A fire destroyed a mobile home on Broadway in Raynham Sunday night According to a written statement from the Raynham Fire Department two women who lived in the home at 1540 Broadway were transported by ambulance to Morton Hospital in Taunton The Enterprise spoke to Raynham Fire Chief Bryan LaCivita He said both residents were sent to the hospital for evaluation "One resident had her clothing burned and may have received first-degree burns," LaCivita said LaCivita said the fire department responded to a call reporting the fire and arrived on scene at 10:23 p.m half the mobile home was already destroyed crews found heavy fire showing from the rear of the mobile home The occupants had already safely evacuated and were outside with bystanders," according to the written statement LaCivita said the mobile home is a total loss The damage was too substantial to fix," he said The fire department was able to prevent the fire from spreading to other homes in the park with the help of mutual aid According to the written statement the other fire departments include: Bridgewater Middleboro and off-duty Raynham firefighters "The Bridgewater, Easton, Taunton and West Bridgewater fire departments and Brewster Ambulance provided mutual aid at the scene, while the Middleborough Fire Department provided station coverage," the written statement said While LaCivita said the fire is still being investigated he thinks the fire may have been caused by cigarettes LaCivita said the department is not aware of what residents were doing before they arrived at the scene smoke outside and be careful where you put your cigarettes I would put your cigarettes in a container of water to make sure they are properly" extinguished RAYNHAM (WBSM) —- Four juveniles from Brockton have been charged in connection with vehicle break-ins early this morning in Raynham According to Raynham Police Chief David LaPlante today to reports of a vehicle that had been broken into on King Street officers determined another vehicle on Princess Lane had been broken into as well LaPlante said the investigation led to surveillance video that showed “two suspects wearing hooded sweatshirts backpacks and face masks.” Police later located four juveniles attempting to leave the area in a rideshare vehicle masks and gloves consistent with the surveillance video.” He said officers also recovered stolen property from the individuals consistent with the vehicle break-ins 16 and 17 and all from Brockton – were taken to the police station and will later be summoned to appear in Taunton Juvenile Court on multiple charges Four juveniles from Brockton have been charged in connection with vehicle break-ins early this morning in Raynham.\nRead More (WLNE) — The Raynham Fire Department said two people are displaced after a mobile home fire on May 4 crews responded to a structure fire on Broadway fire crews discovered “heavy fire” in the rear of the mobile home according to Raynham Fire Chief Bryan LaCivita Raynham firefighters were able to quickly extinguish the flames and the scene was cleared around 12:30 a.m The two occupants were taken to Morton Hospital for evaluation The home is deemed a “total loss.” Raynham Police Department Business Line: (508) 824-2716 RAYNHAM — Chief David LaPlante reports that the Raynham Police Department has charged four juveniles in connection with vehicle break-ins early Monday morning Raynham Police responded to King Street after receiving a report that a car had been broken into officers also determined that another vehicle on Princess Lane had been entered officers located surveillance video showing two suspects wearing hooded sweatshirts Frank Pacheco and K-9 Bleky responded to assist in a search Officer Dan Fitch located four juveniles attempting to leave the area in a rideshare vehicle The juveniles were wearing hooded sweatshirts Officers recovered stolen property consistent with vehicle break-ins The four juveniles were detained and brought back to the police station where they were identified and released to adults all of Brockton — will be summoned to appear in Taunton Juvenile Court on numerous charges “I want to commend our officers for their quick response and investigation into these car break-ins overnight,” Chief LaPlante said “This is just another example of the Raynham Police Department’s commitment to protecting our community and holding individuals accountable.” All suspects are innocent until proven guilty Business Line: (508) 824-2716Always dial 9-1-1 Copyright © 2025 Raynham Police Department | Website Design by John Guilfoil Public Relations promotes mental wellness through an annual theme Mental Health America’s theme for 2025 is “Turn Awareness into Action.” This initiative encourages people to recognize the strides that have been made in decreasing the stigma around mental health while also working to transform this understanding into actions to create change nearly one in five American adults will have a diagnosable mental health condition each year and 46% of Americans will meet the criteria for a diagnosable mental health condition at some point in their lifetime 54.7% of these adults will not receive any mental health treatment The initiative aims to educate people on the importance of taking action regarding mental health both for oneself and in the form of helping others Ways to participate include taking a mental health screening or getting certified in Mental Health First Aid to assist someone in a mental health crisis Four juveniles in Raynham were charged in connection with vehicle break-ins on Monday Police said they responded to King Street at 3 a.m for a report of a car that was broken into Officers said they also determined another car on Princess Lane was broken into surveillance showed two people wearing hooded sweatshirts backpacks and face masks in the same area An officer said they then found four juveniles attempting to flee from the area in a rideshare Police said they were wearing hooded sweatshirts Officers said they also recovered stolen property The four juveniles from Brockton were detained will appear in juvenile court on several charges RAYNHAM — Now it's Raynham’s turn to decide whether it will comply with the state's controversial multi-family housing law or forge a path of resistance At Raynham’s upcoming Annual Town Meeting voters will decide whether to amend the town's bylaws to establish a multi-family overlay zoning district to comply with the state’s MBTA Communities Act — a mandate requiring all communities with MBTA transit service or that abut them to establish a new zone for multi-family housing “The state is jamming this down our throat,” said Raynham Planning Board Chair Christopher Gallagher during a hearing on April 3 about the proposed bylaw change Gallagher and other officials said the town took a proactive approach to this issue to make the best out of a difficult situation “I recognize no one likes having the state tell us what to do,” said Town Administrator Gregory Barnes Gallagher said the town must provide an additional 50 acres for this district with a housing density no less than 15 units per acre totaling 750 new housing units for the town Fight over state law 5 towns still in fight with state over multifamily housing mandate. What's happening now Various municipalities have engaged in legal battles with the state over this zoning mandate “The courts have backed this mandate,” Barnes said What settlement was reached? Middleboro drops suit against state over MBTA zoning Barnes said Raynham waited to see how some of the legal battles played out in court while also seeking advice from the Southeastern Regional Planning & Economic Development District (SRPEDD) while also meeting state and federal mandates SRPEDD assisted Raynham with drafting the bylaw amendment SRPEDD advised the town that the overlay district doesn’t have to be contiguous land just as long as they meet the required total acreage Planning Board member Matthew Andrade said the town doesn't want to give up valuable vacant parcels of land for this required district The town is proposing two separate areas for the overlay district: Broadway and Paramount Drive: “We believe we’re on pretty firm ground” with this proposal The state's multi-family housing law doesn’t mandate any of the units be affordable But the bylaw amendment drafted by Raynham has a requirement that all housing developments proposed for the two multi-family sub-districts include 10% affordable housing The state mandates the multi-family overlay district be designated “as of right” or “by right,” which mean a housing development proposal can happen without discretionary zoning or permitting approvals from local boards Gallagher said SRPEDD advised the town that the draft bylaw could require site plan review for these new developments by the Planning Board Gallagher said that while this still means the town cannot deny a housing project having a site plan review process gives them “limited power” through the issuing of orders of conditions the developer has to meet “There will be barriers to entry to these locations,” said Barnes A penalty for not complying with the MBTA Communities Act is being removed from eligibility for state grants and certain types of state aid and funding Gallagher said that millions of dollars in state funding and grants are on the line presently for planned town projects related to road and bridge work and construction of the new public safety building The Planning Board voted unanimously to recommend the article (WJAR) — Several people teamed up to help a victim of a crash on Route 24 near Raynham crews responded to multiple calls about a rollover accident on the highway Bystanders who pulled over after the crash helped remove the driver from the car "I would like to commend the good Samaritans who acted without hesitation and removed the victim from danger before our crews arrived," Chief Bryan LaCivita of the Raynham Fire Department said "Their actions certainly made a difference and may very well have saved the driver's life." The driver was taken to a hospital in Brockton and is currently in stable condition The cause of the crash is under investigation by Massachusetts State Police known as "papering the house" as Director/Choreographer Kelley J Baran gives instructions during the Bridgewater-Raynham Regional High School's Raynwater Players' production of Hadestown Teen Edition by Anais Mitchell on Wednesday Cast members brought their stuffed animals to fill the empty seats as spectators known as "papering the house" in Bridgewater-Raynham Regional High School's Raynwater Players' production of Hadestown Teen Edition by Anais Mitchell on Wednesday known as "papering the house" Derek Storment played Orpheus in Bridgewater-Raynham Regional High School's Raynwater Players' production of Hadestown Teen Edition by Anais Mitchell on Wednesday Motorcycle Safety Month is observed every year in May As the weather gets warmer and more motorcyclists are on the road the initiative raises awareness of road safety for motorcyclists and those who share the road with them