Bud Barn to Celebrate Soft Opening as the Best Joint in Town

Bud Barn! Officially open with a "Soft Opening" on Friday, January 27, customers are welcome to visit its new 682 Spring Street, Winchendon location beginning at 10:00 a.m., located next door to Little Anthony's Seafood Emporium.
Photo by Keith Kent

Ready to serve you! Seen in this photo posing with Bud Barn General Manager Stephen Bombard (center back row), customer service reps and product specialists are ready assist both veteran and new customers a like with knowledge of their products.
Photo by Keith Kent

by Keith Kent, Winchendon Courier Correspondent
It's been over two years in the making. With nothing short of a mountain of legal red tape, and countless combined hours of dedication to both facilitation and realization, Bud Barn will celebrate an unofficial "Soft Opening" with the doors unlocking at 10:00 a.m. on Friday, January 27, officially becoming the very first legal business of its kind ever to open its doors in the history of Toy Town--to the delight of many long awaiting customers.

As location is key to success, Bud Barn is located at 682 Spring Street in Winchendon. Positioned along Route 12, and just off Route 140 next to Little Anthony's Seafood Emporium, it's not only both in Toy Town and located not far from the New Hampshire border, but is also just a ten-minute ride from the city of Gardner, offering nearby Chair City residents another alternative in its fast growing and specialty product field. In a recent study provided by the Marijuana Policy Project, Massachusetts cannabis retail sales, which yielded a combined $696 million in 2020, exceeded a combined $1 billion in the Commonwealth by November, 2021: growing by over 30 percent!

With two majority owners and ten minority owners, the 682 Spring Street location, between purchase, remodeling, security upgrades, product stocking and more, now realizes a solid combined $2 million investment, providing Winchendon with not only a first-of-its-kind business venture, but a product showcase displaying over 100 available products accompanied by over 60 accessories.

From a wide assortment of edibles of all kinds of flavors such as chocolate bars, gummies, peanut butter infused chocolate bars and more, there is no shortage of either cannabinoid or cannabis options at Bud Barn. From concentrates to vapes, to papers to pipes. Glass bowls to pre-rolls, topicals to torch lighters, and even cannabis infused seltzer drinks and more, there is something for everybody at Bud Barn's unique product store. Want to order online? Bud Barn says feel free to skip the winter weather and order from the comfort of your own home.

To help with pleasing all new customers, General Manager Stephen Bombard brings over fifteen years of retail experience to the business, along with nearly four years in the cannabis retail field. There are six registers at the service and checkout counter spanning nearly the width of the store, making sure all customers not only have room to make their shopping decisions with social distancing, but that there will also be plenty of help to keep customer service flowing. Bud Barn will also have a dedicated employee at the entrance door for customer flow management, as it wants customers to know it is fully aware of the cold and inclement weather of the season, and wants to help you get in the store as soon as possible. Many of its customer service assistants already have experience in the field, and both those who already did and those who did not according to Bud Barn, have all received expert training to be able to better answer any questions.

Bombard added, "Pricing is made easy, as Bud Barn sells one-eighths of flower starting out at $30, and pre-rolls starting out at $10. Our CBD gummies are 1:1 and we also sell Hash edibles which provide more of a strain-specific feeling. We truly have something for everybody, and everybody who comes here will find something they like."

Bud Barn is also proud of its ownership diversification. Being female owned, and with executive leadership being female based, a minority owner who was present for the interview was happy to say, "That includes Marla Lagrassa who has been a resident of Winchendon for thirty years, and co-owner of Little Anthony's Seafood Emporium of Winchendon with her husband Walter for twenty-eight years. The Lagrassas are both majority owners of Bud Barn, along with at least ten other Massachusetts based minority owners/investors."

In closing, Walter and Marla Lagrassa were asked what it means to them to be involved in not only their next Toy Town family business venture, but a first of its kind in Winchendon business history. Marla Lagrassa said, "First of all, we have been here at Little Anthony's for twenty-eight years, and this town is fabulous to work with! They have worked with us at every avenue that come up regarding this new business, and it was great to have this opportunity to have these investors approach us, and be able to give back to the town, and help to financially better this community. It's going to be a great opportunity for all involved." Fellow majority owner and husband Walter Lagrassa followed with, "I want to say basically the same thing. This town is phenomenal. It's a great town to work with. From the professionals to all others, everybody in this town has been awesome. This is something big for us to look forward to. I am so glad we are a part of this, and this town of Winchendon to be able to [move] forward everything for all of us."

