Lenten Movie and Discussion Series

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The Mattapoisett Congregational Church will host a six-week series of movies and discussions about the journeys through life that shape our faith. The Lenten Movie and Discussion Series: Faith for the Journey will be at the Mattapoisett Congregational Church on Mondays at 6:30 pm, March 2 through April 6. Each week includes a themed potluck dinner. The movie and discussion schedule follows:

March 2 – Movie: “The Way”   

March 9 – Movie discussion    

March 16 – Travel photos 

March 23 – Movie “Breakthrough”

March 30 – Movie discussion

April 6 – Movie “Jesus Christ Superstar”

            Join us at 27 Church Street, Mattapoisett, or call the church office (508-758-2671) for more information.   

Academic Achievements

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Bryant University is committed to the pursuit, recognition, and celebration of academic excellence. The University is pleased to recognize the students who have been named to the Deans’ List for the fall 2019 semester. Congratulations on this outstanding achievement to the following Tri-Town students: Margaret Adams, class of 2023, from Mattapoisett; James Dwyer, class of 2022, from Mattapoisett; and Alexandra Fluegel, class of 2023, from Mattapoisett

            The following Tri-Town students were named to the fall 2019 Dean’s List at Stonehill College: Kevin Ovian, Class of 2023, of Rochester; Lauren Ovian, Class of 2020, of Rochester; Aidan Ridings, Class of 2023, of Mattapoisett; Zoe Smith, Class of 2020, of Rochester.

            To qualify for the Dean’s List, students must have a semester grade point average of 3.50 or better and must have completed successfully all courses for which they were registered.

            Ms. Lily S. Youngberg, of Mattapoisett, has been named to second honors on the Clark University Dean’s List.  This selection marks outstanding academic achievement during the Spring 2019 semester. To be eligible for second honors, students must have a grade point average of 3.5 or higher, of a maximum of 4.3 (all A+s).

Old Colony Riding Vocational Title into MIAA Tourney

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            Both Old Colony boys and girls basketball teams head into MIAA tournament play coming off of state Vocational Small School-division championships.

            The boys team punched its ticket to the finals by knocking off Franklin County Tech, 62-50, in the semifinals. Hunter Soares led the Cougars with 17 points in the win. Jarrett Taylor was right behind Soares, scoring 16 points. Caden Letendre (12 points) also finished in double figures against Franklin County Tech.

            Things only got tougher for Old Colony in the championship game against Minuteman High School. The final was a nail-biter, but the Cougars won, 59-55. Jojo Cortes and Cooper Howell both had strong showings and scored 14 points apiece, though it was, once again, Soares who led the Cougars on offense. The senior finished with 19 points.

            The state Vocational Small School championship is Old Colony’s third under head coach Matt Trahan.

            Old Colony girls basketball reached the title game by winning a tightly contested, semifinal matchup of its own, knocking off South Shore, 42-39. Savanna Halle and Hailey Hathaway each drained three 3-pointers in the win, though Halle had the slight scoring edge by the end of the night. She finished with 15 points to Hathaway’s 13.

            But when it came to the state Vocational Small School championship game, Hathaway was the one who took control for the Cougars. The freshman scored 17 points in their 52-44 win over Franklin County Tech. Halle scored nine for Old Colony, as did Olivia Perry.

            Looking toward the MIAA Division 4 South sectional tournament, both Old Colony’s boys and girls basketball teams will open up at home in the first round.

            Sixth-seeded Old Colony girls (15-5) will play host to No. 11 Sturgis East (9-7) on Thursday, February 27, at 6:30 pm. The third-seeded Old Colony boys (16-4) were scheduled to host No. 14 Atlantis Charter (9-8) on February 26 and, with a win, would host the winner of the First Round match between West Bridgewater and Cape Cod Academy (date TBA).

Old Rochester

            Old Rochester girls basketball earned the second seed in the MIAA Division 2 South tournament after going 17-3 on the year. The Bulldogs were scheduled to host No. 14 Canton (13-9) on February 26. A victory would put them into a quarterfinal home game against the winner between New Mission and Westwood at a date to be announced.