The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration reported that 6,335 motorcyclists were killed in traffic crashes representing 15% of all traffic fatalities The American Motorcycle Association encourages passenger car drivers and motorcyclists to work together on the road to create a safe driving environment All drivers should avoid distracted driving by focusing on the road and ignoring distractions such as cellphone use visit https://tinyurl.com/Motorcycle-Safety A Raynham man was arrested after being accused of falling asleep while at the wheel in Tiverton Police said they received a call for an erratic driver on Thursday shortly before 11:30 p.m An officer on spoke with several witnesses who said a grey SUV with Massachusetts plates had driven over several lawns The officer said they checked surrounding neighborhoods and found a vehicle matching the description stopped at the intersection of Blackbird Street and Lark Lane Police identified the driver of the vehicle as 35-year-old Brian Brown Officials said Brown was unresponsive and slumped over the steering wheel The officer on scene said the driver had his foot resting on the brake Officials said the officer then began to bang on the window police said Brown then raised his head and began to drive forward the car nearly collided with the patrol vehicle The officer said he then broke the driver's side window reached into the vehicle and put it in park Police said the officer told Brown to exit the vehicle but he then began to drive it forward again Officials said the police officer reached into the car placed it in park and removed the keys from the ignition Police forcibly removed Brown from the car and placed him in handcuffs officers detected a strong odor of alcohol coming from his breath Brown admitted to police he drank alcoholic beverages earlier that night Officials said they found several empty alcohol bottles inside of Brown's car Officers said he refused to conduct a field sobriety test Brown was transported to Newport Hospital for an unrelated condition RAYNHAM – After almost a year and half of staying focused and garnering a customer base selling its freshly made coffee beverages from a vintage mobile camper a Raynham-based small business is taking the next logical step in expansion by opening up a café New Creations Coffee is partnering with another local business, floral shop The Wild Dahlia “Moving into a permanent location has been a dream of ours from the very start,” said Elizabeth Reichert, co-owner, who, along with her husband Alex, started this venture in late 2023 Born out of ideas and drink experimentation during the pandemic, then Elizabeth Gummow and her fiancé at the time, Alex, retrofitted an old 1958 all-aluminum camper travel trailer with the intention of selling high quality coffee The name, New Creations The menu itself is fluid - assorted coffee beverages What we know: Burger place confirmed for spot next to new Starbucks. “We pride ourselves on high quality ingredients in our coffee,” said Elizabeth Elizabeth said she and Alex have gone everywhere they could within 40 minutes of Raynham they’ve offered cold brew lattes served in plastic bottles through home delivery Brick-and-mortar centerStarting this March, New Creations will occupy nearly half the store space of The Wild Dahlia explained she wants The Wild Dahlia to be more than just a floral shop “I want it to be a place for the community,” she said adding that she’s looking for the vibe of a small community center/hangout space And coffee is an essential part of any community space “We want to provide a place for the community to work away from home or the office plans are also to have outdoor seating during the warmer months plans are to outsource pastry offerings through a local baker though Reichert said she and her husband are still working that out Business: Acclaimed florist with ambitious plans opens Parisian-inspired shop in Raynham Tribe's Taunton Welcome Center Open with gaming machines you can play now Elizabeth said she and Alex are excited for the café opening “Being a small business owner comes with its challenges but it’s also given me a deep appreciation for other entrepreneurs who took a leap of faith in themselves and their products or services,” she said The opening of the café doesn’t mean the retiring of the travel camper It will still be active during the warmer months and it will especially be used for event bookings Follow New Creations Coffee on Facebook for updates and contact info for event bookings TAUNTON – The Homes2Suites Hotel in Raynham, located on Commerce Way, will officially cease operating as an Emergency Assistance (EA) family shelter for the state’s Executive Office of Housing and Livable Communities (EOHLC) by Dec Just like previous news that the Taunton’s Clarion Hotel is ending its shelter operations with the state by June 30 of this year this is part of the state’s broader effort to phase out the use of hotels as emergency shelters and transition all families in the program to permanent housing “I want to thank the town officials, the Raynham Police and Fire Departments, our first responders, and all our local partners for their tireless efforts in managing the shelter operations and ensuring the safety of everyone involved,” said State Senator Kelly Dooner (R-Taunton) who made the announcement via press release Homes2Suites first started being used as a shelter back in Dec. 2023 Raynham’s Board of Selectmen confirmed through a public meeting the entire hotel The program in question is the state’s Emergency Assistance (EA) housing shelter program, which has employed many private hotels across the commonwealth to deal with the state’s housing shortage and comply with its right-to-shelter laws The program has been used to shelter migrants, refugees, and asylum-seekers coming into the state, though representation from the EOHLC previously emphasized: “More than half of residents in EA are longtime Massachusetts residents.” The hotel’s initial contract with the state indicates it received $5.7 million dollars for fiscal year 2024 RESTAURANTS: Taunton restaurant's liquor license suspended, hours slashed after cops allegedly assaulted Impacts to town"I'm glad to see progress being made It was clear to everybody that utilizing hotels in this manner wasn’t sustainable So this is a step in the right direction," said Raynham Selectman Joseph Pacheco When asked if there were noticeable impacts Pacheco said he couldn't answer without talking to other officials with access to that information he added that “The stakeholders on both the town and regional level and we did what we needed to do to deal with a situation we weren’t in control of.” Bridgewater man gets 4-chair turn: What 'The Voice' coaches said after his blind audition The Gazette reached out to Hotels2Suites in Raynham for comment and to ask what are its future plans Front desk responded with “no comment” and then hung up when asked for clarification or to be transferred to the hotel manager The Gazette reached out to media relations for Hilton but did not respond in time for publication The hotel’s contract with the state prohibits Homes2Suites from directly responding to inquiries by the media about the shelter program What will happen to those being sheltered?Dooner stated in her press release that in the months leading up to the closure Commonwealth Care Alliance (CCA) will work with families to secure permanent housing through case management and the use of rental assistance programs such as the HomeBASE program She adds that EOHLC will support any families who remain eligible for EA but have not yet transitioned to stable housing by relocating them to other shelter sites who has made the amending of the state’s right-to-shelter law a top priority for her term said "Massachusetts cannot continue to rely on temporary shelter solutions like hotels I remain committed to working with my colleagues to create long-term housing reforms that provide sustainable solutions for families while ensuring that local communities are not overburdened." RAYNHAM — Dozens of B-R parents and teachers rallied for increased funding for the school district and in favor of Proposition 2½ overrides Friday Bridgewater-Raynham Superintendent of Schools Ryan Powers is asking the towns for a 30.8% increase in funding for the upcoming school year to help bring down class sizes the towns are mulling upping their payments to the school district by a tiny fraction of that amount — by less than 5% — a figure that would leave the district millions of dollars short of even a level services budget the town for an override," said Bridgwater parent Christine Behnke at the rally Friday afternoon "We need to make sure that our schools are properly funded for the year." Behnke said she is "absolutely" willing to pay more in taxes to provide more funding to the school district She said she believes the towns of Bridgewater and Raynham should pass proposition 2 1/2 overrides to do just that She was one of about 30 parents and educators who met at the intersection of South Main and Orchard streets carrying signs that said things like "We are broke," "30+ kids per class is not a best practice" and "B-R needs an override." Last year, the B-R school district cut 24 positions, according to a November 2024 letter from Powers to Bridgewater and Raynham officials. Powers' proposed budget for Fiscal Year 2026 But that proposed budget comes with a large price tag It would seek $10.2 million in additional funding from Bridgewater and $6.5 million in additional funding from Raynham over this year's amounts — a 30.8% increase for each town Powers did not provide responses to questions posed by the Gazette 'Best it's ever been' Bridgewater-Raynham wrestling at all-time high after D2 state glory also said she would be willing to pay higher taxes She said she is concerned about the large class sizes at her daughter's school "Class sizes are a definite concern," Riley said "My daughter has never had less than 26 or 27 kids in her class said that large class sizes come with benefits and drawbacks but I feel like there wouldn't be as long of a wait to get answers to questions," Anna Riley said Will this time be different? Raynham voters shot down B-P debt exclusion in 2022 Teacher says large class sizes mean more behavioral problemsJustine Canastra a fifth grade teacher at Raynham Middle School who attended the Friday rally said she has large class sizes at the middle school "I have two groups of 30 and one of 28," Canastra said even if they're regular education students you can't meet the needs of all your students "I'm sending out way more kids into the office than I ever have before because behavior problems that were miniscule in a small class are escalating and it's a ripple effect: one kid starts misbehaving and it's one after another," Canastra said "I'm worried that there are going to be cuts," she said of the upcoming Bridgewater-Raynham budget "And I feel like our class sizes are going to increase it increases anxiety for teachers and students." Raynham home went from $600K to $900K Stately colonial on