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45 teams compete in Halifax 13th Annual “Softball Summer Smash” Halifax

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Halifax Girls softball continues to grow and last weekend they hosted the largest tournament in the last thirteen years. They call themselves a softball town.

“We are proud of that, “event organizer Peter Barone said.

In 2005, we started with 11 teams and at the end of the 2017  season we have jumped to 45 teams looking to join the event.

Families were seen with coolers, chairs, and bags of sports equipment; several traveled with beach buggy carts to transport team’s equipment. The event was family oriented and lively. Teams played at the Vaughn Field and the Halifax Elementary School where bouncy houses were set up for the younger siblings.

Halifax teams are made up of girls’ ages 8-14 with three divisions 10 U, 12 U, 14 U.

Due to playing time slots, field locations and the length of the event 38 teams were finalized to play over three days this weekend with a hitting derby ending the weekend event.

Teams were each scheduled to play three games in the preliminary rounds on Friday and Saturday. The results of those games seeded teams for the playoffs rounds, which were a single elimination on Sunday for the championships, said Barone.

He commended local business Rockland Athletic supplies for their donations towards the event with trophies and winning derby t-shirts to the top finalists.

According to event organizer Pete Barone, the HalifaxUnder Twelve girls placed as runners up in the championships.

Halifax native gives back in Pan-Mass challenge

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Over the course of the year, the Jimmy Fund puts on a number of events in order to raise money to treat and better the lives of cancer patients. Every August, they host the Pan-Mass Challenge, a two-day event where bikers travel from Wellesley, down the South Shore, all through Cape Cod and into Provincetown which is the location of the finish line. Day one of the event goes from Wellesley to Bourne and then day two goes from across the entire Cape, from Bourne to Provincetown.

Individual cyclists band together with their respective teams and together, they raise significant amount of money that goes to the Dana Farber Cancer Institute and since it is a local event, there are a number of South Shore natives who partook in it. Halifax resident Lee Ferrande is one of those locals who competes in the event and has for a long time.

Ferrande has been biking in the event over the past two decades and this past go-around, she biked with Team WOW, who raised over $400,000. In all, there were 68 bikers on the team, according to the team’s page.

According to the Pan-Mass challenge website, Ferrande raised $2,790 for the charity. It was her 20th year participating in the biking event and a big reason why she participates is because she is a cancer survivor herself.

A number of her family members also helped out by volunteering with the event. Her sons both ride in the event annually while her daughters, and mother volunteer for the event.

In all, over 6,200 riders competed in the two day event and the overall goal was to raise $48 million. In its 38-year history, the event has raised $595 million for the Dana Farber Cancer Institute.

The event raises more than half of the Jimmy Fund’s donations for the year.

Silver Oak Jumper Tournament next week

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Jeff Papows, chairman of Silver Oak Jumper Tournament, met with the Halifax Board of Selectmen to get the final approvals needed for the event taking place from August 16 through August 20.

Papows expressed excitement for the event, talking about how much different it is watching horses jump in person rather than on television. He said, “It’s not the same as being there; it literally shakes the ground.”

Papows also brought up how these horses are really athletes. He said the fences they jump over are 8 feet tall.

The Board of Selectmen also expressed excitement for the competition. Chair Thomas Millias said the event is consistently voted Halifax’s best sporting event.

The event takes place at Fieldstone Show Park at 21 Plymouth St. in Halifax. There is no fee for entry but there is a $20 parking fee.

Primarily, Papows was at the meeting to get a one-day liquor license for the horse jumping competition’s VIP section.

Papows said the VIP bar will operate exactly the same as last year. It’s only for Sunday where beer and wine will be available from 12-4 p.m. The Board of Selectmen approved the one-day liquor license.

Other News

Town Adminstrator Charles Seelig said he received a report saying many if not all the dogs at Tarawood Kennels have been removed. Jennifer Choate was given until August 11, 2017 to remove all dogs as the closing sale of the property is expected then.

