In the Sport-light: Roundup of news about Hull athletes

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Compiled by Matt Haraden

• On Wednesday, April 30, Hull JV softball won its seventh straight game, 25-15, over Rockland. McKenzie Neal, Bella Walsh, and Khloe Gravina shared the pitching duties, with a combined three strikeouts and gave up only three hits in the game. The offensive leaders for Hull were: McKenzie Neal, 3/3 with a walk, two singles and a triple, three RBIs; Rachel Timins, 1/1 with a walk and a three-run homerun; Natalie Reilly, 1/1 with three walks and two RBIs; Khloe Gravina, 1/1 with a walk and a SAC; Sophia Hagerty, 2/3 with a walk and two singles; Riley Munn, 2/4 with two singles and two RBIs; Leigha McClory 1/2 with a single and an RBI; and Bella Walsh, 1/3 with a walk, double with two RBIs. The team’s next game is Thursday, May 1 at 4 p.m. against Hingham at home, followed by a road trip to Rockland on Monday, May 5 at 4 p.m.

SQUAD GOALS. The combined JV/Varsity Hull High lacrosse team, with Coach Dan Cahill at far left, joined the cleanup brigade that braved the rainy weather on Saturday to participate in the Hull Beautification Committee’s ‘Hulluva Cleanup Day.’ Area residents and teams of other helpers descended on neighborhoods up and down the peninsula to remove debris and beautify the community. [Skip Tull photo]

• 3/4 boys soccer improved to 2-1 on the season, defeating Norwell, 7-3, on Saturday, April 26 in the pouring rain. Jordan Dunn scored three goals, Andy Michaelides scored two goals, and Kai Funari and Declan Fahey each scored one goal. The team’s next game is Saturday, May 3 at 10:15 a.m. in Pembroke.

• 5/6 girls soccer took the field on Saturday, April 26 against Halifax, drawing 1-1. Rainy conditions didn’t stop an early goal by Reese Irby, assisted by Frankie Rockett. In net was Sidney O’Brien and Ruby D’Errico, holding Halifax to one goal.

• Girls 2/3/4 lacrosse had a strong showing on Sunday, April 27, tying Hanover, 10-10. Points were scored by Laila Dolan, Riley Musco, Rae Rockett, Ellie Caparrotta, and Cate Mulvihill. Goalies Lydia Caparrotta and Riley Musco controlled the goal with ferocity. Saoirse Gilroy and Eleanor Reilly showed incredible defensive prowess, while Meara Gilroy and Margot Lankas played attack with vigor. Jackie Collins ran like the wind in the midfield, making assists on offense and covering her player like glue on defense.

• The boys varsity lacrosse team fell to Stoughton on Monday, 15-6. The Pirates scoring came from Max Lofgren (five goals) and Matt Thomas (one goal). On Wednesday, the team came up short against Abington, 17-6, and will play its next two games at home – against Middleboro on Friday, May 2 at 5 p.m. and against Mashpee on Monday, May 5 at 4:30 p.m.

• The 4-6 varsity baseball team also has a two-game home stand coming up this week. Opponents will be West Bridgewater on Saturday, May 3 at 4 p.m. and Quincy on Monday, May 5 at 4 p.m. The Pirates head to Blue Hills Regional Technical High School in Canton on Wednesday, May 7 at 4 p.m.

Watch the Times in print and online for details, or for more information, visit www.hullpublicschools.org/athletics.

• Coaches and Super Fans – We need your help to report the scores and results of the latest events in Hull’s sports world! Please send local sports news and photos to sports@hulltimes.com. Deadline is Tuesday at midnight. When providing details of the games or races, please be sure to include the sport/team, the players’ full names, and the final scores. When sending photos, names of those pictured are greatly appreciated, as well as who should get credit for taking the photo.

Thank you for your help!

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© 2025 The Hull Times. All rights reserved.

