Tennis Teams Remain Undefeated in SCC

on April 25, 2015

Here is a look at the third week of scheduled games for Old Rochester Regional High School spring athletics.

Baseball: The Bulldogs continued their perfect season this week with two big wins over tough SCC competitors. ORR first defeated Fairhaven 11-4 thanks to an overall strong offensive effort. Hunter Parker, Austin Salkind, John Breault, Sam Henrie, and Mike Pellegrino all topped the scorecard with two hits apiece. Pitcher James Leidhold earned the win with six solid innings from the mound, with Henrie relieving him in the seventh inning. The Bulldogs then went on to defeat last year’s co-SCC champion, Dighton-Rehoboth, 6-0. Henrie earned the win and recorded a shutout from the pitcher’s mound, striking out eight players in five innings, and Jordan Menard played well both offensively and in the field. The win was a pivotal one for the boys, as it keeps them atop the SCC and puts them past what is expected to be one of their top competitors in Dighton-Rehoboth.

Softball: The Lady Bulldogs faced some struggles this week, falling to SCC rival Fairhaven in a hard-fought 7-4 game. Despite the loss, Hannah Guard played well, going 2-4 from the plate with an RBI. Courtney Dextradeur also had two hits to lead the Lady Bulldogs offensively. With the loss, the girls’ record stands at 2-2 overall with a 2-1 conference standing.

Boys’ Track: The boys’ track team kicked off their season with a strong opening win against Fairhaven, 88-43. Kevin Saccone was a quadruple winner, taking the triple jump, 400-meter hurdles, long jump, and the 200-meter dash. Other wins for the Bulldogs came from Ben Dion (100-meter), Ben Rounseville (110-meter hurdles), James Estudante (shot-put), Drew Robert (800-meter), and Patrick Briand (one mile). The 4×100-meter relay comprised of Rounseville, Sean Hopkins, Mike Morris, and Trevor Oldham, also took first. The Bulldogs look to claim their first outdoor SCC title in three years this season.

Girls’ Track: The Lady Bulldogs also kicked off their season right, debuting with an explosive 116-20 win over Fairhaven. The girls won all but two events in the meet, showing the overall depth of the track program. Zoe Smith and Arden Goguen were big winners on the day, with Smith winning the triple jump, high jump, and 100-meter hurdles, and Goguen winning the 100-meter dash and the 200-meter dash. If the opening meet is any indication, the girls will likely claim their fifth consecutive outdoor SCC title this spring, so long as they continue to perform as they have been.

Boys’ Tennis: The boys’ tennis team had an excellent week, winning two matches in 5-0 shutouts against Seekonk and Wareham. In both matches, Owen Sughrue (first singles), Alex Bilodeau (second singles), and Sean Nutter (third singles) all won in two sets to earn points for the team. Against Seekonk, Sam Pasquill and Josh Lerman (first doubles) and Stephen Burke and Jahn Pothier (second doubles) completed the Bulldogs’ first shut-out of the week, while against Wareham, the doubles teams were restructured, with Lerman and Maxx Wolski taking the first doubles match, and Caleb Jagoda and Emil Assing winning at second doubles. With the wins, the boys’ record stands at 5-1 overall with a perfect 4-0 in the SCC.

Girls’ Tennis: Like the boys’ team, the Lady Bulldogs also won both of their matches this week, with several players making their varsity debuts. Julia Nojeim played well, winning both matches at first singles. Against Seekonk, Morgan Middleton (second singles), Olivia Bellefeuille (third singles), and Sophie Church and Emma Collings (second doubles) all won their matches. At first doubles, junior Alexis Parker made her varsity debut playing with K.K. Bindas. The girls won their match in three sets. Against Wareham, the girls got wins from Nojeim, Bellefeuille, Collings and Church, as well as Amy Bichajian, who won her first ever singles match at third singles. Another debut for the Lady Bulldogs came from freshman Caroline Murphy, who paired up with Parker to win her first varsity match at second doubles. The girls’ record stands at 4-1 overall, with an undefeated 4-0 in the conference.

