Murdock High School Presents "Newsies: the Musical" on Friday-Saturday, Feb 2-3
Murdock High School students will present Newsies: the Musical for two performances on Friday, February 2 at 7:00 p.m. and Saturday, February 3 at 7:00 p.m., in the Murdock Middle High School Auditorium, 3 Memorial Drive.
Newsies: the Musical is adapted from the 1992 Disney film Newsies, which is inspired by a real life story. In 1899, newsboys who sold the daily papers published by the media empires of William Randolph Hearst and Joseph Pulitzer went on strike for two weeks. The newsboys, most of whom were poor and many of whom were immigrants, had to pay for the papers they sold, and the price they were charged had been raised 20 percent, from 50 cents to 60 cents a bundle. After two weeks of the strike, circulation of the newspapers had dropped by half, and the publishers agreed to buy back any unsold papers from the newsboys.
In Newsies: the Musical, the orphaned newsboys are informally led by seventeen-year-old Jack Kelly (who is a fugitive from an abusive juvenile detention house). When Joseph Pulitzer raises the price the newsboys are charged for their papers, Jack organizes a protest, which ends badly when police are called and another boy ends up in the detention center. Jack doesn't want to put anyone else in danger, but he is encouraged by his friends to keep up the fight and plans a rally, even as more information comes out about Jack's history as a so-called "vagrant" and "delinquent." The newsies band together to print and distribute their own newspaper with their story, which enlists Governor Theodore Roosevelt to their cause. How does it end? You'll have to come see!
The music for Newsies: the Musical was composed by many-times-award-winning Alan Menken, who also composed the score for Murdock's 2022 musical Little Shop of Horrors, as well as many of the most beloved Disney films.
Murdock senior Colin Rowe plays Jack Kelly, squaring off against Steven Gauthier as ruthless newspaper tycoon Joseph Pulitzer. Other cast members include Jack's friends Katherine (played by Doris Huggins), Les (played by Mila Bourassa), and Davey (played by Mark Quinn), along with many others. The show is directed by Kaileen Dibble, who is taking up the reins this year from long-time (since 2012!) Murdock musical director Kristi Iannacone.
Tickets are $10 for adults, $7 for kids 10 and under, and free for senior citizens. You can get tickets at the door, or reserve tickets by calling or texting Tina Santos at 978-855-9358. "Newsies" t-shirts are also available! There will be a raffle, 50/50 raffle and concessions at Intermission.
Photos copyright © Murdock High School Music Department
Winchendon Schools Miss Another Day as Winter Storm Drops Half Foot of Snow
Photo by Inanna Arthen
Photo by Inanna Arthen
On Sunday, January 28 into early morning of Monday, January 29, yet another storm dumped snow, sleet and rain on Massachusetts, with areas north of Route 2 getting all snow. Winchendon Public Schools announced on Sunday evening that all classes would be cancelled on Monday, making Toy Town an outlier. Most school districts in the region called a two-hour delay rather than cancelling entirely.
Unlike the storm on January 7, which far exceeded expectations, this one wasn't quite as bad as the highest forecasts. Some weathercasters and weather apps downgraded their snow forecast mid-storm. Winchendon does not have an official weather observer for the National Weather Service, but the Courier (who has some formal training) measured exactly 5 inches outside their office. Gardner reported a total of 4.0 inches. The snow was "sticky" enough to inspire an ad hoc "snowman/snow sculpture contest" by the Winchendon Parks & Recreation Department. But the snow wasn't as heavy and wet to clear as some of the "mixed precipitation" storms last year. Winchendon DPW had the roads cleared and sanded by Monday morning.
Some areas of town were impacted by power outages, notably one caused by branches falling onto power lines in the area of Ipswich Drive at around 10:00 p.m. on Sunday evening.
Since the storm ended, it has remained overcast and cold, preserving the picturesque winter vistas of heavily snow-frosted trees everywhere. Winchendon hasn't seen a glimpse of the sun since Saturday, January 28.
The additional snow day creates more scheduling uncertainty for the WPS district. Murdock Middle and High School students will be attending class on Wednesday, Thursday and Friday of February vacation week to make up for class days missed after Thanksgiving due to the malfunctioning water heater. The state Commissioner of Education denied the district's request for a waiver in making up those class days. Interim Superintendent Dr. Ruthann Goguen told parents that Murdock MHS students will attend half-days, with breakfast and lunch provided, on February 21, 22 and 23. The remaining two missed days will be made up as half days at the end of the year. "Because the actual last day of school often changes, if we have a full snow day during the year, these two makeup days will be announced in the spring," Dr. Goguen wrote--just before the snow day on January 29 was called.
Dr. Goguen said that the district is requesting a waiver of the last two days of make-up class.
The Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) counts a day with at least three hours of instruction toward the legally required 180 days of instruction per year. Murdock students had no class for a week before arrangements were completed to bus students to classrooms at Cornerstone Church and Gardner's Elm Street School last December, while the Murdock building was cleaned.
