The town’s top special education official has resigned — days after a parent threatened legal action against her. Christine Smith, Plymouth Public Schools’ director of special education since July, quit in early February, after just seven months on the job, according to town records. Her resignation came less than two weeks after a parent alleged […]
Author Archives: Andrea Estes - Independent Staff
Posted inPolice & Fire
Plymouth police officers to start wearing body cams
It’s taken more time than expected and a lot more money than initially set aside, but Plymouth police officers are finally being outfitted with body-worn cameras. The department, which plans to unveil the cameras soon, hailed their arrival in a Facebook post as “a big step forward.” “These cameras will enhance public safety, strengthen trust […]
Posted inEnvironment & Health
‘The entire hospital is short-staffed’
A man showed up at Beth Israel Deaconess Hospital-Plymouth’s emergency room one morning last month suffering from Covid and struggling to breathe. He remained in the ER for more than 12 hours while waiting for an intensive care unit bed. But at 1 a.m., the patient went into cardiac arrest, according to a report […]
Posted inBusiness
State agency says downtown bar served underage man who later died in a car crash
The Plymouth Select Board this week spent an hour debating whether the owners of Proof 22 should be punished for letting an intoxicated man enter the downtown bar and restaurant. In the end, the board — which serves as the town’s licensing authority — voted 3-2 against doing anything, concluding the alleged infraction didn’t warrant […]
Posted inPolice & Fire
With an assist from a sharp-nosed dog, police arrest three in two drug busts
Police believe there is less crack cocaine and fentanyl being sold on the streets of Plymouth today following two busts this week that resulted in the arrest of three men for alleged drug dealing. On Tuesday, they charged two Boston men after approaching a suspicious car idling on a Plymouth street, police reports said. Police […]
Posted inPolice & Fire
Plymouth woman bilked out of almost $450,000 by scammers posing as Vince Gill
Patricia was a huge Vince Gill fan, traveling to the country music star’s shows and following him on social media. So it didn’t seem odd when someone purporting to be Gill responded after the Plymouth resident posted a message on his Instagram page in the fall of 2022 — “hope you come to Boston!” That […]
Posted inPolice & Fire
Plymouth man will plead guilty to cyberstalking his victims over a decade
A Plymouth man this week agreed to plead guilty to charges he cyberstalked multiple victims over a decade, posting on social media sites digitally altered images of them that included pornographic photos, according to federal prosecutors. James Florence Jr., 36, who was living at the Redbrook apartments in South Plymouth when he was arrested in […]
Posted inBusiness
Could Costco be coming to Plymouth?
Attention Plymouth shoppers: Costco or some other sought-after retail emporium may be coming to town. And a highly visible blight on the landscape might be cleaned up in the process. The owner of TL Edwards Inc., the hulking gravel processing plant off Cherry Street and Commerce Way, wants to sell the 54-acre parcel, preferably to […]
Posted inGovernment
Differing opinions on rift between town manager, Independent aired at Select Board meeting
The town’s frayed relationship with the Plymouth Independent dominated Tuesday’s Select Board meeting, with some residents defending the nonprofit news organization and others backing town manager Derek Brindisi. For about 45 minutes, comments focused on an edict issued by Brindisi in December that all appointed town officials “cease all communication with the PI,” except for […]
Posted inPolice & Fire
After a long career, police captain says he’s had enough
He was the public face of the Plymouth Police Department, speaking for it when crimes were committed or suspects charged. He promoted the department on its Facebook page and organized searches when someone went missing. Captain Jason Higgins was the voice of the Plymouth police — until he was not. Higgins was in and out […]