The following information is from the Stoughton Police logs. Where arrests or charges are mentioned, it does not indicate a conviction.

***

Juvenile Arrest for Drug Possession

The store manager at Rite Aid at 638 Washington St. in Stoughton called police shortly after 4 p.m. on May 29 to report four youths sitting in a vehicle in the parking lot for more than a half hour. 

When police arrived, a 15-year-old juvenile was placed under arrest for the possession of a Class B drug. 

Deputy Chief Robert Devine said the teen was allegedly in possession of oxycodone pills.

***

Drug, Alcohol Possession

Stoughton Police received a call at 5:56 p.m. on May 26 reporting that people were possible smoking marijuana in a vehicle parked near a basketball court on Page Terrace. 

Police responded an placed two teens under arrest. 

Adam G. Pickering, 17, of Natick, was charged with possessing over an ounce of marijuana; conspiracy to violate drug law; possessing alcohol under the age of 21; and possession to distribute a Class D drug.

Shane Mathew McManus, 18, of Canton, was charged with possessing over an ounce of marijuana; possession to distribute a Class D drug; and conspiracy to violate drug law.

***

Assault with Dangerous Weapon

Stoughton Police charged a man with assault with a dangerous weapon for an alleged incident which stemmed from a constable attempting to serve an arrest warrant.

The constable attempted to serve an arrest warrant to a man at an Island St. residence shortly before 7 p.m. on May 29. The constable told police the man allegedly tried to hit him with a car. 

John Nacopoulos, 45, of Island St. in Stoughton, was charged with assault with a dangerous weapon and for operating a motor vehicle with a suspended license. 

***

Fraudulent Prescription

An employee at Target in Stoughton reported to police that a man was attempting to pick up a fraudulent prescription shortly before 3 p.m. on May 26. 

Brandon Brown, 20, of Boston, was charged with uttering a false prescription and possession of a Class A drug. Brown also had an outstanding warrant.

***

Shoplifting

Three females were arrested for shoplifting at Target in Stoughton after 8 p.m. on May 31.

Donia Pereira Cardoso, 21, of Quincy; Vaneza S. Rodriguez, 21, of Dorchester; and Dayeha Fernandes, 19 of Roxbury, were all charged with larceny over $250 and conspiracy. 

Cardoso was also charged with receiving stolen property over $250. 

***

Arrest

On May 27, Kim M. Delellis, 48, of Canton St. in Stoughton, was summonsed for allegedly shoplifting at Page's on Pearl St., charged with shoplifting by concealing merchandise (3rd offense).

On May 28, Delellis was arrested at the Stoughton District Courthouse at 10:38 a.m., charged with disorderly conduct and resisting arrest. 

***

The All-Pro Patriots Celebrity Basketball Team defeated the Stoughton Police All-Stars 66-49 this past Friday night at the packed Stoughton High gym in the annual charity showdown between the Patriots and SPD to benefit the the Stoughton Police Relief Association.

The Patriots squad included active players Ryan Mallett, Kyle Arrington, Daniel Fells and Kamar Aiken, as well as alumni Patrick Pass, Mark LeVoir, Jermaine Wiggins and Eric Alexander. 

The SPD was represented by Deputy Chief Robert Devine, John Bonney, Robert Kuhn, Roger Hardy, Jim O'Connor, Bill Healey, Paul Williams, Jen Sullivan and Sheanna Isabel. The SPD team was aided by Healey's sons. 

The Patriots enjoyed a significant height advantage. 

Mallett and Bonney came at halftime and provided a spark for both squads in the second half. Like he did last year, Mallett dunked at will, showing off for the capacity crowd. 

Halftime featured a 20-minute autograph session where the Patriots players and the Stoughton Police signed autographs.

Take a look at photo highlights from the game in the media gallery of this article.

Check out highlights from the previous two basketball games between the SPD and the Patriots by clicking on the links below:

Gallery: Patriots Take on Stoughton Police in Charity Basketball Game

Hoyer, Edelman Lead Patriots Past Stoughton Police in Charity Basketball Game

***

The official start to summer is June 21, which means school is out and it’s time to go on adventure.

Take Patch readers along on your travels by sharing experiences from the places you explore. From Disney World to Denmark, we want to live vicariously through you and your family. Staying closer to home all summer? Reaquaint yourself with what the region has to offer and let neighbors know what they are missing out on.

To begin chronicling your vacation on Patch, you need to sign in and create an account in the top right corner. If you're already a Patch user, go the homepage, click "Start a blog" just below the featured stories. This will take you to a blog landing page with information on how to blog. Click "Post on Patch" and fill in all the appropriate fields.

If you are not a fan of writing, feel free to make it a photography blog. Just change the template to media and upload all your favorite pictures from your journey.

We hope you’ll enjoy reliving your adventures by sharing them with Patch.

If you have any questions, email Kelly.Mello@Patch.com.

It is the news nobody wants to hear. The realization that one you hold so dear is facing the end of their days.

Life-threatening illnesses have a huge impact on those afflicted and the loved ones around them. Caleb Ginsberg, an Amherst, N.H. native, experienced this for himself five years ago when, not just one, but three of those closest to him were diagnosed with advanced stages of cancer in the same week.