HRA removes two-way road project, ‘development’ specifics from draft Urban Renewal Plan

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By Carol Britton Meyer

The Hull Redevelopment Authority began its paragraph-by-paragraph review of the draft Urban Renewal Plan this week, starting with the 15-page executive summary at the beginning of the lengthy document. Members Adrienne Paquin and Bartley Kelly were not present, but Paquin had earlier submitted her comments for the discussion.

HRA Chair Dennis Zaia told citizens participating in the Zoom meeting that while no comments from the audience would be accepted that night, they are invited to submit comments by email.

Identifying outdated sections

“The goal of going through the draft URP is to identify what is outdated and to make necessary changes as well as to [ensure the document] reflects changes in what HRA members and members of the public think [should be the] priorities since the last version,” HRA Technical Operations Manager Mark Hamin said.

The PDF version of the 65-page document that he displayed on the screen from the HRA website could not be marked or edited physically in its current form, but Hamin said he will find a way to be able to do so at future meetings as well as to number the lines of type on each page for easy reference.

Click here for the current version of the draft Urban Renewal Plan

As part of the lengthy discussion, it was decided unanimously by the three members present – Zaia, Joan Senatore, and Dan Kernan – to remove references to residential and commercial development and to emphasize instead the idea of “improving” the HRA property without specific details, and to remove from the draft URP references to the proposed two-way road plan and related infrastructure. The topic will be discussed by the HRA at some point in the future.

‘Putting off a difficult decision’

Taking out the two-way road references in the current draft allows the HRA “to make progress while putting off a difficult conversation,” Kernan said. “At some point, though, we will have to make a decision.”

Hamin suggested that the final URP include a glossary of terms, such as “development,” which he said doesn’t only relate to residential and commercial projects but can also include open spaces, community plazas, and other features.

It was also suggested that more research be done about the different parts of the executive summary related to demographics, young professionals and families moving to Hull, the growing senior population, and other points and to seek updated data from a more recent census “to help determine whether some of this information is aspirational or [supported by current data],” Hamin said.

He then asked whether the town has ever embarked on a marketing plan to make visitors aware that Hull isn’t just about going to the beach, but also about enjoying other attractions.

Zaia explained that a number of years ago, the town had a signage program resulting from some grants, “but it was not as robust or expansive as anyone of us might think.”

Hamin said it is important to find a balance between attracting more visitors to local shops, restaurants, and other offerings and the associated increase in traffic.

HRA property occupies ‘pivotal location’

The overarching theme, Hamin said, “is that the HRA property occupies a pivotal location in town with opportunities yet to be realized and taken advantage of in terms of general development possibilities – not necessarily residential or commercial – including the property becoming a gateway through which visitors can become aware of the many other amenities Hull has to offer beyond the beach.”

A replay of the meeting will be available on demand at Hull Community Television’s website, www.hulltv.net.

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© 2025 The Hull Times. All rights reserved.

Resiliency study proposes combined building for light plant, DPW at West Corner

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By Carol Britton Meyer

Two Coastal Zone Management grants are the “primary driver” in moving forward with a proposal for a new combined DPW/Hull Municipal Light Plant facility at the site of the current DPW barn at West Corner, Director of Wastewater Operations/Assistant Director of Public Works John Struzziery told the select board last week.

COMBO PLAN. The town is considering a proposal to replace the DPW barn at West Corner with a building that would combine the highway department and light plant into a single structure. CLICK HERE FOR MORE DETAILS.

Both are considered to be “critical facilities,” and CZM grants are awarded to municipalities and nonprofits to address coastal flooding, erosion, and sea-level rise impacts.

A CZM grant awarded in 2023 funded an evaluation of the two facilities – which are both in the floodplain – including an assessment of their climate vulnerability based on past scenarios as well as future projections. Both are considered to be undersized and beyond their serviceable life. The main light plant was built in 1880, with several additions and outbuildings added over the years. The highway department garage was built in 1946. Climate resiliency measures would be built into the new building, which would replace the brick DPW building at 9 Nantasket Ave.

