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Springfield College recognizes Dean’s List students

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SPRINGFIELD, MA Springfield College Recognizes Dean’s List Students for the 2022 Fall Semester.
~ Springfield College has named Kathryn Gilbert from Halifax to the dean’s list for academic excellence for the 2022 fall semester. Gilbert has a primary major of Psychology.
~ Springfield College has named Hayden Wechter from Halifax to the dean’s list for academic excellence for the 2022 fall semester. Wechter has a primary major of Health Sci / Pre-PA.
The criteria for selection to the Dean’s List are as follows: The student must have completed a minimum of 12 credit hours of graded coursework for the term, exclusive of “P” grades. The student must not have any incompletes or missing grades in the designated term. The student must have a minimum semester grade average of 3.500 for the term.

Springfield College is an independent, nonprofit, coeducational institution founded in 1885. Approximately 4,100 students, including 2,500 full-time undergraduate students, study at its main campus in Springfield, Mass., and at its regional campuses across the country.

Springfield College inspires students through the guiding principles of its Humanics philosophy – educating in spirit, mind, and body for leadership in service to others.

Raises voted for substitutes

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The Halifax Elementary School Committee met on the evening of Tuesday, January 3. Chair Summer Schmaling began by opening things up for public participation. Kathleen Berry of Highland Circle began her remarks by thanking the School Committee for their time and dedication. She said she was there to speak on behalf of substitute and long-term substitute wages as she has been employed as both at Halifax Elementary. “Substitution teachers, they’re not babysitters,” she said stressing their myriad of responsibilities. Berry also said that special education suffers when a sub cannot be secured since a paraprofessional would normally need to step-in to fill the role. She said that after everything was taken into consideration, the positions end up receiving less than minimum wage.
Superintendent Jill Proulx said, “You may recall that last spring, I recommended that we consider changing the long-term sub rate to paying the long-term subs Bachelor Step 1 starting day 1 and to not wait the 21 days.” She continued, “Given the fact that we have had some difficulty attracting candidates for long-term sub positions, I’m asking the Committee to consider this change.” Committee member Lauren Laws suggested that people could be enticed to fill the positions if they were told that there was potential to be hired to a full-time open position. The administrators in the room pushed back on this idea explaining that there were issues from a budgetary and qualifications perspective. The Committee did vote to move the long-term sub rate to Bachelor Step 1 on day one of the position.
Proulx also addressed the rate for regular substitutes. “I believe we have, as Katie [Kathleen Berry] mentioned, an issue here with making sure that we are meeting minimum wage and we have proposed moving from $95 to $107… this would bring us to $16.07 per hour.” she told the Committee. Proulx also said that this same rate change was recently approved by the Plympton School Committee. It was explained that they wanted to make sure the rate was high enough to be competitive but not so high that it was more than what was being paid to permanent positions such as paraprofessionals. The Committee voted to increase the rate as proposed by Proulx.
A report of standing committees was given. For PTO, it was said that the last meeting mainly revolved around preparations for the mingle and jingle event. “It was great, we tried to incorporate several different religious holidays into the celebrations with crafts and decorations,” Karyn Townsend explained. She also said that the position of president was still open. Schmaling noted that Union 31 met in a joint meeting that included all the department heads. She noted that school start times were discussed briefly as was the school calendar.
Principal Kayne Beaudry provided a brief Principal’s report. He said he wanted to recognize that three babies had been born to school staff between December through January. He said that all are doing well. He also acknowledged the retirement of long-time teacher Linda Mullin.
Assistant Superintendent Ryan Lynch provided an update on the way the student survey would be utilized this year. “The purpose of surveying our students is to ensure we are meeting every student’s needs and also evaluate the progress of our social and emotional learning curriculum,” he explained. He said that parents would have the opportunity to opt out of having their student participate in the survey. Laws said that given “recent tragedies” she felt that these surveys were vital as they ask questions about feelings and whether students feel that they have someone to confide in about those feelings. “You just never know what goes on in someone’s head and I hope that students feel comfortable answering honestly,” she said.
Superintendent Jill Proulx provided an update saying that they had a training session with building administrators with an attorney regarding changes to student discipline under MA general laws. The changes include additional steps to be taken before a suspension is considered lawful. Exceptions include infractions that involve assault or weapons charges. Of the changes, Proulx said, “It’s part of a larger mental health concern and also recognizing when students drop out of school, they are more likely to become a problem in society and more likely to become in trouble with the law, so this is a way to force schools to think about alternatives to suspension.”
Proulx also shared with the Committee a preliminary budget presentation. “We always look at what our academic and developmental needs are for our students. We look at trying to maintain class sizes and the structures necessary for effective instruction… we also like to be mindful and considerate and respond to the fiscal conditions of the town,” Proulx said. She also told the Committee that they looked at what would be necessary to level fund services.
Proulx explained some assumptions that were built into the budget including estimating Circuit Breaker at 70 percent. The regular day preliminary budget represents an increase of 5.25 percent or an increase of $315,177. Special education, tuition, and transportation reflect a decrease of 4.27 percent. The total budget is an increase of 2.21 percent or $192,071 over last year’s budget. “That is to maintain our current programming and staffing,” Proulx told the Committee. She did note, however, that there were some additional staffing requests that Principal Beaudry would address.
Regarding enrollment, Beaudry said that he anticipates that number to decrease with the outgoing sixth grade class and the incoming kindergarten class. Beaudry noted that there was a 16 percent increase in custodial supplies and an 11 percent increase in building supplies. He also addressed proposed costs above the level service budget. Included in those costs is an instrumental music position which was also proposed last year. He said that Halifax Elementary is the only elementary school without an instrumental music program. “That puts Halifax students at a significant disadvantage when they get to the Middle School and High School,” Beaudry said. He said that through a grant last year, they were able to move the math interventionist position from a part-time to a full-time one. He noted that the grant funding would run out in 2024. Another requested position was a shared cost position of a second elementary level curriculum coordinator for the district. There were some building maintenance requests including updated flooring and air conditioning for the fifth and sixth grade classrooms upstairs.
“Currently we have five Halifax students who are receiving English language learner services and currently the way that we provide services because we have so few students who need these services, these services are provided by a Kingston English as a second language learner teacher… Halifax reimburses Kingston’s schools’ operating budget,” Proulx told the Committee. She said that the money comes out of the teaching line. She also said that while they anticipate the number will be similar in the coming year, it can be difficult to anticipate.
Regarding next steps for the second round of the budget, the Committee requested that administrators look into funding the full-time math interventionist position in the long-term. They also requested that the administrators list out the building improvements in order of priority. Schmaling thanked the administrative team for coming to them with a reasonable budget increase.
Proulx also presented the Committee with a calendar for the 2023 to 2024 school year. She said that barring any major number of snow days, the last day of school would be June 12. Townsend brought up a concern that the Chair of the Silver Lake Regional School Committee had regarding changing the names of certain days off or vacations to no longer reflect specific religious holidays, etc. Schmaling said that she was not interested in having that conversation. Townsend made a motion to update the calendar to change Good Friday to No School Day as well as to add the open houses to the calendar. The motion failed in a tie.

