The signs have been up to detour around the Winnetuxet Bridge in Plympton for more than a month now. The pretty, picturesque bridge has been taken down to its very bones to make a more sturdy and attractive bridge with a concrete and steel uperstructure and substructure. The old timbers that made up the floor of the bridge are gone and will be replaced with a blacktop surface that is easier to plow and maintain, according to Highway Superintendent Rob Firlotte.
Winnetuxet Rd. residents Kevin and Jackie Rafferty, who walk by almost daily, said the project is slated for completion in late August. The $1.2 million project is Plympton’s answer to The Big Dig!
Halifax Fire Dept. celebrates the women on staff for National Women’s Day
Celebrating the Women of Halifax Fire on National Women’s Day!
Today, we proudly honor the incredible women who make Halifax Fire stronger every day. Thank you to Firefighter Paramedic Bridget Riley, Firefighter EMT Shannon Worton, and our Executive Assistant to the Fire Chief Kendra Kelly for your dedication, service, and commitment to our department and community.
Your hard work and resilience inspire us all. We appreciate everything you do to keep Halifax safe!
Plympton ponders debt exclusion
The Plympton Board of Selectmen met on Monday, Feb. 24. Town Administrator Elizabeth Dennehy provided an update on the FY26 budget. “We’re still working on some of the numbers. We’re running various scenarios to try and see if we can avoid the possibility of an override and, in terms of timeline and everything overall, I think it would make sense for this Board to consider at your next meeting… whether you want to move forward with putting a ballot question on for a debt exclusion for the Fire Station,” she said. Chair John Traynor said, “Unless something changes, we should go ahead even if we decide later to pass over it. The Town Properties Committee has been working on this for over a year and it may not pass at Town Meeting or if it passes, it might not get through the ballot. But at least we should give the people a chance to hear what we’ve been doing.”
Selectman Mark Russo clarified that Proposition 2 ½ would be unlikely though a decision on the debt exclusion would be on the docket. A debt exclusion would allow the town to raise enough funds outside of the levy limit for a specific capital project, in this case the Fire Station.
“If we’re going to avoid an override, I do think we’re going to have to tap into general stabilization a little bit; not nearly as much as that completely outrageous scenario that we were originally looking at,” Dennehy said. She continued, “I feel like the cost of everything, it’s catching up with us.” In order to tap into stabilization, a two-thirds vote at Town Meeting is required as is a yes vote from the Board of Selectmen and the Finance Committee.
The Selectmen also took up the issue of their social media policy. Traynor said that the current policy states that the Selectmen and the Town will not discuss business over social media. Residents have to write to them or appear before them to bring forth business. Traynor said that he recognizes, however, that those in their twenties, thirties, and forties are more likely to do business over social media. “I see how easily it could become quite complicated… I think it needs work before,” Russo said. Traynor said he agreed and recommended reaching out to Town Counsel. Dennehy said that it might be a good idea to start smaller such as sharing frequently asked questions of each Department on social media. She also suggested putting quarterly updates by each Department Head on social media. Selectman Dana Smith recommended “clear guidelines that are posted on a regular basis that protects what the actual integrity of that website is in that respect because then people know what’s expected of them but also their behaviors similar to our meeting here.”
Dennehy and the Selectmen discussed the Old Townhouse. Dennehy said that the chairlift was fixed again. She did note that if it wasn’t returned to the default position it would drain the battery which proves costly. They named three people to run the smart thermometer. Dennehy also told the Selectmen that the wifi was no longer a problem. She also touched base on the room that required approximately $10k in mold remediation. “Currently there’s no insulation or wall covering,” she said. Dennehy said that the recommendation from Town Properties Committee for covering a heating vent, was to cover it with plywood. She said that they did receive a few quotes ranging from nearly $6k to $10k to fully finish the room.
Traynor explained, “So the Town Properties’ position… is we don’t know what we would do with the room if we had it, so why not just cover the heating unit and then when we do know how we want to use it, that would be the time to finish it off.” Russo said that if the money was available, he would rather see the room completed. The Selectmen voted to have Dennehy explore whether the lower quote was still valid and if it was, move forward with completing the room. Traynor voted nay but was outvoted.
Dennehy said that they also needed to tackle the lighting issue outside. “We did have somebody attend the last meeting that expressed some concerns. As an update to that, there is a streetlight located down the street that we were alerted to at our last meeting that seemed like it was shining at an odd angle.” Dennehy said that a ticket has been put in with Eversource to fix it as it was found to be broken. She continued, “As far as the post at the Old Townhouse, the streetlight is on one side – there were no proposed changes to that at this time.” Dennehy said that a request has been put in with Eversource to remove a square floodlight that illuminates a lot more than just the front of the building. The Town Properties Committee will be working on getting pricing for more appropriate lighting for the building that won’t be obtrusive to the neighbors.
