The Marion Recreation and Council on Aging Departments invite the community to celebrate their new location at the Benjamin D. Cushing Community Center, 465 Mill Street, Marion, during an open house on Saturday, August 12 from 10:00 am – 1:00 pm.
Enjoy some music (Yesterday’s Country Band will perform from 10:00 am – 11:00 am), refreshments, take a tour and learn about the new community center programs available.
Dozens of residents on August 7 applauded after farmer’s market developer Craig Canning announced that he was rescinding his July 25 request to withdraw his Site Plan Review application with the Rochester Planning Board.
During that July 25 meeting, some Planning Board members, notably Gary Florindo, expressed frustration with some abutters and residents who publically expressed opposition to Canning’s plan to construct two 7,200 square-foot buildings, one of which would be a farmer’s market-style facility surrounded by acres of agriculture for produce.
On July 25 Florindo said, “He (Canning) can choose what he wants to do. It’s his little world.” Addressing the abutters, he continued, “When the public takes away the element of choice, that’s not fair. This is America! Let’s not take Mr. Canning’s right away.” He said the proposed building might not be “the Taj Mahal,” but it is in keeping with the agricultural nature of Rochester, “It’s a farm building.”
The board continued the hearing instead of holding a hasty vote to accept the withdrawal.
On August 7, Chairman Arnold Johnson asked Canning if he still wished to proceed with the withdrawal.
Canning said he requested the withdrawal because of the significant resistance he received from abutters.
“Now I’ve been a little bit overwhelmed from the support from other neighbors and people nearby. I’d like to continue with the site plan review,” Canning said.
The majority of the residents gathered in the Rochester Memorial School cafeteria applauded and clapped for Canning’s decision.
“Thank you,” Canning told them.
“Thank you!” many replied. “Don’t give up!” another man said.
Canning asked for the public hearing to be continued until the next meeting so he could review the report of the Town’s peer review engineer Ken Motta.
The public hearing for Borrego Solar System’s proposed large-scale solar farm at 453 Rounseville Road was continued until the next meeting at the request of the applicant due to some further changes to the proposed plan.
Johnson acknowledged that the board had received a petition certified by the town clerk from townspeople asking the board to deny the permit for Borrego Solar System’s solar farm. Johnson said that since the petition was not on the agenda, it would be discussed during the September 12 Planning Board meeting.
Some residents still had some questions, and Johnson commented that the petition, which also called for solar bylaw changes, essentially had enough signatures to start the zoning bylaw revision process; however, he was concerned that it could not be acted upon in time before the Fall Special Town Meeting he thinks was scheduled for October 1.*
Town Counsel Blair Bailey agreed, saying it was “problematic.”
Despite having continued the hearing, there was some further discussion, as pointed out by Bailey.
Johnson shot back as criticism of the Town’s prior approvals for solar project permits, saying Rochester has one of the most comprehensive solar bylaws in the Tri-Town and Rochester was the first to craft one.
During his 18 years on the board, Johnson said the Planning Board has gone to litigation 14 times.
“This board’s not afraid to take a stand when it’s justifiable and defensible and appropriate,” Johnson said. But, he added, “If you lose, at that point, you don’t have any control over a project whether it’s a subdivision … a shopping center … or a solar facility.” At that point, Johnson said, the judge could take the solar developer’s original plan and say, ‘You build it. Rochester, you issue the permit. Don’t worry about screening … bonding.…’
“You kind of have to think it all the way through when you think about these things,” said Johnson, “because if you don’t, you could be in a little bit of trouble.”
In other matters, the board opened the public hearing for the Site Plan Review for Canning’s other project under the name of Progressive Grower, Inc. – a proposed fertilizer and agricultural products distribution facility on property located at Kings Highway and Route 28.
Engineer Bill Madden presented the plan for six 60-foot by 120-foot buildings, five of which would be constructed in a row, with another Madden called an “out building.”
The board went through some of the notes Motta made pertaining to some waivers Canning is requesting, asking for a couple to be removed from the list and granting a number of others, since those aspects pertaining to the waivers do not apply to the proposed project.
Florindo commented that most of the proposed project would be concealed by surrounding trees, and Florindo called Canning’s existing operation at the site tidy and clean, and the proposed project was “appropriate” and “not an eyesore.”
