Calling All Tabor Academy Students!

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The Wanderer is looking for a Tabor Academy student writer for the 2017-2018 school year to submit one article a week for our Tabor Academy Update column in our free weekly newspaper.

If you have a talent for writing, a passion for journalism, and the ability to commit to one writing assignment per week, why not consider a start in community journalism?

Our Tabor writer is responsible for tracking down the newsworthy stories that portray how special, exciting, and unique Tabor Academy is within the community. Events, sports, culture, student successes, and general stories of interest – it’s up to our Tabor student writer to deliver the Tabor news to our community and beyond.

Writers are compensated, and those hoping to sharpen their writing and journalism skills will appreciate the support, writing advice, and constructive criticism from the editor as you strengthen your skills.

Interested students may contact News Editor Jean Perry via email at jean@wanderer.com.

James E. Welch

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James E. Welch, 90, of Lakeville passed away peacefully on Saturday September 9, 2017 after a period of declining health. He was the husband of Mary M. (Saunders) Welch; they had been married for 65 years.

Born in Fall River, the son of the late Dr. Edward J. and Catherine (Connerton) Welch, he lived in New Bedford for many years before moving to Lakeville 35 years ago.

A lifelong educator, Mr. Welch taught at various schools in Mattapoisett and New Bedford, served as assistant principal at the John A. Parker School and as principal of the Phillips Avenue School until his retirement in 1988.

He was a graduate of Holy Family High School, Providence College where he received his Bachelor of Arts degree, and Bridgewater State College where he received his Master’s Degree in Education.

During World War II, he served in the U.S. Army.

He was a member of the American Legion Post 121 in Berkley and the Massachusetts Teachers Association. He was a former member of the Friendly Sons of St. Patrick.

He was an avid reader who was always interested in the activities of his children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren.

The family would like to extend special thanks to his good friend, Gerry McGrath, for his constant friendship throughout the years.

He is survived by his wife, Mary; five children, Edward J. Welch and his wife Janis, Thomas J. Welch and his wife Andrea, Marilou Allen and her husband Joseph, Catherine Rego and her husband Ronald, and James E. Welch, Jr.; 14 grandchildren; seven great-grandchildren; and many nieces and nephews.

He was the brother of the late Kathleen Sheerin, Edward Welch, and Thomas Welch.

His Funeral Mass will be celebrated on Wednesday September 13, 2017 at 11 am at Holy Name of the Sacred Heart of Jesus Church. Burial will be in St. Patrick’s Cemetery, Fall River. Visitation will be on Wednesday from 9:30-10:30 am at the Saunders-Dwyer Home for Funerals, 495 Park St., New Bedford prior to the Mass. In lieu of flowers, remembrances may be made to the New Bedford High School Library Fund, Attn: Headmaster, 230 Hathaway Blvd., New Bedford, MA 02740. For directions and guestbook, please visit www.saundersdwyer.com.

 

2017 Alewives Anonymous Herring Counts

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The results of the 2017 alewives (herring) migration as recorded by an electronic fish counter on the Mattapoisett River at Snipatuit Pond and the Sippican River at Leonard’s Pond in Rochester have been completed.

This year’s count of herring in the Mattapoisett River was 14,938. 2017 was the third year of declines since the recovery of the herring population in 2014 to 55,429 from the low of 5,000 in 2004. Few herring were observed at the Mattapoisett ladder area, nor were they seen during any of the brush and tree clearing activities in the river during the spring. Counting conditions were ideal this spring; the counter appears to have functioned without errors.

A counter was also installed on the Sippican River at Leonard’s Pond this year. It recorded 115 fish, much lower than the 2016 total of 1,126. The counter that the Buzzards Bay Coalition operated at the Hathaway Pond Dam recorded 315 herring.

The moratorium against the taking or possession of herring from the Mattapoisett River and the Sippican River, as well as many other rivers in Massachusetts, remains in effect. Over the years that the moratorium has been in effect, the herring population in the Mattapoisett River has increased from about 6,000 to just over 55,400 in 2014. The counting effort will provide the necessary information to manage a future harvest in the Mattapoisett River; however, continued improvements in the counts are needed to support a sustainable fishery plan and to justify an opening. Once the herring population reaches a point where a sustainable harvest plan can be formulated, filed with Division of Marine Fisheries, and approved, harvesting could be resumed.