His grandmother. His aunt. A good friend who he considered family. All of them facing the reality that their lives will be cut short.

The overwhelming feelings of sadness and fear could have broken Ginsberg and his family, but something much different happened. A realization that these final moments were not to be a downward fall into despair, but a forward journey to be cherished.

In 2008, Ginsberg and his family came together to help other families come to the same realization with the founding of the Motivating Miles Foundation.

Beginning Their “Journeys”

Ginsberg and his mother Sarah Ramsey started Motivating Miles to focus on an aspect of illness that is often ignored during traditional medical care: the mental and emotional well-being of the patient and family.

“This really changes everyones’ world and we wanted to figure out something we can do to create positive experiences and help in this process of acceptance,” said Ginsberg. “It is such a ripple effect that turns everyones’ world upside down.”

The inspiration came from a 60 Minutes special on  “The Last Lecture” by Randy Pausch, where a professor facing terminal illness explained that facing death is a time to truly live.

With this in mind the focus of their foundation had become clear. First to provide a series of positive, uplifting experiences to the patients and loved ones so they can truly live in the moment. Then document the experience so the family can cherish these one-of-a-kind memories.

Motivating Miles has so far guided sixteen families on “Journeys” that capture the legacies of their lives in ways as unique as the people themselves. The foundation covers all bases for anything  that brings a family together for a positive experience.

A family in Maine had two sons with Huntington's Disease, a terrible neurological disease that cripples the body, and wanted them to spend their last years with family. There was no room in the house, so Motivating Miles raised money to have the basement renovated to bring this family together.

A young girl in Milford was able to take a road trip to Utah with her family to spend time with her grandparents before she passed away. Motivating Miles paid for the RV rental, provided toys and games for the trip and helped with other expenses.

Read more Motivating Miles Journeys

Moving Forward

Dream trips, week-long cruises and other amazing efforts are supported by Motivating Miles and the many donors and volunteers who help make them possible.

So much positive and loving energy born of a period of tragedy overcome through strength.

His grandmother is still with him, but Ginsberg’s aunt and friend have since passed away from their disease. Yet he moves forward (literally) to continue the efforts of Motivating Miles through fundraising.

He and other volunteers have covered over 2,000 miles through marathons and other athletic challenges to raise money for these wonderful Journeys. This is on top of other fundraising efforts through events and online donations.

Ginsberg said he feels fortunate to have so many volunteers dedicate time and money in this grassroots effort to bring joy to the lives of others. The foundation has taken off to a place that not even he expected.

And the journey is also personal. Each family he reaches out to has given him a renewed outlook on  life.

“Death is an important to talk about, but not many people are comfortable addressing it. I have developed the ability to talk to other families about it, and have been amazed at how relieved the family members are to have somebody come in and not hide from it. Families are used to it being the elephant in the room.”

He is happy to see families lifted from “doom and gloom” and transition into a feeling of positivity. They see that they don’t have to run from the disease, and this lesson has not been lost on Ginsberg.

“We are going to help, we are here and we are not going to run away,” he said. “That was something i couldn't say five years ago because I would have been the person running in the other direction.”

Jump In

Stories are shared on the Motivating Miles website and Facebook page during the start of each Journey. Based on the description of their current Journeys, you may know someone who might be able to give a hand and enhance the experience for the families.

Donations are always accepted and can be made through their website.

Motivating Miles is a collaborative effort of volunteers who help organize, fundraise and find resources to craft each journey. Anyone looking to join is encouraged to contact the foundation to explore volunteer opportunities.

The Journey Review Committee includes Ashley Blake, Emily Ginsberg, Annie Elliott, Elizabeth Waldron, Kristine Kennedy, Marc Smith Lucienne Foulks, Andrea Crocker and Colin Desnoyers. Notable fundraisers include Tiffany and Adam Jacobs.

For more information please contact  Caleb Ginsberg at cginsberg@motivatingmiles.org(603.721.9764) or Sarah Ramsay sramsay@motivatingmiles.org (603.721.9767)

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Check out a postgame video interview with Jake Gibb, Zach Gibb, Mike Connelly, Pat Jackman and Mike Gallagher in the media gallery of this article. 

***

Two of the more entertaining regular season games for the Stoughton High baseball team came against rival Sharon. 

The Black Knights beat the Eagles on the road, 5-2 in 9 innings, back on April 10 for their first win of the season, and won 2-1 on a Pat Jackman walk-off hit in Stoughton on May 6.

The two teams will meet again for a third time, with a trip to the MIAA Division 2 South Sectional Finals on the line.

Sixth-seeded Stoughton beat #3 Greater New Bedford Regional 13-9 Tuesday afternoon on the road in the D2 quarterfinals, while #10 Sharon traveled to #2 Oliver Ames and beat the Tigers 2-0. 

Now, Stoughton and Sharon will play in the D2 semifinals Wednesday at 4 p.m. at Wheaton College. 

After Stoughton took a 7-0 lead at Greater New Bedford after the batting in the top of the second, it appeared as if the Black Knights would head to the semifinals on cruise control, but Greater New Bedford responded with five runs in the bottom of the second to cut the Stoughton lead to 7-5. 

From there the game was a back-and-forth grind, one in which Stoughton always led, but did not put away until in the later innings. 

