December 4, 2007
MEDFIELD
A committee set up to study the financial implications of three proposed municipal building projects will likely report its findings next month, Town Administrator Michael Sullivan said.
Officials say the town needs new quarters for the Department of Public Works, the Parks and Recreation Department, and the police and fire departments. The total cost of the facilities could be as much as $30 million, officials said.
-- Calvin Hennick
Posted by Ralph Ranalli at 09:11 AM
November 25, 2007
MEDFIELD
Medfield's selectmen have approved a tax rate for the 2008 fiscal year of $12.80 per hundred thousand dollars of home value, up from $12.27 per hundred thousand last year.
Principal assessor Stan Bergeron said the average single-family tax will go up only about $70 (about 1 percent), because property values decreased by about 4 percent on average.
-- Calvin Hennick
Posted by Ralph Ranalli at 07:27 AM
November 20, 2007
MEDFIELD
The Medfield Parks and Recreation Department will hold a skiing program on six Sundays in January and February at Wachusett Mountain Ski Area for children and teens from third grade through high school.
The deadline to sign up is Dec. 6 and the cost for skiing is $37, with additional charges for transportation, equipment rental, and lessons. Children in grades 3 through 5 must be accompanied by a paying adult.
Anyone seeking more information is urged to call the Medfield Recreation Department at 508-359-2715.
-- Calvin Hennick
Posted by Lisa Kocian at 10:07 AM
November 16, 2007
MEDFIELD
Private donations will pay for all or almost all of the cost of nine new flagpoles at Baxter Park, Town Administrator Michael Sullivan said.
The cost of one 50-foot flag pole, and eight 15-footers for flags representing the town, the state, and the branches of the military, was about $16,000, Sullivan said. The flags were dedicated
on Veterans Day.
-- Calvin Hennick
Posted by Ralph Ranalli at 10:09 AM
November 14, 2007
MEDFIELD
The town will not pay the builder of the town's new senior center extra money for delays that were a result of weather last winter, Town Administrator Michael Sullivan said.
Braintree-based Northeast Interiors had asked the town to pay unspecified amounts of money to compensate for costs incurred during the delays. Sullivan said the town's contract with the developer clearly states that Northeast Interiors assumed the risk of weather delays.
The $3.1 million project was originally scheduled to be finished last July, but is now slated to be complete on Dec. 20.
-- Calvin Hennick
Posted by Ralph Ranalli at 01:50 PM
September 4, 2007
MEDFIELD
Two teenage brothers from Medfield brothers are collecting unused guitars to donate to
needy children.
Billy and Mike Stanton have already shipped guitars to children in Afghanistan and Jordan and have received requests from schools in Puerto Rico and Iraq. The brothers also accept donations of guitar cases, picks, and strings.
Anyone interested in donating is urged contact the brothers by calling 508-359-2337 or via email.
-- Calvin Hennick
Posted by Ralph Ranalli at 11:29 AM
September 1, 2007
MEDFIELD
Town workers last week removed the stump of a 65-foot wooden flagpole in Baxter Park that was hit by lightning earlier this year.
Town Administrator Michael Sullivan said the pole will be replaced by a 50-foot fiberglass pole, along with eight 15-foot poles for flags representing the town, the state, and the branches of the military. Sullivan said about $15,000 to $18,000 will have to be raised to pay for the new flagpoles.
-- Calvin Hennick
Posted by Ralph Ranalli at 01:45 PM
August 30, 2007
MEDFIELD
A 12-year-old boy from Medfield will serve as a youth ambassador for the 11th Annual Boston Arthritis Walk on Sept. 23.
Nicholas Papantonis has suffered from juvenile rheumatoid arthritis since he was four years old. Last year, Papantonis was the top youth fundraiser for the walk, raising approximately $3,400.
-- Calvin Hennick
Posted by Ralph Ranalli at 09:36 AM
August 22, 2007
MEDFIELD
Paul Rhuda, the chairman of the Medfield Board of Selectmen, will serve on a regional committee that is studying whether noise from planes flying into and out of Logan Airport can be spread out among communities in the Boston area.
Some residents have complained about aircraft noise, but Town Administrator Michael Sullivan said planes usually fly over Medfield only when weather conditions force pilots off their normal routes.
-- Calvin Hennick
Posted by Ralph Ranalli at 03:57 PM
August 18, 2007
MEDFIELD
School Committee members are aiming to revamp the school district’s web site to make it more visually interesting, according to Superintendent Robert Maguire.
