Author and “Chronicle” contributor Ted Reinstein loves “The Main Streets and Backroads of New England,” so much so that that’s where he found the subjects of one of his books – and several people he now considers close friends.
This is a person who finds comfort and adventure in the small communities of rural New England. But one of his first visits to Hanson Library shook him.
Reinstein shared the anecdote as a humorous opening to his recent book talk at Hanson Public Library, titled, “Travels Through the Heart and Soul of New England: Stories of Struggle, Resilience and Triumph,” on Tuesday, Feb. 18.
“Part of what I love about coming down here is it is tucked away,” he said of the Hanson Library.
Not having GPS at the time, he thought, Reinstein sought directions out of town after his talk. He recalled how two library staff members argued a bit about directing him.
“It’s the most lost I’ve ever been in my life,” he said to his full-house author talk.
After driving a while, he came upon a large swamp in the dark.
“Oh, my god,” he thought to himself. “This is the Bridgewater Triangle!”
“I’ve been traveling all over New England for almost 30 years and this book is about the most memorable people I’ve met. Every single person is someone whose story not only intrigued me a lot…In telling their stories, I got to be equally fascinated with each of these people and, with no exceptions, they’ve become lifelong friends,” he said. “That is why I wanted to write a book. That doesn’t happen with every story – it can’t – but it did, and that’s why I wanted to tell their stories.”
It’s also about “third places.” Not workplaces or home, but where communities gather. Libraries, diners, general stores, rail trails offer nothing one can’t find somewhere else, except a sense of community, Reinstein says.
That sense of community can help people deal with struggles such as the loss of family-owned fishing boats in Gloucester; losing a livelihood through injury; working to chronicle the story of overlooked ancestors; or running a business alone.
Reinstein chronicles the struggles of:
•Fifth-generation Gloucester fishing boat Capt. Joe Sanfilippo, who now teaches fishing to people who may want to go into the business since families are no longer passing the skills down the generations.
•Louis Escobar, a former Rhode Island dairy farmer who was paralyzed when his tractor fell on him, immediately switched gears and work helping others with farm plans.
•Jerri-Anne Boggis of Milford, N.H., a Jamaican immigrant, has a knack for asking questions about people who look like her in her adopted state, and ended up co-founding the New Hampshire Black Heritage Trail.
•The Windsor Diner in Windsor, Vt., is owned by Theresa Rhodes, a rarity as a woman who owns a diner outright, but rarer still – she runs it by herself, with a secret to make it all work.
Then there are the tales of resilience.
“I think resilience is in New Englanders’ DNA. You have to be resilient just for weather, if nothing else,” Reinstein said.
That introduces the only non-human subject in his book.
“New England’s mill towns are the embodiment of resilience,” he said. “They’ve always been there. They’ve been there through thick and thin, they’ve been there , empty, abandoned and nobody wants to look at them anymore.”
Leaders of any mill town in New England could tell you the exact same thing: “If I could have blown those damn things up, I would have done it,” Reinstein said,
The buildings were too expensive to get rid of and they all were built on the exact same blueprint and a history of decades of economic ups and downs, only to be killed by corporate greed and the search for cheaper labor.
That began to change in the 1990s with an improving economy and new companies like biotech – and leaders with vision, such as Alan Casavant of Biddeford, Maine.
As a teen, he worked in a mill, the first in his family to go to college, he returned to his hometown to be a math teacher and track coach – and eventually ran for mayor to give something back to his city.
His success story is one of mayors across America who have used public-private partnerships to bring their cities back from the brink.
Small community rope-tow-equipped nonprofit ski areas in Vermont; a diner transferred from a mom to her daughter; an addict’s use of extreme hiking as a recovery program on Mt. Monadnock; and the Providence, R.I.’s Good Night Lights program for the children at Hasbro Children’s Hospital round out the book.
Kingston facing massive increases
The Kingston Finance Committee met on Wednesday, Feb. 5. Chair Carl Pike explained, “We’ve been looking at an original budget that is prepared by our Town Administration and presented to the Selectmen. Since that original one, we have an updated budget that has been approved by the Board of Selectmen. That budget… included increases in revenue of $481,000 for State aid; $445k of which was specifically schools.” He went on to say that they had increased local receipts by $328,000.
