MWC Pie & Bake Sale

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On Saturday, July 20, as part of the Mattapoisett Lions Club’s annual Harbor Days Festival, the Mattapoisett Woman’s Club’s will offer its annual homemade Pie and Pastry Sale under the Lions Club’s Big White Tent. The event runs from 9 am until all the items are sold.

            You are guaranteed to find that a delicious selection of homemade pies, breads, muffins, and cookies is available to take home with you, all of which will tickle your taste buds.

            The Pie and Bake Sale is a rain or shine event with all proceeds benefitting the Mattapoisett Woman’s Club’s Scholarship Fund, public programs and community outreach. For questions, more information, or a membership application, please go to www.mattapoisettwomansclub.org.

ORR Puts Money Where Its Math Is

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Old Rochester Regional Superintendent of Schools Mike Nelson said Assistant Superintendent of Teaching & Learning Dr. Shari Fedorowicz had to move quickly to prepare a presentation to the June 12 public meeting of the ORR School Committee.

            The resultant FY24 vote enacted approval of a $105,000 grant for investment in the Amplify Desmos Math Curriculum. The grant was accepted by the committee in February, but ORR had to choose between English Language Arts (ELA) and Mathematics.

            “We determined the highest need to be math,” said Fedorowicz, whose focus is on algebra materials. A collaborative effort involving demonstration, review and feedback led to the approval of the Amplify Desmos Math Curriculum for Grades 7 and 8 Algebra.

            The School Committee approved the Student Handbook for the 2024-25 school year. Before the vote, respective ORRHS and ORRJH Assistant Principals Vanessa Harvey and Kelly Chouinard summarized changes for the handbook, which will henceforth discipline plagiarism related to artificial intelligence.

            Another wrinkle is the policy affecting Grade 8 students who earn spots on high school sports teams. Because fundraising is conducted at the high school level, eighth graders are by statewide policy not allowed to play varsity sports, except in the case where there is no junior-varsity team (ORRHS Principal Mike Devoll listed softball as an example). In that case, a Grade 8 student who makes the squad becomes eligible to play varsity as the lowest available level, per the MIAA, Devoll confirmed.

            Committee member Frances-Feliz Kearns brought to the committee’s attention a potential problem in a Student Handbook section addressing bullying that as written could indicate that the school committee (as well as the student) would receive counseling. Chouinard said she would research the matter and report back to the committee.

            In her Chairperson’s Report, Michelle Smith stressed everyone’s part in the team effort it takes to have a successful school year. In recalling a letter she wrote as a high school student that was published in her local newspaper, Smith talked about what she learned about different funding sources and told the committee it’s important to continue working toward grant funding and that all students have a voice.

            The ORR School Committee voted to approve the request from the Old Rochester Youth Football to use the main field on four Sundays across September and October with five games on each day.

            “We love having Bulldogs on campus of all ages, they are great and respectful neighbors,” said Devoll, who characterized ORYF leadership as “super responsive” to cancelations for weather reasons, which is the district’s main concern. He even suggested a five-year deal so the league wouldn’t have to apply on an annual basis. Member April Nye echoed Devoll’s sentiments in recommending ongoing approval.

            Member Jim Muse sought and received clarification that weather-related cancellation decisions rest with ORR Administration and not the youth football league.

            The vote approved ORYF to use the main field on four Sundays for the 2024-25 academic year.

            Late in the meeting during subcommittee reports, Nelson updated the committee on a $750,000 approval received from the state Department of Education for ORR’s athletic fields. Nelson recognized Representative Bill Straus’ advocacy in securing the funds.

            The ORR School Committee heard an update on the School Improvement Plans from Devoll and ORRJH Principal Silas Coellner. As principals, they also delivered end-of-year thoughts on the growth and achievement of their students.

