Dr. William J. Quinlan

on

Dr. William J. Quinlan, 85 of North Palm Beach, Florida formerly of Mattapoisett passed away at Palm Beach Gardens Medical Center in Florida on April 11, 2018.

Born in New Bedford, the son of the late William J. and Kathryn (Dorgan) Quinlan, he was a standout baseball/basketball player at Holy Family High School. He attended Providence College on a basketball scholarship. He served in the Army Reserves. He obtained his Master’s degree at Bridgewater State College and his PhD in Education at the University of Massachusetts Amherst.

Dr. Quinlan held many educational positions in Southeastern Massachusetts, including teaching in high school and college. He served as Director of Pupil Services in Wareham and Silver Lake in Kingston. He finished in career as the Director of Special Needs in Fairhaven and Acushnet. In retirement he started Regis Consultants, an educational consulting firm. He and Nancy retired to Florida in 1994 and had many fond memories and travel.

He was an avid golfer and sports enthusiast. He was a 50 year member of the Country Club of New Bedford and two time August Fourball champion. He was also a member of North Palm and West Palm Beach Country Clubs.

He was an involved and engaged father and grandfather. He enjoyed attending many sports and musical events. His love and guidance will be missed.

He is survived by Nancy his wife of 59 years, his children, Kathleen (Michael) Corrigan, Cheryl (Paul) Coucci, William (Dina), and Timothy (fiancé Kim), seven grandchildren, Ryan and Katherine Corrigan, Ashley, Paul and Alex Coucci, Mia and Matthew Quinlan, a step great-grandson, Jackson Drucker, his sisters-in-law, Theresa Patistea, Cora Regis, and Anne Quinlan, and nieces, nephews and many friends. He was the brother of the late John and Paul Quinlan.

His Funeral Mass will be celebrated on Tuesday April 24, 2018 at 10 am at St. Anthony’s Church, Mattapoisett. Burial will follow in St. Anthony’s Cemetery. Visiting hours will be on Monday April 23, 2018 from 4-7 pm at the Saunders-Dwyer Mattapoisett Home for Funerals, 50 County Rd., Route 6, Mattapoisett. In lieu of flowers, please consider donations in his memory to American Parkinson’s Disease Association, South Florida Chapter, Attn: Director Rebecca Hahessy, 700 West Hillsborough Blvd. #3-110, Deerfield Beach, Florida 33441. For directions and guestbook, please visit www.saundersdwyer.com.

Sippican Historical Society

on

In 1998, the Sippican Historical Society commissioned an architectural survey of Marion’s historic homes and buildings. The survey was funded one-half by the Sippican Historical Society and one-half by the Massachusetts Historical Commission. Because of the limits of funding, not all of the historic buildings were surveyed, but over 100 were catalogued and photographed. The results of the survey are in digital form on the Massachusetts Historical Commission’s website and in four binders in the Sippican Historical Society’s office (and at the Marion Town Clerk’s office). 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. The Sippican Historical Society will preview one building a week so that the residents of Marion can understand more about its unique historical architecture. This installment features 164 Front Street.

Constructed of red brick with terra cotta and rock-faced brownstone trim, the Queen Anne-style Music Hall at 164 Front Street was designed by Boston architect William Gibbons Preston in 1891 and paid for by Elizabeth Pitcher Taber, who gave the building to the Town of Marion. A Soldier’s Monument made of cast iron is situated in front of the Music Hall. It was dedicated in 1894 as a tribute to local citizens who lost their lives in the American Revolution, the War of 1812, and the Civil War. The monument lists the battles in which Marion soldiers bravely served: Fort Fisher, Gettysburg, Cedar Creek and Lexington. An inscription reads: “Marion erects this monument to the Brave Defenders of the Union in Grateful Remembrance of their Valor and Devotion.”

Social Security 101

on

Are you working? Are you, or have you ever, contributed to Social Security? Would you like to retire one day?

You are cordially invited to a session on Social Security 101. Information will include: When are you eligible to receive benefits? How does early retirement affect your benefits? Do you qualify for disability, survivors or spouse benefits? How do you get the most from your benefits? What is the future of Social Security? When should you file for Medicare? Learn how to use mySocialSecurity online account and other online services. The event is on Monday, April 23 at 4:00 pm at the Mattapoisett COA, 17 Barstow Street; parking is available in lot across the street. Please RSVP to508-758-4110 or coadirector@mattapoisett.net.