Rep. Josh Cutler champions Right Whale Awareness Day

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Massachusetts has declared April 24 as Right Whale Day in an effort to boost awareness about the endangered species. North Atlantic right whales number fewer than 350, according to federal fisheries estimates.
“The North Atlantic right whale is part of our rich maritime history and, yet, our official state marine mammal is at risk of extinction. Establishing this annual day to celebrate right whales will help promote education and protection efforts,” said Rep. Josh S. Cutler, D-Duxbury, lead sponsor of the legislation. The bill (H. 3869) was signed into law by outgoing Gov. Charles Baker, in one of his final acts before leaving office.
Cutler credited his constituent, Matt Delaney of Pembroke, for bringing the idea to him to dedicate a day for the rare whales after being inspired by a personal encounter. The bill was co-sponsored by Sen. Susan Moran, D-Falmouth.
The New England Aquarium, that has long dedicated efforts to study and protect the Right Whales, praised the passage of the bill.
“More than 40 years of scientific research from the New England Aquarium shows that human impacts, specifically entanglements in fixed fishing gear and vessel strikes, are driving North Atlantic right whales toward extinction. Massachusetts has a major role to play in the survival of this critically endangered species, given the importance right whales have played in the state’s history, culture, and natural environment. The newly created Right Whale Day will help increase awareness for this species’ plight, providing additional opportunities to educate the public about the urgent need to protect these incredible animals that spend much of the year in and around Massachusetts waters,” stated Vikki N. Spruill, President and CEO of the New England Aquarium.Plans are underway to commemorate the inaugural Right Whale Day later this year.

