The Yankee Xpress and Blackstone Valley Xpress

08/02/2025

Maybe he should be named Slippery Pete. Goose the Water Monitor Lizard spotted in Douglas on July 30.

07/28/2025

Is this Goose, the missing water monitor relaxing at home? Sadly, no. He is still on the lam and was last seen in Thompson CT. He is carniverous and can cause infections if he bites, so call police if he wanders back home.

07/28/2025

https://www.facebook.com/share/p/1ErC5okFJo/

MILLBURY, MA

TWO MALES ARRESTED FOR THEFT FROM RESIDENCE AND ONE MALE ARRESTED AFTER FOOT PURSUIT IN TWO SEPARATE INCIDENTS

On July 22, 2025, Millbury Police Dispatch received a call from a resident in town stating he observed two males in their shed taking what he believed to be tools. Officers responded to the area and located the male suspects on Greenwood St. They were identified as Michael Kohlstom, 34, of Worcester and Bruce Monfreda, 66, of Worcester. After a brief investigation, the tools were found to be on their person. Both males were placed under arrest and charged with the following:

1. Breaking and Entering into a Building During the Daytime with Intent to Commit a Felony
2. Larceny from a Building
3. Consipracy

Michael Kohlstrom also had a prior warrant issued for his arrest at the time of this incident.

On July 28, 2025, at approximately 3:10am, an officer observed a male he knew to be identified as Evan Charbonneau, 32, of Worcester near the Route 20 and Greenwood St intersection. The officer knew Evan to be a suspect in a theft in Millbury the week prior and that Evan had several warrants out for his arrest. The officer asked Evan to speak with him and Evan ran from the officer toward the 7/11 in Worcester. After a brief struggle and the assistance of officers from Millbury PD and Worcester PD, Evan was placed under arrest for the warrants and additionally charged with the following:

1. Resisting Arrest
2. Possession of a Class A Substance

07/16/2025

At approximately 8:30 Tuesday, July 15, a white male, riding a blue Suzuki GSXR, robbed the Hometown Bank located at 4 Gore Road in Webster. He was last seen heading into Connecticut on Route 395 South at a high rate of speed.
Tellers notified the South Worcester County Communication Center, which in turn immediately dispatched all available Webster Police Officers. Upon arrival, it was learned that the male had mentioned a firearm; however, no gun was seen or shown. He made off with an undisclosed amount of money. No one was injured.
Webster Police Detectives, along with Agents from the Worcester field office of the FBI, processed the scene and collected evidence, along with Troopers from the Connecticut State Police, as it is believed there may have been evidence from the suspect that was discarded on Route 395 in Connecticut.
This will be a joint investigation with all relevant agencies, and no further information is currently available. This is another fine example of multijurisdictional agencies coming together for the same goal of catching the bad guy. And make no mistake, we will.
Wed., July 16 UPDATE: Please review the attached photos of our bank robber from July 15th. The motorcycle is a Suzuki GSXR, and has a distinctive Superman symbol on the nose. If you know who this person is or have any information about their identity, please get in touch with Detective Bruce Hamm at [email protected] or 508-943-1212, ext. 1250. You can also message us directly on our page here.
Please do not list any names in the comments.

06/29/2025

A Call to the Common - Reading Frederick Douglass Together

Grafton Massachusetts - On July 5, 2025, the Unitarian Universalist Society of Grafton & Upton and the Grafton Public Library will host a public reading of Frederick Douglass’ powerful speech - What to the Slave is the Fourth of July? - first delivered in Rochester, New York in 1852. The event will be held on Grafton Common. Activities begin at 5:30 pm with an African drumming Call-To-The-Common and a musical program that includes singing and instrumentals.

At 6:30 pm, Douglass’ famous 1852 speech will be delivered by a variety of readers, including volunteers from the audience. Through his speech, Douglass held up a mirror to the nation’s values, emphasizing the cruel irony of the independence day celebration when millions of its people were bound by slavery.

The injustice that continues in our country makes the Frederick Douglass speech as relevant today as it was in 1852.

Following the reading, the audience will break into smaller groups to discuss what we, each of us, here in 2025, can do to further Douglass’ vision of a more just and equitable American society.

The spirit of Frederick Douglass is embedded in Grafton Common. In 1842, Douglass spoke about the abolition of slavery on the common after initially being denied access to local churches, homes, and marketplaces. He returned to Grafton Common again in 1874.

Reading Frederick Douglass Together is made possible by a grant from Mass Humanities, which was provided by funding through the Massachusetts Cultural Council.

06/20/2025

A Basic Life Support and First Aid Class will be offered beginning at 8 a.m. Saturday, June 28 in St. Peter’s Parish Hall, 39 Church Avenue, Northbridge. This class is for newcomers and those looking for re-certification. Learn valuable lifesaving skills. Training is done by the American Heart Association. The class is $89 per person and must be paid in advance when you register. Class size is limited. Please register by Monday, June 23. Call 508-234-2156 or email the parish office: [email protected] for more information.

06/18/2025

WEDNESDAY, JUNE 25
The Blackstone Valley Chamber of Commerce will hold its Business After Hours Networking Event from 5:30-7:30 p.m. at Murder Hill Brewery & Taproom at 670 Linwood Avenue, Building C, Whitinsville. Murder Hill is an exciting local brewery nestled within the historic Linwood Mill complex. Enjoy a relaxed and lively evening of networking, with local craft brews on tap and delicious bar bites. Admission is $20 for members and $40 for future members. RSVP by June 23 to Liz O’Neil at 508-234.9090 ext. 102 or via email at [email protected]

06/17/2025

06/04/2025

The Friends of Asa Waters Mansion are proud to announce the launch of the Millbury Farmers Market at the Mansion, a new monthly event taking place on the beautiful grounds of the historic Asa Waters Mansion, 123 Elm Street, Millbury.
The markets will be held on the first Thursday of each month from June through October, running from 3-7 p.m., and begins this Thursday, June 5. Shoppers can browse a variety of local vendors offering fresh produce, baked goods, handmade crafts, and more — all in a scenic, community-focused setting.
To celebrate the inaugural market, a ribbon-cutting ceremony will take place at 6 p.m. on Thursday, June 5 during market hours. Community members, local officials, and supporters are invited to attend the ceremony and join in the festivities.

06/02/2025

Charlton Public Library to host
"Road Trip 1927 – 18,000 miles in a Model T Ford” by Bob Arnold
Join us Tuesday, June 3 at 6 PM for this fascinating presentation by Sturbridge photographer Bob Arnold. Almost a century ago, in 1927, Carey and Maud Melville, Bob’s grandparents, made an epic, eight-month-long, 18,000-mile road trip with their three children. Packing everyone into a Ford Model T Touring Car named Hubbub with attached trailer, the Melvilles left their home in Worcester in January, with the objective of traveling the entire periphery of the United States and, as Mrs. Melville noted in one of her many journals, “…finding out-of-the-way places and experiencing the natural wonders the country had to offer.”

05/06/2025

Coming to Millbury, Sunday May 18th!

Millbury Food Truck Festival