Harbor Days 2014

on July 18, 2014

The Mattapoisett Lions Club is well known around the South Coast for its annual week-long Harbor Days fundraising event. A host of activities are planned throughout the week of July 13-20. The main event, however, takes place on July 19-20 when over one hundred Crafters and Artisans set up in Shipyard Park (rain or shine) to showcase and sell their creations. In addition, the 2013 Red Sox World Series Trophy will be on display Saturday afternoon.

The Lions Food Tent is a big part of Harbor Days. The weekend kicks off with a Fish & Chips dinner on Friday, July 18 at 5:30 pm (burgers and dogs also available). A free concert under the tent begins at 7:00 pm. Live entertainment is planned for the entire weekend at the Gazebo in Shipyard Park.

The Red Sox 2013 World Series Trophy will be on display at the Gazebo between 1:30 – 3:00 pm. The annual Lobster Dinner is Saturday evening, July 20, from 5:30 pm to 7:30 pm. A free movie, On Golden Pond, will be shown after dinner at 8:30 pm with a talk by special guest and Oscar winning author Ernest Thompson. Have your picture taken with the Oscar!

A Pancakes Breakfast will be served on Sunday morning, July 21 from 8:00 – 11:00 am. Luncheon foods will be available under the tent both Saturday and Sunday.

A U pick ‘Em Auction offers a wide variety of items from Harbor Days vendors. Participants buy chances and choose the prizes they hope to win.

The annual Lions Club Raffle rounds out the weekend with fabulous prizes to be won.

Harbor Days has been the major fundraising event for the Mattapoisett Lions Club for more than 25 years. Proceeds from this event allow the Club to generously support Lions Club sponsored charities and to assist those in need within our community. For more information, visit www.mattapoisettlionsclub.org.

A Cavalcade of American Popular Music

on July 18, 2014

On Friday, July 18, the Marion Concert Band continues its Friday evening concert series with a program of American popular music. The program, which features a variety of pop styles from the 1920s to 1970s, is as follows:

National Anthem

“The Thunderer” by J. P. Sousa

“Second American Folk Rhapsody” by C. Grundman

“New York: 1927” by W. Barker

“Satchmo!” by T. Ricketts

“Big Band Signatures” arranged by J. Higgins

“Sinatra!” arranged by Stephen Bulla

“Pop and Rock Legends: The Beatles” arranged by M. Sweeney

“Crooner’s Serenade” arranged by J. Williams

“Pop and Rock Legends: The Association” arranged by T. Ricketts

“Raindrops Keep Fallin’ on My Head” by B. Bacharach

“Maynard Madness” arranged by Victor Lopez

“Thundercrest March” by E. Osterling

The concert, under the direction of Tobias Monte, will begin at 7:00 pm at the Robert Broomhead Bandstand, Island Wharf off Front Street in Marion. All concerts are free and open to the public.

Come Meet “Buck Chuck” this Summer!

on July 18, 2014

After a very long winter, “Buck Chuck,” the Rochester Country Fair Mascot, has scheduled an appearance at Lloyd’s Market, located at 4 Hartley Road in Rochester, on Sunday, July 20 between the hours of 8:00 am and 1:00 pm (weather permitting).

While Buck Chuck makes himself available to shake your hand, sign autographs and take selfies, Fair Committee Members will offer a number of items to those who visit.

Cow Chip Bingo Tickets will be sold for $5 per parcel of virtual real estate. Winners of this contest will be randomly selected by the cows at the Rochester Country Fair on Thursday, August 14.

Raffle Tickets to win a Stihl MS 291 Chainsaw, donated by Barnes Tree Service, will also be available for $5 per chance. The winner of this prize will be drawn at the Woodsman Show Event on Sunday, August 17.

Fair Program Books will be available, along with discounted Four-Day Fair Passes to the Fair for $15 each. The 15th Annual Rochester Country Fair will take place at 65 Pine Street in Rochester, August 14 – 17. Visit www.rochesterma.com for additional fair info.

