Joseph Souza

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Joseph Souza, 95, of Mattapoisett died Saturday, November 26, 2022 at Brandon Woods of Dartmouth after a brief illness.  He was the husband of Hermina (Canastra) Souza, with whom he shared 74 years of marriage.

            Born in New Bedford, son of the late Fannie Souza, he lived in Mattapoisett for most of his life.

            Joseph was self-employed as the proprietor of Joseph Souza and Son for many years until his retirement.

            He was a member of the Machacam Club, the Mattapoisett Zoning Board, and the Mattapoisett Conservation Commission. Joseph also served as a volunteer firefighter for the Mattapoisett Fire Department.

            Joseph enjoyed playing with his farm tractors, collecting toy tractors and cutting wood.

            He is survived by his wife, Hermina; his son, Robert Souza and his wife Karen; two grandchildren, Melissa Shepherd and her husband Darin, and Tim Souza and his wife Rebecca; and two great-grandchildren.

            Funeral services will be held privately, but a public celebration of his life will be held Friday, December 9, 2022 from 11am – 2pm at the Knights of Columbus, 57 Fairhaven Road, Mattapoisett. For online guestbook, visit www.saundersdwyer.com.

Exploring the Ocean’s Wonders

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Michelle Cusolito has been bringing the undersea world into focus for children with the 2018 publication of her first book, “Flying Deep” (2018, Charlesbridge) a trip into the ocean aboard the submersible ALVIN. This true story earned the scientist and author the 2019 National Science Teachers Association recognition in the category of “outstanding science trade book for student.” She also received a Starred Review from Kirkus Best Books.

            On November 17, Cusolito introduced children and their parents to her second book, “Diving Deep,” which takes the young reader on the adventure of diving, using different types of equipment. “Diving Deep” (2022, Charlesbridge) is geared towards readers from ages five to nine.

            Here, Cusolito takes children (and adults) on a journey into the ocean, using snorkels, air tanks, aquanaut suits and even free diving. She introduces youngsters to animals and spaces under the surface of the ocean that they may see for themselves one day because anything is possible.

            As charming as these stories have been written, Cusolito doesn’t sugarcoat the realities of danger, ever present when entering the ocean and especially dives such as those taken by Challenger, which went to a depth of 6.8 miles.

            She talked to the children about the amount of pressure exerted on everything at that depth. To demonstrate that point, she displayed a Styrofoam cup that had been exposed to the ocean’s depth. It had shrunk to less than half its original size. She explained that submersibles like ALVIN and Challenger are pressured internally to withstand external pressures, a lesson she made accessible to the youngest of learners.

            Speaking to the children as she read aloud, Cusolito’s style respects their curiosity and intellect. There’s no baby talk but clear, honest and yes, fun information presented in a manner that engages them. Her positive effect was exemplified by the lack of squirmy little bodies.

            Cusolito’s first two books are wonderfully illustrated by Nicole Wong. Her third book, “Into The Deep Unknown: Exploring the Ocean Twilight Zone,” will be ready for release in the summer of 2023 and will be filled with photo illustrations as it chronicles Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution’s cutting-edge research.

            Not to be forgotten is the work Cusolito has done with Tri-Town public libraries. During the 2015-16 academic year, Cusolito, in partnership with the Tri-Town library directors, created the science-based program MOBY, which stands for My Own Backyard.

            Backpacks are filled with research materials for discovery projects in topics such as pollinators, make your own cranberry bog and ocean water. Retired library director Gail Roberts, who worked with that team, said of the program in a 2021 interview, “Marion, Rochester and Mattapoisett libraries collaborated with scientist and children’s author Michelle Cusolito for grant funding. The success of the program has helped to sustain, support and enrich children’s educational needs even during the most difficult of times, and it is still going strong.”

            Look for the backpacks at your local library.

            Cusolito tells her audiences, “We are wired to wonder!”

            And with her help and gift of presenting technical data in ways that people of all ages can comprehend, kids are bound to experience journeys of their own.

Joseph Plumb Memorial Library – Rochester

By Marilou Newell

Safety Concerns Cancel Public Comment

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            The November 15 meeting of the Mattapoisett School Committee started on a somber note, with Chairperson Carly Lavin making the announcement that the public-comment section would not be held during this meeting.

            “As a result of the threatening, disruptive and disorderly conduct of two members of the public that were held during the open-comments portion of the Joint School Committee held on Monday, November 7, which forced an abrupt adjournment of that body before any business was really started, I have made the decision not to allow for public comments at tonight’s business meeting on the matter.”

