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Silver Lake boys’ wrestling has bright future in store

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The Silver Lake wrestling team has enjoyed its share of ups and downs this season, but they have still enjoyed plenty of success this season and have a bright future ahead of them.

At the beginning of the month, the Lakers stood at 7-11 in their team meets on the season, but that does discount what they have accomplished this year. Not only do they compete in a tough division, but they have individuals on the team who have enjoyed a great deal of success in competitive tournaments thus far.

A prime example of this would be the team’s 120-pound wrestler Daniel Walsh coming in second at the Cape Cod Invitational tournament and third at the Marshfield Holiday Invitational over Christmas break in December. At the start of the month, he was 27-6 in his matches on the season.

Gavin Hamilton (182) and Kyler Baur (106 and 113), who have been starters all season, are also thriving. Hamilton was 20-11 and Baur was 20-14 this season as of February 1.

The team has also had some freshmen step into big roles such as Scott Snell (106) and Kyle Cipullo (195). Snell was 10-3 on the year and Cipullo was 11-15–showing impressive levels of varsity success for first-year high school wrestlers. Plus, a healthy Kyle Fries has been an asset at the 138-pound weight class during the second half of the season after missing the first half of the year.

The Lakers wrapped up their Patriot League Keenan Division schedule on Wednesday, Jan. 31 with a 51-27 win over Whitman-Hanson. As a result of the win where Baur, Walsh, Hamilton, Cipullo and Will Barkowsky (160) all had pins for the Lakers, the team finished second in their division standings with Duxbury at 3-2 in league matches.

Select Lakers wrestlers will compete in individual tournaments in the coming weeks.

Tensions high as gravel removal plans unveiled

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Jessica Zeiol

Express correspondent

Plympton’s Prospect Road residents voiced their concerns over the proposed purchase of a parcel of land that is either 75.3 acres or 113  acres, even the proposed purchaser didn’t seem sure.   The Prospect Road parcel contains acres of cranberry bogs, a spring-fed pond that serves as reservoir for the bogs, hardwood forest, and pine forest.  The area was also pointed out as a known haven for at least two endangered species.

Rick Burnett, local farmer and member of the Agricultural Commission, the Conservation Commission, the Community Preservation Committee, and advisor to the Historical Commission, told the gathering that he was speaking only as a resident Monday night, introducing selectmen and others to the “magic” of the area known as the Atwood Land.  Burnet knows the land well as it borders Soule Farm where Burnet is active in farming activities.

Selectmen were made aware last fall that the property was coming out of Chapterland and the town was offered first refusal to purchase the land as is required by law.  Selectmen have now received a purchase and sale agreement that would sell to Ryan Vlaco, principal of BRV I, Inc., 607A Wareham St., PO Box 107, Middleboro, from Atwood Family Irrevocable Trust, represented by Sarah Atwood Preston, at a pricetag of $1 milion. 

The P&S, has several conditions to it, Selectman Mark Russo told the group, one of which is the granting of a gravel removal permit by the Town of Plympton.  Asked if it was proper to give a permit to anyone other than the actual owner of the property.  Russo answered that was a question they would put to Town Counsel.

Many residents expressed concern that removing so much gravel would affect the pond and the water table, thereby affecting nearby wells.  Emotions were high, with violence threatened and answered in one reparte.

Howard Randall, whose home is on Prospect Road, wanted to be sure that selectmen didn’t miss the deadline of 90 days to respond to the offer. 

The applicant spoke to the group, stating that he had completed perc tests on the four proposed house lots on Prospect Road, across the way from Toby Lane and Marie Elaine Drive.  The proceeds from the sale of these house lots, he said, would help finance the overall project. 

Asked whether he planned to remove the gravel from the property beyond what he would use to expand the cranberry bogs, he said he would.  His stated intent was to have a gravel removal operation in addition to the cranberry bogs.  The proposed operator estimated 100 gravel-laden trucks would pass down Prospect Road each day.  The application states that they would not operate beyond 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. on weekdays, and would not operate on weekends and holidays. 

Chairman Christine Joy asked if he owned other cranberry bogs.  He said he did, in Middleboro on Pine Street.  She said she would like to see them, to see what kind of operation he had there.

Members of Marie Elaine Drive neighborhood expressed their worries regarding the operation of a gravel removal pit and the effects on the neighborhood’s water wells and the value of their homes. Rebecca Lipton, a resident of Prospect Road stated, “This will greatly change our water supply, which has already been affected by Middleboro’s waste management facility down the road.”   

Other Plympton citizens heavily debated the damage that would be done to the roads that are narrow with many curves and turns.  There were also expressions of concern for the children in the surrounding houses and the effect of operation on the value of neighborhood homes.

