Taunton Gazette Top 5 Stories Berkley Estate Morton Nurses Rally

Before we start the new week in earnest, we take a look back at the week that has passed and the stories that have made the news with Taunton Daily Gazette readers.
Leading the way is the latest real estate report, featuring a Berkley home that’s a boater’s dream, and an expensive home: it sold for almost a million dollars.
Other headline stories include: nurses mobilizing on Taunton Green; the possibility of an upcoming Starbucks opening on Route 44; and how Morton Hospital fared in a recent patient safety ratings survey.
Rounding out our top 5 stories from last week was one of our star stories of the day, about a local basketball player who set a goalscoring record.
Here are our Top 5 stories from the past week, according to Gazette readers:
Real Estate Report: A Berkley Boater’s Dream Home
A Chester Avenue home in Berkley with water access and beautiful views recently sold for nearly $1 million. The 2,400 square foot home features four bedrooms and four bathrooms, as well as its own deep-water dock. If you are a boater, this house is a dream.
We’ve got that, along with all the other top-selling recent homes, in the latest real estate report.
Real estate report:Boater’s Berkley Dream Home Sells for Nearly $1 Million
Rally of Nurses on Taunton Green
A recent rally on Taunton Green drew a crowd of over 150, with nurses and other healthcare workers at Morton Hospital demonstrating for pay rises. Nurses and healthcare professionals from the Massachusetts Nurses Association have been in contract negotiations with the hospital since October. Union members argued that Morton’s salaries were so much lower than Boston hospitals that local nurses chose not to work in Taunton. Heidi Taylor, president of the hospital, countered that Morton had “made every effort” to attract and retain local nurses.
The rally was also attended by local officials, who spoke at the event. Gazette Reporter Chris Helms has the story here.
Security concerns:Morton nurses sounded the alarm on safety for a year before random stabbing
The Raynham Coffee Mile?
Route 44 already has the Auto Mile, but it’s also shaping up to be the Coffee Mile. Work has been underway for months to turn Raynham’s former Friendly’s into a Starbucks. It would join Aroma Joe’s, Marylou’s, Our Mom’s Place and Dunkin’, all of which are within a mile of each other.
Raynham Building commissioner Robert Iafrate estimated that Starbucks could open in April. See what’s coming up with the project.
Espresso? Manage:Society Coffee Bar brings premium caffeine to Taunton
How Morton Hospital fared in the patient safety investigation
Twice a year, the Leapfrog Group — a nonprofit watchdog organization that works for transparency in American health care — rates hospitals nationwide on patient safety. Morton Hospital earned its third consecutive “A” grade this fall, after years of “B” grades. The survey divides the results into five categories – infections; problems with surgery; security issues; practices to avoid errors; and doctors, nurses and hospital staff.
Here’s how Morton Hospital fared in each category.
Pictures:History is made as Morton in Taunton gives first COVID vaccines
Stars of the day: Trent Santos sets Taunton boys basketball goalscoring record
Rounding out our top 5 stories of the week was a recent Stars of the Day, featuring a banner night for Trent Santos from Taunton High School. Santos hit 11 three-pointers and scored 25 in the first half alone as he became just the fifth player to score 40 or more points in a game since coach Charlie Dacey took the helm during the 1989-90 season.
Read the full story here and be sure to visit TauntonGazette.com for our daily Stars of the Day sports article.
Taunton Daily Gazette/Herald News editor and digital producer Kristina Fontes can be contacted at [email protected] Support local journalism by purchasing a digital or print subscription to The Herald News and Taunton Daily Gazette today.