Robert K. Kirkland

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Robert K. Kirkland, 83, of Mattapoisett died Sunday, September 21, 2025 at Alpine Nursing Home in Coventry, RI, after a period of declining health. He was the husband of the late Barbara M. (Harriman) Kirkland, with whom he shared 34 wonderful and memorable years of marriage.

Born in Natick, MA, son of the late Alexander and Louise (Kelley) Kirkland, he lived in Roslindale and Needham before moving to Mattapoisett where he lived for most of his life.

He was a graduate of Needham High School, Class of 1960.

Bob was formerly employed by NYNEX Corporation for 31 years until his retirement. In retirement, Bob was employed at the Town of Mattapoisett Transfer Station for 11 years.

An active member of the Wareham Lodge of Elks for 55 years, Bob helped with dinners and events at the club. In 1994, he was honored as Elk of the Year.

A well-liked and respected member of the community, Bob enjoyed visiting local bars and restaurants with his wife, Barbara. His warm presence and easy smile will be deeply missed.

He is survived by his sister, Jeanne Kirkland; his brother, Jon Kirkland; his niece, Jessica Lindeman; and his nephew, Donald Kirkland.

He was predeceased by his wife, Barbara; his sister, Elizabeth Segeberg; and his brother, Donald Kirkland.

His Funeral Service will be held on Monday, September 29, 2025 at 11 AM at the Saunders-Dwyer Mattapoisett Home for Funerals, 50 County Rd. (Rt.6), Mattapoisett. Visitation will be Monday from 10-11 AM, prior to the service. Burial will follow in Cushing Cemetery. For directions and guestbook please visit www.saundersdwyer.com.

A Conversation on Housing, Healthcare, Environment

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Newly elected State Representative Mark Sylvia is inviting residents to a community meeting that promises to be both engaging and forward-thinking. The event will take place on Tuesday, October 14, at 6:00 pm at the Mattapoisett Public Library. It will serve as a platform for open dialogue on the issues that matter most to local families, seniors, and workers.

            “In many ways, housing is a key indicator of a healthy community,” Sylvia said recently. With a deep commitment to responsible development, Sylvia will share his vision for expanding affordable housing across the South Coast – ensuring that growing families have room to thrive and seniors can age in place with dignity in livable, community-oriented neighborhoods.

            But housing is just the beginning.

            Representative Sylvia will emphasize the critical importance of prioritizing health care access and affordability. He will openly discuss ways to strengthen the healthcare infrastructure, ensuring it serves everyone more effectively.

            Environmental stewardship will be another key theme of the evening. Sylvia is expected to outline his plans to preserve the region’s natural beauty, combat overdevelopment, and confront the impacts of climate change.

            Representative Sylvia will champion the local industries that define the region’s identity – from fishing and cranberry growing to tourism.

            This is more than a meeting. It’s an invitation to shape the future of the South Coast together on Tuesday, October 14 at 6:00 pm, at the Mattapoisett Public Library, Mattapoisett.

            All residents are encouraged to attend, ask questions, and share their perspectives. Representative Sylvia believes that real leadership begins with listening—and this meeting is just the beginning. For more information, contact: lwvsouthcoast.org or Betty DeBenedictis at 617-722-2800 X 7962.

Renaming Ceremony for Point Road Playground

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Town Administrator Geoffrey Gorman is pleased to share that the Town of Marion is holding a renaming ceremony at the former Point Road Playground at 11:00 am on Friday, September 26.

            The site, now known as Manuel and Felizarda Pina Recreational Park, is located at 983 Point Road, north of Route 6. The park features playground equipment, picnic tables, pickleball courts a basketball court, and tennis courts.

            The property was once part of the many acres of land owned by Manuel and Felizarda Pina, who emigrated from Cape Verde in 1905 and later settled in Marion. The couple raised seven sons, six of whom served in World War II. In 1930, the Pinas sold or gifted the land to the Town of Marion, which later built the Point Road School, an elementary school that primarily served Cape Verdean students. The school building closed in the late 1950s and was eventually demolished.

            The school may have closed in the late 1950s, but the playground continued to serve the community for decades. In 2014, the Town gave the space a significant refresh, adding new equipment and amenities over the following years. Most recently, in 2024, the site underwent a major transformation that included the addition of four pickleball courts.

