This is the archive of previous Norfolk Notes.
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If you follow the link, you can even hear the Merriam-Webster man say it. Im not sure where you got the idea that NOR-FOLK is the proper pronunciation, but I'd love to hear you pronounce Haverhill, Worcester or Quincy. Good thing you're not in charge of anything important.
9/30 10:03pm SV, I am in the process of starting a mobile car detailing business in the area. I live in Norfolk and would be love to detail your car. Please contact me at shamonotee@yahoo.com for details. - PN
9/30 10:02pm I want to thank the Norfolk police for their quick response to what we believe to be a rabid racoon the other day as well as their quick response to a downed tree and wires today in the Noon Hill area. They did a great job and we thank them very much. - DV
9/30 9:59pm DWL, I laughed when I saw your post because my house is always a mess. I try, but 4 kids, a company to run and a husband who is not around much -- things like homework and healthy meals come first. But I would never leave my dogs poop on your lawn. - DV
9/30 9:58pm The Southeastern Mass. Community Concert Band is beginning rehersals for the fall concert season. The band is a no-audition community band that reherses every Monday night from 7:30 to 9:30 at the Community Church in Medway, Main Street. All players are welcome, percussion players are needed. Middle and High School students welcome. We currently have two members from Norfolk, and would love to see more join. For more information, please call (508)-533-5532, or email annecodman@verizon.net. - CR
9/30 9:57pm KM - Your droll (or should I say "sappy") post is off the mark. These aren't well-established trees we're talking about. Their branches are quite fragile, and given the lack of natural rain, many trees are quite stressed. As a soccer coach I've admonished kids who are in a destructive (aka clueless) frame of mind (that includes kids who hang on the nets and goals as well). If you haven't noticed, there are play structures at Pond Street and the Freeman Centennial that are meant to be climbed on. Perhaps in the spirit of unbridled fun, the town should send you a bill for any damaged trees. - DA
9/30 9:56pm Kids in trees?? Well, at the risk of sounding like a crabby killjoy... Let me start by saying that my hubby and I have 6 children ranging in age from 26 to 3 yrs old. We also have had up to three dogs living in our home, along with an assortment of other pets as large as horses... right down to hamsters. So, I feel as though anyone who calls me uptight is way of the mark. I have to agree that the kids probably shouldn't be climbing the trees at Pond Street. While it's true that there are many other branches, the trees in question are only babies and need a chance to make it! With the high volume of children that frequent pond street, If everyone behaved in a destructive manner... there would be nothing but a bare plot of mud. It may seem petty , but really... there is a playground right there for the kids to climb!
- MW
9/30 9:51pm Since we are on the topic of dog doo doo. Does anyone know Norfolk's rules and regulations on dog waste and, removal and disposal? Specifially, in regard to a neighbor who has numerous dogs and lets them relieve themselves on the property line and does not clean up. It is on their own private property, but don't I or my children have any rights? I would like to be able to sit out in my backyard or sleep in my room with my windows open without having to smell the dog doo doo. - [Name withheld - Wm.]
9/30 1:03pm SV, Everrett's in Norwood is a great detailer. - PRB
9/30 1:02pm MJD: Kids have been climbing trees forever... thank goodness there are plenty of branches on those trees, just in case one or two branches out of allll the branches gets bent from a child having fun... - KM
9/30 1:01pm SV: 'Dr. Detail' in Walpole, on the corner of Route 27 and Route 1. Approximately 15 minutes from Norfolk Center. - KM
9/30 1:00pm Auto detailing... A really picky and messy friend of ours uses Bud's in Needham. (on the Dover side... not too far). They would be in the phone book. If your van needs TLC, they would be the ones to use! - MW
9/30 12:42pm The interesting thing about the dog owner and the poop being left behind is that you form an impression of the dog walker; at least I do. If the dog owner picks up the poop, one would form the opinion that the owner is a caring (at least for the neighborhood) person, cares about where they live, and probably a very tidy person in their home. If they let their dogs do this and not clean up all I can think of is what a slob and what this person's house must look like. What I have also seen is that if someone is around and watching them, they may pick it up. However, I have been in my house, looking out the window and the bag goes unused as they think no one is around. - DWL
9/30 12:48am Hello, Anyone have a well travelled minivan like mine? I'm looking for recommendations for a good car detailing service. Looking especially for shampoo service. Thanks in advance - SV
9/29 7:07pm DA, as a dog owner, I completely agree with you. As much as I love my dog, the thought of dog poop on the school fields is very disrespectful. I do believe they, if well behaved, should be able to come to the town concerts and to the soccer games, but only after a long walk when their "business" is done and, just in case, a bag in "mom's" pocket. - DV
9/29 7:06pm DA - I agree about the dogs. People think that they are getting away with something when they let their dog poop on public property and don't pick up. I watched a woman on Friday morning, right before 9 a.m. on Boardman Street let her dog poop on the sidewalk. I slowed down to see if you would pick it up - she did not. Yuck! - MJD
9/29 7:05pm A quick clarification: The 4th of July dog incident mentioned in my posting occurred on the Franklin Town Common. - DA
9/29 12:54pm Regarding dogs at the school fields - I've noticed a dog walker at the HOD School while dropping my daughter off for the morning SACC program. As we witnessed the dog liberally urinate on a tree by the curb near the entrance to the school, both my daughter and I gave each other a gross out grimace. Likewise, dogs were in liberal attendance at the summer concerts on Town Hill. One evening I noticed after the program was over and folks near us folded up their blanket, there was a squished mound of dog mess. In another example, The Country Gazette featured an indignant letter to the editor filed over an incident at the 4th of July gathering on the town common. The writer was beside herself that police had asked her remove her dog from the grounds because it posed a public health hazard to the many families gathered for the festivities. This childless (and childish) woman went on to harangue the town over its lack of a dog park. She was indignant that her "child" could not be serviced by the town. Finally, several years back I took a walk with the family to a Trustees of the Reservations property in Dover that allowed dogs on the trails. My wife, kids, and I managed to successful dodge many "land mines" liberally scattered in the woods; however, on the return trip with my guard down, I was booby trapped by an offensive pile of scat at the edge of the parking area, which ironically borders a children's playground. - DA
[Update 7:05pm: A quick clarification: The 4th of July dog incident mentioned in my posting occurred on the Franklin Town Common. - DA]
9/29 12:44pm Can anyone recommend someone that cleans windows? Thanks - PRB
9/29 12:41pm Yard Sale - Today until 1:00 pm 1 Chickadee Drive Norfolk ... Lots of great stuff still for sale -- Furniture from Domain, In, Circle -- dresser, changing table/dresser, oversized chair and more. Accessories and home furnishings from Laura Ashley, Calico Corner, Pottery Barn Kids and Pier One. Kids toys from Little Tykes too! Come stop by!! - ES
9/29 9:38am The Garden Club of Norfolk membership drive on October 10 at 7:00 PM in the meeting room at the Norfolk Public Library. We invite all to come and explore membership in the club. We welcome everyone - from garden novices to experienced and/or professional gardeners. Learn about our activities including planting and maintaining of public areas in Norfolk. There will be some garden oriented demonstrations, too. Tickets will be available at this meeting for our fall fundraiser - A Holiday Raffle - drawing to be held on November 14th. Can't wait that long to be a winner? We'll have some door prizes at the October meeting. - SB, The Norfolk Garden Club
9/29 9:37am Congratulations to all the participants of the 3rd Annual Norfolk's Dunkin Donuts DARE to Run 5K Road Race & 1K Fun Run. It was a beautiful day to run (or walk) and it was wonderful to see so many people, from all over, come to take part in what has quickly becoming a very popular race right here in Norfolk. - CK
9/28 9:54pm MW - Thank God we have Prop. 2 1/2, otherwise we would be in the same boat at NJ. Just because Towns take in more tax revenue does not equate to more services. Look at most cities and towns in NJ, it's shameful what people pay. But your average teacher in NJ is making 80K as well. - LS
9/28 9:53pm This morning I dropped my son off to school at the Freeman for AM band. I noticed that there are always several dog walkers on the school fields... sans pooper scoopers or baggies (that I could see). When I picked him up after sports this PM, my son complained to me that there were so many land mines that the teacher had to cord off an area for them not to use!! Could we all be a little better about cleaning up after our dogs? Especially in a school yard. - MW
9/28 9:51pm DWL... Thanks for the link! These are the stats I got using the website to check her town/village/township or whatever they call them down there... I have always been very happy with the education that my kids have gotten here in town... There is always room for improvement though. School Information
Number of Schools: 9
Number of Students: 6,323
Number of Teachers: 428
Student/Teacher Ratio: 15.5:1
Number of Males: 3,256
Number of Females: 3,067- MW
9/28 9:48pm People are raising excellent questions about the cost/benefit analysis related to adding more commercial zoning, businesses and tax revenues. Norfolk has a very high percentage of tax revenue based on home owners. The real question to me is what is the appropriate balance between commercial and residential real estate/zoning/taxes/revenuet etc. I do not have an answer, but I hope that the town government is exploring these options. The tax payers should have some sort of rational cost/benefit analysis to determine how to proceed with future commercial zoning. This should include both financial and community impacts. One can dream.... - CS
9/28 8:19pm Click here: H Olive Day School in Norfolk, Massachusetts / MA MW, you might find this Norfolk site helpful. Scroll down to the bottom to see the student to teacher ratio. - DWL
9/28 8:18pm JH, I have used Emerald Square, Route 1, Plainville. Great service, always on time, no smoky cars and really friendly drivers at any time of night! - JT
9/28 8:17pm The King Philip High School Field Hockey teams are holding a car wash tomorrow, September 29th, from 9am to Noon. It is being held at the High School Bus loop. The cost is $5.00 and all proceeds will go directly into the KP field hockey booster account to help fund the program. Please help support KPFH!! Hope to see you tomorrow! - EH
9/28 8:16pm MW, Just beware of that number. I may be wrong, but I believe that is the ratio of the number of teachers to students, not the actual student number per class. I believe Norfolk has a ratio (that they use for the entire students to teacher population), but here it is 1:14 or 1:15. Teachers I have known that have taught in the NY/LI area have all said the same about number of students per class. - DWL
9/28 3:55pm DL We got our phone wet and when looking into a replacement we ran into the same problem. We found out that the stores have used cell phones from trade-in's, and if you buy one of them it does not effect your contract. Try the Sprint store on 109 in Medway, they had a bunch... and some folks who trade in have Verizon phones. Good luck - DV
9/28 3:54pm DWL, I believe the ratio is 1:17. It was hard to look it up. The elementary schools go by numbers there! How impersonal! The High school there was 1:11... - MW
9/28 3:05pm MW, It would be interesting to know how many children per class. Long Island is infamous for having 25-30 children per class for their elementary schools. Fortunately, ours are kept very low. - DWL
9/28 3:02pm JH, I have used New England Coach (1-877-7433632, ask for a "Towncar") numerous times to Logan and TF Green. In every instance they were on time, polite and had a clean car. Give them a try. - GE
9/28 2:48pm We would like to thank everyone who made this past Sunday's Dunkin Donuts DARE to Run Race a wonderful success! First we would like to thank Mr. Frank Barounis of Norfolk's Dunkin Donuts, who makes this race possible with his continued generosity to the town of Norfolk. Thank you to Gail Bernardo, Carol Greene, Ellen Rao, Allison Rao, and Todd Lindmark who helped with all the pre-race planning and organizing. We would also like to thank the Norfolk Lions Club and Leos Club, the Norfolk Fire Department, the Norfolk Police Department, Holmes Transportation, Jackson Therapeutics, Prudential Page Realty, and The Sun Chronicle whom we could not have held this race without all of these groups' help and support. - Craig and Helen Koch, Dunkin Donuts DARE to Run Race
9/28 2:47pm Tax rate... My sister lives in a nice town on Long Island. Her house is valued at around the same price as ours in Norfolk. She pays almost double what we pay in taxes per year. The only thing they get, that we don't, is curbside trash pickup. The school system may be a bit better than Norfolk's, but I am skeptical of just how much and they have a shared police dept... it's provided by the county. I was suprised to hear that all the fire depts near her are strictly volunteer! (and they live in one of the first towns outside of NYC... huh?) - MW
9/28 2:46pm Excellent piece, MW! Thank you for bringing it to our attention. Although it is perfectly understandable why our webmaster feels it should be relegated to a back page, the continuing tragedy is that virtually all of our major media sources are doing the same thing: either ignoring such issues completely or banishing them to a back page. - TEM
[Update 3:18pm: I spaced... it didn't strike me at the time I posted it, but this message also properly belongs on Politics (because it's a followup to a message there, and because the non-followup content is about major media and story placement, which again is not Norfolk related). My bad. I'm leaving it here for now, but put a copy on Politics as well for better flow. There is now a follow-up post by MW there as well, continuing the thread about West Virginia coal mining. - Wm.]
9/28 2:44pm Haunted Train Ride Sold Out! - TMS
9/28 2:43pm AR has a valid point about taxes and commercial development. Even if all the commercially zoned parcels in Norfolk were successfully developed, the Town's tax base would still be overwhelmingly residential. - HRB
9/28 2:41pm I am not sure if anyone has any ideas of where to get a used Verizon cell phone, besides e-bay. I have just a few months on my contract before I can get a new phone for free and of course my phone isn't working too great. We've bid on a few on e-bay and keep getting outbid. Actually, if anyone has a phone they've recently updated and you don't want your old phone anymore maybe I could buy it from you. 528-5483. Thanks, - DL
9/28 12:02pm I too was under the impression that development would help the tax bill. For giggles one day I looked up a friend's house in Rockwall, TX. For those who don't understand the info below (I don't know how well it will post) the house is appraised at $203,000 and they are paying over $5,000 per year in taxes. As with most cities in North Texas, it is very developed with mega-mall retail and six (to eight) lane roads everywhere you want to go. Thanks, but I will keep my sleepy little town and take my trash to the dump myself! Description
CITY OF ROCKWALL
Tax Rate
0.425000
Appraised Value
$203,010
Taxable Value
$203,010
Estimated Tax
$862.79
Description
ROCKWALL COUNTY
Tax Rate
0.350700
Appraised Value
$203,010
Taxable Value
$203,010
Estimated Tax
$711.96
Description
ROCKWALL ISD
Tax Rate
1.710000
Appraised Value
$203,010
Taxable Value
$188,010
Estimated Tax
$3,214.97
Total Tax Rate: 2.4857Estimated Tax With Current Exemptions:
$4,789.72Estimated Tax Without Current Exemptions:
$5,046.22- MH
9/28 11:43am While looking for a friend's movie on youtube, I came across this disturbing piece. "Toxic West Virginia: mountaintop removal"... This is not aimed at MON in any way!
[. . .]- MW
9/28 11:42am PJT: I couldn't agree with you more on Leo's in Walpole! Although it is unfortunate that we have to bring our business outside of Norfolk for some good Italian style pizza, Leo's is certainly the best around. As an added bonus, they just began delivering to Norfolk! - TC
9/28 11:41am Multi Family Yard Sale -- Saturday, Sept 29th 9:00 - 1:00 pm 1 Chickadee Drive Norfolk - ES
9/28 11:31am Wm - The Newsday link on your News >> News and Information page is dead. I've been just clicking on the Newsday.com icon on the top left of the page for a couple of months now. For some reason, I never thought to let you know until now. :) - DM
[Ha, those sneaks! They rearranged their site, and renamed pages. Should be working again. Thanks for letting me know! - Wm.]
9/28 11:31am Re: 9/27 3:17pm Can anyone recommend a residential window cleaning company? - DC - RH
9/27 8:45pm One of the best things about this town is that it is still a "town"... Let all the surrounding areas build themselves up to the point where they wish the had their "sleepy little town" back... I'm not saying Norfolk is perfect, but compared to the surrounding towns, it holds its own! - LB
9/27 8:44pm Intersting the way developement works... while it's true many in town would love to have a trendy sidewalk cafe for an espresso with a croissant and a place to buy healthy food grown by local producers, the odds are more likely that what we would get is yet another Greasy Burger franchise and a Mega Factoryfoods outlet. - AR
9/27 8:04pm Please contact Anne Rule if interested 404-219-[Do NOT call]... please no reply emailsThese very cute puppies need a home. Please help. If you are not able to adopt one, please send this email to your friends. Maybe we can keep these cuties from going to animal control. Thanks,
Anne Rule
404-219-[Do NOT call, see below - Wm.]Rescued 6 black lab (mix) puppies out of the middle of the road on Saturday. PLEASE help me find them homes - otherwise, it's Animal Control - which means they only have 5 days. We've bathed them, sprayed them for fleas and wormed them....but we can't keep them. They are currently in a kennel in my basement since I don't have a fence. I've lost count of the number of rescue groups that I've contacted, only to be turned down due to no room. Please check with every dog person you know to see if they need a puppy.
Thanks,
Christi
- ML
[Update 8:16pm: the e-mail that brought this news is two days old; since it was written, the pups have all been adopted. See Anne Rule's post to the dog.com forum - Wm.]
[Update 10:40pm: Sorry, when I noticed that the pups had already been adopted, I took off the Atlanta Craiglist ad that was also advertising them. The 404 area code is less obvious, but this is not a local Norfolk issue, Hilary is a strong believer in adopting out strays. - Wm.]
9/27 7:50pm Reminder!! New Adult Norfolk based Music Group meeting on Oct 3rd [Wed], 7-9PM. We need a few woodwinds, oboe, flute or clarinet and strings, violin, viola or cello and keyboard. 1-2 yrs experience. Fun night! Contact gericol@verizon.net for further info. - GC
9/27 6:58pm In response to a request to build a restaurant across from the library: There will never be a restaurant or bar or S&S in town because too many people have a NIMBY in this sleepy little town. "We all want it, but not here". So taxes will remain high, roads will remain small and there will never be any sidewalks. That's just the way it is. So I will drive to every other town around to get my groceries, my real Italian pizza (Leo's), and to see a little life. - PJT
9/27 6:56pm KE: When one of our vets wanted to allow more freedom for his dogs (one side of the property was fenced) he asked me about systems. After searching all of the companies he chose Pet Stop (petstop.com). Pet stop offers a tri-scan multi-directional antenna to outsmart those dogs that are very crafty. He went with the Pet Stop distributor from Middlesex County. They were excellent with their installation and set up. They have come back promptly for fine tuning of collars and base unit. Our vet gave this store (and the installer) two thumbs up. Pet Stop's number is 978-251-4057. - Hilary Cohen - Norfolk Animal Control
9/27 6:55pm I have an invisible fence system in my home. It works great for certain dogs. One of my dogs did great with it, but knew when the battery was low (something about the high pitched noise that they hear?) and would then use the opportunity to run through it. So you need to really be up to date and diligent about replacing their battery. - MW
9/27 3:58pm KE: If you are at all a "do it yourselfer" the Innotek system is pretty straight forward and fairly easy to install (if you don't mind some dirt under your fingernails!). Basically you bury the line, hook it up, place the white flags and you are good to start training your dog. It comes with an instructional video with step by step instructions for training and troubleshooting. We have had ours for almost 2 1/2 years and haven't had any problems or breakouts. We found the system at Petsmart but got a better deal online which included the extra length of wiring we needed. Doing it this way was quite a bit cheaper; with that said, we have a dog that was easy to train - if you have a real "chaser" you may want to consider a company that will come and work with you to train and acclimate your dog to the system and be there for backups if he doesn't seem to get it!! - PB
9/27 3:17pm Can anyone recommend a residential window cleaning company? - DC
9/27 2:03pm I am looking for information on invisible fencing systems for pets. Does anyone have any experience (good or bad) with local companies, including Invisible Fence, Pet Stop or Innotek? Any feedback is appreciated. Thanks. - KE
9/27 11:40am I am looking for a home health aid for my mother. She is coming home after a year of hospitalization and need someone to take care for her from 9:00AM-5:00PM. I can be reached at 508-898-6572 or tariqsiddiqui@comcast.net. - TS
9/27 9:39am AL: You're absolutely right about the smoke. I had forgotten that detail. - AL
9/27 9:38am We also use Domenics out of Franklin, and yes the car did smell of smoke; I said on our way into the airport we would never use them again. However, we ended up flying home in a blizzard and our flight was four hours late, but there was our driver waiting. Then it took us two hours to get to Norfolk in a blinding snow storm, and he was awesome about it. Not only that, but the next day he returned my camera he found in the trunk. Needless to say we use them every time we fly and just roll down the windows! - AD
9/26 9:16pm JH: We used Domenics in April. The cars reeked of smoke. They were on time and friendly, but it was miserable to have our clothes smell of smoke for the cross country flight. Never again will we call them. - AL
9/26 9:15pm KG: Try Gemini Photo, 508-384-1452, in Wrentham. He does great work - DMM
9/26 6:58pm JH: I asked this once and someone recommended Domenic's out of Franklin. I used them about a year ago and could not have been more pleased. Arriving home at 2:30 am (4 hours late) after a long business trip, there was Domenic, waiting with a smile. They were ontime for my departure as well. - AL
9/26 5:57pm Can someone other than MON recommend a car service to TF Green? Thanks, - JH
9/26 5:56pm We still have three cats that are looking for homes. Elle, Huey, and Roger need to find new families to live with. For more information please visit norfolkanimalcontrol.net. Sincerely, - Hilary Cohen, Norfolk Animal Control
9/26 3:07pm As most people know, October is breast cancer awareness month. To help fund a cure for this cancer, I am offering a special with Arbonne. For any party booked for the month of October, 10% of the retail sales will go directly to breast cancer research. For those of you not familiar: Arbonne markets high quality skin care, color, nutrition, and aromatherapy products. Anyone interested please email me at elizabethfalvey@hotmail.com. Thanks for reading. - EF
9/26 3:05pm A few contributors to Norfolk Net were not amused back in 2003 when I created the not-completely-real but not-entirely-mythic entity called Norfolkistan. The residents of Norfolkistan would properly be called "Norfolkistanis." This has an exotic quality that I find appealing. Certainly better than "Foxboro-ites," or "Walpoleans," or--heaven forbid--"Millis-ians." So, using the excellent archive that our webmaster has provided, I looked up my old entry and the following excerpt--from exactly three years ago--sounds a faint chime of relevance still: "In Norfolkistan, it is ten times easier to delay or stop something than to work out a way for something to get done. And though "Norfolkistan" doesnt really exist, except in some people's minds, this idea has real consequences. Try this experiment. Drive down to the public library. Park your vehicle (you'll find plenty of spaces, even now). Stand with your back to the library and gaze upon the blasted, blighted, treeless, windswept vista. Welcome to Norfolkistan."- HRB
9/26 3:03pm Hi, I live near the corner of Medway and Myrtle Streets. My black cat, Jasper, went out Sunday morning and has not returned. If you have any information please call us at 508-528-1527. Thanks - ML
9/26 11:23am AR, I'm right there with you on that one! I have smelled that smell, and I never want to smell it again! ...actually, I think that 5 miles is underestimating it! - MW
9/26 9:30am MHC: Zebra's in Medfield has a wonderful brunch. - JBN
9/26 9:26am Oh, I don't know -- I'd gladly take an abandoned paper mill over an operating one. Anyone within five miles down-wind would. - AR
9/25 10:48pm MON: You have confirmed for us that we can disregard your postings. You state: "The indigenous people of Norfolk, the Norfolkians, have a right to speak their mind, and believe me, I sure like to get "their goat"." That statement was enough for me to determine you are not of right mind. First, the indigenous people of Norfolk are the Native American Indians. None of "us" are indigenous as far as I know. Second, if your goal is to "get our goat", then I agree that we should all dismiss your comments as absurd. It is too bad, because I agree with a few of your observations. Unfortunately, you are so irrational that I do not choose to align my viewpoints with yours. - CS
9/25 10:47pm MHC - Sky in Norwood has a great brunch. Good luck. - SEC
9/25 10:42pm MON - I searched the Norfolknet archives and came across this post I made back in December of 2000. If I recall in 2000, the project was already a couple years old. 12/15 11:17am Any updates to the Town Center project? Still very anxious to see what will be going there. Are the developers selling stone and rock from this site? This seems like the only valid reason this project is taking forever. Looks like they are trying to recoup their development costs. The new patriots stadium started a year after this project and it looks like it will finish before it!! - LS- LS
9/25 10:38pm Hello All, I happened to visit Lincoln, NH this weekend for an event. For those of you who are unfamiliar, it is the home of the Loon Mt. Ski area. As I sat in the town center, I couldn't help but think of how lucky we are to have our "moonscape and weeds". We could have this looming over our town hall... the abandoned paper mill. This is how businesses that don't make it end up. A vacant eyesore. - MW
9/25 10:37pm BD - We used No Worry Parties (from Dedham) for our annual cookout this year. She brought an additional person with her and they grilled, served, cleaned up, and generally kept the event on track (we had more than 50 people). Contact Susan D'Allessandro (Sue@noworryparties.com). We plan on using her every year! - AFD
9/25 8:18pm I am sure this has been addressed before, but I couldn't find recommendations on brunch specifically. That being said, has anyone found any place relatively local that has a great brunch to celebrate a family birthday? Thanks in advance for your tips. - MHC
9/25 8:17pm MON puts the `MON' in monstrous:
(from Webster's New World)- [Name withheld. It's okay. This message has been approved by the Wm.]