Click here for the resiliency study presentation and more details on the plan

“We looked far and wide to locate a parcel outside of the floodplain” – without success – “which isn’t hard to imagine since most of Hull is in the floodplain,” Climate Adaptation and Conservation Director Chris Krahforst said.

Staff from the Weston & Sampson engineering firm shared the conceptual and schematic site plans with the board on April 16, along with a comparison of elevations for 2050 and 2070 showing projected sea level rise and a space needs assessment comparison. There would be a separation between the two facilities.

OVERVIEW. The select board recently heard plans for a combined building for the town’s public works and light plant at the site of the current DPW barn at West Corner. Click here for more details.

The current DPW building area is 21,702 square feet, and the proposed, 25,256 square feet. The current HMLP building area is 12,407 square feet, while the proposed is 12,795 square feet. The new building would feature six equipment storage bays for the DPW (facing the Hall Estate side of the property) and four bays for the light plant (facing the Weir River).

The plans “speak to the current conditions and staff needs,” Krahforst said. “While not an inexpensive project, this is the most cost-effective approach.”

The DPW barn has experienced flooding reaching the garage doors twice during current Director Chris Gardner’s time on the job and two feet of flooding in the backyard during the 2018 winter storm Grayson.

At the light plant on Edgewater Road, water rose into the parking lot, came up through a manhole, and created pooling in the garage area, with no damage to critical equipment, during the major March 2014 storm. The building is bordered by the road in front and the coastline at the rear.

Project cost estimates will be included in the next phase of review, Struzziery told the select board.

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© 2025 The Hull Times. All rights reserved.

MBTA plan would install 44 fixed stops, eliminate ‘flagging’ system for riders to hail a bus

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By Carol Britton Meyer

The select board’s agenda this week included an initial presentation on the MBTA’s 714 Bus Stop Project – involving the transition from passengers flagging down the bus to waiting at designated stops – and the continuation of last year’s pay-by-phone and parking fee discussion with Police Chief John Dunn.

Hull’s flagging system is one of the last of its kind in the state, and without the new bus stops, significant parts of Hull are at risk of losing bus service as the flag stops are gradually phased out, according to MBTA officials who spoke at this week’s board meeting.

“This project is in the preliminary stages,” Town Manager Jennifer Constable said. “We’re at a good launching point to start the design work and to get feedback from the select board and the community.”

The MBTA, which is exploring funding sources for the infrastructure improvements, including sidewalks, that will be part of the siting of potentially 44 bus stops – 22 in each direction – is asking the town to earmark money to pay for part of the project. Several of those stops would be on DCR-managed roads.

“There’s a request for $130,000 on the [May 5] town meeting warrant for proposed transportation improvements [which could be put toward the bus stop project], and I hope voters will support it,” Constable said.

The current proposal is to work with homeowners and businesses to ensure the new stops fit in with the surrounding area and don’t conflict with parking, under a phased-in approach.

Riders concerned about change

The project, which the MBTA said is geared toward providing more visible and safer bus stops, could include adding a second bus to the 714 run.

Officials said the goal is to make reaching popular destinations such as the Kenberma shopping area, the Paragon Carousel, town hall, Pemberton Point, and the library – among others – more accessible, enhance safety and improve passenger service.

Select board member Jason McCann, while saying he is appreciative of all the work MBTA staff has already put into this effort, said he is concerned that “some people who have been using the flag system for many years will have a really hard time switching to the new system.”

A number of residents also spoke at the meeting, noting that people with disabilities or mobility issues will have difficulty walking the extra steps to a designated stop, and that the elimination of the occasional stop at Manet Community Health Center has made it challenging for people without cars or other transportation to see their doctors.

The results of a recent survey with 200 respondents indicate that most riders find the 714 bus to be a reliable service, 14% of those responding said they have a disability, and many riders are using the 714 bus for weekday commuting.