COA Cookout

The Council on Aging’s annual summer cookout will take place on August 16, 2017. The Board of Selectmen said to RSVP with Council on Aging Director Barbara Brenton.

  Fall Mud Fest         approved

The Board of Selectmen approved this fall’s mud fest event. It will take place on November 12, 2017.

Robert Bergstrom who runs the event said the corn maze will come down two weeks prior.

Appointments and    Resignations

Emergency dispatcher Joy Firth gave her letter of resignation to the Board of Selectmen. Firth worked as a dispatcher for the town for 33 years.

“She’s a very special lady,” said Selectmen Vice Chair Kim Roy. “She dedicated a lot of her life to the community.

David Moore was appointed the town’s new sealer of weights and measures. Selectmen Clerk Troy Garron said he was very impressed with his interview.

Steven Hayward was also reappointed as Tree Warden and will serve a term lasting until May 16, 2020. The Board also reappointed Greg Cowen to the Beautification Committee for a term lasting until June 30, 2018.

Who needs permits anyway?

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The tension between Wolf Rock Farm and the Town of Plympton reached new levels at Monday, August 7, 2017 Selectmen’s Meeting as the farm at 157 Center St. continues having horse shows despite a lack of a business license or proper food and event permits.

On Sunday, August 6, 2017, Wolf Rock Farm held a horse show without a large event permit or vendor food permits. These permits are issued by the Board of Health.

According to Board of Health chairman Art Morin, Wolf Rock Farm didn’t want a health inspector there. Morin said he attended and didn’t see any cooking, but told them if he saw any, he’d shut down the vendor since proper permits were not issued.

Last week, Town Clerk Tara Shaw spoke with Town Counsel about the situation and learned that the Farm doesn’t necessarily need a business license with the town in order to operate. Shaw said that Wolf Rock Farm is registered as an LLC (corporation).

Shaw said LLC’s only need to have a business certificate with the state. It’s merely contact information and not grounds for the town to disallow the conducting of business.

Inaccuracies were discovered by Shaw though, which makes the certificate not fully valid. Shaw said the address on the certificate is incorrect and listed the business at 163 Center St. The business, however, operates at 157 Center St.

Shaw also said the managers on record are inaccurate. In fact, they no longer work at Wolf Rock Farm. In order for this to be valid, Shaw said this information needs to be updated with the state. She’s only been able to make contact with Project Manager Rebecca Nunez via email at this time.

Morin was not happy with this and urged for a bylaw change. He said, “I’m speaking as a tax payer in this town. It’s deplorable that someone cannot pay taxes, but generate income in the town. We need a new bylaw.”

Selectmen are choosing to explore all options and see what kinds of licenses are needed for certain events as well as explore bylaw changes for the future. Selectmen Clerk Mark Russo said there’s a lot that needs to be evaluated, more about what requires an event permit and what constitutes just using private property.

  Fire Department

  Update

The search for a consultant to do the Fire EMS study approved at Town Meeting is moving quickly. According to Selectman John Traynor, the search is narrowed down to four candidates.

Three have submitted detailed proposals and they are waiting for the fourth. Selectmen want to conduct two interviews per night at Selectmen’s meetings.

Traynor also gave an update on the search for clerical help for the Fire Department. He said Town Accountant Barbara Gomez narrowed down the position to two candidates.

  New assessors’

  administrative            assistant

Allison Merry has been hired as the Board of Assessor’s new administrative assistant.

In a letter of correspondence to the Board of Selectmen, the Assesors said they look forward to working with Allison.

Rep. Geoff Diehl will oppose Warren in race for Senate

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Geoff Diehl for US Senate
Press Statement

In his hometown of Whitman, Representative Geoff Diehl (R-Whitman) officially announced his candidacy for the U.S. Senate.

With his wife, KathyJo, and his two daughters, Kaylee and Emily, by his side, Diehl declared his candidacy in front of a large crowd at the Whitman VFW. Kaylee Diehl introduced her father to the large crowd.