            ORR brought postseason experience between Meg Hughes and Mary Butler, along with a deep team. Although ORR’s leading scorer, Cadence Johnson, only averaged 10.5 points per game this season, the Bulldogs experienced continued success because they have a well-balanced offense and an in-your-face approach on defense.

            ORR boys, at 10-10, entered the Division 3 South tournament as one of five .500 teams in the bracket, but the Bulldogs drew the shortest straw and faced a stiff challenge in the First Round at No. 3 Monomoy (16-4) on February 26. The top two seeds received First Round byes.

            Furthermore, ORR entered the fray without Ryon Thomas, having already lost Nick Johnson, the Bulldogs’ best player.

By Nick Friar

The Bike Path’s Long Journey Continues

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            On February 21, the Mattapoisett Bike Path Committee held its regularly scheduled monthly meeting, something it has been doing for nearly 30 years. And the work continues, work that includes pursuing easements, rights-of-way, working with state and federal entities, meetings with attorneys or with local department heads as well as abutters. The committee volunteers are Chairman Steve Kelleher and members Rob Price and Ray Rose.

            The committee’s efforts have been supported by the Friends of the Mattapoisett Bike Path as well as taxpayers who have spent many thousands of dollars in the effort to bring a bike path from the town line with Fairhaven to the town line with Marion. As work on Phase 1b has been taking place, the committee rolls on looking ahead to Phase 2a and 2b.

            Before discussing those phases, Kelleher said that he had met with the Mattapoisett Tree Committee to discuss landscaping and tree planting along parts of Phase 1b. He shared that the pathway at the edge of Mattapoisett Neck Road had required more leveling and widening than originally planned in order to create a smooth transition from the tarred public street to the path. “… Landscaping was part of the contract,” he said of the agreement with the Acushnet-based construction company D.W. White. But, he continued, “We have a 10-percent contingency ($670,000) so we can plan for a change order and have them do the planting work before they wrap up.”

            Several abutters had come forward once Phase 1b clearing had begun and asked for screening to buffer their properties. Kelleher said that he had received an email from Ted Nolte, 9 Locust Street, regarding this matter. Kelleher said that the Massachusetts Department of Transportation, the funding source for this phase, was aware of abutters’ requests for more screening and that they, along with the Town Administrator, needed to sign-off on those improvements before work could take place. In the meantime, he stated that a planting plan would be created. “We are ahead of schedule,” he said regarding Phase 1b, which is scheduled to be completed sometime in 2021.

            Regarding Phases 2a and 2b, Kelleher said that he would be meeting with Town Counsel Matt Thomas, who had been working on behalf of the community on all phases of the bike path nearly since the beginning. He also said that wetlands scientist John Rockwell had begun surveying wetlands along the railroad right-of-way running through the Park Street neighborhood. However, Rockwell’s work has been temporarily halted due to a broken storm-water pipe. Railroad easements have been and will continue to be the main artery used for the bike path, he said.

            And on the matter of conceptual designs for these later phases, drawings have not been officially drafted, Kelleher said. Town Meeting has supported Phase 2a and 2b with monies for design engineering. He thought that a meeting with Highway Surveyor Barry Denham, the Town Administrator, Nick Nelson, the town’s GIS coordinator, and possibly members of the Mass-DOT team would plan to hash out preliminary designs.

            Phase 2a will begin at the end of Goodspeed Island Road heading north across Route 6 and eventually ending at the fence line adjacent to the park-and-ride parking lot along North Street. Phase 2b is planned to cross North Street entering onto Industrial Drive to the end of the paved roadway. A short, one-mile piece that continues on along the railroad easement is being planned by the Friends of the Mattapoisett Bike Path, which has been raising funds and seeking grants. This final mile will connect to Marion’s bike path. Marion’s bike path has been listed on the Mass-DOT TIP (Transportation Improvement Program) for 2022 funding, although confirmation has not yet been received.