Dennehy reviewed the warrant articles with the Selectmen. She said that she inquired about the cost to change the Board of Selectmen name to Select Board and was told it would be roughly $1k. She also said that the Highway Department is looking for $250k this year instead of the customary $200k for roadway work. Traynor said, “I’m aware they got $111,000 Chapter 90 money supplemental and it seems to me that should be enough but we’ll discuss it as we get closer.”
Traynor gave a special shout out to the Two Grannies on the Road. “They came to Plympton – if you don’t know them, they are two ladies, grandmothers, who are going around to visit every town in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts… there’s 351 towns, they’ve done 94, well now it’s 95 with Plympton,” Traynor said. He said that they videotaped places like the Equine Center. Traynor said he would like to see those videos go up on the town website for residents to see.
Kingston firefighter graduates
State Fire Marshal Jon M. Davine and Massachusetts Firefighting Academy leadership has announced the graduation of 18 firefighters from the 50-day Career Recruit Firefighting Training Program.
“Massachusetts firefighters are on the frontlines protecting their communities every day, and today’s graduates are needed now more than ever,” said State Fire Marshal Davine. “The hundreds of hours of foundational training they’ve received will provide them with the physical, mental, and technical skills to perform their jobs effectively and safely.”
“Massachusetts Firefighting Academy instructors draw on decades of experience in the fire service to train new recruits,” said Massachusetts Firefighting Academy Deputy Director Dennis A. Ball. “Through consistent classroom instruction and practical exercises, today’s graduates have developed the tools they’ll need to work seamlessly with veteran firefighters in their home departments and in neighboring communities as mutual aid.”
The graduating firefighters of Class #BW33 represent the fire departments of Barnstable, Dennis, East Bridgewater, Hull, Kingston, Milton, New Bedford, Sandwich, West Bridgewater, Whitman, Wrentham, and Yarmouth.
The Richard N. Bangs Outstanding Student Award, which is presented to one recruit in each graduating career recruit training class, was presented to Firefighter Christopher Palin of the West Bridgewater Fire Department. The award is named for the longtime chair of the Massachusetts Fire Training Council and reflects the recruit’s academic and practical skills, testing, and evaluations over the course of the 10-week program.
Basic Firefighter Skills
Students receive classroom training in all basic firefighter skills. They practice first under non-fire conditions and then during controlled fire conditions. To graduate, students must demonstrate proficiency in life safety, search and rescue, ladder operations, water supply, pump operation, and fire attack. Fire attack operations range from mailbox fires to multiple-floor or multiple-room structural fires. Upon successful completion of the Career Recruit Program, all students have met the national standards of NFPA 1001, Standard for Fire Fighter Professional Qualifications, and are certified to the levels of Firefighter I/II and Hazardous Materials First Responder Operations by the Massachusetts Fire Training Council, which is accredited by the National Board on Fire Service Professional Qualifications.
Today’s Firefighters Do Much More than Fight Fires
Modern firefighters train for and respond to all types of hazards and emergencies. They are the first ones called to respond to chemical and environmental emergencies, ranging from the suspected presence of carbon monoxide to gas leaks to industrial chemical spills. They may be called to rescue a child who has fallen through the ice, an office worker stuck in an elevator, or a motorist trapped in a crashed vehicle. They test and maintain their equipment, including self-contained breathing apparatus (SCBA), hydrants, hoses, power tools, and apparatus.
At the Massachusetts Firefighting Academy, recruits learn all these skills and more, including the latest science of fire behavior and suppression tactics, from certified fire instructors. They also receive training in public fire education, hazardous material incident mitigation, flammable liquids, stress management, and self-rescue techniques. The intensive, 10-week program involves classroom instruction, physical fitness training, firefighter skills training, and live firefighting practice.
The MFA provides recruit and in-service training for career, call, and volunteer firefighters at every level of experience, from recruit to chief officer, at campuses in Stow, Springfield, and Bridgewater.
Voices raised in protest at Plymouth Rock
PLYMOUTH – More than 500 South Shore residents gathered at Plymouth Rock on a frigid Presidents Day to protest illegal cuts to federal programs and access to government data bases by a group of 19-24-year-old acolytes of presidential appointee Elon Musk, and excesses of the Trump administration generally.
The protest was in concert with similar rallies, large and small, across the country. Dubbed “No Kings on Presidents Day” in some places, the Plymouth protest, which featured local and state government officials, was called, “Not On Our Watch.” The local protest was organized by the several South Shore Democratic town committees.
“We are living in a time when our democracy is being tested, not just in Washington, but in communities like ours,” said state Rep. Kathy LaNatra, D-Kingston, who added that, while it’s easy to get caught up in headlines about the nation’s angst and problems, focusing instead on what people can do to make changes right in their own backyard. “The truth is, Democracy isn’t just about what happens in Washington, it’s about what happens in our town halls, in our community meetings, in our local elections. If we want to protect democracy, we have to start right here, where we live.”
