Members of ORRHS Class of 1972 are invited to a potluck picnic at Ned’s Point from noon to 4:00 pm on Sunday, October 1. Bring chairs, food for yourself, food to share, beverages (no alcohol please), and join your classmates. If you would like to grill, contact Gail Roberts at the Plumb Library in Rochester, 508-763-8600. If it rains, the event is cancelled. Contact Gail with any questions.
It would be impossible to tell the whole story of farming in Rochester in the brevity allotted a newspaper story or even in an hour-long presentation. For the history of farming in Rochester, one needs time to absorb the vast richness of it – as rich as the soils that have been turned and nurtured down through the centuries.
Undaunted by the task and inspired by the importance of capturing the history of farming in this SouthCoast country town, the Rochester Historical Society is well on its way to unveiling an exhibit of the town’s agrarian culture from the past to the present.
On September 13 as members and guests of the Rochester Historical Society gathered for their monthly meeting, the group was granted a peek into the past when Connie Hartley Eschbach rose to speak on “Rochester Farms, Past and Present.”
Eschbach said, according to records in the town hall, that over 98 percent of all land in the Town of Rochester is classified as agricultural-residential. She noted that some 4,000 acres fall into the Massachusetts General Law Chapter 61A category of reduced property taxation for agricultural lands. “It can be the difference between paying $600 per year or $200,” she said.
But far beyond the financial aspect of owning property in Rochester is the deep sense that farming is as critical to its society today as it was in the past.
Eschbach transported the audience to the earliest days when settlers in 1673 purchased land from the indigenous people and began farming between the Sippican and Mattapoisett Rivers.
“Eastover Farm is where they had forges and sawmills,” she said, adding that it was an essential aspect for cultivating the lands.
As Eschbach plowed the fertile history of the town, familiar names sprang forth –Leonard, Hillier, Cabral, Vaughan, White, Humphrey, Hartley, and Florindo. It was from notes taken from L. C. Humphrey’s diary, she said, where much of the town’s farming history between the 1800s and 1950s had been gleaned.
Eschbach nodded to the efforts of Historical Society member Betty Beaulieu and others who researched the town’s farming past as the members strive to preserve the historical data.
Sound bites from Eschbach’s presentation contained such charming anecdotes like: “Humphrey said there were so many chickens in Rochester they could be heard clucking all the way to P-town.” Another, “They used old cranberry vines to keep the barns dry and clean.”
Eschback also added, “The barn on Vaughan Hill is still a working farm … but inside is like a laboratory with people wearing white lab coats.”
Eschbach’s own ties to the town run generations deep, as it does through many who attended the talk. As she spoke, the heads of those with those old family names nodded in recognition.
Around the antique church building that has become the museum of the Historical Society were large displays of photographs documenting farming then and now. The group will continue to build the exhibit over the coming days.
For Eschbach, there is continuity in the town where farming is concerned. She sees a parallel from past farming activities to modern enterprises.
“The old farms are mostly all gone,” Eschbach lamented, while quickly adding, “Yet farming is still vital with such things as beekeeping, vegetables, beef, chickens, sprouts, and alpacas.” She proudly and with humor added that whenever she tells people where she is from they inevitably say, “Oh Rochester, I love the corn from Rochester!”
Regarding the sanctity of the land, Eschbach stated, “Today, there are seven hundred sixty three acres of land in restricted conservation status.”
As she thanked the local farmers and those in attendance, Eschbach prevailed upon the residents of the town saying, “It’s up to us the residents to protect the fields, woods, and bogs from development.”
Eschbach invited the public to return on September 30 between 9:00 am and 3:00 pm when the Rochester Historical Society opens its farming exhibit celebrating agriculture in all its many forms through the ages, a celebration that will include a homespun favorite – a bake sale.
To learn more about the farming history in Rochester, you may visit the Plumb Library where L. C. Humphrey’s notes are kept. You may visit the Rochester Historical Society Museum located at 355 Country Road any Sunday in October between 1:00 and 3:00 pm.
By Marilou Newell
The Marion Conservation Commission on September 13 approved and issued special conditions for 120 Front Street, LLC’s Notice of Intent to raze and reconstruct a one-family house at 120 Front Street, with the addition of a pool and some grading.
Commission Chairman Cynthia Callow commented that she found the engineer honest, and, “I like what the client does, so hopefully together we can put something together to make everybody happy.”
