Four New Eagle Scouts in Rochester

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            On Monday night, August 25, Rochester’s Boy Scout Troop 31 gathered at Grange Hall with their families to celebrate and conduct an Eagle Court of Honor Ceremony. Four boys were rising the ranks to become Eagle Scouts: Logan, Noah, Quinn, and Reece.

            The boys had achieved their medals over the last few months, but all agreed to wait until they had all finished so they could hold a ceremony together, having spent years together in the Boy Scouts program, as said by Assistant Scoutmaster Kevin Gretton.

            The Grand Hall was packed, with family members, fellow Boy Scouts, other Eagle Scouts both young and old, state government representatives, and Troop 31 leadership, who conducted the ceremony.

            The event began with the boys seeking promotion coming in and sitting at the opposite end of their peers, with one of the four boys, Quinn, choosing to sit out the ceremony and instead work on his truck for an upcoming road trip as said by his father, Dave Andrews. The ceremony was conducted by Scout Leader Kevin Gretton and Chaplain Dave Andews, who went through the script and itinerary of Eagle Court of Honors held across the country.

            Following the scouts saying the Scout Oath, twelve current scouts rose and lit twelve candles, reciting the “12 points” of Scout Laws, those being: trust, loyalty, helpfulness, friendliness, courtesy, kindness, obedience, cheerfulness, thriftiness, bravery, cleanliness, and reverence. Then, the three boys received their Eagle Scout Badge, placed an Eagle Mother Pin on their mothers’ collars, and placed a pin on their individual mentors for their now completed Eagle Projects.

            The event concluded with the Boy Scouts and new Eagle Scouts cutting into a cake that bore their four names.

Rochester Troop 31 Eagle Court of Honor

By Sam Bishop

RMS Solar Array To Be Complete by December

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                  Rochester’s Planning Board Tuesday approved a modification of the Site Plan Review and Special Permit for a large-scale solar photovoltaic array at Rochester Memorial School which will allow construction to happen during the school year.

            The plan in question is to construct a canopy-mounted 250KW AC solar array system over a portion of the school’s rear paved parking lot. Planning Board Chair Arnold Johnson said Tuesday one of the conditions of the permit was that construction was to take place over the summer vacation when no children would be around and the space would not be so busy. Circumstances around that plan have changed, he said. Now the contractor, Solect Energy Development, Hopkinton, is looking to start construction in September and finish work by the end of December.

            Johnson began discussion by noting board members have visited the site and reviewed details such as the necessary performance bond for the work. He then asked if the work would impede student drop-off in the morning and pick-up in the afternoon and faculty parking.

            RMS Principal Heidi Letendre answered that parents will be asked to extend their “que” line for drop-off and pick-up further around the front of the school and the time students will be allowed in the school will be altered. Solect consultant Clint Shuckel assured the board the contractor will not do heavy work between seven and eight a.m. (when students arrive for the school day) or 2:30-3:30 (student pick-up time), and sub-contractors are being instructed to not make deliveries during those times. He said work hours will be 7 a.m.-6 p.m., Monday to Friday, and no Saturday work hours.

            Town Planner Michaela Shoemaker said Police Michael Assad has indicated concern over unauthorized personnel entering the school building. ORR District Facilities Manager Gene Jones responded that all personnel working in the school area have been CORI-checked (Criminal Offender Record Information).

            Discussion ended with a decision that this was a minor rather than a major permit change. A major change would have required a public hearing. The approval vote was 4-1, with member Marc Rousseau voting against.

            The board’s next motions were continuations. The panel continued to its next meeting the Definitive Subdivision application hearing on turning an 8.67-acre parcel at 19 County Road into three lots after a lengthy discussion over the expensive road bond the petitioners are being asked to post.

            The plan here is to retain the existing house lot and create two new lots for additional four-bedroom residential housing. Patrick Mulvahill, representing the petitioners Robert and Christine Murphy, said he had questions for the town’s consulting engineer, Ken Motta, in response to the lengthy peer review letter with permit requirements that Motta recently issued. He wanted to know if covenant language in the permit waivers could address the high cost of the road performance bond. “This is money the Murphys did not foresee having to pay,” Milvahill said.

            Johnson explained a road performance bond protects the town and future residents of the homes should the contractor go belly-up before finishing the road. Consulting engineer Robert Espisito, appearing on Zoom, requested the continuance after concluding he will first speak with Motta on the details of the peer review and the road bond issue.

