Peter G. Rezendes, Jr.

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Peter G. Rezendes, Jr., 74, of Marion died March 20, 2013 in the Massachusetts General Hospital. He was the husband of Juanita A. (Lopes) Rezendes and the son of the late Peter G. and Marie (DePina) Rezendes.

He was born in Marion and lived there all of his life.  Mr. Rezendes served in the U.S. Army.

Mr. Rezendes retired from Modern Continental as a Construction Supervisor. He was a member of the Laborers Union Local 610 in Fall River for 40 years.

He was an avid golfer and member of the PGA, Little Harbor Golf Club in Wareham and Little Marion Golf Course. During his lifetime he recorded 8 Holes in One and was Club Champion at several courses in the area. He was a member of the Benjamin D. Cushing V.F.W. Post 2425.

He enjoyed being surrounded by his family especially his grandchildren and great grandchildren.

Survivors include his widow, Juanita A. (Lopes) Rezendes; 4 sons, Peter G. Rezendes, III of Marion, Joseph P. Rezendes of Bettendorf, IA, Michael A. Rezendes and Kevin J. Rezendes both of Marion; 3 brothers, Christian, John and Zackaria Rezendes all of Marion; 5 sisters, Joanne Lopes and Mary Lomba both of Marion, Elaine Silva of New Bedford, Enis Krol of Flower Mound, TX and Lucy Reynolds of CT; 11 grandchildren; 5 great grandchildren. He was the brother of the late Manuel, Amos and Louis Rezendes.

His funeral will be held at 9:00 a.m. on Wednesday, March 27, 2013 from the Chapman, Cole & Gleason Funeral Home, 2599 Cranberry Hwy., Wareham, followed by a Mass of Christian Burial at 10:00 a.m.  in St. Patrick’s Church, 82 High St., Wareham.

Burial will follow in Evergreen Cemetery, Marion. Visiting hours are from 4 to 8 p.m. on Tuesday at the funeral home.

Donations in his memory may be made t the American Cancer Society, 5 Manley St., W. Bridgewater, MA 02379. For directions and online guestbook, visit: www.ccgfuneralhome.com.

Joan C. Morton

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Joan C. Morton, 80, of Rochester and formerly of Somerset, passed away Saturday, March 23, 2013 surrounded by her loving family.

Born in Fall River, a daughter of the late Lester and Margaret (O’Neil) Morton, she was a graduate of BMC Durfee High School.

Joan had lived in Somerset for over 30 years before moving to Rochester in 2006. She worked in the Tax Collectors Office at Somerset Town Hall for many years before retiring. Joan loved flowers, enjoyed gardening, knitting, dancing and listening to music. She was also an avid Red Sox fan.

She is survived by her son, Scott Pierce and his wife Brenda of Rochester; two daughters, Dale Schlegel of Mashpee and Nancy Biello and her husband Anthony of Westport; three grandchildren, Haley Pierce, Megan Pierce and Kimberly Fortin and several nieces and nephews. She was also the sister of the late Lester Morton and Ruth Gifford.

Relatives and friends are invited to her funeral service Wednesday, March 27, 2013 at 11 AM in the Rock Funeral Home, 1285 Ashley Blvd., New Bedford. Burial will follow in Nathan Slade Cemetery, Somerset. Visiting hours, Wednesday 10-11 AM prior to the service.

Contenders File for Marion Election

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Competition is heating up, with seven elected town position openings, including a member of the Board of Selectmen. Three positions are unopposed, including Assessor, Moderator, and a slot on the Marion School Committee.

Polls will open at 8 am and close at 8 pm at the Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW) Post on Route 6 at 465 Mill Street in Marion on Friday, May 17.

Incumbent Selectman John Henry is running for a three-year term, with two challengers, including William Dale Jones of Register Road and Edwin North of Cove Circle.

Bradford Eames is running unopposed for the position of Assessor, a term of one year.

Incumbent David Titus is running unopposed for Moderator for a one-year term.

Incumbent Board of Health member Albin Johnson III is running for a one-year term with Kerry Reynolds of Joanne Drive opposing.

