We witness it daily: ICE officials astonishingly disregard judicial orders against immigrant detention while judges in Massachusetts let them get away with it.
The legal “presumption of regularity,” a basis of American law, assumes that government officials, among others, behave lawfully and with honesty by following established policies and rules. However, in Massachusetts alone, Bearing Witness @ICE in Burlington has uncovered more than 20 cases, spanning 14 judges, in which this presumption was ignored, with 30 court orders willfully violated by ICE officials without facing any consequences.
On Wednesday, Sept. 9, 2026, Bearing Witness @ICE in Burlington will run a “Hold ICE in Contempt” day, in which organizers and standout attendees will urge Massachusetts judges to hold ICE accountable for violations of court orders. The event takes place at 1000 District Avenue in Burlington, MA, in front of the ICE Field Office beginning at 11 a.m.
Guest speakers Jared Berezin and Todd Palmer will share their exclusive research and findings of several powerful cases where court orders were completely ignored by ICE – and without any consequences. Berezin, co-founder of Bearing Witness, and Todd Palmer, founder of Justice 4 All Thursdays at ICE, will share details of these cases in which ICE blatantly ignored judges’ orders on habeas cases, such as transferring detainees out of state and refusing to provide warrants. At the conclusion of their address, attendees will be provided with postcards to send to
U.S. District of Massachusetts judges urging them to hold ICE in contempt for future violations.
Justices in Massachusetts, and elsewhere, have the authority to hold individuals and agencies in contempt of their court and issue subsequent fines. Earlier this year, a federal judge in Minnesota found a Department of Justice attorney in contempt for withholding a detainee’s identification documents, with a fine of $500 per day until the documents were returned. ICE quickly complied and returned the documents. This would not have happened without ICE being found in contempt and slapped with a punitive ruling.
Berezin and Palmer will share specific recommendations for Massachusetts judges to hold ICE in contempt and have them face repercussions for their violations:
1. When issuing a court order, include the penalty government respondents will face if violated.
2. For habeas cases, issue an order of “stay of transfer or removal” upon assignment.
3. When releasing people from custody, explicitly order ICE to return their documents and personal effects.
4. Follow District of New Jersey Judge Christine O’Hearn’s example and no longer blindly accept statements of fact from the U.S. Government officials unless they are made under oath by a named individual with personal knowledge of the situation.
The weekly Bearing Witness @ ICE Burlington standouts take place every Wednesday, from 11
a.m. to 1 p.m., at the ICE field office at 1000 District Avenue in Burlington, MA. The program begins with professional musicians who perform and use call-and-response engagement with those gathered. Guest speakers then address the crowd of people of all ages who hold signs in support of immigrants. Between noon-12 p.m., the loudspeakers are turned to face the ICE building, and all who are interested are invited to come to the mic and read portions of the U.S. Constitution. At 12:30 p.m., the crowd lines up and marches peacefully to the busy intersection of Mall Road to hold signs and wave to cars and passers-by. The standout concludes at 1p.m. when the crowd marches back and people disperse.
Bearing Witness @ ICE Burlington was started by one couple – co-founders Jared and Laurie Berezin – in April 2025 and has grown weekly to a record 930 at a previous standout. Those who gather stand outside the ICE field office, where immigrants have been detained illegally, to express shame and outrage at egregious, illegal, and cruel ICE behavior. They bear witness to the lack of due process afforded immigrants and the unconstitutional actions of the U.S. government.
Learn more about Bearing Witness @ ICE Burlington and upcoming events at BearingWitnessNE.org.
The Healing Art
The only predictable thing about life is that it is unpredictable. In fact, sometimes it seems the more we prop up our expectations on plans, the more life reminds us that it will not be tamed. Still, the lifelong dance between foresight and flying by the seat of our pants, though often unpleasant, is the means by which the human spirit is refined and made resilient. Such a resilient spirit can be found in True Repertory Theatre’s Artistic Director, Donald Sheehan.
Developing a passion for theater at the age of thirteen, Sheehan holds an MFA in Acting from Trinity Rep Conservatory in Providence, RI, and has worked extensively as both an actor and director with major regional theatres such as Williamstown Theatre Festival, Trinity Rep, Beowulf, The Gamm, and The Theatre Cooperative. He founded True Repertory Theater in 2000.
A true talent, matched equally with passion, Sheehan was set to join a prestigious theater company in New York City, but life had other plans. “I woke up one morning and I was so swollen and felt very ill,” recalls Sheehan, “I found out, the summer of 1999, that I had kidney disease and it changed everything.” The decision to forgo acting opportunities in NYC was made all the more difficult by the fact that Sheehan would need to maintain employment with insurance benefits to manage his intense and expensive treatment. “I found myself having to focus on keeping a day job that didn’t make me happy while undergoing dialysis and keeping up with my treatment plan,” says Sheehan.
Staying in Massachusetts with family to provide support meant Sheehan had to turn to local opportunities to continue his passion while dealing with a chronic disease. While relying on medication for number of years kept his condition manageable, eventually dialysis was necessary. “I was going to my 9-5, which didn’t help my health, then going to dialysis three days a week for four-hour blocks, then to rehearsals for whatever project I was involved in, but I had to keep doing theater. I refused to give it up. It was what sustained me and gave me a sense of normalcy,” explains Sheehan.
While dealing with chronic health issues, Sheehan made sure to continue making a new plan for his life and found a dire need for local theater in surrounding communities. “I realized there was plenty of local and community theater in the big cities, but it was not easily found outside of places like New York and Boston, so I decided to make my own.” True Repertory Theater opened in 2000 and quickly became a hub for local talent and local ideas.