            The board also continued to its next meeting the Special Permit and Site Plan Review hearing for the proposal from Logging Swamp Solar dba ReWild Renewables to install a ground-mounted, large scale solar panel array with associated site work on 49 acres in the area of 600 Snipatuit Road.

            The board then continued to the same date its other large-scale solar project hearing: the Site Plan Review application for the construction of a floating and ground-mounted solar array with associated battery energy storage system at 53 Dexter Lane.

            In other action, Johnson announced that long-time member Ben Bailey has resigned. But Bailey has agreed to stay on until the conclusion of the Logging Swamp Solar project, he said. The board needs a supermajority of its members to be present to legally vote on such a permit and Bailey has been involved in the hearings since the beginning. The board then elevated member Michael Murphy to Board Clerk to replace Bailey in that role and appointed Matt Bache as Assistant Clerk.

            The board tentatively set September 3 as the date for its site visit of the Dexter Lane floating solar array project.

            The Rochester Planning Board’s next meeting will be Tuesday, September 9 at 7:00 pm at Town Hall, 1 Constitution Way.

Rochester Planning Board

By Michael J. DeCicco

Summer Reading Program

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To the Editor;

            Everyone at the Mattapoisett Free Public Library would like to thank all of you who participated in the Children’s Department’s 2025 Summer Reading Program.

            This was a very busy summer for us in the Children’s Department. Across all of our story times, community reader events, activities, crafts, Camp Seahorse visits, and more, we had just shy of 1,000 attendees, which is a 61% increase over last summer. This doesn’t include all of the folks who came in to check out books, backpacks, items from our Library of Things, or just enjoy the air conditioning. We also saw a significant increase in Summer Reading registrations, from 118 in 2024 to 162 this summer – a 37% increase.

            None of this would have been possible without our sponsors and supporters. From the Mattapoisett Library Trust, the Friends of the Mattapoisett Library, the Mattapoisett Cultural Council, and, of course, all of our wonderful patrons, volunteers, and librarians.

            We are already working hard to make next year’s Summer Reading program an even bigger success and have some fun events planned for Library Card Sign-up Month, as well as programs and activities heading into the Fall. We hope to see you in the library soon. Until then, keep reading.

            Kevin Thompson

            Head Children’s Librarian

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.

Mattapoisett Museum

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Please join the Mattapoisett Museum, 5 Church Street, on September 4, from 6:00 pm to 7:30 pm for its Annual Meeting. After a brief business meeting, noted historian and author, and member of the Aquinnah Wampanoag, Linda Coombs, will speak on the subject of historical erasure – the systematic reduction or elimination of the presence of a people when history is being related by their colonizers of the original people. She will also discuss the Mattapoisett Museum’s upcoming permanent exhibit about the Wampanoag, of which she was the primary author.

            The upcoming exhibit, titled “From the Land to the Shore: The Wampanoag of Mattapoisett” will explore the history and culture of the Wampanoag People who have continuously inhabited this part of New England for at least 12,000 years. Told from the Wampanoag perspective, in Coombs voice, it follows the story of the Early Contact Period and Colonization through King Philip’s War and its outcomes to the Wampanoag culture and community as they exist today. The exhibit weaves in local, Tri-Town-Area-related examples of broader historical narratives whenever possible. However, the scarcity of these examples may actually be pointed to as an example, in and of itself, of the thorough nature of historical erasure.

            Coombs began her museum career in an internship at the Boston Children’s Museum, and later worked there in the Native American Program. Coombs also worked for 30 years in the Wampanoag Indigenous Program (WIP) of Plimoth Plantation, now called Plimoth Patuxet, including 15 years as WIP’s Associate Director; and 9 years at the Aquinnah Cultural Center. Presently she does independent museum consulting and cultural presentations.

            In her latest book, Colonization and the Wampanoag Story, Coombs aims to educate students about the Wampanoag perspective of the European colonization of New England. It was published in September of 2023, as one of five titles in Penguin Random House’s Race to the Truth series of similarly themed stories intended for middle grades. She is also co-author (with Mark Skipworth) of The Massachusetts Chronicles: The History of Massachusetts from Earliest Times to the Present Day, published in 2020 in partnership with Plymouth 400. It aims to provide a new way of looking at Massachusetts history, incorporating perspectives from both the English settlers and the Indigenous peoples.