A portion of the property is within the flood zone, and there are some bordering vegetative wetlands, placing constraints of the workable area. In order to stay as far outside the buffer zone as possible, the size of the pool was reduced and a pool house featured on the previous plan was taken out and relocated as an attachment to the house.
The height of the house was also reduced by 5 feet, from 23 feet 6 inches to 18 feet 6 inches.
Commission member Jeffrey Doubrava stressed the importance of containing roof water runoff, and the engineer presented mitigation that would direct any flowage through a swale towards the back of the property.
Some trees located near the property line of Saint Gabriel’s Church were also discussed, and the commission wrote in its Order of Conditions that the owner of 120 Front Street, LLC, Christian Loranger, would have to advise the commission before removal. Another condition was the 48-hour notice of a pre-construction meeting to review silt filtration installations.
In other matters, the commission granted a Negative Determination for Don R. Lipsitt of 4 Island Court to demolish part of a deck and rebuild it slightly smaller.
Robert and Ellen Kaplan of 42 West Avenue received a Negative Determination to construct an addition and deck adjacent to the addition.
CLE Engineering on behalf of The Town of Marion was approved for a three-year extension on an Order of Resource Delineation for 369 and 371 Wareham Road.
The Kittansett Club was approved and issued an Order of Conditions for a Notice of Intent application to treat and remove phragmites at various areas of 11 Point Road.
Dwight Crosby of 149 Wareham Road received a Negative Determination for a RDA submitted for the removal of two birch trees and two shrubs to be relocated. New flowerbeds will replace existing mulch beds.
The next meeting of the Marion Conservation Commission is scheduled for September 27 at 7:00 pm at the Marion Town House.
Marion Conservation Commission
By Jean Perry
Serving multiple, nutritious meals throughout the school day and keeping kids active in the classroom are two goals for staff at Old Colony Regional Vocational Technical High School. A $3475 Fuel Up to Play 60 grant provided by the New England Dairy & Food Council will fund new kitchen and fitness equipment.
Funding will cover a new glass sliding door merchandiser used during breakfast and lunch to expand dairy options and increase milk sales. Old Colony will be able to offer healthy, pre-packaged meals in all lunch-lines with the addition of the new merchandiser.
“The support of Fuel Up to Play 60 has made a huge impact on the health of our students. More students are choosing school meals because of the expansion of options and faster lines. Smoothie sales have tripled with the new merchandiser,” proclaimed Crystal Andrade, Cafeteria Manager at Old Colony.
“Since sixty percent of kids ages four to eighteen years nationwide aren’t consuming the recommended daily amounts of dairy, getting kids excited about healthful eating early on is key.”
The funding will also be used to implement and expand the school’s newly adopted wellness policy. The Old Colony Wellness Committee recognizes the importance of physical activity breaks in the classroom. Funds will support mobile fitness equipment that can be moved from classroom to classroom. The Committee wholeheartedly believes this innovative practice will keep kids active and more engaged throughout the school day. New equipment used during the fitness breaks will include stability balls, kettlebells, dumbbells, medicine balls and more.
Old Colony advisors believe the addition of more physical activity throughout the day will support positive attitudes, an increased interest in wellness, an overall healthier environment, and will help to instill leadership and teamwork.
Old Colony Regional Vocational Technical High School is a member of the National School Lunch Program. Twenty to twenty-nine percent of their students are eligible for free/reduced price school lunch.
Showstoppers Musical Entertainment is seeking talented youth for its 16th annual public audition to be held on Wednesday, October 4 at 6:30 pm at the Knights of Columbus on Route 6 in Mattapoisett.
Talented boys and girls in grades 2 to 12 are encouraged to audition to participate in the community-service singing troupe. Candidates are asked to prepare two song selections – a ballad and an upbeat tune – and bring their own prerecorded accompaniment music containing no lead vocals. In addition, we will teach a short choreographed number at the audition to be performed as a group.
Successful candidates will be offered an opportunity to make an impact on their community by offering free musical entertainment to the elderly at nursing homes, senior centers, and assisted living facilities throughout the Southcoast. The troupe will also perform for the community at-large through a variety of private and public venues, including fairs, festivals, schools, malls, charitable fundraisers and other civic events.
Showstoppers averages 50 performances annually and is a subsidiary of Showstoppers Performing Arts, Inc., an all-volunteer nonprofit organization. Follow them on Facebook to keep updated on their activities: www.facebook.com/showstopppers.us.
