Canter Brook Owner Faces Charges After Underage Drinking Party

The owner of the Canter Brook Equestrian Center has been charged with providing alcohol to a minor as a result of an underage drinking party at the center last month.

The owner of Canter Brook Equestrian Center is now facing charges in connection to an underage drinking party that happened there last month. Jerry Dawson, 50, was issued a summons to appear in Ipswich District Court to face a single charge of furnishing alcohol to a minor. The charge is a misdemeanor that carries a possible penalty of a fine up to $2,000 and/or a year in prison. Police list Dawson’s address as 20 Cheever Ave. in Saugus. The charge is one of the several parts of what is known as the social host law, a set of laws that punish adults who provide alcohol to minors or provide them a place to gather and drink. Essex County District Attorney Jonathan Blodgett has been actively pushing in recent years to raise awareness of the …

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Police: 65 Teens Issued Summonses After Weekend Drinking Party

Hamilton police on Tuesday night released the exact number of people that were issued a summons in connection with an underage drinking party on Saturday.

We now know the exact number of teenagers that were issued summonses following an underage drinking party on Saturday night in Hamilton. Hamilton police said in a written statement that they issued summonses to 65 people for being minors in possession of alcohol. Police found the party at Canter Brook Equestrian Center at 9:56 p.m., after a car stop on Highland Street earlier in the evening. In the next few minutes, they requested help from police in neighboring Topsfield, Ipswich and Wenham. All of the partygoers who were allegedly in possession of alcohol were released to their parents or responsible adult, police said. An arraignment date in Ipswich District Court in Newburyport has not yet been released. Police previously said that the…

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Further Charges Possible After Saturday Night Underage Drinking Party

Hamilton police continue to investigate an underage drinking party on Saturday night where dozens of young people were issued a summons for possessing alcohol.

Hamilton police on Monday said they continue to investigate charges under the state’s social host law in connection to an underage drinking party on Saturday night. There was not a lot of information available about the party on Monday. Hamilton Police Lt. Scott Janes said the case was still under investigation and more details would be released on Tuesday. Janes said police made a traffic stop on Saturday night that led to the discovery of the party at Canter Brook Equestrian Center on Highland Street. Backup for officers from several neighboring communities, including Ipswich, Topsfield and Wenham, was called at about 10 p.m., according to the Saturday evening police activity log. All of the “juveniles and young adults” at the party were…

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Attorney: Hamilton Water Supply Can Handle New Development

Hamilton's water withdrawals are below the amount allowed by a state permit, but the town faces lawsuits challenging the amount of water it uses.

The chances are slim that Hamilton will run out of drinking water any time soon. But the town may face some additional state restrictions on its usage in coming years, town officials said last week. “The town presently has significant withdrawal capacity under our existing permit and continues to take steps to reduce seasonal water use through education, restrictions and capital investment,” wrote John Tomasz, director of the Department of Public Works, in a letter to the Planning Board last week. The issue of Hamilton's water supply came up in the Planning Board's consideration of permitting the Canter Brook Estates senior housing project. Tomasz and Ray Miyares, special legal counsel for water issues, concluded that there was no concern …

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Jay Burnham

3:50 am on Friday, August 10, 2012

What lack of funding? 10 years of Proposition 2.5 overrides? Costing the taxpayers more than $45 million cumulatively over the past 12 years? That's not a lack of funding. That's a lack of accountability.   more ›

Patch Facts

Five Things You Need to Know Today: Jan. 10

An essential get-me-going daily morning column from Hamilton-Wenham Patch.

Today is Tuesday, Jan. 10. Here are five things you need to know: 1. Warm: Temperatures are forecasted to rise well into the 40s on Tuesday – another unseasonably warm day on what has been a remarkably warm winter so far. A cloudy start will turn to sunny skies and winds will gust to 20 miles per hour at times. 2. Owl Moon: Children age 6 and up can learn about great horned owls at Appleton Farms on Tuesday night. The Owl Moon program, which runs from 5:30-7 p.m., will include a reading of Jane Yolen's “Owl Moon” and end with a cup of hot chocolate. The cost is $8 for Trustee members and $10 for non-members. 3. Pan-Mass Challenge: Registration opens on Tuesday for “alumni” of past Pan-Mass Challenge bicycle rides to enter the 33rd annual …

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Patch Facts

Five Things You Need to Know Today: Dec. 20

An essential get-me-going daily morning column from Hamilton-Wenham Patch.

