Week in Review: House Breaks on the Rise, Historic Home for Sale, Foxboro Sports Center Seeks Expansion & More

Miss anything in Foxborough this week? Here's your chance to sit back and catch up on some Patch. Below is a recap of this week’s biggest headlines on Foxborough Patch:

House Breaks on the Rise in Foxborough; Police Ask Residents to Take Notice

The Foxborough Police Department reported on its Facebook page Friday that housebreaks are on the rise in Foxborough and neighboring communities over “the last few months” and residents should take notice.

“Since the start of the year, the Foxborough Police Department has begun investigating six reported residential breaks,” police said on its Facebook page. “The main reason for the recent area-wide increase in housebreaks appears to be attributed to the rising epidemic of drug abuse, specifically prescription pill and heroin abuse.”

Police say drug abusers “have turned to breaking into homes” to take property, which can then be sold for “quick money to support their habits.”
Foxborough Police said while they have “remained vigilant in their investigative efforts” they are asking the public for assistance.

“The public can be our greatest partner in tackling this growing trend,” police said.

Foxborough police ask that residents consider the following tips to protect their homes and neighborhoods and assist police in curtailing these crimes:

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Foxborough Moving Forward with New Rink at Sports Center

Foxboro Sports Center representatives came before the town’s Planning Board Thursday to review its plan to add a third rink to the East Belcher Road skating complex.

The rink is proposed to be built adjacent to the current building where the parkin lot stands. Along with the rink, the plan will add an additional 110 parking spaces.

The new lot will be built on a new parcel and will allow patrons to enter and exit from Spring Brook Road.

The board’s reaction to the plan was generally positive, but some members voiced concerns regarding lighting, parking and traffic.

Planning Board vice chair Bill Grieder said his main concern was the traffic and parking problems that occur during high school hockey events.

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As the town begins to weigh the pros and cons of granting Invensys a tax break on $30 million worth of renovations, Foxborough Town Manager Kevin Paicos said it is crucial the community’s largest manufacturing company remains in town.

“This is an extraordinary corporate partner we cannot afford to lose, this region cannot afford to lose and the Commonwealth cannot afford to lose,” Paicos said. “One thousand employees with a concentration of several hundred engineers [in Foxborough] is an extraordinary situation in the state of Massachusetts.”

State Representative Jay Barrows (R-Mansfield) said keeping Invensys in Foxborough not only benefits the town but its neighbors as well.

“Invensys reaches the entire region,” Barrows said. “The spend is here in our communities. What’s good for Norton is good for Foxborough and Mansfield and vice versa. It really helps us with those good schools we are paying for and helps us make a great community. … Whatever makes us unique in our towns is done by the help of companies like Invensys.”

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Around Town: Officials No Longer Exploring Saturday Town Meetings; Get Involved with Founders Day & More

Foxborough’s Board of Selectmen announced last week it will no longer be pursuing Saturday Town Meetings.

“Topic is officially dead,” said Board of Selectmen chair James DeVellis.

Selectmen had spent the last several months discussing the possibility of moving future Town Meetings to Saturdays as a way to improve attendance, especially among the senior population, but the concept received little support from the community.

“I have heard nothing more [from the community] about [moving Town Meeting to Saturday],” said Foxborough Board of Selectmen vice chair Mark Sullivan. “Other than the first conversation I had in my last election I haven’t heard a thing about it.”

Said selectman Lorraine Brue: “I haven’t received any requests for it but I have received a couple rejections to it from a religious basis.”

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Local Restaurant Owner Loves the Thrill of Business at The Common's

Brockton native Alfred Mazeiko has been in the restaurant business for a long time but it was his father’s nearly 30 years of employment in Foxborough that gave him the inspiration to buy The Common’s Neighborhood Eatery on Central Street in 2002.

“When we knew this place was for sale we knew we had to jump on it,” he said.

The original owners started the Common’s eatery in 1992. Since Mazeiko took over, he’s been developing relationships with customers who frequent the downtown.

