BRISTOL, RI – Michael Beals of Kingston and Samantha Kelley of Halifax received their degrees in May as part of the Class of 2025.
Roger Williams University is a comprehensive university with a liberal arts core and professional programs, with campuses on the coast of Bristol and in the state capital of Providence, RI.
Across eight schools of study, we provide real-world learning focused on social and environmental justice, small classes, and direct access to faculty and staff

Master Gardener Gretel Anspach will present a “Lawns and Lawn Alternatives” session on Wednesday, Aug. 13 at 6 p.m. at the Adams Center, 33 Summer St..
Anspach will discuss different options to help tailor your needs, potentially eliminating hundreds of hours of labor and expensive treatments each year. Lawns are imported garden fixtures from places with cool, wet summers.
Our ideal of a “perfect” lawn can be a major drain on water supplies, a source of pollution, and hard work. Anspach’s talk will also include some discussion of alternatives to the traditional grass lawn.
Anspach is a Trustee of the Massachusetts Horticultural Society, a Lifetime Master Gardener with the Massachusetts Master Gardener Association, and a recently-retired systems engineer for Raytheon. She won the MMGA Lifetime Achievement Award in 2016.
Anspach established and presently maintains a 20,000 square foot food production garden that has provided fresh produce to the Marlboro and Maynard Food Pantries for the last 10 years. Her primary interest and focus is always the science behind horticulture.
She delivered an outstanding presentation this past spring at the Kingston Council on Aging titled, “Vegetable Gardening 101,” which was sponsored by the Kingston Agricultural Commission.
This program is part of the 2025 Adult Summer Reading Program, Level Up at Your Library. Attendees will be eligible for a raffle ticket for one of three prizes on display in the Circulation area.  The Kingston Public Library has generously funded this program. To learn more about how the KPFL supports our library please visit kplf.org.
To register for this event, please visit – https://kingstonpubliclibrary.org. For more information, contact Steven Miller, Reference Librarian at (781) 585-0517 x6272 or at smiller@kingstonma.gov.

The Town of Halifax’s Fireworks Celebration, coordinated by the members of the Halifax Fireworks Committee, is scheduled for Saturday, June 28, from 5 p.m. to 10 p.m. behind the Halifax Elementary School, 464 Plymouth Street. A variety of activities will be available during the event such as a DJ, food vendors, face painting, and more.
The Fireworks Committee is also seeking volunteers on Sunday, June 29, to assist with post-event clean-up. If you’re interested in volunteering, please e-mail Janice Hayward at Janice.Hayward@halifax-ma.org or Susan Hill at Susan.Hill@halifax-ma.org.
In the event of inclement weather, the Fireworks display will be rescheduled to Sunday, June 29, and the post-event clean-up will take place on Monday, June 30, 2025.
This event is made possible by the support and funding from residents, guests, sponsors, and local businesses. We are thankful to all who have contributed towards continuing the tradition. If you would like to make a donation, please mail a check made out to Town of Halifax and include Halifax Fireworks in the memo line to 499 Plymouth Street, Halifax, MA 02338.
Everyone is invited to take part in watching one of Halifax’s grand community events as we celebrate our nation’s birthday alongside friends, family, and neighbors. We hope to see you there!