Fall Music at the MAC

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The MAC has a fantastic fall music lineup, including the hugely popular Unplugged series, with 3 dates left for 2025. Join us upstairs in the MAC’s Patsy Francis Gallery for an evening of unplugged music featuring Nina Ott and Chris Lopes on Friday, October 3. Don’t miss Unplugged on November 21 with Jack Coleman and Donn Legge performing. There will be two seatings for the October and November events – the first from 7:00 pm to 8:00 pm and the second from 8:30 pm to 9:30 pm. Tickets are for one seating and are $15 for MAC members and $20 for nonmembers.

            The MAC Unplugged series will feature a very special holiday event to wrap up the year on December 19 at 7:00 pm, with a full concert including three performers on the MAC stage. Matt Richard (piano), Donn Legge (guitar), and Dori Rubbicco (vocalist), friends for over forty years and all graduates of the Westfield State College music program, will weave a collection of traditional and contemporary Christmas songs, reimagined into jazz, Latin, and pop styles. The performance, 7:00 pm to 9:30 pm, will include a break for intermission. Tickets for the concert are $20 for MAC members and $25 for nonmembers.

            All Unplugged events are held at the MAC, located at 80 Pleasant St., Marion. More information and tickets can be found at marionartcenter.org/events.

            Music at the MAC: Matt York – The Songs & Stories of Willie Nelson – Matt York will join the MAC with the Songs & Stories of Willie Nelson on Saturday, September 13 at 7:00 pm in the MAC’s Anne Braitmayer Webb Theater. General admission tickets are $20 for MAC members and $25 for nonmembers. To purchase tickets and for more information please head to our website at marionartcenter.org/events.

            York will perform songs and tell stories about the great Willie Nelson, while accompanied by fiddle player Angelica Vendetti. He will focus on Willie’s long and illustrious music career that has spanned over seven decades and also talk a bit about his recent book The Words and Wisdom of Willie.

            In both 2022 and 2023, York was nominated for the Boston Music Award for Best Country Artist and last year, his album, Gently Used, was named one of the top albums by Patriot Ledger. In both 2022 and 2023 the Boston Music Awards have nominated Matt York as a “Best Country Artist” nominee.

            Music at the MAC: Putnam Murdock & Friends – On Saturday, November 8, Putnam Murdock returns to the MAC for what has become a highly anticipated annual event. Joined by an ever-changing array of friends and collaborators, Putnam’s shows always feel fresh and new. The performance will start at 7:00 pm in the MAC’s Anne Braitmayer Webb Theater, located at 80 Pleasant St. Marion. Tickets are $25 for members and $30 for nonmembers. More information and tickets at marionartcenter.org/events.

Susan Braley Drake

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Susan Braley Drake, 84, of Mattapoisett, Massachusetts and Largo, Florida, passed away peacefully on July 10, 2025, following a courageous and tumultuous battle with heart disease.

            Born on July 27, 1940, in New Bedford, Massachusetts, Susan was the daughter of Helen F. Patasin (Braley) and Warren G. Pierce. She was a proud graduate of Fairhaven High School and went on to earn her RN degree from Truesdale Hospital School of Nursing, beginning a lifelong career devoted to the care and well-being of others.

            In 1961, Susan married the love of her life, Bradley “Stet” Drake. Together they shared 64 extraordinary years of marriage filled with love, laughter, and unwavering companionship.

            Sue dedicated her professional life to community health nursing, with a special focus on elder care. She served both the town of Mattapoisett and the state of Massachusetts through her work with Coastline Elderly Services. Her compassion and commitment touched the lives of many and left a lasting impact on the communities she served.

            Above all else, Sue cherished her family and friends. She found great joy in being surrounded by loved ones and was the heart of her family—always supportive, deeply kind, and endlessly generous.

            She is survived by her beloved husband, Bradley “Stet” Drake; her devoted daughters, Deborah Raposo (Joseph) and Pamela Besse (Kevin); her grandchildren, Michael Raposo (Crystalyn), Kelly Puryear (Preston), Christopher Besse (Sara), and Matthew Besse (Hana); and seven adored great-grandchildren: Kinsley Raposo, Pierce, Jackson and Reese Puryear, Madeline and Kevin Besse, and Zoey Besse.

            A graveside service will be held at Riverside Cemetery in Fairhaven, Massachusetts on September 27th, 2025 at 2:00 pm. All who knew and loved her are welcome to attend and share in the remembrance of a life beautifully lived.

            She will be deeply missed and forever remembered.

Jean (Lawrence) LaPointe

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Jean (Lawrence) LaPointe 76, July 13, 1949 – August 21, 2025

            It is with great love and sadness the family of Jean (Lawrence) LaPointe announces her peaceful passing at home in Rochester, Massachusetts. Surrounded by her family, Jean left this world in the same loving spirit with which she lived her life.

