Warm Weather Donations for Veterans

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The Mattapoisett Free Public Library’s Teen Advisory Board (TAB) requests your help collecting new hats, gloves, and white socks through January 15.

         TAB understands that winter can be especially tough for veterans, so our members have partnered with The Veterans Transition House in New Bedford to help. Your donations of NEW hats, gloves, and white socks will help provide much-needed warmth and comfort to those who have served our country. You can drop off your contributions in the bins at the Mattapoisett Library, 7 Barstow Street, Mattapoisett, until January 15.

         If you have any questions, please contact Amanda Lawrence, the Adult Services Librarian, at ALawrence@sailsinc.org or call the library at (508) 758-4171. Thank you for showing support and compassion for our veterans. The Teen Advisory Board and The Veterans Transition House appreciate your kindness.

Holiday happenings

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Marion Village Stroll

            The Marion Village Stroll will take place on Sunday, December 8 from 3 to 5:30 pm. Coordinated by Angela Rossi and sponsored by The Marion Business Community Association, local merchants offer hospitality and treats; Santa arrives via boat at the Old Landing at 3:00 pm; Clydesdale horses pull wagons of happy guests. Added to this are crafts, games, and musical performances, and the Tree lighting at 5:30 pm at the Bandstand. During the Stroll, The Sippican Woman’s Club’s clubhouse, aka “The Tavern”, 152 Front Street will be open to sit, visit and enjoy warm wassail.

            With window boxes decorated by the Marion Garden Group and small lighted evergreen trees done by the Marion Business Community Association, Front Street in Marion Village is a winter fairyland on a cold December night.

Rochester Tree Lighting Ceremony

            The Rochester Tree Lighting Ceremony and the Rochester Memorial All School Sing Along will take place on Monday, December 9 at 5:00 pm at the Rochester Town Hall.

Mattapoisett Holiday in the Park

            Mattapoisett’s Holiday in the Park will take place on Saturday, December 14 from 3pm to 5pm in Shipyard Park. There will be a special appearance by Santa and Mrs. Clause who will be joined by Rudolph, Frosty, and the Elves. There will also be special performances by the ORRJH Band and Showstoppers as well as the Annual Tree Lighting. Sample foods from local restaurants and family crafts and activities will be featured.

ORRHS First Term Honor Roll

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The following students have achieved honors for the first term at Old Rochester Regional High School:

         Highest Honors: Penelope Angeley, Nathanael Bushnell, Delaney Chase, Phoebe Cowles, Alexander Dai, Rafael Duarte, David Fredette, Katherine Guevara, Elizabeth Houdelette, Genevieve Kelly, Ella Milhench, Caitlin O’Donnell, Owen Osterday, Jiya Patel, Isabella Perez-Dormitzer, Grace Rousseau, Scarlett Sylvia, Ezra Thompson, Olivia Thompson, Hannah Thorell, Sasha Volkema, Emily Wyman.