The board met earlier this month to discuss the site, and members agreed that it has solid content and is easily navigable. The web site features a plain white background and contains only a few photographs, however, and the committee is expected to take up the issue tomorrow.
“A lot of the discussion focused on just visual appearance,” Maguire said. “It’s kind of a work in progress,” he said.
-- Calvin Hennick
Posted by Ralph Ranalli at 11:08 PM
August 2, 2007
MEDFIELD
Workers hope to complete a road project on Pound Street, which runs past the Thomas Blake Middle School, before school begins on September 4, Town Administrator Michael Sullivan said.
Workers are replacing sidewalks and curbing along the road and laying down new asphalt. Sullivan said about half of the road will be renovated this summer, with the rest to be completed next year.
-- Calvin Hennick
Posted by Ralph Ranalli at 09:41 AM
August 1, 2007
(Globe staff photo by Bill Polo)
MEDFIELD
Another $25,000 to $50,000 must be raised before upgrades to the athletic facilities at Medfield High School can be completed, Superintendent Robert Maguire said.
Town Meeting voters this spring appropriated $125,000 for the project, and volunteers are raising the rest of the money. A new track has already been completed and opened to the public last week.
Officials next plan to replace bleachers and the press box. Maguire said anyone wishing to donate to the project can contact his office at (508) 359-2302.
-- Calvin Hennick
Posted by Ralph Ranalli at 12:15 PM
July 20, 2007
MEDFIELD
Workers have finished resurfacing the track at Medfield High School, and builders will now turn their attention to replacing the school's bleachers and press box, Town Administrator Michael Sullivan said recently.
The total cost of the project was initially slated at $300,000, Sullivan said, but officials are hoping that construction assistance from town highway workers will drive the cost down to between $225,000 and or $250,000. Town Meeting voters this spring appropriated $125,000 for the project, and volunteers are raising the rest of the money.
Sullivan said officials had hoped to complete all parts of the project by the beginning of the school year, but he now thinks that goal may be too ambitious.
-– Calvin Hennick
Posted by Ralph Ranalli at 01:56 PM
July 9, 2007
MEDFIELD
Thunder, the 1,500-pound Simmental steer raised by Medfield resident Hilary Maxson, is for sale.
Maxson purchased the animal to take to livestock shows when she was a student at Walpole's Norfolk County Agricultural High School but had difficulty parting with her pet. While preparing to leave for college last summer, Maxson started looking for a home for the bovine, but had difficulty finding one that would guarantee that he wouldn't end up on someone's cookout menu.
A year later, Maxson is resigned to reality: keeping Thunder is no longer feasible. "Whatever happens, happens," she wrote in an email.
Maxson is asking anyone interested in buying the animal to call her at 508-359-9893.
-- Alison O'Leary Murray
Posted by Ralph Ranalli at 09:43 AM
June 20, 2007
MEDFIELD
Firefighters will hold their annual chicken bake Saturday, starting at 4:30 p.m., at the fire station on North St.
The event is the largest fundraising event each year for the firefighters' relief fund. Town Administrator Michael Sullivan advises arriving early. "It's usually sold out," he said.
Firefighters expect a former or current New England Patriots player to make an appearance.
– Calvin Hennick
Posted by Ralph Ranalli at 09:00 AM
June 14, 2007
MEDFIELD
Performers from ImprovBoston will help residents laugh it up for a cause tonight at 7:30 p.m. in the Medfield High School auditorium.
The event is billed as "family-friendly" and is a fundraiser for the local Destination ImagiNation program, which allows children to participate in creative problem-solving competitions.
Tickets are $8 and can be purchased at the door.
– Calvin Hennick
Posted by Ralph Ranalli at 04:06 PM
June 7, 2007
MEDFIELD
Robert Parga, who was hired as the new principal of the Blake Middle School in December, will begin working in Medfield on July 1. Parga is currently an assistant principal at Kennedy Middle School in Natick, and Medfield Superintendent Robert Maguire said Parga has been attending school events to become acquainted with the district. Parga is replacing Margaret Mongiello, who is retiring.
- Calvin Hennick
Posted by Ralph Ranalli at 11:32 AM
May 25, 2007
MEDFIELD
Selectmen this week granted Verizon a permit to its cable services door to door for up to three weeks.