            The next meeting of the Mattapoisett Bike Path Committee is scheduled for March 19 at 5:30 pm in the Town Hall conference room.

Mattapoisett Bike Path Committee

By Marilou Newell

Mattapoisett Woman’s Club

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The Mattapoisett Woman’s Club is pleased to have Diane Gilbert of the Dartmouth Heritage Preservation Trust as a speaker at our meeting on Thursday, March 19. Our meetings are held at the Mattapoisett Congregational Church’s Renyard Hall, located at the corner of Church and Mechanic Streets, beginning at 11:00 am. An informal luncheon is provided by our members. The MWC welcomes anyone who wishes to hear our speaker or attend our meetings.

            In “The Little House with a Big Story to Tell,” Diane Gilbert, who possesses a clear vision, courage, integrity, and humility, takes a leadership role in assisting the Town of Dartmouth to attain its community preservation goals. In November 2018, Preservation Massachusetts awarded Diane the K. Julie McCarthy Community Spirit Award for her work. 

            Ms. Gilbert will do a PowerPoint presentation showcasing a restoration project of the Elihu Akin House from the foundation up, a project that is listed on the State Register of Historic Places and deemed eligible for listing on the National Register. The Elihu Akin House, one of the oldest houses in the Town of Dartmouth, Massachusetts, was built in 1762 by housewright Job Mosher and purchased by Elihu Akin in 1769; the Akin House is older than America. The age of the house alone would give the house architectural importance; however, the house also has historical significance. The Akins were one of Dartmouth’s founding families, were instrumental in the development of the town, and the homestead remained in the Akin family for 234 years.

            The Akin House was one of a few houses that survived the invasion of the British and the subsequent burning of much of Dartmouth, New Bedford, and Acushnet during the American Revolution. As the direct result of the raid, the Akin family lost everything except the house on Potter’s Hill and surrounding land. Elihu moved his wife and children there.

            To quote Diane Gilbert, “Every time an important historic house or structure is lost or demolished, we lose another connection to our history, the people who settled our coastal areas over the centuries and their culture. We have already lost too many architecturally significant buildings and structures, and as a result, the special character shaped by our history has been diminished.” And to put it pragmatically, preservation is a tool for stabilization of property values, economic development, and sustainability.

            In 1921, the Akin House became a part of film history as a location for Down to the Sea in Ships. The silent film classic contains rare footage of a whaling voyage filmed on the Wanderer and the Charles W. Morgan, and clearly shows the condition of the Akin house in 1921.

Sippican Historical Society

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Marion (Old Rochester) is one of the oldest towns in the United States, and the Sippican Historical Society maintains an extensive collection of documentation on its historic buildings. In 1998, the Sippican Historical Society commissioned an architectural survey of Marion’s historic homes and buildings. Over 100 were cataloged and photographed. SHS will feature one building a week so that the residents of Marion can understand more about its unique historical architecture.

            This installment features 17 Hiller Street. The cottage located at 17 Hiller Street was built in 1880 for Robert B. Hiller in the late Italianate style. This house is located next to the former Robert B. Hiller Livery Sable, Coal, and Lumberyard. Beginning in the 1890s, the Hiller Brothers provided horse-drawn vehicles to summer visitors registered at the Sippican Hotel and ferried the guests between the hotel and depot. By 1916, Hiller’s livery stable had been converted into a garage, and later the Hillers became pioneers in the local cranberry industry.

Solar Sun Shining in Rochester

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With a light agenda for its February 25 meeting, the Rochester Planning Board was able to informally discuss a number of projects in various stages of permitting including six solar-array development projects. 

            Chairman Arnold Johnson said that Seaboard Solar was still submitting revisions to the plan of record even though the project’s hearing had been closed. He said that peer review consultant Ken Motta of Field Engineering had suggested some minor plan modifications that the developer included as plan revisions after the hearing closed. Johnson stated, “We’ll have to reopen the hearing at our next meeting.” He said that the project had not completed permitting with the Conservation Commission, therefore reopening the hearing would not change a construction start date.

