Darren Shea has been a barber at John & Son’s Barber Shop in Halifax for the last 27 years. His father, John, has been working in the town for 54 years and is celebrating 60 years since going to barber school this October. Shea’s nephew and cousin also work in the shop which Shea says his father built from the ground up.

Shea recently completed work on a children’s book about getting your first haircut and the main character is none other than his own father. The book, John’s Crew: My First Haircut, will be available next month. It will be for sale at John & Son’s as well as other online and brick and mortar locations. A website johnscrew.com, which will be live in October, will have purchasing and other information on it.

Asked if writing a children’s book was something he always wanted to do, Shea said it actually wasn’t. Shea called himself “the perfect example of ADHD” saying that it enables him to think outside the box and come up with creative outlets for his ideas.

“I thought about the idea during Covid when we weren’t working… it just kind of popped into my head,” he explained.

Shea said he loosely based the idea on the children’s show, Bob the Builder. He explained, “Why don’t we make a barber version of Bob the Builder and have his tools be the ones that talk and teach kids lessons and make them not scared of haircuts.” Shea said that the character of the barber pole is loosely based on himself. He laughed saying, “he’s always spinning, he’s always excited; he’s right in the window and he sees the people come in.”

Shea explained that while on the surface the book is about a child receiving their first haircut, it is really about generations.

Shea explained that he drew inspiration from nearly thirty years of cutting hair, especially those first ones that mark a milestone in any young child’s life. “This first book is pretty much based on real life experience. We have a horse chair in the barber shop and this book has a horse chair in it.”

He continued, “It’s pretty much based on this kid has to go in for a haircut and the father got a haircut from the same barber, so it’s all about generations; if you went there as a kid, then your kid goes there, then your kid’s kid.” Shea has big plans for future books in what he hopes will eventually become a series. He said he would like for them to follow the child in the first book as he grows and eventually has his own child who will then need his first haircut.

Shea credits his father John with creating the kind of shop that has served multiple generations. “Even the people that don’t come in anymore they still walk in to say hi; it becomes a family,” Shea explained.

Despite a close personal and working relationship with his father, Shea managed to keep the book a secret from him for two years. Over Labor Day weekend, he planned a party with family where he unveiled the book to his father.

The book is being published by Kate Conway of Bourne and it is illustrated by Dan Bigelow of Fall River. Shea said that he came up with the concepts for the drawings and Bigelow brought them to life. He sang Bigelow’s praises, saying he truly has an eye for creating illustrations that will appeal to the desired demographic.

Shea will be doing readings and book signings in local libraries and schools in the coming months. It will be $24.95 plus tax, and he will be accepting Venmo, credit card, or cash.

As many first responder units across the country, Plympton’s fire and police departments gathered together on Sunday, September 11, to commemorate those lost as the twin towers of the World Trade Center in New York City came down.

The ceremonial lowering of the flag to half-staff was at 9:30 a.m. to a small, solemn audience.

Plympton Fire Chief Stephen G. Silva spoke to the assembly, noting the pain and sacrifice that continue to this day.  These are his words:

“Blue skies, crisp air, perfect early fall day in New England, a perfect morning so quickly changed.

“In less than 2 1/2 hours more than 2,977 people were killed, 25,000 injured. 343 firefighters killed, 71 police officers perished, many whose remains have never been recovered; they simply disintegrated.  Twenty-one years later the toll continues to rise.  More then 1,400 rescue workers who spent tireless hours, weeks and months on the “pile” have died of WTC (World Trade Center) related cancer, and there will surely be more. The FBI has stated that the outliers of the related deaths will go on for years; the full impact of carnage may never be known.

“Who died? We all did to some degree. There was no separation of white collar to blue collar, there was no separation by where we came from, there was no separation of White, Black, Asian, Hispanic, they were just people who started their day as they always did, awaken, breakfast, get ready for their day, get kids off to school, kiss a love one good-bye as they left for work never knowing they would disappear.

“The days and weeks after America was gripped first in fear – maybe that is the wrong word, vigilance perhaps – we waited for the next attack. Thankfully it did not come. Our rage and fear quickly turned to patriotism. We were attacked. Our brothers and sisters died and for what? For freedom.   Freedom we take so easily for granted. Freedom to raise a family. Freedom to live. Freedom of live liberty. Freedom.

