Celebrity Sightings

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            Everyone has a story of when they met or saw a celebrity. Maybe you got an autograph at a ballgame or stood in line behind a celebrity at the bank or had one wave at you at a stop light as I did with Dave Cowens of the Boston Celtics.

            Milton Berle, the comedian once known as “Mr. Television” in the early ‘50s who dressed up in woman’s clothing, once stopped by my table in a restaurant to say hello. I have no idea why since I couldn’t stand his comedy.

            Bill Rogers, the marathon runner, lived in a town near me and used to go by my house on his practice runs. Speaking of runners, I frequently have my morning coffee with British Olympian and two-time Boston Marathon winner Geoff Smith, who happens to be a town resident. Geoff hails from Liverpool, England, and when strangers meet him, they still ask if he knows the Beatles.

            Just recently there was buzz about Nicole Kidman coming to town to film a movie at a house on Goodspeed Island. I’m sure people would have been lined up in their lawn chairs on Railroad Avenue to get a glimpse of the beautiful Australian actress, as they were when another famous celebrity’s son got married here years ago.

            Everyone was talking about “The Wedding.” It was to be the wedding of the year. The town was buzzing. There were large white bows on the street signs leading the way to the church presumably for all the out-of-towners who would be attending.

            Someone said Julia was in town. What about all those cars with license plates from New York, Connecticut and California spotted around the village? Word was that every bed-and-breakfast and hotel for miles around was booked solid.

            Julia, of course, was Julia Roberts, the famous and beautiful and rich Hollywood actress. So why would Julia be in our town to attend “The Wedding?” Because Julia’s boyfriend, whose name no one could remember, worked with a local celebrity whose son was getting married. Julia’s boyfriend surely would be there.

            Our little seaside village is used to celebrities, but Julia … she was special! Oh, sure our celebrity was special, too, famous to be sure. An Academy Award-nominated actor with hit TV shows and all that. But he lived in town, at least in the summer. When we were kids, his grandmother would offer us cookies and milk if we were playing near the family homestead. People would see him around, in the laundromat, at the hardware store, eating in local restaurants. No big deal. But Julia! Wow!

            No doubt there would be other celebrities attending, too.

            A sister of a waitress who worked for a caterer said she heard that Danny DeVito of the TV show “Taxi” would be here, along with his wife Rhea Perlman, the barmaid from “Cheers.” He was in Boston at the time, making a movie. Surely, they’d pop down to “The Wedding”. The town hadn’t seen anything like this since Merv Griffin, who created “Jeopardy,” sailed in on his yacht to have lunch at our local seaside inn.

            No one was quite sure what time the wedding would be. Someone said that a local fellow who lived near our celebrity had been invited and planned to ask Julia to dance. My neighbor, whose sister heard it from a part-time policeman who heard it from the police chief who thought it would be at 4:00.

            Rumor was that the guests were going to march down Water Street to a reception at the Bed and Breakfast, where a large white tent had been set up. Julia was reportedly staying there, but nobody had seen her yet. Along about 3:00, residents on Water Street began watering their lawns and weeding their gardens, washing their cars and walking their dogs.

            A small crowd began to gather near the church next to the beach. The parking lot was full of cars with out-of-state license plates. The three selectmen happened by to inspect a dead tree that was scheduled to come down. And yes, I confess, my bride and I stood a discreet distance down the road. We brought our dog, Daisy, with us. Folks often stopped to pet Daisy and, you never know, Julia might like dogs.

            By 4:00, the crowd swelled to about 40 people eager to gawk at the celebrities, just about the number of guests at the wedding. Julia was not one of them. No Danny, no Rhea. No handsome actor whose name no one could remember.

            Turned out, the white bows on the street signs were for a wedding that took place the day before. The big white tent at the B & B was for another affair. The cars with the out-of-state license plates were probably ordinary summer people.

            Someone swore they saw Julia, but I doubt it. Maybe it was Milton Berle.

            Editor’s note: Mattapoisett resident Dick Morgado is an artist and retired newspaper columnist whose musings are, after some years, back in The Wanderer under the subtitle “Thoughts on ….” Morgado’s opinions have also appeared for many years in daily newspapers around Boston.

Thoughts on…

By Dick Morgado

Backyard Extension Approved

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            A backyard will get 50 feet deeper after the Marion Conservation Commission voted after an August 23 public hearing to issue a Negative Box 3 Determination of Applicability to Deer Run Lot 5 LLC, for land clearing for a residential house lot at 5 Deer Run.