After over a decade of managing his kidney disease, Sheehan was finally able to receive a kidney transplant on July, 19, 2016 at Mass General Brigham Transplant Center. After his transplant, Sheehan founded a nonprofit, Project 719 which is a community-based outreach initiative that brings awareness and fundraising to various organizations whose missions align with the dramatic themes of the True Rep season.
This year marks the ten-year anniversary of Sheehan’s transplant and with that milestone came the inspiration to share his story in hopes that others waiting for a transplant or managing disease would be able to relate to and feel hope for a life past illness while in the thick of enduring it. “I had been journaling my thoughts and feelings about the whole process for a long time, and last year I came to my colleague, Victoria, and started sharing this idea with her. I wanted to tell a success story on the anniversary of my transplant and also be able to give back in some way,” says Sheehan. In a unique spin, instead of one person writing an original play, Sheehan began to work with four other people in the company -each of them adding their own unique style and perspective. The collaboration with Sheehan, and co-writers, Victoria Bond, Maureen Cornell, Mike Hoban, and James Sullivan, resulted in True Repertory Theater’s first original work, “Hold Please! Drama, Dialysis, Dead end Jobs and How Katherine Helmond Saved My Soul.”
“Working together on this was a huge educational experience,” says Bond, Associate Artistic Director, “We learned a lot about this disease and what it takes to overcome it.” “There are over 100,000 people in the U.S. alone waiting for a transplant,” says Sheehan. “Still, our play is relatable in many ways -not just for people with chronic disease or waiting for a transplant,” he assures. “Most people can relate to being tied to a non-fulfilling, 9-5 job that takes a lot out of you, or trying to juggle your dreams with reality, or using humor to get through difficult things -there are plenty of themes in the play that anyone can recognize and appreciate.”
In addition to Hold Please! raising awareness and being a relatable experience to many people, Sheehan is also donating a portion of the proceeds to the Mass General Brigham Transplant Center in honor of Dr. Cecil Coggins -a foremost nephrologist in Boston, an instructor at Harvard Medical School, and editor for the Annual Review of Medicine.
Sheehan’s play explores his journey through the phases of illness, treatment, and triumph and is a new, original work to the theater community. “We have been creating by the seat of our pants in real time,” says Cornell, “We came together with open minds and were aware that some things would not work, but we stayed flexible and appreciate that theater is, naturally, a collaborative art. This has been that on steroids -it is an unusual way to make a play, but we have loved it. This theater has made a huge difference in my life.”
Hoban had more of an outside take on the process, “I am a sketch writer, so I am not as immersed in the story and that means I can give kind of an overall, outside perspective that can get lost with too much hyperfocus. I love that this play, and this theater, prove that you can still have a good life, even if it doesn’t go exactly how you want it to.”
“I come here to learn -to learn from these people I work with. We show up, ready to work together with open minds and it’s been neat to see what we can do,” says Sullivan. “You can’t have an ego and if you leave that at the door, you can do some really great stuff!”
Bond had her own health scare and found that her passion for theater carried her through times that could have been all-consuming. “I had a health scare and it was surreal to be worried and going through tests, and waiting and feeling helpless, but I brought scripts along with me and reading those helped me find calm and focus.” Bond is also continually focused on True Repertory Theater’s mission -to be an incubator for new works, new voices, and new ideas. “Community theater should not just be the classic plays or the big titles -the ones everyone already knows about. Community theater should be a place to showcase new works and ideas from people around you. It is a place of connection in a world of disconnection.”
Sheehan has been connecting people and creativity to the community for over two decades as True Repertory Theater celebrates its 25th Anniversary this year. Hold Please! is only one way you can be a part of the magic happening at True Repertory Theater. On Sept. 25, 26, and 27, the company will host Playwright Platform, their 4th Annual New Play Festival. These evenings will feature selections from 24 plays in 72 hours -chosen from over 100 submissions. Sheehan explains, “This festival gives new playwrights a chance to have their work heard and to see what impact it has on the audience. There are already some we have selected that are really special and we want to produce them as mainstay plays for the company.”
If you are looking for a way to celebrate and make a difference financially for this amazing local theater, then you don’t want to miss True Repertory Theater’s fundraiser, “The Greatest Gift on Earth” -a circus-themed fundraiser celebrating Sheehan’s transplant anniversary. “The theme started off with the idea that life is a roller-coaster,” says Sheehan, “And then it turned into life is a balancing act -like in a circus and before you know it, we had a whole circus- themed fundraiser going with the ‘greatest gift’ referring to organ donation and the healing power of art.” The fundraiser will take place at the Pembroke Community Center on Oct. 3 at 7p.m. The proceeds will also go to The Mass General Brigham Transplant Center and True Repertory Theater to help cover the cost of production.
With so many incredible things happening, and Sheehan at the helm of it all, it is hard to believe that ten years ago things seemed quite bleak for him. “I want to share my story to help others who feel stuck and scared. I want them to know that things can get better. The key is to find your personal ‘medicine’ -be it laughter, theater, or whatever moves you through the hard times.” For as unpredictable and cruel as life can be, it can also be constant in providing opportunities for connection and inspiration. Sheehan and True Repertory Theater have taken a could-have-been finale, and turned hardship into a story where not only Sheehan’s new dreams come true, but others have the space and opportunity for theirs to come true as well. Success in the big, flashy ways, doesn’t always mean fulfillment, and when it comes to creating a life of meaning and purpose, Sheehan is purely aspirational.