Eighty percent said they would use this service more if the frequency improved, while 75% agreed that the 714 bus is necessary to their travel plans.

An interest in the MBTA offering bus service to the commuter rail was also expressed as well as more connections to the ferry and other buses. Other survey respondents requested fixed bus stops. The only ones now are at Pemberton Point and at Station Street in Hingham.

‘Just the beginning’

The MBTA will work with the town manager, community development and planning department, and the Hull Nantasket Chamber of Commerce in a collaborative effort, and the town will eventually sign a memorandum of understanding with the MBTA for the project.

Select board member Jerry Taverna, who took a bus tour with other town officials before Wednesday’s meeting to get an idea of what the project entails, said the new stops will be “a huge benefit during the summer” and that “the new large, beautiful, clean buses are what people want.”

Looking ahead, weekend ferry service resumes May 17; more accurate real-time bus arrival and departure time predictions are expected by mid-June; and 714 trip adjustments to meet the ferry will begin June 15.

The select board supported continuing the project.

Select board Chair Irwin Nesoff said that this “is just the beginning of the project, and there will be lots of opportunities for citizen input.”

In other business…

• The board approved changes to the current parking scenario proposed by Chief Dunn following a preliminary discussion last October. At that time, the board approved the removal of all parking meters townwide – basically accomplished – coupled with a proposal to move to a pay-by-phone app system that many other communities have already implemented. A change in parking fees was part of the chief’s recommendation then, and was addressed this week.

Upon the chief’s recommendation, the pay-by-phone system, which has already been installed but is not yet active, will affect Surfside, Kenberma, A Street, and the Helen Street commuter lot at Pemberton.

The pay-by-phone system will be in effect from May 1 through October 31, except for the Helen Street lot, which would be year-round. Residents with parking stickers won’t have to pay to park there.

The parking fee will increase from the current 25 cents per hour to $2 for two hours, with the ability to add two additional increments.

If someone doesn’t have a cell phone but has a resident sticker, he or she can park in the municipal lots when space is available. There’s also an option to call a number to pay by phone.

“This isn’t a moneymaking scheme, but to ensure that people don’t park in one spot all day long,” select board member Brian McCarthy noted.

The goal is to have the system up and running in time by Memorial Day this year.

The app allows police officers to log in to see who is in violation, and to issue tickets. The real-time data system keeps track by license plate number.

There will be a community outreach effort to ensure residents are aware of these changes, Dunn said.

• The select board approved a request by Henry Dunn of Dunn Rite Parking allowing him to use 350 of the Hull Redevelopment Authority’s parking lot spaces after recently being awarded the summer HRA parking lot lease, subject to other necessary town approvals. He plans to go before the board later in the season – which begins May 1 – to request an additional 350 once more space becomes available in the biggest of the three lots when a number of events slated for that location are scheduled for completion.

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© 2025 The Hull Times. All rights reserved.

Democracy in action: Hear directly from candidates for local office at May 1 forum

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Hull voters are invited to the League of Women Voters Candidates Night on Thursday, May 1, at 7 p.m. in the Exhibition Room of Hull High School. All candidates on the ballot for the May 19 election have been invited.

The format follows the standard set by the League of Women Voters, designed to give candidates equal time and an opportunity to present their qualifications. Each candidate will make a two-minute statement, beginning with offices that are uncontested. Candidates in contested races will answer questions posed by the moderator, as long as at least two candidates in the race appear at the forum. All running for a contested seat will be asked the same questions, rotating turns and limited to one minute.

On the ballot this year are incumbent select board members Irwin Nesoff and Brian McCarthy, who are being challenged by Christopher Niland (voters will choose two for three-year terms); incumbent Liliana Hedrick, former member Ernest Minelli IV, and Brendan Kilroe are seeking the two three-year terms on the school committee, while Linda Hetue is challenging incumbent Courtney Littlefield for the one-year seat.

