Help Implement Marion’s Master Plan

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The Marion Planning Board invites enthusiastic residents to serve on a new committee called the Master Plan Implementation Committee (MPIC). Adopted unanimously at last year’s Special Town Meeting, the Master Plan will chart Marion’s course into the next decade and beyond.

A subcommittee of the Planning Board, the MPIC will help facilitate and monitor progress on implementing the Goals and Strategies identified in the Master Plan. Its primary tasks will be to help the Planning Board prioritize actions identified in the Master Plan, recommend the formation of working groups to address particular goals, and facilitate the activities of those working groups.

Please consider volunteering for this important new committee. Working groups and task forces created by the MPIC will also need enthusiastic contributors, providing exciting opportunities for Marion’s residents to shape our town’s future.

Hard work and a great deal of community input went into creating our new Master Plan, and the Planning Board wants to ensure that this one does not gather dust on a shelf.

If you are interested or have questions, please contact the Town Planner, Gil Hilario, at ghilario@marionma.gov or 508-748-3513.

Mattapoisett Road Race College Stipends

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The Fourth of July will be here before we know it, which means it’s time to start training for the Mattapoisett Road Race! Now in its 48th year, this 5-mile race through scenic Mattapoisett is an Independence Day tradition. Proceeds from the race are used to fund awards for college-bound senior athletes from Old Rochester Regional High School. Over the years, more than $150,000 has been given to deserving students from Mattapoisett, Marion and Rochester. More details and the application form are available on the College Stipends tab at mattapoisettroadrace.com. Applications are due by May 4.

ORRHS Drama to Perform Willy Wonka

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You don’t need a golden ticket to join the delicious adventures of Charlie Bucket on his visit to Willy Wonka’s mysterious chocolate factory. Enjoy this captivating adapation of Roald Dahl’s fantastic tale, featuring enchanting songs guaranteed to delight everyone’s sweet tooth. The Old Rochester Regional High School Drama Club’s musical production of Willy Wonka stars Christopher Savino (Sr) as Willy Wonka, Kate Marsden (S) as Charlie Bucket, Julia Melloni (Sr) as ther Candy Man, along with Aiden Michaud (S), Amaya Bell (Jr), Bethany Cabral (S), Skyler Cardwell (Fr), Nick Claudio (Sr), Jillian Craig (Fr), Luke Cuoto (S), Lukas Faulkner (S), Lauren Gonsalves (Sr), Ryu Huynh (S), Issac Hartley (S), Brianna Lynch (S), Katie Maclean (Sr), Grace Mastroianni (Jr), Elise Mello (S), Zech Mooney (Sr), Chris Peretz (Sr), Jack Roussell (Sr), Michael Sivvianakis (Sr), Andrew Steele (S), Grace Stephens (Sr), and a cast and crew of over a hundred students.

Performances begin on Thursday, March 22, through Saturday, March 24, at 7:30 pm with a matinee show on Sunday, March 25, at 2:00 pm in the Gilbert D. Bristol Auditorium at the Old Rochester Regional High School on 135 Marion Road (Route 6) in Mattapoisett. Tickets are $12 for students and seniors, and $15 for the general public, and are available at The Pen & Pendulum in Mattapoisett, The Marion general Store in Marion, and Plumb Corner Market in Rochester. Tickets may also be purchased at the door.

For information and ticket reservations, please call 508-951-5302.

Finding Art in Found Objects

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Most people don’t give much of a second thought when they are ready to toss out that old laundry detergent bottle, the old rusty cheese grater, or even the legs of that late 1980s kitchen table that should probably no longer exist. That is, unless you’re one of the artists currently displaying work at the Marion Art Center’s latest show “Found Objects,” running from March 2 through April 14.

As MAC Executive Director Kimberly Teves called it, this show certainly is “different.”

The art that comprises this early spring exhibition at the MAC is rubbish. Literally, absolute trash. But in a good way.

All the works have been created using the discarded, the unwanted, the familiar “somebody’s trash, another’s treasure.” These artists’ medium of expression is ‘upcycled’ and repurposed objects and materials they found in places like flea markets, second-hand stores, and yard sales, like Joan Hausrath’s pieces.

In the lower gallery and also upstairs, it’s impossible to avoid eye contact with Hausrath’s several pieces – assemblies of doll parts, bits of household items and appliances, and old yard sale finds. With an eye for discovering both the ordinary and the unique in an object, she painstakingly transforms them into something that walks a fine line between whimsical and wince-worthy. Her ‘dolls’ possess a duality of both cute and creepy.