9/25 8:09pm We have some clothing that was left behind at Dunkin Donuts after Sunday's DARE race - If you think you may be the owner, please email us at dare2run@verizon.net. - HK
9/25 8:08pm I had heard that we were Norfolk because we were once North Wrentham and they called us the Nor-folk meaning folks in the North. Has anyone else heard this? I grew up in this area (not in Norfolk) and it was always Nor-folk not Nor-fork as in Norfolk, VA, that is something that I have heard only recently. - MJD
[I've heard long-time Norwood residents refer to it as Nor-fork, so maybe it's regional - Wm.]
9/25 8:07pm [Update 8:11pm: post removed on request - Wm.]
9/25 8:06pm Dear BD- For our past gatherings & parties we've used the Roche Bros. catering companion "Simply Serving" and the guys and gals we've gotten in the past have all been fabulous. I'd highly recommend them and I'm sure to use them again in the future myself. I hope this helps. - RB
9/25 8:05pm To DWL - Kevin Orlando of All Seasons Septic is very nice, and professional, and reasonably priced. ST 5 is also local (both Wrentham) and also does a great job. Both very nice companies to deal with. Both will be in the local telephone book. A septic hauler has to be registered with the town, in order to pump a system. Both are registered in Norfolk. - LAW
9/25 8:04pm [Update 8:12pm: post removed on request - Wm.]
9/25 2:05pm ``I like to throw out trial anxieties to the Norfolkians and see who takes the bait.'' - MW
9/25 2:03pm MON, I realize that you take perverse joy in annoying people. I also realize that you probably don't care that whatever valid points you occasionally make get overshadowed by how annoying you can be. And you may or may not care how Norfolk is pronounced, but it's not the result of lead poisoning. Main Entry:
Pronunciation:
Function:
As I said before, change causes anxiety, and people lash out when they
are anxious. Do I really, really care what Norfolk does with the
depressed Town Center? No, not really. I like to throw out trial
anxieties to the Norfolkians and see who takes the bait. You can see by
the posts that only SO got it.
I just do not want my taxes to increase to fund further mismanagement,
bad planning, and a lack of vision evident by the BOS and the various
boards. Period.
As far as things in the water go, high lead levels can cause facial
muscle paralysis, which is why the locals say NORFORK instead of the
proper pronunciation, NOR-FOLK. Perhaps its time to correct the
spelling of the Town to how its taught in the schools and spoken, then
have the lead levels checked.
Hi,My name is Christina T*****, I am a trainer with the NEADS Prison Pups program. We train dogs to assist people who have physical disabilities, and to help children and adults who can benefit from the therapeutic value of a dog, and to assist special educators and therapists who work with disabled children.
The program that I am specifically involved with places dogs in the prison system and has inmates training the dogs for us. On weekends, the dogs are "furloughed" with weekend foster families for crucial socialization exercises.
I would like to post to your town website because we're starting a new program at MCI Norfolk in addition to our program at Pondville Correctional Center and are looking for weekend puppy raisers from the area for both places.
[. . .] Thanks for your help!
Regards,
Christina T*****
NEADS Prison Pups Program
and
Alpha Dog K9 Training
alphadogk9.com
508-989-5859
The Fall Special Town Meeting is scheduled for Tuesday, October 23, 2007,
at 7:30PM at the King Philip Middle School on King Street in Norfolk.
[Update 7:10pm: Here's where previous discussions were: [2006q4] and [2004q4] Search for "woodpecker" with the Ctrl-F function of the browser - Wm.]
``The sound of tireless voices is the price we pay for the right to hear the music of our own opinions.''Adlai Stevenson
We currently have
openings for a keyboard player, and a woodwind player, flute, clarinet,
or oboe. There are no fees, music is free and emailed to each player.
This is a stress free , no pressure group, we are here to have fun!
We meet in my home, I have a keyboard that can be used. All you will
need is your instrument and a music stand. So get out your dusty
instruments and come and give us a try! Email me for further info.
gericol@verizon.net
PB - I cooked in a Boston restaurant years ago and we had a "mushroom
man" who scoured the forests and would arrive at the kitchen door
with his "catch". Every high-end joint knew the guy. He made a good
living and was eccentric as all get-out. Find him and you're in like
Flynn.
MON - Hell, as a kid, my family was so low-income that we ate
government cheese and brushed with free toothpaste from Tufts
University dental studies. What the heck? Eating government cheese
(apart from its shaky connection to actual "cheese") bears no
reflection on the people, and I have good teeth, I like to think. You
have poked a hornet's nest, MON.
PA - good one.
JW - rock on, smoked
shoulder and all. I am really enjoying some good humor here,
augmented by Wm's post about the "socialists".
"Non sequitur" (an
inference or conclusion that does not follow from the premises or
evidence): Miracle Ear, Appalachia, government cheese, socialists,
yoga classes, North Korea, the American way, Karl Rove (what?),
spewing, psychological cards, dogma, cult-like... bordering on "ad
nauseam" (to a disgusting or ridiculous degree). MON, can you please
provide an outline?
Then I will tie a yellow ribbon around all things I find beautiful.
Because it is a sunny bright day!
Thanks AL! I can't wait to pay more Taxes!
Just becuase I believe in the rights of property owners (this is
America) does not mean that I am against all development. The
only thing that I am guilty of is letting you suck me into your
negative and unproductive posts. So for that, I apologize to the
webmaster as well as the other board frequenters for taking up their
time and space with this ridiulous insanity.
I am no longer willing to let you manipulate my emotions with your
mean-spirited posts. Maybe someday, you will gain the insight and
maturity to "respond" in a calm and intelligent manner ...instead
of "react" to the posts on this board that you don't agree with.
That is what I will be doing from this point on.
So maybe both you and MON you should think about your approach. How
does the saying go? "You can catch more flies with honey." If you
are going to bash, accuse and ridicule, you will be putting folks
on the defensive and they will be less open to listening to your views.
As for the minority? Where do you get your statistics from? Or are
you just making an assumption based on the views of the folks in
your immediate circle of friends? Any scientist knows, that is not
a reliable way to conduct research. Unless you have polled everyone
in town, you cannot make a statement like that and sound credible.
I have seen a few responses on this board agreeing with my point
of view. So maybe you should back up your statements with actual
factual statistics that can be researched. You don't see me putting
words into other people's mouths, using blanket statements that
include all "Norfolkians", the "majority of Norfolkians" , or using
a fictional group of people to bully others into doing what I want,
and seeing things my way. I appreciate every opinion and have been
known to actually listen to someone and change my opinions based
on reliable data.
Who is this majority that you are talking about? Where were they
when the sidewalks were voted down? I voted for them, by the way.
There is a nice way to voice your opinion and a nasty way. MON has
a history of being sarcastic and nasty, therefore, he/she will reap
what they sow and get sarcasm and negativity in return.
Being the reasonable and caring person that I am, I will no longer
be sucked into MON's negativity. I will merely ignore all posts
as they get wackier and wackier. It is just not worth trying to
explain yourself to an unreasonable person that is unwilling to
listen. Just becuase this board is somewhat anonymous, does not
mean that you have license to be hurtful.
But may I ask, how do you haul yourself out from under the covers every
morning with so much anger weighing you down? It appears everyone has let
you down. Call it patriotic, whatever works for you my friend! I'd call it
cantankerous. Really, it's not so bad! Have yourself a fine, sunny day!
What I see is Stop & Shop
having made a tactical decision to buy land in a region over-served by
their stores to keep their options open and keep competitors out. Ok so
far. They're stalling on the construction, which, viewed in this light,
is also understanable. And they clearly have not run screaming as long
as they're holding on to the land.
However, no matter what ``Norfolkians'' decide or not decide about
developing their downtown, no-one but Stop & Shop can clean up the lot.
If you or I were to do it, we would be guilty of trespassing. The
``civic duty'' to keep up their property so long as they own it -
be it build or dispose of it - is theirs.
The irony is that Norfolk ``socialists'' act when they feel it's
the right thing to do, regardless of personal cost. To act on
principle, not profit, used to be quite commonplace. If it were really
up to the old-timers and socialists, they probably would have had
volunteer teams out there with shovels, bricks, mortar, saplings and
grass seed a long time ago.
With regard to the Indian Wars and Native Americans... I think they had
it right... when sitting on the shore watching those very first boats
approaching from the first ships to arrive here from European shores...
one Indian turning to another and saying... "I knew it. I just knew it.
What'd I tell ya, huh? There goes the neighborhood!"
[I had the same reaction to the term "Norfolkians." In context, it came across as a put-down, kind of like "rednecks," or "rubes," or "hillbillies." As in, "residents too stupid to know what's good for them." - Wm.]
If Norfolk irritates you so much, move. We obviously don't have the
amenities you need. I know from experience in this wonderful town what
you want isn't going to happen any time soon, so you are going to be
frustrated for a long time if you choose to live here. I also don't see
the Moonscape any longer. I see and use the wonderful library, I sit on
town hill to enjoy the serenity I feel there. I see the gas station run
by a wonderful town family that I have personally known since 1970, the
sons of the stations namesake running the family business after Tom was
taken from us way too soon. I remember the town pharmacy where I could
sit and have a soda at the soda fountain that went out of business
because the chain pharmacies took away all the business. I once knew the
names of most of the people I would see walking around town. The Norfolk
Police Dept. is one of the best. This I also know from personal
experience. The Fire Dept. showed up at my house one day and took care
of all my pets like they were their own, when I accidentally left a
"Smoked Shoulder" on the stove. They had my pets in the cruisers, the
trucks, any where they could find a place for them. Most cities would
have opened the doors and let them out to save them but our men went one
step further.
But this is America, a democracy AL, and I don't have to hold office to
criticize it. You must have this country and its policies confused with
North Korea or some other favored fascist state.
But the real issue isn't about Appalachia, the police, drinking beer in the
town center or any other twisted logic [...].
It's about
ineffectual government, a town center that's depressed looking, and talking
about the ``elephant in the room''. Namely, how some people want Norfolk to
remain undeveloped and ``rural''. These people, including MW, surfaced during
the restaurant post.
Now nobody I know of wants to see the town become gaudy, overdeveloped or
its ``country charm'' destroyed. But to have a town center sit undeveloped
for so long shows lack of concern for the town's welfare.
And if I didn't speak my mind over such a fiasco evolving before my eyes, I
would not be patriotic.
Besides, for every one of you sick of my sarcasm there is one who agrees
with me. That's the American way.
I don't know how things work down there... but,
what part of "We don't own the land!" don't you understand? Maybe
if the towns in Appalachia spent less money worrying about the
aesthetics of their town centers, they would have better school
systems. Maybe the the literacy rate down there would not be so
embarrassingly low? I don't know about you, but I think that
producing Norfolkians who can read and write is much more important
that providing a bar in the center of town.
In order to take land by eminent domain, it must be for "the public
good". There is a proper legal procedure that must be followed.
Are you trying to tell me that installing a bar in the center of
Norfolk is for the public good? LOL! You can't even wait to have
a drink at home or drive the short distance to the Eagle Brook to
get a beer after work?
And by the way, what I meant in regards to the police force was
that they might have to hire more officers in order to safely
accomodate the extra traffic, etc. Not that I wanted them to sit on
their butts. Or that they are guilty of that. Far from it! You
may not be aware, but there is a limit to how many shifts an officer
can work. Or do you think of them as your personal slaves becuase
your tax dollars pay their wages? The taxpayers have to come up
with those extra salaries.
I don't even know how this argument got started. I posted that I
generally liked the idea, but that the town didn't own the land and
that maybe it needed some additional thought, due to the reasons
I mentioned. Your post seemed negativley geared towards me, so now
I find myself defending my position.
I personally think that I am lucky to live in a town such as this.
It is lovely. I can deal with the moonscape, I don't even see it
any more. Would I be happy if something moved in there? Sure! But I
am not going to drive myself crazy over it. I am going to continue
to enjoy my life here in town. The town I chose to live in... Warts
and all! People are more important to me than aesthetics.
Doherty, Ciechanowski, Dugan & Cannon, P.C.
124 Grove Street, Suite 220
Franklin, MA 02038
Franklin Office: (508) - 541-3000
Franklin Fax: (508) - 541-3008
info@dcdclaw.com
We, the taxpayers, have heard enough about what the town can not do. Take
off the big ego suits, all of you running this town. And get something
substantive done. Too much is at stake here, so don't sit in meetings and
sheepishly bring up points that need addressed. We all see you on NTV.
No wonder Stop and Shop ran screaming.
Also, I grew up in WV, in deep Appalachia, near the coal mines, and their
town centers looked much better then Norfolk's. It's a matter of civic
duty to provide for the town and its people.
So I get it now, it's the old guard that keeps Norfolk in its depressed
state.
[If I follow this correctly, it seems to say that it's the old-timers and lack of concerted wishing that are at fault for Stop & Shop not having cleaned up their empty lot?? - Wm.]
Happy Autumnal Equinox! Today is the first day of fall.
I have a password available for free school-wide use of the
YourTake.org site through June 30, 2008.
Background
[ . . . ]
I took a Kepner-Tregoe course about twenty years ago and I took a
"Problem Solving and Decision Making" workshop in Boston this past
summer. I found the techniques useful and helpful in both my work and
personal life. When I heard about the Tregoe Education Forum, I wanted
to find out what they were offering and whether it might be helpful
to students in the Norfolk schools.
What's going on now
I requested information and was told that the Tregoe Education Forum
is dedicated to improving the ability of students and teachers to
solve problems and make decisions. I was told that in addition to the
Tregoe Education Forum website at
tregoe.org, they have
started a new
yourtake.org
web site aimed at middle and
high school students, designed to help develop student skills for
collaborative problem solving and independent thinking. The site
features an interactive online learning tool called SCAN, which
incorporates a problem-solving methodology that encourages question,
collaboration, and critical thinking.
SCAN has a free mode so that educators and students can try it. Access
to the full lesson library and enhanced functionality is offered at
the following rates for annual subscriptions:
One teacher and 15 students: $79/year
One school site (with unlimited log-ins): $299/year
I was given a password to activate a free school subscription through
June 30, 2008. I was told that I could give to any school or
individual who will use it. Since I found the adult version of this
training useful, I hope that the student version will be similarly
useful.
If you want to investigate this, here are some links you can follow.
[C o n t i n u e d . . .]
RJG - My
compensation is not derived from the hard earned dollars of the taxpayers of
Norfolk, so the only person who really should be concerned with that is my
employer.
Happy trading,
I imagine this is not doing a lot to promote local business. Whoever
placed this, please make sure that people are actually getting on the train. In this
case it was two teenage boys doing something nice to support a friend and
using local businesses to do so!
I am an old timer here in Norfolk and didn't hear that the old
Mann place was being torn down until it was a done deal.
On a more mundane note, it can be quite uplifting to carefully disassemble
one's laptop, re-solder the power connector so the laptop will not die
unexpectedly when on wall power only, then meticulously reassemble
everything and have the laptop boot and run like it should. Also quite
embarrassing to have a tiny screw left over with no obvious home. Win some,
lose some. Besides, there are plenty others in there already.
The ranch has horses, donkeys, mini-donkeys, goats, shetland ponies and
even a bison on it. There is also either a Bickfords or IHOP right near
the entrance for a breafast or lunch after your ride.
We do a lot of riding every year in the northern Rockies and think that
Bobbys Ranch is the best we have seen around here.
If you're thinking of lessons in any of the "English" disciplines,
like dressage or hunter/jumper, or beginer lessons for kids, there's
a great local facility called October Farm. It's on a 130 acre
property at the end of Warren Drive (a cul de sac off of Park St.)
in Wrentham.
The instructors there are fantastic, and the property is stunningly
beautiful. The entire farm is actually located in Norfolk, but most
people are not aware of it because the only street access is via a
cul de sac in Wrentham!
Lots of pictures and info at:
www.octfarm.com
One,
possums are nocturnal - lack of visibility on the part of the driver
versus excessive speed may have played a role in its untimely demise.
Second, if the possum was out and about in daylight, it may have been
ill. We once had one scavenging below our birdfeeder during the day. It
was acting very aggressively (can you say rabies?) I found its carcass
by my shed the next day and buried it.
Third, as a driver, if I confront
an animal in the roadway and cannot safely stop or evade it, I will
strike that animal (I know I'm now
in trouble with PETA). Sorry, but my life means more than the animal in
question.
Finally, our animal control officer, who is a regular
contributor to this page, might have been called on this sad situation.
On a lighter note, the tavern idea downtown might be a big hit (pun
intended) - we could call it The Roadkill Cafe. Venison, possum,
squirrel, etc. could be served as the special of the day, depending upon
what's most in supply. Us rustic folk often have a hankering for such
vittles. As Jed Clampit was fond of saying on The Beverly Hillbillies -
"Ooooo weeee
Granny! You sure can fix up a fine possum stew!" Jethro and Ellie Mae,
the feed is on...
Think out of the box, Norfolk. It will change, perhaps when you are in
one.
The idea of a tavern/resteraunt sounds great in theory. It would
certainly look beautiful. But think it through a little more. Do
you really want to deal with a "late night spot" in our sleepy
little town center? Think of all the auto accidents that the tipsy
drivers could possibly create in the roundabout! Bringing people
into town in the daylight hours is one thing... the evening opens
up a whole new set of problems for our town. Including the possibility
of having to beef up the police force (chief Stone would have to
be consulted on this one). I would rather look at moonscape! What
about asking Stop and Shop to create a false movie set front along
main street? At least it would look quaint. You know like the country
villages at Epcot? Just kidding!
Great idea... I had actually thought of the same thing; why not? It is
done all over the world... I always regretted, while living in Jamaica Plain,
that the original Sam Adams pub on Centre Street was torn down. Someone
would have made a fortune replacing it!!
A town tavern would be awesome... not to take away business from the Eagle
Brook, but why not make an upscale, classy destination point with seriously good
food and excellent brews from all the micro breweries around New England...
we are not a town of lushes... but it would be lovely to have a really
excellent establishment to meet at and enjoy.
Jamaica Plain has Doyle's... we could have something as well... and pay
homage to the tremendous amount of history in "these here parts"... okay, nasty
Indian wars... but still, why not?
Why do we have to settle for the ugly box architecture of a Stop n' Shop in
the middle of our town. If we can't have a Trader Joe's or a Whole Foods
either, why not something cool? We have a clean slate... why not create?
This morning in front of 136 North Street we came upon a quivering, crying
child of nature... bleeding from the head. With eyes at first wild with fear
and now glazed with the look of death and dying, this poor animal lies on the
side of the street... I couldn't figure out how to put it out of misery... but
in my anger and sadness I had to at least pay honor to its life!
Please, slow down!! One of these days it could be your dog or cat... yes,
even your child that gets in the way of a speeding car. Life is not about who
gets from point A to Point B the fastest... it is about the journey... and
killing poor defenseless animals is certainly not a good way to get anywhere!!
I am tired of hearing people say, "it darted out in front of my car..."
or ..."stupid animals" or "I couldn't see it". We know that there are wild
animals that can't read signs and don't understand the concept of "car"... so why
not drive accordingly? We share this town, this Earth with so many beautiful
creatures... do we have to endanger them, even on our own streets?
Put down your latte, your cell phone and put both hands on the steering
wheel!! Pay attention to the road! You are supposed to be in control! ...instead,
whoever hit that possum was sitting behind the wheel of a moving weapon, a
few tons of crushing metal and steel.
No excuses excepted!
I think that brown eyed possum has died now... I mean really, how much pain
could one life endure, dying by the side of the road on top of a sewage grate,
while I sit in my comfortable chair and type, begging you to slow down....?
Who's next?
Next time I will take a picture. Maybe that will make a deep enough
impression...
Thank you.
There is still time to pre-register! Click here
[registration link],
or you can register the
morning of the race.
There will be plenty of music and food. Post-race massages will be
available. And there will be raffles with some great prizes including 2
Patriots tickets.
Please join us September 23rd for this fun family event - whether you run
or walk (or just come out to cheer on and support the runners and walkers)
it is all for a great cause!
[I substituted another article about the story, the UT Daily Herald page contains binary data instead of Javascript and I don't trust it - Wm.]
By the way, I have to say that I was very impressed with the care a family
member received at Norwood Hospital (and it was serious he was in the ICU).
I had heard things about Norwood over the years, not good things either. So
I actually stayed in the ICU overnight to see for myself, and I must say
that the cardiac care was excellent. The cardiac cath lab was by far as
good, even better, than any Boston Hospital and I have been a nurse for over
25 years. Dr. Ruocco is an excellent Cardiac interventionist. I highly
recommend him. We are very lucky to have such sophisticated cardiac care so
close to town.
So far the plans to put in a Stop and Shop supermarket that will end up
looking like some big-box store are at best mediocre. Worse, and the
real travesty, it will never happen.
Any supporters?
From Early Norfolk Revisited (Town of Norfolk, 1970), page 20 and 21:
The building was torn down, even though it was on the National Registry of Historic Places, to make way for the commercial building that currently stands on that land."A Norfolk Landmark, the old Mann Place still stands at the northwest corner of Main Street and Rockwood Road. The house was built in 1730 (possibly by Henry Trowbridge) and has changed hands numerous times. In its long history it has housed a variety of enterprises, including an Inn, several taverns, a Post Office, and at least two stores (one of them run by Ed Mann who lived in the house for many years and operated the cannery next door). General Washington spent a night in the building (then Josiah Ware's Tavern) while enroute to New York during the Revolutionary War.
The soldiers with him camped on the Town Hill.The St. Jude congregation met here before they built their church in 1959. They now own the building and use it as a rectory (photo 1860s)."
Demolition of historically significant properties is now regulated by
Article XV of the Town Bylaws, but was not at that time.
See URL:
[town bylaws page]
P.S.: I have many Vegan friends... we coexist very peacefully becuase
we respect each other and don't try to force our beliefs on each
other.
Hi KG - I am a local professional photographer and would love to take some
photos for you. I do not charge any portrait sitting fees and my prices
are very reasonable - no fixed packages allow you to pick and choose the
photos and sizes/quantity you would like. If you only want a single
8x10... that's just fine. I have worked with a number of local residents
and would be happy to provide references. Please visit my online gallery
at
JingotheCat.com
to see some of my work and, if you would like to
discuss things further or to set up an appointment, please call me anytime
at 781-696-9174. I look forward to speaking with you..
I would like to know if there are any pictures of it archived anywhere.
[What are the units? 1.91 megabits per second upload looks good! - Wm.]
They do have deer farms, just like cattle farms/poultry farms etc. But
I wonder if the farms will start plumping them up the same way that
cattle farmers do? If people eat beef or chicken or even pork,
then they are really in no position to bash venison eaters... They
are all God's creatures. What makes a deer more worthy than a cow, a
chicken or a pig? (sorry if I am beating this subject to
death... and... excuse the pun)
You seem pretty knowledgable... Do you know what ever happened to
the millions of dollars that the State of Mass took from the fish
and wildlife fund (proceeds from hunting permits etc.) to balance
the state budget years ago? Has this ever been paid back??
My husband and I were talking about this just last night. This is
money that I thought was supposed to go into preservation and
maintenance. Has it been replaced? ...or forgotten about?
Don't take a single result to measure your connection's performance.
[speakeasy speedtest]
will let you run the same
performance test against geographically dispersed servers. You will
typically find servers closer in geography deliver higher performance
based on (potentially) simpler routing between the server and
yourself.
For a more pure test of performance, use the speed test on Verizon's
network, which will remove external factors -
[Verizon speedtest]
This will measure the performance Verizon is advertising and ultimately
able to control - although it may not represent what you'll ultimately
see generally being online. If you're not getting the advertised
throughput from the Verizon test, you should call them...
The irony is that
[. . . Rest on Politics - Wm.]
Happy trading,
[Yes, you can get a high-gain antenna for your wireless router, but the easiest is usually to reposition the router to be more centrally located.
Oddly enough, I had the opposite experience with Verizon - I have the
high-speed DSL (3 mbps, $30/mo) service, but when renewing, I was able to get
the $20 discounted monthly rate for six months. - Wm.]
Preceding the performance, from 4:45-6:00 PM the King Philip Music
Association will host a fundraising supper.
Students began work on their program in May, and the Preview Show is the
first chance for the community to see what they have accomplished.
For those of you who don't trust Verizon to do this, you can read
how to do it yourself here:
[DSL Reports tweaks page]
Changing some OS settings increased my throughput speeds about by
a factor of 4-5x. I can now achieve the 20mbps (as advertised)
download speeds with Fios.
Friday night, September 21st will open the weekend-long activities with a
dinner under the tent. Dinner will begin promptly at 5:00 pm. The menu
will include Lobster Rolls, Clam Chowder, Hot Dogs, and American Chop Suey.
The cost is $10.00 for adults and $5.00 for children and children under 3
are free.
Saturday, September 23rd activities will begin at 9:00 am. Events at the
Festival will include Crafts, Cake Walks, Gift Baskets, Face Painting,
Home-made apple pies from apples donated by the Big Apple Orchards in
Wrentham, Games and much more. The American Red Cross will also be
sponsoring a blood drive at the church from 9:00-2:00 as part of this event.