Abby Rose Klieman and Edwin Parsons are seeking a five-year seat on the planning board. Incumbent housing authority member Kathleen Bogdan will face Lisa Boretti for a five-year term, while Nichole Londergan is unopposed for the three-year slot on the board, which manages the McTighe Manor housing complex on Atlantic House Court and the apartments on C & D Streets at Central Avenue.

Other unopposed candidates not currently in office are Chandelle Schulte for the three-year planning board seat and DJ Simon for a three-year position on the board of library trustees. Six incumbents are unopposed – Moderator George Boylen, Town Clerk Lori West, Assessor Richard Morris, light commissioners Daniel Ciccariello and Thomas Burns, and library trustee Alice Sloan.

Questions for the May 1 forum have been vetted and selected by a League-trained moderator, Elizabeth Foster-Nolan, immediate past president of the LWV of Massachusetts. The forum will be livestreamed and rebroadcast on Hull Community Television and available for on-demand viewing at hulltv.net.
The League of Women Voters is a non-partisan political organization; it does not support or oppose candidates or political parties. The League encourages informed and active participation in government, works to increase understanding of major public policy issues, and influences public policy through education and advocacy.

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© 2025 The Hull Times. All rights reserved.

Shorelines: Good news about your neighbors

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• Seamstress Jean Liben has much to celebrate, as she just completed work on creating the 1,001st  dress as part of the Village Dresses mission project. She began the effort nine years ago to send dresses to orphaned girls in Haiti, and in 2016, her inspiring story was made into a children’s book of the same name. As she notes, “every stitch is sewn with love!”

• Congratulations to four Hull residents who ran in Monday’s 129th Boston Marathon – Ryan Baggett, Adrienne Lamb, Caitlin Ryan, and Carla Smith.

• Abigail Gibson was named to the Dean’s List during the fall semester at Salve Regina University. To qualify for the Dean’s List, students must earn a semester grade point average of 3.6 for full-time students completing at least 12 graded credits.

• What a historic time to be in Italy! Students from Hull High School are currently overseas, traveling the Italian countryside and visiting major cities as an activity of Project Humanitarian Involvement, a club that focuses on humanitarian-based service. The students are scheduled to be in Rome and the Vatican on Saturday, when funeral services are to be held for Pope Francis. Hull students departed on Easter Sunday for the weeklong trip and will return this weekend.

• Anton Kraus and Daniel Tiani were named to the Dean’s List at Wentworth Institute of Technology for the fall semester.

• Are you ready to help beautify Hull this weekend? Building on the Hull Garden Club’s Earth Day cleanup on Tuesday, the Hull Beautification Committee is sponsoring a townwide cleanup on Saturday, April 26 & Sunday, April 27. Between 9 a.m. and 1 p.m., residents are encouraged to clean and beautify their neighborhoods, with the goal of individual efforts adding up to a “Hulluva Cleanup” all over town. Pickup of gloves and colored trash bags will be held at N Street; Hull’s Department of Public Works will pick up the bags from designated areas later in the day. If you would like to organize a cleanup team, the beautification committee will suggest an area where you can roll up your sleeves and show some Hull pride – email hullbeautificationcommittee@gmail.com for details.

• State Fire Marshal Jon M. Davine and Massachusetts Firefighting Academy leadership today announced the graduation of 18 firefighters from the 50-day Career Recruit Firefighting Training Program, among them Hull’s Joseph Coffey. At the academy, recruits learn all these skills and more, including the latest science of fire behavior and suppression tactics, from certified fire instructors. They also receive training in public fire education, hazardous material incident mitigation, flammable liquids, stress management, and self-rescue techniques. The intensive, 10-week program involves classroom instruction, physical fitness training, firefighter skills training, and live firefighting practice. The MFA provides training for career, call, and volunteer firefighters at every level of experience, from recruit to chief officer, at campuses in Stow, Springfield, and Bridgewater.