“Tonight, I am making it official. I’m a candidate for the United States Senate.  Massachusetts is too great for a part-time Senator. We need a Senator who will focus on the citizens of the Commonwealth,” said Diehl. “From the time you wake up in the morning and until you go to bed in the evening you should be working to help the people of Massachusetts. I think people should come first ahead of oneself. Our Senator needs to do their job by putting you first!”

Diehl has a proven track record of putting people ahead of politics. Three years ago he led the successful ballot initiative to repeal automatic gas tax hikes –saving taxpayers $2 billion.

“When Beacon Hill tied the gas tax to inflation, I knew we had to stop taxation without representation. Despite the odds and being outspent 31 to 1, working with the people we were able to repeal this costly tax hike saving taxpayers billions. Already, we have avoided three gas tax increases,” said Diehl. “While other people have focused on putting money in their wallets, I have focused on putting money into your wallet.”

Diehl’s speech emphasized a positive vision of being a proactive Senator who will put Massachusetts first, work to secure our borders, lower the tax burden, and grow jobs.

“I will be a jobs Senator who focuses on doing my job and creating more jobs for Massachusetts,” said Diehl. “I will not ignore the needs of communities such as New Bedford. I will fight to keep fishing licenses in our state.”

Diehl also took the opportunity to outline the differences in this race. He has been disappointed with Senator Warren who is more focused on her national profile rather than working in the best interest of Massachusetts. One key example of this, Diehl pointed out was how she voted against the 21st Century Cures Act.

“If she cared about our state, she wouldn’t have voted against a bipartisan measure to promote medical innovation and the development of new treatments for cancer and other diseases. Massachusetts is a medical research leader and she still voted against the bill,” said Diehl.

The program included sports talk legend John Dennis as the master of ceremonies, Casey Scholl of Pembroke singing the national anthem, and former State Commander Brian Martin leading the crowd in the pledge of allegiance. Officials attending included: Representatives Shaunna O’Connell, Jim Lyons, Peter Durant, and David DeCoste, and former New England Patriot Fred Smerlas to name a few.

Critch is Silver Lake softball’s HR champ

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The record book at Silver Lake changed this past spring — for the better.

That is because Halifax native Emily Critch finished off her fourth and final season as a Silver Lake softball player strong. Midway through the season, she broke the home run record by blasting her 18th career home run. She surpassed the team record that was previously held by Shannon Grindle, a fellow Halifax native, who is a rising sophomore on the Bridgewater State softball team. Grindle hit .364 with a pair of home runs in 35 games as a freshman this past spring.

Even after she broke the record, Critch was not done hitting. She belted three more home runs after earning the crown outright, so the catcher finished her Lakers career with 21 home runs.

This past spring, Critch had yet again another impressive year offensively. She hit .419 with a .802 slugging percentage as she knocked in 37 runs and scored 39 runs in 25 games during the Lakers 25-1 season, a season in which they made it to the Division 1 South Final.

Thanks to her strong performance, Critch was named to every major All-Scholastic team: The Patriot Ledger, Boston Herald and Boston Globe. It was not the first time she was named to All-Scholastic teams for softball either.

During her Lakers career, Critch also played basketball and field hockey.

Critch is set to continue her softball career next spring as a member of Southern New Hampshire University’s softball team. There, she will be teammates with another former Laker and fellow Halifax native, Maddy Barone, who went 9-7 with a 2.85 ERA and 77 strikeouts over 115.1 innings in 24 outings, including 17 starts.

The two comprised a formidable battery during their Lakers career. Since SNHU lost both of their catchers due to graduation after this past spring, the Critch and Barone duo should have the opportunity to do the same in college.

The Clam Hut on the shores of the Monponsett

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Jim Duffy

Special to the Express

It is hard to imagine today, with 24 hour fast food restaurants, just how limited your options concerning “fast-food” were during the late 1940’s. I remember sometime during the summer of 1947, the “Pizza-Pie” truck came through Monponsett about twice a week around 7:00 on summer nights.  Just as we had the “Ice Cream Man” with his musical jingle truck, so too did the adults or “grown-ups” wait for the “Pizza Pie” truck.

