Walking Tour of the Mattapoisett Waterfront

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Add to your Harbor Days experience by joining the Mattapoisett Historical Society for a Walking Tour on Saturday, July 19 at 2:00 pm. Learn more about the little town that built the whalers for Nantucket and New Bedford. Explore the waterfront streets, parks and wharves where the action took place. The tour is free with Museum Admission ($5 adults, $2 children 6 and up). Meet at the Mattapoisett Historical Society, 5 Church Street – just two blocks from Shipyard Park. For more information, please visit www.mattapoisetthistoricalsociety.org or call 508-758-2844.

SHS Mystery Matinees

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This July, beat the mid-day heat with Sippican Historical Society’s Mystery Matinees. On Thursday, July 17, the featured film will be Alfred Hitchcock’s Vertigo. The 1958 American psychological thriller stars James Stewart as former police detective Scottie Ferguson, who was forced into early retirement because an incident in the line of duty caused him to develop acrophobia and vertigo. Now working as a private investigator, Scottie is hired by an acquaintance to follow the gentleman’s wife, played by Kim Novak. Though Vertigo received mixed reviews when released, it is now considered one of the defining works of Hitchcock’s career and hailed by critics and fans alike as one of the best movies of all time.

July’s other matinees include: North by Northwest on July 24 and Rear Window on July 31. Mystery Matinees will be held in the Front Room of the Marion Music Hall, and will begin at 11:00 am. They are offered free to the public, with no registration required. Attendees are encouraged to bring a lunch and beverage to enjoy during the film.

Marion Open Space Commission

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To the Editor:

A petition is circulating throughout Marion which asks Marion Selectmen to consider the Marion Open Space Commission be in charge of Spragues Cove at Silvershell Beach, rather than the Conservation Commission. The petition currently has 154 signatures as of this writing. Voters are angry that Marion ConCom tore up a working filtration system for stormwater at Silvershell Beach, installed a stonewall in the marsh without filing a permit, and destroyed habitat used by birds, turtles and waterfowl. Most people understand that invasives need to be taken out, but this action included ripping out shrubs and plantings put in by concerned citizens in the late 1990s to create a filtration system that was working. Why is it necessary to destroy a village to save it? Since this devastation occurred on the heels of news of wetland destruction at Washburn Park, voters are concerned that perhaps the wrong Commission is in charge.

Marion Open Space Commission, of which I was a member for seven years, has the experience and expertise to manage wetlands in a consistent and viable way. A subcommittee will be formed to step in should the Selectmen decide to do the right thing and turn the responsibility over to MOSAC. They have energy to care for wetlands as they already do in several areas of town, as well as the resilience to keep up with invasives without sacrificing the integrity of a working storm filtration system and ecologically balanced area.

I respectfully urge the Marion Selectmen to assign the future care of Spragues Cove to MOSAC.

Sincerely,

Sue Maxwell Lewis, Marion

 

The views expressed in the “Letters to the Editor” column are not necessarily those of The Wanderer, its staff or advertisers. The Wanderer will gladly accept any and all correspondence relating to timely and pertinent issues in the great Marion, Mattapoisett and Rochester area, provided they include the author’s name, address and phone number for verification. We cannot publish anonymous, unsigned or unconfirmed submissions. The Wanderer reserves the right to edit, condense and otherwise alter submissions for purposes of clarity and/or spacing considerations. The Wanderer may choose to not run letters that thank businesses, and The Wanderer has the right to edit letters to omit business names. The Wanderer also reserves the right to deny publication of any submitted correspondence.

Rochester Police Warn of Multiple Breaks

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The Rochester Police Department is warning residents after multiple breaks have been made into houses, out buildings, vehicles, and a utility trailer. Breaks have occurred during both the day and nighttime. Breaks have been made into homes in the 300 and 400 blocks of High Street as well as a home on Pierce Street, Pine Street, and the 600 block of County Road.

 Along with recent house breaks Rochester Police have also responded to a trailer and boat being broken into. Items taken in the breaks include items such as currency, jewelry, power tools, and electronics.

Rochester Police are asking for the public to keep an extra eye out and report suspicious persons and vehicles immediately by dialing 911. Anyone with information on the thefts is urged to contact the Rochester Police at 508-763-5112

 

Rochester Police offer the following prevention tips:

  • Lock all doors and windows when leaving the house, even for a short while.
  • Keep large sums of cash in banks and expensive jewelry in safe deposit boxes.
  • Do not hide door keys outside the house.
  • If you have an alarm system, be sure to set it every time you leave the house.
  • Don’t allow items such as newspapers and mail to accumulate outside your home.
  • Let a trusted neighbor know when you will be away. Ask them to keep an extra eye out.
  • Take fans out of windows when leaving the home, even for a short while.
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Captain Conrad “C3″ Henri Roy III

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Captain Conrad “C3″ Henri Roy III, 18, of Mattapoisett passed away Sunday July 13, 2014.