• Several Hull students were named to the fall Dean’s List at the University of Massachusetts-Amherst. Students are appointed to the Dean’s List at the end of a semester in which they have completed a minimum of 12 graded credits and have earned a grade-point average of 3.5 or better. Hull students earning the honor were Edie Brooks, Madelyn Brooks, Finn Carragher, Katie Clifford, Bridget Fleming, Katie Fortnam, Ava Hutchinson, Haylee Londergan, Neelah McCarthy, Maria Polito, Melissa Rymaszewski, Harriet Wiley, Ellie Zieper, and Joshua Zieper.

• The annual Hull Pride Scholarship is awarded every year to graduating high school senior(s) in Hull who “embody and further the values of Hull Pride – diversity and inclusion.” This year, $5,000 will be awarded to the selected recipient(s), who are nominated by their peers. The submission deadline is April 25. Last year’s scholarship was awarded to Dahlia Hedrick, a 2024 graduate of Hull High School who is now attending Berklee College of Music. Hull High students should contact their advisor to nominate a peer by April 25. For more information, visit www.hullpride.net/scholarship.

• Elise Ryan was named to the College of the Holy Cross fall Dean’s List. A member of the Class of 2025, Ryan was honored for outstanding academic achievement; to qualify, students must pass four or more letter-graded courses with no failing grades during the semester and earn a GPA of 3.5 or higher.

• Matteo Arshad was named to the Dean’s List for the fall semester at Washington University in St. Louis. Arshad is enrolled in the university’s College of Arts & Sciences. To qualify, students must earn a semester grade-point average of 3.6 or above and be enrolled in at least 14 graded units.

If you have news about Hull residents to share – birthdays, anniversaries, career and education achievements, weddings, births, and other milestones – send your information to us at news@hulltimes.com. If you include a photo, please be sure that everyone in the image is identified. Thank you!

In the Sport-light: Roundup of news about Hull athletes

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Compiled by Matt Haraden

• Hull High JV Softball won its fifth straight game, beating Carver at home on Wednesday, April 16, 28-7. McKenzie Neal and Khloe Gravina split the game on the mound with two and four strikeouts, respectively. Only one hit was given up by Gravina in the game. Offensively, Sophia Hagerty went 2/5 with a double and triple, Natalie Reilly went 4/5 with three singles and a double, Rachel Timins went 1/2 with a double and three walks, Riley Munn went 1/5 with three very long pop-outs and a single, Gravina went 1/4 with a double and a walk, Abby Baglione went 1/4 with two walks, and Chloe Hutcheson went 1/3 with a walk. The Pirates improved to 6-0 after a 17-7 win against Archbishop Williams on Thursday, April 17. Khloe Gravina pitched another phenomenal game with nine strikeouts, allowing only four hits. Hull’s offense was hot yet again with Sophia Hagerty going 2/4 and a HBP, Natalie Reilly hitting 2/3 with a single and a triple, McKenzie Neal going 3/4 with two doubles and a single, Rachel Timins batting 3/3 with two singles, a double, and a walk, and Bella Walsh hitting 2/4 with a double and a single.

ON THE BALL. This past Saturday, the pickleball windscreens at Kenberma were put up by an outstanding group that included those pictured and others – Steve Nigro, Kevin O’Flaherty, Paul Goes, Beth and Bob Mele, Kim O’Flaherty, John O’Leary, Paul McWade, Bill Smyth, Julia, Jason, and Jack Gordon, Mary Gillis, and Joe Dipesa. This well-oiled machine was a great team effort, ‘sort of’ overseen by Smyth. [Photo courtesy of Bill Smyth] 

The team has three home games in a row beginning next week – Monday, April 28 against Cardinal Spellman, Wednesday, April 30 against Rockland, and Thursday, May 1 vs. Hingham. All games begin at 4 p.m.