One of our neighbors who served in World War II, told us of the wonderful “cheese-tomato pie” which he had sampled in Italy during the war. 

My father therefore bought one of the anticipated pies and I, who always equated “pie” with something sweet, nearly gagged on my first ever slice!

Therefore, during the spring of 1948, a small white frame building about the size of a small house, was constructed a few feet aside the Lake Theater. 

I believe that the Gentile family, who owned the local supermarket, owned the land and building, but Al and Rose Cintrella took a long term lease on the building, and in the early summer of 1948, the Clam Hut opened for business. 

Because the lakes drew a large “summer-crowd”, business in Monponsett was geared to the summer season.  Therefore, both the Clam Hut and Lake Theater were seasonal businesses, and operated from early May to the end of October.

I remember the evening the Clam Hut opened.  The first customer was Frank Purpura, and Al Cintrella proudly had the first dollar, which Mr. Purpura paid for a box of clams, framed under glass, and it stayed on the wall behind the counter for years.  I remember my father buying me an ice cream cone (first time I tasted butter crunch ice cream), and to this day remember the creamy consistency.

The Clam Hut, as the name implied, specialized in seafood.  Eventually the fried clams became a local legend.  French fries, hamburgers, hot dogs, sandwiches and the rich, creamy frappes, which nowadays would cause the Cardiologists to quake in their boots, were the staples of the times.  BUT, it was Al’s Pizza, the taste of which could not be equaled to this day, that was the special treat…They came in large and small sizes; the large was $1.25 and the small was $.75. 

Because the ovens had to reach the correct temperature, the pizzas could only be ordered between 7:00 and 10:00 at night.  Al worked as a cook at one of the Brockton restaurants during the day, so Rose ran the business until Al came in at 6:00 to fire up the ovens. 

As it was generally very crowded at night, on a first come, first served basis, the wait could be, and often was, up to two hours before your pizza order was ready. 

If you knew in advance, you could order the pizzas during the day to be ready at a certain time that night (paid-in-full, of course).

Then, as now, Friday night was the traditional pizza night.  Friday was generally “payday”, so parents were always ready to “spring” for this wonderful treat.  Many a summer Friday night I waited the counter, the juke box wailing the latest Hank Williams or Lefty Frizzell tune, eyes half closed as I nodded off to sleep. 

Because of this extra crowd, Al & Rose hired a local summer resident, June Hudgins, to wait on the counter.  I can always remember June kindly ensuring me, as I was half asleep, that it would not be “too much longer”.  Finally, the pizza was ready.  Served between two cardboard pie plates and inserted into a paper bag (no Papa Gino’s style lidded boxes back then!).  It was worth the wait.  Al’s Pizza had a special taste all its own.  I have recently discovered that the Lynwood in Randolph makes a very similar tasting pizza-perhaps they use Al’s recipe.

The weekends were always busy, and to most of the older teenagers and young adults, a movie at the Lake Theater and pizza afterwards at the Clam Hut was the “height” of a 1950’s date night.

How content we were back then with so little.

As the summer drew to a close, and the “summer-crowd” went back to their homes, the day after Labor Day signaled the end of movies and pizza for another year. 

What was a crowded active scene dwindled down and the Clam Hut and Lake Theater were open on weekends only, until the end of October. 

After moving away in 1954, I lost track and during a visit in 1969 found Al & Rose Cintrella operating what was then called “Indian Head Restaurant” on Route 27 in Hanson.  Since it was during the day,  Al had not fired up the ovens so I made due with a hamburger.  But to this day, I still have trouble believing that you can order a pizza 24/7, any day of the year!

Susan Basile, Halifax Town Historian, asks if anyone has a photograph of the old Clam Hut they would be willing to share, the Historical Society would love to make a copy of it, as they have none. Just contact her through the Halifax Historical Society.

