SEE PAGE 8

KNOW WHERE IN TOWN THIS IS?

FEBRUARY 11 FEBRUARY 17, 2010
wickedlocaldedham.com | GateHouse Media New England Vol. 1 No. 17 75

INSIDE TODAY
HOCKEY, 17

SCHOOL BUDGET

Teams qualify for tournament

SCHOOL, 4

How sweet it is

Small boost in the works

Committee proposes 2.25 increase; moves to the Finance Committee
By Edward B. Colby
STAFF WRITER

Students explore writing at Greenlodge

WEB POLL RESULTS

The School Committee has adopted a tentative schools operating budget of $32.6 million for next year a plan that would allow the district to provide the same programs and is, as one board member put it, pretty bare-bones. At its meeting last Wednesday, the School Committee approved a fiscal 2011 budget

Readers were asked:

If you had a vote, which movie would you choose for Best Picture?
I didnt see any of the choices 25% Inglourious Basterds 15%
DEDHAM TRANSCRIPT PHOTOS BY ERIN PRAWOKO

SCHOOL BUDGET, PAGE 15

BOARD OF SELECTMEN

Up 30%

Valentines Day is in full bloom in Dedham this week, from the displays at Dedham Flower Shoppe on High Street, top right and left, to the Chocolate Fest at Whole Foods Market, top center. Above, Annie Hatami, 2, of Plainville tries a chocolate covered strawberry at the chocolate fest. Below, Ann Praught, owner of Dedham Flower Shoppe, says the singing balloons are big hit.

Avatar 20%
Precious 5% Up in the Air 5%

The Whole deal on chocolate

By Victoria Groves
CORRESPONDENT

Helping create the perfect arrangement

By Andrea Salisbury
STAFF WRITER

Seniors take a stand

Many demand that Rita Kalcos is rehired
By Edward B. Colby
STAFF WRITER

For more polls visit: WickedLocalDedham.com

COZY, DELICIOUS, 9

For those who made a New Years resolution to cut out sweets, it might be time to make an exception. Whole Foods Market at Legacy Place held its Chocolate Fest last Friday, a special pre-Valentines Day sampling event meant to showcase all of the ways to enjoy the sweet treat. From beer and wine pairings, to chocolate covered corn nuts to cocoa dusted scallops, the samples were perfect for chocoholics, as well as those who enjoy more saCHOCOLATE, PAGE 12

Roses may be red, but this Feb. 14 has one Dedham florist a little blue. Its not going to be that busy this year because (Valentines Day falls) on a Sunday, Ann Praught, owner of Dedham Flower Shoppe on High Street, said Monday. So people who send flowers to their wives at work, wont send them. And its also Presidents Day so a lot of the people, the young kids, who tend to spend a lot of money, will go away for the weekend, because of the long weekend.
FLORIST, PAGE 13

Marion DeMers said what upset her the most about Rita Kalcos firing was the secrecy of the whole thing, when it really was dealing with us as senior citizens. Were the ones that lost a beautiful director, DeMers said, and lost what she called the best instructor she has had in Dedham senior exercise

SENIORS, PAGE 15

Want to make red velvet cupcakes like the pros?

NUMBER TO KNOW

PARKS AND RECREATION

New kids on the block

JuJu to make his exit in June

Director ready to move to a warmer climate
By Edward B. Colby
STAFF WRITER

2.16

million: The number of marriages that took place in the United States in 2008. That breaks down to a little less than 6,000 a day. www.cdc.gov

INDEX
Arts & Entertainment 24-28 Bulletin Board 21, 29 Cable Schedule 5 News 2-3 Opinion 8-9 Pets 29 Police News 11 Sports 17-19

After three decades, Anthony JuJu Mucciaccio Jr. is just about done as Dedhams parks and recreation director. Mucciaccio said he plans to step away from his job in June, after exactly 30 years in charge of the Parks and Recreation Department. Counting his vacation days, he will remain in his position until September. I cant stand the winters over here any more, said Mucciaccio, who in the coming years plans to spend January, February, and

March in Fort Lauderdale. He said he is a very young 72 at times. Mucciaccio said the Parks and Recreation Commission, at its meeting last Monday night, talked about the steps that will need to be taken once he leaves. He said an acting director would probably take over in mid-September, before a permanent new director is hired. Parks and Recreation Commission Chairman Sal Ledda said a working committee of commissioners James Maher and Don Reisner will begin the process to replace
JUJU, PAGE 11

PHOTO BY BEAR CIERI

Brad Cajar, left, Joey Shagoury, center, and Eva Murphy work on a Lego creation during a parent-run play group at the Dedham Parks and Recreation dance studio.

