Plympton-Halifax-Kingston Express

You are here: Home / Archives for News

Lowering the flag on 9/11

By

As many first responder units across the country, Plympton’s fire and police departments gathered together on Sunday, September 11, to commemorate those lost as the twin towers of the World Trade Center in New York City came down.

The ceremonial lowering of the flag to half-staff was at 9:30 a.m. to a small, solemn audience.

Plympton Fire Chief Stephen G. Silva spoke to the assembly, noting the pain and sacrifice that continue to this day.  These are his words:

“Blue skies, crisp air, perfect early fall day in New England, a perfect morning so quickly changed.

“In less than 2 1/2 hours more than 2,977 people were killed, 25,000 injured. 343 firefighters killed, 71 police officers perished, many whose remains have never been recovered; they simply disintegrated.  Twenty-one years later the toll continues to rise.  More then 1,400 rescue workers who spent tireless hours, weeks and months on the “pile” have died of WTC (World Trade Center) related cancer, and there will surely be more. The FBI has stated that the outliers of the related deaths will go on for years; the full impact of carnage may never be known.

“Who died? We all did to some degree. There was no separation of white collar to blue collar, there was no separation by where we came from, there was no separation of White, Black, Asian, Hispanic, they were just people who started their day as they always did, awaken, breakfast, get ready for their day, get kids off to school, kiss a love one good-bye as they left for work never knowing they would disappear.

“The days and weeks after America was gripped first in fear – maybe that is the wrong word, vigilance perhaps – we waited for the next attack. Thankfully it did not come. Our rage and fear quickly turned to patriotism. We were attacked. Our brothers and sisters died and for what? For freedom.   Freedom we take so easily for granted. Freedom to raise a family. Freedom to live. Freedom of live liberty. Freedom.

“Flags were flown; people came together, crime rates actually dropped. The terrorists underestimated the resolve of Americans. There was no looting, no riots, no shootings; there was pride, resolve, yes there was anger but that anger was channeled for good.

“God forbid something like 9/11 would happen today.  Truthfully it has; the war between good and evil continues as it always does. We see it every day. No not to the scale of 9/11 but in increments.  It is our response that has changed. Today we blame each other. There is so little discourse. It seems if your opinion is different than someone else’s you risk offending and then your own cancelation.

“James Madison, a founding father, warned us in 1788 at the Continental Congress in Virginia, “I believe there are more instances of the abridgment of the freedom of the people by gradual and silent encroachments of those in power than by violent and sudden usurpations.”

“What has happened? Where is the pride?  Where is the vision?  Where is America?

“Let us never forget 9/11, and equally important let us never forget what we are … we are AMERICANS.  That is not something to shy from, it is something to be thankful for.

I will leave you with this from President Harry Truman:

“America was not built on fear. America was built on courage, on imagination and on unbeatable determination to do the job at hand.”

Remember 9/11, remember those who died, remember this day, we shall never forget.”

Stephen G.  Silva, Chief

Plympton

Fire Department

Silver Lake boys cross country beats Scituate Sailors

By

The Silver Lake High boys’ cross country team had no issue taking down the Scituate Sailors in their opener last week.

The Lakers faced off against Scituate on Thursday, Sept. 8, and won in a dominant fashion. They beat their foe 19-39 to improve to 1-0 on the season. The Lakers had a number of strong performances from their runners.

Spencer Cook (14:00) came in first place in the race. Meanwhile, the team took four of the top five slots. Alex Risio earned a third-place finish, Gavin McCarthy came in fourth, and Frankie Cuozzo had a fifth-place finish. And with his eighth-place finish, Jack Maloney helped the Lakers secure the win.

The girls also raced against Scituate on the same day but fell 16-43. Erin Flaherty had the top performance for the Lakers in that one; she had a fifth-place finish.

The next contest for both the boys and the girls will take place on Tuesday, Sept. 20 on the road against the Whitman-Hanson Panthers (4 p.m. start time).

Plympton’s first Flower Show blooms

By

Saturday was a beautiful day for the first Plympton Flower Show held on the town Green.  About a hundred selections were entered into the adult categories of Species, Arrangement, or Produce, with children’s categories in Produce and Fairy Garden.