         Honors: Caroline Achilles, Elizabeth Achilles, Henry Achilles, Jayden Aguiar, Logan Amaral, Gianna Annunziato, Seraphina Arruda, Georgia Bailey, Chloe Bairos, Abigail Balsis, Alexis Barber, Cody Barrows, Ella Bartholomew, Claire Bates, Malcolm Bean, Henry Becker, Hayden Belanger, Henry Berry, Alessandro Bike-Diaz, Ella Bishop, Nolan Blanchette, Allison Bodeau, John Bongiorno, Cadel Bosma, Rose Bouley, Caleb Bousquet, Makayla Brissette, Laila Brown, Drew Butler, Aiden Cabral, Brianna Cabral, Ethan Cabral, Lucas Cabral, Bobby Calder, Keira Canto, Cassidy Carroll, Eric Charron, Braeden Christopher, Joie Ciffolillo, Grace Clark, Rosemary Clark, Gavin Coffey, Alden Cole-Vieira, Aiden Comorosky, Belle Comorosky, Gabriel Connors, Ashton Cook, Taylor Cook, Tucker Cook, Owen Cooney, Bryan Correia, Nathan Correia, Bridget Coryer, Cannon Cosindas, Emma Costa, Cadogan Crete, Makenzie Crowley, Olivia Crowley, Rylee Cusick, Grace Custadio, Jack Czerkowicz, Jackson Daniel, Dannylynn DaPonte, Eleanor Dargelis, Matthew DaRosa, Gianna DeLeo, Jake Dellas, Chase DeMelo, Averee Depina, Abigail Desorcy, Luke DeVoe, Karen Dondyk, Mara Donnelly, Sara Duane, Gisele Duchaine, Jeannine Duchaine, Abbigail Dupont, Eden Dupre, Benjamin Durocher, Aidan Eagle, Noah Eagle, Calder Eaton, Neal Eddleston, Sage Elia, Parker Erickson, Margaret Ewing, Elizabeth Feeney, John Ferreira, Riley Ferreira, Alexandra Fiano, Michaela Fiano, Zachary Fiano, Ava Figueiredo, Katelyn Fisher, William Fortier, Brendan Fuller, John Galavotti, Jack Gallagher, Giada Gandolfi, Brandon Gates, Jacob Gear, Madeleine Gendreau, Daniel Giandomenico, Maya Giandomenico, Joshua Gifford, Emerson Gonet, Caden Gonsalves, Clara Gouveia-Silva, Isabel Govoni, Zadie Goyette, Benjamin Graham, Chloe Guttenberger, Lucas Hadley, Sebastian Harrigan, Logan Hart-Bonville, Sadie Hartley-Matteson, Ian Hartwig, Madalyn Haverty, Grace Hebert, Patrick Henry, August Herbert, Meredith Higgins, Brody Hiles, Logan Hiles, Lily Hinds, Estella Holbrook, Isabella Hollis, Hunter Horsey, Lyla Hotte, Emma Iappini, Jacob Iappini, Amanda Ignacio, Taryn Jackson, Emma Johnson, Jacob Jones, Emile Joseph, Chase Karo, Lanie Kazen, Jazmin Kearns, Kierra Keegan, Hazel Kelly, Andrew Kennefick, Elizabeth Kilpatrick, Hadley King, Leighton King, Olivia Kinney, Hadley Kuppens, Tenley Lane, Jack Langlais, Austin Lassiter, Seamus Leary, Mackenzie LeBlanc, Cormac LeClair, Bree LeFavor, Aubrie Letourneau, Lucy Lombard, Caitlyn Lund, Jenna Lynch, Aiden MacLeod, Logan Maher, Marley Mailloux, Abigail Mansfield, Hannah Mansfield, Joshua Marcolini, Paige Marotta, Gavin Martin, Isabel Marujo, Neva Matos, Faelyn McCarthy, Tiera McCarthy, Katherine McIlmail, Benjamin Meighan, Carly Mello, Colin Mello, Levi Mello, Ethan Miguel, Elise Modracek, Maiwenn Moisy, Xavier Monteiro, Aiden Moore, Miah Motta, Zack Mourao, Grady Muldoon, Caillaigh Mullen, Desmond Murphy, Mario Musto, James Noblet, Asher O’Brien-Nichols, Grady Oliveira, Luke Pacheco, Morgan Paiva, Angela Palmer, Zoe Papadakis, Xavier Pateakos, Krishi Patel, Scarlet Patnaude, Reilly Patraiko, Jayden Pedro, Eamon Perez, Marley Perry, Nathan Perry, Quinn Perry, Benino Petrone, Varunyu Phimolmas, Luke Pierre, Nina Pierre, Gabriela Pinhancos, Alexander Pither, Audrey Pither, Zoe Plante, Zachary Ponte, Harrison Porter, Tyler Porto, Delilah Post, Jake Proffit, Jasmyn Pumphery, Jordan Pumphery, Logan Ranney, Dimitri Raposo, Brady Reardon, Alexis Rezendes, Sophia Rider, Zachary Riggs, Tessa Ripley, Noah Robert-Howley, Noah Robitaille, Orion Rocci, Matthew Rock, Noah Rogers, Erin Root, Lazaro Rosa, Ava Ross-Sinkler, Sienna Roveda, Addison Roy, Maxwell Roy, Tucker Roy, Lucille Runyon, Julian Sanchez, Kaya Savaria, Rebecca Schaefer, Austin Scully, Christina Shultz, Ian Shultz, Benjamin Silva, Ella Silva, Eve Skomal, Kaelie Smalley, Chelsey Soltau, Addyson Spencer, Devin St Germaine, Alexa St Louis, Claudia Surace, Heather Surace, Avery Tavares, Audrey Thomas, Blair Thomas, Katherine Thomsen, Noah Thorell, Alexandra Tobin, Matthew Tobin, Amanda Tomasso, Bella Tourinho, Landis Treichler, Amelia Trout, Richard Troy, Nathaniel Tse, Rachel Tse, Lucia Valadao, Olivia Valentim, Deryn Veloso, Claire Vergoni, Grace Victoria, Nicholas Victorino, Nolin Vieira, Avery White, Linden White, Liam Whittaker, Matthew Williams, Caitlin Wilson, Tanner Wright-Texeira, Molly Wronski, Katherine Young, Dayvie Zuckerman, Kennedy Zussy.

