Mattapoisett Library to Host Artists’ Reception

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The public is invited to enjoy original art and a reception on Tuesday, May 16 from 6:30 to 8:00 pm in the Mattapoisett Library’s Reading Rooms. Created by over 100 members of the community, the works have been given to Friends of the Library for their “Calling All Artists” fundraiser.

The many canvases – decorated by local artists, teens and children – are now on display and will be available for purchase beginning at the reception. One-of-a-kind 8 x 8-inch canvases can be purchased for $25 each. The proceeds benefit the Friends of the Mattapoisett Library, a nonprofit organization that supports the library’s budget needs that fall outside the town’s appropriation.

Come and enjoy hors d’oeuvres prepared by The Inn On Shipyard Park and other baked goods and soft drinks offered by the Friends.

The Mattapoisett Library is located at 7 Barstow Street.

Emily Hiller Achieves Hundredth Goal Milestone

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Here is a summary of the week in sports at Old Rochester Regional:

            Girls’ Lacrosse: In their first SCC matchup last week, the Old Rochester girls’ lacrosse team thrived against Bourne, winning 20-3. Senior Emily Hiller paved the way with six goals. After her fifth goal of the game, her teammates stormed in to congratulate her because she had just scored her hundredth career goal. Madison Cooney added five goals. Maddie Demanche, Ariane Dias, Ava Ciffolillo, and Ali Hulsebosch each contributed two. Mackenzie Good added one to round off the score to an even 20 for the Lady Bulldogs. The Lady Bulldogs defense played a solid game, only allowing for three goals. At the heart of the defense, sophomore Gates Tenerowicz had nine saves. This win over the Canal Women advanced Old Rochester to 9-0. Old Rochester faced the Fairhaven Blue Devils last Thursday under the lights and won 16-2. The Bulldogs worked the ball up the field with proficiency and finished with the ball in the back of the net. Normally a run-and-gun type of team, Old Rochester showed their passing capabilities. The defense held Fairhaven to five shots on net. However, Tenerowicz only let in two. Cooney had four goals and three assists and Hulsebosch had three goals and four assists. Hiller and Megan Shay both had three goals while Tayler Lee, Katherine Tracy, and Dias each earned one. This game marked the Bulldogs 10th straight win on their undefeated season. Last Saturday, Old Rochester faced Sandwich and won 16-10. The game started off slow for the Bulldogs and they were tied 7-7 at the half. Old Rochester got it together and began to pull ahead of their opponents. Cooney and Hulsebosch were the leading scorers with five goals. Hiller played an honorable game with four goals and four assists. Midfielder Shay earned two goals and four assists. After persevering through a tough start, the Bulldogs collected themselves to win yet another game and advance their record to 11-0, 8-0 SCC.

            Boys’ Lacrosse: The boys’ lacrosse team opened up their week of play with the Bourne Canalmen, and it ended with their first SEC loss. The Bulldogs fought hard to keep the game tied 6-6 throughout. However, with minutes left, the Canalmen managed an unreciprocated shot and won 7-6. Senior captain Charles Tirrell paved the way for the team with three goals. Freshman attackman Finn McCain had two goals and Parker Truesdale earned one. Old Rochester redeemed themselves later in the week with a 13-4 win over the Fairhaven Blue Devils. Again, Tirrell led the way with five goals. Not far off was Landon Goguen with four goals and one assist. McCain, PJ Saltmarsh, Tim Dix, and Patrick Kiernan each earned one goal. The Bulldog defense proved their ferociousness by forcing the Devils to take bad shots, which helped the goalie, Nate King, make 13 saves. Old Rochester is now 9-2, 7-1 SCC.

            Girls’ Tennis: The girls’ tennis team continued their undefeated record with three more wins last week. The Lady Bulldogs started off with a 5-0 win over Case. First singles player Delaney Pothier swept the competition winning 6-0, 6-2. At second singles, Danielle Nutter also won 6-4, 6-0. Charlotte Cole, who played third singles, triumphed over her Case counterparts winning 6-0, 6-4. Emma Collings and Kinsley Dickerson proved to be a strong team by winning 6-1, 6-1. Zoe Bilodeau and Grace Weedall were the 6-3, 6-1 victors at second doubles. Old Rochester faced Bourne last week and dominated 4-1. Pothier and Nutter continued their winning streak. Collings and Dickerson managed a win after coming back from a 5-1 deficit in the third set. Grace Filloramo and Delaney Soucy played at second doubles and also earned a win. In their third matchup of the week, the Lady Bulldogs shutout the Fairhaven Blue Devils, 5-0. Again, Pothier and Nutter prevailed against their Blue Devil opponents. Bilodeau earned her first singles win while playing at third singles. Both pairs at doubles won. Old Rochester advanced their record to 9-0, 7-0 SCC.

