ORCTV Wants Your Scary Stories

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Have you ever had an experience with the paranormal? Maybe you know an old ghost story or campfire tale that has been handed down to you from generation to generation. Old Rochester Community TV would like to give Tri-Town residents the opportunity to share your scariest ghost tales over our airwaves during the Halloween season. ORCTV invites you to schedule a time to come down to our studios, located at 345 Front St., Marion, from Tuesday, October 15, through Thursday, October 18, between the hours of 10:00 am and 5:30 pm. We will give participants a half-hour time slot to record a ghost story of up to 10 minutes in length (in much the same way we have recorded holiday greetings during Christmas season in the past). Once all of the stories have been gathered, ORCTV will broadcast the collection as a Halloween special to be run in the weeks just before and after the holiday. To schedule your time, please call the station at 508-748-1600. We look forward to being scared and spooked, Tri-Town! If you are not able to record a story during the hours listed, we will try to arrange an appointment at a time that is more convenient where possible.

Mattapoisett Library Scarecrow Contest

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Brush the cobwebs off of your creativity and create a seasonal sensation for the Scarecrow Contest on Saturday, October 26, at 1:00 pm on the lawn at the Mattapoisett Free Public Library. Rain date is Sunday, October 27. Prizes will be awarded in the following categories: Best Classic Scarecrow, Funniest Scarecrow, Best Dressed Scarecrow, Scariest Scarecrow, and Most Original Scarecrow. Everyone is encouraged to enter. Contest entry forms along with instructions on how to build a scarecrow can be found at the Mattapoisett Library, and you can register by telephone at 508-758-4171. Be sure that all scarecrows are constructed at home and brought to the registration table upon arrival for placement. All children can participate in the many craft activities that will be available during judging. Delicious cupcakes, cookies, candied apples, popcorn, cider, and hot cocoa will be for sale. Questions can be directed to Jessica Noblet at 508-758-4819 or jessicanoblet@gmail.com.

Marion Man Checks Item Off of ‘Bucket List’

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Peter Hunsdorfer wanted to sell his 2004 BMW RT 1150 Touring motorcycle. After thinking about it, he decided that it would sell more quickly on the west coast due to the motorcycle culture of the area. That thought, along with the idea of visiting his son and daughter-in-law in Washington state evolved into taking a trip he’d always dreamed about; riding across the United States on a motorcycle.

“It’s something I’d always wanted to do, and I had the time off from work,” Hunsdorfer said. “My wife, Sally, could fly out and meet me, and we could visit Todd and Cathy. It just evolved into a exciting plan.” He completed the trip in 10 days in July.

Hunsdorfer took the northern route making his way to New York state, through Ohio, Pennsylvania, into Illinois, over to Wisconsin, up to Minnesota across South Dakota to Wyoming, onto Montana, through Idaho and into Washington. He camped the entire time at state parks, local campgrounds, and RV Campgrounds.

“With a motorcycle, you can almost always find a place at a campground because you don’t take up much space,” explained Hunsdorfer. The bike, along with three storage bags with supplies and clothing, weighed 600 pounds. He also used the passenger seat for storage.

“It’s a big country and a big world and you have to put yourself out there and take risks,” said Hunsdorfer, who is currently looking for a smaller motorcycle. According to Hunsdorfer, the bike he rode to Washington is too big for our local area and was meant for lots of long-distance touring. “I want to go with something smaller now,” he said.

“I work with older people and I see that sometimes there are regrets, so do what you want to do while you can,” he said. Hunsdorfer was a paramedic for the town of Marion for more than 10 years and is now a licensed practical nurse employed at a local sub acute care nursing facility.

The weather cooperated, with only one day of rain on the day he departed. He stopped along the way to see Mount Rushmore, Yellowstone National Park, the Badlands, and explored local towns. He rode from 300 to 500 miles each day. “I got approximately 50 miles to the gallon and had a six gallon tank,” he said.