Gabby Falconieri and Stephanie Teran, of the Friends of the Plympton Garden Club, spearheaded the event that ran from registration from 9 to 10 a.m., then judging from 10 to 11 a.m., followed by audience appreciation from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Children were happy to see their Fairy Houses, many of which were made earlier in the week as a special project at the Plympton Library.   Fashioned out of various bits of vegetation and forest litter, the unlikely elements were transformed into cozy cottages for tiny fairies.   One little guy even added a twig ladder to his, “… because they’re very small and the ladder will help them get in,” he explained to the photographer.

Waiting for the judges, children also got to play with the bubble machine, color and coloring books, and photo-op with flower cutouts.

Floral arrangements were judged by well-known South Shore horticulturalist and designer George Stanchfield; gardener and chef of Just Right Farm fame Kimberly Russo; and Elise Freda, flower farmer extraordinaire from Crooked Barn Flowers in Kingston.

The upbeat tunes of Plympton’s Old Time Jam gave a country feel to the event as the group got together to perform on the Gazebo.  Barry Decristofano played his mandolin, while others played their mandolins, guitar, and fiddle.   Plympton Old Time Jam gets together twice a month and is open to anyone who likes to “play our kind of music.”  What’s the difference between a fiddle and a violin?  “Attitude!” was the answer.

Acting as Master of Ceremonies was Plympton’s own Mike Lemieux of “Houses with History” fame.

Awarded the prize for Best in Show was Dave Alberti whose pumpkin was a real show stopper!  The cucurbitacae, a French strain with light peach skin draped with a veil of beige netting here and there, definitely had an attitude!  The judges appreciated it and awarded Dave the grand prize.   

All the children were awarded Participation ribbons.

The often-heard sentiment throughout the crowd was “I hope they do this again next year!”

Proceeds from the event will be used for the Plympton Garden Club.

Halifax Elementary School Committee divided on curriculum

By

The Halifax Elementary School Committee met on Monday, Aug. 30. They began by assigning liaisons to various subcommittees. James Keegan was named to Youth and Recreation, Karyn Townsend was named to PTO, and School Committee Chair Summer Schmaling remained on Bylaw though she noted that they had not met in her eight years on the School Committee.

Schmaling then brought up her wish to create a Curriculum Development subcommittee. She described the intent behind the subcommittee saying, “just keeping eyes on what’s happening in our classroom… just personally, I would like to keep closer eyes on what’s coming down from the State.” Committee member Lauren Laws asked Schmaling what kind of authority she saw the subcommittee having. Laws further said that she trusted Curriculum Director Melissa Farrell and felt that she should be involved in the subcommittee. “I don’t personally have education credentials, so I don’t suppose to have the expertise,” Laws said.

The topic turned into a heated debate with Keegan and Schmaling on one side and Laws and Townsend on the other. Laws said that she felt that the idea of the subcommittee seemed a bit redundant while Townsend said that an email had already been sent out on Parent Square with links to curriculum resources.

Schmaling said, “Curriculum is changing rapidly and a lot of times what’s presented to us is very surface as opposed to what is actually happening.” Townsend asked Schmaling for an example. “Perfect example is I had several concerned parents reach out to me last year and tell me that their child was told to write an essay about Christopher Columbus and why we should be canceling Columbus Day – that was a concern for me.” She also cited changes to the social and emotional learning curriculum. Laws said she didn’t hear any of those concerns last year and Schmaling noted that certain people would be more comfortable coming to her about those types of concerns as herself and Laws fall “on opposite sides of the spectrum.”

Superintendent Jill Proulx said, “We do have policies related to curriculum so we would want to make sure that whatever the objectives of the Committee, they do not violate the policies that are already in place and the authority of the educators and the State of Massachusetts.” “I’m not trying to change any curriculum,” Schmaling said. Laws pointed out that the curriculum framework comes down from the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) saying, “our schools are some of the best in the nation.”

Townsend continued to press Schmaling for what exactly she saw the purpose of the subcommittee to be to which she responded, “The purpose is to examine and digest the curriculum and the changes that are ever flowing through it.” Townsend said she wasn’t clear on how something like that would be addressed within the subcommittee and pointed out that there is a process in place at the Middle School if parents were to express concern over the appropriateness of a book. Proulx rsponded, “we do have a reconsideration of materials policy.” “I have a lot of concern with what’s happening in our schools right now and I’ll tell you something right now, in neighboring communities they are much further down this hole than we are and I would like to prevent Halifax from going down that hole. I had a mom in Pembroke call me in tears because her sixth grader…” she then said to other committee members, “don’t smile at me like that,” before proceeding saying, “her sixth grader had to write an essay about abortion. That is disgusting in my opinion, and I want to make sure that that doesn’t happen in Halifax Elementary School.”