For Ticket and Upcoming Event Information please visit:
www.Truerepertorytheater.org
Plympton Settles Two Land Fights
Emerging from a closed-door session on Aug. 26, the Plympton Board of Selectmen announced settlements in two of the town’s outstanding land disputes — one that finally completes a Turkey Swamp conservation purchase first authorized more than three years ago, and one that binds the developer of the Ricketts Pond 40B to restore the site to its 2021 condition if the housing project never gets built. Together, Chairman Nathaniel Sides said, the agreements recover $18,000 in fees from the 40B developer plus an undisclosed amount of the town’s accumulated legal costs. Minutes later, the board voted to keep a tax-foreclosed Main Street parcel abutting Turkey Swamp in town hands as a conservation access point.
The board met at 1 p.m. and went immediately into executive session under G.L. c. 30A, §21(a)(3) to discuss litigation strategy in two cases: Town of Plympton v. SLT Construction and Town of Plympton v. Amanda Monti, as trustee of the Merrimont Realty Trust. Open session resumed at 1:51 p.m., and Sides used the first substantive report of the afternoon to summarize what had been agreed to.
On the Merrimont matter, Sides said the town had reached an agreement with the trustees of the Merrimont Realty Trust “to complete the transaction that was initially started some three, three and a half years ago.” The deal is not closed yet. Under its terms, the trustees get another year to complete a companion conservation transaction they are pursuing in the town of Halifax; in exchange, the town is made whole on the legal fees it has run up during the delay.
“It’s not done yet, but we felt that it was a good move for the town to make the town whole,” Sides said, adding that it “completes the land acquisition of the Turkey Swamp land.”
Sides walked residents back through the history. The town authorized the purchase roughly three and a half years ago. About a year later, the agreement was modified so that a particular parcel was carved out and held aside for negotiation by the trust — a change Sides said was made because it “was going to save the town a significant amount of money” while still ending with the town acquiring all of the land it had agreed to buy. “Twelve months from now, one way or the other, the town will take control of that portion of the land and get our legal fees paid, which is not insignificant,” he said.
The second settlement involves SLT Corporation, SLT Construction and principal Peter Opachinski, and covers the land at the center of the Ricketts Pond Estates project — a Chapter 40B comprehensive permit application that has drawn sustained opposition in both Plympton and neighboring Carver. The Plympton Zoning Board of Appeals issued its comprehensive permit decision in case ZBA 25-0428 to Ricketts Pond Estates, LLC, which was filed with the town clerk’s office on July 16, 2026.
With the permit issued, Sides said, residents and officials had raised a practical worry: what happens to a site that has already been substantially disturbed if the housing never materializes? The settlement answers that question. Working with town counsel, the board negotiated an agreement with Opachinski and the related corporate entities requiring that, if the parcel is not developed as a 40B, the property be returned to its previous state as defined in 2021. The town also recovered $18,000 “in recognition of past earth moving that has occurred at the property,” Sides said.
Asked directly by a member of the public whether SLT was now considering not building, Sides was emphatic that the opposite was true. “In fact, exactly the opposite,” he said. “As part of this agreement, they are planning to move ahead based on the terms.”
Sides also clarified the status of the town’s cease-and-desist order, which he said had already been lifted by operation of the comprehensive permit itself. The settlement “allows them to begin work under the terms of the comprehensive permit to pursue the 40B as they’ve agreed to,” he said. “This is just in the unlikely event that that never happens. We have an agreement in place that they will return the property to a previous condition.”
Pressed on the timeline, Sides said the developer has three years — running from the signing of the comprehensive permit, not from the date of the settlement — to make substantial progress. Completion is not required. “We have to at least make substantial progress on the 40B within three years,” he said. “And if at the end of three years that hasn’t occurred, we can then, under the terms of this agreement, we can require them to either apply for an extension with us or return it to its previous condition.”
Sides characterized the pair of agreements as “two wins, we think, for the town.” A member of the public offered a more measured assessment — “one is a definite win” — to which Sides replied: “Best we can do. Best we can do.”
The board, sitting as the local licensing authority, approved 14 one-day special licenses for Stellwagen Beer Company to serve wine and malt beverages at Sauchuk Farm during the farm’s fall festival and corn maze weekends. All 14 dates run from 11:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.
The highway department was awarded a $189,750 grant to purchase a new John Deere compact wheel loader for use on dirt roads, snow removal, the recycling center and other work. Highway Superintendent Rob Firlotte and his crew also hosted the annual southeastern regional highway equipment show at the Upland Sportsman’s Club.
Fennessey closed by thanking Director of Elder Affairs Colleen Thompson and her staff for inviting him to the Council on Aging’s annual barbecue. “It is these events that help me to get a true feeling of what the Plympton community is like, which helps me feel like being a part of the community,” he said.
True Rep Fundraiser Marks Sheehan’s 10-Year Transplant Anniversary
PEMBROKE, MA — True Repertory Theatre will host a unique, circus-themed fundraising event titled “The Greatest Gift On Earth” on Sat., Oct. 3, 2026, from 7:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m. at the Pembroke Community Center (128 Center St.) to celebrate Artistic Director and Pembroke native Donald Sheehan’s 10-year kidney transplant anniversary. The evening will benefit both The Mass General Brigham Transplant Center and True Repertory Theatre, while honoring the memory of Dr. Cecil Coggins, Sheehan’s long-time nephrologist. The fundraiser will also include an exclusive preview of a new play Hold Please! Drama, Dialysis, Dead-End Jobs, and How Katherine Helmond Saved My Soul, based on Sheehan’s own journey through the roller coaster of kidney disease while launching a fledgling theater company.
According to Sheehan, “This special event is a way for us to bring together arts and advocacy to celebrate life, honor medical heroes, and benefit two organizations that have had a profound impact on not just my life but the lives of our shared community. We hope this inspirational evening will offer hope to those struggling with kidney disease, spotlight the critical, ongoing need for organ donors, and celebrate the profound, life-changing power of organ donation – ‘the greatest gift on earth’.”
