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Silver Lake Middle School “ELF” Performance Saturday night at 7 and Sunday afternoon at 2

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Get into the holiday spirit this weekend and enjoy an evening or afternoon performance of the Silver Lake Middle School Drama Club’s performance of Elf, The Musical, the hilarious tale of Buddy, a young orphan child who mistakenly crawls into Santa’s bag of gifts and is transported back to the North Pole.   Playing Buddy is Josie Cline of Halifax.

Performances will be Saturday night, Nov. 19, at 7 p.m. and Sunday afternoon, Nov. 20, at 2 p.m.

General admission tickets are $8, and students, children, and senior citizens are $6.  There are a limited number of reserve tickets on sale for $10.

Tickets will be sold at the door.  Doors will open 30 minutes before showtime.

The Silver Lake Middle School is at 256 Pembroke St., Rte. 27, Kingston, on the Silver Lake Regional campus.

Taking time to Honor Veterans

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Veterans were honored in Halifax Friday morning with a brief but solemn ceremony outside the Halifax Town Hall on Route 106, and the Third Annual Veterans Breakfast held earlier in the week,  showing the town’s gratitude for service to country.

Selectmen Troy Garron and Kim Roy took part in the parade behind the Halifax Police Dept. Color Guard, Boy Scouts and Fire Department.  The procession took them across the way to the monument dedicated to Halifax’s fallen at the intersection of Plymouth St. and South St. where a wreath was laid in their honor.  From there, the procession went back at where a wreath was also placed on the large rock on the Halifax Town Green, a gift of the Halifax Grange #253 in 1949, engraved with “Honoring Those Who Served.”

David Walsh, Commander of the Halifax VFW Post 6258, praised veterans and their service to their country.

Halifax veterans were also treated to the Third Annual Veterans Day Breakfast at the historic Pope’s Tavern on Monday morning, November 7, put on by the Halifax Council on Aging.  COA Director Barbara Brenton was pleased with the turnout.  “The dining room was full.  We served about 22 breakfasts.”

In addition to the good meal and good company, Greg Brasso, host of the WATD radio station’s “Veterans’ Voice” Thursday night program, spoke for almost an hour, answering questions from the veterans there, giving them ways to navigate through the process of applying for and receiving state and federal benefits, programs, and services for which they might be eligible.

Brenton is looking forward to next year, when the senior center might have additional capacity to serve even more!

Turkey Trot at HES

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By Kimberly Cicone

Special to the Express

Most of the 593 students of Halifax Elementary School took to the fields Wednesday, October 26th, to participate in the 18th Annual Turkey Trot.  Each year, the Turkey Trot focuses on healthy habits, school spirit, and recognition of a month-long food drive that benefits the Helping Hands of Halifax.   

Students ran the Turkey Trot by grade level in a cross-  country style run around the Halifax athletic fields culminating with a healthy snack provided by Nessralla’s Farm and hot chocolate courtesy of Halifax Walmart and Halifax Elementary School PTO.

Throughout the month of October, students, families, and local businesses have generously donated food items to be passed on to the pantry.  Proudly, 1275 donations were made by the students.    At the center of the donation are turkeys, an all-time high of 40 turkeys were purchased by the generous donations from local families, teachers and local businesses. Alex Meade, a Halifax parent and owner of Preferred Mechanical Services  of Pembroke, pledged 15 turkeys for the third year in a row.  Many thanks to all that donated!

In early November, the following Halifax Elementary School students, by virtue of their exemplary performances at the Turkey Trot, will help present our donation to members of the Helping Hands of Halifax.

1st Graders:  Logan Hellisek, Riley Walkus, AJ Saba, Brielle Robinson, Leland Dowd, Jake Ledwell, Monica Rekford, Brayden Toon, Alyssa McPhearson, and Ryan Carroll.

2nd Graders: Wiley Makepeace, Max McEwan, John Lindsay, Lilliana Parmeggiani, Jaelyn Guimares, Emily Keegan, Kylie Walsh, Quinn Pomella, and Aubrey Quirke.

3rd Graders:  Kylie Soucie, Thomas Powers, Ava Carroll, Tyler Carroll, Mason Gilcoine, Alivia Phillip, Caitlin Snow, Ashton Rosano, and Zachary Peach.

4th Graders:  Cassidy Conroy & Michael Delaney

5th Graders:  Katie Dyer, Nick Najaulis, and Jack Quigley.

6th Graders: Megan Laliberte and Daniel Sullivan.

Plympton resident tapped to run Boston Marathon with Tedy’s Team Bruschi’s Team

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By Jaime Castle

Express Contributor

Some people spend years training for the Boston Marathon. Lifetime Plympton resident Jocelyn Anderson only has 6 months until she hits Heartbreak Hill for charity.