            The conduct referenced includes foul language and slang terms used by members exiting the meeting after the open-comment section had already ended. The comments emanated from an ongoing debate over sexual content in books at the high school library that has spawned the filing of Open Meeting Law complaints as well as numerous public comments, group letters and Facebook threads.

            “Each member of this elected body has been and will continue to be open to hearing and reading public comments from all of our constituents. However, when members of my committee need to be escorted to their vehicles for fear of their physical safety due to hostile or disorderly conduct from members of the public, then I’m forced to prioritize not only our safety but the business of this body,” stated Lavin. “It is my sincere hope that respectful, civil discourse will return to the Tri-Town. I do believe that as adults, we have both the responsibility and the moral obligation to model behaviors of civility. After all, our children continue to watch and listen.”

            From there on out, the tone shifted to a much more positive one, with Assistant Superintendent of Teaching and Learning Shari Fedorowicz giving an extensive PowerPoint presentation on the intricacies of the OpenSciEd program.

            “It’s a three-year rollout,” she began. “So we’re doing two units per year. The resources provide supplemental and instructional delivery sciences that are high quality and rigorous. They are open-(education) resources, which basically provide free access to resources that are aligned to the Massachusetts state frameworks, and the next-generation, science statements. So basically, it provides an innovative, instructional delivery model. It’s quite new. Kids are having a lot of fun with it.”

            The supplemental PowerPoint, with additional details on the OpenSciEd program, have been shared alongside other meeting materials to the ORR district website, Fedorowicz said.

            “The objective is to improve science education through the development and implementation of high quality, freely available sites and structural materials that are research based,” Fedorowicz explained. “The three-year, pilot rollout with two units were implemented this year, and the next unit will be implemented in spring.”

            It’s not just student materials either. Professional development for each unit is provided for teachers and administrators, including a four-day course that was provided before the launch. Each unit is tailored to a targeted grade level. Grade 6 studies light, matter and sound waves, while Grade 7 covers thermal energy, and Grade 8 focuses on chemical reactions in matter and energy.

            MCAS testing was discussed; it was noted that certain milestones and testing procedures had been delayed or upset because of the pandemic. “Student-growth percentiles” or SGP’s are used to measure student level achievement and how it has changed over time. These scores can be used individually per student or averaged out to represent the average student growth for that school or group. The Old Hammondtown Elementary School’s average for English Language Arts is 11% higher than the state average, and the math SGP averages 14% higher.

            As with the OpenSciEd program, the PowerPoint presentation relating to MCAS testing, including in-depth data and graphs, is available through the ORR district website, attached to the uploaded documents for the November 15 committee meeting.

            Lavin brought to the committee news that the Select Board has acknowledged an oversight where it concerns representation of the school committee in town financial matters and planning as dictated by town bylaws. Lavin told the School Committee that she has been appointed to the town’s “planning committee.” She is also seeking a volunteer from the School Committee to represent it to other town committees.

            The Principal’s Report covered the first Fun Run, held through the Boosterthon which raised $22,000 to support field trips, enrichment programs and playground repairs and enhancements. The Scholastic Book Fair was also noted to be a huge success. There was also an open call to attend the OHS band and Chorus’ annual holiday show on December 13 at 6:30 pm.

            The Facilities Director Report was brief and to the point, covering a number of repairs, such as a broken gym window, as well as taking inventory of the snow and ice winter supplies for the inevitable New England storms.

            Superintendent of Schools Mike Nelson reported to the committee on the progress of the Collins Center study that in part is furnishing town officials with information and citizen feedback for the purpose of long-range planning that could potentially consider school consolidation. Nelson said two opportunities were held for citizen feedback, and the school department’s involvement in the project is basically up to date. He said, based on the attendance to the two in-person feedback sessions that the Collins Center believes a remote-access feedback session would not provide any significant information not already gathered.

            Nearly 3,500 responses were made to the online survey, according to Nelson’s report. Collins Center team members were to conduct a site visit on November 18. All data reported by Nelson, he said, has also been made available to the state Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) which will make the information accessible to the public.

            In discussing her participation in the feedback session, Lavin stated what a pleasure and honor it was to share with citizens of different ages and demographics whom she had not met their common bond of care for the Town of Mattapoisett.

            “The experience of truly listening to how others felt about the value of education and our school buildings was an enriching and very powerful activity,” said Lavin, commending and thanking those in attendance for offering impassioned views and differing opinions in a civil manner.

