Above: This editorial cartoon inked by Southborough eighth grader Laura Langord ran after a particularly raucous Halloween in 1981
Each week we take a look back at the top stories reported in the Southborough Villager 10 years, 20 years, and 30 years ago. Here are the stories that were making headlines during the week of November 7. If you have memories about any of these events, please share them in the comments.
10 years ago: Algonquin debate culminates tomorrow
Voters in Southborough were gearing up for a special Saturday town meeting on November 10, 2001, to decide whether to renovate Algoqnuin or to build a separate high school in Southborough. The Villager reported the vote was the culmination of “months of reports, meetings, cyberspace debates, posters, and fliers stuffed in mailboxes.” It was also the culmination of what many would agree was a devisive time in the town’s history, with neighbors squaring off against neighbors over how to solve the space issue at the high school. (Southborough Villager, November 9, 2001)
20 years ago: Town, police union reach tentative settlement
With the help of an arbitrator, a tentative settlement was reached between the town and the police union over a grievance filed by the union several months prior. The dispute arose when Selectmen appointed a non-union officer to fill a union vacancy. Both sides seemed satisfied with the settlement, but the following week it was rejected by the Board of Selectmen, which sent the parties back to the bargaining table. (Southborough Villager, November 7, 1991)
30 years ago: Halloween gets out of hand
Southborough Police were out in force on Halloween night, and they were busy. According to the police log, “There were numerous complaints of vandalism all over town, problems with older kids overpowering young children and taking their ‘trick-or-treat’ candy away from them. Mailboxes were smashed and there were reports of cars speeding and teenagers gathering and misbehaving on town roads.” In an editorial the Villager chastised the older kids for stealing candy from the littler ones. Editors also complained about the older kids who turned up on their doorsteps without costumes, but still expecting candy, as an act of “officially sanctioned extortion.” (Southborough Villager, November 6, 1981)
