Quincy's COVID money, gardens, steak and murder

The Patriot Ledger
·7 min read

In Flanders Fields was written in May 1915 by Canadian military doctor, Maj. John M. McCrae, after he treated victims of a German chemical attack in Belgium. It inspired the use of red poppies as a symbol on Memorial Day in the U.S., and they're used in Great Britain on what's known there as Remembrance Day — Nov. 11.

In Flanders fields the poppies blow

Between the crosses, row on row,

That mark our place; and in the sky

The larks, still bravely singing, fly

Scarce heard amid the guns below.

-

We are the Dead. Short days ago

We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow,

Loved and were loved, and now we lie

In Flanders fields.

-

Take up our quarrel with the foe:

To you from failing hands we throw

The torch; be yours to hold it high.

If ye break faith with us who die

We shall not sleep, though poppies grow

In Flanders fields.

Don't forget, you can always head to PatriotLedger.com any time to get the latest news. (And specifically to https://www.patriotledger.com/for-subscribers/ for stories that only subscribers have access to.)

Thanks for reading. Thanks for subscribing. And we hope you get the long weekend - and enjoy time with loved ones. And ooh - hot dogs. Speaking of hot dogs - you did catch this story, right, about Sully's coming to the South Shore?)

Some of our recent most popular stories:

The Patriot Ledger obtained a detailed breakdown of where Quincy has spent its COVID money

ONLY FOR SUBSCRIBERS Of the roughly $57 million Quincy received in combined American Rescue Plan Act and CARES Act money, Mayor Thomas Koch's administration has spent $44.3 million on land, school projects, grants for small businesses and nonprofits, creating new positions and more. Of the money spent so far, $17.1 million went to COVID testing and vaccine-related initiatives, upgrades to air flow in public buildings and other obvious pandemic-related expenses. Read the full story here.

Rebecca Dinsmore, of Quincy, has volunteered at the Dorothy Quincy Homestead as the gardener for 23 years, Monday, April 25, 2022.
Rebecca Dinsmore, of Quincy, has volunteered at the Dorothy Quincy Homestead as the gardener for 23 years, Monday, April 25, 2022.

Gardens with history - and a dedicated volunteer gardener

While the Dorothy Quincy Homestead alongside Furnace Book Parkway in Quincy, built in 1686, holds great architectural and historical interest, the heritage gardens are their own draw. Their volunteer gardener has shown unwavering devotion.

Rebecca Dinsmore, 77, who lives nearby, has been volunteer gardener at the historic property on Butler Road at the corner of Hancock Street for 23 years. She is a retired music teacher who taught for 34 years in the Marshfield public schools and also taught piano for 37 years, with students coming from as far as Quincy. So, basically, she's an honest to goodness Renaissance woman.

She seems a rare find - like many of the plants. The names of Colonial herbs and plants used by the American colonists roll off her tongue. Basil is not one of them.

Read the story here about these amazing gardens and the woman behind them.

The South Shore real estate market

ONLY FOR SUBSCRIBERS Every week, The Patriot Ledger posts a week of South Shore, Massachusetts, real estate sales. Aren't you curious what your new neighbor paid? It's one of the perks of being a subscriber - access to this town-by-town list of recent sales, both commercial and residential. Plus, we round up the Top 5 sales for you and put them right at the top o the story each week. One of our favorites in this week's list is No. 5 - a deep water dock, 2.5 acres, a guest house and more. Check it out here.

Michael Hand at his arraignment on March 14, 2018, at Brockton District Court in connection with the 1986 slaying of 15-year-old Tracy Gilpin, of Kingston.
Michael Hand at his arraignment on March 14, 2018, at Brockton District Court in connection with the 1986 slaying of 15-year-old Tracy Gilpin, of Kingston.
Tracy Gilpin, of Kingston, was killed in 1986.
Tracy Gilpin, of Kingston, was killed in 1986.

35 years later, trial of accused killer of South Shore 15-year-old ready to begin

ONLY FOR SUBSCRIBERS A freshman at Silver Lake Regional High School, Tracy Gilpin was last seen alive at about 11:20 p.m. Oct. 1, 1986, while walking home from a convenience store on Howlands Lane in Kingston after going to a party. Prosecutors say Michael Hand dropped a 73-pound rock onto Gilpin in Myles Standish State Park. She was found with a massive skull fracture and rope marks around her neck. She was found several weeks later in a shallow grave near the state forest's main entrance on Long Pond Road in Plymouth.

Police delayed searching for Gilpin for five days because she had a history of running away, and officers believed she would return on her own.

