By Jaclyn Reiss, Town Correspondent

Fifteen men, all but one from suburbs west of Boston, were arrested Thursday by federal agents for allegedly participating in a illegal drug ring that was based in Natick and sold large numbers of Oxycodone pills.

The arrest capped a four month investigation that included tapping the phones of the suspects, all of whom were charged with conspiracy to distribute Oxycodone, according to the office of Boston US Attorney Carmen Ortiz.

The criminal complaint filed in the case alleges that defendant Michael Bourque, 42, of Natick used his shipping company, DEX Corporation, to front the wholesale drug trafficking operation, which authorities said started as early as February 2011 and continued through this April. Bourque allegedly received the drugs through various narcotic suppliers.

According to federal authorities, the 15 men illegally purchased, sold or distributed wholesale amounts of Oxycodone.

Some of the other 14 men charged are accused of selling the pills for, or to, Bourque:

The complaint alleges that two defendants, Mark Ouellette, 43, of Shirley and Acton resident Sean Cotter, 41, distributed 700 pills to Bourque at the end of March. A search of Oulette's home found about 2,000 Oxycodone pills, over $30,000 in cash, and a loaded gun, Ortiz's office said.

The arrests come after authorities received court approval to wiretap conversations between the defendants over a period of four months, the US Attorney's office said.

“With these arrests today we hope to send a strong message that trafficking and distributing prescription pain medication will not be tolerated and we will utilize the full breadth of our law enforcement resources to bare," said John J. Arvanitis of the Drug Enforcement Administration in a statement released by Ortiz's office.

Also arrested were Waltham residents Robert Hagenaars, 37, Barry Goolst, 52, Phillip Goolst, 49, and Thomas Ehwa, 26; Natick residents Frank McGuire, 42, and Christopher Yancey, 41; Newton residents Brian Chisholm, 44, and Raymond Panaggio, 44; Michael Roy, 32, of Milford; Corey Assencoa, 43, of Hopkinton; Mark Newton, 27, of Hudson; and John Kinney, 29, of Woburn.

The charge of conspiracy to distribute Oxycodone carries a statutory maximum penalty of 20 years in prison, a lifetime of supervised release, and a $1 million fine, according to Ortiz's statement.

“The U.S. Attorney’s Office is committed to working alongside our law enforcement partners to investigate and prosecute those who wreak havoc in Massachusetts cities and towns through the distribution and sale of illegal drugs,” Ortiz said in the statement. “We will continue to keep a vigilant eye over the communities and neighborhoods that we serve in an effort to ensure the highest degree of safety and quality of life for all residents."

The case was investigated by Boston agents of the DEA, FBI, Homeland Security, IRS, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms, as well as local and state police agencies, among others.

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By John Swinconeck, Globe Correspondent

As Milford officials press for more details about the casino proposed in their town, selectmen in three neighboring communities are seeking funds to study the impact on their towns, and in at least one community, to campaign against it.

Holliston, and Medway have articles on their Town Meeting warrants that, if passed, would study the potential impact of a Milford casino.

In Medway, which holds its meeting May 13, residents will be asked to transfer $40,000 in unexpended legal funds from the current fiscal year to “to support the research, evaluation and investigation of potential casino impact on Medway, or to act in any manner relating thereto.”

Medway selectmen voted to recommend that the article be approved.

Holliston’s finance committee has recommendthat Town Meeting approve raising or transferring $100,000 for “conducting impact analyses relative to the proposed casino development.”Holliston’s meeting is May 6.

Meanwhile, an article at Hopkinton’s Town Meeting, held May 6, seeks an unspecified amount of money, that would either be raised through taxes or transferred from other funds, to pay for the town’s legal and consulting expenses “associated with its opposition to the siting of a casino in Milford.”

Hopkinton Selectmen unanimously voted to place the article on the warrant.

While the warrant article does not specify a dollar amount, according to Jamie Hellen, operations assistant to the town manager, a motion seeking its approval at the meeting will request $100,000.

Milford Town Administrator Richard A. Villani said he had no reaction to surrounding towns funding opposition to the casino.