            Sunray Solar has five solar arrays planned for Rochester. The developer asked Town Planner Steve Starrett if technical reviews prior to opening hearings could be grouped together. Starrett thought this was possible, given earlier discussions with the developer which brought to light the manner in which the Planning Board would be conducting hearings and the documentation required.

            Sunray Solar’s projects are planned for Featherbed Lane, Braley Hill Road, Snipatuit Pond Road, and Cushman Road, Johnson said.

            Rounding out the solar-array projects was the mention of Clean Energy, which plans to construct its project on Sarah Sherman Road. Johnson said that informal technical reviews and a site visit were in the queue.

            Earlier in the evening, the Planning Board met with Nancy Steidle, 0 Walnut Plain Road, who filed an Approval Not Required request.

            Steidle explained that she had purchased more than 13 acres along Walnut Plain Road and planned to sell the lion’s share, some 11 acres, to the Buzzards Bay Coalition. She said two acres would be held as a house lot.

            Commissioner Ben Bailey cautioned Steidle to make sure the BBC did not plan to have a large parking lot or access roadway into the acreage that she planned to sell to them. He warned her that public access to BBC lands might be a requirement of their non-profit status. If that were the case, he said she could end-up with the public impacting the peaceful enjoyment of her home. Bailey asked her if she wished to proceed with the Approval Not Required application, noting that once the land was separated it would have to stay that way, or if she wanted to discuss matters further with the BBC. Steidle said she would go ahead and talk to the non-profit before the closing.

            Continued until March 10 was the hearing for a proposed 40B housing project planned for Route 28 near the intersection with Route 58, the current location of Seasons convenience store and gas station. Starrett said that developer Steen Realty and Development and the Seasons management team had not yet been able to begin discussions on access and egress locations needed for the residential subdivision. He said that Seasons had not responded to calls placed by Steen. At the developer’s request, the hearing was continued.

            The next meeting of the Rochester Planning Board is scheduled for March 10 at 7:00 pm in the Town Hall meeting room.

Rochester Planning Board

By Marilou Newell

Magnan’s “Marvel-ous” Exhibit

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            During the Marion Art Center’s 2020 Winter Members Art Exhibit that ended on February 15, art lovers got a small taste of what John Magnan was capable of doing with wood. On February 21 in a nearly solo show titled ‘Thor’s Hammer’, 16 of Magnan’s social-commentary pieces boldly engaged the visitor.

            Here the artist utilized primary colors, dystopian themes and, yes, Marvel Comic heroes to express his thoughts, fears, and hopes for humankind. “I always wanted to do Thor’s Hammer,” Magnan shared. That piece he believes speaks to the power inherent in judicial appointments. The metaphor of the hammer and the power of the wooden sculpture is an example of how Magnan uses familiar materials, turning them into art objects that give voice to complex societal issues.

            The first-floor gallery also features a painting of Stan Lee, the creative force behind Marvel Comics for decades. The work is ink on canvas and is a seemingly simple, line-drawing portrait of Lee. That is until closer inspection reveals the truth. The face is comprised of Lee’s quotes, his words. Lee believed that writing in and of itself was the reward for the author. Here Magnan has taken Lee’s own words to create his portrait.

            Lee once said, “…the most important thing is you’ve got to care about is the characters… if the characters are interesting, you’re halfway home.“ Magnan has used Marvel Comic characters and other imagery to convey his inner thoughts in spectacularly diverse ways, driving home beauty, message and the care he has given to his creations.

            There, in a first-floor gallery corner, is the ‘Sword of Damocles’, a lighted blade suspended above a pair of work boots crafted from purple heartwood and maple. Its location in a corner seems appropriate, as Magnan explains why he created the piece, “…to symbolize the situation of those who have barely enough resources to get by and could be financially devastated at any moment…” or, one could surmise, painted into a corner by poverty.