Prior to leaving, Hunsdorfer bought a National Parks Pass, which costs $10 for those 62 years and older. He used it multiple times, once carefully avoiding buffalo in the road in Yellowstone. “I’d use Google maps on my smart phone to plan the next day and locate a campground. There are many more campsites after you pass Chicago, they seem to have a more outdoorsy attitude and camping and being outside is more of a lifestyle out there than it is here in New England.”

In time, he and his wife plan to sell their home and travel. “There is so much to see, do, and experience, and it would be fun to go into an area and see more of the national parks and explore the country,” he said. For now, he is back at work, and he and Sally are reviewing their bucket lists for future adventures.

By Joan Hartnett-Barry

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Shutdown Could Impact Food Service

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The big news out of the Rochester School Committee Thursday is that funding for school lunches could be limited due to the recent federal government shutdown.

“Our funding may be affected,” said Food Service Coordinator Caitlyn Meagher, noting that the USDA is responsible for reimbursing the district for school lunches. “We should expect limited funding for October.”

She added that the district had already received reimbursement funding for September.

Meagher also discussed lunches charged to the school by students who either forgot their lunch or lunch money at home. She said she had recently sent out about 230 emails for reimbursement, and had received a favorable response, but there are still numerous debts to be collected.

The Committee discussed this issue, and agreed to have a memo sent home to students who are approaching five meals charged to the school, as well as to remind those students that they are approaching the five-meal limit set by the school. They noted that no student would go hungry, but that once they get to five meals charged, they need to collect for them.

In other news, the Committee honored Rochester Memorial School librarian Lucille Morris for 28 years of service at the school.

“We thank you for all of your hard work,” said Committee Chairperson Michelle Cusolito.

“It’s been a wonderful town to work for,” Morris said. “I’ll miss it so much.”

Superintendent Doug White also personally thanked Morris for her years of service.

White also noted a recent change to the anti-bullying policy at the school. The past policy did not include adults in its language, and the changes were made to include them into the policy.

White also noted that all schools in the district would be taking place in PARCC assessments in March, which are part of the Common Core Curriculum being implemented in 19 states that is aimed at creating a more nationalized curriculum for schools.

“This is strictly for them to collect data as they start to transition to into the PARCC assessments [instead of MCAS].”

White said that MCAS results for RMS for 2013 would be presented at the Committee’s next meeting.

Facilities Director Gene Jones was also on hand, and announced that new sensors had been installed at RMS that would limit electricity used for lights that were previously on 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

“You can see significant savings from that,” Jones said.

The Committee also announced that progress reports would be sent home on October 14.

By Nick Walecka

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MCAS Improvements, Implications

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Several topics were discussed at the Marion School Committee meeting Tuesday evening, including MCAS results, assessments for college preparation, and the retirement of longtime Sippican School teacher Corinne Villa.

As for MCAS, Committee Chairman Joe Scott said that Sippican School did very well, and showed improvements from past years’ results.

“Sippican School did a really nice job this past year on really improving our scores and our growth potential,” Scott said. “[I’d like to] congratulate students, teachers, and administrators on results in the MCAS.”

Sippican Principal Lyn Rivet agreed.

“2013 was a very good MCAS year,” said Rivet, adding that officials would take a look at what areas could use improvement and adapt accordingly. “We returned to a level-one MCAS school. We are looking at what needs to be done so that we get the children where they need to be … so we know exactly what skills we want to home in on.”

Superintendent Doug White also congratulated staff and students on their efforts, and said that they’d be presenting more results from the MCAS next month.

Scott also discussed the Partnership for Assessment and Readiness for College Careers, which is a pilot program that all of Marion’s schools have been invited to take part in.

“All of our schools were lucky enough to be selected,” said Scott, adding that grade 6 would undergo a math online performance assessment in March.

Scott also said that officials were getting closer to requiring criminal background checks with fingerprinting, and that the state had identified some fingerprinting companies that they could work with in the future.

The Committee also commended former kindergarten teacher Villa for her years of service at the school.

“We wish her the very best as she starts the next journey in her life,” White said.

Villa was on hand to accept a gift from the board, and will help train a permanent substitute that will be hired in the near future.

