12s capture district title in memorable style

12s 12-Year-Olds Capture District Title in Memorable Style

The Dedham 12s earned an extra-inning victory over Mansfield on Friday night, 11-10 at Capone Field at Fairbanks Park to cap off their fourth consecutive District 4 championship in the Cal Ripken Tournament when Ben Shumway hit a walk-off two-run double with two outs in the last of the seventh.

With the score knotted at 7 after six innings of play, Mansfield jumped ahead in the extra frame on five hits including a home run plus a hit batsman. But as it did all game, Dedham responded in the home half of the seventh with some offense of their own.

Ryan Lahiff hit a one-out single up the middle, then Aidan Kelly reached on a miscue. Nolan FitzPatrick connected for a single to deep right center to load the bases. The next batter, Shawn Nosky, hit a fielder’s choice to plate Ryan. Alex Cherry was hit by a pitch, then cleanup hitter Ben Dean, who had received a free pass in the last of the sixth, was intentionally walked again, this time with the bases plugged to make it 10-9 in favor of the visitors.

That strategy prompted one fan to yell to the next batter, Ben S., “Make `em pay!” The Dedham shortstop did just that with a double to right center plating two runs and fueling a celebration.

Cal Ripken District 4 Tournament: 10s earn convincing triumph, 12s post dramatic comeback

On opening night of the Cal Ripken District 4 Tournament at Fairbanks Park last Friday, conditions were splendid for a baseball festival. A massive volunteer presence had gotten the site ready with features such as a tent, grill, snack shack, bleachers, souvenirs, raffles and well-lined fields, and daylight on the warm June evening lingered well past 8 o’clock.

In the early game of 10-year-olds, Erik Leonard hit for the cycle and drove in eight runs as the hosts rolled to a 12-1 conquest of Mansfield on Collins Field. Even as Erik and the offense found their groove, hurler Scott Nosky (5 IP, 3 H, 1 R, 0 BB, 5 K, 67 pitches) and the fielders had similar success.

In the top of the first the visitors grabbed a 1-0 advantage on an infield single, stolen base, fielder’s choice and sacrifice fly. Dedham responded with two runs in the home half of the first on a double by JoJo Powers, a single by Andrew Mercuri, two stolen bases and a single to right-center by Erik. Matt Ryan and Alex Georgantas followed with singles before the visitors got out of the jam.

In the top of the second Scott fanned a batter and JoJo fielded two grounders cleanly to render a single harmless. In the bottom of the inning Matt Zirilli led off with a single to center, and with one out Andrew doubled to right to put a pair of runners in scoring position. Scott drew a walk to load the bases, then Erik fulfilled the cleanup hitter’s role by connecting on a triple to right-center to make it 5-1. Matt R. walked and purposely started a pickle, allowing Erik to cross the plate before the former was tagged out. Alex walked to keep the rally going, but Mansfield escaped the inning with no further damage.

In the top of the third a groundout fielded by second baseman Liam Flynn with a throw to Erik at first helped strand a runner at second. Dedham added two more in the bottom of the frame on Liam’s single, Matt Z.’s fielder’s choice, Andrew’s single to left to load the bases and Erik’s double to left-center that rolled under the fence to make it 8-1.

In the top of the fourth Scott fooled two more opponents by strikeout, as he changed speeds to keep the green jerseys guessing. In the home half of that inning a single to left by Alex, followed by Jack Roslonek’s walk and a double steal set the table for Will Shuley. He drove in Alex on a fielder’s choice, then JoJo’s single up the middle plated Jack for a 10-1 lead.

Three substitutions on the diamond heading into the fifth helped the maroon jerseys stay fresh, as Will went to second, Maddie Friday to left and Shea Banks to right. Maddie made her presence felt by settling under a towering fly ball to end the inning.

In the bottom of the fifth Scott led off with a walk and took second before Mansfield reacted. Erik then rocketed a 2-1 offering over the fence in left-center for a two-run homer that ended the contest via mercy rule.

In the nightcap the 12s trailed most of the way but pulled out the win with an improbable rally in the last inning to edge Norton 3-2. Righthander Alex Cherry got the call and did not disappoint (6 IP, 3 H, 2 R, 2 BB, 11 K, 91 pitches), going the distance and combining with the defense including outfielders Tyler Martel, Nolan FitzPatrick and Ryan Lahiff to give the offense a chance to figure out Norton’s talented hurler.