The company will have to inform the town when it intends to start, and it must finish by June 30. Selectmen earlier this year awarded a franchise to the company, allowing it to offer cable television in
town.
Town Administrator Michael Sullivan said he knows residents don’t enjoy being disturbed by door-to-door solicitors, but that the town couldn’t legally deny Verizon's request.
-– Calvin Hennick
Posted by Ralph Ranalli at 10:36 AM
April 25, 2007
MEDFIELD/NEEDHAM
An eighth-grader at St. Sebastian's School in Needham died yesterday while practicing lacrosse on a school field, officials said.
William Judge, 14, of Medfield collapsed shortly after 3:30 p.m., rescue officials said. Officials at the Catholic school for boys said he was involved in a "noncontact drill" at lacrosse practice.
In a statement last night, school officials said he received immediate medical attention from school officials and members of the Needham police and fire departments. Paramedics took him to Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center in Needham, where he was pronounced dead.
-- David Abel and Michael Naughton
Posted by Martin Finucane at 09:37 AM
April 18, 2007
Rich Gotham
(Globe staff photo by David Kamerman)
Rich Gotham, who grew up in Milford and now lives in Medfield, has been promoted to president of the Boston Celtics, the team announced today.
A Providence College alum, Gotham joined the Celtics as the executive vice president of sales, marketing and corporate development in April 2003 and was promoted to chief operating officer in June 2006. Prior to working for the Celtics, he had a successful career in the online media and Internet technology industries, the team said.
"Under Rich's guidance, the Boston Celtics organization has achieved great success in growing our business," chief executive and managing partner Wyc Grousbeck said in a statement.
"Like a lot of people, I've been a Boston sports fan for as long as I can remember," Gotham said in a Globe West profile last year. "Most of my early memories, the ones I cling to, are emotional feelings about sporting events."
Celtics championship teams of the 1980s, led by Larry Bird , especially stoked Gotham's passion for sports. While Gotham followed every Boston team, there was "an emotional connection" with the Celtics, he said.
Posted by Martin Finucane at 04:22 PM
March 25, 2007
MEDFIELD
The Wheelock School on Elm Street should be bustling tomorrow as the annual town election takes place from 6 a.m. to 8 p.m.
A single position will be contested, with four candidates competing for two seats on the School Committee. Incumbents Tim Bonfatti and Carolyn Casey will face off against Joanne Romanow and write-in candidate Albert Roderick.
Three of the 13 positions up for election — the Housing Authority, the Board of Trust Fund Commissioners, and the Parks and Recreation Commission — have no candidates, through the positions can be filled through write-in votes.
— Charlie Russo
Posted by Martin Finucane at 03:01 PM
March 15, 2007
MEDFIELD
Town officials are hoping to postpone until fall discussion of several projects that would require tax hikes through debt exclusion overrides.
They include a $4.75 million recreation facility; $200,000 to supplement the $2.8 million senior center now under construction; and smaller amounts to pay for the planning and design of a building to house the police and fire departments and a garage for the public works department.
Facing an $800,000 shortfall in next year's budget, the town may have to ask voters this spring to approve a Proposition 2 1/2 operating override.
An operating override permanently increases the cap on tax collections; a debt exclusion override expires when loans for a particular project are paid off.
-- Charlie Russo
Posted by Martin Finucane at 12:02 PM
March 2, 2007
MEDFIELD
Selectmen last week granted Verizon Communications a license to offer Internet, television, and telephone services in town.
The deal calls for Verizon to pay $160,000 in three installments over five years, which will be earmarked for equipment at the town's Cable 8 local Internet access. Also, 4.75 percent of Verizon's cable revenue will go directly to Cable 8.
The terms are similar to the contract between the town and Comcast, which had been the only cable provider in town.
-- Charlie Russo
Posted by Martin Finucane at 11:03 AM
January 26, 2007
MEDFIELD/WELLESLEY
A principal's gamble pays off: After declining an offer to become principal of Franklin High School earlier this week, Medfield High School Principal Andrew Keough sent an e-mail to parents today to announce that he has accepted the position of principal at Wellesley High School.
Keough, 44, a Sherborn resident, said in his letter that it was a difficult decision to leave Medfield. He said moving to Wellesley would ensure long-term security for him and his family. His contract with Medfield is set to expire June 30.
In a telephone interview, Keough said Wellesley offers new challenges after his four years in Medfield.