Elizabeth Taber Library

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To the Editor:

The Elizabeth Taber Library wrapped up this summer’s program for children, “Build a Better World” with an End-of-the-Summer-Program Ice Cream Sundae Social.

Over the course of six weeks, many children ages two to twelve enjoyed story times, reading games, a magic show, as well as activities such as: creating a solar cooker with the Harris family, a yoga class with Marsha Hartley, pallet gardening and creating pavers with Diane Cook, making a terrarium with Dot Brown, fairy house building, along with various drop-in activities. Attendance for the summer programs totaled 2605. It was especially exciting to “Read for a Good Cause.” Each hour participants spent reading raised $1 to support the work of Heifer International. Our readers were able to support families living in Cambodia with the help of donations from Eastern Bank and the Sippican Woman’s Club. We purchased three goats, a flock of chicks, a trio of rabbits, honey bees and a hive! We also were able to make a donation to Damien’s Food Pantry in Wareham.

I would like to thank all of the participants (and parents, grandparents, baby-sitters, and nannies!) involved in our program, along with our junior volunteers: Prosser Friedman and Tyler Karo.

Special thanks go to Alan, Jess, Ruth and Sam Harris for teaching us how to build a solar cooker, Marsha Hartley for her enthusiastic yoga class, Diane Cook for her expertise with the gardening and paver activities and Dot Brown for her cheerful, hardworking help with special events.

Many thanks go to Jessica Barrett, the Sippican School’s Media Specialist. Jess and I worked together to create the school’s summer reading lists. Sippican Elementary School students visited our library in June to learn about the public library’s resources, the summer program and the books on the summer reading list.

Thanks go to everyone on the staff: Nicole Davignon, Danae Arone, Anthea Tripanier, and Teresa Mattson as they cheerfully helped out with the large groups of children and a seemingly endless flow of books.

Many thanks go to our enthusiastic Library Director, Libby O’Neill, who gave the program unfailing support and encouragement.

Thank you to the many agencies and businesses in town who lent their kind support to the library’s summer reading program.

Working with the children and their families in the community, as well as my colleagues here at the library, was a powerful reminder of the joy and excitement of sharing the love of reading. I hope everyone enjoyed the library’s summer program and the delights of summer reading as much as I did!

Rosemary Grey, Children’s Librarian

Elizabeth Taber Library

 

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.

ConCom Goes Into Overdrive

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On Wednesday, August 30, the three members of the Mattapoisett Conservation Commission – Chairman Michael King and Commissioners Chapman Dickerson and Trevor Francis – handled 14 separate cases in a meeting that lasted three hours.

Due to a lack of quorum at the previously scheduled meeting, and the threat of another on Monday, August 28, the meeting was postponed until Wednesday. The town hall conference room was packed as the meeting kicked off.

The first case heard looked simple on the surface: a Request for Determination of Applicability filed by the Town of Mattapoisett for the placement of six granite boundary markers to demarcate Town property on Lot 70 Cove Street.

However, after Brian Grady of G.A.F. Engineering, Inc. explained the process by which the markers would be installed in the jurisdictional coastal area, Al Gentili came forward from the audience claiming that he owned the property.

Gentili said he had purchased the property from a Mrs. Deery 31 years ago and had been paying taxes on it ever since. He said that when sewer became available in the beach neighborhood, he had opted out; thus, the lot was not buildable. But he insisted he had taken care of the property, paid taxes, and was the rightful owner.

Grady said that the Town had completed a title search and there was no evidence that a sale had been made between Gentili and Deery.

Coming forward in support of Gentili was Sharon Thompson, who said she was president of the homeowners association on Angelica Point. She said that Gentili had been a resident in the community for years. She also questioned the Town’s intentions in placing the markers.

Grady said that the only thing he could think of was a parking area. Thompson responded, “We’d have a problem with that too.”

King said the issue of ownership would have to be resolved before the commission could hear the application. The case was continued until September 25.

Another application filed by the Town was a Notice of Intent for Phase 1B of the Mattapoisett bike path through easements along the former railroad route, marshland, and other jurisdictional areas involving Reservation Road, Goodspeed Island, and Depot Street.

Representing the Town was Susan Nilson of CLE Engineering. Armed with thick massive documents and pages of engineered drawings, Nilson briefly outlined the planned route as well as construction materials and methods.