                                                                                                                               

The visitors got on the board in the opening frame on a walk, stolen base and single. But Dedham’s starter, teaming with battery-mate Shawn Nosky, shut the door by tossing nothing but strikes to the final two batters to retire the side.

The hosts threatened a few times in the first five innings but the purple jerseys were equal to the challenge. In the first Alex was hit by pitch, after which Ben Dean connected for a single up the middle but Norton got out of the inning unscathed. In the bottom of the second Peter Coughlin singled to left but the Norton defense tightened up.

In the bottom of the third Shawn drew a walk, then Ben D. hit a sharp single to left. The outfielder bobbled it briefly and Shawn tried for third then turned back but was nabbed at second on a solid play by the purple jerseys.

In the bottom of the fourth Alex fanned the first batter, shortstop Ben Shumway threw out the second hitter and Alex notched another K for a 1-2-3 inning. In the bottom of the frame Peter reached on a single but got no further.

In the top of the fifth new second baseman P.J. DeVirgilio made a smooth throw to Ben D. for an assist. That was all the help Alex needed, as he again whiffed two batters relying mostly on hard stuff and an occasional offspeed delivery.

In the top of the sixth Norton’s shortstop launched a solo four-bagger over the fence onto Rustcraft Road to make it 2-0, putting the pressure on the home team heading into their last at-bats. Alex began the rally by beating out an infield single. After a 6-4 putout Ben S.’s single put Ben D. at second.

With the ballgame on the line, Billy Casey connected for a single to right-center to cut the deficit in half at 2-1. With two outs Elian Rivera stepped to the plate. The Norton starter gained an 0-2 count, but on the next pitch Elian stroked a single up the middle to plate Ben S. and move Billy to third. Next up was Aidan Kelly, who hit a walkoff single to left to bring in the winning run.

Senate candidate Gabriel Gomez to visit Dedham on Saturday as part of three-day final push criss-crossing state

[Editor’s Note: On June 21 the campaign of Gabriel Gomez, Republican nominee for the open seat from Massachusetts in the U.S. Senate, released the following schedule on its website and to the media regarding a state-crossing tour in the last three days before the election. One stop is scheduled for Dedham, on Saturday, June 22 at 8:20 p.m. at Moseley’s-on-the-Charles for an event titled Puerto Rican Veterans Drop-in and Remarks: Baile de Las Guayaberas.

Some or all of the following events may be open to the public – you may be able to contact the campaign via http://www.gomezforma.com or you could try stopping by the Gomez campaign office in Dedham at the corner of Eastern Avenue and Providence Highway, across the street from the Staples plaza, if you’d like to learn more.]

GOMEZ ANNOUNCES “PEOPLE BEFORE POLITICS” TOUR

21 Communities, 25 Events, 3 Days

Boston, MA- Today Gabriel Gomez, Republican candidate for U.S. Senate in the Massachusetts open seat special election, announced his “People Before Politics” tour that will have him visiting 21 communities across the entire Commonwealth.

The following stops will be open to the press:

Saturday June 22, 2013

8:20am-

Run and Meet and Greet: Newton Family Fun Day

Where: West Suburban YMCA, 276 Church St, Newton, MA

10:20am-

Phone Banking: GFS Watertown HQ

Where: GFS HQ, 51 Water Street, Watertown, MA

11:35am-

Phone Banking with Senator Richard Tisei in Wakefield

Where: Gomez Victory Office, 599 North Avenue, Wakefield, MA

11:50am-

Gomez for Senate Family BBQ

Where: 599 North Avenue, Wakefield, MA

1:20pm-

Meet and Greet: Richardson’s Ice Cream with Rep. Brad Jones

Where: 156 South Main Street, Middleton, MA

3:30pm-

Meet & Greet with Mayor Mazzarella: Leominster Summer Stroll

Where: Central Flag & Gift , 41 Main St., Leominster,MA

5:35pm-

Meet and Greet: Lowell Spinners Game

Where: LaLecheur Park, 450 Aiken Street, Lowell, MA

6:35pm-

Latino Business Stop: Lowell

Where: Asados Dona Flor, 197 High Street, Lowell, MA

8:20pm-

Puerto Rican Veterans Drop In & Remarks: Baile de Las Guayaberas

Where: Moseley’s on the Charles, 50 Bridge Street, Dedham, MA

Sunday June 23, 2013

11:35am-

Veteran Owned Small Business Retail Stop & WMass Press Roundtable

Where: Sal’s Bakery & Cafe, 513 Belmont Ave, Springfield, MA

12:15pm-

Latino Business Stop

Where: Lucky Strike Restaurant, 703 Grattan St., Chicopee, MA

12:40pm-

Campaign Stop w/City Councilors Bob Magovern & Cece Calabrese: Agawam

Where: Partners Restaurant, 485 Springfield Street, Agawam, MA

2:50pm-

Central MA Door Knocking

Where: Shrewsbury, MA

4:50pm-

First Responders & Family BBQ w/ the Worcester Police Union

Where: Gomez Victory Office, 18 Grafton Street, Worcester, MA

7:05pm-

North End Walk with Mike Milbury

Where: North End

7:50pm-

Game On Rally w/Mike Milbury, former Bruin and NBC Stanley Cup Analyst

Where: Boston, MA

Monday June 24, 2013

7:20am-

Commuter Meet & Greet: Braintree T Station with Sean Powers

Where: Braintree Station, 31 Brookside Rd, Braintree, MA

8:50am-

Retail Stop with DA Tim Cruz and Representative Vinny deMacedo:

Where: Water Street Cafe, 25 Water Street, Plymouth, MA

10:35am-

Law Enforcement Campaign Stop with Sheriff Cummings

Where: The Original Gourmet Brunch, 517 Main Street, Hyannis Port, MA

11:35am-

Drop-In Phone Banking at Gomez Victory Office

Where: Gomez Victory Hyannis Office, Hyannis, MA

1:30pm-

Latino Business Stop: Brockton

Where: George’s Cafe, 228 Belmont Street, Brockton, MA

3:50pm-

Campaign Stop with Senator Hedlund: Weymouth/Braintree

Where: Four Sq.(Weymouth Landing) 16 Commercial St., Braintree, MA

5:05pm-

Hingham Standout

Where: Hingham Center (3A Rotary), Hingham, MA

6:00pm-

Meet & Greet: Hingham Commuters

Where: Hingham Shipyard (Hewitt’s Cove, Hingham, MA)

6:50pm-

Rally with former US Sen. Scott Brown & Kirsten Hughes

Where: Common Market, 97 Willard St., Quincy, MA

DHS Commencement: “This is just the beginning”

The 190 members of Dedham High School’s Class of 2013 earned diplomas at Veterans Memorial Field at Stone Park on a serenely beautiful Saturday afternoon as a throng of family members, friends and well-wishers observed and cheered.

Under the direction of Mr. Jeff Bolduc, the school’s band played Elgar’s Pomp and Circumstance as the graduates strode to their seats.  Soon after, Principal Ron McCarthy gave initial remarks in which he urged the graduates to heed the advice President John F. Kennedy gave at the commencement exercises of American University in June, 1963, calling for peace with the Soviet Union during the depths of the Cold War.  McCarthy said, “As you leave the halls of Dedham High School and say your good-byes… keep in mind Kennedy’s message: ‘Our problems are man-made; therefore, they can be solved by man.’ ”  If you run into an issue at school, in the military or at your place of employment, I want you to know that you can solve it.  You are the master of your own fate.  I have the confidence to say that you are all capable of keeping the peace.  Our individual problems are sometimes thrust upon us, yet others are made by ourselves.  It is up to us to solve those problems on our own.  Take advice from the experts who have been there before and have made good choices.”

In an emotional speech, Senior Class President Darla Saycocie summed up the four years she and her classmates shared.  She began by noting her  worries about speaking in front of a crowd, as she planned what to say.  “That’s when it hit me: why should I be nervous?  We all grew up together.  We all know the same paths and shortcuts, the ins and outs and every nook and corner of this town.  It’s a small town, but it’s our town.  So the Class of 2013 would like to welcome the Town of Dedham to our graduation…  High school is hard, but we did it.  I cannot believe that it’s over.  But as the old cliché would say, this is just the beginning.”

Then Superintendent of Schools June Doe addressed the class.  “On behalf of all of our principals, our teachers and our support staff, I bring you truly the warmest, best wishes for your future success.  We are so proud today of each of you and your achievement.”  She added, “Graduates, as you leave us this afternoon, remember to set your goals high.  Always keep your parents and the pride and hope that they have in each of you in the forefront of your minds, no matter where you are.  Strive to become the next generation of outstanding leaders.  You are needed.”

