The Zoning Board of Appeals heard a special permit request by South Shore Conservatory of Music to erect a 45-inch by 78-inch free-standing sign at the Ellison Center for the Arts, 64 St. George St.

Skip Bennett knows what it is to have nothing, to suffer catastrophic loss and soldier on. Yet when a parasite wiped out his Duxbury Bay clam farm in 1995, Bennett, the founder of Island Creek Oysters, never considered giving up.

(State Trooper Dan Eaton is always looking out for the welfare of his neighbors.)

Dan Eaton is never truly off the clock.

When his wife Kathleen noticed two people circling their South Street neighbor’s property, the off-duty state trooper went outside to confront the man and woman.

(A sunfish basks along Duxbury Beach. Photo courtesy of Barbara Crispi.)

A section of Duxbury Beach was temporarily shut down today when beachgoers spotted a dorsal fin 250 - 300 feet offshore. Harbormaster Don Beers immediately dispatched a boat and within minutes Officer Jake Emerson identified the fin as belonging to a sunfish and not the shark many beachgoers feared.

(Jack Ahern and Ean Connell outside of the Ashdod Station. They are part of the Duxbury Fire Department's Fourth Shift.)

They gathered around the kitchen table for what Duxbury Fire Capt. Rob Tripp called the family meal, plunking down sandwiches and juice while exchanging bad jokes and playful jabs. They were already two calls into the day – one a medical emergency that resulted in a trip to Jordan Hospital, the other asking for help to lift a person who had fallen, a frequent call.

(This is Part II in a three-part series.)

After setting up their hives this spring, Duxbury beekeepers Laura Sullivan and Kerrie Capraro were hoping for a successful honey producing season following a disappointing 2011.

Longtime Duxbury resident and Harbormaster Don Beers would rather be nowhere else than along the shores of our picturesque town.  A lifetime lover of the beach and seas, Beers has served as harbormaster for over thirty years. A fraternal twin, his brother Dick, a fisherman, lives next door and his brother David is a 30-year veteran of the Duxbury Fire Department. We talked with Beers about a typical day at work and what goes in to keeping our beaches safe for all.

(A monster 30-inch flounder caught by Keller Whitney, 7. He doesn’t want to give out his secret local fishing hole.)

COASTAL REPORT:  Here we are in the dog days of summer and fishing is at its best. That’s right -- at its best!

Water temperatures are in the low to mid 60s and fishing has really improved. At Peaked Hill Bar, both giant and school tuna fishing has been much better. There are some nice giants coming on both squid bars and live bait. When the fish are feeding on top, casting plastic bait such as Shankas in bubble gum or lipstick colors works well.

EEE is a rare but serious illness spread by the bite of an infected mosquito. While EEE can infect people of all ages, people under 15 years of age or over 50 years of age are at greatest risk for serious illness.

(Nichole Radke's face says it all as the team fought to finish with a medal.  She is flanked by Shane and Sam Boussy. Photo by Deni Johnson)

They arrived at the Duxbury Bay Maritime School (DBMS) in their red, white and blue, carrying flags and hope, all on behalf of Duxbury’s own Will Miller who rowed to fourth place in the world in the Olympics Men’s Eight Plus rowing competition.

The upstairs reception room was filled with residents and friends who took time out of their afternoon to celebrate the Millers. Bill Miller, Will Miller’s father, is a coach at the school and a 1972 Olympian in rowing himself. Many said they were careful to avoid online spoilers of the race that had been decided hours earlier but aired last Wednesday at 4 p.m. They wanted to share the moment with their neighbors and friends.

Little kids can’t hog the fresh pencils and Crayola crayons of back-to-school time any more. The college crowd can have their microwaves, U-haul trailers, and multidimensional puzzle pieces (“How are you going to fit all that into a room with three other people, sweetie?”). End of summer is a great time for Mom and Dad, or Grammie and Grampa to plan and execute their own return to the delights of school – educational and otherwise. I promised to return to the topic for an older set of back-to-schoolers. Here’s a road map of real and unreal suggestions.

Winslow Hallowell, formerly of Duxbury, died on June 3, 2012, following a brief illness.  The Hallowell family cordially invites friends to gather in celebration and sharing of memories and stories of Mr. Hallowell on Saturday, Sept. 15 from 3 - 5 p.m. at the Nathaniel Winsor House, 479 Washington St. Duxbury.