by Linda Ibbitson Hurd
Shortly after I moved to Halifax in the 70’s, an older couple moved in across the street from me. They were to become very important to my kids and me. My marriage had broken up and I was alone with two young children. My son Brian was starting second grade and my daughter Heidi was four and also deaf. I was holding down a job so I could keep my house and I needed someone to get my son off to school in the morning and to take Heidi until I got home in the afternoon.
The man and his wife who moved in were friendly and my kids and I liked them right away. Their names were Kitty and Les. They were from the Boston area, Les, a retired respiratory therapist from the Deaconess Hospital and Kitty a seamstress. As we got to know each other and they found out my situation, Kitty offered to help with my kids and agreed to the price I could afford to pay.
My ex was not good about keeping in touch with our kids and Heidi especially became attached to Les. Kitty and Les were a couple of color and one winter morning when my kids and I were in Cumberland Farms on a Sunday picking up a few groceries, Les walked into the store. Heidi spotted him from the back of the store and started running, her blonde ponytails flying out behind her while she yelled as loud as she could, “Dada!” Les kneeled down on one knee and opened his arms as she ran into them for a big hug. He was smiling and chuckling as people were curiously looking on. The memory still touches my heart.
Kitty and Les were good to my kids and they went willingly every weekday morning to their house. As time passed we grew closer to them and I got to know them very well. They became like family to us. Some years later when I married again, they came to my wedding. I met and got to know some of their family, one being a niece of Kitty’s who was a mounted Police officer in Boston and patrolled on horse back.
As Les aged he developed diabetes. He’d walk over to visit me when Kitty was busy with a customer who needed sewing done and begged me to make him a lemon meringue pie. My heart went out to him but I told him I couldn’t because of his health and because it would upset Kitty. What did finally pacify him was being able to have a small dish of ice cream on a regular basis.
As his health declined I went over to visit with him often. He became like a second father to me, I could talk to him about anything. He eventually needed a hospital bed which was delivered to the house. Kitty took such good care of him and he was able to stay at home with help from a visiting nurse.
One morning when I got up I had a sinking feeling something was wrong. I saw one of my neighbors come out of Kitty’s house and he looked sad. As I stepped outside he looked at me, nodding towards Kitty’s house and I went right over. When I went in Kitty was standing beside Les’s bed, tears running down her face. I gave her a big hug and she said Les had just passed.
Every Easter Les gave Kitty an Easter Lily and every year he’d plant it in their front yard in hopes it would bloom the next year. Some bloomed but were scraggly, they never did well. The Easter after Les passed I was in my kitchen when I heard someone calling my name. I looked outside and Kitty was coming up my walk. “Come, you have to see this, please come!”. She seemed dazed and close to tears. Alarmed, I went with her. As we approached her house a strong scent filled the air and to my amazement her small front yard was filled with beautiful Easter Lilies, all in bloom. She gestured toward the flowers saying, “this is not of this world; do you think this is the sign Les promised me when he got to Heaven?” I told her without a doubt I knew it was.
Cournan announces candidacy for State Representative
Jane Cournan, a proud resident of Pembroke, has announced her campaign for State Representative for the 6th Plymouth District. Jane brings a fresh perspective, unwavering commitment, and dedication to serving the people of the district. She is a registered Republican.
Jane understands the challenges facing the commonwealth and is committed to finding common-sense solutions that prioritize the needs of its citizens.
Professionally, Jane is the Co-Founder of Pageview Media and the popular magazine “South Shore Home, Life, and Style” – the premier luxury lifestyle magazine dedicated to celebrating the coastal communities south of Boston. With a background in finance, a mom, and a small business owner, Jane possesses the leadership skills necessary to effectively represent the needs of her constituents.
Cournan is an advocate for fiscal responsibility, honest government, and individual freedoms.
“Solutions are not one size fits all, and I will make sure everyone has a voice. I am committed to engaging with the community, listening to the concerns of residents, and working collaboratively to develop effective policies that benefit all.”