State Senator Mike Rush served as Keynote Speaker, telling the senior class members they are well prepared for the future.  “Graduates of 2013, today is an extremely important day.  As a former history teacher, I know that this was a significant day in 1789 when James Madison introduced the Bill of Rights, and a troubling day in 1861 when Tennessee seceeded from the Union at the beginning of the Civil War…  But most important, today, June 8, 2013 is an absolutely awesome day here in Dedham, Massachusetts.  And it is an awesome day because each and every one of you is receiving a diploma that tells the world that you are a graduate of Dedham High School.”

Valedictorian Jamie Carty spoke next, drawing on a theme from the field she plans to pursue in college, theatre.  “We’ve all heard the quote from William Shakespeare’s As You Like It, ‘All the world’s a stage, and all the men and women merely players.’  I always hated that quote.  I thought it was silly to say that people simply go through life in a series of planned events, and that we’re all just actors playing the parts that are pre-determined for us…  But viewing Dedham High School, our home for these past four years, as a stage sort of makes sense to me now.  Walking into Dedham High four years ago, we were all cast in a play.  A script was written for us to learn, and we were all to play the parts of students in this grand production of graduation in 2013.  We knew that we would have to memorize our lines.  In other words, we’d have to ingrain into our minds our complicated physics formulas, our monotonous dates in history and our Sisyphean vocabulary definitions that we thought we’d never use.  This is the part that nobody actually wanted to do but we did it anyway, knowing that this grand production of graduation would depend on it…  What we didn’t know was that the lessons we’ve learned, the relationships we’ve built and the memories we’ve formed during this rehearsal process and off-stage will be what will live with us forever.”     

Salutatorian Sarah Beaudoin emphasized a similar theme, focusing on the interpersonal ties the class members established with one another.  “We’ve all learned a lot of important information.  Most of what we learned we will use, other things maybe not as much.  But over the past four years, I think we’ve learned something that all of us will use.  Some of us have known each other for a very short time – a year or two, or maybe even less.  And some of us have known each other for our entire lives…  No matter how long we’ve known each other, we’ve all created different bonds and different relationships with one another.  Some of these relationships will last forever.  Some won’t last after we leave here today, or go off to college.  However, we will always know, even after we do leave, that we will still have those bonds, those memories, those friendships, and they won’t just go away.”

At the ceremony’s conclusion, the new graduates followed the school’s long tradition by forming a large circle at the center of the field, then collectively tossing their caps into the air in one last act of joyful solidarity.

DHS Softball earns 7-5 triumph in postseason thriller

In the opening round of state tournament play on Friday, the Marauders scored four times by batting around the order in the top of the sixth, regaining a lead they would not relinquish in a 7-5 victory over host Medfield on a hot afternoon at Shonda Schilling Field.

Entering with an 11-9 record as the #18 seed in the Division 2 South sectional against the 15th seeded hosts (12-8 regular season), the visitors jumped out to a 3-0 advantage in the top of the third. Leadoff batter Kristina Mitchell beat out a grounder, then Brianna Dozier (single, RBI, stolen base, run) reached on an error as Mitchell advanced to third and Dozier took second on the throw in.

The next batter, Jenn Wadman (run), put down a squeeze bunt which the Warrior pitcher, sophomore righthander Jackie Flint (7 IP, 11 H, 7 R, 1 BB, 4 K, 117 pitches), fielded and threw home to nab Mitchell. Co-captain Katie Nosky (single, walk, RBI) lined to deep center to drive in Dozier who tagged up from third. Mitchell took third on the play and scored her team’s second run when the fielders made a miscue on the relay back to the diamond. The following hitter, Sam Girard (triple, run), connected for a triple just inside the right field line, then made it home on an errant throw.

Starting pitcher Amanda Carilli (6 IP, 10 H, 4 R, 3 BB, 2 K, 107 pitches) shut down the hosts through the first two innings, making a key play in the field in the first with two baserunners aboard when she fielded a squibber and threw to Mitchell for the third out. In the second the home team loaded the bases on a single, walk and soft liner that popped out of Wadman’s glove into foul territory, but the Marauder third baseman ranged left to field the next batter’s grounder and fired to Mitchell to keep the ballgame scoreless.

