Donald Scott Cutler

on March 30, 2015

Donald Scott Cutler, age 73, died peacefully at Charlton Memorial Hospital, after a long illness. He was the husband of Rosemary E. (Picknell) Cutler to whom he had been married for 49 years.

Born in Quincy, MA, son of the late Charles S. and Dorothy E. (Knapp) Cutler, he was a graduate of Abington High School class of 1960. He was employed as a Custodian at Tabor Academy and the Mattapoisett Congregational Church for many years until his retirement in 1993. Mr.Cutler was a United States Navy Veteran during the Vietnam War as a Yeo Man. He was Past President of the O’Brien Tenant Association Joint Tenant Council and Past President of the Eagles #4058. He was also a long time member of the Advent Christian Church in Fall River. He was well known and liked by all, enjoyed travelling and loved classical movies.

In addition to his wife of 49 years, he is survived by four children: Jeffrey S. Cutler and his wife Jamey of Mattapoisett, Christina L. Cutler and her boyfriend Louis Harmon of KY, Douglas J. Cutler and his wife Melissa of Swansea and Brian S. Cutler and his fiance Lisa Binsfeld of Worcester; eight grandchildren Alyssa M. and Ashley E. Cutler, Thomas C., Matthew C. and Timothy A. Chaples, Albert J., Joshua S. and Andrew S. Cutler; two great grandchildren, Thomas C. Chaples and Kamdyn F. Cutler; two brothers Robert S. Cutler of GA and Kenneth C. Cutler and his wife Mary Ann of Rochester and several nieces and nephews. Mr. Cutler was also the brother of the late Gertrude L. Kelly and Lawrence W. Cutler.

A Service of his life at the Advent Christian Church, 70 Coral St., in Fall River will be held on Tuesday March 31, 2015 at 6PM. Memorial contributions in his honor may be made to the Advent Christian Church PO Box 292, Fall River, MA 02722. Arrangements are in the care of the Waring-Sullivan Home of Memorial Tribute at Cherry Place.

Hope Jackson (Smith) Rickman

on March 30, 2015

Hope Jackson (Smith) Rickman, 92, of Marion (formerly of Sudbury, MA), died peacefully surrounded by her family, on March 21, 2015, at Island Terrace Nursing Home in Lakeville, Massachusetts.

She was the wife of the late Earl Calaway Rickman, and the mother of the late Hope Jackson “Hopi” Rickman.

Born in Berlin, NH, the youngest of three children to the late Ray Clifford Smith and Edith Jackson (Lott) Smith, and grew up in Auburndale and Sudbury, MA. She and her husband raised their family in the San Francisco Bay Area (Walnut Creek and Cowell) before retiring to Sudbury in 1974, and later she moved to Marion in 2010.

She studied art in Boston, MA, Booth Bay Harbor, ME, and Jacksonville, FL, prior to her marriage. She taught nursery school and art to adults enjoying every moment, as well as the fine arts and designing gardens. She was a caring soul who made friends with everyone she encountered to the end of her life.

Survivors include: her son Calvin C. “Jim” Rickman of Harvard, MA, her daughter, Elizabeth Leatham and her son-in-law Douglas of Marion, MA, as well as her beloved five grandchildren Heidi (Rickman) Maggio, Jason Rickman, Joshua Rickman and Sarah Hope (Leatham) Yi, Margo B. (Leatham) Marusek. She is also survived by her eight great-grandchildren Wesley & Andre Maggio, Ryan & Travis Rickman, Ryan & Eric Yi, and Peter & Willa Marusek. She is also survived by her nieces and nephews: Linda, Alexandra, Dorcas, Christopher, Nicholas, and Alyson.

She was the sister to the late Ray Clifford “Jim” Smith, and sister to the late Linda Easton (Smith) Brown.

Mrs. Rickman was a communicant of St. Elizabeth’s Episcopal Church in Sudbury, and Saint Gabriel’s Episcopal Church in Marion.

