Valley Breeze

Serving Pawtucket NOVEMBER 13-19, 2013 FREE Breeze THE VALLEY CHEER CHAMPS! BAH HUMBUG! Darlington Braves cheerleaders capture three state titles. PAGE 12 Veteran actor takes on Scrooge in 'Christmas Carol.' PAGE 28 @ "Like" us on Search for The Valley Breeze Newspapers Grebien set to do battle against the bulge Customers get even better deals, say last goodbyes to Building #19 By ETHAN SHOREY Valley Breeze Staff Writer ethan@valleybreeze.com By ETHAN SHOREY Valley Breeze Staff Writer ethan@valleybreeze.com PAWTUCKET – It was the store that seemed almost timeless, say longtime customers of the city's Building #19 store on Narragansett Park Drive, a place where you go to get "ridiculously cheap" bargains in any kind of economy. It will be a sad day when the store they grew up with, the "Home of Good Stuff Cheap," closes its doors for the last time, said some of the thousands of customers who rushed to the Pawtucket store after prices were slashed by as much as 40 percent last Thursday. Watch a video of customers getting in one final shopping trip with this story at www. valleybreeze.com . Feel free to also leave your favorite memories of the store. Some, like lifetime Pawtucket residents Ray and Carol LeBlanc, have been coming for years and were not happy to hear that Building #19 is headed See BUILDING #19, Page 15 valleybreeze.com PAWTUCKET – It was late in the afternoon last Friday at the Exchange Street Café and Mayor Donald Grebien was considering some dramatic life changes over a medium hot coffee with cream and Splenda. Joan Doyle, wife of former Mayor Jim Doyle, was on her way out the door, but stopped to say hi. "You're going to order a meal as soon as I leave, aren't you," she says to Grebien, laughing. Grebien can remember being at events with the Doyles and seeing Joan watching to make sure he and Jim weren't eating too much. "Joan is just one of many who care about my well-being and challenge me to focus in on an improved lifestyle," he said later. Not much in his life is more deeply personal than his weight, says Mayor Grebien, but when you're in the public eye like he is, even all those extra pounds become a hot topic of discussion. If one person is calling him "Santa," the next is questioning his portion size. Grebien has fought the weight battle most of his life, finding it more and more difficult as he's gotten older to shed VALLEY BREEZE PHOTO BY ETHAN SHOREY the pounds. Like his father, "I Mayor DONALD GREBIEN poses on Exchange Street for his "before" was always big," he says. picture. Grebien has a goal of losing 25 pounds over the next three Stress was usually a key factor in his eating problems, said months and wants the people of Pawtucket to keep him accountable. IT'S NOT TOO EARLY TO THINK ABOUT YOUR HOME HEATING NEEDS FOR THE COMING SEASON Top Quality Fuels and Service No Confusing Contracts Fair & Honest 24/7 Emergency Service Affordable Price Plans and Service Plans Propane Delivery Gas Installation & Service Air Conditioning Installation & Service Family Owned & Operated Since 1898 (401) 722-0080 (800) 322-5025 DupuisOil.com ©2013 BREEZE PUBLICATIONS INC. Grebien, especially after his parents divorced when he was in high school. On his way home from school, his grandfather would stop at McDonald's, then drive him on the paper route he should have been walking, and finally take him home for a snack. At about the same size he is today, Grebien struggled with self-confidence in high school. It wasn't until senior year that Grebien said he wants to be an example to young people, to show them that you can achieve something big if you put your mind to it and have the right safeguards in place. 'A healthy example is a good example.' he said. he was able to drop his weight from 285 to about 240, said Grebien, an achievement he attributes largely to cutting out soda, eating healthier, and being more active. Like many who face this struggle, it's the times when he's the most accountable to others that his weight is the lowest, said the mayor. He also dropped more than 20 pounds back when he was walking See GREBIEN, Page 18

• Cover