No-Touch Zones Cause Concern

on

It came to light during the May 17 meeting of the Rochester Conservation Commission that the commission is facing with greater frequency property owners whose applications are difficult to accept.

“I know it’s frustrating,” said Conservation Agent Laurell Farinon, “but with small lots it’s a problem.” She said that, increasingly, the commission is receiving applications with plans to build or modify locations abutting 25-foot no-touch zones.

They reviewed an after-the-fact Request for Determination of Applicability for tree cutting and a request to construct a stone retaining wall within a 100-foot buffer zone that also comes into contact with a 25-foot no-touch zone.

After discussion on how best to work with the homeowner, Aristides Papadakis, 68 Bradford Lane, Farinon said that, with a RDA filing, conditions for construction would have to be limited versus if the applicant had filed a Notice of Intent. With a NOI, wetland flagging was mandatory; not so, with RDA filings.

But with a desire to work with Papadakis to the best of their abilities, including Farinon’s in-field work to help establish wetland lines, the commission members agreed to a Negative determination with the condition that no alterations or construction take place inside the no-touch zone.

The commissioners pondered the wisdom of requesting wetland flagging for any application that includes work up to a 25-foot no-touch zone.

“We are going to see more of these,” Farinon stated, saying that similar filings had been made for their next meeting.

The commissioners asked that Farinon monitor ongoing work at Papadakis’ property.

A NOI filing for Ken and Nicole Spencer, 62 Nathaniel’s Drive, consists of the construction of an 18- by 20-foot dwelling addition and an 18- by 40-foot in-ground pool within the 100-foot buffer zone, up to the 25-foot no-touch zone.

The project received a Positive determination with conditions to ensure no work would exceed the engineered plans, that erosion controls would be in place, and that a pre-construction meeting would be held.

A request for a Certificate of Compliance was issued to Jason and Michelle Hantman, 14 Foster Road, for the completion of a 24- by 24-foot building addition and 12- by 14-foot deck within a 100-foot buffer zone.

Two continuances were requested by Farinon for Certificates of Compliance sought by 1) Andrea and Donald King, 425 Neck Road; and 2) Michael Williams, 692 Walnut Plain Road. Both filings were continued until June 7.

The commissioners also approved a RDA filing by Andrew and Susan Revell, 59 Bradford Lane, for the construction of a 6-foot wide wheelchair accessible path and a 24- by 16-foot tree house play set.

The next meeting of the Rochester Conservation Commission is scheduled for June 7 at 7:00 pm in the Rochester Town Hall meeting room.

By Marilou Newell

 

Old Rochester Farmers’ Market

on

This year’s Old Rochester Farmers’ Market will run from June 7 – October 18. The market is open every Tuesday from 3:00 – 6:00 pm, held outside the gymnasium of Old Rochester Regional Junior High School. The market has live entertainment on a weekly basis and will also have additional activities, such as face painting for kids as well as free yoga from 5:00 – 6:00 pm on every third Tuesday. This year’s market will have a variety of items to choose from including fresh local produce, breads, cut flowers, herbs, fruits, sweets and pastries, yogurts, cheeses, pasture-raised pork, grass-fed beef, non-GMO local chicken, sweet and savory pies, honey, jams, fresh eggs, organic baby food, sauces, ethnic foods and artisan crafts. Don’t miss out visiting our market. Accepting applications for new vendors; please email oldrochesterfarmersmarket@gmail.com.

White Sharks in the North Atlantic

on

Marion Natural History Museum presents “White Sharks in the North Atlantic” with Dr. Greg Skomal, Senior Marine Fisheries Scientist, MA Marine Fisheries. Despite its well-established presence in the North Atlantic, the white shark is not considered an abundant species and efforts to study its life history and ecology have been hampered by the inability of researchers to predictably encounter these sharks. However, with the protection of marine mammals over the last 40 years, the western North Atlantic gray seal population has rebounded and there is strong evidence that white sharks have expanded their foraging strategies to include active predation on these animals off Cape Cod, MA. For the first time, researchers have predictable access to white sharks in the North Atlantic. This presentation will highlight the results of this research. The program will be on June 10 from 7:00 to 8:00 pm at the Marion Music Hall, 164 Front Street, Marion. Cost is $8 for members and $10 for nonmembers. Marion Natural History Museum phone 508-748-2098, www.Marionmuseum.org.

