End of an era for weekly

After more than 50 years on the newsstands, the weekly Avon Messenger published its last edition this month. "We'll miss it," said Avon Public Library director Karen Johnson, who recently came across an issue of the weekly paper, circa 1954, containing a photo of her and her sister pushing a baby carriage filled with dolls. According to an online letter to readers from the paper's publisher, Mark Olivieri of Gatehouse Media Inc., Avon news will be covered by the Brockton Enterprise, that daily newspaper's website, and another website, wickedlocalavon.com. Gatehouse acquired both papers about two years ago

- Joan Wilder

WORRIED ABOUT SPORTS COMPLEX - Neighbors are expressing concern over a plan, submitted by BCL Premier Sports of Westwood, to build a 270,000-square-foot sports complex on 50 acres off Elm Street. At an opening hearing on the project, held by the planning and zoning boards last Monday, abutters said the traffic in their neighborhood would increase dramatically along narrow and already congested roads. They were also concerned about lighting for the complex. The proposed site is currently farmland owned by the owners of Cumberland Farms, the Haseotes family. The planning and zoning boards have continued the public hearing on the proposal to 7:30 p.m. Aug. 25 in the Academy Building off the Town Square. - Christine Legere

DEMAND GROWS FOR ELDER SERVICES - Old Colony Elderly Services is growing fast, and it is paying off for the 266 residents of public housing at Belair Towers. The nonprofit agency's seven home health aides at Belair Towers provide services designed to keep residents from having to be moved to nursing homes. Old Colony's Supportive Housing Program, funded in part by $140,000 from the state Executive Office of Elder Affairs, supplies escorts to meals, grocery shopping, medication reminders, safety checks, 24-hour emergency response, light housekeeping, and basic personal care, said Diana L. DiGiorgi, executive director. Old Colony Elderly Services, which also runs meals on wheels programs in Brockton and 15 other communities, is experiencing growing demand for its services and recently expanded its 144 Main St. offices from 10,000 square feet to 21,000 square feet and today has 130 staff members, up from 90 employees five years ago. DiGiorgi said the agency serves more than 4,100 people a month.

- Steve Hatch

TOWN TO STUDY GOLF COURSE OPTIONS - John J. Connolly, chairman of the Board of Selectmen, says the town needs to study what its role should be in a plan to allow a private takeover of the dilapidated Ponkapoag Golf Course. Under a measure approved recently as part of the state budget, a private company would be allowed to lease the course for the long term from the state and would make millions of dollars in much-needed repair, Connolly said. The legislation, however, gives the town the option to operate the course and make the repairs. Connolly said that although it is unlikely that the town will want to exercise that option, he will urge the hiring of a consultant and the establishment of a blue ribbon study panel. He said the renovations would cost at least $15 million, although estimates from state Senator Brian A. Joyce, who backed the plan, set the renovation costs at $35 million.

- Elaine Cushman Carroll

RECYCLED MATERIALS HELP HABITAT - Habitat for Humanity's Carver ReStore sells materials donated to the nonprofit affordable housing provider by individuals, construction companies, contractors, and building supply stores that the Greater Plymouth Habitat chapter is unable to use on its own projects. Located at 73 North Main St., the store sells the materials at discounted prices to the general public to save them from landfills and raise money for future home construction projects. For more information, call the ReStore at 508-866-4199. - Robert Knox

MASTER PLAN READY FOR REVIEW - A draft community services and facilities master plan has been completed by the Planning Board. The report describes and anticipates the buildings, other facilities, and human resources a local government will need to meet future demand for its services. It includes town-owned buildings; local utilities, such as water or municipal light service; and other facilities, such as parks, playgrounds, and cemeteries. A copy is available for viewing at dedham-ma.gov.

- Michele Morgan Bolton

PROBLEMS WITH CASA LOMA - When the Senior Center Building Committee meets on Aug. 7, the panel plans to formally discuss a written request from the Board of Selectmen asking that the Casa Loma Restaurant property on Robbins Road be reconsidered for use as a senior center. Council on Aging director Jane Haines, who also serves on the building committee, said the members discussed the Casa Loma location at their June meeting, after learning that selectmen wanted the restaurant property reconsidered. "We were all in agreement it's not a good choice," Haines said. "The building is too small, and the location is too far from the town's center, down a narrow road through a thickly populated area." Town Meeting approved $275,000 to cover the cost of designing plans for a senior center. The target site for the project is the town-owned Sachem Rock Farm.