BOSTON – The House Committee on Federal Funding, Policy and Accountability held a hearing recently focusing on the broad impacts to the state budget and the economic health of the Commonwealth. The hearing, chaired by State Representative Kathy LaNatra, was the first hearing of the newly named Committee. Those who testified in front of the Committee included Doug Howgate, President of the Massachusetts Taxpayers Foundation; Sarah Mills, Vice President of Government Relations at the Associated Industries of Massachusetts, and Quentin Palfrey, Director of the Federal Funds and Infrastructure Office in the Healey-Driscoll Administration.
“Just five months into the current administration, we’re already seeing significant shifts in the federal funding that Massachusetts depends on,” said State Representative Kathy LaNatra (D–Kingston). “From higher education and childcare to small businesses and major employers, organizations across the Commonwealth are trying to understand how policy changes, funding cuts, grant rescissions, and tariffs will affect them. As Chair of this committee, I’m committed to making sure we fully understand the many ways our state partners with the federal government—and to creating a forum where nonprofits, businesses, institutions, and agencies can share information directly with the Legislature. These insights will help shape our response to the challenges ahead. I want to thank Doug Howgate, Sarah Mills, and Quentin Palfrey for their testimony today, and Speaker Mariano for the opportunity to lead this important work.”
Testimony from Doug Howgate of the MTF focused on the effects of federal funding cuts to the State budget. Howgate emphasized that one in four dollars in the House’s FY26 State Budget comes from the federal government, representing a higher share of revenue than both the sales tax and the lottery. He cautioned that an economic downturn, caused by uncertainty and tariffs would be more harmful to the State’s economy than any one policy proposal. Sarah Mills of AIM also focused on tariffs, highlighting their impact on businesses across the Commonwealth, which export around $77 billion to over 210 global markets each year. Director Palfrey focused on the efforts of the Healey Administration to track changes to federal funding, as well as logistical changes to how the state and localities apply for available federal dollars.
The Committee on Federal Funding, Policy and Accountability was created to monitor the effects of federal policy decisions on Massachusetts, particularly in areas like education, public health, veterans’ services, civil rights, and climate policy. The committee will engage with residents, businesses and stakeholders who have been impacted by President Trump’s actions, a process that will allow the House to better understand how to respond to the developments in Washington.
For questions about the Committee, or concerns about Federal funding or policy that you would like directed to the Committee, please email Christopher.Jean@mahouse.gov.
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Massachusetts Expands Free Growing Wild Starter Kit Program to 27 Locations; DCR, MDAR, and MNLA Encourage Residents to ‘Pledge Your Garden’ and Help Restore Pollinator Habitats
BOSTON – The Massachusetts Department of Conservation and Recreation (DCR), Department of Agricultural Resources and the Massachusetts Nursery and Landscape Association (MNLA announced the launch of the fifth year of the Growing Wild program, encouraging the public to preserve and protect pollinator habitats by inspiring residents to plant native species and pledge their gardens in support of pollinators. To commemorate this initiative, Governor Maura Healey proclaimed May 30 as “Growing Wild Day” in Massachusetts, marking a major milestone in the state’s expanding effort to protect native species and restore pollinator habitats.
As part of this year’s program, Growing Wild is offering free pollinator starter kits at 18 nurseries and six DCR parks across the state. Additionally, DCR, for the first time, has partnered with Hassanamisco Nipmuc Band, Mashpee Wampanoag Tribe, and Herring Pond Wampanoag Tribe to offer plants to Indigenous communities for their use and enjoyment. Native plants like Milkweed and Joe Pye Weed are valued in Indigenous culture and traditions. In honor of the program’s fifth year, state and local leaders will gather at Rogers Spring Hill Garden Center in Haverhill for a public launch event celebrating the program’s continued growth and impact across the state.
“Growing native plants and attracting pollinators in our gardens is a great way to show our commitment to protecting nature and wildlife,” said Energy and Environmental Affairs Secretary Rebecca Tepper. “The Growing Wild program helps us to transform lawns into safe havens for pollinators like bees and butterflies. I am proud to be a part of the Growing Wild community and to use native plants in my own backyard.”
As part of this year’s initiative, and in celebration of the start of National Pollinators Month in June, Growing Wild is offering free starter kits that include two one-gallon native perennial plants, native seed packets, and educational resources on pollinator-friendly gardening.
“The Growing Wild program enables us to partner with our state agency and nursery partners to give residents the tools to create and nurture their own pollinator and native plant gardens, helping make our landscapes more resilient,” said DCR Commissioner Brian Arrigo. “Through this program and the free Growing Wild starter kits, we are fostering a sense of shared stewardship of our public and private green spaces, protecting biodiversity, enhancing the natural beauty of our communities. Together, we are nurturing a brighter, greener future, one garden at a time.”

