Choose Granite Countertops Near Me Brockton, MA for Elegance and Durability

BROCKTON — It was 13 days before Brockton's preliminary election. The person in charge of elections noticed that all over City Hall, a letter endorsing mayoral candidate Moises Rodrigues had been posted on department bulletin boards. She wanted to get the word out right away that this was illegal, so she emailed a warning to thousands of city employees.

"Attached is a notice from Local 1162. I know we post things from the union, but the attached flyer sent by the union cannot be posted anywhere. It is a violation of Election Laws. Please make sure it is not posted in your office. Thank you," Election Director Cynthia Hogan wrote in the Sept. 3 email blast.

Hogan included the endorsement letter itself in the email. That sparked allegations from rival candidates that Hogan violated election law by low-key spreading word that a city worker union, Local 1162, backed Rodrigues.

Derenoncourt calls incident 'corruption at its best'

Mayoral candidate Jean Bradley Derenoncourt called for Hogan to step down. "City employees should not have to be bullied or even passively suggested to vote for A Certain Candidate," Derenoncourt wrote in an email to Hogan. "This is corruption at its best and is one thing wrong in the City of Brockton."

Including the attachment violated a state law against public employees interfering with an election, argues lawyer Mary LaCivita. She's working for Derenoncourt this election. In the past, LaCivita worked with Rodrigues on his unsuccessful campaign for state senate. LaCivita reported it to the elections division of the office of the Secretary of the Commonwealth. A lawyer with that office, LaCivita said, told her that the secretary's office had no power over Brockton's director of elections. LaCivita is still exploring if the incident violated ethics rules.

Hogan says she regrets putting the attachment in the email. "In hindsight, I wish I had maybe sat down and thought about it for a few minutes rather than just act," the longtime elections chief said. "But that's what I did."

Why did elections chief email endorsement?

Hogan has worked in the city's Election Department for 23 years, including six years leading it. She described how it is normal for city unions to post notices in Brockton offices. Usually these are about meetings and other union business. That day, Local 1162 had posted twice. "I wanted to make sure they knew that I was telling which one of the two postings not to post," Hogan said. "I didn't want them to think I was telling them not to post the union stuff."

Hogan said a state official had called her to ask about the incident, which she explained to the person. She didn't catch which office the person was from.

Hogan does not plan to resign over the issue

Hogan has no plans to step down. "I think that it was maybe a mistake on my part to send the email, but I don't think that any of it disqualifies me to do this job," she said.

Hogan said that while she has her opinions about politics, they stay out of her job. Speaking of Rodrigues, she said, "I have no connection to his campaign or anybody else's campaign."

What does Rodrigues say?

For his part, Rodrigues said he had nothing to do with the endorsement letter being posted or emailed. "I appreciate the support of the union," he said in a Sept. 26 phone call. "The employees of this city recognize what I have to offer in terms of stability."

Derenoncourt and Rodrigues, both sitting city councilors at-large, were the two top vote getters in the Sept. 16 preliminary election and made it to the Nov. 4 general election. Voters will choose one of the two men as the city's next mayor.

Both campaigns have been highlighting endorsements they've received.

For Derenoncourt, those include a different union local, 1199 Service Employees International Union Massachusetts, the Coalition for Social Justice, Massachusetts County Correctional Officers Association 575 and Governor's Councilor Tamisha Civil (District 2.)

In addition to the public backing of Local 1162 of the Laborers' International Union of North America, Rodrigues' campaign has highlighted on social media endorsements including the Boston Carmen's Union, Local 589 and FORCV, a news source for Boston-area Cape Verdeans.

The Enterprise called and emailed several officials in Local 1162. None had gotten back to us by press time on Sept. 26.

Send your news tips to reporter Chris Helms by email at or connect on X at .

"The Walking Dead: Dead City" season three is filming on Monday, Sept. 8 in Brockton. The television show's film crew will shut down Frederick Douglass Avenue from Main Street to the Liberty Tree from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m.

