The Rochester Planning Board will hold a public workshop to discuss and solicit public feedback on the proposed amendments to the Zoning Bylaw to create a new Sign Bylaw. The workshop will be held on Saturday, October 3 at 9:00 am at the Rochester Town Hall meeting room, 1 Constitution Way, Rochester.
The Marion Natural History Museum afterschool group hit the beach Wednesday afternoon. We found many types of fish, including Puffer fish, Tautogs, and other animals such as Mantis shrimp, and all sorts of crabs. It was a great way to celebrate one of the last days of summer. Many thanks to Sarah Porter and all those parents who helped out. Photos courtesy Elizabeth Leidhold
Showstoppers Musical Entertainment is seeking talented youth for its 14th annual public audition to be held on Sunday, September 27 at 3:00 pm at the Zeiterion Theatre Annex on the corner of Spring and Purchase Streets in New Bedford.
Talented boys and girls in grades 2 to 12 are encouraged to try out 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.
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. 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, which averages 50 performances annually, is a subsidiary of Showstoppers Performing Arts, Inc., an all-volunteer nonprofit organization.
For more information, please contact Kelly Zucco at 508-758-4525 or email info@showstoppers.us.
To the Editor:
The Plumb Library’s Every Hero Has a Story Summer Program will officially conclude with a September RMS All-School Meeting to recognize student participation! Our goal this summer was to celebrate all types of heroes while also discovering the hero within each of us. Our “Hero Training Camp” provided each hero-in-training, from pre-readers to adults, weekly challenges designed to exercise minds, bodies and hearts. This year, as a group, we had almost 200 heroes-in-training complete 3,278 challenges within a nine-week period. Over 600 heroes answered our call and attended 60 diverse programs!
In order for the program to be such a success, many Home Town Heroes need to be acknowledged. First, the families who embrace the Summer Library Program and participate as much as they can. Some families attended almost every program offered! Second, the educators who support the program, promote it, and collaborate with us! Third, the individuals who donated their time to provide kids’ activities: Tracy Eldridge; Jeff and Lauren Eldridge; Police Officers Nordahl, Hicks and Crook; Gordon Helme; Mary Lou Nicholson; Tina Rood; Lorraine Thompson; Matt Cordeiro; Marshall Meyer; Neil Flynn; and the Jr. Friends of Plumb Library – Allison, Brenna, Bridget, Carey, Emma, Ethan, Haley, Kaci, Lindsey, Hannah and Rebecca.
Special Kudos to the kids who participated in our community services challenges like contributing to the Lions Club Pennies for Sight program, creating flannel pillows and delivering them to Sippican Health Care, planting a memorial garden, and helping the library with clubs and program promotion!
Without our Super Hero Supporters, we would not have been able to provide families with an online logging system, weekly clubs, performers, workshops, prizes, and awards. These Super Heroes are: The Massachusetts Board of Library Commissioners; Massachusetts Library Services; Boston Bruins; Friends of Plumb Library; Rochester Lions Club; Rochester Cultural Council; Rockland Trust; MIIA; RMS PTO; First Congregational Church of Rochester; Joaquim Barros, CPA; Plumb Market and UTZ; Kool Kone; Hair and Body Solutions; Studio 105; Matt’s Blackboard; Captain Bonney’s Creamery; The Rood Family; No Kidding; Papa Gino’s Wareham; EncorEntertainment and DJ Howie.
Hope you join us next summer!
Sincerely,
Lisa Fuller, Youth Services
JH Plumb Memorial 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.
It took over a year, but Daniel daLuz and his coalition of residents from the Villages at Mattapoisett received an affirmative vote that will allow their trash to be collected and paid for by the town. On September 21, his frequent visits to the Planning Board paid off.
Board members reviewed passages in the contracts the town has with ABC Disposal Services and SEMASS, noting areas that seemed to indicate that all residents were entitled to trash collection and that, as is the case of the contract with SEMASS, a one-size-fits-all set price.
