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Recent SL lacrosse grad earns regional honors

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A recent Silver Lake High graduate and standout player on the boys’ lacrosse team this past spring recently earned high praise within the region.

Sean Daly had a standout career for the Lakers as a four year varsity player, but it was his strong performance his senior year which landed him his most recent honor. The multi-time Patriot League All-Star was one of two players to earn Honorable Mention in Wicked Local’s MIAA South region Senior of the Year Award.

Ultimately, the award went to Will Kenney of Hingham and both Daly and Eddie Fettuccia of Norwell were the two runners up.

Over the course of his Lakers career, Daly helped establish the program as a perennial playoff contender. His freshman year, the team had a rough 1-17 where they only won the final game of the season against a winless Milton team. However, the program continued to improve and made it to the playoffs three straight seasons with him as a top scoring player in each of those years.

Daly earned the Lakers Team MVP award twice and finished his high school career with 249 career points: 146 goals and 103 assists. He also helped the team set a franchise win record this season (15). By the end of the season, the team was ranked 33rd in the state on MaxPreps. Daly was also a part of an attack which averaged 13.4 goals per game this past spring.

Although Daly might be best remembered for his lacrosse career at Silver Lake, he was also a productive soccer player for the Lakers.

Daly is committed to play lacrosse next season at Franklin Pierce, a Division II school in New Hampshire which competes in the Northeast 10 Conference. There were numerous teams interested in his services including the UMass Amherst, a Div. I program.

Happy pooch at Holmes pet show

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The always anticipated Annual Pet Show at the Holmes Public Library, 470 Plymouth St., Halifax, was held Monday, July 8, beginning at 6 p.m.

More than 20 entrants came to be seen and petted, representing several species of canines, rabbits, frogs, and even a chicken named, of course, “Chickie”!

Children’s Librarian Miss Stacy emceed the event, introducing each entrant with its person, allowing the audience to get a close-up look.

BOS cautiously agrees to land buy

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The Halifax Board of Selectmen met Tuesday, July 9.

DFG land agent from the Division of Fisheries and Wildlife Joan Pierce came to speak to the Board about the possibility of acquiring an area of Peterson’s Swamp from the town. Pierce, who brought a map of the area to show the selectmen, said, “We would like to acquire it because it would make a really good public access for a couple of cars.” Pierce also mentioned that their intention with the land would be to maintain rather than develop it as it contains ecologically important attributes including, but not limited to, white cedar trees.

The inhabitants of Plymouth County and the town of Halifax share fifty-fifty undivided interest in the property. An appraisal of the property came in at $250,000. Fisheries and Wildlife is interested in purchasing the area for a total of $150,000 with $75,000 going to each of the entities. Board of Selectmen Vice-Chair Tom Millias took issue with the low price offered given that it falls significantly short of what he considered to be an already conservative appraisal. Adding to the dissatisfaction with the offer, Fisheries and Wildlife currently owe the town of Halifax $52,500 from a past transaction. Payments on debts of this nature must be tied to a land purchase. Pierce explained that Fisheries and Wildlife’s intent was that the purchase of the land would also absorb the debt owed to the town. The Selectmen were displeased to hear this as the $52,500 would be coming out of the $75,000 purchase price, leaving the town with a net gain of only $22,500 on a property appraised at $250,000 ($125,000 of that value belonging to Halifax). Pierce argued that the town would also be gaining a parking area (albeit a small one) that would provide residents with better access to the area.

Explaining, in part to newest Selectmen Gordon Andrews, Millias said, “Every time we deal with Fisheries and Wildlife we get short-changed and we keep kicking this can down the road.” Board of Selectmen Chair Troy Garron also expressed frustration with what has been an ongoing theme in the town’s dealing with Fisheries and Wildlife. Town Administrator Charlie Seelig and the Board discussed the offer at length with Pierce before a possible suggestion was offered by Andrews. There is a sliver of land in Halifax owned by Fisheries and Wildlife behind Aldana Road that would be necessary to possess in order to be able to pave that road. Andrews suggested Fisheries and Wildlife turn over that land to Halifax as part of the negotiation. This idea was amenable to all parties. Before any negotiations can take place, however, the town of Halifax must first purchase the inhabitants of Plymouth County’s portion of the land from them. The next step would be to sell it to Fisheries and Wildlife for $150,000 plus the land behind Aldana Road. Pierce agreed to email her summary of the proposed plan to Seelig prior to sharing the details with Plymouth County Administrator Frank Basler. The Board also plans to verify that the land behind Aldana Road provides everything needed in order to eventually pave the road. While the selectmen still felt that the deal leaves something to be desired, they agreed that they could live with the proposed plan as the town would still be receiving something of value to it.

