Academic Achievements

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Robert Burke of Mattapoisett and Dylan Pallatroni of Marion have been named to the Champlain College Dean’s List for achieving a grade point average of 3.5 or higher in the Spring 2025 semester.

            Springfield College has named Rylee Kouta from Mattapoisett to the dean’s list for academic excellence for the 2025 spring semester. Kouta has a primary major of Pre-Prof Athletic Training.

            Salve Regina President Dr. Kelli J. Armstrong conferred 508 bachelor’s degrees, 206 master’s degrees,18 doctoral degrees, and 11 doctor of nursing practice degrees upon the Class of 2025 including; Sophie Vigeant of Rochester was awarded a BS in Nursing degree; Samantha Winters of Rochester was awarded a BS in Biology degree; and Nicholas Gentili of Mattapoisett was awarded a MS in Nursing degree.

            Kelly Quinlan has been named to the Dean’s List at East Stroudsburg University for the Spring 2025 semester of the 2024-2025 academic year. Quinlan is a Biology major from Mattapoisett.

ORRJH Students Showcase Civics Action Projects

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Superintendent Michael S. Nelson and Principal Silas Coellner are proud to share that more than 130 student projects exploring important issues facing society were on display at Old Rochester Regional Junior High School during the Civics Action Project Showcase held on Tuesday, May 27.

            Eighth grade students who completed civics action projects over the course of four weeks were able to present their findings on a wide range of topics, such as school discipline, environmental issues, mental health problems, dress codes in school, plastic pollution, underage substance use and bullying. The eighth graders were tasked with picking societal topics that would help improve their community if only the issue was better understood.

            As part of their projects, the students went through a multi-step process to learn about local government, public policy creation, and how laws and regulations can be changed to better address societal problems. Through their work, conducting surveys, contacting state representatives, speaking with school officials and communicating with community leaders, the eighth graders gained valuable insight into civic responsibility and the role they can play to improve the world around them.

            After gaining sufficient information, the students developed a final goal proposal related to their topic. The students then prepared posters to display during the Civics Action Project Showcase, helping them to explain their subject to family, friends, teachers and other guests from the community. Several school administrators also attended the event to witness students deliver their presentations.

            During the showcase, students, parents and local community members voted on what they considered the top project by two groups of students.

            The winners for the Green Team were Oliver Ward and John Rousseau for “Interactive Lessons In School.” The winner for the Orange Team was Sophie Zhou for “Wildlife and Road Safety.”

            The projects were facilitated by eighth grade civics teachers Sarah Makein and Rick Regan.

            “We were very happy with and impressed by all the tremendous work and effort that our students put into their civics action projects,” Makein said. “This event was a great success, and we look forward to repeating the effort.”

            “It was outstanding to see so many high-quality projects completed by our students,” Regan said. “They did a lot of hard work to collect information and to develop compelling findings on so many intriguing subjects. It was amazing to see what they came up with.”

            Superintendent Nelson and Principal Coellner both congratulated the eighth graders for all of their efforts to tackle so many important issues, providing nuanced explanations and offering solutions for so many social problems facing the world today.

            “I’m happy to see how so many of our students engaged intelligently on some of these very difficult issues impacting our communities,” said Principal Coellner. “There were so many thoughtful presentations that were based on data collected by our students who then offered some very interesting perspectives on these important topics. Thank you to Mr. Regan and Ms. Makein for all of their work to prepare our students for this endeavor.”

            “It was amazing to see all the hard work on display by our eighth graders during the Civics Action Project Showcase,” said Superintendent Nelson. “It’s incredible to see the depth of information and the level of understanding our students demonstrated in regard to such a wide variety of issues touching on civic responsibility. I’d also like to thank Mr. Regan and Ms. Makein for their efforts to guide our students through this project and to get them thinking about good citizenship and the responsibility they all have as future leaders.”

Daniel Maintains Stead As Chair

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            The Marion Planning Board met on Monday for their first meeting following the recent Town Election. The board began, following the pledge, with some position reorganizations, nominations, and approvals.

            The current chair, Andrew Daniel, and vice-chair, Alanna Nelson, were nominated chair. Daniel won the internal vote and will continue to serve as chair. Nelson was then the sole nominee for vice-chair, where she will also continue her current role. Eileen J. Marum was nominated and confirmed to continue her role as clerk.