"To put seven [runs] up in the first two [innings] it was looking like easy sailing," Stoughton coach Mike Armour said. "You got to give Greater New Bedford a little credit - they got the bat on the ball, they fought back and they made it a game."

Up 10-6 in the bottom of the fourth inning, Stoughton appeared to get the third out of the inning, and hold the Greater New Bedford rally to just one run, but a controversial call at first gave Greater New Bedford new life, and the Bears capitalized, scoring three more runs to make it a 10-9 game.

Clinging to the one-run lead Mike Connelly hit a solo home run with one out in the top of the fifth inning to make it 11-9. 

After reliever Sam Werman got into trouble to start the bottom of the fifth, Armour went to his ace Mike Gallagher to get him out of the bases loaded, one out jam. Gallagher delivered, and ended up finishing the game for the Black Knights, tossing 2 and 2/3 scoreless innings of relief.

Gallagher traditionally starts, but in both playoff games this postseason Armour has turned to the junior to close out the game for Stoughton. He has thrown a total of 6 and 2/3 innings of scoreless ball in this D2 South tournament. 

Stoughton added a pair of insurance runs in the top of the sixth with Pat Jackman driving home Zach Gibb, and Connelly singling home Jackman to cap the scoring in what was a wild game.

Stoughton used four pitchers on Tuesday - Will McGrath (1 2/3 innings), Jake Gibb (2 1/3 innings), Sam Werman (1/3 innning) and Gallagher (2 2/3 innings). Gibb, a freshman, loaded the bases in the bottom of the third, but got out of the inning unscathed, showing the poise of an upperclassman.

Mike Dixon, who started Friday's game against Dennis-Yarmouth, and Zach Gibb are the only fresh arms heading into the Sharon game, among Stoughton's regular pitchers. 

"You have to worry about [winning Tuesday]," Armour said.  "So I think [Wednesday] we're going to lean on some guys. It's a big baseball game, guys will want to participate, it is what it is, and we'll go from there."

The first four Stoughton batters against Greater New Bedford - Jackman, Jovani Pires, Connelly and Gallagher all reached base and eventually scored to lead off the game. 

They continued to lead the offense the remainder of the game.

Jackman finished with a double, RBI and scored three times; Pires scored twice and had a pair of doubles; Connelly reached base four times, had three hits, including the homer, and drove in three runs; and Gallagher reached base five times, scoring two runs.

The rest of the lineup contributed as well. 

Pat Raeke had three RBI; McGrath had an RBI and scored a run; Zach Gibb singled and doubled and scored a run; and Jake Gibb had a 2-run single. 

Tuesday's game ended less than 24 hours before the start of Wednesday's semifinal. Sharon is in the same situation, as both teams will be dealing with a quick turnaround when they take the field Wednesday afternoon. 

Less than 48 hours before Commencement, the annual Class Night exercises were held for the Stoughton High Class of 2013.

Seniors, their family members, and school faculty and administration gathered in the SHS auditorium Tuesday evening, June 4, for a celebration of this year's graduates.

Superintendent of Schools Dr. Marguerite Rizzi, Senior Class officers Niamh Fennessy, Kiara Serret, Kelsie LaFerriere and Fiona Joyce, and Senior Class advisors Kathleen Bulger and Tim Norton addressed the senior class (Norton, a die-hard Philadelphia fan, said he would do anything for his seniors, and put on a personalized Bruins jersey as proof). 

SHS Principal Julie Miller served as the master of ceremonies. Dan Block performed the National Anthem and LaFerriere recited the Pledge of Allegiance. 

Yearbook editor Jordan Angelos presented the Class of 2013's yearbook. 

The highlight of the evening was the screening of the video yearbook, which was introduced by Josh Brown and Brett Hoffman.

Prior to that, multiple awards and honors were presented, including: 

• Department Achievement Medals for: Antoinetta Noe (art); Phil Falkof (business and technology); Caroline Cusack (drama); Arianna Hall (English); Alex Peixinho (instrumental music); Andrea Foley (journalism); Jessica Morse (mathematics); Tim McGrath (natural/applied sciences); Maggie Widberg (physical education); Jack D'Addieco (physical education); Adam Lurie (social studies and world languages); and Katherine Scabia (vocal music)

• Golden Knight Awards for Courtney Lowell, Debora Lumene, Rachel Mackness, Mark Moore and Diep Tran

• National Merit Scholarship Program winners Nick Keith, Tim McGrath and Jessica Morse

• National Achievement Scholarship Program winner Nicole Daniels

• U.S. Army Reserve Scholar Athlete winners Niamh Fennessy and Pat Jackman

• U.S. Marine Corp. Distinguished Student Awards for Brianna Shores and Tim McGrath (Scholastic Excellence); Marcus Middleton and Emma Zuk (Distinguished Athlete); and John Stewart-Racicot and Maggie Widberg (Musical Excellence)

• Black Knight School Spirit Award for Cameron Ramos and Kiara Serret

• Science Olympiad Team MVP for Robert Blindt and Alex Peixinho

• E.A. Jones Distinguished Student Award for Wayne Barnaby and Rachel Romeiro

• NCTA Future Educator Book Award for Erin Walsh

• World Language Exam honors for Adam Lurie, Jacqueline Hausman and Will McGrath (Latin); Christina Solem, Taylor Ewing and Niamh Fennessy (Spanish); and Marie Maillet, Destiny De La Rosa and Hannah Morgan (French).