            That same summer, the Marion Select Board voted to officially rename the park in recognition of the Pina family’s lasting impact on the community and service to the country.

            The September 26 ceremony will feature remarks from family members, including great-granddaughter Rhonda Pina-Mendes, as well as representatives from the Town of Marion and the Sippican Historical Society. A U.S. military chaplain, Col. Paul Barnett, Jr., who is also a member of the Wareham Cape Verdean Community, will deliver an opening and closing benediction.

            “This is such an honor,” said Pina-Mendes. “I am collecting stories about my great-grandparents and about the school that once stood on the property and will include some of those in my speech.”

            She also thanked the Sippican Historical Society for supporting the community’s research into the site’s history and the Pina family’s contributions.

            “We look forward to our renaming ceremony for the former Point Road Playground, now known as Manuel and Felizarda Pina Recreational Park,” said Town Administrator Gorman. “This is a recognition of the great contributions that the Pina family made to this community and this country. It is a fitting honor, and it also reflects the Cape Verdean-American history of the neighborhood. This is an amazing community celebration, bringing us all together, and we look forward to seeing everyone enjoying our newly renamed park.”

Solar Project Hearings Delayed Again

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            In a meeting that delayed again the biggest projects on its docket, the Rochester Conservation Commission Tuesday granted a Certificate of Compliance for the Order of Conditions previously issued on the construction of a new single-family home at 907 High Street.

            The High Street approval vote came swiftly after Conservation Agent Merilee Kelly reported on her inspection of the site. “It looks like it’s been there a long time,” she said. “It fits there next to the bog.” She noted this was the second High Street housing proposal to come before the Conservation Commission since the large development on that street started its planning process.

            The commission then continued again to its next meeting two solar-project hearings, the Notices of Intent for work within wetlands for a ground-mounted solar array in the area of 600 Snipatuit Road and the construction and installation of floating and ground-mounted solar arrays at 53 Dexter Lane, both upon the petitioners’ requests. Both projects were also continued at the commission’s last meeting.

            Kelly said shifting regulations regarding solar projects might be the reason the petitioners need these continuances. Regulators, she added, have asked that the Logging Swamp project be split in two because it is currently too large in scope.

            In other business, Kelly reported that an assessment of the milfoil (invasive-weed) problem at Snipatuit Pond has been scheduled for September 30. She said Town Administrator Cameron Durant has instructed her to learn whether the contractor, Pond Solutions, would consider inspecting the town’s other ponds as well, Snows, Leonard, and Hathaway. She will pursue this possibility with them, she said.

            The next Rochester Conservation Commission meeting will be held on Tuesday, October 7, at 7:00 pm at Town Hall, 1 Constitution Way.

Rochester Conservation Commission

By Michael J. DeCicco

From the Files of the Rochester Historical Society

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After writing about the dances at Dewey Park, I started to think about how important dances have been to the Rochester community and its residents, especially young people. In the mid to late 1800’s, some of the places where teenagers (I don’t think they called them that back then) could socialize were harvest festivals or “Singing and Spelling Schools” where people gathered in competitions. J. Augusts Johnson says in his memoirs that a brave youth might ask a girl if he “might have the pleasure of seeing her home”, from one of these occasions.

            By the 1900’s, dances at places like the Women’s Club and Grange brought young people together, often to participate in square dances. Annie Hartley Gurney kept a diary in her 18th year and in it she makes frequent references to attending dances that were held almost every weekend at one Grange or another. Freetown’s had dances every two weeks and there were frequent dances in Rochester Center and of course, the Rochester Grange hosted square dancing. Annie got to know Ralph Gurney at theses dances and they were married in 1924, 4 years after she started her diary.

            Many people wrote in the Rochester Journals about dances. According to Ruth Fuller. “We built the Grange with card parties and dances.” The last line on the postcard that my grandmother sent to her mother at the start of her teaching career here in1914 was that she was just home from a social evening (dance). As a newcomer to town, it’s no doubt how she eventually met her husband to be, Jim Hartley.

