How about a positive spin on the rainy weather in this weekend’s forecast? All that water will further dampen the chances of a severe drought making a return appearance this summer. The precipitation expected over the next few days will likely buttress this week’s encouraging report from the Massachusetts Department of Energy and Environmental Affairs. […]
Author Archives: Mark Pothier - Independent Staff
Posted inGovernment
Plymouth’s ‘Hands Off!’ rally draws huge crowd
It was hard to determine the size of the crowd at Saturday’s “Hands Off!” demonstration on Water Street – some people estimated it at more than 1,000 – but there is no doubt it was one of the town’s biggest protests in decades. The gloomy, chilly weather didn’t dampen the vigor of participants, who gathered […]
Posted inEnvironment & Health
What can be done about people who trash Prestige Way?
Plymouth DPW director Bill Coyle is more of a diplomat than I could ever be. When I recently asked him about people who toss trash wherever they please – including appliances, furniture, mattresses, and tires – I figured he’d jump at the opportunity to vent. After all, part of Coyle’s job is fighting the blight […]
Posted inBusiness
How to avoid getting a parking ticket this season
Let the grumbling begin. The calendar has turned to April, and the covers have come off meters in the downtown and waterfront area. It’s time to start paying for parking again. And like chirping birds, spring also brings the harping of Park Plymouth’s critics, the private company contracted by the town to manage parking. Its […]
Posted inPolice & Fire
Firefighters, others find comfort in Rio
The stress level at Plymouth’s fire stations is likely lower these days – thanks to Rio. No, taxpayers are not funding vacations in Brazil for local firefighters. Rio is a 19-month-old black lab trained as a comfort dog. After learning the ropes of his new role – he completed training in February – Rio has […]
Posted inReal Estate Sales
‘Plymouth real estate remains hot’
The spring housing market, traditionally pitched by the real estate industry as a “great time” to buy and sell – isn’t it always? – is upon us. That angle has dulled somewhat in recent years with the number of homes for sale dwindling amid ever-rising prices, but the season still matters and serves as a […]
Posted inBusiness
Who said there’s no such thing as a free ride?
The price of just about everything is up, but you can still get a free ride in parts of Plymouth. The Plymouth Growth and Development Corporation has announced a $175,000 grant to fully fund Ride Circuit for the 2025 season. The electric vehicle program provides free shuttle service to residents and visitors, primarily in the […]
Posted inCulture
Marking some milestone achievements
We can’t cover everything we’d like to – Plymouth is a big town and we’re a small operation. News that isn’t headline-screaming but nonetheless worth noting sometimes gets bypassed. (That’s why we encourage organizations to send us a letter for publication celebrating the outcome of a fundraiser or other events.) Here’s a capsule report on […]
Posted inEnvironment & Health
It’s official: Bird flu presence in Plymouth confirmed by testing
As expected, the avian flu outbreak in Plymouth has been officially confirmed, weeks after dead and dying birds began showing up across town. The town on Monday received notice from a national laboratory that six of nine bird carcasses collected in Plymouth and submitted for testing carried the Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza, or HPAI, commonly […]
Posted inCulture
As Plymouth grows, so is its homeless population
The campsite in North Plymouth is a lonely outpost at the end of a trampled-down path. The ground is littered with evidence of lives upended. There’s a tattered tent, a rusting bicycle hanging from a tree, mismatched boots, takeout containers, a child’s coloring book. No one would call this place home. Not by choice, anyway. […]