News

News

Residents have splashing good time at Middleboro Pool

MIDDLEBORO — The Middleboro public pool has officially opened, and the Parks Department couldn’t have picked a better time. The pool opened its gates to residents on Monday, July 8, when temperatures soared into the upper 90s. Adults and children...

Select Board suggests muzzle, training for Lakeville dog

LAKEVILLE — Lakeville resident Joe Duncan-Pittsley is being asked to manage his dog’s behavior after the dog broke loose and killed three of his neighbor’s rabbits. Michele MacEachern, of 99 County Road, filed a complaint to the town after she woke...

Class president captures media's attention with graduation speech

LAKEVILLE — Apponequet graduate Mason Macuch never imagined he’d get a call from the Washington Post after his graduation speech. Or one from the Associated Press or NBC News for that matter. But Macuch’s unique ending to his graduation speech as...

Residents have a blast at the Middleboro fireworks

MIDDLEBORO — Another day of Fourth of July weekend festivities ended with a bang Friday, July 5. A fireworks display illuminated the sky over Battis Field, adding to the colorful Americana scene created by the ongoing carnival. Many in the large...

EEE risk ‘moderate’ in Middleboro, parts of Plymouth County

MIDDLEBORO — Middleboro and five other Plymouth County municipalities are at a “moderate” risk of Eastern equine encephalitis, also known as EEE, after a mosquito in Carver was found carrying the disease on Sunday, June 30. Wareham, Carver, Kingston...

Optical shop brings new vision for old Benny's location

MIDDLEBORO – The building that once housed the discount retailer Benny’s, a fixture in Middleboro’s downtown for decades, has welcomed a new business: Spectator’s Eyewear. The boutique optical shop opened the doors at its Middleboro location on 85...

Middleboro marches to the beat of Independence

MIDDLEBORO — On Fourth of July, Middleboro bleeds red, white and blue. The town’s patriotic spirit came alive during the annual North Middleboro Independence Day parade on Thursday, July 4. All sorts of vehicles, from old, refurbished go-karts, to...

Summer heats up in Middleboro with contests, carnivals and camaraderie

Video content available. MIDDLEBORO — Fourth of July in Middleboro is a day for national and local traditions. Celebrations kicked off with the annual North Middleboro float parade and continued throughout the day. Once the parade...

Lakeville octogenarian takes first in road race

MATTAPOISETT – An 82-year old Lakeville man who runs over a thousand miles each year won a division of Mattapoisett’s 4th of July Road Race. Lakeville resident Maurice “Mo” Bourque has run the Mattapoisett race about 25 times and is still returning...

Summer fun for everyone at Middleboro’s Camp Yomechas

MIDDLEBORO – Summer camp has kicked off for the season at the Middleboro YMCA’s Camp Yomechas. The day camp, which includes a lakeside beach, a ropes course and outdoor pool, sees over 350 campers rotate through each day. Just like its variety of...

Firefighters able to extinguish house fire quickly with increased staffing

MIDDLEBORO — No one was injured in a Purchase Street house fire on Tuesday, July 2 that was extinguished “within 15 minutes,” according to the Middleboro Fire Department. Middleboro Fire Chief Owen Thompson attributes this quick success, in part, to...

Driver rescued with Jaws of Life after crash in Lakeville

LAKEVILLE – Firefighters armed with chainsaws and the Jaws of Life cut through brush and vegetation to rescue the driver of a heavily damaged car that crashed off Route 140 north in Lakeville on Tuesday, July 2. The driver, the car’s only occupant,...

Migrant community leaves Middleboro for regional shelter out of area

MIDDLEBORO — The migrant community that was living at the Quality Inn in Middleboro has been moved to a regional facility in Northboro, Town Manager James McGrail told the select board at the July 1 meeting. The hotel will no longer be used as a...

Lemonade stand hits the sweet spot with donation to charity

LAKEVILLE — A one to one ratio of country time lemonade mix to water, a scoop of kindness and a spoonful of business expertise are the secret ingredients to Ryan and Charlotte Massey’s homemade lemonade. Nine-year-old Ryan and his seven-year-old...

Two people sent to hospital after car strikes tree

LAKEVILLE — Two people have been transported to the hospital after the electric vehicle they were in struck a tree. The crash occurred on Myricks Street in Lakeville. Responders were dispatched for the single motor vehicle accident just before 3:30...

Lakeville native earns Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal

LAKEVILLE— Sgt. Jack Dupre, a Lakeville native, knew he wanted to join the Marine Corps since he was in Middle School and on Sunday, June 9. Dupre was presented the Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal for his work in the island nation of Palau...