Library Director Jean Gallant attended the meeting to speak to the need for more parking as the library is now competing for parking with the new playground built by Friends of HOPS (Halifax Open Play Space). Additionally, many people also use the library parking lot when attending events at the athletic fields. Gallant pointed out the safety issue posed by the lack of adequate parking as cars are often circling the parking lot looking for a space while children are running in the area.

Millias said, “The simple answer is we need to create more parking spots. The bigger question is where and at what cost?” Friends of HOPS still have some funds available but were planning to use them to have an Eagle Scout build a gazebo for the playground. Both Gallant and Millias agreed that they would rather see those funds go to the gazebo project and have the cost of the additional parking area paid for by the town. Garron argued that the town could oppose the idea of paying for the additional spaces since the reason for the lack of parking is the playground. The selectmen agreed that speaking with the highway surveyor about how many spots can be added as well as where to best place those spots would be a good first step.

Police Chief Joao Chaves addressed the Board requesting permission to institute a six-month trial of a motorcycle unit. Chaves, who previously headed the motorcycle unit in New Bedford, reached out to a contact at Seacoast Harley in New Hampshire who provided tips for a small lease plan. The lease would cost $325 a month for six months for a total expense of $1950. The leased bike would be fully equipped and would have only 80 miles on it. Officer Michael Schleiff would be attending a 40-hour course in Taunton starting next week at no cost to the town. The addition of the motorcycle unit would be instead of rather than in addition to a cruiser patrol. Chaves explained, “He can respond to calls the same way and can actually get to calls a little quicker.” Chaves sees the motor unit as potentially having a lot of benefits to the town.

“Halifax has a high population of motorcycle riders that enjoy the roadways. I think it’s another way for police to connect with that part of the community. We can utilize it for races and for funeral processions, it’s just another way to get us closer to the community.” The Board gave permission to move forward with the trial after which the feedback from both the community and the Police Department would be evaluated to determine whether to continue with the unit.

Various other items of business were also discussed. A hearing for “Jada,” a dog accused of biting another dog while loose on June 30, will be held on July 23.

The Traffic Safety Committee plans to meet with Chief Chaves later in the summer regarding complaints about truck traffic and speed on Walnut Street. Seelig agreed to talk to the highway department regarding a resident complaint of overgrown brush on South Street just off of River Street.

Trash bag fees will also be increased from $2.00 to $2.25 for small bags and from $3.00 to $3.25 for the large bags. This is the first increase for bags since 2009.

Roof leaks over town vault; records in jeopardy with

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The Plympton Board of Selectmen met Monday, July 8. The meeting began with Co-chair of the Open Space Committee Linda Leddy giving an update on two municipal lots that are for sale. A deal for one of the two lots recently fell apart during the purchase and sale process leaving two lots still available.

Leddy was originally told that the lots could not be listed in the MLS (multiple listing service) without redoing the legal work and paying the buyers’ fees. After speaking with a different broker, however, it was discovered that the lots could be listed in the MLS after paying just a flat fee of either $500 or $1000 and stating in the listing that the seller would not pay buyers’ fees. The broker working with Leddy said that Plympton was a desirable location with high land values.

The previous difficulty in selling the lots was likely due to lack of exposure; a problem that listing in the MLS should solve. The Board voted to move forward with this method of advertising.

Town Administrator Elizabeth Dennehy asked the Board to approve a proposal from Door Tech Inc. out of Bridgewater to make the town library doors accessible. The motion was unanimously approved. The Board also approved the appointments of Colleen Thompson to the Zoning Board of Appeals and Edward Sealey as gas inspector. Both appointments are for one year.