Girls’ Lacrosse: The Lady Bulldogs notched another two wins to their record this week, defeating both Saint John Paul II and Bourne. Against Saint John Paul II, the girls won 18-7, thanks to the offensive efforts of 11 different players. Multiple scorers for the girls came from Bailey Truesdale (4), Maddie Cooney (3), Mikayla Demanche (2), and Emily Hiller (2). Senior goalie Madison Thomson made nine saves in net. The girls then went on to defeat Bourne 14-8. Cooney, a freshman, continues to make her name known in the SCC, scoring three goals to help lead the Bulldog offense. Chloe Riley also notched three goals in the win, with Demanche and Maggie Adams each scoring two. The wins put the girls’ overall record at 3-1-1.

Below are the overall spring team records, followed by the conference records in wins, losses, and ties as of April 19.

Baseball: (4-0-0) (3-0-0); Softball: (2-2-0) (2-1-0); Boys’ Track: (1-0-0) (1-0-0); Girls’ Track: (1-0-0) (1-0-0); Boys’ Tennis: (5-1-0) (4-0-0); Girls’ Tennis: (4-1-0) (4-0-0); Boys’ Lacrosse: (3-0-0) (1-0-0); Girls’ Lacrosse: (3-1-1) (1-0-0).

By Michael Kassabian

Goodspeed Island Pier

on April 24, 2015

To the Editor:

Having had the privilege of attending the hearing on Goodspeed Island pier last Thursday evening, April 16, and yes, I do feel that attending any town hearing is a privilege to be exercised by all concerned, I’ve had some time to gather my thoughts on the matter.

I was very touched by Mrs. DaRosa’s testimony to her joy of living on the water in such a beautiful location and visions of her children and grandchildren swimming, boating, fishing off the pier in front of their dream home.

Being a mother, grandmother, and great-grandmother, I too have enjoyed watching my children in front of my home of 36years on Brandt Island Cove, which I’ve always referred to as “my cove.”

I think that anyone who has been fortunate enough to live “on the water” tends to refer to the water that they look out on as theirs. As in “my beach,” “my cove,” “my pond,” “my river.” Let’s not forget the “my” in all of this is really not “mine,” but “ours.”

This beautiful harbor is “ours,” and as much as I can appreciate Mrs. DaRosa’s idyllic dream, I also appreciate the reality of every family in town being able to enjoy what “our” beautiful harbor has to offer “us.”

Joyce Almeida, Mattapoisett

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.

Saltworks Continued, Contention over Minutes

on April 24, 2015

The Marion Planning Board met April 21 to discuss the housing Production Plan from the Marion Affordable Housing Trust, and continued the public hearing for Saltworks Marine’s new facility located at 291 Wareham Street.

The April 6 meeting with the Planning Board left Dan Crete, owner of Saltworks Marine, and Dave Davignon of N. Douglas Schneider and Associates, Inc. with several notes about the current plans for the property.

One of the primary issues was the need for a Special Permit, as the proposed buildings on the site exceed the 5,000 square-foot aggregate. No motion was made on the permit at this time, but it will be either approved or denied at the May 4 Planning Board meeting.

Davignon presented the board with updated plans and highlighted, at the behest of Planning Board Chairman Stephen Kokkins, the changes that were made to the plan since the last meeting.

“If you could cover the major points which resulted in changes in your plan … so that when we take these away and review them and look them over we understand what we’re looking at so we can hone in on some of the changes you’ve made,” Kokkins said.

The specific issues include a building slated to be constructed within a FEMA designated velocity zone. A velocity zone is an area along the coast subject to flooding.

Davignon said in Tuesday’s meeting that there will be no buildings placed within the velocity zone, and he wanted to make sure the board understood that.

Another issue was related to groundwater mounding.

“As I recall, there were fairly significant [issues] regarding the effects of groundwater rising into the recharge system for the front building,” Kokkins said.

In the initial plans, there were concerns in a report that the groundwater mounding would reach nine inches into one of the stormwater management systems.

“That comment, when first put on paper, was written without the realization that the leaching facility in the design was lifted by ten inches,” Davignon said. “It came up eight-tenths of a foot in the revisions in the first phase. Therefore the nine inches are no longer an issue.”