            Jean grew up on her family’s farm in Rochester, Massachusetts. She was a proud graduate of Old Rochester Regional High School, where she built the foundation of values- hard work, dedication, and kindness, that would guide her throughout her life.

            Jean began her working life cleaning eggs at Lawrence’s Egg Farm. In 1969, she embraced her most treasured role as a mother. In the late 1970s she entered the auto parts industry, stepping in to watch over her husband’s business, Corsini Truck & Auto Parts. With determination and skill, she managed every aspect of operations, from bookkeeping and staff management to customer relations. Under her leadership, the business flourished, eventually requiring a larger location in Middleboro MA.

            Jean was not only known for her business acumen but also for her warm and generous spirit. Jean’s heart always belonged to her family. She loved hosting every holiday and family gathering, ensuring that no occasion went uncelebrated. Jean enjoyed collecting old beer steins, searching for treasures at yard sales and flea markets. She took great pride in her restored 1954 Chevrolet Corvette, painted in French banner blue.

            In retirement, Jean cherished her time on the Old Fart Tractor Farm in upstate New York, where she delighted in feeding cows and calves and enjoying the quiet rhythms of country life.

            Jean was the beloved daughter of the late Maxwell M. Lawrence and Florence (Merrill) Lawrence. She is survived by her devoted husband of 57 years, Brian LaPointe, her daughters, Christine LaPointe and Pauline Bonneau. Her grandchildren Andrew and James Caswell, and Madeline Bonneau were her true pride and joy.

            She also leaves behind her loving siblings Geraldine Dudley of Norway, Maine, and Maxwell M. Lawrence Jr and his wife Polly of Rochester MA.

            She is survived by many nieces and nephews.

            Jean will be dearly missed by all who knew and loved her. Her legacy lives on, not only in her family and friends, but also in the warmth of her traditions, her boundless generosity and the joy she brought to every gathering. Certainly, for those lucky enough to have enjoyed them, her famous whoopie pies will never be forgotten.

            Family and friends are warmly invited to join in a celebration of life that will be held on Sunday September 7th 2025 11:00 – 4:00 at Arch at the Meadow 332 Mendell Road, Rochester MA.

Jo-Anne M. (Sites) Lombardo

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Jo-Anne M. (Sites) Lombardo, age 70, of East Providence, Rhode Island, formerly of Brockton, East Taunton, Boston, Northbridge, and Nashua, NH, passed away at the Evergreen Nursing Health Center of East Providence.

            The daughter of the late Roger F. and Rosemarie F. (Sullivan) Sites, she was a 1973 graduate of Brockton High School. She attended Boston College. She worked in the data processing field for numerous companies, then worked as a Financial Adviser with Ameriprise. She was predeceased by her husband, John Lombardo.

            She is survived by her brother, Michael G. Sites and his wife, Kathleen A. Flaherty Sites, of Mattapoisett. She leaves behind numerous cousins, and is greatly appreciative of the efforts and support of the Lombardo family.

            In accordance with her wishes, there will be no calling hours. She will be interred at Pine Hill Cemtery in West Bridgewater, MA. Services provided by Conley Funeral and Cremation Service, 138 Belmont Street, Brockton.

Ethics of Appointments Debated

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            During the August 26 meeting of the Mattapoisett Select Board, the issue of ethics with respect to a short-term appointment became a flash point. The agenda listed “Action Items discussion and possible vote on Board of Health Interim Member to the Board of Health.” The appointment would fill a vacancy expected on the board before the end of Alexandra Nicoloci’s term ends.

            It has been the practice of the town to fill short-term postings with residents willing to provide short-term assistance. But there was resistance to the board’s selection of Douglas Schneider who was a candidate for the Board of Health ultimately defeated in the last election.

            Select Board member Tyler Macallister advocated for Schneider’s appointment saying he was qualified and had shown obvious interest in the position. But current BOH member Michelle Bernier lobbied for a replacement with a public health background, Kathy Eklund. Eklund had submitted a multipage curriculum verte that outlined her many years working in the public health sector.

            There ensued a period of discussion that included questions about the number of times Schneider, a civil engineer will need to recuse himself due to business relationships a common occurrence with the current board given that the BOH chairman, Carmelo Nicolosi is also a civil engineer. Resident Donald Fleming, commenting from the floor, pointedly asked Nicolosi how frequently he recused himself from voting on matters brought before the BOH. He wasn’t sure possibly four times a year.