“I think it’s a win-win situation as far as I’m concerned,” said Florindo.
The hearing was continued until August 22, but it could get rescheduled depending on Motta’s ability to review the plans in time.
The next meeting of the Rochester Planning Board is scheduled for August 22 at 7:00 pm at the Rochester Town Hall.
*The Rochester Fall Special Town Meeting is now scheduled for October 23.
Rochester Planning Board
By Jean Perry
Name: Hannah Guard, valedictorian, ORR Class of 2017
Age: 18
How she came to Tri-Town: Lifelong resident of Marion
Favorite place: “I like going to Silvershell Beach, we keep our boat at Barden’s Boat Yard – and I love Captain Barney’s in Marion.”
Ever seen a celebrity locally? “Not in Tri-Town, but a few weekends ago, I was in a store and I saw (actors) John Krasinski and Emily Blunt. I let them do their thing, I didn’t bother them.”
By Jonathan Comey
When Hannah Guard found out she was valedictorian of Old Rochester Regional High School this past spring, it was only a few days before graduation.
She was thrilled, because hey, everyone loves being No. 1, right?
“I wouldn’t say freshman year I went in with that goal, but after my junior year, I found out I was top in the class, so it was in the back of my mind to reach,” she said.
But she also had to come up with a speech – the speech every valedictorian gives, the words that are supposed to inspire her classmates and sum up the experience.
No pressure.
With public speaking not exactly in her comfort zone, she did just what she did to become valedictorian in the first place: she worked at it.
“Well I never considered myself the smartest person at ORR. There were so many people that were so intelligent,” she said. “But I guess my work ethic was what got me there.”
At ORR, she was a two-sport athlete and high academic achiever whose life was full, to say the least. Up at the crack of dawn for a full day of the school’s most difficult courses, and then sports after school (field hockey and softball). Then home, dinner, shower, and homework from 6:30 to “Ten, eleven, sometimes twelve.” Then do it again.
“My parents never really pushed me toward, ‘Hey, you have to get to work.’ I think it was just in me,” Hannah said. “I always have worked hard.”
The majority of her speech, which she worked closely on with National Honor Society advisor Sarabeth Morrell, centered on the challenges and triumphs of the fictional Disney heroine Mulan. The conclusion was that, like Mulan discovered, it was all about finding a path and taking it with your full heart – but if that path became blocked, to find a way to make success on whatever new path you landed on.
And, of course, she made her parents Tom and Michelle (who didn’t get an advance copy) a little teary-eyed, watching their daughter conclude with a Dr. Seuss quote that they introduced her to as a little girl: “You have brains in your head. You have feet in your shoes. You can steer yourself any direction you choose. You’re on your own. And you know what you know. And YOU are the one who’ll decide where to go.”
When deciding where to go next in life, Guard certainly had many options at her disposal. With an impeccable academic record, she was left with a simpler question than some: What do I want?
And in the end, she decided that what she wanted was to be in an atmosphere similar to the one that nurtured her and inspired her living here.
“I think the community and the people around, having grown up here, everyone helps each other,” she said. “It’s not too busy – I like that. When I was looking at schools in the city, there was a lot going on – a little too much.”
And so she chose UMass Amherst where she plans on majoring in biochemical engineering, with the goal of becoming a medical researcher.
Her experiences in the biology and chemistry tracks at ORR inspired her (shout out to Mrs. Graser), and she’s ready to get deeper at the college level.
She leaves in around three weeks to live in the school’s new dorms for honors program students. She’s already been texting and Snapchatting with her new roommate, and she is confident that she’ll be able to find there what she has now: a great sense of being part of a team.
“UMass is a big school, but it’s not in a city. You know when you’re on campus that you’re there,” she said.
Is she nervous? “If I’m honest, yes. Not about the school work, maybe, but about moving there, being in a new atmosphere.”
Guard is not exactly sure what the challenges will be, but she is confident she’ll solve them.
“I like to be challenged, although it’s not always easy. In my junior year, my AP History teacher, Mr. Carroll was very challenging,” she said. “Over the weekend, it was always a 40-page chapter, then a pop quiz on Monday. We knew it was coming, but he always changed the format. It was hard, there were a lot of things to remember, but I like that he challenged us.
