Ham & Bean Supper

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The American Legion, Florence Eastman Post 280, will hold an Old Fashioned Ham & Bean Supper at the Post Hall on February 8 from 5:00 to 6:30 pm. Storm date is February 15. Call 508-758-9311 for reservations, questions and storm information. The supper will feature Cole Slaw, Potato Salad, Dessert and Beverage, as well as our signature Baked Ham and Homemade Beans.

We need your support for our Tri-Town Youth & Community services (e.g. Boys’ & Girls’ State Scholarships, Flag Day Ceremony, Veteran’s Day Observance and Memorial Parade).

Reservations are preferred, but walk-ins are welcome. Cost is $10 per person or $25 per family (Mom, Dad and small children). We need your support to continue our Community Service, and we look forward to providing our guests with a great meal and good fellowship!

Marion Regulates E-Cigarette Sales

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The purchase of electronic cigarettes, or “e-cigarettes,” in Marion will soon be limited to adults age 18 and older after the Marion Board of Health voted this January to join other towns in an effort to protect children from nicotine addiction and the unknown dangers of e-cigarette use.

E-cigarettes have grown in popularity for adults as a “safer” alternative to smoking cigarettes, but minors have also discovered the novel, accessible, and inexpensive form of nicotine, which comes in an array of candy and fruity flavors.

Judith Coykendall of Seven Hills Behavioral Health Tobacco-Free Community Partnership candidly discussed the dubiety of the e-cigarette during a phone interview after the regulations were adopted.

“It’s got a lot of nicotine in it,” said Coykendall, “and we are really concerned about it.” She stated that the tobacco industry really “snuck one in on us” with e-cigs, buying up different brands when the devices became popular. She said the tobacco industry classifies e-cigs as “entry-level introduction market use,” a rather ominous category designed to appeal to minors and procure future nicotine addicts.

Marion adopted the Enhanced Youth Access Regulations, proposed by Coykendall and the Tobacco-Free Community Partnership, that add a new definition of “nicotine-delivery products” to include e-cigarettes. The enhanced regulations take effect on April 15, 2014.

The e-cigarette is designed to resemble and be used in the same manner as a real cigarette, but slender, tube-shaped pipes are also sold for the same use.

The battery-operated, rechargeable device electronically heats a liquid containing a synthetic form of nicotine and creates a vapor that delivers a tobacco-free and smoke-free version of nicotine that the user puffs and inhales. The e-cigarette industry often refers to the process of smoking e-cigs as “vaping.”

Coykendall pointed out that, although often used as a smoking-cessation device, the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has never approved e-cigarettes for the cessation of smoking, and e-cigarette users are inhaling a dubious concoction of nicotine and other unknown, possibly unsavory ingredients like carcinogens and harmful chemicals.

An FDA press release from 2009, titled “FDA Warns of Health Risks Posed by E-Cigarettes,” disclosed the findings of a preliminary analysis of a small sample of the solutions from two major e-cigarette brands.

“One sample was found to ‘contain diethylene glycol, a toxic chemical used in antifreeze,’” the press release states. “Several other samples were found to contain carcinogens, including nitrosamines.”

E-cigarette stores that sell “e-Juice” of every flavor have begun popping up, where Coykendall said users bring their devices and ask the clerk to “mix me up an e-cigarette.” The refillable devices and e-Juice are also sold online.

“We don’t know where [the stores] are getting it from,” said Coykendall, “and we don’t know how [it’s] being made.”

Marion’s newly approved enhanced regulations also prohibit the sale of tobacco products and nicotine-delivery devices such as e-cigarettes in educational and health institutions, including pharmacies in Marion. Furthermore, the sale of “blunt” wraps in Marion is also prohibited.

The regulations also require all businesses that hold permits to sell tobacco or nicotine products to post signage, provided by the Marion Board of Health, that displays referral information about smoking cessation.

Vendors must also post a sign that states, “The sale of nicotine delivery products to minors under 18 years of age is prohibited,” and a third sign stating “The use of e-cigarettes at indoor establishments may be prohibited by local law” must be posted wherever e-cigs are sold.

Rochester was the first of the Tri-Towns to enhance their nicotine-delivery device and tobacco regulations, and currently Mattapoisett’s Board of Health is deliberating the same.