King said the only responses the Conservation Commission office had received thus far were from the Massachusetts Office of Marine Fisheries requesting a narrowing of the proposed pathway. Those comments were in conflict with mandates from the Massachusetts Department of Transportation, Nilson pointed out. She also said that a continuation of the hearing was anticipated given the complexity of the project.

King said, “You’re looking at three farmers here,” meaning the commissioners, adding, “We’ll need 53G funds to help us,” indicating the need for peer review consultants.

The hearing was continued until September 25.

Another complicated construction project was also heard on this night, that of a proposed two-lot subdivision in wetlands abutting swamps at the end of Snowfield Road.

Representing applicant Dennis Arsenault was David Davignon of N. Douglas Schneider & Associates, Inc. Davignon explained that the Notice of Intent filing was for the construction of a roadway that would require the filling in of wetlands to reach buildable uplands deep within the 10-acre parcel.

Davignon said the project would require a number of waivers from the Town, including waiving the need for Town water and also the size of the roadway. He said the Planning Board with which he had already met for preliminary discussions, wanted the Conservation Commission to weigh in on the project before officially determining the viability of the roadway.

Davignon noted that the wetland crossings would require three different wetlands replication areas to offset the environmental disturbances.

The project was discussed at length and covered such matters as Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection comments, which Davignon said were considerable, the need for culverts under the roadway to allow for the movement of water, overhead versus underground utilities, and septic systems.

Abutter Pamela LaFreniere asked what the total loss of vegetated area would be. Davignon estimated 11,000 square feet. She then questioned the commission’s authority to permit a project with that volume of loss, citing 5,000 square feet as the maximum allowed under their authority. That prompted King to read from the Wetlands Protection Act, noting that a deed restriction would be in place prohibiting further disruption at a later date, therefore allowing the commission to hear the application as filed.

Gary Zine, 11 Snowfield Road, said, “The whole area is wet, even in dry periods.” He added, “It’s a jungle back there. The road will act like a dam on the north side.”

Peter LaFreniere said, “Water flows north to south, a tremendous amount of water.” He asked if water studies had been conducted on the property. Davignon said a study would be done before and after construction.

King pointed out that the culverts had already been resized to take into consideration the volume of water in the area.

LaFreniere responded, “I don’t care how big your culverts are, the road will act as a dam.”

There was then some disagreement between King and the abutters as to whether or not a similar project had been rejected in the past. King said, “It’s the first time in front of us…. Things change.” The hearing was continued until September 11.

Other matters before the commission were: the conditioning of a Notice of Intent filed by Jessica Nicolosi, 153 Fairhaven Road, for the construction of a single-family home requiring alteration of bordering vegetated wetlands; RDA filed by Clifton Lopes, 14 Cathaway Lane, for the construction of a deck receiving a Negative Determination; conditioning of a Notice of Intent filed by Judith Yard, 67 Wolf Island Road, for septic repairs; and a continuance for a RDA filed by Jessica Campione, 26 Fieldstone Drive, for landscape modifications in restricted conservation areas.

A number of Certificates of Compliance were issued, and then late into the meeting was a conversation with Ted Goudy of Aerie Homes of Waltham for the ratification of an Enforcement Order for The Preserve at Bay Club LLC.

Erosion control problems along Fieldstone Drive and the alleged lack of attention in this matter prompted the Enforcement Order. Goudy defended himself, saying, “The basic issue is two catch basins….” and then went on to explain that stormwater management systems had failed during large storms. He said that improvements to those systems had also failed during a subsequent storm. “There’s just too much water that hasn’t gone into the wetlands.”

Conservation Agent Elizabeth Leidhold said stabilization of one of the undeveloped lots was necessary to diminish movement of silt into the wetlands.

Goudy said the problems at the site were not really a failure of the overall stormwater system but a problem of pooling around erosion controls that didn’t allow the water to flow.

King asked, “You’ve received the order, have you addressed these issues? It’s a yes or no answer.” Goudy responded that he had. King stated, “I’ll be there tomorrow morning and either you have or you haven’t.”

“I believe I have,” Goudy said.

“We’re going to ratify the Enforcement Order now, and I’ll be there tomorrow,” King told Goudy.