The Board of Health recommended the applicant dig a test hole ten feet deep to determine if they have enough soil beneath the facility to house the drainage system.

“You’re churning up the soil, you’re doing more harm than good,” Davignon said. “And so we don’t agree with the suggestion.”

As such, the applicant is requesting a waiver from the test. This is one of seven waivers being filed in the final plans.

Kokkins thanked the representatives for the work they’ve done so far on the project.

“I think the ‘I’s’ have been dotted and the “T’s” have been crossed,” board member Stephen Gonsalves said of the project.

Also during the meeting, the board unanimously approved the Housing Production Plan presented by Marion Affordable Housing Trust Chairman Jennifer Watson. Board member Eileen Marum raised a question about the property choice. She asked if Watson has considered purchasing and subdividing one of Marion’s larger homes into affordable housing.

“The reason I raise this concern is that I know there is very little developable land in Marion. Most of what might be available is wetlands,” Marum said.

Watson addressed this concern by saying that they would not be purchasing and subdividing a home for financial reasons.

“It would be very difficult for us as the Affordable Housing Trust to purchase a larger home and convert it because, money-wise, we don’t have the funds to do that,” Watson said.

The board also approved two contracts for the Town’s Master Plan, one of which was related to the Affordable Housing Trust and the other was a contract for technical services from the Southeastern Regional Planning and Economic Development District, SRPEDD.

Before the end of the meeting, the board approved the minutes from several prior meetings. The minutes of August 8, September 16, and October 7 were approved unanimously. There was a disagreement about the minutes of Dec. 1, in which board member Norman Hills felt that a discussion regarding how the minutes should be recorded was misrepresented by Clerk Robert Lane.

The discussion turned heated when Lane defended his work, saying that he consulted a number of resources and determined that the way he recorded the minutes was legal and accurate. When Marum asked to see a presentation of Lane’s research he refused, by saying “I haven’t the slightest intention of doing it.”

“That leads me to think that you didn’t do the research,” Marum said in response.

The discussion lasted ten minutes and ended in a 4-2 vote to approve the minutes with Marum and Hills opposed.

The next meeting of the Marion Planning Board is scheduled for May 4 at 7:00 pm at the Marion Town House.

By Andrew Roiter

SRPEDD Community Electricity Aggregation

on April 24, 2015

The Marion Selectmen are interested in saving money and providing stability for residential and small business electric bills. Pending an affirmative vote by residents at the May 11 Annual Town Meeting, Marion will join the SRPEDD Community Electricity Aggregation (CEA) program.

To date, 14 cities and towns with over 150,000 households in the SRPEDD region have voted at town meetings or city council meetings to join the SRPEDD Community Electricity Aggregation. Five other SRPEDD municipalities with over 35,000 households are interested in joining.

“Everyone understands the concept of purchasing larger quantities is more cost effective than smaller individual purchases. Grouping the residents of Marion in to a single purchasing group and further expanding group by joining with other communities will provide Marion electricity accounts with the purchasing power equal to or better than the largest commercial/industrial customer.” said Ross Perry, SRPEDD’s Director of Municipal Partnerships and CPO.

After a competitive selection process, SRPEDD selected Good Energy L.P. as the aggregation consultant to develop, implement and manage the SRPEDD Community Electricity Aggregation. Good Energy will develop the aggregation documents including the aggregation plan, the public outreach and education plan and the electric services agreement; guide the plans through a very comprehensive Department of Energy Resources consultation period and Department of Public Utilities review and approval process; conduct a very competitive bid for electric supply; manage the opt-out period and monitor and manage the aggregation plan for the term of the electric services agreement.

The Marion Selectmen are looking forward to presenting the Community Electricity Aggregation (CEA) program to the voters. The CEA should help reduce electric bills on an annual basis, provide budget stability through purchase contracts that may cover 12-36 months and allow residents more choice in the amount of green or alternative energy they use.

The SRPEDD Community Electricity Aggregation is a voluntary program. All participants will have the ability to opt-out at any time without paying any termination charges.