B&B is ‘Inn’ and Out of ZBA

on

Even the Marion Zoning Board of Appeals was surprised by how swiftly it managed to clear three applications from the agenda on April 5 in just one meeting. Two of those applications were approved, but not everyone left the meeting satisfied; one applicant withdrew her application, and one ZBA member opposed the board’s one-meeting decisions.

Constance Dolan of 9 Beach Street was denied a building permit for a one-car garage that wouldn’t meet the 15-foot side setback by 2 feet, 9 inches according to the Building Department, and 1 foot, 8 inches according to Dolan’s engineer.

Building Commissioner Scott Shippey insisted Dolan required a Variance in addition to the Special Permit (although in its recommendation the Planning Board said only a Variance was required), which discouraged Dolan because a Variance requires a three-pronged approach to approval – demonstration of financial hardship, topography unique to the property, and non-detrimental to the neighborhood.

Dolan was visibly puzzled, pointing out that she and only one other neighbor did not have garages on their non-conforming lots, saying that one neighbor’s is only a 10-foot setback, “And that’s a relatively new garage,” she added.

No neighbors openly opposed the garage, one neighbor attended in support, and Dolan submitted two letters of support from neighbors. Still, as ZBA member Tad Wollenhaupt insisted, “Show us your hardships … I don’t think there’s [one]…. You need a Variance; I don’t see any way to get around this.”

Members Betsy Dunn and Michelle Smith recalled having granted one or more Variances in the past without hardship, with Dunn adding, “We decided it was not more detrimental to the neighborhood.”

Dolan said her abutter “would love to have a buffer between us, which would give us a little more privacy.”

But still, her application was for a Special Permit only, missing one for a Variance, so in his memo to the board Shippey recommended Dolan withdraw without prejudice and re-file.

“I don’t see this as a huge deal … myself,” Wollenhaupt said, but he couldn’t proceed any further because the application was incomplete.

“I don’t know how I’m supposed to fill out the Variance [application] with the [hardship] criteria that’s listed there,” said a concerned Dolan.

The board accepted the withdrawal without prejudice, and voted to waive the filing fee.

In other matters, Jean and George Linzee received a Special Permit to continue to operate 460 Front Street as a bed and breakfast without much fuss.

The matter was first vetted by the board in 2016 with the previous owners, with ZBA Chairman Marc LeBlanc sounding ominous when he said, “The wounds are still fresh on this one.”

Nonetheless, the Linzees, who retired and moved to Marion from Long Island to reunite with Mr. Linzee’s 92-year-old mother from the Buzzards Bay area, charmed the ZBA with their anecdotes on history and their intended involvement with the Marion community and an open invitation to the board to an imminent open house at the inn.

“It’s always nice to have new neighbors who want to continue the look of the town and the history,” said LeBlanc.

ZBA member Kate Mahoney preferred to continue the hearing in order to review the last case, of which the board did not have a copy in front of them.

“I want to read what the previous decision was, and maybe I will have questions,” Mahoney said. “I want to investigate further.”

But the rest of the board was prepared to close the public hearing, and no one seconded Mahoney’s motion to continue the hearing.

Adhering to the prior owners’ Special Permit conditions, the Linzees are limited to three bedrooms for rent, and they must give written notice to the Town when renting the entire house to one guest.

Mahoney abstained from the vote.

Also during the meeting, Cathy Alves of 2 Washburn Park Road received a Special Permit to continue the two-family use of the property she co-owns with her daughter.

Mahoney also objected to making a decision in one night for this case, saying, “I think we should, in the majority of cases, take two weeks and vote on it the next time. I just think the mistakes that we made, and there have been mistakes … and to me it’s because we acted very quickly.”

Dunn agreed that deciding on cases that same night is, in fact, rare for the board and acknowledged that, yes, mistakes have been made in the past.

“To your point, Kate,” said LeBlanc, “This isn’t a new [multi-family] unit.” LeBlanc felt the case was relatively simple due to its pre-existence and no changes were requested.

“If there was change, I’d be a hundred percent on board,” Wollenhaupt told Mahoney, but with no changes – “…Get the dockets off the board.”

The next meeting of the Marion Zoning Board of Appeals is scheduled for April 19 at 7:30 pm at the Marion Town House.

Marion Zoning Board of Appeals

By Jean Perry

 

Another ‘Every 15 Minutes’ Reaches ORR Students

on

If you had dropped a pin in the auditorium during this year’s senior assembly “Every 15 Minutes,” it would be heard by everyone in the room.