The next meeting of the Mattapoisett Conservation Commission is scheduled for September 11 at 6:30 pm in the town hall conference room.

By Marilou Newell

 

Alexander Byron

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Acclaimed maritime artist and larger-than-life local activist, Alexander Byron, 87, died September 5th in Plymouth. Born in New Bedford, Alex was a lifelong local, residing in Wareham, Bourne, and Scituate before settling in Marion with his wife Suzanne over 50 years ago.

A self-taught oil painter, Alex spent the last decades of his life interpreting and preserving the maritime history he knew and loved so well. He created incredibly detailed and vivid recreations of historic ships and events, using blueprints and endless research to build his paintings like ships, in layers. His love of New Bedford whaling history took him all the way to the Arctic Circle, where he led several expeditions in the 70’s to recover the sunken whaler Ansel Gibbs. After surviving a blizzard for several days alone on Marble Island, he was named “Mad Dog” by the local Inuit, a name he carried proudly — and was always careful to live up to — for the rest of his life.

Byron graduated from Bourne High School and Duke University and earned a master’s degree in economics from George Washington University. He spent his early career in PR and politics in Washington D.C., working for two U.S. presidents and going on diplomatic missions to Russia and Greece. By the mid-sixties, Alex and his wife had settled into family life, owning and operating Byron’s Landing restaurant, a waterfront landmark on Route 6 in Buzzard’s Bay until its close in 1986. If you ate at Byron’s Landing, there’s a good chance you met and were charmed by Alex. He probably showed you some of his early paintings, hung (or painted) on walls he personally lined with wood from historic buildings he tried to save.

Alex served in the U.S. Marine Corps. Honor and tradition were important to him. He was a family man, a self-described “love slave” for his wife of 52 years and a devoted father and grandfather, always striving to inspire and enrich those around him. He gave freely of his time and love. He believed all things were possible. He was adventurous, wildly intelligent, and fun to be around; an indomitable spirit who will forever loom large to all who loved and knew him.

Alex is preceded in death by his parents, James and Evelyn Byron of Wareham, and his brother, the Honorable Chris Byron of Rochester.

Alex is survived by his wife Suzanne of Marion; sons James Allen and Christopher Charles of Marion; daughters Florence Marie of Marion and Suzanne Elizabeth of Wareham; granddaughter Anthea Tripanier and her husband David of Fairhaven; brother Charles of Wareham; and sisters Florence and Joanne Byron of Wareham.

Graveside services will be held at Evergreen Cemetery in Marion Thursday, September 14 at 1:30 pm, with a reception to follow nearby.

Arrangements by Chapman, Cole & Gleason Funeral Home, Wareham. For directions and on-line guestbook visit: www.ccgfuneralhome.com

Flag Football Kick-off Clinic

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Mattapoisett Recreation will be offering a free Flag Football Kick-off Clinic on Sunday, September 10 from 9:00 – 10:00 am at Tabor Academy Football Field. Coaches will be running skills and drills stations to test speed, accuracy and endurance. Registration is open online at www.mattrec.net. Registrations will also be accepted at the clinic. Deadline to register is September 11. Please email Mattapoisett Recreation at mattrec@mattapoisett.net with any questions.

New Book Discussion Group at the Mattapoisett Library

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The Mattapoisett Free Public Library will kick off its Sunday afternoon hours on September 10 with a new book discussion group facilitated by Bobbi Gaspar. The book to be discussed will be Ruthless River: Love & Survival By Raft on the Amazon’s Relentless Madre de Dios by well-known local author Holly FitzGerald.

Copies of Ruthless River will be available at the circulation desk for participants in the book discussion. The group will meet from 2:00 to 3:30 pm. Refreshments will be served.

Author Holly FitzGerald will be speaking at the Mattapoisett Library on Wednesday, September 27 at 6:30 pm. Books will be available for purchase and signing. Everyone is welcome to this exciting talk about Ruthless River, a riveting memoir.

The library is located at 7 Barstow Street and is handicapped accessible.

The Ruby-Throated Hummingbird

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For many backyard bird watchers, this cherished furtive, rapid-flying figure flitting from flower to feeder and then hovering in midflight is the only one of some twenty other hummingbird species that is common east of the Mississippi, prevalent in Canada and the United States.