            Boys’ Tennis: The boys’ tennis team continued their undefeated record after playing Joseph Case, Bourne, and Fairhaven. Old Rochester beat Case 4-1 in their first match of last week. Sam Pasquill, at first singles, Jahn Pothier, at second singles, and Geoffrey Noonan, at third singles all managed wins over their opponents. The first doubles pair of Josh Lerman and Maxx Wolski also won. In their second match of the week, the Bulldogs won 5-0 against Bourne. Pasquill, Alex Bilodeau, and Max Asker all swept away their competition within the singles matches. Lerman and Caleb Jagoda played well together to earn yet another win for the Bulldogs. Noonan and Ray Williams also won at second doubles to maintain a shutout against Bourne. The Bulldogs played Fairhaven last Thursday and earned a 4-1 win. Unfortunately, Pothier lost at first singles to his Blue Devil opponent. However, Wolski and Colin O’Malley both won at second and third singles. Also, Jagoda and Williams played consistently hard to win first doubles. Ian Friedrichs and Justin Smith also triumphed over Fairhaven at second doubles. The Bulldogs remain undefeated with a record of 10-0, 8-0 SCC.

            Baseball: The boys’ baseball team played Joseph Case first this week and won 7-4. John Breault held Case to four runs in six of the seven innings. Breault also had eight strikeouts. Sam Henrie pitched the seventh inning and prevented their opponents from scoring. On the offensive side, Henrie scored two runs and had two RBI doubles. Will Hopkins had a double, two walks, and scored one run. Jake Asiaf had a single and added on another run for the Bulldogs. Adam Breault hit a single, had one walk, and one RBI. Michael Kenefick contributed by adding one single, two runs scored, and an RBI. The Bulldogs played Fairhaven last Thursday and won 5-1. After five innings, Kenefick only allowed the Blue Devils one unearned run scored. He walked two and struck out six of Fairhaven’s players. Henrie pitched the last two shutout innings. On offense, Breault had one hit and a triple, while Noah Strawn and Chris Labelle each recorded a hit. Henrie hit a two-run double with bases loaded to advance the Bulldogs to 4-1 in the fifth inning. Ultimately, the Bulldogs persevered and won against Fairhaven to keep their undefeated record. However, Old Rochester had their first loss to Bourne on Monday with a final score of 6-0.

            Girls’ Softball: In their first game of last week, the Lady Bulldogs softball team faced Joseph Case and won 7-6. Sophomore Avery Soares pitched for all seven innings. In the first two, she started off slow by allowing six runs. However, Soares came back and pitched five scoreless innings. She finished off the game with five strikeouts and five walks for her fifth victory of the season. The Bulldogs were down 6-4 at the beginning of the seventh inning but soon they came back. Soares’ RBI allowed Alex Sheehan to return home and advance the score to 6-5. With two bases loaded, Nicole Ochoa stepped up to hit. She swung and earned a two-run double. Ella Verzellone had three singles and two RBIs. The Lady Bulldogs lost to Fairhaven last Thursday.

By Alexandra Hulsebosch

 

Spring Honeymoon of the Primordial Horseshoe Crab

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In late spring, horseshoe crabs, which look like pieces of armor crawling along the seabed of the shallow waters of the Buzzards Bay shoreline, will soon surface. They’ll emerge from their bottom habitat to launch an extraordinary amphibious landing on sandy beaches for an annual ritual to mate, nest, and lay eggs for the next generation.

This has happened annually since almost the beginning of time, and as one of the oldest living creatures on Earth, it has earned them the prehistoric title of a primordial species.

Their impeccable timing is precisely in tune with the rising flood tide of a new or full moon that will wash them up into the intertidal area between low and high tides where the male and female interact as she digs a nest in the sand to lay up to 4,000 eggs. She endeavors to safely cover the eggs up before the next lunar heartbeat of a higher incoming wave.

The female may then breed again and nest several times up and down the beach, laying as many as 100,000 eggs before crawling back into the sea.

Scientists estimate that only one in 130,000 horseshoe crab hatchlings survives to reproduce, but Mother Nature ensures that not many will go to waste. The abundant legacy is a godsend to migratory birds throughout their long, tiring journey of their own seasonal migration because, after burning up all their energy, they find rest stops with an abundant cornucopia on which to feast and refuel their bodies, often doubling their weight.

Native Americans also valued the horseshow crab shells they found to make container bowls for liquids, and they made good use of their sharp tails fastened to the point of a spear to harvest fish.

