Globe South Community briefing
ABINGTON
It’s been a fruitful summer for the Farmers Market — so much so that it will be open again next Saturday from 9 to 11 a.m. in front of the town offices at 500 Gliniewicz Way. Saving Abington with Green Energy cofounder Dan Brielmann, who initiated the market, said the season has been extended because Sun Ray Lea farm owner Lurane BRAINTREE
WATER BAN EASED — The recent rain replenished the town’s water supply enough that officials rescinded the ban on all outside water use. Instead, outdoor watering is limited to hand-held hoses between 6 and 9 p.m. Braintree shares its water supply — Great Pond Reservoir — with Holbrook and Randolph. The pond straddles Randolph and Braintree and holds 1.4 billion gallons of water. — Johanna SeltzCOHASSET
NEW FIRETRUCK IN SERVICE — Firefighters are outfitting the town’s new firetruck — a bright red “rescue pumper’’ that will carry ambulance-like medical equipment as well as 1,500 feet of hose and other firefighting equipment. The new truck, which cost about $360,000, has a relatively short wheel base so it can maneuver the tight turns in town, said Captain Frank Mahoney, who is the department’s mechanic. He said the department will retire its oldest fire engine — a 1987 model used now as a spare. The next-oldest engine will become the spare, leaving the department with a ladder truck, two engines, and an ambulance in service, he said. — Johanna SeltzDUXBURY
TOWN FEES INCREASE — Higher fees approved by the Board of Selectmen went into effect last week for various licenses. The town’s fee for a liquor-license application increased from $75 to $125; one-day liquor licenses, hot dog cart, and ice cream truck licenses all increased from $20 to $25; and an inn holder’s license doubled, to $50. Annual dog license fees rose from $12 to $15; fees for neutered animals from $7 to $10. A long list of inspection service fees, on file at Town Hall, were also increased to reflect the square foot cost of construction and to cover the operating expenses for the inspectional services department, according to Scott Lambiase, director of the department. — Robert KnoxHANOVER
YOUNG PHILANTHROPISTS — Thanks to 8-year-old neighbors and best friends Callie Armstrong and Sammi Shisler, a roadside lemonade stand became a fund-raising tool for Boston Children’s Hospital. Over three days last month, the two Sylvester School third-graders raised more than $100 to buy books for young patients at the hospital. “The people were so nice to my daughter and Sammi,’’ said Laura Armstrong of Old Forge Road. “The sign said 50 cents for lemonade and they’d give $5.’’ She said the next step is to contact Children’s Hospital about certain books they could use, and then approach book chains to see if they can sell the material at a discount. And as for why the two girls chose Children’s Hospital, Laura had a theory. “I haven’t really asked, but Callie did have surgery at Children’s when she was 5 years old. Maybe that triggered something.’’ — Robert CarrollHOLBROOK
TOWN SEEKS ENERGY PROPOSALS — Holbrook is looking for an energy developer to lease up to 20 acres of landfill property for a solar power station. The town expects to put out a request for proposals within a few weeks, said Michael Yunits, town administrator. This is the second time the town has tried to find a developer for the property. In October, the town had a letter of intent with Ansar Energy LLC of Scituate to build the solar station. The town could have reaped up to $10,000 per acre per year. But the company never applied for permits, so the deal was terminated for lack of progress, said Yunits. The first proposal did not attract much interest, but Yunits hopes the climate has changed and this time around there will be more bidders. Town Meeting last year authorized the town to seek proposals. Junaid Yasin, president of Ansar, said Holbrook was not a prime site for the company and the costs turned out to be too high, so the company decided not to develop. — Matt CarrollHULL
MEMORIAL SERVICE PLANNED — The town will hold a special observance to remember those who died on Sept. 11, 2001. The ceremony also honors members of the armed forces who have served or are serving in Iraq and Afghanistan. Deputy Fire Chief Christopher Russo will be the keynote speaker for the event, which will be held Saturday at 7 p.m. at the Mary Jeanette Murray Bathhouse at Nantasket Beach. Russo also will display photographs he took at ground zero when he and Fire Chief Robert Hollingshead were in New York for several days after the terrorist attacks to help with the recovery. “I’ve got a bunch of pictures that have never been seen. I thought it was time,’’ Russo said. — Johanna SeltzKINGSTON