Board member Nathan Ketchel offered new language to the cluster subdivision amendments the Planning Board had put in place years ago. He suggested a 12th amendment with language that would give the residents of the condominium complex the right to free trash collection while protecting the town in the event that the flat rate changed, causing additional charges to the town. In the event the latter might happen, Ketchel suggested that the condominium complex would receive a six-month notification that the 12th amendment was terminated.
“I do see it’s dangerous to start changing planning board decisions,” said Ketchel, but in the end, with his suggested text changes, a majority voted in favor of daLuz’s request.
Immediately after casting this vote, Gail Carlson from Brandt Point Village asked if the board would vote to allow her development the same privilege of free trash collection.
Chairman Tom Tucker responded to her request by saying, “I’d like to just think about this one since we just voted on that one.” Then the board members thought it prudent to hold a public hearing on her request. She was directed to formally request a hearing while also being told that the residential association would have to pick up the fees associated with public notification of the hearing. Carlson agreed.
Resident Bonne DeSousa came forward to share with the Planning Board the latest developments with the Mattapoisett bike path and an upcoming public meeting with members of the Department of Transportation to discuss the Municipal Bike and Pedesterian Plan. DeSousa also talked about the focus on a new and growing human movement philosophy called “complete streets.”
Complete street planning designs and operates safe access to roadways for all users, including pedestrians, bicyclists, motorists, and public transportation riders. It also takes into consideration ease of roadway crossings, ease of walking to stores, and bicycling to work. DeSousa said there are funding opportunities for cities and towns pursuing plans toward a complete street infrastructure.
DeSousa told the board that, on October 8, a meeting will be held at Center School at 6:30 pm.
“We want to have a conversation about why people walk … to get a sense of how people walk and bike on local roads,” DeSousa said.
She also advised the board that the Town’s website linked to a survey titled “Walk, Bike, Run Survey” at the bottom of the home page. She said, so far, 80 residents had completed the survey and urged the board to take the survey.
She concluded her comments by telling the board that the Friends of the Mattapoisett Bike Path were conducting a crowdsharing fundraising effort to bridge a $30,000 shortfall that the town is facing as the permitting phase begins.
DeSousa said that presently the town is waiting for a final comment from the state on the project and then the permitting phase can begin. That process, she said, will take a year to complete.
Regarding three applications from Ted Gowdy of AERIE Homes planned for Bay Club, Chairman Tucker said, “I’m pretty upset he didn’t come in…. He asked for these continuations.”
In fact, there were two continuances of applications for Form A requests and the third was a request for special permit modification(s). But in the absence of the applicant, the board was reticent to act.
However, board member John Mathieu wanted to at least review the application in an effort to afford defaulting, triggering a constructive approval.
After careful review of the three applications and the associated engineered plans, they determined that one Form A request was not properly marked, the other improper in its presentation, and the third, the special permit amendments, appeared fine. Tucker said, however, “I don’t want to approve it without him saying what they are doing.” Mathieu concurred saying, “He really should be here, and I hope he is at the next meeting.”
One final piece of business was the unpermitted removal of trees on North Street by Eversource.
“We cannot let Eversource cut down trees without permission,” said Tucker. “We need to take control of it…. Eversource needs to come in and give us an explanation.”
It was decided that Tree Warden Roland Cote would be invited to the next meeting, along with a representative from the utility company.
The next meeting of the Mattapoisett Planning Board is scheduled for October 5 at 7:00 pm in the Mattapoisett Town Hall conference room.
By Marilou Newell
The butterfly. The symbol of transformation, new beginnings, and the embodiment of the cycle of life, death, and rebirth. Few creatures on this earth can evoke such a strong sense of wonder in human beings like the butterfly. Secluded within its chrysalis, the butterfly hides itself from the world, swathed in the secrets of the universe as it grows, changes, until the moment it emerges to make the world more beautiful, one butterfly at a time.