“Flags were flown; people came together, crime rates actually dropped. The terrorists underestimated the resolve of Americans. There was no looting, no riots, no shootings; there was pride, resolve, yes there was anger but that anger was channeled for good.

“God forbid something like 9/11 would happen today.  Truthfully it has; the war between good and evil continues as it always does. We see it every day. No not to the scale of 9/11 but in increments.  It is our response that has changed. Today we blame each other. There is so little discourse. It seems if your opinion is different than someone else’s you risk offending and then your own cancelation.

“James Madison, a founding father, warned us in 1788 at the Continental Congress in Virginia, “I believe there are more instances of the abridgment of the freedom of the people by gradual and silent encroachments of those in power than by violent and sudden usurpations.”

“What has happened? Where is the pride?  Where is the vision?  Where is America?

“Let us never forget 9/11, and equally important let us never forget what we are … we are AMERICANS.  That is not something to shy from, it is something to be thankful for.

I will leave you with this from President Harry Truman:

“America was not built on fear. America was built on courage, on imagination and on unbeatable determination to do the job at hand.”

Remember 9/11, remember those who died, remember this day, we shall never forget.”

Stephen G.  Silva, Chief

Plympton

Fire Department

Saturday was a beautiful day for the first Plympton Flower Show held on the town Green.  About a hundred selections were entered into the adult categories of Species, Arrangement, or Produce, with children’s categories in Produce and Fairy Garden.

Gabby Falconieri and Stephanie Teran, of the Friends of the Plympton Garden Club, spearheaded the event that ran from registration from 9 to 10 a.m., then judging from 10 to 11 a.m., followed by audience appreciation from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Children were happy to see their Fairy Houses, many of which were made earlier in the week as a special project at the Plympton Library.   Fashioned out of various bits of vegetation and forest litter, the unlikely elements were transformed into cozy cottages for tiny fairies.   One little guy even added a twig ladder to his, “… because they’re very small and the ladder will help them get in,” he explained to the photographer.

Waiting for the judges, children also got to play with the bubble machine, color and coloring books, and photo-op with flower cutouts.

Floral arrangements were judged by well-known South Shore horticulturalist and designer George Stanchfield; gardener and chef of Just Right Farm fame Kimberly Russo; and Elise Freda, flower farmer extraordinaire from Crooked Barn Flowers in Kingston.

The upbeat tunes of Plympton’s Old Time Jam gave a country feel to the event as the group got together to perform on the Gazebo.  Barry Decristofano played his mandolin, while others played their mandolins, guitar, and fiddle.   Plympton Old Time Jam gets together twice a month and is open to anyone who likes to “play our kind of music.”  What’s the difference between a fiddle and a violin?  “Attitude!” was the answer.

Acting as Master of Ceremonies was Plympton’s own Mike Lemieux of “Houses with History” fame.

Awarded the prize for Best in Show was Dave Alberti whose pumpkin was a real show stopper!  The cucurbitacae, a French strain with light peach skin draped with a veil of beige netting here and there, definitely had an attitude!  The judges appreciated it and awarded Dave the grand prize.   

All the children were awarded Participation ribbons.

The often-heard sentiment throughout the crowd was “I hope they do this again next year!”

Proceeds from the event will be used for the Plympton Garden Club.

A band made up of current Silver Lake students and recent graduates, came together over the summer with a plan to showcase their talents.  Many practices, and fun times, culminated in an end-of-summer live performance for friends and family held at the Carver School of Music on Friday, Aug. 12.   Pictured are, front row: Nathan Saad, guitar.  Back row, from left, are Rosella Hoffman, piano/vocals; Patrick Bray, vocals; Laurel Fallis, vocals/guitar; Brennan Fallis, drums; Connor McKinnon, MC/vocals, and Ben Webby, bass.      Photo by Roseann Fallis

 Summer Wods, 4, of Halifax, was all aglow with her rainbow butterfly face adornment.  Face painting, balloons, hot dogs, great raffles, henna art, K-9 dog  demonstrations, food trucks, all to celebrate National Night Out – Plympton style – Friday, Aug. 6, from 4:30 to 7:30.      More photos page 7.