He has been held without bail since he was arrested in North Carolina on March 9, 2018. But there are questions of what evidence will be allowed in court - including conversations with a minister.

Read the full story here.

Graduates pose for a photo with friends at the Notre Dame Academy commencement ceremony in Hingham on Friday, May 20, 2022.
Graduates pose for a photo with friends at the Notre Dame Academy commencement ceremony in Hingham on Friday, May 20, 2022.

It's that celebratory time of year - graduations

Find your local graduation here - in beautiful photos and words.

The latest town-by-town South Shore COVID numbers

School cases are down, but overall COVID-19 rates up for ninth week in a row. See where your town stands. The full story and list is here.

All the best action

Hingham High catcher Bennett Cashman, a senior, catches against Marshfield on Wednesday, May 18, 2022.
Hingham High catcher Bennett Cashman, a senior, catches against Marshfield on Wednesday, May 18, 2022.
Head coach Steve Perakslis holds up the game ball while talking to his team following their win over Norwell at Frolio Field in Abington on Wednesday, May 25, 2022. Abington head coach Steve Perakslis won his 300th win with the victory.
Head coach Steve Perakslis holds up the game ball while talking to his team following their win over Norwell at Frolio Field in Abington on Wednesday, May 25, 2022. Abington head coach Steve Perakslis won his 300th win with the victory.

Courts and crime

The Long Island Bridge, shown in 2015, connected Long Island in Boston Harbor to the Squantum neighborhood of Quincy.
The Long Island Bridge, shown in 2015, connected Long Island in Boston Harbor to the Squantum neighborhood of Quincy.

ICYMI: New development in Long Island Bridge saga

Are Quincy's efforts to stop the Long Island Bridge rebuild a civil rights violation? U.S. Attorney Rachael Rollins is investigating the city for not complying  with the requirements of the Americans with Disabilities Act. Read the full story here.

News you'll want a bite of

Chef Zach Prifti holds a cowboy ribeye steak at The Blacksmith Tavern on Washington Street in Pembroke on Thursday, May 12, 2022.
Chef Zach Prifti holds a cowboy ribeye steak at The Blacksmith Tavern on Washington Street in Pembroke on Thursday, May 12, 2022.

ONLY FOR SUBSCRIBERS On the eclectic menu at the new Blacksmith Tavern in Pembroke are cowboy ribeye, bao buns and whipped ricotta toast. Dig in here.

Hungry for more?

ONLY FOR SUBSCRIBERS Sullivan's Castle Island – known locally as Sully's – will open a 6,000-square-foot restaurant at Hanover Crossing. But this location will feature sit-down bar area and patio where people can order a beer or a glass of wine go to with their meal. Now that'll hit the spot! Read the story here. 

ONLY FOR SUBSCRIBERS More than pho: 'Authentic Vietnamese food' at new Pho So 1 in Quincy. And it's got a great family legacy angle you'll also enjoy. Food can be such a bond for families! Get a bit of the story here.

Jennifer Mekler with a load of fresh handmade treats from the Sugar Shack in the Beechwood neighborhood of Cohasset on Tuesday, April 26, 2022.
Jennifer Mekler with a load of fresh handmade treats from the Sugar Shack in the Beechwood neighborhood of Cohasset on Tuesday, April 26, 2022.

Driving down busy Beechwood Street in Cohasset, you'd never know that one turn down a bumpy dirt road and a little patience will  land you at a charming, one-room sweet shop known as the Sugar Shack. And it's open all the time and runs on the honor system. Get your sugar fix here.

ONLY FOR SUBSCRIBERS Inflation, COVID-related price increases, supply-chain issues, the rising cost of living and even the price of gas are all reasons local restaurant owners say you may notice an extra 2, 5 or even 7% fee tacked onto your next bill. The details are here.

ONLY FOR SUBSCRIBERS It's all made from scratch – potato chips, paninis and more. Epicurean Kitchen in Hanover chef-owner Jennifer Souza Daley is a former "Martha Stewart Living" chef. Check out the full story here.

ONLY FOR SUBSCRIBERS A New Korean fried chicken restaurant is open in North Quincy. This KFC – Korean fried chicken – is "crispy and tender, juicier than American style," said Jacky Zheng, owner of bb.q Chicken on Billings Road. They have fried chicken in two dozen flavors! Read all the juicy details here.

Think you may have missed some recent dining stories? Find more here.

This article originally appeared on The Patriot Ledger: Your Week on the South Shore newsletter for May 29, 2022