The Gears of Government Grind On

Just when I thought it was safe to come out in the open now that the Town Meeting and local election have passed into history; just when this opinion columnist could stifle his views and concentrate on musing about important things like bathroom tissue perforations, where is Pine Island, Stumpy the late cherry tree, and […] Read more »

Juggling Skills Serve Tennis Star Well

            The last several years have been a juggling act for Emma Collings, whose educational experience at Old Rochester Regional Junior High School had led her to believe this skill, from a literal standpoint, is but a normal rite of passage.             “We had this thing at ORRJH called ‘flex time,’ and the most popular […] Read more »

Juneteenth on the Southcoast

Thursday, June 19 marks the 4th year Juneteenth has been celebrated as a national holiday in the United States. The day celebrates the final emancipation of slaves in Texas and the general enforcement of the Emancipation Proclamation in all reaches of the country. Though the Civil War ended on May 26, 1865, the last slaves […] Read more »

Marion First Responders Rescue Three

Police Chief Richard Nighelli and Fire Chief Brian Jackvony report that their departments cooperated to rescue three people after their boat capsized in Buzzards Bay in the early afternoon on Wednesday, June 11.             Marion’s emergency dispatchers received a 911 call reporting that three individuals fell in the water after their boat capsized at 12:46 […] Read more »

mRNA Vaccines – Are they Dangerous?

            RFK Jr, our anti-science Secretary of Health and Human Services, has declared that new vaccines should be developed without using mRNA technology and has cast doubt on the safety of mRNA.             What do we know about this technology?             mRNA occurs normally in our bodies. It carries instructions from our DNA out to […] Read more »

Happy Father’s Day!

            If you are anything like my dad, you will say Father’s Day is a “Hallmark” holiday, designed to sell cards. Hallmark was founded as the Norfolk Post Card Company in 1907, and the first Father’s Day was celebrated in the United States in 1910, so unfortunately, I can’t rule him out totally just yet. […] Read more »

250-Year-Old Mystery Solved at Last!

Captain James Cook’s legendary ship, the HMS Endeavor, was confirmed to be located at the bottom of Newport Harbor in Rhode Island this past week. Underwater exploration of the harbor has been conducted since the early 90s, with the Australian National Maritime Museum having performed underwater archeological analysis for over 25 years. Though it was […] Read more »

Plant Secrets and Other Truths

With a crew of eager third graders, Don Cuddy along with other members of the Mattapoisett Land Trust education committee planted sunflowers at Dunseith Park located at the corner of North Street and Route 6 recently. This is a continuation of a major goal by the land trust: educating children about our natural environment.             […] Read more »

Success Comes in Small Choices

Editor’s note: The Wanderer has invited student keynote speakers for local high school graduation ceremonies to share their speeches for publication. Below is the speech given by Old Colony Regional Vocational-Technical High School 2025 Valedictorian Madison Burnham during last Thursday night’s Commencement held on the school’s North Rochester campus.             Good evening everyone, family, friends, […] Read more »

Annual Expectations

            If you are among those whose preconceived ideas equate annuals with novices, think again. I used to believe that annuals began with alyssum and ended with zinnias, with impatiens and marigolds scattered in between. Thirty years as a gardener has shifted such narrow views. In fact, annuals occupy an ever-widening realm of the plant […] Read more »