“It’s a great school, and it’s a great town,” Villa said. “I’ve been fortunate enough to have the support of this town.”

By Nick Walecka

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Rochester Seniors Nabs National Accreditation

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The Rochester Senior Center has achieved full national senior center accreditation status through the National Council on Aging’s National Institute of Senior Centers National Senior Center Accreditation process!

The Rochester Council on Aging, with the assistance of 73 community individuals, has been working for the past year or more on the self-assessment part of the application toward full accreditation. The 73 individuals served on nine different committees, representative of the nine operational senior center standards: Purpose & Planning, Community Connections, Governance, Administration & Human Resources, Fiscal & Asset Responsibility, Records & Reports, Evaluation, Program Planning & Implementation, and Facility & Operations. Each committee met numerous times throughout the year and worked on various components that were required as part of their “standard” for the accreditation process. A five-inch portfolio/notebook was created, which contained various documents and examples required to be submitted to be considered for senior center accreditation. The completed notebook was submitted to the National Accreditation Office in Washington, D.C., at the end of August.

Once the notebook had been reviewed by the office and two assigned peer reviewers to ensure that all of the components were included, an on-site peer review was scheduled.

The on-site peer review occurred on September 24. Each reviewer has been trained and certified in the process, and is a director of a senior center which has also achieved successful full accreditation status.

During the on-site visit on September 24, the reviewer met with several of those who worked on the self-assessment process, as well as staff members, program participants, volunteers, and town officials. She observed various programs in action, toured the senior center and looked through documents and other records, also looking for required posted certificates, licenses, and general overall cleanliness, accessibility, order, and usability. The reviewer also enjoyed a brief tour of the town in order to capture the essence of Rochester.

At the end of the day, the on-site reviewer wrote a detailed report, which encapsulated all details of her visit and those details were put into a standard format reflecting the nine standards, used by all peer reviewers. The 10-page report was then submitted to the National Senior Center Accreditation Board (comprised of nine individuals from across the country), which met last Friday, September 27, via conference call. The Accreditation Board voted unanimously to award full senior center accreditation status to the Rochester Senior Center! This accreditation status is good for five years, at which time the process will begin anew!

National Senior Center Accreditation is voluntary, and can be likened to the “Good Housekeeping Seal of Approval.” The process ensures that the Senior Center is meeting the needs and interests of the older adults in the community it serves, and is operating at the highest level of operation possible, also ensuring the well-being and safety of its participants. A celebration is currently being planned in light of this crowning achievement!

For questions or more information on the accreditation process, please contact Director Sharon Lally at 508-763-8723.

Plumb Library Update

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If you are a member of the Friends of Plumb Library, watch for your annual renewal notice in the mail. Fill it out, add a check, and either mail it back to us, or drop it by the library. Your membership pays for the programs (story times, book groups, Summer Reading Program, etc.) and some museum memberships at the library. Forms are available at the desk, and on the website. Call us at 508-763-8600 if you have any questions.

Just the Facts, the nonfiction book discussion group, will be reading Wild: From Lost to Found on the Pacific Crest Trail, by Cheryl Strayed. At 22, Cheryl Strayed thought she’d lost everything. Her beloved mother died. Her marriage was destroyed. Her family had gone their separate ways. With nothing to lose, she decided to go on an 1,100 mile hike from the Mojave Desert through California and Oregon to Washington State. Strayed faces down rattlesnakes, intense heat, record snowfalls, and her own ignorance as she pieces her life back together. We will be discussing this book on Thursday, October 17, at 6:30 p.m. Copies are available at the desk, or can be downloaded from Overdrive.

Café Parlez’ selection for October is Crooked Letter, Crooked Letter by Tom Franklin. In the late 1970s, Larry Ott took his girlfriend to the movies. She was never seen again, and Ott was the primary suspect. His friendship with Silas Jones, only child of a single African-American mother, was broken, and he became a recluse. More than 20 years later, another girl is missing, and Larry is again the main suspect. Silas as the police chief is called to investigate. The two men who once called each other friends are forced to confront a past they’ve buried. We will be discussing this book on Thursday, October 31, at 6:30 p.m. Books are available at the desk, or bring your own copy. Café Parlez is sponsored by the Friends of Plumb Library.

