Clockers’girls tennisslams Norton, 5-0  SEE PAGE 15

 SPORTS

Ashland moms runmarathon for library  SEE PAGE 3

FEATURE

Community Newspaper Company I Vol. 22, No. 49 APRIL 9, 2009 28 Pages I 3 Sections 75¢

Opinion Page 4

 Town Report Page 2

Events Page 7

Classified Page 1cc

Complete index on page 2

 TABASHLANDCOMING

UPCOMING

UPin Ashland

 w w w . w i c k e d l o c a l . c o m / a s h l a n d

Rabies clinic Saturdayaids MetroWestHumane Society

The Farmer’s Exchange and lue Seal are hosting a rabieslinic benefit for the MetroWest umane Society Saturday, April

11, rain or shine, at thearmer’s Exchange, 72 Nicker-on Road, Ashland.Vaccinations will be available

rom 1 to 3 p.m., with a veteri-arian from Healthy Paws.

Other activities go until 4 p.m.n addition to vaccinations, de-leaing and de-worming med-cations, Blue Seal staff willnswer pet feeding questions.ops-N-Lops Bunny Rescueill show how to trim a bunny’sails and ear care. Meet with staff and volunteersrom MetroWest Humane soci-ty to discuss pet behavior prob-ems or adopting a pet. Take ahance to win a year’s supply of 

World’s Best cat litter. There wille prizes and free samples.The cost to vaccinate is $15;

istemper, $15; rabies and dis-emper, $25; wormer, $5; and or the spring tune-up (every-hing), $40.Cats, including barn cats or 

emi-feral cats, are welcome inarriers. Bunnies must be inarriers and dogs on leashes.ring a muzzle if your dog mayite. For more information, visit ww.webpaws.com/mwhs or e-ail mwhspaw@yahoo.com.

Get creative for Ashland Emergency

FundThe Ashland Rallying Togeth-

r Project seeks volunteers for aood sculpture exhibition to ben-  fit the Ashland Food Pantrynd Ashland Emergency Fund.Participants will design and 

uild sculptures made of canned r boxed food in a 6-by-4-by-5

 pace. A sample sculpture is onisplay at the Ashland Publicibrary. An information night is April

16, from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m., in theibrary meeting room. Entryorms are due May 1. Sculpturesill be displayed at Rediscover shland on June 20. Last year alone, the Emer-

By Aaron WassermanSTAFF WRITER

After a 90-minute debate, the SchoolCommittee Monday night could not settleon who will be the schools’next superin-tendent.

Members were divided between two of 

the three finalists for the job.Instead, committee members decided to

ask the Massachusetts Association of School Committees for input to againevaluate Ashland Assistant SuperintendentAnn Dargon and Acton-BoxboroughAssistant Superintendent Susan Horn, and

to resolve the impasse. They did not speci-fy how long the process will take.

Ashland’s schools need someone to fillthe role Richard Hoffmann has held fornine years. He is stepping down at theschool year’s end, and taking the same roleat Nauset regional schools in Cape Cod.

The committee needs a unanimous voteto appoint a new superintendent, and itbecame quickly apparent that members’opinions were split. While everyone saidall the finalists are excellent candidates,Co-Chairwomen Kathy Bach and Marcia

 School board deadlocks on leader

SUPERINTENDENT, page 6 

Wash and Earn

PHOTO BY SHANE GERARDI

Don Barrett, 12, of Ashland, gets soapy during Ashland Boy Scout Troop 23’s annual car wash fundraiser Saturday at the Ashland

VFW. Proceeds went toward new equipment for the troop.

By David RileySTAFF WRITER

State officials are offering up to$201,630 in grants for projectsthat will protect or restoregroundwater in Ashland, the firststep in efforts to heal pollution-damaged natural resources alongthe Sudbury River.

Last week, the ExecutiveOffice of Energy and Environ-mental Affairs put out a requestfor proposals for groundwaterprojects in Ashland, at or near theold Nyanza dye factory site.Applications must be postmarkedby April 30.

Until the 1970s, companies atthe Nyanza site dumped tons of mercury into the Sudbury River,polluting about 26 miles of thewaterway, which runs throughmuch of MetroWest.

State and federal authoritiesreached a roughly $3 million set-tlement with the companies in1998. A portion was set asidespecifically for groundwater

Watergrants upfor grabsNyanza damagespurs funding

By Aaron WassermanSTAFF WRITER

After a lengthy hearing lastweek, town officials agreed to

ParkingproposalrevisedChanges may limitbusiness vehicles

EERIE HISTORY

NYANZA, page 6 

 Last year alone, the Emer-ency Fund and Food Pantryelped hundreds of families inshland, and demand for ser-ices has been increasing dra-atically. Rules and registration arevailable at AshlandEmergen-

 yFund.com. For more informa-ion, contact Roland Houle at  H6599-AEF@yahoo.com or 08-736-8892.

week, town officials agreed tomake adjustments to a TownMeeting article that wouldchange the rules for parkingcommercial vehicles at housesovernight.

Responding to suggestionsfrom residents, selectmen saidthey would include school busesand limousines in the new rules,clarify that someone would befined for each vehicle that is vio-lating the new bylaw, and cap atfour or five the standard-sizedcommercial pickup trucks thatcould be parked at a house.

The board will likely vote on

STAFF FILE PHOTO BY MIKE SPRING/PHOTO BY KATHLEEN CULLER

Stone’s Public House, above, is the subject of a talk at the Ashland Historical Society next Sunday. On the right, David Francis and David

Retalic search for signs of the paranormal at the inn last year.

Talk delves into ominous inn’s past The Past:

A fine spot for a burger and a beer,Stone’s Public House on Main Street haslong been just as well-known for rumorsof its haunted past. Paranormal investiga-tors last year descended on the inn, built inthe 1830s, to investigate tales of bloodyclothes in the attic and doors that refused tostay shut.

 The Present:David Francis, who investigated the inn

last year, says it has more to offer thanscary stories — it’s got history. Digginginto historical records and news accountswith help from the Ashland Historical Soci-ety’s Cliff Wilson, Francis says he can shednew light on the inn and the town it callshome.

 The Future:Francis will give a free public talk on the

history of Stone’s Public House on Sunday,April 19, at 2 p.m. at the Historical Soci-ety’s Ocean House at 2 Myrtle St. A coffeegathering will follow. Get there while youcan — this will be the nonprofit society’slast public meeting until next fall.

 — David RileyPARKING, page 6 

MarathonPHOTOSWE WANT YOUR »

 Are you training for the Boston Marathon? Do you have a family member or friend who plans to run? Or are you one of the many thousandswho will cheer along the 26.2-mile route from Hopkinton to Boston on April 20? Whatever your role, we want to showcase your photos – fromtraining and race day. Please be sure to include names and hometowns of those pictured and where the photos were taken.

SUBMITPHOTOS

Please e-mail your BOSTON

MARATHON PHOTOS to

driley@cnc.com and we’ll run

 them in our print edition and on

our Web site

 www.wickedlocal.com/ashland