• Hull High Girls Lacrosse fell to 4-4 on the year, losing 13-6 to Monomoy in the most recent game. The Pirates started strong but were overcome on the road by a crafty Shark team. Emma Lees had a goal and a ground ball, Georgia White had an assist, two ground balls, and two draw controls, Elly Thomas had a goal, two assists, a caused turnover, a ground ball, and two draw controls, Grace Perry scored a goal, Erin Walsh had three goals, a ground ball, and a draw control, and Jillian McDonough had seven saves. The team is learning game-by-game versus a stretch of some great teams and looks forward to a strong second half coming out of the vacation break, taking on Abington on Tuesday, April 30.

• Next week, the Hull High Boys and Girls Track teams will travel to Carver on Wednesday, April 30 at 4:30 p.m.

• The boys varsity lacrosse team posted a win on the road against Stoughton on Tuesday, 9-6, and will open next week with two more away games – against Sandwich on Monday, April 28 at 4:30 p.m. and Abington on Wednesday, April 30 at 4 p.m.

Watch the Times in print and online for details, or for more information, visit www.hullpublicschools.org/athletics.

• Coaches and Super Fans – We need your help to report the scores and results of the latest events in Hull’s sports world! Please send local sports news and photos to sports@hulltimes.com. Deadline is Tuesday at midnight. When providing details of the games or races, please be sure to include the sport/team, the players’ full names, and the final scores. When sending photos, names of those pictured are greatly appreciated, as well as who should get credit for taking the photo.

Thank you for your help!

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© 2025 The Hull Times. All rights reserved.

Times cartoonist Peter Menice honored by New England Newspaper & Press Association

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Congratulations to Times editorial cartoonist Peter Menice, who was recognized with a third-place award in the New England Newspaper and Press Association’s 2024 Better Newspaper Competition.

Menice was up against the best of the best in a combined category across all six New England States. His winning entry, “Bottleneck,” skillfully illustrated the difficulties that local businesses faced during a particularly busy beach day, when traffic bottlenecks brought the town to a standstill, and prevented merchants from cashing in on the beachgoers crowding into Hull.

As a NENPA judge noted in making the award at during the association’s annual convention in Portland, Maine, Menice’s entry was a “well-drawn cartoon that doesn’t even need a text explanation. I got it right away.”

The Hull Times has won 17 NENPA awards over the years, including six cartooning awards honoring Menice’s work. His artistry has been in our pages since 1991.

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© 2025 The Hull Times. All rights reserved.

‘Hulluva Cleanup' effort extended to two days due to weather forecast

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By the Hull Beautification Committee

Mark your calendar and join your neighbors in a townwide Hulluva Cleanup Day on Saturday, April 26 and Sunday, April 27 (organizers have activated the rain date contingency plan due to the rainy weather forecast for Saturday) from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. If we all pitch in, we can make a Hulluva difference!

The Hull Beautification Committee will provide brightly colored trash bags and gloves – all we ask is that you bring your Hull spirit. The HBC has been canvassing the town and spreading the word to our neighbors, business owners, and various organizations asking for their participation. Earth Day is on April 22 and Hull can do its part by cleaning up around our neighborhoods and sweeping up in front of our businesses. Summer is around the corner, let’s make Hull shine, not only for our community, but for visitors to our seaside town.

Stop by N Street on Saturday and pick up your colored trash bags and gloves. Hull’s DPW will gladly pick up the colored trash bags from designated areas later in the day. If you would like to organize a cleanup team, the Beautification Committee will suggest an area where you can roll up your sleeves and show some Hull pride!

It’s easy – clean up trash and debris around your neighborhood; sweep your sidewalk and clean out your pots and planter boxes in front of your business. We hope this event will be an incentive for our community to keep Hull looking beautiful throughout the year.