Musk, a South African immigrant, and said to be the world’s richest man has been given unfettered access to computers in government departments, such as the Treasury Department, where it is alleged his Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) has accessed personal information of millions of Americans.
The office carries the same acronym as an internet meme and joke cryptocurrency.
“Lots of things can be done by a small group of committed people,” said Halifax Democratic Town Committee Co-chair Ellen Snoeyenbos. “We’re going to gain strength from each other, take a measure of how much we have built together. … We have built safety nets – Social Security, education, Medicare, health care and state-of-the-art research facilities, to protect our health and sustain life on this planet, environmental, climate and weather safety – these things are at risk.”
All are programs and/or departments targeted for deep cuts and mass firings of employees by the Trump administration. Cuts at the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), which have been pointed to as contributing factors to a recent spate of crashes and threatened cuts to NPR under the National Endowment for the Arts, and National Parks were also spoken of.
“We built it! Don’t let them take it away,” she said as motorists honked their horns on the way by. “Not on our watch!”
Whitman Select Board member Justin Evans “nerded out” on the risk to the nation’s administrative and regulatory agencies such as the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), tasked with enforcing marine regulations, monitoring the atmosphere and oceans for evidence of climate change – and, most importantly, has control of the National Weather Service.
“In Trump’s first term, he nominated the CEO of AccuWeather to take over NOAA,” he said. “His explicit goal … was to privatize or prevent that from becoming public information. That didn’t happen, but in Project 2025, it’s back and the goal there is to dismantle the research arm of that agency, because their research gathers evidence of climate change. Elon and his staff have already shown up, they’ve told staff to expect 50 percent in cuts.”
Evans outlined the risk
“He’s coming in with a sledgehammer for political means, and the downstream risk is we are not going to have as accurate climate modeling or weather tracking, and local officials like myself rely on that,” he said, listing hurricane forecasts, fire watches, tornado watches to know whether to issue evacuation warnings or shelter in place.”
He added that towns need to know if heatwaves or deep freezes are coming in order to plan for opening warming or heating centers.
“Not having this publicly available access to information is a threat to all of us,” he said. “All of this stuff is interconnected, and if you’re cutting the safety net across each of these regulatory agencies, the risks are catastrophic. … I know the experts are freaking the hell out. I want you too, as well.”
So, what to do with it?
Rockland Democratic Town Committee Chair Jessica Laverty had some suggestions.
“We’ve got 625 days – until what?” she said.
“Midterms!” the crowd shouted.
“Guess what’s not going to make it through 625 days?” she asked: “Our environment, our democracy, our Board of Education, our departments, our NOAA – nothing is going to make it through 625 days, so we need to stand up right now.”
Donate your time, reach out to people and look to municipal elections, she advised. Confront “obnoxious betrayals of the truth” in person or online but do so with facts and with kindness.
“We need those folks to make sure that, in four years, we’re not here again, in whatever wasteland is left,” she said.
State Rep. Michelle Badger said that the Office of the President represents unity, leadership and the voice of the people and there is no better time than Presidents Day to reflect on what those qualities mean to the country.
“These issues matter deeply and its natural to feel frightened and uncertain about what lies ahead, but we cannot let ourselves be paralyzed with fear,” Badger said, encouraging people to apply for appointed posts on local boards and commissions, which are always seeking new members, or run for elective office. “We need to take our nervous energy and channel it into action. … When the federal level seems to be too hard and overwhelming, look locally. Find your voice.”
Kingston man earns expert certification
Diesel technicians from Advantage Truck Group (ATG), including Kingston resident Kevin Johnson who works at the company’s Raynham location, recently earned the Daimler Truck North America expert-level certification for the Freightliner Business Class M2 truck.
The technicians earned the expert-level certification for the M2 truck by completing classes that provided in-depth training on the functions, operation and troubleshooting of the vehicle’s multiplexed electrical system and all of its electronically-controlled systems, including lighting, instrumentation, HVAC, body builder interface and air management system.
“Achieving this certification is an important milestone that distinguishes a technician’s expertise and ensures a high level of service for our customers,” said ATG Training Director and certified dealer-trainer Rob Lynds, whose classes at the ATG training center in Shrewsbury often include technicians from other dealer companies.
Lynds, along with ATG Network Trainer Matthew McCuin, leads training for ATG technicians throughout the company’s locations in Massachusetts, New Hampshire and Vermont.
Express Redux
The Mirriam-Webster definition of Redux – in case you were wondering – is something that has been brought back or revived. Here it is, one week later, and we have been revived.
They say that if you take a leap of faith, a net will appear. It did. A person who is genuinely interested in keeping this little paper coming to you every week has appeared. We are taking the month of February to see if we can put it all together and make it happen.