“The regulars come in here and it’s almost like them coming into their kitchen,” he said. … “I will say we do bend over backwards for people as far as people want certain things and certain diets. If something’s not on the menu as a special we’ll do it for people.”

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Foxborough High School Jazz Combo Heads to NYC for Annual Charles Mingus Festival

Students of the Foxborough High School Jazz Combo got an early start to February vacation Friday as the group of musicians arrived in New York City for the 5th annual Charles Mingus High School Festival & Competition.

The festival, produced by Sue Mingus, The Charles Mingus Institute, Justin DiCioccio and the Manhattan School of Music, takes place from Feb. 15-18 in NYC.

“This year’s festival will include a film showcase, student jams, a full day of instrumental clinics exploring the music of Charles Mingus, three nights of performances by the Mingus Big Band at Jazz Standard, and the nationwide Competition showcasing young jazz talent from high schools across the country,” according to the Charles Mingus Festival & Competition’s website.

Foxborough High School’s Jazz Combo will perform on the Mingus stage at the Manhattan School of Music on Sunday, Feb. 17 from 10:30 to 11 a.m.

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Foxborough BOS Chair Thanks DPW for Exhaustive Storm Cleanup Efforts

As 29 inches of snow fell on Foxborough over the weekend, it was the exhaustive efforts of the town’s DPW workers that helped minimize problems during the Blizzard of 2013.

For those efforts, Foxborough’s Board of Selectmen chair James DeVellis took time Monday to publicly thank the DPW for all they did during the storm and all they continue to do in its aftermath to return Foxborough to normalcy.

“I am proud for Foxborough of the hard work and diligence that our DPW and emergency personnel showed all through the storm and thank their families as they gave first priority to our town,” DeVellis said.

DeVellis, who met with the DPW early Monday morning, said the crews “are very tired but upbeat” to finish work that began Friday morning and has lasted through Monday with very little rest in between.

“People may not realize that our DPW folks basically live in the trucks and repair shop [during snowstorms] and when they get home, which may be in a different town, they have to do the same things that we do … that is shovel their own driveways and take care of their families and then they go back at it before 8 a.m. Monday,” DeVellis said.

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Selectmen Set March Meeting With Kraft Group to Discuss Future Development

Foxborough Board of Selectmen chair James DeVellis has kept an open dialogue with the Kraft Group since the company informed town officials in October it would no longer be pursuing negotiations regarding Patriot Place expansion.

In January, DeVellis told the board he had productive conversations with the Kraft Group and felt both sides were able to

“I thought I would take this opportunity to put it on the table and ask people to move forward as we close the door on last year,” DeVellis said in January. “Each topic that comes before [the Board of Selectmen] should be judged on its merit with the history behind us and not in front of us. …

“We can each reach our goals easier if we understand each other. I really look forward to moving forward with development plans along Route 1 and continue the dialogue so if something comes forward we are in a better situation to discuss that.”

In an effort to truly move forward with the town’s largest business partner, DeVellis told selectmen last week he has set up a public meeting between the board and the Kraft Group in March.

“One of the topics that I brought up to [the Kraft Group] is if they would entertain coming to a selectmen’s meeting and just talk in general terms what the plans are for the future and what development opportunities they are pursuing,” DeVellis said.  

The purpose of the meeting, according to DeVellis, is to hold a general question and answer period with the Kraft Group and give residents a chance to participate in the discussion.

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VIDEO: Watch Halftime Entertainer Drain Half-Court Trick Shot at Foxborough Basketball Game

Foxborough High School basketball fans do not cheer on their opponents too often but the crowd could not helped but be entertained by 23-year-old Earl Wilson of Milford during halftime of Wednesday’s game between the two schools at FHS.

Wilson took center stage at half-court Wednesday to perform a one-handed, behind the back shot. After a series of near makes, Wilson banked a shot off the glass and through the net, sending the student section attending Wednesday’s game into a frenzy.

The crowd chanted for Wilson to make one more half-court bucket before play resumed and like a true performer, Wilson delivered, hitting nothing but net for his encore.

Click here to watch the video.