“I always felt well prepared.”
Neale Birdsall of Duxbury, MA passed away in his home on August 3rd of complications from Parkinson’s Disease, surrounded by his family. Neale was 86 years old. He is survived by his loving wife of 62 years, Janice (Kealey) and their three children, Anne Kellogg of Holliston, MA, Gregg Birdsall and his wife Amy of Mt. Airy, MD and Polly Martinson and her husband G. Thomas of Milton, MA. He leaves behind eight grandchildren. He is also survived by his sisters, Marie Birdsall of Boxford, MA and Isabelle Schweitzer of Ithaca, NY.
Neale graduated from Tabor Academy in 1951 and Lehigh University in 1955. Prior to moving to The Village at Duxbury in 2014, Neale and Janice lived in Marion, MA for 43 years where Neale was Director of Alumni and Development at Tabor Academy until his retirement in 1992. Neale had a great passion for the sea. During his years living in Marion, Neale enjoyed spending much of his time boating in Buzzards Bay with his wife and family. He was an accomplished builder and restorer of ship models. The town of Marion commissioned him to create a replica of the “The Ghost Ship”, Mary Celeste, which he then donated to the Sippican Historical Society.
Since moving to the Village, Neale joined an art class where he soon mastered the art of water color painting. He created many beautiful works of art and was soon featured as the “Artist of the Month”.
A Memorial Service to celebrate Neale’s life will be held at the First Congregational Church of Marion on September 12, 2017 at 11:00 am.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in Neale’s memory to either Tabor Academy, 66 Spring St., Marion, MA 02738, or Cranberry Hospice, 36 Cordage Park Cr., Suite 326, Plymouth, MA 02360.
The Town of Rochester on Sunday, August 6, officially acknowledged the planting of a gingko biloba sapling gifted to the town by its former Town Administrator Michael McCue – a rare gift that not many other cities or towns in this part of the world possess.
This special baby tree was born of an international effort to spread the seeds of peace across the globe. Green Legacy Hiroshima Initiative, a joint initiative with the United Nations Institute for Training and Research (UNITAR), propagates and disperses the saplings from many of the 170 trees in 55 locations within about one-and-a-quarter miles of ground zero of the Hiroshima atomic blast on August 6, 1645 – “Hibaku-jumoku,” which means “survivor trees.”
The ginkgo sapling was planted during the last weekend of June at the Dexter Lane Ball Field in the far end behind the playground by Highway Surveyor Jeff Eldridge, who also placed a plaque commemorating McCue’s gift and its historical significance.
This particular sapling was grown from a 250-year-old survivor tree that was only 1,370 meters from the atomic blast.
Matthew Monteiro of the Rochester Historic District Commission, who took on the Arbor Day responsibilities from McCue after he resigned from his position, led a brief ceremony before a handful of people to celebrate the Town’s participation in Arbor Day and also acknowledged the 72nd anniversary of the nuclear bombing.
“I want to thank Green Legacy Hiroshima for this gift to our town and recognize Michael McCue who sought out the opportunity on our town’s behalf,” said Monteiro. “Seventy-two years ago today on August 6, 1945, a nine-thousand pound atomic bomb was dropped over the city of Hiroshima.”
Nearly the entire city was destroyed and 80,000 people died instantly, and thousands would later die as a result of the bombing.
“Most of the trees and other vegetation were destroyed,” said Monteiro, “so in 1951, the first president of Hiroshima University, Tatsuo Morito, sent a letter to universities in Europe, the U.S., and Asia asking to be sent tree seeds and seedlings to replant their campus.”
Monteiro said, quoting Morito, “Green is the color of vividness, the color of hope, the color of peace.”
The response was great, said Monteiro, and the grounds once burned by an atomic blast were replanted.
Monteiro continued recounting the history of Green Legacy Hiroshima Initiative and its formation in 2011 by former Director of the Hiroshima Office of the UNITAR Nassrine Azimi.