For inquiries about the audition, please contact Kelly Zucco at 508-758-4525 or email kzucco@comcast.net.
Fall 2017 Chess Tournament. K-12 Chess Players are invited to register for the Mattapoisett Library’s Fall Chess Tournament to be held on Saturday, October 7 from 10:00 am to 2:00 pm. No registration fee but players must sign up in advance.
Learn 3D Printing. Two 3D Printing Academies have been scheduled:
– 3D Printing for Students age 10 and up. On Tuesday, September 26 from 4:00 – 6:00 pm, learn to create designs and operate the library’s 3D printer. Limited spaces available, so sign up with librarian Elizabeth Sherry at esherry@sailsinc.org.
– 3D Printing for Adults. On Tuesday, October 10 from 6:30 to 8:00 pm, adults are invited to earn how to use the library’s 3D printer to fix household items, create gardening tools, personalize items, and help students enhance school projects. Sign up with librarian Elizabeth Sherry at esherry@sailsinc.org or visit Liz at the Reference Desk.
Two current members of the Marion Police Department are hoping they have what it takes to fill, as Board of Selectmen Chairman Jody Dickerson put it, the “big shoes” that current Police Chief Lincoln Miller will leave behind when he retires effective December 31 at the end of this year.
The selectmen opted to seek police chief candidates from within the department before posting the position outside, offering the chance to apply to Marion Police candidates holding the rank of sergeant or lieutenant. Out of four possible applicants, two stepped forward: Lieutenant John Garcia and Sergeant Richard Nighelli.
“The replacement for Chief Miller is going to be some big shoes to fill,” said Dickerson. “Today we will be starting a new chapter in the history of this department.”
Interviewing Garcia first, the selectmen asked him questions about community outreach, leadership, and of course, managing a municipal budget.
Lieutenant Garcia, a police officer of 33 years with 31 of them in Marion, was promoted to sergeant in 2000, then lieutenant in 2004. He is also the unit commander of the Search and Rescue Team, of which he has been a member for 12 years.
Garcia said he is most proud of his contributions towards Marion PD’s state accreditation, becoming only one of five accredited police departments in Plymouth County.
“It was a tremendous amount of work, something that is quite an accomplishment,” said Garcia.
When questioned about how he envisions his first six months as chief, Garcia first pointed to the importance of redistributing responsibilities amongst the department, especially with an imminent retirement of one senior sergeant.
“In addition,” Garcia said, “I would like to see the department more involved in community programs.” He added that he is a firm believer in community outreach, citing examples such as firearm safety classes and “bicycle rodeos.”
“I know you’ve always been involved in the community since the beginning,” said Dickerson before the board asked Garcia about what he would do to enhance community policing.
Garcia said he was currently seeking grants to fund bike helmets for the public, and he envisions an after-school program for kids interested in law enforcement and learning about fingerprinting as well as other interesting activities.
“Something fun so they can get to know us as people,” said Garcia.
As for leadership, the trait Garcia finds most important in a community like Marion is compassion.
“You have to also look after the needs of the people,” Garcia said. “They need to know that somebody’s watching their back.”
And moving the department forward into the future and motivating officers, said Garcia when asked, can be achieved by rewarding good work when deserved, and again, the redistribution of tasks.
“[The officers] need to know that they’re doing a good job,” Garcia said. “Those that are doing well need to know and be given some of the choice assignments.”
Garcia said he attends Council on Aging meetings whenever he can to better serve the population by establishing a connection to understand its needs. Serving the elderly population, Garcia said, was “near and dear to my heart.” As part of Search and Rescue, he said he is trained to respond to ‘wanderers’ and is highly specialized in assisting people with Alzheimer’s.
An effective police chief must also succeed in commanding respect, as selectmen pointed out – something Garcia said has to be earned.
“I think that one of the main things is just being fair,” said Garcia, “being fair across the board. If they have a need, to try and address their concern.” For example, Garcia said, “If equipment goes unrepaired, it starts to wear on the morale of the department having them come in with broken equipment.”
And as every department head knows, it is a challenge to obtain and manage monetary resources. In order to efficiently maximize limited annual resources, Garcia said he had been “fairly successful” in the past acquiring grants, specifically when the Town wanted to buy Tasers.
“To put it politely, I think I have a reputation of being ‘fiscally responsible,’” Garcia said.
Selectman Steve Gonsalves, concerned about the younger residents and especially the ‘tween’ agers, wondered how Garcia would reach out to the younger people and engage them effectively.
