Friends of the Mattapoisett Bike Path

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The Friends of the Mattapoisett Bike Path have two new programs to make Mattapoisett as safe and welcoming as possible for our resident and visitor bicyclists.  First, the “Bike Friendly Mattapoisett Map” will be available at our Harbor Days booth. Sponsored by 29 local bike-friendly businesses, this map is waterproof and durable, detailing the best biking roads in the Tri-Town area as well as Fairhaven, and providing directions for five great rides from 8 to 35 miles.  The map is yours for a minimum donation of five dollars.  All proceeds go to the Bike Path project.  After Harbor Days the map will be available at several Bike-Friendly Businesses in town.

Also available at Harbor Days is the Bike-Friendly Rewards Card.  The Rewards Card program will fund bike racks around Town.  When you donate $25.00 to help purchase and install bike racks, you’ll receive a card that entitles  you to discounts at participating businesses around town.  The total value of all the possible rewards well exceeds $25.00.  So please come look for us at our Harbor Days booth.

In news about the Bike Path, 2014 has been a very productive year. We are on schedule and if all goes well, the bike path from Mattapoisett Neck to Depot Street should be under construction next fall. Plans are under state and federal environmental review right now, as well as in review with Massachusetts Department of Transportation.  We expect there will be a public hearing in September.

Thank You Garden Club

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Dear Editor,

Great thanks to the Mattapoisett Women’s Club for their well-organized masterpiece on Saturday, June 28th. The Garden Tour was quintessential New England with panoramic views of the bay and woodlands from some of the most spectacular gardens in the greater New Bedford area.

I know organizing and executing a garden tour can be a daunting endeavor, but these ladies within the Garden Club made it appear effortless—a sure sign of a well-managed tour that had all of its bases covered. The tour proved to be richly rewarding for everyone involved.

The benefits were many: Scholarship funds were raised. It was an opportunity for people in and outside the community to socialize and get to know one another better. Seeing what other homeowners do with their property might inspire the reluctant gardener to try out new ideas. But the biggest reward was seeing the event come off smoothly and watching visitors enjoy what you folks and your volunteers made possible. Congratulations on a job done well!

Best regards,

Eileen Marum, Marion

 

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.

School Committees Tie up Loose Ends

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A string of short meetings of the various Tri-Town school committees on June 26 closed out several outstanding items of business for the end of the school year, and the end of the fiscal year as well.

Superintendent Doug White approached the Rochester School Committee members present to touch base on the residency policy for the Rochester School District, as some issues with potential new students moving into the district next school year have developed.

White said, similar to last year, “the same dilemma” is poised to take place, as some of the houses being constructed in town – with White specifically mentioning Connet Woods – have hit some snags in their development.

The policy allows students moving into the district to attend school within the Rochester School District within a period of 30 days from closing on the house.

“Residency has always been a tricky situation,” said White. “How do we want to address these students?” he asked the committee. He said he was looking for guidance and support because at least one family moving into the district will not officially reside in Rochester at the start of the school year as projected. Discussion headed toward sticking with the 30-day policy.

“But is it detrimental to the child to do that?” asked school committee member Meagan Bennett, for the sake of “playing devil’s advocate.”

“There is a long history of residency issues,” said member Robin Rounseville.

White said it was a case of “best interest versus stand your ground.” He added that one family will not see official residency until November, about three months into the school year and well beyond the 30-day residency policy.

“It’s really [aimed at] people who are thought to not live here, but their children are here in school,” said Vice Chairman Tina Rood. “There have been cases of students who do not live here.”

Looking to remain on “solid ground,” Rounseville said, “I think we need to hold fast to our policy.”

“I’d like to say that we could just let them all come, but…” said school committee member Jennifer Kulak trailing off.

In other news, the Old Rochester Regional Joint Committee approved the appointment of Michael Nelson as the new director of student services. Nelson will replace retiring director of student services, Theresa Hamm.

Nelson has been the out-of-district/district-wide education coordinator for Walpole Public Schools since 2011 and will start with the ORR School District in August.

