Taber Library Celebrates Repass Entrance Project

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The rainy weather on Saturday did not deter folks from celebrating a project three years in the making.

After remarks from key project participants, the gathered attendants watched the ceremonial groundbreaking for the Marguerite K. Repass Garden and Library Entrance Improvement Project at the Elizabeth Taber Library.

Inside the library, President of the Library Trustees Jay Pateakos remarked to those attending that this project was a combination of a public and private effort. He noted that, for him, this project was personal, having struggled for years with handicapped accessibility for his son who is in a wheelchair and was in attendance nearby.

Library Director Libby O’Neil expressed her excitement and gratitude for the “generous donation and vision for this special gathering place,” thanking Peggy Repass, former Taber librarian, and her family for their donation to the project.

O’Neill added that the new entrance will be easier for people to access, and with its stone benches, will provide a gathering place for “a multitude of outdoor activities such a kids’ crafts, outdoor book clubs and reading,” as O’Neill described it.

Robert Raymond, also a library trustee, architect, and liaison for the project, noted that the impetus for the entrance improvement started with the installation of automatic doors.

Pateakos pointed out that the library might need to be closed for a short period of time during construction.

Selectman Steve Gonsalves said the only word to express the feeling of the day was “love.” He also read a quote by Albert Einstein to underscore the value of the library and the project – “The only thing you absolutely have to know is the location of the library.”

The afternoon concluded with a symbolic groundbreaking with Mrs. Repass, O’Neil, and Selectmen Gonsalves and Norm Hills posing with hardhats and shovels to commemorate the beginning of the project. Trustee Raymond stated that the family will be managing the project and is currently seeking contractors to perform the work.

By Sarah French Storer

DEP Upholds Popitz Denial

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The Marion Conservation Commission on September 27 didn’t have any public hearings scheduled, but it did have in its possession a letter from the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection upholding the commission’s April 22 denial to allow Michael Popitz of 18 Indian Cove Way to construct a driveway and associated grading through a bordering vegetative wetland in order to provide access to an upper lot for future development.

Popitz, a Planning Board member at the time of his original February 8 hearing date, filed the appeal with the DEP and published a letter to the editor in the April 6 edition of The Wanderer insinuating that the Conservation Commission unfairly denies projects within wetlands to some, but allows certain other projects in town to move forward.

Near that time, Popitz also filed a complaint on June 20 with the Attorney General’s Office alleging violations of the Open Meeting Law over the timeliness of the release of meeting minutes, which was also dismissed in a letter from the AG’s Office dated September 6.

The letter signed by DEP Wetlands and Waterways Chief James Mahala states that Popitz already has a driveway through wetlands on the abutting property he owns, that the alternative analysis that was prepared considered not building the driveway, acquiring additional land, or constructing a shared driveway, and concludes that the project as proposed did not demonstrate a viable alternative to access the upper lot without altering the wetlands.

“Instead, the alternatives analysis identifies an alternative that impacts BVD and further fragments a wetland system to gain access to the same portion of the property currently served by the existing driveway,” states the letter.

The AG Office letter found that the commission had satisfied its obligation to approve meeting minutes in a timely manner and no violation was found since two of the meeting minutes in Popitz’s complaint were all filed the next month, and two subsequent meeting minutes were still pending within only one to two months before Popitz filed the complaint.

The next meeting of the Marion Conservation Commission is scheduled for October 11 at 7:00 pm at the Marion Town House.

Marion Conservation Commission

By Jean Perry

 

Pastel Painting Demonstration

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Elizabeth Taber Library presents Sarah Brown Pastel Painting Demonstration on Tuesday, October 12 at 4:00 pm. Watch Sarah create a beautiful pastel picture as she explains and demonstrates how to use her special techniques. Sarah began working as an illustrator honing her skills in drawing. She now paints in pastel because of the luscious, saturated colors and textures of this medium.

Sarah has exhibited her paintings in galleries on Cape Cod, the South Coast, Boston and Chicago. She is a member of the Pastel Society of Cape Cod. Her art work is currently displayed at the Elizabeth Taber Library as our “Artist of the Month.”

Marion Board of Health Flu Clinic

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The faith communities of Community Baptist, First Congregational, St. Gabriel’s, and St. Rita’s are co-sponsoring a flu clinic with the Marion Board of Health on Sunday, October 22 from 10:30 am to 12:30 pm at the First Congregational Church’s community center meeting room behind the General Store at 144 Front Street, Marion. Please remember to wear short sleeves and to bring your insurance cards. Vaccinations will be given to all regardless of insurance status.