Town Clerk Patricia Detterman addressed the Board about concerns over the vault that houses the town’s records and important paperwork. Detterman said that the roof is leaking over the area where the vault is housed and is concerned that the contents are vulnerable to fire and water damage. Detterman visted other town halls and spoke with other town clerks regarding their criteria for the management of old records and deeds.

Additionally, Plympton Police Chief Patrick Dillon showed Detterman the manner in which the police department houses their paper records. Detterman asked the Board for their permission to have an electrician come in and talk to her about what the vault is capable of right now and what the possibilities are to make it safer in the future. Board member Mark Russo said, “I think there are a lot of pieces that we have to look at; we probably just need to get a sense of this stuff, see what it’s going to cost, get some quotes, and I think we’ll be looking at town meeting.” He continued, “I’m totally in favor of finally getting this thing done.” The Board voted to approve having an electrician come out to inspect the vault and offer suggestions for improvements.

Both Detterman and her assistant Jill Palenstijn have recently attended two meetings with the U.S. Census Bureau. It was advised that the town clerk meet with the selectmen to form a Complete Count Committee dedicated to ensuring that residents complete the census. It was also recommended that the council consist of a variety of trusted voices from the town such as those from a local church or the Council on Aging. The preference is that the census is completed electronically so the council would be responsible for setting up workshops at the library where the not so tech savvy could be guided through the process. Either count committee members or possibly high school students completing community service could volunteer at the workshops. The hope is that the census would be completed upon the first mailer that goes out with recipients responding online although the option to return via snail mail is still available. The last resort, and most expensive option, is the door to door approach for those that have not responded. The Board asked Detterman to reach out to possible volunteers for the Complete Count Committee to be voted on and appointed by the Board.  Detterman said, “We have a small town; we can do this, I’d like to be one of the first ones to finish the census count.”

Dennehy presented her update to the Board. She noted that there are several applications in for the position of animal control officer. The Board was in agreement that Chief Dillon and Selectman Russo will meet with the applicants and select finalists to go before the entire Board. Russo, who is a Doctor of Veterinary Medicine, joked about bringing his dog along for the interview. Dennehy also sent notes to the Halifax and Carver town administrators about the possibility for shared opportunities including joint grants or shared services for the Council on Aging. The Selectmen agreed that there is a great deal of enthusiasm for shared services and cited the success of Area 58 Community Access Media which serves Plympton as well as Carver and Halifax.

Dennehy also presented to the Board a new plan to hold department heads more accountable for their individual budgets and for keeping on track with said budgets. Finance Committee member Kathryn Shepard and Dennehy agreed to draft a joint letter with a new attachment to redo how transfer requests are done adding additional steps to ensure better collaboration and communication between the various departments, committees, and selectmen. The letter would be approved by the Board of Selectmen prior to being dispersed to the various department heads.

Town Accountant Barbara Gomez agreed to do a monthly financial printout to show department heads where they are in terms of their spending for the year. Each department head would be required to sign off on the printout to acknowledge they are aware of the state of their budget. They would also be expected to decide if a meeting with the Finance Committee or Board of Selectmen would be necessary to review their expenditures thus far.

Board of Selectmen Chair John Traynor expressed some concern over having all department heads participate in these additional requirements. The Board agreed and decided that only departments with a budget of a certain size would be subjected to this level of oversight.

Dennehy also briefly mentioned a letter from the Plympton Fire Chief requesting rate changes for the fire department details. In it, it was noted that rates had not been updated since July 1, 2015.

The Board also voted to approve the use of the Town House for several PAYS (Plympton Athletic Youth Sports) meetings on July 11, August 5, and August 8 contingent upon a room being available. They also voted to approve the use of the Town House on August 21 from 10 am until noon as the Council on Aging will have people handing out Go Packs to elders at no charge. The packs are valued at $50 apiece.

One of the final pieces of business discussed was the opening on the Community Preservation Committee. Russo said of the committee, “It’s a good committee, it’s a really good committee. It’s one of the best jobs in town. We actually have money. People come to us with good projects, we help spiff them up and make them even better. It’s a happy committee.”   

Anyone interested in serving on the Community Preservation Committee should contact Russo.

chairman of that Committee.

Quigley named to Herald’s All Scholastic

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The Silver Lake High baseball team saw one of its members recognized at the statewide level this past weekend.

