Wakefield Daily Item
Friday, June 25, 2010
copyright VI XXV, MMX
Police warn against 4th fireworks
-WAKEFIELD
-Police Chief Watten and Dep. Halveles are again issuing their yearly urges to Wakefieldians to not set off fireworks over the 4th holidays. And the P.D., in desperation, is upping the ante this year.
"Minor fireworks infractions will land you citations, as before," said Chf. Watten, "but major infractions may land you behind bars."
The decree comes on the heels of a 2009 4th that was, in terms of townsfolk obeying fireworks rules, a catastrophic failure. From June 27 to July 9 of 2009, 749 citations, or 62 per day, were handed out.
"We hope to avoid such numbers by letting people know there is a higher level of punishment this year," added Watten.
However, Wakefieldians aren't surrendering to the decree without a fight--six citations were handed out Thursday, and a Greenwood group is considering forming what they would call the WFRL, or Wakefieldians Fireworks Rights Legion, though the P.D. has urged these residents doing so would not bring success in the abolition of any fines or arrests related to firework use.
Watten might retire soon; says Halveles should be chief if/when he does
-WAKEFIELD
-62-year-old Wakefield Chief of Police Bill Watten issued a statement Thursday saying he intends to retire in the next couple of years, and that, moreover, when he does so, he wants his hard-nosed right hand man, Dep. Will Halveles, to step up to the plate and lead the valiant Wakefield forces. "In my 30 years in this department," Watten remarked, "Halveles has been the best, bravest, spunkiest, most determined cop I've ever seen. He could lead Scotland Yard."
But Halveles issued a hearty chuckle at that and said he intends on staying in Wakefield but that he would "love to take on the position as chief" when Watten retires. Halveles, newly 40 as of June 19, has been with the P.D. for 14 years. A Cochituate native, he moved to Wakefield at age 17 in 1987.
-(WWLS)
Hull to Florida
-WAKEFIELD
-Phyllis Hull has announced she will be repairing to Boca Raton, Fla., for two weeks from July 6-20 to plan her 2011 campaign in secret.
-(WOMS)
77 Wakefieldians with cancer to participate in 2010 MGH Cancer Walk
-WAKEFIELD
-77 cancer-stricken locals, including 3 cancer survivors, will participate in Massachusetts' General Hospital's Cancer Walk for Charity on July 10. "This is a terrific opportunity," said Mike Dekey, a former sufferer of a rare brain cancer who miraculously overcame his disease in the spring of 2009. "I'm eternally grateful for all the wonderful medical care I received, and I want to help others get the same care." Susan Olsen, a 74-year-old with breast cancer of Cumberland Road, and a breast cancer sufferer of 20 years, participated in the walk from 1990-1999 and again in 2007, and has her two daughters competing in the walking race this year, which follows Boston's Freedom Trail. "It's a wonderful event," said Olsen's daughter Sherri. "Our mom is getting better care than ever now thanks to events such as this one." 2,393 entrants are scheduled to participate in the walk. A $20 participation fee is required, meaning the event will rake in $47,860 as well as $5-7,000 in additional moneys from spectator donations.
"It's fantastic to know we're doing so much to help," said Dekey. For him, this will be his second walk. He competed in 2008 while still afflicted with cancer. This being his first walk after being cured, he hopes to enjoy it more than ever.
For more info, see www.mghcancerwalk.com/towns/wakefield.
Main Street JiffyLube going out of business
-WAKEFIELD
-Regional JiffyLube manager Jerry Louiston stated Thursday that due to rising oil and gas prices and decreasing customer traffic, our beloved 589 Main Street JiffyLube station will be going out of business in August. "We, unfortunately, just couldn't support the Wakefield location anymore," said Louiston.
Unlicensedman arrested
-WAKEFIELD
-At 8:39 a.m. Thursday, police arrested Adam A. Lane, 23, of 62 2nd St., when they stopped his blue Ford Taurus on Mountain Av. on a crossing marked lanes infraction and discovered he was unlicensed. Lane was booked at Middlesex County Jail @ Wakefield-Greenwood on failure to have on his person a valid driver's license while under operation of a motor vehicle.
