The Plymouth Public Library Foundation is pleased to announce our 4th Annual Juried Arts & Crafts Festival. The Festival will take place Saturday, Sept. 9 and Sunday, Sept. 10 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Plymouth Public Library.
Held on the Library’s expansive front lawn and inside the library, thousands of visitors will enjoy a full day of music, food, and the opportunity to view and purchase artwork from more than 80 regional artisans, including painters, photographers, sculptors, custom jewelry makers, woodworkers, metalworkers, and illustrators.
Festival admission is free and activities include face-painting, sand art for kids, Child’s Play Alpaca for the whole family to enjoy, plus “Craft and Chill” where families can create their own masterpiece inside the library. We will also be holding a silent auction and an artisan raffle during the festival.
New this year, sponsored by Modern Metal Design, is “Art under Creation,” an interactive exhibit that offers visitors the opportunity to witness artists bring their visions to life.
Auxiliary parking with shuttle service is available at the Center for Active Living on Nook Road (just around the block from the Library). While at the festival, Plymouth residents can register for a library card and anyone can register for the Reading Rivals contest.
Festival proceeds assist the Plymouth Public Library Foundation in providing the Library with technology and landscaping improvements, support the Library’s Literacy Program of Greater Plymouth and also fund its many cultural, artistic and educational programs.
The Festival is funded in part by the Town of Plymouth Promotions Fund and is sponsored by area businesses and organizations including: Tech Etch, Bridgewater Credit Union, Modern Metal Design,Tiny and Sons Glass, Alvin Hollis & Co. Inc, Allen & Majors Associates Inc, COBRA, Dimarzio Insurance, Members Plus Credit Union, One Stop Painting, Plymouth-Carver Primary Care, Plymouth Ears, Nose & Throat, Renewal by Andersen, and Vinny’s Vehicles.
For additional information, on all auxiliary parking sites and participating artists, please visit our website at https://pplfdn.org/4th-annual-arts-crafts-festival-2023/ which will provide all the information needed regarding the 4th Annual Arts and Crafts Festival.

Longtime newspaper columnist Nancy Crochiere will discuss her fiction debut novel, “Graceland,” on Wednesday, Sept. 13 at 6 p.m. at the Adams Center, 33 Summer St.
Hope Robinson can’t seem to please anyone lately, especially not her mother, the flamboyant soap star Olivia Grant. Olivia loves Elvis more than Jesus and, convinced she’s dying, insists on a final visit to Graceland. Unfortunately, that’s the one place Hope can’t take her. Hope fled Memphis years ago with a shameful secret and a vow never to return. Olivia, though, doesn’t understand the word no. Instead, she wrangles Hope’s pink-haired daughter, Dylan, to drive her to Memphis by promising to reveal the mystery of her long-lost father. Hope must stop them before they expose the truth and all hell breaks loose.
As the women race from Boston to Memphis, encountering jealous soap actors, free-range ferrets, and a trio of Elvis-impersonating frat boys, everyone’s secrets begin to unravel. In order to become the family they long to be, Hope, Olivia, and Dylan must face hard truths about themselves and one another on the bumpy road to acceptance, forgiveness, and ultimately, grace.
Crochiere wrote a humor column about family life for Massachusetts newspapers for 13 years. Her collection of those columns titled, The Mother Load, was a finalist for Foreword Reviews’ Book of the Year in humor and the Independent Publishers of New England 2014 Book Award. Crochiere’s essays have appeared in The Boston Globe, Writer’s Digest, and WBUR’s Cognoscenti blog. She lives north of Boston with her husband.
You can learn more about Nancy Crochiere on her website at nancycrochiere.com.
To register for this event, please visit – https://kingstonpubliclibrary.org.

KINGSTON — Massachusetts writers Nicole Asselin, Louisa Clerici, Kate Flora, and Sarah Smith will visit the Faunce School, 16 Green St., on Wednesday, Aug. 23, at 6 p.m. for a Sisters in Crime: Mystery Making Panel.