This past weekend saw some gruesome heat but young softball players laced up their cleats and oiled their gloves and took the field for some challenging competition.  It was the three-day Halifax Softball Summer Smash – the largest ever for this 18^th annual event.

Three divisions brought teams together from throughout the South Shore: 10U, 12U, and 14U girls demonstrated that softball is in good hands with plenty of talent making its way through the grades.  The Halifax Hurricanes took top place in the U12 Red category.

Pete Barone, founder and president of the HGSL, began the Halifax Summer Smash in 2005 so his daughter Alex, then 8-years-old, and her teammates could play in their own tournament.   She is now 26 and runs the concessions and raffles with his other daughter Maddy.

“It started as 11 teams and quickly grew each year,” Barone said.  “We use all five fields at Halifax Elementary and both fields at Vaughan, next to the police station.  All the fields are full on Friday evening and from 7:30 a.m. to  7:30 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday. “  This year’s Summer Smash hosted 45 teams from throughout the area and it has become the largest “Town-Al-Stars” team tournament anywhere.

Barone credits the number of Halifax parents who volunteer their time each tourney to work on the fields, cover the snack shacks, set everything up and break it all down at the end with the continued success of the event.

It was an epidemic of cuteness at the Holmes  Public Library Annual Pet Show Monday night.  Dogs, a rabbit, guinea pigs, a baby turtle, and a couple of snails, the show went on and on with each entrant winning an appropriate certificate.

Emceed by Plympton Library Director Mike Slawson, with Holmes Children’s Librarian Holly Ianucci, wife to Mr. Mike, the children and their furry, fuzzy, and slimy friends took center stage.

They were called to the stage and each told of their pets’ special features.

Nate, three years old, brought his dog Teddy who Nate said likes to chase balls.  Teddy won “Most Playful.”

Ed brought his dog Pandora, a Cardigan Corgie who protects their chickens from marauding hawks and helps round up the chickens when it’s time to go in.  Pandora was deemed “Best Behaved.”

While Luke was busy at the nearby playground, Mom introduced his two guinea pigs, George and Allie.  Miss Holly held Allie and learned that she likes to chew on hair.  They were awarded “Cutest Duo.”

Nathan brought his Golden Retriever Hudson up to the stage and for the dark stripe in his fur was deemed “Most Unique.”  He was named after Doc Hudson.

Next came Emma and her pet dog Callie, who plays fetch and speaks on command.  Emma was named “Most Talkative.”

Stevie and Holden brought their American Staffordshire terrier named Bluey, who was awarded the certificate for “Happiest Friend.”

Sophia brought her large, lop-eared white bunny named Marshmallow.  She likes to play with balls, according to her friend.  Marshmallow was awarded the prize for “Most Athletic.”

Nelda, Kayla and Joel introduced Coral, a four-months old Giant Snoodle who likes belly rubs!   Coral was judged “Fluffiest Friend.”

Jayden brought Shadow, a rescue dog who, according to her owners, “likes to sit on your lap and lick you ‘til you can’t stand it anymore!”  Shadow was named “Friendliest.”

Mattie brought in Minnie the Guinea Pig whose favorite thing is  to eat pepper hearts.  Minnie was named “Life of the Party!”

Ryan brought his dogs Sierra and Bella, announcing, “They don’t get along.”  Mom stepped in to help and settled everyone down with a treat or two.  Bella knew she had to sit for a treat and so she did.  Sierra was awarded the certificate for “Most Beautiful” while Bella got the “Best Trick” designation.

PJ brought his pet Bubbles, a baby painted turtle he had found in his yard.  Bubbles won the prize as “Most Polite”.

Harper and Nick introduced their snails to the audience.  Harper said that it isn’t easy to tell them apart except for Lucky, so named because when Harper dropped him accidentally she broke his shell.  “Mom fixed it with a Band-Aid and Lucky survived.”  The snails won the certificate for “Most Chilled.”

Mattie brought her dog Charlie onto the stage to display his talent.  He howls very easily, Mattie said.  Dad came up and howled at Charlie to start the chorus.  Charlie was awarded “Best Howler.”

People from a number of surrounding towns came to see the Holmes Public Library Pet Show in Halifax and kids of all ages enjoyed the performance.