Bud Barn is located at 682 Spring Street in Winchendon, next door to Little Anthony's Seafood Emporium. Its hours of operation are Monday - Saturday, 10:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m., and Sundays, 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. It can be reached by phone at 978-319-4233. You can visit it online at www.budbarnma.com and review its menu and accessories at https://www.budbarnma.com/menu/?. It can be emailed for questions at info@burbarnma.com and to view the Bud Barn on Facebook go to www.facebook.com/budbarnma.

From edibles to glass beaker water pipes and more, there is no shortage of items for sale at the Bud Barn as customers will have a wide and diversified variety of products on display and behind the counter to choose from.
Photos by Keith Kent

Multi-Vehicle Accident Closes Down School Street

These two pickup trucks and one car were were involved in multi-vehicle head-on collision at the southern end of School Street, late Sunday afternoon, January 23, requiring medical assistance via both Life Flight and ground transport.
Photos by Keith Kent

by Keith Kent, Winchendon Courier Correspondent
In what has been an ongoing high traffic accident location for decades, a motor vehicle accident involving three vehicles occurred near the intersection of Front, School and River Streets on Sunday, January 23 just before sunset. 911 Dispatch received the call for aid at 4:22 p.m. The tangle of vehicles came to rest at the bottom of the southern end of School Street.

The intersection area is notorious for frequent motor vehicle accidents, as well as the center traffic island signage being taken out by vehicles traveling south from Front Street to River Street. The sign has been repaired numerous times by the Winchendon Department of Public Works.

The operator of the Massachusetts registered Toyota pickup truck, which was traveling south, told the Courier that a Massachusetts registered Chevy Silverado pickup traveling north swerved into the south-bound travel lane at the base of School Street, striking a south-bound Rhode Island registered Toyota C-HR in a head-on collision. The force of the collision pushed the car backwards and uphill off the road through the snow onto the common, where it came to rest after taking out a state highway traffic sign, with its airbags fully deployed. The operator of the Toyota pickup truck, who stated she was heading home to Waltham, MA from Alstead, NH, said she had nowhere to go and could only watch as the Silverado struck the Toyota in front of her head-on, then struck her vehicle head-on before finally coming to rest.

The Town of Winchendon Police and Fire Departments were both deployed to the scene, with the WPD keeping School Street closed for over one hour due to the severity of the incident. All three vehicles involved had to be towed from the scene.

WFD Chief Tom Smith confirmed that UMass Life Flight was called to assist, transporting one person for medical care from the landing area at the Clark YMCA to the University of Massachusetts Medical Center in Worcester, with a second person needing transport by ground via ambulance to the same hospital.

Murdock Music Re-emerges With Winter Concert

by Jill Nicholson Sackett
After not one, but two postponements, the Murdock Middle High School presented a full program of choral and instrumental music at the Murdock Auditorium last Friday. Over 75 dedicated parents and friends braved bitter cold temperatures and were rewarded with a program of popular, holiday and classical selections.

In her first year at Murdock, music teacher Emma Erwin walked into a nearly dormant music program, recruited new music students, and developed five different performing ensembles. The enthusiastic audience enjoyed a sampling of all five groups.

The program opened with the Murdock Chamber Singers in "Take Me Home" by The Pentatonix. The six Chamber Singers represent the top high school singers, including Tiana Graessle, who has qualified for the Central District Massachusetts Music Educators Association (CDMMEA) Music Festival.

The Middle and High School Choruses cheered everyone with a combined number "We Wish You A Merry Christmas." The Murdock High School Chorus then performed the pop tune "Dust in the Wind" with soloist Genevieve McSheehy, the classical number "In Dulci Jubilo" (sung in Latin), and the Hanukkah tune "Bidi Bom." Each group has 13 students and are eagerly looking for more.

The program then shifted to instrumental works, with the Middle and High School Bands combining to perform the traditional "O Hanukkah." The Murdock High School Band performed four numbers, including a special arrangements of Leonard Cohen's "Hallelujah" and Leroy Anderson's "Sleigh Ride." The latter piece featured "whip cracks" (percussion slapstick) and a "whinnying horse" (trumpet) provided by the entertaining Ronan Kast-McBride.

While the Middle School Band has 14 members, High School Band has a stalwart seven. Ms. Erwin has done an impressive job of working with the students' skill level and instrumentation, including rearranging pieces, enabling students to switch to different instruments of interest, and tutoring individuals. She has uncovered a number of neglected instruments in storage, and is getting them refurbished and in playing condition. Students who cannot afford to rent or own their own instrument will have a selection of school instruments available.

While Murdock does not field its own marching band, students can enjoy the full "marching band experience" through a partnership with Narragansett High School. Tiana, Ronan and Abby Guerra have taken advantage of this option.

