Charlie Baker, candidate for Governor, to speak at BSU on Friday

As part of its 2010 Massachusetts Gubernatorial Edition of its Distinguished Speaker Series, The Center for Legislative Studies at Bridgewater State University will welcome Charlie Baker to campus on Friday, October 22 from 2:30 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. 

Baker will discuss major policy issues with which the state is struggling, as well as how he would address those issues if he were elected governor.

The event will be held in the Large Ballroom of the Rondileau Campus Center on Park Avenue.

For more information, visit www.bridgew.edu/cls or http://www.charliebaker2010.com/

25th Annual Autumnfest a Success

The Bridgewater Business Association held its 25^th annual Autumnfest on Saturday on the quadrangle of Bridgewater State College. 

Thousands of spectators browsed the rows of local vendors throughout the day’s family event sponsored by the Bridgewater Business Association.

This year’s vendors included everything from hair salons to plumbers, as well as political candidates to Bridgewater-Raynham Regional High School National Honor Society and the Bridgewater Fourth of July Committee. 

Lisa Buzzell-Curley, director of America’s Little Angels Preschool, had a booth at this year’s Autumnfest to promote her schools in Bridgewater and Easton.  

“We offer a great military and twin discount,” says Curley. 

The event also featured a food court, crafts, face painting, child identification kits, Barn Babies, inflatables, a rock-climbing wall, a touch-a-truck area and a raffle table.

Proceeds will go to the BBA’s Charity Fund which (along with the proceeds from the town’s annual Christmas on the Common) helps Bridgewater families in need for expenses such as paying a gas or electric bill, or buying groceries.

For more information, visit www.autumnfest.net or www.bridgewaterbiz.biz  [end][end]

President Clinton's visit activates Bridgewater CERT team on Sunday

PRESIDENT CLINTON’S VISIT ACTIVATES BRIDGEWATER CERT TEAM

Former President Bill Clinton’s visit to Taunton tomorrow has activated Bridgewater’s Community Response Team.

“We don’t know what we’ll be doing, we won’t find out until we get there,” says Bridgewater’s CERT Coordinator John Mitchell, noting the team is likely to help with traffic or crowd control.  “When would you ever have the opportunity to help a President?”

President Clinton will be at the Taunton High School at 1 p.m. on Sunday, September 26 to stump for Congressman Barney Frank.  The public is welcome to attend.

Bridgewater CERT consists of a residents who have completed a 10-week course that prepares laypeople to help the town’s police and fire department's in case of an emergency.  

Twenty hours of training touches on topics like terrorism awareness, amateur radio communications, CPR, triage, basic identification of hazardous materials, light search and rescue, and basic home safety.

Bridgewater CERT is often called into action for Bridgewater’s Fourth of July and also helped the Town of Freetown after last spring’s massive floods.

The program is funded by the federal emergency management program locally through the town’s Emergency Operations Center and Fire Department. 

For more information or to register for the next CERT training, call 508-697-0900 or email BridgewaterCERT@gmail.com   [end][end]

Today is Herbert A. Wolfer Day in the Town of Bridgewater

The Board of Selectmen has proclaimed September 15, 2010 as "Herbert A. Wolfer Day" in the Town of Bridgewater. 

Wolfer recently retired after serving as the town's Sealer of Weights and Measures for 27 years.  He was surrounded by friends and family -- including his wife of 55 years, Mary -- during the proclamation Tuesday night.

Prior to serving the town in a role that he said was "a completely different type of work than what I was doing most of my life; it was physical and therefore I enjoyed it," Wolfer was a teacher for 26 years in the Randolph School District. 

"I always enjoyed working for the town of Bridgewater," said Wolfer, after a standing ovation.  "I also enjoyed commiserating with all the different merchants as I would see them once a year and chit chat." 

Selectman Stanley Kravitz, the town's retired Health Agent, worked with Wolfer for many years.

"He's the one who made sure you got a gallon of gas.  He's the one who made sure you got a pound of vegetables.  He's the one who made sure you got what you paid for," said Kravitz.

Wolfer said he is looking forward to traveling to Spain during his retirement.

One-minute Special Town Meeting approves $15,000 for library sump pump repair

In a one-minute special town meeting held Tuesday night, 11 residents voted unanimously to transfer $15,000 from the town's Capital Projects account to the Capital Projects Library Sump Pump account to pay for the repair and/or replacement of the building's current sump pumps which are not working. 

Town Moderator Mike Levy said the request was submitted by the Board of Library Trustees and unanimously supported by the Board of Selectmen, but was not acted on by the Advisory Board because "they were not notified in time."

Town Manager Troy Clarkson said the library basement has had some flooding and leakage in the past and these pumps are a preventative measure for the future.

BOS to meet on Sept 14 at 6:30 p.m.

This week's meeting of the Board of Selectmen will include a Special Town Meeting at 7 p.m. to appropriate $15,000 to the library to repair and/or replace its sump pumps. 

"In the past, they've had some flooding and some leakage, and they could potentially have some problems in the future," says Town Manager Troy B.G. Clarkson, noting the library's current pumps are not working.  "This is a preventative measure."

Other agenda items include two Verizon pole hearings (one for Birch Street and one for North Street), and an update on the proposed sign policy involving a possible ban of signs on the grounds of the Town Common and Academy Building. 

Clarkson says his manager's report will include follow-up discussion on issues of concern to the selectmen such as a May 2010 letter sent to the state asking for a full fail-safe MEPA (Massachusetts Environmental Protection Act) review to gauge the impacts of three state facilities -- Bridgewater State University, Massachusetts Correctional Institute at Bridgewater, and the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority commuter rail station -- on the town's local resources. 

Tuesday's meeting will begin at 6:30 p.m. at the Memorial Building, 25 South Street.  For more information or a full agenda, call 508-697-0919.

** Wednesday night police chase ends at police station **

A car chase that started in the city of Brockton, ended in Bridgewater Wednesday night after the suspect crashed his car behind the Bridgewater Police Station around 10 p.m. 

"It started in Brockton, went through West Bridgewater and ended down here," reports Bridgewater Police Chief Christopher Delmonte.  "He came across the intersection of Pleasant and Center Streets and skidded around the back side of the police station."

The Bridgewater Police Station is located at the corner of that intersection. 

Delmonte says the police officers were then able to use the garage doors to box in the suspect. 

It was not clear why the man was running from the law.  More details as they become available.