Underground Propane Tank Approved

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The Mattapoisett Conservation Commission voted unanimously in favor of a project that would install a 500-gallon propane tank underground near a wetland area.

The only hearing for the night was in regards to a Request for Determination of Applicability, filed by Donald and Ellen Ross.  The applicants intend to install the propane tank for their home at 5 Woodland Avenue.  According to the plans, the project would take place within the 100-foot buffer zone bordering a vegetated wetland area.

Placing the tank underground is not required, but engineer Dave Davignon, who represented the Ross family at the meeting, said it was for aesthetic purposes.

“You’re looking at about a five to six foot excavation,” he said, regarding the size of the hole that would be needed for the tank.

The tank would sit upon a bed of crushed stone and would be anchored down by cables.

Commissioner Bob Rogers was hesitant to allow the tank to be buried in that area because the Commission would not be able to authorize a certificate of compliance for the project.

Building Commissioner Andrew Bobola said that most tanks of that type are stainless steel and treated so as to prevent corrosion, lessening the risk of gas leakage into the ground.

“The volume in gallons is another reason why it’s going underground,” Bobola said.  Smaller tanks are normally installed above ground, but in any case, Bobola said the project requires the approval from the fire chief before it begins.

Chairman Peter Newton read into the record a letter of support from abutting neighbors and another abutter gave his verbal approval for the project at the meeting.

The Commission then voted to issue a negative determination for the project, with the special condition that the Conservation Commission office inspects the hay-bale line before digging begins, as per the recommendation of the Mattapoisett conservation agent.

In other business, a public hearing for David Nicolosi regarding a Notice of Intent to construct an intermittent stream crossing on property near Fairhaven Road was continued until February 25, 2013.  The commissioners also issued a certificate of compliance for construction of a timber boat ramp and walkway at Pease’s Point.

The next meeting of the Mattapoisett will be held on Monday, February 11, 2013, at 6:30 pm at the Town Hall.

By Eric Tripoli

Winter Weather Advisory Issued in Tri-Town

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The National Weather Service has issued a Winter Weather Advisory for Southeastern Massachusetts, including Marion, Mattapoisett and Rochester. The advisory is in effect until 6:00 am Tuesday.

Snow accumulations will only reach 1-2 inches, however freezing rain and drizzle could create problems on the roads.  Temperatures will remain in the lower 30’s creating slick driving conditions. Please drive slowly and carefully.

A Winter Weather Advisory is issued when snow and / or ice is forecast to develop in the affected areas.  Accumulations are expected to be light.  Any snow or ice would make driving and walking difficult, but not impossible, on untreated roadways and sidewalks when temperatures are below freezing.  Motorists need to be especially careful on bridges and overpasses where slippery spots can easily develop.

 

Informance Draws a Crowd

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On Sunday, January 27, the South Coast Children’s Chorus held an Informance Concert which allowed potentially interested members to come in and see what the group is all about. The concert was held at St. Gabriel’s Church in Marion. The chorus is well known around the state and has performed in large venues such as Fenway Park. Photos by Felix Perez.

 

Play Bingo, Win Books

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Families from all around Mattapoisett gathered at Old Hammondtown School on Friday, January 25, for the PTA Bingo for Books game night.

“We’ve always done a parents night out so we wanted to offer something for the kids,” said PTA president Pam Ciffolillo.

There were multiple rounds of the game planned, from traditional to criss-cross to four corners.  The books up for grabs were donated by a local book outlet in Fairhaven.

“It’s fun!” said Old Hammondtown fifth grader Jillian Higgins.  “The best part is when you win.”

A big fan of playing bingo, Higgins was hopeful that she would win so she could score a journal for her sketches.  She was joined by a group of her peers, who even had a chant of encouragement ready in case she won.

Though this was the first time the PTA offered a bingo night, Ciffolillo was hopeful for a good turnout.

“Something like this is great for families,” she said as she filled bags of popcorn at the concession table.