Pike told those assembled that the Board of Selectmen, Finance Committee, and Town Administration have $886k of additional revenue that can be applied to the budget. He said that he and Town Administrator Keith Hickey had decided that the $445k worth of Chapter 70 State Aid should go toward increasing the school’s budget beyond the targeted 4 percent increase. Pike said that there was some hope that if they increased the amount to the schools, there might be a compromise from the school side to reduce their budget. Regarding the schools compromising Pike said, “they have not.” He went on to say that $220k would be going to the Police budget, $178k would be going to the Fire budget, and $52k of increased levy capacity.
“The bottom line of the expenses now in that budgets have increased by $3,386,000 which is an increase of 5.9 percent,” Pike said. He continued, “One million and twenty-eight of that is what has been plugged into the budget for schools – 7.1 percent. $880k of it is what’s been plugged in for the Police and Fire – that’s your 9.7 percent increase. Fringe benefits – $496 thousand dollars – 6.1 percent… Silver Lake assessment, even at 4 percent, that’s a $670k increase.” Pike stressed that the Library, the Board of Health, and all other town departments resulted in an increase of just $312k out of over $3 million. “We are forcing… issues by overfunding our Police and Fire and overfunding our schools at the expense of everything else in this town,” Pike said. Pike said that from the tier one to tier two reductions, “not a nickel” has been taken away.
He emphatically stated that the Town cannot do a 6 percent increase every single year without doing a proposition 2 ½ increase every year. He also noted that they were looking at a nearly 6 percent increase this year without the override due to the $900k they had left over in excess levy capacity last year. He noted that those funds and the state aid are just one-time funds that won’t be there indefinitely. Pike told those in the room that the schools are looking for a 13 percent increase and public safety a 9 percent increase.
Pike said that a million-dollar override at Town Meeting would likely result in a several hundred dollar increase in residents’ tax bills. Other members of the Committee pointed out that a $200 increase or so would be there forever. Pike said that his fear is that each year an additional 5 percent gets added to the budget. He said that his hope is that the Board of Selectmen say that they cannot afford a proposition 2 ½ override.
Pike also touched upon whether it is the Finance Committee’s budget that appears on the warrant or the Board of Selectmen’s. He said that Town Counsel insists it is the budget as recommended by the Board of Selectmen. Selectman Kimberely Emberg said of the Selectmen, “we work with the Town Administration to give you a budget that you can review in greater detail and then can re-vote at a later date.”
Finance Committee member David Fuller asked where the town’s free cash stands. Pike said it was “somewhere around $2 million.” Hickey said that due to an accounting error, which he blamed on himself, he said that they had to trim back the capital plan. He further said that the intent is to have a free cash number of approximately $1 million.”
Following a discussion on the police and fire increases, Hickey said, “the staffing levels at the Police Department now have been the same for at least a decade.” Pike said the actual police cost in 2024 was $4,309,000. He said that with the budget before them for the upcoming year, they are looking at a police budget of $5,404,000 representing an increase of nearly 26 percent over two years. “We are doing things to get that department up to the number where they should be,” Pike explained. He said that they will have to wait to see what the Board of Selectmen as well as Town Meeting decide.
Halifax seniors enjoy Valentine’s Day luncheon
Valentine’s Day, Friday, Feb. 14, Halifax seniors were treated to a Valentine’s Luncheon in the Great Room of the Halifax Town Hall.
The Singing Seniors of Halifax, left, were the stars of the Halifax Council on Aging Valentine’s Day celebration.
Special guests included Plymouth County District Attorey Tim Cruz and his crew.
Guests enjoyed a lunch of pizza and salad after listening to a variety of songs with the theme of love, romance, and friendship.
Trivia and sweet treats rounded out the afternoon celebrating Valentine’s Day.
~ Photos and text by Linda Redding
Plympton considers Prop 2 1/2
The Plympton Finance Committee is discussing a Proposition 2 ½ override to address budget concerns and fund essential services. During a Feb. 10 joint meeting with the Board of Selectmen, officials discussed the possibility of increasing the town’s levy limit to meet financial needs.
Town Counsel Gregg Corbo provided an overview of override and debt exclusion options.