Born in New Bedford, he lived in Mattapoisett all of his life.

Conrad graduated from Old Rochester Regional High School in June with a 3.88 GPA and simultaneously earned his captain’s license from Northeast Maritime Institute. He had been accepted to Fitchburg State University. He played baseball, rowed crew, ran, and was an all-around athlete.

He worked for many years for Tucker-Roy Marine Towing and Salvage, Inc. on many salvage jobs in the New England area with his father, grandfather, and uncle.

He is survived by his father, Captain Conrad H. Roy, Jr. and Carolyn P. McGonagle; his mother, Lynn R. (Bozzi) Roy and Brian Smith; his sisters, Camdyn and Morgan Roy; his grandparents, Janice and Conrad H. Roy, Sr., and Madeleine and David Bozzi; his great-grandmother, Constance Gaucher; aunts and uncles, Jonathan and Kristen Roy, Rebecca and Matthew Maki, Lisa and Tom O’Donnell, and Kim Bozzi, and many more aunts uncles, cousins, teammates, and friends.

His Memorial Mass will be celebrated on Saturday at 11 AM at St. Anthony’s Church, Mattapoisett. Visiting hours will be held on Friday from 4-8 PM at the Saunders-Dwyer Mattapoisett Home for Funerals, 50 County Rd., Route 6, Mattapoisett. In lieu of flowers, remembrances may be made to the Captain Conrad H. Roy III Scholarship Fund, c/o Northeast Maritime Institute, 32 Washington St., Fairhaven, MA 02719. For directions and guestbook, please visit www.saundersdwyer.com.

Appointments Top Selectmen’s Meeting

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The July 15 meeting of the Mattapoisett Board of Selectmen was primarily an evening of appointments and reappointments.

The board appointed William Cantor, 4 Prospect Road, as an alternate member of the Board of Appeals and Ken Pacheco of 1 Lynfield Lane as a regular member of the Board of Appeals. They also voted to reappoint Bob Rogers and Marylou Kelliher to the Conservation Commission.

The Fire Department roster of appointments and reappointments included, for firefighters: Gary Bowman; Ross Macedo; Todd Henshaw; Tim Murray; Hayden Vieira; Tom Checkman; Darren Boucher; Micheal Muldoon; Marc Nadeau; Samuel Hill; Ned Kaiser; Adam Katz; Rebecca Smith; Cory Silva, and Steven Mills. Zachery Olivier and Pierce Randall were appointed as probationary firefighters.

Senior officers reappointed were Walter Morgado, call deputy chief; Capt. Michael Behan; Capt. David Scott; Capt. E. Robert Garde; Capt. Jordan Collyer; Lt. James Harlfinger, and Lt. Justin Dubois. Fire Alarm Superintendent is Fire Chief Andrew Murray, and assistant fire superintendents are Jordan Collyer, Robert Lincoln, and Matthew Whitlow. Dispatcher is Patrick Dawson and, for fire prevention, Andrew Bobola.

The Selectmen voted to accept the resignation of Cecile Callahan from the Recreation Committee.

Secretary Melody Pacheco shared with the board that town employees along with the family and friends of Charles Ouellette will be holding a memorial service at Ned’s Point on July 26. Pacheco can be contacted at Town Hall for the time of the service in the coming days.

The herring count has been completed and Selectman Tyler Macallister told the other members about the impressive results for the Mattapoisett River. The count was 55,000 up nearly 30,000 over last year. He said that the Sippican River’s count also indicates an uptick in the local herring population. Mattapoisett will maintain a fishing moratorium on herring until further notice.

Town Administrator Mike Gagne reported that water leaks have been repaired on the town wharves, as have the electrical wiring problems. He applauded the efforts of Barry Denham and his team, as well as Harbormaster Jill Simmons and her team for getting the work completed.

The Eagle Scout project to create handicapped access ramps at the Ned’s Point restroom has been completed, as has the handicapped access work at the town beach bathhouse.

Regarding the summer Recreation Department camp program, Gagne was happy to share that it has been a great success and gave credit to Deb Allaire and her team.

Rounding out his report was the ongoing evaluation and surveying of Water Street, Beacon Street, Main Street, and Marion Road for reconstruction, sidewalks, and storm drainage. Gagne said that, with help from Field Engineering, he should be able to prepare necessary documents for submittal to the Massachusetts Department of Transportation.

Mattapoisett’s Tree Committee has also been conducting an investigation into the health of all trees along the scenic roadways in the village, and numbering each tree. That report, he said, would be included in upcoming public meetings. Those meetings will give the public full details on the scope of work proposed.