“If they are designated as surround communities, they’re free to do what’s in the best interest in their communities,” he said.

Villani said that his town is “waiting for the developers to come back with full plans” that include impact studies on traffic, water, and schools.

“We’re talking a while here,” he said. “Getting the license–if we are even granted a license, is way off.”

Villani said the developers have rented space on Main Street so the public can speak with them about questions or concerns.

At an April 8 hearing, Milford Selectmen Chairman Brian W. Murray said he had seen no substantive effort to show firm details of the local resort casino proposal–first proposed in 2009–or to address the town’s concerns.

The $1 billion casino would consist of a gaming and hotel facility on about 210 acres of land at the intersection of Interstate 495 and Route 16. At the April 8 hearing, Foxwoods representatives said they anticipate the casino would be approximately 300,000 square feet, and include a gaming floor with 4,725 slot machines and 125 table games, a 350-room hotel, specialty restaurants, and entertainment.

Foxwoods Resort Casino became the primary developer, after Colorado developer David Nunes lost control of the venture in March.

The group Casino-Free Milford has started a petition for residents of residents of Milford, Hopkinton, Holliston, Upton, Bellingham, Hopedale, Millis, Ashland, Franklin, and Medway on the online petition platform Change.org

The petition, addressed to the governor, state Legislature, and state gaming commissioner, claims a casino would be “an assault on our quality of life,” and had gathered 2,000 electronic signatures as of March 31.

By Jaclyn Reiss, Town Correspondent

Framingham-based MetroWest Health Foundation will announce Friday that the organization will give $400,000 in grant money to build a new $770,000 health center in Milford, an area where the primary physician workforce is sharply declining, according to foundation officials.

The Health Foundation of Central Massachusetts will also announce $827,000 in grants Friday for the planning and construction of the center.

The funding for the health center comes in light of reported declining rates of physicians in the state, particularly in the central Massachusetts region, according to foundation officials.

The new 5,000 square foot health center will be located in a plaza at 42 Cape Rd. in Milford, and will serve as a satellite campus of Milford's Edward M. Kennedy Community Health Center.

The MetroWest Health Foundation's grant will go towards building and operating the new health center.

The new health center is expected to open in fall 2013, according to foundation officials.

The central Massachusetts foundation provided a portion of the $827,000 to the Milford Regional Medical Center in 2011 to start the Greater Milford Health Access Coalition, which identified building a new health center as the best way to improve access to health care.

Citing the Massachusetts Medical Society, foundation officials said the physician workforce faces significant shortages in primary care physicians, and that 94 percent of community hospitals have difficulty filling job vacancies.

Friday's event will feature speakers from the two local health foundations, state Sen. Richard Moore, and US Rep. Joseph Kennedy III, who represents the Milford area and whose great uncle is the community health center's namesake.

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By Jaclyn Reiss, Town Correspondent

The Framingham chapter of the Daughters of the Revolution has announced this year's winners of the Good Citizens Award, a nationwide program that gives recognition to local high school seniors and provides them the opportunity to apply for a college scholarship.

Now in its 80th year, the program aims to recognize and reward the qualities of good citizenship among senior high school students. The award is granted to one senior in each community within the local DAR’s district.

Candidates chosen have demonstrated outstanding character and citizenship - defined by the DAR as dependability, service, leadership and patriotism - to their school, community, and country, according to the organization.

Each "Good Citizen" was selected by the respective faculty, staff, and student government.

The following high school seniors have been selected for the award:

• Ashland: John Joyce
• Bellingham: Shane Cardinal
• Holliston: Amber Ahronian
• Hopedale: Kelsi McDougle
• Hopkinton: Brian James Doyle
• Milford: Carolyn Chaplin

Framingham did not participate in the award this year.

For more information about the Framingham DAR chapter, visit the organization's website.

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By Jaclyn Reiss, Town Correspondent

The MetroWest Health Foundation announced last week the election of Alan Geller and John Krikorian to its Board of Trustees. Both will serve three-year terms.