Narcan Training at UCT

on

A community collaboration sponsored by the AIDS Support Group of Cape Cod and the Bourne Substance Free Coalition will be held at Upper Cape Tech, which is located at 220 Sandwich Road in Bourne, on Tuesday, May 24 at 6:00 pm. The training will be conducted at no cost by the AIDS Support Group of Cape Cod and is open to the public.

Narcan, whose generic name is Naloxone, is an opiate antidote and can reverse a potentially fatal overdose until help arrives; however, to purchase it your pharmacy needs a standing order or you need a prescription from a doctor, and you need to have participated in a training session. This program will provide that training and certification. Free Naloxone kits may be available on a limited basis at the end of the training.

If you have an active user in your household, are a user yourself, own a business where an overdose could potentially occur, or just want to learn more, this training is for you. Attendance and information about who receives training in using Naloxone is kept in strict confidence. Each person who is trained receives a code number that indicates that they have been trained and are certified to keep and administer Naloxone.

Opioid overdose is one of the leading causes of death in Massachusetts; in fact, overdose deaths from opiate drugs in Massachusetts now exceed deaths from car accidents. The victims of overdose due to opioids are getting younger. Cape Cod has experienced an epidemic of overdoses. Examples of opioids include Heroin, OxyContin, Methadone, Fentanyl, Morphine and many prescription pain medications. Naloxone blocks the opioid’s effects and restores normal breathing when sprayed into the nose of someone who has overdosed. It is safe, easy to administer and has no potential for abuse.

Anyone can attend this life-saving training, which will be completed in less than one hour. Attendees will learn about risks for overdose, how to recognize an overdose, how to respond to an overdose situation, and how to administer Naloxone.

This training may help save the life of someone you love.

Please RSVP the number of people attending (names not needed) to Elizabeth Griffin at 508-759-7711 ext. 248.

‘No’ to Alcohol at ORR Farmers’ Market

on

The Old Rochester Regional School Committee denied a request from Running Brook Vineyard & Winery to sell wine at the Old Rochester Summer Farmers’ Market that takes place at the ORR school grounds on Tuesday afternoons June through October.

The winery received state approval to sell its wine products at farmers’ markets; however, venues and towns maintain the right to approve or deny the request. On May 11 during the school committee meeting, Superintendent Doug White expressed his own concerns about selling wine on school property.

“The time of day that they’re trying to do this,” said White, “there are still students on the grounds. For me, having alcohol on the school premises when we still have school activities and things going on is a little concerning … I’d be cautious to go down this path to do that at this particular time. But it is up to you as a school board…”

Right away, School Committee member Cynthia Johnson opposed the idea.

“I would not support the proposal to sell wine at the farmers’ market for just the reasons that Superintendent White articulated,” Johnson said.

Vice Chairman Cheryl Hebert concurred. “I think it could pose a risk.”

“It’s a lovely farmers’ market,” said Johnson. “Certainly, there are lots of opportunities for people to sample and purchase wine outside the ORR facilities.”

Johnson made a cumbersome motion in the negative to not authorize the request to sell wine, which generated some discussion before a vote, including modifying the request to allow the wine for school vacation months only.

“I think it’s really confusing to say you can do it this time but not that time,” said Hebert. “For me, it’s you can do it or you can’t do it.”

Committee member Tina Rood supported allowing the restriction of selling wine for the month of July only, saying, “You can try it out, see what happens,” she said. “There are no students here in July.”

White interjected, clarifying that the winery not only wished to sell its wine, but also provide samplings of wine.

“To think that you have open liquor or wine on the premises of a school,” said White. “It would be one thing if it were never opened and it was here, but I think you start to get some concern about the fact that people would actually be sampling it on your grounds.”

Rood replied, “It’s probably not the right fit because we have policies against alcohol on the premises so it’s just not worth it.”

Johnson rephrased her motion to deny the request, which passed in a 4-2 vote, with Ouellette and Peter LeBrun opposed to denying the request.

The next meeting of the Old Rochester Regional School Committee is scheduled for June 8 at 6:30 pm in the ORRJHS media room.

By Jean Perry

 

Margaret Anne Palm

on

Margaret Anne Palm, known as “Peggy” to friends and “Dee” to family, was born to Kathleen and Joseph Breen on April 5th, 1955 in Antigonish, Nova Scotia, Canada. She died at home on May 22, 2016 surrounded by her family. Throughout her life, Peggy cared for those around her with loving-kindness. As the first of eight children, she helped to raise her four brothers and three sisters. Her father ran a small lumber mill; her grandfather Peter Breen said that, “the Breens have sawdust in their blood.”

