SchoolCom: More discussion ahead before consolidation of buildings becomes final

By Carol Britton Meyer

In response to what School Committee Chair Stephanie Peters called “some confusion out there,” at Monday night’s committee meeting she referred anyone with questions about the committee’s Sept. 12 vote to accept the recommendation by the Best Educational Use of School Facilities Ad Hoc Committee to consolidate Hull’s schools to review the minutes.

Known as Option 4, the recommendation calls for realigning the Hull Public Schools’ grade structure to place K-7 at the Jacobs Elementary School and grades 8-12 at the high school. The Memorial School would become available for other uses but would no longer be a middle school.

The minutes read: “[Superintendent of Schools] Ms. Kuehn rehashed the process we went through with the Best Educational Use of School Facilities and how the MARS Group and the Ad Hoc Committee came to the same recommendation of Option #4. Ms. Peters stated that the School Committee discussed it briefly at the summer retreat, and in the short- term they agree on option #4, preK-7 at Jacobs School and 8-12 at Hull High School. She said, it was determined that they would keep this item on the agenda and send emails to School Committee members [that SC members would send their questions to Kuehn], and Ms. Kuehn and [School Business Manager] Ms. [Diane] Saniuk can put them together and answer them. . . . Ms. Peters stated that they will take steps, not giant leaps, for a year. Committee members discussed the need to move forward and take a formal vote. There was also a short discussion regarding an MOA or contract with the town.”

At that meeting, a motion to accept the MARS Group and Ad Hoc Committee’s recommendation of choosing option #4 was made by David Twombly and seconded by Ernest Minelli. The vote was 5-0. A replay of the meeting is available at hulltv.net.

The purpose of the Best Educational Use of School Facilities report by the MARS Group was to evaluate the educational adequacy of the three school buildings and determine what is in the best interests of Hull students.

“It’s been a three-year process,” Superintendent Judith Kuehn said.

She noted that the BEUSF will be on the school committee agenda for every meeting and that there is a link to the MARS report on the Hull Public Schools website.

“We’re only in the first phase,” Kuehn said. “There is no MOU yet.”

She noted that the middle school will be open during the 2023-24 school year and that there will be no staffing changes. School committee members will continue to send their questions and any concerns about option 4 to Kuehn for discussion at upcoming meetings.

Peters emphasized that there is no intention to “diminish” the work of the ad hoc committee when school committee members ask questions, “but we want to be sure the public knows we have done our due diligence.”

Peters and Kuehn will work together to come up with a plan to discuss sections of the MARS report at upcoming meetings to give the public an opportunity to ask further questions beyond the many earlier ad hoc committee meetings with stakeholders, including parents, staff, and members of the community.

Peters said it’s important that the committee “is transparent. There’s a lot of good information in the MARS report, but people may not have read it.”

She also suggested a meeting involving school principals to talk about the “interaction between 12-year-olds and 19-year-olds [Hull High School seniors]” if option 4 moves forward and grades 8-12 are in the same building.

Committee Member Kyle Conley said she would “love to get input from students along the way. We’ve already heard from them – but when we’re making the final decision.”

Committee member David Twombly suggested holding a meeting at the middle school to discuss issues related to potential consolidation with the students.

Officials plan to visit the new Chapman Middle School in Weymouth to get ideas about furnishings and other considerations and to think about how to bring some of what that new school offers to Hull students.

At some point, Twombly said, “there will need to be an intersection of the school committee, [Town Manager] Phil Lemnios, and the select board to talk about financing and various decisions that need to be made to ensure that we are all on the same page.”

Consolidation of the three HPS into two buildings would leave the door open for the repurposing of the middle school for potential educational and municipal uses.

Even though there have been opportunities for public input throughout the process, Peters said the additional school committee discussions “will give us credibility. We can put an asterisk beside the agenda items as to which sections of the MARS report will be discussed. These meetings will be really public and [aired live on] TV.”

Conley acknowledged all the work ad hoc committee members put into its recent report recommending option 4.

“A lot of information is already available,” she said. “We don’t want to spin our wheels around the same questions with answers that are already clearly established.”