Hausrath said she found inspiration for her dolls when she saw the works of a sculptor in Mexico, finding fascination with her use of found objects. After her first creation, she couldn’t resist making more, having found so much enjoyment in both the finding of the pieces and the construction of them.

“I did not want the figures to look too ‘cute,’ but rather a bit edgy,” said Hausrath, “which is why the porcelain doll heads have no hair and are ‘antiqued.’”

The antiquated look, she said, resulted when she visited the house of a recluse on a tiny island outside Mexico City. Outside, dolls and doll parts hung from tree and shrubs, really macabre stuff, Hausrath said.

“When I construct the dolls, I do not think about how others will respond. I make them to delight myself,” said Hausrath. “I want each one to be unique in attitude or persona and quirky.”

Hausrath said she witnesses people picking favorites for their own personal reasons, but others simply focus on identifying the various bits and parts that make up the doll.

“And some people are grossed out by them!” said Hausrath.

All of the figures are born from the inspiration she gets from the individual parts, Hausrath said.

“Once I put a couple of objects together, I get a sense of the direction that the piece will take. Sometimes I finish figures quickly from my inventory of “stuff,” and other times the figures remain unfinished until I find just the right bits to finish them, which means going on treasure hunts to thrift stores, antique shops, and yard sales.”

Other pieces came into existence on the beach at low tide, like Marion resident Bo Burbank’s work.

Burbank’s massive mixed media dominates the lower gallery, and while composed with color, texture, and scale in mind for an aesthetic piece, it’s a depressing reminder of what is happening to our oceans as a result of man’s predilection for the disposable. Still, Burbank’s desire is to leave the viewer’s interpretation of his work open in the spirit of art “giving people a deeper connection to their inner soul.”

Gallery hours at the Marion Art Center are Tuesday-Friday, 1:00 – 5:00 pm, and Saturday 10:00 am – 2:00 pm. The MAC is located at 80 Pleasant Street in Marion, and more information can be found by visiting www.marionartcenter.org.

Says the MAC: “Come see what sort of ‘object trouvé’ will catch your eye!”

By Jean Perry

Budget Cuts One Kindergarten Class

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While the Mattapoisett School Committee found the fiscal year 2019 budget to be positive overall, the 2.08% increase needed some significant trimming in order to get there.

Mattapoisett schools Principal Rose Bowman on March 12 suggested, in a subdued tone, that due to a reduction in kindergarten enrollment, one section could be eliminated.

Bowman said she anticipated 54 students to be enrolled; however, as of that day there were only 47.

“I always anticipate more to come,” said Bowman. “Right now [there are only] seventeen per class with a maximum of eighteen.”

Eliminating one section would also result in the elimination of one kindergarten teacher.

School Business Administrator Patrick Spencer cited an increase of $143,000 from FY18 to the $7,061,000 FY19 budget. Spencer gave “kudos” to Bowman and Director of Student Services Mike Nelson for their diligence on the budget and noted that the budget would include two full-time school nurses, one for each of the schools. One nurse currently floats between the two schools.

Additionally, custodial services have been outsourced, Spencer said, which is a further savings within the budget.

Superintendent Doug White reminded the committee that a public hearing would ensue for both the budget and the district’s participation on School Choice during the next meeting.

In other matters, during school security talks, School Committee Chairman Rachel Westgate expressed her appreciation for Bowman’s and White’s response after the Parkland, Florida tragedy on February 14, saying, “You have the interest of the kids at heart.” She added that the district and towns are doing what needs to be done to keep students safe.

The Town of Mattapoisett has already approved funding for a secured entry vestibule at each school that visitors will have to stop in before entering.

Cameras will also be installed in buildings and hallways, and ALICE – Alert, Lockdown, Inform, Counter, Evacuate – training will increase to three times annually. Bowman, noting that all situations are unique, said it requires a “…fluid decision making process … [that] is not nailed down.”

The next meeting of the Mattapoisett School Committee is scheduled for April 23 at 6:30 pm at Center School.

Mattapoisett School Committee

By Sarah French Storer

 

Nasketucket Bird Club

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Nasketucket Bird Club will hold a meeting entitled “The Birds We’ll Never See: A Look at Extinct Birds” on Thursday, March 22 at 7:00 pm at the Mattapoisett Free Public Library.