half an acre in Raynham sells for almost $900K: Weekly home sales At the most recent B-R school committee meeting the superintendent said representatives from the towns saidBridgewater is considering increasing its school funding by 4.67% and Raynham by 3% — though Ryan said those numbers aren't "100% confirmed." the school district would come up $5.1 million short of the amount needed to provide the same services next year as this year Bridgewater home is 'gorgeous' The owner of Bridgewater home that sold for $700K will be 'envied by all' What Bridgewater and Raynham officials sayRaynham Selectmen Chair Joe Pacheco told the Gazette the hypothetical 3% increase in Raynham's local aid is a preliminary number "Raynham’s initial projection of 3% is just that — a projection," Pacheco told the Gazette "Our financial team has just begun reviewing general government budgets and depending on where those fall additional funding to education may be available that would not require cuts to other services It's important to emphasize we’re in the early stages of our FY26 budget planning and as a town we’re committed to doing our part to continue providing the best services across the board." Bridgewater Town Manager Blythe Robinson told the Gazette "if Bridgewater were to try and fund the proposed (30.8%) increase it would mean severe cuts to all town-side departments without an override." Robinson said there seemed to be "general consensus" at the schools budget subcommittee meeting last week "that both Towns think that a prop 2 ½ override is needed to increase aid." But "the question is the timing and the size of that override How many students attend Bridgewater-RaynhamCurrently 5,682 students attend the Bridgewater-Raynham Regional School District The student population in Bridgewater-Raynham is increasing the student population has increased by 7% to 5,682 Schools across Massachusetts are dealing with what a group of education advocacy organizations, United for Our Future, has described as a "perfect storm" of issues Inflation has increased by around 7% and 8% in the last two fiscal years which means that school districts will see increased costs for expenses like transportation or health insurance for their employees in the form of the state's chapter 70 program has only increased by about 4.5% in the past two fiscal years schools in Massachusetts are dealing with what is essentially a decrease in federal funding That leaves local aid from cities and towns as the remaining funding source to cover the shortfall that school districts are facing RAYNHAM – Three years ago Shawna Pashalopoulos opened her Easton floral arrangement shop, The Wild Dahlia A self-taught flower artist for the last 18 years Pashalopoulos turned her passion from a hobby to a full-time business and garden-inspired," creating arrangements that feel fresh and natural Her work has been featured in top publications like People She was also voted one of the top 125 florists to watch in the country by Florists' Review an honor she holds dear because it comes from her peers Pashalopoulos has expanded with a second location in Raynham at 383 South St with plans that extend beyond just another successful flower shop Pashalopoulos has a lot of family that lives in Raynham and knows the town very well Her shop’s location on South Street West was formerly an old country-style home that she always loved When she heard the property was going up for sale she contacted and even a wrote a letter to its owner to convince them to sell the 3-acre land to her “I was worried the house would be torn down,” said Pashalopoulos adding she knew it would be the perfect spot for a new location She officially purchased the property in early 2024 The Wild Dahlia had its soft opening this past December during the Christmas season Where to find it, what's on menu Taunton High's new food truck roars into town. Besides a workshop area where floral arrangements are made and displayed and a cooler filled with bouquets and floral arrangements ready for purchase the center of the room presently has tables filled with numerous products made by local artisans “These are gifts that mix well with florals,” said Pashalopoulos who divides her time between this location and the Easton shop on Main Street Downstairs in the Raynham location is her wedding studio The Wild Dahlia accepts walk-ins for consultations on the types and size of arrangements customers are looking for Customers can also call or order online through The Wild Dahlia’s extensive ordering system which shows the many different flowers and arrangements they offer What's on the menu? New coffee bar with 'New York City feel' opens in downtown Taunton The space in Raynham is much bigger than the Easton spot and Pashalopoulos is currently working on expanding the area to be more than just a floral shop She wants The Wild Dahlia to have a community center or hangout vibe to it “I want it to be a place for the community,” as well as a place where groups can meet and people can work from their laptops Her plans are to relocate the gift tables in the store to make enough space in the center of the place for tables and chairs She also wants the space to have a “Parisian feel,” explaining that many upscale shops in Paris France combine the café setting with floral and gift options Space is currently being reserved for a coffee shop that will open inside The Wild Dahlia. This space will soon be occupied by Raynham-based vendor New Creations Coffee “There are not too many places in Raynham like this especially for the coffee industry,” said Elizabeth Reichert have been garnering a customer base across Raynham and parts of Bristol and Plymouth counties over the last year and a half and other hot and cold beverages from their vintage mobile camper They are both excited to finally have a brick-and-mortar space Elizabeth said she and Pashalopoulos “both have similar visions where we want to make people feel welcome and have them stay a while.” Pashalopoulos also plans to create an outdoor seating area for the spring and summer months a space that could hold events for entities like food trucks and local artisan tabling under canopies She also has ideas for a fresh cut flower garden in the back of the building where customers can pay for flowers cut fresh from the ground Hours of operationThe shop is open Wednesday to Friday Visit https://wilddahlia56main.com/ for ordering and visiting information Visit the Raynham location at 383 South St You can also follow The Wild Dahlia on Facebook RAYNHAM — Four people were sent to the hospital — one with life-threatening injuries and one with critical injuries — after a motorcycle and car collided on Route 44 late Wednesday afternoon Raynham dispatchers received 911 calls just after 5:30 p.m reporting the crash near 165 New State Highway (Route 44) in Raynham about one mile west of the Route 24 interchange according to a written statement from Raynham Police Chief David LaPlante and Fire Chief Bryan LaCivita Wednesday evening That area of Route 44 remained closed for nearly two hours as police investigated A preliminary investigation by Raynham Police and Fire Departments indicated a 2020 Toyota Camry was trying to make a left-hand turn onto Route 44 westbound when it struck a 2012 Harley-Davidson that was heading east but it couldn't land near the scene because of mechanical issues The crash remains under investigation by Raynham Police RAYNHAM — The Raynham veterans agent suffered life-threatening injuries in a recent multi-vehicle crash on Route 44 in Raynham Army veteran who lives in Taunton and is the veterans agent for Raynham — was badly injured in a motor vehicle crash on March 19 Blake was riding his Harley Davidson down Route 44 with his 16-year-old daughter as a passenger an official for the town of Raynham confirmed a 2020 Toyota Camry was trying to make a left-hand turn onto Route 44 westbound when it struck Blake’s vehicle that was heading east The people in the Camry, a 74-year-old woman, who was the driver, and her 50-year old male passenger, both sustained non-life-threatening injuries, according to the report from Raynham Police Blake's daughter was transported to a hospital with critical injuries “Scott sustained severe life-threatening injuries, including a shattered pelvis, a broken jaw, and a brain bleed,” according to a GoFundMe to help pay his medical bills "Scott dedicated his life to serving his country and helping others but now it is our turn to help him," the GoFundMe says says “Scott’s condition has seen improvement but he still has a long way to go and will need to undergo numerous procedures.” The Gazette was unable to reach the Blake family or the GoFundMe organizer Devastating crash Motorcyclist and 16-year-old passenger badly injured in Raynham crash. What we know Blake, who previously served as veterans agent for Taunton and Foxboro began working for Raynham as veterans agent in early 2022 On an episode of "Inside Scoop," a show shown on Raynham’s cable access channel Selectman Patricia Riley interviewed Blake and discussed his military career and his job as veterans agent Blake said there are many benefits and types of assistance veterans can and should apply for “I try and do a lot of outreach,” Blake said “I try and get them in my office,” because the processes and applications are crazy and confusing “I’m here to help out with those,” said Blake who said he has helped hundreds of veterans get access to benefits Army National Guard while attending Bridgewater State University He said he “fell love with it” and eventually joined active duty with the U.S 'Selectmen' or 'Select Board'? Will Raynham voters opt to switch to gender-neutral name? Blake said he moved around over the decades serving at bases in North Carolina and Long Island and was even stationed in Germany for a while Blake served in Iraq during the war in 2004 and also did a tour of Afghanistan from 2008-2009 he recalled on the episode of Inside Scoop that it was “very dangerous” and while there he spent a lot of time “thinking about what’s important in life Blake officially retired from service in May 2019 with the rank of major 'Perfect blend of style and comfort' Remodeled home in quiet Raynham neighborhood sells for $862,000: Weekly home sales In addition to his military career and work as a veterans agent Blake also works as a public safety officer at Morton Hospital Blake is also a founder of the Patriot Riders of America You can visit Scott Blake’s GoFundMe at https://www.gofundme.com/f/scott-blake-medical-relief-fund Frank Pacheco high-fives a coach during the Raynham Youth Baseball and Softball Association opening day parade on Sunday Police Chief David LaPlante and Fire Chief Bryan LaCivita report that the Raynham Police and Fire Departments responded Wednesday to the scene of a motor vehicle-vs.