“We are grateful to recognize the value of trees along with the Arbor Day Foundation,” said Monteiro, “not only as physical comforts that provide cool shade and beauty, but as Ms. Azimi said, ‘While silently testifying to the inhumanity of nuclear weapons, they also tell us of the importance of resilience, tolerance, and living in harmony with nature.’”
Fellow member of the Historic District Commission Laurene Gerrior thanked those in attendance, which included Selectman Greenwood Hartley, for celebrating with them the planting of the tree.
“This ginkgo joins a long line of memorial trees, including the forty-plus trees planted in various locations by the Green Ways Committee,” said Gerrior. These trees include the male and female ginkgo at the waterworks, the mulberry at the grange, a memorial to a local serviceman killed in WWII, Linc Rounseville’s beech tree in his corn field, Gerrior said, and a 12-foot-wide white oak off Alley Road that won the Big Tree contest back in the ‘90s.
“May this tree be remembered and join this illustrious group of trees here in Rochester,” said Gerrior.
Monteiro shared information about the surviving mother tree of Rochester’s sapling located in Shukkeien Garden and provided a photo. The mother tree still stands slanted toward the hypocenter, with its trunk 4 meters wide and 17 meters tall.
By Jean Perry
Tickets are currently available for Marion Art Center’s upcoming production of The Dinner Party by Neil Simon. The bittersweet comic drama revolves around a chaotic French dinner party. Six people – three divorced couples – arrive to dine in a chic Parisian restaurant, each unbeknownst to the other. During the dinner, they are forced to confront the issues that tore them apart and consider the possibility of reconciliation. Under the direction of Kate Fishman, the cast features Scott Fishman, Jay Gould, Suzie Kokkins, Cynthia Latham, Kristen Meiggs and Harvey Ussach.
Scott Fishman (Andre) is new to the MAC stage, but has been active in community theater since 1999. He has performed in more than 40 productions including lead roles in A Christmas Carol, Darwin in Malibu, Writer’s Block, Dial M for Murder, To Kill a Mockingbird, Twelve Angry Men, Painting Churches, Vanya & Sonia & Masha & Spike, and Beyond Therapy. Scott just completed a run of One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest in Duxbury.
Jay Gould (Claude) has appeared in several MAC productions including Deadwood Dick, Harvey, I Ought to be in Pictures, Aspirin and Elephants, The Odd Couple and Rumors. Jay is a veterinarian at Mattapoisett Animal Hospital where he treats pets in addition to his own four dogs, six cats, and 11 birds.
Suzie Kokkins (Gabrielle) is thrilled to return to the MAC stage. Previous shows include MAC’s Light Up the Sky, Seagull, Bad Year for Tomatoes, Dixie Swim Club, Drinking Habits, Vanya & Sonia & Masha & Spike, and Enchanted April. She has also been seen in local productions including The Cemetery Club and 101 Dalmatians.
Cynthia Latham (Yvonne) first appeared on the MAC stage in The Fourth Wall by A.R. Gurney. Cynthia’s list of credits includes Vanya & Sonia & Masha & Spike, A Bad Year for Tomatoes, Love, Loss and What I Wore, The Seagull, as well as film and TV work including Men in Black 3 and The Good Wife.
Kristen Meiggs (Mariette) makes her debut performance at the MAC with this show, and she has definitely been bitten by the theater bug. She lives in Mattapoisett with her twin sons, Owen and Zach, who first introduced her to the joys of the theater community.
Harvey Ussach (Albert) returns to the MAC stage after performing in the March production of Enchanted April. He has appeared in plays off and on most of his life in New York City and the South Coast, including Through a Portagee Gate, Hot L Baltimore, Communicating Doors, and The Curious Savage. Harvey teaches critical writing at Bristol Community College and Roger Williams University, and public speaking at BCC and Fisher College.
The Dinner Party opens on Friday, August 11 at 7:30 pm, with additional performances on Saturday, August 12; Thursday, August 17; Friday, August 18; and Saturday, August 19. Tickets are available at a cost of $15 for MAC members and $18 for non-members. While reservations and holds cannot be accommodated, ticket purchases may be made both in person and by calling the Marion Art Center at 508-748-1266 during regular gallery hours (Tuesday through Friday from 1:00 to 5:00 pm and Saturday from 10:00 am to 2:00 pm). General seating and cabaret seating (for parties of 4) are available on a first come, first served basis.
