Songs of the Sea

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The South Coast Children’s Chorus (SCCC), under the direction of Dr. Tianxu Zhou, presents the “Songs of the Sea” concert, a captivating musical journey celebrating the region’s rich maritime heritage. Comprising 75 singers in Grades 1-12 from throughout the South Coast, SCCC includes two ensembles: the Preparatory Chorus and the Advanced Chorus. In collaboration with the New Bedford Harbor Sea Chantey Chorus, under the direction of Tom Goux, this energetic ensemble infuses authentic nautical flair into the performance, transporting the audience to the bygone era of seafaring adventures.

            Against the backdrop of the Whaling Museum, the concert’s theme of the sea resonates deeply, reflecting the community’s maritime legacy and connection to the ocean. Selections will include traditional sea shanties as well as modern repertoire evoking a variety of ocean imagery, from collecting seashells to the legend of the mermaid. Through harmonious melodies and evocative storytelling, the performers pay homage to sailors, fishermen and maritime traditions, inviting the audience to embark on a musical voyage filled with tales of bravery, hardship and camaraderie on the open seas.

            The performance takes place on Thursday, May 9 at 6:30 pm at the New Bedford Whaling Museum, 18 Johnny Cake Hill, New Bedford, as part of the monthly New Bedford AHA Night.

Elizabeth Taber Library

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Join author and garden expert Kerry Mendez Saturday, May 11 at 11 am at the Marion Natural History Museum for an introduction on creating a beautiful garden with dazzling native specimens that attract accolades as well as pollinators. The presentation includes mail-order sources for natives in addition to your local garden center. This free event is brought to you by the Elizabeth Taber Library and sponsored by the Friends of the Elizabeth Taber Library and the Marion Natural History Museum. Spaces are limited, please call or sign up at the library.

            Find some great gifts for Mother’s Day and support the library with a visit to the Friends of the Elizabeth Taber Library outdoor book sale on Friday and Saturday, May 10 & 11.

            Mango Languages, the highest rated language learning app, is free with your Marion Library Card. Download the Mango Languages app for access to over 75 languages, including American Sign Language. Patrons also have access to the Little Pim Children’s learning program. Find the link on the library’s website or download the app and register with your Marion Library Card.

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

ORR Quintet Named SCC Academic All-Stars

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Old Rochester Regional Superintendent of Schools Mike Nelson and ORRHS Principal Mike Devoll recognized five ORR High School seniors, Theo Jacobsen, Brenna O’Donnell, Alia Cusolito, Jacob Hadley and Ava McLeod, who were honored as South Coast Conference Academic All-Stars during the SCC’s luncheon held on April 25 at Independence Harbor in Assonet. Faculty advisors Kathleen Brunelle and Randy Allain also attended.

            “I am incredibly proud of our students, who I know will achieve great things after graduation,” Nelson said. “Their distinctions were highly deserved, and it is a privilege to have such outstanding individuals represent Old Rochester Regional High School and watch them receive this recognition.”

            ORR 2022 graduate and keynote speaker Edward Gonet IV spoke to students about his experiences since graduating. The former Academic All-Star quoted Mahatma Gandhi, telling those in attendance, “Live as if you were to die tomorrow. Learn as if you were to live forever.”

            SCC schools annually recognize the top five students of the graduating class with the Academic All-Star Award. The chosen students reflect each of the National Honor Society’s four pillars – Service, Character, Scholarship and Citizenship – and have positively impacted their schools and community.

            “This is a wonderful annual event that kicks off the celebration of the accomplishments of the Class of 2025,” said Devoll, who also served as SCC Principal’s Group President and event emcee. “I have been privileged to attend 16 banquets over the years, and each one captures the unique accomplishments of our top five ranked seniors.”

            SCC member schools include Apponequet Regional (Freetown and Lakeville), Bourne, Joseph Case (Swansea), Dighton-Rehoboth, Fairhaven, Greater New Bedford Regional Vocational-Technical, ORR, Seekonk, Somerset Berkley and West Bridgewater.

            Alia Cusolito – Alia is a member of the ORRHS Drama Club, National Honor Society, Knit and Crochet Club and Acapella, serving in leadership positions in the ORR Music Appreciation Club and as the GSA Club President. Alia is a tireless champion for advocacy. As co-president of the nonprofit Queer Youth Assemble, Alia led the National March for Queer and Trans Youth Autonomy in Washington D.C. Alia collaborated on research with Harvard graduate students about Massachusetts high schoolers’ perceptions of gender-neutral bathrooms. Alia is the recipient of the 2022 Advancing Equity and Justice Award from the Massachusetts Commission on LGBTQ+ Youth, an independent state agency. Alia will be attending Smith College in the fall to study public policy.

