M. Elizabeth (Kelley) Behenna

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M. Elizabeth (Kelley) Behenna, 97, of Mattapoisett passed away peacefully on Friday, June 7, 2019 after a brief illness. She was the wife of the late William H. Behenna. 

            Born in Boston, the daughter of the late Michael and Katherine (Garvey) Kelley, Betty lived in Belmont for many years. Since 1955, she and her family summered in Mattapoisett until moving to her favorite place, their cottage by the sea, in 1995. 

            Betty is survived by her children, Michele Burgess of Stony Creek, CT, and David Behenna and his wife Laura of Rye Beach, NH; seven grandchildren, Matthew Burgess, Katherine DiMarco, Meghan Havican, Susan Burgess, Natalie Behenna, William Behenna II, and Christopher Behenna; six great-grandchildren, Juliana, Andrew, Finn, Rhys, Evan, and Grace; and many nieces and nephews. 

            Betty was predeceased by her sister, Patricia Durham. 

            Her Funeral Mass will be celebrated on Tuesday, June 25, 2019 at 11:00 AM at St. Anthony’s Church, Mattapoisett. Burial will follow in St. Anthony’s Cemetery. There are no calling hours. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Society of St. Vincent dePaul, c/o St. Anthony’s Church, P.O. Box 501, Mattapoisett, MA 02739 or Paralyzed Veterans of America, 7 Mill Brook Road, Wilton, NH 03086. For online condolence book, please visit www.saundersdwyer.com.

Library Roof Repairs Prove More Extensive

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            The roof repair work at the Taber Library went a bit over budget, resulting in the Marion Finance Committee approving a Reserve Fund transfer for $16,000 to cover the excess cost.

            Finance Director Judy Mooney reported that while Facilities Director Shaun Cormier and his employees were on the roof repairing the cupola and replacing the shingles, it was discovered that the entire roof would need re-sheathing.

            Some sheathing was included in the original cost of the project, “but not the entire roof,” said Mooney, “and that’s what it needed.”

            The town had to act quickly, added Mooney, because workers were already up on the roof and in the middle of the job when the unexpected discovery of the rotting sheathing was discovered.

            The project is still a frugal one, Mooney said, since town staff within the Facilities Department is performing most of the labor.

            “They are actually saving almost $10,000 just by doing it in-house,” said Mooney. “It’s $16,000 – we know it’s a lot. All of this will be enough in the reserve – we will wipe out the reserve, but we don’t see anything else out there.”

            The Finance Committee also approved a number of other Reserve Fund transfers, including one for $7,2000 for computer and software upgrades in the Finance Office, and $55,000 for sewer matters related to the EPA administrative consent order.

            “Whatever we don’t use … flows right back into the retained earnings in the sewer,” said Mooney.

            The Marion Finance Committee has no plan to meet again until August.

Marion Finance Committee

By Jean Perry

OC Baseball Shutout in State Tournament

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            Old Colony baseball season isn’t quite done yet, but the Cougars’ shot at making a run in the MIAA Division 4 South Sectional tournament is at an end following their 7-0 to No. 6 Cohasset in Monday’s quarter finals matchup.

            The third-ranked Cougars fell behind 2-0 in the first inning, which the Skippers turned into a 3-0 lead by the end of the second. Old Colony pitcher Nick Hedlundand the defense settled in from there, but the Cougars offense simply couldn’t figure out Cohasset starting pitcher George Grech. Matt Bumpusand Jacob Wordenwere the old two Cougars with base hits.

            “We got beat by a good baseball team,” Old Colony coach Craig Lincoln said. “If you don’t hit the ball, you don’t score runs – you don’t win games. It’s that simple. We talk about the mathematics of the game. Mathematically, they beat us today.”

            As the Cougars tried to fight their way back, Hedlund ran into a little predicament in the seventh inning after the Skippers had already scored their fourth run of the game in the sixth frame. It seemed he was going to work his way out of a jam, but when a call didn’t go Old Colony’s way, Cohasset capitalized for three more runs to make it 7-0.

            “Kind of fell apart a little bit,” Lincoln said. “More worried about blue instead of worrying about black. We talk about worrying about black and gold, control – what we can control. We lost our minds for a few minutes and talked about just getting our minds back together and getting ready for the vocational tournament and having the ability to win at the end of the season, which most of the time doesn’t happen for us.”

