Raymond DeTerra

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Raymond DeTerra of Rochester passed away unexpectedly on Saturday, May 18, 2019 at the age of 80 years old. He was the husband of the late Barbara E. (Talbot) DeTerra. 

            Born and raised in Acushnet, the son of the late Frank and Alice (Riendeau) DeTerra, he lived in Rochester for most of his life. 

            Ray worked as a machinist at Morse Cutting Tools, Borg Warner, and A&M Tools for over 30 years. 

            He served in the U.S. Air Force from 1958-1961. 

            A true farmer at heart, Ray took much pride in taking care for his property. He loved working outside and tending to his vegetable garden and watching the birds from front window. Ray also enjoyed sharing stories with his friends at the local coffee shops and spending time with his family. 

            He is survived by his son Raymond F. DeTerra, his wife Jennifer and their son Matthew DeTerra of Rochester; his sister Alice Bourgeois and her husband Roger of Lakeville; his stepdaughter Cynthia Eugenio of Leesburg, FL; his step-granddaughter Amanda Couturier of New Bedford; his step-grandson, Adam Cobb of New York City; and several nieces and nephews. He was the brother of the late Frank DeTerra, Jr. 

            Ray was so very proud of his grandson Matthew for participating in the Kids Pan Mass Challenge which helps the Dana Farber Cancer Institute. The family has designated the Dana Farber Kids Pan Mass Challenge for memorial contributions. Donations may be made on Matthew DeTerra’s page at https://profile.kids.pmc.org/cranberrycountry/DM0354. or mailed to PMC Kids Rides, 77 4th Ave, Needham, MA 02494. Checks can be made payable to the Pan-Mass Challenge or PMC. Please add Matthew DeTerra’s name on the check so he can receive credit. 

            His Funeral Service will be held on Friday, May 24, 2019 at 10 AM at the Saunders-Dwyer Mattapoisett Home for Funerals, 50 County Rd., Route 6, Mattapoisett. Burial will follow in White Cemetery, East Freetown. Visiting hours will be on Thursday, May 23, 2019 from 4-8 PM. For directions and guestbook, please visit www.saundersdwyer.com.

Marion Complete Streets Program

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Marion’s Transportation and Circulation Task Force (a subcommittee of the Planning Board) and the Board of Selectmen are pleased to announce that the town has achieved Tier 2 status in the Complete Streets Program. This milestone qualifies Marion to apply for grants of up to $400,000 per year for projects that improve town-owned roads, sidewalks, and bikeways and provide better pedestrian conditions. Marion is only one of seven towns on the southeast coast and Cape and Islands to have Tier 2 status. 

            Marion began the journey through this infrastructure funding process by passing a Complete Streets Policy document in February 2018. The Town then applied for and received a planning grant to develop a “Prioritization Plan,” which lists a variety of transportation projects that can be proposed to the Massachusetts Department of Transportation (MassDOT) for funding.

            The Transportation and Circulation Task Force with support from the Board of Selectmen and Marion residents developed a list of 26 projects based on the needs stated in the 2017 Marion Master Plan. Projects were prioritized according to a list of desired criteria, such as safety, improved walkability/bikeability, handicap accessibility, and enhanced circulation. The planning grant provided funding to develop the details and cost estimates for each project. 

            Last week, the Prioritization Plan was approved by MassDOT elevating Marion to Tier 2 status. The town is now eligible to apply for construction funds twice a year, in October and May. The Transportation and Circulation Task Force will request funds for a variety of transportation improvements that will encourage safer driving, walking, and biking. 

            Please see the MassDOT Complete Streets website for more information on the program: masscompletestreets.com/. Questions? Contact Marion’s Town Planner, Gil Hilario at ghilario@marionma.gov.

No School Choice for Sippican School

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            The Marion School Committee voted on May 8 to opt out of participation in the School Choice program for the next school year, keeping with the school district’s trend over the last several years.

            Superintendent Doug White reminded the committee that it must inform the Department of Education by June 1 whether or not it will offer any slots to out-of-district students for School Choice before making his recommendation.