            Jacob Hadley – Jacob has served as co-captain of the debate team his junior and senior years, captain of the varsity boys tennis team, four-year student council treasurer, vice president of the National Honor Society and as the ORR Boy’s State representative. Jacob also founded and served as president of the ORR Science Olympiad and organized six trips to competitions, including two state championships. Jacob led a research project with the Massachusetts Department of Public Health on the effect of COVID-19 on antibiotic resistance in Massachusetts hospitals and published the study in a scientific journal. Jacob also worked as a biochemistry lab researcher at UMass Dartmouth on developing new treatments for HIV using biotech. Jacob has earned his AP Capstone certificate and is an AP Scholar with Distinction. Jacob will attend Brown University and pursue a concentration in Biomedical Engineering.

            Ava McLeod – Ava is president of ORRHS’s Environmental Club. Under Ava’s leadership, students have been working with the Mattapoisett Land Trust to begin removing an invasive plant species from campus. Ava has served as a member of ORR’s Student Council for the past four years, as president of the class and as a class senator. As a member of our Community Service Learning Club, Ava has also worked with Damien’s Pantry and the Mattapoisett Town Library. Ava plans to attend Bristol Community College in the fall and study Biology.

            Brenna O’Donnell – Brenna is a member of Drama Club, Tea Club, DnD Club and Latin Club. Brenna is also the co-founder of Climbing Club. During her junior year, Brenna represented ORR at Girl’s State. Brenna earned two silver medals and one gold medal on the National Latin Exam. Brenna plans to attend Franklin W. Olin College of Engineering in the fall to study General Engineering with a concentration in Robotics.

            Theo Jacobsen – Theo is an AP Scholar with distinction and is a four-year participant in both DECA and Debate club, having qualified for the state-level competition all four years. In this past debate season, Theo’s team achieved second place in the league, tying the first-place team in speaker points. Theo has taken on many leadership roles, including V.P. of Finance for DECA, Debate Team Captain, and Treasurer of the Old Rochester National Honors Society chapter. Theo will attend Tufts University and study Biochemistry.

Marion Trio Accepted into Order

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Troop 31 in Rochester would like to congratulate Marion residents Bryan Correia, Iain McManus and Cole Gretton for their recent acceptance into the Order of the Arrow (OA). OA is a service fraternity associated with the Boy Scouts of America and promotes community and camping-service projects that support the BSA and the local community.

            In order to become members, candidates first must be voted in by their peers, then complete a weekend of service with a positive attitude while eating scant food and having spent a night in reflective solitude, all of which reinforces the values of the program based on the legend and lore of the Lenne Lenape or Delaware Indians.

            The boys spent the weekend working on improvements to the waterfront area at Camp Norse Cub Scout camp in Kingston. They are now eligible to move on to a further level of recognition known as Brotherhood, which was completed this same weekend by Cole’s father, Kevin Gretton, a scout leader and mentor of Troop 31.

            All three of the boys have been friends and brothers in Scouting since attending Sippican Elementary School, are now sophomores at Old Rochester Regional High School and are on track to reach the rank of Eagle Scout within the next two years.

ArtWeek at the MAC

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ArtWeek SouthCoast returns to the Marion Art Center (the MAC) with six events during the regional festival scheduled May 9 to 19. ArtWeek SouthCoast is a 10-day event celebrating the arts in our communities by connecting innovative, creative and affordable art and cultural events in communities across the region, from Fall River to Wareham. The MAC’s ArtWeek SouthCoast events are hands-on, interactive, and offered at low cost or for free. View all MAC events at marionartcenter.org/artweek.

            The MAC will kick off the festival with the MAC Theater Playwrights Incubator 2023-2024, performance of All the Frozen Ones written by this years’ playwright Stella Ferra. The play is directed by Kate Fishman and stars actors Zara Lemieux and Garrett Olson. After cryogenically freezing his wife who’s inherited her mother’s degenerative disease, Robert decides to unfreeze her on the eve of his 59th birthday. He is haunted by her illness that led her to be frozen, their now 30-year age gap, and a mysterious knocking sound — What happens when Marian thaws? Performances on May 9, 10, 11, curtain at 7:30 pm in the MAC Theatre. Tickets are $8 per person.

