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www.wickedlocal.com/ashland

ASHLANDTAB Community Newspaper Company ■ Vol. 22, No. 46

30 Pages ■ 3 Sections

MARCH 19, 2009

Town cuts fields deal

ROUND 2 FOR YOUTH LEAGUE

COMING

UP

in Ashland

Get creative for Ashland Emergency Fund

The Ashland Rallying Together (ART) Project seeks teams of students, families, youth groups, neighborhoods, seniors and anyone else interested in a food sculpture exhibition to benefit the Ashland Food Pantry and Ashland Emergency Fund. Last year alone, these two groups helped hundreds of families in Ashland, and demand for services has been increasing dramatically. This event is a fun and creative way to feed the hungry, warm those in the cold and help those that need our help the most. Participants will design and build sculptures made entirely of canned or boxed food in a 6-by4-by-5 space. Sculptures will be displayed at Rediscover Ashland on June 20. A kickoff information night is Wednesday, March 25, from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. in the Ashland Public Library meeting room. A sample sculpture also will be on display at the library. Another info night is slated April 16 at the same time and place. Entry forms are due May 1. Rules, registration forms and detailed information are available at AshlandEmergencyFund.com. For further information, contact Roland Houle, ART Project coordinator, at [email protected] or 508-7368892.

75¢

By Aaron Wasserman STAFF WRITER

STAFF PHOTO BY MARSHALL WOLFF

Doug Glazier presents a target for Talia Romano during a workout session at Ashland’s new boxing club last Friday.

Growing boxing club finds new home The Past:

The Present:

The Future:

Ashland police launched an athletic league last fall to provide safe, energetic programs for local kids. It scored its first knockout with a free, grant-funded boxing club. Coordinated by police, certified instructors Bobby Andrews, Doug Glazier and Gina Klay brought real-life experience in the ring.

After outgrowing its home in the Ashland Middle School gym, the club just moved to a permanent home at 200 Homer Ave., next-door to Gold’s Gym. The space is provided free by Calare Properties Inc., with the help of donations from numerous local businesses, police said.

Organizers are building a proper boxing ring at the new club. The class is open to Ashland students in grades 7 to 12 and equipment is free. Parents can learn more at the Police Department, 137 Main St., or by contacting Officer David Muri at 508-8811212 or [email protected]. — David Riley

The largest ongoing development in town will substantially change under an agreement town officials approved last week. Fafard Real Estate and Development Corp., which is building Village of the Americas, will increase what it pays the town for each condominium and pay for and build an athletic field at the high school, said Town Manager John Petrin last week. In exchange, Fafard will be allowed to continue building the project’s townhouses and eliminate its mixed-use component, he said. The agreement would remove the hurdle Fafard has faced on the project’s phasing, while bringing the town more cash and part of an athletic complex that was not built as part of the new high school as intended. The agreement also depends on the Planning Board’s approval of the new site plan at its March 26 meeting. Public comment will be heard at that meeting. “I think times have changed since when this was negotiated, as to whether commercial (development) would be successful,” Petrin told School Committee FIELDS, page 5

Hate crime case goes to trial again

Ashland K-12 PTO hosts Harlem Wizards Former Ashland man to be tried a third The Ashland K-12 PTO will be

sponsoring the Harlem Wizards on Saturday, March 21, at 7 p.m. The Harlem Wizards, founded in 1962, are regarded as one of the greatest basketball showteam organizations to ever “lace it up and let ‘em fly!” They will bring their exciting performance to Ashland High School. Tickets for students and seniors are $8 in advance, $10 at the door. All other tickets are $10 in advance, $12 at the door. Advance tickets may be purchased online at www.ashlandpto.com. All proceeds will benefit the PTO.