All are welcome!

Sara Elizabeth Achorn Crowned Miss New Bedford

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Eight contenders took to the stage on Saturday at the 65th annual Miss New Bedford pageant, but only one walked away with the crown and a $6,500 college scholarship!

Sara Elizabeth Achorn of Rochester, an 18-year-old freshman attending Lesley University, impressed the judges with her confidence, public speaking abilities, stage presence, and passion for the city, earning her the highest number of points and the coveted Miss New Bedford title.

In addition to winning a $6,500 scholarship, Sara also received the Talent Award, a $100 scholarship, for earning the highest points in talent for her vocal performance of “And I Am Telling You” from the Broadway Musical Dream Girls. She also received the Miracle Maker Award, a $100 scholarship, for raising the most monies for Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals.

When asked how she felt just moments before they announced the winner, Sara says she didn’t know what to think. Her name not yet being called, with only one spot left, she grew emotional. “I instantly felt myself start to cry. Then when they actually called my name, I still didn’t believe it. It was crazy!” Sara says. “It sounds cliché, but I truly believe any one of the women could have walked home with the crown that night. I’m so blessed to have received this title, and I’m so excited to be the best Miss New Bedford I can be. I’m hoping to get at least one hundred appearances this year!”

Throughout her year-long reign, Sara will serve the City of New Bedford and its surrounding communities as a role model and an active volunteer. She will dedicate her year of service to her personally selected platform, “Imperfection: Pushing the Importance of Body Positivity in Today’s Youth.” As Miss New Bedford, Sara has also earned the opportunity to compete for the title of Miss Massachusetts in 2018. Should she win the state title, she will go on to compete for the title of Miss America.

The Miss New Bedford pageant is a local preliminary of the Miss America Organization. All phases of competition mirror the national pageant. Contestants competed in Interview (private panel of judges), On-Stage Question, Lifestyle & Physical Fitness in Swimsuit, Talent, and Evening Wear.

The eight young women to compete included Sara Elizabeth Achorn, Kenzi Farland, Morgan Garcia, Alyssa Maitoza, Kenzie Hazel Moniz, Beatriz Ribeiro, Kimberly Lim Souza, and Megan Sylvia, all from Greater New Bedford, between the ages of 17-24 years old.

On behalf of the Greater New Bedford Scholarship Foundation, the program would like to thank its many sponsors and dedicated volunteers. For more information on sponsorships and/or becoming a contestant, visit www.missnewbedford.org. To view all photos from this year’s pageant and to keep up with us throughout the year, search “Miss New Bedford” on Facebook.

Selectmen Approve Cell Phone Policy

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The Marion Board of Selectmen on October 3 approved a new cell phone policy for Council on Aging van drivers, and they will proceed to eventually establish a town-wide employee policy on cell phone use during work.

According to Town Administrator Paul Dawson, COA Director Heather Sylvia requested the policy in light of some grants the COA had applied for that mandated a cell phone use policy for drivers.

“This suggested [draft] policy is sort of mission critical at this point in time,” Dawson said. “It would be our recommendation to ask the board to approve the policy tonight for the COA,” adding, “but it begs the larger question for a cell phone policy for all Town departments…”

Dawson said one is in the works that would encompass the procedures in the COA driver policy and cover certain areas such as social media more broadly.

The COA driver policy prohibits the use of PDAs and cell phones, both handheld and hands-free, while operating a vehicle. It also prohibits initiating or responding to calls and reading texts or emails while driving. Making emergency calls must be made while the vehicle is pulled over, and employees charged with traffic violations that result from PDA or cell phone use while driving will be held solely responsible for all liabilities that result.

Employees found in violation of the policy will be subject to discipline, including termination of employment.

“[It’s] critical that we have these policies in place,” said Dawson.

In other matters, Dawson said Engine 1 was involved in a minor traffic accident on the evening of September 25 at 8:00 pm on Cove Street.

During an in-progress training drill, Engine 1 was called to a medical incident with an EMT and paramedic on board. The engine was alerted that vehicles were parked on both sides of Cove Street at that time, and during an attempt to pass with just 1 to 1.5 inches of space on either side, the engine sideswiped a parked car while travelling at a slow speed.

“All the damage appears to be very minor in nature,” said Dawson. The staff followed the proper procedure and notified the Police Department, as well as Fire Chief Brian Jackvony who responded to the scene.

“Thank God it’s very minor,” said Selectman Steve Gonsalves sitting in as chairman for an absent Jody Dickerson that night.