            The School Committee approved the following donations: $500 from the Emma Whittaker Fund for the ORR swim team, one 2×7-foot Best Communities for Music Education banner from Denise Conton to the ORRJH Music Department, 12 250-milliliter Erlenmeyer flasks, seven 250-milliliter beakers and eight, 150-milliliter beakers from Mattapoisett resident and registered medical technologist Stephen Likos, a cornet and a Flugelhorn from the Symphony Music Shop to the ORRJH Music Department, 15 copies of “The Odyssey” and 15 copies of “Romeo and Juliet” from parents Michelle and Michael Kelly for the high school, and OpenSciEd kits (6.2 Thermal Energy for Grade 7, 7.3 Metabolic Reactions for Grade 8, and general classroom supplies for Grades 7 and 8 from OpenSciEd).

            The committee approved the following grants: Vacation Acceleration Academies Grant of $66,000, from the Tri-Town Education Foundation Fund $2,000 to Andrew Apperson, ORRHS (Intra-school) for ORRHS Disc Golf Course, $3,000 to Richard Laprise, ORRJH (Intra-School and Cross Curriculum) for Sounds of the Tri-Town (Guest Artist Collaboration for Original Composition and Performances) and $897.65 to Kelly Ochoa, ORRHS for World Language Curriculum Enhancement.

            The committee approved the 2024-25 School Committee meeting schedule based on Thursdays: September 5, October 10, 2024, (Tuesday) November 5, December 12, February 27, 2025, March 27, 2025 and May 22, 2025.

            The committee voted to approve the SMEC lease for the 2024-25 School Year but will add two spaces to accommodate secondary-level education.

            There was no Food Service report, but Nelson publicly recognized Jill Henesey for her work during the school year.

            Books were donated to the school libraries honoring retiring faculty, including Junior High Severe Disabilities teacher Mary Caine, paraprofessional Shirley O’Connor and Junior High physical education teacher Karen Horan.

            Early in the meeting, Devoll announced that Student Representative Jamison Gunschel (Class of 2024) and rising senior Emerson Gonet were sworn into Governor Maura Healey’s Advisory Committee.

            “No surprise to me, we have the outgoing senior class president and the rising senior class president. Both are doing great things at the school and now at the state level,” said Devoll, who said their accomplishment is a first for ORR students.

            Kelly Quinlan was also recognized for her rare feat of a 200-goal, lacrosse career at the high school. Devoll noted Quinlan’s comeback from a serious knee injury. “It didn’t stop her from being a great teammate, leader, player.”

            ORR recognized another district first in that lacrosse goaltender Tessa Winslow became the first ORR student to serve on the Massachusetts Interscholastic Athletic Association’s (MIAA) Advisory Committee.

            “She represented not only Old Rochester but our part of the state at the MIAA on a monthly basis,” said Devoll. Winslow has 600 career saves heading into her senior year.

            Caroline Brogioli was also recognized as the multisport athlete brings 100 goals into her senior year.

            Gunschel said all the events related to the senior class were successful, and he recommended that graduation exercises maintain the briefer format adopted for 2024. Smith thanked Gunschel for his work on the committee.

            Smith recognized outgoing member Jason Chisholm of Rochester for his three-year term serving on the committee.

            The next meeting of the ORR School Committee is scheduled for Thursday, September 5, at 6:30 pm in the ORRJH Music room and accessible via remote.

ORR School Committee

By Mick Colageo

How Much Water Do You Need?

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It depends!

            Water truly is life – we can go without eating for weeks and survive but get very sick if we do not get adequate water for a few days.

            You are doubtless familiar with “rules” such as the need to drink 8 glasses of water a day. The problem with relying on such simple rules is that the real answer truly is “it depends.”

            A man who is 6-foot-5 and weighs 205 pounds needs more water than a woman who is 5-4 and weighs 110.

            It is currently sunny and pushing 90 degrees F. Walking up to get the mail left me sweating. We clearly need more water under these conditions than we do when it is 65 and shady.

            People doing physical work outdoors in the heat need more water than those sitting at desks in air-conditioned offices.

            “Water” includes most other liquids such as herbal tea and fruit juice – but not caffeinated drinks or alcohol, which tend to pull water out of the body.

