Plympton-Halifax-Kingston Express

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House passes state tax filing extension

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KINGSTON and BOSTON – State Representative Kathy LaNatra (D-Kingston) announced today that the House of Representatives has passed legislation to move the individual tax filing and payment deadline, support municipal government operations, and allow alcohol sales for take-out or delivery at restaurants.

The legislation would extend the individual state tax filing and payment deadline from April 15 to July 15.  Additionally, it includes the following provisions:

• Permits establishments licensed to sell alcohol for on-premises consumption to sell wine and beer via delivery and take-out provided the wine or beer is sold in the same transaction as a purchase of food and in a sealed container.

• Modifies local permitting processes, extending municipal tax deadlines, and allowing municipalities to extend property tax exemptions and deferrals.

• Allows municipalities to activate qualified workers by suspending the cap on hours and compensation for certain retired employees for hours worked during the state of emergency.

The legislation will provide administrative and economic relief to restaurants, cities and towns, and to the taxpayers of the Commonwealth. There are several provisions affording towns and municipalities the flexibility to allow for extending time frames for town meetings and assessing some kind of temporary leniency with paying taxes and late fees. The bill will now go to the Senate.

Representative LaNatra said, “This legislation will provide needed relief in a number of important areas. I am pleased that my colleagues in the House of Representatives moved quickly and we look forward to seeing it enacted into law.”

Representative LaNatra’s district includes all residents of Halifax, Kingston and Plympton, as well as residents of Precincts 1, 11 and 13 in Plymouth; Precinct 1 in Middleboro; and Precinct 1 in Duxbury. To reach her, email [email protected] or her legislative aide, Chris Jean, [email protected]. The phone number for the office is 617-722-2430. For updates and announcements, please visit Representative LaNatra’s Facebook page, https://bit.ly/2Ura8VR or her website, https://www.kathylanatra.com.

Fire Dept. Special delivery lunches

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The Plympton Fire Dept. helps out in many ways – and with the COVID-19 order to close the schools for several weeks, it is delivering lunches that students would usually enjoy in the cafetoria.

Lunches are picked up at Silver Lake Middle School where they are prepared, then brought back to the Dennett Elementary School for distribution Monday, Wednesday, and Friday.  On the left is Lt. Andrew Norton and right is Firefighter Steven Fennell.

“The guys are awesome – ready to step up and are glad to help,” said a proud Capt. John Sjostedt.  “We’ve never had a situation like this …”

Second case of COVID-19 confirmed

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The Town of Halifax notified residents on March 25 that a second case of COVID-19 has been confirmed.  Due to privacy requirements, the name and address were not disclosed, although the close contacts of the positive case have been notified and are following CDC guidelines for self-quarantine.

Other contacts are still being investigated. With increased testing capabilities and community spread of COVID-19, having positive cases in Town was inevitable. This is a crucial time in infection control. Maintaining social distancing, limiting exposure to others, avoiding crowded places, and vigilant hand washing are vital steps in slowing the spread of this disease.

The Massachusetts Department of Public Health (DPH) continues to work closely with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), other Federal agencies and our local Board of Health to share the most up to date information available. The DPH website is updated constantly with the latest guidance, including printable fact sheets in multiple languages at www.mass.gov/2019coronavirus.

The CDC website is https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/index.html   The Town will continue to share information to ensure you are updated as broadly and quickly as possible.

North Easton Savings closes lobbies; drive-up, ATM banking service only

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North Easton Savings Bank announced that, due to the evolving situation related to the coronavirus outbreak, banking office lobbies will close until further notice.  Additionally, the bank has temporarily closed its two in-store locations at Roche Bros. in Easton and Shaw’s in North Attleborough.

Rich Spencer, Chief Executive Officer at North Easton Savings Bank, said that he hopes that lobby service will be restored soon, and reminds the public that, despite the temporary closings, Bank customers have several other ways to conduct banking with North Easton Savings Bank.