At the same time, she believes that additional discussions at SC meetings where citizens can continue to be “part of the process” is a good idea.

While Twombly said it may seem like a repeat of what’s already been discussed, he thinks people will watch school committee meetings who may not have attended the ad hoc meetings.

“We will take a final vote once everything is vetted. It’s a big decision,” Peters said. “My message is for the community to start paying attention.”

Twombly agreed.

“The train is leaving the station,” he said.

Temple to mark New Year, Yom Kippur with days of celebration and reflection

Submitted by Rabbi Joshua Grossman

Temple Beth Sholom

Shanah Tovah oo’mitukah! We at Temple Beth Sholom wish everyone a happy and sweet New Year.

During the past month, we found ourselves deep in preparation for this powerful and meaningful time. Our buildings were prepared beautifully with our special holiday curtains and Torah covers. We use white in place of our standard colorful covers to signify purity and a fresh start that is gifted to everyone this time of year. Throughout the Holy Days, we hear the sound of the shofar, a ram’s horn whose piercing sound reverberates in synagogues across the globe, ushering a New Year, a time of renewal and hope.

Rosh Hashanah begins a period known as the 10 Days of Awe, a time for introspection, a time to face ourselves, a time to make amends with those we may have offended, and acknowledge that we have made mistakes. In the early evening of the first day of Rosh Hashanah, we hold our Tashlich service on the sand of the beach, where we ceremonially cast away past misdeeds, remembering that sins are not character flaws, rather they are mistakes that we regret and resolve to not repeat.

We also look ahead to Yom Kippur, our Day of Atonement Tuesday night through Wednesday, Oct. 4 and 5. We will fast from sunset to sunset, taking in neither food nor water. It is a profoundly moving day of deep self-reflection, when we attempt once more to recognize our failures, correct our wrongs from the past year, and return our faith to God through teshuvah – repentance, tefilah – prayer, and tzedakh – charity.

We will begin our Yom Kippur observance with a kosher dinner at Temple Beth Sholom Tuesday at 4:30 p.m. My father, Rabbi David Grossman, and I will lead services through song, prayer, and discourse beginning with Kol Nidre Tuesday evening at  6 p.m. at the sanctuary at Temple Israel. Services will begin Wednesday morning at 9 a.m. and will continue throughout the day. We will end with a community Break the Fast.

We look forward to seeing you all, and sharing in both the celebratory and reflective services and events in our temple home here in Hull over the next month and all year long.

Shanah tovah!

Temple announces Holy Day services

Temple Beth Sholom has posted its schedule of services for the High Holy Days.

On Saturday, Oct.1 at 9:30 a.m., Shabbat morning services and Kiddush will be held at the Temple Israel Sanctuary.

On Tuesday, Oct, 4, Erev Yom Kippur at 6 p.m. Evening Ma’ariv Service and Kol Nidre at the Temple Israel Sanctuary.

On Wednesday, Oct. 5, Yom Kippur at the Temple Israel Sanctuary

Morning Shacharit Service at 9 a.m.

Yizkor Memorial Service at 11 a.m.

Afternoon Discussion at 4 p.m.

Minchah, Neilah and Ma’ariv at 5 p.m.

Followed by a Community “Break the Fast”

Children’s Services High Holy Days Schedule: Yom Kippur, Wednesday, Oct. 5, Morning Service 11 a.m. to noon.

Call the Temple office at 781-925-0091 to find out about becoming a member, or to order seats for the High Holy Days. The temple’s website is www.tbshull.org.

The Temple Beth Sholom Book Group, TBS Reads will meet Thursday, Oct. 13 to discuss the first two chapters of “Witness: Lesson From Elie Wiesel’s Classroom,” by Ariel Burger. Kosher snacks of crudités with humus and a dessert will be provided. The Hull Public Library has reserved several copies of the book for your convenience. Meet in the Sukkah at Temple Beth Sholom, 600 Nantasket Ave. Open to members and non-members. Please wear a mask if you are not fully vaccinated.

New committee to address ‘existential challenge’ of climate change, sea level rise

By Carol Britton Meyer

The select board approved this week the establishment of a Climate Adaptation Committee and a Climate Adaptation Working Group “to strengthen the community and promote civic engagement through informed and coordinated policy development for climate change adaptation” at the request of Department of Climate Adaptation and Conservation Director Chris Krahforst.