The meeting will include a brief look at the birds we’ll never see, the reasons why they went extinct, and what it means today. Inspired by his son’s interest in a drawing of the extinct Great Moa in the book Gurneys Guide to Feathered Friends, Justin Barrett began wondering what other birds we would never get to see. Join the Nasketucket Bird Club for this very special presentation at their monthly meeting.

The Mattapoisett Free Public Library is located at 7 Barstow Street and is handicapped accessible. The program is free and open to the public.

Tri-Town Basketball League

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The 2017-2018 Tri-Town Basketball season ended on Thursday, March 8 with an exciting Finals Night at Old Rochester Regional High School.

The first game of the evening was the Tri-Town Girls 3rd-6th Grade Finals with team Fever coached by Joel and Kelly Watters and the Sparks coached by Dave Silva and Tara Nelson. The Sparks had the lead going into the fourth quarter with strong performances from Joie Ciffolillo (8 points), Alivia Miranda (7 points), Elise Modracek (4 points) and Addison Roy (2 points), but in the last minute of the game the Fever’s Ava Strand made two foul shots to win the game 22-21. The Fever’s Liza Feeney and Leah Bertrand each had 9 points and Meredith Cameron had 2 points and a strong defensive night along with three steals. It was an exciting finish to a great season. The league had over 50 participants and four teams. Team Storm coached by Matt Daniels finished the regular season in first place but was defeated in the Semi-Finals. Team Mercury coached by Airami Bentz and Anna Ward also had a strong season. A huge thank you to all of the great coaches for an amazing season.

The Boys 3rd & 4th Grade Finals had the Sixers coached by Peter Brezinski and Gary Mills playing the Trailblazers coached by Kirk Bosma. The Trailblazers had strong performances from Luke Oliveira (10 points), Bryce Fortin (6 points), Ambrose Cole (4 points) and Trystan Lienkamp. The Sixers held the Trailblazers with strong shooting from Aiden Deery (9 points), Logan Hiles (6 points), Brady Mills (4 points), Tanner Texeira (3 points), and Sebastian Romig, Nolin Viera and Jacob Gear (2 points each). They prevailed with a final score of 28-22. The Boys 3rd/4th League had over 60 participants and six teams that battled all season. Thanks to all of the volunteer coaches: Jen Porter – Warriors, Tara Nelson – Knicks, Chris Kiselica – Hornets, and Mike Devoll – Celtics. The players improved dramatically over the season thanks to all of the efforts of a great group of coaches.

The Boys 5th & 6th Grade League had the final game of the evening. The Lakers coached by Tim Plante faced the Spurs coached by Jim Higgins and Carter Hunt. The Lakers were led by Chase Besancon (6 points) and Asher O’Brien-Nichols (5 points) but couldn’t hold the Spurs who dominated the boards with strong rebounding by Noah Pittsley, Colin Stuessi, and Nick & Will Fringuelli. The Spurs had many scoring contributors: John Higgins, John Horan and Vincent Suh each had 4 points; Dillon Hunt had 3 points; and Jackson Gierhart, Colin Stuessi and Nick Fringuelli each had 2 points. The final score was Spurs 20-11. The league had over 60 players and six teams. The Cavaliers coached by Will Huggins and Charles Viera and the Mavericks coached by Glenn Raposa were defeated in the semi-finals. The Thunder coached by Matthew Perry and the Rockets coached by Kurt Smiley also had strong seasons.

The Tri-Town Basketball League is run by Mattapoisett and Marion Recreation and is open to all 3rd-6th Graders in the Tri-Town. Teams are coached by volunteers from all three towns and practices and games are held in gyms throughout the Tri-Town. The league had over 180 players this season.

ORRHS Student Records

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Please be advised that starting July 2018, the Old Rochester Regional High School will begin destroying temporary records of students who have graduated or transferred from ORRHS between 2008 and 2011. Temporary records refer to testing reports, copies of report cards, etc. These records may be picked up by the students before disposal, please contact 508-758-3745 ext. 1424 until the end of June 2018.

The student’s transcript or permanent record, shall be maintained by the school department for 60 years after graduation, transfer or withdrawal from the High School.

Joseph McGhan Nettles

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On March 13, 2018, the world lost a wonderful soul. Joseph McGhan Nettles (Poppie), passed away at home with his family by his side. He was a kind, gentle, loving man who was always ready to lend a helping hand. Those who got to know him personally found a quiet, modest man full of generosity with a great sense of humor.