-motorcycle collision on Route 44 Raynham dispatchers received multiple 911 calls reporting a crash near 165 New State Highway (Route 44) about one mile west of the interchange with Route 24 a 2020 Toyota Camry was trying to make a left-hand turn onto Route 44 westbound when it struck a 2012 Harley-Davidson operated by a 55-year-old male who had a 16-year-old female passenger Route 44 remained closed for nearly two hours as police investigated but could not land near the scene because of mechanical issues but it's hardly the last time that they will be seeing each other on the field Six players from B-R's senior class are moving on to compete at the collegiate level after graduation this summer across three different schools "It's a testament to their hard work," B-R coach Matt Connolly said "I think they're really good examples for the younger kids to look up to." More: Rebuilding Hull lacrosse (the sequel): Weber family is back coaching the team they founded Franklin Pierce will be getting three of B-R's players That trio consists of defenseman Caleb Tripp goalie Shaun LaCivita and attackman Colin Carfagna Everything we do on the field shows it," Tripp said "I just can't wait to take it to the next level and show it off at Franklin Pierce." who was also a football star for the Trojans as the 'leader of the defense.' For LaCivita he is in his third season as the starting goalie and Carfagna provides a big edge offensively as a 6-3 attackman It wasn't originally planned for the three to commit to the same school They were each going through their own individual recruiting process But as close friends they were in communication with each other on where they were looking to play More: At 23, this Brockton High grad is leading Cardinal Spellman to historic track seasons LaCivita found out that Carfagna had also started looking to play there who was looking at Franklin Pierce for both football and lacrosse decided that the university would be the best fit for him academically and to continue playing lacrosse "It came pretty organically," LaCivita said "We were all just reaching out to different coaches trying to get recruited and we all just happened to reach out to the same coach." "It just made the decision easier," Carfagna added Also moving on to play in college together are Jayson Kelleher and Colin Fitzsimmons at Massachusetts Maritime Academy the two attended a week-long lacrosse camp at the school where they had a chance to meet with the team and talk with the coaching staff "We kind of fell in love with the school then," Kelleher said Fitzsimmons initially recruited Kelleher to start playing the sport with him and he now sits at fourth all-time in scoring at Bridgewater-Raynham with a chance to move up to third by season's end Serving as one of the primary goal scorers for the Trojans Kelleher kept Fitzsimmons busy at the FOGO position during their time on varsity together Fitzsimmons also helped get the ball to Kelleher quickly off the faceoff to give him scoring opportunities The two were on the field for just a short period of time this season however Though he won't finish out his final high school season on the field he's looking forward to getting a fresh start and getting back on the field with Kelleher at the next level "We've played together pretty much our whole lives Attending school at Plymouth State is long-stick midfielder/defenseman Jacob Costa Though he isn't joining any of the other five seniors in college he'll be teaming up with a familiar face in his brother "I'm just looking forward to playing with my brother again," Costa said Plymouth State and Mass Maritime also both happen to compete in the Little East Conference Franklin Pierce also scrimmaged Mass Maritime in the preseason It's likely that the six will have opportunities to compete against each other over the next for years something they've already done for a majority of their lives only this time it will be in different jerseys "This group right here is probably the most competitive group of guys you'll find around," Tripp said We'll end practice angry but then we'll go back to the locker room and we're best buds again the Bridgewater-Raynham School Committee voted to increase the district's budget for next year by 15.5% This increase would require both Bridgewater and Raynham to approve a Proposition 2 1/2 budget override and substantially increase property taxes The budget passed by the school committee last Wednesday would require Bridgewater to increase its contribution to the district by 22.9% The budget would require Raynham to increase its contribution by 21.8% Under a Massachusetts law called Proposition 2 1/2 cities and towns can only increase the amount of money they collect through property taxes each year by 2.5% plus an amount corresponding to how much "new growth" the city and town has seen If a town wants to increase its property tax revenue by more than 2.5% plus new growth, a majority of voters must approve a budget override a majority of the board of selectman (in Raynham) or a majority of the town council (in Bridgewater) must vote in favor of putting a budget override vote Chair of the B-R School Committee Timothy Fitzgibbons acknowledged the difficulty of passing a budget override in both towns Both Bridgewater and Raynham must approve a budget override we're rolling the dice on a big number," Fitzgibbons said "Everybody here who wants that big number needs to get out and work hard to ensure that that big number is in fact funded." "We have a very small needle to thread here with two towns and two votes," he added "Both appropriating authorities [Bridgewater and Raynham] .. have to agree to fund the budget we're going to vote for that's a situation I don't want to contemplate right now." What happens if a budget override doesn't pass?Powers said if a budget override does not pass, the district will likely go into what he described as a 1/12th budget According to the Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education, a 1/12th budget is a monthly temporary budget that the state can impose in the event that the municipalities do not approve a budget for their school district The monthly budget is calculated by taking the previous yearly budget and dividing it by twelve although the Commissioner of Elementary and Secondary Education can mandate that the monthly budget be even higher School Committee member Jessica Davenport said at the Wednesday meeting that "it was assured to me that if the override does not pass then we can come back and pass a budget that is affordable to the towns." Budget will decrease class sizes, committee saysAccording to a presentation given at the School Committee meeting last week the new budget could result in the hiring of 37 new employees Reducing "class size[s] will be a priority" of the new hires The Gazette emailed every member of the Bridgewater Town Council and the Raynham Board of Selectmen to get their thoughts on the School Committee's budget the chair of the Raynham Board of Selectmen said in a statement that the board is "aware that the recommended budget of the school district necessitates an override to fund it." "Recognizing the importance of a quality education I would support placing an override on the ballot for the voters to decide," he said I look forward to the additional information the school district will provide to the community to ensure they are well versed on what the funding increase will provide." Bridgewater Town Council member Paul Murphy attended the Wednesday School Committee meeting and said that he would "advocate for this budget to appear on a ballot." Murphy told the Gazette that "there is a lot that needs to be done to educate our community on what an override means." At a March rally in support of increased education funding in Raynham parents and teachers told the Gazette they felt that class sizes in the district were too large and that increased funding was necessary to hire additional teachers to reduce class sizes a fifth grade teacher at Raynham Middle School who attended the March rally Schools across Massachusetts are dealing with what a group of education advocacy organizations, United for Our Future, has described as a "perfect storm" of issues RAYNHAM — Since officially starting Regret Distillery in January 2023 owner Rob Lombardi has been on a quest to have his brand of tequila reach as many alcohol consumers as possible When the Gazette last spoke with Lombardi in March he was regularly doing tastings and selling his brand in different liquor stores across the region while also preparing to complete construction on an actual physical location to showcase his brand: a tasting room I can drink that.’ That’s how I’ve been selling it,” said Lombardi about his Regret brand being “tequila that tequila-haters love.” patrons and curious drinkers can finally stop by the tasting room for Regret Distillery which recently celebrated its soft opening the week of Dec lounge-type' atmosphereLombardi said the intention of the design of the tasting room was to capture a “speakeasy lounge-type feel,” down to the leather seating Most of Regret’s tasting room hours will be in the evening along with a granite bar counter and blue chairs and walls to match the color scheme of the Regret product cozy tasting room a nice chill vibe that’s in keeping with the brand ‘Wow, it’s really smooth' Raynham small-batch tequila distillery aims to convert skeptics Highlighting the productEverything is about highlighting the Regret Distillery brand Lombardi previously said that legally he can’t label Regret as tequila on the bottle Unless it is produced in the Mexican state of Jalisco Regret is labeled “100% blue agave spirit.” Lombardi said how Regret differs from official tequila recipes comes down to the simplicity of its ingredients: spring water and blue agave plant nectar Regret carries three varieties of agave spirits: Blanco Lombardi’s pouring license allows him to make and serve any cocktail Besides offering samplings and flights of all three Regret spirits current special drinks being offered include: Other drinks offered include Regret’s take on the Bloody Mary and coffee-based cocktails Lombardi said he has the license and kitchen space to make and sell food but intends on offering “finger foods” like pizza Lombardi is finishing up his outdoor patio space behind the building which will be available for outdoor seating Event spaceAlong with the tasting room inside he will be offering Regret Distillery for booked private events and parties Ramped up productionLombardi said recently he “pulled back” on his original plans this past summer to hire a sales staff for expanding distribution of Regret into more liquor stores and restaurants so that he could “concentrate on finishing the tasting room.” Lombardi said it took longer than expected to complete the tasting room because it was just him on his downtime renovations also included a build-out of a new distillery room with upgraded equipment that allows him to produce 4-5 times the amount of tequila he’s been producing the last couple of years Post-Christmas is the first time distillery operations have run since August Lombardi said Regret Distillery is mostly a one-person operation His family is helping work the tasting room He said he will be looking to hire staff to work some of the distillery operations during the day while