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The Plymouth Area League of Women Voters will host a forum called “The Power of Local Journalism: A Conversation,” on Monday, May 19, from 6 to 8:15 p.m., in the Fehlow Meeting Room at the Plymouth Public Library, 132 South St. The conversation will feature Mark Pothier, editor of the Plymouth Independent, and Barbara Roessner, founding editor of the New Bedford Light. Tom Redburn, a retired New York Times economics editor and founding Independent board member, will moderate. If you’re curious about the workings of local digital news – and its sustainability – this event could answer some of your questions.
The forum’s purpose, according to League of Women Voters treasurer Deb Etzel, is to “promote an educated voting public” and provide insight into how local digital journalism works. Etzel said, “The goal is to get people to understand how to assess the news and make sure it’s as unbiased as possible.”
During a social hour from 6 to 7 p.m., you can meet the speakers and enjoy light refreshments. Prior to the formal session, audience members can write questions out on notecards for the speakers to address. The first part of the program will provide background on the genesis of the two publications, followed by questions.
With local journalism in decline, partly because of corporate takeovers – look at what Gannett did to Plymouth’s once vital Old Colony Memorial – nonprofit digital news sources like the Independent and Light are trying to fill the void.
“Local journalism is more important than ever,” Redburn said. Among other things, an independent press is necessary to hold government officials accountable, he said.
Redburn said the number of email subscribers and page visits for the Independent have been “astonishing,” especially for a publication that has only existed since late November 2023.
Etzel is among the many Plymouth residents who watched in dismay as local news vanished from the fast-growing town.
“I’ve been here for 17 years and watched the Old Colony Memorial go to nothingness,” she said.
After it was taken over by Gannett Media, Etzel said, the league’s ability to reach the public via letters or stories about candidates was greatly diminished.
The May 19 event will be recorded by The Local Seen (PACTV) and will be available on the league’s website.
Monday, May 12
“The Ballad of Wallis Island” screens at Plimoth Cinema at Plimoth Patuxet Museums,137 Warren Ave. Set on a fictional Welsh island, two former lovers and folk singers – played by Carey Mulligan and Tom Basden – reunite for an eccentric millionaire’s private show at his home. There is tension. Also showing, “Secret Mall Apartment,” a documentary about eight young Rhode Island artists who created a secret 750-square-foot apartment inside the busy Providence Place mall. Both films continue at least through Thursday, May 15. Film times are 4:30 and 7 p.m. Tickets are $12.50, $11 with a club card, $10 for seniors or members, and $8.50 for seniors with a club card.
Sergei Novikov will return to the Fehlow Meeting Room in Plymouth Public Library, 132 South St., for a performance from 7 to 8:15 p.m. A Russian immigrant who moved to the United States at age 21, Novikov has become a major force in contemporary composing. From Tchaikovsky to “Phantom of the Opera” to Duke Ellington to Billy Joel, the music will have something for everyone, presented with a sense of humor. Registration is required, and you can do so here.
A ribbon cutting ceremony for the official opening of the Plymouth Seaside Grace Trail and a guided Grace Trail walk will kick off at 1 p.m. at the Nelson Memorial Park parking lot, 235 Water St. The Grace Trail came about when local resident Anne Jolles, who was struggling with challenges in her life, placed stones on the trail with words starting with each letter in “grace” – Gratitude, Release, Accept, Challenge, and Embrace. With support from the town and local businesses, the smaller stones have been replaced by large boulders with the words and related questions engraved on them. The event is free and open to the public, and will take place rain or shine.
Tuesday, May 13
State Representative Michelle Badger welcomes constituents to attend office hours from 6 to 7 p.m. at Town Hall in the Atlantic Room, on the fourth floor. This session will include joint office hours with Representative Kathy LaNatra. No appointments are necessary.
The Plymouth Antiquarian Society will host a “Historic Clothing Parlor Talk” at 2 p.m. at the Hedge House Museum, 126 Water St. The talk is part of a series highlighting pieces from the society’s historic clothing collection, which is undergoing conservation work this year. The discussion will explore examples of the styles and fabrics of the late 18th century, revealing how fashion reflected social status and the daily challenges of life during the Revolutionary Era. The cost is $10 per person; $5 for members. Tickets are available here, and members can get a discount code by emailing info@plymouthantiquarian.org. You can also send a check payable to Plymouth Antiquarian Society (or PAS) to: Plymouth Antiquarian Society, P.O. Box 3773, Plymouth, MA, 02361.