In other business, Dawson said the Town’s website has been updated and within a short while any glitches should work themselves out.

Dawson called the new format “user-friendly,” saying, “I’m very pleased with it and we’ve been working hard … on something that I think our residents will enjoy and probably get through really easily.”

Also during the meeting, the board tabled until October 17 the appointment of a new member to the Marion Energy Management Committee as well as one to the Carver Marion Wareham Regional Refuse Disposal District.

The next meeting of the Marion Board of Selectmen is scheduled for October 17 at 7:00 pm at the Marion Town House.

Marion Board of Selectmen

By Jean Perry

 

A True Tale of Survival and Love in the Amazon

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We live in an era where reality TV takes us naked and alone into jungles or pits humans against one another in faux settings of castaway islands eating roasted rats and raw fish. With cameras recording ‘adventures’ for mass consumption, we the consumers watch with wide-eyed fascination while everyday people seemingly test their skills, wills, and physical well-beings against nature and all its might. It is, of course, a modern day farce. It isn’t real – it’s TV.

On September 27, people packed the meeting room at the Mattapoisett Library to hear a true-life survival story by Dartmouth resident and author Holly FitzGerald as she discussed her memoir Ruthless River: Love and Survival by Raft on the Amazon’s Relentless Madre de Dios, published this year by Vintage.

FitzGerald’s story is the real deal. Her delivery belied the terror they felt when, in 1973, she and her husband were lost on the Madre de Dios in the Amazon River Basin for 26 days – days of torment, dehydration, starvation, and hope.

Of course we know the end of the story – they made it out. But how it happened, their experiences leading up to and after being found near death as told by the author, was thrilling and suspenseful, to say the least.

FitzGerald is a petite soft-spoken woman with a sense of humor that creeps up on you as she talks about how she encouraged her newly minted husband to cast all caution to the wind, put their 9-to-5 lives on hold, and head out on the “adventure of a lifetime,” traveling from Colombia to Brazil along the Amazon River and its tributaries. It was to have been part of their plan to circle the globe while unencumbered by professions or children.

What ensued was a journey deep into their inner reserves of youthful optimism, physical stamina, and their love for one another.

After arriving in South America to begin their “year-long honeymoon,” they took some time to enjoy impromptu meetings with the indigenous people. They also met a couple of anthropologists who were studying the Iscabacabu, a tribe that had been almost completely annihilated except for 26 souls.

FitzGerald sprinkled her story with endearing anecdotes about how they enjoyed and experienced the colors, textures, cultural differences, and the people, especially the children they came in contact with.

“Fitz made up a game of hide and seek,” she explained, pointing to a picture in the PowerPoint presentation that showed children lying on the ground, thinking they were invisible as Fitz finds them. The audience was charmed.

Then came the challenge of securing transportation to the Madre de Dios River where they were to catch a boat that would take them on this journey of discovery.

Throughout her presentation, FitzGerald spoke in a calm, careful manner with a smile that seldom left her face as she explained that the trip and the itinerary she crafted from guide books were her ideas of how to get the most out of this chapter of their lives. Fitz was happy to oblige his bride. As a reporter for a newspaper in Danbury, Connecticut, he would be documenting the trip for his newspaper while she would be the photojournalist. She also kept a personal diary or log that would turn out to be their story of surviving what was to come.

There was a plane crash into a penal colony, of which she told Fitz, “People will not believe this at home,” with her lilting laughter. Then there was the rafting.

FitzGerald often referred to their youth as a major contributing factor as to how and why they took chances to try and complete the trip, even after learning they had missed the boat they planned to take. There wouldn’t be another opportunity for a motorized trip for three months, and the rainy season was upon them.

Why not attempt rafting? They were encouraged to travel as the locals did by raft.

“I got excited,” FitzGerald said. “A raft. What a great idea!” She added, “Fitz was in full Huck Finn mode.”

With leftover rafts and materials readily available in the village, the young couple put one together.

“People sat on the banks watching us,” she said. “We were their entertainment.”

The local harbormaster gave them a license to operate the raft because, “Rafting didn’t require any skill or training.” After securing a few supplies and finishing the raft, including a pink plastic shelter they dubbed “the pink palace,” Fitz pushed the raft into the current with a 10-foot long pole and they were off.

“The first four days were wonderful – paradise – we saw birds and butterflies,” FitzGerald recalled. “The sun was shining.” But it was the rainy season; there wasn’t any solid ground. The tree canopies were then full of animals, snakes, all manner of wildlife avoiding the flooded ground. Then the storm came.