            Project representative Matt Leone of Schneider, Davignon & Leone, Inc., summarized the activity at the site off Delano Road to consist of construction of a five-bedroom house with a septic system, tree clearing, site grading and utilities. The project, he said, had already been approved by the Board of Health and the Building Department.

            Initially, explained Leone, all of the work was proposed outside the 100-foot buffer zone to bordering vegetated wetland, but the land falls within the priority habitat of rare species as mapped by Natural Heritage and the Endangered Species Program.

            Leone said an application was filed with the state Division of Marine Fisheries and has received a determination that the project as presented to the Conservation Commission will not result in a prohibited take of wildlife on DMF’s list.

            With that, Leone told the commissioners that the property owner wishes to extend tree clearing 50 feet closer to the limits of the bordering vegetated wetland, ensuring a 50-foot no-touch zone. The plan is to stabilize the area with seeding and siltation fencing.

            Commissioner Shaun Walsh asked Leone if the wetlands border had been vetted by the commission, to which Leone noted that Brad Holmes had established the line but not since Schneider, Davignon & Leone, Inc. has represented the applicant, the commission has not vetted the wetlands flagging.

            Construction at the site has been ongoing for some time, said Leone, and in this case, the owner is looking to expand his backyard.

            Walsh said that since the initial filing did not propose activity within the buffer zone, the matter never came before the Conservation Commission. Now, he said, the commissioners have to decide on the wetlands line.

            While convinced by the line as established, Conservation Commission Chairman Jeff Doubrava said one thing he would like to see is a visual demarcation of the 50-foot line where the limit of current and future work will be established. Walsh concurred, suggesting stakes, markers or boulders.

            Leone said he has a complete survey of the lot and can share his information.

            Commissioner Matt Schultz sought more information on the cellar drain; Leone said it was an optional, gravity-fed drainage system to remove groundwater from the area around the foundation.

            In keeping with his recommendation, Doubrava would include in his motion to approve conditions requiring permanent boulders or some other permanent markers in consultation with Conservation Agent Doug Guey-Lee be placed to mark the limit of activity, along with siltation fencing that would not be removed until vegetation has been reestablished.

            After a prior public hearing, the commission voted to approve an Abbreviated Notice of Resource Area Delineation submitted by Paul Downey, Sippican Holdings, LLC, 13 Barnabus Road.

            “I didn’t see anything that said to me that it was anything other than a reasonable estimation of where the line sits,” said Doubrava, making sure to clarify the commission’s vote was only to approve the line as it was drawn from Luce Avenue up to the bike path. He noted that another area of the property to the north and east would require a separate determination in the future.

            Steve Gioisa, the applicant’s representative, told the commission he purposefully omitted that other parcel off the ANRAD filing presently being considered.

            In motioning a decision, Walsh said no added verbiage to the decision is necessary.

            Guey-Lee considered the addition of a trench to be a significant deviation from the site plan, but the commission voted to issue Bruce Pawelczyk a complete Certificate of Compliance for a house reconstruction at 50 West Avenue.

            The commission also issued a complete Certificate of Compliance to JCV Investments, LLC, for installation of a grinder pump and force main 534D Point Road.

            In answer to request for comments to the Zoning Board of Appeals regarding the application of Elizabeth and Christopher Karvonen at 56 East Avenue, Doubrava said the beginning of the site is in the flood zone and that a filing with the ConCom is necessary.

            Per site-plan review, the Planning Board requested comment from ConCom on the Town of Marion’s new harbormaster construction planned for 1 Island Wharf. There has been no change, so the commission’s prior approval stands.

            Guey-Lee suspects that some part of the project anticipated by Papa’s Real Estate, LLC, at 0 Luce Avenue is in the buffer zone, so the commission plans to tell the Planning Board that a filing with the ConCom is required.

            The case of the drain that the commission requested a redesign from William Weber Jr. at 21 East Avenue will be addressed now that Weber has filed a RDA for a revision to the structure to be heard on September 13.

            The next meeting of the Marion Conservation Commission is scheduled for Wednesday, September 13, at 7:00 pm at the Police Station.

Marion Conservation Commission

By Mick Colageo

Rochester Historical Society

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From the Rochester Historical Society, a big thank you to all those who supported our August activities. That includes everyone who contributed to the success of our yard sale by donating, pricing, selling, setting up or taking away leftover items.

            Another thank you to the workers and attendees at our first ever Mini-Fair. As you can see from the attached picture, we were excited to share our museum exhibit (supported by the Rochester Cultural Council, a local agency, supported by the Massachusetts Cultural Council, a state agency) with some younger attendees who learned about Rochester history by doing a scavenger hunt. A special thanks goes to Bob St. Onge and Tom Smith whose Metal Detector demonstration was a big hit with young and old.

