIMMING IN RED - The position of community recreation director, held by Bud Deyo for the past 16 months, is being eliminated Oct. 31 to save money, said Stephen J. Furtado, superintendent of the Freetown-Lakeville Regional School District. The move will save the position's $40,000 annual salary; last year, the Austin School swimming pool, which community recreation oversees, ran a $90,000 deficit. - Paul E. Kandarian

WATER WARNING - Hydrant flushing has begun and residents are warned to check their water prior to running their washing machines or dishwashers. Flushing will be done between 10 p.m. and 6 a.m., and areas scheduled will be posted each day on the town's cable access channel 15. Residents without cable may call the DPW office at 508-261-7330 for a schedule. Residents with medical issues that might be affected by rusty water are encouraged to contact the Water Division to find out when flushing will take place. Questions can be directed to Kurt Gaffney, water division operations manager, or Steve Bishop, water division chief operator, at 508-261-7376. - Christine Wallgren

LAST CALL - The last day to register to vote in the Nov. 5 special Town Meeting is Oct. 26. The clerk's office is open that day from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. for late registration. Mail-in voting forms are also available at the office at the Marion Town House on Spring Street. The special Town Meeting starts at 7 p.m. at Sippican School on Spring Street. - Paul E. Kandarian

KENO AT RICK'S - Rick's Tavern at 35 County Road has received a state license to run a Keno game. In April, selectmen approved transfer of a liquor license for the bar from Brad's Inc. to Richard Cole of Mattapoisett, when Cole took over the business and renamed it Rick's Tavern Inc. - Paul E. Kandarian

WETLANDS PRESERVED - An event hosted by resident Edward Parks, longtime owner of Black Brook Ranch, recently celebrated the conservation of more than 440 acres of woods and wetlands surrounding an important regional water supply. Parks recently sold about 230 acres of the ranch bordering the brook to the Department of Fish and Game for $410,000. Parks sold a permanent conservation restriction on another 160 acres of forest and hayfields to the Nature Conservancy, Middleborough, and New Bedford. In addition, Middleborough residents Robert and Rollande Cardin sold a conservation restriction on nearly 50 acres of adjacent forestland bordering Black Brook. The conservation restriction cost $1.6 million, paid for with state grants and contributions from several nonprofits. The conservation will help protect the primary source of freshwater for the eastern half of the Assawompset Ponds, which provide drinking water to New Bedford, Taunton, Lakeville, and seven other neighboring towns. - Christine Wallgren

DECISION TIME ON FUNDING -The Capital Planning Committee will meet at 5:30 p.m. tomorrow in Town Hall to make final recommendations on a long list of capital items awaiting funding. Voters recently defeated a $1.9 million debt exclusion that would have covered the cost. Town Manager James Purcell, who chairs the committee, will recommend that all items on the list, other than a compressor to fill air packs for firefighters, be put on the back burner due to lack of funding. Since emergency repairs to the Yelle Elementary and the middle school have already been done, the temporary $1 million loan that is covering those costs will be converted to long-term borrowing, Purcell said. - Christine Wallgren

PROMOTING PEDESTRIAN SAFETY - The town will hoist a banner in town center two or three times this year to remind drivers to be mindful of pedestrians in school areas. The 30-foot banner, which was scheduled to go up late last week, was designed by Mercedes Bias, a Norwood High School graduate who is now a freshman at Johnson and Wales University. It features a sketch of footprints on a sidewalk and the slogan, "Watch for pedestrians, make a difference." The town's Pedestrian Safety Committee chose the design from 26 student submissions last school year. "Between the simplicity of the slogan and the artwork, it's a very attractive banner," said Mark Ryan, town engineer. Selectmen set up the Pedestrian Safety Committee after Norwood High student Allison White was struck and killed by a car in 2004 while she was walking to school. The banner will hang for about two weeks at a time. - James Vaznis

HEARING ON COMPLAINTS - In a hearing at 7 p.m. Tuesday at Town Hall, Gilbert Lopes, owner of New England Recycling, will have to explain to selectmen how he plans to address complaints lodged by residents of Regan's Circle. Homeowners have complained about noise, dust, and odor from the operation, according to health agent Alan Perry, who said Lopes has hired an engineer to help resolve some issues. - Christine Wallgren

TOWN MEETING REGISTRATION - The last day for residents to register to vote at the Nov. 5 special Town Meeting is Oct. 26, said Town Clerk Marlene Chused, when the clerk's office will be open from 8:30 a.m. to 8 p.m. Mail-in registration forms are available at the post office and library, but must be postmarked by the 26th. The special Town Meeting will start at 7 p.m. in the Sharon High School auditorium. There are about 11,600 registered voters in town out of a population of 18,000, Chused said. - Franci Richardson Ellement

A RASH OF ROBBERIES -In 20 years with the Stoughton Police Department, Tom Murphy said he's never seen anything like the string of robberies that have hit the town since summer. Murphy said that just after 8:30 p.m. on Oct. 4 a robber apparently jammed a handgun into the hip of a Park Street gas station attendant before making off with $40. It was the ninth robbery of a business in town since July 1. Without any arrests, Murphy said detectives are having a difficult time determining if any of the crimes are related. "My speculation is that these robberies are likely driven by the need for drug money to feed a habit," he said. Despite the alleged use of firearms in a few of the robberies, no one has been injured, said Murphy. "Gas station attendants and store clerks need to be cautious and keep an eye out for any suspicious activity," he said. "The department is working hard to solve these." - Robert Carroll

SCHOOLS SEEKING FUNDS - Annual fall Town Meeting begins tomorrow at 7:30 p.m. at the high school. Among 10 articles is a petition from the School Committee requesting supplemental funding from the town's free cash; establishing a capital reserve stabilization fund; a request for support of the town's housing production plan; and a proposed zoning change. The warrant is available at Town Hall and online by visiting th.walpole.ma.us and clicking on Board of Selectmen, then Fall Town Meeting. - Joan Wilder

TOWN MEETING - Town Meeting will start Oct. 22 at 7 p.m. in the Wareham High School auditorium. Residents who registered to vote before Oct. 2 are eligible to vote on 41 warrant articles. Copies of the warrant are available on wareham.ma.us. - Emily Sweeney

HEARING ON ALCOHOL SALES - On Tuesday the Board of Selectmen will hold a public hearing on alleged violations by three local establishments of state law forbidding sale of alcohol to a minor. The violations stem from a police sting Aug. 29, according to the selectmen's office. Blue Star Chinese Restaurant, 4 South Main St.; River Bend Country Club, 250 East Center St.; and Town Line General Store, 450 East Center St. all allegedly sold and/or served alcohol to a minor during the sting. The hearings will be held at 7:30 p.m. within the selectmen's meeting, which will be held at 7 p.m. at Town Hall. - John Laidler

SPECIAL EDUCATION REVIEW - The state Department of Education this fall is reviewing the school district's compliance with state and federal rules covering special education, civil rights, and English as a second language programs. The review includes on-site school inspections in December and examination of student records. About 15 percent of the district's 3,000 students qualify for special education services, according to the state education department. Audrey Seyffert, the district's director of student services, will give a presentation on the review to the School Committee on Thursday. The state education department is expected to issue its report next spring. - James Vaznis