KINGSTON – Local author Marianne Leone will discuss her 2010 memoir about her son, “Jesse: A Mothers Story,” on Wednesday, August 2 at 6 p.m. at the Adams Center.
Jesse was an honor roll student, who loved to windsurf and write poetry. He also had severe cerebral palsy, was a quadriplegic, unable to speak, and wracked by seizures. He died suddenly at the age of 17 in 2005. In her memoir, Leone chronicles her transformation by the remarkable life and untimely death of her child.
During her discussion, Leone will also highlight how she and others communicated with her son, and how he communicated back through an adapted computer as a non-verbal individual. Leone’s author talk is part of this year’s Massachusetts Summer Reading theme, “Find your Voice,” with a number of programs at the Kingston Public Library to help individuals find their voice through writing, music, speechwriting or other means.
Leone is an actress, screenwriter, and essayist. Her other memoir, “Ma Speaks Up,” was published by Beacon Press in 2017. She had a recurring role on HBO’s, “The Sopranos,” and has appeared in films by David O. Russell, Larry David, John Sayles, and Martin Scorsese. Her essays have appeared in the Boston Globe, WBUR, and other publications.
This program is part of the 2023 Adult Summer Reading Program.  Attendees will be given a raffle ticket to be used towards a prize. This year’s prizes have been generously provided by the Kingston Public Library Foundation
To register for this event, please visit – https://kingstonpubliclibrary.org. For more information, you can contact Steven Miller, Reference Librarian at (781) 585-0517 x6272 or at smiller@kingstonma.gov.

Effective Monday, July 10, the Town of Halifax’s trash and recycling curbside collection schedule will be permanently delayed by one day.
New Curbside Collection Schedule:Monday’s trash and recycling will be picked-up on Tuesdays.
Tuesday’s trash and recycling will be picked-up on Wednesdays.
Wednesday’s recycling will be picked-up on Thursdays.
Recycling pick-up will still occur every other week.
Additional updates regarding trash and recycling curbside collection services will be posted online at www.halifax-ma.org as they become available.
For questions, please contact the Recycling Center by calling (781) 293-1732 or e-mailing Susan.Johnston@halifax-ma.org. If your trash does not get picked-up, you should contact the Town’s new trash hauler, All State Waste (www.allstatewasteinc.com), at (508) 807-4646.

The Kingston Public Library is hosting a Saturday afternoon author talk event with local author, historian, podcaster, and blogger Zachary Lamothe on Saturday, July 22 at 2 p.m. at the Adams Center. Zack will be discussing his recent 2021 book, Classic Restaurants of Boston, along with a preview of his newest book Distilled In Boston published on July 3, 2023.
Classic Restaurants of Boston – The story of Boston is inextricably linked to food, hence its nickname “Beantown.” Given the city’s geography, its cuisine is understandably tied to the sea, with popular dishes such as lobster, oysters and clam chowder. Join local author Zachary Lamothe as he explores the best food in Beantown.
Distilled in Boston – Boston has a long history with distilled spirits, from Colonial times through Prohibition. More recently, there has been a resurgence in the craft distilling industry from Cape Ann to Cape Cod. The ingredients, production processes and marketing techniques are as varied as the beverages themselves. Join author Zack Lamothe as he reveals the backstory of the popular craft spirit movement in the greater Boston area.
Zachary Lamothe is the author of Connecticut Lore: Strange, Off Kilter and Full of Surprises and More Connecticut Lore: Guidebook to 82 Strange Locations, as well as A History Lover’s Guide to the South Shore and Classic Restaurants of Boston, both from The History Press. He graduated from Boston University with a degree in American studies and holds a master’s degree from Southern Connecticut State University in education. He also runs the website Backyard Road Trips and cohosts the Backyard Road Trips podcast. He lives in Plymouth with his wife Jaclyn, three sons, one dog and one cat.

This coming Saturday, July 1, at 10:30 a.m., stop by the Plympton Public Library for coffee, snacks and good conversation with your neighbors.
Joining us for the “First Saturday 10 Minute Briefing” will be Public Health Registered Nurse Pat Iafrate. Pat will discuss providing Blood Pressure screening clinics and “Conversations with the Nurse” every other week at the Plympton Council on Aging. Topics such as Advocacy, COPD management, Tick/Mosquito update, Dehydration, Sun Safety, and more can be covered.
Hope to see you there

John Traynor
John.traynor@comcast.net

Gray’s Beach Park Playground Rebuild Project Phase 1 is now complete and the playground is now open. Due to State and Federal funding, grant award and resources, the project needed to be completed in phases.
Phase 2 of construction is anticipated to begin in late summer. This will involve installation of the Poured-In- Place surfacing, and the installation of the final pieces of playground equipment. The playground will close temporarily during Phase 2, which should take about two weeks to complete.
The town undertook the reconstruction project because the playground was almost 18 years old, and the structural integrity of the equipment had become compromised due to erosion and excessive rust, along with site drainage concerns and other ongoing issues.