“The Greatest Gift on Earth” fundraiser will take place on Saturday, Oct. 3, 2026, from 7:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m. at the Pembroke Community Center (128 Center Street, Pembroke, MA). In addition to a sneak peek of Hold Please!, the evening will feature themed entertainment, interactive carnival games, fun carnival foods, a cash bar, music, and raffles. Tickets are $75, and may be purchased at www.truerepertorytheatre.org. Donations and sponsorship information is also available on the True Rep website.
Hold Please! Drama, Dialysis, Dead-End Jobs, and How Katherine Helmond Saved My Soul
A New Play Full Theatrical Run Oct. 17-25, 2026
How do you navigate the roller coaster of a critical medical condition while simultaneously launching a passion project and working a mundane, full-time job? Hold Please! Drama, Dialysis, Dead-End Jobs, and How Katherine Helmond Saved My Soul is an original play written by a collaboration of True Rep artists that chronicles Sheehan’s deeply personal journey with kidney disease and the effects on his life, body image, relationships, and dreams for the future.
Based on his own journals, Hold Please! follows Sheehan through kidney disease diagnosis to dialysis to life-saving transplant while working day-to-day in a mind-numbing call center and launching his true passion, a repertory theater company. This inspirational story, often heartfelt and funny, reveals the circus-like atmosphere of navigating the ups and downs of serious illness.
Hold Please! will officially premiere for a limited engagement of 6 performances from October 17-25, 2026 at True Repertory’s home, the Beal House in Kingston, just two weeks following the fundraiser. Tickets are $25 and will be available for purchase at “The Greatest Gift On Earth” fundraiser and at www.truerepertorytheatre.org.
Kingston Library Archives to Host Open House
The Kingston Public Library Local History Collections is hosting an open house on Wednesday, Sept. 16, 2026, at 6 p.m. at the Adams Center (33 Summer St., Kingston). It will feature the exciting new exhibit, A History of Shipbuilding in Kingston Massachusetts.
This new exhibit features many historic archival materials from the Library’s Local History Collections. The exhibit primarily focuses on Kingston’s historic shipbuilding industry and tradition, and the Town’s rich maritime history. There is an emphasis on historic Kingston boatbuilders and specific vessels built in Kingston along the Jones River. Some of the prolific Kingston shipbuilders from the early period of Kingston’s boatbuilding history featured in this exhibit include: the Drew Family, Joseph Holmes, and Lysander Bartlett. Additionally, the Delano Family, who owned a vast number of Kingston-built ships, and were heavily involved in the local shipping industry are featured in the exhibit. Some of the historic Kingston-built vessels from the early period highlighted include: the bark Turbo, the schooners Leonidas and Cordova, and the massive ship Herculean. Also, this exhibit will feature the Kingston built Revolutionary War ship, brig Independence, which is on the Kingston Town Seal.
This exhibit will also feature the later period of Kingston’s shipbuilding history, which focused more on smaller ships and pleasure sailboats, like the famous catboats built by George W. Shiverick and Kingston lobster boats built by Edward Ransom and Nathan Watson. Lastly, this exhibit will highlight Kingston’s shipbuilding legacy with the Kingston Yacht Club and recent restoration projects of Kingston boats.
This new exhibit will be up and viewable Wednesday, Sept. 16 through Friday, Sept. 30 at the Adams Center. There will be a talk and presentation on the exhibit by the Archivist on Saturday, Sept. 19 from 1:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m. The exhibit hours are: Mondays 10:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., Tuesdays 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m., Wednesdays 2:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m., and Thursdays 2:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. and by appointment.
For more information contact Nick Cotoulas at ncotoulas@kingstonma.gov or 781-585-0517 x6277.
Halifax Signs Darleen Sullivan as Interim Town Administrator, Locks In Three-Year Police Contracts
The Halifax Select Board executed three contracts in a single open session Aug. 25, closing out a summer of turnover at the top of town government. The board voted unanimously to approve a negotiated contract with Darleen Sullivan as Interim Town Administrator, running from Monday, Aug. 31, 2026, through June 30, 2027, and separately ratified three-year collective bargaining agreements with both of the town’s police unions. Sullivan, the former Norwell Town Administrator, becomes Halifax’s third administrator since Cody Haddad departed just over a year ago
The Select Board opened at 6:00 p.m. and immediately moved into executive session to discuss two MassCOP contract negotiations, the Interim Town Administrator position, and executive session minutes. The motion carried 3-0 on a roll call vote. When the board reconvened in open session, it took its agenda out of order and spent the first 20 minutes on a proposal to merge two volunteer committees before returning to the contracts.
Chair Thomas Pratt framed the administrator vote as the end of a process that had consumed the board for weeks. “Obviously we’re in search of a Town Administrator that’s been going on for the better part of several weeks,” Pratt said. “There’s been some behind-the-scenes work on our end, individually looking for possibilities.”
The board interviewed Sullivan in open session on Aug. 20 and voted that night to appoint her pending successful contract negotiations. Tuesday’s vote executed the agreement. “Darleen presented very well,” Pratt said. “At that time we agreed to enter contract negotiations with the hope of appointing her as Interim Town Administrator, and we’re lucky and fortunate to be in a position to do that.”
Jonathan Selig said the town had landed well given the circumstances. “Darleen has extensive experience, and I’m excited that she’s coming in here as an interim,” Selig said. “We’ll see how it goes, and hopefully we like her and she likes us, and who knows what happens down the road.” Vice Chair William Smith was briefer: “I think we can hit the ground running with her.”