Trash training for Plympton

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The Plympton Board of Selectmen met remotely on the evening of Jan. 9. Highway Superintendent Rob Firlotte was in attendance to provide an update on the Highway Department. He said that they had all the salt, sand, and equipment up and running for any inclement weather that may be forthcoming. “We are awaiting the first real snowstorm,” Firlotte said.
He also provided an update on the Pay as You Throw bag program saying that bags will be available by March 1 and enforcement will begin as of April 1. Traynor said that he would like to see large signs at the Transfer Station letting residents know the cost for items that go into the trash. Of residents, Firlotte said, “the more they can recycle, the better off they are.” Training sessions will be held in February where residents can see examples of real-life items that can and cannot be recycled.
One resident on the call asked what “yuck” was as laid out by the program and was told it was “pretty much food waste.” Firlotte explained that much of said food waste can be fed to animals or composted. Asked about coffee grinds specifically, Firlotte said they could be put outside. The resident pushed back a bit saying that most people wouldn’t be inclined to move their food waste outside in the winter. Selectmen Chair Christine Joy recommended a countertop composter which would allow food waste to be moved outside when convenient. She also offered that coffee grinds are good for hydrangeas. Joy acknowledged that she was not a particularly good recycler and said she was looking forward to learning more about what can be recycled during the training sessions. Firlotte said that he is always happy to answer any questions people have and that they should feel free to reach out to him at the Highway Department.
Firlotte said he met with Plympton Athletic Youth Sports (PAYS) to discuss the maintenance of various fields including those used for soccer and baseball. He said that a schedule was established to mow on Fridays. Firlotte told the Selectmen that the department is not equipped to do infield maintenance and that PAYS was planning to rely on volunteerism to get the job done. Selectman John Traynor asked what the department would need to be able to be able to maintain the infields. Firlotte said that he was currently pricing out a machine that would handle that, and a myriad of other tasks. He was estimating the cost to be around $60,000 and said that Chapter 90 funds may be able to be used. Traynor suggested the possibility of looking into grant funding that might also be available for such a use.
Firlotte said that one advantage of the machine is the many attachments that come with it. He told the Selectmen that they currently must borrow a sidewalk broom from Halifax noting it was “nice of them but still wear and tear on their machine.” The machine can be utilized year-round for snow removal, mowing, and other tasks. “We have the staffing to do this stuff around town so it would be nice to have the equipment to make it viable,” Firlotte said. Traynor said that the purchase of the machine should be brought into budget discussions.
The Selectmen voted to appoint Robert Orr as a full-time police officer per the recommendation of Police Chief Matthew Ahl. Orr was formerly employed as a full-time officer with the Rochester Police Department. Town Administrator Liz Dennehy noted that he came with excellent reviews saying he would be a great addition to the Plympton Police Department. “This is wonderful news,” Joy said.
Dennehy provided a Town Administrator’s update saying that she would soon be signing the contract for design services for the Old Townhouse roof project. The contract is with Habeeb & Associates and is in the amount of $45,000. Dennehy noted that the funding was already approved at the Special Town Meeting in November.
Dennehy also told the Selectmen that a request for use of the town’s roadways was made for the Best Buddies Bike Ride on June 3. The Police and Fire Chiefs were already aware of the date and the event. The Selectmen voted to allow it.
Dennehy also told the Selectmen that there was an update regarding the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds from the County. She explained, “we may have the opportunity to not be so limited in what we can apply for in terms of projects at the County level.”
In other updates, Dennehy said that she had received word from the Town Properties Committee that they should move forward with a piping system cleanout at the Townhouse and the Fire Station. She also said that they are in the process of closing out funding and projects under Green Communities. Included in those projects was new heating pumps at the library. Dennehy said that Library Director Mike Slawson has reported a cost savings since the installation.
Finally, Dennehy told the Selectmen that the Turkey Swamp purchase and sales agreement was not quite ready yet but said she anticipated having it by the next Selectmen’s meeting on January 23.
Selectman Mark Russo led off the raves for the past few weeks saying, “My rave is for the two swans and the great blue heron who seem to be wintering over at Two Brooks; it’s so beautiful there and it’s wonderful to be sharing this space with these two beautiful animals.” Joy said her rave was for Dennehy and the financial team who are working diligently to put budgets together.
When it came time for his turn, Traynor began, “I don’t know if it’s a rave.” He continued, “I’m happy after the holidays to be home and healthy with the family; it’s my time in life where we are losing friends and it’s kind of hard at times.” He referenced the recent passing of a few friends who he mentioned are younger than him. Joy said that her thoughts and prayers are with those who have recently lost family members.