The committee is charged with reviewing new climate change information and the town’s adaptation policies, projects, and future plans, to receive an annual progress report from the working group, and to provide feedback and input.

The overall goal is to discuss ways to mitigate the impacts of flooding and other consequences of climate change and sea level rise on the community and to further educate the public about these issues.

The committee will be comprised of members appointed by the select board, advisory board, conservation commission, council on aging, light board, planning board, and the permanent sewer commission.

The working group will convene quarterly, or more frequently as needed, to review adaptation implementation measures and current projects and planning and to integrate mid- and long-term planning for climate change impacts into hazard mitigation, emergency response, floodplain development, storm damage protection, and infrastructure repairs and improvements. The working group will report annually to the Committee on Climate Adaptation.

The working group will consist of department heads or appointees from the community development and planning and climate adaptation and conservation departments, the sewer department, building department, emergency management/Hull Fire Department, Hull Police Department, town management, the DPW, council on aging and light plant directors, and the school department. Their work will involve identifying capital projects and programs to address climate change/sea level rise and to develop strategies under Krahforst’s direction.

This work is supported by a Metropolitan Area Planning Council technical assistance grant.

“It’s important to have a structure in place to create a clearinghouse for our climate work and to set priorities,” Town Manager Philip Lemnios said at Wednesday’s select board meeting.

Last February during a conservation department presentation, Krahforst told the select board that it’s time to take seriously the current future potential impacts of climate change and sea level rise on Hull.

Among the conservation department’s highest priorities, Krahforst said at that time, are Nantasket Beach and the dune system, maintaining the seawalls, nourishing the beach for enhanced protection, improving outreach and communication to Hull’s most vulnerable populations, and developing alternative energy sources for the town to address both resilience and the need for climate mitigation. Some of this work is already under way.

Lemnios noted as an example that a Federal Emergency Management Agency grant will fund a berm around the sewer treatment plant to help prevent flooding.

“There’s a recognition that there is an existential challenge to our community, and we need to coordinate a strategy,” he said.

Select Board Chair Jennifer Constable encouraged both groups to engage in public education and communication around climate resiliency issues.

“People are becoming more aware of sea level rise and the impact of [potential] category 4 hurricanes and wondering how to be prepared,” Constable said. “This is an important part of this work.”

Still time to register to ‘Stand in the Sand’ to support diversity, equity, and inclusion

Submitted by the Hull No Place for Hate Committee

The Hull No Place For Hate Committee has been working around the clock to get the word out –  on Sunday, Oct. 16, between 11:30 a.m. and 2 p.m. at the Mary Jeannette Murray Bathhouse, our committee will host its third Take a Stand in the Sand, and we invite all of our neighbors and friends to join us!

As mentioned in the Sept. 8 issue of The Hull Times, the idea to “take a stand in the sand” came from founding Hull No Place For Hate member Sumner Goldberg when he recalled an experience when his military unit spelled out its unit number and took a photo from the guard tower. He shared this photo with the other committee members and a seed was planted. Hence, the Take a Stand in the Sand on Nantasket Beach was born.

We are excited that we have confirmation from several local businesses, including California Underground, Hull Lifesaving Museum, Hull Physical Therapy, L Street Pizza, Nantasket Eye Care, Nantasket Pharmacy, Safe Harbor Sunset Bay Marina, Shipwreck’d, South Shore Cycles, and others to be announced.

By the way, you don’t have to work for a local business to form a team. For example, “The C Street Gang,” a team of neighbors, will be there along with Hull-Nantasket Rotary Club, Hull Artists, and several family teams. Members of the select board will be in attendance and we are waiting to hear back from several others.

We want to thank Nantasket Eye Care Associates for its generous donation to this event. Shout-out to Baby Squid Ink, which is making “Take a Stand in the Sand” T-shirts so folks can find committee members in the crowd. We also want to thank all of the businesses that are showing their support by hanging posters, including Breadbasket Bakery, Crave, Jake’s Seafood, Pet Parlor, Little Shop of Paula’s, A Street Liquors, To Dine For, Tourist Trap/Good Geeks, Kenberma Food Mart, Family Dry Cleaning, Nantasket Hardware, Saltwater Diner, Toast, and Hull Auto Repair. We appreciate you!