• Step Up to Excellence Program honorees: 

  Destiney De La Rosa, Ashley Gelin, Susanna Noe, Ifeyinwa Okeke and Luc-Josue Pierre Louis

• Advanced Placement (AP) Scholars: Nicole Daniels, Joy Liu, Tim McGrath, Jessica Morse, Alex Peixinho, Benjamin Call, Niamh Fennessy and Brianna Shores. 

• Peter B. Looney Memorial Scholarship for Marlena Siegel

• The Sara McNeill Memorial Scholarship for Maggie McNeill (Sara's younger sister)

• Canton Town Club Award for Mike Connelly

• Stoughton Police Department Scholarship for Cam Williams and Kyle Feist

• Stoughton Fire Department Scholarship for Mike Dixon and Megan Crimmins 

Take a look at the photo gallery for scenes from the evening. There are more than 100 pictures posted.

Check out a postgame video interview with Pat Jackman, Mike Gallagher, Mike Dixon and Mike Connelly in the media gallery. A photo gallery will be posted Thursday on Patch. 

***

For a Stoughton team that spent the better part of Wednesday afternoon mashing the ball in a 12-6 win, it was a hit which didn't even make it out of the Wheaton College infield which seemed to be the turning point in its Division 2 South Sectional semifinal victory against rival Sharon.

Trailing 4-3 after Sharon scored two runs in the top of the third, Stoughton loaded the bases with no outs in the bottom of the third. Will McGrath grounded to Sharon's Kevin McLaughlin at first. 

McLaughlin attempted to throw home for a force out, but overthrew the catcher, with Mike Connelly and Mike Gallagher coming around to score as a result, giving Stoughton a 5-4 lead. McLaughlin had replaced Nate Pederson, who left with an injury earlier in the inning.

Zach Gibb later squeezed pinch runner Luke Butera home giving Stoughton a 6-4 edge after three innings. 

After a back-and-forth first three innings of play, Stoughton never trailed again. 

Three more runs in the fourth opened the game up, with Stoughton going ahead 9-4. The Black Knights added three insurance runs in the bottom of the sixth.

Sharon scored twice in the top of the seventh, but it was not enough, as Stoughton held on for a six-run victory.

It's the third time the Black Knights (16-7) have defeated the Eagles (14-9) this year, after sweeping the regular season series. 

Stoughton now advances to the Division 2 South Sectional final and will play the winner of the other semifinal game between #1 Nauset and #4 Hingham at a date, time and location to be determined. 

"We came ready to play, determined to walk off this field one way, and to see our guys come through and do it feels pretty good," Stoughton coach Mike Armour said. 

After allowing four runs in the first three innings, starter Mike Dixon settled down and ended up tossing 6 and 1/3 innings, shutting Sharon down in the fourth, fifth and sixth innings as the Stoughton offense broke the game open. 

Most importantly, Dixon allowed the rest of the pitching staff to recuperate from a grueling game at Greater New Bedford the day before. 

"We had four guys throw [Tuesday]...so for him to come in and really pick up the team, let us rest our arms was huge," Armour said. 

Zach Gibb came in to get the final two outs, recording a strikeout to end the game. 

Sharon had beat #7 Dighton-Rehoboth and #2 Oliver Ames to advance to the semifinal, while Stoughton beat #11 Dennis-Yarmouth and #3 Greater New Bedford. 

Against Sharon, Pat Jackman had a pair of RBI, scored two runs and stole two bases; Mike Gallagher had 2 RBI and scored two runs; Pat Raeke also had 2 RBI and scored two runs; and Mike Connelly drove in a run and scored two runs.

After striking out in his first at bat in the postseason against Dennis-Yarmouth, Gallagher reached base 11 straight times over parts of three games before being retired in his final at bat against Sharon. He also closed out the D-Y and Greater New Bedford games on the mound with 6 and 2/3 innings of scoreless relief. 

"He's taken it to a new level," Armour said of Gallagher's offense. "It almost looks like he knows what pitch is going to come before it comes in."

"All these kids, they believe in one another; it's a great group, a great attitude and we're looking forward to keeping the ride going," Armour said.

Click here for a full Division 2 South Bracket. 

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AHAVATH TORAH PULLS OUT OF MERGER TALKS: Tuesday, June 4 could become a very important date in the history of Stoughton’s oldest synagogue.

At a special congregation meeting that night, which was attended by over 100 congregants, the members of Ahavath Torah Congregation overwhelmingly voted in favor of removing ATC from a proposed regionalization process with Temple Beth Emunah in Brockton and Temple Beth Am in Randolph.  

ATC President David Schulze said, “The conversation was intense and the points discussed were very detailed. In the end, the concepts of lost identity and a commitment to our Stoughton community were two of the overriding factors that caused the outcome. I think this experience opened the eyes of many of our congregants that were previously apathetic or possibly just unaware of the issues our synagogue faces."

He continued, "There was a significant rejuvenation of spirit and internal commitment throughout the meeting and the members spoke of their want and desire to remain autonomous and focus specifically on the future of Ahavath Torah Congregation.”