Geller is a Framingham resident and a senior lecturer and research scientist at the Harvard School of Public Health.

Krikorian, a Needham resident, is a physician at Charles River Medical Associates in Framingham, formerly serving as chief of medical oncology at MetroWest Medical Center. Krikorian has been a longtime member of the foundation’s distribution committee, the organization said.

Geller and Krikorian replace Henry Barr and Kevin Foley, both of Framingham, who retired from the board after serving a maximum of nine years each.

The organization also elected Dana Neshe, a Framingham resident, as the trustee board's chair. She is currently executive vice president for community banking and community relations at Middlesex Savings Bank.

Neshe said in a statement that Geller and Krikorian will bring expertise to the board.

“We are looking forward to their input as we work to establish new grantmaking priorities for the foundation,” she said.

In addition to Neshe, the foundation’s trustees elected Natick resident Joel Barrera, deputy director of the Metropolitan Area Planning Council, as vice-chair; Adam Rogers, also of Natick and a vice president and financial advisor with Credit Suisse, as treasurer; and Rosemarie Coelho, a social worker in private practice in Milford, as clerk of the board.

The foundation provides more than $4 million each year to local health programs, and has donated more than $37 million to date.

For more information about the foundation, visit the organization's website.

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By Jaclyn Reiss, Town Correspondent

The Foundation for MetroWest announced last week that it has distributed $85,500 in grants from their MetroWest Hunger Relief Fund to 39 food pantries throughout the region.

The MetroWest Hunger Relief Fund was recently established to provide more resources to local food pantries and food support organizations.

“Twenty percent of all grants requested through our discretionary grant program this year were for food support,” said Judy Salerno, executive director of the foundation. “This was a significant increase from previous years, and it showcases just how prevalent the issue of hunger is in our MetroWest region.”

Organizations that received funds include:

• Acton Community Supper
• Ashland Emergency Fund
• Open Table, Inc., Concord
• Dedham Food Pantry
• Jewish Family Services, Framingham
• United Way of Tri-Co Curtis Family Supper, Framingham
• United Way of Tri-Co Pearl Street Café, Framingham
• St. Bridget’s Food Pantry, Framingham
• Lucy & Joe’s Food Pantry, Framingham
• Hope Worldwide, Framingham
• Holliston Pantry Shelf
• Project Just Because, Hopkinton
• Hudson Community Food Pantry
• Lexington Interfaith Food Pantry
• City of Marlborough Heat & Eat
• Open Table, Inc., Maynard
• Maynard Food Pantry
• Medfield Food Cupboard
• Medway Food Pantry
• Medway Village Food Pantry
• Daily Bread Food Pantry, Milford
• Salvation Army, Milford
• Millis Ecumenical Food Pantry
• Natick Service Council
• A Place to Turn, Natick
• Needham Community Council
• United Perishes of Southborough Food Pantry
• Stow Food Pantry
• Sudbury Community Food Pantry
• Walpole Community Food Pantry
• Salvation Army, Waltham
• Middlesex Human Services Bristol Lodge, Waltham
• Grandma’s Pantry, Waltham
• J.F. & C.S. Family Table, Waltham
• Sacred Heart Church Food Pantry, Waltham
• Celebration International Food Pantry, Wayland
• Wellesley Food Pantry
• Westborough Food Pantry
• Westwood Council on Aging

The foundation’s English Family Fund has continually provided community leadership on this issue. This year, their efforts were joined by other foundation donors and fundholders in helping local families by giving to the hunger relief fund. The foundation also recently awarded $173,500 to 26 area nonprofit organizations as part of their 2012 discretionary grant program. This year, the foundation distributed approximately $1 million throughout the region, and more than $7.5 million since its inception in 1995. Foundation for MetroWest promotes philanthropy in the region, helps donors maximize the impact of their local giving, serves as a resource for local nonprofit organizations, and enhances the quality of life for all of our citizens.

For more information, please visit the foundation's website.