Children’s Christmas Concert

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‘Twas the night before Christmas, and all through the land, town folks were gathering, to hear the Tri-County Symphonic Band.

         The Tri-County Symphonic Band, under the direction of Philip Sanborn, celebrates the festive holiday season with its Annual Children’s Christmas Concert, on Sunday, December 8, 1:30 pm at the Sippican School, 16 Spring Street in Marion, in the Multi-Purpose Room. The concert is a wonderful family experience designed for all ages and is free of admission charge.

         The Tri-County Symphonic Band will perform seasonal favorites including “Holiday Emblem,” “Ding Dong. Merrily on High,” “Wassail,” “Frosty the Snowman,” “March of the Toys,” and “How the Grinch Stole Christmas.”

         A special part of this year’s concert will feature the Sippican School Concert Choir, under the direction of Patricia Richard, performing “Where Are You Christmas?” and “Do You Hear What I Hear?” The Concert Choir will also perform “The Christmas Song” with the Tri-County Symphonic Band.

         The youngsters in the audience will enter a drawing with the winners playing the sleigh bells with the Tri-County Symphonic Band in Leroy Anderson’s “Sleigh Ride.”

         The concert will conclude with a “Christmas Sing-along” featuring the Sippican School Concert Choir, followed by a volunteer community band called the “Cottage Street Jam Band,” under the direction of Hannah Moore, leading a march from the Sippican School to Island Wharf to greet Santa as he arrives via “water sleigh.”

         As the band rounds the corner and jolly Santa’s is in sight, he wishes peace to all and to all a good night.

Commission Treasurer and State Senator Present Check to Rochester

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            Plymouth County Commission Treasurer Tom O’Brien and State Senator Michael J. Rodrigues came to Rochester Monday to present its Board of Selectmen a $413,605 check for new Police Department digital radios and new Fire Department turnout gear.

            The oversize cardboard check the pair came to town hall with represented two actual checks Rochester has been granted from county ARPA (American Rescue Plan Act) monies, O’Brien explained. One is a $234,000 check for the radios. The other is $189,520 for the firefighter gear.

            O’Brien boasted Plymouth County was the first county to spend every penny of the ARPA funds it had been allocated and at a lower operational cost than the other Massachusetts communities. “The average cost to administer is 7-8 percent,” he said. “We administered using 1.4 percent because other counties partnered with us to administer the funds.”

            Next, the board approved the placement of a new Eversource Energy ‘stub’ utility pole on the south side of Hartley Road as proposed by Verizon New England INC and NSTAR Electric Company. This approval came after objections from Highway Surveyor who said he would rather see the pole on the island there. Selectman Brad Morse agreed. “My concern is visibility of the road to motorists,” he said. The Verizon representative said the company had already answered Eldridge’s request to place the pole further off the road, as far as was possible.’

