Rail Improvements No Impact on Wetlands

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Signal improvements along the railway situated off County Road in Rochester, as proposed by the Massachusetts Department of Transportation Rail & Transit Division, will have no impact on surrounding wetlands, despite the location of the rail that runs through a wetlands resource area.

The Rochester Conservation Commission on December 2 gave a negative determination for the installment of 680 linear feet of cable within the 100-foot buffer zone.

Representative for the MassDOT Rail & Transit Division            Lars Carlson of Jacobs Engineering Inc. said the signal upgrades would improve safety and operational flux of the Middleboro to Cape Cod weekend passenger rail service that passes through Rochester.

“The intent is to create a signal system to allow trains to be dispatched from a remote station,” said Carlson. Existing non-functioning equipment would be replaced and strategic points in the rail would be cut into “cut sections.” These points in the cut sections would send a signal via the cable that another train is currently occupying that “block” between cut sections.

A 6-foot by 6-foot prefabricated house, which Carlson referred to as a “bungalow,” will be installed near the cut section to house the controls.

The work, which encroaches the wetlands as close as 15 to 20 feet from the resource area at one point, will occur between the two existing tracks set atop a raised embankment.

Conservation Agent Laurell Farinon said she walked the area with Carlson and recommended the negative determination.

Also during the meeting, Farinon updated the commission on a few regulation changes to the Wetlands Protection Act she learned about during a Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection workshop.

“There is not a whole lot that affects the day-to-day operation of the Conservation Commission,” said Farinon. One of two changes of significance, she explained, is MassDEP’s determination that drainage detention basins installed in new subdivisions after November 1996 are no longer jurisdictional under the Wetlands Protection Act. The other pertains to abutter notification regulations.

The next meeting of the Rochester Conservation Commission is scheduled for December 16 at 7:00 pm at the Rochester Town Hall.

By Jean Perry

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FMCOA Annual Holiday Party

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Mark your calendar on December 11 for the FMCOA Annual Holiday Luncheon. The party is hosted by the Friends of the Mattapoisett Council on Aging, Inc. and its members. The party is free for Mattapoisett seniors and takes place on Thursday, December 11 at 12:00 noon at the Knights of Columbus Hall on Route 6.

Enjoy the special holiday festivities with a great luncheon, singing, and door prizes. Music is provided by Rick LeBlanc at the keyboard and Billy Couto at the mic. We expect to have Santa Claus, Andy Bobola, and his helper, Ali Carreiro, greet everyone and assist with the distribution of prizes.

Free tickets can be picked up at the Mattapoisett Council on Aging’s Senior Center at the Center School, 17 Barstow Street. Transportation to the party is available through the Senior Center – call 508-758-4110.

2014 Scouting For Food

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ScoutFoodDrive

 

2014 Scouting For Food a great success! The Marion Boy Scouts and Cub Scouts of Troop 32 would like to thank the residents of Marion for their generous contributions to the recent Scouting for Food.  Close to 200 bags of non-perishable goods were collected.  The Scouts would also like to thank their partners in this effort, the Marion Police Brotherhood, for all their support and assistance.

The donated food was delivered to MO Life, or “Murphy and Others, Living Interdependently for Future Endeavors, Inc.”  a non-profit organization assisting people with disabilities. MO Life provides support for these

individuals through supported employment, independent living and educational

opportunities, as well as community and social connections.  The M.O. FOOD = L.I.F.E. Food Pantry, located at 723 Pleasant Street in New Bedford, supports the growing population of hungry people in Greater New Bedford, and allows the people they support, to give back to the community by maintaining the pantry and distributing food. Pictured here with the donated food are Cub Scouts and Boy Scouts of Marion Troop 32.

Annual Children’s Christmas Concert

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The Tri-County Symphonic Band’s Annual Children’s Christmas Concert featuring the Sippican School Concert Choir will be on Sunday, December 14 at 1:30 pm in the Multi-Purpose Room, Sippican School, 16 Spring Street, Marion. Admission is free.

ORR Class of 1965

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The Old Rochester Regional High School Class of 1965 has planned a 50-year reunion on September 19, 2015 and is searching for classmates. Graduates of ORRHS Class of 1965, please email your current address to mdjonesww@aol.com as well as any current addresses of classmates and teachers you have contact with. Visit our Facebook page, “Orrhs1965 Reunion”. Like and Share to get the word out.