Hull No Place For Hate is super excited that Hull’s own SeaWitch and Obscure Notation will be performing, as well as a yet-to-be-announced high school band. We’re also honored to have Sen. Patrick O’Connor and State Rep. Joan Meschino share some words with us.

We won’t go hungry, either! Paragon Boardwalk will be providing our event volunteers with pizza and beverages. During the event, the South Shore Taco Guy will be on site. Shout out to Weinberg’s Bakery for providing us with hot chocolate to keep us warm.

All of this excitement will be captured by Hull’s one and only Al Coombs. Won’t you join us?
We can’t say enough how much we’d love for all of our community members to join us in Taking a Stand in the Sand. Here is how you can sign up:
RSVP at https://bit.ly/hullforall (or use the QR code). Though not required, RSVPing will get you updates and helps us with planning.

Here’s how to take part:

Register as a team. Your organization, business, family, neighborhood, or group of friends can form a full or partial letter.

Register as an individual. No team? No problem. RSVP or just come on the day; there’s a spot for you. Please invite family, friends, and neighbors, too.

Be a runner. We need runners to help coordinate with event organizers to ensure the letters are lined up properly.

We also need other volunteers. Put in a comment in the RSVP form if you would like to volunteer.

In the meantime, on the day of the event, check in at the reception table to locate your position. We will continue to feature newly onboarded teams in our updates in The Hull Times and on our social media @hullnpfh on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.

We can’t wait to see some familiar faces and make some new friends!

Town to name street near war memorial ‘General Neal Way’ on Veterans Day

By Carol Britton Meyer

The late Richard I. “Butch” Neal, a Hull native and retired four-star Marine Corps general, will be honored on Veterans Day when the unnamed section street on the north side of the war memorial will be named “General Neal Way” at the request of the War Memorial Commission.

General Richard ‘Butch’ Neal

The dedication will take place on Friday, Nov. 11, with more details to come after the Select Board supported the request this week. Neal died on June 17, just three days prior to his 80th birthday.

The commission voted to request naming the section of road, an extension of Phipps Street which connects Samoset Avenue and Nantasket Avenue at Monument Square, at its meeting last month. Chair Paul Dunphy attended Wednesday’s select board meeting and noted that three members of the commission grew up with Neal.

“He’s another Hull kid who made good,” he said. “We have our own four-star general.”

After graduating from Hull High School, Neal continued his education at Northeastern University, majoring in history and education. Following his graduation from college in 1965, he was commissioned as a second lieutenant in the Marine Corps.

During the next 35 years, Neal served two tours in Vietnam. While serving in the Marines, Neal graduated from the National War College and earned his M.Ed. from Tulane University.

During Operation Desert Storm, he served as the Deputy Director of Operations under General Norman Schwarzkopf, as well as Central Command Briefer, where he could be seen daily at national press briefings updating the country on the Persian Gulf War. He was promoted to four-star general in 1996 and appointed Assistant Commandant of the Marine Corps.

Neal’s decorations included the Defense Distinguished Service Medal, Silver Star Medal with Gold Star, the Defense Superior Service Medal with Palm, Bronze Star Medal with Combat “V,” Purple Heart, Navy Commendation Medal, Navy Achievement Medal, and the Combat Action Ribbon.

Following retirement from the Marine Corps, Neal served as a senior mentor in the Marines and as a senior fellow for the National Defense University’s Capstone Course, which includes the training of all newly selected brigadier generals and rear admirals.

Select Board Chair Jennifer Constable thanked Dunphy for his service and his “consistent support of [his] fellow servicemen.”

Select Board member Domenico Sestito acknowledged Neal’s service to our country.

“It’s an honor to live in the same town that he lived in,” he said.