“We are excited to see the Growing Wild program grow year after year,” said MDAR Commissioner Ashley Randle. “Residents who plant native and supporting pollinators are helping to build a more resilient food system, so this kind of public engagement initiative is important for agricultural sustainability in Massachusetts.”

Pollinators—primarily bees, butterflies, and other insects—are critical to our ecosystems. Approximately 75% of flowering plants and 35% of the crops we consume depend on them to reproduce. In Massachusetts, native pollinators are essential to sustaining biodiversity and ensuring a healthy food system. Yet, these species face mounting threats from habitat loss, invasive plants, pesticide use, and climate change. Growing Wild offers residents a powerful way to help reverse this trend—one native plant at a time.

Whether using a Growing Wild starter kit or purchasing native plants independently, Massachusetts residents can help make an environmental impact by registering their gardens on the Massachusetts Pollinator Map, a growing visual record of native plantings across the state. The statewide pollinator map not only shows this collective progress but also reinforces Massachusetts’ leadership in sustainability and climate resilience.

“As green industry professionals, we’re proud to support residents in creating beautiful, healthy, and environmentally responsible landscapes,” said MNLA Executive Director Rena Sumner. “Local nurseries across Massachusetts are here to help people identify native plants and make pollinator-friendly choices that have a real impact.”

Since its launch, Growing Wild has distributed nearly 6,000 starter kits since 2021, totaling an estimated 6.5 acres of pollinator habitat across the state. To learn more, find educational materials, native plant guides, find a nursery, pledge your garden, and for a full list of participating nurseries visit the MNLA Growing Wild website, mnla.com/growingwild.
The Massachusetts Department of Conservation and Recreation (DCR), an agency of the Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs, oversees 450,000 acres of parks and forests, beaches, bike trails, watersheds, dams, and parkways. The agency’s mission is to protect, promote, and enhance our common wealth of natural, cultural, and recreational resources for the well-being of all. To learn more about DCR, our facilities, and our programs, please visit www.mass.gov/dcr. Contact us at mass.parks@mass.gov.
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Curry College welcomes Melanie Martin-Plant of Halifax into the Alexander Graham Bell Honor Society.
The objective of the Alexander Graham Bell (AGB) Honor Society is to promote and recognize academic excellence at Curry College. The Society is named for the famous inventor, Alexander Graham Bell, who was an early chancellor at Curry College. It was founded in 1971 to recognize and promote academic excellence through a variety of activities at Curry.
The Alexander Graham Bell Honor Society is one of Curry’s most distinguished organizations. Membership in the Society is limited to those students who have achieved Dean’s List every semester while enrolled at Curry College.
Curry College, founded in Boston in 1879, is a private, co-educational, liberal arts-based institution located on 131 acres in Milton, Massachusetts. The College extends its educational programs to a continuing education branch campus in Plymouth. The College offers 24 undergraduate majors in specialized and liberal arts programs, as well as graduate degrees in accounting, business, education, criminal justice, and nursing to a combined enrollment of nearly 2,500 students. The student body consists of 1,700 traditional students and nearly 800 continuing education and graduate students. The College offers a wide array of co-curricular activities ranging from 16 NCAA Division III athletic teams to an outstanding theatre and fine arts program. Visit us on the web at www.curry.edu

