Region Roundup: Kennedy Launches Campaign; Adventure Park; Health Insurance (And More…)

Soldier Stationed in Afghanistan Speaks with 2nd Graders at Stoughton’s South School [VIDEO]

Lt. Col. John Lee of the Army National Guard recently spoke with second graders at the South Elementary School via Skype while stationed in Afghanistan. Lt. Col. Lee, a Sharon resident, and his infantry returned home to the States on February 9.

The second graders in Barbara Mills (his mother-in-law) and Jess Rosenthal’s classes at the South asked Lt. Col. Lee a variety of questions—everything from what the weather was like over there to what Afghan children did for fun to why he was over there to where he sleeps to if he felt safe.

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Kennedy Kicks off Campaign With Day-Long Tour of District

After officially announcing on his webpage Thursday morning that he would run for United States Congress in District 4, Joe Kennedy III toured the area, making stops in Newton, Milford, and Attleboro on his way to Taunton and Westport.

The Brookline Democrat is looking to serve the district now represented by outgoing Congressman Barney Frank, also a Democrat.

Kennedy is the son of former Congressman Joe Kennedy and the grandson of Senator Robert Kennedy, but the 31-year-old former Middlesex assistant district attorney hopes to create his own identity on the campaign trail.

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Residents Say 'Leave It' to Leavitt On Pheeny's Island Park [POLL]

Over 100 people turned out for the Pheeny’s Island public hearing Monday night, many of them voicing their strong opinions against the proposed adventure park in Norton.

Currently the island is for sale by a private owner.

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It’s Not Scary to be Green

Easton residents Kristi Marsh and Rachel Vidoni appeared at Ames Free Library to publicize a new, eco-friendly book, “Little Changes: Tales of a Reluctant Home Eco-momics Pioneer.”

Published just last month, it’s a story about Marsh, who discovered she had breast cancer at the age of 36, and the small ways she changed her life to adopt a healthier lifestyle.

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Sharon Employees Say Health Insurance Proposal Hurts Them

Sharon officials proposed municipal health insurance changes at their Wednesday meeting. They project reducing the health plan's cost by $655,212 for the fiscal year starting July 1.

Sharon employees countered that the move will hurt them financially through higher co-pays.

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Mansfield's Advantage Appliance Thriving in Big Store Competition

Mansfield's Advantage Appliance owner Neil Speroni has been in the appliance business for over 30 years, and if one thing has taught him anything at all he said it's that service matters. It’s how he competes with the big box stores.

Advantage Appliance has been in Mansfield for over 16 years now, and shows no signs of stopping. In a store where customers usually come in to buy appliances for a remodeling of their home, the store itself has now remodeled and increased their floor space by about 1,500 square feet.

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Aaron Calixte Joins Stoughton High’s 1,000-Point Club as Junior [VIDEO]

Calixte, a tri-captain on the Stoughton High boys’ basketball team, scored 32 points in Stoughton’s 72-52 home win over Canton on Tuesday, pushing him past the 1,000-point mark. Calixte, just a junior, is only the 13th player overall in Stoughton High history—boy or girl—to reach this scoring plateau.

Oliver Ames senior tri-captain Nick Bruha reached the milestone earlier this season.

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