Of course there will be plenty of food and lots of fun things for the kids
to do. So come down and join in the fun.
Also back by popular demand this year will be a Horse-drawn Hayride. Molly
and Dolly from Pine Ridge Farm in Wrentham will be back again to pull the
wagon. The hayride will run from 12:00-2:00PM only.
On Sunday, September 24th the Harvest Festival will conclude with a
hymn-sing led by our Praise & Worship group under the big top tent at 9:30
am with regular Sunday Services to follow at 10:00 am.
Verizon DSL Charges:Check your Verizon bills and service level you are supposedly getting. I signed up for Verizon DSL back in Feb 2004 and was told I had the upto 3mps service, in which I was being charged $29.99/month with discount. Well then about 6 months ago, I kept reading about the 768kps service that they offer for $14.99 and that a lot of friends have this and think the speed is pretty good for casual web browsers and all. So I called Verizon to see about switching to this and the first thing they said before even getting there was: "Well we see we offer two levels of service in your area. 768kps and the new Fios." Yes, I felt like an idiot as I always questioned my speed and figured maybe it was my computer. But bottom line is that they billed me for a service that they do not even sell in my area and continued to do so. I actually live in Millis on the Norfolk side, so want to get the word out to everyone else as I assume it could affect Norfolk as well.
They did refund me $400 plus, but good thing I called as they wouldn't have corrected this that's for sure.
R. J.
I prefer to eat venison over beef. Venison is leaner than beef. It is not
exposed to the antibiotics, growth hormones and steroids that the commercial meat
industry uses on commercially raised beef. Venison is not sprayed with red
dye when it sits on the grocer's shelf for a few days so it looks fresher. I
enjoy every aspect of deer hunting. Just because I do I realize it's not for
everyone. When I am successful I feel that the venison should be treated as a
cherished gift from mother nature. I consider hunting as a way to eat healthier
while also being a good citizen and good neighbor.
She can do ongoing cleaning too. For lawn
cutting/landscapers and lots of other people you will probably need to
do jobs around the house on the left side of the Norfolknet.com page there
is a link called Recommendations which I found very helpful. It lists
companies in lots of different categories. Good luck!
Scheduled entertainment includes local favorites the Toe Jam Puppet Band
and sidewalk minstrel and Stony Brook regular, Stephen Baird. Mark and
Marcia Wilson will host their critically acclaimed "Eyes on Owls"
program, and everyone will be treated to the sled dogs from Northern
Exposure Outfitters. In addition, we'll have a crowd-wide Simon Says
Game, a visit from the Norfolk Fire Department, other local groups and
activities, the newly relocated Stony Brook Luncheon with Fair Fare,
delicious desserts and more, many donated by local businesses and
restaurants! Our white elephant sale is not to be missed as well, with
everything from furniture to household treasures at bargain prices.
Donations to the white elephant are still being accepted -- call for
details. We hope you'll join us! We're still looking for a few good
volunteers as well -- if you have a few hours to donate that day, please
call!
The Fall Fair is Stony Brook Wildlife Sanctuary's largest annual
fundraiser. The cost of admission is $4 per person for kids and adults.
The money raised goes to supporting the Sanctuary and its educational
programs. For any questions or directions please call Stony Brook at
508-528-3140.
- Tara Henrichon,
Education Coordinator,
Stony Brook Wildlife Sanctuary
You can't bid on it if you don't come to the Auction, so buy your ticket now
and enjoy a night out with your friends and neighbors while you support the
town. For tickets and more information, go to
norfolkcommunityleague.org.
I once lived in a remote, rural town in the Poconos near the
Delaware Water Gap. People hunted the way MW's father hunts, because
it was part of their tradition, put food on the table and
supplemented their income from the sale of by-products. These tough
folks lived meagerly by farming, gardening, canning, baking and
storing. Vegetarian that I was then, I ate roast venison when invited
for Sunday dinner, along with roast potatoes, string beans, homemade
rolls and strawberry-rhubarb pie. I never let on.
I don't hunt, except with a camera (not a pro like DV), and try not
to become the hunted. I pay attention to hunting season and wear
orange when needed. I think MW is right about legal hunters and their
caution. One time, though, on a weekday afternoon last year, I was at
Noon Hill Reservation with my dogs and rounded a corner to confront
not deer, but two hunters, bows at the ready. I froze, they froze and
then quickly packed in and bushwacked off the trail. Maybe we scared
each other sufficiently. I like to think so.
To all those living along the route, be sure to go outside to cheer on the
runners as they pass by on Sunday, September 23rd, morning!
With the re-introduction of gray wolves into Yellowstone in 1996, the
eco-system was fully restored. All prey and predator species are living
there as they have for thousands of years.
This does not mean that there are no problems. Newcomers to the
region sometimes fail to remember to keep their garbage in bear-proof
containers inside their garage along with their gas grill (leave the
propane outside). Bird feeders also are a big attraction for bears. They
have a saying there... a fed bear is a dead bear! Once bears associate
humans with food, there will be problems for people and the bears.
Relocating bears almost never works as bears that learn to break into
homes never stop.
Wolves are expanding rapidly out of Yellowstone into Idaho, Montana, and
Wyoming. Many livestock are killed and ranchers are reimbursed for
their losses by a private friends of wolves group.
That being said, it is some of the most beautiful country in North
America!
Update 9/15 8:40am: In light of DH's reply, changed "have to control" to "involved in and know about." - Wm.
Update 9/15 10:28am: see also post of 9/15 10:28am - Wm.]
Here is another Rain Barrel company in Hyde Park:
tgarb.com
There are a lot of people that need to read this book by Jon Keller.
It's a great read.
What is "The Bluest State: How Democrats Created the Massachusetts Blueprint for American Political Disaster"? Jon Keller's new book exploring what's gone wrong with the nation's bluest state, how its mistakes have poisoned national Democratic politics, and what can be done to salvage a generation's promise to carve out a "new frontier" of American political leadership. Must reading for anyone who's ever wondered why Massachusetts is the way it is.Enjoy,
Case in point - there was a deer path that came out of the Hunt Club
woods and crossed 115 at Holbrook Street. The Fish & Game Club put up a
chain link fence and the housing project in the sand-pit has taken their
path to the power-lines away. I often saw the deer crossing and it was
not unusual to see them herd up there in the fall. If we keep building,
the deer will have nowhere to feed, except for our gardens. No by-laws,
though. Cheers
Ticket sale dates and times are Weds. September 19 and Thursday,
September 20th from 3 to 5pm and 7 to 9 pm at the Norfolk Public Library
Community Room. Tickets are $5 each , non refundable and entitle the
bearer to one ride. The Train Ride is geared towards children ages 5
and up. As it gets darker, the ride gets scarier! The proceeds from
this year's Train and Hay Ride will go to Norfolk Food Pantry and to the
upgrade of Norfolk Softball field.
The 6th Annual Haunted Train and Hay Ride will take place on Saturday,
October 13th with a rain date of Saturday, October 27th. Through the
generosity of the Holmes Family, it will be held at the Holmes Fields on
Myrtle Street. Gates will be open from 4pm until 7:30pm. In order to
enter the parking lot, you must have a ticket. No tickets will be
available at the gate.
[C o n t i n u e d . . .]
As a landowner in NH, I happen to be overidden with bears. We don't
leave out garbage or have bird feeders. They are attracted the the
4.5 acres of blackberries that grow wild on the side of our mountain.
We don't kill them. In fact, nobody in NH that I know kills them.
It is highly illegal! Unless you are permitted and even that is
very strict. If you ever take a hike in NH you will most likely
come across signs everywhere prohibiting hunters with bear dogs.
Instead, I can't walk to my car at night right outside the door... I
can't leave first floor windows open even in the sweltering heat... and
I can't allow my children to play in the yard unattended. But I'm
not complaining. We deal with it. We have a really big German
Shepherd that would attack the bear and act as a diversion so that
my kids could run inside. My kids bang pots when they are walking
in the woods... it's a different way of living. There are people
that live side by side with nature... and usually those types of
people. People that live off the land... usually hunt.
I do agree with the poster that commented on the deer population.
Massachusetts has one of the largest deer populations around....Better
that a few end up on someone's table than hit by a car...
This area - Norfolk, Medfield, Wrentham, Millis - all have a long history
of hunting and hunting clubs in the area. They were here many years
prior to the big developments here in town and many of them are
still in existance.
Just an FYI... The "legal" hunters are the most conscientious group
around. They are the driving force behind the preservation of land
and animals... their organization's money in part goes into maintenance
of the deer herds. After all, if the natural resources become
extinct, so does the sport of hunting... so next time you walk in
the woods and see a deer... thank a hunter!
Woman Gored by Deer at Hunting PreserveWatch your backs...
By Associated PressThu Sep 13, 5:35 PM
SHANKSVILLE, Pa. - A woman studying wetlands for an engineering firm was gored by a deer at a hunting preserve. Jamie Detweiler, 35, of Ligonier, was gored in the leg when the buck charged her at 6 Springs Hunts near Shanksville on Wednesday.
She was taken to Memorial Medical Center in Johnstown, where officials would not release her condition.
Randy Musser, who owns the engineering firm where Detweiler works, said she was expected to get out of the hospital Thursday.
"She's beat up a bit and has puncture wounds, but she seems to be doing pretty good," Musser said.
Roger Harmon, who opened the preserve for deer, rams and wild boar five years ago, said it's the first time anyone has been gored at the site.
We are destroying, bit by bit, the one thing that makes our town special...
that makes our town beautiful... the land!!
The other day, on some NPR radio show I heard a discussion about killing
bears because they get into people's garbage. The people whose garbage was being
"defended" were people who left overflowing trash cans outside overnight...
Like ...duh!!
Now, someone here in Norfolk, JC I believe, is writing about archery season
beginning and killing deer... We have as a species, slowly, bit by bit, taken
land, from one animal species, race or another... let the deer eat a few
plants... Damn... they are beautiful creatures... a joy to see. Yes, they
ate some of my bushes, etc., too, but the reason I moved here to "semi-rural"
Norfolk was because I wanted to live somewhere where deer wandered and birds
sang and the stars were bright at night... I am sure I will lose some of
those stars when Bob Kraft's big new glitzy shopping mall turns on its lights.
C'est la vie...
It is bad enough that some joker of a developer had to clear cut a huge whole
patch of woods on Marshall St. before anyone even wanted to buy a house
there... the poor animals that used to live there... the deer that used to
cross through there... The trees!!!!
What right do we have to to destroy and gobble up land like that?
Planting houses instead of trees? The Native American people have it right... you
can't really own land, you just spend some time on it... and then you are
gone. And you darn well better leave the land as you found it... or better.
We have much to lear about being custodians of our Earth.... why can't we
start here in Norfolk... let the damn deer roam free... Ohhhhh this makes me
angry! And very sad!
I know it puts me to sleep.
[That's a new one - running the sprinklers for their therapeutic effect! - Wm. :-]
[If you're puzzled by chat-room expressions, LOL is on-line shorthand for "laughing out loud" - Wm.]
CF - good points Re: The town setting an example.
SM - I appreciate your points also. Everything you said about different
wells is to the best of my knowledge true; obviously there is not a
"one-size-fits-all" well solution. The water system is complex and many
factors contribute to its viability and sustainability. Again, it is my
belief that it is irresponsible to water for non-essential needs when
community members are suffering... and especially when they are suffering
water shortage only during dry spells! I know that a family on Medway
Street noticed markedly decreased water availability from their well
when the Capes irrigation wells were put in several years ago. Granted,
this is one example, and may be an extreme one. But I am trying to
illustrate my position.
LAW - Amen!! Oh don't even get me going on fertilizers... except to say, my
next-door neighbor uses ChemLawn. (Which I abhor.) And believe it or
not, I think he's a nice person and a good neighbor!
Respectfully,
- SR
(p.s.: I'm hanging up my H2O hat now.)
First of all, please refer to my post below to MON. In particular, about
this topic (watering laws) in the context of my remarks. I didn't
realize I needed to specifically state that my remarks were in
conjunction with the topic at hand only. Frankly, I thought that was
obvious. So I will add the following disclaimer:
"Please be aware that comments I make in conjunction with a particular topic refer to that topic only, unless stated otherwise."Let me illustrate this with an example:
"Chocolate is good." This is a comment I might make in conjunction with
a discussion about comfort foods, or cooking. If I were talking about
weight loss, I might also make the statement "Chocolate is bad." They
are both 'correct' in context, and represent my opinions based on the
particular topic.
I'm sorry that some of you thought my "demonizing" and "bad neighbor"
comments meant that I was saying "Everyone who waters their laws is
all-around bad!!" Because this is obviously not the case. All I can do
is restate my original position that it is not responsible to be using
water for non-essential purposes when others in the community are
suffering for lack of water. What we do affects our neighbors. That's
why there are laws about smoking in public places and around children,
traffic safety laws, and littering/polluting laws. I don't know how much
more plain I can be. I guess if you don't get that, you just... don't get it.
As to your next point, I did use the term "drought" in my second post,
the one where I was trying to illustrate my point more, and so used more
dramatic language to make the point. I am aware that we are not
technically in a drought. Thanks so much for making yourself feel better
by trying to prove how ignorant I am. Dang! I knew I shoulda have gone
for that PhD and not stopped at just me Masters!
And how do I even respond to these gems?:
"SR, should I shun that family instead of getting along with them simply because of their lawn?"
"Personally, I am going to mind my own business, not judge others and get along with my neighbors. You might consider it."
"By the way, in your post you state, "I do think it is disrespectful of your neighbors to be watering your lawn during a drought". My neighbors water their own yards, not mine. Even the best neighbor is not going to water my lawn for me :>"
Okay, you got me on that last one! I do have a sense of humor, in
between my shunning of green-lawn families, judging people, committing
hate crimes against SUV owners, and not reading news or researching
anything.
(Still trying to be) Respectfully Yours,
MON--to answer your questions: 1) somewhat 2) yes (the folks on Medway
are aware; the ones are Myrtle are quite a distance away.) On your next
point, I'd like to issue a friendly reminder that not everyone who lives
in this town has the resources available to "call the Water Department
for an answer and to pay up and hook up to Town water."
I had previously used the term "bad neighbor" and I was of course
referring to this particular behavior, since it was the topic of
discussion. Naturally, none of us are perfect and we all have differing
views on how to behave in the context of society.
And on that note, my opinion on this matter is my opinion, but that does
not mean it is not based on some facts. If I am reckless, then I guess
the entire town of Hopkinton was reckless last week:
"September 4, 2007 - The Hopkinton Board of Health has issued a private water use ban, which will take effect upon notification in qualifying news publications, according to Public Health Administrator Thomas Ryder. This will encompass all neighborhoods in Hopkinton, he said.Or in other words, within a community water is water--it comes from the same place (at differening rates) and therefore, in a drought situation it is responsible for all community members to check their water use.According to Mr. Ryder, penalties will range from $50 per day, each day, to a total revocation of the user's well permit. It has been written to coincide with the municipal ban, which is in effect due to the lack of rain, causing the Hopkinton Reservoir to lower to the statutory limit.
This is the notice:
Please be advised that Hopkinton Board of Health Regulations for all private water wells provides that in addition to any other water use restriction, by this or any other municipal body, automatic lawn irrigation is limited to two days per week. In addition all private water wells including irrigation wells must abide by all municipal restrictions for water use. Accordingly, all non-essential outdoor use of water from private water well including irrigation wells is prohibited until the municipal restriction is lifted. (Please see Hopkinton BOH Regulation 5.5 and 5.5.1.1 and 5.5.1.3) These regulations are available on line at Hopkinton.org by selecting the BOH regulations link listed under "Government" or a copy may be obtained at the Town of Hopkinton B.O.H. office at Town Hall."
(from www.hopnews.com)
Finally, MON, you said, "Those who make ill-informed comments about
members of the community based on lack of knowledge are the definition
of "bad neighbor"." You may disagree with me, and that is your right.
But my comments are not ill-informed just because you disagree with
them. In my view, I am trying to be a good neighbor by raising awareness
around one side of this issue and getting people to think about the
water issue itself. Again--you may disagree, and that is your choice.
Respectfully,
I recently saw this mentioned on one of the "going green" shows on HGTV.
DV... I too have a problem with hunters that are killing for no reason
and enjoy the thrill of the chase and the kill... then just walk away.
There is something slightly perverted in someone that enjoys killing for
no reason. But hunting is a culture that has been around since the
beggining of time... to each his own I guess.
Although the Comcast reps were "professional", that's different than
being helpful. If your configuration varies in the slightest from the
tech's playbook, you are guilty until proven innocent, and I needed to
prove to Comcast that it wasn't my setup/config causing the problem.
While I can appreciate the neccessity/scalability of mass volume tech
support, I didn't want to be bothered to spend any time to prove to
Comcast that they had a problem before they were willing to address it -
so I voted with my wallet and moved to Fios.
I know the day will come when dealing with Comcast will seem like a
dream compared to what I'm inevitably in for with Verizon. But, it's
cheaper than Comcast, and at least advertises higher speeds. Although I
pay for the 20mbps package, so far I've only gotten D/L speeds of
7.5mbps - but it was just installed this week and I haven't had time to
play with it yet.
Off the topic - the town needs to grant Verizon a license to provide
FiOS TV. The town should be a little more forward thinking about
convergence and what bits get sent through the wires strung on poles.
Why should Verizon be able to send me internet bits but not video bits -
and I challenge anyone on whatever licensing board this goes in front
off to make a compelling distinction between the two. I know there are
concerns regarding community access, but plenty of other communities
have both Comcast and Fios TV coexisting, so I'm guessing there's a
solution somewhere.
Question, in your discussions with Comcast, did they mention if this was
a known issue in Norfolk?
[I used Comcast for six months back in 2004, and never had problems with connectivity. I ended up switching to Verizon DSL because I measured much better upload (PC-to-internet) speeds, and did experience DSL connection problems (which were traced ultimately to corroded wiring at the junction box on the side of the house. Verizon was of no help in tracking down the problem; I got a tip from an eBay seller, of all things). Comcast connection and downloads were never an issue - Wm.]
Different cultures eat different meat. Some don't eat meat at
all. I imagine that there are some out there just as horrified with the
thought of your roast beef Sunday dinner as you are with deer hunting.
I don't condone hunting for pure sport, although many sport hunters
donate all their meat to the many charitable organizations and homeless
shelters that feed the needy. So it is a win-win situation... Did you
know that there is a deer farm/slaughterhouse in near Plymouth, NH???
Obviously, there is enough of a call for venison to support their
business... Yum! Ever tried moose meatloaf?
I think it is time to re-seed the moonscape. I doubt that Stop and Shop
will build here.
So, let's now pick on fertilizers. The runoff into our streams, rivers
and ponds from those beautiful green expanses are a multibillion dollar
headache for the folks who are trying their best to keep our waterways
healthy. OK, so by-laws are a bummer, how about taxing Scotts et al to
make their products prohibitive to everyone. The tax will be used to
clean our waterways up.
Kia ora,
I sure am glad you are not my neighbor. This topic is getting tedious I
know, but it a slippery slope to start judging people publicly by the
appearance of their home and propensity to maintain their yard. What is
next, should we "demonize" neighbors with plasma TV's that use excessive
electricity? Perhaps we should frown upon neighbors with SUV's that use
more gasoline than cars. Personally, I am going to mind my own business,
not judge others and get along with my neighbors. You might consider it.
By the way, in your post you state, "I do think it is disrespectful of your
neighbors to be watering your lawn during a drought". My neighbors water
their own yards, not mine. Even the best neighbor is not going to water my
lawn for me :>
You stating that it is caused by those who water their lawns is
reckless, and is not based on engineering or scientific fact and leads
to mysticism and witch hunts. Those who make ill-informed comments
about members of the community based on lack of knowledge are the
definition of "bad neighbor".
I referred to CS as a "bad neighbor" but I didn't mean to demonize
him/her solely. I do think it is disrespectful of your neighbors to be
watering your lawn during a drought - regardless of whether you have
well or town water. For the most part, we are all tapped into the same
"pool" of water.
I know two families (one on Medway St., one on Myrtle St.) who both have
well water and both had been experiencing trickles from their wells.
This is the water the use for drinking, cooking, washing, etc.
So yes - when someone is using their automatic sprinklers everyday during
a drought, or using their town- or well-provided water to keep their
grass green (a case can be made for keeping a vegetable garden
watered...) - it is my opinion that it makes them a bad neighbor. And I
stand by that opinion.
Respectfully,
lawns will be green again!
[Update 1:51pm: that's Sat, Sept 15 - BF]
And just a reminder to all NLYS coaches and parents - there will be 2
coaches' clinics conducted by MYS (Mass Youth Soccer) this week - These
clinics will be held at the Pond Street fields and are free for all coaches
and assistants.
Tactical Skills - September 12th @ 5:30
Art of Coaching - September 14th @ 5:30
These clinics are also open to all parents of NLYS players who may be
interested in coaching in the future.
For more information visit -
[norfolklionssoccer page]
![[GIF link]](http://groundwaterwatch.usgs.gov/plots/420545071174001.gif){kind=link}
As with anything, there needs to be a balance here. Just as SR probably
went a bit far labeling well-waterers as "bad neighbors", you're missing the
point a bit; it is Norfolk's "swampiness" that's a part of its charm.
The fact that we're all on septic systems, and a lot of us are on wells,
drives the development policies we have - you need bigger lots to
accommodate subsurface septic, you need to stay a bit spread out. There are
parts of town that could use more development: town center for instance
could densify a bit once we've solved the waste disposal issues, and the
commercial district around the intersection of 1 and 1A has grown
tremendously since I moved into town 15 years ago.
But as your friends at the USGS will tell you, low swampy land is very
important to keep in its natural state, it indeed serves as a "sponge",
mitigating floods and helping nature handle large amounts of water.
Many climate models show New England becoming wetter as the century
progresses, and unless we leave a good chunk of nature, well, natural, burnt
out lawns will be the least of our problems.
(And, actually, speaking as a son of native cheap, skinflint New Englanders,
I just can't get my head around the idea of paying [as you noted, you "paid
for" your water] for a lawn I'm just going to have to cut anyway...)
Having a water well for your lawn does not make you a bad neighbor, but
it does point bring out the neurosis and pettiness and lack of knowledge
in those who do not. Why don't those who worry about well using lawn
waterers go to visit the US Geological Survey Site and aquaint yourself
with some scientific facts of Norfolk's geology and hydrology. My
sources at the USGS, experts in hydrology, gave me a number of basic
facts.
1) Norfolk sits in a large depression filled with one of the largest
water basins/ swamps in Massachusetts, the Charles River basin. Most of
Norfolk is a swamp. That is also why we should be developing as much
land as possible to increase the tax base, and the Planning Boards and
Conservation Commitees should have their lips molded to fit housing
developers backsides, but let's not go tangential here.
2) The soil is composed of sand and gravel, allowing fast flowing
aquifers. Most of Norfolk is on glacial wash, another term for giant
water filled sponge. So unless a swine farm opens up soon to consume
tens of 1000's of gallons of water a day, Norfolk is saturated when it
comes to water. Franklin, on the other hand, sits along side our
aquifer, on higher terrain, and probably has to drill sideways to tap
into our aquifer, hence its water woes. Maybe our town can add to its
coffers by selling some precious water to other towns? But that would
take some leadership.
3) The ground water levels fluctuate within the normal ranges for such a
fast flowing aquifer and have for over 40 years. There have been no
changes noticeable, even with the new homes watering their lawns. See
the graph below.
So all of you can put your pitchforks and torches away, there is no
monster. Meantime, I will enjoy my green summer lawn, and the beautiful
sound of water sprinkling my shrubs everyday.
I paid for it.
And for earlier questions with regard to help with bee & wasp nests or
any pest control problems, call us, APC Pest & Termite Control, Inc., also in
Medfield at 508-359-7563.
Be careful when purchasing a used instrument. It may seem like a
bargin, but if it needs repair or a full overhaul, it's no longer a
good deal. If the instrument is more than 5 years old, it's probably
going to need something. If it's a quality instrument, it may well be
worth repairing, some have superior intonation than the newer models.
Clarinuts sells refurbished clarinets and flutes, this is one resource,
and it is located in Central Mass.
The above only applies to purchasing. There is an established rental
program in place through the school. This may be the best way to go
until you are sure of your child's committment. If they stick with
band, it is ultimately more cost effective to purchase a good instrument
in the long run. An upgraded mouthpiece on a quality plastic clarinet
can be used through middle school, and for marching band in high
school. My favorite plastic clarinet is the Yamaha YCL 250. The
Director of Music at my church, the former music teacher at the Freeman,
favored this over my much more expensive wooden professional clarinet
for use at the church. The Buffet B-12 is also a good choice, the newer
version is made of ABS Resin. The newer Leblancs (7214's) are
typically the workhorse of elementary school band's clarinet sections.
Different brand band instruments may look the same, but they're not.
It's worth the time and effort to research the differences if you are
considering a purchase.
I was hoping someone could recommend a place where I could board my two
cats on a temporary, but long term basis (possibly up to a year)?
Also, I would like to join or start a play group for me and my 18 month
old son. Anyone interested?!