Meanwhile, Temple Beth Am in Randolph and Temple Beth Emunah will continue to work together toward a merger of their shuls, according to sources within both Temples.  

Rabbi Loel Weiss of Temple Beth Am, who is retiring this month, said he was surprised to learn Wednesday morning of the vote of ATC’s Congregation, but still seemed optimistic. 

He told me, “At some point in the future they could all work together again.  At times, it seemed like the three Temples were like porcupines hugging. You never know what the future holds.”

Calls to Steve Merlin and Stu Kirsch, the leaders of the Brockton temple were not returned.  A secretary who answered the phones at Temple Beth Am said that their president is away until Friday. 

But Schulze added, “It is understood that Temple Beth Am and Temple Beth Emunah will now determine their own path and manage unification as a group of two.  ATC fully supports that effort and will look to maintain a regional partnership with both temples and whatever the outcome of their merger process presents."

He continued, "We also want to ensure that there is still communication and sharing of programming as well as joint activities as we are keenly aware of the need to extend the Jewish community beyond our own four walls.”

Rabbi Jonathan Hausman of Ahavath Torah told me that he was not at the congregational meeting. "I've tried to stay away from that decision. The Congregation decided what they wanted to do.The Stoughton Jewish community needs us to remain here. If the synagogue had moved forward with regionalization, it brings one set of issues. Now, there are other issues connected with long-term survival, including membership and fundraising efforts."

Mark Leppo, a real estate agent with Zip Realty, who served on the Site Committee for the regionalization group, told About Town that he resigned Wednesday morning from the Committee he worked with for over a year. “I think this is really best for the greater Jewish community. People now know they can’t be complacent. They need to volunteer and be active.”  

Leppo, a former President of Ahavath Torah, added, “If we’re going to die, we’ll die on our own. But, I really believe this is going to energize the congregation.”

Schulze said it was a very difficult process. “At the end of the day, my job was to gather information and let the congregation follow the path they chose. But, my family has attended here for 40 years, and I’m go glad to see it energized. There were people there last night I have never met. They were passionate and engaged. I spent two years trying to work on the merger. If a re-ignited ATC comes out of it, it was worth my time.”

***

After four years of demanding coursework and a plethora of extra curricular activities, the top 10 students in Stoughton High's Class of 2013 are ready to cap a stressful, yet rewarding high school experience. 

The Stoughton High Class of 2013 graduates Thursday evening, June 6, with more than 250 students set to receive their diplomas. 

Jessica Morse is the class valedictorian, following in the footsteps of her older sister Kara, who was valedictorian of the SHS Class of 2011. Eldest sister Emily (SHS' 07) was fifth in her class.

Joining Morse in the top 10 in 2013 (in order of class rank, based on grade point average): Joy Liu, Tim McGrath, Niamh Fennessy, Alex Peixinho, Nick Keith, Brianna Shores, John Stewart-Racicot, Benjamin Call and Christina Solem. 

The stress they endured wasn't necessarily a bad thing.

"I'd be worried if I wasn't stressed out," Fennessy said. 

"I put myself under all this stress because I knew it would be worth it," Keith said. 

"All the hard work we did was to help us in college," Peixinho added. 

While their grades were top-notch, these students were also among the most active in SHS, involved in a number of extra-curriculars ranging from sports to music to student government to math and science team. 

"A lot of people say high school is the best four years of your life. I don't know if I'd say that, but band made it the best it could be," Morse said of her experience in the Stoughton High music department. 

Fennessy echoed similar sentiments about her work with student council. She is also president of the senior class. 

The students thanked their teachers for the impact they had on their respective high school careers. 

They advised underclassmen and future SHS students not to procrastinate and to get involved with school-related activities starting freshmen year.

"Think about the big picture," Keith said. "Because in the end it will all pay off."

With a 12-6 win over rival Sharon, the Stoughton High baseball team is headed to the finals of the Division 2 South Sectional tournament. 

Sixth-seeded Stoughton beat #10 Sharon in the D2 South semifinals Wednesday at Wheaton College in Norton.

Click here for a full recap of the game, as well as a video interview with Pat Jackman, Mike Gallagher, Mike Dixon and Mike Connelly.

Check out photos from the game posted in the media gallery of this article. 

Stoughton will play the winner of the other semifinal game between #1 Nauset and #4 Hingham at a date, time and location to be determined.  

Is daily life really so tough?

Well, yes, it can be.

Here, though, is to keeping things in perspective. For more than a month now, Patch and Grape-Nuts have teamed up to present stories about your neighbors - neighbors who have faced challenges that would seem insurmountable to many of us. 

But not to the people we've featured in this series, Journeys.

Not surprisingly, the stories have generated dozens of comments on Patch and on Facebook: "Great story...""Thanks for sharing..." "So wonderfully inspiring..." 

And, so, here they are again. Great stories shared to inspire. Take a look at what these people have faced. Then click on the story to see their responses. And, feel better about things.

Local Woman Helps Run Girls Soccer Club in Haiti

For Taryn Silver, what began as a 10-day trip to Haiti in 2011 turned into a new home and close to 50 new friends.