In the meantime, Coykendall implores parents to warn their children about the dangers of e-cigarettes and advise kids not to try them. The FDA warns that, in addition to looking like cigarettes, some e-cigarettes are designed to look like other everyday items such as pens and USB memory sticks.

By Jean Perry

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Honoring Milton Silveira

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To the editor:

At a recent Mattapoisett selectmen’s meeting, a young man from my neighborhood –11-year-old Alex Craig – made a suggestion that the town honor a native son, the late Milton Silveira, with a memorial at Ned’s Point.

Mr. Silveira played a leadership role in NASA, highlighted by important work on the Apollo and Gemini space programs. He also invented a lightweight breathing apparatus for firefighters. Ned’s Point was an attractive site for him while growing up.

Credit selectmen with a unanimous and, more importantly, genuinely enthusiastic decision adopting the boy’s idea.

Credit the town’s newspapers with magnificent articles about this small part of a regular meeting where a boy led men to an important and worthwhile decision. The public now knows the details about the whys and wherefores.

What the public didn’t know until now is how to help Alex achieve his goal without the use of taxpayer money. Donations to the Milton Silveira Fund should be sent in care of Alex Craig, 77 Aucoot Road, Mattapoisett, MA 02739. The Silveira Family has already pledged $1,000 but more is needed for a bench, a tree, and a bronze tablet.

Please help a boy’s dream come true.

Brad Hathaway

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.

Baywatch

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To the Editor;

At the end of 2013, the Town of Marion, the Baywatch Developer, the Sippican Lands Trust and a Group of Concerned Citizens and Abutters all came together and finalized the restructured 40B development off Front Street behind the Wave. A significant reduction in size and numerous other benefits to Marion occurred as a result of the Group of Concerned Citizens opposing the scale of the 168 unit “Marion Estates” development that had previously been reluctantly approved by Marion’s Zoning Board of Appeals (ZBA). The ZBA had been forced to settle with Baywatch after a decade of litigation in which the State had effectively sided with Baywatch. Then, when the development came before Marion’s Conservation Commission, the Group of Concerned Citizens had the legal standing to vigorously oppose it. They were able to negotiate a restructured 96-unit configuration that compares with the previously approved 168-unit development as follows:

Previously Approved    As Restructured

Total Number of Units                           168                   96

Number of Rental Units                        168                   60

Number of For Sale Homes                   0                      36

Number of Affordable Units               42(25%)             60 (63%)

Completion of the Bike Path                 No                    Yes

Conservation Land                                None                12 of the 34 acres (35%)

Filling of Wetlands                                  Yes                   No

3rd lane required on Front St                Yes                   No

An advantage of reducing the scale of the project to 96 units is that a greater portion of it can be absorbed by Marion residents and their families (who will get preference). And even though the restructured project will be much smaller in scale, it will contain more units that are actually affordable (60 versus 42), and it will now offer 36 much-needed smaller single family homes for purchase. Also, by reducing the number of cars, the development’s entrance will no longer require a “3rd lane” for turning off of Front Street, so the arrival experience coming down from Route I-95 into Marion will be less urban looking and less congested. A pathway was also donated by abutters Baldwin Bros and Sherman Briggs that provides the missing link to complete the bike path which enables Marion to apply for approximately $1.5 million of Federal bike path funding. Finally, the developer has set aside 12 of its total of 34 acres as conservation land which will be held by the Sippican Lands Trust and on which there will be a Conservation Restriction held by the Town. The net result is a lower impact development, completion of the Bike Path, and significant conservation benefits that all combine to create a better outcome for Marion.

Once the restructured development was agreed upon by the Group of Concerned Citizens and Abutters, the Sippican Lands Trust, and Baywatch, it went back to the Marion Selectmen and the ZBA, who then all worked with the developer to close the agreed upon transaction in December. The undersigned want to take this opportunity to thank the Marion Selectmen, ZBA and Conservation Commission as well as the principals of Baywatch for working out this public/private partnership solution to meet the needs of the Town while also satisfying the State’s affordable housing requirements. It could not have come to this result without the hard work and constructiveness of all involved. As Marion residents now watch the development unfold, we thought it would be useful for them to have this background, and to hopefully feel good about the outcome.