Wednesday, May 14
Mike Paduch, the owner of Crystal Lake Greenhouses in Plymouth and Carver, will speak at the Plymouth Garden Club’s monthly meeting at 1 p.m., at the Chiltonville Congregational Church, 6 River St. Paduch will discuss his passion for growing and caring for begonias. He will also bring a variety of annuals to the meeting. Paduch holds a degree in horticulture from the Stockbridge School of Agriculture at UMass Amherst and has been growing plants for his family business for 50 years. A traditional English tea will be served after the program. Guests are welcome for a $5 fee.
The last lecture in a series titled “Plymouth in the Revolution” will take place in the Fehlow Meeting Room at Plymouth Public Library, 132 South St., from 7 to 8 p.m. Donna Curtin, executive director of the Pilgrim Society and Pilgrim Hall Museum, will discuss “Dr. James Thacher and Plymouth’s Revolutionary Generation.” Army surgeon Thacher opened a medical practice in Plymouth after the war. He and others from the Revolutionary generation helped reshape Plymouth.
Thursday, May 15
State Representative Michelle Badger will hold community office hours from 10:30 to 11:30 a.m. at the Center for Active Living, 44 Nook Road. This event will include joint office hours with Representative Kathy LaNatra. All constituents are welcome to discuss local concerns, state issues, or simply to connect. No appointments are necessary.
Jen Kearney, a singer whose sound is a combination of Soul, R&B, Funk, Rock, and Latin, will perform on the main stage at the Spire at 7:30, with doors opening at 6:30. She has performed as a solo act and with a full band, and released a four-song EP in 2022 titled “Atlantic.” Tickets are $15, and you can buy them here.
Saturday, May 17
Inebri-Arts, in partnership with Plymouth Pride, will hold an arts and crafts fair on the Town Green downtown from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Original art and crafts made by local creators will be for sale, and there will be live music, too. Artists and performers interested in securing a spot should reach out to inebriart@yahoo.com.
The Plymouth Garden Club will hold its annual plant sale from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Plymouth Public Library, 132 South St. There will be a selection of native plants, shrubs, perennials, and herbs. There will also be a bake sale and a boutique table. This sale helps fund three $1,500 scholarships that will go to three graduates enrolled in a course relevant to the club from each local high school: Plymouth North High School, Plymouth South High School, and Rising Tide Charter School. The funds also support other projects and activities carried out by the club.
Children 8 and older are invited to a Colonial Dame School session with teacher Prudence Gray in the Fehlow Meeting Room at the Plymouth Public Library, 132 South St., from 2 to 3:30 p.m. They will learn a variety of subjects from hornbooks, as well as lessons and morals from Aesop’s Fables. Participants will also learn how to write with a quill pen and ink. During recess, they’ll visit Gray’s kitchen to try cooking tools of the era and taste a colonial treat. Recess will include learning about and playing with colonial toys and games. Each attendee will receive a free book related to American history or culture. The event was developed from a grant from the Jennifer Kane Scholarship and Charitable Trust. Register here.
Local guitar legend Duke Robillard will perform at the Spire at 8 p.m., with doors opening at 7 p.m. Robillard founded the jump blues band Roomful of Blues in the late ‘60s with Al Copley. After a dozen years, he moved on to work with other artists and bands, including his Duke Robillard Band in the ‘80s and The Fabulous Thunderbirds after that. Tickets are $28.80 and $32, and you can buy them here.
The Plymouth Center for the Arts, 11 North St., will hold a reception for the opening of its 15th Annual Fine Art Photography Juried Competition and Exhibition from 4 to 6 p.m. New this year is an emerging artist category for artists enrolled in a degree-conferring arts program. The non-themed photo competition is open to photographers ages 16 and older. The reception will feature the music of saxophonist/flutist Ken Field, leading a trio with John Stein on guitar and Blake Newman on bass, performing a collection of jazz standards, as well as several of Field’s originals. The photography exhibit will continue through Sunday, June 22. The reception is free and open to the public, although donations are welcomed.
95.9 WATD’s Francesca Luca Show will host a contest to find the South Shore’s “Most Eligible Bachelor/Bachelorette” at Alden Park, 160 Colony Place, from 4 to 7:30 p.m. Five bachelors and five bachelorettes will compete, showcasing their talent, charm, and personality. The prizes include a round-trip ferry ride to Martha’s Vineyard, a sightseeing tour on Cape Cod Canal Cruises, dinner for two in the North End, and more. To enter, email info@talkwithfrancesca.com. A portion of the proceeds will go to DOVE (Domestic Violence Ended). Tickets are $35 each, and you can scan the QR code to order them here.