The FitzGeralds would spend the next 26 days trying to stay out of the floodwaters that they knew were filled with life-threatening creatures. “We were outnumbered,” she chuckled.

FitzGerald described one particularly horrifying experience that still haunts her.

“We became covered in bees.” She said that one day they were suddenly swarmed by hundreds of bees. “The more we tried to get them off, the more they bit us,” she said. They discovered that by lying still inside their enclosure, the bees seemed less excited, yet, “They covered us like blankets.” She said Fitz asked her, “Are they eating us?” She replied, “I think they are licking our sweat.”

FitzGerald ended her presentation there with her wry sense of humor, saying, “Maybe you’ll read the book and get us out of there.”

During the Q & A that followed, FitzGerald said she always thought Fitz would write the book. “He was the writer,” after all. She said they were approached by several writers wanting to take on their story, but her response was, “No, if anyone was going to tell the story I would.” And what a story she wrote.

FitzGerald was encouraged by her children to write a book, and one suspects it was for the love of family that she eventually did. She said she took a short course on memoir writing adding, “At one point, I had been an English major … it was a good challenge.”

While the theme is one of survival, a young couple nearing death with each day that passes, it is also very much a love story – the love two people can draw upon when faced with insurmountable odds.

Fitz stood in the back of the room during the nearly hour-long presentation, a silent sentinel watching his wife enjoy her time in the limelight. When approached for a few comments, he shared that when they had met the tribal chief, he gifted Fitz with a fan made of beautiful bird feathers. He said they also planned a picture-taking session with the chief and his tribe. When the couple arrived, they found the chief had dispensed with his loincloth and donned western clothing much to their disappointment.

“Holly doesn’t read any reviews, but I do.” Fitz shared. He said he gets frustrated when people comment about the lack of photographs documenting those trying days as they fought to simply stay alive. “It’s a ‘selfie’ world today.” As he looked over to where his wife was fielding one-on-one questions and signing books, he said, “Taking photographs was the last thing on our minds. We were just trying to live!”

By Marilou Newell

 

Candy Controversy Continues

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Despite the chilly fall air outside, it was hot inside the Marion Town House Annex on Monday night as sparks flew during the Marion Planning Board’s discussion of modifications to the Special Permit for Patrick’s Candy Pantry.

Planning Board Chairman Eileen Marum began the discussion, with the applicant Brian Kelly’s son Patrick and his friend Zak Koplen on speakerphone, by reading a detailed statement enumerating her concerns about the proposed changes to the permit.

The proposal from Kelly is to park a vintage Good Humor ice cream truck at Rooney’s Barber Shop, the current location of the Candy Pantry. The truck is intended as a novelty advertisement for the establishment.

Marum cited her concerns primarily about safety and the existing traffic hazard of the intersection of Spring Street and Route 6 where the shop is located. The Special Permit that was granted July 10 allowed for the sale of candy, and after a written request by Kelly in early August, Marum had granted with a letter the sale of prepackaged ice cream from inside the shop.

At the Planning Board’s August 24 meeting, it was decided that if Kelly wanted to sell ice cream from the truck, he would need to reapply to the entire board. However, the board seemed unsure if the parking of the ice cream truck was within its purview.

Marum expressed her concern about the safety of pedestrians and patrons seated at picnic tables located at the site, saying, “There is no plan to keep pedestrians and cars separate, to keep pedestrians safe … only a thin strip of shrubs to protect picnic tables…” Marum referred to the application of the Buzzards Bay Coalition for their property across Spring Street from the barber shop, saying that a previous board member had great concerns about the safety of the intersection.

At this point in the meeting, board member Chris Collings’ level of frustration with the discussion was evident in his question to Marum. “Can we have that testimony directly?” he asked, adding that Marum “better hurry up” when she demanded to finish her statement.

The discussion was no less heated as Marum finished reading her lengthy and thorough illustration of her safety concerns and stated that she wanted a traffic study by a civil or traffic engineer before allowing any more changes to the Special Permit.

Collings demanded there be a discussion of the matter, which board member Will Saltonstall began by saying to Marum, “This is your opinion; obviously, a strong opinion. I understand the traffic concerns, but I respectfully disagree. I don’t think there’s imminent danger.” Saltonstall added, “If we put up walls between all cars and pedestrians, we’d live in a world of walls!”

Board member Jennifer Francis expressed her concern that the board was overreaching in their role, saying, “[It’s] not really in our purview … as long as they are not selling ice cream.”

Board member Norm Hills suggested resolving the safety concerns by placing bollards or concrete planters between the parking spaces and the picnic tables.