Two Planning Board positions are open, with three individuals running for the two seats: Jerry Ferrari of Point Road, Norman Hills of Front Street, and Sherman Briggs Jr. of River Road are on the ballot for the two open positions. The position replaces Thomas Magauran, whose term has expired.

One position on the Marion School Committee is open, with Christine Ann Marcolini running unopposed for the seat left by Brad Gordon, whose term expired. One position is open on the Old Rochester Regional School Committee, with Michelle Ouellette and Linda Harju running to replace Tom Shire, whose term has expired.

Two openings on the Open Space Acquisition Commission are available, with three individuals running, including Geoffrey Paul Moran of Spring Street, John Rockwell of Point Road, and Randy Parker of Mill Street.

As of Friday, there was a possibility of a ballot question relating to the purchase of a fire engine and whether the purchase would be part of a debt exclusion. There is not yet confirmation of the question appearing on the ballot.

By Joan Hartnett-Barry

Superintendent Presents Process for Progress

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The Old Rochester Regional District Joint School Committee Meeting started and ended with reports from Superintendent Doug White, the most significant of which was the recent ratification of the contract with the teachers’ union. ORR Professional Educators Association members unanimously approved the agreement to a four-year contract on March 20. No specifics were detailed in press releases from Dr. Colin Everett, president of the association, but he is quoted as saying there was preservation of benefits for “employees who might come on board in the future.” Health care concessions were one of the central issues that needed resolution before the union members would agree to the contract.

White then went into details regarding his yearlong evaluation and implementation of new assessment guidelines and tools for administrators and teachers.

With the focus on using a variety of measurement tools White said he was “impressed” with his in-class observations and was confident that over the next two years real progress would be made in achieving the goals needed for both the students and the teachers.

Employing the type of management tools common in today’s corporate setting, White discussed District Determined Measures and Partnership for Assessment of Readiness of College and Careers testing.

DDM is a statewide evaluation system in which educators receive two separate ratings: Summative Performance Rating and Student Impact Rating. The combination of these two provides the professional education staff with informed evidence of the teacher’s effectiveness and the students’ response to the academic program. From these measurement models, schools and school districts will have the information necessary to build education plans that better serve the student population, while providing the educators with feedback for their continuous improvement. DDM models are geared to a two-year process to ensure measurements are calibrated and information is accurate for improvements and decisions.

White also shared that PARCC, the next generation in standardized testing for grades 3-12, will be impacted by the DDM program and implementation. Between these two measurement models, “real progress” for the ORR Joint School District can be achieved, White assured the group.

Some members of the joint committee from the Tri-Town area expressed appreciation for the work Dr. White has undertaken, along with the district-wide impact these changes will bring to the communities. Although change across three different school systems will take time to fully implement, the consensus of the members in attendance was positive.

In a separate matter, the Project Grow Program, which provides for the education needs of children with special needs, was discussed from a fiscal impact viewpoint. There had been ongoing discussion that possibly a financial burden was being placed on some towns more than others within the ORR joint school district. The group heard that research from surrounding towns with joint school districts proved most were providing Project Grow Programs in the same manner as the ORR program and therefore, ORR was in synergy with towns in the region. The night’s quorum passed an agreement that the current allowances for providing education to this specific group would stay in place and that policy would be written to memorialize the current plan.

By Marilou Newell

Stephen Louis Vachon

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Stephen Louis Vachon, 24, of Mashpee passed away suddenly at home on  Wednesday March 20, 2013.

Born in Hyannis, the son of Stephen J. and Tracey L. (Childs) Vachon  of Mashpee and Mattapoisett, he lived in Mashpee all of his life. He  was a graduate of Mashpee High School.

Stephen loved riding motorcycles, golfing, and spending time with his  cousins and his family.

Survivors include his parents; a brother, Spencer Vachon and his wife  Katie of Mashpee; a sister, Alicia Vachon of Mashpee; his  grandparents, Carole L. and Howard James Childs of Marstons Mills; and aunts, uncle and cousins.

He was the grandson of the late Angelina and Louis Richard Vachon.