Today is Tuesday, Dec. 20. Here are five things you need to know: 1. Weather: Tuesday will be a beautiful day, but will be cooler than Monday. The forecast calls for temperatures to hold in the 30s with sunny skies and gusty winds again. 2. Hanukkah: The Jewish holiday Hanukkah begins at sundown on Tuesday. Also known as the Festival of Lights, it runs eight days and nights and involves lighting one of the lights of the Menorah each evening. 3. Canter Brook: The Hamilton Planning Board had originally planned to meet on Tuesday night to continue reviewing a plan to building a senior housing complex on the Canter Brook Equestrian Center property. But that meeting was moved to last week. 4. Gas prices: The lowest priced gallon of regular …

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Canter Brook Housing Project Could See 100 Conditions Imposed

The Hamilton Planning Board will hold two more hearings in December - including one with 90 minutes devoted to hearing from neighbors - on a controversial plan to build 43 senior housing units on the Canter Brook property.

After about 14 months of public hearings, the Hamilton Planning Board agreed Tuesday night that it may close the public's input in two weeks on the proposed 43-unit senior housing project planned for Canter Brook Equestrian Center property. The board plans to begin its own deliberations a week later - five days before Christmas. But it is doubtful if closing the public hearing will end the public scrutiny of the controversial project. John Hamilton, who is an attorney for some of the neighbors, said the project may well come under the review of other boards and agencies after the Planning Board issues a special permit for its construction. Among those boards could be the Hamilton Zoning Board of Appeals, which might be required to approve …

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Patch Facts

Five Things You Need to Know Today: Nov. 29

An essential get-me-going daily morning column from Hamilton-Wenham Patch.

Today is Tuesday, Nov. 29. Here are five things you need to know: 1. Warm again: Tuesday is shaping up to be much like Monday, with overcast skies and temperatures well into the 60s. The chance of rain showers increases late in the afternoon and evening. 2. Gas: The least expensive gallon of regular gas in the two towns early this week is at G & M Motors in Hamilton at $3.17 per gallon. Downtown at both Oliver Gulf and Hamilton Convenience, a gallon of gas is selling for $3.29 per gallon. At Fallon’s in Wenham, a gallon of gas is selling for $3.79. 3. Football: The football Generals will be in playoff action on Tuesday night at Andover High School with kickoff at 7:30 p.m. If the team beats Newburyport, it advances to the Div. 3A Super …

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Canter Brook Project May Not Need Zoning Board Approval

The senior housing project planned for the Canter Brook property in Hamilton will use concrete pavers to decrease amount of impervious surface on the site.

The proposed 43-unit senior housing project on the Canter Brook Equestrian Center property in Hamilton may be able to avoid the Zoning Board of Appeals permitting process by adding concrete pavers to decrease the percentage of impervious surface on the site. Robert Forbes with Prime Engineering told the Hamilton Planning Board on Tuesday night that the owners decided three weeks ago to add the 50,000 square feet of pavers in hopes of reducing the amount of pavement on the site to below 15 percent. It had been 21 percent. Under town regulations, a project that exceeds 15 percent of impervious surface on the entire property must be approved by Building Inspector Charlie Brett, who would decide if the town would require it to get a special …

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Patch Facts

Five Things You Need to Know Today: Nov. 1

An essential get-me-going daily morning column from Hamilton-Wenham Patch.

Today is Tuesday, Nov. 1. Here are five things you need to know: 1. Storm Brush: Both Hamilton and Wenham officials made arrangements on Monday to allow residents to drop off brush from the weekend storm. In Hamilton, the landfill on Chebacco Road will be open again on Nov. 9 and in Wenham dropoff is at the West Wenham playground and at the Iron Rail property. 2. Leaves: Wenham’s curbside loose leaf collection was scheduled to begin on Monday but won’t get started until later this week because of the tree damage and other duties that require attention after the weekend Nor’Easter. 3. Senior Day: The boys’ soccer team had Senior Day planned for Monday but it has been bumped back to Tuesday. The team faces Ipswich High School at 3:45 p.m. at…

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