Originally from Scranton, South Carolina, he made his way north to Long Island, NY where he spent the majority of his life with the love of his life, Deadra (Weisse) Nettles. In 2007, they moved to Wareham, MA to be closer to their only child, Debra and her husband, Rick Cantwell who reside in Mattapoisett. He was a devoted husband, father, brother, uncle and an especially doting grandfather to Bennett, Emilia and Wyatt Cantwell.

Joseph proudly served in the Army Reserves and then the regular Army in Alaska during the Vietnam War. After leaving the military he went to work in security for Grumman Aerospace on Long Island until retiring in 1995. He enjoyed taking long walks especially around the cranberry bogs in Wareham, gardening, tinkering at his work bench and spending time with his family.

He is survived by his wife of 51 years, Deadra, his best friend, Ronald Weisse and his wife Dorothy (New York), their children and families, his daughter, Debra, her family and three of his seven siblings, Charlie Nettles and his wife Diane (Florida), Irene Nettles Gaymon and James Nettles (South Carolina), their children and families.

He will be remembered lovingly and missed immensely.

His visitation will be held on Sunday March 18, 2018 from 2-5 pm at the Saunders-Dwyer Mattapoisett Home for Funerals, 50 County Rd., Route 6, Mattapoisett. A private family burial service will take place in the Massachusetts National Cemetery, Bourne. For directions and guestbook, please visit www.saundersdwyer.com.

School ‘Winterruptions’ at ORR

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With the forecast for Tuesday’s Nor’easter rising from 14 inches to 17 inches and then further upwards within the school day, leading to the cancelation of school for Tuesday before Monday was even over, the talk of students and staff alike centered on the trials they had faced previously in the past two storms. While power outages crippled the Tri-Towns and affected all ages, the high school community was uniquely affected by the storm’s side effects.

Students stared out the windows in classes that Friday, March 2, as the rain grew heavier and the wind whipped harder against the school. The phrase, “I don’t want to drive home in this,” became more frequent as the day went on, especially amongst the newer drivers and those planning to ride busses home.

Multiple announcements made during the last period of the day sent older siblings scurrying through the halls to inform younger students that, yes, they would be driven home in cars since more than three Rochester and Marion bus routes were already blocked from reaching destinations.

“The bus drivers did an extremely good job of getting us back home,” said freshman Lucy Zhang, who lives in Rochester. “We had to stop and turn around multiple times because of fallen trees or branches. Other bus drivers were able to radio our driver (the awesome Miss Beverly), so we were able to safely reroute.”

“There was a power line fire on Mattapoisett Neck Road, and it kept me from getting home after school,” junior Sophia Clingman stated.

English teacher Meredith Wickman was one of the teachers who gave homework extensions.

“I was thinking of how I couldn’t access technology and that my students wouldn’t be able to either. I had to go to Starbucks to post updates to my Google Classrooms. My twelfth-grade classes had senior project articles due and freshmen had their epics due in the same time span, but both had their due dates pushed back several days to make up for power outages.”

Zhang was one of the freshmen who had her epic (a long adventure story) due date extended. “Many of my classes have homework that’s online or needs the Internet to complete, so it was quite challenging to do it without any WiFi. We didn’t get power back until Tuesday.”

“My house lost power that Friday and didn’t get it back until Tuesday,” added senior Evan Costa, also from Rochester. “It made working on schoolwork tough. I had to travel to friends’ houses once they got power back so I could charge my computer and finish several online assignments.”

Between bucketing water out of the cellar and keeping the generator going, said Costa, “I really didn’t have much time to do anything for school till we got everything under control. It was a stroke of luck that we didn’t have school that Monday.”

Ainslee Bangs of Rochester experienced a further problem that struck many students.

“When I got my power back, I had no Internet or cable connection so I couldn’t check to see what my math homework was, and I couldn’t study for my psychology test. However, my street had a little party outside when no one had power and there was a bonfire and food and it was really fun.”

As the winter season winds down and yet strong storms keep slamming the surrounding area, it is important to keep in mind that the safety of students and their families comes before the stress of finishing schoolwork, as it was for Winter Storms Quinn and Riley (and now Skylar). This especially holds true in regards to online work, which may be beneficial for most of the year, but can be negatory for snow or power outage no-school days.

ORR Update

By Jo Caynon