            Bernier stated that it was sometimes difficult to vote on projects brought before the BOH because of Nicolosi’s affiliation with Charon and Associates. Naming another local engineer might not be prudent she believed. Bernier said that although the BOH deals with a number of septic related hearings, public health is also a large part of their area of responsibility.

            Nicoloci said he had spoken to the state ethics board but when pressed by Fleming said it wasn’t a written opinion. Fleming said, “… this whole thing seems to be evolving about ethics.” The need for board members to recuse themselves from some matters due to their personal or business relationships requires the members to “self-report” town administrator Mike Lorenco said.

            Resident Nikki Demakis said that even the appearance of a conflict was problematic. “…they have an obligation under their appointing authority.” She said, “It does not make sense not to appoint her (Eklund).

            The Select board ultimately decided to take the matter up with legal counsel.

            Another hot button item discussed was a citizen’s petition to hold a Special Town Meeting specifically to hear voters in the matter of another citizen’s petition that passed at the Fall Town Meeting. The petition, authored by Nikki Demakis sought to determine the public’s appetite for increasing the Select Board from 3 to 5 members. It passed the Spring Town Meeting. Now the voters will be asked whether or not they wish to overturn that vote and leave the Select Board as a 3-member board. The Select Board will check schedules to determine viable dates to hold this one-article Town Meeting and will post that date one week before holding the meeting.

            In other matters, the town received a check from ARPA (American Rescue Plan Act) in the amount of $57,500.

            They tabled a request from the Marine Advisory Board for a reduction of voting members from seven to five citing the difficulty in achieving a quorum especially during the summer months. The board will ask the Chairman Carlos DeSousa to weigh-in before taking any action.

            Also on the agenda was the official appointment of members to the Open Space and Recreation Steering Committee. The mission of the OSRC Steering Committee as noted in their charge is to advise the Select Board on matters related to open space and recreation. They will facilitate the development of the OSRC plan document which reflects and supports the committee’s priorities and goals. It will establish goals that will examine issues for the future of open space and recreation. It will also establish a timeline for achieving goals.

            The committee consists of nine members representing the Conservation Commission, the Bike Path committee, the Mattapoisett Land Trust, one member of the recreation staff, and four members from the general public. The committee’s volunteers are Nathan Ketchel representing the Planning Board, Barry Lima representing the Conservation Commission, Richard Grahn representing the Bike Path committee, Marissa Hughes from the Mattapoisett Recreation Department, Kristen McCormack from the Mattapoisett Land Trust, and from the community at large Robin Lepore, Frank White, and Janice Robbins.

            The committee is charged with working with town staff officials, the public and the Southeastern Regional Planning and Economic Development in the establishment of goals and objectives, action items and review of all materials including the review of public feedback from surveys and public meetings. The synthesizing of all materials into coherent actionable strategies will be a key element of the OSRC’s work.

            The next meeting of the Mattapoisett Select Board is scheduled for Tuesday, September 9 at 6:00 pm in Town Hall or on Zoom.

Mattapoisett Select Board

By Marilou Newell

Mattapoisett Yacht Club Cruise

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Mattapoisett Yacht Club will hold a Labor Day Weekend Cruise on Friday, August 29 to Tuesday, September 2 to Cuttyhunk. Contact Cruise Captain Carlos with any questions or comments at CruisingChair@MattapoisettYC.org.

            We always have a BBQ on the beach with an open fire. Please bring a few pieces of firewood if you have them around. If you have a small portable BBQ, bring that as well (I will bring a small propane BBQ). The BBQ will be on Saturday night with a rain date of Sunday night.

            There is also a Labor Day parade of boats on Monday morning. Other optional activities based on group interest. One possibility is breakfast at the Fisherman’s Club.

            Moorings are all first come first serve. The inner harbor has moorings and a few slips. The slips for this weekend get sold out months in advance. The moorings fill up fast, anchor locations are few and have extremely poor holding due to mud and eel grass. The outer harbor has many moorings and good anchoring but is exposed to North Winds. Normally winds are from the Southwest. Moorings are $55 per boat.

            Labor Day weekend is the busiest weekend of the year at Cuttyhunk. If you want to be sure of getting a mooring, it is best to show up on Friday, or before noon on Saturday. I believe (check for yourself) that you can raft two boats on the same morning, but each boat must pay the $55 fee.

            Just grab any open mooring that is not marked “Private,” and a boat will come by later to collect the money (cash or check).

            There is no launch service, so it is best to bring a dinghy. If you don’t have a dinghy, you should be able to hitch rides with other MYC cruise members.