Sensory Friendly Winter Programs at the Beals Memorial Library
Join the Beals Memorial Library this February for some fun, sensory-friendly special events for individuals on the autism spectrum, neurodivergent individuals, and individuals with specials needs and their families. The library will be teaming up with the Clark YMCA for a Sunday afternoon of fun in the YMCA's pool with their Autism Friendly Open Swim, and later in the month will team up with the Winchendon CAC for Sensory Friendly Bowling!
On Sunday, February 11, from 2:00 to 3:30 p.m., join the Winchendon library at the Clark YMCA for their Autism Friendly Open Swim! This free swimming event takes place after hours to provide a more quiet, sensory-friendly environment for participants. Please note: Parents and/or caregivers must sign a YMCA waiver either beforehand or at the event to participate (copies can be obtained at the library circulation desk), and they must be in the water with their child at all times. Furthermore, only Coast Guard approved items are allowed in the pool. Lastly, this is a shallow end only open swim. Anyone wishing to swim in the deep end must pass a YMCA swim test.
On Friday, February 23, from 2:00 to 4:00 p.m., join the library at the Winchendon CAC for their Sensory Friendly Bowling event! This event is free to attend. Snacks and drinks are available for purchase at the CAC's Sunshine Cafe. During this event, noise-reducing headphones will be available for use if needed.
These events are for individuals on the autism spectrum, neurodivergent individuals, and individuals with other specials needs and their families, not for the general public. Registration is required and space is limited, so contact the library to sign up today! For more information or to sign up, call 978-297-0300 or visits www.bealslibrary.org/autism.
The Beals Memorial Library is located at 50 Pleasant Street in Winchendon. The Clark YMCA is located at 155 Central Street in Winchendon, and the CAC is located at 5 Summer Drive in Winchendon.
These events are part of the Beals Memorial Library's See Beyond the Spectrum Initiative to bring autism, neurodivergence, and specials needs accessible programs and services to the library and surrounding areas, and are sponsored by funds provided by the Libraries Transforming Communities: Accessible Small and Rural Communities grant, an initiative of the American Library Association (ALA) in collaboration with the Association for Rural & Small Libraries (ARSL).
Clock Set to Chime Again at Old Murdock
New Council on Aging Director Miranda Jennings told the Courier that the clock in the Old Murdock clock tower will be chiming the hours once more in the near future.
"Art Amenta, who recently retired after many many years of service to the Senior Center, gave me a tour of the entire building, including up to the tower, where the clock faces are," Ms. Jennings said via text. "He explained to me a lot of the history, and I was amazed at how many people over the years have volunteered to take care of the place."
Mr. Amenta and a volunteer named Lynn, who take care of the tower, are nearly done repairing the mechanisms so that the clock faces are in alignment. When everything is ready, the clock and its bell will be restarted.
"To commemorate this event, we hope to have an Open House and celebration at Old Murdock to welcome everybody back to the Center," Ms. Jennings said. Watch for the announcement of this landmark event!
The bell in the Old Murdock tower
Photo by Miranda Jennings
Art Amenta stands next to the clock mechanism in the tower
Photo by Miranda Jennings
Like Friendship Bracelets Telling Someone About Find Mass Money will take your relationship to New Heights
You got no reason to be afraid on National Unclaimed Property Day
Today, February 1, 2024, Massachusetts State Treasurer Deborah B. Goldberg and the National Association of Unclaimed Property Administrators are in their National Unclaimed Property Day era...and you should take the moment and taste it by visiting https://www.findmassmoney.gov/!
The Unclaimed Property Division (UCP) is real, so take the money because Massachusetts is holding more than $3 billion in unclaimed property belonging to individuals and businesses throughout the state. A friendship bracelet could help get you a girlfriend, but telling someone about unclaimed property will get you a big reputation as the best of friends.
"You are not on your own, kid when declaring what is rightfully yours," said State Treasurer Deborah B. Goldberg. "Be fearless and write your name in the blank space on our website at any time...even on midnights like this!"
Your friends from home won't know what to say if you tell them that unclaimed property includes forgotten savings and checking accounts, un-cashed checks, insurance policy proceeds, stocks, dividends, and the contents of unattended safe deposit boxes. You could use your unclaimed funds to adopt a Ragdoll kitten, buy your favorite shade of red lipstick, or even purchase tickets to this year's Super Bowl!
Most accounts are considered abandoned and are turned over to the state after three years of inactivity. In 2023, Treasury processed over 148,000 claims and returned over $185 million in cash and securities to its rightful owners. That's a lot of thirteens.
There is no time limit for a person to claim this property, but we do not want to wait ages to see you there. Searching for unclaimed money is always free.
Treasurer Goldberg urges all citizens to check the comprehensive list for all amounts at https://www.findmassmoney.gov/ or call our live call center at 888-344-MASS (6277) because everything you lose is a step you take when contacting UCP.