A private family service will be held at the Saunders-Dwyer  Mattapoisett Home for Funerals, 50 County Rd., Mattapoisett. Visiting  hours are omitted. Burial will be in St. Anthony’s Cemetery,  Mattapoisett. For online condolence book, please visit  www.saundersdwyer.com.

Henry Beston’s Cape Cod

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Don Wilding, the co-founder of the nonprofit Henry Beston Society on Cape Cod and author of the book, Henry Beston’s Cape Cod, will present his lecture/documentary film footage screening, Henry Beston’s Cape Cod: Inspiration for a National Seashore, at the Mattapoisett Free Public Library, 7 Barstow St., on Wednesday, April 24 at 6:30 p.m.

Wilding has presented this program on Cape Cod and across New England extensively since 2001. Beston’s book, The Outermost House, was written in 1927 after Beston spent a solitary year in a 20×16 cottage on Eastham’s outer beach. The Outermost House is now considered an American classic on the level of the works of Thoreau, Muir and other noted nature writers, and was cited as a major influence on the establishment of the Cape Cod National Seashore in 1961. Noted author Rachel Carson said that The Outermost House was the only book to ever influence her writing.

Wilding, 52, published his own book, Henry Beston’s Cape Cod, in 2003, shortly after co-founding the nonprofit Beston Society with his wife, Nita. The Beston Society is based in North Eastham, just a few miles from where Beston walked the outer beach, and has sponsored and/or taken part in lectures, theater productions and exhibits on the Cape. Wilding and the Beston Society are now producing a documentary film about Beston’s story and his influence on the Cape Cod National Seashore, in association with filmmaker Christopher Seufert and Mooncusser Films of Chatham.

Wilding’s presentation includes over 100 slides of Beston and his famous cottage, along with footage from the documentary film project. The program tells how the Quincy native, still shaken by his experiences as an ambulance driver in France during World War I, took to writing fairy tales and eventually found the peace of mind he was looking for on Cape Cod’s outer beach. In doing so, he not only found himself as a writer, but his prose from The Outermost House found its way into National Park Service reports about Cape Cod that sealed its establishment as a national treasure.

Wilding will be available to sign copies of his book, along with copies of the DVD, Henry Beston’s Cape Cod: Meditations of the Outer Beach. The DVD, a fundraiser for the documentary film project, includes samples of interviews and scenic footage that have been gathered so far.

For more information on the Beston Society, call (508) 246-7242 or visit www.henrybeston.org.

Annual Town-Wide Cleanup

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Hello Fellow Marionites! Please take note that this year’s Annual Town-Wide Cleanup will be on Saturday, May 11 from 9:00 am to 12:00 pm. (Meet at the Music Hall.) As usual, we are partnering with Gifts to Give, who will have a truck ready to collect used clothing, toys and books. The sponsors are Marion’s Tree and Parks Committee, the Sippican Lands Trust, the Sippican Historical Society, the Marion Garden Group, the Natural History Museum and the Marion DPW. Goods will be donated by Harriet’s, Sperry Sails, Lockheed Martin, Uncle Jon’s, and Rose and Vicki’s. Traditionally, the Boy and Girl Scout Troops participate, as well as students and faculty from ORR, Sippican Elementary School, and Tabor Academy, along with townspeople and families. We eagerly await their participation again this year.

We have some added features, too. Tabor Academy is going to preview the event by doing a section of town as a whole school the week before. Also, select participants, organized by Jody and the Recreation Commission, will focus on Route 6 and the 195 ramps in hopes of really cleaning up our winter’s debris. To ensure safety for young and old alike, Chief Lincoln Miller is offering to bring out officers to accompany volunteers. Of course, we shall also be assigning town parks, cemeteries and roads to the many volunteers who come to participate. The DPW trucks will be on hand to collect filled bags and build Trash Mountain at Island Wharf.

Please mark this important event on your calendars now and plan on doing your part.

We eagerly await participation from all families and citizens of Marion as well as area businesses and civic organizations. You shall be hearing more details in the coming weeks ahead!

Discover Vernal Pools with the MLT

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Vernal pools are a vital breeding habitat for resident amphibians and invertebrates such as wood frogs, spotted and blue-spotted salamanders, and fairy shrimp. The MLT is once again offering an introduction to vernal pools and instructions as to how to certify them through a workshop and field trip.

