After weeks of closed-door discussions and a wave of public criticism, the Select Board Tuesday cleared the way for a housing developer to buy 138 acres of formerly protected land in Cedarville, with the deciding votes cast by two members who hold personal and political ties to him. The 3-2 decision to waive the town’s […]
Author Archives: Andrea Estes - Independent Staff
Posted inPolice & Fire
Two men arrested for attack on woman with mental illness
Two Plymouth men are facing criminal charges after a video appeared on the Facebook page ‘All Things Plymouth’ showing them allegedly punching and shoving a woman who is mentally ill and has no home. The alleged attack took place on April 8, but it wasn’t until May 20, when a caller alerted police to the […]
Posted inPolice & Fire
Alleged rapist was long known for fiery outbursts
He’s been accused of shooting at a neighbor’s dog, texting his ex-wife 436 times over 13 hours, and calling a tenant 700 times after she complained about the way he was boarding her horses. Before he and his Plymouth police officer wife were charged with raping their adopted son, Dan Forand had a long history […]
Posted inGovernment
Judge orders town manager to reinstate services at airport
The town lost another round in its fight with the Plymouth Municipal Airport Commission Wednesday when the judge in the case ordered the town to resume providing services to the airport. Plymouth Superior Court Judge Gregg Pasquale directed town manager Derek Brindisi to rescind his controversial order instructing all town employees to stop doing any […]
Posted inPolice & Fire
Police identify human remains found last year
Human remains found along Route 3 in Plymouth have been identified as those of Sandra Crispo, a Hanson woman who was reported missing in August 2019. On March 6, 2025, a hunter searching the woods for deer antlers, found a human skull in a trail near the breakdown lane between exits 13 and 15 of […]
Posted inGovernment
Political feud at airport escalates
Town Manager Derek Brindisi has ordered an immediate halt of all town services at Plymouth Municipal Airport, escalating his ongoing feud with airport commissioners over management of the facility. The new policy follows an April superior court judge’s order instructing him to stop getting involved in airport business. Brindisi last week instructed town employees to […]
Posted inPolice & Fire
Charged with faking death, woman pleads not guilty
A Plymouth woman who allegedly faked her own death to avoid relatively minor criminal charges was ordered held on $50,000 cash bail Tuesday. Shannon Elizabeth Wilson, 44, is accused of using false identities when questioned by police, making false reports and failing to appear for several court dates. She pleaded not guilty Tuesday to multiple […]
Posted inPolice & Fire
Van Cott admits to schools’ fraud scheme
Plymouth schools’ former director of food services who stole thousands of dollars of food and equipment has signed a plea deal with federal prosecutors in exchange for a prison sentence of less than a year. Patrick Van Cott, 64, of Sandwich, was charged earlier this week in a 11-year fraud scheme in which he resold […]
Posted inPolice & Fire
Feds charge fired school official with fraud
The fired director of food services at Plymouth schools was charged by federal authorities Wednesday in a brazen, decade-long fraud scheme to steal food and equipment he then used at his own Cape Cod side business. Patrick Van Cott, 64, of Sandwich, who was fired last year after the alleged fraud scheme was discovered, now […]
Posted inGovernment
Town Meeting member slammed for outburst
“Did he really say that?” Select Board Member Deb Iaquinto wondered when she heard shouting coming from the rear of the auditorium during Saturday’s town meeting. It was Jeff Fosdick, Precinct 11 vice chair, yelling “Suck it, Lantagne!” at Lisa Lantagne, a Town Meeting member on the losing side of an agenda item he supported. […]