“An override is something where you raise your levy limit permanently for either a particular purpose or for general municipal purposes,” Corbo said. “The primary difference between an override and a debt exclusion is that the debt exclusion only stays on the tax rate until the debt is paid off.”
Only selectmen can call for an override vote.
Officials are grappling with a tight budget situation. The town’s current budget has only $7,343 available under the maximum allowable limit, while using some free cash and possibly general stabilization funds to balance the budget. This assumes budget requests were funded as they came in, and leaving only $450,000 for Town Meeting articles.
“We need to do something,” Finance Committee member Marilyn Browne stated. When discussing using over $800K in one-time funds to meet the operating budget she added, “we don’t want to do that anymore. We can avoid that. It’s just not very smart. It’s not fiscally sound.”
The Finance Committee is exploring various options to address the shortfall. These include potential cuts to department budgets and the use of reserve funds. However, officials expressed concern about relying too heavily on one-time funding sources.
“You don’t really want to draw from stabilization to fund your budget shortfall, or the reserve fund,” Corbo advised.
The school budget is a significant factor in the town’s financial considerations. Officials discussed potential increases in the Silver Lake assessment, which could range from $600,000 to $783,000. However, there is hope that this number could be reduced through various funding sources and reimbursements.
Silver Lake is also awaiting certification of the Excess and Deficiency (E&D) Fund, which could provide additional relief. “Depending on how E&D comes up, depending on the Circuit Breaker number, and depending on the 240 grant, there is a chance we could potentially get the assessment for Silver Lake to a net zero increase over last year,” School Committee member Jason Fraser stated.
Town officials anticipate receiving final cost estimates for the new fire station project by mid-April. The project’s design includes a wood frame building, potentially minimizing the impact of steel tariffs.
The fire station project has been designed with cost considerations in mind. Officials noted that the building will be primarily wood-framed, which could help mitigate the impact of potential steel tariffs.
“We don’t have a ton of steel in the station. It’s mostly going to be a wood frame building,” Wilhelmsen explained.
The town is also making progress on water infrastructure. A mega well producing 109 gallons per minute has been successfully tested. However, two smaller wells have experienced collapses and require further investigation.
If the town decides to pursue an override or debt exclusion, officials will need to navigate complex legal requirements. Corbo cautioned about limitations on using public resources to advocate for or against ballot questions.
“There is a campaign finance law in Massachusetts, and the requirements of the state ethics commission limit the extent to which public funds can be used or public resources can be used to advocate for or against a valid question, including an override or a debt exclusion,” he said.
The Finance Committee plans to reconvene after gathering more information on potential funding sources and budget adjustments. They aim to develop a comprehensive plan before presenting options to the public.
Officials stressed the importance of public outreach and education if they decide to pursue an override or debt exclusion. “It does take a fair amount of outreach,” Corbo noted. “You know, all the departments kind of have to, you know, work together.”
The town faces critical decisions in the coming weeks as it balances the need for essential services with the financial constraints of Proposition 2 ½ . The outcome of these discussions will have significant implications for the town’s budget and services in the upcoming fiscal year.
Voices raised in protest at Plymouth Rock
PLYMOUTH – More than 500 South Shore residents gathered at Plymouth Rock on a frigid Presidents Day to protest illegal cuts to federal programs and access to government data bases by a group of 19-24-year-old acolytes of presidential appointee Elon Musk, and excesses of the Trump administration generally.
The protest was in concert with similar rallies, large and small, across the country. Dubbed “No Kings on Presidents Day” in some places, the Plymouth protest, which featured local and state government officials, was called, “Not On Our Watch.” The local protest was organized by the several South Shore Democratic town committees.
“We are living in a time when our democracy is being tested, not just in Washington, but in communities like ours,” said state Rep. Kathy LaNatra, D-Kingston, who added that, while it’s easy to get caught up in headlines about the nation’s angst and problems, focusing instead on what people can do to make changes right in their own backyard. “The truth is, Democracy isn’t just about what happens in Washington, it’s about what happens in our town halls, in our community meetings, in our local elections. If we want to protect democracy, we have to start right here, where we live.”
Musk, a South African immigrant, and said to be the world’s richest man has been given unfettered access to computers in government departments, such as the Treasury Department, where it is alleged his Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) has accessed personal information of millions of Americans.