Sullivan spent more than 13 years in Norwell, rising through the Treasurer-Collector and Finance Director roles to Assistant Town Administrator and finally Town Administrator, a post she left at the end of June. Halifax’s vacancy opened when Town Administrator Steven Solbo, who started in Jan. 2026, resigned in August; the board approved a mutual separation and transition agreement on July 30. Sullivan’s contract expires at the close of the fiscal year, leaving the board to run a permanent search during her tenure. No salary figure was stated in open session.
The board also approved memoranda of agreement with Local 239 of the Massachusetts Coalition of Police, representing patrol officers, and Local 459, representing police sergeants. Both contracts run July 1, 2026 through June 30, 2029. Each passed unanimously with no discussion of financial terms in open session; the bargaining strategy had been handled in executive session earlier in the evening.
“Good job on both of those,” Smith told Selig, who had led the negotiations. “I think it’s a very fair contract, and they deserve it.”
The evening’s longest discussion was also its least formal. Selig floated merging the Halifax Fireworks Committee and the Holidays in Halifax Committee into a single body — a working name of “Halifax Celebrates” was raised — that would handle all town celebrations rather than one summer event and one December event.
“The move now in government is to streamline, is to try to get rid of redundancies,” Selig said. “We have great members on both. I figured it might make more sense to have one committee to handle our celebrations. That way we’re not limited to holidays in Halifax, we’re not limited to fireworks.”
Representatives of both committees told the board they already work together and had no objection. The practical obstacle is procedural: the Holidays in Halifax Committee was established on Town Meeting floor, which means changing its charge, name, or composition requires a Town Meeting vote. The board settled on drafting a warrant article for the fall Special Town Meeting that would amend the existing charge, cover a name change, and set the merged committee’s composition. Members will research the original charge and bring it back.
Budget mechanics were the other complication. Each committee carries its own line item, and only one was funded this fiscal year. Pratt suggested letting the current fiscal year run its course, then folding any future funding into a single joint account rather than appropriating separately for fireworks.
The board also weighed in on a proposed “Friends of” fundraising group modeled on library friends organizations. Selig said such a group would have to operate at arm’s length. “It really can’t have any town involvement,” he said. “If a group of parents or volunteers want to have a Friends thing and do it on their own, for their own reasons, knock yourself out.” Committee members could volunteer at events but should not sit on the friends group’s board, the board agreed, to avoid any appearance of impropriety. Taking donations from such a group would be permissible.
The board also declined to reopen the Fourth Avenue boat ramp early, letting the lock stand until its scheduled removal on Sept. 7. No motion was made and no vote taken because none was needed to leave the existing policy in place.
All three members agreed the underlying problem is timing. “This is all reactive,” Pratt said. “Everything we’ve done so far, including this discussion, is reactive. I’d much rather be proactive about a solution.” Selig said he would ask the Parks Commission — Chairman Michael Schleiff and members Bruce Nobles and Jeremy Gillespie — to come before the board in March 2027 to design a policy for the May-through-September season, and said he would not oppose a hybrid arrangement giving residents some form of access. Smith raised eliminating out-of-town beach stickers; Executive Assistant Pamela McSherry said sales had dropped off sharply in recent weeks. The board tabled that question for March as well.
Selig closed with a note about the start of school the following week, asking drivers to slow down. “You’re going to have kids all over the place next week,” he said. “A lot of bike riders. A lot of those e-bikes now. Give yourself some extra time. Give some space to our buses.”
Pratt thanked McSherry for absorbing added workload during the vacancy. “More and more falls on Pam,” he said.
The Phil Opens Its 111th Season September 19
PLYMOUTH, MA — The Phil is opening its 111th season with a night at the opera—but not quite as you know it.
On Saturday, September 19, 2026, at 7:30 PM, the Plymouth Philharmonic Orchestra takes the stage at the Plymouth South High School Performing Arts Center for an exhilarating evening featuring four operatic masterpieces and a special world premiere. Under the direction of Conductor Steven Karidoyanes, the concert will feature internationally acclaimed violinist Irina Muresanu in a program filled with drama, danger, passion, heroics—and plenty of virtuosic fireworks.
From Rossini’s epic Overture to William Tell and Borodin’s exotic Polovtsian Dances from Prince Igor to Sarasate’s dazzling Fantasy on Bizet’s Carmen and Gershwin’s sweeping Fantasy on Porgy & Bess, arranged by Star Trek theme composer Alexander Courage, the evening offers audiences four unforgettable opportunities to lose themselves in some of the most beloved music ever written.
“This is a program overflowing with color, excitement, and extraordinary melodies,” said Karidoyanes. “Each piece brings its own sense of drama and personality, and having Irina Muresanu with us to perform these spectacular violin fantasies makes this an especially thrilling way to begin our new season.”
Both the season and the concert begin with a special premiere on the Phil stage: Elena
Roussanova’s fiery A Festival Fanfare. This music was rewritten by the composer at the request of conductor Karidoyanes, expanding its instrumentation to full symphony orchestra from its original version for just brass and percussion.
Muresanu, praised for her passionate and dynamic performances, will take center stage for Sarasate’s celebrated fantasy based on themes from Bizet’s Carmen, as well as the fantasy on Gershwin’s beloved Porgy & Bess. Together, the works provide a virtuosic showcase for one of today’s most compelling violinists.
Ticket holders are also invited to arrive early for a free pre-concert talk with Steven Karidoyanes at 6:30 PM, offering additional insight into the evening’s music and composers.
Tickets are $40 and $75 and are available through the Phil.