            Hands on: Spin Into Spring. Community Bike Tune-up, May 11, 10:00-12:00 pm. Is your bike summer-ready? If it needs a little attention after the long winter, bring it to the MAC. We’ll have experts on hand who can look your bike over and give it some TLC in the form of a brake adjustment, chain lubrication or – in the event of more serious issues – they can provide advice about repairs that should be addressed before hitting the road. Coffee and donuts are available as are games to keep the kids busy while the work progresses. Patrons can take advantage of the plant sale being held by the Marion Garden Group across the street in Bicentennial Park as well as the book sale at the Elizabeth Taber Library while they wait. Please note that our bike repair volunteers will not be prepared to replace broken spokes, brake pads or provide other parts. Free, but requires registration.

            Take a journey: Annawon Weedon: Historical Journey of Mashpee Wampanoag, May 11, 1:00-2:30 pm, First Congregational Church Community Center, Marion. Annawon Weedon is an activist, storyteller, dancer and tribal mentor of the Mashpee Wampanoag Tribe. Join us as Annawon shares his cultural knowledge through an interactive solo performance. Travel back through time to the first encounter, learn about the myriad contributions Native peoples have made throughout history, and witness indigenous dance, language, and storytelling. Annawon was awarded a congressional honor as culture bearer for the entire New England region in recognition of his continued efforts for cultural preservation and to correct misinformation and misrepresentation of Indigenous people. Suggested $5 donation or pay what you can.

            Experience: Silk Painting Masterclass: The Magic of Colors & Flowers, Wednesday, May 15, 6:00-9:00 pm. Explore your free, creative side through experimentation with color and paint, without the fear of making mistakes. Join instructor Lidia Mikhaylova in this easy, relaxing silk painting workshop. At the end of the class, you’ll take home your very own masterpiece. Instead of learning complex techniques, students in this class will observe how the paint lives and moves on the surface of the fabric, using various methods of application. Create beautiful flowers and colorful compositions and experience the magic of silk painting. The cost is $35 per person and includes all materials. Held in the MAC Studio.

            Watch: Chainsaw Tree Carving Demo with Evan Verissimo, Saturday, May 18, 10:00-12:00 pm Rain Date: Sunday, May 19 on the MAC Lawn. Evan Verissimo of Kind Tree Carving, is conducting a chainsaw carving demonstration at the MAC. Learn about how his unique carvings are created, see the tools he uses to achieve the desired look of each piece and see him in action as he transforms a piece of wood into a work of art. A local artist out of Acushnet, Evan has been chainsaw carving since October 2022. He combined his passion for art and his skill with a chainsaw as a former arborist and created his business as we know it today. The cost is $5 per person.

            Attend a Paint and Sip Workshop with artist Barbara Healy on Saturday, May 18, 1:00-3:00 pm on the lawn at the Marion Art Center. Paint your own version of a beautiful sailboat scene in this fun workshop with artist Barbara Healy. We’ll paint together using water-based acrylics on canvas.

            Barbara and her assistant Pam will guide you through each step of the process as you get in touch with your inner artist and enjoy sipping wine along the way. All materials will be provided. You must be 21 or older to register. Please wear clothes you can paint in. In case of rain, the class workshop will relocate to the MAC studio. The cost is $35 per person and includes all materials and wine tasting.

Shoot for Eagle Golf Outing

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BSA Troop 31 of Rochester is excited to announce its 2nd Annual Shoot for Eagle Golf Outing. The event will be held Thursday August 22 at Poquoy Brook Golf Club in Lakeville. Individuals or businesses who would like to sign up to play or to sponsor can do so at www.RochesterTroop31Golf.com. There is an early bird special running through May 31 for registrants.

            Event day check in will be at 8 am, play will begin at 9:00 and includes a cart, bagged lunch and a buffet following the event. Businesses sponsorships range from hole sponsorship to various other packages.

            For those who don’t golf, you can sign up to join up for the buffet or take a chance on our raffles, and as always, fun and shenanigans. For further information, contact Scott at sorlowski@apexengcoinc.com.

SOA Considered Small but Significant

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In addressing the Old Rochester School Committee on April 11, Old Rochester Regional Assistant Superintendent of Teaching and Learning Dr. Shari Fedorowicz was careful to explain that the Student Opportunity Act is not to be confused with ORR’s School Improvement plan, otherwise known as Vision 2028.