 

Lakers win second straight Cashman Tournament

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Text and photos by Steve Gilbert

Over the holiday break, Silver Lake Boys Varsity Hockey participated in the annual Cashman Tournament held at the Rockland Ice Arena. After defeating Whitman-Hanson in the first round, they advanced to the championship game against the Rockland Bulldogs.During the championship, the Lakers were strong at both ends of the rink. Goalie Strummer Beals stopped everything Rockland sent his way while the offense, led by Brandon Cavicchi’s hat trick and two more from Senior Captain Ben Cronin, gave Silver Lake a 5-0 win

Silver Lake’s Athletic Hall of Fame

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Silver Lake Regional High School has announced the 2022 Athletic Hall of Fame inductees.
Chairman Bill Johnson, Athletic Director Martha Jamieson, and Principal Michaela Gill, in conjunction with Superintendent Jill Proulx, announced the eighth class to be inducted into the Silver Lake Regional High School Athletic Hall of Fame.
Since 2007 the committee has chosen a team, a coach, and individual athletes for induction.
After review of many nominations submitted to the committee from coaches, the community, and athletes, the following have been selected for the Class of 2022:
The 2013 State Semi-Finalist Boys Soccer Team
Mike Brennan Softball Coach
Neil Andrews 1992 Basketball
Maddy Barone 2016 Softball
Courtney Yost Fulmine 2012 Basketball
David Marani 1985 Ice Hockey
Christy Pforr Schimmel 2002 Gymnastics
Anthony Videtto 2016 Baseball.
The Hall of Fame committee is composed of former athletes, coaches, and school personnel:
Bill Johnson, Chair
Martha Jamieson,
Athletic Director
Olly deMacedo
Jim Geronaitis
John Mahoney
Peter McClelland
Scott McKee
John Montosi
Linda Redding
Larry Walsh
The committee is always seeking new committed members to serve for two-year terms.
Anyone wishing to support and congratulate the inductees is encouraged to attend the induction ceremony on Saturday, Feb. 4, at the Indian Pond Country Club in Kingston.
Social Hour 12:30 p.m.
Dinner 1:45 p.m.
Induction 2:30 p.m.
Tickets can be purchased via GoFan.co: https://gofan.co/app/events/798622?schoolId=MA14724
Kasey Sheehan, Asst. to Athletic Director
Silver Lake Regional High School
260 Pembroke Street
Kingston, MA 02364
781-585-3844 ext. 1501
[email protected]

Plymouth County Outreach issues alert, offers resources following spike in drug overdoses

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PLYMOUTH — Plymouth County Outreach and the police chiefs of Plymouth County are issuing an alert today following a spike in drug overdoses throughout the county during the first 19 days of December.

From Dec. 1 to 19, Plymouth County Outreach (PCO) has documented 13 fatal overdoses throughout the county, which is more fatal overdoses than any other month this year.

PCO and its partners want the public, especially individuals at risk for overdose and their families and friends, to be aware of the increased risk of an overdose and what action they can take. The holidays are a difficult time for many, and PCO wants community members to know that they are not alone.

Anyone using any substance purchased off the street is at risk of an overdose. It is suspected that Fentanyl is being mixed with other non-opioid substances such as cocaine and street pills marked as Xanax. There has also been growing concern of the presence of an animal tranquilizer, xylazine, being found in the illicit drug supply. Although it’s being used as an additive to opioids, xylazine is not an opioid and will not respond to Narcan.

Recognizing the signs of an overdose:
Breathing is very slow and shallow, erratic, or has stopped
Face very pale
Cool, clammy skin
Choking sounds or a gurgling noise (death rattle)
Pulse (heartbeat) is slow erratic or has stopped
Blue/gray skin tinge – usually lips and fingers show first, sometimes in tips of ears
Loss of consciousness-passing out
Body becomes very limp
Life-saving measures to reverse an overdose:
Naloxone, known as Narcan, is a medication used to reverse an opioid overdose. Narcan saved lives 94% of the time when administered in Plymouth County last year.

Narcan is readily available throughout the county free of cost, no questions asked, including at these locations:
By calling Plymouth County Outreach, 774-434-5072, or reaching out through the website’s connect page: plymouthcountyoutreach.org/connect
Bamsi Brockton Cope Center, 74 Pleasant St., Brockton; 508-583-3405
Bamsi Plymouth Cope Center, 385 Court St., Plymouth, basement suite; 508-942-0679
PCO Hope, 385 Court St., Plymouth; 774-283-4763
Manet Community Health Center, 180 George Washington Boulevard, Hull; 781-925-4550
Local pharmacies have an open/standing prescription for everyone. This means you can go to your pharmacy to ask for Narcan. The cost will be whatever your insurance co-pay is.
Treatment, support and hope:
Resources are available throughout the county and region. Learn more at plymouthcountyoutreach.org/partners. Additionally, you can contact:
Massachusetts Substance Use Helpline at 800-327-5050 or helplinema.org
If you or a loved one is at-risk of an overdose and looking to access treatment, please reach out to your local Plymouth County Police Department and ask to speak with a Plymouth County Outreach Officer, contact PCO through its website at plymouthcountyoutreach.org/connect, or call 774-434-5072.
9-1-1. Make the Call. Save a Life:
Massachusetts passed the Good Samaritan Law in 2007, which encourages someone who witnesses an overdose to seek help by protecting the caller and the person who overdosed from arrest and prosecution for drug possession. The goal of the law is to protect people so they are not afraid to involve emergency services as soon as possible.