            For Southeastern Regional Planning and Economic Development District representative, Ryan Burke was nominated and approved. Finally, for Community Preservation Committee representative, Daniel stated “I have no problem doing it again,” but Tucker Burr was nominated and approved by the board.

            Then the board moved on to the continued public hearing for a Special Permit request for Derek A. Maksy and Denise Allard of 61 & 63 Oakdale Avenue. The properties seek to be conjoined into an association with an association pier being built out into Hammett Cove. This request has seen multiple hearings, with the last ending with a request for continuance to this meeting held on June 2. The property owners and applicants were present, along with an engineer consultant and legal counsel. This public hearing was, soon after opening discussion, closed. According to the chair, further discussion and a decision on the pier will be held at the next Planning Board meeting. Daniel stated, “we have everything. We will make a decision at the next meeting.” The decision will allow for a resubmittal by the applicants in the future, should the board vote against the application.

            A discussion was then levied on the parking upgrade for the Sippican Holdings LLC storage site, located at the former Lockheed Martin office. Talks mostly centered around accessibility to the property’s Building 2 and Building 3. Following this discussion, there was a shorter talk on traffic and circulation, which touched upon public transport and rising costs.

            The next regular meeting of the Marion Planning Board is scheduled for Monday, June 16, at 7:00 pm at the Marion Police Department, though the board also has a joint meeting with the Select Board scheduled for Thursday, June 5, at 7:00 pm also at the Marion Police Department.

Marion Planning Board

By Sam Bishop

Radon – What You Don’t Know Can Hurt You

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            Radon is a breakdown product of uranium, which is found naturally in soil and rocks everywhere. Radon is a gas, and it is odorless, colorless and tasteless.

            Radon can seep into your house from the ground on which it is built and, particularly if your house is tightly-sealed, can build up.

            Some amount of radon is unavoidable, but levels above 4 picocuries per liter are considered a cause of lung cancer. Radon is the number one cause of lung cancer in non-smokers, and the combination of smoking and radon is particularly lethal.

            There is natural variation in radon levels depending on geography. You can Google “EPA radon zones” to find a map and spreadsheet that will tell you to the county level how likely you are to be at a high level of radon.

            Some states, including Massachusetts, mandate radon tests before a house is sold, but most states do not.

            Testing is easy. You can get a test kit at the hardware store or on-line. You leave the kit in a central part of your basement (or ground floor if you have no basement) and mail it in.

            If the test comes back at 4 or higher, you should take action.

            While there are some helpful things you can do yourself, such as sealing cracks in the basement floor or walls and improving the ventilation in your home, major improvement will require professional help.

            Seek a certified radon mitigator – certified by NRPP (National Radon Proficiency Program) or NRSB (National Radon Safety Board). The typical solution involves a pipe system running from beneath the foundation that draws air through an external pipe to above the roof using a fan.

            Remediation does not come cheap: it will probably cost between $1000 and $2500. Add to that the cost of electricity to run a fan continuously.

            So, as well as having smoke and carbon monoxide detectors in your home, one more thing to add. Forewarned is forearmed.

            Edward Hoffer MD is Associate Professor of Medicine, part-time, at Harvard.

What Does The Doctor Say?

By Dr. Edward Hoffer

Marion Republican Town Committee

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The Marion Republican Town Committee will conduct its next monthly meeting on Monday, June 9 at 7:00 pm at the Marion Music Hall, 164 Front Street, Marion. The public and new members are welcome. We look forward to seeing you there.

Whitsun Ale at St. Gabriel’s Episcopal Church

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Step back in time and celebrate community, tradition, and spirit at Whitsun Ale, a lively, medieval-style parish festival hosted by St. Gabriel’s Episcopal Church on Sunday, June 8, beginning with a special Pentecost liturgy at 3:00 pm.

            This event marks the parish’s first-ever Parish Ale, a joyful tradition rooted in centuries of church history. Originating in England and throughout Europe, Parish Ales were festive fundraisers held in celebration of Whitsunday (Pentecost), bringing people together for food, drink, music, and fellowship – all in support of the church’s general fund.