Concert Details
OPENING NIGHT: Fiddler of the Opera Saturday, September 19, 2026 | 7:30 PM Plymouth South High School Performing Arts Center 490 Long Pond Road, Plymouth, MA
Pre-Concert Talk with Steven Karidoyanes
6:30 PM | Free for ticket holders
About the Plymouth Philharmonic Orchestra
The Plymouth Philharmonic Orchestra is a premier non-profit cultural institution in Massachusetts and the Orchestra-in-Residence with the Town of Plymouth at Memorial Hall. Dedicated to artistic excellence and community enrichment, the orchestra offers world-class performances, innovative outreach programs, and strong community partnerships. Now launching its 111th season, The
Phil’s mission is to create music and educational experiences that engage people of all ages and from all walks because we believe music inspires curiosity, enables connection, and provides joy.
For more information, visit plymouthphil.org or call 508-746-8008.
Contact:
Melissa Arp, Marketing Manger 508-746-8008
m.arp@plymouthphil.org
A Local Mother’s Bravery Paves the Way for Increased Postpartum Mental Health Support
Many mothers have the scenario perfectly pictured in their minds long before they walk through the door of their home with their new baby. There is often an idealization that upon arriving home, things will fall into place, routines will eventually come from the happy chaos of this new phase, bonding with your precious little one will be blissful, and those around you will support and help you heal and navigate. Nearly every mother dreams about the same kind of natural, beautiful transition after growing, carrying, and welcoming a new life into theirs. Of course, new mothers also know there will be intense fatigue, a recovery period, struggles of all kinds, new worries, a bit of anxiety, and feeling overwhelmed at times; no new mother expects a postpartum experience without the full gamut of adjusting to new or “added to” motherhood.
That said, what happens when the postpartum experience is all-but-consumed by the struggles -fatigue or insomnia beyond comprehension, recovery that never comes or is hindered due to a lack of support, struggles and worries that haunt the mind day and night and prevent basic functioning, anxiety that alters heart health and makes getting out of bed physically impossible, and depression and hopelessness that make life more unbearable and frightening by the day, and can even prevent bonding and feeling motherly towards the new baby in your arms?
Postpartum mental health disorders are more than just “baby blues”, they are chemical alterations and imbalances set off, and enhanced by, the giant internal chemistry experiment that goes on in a mother’s body for well over the nine months of pregnancy and after birth. The usual coping mechanisms and things like, “eating healthy” and “taking a walk” are not only largely ineffective, they are asking too much of someone in crisis who needs far more than an inspirational quote and a long nap to feel better.
While the gray clouds (which can be more storms of terror than just cloudy skies) of postpartum mental illness do not come for the majority of mothers, they are common enough and on the rise for a number of reasons. Statistics show that one in five mothers will experience significant postpartum anxiety and/or depression. Patricia Wasiolek of Plympton knows, first hand, the severity of the storms new mothers sometimes face with postpartum mental illness. After recovering from her own storm, she has dedicated her time and energy to help others find safe shores and see the sun again.
“After my son was born, I experienced awful postpartum anxiety,” explains Wasiolek, “So severe that I could not get out of bed.” Wasiolek and her husband knew things had gone beyond what could be remedied on their own at home, so they headed to the emergency room. “I was assessed in the ER by a psychiatrist and, though they were just doing their job, they were impersonal and unhelpful for what I was feeling and experiencing. The whole experience was very clinical. I was sent to a partial day clinic in Norwell, but it was more of a mood disorder clinic and I was unable to relate to anyone there. It was not, at all, a fit for new mothers with postpartum anxiety, so I kept looking for something else.”
Wasiolek found the Day Hospital at Women and Infants Hospital in Rhode Island and moved her care to their program. “You can bring your baby with you, which a lot of programs don’t let you do. They have clinicians, physicians, group and individual therapy, and lots of programs to help new moms with postpartum disorders. I was there for two weeks and it really helped me.”
In addition to finding professional support and treatment, Wasiolek also found solace and support in a friend who had suffered from postpartum illness during the height of the Covid-19 pandemic. “I reached out to a friend I knew had struggled with this and she gave me a lot of advice. Her care was wildly mishandled, as is the case for many women, and I was shocked at the lack of awareness and resources for these things in such a large medical hub like Boston.” One invaluable resource Wasiolek’s friend shared was Postpartum Support International, PSI -a global nonprofit that promotes awareness, prevention, and treatment of mental health issues related to childbearing created by a worldwide network of individuals and organizations and professionals.
“I was invited to PSI’s ‘The Climb’ by a college friend where I connected with Kelly Winter who had started advocating for PSI locally,” says Wasiolek, “Kelly watched her friend go through postpartum illness and wanted to do something to show support, so she put together the first ‘Climb’ in Duxbury. I asked her if I could help and we started meeting in January.”
Founded in 1987 by Jane Honikman in Santa Barbara, Calif., PSI is a unique organization in that it provides global support to families and individuals through perinatal health support, education, advocacy, and research through helplines, educational and training programs for professionals and individuals, lists of resources and the perinatal care programs and providers closest to you -no matter where in the world you live, online support groups, webinars, and educational materials. Since its inception, PSI has grown to be an international resource that provides support and connection for over 100,000 people a year.
PSI’s “The Climb” is a family-friendly, community-building walk starting at the Pilgrim Church of Duxbury on Oct. 3, from 10 a.m. -1 p.m. The event is sponsored by many local businesses and also accepts individual donations. The walk aims to raise awareness and money for perinatal disorders, and to continue to work on erasing the judgment and taboo often associated with postpartum illness. One in five mothers and one in ten fathers will experience intense anxiety and/or depression after the birth of a child. Over 800,000 people a year are affected by perinatal mental health disorders such as anxiety, depression, Perinatal OCD, enhanced Bipolar 1 and 2, Psychosis, and Perinatal PTSD. Sadly, only 25% of those impacted by these disorders are able to receive treatment or follow-up monitoring. “One of the great things about PSI,” says Wasiolek, “is that they do all the homework and research for you. When you are in the depths of postpartum crisis and trying to cope, its just too much to also be expected to make lots of phone calls and search online and stay on top of seeking out something that works. PSI makes all the information easy to find and it is specified to your area.”