            Nonetheless, Fedorowicz was enthused to recommend that the Tri-Town’s $28,000 slice of state funding for this program, based on ORR’s relatively small population, be accepted by the school committee. The money committed by the state for this purpose translates to approximately $30 per student.

            The committee approved the allocation by the state to fund ORR’s compliance with the Student Opportunity Act for the 2024-25 school year.

            The SOA, Fedorowicz explained, is basically a commitment the school makes to ensure that every student can access an education. She called it “a subset of the district initiative and uses evidence-based programs or ‘EBP’s’ focusing on our high-needs students.”

            High-needs students fall into three broad categories: students with disabilities, students in low-income homes and English-language learners.

            The state Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) reviews public schools’ SOA’s annually. Taking feedback from stakeholders outside the school committee and in the community, the SOA is developed and after gaining the approval of the school committee on April 11, still requires a final approval by DESE.

            ESE’s Individual Education Plan (IEP) Improvement Project did not require a vote of the committee. Transferring to the new plan will be a gradual process, explained ORR Director of Student Services Kristine Lincoln.

            Committee member Jim Muse called identifying the necessary details of an IEP for each student “an enormous task” and added he hopes for more of an emphasis on family education, especially before the process begins and also as it is being rolled out. “And that can’t happen until the staff is educated,” Muse said, stressing the importance of families’ input.

            Also on the April 11 agenda was the annual public hearing that once again determined that ORR will remain a School Choice district for the 2024-25 school year.

            Superintendent of Schools Mike Nelson explained that students enrolled at ORR via School Choice are entitled to remain in the system.

            Historically, ORR averages 125 students in the program that includes students ages 7-22. As of April 11 for Grades 7 to 12-plus, ORR has 119 students enrolled in School Choice and is anticipating 101 for the 2024-25 school year based on impending graduations.

            With that, Nelson recommended ORR maintain its 125-student cap per established policy. In further breakdown, Nelson recommended ORR cap Grade 7 at 12 new School Choice students, capping Grade 8 at 13 new School Choice students and capping Grade 9 at 10 new enrollees.

            Selecting students is based on a lottery of applications. The order in which names are pulled from a basket establishes a waitlist for that school year.

            Also approved on April 11: a $500 donation from the Emma Whittaker Scholarship Fund in the ORR student’s memory to a member of the 2024 graduating class; $2,000 from the Mattapoisett Land Trust to support the June 3 Grade 7 whale-watch trip and a donation to improve a 2-foot-diameter plaque honoring a group of volunteers on their 50th anniversary.

            The Superintendent’s Evaluation will be conducted over the next couple of months. Nelson reported on the process so far. By the end of April, committee members were to have in their possession a progress update on the four superintendent’s goals. After subcommittee meetings, the School Committee at large will prepare feedback and in June prepare to share it with the public.

            In his report, Assistant Superintendent of Finance and Operations Howie Barber told the committee there is approximately $117,000 remaining in unencumbered funds in the FY24 Operating Budget.

            In her report, Chairperson Michelle Smith said she was pleased to note an 8-1 vote would authorize the ORR District to request a total of $12,000,000 from the Tri-Towns in a debt exclusion for the purpose of upgrades to the school buildings.

            The Rochester Select Board and Finance Committee voted in recent public meetings to recommend the town’s residents vote against the request at the May 13 Annual Town Meeting. While the presentation made by ORR representatives has received positive feedback in other member towns, Rochester officials stated that the article as written lacks sufficient detail. Joe Pires cast the lone dissenting vote when the matter was taken up by the ORR School Committee.

            The ORR School Committee planned to reconvene on Wednesday, May 1, for an executive session and to discuss the status of the request.

            In his report to the April 11 meeting, Nelson credited the Tri-Towns’ three public-health nurses for their work supporting a mental-health event sponsored by the ORR District. He also said the recent solar eclipse was a huge event thanks to the ability to purchase special glasses that students were able to wear upon deboarding school buses and looking into the sky.

            In her report, Fedorowicz said that the final Professional Development Day will be held on June 5, when committee member (and retired Mattapoisett Schools Principal) Rose Bowman will address the faculty. Fedorowicz credited the student musicians and teachers for their work on putting on a successful jazz concert.

