Thursday, March 28, 2013
Weighing the pros and cons of a hybrid cars.
Hybrid cars have come a long way since the Honda Insight became the first hybrid for sale in North America in late 1999. For one, the styling has gone from futuristic insect to more traditional looks. And while once the sight of a Prius rolling by would turn heads, hybrids seem ubiqutious now. (The more traditional looking models also don't turn as many heads.) There are the well-known pros to hybrids, starting with cutting down on trips to the gas station. The miles per gallon these cars get is the first specification that jumps out at most people, and what many customers are looking for when shopping for a hybrid. For city-dwellers, the fuel economy of hybrids is often better for city driving than for highway driving, flipping the …
Thursday, February 14, 2013
Not enough assets were sent to Ward 4. We needed more help than other parts of the city due to the power outage.
Ward 4 City Councilor Jonathan Weydt submitted the following to Attleboro Patch after the Tuesday council meeting. Go here to see a video of what Weydt said during the meeting. We had several issues in Ward 4 during and in the aftermath of the snowstorm. We didn't fare as well as others. There was a National Grid power outage from Friday at 9 p.m. to Sunday at 6 p.m. (70 hours). An evacuation of a senior couple took over 10 hours to coordinate. Streets remained unplowed into Saturday night. Among them were Chartley Brook Lane, Beverly Circle, Thayer Farm Road and Pocahontas Lane. My concern is that not enough assets were sent to Ward 4. We needed more help than other parts of the city due to the power outage. I think we should have been a …
Saturday, February 9, 2013
Do you agree with the governor's decision or was it too drastic?
All non-emergency drivers were ordered off the roads on Friday when Gov. Deval Patrick issued an executive order banning travel during the blizzard. (Editor's note: The ban is lifted statewide as of 4 p.m. Saturday.) Patrick's executive order is being praised by some and bashed by others, reported The Boston Globe. While former Massachusetts Gov. Michael Dukakis, who was in charge of the commonwealth during the Blizzard of ’78, praised the governor’s move, others called the order “tyrannical” and say the strict ban and hefty fines were too much, according to The Globe. Those caught violating the ban would face up to a year in jail and a $500 fine. What do you think? Do you agree with the governor’s decision or do you think the travel ban …
The trains were running in the Blizzard of '78 and they should be today.
I can't help but compare the governmental response to today's storm to how it was 35 years ago, when, during the (real) Blizzard of '78, the trains continued to function and operate throughout that storm and afterward. I remember that well because my wife Ann Mary and I took a very early train on the Saturday after the '78 storm, and took a cab to Logan Airport on the first day it opened after the storm that lasted from Monday to Wednesday. On top of that, the trains ran a Monday-Friday schedule that Saturday. One crewmember told us they had been working for 36 hours straight because there was nobody available to replace them. But the trains ran! Today, Gov. Coupe de Ville shuts down the MBTA, including its commuter trains, saying they …
Friday, January 25, 2013
The Pentagon lifted its ban Thursday on women serving in combat roles, including roles on the front lines of battle. What do you think about the change? Tell us below.
The Pentagon made a historic move Thursday when it lifted its ban against women serving in combat, according to USA Today. A 1994 restriction prevented women in the military from serving in combat, including service on the front lines. However, many argued, including the American Civil Liberties Union, that reality showed women already serving on the front lines. U.S. Senator Jack Reed (D-RI), a member of the Armed Services Committee who strongly supports the historic change, issued the following statement after the announcement. “I applaud the Secretary for formally removing the ban," Reed said. "The reality of today’s battlefield is that all who serve are in combat.” The military's lift of the ban opens up 230,000 posts to women in …
Tuesday, January 22, 2013
Because of our great sponsors, the Attleboro Youth Commission was able to make this a free event.
On behalf of the Attleboro Youth Commission, I would like to thank all the families in this city who came out to our first Winter Extravaganza at Finberg Field on Jan. 12. It turned out to be an amazing event with more than 600 people attending. Because of our great sponsors, we were able to make the event totally free! Thanks to: Special Thanks to: We are so appreciative to everyone who donated. We raised about $1,000 for the HEAT and Attleboro Energy funds. We hope to see you at our Warming Attleboro Fundraiser this year in March and at our second annual Winter Extravaganza next year! Thank you again! Charlotte Kerwin in the chair of the Attleboro Youth Commission.
Tuesday, January 15, 2013
The board should not meet in secret to select a police chief.
- OPINION
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Tuesday, January 15
The Jan. 11 issue of The Sun Chronicle reported the Seekonk Selectmen met in executive session last Wednesday and chose a new permanent police chief without advertising the opening, searching for other qualified candidates or seeking community involvement. What is the damn hurry to choose a new chief? Past practice has always been to appoint an interim police chief until a search committee could be selected and dozens of candidates could be interviewed. Seekonk has previously sought assistance from the Massachusetts Municipal Association, advertised in professional journals and used head hunters to select the best qualified individual. Pamela Nolan, Seekonk's town administrator, has done our entire community a significant disservice by not…
Monday, January 14, 2013
The current shelter is a reminder of a shameful period in Attleboro's history. A new one will help the animals and symbolize the hard work that hundreds of residents have done to make our system one of the best in Massachusetts.
We all know that the Attleboro Animal Shelter building is a "broken," dysfunctional and in some ways, dangerously outdated building—woefully sub-standard by any measure. As a matter of practicality, we need a new building. There doesn't seem to be an argument against this from any quarter. My reason for supporting a new facility goes beyond the building of a functional facility. When I visit our animal shelter and venture into the back room to see the homeless animals, my eyes are always drawn to the first "stall" on the right. Sixteen years ago, when I first stepped foot in this building, this was the stall that housed the next dog to die. On my first visit, which was most unwelcomed by the staff, this particular stall was occupied by a …
Friday, January 4, 2013
Three years after a Kansas man donated his sperm, the state wants him to pay child support.
A mechanic who answered a Craigslist ad to donate his sperm to a lesbian couple, is now being pursued by the State of Kansas for child support, reports the Kansas City Star. In 2009, Angela Bauer and Jennifer Schreiner entered into an agreement with the donor, William Marotta to provide his sperm. They signed a contract that outlined he would be free from any financial responsibility as well as parental privileges, according to the newspaper. The legal contract stated Marotta was not responsible “for any child support payments demanded of him by any other person or entity, public or private, including any district attorney’s office or other state or county agency, regardless of the circumstances or said demand.” Although the women offered…
Monday, December 31, 2012
Your group of local patch editors weighs in on the standout sports moments of the year.
- OPINION
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Monday, December 31, 2012
Editor's Note: The following is part of a special "end-of-the-year" series in which local editors from your nearby Patch towns highlight their favorites in various topics. Jonathan Friedman - Editor, Attleboro-Seekonk Patch From my earliest days through college, I was a competitive swimmer. I was never good enough to be an Olympian, but I have a tremendous respect for those who are. And every four years, it is exciting to see swimming in the spotlight. Special kudos go to Michael Phelps, who looked like he had lost his magic when he didn't even win a medal in his first individual event, the 400 IM (first time since 2000 that had happened), but then regained it later in the week with spectacular wins in the 200 IM and 100 butterfly, while…
Terry J
10:44 am on Saturday, March 30, 2013
Perfect Troll reply. Other adjectives come to mind when you consider what kind of person feels good about paying $6.57 to go 25 miles when a Prius owner is only paying $1.84. I get the same feeling when I see a drunk with cash falling out of their pockets. Clueless and pissed. more ›