“It’s like a game night together.  It’s quality time.  This is such a small town, so it’s good to see everyone,” she said.

By Eric Tripoli

Sustainability Through Video

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There’s no doubting that the environment is a hot topic in society these days, especially the issue of sustainable living. With so many communities on the brink of making environmental changes in their society, it is important to be as informed as possible, and there’s no age too early to begin doing so.

The South Coast Energy Challenge, an organization based in New Bedford, is inviting local high school students to submit videos showcasing their views on sustainable living. All entries will be showcased at a Film Festival on April 11 at the New Bedford Whaling Museum. The winner will receive a $500 prize. $250 will be given to the winner as a cash prize and the remaining money will be donated to a charity of the winner’s choice.

“I used to be a film student and I thought this would be a great way to celebrate local talent as well as bring some awareness to sustainability,” said Jennifer Vargas, Communications Coordinator for South Coast Energy Challenge.

All entries must be a minimum of two minutes and a maximum of seven minutes. The work must be that of the students and no help from video professionals will be accepted. Students can use a variety of different video techniques including animation and live acting.

“I think that creativity for students and the arts are a really important part of growing up,” said Vargas. “I hope to see some great submissions. The South Coast has some really talented people.”

The contest is open to high school students in the Tri-Town, as well as Acushnet, Attleboro, Berkley, Carver, Dartmouth, Dighton, Fairhaven, Fall River, Freetown, Lakeville, Mansfield, Middleboro, New Bedford, North Attleboro, Norton, Plainville, Raynham, Rehoboth, Seekonk, Somerset, Swansea, Taunton, Wareham and Westport.

“High school students are at the age that they’re starting to think of elections and what their lives are going to be,” said Vargas. “They are the future of our communities. Sustainability is going to continue to be a huge issue in modern times. We are hoping the contest will indirectly help students become more educated.”

Entry forms must be submitted by February 1. The videos will then be viewed on April 11 at the Green Carpet Screening Event. Film submissions must be submitted by March 1. Contest entry forms can be found online at www.southcoastenergychallenge.org/blog/filmfestival.

By Katy Fitzpatrick

 

Safe Landing

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A U.S. Military Blackhawk helicopter, which landed in a field on the Rochester/Marion town line, drew a lot of on lookers. The helicopter, which is from Otis Air Base, landed in the field for cautionary, reasons just after noon time on Friday. The field that they chose to land in was previously used as an airstrip but it’s not known if the pilot was aware of this when they chose the spot.

Lady Bulldogs Continue Undefeated

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The Old Rochester Regional High School Girls’ Varsity Basketball Team remains undefeated in the South Coast Conference thanks to Senior Captain Katie Wilbur and her team-leading 25-point performance against Apponequet Regional High School on Friday, January 18. The Lady Bulldogs defeated the Lakers with a final score of 33–28.

“Tonight, Katie saved our bacon with her scoring. There’s no doubt about that,” said ORR Head Coach Bob Hohne. “She’s one of the senior captains and she definitely brings leadership to the team.”

The Lady Bulldogs got off to a slow start in the first quarter, as they only put up nine points. Seven of those points came from Wilbur. The team struggled with travels and offensive fouls. Senior Guard Hannah Bouvette drew three fouls in the first quarter and was taken out of the game as a result. At the end of the first, ORR led by a narrow margin of 9–5.

“I think their aggressiveness disturbed the flow of our offense,” said Hohne. “They were very physical.”

ORR settled down in the second quarter and started shooting from the perimeter. Wilbur netted two three-point shots. The defense also stepped up, as freshman Gabbie Reuter provided a key block in Lakers territory.

Despite starting the quarter off on a better foot, the Lakers outscored ORR 13–8 in the second quarter. A 3-point play from Jade Rodrigues gave the Lakers some momentum on their offense. At the half, the Lakers led 18–17.

