The new school start times continue to divide Duxbury, as evidenced by the wide variety of responses from parents at a forum, held Monday at the high school.

Anyone driving past Camp Wing Thursday afternoon may have heard the sounds of more than 30 dogs barking. But these dogs weren’t gathered to chase frisbees. These dogs were on the clock.

The Alden Elementary School has been placed in a restructuring program because of low test scores among special education students –– although the district overall has met its goals under No Child Left Behind.

Are swine flu fears spurring parents to keep their children out of school?

Superintendent of Schools Susan Skeiber said that the district hasn’t had any confirmed cases of H1N1 virus, also known as the swine flu, according to the head nurse. However, that is likely a result of doctors not testing for the flu, rather than students not having it. Doctors are telling anyone with “flu-like symptoms” to stay home.

PATRIOT GAMES: Duxbury Middle School had a special visitor on Tuesday –– Patriot running back Laurence Maroney. Maroney was the guest of seventh grader Tyler Hutchinson, who won the “Take a Player to School” contest sponsored by the NFL’s Play 60 program and JC Penney. Maroney came to Tyler’s house and snapped a photo with the family before heading off to school. Pictured are Maroney, Tyler, Gabrielle, Garrett, mom Lee and dad Scott. Photo by Mike Halloran.

Songbird migration is over. The warblers, vireos and tanagers are mostly gone. As we know, the ones that stay all winter, the chickadees, titmice, woodpeckers, cardinals, etc. have gone into deep undercover like CIA agents. With my feeders empty and deserted, I hit the beach. It isn’t too early for a premature Snowy Owl to show up at High Pines. There could be Harlequin Ducks off the Gurnet. Loons in the bay, even Snow Buntings in the dunes. So I hit the beach and there they were: Snow Buntings!

Anne Antonellis is extremely involved in many aspects of Duxbury.  She is the owner of Duxbury Mortgage Services located in Hall’s Corner, but her involvement goes far beyond her career.  She is the president of the Duxbury Business Association, a member of the Economic Advisory Committee, board of directors of the Council on Aging, the board of directors for the Alden House, and a member of the South Shore Chamber Women’s Business Connection.

What is your background?: My husband, Steve, and I are both graduates of Duxbury High School.  I also graduated from Regis College with a degree in economics.  I just sort of fell into banking.  I started in the mortgage industry in 1985 and opened my own business in 2002.  I have two daughters, both DHS graduates (only our cat is not a DHS grad!).  Chrissy is a senior at U Mass Amherst, and Danielle is a sophomore at Worcester Polytechnic Institute. 

Ladies Night Out: On Sunday, Nov. 15, we have a special night planned to start your holiday shopping at a local toy store with a members only discount. Contact Kristen Frazier for more event details and to RSVP at 781-585-1154 or via e-mail at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it . 

Clipper headlines for the week of Nov. 6, 2009. 

The DHS boys' golf team won the 2009 MIAA Division 2 State championship on Tuesday afternoon at the Blackstone National Golf Club in Sutton. Its two-stroke victory over Sandwich (313-315) was the fourth State title for Coach Jack Stoddard.

Town Manager Richard MacDonald has appointed a retired Wakefield police chief with 34 years of experience as Duxbury’s interim police chief until a permanent successor to former chief Mark DeLuca is named.

Former police chief Mark DeLuca wants to re-open negotiations for a contract settlement with Duxbury selectmen, Town Manager Richard MacDonald said Monday.

The answer is blowing in the wind – or at least to Town Meeting.

That’s where proponents of wind power in Duxbury hope they’ll be able to pass a bylaw allowing the use of wind turbines in town.