The plan is unclear as to the amount of land this parcel includes and one taxpayer said he has been paying taxes for decades on a parcel that he thinks is located within the bounds of the property under consideration, and questioning the legality of the purchase and sale agreement. Assistant Assessor Wendy Hughes said she would look up the maps in question and report back to selectmen.

The board of selectmen is planning to gather information and answer the questions presented by the public before deciding whether or not and how the town will continue with the project.

Selectman John Traynor  told the group that there would be many opportunities to be heard on this application and proposal, as many hearings would be needed before several boards before it could be done. 

Russo said that he and his board would also investigate the possibility of acquiring the property for the town, much as the town had acquired the Churchill Park property.

The next Selectmen’s meeting is scheduled for Monday, Feb. 26.

~ Deborah Anderson contributed to this story.

One dead in Halifax head-on collision

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A head-on motor vehicle accident on Route 58 in Halifax Tuesday night left Richard March, 78, of South Meadow Rd, Carver, driver of a 2005 Honda CRV, trapped in his vehicle with serious injuries sustained at approximately 8:46 p.m.  He was transported by med-flight to a hospital in Boston where he died several hours later.

Alec Dowie, 51, of Washington St., Whitman, the operator of the 2018 Dodge Challenger, was transported to South Shore Hospital where he is listed in stable condition.

A landing zone was cleared at Walmart for March, who had been trapped in the Honda CRV. He was airlifted to Boston Brigham and Women’s Hospital where he later succumbed to his injuries, according to State Police Media Spokesperson David Procopio.

Halifax Police Chief Theodore Broderick was on scene with investigators for several hours Tuesday night as the State Police Reconstruction and Analysis Team began their investigation in cooperation with Halifax Police.   Firefighters and EMS were seen debriefing in a circle with Fire Chief Jason Viveiros, the wreckage just a few feet away.

Remnants of the two mangled vehicles and debris were scattered down Route 58, Monponsett Street, at Palmer Mill Road.  Parts of vehicles and orange spray paint marked lines in the road and were still visible as police returned to the scene Wednesday morning, according to Chief Broderick.

A preliminary investigation by State police suggests at approximately 8:46 p.m. a 2018 Dodge Challenger heading north on Monponsett Street and a 2005  Honda  CRV heading south on Monponsett collided head-on, said Procopio.

Their initial investigations indicate that the driver of the Dodge Challenger did not negotiate the curve at the intersection of Palmer Mill Road and lost control of his vehicle between the southbound and northbound lanes. The investigation is still active and ongoing, said Procopio.

Sgt. Theodore Benner of Halifax Police and the S Procopio told The Express that investigations can take several weeks to determine the cause of the crash.

First responders from Halifax, Plympton, Hanson and the State Police assisted at the scene, and at the landing zone at Walmart following the crash.

Halifax and Plympton after Snowstorm

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Snow cleanup was continued throughout the day in the Town Hall parking lot in Halifax.

Falling snow through the day on Jan 30 created a postcard effect for the Pope Tavern senior center in the center of town.

Ryder, a seven year old German Shepard played in the snow while his person shoveled on Orchard Circle in Halifax.

Love was in the air despite the cold and snow. A car in Halifax had a snow heart melting on the window.

A horse in a bright red turnout blanket stood out in the falling snow on Mayflower Road in Plympton on Tuesday.

Silver Lake boys hockey continues playing hard

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The Silver Lake High boys’ hockey team continues playing hard against tough competition.

Although the team had a six game winless skid, they snapped it last week with a 5-0 win over North Quincy last week and have kept their competitive season going. At the start of the week, they stood at 4-7-3.

An obstacle faced by the Lakers so far this season has been being on the younger side defensively, but the team certainly is improved in comparison to where they were last year. That time around, they went 5-15-1 during the regular season and made the playoffs via the Sullivan Rule.   

Still, the team does have an asset in its offense. Through 14 games, they had put up a respectable 39 goals despite playing a tough and highly competitive Patriot League schedule.

At the start of the week, sophomore forward Kevin Cardarelli had scored a team-high nine goals and was tied for second on the team with 14 points. Junior forward Alex Heffernan led the team in points with 15 as he had netted eight goals and dished out seven assists. His classmate, fellow forward David Marani (eight goals, six assist) was also among the three players on pace to score more than 10 goals by the end of the season while averaging at least a point per game offensively.

Sophomore Nicholas Solari (four goals, four assists) and junior Andrew Johnson (one goal, seven assists) have also been contributors to the Lakers offense.

Also, in net, senior Alden Maguire has been sharp for the Lakers all season. The team’s captains this season are defensemen John Evans, Liam Kelliher and Nick Iarossi. They are among the nine seniors on the squad this season.

The Lakers next game is this Saturday, Feb. 3 at 5:00 p.m. at Hobomock Ice Arena in Pembroke against Plymouth North.