PSI’s “The Climb” had resounding success last year -raising $10,000. “This year,” notes Wasiolek, “We set an initial goal to raise $15,000, but we have already raised over $18,000 and we aren’t even to October.” When asked what, beyond fundraising, Wasiolek and Winter hope to accomplish with “The Climb”, Wasiolek replies, “This walk shows the power of community and why it is important. Community can not only provide support, but validation and recognition for what so many go through -sometimes silently. There is such a spectrum of what a perinatal disorder can look like -for some it’s manageable with therapy and for some professional help in a care center or hospital is needed. We need to help people find resources BEFORE they reach their breaking point. Treatment plans need to include the mother, partner or spouse, and healthcare professionals -and family if possible. It should never be left largely up to the mother -the one enduring the disorder, to manage on their own.”
In light of recent events, perinatal health is on the minds of most of us -especially in our South Shore communities. Some of the public dialogue has been encouraging to see and hear, but some of it has been deeply hurtful, judgmental, uneducated, shortsighted, and ignorant. There are clearly many who do not understand the severity and reality of perinatal disorders, or comprehend the overall failure of our mental health system as it applies to perinatal care and women’s health. There is also a looming gap between realizing that a healthy and cared for mother is a healthy and cared for baby/child.
Perinatal disorders are not a phase, they are not imagined, and they are not usually something that can be dealt with alone or by simply “cheering up”, “being grateful”, or “snapping out of it” -as were some of the “tips” I was given over the course of having perinatal disorders with all four of my children the last 20 years. These are serious conditions and terrifying for the person enduring them at a time when their greatest desire and focus is bonding with, cherishing, and caring for the new little miracle in their lives. When you can actually feel the chemistry in your body “crash”, as I described it each time, and you have no control over the wild imbalances and reactions taking place inside of you, it is one of the most terrifying and helpless feelings someone can have. It steals away many moments of joy that you had dreamed of having with your precious newborn.
Please, reach out to new moms and their partners. Ask about the mom as readily as you do the baby. Please, don’t say, “Let me know if I can do anything for you,” because they usually feel like a burden, ashamed, or an imposition and they won’t ever ask. Please, listen to women when they say they are not okay or they need help. Please hold their hands and truly listen, without judgement, to what they feel and need. Please, show the same compassion to new mothers that you would wish for yourself and your loved ones. Be the catalyst for their treatment to begin and stay on course. Allow them to grieve, be angry, and collapse, safely, so they can begin to heal -because healing IS possible and the outlook is bright for women (and their families) who have the support they need. Mothers are superheroes, but sometimes even superheroes need someone to save them. It is time we all put on our capes and set out with a message that there is, indeed blue, beyond the gray sky.
To Register for PSI’s The Climb in Duxbury on Oct.3 visit:
https://Give.postpartum.net/event//2026-climb-duxbury-2026/e763328
To Donate:
https://give.postpartum.net/fundraiser/7050672
For Information on Postpartum Support International:
https://postpartum.net
OCES Announces Upcoming LGBTQ+ Brunches for Older Adults
Old Colony Elder Services (OCES), the largest provider of in-home and community-based services for older adults and people living with disabilities throughout Plymouth County, the South Shore and surrounding area, has announced the schedule for the South Shore LGBTQ+ Brunch for Older Adults program.
The monthly Saturday brunch program, operated and supported by OCES’ Nutrition Program, is for LGBTQ+ older adults who live on the South Shore and in the greater Plymouth County area.
For nearly 20 years, the “LGBTQ+ Brunch for Older Adults on the South Shore” have been providing nutritious meals that feed the body, mind, heart and spirit. This LGBTQ+ community dining event provides a nutritious meal along with an opportunity for attendees to connect and socialize, helping those age 60+ (and their friends) minimize the effects of social isolation. This brunch, as well as other community dining programs for LGBTQ+ older adults, keep members engaged with their local and regional LGBTQ+ communities to help them stay informed and connected to the larger LGBTQ+ movements, services, relationships and world.
“I have led this program for going on 16 years and it is some of the most meaningful work that I do, gladly and joyfully,” said Michael Banville who organizes the South Shore LGBTQ+ Brunch for Older Adults. “My husband and I (both now in our early 60’s) have supported this program with the hopes of creating a vibrant South Shore community with whom we too can age. We value the relationships, being socially connected to vibrant LGBTQ+ older adults who are truly inspirational in their commitments to live out and proud lives as they age. It is a joy to lead the South Shore LGBTQ+ Brunch for Older Adults and we are so excited to partner with OCES in this important social and community work.”
Upcoming South Shore LGBTQ+ Brunch for Older Adults will be held at 10 a.m. on Saturday, September 26, October 31, and December 12, 2026, which will be a special holiday brunch. All South Shore LGBTQ+ Brunches for Older Adults are held in South Weymouth, MA.