Nantasket Beach walk fundraiser on Oct. 9 to raise awareness of PANS/PANDAS advocacy

FALL FUNDRAISER. A fundraising walk along Nantasket Beach on Columbus Day weekend will raise awareness of PANS/PANDAS, an autoimmune disease that often is misdiagnosed. Hull’s Jennifer Whelan, far right, is one of the event’s organizers. [Courtesy photo]

By Carol Britton Meyer

An Oct. 9 walk along Nantasket Beach aims to raise awareness of the life-altering auto-immune disorder PANS/PANDAS, as well as raise funds for its education and advocacy group with local ties, according to one of the event’s organizers, Jennifer Whelan of Hull.

The first Awareness Day Walk will support the New England PANS/PANDAS Association, a group of parent and medical volunteers who provide education and advocacy about this disease.

PANS and PANDAS occur when misdirected immune responses to infections cause inflammation of the brain, resulting in severe symptoms that can include, but are not limited to, motor and vocal tics, obsessive compulsive disorder, depression, anxiety, rage, and restricted eating. The acronym PANS stands for Pediatric Acute-onset Neuropsychiatric Syndrome, while PANDAS is short for Pediatric Autoimmune Neuropsychiatric Disorders Associated with Streptococcal Infections, a subset of PANS.

“I’m very passionate about this cause,” Whelan – who has a child who suffers from this disorder – told The Hull Times. “It relates to all aspects of life and affects the entire family. It steals kids’ childhoods and can affect their ability to go to school, to socialize, and to just be a kid.”

The walk, which will be held from 9:30 a.m. to noon, starts at the Mary Jeanette Murray Bathhouse. Registration is from 9:30 to 10 a.m., with opening remarks and speakers from 10 to 10:30 a.m. This event is part of a “coast-to-coast effort and beyond” on that date, including similar awareness efforts in Italy and the United Kingdom.

The idea is for participants to walk, bike or run, either from and back to the bathhouse, as part of a group or by themselves, with their family, dogs, friends, or neighbors or as part of a team from wherever they are located, all in the spirit of community and raising funds. The donation is $25 for adults, and children are free.

The organized walk from the bathhouse to the end of Hull Shore Drive (at Phipps Street) and back is about .7 miles. Participants are invited to return to the bathhouse for music, raffle prizes, and refreshments. Information about PANS/PANDAS will be available.

“We’re hoping for a good turnout and good weather,” Whelan said.

She became involved with the association several years ago as a way to connect with other families who have children struggling with PANS/PANDAS in order to help raise awareness and to advocate for legislation mandating insurance coverage for the disease, which passed in January 2021.

PANS/PANDAS can have a life-changing physical, emotional, and financial impact on families, and passage of this legislation ensured that private health insurers cover medically-necessary treatment.

The law included the creation of a PANS/PANDAS Advisory Council and a mandate that insurance companies provide coverage for this disease by January 2022 – a huge victory for advocates, including Whelan.

“It’s amazing that this legislation passed and that an advisory council was formed so that we now have a voice at the State House,” Whelan said.

Both Whelan and one of her friends, Rockland resident Lisa Grisolia, serve on the association’s board, and Grisolia was appointed to the advisory council, which is charged with advising the Department of Public Health commissioner on research, diagnosis, treatment, and education relating to PANS/PANDAS.

Massachusetts was the eighth state in the nation to pass such a law but the only one to establish an advisory council at the same time.

“Hull is an amazing place for this event,” Grisolia, who also has a child diagnosed with the disorder, told The Hull Times. “Our mission is to educate the community, our schools, and anyone else who is interested by raising awareness.

“There’s still a desperate need for people to recognize PANS/PANDAS [in children who are as yet undiagnosed but who suffer from this disorder], for them to get treatment, and [to provide support to other families who are struggling] so they don’t feel really alone,” she said.

Because of a lack of awareness of PANS/PANDAS, many children struggling with this disorder are misdiagnosed and therefore are treated for the symptoms rather than the root cause, which is the infection.

Grisolia noted that any infection, including COVID, can be a trigger for PANS or PANDAS, “which creates even more of a challenge.”

Raising awareness in the schools among educators and teachers can help identify an undiagnosed child who suffers from a PANS or PANDAS disorder and provide support to that child.