            So, we appreciate the support of area businesses that donated our raffles, as well as the support of those who baked for us and everyone who bought our bake goods, Rochester items and raffle tickets.

            September is here and in addition to our monthly meeting program, “Mapping Rochester” on September 20, we will also be having an Open House and Cranberry Bake Sale on September 30. More information on both in the coming weeks.

Academic Achievements

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Daniela Gil Veras of Marion, Allison Paim of Marion and Maya Dube of Mattapoisett were named to the 2023 Spring Semester Dean’s List at Simmons University in Boston. To qualify for Dean’s List status, undergraduate students must obtain a grade point average of 3.5 or higher, based on 12 or more credit hours of work in classes using the letter grade system.

Exhibit Offers Up Memories

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            One of the first things Connor Gaudet realized when he was selected as the new curator for the Mattapoisett Museum was the voluminous quantity of ephemera in the collection.

             For decades as folks in the area cleaned out closets and attics, possibly upon the passing of a loved one, old materials held on to needed to go. Yet there also came the realization that much of these pieces not only were held onto because they might mean something to the owner but that they likely could mean something to a wider audience.

            Old restaurant menus, old pictures, bits and pieces left behind from a factory, maps, you name it, someone held onto it. Later it would be passed along to the museum. Gaudet pondered how to display a small portion in a meaningful way so the public could enjoy seeing them. Thus was born the museum’s newest exhibit titled Then and Now.

            Gaudet and members of the museum board helped to sift through donated materials, selecting those pieces that might convey just how much Mattapoisett has changed, or in some cases stayed the same.

            Old photos were selected for their meaning to the larger community. For example, the stone bridge, Center School and the library are well known and much-loved iconic structures. Juxtaposing an old photo of these against what they look like today floods the viewer’s memory banks with then and now images.

            But Gaudet took the exhibit to the next level by taking two well-known restaurants, the Nest and the Mattapoisett Diner, and creating a visual timeline that takes viewers on a journey through time. The parallel timelines, one for each restaurant, start at the beginning of the businesses’ lives and on through the years note changes in business names, along with photos of the structures and menus as they morphed through the decades. Very clever indeed.

            A photo of the town band back in the day shows the all-male members dressed in jackets and long trousers, not a single smile among the musicians. The 2023 town band photo shows just how much has changed with smiling faces all. And, by the way, current band membership is slightly more than 50% female. Accompanying these items are antique wind instruments.

            There’s a then-and-now display of the former Big 3 Building Products that burned to the ground decades ago and where today a coffee shop stands.

            How about the “then” pic of three people in turn-of-the-century, bathing costumes standing in the water at Town Beach – again no smiles – and a today knock-off with plenty of humor and clothing of the 21st century, shorts and T-shirts. Or how about the three folks from “then” out on a bike ride down Church Street wearing cycling attire. Wait ’til you get a gander at the blouse the woman is wearing. The bicycles tires appear to be metal rims. No rubber and, you guessed it, no smiles. In the modern version of this scene, the “now” includes happy faces and one skateboard and two bikes complete with rubber tires.

            “The reaction to the exhibit has been one of surprise,” Gaudet reported. He said for many, especially people from out of town, the amount of enterprise taking place in this tiny town amazed them. “It was fun for me going through everything and selecting what to use.”

            For people who grew up in Mattapoisett, the Then and Now exhibit is a walk down memory lane. The items on display conjure up memories long forgotten. “Yes, a walk down memory lane. It was the perfect place to grow up,” said Carole Clifford, a townie who returned to her roots upon retirement.

            Jennifer McIntire, who heads up the board of directors, said, “I’m impressed how he (Gaudet) managed to highlight the strength of the collection in an engaging way and with humor.” New board member Kim Randall said of the exhibit that some of the items were familiar but others she was seeing for the first time.

            Not to be forgotten are the farms and farm families. Cynthia Almada Dawicki’s grandparents stated to Gaudet that her family began farming on Acushnet Road since 1920. You’ll recognize the home on Crystal Spring Road in the “now” photo.

            The exhibit will be on view through the fall season.

By Marilou Newell

Long Wharf Concerns Confirmed

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There had been a great deal of speculation regarding what was below the surface of the Mattapoisett Harbor waters, just what was supporting Long Wharf. Comments on the materials that might have been used decades ago ran the gamut from poor-quality dirt from construction sites to sunken boats, cement, rocks and more.

            Documentation from the late 1800s failed to give a clear picture of what might be found underwater. The August 8 report from Childs Engineering confirmed that most speculation was correct.