However, the most remarkable legacy today is in modern medicine and research using fibers of their hard primitive shells called Chitlin as a substance to stitch up wounds and fill cracks of broken bones. Even more vital is their blood used in testing medicine and healing drugs by turning from red to blue to raise a flag of any bacteria or germs detrimental to human healing and health. As the increased prescribed treatment of antibiotics has proven life giving and saving for humans, it seems that the horseshoe crab has over millions of years evolved and fortified within itself powerful immunities to survive unchanged, while exposed to a very unhealthy underwater environment.

For the future, water pollution and global warming possibly hold the greatest threats that we have inadvertently brought upon them that could break the link of a prehistoric chain older than that of dinosaurs and which has earned them the nickname of living fossils. We might call their annual spring ritual a honeymoon gala on the beach, but as planets in the heavens pass each other in time and space, the end of one life cycle on Earth is the beginning of another, and our observation and appreciation of it all bears testimony to its heavenly orchestration, even for the lowly horseshoe crab.

By George B. Emmons

 

Customer Service Training: Dementia

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On Thursday, May 25, the Alzheimer’s Association will conduct a Customer Service Training entitled “Care, Cause and Your Customers: Serving Individuals Living with Dementia in Your Community.” This training will be held from 9:00 – 10:00 am at the COA office, 17 Barstow Street, Mattapoisett, MA. The training is free, but pre-registration is required by May 18.

For those employees and volunteers who serve customers, it would help them to recognize when someone has dementia and to learn how to deal with the customers who are suffering from dementia.

Please request at least one or more employees attend this session. If it is feasible for only one person to attend, please have them share what they learned with others in the organization.

For any further information, contact Jacqueline Coucci, COA Director, at 508-758-4110 or coadirector@mattapoisett.net.

“Women On Target” Clinic

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The Fin, Fur, and Feather Club of Mattapoisett will host a full-day course called Women on Target on May 20. This is an instructional shooting clinic designed to introduce women to the No. 1 participatory sport in the country, namely, the shooting sports.

The day‘s schedule includes a morning session with instruction on gun safety and the Massachusetts Gun Laws. Lunch will be provided. In the afternoon, participants will be divided into small groups and assigned to four areas including archery, trap shooting, pistol range, and rifle range. Club member volunteers will serve as instructors in these areas. Each student receives one-to-one instruction.

At the end of the day, students receive their certificates of course completion. This certificate is required when applying for licenses.

The class size will be limited and tends to fill quickly. Apply early to ensure a spot!

Applications are available by contacting Linda Meredith at lindam1002@comcast.net for an application.

Tabor Opens Marine Science to Local Students

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While many of the students in the local area live within close proximity of the ocean, a much smaller number have the opportunity to learn about what exists within it and be able to be up close and personal. Last week, Tabor invited students from Our Sisters’ School in New Bedford to campus to experience the marine science programs at Tabor.

Our Sisters’ School is a tuition-free independent middle school for girls from low-income families in the New Bedford area. According to the school’s website, its mission is to “educate and inspire middle school girls from the Greater New Bedford area to reach their full potential in a safe, supportive and challenging environment.”

The visit of these students was coordinated by Tabor sophomore Kellie Navarro of Attleboro. Being both on Tabor’s community service board and highly involved in the marine sciences at Tabor, combining the two was a great opportunity for her to expose her community to something new.

Upon arriving on campus on Wednesday, the 25 students participated in several activities and workshops around campus. Several faculty and students got involved as well, including marine science teacher Elizabeth Leary who ran a workshop about seaweed farming at Tabor and senior Kat Mitchell who ran a workshop about her project revamping a coral tank.

Outside of the Marine and Nautical Science Center (MANS), the Our Sisters’ School students had the opportunity to explore campus, all the while learning about marine science. One such activity was a scavenger hunt around campus in which students searched for organisms they had seen in the MANS center’s touch tank or for the school’s mascot, Sammy the Seawolf. Additionally, students got the opportunity to go to Tabor’s docks and waterfront to get personal with the marine life they were learning about.

This partnership comes at a time when marine science is booming at Tabor. Not only are classes in the field in high demand, but recent advances and initiatives have expanded the program’s horizons.

Recently, under the leadership of faculty members Jennifer Albright and Captain David Bill, there has been a large, multi-faceted effort to start hydroponics on campus. Hydroponics is a method for growing plants, vegetables, and fruits in a controlled, soil-free environment, and faculty and students have been doing just that. Through the creation of a community garden and the integration of hydroponics into the aquaculture class, students have been able to work hands on in sustainability and marine science.