Appaloosa Lane Gallops Forward

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After months of waiting, the Mattapoisett Planning Board on December 1 finally heard some good news from Brian Grady of G.A.F. Engineering regarding the subdivision planned for Appaloosa Lane.

Most recently, percolation testing confirmed that there are indeed two buildable lots on this private road. With the possibility of development now clearly possible for owner Michael Solimando, Grady reported the next steps to be taken.

Working with the Town’s engineering firm Field Engineering and Highway Superintendent Barry Denham, G.A.F. will submit new stormwater drainage calculations, engineered drawings of newly designed drainage systems, and septic plans for their review and comment.

Denham was on hand and said that, to date, he has not received any new information on the water drainage calculations and said that before he could comment further, new information would have to be forthcoming. Grady said that within the week a full set of plans and calculations would be provided to Field for their review.

Denham said that the drainage pipe running across River Road to be attached to the drainage system from the subdivision was 8-inches. However, Grady said the drainage pipes of the existing lots would be 15-inch pipes, and that the applicant will be seeking the Town’s assistance in upgrading public systems to accommodate the increased water that will discharge from Solimando’s property.

Abutters have long insisted that the road constructed some years ago has caused stormwater to flood onto their properties, and that the road itself has never been maintained – further adding to the issues experienced by the aggrieved neighbors. On this night, they heard that, barring problems in connecting to the Town’s stormwater system, development of the lots is a reality.

When asked who would be responsible in the long-term for the drainage system and the private road upkeep of this two lot subdivision, Grady said that would fall to a homeowners association.

The hearing was continued until the next Planning Board meeting to give Field Engineering time to evaluate G.A.F.’s documents and provide their comments to the town on the viability of the project.

Coming before the board with four applications to partition lots held by Phillip DeNormandie for their conveyance to the state was Doug Schneider of N. Douglas Schneider & Associates, Inc.

Totaling approximately 200 acres, the land will be held in permanent conservation status by the state and added to the Nasketucket Reservation situated off Brandt Island Road. With the addition of these lots, the total reservation will be greater than 400 acres and include woodlands, wetlands, meadows, pastures and shorelines along Shaw’s Cove and Nasketucket Bay.

The next meeting of the Mattapoisett Planning Board is scheduled for December 15 at 7:00 pm in the Town Hall conference room.

By Marilou Newell

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Thanksgiving Loss Wraps Up Fall Season

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Here is a look at the twelfth and final week of results in scheduled games for all Old Rochester Regional athletic teams.

            Football: This week, the Bulldogs were the only ORR team left in the fall season, playing in their annual Thanksgiving game against Apponequet. Unfortunately, the Bulldogs were not able to close the season on a positive note, as they suffered a 38-14 loss to end their season with a 5-6 record. With starting quarterback Alex Aruri out due to injury, sophomore Cam Hamilton stepped up to lead the Bulldog offense, who got scores from Ethan Lizotte and Sean Hopkins. However, any offensive gains by the Bulldogs were countered by Apponequet, whose running back, Matt Michael, was simply too explosive to contain as he scored four touchdowns on the game. Despite the loss, for a team that lost a majority of starters due to graduation, the Bulldogs pulled together nicely this season to put together a respectable record.

Now that the Thanksgiving game is over, all athletes at ORR will now look to the winter season to try and continue the excellence set by the fall sports teams. Practices for boys’ and girls’ basketball, boys’ and girls’ indoor track, boys’ and girls’ swimming, and boys’ ice hockey begin on Monday, with both the girls’ track team and boys’ ice hockey team looking to defend their conference titles.

Below are the final overall team records, followed by the conference records in wins, losses, and ties for the fall season.

Football: (5-6-0) (4-3-0); Field Hockey: (14-5-1) (12-1-1); Girls’ Soccer: (14-4-2) (12-3-1); Boys’ Soccer: (12-4-2) (11-3-2); Golf: (15-1-0) (15-1-0); Volleyball: (7-12-0) (7-10-0); Boys’ Cross Country: (5-1-0) (5-1-0); Girls’ Cross Country: (6-0-0) (6-0-0).