Medfield tied it up in the home half of the third. The leadoff hitter lined a double to right-center, then the next batter hit a deep fly ball to straightaway center. Meaghan Paton (2 singles, stolen base, run) could not track it down, crashing into the fence in the process. She got up and threw the ball back to the infield, but the runner’s speed earned her an inside-the-park home run. Marauder Head Coach Erika Eisenhut went out to check on the center fielder, who indicated she was OK and remained in the game.

With one out the Warriors hit a double to right-center, then scored on a single to left before Carilli induced a ground ball to second base to get out of the inning with the score at 3-3.

The Marauders went 1-2-3 in the top of the fourth, as Flint needed just eight pitches to retire the side. In an unusual circumstance, Carilli moved to first base for the bottom of the fourth and Mitchell went to center as Paton (1 IP, 2 H, 1 R, 2 BB, 1 K, 33 pitches) worked a brief stint and got out of a jam yielding just one run.

Medfield led off with a triple to right, then a pitch got away from Dedham’s battery to make it a 4-3 contest in the hosts’ favor. That batter singled to center, and the next two batters drew walks to load the bases. Paton fell behind the ensuing hitter with three straight balls, but then whipped in two consecutive strikes and coaxed a groundout on the full count.

Carilli retook the mound to start the fifth, with Paton and Mitchell returing to their original positions. After the first batter singled to center, catcher Girard almost picked off the ensuing pinch runner at first on several quick attempts to Mitchell.

The sixth inning would prove decisive. In the top of the frame the Marauders batted around to plate four runs and regain the lead. Nosky started the rally with a single up the middle, and Kristina’s sister Caroline Mitchell (run) came on as a pinch runner. With one out Mitchell stole second to reach scoring position, then moved up to third on Paton’s base hit to center.

On the next pitch Paton swiped second uncontested, and on an 0-1 count Colleen Downing (2 doubles, single, 2 RBI, run) connected for a two-bagger to left to drive in both runners and put the Marauders ahead 5-4. The DHS junior made a big turn around second, and reached third by evading the third baseman’s tag after the latter had taken a few steps toward shortstop to field the throw back to the infield.

Designated batter Gina Reid (single, RBI) reached on a chopper up the middle to plate Downing, and Elizabeth Balzarini entered as a pinch runner. Mary St. Cyr (run) hit a fielder’s choice for a 6-4 groundout, sprinting down the first base line to prevent a double play. Kristina Mitchell (single, double) followed with a double to right that moved St. Cyr to third. The next hitter, Dozier, beat out a grounder to short that allowed the runner at third to score her team’s seventh run. Wadman then hit a line drive but the second baseman snared it.

In the bottom of the sixth Carilli yielded a leadoff single, followed by a walk. The runners advanced as the next pitch got loose, and a fly to deep left made it 7-5. Nosky’s throw in to shortstop Dozier held the runner at second. Carilli got ahead in the count 0-2 on the ensuing batter, who on the third pitch hit a low liner to shallow right. Downing raced in to make a sliding catch, then relayed to Dozier to double off the runner and keep the visitors ahead.

With two outs in the top of the seventh, Paton lined a single to left and Downing followed with a hit to center to move her teammate up a base. But Flint retired the next batter on a 5-3 grounder to set the stage for the bottom of the seventh and final regulation inning.

 The leadoff hitter stroked a double to left on what looked to be one of Carilli’s few offspeed deliveries. But the Dedham righthander bore down to induce a grounder to shortstop. Mitchell may have come off the bag a bit to catch the throw but in the process she tagged the runner out. Carilli fanned the next batter for the second out. With a full count, the ensuing hitter smashed a rocket back up the middle but the Marauder hurler reacted instantaneously to catch it and give her team a victory in dramatic style.

Afterward Coach Eisenhut praised every DHS player for contributing, and also gave credit to the hosts. “We knew it would be a hitting game both ways. We knew they could hit the ball, we know we can hit the ball on a good day. We had our bats out today. I’m very happy with the way we played. Some things to work on are just executing, getting sacrifice bunts down, because we failed on that a couple of times and in order to beat good teams and the best teams, we definitely have to be sharper there.”

She explained her reasoning for the mid-game pitching substitutions. “It’s definitely a nice luxury to have the two of them, if nothing else to mix it up and break the flow, which is really what we did with Amanda being pulled out the first time,” she said. “It’s nice, too, we can keep everyone in the game and just shift things around, we don’t have to mess with the batting order. Then from Meaghan’s collision with the fence I think we had a little hand issue. That only lasted an inning because she was injured, so we were able to move her right back without any problem.”