ARTS FESTIVAL COMING UP — The fourth annual Kingston Arts Festival will be held on Sept. 18 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. in the old town center area of Green and Main streets. The festival will feature six art exhibits, continuous entertainment by musicians and performers, hands-on activities for children, an original art and handmade crafts market, and refreshments. This year’s Heritage Exhibit will be based upon the photography of a Kingston resident, Ted Avery, whose work is on exhibit at Plimoth Plantation in Plymouth. Hope Floats Healing and Wellness Center will hold a health and wellness fund-raiser at the same time as the festival. A portion of Green Street will be closed to traffic during that time. For more information visit www.kingstonarts.org or call the festival organizer, Peggy Gallagher, at 781-585-8826. — Robert KnoxMARSHFIELD
SERVICE CONTRACTS AWARDED — The Department of Public Works awarded several contracts last week, including two for propane and leak testing of water mains. The annual contract for propane was awarded to Wrightington Gas Inc. of Kingston . The amount is not to exceed $20,000, said David E. Carriere, the DPW’s superintendent. There were three bidders. The annual contract for testing for water main leaks went to Liston Utility Services of Stoneham. The contract is for a maximum of $8,100. — Matt CarrollMILTON
HISTORIC MIRROR RESTORED — The Milton Historical Society invites the public to celebrate the rehanging of the Governor Hutchinson mirror at the Milton Public Library on Sept. 14 at 7 p.m. The mirror, which measures roughly six feet by four feet including its elaborate gilt frame, dates to the 1700s when it hung in Royal Governor Thomas Hutchinson’s Milton estate. The mirror was donated to the Historical Society in 1918 and was displayed previously at the Milton Public Library. The piece has been restored and will be rehung in honor of the late Jeannette Peverly, a longtime volunteer for the library and historical society. — Johanna SeltzNORWELL
GRANT HELPS RESTORE 3 SCHOOL JOBS — Norwell will bring back three positions to the school district after receiving money from the federal government’s Educational Jobs Fund. A fifth-grade teacher position, part-time guidance personnel for the middle school, and a part time librarian position for the high school will all be brought back. — Jessica BartlettPEMBROKE
LANDFILL REPORT DUE AT MEETING — Trash issues will be a focus of discussion at the next selectmen’s meeting, to be held Sept. 13 at 7 p.m. in Town Hall. Town Administrator Edwin Thorne will report on research he conducted into mining the former town landfill as an alternative to its current plan to cap the site. Thorne said mining the landfill would involve removing all the accumulated trash material to create a flat, reuseable surface. He said estimates from a consultant were about $60 million, compared with $2.8 million to cap the landfill. Selectmen also plan to discuss the Advisory Committee’s recommendation that the town discontinue curbside trash collection and construct a transfer station where residents would bring their trash. The October Town Meeting is already set to consider an article to authorize $2.8 million for the capping, and another to extend the town’s contract to deposit its trash at the Covanta SEMASS trash-to-energy plant in Rochester. — John LaidlerPLYMOUTH
TAX CREDIT OPPORTUNITIES FOR SENIORS — Applications for the town’s senior citizen tax credit program are now available on the municipal website, www.plymouth-ma.gov. To qualify, homeowners must be at least 60 years old and live in Plymouth yearround. The deadline to apply is Sept. 20. Participants will be chosen by lottery and can earn the maximum $500 tax credit by volunteering 62.5 hours in Town Hall, the Fire Department, Police Department, School Department, library, or Council on Aging. The credit will be issued as an abatement on the homeowner’s property tax bill. For more information, contact the town manager’s office at 508-747-1620 ext. 208. — Emily SweeneyQUINCY