            Magnan’s art employs not only wood that has been chiseled, scraped, molded and otherwise converted from organic material into just about anything, but he also uses lights, dressmaker pins, glittering objects, leather, and beads.

            On the second floor mounted on slender stands are five female busts, once again inspired by Marvel characters. Here we find Gamora and Nebula, trained warrior assassins, Okoye, a general and head of intelligence for Wakandan, the powerful Scarlet Witch and, last but not least, Captain Marvel herself. The busts are polished glimmering objects of maple, cherry, poplar, and walnut decorated with beads, stones, and necklaces. Breathtaking. Positioned in a group above the busts is the message, “She’s Not Alone.” While the descriptor reads in part, “…one by one the women of the Marvel Comics universe materialize and unite to have Captain Marvel’s back…” one could easily interpret this as commentary on the “#MeToo” movement. 

            Adding to the energy of the exhibit are three paintings done by two emerging artists, Sarah Swible and Andre Olivier. Swible is a sophomore studying business at UMass Dartmouth and Olivier is a UMass graduate now working in accounting. 

            Swible’s painting, titled ‘Tee Time’, places an enormous Hulk fist in the center of the canvas, under which she has placed silhouetted people holding it up trying not to be crushed, while above standing on a level golf course is a player about to swing. Swible said that the golfer represents the one-percent living well as others struggle under the fist.

            Olivier has two paintings in the exhibit, one titled ‘The End’ and another entitled ‘Ice Cold’. ‘The End’ is a very clear message about the end of the world. A surfer stands alone; he is surrounded by darkness and destruction, and a black sky shows no signs of life. Olivier’s other painting, ‘Ice Cold’, is full of color but little movement with the exception of the gigantic hand poised about to snap its fingers. Once snapped everything is gone. He said that he was thinking about the immigrant populations his mother works with, their challenges and attempts to stay in the U.S., and how easily their dreams can vanish, in the snap of a finger.

            Themes presented in ‘Thor’s Hammer’ are indeed thought-provoking. As for the art; it is visually stimulating, thrilling, absolutely beautiful and a rapturous one-of-a-kind journey.

            ‘Thor’s Hammer’ runs through March 28, www.marionartcenter.org. To learn more about Magnan visit www.johnmagnan.com.

Marion Art Center

By Marilou Newell

Oars for Scholars

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The Sippican Woman’s Club has had a yearly focus on raising money for scholarships since 1947. The Holiday House Tour is always the main event to raise funds. However, this summer, the Sippican Woman’s Club will have “Oars for Scholars”, where students and local artists will paint their oars or paddles to create individual artistic creations. In the summer, these oars will be displayed around Marion, and a silent auction will ensue.

            To begin this project, the students of the Art Club of ORRHS, under the enthusiastic direction of art teacher Kate Butler, have chosen their oar or paddle. Each student is excited to begin to transform their oar/paddle into a unique, distinctive piece of art.

            The Sippican Woman’s Club still needs oars or paddles donated to the project. If you have any, please contact info@sippicanwomansclub.org, and we will pick it up.

Love Overcomes Fear

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Need a spiritual boost before you start your week?  A way to disconnect from the frenzied, fearful world, and a time and place to re-connect with your best self? An experience of unconditional love? 

            During Lent, Mattapoisett Congregational Church is inviting the community to a Sunday evening Vespers service, from 5:00 to 5:30 pm in the Sanctuary. This simple, nourishing service is called “Love Overcomes Fear.” Its focus is on connecting with God in the company of fellow travelers. We will be drawing on many spiritual traditions including Christian, Buddhism, Judaism, Confucianism, Native Americans and others. Following a short spiritual reading, we will enjoy 10 minutes of quiet meditation, and a time of blessing.   

            Starting March 1, we will gather around each Sunday evening with the following themes: Love, Peace, Healing, Miracle, and Hope. Everybody is welcome. Front sanctuary doors will be open. Please invite a friend or neighbor, or pass along this information to someone who is hungering for more love and less fear. For more information, contact the church office: 508-758-2671 or mattcongchurch@gmail.com.