Margaret was the first person in her family to attend college. She graduated from St. Francis Xavier University with a Bachelor of Arts in Education. As a student at St. FX, she met her husband Mark W. Palm, of Beverly, Massachusetts. She and Mark were married in 1979 and moved to Massachusetts where they built their life together. They lived in Beverly before moving to Marion, and later, to Mattapoisett. Nova Scotia always remained in Margaret’s heart, and visiting her family in her homeland of Canada brought her great joy.

She was a strong, devoted, and caring mother, wife, sister, daughter and friend. Her primary job was to ensure that the people she loved were well cared for. Throughout her life, she committed herself to supporting her parents, her siblings, her husband, and most of all, her children. Peggy raised four children: Jonathan, Alan, Jenny and William. She taught them to devote themselves to family and always encouraged them to follow their dreams. She was a consummate homemaker and took pride in keeping a clean, orderly, and love-filled home and a beautiful garden. She designed and decorated homes for her family to gather and celebrate together in Nova Scotia and in Mattapoisett.

Peggy always made those around her feel comfortable by listening attentively and asking thoughtful questions. She had a warm smile and a playful sense of humor. A life-long learner, she pursued a passionate interest in health and wellness. She volunteered her time and resources to support those in need.

Peggy took great joy in the simple things of life: cooking and sharing delicious meals with her family, celebrating holidays and birthdays, dancing all night long, walking in the woods, cruising Buzzards Bay on the family boat, and picking blueberries in the fields of Nova Scotia.

In 2010 Margaret was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer. With the support of her family, Peggy fought heroically to live as long and as well as possible. Through her courage, perseverance, and love for life, she was able to celebrate the weddings of two of her children and the birth of three grandchildren. Her strength will forever serve as an inspiration for her family.

Margaret is remembered with love and survived by her husband Mark W. Palm; her son Jonathan Mark Palm and his wife Marcie and their children Avery and Oskar; her son Alan Breen Palm and his wife Maya; her daughter Jennifer Dee Crepeau and her husband Peter and their daughter Oliva Dee Crepeau; her son William Joseph Palm and his partner Mollie; her parents Joseph and Kathleen Breen; her brother Ronnie Breen and his wife Lisa; her brother Chis Breen and his wife Vanessa; her brother Joseph Allen Breen; her sister Debbie Arsenault and her husband Francis; her sister Elaine Berry and her husband Paul; and her sister Karen Langille and her husband Al. Margaret was pre-deceased by her brother Paul Breen in 1985.

Her Visiting hours will be on Tuesday from 4-8 PM in the Saunders-Dwyer Mattapoisett Home For Funerals, 50 County Rd. (Rt. 6) Mattapoisett. For directions and guestbook, please visit www.saundersdwyer.com.

Boys’ Tennis Perfect in Conference

on

Faced with the task of rising to the top of the SCC and beating Dighton-Rehoboth, Bulldog boys’ tennis succeeded with a 5-0 sweep, a result that has become incredibly common this season. In addition, girls’ tennis, boys’ lacrosse, both track teams, and softball produced winning records this week.

            Baseball: The Bulldogs got an exciting challenge on Tuesday with a game against non-conference Barnstable High. Despite leading 2-0 after four frames, ORR lost 3-2. Senior pitcher Bryant Salkind spun a good game, while juniors Kyle Brezinski (RBI single) and Sam Henrie (RBI triple) provided run support. The boys came back home to face D-R on Friday, losing 5-0 as their bats stayed cold. Junior Will Hopkins pitched well even as he took the loss. The team had another non-conference game – against Coyle-Cassidy – on Saturday morning. In a shootout, seesaw battle, the ‘Dogs dropped their third in a row, losing 16-15 in nine innings. Despite pitching problems, Brezinski & Co. improved their offensive game over the prior two contests. The junior rapped four hits, while both sophomore Jake Asiaf and senior Jacob Fluegel had three hits and three RBIs. This week, the Bulldogs play road games against Wareham (Monday night) and GNB Voc-Tech (Wednesday), with an away tilt against the Bourne Canalmen on Tuesday thrown in. The team will return home to play Apponequet on Friday afternoon.