            The day will begin with a specially crafted liturgy inspired by the Church of England, honoring the power of the Holy Spirit through beautiful music and prayer. Please note: On June 8, there will be only one combined liturgy at 3:00 pm – there will be no 8:00 am or 10:00 am services that day.

            Immediately following the service, the grounds of St. Gabriel’s Episcoapl Church will be transformed for the Whitsun Ale, featuring: Live music & medieval entertainment, Children’s activities & crafts, Food & drink, including non-alcoholic options, Artisan and produce vendors, Street closure in front of the Chapel for festivities.

            “This event is both a celebration of our faith and a fun, community-driven way to support our parish,” said Fr. Eric Fialho. “We hope families, neighbors, and friends will join us for what promises to be a unique and memorable afternoon.”

            Vendor spaces are still available for local crafters – just $25 per table. Interested vendors can contact Jenny Lime at stgabrielsmarion@gmail.com to reserve a spot.

            Come celebrate Whitsunday the old-fashioned way – with joy, laughter, and a touch of medieval flair.

Ken Souza Annual Memorial Scholarship

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The fourth Annual Ken Souza Memorial Scholarship was awarded to ORRHS graduating senior Ezra Thompson of Mattapoisett. The award is given each year to the outstanding senior video production student in the ORCTV/ORRHS School to Career video production program and is named to honor ORCTV’s first board president Ken Souza. Ezra developed and created many of the segments for each episode of Bulldog Weekly while contributing heavily to the writing and direction of the program. Ezra participated in the video production program during both his junior and senior years at ORRHS. The ORCTV staff and Board of Directors congratulates Mr. Thompson and wishes him the best of luck with his future endeavors as he continues his studies at Worchester Polytechnical University this fall.

Mattapoisett Select Board Expansion

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To the Editor;

            The May 27 Select Board meeting perfectly illustrated why Mattapoisett needs to expand from three to five Select Board members – exactly what Town Meeting voted to support on May 12.

            Our current three-member structure now presents critical problems in full display. With only three members, just two individuals can make significant decisions. This concentration of power becomes problematic when those same individuals question a democratic vote simply because some residents left afterward, a phenomenon that has occurred at previous controversial votes without anyone questioning those results.

            Our Select Board members maintain full-time jobs while serving, which limits their capacity to grow the town’s priorities. A five-member board would distribute responsibilities more effectively, preventing the delays we’re witnessing with this home rule petition.

            Massachusetts Open Meeting Law prohibits a quorum from discussing business outside meetings. With three members, no two can collaborate between meetings. Five members would allow two to work together on solutions, clearly needed given the current board’s handling of Town Meeting directives.

            When conflicts necessitate recusals, our three-member board becomes a two-member voting body, potentially creating deadlocks. We’re seeing similar dysfunction as the board questions whether to follow Town Meeting’s clear directive, despite one member previously stating he would “support the will of the citizens at town meeting.”

            At least 36 Massachusetts towns have successfully expanded their Select Boards. This isn’t experimental – it’s proven governance improvement.

            The current Select Board’s reluctance to move forward with the legislative petition suggests a troubling disconnect from democratic principles. Our community deserves governance that reflects our diversity and addresses our needs efficiently.

            The Select Board should honor the Town Meeting’s majority vote. More importantly, this situation perfectly illustrates why we need five members making these decisions, rather than just three.

            Jeanne Hopkins, Mattapoisett

The views expressed in the “Letters to the Editor” column are not necessarily those of The Wanderer, its staff or advertisers. The Wanderer will gladly accept any and all correspondence relating to timely and pertinent issues in the great Marion, Mattapoisett and Rochester area, provided they include the author’s name, address and phone number for verification. We cannot publish anonymous, unsigned or unconfirmed submissions. The Wanderer reserves the right to edit, condense and otherwise alter submissions for purposes of clarity and/or spacing considerations. The Wanderer may choose to not run letters that thank businesses, and The Wanderer has the right to edit letters to omit business names. The Wanderer also reserves the right to deny publication of any submitted correspondence. All letters must be typed and submitted directly to: news@wanderer.com.