In other business Thurs.:
- At 3:36 a.m., police issued a citation to a red Ford Explorer parked in the middle of Flint Street.
- At 6:01 a.m., youths banging on the playground equipment at the Yueull School were sent on their way.
- At 7:22 a.m., a complaint of mild shaking in a Morel Cir. house was forwarded to the NESF. The NESF could identify no seismic activity near the area.
- At 11:19 a.m., a squirrel gnawed through wires on Nelly and Broadway, causing a power failure that lasted about 35 minutes.
- At 11:26 a.m., a man reported a Sunoco on Main St. was charging $5.09 per gallon of gas. The overpriced petrol was reported by police to the Better Business Bureau.
- At 11:58 a.m., youths fishing on Lake Quannapowitt were asked to vacate the lake due to the pending rowing race (which see below).
- At 12:26 p.m., police issued the first of its fireworks citations for the 4th holiday period on Maple Way.
- At 12:47 p.m., a Myrtle Ter. resident reported her credit card bill had charges for premium JetBlue flights from Portland, Maine to Tampa, Florida in April that she never took. The matter is under investigation.
- At 12:59 p.m., a Norway Street resident reported a man was "verbally assaulting" a woman. No one was on scene when police arrived.
- At 1:36 p.m., a Houston Street resident reported a clock radio worth $115 stolen.
- At 2:22 p.m., a youth was temporarily detained on Galvin Circle after officers found him smashing headlights of cars.
- At 2:53 p.m., a romping dog on Vale View Road was gone when police arrived.
- At 6:22 p.m., a Herbert Street resident was arrested after being found intoxicated and with an open bottle violation on Herbert Street.
- At 8:59 p.m., the driver of a white pickup truck was unable to speak English upon being stopped on crossing marked lanes on Savin Road. A passenger who could speak English explained the situation, after which the driver was cited.
- At 11:59 p.m., a lone youth on the Common was sent on his way.
Warriors are County Crew rowing Champs!
-WAKEFIELD
-The Wakefield High Warriors crew rowing team faced off in a championship meet against BB&N and Woburn Thursday afternoon, and on their own lake, no less! In a strong race that began off Quannapowitt Parkway and ended at the shore of the Lower Common, the Warriors were neck and neck all the way with Woburn until a burst of speed from secondary rower Alex Joffbury got Wakefield at the finish line just ahead of Woburn at a time of 24:32.6. Woburn posted a 24:37.8 mark. BB&N was left in the dust at a time of 27:56.6
Ungraspable
WAKEFIELD 1, BROCKTON 3
-WAKEFIELD
-July 12, 2009. Stan Russell flipped to Pete Akolla and the Wakefield 13/14 Year Old National League All Stars were league champions for the first time since 1988. Classic moment in Wakefieldian sports, but last year's squad is in high school now, and this year's team just couldn't earn back to back championships, falling to Brockton, the same team they BEAT last year in the championship game, 3-1 in the semifinal round. Starter Brad Bryan Kyston was shaky early, surrendering an RBI double in the top 2nd from Ken Adams. The bottom 3rd saw Mike Morton of Brockton booming a 2RBI triple.
The Nats tried to rally back. With one out in the top 4th, the locals scored three consecutive singles to load the bases, and Brockton walked Benny Benson to set up Wakefield's lone run. Wakefield could have easily gotten more, but they hit into a double play to end the inning.
After a lukewarm 2010 season, the Nats just couldn't bring home the championship like the '09 squad did.
"These were great boys, great players, it's not any fault of their own, but last year's was the best Nats squad in town history, so they had a really tough act to follow, and of course Wakefieldians wanted this team to take home back to back championships, but it just couldn't be done," said Manager Charles Talwerth.
"They still had a great season by squad standards, getting to the semis was something we never even DREAMED of a few years ago," observed fan Mike Collinger. "The good thing now is that they'll be joining the high school team next year, so you'll have both the Nats '09 and '10 squads together on the same team, so that whether or not the Warriors win the JV championships on Saturday it'll still make for a great 2011 season, that's for sure."
Brockton plays Saugus for the title on Independence Day, July 4th -- first pitch at E*TRADE Field in Saugus, 5:37 p.m.