Boys’ basketball in competitive position compete

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Going up against tough Patriot League competition, the Silver Lake High boys’ basketball team continues playing competitive basketball.

At the start of the week, the Lakers were 4-8 after dropping both of their bouts last week. Even so, they continued playing tough and still have the opportunity to end the season on a strong note down the stretch against some solid competition.

The Lakers have shined on offense throughout the season. Specifically, Tyler Duggan and sophomore Nolan Hughes have been leaders in the team’s scoring effort. Only a sophomore, Hughes is only cracking into his potential now and there is plenty of reason for the Lakers to be optimistic about his rise for the team. After all, he stands tall at 6-foot-4, so that size is a major asset for the team, especially in the paint. 

There is definitely reason to believe the Lakers should play well down the stretch. They have been competitive in just about every game they have played in this season and if a couple of bounces went a couple different ways, they would be sitting at 7-5. This is because they had a tight 2-point loss to Scituate on January 23, lost to Duxbury 50-45 on January 19 and dropped a 55-50 bout to Sandwich on December 27.

Those are certainly teams the Lakers would have a great chance to beat if they have a rematch. In fact, they have a rematch on the road against Duxbury on February 15, so that one is bound to be a nail-biter.

Against Scituate last week, Hughes had three shot blocks while Matthew Bettle had one more. Tyler Duggan, Josh Gilbert and Danny Duggan all showed off their touch from outside range, sinking at least one 3-point shot each.

The Lakers next game is this Friday, Feb. 2 on the road against the Quincy Presidents  at 6:30 p.m.

Marijuana grow facility: Host Community Agreement considered by Selectmen

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Four Daughters Compassionate Care, LLC, has submitted to Halifax selectmen a Host Community Agreement (HCA) as one of the first steps toward the construction of a marijuana cultivation and/or manufacturing facility on River Street.

Halifax selectmen are accepting comments, questions, and concerns about the HCA in time for the Board’s discussion at its meeting on Tuesday, Feb. 13, at 7:30 p.m.

In addition to the process Four Daughters Compassionate Care will follow, the HCA outlines the Community Impact payments of 3% of the gross wholesales of marijuana cultivated at the premises and 3% of the marijuana infused products.  The first of these payments would be made within three months following the first date of sale of marijuana, and continue on an annual basis.

Up to a 60,000 square foot commercial space is planned for the 45-acre parcel for the purpose of operating a cultivation and/or product manufacturing facility under a Registered Marijuana Dispensary (RMD) Certificate of Registration as defined by the Massachusetts Department of Public Health, Medical Marijuana Program.

The entire HCA can be viewed online at  http://www.town.halifax.ma.us/…/fourdaughtersHCA20180108.pdf)

While the Host Community Agreement covers several subjects, it is not a zoning permit. Any proposed facility would have to obtain a “special permit” from the Zoning Board of Appeals (a public hearing is required with notice to abutters) and approval of a site plan from the Planning Board. A proposal has not been submitted to either Board. Both steps will be publicized here and in other venues

Town administrator Charlie Seelig assures Halifax residents that while there may be concerns regarding noise, lighting, and odors, these matters will not be addressed as part of the HCA; they would properly be part of any discussion of the possible approval of a special permit and site plan for this facility.  The signing of the HCA is just one step in the process.  Four Daughters will need to obtain various zoning permits in Halifax, along with whichever permits the State requires.

November 28, 2017, Halifax hosted an informational meeting in the Town Hall where residents were invited to hear about the Four Daughters Compassionate Care proposal and ask questions at that time.

The presentation was recorded and can be watched on YouTube at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nyirPfa7lYA (forum begins at 26:23 into the selectmen’s meeting).

If selectmen do sign an HCA with Four Daughters and Four Daughters moves forward with this project, then a public hearing will be held as required under state regulations.  Abutters will be notified and the hearing will be publicized.

Silver Lake makes school history at D3 relays

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The school record for long jump at Silver Lake now belongs to a new athlete.

Max Shirikjian, a member of the Lakers boys’ indoor track and field team got into the school’s record book earlier this month in the long jump. He set a school record in the event in the Division 3 Indoor Relays at the Reggie Lewis Center. His jump was 21 feet and six inches. In the relay events, teams use their top three to four athletes, so his effort along with Stephen Gallagher and John McCarthy helped the Lakers place third in the event.