The male ruby-throated hummingbirds arrive here in mid April ahead of the females about the time when floral berries and insects begin to flourish to welcome their arrival. When the female joins him a short time later, a mating dance of aerial acrobatics ensues over the bucolic blossoming floral dance floor as both sexes transform into a kaleidoscope of changing hues in a shimmering display created as light refracts from their multi-faceted throat and body plumage.

If love was in the air, an ensuing tiny cobweb or lichen nest will result nearby – hard to spot, even though they often raise more than one brood per season. But when you venture out on your kitchen deck, you will know it is there when the male flies at you in a loud dive-bombing flurry.

With wing beats so rapid as in a good card trick that can defy the eye, they use seven times the oxygen when flying than when at rest. They are particularly attracted to the color red in flowers or feeders, but deep purple clusters of irises, as in my drawing, is also identified to be a castle of seductive nectar sustenance. There are many others such as bee balm, tulips, or viburnum, where they hover to sip nectar using a tongue barbed for that purpose.

When too many family members compete for the same relished food source, one can clearly hear the commotion when they dive bomb each other and joust with a threatening demeanor. They also emit a series of short squeaky notes to express their excitement of competitive combat for sustenance.

But all too soon, the summer will wind down their excitement as a variable food supply changes every day, and the long journey to Florida or Central America is just over the horizon.

Very little is known about their coming and going, but it seems to be a daily amount of travel noticed just above tree level if by land and slightly above waves if by water. But they seem to be always ahead of the isotherm (average nightly temperature) since this is just above freezing, pushing the limit as far as being able to find insects and flowering plants that don’t thrive during freezing nights.

The last passing-through migrants may appear here just before mid-October, as in the sentimental end-of-summer September song of the 1950s, “The Days Grow Short When You Reach September, And I Don’t Have Time For The Waiting Game.” One day, without saying good-bye, suddenly they are gone, leaving a solemn void in our backyard bird watching entertainment. But I have been fortunate to share it with you ahead of time.

By George B. Emmons

Donald J. Torres

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Donald J. Torres, 80 passed away Friday, July 21, 2017 in the home he loved on the Weweantic River, with his wife at his side, Ora Mae Torres.

Born in New Bedford, the son of the late Sofia and Jacinto Torres, he was the first in his family to attain a college education.

He graduated from the University of Massachusetts in Amherst with a Bachelor’s Degree.  He continued his education and graduated with a Master’s Degree in Education from Bridgewater State College and then went on to Carnegie Mellon to receive a Masters of Arts in History.

Mr. Torres became an educator in New Bedford and Freetown school system where he taught at both the Middle and High School level.  Mr. Torres then went on to become the State Director of Title III which dealt with innovative programming in the school systems.

Ever passionate about education, Mr. Torres was not only a student and teacher, but also an advocate.  Mr. Torres became an activist for education at a national level where he was appointed the Federal Liaison at the Council of Chief State School Offices.  He campaigned tirelessly on behalf of gender equality in schools and was an integral part of the passing of Title IX, a portion of the United States Education Amendments in 1972.  The Amendment mandated schools receiving federally funded programs could not discriminate or exclude a person based on their sex.  Title IX is best known for ensuring equality in sports, but also applies to any federally funded activities in school.  The passage of that legislation is Mr. Torres proudest achievement.

Upon his return to Massachusetts, Mr. Torres directed his energies as a Program Director of various grant projects throughout the Commonwealth.  Mr. Torres was also very active on several local committees in Marion, including the Sewer Expansion Committee.  He was most gratified with his work as Chairman of The Mattapoisett River Valley Water District Commission where he served as Chairman and dedicated many years of service to both the MRV Planning Committee and the MRV Water District Commission.

Mr. Torres is survived by his wife, Ora Mae Torres, daughter, Donna M. Torres, brother-in-laws, Henry and Mark DeJesus, nieces Joan DeJesus, Sarah DeJesus, Karen Medeiros, and great nieces, Olivia and Ruby Medeiros and several cousins in the local community.  He is also survived by his best friend of 50 years, Charles “Chuck” Hostetler of Pennsylvania.

“Don” will be missed for his acerbic wit and dramatic personality.  If one were to ever meet Don, they would never forget him, thus was the impression he would make.

A Celebration of Life reception will be held on September 30, 2017 from 2-4 pm at his home, 21 Dexter Rd. in Marion.   We welcome your presence in remembering Don.