Her Graveside Service will be held on Saturday April 18 at 10 a.m. in Old Town Cemetery in Sudbury. Her Memorial Service will follow at 11 a.m., with a reception immediately after, at St. Elizabeth’s Episcopal Church in Sudbury.

In lieu of flowers, donations in Hope’s memory may be made to the Alzheimer’s Association, www.alz.org, advancing research to end Alzheimer’s and dementia while enhancing care for those living with the disease. http://www.alz.org/join_the_cause_donate.asp.

Arrangements are with the Saunders-Dwyer Mattapoisett Home for Funerals, 50 County Rd., Mattapoisett. For online condolence book, please visit www.saundersdyer.com.

Inflammation & Women’s Health

on March 29, 2015

Inflammation drives many disease processes and greatly affects women’s health. In fact, 80% of patients with autoimmune disorders are women. An underlying factor in many diseases, inflammation plays a role in the development and progression of many diseases and ailments including cancer, heart disease, arthritis, diabetes, depression, anxiety, and allergies. Inflammation & Women’s Health, a Connector Series Event, will feature dynamic and multi-faceted presentations on inflammation and how to treat it on Saturday, May 16 from 8:30 am-12:15 pm in downtown New Bedford.

Hosted by the Biological Medicine Network and Connecting for Change Conference, this event is part of the new “Connector Series” initiative to connect Marion Institute programs, conference topics, and local interest and ideas into a workshop and lecture series throughout the year.

Keynote speaker John McGonigle, M.D., will explore the genetic, environmental, hormonal and psychoneuroimmunological reasons for chronic inflammation and auto-immune diseases, a silent epidemic in the United States. Dr. McGonigle is a board-certified Family Doctor who practices and teaches Family and Integrative Medicine at Brown Medical School in Providence, RI.

Breakout workshop sessions will dive deeper into this topic with solution-based conversation about the dietary, musculoskeletal and herbal techniques of reducing inflammation and supporting the body’s natural healing abilities.

Mary G. Brackett, Nutrition Consultant and author of The Heal Your Gut Cookbook: Nutrient-Dense Recipes for Intestinal Health Using the GAPS Diet will lead a small workshop in understanding the role of nutrition in quelling inflammation. Gut and Psychology Syndrome (GAPS) refers to disorders, including ADD/ADHD, autism, addictions, depression, and obsessive-compulsive disorder, stemming from or exacerbated by leaky gut and dysbiosis. GAPS also refers to chronic gut-related physical conditions, including celiac disease, rheumatoid arthritis, diabetes type one, and Crohn’s disease, as well as asthma, eczema, allergies, thyroid disorders, and more.

Dr. Athina Giovanis owner of Ocean State Osteopathic Medicine in Providence will guide workshop attendees through the philosophy and science of osteopathy and explore how understanding the body’s neuromusculoskeletal system, drainage and exercise influence inflammation.

Herbalist and Ethnobotonist Kerry Hughes will present on the use of herbs for inflammation. She will include clinical substantiation of the use of herbs in her presentation and also guiding theories in which herbs are used ultimately to address the same issue; i.e., constitutional theory supporting organ systems which also addresses inflammation. Hughes, a teacher at the Herbal Academy of New England, has authored several books including The Incense Bible, The Health Professionals Guide to Dietary Supplements, and Botanical Medicines: The Desk Reference for Major Herbal Supplements.

Inflammation & Women’s Health is open to practitioners, patients and interested individuals. The event will be held at the Greater New Bedford Community Health Center at 874 Purchase St., New Bedford, MA 02740 from 8:30 am – 12:15 pm and light refreshments will be served. Tickets are $25 and can be purchased at www.biologicalmedicinenetwork.org or via phone at 508-748-0816. Seating is very limited and the event is expected to sell out. Please contact Brooke Baptiste, Connecting for Change Conference Manager, at brooke@marioninstitute.org or Abby Smith, Biological Medicine Network Manager, at abby@marioninstitute.org or call 508-748-0816 with any questions.