Overall, the Lakers placed 11th on the day–and although Shirikjian’s effort led the way, the team had many other strong performances that helped them to a strong day. The Lakers had a particularly strong performance in the sprint medley relay, finishing sixth overall in the event. This one featured Shirkijian as well as Will d’Entremont, Chris Tilton and Ryan Tierney. Combined, they ran a 3:52.57 in the event

That performance was one of three events in which the Lakers earned a sixth-place finish. The shuttle dash was another place where the Lakers finished this high. Here, Shirikjian worked with Kyle Keogh, Kevin Donahue and Ryan Tierney and the four of them combined for a 28.50-second run. The other event where the Lakers earned a sixth-place finish was also a sprinting event. This came in the 4×50-meter relay. Shirikjian did not compete in this event. Instead, the Lakers foursome consisted of John McCarthy, Brian Sherry, Nick Ierardi and Pat McCarthy.

North Attleboro was the winner of the event; they came away with 49 points on the day. Teams ahead of Silver Lake included: Pembroke, Hingham, Bishop Feehan, Tewksbury Memorial, Marblehead, Duxbury, Stoughton, Shepherd Hill-Dudley and Walpole.

Overall though, it was a strong showing for the Lakers since they performed better than most of the teams who attended the event.

Girls’ basketball rolling to tournament spot

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The Silver Lake High girls’ basketball team is not only in the hunt for a playoff spot, but they could end up being one of the higher seeds in their respective bracket if they keep excelling like they have this season.

To start the week, the Lakers had a robust 8-3 record as one of the top teams on the South Shore. Offensively, they have continued to play well, regularly scoring more than 50 points per contest.

A major reason for that is they are an experienced team. Last season, they only had four players who had played varsity basketball prior to the season. This gave many players on the team extensive varsity experience–and they capitalized on the situation.

Now, the Lakers have six seniors listed on their roster: Alex Bachelder, Annabelle Boudreau, Sydney Kehoe, Emily Hapgood, Allie Crawford and Alyssa Nelson.

Crawford has been strong on both sides of the ball for the Lakers thus far and offensively, Kehoe, Nelson, Boudreau and sophomore Holly Reeder-Morning are a few of the many players who have shown prowess for the Lakers so far this season.

The Lakers have also played tough defense this season.

An example of this would be their 43-34 win over the Duxbury Dragons on Friday, Jan. 19.

So far, the Lakers have been just about as good at home (4-1) as they have been on the road (4-2). They have also done a nice job handling their tough Patriot League schedule (5-3 in league play) which features the likes of Duxbury, Whitman-Hanson, Quincy and Hingham, among others.

Some early momentum may be a part of the season why the Lakers have enjoyed this early success. Three of their first four games were non-league matchups and they won all of those three games.

The Lakers next game is this Friday, Jan. 26, at 6:30 p.m. when they will face the Whitman-Hanson Panthers on the road.

Halifax readies for town elections in May

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Town Clerk Barbara Gaynor has announced the following positions will be on the ballot at the Halifax Town Election on Saturday, May 19, 2018, at the Halifax Elementary School, Rte. 106, from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.

• Board of Assessors, seat currently vacant.  Term of office three years.  Holly Merry has drawn nomination papers for this position.

• Board of Health, seat currently held by Alan J. Dias.  Term of office three years.

•  Town Clerk, seat currently held by Barbara Gaynor.   Term of office: three years.  Barbara Gaynor will seek re-election.

•   Town Treasurer-Collector, seat currently held by Pamela Adduci.   Term of office: three years.  Pamela Adduci will seek re-election.

• Holmes Library Board of Trustees, seat currently held by  Ava Grimason who is not seeking re-election.   Term of office: three years.

• Holmes Library Board of Trustees, seat currently held by Maureen C. Thayer who is not seeking re-election.   Term of office: three years.

•  Housing Authority*, seat currently held by Lee Mulready.   Term of office: five years. *Contingent on State approval.

•   Town Moderator, seat currently held by John Bruno.   Term of office: three years.

•  Park Commission, seat currently held by Gerard Elliott.   Term of office: three years.

•   Planning Board, seat currently held by Mark T. Millias.   Term of office: five years.

•Elementary School Committee, seat currently held by Alexander Mead.   Term of office: one year.

•Elementary School Committee, seat currently held by Summer Schmaling .   Term of office: three years.

•Elementary School Committee, seat currently held by Linda Twiss Gioscia.   Term of office: three years.  Linda Twiss Gioscia is not seeking re-election.

•Silver Lake School Committee, seat currently held by Mark J. Aubrey.   Term of office: three years.  Mark Aubrey is not seeking re-election.

• Board of Selectmen, seat currently held by Thomas Millias.   Term of office: three years.  Thomas Millias will seek re-election

• Water Commission, seat currently held by Daniel O. Bosworth, Jr.   Term of office: three years.

Nomination papers are now available and can be obtained at the Town Clerk’s office during regular office hours through Wednesday, March 28, 2018.  All completed papers must be returned to the Town Clerk’s office by 5 p.m. on Friday, March 30, 2018.

This list may be revised due to resignations or other changes.