Individual locations will continue to offer drive-up and ATM services. In addition, the bank offers a variety of convenient services that include:

• Online and Mobile Banking – pay bills, transfer money between accounts, check balances and recent account activity, deposit a check, set up Alerts, and open a new account in our secure site. Login or enroll at www.NorthEastonSavingsBank.com.

• ATMs – Deposit cash or checks, withdraw, transfer funds between accounts, and check balances at the bank’s network of 23 ATM locations. Find maps and directions at www.NorthEastonSavingsBank.com./locations

• 24/7 Automated Telephone Banking Line – Get real-time balances, monitor recent account activity, transfer funds. To enroll, call the Contact Center. To access, call 888-226-5276.

•  Customer Contact Center – the bank’s service team can help with banking questions, or quickly put customers in touch with an expert if needed. Current hours are M-F 8-6; Sat 9-1. Reach the Center at 508-238-2007.

• Limited In-person Service by Appointment – For urgent matters requiring in-person assistance, individuals can call the bank’s Customer Contact Center to request an appointment. Appointments would be available based on the bank’s evaluation of conditions at the time of the request.

• Online Account Opening and Loan Application at www.NorthEastonSavingsBank.com

Spencer said, “We are sorry for any inconvenience this temporary closing of our lobbies will cause. We did not take the step lightly. But, given the current circumstances, it’s the right decision. The safety of our customers and employees must come first.

The North Easton Savings Bank employee team is working hard to help our customers smoothly navigate this temporary situation, and we are looking forward to the day we can restore our lobby services.”

He continued, “As a community bank, our goal is to meet the needs of our customers and communities and do so in a way that we believe best protects their health. Our top priority is to maintain a safe workplace for our employees, and a safe place of business for our customers.”

North Easton Savings Bank will maintain current information about its banking operations, and possible impacts to service delivery, on the Bank’s web page, and will communicate with its customers by email.

The Center for Disease Control and Prevention, an arm of the U.S. Dept. of Health and Human Services, https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-nCoV/index.html, provides situation updates, advice, and FAQs.

About North Easton Savings Bank

With eighteen local branches and over $1.1 billion in assets, North Easton Savings Bank is uniquely situated to provide personal and business banking and lending solutions to southeastern Massachusetts. Founded in 1864, the Bank has a proven track record of growing the community through fair banking practices, financial advising, and local philanthropy.

Looking forward, North Easton Savings Bank is well-positioned as the preferred area banking partner with a powerful combination of convenient features like mobile and online banking and the personal, hometown touch of a local bank. North Easton Savings Bank is fully insured by the FDIC and the DIF and is an Equal Housing Lender. For more information, please visit www.NorthEastonSavingsBank.com.

Express office closes as employes work from home

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Employees of Express Newspapers joined thousands of workers all over the country who packed up their offices and brought them home to work there while they wait out the COVID-19 pandemic.

Those who need to contact the Express should use email.  If you have a news story, subscription concern, or legal notices, contact [email protected].

To contact the editor of the Whitman-Hanson Express, email [email protected] and Tracy Seelye will respond.

Our printing company has  assured us that they will be able to print our paper, and the company that processes our online newspaper edition has taken on additional capabilities to get ahead of the anticipated additional demand for online news.  They have been closely following what has happened with their clients in Europe and Asia, and predict that increased online demand will follow here in the United States.

As we all voluntarily shelter in place, and respect each other’s personal space, please be kind and helpful however you can.

Remember when?

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The Halifax Council on Aging hosted a St. Patrick’s Day luncheon on Tuesday, March 10, at the Our Lady of the Lake Church Parish Hall in Halifax. Close to 100 residents were served a traditional Irish corned beef and cabbage dinner by Halifax first responders, the Plymouth County Sheriff’s Department, staff from the Plymouth County District Attorney’s office, and a group of volunteers known as the Fab Five Members of Generations who decorated the hall and tables.   Entertainment was provided by John Ahl who serenaded guests with a selection of songs ranging from the Beetles to traditional Irish music.