Suspect Arrested For Break In

on July 18, 2014

A suspect has been arrested in connection with one of the town’s recent house breaks. Rochester Police Officer Kevin Flynn obtained an arrest warrant for 24-year-old Kelly F. Sorelle of Dr. Braley Road in Freetown as a result of his investigation into a break on Benson Road in Rochester.

In that case, it is believed Sorelle tripped the alarm at the Benson Road home after gaining entry through a window which set of the alarm, causing her to flee out the front door prior to police arrival and without being able to take anything from the home.

Rochester Police, working in conjunction with Freetown Police, took Sorelle into custody Thursday afternoon. Police are now looking to link Sorelle to some of the other breaks that have occurred. Sorelle was charged with breaking and entering in the daytime, trespassing and destruction of property.

Rochester Police Chief Paul Magee praised the work of his officers on this case. “The patrol staff has been working hard to solve these cases. They are committed to catching the people responsible” said Chief Magee. The Chief also praised cooperation between departments. “Because Rochester, Freetown, and the Plymouth County Sheriff’s Department work together so well, cases like these get solved.”

Rochester Police Department Press Release

2nd Solar Project Completes ConCom Review

on July 17, 2014

Blue Wave LLC’s Aidan Foley finally heard what he has been waiting for: The Mattapoisett Conservation Commission will condition the Crystal Spring site for the development of a commercial solar farm, clearing the way for further local boards’ review. Foley hopes that this will help steer the ZBA into approving the project during their July 17 hearing.

It has been an uphill battle for Blue Wave throughout the ConCom process, given the site location and water drainage issues. At the July 15 meeting those questions arose again. Was the storm water system sufficient? Would seasonal soil dynamics negatively impact site stabilization? Would turtle sweeps on such a large site be completed in time for a summer 2014 construction start? Has Natural Heritage chimed in with their list of conditions and restrictions? During the course of more than an hour of debate and discussion, all these questions were addressed to the satisfaction of the commission. And time is of the essence for this for profit venture. If Blue Wave can begin construction now, the financial impact is better for them in terms of tax relief.

On the question of when construction should start, the lack of feedback at this point from Natural Heritage seemed concerning to the commission. Foley said they preferred to wait until local review and plan modifications stemming from that review were completed to fully engage this agency. He said, “…they are going to give us extensive requirements…” Therefore, having a fully vetted plan would make that process go more smoothly.

Foley also said that Natural Heritage would be looking for remediation planning and that Blue Wave hoped to secure a local site for conservation purposes versus paying into a state remediation fund. This was viewed favorably by the commission.

As in previous public hearings, neighbors expressed their concerns about the ability of the storm water management system to handle run-off. Foley agreed that on-site peer review could and would be paid for by Blue Wave to help ensure that construction methods met plans and that erosion control systems were put in place as conditioned by ConCom. Chairman Peter Newton said that he didn’t want a bunch of angry neighbors faced with problems from erosion and storm water drainage problems, noting that the neighbors would end up being the watchdogs for the project. However, Foley said that monitoring of the site would be ongoing, especially during the sensitive deforestation phases before grasses and shrubs could be planted.

Abutter Peter Wolski inquired if the surrounding acreage outside the site would continue to be forested. Newton responded that that would be between the landowner and the state, not between Blue Wave and the town or the landowner and the town. Wolski pressed Newton further to take ownership on behalf of the town, but Newton said this fell outside ConCom’s jurisdictional duties and Blue Wave’s responsibilities.

The commission closed the public hearing section of the application and voted to issue an order of conditions that would be researched and outlined by the conservation agent in concert with the commission members over the next two weeks, and then be presented at the next ConCom meeting. The ZBA will be informed of their decision.

In other business, William Hall received a negative finding regarding his request to perform vista pruning of trees on his property. The commission conditioned that the agent will visit the site and that the trees to be trimmed will be tagged to ensure that only those agreed upon with the agent will be cut.

Susan Fine of Waterman Street received a negative finding. She can move forward with the repair of steps on her home, which is situated in a flood velocity zone.

Mark Roberts, 163 Brandt Island Road, received a negative finding for the razing of the house on the lot and the construction of a new home with conditioning.

Randall Gasper, 26 Brandt Island Road, received a negative finding for the construction of an above-ground pool.