Good Samaritan Law PSAs created by local recovery coaches are available to watch under ‘public service announcements’ here: Video Gallery – Plymouth County Outreach.

The Plymouth County Police Chiefs, District Attorney and Sheriff have also created a PCO Good Samaritan Law PSA. Click here to view the video: Plymouth County Chiefs Discuss Massachusetts Good Samaritan Law.

Harm reduction saves lives:
While PCO and its police chiefs strongly encourage people to seek treatment, addiction is a disease and it is important to know ways to reduce the chance of death:
Don’t use alone. If you must use alone call the Never Use Alone hotline, available 24/7 at 1-800-972-0590
Use with someone else present and don’t use at the same time. This way, if one of you overdoses, the other can call 911 and administer Narcan
Test your substances with fentanyl test strips
Have access to Narcan
Make sure your social networks have Narcan
Mixing substances can put you at increased risk of overdose
Test a small amount first
Use new supplies every time
Know that using via inhalation or smoking doesn’t protect you from overdose
Know that periods of abstinence followed by use are quite dangerous in relation to fatal overdoses. Common examples are hospitalizations, incarceration, or periods of abstinence-based treatment.
Heroin use equals fentanyl use in Massachusetts
Canary cellphone app: Canary is an overdose prevention app that monitors for a user’s inactivity after activation. In the event a user stops moving and fails to respond to prompts by Canary, the app issues an alert to others.
For more information on harm reduction strategies, visit Harm Reduction – Plymouth County Outreach.

About Plymouth County Outreach:
Plymouth County Outreach is a multi-faceted collaboration of the 27 municipal police departments in Plymouth County, as well as Bridgewater State University Police Department, the District Attorney’s Office & Sheriff’s Department working together with Recovery Coaches and community organizations and coalitions to make treatment, resources, and harm reduction tools more accessible to those living with substance misuse disorder and their loved ones. Our goal is to provide compassionate, judgment-free support while reducing overdose fatalities.

PCO’s Executive Director, Vicky Butler, continues to keep the public updated through the PCO’s social media accounts: Facebook @plymouthcountyoutreach, Twitter @countyoutreach, Instagram @plymouthcountyoutreach, and on its website plymouthcountyoutreach.org.

Plymouth County Outreach is a collaborative of police departments throughout Plymouth County led by the following chiefs: Abington Chief David Del Papa, Bridgewater Chief Christopher Delmonte, Bridgewater State University Chief David Tillinghast, Brockton Chief Brenda Perez, Carver Chief Marc Duphily, Duxbury Chief Stephen McDonald, East Bridgewater Chief Paul O’Brien, Halifax Chief Joao Chaves, Hanover Chief Timothy Kane, Hanson Chief Michael Miksch, Hingham Chief David Jones, Hull Chief John Dunn, Kingston Chief Maurice Splaine, Lakeville Chief Matthew Perkins, Marion Chief Richard Nighelli, Marshfield Chief Phillip Tavares, Mattapoisett Chief Jason King, Middleboro Chief Joseph Perkins, Norwell Chief Edward Lee, Pembroke Chief Richard MacDonald, Plymouth Chief Dana Flynn, Plympton Chief Matthew Ahl, Rochester Chief Robert Small, Rockland Chief Nicholas Zeoli, Scituate Chief Mark Thompson, Wareham Chief Walter Correia, West Bridgewater Chief Victor Flaherty, and Whitman Chief Timothy Hanlon.