            Dances sparked romance for other couples. Bob and Harriet Sherman’s began when Bob saw her at a Rochester Grange square dance. He invited her to the Mattapoisett square dances held in the summer at the town wharf. There he taught her all the various steps and turns and that led to 70 years of marriage. The square dances were going strong in the 60’s when I was a mother’s helper in Mattapoisett and took my charges to the wharf to watch the dancers.

            I’m sure somewhere there are still square dance groups, but their popularity has diminished over the years. It’s interesting to note thar one part of the Rochester Bicentennial celebration was a square dance demonstration. I wonder if dances continue to be popular in this age of social media. They will always be a good place for actual person to person interaction.

By Connie Eshbach

MAC Theater presents Proof

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MAC Theater Presents Proof by David Auburn and directed by Rick Sherburne. The production will be at the MAC’s Anne Braitmayer Webb Theater at 80 Pleasant Street Marion.

            Catherine has been dealing with a lot. For four years, she has been the sole caretaker for her father, Robert, a genius mathematician who was dealing with mental wellness. After his death, she’s left wondering if her advanced penchant for mathematics indicates an inclination toward mental illness in herself. This concern is shared by her sister, Claire, who encourages her to leave her family home and live with her in New York. Along the way, Catherine becomes involved with Hal, one of her father’s admirers and former students. Catherine is put in the position of proving that some of the mathematical genius left behind in Robert’s office were actually her own work.

            Catherine is played by Emma Peterson, and MAC regular Donn Tyler takes a turn as Robert, Catherine’s father. Oliver Asker returns to the MAC as Hal, and Charlotte Baxter plays Claire. The play is stage-managed by Robert Mahowald, and the technical director is Steve McManus, with Jacob Sherburne as Set Designer.

            The show dates are Friday, Saturday and Sunday from October 10 to October 26. Friday and Saturday curtain time is 7:30 pm and the Sunday matinee starts at 2:00 pm. Tickets are $20 MAC members and $23 for nonmembers More information and bookings are at marionartcenter.org/events/proof.

Mattapoisett Selectmen

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To the Editor;

            After living here for over 50 years as a summer resident, I recently moved back here full time.

            As I love Mattapoisett, I decided to get involved in the local politics to be sure that everything that is done is best for the community.

            I have begun to attend the selectman’s meetings and have been appalled to see how the residents that attend are treated. The chairman in particular has no respect for the attendees. At one point during a remark from the audience, he threatened to close down the meeting as he had the authority to do so.

            The vote to have 5 selectmen in the future has been passed by a majority vote and has been ruled by our state government. It is final and the law now.

            Those who are resisting the will of the people are causing an unnecessary expense of $3500 for a special town meeting on October 4. There can be no change as a result of this meeting. This money could be better used for other town projects.

            It is important to show up at this meeting to exercise your right as a town resident.

            Do not be intimidated.

Sandy McGowan

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. All letters must be typed and submitted directly to: news@wanderer.com.

Tackling Wording in MS4

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            The Marion Planning Board met on Monday for a continued public hearing on an amendment to the site plan and special permit request for Toll Brothers, Inc.’s work at 78 Wareham Road and further discussion on Marion’s Municipal Separate Storm Sewer Systems (MS4) draft bylaw.

            There was short talk on the Toll Brothers’ development, the Wareham Road lot purchased from developer Matthew Zuker in July, and while seeking to continue development, there have been some proposed amendments to the plans. For instance, the new developer still wants the originally approved 48 dwellings, although now all would be single family, rather than containing 12 duplexes as was originally planned by Zuker last year. This public hearing was continued to Monday, October 6, per request from the Toll Brothers.

            Discussion quickly moved on to the Planning Board’s discussion and correction of their MS4 bylaw draft. Much of the talk at this revolved around environmental concerns, such as tree removals and water runoff. Chair Andrew Daniel said he wanted to ward against the “disturbance of vegetation” and to focus on a “minimalistic approach” in their landscape plans. This was not only to protect the local flora, Daniel said, but to maximize water absorption into the soil.

            For wording, “maintenance and improvement” drew some concerns. This, according to the Planning Board, could be stretched to mean many different things, including tree removal if deemed necessary to maintain power lines or even road widening, both of which would negate water absorption and affect runoff. The board agreed there needs to be definitions for the words within the bylaw, such as to specify what exact maintenance can be done.