Thank you all for your patience.
Deb
A Sad Good-bye…
Twelve years ago, a snarky ad taker at the Brockton Enterprise answered the phone to take my legal notice for the annual Plympton Community Preservation Committee meeting. She told me the cost was $300 per publication. I had to publish it twice, making it $600 for something that should have cost less than $100. I said, “That’s robbery!” She answered, “So what are you going to do about it?” I said “I’ll start my own newspaper.” She sneered, “Good luck to you!” I said, “Thank you very much!”, and within three weeks Volume 1, number 1 of the Plympton-Halifax Express came off the press. It’s been a wild ride ever since.
It’s time to bid farewell and spend more time with my grandchildren who have often graced the front page of this newspaper, pay more attention to gardening and dusting, baking bread and cookies. It’s time to rest…
Along the way there are soooo many people I want to thank for making this journey possible, pleasant, comical, and fun. First is my Whitman-Hanson Express editor in chief and in everything else, Tracy Seelye, who doesn’t mind if I steal from her unabashedly. She’s a much better writer than I, as I will be the first to admit. Okay, so will she. She has taught me so much and I couldn’t have done any of it without her.
Second is the woman who stopped by our table at a Holiday Fair at the Dennett Elementary School where we offerred an Express coffee mug with every new subscription. After looking us over, she came back and asked if we were hiring. I had no idea what I was going to do with her, and now I don’t know what I would do without her. Marla Webby has kept the office sane and in excellent working order ever since. She also has the dryest wit I’ve ever encountered.
To Steve Gilbert whose sports photos have claimed the back pages for the past several years, many thanks for your action shots and letting me know that I can’t cut off the feet in your photos! See, you can teach an old dog new tricks .Thank you for your patience..And thank you to Linda Redding and Sandi Neumeister. Your photos have added much flavor to this stew of local news..
Good friends who had recently retired asked me if they could be a part of this odyssey – Marilyn Browne, who volunteers as proofreader for the Whitman-Hanson Express and Fran Lindgren, our Calendar Girl, who chooses the funny little date remembrances as well as coralling all the events so readers can see at a glance what’s going on. It’s good to have friends like this – life takes on a rich texture when they are a part of it.
This week’s paper, Jan. 31, ends an era. There are other things, offerings on the horizon that might shape up to be a new beginning for this little paper, I hope so. But this is the last one for me. For all my loyal readers who write fan letters with their renewal notices, you are the best!
I know this decision has come about quickly and for those of you who want a refund on the remainder of your subscription, please email me, [email protected] and I’ll send it out if there’s more than $5 left. For those of you who have just sent in your renewal order, we’ll send back your check. and thank you, thank you, thank you for a wonderful experience. Again, you’ve been the absolute BEST!.
~ Deb Anderson
Baby it’s COLD outside!!
Temperatures throughout the region have been frigid this week, far below average, testing the limits of our home heating systems. Meteorologists have said that this is the coldest period of winter. Temperatures are expected to rise this weekend and a return to normal will be welcome.
Martin Luther King Day, a day off from school, brought these siblings out into the cold to build a snow fort and play in the white stuff. The cold half moon is just rising over the fields and trees to urge the sun to set.
SLRHS Announces 2024 Athletic Hall of Fame Inductees
Linda Redding
Special to the Express
The Chairman, Athletic Director, and Principal, in conjunction with the Superintendent announce the ninth class to be inducted into the Silver Lake Regional High School Athletic Hall of Fame.
Following the practice established in 2007, a team, a coach, and individual athletes will be inducted.
After review of many nominations submitted to the committee from coaches, community, and athletes, the following have been selected for the Class of 2024:
• Fred Abraham – 1987 Ice Hockey
• Audra Lissell Kirtland – 2000 Basketball
• Shaun Redgate – 1977 Basketball
• Alex Rollins – 2006 Wrestling
• Hannah Rapalee Rothhaar – 2005 Soccer, Track
• Jeff Smith 2006 Football, Track
• Zachary Smith – 2010 Baseball
• Larry Walsh Coach – Ice Hockey
• 2015 Varsity Softball State Finalist
The Hall of Fame committee is composed of former athletes, coaches, and school personnel: Bill Johnson, Chair; Richard Swanson, Athletic Director Martha Jamieson, Olly deMacedo, Jim Geronaitis, John Mahoney, Peter McClelland, Scott McKee, Linda Redding, Larry Walsh, and John Montosi.
Anyone wishing to support and congratulate the inductees is encouraged to attend the induction ceremony on Feb. 1, 2025 at the Indian Pond Country Club in Kingston, MA. Tickets must be purchased in advance and are available through GoFan.co by searching Silver Lake Regional High School. Visit the Silver Lake Hall of Fame webpage at silverlakehof.org for more information.
- 1
- 2
- 3
- …
- 48
- Next Page »