Sippican Community Solar Garden

on March 29, 2015

The Sippican Community Solar Garden project construction is all coming together. The utility has installed its new poles and wires to connect the site to their service. The transformer and main electrical components will be in place and connected on April 7. The solar panel array installation will be complete on April 10. With the subsequent inspections by the local and utility officials to be completed shortly thereafter, the system is on schedule to begin producing clean energy before the end of April.

“Despite the poor weather conditions … we are pleased with the remarkable progress made this winter; a true testament to the strength, experience and focus of our entire team.” – Luke Hinkle, Manager Suntility, LLC, Founder My Generation Energy, Inc.

The Sippican Community Solar Garden® Cooperative has also seen dramatic growth. At its current rate of growth, the Cooperative will be filled within weeks – well before the last panel is installed on April 10. Between the list of those requesting the Cooperative to reserve them spots (SunRights™) and those already signed up, the total exceeds the number of SunRights™ available.

Therefore, today, the Cooperative is announcing an enrollment deadline of April 10 at 5:00 pm. Those missing the deadline may very likely be relegated to the waiting list.

Those interested in joining should contact the Cooperative at 508-538-4SUN or go to the Cooperative website, www.SippicanCommunitySolarGarden.com.

Worms Work Wonders: The Joy of Composting

on March 28, 2015

Learn all about the importance of composting and how to build your own backyard compost bin at the Mattapoisett Free Public Library on Saturday, April 4 from 10:30 am to 12:30 pm. The program is free, and students in grades 3 through 8 and their families are especially encouraged to attend this informative and hands-on event, part of the library’s MOBY (My Own BackYard) science program.

Dr. John Porter, director of Agricultural Research and Development at the A.D. Makepeace Company, will discuss the importance of composting to companies and communities, and to individuals. He will be presenting how one U.S. city is using composting to reduce their landfills and provide a valuable resource to gardeners.

Bring in a clean empty 2-liter bottle and some kitchen scraps to learn how to make a composter in a bottle and how this material is beneficial in yards and gardens. The group will also be learning about the library’s new compost bin.

MOBY, an outdoor science program for students in grades 3 through 8, is federally funded with LSTA funds administered through the Massachusetts Board of Library Commissioners.

“Love, Loss & What I Wore”

on March 28, 2015

Make your reservations now for Marion Art Center’s production of “Love, Loss and What I Wore,” a comedy written by Nora Ephron and Delia Ephron based on the 1995 book of the same name by Ilene Beckerman. The show will open on Friday, April 10 at 7:30 pm, and will run on Saturday, April 11 at 7:30 pm, Sunday, April 12 at 2:00 pm, Friday, April 17 at 7:30 pm and Saturday, April 18 at 7:30 pm. The MAC Theater will be set up cabaret style with tables available for reserved parties of four or more, and guests are invited to bring their own refreshments.

Rex McGraw will direct the rotating cast of five women, played by Suzie Kokkins, Kim Teves, Clare Healy Foley, Deborah Bokelkamp, and Cynthia Latham. The play is organized as a series of monologues and ensemble pieces. With a running time of about 1 hour and 30 minutes, the show is composed of 28 different stories that seek to illuminate the female identity. Generally composed of comic stories, it is at times hilariously funny, at times poignant and thought provoking. The women, their clothes and their memories cover all the important subjects – mothers, prom dresses, mothers, buying bras, mothers, hating purses and why we only wear black!

The show was initially presented as a part of the 2008 summer series at Guild Hall in East Hampton, New York, and then as a benefit series at the DR2 Theatre in New York in early 2009. Later the same year, the show was produced Off-Broadway as an ongoing commercial theatrical production at the Westside Theatre in New York, where it continues to run as the second-longest running show in the theatre’s history. The production and its cast received positive critical attention. The production won the 2010 Drama Desk Award for Unique Theatrical Experience as well as the 2010 Broadway.com Audience Award for Favorite New Off-Broadway Play. The show has been produced on six continents and more than eight countries. It began a national tour in the United States in September 2011 in Chicago. It made an encore performance in Paris in January of 2012.