“We haven’t been overly comfortable with social media,” Garcia admitted. “We need to get somebody in here who’s more comfortable with that media. Kids, the tweens … are very adept at social media, so we need to find ways to reach out to them and … I think humor is one of those areas.”
When it came to reflecting on his career and the ‘mistakes’ along the way he would have done differently, Garcia couldn’t really think of any.
“I’m here,” said Garcia. “I think I’m pretty satisfied.”
The selectmen asked if Garcia thought there was a need at Sippican School for a more full-time school resource officer, to which he said no.
“I personally don’t think that it’s warranted to have somebody at the elementary school full time,” said Garcia, although having a presence to establish relationships, such as lunch dates with police would be welcomed, he added. “What we don’t want … [is] the only time they see a police officer in the school [to be] when there a problem.”
“I think we learned a lot from you,” said Dickerson to Garcia. Garcia replied, “Thank you for the opportunity to interview for the position. Thirty one years in the department I’ve seen a lot of changes. When I started we had manual typewriters…. I’ve been here for a lot of those changes. It’s pretty much adapt or die, and I’m still here.”
Sergeant Richard Nighelli has been a police officer for 15 years, with 11 of them as sergeant. His first two years were spent in Nantucket until Chief Miller hired Nighelli in Marion. He is the operations commander of the South Eastern Massachusetts Law Enforcement Council Swat Team, second in command, and has trained with elite forces from all over the country. Nighelli said he is proud of this, and he was also on the ground in Watertown after the Boston Marathon bombing.
During his first six moths as chief, Nighelli said he would focus primarily on getting a feel for his position and orienting himself to his new responsibilities.
“I don’t see any reason why I wouldn’t be successful in that position,” said Nighelli. “See what’s going good, what’s going bad, and to see that the department is running as efficiently as possible.”
Nighelli would also like to engage kids more, possibly by establishing a cadet program or junior explorer program, maybe even a community police academy.
Trust is what Nighelli deems an important trait of an effective leader. “Being able to communicate. If you can’t communicate you can’t be an effective leader. You have to get your message across to the troops.”
“You have to advocate for the department,” said Nighelli. “You’ve got to be a good leader, you have to be able to think quickly, have clear thoughts…. You have to be a good decision maker.”
In order to move the department forward, Nighelli says officers need to feel “empowered.”
“And whether that be to ask them what’s working, what’s not, create open dialog….”
Selectmen asked Nighelli how he would command the respect of his subordinates.
“I believe I’ve already commanded their respect,” he said. “I’m going to treat them with respect. I feel that when you treat them with respect, they’ll give you respect.”
Nighelli admitted he doesn’t have extensive experience managing town finances, but he could handle it. “I will say that I’m willing to learn. I don’t know everything about finances, but I’m willing to learn. I’ll reach out to the right people, not only in town but outside of town – how they have implemented programs and paid for them,” he said, adding, “I’m not there yet but I’ll get there.”
As for reaching out to the younger residents, Nighelli said social media is important in that regard. “Twitter, Facebook … We get information out there, but also I think it’s really important that when something [happens] … a press release should be done right away. I think that’s to eliminate any type of rumor that’s out there.”
“Social media,” he said, though, “it’s a tough subject because you have an elderly population who are not involved in social media and the millenials who are.”
Nighelli said he has made some mistakes over the course of his career he wishes he could have done differently, but did not name anything specific. “I feel like ‘mistakes’ is negative, [but] I think they are learning experiences.”
“Bingo!” Selectman Gonsalves said.
“I’ve had several learning experiences in my career. I can’t pinpoint an exact example, but I do know that there have been some examples … and I look back and say I could’ve done that better.”
He continued, “There’s no bigger critic than myself and me. I always look at myself in the mirror and ask how I can do things better, and I try to continue to grow and to learn.”
Nighelli said he would enhance the sentiment of public service within the force by reinforcing commendation of deserving officers.
“If officers go above and beyond … I’d like to implement a commendation program that is a little more subjective,” saying it would boost morale within the force. “The amount of greatness that I see on a day-to-day basis…”
Nighelli says he does see a need for increased police presence at Sippican School.
“I’m looking forward to working with the principal … telling her what we can offer, asking them what their needs are,” he said. “We spend so much money on schools and our children, why are we not going to have someone go in there and not talk about the effects of … drugs … issues going on at home…. They might tell that police officer.”
