On Sunday, June 3, dozens of local motorcycle riders gathered together at the Ponderosa in Rochester to participate in the 4th Annual Bike Run.  All proceeds raised from the event will be donated to the American Cancer Society.  This year’s event was in memory of Ernie Blais. Check out the pictures below! Photos by Katy Fitzpatrick.

Nearly 300 teenage student athletes gathered today at Gillette Stadium for the third annual “Stay in the Game” conference to learn about the risks of underage drinking and how they can affect positive changes among their peers and in their communities.  The students were joined by members of law enforcement and other experts who spoke about the myriad aspects of underage alcohol use and leadership.

The conference was hosted by the Executive Office of Public Safety and Security’s (EOPSS) Highway Safety Division (HSD), and funded through a federal grant from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) and the hospitality of the Patriots organization or Gillette Stadium.  Because student athletes are in a prime position to set examples and make their positive influence known among their peers, the conference’s main objective was to support a student lifestyle free of alcohol and other drug use, even within a culture that reflects this use as the norm.

“Today’s student leaders are in a prime position to mentor and encourage classmates to make healthy choices.  Conferences like ‘Stay in the Game’ help empower them to make positive changes to enhance their health and safety and we hope what they have learned today will stay with them for many years to come,” said Colonel Marian McGovern, Superintendent of the Massachusetts State Police.

The conference focused on the consequences of underage drinking and reckless driving and on law enforcement’s efforts to curb these illegal behaviors. According to NHTSA, 24 percent of the 15-20 year old drivers involved in fatal crashes were drinking.

The students were  moved by Dr. Adam Blomberg’s story. After surviving a near-fatal crash, at 18 years of age when he was not wearing a seatbelt, he was thrown out of a car and nearly died.  Dr. Blomberg now speaks on social responsibility and his personal story of his struggle back to health.

Students, coaches, administrators and parents participated in workshops addressing the effects of alcohol on athletes’ behavior, the consequences of underage drinking, and the importance of safe driving habits.  At the end of the conference, one student from each of the 14 high schools in attendance, participated in a round of NAPA sponsored Jeopardy.   The students were asked questions on what they had learned from the workshops.  Local NAPA dealership provided basketballs for the winning team.

The following students from Old Rochester Regional High were in attendance: Andrew Augustine, Meagan Bell, Hannah Bouvette, Ben Coucci, Katlyn Cummings, Dan Donohue, Alison Francis, Kirstin Fuller, Aaron Holick, Rebecca Johnson, Brenna Maloney, Christian Marchisio, Zack Mathieu, Fred Murolo, Abigail Offringa, Mike Parker, Abby Robinson and  Cam Severino.

The Tri-Town is renowned for the natural beauty that pervades the landscape, from the thick, lush forests of Rochester to the white sandy beaches of Mattapoisett and Marion. People from all over are drawn to these regions whether they are on vacation, relocating for retirement, or simply looking for a beautiful place to be for an afternoon. But no matter where you go around the region, you are sure to see a beautiful assortment of unique plants and animals, with whom we all share this breathtaking space.

The beaches of Mattapoisett are home to several varieties of wildlife, including many migrant birds listed as threatened or endangered species. Ellen Jedrey, the assistant director of the coastal water bird program at Mass Audubon, is heavily involved in the preservation and conservation of these bird species.

“There are many different bird varieties around here. The piping plover is listed as ‘threatened’ by both the state and federal Endangered Species Acts,” she said.

The piping plover is a small, plain bird of gray and brown, the same colors as the rocks of the beaches where it makes its nest. Jedrey warns that if you see one, follow its lead.

“Often times when they see a predator near its nest or chicks, the birds will perform a ‘broken wing’ dance, or will walk in the opposite direction of the nest, leading you away,” Jedrey said. “If they do that, follow them, because you might pose a risk to their young.”

Another bird that frequents the area is the American Oystercatcher, a larger, more striking animal with a bright orange beak and eyes with striped wings. Though they are not listed as being endangered, their numbers aren’t as plentiful as they used to be.

According to Jedrey, the oystercatchers could be found from the eastern coast of Canada down to Virginia, as far back as the 1800s.

“People used to hunt the birds for sport, trade, and a lot were actually made into women’s hats,” she said.

Today, there aren’t many left in Canada, and the numbers in the U.S. Atlantic region are estimated to be about 11,000, with 200 breeding pairs in Massachusetts.

“These birds have a lot of natural predators around, because most any animal will eat a plover’s egg or chicks. Red foxes, raccoons, gulls, and crows present a big problem to plovers, especially. But domesticated dogs and cats can pose a threat, too,” said Jedrey. “If the birds believe you or your pet to be a threat, they will leave their nests to try to protect their eggs from you. But this means that other predators could take advantage of the absence of the parent birds.  If they spend too much time away from their nests, the eggs could die, growth could be stunted, or they could even be cooked in the heat of the sun.”

The preservation of these species of birds is important to the local ecosystems and you don’t have to be a scientist or nature expert in order to do your part to help make sure the animals remain mostly undisturbed.

Here are some easy tips to follow in order to help ensure the survival of these local endangered birds:

• Keep trash locked up at home.  Predators like raccoons and gulls are infamous for their penchant for eating our garbage.

• If you spend time on the beach, make sure to take back with you everything you brought. Leaving waste on the beach can pollute the water, kill the animals, or feed predators.

• Don’t bring your dog to the beach, if you know there are migrant birds in the area. If you do, keep your pup on a leash so they won’t be apt to disturb nests.

• Obey all posted signs and fencing that may be placed around the birds’ habitats.