The Rochester and Mattapoisett School Committees both approved a new district-wide copier lease that White says will save the district money and provide more efficiency by having the same provider for all six schools.

The committees also gave White the authorization to use leftover fiscal year 2014 school budget funds to pre-pay three months of special education private school tuition and program services for FY15.

By Jean Perry

 

Boating Accident Leads to Fatality in Marion

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At approximately 1300hrs The Marion Harbormasters Office received a distress call for a person in the water with no life preserver off of Converse Point. The Marion Harbormaster as well as Marion Police and Marion Fire responded to the area. Other responding marine units included the Buzzards Bay Task Force, Harbormasters from Wareham, Bourne and Mattapoisett, New Bedford Fire and the US Coast Guard.

The reporting party and boat were located. A female on board the power boat out of Onset MA stated that her husband while attempting to fix a bumper had lost his balance when a wave struck the boat and had fallen overboard. Seas were approximately 4 ft and choppy and the wind was at 15mph from the southwest.

The female and boat were brought back to Island Wharf by a member of the Harbormasters unit. The female was evaluated on scene and transported to the Marion Police Department. At approximately 1423Hrs, a body was recovered by a passing boater. The Coast Guard attempted rescucitation on the 66 year old white male. Marion Harbormaster then transported the recovered party into Converse Point. He was transported by Marion EMS to Tobey Hospital. The party was pronounced deceased at the hospital.

Information regarding the name of the deceased has not yet been released pending notification of family members. State Police detectives as well as the Environmental Police also responded.

Marion Police Department Press Release

 

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Mattapoisett Road Race: I Don’t Run!

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If you’re thinking to yourself, “I don’t run, so why go into the village on the 4th of July?” there are several reasons to be there. The Harpoon Harmonizers will be performing before the Race and singing the National Anthem at the start of the Race. The Inn at Shipyard Park (formerly the Mattapoisett Inn) will be serving a light breakfast from 8:30 – 11:00 am. Lunch service will start at 11:30 am. There will be a beer tasting sponsored by Buzzards Bay Brewery from 10:00 am – 12:00 noon, and Butch McCarthy will provide entertainment. The Town Wharf General Store will be open from 8:00 am – 2:00 pm. Body in Balance’s Jessica Cavaco will be doing a warm-up for runners. Spectators could probably do a little warming up if they wanted. The Barley Family Healthcare and Rehab will have their tent set up for post-race massages for runners.

If you live along the race route, you can decorate your yard, play music and compete for the coveted “Most Spirited Home” award. Winning this award will take some serious effort if you want to defeat past winners, the Kassabian family and the Dall family. But it might be fun to give it a shot.

When you come down to Shipyard Park or anywhere along the race route, you will see race officials in bright orange shirts. These individuals can provide whatever assistance you may need. You also can offer thanks to the Race’s Founding Father and Founding Mother (a.k.a. Bob and Doris Gardner). Long-time Race Director, Dan White, will be there in his new role as Race Mayor. And you will definitely want to give a special thanks to current Race Director, Bill Tilden. It will be easy to find him – he will be the one in the “hot pink” shirt.

But the main reason for coming out to support the Mattapoisett Road Race is simple. It is the quintessential “small town America” event. It represents what makes the 4th of July and our country so special.

Vendors Sought for Country Fair

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The Rochester Country Fair is seeking interested vendors for participation in the upcoming Rochester Country Fair. The Fair, now in its 15th year, features a unique mix of old-fashioned events and contests, a parade, woodsman show, tractor pulls and so much more.

This year’s “Team Spirit” Theme Fair will be held on Thursday, August 14 thru Sunday, August 17 at 65 Pine Street in Rochester. Craft vendor booth spaces are available for a fee of $125, while food vendor spaces start at $350. Space is limited and is given on a first come, first serve basis, with preference given to vendors selling unique and home made items. Applications and registration information can be found on the Fair’s website at www.rochesterma.com or emailing rcfvendor@comcast.net.