Citing Wellesley High School's bigger school population, wider variety of courses, and upcoming accreditation process, he said he's not one to stay in one school system for decades. "I perform better when faced with big challenges," he said. "I prefer to continue to challenge myself."
-- Alison O'Leary Murray
Posted by Martin Finucane at 01:57 PM
January 25, 2007
A scene from Medfield Insane Asylum, c. 1903
(Unidentified artist, courtesy Harvard University)
MEDFIELD
The Medfield State Hospital may have closed in 2003, but photographs of the institution in its heyday can be seen in a new exhibition at Harvard University's Arthur M. Sackler Museum.
The exhibition, "Classified Documents: The Social Museum of Harvard University, 1903-1931," showcases more than 100 photographs taken in the early 1900s of social conditions and institutions across the country.
The photos document what was then called the Medfield Insane Asylum, the first state-operated institution for chronic cases of insanity in Massachusetts.
Others were taken at New York's Institute for Feeble-minded Children and Ellis Island's Immigrant Station. The original collection was intended to encourage contemplation and a comparison of how society treats its most vulnerable members. The exhibition will be on display through June 10.
-- Charlie Russo
Posted by Martin Finucane at 02:25 PM
January 24, 2007
MEDFIELD
A construction worker died today when scaffolding collapsed in Medfield and he fell at least 10 feet, authorities said.
Raymond Fenoff, 38, of Douglas, was working as a roofer on a new home on Old Village Square when the scaffolding beneath him appears to have failed, officials said.
Fenoff was working for his family's company.
A number of law enforcement officials responded to the scene, including Medfield Police Chief Robert Meaney, Jr. and State Police detectives working for the office of Norfolk District Attorney William R. Keating.
A spokesman for the district attorney said an initial probe found no signs of foul play. Fenoff's body was taken to the state medical examiner's office in Boston for a forensic examination.
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration also responded to the scene. The federal investigators are trying to determine whether proper safety procedures were being used at the construction site.
-- Globe Staff
Posted by Martin Finucane at 03:02 PM
January 16, 2007
MEDFIELD
The Montrose School will open the doors to its first permanent campus in downtown Medfield later this month, thanks in part to financial backing from the state.
MassDevelopment, a quasi-public agency that encourages development in the state, provided a $6 million tax-exempt bond that will help pay for the renovation of buildings and construction of athletic fields at the school's new 13.5-acre site.
The bond proceeds will also help the school refinance existing loans used to purchase the property.
MassDevelopment's support of the Montrose School was part of $17.5 million in tax-exempt bonds issued by the state on behalf of three private schools.
-- Charlie Russo
Posted by Martin Finucane at 11:53 AM
January 10, 2007
FRANKLIN
The envelope, please ...
Two local school administrators were named as top picks to take over as Franklin High School principal and lead the school through a major period of change.
Medfield High School Principal Andrew Keough and John G. Smith, Principal of the Nashoba Regional High School in Bolton, are the two contenders, Superintendent Wayne Ogden said.
Each will spend a day this week with groups of parents, teachers and students before they're interviewed by Ogden.
Ogden said he plans to sit in on the student groups' meetings with the candidates and plans to gather data from as many of the 100 high school faculty members as possible before making his decision, which could come as early as Jan. 19.
Ogden said he will choose the candidate with the best combination of experience and ability to take the school through what the district hopes will be a major renovation of the high school building.
-- Alison O'Leary Murray
Posted by Martin Finucane at 01:40 PM
January 9, 2007
MEDFIELD
Whooping cough has turned up in Medfield again.
A Blake Middle School student was diagnosed with whooping cough today, and health officials are now working to identify any other students who may have contracted the illness, which is also known as pertussis.
An e-mail was sent to all parents advising them to contact health care professionals or the school nurse if a child has a severe cough or a cough that lasts longer than a week.
The illness infects people through germs that spread via sneezing, coughing, or talking and is most dangerous to infants, the elderly, and people with compromised immune systems.
In October, five high school students were treated for whooping cough, which is a "very common" illness during cold months, said Donna Rheaume, spokeswoman for the state Department of Public Health.
-- Charlie Russo
Posted by Martin Finucane at 12:42 PM
January 8, 2007
MEDFIELD
A new principal has been chosen at the T.A. Blake Middle School. Robert Parga, currently an assistant principal at the John F. Kennedy Middle School in Natick, will take over July 1.