Justin Evans
Express correspondent
Halifax Town Meeting Addresses Rising Costs and Citizen Petitions
Halifax officials are recommending the use of $745,000 in free cash to balance the town’s fiscal year 2026 budget, as rising education costs and minimal increases in state aid create significant financial challenges.
The proposal came during the May 12 Annual Town Meeting, where Town Administrator Cody Haddad presented an overview of the budget situation to residents.
“Due to significant increases in the cost of education, the town was facing a major budget shortfall,” Haddad explains. “In order to present a balanced budget for FY26, the Finance Committee and Board of Selectmen opted to utilize one-time funds, free cash, in the amount of $745,000 to subsidize the town’s operating budget.”
The town’s estimated revenues for FY26 are $30,635,633, representing a 3.26% increase from FY25. However, this growth is “largely stunted by a continued reduction in new growth and minimal increases in state aid,” according to Haddad.
Education costs are increasing by $1.25 million for FY26, with the Halifax Elementary School budget rising by 11.63% and the Silver Lake Assessment increasing by 5.6%. These increases may necessitate a Proposition 2.5 override to fund the FY27 budget.
“This is a buffer year, recognizing that next year, the town will likely need to go for a Proposition 2.5 override,” Haddad says.
Fixed costs that the town has little control over are also rising significantly. The assessment to Plymouth County retirement is increasing by almost 8%, and health insurance costs are up 8%.
In using free cash to balance the budget, several capital items had to be postponed, including a new ambulance, a police cruiser, and repairs to the historic Blacksmith Shop.
The budget includes reductions in staffing in the administration/selectmen’s office, building maintenance department, and library. Expense accounts in the Fire Department, Board of Health, Council on Aging, and library have also been reduced.
Halifax Elementary School has made several reductions to staffing and expense budgets to present a balanced budget this year.
Finance Committee Chair James Walters notes that the committee was unable to maintain its core values this year, including maintaining existing levels of government services and funding operating budgets exclusively from revenue funds.
The meeting also addressed several citizen petitions, and articles related to the MBTA Communities Act, which mandates certain zoning changes near transit stations.
Town Meeting approved Article 21, a proclamation stating the town’s opposition to the MBTA Zoning Law. The proclamation notes that Halifax “strongly opposes the provisions of Chapter 3A of the Acts of 2021, which mandate multi-family zoning as of right near MBTA stations in communities like Halifax.”
The proclamation urges the Massachusetts Legislature to amend or repeal the law “to restore local control over zoning decisions and to provide municipalities the ability to craft development solutions that are appropriate to their unique conditions and priorities.”
Town Counsel Richard Hucksam informed residents that the town recently filed a complaint in Superior Court asking a judge to issue an injunction to prevent the state from enforcing the MBTA zoning requirements.
“The town is technically in violation of the law,” explains Selectman John Bruno. “What we’re trying to do here is to work within the law, to work within the system, to change the law.”
A citizen petition (Article 25) requesting an impact study on the financial effects of the MBTA zoning law was defeated. The article, proposed by resident Van Donnelly, would have directed the Finance Committee to lead a study on how the MBTA zoning would affect town costs.
“Without an impact study sitting there with our town lawyers, I think we’re looking like we want to agree on something just to get rid of it,” Donnelly argues. “Without this impact study, we have no basis to go forward with lawsuits or anything else we want to do.”
Another citizen petition (Article 26) seeking to impose a moratorium on new building permits due to water supply concerns was also defeated. The article, proposed by resident Amy Troup, cited concerns about water bans, water quality issues, and capacity limitations.
Water Commission Chair Richard Clark strongly opposed the article, stating, “I’ve been with the water department for 40 years… I’ve never heard so much crap in my life.”
Clark explains that the department is currently working on a $3 million project to address water quality concerns. The treatment plant is back online, and the filtration plant is expected to be operational within days.
“When that gets back online, the superintendent is going to schedule some flushing in the areas of town that have had some dirty water during this time,” Clark says. “This fall, we’ll do a complete flushing, which will eliminate all of these problems.”
Town Meeting also approved Article 19, creating a new anti-littering bylaw with a $300 fine per violation. The bylaw was suggested by the town’s Beautification Committee.
“Litter is detrimental to the environment,” explains Beautification Committee Chair Shirley Graf. “Cigarette butts, the number one littered item, contain arsenic, lead, and nicotine, which can leach into our water and soil.”
The meeting marked the last for Town Administrator Cody Haddad and Board of Selectmen Chair John Bruno. In response to the applause at mention of his retirement, Bruno quipped, “Are they applauding because they’re glad I’m retiring, or are they congratulating me?”