The HBC is not the only group making Hull beautiful. A recent article about the Lillian M. Jacobs School beach cleanup is what Hull beautification is all about. Under the direction of science teacher Heather Weber and parent volunteer and artist Jackie Kilroe Ranney, students collected more than 40 bags of trash stretching from A Street beach to XYZ beach. Once the trash was sorted and documented, it became art! Art teachers Emily Pestone and Kate Cicalese worked with fifth- and sixth-graders to create an art installation of sea creatures that hang in the school lobby. Beautifully done, Lillian Jacobs students!

We may not be making art on April 26, but we will be making the town’s first Hulluva Cleanup Day a community success. Please join in!

For more information and to register, please email: hullbeautificationcommittee@gmail.com. You can also visit us on Facebook.

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© 2025 The Hull Times. All rights reserved.

Indoor plumbing: New building at West Corner would eliminate outdoor storage of porta-potties

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By Carol Britton Meyer

A proposal to construct a new 3,600-square-foot commercial building at 15 Nantasket Avenue adjacent to the DPW barn – to include four tradesman garage bays on the first floor and offices on the second floor – was heard by the planning board on April 9 for site plan review.

“We are waiting on peer review and comments from all departments involved with land use, public safety, and infrastructure,” Director of Community Development & Planning Chris DiIorio told The Hull Times after the meeting. Peer review is a process by which experts evaluate a proposal, providing feedback and suggestions for adjustments. The ZBA granted a special permit for the project earlier this year, and the planning board’s next site plan review meeting is scheduled for April 23.

OUT OF SIGHT. The property next door to the town’s public works garage at West Corner, owned by Rosano-Davis Sanitary Pumping, is currently used for exterior commercial storage, including portable toilets associated with the business. The company is seeking to construct a building [rendering shown above] to move the storage indoors.  

The roughly 8,025-square foot property – owned by Rosano-Davis Sanitary Pumping, Inc. and located within the townhouse residence zoning district – is currently used for exterior commercial storage, including portable toilets associated with the business. The site is next door to the public works garage near the Weir River at West Corner.

The proposal is to eliminate the existing exterior storage and to move all business activities inside.

Click here for more details on this project, including site plans and renderings

The new building, featuring white clapboard and a navy blue barn door, would be about 30 by 60 feet, with 11 on-site parking spaces that include one space in each garage. The parking and garage entrances would be crushed stone. Access to the offices would be via exterior stairs on the west side, or the rear, of the structure.

Arbor vitae shrubs would be planted in the northeast portion to provide screening, and a landscape bed would separate the parking area from the front of the building.

Design review board reviewed proposal

The applicant met with the design review board in February. Among its recommendations are providing landscaping between the parking area and Nantasket Avenue; that no shutters be installed on the building; to use the maximum permeable paving allowed; and considering rotating the building on the plan 90 degrees and locating it to the rear of the lot.

“The DRB endorses the traditional residential appearance of the front facade and enhancement with architectural details,” the board wrote in a March 26 memo to the planning board, ZBA, and DiIorio.

The existing business use is grandfathered, according to a February 27 letter to the planning board from the applicant’s attorney, Adam Brodsky.

The property is located within the floodplain district and FEMA AE flood zone (high-risk flood area), so the building has been designed to comply with flood-resistant construction requirements under the Massachusetts building code, according to Brodsky.

The proposal includes protection of adjoining premises “against detrimental uses by provision of surface water drainage, sound, sight and wind barriers, and preservation of views, light, and air quality”; ensuring the convenience and safety of vehicular and pedestrian movement within the site; prevention of pollution of surface and groundwater, soil erosion, increased runoff, and flooding – including protection against flood impacts to adjoining properties – and consideration of current conditions and the potential for future sea level rise.

“The petitioner asserts that the new commercial building will visually improve the property and enhance existing important site features by replacing exterior porta-potty storage with commercial bays,” Brodsky’s letter also states.

The new building, which is very close to the public works garage next door, would be served by the municipal sewer system. The proposal includes a stormwater management plan.

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