A first time marathoner (Boston or otherwise) Anderson is running for the American Stroke Association. Created in 1997, the American Stroke Association is dedicated to prevention, diagnosis and treatment to save lives from stroke — America’s No. 5 killer and a leading cause of serious disability.  “It’s important to me, losing my father to stroke has been the major factor in my mission to run with Tedy’s Team” said Anderson. “I’m also proud to run on behalf of all the stroke survivors, like my friend and Tedy’s Team teammate Jaclyn Grundy.”

“I have a great amount of respect for the work they do and awareness they spread on recognizing the warning signs of stroke, as well as the work they do in the prevention of stroke.” said Anderson.

Anderson learned she was tapped to join Tedy’s Team in May, just 6 months after she took up running at the age of 33.  While she started running for her health, Anderson said “through the association with Tedy’s Team, it has become much more meaningful running to support a cause.”

There are two ways to qualify for the Boston Marathon. Runners either must meet a qualifying time or apply for one of many spots given to charitable groups. “It’s a huge honor to be able to raise money for the American Stroke Association, as part of Tedy’s Team” said Anderson.“I felt like this was a great way to bring awareness to the American Stroke Association and the great work that they do, and I am proud to run with Tedy’s Team”

Before the Boston Marathon on April 17, Anderson must raise $10,500. To make a donation online, visit www.bit.ly.com/runwithjoc or go to http://honor.americanheart.org and click on Tedy’s Team, then search for Andersons’ name.

Know the warning signs of stroke:

F – Face: ask the person to smile. Does one side of the face droop?

A – Arms: ask the person to raise both arms. Does one arm drift downward?

S – Speech: ask the person to repeat a simple phrase. Is their speech slurred or strange?

T – Time: if you observe any of these signs, call 9-1-1 immediately.

Halifax “Question 5” Debt Exclusion Fails

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While most of the Commonwealth dealt with four questions on their ballot, the Town of Halifax added a fifth.

“Shall the Town of Halifax be allowed to exempt from the provisions of proposition two and one-half, so-called, the amounts required to pay for the bond issued in order to pay for the repairs, renovations and expansion of the Council on Aging Center/Pope’s Tavern including the payment of all costs incidental or related thereto?”

The Halifax Board of Selectmen placed this question on the ballot in the event a future Town Meeting approves borrowing money for the renovation and addition to the Council on Aging Center/Pope’s Tavern but makes funding for the project contingent upon approval of a debt exclusion (an approved debt exclusion allows the Town to pay a particular debt with an increase in taxes above and beyond the normal levy limit). If this question was not placed on the November 8 ballot and a future Town Meeting approved borrowing the money contingent upon the debt exclusion, another election, at additional cost, would have had to be held.

Where Question 5 failed, 2227 voting No and only 1869 in favor, Halifax voters will not have the option of using a Proposition two and one half, so called, debt exclusion as a funding mechanism.

A future Town Meeting when this project will be presented, will have several options for funding, but will no longer have the option of debt exclusion.

The approval or disapproval of Question 5 simply provided or eliminated an option for funding the project.

Trump pledges unity

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Tracy F. Seelye

Express Staff

Voters in Halifax and Plympton showed their support for a change, joining the rest of the country in voicing their displeasure at the status quo. Halifax brought 78.6% of its electorate to the polls, and Plympton saw  83.9% of its voters cast their ballots.

A victorious Donald J. Trump addressed his supporters and the country about 3 a.m. on Wednesday, pledging his presidency would work to unify a deeply divided country.  Following a night that surprised and shocked political pundits left and right, Trump was gracious in his remarks and praised Secretary Clinton for her “courageous and hard fought campaign” and her years of public service to the country.

“We owe her a major debt of gratitude for her service to our country,” Trump said.  “Now is the time for America to bind the wounds of division  – we have to get together … It is time for us to come together as one united people.”

“I pledge to every citizen of our land that I will be president for all Americans,” Trump said, reaching out to those who opposed him in an effort to “work together and unify our great country.”

Clinton had called Trump to concede and “congratulated us   it’s about us” on the win.   She had earlier sent her supporters home as several states were still too close to call, only to see them quickly shift toward Trump.

Clinton gave her concession speech to the country Wednesday morning, and also spoke to the need for unity in the wake of the election.

“I hope that he will be a successful president for all Americans,” she told supporters and staff.  “This is painful and it will be for a long time … but our campaign was never about one person or even one election.  It was about the country we love.”

State Representative Geoffrey Diehl, (R-Whitman), state co-chairman for the Trump campaign had predicted the win Tuesday afternoon, insisting that polls favoring a Clinton win were in error.