Laws said, “But what is stopping parents from talking to the teachers about their concerns? This is a problem in our society – we jump to conclusions, we go to the person we know is going to help us and then instead of having a conversation at the level where it should happen – with the teacher…” She was then cut off by Schmaling who said, “Right, so our job would be to guide that person.”

Schmaling argued for a limited committee of two while Townsend argued for a larger subcommittee of five. Keegan asked, in what appeared to be sarcasm, why don’t they just change all subcommittees to include all five members of the larger School Committee.

Jessica Page, Schmaling, and Keegan voted in favor of the formation of the subcommittee. Schmaling then named herself and Page to the subcommittee. When questioned by Townsend as to whether she could participate Schmaling said, “Nope. I as the Chair will appoint two people to the subcommittee.” Townsend was named as the alternate.

Asst. Superintendent Ryan Lynch read from some updates to school policies including a wellness policy update that stipulated that taking away physical activity should not be utilized as a punishment. He explained, “There’s a lot of research coming out of educational circles that says children need to move and exert physical energy that are having a hard time in the classroom; it is not recommended that making the student sort of like miss recess would be a good technique to use to help that student improve their behavior.”

Halifax Elementary School Principal Kayne Beaudry told the Committee that enrollment currently stands at 574 students. He also said that new faculty included a few new special education teachers and a long-term substitute for the adjustment counselor who is on maternity leave until December. Beaudry said that while the summer felt short, he was excited for the upcoming year.

Proulx began her update by introducing David Turcotte, the new Director of Human Resources. “He’s been doing a wonderful job; we really appreciate having him and some of the things he’s been doing to really streamline our processes,” Proulx said. She noted that the start of the school year tends to have a lot of “HR pieces to it.”

Proulx also told the Committee that universal free meals were extended through the 2022-2023 school year. She said that the Department of Education and Department of Public Health issued a joint statement regarding COVID guidelines for the new school year. She said, “the Commonwealth is not recommending universal masking requirements, surveillance and testing of asymptomatic individuals, contact tracing, or testing to stay/testing in schools.” She said that only the school health office would have a masking requirement. Proulx further said that those that continue to choose to mask will be supported in that choice.

Regarding District goals, Proulx said that the goal for all the schools is to have at least 70 percent of students meeting or exceeding MCAS standards. She called it a “challenging but realistic goal.” Currently the percentages for 2021 for all schools are 59 percent for ELA, 45 percent for math, and 52 percent for science. She acknowledged that testing is not the only measure of student success.

Proulx also said they are currently working on website updates to ensure that outdated information is discarded, and new information is added.

Before adjourning, Schmaling provided some dates to remember including that September 29 will be an early release. She noted that students will be provided lunches on half days this year.

Voters cast ballots in primary

By

Come November, voters will be choosing between Democrat Maura Healey — currently the commonwealth’s attorney general — and Republican Geoff Diehl — former state representative from Whitman.

Pundits cast the race pitting Diehl against an historic all-female ticket lead by the out LGBTQ Healey, as a “referendum on Trumpism” in Massachusetts.

Healey focused on her past bipartisan approach to the attorney general’s office and saluted the leadership of Gov. Charlie Baker, thanking him for his service to the state.

“Gov. Baker has led with respect and worked with both parties,” she told supporters during her victory speech Tuesday night. “He’s refused to engage in the politics of division and destruction that we’ve seen across this country.”

She said her campaign would be about making the state more affordable, growing the economy toward opportunity for all and protection of reproductive freedom.

Diehl focused on the state’s population loss and the focus on big government over individual freedom, calling Healey “the people’s worst nightmare” leading the state down a path of higher taxes and radical legislation.

“With this campaign we are going to be redefining politics as usual here in Massachusetts,” Diehl said, noting he appreciated opponent Chris Doughty’s call conceding the race, and pledging to “work together to defeat a radical attorney general who wants to be our governor.”