he goes back to expanding sales and distribution Regret can currently be found in around 37 different liquor stores and restaurants He said hours of operation for the tasting room will usually require reservations to be made either online or over the phone “I want a constant flow of people throughout the day emphasizing the small size of the tasting room and limited parking space Regret Distillery is located at 1377 Broadway in Raynham Having proudly served our community as a Raynham police officer since 1996 share a deep personal connection with the Town of Raynham This town and the police department hold a special place in my heart as a private citizen and a police officer and our shared experiences have only strengthened my dedication to our town and its people I am immensely proud of the men and women of the Raynham Police Department Their unwavering commitment and professionalism shine through in every call they respond to and their dedication to serving our community constantly inspires me Our officers and exceptional support staff work diligently to provide you with the highest level of service I encourage open dialogue and accountability and I invite you to ask questions and examine our efforts we can hold each other to the highest standards and create a safer One of my key priorities is to attract and retain individuals who are passionate about policing and understand the impact of their work Our goal is to enhance all residents’ and visitors’ quality of life through our core values: Integrity These principles guide us as we strive to build a safer,more just community We view challenges as opportunities for growth always aiming to protect individual freedoms while ensuring a stable Our success relies on collaboration with residents and businesses we will continue to make Raynham a wonderful place to live and I look forward to working together to ensure the safety and well-being of our community This story has been updated to reflect the most accurate information RAYNHAM – For years, Detective Russell Berry of the Raynham Police Department had turned to drinking as a way to cope Berry acknowledged in 2024 that the pressures of his career had taken a significant toll It was clear to him that it was time for a change—both for his own well-being and for the sake of his family A lot of scary situations that most people don’t see,” said Russell about the trauma he saw and experienced on the beat what most of us expect law enforcement to deal with daily recalling that his pattern of drinking was “throwing a wrench” into their social plans and family activities Jessie said she was also worried their three kids would start noticing and reaching for a bottle or can would be the first thing he would do when he got home he “didn’t think it was out of hand” but “it was weighing on me” and “I wanted to be the best version of me.” Now sober for a year, having reached that milestone on March 18, 2024, Russell and Jessie are also celebrating another exciting achievement: the grand opening of her new business, Sober Sips Society Sober Sips Society sells assorted non-alcoholic beverages Jessie said the business is for anyone and everyone “navigating a path to sobriety” or for anyone wanting to cut back and lead a healthier lifestyle The selections from Sober Sips Society include assorted non-alcoholic wine Jessie explained most of their catalog consists of products you can’t find nearby or in the non-alcoholic shelf selection at liquor stores or grocery stores in the area Jessie also said most of their products are “nice and light” by being low-calorie and low in sugar The idea for Sober Sips Society stemmed from a visit Russell made last year to Tennessee to visit a friend he discovered a bottle shop strictly selling non-alcoholic beverages Jessie said Russell was raving about the place over the phone which led to her doing research and discovering there are only three non-alcoholic stores in all of Massachusetts: two of them in Boston and one in Easthampton “I thought it was a great opportunity,” said Jessie who before changing careers and working as a sixth grade teacher at Howard Elementary in West Bridgewater has a strong business background in marketing and finance and was interested in starting her own small business Jessie said one of the misconceptions she wants to help stop is the idea that non-alcoholic beverages don’t taste good or don’t taste enough like the real thing you’ll find that the good products taste very similar.” Many of their selections go through de-alcoholization where after the fermentation or distillation process the alcohol is extracted from the finished product “It’s made like a regular spirit; they just remove the alcohol,” said Jessie adding these are the products she has found to taste the best Most of these products have their alcohol by volume levels reduced to .5% or lower which meets the legal definition of non-alcoholic Jessie points to the Joyus brand of wine they sell specifically the Sparkling Rose she said is her favorite because it tastes exactly like a Rose Russell promotes as his favorite Hop Water a beer-seltzer hybrid consisting of soda water infused with hops an herbal supplement believed to have health benefits Russell achieved sobriety through a program offered at McLean Hospital in Belmont called LEADER – Law Enforcement, Active Duty, and Emergency Responder The program is specifically meant for first responders and military “It helped me find alternative coping mechanisms,” he said which includes more involvement in youth sports He said programs like LEADER and Critical Incident Stress Management (CISM) are important programs in the area addressing mental health amongst first responders something that was lacking when he entered law enforcement “You were taught to ‘man up.’ That was police culture” when he came into the field “We’re all type A personalities,” he said off-duty setting with other cops/co-workers you were looked at differently if you weren’t drinking Hip to be squareRussell said he feels healthier now and bringing his own alternative non-alcoholic beverages to social gatherings has helped ensure his sobriety “I can still enjoy social activities because of these options.” Jessie and Russell contend that it’s becoming far more socially acceptable in public settings to abstain from alcohol or drink alternatives In 2023, 49.6% of Americans between ages 18 and 25 had used alcohol in the last month Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration national survey figures Total alcohol sales fell by less than 1% in 2024 to $112.9 billion from $113.6 billion in 2023, according to sales tracking from data firm NIQ People are realizing the health benefits of not drinking,” said Jessie adding mocktails and other non-alcoholic products are good for those who hate the hangover effects from drinking but still appreciate the social aspect behind it Sober Sips Society only offers delivery and pick-up for orders the delivery area spans to surrounding municipalities Shipping is an option that will be offered in the future Expanding the product catalog and opening a brick-and-mortar store are key long-term goals for the business’s growth and success Jessie said they would like to offer it as a space for events including meetings and programming related to mental health Sober Sips Society intends on doing pop-up events during spring and summer Learn more about Sober Sips Society at its website or Facebook page RAYNHAM — What obstacles still lay in front of Raynham’s public safety building project The public safety building remains the town’s “top capital priority” and “we will continue to find available funds for this,” Town Administrator Gregory Barnes said at the Nov The town is gradually putting money away into a savings account for the public safety building in the hopes it will make up the difference between what the projected cost was in 2021 when the project was approved and what the project could cost when it finally goes out to bid In 2021 a 30-year debt exclusion for $30.5 million was approved by voters A new cost estimate the town received from the owner’s project manager for the project Saving money to close the gap — how big a hole is left to fill?At the Nov voters approved a transfer of $3.05 million from Free Cash to the town’s Public Safety Building Project Capital Fund That supplements $4.03 million already in the account that was approved for transfer from previous town meetings making the total amount in the Capital Fund $7.08 million But that still leaves an $11.2 million gap between the original estimate and Pomroy’s cost estimate from actually going to bid for contractors Barnes told the Gazette this is due to the project still needing finalized design and construction documents Barnes said the town will work on additional fund transfers at future town meetings What will be the most important factor is the bidding process itself Despite the reliable new estimate that factors future trends a lot can happen in a year regarding inflation and what those bids from contractors could be “We need a bidding process to get a solid number,” said Barnes There's a possibility the bids will come in lower than Pomroy’s estimate Barnes brings up that Taunton’s new public safety facility came in $8-10 million under the original budget during the RFP process and hopes for something similar in Raynham And there is also the chance the project reduces in cost during the construction phase — like with the new Bristol-Plymouth Regional Technical School building, where new estimates have its cost potentially reduced by as much as 25% Deal includes bike path, walking trails Raynham public safety building back on track He said even though no money has been borrowed yet the debt exclusion voted on in 2021 was for $30.5 million and can’t be modified with a new vote “We will do everything we can to provide as much money” through saving and the current levy under the first debt exclusion “but we can’t guarantee it will close that gap,” he said Sundrenched Spacious custom built colonial in Raynham sells for over $700K: Weekly home sales the town is not just getting the 10-acre parcel of land but also an additional 5.7 acres intended for the widening of King Phillip Street the town will be transferring to the state three parcels of town-owned land and 10 acres of wooded lands donated by Raynham residents John Noblin and Frank Campbell In addition, 45 acres, known as 345 Hall St., will be transferred to the state’s Department of Fish and Game for ecological purposes and wildlife-related recreational opportunities 19 officially approved the land transfer under the legislation which was a requirement to move it forward The parcel in question is deeded to the town for agricultural purposes which is why legislation was required to remove the designation The King Philip Street site was chosen by the town because it matches the current location for acceptable response times for both police and fire calls it has close proximity to the town’s recreation fields there will be enough space for a secure parking lot and there will be adequate room for growth RAYNHAM — Konigsberg was a beautiful city back in her day reminiscing about her early childhood in the once main city in East Prussia — before it was left in ruin by the Soviet Russian offensive into Germany Inge, 89, who currently resides in Raynham “We sheltered in basements and different buildings No food to eat,” she said of her bombed-out former city She became separated from her surviving family as she was forced to beg daily for food and shelter she and many other young survivors of the war in that region wandered into neighboring Lithuania who befriended Inge and the Pustelnikas family years ago learned that history has given a name for thousands of orphans and homeless children of post-WWII East Prussia:  "Wolfskinder," which is German for "Wolf Children."  