            The committee voted to increase second-meal rates set in 2018 to $3.30 for lunch and to $2.75 for breakfast. First meals remain free of charge. Nelson told the committee that the other Tri-Town committees already voted for the increase.

            The Center School and Old Hammondtown Principals reports acknowledged Native American Heritage month, taking place in November, an observance started in 1990 by President George H.W. Bush.

            “The month provides an opportunity to commemorate the rich and diverse cultures, traditions and histories and acknowledge the important contributions of Native American/Indigenous people. It is also an important time to educate the general public, as well as young people in schools, about the bias, discrimination and unique challenges faced by Native American/Indigenous people both historically and currently, and the ways in which they have confronted these challenges.”

            The next meeting of the Mattapoisett School Committee will be held on Monday, January 9, 2023 at 6:30 pm in person and accessible live via Zoom. The next Joint School Committee will be held on Thursday, January 19, 2023 at 6:30 pm, also available in a hybrid format.

Mattapoisett School Committee

By Jack MC Staier

From the Files of the Rochester Historical Society

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As I mentioned previously, the centerpiece of Rochester’s 200th anniversary was the “Oration” delivered by Rev. Everett. His speech had many subheadings, including “Honored Sons of Sippican” with Sippican being synonymous with Old Rochester. He mentioned men of note from Wareham and Rochester.

            Many pages of his oration are devoted to Tristam Burgess who was born in Rochester on Feb 26, 1770. Burgess was a descendant of Joseph Burge (the Burge name had the-ess added over time), the builder of Rochester’s first gristmill. Tristam Burgess graduated from Brown University in 1796 with first honors in his classes. He studied law in Providence, Rhode Island and was admitted to the Bar there in 1799.

            Throughout his career, Burgess was known for his oratory skills which included a mastery of classical and scriptural allusions, an acuteness of logic, brilliant scholarship and finely honed sarcasm. Many examples of his oratory are cited by Rev. Everett, in one of his early appearances pleading a case in a Rhode Island court, his severe and personal remarks were interrupted by the judge who asked if he knew where he was and to whom he was speaking. Burgess’s answer was, “I am in an inferior court, addressing an inferior judge in the inferior state of Rhode Island.”

            His remarks didn’t hinder his rise in his profession. By 1815, he was Chief Justice of the state and in 1825, he was elected to Congress. He began his career in the U.S. House of Representatives in December of 1825, and a few days into his term, he offered an antislavery petition, setting up an angry debate led by the Representative from Virginia and joined by the Representatives from South Carolina and New York. His speaking skills are given credit for silencing his main proslavery opponent, Randolph of Virginia and earning him the title of “Bald eagle of the North”.

            At the centennial celebration of Brown University in 1864 where Burgess was a professor of Rhetoric and Belles Lettres, the President of the University praised “the brilliant Burgess”. Everett, in his oration, goes on to say that Burgess stands “peerless for the scorching invective that like lightning burns when it strikes”.

            Tristam Burgess died October 13.1853 at the age of 83.

By Connie Eshbach

Carl Michael Lamoureux

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Former Marion Police Officer Carl Michael Lamoureux of Mattapoisett, MA passed away on November 18, 2022. He was born December 1, 1950 to Alfred and Marie (Roy) Lamoureux in Providence, Rhode Island. He leaves behind his children, Bethany Lynn and Sean Michael; his former wife Maureen Lamoureux; long-time partner Leslie Geil and her children Colin and Erik Geil; his brothers Alfred, Robert and his wife Bobbie, and Ronald and his wife Cristina; his sisters Claire and husband Jerry Lancaster, Anne and husband Ron Masters, and Charlene and husband George Nikola; numerous nieces and nephews; dogs Holly, Chet, and Haley and cat Nemo. Carl’s love for his animals was only superseded by his love for his family.

            In lieu of flowers and services, Carl has asked for donations to be made to American Cancer Society, or Humane Society & Shelter SouthCoast in Dartmouth, MA.

            Memories, stories, and photos of Carl may be shared by mail or delivered to the Marion Police Department until December 20th at: Marion Police Station, ATTN: Carl Lamoureux Remembrance, 550 Mill St., P.O. Box 636, Marion, MA 02738. You may also send memories, stories, and photos by email to lamoureuxremembrance@gmail.com.

Looking Back at Local Crime

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A recent social-media discussion suggesting that crime is running rampant (the contributor’s words, not mine) hereabouts has prompted me to do some research into the history of crime in our idyllic village. A perusal of yellowed newspaper clippings pasted into my grandmother’s scrapbook reveals that crime is not a stranger to Mattapoisett.