When the Boston Herald released its 2019 Spring All-Scholastic rankings over the weekend, a junior pitcher from the Lakers staff made the cut. That would be Halifax native Michael Quigley. It is his first time receiving the honor.

Quigley, who was a third-year varsity player this past spring, had a dominant campaign not only on the mound, but at the plate as well.

As a pitcher, the righty went 7-3 with a 1.94 ERA in 54 innings pitched. Over that same span, he struck out 73 batters, saved two games and tossed a no-hitter.

However, as the Herald notes, Quigley’s numbers are far better if the Lakers early season struggles are ignored.

Over the final 48 innings he pitched this past spring, his ERA was a miniscule 0.46–making him among the state’s most dominant arms.

At the plate, Quigley also got the job done. He collected 23 hits in 59 at-bats, good for a .389 batting average. In the process, he also knocked in 15 runs. That said, he should also be an asset to the team’s batting order next season.

At the moment, Quigley is committed to play Division I baseball for UMass-Lowell when his high school career comes to a close.

According to Perfect Game, Quigley’s pitch has topped out at 85 miles per hour, but he has been clocked at 92 when throwing in the infield.

Next season, pitching should absolutely be a strength for the Lakers.

Not only do they have Quigley expected to return next season, but Nolan Hughes as well.

A Patriot League All-Star this past spring, Hughes’ return means the team should have back two of their three primary starting pitchers. This should be a major advantage for them.

Lakers tennis teams enjoy successful season

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There was success on both sides in the Silver Lake High tennis program, and the two varsity teams should have plenty to look forward to next season.

Both the Lakers boys’ and girls’ teams enjoyed their share of success despite not having the biggest rosters in the school. The boys went 10-9 on the season while the girls went 11-7.

In the final seven days of their regular season, the boys squad surged and picked up three wins, improving to 9-8 on the season in order to make it to the playoffs. Had they lost any of those contest, that would not have been the case.

Earning the No. 16 seed in the MIAA Division I South playoff bracket, they ousted Bridgewater-Raynham 5-0 in the preliminary round game.

Coming in they were favored to win the game not only because of the higher seeding (16 as opposed to 17), but because the Lakers also topped them 5-0 on May 29.

However, the team dropped a 5-0 decision to Brookline in the first round of the tournament.

The girls had an easier time getting into the playoffs, clinching a spot in them before the final week of their season. They ran into a tough King Philip team in the first round of the tournament and fell 4-1, ending their season.

Of their starting seven, the girls lost three seniors to graduation this season: singles player Sarah Gonick and doubles players Jenna Hurlburt and Morgan Suchecki.

Meanwhile, sophomore singles players Eleanor Meehan and Ava Mirisola as well as doubles players Grace Eddy, a junior and Alyssa Truckenmiller, a sophomore, could all be returning next season.

The boys lost four seniors to graduation: singles players Dylan Capaccioli, Owen Roche and Dario Mendez plus doubles player Kyle Lawless. Junior doubles player Sean Kehoe, sophomores Matthew O’Donnell (doubles) and Jake Lawless (singles) as well as freshmen Aidan Roche (singles), Dustin Ebone (singles) and Andrew Doyle (doubles) could all be back next year.

With the majority of the team coming back on both sides, more success is certainly plausible.

Halifax-Carver U16 Boys Soccer play at MTOC

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The Halifax-Carver U16 boys’ team attended the Massachusetts Tournament of Champions (MTOC) in Lancaster MA this past weekend as the champions from the Coastal League.

The twelve teams in their division were divided into three groups of four. Halifax-Carver were in a group with West Bridgewater, Franklin, and North Andover.

They played two games Friday, losing the first game 3-1 to West Bridgewater. Cole Wright scored Halifax-Carver’s lone goal of the tournament after carrying the ball from the backfield to score unassisted. They went on to lose 3-0 to Franklin in the second match.

“That was the second game on the first day and our kids were just out of gas,” Coach Jim Coombe explained. The team fell 4-0 in their final game held on Saturday against North Andover, who went on to finish second in the entire division.

The various opponents all zeroed in on Halifax-Carver standout Gabe Pacheco, making it difficult for the team to get anything going. “The boys worked hard but we were just outmatched,” Coombe said. “A small town like us, we don’t even have tryouts, we take everyone we can. It’s tough but they did well.