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The Tri-Town Chamber of Commerce has rescheduled a big business expo to November 14, after Hurricane Sandy force a postponement from its orignally scheduled Oct. 30 date. Here is a release with the details:

Mega Business EXPO at Gillette is on for November 14th. This FREE event is open to the public. If you’re interested in buying local to support the community, this is a great place to meet your local business owners in person. Learn what’s new and get your questions answered by experts in your neighborhood.

There will also be prizes, food and lots of fun. A great place to network with nearly 130 different exhibiting businesses, as well as, over 1000 other attendees! In addition Joe Andruzzi will be on hand from 5:00-7:00pm! The Mega Business Expo hours are 3:00 - 7:00 p.m. with a Business during Hours from 5:00 to 7:00 p.m. Why attend the EXPO?

• Support Buying Local
• Build New Business Connections
• Win Prizes
• Meet Joe Andruzzi
• All with a great view of Gillette Stadium

The 2012 Mega Business Expo is produced in partnership with the Tri-Town Chamber of Commerce, Neponset Valley Chamber of Commerce, and Milford Chamber of Commerce.
For more information please visit www.tri-townchamber.org or call the Tri-Town Chamber of Commerce at 508-339-5655

Want to learn about who's running for state representative and state senator in your district? Here's our voters' guide to the candidates facing off in this year's general election on Nov. 6.

STATE SENATE

Bristol and Norfolk (Medfield): James E. Timilty (D-Walpole, incumbent), Jeffrey Robert Bailey (R-Attleboro)
Click here for the Globe's coverage.

1st Middlesex (Dunstable, Groton, Pepperell): Eileen M. Donoghue (D-Lowell, incumbent), James J. Buba (R-Lowell)
Click here for the Globe's coverage.

3rd Middlesex (Bedford, Carlisle, Concord, Lincoln, Lexington, Sudbury, Waltham, Weston): Michael J. Barrett (D-Lexington), Sandi Martinez (R-Chelmsford)
Click here for the Globe's coverage.

4th Middlesex (Arlington, Lexington): Kenneth J. Donnelly (D-Arlington, incumbent), Gerry C. Dembrowski (R-Woburn)
Click here for the Globe's coverage.

1st Middlesex and Norfolk (Brookline, Newton, Wellesley): Cynthia Stone Creem (D-Newton, incumbent)

2nd Middlesex and Norfolk (Ashland, Framingham, Franklin, Holliston, Hopkinton, Medway, Natick): Karen E. Spilka (D-Ashland, incumbent)

Middlesex and Worcester (Acton, Ayer, Berlin, Bolton, Boxborough, Harvard, Hudson, Littleton, Marlborough, Maynard, Northborough, Shirley, Southborough, Stow, Sudbury, Westborough): James B. Eldridge (D-Acton, incumbent), Dean J. Cavaretta (R-Stow)
Click here for the Globe's coverage.

Norfolk, Bristol, and Middlesex (Franklin, Millis, Natick, Needham, Norfolk, Plainville, Sherborn, Wayland, Wellesley, Wrentham): Richard J. Ross (R-Wrentham, incumbent)

2nd Suffolk and Middlesex (Belmont, Watertown): William N. Brownsberger (D-Belmont, incumbent), Steven W. Aylward (R-Watertown)
Click here for the Globe's coverage.

1st Worcester (Boylston, Northborough): Harriette L. Chandler (D-Worcester, incumbent)

2nd Worcester (Shrewsbury, Upton): Michael O. Moore (D-Millbury, incumbent), Stephen R. Simonian (R-Auburn)
Click here for the Globe's coverage.

Worcester and Norfolk (Bellingham, Milford): Richard T. Moore (D-Uxbridge, incumbent)

STATE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

1st Middlesex (Ayer, Dunstable, Groton, Pepperell): Sheila C. Harrington (R-Groton, incumbent)

2nd Middlesex (Littleton): James Arciero (D-Westford, incumbent), Valerie A. Wormell (R-Westford)
Click here for the Globe's coverage.

3rd Middlesex (Bolton, Hudson, Maynard, Stow): Kate Hogan (D-Stow, incumbent), Chuck S. Kuniewich, Jr. (R-Hudson)
Click here for the Globe's coverage.