On Earth Day, the aquaculture class brought their successful creations on display for the Tabor community in a way everybody could appreciate and enjoy: food. The menu included items such as guacamole and salsa, pizza, pasta, and tomato salad, all topped off with herbs such as cilantro and basil from the hydroponic garden. The event attracted a large audience, so much so that the food supplies eventually ran out before the end of the day.

For students in the local community and even at Tabor, the marine world holds many secrets that have yet to be experienced and learned. Through programs such as these, Tabor has been able to use their location to connect the marine world to those living next to it.

By Jack Gordon

 

‘Yes’ to Gym and Health, ‘No’ to School Choice

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The Marion School Committee received some good news on May 3 that the Town was willing to increase the Sippican School budget another $33,000 to fund a .5 physical education teacher position and a .3 health teacher.

The committee members were all smiles as School Business Administrator Patrick Spencer introduced the new FY2018 school budget amount of $5,929,109.

The Town had reassessed its numbers, said Spencer, and reallocated some money in order to fund the health teacher that the committee had been requesting for at least two budget seasons now.

“The Town did reach out to me as well,” said School Committee Chairman Christine Marcolini, “and I had a very positive conversation.” They heard us, said Marcolini.

The Town’s increased contribution would cover most of the cost of the two positions added, and the school district was able to redistribute another $15,000 to cover the difference.

“It was a nice surprise and a welcome one at that,” said Marcolini, “but I felt that it was a step in the right direction with Sippican, too, in terms of our relationship with the Town. It felt really good to me to know that they’re hearing us and they are recognizing and understanding that our population is changing…”

Marcolini said she would dedicate herself over the next year to building a stronger relationship with the Town, as her communication with the selectmen over the past month has been in her opinion rather positive.

In other matters, the committee voted to opt-out of School Choice for the 2017-2018 school year.

“My comment about School Choice is I feel that the inn is already pretty full,” Marcolini said.

Each year in May, the School Committee holds a public hearing regarding School Choice and has to take a vote as to whether or not to add School Choice slots at the school. There have been no additional School Choice slots offered at Sippican School for a number of years.

“I would echo the same,” said Superintendent Doug White, “that with the understanding of our ever-changing population and our resources, the most beneficial way of handling this right now is to keep the status quo and not participate in school choice for the [2017-2018] school year.”

Also during the meeting, the committee thanked outgoing School Committee member of nine years Christine Winters who is retiring from the Marion School Committee and seeking a seat on the Board of Selectmen.

The committee and the administration praised Winters for her influence on policy, which White said was strong as a result of her work.

“As a result of your hard work, we now have an online policy,” said White.

Assistant Superintendent Elise Frangos echoed the sentiment and also expressed gratitude for a large education grant Winters spearheaded in the past that left a lasting impact on the Tri-Town elementary schools – the King Arthur grant.

“[The grant] was the most exciting grant that I’ve worked on in my seven years,” said Frangos. “[The grant] was transformational for all of our schools,” she said, as truckloads of flour were delivered for students to learn to experience baking, as well as a curriculum that teaches about the history of wheat and its importance as a commodity.

“But more than that, it connected all of our schools around the endeavor of baking bread and so over 500 loaves were baked by our elementary children,” said Frangos. “All of those loaves of bread were not only baked for families, but also brought over to families in New Bedford…”

The next meeting of the Marion School Committee is scheduled for June 7 at 6:30 pm at the Marion Town House.

Marion School Committee

By Jean Perry

 

The Art Of The Basket

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Centuries before baskets were considered works of art, they were utilitarian vessels. As we know, almost since the beginning of mankind, humans have woven grasses and split wood fibers to create containers for storing and carrying the materials that made life possible. Hats and articles of clothing were made using similar processes. Even chest plates for protection during battle have been found with fibers so tightly and intricately woven that arrows couldn’t pierce them.

On April 6 at the Mattapoisett Free Public Library, the art and science of basket weaving was on view when Melanie Dupuis and Rick Padelford of East Freetown demonstrated the art of basket weaving.

Finished works were on display as the couple chatted with those in attendance about the skills and materials required to make baskets. Surrounding the table were baskets large enough to be made into a coffee table or lamps, while smaller woven beauties were ice buckets, vases, and even an urn. “I make quite a few urns now-a-days,” said Dupuis, as cremation has become a preference.

Padelford explained that today’s basket weaving methods require a variety of tools, but that in ancient times people used stone and bone implements to cut strips of wood into staves and grasses into long strings known as “weavers.”

And there on display was the most famous of all baskets, the Nantucket Basket, also known as the Nantucket Purse.

Dupuis referred to a man whose name has become synonymous with this style of basket: Jose Reyes.