QUINCY TAXES HOLD STEADY — The city was recently cited as the only community on the South Shore where the property tax bill for the average single-family home did not rise in fiscal 2010, which ended June 30. Quincy was one of 23 communities in the state with that distinction. The city has many expensive projects in the works, and officials are using different ways to fund the upgrades. — Jessica BartlettRANDOLPH
NURSE JOINS TOWN STAFF — The town has a new public health nurse. Cheryl J. Bushnell, a Sandwich resident, started her job at the Board of Health on Aug. 2. Her duties include keeping track of infectious diseases in the community, arranging health and vaccination clinics, and coordinating public health education programs. For the past eight years, she was involved with the development of the Medical Reserve Corps and helped boards of health in Southeastern Massachusetts with their planning for public health disasters. She has a master’s degree in community/public health nursing from the University of Massachusetts Dartmouth. Bushnell replaces Pat Iyer, who left in May to take a management position with the state Department of Public Health. Contact Bushnell at 781-767-1406 or cbushnell@randolph-ma.gov. — Wendy ChowROCKLAND
WORK ON MIDDLE SCHOOL STARTS — The reopening of the Rockland schools last week brought a new look, as construction has begun on a middle school attached to the high school. The high school will be renovated, too, starting in January. The high school parking lot is now a construction zone, and the superintendent’s and district business offices have moved from the high school to the Lincoln School. The preschool has moved to the Jefferson Elementary School. The $86 million project is expected to be completed by August 2012 and includes a shared library, large lecture hall, and auditorium. Agostini Construction Co. of Rhode Island is managing the work. — Steve HatchSCITUATE
POND EYED AS PUBLIC WATER SOURCE — The Board of Selectmen recently approved a $48,000 plan to investigate and survey Galen Damon Pond for its use as a reserve reservoir. The town hopes to avoid water restrictions on residents in future summers. — Jessica BartlettWEYMOUTH
MURPHY CAPS LIBRARY CAREER AT 46 YEARS — Elizabeth Murphy retired as head of reference at the North Branch library last month after 46 years in the town library system. Murphy started in Weymouth as a page, shelving books for 85 cents an hour, and worked at the Tufts main library as well as the North Branch. Known for her calm demeanor and keen memory, Murphy specialized in genealogy, according to fellow librarian Christine Nault. “She helped a lot of people with their family histories,’’ Nault said. — Johanna SeltzAround the Region
BRIDGEWATER
COLLEGE ALIGNS WITH NAIROBI INSTITUTION — Bridgewater State College has forged an agreement with the University of Nairobi that will allow exhange programs for faculty and students, joint research, and other initiatives related to Bridgewater’s African studies program. The agreement went into effect Wednesday, and aims to promote the cultures and economies in the regions of both institutions. The agreement is Bridgewater State’s 27th such arrangement with institutions across the world. — Christine Legere CANTON
‘LIFE IS GOOD’ FEST NEXT WEEKEND — Donations of items like boot laces, beef jerky, playing cards, and pens are pouring in to town police and fire stations as part of the “Life Is Good” fund-raising festival that will be held at Prowse Farm on Saturday and next Sunday. The first day of the event at the foot of the Blue Hills coincides with the National Day of Service, and scores of volunteers will be packing donated items for soldiers serving in Iraq and Afghanistan. A list of items to be donated can be found at www.cantonpolice.com under “news updates.” More information is at www.lifeisgood.com/festivals. — Elaine Cushman CarrollMIDDLEBOROUGH
SELECTMEN OBJECT TO COURT CLOSURE — Selectmen have forwarded a letter to the state committee considering closure of Wareham and Hingham district courts, saying closure of Wareham would hurt public safety and severely strain the resources of the town’s Police Department. Under the plan, all cases currently heard in the Wareham District Court, including those from Middleborough, would shift to Plymouth. — Christine Legere
© Copyright 2010 Globe Newspaper Company.
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