There will be a meeting at 7PM on Monday April 27 at the Music Hall where representatives from SRPEDD will provide information and answer questions. More detail can be found at the following website: www.srpedd.org/energy-aggregation.

Nancy (Oliveira) Weaver

on April 24, 2015

Nancy (Oliveira) Weaver of Rochester, died Tuesday, March 24, 2015. A memorial service will be held on Saturday, May 2, 2015 at 4:00 p.m. at the Great Hill Dairy, 140 Delano Road, Marion, MA. For information or directions please call Barbara Cronin at (508) 748-2531.

The Hope Factory

on April 23, 2015

On Sunday, May 3, Tabor Academy, through the efforts of senior Samantha Davis, will stage an event, called The Hope Factory, to help make the lives of hospitalized children a bit brighter. The community is invited to join the Message of Hope Foundation and Tabor Academy and enjoy an afternoon of food, fun activities for children of all ages, along with a chance to help out in an easy but impactful way! Join in an effort to pack as many Happy Hope Bags as possible with fun children’s activities, such as coloring books and crayons, stickers, puzzles and more for hospitalized children. The event is free and open to the public, rain or shine!

Davis has learned through her association with the Wareham-based Message of Hope Foundation that being hospitalized is very isolating for children. “We have so many opportunities at Tabor, to play sports, take classes, be creative and enjoy our friends, things these kids can’t do while they are sick. Doing something to let them know that there are people who care about them and are thinking of them is really important while their lives are put on hold. I hope our effort will cheer the children and each participant in our event as we remember how lucky we all are to just be together and to be healthy. This is a great community-bonding opportunity for us all: a way to help and have fun together.”

Davis is implementing all the details of this community day as part of her senior project at Tabor Academy. She is interning at the Message of Hope Foundation, a group she became familiar with through the schools’ fall Service Morning program when she participated in a similar event and met the Director, Emi Burke, of Wareham, MA. She became hooked on the mission and has kept in touch with Ms. Burke throughout the year, pledging to lead this effort in May. To learn more about the Message of Hope Foundation, you can visit their website at http://www.messageofhopefoundation.org.

Davis is also working with the foundation to visit children in participating local hospitals as a “celebrity guest.” Recently a member of the gold medal USA National team for U-18 Women’s Hockey, Davis is excited to visit children in her USA jersey and share her gold medal and her story with the children. “I learned when meeting many Olympians through the National Team how important volunteerism and being a role model was to them. I am really looking forward to now making my own impact as a volunteer and role model through this event and my visits with the children.”

Davis says, “Please join us! Bring the family and enjoy the afternoon’s events, pack some gift bags, and enjoy the community spirit! Also, if you are able to contribute one or more coloring books to share in our bags, it would be a great help!”

More information about the Message of Hope Foundation may be found at their website: http://www.messageofhopefoundation.org.

Healthy Kids Day

on April 23, 2015

On Saturday, April 25, YMCA Southcoast is holding a free community event to inspire more kids to keep their minds and bodies active at the Fall River YMCA, Gleason Family YMCA in Wareham, and the New Bedford YMCA. YMCA’s Healthy Kids Day®, the Y’s national initiative to improve health and well-being for kids and families, features activities such as swimming, exercise, games, healthy cooking demonstrations, arts and crafts to motivate and teach families how to develop a healthy routine at home.

YMCA’s Healthy Kids Day, celebrated at nearly 1,300 Ys across the country, aims to get more kids moving and learning, so they can keep up the habit all summer long – a critical out-of-school time for kids’ health. When kids are out of school, they can face hurdles – or gaps – that prevent them from reaching their full potential, related to hunger, water safety, learning, safe spaces to play, and health. Each year, the Y helps over 9 million youth nationwide “hop the gap” and achieve more, providing a safe to place to learn, stay healthy and build friendships.

“The Y is so much more than sports, swimming, gymnastics and a place for kids to hang out. We support families in their efforts to instill healthy habits at home,” said Nancy LaRue Bonell, COO, YMCA Southcoast. “We know that it can sometimes feel like a challenge. So at Healthy Kids Day, we’ll encourage kids to stay physically and intellectually active all summer long, and give families tips they can easily replicate at home. It’s free and open to the community.”