            In other action, the board approved placing a proposal to create a Town Administrator bylaw with a set of regulations for the position on the January 27, 2025 Special Town Meeting warrant. This vote came after Town Administrator Cameron Durant reported that he and the town’s labor counsel Jane Friedman had worked together to create the proposal. Both selectmen who were present, Brad Morse and Adam Murphy, said they were satisfied with the results and moved to place the measure on the warrant.  The board appointed six members to the new Events Committee who will serve three-year terms. They are Sarah Paiva, Kami Mederios, Renee Duffy, Maureen Viera, Sharon Hartley and Michelle Hamilton. Durant noted there is one spot open on the seven-member board and anyone who would like to join should send town hall a letter of interest.

            The board also appointed its first member to the Opioid Task Force, Michael Kovadevich, who will serve a three-year term.

            The selectmen continued until its next meeting discussion of increasing building increases proposed by Building Commissioner Paul Boucher and approving a new Police Department towing policy. Both issues had to be delayed because there was no third member; Paul Ciaburri was unable to attend.

            Murphy said he struggles with increasing building fees only because the town’s number of building permits went down this past year. “The cost of permit should meet the cost to administer it,” he said. “I struggle to pass a cost like that to the consumer.” Morse said he had no problem with increasing fees to align with surrounding communities’ fee rates and acknowledged a third board member is needed to break the tie.

            Police chief Michael A. Assad, Jr. explained the new towing policy would add regulation of the towing companies the town uses. Driver must look and act the part, Assad said. The policy requires proper licensing and insurance and bars use of any controlled substance, cannabis or alcohol on the job.

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

Rochester Select Board

By Michael J. DeCicco

Rochester Historical Society’s December

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Join us from 10:00 am to 2:00 pm at the Plumb Memorial Library on Saturday, December 14. We will be selling hats, sweatshirts, tees, books, maps, denim shirts, and Rochester themed tic tac toes.

         Christmas comes to the Rochester Historical Museum at 355 County Road at 2:00 pm on December 15 when Organist Bruce Gadzina is back to play our rare Vocalion organ. While our organ looks like a pipe organ, it is a smaller size that was a perfect fit for a home and the pipes are just window dressing. The music, however, equals or surpasses that of a pipe organ. Watching Bruce play as he manipulates the pedals, keys and stops, is a unique experience. After the concert, we will have refreshments downstairs.

         On December 18 at 6:30 pm, we’re having a Christmas party upstairs among the Museum exhibit with its toys from the ages and before we have cookies and cocoa to celebrate, Tom and Sheila Perry will be leading us in singing holiday songs.

         We’re asking attendees to donate an unwrapped gift for a teen or child.

Lightning-Fast Select Board Meeting

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The Marion Select Board met in a lighting fast meeting on Tuesday, December 3. The meeting began with the approval of minutes from three meetings, October 7, October 16, and November 6. Minutes were approved by unanimous vote.

            The next agenda item was approving liquor licenses. The board unanimously approved all outstanding requests, though the Board of Health will also need to comply with said approval.

            For the Alcohol Beverage Control Commission, the board unanimously approved the town’s estimated seasonal population, at 5,490 people. This is up from around 5,100 last year as stated by a board member.

            For next year’s meetings, the board unanimously approved the recommended meeting dates for 2025. No comments or adjustments were added with one board member saying, “we’re flexible.”

            In water and sewage commitments, the board unanimously approved $10,000 for West Drive sewage connections, now up to around 12 houses per a board member. It was stated the area should see more sewer tie-ins as West Drive is a “sensitive area” near the sea. They also approved $4745.90 in final readings.

            With that, the board convened with “Merry Christmas” and “Happy Holidays.”