While we have extensive laws in place to help preserve the numbers of our nation’s threatened and endangered species, Jedrey says that the things local residents and governments do can make the biggest difference.

“We are so thankful to the Mattapoisett Conservation Commission, the Mattapoisett Land Trust, and many private residents for showing support for conservation. It has to work at the local level, so their support is critical. It really is the people that help make the difference,” Jedrey said.

By Eric Tripoli

There’s still time to check out Old Hammondtown School’s production of The Wizard of Oz! The Drama Club will put on their final performance tonight, Thursday, May 31 at 6:30 pm in the school’s cafeteria. Here are some pictures from this afternoon’s performance! Photos by Katy Fitzpatrick.

Since the 17^th century, when early settlers first established Rochester (which then included lands from Mattapoisett, Marion and Wareham), the fulcrum of local life has been farming.

With the development of more homes and subdivisions, transforming some of the agricultural town into a bedroom community, Rochester residents took note of the need to protect local agriculture for its cultural and historical significance to the region – as well its importance as a source of local food.

At its 2006 Town Meeting, the town authorized the creation of an Agricultural Commission to represent the farming community, encourage agricultural practices and economic development, protect farming businesses, and meditate farmer/neighbor disputes.

After six years – the Rochester Agricultural Commission is finally up and running. Members include: David Smith (Chairman), Russ Keeler (Clerk), Kami Medeiros, David Souza, Mo Sperry, and Carl St. Don. The commission is currently seeking a seventh member to complete it – although it began holding monthly public meetings in February.

“Farming has been a pretty important part of Rochester historically. Our goal is to see that continue,” explained Smith.

“This commission does not have enforcement powers or regulatory authority, but serves as an advocate for farming and farmers,” he also said in a statement on the commission.

Already, the commission is pursuing several goals, including developing a comprehensive list of Rochester farms – so far the Commission has compiled 100 names – and reaching out to them so they know about the commission’s work. The AgCom plans to hold a booth at Rochester’s Country Fair in August.

In addition, a Right to Farm bylaw for the town is high on the Ag group’s priority list.

“The right to farm is something the state mandates, but a lot of towns – about half in Massachusetts – have enacted their own bylaw [to reinforce] the state’s position,” Smith said. “A Right to Farm supports farmers’ rights to do things neighbors may find objectionable.”

He said often neighbors may complain about dust and odors, the noise of water pumps that keep crops from freezing, or the inconvenience of a slow-moving tractor.

“Another thing AgCom does is when people have grievances, in the past they would tend to bring them to the Selectmen or Health Department or maybe the Zoning Board. Since we now have AgCom, we encourage those boards to make us aware of [any problem], so we can resolve it to everyone’s satisfaction.”

For information, contact David Smith at 508-245-0953 or rochesteragcom@gmail.com. Monthly meetings are scheduled at 6:00 pm on the third Thursday of each month in the Town Hall.

By Laura Fedak Pedulli

The project to complete the construction of the Mattapoisett Bike Path might be a long and daunting task, but the Friends of the Bike Path aren’t letting that discourage them.  On Sunday, June 24, they will host the First Annual South Coast Bikeway Challenge in order to raise money to complete the Mattapoisett portion of the trail.

            “We recognize that funding for the project needs to come from state and federal levels,” said Friends of the Mattapoisett Bike Path Committee President Bonne DeSousa. “But we need to constantly demonstrate how much we want it by doing a really fun event that’s going to attract a lot of people.”

            The project is still in its planning phase, and DeSousa said that this summer there will be a 25% review. If that passes, construction could start soon. The anticipated completion of the project is 2016, however if more funds become readily available, it could be finished sooner.

            The event, which is coordinated by the Friends of the Mattapoisett Bike Path, YMCA South Coast and South Coast Hospitals, will feature a ride along the South Coast Bikeway as well as a picnic and live music. The 17-mile course takes riders through Wareham, Mattapoisett, Marion, New Bedford, Fairhaven and Dartmouth. Riders can choose how long they wish to ride.

            “We hope to draw in people from all the bike path towns,” DeSousa said. “We want people to come and enjoy the venue, take a bike ride and enjoy a picnic.”

            The Friends have been coordinating the event since December when the idea came to them at a South Coast Bikeway meeting. They held a similar event on a much smaller scale back in 2009 and it was very successful, DeSousa said.

            “The only criticism of that event was that it wasn’t big enough,” DeSousa said of the event in 2009, which drew in 40 riders.

            The Friends hope to draw a larger crowd this year, not only to raise money, but for a variety of other reasons as well.

            “It is important on a whole lot of fronts,” DeSousa said. “The health of the individuals is very important, but it’s also important to have a safe place to ride a bike. A lot of people can’t ride their bikes safely on Route 6.  We need safe places to teach our children how to ride bikes.”

            Start times for the bike ride will be staggered at 8:30 am, 10:00 am and 12:30 pm. Children under 15 years of age must be accompanied by an adult, and all riders must wear a helmet. A picnic will be served up by the Mattapoisett Lions Club at 11:30 am.

            Pre-registration for the ride begins on Friday, June 1. While there is no entrance fee, a donation of $20 per rider and $30 per family is suggested. The rider who pledges the top amount of at least $150 will have a chance to win gift certificates to area restaurants. Pre-registration is required for those who would like a brown bag lunch from the Lions Club.

            For more information or to pre-register, log on to www.mattapoisettrailtrail.com or e-mail Bonne DeSousa at bdesousa43@verizon.net or give her a call at 508-951-2406.

By Katy Fitzpatrick