Jane believes in fostering a business-friendly environment that promotes economic growth, creates jobs, and ensures prosperity for all Massachusetts residents while at the same protects our environment and natural resources.
Jane recognizes the importance of quality education and will work to improve and expand educational opportunities for our towns.
“I am excited to embark on this journey to serve the people of Massachusetts and look forward to earning the trust and support of voters across the district.”
The 6th Plymouth District consists of Duxbury, Halifax (Precinct 2), Hanson (Precincts 2 and 3), Marshfield (Precincts 2A and 4), and Pembroke (Precincts 1, 2, 3A, and 4). It was previously represented by Democrat State Representative Josh Cutler.
The General Election will be held on Nov. 5, 2024.
To learn more about Jane Cournan, and her campaign for State Representative, please visit janecournan.com
Girl Scout Cookies to share
Last Thursday, March 7, the Brownies and Juniors from Plympton Girl Scout Troop 70837 stopped by the Plympton Town House to bring cookies to the Council on Aging and the Plympton Food Pantry. They also delivered cookies to the Cape and Islands Veterans Outreach Center in Barnstable. This cookie season, from December through the end of February, the troop sold 2,700 boxes from their standouts at the Plympton Library and the Halifax Stop & Shop. The scouts braved the cold and kept their smiles as they sold box after box of cookies. Many customers told the girls to “keep the change” or made a donation, and from those funds, the girls were able to buy 187 boxes of Girl Scout Cookies to donate to the COA, the Food Pantry, and veterans.
Coffee with State Rep. LaNatra
KINGSTON – State Representative Kathy LaNatra announced that she will host a monthly event for constituents called “Coffee and Conversation with Rep. LaNatra.” Constituents from across the 12th Plymouth District will have the opportunity to come and speak to Representative LaNatra and her staff about issues they care about, concerns they have regarding legislation or State policy, get assistance on any issues they are experiencing, or to hear from the Representative on events from Beacon Hill.
“I take my job as a Representative of the 12th Plymouth district seriously, and that begins by listening to my constituents and providing opportunities for constituents to engage with myself, my staff, and let their voices be heard,” said State Representative Kathy LaNatra (D – Kingston). “I am excited to begin hosting this monthly event to give my constituents another opportunity to meet with me, talk with me and allow me to better understand the needs and viewpoints of the residents of the communities I serve.”
“Coffee and Conversation with Rep. LaNatra” will take place once a month at a different coffee shop or restaurant throughout the 12th Plymouth district. This month’s event will take place on:
Friday, March 22, 10:30 – 11:30 AM
at The Early Bird Restaurant, 287 Main St.. Kingston.
Representative LaNatra can be reached at (617) 722-2575, or at her email Kathleen.LaNatra@mahouse.gov. If you cannot make the “Coffee and Conversation” event, you can reach out to her office at the number listed above, or through her Chief of Staff at Christopher.Jean@mahouse.gov to set up another time to meet.
Kathy LaNatra proudly serves as a State Representative for the 12th Plymouth District, which consists of the Towns of Kingston, Plympton, Precinct 1 and 2A of Halifax, Precinct 1 and 5A of Middleborough, Precinct 3 of Pembroke, and Precinct 1, 2, 3, 5, and 13 of Plymouth.
Bryant University Students Named to Fall 2023 Deans’ List
SMITHFIELD, RI- Bryant University is pleased to recognize the students from Kingston and Plympton for their academic success in being named to the Fall 2023 Deans’ List.
To earn a place on the Deans’ List, students must have a GPA of 3.4 or better for at least 12 semester hours of work. Congratulations on this outstanding achievement!
• Benjamin Andrade of Plympton
• Jacob Bugbee of Kingston
• Jake Cipullo of Kingston
About Bryant University
For over 160 years, Bryant University has been at the forefront of delivering an exceptional education that anticipates the future and prepares students to be innovative leaders of character in a changing world.