            The 1950s were hard hit, especially local liquor stores.

            Freddie’s Package Store on Route 6 reported a break-in, resulting in a loss of $900 worth of liquor and cash. The break-in was the fifth in town in 10 days.

            Earlier, a lone gunman “masked with a red-and-white bandana” held the proprietor of the Village Package Store at bay while absconding with $154 in cash. The owner described the “thug” as “very short, about 5 feet, 6-inches tall, with dark, deep-set eyes.”

            According to the newspaper article, the owner thought the gun was a toy and told the robber to reveal himself, whereupon the bandit said ‘’I’m not kidding, this is a real stickup” and proceeded to order the victim into a back storage room. A sign on the store window failed to ward off the culprit. It said “Warning – burglar alarm. Automatic call to police.” By the time police arrived, the culprit had vanished.

            According to then Police Chief Alden Kinney, there were 56 arrests in 1956: seven for breaking and entering, many for public drunkenness, automobile violations and one for “selling a horse unfit for work.” While crime was up slightly from 54 arrests in 1955, breaking-and-entering offenses were down from 30 the previous year.

            The police were not immune from the rash of thievery. One patrolman returned from vacation to find his home had been broken into. One hundred dollars in cash and a wristwatch had been stolen, plus his .38 caliber police revolver.

            More crimes of note were solved, thanks to good, investigative work and a hot tip from within the community. Youngsters were the culprits in these offenses. Police were tipped off that youth in town were carrying around guns. The youths in question were quickly apprehended and the weapons destroyed.

            They were found to be made from cap pistols, copper tubing, friction tape and rubber bands … also known as zip guns capable of firing .22 caliber bullets. Had these youngsters taken the weapons-safety course at the famous firing range in the basement of Center School, they would surely have known better.

            The police chose not to bring charges since the juveniles “came from well-respected families.” Chief Kinney gave the youths “a good talking to in the presence of their parents,” and no further gun-making activities were reported.

            Chief Kinney’s diligence and keen observation skills paid off in another break-in. Thieves broke a window and stole two rifles and bullets from the Sea Chest store on Route 6. The owner, John Anderson, reported the theft. Chief Kinney was outside the store at the start of the investigation when he saw the heads of two boys through a window.

            The nine- and 11-year-olds from Fairhaven were apparently hiding inside the building when Mr. Anderson opened the store in the morning. The weapons were recovered, and the boys were charged at Wareham Juvenile Court. There was no mention of how the boys managed to make their way from Fairhaven.

            Dastardly deeds were not limited to the 1950s. A perusal of old town records revealed other more “serious” offenses, and the populous were prepared to protect the village from any future shenanigans.

            In 1862, a Town Meeting article requested the town “prohibit playing ball or passing, throwing and catching or kicking footballs from Main Street to Mechanic Street.” In 1868, it was voted “to instruct the selectmen to offer a reward of $20 (worth about $500 today – the average income in 1868 was $700 per year) for information as shall lead to the conviction of any man, woman, boy or girl breaking glass in town.”

            I could not find any records of whether these crimes were actually committed or prosecuted.

            Rest assured, social-media concerns notwithstanding, our professional Police Department and conscientious citizens will continue to protect our fine town from any rampant crime sprees as has historically been the case.

            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

ORR U12s Kicking Down Doors

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            The comeback kids, otherwise known as the Old Rochester Regional Youth Football 12-and-under team, are accomplishing something special, and a major ingredient to the team’s run of victories that has the Bulldogs in a Saturday, November 26, win-and-your-in (the Pop Warner Nationals) playoff against Hamden, Connecticut, is their rare ability to launch the ball through the uprights.

            The Bulldogs’ kicking game is the envy of many high school teams, and these kids were age 12 or under on July 31.

            “Gio (Scherer) has been kicking since he was eight years old. He makes five field goals before he leaves every practice. It’s such an advantage, every coach knows,” marvels ORRYF 12U Head Coach Dave Medeiros. “As soon as we get ahead of these teams … two touchdowns and two field goals, you’re really up three scores.”

            That leverages the offensive game plan of the opponent and allows the defense to further pressure the quarterback and anticipate turnover opportunities like the two interceptions James Devoll made in a recent playoff win, along with multiple tackles. “We wouldn’t be here without him,” said Coach Medeiros.

            “You don’t usually expect it, so when it happens, it’s really fast,” said Devoll of his two picks, the first two of his career. “We really played our hardest. We ran (sprints) a lot to get us focused, and we played best as we could and here we are.”