            Softball: The Lady Bulldogs started things off last week against Bourne at home on Monday in a rescheduled game and enjoyed a 5-4 comeback win powered by timely hitting. They remained at home on Thursday to play non-conference Diman Voc and continued their good fortune with an 8-4 win. Junior Hannah Guard and sophomore Sophie Hubbard combined for six RBIs behind solid pitching from senior Deianeira Underhill, who got the win. They had a quick turnaround to play D-R on the road on Friday afternoon, a game they lost 14-1. Junior Olivia Labbe had a single and scored the sole run in the loss. This week, the Lady ‘Dogs play Wareham on the road on Monday night before continuing on to play the GNB Voc-Tech Lady Bears away on Wednesday. After another road game on Thursday at Hastings Middle School against Fairhaven, the girls will come back home to face Apponequet on Friday afternoon.

Boys’ Lacrosse: The Bulldogs began their week at home against conference rival GNB Voc-Tech on Monday. They won easily, 13-3, to continue their march towards a piece of the SCC title. On Wednesday, they traveled to Dighton-Rehoboth to play the Falcons, winning 19-3 over the fairly new program. Ten different players scored in the rout, topped by junior Landon Gougen’s four goals and three assists. Fellow junior Pat Saltmarsh also scored three, while sophomores Alex Lorenz and Kyle Gillis and freshman Owen Powers scored two each. The team has a pair of non-conference games this week: home against rare ORR opponent Archbishop Williams on Wednesday and away at Sandwich High on Friday.

            Girls’ Lacrosse: The Lady Bulldogs’ lone game last week was on the road versus non-conference Sandwich High on Friday afternoon. They lost a 13-9 battle against a tough competitor, backed by five goals from sophomore Alexandra Hulsebosch. Sophomore Madison Cooney scored two while senior Sarah Ryan had a goal and an assist. This week, the girls face Sandwich again, this time at home on Monday.

            Boys’ Track: On Monday, the Bulldogs started off their week by facing the Apponequet Lakers. As usual, juniors Danny Renwick and Eli Spevack led the Bulldogs’ charge in a 95-41 win. Renwick won the 200m (23.2), 110m hurdles (16.1), and high jump (6-0). Spevack won the 400m hurdles (59.2) and the triple jump (39-5.5). Other winners were the 4×100 relay team, junior Matt Merlo (discus), senior James Estudante (shot put), and senior Shane Desousa (100m). Over the weekend, top athletes participated in the Loucks Games in White Plains, NY. One of the strongest performances was given by the 4x100m team of Desousa, sophomore Elijah McAllister, junior Jacob Cafarella, and senior Will Santos. Renwick and Spevack also performed well in the 110m hurdles. The anticipated SCC Championship meet will take place on Friday at Apponequet, after a tri-meet against GNB Voc-Tech and Seekonk on Tuesday.

            Girls’ Track: The Lady Bulldogs were up against Apponequet on Monday. Senior Zoe Smith had another huge day, solidifying a 111-25 win by taking an amazing four events: the 100m, 100m hurdles, high jump, and triple jump. Sophomore Caroline Murphy contributed in a big way by winning the 400m hurdles (69.9) and the long jump (14-6.75). Other winners included junior Avery Nugent (mile), senior Madeline Meyer (2 mile), sophomore Libby Mitchell (discus), and junior Kelsey Holick (shot put.) Some of the team’s top runners went to White Plains, NY over the weekend to participate in the Loucks Games. The 4×400 team consisting of sophomores Rachel Demmer and Caroline Murphy, and seniors Nicole Mattson and Nina Bourgeois excelled on Friday. In addition, Smith ran very well in the 100m hurdles. After a tri-meet versus Seekonk and GNB Voc-Tech on Tuesday, most of the team’s athletes will run at Apponequet in the SCC Championship on Friday.