To RSVP and for more info about the South Shore LGBTQ+ Brunch for Older Adults, visit the Meetup group website, https://www.meetup.com/south-shore-lgbt-seniors/
OCES Nutrition Program
In addition to the monthly South Shore LGBTQ+ Brunch for Older Adults program, OCES’ Nutrition Program encompasses Meals on Wheels for homebound older adults who rely on OCES for sustenance; Community Dining meals and socialization opportunities that combat loneliness and isolation; and nutrition education and counseling that promotes healthy eating habits. To learn more, visit ocesma.org/programs-services/nutrition
OCES’ Expanded Region
OCES serves 34 communities throughout the South Shore and in greater Plymouth County: Abington, Avon, Braintree, Bridgewater, Brockton, Carver, Cohasset, Duxbury, East Bridgewater, Easton, Halifax, Hanson, Hanover, Hingham, Holbrook, Hull, Kingston, Lakeville, Marshfield, Middleborough, Milton, Norwell, Pembroke, Plymouth, Plympton, Quincy, Randolph, Rockland, Scituate, Stoughton, Wareham, West Bridgewater, Weymouth, and Whitman.
Handmade and Heartfelt Local Artists and Advocates Renew and Inspire
Walking into the New Again and Refill-Able retail shop is an instant lift for the spirits. Immediately, you are greeted with the pleasant scent of handmade candles and a sun-lit expanse of carefully curated products on shelves lining every wall. Intricately knitted sweaters and scarves hang on racks and an adorable Cardigan Corgi named Pandora is happy to investigate customers while being pet. The cheery space then draws the eye back to a large, long room with work tables, more shelves and displays, and people sitting and making. This is the homey and creativity-inducing space that Gail Farrell, Executive Director and Founder of New Again and Refill-Able, and local artist, teacher, and owner of Hello Peach Arts, Jennifer Godbois, have put their hearts and minds into.
Farrell started New Again in 2012 with the people who were aging out of special education in mind. New Again is a 501c(3) nonprofit that teaches vocational skills and job training to adults with developmental and intellectual disabilities. New Again is especially fostering of those interested in becoming artists. The retail space and business model offer job opportunities for these adults while also providing shared studio space for local businesses and students participating in the offered classes.
In addition to New Again, the retail space also houses Refill-Able -a zero-waste store for household items. Businesses labeled “zero-waste” mean they eliminate single-use packaging for their products as well as carry reusable, often biodegradable items such as shampoo, conditioner, body wash, laundry soap, toothpaste, makeup, soaps, lotions, sponges, dryer balls, food storage containers, and many other personal care and household products. Refill-Able also strives to use as many local products as possible and is always looking for local businesses and partners to feature.
“We also have a refillery where we refill your empty containers with more product, or you can purchase one of the containers we have here for reuse.” If you are wondering about a specific type of product to provide refills for, all you have to do is ask. “We listen to our customers,” says Farrell, “We don’t have a set sign for what we offer in the refillery because it is such varied list and it’s always changing -largely based on customer feedback.”
At the beginning of the year, Godbois was searching for a space to build her business. She walked into New Again and found the perfect fit. “Jennifer came in just to ask how this area was for business, but we quickly realized her business would fit perfectly in here and she could be a teacher as well,” says Farrell. Now, Hello Peach Arts is integrated beautifully into the space and had room to grow.
Godbois is an artist of many talents, but fiber arts and teaching are her passions. After a long career as a Federal Auditor for the Department of Health in Boston, she was in need of a change of pace from her intense, high-demand job -one where she could use her creativity and hands to make beautiful things as well as teach others these oft-neglected skills. “I have been doing crochet since I was little. Both of my parents are fiber artists. My father crochets like a machine -he makes beautiful Afghan’s,” explains Godbois.
To further her goal of incorporating art and teaching into her life, Godbois became a certified art teacher and taught at Scituate High School last fall and Halifax Elementary in the spring. She also works in local schools as a substitute teacher. When asked what her favorite material is to work with she says, “My hyper fixations tend to go from one thing to the next, so whatever my focus is at that moment would be my answer, but if I had to choose only one thing to do, it would be sewing. You can make so many things that way, the possibilities are endless.”
In addition to crochet and sewing, Godbois embroiders, felts, and will take on basically anything to do with fiber arts. “I am holding a back-to-school embroidery class on Aug. 29. I was shopping with my kids and saw these sneakers with beautiful eyelet fabric and thought, why not decorate our own? The class will teach you how to embroider things to personalize them -from shoes to backpacks to shirts -anything you want to customize and make your own style.” Godbois also plans to hold sewing classes in the shop, as well as felting. In order to do that, however, she needs the equipment. “I am looking to see if anyone can donate some working sewing machines that I could use to teach on,” she says, “and I am always looking for, and accepting donations of, yarn, fabric, ribbon -or any art and fiber art supply. Most of this yarn was donated.”
Godbios can also be found teaching at local libraries in the community. She leads the Night Ravelers club at the Holmes Public Library and enjoys bringing Hello Peach Arts offerings in a free-library setting. “I want to get out there and help people of all ages become acquainted with fiber arts. A lot of the time, people think it sounds intimidating. But you don’t have to have any experience to come to a class. We can start from the beginning if needed and there is no rush or pressure -if you mess up, which you will, oh well! That’s part of it. Hello Peach Arts is a stress free, all-inclusive environment to learn.”
So when you are settled into your fall routine this year and need a reprise from the chaos of schedules and hurry, consider heading down to New Again, Refill-Able, and Hello Peach Arts to stock up on household wares in the most eco-friendly way you can, support local artists with special needs by purchasing their beautiful products, or take up a new skill, or feed an existing passion in fiber arts. As Ralph Waldo Emerson said, “In art, the hand can never execute anything higher than the heart can imagine.” Perhaps now is the perfect time to defy the machine made, and find out how much your heart can imagine.
For more information on New Again and Refill-Able visit:
http://www.newagaininc.org or call (774) 608-9960
For more information on Hello Peach Arts and classes offered visit:
https://www.hellopeacharts.com or text (603) 340-3918
- 1
- 2
- 3
- …
- 229
- Next Page »