The office carries the same acronym as an internet meme and joke cryptocurrency.
“Lots of things can be done by a small group of committed people,” said Halifax Democratic Town Committee Co-chair Ellen Snoeyenbos. “We’re going to gain strength from each other, take a measure of how much we have built together. … We have built safety nets – Social Security, education, Medicare, health care and state-of-the-art research facilities, to protect our health and sustain life on this planet, environmental, climate and weather safety – these things are at risk.”
All are programs and/or departments targeted for deep cuts and mass firings of employees by the Trump administration. Cuts at the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), which have been pointed to as contributing factors to a recent spate of crashes and threatened cuts to NPR under the National Endowment for the Arts, and National Parks were also spoken of.
“We built it! Don’t let them take it away,” she said as motorists honked their horns on the way by. “Not on our watch!”
Whitman Select Board member Justin Evans “nerded out” on the risk to the nation’s administrative and regulatory agencies such as the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), tasked with enforcing marine regulations, monitoring the atmosphere and oceans for evidence of climate change – and, most importantly, has control of the National Weather Service.
“In Trump’s first term, he nominated the CEO of AccuWeather to take over NOAA,” he said. “His explicit goal … was to privatize or prevent that from becoming public information. That didn’t happen, but in Project 2025, it’s back and the goal there is to dismantle the research arm of that agency, because their research gathers evidence of climate change. Elon and his staff have already shown up, they’ve told staff to expect 50 percent in cuts.”
Evans outlined the risk
“He’s coming in with a sledgehammer for political means, and the downstream risk is we are not going to have as accurate climate modeling or weather tracking, and local officials like myself rely on that,” he said, listing hurricane forecasts, fire watches, tornado watches to know whether to issue evacuation warnings or shelter in place.”
He added that towns need to know if heatwaves or deep freezes are coming in order to plan for opening warming or heating centers.
“Not having this publicly available access to information is a threat to all of us,” he said. “All of this stuff is interconnected, and if you’re cutting the safety net across each of these regulatory agencies, the risks are catastrophic. … I know the experts are freaking the hell out. I want you too, as well.”
So, what to do with it?
Rockland Democratic Town Committee Chair Jessica Laverty had some suggestions.
“We’ve got 625 days – until what?” she said.
“Midterms!” the crowd shouted.
“Guess what’s not going to make it through 625 days?” she asked: “Our environment, our democracy, our Board of Education, our departments, our NOAA – nothing is going to make it through 625 days, so we need to stand up right now.”
Donate your time, reach out to people and look to municipal elections, she advised. Confront “obnoxious betrayals of the truth” in person or online but do so with facts and with kindness.
“We need those folks to make sure that, in four years, we’re not here again, in whatever wasteland is left,” she said.
State Rep. Michelle Badger said that the Office of the President represents unity, leadership and the voice of the people and there is no better time than Presidents Day to reflect on what those qualities mean to the country.
“These issues matter deeply and its natural to feel frightened and uncertain about what lies ahead, but we cannot let ourselves be paralyzed with fear,” Badger said, encouraging people to apply for appointed posts on local boards and commissions, which are always seeking new members, or run for elective office. “We need to take our nervous energy and channel it into action. … When the federal level seems to be too hard and overwhelming, look locally. Find your voice.”
Middleborough police look for car thieves
Middleborough Police Chief Robert Ferreira reports that the Middleborough Police Department is investigating two motor vehicle thefts reported early Monday morning, Feb. 10.
At 7:38 a.m., on Monday, Feb. 10, Patrolman Cameron Amaral was dispatched to Ashley Lane to investigate two stolen vehicle reports.
One resident told police that their 2024 Chrysler Pacifica was stolen overnight. A second resident reported their 2016 Hyundai Elantra GT also was stolen overnight.
Middleborough Police broadcast an alert about the thefts to departments in surrounding communities.
The incidents remain under investigation.
WPI students complete intensive research projects
A total of 356 undergraduate students at Worcester Polytechnic Institute (WPI) completed research-driven, professional-level projects that apply science and technology to address an important societal need or issue.