Old Rochester Regional High School holds this annual program to bring awareness to the statistic that ‘someone dies every 15 minutes due to drunk driving.’

Twelfth graders faced the facts of driving under the influence through the role-playing done by their peers and teachers and the actual stories told by those who intimitely understand the impact drunk driving has had on their lives.

“I think it’s a good program,” said senior Michael Sivvianakis, who put together a video that was featured during the event. “It was very informative, and it was nice to hear people talk about real life experiences; I hope it was eye-opening to students who might feel like they’re invincible.”

Shanice DaSilva was the main organizer behind this year’s Every 15 Minutes. DaSilva graduated from ORRHS in 2011 and is currently interning in the school’s guidance department for her Master’s degree.

“My freshman year of college, my friends and I were coming back from a New Year’s party in Boston. We thought it would be okay to drive because we were sober,” DaSilva said, explaining the personal importance of the awareness event. “We got hit by a drunk driver. It was a bad rear-end, the car was totaled, but we were all alive. I had to go to a chiropractor three times a week for the rest of my freshman year because of the whiplash to my back. When I had the chance to come back here as an intern and do a forty-hour project, Ms. Perry offered Every 15 Minutes to me.”

The previous day, senior students had spent an hour in groups watching a drunk driving awareness video. Officers from the Mattapoisett Police Department led discussions afterwards.

“If you’re at a party … we just want you to get home safely. I’m not saying you won’t be charged.… When we have you do breathalyzers, we’re not trying to put you on the spot. We just want you to get home safely.”

Officers offered legal perspectives to think from as well. “How much debt do you think being charged is going to cost? If he gets a fine, his insurance is going to go through the roof! If you’re a junior operator (under 21) and get in a car accident, your parents can get sued. And, if you’re a ‘JO’ and get stopped, you can lose your license too.”

Along with this, the entire school bore witness to one of the traditional aspects of Every 15 Minutes. Throughout the school day, select students were chosen by the Grim Reaper during their classes and dressed in black robes for the remainder of the day. These silent ghosts were “seen and not heard” just like killed victims in drunk driving accidents.

“I was really emotional the whole time because [dying in an accident] really can happen to anyone, and if you’re not careful then it can have a big impact on the lives around you,” said Madisen Martin, one of the 15 ghost students. “People came up to me afterwards and said they were sad I had died and they couldn’t talk to me. My mom was heartbroken to even think of the possibility of me dying.”

These students continued their ghostly roles the next day during a senior assembly in the auditorium. A video put together by Sivvianakis portrayed a potential situation that could lead to a fatal DUI accident.

“Jack Sollauer, Bryce Miedzionoski, Jason Gamache and the other students went out during their free time on Good Friday to film party and crash scenes,” Sivvianakis explained. “I pieced together footage from those shoots and then added in all of the ghost scenes to create the final product the night before the assembly.”

“I played the drunk driver part,” Sollauer commented. “In the movie, I blacked out when driving and killed my friends Bryce and Jason. Ms. Perry and I wrote an apology letter that I read at the presentation. It was depressing, but it had a big impact on me. I realized how dangerous it really is, so I’m never going to text or drink and drive. The program was really worth doing.”

“In addition to Jack’s apology letter, I gave the other students the option of writing an obituary, a letter to the driver, a goodbye letter to community or a letter to their parents,” DaSilva further explained. “What they said all came from them.”

The assembly also hosted familiar speakers who have been directly affected by drunk driving accidents. Jeannette Raposa, one of the school’s math teachers, told the story of her daughter Jessica. Jessica was only weeks away from her 21st birthday when she died in Fairhaven while driving under the influence in 2005.

“Jessica said, ‘Gosh Mom, relax! It’s not like I’m going to die!’ And that was the last time I saw her,” Raposa said during her speech to the silent students.

History teacher and basketball coach Steve Carvalho also spoke about a fatal crash that happened on the night of his high school graduation in 1981. One student was killed, one was paralyzed, and two escaped with only minor injuries. He also talked about another accident on the s-curves in Marion that killed two students, all leading to his grade being nicknamed the ‘Cursed Class of 1981.’

“I hope to have had a serious impact on the student body with a devastating story and my graduation night that really shattered families,” Carvalho said. “The fact that it had such a local, Tri-Town feel to it – that the stories I told were accidents in two out of the three towns on roads that kids know – I think it had more of an effect on the kids. Decisions can be fateful.”