            Finally, and perhaps less obvious, we do not get water only by drinking. Many foods, particularly fruits and vegetables, contain significant amounts of water. Our habitual diet will change the amount of water we need.

            Then how do you know how much water to drink? A simple, reliable way to assess this is to look at your urine. If your urine is dilute – clear to pale yellow in color – you are adequately hydrated. If your urine is closer to apple juice than lemonade in color, you are dehydrated and need to drink more.

            If your urine is very dark, you ought to seek medical attention, as you may need intravenous fluids.

            Do not depend on thirst as your sole indicator. If you are thirsty, you are probably somewhat dehydrated, but lack of thirst is not as reliable as the color of your urine.

            So: drink up!

            Edward Hoffer MD is Associate Professor of Medicine, part-time, at Harvard.

What Does The Doctor Say?

By Dr. Edward Hoffer

From the Files of the Rochester Historical Society

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Some of the earliest toys in colonial New England, including Rochester, were dolls. The three dolls shown in the picture would have been home made using readily available material. The yarn doll on the right could be put together quickly with leftover yarn. This would not be one of the earliest dolls as it first required sheep or some other source of wool and a spinning wheel.

            The doll on the left is made of corn husks. These dolls were first seen by settlers in the hands of young girls who were part of the few remaining clusters of Native Americans, still in the lands that the proprietors purchased in 1679. These dolls are fashioned out of actual corn husks that have been soaked in water to make them easier to work with.

            Cathy Phinney, one of our living history reenactors, at the Historic Fair in June, made this doll and others in the manner of a colonial housewife.

            The middle doll answers a question from an earlier article. That article had an accompanying picture of a house decorated for Halloween. Among the decorations were cloth ghosts. The doll in our exhibit is not a ghost, but a “church doll”. The making of both the ghosts and the church dolls is similar, though the dolls often had more detail.

            Colonial Sabbath services were all-day affairs with a break in the middle of the day for a chance to eat and do a bit of socializing. There were no special Sunday schools for children who were expected to sit quietly through the long hours. Some mothers made small dolls out of a triangle of cloth (the size of a handkerchief) to provide a quiet diversion, hence the name “church doll”.

            If you haven’t yet had a chance to visit our new exhibit, I hope you watch for an opportunity to do so. You can always get in touch with us (sash48@ comcast.net or eshbach2@aol.com) to schedule a visit for yourself or a group. I want to belatedly thank the Rochester Scouts and the Wareham Minutemen Militia for their part in making our Historic Fair with a Colonial Flair a success.

By Connie Eshbach

Mattapoisett Woman’s Club’s “Taste of Mattapoisett”

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On Tuesday, July 16, from 5:00 to 7:00 pm, the Mattapoisett Woman’s Club’s will host its 20th annual Taste of Mattapoisett event under the Lions Club’s tent in Mattapoisett’s Shipyard Park. Come enjoy delicious creations of local restaurants, roam the quaint village area, and explore the historic wharves that are all part of the park.

            This rain-or-shine event features Mattapoisett’s finest dining locations offering their delectable signature dishes. Included are such delights as their steaming hot chowder, shrimp, sliders, mac & cheese, pizza and more. Come early for the best selection. Payments will be accepted via credit, debit, or PayPal.

            Showstoppers will provide entertainment throughout the evening, so bring your blankets, beach towels, and lawn chairs to enjoy a great sampling of songs. Come sit down with us, relax, see old friends, make new ones and enjoy a beautiful evening.

            Avoid parking problems and hop the free shuttle bus service that will be running from 4:30 to 7:00 pm between the parking lots at St. Anthony’s Church and the Mattapoisett Town Beach to/from Shipyard Park.

            All proceeds from A Taste of Mattapoisett benefit the Mattapoisett Woman’s Club’s Scholarship Fund, public programs and community outreach. For questions or membership in the Mattapoisett Woman’s Club, go to www.mattapoisettwomansclub.org/info.