Thanks,
I also agree that new developments ought to be banned
from cutting down all the old trees and planting puny little non-native
ornamentals. We ought to have a by-law that addresses this.
[This post arrived yesterday afternoon (Fri 9/7), but got caught up in the mail filters and I didn't find it until just now. - Wm.]
As always, we will have a silent and live auction with dancing and a full
dinner!
The Norfolk Community League is a nonprofit organization that believes in
the commitment to the community. The purpose of this auction is to raise
funds that go directly back into the town of Norfolk through the sponsoring
of various events and programs.
The number of tickets being sold to this benefit are limited, so return
your order form quickly! Tickets and an auction catalogue will be delivered
to your door the week of the auction.
All tickets are non-refundable.
Go to the Norfolk Community League website to print your order form.
norfolkcommunityleague.org
MW:
Obviously water is a shared resource, thanks for pointing that out to us.
My statement was simply that the water ban does not directly apply to well
owners, which means that if we have some green patches left, it is not
because we are in violation of the water ban. It is ridiculous to imply
that I am promoting wasting a shared, necessary natural resource.
Obviously, I need to be more clear so that people don't assume the worst and
start in with the lecturing.
If people with private wells claim that what they pump out of their
own yards belongs to them and has no effect on their neighbors,
then they have no argument when one of their neighbors contaminates
their well! Think about it. So basically folks, you can't have your
cake and eat it too! ...or, you can't pump your water and drink
it too! Wow! what this means is that any neighbor, business or town
is off the hook if one of their resident's well become contaminated!
Think of what this means for the legal system. All those contamination
cases and superfund sites... off the hook!
When I heard of the TPA call for volunteers to help with the Friend
Directory Fundraiser, I thought that was one of the best things the TPA
is offering to the community of parents, and jumped on board
immediately. I am just a regular parent, with nothing to gain from the
project other than the opportunity to express my appreciation to what
the TPA has done for our schools and children.
My personal understanding of what the TPA is all about, is that it is an
association of dedicated parents working together with the schools and
teachers to improve the quality of education for our children. Each
time I meet a room parent, lunch/recess volunteer, library volunteer,
volunteers who give freely & selflessly of their time to help organize
fundraisers, I am filled with gratitude that this is what our community
is about. I am grateful to the teachers and administrators who have
lovingly nutured our kids despite having to struggle with budget cuts
and other lack of funding. I am grateful to the organizers of the TPA
who have tirelessly made this cooperation between teachers & parents a
possibililty & success over all these years.
Putting together a fundraiser takes a lot of time and effort. For a
project such as a friendship directory, there is much behind the scene
effort to make this thing work. It is an effort that takes countless
'woman-hours' that span over weeks and months, with deadlines to be met
and issues to resolve.
Thanks to all the kind folks who raised the questions and issues, we now
have the facts:
1. This directory project is a fundraiser. Thanks for pointing out the
omission. Certainly many other parents might have been confused... I'm
sure the TPA will rectify that in their next communication about the
project.
2. This fundraiser benefits our children and benefits us. It benefits
our kids because 100% of any funds generated goes back to them. It
benefits us because we've always wanted easier access to network with
other parents, arrange playdates and parties.
3. The TPA needs the help of parents to return the permission slips, or
there would be no directory. No permission equals no info published,
equals no useful directory. This is the only fundraiser where every
parent can help without being obliged to spend a single cent.
4. For those us who choose to place an order, we are not just buying
the directory. We are making a contribution, and getting something
really useful back in return. This also helps those who really like the
idea of a friendship directory but are hard-pressed financially at the
moment, as the TPA has set aside directories just for the asking for
anyone under such circumstances.
5. Information in the directory will provide names of kids and parents
in each class, the teacher's contact info, the parent's contact info
(address, phone, and optionally email & cell numbers), all arranged in a
convenient manner with indexes.
6. The TPA is helping to make things better for us. Some show their
appreciation by volunteering, and as parents, we can encourage the TPA
simply by giving our permission to be listed in the directory and
keeping those questions coming.
CS, I think he was being sarcastic.
Guilty conscience perhaps? (Said with tongue firmly in cheek and twinkle in
eye.)
[Update 9/8 9:26am: Sorry the phone # is 508-989-7913 - RA]
[Hey, I qualify! I just noticed this morning that the lawn crunches and crackles when I walk on it. - Wm.]
Also, I think it is being handled very well. Participation is
voluntary. What information you choose to include is voluntary and,
ultimately, the purchase is voluntary, too, with the profits going back
to the schools. Any questions should be directed to the contact name on
the forms or the TPA.
A virus has emerged as a strong suspect in the hunt for the mystery disease killing off North American honeybees.Genetic research showed that Israeli Acute Paralysis Virus (IAPV) turned up regularly in hives affected by Colony Collapse Disorder (CCD).
Over the last three years, between 50% and 90% of commercial bee colonies in the US have been affected by CCD.
[ref]
Now, if the nest is lower to the ground, say the gutter on a single
story house, and the wasps are invading the personal space of you and
your family when outdoors, then you really should have it removed.
That's best done by a professional who has the protective gear. As to
their being "relatively harmless", bald-faced hornets and other wasps
are extremely protective of their nests and will sting repeatedly if
disturbed. Unlike honeybees who can sting only once because they lose
their stinger upon stinging, wasps don't lose their stinger and can be
very nasty if they feel threatened. The key here is, '...if they feel
threatened'. If they're in an area frequented by you and your family,
your very presence may be sufficient to provoke them. Then again, they
may not be bothered by you being there. There's no guarantee with
wasps... or honeybees for that matter.
[Update 9/7 10:28am: Corrected initials - Wm.]
1) The purpose of the directory is for parent and student convenience
in communicating with peers, parents and or classmates at each of the
schools for out-of-school events, playdates etc. This project is
sponsored by the Norfolk TPA and is a fundraiser to help support
numerous enhancements to both the H. Olive Day and Freeman Centennial
Schools.
2) Due to Federal Privacy Laws, publication of student contact
information requires parental permission hence the white form that was
part of the packet. Inclusion in the book does not cost anything. It
only requires permission from the parents. The cost of purchasing the
book is to cover costs of paper, printing, binding plus a small profit
for the TPA (hence the fundraising part of it).
3) Purchase of the book(s) is Voluntary and certainly Not required.
Again, the book is designed as a "nice to have" tool for ease of
communication between classmates and or parents. Also noted on the
order form is the price of $10 per book OR Any 2 books for $15. This is
for those who wish to have a book from both schools.
4) There will also be a number of books available to any school
family in town with a financial hardship which precludes them from
paying for the booklet (just as we do for the "School Supply"
fundraiser). These requests are confidential and will be handled by the
schools directly. Information regarding requesting a free booklet is
noted on a second order form/reminder which will be in backpacks next
week.
5) If a parent chooses to call the school and or teacher for a class
list, this certainly would not preclude you from doing so. This book
will list all students, by class, from whom we have received parental
consent.
6) This book will ONLY be available for purchase by current student
families of HOD and FC and will ONLY be distributed via classrooms. Of
note, Included in the book, for your convenience, is also the preferred
contact information for teachers and any school personnel in a
convenient, easy to use format.
I hope this clarifies any questions or concerns regarding The H.
Olive Day and Freeman Centennial "Friend Directory". If you have any
concerns or questions, please contact the project lead noted on the
actual form. We are happy to field your questions.
Sincerely,
[Update 9/7 12:56am: fixed typo in initials - Wm.]
What I thought was strange was that they wanted my cell number. At
my house the cell phone is for emergencies not to make playdates.
Why would I want that number in a directory? Why would they not
want to list a home number? I would like ot hear the reason why
the cell was included.
Thanks for caring (I hope).
Stop all the clocks, cut off the telephone,
Prevent the dog from barking with a juicy bone.
Silence the pianos and with muffled drum
Bring out the coffin, let the mourners come.
Let aeroplanes circle moaning overhead
Scribbling on the sky the message He is Dead,
Put cre'pe bows round the white necks of the public doves,
Let the traffic policemen wear black cotton gloves.
He was my North, my South, my East and West,
My working week and my Sunday rest,
My noon, my midnight, my talk, my song,
I thought that love would last forever: 'I was wrong'
The stars are not wanted now, put out every one;
Pack up the moon and dismantle the sun;
Pour away the ocean and sweep up the wood.
For nothing now can ever come to any good.- W.H Auden
[Update 10:28pm: Fixed beginning of poem - Wm.]
I trust that your expertise is such that you realize that it's doubtful
that the strong local advocates of the downtown development of the
numerous stores, in which they wish to shop, will be able to support the
daily operation of those businesses; in addition it will require the
successful encouragement of the day-by-day influx of hundreds of
vehicle-laden purchasers, from out of town, in order for you to even
make your nut. That notwithstanding, your markups, seemingly necessary
to survive, may still have to be so excessive that you can't be
competitative enough to maintain an acceptable sales volume.
Last, but certainly not least, I'm sure that you already realize that in
order to cater to the desires of the supporters of your development
plans (many of whom are self-indulgent, to the nth degree) it's
essential that you design an extravagant coffee shop into your plans.
According to the expectations of some of the elite among the Norfolknet
set, it needs to be a shop "Where one can go to have a cup of coffee and
read a book"; or "Where one can go to meet with friends over a cup of
coffee."; or "Where one can go just to get out of the house for a cup of
coffee" (Huh???) Probably needless to say, but be prepared to be
rebuffed by those who preferred a Bagel Shop, Pastry Shop, Exotic Ice
Cream Shop, or countless other specialty shops; even though locations of
that type are abound all around us, there's a peculiar mindset that
seems to demand that their whole world should be within virtual walking
distance from them. Of course, ideally, you'll certainly receive their
undying affection (for as long as your generosity prevails), if you set
aside ample space in your accommodations for another free day-care
center, where one or two adults can take a number of other parents'
children to watch over for various periods of time-you know, similar to
the way that it's now done in places like the Town Library, old Town
Hall, HOD School, and Kids' Place.
Good luck with your Norfolknet survey, MON; I hope it provides all the
input for which you're hoping. Here's one last encouraging thought for
you about your Adult Book Store/Tattoo Parlor (Etc.) combo: Even if
many of your potential consumers of such products are unable to
transport themselves to Norfolk via their own cars, once the highly
touted GATRA Bus System is in operation in Town, Norfolk will be easy
to reach for everybody from points even beyond Pawtucket, Woonsocket,
Boston, Brockton, etc. No doubt, your enterprise will offer a
widespread appeal and create an interesting array of customers to help
influence the character of the town.
Tallyho,
From Zoning Bylaws - The C-1 District is further divided into two areas:
(1) On Highway, which consists of that portion of the C-1 District which
is located within 300 feet of the FRONTAGE line of Route 1A or 115, and
(2) Off-Highway, which consists of that portion of the C-1 District
which is located greater than 300 feet from the FRONTAGE line of Route
1A and 115. Within the Off Highway District there shall be an Adult
Business Overlay District which shall be comprised of the following
lots: Assessors' Map 19 Block 72, Lots 36, 37, 38, 39.
Watch the entire one hour and 14 minute event on
NCTV's Government Access channel 22 each day at 11:30
a.m. and 2 p.m. Copies are also available for $15.00
[Update 9/7 10:13am: Jimmy Buffet tix sold, thank you! - JT]
We will be at the open houses at Freeman/Centennial and H. Olive Day
later in the month, but any prospective scouts and their parents are
welcome to come and check us out.
Pack 80 is for boys south of Main Street (Pack 125 is for those north of
Main Street).
Cub Scouts is for boys in grades 1 (Tiger Cubs) through 5 (Webelo IIs)
and a boy at any age in between can join.
[Update 9/6 11:55am: Questions can be emailed to box77@norfolknet.com - KDR
Update 9/10 11:34am: corrected typo in e-mail address - Wm.]
Friday, September 21, 7-10pm Franklin Country Club
672 East Central Street
$60 per personProceeds will go to the Atryzek Family of Medway to aid in Molly's battle with Leukemia.
JC Import Company will offer a selection of South American boutique wines paired with hot and cold hors d'oeuvres.
The silent auction will feature an array of items including:
- gift certificates from area companies such as a winery tour and tasting -
- gourmet food items -
- fine wines -
- goods and services from many, many generous donors -Reservations required
To RSVP or for more information please contact Kate Goldman at kate_goldman@hotmail.com
To make a donation please visit www.mollysfund.com.
Given the ample land and vacated stores in the town center, a group of
businessmen from the North Shore I know are interested in opening an
Adult Bookstore/ Tattoo Parlor in the Town Center to accommodate the
growing demand for such products/ services. Since there is plenty of
interest in developing the Town Center, we thought Norfolknet would be a
good place to get feedback for such an endeavor.
In keeping with theme of the store we thought it appropriate to name it
"Norfolk's Secret".
Given the rundown look of the strip-mall like Town stores and vacant
land - What do Norfolkians have to say on such a wonderful idea?
Change
takes time and money. I would prefer it taking time; too much change too fast
would probably leave us wishing it was as before. I'm glad the Transfer
Station isn't the dump any more but we didn't think twice about using it when it
was a burning dump with rats. Maybe in time we will get all the things folks
hope for, but in the meantime, sit back and enjoy the wonderful town Norfolk is
now.
To equate me to Paris Hilton for asking for a ``hi, how are you today?'' seems
a little extreme. I was not asking for help, I am a capable adult, I am
simply asking to not be completely ignored. There is a huge difference as
far as I am concerned. If I am alone in that thinking, then so be it. It
truly saddens me that SFM decided a personal attack against me was a
justifiable response to my expression of a concern[.]
I would love to see a nice town center... but only after the rest
of our more necessary problems are taken care of.
Dover, Wellesley, Lexington, Newton all have stellar school systems.
They have earned the right to use whatever funds are available to
improve their town centers... We have not.
Another question - if the majority of the town of Norfolk wanted
sidewalks, why was it voted down several years ago? Or is that
also the town government's fault?? I was one of the voters that
desperately wanted sidewalks at that time. My children are walking
to school on King street every day without sidewalks. Where was the
majority for that one?
In my mind we do need sidewalks, that is a real problem
for me. When I moved here 1 year ago I thought it was not a big deal, but as
my kids want to head out on their own now I am finding it a problem. From our
house it is safer for my kids to ride to Medfield, center which I think is a
shame.
If this town is not good enough for you, then why did you move here?
Who are you to say that the people who enjoyed their life here in
this "cow town" (that's how its always been proudly viewed) before
you arrived are "less" than you? My husband, his family and friends
who were born and raised here find it highly insulting that you
feel that their quality of life is substandard to yours... The
entire town should change becuase you desire it? Wow! ...that's
pretty self centered of you! Maybe you do belong in an "upscale"
town! LOL!
I frequent lots of Norfolk businesses. If I had a comment, I think it is a
safe bet that the business owner would appreciate hearing about it directly
from you instead of taking a public (and unidentified of course) swipe over
a relatively minor issue. Of course, if you had an absolutely horrible
experience with a company (such as fraudulent activity, shoddy work, etc.)
then by all means please let us know; but to slam a local shop that has been
in town for sometime with good reputation because a sales associate forgot
to say "May I help you with anything?" is a little much in my book. Oh,
by the way, the coffee at Dunkin Donuts today wasn't quite as hot as it was
last Friday. Finally, I am not related in any way to Something Special -
just one of their many happy customers!
That's sounds pretty definite -- any references that one could check to
read up on this assertion?
Seems like the Town should have acted promptly to have the builder fix the
goof with the sprinkler system (designed for dry system, mistakenly installed
wet that froze in winter).
Based on the evidence described above, there was a deviation from the architect's plans which has resulted in continuous malfunction and expense for almost seven years. The genesis of this situation appears to have been the installation of the wrong sprinkler pipe in 1999. It may be that no legal action has been taken because the principals all consented to corrective modifications, either affirmatively or by acquiescence.The OIG recognizes that Norfolk's public building committee, like many local building committees, was composed of citizens of dedication and integrity, "many of whom had other jobs and obligations, volunteering their time in order to serve their community." ... They were not, however, professional designers and contractors, and appear to have relied on paid professionals who did not wholly manage the project on behalf of the town. In our Needham Middle School report, we observed that "over reliance on any private consultant or vendor is risky and can be imprudent."
Based on the record, the source of the roof problems appears to be the unexplained deviation from plans which specified dry and wet pipe with the installation of wet instead of dry pipe in April 1999. Neither the records of the town nor those of the architect disclose who made the decision to proceed without correcting this error. Moreover, the contracts do not make clear who was responsible for errors of judgment.
[mass.gov pdf]
My oldest
son wanted to go to Xaverian, after 3 years there, I insisted my younger
son go, who didn't want to. My children received the best education
you can have imagined. Far beyond what is taught in the public
schools. They were taught how to respect their parents, help out at
home, etc. I worked with a couple of Jewish associates, who aske me
about Xaverian, and they sent their sons there and agreed with everything
I told them. Xaverian is in the top 20 high schools in the country!
My children graduated and got into the better colleges and hold great
jobs. I am so proud of them! I am so glad I held my predjuces back!!
I also have doubts that a town the size of Norfolk can support a
Super Stop and Shop. The surrounding towns all have their own large
gorcery stores. So I am also skeptical that this would bring out-of-towners
into Norfolk to shop.
Another concern is that I honestly
don't see our tiny little roundabout supporting any more traffic
than we already have. Do we really want to draw in more vehicles
to town? It might make our new "convenience" very inconvenient, if
we can't find parking spots. This is why I moved to a town such
as Norfolk from the big city... I would love to have a smaller grocery
store that sold are necessities at at reasonable prices. I too am
fearful of a Stop and Shop.
Unfortunately, it's not my call. This is still America. I never
owned the land, never will own the land and I have a huge problem
with the practice of taking property by "eminent domain".
A thought: Why is it so important for the town to look so good?
Who cares that there is a moonscaoe in the town center. I moved
into this community becuase of the people in it. Not how it looked.
There are people starving in this country and all we seem to worry
about is outward appearances. I would much rather live in a town
that has decent, hardworking folks that care about each other than
to live in a "Stepford" town. Yes! I like things to look nice too,
and I take pride in my home. But aren't there more important things
to concentrate on such as health and education? As a community we
have been complaining about budget cuts in the schools... But we can
find the money for brick sidewalks and fancy lights? Don't get me
wrong, I think they're beautiful and I love how the center evolved... but
we need to set some serious priorities... Like sidewalks in school
zones and smaller classroom sizes.
What right do we have to impose our individual tastes and standards
on anyone? Where does it end?? Telling homeowners that they
have to mow their lawns to a certain height or that they need to
paint their homes a certain color... I'm sorry, but I just don't care
about that. I care about the people inside my neighbor's homes... not
the structure that they live in our how they choose to live in it.
Unless it is endangering someone, its not my business. I have set
foot in communist countries and I have spoken to people that have
lived their entire lives with no freedom to make choices regarding
thier lifestyles. Is this what America is coming to?
The gentleman working behind the counter this past weekend was wrapped up in
a show he was watching on the computer and never looked up to say anything.
A female employee came in while I was there and he stopped the show to speak
with her, but they both ignored me completely (I was the only customer
there). When she left, he went back to watching the show. At one point I
even stood at the counter looking at the Webkinz charms.
I would not think that a small business that depends on the locals for
support could afford to ignore customers. I really hope this can improve; it
is a very cute store with some great one-of-a-kind products. A little
friendly service goes a long way; at least in my opinion.
Brookline Ice and Coal
610 Brookline Ave.
Brookline, Ma. 02445
Phone: (617)232-0941
Fax: (617)734-8151
E-Mail: info@brooklineice.com
I grew up in Newton. My mother used to talk of a place called
Silver Lake... I never saw it growing up becuase it is now gone... It
just dissappeared. Houses now stand where my mother used to swim, fish
and ice skate... The area is still called "the Lake" even though
there is no water there... Will the same thing happen to Norfolk's
bodies of water??
NORFOLK - A Norfolk teenager died Friday after the pickup truck he was driving ran off the road and into trees on Medway Street.For more of this story, click on or type the URL below: [Sun Chron article]Erik Ward, 17, of 44 Lake St., was pronounced dead after succumbing to his severe injuries at Caritas Norwood Hospital in Norwood, Fire Chief Coleman Bushnell said.
Yet the
people who live in this town would like to see things happen.
Where's the bite... the action behind all their words. I drive through
neighborhood after neighborhood and see beautiful lawns, freshly
painted homes, flower beds... mulch... the people of Norfolk, the
homeowners do their part to have a beatiful place to live... it's
now time for the town to step up... or step out. I know, as a father
of young children, that there is no time for anything else besides
work and family. I also know there are other fathers and mothers
I've met at the ball fields and baseball games that given the
time... we would run for some of your town seats... and get things
moving. I think many of you will be challenged in your positions
in the next few years as our children get a little older and we can
put our attention to making Norfolk the type of town it truly should
be: Developed center, more sidewalks, new businesses... envy of our
neighboring towns. Norfolk will be developed sooner or later... let's
make it sooner.
Old Town Hall Parking PermitsThe Board of Selectmen's office is now accepting applications for parking permits for the Old Town Hall parking lot for 2007-2008.
If the amount of applications exceeds the 75 available spots, we will hold a lottery, and create a waiting list for people who were not selected. The cut off date for applications is Monday, September 17th at 6 p.m. The drawing will be held on Tuesday, September 18th.
If you would like an application, you may pick one up at the Board of Selectmen's office, or access our website at [page link]
For more information, please contact Joni Troyanos at 508-528-1408 or troyanos@virtualnorfolk.org.
Have to say the food was good.
If you go to YouTube.com and in the search window type in... "High
Voltage Cable Inspection" ... you'll be quite amazed at what these
individuals do up there. As kids we were taught never to even think
about climbing the towers because of what the wires carried and could do
to you. Now technology has been developed allowing workers to crawl
along those same wires, inspecting them, and walking away from them
unharmed... well, maybe not walking away. See the video and you'll
understand.
The Autumn Charity Auction, which will be held on October 20 at Lake Pearl
Luciano's, is the eighth auction presented by the Norfolk Community League.
Proceeds directly benefit various community incentives and organizations.
Last year's auction raised over $34,000 for the Town of Norfolk! Tickets
for this event are available to the public and will be available
mid-September. Check out the NCL website at
norfolkcommunityleague.org
for
more details! We hope you will join us for a fun evening!
Thank you, The Norfolk Community League.
$1250.00 plus utilities.
No pets.
No smoking.
First, last, security.
E-mail
ralphw2418@comcast.net
This may have been already discussed, but I just moved to the area.
Thanks!
Anyone who has lived in this town for years knows that the land has
no clear title, for Pamela Fay was a Ware and never changed the deeds
after her father died and left the land to her. She passed it on to her
daughter Mary Fay who moved, and she also assumed the land was
automatically hers. People back then did not know too much about legal
matters. It has been passed down from contractor to contractor over a
period of years. The first contractor bought it from the daughter
through a local realtor and was the first to find out there was no clear
title. It has been sold to at least three other contractors including
Borrelli who just passed it off to New England Developer, but only
sixteen acres which includes 3 acres already built on without going
into detail.
So Stop & Shop annouced in the Boomering that they cannot
proceed without working out what they called "Some Details in
Massachusetts Land Court."
There is also another part of the land that
sits across from the post office which the first contractor bought in
the first sale but was too far away from the other land so was never
sold until recently.
The guy showed up at our house to replace the water meter. He did the
work, which turned out to be just a little more than he expected, but
hey - I didn't ask to have this done. Someone in the Ivory Tower
decreed that the work needed to be done, so I figured they'd have to
deal with it and pay for parts and labor.
So far... no problem.
Then, along came the first water bill subsequent to the meter
replacement...
Ha! This is where it became just little bit north of
'interesting'.
The bill was for just about 5 times what we historically paid during
that period in previous years. It was huge. A call to the Chateau d'
Water received a response that was worthy of Marie Antionette... My
response was more akin to... let me tell you how much I'm going to
pay... same as last year. They promised to 'investigate' the problem.
Going from the old meter to the new meter, there had been a major
screw-up in the accounting... beyond my ability to understand, but there
it was. In the end, I was told that the 'overage' was being 'forgiven',
and a new bill (that ended up showing an amount due just about the same
as the past 4-5 years) would be sent. Forgiven? They were going to
'forgive' an amount that I didn't owe? They would 'forgive' me for not
paying an extraordinary mistake on their part? When I picked myself up
off the floor from an extreme fit of laughter, I wrote the check and
mailed it... still laughing.
Point is... if you have a water meter replaced, look very carefully at
the very next bill and compare it to last years, and the previous couple
of years. You may be as surprised as we were. Buyer beware...
Ms. Susan Knight, president of the Emerald Necklace Conservancy, will
present the program. The Emerald Necklace consists of over 1,000 acres
of parks with green and open spaces, waterways, bridges and other
structures, designed by Frederick Law Olmstead. It stretches from the
Charles River/Back Bay Fens to Franklin Park/Dorchester, containing
thousands of varieties of flora, fauna and wildlife habitat. Ms.
Knight's slide presentation will focus on ``Restoring the Vision,
preserving the Olmstead Legacy''. Come and learn more about this
environmental treasure and cultural resource -- a very special place for
people in our area to visit and enjoy.