In the third quarter, both teams had shifts in momentum. Apponequet extended their lead to 23–20, but an offensive run, two free throws and a three-pointer from Wilbur regained a 26–23 lead for ORR at the end of the third quarter.

In the fourth quarter, the momentum shifts remained the same. Intensity and aggressiveness picked up as Bouvette fouled out for ORR and Katherine Simonsen did as well for the Lakers.

With less than a minute to go, Wilbur had a clutch steal ultimately leading her to be followed. After making her free throw, ORR was able to put up two more points for a little insurance, giving them the 33–28 win. While the game might not have been the prettiest of the season, Hohne was still pleased with the victory.

“I thought we could have played better defense and that we didn’t contain enough,” he said. “But I think our success starts with our two senior captains, Katie and Abby (Offringa). They get us into our offense. You also have the two big girls (Haley Dickerson and Reuter) that work well with the two guards.”

Overall, the Lady Bulldogs are sporting a 9–1 record. They remain undefeated in the South Coast Conference.

By Katy Fitzpatrick

ORR Expands Diversity Education

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Some say the world is getting smaller thanks to the abundance of digital technology that brings together the corners of the world at the push of a button. Others say the world is getting bigger as it is easier than ever before to communicate with more people; our understanding of the world is ever expanding.

This presents an exciting challenge to educators who are looking to advance diversity curriculum for their students. Over the last few months, curriculum administrators have been working to revamp the English language arts programs in an effort to include newer and less traditional tools that speak to the experience and interests of students while continuing to open their minds about the world around them.

“Part of what we’re doing now is taking famous historical speeches and documents and examining them from a variety of perspectives,” said Dr. Elise Frangos, Assistant Superintendent and Director of Curriculum and Instruction for the ORR district.

She has been working with almost 20 educators from all grade levels and schools in the district to redesign much of the ELA curriculum, from reading different books, employing new teaching techniques and taking advantage of technology.

In the case of studying historical speeches, that includes using tools from textbooks to YouTube.

“Our teachers have access on the network to YouTube. What they are able to do is show their students how some of the great speeches of the world have been delivered,” she said. These include, of course, “I Have A Dream,” by Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., whose birthday observance was just celebrated here in the United States.

“They’re looking not just at the syntax of his language or the beauty of his language, but they’re looking at the historical context and asking why,” said Frangos.

They are also learning to break down the content of these documents via the three branches of rhetorical analysis: ethos (ethics behind the statements), logos (the logic used to derive those statements), and pathos (the emotion connected to the meaning of the statements.)

“So they are asking questions like, ‘what is this document, what is its purpose?’” she said.

ORR is further expanding diversity education by incorporating more reading by a wider swath of authors from a broader demographic of people.

“We are bringing representative works from a number of different groups that perhaps have not had great representation [previously in the curriculum],” said Frangos.

Included in the new reading requirements is The Breadwinner trilogy, geared for younger readers, which tells the story of Parvana, an 11-year-old Afghani girl living under the rule of the Taliban. After her father is arrested for receiving an education in a foreign country, Parvana must transform herself into a boy in order to work and earn money for her struggling family.

“Our use of literature and non-fiction will help them understand the lives of others and take the perspectives of others.”

While the subject matter may be considered mature, the context of the story is prescient for much of today’s geo-political discourse. The books offer young readers a window into a world that stands in stark contrast to our own, which is vital in developing critical thinking skills in students.

“What we’re trying to do is go deeper and give kids transferrable skills so whatever they read, the reading or literature becomes a transport system.”

In addition to the new literature, teachers are encouraged to find ways that take advantage of the Internet and how it can bring distant classrooms together. Last year, second grade teacher Joyce Borden used an educational network to do a videoconference between her students and children in California and China.

ORR students are also encouraged to work more in small groups in an effort to allow everybody opportunities for leadership.

“We’re believing more and more in the importance of kids taking leadership roles in the classroom.  It’s modeling what’s really priced in the knowledge economy we have,” she said.

