June 2010 Archives

An important milestone in the Town of Stow was celebrated last Thursday at the groundbreaking ceremony for our town's elementary school. A project that has been decades in the making, the new school will be an addition and renovation to Center School which currently houses third through fifth grade. The new school will house all Pre-K through 5 students and abandon Pompositticut School. The project would not have been possible without the support of the Massachusetts School Building Authority support, which contributed $18M.

For the full gallery with 52 images, please visit Stow Elementary School Groundbreaking Gallery. All proceeds from sales of images will go to RECESS, the fundraising group aimed at defraying costs of the building for taxpayers.

Unfortunately, Mother Nature was not terribly cooperative this past weekend and the high school graduation was held indoors. It was still a lot of fun, just different, and harder to photograph. While there was plenty of joy and laughter, there was also sadness. Just a couple of months ago, senior Alex Doucette passed away on the track. The speeches all remembered him, and in a touching moment, his parents were given his diploma. Class President Brad Lewis added a fun twist to the normal speeches by donning green face paint and a kilt and treated everyone to William Wallace from Braveheart.

For the full gallery with 87 images, please visit 2010 NRHS Graduation.

As reported in several news sources, on May 26, 2010, Steve Infante, close associate of Steve DiTullio from the former Five Star Gymnastics in Stow, now named 10.0 Academy, was found guilty of child rape and molestation charges and sentenced to 8-10 years in prison. See: Lowell Sun article from 5/26/10.

For those who do not know, this case unfolded in November 2007 here in Stow. The criminal allegations brought forth showed that there were very close ties between "the two Steves," including that several of the indecent assaults occurred in the Littleton home of Steve DiTullio. DiTullio was charged with perjury as a result of the investigation. However, there were some disturbing allegations concerning DiTullio, and additional well-documented incidents involving children, all of which were reported in the press.

These "two Steves" ran a summer camp together for many years out in Springfield which several Stow children were required to attend. At one of them, from just a few years ago, photographs circulated the Internet at the time of the scandal, showing DiTullio handcuffing a teenage girl; images which were supplied to the Middlesex District Attorney. Additionally, it is public knowledge that DiTullio also tapped several girls mouths in the gym in Stow back in 2007 in an apparent display of discipline.

Parents should know that while Five Star Gymnastics had its name changed to 10.0 Academy a few months after the scandal broke, it may have been not that much more than a public relations move. Steve DiTullio was sole owner of Five Star Gymnastics at the time the scandal broke.  The company has done business as "The Gym Nest, Inc." since 1980, despite whatever name is on the gym; and appeared prominently in the Infante trial.  Public records show that the business is now owned by Steve's wife Suzie DiTullio. 

Parents also should make sure the gym is standing by its 2007 statement that DiTullio "has removed himself from his coaching position and will not be present in any capacity".

Related Posts:

• Five Star Gymnastics Renamed to 10.0 Academy (2/8/2008)
• Explanation for Pictures Emerges (11/30/2007)
• The Role of the Media in Abuse Scandals (11/29/2007)
• Gymnastics Abuse Scandal Unfolds (11/28/2007)
• Sad News Comes to Stow (11/26/2007)