Bulldogs Conquer All Challenges

on

Boys Lacrosse

The Bulldogs played Greater New Bedford Voc/Tech (1-5) on April 11 and won 16-0. Jake Proffit and Jack Leconte were named the players of the game. Their record is now 2-2, and their next game will be on April 16, at Seekonk (3-2).

Boys Tennis

Old Rochester hosted Dighton-Rehoboth (1-2) on April 9 and won 3-2 on a third set tiebreaker. Connor Galligan was named the player of the match, as the Bulldog’s record moved to 2-0. Their next match will be at Apponequet (3-0), on April 17.

Girls Tennis

The Bulldogs played their first match of the season against Dighton-Rehoboth (1-2) on April 9 and won 5-0. Neva Matos was named the player of the match. They’ll look to win their next one on April 17, at home against Apponequet.

Baseball

Old Rochester faced Apponequet (0-2) on April 10 and won 7-1. They’re now 2-1 on the season, and will play at West Bridgewater (1-2), on April 16.


By Aiden Comorosky

Mattapoisett Republican Town Committee

on


The Mattapoisett Republican Town Committee welcomes members, guests and the community to join us on Thursday, April 17 from 6:00 pm to 8:00 pm to attend our monthly meeting. Find out what is going on in the community and get involved. The location is at the Niemad Building, 57 Fairhaven Rd., Mattapoisett at 7:00 pm – Guest speaker Tom Hodgson, Sheriff of Bristol County 1997-2022, Topic: ICE/Illegal Immigration and Jo-Anne Hodgson, GOP State Committeewoman, Topic: Election Integrity. Legislative Solutions. There will be light snacks, cash bar and good conversation. If you have any questions contact Paul Criscuolo, Chairperson at PCMattyGOP@proton.me.

MNHM Annual Meeting

on

Marion Natural History Museum’s Annual Meeting featuring Chris German of Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution will give a talk on “From Submarine Vents to Life on other Ocean Worlds” on May 16 from 6:30 pm to 7:30 pm.

The first Alvin dives to submarine vents, together with the discovery that they hosted new species of animals never seen before on Earth, was hailed as one of the top scientific discoveries of the entire 20th Century. But what was not yet known, as the millennium turned, was that Earth is not the only planetary body in our solar system that has deep saltwater oceans. In the past ~25 years it has become apparent that there may be as many as 20 such “ocean worlds” among the moons of the Giant Planets that orbit beyond our Solar System’s “snow line”: Jupiter, Saturn, Neptune & Uranus. While the outer pair have not been revisited since the Voyager expeditions of the 1970s-80s, NASA’s Galileo and Cassini missions to the Jupiter and Saturn systems, respectively, have revealed the presence of a number of ice-covered moons, similar in size to Earth’s moons, but with salt-water oceans underneath. In the case of Jupiter’s moon Europa and Saturn’s moon Enceladus, careful study has revealed that those oceans are in contact with an underlying rocky seafloor. Exactly the kind of setting that could host submarine venting of a kind that could host microbial life at the base of a food chain that is independent of sunlight – just like Earth’s submarine vents.

In this talk Chris will share some of the insights from WHOI scientists that are helping shape NASA’s strategies to explore for life in future space missions to icy moons – including the Europa Clipper mission, just launched in October 2024 – and how engineering at WHOI is helping to develop technologies that will be needed to explore further, using audacious, robotics-led approaches to gain access to, and explore within, their underlying oceans.

The event is free however we ask that you register online at the museum’s website: www.marionmuseum.org.

The Filming of The Weekend on Cape Cod When Everything Changed

on

On the nights of April 9 and April 10, the temperature floated in the 30s and 40s. That did not halt the filming of The Weekend on Cape Cod When Everything Changed. A beach wedding scene was to be filmed on those nights. Local extras were asked to park at Mattapoisett’s Park and Ride to be shuttled to the “ultra secret filming location.” Though it was cold, the wardrobe was that of a late-summer/early-fall “country club wedding.”

The location of this shoot was 3 Goodspeed Island Road, the same property originally slated to be the filming location of the Netflix series until the SAG-AFTRA labor strike which began last summer and is still officially ongoing. The location of filming sits on roughly one acre of land on the water with beach access. Along with filming on the property, there were also film crews spotted near the Water St. General Store. The crew will also film at various locations on the Cape itself. The movie will film over 18 total days, according to Noll.