Sincerely,

David Croll, Group of Concerned Citizens

Chris Bryant, Sippican Lands Trust

Michael Baldwin, David Barrett and Sherman Briggs, Abutters

 

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.

Legally Blonde

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Tabor Academy Presents “Legally Blond” on February 20 – 22 at 7:30 pm in the Fireman Auditorium. Tickets available at the door are priced at $10.

When Legally Blonde, the movie, debuted in 2001, it spawned a small industry: $20 million at the box office over the first weekend and $141.7 million overall, a 2003 sequel, a 2007 Broadway show, and a subsequent MTV reality show.

The show chronicles the adventures of Elle Woods, President of the Delta Nu Sorority at UCLA, as she travels to the hallowed halls of Harvard Law School in search of love. Elle ends up succeeding in ways she had not anticipated, including earning a prestigious internship, finding a new love, helping save a friend or two, and becoming the unlikely valedictorian of her class. Romance has never looked this good.

Tabor’s production features a cast of 41 and a student crew of 17. Local students include: Alex Osgood of Wareham as Brooke; Allie Dawson of Rochester as Paulette; Logan Russell of Marion as Callahan; Casey Bono of Mattapoisett as Dewey; and Julia O’Rourke as the stage manager.

The production team includes: Mark Howland as Director; David Horne as Musical Director; Richard VanVoris as Technical Director; Danielle Latulippe as Choreographer; Annemarie Fredericks and Ruth Finnie as Costumers; and Susan Kistler as Props Coordinator and Assistant Technical Director.

Show dates are Thursday, February 20 through Saturday, February 22 at 7:30 pm in the Fireman Auditorium at Hoyt Hall. Patrons may purchase tickets at the door for $10; seating is open rather than assigned.

Marion Recreation Finance Classes

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Marion Recreation is offering finance classes beginning Monday, February 10. Instructor Bob Fornaro will have two classes. One is a personal finance class, “Fix Your Finances, How to Achieve Your Financial Goals”; the other is a business finance class, “Starting and Managing Your Business, Making Your Ideas Work”. Both classes will be held at the Marion Recreation Department, 13 Atlantis Drive. The personal class runs for six weeks for $40 per person, and the business class is eight weeks for $50. You do not need to be a Marion resident in order to participate. Registration forms can be downloaded from www.marionrecreation.com or may be picked at the office. Deadline for registration is Monday, February 3. For more information, please contact Marion Recreation at 774-217-8355 or info@marionrecreation.com

Academic Achievements

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The following UMass Dartmouth students have been named to the Chancellor’s List in recognition of earning a fall semester grade point average of 3.8 or higher of a possible 4.0: Jessica Chalkley of Marion, Jerelle Jesse of Marion, Trina-Noie Jones-Rudolph of Marion, Evan Martinez of Marion, David Souza of Marion, Caileigh Stearns of Marion, Drew Cunningham of Mattapoisett, Kevin Zeppenfeld of Mattapoisett, Matthew Bejtlich of Rochester, Katherine Hartley of Rochester, and Tyler Paquin of Rochester.

The following UMass Dartmouth students have been named to the Fall Dean’s List in recognition of earning a semester grade point average of 3.2 or higher of a possible 4.0: Hunter Black of Marion, Catherine Duncan of Marion, Lisa Graves of Marion, Destiny Shropshire of Marion, Holly Stickles of Marion, Scotlyn Adler of Mattapoisett, Matthew Burke of Mattapoisett, John Carle of Mattapoisett, Mikayla Florio of Mattapoisett, Tabitha Foulk of Mattapoisett, Jacob Jaskolka of Mattapoisett, Amber LaBelle of Mattapoisett, Margaret LeBrun of Mattapoisett, Morgan Matthews of Mattapoisett, Allison McGlynn of Mattapoisett, Sean McNulty of Mattapoisett, Myles McQuade of Mattapoisett, Andrew Mello of Mattapoisett, Jennifer O’Neil of Mattapoisett, Margaret Pullo of Mattapoisett, Megan Bolia of Rochester, Amanda Boulay of Rochester, Jordan Frey of Rochester, Amanda Frey of Rochester, Brett Gauvin of Rochester, Aimee Gonsalves of Rochester, Nathan Murphy of Rochester, Lauren O’Brien of Rochester, Maggie Pelletier of Rochester, Melissa Rigby of Rochester, and Amanda Surprenant of Rochester.