Known as the Interactive Qualifying Project (IQP), this project is a core part of the innovative undergraduate experience at WPI. Centered around project-based learning, this hands-on approach offers students opportunities to help develop thoughtful solutions to open-ended problems. These real-world problems affect the quality of life for people in the communities where students work, giving students a chance to make a difference in the world before they graduate. About two-thirds of WPI students complete their IQPs at one of the university’s 50+ off-campus project centers located in more than 30 countries around the world.
“The WPI project-based curriculum’s focus on global studies brings students out of the classroom and their comfort zones and into the global community to apply their knowledge and to solve problems,” said Professor Kent Rissmiller, professor of International & Global Studies and associate dean of The Global School. “Students are immersed in all aspects of a different culture-from the way people live and work to the values they hold to the foods they eat, all valuable perspectives for surviving and thriving in today’s global marketplace. They also learn the meaning and magic of teamwork; make a real and meaningful difference in their host community; and gain a competitive edge for any resume, or graduate or professional school application.”
The following students were part of a team that completed an intensive project:
Matthew Hybertson from Kingston, class of 2026, majoring in Mechanical Engineering, completed a project titled Exploring History Through SantaFe.live’s Interactive Archive.
Colby O’Connell from Kingston, class of 2026, majoring in Aerospace Engineering, completed a project titled Evaluating Nordural’s School of Heavy Industry.
WPI is a top-tier STEM-focused research university and a recognized pioneer and global leader in project-based learning. WPI was founded in 1865 on the principle that students learn most effectively by applying the theory learned in the classroom to the practice of solving real-world problems.
, WPI’s continued mission is to transform lives, turn knowledge into action to confront global challenges, and revolutionize STEM through distinctive and inclusive education, projects, and research. WPI’s project-based curriculum engages undergraduates in solving important scientific, technological, and societal problems throughout their education and at more than 50 project centers around the world. Today WPI offers more than 70 bachelor’s, master’s, and doctoral degree programs across 18 academic departments in science, engineering, technology, business, the social sciences, and the humanities and arts. To help address ongoing challenges, improve lives, and help create a more sustainable world, WPI faculty and students pursue groundbreaking research in such areas as the life sciences, smart technologies, materials and manufacturing, and global initiatives.
Kingston man earns expert certification
Diesel technicians from Advantage Truck Group (ATG), including Kingston resident Kevin Johnson who works at the company’s Raynham location, recently earned the Daimler Truck North America expert-level certification for the Freightliner Business Class M2 truck.
The technicians earned the expert-level certification for the M2 truck by completing classes that provided in-depth training on the functions, operation and troubleshooting of the vehicle’s multiplexed electrical system and all of its electronically-controlled systems, including lighting, instrumentation, HVAC, body builder interface and air management system.
“Achieving this certification is an important milestone that distinguishes a technician’s expertise and ensures a high level of service for our customers,” said ATG Training Director and certified dealer-trainer Rob Lynds, whose classes at the ATG training center in Shrewsbury often include technicians from other dealer companies.
Lynds, along with ATG Network Trainer Matthew McCuin, leads training for ATG technicians throughout the company’s locations in Massachusetts, New Hampshire and Vermont.
Morse Bros. wins in court
The Halifax Board of Selectmen met on Tuesday, Jan. 21. Selectmen Chair John Bruno provided an update on the Morse Brothers. “In November of 2023, the Board issued a permit to Morse Brothers, Inc. related to earth removal from their bogs in Halifax; Morse Brothers took the permit more or less under protest and they filed a lawsuit against the town of Halifax essentially… saying they shouldn’t have been required to get a permit. That case has come to a head as of Jan. 15 when the Superior Court issued an order allowing Morse Brothers’ motion essentially to say that they did not need any sort of earth removal permit,” Bruno said. He noted that the judge said that Halifax’s earth removal bylaw is invalid as it relates to Morse Brothers’ operation. Bruno said the next step in the process is to consider an appeal to the next level court, likely the Appeals Court. The Selectmen are speaking with their counsel regarding next steps.