PLYMOUTH — Plymouth County Outreach and the police chiefs of Plymouth County are issuing an alert today following a spike in drug overdoses throughout the county during the first 19 days of December.
From Dec. 1 to 19, Plymouth County Outreach (PCO) has documented 13 fatal overdoses throughout the county, which is more fatal overdoses than any other month this year.
PCO and its partners want the public, especially individuals at risk for overdose and their families and friends, to be aware of the increased risk of an overdose and what action they can take. The holidays are a difficult time for many, and PCO wants community members to know that they are not alone.
Anyone using any substance purchased off the street is at risk of an overdose. It is suspected that Fentanyl is being mixed with other non-opioid substances such as cocaine and street pills marked as Xanax. There has also been growing concern of the presence of an animal tranquilizer, xylazine, being found in the illicit drug supply. Although it’s being used as an additive to opioids, xylazine is not an opioid and will not respond to Narcan.
Recognizing the signs of an overdose:
• Breathing is very slow and shallow, erratic, or has stopped
• Face very pale
• Cool, clammy skin
• Choking sounds or a gurgling noise (death rattle)
• Pulse (heartbeat) is slow erratic or has stopped
• Blue/gray skin tinge – usually lips and fingers show first, sometimes in tips of ears
• Loss of consciousness-passing out
• Body becomes very limp
Life-saving measures to reverse an overdose:
Naloxone, known as Narcan, is a medication used to reverse an opioid overdose. Narcan saved lives 94% of the time when administered in Plymouth County last year.
Narcan is readily available throughout the county free of cost, no questions asked, including at these locations:
By calling Plymouth County Outreach, 774-434-5072, or reaching out through the website’s connect page: plymouthcountyoutreach.org/connect
~ Bamsi Brockton Cope Center, 74 Pleasant St., Brockton; 508-583-3405
~ Bamsi Plymouth Cope Center, 385 Court St., Plymouth, basement suite; 508-942-0679
~ PCO Hope, 385 Court St., Plymouth; 774-283-4763
~ Manet Community Health Center, 180 George Washington Boulevard, Hull; 781-925-4550
Local pharmacies have an open/standing prescription for everyone. This means you can go to your pharmacy to ask for Narcan. The cost will be whatever your insurance co-pay is.
Treatment, support and hope:
Resources are available throughout the county and region. Learn more at plymouthcountyoutreach.org/partners. Additionally, you can contact:
Massachusetts Substance Use Helpline at 800-327-5050 or helplinema.org
If you or a loved one is at-risk of an overdose and looking to access treatment, please reach out to your local Plymouth County Police Department and ask to speak with a Plymouth County Outreach Officer, contact PCO through its website at plymouthcountyoutreach.org/connect, or call 774-434-5072.
9-1-1. Make the Call. Save a Life:
Massachusetts passed the Good Samaritan Law in 2007, which encourages someone who witnesses an overdose to seek help by protecting the caller and the person who overdosed from arrest and prosecution for drug possession. The goal of the law is to protect people so they are not afraid to involve emergency services as soon as possible.
Good Samaritan Law PSAs created by local recovery coaches are available to watch under ‘public service announcements’ here: Video Gallery – Plymouth County Outreach.
The Plymouth County Police Chiefs, District Attorney and Sheriff have also created a PCO Good Samaritan Law PSA. Click here to view the video: Plymouth County Chiefs Discuss Massachusetts Good Samaritan Law.
•Harm reduction saves lives:
While PCO and its police chiefs strongly encourage people to seek treatment, addiction is a disease and it is important to know ways to reduce the chance of death:
Don’t use alone. If you must use alone call the Never Use Alone hotline, available 24/7 at 1-800-972-0590
~ Use with someone else present and don’t use at the same time. This way, if one of you overdoses, the other can call 911 and administer Narcan
~ Test your substances with fentanyl test strips
~ Have access to Narcan
~ Make sure your social networks have Narcan
~ Mixing substances can put you at increased risk of overdose
~ Test a small amount first
Use new supplies every time
Know that using via inhalation or smoking doesn’t protect you from overdose
Know that periods of abstinence followed by use are quite dangerous in relation to fatal overdoses. Common examples are hospitalizations, incarceration, or periods of abstinence-based treatment.
Heroin use equals fentanyl use in Massachusetts
Canary cellphone app: Canary is an overdose prevention app that monitors for a user’s inactivity after activation. In the event a user stops moving and fails to respond to prompts by Canary, the app issues an alert to others.
For more information on harm reduction strategies, visit Harm Reduction – Plymouth County Outreach.
About Plymouth County Outreach:
Plymouth County Outreach is a multi-faceted collaboration of the 27 municipal police departments in Plymouth County, as well as Bridgewater State University Police Department, the District Attorney’s Office & Sheriff’s Department working together with Recovery Coaches and community organizations and coalitions to make treatment, resources, and harm reduction tools more accessible to those living with substance misuse disorder and their loved ones. Our goal is to provide compassionate, judgment-free support while reducing overdose fatalities.
PCO’s Executive Director, Vicky Butler, continues to keep the public updated through the PCO’s social media accounts: Facebook @plymouthcountyoutreach, Twitter @countyoutreach, Instagram @plymouthcountyoutreach, and on its website plymouthcountyoutreach.org.
Plymouth County Outreach is a collaborative of police departments throughout Plymouth County led by the following chiefs: Abington Chief David Del Papa, Bridgewater Chief Christopher Delmonte, Bridgewater State University Chief David Tillinghast, Brockton Chief Brenda Perez, Carver Chief Marc Duphily, Duxbury Chief Stephen McDonald, East Bridgewater Chief Paul O’Brien, Halifax Chief Joao Chaves, Hanover Chief Timothy Kane, Hanson Chief Michael Miksch, Hingham Chief David Jones, Hull Chief John Dunn, Kingston Chief Maurice Splaine, Lakeville Chief Matthew Perkins, Marion Chief Richard Nighelli, Marshfield Chief Phillip Tavares, Mattapoisett Chief Jason King, Middleboro Chief Joseph Perkins, Norwell Chief Edward Lee, Pembroke Chief Richard MacDonald, Plymouth Chief Dana Flynn, Plympton Chief Matthew Ahl, Rochester Chief Robert Small, Rockland Chief Nicholas Zeoli, Scituate Chief Mark Thompson, Wareham Chief Walter Correia, West Bridgewater Chief Victor Flaherty, and Whitman Chief Timothy Hanlon.