            “My recommendation to the committee, with the uncertainty of housing in Marion and our current costs of … construct, that I think it’s important that we continued to not participate in School Choice at this time.”

            School Committee Chairman Christine Marcolini commented on the ”pretty healthy class sizes for next year,” and said, ”I don’t really think there’s any room at the inn for any excess.”

            The committee agreed and voted to opt out.

            Several members of the school committees and town officials in the three Tri-Towns have commented over the past several years that the state ought to reconsider the amount that home districts must pay the School Choice district to educate their student, which has been capped at $5,000 per pupil for nearly three decades since School Choice legislation as adopted.

            In other business, the committee voted to adopt a meeting schedule of every six weeks for the next school year.

            The next meeting of the Marion School Committee is scheduled for June 12 at 6:30 pm at Sippican School.

Marion School Committee

By Jean Perry

Old Colony Student Receives Silver Medal

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Once again an Old Colony (OC) student has stretched himself in pursuit of demonstrating his skills in a specific trade while at the same time demonstrating all-round academic achievement.

            SkillsUSA is an organization that promotes vocational training, but it also requires that students develop what might be called humanities skills that speak to their character such as responsibility, self-motivation, communication capabilities, leadership, and teamwork.

            The competitions, which are managed at the local level, represent a wide variety of “shop” skills, and require not only that a student perform the specific trade by producing evidence of their skill set, but that they also provide a written narrative that may include graphs, diagrams, engineered drawings, and a whole lot of technical language.

            Rochester resident and OC senior Riley Reed did all of that recently and earned a silver metal placement in welding for his effort.

            When The Wanderercaught up with Reed, he was sustaining himself through a busy Monday morning with a supply of Pop Tarts and looking forward to graduation day.

            When asked how his experience had been these last four years at school, he expounded, “Good.” Okay, maybe ‘expounded’ was a stretch, but Reed’s warm smile spoke volumes.

            Reed said his school is different from traditional high schools in that the students are able to solve more problems and, through the leadership and guidance of their instructors, able to develop an interest that could become a real marketable skill. After spending time in each of the seven shops offered at the school, freshmen are required to pick one to focus on. Reed’s father works in sheet metal sales, so he felt comfortable selecting welding.

            Reed’s shop instructor, Lance Davenport, is very impressed with his student’s accomplishments, but, moreover, impressed with the young man himself.

            “You know, he’s a good kid,” Davenport began. “I was really surprised with the things he came up with on his own.” He pointed out an area on the hood of the model that required torch techniques to apply a patina to the metal.

            Reed also displayed an artisan’s eye, and when asked if he felt he had artistic talents, he smiled again and nodded ‘yes’. He’s thinking about enrolling in art classes after graduation. He proudly shared photographs from his portfolio of other metal objects he had created – a decorative fish and a smooth, shiny, giant fishhook. He also spoke about a stool, airplane, and fire pit as other pieces he had completed – tangible evidence of his technical skills and artistic predisposition. 

             “He can get a job right out of school, ” Davenport said of Reed’s welding skills. He explained that employers will certify welders in very specific types of welding while the school gives the student training in the basic types: shielded metal arc welding, stick welding, gas metal arc welding known as MIG, flux cored arc welding, and gas tungsten arc welding.

            For the truck model, Davenport said that Reed had utilized the MIG method. The types of welds used in the trade are butt, lap, tee, edge, and corner, all of which Reed has mastered.

            “It’s tough,” Reed said of the school. Yet, he also appreciated the depth of knowledge he had gained.

            Davenport said Reed was not one to blow his own horn, saying Reed would do well after graduating and that he had expressed an interest in working at ski resorts where he could use his welding skills and ski.

            “He’s one heck of a good skier,” Davenport shared.

            While Reed may have a hard time talking about himself, those who know him speak of his focus, willingness to try hard, ability to finish what he starts, and his likeability.

            “He’s amazing,” said his employer, Lisa Bindas. “He is self-motivated, very reliable, a problem solver, and very good with the customers.” Reed said his favorite part of the job was building furniture and delivering the pieces to customers. 