All aboard! Test trains running on South Coast Rail Route

MIDDLEBORO — The ground underneath your home may start to shake, but fear not, it’s no earthquake. Test trains are running between Middleboro and the East Taunton, Freetown, Fall River Depot, Church Street, and New Bedford railway stations, the six...

Seven applicants in the running for Town Administrator position

LAKEVILLE — As summer days fly by, Lakeville town officials are working hard to find the next town administrator to succeed former Town Administrator Ari Sky who resigned in January of 2024. The Lakeville Town Administrator Search Committee will...

Freetown Lakevillle Middle School welcomes new principal

LAKEVILLE — As of Monday, July 1, the principal’s office at Freetown Lakeville Middle School will have a new occupant: Jackie Francisco. Francisco will take the place of Jack Higgins, who was recently hired as Director of Finance Operations of the...

Mutant, radioactive, well-read, mind reading ants in Lakeville

LAKEVILLE – Watch out! Radioactive, mind reading ants have descended upon Lakeville. The ants made an appearance at the Lakeville Public Library, where they were touted to have “read every book in the world.” While the ants were not part of an...

School Committee seeks public input on superintendent evaluation

LAKEVILLE — A survey will be sent out to members of the community asking for feedback on superintendent Alan Strauss’ performance, members of the Freetown Lakevillle School Committee decided in a meeting on Monday, July 1. The survey responses will...

Middleboro DPW phone lines down

MIDDLEBORO — Middleboro Department of Public Work’s phone lines are currently down, the Middleboro DPW has announced. In case of a DPW emergency, please call the Town Hall at 508-947-0928. The DPW will announce when phone lines are restored.

Freetown Lakeville Superintendent out of running for Hingham job

LAKEVILLE — Freetown Lakeville superintendent Alan Strauss is no longer in the running to serve as Hingham High School Principal. Hingham Public Schools will hire an interim principal while the district continues the search to find a permanent...

Middleboro swim team wins multiple golds at Special Olympics

MIDDLEBORO — The Middleboro YMCA Special Needs had been struggling for weeks to master turns in the pool, according to coach Mac Sprague. But the five gold medals the team brought home at the Special Olympics of Massachusetts a few weeks back,...

Italian Gem Cafe brings Italy's favorite treat to Middleboro

MIDDLEBORO — Italian Gem Cafe owner Jessica Gemma just added another “gem” of Italian cuisine to the eatery she opened up downtown last fall: gelato. The cafe delivered on the words promised in the “gelato coming soon” sign that had been posted for...

Select Board to keep Hospital property developer in check

LAKEVILLE– Lakeville Select Board members want to make sure that the developer of the Lakeville Hospital property, Rhino Capital Advisors, sticks to the plan. The developer recently submitted plans for the age-restricted component of the housing...

One person injured in rollover crash in Lakeville

LAKEVILLE — A woman was injured in a rollover crash near the intersection of Rhode Island Road and Precinct Street in Lakeville on Saturday, June 22. According to Lakeville Deputy Fire Chief Pamela Garant, fire fighters and police responded to the...

Eccentric names, flavors add spice to canning business

MIDDLEBORO — When she woke up from a colonoscopy appointment, Holly Condon had a great idea. That’s when she came up with the new flavor “Curry on,” for her jam business. “I wake up [from the colonoscopy] and I’m tasting onions, garlic, brown sugar...

PFAS levels make fish in Long Pond unsafe to eat

LAKEVILLE – A public health advisory has been issued warning residents to limit or avoid consuming fish from Long Pond. The advisory was issued by the Massachusetts Department of Public Health after elevated levels of the PFAS chemicals were found...

Residents share recipe to beat the heat

What are people doing in Middleboro and Lakeville to beat the heat? Nasir Rusconi had the perfect answer. “We’re eating ice cream,” he said through a chocolate-stained grin, as he sat on a bench at Tom and Jimmy’s ice cream stand in Middleboro. To...

Clear Pond Opens for 2024 season

LAKEVILLE — For those looking for refuge after the last few days of scorching temperatures, Clear Pond Park is now open! Clear Pond Park will open for the 2024 season on Saturday, June 22nd. The hours of operation are seven days a week, 10:00 AM to...

Cookout serves up appreciation for town employees

MIDDLEBORO — The menu included hamburgers, hot dogs, pasta salad, watermelon slices — and a heaping side of gratitude. Town employees braved temperatures in the mid-90s Thursday, June 20 to attend the second annual Employee Appreciation Cookout at...

Lakeville Fire Department celebrates 75 anniversary

LAKEVILLE — Fire Chief Mike O’Brien’s words said it all: “The trust we enjoy with the community, the trust we need to do our jobs, has been built on 75 years of service to our town.” He shared these words in a speech during the celebration of the...