They didn’t embarrass themselves in any way, shape, or form,” Coombe continued. Cape Ann United from the Essex League went on to win the entire division.

Despite placing last in their group, the team managed to enjoy themselves. “We all stayed in the same hotel. After the first day there after they had two games, you would think they would be tired but no, they took over the pool and were playing in the pool until 10 o’clock at night,” Coombe said laughing. Just being invited to attend the tournament is an honor as only the top teams from each league across the state are invited as well as a handful of wildcard picks. “It is a good learning experience,” Coombe said, “It’s a great experience just being there.”

Downward facing… goat?

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HANSON — Early morning the sun shone on 25 yogis of varied skill levels that stretched on their mats Saturday, June 22.

Amid them were three very spunky, friendly goats nicknamed the ‘Golden Girls,’ after the TV comedy — Dorothy and Blanche, both miniature Nubians and Rose a Nigerian dwarf goat.

Red Horse Farm is a serene space set slightly back off 300 High St., in Hanson.

Each weekend they host Goat Yoga —just as it sounds, the yoga class is with goats. If you love getting an intense stretch and possibly a nose kiss from a curious, furry face you may have found your niche.

Nicole Riley owner and trainer of Red Horse Farm works with the goats as local yoga instructor Kristina Northrup teaches the class.

“The interest has been amazing! We thought we’d get a few people who’d want to attend, but we’re packed every weekend! And it’s not just Hanson; we’ve had people drive all the way down from Boston to attend… which blows me away,” said Riley.
The  goats are trained to participate with the group and introduce  slight, weight-bearing additions during several poses. Riley is inside the fenced area and entices the goats with food pellets. 

“Kristina Northrup, our yoga instructor, has done such a great job,” Riley said. “We needed to train the goats prior to launching the class in May and she’s just been game from the very start! She has such a great way about teaching and we’re lucky to have her.”

A mix of genders and ages attended the Goat Yoga class.

Nick Collazo of Taunton who was adept at yoga and fitness was in a full downward facing dog and held his pose as if he barely noticed the two Nigerian dwarf goats that gently danced on his back.  Eventually he lowered himself laughing with the people around him who also took a moment to snap some cell phone pictures.

Quite possibly the goats offer a balanced enlightenment to the perfection some impose on themselves during yoga.  The audible laughter and amusement blended well in the breezy, summer air.

Nicole and her husband Paul also shared their love of the outdoors and a fairytale wedding on the property when they married in 2015.  They purchased the property in 2014 and are close to completing their renovations on the homestead, which was built in the 1800’s.

Their friends who own Hobby Knoll Stables in Duxbury brought their wedding party down High Street in a horse drawn carriage with neighbors looking on in delight.

The bride called her wedding day “magical.”

The farm also hosts a hands-on program called Little Farmers Morning for children. They learn about the goats, chickens, and horses.  It is geared towards children ages 5 to 11, with hands-on learning of horsemanship skills, goat and chicken care, egg collection with an arts and craft project or storybook.

One of her favorite parts is watching the faces of the little ones light up.

“It is the best feeling,” she said.

The RHF is primarily a boarding farm but they wanted to add things that people could enjoy in the outdoor atmosphere.

“I think its fun for those not accustomed to being around horses to hear them neigh during class or see the chickens from the yoga ring’” Riley said. “The goats, ‘The Golden Girls,’ are a riot — each with their own hilarious personality. And there’s as much laughter during class as exercise!”

RHF also offers riding lessons, and farm fresh eggs.

They are located on three acres of land, which abuts conservation land with riding trails.

There’s just something about this little farm and it’s peaceful feeling …being in the fresh air with animals is good for the soul and we hope people enjoy visiting, she said.

Upcoming events and classes, which run through October along with sign ups, are located on their website.  RedhorseFarmHanson.com.

Will misses court arraignment

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BROCKTON — A third attempt to arraign former roofer Matthew Will, 37, of Pembroke, who formerly owned Five Star Discount Roofing in Halifax, on 18 fraud and larceny related charges failed Monday, June 25, 2019, because he was not medically cleared for transport to Plymouth Superior Court, Brockton, by state prison officials, according to a source close to the investigation.