The annual First Parish Church Fair will take place on Saturday, June 17, from 8:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the First Parish Unitarian Universalist Church, 842 Tremont Street/Route 3A next to Town Hall in Duxbury.
Food, games, and thousands upon thousands of items at bargain prices provide something of interest for all ages. Highlights include a live auction at 10 a.m., thousands of books, jewelry boutique, antiques and collectibles, musical entertainment, plus Father’s Day gifts, hundreds of children’s toys and games, crafts, plants, white elephants, snacks, and strawberry shortcake. Admission and parking are free! We’ll have live music in the afternoon. Come rain or shine.
From Route 3, take exit 20 (old exit 10) and go a little over 2 miles on Route 3A north. For more information, call 781-934-6532 or check out our website: www.uudux.org.

Dog licenses are available as of Thursday, June 1, 2023, and late fees for unregistered dogs will be charged starting at the close of business on Wednesday, Sept. 14, 2023.
Residents can submit their dog license registration in-person, by mail or by using the drop-box located at the Town Hall parking lot entrance. Please include cash or a check payable to the Town of Halifax, a completed Dog License Registration form, rabies vaccination certificate(s), and a self-addressed, stamped envelope.
Alternatively, residents may process their dog license registration online at https://www.halifax-ma.org/pay. Online registrations are only valid if the Town Clerk’s Office has a current rabies vaccination certificate on file. It is highly recommended to verify that all required materials are on file before proceeding with a dog license registration online. You can do so by calling (781) 293-7970 or e-mailing ClerksOffice@halifax-ma.org.
The cost of a dog license is $10.00 for neutered or spayed dogs and $15.00 for dogs that are not neutered or spayed. An owner who has not licensed their dog(s) by 4 p.m. on Wednesday, Sept. 14, 2023, will incur a late fee of $50 per dog plus the cost of the license(s).
An owner who has not licensed their dog(s) by Wednesday, Nov. 1, 2023, will be issued a court citation of $25 per dog, plus the late fee of $50 per dog in addition to the cost of the license(s).  All dogs must be licensed in accordance with Massachusetts General Law.
The Town Clerk’s office hours are Monday through Thursday from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Download Dog License Registration Form (PDF) from the town’s website.

NASHVILLE, TN – Kaitlin Rancourt of Halifax qualified for Belmont University’s Spring 2023 Dean’s List. Approximately 49 percent of Belmont’s 6,552 undergraduate students were named.
Belmont Provost Dr. David Gregory said, “For Belmont’s vision of becoming the leading Christ-centered university in the world to be realized, having a student body that is keenly committed to academic excellence, among other things is required.
Dean’s List achievements are consistently earned by a high percentage of the student body, giving evidence of an ever-increasing regard for scholarship across all programs. It is an honor to have a body of students as dedicated to stellar academic performance as it is to extra and co-curricular excellence.”
Dean’s List eligibility is based on a minimum course load of 12 hours and a quality grade point average of 3.5 with no grade below a C.
About Belmont University
Located two miles from downtown Nashville, Tennessee, Belmont University comprises nearly 9,000 students from every state and 33 countries. Nationally ranked and consistently recognized by U.S. News & World Report for innovation in higher education, the University offers more than 115 areas of undergraduate study, 41 master’s programs and five doctoral degrees. With a focus on whole person formation and data-informed social innovation, Belmont is committed to forming diverse leaders of character equipped to solve the world’s complex problems. For more information, visit www.belmont.edu.

The annual Kingston Memorial Day parade is back this year bigger and better. The parade will kick off at 10 a.m. on Monday, May 29, 2023 at the WWII War Memorial (across from Cancun restaurant), proceeding onto Landing Road, Main Street, Green Street and Evergreen Street. The event will end with a ceremony on Town Hall lawn.
All veterans are invited to participate by marching or riding along the parade route in provided transportation. Please contact the Veterans’ Services Department at 781-585-0515.
We encourage the Kingston community to turn out as spectators to honor our veterans and pay respects to the service men and women who have paid the ultimate sacrifice.
All residents are welcome to enjoy a free community cookout (behind Town Hall) immediately following the ceremony. Bring a picnic blanket or camp chair and enjoy a hamburger or hotdog served from the grill by Kingston town employees and volunteers.