Eldridge Co-Sponsors the Updated Bottle Bill

Eldridge among 95 legislators have co-sponsored updated bottle bill so far.

Submitted by Megan Montgomery for the Massachusetts Senate       In a sign that the Updated Bottle Bill has gained greater momentum for passage than ever this session, 95 legislators have signed on as a co-sponsor of the Updated Bottle Bill, including half of the Massachusetts State Senate.  “More than ever, legislators realize that the time to act and finally pass the Updated Bottle Bill is now,” said State Senator Jamie Eldridge, a strong supporter and co-sponsor of the bill. “Updating the Bottle Bill is a common sense law that would help increase recycling and reduce litter in our parks, along our roads and in our streams. Passing this bill has been one of my top environmental priorities and it is encouraging to see that the majority of…

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All-Natural Pet Products with a Passion in Marlborough

Pets Gone Healthy owners have combined their love for animals and their desire to run a business.

Name of Business: Pets Gone Healthy Co-Owners: Sandie and Ken Wheeler How many years have you been in business? 7.5 years What do your customers like best about your business? “We hear so many reasons [why our customers like our business],” said Sandie, “[They] like the personal service that they receive as well as the knowledge that we share with them on nutrition and petcare trends." “When we need assistance with questions, we have excellent follow up," Sandie continues,"When we say ‘we’ll get back to you’, we do! The quality of our products is [also] a big factor and most [customers] like to support the smaller, local ‘Mom and Pop’ shops.” Do you live in Marlborough? Yes, Ken and Sandie were both born and raised here. What do you like …

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Dr. Julie Silver, Helping Others Recover After Recovery

Dr. Julie Silver needed to recover and rehabilitate after she had breast cancer. She realized others need this, too.

About a year after Julie Silver, M.D., finished treatment for breast cancer, she was talking to one of her best friends, and started crying. The friend remarked, "I didn't realize this was still so hard for you. I thought you were all done. You always walk around with a smile on your face."  While the smile was sincere, Silver admits that most of the world didn't know how sick she really was. "They didn't realize how long it was to recover," said Silver. "I thought a lot about how your outward appearance can look restored, but physically you can be tired, be in pain, and have problems with endurance. I thought, 'If I fooled one of my best friends, what must the rest of the world be thinking?'" When Silver was in recovery from breast cancer…

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Athlete of the Week: Mike Yates

This Marlborough High School junior became passionate about baseball after playing just one game.

Name: Mike Yates Graduating Class: 2013 Team: Marlborough Panthers Varsity Baseball "I love pitching because I feel like I'm in control of the game," Yates explained, "I also love hitting because when I was growing up my best trait was hitting until my pitching improved." Yates started playing baseball when he was a preschooler, about 3 or 4 years old. "My cousins needed a player so I played that game and after it I just got hooked to baseball. I wanted to play everyday and my parents practiced with me all the time." Stats: Yates, thus far this season, has a 4-2 win-loss pitching record with a 1.51 earned run average (ERA) and 40 strikeouts. His batting average is .360. What's next: In the summer, Yates is attending the Bay State Games and…

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Marlborough Police Launch Click It or Ticket Campaign

The Marlborough Police Department will take part in the annual statewide safety campaign.

As part of the Marlborough Police Department's continual effort to save lives, in partnership with the Executive Office of Public Safety and Security’s (EOPSS) Highway Safety Division (HSD), the State Police and over 120 other local departments, the agency is launching a high-visibility seat belt enforcement mobilization called Click It or Ticket. The message is simple: Massachusetts drivers and passengers should always wear their seat belts or be prepared to face the consequences. During the “Click It or Ticket” mobilization, which runs from Monday, May 14 through June 3, thousands of extra state and local police will patrol the state’s streets and highways in a concerted effort to promote and enforce seat belt use with the ultimate goal …

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Athlete of the Week

Athlete of the Week: Yuuki Sato

This Marlborough High School senior sports a perfect tennis record.