            Childs, which has been hired by the Town of Mattapoisett to study the current state of the historic Long Wharf and the material composition that supports it, completed test borings, a necessary process before decisions can be made on next steps in the proposed rehabilitation of the waterfront asset. On August 31, members of the Marine Advisory Board discussed the findings.

            Soil explorations took place in June and July. Three soil borings along the top deck and five borings underwater next to the wharf were taken, the report stated. The purpose is to obtain sufficient data that will support a design and various considerations needed for the rehabilitation project.

            The condition of the wharf has deteriorated over time, primarily due to exposure, the engineers wrote. There was an assumption that sunken, wooden barges had been used, barges filled with local fill materials, including boulders. At an early point in its history, Long Wharf was extended to accommodate a ferry. The exterior seawall comprised granite blocks. Time, tides and storms have penetrated the seawall, washing out fill.

            The field exploration statements include, “The boring operation on the wharf was difficult and slow. Most of the wharf was constructed from boulder rich fill underlain by a thin layer of organic marine settlement on top of glacial-fluvial deposits overlaying dense lodgment fill.” (Subglacial lodgment tills are deposits beneath the glacier that are forced or “lodged” into the bed below.)

            Subsurface conditions were described as dense till consisting of silty sand and gravel with cobbles and boulders; thicknesses of the various layers change with distance from the shore.

            The report documents findings at the surface of the wharf and underwater along the seawall. The team found confirmation of its assumptions, thus supporting Childs’ earlier construction suggestion, although design has not begun.

            The test-boring report notes that from zero to 10 feet glacial-fluvial, dense, fine-to-coarse sand of varying colors and gravel, were found. From 10 to 25 feet, lodgment till and very dense, moist blackish-tan, fine-to-coarse gravel was present.

            “Overall, the recommendations provided by Childs remain valid and are now supported by field observations and testing,” MAB concluded. Next steps include review of the Childs’ report by the Select Board.

            The next meeting of the Mattapoisett Marine Advisory Committee is scheduled for Thursday, September 28, at 7:00 pm.

Mattapoisett Marine Advisory Board

By Marilou Newell

From the Files of the Rochester Historical Society

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Recently, the Mattapoisett Museum and the Mattapoisett Land Trust joined together to hold a showing of the silent movie, “Down to the Sea in Ships.” This reminded me of one of my grandmother’s stories. My grandmother, Marion Frazer Hartley, came to Rochester to teach school after graduating from Bridgewater Normal School. She eventually married Jim Hartley and became active in the Rochester community. She was a member of the Grange and a Past Master. She was on the staff at 4H Camp Farley in Mashpee and a member of the Rochester Historical Society, among many other activities.

            Grandma was a talented piano player and the organist at the First Rochester Congregational Church for many years. She also played the piano for plays and programs at the Grange. This brings me to her story about the film. When “Down to the Sea in Ships” was filming, it was a big deal in the area with many locals answering the call for extras. My grandfather was one of them and as the story went, he drove a team (horses or oxen that was never specified) down the pier.

            Eventually, a copy of the film was sent to Rochester to be viewed at the Grange Hall. Silent movies were accompanied by music, and my grandmother was the one who would play the piano accompaniment. She spent a great deal of time assembling music that would match events occurring in the film.

            When the night came, and the Grange Hall was packed with an expectant audience, she discovered the flaw in her plans. Unlike the other performances at the hall, the film required all the lights to be turned off. In the darkness, there was no way to read the musical scores. Not one to be deterred, she played musical selections that she knew by heart, and she always said that nobody ever noticed. Oh. By the way, my grandfather’s scene was cut from the movie and left on the cutting room floor.

By Connie Eshbach

Mattapoisett Yacht Club Results

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Beautiful sailing on Tuesday night for the Ensign finale. Odyssey won both races to take the night however with 2 seconds Black Ice kept its hold on first place for the August Series. Uncle Fester took third for the night with a third and fourth place.

            Wednesday PHRF Series, Class A – No Quarter Given returned to the winner’s podium with a first for the night and wins the August Series in a tie breaker with Restless, which got a second for the night. In third was Billy Bud and fourth went to Coconuts.

            Class B, Chickadee pulls out the win for the night which also wins them the August Series in a tie breaker over Fir Na Tine, which got a second for the night.

Kinsail placed third for the night and the series.

            On September, 6 MYC hosts the Phoenix Cup. This race combines all three racing classes in a free for all handicap race. MYC also hosts the Fall Round the Bay Race on September 16. Details can be found on our website.

No Wiggle in Water Agreement

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            There is “no wiggle room” for the 13 acres of Rochester land – known as Red Brick Farm East – for the town to explore water usage or other options.