Nomination Papers

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Plympton Town Clerk Patricia Detterman has announced that nomination papers are now available for the Spring Town Election on Saturday, May 16.

A complete list of offices is available on the town’s web site or at the office of the Town Clerk during regular business hours.

House lots for sale to benefit Preserve

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Alan Wheelock
Special to The Express

Late in 2018, Plympton voters approved the acquisition of a large, beautiful parcel of conservation land on Prospect Road, not far from the Middleboro town line. Recognized by the state as one of the most environmentally important natural areas remaining on the South Shore, this land might well have been destroyed in a sand and gravel operation had it not been acquired by the town. The property is extensive and covers 160 acres of forested upland, wetlands, and cranberry bogs.

 In order to finance the acquisition of the property, the Plympton Open Space Committee led a creative effort that involved the use of Community Preservation Act funds, personal donations, fund raising efforts, and the issuance of a short-term municipal bond. The Open Space Committee made a commitment to voters to retire the bond as quickly as possible by selling several house lots with frontage along Prospect Road.

 These lots are now on the market. Each of the three lots available for sale by the Town are approximately 1.5 acres in size, and have already been approved for both septic and wells. The lots are beautifully wooded with mature white pine, red and white oak, and American holly. All three of the lots have water views overlooking a reservoir (associated with the former cranberry operation) and of course are contiguous with Plympton’s newest conservation area – Two Brooks Preserve. The Preserve will afford the new residents hiking, bird watching, and overall enjoyment of nature just outside their doorsteps.

 Interested parties can submit bids for one or more of these lots to the Town of Plympton. (A public bid process is required for the sale of Town-owned property under state regulations.) Required forms and instructions are available at Plympton’s website, which is town.plympton.ma.us.

 Alternatively, paper copies of the bid forms and instructions may be obtained at the Treasurer’s Office at the Plympton Town House, 5 Palmer Road, in Historic Plympton Village. The Town House is open Monday through Thursday from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. and Monday evenings from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m.

 All bids must be received at the Treasurer’s Office at the Plympton Town House no later than 12 noon, April 7, 2020.

Primary Election is March 3

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Town Clerks throughout the Silver Lake region are making last minute preparations for the Presidential Primary Election March 3.

The polls are open from 7 a.m. until 8 p.m. and is expected to be a heavy turnout.

Plympton residents vote at the Plympton Town House, 5 Palmer Road, Route 58.

Halifax residents vote at the Halifax Elementary School, Route 106, Halifax.

Kingston residents in Precincts 1, 2, and 3, vote at the Kingston Elementary School, 100 Main St.; Precinct 4 votes at the Town Hall, 26 Evergreen Street.

Silver Lake Drama Club to perform

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Monday, February 24, the Silver Lake Drama Club invited the Express  to see the play Darcy and Elizabeth, a shortened version of Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice.

The Silver Lake  Drama Club has been invited to present their play at the Massachusetts Educational Theatre Guild festival again this year.  The festival is hosted this year by the Joseph Case High School in Swansea.

The Massachusetts Theatre Celebration is a one-day, non-competitive opportunity for students to share work, receive feedback, and forge connections with students in other schools that can lead to collaboration and support for years to come.

Tickets for the Preliminary Round at Joseph Case High School in Swansea on Saturday, Feb. 29, are $15 for the entire day!

Preliminary Round – Saturday, Feb. 29, Semi-Final Round – Saturday, March 14, and the Final Round – Thursday – Saturday, March 26 – 28.

This program is supported in part by a grant from the Andover, Attleboro, Boston, Brockton, Cambridge, Chelmsford, Danvers, Dedham, Duxbury, Framingham, Hamilton/Wenham, Hanover, Harvard, Hingham, Hudson, Leominster, Lexington, Marshfield, North Reading, Norwood, Sharon, Wayland, Westford, and Winthrop Cultural Councils, local agencies which are supported by the Massachusetts Cultural Council, a state agency.