The Garden Club of Norfolk welcomes all who are interested in
gardening-from beginner to expert. Meetings are held on the second
Wednesday of the month from September thru June.
[I've made the e-mail address above clickable, or you can enter it manually into the To: field of your e-mail program. The original mention of the address, in the post of 8/22 5:55pm, was also clickable, but the mention of it this morning at 10:00am was not - Wm.]
And, oh, yes, they are in earthboxes these wondrous plants of mine so
they are close to the house. The tomato plants had been 8 feet tall
with beautiful fruit and I was so excited early in the season. Next
year, those boxes are going on the back deck (not the side deck which has
stairs and the critters have even climbed up the stairs!!) Fox urine and
my neighbors' dog have not helped. Thank goodness for Jane & Paul's,
Gumps and the family on Miller Street with their supply of tomatoes. At
least the basil is in good shape. And like summer, I guess I have to
look forward to next year.
My husband once went to the water dept. to check on a fee that we
were charged on our bill. The office staff told him that they had
"no idea what it was for"... and that we "just had to pay it" - not
very professional in my book.
My little boy isn't much younger than Youssif, and the
thought of something like this happening to him breaks my heart,
especially the idea that other little kids wouldn't want to play with
him anymore. I want to raise awareness of the story, in the hopes that
it will assist Youssif to get help. When I get more information re:
ways to help him, I'll post again. Thanks for reading!
[The box75 address automatically forwards all e-mail to DH, who offered to organize the event - Wm.]
Also I know this question has been
asked before, we are thinking of replacing our windows with energy
efficient ones, does anyone have suggestions/tips on windows and
installers. Thanks.
The gentlemen that showed up at my house were speedy, efficient, and
wonderfully courteous. I would recommend them to anyone.
Good luck!
I agree that a Trader Joe's would be a real benefit to Norfolk in that
location. We drive to Needham Heights (12.9 miles) to shop there. Other
stores are in Framingham (13.5 miles) and West Newton (16.9 miles).
To locate others, see the location page at:
[link]
Thanks in advance for any input (and for reading my rather boring post
compared to the other conversations going on right now)!
You can also virtually meet Milky Way while browsing
our web site. Milky Way
(registered name is Carney's Prospect) is a Brazilian Thoroughbred who will
be seeking a home this fall. More will be learned and posted on Milk after
he's had a chance to unwind, relax and receive a proper evaluation.
Sincerely,
If someone could help with a direction to go in or offer suggestions, I
would greatly appreciate it. She had been working with a company for the
last year and a half and suddenly asked to sign a contract with an
indemnification clause that no one was comfortable with. When she expressed
her concerns, she was let go.
The Connect-CTY service allows town officials to send and track
personalized voice messages to thousands of residents, businesses, and
local officials in just minutes, through a single phone call. The service
requires no additional hardware; it can be used from any computer with
Internet access or telephone, ensuring that officials can send vital
messages from wherever they are located. The town also can track homes that
were reached with a report on the results of outgoing messages.
[C o n t i n u e d . . .]
PS... I always enjoy your comic relief. Although its great to be
serious,focus and driven. Sometimes its healthy to take a break and
actually enjoy our lives.
Terrible noise. Many decibels in intensity. At firtst I thought they were
grinding up the terrain and conservation land!! Any clues/remedies?
Regarding your psychoanalysis of my temperament -
parents and educators (I am both) often meet with eye rolling from
the younger generation (what was the old 1960's mantra? - "don't
trust anyone over 30"), but we earnestly impart guidance born of a
seasoned perspective not some Pink Floyd "Another Brick in the Wall"
contol seeking sadism. Pardon me now - it's time to fill the bird
feeder.
Regarding
our state's direction, I eagerly await the fruits of Gov. Patrick's
plan to rebuild infrastructure in the state. I just cross my fingers
that the tax ramifications of the bond borrowing don't adversely
effect Norfolk taxpayers.
On the local front, the permit fee to
park in the town owned commuter lot is miniscule ($75 for the year) in
comparison to the MBTA rate ($2.00/day x 250 work days = $500). In
addition to the cost savings, it provides the Norfolk resident who
uses the lot the opportunity to keep fit and trim, especially after
consuming all that trans-fat from Dunkin Donuts.
It would be better for humanity in the long run.
In the meantime, did you know it was illegal to kill and eat songbirds
in Massachusetts?
Harry S. Margolis
Margolis & Associates, Boston, MA535 Boylston Street, 8th Floor Boston, MA 02116 Phone: (617) 267-9700
"Harry S. Margolis founded ElderLaw Services, the predecessor of Margolis & Associates in June 1987. Prior to that he was an associate with Palmer & Dodge in Boston. He is a graduate of Swarthmore College and the New York University School of Law.
Mr. Margolis is editor of The ElderLaw Report, a monthly newsletter for attorneys, and was the founding general editor of The ElderLaw Portfolio Series, a compilation of in-depth studies on various aspects of elder law. Both are published by Aspen Law & Business. He is the author of the ElderLaw Forms Manual and publisher of the ElderLaw News, a quarterly newsletter for the firm's clients. He is also a Fellow and former member of the Board of Directors of the National Academy of Elder Law Attorneys and founding President of the Academy's Massachusetts Chapter.
Mr. Margolis has served on the adjunct faculty of Boston College Law School. He is the founder and president of ElderLawAnswers."
Leslie S. Madge, Esq.
Acton, MA"Is the principal in the firm Leslie S. Madge, P.C., in Acton. Previously, she was the managing partner in the family law firm, Sleeper & Sleeper Attorneys. She is the past president of the Mass. Chapter of NAELA. Attorney Madge is certified as an expert in elder law by the National Elder Law Foundation. She authors the newspaper column, Legally Speaking, addressing topics of interest to the senior citizen community and has appeared on local Cable TV and radio shows covering elder law topics. Ms. Madge also regularly speaks before senior citizen groups and professional organizations. She is a frequent lecturer for the Center for Advanced Legal Studies, Suffolk University Law School, and MCLE."
Baby toys, kids toys, books and house hold items. 2 children's bike
seats, Gently used Bitty Baby outfits, accessories and doll rocking
horse, large plastic 4-sided outdoor climber/slide and more.
Stop by on your way to the Transfer Station!
So hang in there, lipglosscutie, there are many controlling people out
there, although we got rid of most of the Fascists after World War II,
there's always a few still [...] out there.
I will be calling for your babysitting service in the fall.
[How about a compromise? Receive e-mail at box74@norfolknet.com, and pick it up like usual at your yahoo account.
One can debate whether it's meaningful to form judgements about a
person from their e-mail account, but realistically, they will, just
like they will form judgements from the clothes or jewelry one wears.
The clothes
don't make the person, but the clothes make the perception of the
person, and first impressions are hard to undo. - Wm.]
I have seen so many folks on here slamming each other for differing
opinions. Please do not take advantage of the fact that this site
is somewhat anonymous. Let's think about our postings in the
future... Would you be willing to repeat what you posted in person?
Let's remember that although we may have different opinions, all
of them do not need to be expressed. In this case... if you can't
say anything nice to a child... please don't say anything...
The attorney that assisted us was Tom Mullen. I think one of his offices is
in Quincy. Sounds like your situation could end up being a little more
complicated. However, I'd recommend interviewing a few attorneys including
Tom. He was the only one at the time that was aware of this provision and
able to facilitate moving the sale proceeds into the annuity. I've heard
him advertise on WRKO and he regularly mentions situations where a spouse is
still at home while the other is in a nursing home. My experience in the
process was that having the right attorney involved made the process go much
more smoothly. There was some paperwork at the initial stages, but after
that the process was very smooth.
Good luck.
Anyway, I am looking for copies
of failed radon reports, photos of your radon system and the outside of
your home so my brother can incorporate these into his paper. I now live
in Colorado and radon is a huge issue in the mountains here because of
the rock outcroppings. I have obtained the above for him from here in CO
to use in his paper. He would like to show how radon is everywhere - in
the mountains of CO and the flatlands of MA. You can email to me at
Walshclanco@msn.com,
mail me at PO Box 976, Conifer, CO 80433 or phone me at 508-365-8398.
Thanks so much for
anything you can provide for his presentation -
The tix are $83.00 which includes the cost of the ticket plus the
service fee I paid for each ticket. There will also be a mailing
fee, with the cost depending on when the tickets are purchased.
This event is sponsored by the Norfolk Democratic Town Committee.
Please contact Peg D. for more details at 508-528-0326.
You can watch the video on the first page of our
website at
nctvnorfolk.org.
If you can't see the video, the quality is poor or the
picture is too dark on your computer, be sure to watch
the high-quality version on NCTV channel 8 airing
daily at 10 a.m., 1 p.m. 7 p.m. and 9 p.m. until
school starts.
You can also request a copy for viewing by calling our
studios at 508-520-2780.
We have a complicated situation and need some advice. My in-laws have
both moved in with my wife and our kids due to declining health. In
order to accommodate this, we are planning to add an addition to the
house. Her parents have offered to cover a percentage of this cost once
their house is sold. My concern is that if one or both of them declines
in health and needs to go into an assisted living or nursing home within
5 years, will the 5 year look-back law exclude them from MassHealth
coverage due to "gifting" us money toward the additional living space?
I am very concerned about all this and want to be sure they are legally
protected. Thanks for any advice.
It seems to me that the red/blue state voting demographics indicate the
opposite. That is to say voters have moved to the right over the past two
decades precisely for many of the reasons you cite. The exception of course
is a recent adjustment in reaction to the many mistakes the current
administration has made. This slide to the right appears to be happening in
Europe as well.
I would recommend that you listen to WTKK 96.9 FM Talk, after 3 PM some
weekday afternoon. It provides good listening on the commute home - or just
at home. That time slot has been the most listened to talk radio slot in
New England for about five years.
Many highly educated professionals call in daily to discuss the issues of
the day. NPR is also a good listen.
But what is more disturbing is that those same few people then
resort to belittling, labeling, mocking of those who don't agree
with their version of Republicanism. I find those tactics very
damaging to our community and it forces people to take sides when
I think most of us would like to work together to have great schools,
good services and maybe even develop the moonscape.
I don't really care what political party someone belongs to so long
as we try to act like a community and respect each others' differing
viewpoints... we do all live here together, after all.
Please know, Norfolk Recreation does our utmost to not cancel classes.
Never do we want to disappoint children nor inconvenience adults.
Sometimes, especially when an outside organization is involved,
cancellation is outside of our control. We successfully ran "Mad Science"
last summer as well as during the past few school years so I was very
surprised that we did not have enough participants registered to run it
again this summer, even though we did our best to get the word out which
included advertising in local papers. Some of those ads ran before the
class was cancelled and one ran afterwards because of the delay between
paper deadlines and print dates.
I am usually pretty good at knowing if a
class will run or not, but this time I goofed; I really expected the class
to run. Please know, if a class is canceled we always try to offer as many
alternatives as possible which we did this time as well. For JGP - I can
only reiterate the apologies I made to you on the phone. I am sorry none
of the alternatives suggested worked for you.
Lions Soccer accepts players from Norfolk and all surrounding towns.
Players need not have experience playing soccer and we encourage players to
build their own team by recruiting their friends, neighbors, and classmates.
The early discount price has been extended for junior high and high school
players. Financial assistance is also available upon request. For more
information, or to register, please contact Craig/Helen K. at 508-520-0163
/email
norfolklionssoccer@verizon.net
or visit the website at
norfolklionssoccer.com.
What I do find irritating, however, is the implication that affluence is
somehow the province of Republicans, and that wealth is somehow a reward
for a certain way of thinking. That's nonsense. There are plenty of
affluent liberals in the country whose traditionally "Democratic"
leanings reflect genuine ideals and values. They work every day just
like Republicans, create jobs and wealth, pay taxes, educate their kids
in our public schools, etc. The size of their investment portfolio or
their concern for their property value doesn't change what they believe
to be right and wrong. And, if you want your property values to
increase, you should roll out the welcome mat for people who want strong
schools and good services, regardless of their party affiliation.
I, too, wrote Stop and Shop, especially after I heard that our Planning
or Conservation boards made ridiculous demands of them-such as changing
aisle widths and other obtrusive demands-that made them balk at
building. Their response to me was quite different than the one you
received, CJ. They said that they were negotiating with the Town over
points (read demands) that came up over the planned build out. They
said nothing about bids or construction. They also stated the Selectmen
acted professionally. However, when asked what the demands of the Town
that were in conflict they clammed up and said no more.
So clearly they are telling two different people two different answers
to the same question.
Then you see the Selectmen on NTV discussing the "proposed" S and S, and
one observes that the Town is clueless, powerless and not able to get a
definitive response from them as well.
So perhaps, Norfolk, our illustrious volunteer Boards may have turned
the tides of S and S the other way - scaring them off, perhaps forever.
Now, I do not like rumors, I like fact. But if the stories about the
demands of the individual Boards holds true, the Selectmen should kick
the perpertrators out, if they haven't done so already with the latest
regime change, and restock them immediately with fresh minds - having
Board members that are not acting in the best interest of the town
(Lehan 2007) will set it back further, if it hasn't done so already.
And, board members that pontificate and act as know-it-alls while
getting some type of egotistical power boost are a perverse form of
government, one that we will all pay for, if we haven't already.
Given that the meeting minutes with S and S are not public, can anyone
out in Norfolk corroborate what the actual interaction between S and S
and the Town was?
I think a lack of responsibility and consideration are strong words
without knowing the reason.
If they own the land then I am sure some may feel it is their right
to do what they wish, but in a town like Norfolk I feel it really
detracts from the center to not have something in that spot that
would be useful to the residents (since there are so few businesses
in our town center).
A Trader Joe's would be great... or a drugstore... or some kind of
cafe. A restaurant might be nice as well. I actually think it would
be preferable for something other than S&S to come into that spot
since it feels as though we are inundated with Stop and Shops in this
region. Regardless of what goes there, I feel it should be developed
and the town should have some say in what is built. It is not fair
for a huge company to buy a plot of land in a town center and then
never develop it... especially in a town like Norfolk that could use a
couple more businesses in its downtown.
Does anyone know for sure whether they own the land or just have an
option on the land as mentioned in the previous post? Wouldn't the
town be able to force that the land be built on within a certain time
frame when the land was originally sold? I assume the town owns or
did own that land initially?
I apologize if this has been explained before.... I am somewhat new
to this site but I am extremely interested in this particular issue
and don't know all the details (though I have read up on some of the
old posts relating to this).
I have also lived in Foxboro and am all too familiar with the old
Bradlees that has never been developed. Meanwhile, as most of you
know, S&S just went and opened up a new store in a different
location within Foxboro. Thankfully Foxboro has other areas that
they are developing despite this problem with the Bradlees strip
mall. I think that development needs to be done very carefully, but
if done correctly it can add a lot of value to a town. It is really
nice to have some restaurants and shops in your own town... if it is
done carefully. I hope Foxboro does not become over-developed.
I think it is great that Norfolk has retained its quaint rural
charm, but I do feel that there is a happy medium... and if this town
had a few more conveniences it would make it an even better place to
live. I would love to have a couple more stores in the downtown area.
Thanks for your interest in the proposed Stop & Shop in Norfolk. We are in the process of finalizing our construction documents and obtaining bids for the project. Once we have an official start date, we will communicate the information to residents and local officials. We are working towards bringing a new supermarket to the residents of Norfolk, but we have no firm dates for the project that we can share at this time. As you may know, many unforeseen events can affect the progress of projects of this type. We appreciate your patience and look forward to serving you more conveniently in the not too distant future.Thanks, again, for contacting us. We appreciate hearing from you.
Would Home Depot likely be much cheaper?
I always prefer to go to local companies vs. large chains whenever I
can.
Thanks for any recommendations or advice you can offer!
Thanks, MD. I'm one of the unenrolled voters, part of the
thinking majority who: 1. decline to be categorized by labels, and:
2. decline to usually watch the Fox noise channel.
After reading the definitions of red, though,
I certainly would not want to be a ``red'' anything:
Dictionary.com Unabridged (v 1.1) -noun
1. any of various colors resembling the color of blood; the primary color at one extreme end of the visible spectrum, an effect of light with a wavelength between 610 and 780 nm.
2. something red.
3. (often initial capital) a radical leftist in politics, esp. a communist.
4. Informal. red light (def. 1).
5. Informal. red wine: a glass of red.
6. Also called red devil, red bird. Slang. a capsule of the drug secobarbital, usually red in color.
adjective
7. of the color red.
8. having distinctive areas or markings of red: a red robin.
9. of or indicating a state of financial loss or indebtedness: the red column in the ledger.
10. radically left politically.
11. (often initial capital) communist.
12. of, pertaining to, or characteristic of North American Indian peoples: no longer in technical use.
- Idioms:
13. in the red, operating at a loss or being in debt (opposed to in the black): The newspaper strike put many businesses in the red.
14. paint the town red. paint (def. 16).
15. see red, Informal. to become very angry; become enraged: Snobs make her see red.
CW, If Stop & Shop has an option on the land, then that option will be
defined with a certain time limit, which they might be able to extend at
some cost. The actual owner of the land would be in a better position to
raise the issue with them than the town. Now, if Stop & Shop owns the
land, then the community and town has the following ability to intercede
and/or force some change in the direction of the winds: zilch...
nada... none. Personal opinion? Norfolk has been saddled with a
downtown Moonscape for so long now, I'm convinced that there's nothing
that the town can or will do to move the issue. If some power existed,
it would have been, or should have been, exercised long ago. Safe bet is
that whoever owns it is happy to just sit on it with little regard for
how it impacts the downtown area of little 'ol Norfolk. If a larger
grocery chain owns it, and also has many other stores within close
proximity to the area... then nothin' ain't never gonna happen there in
the near future, or perhaps the distant future.
And, like you said, this has been discussed ad nauseum, and over and
over again, too, with little effect.
Regarding Stop and Shop: I was speaking to a Wellesley townie and did
you know the same thing is going on there with the land banking.
Remember the old Grossmans on Route 16; that piece of land has been
sitting idle for a long time too.
[It's Freeman; see the update to the post of 10:54am - Wm.]
I can not see how they would consider building with
the number of Stop and Shops already in the area. I believe their
Foxboro store has been very slow. Obviously owning the land, Stop and
Shop would be wise to hold it thus preventing competitors from moving
in. What are our options? It would be great to see a store like Trader
Joe's move in, who Stop and Shop probably does not consider to be a
direct competitor. A store like Trader Joe's would add a lot to our
town and help add to the uniqueness of the town center. A small Whole
Foods store like the one in Wellesley would be great as well. Are we
stuck with Stop and Shop or can we convince/force them to sell the land?
Thanks,
[Update 10:00pm: Sorry forgot to mention school supply pick ups are held at Freeman! - AD]
Cow Chip Bingo will be held on 9/8/07 at Wrentham Day. Norfolk Animal Control
is bringing the equipment for the livestock pen and Wrentham is bringing
the cow! If the weather works in our favor we may be bringing pets that are in
need of homes as well. Please come and visit us on Wrentham Day and purchase
your tickets before they sell out! For more information about Cow Chip Bingo
please visit
norfolkanimalcontrol.net
Contacts:Hilary Cohen ~ Norfolk ACO ~ 508 528 3232 ~ Norfolkk9@aol.com,
Sue Thibideau ~ Wrentham/Plainville ACO ~ 508 384 2523 ~ Foxcroft160@verizon.net
Sincerely,
[Update 8/13 9:58am: corrected typo in click-through e-mail link - Wm.]
DL: It is a slippery slope if we ban any "non-nutritious" food. I agree
that self discipline should dictate health. Sadly, this is clearly
unrealistic. I do not have an answer for payment, but I think America
should take care of citizens in need of health care.
The nation's
growing obesity problem has nothing to due with trans fats. It has
everything to do with a lack of self discipline. People that don't take
responsibility for their own health and well-being are going to be fat
and unhealthy no matter what we let them eat. Hey, maybe we should ban
alcohol, it certainly makes me fat. Meats and cheeses are raising my
cholesterol. And what about salt, it contributes to my high blood
pressure. Hey maybe if we all live in bubbles and eat a nutritious
blend of boiled grains, beans, and spinach, we will all make it to 100.
MKL, lighten up and live a little.
The fact that Bush now considers a $296 billion deficit an occasion to
celebrate shows how far we've fallen.
As for the ban on trans-fats --- Who is to pay for the massive
coronaries and diabetes these trans-fats cause? The answer is either
a) "big government" via Medicare or Medicaid, or b) the employee with a
healthy lifestyle who pays the same amount in payroll deductions as the
person who thinks trans-fats actually make food taste better??
Don't be surprised when you see their currently proposed flag flying
haughtily from the mast at People's Republic of Cambridge City Hall.
Thanks,
Norfolk voted Republican during the last gubernatorial election. Norfolk
voted Republican during the last presidential election.
One can call a horse a zebra if one wishes - but Norfolk has clearly voted
Republican over the past several years.
On a related note, many folks I know who are registered Independents tell me
that it is due to the fact that there are so few Republican choices (for
now) at the state level. That said, we should all work together to make
Norfolk a place where the best and brightest choose to come and live.
Free desk with hutch! Sauder brand laminated particle board type
furniture, with a classic cherry finish and antiqued gold hardware. It's
been disassembled mostly, so it needs assembly and maybe some minor
repairs. It may even have a couple shelves missing, but I'm not sure. If
you are creative or handy, you could have fun turning it into something
really cool, and quite functional! We'll even throw in a bottle of free
gorilla glue! You can also purchase replacement parts and get assembly
tips and info from
sauder.com.
Free computer armoire! Sauder brand, matches the desk and hutch above.
Also needs some handy work, but is a neat piece of furniture. When it's
closed it looks like a traditional armoire. When you open the doors, it
is like a mini office, with a whole computer station and tons of room
for storing all your office stuff. It's about 6 years old, but you can
still view what this piece looks like when fully assembled at
[this link].
You can also
purchase replacement parts for this piece, and get assembly tips and
info from sauder.com.
Free bar stools! 2 counter-height wooden kitchen stools with a light
maple-ish finish, in really good shape. Slatted backs that are actually
quite comfortable, so you can sit back and relax. The padded seats are
covered in a pretty multi-color fruit-patterned fabric, but seats are
removable and easy to recover in your own fabric.
All free to a good home if you can come pick it up by Tuesday, August 14
from our Norfolk home. Call Sam: 508-528-6166
Wm - Any chance of reinstating the Politics page to handle the tennis
match?
[It is never a mistake to link to supporting documentation, and I always welcome it. In many cases the additional information helps to clarify the point or place it in context. The enrolled voters may be tied, but the polling data tends to back CS; see the post of 11/2/2004 11:01pm. More data in a year and a bit, plus of course the local issues.
11/2 11:01pm Norfolk results:- Wm.]total turnout: 5054 Bush: 2626 Kerry: 2281 Badnarick: 39 Cobb: 12 Nader: 13 Blanks: 64
Globe West had a story saying Jack Scott of Pine Creek Development filed plans as a resident to develop the Boy Scout Land.Correction: Jack Scott filed plans with the different boards in Norfolk as a developer, not as a resident. That is a big difference.
As far as suing anyone, especially board members or residents who stand up to developers, Cheryl Jacques, our former state senator, was successful in having a law passed which protects these very people from being sued. SLAPP Law enclosed [here].
Signed, etc. . . .
[Update 8/9 11:35pm: I have already received a call from a woman who was thrilled to take our free washer and dryer! - SE]
[Update 10:40pm: information was to educate but not meant as a post; reposted by Wm.]
And to add fuel to my suspicions about the benefits of some of the
development in town, did anyone see last week's Boomerang? As I
recall from the article, a local developer wants the town to improve
a dirt road (because he claims it is a public way) that leads to a
parcel he has purchased that he plans to build a single house on to
sell. He expects the town of Norfolk (we taxpayers) to spend several
hundred thousand dollars to improve the road for the benefit of a
single home he plans to build. Talk about a hit to the town's
finances if that comes to pass.
[Update 8/8 7:10pm: corrected last paragraph - MD]
I'm sorry if you thought there was even the slightest bit of sarcasm in
my previous note; certainly none was intended. Quite to the contrary,
since your thesis of 8/2/07 on Smart Growth seemed to be written with
such authoritative certainty, I thought that you were prepared to back up
your dogma with some substantive facts and illustrations, of which I am
not yet aware. That was the sole purpose of the simple questions that I put
to you; in effect I asked you justify your insistence that increasing
the population density with any type of residential, commercial, or
industrial development will benefit the present tax paying residents of
Norfolk.
However, instead of staying on point and directly replying to my question,
you elected to respond by touching upon a myriad of topics not germane
to the subject, and avoiding the only issue at hand. So, now you have
instructed me on the subjects of grammar, economics, finance, the labor
market, causes for the slump in real estate sales, and business
administration. In addition, you've warned me that those of us who
don't accept the emphatic political "develop or die" edict which is being
carelessly (and/or selfishly) delivered by the pro-development faction
in town will be the cause of a widespread economic depression. Your
rationale seems to be that if we, as a town, don't continue to favor
developers, the lack of continuous land development (apparently
including the much higher density populations it will create) will cause
construction workers to lose their jobs and that development companies
and other related industries would not be able to realize their highly
profitable ventures by building out (expanding the growth and
population) our town. Are you suggesting that
it's the taxpayers of Norfolk's responsibility to guarantee the
financial security of land developers and their employees, by aiding
them in their insatiable quest for their own profits from building
developments?