            With great plays being made on both sides of the ball and at clutch moments, excitement is building around the ORRYF 12U squad.

            “Really fun,” is how Giovanni Scherer, the Bulldogs’ quarterback and place kicker, describes the second season. “It’s also can’t-lose situations. We’ve all got to be smart with what we do.”

            The ripple effect of the 12U’s kicking game is evident, but behind the scenes long before this 2022 season became something out of a storybook, it was a labor of love for participants.

            A specialty built on dedication and discipline, ORRYF’s kicking game primarily involves three Rochester kids: Scherer, running back/linebacker Connor Nelson and outside linebacker David Medeiros.

            “Connor holds, David snaps. It’s absolutely a unit,” said Coach Medeiros, who adds, “Gio’s field goals are what won us the next three games. … The timing is impeccable.”

            David Medeiros estimates he has played together five years with Nelson and four or five with Scherer, focusing on field goals. “We kick field goals before practice, and every Saturday practice we get practice in the morning, and we go out to the field after practice is done and kick at least 10 field goals,” he said.

            Five games into the 2022 season, Saturday’s upcoming regional playoff final in New Milford, Connecticut, was looking like the destiny of other teams. ORR had started its season by winning two, then losing three. One more loss, and the Bulldogs would be eliminated from playoff contention.

            “I got with the boys and said, ‘Let’s just work at getting better, improving every day and competing,'” recalled Coach Medeiros, still flabbergasted, his belief in the team notwithstanding. “We just started working hard, and they came together. They started playing absolutely out of their minds.”

            The Bulldogs won their next three games, 33-0, the maximum margin of victory regardless of what transpires on the field. ORRYF needed to beat Seekonk to make the playoffs and won that one, 33-0.

            “We had a couple of bounce-back games (and) ran the table,” said Coach Medeiros.

            Even so, four teams were tied in the 14-team RISMA (Rhode Island & Southern Massachusetts) League standings at 5-3, and names were drawn out of a hat. ORRYF was the first team drawn.

            Seeded fifth in a six-team playoff field (the top two seeds had opening-round byes), ORR played a neutral-site game in Taunton against No. 4 Middletown, Rhode Island, winning 26-13.

            “We got up 26-0, and they scored a couple (touchdowns.) It was really the next three games after that (in which the Bulldogs surged),” said Coach Medeiros.

            The Bulldogs upended previously undefeated Dighton-Rehoboth, 15-6. Down 6-0 throughout, they tied the game when Nelson carried into the end zone with four minutes left and made a point-after catch to give ORR the lead. Then he scored a second rushing touchdown after ORR got the ball back on an interception. Scherer’s extra-point kick (worth two points) accounted for the final score.

            “We believed that we could make it (to the RISMA playoffs), we were just down 2-3,” said Nelson, a point guard when basketball season starts. “We just believed, and we got further and further into the championship, and we just won.”

            Nelson was recently recognized as Student of the Month at ORR Junior High. “We take (football) seriously, but we take school more seriously,” said Coach Medeiros.

            An ORRYF player since age five, David Medeiros calls the plays on defense.

            “I’ve been playing center almost my entire career … right after Covid, that year I started to get too small for center, but I still had that chemistry,” he said.

            What the coach’s son lacks in size he more than makes up for in skill, smarts and compete level. In Pop Warner, a rule prohibiting hitting the snapper allows him to play center, where his skill and awareness can be effective on defense and on special teams.

            “There was one game where we blitzed nine (pass rushers) because they couldn’t pass, they only ran,” he said. “It’s pretty complicated. As the year goes on, we play new teams, we have to put in new defensive plays – a lot of play calling and hand signals from the defensive coordinator.

            “The fullback on the offense, wherever he goes is usually where the play goes because he’s always the lead blocker. Also, when they run out (of the huddle) and it’s a full spread and they don’t have a running back, they’re obviously going to throw the ball – unless it’s a QB draw.”

            Tri-captain Logan Hiles is equally present on every defensive down, playing the middle-linebacker position when ORR is aligned in a 4-4 formation, defensive end otherwise, long snapper on punts and full back on the offense. That makes him the lead blocker.

            “Make sure you’re not hitting in the back. You have to see the front of their numbers,” advised Hiles. “I just try to pave the path, unless my running back tells me ‘Block this guy, he’s making a ton of plays.'”