Shutting down Frederick Douglass Avenue won't be the only traffic change to Brockton's streets on Monday. The the one-way direction of L Street will also flip. Normally, L Street takes drivers one-way from Warren Avenue northeast to Frederick Douglass Avenue. During filming, that direction will switch to "allow for traffic to be routed away from the filming location," according the filmmaker's request to the city.

What is 'Walking Dead: Dead City'?

"Walking Dead: Dead City" is a spinoff of the titular "Walking Dead" — the famous 2010s television series that ran for 11 seasons. It's produced and aired by AMC, and will appear on the company's AMC+ streaming service once the new episodes arrive. Set in New York City, AMC described the new season as the following:

“Maggie and Negan finally put aside their differences to build the first thriving community in Manhattan since the apocalypse, but when chaos in the city begins to arise, they are forced to question: Have they learned from their old wounds or will their dark past spell doom for the entire city?”

Where else in MA has 'Dead City' filmed?

This isn't the first time "Dead City" has been filmed in Massachusetts's streets. Back in 2024, AMC utilized both Taunton and Worcester to film for the show's second season. Worcester residents woke to zombie prop corpses lying in the street and crew members scattered throughout downtown. The show filmed for five days in Worcester before returning a month later to complete shooting with a sixth and final day.

Down in Taunton, the film crew utilized the Silver City for two and a half days of shooting, about a month before the set moved to Worcester in May.

How to watch 'Dead City'

You can watch "Dead City" when it airs on AMC+. However, the first season is availible to watch on Netflix.

BROCKTON, Mass. – Al Davis may have only lived in this sports-crazed Plymouth County city for the first five years of his life, but the late Raiders owner's influence is still felt here.

And, after Saturday's commemoration in the shadow of Brockton City Hall, it will forever.

Just like those of boxing champs Rocky Marciano and Marvin Hagler, as well the recognized inventor of the catcher's mitt and former Brooklyn Bridegrooms manager Bill McGunnigle.

A commemorative plaque honoring Davis as a native son was unveiled here Saturday before a raucous crowd of about 300 fans, including the Brockton Raiders youth football team.

In Brockton, Massachusetts for the unveiling of a plaque honoring Al Davis, who was born here on July 4, 1929. pic.twitter.com/yHscDdt9pL

— Paul Gutierrez (@PaulHGutierrez) September 6, 2025

The timing of the unveiling was appropriate, what with the Raiders opening the season Sunday at New England, affording Raiders Owner Mark Davis, President Sandra Douglass Morgan and two-time Super Bowl champion quarterback Jim Plunkett, whose NFL career began with the Patriots, the opportunity to attend.

"Pro Football Hall of Famer and three-time Super Bowl champion whose life began at 363 Spring Street in Brockton," the plaque reads, and, sure enough, the younger Davis, along with several fans, made a post-event pilgrimage to Davis' childhood home.

"The only person in NFL history to serve as assistant coach, head coach, general manager, commissioner, and most prominently as a team owner. A pioneer for diversity, Davis was the first person in NFL history to hire a Black head coach, a Latino head coach, a female CEO, and pick a Black quarterback in the 1st round."

The plaque also touts the Raiders' on-field successes under Davis – 12 division titles, 12 AFC title game appearances and only seven losing seasons in his first 40 years with the team – while Brockton Mayor Robert F. Sullivan read a "citation" from the city to extend congratulations to the Davis family.

"Once a Brocktonian, always a Brocktonian," Sullivan said, and if that sounds familiar to Raiders fans, well…

"Brockton is known as the City of Champions."

Mark Davis told of his family's history with the city. His paternal grandparents Louis and Rose moved in the early 1900s to Brockton, where they had two sons, Jerry and Al, who was born on July 4, 1929.

"So the genes and the DNA of the Davis family reside right here in Brockton, and even further than that, it also resides in the Raider Nation," Mark Davis said. "I'm just so proud of Brockton in recognizing my father. It just means the world to me.

"I want to thank everybody here in Brockton for recognizing him, [not only for] the sports things, but the things he did off the field. I think that's the most important thing and the biggest lesson that he brings. And I think a lot of that came from here in Brockton, Massachusetts."

Where it now resides permanently.