Diehl pledged “for the first time” to run a campaign toward November focused on “we the people — our freedoms, our rights and our prosperity.” He also pledged support for empowering parents to keep Healey’s “political agenda out of the classroom.”

Diehl has been endorsed by Donald Trump, who said in his remarks to Diehl’s supporters Monday that Diehl would “rule your state with an iron fist.”

Turnout was 23 per cent of Plympton’s 2356 registered voters,  Halifax brought in 926 votes or 15 percent of that town’s  6,174 voters to mark their choices.  Kingston’s unofficial votes were not available as of press time.

Locally, Healey won Halifax by 533 votes to Sonia Chang-Diaz’s 66 votes, while Diehl carried Halifax with 477 votes to Chris Doughty’s 176. In Plympton Healy garnered 229 votes to Chang-Diaz’s25 and Diehl won with 199 votes to Doughty’s 85.

In her victory speech, Healy saluted outgoing Gov. Charlie Baker’s leadership on behalf of Massachusetts.

Plympton awarded $502,500 grant

By

The Plympton Open Space Committee is delighted to announce that Plympton has been awarded a $502,500 municipal climate resilience grant to preserve Turkey Swamp. Governor Baker announced the competitive Action grant, which is from the Baker administration’s Municipal Vulnerability Preparedness (MVP) Program, on August 31.

Plympton’s project is one of only 73 that received grants through the latest round of applications.  During 2020-2021, Plympton completed the required Planning grant to lay the basis for this proposal, thanks to the Southeast Regional Planning and Economic Development Agency’s outstanding technical studies and report focusing on the Winnetuxet River area. This essential information documents the many ecological and water protection benefits that Turkey Swamp provides to Plympton and neighboring towns. Videos of these project presentations, plus the final report, can be found via the Plympton Open Space Committee’s web page. The 280-acre Plympton portion of Turkey Swamp is located between Maple Street and Route 106.

The Chair of Plympton’s Board of Selectmen, Christine Joy, expressed her gratitude on behalf of the town. “Plympton is a small town with a small budget and significant environmental assets. Preserving these benefits today, including our groundwater, natural flood controls and resilient forests, helps the town to adapt to climate change both economically and environmentally.”

A Special Town Meeting will be scheduled for this fall to formally accept the MVP grant, as well as to approve the use of Community Preservation Act funds for the portion of the required $200,000 matching funds not covered by a private donation.

Following the Special Town Meeting, the Open Space Committee looks forward to completing the final legal and other steps required to open Turkey Swamp to the public by fall, 2023.

The Baker-Polito Administration announced $32.8 million in grants to cities and towns through the Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs’ (EEA) Municipal Vulnerability Preparedness (MVP) Program, continuing its historic investment in building climate change resilience throughout the Commonwealth. The grant program, which was launched in 2017 as part of Governor Baker’s Executive Order 569, provides communities with funding and technical support to identify climate hazards, develop strategies to improve resilience, and implement priority actions to adapt to climate change. With today’s announcement, the Administration has now awarded $100 million to 97% of the Commonwealth’s cities and towns through the MVP program.

North Easton Savings Bank Once Again Named a Top Bank in Massachusetts by Forbes and Statista

By

EASTON, MA – For the second consecutive year, North Easton Savings Bank has been named by Forbes as a top-ranked bank in Massachusetts on Forbes’ most recent listing of America’s Best Banks and Credit Unions in each state.

 “It’s an honor to once again appear on this prestigious list,” stated Rich Spencer, president and CEO of North Easton Savings Bank. “This distinction is a direct reflection of our staff’s hard work and dedication to the communities we serve. Our consistent presence on the Forbes list reinforces that we can deliver premium experiences equal to, if not better than, those provided by national brands, all backed and serviced by our amazing local team.”

 The Bank’s partnership approach combined with its belief in local investment reinforces its mission of improving the quality of living, working, and raising a family in the communities they serve.

 About North Easton Savings Bank

Rated as one of the top banks in Massachusetts by Forbes, with over $1.3 billion in assets, North Easton Savings Bank is uniquely situated to provide personal and commercial banking and lending solutions to southeastern Massachusetts. Founded in 1864, North Easton has a proven track record of growing the community through fair banking practices, financial advising, and local philanthropy. Looking forward,

North Easton is well-positioned as the preferred area banking partner with a powerful combination of convenient features like mobile and online banking and the personal, hometown touch of a local bank.

