ORR Athletic Booster Club Phonathon

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For the past nine years, the Old Rochester Regional Athletic Booster Club has sponsored a phonathon to help ORR student-athletes raise funds to support the high school’s athletic programs; because of the generous support of the Tri-Town community, this annual event has been a tremendous success. This year’s ORR Athletic Booster Club Phonathon will take place during eight evenings between March 4 and March 19 when student-athletes will call area residents to request a pledge of support for ORR athletics.

The ORR Athletic Booster Club was organized in 2004 for the purpose of supporting all of the athletic teams at ORRHS. Its mission is to encourage interest in and provide financial support to all ORR interscholastic athletic teams and to recognize and reward teams and student-athletes. The club promotes several events each year to raise funds for athletic equipment, uniforms, teamwear, awards and scholarships for graduating student-athletes. Funds raised by the Booster Club have been used to enhance the school’s athletic facilities and to purchase equipment for use by ORR teams. Some of the Booster Club’s recent projects include the purchase of medical equipment for the school’s athletic trainer, the “Bulldog Snack Shack” concessions trailer, new elliptical machines for the school’s strength and fitness center, and the installation of new award display cases next to the gymnasium. Since its inception, the Booster Club has raised over $300,000 to benefit ORR athletics.

Over 60 percent of ORR’s nearly 700 students participate in athletics, and the Bulldogs have achieved great success in many sports. ORR now has 24 varsity level sports after adding lacrosse to its athletic program two years ago and swimming this year. ORRHS is a four-time winner of the Boston Globe’s prestigious Dalton Award as the Division 3 high school with the highest overall winning percentage in the entire state and was once again named the South Coast Conference overall champion last year based on the combined records of all teams. This tradition of athletic excellence is a result of the athletes’ hard work, dedication, and enthusiasm and the Athletic Booster Club is proud to support them. ORR’s student-athletes hope that the residents of the Tri-Town will continue their generous support of Bulldog Athletics.

For more information, please visit the ORR Athletic Booster Club’s website at www.orrathleticboosters.com, or follow them on Facebook at facebook.com/ORRABC and on Twitter at @ORRABC.

Educational Insights

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To the Editor:

If you have been reading my previous letters on current educational practices, you may be asking: why does she care so much? Yes, I have retired from a successful and rewarding teaching career. My own children have been out of school for many years. The answer to why I care so much is that I want every school to provide every child with the best and most inspiring learning experience possible; further, that I am deeply concerned about the dismantling of an excellent school system, the Old Rochester Regional District, in order to follow the misguided educational trends that emphasize data collection, standardized test scores, common assessments, school ratings, a narrowed and uninspiring curriculum, and a teach-to-the-test mentality over the good of the students in the classroom. As I have emphasized several times previously, children go through school only once.

My purpose in writing this and the previous seven letters has been to encourage parents, teachers, students, taxpayers and community members to ask questions of the administrators and the School Committee members. An additional purpose has been to ask everyone concerned to educate themselves on the detrimental effects of this emphasis on standardized testing and data collection. Other districts, other states, other parents, other teachers have begun to speak out against and move against these damaging trends, while the Old Rochester Regional District becomes more and more entrenched in these practices, particularly in the hands of the current Assistant Superintendent of Curriculum and Instruction, who clearly is only interested in data and assessment and puts little focus on instruction, which is what good teaching and learning is all about. One of my former colleagues, an excellent teacher herself, has often said to me, “When are we [the district] going to work on instruction? All we ever talk about is assessment.” The current School Committee members have not involved themselves in educational practices; as long as the Assistant Superintendent tells them the scores will go up, they fully support her and praise her efforts. The School Committees are elected to represent all of us in this very important area of public life — education. School Committee members focus on budget and scores. They cannot appropriately and effectively represent us if they do not educate themselves on the subject of learning and what is good for children.

School Committee members and all of us who care about public education need to read on the subject, do research and question. Many sources are easily accessible and more research appears every day.