Last week, the Old Rochester Athletic Boosters proudly unveiled its most recent project on the ORR campus – large aluminum letters on the exterior wall of the gymnasium overlooking the athletic fields. Standing nearly 10 feet tall, the new letters are clearly visible from almost the entire athletic complex and stand as a bold reminder to all that you are in “Bulldog Country.” Athletic Director Bill Tilden states that “each day when the students and faculty arrive at school they will be reminded in big bold letters that they are and always will be O.R.R. Bulldogs and to wear that distinction with great pride.”
The project was fully funded through the purchase of letters by local families and community organizations. Booster Club president Justin Shay joked that “even though I felt a little bit like Vanna White selling the letters, I am thrilled with the results. I would like to thank the Butler, Ciffolillo, Janicki, Lorenz, Tenerowitz/Mann, and Shay families for buying individual letters and especially give a huge shout out to the Rochester and Mattapoisett Police Brotherhoods who bought three letters each and made the project a reality.”
Principal Mike Devoll also praised the initiative, “The community is going to see a continued commitment on the part of the Athletic Booster Club and the entire school community to enhancing the campus. These new letters adorning the building will symbolize the pride that each student has when entering the building each day.”
In addition to the new signage, the Athletic Boosters are replacing some old wooden lockers with new metal ones in the locker room, purchasing new seating for outside the training room, and are in the process of designing a state-of-the-art press box for the athletic stadium.
For more information about the ORRABC and to learn how you can help with future Booster projects, please contact the ORRABC at info@ORRathleticboosters.com, visit the club’s web site atwww.ORRathleticboosters.com, and follow the ORRABC on Facebook (www.facebook.com/ORRABC) and Twitter (@ORRABC).
Coming to ORRHS this fall … The Bulldog Block. Taking a nod from the success of the flex period at our junior high school, we will be incorporating a fixed period of time to provide interventions, supports, enrichments and extensions for all students during the regular school day. Every day. The Bulldog Block will land in the middle of our day starting at 10:17 am and ending at 10:52 am. While most view the 35-minute period as time for students to receive academic support, this is also an opportunity for enrichments and extensions for students that didn’t previously exist. How can the Tri-Town community help? Do you have a skill or an interest that would benefit a group of students? Prior to the Bulldog Block, we had a rotating schedule, and therefore we couldn’t guarantee a consistent period of time for meetings with students. Now we have time available. The same time, every day. Do you have insight into potential career opportunities for students? Do you have a connection to a particular college or have an interest in helping students find the right post-high school path? We can create a consistent schedule for you. Weekly, biweekly, or monthly … all hands on deck. Our community members have so much to offer our student body, and we now have the chance to consistently capture an audience of interested students. 10:17-10:52 … every day. Send me an email at michaeldevoll@oldrochester.org if you want to learn more or get on our schedule.
By ORR Principal Michael Devoll
The Cape Cod Canal Region Chamber of Commerce, Town of Wareham, and the Tremont Nail Advisory Group are hosting “Meet Me At The Tremont,” 8 Elm Street, Wareham, on Saturday, August 26 from 5:30 – 8:30 pm. The event takes place at the Tremont Nail Factory, a historic landmark on the Wankinco River, featuring breathtaking views.
Enjoy chef-prepared buffet and delectable desserts by Lindsey’s Restaurant. Cash Bar.
Listen to entertainment by local favorite Cranberry Coast Concerts that will add some pizzazz. Their motto is “from Bach to Rock” featuring a wide variety of music. The concert will be directed by husband and wife duo pianists and composers Kirk Whipple and Marilyn Morales. CCC has presented local, regional, and international touring artists in hundreds of performances.
Judge artwork provided by the Bourne-Wareham Art Association and the Sandwich Art Alliance. It’s a wonderful way to admire paintings by local artists, which can also be purchased.
Tickets are $35 per person and can be purchased on-line at www.capecodcanalchamber.org or stop in and see Traci Medeiros at The Gallery Consignment Shoppe, 247 Main Street, Wareham.
Preview the future venue for art, entertainment and recreation. For more information, contact Marie Oliva, at 508-759-6000 ext. 12, moliva@capecodcanalchamber.org.