time on federal civil rights charge

The case is now before Judge William G. Young, who schedA former Ashland man faces a uled the next trial after a conferthird trial next month on a feder- ence with attorneys last week, al hate crime charge that has left according to court documents. two previous juries unable to Authorities say Stelmach, then agree on a verdict. a member of the Outlaws MotorFederal prosecutors accuse cycle Club, attacked Alan BapStephan Stelmach, 34, of beating tiste of Waltham unprovoked as a black stranger because of his he shared appetizers with a girlrace at T.J. Spirits, an Ashland friend at the Rte. 135 bar and bar, in June 2005. restaurant. Stelmach, who has since Baptiste testified Stelmach moved to Maine, and another man was tried twice in threw him to the Federal 2007. Both profloor and beat ceedings ended him, leaving him prosecutors in mistrials bruised and accuse Stephan because jurors shaken. Witnessdeadlocked on es said they Stelmach of whether Stelheard Stelmach Meat raffles will be held beating a black use a racial slur March 21, April 4 and 18, Satur- mach was guilty of interfering and brag about days, at TJ’s Spirits, from 1 to 4 stranger at T.J. beating another p.m., with six tables of prizes. All with the alleged Spirits, an Ashland victim’s civil black man proceeds will be donated to eye rights. before the research and local charities. bar, in June 2005. attack. A year ago, a The Lions hold a live art aucfederal judge Defense attortion Saturday, March 28, with a urged both prosneys acknowlpreview at 7 p.m. and bidding at ecutors and Stelmach’s attorney edge an altercation with Bap8 p.m. Admission is $10 per perto avoid a third trial. tiste, but they have said the son and $15 per couple. There Stelmach’s lawyer, John alleged victim provoked the will be hors d’oeuvres, door LaChance of Framingham, said altercation and it had nothing to prizes, raffles and a cash bar. Prixes include a new Bose Wave at the time his client would pre- do with race. They also accused fer another trial over a plea bar- Baptiste of exaggerating his music system valued at $500. The auction will be at the War- gain if it meant admitting to a injuries. crime he says he did not commit. Jurors found a second defenren Conference Center. Another trial is slated April 13 dant implicated in the attack, in U.S. District Court in Boston. Brian McHugh, not guilty in the Judge Reginald C. Lindsay, first trial in October 2007. who oversaw both of Stelmach’s previous trials, died Thursday, (David Riley can be reached at the Associated Press reported 508-626-3919 or driley@ last week. cnc.com.)

Lions hold meat raffle, art auction

By David Riley STAFF WRITER

CONTRIBUTED

Ashland’s state champion cheerleading team is, top row from the left, Devon Miller, Mackenzie Bruce, Kari Souchuns, Kelly Mann, Katie Sheehan, Hayley Pomerantz and Kendall Beard; middle, Rebecka Fillion, Jenna Bertino, Alyssa Dorn, Marie Burke, Andrea Nanos and Ashley Haworth; bottom, Maria Podolskaya, Elise Muren, Samantha Driscoll, Allison Jenkins, Paige Lowell.

Give me a V-I-C-T-O-R-Y By David Riley STAFF WRITER

Ali Jenkins remembers being a freshman on Ashland High School’s cheerleading team, struggling to win competitions. What a difference four years can make. Now a senior captain, Jenkins helped the cheerleaders cap an undefeated season Sunday by vaulting to a Division 4 victory in a state tournament at New Bedford Regional High School. The girls beat out nine other teams in their division, including reining champs Narragansett, to bring home Ashland’s first-ever state cheering title.

“We’ve been through a lot and we’ve really worked hard and we’ve always been the underdog,” Jenkins said. “Through three coaches that I’ve had in the past four years, we’ve definitely changed and progressed.” Coach Tammi Araujo said cheering residents and an escort of Ashland police cruisers and fire trucks met the champions as they crossed the town line on their way home Sunday. “It still hasn’t completely settled in yet,” Araujo said. “I’m still trying to get accustomed to it and hearing the title.” The team faces a new challenge

Saturday when it competes in the New England championships at the University of New Hampshire. The cheerleaders’ score in Sunday’s meet also earned them a trip to Orlando for a national tournament April 9 to 12, Araujo said. Their flawless season included landing first place in the Tri-Valley League sectionals and the south sectional regional competition. Araujo said this is her first year coaching at Ashland High, but she has coached high school cheerleading for several years, CHEERLEADERS, page 5