Bryant delivers an innovative and uniquely integrated business and liberal arts education that inspires students to excel.
With approximately 3,700 graduate and undergraduate students from 38 states and 49 countries, Bryant is recognized as a leader in international education and regularly receives top rankings from U.S. News and World Report, Bloomberg Businessweek, Forbes, and Barron’s.
Visit www.Bryant.edu.
Towns weigh zoning options
Taylor Fruzzetti
Express correspondent
Many Massachusetts communities will be faced with a decision following the 2021 law to implement zoning for multi-family housing for communities that have commuter rail stations or are adjacent to them.
According to the mass.gov website, the new law requires MBTA communities to “have at least one zoning district of reasonable size in which multi-family housing is permitted as of right.”
The law is intended to address the housing crisis in Massachusetts and approximately 177 cities and towns are subject to the MBTA Communities Law according to the state’s website.
The Multi-Family Zoning Requirement also calls for these housing communities to have a minimum gross density of 15 units per acre, the housing must be no more than 0.5 miles from a commuter rail station, subway station, etc, and no age restrictions.
Communities that benefit from the MBTA, and communities adjacent to MBTA communities, are being told that they must adopt the new zoning changes by Dec. 31, 2024 or they will no longer be eligible for funds from the Housing Choice Initiative, the Local Capital Projects Fund, or the MassWorks infrastructure program.
Additionally, towns that fail to comply with the zoning changes may be subjected to civil enforcement per the state’s website.
On Feb. 14 of this year, the Town of Milton held a special election to vote on the issue and ultimately overturned the MBTA Communities Multi-Family Overlay District which had originally passed at a special town meeting on Dec. 11, 2023.
The vote took Milton out of compliance with the state law, resulting in Attorney General Andrea Joy Campbell filing suit against the town of Milton on Feb. 27, according to a press release from the Office of the Attorney General.
“The MBTA Communities Law was enacted to address our region-wide need for housing, and compliance with it is mandatory,” said Campbell in the press release.
According to Halifax Town Administrator Cody Haddad, the Zoning Bylaw Review Committee is looking to find a solution that would have a minimal impact on the town, but also allow for the town to be compliant with the MBTA Zoning Requirement.
“The situation in Milton, in my eyes, only further affirms that the state will continue to make this requirement a priority and towns that do not comply will be penalized,” said Haddad. “We are cognizant of the state’s concern regarding the housing crisis facing Massachusetts, but we are also aware of what the Halifax community desires for their town.”
Haddad said that the Zoning Bylaw Review Committee will likely present their findings at the Fall Town Meeting.
“This topic can be controversial to many residents who are concerned that the zoning requirements could change the look and feel of a community, and impact several town services, including schools,” said Kingston Town Administrator Keith Hickey. “I am not sure of the reasons why Milton voted the zoning down but will be looking into what the sentiment of the voters was, if Kingston can learn from what occurred in Milton, we will do that.”
Hickey said that he plans to present the initial recommendations of Kingston’s MBTA subcommittee to the Selectmen at their meeting on March 12.
“Once the MBTA overlay district is finalized, staff will have several informational meetings, website postings and informational TV shows on PACTV to introduce and discuss what is being proposed,” said Hickey.
Hickey said that the vote on the MBTA overlay district will be at the Fall Town Meeting.
“Hanson is going to continue to move forward with creating the zoning for the MBTA requirement until a judgment of the Court directs otherwise,” said Hanson Town Administrator Lisa Green. “Something to understand is that we are simply creating the zoning, not the housing.”
Green said that Town Meeting will be provided with all the facts and will vote on the zoning changes.
“There must be an understanding that all towns are subject to legal action by the state for not complying with the legislation,” said Green. “The residents who attend Town Meeting and vote on the article will have to decide whether they prefer spending taxpayer dollars on legal fees to defend the town against a suit by the Attorney General’s Office and lose thousands of dollars in grants, or simply vote to create the zoning and benefit from the thousands of dollars of grants.”