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Foxborough Girls’ Basketball Closes Regular Season with ‘Lucky Win Number 13’ on Senior Night

It wasn’t pretty, but the Foxborough High School girls’ basketball team, led by its seven seniors, gritted out a 46-30 victory over Canton on senior night.

“It was nice we could get everybody in there so everybody could feel part of the win tonight,” said Foxborough head coach Lisa Downs. “It wasn’t a pretty win but we’ll take it. Lucky number 13 I guess.”

Downs said senior night can often bring a different type of chemistry to the game but Foxborough was able to overcome some sloppy play early to close out a 16-point victory over two-win Canton.

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Scenes from Friday's Foxborough High School Girls' Basketball Win on Senior Night

The Foxborough High School girls' basketball team closed the regular season with a 46-30 win over canton Friday. Check out scenes from the action here!

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PHOTOS: Foxborough Boys' Basketball Honors 6 Seniors on Senior Night

Prior to Wednesday’s game against Milford, the 2012-13 Hockomock League Davenport Division champions, Foxborough honored its six seniors.

Alfred Henriquez, Nick DiTullio, Nolan Clagg, Josh Patkin, Brian Ellard and Alex Pacitti were recognized at half-court in front of family, friends and teammates.

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Town Election: Selectman Walsh Pulls Papers for Reelection; Another School Committee Candidate Emerges

Foxborough selectman Lynda Walsh has pulled nomination papers for reelection, according to the Town Clerk’s office.

Walsh, who will be completing her second term in the spring, is currently the longest tenured board member. She told Foxborough Patch last month that while she planned to run for reelection she would not make a final decision until she consulted with friends and family.

Her decision became official on Feb. 5 when she pulled nomination papers from the Town Clerk’s office. Walsh joins Foxborough residents Richard Letson and John Gray Jr. as potential candidates for two seats on the town’s executive board. A resident becomes an official ballot candidate after Town Clerk Robert Cutler verifies 50 voters have signed the candidate’s nomination papers. Candidates have until March 18th to submit signed papers. To date, Foxborough Board of Selectmen chair James DeVellis, whose term ends in the spring, has not announced whether he will run for reelection.

Letson worked for the Kraft Group as a part-time security guard at Gillette Stadium for the 2011-2012 New England Patriots football season but reportedly opposed a casino in Foxborough, according to the March 2012 Sun Chronicle article.

Gray Jr., president of Biomedical Structures, currently serves on Foxborough’s Advisory Committee with his term expiring in June 2014. He served as AdCom’s chair in 2011. He has set up a Facebook page and Twitter account promoting his candidacy.

Another political race heating up is for School Committee. There are two three-year seats and one two-year seat available on the committee. As of Feb. 5, School Committee members Kathleen Adair, Martha P. Slattery and Christina “Tina” Belanger have each pulled papers for reelection. Former Foxborough School Committee member Catherine Maureen Owens Kominsky, who resigned from her seat in June, citing issues with the committee as reason for her departure, has pulled papers to enter the race this spring as well. She will be seeking a three-year term

Adair has also pulled papers for a three-year term and Belanger has pulled papers for the lone two-year term. Belanger replaced Kominsky in July and will look to finish the term if reelected. Slattery did not specify which term she will be running for, according to the Town Clerk’s office.

Joining the list of school committee candidates is Stephen P. Udden, who pulled papers on Feb. 5. Udden currently serves on the Southeastern Regional School District Committee. Udden, Technical Account Manager for Invensys in Foxborough, served on the town’s Advisory Committee for three years (2009-2012) and was liaison to the school committee, board of health, veteran’s affairs, Human Services & Senior Center and Fire Department of public safety.

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Nomar Garciaparra Returns to Foxborough Next Week for Annual Hitting Clinic

Nomar Garciaparra will be back in Foxborough next week to host his annual winter hitting clinic for young baseball players at RBI Baseball Academy on Green Street.

“As always I’m excited to work with young players this winter at RBI,” Garciaparra said. “This clinic has been a part of my winter routine for the last 15 years. I’m looking forward to sharing my passion for hitting with young athletes that want to become better hitters and get an edge on their competition, I can’t wait to get started.”