Academic Achievements

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Gracey Weedall of Marion graduated from Emmanuel College on Saturday, May 18, 2024, during the College’s 102nd Commencement Exercises on its campus in Boston. Weedall received a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology with a concentration in Counseling & Health during the ceremony.

            Brielle Fernandes of Rochester has been named to the MassBay Community College President’s List. Fernandes, who studies Radiologic Technology, achieved this outstanding academic honor for the Spring 2024 Semester.

            Drew Mastovsky of Marion, Holyn Turner of Mattapoisett, and Zachary Zutaut of Rochester, have been named to the Spring 2024 Dean’s List at Roger Williams University in Bristol, R.I. Full-time students who complete 12 or more credits per semester and earn a GPA of 3.4 or higher are placed on the Dean’s List that semester.

            Braden R. Macdonald, a graduate of Taft School in Watertown, Conn, was inducted into the Naval Academy Class of 2028 on June 27, marking the beginning of six challenging weeks of basic midshipman training during Plebe Summer.

            As defending champions in the American Society of Engineering Education’s (ASEE) Robotics Competition, Cedarville University’s team of engineering students put its title on the line when it competed in the 2024 competition in Portland, Oregon and emerged victorious. This year’s team includes team captain, Jacob Potheir of Rochester.

            Katherine Solowey, of Mattapoisett, has been named to the Dean’s List at Hamilton College for the spring 2024 semester.

Oh, to Be A Billionaire

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Save your money. You can stop throwing your hard-earned dollars away on lottery tickets. They are passé. You can skip the weekly (daily?) trip to the convenience store to place your bet. I have a surefire winning formula to become rich. Not just millionaire rich, but billionaire rich!

            It won’t cost you a penny. The government is arranging for your largesse to arrive. Here’s the deal.

            A while ago, NASA launched a space mission to capture an asteroid named 16 Psyche. It is not just any old asteroid. It is 173 miles across and 144 miles wide, which is about 64,000 square miles or the size of the state of Florida.

            Why travel 2,500,000,000 miles and wait five years until 2029 to capture this monster, you may ask? Because the scientists believe it is rich in the minerals iron, gold and nickel. They estimate its value at (are you sitting down?) $10,000,000,000,000,000,000! That’s 10 million, million, million dollars or $10 quintillion simoleons.

            If they do capture it, mine it and return the motherload back to earth, they say every person on earth would become a billionaire. Unfortunately, NASA has announced that their intention is not to mine the treasure, but only to study it. Bummer.

            There goes my get-rich-quick scheme. Still one can dream, can’t one?

            What would I do with a billion dollars? Well, I’ll tell you what I wouldn’t do, I wouldn’t buy a bunch of mansions and five vintage cars like Edwin Castro did in California. He won a billion-dollar lottery prize in 2022. His neighbors at one of his $25,000,000 mansions are Leonardo DiCaprio and Ariana Grande. I’m sure they wouldn’t want me as their neighbor … nor I them. I understand they throw big parties, and I’m not a big party guy.

            Let me see, if I splurged and spent a million dollars a day, it would take 1,000 days or 2.7 years to go broke. I’d be better off putting it in a savings account, but only $250,000 is insured so that wouldn’t be very smart. If I took the billion in ones, it would be a stack 68 miles high, too big to stash under my pillow.

            I could buy Tom Brady’s new 30,000 square-foot house. My current house is 1,400 square feet. I’d get lost in his for sure. No, that’s out. How about an island? I saw one on Google just off the coast of Greece that’s going for $43,300,000. Naw, too far away. Something a bit closer would be more to my liking. Say, one in the Caribbean that is listed for $29,000,000. I’d still need a plane to get there. I heard one rich billionaire who recently held high office is selling a 757 jet for the small sum of $100,000,000. I guess he needs the money.

            Maybe, a yacht would fit the bill. A Russian oligarch’s former boat is on the market for a cool $263,000,000. Even if I had a billion dollars, that’s too rich for me just to get to a Caribbean Island. I was brought up to be very frugal.