North Easton Savings Bank is fully insured by the FDIC and the DIF and is an Equal Housing Lender. For more information, please visit NorthEastonSavingsBank.com.

Select Board of One sets date

By

Halifax selectman Jonathan Selig, the town’s only remaining member of the board, called his first regularly scheduled selectmen’s meeting after the resignation of two members of his board last week,  in the Great Hall, Halifax Town Hall, to conduct the business of the town.

After the shocking resignation of his two other board members, as well as Town Administrator Marty Golightly, Selig put out a notice taking charge and requesting calm from the townspeople.  “I want the people of Halifax to know this–we will be following the proper procedures going forward and we will get through this.”

Thursday’s emergency meeting, Aug. 25, at 2:30 p.m. was convened and the sole purpose on the agenda was to accept the resignation of Town Administrator, after only five weeks on the job.   

Chair Ashley DiSesa began the meeting saying, “We got an email this morning from Mr. Golightly saying that his intention is to move on as planned; he did reconsider but feels the town is not the right fit for him.” DiSesa said to Golightly, “I thank you. I think you’re an amazing human being and I’m sorry that our town is very toxic and the way that you’ve been treated by residents and some town employees, so I apologize too on behalf of us because the whole town is not like that, so I’m sorry.”

Golightly previously served as the Director of Public Health in Abington during much of the pandemic. Regarding his resignation from that position, he said, “it just wasn’t the time to live and work in the same community.” It had been reported that Golightly had received “personal attacks and threats” during his time in the position.

DiSesa then read a statement regarding her own position within the town. She began, “When I was elected, I was told this would be a thankless job. What I didn’t realize was that thankless would be the least of my worries. I’ve weathered the storm of misogyny, sexual harassment, underestimation, and doubts about my abilities to perform the expected duties. Nonetheless, I believed that my becoming a selectwoman would allow me to make a difference in a town I consider myself fortunate enough to call home with my 7-year-old daughter and 9-year-old son.”

She continued, “Over the past 16 months, I have dedicated countless hours to this town, taking away from my children and have withstood multiple personal attacks without retribution.” DiSesa noted that she was not perfect but said that she “maintained an optimistic belief” that doing the right thing would be worthwhile all while losing people she considered friends. She continued with her statement saying, “I’ve seen our small town be torn apart by personal vendettas – a group of officials and some town employees who live by the mentality “rules for thee and not for me.” I wanted to believe Halifax was better than this. That we could work together for a common cause, compromise, and be able to disagree without being so disagreeable.” DiSesa noted that it was an “honor” to work with Halifax’s Police and Fire Departments saying that they were the heart of the town. She then said that her resignation would be effective that day at 3 p.m.

Selectman Alex Meade began his own statement by saying, “Idiotic, disgraceful, shameful, and embarrassing are just a handful of the adjectives that have been used to describe me and my conduct after taking my Select Board position.” Meade, who began as Selectman in May, had unseated Gordon Andrews for a three-year term on the Board during the most recent town election. He continued, “Since the election, I have been threatened, I have been verbally attacked, and I have had lies and rumors about my private life thrust into the public spotlight for reasons unknown. Despite all of that… I have continued to do what I believe is in the best interest of the town.”

Meade said that after a recent meeting, the Selectmen were encouraged to use a separate exit because of the commotion surrounding the outcome of the meeting. “Quite frankly, I have enough self-respect to take the high road and not engage when misplaced negative rhetoric and a mob mentality emerges, but I know, too, that I deserve better treatment by other members of my community,” he said. Meade said that despite working with good members of the community on other boards and committees, he would be resigning immediately following the meeting in the interest of the health and safety of his family, especially his children.

The Selectmen then voted unanimously to accept the resignations of Marty Golightly, Ashley DiSesa, and Alex Meade. Jonathan Selig, who has been serving since May and was elected to the one-year term that was previously filled by Troy Garron, is now the only remaining Selectman in town.

To fill the vacancies on the board, Town Clerk Susan Lawless worked out the election calendar that would best suit the town.  It was decided in the interest of cost efficiency, the election would be held alongside the town’s state election Tuesday, Nov. 8.  Polls will be open from 7 a.m. until 8 p.m.