Another area of great concern is the district’s overreliance on Pearson as a provider of assessment materials, computerized learning, textbooks, curriculum and professional development. Pearson is not in the business of improving education and inspiring students to learn and grow. Pearson is a corporation that is in the business of making money for its investors, a fact that a little research will reveal. Pearson’s opening page may be titled “Always Learning,” but the first items noted at the top of the page are the current stock values for their investors, both in the U.K. and in the U.S. Pearson, by the way, is a company based in London in the U.K. and also is the publisher of the Financial Times. One of the first topics on the website page is titled Investors. Click on Investors, and you will find an article with the following title and subtitle: “Introducing Pearson Catalyst, the edtech incubator programme for startups: World’s leading learning company to help education startups jumpstart their companies and break through on a global scale.”

The item includes this paragraph: “The Pearson Catalyst incubator program is looking for dynamic, technology-centric, startup teams with a mix of talent, that have been up and running for less than three years and who have viable products that are ready for launch in the market. The ideal startup companies will have a product or products that complement or enhance a Pearson brand. Pearson Catalyst will incubate and accelerate up to ten teams of founders for at least three-months starting in mid-April. Startups will work and be based out of their existing offices, with the potential to meet at Pearson offices as well.”

Let us ask ourselves, “Is this education or business?” Our current Assistant Superintendent appears to be enamored of Pearson and their products.

Please explore Pearson at www.pearson.com. Since you are reading this in print, you will not be able to use this as a link, but you can type in the address or email me at tpdall9@yahoo.com, and I can send you the link digitally, as well as attachments of any of my previous letters that you would like to read. This also applies to the other websites that I am including in today’s letter.

I have had many community members, parents and former students approach me with positive comments about my letters and requests to keep at it, because someone needs to speak out. Many emails have complimented my desire to bring these issues to the forefront. What I hope will result from this interest is that everyone will do some research and reading and will contact their School Committees with questions and concerns. The School Committees are not only charged with monitoring the schools’ budgets, but they are more importantly charged with assuring that our students have the best possible learning experience.

I will write more in another letter about other school districts and universities that are questioning the data and testing that is so rampant in education, but here are some significant ones for now. The following two addresses will lead you to information on New Paltz, New York, where the school board has proclaimed its objections in a resolution. This is a brief quote from the resolution:

            “WHEREAS, the overreliance on high-stakes standardized testing in state and federal accountability systems is undermining educational quality and equity in U.S. public schools by hampering educators’ efforts to focus on the broad range of learning experiences that promote the innovation, creativity, problem solving, collaboration, communication, critical thinking and deep subject-matter knowledge that will allow students to thrive in a democracy and an increasingly global society and economy;”

Please read the entire resolution. Also, the second of the two articles talks about Pearson as well as the testing.

www.rethinkingtestingmidhudson.blogspot.com/2013/02/new-paltz-school-board-unanimously. html

www.rethinkingtestingmidhudson.blogspot.com/2013/02/cuomo-common-core-and-pearson-for-profit.html

In addition, please check out the position of the Seattle teachers and their resistance to the overuse of standardized testing, as well as parents opting out of testing and high school students boycotting the tests in support of their teachers. In a recent display of resistance at Garfield High School on a day when the MAP tests were to be given, the statistics show the following:

• 810 tests should have happened (both math and reading with some students taking both but not all)
• 184 tests did happen
• 104 tests were invalid due to students rushing through the test
• 273 students had been opted out
• 170 students refused to test
• 7 students did not test due to absences

One more recommendation for some significant, revealing and thought-provoking reading will suffice for today:

www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/answersheet/wp/2013/02/22/massachusetts-professors-protest-high-stakes-standardized-tests

On The Washington Post website is a piece with the headline: “Massachusetts professors protest high-stakes standardized tests.”

The article begins: “A coalition of more than 130 Massachusetts professors and researchers from some 20 schools — including Harvard, Tufts, Boston and Brandeis universities — signed a new public statement that urges officials to stop overusing high-stakes standardized tests to assess students, teachers and schools.

The statement — also signed by academics from the University of Massachusetts, Clark University, Boston College, Lesley College and other schools — is the latest effort in a revolt against high-stakes testing that has spread from coast to coast. Students are opting out of taking standardized tests, teachers are refusing to administer them and some superintendents are criticizing the standardized test-based accountability systems passed in various states with the support of school reformers.”