Mary Beth Carter, Whitman’s Town Administrator, said the town is planning to put this proposed zoning by-law amendment on the May 6, 2024 Annual Town Meeting warrant. “I found it surprising, however Milton’s decision not to comply with this mandate has no influence on what will be decided in Whitman,” she told The Express. “Once the by-law is accepted, that may bring forth housing projects that up until now would not have been possible.”
Plympton Town Administrator Elizabeth Dennehy said that Plympton has received a technical assistant grant award which it has used to acquire the services of Southeastern Regional Planning and Economic Devellopment District (SPREDD) who will assist the Town with drafting a zoning overlay-type district that will be in compliance with the Commonwealth’s guidelines. Once drafted, this would go through the normal process for review and potential adoption of the zoning bylaw edits. Dennehy said she doesn’t expect a vote will take place until the May 2025 Annual Town Meeting.
Civics and Government classes hear from resource officer from
Matthew MacKenzie
Special to the Express
Friday, March 1, Patrolman and Student Resource Officer Brian Hurley, visited the Civics and Government classes of the team 8-2 Panthers, at Silver Lake Regional Middle School. Officer Hurley, a former graduate of Silver Lake who went on to study criminal justice at the University of New Haven, returned to his home community and has been an officer for the past three and a half years. Along with answering a substantial number of student questions throughout the day, Officer Hurley also recalled to the students how he became interested in policing, his role as a police officer, and his philosophy of policing which focuses on de-escalation. Students enjoyed both listening to Officer Hurley speak about his job and having ample opportunity to answer their questions.
Return of the River Herring?
Taylor Fruzzetti
Express correspondent
HALIFAX — River Herring will be able to return to their native spawning grounds in the Monponsett Ponds this spring, but work will still need to be done in order to improve their journey in years to come.
River Herring or Alewives are an anadromous species – meaning they can exist in both fresh and salt waters, as they migrate up rivers from the sea to spawn. But for approximately 100 years, river herring were unable to access their spawning ground in the Monponsett Ponds due to waterways being blocked.
The river herrings’ journey back to Monponsett began in 2017 when the Carver Cotton Gin Mill Dam on the Sautucket River in East Bridgewater was removed due to the Office of Dam safety determining the dam a hazard according to Jeremy Gillespie a local Halifax conservation activist.
The Carver Cotton Gin Mill was erected in 1842 and blocked the natural passageways for herring to travel upstream. John Fabroski, president emeritus of the Plymouth County League of Sportsmen, fought for the dam’s removal for 17 years.
“Once that dam was removed on the Satucket River, that allowed the herring to get into Robbins Pond,” said Gillespie.
For Diadromous Fisheries Project Leader Brad Chase of the Division of Marine Fisheries, the next step was to create a fish passageway through the Stump Brook Reservoir Dam in East Bridgewater. Chase began talking with the bog owner who owns the dam to install a fish ladder in 2018.
After design and feasibility work, the Division of Marine Fisheries received a grant through the Taunton River Stewardship Council for engineering plans and permitting for the fish ladder, which was installed in the fall of 2023 according to Chase.
“It was one of those restoration targets that was thought to be too difficult way back when, but now it’s a reality,” said Chase. “Once that fishway was in, there was a chance to get the fish up to the Monponsett Ponds.”
According to NOAA, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, a fish ladder, also known as a fishway, provides a detour route for migrating fish past a particular obstruction on the river. Designs vary … but the general principle is the same: the ladder contains a series of ascending pools that are reached by swimming against a stream of water. Fish leap through the cascade of rushing water, rest in a pool, and then repeat the process until they are out of the ladder.
According to Chase, some river herring will be able to make their way to Monponsett in late March of this year but work to improve culverts at Furnace Street and Elm Street will need to be done. Chase also plans to speak with the City of Brockton, which operates the fishway at Stump Brook Dam, to improve conditions.