Marion Select Board

By Sam Bishop

Season of Mattapoisett Lights Begins

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On Saturday, November 30, the holiday season official began with Marino Carreiro of Mattapoisett illuminating Acushnet Road and bringing holiday cheer and excitement to all those who pass by. Continuing the yearly tradition, Carreiro excitedly unveiled this year’s light design and fully decorated lawn. Complete with tens-of-thousands of lights suspended from trees, on the ground, and on the house. There are also inflatables, giant yeti and nutcracker, and an illuminated arched walkway (as seen on the cover).

            Now through the rest of the month, the Carreiro house on 59 Acushnet Road welcomes all to bask in the light and cheer, whether it be just a drive-by or an up-close look through the arches. The bright red star atop the tree eclipses the nearby telephone poles and other trees. I was told by a local it can be seen from 195, though I may have to test that. If you’re in Mattapoisett, you can’t miss it, both figuratively and literally.

            Marino Carreiro loves the occasion to share his excitement and his inner artist shines with the light of his house.

By Sam Bishop

Jill (Crippin) Vancour

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Jill (Crippin) Vancour, 57, Of Mattapoisett died November 28, 2024 unexpectedly at St. Luke’s Hospital. 

         Born in Wareham, daughter of Harriet L. (Kremp) Crippin of Mattapoisett and the late Warren D. Crippin, she lived in Mattapoisett all of her life.

         She was employed as a cook in several local restaurants, and was a 1985 graduate of Old Colony Vocational High School.

         Jill enjoyed making jewelry and painting art.

         Survivors include her mother; her fiance, Scott Davis of Marion; her son, Scott Perry of Wilkes-Barre PA; a daughter, Dayna Crippin of Sanford, FL; a sister, Jan Thomas of Mattapoisett; six nieces and nephews, Derek Crippin and his wife K-Leigh Crippin, Cory Thomas, Joshua Thomas, Taylor Crippin, and Kyle Pina; and one great niece and one great nephew, Sophia and Adam Crippin.

         She was the mother of the late Zachary Sherman.

         Her funeral service and burial in St. Anthony’s Cemetery will be private.  Arrangements are with the Saunders-Dwyer Mattapoisett Home for Funerals, 50 County Rd. (Rt. 6), Mattapoisett. For online guestbook, visit www.saundersdwyer.com.

Steven A. Briggs

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Steven A. Briggs, 68, of Marion passed away unexpectedly at home on December 1, 2024. He was the husband of Rita L. St. Germaine and the son of the late Sherman and Joanne (Mead) Briggs.

         He was born in Wareham and lived in Marion his whole life.

         Mr. Briggs worked as a self-employed painter in the tri-town area for over 40 years.

         He enjoyed collecting antiques and interesting or unusual things, helping people out, carpentry, goofing around and making people laugh, making use of people’s old stuff he found during his frequent trips to the dump, visiting his friends, sitting by the fire, driving around town with his late beagle Boo Boo, and grabbing his daily morning coffee at Uncle Jons. He was loved by many, and will be missed by all, but his legacy will live on through his family and friends.

         Survivors include his wife, Rita St. Germaine of Marion; 3 daughters, Kari MacRae and her husband David of Bourne; Stacia Briggs and her partner Shawn Case of Marion and Stevi Briggs and her partner Jake Fugate of Norton; stepson Jacob St. Germaine of Attleboro, 4 grandchildren, Brandon MacRae, Sydney MacRae, Ryan MacRae and Maddox Fugate; 5 great grandchildren, Kolby, Lucas, Carter, Rowan, and Ava; a brother, Sherman Briggs of Marion; He was the brother of the late Shawn Briggs and Sharon Garnett and stepfather of the late Bethany Clickner.

         Visiting hours are from 4 to 7 pm on Thursday, December 5, 2024, at Chapman Funerals & Cremations – Wareham, 2599 Cranberry Hwy., Wareham.

         His funeral service will be held at 11:00 am on Friday, December 6, 2024, at Chapman Funerals & Cremations – Wareham.

         Donations in his memory may be made to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, 501 St. Jude Place, Memphis, TN 38105 or the Mass Audubon Society, Development Office, 208 South Great Rd., Lincoln, MA 01773

         For more info and online guestbook, visit: www.chapmanfuneral.com