The event is sponsored by the Cape Cod Canal Region Chamber of Commerce, Town of Wareham, Eastern Bank, Lindsey’s Restaurant, Cape Cod Five, Cranberry Coast Concerts and Southcoast Health System. Proceeds will go to the Cape Cod Canal Region Chamber Scholarship Program.
The Cape Cod Canal Region Chamber of Commerce promotes, represents and educates our members and the community for their economic and social benefits. Learn more about the Chamber at www.capecodcanalchamber.org.
Name: Marissa Johnson
Role: President, Old Rochester Youth Football
Age: 36
How she came to Tri-Town: She grew up in Central Massachusetts and Dartmouth before her family relocated to Rochester just before her freshman year at ORR.
What she’d change as the President of Tri-Town: I don’t know if I’d change anything. I can tell you something I think is great, I like how a lot of the sports are together. I think it’s so much better than from when I was younger, when it was all separate. The kids get to meet all the kids from different towns, and when they get to the junior high and high school, they know each other. So I guess I’d say I’d strengthen that even more.
Favorite place: Well, the place I am the most is here (Old Rochester football field), especially this time of year. But I think my favorite spot is the lighthouse, the Ned’s Point area, it’s beautiful.
Ever seen a celebrity? Well, I work at Turk’s (Seafood in Mattapoisett), so you see people. I’ve seen Jason Varitek, and – oh goodness, I can’t remember his name … (James Spader?) … Yes! James Spader. He comes in once and awhile and gets takeout. It’s nice to see him, but we want to make sure they’re treated like regular people.
By Jonathan Comey
Marissa Johnson isn’t a movie star, but she’d have fit in just fine with the cast of the summer blockbuster Wonder Woman.
As the president of the Old Rochester Youth Football League (and mother of four), she is the leader of a large group of volunteers working together to keep Tri-Town’s young players and cheerleaders organized and engaged.
“I’ve been heavily involved for eight years, but this is actually going to be my first year in charge,” said Johnson, who takes over for Tom Flynn. “It was kind of natural for me to take over, because I have done a little of everything.”
More like a lot of everything – running a youth sports league is a daunting undertaking, requiring hundreds of hours over the course of a single season.
But with her husband Dayne as vice president, and her three youngest kids all taking part in the league (oldest son Drew plays football for Old Rochester Regional), it’s definitely a Johnson family affair.
“So yeah, I’m busy, but I’m definitely used to it,” she said. She’s at the Old Rochester Regional football field just about every day from now through November, filling whatever role needs to be filled on that day.
As one of the few female presidents of a youth sports league in the area, Johnson doesn’t worry much about fitting in.
“It is obviously a very male sport, but everyone’s been so great,” she said. “I had a great relationship with parents and coaches before, and I think they’re used to asking me questions, so I haven’t had any issues at all.”
And she also knows that husband Dayne, a former player at Old Rochester Regional who is an assistant coach there, has her back.
“I know a lot about football, but it’s nice to have your husband as a go-to for any kind of technical questions,” she said.
It was through Dayne that she came to love the sport. She said she grew up around it, but it wasn’t until she started dating her husband that she really fell for football (and him).
The athletic culture in Tri-Town has always been good, and then-Marissa Rand was a standout for the Old Rochester soccer and basketball teams.
She was a member of the 1998 state championship team that was recently inducted into the Hall of Fame – fittingly she missed the ceremony because she was attending her daughter’s basketball tournament.
There are always tournaments to attend, logistics to grapple with, and problems to solve.
“My husband and I are completely straight out, especially now. With Pop Warner football, you have so many regulations, ages, weights, rules, making sure everyone’s safe,” she said. “That’s my nervousness going into the season, making sure it all runs smoothly as it can. But I have a huge group of parents that have already helped out, stepped up a lot. It’s really a great league, I’m happy to be part of it.”
Between now and the end of the season, there will be countless headaches, large and small, for Johnson to deal with, and she admits that it can be difficult at times. But it’s all worth it.
“For me, it’s when we get to the championship games, and the kids are celebrating winning that trophy, that’s what really makes it great,” she said. “Seeing that for the kids, knowing they’ll all remember it. I love that.”