TD, usually I avoid being sidetracked while involved in a serious
discussion, and refuse to be misled into debating any other issues until
the ones already on the table are satisfactorily answered. I'm going
to make an exception in this case, and very candidly address two or
three of the references that you directed to me, personally. I'm
doing this with the expectation that you will be just as forthright and
with the necessary clarity when you respond to the initial questions,
which I asked you on 8/3 @ 3:24pm, that still remain unanswered.
You said, "I note that you do not address the hypocrisy regarding your
developement stance when it benefitted you for your own home either. As
that is the case we will move on". First of all, you have no idea what
my "development stance" is, so for the record, I'll tell you. I was
raised and groomed in one of the most prominent general construction
companies in New England. I spent a number of years developing a broad
background, through formal education and experience. There aren't many
places where one can travel in Massachusetts and not find the distinct
and permanent marks that I personally made on the terrain during my
time in the field. Although I formally left the construction
business to pursue other endeavors some time ago, I still maintain an
interest and still have occasion to work with a handful
developers/builders. As a former developer/contractor and because of my
association with other developers, I have a reasonably comprehensive
sense of the developers' point of view, the manner in which they are
likely to approach the initial Application Process and how they will
continue to react to various circumstances or challenges in order to
prosecute the completion of their project. My "development stance" is
neither for, nor against land development. However, I feel that each proposed
project must legitimately stand on its own merits, without being swayed
by chicanery on the part of the developer or any town officials. The
proposal and plans must, without reservation or evasion, also guarantee
not to cause short or long-range harm to any part of, or to any member
of the community. You also allude to my "hypocrisy . . . when it
benefited you, for your own home". I presume that you're referring to
that old saw also attempted by others of a certain attitude that says
something like, "It was OK when you moved into town, but now you don't
want anyone else to do the same thing". First of all, any inference of
the kind is not true when you direct it to me, but more important and on
point is that it's a very weak argument at best; it won't stand up under
scrutiny for a number of reasons. For example, it ignores the facts
repeatedly proven over time, which are often simply expressed with
applicable phrases like, "The straw that broke the camel's back";
"Points of diminishing return"; "Overextension"; "More is not always better";
and "The exponential
increase of liability".
In wrapping this up for now, I'll point out that apparently, in response
to my questions, you've placed a great deal of the strength of your position
on "common sense" and "basic economic tenets that can't be ignored";
as you've stated them,
both terms are meaningless blind assumptions, unless you can properly
justify your usage of them. Please note that I mentioned "justifiable
tenets", in my original response to you--purposely using the word
"justifiable" with specificity.
I'd also suggest that you take a closer look at the overall picture,
and study the facts,
before you try to strengthen your point by comparing Boston's property
taxes to Norfolk's; your contention actually works against you.
[Update 8/9 11:58pm: typos and minor wording changes - MT]
Did you find the cigarette butt? The reason I ask is we were working on our
yard this weekend and the same thing happened, we smelled fire a lot of the
day and I commented to my husband that it was a funny day for someone to be
having a fire, it was so hot. A minute or so later he walked over to a part of
the yard and saw smoke and a large burned area. We hosed it down and put it
out. He thought it must have been a cigarette also but it was too far off the
road for someone to throw there. I thought it started due to the lack of rain
and the heat. It was in a dry pile on sticks and pine needles.
They taste good (we won 2nd place in the Mass. Tomato Contest) and
we don't use pesticides, only beneficial insects. It's self-service,
so if you are in the area, just grab a bag and drop your $2 in the
box! (Sorry, we can't make change.) We are at 57 Miller St, almost on
the Franklin line.
I also want to remind people not to throw cigarettes out the window!
There is a fire danger you know! Some folks just don't have any
common sense, or just don't care!
Registration form for this year's DARE race can be downloaded and printed
here -
[link]
Regarding town taxes --
Hi all again! Thank you for the support and feedback when I inquired about a bagel shop/cafe going in the center of Norfolk. Here is an update: The location we were striving for can not have a food business in the building due to septic. So it's not looking good for now, but I will keep looking. In the meantime, to answer some questions some folks had, I am located in Franklin, we are Elizabeth's Bagels. www.elizabethsbagels.com we do offer (besides bagels and coffee) salads, wraps, Lattes, Cappuccino's etc. And they are authentic New York style, kettled and everything. Thanks again all, and if anyone has any other location suggestions in Norfolk I'm all ears!- JL
My preference is to get news from multiple sources (left, right and center)
and form my own judgments about credibility on a story by story basis. To
assume the Globe is always accurate and factual is naive in my viewpoint.
It is equally ridiculous to portray Fox News as inaccurate fiction across
the board. It is usually prudent to refrain from such sweeping
misstatements and generalizations.
If you ask
residents to give up their peaceful woodsy enviorons for someone else's profit,
you have to show how it benefits them, too.
Your response that "it's common sense" dodged the question of
which towns managed to
reduce residential tax rates through planned development.
To embrace the notion that development is God's gift to small towns,
it would be reasonable to look at a few examples of how this has worked out
in practice. You may be a true believer, but then the onus is on you to
convince skeptics like MT.
My quote that you attempted to use regarding development used the word
"should" not "must". You chose to make the words synonymous. That being said
what is wrong with controlled developement? Would developement in the
moonscape be bad? I think no, but it would still qualify as developement. I
will try to be assuage your fears. I am an advocate of reasonable, thougtful
developement. Destroying the town's way of life by unchecked developement is
just as irresponsible as a belief that there should be no developement at
all. Your position ignores the rising costs (health care, wages, materials,
inflation, etc.) faced by the town and would result in the continuing increase
of property taxes as the town has to find the revenue to function. Your
stance would simply lead to the pricing out of more people as their property
tax rates would simply be too much for them to bear.
You seem to espouse the always sensible belief of zero growth by virtue of
no developement. You cannot honestly believe that an economy can continue to
grow with zero developement. Think of how many industries rely on housing.
Now jobs would be lost with your program. The data can be seen in jobs
report that came out today. Housing starts are way down and people in the
construction field are losing their jobs. Eventually that has the potential
to spread to the many other areas of the economy that directly or indirectly
rely on construction. While that may not concern you, I would like to think
most of us would be concerned by such a possibility.
On to your third paragraph. If I am to understand what you wrote, you do not
understand how expanding the tax base beyond residential taxes is
beneficial. Despite your instructions to the contrary there are basic
economic tenets that cannot be ignored, try as you may. Our average property
tax bill is in the top third of the state. Despite this distinction, we do
not get trash service, we have limited sidewalks, we may eliminate busing
for school kids in some instances, and we have to pay for all day
kindergarten to name a few things we don't get. It seems clear that more
revenue is needed in additional to additional cuts (a separate argument). We
cannot continue to soak the homeowners as that well is dry. Therefore, a
thoughtful reasonable developement plan that takes into account the revenue
and the expenses associated with the growth needs to be implemented. You
asked for examples. How about common sense as an example? More revenue is a
good thing as additional services could be provided. Why is the property tax
in Boston so low? it is because of the businesses located in the city. I
know your response will be that Boston and Norfolk are too different to
compare. I would suggest that is not the case as the basic economic
principles still apply though and that is the key point. That same sort of
thing could be done here on a much smaller scale that is relative to the
size of the town and that also preserves a way of life.
Obviously while some growth is
inevitable, why should it be rewarded, encouraged, promoted and even
insisted upon? Is there some accruable financial benefit to us, the
bona fide tax paying residents, as the town continues to expand? Where
and when do we see those benefits?
My next question is about your assurance that, "It can be done and if it
were done it would relieve the burden that exists currently on the tax
base that is nearly all residential growth." TD, how is further
development, of any kind, going to relieve our present tax burden?
Please omit all the canned theoretical generic rhetoric about commercial
or industrial developments consuming less infrastructure than
residential, therefore contributing a positive revenue flow to the town
treasury. We've all heard that doctrine consistently recited to us, as
though by rote, but please explain how implementing that logic has ever
been successful in any city or town. Can you name even one
municipality that has ever reduced or even stabilized the residential
property tax burden by continuing to grow, thereby increasing the
density of the structures and other human necessities?
re: 8/3 8:33am We are looking into having our driveway paved. How much should we expect to pay? Can anyone recommend someone?- TM
"Check out this story -
[msnbc article]. It's
absolutely wild! So, I'm considering doing it with a buddy. Hope all
is well. I'm building a pre-baby fence and playground - photos to come."
This is a person who has entertained "Extreme
Ironing" (extremeironing.com).
His wife is pregnant with their third
child, due this month! I don't know if he's yanking us or not. Is it
in the genes and is there a cure? Do any of the rest of you suffer
familial loons?
Honestly, I've enjoyed my own past adventures, but now you know why
I love Norfolk - the biggest risks are forgetting a yellow sticker,
Lyme Disease, mosquitos and rotary-racers. I don't know the
statistics, but I feel safer.
Secondly, if someone choses to buy land and then sell it that is fine as
that is the foundation of the free economy. Whatever theory that you have
involving developers, the town and wetlands laws being bypassed ignores the
state laws that are place to protect the wetlands. I am not advocating
clearcutting the town, rather a sensible strategy of smart growth. It can be
done and if it were done it would relieve the burden that exists currently
on the tax base that is nearly all residential growth.
I believe there are several people in Norfolk who own a lot of
property in town that they would like to develop so they can make
money personally. (I think they also post here on NorfolkNet quite
frequently.) I think many of those people would like to diminish
the wetlands and environmental protection bylaws in town so that
they can more easily develop their properties for homes or commercial
development.
I believe that BOS supports more development in town and wants a
more lenient ConCom that will more easily allow developers to
develop. That is why the BOS did not appoint or reappoint the highly
qualified candidates that were available because they stood for
more rigorous conservation of our natural resources.
While I recognize the right for developers to earn a living, I would
not want development to be done at the expense of our open spaces,
wetlands and beautiful wooded areas. So if you are a concerned
citizen, you may wish to pay closer attention to what is going on
and attend Town Meeting and vote... my two cents.
Maybe a dog park could be built there with a fenced off area for goats -- it
does not get more bucolic than that! I absolutely love the idea that someone
asked for help with poison ivy and the first response was to bring over a
goat. What a great town!
Understand that, even if Town Meeting and the BOS were successful in
deleting that section from the Town Bylaws, the State Wetlands
Protection and Riverfront Acts would remain in place to protect those
lands defined as jurisdictional under the acts. All would not be lost.
The Conservation Commission would still be required to enforce State
Law.
Not knowing anything beyond what has been posted here, and assuming for
the moment that what has been posted has some element of truth, the most
interesting part of the question to me would be why an elected official
would want to travel that road, seeking the deletion of a Home Rule
Amendment allowing the town to have more stringent wetlands requirements
than State Law. Local wetlands bylaws can't be less stringent than State
Law, only more so. Having a strong local wetlands protection bylaw is
something that not all towns opt for, but once they do, going backwards
in time would not seem to make much sense.
Just another two cents...
And isn't it curious that a developer with how many houses in the works?
sat front and center in the audience for the meeting when this person
was appointed?
Let's let developers friendly with the BOS put a new house on every bit
of open space left in Norfolk, and then underfund the schools when those
houses are filled with new students for the town.
Is that their plan? Sure seems so.
The consumer office knows nothing about a Stop and Shop to be built in
Norfolk, and the people above will not be able to answer any questions,
but put some pressure on them! What do you have to lose?
If that doesn't work, Call the CEO of S and S, Jose Alvarez, at
617-770-6914.
Maybe a community-wide boycott of Stop and Shop could grab their
attention.
Personally, I would rather see the wildflowers that are growing in the
moonscape than a Stop and Shop/CVS.
Regardless of who was appointed or not appointed or not re-appointed
(in my opinion that's not the real issue), my real concern and distaste
is for the process. From my discussions with folks in town and repeated
viewing of the June BOS meeting, it is apparent that all along the
existing BOS wanted a new regime on the ConComm. Whether or not I agree
with that is a moot point. The BOS members were elected and they have
the right to appoint commission members (which is another reason why we
must think carefully about who we vote for).
However, why jerk around
with people who are looking to volunteer their time to the town? It is
clear that the BOS did not want to appoint two ConComm members looking
for re-appointment and another ConComm applicant who ideally qualified.
Thus they "mulled", refused to make motions, asked for one on one
meetings, then didn't ask for one on one meetings, continued to kick the
can down the road, then let terms expire, then nominated other members.
That's an embarrassing process and does not speak well for the decision
making process of the group that we have entrusted our town. You can't
please all the people all the time but you can speak your mind with
candor and honesty and not work with a hidden agenda.
Let's all watch
carefully over the coming years. The natural, bucolic, rural and
relatively undeveloped nature of our town could very well be at risk.
Unfortunately my car will be locked from now on. Lock your cars! P.S.
they were in front of the judge Monday morning.
I have my tax file which needs amending, but no longer have the
installation software.
Many thanks,
[DV, just let me know when and where, and I'll be there! - Wm.]
The news has carried quite a few stories about the virulent nature of
this year's poison ivy. According to the stories I've read, global
warming is being blamed.
Thanks one and all for the ideas!
[Maybe the vinegar attracts goats? - Wm.]
DV: Have you owned goats before? What is the lifespan of a goat? Do
you keep them as pets?
![[link]](../posts/01021101041201030520070728c3f43cd1833e9a62c4006729.jpg){kind=link}
Recently, someone suggested getting a goat - a terrific idea for getting rid of poison ivy. Goats eat PI with no ill effects.SO, I copied that off of a PI website. My goats are still learning to walk on a leash as they a just babiesThere are some downsides: they will also eat everything else they can reach,
Rent a pavilion
at a State Park and hire Woodman's of Essex to cater one of their
clambakes. They did a phenomenal job at my sister's wedding. If you
are into the medieval era, the Higgins Armory museum in Worcester is
wonderful (higgins.org).
Functions can also be held at the New
England Aquarium, the Rhode Island Zoo and a number of local art
museums. We attended a wonderful function at the Tennis Museum in
Newport. Keep those little ones in mind when setting the time and
have things for them to do. My grandparents insisted on having my
kids (2 and 8 months) at my Grandfather's 80th birthday and dinner
wasn't served until 8:30 pm in a restaurant after traveling from
Boston to Miami all day. No amount of Cheerios and activities is
going to help an overtired two year old. It was a disaster. Also, I
believe Stony Brook rents out space but you will need to check with
them about catering and alcohol rules. Oh, one more thought, the
Warren Center in Ashland does a great job with functions. Enjoy.
Getting Rid of the PlantsPoison ivy, oak and sumac are most dangerous in the spring and summer, when there is plenty of sap, the urushiol content is high, and the plants are easily bruised. However, the danger doesn't disappear over the winter. Dormant plants can still cause reactions, and cases have been reported in people who used the twigs of the plant for firewood or the vines for Christmas wreaths. Even dead plants can cause a reaction, because urushiol remains active for several years after the plant dies.
If poison ivy invades your yard, "there's really no good news for you," says David Yost, a horticulturist (specialist in fruits, vegetables, flowers, and general gardening) with the state of Virginia. The two herbicides most commonly used for poison ivy-- Roundup and Ortho Poison Ivy Killer--will kill other plants as well. Spraying Roundup (active ingredient glyphosate) on the foliage of young plants will kill the poison ivy, but if the poison ivy vine is growing up your prize rhododendron or azalea, for example, the Roundup will kill them too, he says.
Ortho Poison Ivy Killer (active ingredient triclopyr), if used sparingly, will kill poison ivy but not trees it grows around, says Joseph Neal, Ph.D., associate professor of weed science, Cornell University. "But don't use it around shrubs, broadleaf ground cover, or herbaceous garden plants," he says. Neal explains it is possible to spray the poison ivy without killing other plants if you pull the poison ivy vines away from the desirable plants and wipe the ivy foliage with the herbicide, or use a shield on the sprayer to direct the chemical.
If you don't want to use chemicals, "manual removal will get rid of the ivy if you're diligent," says Neal. You must get every bit of the plant--leaves, vines, and roots--or it will sprout again.
The plants should be thrown away according to your municipality's regulations, says Neal. Although urushiol will break down with composting, Neal doesn't recommend that because the plants must be chopped into small pieces first, which just adds to the time you're exposed to the plant and risk of a rash. "It's a health issue," he says.
Never burn the plants. The urushiol can spread in the smoke and cause serious lung irritation.
The American Academy of Dermatology recommends that whenever you're going to be around poison ivy--trying to clear it from your yard or hiking in the woods--you wear long pants and long sleeves and, if possible, gloves and boots.
Neal recommends wearing plastic gloves over cotton gloves when pulling the plants. Plastic alone isn't enough because the plastic rips, and cotton alone won't work because after a while the urushiol will soak through.
-- I. B. S. Isadora B. Stehlin is a member of FDA's public affairs staff.
Also, can anyone recommend a local handyman to replace my windows?
JOB POSTING
TEMPORARY, PART-TIME/FULL TIMEApplications are now being accepted for temporary help in the Town Clerk's Office. The position will provide administrative and clerical support to the Acting Town Clerk until the next Annual Town Election in May, 2008.
Position performs responsible administrative duties assisting the Town Clerk in the daily operation of the office. Duties include, but are not limited to: Maintenance and administration of the municipality's records including confidential files; issues a variety of licenses, certificates and permits, and provides for adequate maintenance of associated records, preparation of reports and the collection of fees; remits fees to the Town Treasurer; process bills for payment; process department payroll; provides information requested by town officials; assists in the preparation of Town Meeting materials; assists in the coordination of all Town, State and Federal election proceedings; receives and verifies nomination papers for all Federal, State and local elections; conducts the annual town census, updates and maintains the VRIS (Voter Registration Information System); administers and maintains oaths of office to all town officers and monitors the Appointments file; receives and files decisions of the Zoning Board of Appeals, and Planning Board and monitors time table for response to applications and decisions, keeps log of Land Use filings and decisions current; answer questions from the public, directly by telephone, and by email, providing information and making referrals to other offices and agencies as appropriate; other duties as assigned by the Acting Town Clerk.
A candidate for this position should have an Associate's Degree in Business Administration, and five (5) to seven (7) years of responsible administrative experience, five (5) of which are in a municipality; or an equivalent combination of education and experience.
Resume may be submitted to: Gail E. Bernardo, Acting Town Clerk, One Liberty Lane, Norfolk, MA 02056 by 5:00pm on Monday, August 13, 2007.
Equal Opportunity Employer M/F
Posted: July 30, 2007
I don't know if we need to look at grand political cabals as the cause
for unflattering articles on Norfolk -- let's reflect for a second.
The Globe reporters check this page for story ideas. They read gripes
about all the bad things happening in town. They write about them.
A rather different attribution of causes, certainly :-)
Town Hall Meeting with Norfolk's Congressman, Barney Frank,
Saturday, August 25, 3 p.m.- 5 p.m.,
at Norfolk Public Library.Please join your neighbors to discuss Federal legislation and programming and how they affect you, your family and our town. There will be a speaking program as well as a time to address your questions to the Congressman. Light refreshments will be served. Please contact Peg Drisko-Johnson with questions about the event at 508-528-0326.
Sponsored by the Norfolk Democratic Town Committee
[Update 12:30pm: air hockey table -- gone. - DL]
Hi,I hope you can answer this or tell me where I can get an answer. While looking for a yard sale on Saturday, my cousin saw a sign that said "Keenan's Crossing". Can you give me any info on this. Without going into a long story, we had relatives named Keenan who lived in Norfolk, so of course it got us wondering. Anything you can tell us or lead us in the right direction would be great.
Thanks so much for your time,
Kevin D.
Hey EH! Didn't have your email, but was so happy to see your post!
Hope all is well!
Yes, I was at Horseneck Beach this past Friday and the seaweed was very
bad. You had the green seaweed washing up all along the coast and in a
few spots, the brown seaweed was washing ashore and in the water as well.
Just thought I'd share...
On page 11 of the July 20 Boomerang, there is an article titled: "Give
State Employees 12 Paid Days Off Annually to Volunteer." Please read that
article, folks. It talks about a new executive order by Governor Patrick to
expand the State Employees Serving as Volunteers (SERV) program, which was
started under Governor Weld.
That order, or "initiative" as they call it, gives a day off a month to an
estimated 50,000 state employees to volunteer at a public entity, including
public schools or an accredited non-profit organization, while still
collecting their full state salary and benefits.
The article refers to a website:
[doc here]
which has
details, paperwork, and a list of approved organizations.
Supporters say the program includes a strict system of safeguards to prevent
any abuse.
Critics say it is unfair to pay state workers to volunteer while collecting
hard-earned taxpayer's dollars. (I agree!)
Some say the program invites abuse and predict that a lot of workers will
volunteer on Mondays and Fridays. (I agree!)
Can the Massachusetts public afford giving away as many as 50,000 employees
X 12 days/year/employee = as many as 600,000 days per year with pay and
benefits?? Will more state employees have to be hired to make up for the
employees out on paid leave?? 600,000 days divided by 240 work-days per year
equals 2500 more full-time people, with pay and benefits, essentially
hired by the
stroke of this governor's pen. I would rather have the money that these
salaries and benefits represent sent to the cities and towns that
desperately need it.
If you agree, please write to Governor Patrick and ask him to please rescind
his magnanimous executive order. We cannot afford it!!
7/19 5:16pm The funny thing about the "Town Pond" is that the Conservation Commission turned the whole thing into a swimming issue. It has never really been a swimming issue. If I remember correctly, the Recreation Department that I was part of recommended it as a component or an option for future use because at one time it was a very viable option for swimming in this town. There was much support behind this initiative from people that actually swam there as children. Believe it or not the town approved it at town meeting. The Recreation's goal was to clean up a very nice recreational area that the Conservation Commission is suppose to be the overseer of. Thank God they don't oversee my property. The reason the "Town Pond" looks so bad now is because they have done nothing to maintain this piece of property. Ask how many of them have actually visited it. They didn't even go on any of the site visits with all the other officials from town. I believe the Recreation Department was trying to be proactive and make this location into a nice recreation location for fishing, walking, picnicking, and maybe down the road swimming. They had a vision and were actually proactive and met with the Wildlife and Fisheries Division from the State. The State was actually going to fund a good portion of the project and stock the pond for fishing. I believe there was going to be walking trails and benches by the pond to sit.In the Norfolk Recreation Town Pond Proposal by the Norfolk Recreation Department (20 pages, no date) there was a PowerPoint slide #31 on page 16 reading: "Norfolk has neighboring towns that currently offer a town pond for fishing and swimming to their residents. *Franklin - Beaver Pond *Wrentham -Sweatt Pond *Medfield - Hinckley Pond *Medway - Choate Pond >Fees and programming vary between towns."- Todd Chisholm, Former Recreation Commissioner.
Slide 24 on page 12 read in part: ">DESIGNATE POTENTIAL/FUTURE SWIMMING
AREA."
On slide 34 on page 17 the total requested funding was listed as
$109,995.60 from the CPA account.
On slide 37 on page 19 the annual maintenance budget is listed as
$9,775. for portable toilets, beach sand, water testing (for swimming?
- BH), and electricity. This annual cost is 8.89 percent of the initial
cost of $109,995.60 Note: No salary is listed in the annual cost for
an attendant or lifeguard. No cost is listed for stocking the pond with
fish.
On slide 38 on page 19 anticipated revenue is listed: Membership:
$75/Family - $15/seniors per season. Daily $2/$5 per person (2 and under
free)
Anticipated memberships 125= $9,375 150=$11,250
Estimates of annual revenues at the Norfolk Town Pond are +$10,000. for
this fishing pond.
Comment: 125 or 150 family memberships seems like a very high number,
either for the pond as it was in the 1960's or for this small facility
in the future. Twenty might be more realistic for a pond where swimming
is not provided.
Comment: On slides 31, 32, and 33, information was provided about
Neighboring Town Ponds in towns that currently offer a pond for fishing
and swimming. I would expect the cost for Norfolk would be less, if
indeed no swimming was to be provided. Franklin is $75/family; same;
Medfield is $50/family, $25 less than the Norfolk projected cost of $75.
Question: Did the Conservation Commission have any plan or budget for
maintenance of this property as part of their Land management program? I
would not expect them to designate more than a couple hundred dollars
for maintenance of this pond as it is or as it was, in these frugal
times. That reasonable amount of money would not go far in maintaining
7.5 acres of land, and it would not be expected to. Their charter is to
conserve, not to improve.
[This message was originally sent 9 days ago, but was caught up in the system's email filter. My apologies for the delay in posting it. - Wm.]
I read an article in the Boomerang a few years ago that really set me
off. People interviewed (one of whom I believe was a resident of Cape
Cod estates) were expressing their concern over the necessity of a
sidewalk so that he/she could walk to the park. Well, I think that
walking to school is a much more important issue... So, speaking of
that - once the sidewalks are in, will that mean that the children of
Cape Cod estates will be able to walk to school instead of being bused
if they are in the 2 mile radius? When I was growing up, our town didn't
have many buses. If you lived within a 2 mile radius, you walked to
school. No exceptions. Maybe that is why school kids were alot thinner
and healthier back then?