Reservations are highly recommended! To make a reservation, please email marionartcenter@verizon.net. In the subject line type “Love, Loss & What I Wore – Tickets.” In the body of the email include last name, telephone number, MAC Membership status, the date you are coming and number of tickets needed. Or call 508-748-1266 and leave a message. Tickets are $12.50 for MAC members and $15 for general public. The Marion Art Center is located at 80 Pleasant Street in Marion, MA 02738.

Winter Sports Recap

on March 27, 2015

As winter sports came to a close in the New England Preparatory School Athletic Council, the Tabor Academy teams had great success in tournaments and finished their seasons off well.

The Boys’ and Girls’ Varsity Squash teams competed in the Interscholastics. The boys finished their season with a 4-10 record while the girls had a 1-9 record.

Four teams competed in the New England tournaments: Girls’ Varsity Hockey, Boys’ Varsity Hockey, Girls’ Varsity Basketball, and Boys’ Varsity Basketball.

The Boys’ Basketball team defeated Trinity Pawling 69-62 to make it to the semi-final game at the Williston Northampton School where they lost 66-51. The team had a record of 18-7-0.

The Girls’ Basketball team had an impressive run after defeating Marianapolis School with a score of 66-38 and making it to the semi-finals where they defeated the Rivers School 59-40. The team ultimately made it to the Championship game against Nobles and lost 39-48. The team had a stellar record this season: 22-3-0.

The Girls’ Varsity Hockey team lost to Pomfret in an exciting game that went in to double overtime but had an impressive season regardless with a record of 18-5-1.

The Boys’ Hockey Team finished their season with a 14-11-4 record.

Tabor hosted the Wrestling New England Championship and placed fourth. At the Class A Wrestling tournament, Tabor athletes had great success. Ten made it into the semifinals at this tournament: juniors Amir Daouk and Parker Loftus; and seniors John Anderson, Jack Reilly, Nolan Cornu, Jake Mario, Phil Rubin, Hunter DuPont, Sebastian Dziadkiewicz, and David Fries. Six made it into the finals: Daouk, Anderson, Reilly, Cornu, Rubin, and Dziadkiewicz.

Ultimately, the team took second place and Daouk, Anderson, Dziadkiewicz, and Cornu were champions in their competitions. Reilly and Rubin took second; Dupont, Mario, and Fries took fourth; Loftus took fifth. Amir Daouk and Jack Reilly competed in the National Prep tournament.

The Wrestling team, coached by Conan Leary, finished their season with a remarkable 20-1 record.

With winter sports having come to a close, the spring season will kick into full swing after spring break. The Baseball, Lacrosse, and Crew teams have gone on spring training trips to get ready for the season.

There will be many games, meets, and matches to attend with the wide variety of sports offered in the spring: Baseball, Crew, Competition Dance, Golf, Lacrosse, Sailing, Softball, Tabor Boy, Tennis, and Track and Field. Team schedules are available on The Wanderer website at www.wanderer.com.

By Julia O’Rourke

Easy Night for ConCom

on March 27, 2015

With four continuances knocking out what could have been a very long meeting on March 23, the Mattapoisett Conservation Commission quickly got down to business and handled a very light agenda.

The Preserve at the Bay Club received an amended Order of Conditions for 104A Fieldstone Drive to add a retaining wall and some fill that will slope towards the delineated wetlands.

Also for The Preserve at the Bay Club was a Negative 3 determination for an application for a Request for Determination of Applicability for property located at what is presently classified as 111 Fieldstone Drive. The town assessor will establish a new street numbering system for some of the parcels in this housing development, which at the present time may go by more than one identifying number. Clarification will be provided once the numbering system is established for all parties concerned, from town offices to emergency services, and for legal documents.

Chairman Bob Rogers also touched on the matter of establishing wetlands bylaws and distributed an updated draft, which can be found on the Town’s website.

He once again noted that he will meet with the selectmen and if acceptable to them, will move forward with one or more public hearings prior to Town Meeting.