The following local residents are among those to be named to the Roger Williams University Dean’s List for the Fall 2013 semester. Full-time students who complete 12 or more credits per semester and earn a GPA of 3.4 or higher are placed on the Dean’s List that semester. Justin Taylor, resident of Rochester, majoring in Engineering, Ryan McArdle, resident of Marion, majoring in Finance, and Amy Malkoski, resident of Marion, majoring in Visual Art Studies.

Frances Jennings, the daughter of Susan A. Jennings of Marion, was named to the Dean’s List at Bates College during the first semester of the 2013-2014 academic year – a distinction earned by students whose cumulative grade point average is 3.71 or higher.

Jennings, who is majoring in politics and Chinese at Bates, is a 2011 graduate of Tabor Academy.

Cody Nadeau of Marion has been named to the McDaniel College fall 2013 Dean’s List with Honors. Highest honors are earned for a semester grade point average of 3.90 or higher, high honors for a grade point average of 3.70-3.89, and honors for a 3.50-3.69 average.

Environmental Agencies and the Bike Path

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Due to the recent snow storm, the Mattapoisett Bike Path Committee could not hold their regular meeting. But I had an opportunity to catch-up with Chairman Bonne DeSousa, who shared the current status of the project.

It wasn’t long into our conversation when it became very clear just how difficult a process it is to build a bike path through neighborhoods, backyards, rail trails, private golf courses, and wetlands, and to secure permissions from state and federal agencies. Not unlike peeling an onion, DeSousa and her group push on, layer-by-layer.

For many years, various prime-movers have worked tirelessly to try and bring the connection from Fairhaven through Mattapoisett and onward to eventually tie into the Marion Bike Path, which is currently in planning. With the majority of the funding coming from the Massachusetts Department of Transportation, there are numerous I’s to be dotted and T’s to be crossed. Plus the DOT has been going through a major departmental re-organization that has slowed down bike path projects. DeSousa said environmental permits that previously were settled have changed with the DOT paradigm shift. She said that many of the DOT departments that have been combined and now oversee bike paths are geared primarily towards highways and roads versus bike paths. This has caused a bit of an uphill climb in getting a clear definition of what the DOT wants from Mattapoisett at this point for the project. But with most of those convulsions behind them, DeSousa said they are just about done with paperwork and supporting documents for the DOT. DeSousa remains optimistic and believes positively that given a bit more time and clear direction from the DOT, the bike path will be able to move into the next phase of construction. Her optimism is fueled by a number of things.

First and foremost the public, the state, and the federal government want more access to bike paths to foster physical activities and reduce air pollution. Mattapoisett has committed funds to the project via town meeting, a study is underway at Goodspeed Island to explore issues associated with marshlands and waterways, and the Mattapoisett Land Trust is working to help assist with the project. DeSousa said that there will be a public hearing in the future, at which time updated details will be shared in order to keep the community fully apprised and hopefully engaged in the project.

In addition, she shared that there is a Healthy Transportation Directive that includes bike paths and sidewalks. “Anything to get the public moving and out of cars,” DeSousa explained. Expanding on that thought, she also said that Mattapoisett’s bike path project is at the top of the DOT list. She said that there are 400 miles of bike paths on the drawing board, with the top 100 miles being those on which the DOT is now focusing. Twenty-seven of that top 100 miles are in Mattapoisett.

Finally, the Bike Path Committee, with DeSousa leading the charge, will hold events and engage the public through a variety of activities. She noted that volunteers for every facet of these projects are needed. She’ll be grant writing under the title of ‘People for Bikes’, recruiting local businesses as bike-friendly enterprises where notices and fliers can be placed, and organizing internet-based ‘crowd funding’, a pledge ride, social events, and bike safety training for families and children.

Upcoming dates to remember if you want to get involved are: March 27: South Coast Bikeway Annual Summit; April 2 – 3: Bike Safety for Kids; May 1- September 30: National Bike Challenge; May 4: South Coast Bikeway/New Bedford Bike Committee Pedal Party; and May 12 – 16: Bike-to-Work-week. If you want more information or to find out how you can help, contact Bonne DeSousa at bdesousa43@verizon.net.