Mattapoisett was made a tiny bit more beautiful on Tuesday, September 22, when it welcomed into the world a single Monarch butterfly that had been developing under the care of Jeanne McCullough at the Mattapoisett Library.
The chrysalis originated in the Fairhaven backyard of Ella Gillen, 10, and Sofia Gillen, 8, where the milkweed grows, attracting scores of Monarchs each year to lay their eggs. With their mother, Tracy, the girls took the chrysalis to the library so it could share the experience of raising a Monarch with its patrons, particularly with the children.
For almost two weeks, the chrysalis hung suspended in air attached to a leaf within a netted pop-up habitat.
On the day the Monarch broke free from its protective shell, Ella and Sofia were serendipitously visiting the library (and so was I), when they heard some excitement coming from across the way. Children’s Librarian Linda Burke was showing this reporter the beloved chrysalis when we noticed it tremble slightly, a fleeting flicker that led to another, and another, and another….
Just then, the translucent fibers of one fold of the chrysalis gave way, separating it from the others in a sudden burst of life force that began the unfolding process of new life. The cover of the habitat was removed and taken down so as not to obstruct a single second of the wonder that was taking place before our very eyes.
Stunned, we all watched closely and waited. And with each slow breath we took, the Monarch edged closer to its escape, finally exiting the shiny clear shell completely, yet still clinging to it as awakened from the mystery of its butterfly sleep.
As the minutes passed, the butterfly hung in the air suspended from the leaf, quivering gently as its delicate wings pulsated, closing and then opening ever so slightly with each thrust that appeared small to each of us, but was surely momentous to the tiny creature.
How mighty, yet how fragile is the Monarch emerging, just as life itself is frail yet forceful. The Monarch danced in slight half turns and half twirls against the force of gravity beneath it, a force that would, in a matter of hours, be of little consequence to the willful wings of the butterfly.
The first and second-grade classes from Center School by happenstance entered the library and were able to catch a glimpse of the spectacle as they made their way to a presentation on the other side of the library. No one could have known the exact minute the Monarch would hatch, but it was as if the butterfly all along waited patiently for the right moment to emerge when the most pairs of eyes possible would be watching with wonder.
“I think it’s really cool,” said Ella, “and I think I’m very lucky to see it.”
Meanwhile, as the Monarch took its time acclimating to its new form, the girls thumbed through a library book about how to raise Monarchs and read that the butterfly would not be strong enough to be handled until at least an hour and a half after it had hatched. It would take that long for its powdery wings to fully dry so it could be tagged with a tiny circular sticker as part of a national Monarch butterfly counting project.
Within a matter of three to four hours, the butterfly would be released into the outside to discover itself, and perhaps its first flower, thus beginning another cycle in the life of the Monarch butterfly.
By Jean Perry
Area residents can sharpen their cooking skills at a special demonstration by renowned chef, journalist and PBS personality Annie B. Copps on Tuesday, October 13 at 3:00 pm. Annie will share her lively stories and culinary secrets while preparing a three-course fall-themed meal using locally sourced ingredients. To be held at the demonstration kitchen at the Bay Club in Mattapoisett, this demonstration will be an exciting event for foodies and those looking to learn new cooking techniques.
This event is part of the Buzzards Bay Coalition’s annual Golf Outing, Cocktail Party and Auction event at the Bay Club, which raises money for the cleanup of nitrogen pollution in New Bedford Harbor.
Tickets to the cooking demonstration are only $50, which includes entry to the cocktail party with hors d’oeuvres, open bar and live/silent auction.
Space is limited for this event. To purchase tickets, visit www.savebuzzardsbay.org/golf.