            It occurs to me, if NASA were to make every person on the planet a billionaire, who’d clean my mega mansion … not me! Who’d fly my jet or sail my yacht? Who’d grow our food, make our cars and clothing. Who’d make anything? Everyone would just sit around with nothing to do except count their money.

            That would get boring fast.

            Hey NASA, go ahead keep your asteroid. I am happy buying lottery tickets even if I never win.

            Mattapoisett resident Dick Morgado is an artist and happily retired writer. His newspaper columns appeared for many years in daily newspapers around Boston.

Thoughts on…

By Dick Morgado

Plant Project Waiting on DEP

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Asked during Tuesday’s public meeting by Mattapoisett River Valley Water District Commission member Nick Nicholson to characterize the overall progress of the long-awaited filtering-systems upgrade at the Mattapoisett Water Treatment Plant, Tata & Howard engineer Jon Gregory indicated that the MRV is waiting on the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection.

            “As soon as we have DEP approval, we’re going to go out to bid,” said Gregory, telling the commissioners that the project is at a 95% stage of design. “It’s just a question of procurement … I hope we’ll know a lot more at the next meeting (August 13) where we are with all of that. They (DEP) have everything for review.”

            The designer of the new filtering system, Koch Separation Systems, has been taken over by a company named Kovalus; the MRV is staying the course.

            Commission Chairman Vinnie Furtado offered a sketch of funding history, noting that the MRV was originally denied on its loan application but that Representative William Straus stepped in to advocate for the project with a positive result. A lack of borrowing history since approximately 2006 factored in the delay.

            “It’s just been a litany of things,” said Furtado, who joked that the state is waiting until he retires before allowing the MRV to upgrade the plant that serves four member communities, including Fairhaven, Mattapoisett, Marion and Rochester.

            Asked by commissioner David Pierce regarding production of the new filters, Gregory said that the last time he was in touch with the manufacturer, the project was on schedule. There was “a slight issue” regarding the availability of high-density polyethylene pipe. “Construction will stay on schedule for those filters, as far as we know,” said Gregory.

            In his monthly Tata & Howard report, Gregory told the commission that FY25 chemical bids were opened in June, but that the MRV received no bids for liquid oxygen (bids were received for three other items). The good news, he reported, was that costs for the other items are down from FY24, especially citric acid which has fallen from $1.69 per pound in FY24 to a current price of $0.90 per pound.

            Where it concerns equipment procurement and SRF funding, Gregory anticipates a $987,750 reimbursement from MassDEP.

            In his Treatment Plant Operations Update, Henri Renauld discussed a compressor repair and said the facility ran on power from a generator while running a test for a switch. He said Fall River Electric repaired subsequent issues.

            “We’re moving a lot of water … everything’s holding up fairly well,” said Renauld, referencing issues with the control board but noting that “everything seems to be working well.”

            The MRV Water Supply Protection Advisory Committee, which meets for a half-hour before the MRV Water District Commission – the separate entities’ memberships overlap almost entirely – plans to reach out and offer data and assistance to Michelle Tinger, principal environmental planner at the Southeastern Regional Planning & Economic Development District (SRPEDD) regarding her June 28 letter to the committee.

            SRPEDD is involved in a grant-funded Groundwater Modeling Study of the Mattapoisett River Watershed. As the letter explains, the agency received funding from the state Division of Ecological Restoration to begin preliminary work to better understand how groundwater and surface water flow between the neighboring Mattapoisett River and Assawompset Ponds Complex (APC) watersheds.

            Described by Gregory as a preliminary modeling tool primarily focused on Snipatuit Pond’s waterflow dynamics, presumably a key to understanding the divide between the two watersheds. Rochester-based engineer Rick Charon explained that SRPEDD’s involvement was requested by Rochester Town Planner Nancy Durfee.

            “They’re trying to figure out if there is contribution from the Snipatuit Pond into the Quittacas (ponds),” said Charon, indicating that there is some dredging going on. He noted that the pond enjoyed a productive herring run this year and that SRPEDD is trying to encourage the herring migration.