A former Sharon resident, Silver helps run the Association Sportives des Jeunes Filles de Fond des Blancs (The Sports Association of Young Women of Fond des Blancs), a girls soccer club in the rural town of Fond-des-Blancs, about 70 miles west of the Haitian capital of Port-au-Prince.

The club offers an opportunity that Haitian women rarely get due to lack of funding, time and also due to the cultural roles Haitian men and women often play. 

___

Cleanup Organizer Sees a Future of Smaller Footprints

Pat Conaway is "kind of a nut" about the environment, and when he retired from teaching in 2008, it didn't take long for him to find a number of productive ways to spend his time. He now sees hope in the young people who help him clean trails, waterways and roadways.

"I wanted to get people fired up about the environment, to try to encourage citizens to get involved locally," he said.

___

Home Sales for the Love of Rescued Animals

Three years ago while on the Internet, Weston real estate agent Leslie Mann read a story on the Internet that horrified her: A female pit bull-type dog named Turtle had been abandoned in a wooded area in the middle of winter. 

Badly injured, Turtle showed signs of being a bait dog, one used to test the fighting instinct of a potential fight dog.

The Animal Rescue League of Boston stepped in to help, and nursed Turtle back to health through six months of treatment at Tufts Veterinary Hospital in Walpole. The story was enough to inspire Mann to raise about $6,000 for Turtle's treatment.

And even though Turtle is now on the mend, Mann and her husband, both agents with Gibson Sotheby's Realty in Weston, are donating $1,000 to the ARL from every home sale they make in the area.

___

Death of Abandoned Dog Spurs Legislation Effort

One resident's efforts to find justice for a lab that died after being abandoned in a foreclosed property resulted with the filing of a bill to protect animals in similar situations.

"This is the bill that I want," said Lyn Gorka, a local real estate agent and animal rights advocate, who had spoken out for such a bill after being moved by the story of the 2-year-old Phantom that died after being abandoned in a foreclosed apartment. "I have been praying for this bill for two years and I am very, very happy. I want this law passed. I don’t want this to happen to any other dogs."

___

Months After Heart Transplant, Woman Seeks To Give Back

It's not every day that a person gets to experience both sides of being an organ donor. 

But that's exactly what happened to Jane Tecce. After her son's death at the age of 24, his organs were donated. And now, Tecce is recovering from a heart transplant she received nearly two years ago, when she also received a kidney transplant. 

"My kids are starting to have kids now," Tecce said. "I'm being a grammy. I can't imagine not being here."

___

Cancer Survivor Rides for Charity

In a 2001 motor vehicle crash, Gina Utegg sustained a serious brain injury and post-traumatic stress disorder, and had to relearn many life skills that most people take for granted.

Then, in 2009, she was diagnosed with breast cancer and endured surgery, chemotherapy and radiation treatments. 

Now, Utegg has opened up about the obstacles she's faced and what inspired her to overcome them.

___

Tell Us: What’s the Biggest Challenge You’ve Ever Faced?

But what about your biggest challenges? 

In honor of the 60^th anniversary of Sir Edmund Hillary’s historic scaling of Mount Everest, Patch wants to know from readers across the country: What’s the biggest challenge you’ve ever had to overcome? 

Looking for a new house in Stoughton? Here's a list of open houses in the area. If you are on a mobile device this feature needs to be viewed on desktop/web version. To find out when each open house is, click on the "more info" button within each listing. 

HERE COMES THE SUN: It was suit city at Town Hall Tuesday night as Terrence Conroy of Conroy Development and Stoughton Recycling Technologies lined up a team of experts to allow him to further grow the Stoughton landfill, and to delay the capping of it once again - but for good reason. 

This time, the proposal to stall the capping seemed to make sense and was unanimously approved by the Board of Selectmen.  

So, what will be on top of the capped landfill (located off Page St. adjacent to the BJ's parking lot)? Will it be wind turbines? No, that was proposed in February of 1976. Wind is out.  

What Robert W. Golledge, Jr., an environmental consultant from Golledge Strategies & Solutions in Canton, proposed was a 2.6 acre Solar Farm.  

The bow-tied Golledge requested of the Board that they be allowed to bring in more materials to allow for larger solar panels. The Acting Chief of the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection’s Solid Waste Management Section, Mark Dakers, said he had been working on advising Conroy’s company on the project.

Garrett Keegan, a Senior Environmental Engineer with Green Seal Environmental in Sagamore Beach, recommended that 70,000 additional cubic yards of fill be added to the northeast quadrant of the landfill to “create a plateau, but not to raise the elevation. This would provide a wider top level for the 2.6 acre field when capping is completed.  That would take about nine months.”

Mark Tisdale, Stoughton Assistant Town Engineer, aired his concerns with the project.  

He reviewed the draft amendment and had no objection to the change of use or the extended time to cap.  What troubled him was the access roadway design and “the structural capacity of the cap to withstand the weight of the panels,” and the lack of specifics in the draft.    

But, Dakers of the DEP was quick to respond. He said that the DEP would “check all capacity and the integrity of the cap before its approval." 

"We require the Board of Health to get copies of everything, and we’ll add the engineering department. We can also involve your department in the pre-application process,” he said.  

Tisdale said he was satisfied with that assurance.