“It has to be a commitment from the school, too,” Nighelli said. “There needs to be open lines of communication.” He also said he would establish a police officer lunch program with the kids. “There’s incentive for [officers] to go down there…. They’re going to be encouraged to … be visible down there.”
In closing, Nighelli said, “It’s humbling to be sitting here in front of you. When I came to the town fifteen years ago, I never thought I’d be sitting in this position. I feel that the board has helped the department in a way, that you’re sending a message to the younger officers here that they can one day be the police chief. I think that’s a powerful message you’re sending.”
“Police officers have a lot of bad things that they see on a daily basis,” said Nighelli. “My support network at home is unmatched. My wife … without her support I would not be sitting here.”
Both candidates received a “homework” essay assignment due the following Monday afternoon.
The Board of Selectmen will make a decision on its next step towards hiring a new police chief by mid-October, Dickerson stated.
Marion Board of Selectmen
By Jean Perry
It’s an inevitable part of any sports undertaking – rescheduling due to weather.
Tropical Storm Jose started hitting the area on Tuesday, and Maria was a few days behind in the Atlantic Ocean.
For high school athletic offices, it is what it is.
“It’s going to be a crazy week this week,” Old Rochester Regional Athletic Director Bill Tilden said. “If you get six inches of rain in two days, that’s going to have an effect for awhile.”
“Honestly, it’s tough for us,” Old Colony AD Matt Trahan said. “Especially here at Old Colony, where there’s a ton of oversized trees and whatnot, so we’ll be watching it.”
When in doubt, a postponement is usually the way to go in Trahan’s book. “Dealing with kids, I just think you’re better off erring on the side of caution. There’s always another day to play.”
Here’s a look at what’s happening this week at ORR, Old Colony, and Tabor:
ORR
When Harry Smith became what’s believed to be the school’s first 300-yard rusher in Week 1 of the season vs. Wareham, it seemed like a once-in-a-generation type of performance.
Then Will Garcia did it again, breaking off several long runs to go over 300 yards in a 30-0 blanking of Apponequet.
“For Harry to do it one week, and then Will the next, it’s unbelievable,” said Tilden. “They did a great job game-planning for Harry, but it just left the outside open for Will.”
Smith added 100+ yards on his own, but it was Garcia’s night.
“He’s a happy kid and a very good student. I don’t think he likes being in the spotlight, he loves playing football,” Tilden said. “He’s a flyer – he’s a track kid, but he’s definitely doing it with speed because he’s only about one hundred fifty-five pounds.”
ORR (2-0) hosts Greater New Bedford Voc-Tech Friday night in what may shape up to be a lopsided affair.
The football win over Apponequet was one in a series of matches with the rival Lakers; the girls’ soccer team won 4-2, volleyball won 3-1, and the boys’ soccer team drew 2-2.
The girls’ soccer team is off to a hot start, as is sophomore Meg Hughes who had five goals in a win over GNB Voc-Tech. Hughes, the area’s best young runner, is hitting her stride on the soccer field.
“Soccer is her first love,” Tilden said. “As good as she is at running, she’ll tell you all day long that she loves soccer. Last year, she was still trying to figure out her role and still scored quite a few goals, but I think she’s much more comfortable this year.”
On Saturday, members of ORR’s cross country team went to UMass Dartmouth to watch some of their former teammates now competing at the collegiate level. Former Bulldogs Riley Shaughnessy, Avery Nugent, Rachel Scheub and Nina Bourgeois were all either competing or attending the invitational. Bourgeois led the former ORR runners, finishing 49th for Trinity College.
Grant Reuter, one of last year’s football stars, had his first catch as a tight end at Dean Junior College.
Old Colony
Old Colony’s girls’ soccer team figured to measure success with moral victories more than on-field ones this year, but they got a great win last week with a 2-0 defeat of Avon.
It was a pretty magical outing for the Cougars, who were outshot 15-2 … but saw both of their shots find the net while none of the 15 got past goalie Te’Lyn Layton. Haylie Fernandes and Kaitlyn Pimental scored the goals.
“They were psyched,” Trahan said. “A win like that can go a long way.”
The volleyball team is off to a 2-1 start under coach Heather Darcy and has a good early test Thursday against perennially good Bristol Aggie.
It was a happy Saturday for the football team, which bounced back – in a big way – from their opening 20-0 loss. The Cougars got a big game from Brad Plissey in a 34-16 win over Holbrook.