I include a brief excerpt from the research results: “Negative impact on curriculum and instruction. Surveys of teachers in Massachusetts (Abrams et al., 2003; Clarke et al., 2003) and nationally (McMurrer, 2007; Moon et al., 2003; Hinde, 2003) show a marked increase in teaching to the test and narrowing the curriculum to tested subjects as a result of high-stakes testing. In addition, research compiled by the NRC and others shows this comes with a negative impact on school climate, often creating an environment of intimidation, fear, anxiety and stress for both teachers and their students, including kindergarten children (Hout & Elliott, 2011). Further, investigators of the Atlanta cheating scandal identified high-stakes testing as a cause of the problem (Georgia Bureau of Investigation, 2011). Under such conditions, it becomes difficult for teachers to create a learning environment that promotes creativity, critical thinking, risk-taking, experimentation and a love of learning. Moreover, as with other negative consequences, there is a disparate impact: teaching to the test, curricular narrowing and damaging school climates more frequently affect low income and minority students.”

Why should the Old Rochester Regional District administration be investing time, effort, money in following trends that diminish the quality of the educational experiences for our students, when, in so many places, thinking people are calling a halt to the data-driven, narrowed curriculum approach? Old Rochester had once been in forefront of education. What now?

Thank you for reading. Please take advantage of the information available, and please remember that the School Committee members are representatives and should hear from their constituents. As always, if you would like to contact, email me with comments or questions at tpdall9@yahoo.com.

Teresa Dall, Mattapoisett

St. Patrick’s Day Dinner

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The Rochester Congregational Church on the Green will hold a St. Patrick’s Day Dinner on Sunday, March 10 at 4:00 pm. The corned beef and cabbage dinner is a fundraiser for repairs to the church roof. Tiffany Rozena will be entertaining with Irish fiddle music at 4:00 pm. The price for dinner, including Irish soda bread and delicious homemade desserts, is $14. Doors open at 3:30 pm. Call the church office at 508-763-4314 by March 7 for tickets.

Gateway Youth Hockey Update

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The Gateway Ice Wolves played two games on Sunday. In the first game, they stayed undefeated in the Yankee Conference by beating the GYH Ireland team 6-4. It was their closest game of the season thus far. In the second game, they lost for the first time since January 12, 2-0. Ironically, the loss came to the same team, YD.

Despite dropping the first two games of their tournament last week, the Pee Wee Gladiators closed out the Cranberry Tournament at Hobomock Arenas by skating to a 5-5 tie with the previously perfect Coastal Stars. The Gladiators’ unrelenting effort played spoiler to the Stars’ hopes for a perfect tournament run. The Gladiators drew first blood on a Zack Lovendale goal assisted by Quirino DoCanto. Lovendale notched two more tallies in the second period, earning himself the hat trick. Despite Zack’s offensive effort, the Gladiators found themselves down 5-3 with 90 seconds left to play. With goalie Steven Strachan replaced by the extra skater, DoCanto found the back of the net with 37 seconds remaining in the game. The Gladiator coaches continued their gamble by risking the open net in favor of the sixth skater for the game’s final center-ice face-off. With risk came reward, as DoCanto led a final drive to the net with merely five ticks left on the clock. A melee ensued in front of the Stars goalie and when the ice shavings settled, it was Tyler Lovendale getting credit for the game-tying goal in the last second of the game. DoCanto finished with three points, as did both Lovendale brothers. Jared Westgate also added an assist. Coleby Paling’s strong defensive effort was recognized by each of his coaches, as he led all Gladiators in time on ice.

Later on in the week, the Gladiators went 0 for 2 in Martha’s Vineyard. Despite a strong team effort, the players couldn’t stop the barrage of shots that went at their goalies throughout both games. But they will have to solve the riddle of the Islanders soon enough as the Gladiators will likely draw Martha’s Vineyard in the first round of the playoffs to start March 9.

Gateway Bantams battled it out on Saturday night in Pembroke against the Eagles and, despite two periods of sluggishness, in the third period they finally came to life to pull off the win with a 3-1 victory. The first period ended in a 0-0 tie. Then, early in the second period, the Eagles sent one by Gateway goal tender A.J. Bridges, putting them up by one. Late in the second period, Will Paling snuck one by to tie it up for Gateway. The final period brought Gateway alive with great passing and back-checking. Many shots on the net were deflected by the Eagle goalie as Gateway kept hammering away with slap shots. On a power play, Mat St. John went from behind his net, skated the puck down the ice, and put Gateway up by two. A nice play set up by Brian Holmes with a great pass to Brady Smith, who slammed it in the net, gave Gateway the edge they needed. After pulling their goalie, Sean Kelso just missed an open net by inches. Tegan Andre, taking over for A.J. Bridges had a flawless period and a half in goal. The win places Gateway in third place in the Yankee Conference and qualifies them for playoffs.