As previously noted, the following continuations were moved to the April 16 agenda: RDA application filed by the Buzzards Bay Coalition for the building of walkways and bridges in Nasketucket Bay State reservation; NOI filed by Christopher and Veronica Brockwell, 11 Randall Lane for the clearing of woods for pasture lands; ROC filed by Matt and Kaitlin Keegan, 41 Aucoot Road; and ongoing discussions with the homeowners of 2, 3, and 4 Seabreeze Lane for possible wetlands encroachments.

The next meeting of the Mattapoisett Conservation Commission will be April 16 at 6:30 pm in the Town Hall meeting room.

By Marilou Newell

Old H Students Triumph over Teachers

on March 26, 2015

They are the future Bulldogs of ORR, and they showed a remarkable display of teamwork and enthusiasm Friday night, March 20, when they beat the teachers during the Old Hammondtown School students versus teachers basketball game, 41-40.

Up and down the ORR High School basketball court they dribbled, fellow sixth-graders on the edge of their bleachers cheering on their classmates until it was their group’s turn to take to the court, as the student groups rotated to give each one a chance to play.

Rumor had it that the staff team was going to up their game this year, but it was apparent at the end that it just wasn’t upped quite enough to match the students’ efforts.

We never do know who will come out on top from year to year but it was, as Center School and Old Hammondtown School Principal Rose Bowman put it, a wonderful family night for all.

“The staff is so involved, and you can see the teamwork and the camaraderie amongst the students. And you can see the family support,” Bowman said, motioning to the hundreds sitting in the bleachers. “It doesn’t get any better than this. I think this is a night that will live on in their memories forever.”

By Jean Perry

Some Contest in Marion Annual Election

on March 26, 2015

The deadline to return nomination papers passed on Monday, March 23 and the official 2015 Annual Election ballot has taken shape, which will also feature one referendum question for voters.

Some key elected positions will be contested in this 2015 annual election, most notably the Board of Selectmen, Planning Board, and School Committee.

William Dale Jones has challenged incumbent Selectman Jonathan “Jody” Dickerson for the three-year term seat on the Board of Selectmen. Jones vied against Selectman Stephen Cushing for his seat during last year’s election, but lost to Cushing. Jones also ran for selectman back in 2013, but lost to incumbent Selectman Jonathan Henry. Dickerson, also the director of the Recreation Department, has served on the Board of Selectmen since 2012 and served as selectman in the 1990s.

There are four contenders for two seats on the Marion Planning Board, a board that has seen some discord amongst its members lately, as well as some controversial issues to tackle, most notably the much talked about proposed CVS project and the recently shelved proposed zoning bylaw amendment aimed at restricting large businesses from setting up shop in town.

Incumbents Stephen Gonsalves, a member of nine years, and current Chairman Stephen Kokkins will be challenged by newcomers Jennifer Francis and Todd Richens. Both Planning Board terms are for three years.

There are three candidates for two three-year seats on the Marion School Committee, with former Marion School Committee member Michelle Ouellette, now also a member of the ZBA, back to reclaim a seat on the committee after losing last year by a narrow margin. Candidates David MacDonald and Jessica Harris, vying for the seats left vacant by Jay Pateakos and committee Chairman Joseph Scott, who both announced they would not seek reelection, join Ouellette on the ballot.

There is a fourth contested race for town moderator, now that long-term Moderator David Titus chose not to seek reelection. Patricia MacArdle and Matthew Nowick are the two choices for town moderator, a one-year term.

Uncontested races are as follows: Reelection candidate Ray Pickles for assessor, Board of Health reelection candidate John Howard, and there are no candidates running for the one available seat on the Open Space Acquisition Commission.

The yes or no referendum question is “Shall the town vote to accept the provisions of section six C of chapter forty of the General Laws, which authorize cities and towns to appropriate money for the removal of snow and ice from private ways therein open to public use?”

The 2015 Marion Annual Election is May 15. The polling station is the VFW Hall at 465 Mill Road. Polls open at 8:00 am and close at 8:00 pm.

By Jean Perry