- Christine Legere

SCHOOL LUNCH TO COST MORE - Not only are there no free lunches, there are no longer any $2.25 lunches in the Easton schools. After skipping a price increase for the past two years, higher costs have forced the schools to increase all lunch prices by 25 cents, said Superintendent of Schools William Simmons. Lunches at elementary schools will cost $2.50, and at the high school the cost will be $2.75 this fall. Teachers, too, will pay more, $3 for lunch. A la carte items will also cost more, and juice and milk prices will increase 10 cents to 60 cents. Students at the high school will have a wider selection of foods, including items at a new salad bar, with the opening of a new kitchen there. - Steve Hatch

DEVELOPMENT GAINS MEDICAL OFFICES - Caritas Norwood Hospital has signed a 10-year lease on a 10,000-square-foot space at 15 Payson Road at Chestnut Green, the mixed-use complex under development at the site of the former Foxborough State Hospital. The facility will be used as medical offices for several doctors, most of whom will be moving from the hospital's satellite on Walnut Street, which needs room to expand its cancer treatment services. Construction is expected to be completed by Nov. 1.

- Joan Wilder

HOUSING PROPOSAL CLEARS STATE HURDLE - Bridgewater developer Beard-Lincoln has secured approval from the Massachusetts Housing Financing Agency for an affordable housing project off Franklin Street, according to the town's executive administrator, Charles Seelig. Approval means that the state has ruled that the project's site is viable, qualifying it for state funding when it moves forward, Seelig said. The proposal for Blackledge Farm calls for 124 units of housing on 62 acres. Seelig said the developer has two years from the date of approval by the state housing agency to apply to the town for a comprehensive permit. - Christine Legere

BLANKET PERMIT HEARING - The Conservation Commission will hold a hearing Aug. 12 at 8 p.m. at Town Hall to seek public comment on its proposal to reauthorize and expand the scope of the blanket permit program it initiated in September 2005. The program is an abbreviated permitting process for projects to improve septic systems or construct above-ground pools. Residents seeking to carry out those projects can obtain a blanket permit from the commission staff, rather than having to seek an order of conditions from the commission. The current proposal would continue the program another three years from its expiration in September. It would also make additional types of projects eligible for a blanket permit. Included would be construction of a shed, play structures, decks, sun rooms, gardens, and irrigation or domestic wells; excavation of test pits; and percolation tests. The commission is expected to vote on the proposal following the hearing that night. - John Laidler

WORK BEGINS ON FESTIVAL - The Lakeville Arts Council has scheduled an organizational meeting for its fourth annual Arts and Music Festival this fall. The meeting is scheduled for Aug. 12 at 7 p.m. at the town offices on Bedford Street. Anyone wanting to participate in the planning is invited to attend. For information, e-mail lakevillefestival@hotmail.com.

- Paul E. Kandarian

VILLAGE PROJECT DRAWS INTEREST - The Marion Affordable Housing Trust has received 10 proposals from three developers for its plan to expand the 12-unit Little Neck Village elderly housing complex into a development of 42 to 60 units, and the trust hopes to adopt one of the plans by early August, said Reg Foster, chairman of the trust. The plan has raised controversy at the village, where residents fear that their complex will be turned into an affordable-housing development and not one dedicated to the elderly.

- Paul E. Kandarian

TAX TIME - The first quarter of the 2009 tax bills are due Aug. 1, according to the tax collector's office. Bills were mailed June 30 with payment coupons for the first and second quarter; taxpayers are advised to retain the second-quarter coupon for payment due by Nov. 3. No other notices will be mailed, officials said. Taxes are payable online at mcc.net. Payments not received by Aug. For more information, contact Tax Collector Brenda Herbeck at 508-758-4100, ext. 1.

- Paul E. Kandarian

AMBULANCE CONTRACT SIGNED - Selectmen have again signed on for emergency medical service with American Medical Response. The three-year agreement went into effect July 1. Under the terms of the contract, the town pays $238,000 for the first year of service, $239,000 for the second, and $249,000 for the third. The agreement calls for AMR ambulances to be housed at all three fire stations in town. AMR has agreed to pay $2,400 a month in rent.