To mark the 250th anniversary of the American Revolution, the Plymouth Antiquarian Society and the Mercy Otis Warren Society will present “Revolutionary Voices – Plymouth Debates Liberty and Loyalty,” at 3 p.m. at the 1749 Court House on Town Square. The original short play brings to life the impassioned debates that shaped Plymouth’s path to war. The drama reenacts the deliberations of Plymouth’s Committee of Correspondence and features reflections from Mercy Otis Warren, one of the most politically engaged women of her time and a fierce advocate for liberty. After the play, the audience may join a conversation with the cast and special guest Nancy Rubin Stuart, President of the Mercy Otis Warren Society and author of “The Muse of the Revolution: The Secret Pen of Mercy Otis Warren and the Founding of a Nation.” A $10 donation is suggested, and reservations are required. Reserve a spot by emailing info@plymouthantiquarian.org or calling 508-746-0012.
Plimoth Patuxet Museums’ Annual Spring Heirloom Plant Sale will take place in the museums’ parking lot, 137 Warren Ave., from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. There will be more than 100 types of heirloom plants to choose from, including herbs, vegetables, and flowers that are grown in the museums’ 17th-Century English Village. Staff will be on hand to answer questions about the plants, and there will be a pop-up retail shop. The sale is free to enter, and will continue on Sunday, May 18, Saturday, May 24, and Sunday, May 25.
Sunday, May 18
Loretta LaRoche will bring her show, “Love, Laughter, and Lasagna: A Recipe for a Positive Outlook,” to the Spire at4 p.m., with doors opening at 3 p.m.LaRoche, well-known as an international stress management expert who helped pioneer the use of humor as a coping mechanism, advocates wanting to be a “human being” rather than a “human doing.” Her recipe for less stress: “A dollop of family, a sprinkle of friends, and a generous serving of self-care.” Tickets for the show are $45 and you can buy them here.
Monday, May 19
The Plymouth Area League of Women Voters will host a forum on “The Power of Local Journalism: A Conversation,” from 6 to 8:15 p.m. in the Fehlow Meeting Room of the Plymouth Public Library, 132 South St. See the lead item in this column for more information.
Tuesday, May 20
Habitat for Humanity of Greater Plymouth will hold an information session at the Plymouth Public Library, 132 South St., at 7 p.m. The nonprofit, which provides affordable housing for low-income households in the region, is accepting applications from income-qualified local residents who want to own an affordable three-bedroom home in Manomet. Construction will begin this spring. Attendance at the information session is not required but is encouraged. The application deadline is Monday, June 2, at 4 p.m. Applications can be dropped off at the Habitat office or ReStore,160 North Main St., Carver, or mailed to HFHGP, PO Box 346, Carver, MA, 02330. Applications are available at local libraries, or you can download one here.
Thursday, May 22
Kathleen Parks, fiddler, singer, and songwriter, will perform at the Spire Lobby Series at 7:30 p.m., with doors opening at 6:30 p.m. Parks has played with Twisted Pine and Kat & Brad, and her music includes pop, folk, jazz, and Celtic traditions. She released a solo album in 2024 with original songs and covers inspired by music legends included John Hartford and Carole King. Tickets are $15 and you can buy them here.
Friday, May 23
Toronto-based Bywater Call will perform at the Spire at 8 p.m. with doors opening at 7 p.m. The seven-piece Southern soul, roots-rock band is comprised of Meghan Parnell on vocals, Dave Barnes on guitar, Bruce McCarthy on drums, Mike Meusel on bass, John Kervin on keyboard, Stephen Dyte on trumpet, and Julian Nalli on tenor sax. Bywater is a UK Blues Award nominee for International Blues Artist of the Year. Tickets are $25.20 and $28, and you can buy them here.
Saturday, May 24
The public is welcome to take part in a “Chalk, Talk, Walk on Grace Trail” at the Plymouth Seaside Grace Trail, 235 Water St. off the Nelson Memorial Park parking lot. Grace Trail creator Anne Jolles said there will be colored chalk available at each boulder site for each question, so walkers and artists can share their answers with the world by writing on the trail. It’s a daylong event.
Sustainable Plymouth invites climate-concerned citizens to join in an “Hour of Action” from 4 to 5 p.m. at the Plymouth Public Library, 132 South St. The group aims to get up to speed on a timely climate policy issue, learn how to impact it this month, and then take action. Drop in any time to advocate for the climate – no prep work is needed.