            To learn more about Old Colony’s outstanding students and programs, visit www.oldcolony.us.

By Marilou Newell

Learn How to Fish at Mary’s Pond

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Have you ever wanted to learn how to fish? Now’s your chance! Let the MassWildlife Angler Education Program and the Buzzards Bay Coalition be your guides on Thursday, May 23from 5:30 pm to 7:30 pm at Mary’s Pond. Mary’s Pond is located at the end of Perry’s Lane in Rochester.

            At this free family-friendly event, you’ll learn the basics of freshwater fishing, from casting out to baiting up. Come try your hand at this great pastime — you’ll be guaranteed to catch some fun! We will provide fishing equipment, terminal tackle, and live bait for participants to use. Beginner anglers of all ages are welcome.

            Pre-registration is required for this program and is limited to 30 people. To RSVP or to get more information, visit www.savebuzzardsbay.org/events/learn-to-fish-may-23-2019/ or contact the Buzzards Bay Coalition at 508-999-6363 ext. 219 or bayadventures@savebuzzardsbay.org.

            This event is part of Discover Buzzards Bay, an initiative to help people across the Buzzards Bay region find unique and exciting ways to explore the outdoors, get some exercise, and connect with nature. Local residents can use Discover Buzzards Bay to get outside and discover woods, wetlands, and waterways from Fall River to Falmouth. To learn more, visit savebuzzardsbay.org/discover. 

Tabor Baseball Battles through 2019 Season

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            Tabor Academy baseball currently sits at 5-9 with only four games remaining in the regular season. Although it isn’t the record the Seawolves would’ve wanted at this point in the year, before the season began, their sub-.500 run hasn’t impacted their efforts. That’s primarily because Tabor only has a handful of seniors on the 2019 roster. By and large, this group is looking to develop in preparation for next season.

            “The majority of my team is made up of first-year varsity players,” Tabor coach Ken Ackerman said. “So I’m looking forward to the future. I’ve got some kids coming in locally who are going to help. It’s looking bright for the future. And I really love this team, too. They’re a fun group to coach and they really want to work hard and they’re really competitive.”

            At the plate, Jake Cady(.324), Colton Mairs(.323), and Justin Simon(.321) lead the Seawolves in batting average, all hitting over .300. Cady is also bringing the power, leading the team with four doubles. Ted Dunnis hitting .270 and has three doubles, as well as the team’s lone home run.

            On the mound, Tommy Rousseaugives Tabor the best chance to win from game-to-game. The sophomore right-hander had back-to-back scoreless performances earlier in the season, spanning 10 1/3 innings. Throughout the season he has put together a 2-3 record with a 2.47 ERA. He has 10 strikeouts in his 31 2/3 innings of work, along with 17 walks.

            After visiting Milton Academy on Wednesday at 3:00 pm, Tabor takes a trip to St. George’s on Saturday for a 2:30 pm first pitch.

            Tabor baseball alum PJ Poulinhas now made 16 appearances for the Class A Asheville Tourists (Colorado Rockies). Working primarily as a one-inning reliever, Poulin has struck out 19 in 17 2/3 innings of work. He has a 3.57 ERA on the season and a 1.47 WHIP.

Old Colony

            Old Colony baseball captured its sixth straight Mayflower Small Vocational title after knocking off Norfolk Aggie 25-2.

            “It’s a good day for the Cougars,” Old Colony coach Craig Lincoln said. “They go out and get the job done every day. They work hard in practice and in games. They’ve learned to pick themselves up and not let little things get them down. They’re a great group of guys to be around.”

            Matt Bumpusimproved to 3-0 with his efforts on the mound in the win. He has a 2.41 ERA on the year and has 29 K’s in 20 1/3 innings of work.

            The Cougars would then go outside the Mayflower Small Division to face Tri-County. Old Colony dropped to 10-4 on the year after the loss. Jacob Wordengave up three earned runs, but still has a rock bottom 1.65 ERA on the year and 34 strikeouts in 34 innings.