            Discussion and further examination remain of the draft bylaw. Daniel stated this will continue at the next meeting. He added that Town Counsel completed its review of the bylaw and had sent it back to the town with minor corrections.

            For more information on Massachusetts’ MS4 guidelines, you can visit the state’s EPA page at: www.epa.gov/npdes-permits/massachusetts-small-ms4-general-permit. Per the town, for a mapped-out view of Marion’s water and sewer resources, you can visit: stormwater.buzzardsbay.org/newmap.html.

            The next meeting of the Marion Planning Board is scheduled for Monday, October 6 at 7:00 pm at the Marion Police Department.

Marion Planning Board

By Sam Bishop

Marion Natural History Museum Afterschool Programs

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Monarch Migration – October 1 – Did you know that some of the monarch butterflies that you see at your flowers this fall will fly all the way to Mexico to spend the winter? Come learn about the amazing migrations of Monarch butterflies. We will also create a symbolic monarch postcard to mail to students in Mexico who will watch over your butterflies for the winter and return them when spring migration begins. Please register here: marionmuseum.org/event/monarch-migrations.

            Rescuing Terrapins – October 15 – Embark on an enlightening journey with our “Terrapin Guardians” program, led by Deb Ewing. Explore the efforts to protect the Diamondback Terrapin, a species facing significant threats. Deb and volunteers from New England Coastal Wildlife Alliance (NECWA) have been working to protect Terrapin hatchlings from predation this summer and we’ll be hearing about those efforts and possibly meeting one of the foster Terrapin babies during this fun and hopeful program.

            Amazing Adaptation: How bugs survive cold weather – November 5 – Led by Entomologist Blake Dinius we will see how different insect species survive the cold winter months. We will have some fun looking at some examples of local insects from Blake’s collection and possibly some live specimens as well.

            Introduction to growing SE Mass cranberries – November 19 – Did you know our area is one of the largest and most historic for cranberry production? We will be welcoming an educator from the Cape Cod Cranberry Growers Association. We’ll have a chance to try on and get a look at some of the gear and equipment used to harvest cranberries. We’ll also learn how to tell a “good” cranberry from a “bad” one.

            Introduction to animal tracks – December 3– We will be focusing on our observational skills by looking at a variety of animal tracks. Let’s look at how many toes, the presence of claws and the shape and size of the tracks to see if we can identify each species. We will be bringing home a plaster cast of a track to show others.

            Annual holiday party – December 17 -Enjoy relaxing and getting creative with friends at our annual holiday party. Every year we work with natural and recycled materials to design new works of art for gift giving and decoration. Snacks and drinks are provided. Let’s have some fun creating new works of art with our friends.

            All programs start at 3:30 pm to 4:30 pm. Price is $8.00/each members, $10.00/each nonmembers. Location is at the museum, 8 Spring Street, Marion, MA second floor. Please register at the museum’s website: www.marionmuseum.org.

Mattapoisett Woman’s Club Invites New Members

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The Mattapoisett Woman’s Club invites local women who are interested in learning more about club membership to its ‘welcome’ luncheon on Thursday, September 18 at 11:00 am in Reynard Hall at the Mattapoisett Congregational Church. Whether you are new to the area, a new mom, a stay-at-home mom, or newly retired, you are welcome to enjoy lunch and meet some fabulous women. Women from surrounding communities with ties to Mattapoisett are also welcome to join.

            The Mattapoisett Woman’s Club is a philanthropic organization that executes fund-raising events such as “Taste of the Town”, the biennial garden tour, and more. These events generate the funds to support scholarships for local high school students, as well as make financial gifts to charitable organizations throughout the south coast. In addition to sponsoring fundraising events, the Woman’s Club offers small group activities focusing on the interests of club members, for example the garden group, great books, mahjong, and walking group. Membership is open to any woman who is interested in getting together with fun-loving women and supporting the mission of the organization.

            We look forward to meeting you on the 18th. Philanthropy, friendship and fun await. For more information or questions please contact info@mattapoisettwomansclub.org.