I am not saying that Cape Cod estates should not have sidewalks linking
them to town, merely saying that the town needs to prioritize. It would
be nice if we could all have sidewalks! Think of the possibilities that
would open up to our children to be able to walk to friend's houses and
parks!
Sincerely,
If you are interested in these books, please e-mail me at mcappuccino@comcast.net
I used to go to one of the biggest dog parks north of Boston, and
the way we handled non-scoopers was to whip out a bag and offer it,
saying something like, "Hi, do you need a bag? I have an extra.", to
which the owner would usually respond, "Oh, did he/she go? I missed
it. Thanks." The best follow-through is, "That's a really cool/cute
dog. What mix/breed is he/she? What's his/her name?" More flies with
honey and you make a friend. I even pack bags when I'm out on the
lawn with my two dogs - never know when "duty calls".
Instead, in the
interest of public health and safety, I would welcome a dog park.
I mention public safety because I fear that my front lawn may have
been a contributing factor in last week's property damage on Bridie
Lane. I hypothesize that the speeding car that took out mailboxes
and trees down the street may have lost traction due to coming in
contact with a slippery substance on my lawn (extrapolating this
to the equine situation on Standish, the implications for drivers
are obvious). I would nominate the "moonscape" in the center of
town as the best place for the dog park - it has a built-in provision
for its own septic system, and as everyone knows it looks like the
object of every scatologist's quest. Indeed, this veritable field
of dreams (build it and they shall come), which is supposedly the
future site of a Stop and Shop supermarket, could be renamed "Stop
and Plop Field." Finally, the park could be staffed by those
over-caffeinated traffic scofflaws (those who speed or violate
roundabout etiquette) who need to slow down and smell the er....
roses.
Herbivores (on the majority) create a waste that is earth friendly. Horse
and cow waste is used in many composts/fertilizers on the market. I have not
heard of health hazards with horse waste as you may from dog or cat waste.
The only time horse waste has become an issue, in my memory, is when it has
built up and becomes a hazard to those who are directly impacted or if it's a
case of animal neglect.
As with any pooper scooper law: You have to catch the offender "in the act"
and know who it is to be able to take action on it. In some situations
people have submitted pictures and I have found the dog owners, in other cases
they knew who the dog and the owner were. In those types of situations usually
talking with the animal owner is the best way to handle the situation. Most
owners are embarrassed when approached and it curbs the problem. It's usually
when that step between neighbors fails that I am asked to step in.
If there were an ongoing issue, where (as example) someone repeatedly brought
their horses upon private property, it may be considered trespassing against
the animal owner.
On a side note, I believe I have found the equestrian that offended you.
They should be by with a pitchfork and a muck bucket if it is the case. The
contact at the barn stated that she would ask the rider to be more courteous in
the future.
If anyone has any further questions please contact me via email, and I'll
be happy to reply. I'm not sure if the general readers of this board wish to
read about this topic!
Sincerely,
Out of curiosity though, I infer from your note that it's ok to leave
horse poop on public property. Why would we have pooper scooper laws for
dogs but not horses?
[Update 7/26 7:05pm: spoken for - Wm.]
No early admittance and noting will be sold before 8:00 AM. All purchases must be removed by 3:00 PM on the last day of the sale.
[Update 7/25 5:13pm: My fault, I lost a paragraph; it was: No early admittance and noting will be sold before 8:00 AM. All purchases must be removed by 3:00 PM on the last day of the sale. - Wm.]
The
mind is an incredible machine. Learning a language and improving
your English at the same time is entirely possible. One does not
exclude the other. And yes, Holliston does (or at least did) offer
a French immersion program and I know of two boys who attended it
and have had much success in their lives. Holliston, being a
pro-active school system, also attempted to offer an International
Baccalaureate program which was not passed by the town. A real
shame! The IB degree, which is more strenuous than a HS diploma,
allows students to apply to colleges and universities throughout
Europe and is a degree recognized by the European system. School
isn't just about reading, writing and arithmetic anymore and neither
is our world.
I ended up mowing around the entrance and leaving them alone, however,
and still the nest was empty next spring. They haven't been back since.
[Update 6:52pm: corrected signature - Wm.]
The library is hosting another free teen craft on Thursday night at 6:30
p.m.: "Heavy Metal: Necklaces from the Hardware Store." Using metal
tubing, beads, colored thread, and nuts (not the edible kind), we'll
create necklaces that will appeal to all teens. No previous jewelrymaking
experience is required, but please register by calling the library's
circulation desk at 508-528-3380.
[Update 7/25 9:45am: Correction: the Norfolk Public Library jewelrymaking workshop for teens will start at 6:30 on Thursday night, not 6:45.]
Hmmm... Perhaps she may have either seen some sort of a face I made,
or maybe she recognized me, (or maybe both) because when I followed behind
her to the DD window to get my coffee, the cashier told me my coffee had
been paid for by the lady in front of me. So, on that note, thank you and
"I forgive you"... :-)
"How is rabies spread?Questions for Betsy or Hilary - If a vaccinated dog's nose or mouth comes in contact with an infected animal's saliva on an object, or the tissue of a dead, infected animal, what is the risk of transmission? What is the survival time of the virus outside of the body on any surface? My dogs are vaccinated and supervised, but I do take them into the woods off-leash.The rabies virus lives in the saliva (spit) and nervous tissues of infected animals and is spread when they bite or scratch. The virus may also be spread if saliva from an infected animal touches broken skin, open wounds or the lining of the mouth, nose, or eyes. In caves crowded with many bats, it may be possible to inhale the virus floating on bat saliva in the air."
* Make sure your pets are vaccinated against rabies and that their shots
are up-to-date. By law, all dogs, cats and ferrets must be vaccinated
against rabies.
* Avoid wild animals, especially bats, skunks, foxes, and raccoons. Do
not feed or pet strays. Avoid any animal--wild, farm or pet--that you do not
know. Report any animal that behaves oddly to your local animal control
official.
* Teach your children to avoid wildlife, strays, and all other animals
they do not know well.
* Do not handle dead, sick, or injured wild animals yourself; call the
police or animal control officer. If you must handle the animal, use heavy
gloves, sticks or other tools to avoid direct contact.
* Feed pets indoors and keep them indoors at night. If they are outside
during the day, keep them on a leash or fenced in so they cannot wander.
It is possible for vaccinated pets to get rabies. Pets allowed to roam
freely are more likely to get rabies and possibly expose people and other
pets in your home.
* Fasten trash can lids tightly. Garbage attracts animals (like skunks,
raccoons, and strays) looking for an easy meal.
The Massachusetts Department of Public Health (MDPH) has information on
rabies available on its website at (
www.mass.gov/dph/cdc/epii/rabies/rabies.htm
). If you have any questions,
please call the Norfolk Board of Health at 508-528-7747 or Norfolk Animal
Control at 508-528-3232.
This is a nice big clean house with a good mix of quality newer stuff,
vintage and antique stuff. Large leather wing chair, mahogany Gov. Winthrop
desk, two oak commodes - one with serpentine front, nice modern computer desk
and work station with executive chair (another of the same chair), Duncan
Phyfe dining table, antique rocker, several antique chairs-sabre leg-harp
back-shield back, vintage mahogany china cabinet, several hand knotted
Persian rugs-Sarouk-Hamadan etc. (semi antique), student desk, drum table,
maple bedroom set, nice pair of early antique portrait miniatures, inlaid
mandolin, autoharp zither, classic Baume & Mercier 18k gold wristwatch,
mother of pearl opera glasses, Copeland, Spode, Wedgewood Jasperware inc.
basalt & rare cobalt on lava, Haviland, Irish crystal, Bavarian, sterling
candlesticks, silverplate tea set, serving pieces, Towle flatware, vintage &
contemporary Christmas decorations, mix of newer & vintage clothes inc.
mink, iron toast rack;
Artwork: old well done unsigned oil on board of sailboats at dusk, oil on
canvas of sailboats moored at sunset signed Fred Ariel 67, a nice Painting
signed McLeod, file cabinets, household china, kitchen stuff, lawn, garden &
house tools, grill, etc.
No early admittance and noting will be sold before 8:00 AM. All
purchases must be removed by 3:00 PM on the last day of the sale.
[Update 7/25 5:13pm: restored lost last paragraph - Wm.]
Sincerely,
I also have a nest in the eves of the house. I have been spraying for several
days; now the activity has slowed down around the area that I have seen the
yellow jackets entering, however, I can't seem to get them all. Does anyone
have any suggestions to deal with this? Is there a local bee guy in town
that deals with this sort of thing?
As a business plug, I do residential house cleaning and will gladly
accept new clients.
I can mention that early in my career, close to ten years ago, we had a
skunk test positive for rabies that was a proximity exposure. The skunk had
entered into a yard where there was a litter of yellow lab puppies.
Due to them
being left alone in the pen, the skunk being there, not knowing who had touched
the skunk, the state mandated that they all be euthanised. That was one of
the hardest days of my job. So examples like this is what brings it home for
me, and hopefully for those who love their animals. Please vaccinate.
This year, Wrentham has had a good number of rabies positive cases. In some
cases I have helped when she has needed it so I have seen it first hand.
Franklin/Bellingham (shared jurisdiction) had a cat that tested positive and
had attacked several people before it was euthanized. This was just one
incident of many rabies positive cases. In Millis/Medway in the past week over 9
bats were submitted to the State Laboratory Institute for rabies testing as
they were found in living areas of houses.
I try hard to reinforce to people that rabies is a fatal disease and needs
to be taken very seriously. There is no such thing as a "mild case" of
rabies. Rabies is predicted to be on the rise again for this year and the next few
so the best course of action is to protect all animals that can be protected.
Again, if anyone would like more in depth information they may contact me
via email or by phone and I'll try to answer all information that I can.
Sincerely,
You could help to protect the nest. I have known people to
put a wire covering over the nest - like a dome, or to put a tire around
the nest (covered with wire), being sure, however, not to entrap
anything beneath it which is why a wire dome only might be best. My
brother did this and was successful and helped escort baby snappers
safely to an area pond near where he lives. Without his help they
likely would not have made it. Snappers lay dozens of eggs. It is very
cool to watch a turtle digging and laying eggs. I wish I had been at my
brother's to see this. He and his family watched the garden below from
a living room window. Turtles often go back to the same spots to lay
eggs each year. Good luck.
The race starts and finishes at Dunkin Donuts, 134 Main Street, Norfolk.
Walkers and Kids' 1K begin at 9:30. The 5K runners begin at 10:00.
Entry fees are $15 for pre-registered, $20 day-of race registration. Senior
runners (60+ years old) and high school track/cross country runners are $10
and 1K Fun Runners are $5. Free T-shirts to the first 100 pre-registered.
Awards to the top three in eight age group categories. Special prizes to
the top three male and female finishers in the category of Norfolk DARE
students, Norfolk school employee, and law enforcement.
There will be a post-race cookout and party.
To register, or for more information, visit the website at
norfolkdare2run.com.
7/22/07 10:25am I responded to Boardman Street on a report of a sick looking raccoon. Upon arrival and quick visual exam it was determined that there were enough neurological symptoms to warrant euthanizing the animal. Animal Control euthanized, prepared, and submitted the animal for rabies testing and was informed this afternoon that it was indeed positive for the rabies virus.There were unvaccinated animals with proximity exposures.
Please all check your animal's vaccine expiration and revaccinate
before its expiration to have optimal coverage. If anyone has any
concerns regarding this please give me a call or send me an email
at Norfolkk9@aol.com.
Sincerely,
[Update 6:44pm:
Steps you can take to protect yourself, your family and your pets from rabies:Make sure your pets are vaccinated against rabies and that their shots are up-to-date. By law, all dogs, cats and ferrets must be vaccinated against rabies. Good idea to vaccinate horses and other livestock that are applicable.
Avoid wild animals, especially bats, skunks, foxes, and raccoons. Do not feed or pet strays. Avoid any animalwild, farm or petthat you do not know. Report any animal that behaves oddly to your ACO.
Teach your children to avoid wildlife, strays, and all other animals they do not know well.
Do not handle dead, sick, or injured wild animals yourself; call the animal control officer. If you must handle the animal, use heavy gloves, sticks or other tools to avoid direct contact.
Feed pets indoors and keep them indoors at night. If they are outside during the day, keep them on a leash or fenced in so they cannot wander. It is possible for vaccinated pets to get rabies. Pets allowed to roam freely are more likely to get rabies and possibly expose people and other pets in your home.
Fasten trash can lids tightly. Garbage attracts animals (like skunks, raccoons, and strays) looking for an easy meal.
GDL - the boys would have loved to see the hatching - any chance you
caught it on film and I could send them over to watch it?? We have
several of the exoskeletons that I. found at the Audubon during camp.
Supposedly the school he transferred to was not ranked as high as
KPHS. In fact, much lower. Anyway, my son, who was always a high
honor student at KP, found himself behind in Spanish class because
the other kids at the new school had already had two full years of
Spanish in middle school. He had only a half year in both 7th and
8th grades. Whether we like it or not, our kids need to stay
academically competative. That means taking a foreign language in
school and starting earlier than HS. When I was in school in the
80's I took both French and Latin starting in the 7th grade. It's
necessary, and I have used my French extensively in Canada. Latin
helped me score high on the vocabulary portion of my SAT's. I am
not sorry I took them.
[King is Chestnut is Norfolk's Main St; it changes names. Right by exit 16 on the other side of 495 - Wm.]
PA, your comment about mastering the English language first
is a tad bit [ill-considered]. Why should anyone have to master one thing in
order to be exposed to another? Diversity is key, PA...
I respect and understand that many people enjoy dog parks. I myself
have visited the park in Medway and was not truly impressed. It
only takes a split second for something to happen between two dogs.
Many times I have driven by and people are socializing in a tight
group and not even paying attention to what their dogs are doing.
I truly do not want to offend any vets in the area, but how can
you say that the benefits outweigh the risks? The risks change
each time a new dog comes into the mix. In a public dog park, the
mix can change by the day, hour or minute. My own vet (my brother)
will be the first to tell me that he is not so much an expert of
canine behavior as he is an expert on canine health. He usually
calls my other sister (the trainer) who holds a masters in animal
biology and canine behavior when he has a behavioral or nutritional
issue and he refers patients to her for training, aggression
problems etc. No vet - or doctor - knows everything about all areas
of animal health and behavior... That's why they have specialists
in all medical professions. Anyway, I'm not trying to start a heated
debate, or trying to sound like a know-it-all. Just explaining my
logic because I was asked.
The truth of the matter is... no matter how well-meaning, educated
or dog smart the "regulars" are (I am sure that there are many great
pet owners in town, myself included), there will always be that one
idiot dog owner, either a local or a transient, who thinks his dog
is "fine" socializing with other dogs etc. As experienced as I am,
a dog I once owned was attacked by another that was off leash in a
public place. My dog was leashed. Obviously this person thought that
their dog was "just fine" and well behaved enough to be off leash
in public. I believe that there is a leash law for a reason. FYI...
My son was attacked a few years back by a dog in Norfolk while
walking home from school one day. He is physicaly scarred for life.
You just don't know, and it happens more than you hear about.
I am wondering what the statistics are on the dog park in Medway?
Have there been any incedents? has anyone been bitten breaking up
a dogfight? If something were to happen would the town be liable?
How does that work? Isn't it easier to just form a dog club and
meet at different people's homes with fenced in yards? I myself
used to belong to a dog training club. My German Shepherd loved it!
But it isn't just a free-for-all. My sister runs a puppy playgroup (out
of state) where people can bring their dogs for socialization in a
smaller group and a more controlled enviroment. Her entire yard is
matted, so if someone gets sick it can be easily disenfected.
Maybe I am biased, but I would rather bring my dog to a place that
I knew was going to be safe and clean. Monitored by a trained
professional if anything were to happen suddenly. As a matter of
fact, there is such a place in Franklin. Masterpeace Dog training
on Fisher street has a great facility. My sister has frequented their
events with her agility dogs. Also, what happens when the volunteers
move on or lose interest in our dog park? Who takes over the
maintenance? These are all questions that I think should be answered
before we all go gung ho.
I am not an unreasonable person. If people have better arguments... go
for it! I am opened to hearing everyone's thoughts.
GDL: I've seen one of those before on my property. Somewhat prehistoric
looking.
Can someone make a recommendation for a contractor to repair the
floor board, replace floor tile, replace toilet, etc?
Thanks
Another dog park?? Where is the first one?
And by the way... the state does not even require kindergarten!!
(as most know).
My statements have been rational and on-point. I do not support the town
creating a dog park. If you would like to create a dog park as a private
group, I wish you well. We live in the USA, where I can state my opinions
freely. Clearly I do not support a park dedicated to a certain type of pet.
If you do, find mutual friends, buy some land, create some rules and there
you go. Fido can play all day! This is not Boston or Brookline folks,
there are plenty of open spaces. Asking the town to fund another park
dedicated to dogs is absurd. Just my two cents.
I agree that the cost of full day kindergarten should be paid for by consumers of full day kindergarten. We have three children under six, so I will be paying the fee three out of the next six years. As another person pointed out, $2,900 is still less expensive than day care or pre-school. I am not aware of any town in the area that pays for full day kindergarten classes through town-wide taxes. Norfolk is wise to keep the service fee based.IS this the same CS?? Oh my, I am taking a break from posting here because, well just because..... by the way, I had 4 under 5 and 2 with special needs.- CS
I may get thrown out of town if I respond how I want to!!
...once again ...no one even suggested that!
Re almost exclusively -
CS are you saying that tax dollars go to most kids in full day but not all?
Or is the full day funded by parents who pay for it?
I am also not of the mind-set, "if I don't use it, then I don't support it"
either. I simply do not support a publicly funded dog park. It is that
simple. Nothing else has been implied.
All of Europe, Israel, Kuwait and Lebanon know well what ugly neighbors who
seek to spread their particular brand of governing look like - the symbol of
which is not an American flag. By the way, teaching our children French is
about is as useful as trying to sell ice to an Eskimo; the language has
become mostly irrelevant in today's global economy. English and Chinese are
far safer bets for the future - English because we Americans have a
responsibility to ensure new immigrants learn it quickly and well.
PRR, next time you are in France please let them know that all Americans
don't view ourselves as you do. Nor do all French, who just elected a
conservative president; who has already visited the United States and seeks
to better U.S - French relations. With comments like that yours, I will
quickly turn the channel the next time I see Ruby's Round Up.
With that said, it seems your words about not
using it so you shouldn't have to pay for it and comparing it to paying for
full day kindergarten is a very bad attitude. It opens up the debate as to
why should people who do not have children have to have their taxes go to the
schools. This is a community, people work together; if I was only willing to
pay for what I use, most of my taxes would go to Medfield or Millis . There is
plenty of town-owed land that could be used without having to purchase it.
Dog owners who take the time to go to a dog park are usually very responsible,
great people.
And to whoever it was who posted about the poop in their
neighborhood, we have it here too; I am the only one who picks it up. I am going
to start returning poop to their rightful owners. It should thrill the lady up
the street whose dog constantly poops in my yard. I do not understand how
people can just walk away. There is a bylaw in this town about picking it up.
And to PA - have you ever thought that learning a foreign language at an
early age can possibly enhance the English skills of our children?
The next "Ruby's Round Up" show will feature an interview with wonderful
watercolor artist, Jeffrey Hunter. If any of you have fascinating life stories
that inspire you to do amazing things and your would like to share your
passion for life with your neighbors, let me know!!! I would love to speak with
you about having you over to chat on camera. It is fun... it is real!
Ciao for now,
I had put a posting up a while ago about the need for a dog park here in
Norfolk... Sorry I dropped the ball, I was sick for a few weeks... Now, let me
jump back in. Okay... a dog park will do several impotant things for the
quality of life here in Norfolk. Also, check out the dog park in Sharon... it is
perfect! We could do the same here!
Now,
one, dog parks are a wonderful place for people to congregate and chat with
their neighbors while their furry friends run and play with each other... and,
it would give our dogs a safe place to run without the fear of them becoming
some hormonally challenged, over-caffeinated driver's next road
kill...
Sorry if I sound embittered, but here on North Street, it is truly pathetic
the way my fellow Norfolkians drive... what is the problem?? Coffee in
one hand, phone in the other, what hand holds the steering wheel, that is what
I would like to know? What's the hurry...
Please folks, slow down!! Imagine it's your kid walking along the
road... would you want someone to drive that fast two feet away from them?? No
sidewalks here... got it? Slow down! Grr-rrr... I really don't get it...
what is the hurry, we live in a beautiful, could be bucolic, town... with
SUV's careening around... it is like, well, pretty incongruous if you ask
me.
And, besides that, in the summer we have poison ivy by the sides of the road
here on North Street... you just can't jump into that to avoid speeding
cars... Have pity folks.. again, slow down!
Ohhhhh!
On another note, a cousin in the mid-west has 2 dogs that got their collars
tangled up the other day, and while trying to get them free she nearly lost her
hand - somehow it got sliced from one end to the other. Maybe this is a
warning to take off the collars when in the house.
No Operational Overrides (or debt exclusions)!!
And JW -- I don't know what you spent to fence in your yard, and I am
not saying that a dog park would replace your need for a fence around
your home, but I would bet that a yearly dog park fee would pale in
comparision to what a fence around your yard costs.
[Use box69@norfolknet.com to send mail to JPRW - Wm.]
W A N T E DLast evening around 2:15 a.m. 1 to 2 cars came down Bridie Lane at a very high speed, taking out mailboxes, trees, damaging stone walls and lawns. It's amazing they walked or even drove away. The car(s) would have serious front end damage and definitely damage to the undercarriage. If anybody has any information, please contact the Norfolk Police Department. Thank you!
[Post pending confirmation - Wm.]
And what is all this about wanting to do K-12, and who is going to pay
for that? We just did overrides for the schools, as if you don't notice
in the tax bills. I'm all for education, but let's leave some things up
to the parents to teach, like health ed. (or should I say sex ed) and
foreign lang. We live in America, we speak English, if you want to learn
a different language take a night course. I'm sick to my stomach every
time the new tax bills come out. And who pays the electric bill for the
center lights? That whole center project was a waste of tax payers
dollars. And the Library? We have 4 in town now. What more are they
going to approve for this small sleepy town - pretty soon it will look
like a small city. How about getting some industry or buisness revenue
approved instead of driving them out. How many years are we going
to wait for Stop & Shop? They keep building homes, and they are still
empty, and those who want to get out can't sell. In the mean time they
are disrupting the wildlife, as well as making a small city. I say enough
is enough!!
AL - just because the Con Comm has jurisdiction over the Town Pond is no
reason to call them rats.
Someone on Norfolknet recommended Pioneer Garage Door Co, and we used
them and they were very good. Steve came out to take a look, made some
recommendations, installed with improvement over old doors, and the
price was very resonable. Steve & Liz can be reached at 508-668-8136.
NORFOLK (AR) Disaffected Norfolk youth, deprived of constructive outlets for their recreational urges, lashed out at the Con Com in this quiet suburban town by by robbing cars in the neighborhood. ``If the Town Pond was open to recreation there wouldn't be a crime spree,'' a resident was heard saying.Our intrepid reporting airs at 11:00. But no, wait -- Those ruffians broke into our news van! Our documentary video tapes are missing!! Really, this is too much!!
The lack of a Town Pond is creating a public menace and endangering the moral compass of the darling children of our nation. When is enough enough? The Town Fathers must crack down on that ne'er-do-well Con Com, else we'll never be secure in our possessions!!
I agree. Our kids swam there in the 1960's, got ear infections, and we
took them to Dr. Brown, their pediatrician. We finally gave up on that
pond; it could not be cleaned up despite the claims that it could. I
hope the Town does not go down that path again; it will be a waste of
money.
[Apropos garage doors, I saw a sign in a yard at the south end of Union; anyone know more? - Wm.]
A side note: My husband grew up here and said he wouldn't want to
swim in the pond if it were as bad as it was when he was a kid in
the 60's and 70's. His brothers and sisters got a lot of infections
from that pond. What are the plans to clean it up... are they going
to circulate the water?
As far as the kids breaking into cars - I grew up in a wealthy city
with a stellar Rec program. We still had the usual petty crimes... None
of these activities would be opened in the middle of the night when
these things happen. I also believe that the pond had a lot of
criminal activity around it many years ago. Isn't that why it was
originally closed to the public? My husband tells me that there was
a lot of drug activity going on there when he was a teen.
Our cars will be locked from now on.
[Update 7/17 8:32am: URL: [article link] - RH]
K.D. Cleaning Co.
Norfolk // Kevin at 508-528-0929
Owner is the Cleaner. Weekly, Bi-Weekly. Dust Management.
Hi,My name is Richard Lewis. I'm a reporter with the Boston Globe, and I'm doing a story about home sales in the region that includes Norfolk. I'm looking for someone in Norfolk who is either trying to sell a home or who has recently sold a home to speak with for the story. I can be reached through this list-serv or at richclew@gmail.com. Thank you.
I was at the Town Pond yesterday and someone has planted 4 bushes near the
rock. I was wondering why and what is going on there, I read an Eagle Scout was
going to be removing weeds from the water, is there an update on that?