Name: Yuuki Sato Graduating Class: 2012 Team: Marlborough Boys Varsity Tennis Sato said that his mother used to make him play tennis when he was younger and he started competing in the sport in 2008 when he was an eighth grader. “Other than the fact that my serves never go in, I deeply enjoy playing tennis,” Sato shared. When asked what he loved most about the sport, he said, “If I had to pick something, definitely, (it would be) the joy of ripping a winner shot down the alley. Feels way too good.” Stats: Sato remains undefeated with a 7-0 record in third singles. The team’s record is 5-2. What's next:  Sato said that he “can’t wait” to start college in the fall at Northeastern University and major in mechanical engineering. “I will …

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State Police Return to Middlesex for Sobriety Checks

The Massachusetts State Police will be on the lookout for drunk drivers in Marlborough and rest of Middlesex County Friday night into Saturday morning.

The Massachusetts State Police will be back in Middlesex County Friday evening conducting sobriety checkpoints on public roadways. The checkpoints will be in place late evening April 13 into the early morning hours of Saturday, April 14.  Motorists can expect to be randomly stopped at checkpoints on State roadways during these hours and given sobriety tests by state and local police officers. "The purpose is to further educate the motoring public and strengthen the public’s awareness to the need of detecting and removing those motorists who operate under the influence of alcohol and/or drugs from our roadways," said Colonel Marian J. McGovern, Superintendent of the Massachusetts State Police, in a press release. "It will be operated during…

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Marlborough Resident Running His 10th Marathon

Peter Binkewicz is a member of the Dana-Farber Marathon Challenge in this year's Boston Marathon.

Name: Peter Binkewicz Age: 42 How Many Times Has He Run the Boston Marathon? Seven times in a row in Boston, once in Chicago and one time in New York City. Why Does He Run? "At first, I wanted to 'check the box' so to speak and say I've run a marathon," said Binkewicz, "Over the years, though, it has evolved from something that I did just for me to an event that I do for other people." Runners who are part of the Dana-Farber Marathon Challengeto benefit the Claudia Adams Barr Program in Innovative Cancer Research. Binkewicz and his wife Julie, who has run the Boston Marathon three times in the past, have raised $130,000 for the Barr Program and Peter is on the organization's board of directors. Peter lost an aunt and an uncle to cancer. "…

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Former Mayor Nancy Stevens Secures Job with State

In early March, former Marlborough mayor Nancy Stevens took a job as the director of consumer affairs for the Massachusetts Department of Public Utilities.

Three term, former Marlborough mayor Nancy Stevens has landed a job with the state of Massachusetts. This comes after she chose not to run for reelection in November and left office in January. According to a public records request given to Marlborough Patch by the Redmass Group, Stevens has taken a position as the director of consumer affairs for the Department of Public Utilities. Hired on March 4, 2012, Stevens has accepted a position that pays an annual salary of $83,738.98, and was in competition with 30 other applicants for the job. Stevens takes over for Elizabeth Cellucci who earned the same salary at the time she left the job in November 2011. According Mike Wallerstein, a lawyer with the department, the position was open for a …

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Police to Conduct Worcester County Sobriety Checks Saturday

The Massachusetts State Police will be out in force this weekend trying to keep drunk drivers off the roadways.

The Massachusetts State Police are preparing to conduct sobriety checkpoints on public roadways in Worcester County Saturday night. Checkpoints will be in place late evening March 10 into the early morning hours of Sunday, March 11.  Motorists can expect to be randomly stopped at checkpoints on State roadways during these hours and given sobriety tests by State and local police officers. "The purpose is to further educate the motoring public and strengthen the public’s awareness to the need of detecting and removing those motorists who operate under the influence of alcohol and/or drugs from our roadways," said Colonel Marian J. McGovern, Superintendent of the Massachusetts State Police, in a press release. "It will be operated during …

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