            ORR High School Principal Mike Devoll opened the meeting by honoring three students: three-time Special Olympics bowling champion Michael Hogan; Tyler Young, who set an ORR school record for the 1,000-meter run indoors at 2: and Wesner Archelus, the MIAA Division 4 champion in the 55-meter hurdles. Devoll said ORR plans to install a wall of recognition for school record holders across all ORR sports.

            In his report to the committee, Devoll updated the committee on the spitting incident involving an ORR player that occurred in March during the MIAA boys’ state basketball tournament. Devoll said the student took full responsibility for his actions and was removed from the team. ORR reported the incident to the Massachusetts Interscholastic Athletic Association and abided by school disciplinary policies.

            Under the recommendation of the MIAA, Devoll said he, Nelson and Athletic Director Chris Carrig will participate May 3-4 in a training event titled, “Addressing Hate in School Sports.” The event, led by Northeastern University’s Center for the Study of Sport in Society, will feature training against bias and discrimination in sports. There will also be a follow-up visit by Northeastern representatives to ORR.

            During Open Comment, Liz DeCarlo thanked the administration for its initiative in taking the training being provided by Northeastern. DeCarlo stressed the importance of taking the benefits of the training beyond the campus and into the community.

            Carol Chouinard of Rochester objected to what she said is an emerging media-driven narrative about ORR that she considers inaccurate and unfair. Saying the committee has not heard the entire story of what transpired at the basketball game referenced by Devoll, Chouinard noted that the superintendent and principal were among the people in attendance and would not have allowed the things for which ORR personnel has been accused.

            The next meeting of the ORR School Committee is scheduled with the Joint School Committee  on Thursday, June 20, at 6:30 pm at the ORR Junior High Media Room and will be accessible live via Zoom.

ORR School Committee

By Mick Colageo

How Much Will That Cost Me? On Hospital Pricing

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            Hospital pricing is notoriously difficult to understand. Until very recently, it was also impossible to find out how much a hospital was going to charge you for a test or procedure until you got the bill.

            Starting January 1, 2021, each hospital operating in the United States was required to provide clear, accessible pricing information online about the items and services they provide both as a comprehensive machine-readable file with all items and services and in a display of shoppable services in a consumer-friendly format.

            Initially, this rule was largely disregarded, and those hospitals that did post prices did so in a way that only computer geeks could access. Gradually, more hospitals are complying.

            Does this matter to you? If you have good health insurance, it may not matter that much, as your insurance company will have negotiated rates for most hospital services. If you are uninsured (still 10% of the U.S. population) or if you are among the many more with high-deductible plans, it matters a lot.

            If you have a high-deductible plan, you may have to pay the entire charge for an MRI of your knee, and so if it is $800 or $2,800 matters.

            There are two things you need to know before “price shopping” for a test or procedure.

            The first is that prices vary wildly and with little correlation between price and quality. A recent study found that the hospital charge for uncomplicated vaginal childbirth varied from $1,183 to $55,221 (that is not a typo!).

            The second is that if you call the hospital billing department and ask the price, there will often be a major difference between what you are told and what is posted on the hospital website. In only 15% of hospitals that both posted prices online and gave them over the phone were the prices the same, and differences often exceeded 50%.

            So … if you are uninsured or underinsured, take the time to price shop when you can – when it is not an emergency. Try the websites for several hospitals near you to get an idea of which are at the high end and which at the low end. Then, try calling the billing departments. If they quote you a lower price than the online price, get in in writing by email or post.

            Two other cost-conscious suggestions:

            When you are well, check which hospitals near you are in your insurance network – when you are ill, this will probably not occur to you, and going to an out-of-network hospital can cost you dearly.

            Just because your doctor says you need something does not guarantee that it will be covered. Always ask if prior authorization is needed before having the test or procedure.

            The money you may save will be yours!

            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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In L.C. Humphries’s papers that we have at the museum there is an entire section devoted to alewives (herring). The arrival of alewives in the springs of the 1700 and 1800’s was eagerly awaited. They were both a welcome food source and for some a money maker.

            In preparation for their arrival, all mills were required to draw down their mill ponds on April 10 so the alewives could reach Snipatuit Pond in North Rochester to spawn. In the distant past, the fish followed the Taunton River to the Nemaset River to Sampson Pond then Rockshire Pond into Quitticus Pond and then into a small stream that crossed N. Rochester Rd. and finally into Snipatuit Pond near the old Gerrish Farm.