Movie Night

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To the Editor:

Recently we attended two movies hosted by the Mattapoisett Lions Club at Shipyard Park, near the gazebo. The outdoor setting was perfect. We saw “Back to the Future” in August, and “The Karate Kid” in September. We enjoyed both movies … and the complimentary popcorn and hot cocoa! It wasn’t just fun for us kids; the Lions Club movies are a great way of bringing a community of all ages together. If you have never been to one of these free shows, you should definitely go. We look forward to future movies at the gazebo. Thanks, Lions Club!

Sincerely,

Rosemary Loer, Twyla Bowditch, and Mia Quinlan

Mattapoisett

Preserving the Past for the Benefit of the Future

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Seth Mendell learned early on about the importance of “preserving the past for the benefit of the future” when his father, Charles, and other forward-thinking residents began collecting and saving bits of Mattapoisett’s history. That was before the establishment of the Mattapoisett Historical Society, now in its 55th year of service to the community.

On September 29, the Society held its 55th annual meeting during which Seth Mendell gave his final president’s report. The Mendells are retiring to Florida, but will be returning in the summer months staying in connection to family, friends, and the Society. Mendell gave a retrospective of the Society and his time as a member beginning in 1991. He has been the president since 1996. During his long tenure he noted the following achievements:

The Christian Church trustees coordinated the use of the church with the Society’s Board of Directors to store and display historic pieces from not only Mattapoisett but the surrounding area. Then, in 1968, the carriage house was built by the Historical Society and contains many of the larger exhibits that the society has acquired over the years. Today the two buildings stand, “as a jewel on Church Street” Mendell told the assembled.

He recalled the charming story of working with professional museum conservators who volunteered their time to help the Society organize and prioritize the collections in the early 1990s. At that time, duplicate items were sold or donated to other museums. When Mendell shared with his elderly mother the work that was taking place, she told him about a cradle that her family had donated and from which 18 members of Mendells family including his great, great-great-grandfather had been rocked. She made it crystal clear that that cradle stay in Mattapoisett. The cradle had nearly slipped through the Society’s hands much to Mendell’s horror, but can be found in the mezzanine of the church today.

As he continued to recount the numerous improvements the Society has been able to complete, including priceless pieces of history and the buildings that house them, none stands more “priceless” than the careful fiduciary oversight he proudly spoke of. Mendell gave detailed information on the financial health then and now of the Society, the importance of ongoing fundraising efforts and now, the establishment of an endowment to pay for a full-time curator. The Society’s board decided to name the endowment that will ensure professional management of the collections and outreach programs into the future the Mendell Endowment for the Curator.            As noted in the annual meeting program: “The fund will be established to honor both Charles and Seth Mendell in appreciation for their work at the Mattapoisett Historical Society and their dedication to preserving Mattapoisett history. The Board of the Historical Society will initiate a 5-year Capital Campaign to fund the endowment. The endowment will be used to fund the work of the Curator in order to sustain and grow the Society for future generations.”

But Mendell’s work is not done. He said that since he has given no less than 20 lectures on local history over the years, he will be writing a book using those lectures as resource material. That publication will cover everything from shipbuilding, to the canal’s impact on the South Coast. Another writing project is on the subject of salt works history in the area, one of the major industries in past decades in and around Mattapoisett.

Jennifer McIntire, the newly elected president of the Society, presented Mendell with a plaque to commemorate his many years of service. The meeting was then adjourned and everyone was invited to enjoy refreshments and to thank Seth Mendell personally for his dedication and in setting the course of the Society into charted waters for continued success.

By Marilou Newell

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A Closer Look at Rochester’s Amendments

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Recently, the Rochester Planning Board voted favorably in support of six bylaw amendments that will be voted on at Town Meeting on November 25.

Amendment 1: Would restructure a bylaw that has regulatory language that allows for a Medical Marijuana Treatment Center to set up shop in town (see below).