            The RISMA Super Bowl pitted ORR against the Edgewood Eagles, a juggernaut out of Cranston, Rhode Island, that had not lost a divisional game in five years. The winner would enter the regional tournament.

            After ORR beat the Manchester (Connecticut) Red Hawks last week in a seesaw game that saw the Bulldogs score three touchdowns before surrendering four before, Scherer took over with a touchdown and a field goal, paving the way to a 30-24 victory. With four minutes left, ORR was down 24-22, Scherer capped off a drive when he rolled out of the pocket and instead of throwing, broke a 30-yard run.

            “We almost didn’t make our league playoffs, made it, beat two undefeated teams,” said Coach Medeiros.

            A 15-6 winner over Revere, Hamden, Connecticut, is the only hurdle standing between the Bulldogs and an appearance in the national Pop Warner tournament in Orlando, Florida. Kickoff is 2:15 pm, Saturday at New Milford (Connecticut) High School.

            “If we win, it’s going to take a community effort to get (to Orlando),” said Coach Medeiros, citing the daunting expense of travel. “I knew that we had a good team coming into this season. We underperformed for three games. But to get to the Pop Warner playoffs, nobody thought we were going to get there.”

            For information on the team, visit their “12uORRBulldogs” Facebook page at facebook.com/profile.php?id=100087659065917&mibextid=ZbWKwL.

By Mick Colageo

Board Releases 53G Funds

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The Mattapoisett Planning Board spent the lion’s share of their rather short agenda approving the release of 53G funds for several completed roadway projects.

            The catch name 53G stands for special accounts set up by applicants to cover the costs of peer-review experts for such projects as subdivision roadways and other construction-related engineering oversight. Such funds are often requested by the Conservation Commission for special environmental issues. Massachusetts General Law Chapter 40, Section 53G details the regulations governing such funds, including their return to the original grantor.

            On Monday night, the Board met briefly with Russell Chase regarding his request for the return of 53G funds in the amount of $2,000 for a roadway off North Street to service a pending solar array. The request was approved.

            The board also met briefly with Dave Andrews of the Bay Club, who gave an update of roadway completion in the vast subdivision. It was determined by the board that upon favorable reports on the roadways by the Highway Surveyor Garrett Bauer, $500,000 may be returned of 53G funds previously requested by the board to ensure roadway completion. If reports are satisfactory, all but $27,000 will be returned until all roads are fully complete.

            In a separate but related matter, 32 Split Rock Lane (a neighborhood within the subdivision separately held) resident Hugh Rowlett noted that some drainage features were still not operating properly. Andrews said he would pass along the information to the developer.

            The public hearing for a Form C subdivision submitted by JBL Fairhaven Road LLC was closed after the board discussed peer-review consultant comments by Ken Motta of Field Engineering. In his letter to the board, he confirmed the majority of his previously delivered comments have been addressed.

            Included in the letter were his suggestions on how the final order might be drafted. He suggested including language that covered shop drawings for the highway surveyor, preconstruction conference, additional test pits to confirm soils and use of an easement on an abutting lot during construction.

            The proposed solar array planned for 156 Acushnet Road was represented by Jim Pavlik of Outback Engineering. Pavlik reported that they are still awaiting acceptance by the state for a dual-use license for both agricultural activities and energy generation on the same site. He also said that the Mattapoisett Fire Department has asked for a small modification to the access-roadway plan. The hearing was continued until December 19.

            Earlier in the meeting, Tree Warden Roland Cote received permission to remove a tree in the public easement adjacent to 8 Rock Street for safety reasons.

            The next meeting of the Mattapoisett Planning Board is scheduled for Monday, December 5, at 7:00 pm.

Mattapoisett Planning Board

By Marilou Newell

This Is My Quest

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To create beauty with my words today.

To have faith that I will touch someone today.

To have hope that I will reach someone today.

To find the right words to make someone happy today.

To bring joy to an aching heart.

To pray my words will lighten that heart today.

This is my quest, my humble plea.

To know I made a difference today.

By Hope Bradley Finley

            Editor’s Note: Hope Bradley Finley is a 95-year-old Mattapoisett resident who, despite the loss of eyesight and hearing, has continued in her pastime of writing poems. The Wanderer is happy to share them with our readers.

ORR Alumni Soccer Game

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The Old Rochester Regional Alumni Soccer Game will be held on Friday, November 25 at 3:30 pm at Old Rochester on the front field.  Alumni of all shapes, sizes and ages are welcome to return home to ORRHS.  The alumni team looks to increase their winning streak to eight games of the current varsity superstars.