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Thursday, February 11, 2010 Dedham Transcript wickedlocaldedham.com

13

FROM THE FRONT PAGE

FOR BREAKING NEWS during the week visit wickedlocaldedham.com.

Make your flowers last longer

Dedham Floral Shoppe owner Ann Praught says it is easy to make your Valentines Day arrangement last.

Tip 1- Remember, roses are living things. Praught says roses need cool temperatures and cool water. The cooler your home, the longer the flowers will last. Tip 2 - Dont keep it on the TV. The television set generates heat and that can kill the flowers, she says. Tip 3 Thin the water. Add sugar, aspirin, or even a bit of 7up to the water to thin it. The water needs to travel up the stem. Tip 4- Change the water every three days. Dont let the water get mucky. Make sure to change it with cool not cold water. Cold water will shock the flowers.

FLOWER
From Page 1

For a florist, the best day for Feb. 14 to fall is on Tuesday, a Wednesday or on a Thursday, she said. In a good year, Praught said she sells roughly 700 arrangements for Valentines Day, and with roughly 10 delivery drivers, the shop typically makes special deliveries to downtown Boston. She said in the past, her delivery people were required to wear tuxedos to add to the arrangement, but with over 30 years in the business, shes come to alter some of her business practices. But one thing hasnt changed, Praught said, the personal service. Lilies mix with roses to create a scent of spring inside the Dedham Floral Shoppe on a day when Praughts delivery man is bundled up for winter. And thats another problem with Valentines Day, Praught says - its always in the winter. Perhaps the worst sale season she can remember fell only a few months after the Dedham shop opened. Praught had previously worked at a Stoughton flower shop, but after a little pushing from her father, she decided, at 21, to open a shop in Ded-

ham Square. And at the time it made sense, Praught said, because she lived in Dedham. But Old Man Winter had a different plan. That year, roughly 28 inches of snow coated New England in what would be remembered as the Blizzard of 78, or for a florist, the worst Valentines Day she can remember. Oh, it was awful, it was a disaster, she said, There was so much snow you couldnt do anything. It was unbelievable. Praught was stuck in Stoughton because the highway was closed. There werent any planes coming in, so there wasnt any deliveries, she said. When we finally got the flowers, you couldnt deliver them because you couldnt see peoples houses There were people out, but it was just a nightmare. Despite the frigid temperatures and snow, Praught said there are the Valentines Day stories filled with dozens of roses, romance and a little bit of weird. (One year) we delivered an engagement ring tied onto a rose. That was exciting. It was hanging off of a rose, Praught said, reaching for a long stem rose in a vase next to her. She said yes. Praught said she has one

regular customer who likes to think a little outside of the box with his arrangements. We do have one customer who likes the weirdest thing we could possibly make she said, pausing. I mean weird. Most recently he asked for a birdhouse on a sick. Praught gestured to the size of the project, holding her hands above her head. An actual birdhouse on a stick she said. He comes back all the time. We have to think of something thats really weird. But it is the big arrangements, with the singing Mylar balloons, brown teddy bears and mixed flowers that make Feb. 14 special, Praught said, and there are ways to personalize your gift. She suggests bringing in your own vase; not only does it cut down on the cost, but youll also know it will fit the space. In the end, you have to know your clients, Praught said. We do more flowers in cut glass than we do in baskets or in containers now, she said And its easy to take care of them. While roses are the Valentines Day flower of choice, Praught said stargazer lilies are a close second and when mixed with roses can make for a nice arrangement. The average arrangement at Ded-

ham Floral Shoppe is anywhere from $35 to $45 and with over 30 years of experience, Praught says she can help with the card. I hate it when they say Happy Valentines Day, Love Jack, she said. They should say something more involved. Dedham Transcript editor Andrea Salisbury can be reached at asalisbu@cnc.com or 781-433-8322.

DEDHAM TRANSCRIPT PHOTOS BY ERIN PRAWOKO

Ann Praught, owner of Dedham Flower Shoppe, says she has seen a trend towards glass vases this Valentines Day season.

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