“When I was a student here, Mr. Carvalho and Ms. Raposa were the speakers at my class’ Every 15 Minutes,” said DaSilva. “Mr. Carvalho’s story is from a student perspective, and it really resonated with me and my friends at the time because we were all athletes and that’s where his story came from. Ms. Raposa’s story about her daughter meant a lot to me because I went to Providence College and knew the club she had gone to that night, so it was all about places I knew and had been to and how close it all was to me.”

If you are interested in seeing the 2018 ORRHS ‘Every 15 Minutes’ video, it can be found online at https://vimeo.com/263238019.

ORR Update

By Jo Caynon

 

Five Exciting Concerts During ArtWeek

on

There will be music for all at the Marion Art Center (the MAC) during ArtWeek, April 27 to May 6. The first weekend kicks off with two unique evening jazz concerts, Jazz Jam @ the MAC on Friday and the Dixie Diehards on Saturday, plus a concert for young children on Saturday afternoon. The second weekend of the 10-day ArtWeek Festival offers a Sunday evening concert with Putnam Murdock, Barry Gross, and Colin Bradley, as well as an open music lesson and recital perfect for families on Saturday afternoon. Events include:

– Love jazz? Then check out Jazz Jam @ the MAC on Friday, April 27from 7:30 – 9:30 pm.

– Up the Mississippi with the Dixie Diehards Jazz Band is on Saturday, April 28from 7:30 to 9:30 pm.

– For young children, the MAC is offering a fun concert with the engaging Hugh Hanley: Circle of Songs with Hugh Hanley, Saturday, April 28, 3:00 – 4:00 pm.

-The following weekend, on May 6, Putnam Murdock, Barry Gross, and Colin Bradley will weave their innovative soundscapes in a not-to-be-missed concert: Soundscapes @ the MAC, Sunday, May 6 from 7:00 to 9:00 pm.

-The whole family can enjoy an Open Music Lesson and Recital on Saturday, May 5from 4:00 to 5:00 pm. Join musician and music teacher Colin Bradley and his students, ages 5-15, for a recital that is also an open music lesson.

Registration for all five concerts and other great ArtWeek events is at www.marionartcenter.org/artweek. Many events are expected to sell out quickly, so early registration is encouraged.

Ronald R. Loranger

on

Ronald R. Loranger, 85, of Mattapoisett died unexpectedly Tuesday, April 10, 2018 surrounded by his loving family. He was the devoted husband of Barbara (Rutkowski) Loranger, with whom he shared nearly 64 years of marriage.

Born in New Bedford, son of the late Albert and Yvonne (Becotte) Loranger, he lived there for most of his life.

Ronald, a Northeastern University civil engineer graduate, was employed as the president of Loranger Construction for over 30 years and later worked as a construction manager for various companies in Boston. In retirement, he worked with his son at Beaver Tree Works.

He served in the U.S. Army during the Korean War. Ronald was also a past president of the Lions Club, Rotary Club of New Bedford, and Associated General Contractors of Mass, as well as a former member of the board of directors at the New Bedford YMCA.

Ronald loved his family. He was well known for his big heart, quick wit, and wonderful sense of humor. Ronald enjoyed nature, especially the water, and passed that joy along to his family and friends.

He is survived by his wife; five children, Deborah Romanowicz and her husband Craig, Ronald Loranger and his wife Lynne, David Loranger and his wife Barbara, Gary Loranger and his wife Carol, and Darleen Souza and her husband Gary; ten grandchildren; two brothers, Marcel and Gilbert Loranger; and many nieces and nephews.

His Funeral Mass will be celebrated on Friday, April 20, 2018 at 10 am at St. Anthony’s Church, 22 Barstow St., Mattapoisett. Interment will be private. In lieu of flowers, remembrances may be made to the YMCA Aquatics Program, (Teach a child to swim), 25 South Water St., New Bedford, MA 02740. Arrangements are by the Saunders-Dwyer Mattapoisett Home for Funerals, 50 County Rd., Mattapoisett. For online condolence book, visit www.saundersdwyer.com.

James P. Bardsley

on

James P. Bardsley, age 45, of N. Smithfield and Mattapoisett, passed away unexpectedly on Friday, April 6, 2018 due to injuries sustained in an automobile accident. He was the husband of Lisa A. Gray with whom he shared 15 years of marriage.

Born in New Bedford, he was the son of Frank T. and Carol A. (Emond) Bardsley of Dartmouth.