She discussed the squad’s resilience in bouncing back from a 4-3 deficit. “We are a young team, so sometimes that can get you down and sometimes this year, to be honest, it has gotten us down. For them to pull through in the tournament is the time we want them to pull through. So props to them for sticking in it.”

Coach Eisenhut recognized the trio of seniors – co-captains Gina Reid, Katie Nosky and Mary St. Cyr – for acting as role models for the younger players. “We have great senior leadership. They’re the type of kids that are going to go out and work their butts off every day. Katie Nosky dove for a foul ball she had no chance of catching, but she dove anyway. Gina came up with big hits. And Mary’s been solid for us all year,” she said. “They’re great kids with great dedication, and absolutely set a great example for the type of mindset we should have.”

After the win, Nosky talked about the squad’s performance. “We played as a team. This was, I think, the first game of the season where we really came out and left everything on the field,” she said. “Our pitchers did their job, our defense did their job, and at the plate everyone did their job.”

The Marauders next play at 4 p.m. on Saturday at #2 seeded Norton (17-3). Coach Eisenhut outlined her team’s mindset. “Right now, everyone’s even. Everything else in the season was practice. Now we’ve just got to come out and execute, pick up on those little things that I talked about earlier. I’ve seen some of Norton’s scores, I’ve seen their score with Medfield, obviously, and I’ve been told we can play with them. So I believe in it.”  

The field is at Norton High School, located at 66 West Main Street. For updates on the tournament, visit www.miaa.net.

DSC holds State of the Square meeting

 
At Deli After Dark on Monday evening, several dozen attendees mingled over drinks for about 45 minutes, then Dedham Square Circle held its annual State of the Square meeting. The session served to mark progress made over the past year, recognize several individuals for outstanding service, re-elect a slate of officers and outline plans for the upcoming twelve months.
 
As a screen displayed images of people and names associated with the Square, President Susie McIntosh discussed the past year in the downtown district. “We’ve really made a lot of progress. The best is yet to come.” She added that the ‘Dedham Square Open for Business’ campaign was helping inform people that merchants are keeping their shops going even as the infrastructure improvement proceeds.
 
Executive Director Amy Haelsen discussed the Dedham Square Improvement Project (DSIP) in further depth. “The projected completion date is in October,” she said, noting that recent repair work has been done by NStar to replace gas mains but is not directly related to DSIP. Haelsen said the focus now will be on business recruitment, including pursuit of three new liquor licenses to attract additional restaurants. She said no specific locations for those prospective licenses have been determined. “We’re modeling after downtown Needham and Roslindale Square.”
 
Chairman Peter Reynolds talked of the past and the future. He recalled visiting nearby communities with Paul McMurtry eight years ago to learn about their downtowns. He praised Dedham Square for its beauty, then addressed the struggles independent merchants are facing. “Main Street is an endangered species,” he said, describing his visits to communities around America where people tell him, ‘ We don’t have a downtown, we have a strip mall.’ “The downtown needs to be protected,” Reynolds said. “We have to start letting the world know how amazing it is. Part of our mission is to put Dedham on the map. It’s a well-kept secret, a lot of people have told me that.” He said a new publicity effort would be launched around the theme ‘It’s All There in Dedham Square.’ He also lauded artist Kerry Hawkins for designing a new logo for the group.
 
McIntosh announced a selection of the comments for improvement made on the post-it notes, as she stuck them to a large board. Concepts included a place to play checkers/chess outside, a ‘Dedham Trail’ modeled on Boston’s Freedom Trail, a ‘Spooky Dedham’ tour at Halloween, more sit-down restaurants and retail shops, a women’s boutique, free public WiFi and  additional events for college students.
 
DSC then recognized seven individuals as Stars of the Square. They were Bob Desmond and Grady McGuire for their service at the Farmers’ Market, volunteer and merchant Gay Read, merchant Peter Levangie, James Joyce Ramble Director Martin Hanley, Dedham Square property owner Bob Schortmann and Selectman Mike Butler. Reynolds thanked auto dealer Ernie Boch Jr. for supporting the refurbishment of the gymnasium at Dedham Community House and the Ramble.
 