            MRV counsel Blair Bailey said that depending on the people and residencies one talks to, the water flows in both directions. Identifying a main concern that any research conducted without the MRV’s tends to get used without important background information and historical data. He suggested the MRV reach out to SRPEDD and offer to help. “You’re better to be in the loop than out of it, is my point,” he said.

            Vinnie Furtado proposed reach out to Tinger to offer MRV data and assistance.

            The commission heard a report from Renauld of paid invoices totaling $123,991.08 and voted to approve chemical bills totaling $43,728.04 and two other invoices, including Hub Insurance at slightly over $30,000 and $150 for legal counsel. Renauld said the commission has approximately $91,000 in insurance claims related to a repaired transfer switch at the water treatment plant.

            MRV Water Supply Protection Advisory Committee Treasurer Jeff Furtado was unavailable to attend Tuesday’s meeting because he was attending to water-main break in Fairhaven. Invoices approved for payment included a $1,506.45 invoice from Tata & Howard for water-monitoring services.

            In his Tata & Howard report to the committee, Gregory said he is waiting on additional graphs from Megan McCarthy and that there are no issues with river-monitoring equipment. Gregory said a 2023 Hydrologic River Monitoring Report should be ready in August.

            The next meeting of the MRV Water District Commission/Water Supply Protection Advisory Committee is scheduled for Tuesday, August 13, at 3:30 pm (committee) and 4:00 pm (commission).

MRV Water District Commission/Water Supply Protection Advisory Committee

By Mick Colageo

Upcoming Events at the Elizabeth Taber Library

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Join us for all ages story times all summer long, every Saturday at 10:30 am, and for Yoga for all ages every Tuesday at 9:30 am.

            Meet some farm animals up close with Pine Meadows petting zoo Thursday, July 11 at 2 pm on the Library Lawn. All welcome.

            Learn about the weird, silly, gross, (but scientific) world of poop with Sally Maguire’s renowned Poop Museum, Monday July 15 at 3 pm at the library. At The Poop Museum everyone learns amazing and fun facts about human, animal and insect poop.

            Join us for Puppets, Paul & Mary Puppet Show at the Marion Music Hall Wednesday July 31 at 2 pm. “You, Me, Trees & the Sea” with Puppets, Paul & Mary, is a musical and interactive puppet variety show sure to entertain children and adults from 2-100 years old. Songs, stories, and audience participation will keep you and your littles entertained through the entire show. This program is supported by a grant from the Marion Cultural Council, a local agency which is supported by the Mass Cultural Council, a state agency.

            For more information on the Elizabeth Taber Library  visit us at www.ElizabethTaberLibrary.org or call us at 508-748-1252

Upcoming Fun Summer Events at Plumb Library

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Do you like pirates? Do you like solving mysteries? Sign up now on our online Events Calendar for Blackbeard’s Bounty on Thursday, July 11 at 6:00 pm. This program is recommended for ages 12 and up but we have opened some spots for ages 10 and 11.

            Come meet Mindy LaBranche, ecologist, and Michelle Kirby, Chair of the Snow’s Pond Association, for a guided nature hike at Church’s Field (86 Mattapoisett Road, Rochester) on Saturday, July 13 from 10:30-11:30 am. This trail passes through a mixed hardwood forest and wetlands and includes the Mattapoisett River. Dress for a hike in the woods – good walking shoes and pants. Bring your tick/insect repellent and binoculars if you have them. This program is for ages 10 and up. Registration is required and limited to 20 participants.

            The Wareham Gatemen are coming back on Saturday, July 20 from 10:15-11:00 am, and no registration for this event is required. Stop by to listen to several Wareham Gatemen read a story, share their own stories, and answer questions. Weather permitting, this event will be held outdoors and players will play catch with attendees. Bring your glove and something to autograph.

            Find out more by following us on Facebook or Instagram, or visit our website: www.plumblibrary.com/whats-happening