In this interactive workshop, four mystery authors representing different sub-genres, including cozy/traditional and thriller/suspense, will brainstorm on their feet to create a brand-new mystery using suggestions provided by the audience. This fun, fast-paced, and fascinating improv game offers important insights into mystery writers’ minds and the conventions of the genre.
Asselin, who spent her formative high-school years in Pennsylvania, always identified with her New England roots. Her family is originally from Connecticut as her grandfather introduced her to the Boston Red Sox and her grandmother got her interested in mystery novels. These two loves are combined into her Ballpark Mystery series. Asselin presently works just outside of Boston as a Technical Writer, and lives on the South Shore with her three cats.
Clerici’s stories have been published in literary anthologies and magazines, including Carolina Woman Magazine, Istanbul Literary Review, and Best New England Crime Stories anthologies 2016, 2015, and 2012. Her latest publication is Capers, Crooks, & Kitchens, a Fest of Mystery and Magic, a collection of her stories paired with recipes, published in 2022. Clerici is a writer for The Plymouth Cookbook, a fiction editor of Pink Panther Magazine, and she works as a therapist at Clear Mind Systems in Plymouth.
Flora’s fascination with people’s criminal tendencies began in the Maine Attorney General’s office. As the author of 24-books spanning many genre’s including crime fiction, true crime, memoir, non-fiction, and many short stories. She has been a finalist for the Edgar, Agatha, Anthony, and Derringer awards while she won the Public Safety Writers Association award for non-fiction in 2015, and the Maine Literary Award for crime fiction in 2013 and 2015. Flora has taught writing for numerous organizations and institutions as she is a former international president of Sisters in Crime. She divides her time between Massachusetts and Maine.
Smith is an Agatha Award winner and Massachusetts Book Award winner for her 2010 young adult novel, The Other Side of Dark. She has studied at Harvard, where she hung out in the library reading mysteries, and film in London. As the writer of a bestselling adult mystery series set in the Edwardian period, two of those books were named New York Times Notable Books of the Year. The first of these books, The Vanished Child, is being made into a musical and her stand-alone novel, Chasing Shakespeares is being made into a play. Her most recent book is about a multicultural Titanic mystery, Crimes and Survivors, was published in 2020.
Patrons will be able to meet all four authors following the event.
Sisters in Crime is an international organization dedicated to the professional development and advancement of women crime writers. With sixty chapters worldwide, the organization welcomes anyone who loves crime fiction. Their New England chapter hosts in-person and virtual events throughout the year, from craft workshops, to author showcases, to business and marketing advice for authors at every stage of their careers.
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 [email protected].

The Halifax Board of Selectmen met on Tuesday, July 25. They continued their on the road summer series, highlighting different departments at their meetings. Chair John Bruno explained that due to difficulties with holding the meeting in the actual Council on Aging (COA), they elected to move it to the Great Hall in the Town Hall. Bruno said that due to the size of the crowd as well as the lack of handicap access, the meeting would have needed to be held outside and since it was raining, it was moved. He turned things over to COA Director Darlene Regan. Regan, who has been the Director since 2021, spoke of the need for a new COA building. “As a community if we band together, bring your thoughts together, I think we can build a senior center and a community center that is conducive to the needs here in Halifax,” she said. Regan said she was hoping to be able to have a feasibility study completed.
“Right now, we serve about 2,033 seniors in the senior center… the majority of our services are in transportation,” Regan explained. She noted that Halifax is unique because they have three dedicated drivers that serve seniors and the disabled. She said that the COA assists with finding adult daycare as well as providing questions regarding MassHealth and Medicare. “Thank you for all that you do; it’s marvelous work that you do over there – we like to have the opportunity to highlight it tonight; even though it’s a quiet organization to a lot of us, it’s very active and busy,” Bruno said.
Noise Complaints at 122 Monponsett
The Great Hall was filled with residents, most of whom were there to discuss noise complaints at 122 Monponsett St. The property is owned by Angel Castro. Castro had someone present to translate for him in Spanish. “He wants to start off by saying that he wants to apologize to the neighbors and to the city for all of the noise and complaints that he has caused, and he hopes today that they can resolve this,” the translator said. Bruno clarified that while you can play a radio, if you amplify it or have live music, you need a permit by the Board of Selectmen. The translator said that Castro believed that the permit he received in March could be used for future parties/events. Bruno asked if it was clear to him now that each individual event would need a separate permit. Castro asked if there was a permit that could be applied for that would cover multiple events. Bruno noted that he was in a residential property and was not a business and therefore would need to apply for individual permits for each event.