Several raffle prizes were distributed. They were a Dedham Square Circle cup with original logo won by Peter Smith, a Dedham Rocks t-shirt for Sarah Pope, two tickets to the Community Theatre for Kathy Schortmann, a gift certificate to Ron’s Gourmet Ice Cream for Leslie Griesmer, a gift certificate to The Blue Bunny to Vicky Kruckeberg, and one year membership or a fixed amount of research at Dedham Historical Society to Peter Levangie.
 
Reynolds closed the meeting with an appeal for all the attendees to spread the good news about the Square. “This is actually related to the past. This is worth saving, this is community. Let’s teach our children that this is important.”
 
The re-elected slate is: Peter Reynolds, Chairman; Susie McIntosh, President; Michelle Apuzzio, Vice President and Clerk; Russell Stamm, Treasurer; Board of Directors Adina Astor, Brenda Carlson, Steve Carlson, Ange Cavallo, Dawn Ide-Austin, Danielle Jurdan, Melanie King, Paul McMurtry, Diana Nicholson, Louise Reohr.
 
Shown here is Square Circle Vice President and Clerk Michelle Apuzzio speaking as President Susie McIntosh listens.

Dozens enjoy Civic Pride Gala at MIT Endicott House

On a warm spring evening on Friday, May 10, dozens of guests attended Dedham Civic Pride’s 9th Annual Spring Gala, held at MIT Endicott House. The event featured a buffet, hors d’oeuvres, a wine pull, a silent auction and a live auction conducted by Selectman Paul Reynolds. Several members of Dedham Square Artist Guild contributed items to the function, including Kerry Hawkins who provided photograph-posters and Dennis Stein, Marietta Apollonio and Sue Hoy who displayed works of art. Proceeds from the gathering benefited Friends of Dedham Civic Pride, the financial arm of DCP, which strives to beautify the town’s public spaces. 

Sponsors included Norfolk & Dedham Goup, Dedham Institution for Savings, Blue Hills Bank, Needham Bank, Dedham Health and Athletic Complex, Grogan & Company, Hope McDermott Real Estate, KW Insurance Agency, Roche Brothers, Stop and Shop Supermarket Company, Whole Foods Market Dedham, Bartlett Tree Service, BETA Group Inc., Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage, Dalzell Motor Co., Dedham Gas – Bridge Street Autobody, Dedham Veterinary Associates and Boston Veterinary Specialists, Donahue Real Estate Company, Eurotech Painting, Fed Corp, George F. Doherty & Sons Funeral Homes, JD Home Improvement, Keldara Salon and Day Spa, MacFarlane Energy, Roger and Michelle Marino, Michael McKenna Electric, McKinney Bros. Tree Service, National Amusements, NewBridge on the Charles, Nobles Day Camp, Perennial Garden Design, Printmaster Inc., Sandborg Plumbing, Schortmann Insurance Agency, Sign Language Signs, Soldevilla Lawn and Landscape, Supreme Development Inc., Vogt Realty Group, Walley Insurance, Law Offices of Winbourne Hampe & Sheehan, Anne Francis Photography, Fine Estates of Spain, Kim Ryan of Donahue Real Estate Company.

Shown here are DCP Co-President Amy Black and Member Kiki Trahon on the mansion’s patio.

Fire Departments of Dedham and Westwood honored by Selectmen

At the Board of Selectmen’s meeting on Thursday, May 9, the Fire Departments of Dedham and Westwood were recognized for successfully rescuing a 17-year-old male from a swamp off East Street on the night of Friday, March 1st.

Each member of the board praised the fourteen individuals – nine from this town and five from Westwood – involved in retrieving the victim through hundreds of feet of chest-deep water to save him from hypothermia. Selectman Jim MacDonald said he heard about the rescue on a dispatch radio as it was being conducted. “They really had a struggle on their hands. That individual was lucky he had professionals who are trained.” His colleagues on the board expressed similar appreciation for the efforts of the firefighters on that occasion and for their vital service to the public on a daily basis. 

The firefighters earned three awards: a certificate presented by Dedham Acting Fire Chief William Spillane, a commendation presented by Selectman Chairman Michael Butler, and a plaque presented by Liberty Mutual Insurance of Westwood Senior Branch Manager Patrick Powers.

The members of the Dedham Fire Department recognized were: Acting Chief Spillane, Acting Deputy Chief Jim Neilan, Fire Lieutenant Stephen Lynch, Acting Fire Lieutenant Michael Lessard, Firefighter Paul McLeish, Firefighter Jared Blaney, Firefighter Jerry Bradbury, Firefighter Stephen Burke and Firefighter Robert Spillane. In addition, five members of the Westwood Fire Department were congratulated for their assistance.