Steve Kokkins, Planning Board vice chairman, expressed his concern that parking the truck at the site was an “end run around the signage practices in town.” He agreed that it was a dangerous intersection, referring to Oxford Creamery in Mattapoisett as a similar scenario.

Andrew Daniel, the newest board member, said he had visited the Oxford Creamery site and believed they had no safety issues there, despite having a hot dog stand in one end of their parking lot. He also had spoken with the building inspector and the ZBA, both of whom had stated the signage on the truck did not violate the signage bylaw.

Marum continued to express not only her safety concerns, but also her displeasure at how Kelly had what she described as “a pattern of behavior.”

“They have not been upfront … I have a trust issue,” Marum said.

Collings expressed his dismay over the entire discussion, asking Marum, “What is the problem here? I will not condone or support a punitive approach … No reason whatsoever not to vote and approve this project. If he chooses to sell ice cream next month, he can ask us.”

Marum repeated that her issue was safety, and Saltonstall suggested that the Town “balance public safety with the older sites that exist in Marion.”

The board concluded its discussion by suggesting that the Special Permit be modified by adding the term “pre-packed ice cream” in addition to candy and removing any mention of an ice cream truck. Planning Board administrator Terri Santos informed the board that they will need to hold a public hearing in order to make the changes, which the board will schedule as soon as possible.

In other business, the board voted to approve both the final draft of the Town Master Plan as well as the Codification amending the Town zoning bylaws, in preparation for the Fall Special Town Meeting. There will be an informational meeting on Saturday, October 14 to answer questions about the Master Plan.

The next meeting of the Marion Planning Board is scheduled for October 16 at 7:00 pm at the Marion Town House.

Marion Planning Board

By Sarah French Storer

 

Gateway Youth Hockey

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The Gladiators Midget Blue team split the weekend with a 5-4 loss on Friday night and a 6-4 win on Saturday night. In the first game, the Gladiators traveled to Warwick to face the Wave. The Gladiators jumped on the board first, when Quirino doCanto took a pass from Jared Robbins, skated by a defenseman, and lifted a quick backhand shot over the goalie. A little over two minutes later, the Wave evened the score at one, and the game would remain tied 1-1 for the rest of the period. The Wave then took advantage of some mistakes and scored two quick goals to start the second period. The Gladiators clawed their way back in a few minutes later, with doCanto picking up his second and third goals of the game. His line mate, Zack Lovendale, assisted on both goals, while Tyler Lovendale assisted on one. The tie was short lived as the Wave took the lead back just eight seconds later. Then, with a little over five minutes left in the game, Z. Lovendale found the back of the net, with the assist going to Coleby Paling. Once again, the tie didn’t last long, as less than a minute later the Wave took the lead for good. Ethan Allegrini had a great game, allowing only one goal on the 21 that he faced.

In the second game of the weekend, the Gladiators traveled to Orleans to face the Lower Cape Coyotes. They skated away with a 6-4 victory as well as showing great poise while facing a difficult opponent. The Gladiators got the first two goals of the game early, with Robert Maloney stuffing home a rebound for the first goal and Robbins taking a feed from doCanto, shooting it by the goalie, with Matt Maloney grabbing the other assist. The Coyotes pulled it back to within one at the end of the period, making it 2-1 after one period. The Coyotes then tied the game about ten minutes into the period, but the Gladiators took the lead back when T. Lovendale scored on an assist from Noah DeMoranville. The Coyotes tied it back up 30 seconds later, but the Gladiators didn’t wait long before taking the lead once again, 10 seconds after that. Ethan Harrop scored the goal, with the assist going to Z. Lovendale. The score remained that way until late in the period when the Coyotes tied it once again. The score didn’t stay tied for long, as Harrop scored another go-ahead goal, less than a minute later, assists going to R. Maloney and Z. Lovendale. The Gladiators added an empty net goal by doCanto, with four seconds remaining. Alex DeMarco played well in net, earning the victory, making 25 saves on the day.

October Open Table

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The Red Sox are in the hunt and the Patriots don’t have to worry about a 16-0 season, thank goodness. We just need to keep Tommy and Gronk healthy and get Edelman and Amendolla off the DL. No worries for Open Table at all! Our next dinner is set for Friday, October 13. Doors open at 4:30 pm and supper will be served at 5:00 pm. There is no charge for the meal, although donations are gratefully accepted. Invite a neighbor, friend or family member. We look forward to seeing you on Friday the 13th, which is just another lucky day in beautiful Mattapoisett.