For those interested in visiting the fair, it will offer many unique old-fashioned events for the entire family. You will need to come prepared if you wish to participate, though. You must bring your own frog to compete in the Frog Race and certainly don’t wear your favorite shirt if you wish to participate in the Pie Eating Contest! Other children’s events will include a Diaper Derby, Nerf Olympics and a Pedal Tractor Pull just to name a few. For the young at heart, the Fair will offer Truck and Tractor Pulling, a Horseshoe Contest, Live Wrestling featuring former WWE Hall of Famer Tito Santana and Live Music by the John Cafferty and the Beaver Brown Band!

Admission to the Fair is $4 on Thursday and $5 on Friday, Saturday and Sunday. Children age 5 and under get in free. There is no fee for parking. Additional event information can be obtained on the Fair’s website, www.rochesterma.com.

210 Swim Buzzards Bay

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Two hundred ten swimmers dove into outer New Bedford Harbor early Saturday morning to show their support for clean, healthy water by taking part in the Buzzards Bay Coalition’s 21st annual Buzzards Bay Swim.

As of the start of the event on Saturday, swimmers had raised nearly $100,000 to support the nonprofit Coalition’s work to protect clean water, conserve land and educate youth and adults in communities across the Buzzards Bay region, from Westport to Woods Hole. Members of the public who wish to support clean water can donate to the Swim until July 15 at www.savebuzzardsbay.org/swim.

Calm, clear waters and bright sunshinegreeted swimmers as they gathered at The Edge Seafood & Lounge (formerly Davy’s Locker) beach in New Bedford. The first swimmers started at 7:15 a.m., and by 8:45 a.m. the final swimmer had covered the 1.2 mile course and arrived at the finish line at Fort Phoenix Beach State Reservation in Fairhaven.

Measured at 72 degrees, water conditions “were perfect,” according to Morgan McCarthy of East Orleans, who finished as the fastest female swimmer for the second year in a row with a time of 21:46. McCarthy, along with eight other swimmers, received the elite “Six-Mile Award” for completing her fifth Buzzards Bay Swim — the equivalent of swimming the entire six-mile width of Buzzards Bay.

The event drew swimmers from nearly 100 communities including participants from as far as away as Australia, Florida and South Dakota. Swimmers ranged in age from 12 to 74.

“This event is a great statement of the importance of a clean, healthy Buzzards Bay,” said Coalition President Mark Rasmussen. “I’m thrilled that so many people are coming to New Bedford Harbor to celebrate our local waters this weekend.”

Four swimmers this year – Anthony Garro of Dartmouth, Bill Muldoon of Mattapoisett, Matt Shenker of Pocasset and Dan Vasconcellos of Pembroke – have been working toward an exciting challenge: If they each raise $5,000, longtime swimmer Larry Fish of West Falmouth will donate an additional $10,000. As of the morning of the Swim, Vasconcellos and Shenker had raised $5,700 and $5,640 respectively, the top two individual fundraisers.

“A lot of people stepped up to donate – even people I’d never met!” said 18-time Buzzards Bay Swim participant Vasconcellos, a freelance illustrator. As a thank you, Vasconcellos offered donors a one-of-a-kind envelope cartoon drawing.

In addition to the top individual fundraisers, “Mimi’s Swimmers” (Bryan, Laura and Sarah Robertson of South Dartmouth) were the top fundraising team with a total of $2,025.

After the Swim, participants, volunteers and fans celebrated at a finish line beach party, complete with food and drinks, massage therapists, live music from El-Caribe and a live radio broadcast with Michael Rock of FUN 107. The event concluded with an awards ceremony.

For the second year in a row, the fastest swimmer was 17-year-old Alex Gallant of Lakeville, who covered the course in 21:12. Right behind him was 18-year-old Nathan Garner of Nashua, N.H., with a time of 21:27 and first-time Buzzards Bay Swim participant Frank Wuest of Boston with a time of 21:32. The Wheeler Watershed Challenge Cup for the fastest team went to the Team Westport(Elizabeth Geiger, William Krause and David Lippin)with an average team time of 27:17.