By Eric Tripoli

Flamingos Mysteriously Appearing

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Wintertime has finally hit the Tri-Town. There’s snow on the ground, salt on the roads, sleds on the hills and flamingoes on the lawns. Three of those statements sound appropriate for the month of January, but where are these lawn flamingoes coming from? The pink plastic creatures are the Old Rochester Regional Junior High School’s Red Cheerleading Squad’s latest attempt at fundraising for their upcoming trip to Florida.

“I’m really excited to be going to Florida,” said Nara Underhill, a 14-year-old ninth grade member of the cheerleading squad. “This is my first year doing cheerleading.”

In November, the squad qualified for a trip to Florida after placing high in their regional competition. In just a few short weeks on February 8, the 12 girls will be on their way to Orlando, provided that they are able to raise the $12,000 needed to get them there.

“We’ve been working hard,” said Underhill.

It was Underhill’s mom Dawn and fellow parent Edythe Saucier-Camboia who came up with the festive idea of the Flamingo Flocking. For $25, residents in the Tri-Town can have 25 plastic lawn flamingos placed or “flocked” on a yard of their choice anonymously.

For those who do not want their lawn flocked, they can pay $20 for Flocking Insurance. If you’ve recently been flocked, you can pay $10 to find out who flocked you. All money raised from flocking will go directly to the squad to cover travel and accommodation expenses.

For the past few weeks, Nara and teammate Tessa Saucier-Camboia have been sneaking around at night, the prime time for flocking.

“We’ve been having a lot of fun,” said Underhill.

In addition to the flocking, the parents of the squad have coordinated Foxwoods trips, movie nights, dances and hair-cutting fundraisers. They also have an online donation website which raised over $4,000 for the squad. So far, they’ve reached a little over $6,000, but they still have a long way to go before they head to Disney.

To donate to the squad directly online, visit rally.org/cheer-2-disney. For more information on flocking, contact Dawn Underhill at 508-763-5356 or Edythe Saucier-Camboia at 508-667-6964.

By Katy Fitzpatrick

Animal Shelter Earns Special Permit

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Dozens of residents gathered to show their support of All About the Animals, an animal shelter in Rochester seeking a special permit in order to gain 501-c3 non-profit organization status.  The hearing was held at the Rochester Zoning Board of Appeals’ regular meeting on Thursday, January 24 in Rochester Town Hall.

Three years ago, Pam Robinson and her husband Oren began taking in abandoned and stray cats, taking care of them and their medical needs and finding them suitable homes with adoptive families.  In 2012, All About the Animals placed over 40 cats.

“They’re and asset to the community,” said Diane Beaulieu, who has adopted two cats from the shelter.  “I would love to see them flourish.”

Since its inception, All About the Animals has been privately funded by the Robinson family.  They are now seeking non-profit status so they can be eligible for grants and donations to help keep the shelter thriving.

“Pam and Oren take great care of the cats,” said Lisa Fuller, an abutter of the shelter, which is located at 103 Marion Rd.

“I see no way this negatively affects the neighbors,” said Sarah Johnston, another neighbor.

Feeling the support from the abutters, the Board had no issue with the special permit.  The approved it unanimously with the following conditions:

  • There will be no more than 50 cats at any given time at the shelter
  • There will be no more than 3 small dogs at any given time at the shelter
  • There will be no additional structured added to the property

In other business, the Board also issued a special permit to Ruth Sundby of 153 County Rd.  Sunby is seeking permission to construct an 18′ x 24′ structure as part of her business.  The structure would be used to showcase her silk floral arrangements as well as her picture frames.  The building will utilize electric heat and be located no less than 40 feet from the existing structure on Sundby’s property.

The Rochester Zoning Board of Appeals will meet again on Thursday, February 7 at 7:30 pm in Rochester Town Hall.

By Katy Fitzpatrick