            The land in question can become a well site for neighboring Mattapoisett to explore for its own water use, per a regional agreement, according to Rochester Conservation Agent Merilee Kelly during Tuesday night’s meeting of the Rochester Conservation Commission.

            The land is part of a Buzzards Bay Coalition project that placed conservation restrictions on aquifer lands from Acushnet through Mattapoisett and Rochester.

            At a meeting held earlier this month, the Rochester Conservation Commission said that it wanted Mattapoisett to sign an agreement to never develop a well on the 13 acres on Long Plain Road and the north side of Wolf Island Road in Rochester. Rochester also asked that Mattapoisett transfer the land to the Town of Rochester for $1.

            Earlier this summer, Brendan Annett of the Buzzards Bay Coalition said it was too late to put these conditions in the multitown Conservation Restriction on 241 acres of aquifer land from Acushnet to Mattapoisett that this parcel includes.

            Also earlier this summer, it was revealed that regional agreement would give Mattapoisett the water rights to the Rochester parcel, including possibly digging up to four new wells, under a co-ownership agreement with the Mattapoisett Water and Sewer Authority. The Rochester Conservation asked for more information, especially as to whether the Conservation Restriction can be rewritten to give Rochester rights to some of that water.

            After the Conservation Commission meeting on Tuesday, Kelly said that Buzzards Bay and other authorities say there is “no wiggle room” and that Mattapoisett will have the right to dig wells on the property for potential drinking water.

            Kelly said that Rochester residents have also expressed concerns about its future water supply and would have liked to exercise that option on this town-owned land.

            In other commission news, the members unanimously voted to forward a document to legal counsel that will be signed by interested parties to give Rochester commissioners the authority to conduct site visits when needed.

            Commissioners said that it has always been assumed that commissioners have a right to site visit for an applicant conducting work within the wetlands.

            This document will ease any legal concerns and is being used by other town boards.

            Also on Tuesday, Kelly announced that at an upcoming meeting, a representative of the state Division of Fisheries & Wildlife will educate commissioners on its new “internet savvy” BioMap.

            The next meeting of the Rochester Conservation Commission was not announced upon adjournment.

Rochester Conservation Commission

By Jeffrey D. Wagner

BookRemarks from Plumb Library

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            Greetings from Plumb Library. Welcome to BookRemarks, a monthly feature focusing on all things library related.

            Have you ever thought “I’d really like to do something to help out the Library” but didn’t know what the next step would be? Let me introduce you to the Friends of Plumb Library. The Friends of the Library are a nonprofit group that are responsible for conducting fundraising, participating in community projects and assisting with financing of Library programs and activities. And right now, the Friends need YOUR help. In October, the Friends will hold their Annual Meeting. Come by and hear what they are all about and learn how you can help the Library by helping the Friends. Want to take it a step further? During this meeting the Friends will be voting on a new board. If you are interested in serving in any capacity (chair, co-chair, secretary, treasurer) please attend the Oct. 5 meeting at 6:30 pm. If you have questions about the board positions, feel free to contact the Library and talk to Kristin Cardoso, Library Director.

            If you are looking for other ways to get involved, there are three Friends-sponsored events happening in September at the Library. First up is a Decluttering Workshop on September 16 at 11 am. Kristi will show you how to downsize your “stuff” and live in a calmer environment. After you’ve cleaned out all those closets and drawers, come by on Friday September 22 from 2-6 pm or Saturday September 23 from 8:30-10:30 am for the Savers Clothing & Soft Goods Donation Days. The Friends will have a truck in the Library parking lot for you to drop off your gently used clothing, shoes, bedding, etc. Last, but not least, there will be a 2-Day Fall Book sale in the Program Room of the Library on Friday September 29 from 10:30 am-4:30 pm and Saturday September 30 from 10:30 am-1:30 pm Starting September 1, the Library will be accepting donations of lightly used books, puzzles, games, CDs, and DVDs during regular hours. Proceeds from the Savers Drive and the Book sale directly benefit the Library, funding programs that include Storytimes, Book clubs, the Summer Reading Program, Author Talks, and more (like the Decluttering Workshop.)

            The Friends will also be holding their Annual Membership Drive in October. Watch your mail for a renewal letter if you’re currently a Friend, or stop by the Library for a new member form. Memberships can be paid by cash or check, are tax deductible, and are available at various funding levels including Individual ($15), Family ($25), Avid Reader ($100), and Sustaining ($150+.)

            As always, your Library Staff, Kristen, Jen, and Lisa are here to help you find what you need. Feel free to call (508-763-8600) or email us (info@plumblibrary.com) with any questions. Better yet, come by and say hello.