Re-growing a music program takes time and dedication...and reaps tremendous rewards for those involved. Two more music concerts will be held this term. The first will be the Middle High School production of "Little Shop of Horrors" on February 19, and the final concert will be the annual "Pops" on May 25. Come on over to Murdock and applaud these budding musicians!

MMHS instrumentalists
Photo courtesy of Ronan Kast-McBride

MHS Chamber Choir
Photo courtesy of Tina Leduc-Santos

MHS chorus singers
Photo courtesy of Karen Kast

DPW Has Already Used a Full Winter's Salt Supply

This new residential sand shed was constructed in the lower lot of the Winchendon DPW yard at 101 Glenallen Street, to allow residents a safer method of retrieving free salted sand, away from its former location on the property so as not to place residents near heavy equipment operations.
Photo by Keith Kent

by Keith Kent, Winchendon Courier Correspondent
In a department update to the Board of Selectman at their meeting on Monday, January 24, Department of Public Works Superintendent Brian Croteau said that due to an extensive amount of seasonal rain, freezing rain, and ice, the DPW has already had to use an entire winter's salt supply to keep Winchendon's roads, parking lots, and sidewalks clear and safe for travel.

Croteau explained, "Our guys have already logged over 155 hours so far just this January alone, with a week [left] to go, and the month isn't over yet with another storm supposedly on the way this weekend. Our department has already used 3,566 tons of salt, nearly three quarters of a million pounds, and that is the full amount we have used for the entire winter both of the past two years. We have received far more ice storms than snow storms which makes it a little more difficult time-wise."

According to Croteau, the town of Winchendon has roughly 135 miles of roads to manage. He went on to explain, "On average, it takes 4.5 hours to pre-treat the roads with salt, so the snow won't stick to the roads that much for plowing, then we plow all the roads, and then after all the plowing we re-treat the roads to help get it back to asphalt. After that we then do the sidewalks with the sidewalk tractor. If we are able to snow plow the sidewalks in town, it takes four to six hours. If we have to snowblow the sidewalks with the tractor if a storm is deeper or a bigger storm, it can take anywhere from 12 to 20 hours to clear all the sidewalks of just snow alone, not including any ice underneath. We have struggled to remove ice this winter, as there has been times where there is two to three inches of ice underneath, requiring as much as five to six treatments."

When calculating the pre-treating, plowing, and then pre-treating after plowing if necessary, employees of the Winchendon DPW, with 135 miles of road, manage up to 405 miles of road per storm event, not including have to plow the same roads more than one time each.

BOS Audrey LaBrie asked Croteau how the salt supply was doing as so much salt has had to be used. Croteau explained, "We have a new salt supplier for the town this year. We only hold 1,200 tons of salt at a time at our DPW, and with a big ice event, you can go through half of it pretty quick. If you have multiple ice events, you can go through it really quick! All our town salt now comes from Boston this year as we are under a state contract, and we are under contract the next three years. As the contract is with the state and it must be delivered in certain terms, they, the supplier has to answer to the state and not just the town, so there is a little more leverage there."

Croteau also informed the BOS that he was fortunate to have a carpenter in-house who was able to build a new roofed sand shed for residents, located in the lower parking lot of the DPW yard on Glenallen Street. He stated made this made it more safe for residents getting sand as it kept residents away from heavy equipment operations, significantly reducing the risk of user injury. Croteau added, "[the shed] holds 25 to 30 yards of sand for residents, and we fill it as needed and it's really a better setup all around."

Croteau also explained that while the DPW does plow the downtown Central Street sidewalks, it does not shovel out all the individual businesses. "We simply do not have the man power to shovel out in front of every single business, we just don't have enough help for that. We are now clearing the sidewalk entrances for crossing the street, but it comes after all the plowing and salting is done. Our crew is is pretty tired by that point after often being out all those hours, and we need to let them rest up. We come back and shovel out the crosswalks when we return."

Croteau also added, "Additionally, dispatch has been getting calls from residents asking why some of their roads haven't been plowed yet. We have to keep the heavily traveled roads plowed more often, but on the outer side roads we have to both drive slower and plow slower, to reduce the chances of damaging both the plows and trucks. I promise you we are doing the best we can and we haven't forgot about you, and your road will get plowed."

Local Area Not Yet Seeing Drop in COVID Numbers of Metro Boston Region

The town of Winchendon and the surrounding ten towns, while seeing a few individual COVID viral decreases, have also seen increased numbers. The area has not enjoyed the drop in case levels which are currently being realized in the Boston Metropolitan area. As reported by the Massachusetts Department of Public Health on Thursday, January 27, Winchendon, while dropping slightly from 21.74 to 20.79 percent, is in its third consecutive week at 20 percent or higher viral positivity rates. These numbers do not include all the free state-provided tests, or test kits purchased at pharmacies or online, for which there is no mandated reporting.