“I know our coaches were pleased with that result,” Trahan said. “The opener wasn’t indicative of the team we are.”
The Cougars (1-1) have a tough test at home Saturday (1:00 pm) vs. Blue Hills, who Trahan says is always a good opponent.
Former Cougar boys’ soccer standout Paul Soucy is already making a difference as a freshman at Westfield State; he’s played in all six games thus far, averaging almost 30 minutes a game.
Tabor Academy
Action is just getting under way by the sea in Marion, with a full slate this week weather permitting.
The boys’ cross country team, led by Aly Hussein, took wins vs. all three opponents in a quad meet; field hockey and girls’ soccer also had decisive wins over Portsmouth Abbey.
The football team had scrimmages last week and opens at St. Mark’s on Saturday (1:00 pm). It marks the first game as a member of the Independent Schools League; Tabor is ranked 36th by Max Preps among state private schools while St. Mark’s comes in at 62.
Tabor alums are making plenty of noise at the collegiate level. Former women’s hockey star Sammy Davis has been named an assistant captain at Boston University, while kicker Grant DeWald had a 38-yard field goal for Bates College.
By Jonathan Comey
In the wake of Hurricanes Harvey and Irma, thousands of people in Texas, Florida, and the Antilles archipelago have lost everything they own and are now faced with the heavy task of rebuilding. With much of the country’s attention focused on those specifically in Florida and Texas, one student at Old Rochester Rehional High has decided to spread the love to some of the affected islands as well.
Senior Alice Bednarczyk is the creator behind the ORRHS “Bake Sale for Irma Victims.”
“All the proceeds from our bake sale will be going towards helping the people of the Virgin Islands recover from the awful hurricane that just devastated their homes,” said Bednarczyk. “They need as much help as they can get and this is the least we can do.”
All proceeds from the bake sale will go to All Hands, a local nonprofit based in Mattapoisett that assists with the long-term needs of any world-wide community affected by natural disasters. All Hands merchandise will also be sold at the bake sale for donation prices.
Bednarczyk explained how she came up with her fundraising idea.
“In my freshmen year of high school, a senior raised several hundred dollars for the 2015 Nepal earthquake just by selling whoopie pies,” said Bednarczyk. “I remembered that moment as I saw all the destroyed homes on national television. Since bake sales at ORR typically make a sizeable donation amount, I figured that a bake sale would be the best idea to raise money for this cause.”
“I’ve had tons of support so far,” Bednarczyk said. “Principal Devoll immediately green lit the bake sale idea. Ms. Barker, the school librarian, also taught me how to make posters online that I then put up around the school to raise awareness. Overall, everyone has been incredibly eager and helpful about everything.”
The National Honor Society and their advisors, English teachers Randy Allain and Kathleen Brunelle, were also very enthusiastic towards the idea. In fact, Bednarczyk has already served as an inspiration to her NHS peers since they have begun to plan other ways they can give back to the hurricane-affected communities.
The bake sale will be held on Thursdsay, September 21, during the high school open house from 6:30 to 9:00 pm. Don’t worry if you can’t make it, though, according to Bednarczyk.
“If people want to donate, we will have containers for donations at the night of the bake sale, but you can also go on All Hand’s website at www.hands.org. Just select the donate option and choose “Hurricane Irma Response,” Bednarczyk said.
By Jo Caynon
To the Editor:
As President of the Friends of the Mattapoisett Council on Aging, I would like to take this opportunity to thank all those who contributed plantings to the Plant Sale held this month on the Library lawn. The success of the sale is the result of many hours preparing and nurturing the plants over the summer and the enthusiasm and expertise of Paula Cobb and her committee who are already planning next year’s sale. We also thank those who purchased the many plants and trees, and we hope to hear of their successful Fall planting.
Thank you,
Jo Pannell
The views expressed in the “Letters to the Editor” column are not necessarily those of The Wanderer, its staff or advertisers. The Wanderer will gladly accept any and all correspondence relating to timely and pertinent issues in the great Marion, Mattapoisett and Rochester area, provided they include the author’s name, address and phone number for verification. We cannot publish anonymous, unsigned or unconfirmed submissions. The Wanderer reserves the right to edit, condense and otherwise alter submissions for purposes of clarity and/or spacing considerations. The Wanderer may choose to not run letters that thank businesses, and The Wanderer has the right to edit letters to omit business names. The Wanderer also reserves the right to deny publication of any submitted correspondence.