Saturday, February 9, 2013
The Saturday suspension of mail delivery debate applies to today: but not because of USPS budget problems!
You may be wondering if there'll be any new mail in your Wilmington mailbox today (that is, if you can even make it to your mailbox, with all this snow.) Several readers have asked that question, including Wilmington Patch Facebook follower Diane Cisto Breslin. The answer is that mail service in all of New England — not just Massachusetts — has been suspended, according to the Huffington Post. The ban extends throughout all six New England states. The unusual decision was made due to safety concerns, according to Postal Service spokeswoman Christine Dugas. The decision came after over two feet of snow falling throughout much of New England made many roads impassable, she said. Dugas reminded people to clear around their mailboxes or paths …
Friday, January 25, 2013
A reader asks about the town's marijuana fines in our latest You Ask... Patch Answers.
If you're found with marijuana on you in Massachusetts, you're facing a stiff fine. But one reader wants to know. Is Wilmington's fine for marijuana possession higher than the state's? "Could you find out why Wilmington is charging a $300 fine for pot when the state fine is $100?," wrote one reader. "I just found out about this and dont understand how they are doing this legally." For the answer we turned to Wilmington Police Chief Michael Begonis, who said there is a key difference in the fines involving marijuana. Begonis pointed to Section 12A, which deals with public consumption of marijuana or tetrahydrocannabinol, a new section that was approved on May 2, 2009. "The difference is that the $300 dollar fine is for the public …
Wednesday, January 23, 2013
Demolition is slated to take place at the high school over February vacation. So what will gym classes consist of for student?
The Wilmington High School gymnasium will be coming down over February vacation. So what exactly will students do with no gym to run around in? That is one of the first questions many residents have, and for the answer we turn to the blog of WHS principal Eric Tracy. He provides some information in a blog post from Wednesday. Tracy said that for at least the next two years, Physical Education and health teachers will have to get creative, utilizing outdoor space when the weather allows and larger indoor rooms when it's raining, snowing or cold. Health class will be taught during the first half of this semester while the P.E. portion will come second half in an effort to take advantage of warmer weather. According to Tracy's blog, outdoor …
Wednesday, January 9, 2013
If you have a You Ask... Patch Answers, e-mail matthew.schooley@patch.com and we'll look into it.
A parking ban is instituted throughout Wilmington throughout the winter months. But what exactly does that mean? For our latest You Ask… Patch Answers, we checked in with Town Manager Jeff Hull to answer a reader’s question about how the ban works. According to Hull, the ban begins on December 1 each year and runs through April 1. During that time, vehicles are banned from parking on the streets from 1 a.m. through 6 a.m. Hull said the enforcement of the ban is likely to only come when a snowstorm is underway or predicted. “If police or DPW find a vehicle parked on the side of the road, the vehicle is subject to being towed,” said Hull. “The purpose of it is obviously to make it easier and safer for DPW folks to get snow off the roads. It’…
Friday, January 4, 2013
For our latest You Ask...Patch Answers, we look at what you can do to dispose of your tree now that the holiday season is over.
Christmas has come and gone. And now that it's over, how do you dispose of your biggest decoration? One of our reader is looking to do a little winter cleaning, and e-mailed to ask the best way to do so. "When is Christmas Tree pick up?" the reader wrote. Jamie Magaldi, Department of Public Works assistant superintedent, provided the answer, and it seems like getting rid of your Christmas Tree is a simple process. According to Magaldi, all residents need to do to have their tree picked up is place it on the curb by January 11. "We got a lot of the trees picked up already," said Magaldi. "They're not picked up with the trash because we pay by the ton to dispose of trash. So we chip the trees up and generate mulch that can be used by …
Wednesday, December 26, 2012
For our latest You Ask... Patch Answers, we look at just how much the tax is earning for the town.
At Town Meeting in 2011, voters approved a 0.75% local meals tax by a vote of 65-29. So how much money is the town seeing from what equates to 75 cents on a bill of $100? During the debate for the local meals tax, several town officials said that they while they don't enjoy adding new taxes, they supported the change. "I certainly understand the difficulty of the word tax, and I don't take it lightly," said Mike Newhouse, who is now chairman of the Board of Selectmen, at the time of the 2011 Town Meeting. "One of the arguments I've heard against this measure is that 'A tax is a tax is a tax.' I do believe there are differences between various taxes. An optional tax like this would largely be subsidized by folks that largely don't live in …
Tuesday, December 11, 2012
In our latest You Ask...Patch Answers, we look at whether last year's mild winter will pay off this year.