Locally, Ashburnham increased from 18.87 to 23.08 percent, Ashby dropped very slightly from 23.62 to 23.29, Westminster saw a 4 percent drop from 26.89 to 22.91, and Gardner rose slightly from 26.05 to 26.73 percent. Templeton dropped a few points from 21.34 to 19.74, and its school district partner Phillipston increased from 20.56 to 22.46. Athol increased slightly from 23.74 to 23.80 percent, and its school district partner Royalston dropped from 25.00 to 20.66 percent. Hubbardston increased from 20.97 to 21.86 percent. Of note, the town of Orange bordering Athol to the west and only two towns from Winchendon on the southwest side of Royalston, increased all the way to 28.51 percent.

In all, while the Commonwealth has dropped from 20.61 to 15.3 percent positivity, our ten-town area (not including Orange) only dropped from 22.9 percent to 22.53 percent positivity. This means that while the entire state dropped by 5 percent on average, our area to date remains virtually unchanged.

Vaccination rates among Winchendon residents remain virtually unchanged, with 5,861 (54 percent) residents being fully vaccinated and those partially vaccinated increasng from 61 to 62 percent (6,656 residents). Among our town's youngest residents, in the age group of 5 to 11 years old, 14 percent are fully vaccinated and 23 percent partially vaccinated. In the group of 12 to 15 years of age, 38 percent are fully vaccinated, and 43 percent partially vaccinated. In the group of 16 to 19 years of age, 44 percent are fully vaccinated, and 50 percent partially vaccinated, leaving all Winchendon Public Schools far short of the DESE 80 percent minimum option to be able to remove masks in schools.

In closing, if you are not yet already, please consider getting vaccinated if you are healthy enough to do so. While vaccinations were never designed to be full proof against becoming viral infected, they are extremely successful of keeping one from needing hospitalization. To date, Massachusetts and national hospital admission cases continue to be comprised of nearly entirely of non-vaccinated patients, as documented by both testing and mandated medical reporting.

Keith Kent
Chair
Board of Health
Town of Winchendon

Free at-home COVID-19 rapid tests are available for order and shipment through the United States Postal Service^®. Each order will contain 4 tests. There is a limit of 1 order per residential address. Additional tests cannot be ordered regardless of the size of the household.
This effort is part of a federal program to provide free at-home COVID-19 tests with free shipping to every residential address and residential PO Box in the United States. Orders cannot be shipped outside of the United States, but we do ship to APO/FPO/DPO addresses and U.S. territories and possessions. Tests cannot be ordered for business addresses or business PO Boxes. Orders will ship free starting in late January. Tests will usually ship within 7-12 days. Click link below to order.
COVID Home Tests | USPS

To schedule a free COVID-19 vaccination, including a booster, at any time, go to www.mass.gov/covid-19-vaccine.

Community Foundation of North Central Massachusetts seeks Applications for Environmental Preservation and Animal Welfare Grants

FITCHBURG, Mass. - The Community Foundation of North Central Massachusetts (CFNCM), an organization serving the charitable interests of donors throughout 33 communities in the north central region of the Commonwealth, is now accepting online grant applications for its Environmental Preservation and Animal Welfare Grant Program. The goal of this endowed fund is to preserve, restore and provide public access to the natural environment of the region and to promote the humane treatment of animals through education, advocacy and services.

"Maintaining and preserving the beautiful natural resources in our region contributes to the quality of life we enjoy here," said Stephen Adams, president of the Community Foundation. "This fund also recognizes the importance domestic animals have in our lives and hearts, and helps to support their welfare."

Last year, the Environmental Preservation and Animal Welfare Grant Program provided support to 11 non-profits, including the City of Fitchburg DPW for its Coggshall Park Northern Watershed Trail Maintenance and Access Project, GAAMHA Inc. for the Carl E. Dahl House Livestock Rescue and Animal Welfare Program, the North County Land Trust for the Ebenezer Keyes Conservation Area, and the Leominster Trail Stewards for the Hill Street Trail Project.

An online information session will be held on Friday, February 3 at 10 a.m. The CFNCM is accepting online grant applications through Friday, February 25, 2022, and award decisions will be finalized on April 8. More information is available on the Community Foundation website.

Examples of projects that would qualify for Environmental Preservation and Animal Welfare grants include those involving:

• animal rescue, protection and placement
• animal welfare education
• land or water preservation
• habitat restoration
• improving public access to natural places
• environmental or outdoor education

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