4th Middlesex (Marlborough, Northborough, Westborough): Danielle Gregoire (D-Marlborough), Steven L. Levy (R-Marlborough, incumbent)
Click here for the Globe's coverage.

5th Middlesex (Millis, Natick, Sherborn): David Paul Linsky (D-Natick, incumbent), William J. Callahan (R-Natick)
Click here for the Globe's coverage.

6th Middlesex (Framingham): Chris Walsh (D-Framingham, incumbent)

7th Middlesex (Ashland, Framingham): Tom Sannicandro (D-Ashland, incumbent), Jon Andrew Fetherston (R-Ashland)
Click here for the Globe's coverage.

8th Middlesex (Holliston, Hopkinton, Southborough, Westborough): Carolyn C. Dykema (D-Holliston, incumbent), Martin A. Lamb (R-Holliston)
Click here for the Globe's coverage.

9th Middlesex (Lincoln, Waltham): Thomas M. Stanley (D-Waltham, incumbent)

10th Middlesex (Newton, Waltham, Watertown): John J. Lawn, Jr. (D-Watertown, incumbent), Francis Xavier Stanton, III (R-Waltham)
Click here for the Globe's coverage.

11th Middlesex (Newton): Kay S. Kahn (D-Newton, incumbent), Greer Tan Swiston (R-Newton)
Click here for the Globe's coverage.

12th Middlesex (Newton): Ruth S. Balser (D-Newton, incumbent)

13th Middlesex (Framingham, Marlborough, Sudbury, Wayland): Thomas P. Conroy (D-Wayland, incumbent)

14th Middlesex (Acton, Carlisle, Concord): Cory Atkins (D-Concord, incumbent), Michael J. Benn (R-Concord)
Click here for the Globe's coverage.

15th Middlesex (Lexington): Jay R. Kaufman (D-Lexington, incumbent)

21st Middlesex (Bedford): Ken Gordon (D-Bedford), Walter Zenkin (R-Burlington)
Click here for the Globe's coverage.

23rd Middlesex (Arlington): Sean Garballey (D-Arlington, incumbent), Joseph J. Monju (R-Arlington)

24th Middlesex (Arlington, Belmont): David M. Rogers (D-Cambridge), Tommasina Anne Olson (R-Belmont), James F. Gammill (Open Innovative Government-Belmont)
Click here for the Globe's coverage.

29th Middlesex (Watertown): Jonathan Hecht (D-Watertown, incumbent)

37th Middlesex (Boxborough, Harvard, Shirley): Jennifer E. Benson (D-Lunenberg, incumbent)

9th Norfolk (Medfield, Millis, Norfolk, Plainville, Wrentham): Daniel B. Winslow (R-Norfolk, incumbent)

10th Norfolk (Franklin, Medway): Jeffrey N. Roy (D-Franklin), Richard A. Eustis (R-Medway)

13th Norfolk (Dover, Needham, Medfield): Denise C. Garlick (D-Needham, incumbent)

14th Norfolk (Wayland, Wellesely, Weston): Alice Hanlon Peisch (D-Wellesley, incumbent)

15th Norfolk (Brookline): Frank Israel Smizik (D-Brookline, incumbent)

10th Suffolk (Brookline): Edward F. Coppinger (D-West Roxbury, incumbent)

15th Suffolk (Brookline): Jeffrey Sanchez (D-Jamaica Plain, incumbent)

18th Suffolk (Brookline): Michael J. Moran (D-Brighton, incumbent)

8th Worcester (Bellingham): Robert J. Dubois (D-Blackstone), Kevin J. Kuros (R-Uxbridge, incumbent)
Click here for the Globe's coverage.

9th Worcester (Upton): George N. Peterson, Jr. (R-Grafton, incumbent)

10th Worcester (Medway, Milford): John V. Fernandes (D-Milford, incumbent)

11th Worcester (Shrewsbury, Westborough): Matthew A. Beaton (R-Shrewsbury, incumbent)

12th Worcester (Berlin, Boylston, Northborough): Harold P. Naughton, Jr. (D-Clinton, incumbent)

By Jaclyn Reiss, Town Correspondent

A Milford High School guidance counselor has been put on paid administrative leave by the school system after he was arraigned this week for allegedly chasing three bicycle-riding children with his car in Framingham.