Jason Braz, 1 Nantucket Drive, requested and received a certificate of compliance.

The board signed a Property Management Plan for conservation lands known as Brandt Island Road Parcel. This is part of a larger conservation project the town is partnering in with the Buzzards Bay Coalition.

Brian Grady of GAF Engineering came before the commission to share that planning and review continues for storm water drainage system issues on Appaloosa Lane, noting that he had recently met with the Planning Board and was following their requests for repairs to the drainage system and soil investigations.

The next meeting of the Mattapoisett Conservation Commission is July 28 at 6:30 pm.

By Marilou Newell

The Book is Mightier than the Sword

on July 17, 2014

“Cold Steel” was one of the educating and exciting free programs the Mattapoisett Free Library offers during the summer. Visitors learned all about the history of swords and the origins of sword fighting, while Jeff Lord and Jeff Goodkind from the Association for Renaissance and Medieval Swordsmanship gave live demonstrations before a crowd of enthusiastic kids and adults. Photos by Jean Perry

Triathlon Brings Out the Young and Young at Heart

on July 17, 2014

Mattapoisett Lions Club’s Annual Triathlon brought out men, women and children. Participants ranged in age from 10 years old to somewhere north of 70, delighting themselves and the supporters that lined the race course. Better weather could not have been purchased, as refreshing sea breezes cooled the bright sunshine. A festival atmosphere infected the assembled under a spectacular blue sky.

The three-pronged race is a popular summertime venue, drawing people from Boston, throughout the south coast, and nearly every town within an hour’s ride of this picturesque coastal community.

The first leg of the race is the watercourse, considered by all to be the most difficult part to get through. Individual men were followed 30 seconds later by individual women and then the team racers plunged into the high tide at Mattapoisett’s Town Beach.

The second leg of the race is the biking piece. Teams quickly swapped the timing devices attached to the racers’ ankles and took off as fast as possible, leaving behind their wet panting swim partner. Individual participants either had attendants assist them in removing swim gear and changing shoes, or like quick-change artists, they peeled out of swimwear and pedaled away with saltwater dipping from their glistening bodies.

The final leg was the running part. This, too, was either an individual effort or handed off to a team member.

Joining the fun for the first time this year were Kevin Sawiski of Kingston, and Dan and Paul Ghelfi, of Bridgewater. Dan’s brother, Paul, has been competing in the race for years and had talked his brother and friend into joining him this time. Dan said that he and Kevin had been talked into doing it and hoped to survive the challenge. Paul crossed the finish line before Dan.

Contestants and sisters, Stephanie Coleman, from Framingham, and Kristen Kelley, from Wareham, intended to stay together throughout the race. Coleman was persuaded by her older sister Kelley to join her this year. “Yeah, I’ll stay with her and then pass her at the end,” Coleman said with a smile. That proved to be the case. Coleman bested her sister Kelley by a whopping two-tenths of a second, with Coleman placing #122 and Kelley #123.

Christina Bonney, of Marion was a first timer. Her husband, Andrew, and her small children, Clara (6) and Charles (4), cheered her on from beginning to end. Bonney finished in one hour 26 seconds.

A team that works together at Titleist in Fairhaven – Liam Kenny of Barrington, Peter Trimble of Mashpee, and Patrick Owens of Marion – were also first timers who named their team the ‘Mollusks of Destiny.’ They divided the agony and the ecstasy, with Kenny handling the swim, Trimble the run, and Owens the biking. The team’s destiny was fourth place with a time of 56 minutes.

One of the more colorful and enthusiastic teams was spearheaded by Ann Martin, who described herself as one of the “village people” hailing from Mattapoisett. Donning her flowered bathing cap, she pranced into the water with a huge smile on her face. Martin has been enjoying this race for years and said that she even won it in the past, guessing it was probably in the early 1990s. “Oh, we train hard – on the porch at the Inn,” she remarked with a chuckle after pulling herself out of the water and handing off the biking work to Dave McNeary of West Dennis. She said her team’s name was ‘The Old Hen, The Rooster, and the Chick’. The ‘Chick’ was Lisa Justa, who completed the running portion for the team. This is the third year these three have partnered. They finished in 10th place with a time of one hour and 13 seconds.