Seeking Freedom

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In 1863, the Third Regiment of the Massachusetts Volunteer Militia was stationed at Fort Monroe in Virginia. That year, President Lincoln’s Emancipation Proclamation went into effect, an order that required the army to treat anyone enslaved in Confederate territories as free persons.

Soldiers at Fort Monroe were already used to dealing with slaves seeking freedom. In 1861, General Benjamin Butler of Massachusetts declared that any slaves escaping to Union lines would not be returned to slavery. General Butler was not exactly freeing slaves. He considered them contraband of war. However, many slaves considered it freedom and began to head toward Fort Monroe. The fort soon became known as “Freedom’s Fortress.”

Sometime between 1861, when General Butler issued his orders on dealing with escaped slaves, and 1863, when the Emancipation Proclamation went into effect, a slave named William Scott began working as an assistant cook with the Third Regiment.

William was born into slavery around 1822 in Virginia. He was enslaved in Hicksford by a man named Nathaniel Land. At some point, William was sold to a man named George Gray of Windsor, North Carolina.

By 1850, George Gray owned five human beings ranging in age from 20 to 80 years old. 10 years later, Gray owned even more people, 17 in all. The youngest was six years old. It is presumed that Gray lost his slaves to freedom around 1863, including William Scott. In 1869, Gray’s wife, Helen Land, died and Gray died 10 years later. The inscription on his stone in Rose Field Cemetery in Windsor reads: “In memory of George Gray. The righteous hath hope in his death.”

While a slave under George Gray, William became involved with a slave woman named Priscilla Collins. Priscilla had been married to another slave and had children. While slave marriages held no legal standing under local or federal law, enslaved humans married out of tradition, the belief in the importance of family and, of course, love.

However, slave marriages could be broken at anytime. A slave owner could decide to sell a slave who was married while the spouse stayed behind. Children of a slave couple could be sold as well. Families were often ripped apart to never see one another again.

Priscilla was born into slavery around 1805 and was owned by a local lawyer, James Allen. Among Allen’s possessions that sold at his estate sale after he died in the late 1840s were six Waverly novels, five tea spoons and “1 black man to Dr. Bond.”

Priscilla was sent to live with lawyer Allen’s son, Thomas. It is possible that at this point, Priscilla and her husband were separated or her husband died. Later, Priscilla and William would meet and they would marry.

However, the circumstances of the war would force them apart, but not forever. While William was working as the assistant cook for the Third Regiment, he headed north with a company that was made up mostly of men from Lynn, Mass. It is unclear why he didn’t travel back to Lynn with the company. Instead, he ended up in Mattapoisett.

William evidently became popular in Mattapoisett. The whereabouts of Priscilla were either known by William or a group of people who befriended him in Mattapoisett and tracked Priscilla down. In 1868, she was brought north to be reunited with William.

In June, William and Priscilla were married on Mechanic Street at a house that had been “fitted for their use.” At the time, this was the only house on the west side of the street from County Road to Church Street besides a school house that sat on the corner of Church and Mechanic Streets.

In attendance were 75 of their friends “representing all classes” who had made the arrangements for the couple to marry. William and Priscilla received many gifts which were described as “new, useful and entertaining.” The evening of their wedding was spent at their home with their friends singing songs and celebrating.

William went to work as a farmhand and by 1880, Priscilla’s 13-year-old granddaughter, Delia Allen, was living with them as a family.

Five years later, Priscilla would become sick and die. Her cause of death was listed as enlargement of her liver. She had survived slavery, become a free woman and lived to be around 80 years old. William was now living alone. Delia was living in New Bedford, possibly with a family as their servant. However, in 1889, she too became ill and died of a consumption-related illness.

William continued to live in his Mechanic Street home for the next couple of decades, working as a laborer. In early November, 1912, he became ill. He was in his 90s working as a gardener but time was taking its toll and his heart was failing. On December 12, 1912, William died in at home.

