STOW— Captain Jeffrey Cuozzo of the Halifax Fire Department graduated last week from the 28th class of the Massachusetts Firefighting Academy’s Chief Fire Officer Management Training Program.
The four-month program for new chief officers and chief officer candidates is delivered jointly by the Massachusetts Firefighting Academy and the University of Massachusetts Edward J. Collins Jr. Center for Public Management. Through classroom instruction and out-of-class assignments, the course delivers intensive training in the non-fire suppression aspects of managing a municipal fire department.
“The Chief Fire Officer program is a tremendous opportunity for new chiefs and rising officers,” said State Fire Marshal Peter J. Ostroskey, who graduated from the program in 2002. “The rigorous instruction in such a wide variety of topics will help these graduates provide the leadership that their departments and communities deserve. Completing the program is a major accomplishment and I want to congratulate them on their initiative and dedication to professional development.”
The Chief Fire Officer Management Training Program covers a spectrum of topics considered essential for effective public sector management. It includes human resource management, ethics, executive leadership, governmental and organization structures, information management, customer-focused strategic planning, legal issues, budgets and public finance, community awareness, and labor relations. The curriculum helps fire officers improve their ability to lead and manage personnel, understand employees’ needs and problems, communicate effectively to a variety of audiences, and leverage inter-agency cooperation.  The Massachusetts Firefighting Academy, a division of the Department of Fire Services, offers this program tuition-free.
The 2022-2023 graduating class was drawn from the fire departments of Acushnet, Barnstable, Belmont, Billerica, Bridgewater, Chelsea, Easthampton, Everett, Fitchburg, Framingham, Grafton, Granby, Halifax, Hanover, Holyoke, Hyannis, Ipswich, Lakeville, Maynard, Medway, Methuen, New Bedford, Newton, North Andover, North Attleboro, Oakham, Palmer, Pelham, Russell, Seekonk, Sturbridge, Tewksbury, Three Rivers, Truro, West Brookfield, Westport, and Worcester, where its members serve as chiefs, deputy chiefs, and captains.

Alan Wheelock, chairman of the Plympton By-law Review Committee, spoke to residents about the function of his committee. The Third Saturday at the Library community meeting brought neighbors together for coffee, tea, and sweet treats, along with good conversation. Each meeting, First Saturday and Third Saturday, draws a dozen to three dozen people together to hear about what’s going on in town. Selectman John Traynor has been spearheading the effort, with the full support of library director Mike Slawson. If you have an idea that you would like to hear more about, contact the Library by email at mslawson@sailsinc.org. Photo by Sandi Neumeister

Earlier this month at the Kingsbury Club in Kingston, the combined Silver Lake and Whitman-Hanson Swim team took on Plymouth North. Led by their Senior Captains Anna Billings, Ava McTighe Tassinari, Wesley Hawley, Jake Foley, and Matt Ward and in this, the second year as a combined team with Whitman-Hanson, the Lakers are continuing to grow both renewed interest in aquatic sports as well as score consistent results in the pool. In addition to this meet against Plymouth North, the team has also faced their Patriot League rivals, Scituate and Quincy North, and are now half way through their season.

Photos and text by Steve Gilbert

Text and photos by Steve Gilbert

Over the holiday break, Silver Lake Boys Varsity Hockey participated in the annual Cashman Tournament held at the Rockland Ice Arena. After defeating Whitman-Hanson in the first round, they advanced to the championship game against the Rockland Bulldogs.During the championship, the Lakers were strong at both ends of the rink. Goalie Strummer Beals stopped everything Rockland sent his way while the offense, led by Brandon Cavicchi’s hat trick and two more from Senior Captain Ben Cronin, gave Silver Lake a 5-0 win

Photos and text by Steve Gilbert

Silver Lake’s Boys Basketball took on the Rockland Bulldogs just before the holidays. The Lakers bring five returning Seniors along with a strong Junior class to the court. This experience makes them a challenging squad defensively but a team that is still growing on offense. A 10-game schedule that takes the Lakers through the strength of the Patriot League awaits Silver Lake when they return in the new year.

Story by Steve Gilbert

This year’s edition of Silver Lake Girls Basketball is off to a great start with wins over East Bridgewater and Scituate High School last week. The Sailors from Scituate made this game close down the stretch before the Laker defense took over in the final minutes to allow Silver Lake to pull away to a 60-54 win over their Patriot League rivals.

The Halifax Council on Aging brought the holiday spirit to the Meadow Brook Restaurant in Hanson where they had their holiday get-together.
Vocalist Tommy Rull sang the old favorites and entertained the group and special guest Plymouth County District Attorney Tim Cruz. Luncheon choices were fish filet, roast pork, or chicken, for a taste treat.

Katie Rondeau
Special to The Express

You play football because you want to. You play football because it’s fun. You play football so you could pretend you’re Joe Montana throwing a touchdown pass, or Emmitt Smith going for a long run. And even if they beat you 8 times out of 9, that still leaves, one time.” Little Giants
Last year this team lost every game. This year was going to be different, this year was their chance at ONE TIME.
The season started in August back at our home town practice field down at Pottle. With last season’s outcome behind them these young athletes all signed up and showed up to play another season of football. Football takes heart and that’s exactly what this team has. After the first month of pre season practice the coaches recognized that these young Warriors were blessed with the kind of raw football talent given to those who were born to bask in gridiron glory. These kids were not going to give up. This was going to be our year.
“FATE WHISPERS TO THE WARRIOR YOU CANNOT WITHSTAND THE STORM. THE WARRIOR REPLIES I AM THE STORM.”
The returning 4th graders and the upcoming 3rd graders created the perfect storm that no team could match. One time turned in to victory after victory for the team. The undefeated Silver Lake Warrior Mite Team defeated the East Bridgewater Vikings by the score of 20–0 finishing with a perfect record of 9-0 for the season. And, a Super Bowl championship!!!
Silver Lake Mite Warriors WIN the Super Bowl with a perfect 11-0 record
The Silver Lake Mite Warriors have Katie Rondeau. Katie wrote the one talking about Emmett Smith and Joe Montana.
Photographer, Rebecca Deaton scored 287 points while shutting out seven teams in eleven games, bringing home the CHAMPIONSHIP!
The Silver Lake Mite Warriors 3rd & 4th Grade youth football team finished the season with a record of 11-0 after a 21-0 win over East Bridgewater in the Super Bowl.
Credit goes out to the coaches Erik Barrette, Chris Hession, Marc McGarry, Robby Cahill, John-Michael Fontes, Doug Carbone, Brandon Barry and Bobby Cyrus who selflessly gave of their time to develop this young team.
This game inspires character, leadership, resilience and teamwork. Above all the game unites a family. And, that bond is the greatest win of all.

Note: These players were inadvertently left out of the roster published in last week’s Express. We apologise for this oversight.

Deb Anderson, Publisher.