Peter Bruce, 41, of Framingham, was arraigned in Framingham District Court this Monday for the incident, which occurred this past Saturday evening.

Bruce was charged in court with three counts of assault with a dangerous weapon - his car. He was released on $750 cash bail with conditions to stay away from the children, the district attorney's office said.

Bruce could not be reached for comment.

According to the Framingham police report, the three boys - ages 10, 11, and 12 - told officers they were riding their bikes in the garage near 4 Bishop St.

When they arrived at the garage's top floor, Bruce yelled at them to get out, and began chasing them on their bikes with his car all the way down the garage, the boys told police.

A man who lived nearby saw the alleged incident from his apartment window, called the police, and ran outside to assist the children, according to the report.

None of the boys were seriously hurt or transported to the hospital, and the three said that Bruce did not make physical contact with them, Framingham Lt. Victor Pereira said.

"All boys stated they were afraid [Bruce] was going to run them over with his car, and one boy said while he was trying to get away he wiped out on his bike, and in his fall scraped his shin," Pereira said, adding that the officer who responded to the scene provided a bandage to the boy.

Police said Bruce stated that he did tell the boys riding their bikes to get out, but that was where the incident ended, and denied chasing the boys with his car.

Additionally, responding officers noticed the smell of alcohol on Bruce's breath, and said Bruce admitted to drinking during the day, according to the report.

The police report indicates that officers did not administer a sobriety test at the scene, said Pereira, adding that the tests are given on a case-by-case basis.

Bruce was arrested at the scene, Pereira said.

Bruce has worked at Milford High School for one year as a guidance, career, and academic enhancement supervisor, said Kathleen Perry, Milford assistant superintendent.

Bruce is due back in court on Aug. 22 for pretrial conference, the district attorney's office said.

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By Jaclyn Reiss, Town Correspondent

The MetroWest Regional Transit Authority will become one of many local transportation networks to partner with NuRide, the nation's largest travel rewards and rideshare matching program, to encourage residents to use greener transportation modes like public transit.

NuRide, sponsored by the Massachusetts Department of Transportation, is free for anyone living or working in Massachusetts and encourages greener trips by walking, bicycling, carpooling, or using public transit.

Members record their trips, tracking money saved and the emissions prevented, while racking up reward points through NuRide.

Members can then trade in their points for restaurant coupons, retailer discounts, and tickets to shows and attractions.

Additionally, individuals who enroll in NuRide through a Massachusetts RTA system are provided with a unique promotion code available on each of the RTA web pages, which provides an instant 1,000 point credit to new accounts, according to MassDOT.

The MWRTA is in the beginning phases of implementing NuRide into their system, said Eva Willens, MWRTA executive assistant.

"They came to the RTA about a month ago and told us about the program, and we’re very interested," Willens said, adding that MassRIDES has offered to help design the MWRTA's website implementation of NuRide.

Willens said the MWRTA will probably advertise the NuRide program inside their buses as well as on their website.

"It’s all about passengers and I think a lot of this has to do with commuters," Willens said. "If we can motivate or give more of an incentive for people to use the bus service, we’re open to all those types of options to get more people on the bus."

More RTAs have taken up the initiative. The Greater Attleboro-Taunton Regional Transit Authority, the Worcester Regional Transit Authority, the Cape Cod Regional Transit Authority, and the Pioneer Valley Transit Authority have each taken a unique approach in promoting NuRide to their customers, according to MassDOT.

There are currently 71,215 NuRide members across the United States. Since January 2003, members have taken 14,867,213 greener trips and redeemed $3,441,362 in rewards, according to the organization's website.

For additional information, please visit www.commute.com/nuride or contact Johanna Blue of MassRIDES at 617.892.6086 or Johanna.Blue@state.ma.us.

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