Archive
May 13th, 2011
Jay V. O'Dell
MORRIS PLAINS- Jay V. O'Dell, Age 86, passed away on Thursday, May 5th 2011 at Regency Grande Nursing Center in Dover.
Jay was born in Scottdale, PA and grew up in Woonsocket, R.I.
He lived in Morristown, Toms River & retired in North Carolina before moving back to Morris Plains in 2003.
He served in the United States Navy during World War II from 6/28/1943 until being honorably discharged on 4/6/1946.
Jay worked for City Federal Saving obtaining the title of the President of Southern Divisions in New Jersey before retiring in 1988.
May 12th
PAWTUCKET – Nobody wants to play extra innings on a chilly afternoon at McCoy Stadium, not when the wind is blowing hard across the outfield and runs are hard to come by.
Thursday was getaway day for the Gwinnett Braves and they certainly wanted to get on a plane and fly back home to balmy Georgia, where the temperature is 30 degrees warmer. The PawSox players wanted to finish the game, too, and enjoy a rare night off.
WOONSOCKET – A difficult fiscal year for the School Department may end on a good note despite earlier speculation to the contrary.
School Department Business Manager Stacey Busby told the School Committee on Wednesday that a budget update prepared by her department and the city’s accounting firm, Braver PC, projects school spending to stay within budget or even tally a slight surplus as the fiscal year ends on June 30.
Busby said the projection is the result of a meeting she had with representatives of the state Auditor General’s office and the city’s auditing firm, Braver, PC, on Monday.
PROVIDENCE – Supporters of same sex marriage called Rep. Peter Petrarca’s civil unions bill a separate but unequal half measure that renders gay couples as second-class citizens that is an unsatisfactory compromise to marriage equality.
Opponents of same-sex marriage painted it as a Trojan horse that will turn over decisions on the sanctity of wedlock to unelected judges and will compromise the very institution of marriage.
Lucy S. Fisher
NORTH SMITHFIELD- Lucy S. (Lund) Fisher, 87, formerly of Mowry Ave., died Thursday, May 12, 2011 in Oakland Grove Health Care Center.
Born in Pawtucket, she was the daughter of the late William and Edith (Kendrick) Lund.
Mrs. Fisher was a Secretary for North Smithfield High School for nineteen years before retiring in 1988.
Antonio V. Balasco
CUMBERLAND- Antonio V. Balasco, 87, of One Flat Street, passed away Wednesday, May 11, in the Heritage Hills Nursing Center, Smithfield. He was the husband of the late Carmela (Varrecchione) Balasco.
Born in Providence, he was the son of the late Antonio and Maria (Aucone) Balasco.
Mr. Balasco was a United States Army, World War II Veteran, and was directly involved in the infamous "Battle of the Bulge."
Sophie H. Merlet
BELLINGHAM- Sophie H. (Stefanik) Merlet, 97, of Winter St.. Bellingham, passed away peacefully on Tuesday at the Woonsocket Health & Rehabilitation Ctr. surrounded by her family at her side. She was the loving wife of the late Roland E. Merlet.
Born January 11, 1914 in Woonsocket, she was the daughter of the late John & Mary (Skalak) Stefanik.
She enjoyed spending her summers at Hampton Beach, watching the Game Show Network, and being with her family especially her Grandchildren & Great Great Grandchildren.
May 11th
PAWTUCKET – There’s always been a soft spot in Tommy Harper’s heart for Jacoby Ellsbury. That’s why it pained Harper, a 15-year big league veteran, to see the Red Sox speedster get abused and mistreated – both from media members and teammates alike – the way he did in 2010.
“A lot of people turned on him,” noted Harper on a visit to McCoy Stadium Wednesday night. “Sometimes in team meetings, you would give an opinion, but it stays right there. But if a media person says it, it’s all over because it’s out in the public.”
WOONSOCKET --- The national spotlight could be on Joe Gardner again.
The Woonsocket Boxing Club fighter and EBA (Eastern Boxing Association) New England light heavyweight champion will step into the ring for his first fight outside New England and on the undercard of Saturday night’s “Super Six World Boxing Classic” at the Home Depot Center in Carson, Calif.
Gardner (7-2-1, 1 KO) will fight super middleweight prospect and 2008 U.S. Olympian Shawn Estrada (11-0, 10 KOs) in a six-round battle that highlights a seven-fight undercard and expects to be the swing bout on the night’s slate.
PROVIDENCE — If the state is going to talk about “shared sacrifice” to help eliminate a $300 million budget deficit, then those at the very highest income levels should be asked to sacrifice as well, a freshman state representative said Tuesday.