The Quicks Awards for the fastest boys and girls high school teams both went to Apponequet High School in Lakeville. The Apponequet boys team (Josh Beck, Alex Gallant and Nicholas McKenna, all 17) had a combined total time of 23:29 andthe Apponequet Lady Lakers (Kaitlyn Barrack, 17, Kaye D’Andrea, 17 and Brienna Harrison, 16) had a combined total time of 26:50. The two teams will each bring a $1,000 prize back to their school.

For a full list of results and photos, visit http://www.savebuzzardsbay.org/2014buzzardsbayswim.

The Buzzards Bay Swim is a Waterkeeper Alliance SPLASH Series Event, presented nationally by Toyota. For more information, please visit www.splashseries.org. The Buzzards Bay Swim is also sponsored by RBS Citizens and the b Positive Project.

The Buzzards Bay Swim is one of two signature outdoor events hosted by the Coalition. The other is the Buzzards Bay Watershed Ride, a one-day bicycle ride covering 76 miles from Westport to Woods Hole, with a shorter 35-mile route beginning in Rochester. The eighth annual Watershed Ride will take place Sunday, October 5. Details and registration are available at www.savebuzzardsbay.org/watershedride.

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Mattapoisett ZBA Reorganizes

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Due to the recent retirement of Jeff Chase as Chairman and regular member of the Mattapoisett Zoning Board of Appeals, the board needed to fill several openings. Their goal during the June 19 meeting was solely for this purpose. They needed to select an alternate member to move up to a regular member position, choose a chairman, and select a clerk.

With the full board in attendance, they did just that.

The board is comprised of regular members: Paul Millott, Jr., (Dec. 1999 – April 2018); Susan Akin (Feb 2000 – April 2016); Mary Ann Brogan (March 2002 – April 2017); and Norman Lyonnais (October 2008 – April 2015). From this list, they voted Susan Akin to be Chairman and Mary Ann Brogan to be clerk.

The alternates to this board are: Stephen Vaitses (July 2002 – April 2010, term has expired and is scheduled to be renewed); Kenneth Pacheco (Feb 2006 – April 2019); Eugene DesLanders (June 2009 – April 2015); Colby Rottler (July 2009 – April 2015); and Tony Tranfaglia (April 2003 – April 2016). This group was asked by Akin to share their level of interest in moving up to a regular slot on the board. Declining the opportunity were Vaitses, citing other commitments, and DesLanders due to seasonal migration to warmer climates. Expressing an interest in moving up were Pacheco, Rottler and Tranfaglia. In the end, this group selected the member for the regular slot based on seniority – Kenneth Pacheco.

The next meeting of the Mattapoisett ZBA is scheduled for July.

By Marilou Newell

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Decorate Your Bike for the 4th

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We will meet in front of the Elizabeth Taber Library at the gazebo on Wednesday, July 2 at 2:00 pm. Just bring your bike, scooter, or stroller and we’ll provide all of the decorations!

Cow Chip Bingo at RCF!

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Watch cows do their magic as they meander over 600 virtual squares of prime real estate at the Rochester Country Fair. This country-style fundraising event will take place on Thursday, August 14 at 65 Pine Street in Rochester. Gates open at 4:00 pm and cows will make their appearances around 8:00 pm. Come watch these well-fed cows take care of business and enjoy all the fun events, crafts and food that the fair offers.

How it works: 600 squares will be sold in this random game of chance. Each parcel of real estate costs only $5, so get your tickets before they’re gone! Tickets will be sold in advance only and will not be sold at the Fair. Participants are randomly assigned a horizontal and vertical coordinate on the Cow-Chip Bingo game board.

The first place winning square will be the first cow plop made, followed by the second cow plop, then the third cow plop. Prizes of $500, $300 and $200 will be awarded in that order for the first, second and third cow plop. A complete list of rules and other event information can be found on the Fair’s website at www.rochesterma.com.

Take your chance on the gastronomical actions of a cow while supporting the Rochester Country Fair! Tickets are on sale now by visiting Bev at Matt’s Blackboard Café or by contacting any of the Fair Committee Members.