An afternoon walk in the woods

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This past week’s mild temperatures saw many residents take advantage of the newest park in Plympton, “Two Brooks Preserve,” and our photographer, Sandi Neumeister, brought her camera to snap these images to share. The majestic swans who make the pond their home seem to be planning to stay for the winter. The engraving on the rock is complete and the wooden walkway beckons you in to the woods to see what’s there. The parking lot isready and the walkers appreciate the trails that meander through the vast acreage. The project is the result of the efforts of many people and organizations in Plympton: the Community Preservation Committee, the Open Space Committee, and many individuals who gave their time and talent to make this exquisite parcel safe from destruction and development.

Fire dog gets comfort credentials

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PLYMPTON – The Massachusetts House of Representatives recognized Plympton Fire K9 Wilden and his handler, Captain Cheryl Davis, with a citation in recognition of their certification as a First Responder Therapy Dogs team.
State Representative Kathy LaNatra presented the team with the citation during a ceremony at Plympton Fire Headquarters on Wednesday, Dec. 21. Captain Davis rescued Wilden, a three-year-old-mutt, from Antigua in 2019. He was part of a litter found abandoned on a beach on the island, which has a rampant stray dog and cat population.
First Responder Therapy Dogs certify teams (handler and dog) who address behavior health needs by providing emotional support to first responders with the use of trained therapy dogs. The teams visit fire departments, police stations and dispatch 911 call centers. They are also available for debriefings after difficult calls and first responder special events. Captain Davis recognized Wilden’s knack for comforting people when he would visit her at the fire station. Wilden’s calming effect was on full display when she brought him to a class while getting certified in Critical Incident Stress Management.
“As first responders we’re telling their story, he had an instant instinct to go up to the ones who needed him the most,” Captain Davis said. The well-being of first responders is near and dear to Representative LaNatra’s heart. The wife of a police officer, she filed a bill to provide greater access to mental health services for first responders involved in traumatic events. “First responders encounter trauma events every day and are often reluctant to share their feelings with colleagues or friends,” she said. “My bill will really insist they get the help they need.”
Captain Davis and Wilden have been working hard to earn this certification. This past August, Wilden obtained his American Kennel Club Canine Good Citizen certificate, which was the final step in his application for the First Responder Therapy Dogs program. Chris Maynard with Maynard Dog Training Solutions donated Wilden’s training.
Captain Davis and Wilden are one of 81 certified First Responder Therapy Dog teams across 17 states. Massachusetts has 11 certified teams. Two additional teams are currently enrolled in the certification process.

