He expressed deep regret for his actions, but James Florence, a Plymouth man described by prosecutors as a serial cyberstalker, could not persuade a judge to show him leniency. Florence, 37, an information technology professional who once held US Department of Defense “secret clearance” status, was sentenced Wednesday to nine years in prison followed by […]
Tag: Feature
Posted inGovernment
Town ‘VIPs’ are going to Japan. Not everyone thinks it’s a good idea
A delegation of 10 students, two chaperones, and eight “VIPs” are headed to Japan for an eight-day trip to Plymouth’s sister city of Shichigahama on July 29. Officials tout the excursion as beneficial to the town, but critics say it’s a junket that costs $30,000 and doesn’t produce a quantifiable return. Select Board chair Kevin […]
Posted inBusiness
Select Board inches toward action on Bert’s eyesore
Town Meeting member Richard Serkey has long campaigned to get the town to do something about its most notorious blighted property – the former site of Bert’s restaurant at the entrance to Long Beach on Warren Avenue. His persistence may finally be paying off. The retired local attorney has spoken about Bert’s four times over […]
Posted inCulture
‘Pedaling Preacher’ preps for Alaska adventure
When the pastor of Plymouth’s Church of the Pilgrimage, an avid cyclist, announced he was going to participate in a charity ride, parishioner Julie Witherew remembered thinking: “He’s biking where?” Alaska. That’s where the Pedaling Preacher – better known as Rev. Tim Garvin-Leighton – is headed next month to take part in the Fuller Center […]
Posted inBusiness
What’s happening with that barren development site off Route 3?
Digging stopped last December at what was expected to be the largest expansion of the Plymouth Industrial Park in decades. But since then, the 19-acre site – visible from Route 3 south of the Kingston border – has been quiet, with sand dust clouds periodically blowing across the highway. The developer says the project is […]
Posted inBusiness
Town, Atlantic Country Club owner at impasse over sale
The town and the owner of the Atlantic Country Club have reached an apparent stalemate over the fate of the South Plymouth golf course and the dispute is getting ugly. Lawyers for owner Mark McSharry last week sent a third letter to the town, this time dropping the veneer of goodwill and accusing officials of […]
Posted inEnvironment & Health
Jenney Pond footbridge marks a major step in restoration project
The new bridge at Jenney Pond is open, marking a milestone in an ambitious project to revitalize the popular park area all the way through Brewster Gardens to the waterfront. The 75-foot-long, 10-foot-wide span replaces a narrower, less accessible wooden footbridge that was more than 50 years old and deteriorating. “I’m very happy with how […]
Posted inEnvironment & Health
All clear: Town says testing shows Memorial Hall air is safe
Graham Nash fans can breathe easy. Friday night’s concert by the legendary member of Crosby, Stills, and Nash will go on as scheduled at Memorial Hall after outside testing showed air and surfaces inside the town-owned building were within a normal range for silica dust. The decaying downtown venue was closed last week after […]
Posted inPolice & Fire
Man faces charges after brandishing knife in bar
In recent years, Main Street Sports Bar & Grill has been the frequent scene of assaults, brawls, and drunken encounters. Last week was no different. Plymouth police swarmed the bar after a customer who was kicked out returned brandishing a knife and threatening to stab the bouncer who banished him, police say. The bar this […]
Posted inHistory & Architecture
Holy Ghost Festival recalls North Plymouth’s glory years
My grandmother, Lena Ruffini Fornaciari, was born in Italy. She was fluent in Italian, of course, but also spoke English without an accent, and like so many of her generation growing up in North Plymouth, she was proficient in Portuguese as well. When Lena and my grandfather married, they built a house in 1942 on […]