The Selectmen had scheduled appointments with James Cronin and David Fryer regarding possible appointments as Associate Members on the Zoning Board of Appeals (ZBA). Fryer appeared saying he has been a resident for over 40 years and was on the Planning Board in the 1980s as well as on the call Fire Department. “Just want to get involved – I have some time, I’m always around,” Fryer said. He continued, “If someone has a decent idea of what they want to do with their property, everything is open for discussion, and it shouldn’t be just a rubber stamp yes or no.” He said he’s seen a lot of things get turned down that he feels should not have been. Bruno said that they have been trying to encourage committee and board members to become better educated and asked for verification that Fryer is comfortable with that. Selig asked him if since he’s active in the construction business, he foresaw any conflicts of interest. Fryer said that he would “bow out” were that to happen. Cronin failed to show, so the Selectmen voted unanimously to appoint Fryer as an Associate Member on the ZBA.
Town Administrator Cody Haddad said that himself and the Energy Manager are in the process of finalizing a deal to buy electricity from the city of Brockton for all the town buildings at a 20 percent reduction. Haddad called it a “huge savings for the town.” Haddad explained, “Brockton basically oversubscribed their purchase power agreement so they have credits and we are able to capitalize on that.” Bruno said, “always good to have good financial news.”
Haddad also said that they had a joint budget meeting with the School Committees, some members of the Finance Committees and Selectmen from the various towns. He said that Kingston and Plympton are in a similar situation as Halifax regarding the schools’ budgets. “Halifax Elementary School’s level service budget was presented as a 23.1 percent increase, Kingston’s was presented as a 20 percent increase, Plympton has not been presented yet, but it’s anticipated to be around a 17 percent increase and that’s on top of a 13 percent increase for the Silver Lake budget increase,” Haddad said. He noted that all of the towns can afford between a 3 and 4 percent increase. Selectman Jonathan Selig said, “I don’t think it’s anything the municipalities may or may not have done; I think you’re seeing educational funding struggles across all of the State.” Haddad said that they don’t want to end up in a position where the other two towns approve an override and Halifax doesn’t. If that were to occur, Halifax would still be on the hook for their share of the Silver Lake budget.
Regarding the MBTA Zoning law, Haddad said that the Supreme Judicial Court ruled that while the law is constitutional, the regulations were not accurately put into effect. He said that the Governor immediately responded by issuing emergency regulations. “What that means for us is that technically for us, we are in compliance. As of February 15, towns that have not adopted zoning have to submit an action plan… if the town were to submit an action plan, we would have until July 14 to have adopted the zoning,” Haddad explained.
The Selectmen approved a Class II license for 1734 Auto Brokers as well as a transfer of a Common Victualler license from Knight Restaurant to Subway. Timothy Dunne, who appeared on behalf of Auto Brokers, told Bruno that they did not plan to have cars on site.
The Selectmen also approved the use of the Town Green for a farmer’s market hosted by Steven King from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. for various dates between the end of May and end of October. They also approved Fieldstone Farm for their annual horse shows contingent upon insurance verification. Selectman Thomas Pratt requested that they look into the insurance as there are 47 different days with 10 different vendors each day.
The Selectmen also reviewed an application from Brian Kling to use the Town Green for a Fur Festival on June 21 pending a certificate of insurance. Halifax Pride may be using the Town Green on the same day, but on a different side.
They also reviewed a proposed calendar for the Town Meeting season. The proposed dates include opening the warrant in mid-February, submitting all zoning articles to the Planning Board by March 1, submitting all petition articles and closing the warrant by March 11, and submitting the recommended budget from the Finance Committee. A placeholder of March 17 was also proposed for any Planning Board public hearings. The joint meeting of the Finance Committee and Board of Selectmen to review the FY26 proposed budget will be held on March 25. Review and approval of the final warrant would take place on April 8. Town Meeting will be held on May 12.
The Selectmen received an email issuing their resignation from the Beautification Committee for Amy L. Troup. “I want to thank Amy for her time,” Selig said.
Express Redux
The Mirriam-Webster definition of Redux – in case you were wondering – is something that has been brought back or revived. Here it is, one week later, and we have been revived.
They say that if you take a leap of faith, a net will appear. It did. A person who is genuinely interested in keeping this little paper coming to you every week has appeared. We are taking the month of February to see if we can put it all together and make it happen.
Thank you all for your patience.
Deb
- « Previous Page
- 1
- …
- 6
- 7
- 8
- 9
- 10
- …
- 206
- Next Page »