The three-day clinic begins on Wednesday, Feb. 20 – during Foxborough’s winter vacation – and ends on Friday, Feb. 22 at RBI Baseball Academy. A morning session will take place from 9 a.m. to noon each day for athletes in grades 1-8. 

The advanced hitting program for high school athletes will take place each day from 1 to 4 p.m.

Read more by clicking here.

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Foxborough Police Department Joins Facebook to Connect with Residents

You can now find the Foxborough Police Department on Facebook as it recently joined the trend started by many other police departments around the area and across the nation.

"With the take off of social media not long ago, most people today are not only active members of these websites, but they have used them as a substitute for how they receive news and information," said Foxborough Police officer Patrick Morrison.

The goal of the department's Facebook page, according to Morrison, is to provide a better outlet for the department to send out and receive information to residents and visitors of Foxborough.

"Information will be added to the page as time goes on about such cases as: Amber Alerts, patterns of criminal activity, community alerts, surveillance photos of unknown suspects, Gillette Stadium event information, Founder's Day information and many other new ideas that come to our minds as time goes on which the community should know about," Morrison said.

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Unlike other major storms in recent memory, Blizzard 2013 was relatively quiet in Foxborough.

There was snow – 29 inches – but Foxborough officials reported few problems during the 48-hour blizzard. Perhaps the best news to come out of Foxborough during Blizzard 2013 was that for the first time in over a year, a major storm in town did not result in massive power outages. In fact, this weekend’s blizzard produced zero power outages – only flickering lights on Saturday night.

As for public safety, Foxborough Police Chief Edward O'Leary and Foxborough Deputy Fire Chief Steven Bagley said there were very few incidents related to the blizzard.

"Very quiet," O'Leary said. "A few run-of-the-mill calls but nothing of significance."

O’Leary reported around 9 a.m. Saturday that a minor accident between a motorist and a private plow truck occurred in town.

“Nothing significant,” O’Leary said. “A minor accident because somebody hit a plow or a plow hit them. There were no injuries.”

O’Leary credited the lack of incidents to most residents obeying Gov. Deval Patrick’s travel ban.

Bagley also reported a quiet 48 hours for Foxborough Fire, saying he received three calls prior to 9 a.m. and none in the afternoon.

Foxborough’s main concern throughout the storm was the condition of the roads. DPW Director Roger Hill and Town Manager Kevin Paicos urged residents to stay off town roads throughout the blizzard. After the blizzard ended late morning Saturday, Hill said his department’s focus shifted to cleaning up Mother Nature’s mess.

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Recently, Foxborough Regional Charter School welcomed New England Newspaper and Press Association Hall of Fame member Jack Authelet and his wife Marge for a special tour of the campus. 

The Authelets brought with them several meaningful donations, asked thoughtful questions and shared stories about the stamps they were donating, collected by friends and family over the years.

In his retirement, Authelet, a Foxborough resident, is serving as the town's historian. After reading a recent article by Christine Igo Freeman, Mr. and Mrs. Authelet selected FRCS as the recipient for the following donations:

• Stamp Collection
•  Writings by Jack Authelet
• Souvenirs from the U. S. Holocaust Museum, Washington D.C.

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Foxborough Home of the Week: 135 Oak Street

The Seth Boyden House Circa 1740 is a fine example of preservation with amenities of the present, according to NewEnglandMoves.com. From original ballast brick exterior to new gourmet kitchen with Wolfe appliances, the home excites the purist. A five-year renovation has brought new master bath with custom marble shower, soaking tub, custom dressing room, Central air (two zones), exceptional landscaping with 1875 gazebo. Many new and exciting upgrades while respecting history.

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How Much Snow Did Foxborough Get?

Norfolk County's snow totals from Blizzard 2013 are in. Find out how much snow fell on Foxborough here.

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Foxborough Senior Maddie Fletcher Medals in Hockomock Swim Meet

Foxborough High School senior Maddie Fletcher recently competed in the annual Hockomock Swim Meet in Milford, winning a third place medal in the 100 Freestyle and finishing fifth in the 100 Breaststroke.

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