By Michael Kassabian

 

Antonio Pereira, Jr.

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Antonio Pereira, Jr., 88, of Mattapoisett passed away peacefully at his home on Wednesday December 3, 2014. He was the husband Theresa E. (Cambra) Pereira; they had been married for 37 years.

Born in New Bedford, he was the son of the late Antonio and Maria (Alcrim) Pereira.

Until his retirement, Mr. Pereira was employed by Glen Petroleum which was originally established as John Duff and Sons Coal and Oil Company as office manager for 45 years.

During World War II, he proudly served in the United States Navy as a Yeoman Second Class and was the recipient of the Victory Medal, American Theater Medal, and Asiatic-Pacific Theater Medal.

Since an early age, Mr. Pereira’s greatest sense of accomplishment and passion was his music. He played the clarinet, saxophone and flute with great skill and talent and provided listening and dancing enjoyment to many people throughout his career. Mr. Pereira performed with the Joe Ponte Band and several other organizations.

Mr. Pereira most enjoyed being with his family, friends and his dog Dommie.

He is survived by his wife, Theresa; his stepchildren, Edward Adams and his wife Cristiana of Newtown, CT, and Melissa Trahan of New Hampshire; his daughter-in-law, Gail Pereira of Stonington, CT; his grandchildren, Erin Conlan and her husband Sean of Essex, CT, Matthew Pereira and his wife Megan of Branford, CT, Adam Pereira of Stonington, CT, Sarah Adams of Newtown, CT, and Nicholas and Noah Trahan of New Hampshire; his great-grandchildren, Grace and Claire Conlan and Molly Pereira; and several nieces and nephews.

He was predeceased by his son, Dennis Pereira. and siblings, Augustus and Manuel Pereira, Anibal and Mabel Baroa, and Wilhelmina Murphy.

His Funeral Service will be held on Monday at 12 Noon at the Saunders-Dwyer Mattapoisett Home for Funerals, 50 County Rd., Route 6, Mattapoisett. Burial will follow in the Massachusetts National Cemetery, Bourne. Visiting hours will be on Sunday from 4-8 PM. For directions and guestbook, please visit www.saundersdwyer.com. In lieu of flowers, remembrances may be made to the Wounded Warrior Project, P.O. Box 758517, Topeka, KS 66675.

Holiday Season at the Mattapoisett Museum

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The Mattapoisett Historical Society’s Museum will open for the Holiday Season on Saturday, December 6 from 9:00 am to 12:00 pm. Light refreshments will be served. Have fun viewing the exhibit Beloved Books: Bygone Children’s Treasures while shopping for unique Mattapoisett gifts at our Arts and Crafts Holiday Fair. The museum will continue to be open on Saturday mornings from 9:00 am to 12:00 pm before Christmas. On December 13, there will be a drop-in craft for children where they will create a fish ornament to swim across their tree, and on December 20 children are invited to join us at the museum at 10:00 am with their own favorite book for a special Holiday Storytime. Exhibit and programs are free; donations are encouraged. For more information, please contact the Mattapoisett Historical Society, 5 Church Street, at 508-758-2844 or mattapoisett.museum@verizon.net, or online at mattapoisetthistoricalsociety.org.

Holiday Open House

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The Friends of Plumb Library will hold their annual Holiday Open House on Saturday, December 6 from 10:00 am until 3:00 pm at the library on 17 Constitution Way, Rochester. The Open House will have a Silent Auction featuring hand-made items, art from local artists, and gift certificates from local businesses; a bake sale; a children’s table run by the Junior Friends; the Rochester Historical Society table with information and items for sale; coffee, tea, and hot chocolate; and Pampered Chef items. Bidding on the Silent Auction items will begin on Wednesday, December 3. Pictures of some items will be posted on the library’s Facebook page, and items will be displayed at the library starting December 3.

There will be entertainment throughout the day: Brownie Scout carol sing at 11:00 am; Santa visits at 11:30 am; Rochester Congregational Church Choir members caroling at 12:00 pm; Phoebe and Gail playing ancient carols with dulcimer, recorder, and cello at 12:45 pm. The schedule is subject to change or additions. For more information, please call the library at 508-763-8600 or email info@plumblibrary.com.