           By Marilou Newell

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Elizabeth (Jorge) Ferreira

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Elizabeth (Jorge) Ferreira, 64, of West Wareham, died January 28, 2014 after a 4 year journey with ALS, Lou Gehrig’s disease. She died peacefully at home while surrounded by her loving family. She was the wife of Kenneth R. Ferreira. They were married for 42 years. She was the daughter of the late Charles Jorge, Sr. and the late Florence (Medeiros) Jorge.

She was born in New Bedford and lived in West Wareham since 1976.  Mrs. Ferreira graduated from New Bedford High School.

Mrs. Ferreira was the office manager for Ferreira Engineering since its establishment.  Previously she worked as an account executive for Titleist Company in Acushnet and as a credit manager for Saltmarsh’s in New Bedford.

She was a communicant of St. Patrick’s Church where she was a Eucharistic Minister and also taught CCD. She enjoyed volunteering at St. Anthony’s Chapel. She was devoted to Our Lady of Fatima and a member of the Legion of Mary.

She was generous, faithful, kindhearted and beloved by all she touched. She loved life and the people in it but time spent with her family is what she treasured most.  Her happiest and most cherished moment of her life was giving birth to her triplet daughters. She enjoyed family vacations and traveling.

Survivors include her husband, Kenneth R. Ferreira; her daughters, Kimberly Manzone and her husband Joseph of Wareham, Kelly Silva and her husband, Kevin of Westport, Kristen Higgins and her husband James of Mattapoisett; her brothers and sisters, Charles Jorge, Jr. and his wife, Nancy of Fairhaven, Diane Tripp and her husband Ernest of Cocoa, FL, Lawrence Jorge and his wife, Kathleen of Dartmouth, Steven Jorge and his wife, Susan of New Bedford and Lisa Ferro and her husband Joseph of West Wareham; 8 grandchildren, Emma, Jillian, Lauren and John Higgins; Katie and Michael Manzone, and Samantha and Katelyn Silva; her godson, Joseph Ferro who was like one of her grandchildren; her mother-in-law, Tillie Ferreira of New Bedford;  several nephews and nieces and godchildren.

Her funeral will be held at 10:30 a.m. on Saturday, Feb. 1, 2014 from the Chapman, Cole & Gleason Funeral Home, 2599 Cranberry Hwy., Wareham, followed by a Mass of Christian Burial at 11:30 a.m. in St. Patrick’s Church, 82 High St., Wareham. Burial will follow in St. Patrick’s Cemetery.

Visiting hours are from 5 to 8 p.m. on Friday at the funeral home.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Compassionate Care ALS, P.O. Box 1052, West Falmouth, MA 02574 (WWW.CCALS).  For directions and online guestbook, visit: www.ccgfuneralhome.com.

ORR Athletic Hall of Fame

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The Old Rochester Regional Athletic Hall of Fame (ORRAHOF), which honors individuals and teams who represented ORR athletics “with class, dignity, sportsmanship, and distinction,” seeks your nomination suggestions and articles/information about past athletic successes. Individuals nominated for induction may include Athletes, Coaches, and Significant Contributors to Old Rochester Regional High School athletics. A minimum of five (5) and a maximum of seven (7) Hall of Fame athletes will be inducted into the 2014 Hall of Fame class. Additionally, there may be one (1) inductee from each of the following categories: coach, team, and significant contributor.

Nominations for this year’s inductees will be accepted until February 13, and forms can be obtained at www.ORRAHOF.com. The annual Hall of Fame induction ceremony and banquet will take place at Old Rochester Regional High School on Saturday, June 21.

The ORRAHOF encourages active participation from the community by submitting nominations, sharing articles and information about past athletes and teams, and supporting the banquet, reunion and/or golf fundraising events. Key dates include:

• Thursday, February 13: Nominations due

• Saturday, March 29: ORRAHOF Reunion (location/time TBA)

• Saturday, June 21: ORRAHOF induction ceremony & banquet (ORR High School, 6:00 pm)

• Sunday, June 22: ORRAHOF Fundraising Golf Tournament (location/time TBA)

We hope to see you at the reunion, induction ceremony, and golf tournament. Further information about all these events can be found on the www.ORRAHOF.com website.