In celebration of YMCA’s Healthy Kids Day, the Y offers the following tips to help families develop healthy habits:

– Try, try, repeat. There are many great tasting fruits and vegetables that many kids have never heard of, let alone tried. Grab a new fruit or vegetable and encourage everyone in the family to try at least a bite.

– Play around town. Challenge the family to play on a different playground every week. Identify playgrounds at a variety of parks; expand definitions of playgrounds to include nature trails, a nearby stream, and a bike path.

– Families at play for an hour a day. From walking to gardening, or swimming to shooting hoops, make playful movement a part of your family’s day. To get 60 minutes of moderate activity throughout your day just add 10 minutes here and 15 minutes there.

– Foster a passion for reading. Read to and with your kids. Help children read at every age and every stage of their development.

– Make sleep a priority. Doctors recommend 10-12 hours of sleep a day for children ages 5-12 and 7-8 hours per night for adults. Sleep plays a critical role in maintaining our healthy immune system, metabolism, mood, memory, learning, and other vital functions.

YMCA Southcoast’s Healthy Kids Day takes place at the Fall River YMCA, Gleason Family YMCA in Wareham, and the New Bedford YMCA from 11:00 am – 2:00 pm and features fun, active play and educational activities. As an incentive to become a new Y member, YMCA Southcoast will be waiving the joiner fee on all new memberships and a free swim lesson voucher will be given on family memberships.

For more information, visit ymcasouthcoast.org.

Students vs. Staff Basketball Game

on April 23, 2015

Last Wednesday April 15,2015 Sippican held its annual 6th grade students vs. staff basketball game. We also had a special visit from a few of our ORR bulldog state champs! Thank you boys for joining us for a good time had by all.

Photos by Jean Roseman and Meg Taylor

Word World

on April 23, 2015

Sippican School on April 16 celebrated its annual Vocabulary Day, with students dressed as their chosen vocabulary word and presenting its definition before the entire school at the all school meeting that afternoon. Photos by Jean Perry

Armand J. Cournoyer

on April 23, 2015

Armand J. Cournoyer, age 100, of Acushnet died Monday, April 20, 2015 at Sippican Healthcare Center in Marion after a brief illness. He was the husband of the late Blanche P. (Charest) Cournoyer with whom he shared 56 years of marriage and the beloved companion of the late Pauline Croteau for 17 years.

Armand was born in New Bedford, a son of the late Pierre and Lauda (Bergeron) Cournoyer and lived in Acushnet for most of his life. He graduated from New Bedford Vocational High School and worked for 37 years as a Cost Estimator at Acushnet Company’s Rubber Division before retiring in 1976. He was a communicant of St. Francis Xavier Church and a former member of the Acushnet Men’s Catholic Association. He was an avid tennis player until the age of 93, playing at Buttonwood Park and Dartmouth Indoor Tennis, and just recently received the Boston Post Cane for being the oldest living resident in Rochester. He loved fishing and camping and travelled with the New Bedford area Royal Travelers. Armand stressed love of family and emphasized the importance of the little things in life. His family would like to thank the entire staff of Sippican Healthcare for the loving care and compassion shown to Armand while in their care.

He leaves 2 daughters: Claire E. Parent and her husband Lawrence A. of Marion and Janet T. Poyant and her husband Philip T. of Rochester; 4 grandchildren: Jacqueline Kisbert, Jennifer Farias, and Mark and Christopher Parent; 9 great-grandchildren: Nicole, Jake, Hannah, Hayden, Benjamin, Sarah, Reed, Cole and Quinn; and several nieces. He was also the brother of Maurice Jacques and Lucille Barrett.

His Funeral will be held Friday, April 24, 2015 at 9:00 am from the Rock Funeral Home, 1285 Ashley Blvd., New Bedford with a Funeral Mass at 10:00 am in St. Francis Xavier Parish, 125 Main St, Acushnet followed by burial in Acushnet Cemetery. Visiting hours will be held Thursday from 5 to 8 pm.

Visit www.rock-funeralhome.com for tributes and directions.