He was laid to rest in Cushing Cemetery, his headstone noting his origin as a slave. Nearby are the graves of Priscilla and Delia, forever reunited with his family.

Be sure to view the interactive map based on this article on The Wanderer home page

By Kyle DeCicco-Carey

Rochester Police Receive $5,000 Grant

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As part of its commitment to safety and controlling costs, the town of Rochester’s Police Department was awarded a $5,000 loss control grant to purchase an emergency trailer and equipment such as barricades and safety cones that will protect police officers and other municipal employees, motorists, and pedestrians in and around emergency areas, road work and construction zones.

Rochester received the grant from the Massachusetts Interlocal Insurance Association (MIIA), which provides property and casualty insurance to the town. MIIA awards loss control grants to its member municipalities to fund equipment purchases and implement training programs that address safety and loss prevention issues. These proactive efforts help protect the town, its employees and citizens by avoiding accidents and potentially costly claims.

“This is a great asset for the Town of Rochester,” said Police Chief Paul H. Magee. “The trailer is loaded with traffic control equipment such as traffic barrels, barricades, traffic cones, detour signs and clean up equipment. It will be used to enhance scene safety at major incidents and at town events like the Country Fair and Memorial Day Boat Race.”

The Massachusetts Interlocal Insurance Association is the non-profit insurance arm of the Massachusetts Municipal Association. As a member-based organization, MIIA’s only focus is to provide excellent service and quality risk management solutions to Massachusetts municipalities and related public entities. MIIA insures nearly 400 cities, towns, and other public entities in Massachusetts. For more information please visitwww.emiia.org and www.mma.org.

Selectmen Review Budget and Moorings

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Prior to their regular meeting on Tuesday, February 26, the Mattapoisett Board of Selectmen met with Finance Committee to review the status of the town’s budget.

The Finance Committee presented a list of known budget increases for Fiscal Year 2014 which totaled $436,054. The largest of these items were health insurance and school budget increases. The projections for FY 2014 also included $712,681 in new revenues from an increase in levy limit, state aid and local receipts. Items that have not yet been factored into the budget include supplementing the smaller department budgets which have been level funded for the past five years, as well as future employment contracts.

One item that the Finance Committee wanted the Board to consider was the addition of a new position in the Highway Department. Selectman Jordan Collyer stated he felt very strong about adding the position to the Highway Department.

“I know that if we add that person we will be able to recoup the cost just by doing one project a year with the Highway Department. This will be the first new position added to the highway department in 25 years,” stated Collyer.

The budget process is ongoing in preparation for town meeting in May and both the Finance Committee and Board of Selectmen will be reviewing items in the upcoming months.

At 7:00 pm, Chairman Collyer began the regular meeting of the Board of Selectmen. At the meeting the Board received a citation from the Pilgrim Sands Rider’s Club for their continued support of the club’s activities. The PSRC holds rides at the town landfill twice a year with their next meet scheduled for April 21.

The first appointment was the annual meeting of the Tri-Town Herring Inspectors. The herring count for the past year has doubled from the previous year and stands at about 28,000 in Snipatuit Pond.

“We’re way up, which is good,” Mattapoisett’s Herring Inspector Bob Martin said. “At one point we were down to six or eight thousand, so a 100 percent increase in a year is encouraging.”

Harbormaster Horace Field briefed the Selectmen on the progress of the re-grid project on the east side of the harbor. After surveying other harbors, the new spacing has been set at 140 feet.

“Also, there are seven or eight moorings in the channel currently, mine included,” reported Field. “They’re going to have to move, I’m moving mine.”

“This will add 10 spots which will cover the cost of moving the moorings within a couple years,” said Selectman Paul Silva.

Chairman Collyer asked if the town’s software could be used to re-grid the Mattapoisett Boatyards moorings to try and get them into their allotted area. The Harbormaster agreed that they could and that doing so may free up some space for town moorings as well.

“I still have some moorings to give out this year, people just aren’t paying,” said Field. Currently there are about 70 people on the waiting list for moorings.

The Board approved $2,500 to re-grid the east side of the harbor.