The Mattapoisett Board of Health is pleased to announce a flu clinic for Mattapoisett residents aged 60 years and older. The flu clinic will be held at the Mattapoisett Council of Aging, 17 Barstow Street, on Thursday, October 8 from 8:00 am to 12:00 noon. The flu vaccine is offered free of charge. A $5 suggested donation and/or a non-perishable food item is greatly appreciated to support residents in need. Please wear a short-sleeved top to the clinic. Residents in need of a ride to the clinic may call the COA at 508-758-4110. For more information, please call the Mattapoisett Public Health Nurse at 508-758-4118. This flu clinic is sponsored by the Board of Health in collaboration with the Southcoast Wellness Van and the COA.
The 2015-16 season of the South Coast Chamber Music Series will once again present Saturday and Sunday performances in Marion and New Bedford. According to Artistic Director Janice Weber, the new season promises to “reprise timeless masterworks, collaborate with new musical talent, and add splashes of exotica for the delectation of our loyal friends.”
Concerts are scheduled for the weekends of October 3 & 4, November 7 & 8, February 13 & 14, and April 16 & 17. Saturday concerts will take place at 5:00 pm at St. Gabriel’s Church, 124 Front Street, Marion. Sunday concerts will take place at 4:00 pm at Grace Episcopal Church, 133 School Street, New Bedford. Tickets are available at the door for $20 per person. Subscribe to all four concerts for just $60 by calling the NBSO office at 508-999-6276.
For more information, visit www.nbsymphony.org/southcoast-chamber-music-series.
The New Bedford Symphony celebrates its 100th anniversary this 2015-16 season! In 1915, New Bedford schoolteacher Clarence Arey founded a symphony orchestra to bring classical music to our region. Today, the NBSO is a superb professional orchestra that performs with internationally renowned guest artists, annually presenting a seven-concert series of classical and pops music and a four-concert chamber music series, as well as providing nationally recognized educational programs for the children of South Coast. You deserve a symphony in your life – the New Bedford Symphony! Visit us at www.nbsymphony.org.
The Marion Institute is proud to announce that registration for the 11th Annual Connecting for Change Conference is now open. Held in beautiful downtown New Bedford, MA, Connecting for Change is an eclectic gathering of leaders, students, business professionals, educators, and community members, coming together to find solutions to the issues that all of our communities face – from education and climate change to healthcare – and more!
Over the two-day conference, attendees will experience presentations from world-renowned keynote speakers and have the opportunity to engage in over 40 different workshops on the topics of food & farming, health & healing, spirituality, indigenous knowledge, green business, women and youth leadership, sustainability, environmental and social justice. Also featured at the gathering is a bustling farmers market, free live children’s shows in our family programming area, local artwork, an informative exhibitor hall, an interactive youth tent, live music, and so much more!
This year’s speakers include:
– Doug Rauch, president of The Daily Table on affordable nutrition and food access
– Aviva Romm on natural medicine and women’s health
– Rev. Dr. William Barber II on faith, community empowerment, and racial justice
– Greg Watson on food security and restorative food systems
– Matt Stinchcomb, Etsy founder on mission-driven business and sustainable growth
– Nikki Silvestri on carbon sequestration and feminine leadership
– Max Kenner on redefining the relationship between educational opportunity and criminal justice
– Leah Penniman on food justice, racial justice, and #BlackLivesMatter
– Jackson Koeppel, a Brower Youth Award winner exploring alternatives to the extractive economy
– Tradd Cotter, microbiologist business founder speaking on the medicinal use of mushrooms
In order to achieve a diverse mix of community voices, we are featuring a scale model so that income barriers will not prevent people from attending. We also offer a limited number of need-based scholarships online for those who qualify.
For more information, please visit connectingforchange.org or register online at www.marioninstitute.org/connecting-for-change or call 508-748-0816.
Connecting for Change is a program of the Marion Institute. The Marion Institute is a non-profit that acts as an incubator for a diverse array of Programs and Serendipity Projects that seek to find a solution to the root cause of an issue in the realms of sustainability and social justice. The three tenets that thread our work together are accessibility, diversity and root cause solutions.