“It’s about supporting parents whose children have this disorder and helping to find answers,” Whelan said.

State Reps. Joan Meschino and Josh Cutler and state Sen. Patrick O’Connor have been “very helpful with this effort,” according to Whelan, and have been invited to the upcoming event.

Visit https://go.rallyup.com/nepans/Campaign/Details for further details, to register, or to make a donation to the cause.

'A giant undertaking' - School Committee accepts consolidation recommendation

By Carol Britton Meyer 

The school committee voted Monday night to accept the Best Educational Use of School Facilities Ad Hoc Committee’s recommendation to consolidate all grades into two buildings, with a PreK-7 configuration at Jacobs Elementary School and grades 8-12 at Hull High School. The Memorial Middle School would be used for other municipal and educational uses.

Following some discussion at its summer retreat, the committee took its formal vote at the first meeting of the new school year. The ad hoc committee had recommended Option 4 to the committee in June; other options ranged from making no changes to surrendering the middle school building entirely. The final decision on consolidation rests with the school committee, with the overriding focus of doing what is in the best interests of Hull Public Schools students. A timeline has not been established for the realignment of grades.

Chair Stephanie Peters asked fellow board members to compile a list of questions and concerns for consideration at the next and upcoming school meetings as the process moves forward.

“This is a giant undertaking for the town and a big decision. In the short-term, we will proceed with Option 4. The goal is to keep this on the agenda for every meeting,” she said. “We talked at the retreat about having a SC meeting where the main agenda topic would be the BEUSF so that the public is aware of what we are considering.”

The ad hoc committee’s recommendation came after contemplating during the 2021-22 school year the pros and cons of possible school consolidation based on the earlier report from the MARS consulting group.

Before making its recommendation, the committee considered the results of a community stakeholder survey and input from a number of forums that gathered input from teachers, students, parents, community members, and others.

The overall purpose of the BEUSF report, upon which the ad hoc committee’s work is based, was to evaluate the educational adequacy of the three school buildings currently in use – Hull High School, Memorial Middle School, and Jacobs Elementary School – in view of declining enrollments and other factors.

Under the chosen option, the school committee would maintain control of the Memorial Middle School, which could be repurposed for other public/municipal purposes.

Option 4 would also provide an opportunity to develop a memorandum of understanding between the select board and the school committee to guide future use of the middle school building.

Choosing Option 1 would have meant that the Hull Public Schools would continue to operate under the current model — Jacobs, Pre-K-5; Memorial Middle School, grades 6-8; and Hull High School, grades 9-12.

New uniforms, livestream, eSports generate positive energy as Hull High opens season

By Carol Britton Meyer

The Hull High School sports season “started off well,” Athletic Director Connor Duhaime told the school committee Monday night. Beyond physical sports, eSports and livestreaming of games, rallies, and other activities will be offered his year.

Excitement is mounting among HHS athletes, but also among students who don’t wish to participate in traditional athletics but are looking forward to accessing eSports. This name is short for electronic sports, a form of competition using video games.

“HHS is one of the pioneer schools to offer this option,” Duhaime said. “This way students who don’t participate in sports can feel like they are part of the [sports scene]. This is a way for them to connect with what it means to be a Pirate.”

Beyond that, livestreaming of Hull High – and also youth football games on Sundays by Hudl.com – has become a popular option to attending sports events in person, whether indoors or outdoors. Plans to install the equipment are under way, with support from parents and the Hull Boosters Club.

The livestreaming goes through YouTube free of charge. More information will be provided to families soon.

“Contributions from the Boosters and Hull youth sports is making this possible,” Duhaime said.

Back to the subject of in-person games, with a number of wins already accomplished, Hull students participating on sports teams are enthusiastic.

“There’s a new energy around this building [referring to the high school, where school committee meetings are held], and it has translated to our athletics,” Duhaime said. “We also have new uniforms, which generate excitement and show the athletes that we care about how they present themselves. They are representing the town, the community, and our school.”

Turf field usage by other towns was high during the summer is and expected to increase.

“People are learning what we have down here – the location and the restaurants and businesses that are in town,” Duhaime said. “Everything is growing and evolving around this facility.”