            Prior to 1798, the Mattapoisett River ran through a swamp and was impassable for the fish, but around that time the river was cleared enough to let small herring, about the size of a finger, to get through and make their way to the ocean. Those alewives would stay there for three years, and the ones not eaten by predators would go back up the river to spawn in Snipatuit Pond, their birthplace.

            Herring were an important food source in early Rochester and residents were eager for April 15 and the annual run of herring. Each household was allowed one barrel of 400 fish and 10 shad. Family names would be posted on a list in three spots; at the tower on the Mattapoisett Weir, Church’s Mill and at Crapo’s Weir on Snipatuit Rd.

            The alewives were tasty and much in demand. The town made money because those receiving a barrel of the fish needed to pay for the cost of counting, packing and delivering the fish. Often families that moved from Rochester sold their rights to the alewives, sometimes for as much as a dollar- a big sum of money at the time.

            After the first run, fishing was allowed on Monday, Wednesday and Friday. On the rest of the days, the alewives were allowed to pass into Snipatuit Pond to spawn. This guaranteed plenty of fish for the future.

            One man, Charles C. Ricketson, bought up as many herring rights as he could and had a booming business selling smoked herring to customers in New Bedford. Humphrey explains how Ricketson prepared the fish for sale. The herring were strung on a stick with their backs up. The eyes were carefully picked off (I guess no one wanted their food staring at them). With 12 fish to a stick, carefully spaced so none were touching, the sticks were put on racks and smoked. He worked both day and night preparing and packing the fish.

            The picture here shows the equipment box belonging to Alewives Anonymous members as they prepare to set up the fish counter at the sluiceway at Snipatuit Pond. Today, with our warmer winters the herring arrive earlier; this year on March 15. The counter keeps track of the number of alewives as they pass into and out of Snipatuit. This year because of the high-water levels, some were able to sneak past the counter until adjustments were made.

            There are no longer the many thousands of herring that surged up the river a hundred or more years ago and residents no longer line up to get their barrels of fish, but they are still a crucial part of the ecosystem. They provide a window into the health of our waterways and need protection. As Art Benner, President of the Alewives Anonymous, pointed out, herring are born to be eaten by bigger fish, mammals and birds. Most importantly, they are the main food source of the endangered roseate terns that nest on Bird Island.

By Connie Eshbach

Providence Poets to Read at the Mattapoisett Library

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Award-winning Providence poets Karen Donovan and Catherine Imbriglio will read from their poetry on Saturday, May 18 at 2 pm, as part of the Purrington Series sponsored by the Mattapoisett Library Trust.

            Karen Donovan’s latest collection of poems, Monad+Monadnock, was published by Wet Cement Press. Her book Planet Parable (Etruscan Press) appears in the innovative multi-author volume Trio along with complete books by the poets Diane Raptosh and Daneen Wardrop. Her other books of poems are Your Enzymes Are Calling the Ancients (Persea Books), which won the Lexi Rudnitsky / Editor’s Choice Award, and Fugitive Red (University of Massachusetts Press), which won the Juniper Prize. She is also the author of Aard-vark to Axolotl (Etruscan Press), a collection of tiny stories and essays illustrated with engravings from a vintage Webster’s dictionary. She has new work in the 2022 anthology Dreaming Awake: New Contemporary Prose Poetry from the United States, Australia and the United Kingdom. From 1985 to 2005 she co-edited ¶: A Magazine of Paragraphs, a print journal of very short prose.

            Catherine Imbriglio is the author of two books of poetry, Parts of the Mass (Burning Deck), which received the Norma Farber First Book Award from the Poetry Society of America and Intimacy (Center for Literary Publishing), which received the Colorado Prize in Poetry. Her poetry and criticism have appeared in After Spicer (John Vincent, ed.), American Letters & Commentary, Aufgabe, A Broken Thing: Poets on the Line, Conjunctions, Contemporary Literature, Denver Quarterly, Epoch, Green Mountains Review, New American Writing, Pleiades, Poetry International, The Pact, West Branch and elsewhere. A selection of her poetry was anthologized in the Iowa Anthology of New American Poetries, ed. Reginald Shepherd (University of Iowa Press). She is a senior editor in poetry for Tupelo Quarterly.

            Both poets will have poetry books available for purchase and signing following the reading. Light refreshments will be served.

            The event was rescheduled from an April date when a power failure occurred in Mattapoisett, and the library had to be closed.