We are also in need of references for someone to do our roof, we prefer
to have someone do the work themselves rather than sub it out. We look
forward to all recommendations of those you've been happy with and those
you would recommend to not hire. Thank you!
To get the fan to do its job you need to have unrestricted air flow on
both sides of the fan.
A good local bagel shop opened a few months ago in Millis in the
Roche Bros. plaza that sounds very much like what JL described for
Norfolk. They seem to be doing well whenever I go there.
OfficeMax at the north end of the Walpole Mall is fast and inexpensive.
Or you could do what we did: Using a Print Shop computer program, we
printed the invitations ourselves. We ran each envelope through the
printer also,
to get a good-looking addressed envelope for each guest. The lettering
was not raised, but it looked quite good.
Hello everyone,I currently own a bagel shop and was looking to open a 2nd location, and thought Norfolk near the train station would be nice. I was wondering if I could get feedback. Would a cafe with relaxed atmosphere selling bagels, coffee, cappuccinos do well? Is there anything else in town already like that? (except D&D of course, I don't count them. Ha!) Thanks all!
- JL
The Highway Department was jackhammering the driveway to the parking lot across from the Norfolk Prison.There were 3 men, 2 town trucks and a loader in the parking lot across from the prison where guards, etc., park and hang out. There are several areas in lot that are jackhammered up.
I asked one of the men I saw about it. At some point today they are going to be hot topping those areas. I am sure that someone besides me will drive by there today to see what I saw.
By
the way, is there a Mr Bugbee soccer coach out there who is reading this?
If, so please contact me though the Wm.
Thanks,
[Update 7/13 10:38am: Mr Bugbee saw the post - Wm.]
I confirmed with the Norfolk facility that this person saw the Town testing the backflow preventer where the Town water connects with the Prison system. This location is in the front of the prison and next to front driveway. This is Town equipment on State property.
I was over at the two prisons in Norfolk today and there was no paving done as of 15 min utes ago, the pot holes I drove through this morning were still there.
His picture and full description are on
norfolkanimalcontrol.net
under the lost and found section.
Sincerely,
Outlaw BBQ, FoxboroThanks,
MOMS, Foxboro
Eagle Brook Restaurant, Norfolk
Dunkin Donuts, Norfolk
Does
anyone out there know how to contact a modeling agency?? This would be
for a teenage boy. Many people have suggested it for him but I don't
know who to contact.
Can anyone recommend a place that will make window screens? I need a
couple of windows re-screened (which I think I can get done at a local
hardware store) but some of my windows are missing screens.
Thank you for your help!
[Update 9:47pm: oooppps my phone # is 508-528-7003 - DV]
[Update 8:54: you can reach JT directly through box66@norfolknet.com - Wm.]
I love that this town is semi-rural, quaint and pretty... and I hope
it stays that way. I think this town is lovely and overall most
people seem really great about keeping up their property. I am
looking forward to living here and getting to know people.
I can promise you this, if either of you want to tape a meeting for us, it
will make it to air and receive a solid rotation on channel 22. We will
provide you with the equipment and the training (which is quite easy.) We
can use more volunteers, and this will be a way for you to help us get much
needed programming, and at the same let our viewers see what goes on with
their local government. Feel free to call our new Station Manager, Brian
Alves, at 508-520-2780 and he'll be delighted to help you get involved.
I bought my second home in Norfolk about 5 years ago. It was a
bank owned dump! We put so much money, hard work and old fashioned
sweat equity into this house! We did extensive landscaping ourselves;
it was backbreaking. I had people in the neighborhood, that I didn't
know, stop their cars and tell us what a fabulous job we have done
and thanked us profusely. Ours is one of the first homes in our
subdivision and it is the first impression for many of the more
expensive newer homes in the area.
Anyway, a few years ago we had a big pile of loam in our front yard
becuase our friend with the bobcat couldn't get to us for awhile.
The house and yard looked fabulous in comparison to what it was... but
a neighbor actually made a comment that the pile was there a little
too long. My husband was very offended. Here we are, trying to do
something good by lanscaping, and the neighbor was giving us a
timeframe? It was only there for a month or two! Well, how would
they feel if the house were still a dump?
[C o n t i n u e d . . .]
[C o n t i n u e d . . .]
You kill me ! I never made mention of my opinion of conservation issues
and that's what the con com is there to deal with. The issues. Once
again, that's all they are supposed to be dealing with. For your
information I have spent my last 34 years working in the outdoors and
in my free time I hike and fish with my family and friends. Oh, buy the
way, when I fish I use barb-less hooks too.
I am sorry that some of you took offense to my comments, I certainly
wasn't trying to stir up any controversy. I think whether people
choose to admit it or not... these are concerns that many people have.
I do not have 12 inches to play with. I might only have 3 or 4
inches at best. Accomodating this new system will require tens of
thousands of dollars of plumbing work combined with a major home
renovation. We just installed a new boiler and now the whole
boiler... which, located in a closet of our family room, would have
to be relocated to accomodate this new requirement? Basically we
would have to totally remodel the lower level of our 1970's raised
ranch (which we just remodelled prior to recieveing this
letter)... losing a window and possible our entire family room. I
know that I would also have to hire a piano mover to move my mother's
heirloom 1900 upright piano... and I do not have another spot in the
house to put it.
Any thoughts on how the town is going to deal with older homes that
don't conform to the standard?? I don't think that they can legally
require us to major renovations to our home!! Anyone know??... not
to mention that we would never get our money back in this real
estate market.
This new policy will create a serious financial hardship on us. We
may be forced to leave town rather than to spend the money on the
house that we will never recoup.
This is the United States of America and if one feels like letting
their lawn get shaggy and not paint their
"cottage" for 15 years - they have that
right. You also have the right to
choose the neighborhood you want to purchase a
home in. My opinion is "love thy neighbor." Try having
a beer with them and get to know
them.
[Update 5:27: oops, missed second paragraph - Wm.]
However, having said this, this technology era we
live in that is supposed to make our lives so much easier, isn't always
foolproof - I don't think we can blame that on Norfolk. When my
daughter was evaluated for speech services at HOD, I was very satisfied
with the communication I received from all specialists on the team who
evaluated her, her classroom teacher who managed to not miss a beat
after 35 years of teaching and the very organized team meeting to
discuss their findings. I have to say I was not expecting this after
hearing so many negatives from people on Norfolknet and their dealings
with the SPED department. I guess my family has been very fortunate so
far - I am not unrealistic because I know not every educator in any
school system is the "cream of the crop". I just hope the many people
who read Norfolknet who are new to town, or considering moving to our
town, don't go into it only hearing the negatives!
The camp has been a resounding success in our soccer program the past
few years and is a great way to get your child ready for the upcoming
fall season. The camp counselors are experienced players from Europe and
run drills and scrimmages in a very fun and engaging way for the
players.
The camp runs from Monday, August 20, 2007 thru Friday, August 24, 2007
from 4-7 PM at the Pond Street Recreation Complex in Norfolk. The cost
is $105.
To register, go online to
www.norfolksoccer.com,
click on "online registration" and
follow the instructions.
If you have any questions, please contact Kendra S. at 508-528-5278.
Where I am from in North Texas, there is actually a city bylaw that your
grass could not be longer then a certain height. If it reached that height
(yes, there were city employees that actually went around measuring people's
grass) the city would mow the area, charge a fee for mowing the area and
give a hefty fine as a deterrent. I know from first hand experience. Shortly
after my father had a massive heart attack, the yard went un-mowed for over
a month. We had other things to worry about that were just more important.
Perhaps if people do not like the neighborhood they live in due to unsightly
neighbors, you could organize a neighborhood clean up weekend. It could be a
great opportunity to meet your new neighbors and come together as a
community, something that is not done often enough in my opinion.
By the way, (since we seem to have to qualify everything in order to have an
opinion), we are a young couple (early 30's) that bought our house four
years ago at what is turning out to be a peak market and we are weekend
warriors that do all of our own landscaping.
I have a question. As a potential homebuyer in Norfolk, I am just reading the posts out of curiosity. I am confused as to why you need to pay for kindergarten; I thought the school systems in Norfolk were public?- KM
Calling all Families -- tonight is Family Movie at the Library & the
feature movie is "High School Musical" - rated G - 98 minutes. Join us for a
movie and popcorn. All movies begin promptly at 6:30 p.m. Children under the
age of 12 must be accompanied by an adult. Registration is not required.
Calling all Harry Potter Fans -- Order your copy of Harry Potter & the
Deathly Hallows today & pick it up at midnight on July 21st! Join the
fun & come to the Harry Potter book release party Friday night, July 20
at 11:00 PM & receive your copy at the stroke of Midnight! Prepay price
is $25.00 + tax (Lists at $34.99). Proceeds will benefit the Friends of
the Library. Only 8 copies left, so don't delay in ordering your copy!
[This and other library activities on the
Calendar - Wm.]
Calling all Recyclers --- Bring us your empty 17 oz. plastic peanut butter
jars, coffee cans (any size), and Altoid tins. They will be used for craft
programs this summer!
As a young person trying to get into this market and buy in a nice
town it is often difficult to find the ideal situation. I don't know
your personal situation, but it is difficult for younger people to
buy a home in Massachusetts... that is our situation. That is why
many leave this state in droves.... unless they want to live in a
dangerous area with crime, it is very challenging to find an
affordable home in a nice town. Maybe you bought back in the day
when everyone who worked could afford to buy a nice house. I am not
making any assumptions, but I do find people who are not in this
particular situation do not really understand the financial burden
younger couples are under in this state.
To live in a nice town as new buyers, we were aware there were going
to be trade-off's , and this one we felt ok with in order to get into
a nice town. As I mentioned, it is not on my street or across from
me directly. If that was the case I would not have purchased. It is
on a street that connects to ours. I think I still should have the
right to question whether the town does anything to enforce this,
regardless of the fact that I knew about the situation prior to buying.
As JT mentioned, you don't have to be rich to have pride in
ownership. JT thanks for your post. I appreciate you understanding
my perspective... I am glad you were able to stay & find another home
in town that you love.
[Update 7/21 12:16am: Twin bed now gone. Thanks - DWL]
"I am curious as to people's opinions and I hope no one takes offense to this."Well, as you're curious as to other people's opinions, I guess mine would start off with... Knowing that there such eyesores existed and would be seen on the way to your new residence, why did you still opt to buy there? Did you think that you could change the world after you moved in? With all due respect, and no offense intended, this does sound very much like the fellow who said... "Yeah, well we knew there was a rod & gun club next door before we bought the place..., but..."
"Does the town enforce any general requirements for the condition of homes?"Enforce what? Condition of homes? Well, unless a health hazard can be found, I doubt that local governments are in business to enforce the height of one's lawn, of the color of one's house, or the number of refrigerators in a line in the side yard (oh, that's more of a Northern New England tradition, I think). The number of junk cars in one's yard can, and is in some localities, a subject of enforcement, but only if spelled out in the bylaws. A falling down shack with old cars and stoves and chicken coops and piles of trash spilling out of the garage onto the driveway may be call for the local authorities to investigate, but unless a health hazard can be found, I doubt there'll be any 'enforcement' employed.
Remember that your perception of unsightly and that of others will most
likely always be different to some degree. Buyer beware....
Are there any town ordinances that are enforced to ensure people
maintain their properties to some degree? I am sure this is not a
huge problem in this type of town... but I have found a few homes in
the general area where I will be moving to that just do not seem kept
up. The street I am moving to is very nice and well kept and
attractive, but the street off ours has a couple of somewhat run down
cottages/homes that I am concerned about. Everyone I know will have
to drive down this road to get to my house and unfortunately it does
bother me. Maybe that is my problem to contend with... but I am
someone who will take pride in my property and wish others to do the
same. Since we are first time buyers we are fortunate to find a
lovely home in a wonderful community... but we are also probably in a
more affordable part of town where we are more likely to encounter
these issues here and there.
I do feel badly if there are elderly people living there or just
people in general who can't keep up the property financially, but I
also worry about property values.
I am curious as to people's opinions and I hope no one takes offense
to this. Does the town enforce any general requirements for the
condition of homes?
Thank you!!
[Update 9:50pm: you can contact JO at box63@norfolknet.com - Wm.]
"The first payment is a non-refundable deposit that reserves your child's place in the program. The deposit is due by July 15, 2007 and will be applied to your September Tuition." The next sentence begins with, "Once this deposit is paid, your child's place in the Full Day Kindergarten Program will be secure."Maybe it is me, but I think this wording implies that if payment is not rendered by July 15th, there are no guarantees for your child's spot. That is why I raised the issue. I think that the school department should extend the deadline. Ten calendar days for payment (announced during July 4th) is going to create problems for people. I don't mind paying the bill, it is the communication that I perceive as lacking. It is similar to the debate about whether or not we would all even have full day kindergarten. Seemingly, that could have been handled better too. Just my opinion.
[Update 9:50pm: contact JO at box63@norfolknet.com - Wm.]
I would like to sign my daughter up for the Lions Youth Soccer. She is 4
years old and so eager to play! Where do I need to go to do this, and what is
needed? (i.e., doctor's note, etc.) Please email me at
emailforlaurie@aol.com. Thanks!
Tomato-Basil Tart1 Pillsbury unbaked pie crust (in the yogurt section)
1 1/2 cups shredded mozzarella
3-4 med. tomatoes
1 cup fresh basil
4 garlic cloves
1/2 cup mayo
1/2 cup parmesan
1/8 tsp. white pepperPlace pie crust in 9" quiche pan or tart pan and pre-bake accd. to directions on box. Sprinkle with 1/2 cup mozzarella and cool on wire rack.
Slice tomatoes thin and drain on paper towel. Arrange on top of mozzarella. Combine basil and garlic in Cuisinart and then sprinkle over tomatoes.
In medium bowl, mix remaining ingredients (mozz., parm., mayo and pepper).
Spoon over basil mix (just plop it on). Bake 375 for 35-40 mins.
I am going on vacation and now I have to write a check to save my daughter's
spot in school. Fortunately, I have the financial resources to pay this
bill without adequate notice. What happens to those who do not? I am very
disappointed that the website does not work as promised. Are corrective
measures being taken to avoid such a "black-eye" in the future? Does the
school system also plan on providing people with the normal thirty (30) days
notice that invoices normally afford? How are the folks on vacation for the
first two weeks of July going to be treated? I post these general
questions on Norfolknet.com so that parents who share my concerns can
anticipate the response.
Thank you,
Front row left to right: Marcus C., Jack D., Ariana
L., Sebastian L., Alexi F., Molly A..
Second Row: Will M., Cameron K.,
Richie B., Colby K.,
Matt D., Will G.
Last row: coaches Nick L., Craig K. and Rich C.
They should be aired publicly for all to see. The new Buildings we have are wired for this purpose, this would allow all see the proceedingsI am too new to town to get involved politically yet, but I am wondering if that statement is true and if so how much did that cost the tax payers and what has been its use so far? Also, were we ever able to return the $4000 busing software?
And let's
not be naive. Developers are businessmen first, out to make a profit.
If they come into a town with a Con Comm devoid of legal/environmental
experts, do you honestly think they won't take advantage? I don't
buy into the ``maybe we have too much expertise on our boards'' mentality.
That opens up too many doors to too much liability. (Sorry, BOS,
that's
a legal term). ``Smart development'' ought to include legal foresight.
"Maybe the con com and the planning board would see less "High-Priced" lawyers in front of them if they based their decisions upon the facts."Admittedly, I've not been a close follower of the ConComm or BOS, or any board in town, but well over 30 years in engineering and construction shows me that more often than not, the 'high priced' lawyers referred to go hand in hand with commercial, industrial, or large-tract development than they do with Joe Homeowner's plan to build a house or an addition. Simple reason is deep-pockets or not. That doesn't mean it can't happen, but more often than not it occurs when deep pockets are present, and town boards know it and understand that a legal challenge might be more difficult for the town to fund than the developer.
"With these Boards you are guilty until you can prove your innocent and pay for that proof along the way."Well, there's truth to that, but it should be viewed more in terms of laws, bylaws, and regulations being black and white, not shades of gray. Laws, whether they be state or local, require and attend to certain standards, and there's usually very little wiggle room when applying those standards. One either conforms, or one doesn't. One can't 'almost' conform and be considered in conformance without the judging authorities committing themselves to unwittingly setting unwanted precedents by which others will want to be judged in similar fashion. The ConComm, BOH, Planning Board, and others must stick to strict standards without wavering so that all who wish to build or develop are treated fairly by the same standards. Sidestepping those standards and requirements at any time can set a board up for future legal challenges. If the process of proving that one has conformed to the requirements is viewed as being guilty until proven innocent, then so be it. That's the way the process works... prove conformance in order to obtain permission. And there's always a cost associated with proving that, as there is with reviewing it on the town side.
"As far as bulldozing acre after acre, The Town has brought that upon themselves with their restrictive subdivision bylaws. The bylaws that have been passed in town under the guise of many things were for the sole purpose of limiting the amount of homes that you could fit on a tract of land. When you look at build factors, road width requirements, utility easements, drainage areas and the rest (including application process) it is based on one thing, driving the cost of doing business up and reducing the number of lots. Eventually builders won't build and we won, yeah (this policy is a joke because look at the financial situation we are in)."Well, I suppose if one was entirely pro-development, the statement above might be true. But, can any of us deny that the reason we came to and stay in Norfolk has much to do with the lack of large-tract development as seen in neighboring communities? Would we want Norfolk to suddenly resemble places where development has gone unrestrained? My guess is that the 'restrictive subdivision bylaws' have quite a bit to do with the local environment that so many here have expressed enjoyment of. The financial situation that we might find ourselves in has more to do with spending controls and costs of town business than it does with allowing wall to wall development in order to cover costs.
Yes, the subdivision bylaws established by most communities are, in
fact, set so as to limit development to a standard set by the community.
And that's done so as to protect the community from over-development,
not, as some seem to think, in order to drive up costs. By comparing
development in surrounding communities, it's fairly easy to see who has
been more successful than others in that effort to protect. Can that
protective attitude become one of over-protectiveness? Of course it can.
Personally I think that more could be done to attract business
development along the Route 1A corridor. But I'm fairly satisfied at the
moment with the rate of residential development.
Key to all of this is having board members who work in strict
conformance with the requirements of their position, fairly with all,
without succumbing to the 'fiefdom' mentality that can so easily find
its way into the public forum. I have no knowledge of whether the
subject boards have failed or succeeded in this part of the job.
"This Town has missed out on many wonderful opptournities by the prevailing attitudes of these boards."I'd be interested in seeing a list of those.
"We have many things that are new in this Town. It's time for new attitudes to prevail, the BOS is leading the way and it seems that some don't like it."Attitudes. Interestingly, the Town Administrator was recently quoted in the paper as saying...
"People seem to forget that the Conservation Commission is not intended to be a completely independent body. The Commission is appointed by the Selectmen to carry out the business of the town and to protect the environment as an agent of the Selectmen."If one spends some time talking to Conservation Commissioners in other towns, and folks at the Massachusetts Association of Conservation Commissioners, one would understand that the original intent was, indeed, that these commissions would be independent, and not 'agents of the Selectmen'. The laws that the ConComm is charged with enforcing are State Laws. Even if there are local bylaws regarding wetlands, they can only be 'more' restrictive than the state laws, so the state laws are the base from which the ConComms start their work. Commissions need to have the 'space' in which to interpret and enforce the wetland laws without undue influence from outside entities. Commissions are appointed to carry out the business of enforcing state law first, not the business of the town. Protecting the environment, as set out in the Wetlands Protection Act, is the primary order of business. And not really as anyone's agent.
The reality is that, as the legislature gave the power to appoint
commissioners to City Council members and/or Town Selectmen (MGL Chapter
40, Section 8C), there is, among many commissioners, the unspoken
understanding that their longevity on a board may count, in part, on how
their interpretations and enforcements are viewed by others, who play no
part in the process other than knowing they wield a power to change a
commission at will. None of this makes the news, for interactions
between the boards aren't usually newsworthy, except when personalities
get in the way, or when reappointments are due and changes are brought
about by the BOS or City Council. Then fingers are pointed and
suspicions are raised. Unfortunately, the process, as set by law, makes
this all too possible. Only one town in the state, so far, has opted to
make commissioners an elected position rather than appointed. That's
probably because few understand that the option is available to cities
and towns.
Just my two cents...
You have indeed spoken for all who are tired of the old way of doing
things when you state "the town has a say in how it is developed thru
the protection of natural resources". What the con com should be doing
is looking to see if what is presented to them complies with the current
wetland resource laws applicable, not to shape development of the Town.
As far as bulldozing acre after acre, The Town has brought that upon
themselves with their restrictive subdivision bylaws. The bylaws that
have been passed in town under the guise of many things were for the
sole purpose of limiting the amount of homes that you could fit on a
tract of land. When you look at build factors, road width requirements,
utility easements, drainage areas and the rest (including application
process) it is based on one thing, driving the cost of doing business
up and reducing the number of lots. Eventually builders won't build and
we won, yeah (this policy is a joke because look at the financial
situation we are in).
And my point is, people come to the Planning
Board and Con Com, placed on the defensive, treated with arrogance,
financially assaulted, and left with the only possible solution and that
is to hire an Attorney. This Town has missed out on many wonderful
opptournities by the prevailing attitudes of these boards. We have many
things that are new in this Town. It's time for new attitudes to
prevail, the BOS is leading the way and it seems that some don't like
it. After all this reappointing settles down the BOS should mandate that
all public meetings be on cable TV, including the School Committee,
Planning Board, Conservation Commission, and open Space Committee.
These Boards shape the future of our Town. They are appointed to do
right by the Bylaws and Charters that they are responsible for. They
should be aired publicly for all to see. The new Buildings we have are
wired for this purpose, this would allow all see the proceedings.
[Update 7/5 10:28am: reworded last line - RC]
[Update 10:34am: oops, the link did not click through correctly - Wm.]
Happy Independence Day!
Fireworks:
Walpole - 7/3 - Joe Morgan Memorial Field - 9:30p.m.
It boggles me that people in this town cannot take a hard look at
themselves and ask "why do I like living here?" For most people, the
answer will have to do with its small town feel and natural beauty. In
other towns that have this same character, they guard that to the tenth
degree. Because once it's gone, its gone. I, like Jay, believe we should
be buying up more open space when we have the opportunity (i.e. Marshall
street). As far as Town Pond goes, I would imagine 95% of the residents
have never seen the place. I have and, believe me, there are much better
alternatives within 10 minutes of Norfolk.
I think the BOS made a big mistake. Their decision was not in the best
interest of the town but served their own personal power trips. I would
suggest the BOS rethink their decision. As of now, the next BOS elections
will be an easy decision for me.
The following is a New York Times article describing a Government of Mexico
pamphlet that instructs Mexican citizens on how to cross the US border
undetected and safely - it also explains to them how to remain in the US
undetected after crossing the border. Please ensure you scroll down from
the article to view the actual pamphlet produced by the Mexican Government.
[article]
However, more formidable advocates such as former president of Mexico,
Vicente Fox, have called for a seamless border with the US as recently as
his last visit here in the US with President Bush; he too envisions a day
when there is no border. In fact, he created a cabinet level committee with
the sole purpose of caring for and protecting his citizens in Aztlan.
And, under his leadership a pamphlet was
created that provides Mexican citizens facts of how to safely cross the
border.
[Acuerdo CNCME]
In addition to that, a movement is currently underway to pass a law
in Mexico that would allow Mexicans to have dual-citizenship.
[aztlan.net/homeland.htm]
PS: Much of the information on the linked site is extracted from
organizations such as the Associated Press (AP).
(The link appears to be down at the moment)
[Update 9:07pm: Please replace the 1st link I included below (2nd Paragraph) with [...]. It is the actual document that I reference. - JPB]
Regarding the above request -
hi my name's Kyle L. I'm a jr. in high school and have done paint
projects before. I would like to talk to you about painting your fence.
I can be contacted at
jcwlash@comcast.net.
Hello,I live in Foxboro, and I hope you don't mind someone from the next town to praise someone from your town. But, I have to tell you I am very impressed with Andy Grachuk's work.
I would like to recommend Andy Grachuck's photography. I met Andy about a year ago and he has taken some beautiful pictures of children, landscapes and jewelry as well as anniversary parties and weddings. Andy is a very talented man with a camera.
Andy helped me with my books of poety, putting in some really awsome pictures to match my poems. I have also seen his pictures of some jewelry that a woman was trying to advertise. I have seen many, many of his pictures and he does a fantastic job. And, each time I see his new pictures, I find something more beautiful in them.
Thank you so much for considering him
Yours truly,
Harriet R.
We have, however, extended registration for our 3 year old (U4) division and
our Junior High and High School division until July 10.
Norfolk Lions Soccer is conducting a very unique fundraiser by offering Cape
Ann Whale Watch tickets at a greatly discounted price. Tickets, which
normally sell for $41, will be sold for $20 and are good anytime during the
2007 season.
[For details, see the
post of 6/21 10:27am - Wm.]
To purchase tickets, send checks payable to Norfolk Lions Soccer and a
self-addressed stamped envelope to NLYS at 27 Barnstable Rd, Norfolk, MA
02056.