 

A Clock for Christmas

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By Linda Ibbitson Hurd
Special to The Express

Asa Wallace was the father of four children. His oldest daughter Ceara was 19, attended a local college and earned money babysitting. His second oldest, Ben, was 17, then Joel, 14. Both boys had after school jobs two days a week which they alternated at the market in their small town. The youngest, Cassy who was twelve, was just starting to babysit.
Asa was short on communication and sensitivity and long on gruffness, but he loved his family and was a good provider. He wished his job in construction paid more but with the help of his wife Jane who drove a school bus and was very good at managing their finances, they managed. Where Asa was gruff, Jane was the heart of their home.
Summer had ended and the Fall season was in full swing. Asa had seen an advertisement in Yankee magazine for a build -it-yourself grandfather clock that came with plans and all the parts. The ad showed a picture of what the clock would look like all put together and the cost was affordable. Jane had always wanted one and he was thinking about it for Christmas. Asa started saving money. He was sure he could put it together and have it ready for Christmas and his parents who lived nearby offered to let him use their garage to work on it. Very unlike him, he even showed the ad to his son Ben who thought it was a nice idea.
Ben told his sister Ceara what their father had planned to do for their mother for Christmas. She was surprised her dad told Ben but was excited and thought it a great idea. She knew how long her mother had wanted a grandfather clock and how much she would love it.
Asa picked up a part-time job on Saturdays operating a backhoe at a sand pit loading dump trucks so he would not have to take money out of his paycheck to save for the clock. He had to send for the plans in October to have the clock finished and ready by Christmas. The third week into October the weather turned very cold and there was a heavy snow storm. All the work at the sand pit came to a halt and it wasn’t sure when they would be back up and running. He was $80 short and could not send for the clock.
His family noticed he seemed more short-tempered than usual but it happened from time to time and they steered clear of him. Jane was used to his moods and didn’t think too much of it. Then he took Joel to task saying a C was too low a grade to get on one of his tests. He also got angry at Ceara’s boyfriend saying 11 o’clock was too late to get home from a party. Then he got upset at Cassy and told her she shouldn’t take phone calls after seven at night. He was upsetting the entire household and Jane and the kids were upset.
Jane tried to talk with him to see if there was something wrong and he became very argumentative. She told him he was turning his kids against him with his behavior by getting on them about every little thing.
Asa went down cellar after Jane told him he better do something about himself. He started working on a lamp that needed fixing when Ben came down to see if he could find out what was troubling his father. “Hey dad, looks like you’re in the dog house.” Asa just grunted. Ben tried again. “How’s it going with the clock?” “Not too good!” “How’s that?”, asked Ben. In his gruff way Asa came back with, “Well, I lost my Saturday job!”, he yelled. “You mean that’s how you were paying for the clock?” “Well ya, what’ya think!” “Well, said Ben, “I didn’t realize that’s why you took the job, you just said they needed you.” “They don’t need me now!,” exclaimed Asa. “Well, maybe some other place might need some part time help?” Ben suggested. “Extra work’s hard enough to find right now with such cold temperatures and all the snow and ice.” Ben looked at his father, “How much do you need?” “I’m $80 short, I’ll have to wait until next year”, Asa said looking down at the floor. “You better get your homework done Ben, I have to finish up down here.” “Okay dad.” Ben went upstairs to look for Ceara.
Ben told her what happened. “So that’s what’s been going on! Why doesn’t he ever tell us anything?” Ceara sighed, saying “He makes you so mad you just don’t even want to care.” “True”, said Ben, “but we do care, he’s really in a spot.” Just then Joel came looking for Ceara to get some help with his homework and Cassy came bounding into Ceara’s room as well. “How come everyone’s in here?” Cassy wanted to know. Ben looked at Ceara, “We might as well tell them, dad’s never going to.” Ceara nodded and they told Joel and Cassy why their dad had been in such a bad mood. “ It’s hard to feel sorry for him” said Cassy, “He gets so awful sometimes,” “Tell me about it”, said Joel. Ben said, “I know but he also works really hard and this is something he really wanted to do for mom and if it were us that needed help, he’d help us.” “Ya, after he yelled at us!”, said Cassy. After a good laugh they tried to figure out how to help.
Asa came up from the cellar late that night. Jane had kept his supper warm in the oven and she and the kids had gone to bed. Asa was feeling pretty miserable about not having enough money to get the clock and also about upsetting his family. After he ate he got ready for bed. Jane was sleeping soundly as he started to get into bed and he was careful not to wake her. He noticed something sticking out from under his pillow. He pulled out a long white envelope and walked down the hall to the bathroom to open it so he wouldn’t disturb Jane. He turned on the bathroom light and opened the envelope. It was full of paper money and change. There was a note with it that read, Merry Christmas Dad, love Ben, Ceara, Joel and Cassy. When Asa counted it there was $80. A tear rolled down his cheek and his heart burst with love and pride as he realized what his children had done for him.
The clock came out beautifully and Mom loved it. It’s still in our family to this day. It lives in my brother’s house still happily telling the hours as it chimes away. Dad was never one to say he was sorry but we knew he was by the better way he treated us.

Linda Hurd is a Halifax resident who grew up in Hanson. We are delighted to print her delightful musings of gentler days gone by.