“I’m extremely pleased with the election of Donald Trump,” he said.  “Being the first Massachusetts elected official to endorse him, I recognized that he will take on the establishment in D.C. to make government work for us, not against us.”

Diehl, who ran unopposed, will return to his seat in the 6th Congressional District and pledged, “I will continue to work to make a positive difference for our families each and every day.”

Representative Tomas J. Calter III, D-Kingston, was returned to his seat in the state legislature, as voters in Plympton and Halifax re-elected him to the 12th Plymouth District with 3238 to challenger Peter Boncek’s 1921, giving him a 602 vote majority in those two towns.  Calter also represents Kingston, and a precinct in Duxbury.

Plympton and Halifax also followed the trends throughout the Commonwealth in the four questions on the ballot:

Question 1, asking for an additional license for a slots parlor, was turned down by both towns.  Question 2, the hotly contested Charter Schools question was resoundingly defeated, despite the heavy advertising on both sides.  Question 3, which asked that farm animals be treated humanely, was overwhelmingly supported, and Question 4, asking if marijuana use should be allowed for those over the age of 21, passed.

Halifax voters said “No” to Question 5, specific to Halifax, asking voters to exempt Halifax from Proposition 2 ½ restrictions for the future bond issue to renovate the Council on Aging Center at Pope’s Tavern.

Halifax COA Halloween Party

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The Halifax COA held their Halloween Party at the Great Hall in the Halifax Town Hall at noontime with entertainer Roger Ticknell from Shutesbury, MA, playing 50s and 60s music, dancing music and interactive entertainment with the audience.

Fire Chief Jason Viveiros and firefighters served lunch to the seniors, a tradition which we hope to continue from now on!

The pumpkins on each table and decorated on stage were done by the seniors more than two weeks ago as an event at the Council on Aging

Also, Joan & Harry Towne dressed up and decorated a scary dessert/beverage table. The Traveling Chef, Mark, came from Old Colony Elder Services to make vegetable & chicken Panini that were delicious.

Selectmen hear from Chief of challenges facing Fire Dept. staffing

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PLYMPTON – Fire Chief Warren Borsari appeared before the Board of Selectmen Monday night to share his vision of the Plympton Fire Department and outline some of the challenges he and his department are currently facing.

The greatest challenge, Borsari told the board, is staffing for the ambulance: Currently we have two round the clock  personnel at the station, PB service, which is a paramedic and a basic EMT for each 12-hour shift.   Since the Commonwealth’s more stringent regulations in certifying paramedics, fewer pass the test and there are fewer paramedics “in the pool,” Borsari told selectmen.  “Over 80% of what we do is ambulance runs.”

Borsari told the board that he is required to have 24-hours a day or the state will pull our license.

Selectman Christine Joy asked the chief if the ambulance service is paying for itself now.  Chief Borsari answered  “No.  We just don’t have the call volume.” Borsari said that they were attempting to bring the volume up through mutual aid calls from nearby towns.  “All towns attempt to handle their own calls, and then call mutual aid when needed,” he said.  Borsari estimated that Plympton’s call volume would crack 600 this year.

The ambulance receipts account, which was set up in the early 2000s, has grown each year, from $150,000 in 2014, to $198,000 in 2015, and is at $182,000 with two months left to go in 2016.  The chief praised the new ComStar system of billing: the medics come back from an ambulance run, complete their call sheet in the computer, and the information is sent to ComStar where a bill is generated.

EMTs, paramedics, ambulance equipment, lease payments,  medicines and ambulance supplies, can all be taken from that account, which would help the overall levy on Plympton real estate taxes.

Borsari told the board he was looking at several things in bringing a high level of ambulance services to Plympton.  Outsourcing, he said, would cost the town $400,000 to $500,000 per year and the service provider would take all the ambulance receipts as well.

Regionalization is an area to be investigated, as it would increase our asset base. “We are making contact with all four towns around us,” Borsari told selectmen.

Chief Borsari also noted that he is looking to Citizens for Citizens, a group which provides senior citizens who would like to work, the opportunity to work at the Plympton Fire Station about 20 hours a week to answer phones, and do other office work.

The Chief will return to selectmen in about a month, to report further.

In other business

• Selectmen are putting out an invitation to Plympton citizens who would like to take on the task of reviewing Plympton’s bylaws to see if any need updating.  Interested persons should contact the secretary to the selectmen, Brigitte Martins, at 781-585-2700.

• Kopelman & Paige attorneys were the only applicants to submit a bid for the job as town counsel.  The board is considering several of the pricing options that K&P has offered.

• The gravel removal permit on Ring Road has lapsed and despite several efforts to contact the applicant, there has been no response.  The board has sent a letter that the permit has expired as of Oct. 27, and to cease all gravel removal until a new permit is granted.