            Now the Cougars await their matchup with McCann Tech in the State Vocational Final. No date has been set yet, but Old Colony will have to hit the road to play their western Massachusetts opponent.

            Looking toward the future, the Cougars won a game in the South Sectional tournament and could potentially win two State Vocational Tournament games after going winless in the postseason in 2018. Having won their sixth-consecutive Mayflower Small Vocational Division title in 2019, the Cougars (15-5) want to maintain their development in 2020.

            “Keeping these guys hungry and making sure [they’re] staying mentally focused from beginning to end,” Lincoln said on what needs to be the team’s focus going forward. “You have a team that started out as a bunch of sophomores last year that now, over the course of two years, has won 31 games. Pretty good.

            “Helping them understand we’re not just trying to win a conference championship, we want to be successful in the postseason,” Lincoln continued. “And we kind of got the monkey off our back in both tournaments [by] getting a win in both tournaments this year. So [we will] continue to make strides with this group and hopefully keep the younger guys understanding what it’s going to take to keep the program going as we move forward.”

High School Sports Update

By Nick Friar

Bourne Wareham Art Association

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The Bourne Wareham Art Association is meeting on Tuesday, June 18, from 6:00 pm to 8:00 pm, at BB’s Bar & Grill, 2424 Cranberry Highway, Wareham. Food is available for purchase. The business meeting will be followed by a painting demonstration by Frances Kut-Best of Fairhaven. New members are welcome. Please see our Facebook page at The Official Bourne-Wareham Art Association.

Sippican Historical Society

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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. Due to 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 290 Converse Road. The modest wood shingle-clad Italianate cottage at 290 Converse Road was built c. 1880 for and probably by Francis C. Blankinship a “carpenter and builder.” He lived here until at least 1910.

The Miraculous Octopus

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            In this modern day and age of natural history, human beings are now discovering advanced miraculous phenomena about the previously esoteric octopus. Although oceans cover about 71 percent of the earth, it seems that human beings have barely scratched the surface of the immense shallow Atlantic continental shelf of North America, just beyond the south coast of Buzzards Bay. Exploration becomes a trip back in time through a cloudy twilight time zone of almost 3 billion years of evolution. Beneath the surface, the speed of sound is more than five times faster than through the air, the wrecks of ancient ships seem to last forever, and the evolution of species is almost beyond chronological measurement.

            Ancient Greek seafaring mariners in 1500 B.C. were known to fear the octopus as a terrifying denizen of the deep depicted in artwork and designs of the period and portrayed as climbing aboard ships to threaten fishermen. Today, the Atlantic octopus inhabits the relatively recluse rocky ledges and reefs of protruding coastlines, as well as shallow tidal pools of the Southcoast.

            Occasionally New Bedford scallop dredgers come back into port with one on board, and bottom fisherman have told of pulling one up, foaming from the mouth with a spray of ink as a defensive reaction to a predator. A secretive dweller, it keeps a very low profile minding its own business with very little hostility to shoreline or boating human activity.

            My illustration shows a mother octopus turning bright red to face off an eel threatening its young. I have shown its extended arms are covered with white circular adhesive discs to stabilize itself attached to an object or a predator such as an eel. Then it can draw it in closer by muscular contraction. It may also inflict a bite with a razor-sharp blade over its mouth, inflicting an infection that ultimately dissolves its victim.

            Recent research and periodicals about the octopus seem to offer an amazing number of possible medical offerings for human use. Specifically is the octopus’ ability of taste through the discs, and an almost superhuman intelligent communication through its behavioral nervous system. They can make use of 168 kinds of sensory awareness cells that make connections of sensitivity for communication. (Humans have 58).

            The octopus has three hearts – one systematic to circulate blood through the body, and the other two to pump blood through the gills for breathing. They swim by expelling a jet of water through the mantle siphon into the sea. They have also developed an advanced degree of intelligence with remarkable problem solving ability and primitive tool-using skills. Because of reactive mobility of adaption to changing conditions and locations, they might even be humorously written up as possessing the brainpower of intelligent extraterrestrials.

            In captivity they seem to relate to their aquarium keepers. They also demonstrate a capacity to use tools to unscrew a bottle cap or unlock the latch of the fence of their pool to be able to move out of sight.

            The reputation of the octopus was previously described as metaphysical, by separating fact from mythical fiction, has now surfaced as a concrete species of natural phenomenon. It is verified as a living specimen of environmental awareness and communication. Thank you for joining me in this subterranean literary adventure in natural history along the shoreline of Buzzards Bay.