He was the search committee’s top choice. He will earn $113,000. Parga takes over for Margaret Mongiello, who announced her upcoming retirement this past summer. Mongiello is a 10-year veteran at the school who oversaw the renovation of the building.
“We had a very strong pool of candidates,” said Robert Maguire, superintendent of schools.
-- Charlie Russo
Posted by Martin Finucane at 02:39 PM
January 3, 2007
MEDFIELD
Millie Downing, founder of the Etiquette School of New England in Medfield, offers simple fashion tips for the Deval Patrick inaugural parties tomorrow.
The main gala's invitation specifies 'black tie optional.' "Optional means that minimally men should be in a suit and tie, preferably black," Downing said.
For women, Downing suggests an elegant floor-length dress. She implores party-goers not to wear anything funky.
-- Adam Sell
Posted by Martin Finucane at 01:15 PM
December 4, 2006
MEDFIELD
Two elementary schools in Medfield are relying on bottled water for all their drinking and cooking needs, after periodic water testing detected lead levels that exceeded state Department of Environmental Protection regulations.
Two samples taken at the Dale Street School and one of two samples from the Wheelock School exceeded DEP guidelines. However, only one of the four samples exceeded less-stringent federal lead regulations. No problems were detected in similar tests performed last year.
School Superintendent Robert Maguire said the school water systems have been flushed and new water samples taken, though an analysis of the new samples has not been completed.
Maguire said that water quality experts have told him that the high lead levels may simply be a result of water stagnating in pipes too long.
School officials will determine whether additional steps should be taken to prevent future lead contamination after analyzing the most recent test results.
"The solution that we know right now is a good one, whether we have to do it for one week or three months, is the bottled water," Maguire said.
Posted by Martin Finucane at 06:31 PM
November 14, 2006
MEDFIELD
Medfield officials say they've had some success in their campaign to get dogs licensed.
The number of unlicensed dogs in town -- that officials know about -- has been reduced to four, said Town Administrator Michael Sullivan.
The dogs' owners will be issued summonses to court where they could be required to pay $60 in license fees and late fines, plus additional court fees.
The action comes just months after controversy arose when selectmen floated the idea of euthanizing unlicensed animals.
The licenses are important to ensure the animals have received their rabies shots, Sullivan said, especially after a rabid raccoon was discovered in town this summer.
-- Charlie Russo
Posted by Martin Finucane at 08:17 AM
November 13, 2006
MEDFIELD
A parents’ discussion of underage drinking issues in town will take place tonight at 7 p.m. in the high school library, 88R South St.
The meeting follows up on an underage drinking panel discussion in October and is an opportunity for parents to talk about the issue with each other.
Jan Tarlow, one of the organizers of tonight’s event and a member of the Medfield Youth Community Collaborative, said the meeting could lead to future events and the creation of committees that could focus on various steps to combat underage drinking, such as developing more youth activities in town or spreading information about substance abuse to other parents.
“It’s a new initiative in town and where it goes is going to depend on the people,” said Tarlow, the mother of two teenage high school students.
-- Charlie Russo
Posted by Martin Finucane at 03:28 PM
November 1, 2006
MEDFIELD
(Michael Kraemer with his team zooming by, Globe Staff Photo by Bill Polo)
With a large roster and a coach who emphasizes a team-oriented approach, the Medfield High School cross-country squad has achieved a remarkable record: four straight undefeated seasons in league meet competition.
The team clinched its fourth consecutive regular season perfect record last week (Oct. 24) with a narrow victory over perennial powerhouse Hopkinton that lifted it to 7-0 against Tri-Valley League rivals.
The Warriors finished a close second to Holliston at the league championship meet Monday, competing without their top runner, Dan O’Connell, who sat out to rest an injured knee. But the team remains a contender in the state championship races that will cap off the season.
Medfield’s consistent success is often attributed to an all-for-one, one-for-all approach emphasized by coach Michael Kraemer.
Read more about the Medfield cross country team in tomorrow's Globe West.
-- Charlie Russo
Posted by Martin Finucane at 04:51 PM
October 26, 2006
MEDFIELD
No tooting, no wailing, and no howling. That's a rule being pondered by Medfield selectmen.
They're looking at establishing a quiet zone around the Main Street railroad crossing because of residents' concerns about the impact of train whistles on their sleeping habits and health, said Kristine Trierweiler, assistant town manager.
However, Trierweiler said, officials have discovered that the costs and procedures of establishing such a zone would be significantly greater than initially expected.