Nomination papers are available now at the Office of the Town Clerk until Sept. 20. They must be returned with signatures by Oct. 4.  Those wishing to vote in the special election must register by Saturday, Oct. 29.  Nov. 1 is the deadline to post the warrant.

After adjourning the meeting, the audience of about 50 residents stood in applause for Selectman Jonathan Selig for stepping up.

Deb Anderson

contributed to this article.

Plympton CPC seeks FY’23 grant applications

By

PLYMPTON – The Plympton Community Preservation Committee (CPC) is currently accepting applications for fiscal year 2023 funding. The deadline for completed applications is October 15.

Projects funded in prior years include a safe in the Town Clerk’s office to archive important historical records; installation of a chairlift and new insulation for the “Old Town House” building at 189 Main St.; a comprehensive drainage system to solve a chronic wet basement in the Plympton Library; funds to acquire and improve the 11 acre parcel on Main Street now known as Churchill Park which offers access to the abutting 87 acre parcel known as Cato’s Ridge thereby forming a large natural preserve with walking trails;  improvements at Harry Jason Park to make it more accessible for family and recreational use; the installation of a chairlift in the Plympton Historical Society Building; renovation of the old Winnetuxet swimming hole into a recreational area; and facilitating the donation of O’Neil Marsh on Ring Road which offers additional access to Cato’s Ridge.

More recent projects include clapboard painting and window restoration and replacement at the “Old Town House”; repair and restoration of Town Green gazebo; creation of the 150 acre “Two Brooks Preserve” off Prospect Road; and funding for improvements to the playground at the Dennett Elementary School.

The CPC takes very seriously its responsibility to administer Community Preservation Act funds and is thrilled to have the opportunity to serve and improve the town through acquisition and protection of open space, historical preservation, community housing and increased recreational opportunities. New projects selected by the CPC for further consideration will be voted on for approval at the 2022 Annual Town Meeting.

Project guidelines and applications can be found on the Plympton town website at http://www.town.plympton.ma.us/community-preservation-committee. Click on “Documents” at the left hand side of the web page to bring up the Plympton Community Preservation Plan which includes the application and criteria.

The CPC Plan and application are also available at the Town House and at the Plympton Public Library. Questions can be addressed by contacting CPC Chair Mark Russo at [email protected].

Andrews wins in Land Court

By

Are the lawsuits of Gordon C. Andrews v. the Town of Halifax finally over?  They may well be.

The Massachusetts Land Court ruled in favor of Andrews on all counts in a decision that came down last week on Aug. 23.

Since 2014, Andrews, an Elm St. resident and abutter to the Amanda’s Estates property, has questioned the legality of the building permits issued for its development, claiming that Halifax By-Laws were not being followed.

Andrews alleged in numerous pleas to the Building Inspector and the Zoning Board of Appeals that Amanda’s Estates should not be granted the building permits it was seeking, to develop the 12-acre property.

The 17-page decision from the Land Court details the various steps that Andrews took in response to actions by the town and concluded that the Zoning Board of Appeals failed to apply the by-laws equally when it comes to special permits and variances, ruling in Andrews’s favor.

Andrews claimed that had the former building inspector and the Zoning Board of Appeals listened to the town’s land use attorney, Richard Hucksam, in July and August of 2017, none of these lawsuits would have taken place.

“Moving forward,” Andrews said, “I hope the Planning Board and Zoning Board will implement the town’s land use attorney’s advice while making decisions on this project and others before them, attend conflicts of interest, open meeting law, and land use trainings (seminars) offered by the state and other associations the town belongs to.”

The project presently has three buildings and one certificate of occupancy associated with it.  These, according to the decision of the Land Court on Aug. 24, 2022, are annulled.

Andrews urges people to look up the online, recorded board and committee meetings for a first hand view of the workings of the town’s governing bodies.   

“I heard a lot about my lawsuits being a reason not to vote for me during the last election in May.  I thought to the contrary, that my lawsuits showed the people what I stand for,” Andrews said.  “I have knowledge, willpower, to take on a heavy burden, relentlessly pursue a cause and hold people accountable.  I spoke out numerous times about how the town’s defense was a waste of money for the taxpayer.  My family and I paid a heavy toll for standing up and doing the right thing,” Andrews concluded.