PFD wins grant

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The Plympton Fire Department received a grant award of $16,079.74 from Kathy Crosby Bell, the founder of the Last Call Foundation. The grant was presented at the Plympton Selectmen’s meeting on Monday, July 31, 2017.

This grant gives the fire department the ability to purchase air compressors, as well as extractors for cleaning gear. According to Fire Chief Warren Borsari, the new compressors replace a 40-year-old piece of equipment. He said “It’s the oldest in Plymouth County.”

In addition to equipment, the grant Plympton received funds a pilot program that promotes safety and proper use of equipment. There’s a small cost after the pilot is up if the town would like to continue with it.

Kathy Crosby Bell founded the Last Call Foundation three years ago after her son, Firefighter Michael Kennedy lost his life when a Beacon Street brownstone caught fire in Boston. Kennedy was only 33-years-old.

Since this tragedy, Bell said she’s channeled her grief in ways that make a positive difference for firefighters. She’s used her organization to improve safety conditions for firefighters and works to pass legislation to help fund the needed equipment. Crosby said, “I want to know if there’s a firefighter without gear.”

Katy Crosby Bell spoke of some of the dire safety situations firefighters are often put in when trying to extinguish flames and save lives. “Fires burn at 1,200 degrees,” said Crosby, “Some hoses burn at 900 degrees. That’s not acceptable.”

Besides on-site hazards, Crosby said firefighters face more health risks than the average person. According to Kathy, “63 percent of firefighters have a cancer diagnosis in their life.”

“When we need the support is when firefighters are alive,” said Crosby “Every fire fighter is a hero every day.”

Most of the fire department attended the grant presentation and were moved by Crosby’s efforts. Chief Borsari said, “She’s a very courageous woman.”

Selectmen all said that this is great news for the Fire Department and praised Chief Borsari for his efforts working within a tight budget.

Selectman John Traynor said Borsari is actively hiring and working hard. He’s been able to keep the town’s advanced life support status because of his efforts. Traynor added that the results from the Fire Department study that was approved at Town meeting should add some clarity.

Town Employment Update

According to Traynor, the opening for a part time clerical position to the Fire Department has been narrowed down to two candidates.

There are also five applicants for the open administrative assistant position in the Assessor’s office.

Board of Health Update on Vendors

Board of Health Chairman Art Morin informed the Board of Selectmen about a horse show at Wilfrock Farm on Center St. without the proper food permits needed to serve at the event.

Morin told the Board the owner of the property appeared before the Board of Health on Tuesday, July 25, and was told she needed to get the proper permit. If she does not get the permit, The Board of Health said it has the right to remove the vendor from the property at the event.

There are also other permits needed if alcohol is served or if more than 200 people are attending an event. Morin said, “People can’t just flaunt the law and do what they want in the town.”

Morin and the Board of Selectmen also discussed the possibility of raising permit fees. The two boards want to explore this since their fees are much lower when compared to other towns.

Other News

There is a Bylaw Review Meeting on Wednesday, August 9. A memo is being sent out to all departments with details.

The Massachusetts Municipal Association (MMA) is holding an essay contest for 8th graders and a picture contest for 3rd graders with the theme, “If I lead my community, I would (blank).” The Board of Selectmen approved allowing MMA to contact the schools.

The next selectmen’s meeting is Monday, August 7, 2017. Open session starts at 6 p.m.

Halifax Energy program can save $80,000 in electricity costs

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Halifax residents and business owners will save nearly $80,000 annually thanks to the newly created Halifax Community Choice Power Supply program.

The Town of Halifax and Colonial Power Group, Inc. are pleased to announce they have entered into a three-year agreement to bring energy cost-savings to the town’s residents and small businesses through this initiative.

The Town and representatives of Colonial Power Group will hold an informational session on Monday, Aug. 7, at 7 p.m. in the Great Hall on the 2nd floor of Town Hall to discuss the Halifax Community Choice Power Supply program.