Audit is "going to be a lot of work", finance committee says

LAKEVILLE — While School and Town officials have approved an audit for the Freetown Lakeville school budget, the real work is just beginning. At its Tuesday, June 18 meeting, the Freetown Lakeville Regional Finance Subcommittee discussed a plan to...

New playground slides into Middleboro

MIDDLEBORO — Families, youth and project organizers looked on as three-year old Eddie Davison, armed with a pair of oversized scissors, cut the ribbon in front of Reed’s Corner Playground in Middleboro. Town officials officially unveiled the...

Lakeville, Middleboro residents receive Girl Scouts Honors

A number of Middleboro and Lakeville residents have been recognized by Girl Scouts of Eastern Massachusetts for their contributions to build young girls’ confidence, courage and character. Lakeville resident Michelle Whitman Hecht was elected to...

Updated: 911 service restored in Middleboro, Lakeville

Statewide 911 service has been restored, according to Massachusetts State Police. On Tuesday, June 18, the State 911 Department sent out an alert announcing that emergency services were experiencing technical...

FreeLake Superintendent interviews as finalist for principal role

LAKEVILLE — The Freetown-Lakeville school district may be looking to hire a new superintendent. The Freetown-Lakeville School Committee met to “discuss strategies for possible superintendent transition,” in an executive session meeting on Monday,...

Middleboro Celebrates First Veterans Appreciation Day

MIDDLEBORO — Veterans of all ages came out for the first Veterans Appreciation Day hosted by the Middleboro Veterans Service Office held at Battis Field on Saturday, June 15. Middleboro Veterans Agent Steve Adelman said the the objective of the day...

Middleboro elementary schools celebrate last day with annual sendoff

MIDDLEBORO — Excitement buzzed all through the parking lot of the Henry B. Burkland and Mary K. Goode Elementary School as students celebrated their last day of school on Friday, June 14. The spirit of summer was in the air as music blasted and...

Freetown-Lakeville Superintendent opens up about cancer battle

LAKEVILLE — Freetown-Lakeville Superintendent Alan Strauss has cancer, he announced at a June 12 School Committee Meeting. It was the first time he had shared his diagnosis publicly. The announcement was delivered to address comments made during...

Residents urge summer school for school committee

LAKEVILLE — A plea that the school committee not take a summer recess in the midst of the budget crisis it faces was echoed by many Lakeville residents at the school committee’s meeting on Wednesday, June 12. Resident Noelle Rilleau stated that,...

Lakers softball defeated in final four

DARTMOUTH — The Apponequet Lakers Softball team lost in the semifinals of the state championship to the Hudson Hawks Wednesday, June 12 after the tides turned halfway through the game. The number two seeded Lakers faced off against the number three...

Appeals court sides with school in ‘two genders’ shirt case

MIDDLEBORO – A ruling by the United States First District Court of Appeals on Sunday, June 9, upheld an earlier district court decision that Middleboro Public Schools did not violate a student’s rights when asking him to remove a shirt stating “...

Nursing Home Chain to pay $4 million in settlement for understaffing and care failures

MIDDLEBORO — A long-term care company that operates a nursing home in Middleboro has reached a $4 million settlement with the Massachusetts Office of the Attorney General for understaffing its facilities and failing to care properly for nursing home...

American Legion veteran paints a brighter future, wins first in national art contest

MIDDLEBORO – The National Veterans Creative Arts Festival in Colorado awarded a first place prize to Jeffrey Montelo, a member of Middleboro American Legion post 64. Montelo submitted a drawing of a bearded veteran to the contest, titled “Through...

Authors to talk ‘radical hospitality’ with historical tale

MIDDLEBORO — Listen to a tale of hospitality and community at the Middleboro Public Library at 6:30 p.m. on Thursday, June 20. The library will host authors Rosemary Haughton, Nancy Schwoyer and Kimberly French for a talk, reading, and reception on...

Rod and gun club scholarship funds students’ environmental endeavors

MIDDLEBORO — The Wankinquoah Rod and Gun Club Scholarship Committee is helping to build the next generation of “responsible and ethical sportspersons” by awarding $6,000 in scholarships to local high school seniors this year. The committee gave...

Lower-than-expected health insurance costs could reduce school budget deficit

LAKEVILLE — The Freetown-Lakeville School District identified an overestimate of budgeted health insurance costs that will significantly reduce an overall budget deficit that has ignited much debate. At the Freetown-Lakeville School Committee’s...

Youth to teach, learn about God on mission trip

MIDDLEBORO — Church In the Pines youth clearly understood the purpose of the mission trips they will be going on this summer. Fourteen-year-old Gabriel Cully, from Wareham, will be going to New Jersey to help with home improvement projects in low-...

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