“All of those little pieces I think are important,” said Chase. “I think we can make it work this spring but I think a better design is needed there,” said Chase referring to the Stump Brook Dam.
Although river herring are not technically endangered, the population has declined over the years due development threatening their habitats. Both Gillespie and Chase stressed the importance of river herring for the ecosystem and cultural significance.
“Some people call them potato chips- everything eats herring,” said Gillespie. “It will be a big boom for the whole ecosystem.”
“Traditionally, people used to use these fish for food and for bait and that practice has been banned since 2005,” said Chase. “Our agency is hoping to restore the population so people will have access to use these fish again. It’ll be very modest, but hopefully there’ll be a way where people can use this traditional practice and gather food.”
With the return of the river herring, the Town of Halifax is seeking volunteers to restore the Alewife Restoration Committee.
Annual Election Calendar announced for Plympton
Plympton’s Town Clerk Tara Shaw has announced the Annual Plympton Town Election Calendar.
• Plympton’s Annual Town Meeting: May 15, 7 p.m. at the Dennett Elementary School, 80 Crescent St., Plympton
• Plympton’s Special Town Meeting: May 15, 8 p.m. at the Dennett Elementary School, 80 Crescent St., Plympton
• Last date to register to vote for Annual and Special Town Meeting and Election – Friday, May 3, 2024, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
• Plympton’s Annual Town Election, Saturday, May 18, 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. at the Town House, 5 Palmer Rd., Plympton.
Candidates for Election – Important Deadlines
CANDIDATES FOR ELECTION-IMPORTANT DEADLINES
The last day to submit nomination papers to the Board of Registrars/Town Clerk is Friday, March 29, 2024 at 5 p.m. at the Town Clerk’s office.
The last day to object or withdraw Nomination papers is Wednesday, April 17, 2024, at 5 p.m.
Nomination papers are available in the Town Clerk’s office during regular business hours: Monday through Thursday, 9 a.m. until 2 p.m. or by special appointment. Nomination papers may be obtained will be given ONLY to the person seeking nomination, OR, to a person presenting a signed authorization form from the candidate. Nomination papers must be signed by at least 20 registered Plympton voters.
Plympton Positions on the ballot include:
• One (1) Selectman for a three-year term.
• One (1) Board of Assessor member for a three-year term.
• One (1) Board of Health member for a three-year term.
• One (1) Finance Committee member for a three-year term.
• One (1) Library Trustee for a three-year term.
• One (1) Planning Board member for a three-year term.
• One (1) Plympton School Committee member for a three-year term.
• One (1) Town Clerk for a three-year term.
• One (1) Tree Warden for a three-year term.
For answers to any questions regarding the election, email: townclerk@plymptontown.org
Halifax Annual Town Meeting and Town Election – Important Dates
The Warrant is now open for the Town’s 2024 Annual Town Meeting which is scheduled to occur on Monday, May 13, 2024, at the Halifax Elementary School. Citizen petitions must be submitted to the Town Clerk’s Office by March 12, 2024.
In order to participate in the Annual Town Meeting, residents must be registered to vote. The deadline to register to vote in order to participate in the 2024 Annual Town Meeting is Friday, May 3, 2024.
All questions relating to Voter Registration should be directed to the Halifax Town Clerk’s Office by calling (781) 293-7970 or e-mailing ClerksOffice@halifax-ma.org. More details regarding Elections and Voter Registration are available on the Town Clerk’s web page as well as the Elections & Registration web page.
Any questions regarding the Annual Town Meeting, submitting warrant articles, etc. should be directed to the Halifax Board of Selectmen’s Office by calling (781) 294-1316 or e-mailing Pamela.McSherry@halifax-ma.org.
A copy of the Warrant will be posted on the Town’s website and mailed to every household when it becomes available.
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