Town Administrator Gagne reported that they are looking into the required equipment to add Wi-Fi to the wharf area. The service is expected to be free to use, as it will encourage commerce with local businesses if visitors are able to find information easier.

Field also reviewed the lighting for the wharf area. He is currently researching prices and will advise the Board when he has a plan. He is also waiting for a replacement sign for Holmes Wharf; the new sign that was received by the town arrived misspelt so it wasn’t posted.

Field reviewed several electrical repairs and upgrades that are needed. Selectman Collyer suggested putting together a line item for town meeting, which would include all the electrical repairs and upgrades that are needed for the waterfront.

“This way we can just get these items done all at once after town meeting if it’s approved.”

The last item Field addressed with the Board was a meeting he had with the Coalition for Buzzards Bay regarding the use of certain materials for flotation, mainly un-encapsulated Styrofoam.

“I’m adamant that something be done as it’s seriously impacting a resource area,” reported Field.

The Board reviewed the interviews for the position of Town Council. Administrator Gagne reported that they had conducted three interviews and thoroughly reviewed all three and now needed to make a decision on how to proceed.

“I believe we decided to choose all three,” said Selectman Macallister.

Gagne reported that each candidate worked well in different areas where the town needed advice.

“It may be worthwhile for the Board to carve up the need for services,” he stated.

Collyer raised the question, saying, “At the end of the day we need to appoint a Town Council. How do we appoint more than one?”

Gagne stated that the Board would appoint one Town Council and any other as an Assistant Town Council.

Macallister was concerned with responsiveness and suggested that a local council would suit their needs. The Board approved Jonathan Silverstein from Kopelman & Page as Town Council with regard to Town Meeting, areas of land acquisition and zoning, Attorney Anthony Savastano as Assistant Council, and Attorney Thomas as Assistant Council with regard to issues of real estate.

In other business:

• Administrator Gagne reviewed the state Ice cream truck regulation.

• Sexual harassment training will be held on March 12 at 8:00 pm at the library.

• The photovoltaic project has been advertised and there was a review of the site last week which 10 vendors attended including some very reputable companies which specialize in solar. Gagne said he is going to try a second site visit next week for some additional vendors which are interested in the project.

• The Barstow float and the finger pier work has been completed.

• All the successful high bidders in the land auction held in December have paid and the land has been transferred. The town is looking at a possible second auction in May for some additional parcels. The revenues from those items would then be available for the fall town meeting to be used for road projects.

• Melody Pacheco wanted to remind everyone about the Rabies Clinic being held at the Fire Station on Sunday, March 3 from 10:00 am to 12:00 pm.

With no other items on the agenda for the regular meeting, the Board entered executive session to discuss a police grievance, collective bargaining, non-union employee negotiations, and interest in land discussion. The next regular meeting of the Board of Selectmen will be on March 12.

By Paul Lopes

Potential Moratorium Bylaw for Dispensaries

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The Rochester Planning Board met Tuesday night and among many issues discussed was the potential implementation of a moratorium bylaw for future marijuana dispensaries within the town.

In November, a state law passed that regulates the cultivation, distribution, possession and use of marijuana for medical purposes. This law would enable the creation of marijuana distribution centers across the state.

John Charbonneau of the Board recommended that it approve a future motion to create a moratorium bylaw that will not allow marijuana dispensaries to operate within Rochester until the state figures out what they want to do about legislating the new law.

“The state does not know how to deal with the fact that each county must have at least one dispensary and no more than five,” said Charbonneau. “That’s [the moratorium] what I’m recommending. They’ve done the same thing in New Bedford and Wareham.”

The moratorium would have to be approved at a future town meeting in order to take effect.

The Board also unanimously approved a motion to continue the public hearing on a potential project at Shawmut Associates, LLC of 50 Cranberry Highway in Rochester.

The applicants have requested permission to make numerous changes to their existing facility. The plan is to add to the current structure, which is approximately 37,000 square feet. The new structure would be approximately 89,900 square feet. They are also requesting a permit to install solar panels on the new roof.

It appears that many requirements must be met prior to approval for changes to the site. Regulations regarding water, rainfall basins, repaving of existing roadways around the facility, wetland setbacks, buffer setbacks, and numerous other requirements must be met. Also, engineers will have to work to make sure the redevelopment can occur legally.