Attorney Richard Nylen, Jr. of Lynch, DeSimone & Nylan, LLP of Boston, said the original proposal was a more modest renewable energy source which would only serve Conroy. “This is much larger and will allow the town to put out RFP’s (Requests for Proposals) and the benefits of the solar project would go to the town.”

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, on their website, reports, “There are a fairly wide set of considerations that are important when planning a solar system to be placed over a closed landfill. With respect to the solar technologies available, considerations include whether concentrating solar power (CSP) or photovoltaic (PV) will be best suited to site- specific conditions. 

"Additional factors to consider during the planning process, given the constraints of building on a landfill cap, are the desired output capacity, weight characteristics, and degree of mechanical stress expected from onsite weather conditions."

Dakers told About Town that there are numerous similar projects all across the state. 

He noted neighboring Canton has had an operating solar field since August of 2012 on Pine Street. Easton has a proposed solar project on Prospect Street.  Hull’s has been operating since May of 2006, without any problems.  Scituate has one under construction, and Norfolk’s has been running since June, 2012.

Selectmen Vice Chair Cynthia Walsh liked the idea. “I think it’s a good use for the property. It would otherwise remain vacant.”  

Walsh moved to sign the agreement, and it passed unanimously, 4-0. (Selectman Steve Anastos was absent.).  All four members signed the agreement Tuesday night, and handed it to Conroy's attorney.  

No details were made about what this would power, or how much power would be generated in total. Also, no details were given as to any costs that the town of Stoughton would absorb in this process.  

Would the town end up making money? What would it look like? How would it look from neighboring BJ's Wholesale? 

Those are a LOT of questions that would have needed answering before I had signed on the dotted line. Perhaps, Selectmen were provided that information, but it was never publicly discussed. However, I also think it's a good idea to go green in a place that had gone brown.

It seems that in the future - possibly about 18 months from now - when the sun shines in Stoughton, it’s more power to the town!

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The more than 250 members of the Stoughton High Class of 2013 gathered at the Stoughton High football field Thursday evening, June 6, along with family, friends, faculty and administration for the School's 144th Commencement Exercises.

Two-hundred and fifty-nine (259) students walked across the stage to receive their diplomas, capping their high school careers.

Of the 259, about 87 percent will be continuing their education, Superintendent of Schools Dr. Marguerite Rizzi said - including 64 percent at a four-year college. Nine students are also entering the armed forces, while 23 are entering the workforce. 

Dr. Rizzi said $243,690 had been awarded to the graduates in local scholarship money, including more than $100,000 from the Prone Family Foundation.

In addition to Dr. Rizzi, Principal Julie Miller, Senior Class President Niamh Fennesy, Valedictorian Jessica Morse, Student Council President Rachel Romeiro, and School Committee Chair Deborah Sovinee addressed the graduates.

Katherine Scabia performed the National Anthem and Class Treasurer Kiara Serret recited the Pledge of Allegiance.

The following is a list of graduates. A full photo gallery will be posted in the coming days. 

This Sunday June 9, New England Revolution midfielder Kelyn Rowe will be at the Kolz Soccer Fields in Stoughton from 1-3 p.m. signing autographs and taking pictures with fans. 

The home of the Stoughton Youth Soccer League, the Kolz Fields, are located at 501 West Street. 

Rowe played college soccer with the UCLA Bruins before being selected 3rd overall in the 2012 MLS SuperDraft by the Revolution. 

As a rookie Rowe recorded 3 goals and 5 assists. In 12 games played this season, Rowe has scored one goal (last Sunday in the Revolution’s dominant 5-0 win over defending MLS Cup Champion Los Angeles Galaxy) and is tied for the league lead in assists with a total of 5.

Be sure to bring the kids down to the Kolz Fields this Sunday to get an autograph and meet one of Major League Soccer’s up-and-coming stars.

Are you ready for digital billboards on state land across the commonwealth? The Department of Transportation wants the glowing house-sized signs on its property across the state, and the revenue they'll bring to the state, according to the Boston Globe.

Under the current deal signed with Clear Channel, the state would get a cut of each billboard's revenue—either 25 percent or $90,00 per year, whichever is higher. But other states negotiated more lucrative deals.

Current state law allows these digital billboards, but prohibits any animation. So you won't see the latest Geico lizard ad or anything like that, but you may see a rotating set of images. It also requires the sign's owner to set aside time for public service announcements.

You may have passed one of these signs already. There are digital billboards in Foxborough, Milford, Stoneham, and a few other locations.

Former Governor Michael Dukakis is a vocal opponent of the digital billboards (and billboards in general). He was especially angry about the lack of siting oversight for local communities.

“For the life of me, I don’t understand why we need these in the Commonwealth,” said Dukakis in an interview with the Globe. “The T is hell-bent on becoming the state’s primary visual polluter.”

What do you think? Should Massachusetts allow more of these digital billboards? Do you find them distracting while you drive? Should the state negotiate for a bigger cut of the profits? Or should they be banned altogether? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below.

It could have been a turning point in the race, the moment when the lights flicked on and the much-anticipated contest finally lived up to expectations for a U.S Senate race.

Would Congressman Edward Markey finally slam the door on Gabriel Gomez and dash the GOP's dream of Scott Brown redux? Could Gomez shine, narrow the polls and entice national Republican donors to start paying attention?