Race officials said that the total number of racers on the course was 128. There was at least three times that number screaming, clapping, and encouraging them throughout the one hour and 30 minutes it took for most of the brave souls to cross the finish line.

Chris Phenix, 33, was the first male individual racer to complete the course with a time of 53:52 followed by Tom Gelson, 49, at 54:47 and Ed Rheaume, 51, with 55:43.

The first female individual racer was Kimberly Shattuck, 43, of Bridgewater. She said she has never lost this race, but was a bit concerned this year by acknowledging, “I am getting older.” But this mother of two was beaming with a time of 58:17.

Ten year old Julia Bertarelli was the youngest racer, part of a team with her dad, Mike. The younger Bertarelli completed the running portion with dad holding down the swim and biking legs. Team Bertarelli came in 4th place in the team category with a time of 1:05.

The triathlon kick starts the Lions Club’s Harbor Days, the annual seaside event that begins on July 18. For a full schedule of all activities and events, go to www.mattapoisettlionsclub.org. For complete race results, visit www.coolrunning.com.

By Marilou Newell

Walking Tour of the Mattapoisett Waterfront

on July 16, 2014

Add to your Harbor Days experience by joining the Mattapoisett Historical Society for a Walking Tour on Saturday, July 19 at 2:00 pm. Learn more about the little town that built the whalers for Nantucket and New Bedford. Explore the waterfront streets, parks and wharves where the action took place. The tour is free with Museum Admission ($5 adults, $2 children 6 and up). Meet at the Mattapoisett Historical Society, 5 Church Street – just two blocks from Shipyard Park. For more information, please visit www.mattapoisetthistoricalsociety.org or call 508-758-2844.

SHS Mystery Matinees

on July 16, 2014

This July, beat the mid-day heat with Sippican Historical Society’s Mystery Matinees. On Thursday, July 17, the featured film will be Alfred Hitchcock’s Vertigo. The 1958 American psychological thriller stars James Stewart as former police detective Scottie Ferguson, who was forced into early retirement because an incident in the line of duty caused him to develop acrophobia and vertigo. Now working as a private investigator, Scottie is hired by an acquaintance to follow the gentleman’s wife, played by Kim Novak. Though Vertigo received mixed reviews when released, it is now considered one of the defining works of Hitchcock’s career and hailed by critics and fans alike as one of the best movies of all time.

July’s other matinees include: North by Northwest on July 24 and Rear Window on July 31. Mystery Matinees will be held in the Front Room of the Marion Music Hall, and will begin at 11:00 am. They are offered free to the public, with no registration required. Attendees are encouraged to bring a lunch and beverage to enjoy during the film.

Marion Open Space Commission

on July 16, 2014

To the Editor:

A petition is circulating throughout Marion which asks Marion Selectmen to consider the Marion Open Space Commission be in charge of Spragues Cove at Silvershell Beach, rather than the Conservation Commission. The petition currently has 154 signatures as of this writing. Voters are angry that Marion ConCom tore up a working filtration system for stormwater at Silvershell Beach, installed a stonewall in the marsh without filing a permit, and destroyed habitat used by birds, turtles and waterfowl. Most people understand that invasives need to be taken out, but this action included ripping out shrubs and plantings put in by concerned citizens in the late 1990s to create a filtration system that was working. Why is it necessary to destroy a village to save it? Since this devastation occurred on the heels of news of wetland destruction at Washburn Park, voters are concerned that perhaps the wrong Commission is in charge.

Marion Open Space Commission, of which I was a member for seven years, has the experience and expertise to manage wetlands in a consistent and viable way. A subcommittee will be formed to step in should the Selectmen decide to do the right thing and turn the responsibility over to MOSAC. They have energy to care for wetlands as they already do in several areas of town, as well as the resilience to keep up with invasives without sacrificing the integrity of a working storm filtration system and ecologically balanced area.

I respectfully urge the Marion Selectmen to assign the future care of Spragues Cove to MOSAC.

Sincerely,

Sue Maxwell Lewis, Marion

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