            Fresh off of blowing out South Shore softball 21-2, Old Colony lost a 14-13 slugfest nail-biter to Tri-County. Unfortunately for the Cougars, they were unable to hold onto the 13-8 lead they’d built heading into the seventh inning because the field conditions took a turn for the worse at that stage in the game.

            Hannah L’Heureuxwas 3-for-3 in the loss with two RBI, two stolen bases and two runs. She now has six hits in her last six at-bats, improving her average to .711. She has 21 RBIs and 32 hits through 13 games for Old Colony.

            Te’Lynn Laytonis currently ranked second on the team in batting after her two-hit day against Tri-County. She is hitting .600, with Taylor Haskellbehind her at .568, who also had two hits against Tri-County.

            After a matchup at 3:30 pm against Westport on Wednesday, Old Colony hosts Blue Hills on Thursday at 3:30 pm.

High School Sports Update

By Nick Friar

New Exhibition and Art in Bloom

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The Marion Art Center (MAC) is pleased to present its next exhibition, featuring works by Janet Gendreau & Peter Hussey.  The show runs May 24 to July 6, with an opening reception on Friday, May 24, 6:00 pm – 8:00 pm. Janet Gendreau’s pastel paintings reflect the beautiful South Coast region.  She is especially drawn to the effects of light and atmosphere on the quiet beauty of marshes and coastal landscapes.  Her paintings strive to reflect her feelings of time and place and connection to nature.  Peter Hussey is drawn to the simplicity of American architecture and the various materials used for decorative embellishments such as turrets, weather vanes, archways, and windows.  Creating dynamic compositions with watercolor on paper or board, and using egg-tempered watercolor, Hussey explores the interplay of light and shadow, richness of color, and the spatial relationship of various structurers within his nearly photo-realistic paintings. 

            Art in Bloom returns to the MAC June 14-15, with a reception on Friday, June 14, 6:00 pm – 8:00 pm.  For 2 days, come see inventive floral arrangements on display in our galleries from the Marion Garden Group and other local arrangers.  Participants will create floral interpretations of the artwork on display in our galleries. To contribute an arrangement, please contact the MAC by June 1.  The Marion Art Center will also host workshops during Art in Bloom:  Floral Painting with Watercolors with instructor Patricia White will be held on Friday, June 14, 10:00 am – 12:00 pm in the MAC Studio. Price: $35 MAC members, $45 non-members, plus $10 materials fee. Students should have some watercolor experience and bring what supplies they have.  Instructor will provide high quality watercolor paper.  A floral arranging workshop, Your Flowers in Your Vase, with instructor Heather Hobler, will be held on Saturday, June 15, 10:00 am – 12:00 pm in the MAC Studio. Price: $35 MAC members, $45 non-members, plus $15 materials fee.  Students should bring a vessel from home, plus foliage.  Description:  Learn how to explore your yard and find what you need for seasonal floral arrangements. We will explore how to forage, harvest, and condition blooms and foliage from your yard and create an arrangement for your home in your own vessel. Please bring whatever blooms and foliage you like and a vessel. There will be supplemental seasonal blooms and foliage to work with.

            To register for workshops, visit www.marionartcenter.org/classes/art-classes

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 61 Pleasant Street.  The home at 61 Pleasant Street was built c. 1850.  Its earliest identified owner was Austen Lovell, an expressman.  By the late 1870s, R.F. Hart owned this residence. His wife, Bertha M. Hart, lived here until her death in the late 1930s.  Mrs. Hart’s first husband was Gamaliel Morss of Marblehead, who was a member of the 8th regiment.  He was part of the unit that escorted the Prince of Wales during his 1859 visit to Massachusetts.  Morss was one of the first men killed in the Civil War.  The Harts remembered being in a boat moored alongside that of Abraham Lincoln on the Potomac River at City Point in Washington D.C.  The first eight years of the Harts’ marriage was spent at sea. They lived in this home for over 60 years.

