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As the tax season approaches, elders with low to moderate incomes can receive free help filing their taxes, thanks to Coventry resident Marilyn Nagy, who has trained a crew of volunteers.

Nagy spent her professional career as a tax preparer and now that she is retired she heads up the AARP Tax-Aide program in Kent County. This year she has trained about 40 volunteers to fan out between Coventry, West Warwick, East Greenwich, Warwick and Providence and give assistance to those who need it.

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 Johnson contractor Rambone Disposal Services was awarded the contract for hauling Coventry recycling after a 5-0 vote at Monday’s council meeting; they also voted to reject the bid made by Providence contractor Coastal Recycling Inc., also with a 5-0 vote.

This was the second time that the recycling contract went out to bid for the next three-year cycle because of concerns the council had with the first bidding process, Town Manager Thomas Hoover said at the meeting.

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COVENTRY—Located in Historic Rice City, a village of Coventry, Macomber’s Blueberry Farm has been growing blueberries since 1982, says owner John Macomber.
He and his wife, Linda, purchased their land at 141 Rice City Road in 1972 and cleared the blueberry lots “the old fashioned way.” Since then, they have hosted a pick-your-own farm staffed only by themselves and their children.
This summer has been a particularly good blueberry season, Macomber said this week, “good blooming, good pruning, and blueberries just love the rain.” Sunshine in the past week brings berries their sweetness and his 1000 bushes are heavy with a ripe harvest—so heavy that many of the branches have to be held up with twine. The Macombers grow seven varieties of blueberries.
Picking begins at 8 a.m. and lasts until 1 p.m. most days of the week. But some days the berries need to ripen, Macomber cautioned, so it is always best to call before driving to Rice City. The farm can be reached at 397-5079.

Pamela Borders, above, proudly displays some of the fresh vegetables she picked up at the Coventry Food Bank.
At left, three zucchini squash get weighed. Below, Coventry Food Bank Coordinator Stefani Dugas gets ready to display some heads of lettuce.

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COVENTRY — Fresh produce is the hardest thing to come by when you run a food bank, says Coventry Food Bank Coordinator Stefani Dugas.
Local businesses and residents always donate canned goods and day-old bread. But the frequency of getting fresh produce before the community garden was “never,” Dugas says.

Coventry Town Council President Thomas Hoover, center, with the rest of the council surrounding him (l-r), Kenneth Cloutier, Glenford Shibley, Thomas Hoover, Raymond Spear, Laura Flanagan.

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COVENTRY — He may have been in public administration for many years, said Thomas R. Hoover, newly appointed town manager for Coventry, but he still has a lot of fire in his belly and is up for the challenges that face this town.
“Both my wife and I are excited to move back to New England,” Hoover told residents at the Monday meeting. “And we’re excited to move to the town of Coventry in particular.”

Photo: Tricia Stearly
A small car and a tractor trailer truck from Pepsi Bottling Company collided Tuesday in front of Benny’s on Tiogue Ave.

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COVENTRY — A small car and a tractor trailer truck from Pepsi Bottling Company collided yesterday morning, causing traffic backups for nearly three hours in the area of the Benny’s on Tiogue Avenue through the afternoon, according to Coventry Police Department and the Anthony Fire District.
The call came in at 11:07 a.m. to the Coventry Police Department, according to Sergeant Frederick Heise, who was on the scene.