James was a graduate of Old Rochester Regional High School in Mattapoisett, received a Bachelor’s degree in Accounting from U-Mass Dartmouth in 1994 and a Juris Doctor degree from New England School of Law in 1997.

He was a practicing attorney for the Law Office of Bardsley & Gray. He was a member of the Massachusetts Bar Association.

While a youth in Mattapoisett, Jim was a member of the Young Marines and proudly ran his own lawn cutting business. He was a true outdoorsman who attended survival schools and loved to sail. Jim loved music and was an accomplished musician, played several instruments and hosted his own radio show in college. He was active in theater, a talented artist and obtained a third degree black belt in Aikido while at the Wellness Resource Center. Jim touched so many lives with his happy go lucky nature, quick witted sense of humor, his engaging and charming personality and his love for children.

Surviving in addition to his wife and parents are his children, Elaina and Abram Bardsley of N. Smithfield; a sister, Kristin Aiksnoras and her husband Mark of Bristol, RI; four nephews, Chase and Hunter Aiksnoras of Bristol, RI and Owen and Christian Genereux of S. Kingstown, RI; a cousin Christopher J. Cabral of Tampa, FL; and several aunts and uncles.

Visiting hours were held on Friday, April 13, 2018 in the Rock Funeral Home, 1285 Ashley Blvd., New Bedford. His funeral was held on Saturday, April 14 in St. Mary’s Church, 343 Tarkiln Hill Rd., New Bedford. Burial was at Sacred Heart Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, 501 St. Jude Place, Memphis, TN 38105. For online tributes: www.rock-funeralhome.com

April School Vacation Week at the MNHM

on

On Wednesday, April 18the Marion Natural History Museum will be offering extended open hours for your visit. Plan an opportunity to play Legos with your friends, visit our displays and puppet theater, and schedule a time to explore the museum’s new virtual reality set. Our extended open hours will be between 11:00 am and 4:00 pm and admittance to the museum is free. To schedule a time slot on the VR, the cost is $5 per person, and five free visits to museum members. To schedule a time, please contact the museum at: info@marionmuseum.org.

April Programs at Plumb Library

on

Tuesday,April 17, 10:30 to 11:15 am: Zumbini Music and Movement for ages 0-3 years. Free Zumbini Demonstration for Plumb Library Families courtesy of Ms. Samantha from Studio 105. Zumbini is designed for little ones aged 0-4 and their caregivers. It’s a music and movement experience using original music and built upon the science of child development. Register on the Events Calendar found on the Plumb Library’s website, www.plumblibrary.com.

Thursday, April 19, 1:30 – 2:30 pm: Feathered Friends Story Time for ages 4 and up. Meet our Plymouth County 4H Friends, Evey Golden and her chicken, Whisper! Evey will read the story A Chicken Followed Me Homeby Robin Page. After the story, children will learn about the life cycle of a chicken and rules about handling chickens. Space is limited. Register on the Events Calendar.

Join us for an Afternoon with Amos featuring a “Breed All About It” storytime on Friday, April 20from 12:30 to 2:00 pm. Amos’ human, Holly, and Jr. Friends, will read dog stories while children and Amos listen! There will be a dog-themed make-and-take craft. All ages welcome, though younger children will need adult supervision and help with the craft. Please register.

The Council on Aging Book Group will discuss The Shack: Where Tragedy Confronts Eternityby William P. Young on Tuesday, April 17at 10:15 am at the Rochester Council on Aging, Dexter Lane, Rochester. Four years after his daughter is abducted and evidence of her murder is found in an abandoned shack, Mackenzie Allen Philips returns to the shack in response to a note claiming to be from God and has a life-changing experience

“Just the Facts” Nonfiction Book Group will discuss Hillbilly Elegy: A Memoir of the Family and Culture in Crisisby J. D. Vance on Thursday, April 19at 6:30 pm. This bestseller shares the poignant story of the author’s family and upbringing, describing how they moved from poverty to an upwardly mobile clan that included the author, a Yale Law School graduate, while navigating the demands of middle-class life and the collective demons of the past.

Café Parlez will discuss The Hundred-Foot Journeyby Robert Morais on Thursday, April 26at 6:30 pm. An American release of a well-received 2008 publication in India is a tribute to Indian and French flavors that follows the life journey of chef Hassan Haji, who progresses from his family’s modest restaurant in Mumbai to master haute cuisine in an elegant Parisian restaurant.