Fitchburg News

Well it looks like it's time to get on my soapbox again. This time it is about the deplorable conditions of Fifth Mass Turnpike.

Gov. Deval L. Patrick yesterday signed into law a consumer protection prompted by last year's ice storm that left customers of Unitil in Fitchburg, Lunenburg, Townsend and Ashby without electricity for up to two weeks.

Police arrested four people outside the Rock Bottom Cafe on Beech Street early Tuesday morning and charged them all with one count of disorderly conduct, according to Police Sgt.

City councilors will be asked to approve a water-rate hike during tonight's Finance Committee hearing Denis Meunier, director of the Water Department, plans to ask the Finance Committee to approve an immediate increase to water rates and fees, which Meunier said will cost the average Fitchburg homeowner about $50 more annually for water.

It is interesting to note that in just two years, the newly re-elected mayor has lost so much of her 75 percent margin won in 2007.

FITCHBURG _ Mayor Lisa Wong will lead Fitchburg for another two years, after she comfortably beat her two opponents, Michael "Fuzzy" Voisine, and sticker candidate Thomas Donnelly Tuesday night.

Western New England College senior captain Lauren Arsenault, a Fitchburg native, was recently named to The Commonwealth Coast Conference All-Star field hockey team.

Councilor-at-large candidate Robin Streb won Monday's mock election at Crocker Elementary School, gathering 224 student votes.

Rosemary E. Reynolds and incumbents Thomas J. Conry Jr., Marcus L. DiNatale, Stephan Hay and Dean A. Tran captured the five available seats in today's 10-way race for councilor-at-large. Ms.

Local politicians worked up to the last minute Monday trying to win votes in today's municipal elections.

A Hudson man is being held without bail after appearing in Leominster District Court today to face a murder charge in connection with the August beating death of a Leominster man.

Former longtime Fitchburg City Councilor E. Thomas Donnelly made the surprise announcement Tuesday night that he was running a sticker campaign against incumbent Mayor Lisa Wong in Tuesday's election, giving him just one week to run his long-shot campaign.

After petitions and discussions by residents of the Neighborhood Association, Mayor Wong continues to deny their requests for restoring streetlights, as well as insisting that the crime-rate has shown a decrease for the past six months.

A Westminster man who exchanged gunfire with police at his home Sunday night died from gunshot wounds to his legs, an autopsy has revealed.

Authorities say an autopsy shows that Massachusetts correction officer was fatally shot in the legs by police after brandishing a handgun and making threats at a Fitchburg bar.

Artist Gillian G. Christy is immersing herself in Fitchburg's culture and history for inspiration for a larger-than-life sculpture that will welcome travelers coming into the city.

Fitchburg has granted a cable franchise to Verizon, which allows the company to offer its FiOS TV service to businesses and homes in town.

Authorities say a Westminster man who brandished a handgun and made threats at a Fitchburg bar has died after exchanging gunfire with police outside his home.

A Massachusetts divinity school professor has been elected bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of Connecticut.

A Leominster man pleaded not guilty yesterday to motor vehicle homicide charges, five years after a car crash that authorities say ultimately claimed his friend's life.