who added her research shows there are very few of them still alive Arute is seeking to publish a book about Pustelnikas' life based on the stories she's told to her in interviews over the last five years “She was a little girl. Her world was turned upside down.  But she maintained her determination and hopefulness to keep herself alive,” said Arute, who lives in Hingham and works as program director for Hingham Cares a non-profit promoting drug abuse prevention among youth From camper to cafe Raynham's mobile coffee purveyor opening a brick-and-mortar location The end of innocenceBorn in 1935 as Inge Bartuschat Pustelnikas and her family lived in an apartment on the edge of the city and her family growing vegetables in community gardens “Everything was OK until the war,” Pustelnikas said he got sick and was discharged from service “They sent him home to die,” said Pustelnikas Her father died at home before the war came to an end After the Battle of Konigsberg in April 1945 the region was surrendered to the Russians Konigsberg would later be renamed Kaliningrad and East Prussia permanently annexed by Russia Charming Three-bedroom in Raynham sells for over $600K: Weekly home sales Learning to survive as a childPustelnikas said that her mother along with her sister Helga and brother Gerhard Pustelnikas remembers still being in bed and her mother telling her Kids in her city snuck onto the nearby train to travel to other communities This is how she ended up in Lithuania where she recalls begging at marketplaces and sleeping in building hallways in the city of Kaunas She said hand gestures and miming were how she overcame the language barrier Pustelnikas would get separated from her siblings Soaring gas bills hit home Raynham single dad 'shocked' by $827 gas bill. What he thinks of temporary relief plan Lithuanians who helped German kids were subject to punishment by Soviet authorities said Pustelnikas — who said she was captured once and sent to a detention facility for German kids but escaped the same day by squeezing through a hole in the fence She would eventually leave the city and venture into the countryside where there was less Russian enforcement and more generous people when it came to food and shelter though she couldn’t stay in one place for too long Kristen Arute said these conditions were harsh for Pustelnikas in the Lithuanian countryside who said as she got older and stronger she became more valuable as a farm laborer and was able to stay with families for longer stretches Arute asked the Gazette not to disclose too many details regarding how Pustelnikas was eventually able to reunite with her family because she does not want to reveal those prior to the publication of the book But she and Pustelnikas did say that Pustelnikas was reunited after 15 years with her mother and siblings in West Germany While Pustelnikas was living in West Germany friends and a local church set up an arranged marriage for her had already been living in the United States for 10 years and was working at the Knapp Shoe Factory in Brockton Pustelnikas said she was reluctant about the arranged marriage but everyone she cared about convinced her it was best thing for her between 1962–1963 she got married in Germany and immigrated to the United States to live with her husband in Brockton Inge and Stasys Pustelnikas had three children: Bettina Hoffman adding both her mother and father worked a lot but “we did plenty” and “they were always there.” moved to Raynham in 2002 to be closer to family Hoffman said much about her mother’s childhood wasn’t spoken about or was left vague “I never fully realized what she went through,” she said explaining that when she and her siblings would ask questions “it saddened her when we tried talking” and the conversations would end Hoffman said Kristen Arute was able to draw out details from her mother’s memory over the years through their interviews revealing new information and “helping put the timeline together.” “At one point Inge told me I knew more about her childhood than her own children,” said Arute and she’s so strong,” Hoffman said of her mother Preserving her storyArute has a finished manuscript on Inge’s life and recently signed with a literary agent who is pitching the book to various publishing companies “We look forward to having a deal with one so Inge’s story can be told to a broad audience,” Arute said Inge Pustelnikas will be honored at the Raynham Senior Center with a special citation from state and local officials acknowledging her special status as a German Wolf Child Arute said April 9 was chosen as it represents the 80th anniversary of the Battle of Konigsberg RAYNHAM — The candidate who is trailing in the extremely tight race for the Bridgewater-Raynham state rep seat is calling for a recount Wright announced Wednesday morning she is seeking a recount The 8th Plymouth District is made up of Bridgewater and Raynham Gallagher is a former Bridgewater town councilor and Wright is a Plymouth County commissioner They are vying for the seat soon to be vacated by Republican Angelo D'Emilia, who announced earlier this year he decided not run again How many votes did each candidate get?Gallaher got a combined total of 10,807 votes in both towns in the election on Tuesday Results from other key local votes Kelly Dooner will be Raynham's next state senator Wright alleges mechanical and 'likely' human errorIn a post on social media Wednesday "We have severe discrepancies observed by members of both parties in Raynham." In a subsequent post she said she does believe there was any intentional wrongdoing from Raynham's town clerk or the poll workers "Errors with the machines were observed in Raynham resulting in a significant number of ballots to be counted by hand and the words 'oh I did that wrong' and 'just start over' were said by poll workers and heard by multiple people waiting for them to post the results." "Our campaign is requesting a recount to eliminate the very likely possibility of human error — we only want the most accurate count Whether the results of the recount are in our favor or against we will accept them with no further objections We have the utmost respect for the Town Clerk and the police officers who generously gave their time and energy to ensure the voters can participate in this democratic process." Response from RaynhamTown Clerk Marsha Silvia told The Gazette that one ballot machine started malfunctioning at the polls and was quickly replaced when it jammed She said the police were present at all times and "everything was transparent." She said Wright is "certainly entitled" to a recount that "it's her right" and the town will grant her one when she officially files the request Silvia told the Gazette Wednesday afternoon Wright had not yet filed a request for a recount The deadline for Wright to file for a recount is Friday Who will be player of the week? Who is the Taunton Daily Gazette Football Player of the Week for Week 9? What does Dennis Gallagher say?Dennis Gallagher told the Gazette Wednesday “I am grateful for the people of the district for giving me the opportunity and I will work just as hard starting in January to help the district.”     He said it is the right of his opponent to request a recall he is moving forward and thinking positively about working on Beacon Hill eight of those while he was also chair of the town’s Budget and Finance Committee He also served as selectman for seven years before the town’s change of government in 2010 and has worked in finance and management with such entities as the Plymouth County Retirement Association and presently as director of Braintree’s Contributory Retirement system as well as the town’s Board of Health for nine years she spent 18 years working in the ER at Good Samaritan Medical Center in Brockton and 15 years as a volunteer firefighter and EMT for the Halifax Fire Department The Town of Raynham proudly participates in the Bridgewater-Raynham Regional School District which serves approximately 5,521 students across its schools we have three educational institutions: Raynham Middle School Joseph LaLiberte Elementary School and Lillie B At the forefront of our commitment to student safety and well-being is our School Resource Officer (SRO) As a vital link between the school district and the police department SRO Lang plays multiple roles within the school community—acting as a teacher SRO Lang fosters a positive relationship with students and is a readily accessible resource for their needs While her primary focus is on prevention and deterrence SRO Lang also conducts all criminal investigations on campus and serves as the Juvenile Detective for the Raynham Police Department This dual role allows her to effectively handle and coordinate investigations involving juveniles ensuring a swift and sensitive approach to any issues that arise The overarching goal of the SRO program is to enhance the safety of our learning environment by reducing and preventing school violence and substance abuse SRO Lang brings a wealth of experience to her position having dedicated more than a decade to the Department She began her role as a School Resource Officer in September 2024 Her extensive training includes certifications from the National Association of School Resource Officers (NASRO) Law Enforcement Against Drugs and Violence (LEAD) she was a Co-Response Team Member with the Department Clinician for two years and a dedicated Honor Guard Member She also contributes as a member of the Peer Support Team for SEMLEC Critical Incident Stress Management the Raynham Police Department is dedicated to ensuring a safe and enriching environment for all students within the school district RAYNHAM — The Raynham Fire Department responded to a fire at a crowded restaurant in Raynham on Sunday evening Raynham Fire received a call at around 5 p.m. for reports of heavy smoke coming from the kitchen and dining room of Hibachi Sushi Buffet according to Fire Captain Jeffrey Kelleher and we activated a full alarm," Kelleher said fire crews found heavy smoke in the dining room and kitchen and helped to evacuate anyone still inside the restaurant There were about 50 occupants inside the restaurant Undercover sting operation 7 Raynham businesses busted for serving alcohol to minor. This one's in most trouble fire crews found a smoldering