Marion Local Scholarship

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Thirteen high school seniors from Marion recently applied for the Marion Local Scholarship. They are an impressive group of scholars, athletes, and leaders both in their school communities and in our region.

            This year’s recipient is Mia Quinlan who will be attending Texas A&M Maritime Academy.

            Funds for this scholarship are raised by donations from residents of the town. The students and the committee thank everyone who contributed and hope that this generosity will continue.

            Please support Marion’s college bound students by sending a check to the Marion Local Scholarship, Town Hall, 2 Spring St., Marion, 02738.

Rochester Farms Coverts to Rochester Solar Farm

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            On May 14, the Rochester Planning Board and the community learned more about the proposed solar array planned for property located on Marion Road, owned by Craig Canning and known as Rochester Farms, LLC.

            An abutter sued Canning to stop his original project, and that failed effort to turn the property into a farmer’s market and agricultural operation sent Canning in another direction, renting out the property for solar generation.

            On this night, coming before the Planning Board was Sarah Rosenblat for SWEB Development USA, the solar development company, and Tom Sanders of Weston & Sampson Engineers. Rosenblat took center stage for more than an hour detailing the scope of the project and responding to questions.

            The project is planned with little impact to the 12.75-acre site, Rosenblat explained, as there would not be any removal of trees. The site has been farmed for decades and is currently flat and almost completely denuded due to agricultural activities. She said that the photovoltaic footprint would only cover 9 acres, although the leased area was 48 acres.

            Rosenblat explained that along Marion Road there would not be any fencing, only planting for screening purposes. But what sets this solar project apart from all others in Rochester and the surrounding area was the unique placement of the solar panels and the height of the array – a mere 2.9-feet above grade with panels pitched 8 inches apart and spaced in a grid formation with minimal spacing between the grid lines.

            It will also be the largest producer of solar energy in Rochester.

            Chairman Arnold Johnson gave the solar team some guidance in terms of what type of waivers the applicant would need to request. He also discussed, which had the effect of informing the public, the various steps SWEB would be required to take, such as many more meetings with the Planning Board, and permitting by the Zoning Board of Appeals and Conservation Commission.

            When asked the timing of the project, Rosenblat said that in addition to local permitting, SWEB was awaiting an impact study from Eversource anticipated to start in July and take up to six months to complete. They were also waiting for impact reviews by Massachusetts Historical Commission and the MassWildlife Natural Heritage & Endangered Species Program. She confirmed there was evidence of the Eastern box turtle on the site.

            Rosenblat said she anticipated beginning construction during the second quarter of 2020 with completion about 70 days later.

            Abutter Deloris Dernier also inquired about noise, saying that her home would be directly impacted by any noise generated by the system. Rosenblat could not provide study data on the decimals emitted by the inverters and transformers but offered to provide that at a later date. She did say, however, that it was her experience that very little noise, if any, would be produced.

            Rosenblat confirmed that electrical cables would be underground and that a service road off Marion Road would have a 40-foot wide paved apron transitioning to a gravel roadway. Dernier expressed her concern that the road would create stormwater flowage onto her property, which she said was already a problem. Rosenblat responded that drainage designs would include berms.

            When Johnson was asked his opinion on whether anything could stop the solar development, Johnson replied, “I don’t see anything that would stop it. … This is one of the easier ones we’ve seen.”

            Johnson said earlier in the discussion, “We are the only town in the Tri-Towns that has a local solar bylaw.”

            The Notice of Intent hearing date was set for June 25.

            In other matters, public hearings for Site Plan Review of property owned by Sophia Darras, 0 Rounseville Road, and a continued hearing for a Special Residential Development for REpurpose Properties were both continued until May 28.

            The Planning Board members unanimously voted to send Zoning Bylaw amendments for Section 20.10 E (8) Medical Marijuana with the insertion of new bylaw section 22.70 titled Marijuana Regulations to the Selectmen for inclusion into the Spring Town Meeting Warrant. Town Meeting is scheduled for May 20 at 7:00 pm at Rochester Memorial School.

Rochester Planning Board

By Marilou Newell