[Note: Three of the individuals honored were not present at the ceremony.]

Precincts 2-7, 1 split in Senate primary vote

Shown above: On election night last Tuesday at Moseley’s-on-the-Charles, with his wife Margaret by his side, Congressman Stephen F. Lynch concedes the Democratic primary to his colleague Congressman Edward J. Markey. 

by Ethan Faust

            Following up on the results of last week’s U.S. Senate primaries, The Dedham Times went to two cafes in the Square this week to ask people their thoughts on the April 30 election and the current campaign. Specifically, we were interested in the reasons why Dedham’s vote in the Democratic primary diverged from that of the state and many of its neighboring towns, whereas on the Republican side the town mirrored the commonwealth.

            In Dedham, US Representative Stephen Lynch received almost double the votes that the winner of the primary, US Representative Edward Markey, captured. But in some communities just a few miles away, Markey ran away with the Democratic tally. For the GOP, investor Gabriel Gomez won a narrow plurality over former US Attorney Michael Sullivan, with State Representative Daniel Winslow a distant third here. Gomez, in his first run for office since he was defeated in his bid for the Cohasset Board of Selectmen, earned a statewide majority.

            We caught up with Stephen MacDougall, a Dedham firefighter and resident of the Riverdale neighborhood, at Mocha Java on Tuesday morning. He explained his own position and analyzed the regional pattern. MacDougall noted Lynch had similar voting numbers to Dedham in towns like Norwood and Waltham, but that in Newton, Needham and Wellesley, the tide turned the opposite way.

            “It was kind of expected I guess. But I didn’t think the numbers were going to be like that. I didn’t think it was going to be that much of a shellacking.”  

            MacDougall also predicted a close race between Markey and Gomez. “Markey has a race on his hands more than you’d think with Gomez. I’ve already seen a lot of places where people had Lynch signs that now have Gomez signs. I noticed that right off the bat.”

            We spoke next with Jim DeCorsi of Roslindale, a retired union worker and Lynch supporter, outside of Mimi’s II Newsstand. He said he hadn’t yet decided on who to vote for in June. “The guy on the Republican side [Gomez] seems like he might be a pretty good candidate. I’m kind of on the fence, but I am disappointed Lynch lost.”

            Richard Walsh of Dover was working on his Blackberry over coffee at the bagel shop. He described Gomez as a worthy candidate because “he’s going to take a new approach, a purposeful approach. He doesn’t have that many years in politics and I think that will help the process.”

            Looking into the reasons behind why Dedham voted more like Norwood than like Needham and Newton, we examined data from the 2008 Massachusetts Census to try and find any trends. One evident result, which has appeared numerous times in prior local, statewide and federal races, is that Precinct 1 and Precincts 2-7 have distinct preferences, as Lynch handily carried six Precincts but Markey’s triumph in Precinct 1 was just as decisive.

            One notable pattern was the difference in the percent of residents aged 25 or older with a Bachelor’s degree or higher. In Dedham and Norwood the figure was around 35%, but in Needham and Newton those statistics were closer to 65%. That may not be a definitive reason for the voting distinctions, but it catches the eye.

            While the amount of registered Democratic voters are similar between these communities, they might be looking at issues from different sides of the coin, as per capita income also diverged. In Dedham and Norwood, the per capita income in 2008 was around $28,000, while in Newton and Needham it approached $45,000.

Enjoying Mother’s Day Tea at Allin Congregational Church

On Sunday, May 5, dozens of ladies gathered at Allin Congregational Church for the sixth annual Mother’s Day Tea. Organized by Dedham Junior Woman’s Club (DJWC), the event was founded by Ellen Burns. Attendees – who included Peg Lexander, a member of the original DJWC – brought an assortment of refreshments such as diced fruit, sandwiches and pastries as well as brightly colored raffle baskets including a gardening kit, teddy bear and flower arrangements.

Proceeds from the function benefit Women’s Lunch Place, a shelter in Boston’s Back Bay neighborhood providing meals, clothing and other services to women in need. Mara Gorden, co-chair of the committee planning the tea, gave brief remarks at the luncheon’s start. She said, “We love having this event to celebrate the special women in our lives.”