“The permits will be issued for that type of entertainment, but they have restrictions on them,” Bruno said referring to start and end times as well as other restrictions. He continued, “He has to understand that he can’t hold large parties and gatherings with amplified music or disc jockeys unless he gets permission to do it.” Castro said through his translator that the events he was holding were for family and friends. Bruno brought up the claim that Castro was charging admission for events. Castro claimed that he was unaware that his friend would be charging admission for the event held in February.
Some residents in the audience disputed this stating their belief that he was aware. Castro assured those present, through the translator, that he was clear that he would need a permit for each event and that he was not allowed to charge admission. Bruno said that he wanted it to be clear that if he doesn’t follow the proper procedures, the Police may become involved. Selectman Jonathan Selig asked for clarification regarding whether the only time a party was advertised for was the one in February. Castro said that he believed two parties were advertised – one in June and one in February. A resident asked if the permit stipulates how many people are allowed to attend a party. Bruno said that the permit process goes through both the Fire and Police Chiefs. Town Administrator Cody Haddad said that the Chiefs had no concerns over the number of people allowed under the permit. Another resident complained about the lights coming in through his windows from cars, etc. in addition to the noise. “I don’t want people in my neighborhood; I don’t know who they are; I pay a lot of money in taxes in this town and I don’t want people I don’t know walking down my street,” another resident complained. Castro pointed out that he also pays taxes. The discussion ended with Bruno saying he hoped that it would be the last time that the issue would have to be dealt with.
Committee and Board Changes
Jonathan Schmaling resigned from the Finance Committee. Haddad said that it would leave the Committee with two vacancies but noted that they had interviewed a candidate recently.
Bruno brought up the composition of the Zoning By-Law Review Committee. He said that Haddad did some research and the Committee had been together a long time and had not met in quite a while. “We tried about a week ago to get the Committee together to get things moving and we couldn’t get a quorum so that tells me that we need to revise it,” Bruno told the other Selectmen. “My recommendation is that we revise… the Zoning By-Law Review Committee… and that what I would do is make the composition five members… one of whom has to be from the Board of Selectmen and that Selectman would be the Chair,” Bruno continued. Bruno suggested four additional members-at-large though Selig recommended giving “strong consideration” to members of boards such as the Planning Board. The Selectmen voted unanimously to reappoint or appoint members to the Zoning By-Law Review Committee to align with Bruno’s recommendations.
Town Administrator Updates
Regarding the MBTA Action Plan, Haddad said, “We have been in contact with our local delegation who has been great in getting us in contact with the Department of Housing and Community Development… Mr. Selig and I actually have a meeting with them on Thursday.”
Haddad said that the town signed a contract with a company to conduct a compensation classification study as requested by the Wage and Personnel Committee. The results will be brought before the Selectmen and Wage and Personnel and any needed changes can be voted on during the fall Town Meeting. Haddad told the Selectmen that they have hired someone to the new position of Zoning and Planning Admin. He said that while they are almost at full staff, they are still looking for a new Building Commissioner. Haddad also said that they are moving forward with receiving bids on the replacement of the roof at the Highway Barn.
Haddad also provided an update on the new trash and recycling program. He specified that it is an opt-in program with an annual fee of $400 that will be billed in two installments of $200. Residents can opt-in by either mailing in the card that was mailed out to residents or dropping it off at Town Hall. There is also an online form available. “We’re really doing everything that we can to get the word out on this,” Haddad said.
The town is hoping to have the cards in by August 16 with the switch to totes being effective on September 4. “You will put the trash in the totes, you wheel your totes to the curb, trash truck comes along and picks it up,” Haddad explained. Haddad said that they will be issuing a frequently asked questions document.
He noted that they have been asked if residents can share totes and emphatically answered that they cannot.

