Town Manager Richard MacDonald will retire next year, Duxbury selectmen announced this week.

Selectmen Chairman Ted Flynn said the date MacDonald selected is Jan. 31, 2013.

According to the National Weather Service, Duxbury experienced a hard frost/hard freeze on Friday, October 12.

The suspension of outdoor recreational activities has been lifted.

Thanks to a long-time town benefactor, the town has an extra $8,178 to spend on repairing tennis courts and fixing an access road to town fields.

Selectmen unanimously approved spending $5,000 from the Eben H. Ellison Fund to add to money the town has allocated to repair the two tennis courts at Wadsworth Road and the two courts near the Tarkiln Community Center on Summer Street.

Selectmen endorse Community Preservation Act exemption; Oppose surcharge reductionThis week, Duxbury selectmen unanimously rejected the proposal to reduce the Community Preservation Act surcharge to one percent while endorsing the plan to create a $100,000 exemption to the CPA tax.

The chill of another New England autumn once again welcomes spirits to the Alden House for their 11th Annual Haunted House on Saturday, Oct. 20 from 6 to 9 p.m. This year the Aldens will be welcoming back spirits of Duxbury’s past to celebrate the town’s 375th anniversary.

On Saturday, Oct. 20 at the Kingston Commuter Rail parking lot on Marion Drive, the MBTA will be holding a Community Recycling Event from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.  The event is open to the residents of Kingston and the surrounding communities such as Bridgewater, Duxbury, Middleboro, Pembroke, Plymouth or any other nearby community. If you live anywhere close to the station it is a perfect time to get rid of that “stuff” in your garage or basement.

The School Building Committee (SBC) met last week and approved Dimeo Construction Company’s Guaranteed Maximum Price (GMP) of $105,226,411 for construction of the new middle and high school and field house.  This price is within the budget previously established for the project.

Come to Westwinds Bookshop on Monday, Oct. 29 at 10:30 a.m. for the annual Halloween storytime and “trick or treating” through the Duxbury Marketplace. Wear costumes!

The Duxbury American Legion Post 223 is pleased to announce the official dedication ceremony for the Lt. Timothy Steele and War on Terrorism Memorial Dedication.

Just for Daisy Scouts. Daisy Scouts are reminded that the deadline for sending in your registration for the annual Juliette Low Birthday/Halloween Party is the Oct. 19. Come and join us as we celebrate Juliette Lowe’s birthday which just happens to fall on Halloween.

Duxbury’s own Razia Jan, recently named one of CNN’s Top Ten Heroes of the Year, met with friends and supporters at SeaFest, held under a tent on the front lawn of the First Parish Church.  SeaFest was sponsored by the Duxbury Rotary Club, with proceeds going to benefit Razia’s Ray of Hope Foundation and the Greater Plymouth Food Warehouse. 

The Snug Harbor Community Chorus is once again offering a scholarship to vocal performance students of Duxbury High School.

The Duxbury Rural and Historical Society will conduct, during the last week of October and the first week of November, an archaeological testing procedure at what is believed to be the site of the home of Elder William Brewster, a Mayflower passenger and one of the first settlers of Duxbury.

The Duxbury Planning Board cordially invites all residents to a storm water education presentation to be held on Wednesday, Oct. 24 at 7 p.m. at Town Hall, Mural Room, 878 Tremont St. The presentation will be led by Rich Claytor and Mark Nelson of the Horsley Witten Group, environmental consultants in Sandwich.