Reyes came from the Philippines in the early 1900s, was educated, fought for the United States in WWII, married Mary Ham of Massachusetts and eventually, through a series of unhappy yet fortunate events, settled with his family in Nantucket.

It is a rags-to-riches story in many ways. From poverty to success, in his lifetime Reyes would become famous for his Nantucket friendship baskets. Those baskets would eventually be modified. Reyes invented a cover, adding decorative elements such as precious woods and ivory, to embellish the small baskets into handbags or purses for ladies. Today, examples of his work retail for thousands of dollars and many others have become parts of museum collections.

Back at the library, Padelford wove the bamboo weavers between the wooden staves and discussed the intricacies of making such seemingly innocuous materials into works of art.

Dupuis said she had been a cobbler for many years, but her job was eventually outsourced leaving her without employment. Not unlike Reyes’ story, she has found her way to success through basket weaving. “I must have 200 baskets in my home,” she laughingly said.

When asked how much time and what costs are involved in the creation of a small purse, Dupuis said, “I’m not going to lie; the materials and lessons cost about $450.” She said it takes about two months to complete a handbag. But, she points out that in the end you have a beautiful basket.

Padelford said men are once again becoming interested in basket weaving. In fact, the established history of Nantucket basket weaving points primarily to men who during long sea voyages made baskets to pass the time.

Brad Smith of Mattapoisett recently took up basket weaving to make his wife decorative items. A retired ship captain, Smith acknowledged the time investment required to make Nantucket baskets – truly a labor of love.

If you are interested in the history of Nantucket baskets, including Reyes’ importance to the craft, you may visit www.nantucketlightshipbasketmuseum.org, or his granddaughter’s website www.korenreyes.com. You may also contact Dupuis and Padelford at 508-763-3216 to learn more about weaving.

By Marilou Newell

 

Hills Climbs to Top of Selectman Race

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Either way, Norm Hills was walking away from the polling station a winner on Friday, May 12, having his name appear twice on the ballot – once in the race for the Board of Selectmen and also as one of two candidates vying for three open seats on the Planning Board. To Hills’ delight, the townspeople chose him twice, even if his selectmen win was only by 21 votes.

Hills received 269 of the votes for Board of Selectman, with Christine Winters in second place garnering 248. Matthew Vander Pol received 206 votes, Michelle Ouellette Smith 173, and Dale Jones collected 108.

He was surprised, said Hills, pleasantly of course, because “it was not a sure thing,” as he put it. There are only so many people in Marion with 3,900 registered voters and five candidates vying for the seat, he pointed out. “It’s not a lot of votes to go around,” said Hills.

He credited his team of support for the win. “That’s probably the best thing, I can say,” he said.

Hills vowed to resign from his appointed positions on the Marion Conservation Commission and the Energy Management Committee.

For the Planning Board, Hills received 529 votes, and incumbent Eileen Marum was re-elected with 473 votes. Write-in candidate Chris Collings received 98 write-in votes and won the third open seat on the Planning Board.

Town Clerk Ray Pickles will keep his position as town clerk with Pickles’ 612 votes to Frank J. Ryder’s 272 votes. Ryder previously withdrew from the election, however, citing serious health issues.

The other uncontested races resulted as follows: Assessor, Patricia DeCosta, 780 votes; Moderator, Brad Gordon, 771 votes; Board of Health, Elizabeth Dunn, 796 votes; Tree Warder, Steve Gonsalves, 768 votes; Marion School Committee (two seats) Kate Houdelette, 699 votes, and Ronal Gerhart, 483 votes; ORR School Committee, Paul Goulet, Jr., 714 votes; Open Space Acquisition Commission (two seats) JKeffrey Oakes, 643 votes, and Amanda Chace, 558 votes.

Voter turnout was 1,011 voters, or almost 26%.

By Jean Perry

Rochester Historical Society

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The next meeting of the Rochester Historical Society will be on May 17 at 7:00 pm at the East Rochester Church/Museum, 355 County Road.

Robert Bromley, Curator of the Military Museum at Fort Tabor in New Bedford, will be the speaker for the May 17 Rochester Historical Society.

The Military Museum opened in 2004 with 20 photographs, a two-shelf unit and a display case. In 2009, an addition was built as much more room was needed for their artifacts, and today over 8500 people a year visit the museum to look at the hundreds of personal military memorabilia housed in the museum. The majority of the donated articles are from local family members of the military personnel who fought in the wars – from the Revolutionary War to the Afghanistan War.

The museum is a tribute to all those in the military who served this country. All are welcome to hear Bob Bromley speak on this moving and special museum.