Last year was a mild winter, but will Wilmington reap the benefits this year? Reader Kevin MacDonald asked that question in this week's version of How Wilmington Spent Your Money. "Is there a surplus of salt from from last year?" asked MacDonald in the comments section. Town Manager Jeff Hull provided the answer to that question, and it's good news for the town. "The supply of road salt was not fully depleted from last season due to the good graces of Mother Nature," said Hull. "As a result the town did not need to fully resupply the salt shed." Hull said that while the town did have to purchase some road salt, the amount was much smaller than in previous years. "After the close of the winter season last year, the Department of Public …
42.585663
-71.146605
Department of Public Works
135 Andover St, Wilmington, MA
/articles/does-town-have-surplus-salt-from-last-year
1718802
/locations/8360570
Friday, December 7, 2012
Several readers were alarmed to hear about a heavy police presence, but it is just for a practice lockdown drill.
A few readers were concerned to hear about a large number of police cars at Wilmington Middle School and Wilmington High School on Friday morning. So what was going on? There is no need to worry. This is just a test. "Practice lock down drill at WHS right now," Wilmington High School principal Eric Tracy tweeted this morning. "All safe." One reader sent a message to the Wilmington Patch Facebook page concerned about the number of police cars on scene at Wilmington Middle School. A lockdown drill was going on there as well, and Tracy said the drills were done at the middle and high schools simultaneously. According to one Wilmington Patch Facebook follower, parents received notice of the drill just before it began. "(Middle School Principal…
42.55178
-71.187537
Wilmington Middle School
25 Carter Ln, Wilmington, MA
/articles/why-are-police-cars-at-wilmington-schools-on-friday
763590
/locations/8328501
42.555542
-71.166322
Wilmington High School
159 Church St, Wilmington, MA
/articles/why-are-police-cars-at-wilmington-schools-on-friday
763855
/locations/8328502
Thursday, November 8, 2012
Have something in town you want answered? E-mail matthew.schooley@patch.com.
Hurricane Sandy left a major impact in Wilmington. She also left a lot of clean up behind for Wilmington residents. One Patch reader wanted to know. What is the town doing about curbside yard waste pick up? According to a press release from the town, there is no need for residents to worry. "Due to heavy volumes of material generated from Hurricane Sandy and changes in daylight savings, the curbside leaf pickup is experiencing some delays," the release said. "If leaves were not picked up on your regular trash day, please leave them out as the leaf collection contractor will be bringing in an additional truck to get caught up on the routes and keep up with demand." Curbside collection of leaves is scheduled to continue in Wilmington through…
42.585663
-71.146605
Department of Public Works
135 Andover St, Wilmington, MA
/articles/you-ask-patch-answers-what-s-up-with-leaf-pick-up
1718802
/locations/8117426
Thursday, August 30, 2012
If you have a question for You Ask...Patch Answers, e-mail matthew.schooley@patch.com.
It’s possible that the town could opt to begin construction work at the high school site despite a pair of appeals that currently have halted the project for the time being. But would the town take that step? One Patch reader wants to know if construction could begin sooner rather than later, though the answer isn’t completely clear as of right now. “I wish to clarify an issue discussed at the pre-screening/pre-hearing conference,” Hearing Officer Timothy Jones wrote in a letter to involved parties earlier this month. “The Town queried whether it could commence work on aspects of the project that were located outside of wetland resource areas and buffer zones…I find no reason why such work cannot commence, assuming no work is performed …
42.555542
-71.166322
Wilmington High School
159 Church St, Wilmington, MA
/articles/could-high-school-construction-begin-despite-appeals
763855
/locations/7687626
Bob
6:40 am on Tuesday, January 29, 2013
Now the Patch has taken a new direction....Even the students, who will be the future of Wilmington are sick of Kevin and his &^%&*((. Congrats Kevin...you continue to raise the bar. more ›