By George B. Emmons 

Rochester Land Trust Needs Volunteers

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The Rochester Land Trust received a grant from New Bedford Gardening Club to help beautify our town. We’ll be planting flowers and mulching by the pump in the center of town and in the wildflower field next to the historic cemetery on Saturday, June 15.

            If you’ve been looking for a chance to go outside, get some sun, and make a difference in town, meet us at Plumb Corner parking lot starting at 8:00 in the morning on Saturday, June 15.

            You may want to bring your own gardening gloves and favorite gardening tools. Help us make this a successful endeavor.

ORRJH Students of the Month

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Kevin T. Brogioli, Principal of Old Rochester Regional Junior High School, announces the following Students of the Month for May 2019:

Green Team: Ava Noone & Ava Barrows

Orange Team: Julia Downey & David Costa

Blue Team: Emerson Femino & William Krein

Red Team: Juliet Waratuke & Hermann Elger

Special Areas: Helena Anesti & Ryan Hammond

Mrs. Mildred Waring Palmer

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Mrs. Mildred Waring Palmer, age 89, of Marion, passed away Monday morning, June 3, 2019 at Sippican Healthcare.

            She was born July 17, 1929, in Bristol County, the daughter of the late George Leach and Hildegarde Saunders.

            Mildred was preceded in death by her husband of 65 years, Bryant Palmer; one sister, Hazel Charron; one brother, Baby George Leach; and one great grandchild Kayden Selha.

            She was a member of United Methodist Church, and a homemaker.

She enjoyed gardening, crafts, and spending time with her family. She will always be remembered as a devoted wife, caring mother and generous friend.

            Mildred is survived by two step brothers, George and Steven Leach; one step sister, Helen Leach; two sons Clifford Palmer, and David Palmer (wife Norma Palmer); four grandchildren, Regina Cyr, Johanna Mulholland, Jessica Cruz, and Katelyn Palmer; five great grandchildren, Tori Castanha, Rylan Cyr, Adriana Cruz, Colton Cruz, and Myles Cruz; and several nieces and nephews. She also leaves many other family members and friends who will deeply miss her.

            A private family service will be announced at a later date.

            In lieu of flowers, donations in her memory can be sent to Sippican Healthcare Center at 15 Mill Street, Marion MA, 02738.

Harding Family Donates Playground ‘Whirl’

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            The Rochester School Committee on June 6 graciously accepted the donation of a playground whirl presented by the Harding family on behalf of their daughter, Chloe Harding.

            Chloe, a Rochester Memorial School second-grader, passed away on February 17 after a long and courageous battle with cancer.

            Chloe’s mother, Lindsay, formally presented the donation to the committee, but the plan has been in the works for some time now.

            “In February, we lost Chloe to cancer. One of her favorite things was school,” said Harding. “One of our thoughts when we asked for donations at the time of her funeral,” Harding said, was an addition to the playground.

            The whirl has come a long way, as Harding described the spinning, child-propelled ride that prior generations likely associate with fun, dizziness, and their first introduction to centrifugal force-related injury. Now, she said, the playground piece is regulated and can only reach a maximum of 14 revolutions per minute.

            The age group of the ride is 5-12, and since the younger children’s playground already offers so much, the whirl will be placed closer to the older children’s playground.

            The Harding family will fund the entire cost of the project, including the playground-grade mulch.

            Harding has already worked closely with Principal Derek Medeiros and Facilities Director Gene Jones on the logistics and regulations, and Medeiros said that since updated ADA laws now require paths leading to each piece of playground structure, Highway Department workers have volunteered to assist in creating the paths.

            “Not only was that a great addition to our playground, but it really exemplified her and the fun that she loved to have out there on that structure,” said Medeiros.

            “Chloe was such an important member of the school here,” said Rochester School Committee Chairman Sharon Hartley. “That’s a beautiful way of keeping her memory here and keeping her here. A very generous and very loving thing to do – thank you.”

            Medeiros said the whirl and the pathways should be completed by the fall.

            “What a great idea,” said School Committee member Robin Rounseville. The name of it – the whirl – if that doesn’t make you think of Chloe. … It’s so kind of you as a family to think of the school and I know this place gave Chloe a lot of pleasure.”

            The next meeting of the Rochester School Committee is scheduled for September 5 at 6:30 pm at Rochester Memorial School.

Rochester School Committee

By Jean Perry