Grand Jury Begins Proceedings for Man Accused in Hit and Run

Grand jury proceedings began last month in the case of Jacob Lacourse of Attleboro who is a suspect in the hit-and-run accident that killed Assistant Town Clerk Karen McHugh in January, according to a story in the Sun Chronicle.  Lacourse was arrested in July after his father, Joseph Lacourse, reported to police that his son may have been involved. The most serious charge against Lacourse is leaving the scene of an accident with death resulting and it carries a maximum sentence of 10 years. McHugh was struck by a hit-and-run driver outside her home on Arcade Avenue and later died at Rhode Island Hospital. 

Seekonk Veterans Memorial Work Progressing

Construction on the new Veterans Memorial next to the Seekonk Public Library on Newman Avenue began last month.  Work included putting in the bases for the flagpoles and footings for the granite blocks. Work has also been done on the memorial wall, which will be engraved with the names and service information of residents who died in the line of duty. The town and memorial committee are grateful for all the in-kind services that have been donated by local businesses for the project.  The in-kind services amount to approximately $20,000. The plan is to have 99% of Phase 1 completed by Memorial Day 2016, when the official dedication is expected to take place.  Work on the memorial will be suspended soon for the winter months, but residents and friends can still purchase engraved bricks for the memorial by visiting the Facebook page: Friends of the Seekonk Veterans Memorial Park. Applications are also available at town hall and the library.

Shawn Cadime Receives Most Votes in Fall River Preliminary Election for City Council

Town Administrator Shawn Cadime, who is running for a seat on the Fall River City Council, topped the list of 29 candidates in the preliminary election last month.  Cadime received 4,676 votes.  The second place candidate, Cliff Ponte, received 3,609 votes.  The election pared the field down to 18 candidates for nine seats. Four of the top five candidates were not incumbents. Cadime served as city administrator in Fall River for several years before taking the position in Seekonk. The Fall River city council election is Nov. 3.

Seekonk is Low on Burial Space

The town cemetery on Newman Avenue is almost full and town officials are seeking a location for a new cemetery. They are looking at several possible sites, according to an article in the Sun Chronicle. The town reportedly has only about 20 grave sites available at the Newman Ave. cemetery. It is a serious problem because there is a state law requiring every city and town to provide a place to bury the dead.

Seekonk Has Three New Firefighters

Three new firefighters were sworn in last month. The new firefighters are: Douglas Young, Brittany Goodhart and Edward Maher.

Seekonk Police to Get New Uniforms

Seekonk Police officers will soon be getting new uniforms. The department’s last major uniform change was October 1989.  The changes include navy blue shirts to match the navy blue pants (instead of current light blue shirts), and black ties. The officers will also no longer wear Federal Id numbers above the right breast pocket.  They will be wearing name bars with their last name inscribed on them. Each individual officer is paying for the new uniforms out of their own pocket.  The department will continue to issue base garments such as coats, jackets, traffic vests, firearms and associated duty gear.  The uniform change is being made for several reasons, but mostly for the safety and comfort of the officers.

Timilty Proposes Bill Banning Teens from Using Tanning Salons

The Senate unanimously passed a bill, proposed by State Sen. James Timility, which bans the use of tanning salons by teens.  Timility has been trying for ten years to get the Legislature to approve the bill, according to an article in the Sun Chronicle. The Senate has reportedly approved the bill in the past, but it never got any further because the House never voted on it.  Now the American Cancer Society and Massachusetts Academy of Dermatologists are supporting it and the bill’s prospects are more hopeful.