The Plympton Board of Selectmen met in-person on June 26. As he has done in the past, Selectman John Traynor brought forth the issue of changing the name of the Board of Selectmen to the Select Board. “I saw a Boston Globe article that said we are now at about 100 towns that have either made the renaming or not all of them are not yet official, but they are in progress. And I just think it’s going to happen, I would just like to see this Board approve it,” Traynor said. Selectman Mark Russo said that he still was not in favor of the renaming. Selectman Christine Joy said, “I don’t really care about keeping up with everyone else; I like the name Board of Selectmen. I actually find it very empowering to be on the Board of Selectmen and I just think I’m not ready to make the change yet.” Traynor said, “That’s alright, I’ll just keep bringing it up.”
The Selectmen voted to allow a one-time increase to the cost-of-living adjustment granted to retirees for FY23. Town Administrator Liz Dennehy recommended the adjustment.
Dennehy also provided a Town Administrator’s update saying, “we have been very busy trying to close out FY 23 and also beginning the preparations for FY24. She told the Selectmen there were a number of items in correspondence.
Dennehy said that Upland Road Solar is changing ownership entities. She said that there would be a lot of documentation associated with that and recommended that the Board vote to allow Joy to act on behalf of the entire Board. The documents would still appear before the entire Board for approval once finalized. The Selectmen voted to authorize Joy to work with the Town Administrator and Legal Counsel regarding all documents pertaining to Upland Road Solar with the understanding that the finalized documents would come back before the full Board.
Dennehy also told the Selectmen that she had a request from the Library for use of town property. The Library was requesting the use of the Deborah Sampson room in the Town House for estate planning on July 18 from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. The Selectmen voted to approve.
Highway Superintendent Rob Firlotte met with Dennehy to discuss several roads that will be undergoing work. Dennehy said that Elm St. would be getting paved from Main St. to Winnetuxet Rd. and West St. She also said that Main St. would be getting a binder course to bring it back up to grade from roughly 149 Main St. to Ring Rd. “As the time gets closer, we’ll put stuff out on social media if we need to,” Dennehy said.
Dennehy further told the Selectmen that she received a memo from the Board of Health, who had contacted Webby Engineering to look at the elevations between the Fire Department and the Library. She said the hope was that the current Fire Station could tie into the Library septic system, but they were told it was not feasible. She said she would be sending the results of the study to the Town Properties Committee.
The Selectmen ended their evening with their raves for the last few weeks. Joy said her rave was for the screening committee responsible for bringing forth three excellent candidates for the position of Fire Chief. She announced that earlier that evening, the Selectmen had voted unanimously to appoint Captain Cheryl Davis as Plympton’s next Fire Chief. For his rave, Russo said, “It is a great pleasure to me that the little town of Plympton would have a woman Fire Chief.” Traynor said, “My rave is for the Assistant Assessor Wendy Jones. I’m sad to see her leaving; I think she’s done a great job. We’re losing a critical resource – I’m sorry to see her go.” Traynor also noted her excellent work on the complicated subject of solar and said that she would still be assisting with that in some capacity during the transition.

The tradition continues, thanks to community contributions and stalwart volunteers who put everything together and clean it all up.
The Town of Halifax’s Fireworks Celebration, coordinated by the members of the Fireworks Committee, is scheduled for Saturday, July 1. There will be a day event from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. and an evening event from 5 p.m. to 10 p.m. that will include a variety of fun-packed and family-oriented activities such as a DJ, food vendors, dunk tank, and much more. Day Event Activities from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. include T-Shirt Sales, Corn Hole, Hula Hoops, Cookie Decorating, Dunk Tank, and Face Painting.
Evening Event Activities from 5 p.m. to 10 p.m. include Food Trucks , DJ/Music, Face Painting, Balloon Animals, and of course Fireworks (after dark)
The Halifax Fireworks Committee is also seeking volunteers on July 1 to assist with setting-up and running activities throughout the day and also on July 2 to help with clean-up. If you can volunteer, please e-mail Janice Hayward at [email protected] or Susan Hill at [email protected].
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. 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.