He also said he hears positive feedback from people who use the walking track, which is open to the public.

“It’s not just for the kids but for the entire community,” he explained.

Duhaime sang the praises of athletic trainer Lexie Watkins. “We’re fortunate to have her,” he said. “I don’t have an assistant athletics director, but if I did it would be Lexie. It takes a village to run an athletic department.”

Watkins works with athletes in the training room near the high school gym. “It looks like a college training room,” he noted.

Another popular attraction is the refrigerator in Watkins’ office stocked with Gatorade products that athletes using the training center can purchase. “The kids love it,” Duhaime noted.

School committee member Ernest Minelli asked if the Massachusetts Interscholastic Athletic Association allows any form of sponsorship on school uniforms to raise money for HHS sports.

While Duhaime wasn’t certain, he noted that there’s “nothing that says you can or you can’t” and that he expected to see this done more often in the future in different communities. Minelli suggested that absent any restriction, perhaps HPS could be one of the first districts to go that route.

Hull Artists to open their workspaces for two-day studio tour this weekend

The Hull Artists Open Studios is scheduled for Sept. 17-18, giving the public a chance to visit with and learn more about the artists in their home studios and at other locations around town.

In July, a similar tour drew 500 people, and organizers are hopeful that the fall version, which features more than 20 artists at 13 locations, will match or exceed that showing. The hours for this weekend’s event are 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., and admission is free.

This year’s sponsors, who enable the Hull Artists to better promote the event, are the O’Brien family and Jake’s Seafood Restaurant (the lead sponsor), Charisma Realty, Rockland-based Panopticon, Inc., and the Massachusetts Cultural Council.

Fliers are available at businesses around Hull that feature a map of the studio locations, as well as a description of the artists and their art.

For further details, visit HullArtists.com/OpenStudios or stop in at Hull Artists’ Gallery Nantasket, 121 Nantasket Ave., on the first floor of the Ocean Place Condominiums.

The Open Studios tour is one of three major events this weekend in Hull – as Hull Porchfest takes place on Saturday and the annual car show is scheduled for Sunday morning.

Dozens of performers ready to serenade Kenberma area with music during PorchFest

Fast becoming a treasured Hull tradition, Hull PorchFest ’22 arrives Saturday in the Kenberma neighborhood. This year’s porch-style music festival, the third staging of the event, brings almost 40 performers or bands to 14 porches, driveways, or yards.
The free event will take place within a walkable, contained area for enhanced pedestrian safety. Event organizers match musicians with hosts and create the performance schedule. There is no rain date, so organizers are hoping for mild, rain-free weather.
According to founder and organizer, Tom Hardey, the goal of past PorchFests hasn’t changed. “We want to cultivate more civic pride and community bonding and to present Hull in a positive, entertaining way both to residents and to out-of-town visitors. We also want to benefit local restaurant and bar businesses,” he said. “Most importantly, we strive always to be a source of aid to worthy organizations in need.”
New this year is a kick-off performance by Frankie Always & the Sometimes Band, starting at noon on the sidewalk in front of Nantasket Hardware. The full festival schedule starts at 1 p.m. and runs until 6 p.m.
Also new to Hull PorchFest are food concessions by local restaurants SandBar, at the intersection of Revere Street and Massasoit Avenue, and Daddy’s Dogs at the intersection of Kenberma Street and Manomet Avenue.

The Hull PorchFest merchandise and information tent, available from 1p.m. to 4 p.m., will be located at 81 Revere St. in front of the property owner’s garage.
Portable toilets will be located at both the public parking lot at the intersection of Kenberma Street and Nantasket Avenue, where limited parking is available, and at 93 Revere St.
Organizers advise the use of the northernmost HRA parking area at Phipps Street for out-of-town guests. Visitors are advised that the event footprint will be barricaded on the perimeter and manned by Hull Police for the duration of the event to ensure pedestrian safety. Local resident and band traffic only will be allowed on Massasoit, Samoset, and Manomet avenues, bounded by Kenberma Street to the north and Revere Street to the south.
For full information, map and downloadable schedules visit www.hullporchfest.org or the event’s Facebook page at facebook.com/hullporchfest.