Towns that establish quiet zones are required to install safer and more expensive railroad crossings. Applying for such a zone is a long and expensive process, Trierweiler said, and the town's liability if an accident occurred would increase significantly.
Selectmen accepted the updated information at their Tuesday meeting but made no decision on the issue.
-- Charlie Russo
Posted by Martin Finucane at 02:54 PM
October 19, 2006
MEDFIELD
Braintree-based Northeast Interiors has won the $2.6 million contract to build the town's first senior center.
Plans for the Adult Community Center call for an 8,000 square-foot building resembling a barn on a vacant piece of land off of West Mill Street between Adams and Harding streets.
A new street, which will be named Icehouse Road will be built with a railroad crossing to access the site.
The building will allow seniors to move out from a single room in the Pfaff Center, which hosts space for a variety of community groups. Construction is expected to require about one year to complete.
-- Charlie Russo
Posted by Martin Finucane at 06:09 PM
October 19, 2006
MEDFIELD
A Medfield High School student was diagnosed with pertussis, also known as whooping cough, yesterday, and school officials have asked four other students who may have been exposed to the illness to stay home until Monday to prevent the disease from spreading.
The ill student was a member of a junior varsity soccer team, said Mary Patch, high school nurse. Four team members who may have exhibited early symptoms of the illness have been asked to stay home and take antibiotics.
Pertussis symptoms start off similar to those of a cold and include a runny nose, sneezing and cough; all of which gradually worsen.
The cough continues to intensify and can lead to spells during which the person has difficulty breathing and can cause other health problems. After several weeks the illness fades away.
The illness infects people through germs that spread via sneezing, coughing or talking. Pertussis is most dangerous to infants younger than one year of age, older individuals, and people with compromised immune systems, such as chemotherapy patients.
More information is available by calling the state Department of Public Health at (617) 983-6800, the local Board of Health at (508) 359-8585, extension 604, or checking the state health department's Web site, mass.gov/dph.
Posted by Martin Finucane at 11:34 AM
September 25, 2006
MEDFIELD
A question from a Medfield resident in tonight's gubernatorial debate. Schonda Schilling, wife of Red Sox star Curt Schilling, asked the candidates whether teachers should receive merit pay.
Republican Kerry Healey said she supported merit pay, while Democrat Deval Patrick said that, rather than individual merit pay, he supported merit pay that rewarded cooperation, such as awards for teams or schools.
Independent Christy Mihos and Green/Rainbow Party candidate Grace Ross also participated in the debate on Fox25, which was moderated by TV journalist Chris Wallace.
Posted by Martin Finucane at 06:49 PM
September 6, 2006
MEDFIELD
School buses in Medfield were at the mercy of suspected student pranksters last week after the batteries were removed from most of the vehicles, causing delays for students on the second day of school.
Police, public works and school workers were able to gather all the batteries and reinstall them in less than in hour. However, buses to both the high school and the middle school were delayed.
No vandals have been identified, and school officials have not decided whether they will press charges if someone is implicated.
"I think we'll cross that bridge when we come to it," said Robert Maguire, superintendent of schools.
-- Charlie Russo
Posted by Martin Finucane at 03:45 PM
September 3, 2006
MEDFIELD
John M. of Medfield is worried because his son doesn't seem that interested in getting into college.
Ron Fletcher gives John some advice in today's "Ask the Teacher" column.
Fletcher says John should hear his son out, then make the case for a college education, emphasizing how it creates opportunities.
"Use your knowledge of your son's talents and interests to explain the relevance and worth of a college degree," he advises.
Posted by Martin Finucane at 10:06 AM
August 23, 2006
MEDFIELD
No word yet on whether the Medfield parents of a notorious Internet spammer will allow America Online to search their property to see if their son buried gold there.
But the man's grandparents say they will allow a search of their property in Westwood.
Robert Davis, 90, grandfather of Davis Wolfgang Hawke, said he and his wife decided to compromise and allow the company to use radar and sonar to find out if anything is in their yard in.
Davis said he wanted to avoid an expensive legal battle with AOL. The Internet company wants to search for the treasure to satisfy a $12.8 million judgment it won against Hawke in court in Virginia last year for bombarding AOL customers with spam e-mails.
Hawke's mother, Peggy Greenbaum, has maintained she intends to fight AOL's attempts to search her property in Medfield.
-- AP
Posted by Martin Finucane at 10:57 AM
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