Bulldogs Holding Serve

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The Old Rochester Regional High School girls’ tennis team was still undefeated heading into Wednesday’s Round of 16 home match in the MIAA Division 3 state tournament against 13th-seeded Danvers (13-6). The Bulldogs, seeded fourth with an 18-0 regular-season record, hosted 29th-seeded Auburn (18-4) in the round of 32 on June 1 and won 4-1. A win on Wednesday would send ORR into the quarterfinals against 21st seed Bishop Fenwick (12-5) at a date, time and location to be determined. The bracket placed the Bulldogs on track for a semifinal meeting with longtime tournament rival Dover-Sherborn, the only other unbeaten team in the tournament.

Girls Lacrosse

            The Bulldogs, seeded 13th in the Division 3 state tournament, hosted 20th seed Wakefield Memorial on May 30 in the Round of 32 and won 11-8. ORR took a 10-8 record into Wednesday’s Round of 16 match at fourth-seeded Wayland (10-9). The winner would land a spot in the quarterfinals.

Boys Tennis

            ORR, seeded 16th in the Division 3 state tournament, went 1-1 in the postseason and finished 10-9 overall. The Bulldogs defeated Bishop Fenwick 4-1 at home before falling at top-seeded Bedford on Monday in the Round of 16.

ORR Sports Roundup

By Aiden Comorosky

Murphy Ascends to Chair

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            Rochester’s Select Board Monday learned doubly good news regarding the plan to upgrade internet technology for town offices.

            Town Administrator Cameron Durant announced the town has received $236,000 from Governor Maura Healey and Lieutenant Governor Kim Driscoll’s Office of Community Compact Municipal Fiber Grant Award Program. But the even better news is that the quote to install a fiberoptic system for all of the town’s municipal buildings came in at $130,000, he said, meaning that $100,000 can be set aside for a future related use. Plus, the $150,000 appropriated at last month’s Town Meeting for the project will be more than covered.

            Durant said this new internet technology system will connect the main Town Hall, the Town Hall annex, the COA Senior Center, the Police Station, Rochester Memorial School and 65 Pine Street. The installation, he said, will mean “better and safer service for the town offices.”

            Also Monday, the Select Board approved Verizon New England’s proposal for a new mid-span Eversource utility pole on the west side of Cushman Road, two weeks after helping an abutter to address his objections to the plan. At the Select Board’s last meeting, Scott Snider of 149 Cushman Road said he wanted to know why a new pole was needed on his street, less than 200 feet from existing poles and almost right outside his front door. Then-Chair Bradford Morse noted such a pole can be moved and motioned the hearing be continued until Eversource could speak to the problem.

            On Monday, Eversource representative Steve Delsonno said the company has considered the abutter’s comments and redesigned the installation as a result. The pole, he said, will be moved 300 feet from its original location to a location in front of a large, wooded area. “Your comments were taken into account,” he said. “We have submitted a re-design and hope the board will approve it.” After the Select Board unanimously endorsed the new location, Snider and his wife thanked Eversource for being willing to work with them on this solution.

            In other action, the board announced and signed a proclamation that honored former Memorial School teacher and Rochester School Committee Chair Sharon Hartley. She recently retired from the school board, declining to run for re-election after more than 50 years in education.

            The board approved Jerelle Jesse as a new Conservation Commission Associate member and Meredith Rousseau as a new member of the Personnel Board.

            The board approved David Arancio’s Letter of Resignation from the Zoning Board of Appeals and Brian Porter’s letter resigning from the Public Safety Facility Building Committee.

            The Select Board re-organized, appointing Adam Murphy as the new chair and Paul Ciaburri as new vice-chair.

            The board approved the Rochester Firefighters Association’s request to donate a cargo van for carrying ATV equipment to the Rochester Fire Department.

            The board appointed Durant as the town’s representative on the SRPEDD Joint Transportation Planning Group.

            Morse announced there are vacancies on town boards that need filling, and the town would like to hear from interested candidates. There are open seats on the Zoning Board of Appeals, the Soil Board, the Historical Commission, the Historic District Commission, and the Cultural Council.

            The next meeting of the Rochester Select Board is scheduled for Monday, June 16, at 6:00 pm at Town Hall, 1 Constitution Way.

Rochester Select Board

By Michael J. DeCicco