The new program will help residents and business owners achieve stability and substantial savings on electricity costs. Participating residents and businesses in Halifax will see an annual savings of close to 3 percent in their monthly energy bills and the program will provide a combined savings of approximately $6,530 per month for the town’s homes and businesses.

“The Halifax Community Choice program provides price stability, local control, and competition while also lowering the burden of energy costs for Halifax’s residents and business community,” said Mark Cappadona, President of Colonial Power Group, Inc. “We commend Halifax’s Board of Selectmen and Town Administrator Seelig for their forward-thinking approach to energy purchasing. By taking this action, they are helping to save residents and business owners money on their electricity costs.”

Under the Halifax Community Choice Power Supply program, residents will not notice any change in their electricity service. The only discernable difference will be that NextEra Energy Services of Houston, Texas, the selected electricity supplier for the Community Choice program, will be printed under the “Supplier Services” of monthly bills. Residents and small business owners will continue to receive one bill from National Grid and to send payments to National Grid for processing. There will be no interruption in billing, power, or customer service.

Colonial Power Group is the leading aggregation consulting firm in Massachusetts. Municipal electricity aggregation allows cities and towns to pool the electrical consumption of all ratepayers in their jurisdictions and competitively procure lower cost electricity supply on behalf of the participants. The aggregation allows the municipality to obtain better pricing than individual residents and business owners could due to economies of scale. Colonial Power works with state officials, utility executives, and energy industry leaders to facilitate the purchase of electricity at a rate lower than basic service rates. Since July 2013, Colonial Power has saved households and businesses across New England a total of nearly $11 million on their electric bills.

Colonial Power Group, which serves more than 60 municipalities in Massachusetts, was chosen to design, implement, and administer the program on behalf of Halifax. NextEra Energy Services was selected through a competitive process. The cost savings for Halifax residents and businesses will begin with the September 2017 meter reads (October 2017 billings).

No action is required by ratepayers to participate in this cost-saving program. The program will be operated on an opt-out basis, meaning that all Halifax residential and business customers currently on National Grid’s basic service will be automatically enrolled into the program unless they choose to opt out.

Soule Homestead brings in two very different song stylists

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Singers Danielle Miraglia and Caroline Cotter bring their diverse talents to Soule Homestead’s Concert Series, 46 Soule Street, Middleboro  on July 29 starting at 6 p.m.

The two women have markedly different styles. Miraglia is a hard driving, bluesy performer, Prince fused with Janis Joplin. Cotter is a mellow, sweet-voiced internationalist, comfortable singing in several languages.

Accompanying herself on an old Gibson guitar, Miraglia has a voice made for the grittier songs in the folk canon. Her own compositions earned her a nomination at the 2015 Boston Music Awards as singer-songwriter of the year. Miraglia has appeared on stage with world-class performers including Johnny Winter and Robert Cray at venues like the New York State Blues Festival.

The Revere, MA. native was weaned on her parents’ Motown collection, and found the classic rock of The Rolling Stones and Led Zeppelin on her own. She graduated from Emerson with a degree in creative writing and found herself adrift. Then she went to an open mic night at a local club. “I found my tribe,” says on her web page. “I dropped everything and pursued that.”

Caroline Cotter quit her day job in 2015 after achieving national recognition with her debut album Dreaming As I Do. The album reached number five on the national folk DJ charts. Her tune Bella Blue was the second most played folk song on the charts.

A passionate world traveler, Cotter performs more than 200 shows a year in the U.S. and Europe. She’s been to 28 countries in 15 years, and her repertoire includes tunes she sings in Spanish, French, Portuguese and Italian. She also sings in Sanskrit, not surprising because she studied yoga in India.

Cotter’s sweet soprano voice and comfortable, international folk style give her a wide range of stories to tell the listener.

Danielle Miraglia with Caroline Cotter outdoors at Soule Homestead, 46 Soule Street, Middeboro, July 29. Concert starts at 6 p.m. and is held rain or shine with indoor venue available. Admission $10 per person, under 16 free. Snacks available for purchase. No dogs or alcohol allowed. Family-friendly. Ample parking.