The next meeting of the Mattapoisett Board of Selectmen is scheduled for August 5 at 7:00 pm.

By Marilou Newell

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The Tantalizing Tastes of Mattapoisett

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It is one of the most important fundraising events for the Mattapoisett Women’s Club, and just the sort of exemplary event one would expect to see on a summer evening on the seaside of Mattapoisett.

July 15 was the time for the annual Taste of the Town beneath the great white canopy tent at Shipyard Park.

Lois Ennis of the Women’s Club was delighted that all the tables beneath the big tent were filled, as well as the 48 seats at the al fresco dining tables.

There were some tropical-like winds blowing the skirts on the tablecloths, but the weather was nothing like last year, said Ennis.

“It was so hot,” said Ennis. She recalled another year when the skies opened up an hour into the event raining buckets on all of the people. “We are always at the mercy of the weather,” said Ennis.

The was the 11th year for the annual event, which has become a tradition for many who came out to sample the different flavors Mattapoisett has to offer.

Mouthwatering aromas of seafood, pizza, and Asian cuisine merged perfectly with the salty sea air blown ashore by the wind, and everywhere you looked people were eating and laughing.

The Showstoppers, a singing group of local boys and girls, provided the entertainment for the hundreds of guests that kept pouring into the park in a steady stream.

Ennis said the proceeds go toward granting scholarships to local students, upwards to $4,000 when the event is a success. Ennis pointed to a stack of white paper event guides, saying it had originally contained a count of 500. It was roughly about a half hour into the event and already there were only about 100 left.

“It’s a lot a lot of work,” said Ennis. “But the people are here.” It looks like this year will be a generous year for scholarships in Mattapoisett.

By Jean Perry

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Multiple Vehicle Breaks in Marion

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On Friday, July 11, 2014 at 6:37PM the Marion Police Department investigated a break into a motor vehicle, which had been parked on South Street, near the intersection of Water Street. The owner reported that the passenger side window had been smashed and his daughter’s pocket book was stolen off the front seat. It is believed the incident occurred sometime between 6:00PM and 6:30PM.

On Tuesday, July 15, 2014 at 7:20AM a resident of Briggs Lane reported his truck stolen from his driveway, during the night. The 2008 Ford F-150 pickup truck was believed to have been taken sometime after 11:00PM. A debit card belonging to the truck owner was used by the suspect at a store in Fall River a couple of hours later.

A neighbor discovered the license plate had been stolen off her vehicle, also during the night, which may have been used on the stolen pickup truck.

Another nearby resident reported that his unlocked vehicle had been entered during the night, but nothing was reported missing

Also on Tuesday, July 15, 2014 at 7:59AM a resident of Inland Road reported that her car had been broken into sometime during the night. The driver’s side window was smashed and a wallet taken from the vehicle.

Police are warning residents to not leave valuables in their vehicles and report any suspicious activity to the police department. These incidents are under investigation by Det. Scott Smith. Anyone with information is asked to contact Det. Smith at 508-748-1212, ext. 218.

Marion Police Department Press Release
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Donald J. Moran

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Donald J. Moran, 80, of Mattapoisett died Sunday July 13, 2014 at Sippican Healthcare Center surrounded by his family and friends.

Born in New Bedford, the son of the late James and Natalie (Fontaine) Moran, he lived in Mattapoisett for most of his life.

He was a communicant of St. Anthony’s Church.

Mr. Moran was formerly employed as a sergeant with the Mattapoisett Police Department until his retirement after 38 years of service. He had also been a plasterer for Local 39, Plasterers and Cement Masons.

Donald was a fixture on the Mattapoisett Town Wharf.

He served in the U.S. Army in France and Germany from 1956-1958. He was a member of the Massachusetts Police Officers Association.

His family would like to thank the staff of Sippican Healthcare Center for the extraordinary care shown to Donald during his illness.

He is survived by his brother, James F. Moran and wife Annette of Mattapoisett; his niece and caregiver, Christine Richards; his nephew, Patrick Moran; and his great-niece, Molly Richards.

He was the uncle of the late Stephen Moran.

His Funeral Mass will be celebrated on Thursday at 11 AM at St. Anthony’s Church. Burial will follow in St. Anthony’s Cemetery. Visitation will be on Thursday from 9:30 – 10:30 AM at the Saunders-Dwyer Mattapoisett Home for Funerals, 50 County Rd., Route 6, Mattapoisett. In lieu of flowers, remembrances may be made to Cause for Paws, 11 Ridgewood Rd., Mattapoisett, MA 02739. For directions and guestbook, please visit www.saundersdwyer.com.

Crescent Beach Art Show

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The Crescent Beach Association will host an art show of local artists on Saturday, July 26 from 10:00 to 1:00 at Raymond Hall, 12 Beach St., Mattapoisett. A portion of the proceeds will benefit the association.