Will, who was in the custody of the Plymouth County Sherriff’s department, was quickly transported to a state facility, the Lemuel Shattuck Hospital in Jamaica Plain, that has a state Department of Corrections-run prison ward, following police and Sherriff’s Department serving a search warrant on Will’s Furnace Colony Drive, Pembroke, rental home.

During the course of the execution of the search warrant, Will was found to be hiding in his attic and dogs were used to extricate him from the attic. According to a source close to the investigation, he is recuperating from injuries sustained from the dogs, which the source says he wrestled with and eventually fell through a ceiling from his attic into his living room.

Will had been on a lengthy run from the law, following skipping a Falmouth District Court date, two separate high speed chases in central Massachusetts, one leading into Rhode Island, then being released on personal recognizance by a district court judge who had not been made aware of Will’s history by prosecutors — and fleeing again.

He has been in the hospital almost continuously since his arrest Thursday, May 9, except for one hearing where his court appointed attorney, Charlotte Tilden argued unsuccessfully for his release in Wareham District Court. He was returned to Shattuck Hospital, and remains there as of press time.

Will has been indicted on the charges.

A Plymouth County grand jury returned the indictments against Will charging him with one count each of larceny of property over $1,200 by single scheme, state building code violations, employer failing to have workers’ compensation, money laundering and being a common and notorious thief. Will was also indicted on seven counts of home improvement contracting violations and three counts each of forgery and uttering.

Prosecutors say Will targeted some more than 50 mostly elderly homeowners, beginning in July 2018 at Oak Point, a 55-plus community in Middleboro, when at least 15 individuals began reporting that Will had defrauded them out of funds ranging from $800 to $12,000 by starting contracting work and not completing it, or simply taking the funds and absconding.

Will has multiple cases in courts in Falmouth, Plymouth and Wareham District Courts and he has 50 or more victims across the state.

The alleged victims have lost at least an estimated $250,000 in total and have been found so far in Kingston, Duxbury, Brockton, Plympton, Wareham, North Easton, Hanson, Falmouth and Pembroke in addition to Middleboro.

Free July 4th concert at Plymouth Waterfront

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PLYMOUTH, MA — The Plymouth Philharmonic Orchestra kicks off its 104th season in grand style, performing The Esther and Alcide Ruffini Fourth of July Concert, a free-to-the-public Independence Day celebration.  Steven Karidoyanes conducts.

The Phil’s July 4th performance includes musical tributes observing two significant anniversaries.  The first is the 50th anniversary of mankind’s first steps onto the lunar surface. The orchestra performs the introductory music to Richard Strauss’ Thus Spake Zarathustra, more widely known as the main theme to Stanley Kubrick’s 2001: A Space Odyssey, and an orchestral suite from the film score to Apollo 13 by James Horner.

The other musical tribute celebrates one of the most iconic fictional comic book characters in popular culture, Batman.  The Caped Crusader’s comic book debut was 80 years ago this year. For this tribute, the Phil performs music from The Dark Night Rises by Hans Zimmer, as well as music from the Batman film series of 30 years ago composed by Danny Elfman.

Additionally, performance highlights include Tchaikovsky’s exciting 1812 Overture, excerpts from the Declaration of Independence read by Town of Plymouth Select Board chairman Kenneth Tavares accompanied by a lush symphonic score, and A Salute to the Big Bands, a collection of Swing Band standards like April in Paris, Pennsylvania 6-5000, Serenade in Blue and Sing Sing Sing.

The concert takes place in historic Pilgrim Memorial State Park on the Plymouth Waterfront near the Plymouth Rock Portico, across from the natural amphitheater of Cole’s Hill.  The music starts at 7:30 PM on Thursday, July 4th (rain date: Friday, July 5th).

The Esther and Alcide Ruffini Fourth of July Concert is made possible through the generosity of The Ruffini Charitable Trust with additional support from The James Spooner Trust and the Town of Plymouth Promotions Fund. The 104th Season of the Plymouth Philharmonic Orchestra is funded in part by the Massachusetts Cultural Council, a state agency.

The concert will be broadcast and streamed live on WATD, 95.9 FM and PACTV, Plymouth Area Community Access Television (Comcast channel 13 and Verizon Channel 43.)