Amendment 2: Would add a table to the town’s bylaws that will help applicants and town administrators to delineate between different types of structures more easily.

Amendment 3: Would change language in the town’s bylaws regarding the regulations surrounding farm stands and roadside stands within the town.

The definition for a “Roadside Stand” now reads as “an accessory structure for the sale of articles grown or produced in the Town of Rochester,” and the definition for a “Farm Stand” added language that states it’s greater than 80 square feet in floor area.

According to the Board, there was some confusion as to the regulation of farm stands. The current law states that a stand cannot sell more than 25 percent of its sales from out-of-state products. The changes specifically take the word “volume” out of the bylaw, and would use a dollar-based percentage as the only way to measure the percentage of sales. Basically, it would just simplify the way they keep track of how much they sell by using money instead of volume sold.

If someone were to sell more than a 25 percent worth of their revenue from out-of-state products, they would no longer qualify as a farm stand.

“The goal is to eliminate things that would be ambiguous [based on the definition],” said Ben Bailey of the Board.

Planning Chairman Arnold Johnson said that he hoped the change would help promote local agriculture within the town.

Amendment 4: Would clean up language involved in section of bylaws regarding Site Plan Review Applications and Site Plan Review Fees. Also allows Rochester the ability to charge applicants for administrative staff time.

Amendment 5: Would clean up language involving the filing of Site Plan Approval Application. Also adds section regarding incomplete applications to protect against potential litigation involving denied applicants.

Amendment 6: Fixes language mistakenly left out of prior year’s flood plain map. “This particular article will correct that problem,” said Laurell Farinon, the town’s Conservation Agent. “This language was erroneously deleted. It’s exactly the same as it was [initially].”

While some Massachusetts cities and towns have chosen to put the medical marijuana issue on the back burner, it seems that Rochester is planning for the inevitable future of its presence within the state.

“In this state, we cannot, as a town, ban them,” Johnson said. “We can take a proactive stance as to where they can be located and set some reasonable parameters on them.”

The Board initially proposed a moratorium on potential marijuana-related businesses in town when the vote to legalize it medicinally went through last year, but as more legislation came out from the state, the Board decided to conform to their recommendations.

Johnson said the Planning Board and the town of Rochester would borrow literature from zoning bylaws for the adult entertainment district in town, which would limit them to industrially zoned locations, of which there are few in Rochester.

“This is where our board feels it would have the least amount of impact within the town,” Johnson said. “There is land out there that’s undeveloped. It’s kind of on the outskirts of town, so you’re not bringing it into the town. In that particular area, if the bylaw gets adopted at town meeting, the applicant would have a use by right there.”

Johnson added that this is not something the group is too familiar with and that they’ll continue to take the process step by step as to getting the bylaws implemented correctly.

Coinciding with the news that Rochester would be going forward with the bylaw amendments was news that C.A.L.M. (Center for Alternative Life Medicine) of New Bedford was looking into Rochester as a potential location for a “retail center,” according to Jesse Pitts, a representative for C.A.L.M.

“Your town is being targeted – New Bedford is dragging its feet on this,” said Pitts, who noted that they were looking into potential sites in Freetown as well.

“We’re looking more as a retail store and not a growth facility. The zoning right now is a big issue within the industry, and I do commend you guys with taking the time to address it. This is something that is going on in a lot of towns, and they’re not addressing the issue. They’re just kind of skirting around it.”

As mentioned, C.A.L.M. has proposed a $6.5 million growth facility in New Bedford’s south end, but there are still zoning issues that have delayed the potential project.

Pitts also said that their goal is to find cities or towns that are comfortable with hosting a location.

“We’re kind of taking a proactive approach to this. We’re looking for people who are willing to deal with it. If the town doesn’t want it, then it’s probably not going to happen.”

Pitts also noted that C.A.L.M.’s top priority is security, and that they’ve already hired a security professional out of Las Vegas to address it.

“That is the biggest issue,” Pitts said.

Town Meeting is scheduled for November 25.

By Nick Walecka

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