- Christine Legere

RECYCLING DAY AT LIBRARY - The Friends of the Norton Public Library hope to raise money for programs, materials, and equipment not funded by the library's municipal budget, with a recycling event the group will run jointly with CRT Recycling Inc. The CRT truck will be in the library parking lot to collect recyclables from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Aug. 9. The cost is $10 per item or small box of items. For console TVs and white goods, the fee is $20 per item. There will be no charge for cellphones, which will be donated to New Hope, a nonprofit domestic violence prevention agency. - Christine Legere

SCHOOL COMMITTEE VACANCY FILLED - Courtney Rau will take her seat as Norwood's newest School Committee member Wednesday. She replaces Christopher Morrisson, who resigned in June. Rau, a Mansfield teacher who is moving to the Newton public school system in September, is a 1989 Norwood High graduate. She will hold the seat until April, when she will be required to run for a full three-year term.

- Michele Morgan Bolton

NIGHT OUT HAS SAFETY IN MIND - When Matthew M. Clancy became police chief, he wanted to build stronger connections between public safety officials and the residents they serve, so he started Plympton Night Out. After a two-year hiatus forced by budget cuts, the evening event has been reborn with the help of local merchants, Clancy said. The event, which is expected to draw a few hundred people, also features the fire and highway departments. It will be held Thursday, Aug. 7, from 5 to 8 p.m. at the Dennett Elementary School.

- Elaine Cushman Carroll

LICENSE DENIAL APPEALED - Owner Theodore Kesaris has decided to appeal the selectmen's denial of a modification to the liquor license for Christopher's Restaurant to the state Alcoholic Beverages Control Commission. Kesaris needs the modification to add a deck to his restaurant, located on Broadway. Selectmen have denied the request for three years straight.

- Christine Legere

GRADE MERGER IS POSSIBLE - The Sharon School District is considering combining first- and second-graders at Cottage Elementary School. The idea was proposed too late in the last academic year to be implemented this coming year, but is on the agenda for September 2009, said Superintendent Barbara Dunham. Children will be randomly selected to participate unless their parents prefer they do not.

- Franci Richardson Ellement

WIFFLE TOURNEY IS A HIT - In only its fourth year, the Stoughton Wiffle Ball Tournament has grown to include dozens of teams from across New England. This Saturday, the field is expected to be even bigger as teams battle for a $1,000 first prize. All net proceeds from the youth division will be donated to Make-A-Wish Foundation of Massachusetts. Teams can register online at newazone.com.

- Robert Carroll

LIGHTNING DAMAGE - Lightning struck a house at 12 Trafalgar Lane Monday, causing a fire in the roof and attic that took firefighters about two hours to extinguish and secure. "No one was home, and a neighbor heard a bang and saw fire and called us," said Fire Chief Tim Bailey. At about 12:15 a.m., the bolt hit the wood-frame, asphalt-shingled house at the corner of the peak of the roof and blew debris onto the front yard.

- Joan Wilder

NEW FLOOD INSURANCE MAPS - The Federal Emergency Management Agency has drawn up new maps that show the areas in town that are vulnerable to flooding. These floodplain maps, which are still in the preliminary stages, can be viewed at the Inspectional Services Department office in Memorial Town Hall at 54 Marion Road. Copies of the maps are also available on the town's website, www.wareham.ma.us.

- Emily Sweeney

PARK GETS HISTORIC STATUS - The town was recently notified by Secretary of State William F. Galvin that War Memorial Park has been listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The National Park Service approved the West Bridgewater park's inclusion on the register after the Massachusetts Historical Commission's State Review Board determined that the park was eligible for the listing. The register is an official listing of American cultural resources worthy of protection. The 4.9-acre River Street park is the first property in West Bridgewater to be placed on the register.

- John Laidler

LATEST TOWN MAPS AVAILABLE - A series of maps created by town staff using the geographic information system, or GIS, are now available for viewing and printing. Maps on a variety of subjects are also available for purchase. E-mail Westwood GIS at gisinfo@townhall.westwood.ma.us for more information or visit townhall.westwood.ma.

- Michele Morgan Bolton