Plymouth’s annual Thanksgiving parade – set for Saturday, Nov. 23, rain or otherwise – is the town’s biggest event of the year, with tens of thousands of people expected to line the route. Planning how you’ll get to a prime viewing spot now will make the experience a much better one. While everyone loves a […]
Author Archives: Mark Pothier - Independent Staff
Posted inCommentary
‘Speed and greed’: Readers react to column on rampant red-light running
My recent column about the rampant disregard of red lights – along with other basic rules of the road – generated a lot of in-box traffic. As I wrote, it’s not strictly a Plymouth problem, but since this is where we live, it’s where we drive the most, and why we care more. Of the […]
Posted inPolice & Fire
Plymouth fire chief warns of ‘extremely high’ brush and wildfire fire risk
You’ve probably noticed something missing this fall – significant rainfall. That’s led to a dramatic increase in brush fires throughout Massachusetts, scarring landscapes and causing hazy skies. As of earlier this week, more than 450 fires had burned over 1,500 acres since the beginning of October because of drought conditions. So far, Plymouth hasn’t faced […]
Posted inFire
Under tough conditions, firefighters keep Alden St. fire from spreading
It had all the elements of a major disaster – a building fire on a chilly night, with unusually dry conditions and flames fanned by gusting winds in a dense residential neighborhood. But speedy action by Plymouth firefighters Wednesday limited the damage to a two-story garage and nearby outbuilding – which was used as an […]
Posted inCommentary
Wild in the streets of Plymouth: When did running red lights become normalized?
“This is what it has come to.” So begins the trailer for “Mad Max 2: The Road Warrior.” In director George Miller’s 1981 apocalyptic classic, rules of the road get run over as unhinged drivers race to avoid extinction. The wild ride doesn’t end well for most. It reminds me of driving around Plymouth. Based […]
Posted inGovernment
Haven’t voted yet? Here’s a last-days election guide.
Whether you’re anticipating it with dread, hope, or exhaustion – you can pick two – election day is almost here. Early in-person voting ended Friday and it’s too late to drop a ballot in the mail, but if you requested one in advance, you can still return it to Town Hall by 8 p.m. on […]
Posted inReal Estate Sales
Take a look at September’s home sale numbers in Plymouth
This isn’t what real estate pros and prospective buyers were hoping for. Despite the Federal Reserve’s half-point cut in its benchmark interest rate last month, mortgage rates remain stubbornly high. They did initially dip – to a two-year low – but the decline did not last. Rates have been steadily climbing again, and this week […]
Posted inPolice & Fire
With a suspect facing murder charges, family and friends of Brent Berkeley grieve his senseless death
The community is grieving after a minor traffic incident in downtown Plymouth late Friday afternoon led to a shocking act of violence that left one man dead and another facing murder charges. The suspect, 23-year-old David Jerome, of Plymouth, allegedly shot Brent Berkeley, 41, also of Plymouth multiple times — before trying to save him […]
Posted inPolice & Fire
Downtown shooting leaves man dead, suspect in custody
Part of downtown was blocked off for hours Friday evening after a late afternoon shooting in the Middle Street parking lot left one man dead and another in custody. Police Chief Dana Flynn said in a statement that dispatchers began receiving reports of a shooting at about 5:45 p.m. An officer who quickly arrived on […]
Posted inCulture
Bob Hollis, the man behind the Spire, receives Santos community service award
Ed Santos, who died two years ago at 93, was renowned for his philanthropic and volunteer efforts during an era when once-sleepy Plymouth was “coming of age.” One of his admirers was Michael Gallerani, a former longtime resident who in 2023 established the Edward W. Santos Community Service Award. It “recognizes individuals for their life […]