Instead, all anyone wanted to talk about Thursday morning was the thrilling Bruins double overtime victory in Game 3 of the NHL Eastern Conference finals. Tuukka Rask as a write-in?

At long last, Markey and Gomez shared the same debate stage. In fact, they were so close to each other in the WBZ studios they practically shared a podium. It was all Markey could do not graze Gomez as he repeatedly threw his hands up in disbelief. "Look it," he would say over and over, refuting one charge after another lobbed his way.

Neither Gomez nor Markey came across as a particularly skilled debater, but Gomez came prepared to try to knock Markey off his game and get under the veteran Congressman's skin. It didn't really work.

The two spent an hour trading familiar campaign barbs. Gomez highlighted Markey's resume as someone who has served in a deeply unpopular Congress since the days of Gerald Ford, reprising one-liners when he called him a "poster boy" for term limits and debuting new themes when he accused Markey of "putting party and politics before the people."

For Markey, he wanted voters to come away thinking of the new-to-politics Republican as a cookie-cutter candidate with the same "stale" Republican ideas that Massachusetts voters have repeatedly rejected. Those positions included Gomez's opposition to an assault weapons ban, support for cutting back on Social Security benefits and a willingness to support a Supreme Court justice who would overturn Roe v. Wade.

The openings that Gomez did give Markey, the Malden Democrat largely let slide.

Two new polls from New England College and UMass Amherst, both conducted before the debate, showed Markey leading Gomez comfortably by 12 and 11 points, respectively. In the plus column for Gomez, the Republican was leading Markey by 17 points among independent voters in the UMass Amherst survey. 

Voters, however, trusted Markey over Gomez 47-32 to handle the economy, and Gomez's supposed strength on national security with his background as a Navy SEAL did not resonate. Voters gave the edge to Markey on national security 41-33.

Next week's visit by President Barack Obama to stump for Markey in Boston should be interesting for several reasons. Not only does Markey oppose the president's position to reform Social Security, but he also gave a thumb's up to White House foil Rep. Darrell Issa, urging the California Republican to make full use of his subpoena power to learn the lessons from the Benghazi consulate attack and the IRS's targeting of the Tea Party.

While Gomez and Markey have circled June 25 on their calendars, others are more keenly eyeing June 26. Because if Markey prevails, that's when the race for his seat in Congress will begin in earnest, even if it's already begun to some degree under the Golden Dome.

Sen. Katherine Clark and Sen. Karen Spilka are both preparing to run for Markey's seat in Congress and basked in the attention at hearings this week on Beacon Hill where Spilka pushed her canine "lemon law" to regulate dog breeders, and Clark tackled the issue of access to abortion with a bill that seeks to ease parental consent laws for minors.

"As a prior hobby breeder myself, for chocolate labs . . . it's really important to me as well to have a bill that's workable, good for puppies, good for people who buy the puppies," Spilka said at a hearing Tuesday.

Defending abortion access might stir the liberal base, but it's tough to compete with a bill titled "An Act to Protect Puppies and Kittens."

Gubernatorial drinking habits may be nothing new. Bill Weld was a self-described fan of the "amber colored liquid," while Gov. Deval Patrick has always been more an oenophile, keeping a stash of wine and glasses in his desk cabinet.

But nobody was expecting Patrick to dish on getting tanked alone when he showed up for a discussion on "leadership and generational responsibility" at the Cambridge tech firm HubSpot. The governor dropped his guard a bit as he discussed the day-long manhunt for second marathon bombing suspect Dzhokhar Tsarnaev.

Among the gems from Patrick: President Obama woke him up from a nap in his office to inquire about the search, and he was relieved that Tsarnaev had been found so that he didn't have to listen to "bitching and moaning" about his stay-at-home order.

Patrick also said he arrived at Sweet P Farm in the Berkshire around supper time on Saturday, took a swim, and proceeded to get drunk on chardonnay by himself at a nearby restaurant while reading his iPad over a dinner of duck confit, soup and salad.

When he wasn't talking candidly about how he likes to unwind, Patrick busied himself tagging bald eagle chicks and entrusting the state to the capable hands of Secretary of State William Galvin as he went to Chicago to celebrate a street named in his honor.

Meanwhile, the House acted unanimously to approve a $1.4 billion, five-year borrowing plan for public and affordable housing, and House and Senate negotiators began poring over the details of the state's fiscal 2014 budget due in three weeks.

Some House Republicans and Democrats pleaded with budget conferees not to wait for Senate President Therese Murray's welfare reform bill to act, which the Plymouth Democrat said won't be ready until late June.

Rep. Shauna O'Connell (R-Taunton) may have to wait until then to find a more receptive audience for her reform ideas than her colleagues on the Joint Committee on Children, Families and Persons with Disabilities.

O'Connell grew up in public housing and has been a vocal advocate for eliminating fraud and waste to make sure tax dollars are spent on families who truly need the benefit. However, she was put on the hot-seat at a hearing this week and grilled about the cost of her reform ideas and the burden they would place on an already stretched agency.

Nothing a few glasses of chardonnay can't fix.

STORY OF THE WEEK: Round One of the Markey-Gomez tilt goes to Patrice Bergeron and the Boston Bruins.