Representatives for Shawmut Associates said that they also plan to cap a pre-existing well and remove a transformer that would be in the way of the new paving changes. They also need to have a site plan review by someone from the Board as well as approval from the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection before work can begin.

“We’ll probably set a date at our next meeting and get out there and inspect it,” said Johnson.

The Board showed some concern that the pre-existing truck scale may be too close to part of the potential building, and they’d like to make sure there was ample room.

“It’s just something that we’d like to see,” said Johnson.

Johnson added that there will future hearings to keep those who are interested in the project up to date.

A motion to continue the public hearing will be held on March 12 at 7:30 pm, after the Planning Board meeting.

By Nick Walecka

And the Winner is…

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The 85th Academy Awards have come and gone, and so has The Wanderer’s Annual Oscars Picks Contest. This year, we had an impressive 117 entries, of which over 45 people choose five out of the six winners correctly.  But in the end, the only person to choose all six correctly was D. Adam Kirby of Rochester. Our top winner will get a Wanderer gift bag loaded with great stuff as well as bragging rights for being the one and only who knew the winners.

Here’s a list of those who won the top six categories at the Oscars:

Supporting Actress: Anne Hathaway (Les Misérables)

Best Actress: Jennifer Lawrence (Silver Linings Playbook)

Best Director: Ang Lee (Life of Pi)

Supporting Actor: Christopher Waltz (Django Unchained)

Best Actor: Daniel Day-Lewis (Lincoln)

Best Picture: Argo (Grant Heslov, Ben Affleck, George Clooney)

Ocean Navigator’s Celestial Navigation Seminar

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Celestial navigation has an undeserved reputation for being difficult, but can be learned in a weekend. It provides sailors with a great deal of self-reliance — a big part of offshore sailing — and can be a lifesaving skill when your power or instruments fail.

It’s time to improve your fundamental seamanship skills. Join the Marion Bermuda Race Team for an Introduction to Celestial Navigation Seminar Presented by Ocean Navigator School of Seamanship at the Sippican Women’s Club in Marion, MA on May 4 – 5, 2013.

This seminar is a hands-on course covering basic celestial theory, sight reduction of sun, moon, planets, stars, and specialty sights of certain bodies, like the noon sun sight and latitude by Polaris. The seminar goes hand in hand with the Celestial Navigation Division of the Marion Bermuda Race starting June 14th and is perfect for any sailors contemplating an ocean crossing or a cruising adventure.

The class covers related topics such as time and time zones, sight planning, sextant accessories and offshore navigation plotting techniques, especially dead reckoning. Practical plotting of each kind of sight, as well as celestial running fixes, is covered in detail. Sextant use is discussed during one session, but no sights actually are taken during the class.

The emphasis is on practical use of celestial navigation, with plenty of pencil and paper work. (Up to a dozen sights are reduced and plotted during the weekend, with numerous additional exercises.) using H.O. 249 and H.O. 229 in conjunction with the Nautical Almanac.

Students will find the Introduction to Celestial Navigation seminar to be a comprehensive, yet fast-paced, celestial navigation course. Over the past dozen years, alumni have navigated in Marion-Bermuda Races (even won on occasion!) and have made numerous celestial-only ocean crossings.

A review of basic navigation concepts such as chart work, plotting, true to magnetic course conversion, DR, time/speed/distance, etc. is recommended.

For those who have had no previous exposure to the subject reading one of the following books before the seminar would be helpful: Celestial Navigation in a Nutshell by Hewitt Schlereth or The Celestial Navigation Mystery Solved by David Owen Bell (Landfall Navigation 203-851-3176 http://www.landfallnavigation.com www.landfallnavigation.com). For sextant use and care, try “The Sextant Handbook” by Robert Bauer.

Students should bring to class: (1) Current Nautical Almanac (either blue or orange version) (2) Volume 2 of H.O. 249, (3) parallel rules and dividers. Optional is volume 1 of H.O. 229.

The Sippican Women’s Club is located on Front Street near Tabor Academy in Marion Massachusetts Hours are  8:00 AM – 5:00 PM. Your instructor is Tim Queeney, Editor of Ocean Navigator. The cost is $295 per student, $450 per couple payable by April 22nd by check or credit card. Navigators under the age of 19 may attend for half-price.