The experience will begin with a slide show presentation at the Mattapoisett Free Public Library on Wednesday, April 3 from 7:00 to 8:00 pm, where wetland scientist Elizabeth Leidhold will describe with exhibits and slides some of the animals that rely on vernal pools for survival. On Saturday, April 6 at 9:00 am, she’ll lead the investigation of one of the MLT’s vernal pools; the site will be determined by the weather conditions. The state forms for certifying vernal pools will be provided to all participants so that they can learn how to properly complete the forms that are part of the Commonwealth’s Natural Heritage and Endangered Species Program. This will be a wonderful opportunity for parents and children to learn together about the wetlands of Mattapoisett and how they can help protect them for future generations.

Both events are free and open to all, including residents of other towns. Attendance at the presentation is not required for participation in the field visit on Saturday. Anyone interested in discovery should meet at Dunseith Gardens (the Seahorse property) Saturday morning at 8:45 am. For more information, call 508-317-5932 or email info@mattlandtrust.org.

Gateway Youth Hockey Update

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Squirt Ice Wolves – The Gateway Ice Wolves continued on their unbeaten streak in the Yankee Conference with their second win of the playoffs. They beat a strong GYH USA team 7-2. The game was back and forth in the first period with each team scoring two goals. From that point on, goalie Alex DeMarco turned away everything that came his way, including a save which saw him diving from side of the net to the other. The Ice Wolves were a little sluggish in the first period, but woke up in the second and turned it on. Leading the way in scoring were Quirino doCanto with three goals and three assists, Tyler Lovendale with two goals and four assists and Chris Gauvin with two goals and one assist. Also chipping in with assists were Meghan Berg and Julia Elicier, each with one. With the win, they have assured themselves a spot in the finals. The Ice Wolves will be back in action next weekend for the third round of playoffs playing the other GYH team, Ireland.

Bantams – In the second round of playoffs in the Yankee Conference, the Gateway Bantams clinched a spot in the finals by easily defeating Hanover last Saturday night by the score of 5-2. The first period ended in a scoreless tie, although Gateway pressured the Hanover goalie but could not connect to put the puck in the net.
In the second period, Gateway put on a great show of passing and finally Brian Holmes found the back of the net with a great setup from Alex Atkinson and Brady Smith. Will Paling and Mike Houdlette fought many battles in the Hanover zone, and, eventually, Sean Kelso was able to put the team up by two with a pass from Mat St. John. And again to end the second period, it was Brian Holmes scoring his second goal of the night assisted by teammates Alex Atkinson and Brady Smith. The defense consisting of Jake Tomasik, Alex Hathaway, Doug Breault and Mat St. John kept Hanover away from the Gateway zone, allowing only one goal to get past them.
In the third period, Hanover finally managed to get off some shots on net and all but one was denied by goalie Chase Cunningham, who played an outstanding game in net.
Scoring for Gateway in the third period were Sean Kelso and Mat. St. John, both unassisted. Also playing great in the team effort was Chad Lavoie and Jake Spevack.
On March 30, Gateway will play the last game on the road to the finals, taking on Weymouth, whom they will be playing again in April for the Championship. Game time is at 7:40 pm in Pembroke.

An Evening with Chip Osborne

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Please join the Marion Garden Group for “An Evening with Chip Osborne” on Tuesday, April 2 at 7:00 pm at the Marion Music Hall, Front Street. Admission is $5 per guest and the event is open to the public. Guest speaker and organic industry guru Chip Osborne, of Osborne Organics in Marblehead, will share his wealth of knowledge about organic lawn, garden and grounds maintenance. Chip Osborne will discuss some compelling reasons why we should consider a natural approach to lawn care. Public health, children’s health, storm-water runoff and water quality issues are all reasons why we should begin to reduce our dependence on synthetic and chemical products to grow our lawns and gardens. Chip will then present “Simple Steps to Organic Lawn Care,” a detailed approach to a natural lawn care program. Basic steps will be outlined and explained in a common-sense approach.