fire in the Styrofoam insulation towards the front of the building The fire was under control in about an hour "We believe [the fire] got picked up into one of the air handlers and dumped a bunch of smoke into the dining room and kitchen as well as into a coupe of the abutting tenants," Kelleher said There were no reported civilian or firefighter injuries as a result of the fire The cause of the fire is undetermined but is suspected to be careless disposal of smoking materials Not sure where to grab a bite to eat With lots of options around the Taunton area We've compiled a list of meal deals, special events and mouth-watering offerings at local eateries and markets to consider when planning your next night on the town Tom & Jimmy's has been open for a few days at its new location in Raynham Tom & Jimmy’s has opened its fourth location: 534 Broadway at the former site of Slappy’s Frozen Treats Opening day was March 28, and ice cream enthusiasts can now enjoy all four locations year round Taunton Eats: Retro video game night at Harper Lane Brewery; dinner for two at The Pearl Starting Friday, April 4, Society Coffee Bar will be offering cookies made by From Scratch Desserts at both of their locations: 260 Broadway They made the announcement on their Facebook page on April 1 so let’s hope it’s not an April Fool’s joke because you should never joke about cookies Stoneforge Tavern & Publick House, 90 Paramount Dr., Raynham, is hosting a Bring on Spring vendor and craft fair is an opportunity for guests to shop local for some spring finds Guests can also enjoy food samples and a cash bar Spring gala and tapas: Don’t miss the annual Variety Show at the First Unitarian Universalist of Middleboro Seafood & Cones, 77 Broadway, Raynham, has homemade carrot cake parfait available for a limited time Vanilla soft serve is layered with carrot cake crumbles Get there soon: this flavor is available until April 6 Tropical Llama, 1470 New State Hwy., Raynham, has the following specials available the rest of the week: Tropical Llama noted in a Facebook post announcing their specials that this will be the last sancocho until October Peeps-inspired ice cream at Joyful ScoopsJoyful Scoops Their Peeps flavor is back Do you have a special deal, menu item, or food-related event to share with local foodies? Send us an email at kfontes@heraldnews.com or newsroom@tauntongazette.com Oyster Bay Town Supervisor Joseph Saladino invites residents to Raynham Hall Museum on Thursday to have a virtual ‘chat’ with our nation’s first president “This exciting new technology is just the latest innovation offered to visitors at Raynham Hall,” said Supervisor Saladino visitors will experience how artificial intelligence can be a powerful tool for learning.” Participants will be able to engage in a face-to-face ‘conversation’ with George Washington one of the most iconic figures in the nation’s history The unveiling of the ‘Meet George’ feature will take place on Thursday in celebration of the 235th anniversary of George Washington’s tour of Long Island and visit to Oyster Bay The event takes place from 4:00pm to 6:00pm free registration is required and available at raynhamhallmuseum.org RAYNHAM — Police Chief David LaPlante and Fire Chief Bryan LaCivita report that the Raynham Police and Fire Departments responded to a motorcycle crash late Saturday night on Route 44 the Raynham Police and Fire Departments responded to reports of a crash between a 2017 Toyota Corolla and a Honda motorcycle in the area of 115 New State Highway (Route 44) emergency crews found the motorcycle operator a 21-YEAR-OLD MALE FROM TAUNTON, lying in the roadway and suffering from multiple traumatic injuries after being thrown 40-50 feet The motorcyclist was alert and speaking to first responders The operator of the car was uninjured and cooperated with law enforcement The operator of the motorcycle was transported to Boston Medical Center with serious injuries Canton Fire Department’s field blood transfusion truck intercepted Raynham Fire Department’s ambulance during transport to the hospital and the crash is currently under investigation by the Raynham Police Accident Reconstruction Team RAYNHAM — When father of three and Raynham resident Shane Manozzi opened his Eversource gas bill Manozzi — who is raising his children alone after his partner tragically died during childbirth — owed Eversource $827.64 for his gas usage between December 2024 and January 2025 while the supply fee for the gas was $290.66 "We're already getting hit in so many ways with inflation with the soaring food costs over the last few years," Manozzi said Here's what we know about the Eversource gas price increases and what politicians say they want to do about them 'Robbed of future adventures' Family devastated after Raynham mom dies in childbirth the state's Department of Public Utilities (DPU) regulates utility companies and approves changes to the rates gas companies charge customers On Thursday, Feb. 20, the DPU directed gas utility companies to revise their rates in March and April to reduce the average residential gas bill by at least 5% the DPU said that gas companies could recoup "deferred costs" from the March and April cuts through rate increases that would be implemented through May and October The DPU also said that gas companies could charge interest on the money the deferred payments which would be added to the May through October rate increases A spokesperson for the DPU said that "the long-term plan to stabilize costs for gas customers is to investigate shifting delivery costs from the winter to the summer months." The spokesperson added that the DPU would also "examine other administrative and rate design reforms that could provide relief in peak usage months." 'Unsustainable burden': Why did Eversource gas bills go up by so much in Taunton? What we know Manozzi said that he currently takes care of his three children and that his family lives on a fixed income due to the death of his partner Laura Hill during childbirth. When the Gazette asked for his opinion on the March and April rate cuts announced by the DPU, Manozzi compared it to the dystopian novel "1984" by George Orwell. "It's like '1984,' when the government lowered chocolate rations to 20 grams from 25 grams and then made an announcement the following week saying they were happy that chocolate rations had been raised to 20 grams," Manozzi said. "They raise a bill by more than 25% and expect us to applaud a 5% decrease that goes into effect when the coldest months of the year end and springtime begins," he added. "Not to mention they will begin charging interest." "That department is supposed to regulate and have the back of the consumers, and it's just the opposite," Manozzi said. RAYNHAM, Mass. (WJAR) — The Raynham police and fire departments said Tuesday that two people were killed when a car went airborne and struck a tree. The single-car crash happened Monday night on East Britannia Street near Thrasher Street. "Upon arrival, emergency crews discovered a 2017 Hyundai Elantra leaning up against a tree," a joint release said. "A preliminary investigation reveals the vehicle went airborne before hitting the tree." Police said the driver, Averi Costa-Burton, 26, of Fall River, was thrown from the car. He was pronounced dead at Morton Hospital. They said a passenger, Dorryn Robinson, 28, of New Bedford, was pronounced dead at the scene. Police said a 25-year-old man from Fall River who was in the back seat was flown to Rhode Island Hospital with life-threatening injuries. His name was not released. Nearby residents told NBC 10 East Britannia St. is no stranger to bad crashes, as memorials stand at the same corner from previous fatal crashes. "My whole life I've experienced the same thing happening, people come down this road, don't expect that sharp corner, go off the road on the same side and get killed," said John Gouvia, who grew up down the street from where the crash happened. He said new memorials pop up constantly, on the same tree. "They have no signs on this side at all, and on the other side, one little sign with squigglys," explained Gouvia. "People aren't paying attention to that, we need blinking lights that will give people notice ahead of time and maybe save someone's life because a lot of lives have been lost there and it's a shame," he said. NBC 10 filed a records request to find out how many fatal crashes have happened on East Britannia St. in the past few years and didn't immediately get a response. The cause of the crash was under investigation. NBC 10's Molly Levine contributed to this report. Armstrong Williams takes on the news of the week and asks the questions you want answered. Don’t miss our weekly town hall. Raynham hotel to close as emergency shelter by end of 2025by NBC 10 NEWS Kelly Dooner announced that a Raynham hotel will close as an emergency shelter by the end of this year The Raynham Home2 Suites on 5 Commerce Way is being used as an Emergency Assistance family shelter Officials said the upcoming closure is part of the state’s effort to phase out use of hotels as emergency shelters and transition families into permanent housing "Massachusetts cannot continue to rely on temporary shelter solutions like hotels," Dooner said in a statement "I remain committed to working with my colleagues to create long-term housing reforms that provide sustainable solutions for families while ensuring that local communities are not overburdened." Dooner said the service provider for the shelter will work with families to help them get permanent housing through case management and rental assistance programs (This story was updated to accurately reflect the most current information.) RAYNHAM — A new restaurant called Brickstone Brewhouse Tavern is set to replace The Great American Pub in Raynham opening in the coming months at 1736 Broadway are also co-owners of popular Raynham staple Barrels & Boards In October 2022, the now former owners of Great American Pub announced via social media they were in the process of selling the restaurant Dean Saxonis said the sale was finalized in February 2023 Dean said he and Irene always wanted to open another restaurant with a different concept who will also be the manager at Brickstone said this new venture isn’t about “taking away from Barrels,” but about “bringing more life into the town.”  “It’s an exciting time for us and the community as a whole.” LOCAL DINING: Authentic Portuguese buffet has landed in Taunton. Everything to know about Patricia's Kitchen Dean said what people can expect at Brickstone is a massive bar The intention is to have all the beers on tap come from local and regional brewers but Brickstone will also be selling other alcohol including an assortment of signature cocktails The tavern will also cater to sports fans with plenty of TVs at the bar and around the rest of the restaurant Executive chef and co-owner of Barrels & Boards Manuel Hernandez also holds the same titles with Brickstone Brewhouse He said the menu for Brickstone is still being finalized and up for revision is taking popular comfort foods and elevating them We want to bring something exciting and modern.” Brick oven pizza will be a staple at Brickstone with Hernandez emphasizing this won’t be bar pizza He said they plan on offering both traditional staples with Hernandez saying his intention is to incorporate “high-end toppings” that one would normally find on steak One item he’s excited to offer is a Wagyu burger crusted with black pepper and served with a cognac cream sauce Hernandez said he intends on offering variations of popular appetizers Additional entrees to be included on the menu are a lamb shank shepherd’s pie Hernandez said having Brickstone Brewhouse gives him a new creative outlet “This is a new opportunity to pull up new ideas,” saying he’s been “piling up” ideas and recipes for a few years “it’s so established” that you can’t do too much revising of the menu or with specific items because patrons “want to get what they want to get.” As the executive chef for two restaurants now Hernandez believes he understands what kind of recipes go where adding that he sees Brickstone as a place where he can put his twist and “new presentations” on classic foods Filet mignon hibachi? Kyo Asian fusion restaurant lands in Taunton — what's on menu? Dean said they will be looking to hire 75-80 staff for Brickstone Brewhouse Owners hope Brickstone Brewhouse Tavern can open before the end of the year “contractors can be difficult” and “delays happen.” The Raynham Fire and Police Departments and volunteers continue the town’s annual Santa Ride tradition They gathered for a photo in front of a fire engine on Saturday Toy donations collected during the Santa Ride will help stock the upcoming Secret Santa distribution which provides gifts for local kids in need RAYNHAM — Fire Chief Bryan LaCivita and Police Chief David LaPlante are pleased to report that Raynham firefighters police officers and their families recently teamed up to complete the Santa Ride traveling around town over two days with Santa atop a fire engine gathering gifts donated by community residents to help local children The Santa Ride is a volunteer-led effort supported by the Raynham Fire Department and the Raynham Police Department since it started in 2019 Gifts collected during the Santa Ride support the town’s longtime Secret Santa holiday charity campaign which last year provided presents to 108 local children and their families Community members can continue to support this year’s Secret Santa effort by bringing new unwrapped gifts intended for children of all ages to the Raynham Fire Department at 37 Orchard St Secret Santa gift deliveries are set for Dec when a team of volunteers fan out into the community providing packages to families with children in need that have been identified beforehand through the help of the Bridgewater-Raynham Regional School District and other sources The Secret Santa team has identified about 130 children in need of presents this holiday season “This is probably the highest need I’ve seen in the last few years,” Chief LaCivita said “It’s no secret that things are more expensive in this economy and people need extra help this time of year.” The Secret Santa donation drive also received a major boost this year thanks to Candace Dalton who raised more than $10,000 for the cause by hosting a psychic medium fundraiser event on Dec “Candace has been a huge supporter of ours for six years,” Chief LaCivita said “She does a show every year and sells tickets to it and does raffles This is the most she’s raised in all the times she’s done it and 100% of that goes to the Secret Santa.” The cash donations to the Secret Santa campaign will be used to buy clothing and other presents intended for older teenagers which are not commonly received during the gift donation drive “The older kids sometimes get lost in the shuffle,” Chief LaCivita said and the money Candace helped raise will fund that.” The Secret Santa campaign dates back to 1988 a Raynham school custodian who wanted to do something for the children he saw each day coming to class wearing worn-out shoes and inadequate winter clothing his family continued the tradition in partnership with Raynham firefighters and police officers Jason Karns and his family have spearheaded the Secret Santa initiative in the past two years Firefighter Michael McRae and his family are also major contributors to the effort And Deputy Fire Chief Barrett Johnson and retired Police Detective Louis Pacheco who served as Raynham’s school resource officer the group behind the Santa Ride included 10 volunteers each from the Fire and Police Departments Many of their family members joined the effort collecting toys and other donations while tailing behind Santa in pickup trucks “There’s a lot of pride that goes along with this,” Chief LaCivita said “It’s pretty cool to drive down the street with Santa on the fire truck with little kids smiling It’s one of the two best days of the year for the Fire Department.” Chief David LaPlante said it’s an honor to have police firefighters and their families pitch in to give back to the community during the holidays “I’d like to thank members of both Raynham Police and Fire for their efforts in helping out with the toy drive,” Chief LaPlante said “It’s a worthwhile cause that we look forward to each year firefighters and their families for stepping up and making this possible.” Chief LaCivita also thanked all the donors and local businesses who contribute to this charitable campaign each year people get together and make a party out of giving when Santa comes by,” Chief LaCivita said “The amount of gifts they gave was fantastic Thank you to everyone in the Raynham community for their continued support this holiday season.” The Raynham Fire and Police Departments and volunteers collected gifts at Walmart on Saturday The toy donations are being gathered for the upcoming Secret Santa distribution which the departments run each year during the holiday season to provide gifts to local kids in need The Bristol County District Attorney's Office concluded that officers were justified in the fatal shooting of a man during a confrontation in Raynham officers deployed a Taser and that two officers fired their weapons "Based on a review of all of the facts and circumstances related to this incident there is no basis to conclude that the responding police officers committed a crime The fatal shooting of Stephen Maclean was justified," the district attorney's report but they we're unable to keep Maclean alive "One of the most dangerous calls that a police officer will go on is anything involving an occupant going into a residency," said Todd McGhee "You just don't know who's going to be on the other side of the door." They did not show the officers' guns being fired "Based on what I saw it was a good shoot," said McGhee "It will always be a good shoot in those circumstances the police officers acted accordingly based on the level of threat that they were confronted with." Police said they had several interactions with MacLean over the previous 24 hours Investigators said he was arrested for witness intimidation in a court case that his girlfriend was involved in "In this particular case the officers were greeted with lethal force so the actual decision to pull out a taser was actually too low a level of force and that the right call was to utilize and deploy the department issued firearm," McGhee said "In a moment where it's a life or death situation he's deploying whatever is available in his hand." Police said his girlfriend told them he was fired from his job that morning after showing up intoxicated NBC 10's John Perik contributed to this report (WJAR) — The Shaw's supermarket in Raynham was temporarily closed after a fire on Monday Officials said a fire broke out in a beverage cooler near the front of the store at about 11 a.m Responding officers reported smoke and fire inside the store Firefighters were able to extinguish the fire Middleborough fire brought in a large fan to remove the smoke BRIDGEWATER— A new skipper is set to take charge in the Bridgewater-Raynham baseball dugout this spring where he graduated with a bachelor's degree in communications studies in 2011 B-R baseball is set to kick off its 2025 campaign on March 31 with a trip to Framingham before the Trojans host Barnstable in their home opener on April 4 RAYNHAM — Raynham may soon no longer have a "Board of Selectmen." declared their approval of changing "Selectmen" to "Select Board." It’s well overdue,” said Selectman Kenneth Collins This decision to change the name to something more gender-neutral will be put to a public vote at Raynham’s Annual Town Meeting on May 19 If approved by public vote at Town Meeting the general bylaws for the town will be amended to refer to officially refer to the board as "Select Board."  Selectman Joe Pacheco emphasized that the town’s electorate “has always judged on the ability to serve and nothing else,” but agreed the proposal was fitting and proclaimed his support for the motion 'A need for change' Raynham cop finds sobriety, wife launches alcohol-free beverage business with him Selectman Patricia Riley introduced the Article for Town Meeting She said during the April 1 meeting that the name was “never an issue for me,” but she was swayed by conversations last year with both local Girl Scouts and members of a local women’s panel She said she found out that in January 2020 the Massachusetts Selectmen’s Association officially changed its name to the Massachusetts Select Board Association “The association’s Executive Board proposed the change in order to align with a trend among cities and towns to adopt gender-neutral terms for local government bodies in an effort to promote inclusivity and equality,” the Association’s website says “It’s pretty much standard,” and more people are referring to it as "Select Board," said Riley Pacheco added that conversations about a name change have happened a few times in the past but a vote has never reached Town Meeting until now Hint: it's not 'rain-am' Am I pronouncing the town of Raynham's name right? communications director for the Massachusetts Municipal Association (MMA,) said a statewide survey of towns was conducted over the past several months to determine if communities prefer "Selectmen" or "Select Board" as the name for its policymakers Ouellette said typically the town survey is answered by the “chief municipal official,” which is often the town manager or town administrator for the community 213 said their preferred term is "Select Board."  He clarifies that this does not represent the number of towns that have gone through the legal process to officially rename to "Select Board." The survey did not ask that question the survey “does show the popularity of the gender-neutral name,” said Ouellette Back in 2020, MMA reported that at least 85 towns Ouellette said 29 towns changed to Select Board between 2016-2020 Who was Jared Monti? Army naming Natick building for Raynham hero who inspired country song Raynham's Annual Town Meeting will take place Monday (This story was updated because an earlier version included an inaccuracy.)