            Boys’ Tennis: The guys were on the road to play Seekonk on Monday. It was yet another sweep, as sophomore Sam Pasquill and juniors Caleb Jagoda and Alex Bilodeau all won their matches. The doubles pairings (junior Josh Lerman and sophomore Jahn Pothier; juniors Colin O’Malley and Max Asker) also came out on top to clinch the 5-0 victory. Next, the ‘Dogs traveled to play rival Case at Veterans’ Memorial Park in a rescheduled game on Tuesday. Bilodeau, Pasquill, and Asker were the singles winners in a 5-0 sweep. They were aided by doubles wins from Lerman/Pothier and junior Maxxon Wolski, who played with freshman Geoffrey Noonan. They played Wareham on Wednesday. They went back to their usual singles triumvirate of Pasquill, Bilodeau, and Jagoda, who were all victorious as part of another 5-0 sweep. The doubles pairings in the win were composed of Wolski/Noonan and Lerman/Pothier. Their next match was away, against the Bourne Canalmen, on Thursday. Bilodeau, Noonan, and Pasquill handled the singles matches, as Lerman/Pothier and Asker/O’Malley were the winning doubles duos. Finally, the team had a home game against previously unbeaten D-R on Friday. Fielding the same lineup they used to beat Wareham, the Bulldogs swept the Falcons 5-0 to gain SCC supremacy, for the time being. This week, the ‘Dogs are away at Apponequet (Monday) before coming home to play non-conference Pope John Paul II (Wednesday) and Case (Thursday.) They finish their week at D-R when they play the Falcons on Friday.

            Girls’ Tennis: The Lady Bulldogs were home to begin the week against the Lady Warriors of Seekonk. Seniors Morgan Middleton and Olivia Bellefeuille (who won 6-0, 6-0) took victories in the singles again, joined by freshman Delaney Pothier. Both doubles pairings (juniors Emma Collings and Sophie Church; juniors Katelyn Bindas and Alexis Parker) were winners to capture a 5-0 victory. They remained at home on Tuesday in a make-up game against Case. Once again, Middleton, Pothier, and Bellefeuille were singles winners. Collings/Church and Bindas/Parker also stayed on as the doubles teams, and that proved to be the proper recipe for another 5-0 win. They resumed quickly on Wednesday to play Wareham High. Pothier and Parker stepped up to join Bellefeuille at singles in a 5-0 win. Sophomore Grace Filloramo got her chance at doubles, winning with Delaney Soucy as part of another 5-0 win. On Thursday, the girls’ game against Bourne on the road was canceled and pushed back to May 17. The Lady Bulldogs have another very busy week; they are up against non-conference Bishop Stang on the road on Monday before coming home to play Apponequet and Bourne in a two-match day on Tuesday. The girls then play back-to-back road matches against non-conference Pope John Paul II on Wednesday and Case (at Veterans’ Memorial Park) on Thursday.

            Below are the overall spring team records, followed by the conference records in wins, losses, and ties as of May 15.

Baseball: (7-4-0)(7-2-0); Softball: (6-9-0)(5-7-0); Boys’ Track: (5-1-0)(4-1-0); Girls’ Track: (6-0-0)(5-0-0); Boys’ Lacrosse: (9-3-0)(9-1-0); Girls’ Lacrosse: (10-4-0)(6-2-0); Boys’ Tennis: (9-1-0)(9-0-0); Girls’ Tennis: (9-1-0)(8-1-0).

By Patrick Briand

 

2016 Mattapoisett Town Scholarships

on

Congratulations to Alexis Sweeney and Jane Kassabian, recipients of the Mattapoisett Town Scholarships for 2016. Each of these young scholars will receive $1,000 to help defray expenses: Alexis at Salem State and Jane at Notre Dame. We congratulate them and wish them well in their future endeavors.

The committee would like to remind everyone that the funds for the scholarships are made available through the generous donations of townspeople. Anyone who would like to donate to this fund may do so by making a check payable to the Town of Mattapoisett Scholarship Fund and dropping it off at the town hall.

Marion Recreation Summer Programs Guide

on

Marion Recreation began rolling out its summer program guide and it is filled with activities for participants of all ages. Silvershell Summer Camp, a new Silvershell Teen Camp, basketball, tennis, sailing, swimming and more are all included in this year’s planned offerings. Registration has already begun and space is first come first served, so don’t delay. A full program guide is available for pick up at the Marion Town House, 2 Spring Street, Marion or by visiting Marion Recreation, 13 Atlantis Drive, Marion. Also the full guide is available digitally on the recreation website at www.marionrecreation.com. Contact Marion Recreation for more information.

Bake Sale

on

Homemade baked goods will be on sale at Lloyd’s Market in Rochester on Saturday, May 28 starting at 10:00 am. Pies, cookies, cupcakes, brownies, Pup Cakes (for Dogs) and more – made by members of Sippican Pomona Grange that includes area granges from Rochester, Acushnet and S. Middleboro – will be available. The Grange is a family organization whose focus is in agriculture, community issues and services.