• Former Planning Board member Dominique Sampson has agreed to fill out the term of Planning Board chairman Irv Butler who would like to resign.  The Nov. 14 meeting of the Planning Board will see those votes taken.

• Treasurer/Collector Colleen Morin sent a letter to selectmen saying that her department is adopting the same every other week schedule as selectmen, that many Monday evenings when selectmen are not meeting, she is open but has had not one person come in.

• Plympton selectmen will next meet   Monday, Nov. 14.

New face at the window at the Plympton Post Office

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Plympton postal patrons have been greeted by a new smile at the window this week as Hanson resident Kimberly Newcomb took the reins Saturday, Oct. 29.

Kim has been with the Postal Service for 16 years, though on the “city side” of the post office.  This is her first experience on the rural side, she admits.  “It will be a learning experience.”

She was a letter carrier for eight years, and a city manager for North Weymouth for three and a half years, a supervisor in Wellesley Hills, and Arlington.  She also delivered mail out of Dorchester Center.

She has seen much of the “city side” of the post office, this is her first experience on the rural side of the post office.   City is more walking, where the mail comes in “staged,” all sorted and ready for the carrier to take it out.  “There’s very little mail that needs to be sorted, in a city post office,” she said.  “Rural is truck routes, where more of the mail is sorted by the rural carrier.

Kim grew up in Quincy, and although her work in the post office has been mainly in cities, she is really enjoying the rural setting of Plympton.

“This week a lady came in and was mailing chickens.  Live chickens!  You just don’t see that in the city.”

She’s also enjoying the 10-minute commute.  “When I worked in Arlington, it took three hours each way!”

Kim has been married 23 years and she and her husband have a 17-year old son.

“We like camping a lot with a 30’ travel trailer and go from spring through fall,” she said.  “We bounce around but Canoe River in Mansfield is one of our favorites so far.”

She also enjoys reading.  “My mother is a librarian so I read most anything, from comedy to detective stories.”  Stephanie Plumb mysteries by Janet Evanovich are favorites.

Kim looks forward to learning the rural side of things and enjoys the Plympton community. 

Stop in and say hello. 

Halifax new Quint Tower

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On Saturday, Oct. 29, the moment finally arrived when the pristine black and crimson Quint Tower pulled onto the apron of the Halifax Fire Department.

With the bay doors open the engine was turned around to face busy route 106 where residents and passersby honked and waved as they drove by.  Many families stopped in to try out the seat, hold the steering wheel and take selfies in the back of the cab.

The 2016 Rosenbauer Quint Tower was bought with a FEMA Grant ‘Assistance to Firefighters’ for $714,200.

The state of the art tower can hold 500 gallons of water has 1000 feet of large diameter hose, pumps 1500 gallons per minute and the aerial deck gun can be operated remotely from the ground, according to Halifax Fire Chief Jason Viveiros.

In the instance of limited manpower, the aerial can be operated without having someone in the bucket, he said.

The grant was received in July 2015 and the awarded bid went to Rosenbauer where the quint was manufactured and constructed at one of their plants in South Dakota.  It was then driven to Nebraska and then to Attleboro.

The 55,300 pound body of aluminum and galvanized steel ladder and frame was driven to Nebraska for a UL (Underwriter’s Laboratory) inspection, an independent company to properly accredit and certify that the engine was made as specified.

It then was moved for the last of its testing to check the fluids in Attleboro where it received a last once-over and tune up and complete detailing.

  Viveiros and LT. Billy Palma had taken two trips to the plant in South Dakota to check on the progress of the tower as it was being constructed and were able to address some issues that were corrected before it was shipped. In keeping with the colors of the existing fleet Halifax has had black over red starting around 2001, Viveiros told the Express.

The graphics and hues harmonize with the existing fleet.

Five firefighters can travel in the cab of the truck, two in the front and three in the back jump seats.

The technology in comparison with the old ladder from 1989 is tremendous.  The old engine will now go up for bid and no longer meets today’s safety standards.  It can never be used as a working fire apparatus again.

“It didn’t have a pump and didn’t carry water it took approximately eight to ten minutes to set up. The new tower is set up in two minutes, “ Viveiros said.

This week, staff will be transferring the equipment; new radios were installed, and an outside company will begin training us, said Viveiros.

“Everyone in town has been really happy – seeing a shiny, new fire truck.  We have received a lot of positive feedback. People have been stopping in and looking it over, he said.

  All three selectman welcomed the truck on Saturday.

“We are extremely happy,” he said.

There is a sealed bid starting at $100 for the old engine until Nov. 14 said Chief Viveiros. . For more information contact the selectman’s office.