The movie began filming in the last weeks and has drawn much public fascination and wonder as to what locations will be shot and what stars will be spotted. The movie is written by Dalia Rooni (Gen V [movie], NCIS: Los Angeles) and is being directed by Lauren Noll (Gen V [movie], The Heart of Texas). The movie’s principal stars include Joey Lauren Adams (Chasing Amy, Dazed and Confused), Richie Moriarty (Ghosts, What We Do in the Shadows), and Kevin Nealon (SNL, Weeds, Happy Gilmore).

The movie saw fundraising by Lauren Noll through Seed & Spark, where it raised $76,285. According to the project page, an excerpt on the movie’s plot states: “To keep her visa status, a wide-eyed Iranian immigrant accepts a proposal from the son of her billionaire boss. What begins as a green card wedding on Cape Cod becomes so much more when her two closest friends arrive with their own boyfriends and cross-cultural baggage in tow.” The movie takes place, as the title suggests, over the course of one weekend on the Cape and exhibits similarities to 2009’s The Proposal, with it also being a comedy/rom-com.

Already being two weeks through principal photography, the movie is roughly halfway through its filming. Following this and editing, it will likely have a release later this year. Though nothing has been confirmed at this time.


By Sam Bishop

Summer Rodeo in Rochester

on

Get ready for some ropin’ and ridin’ on Pine Street. Rochester’s Select Board Monday reviewed a proposal to allow a rodeo this summer at the former Country Fair campgrounds at 65 Pine St.

Kelly Pina of New England Rodeo, an officer with the group offering the plan, said it would like to put on a rodeo show on its 18.6 acres one Saturday each in June, July, August, and September. But it would like to take possession of the property in May to begin setting up the parcel for that use.

The board concluded that before voting its approval a public hearing would be needed first to gauge public reaction to such a plan. That hearing was scheduled for its next meeting, April 28, at 6:10 pm.

Select Board Member Adam Murphy suggested led to that conclusion after New England Rodeo owner Elias DaSilva said the organization’s other rodeos have attracted around 1,000 visitors to each show. Murphy said he wanted to make sure how the neighbors would feel about such an event coming to their neighborhood and whether the town’s public services, fire, police and Emergency Medical Services, can handle such a crowd.

Pina promised that public safety and community involvement would be the group’s priorities. New England Rodeo will invite local groups and charities to participate and do fund raising at its rodeos. Speakers will be pointed away from residential neighborhoods. Medical services will be on-duty and safety protocols in place.

Town Administrator Cameron Durant reported that town council has advised him the arrangement for using the site should be a license rather than a lease. A lease agreement would require going out to bid for other interested parties, he said.
Selectmen chair Brad Morse asked if the group was aware of future plans for the site, a new fire station. Pina said the group was aware and that it required only an ‘interim’ use of the property.

Earlier Monday, the board continued another big review to an April 28 hearing. Durant revealed that the 24 articles proposed for the May 19 Annual Town Meeting include the FY26 budget (a number that has yet to be finalized), spending $363,000 on Capital Improvement funding, a proposal to allow town employees to opt out of the town’s health insurance plan and revising the 40R Smart Growth Development District on Cranberry Highway to encompass an additional parcel. He said the Select Board will need to meet jointly on April 28 with school officials and the Finance and Capital Planning committees regarding town budgets.

In other action, the board approved the Mattapoisett Land Trust and Friends of the Mattapoisett Rail Trail’s request to run a charity bike event, ‘Tour de Creme’, through town on June 1.

The board voted against exercising the town’s Right of First Refusal to purchase 0 Walnut Plain Road, which is being converted from Chapter 61B forest and horticultural land protection for residential use.

Morse announced the town’s receipt of the SEMASS Payment In Lieu of Taxes payment for March 2025 of $412,890.

Durant reported the Highway Surveyor Jeff Eldridge will be clearing the brush behind the town office building to extend parking there.

The board approved Town Clerk Marjorie Barrows’ request to allow in-person early voting on Saturday, May 24 and during normal business hours on May 26.

The board approved the FY26 Cost of Living increase for municipal employees’ salaries to 2.5 percent, a jump that was recently endorsed by the Finance Committee.

Murphy informed the board he is speaking to stakeholders to find an alternative to utilizing the Regional Old Colony Communications Center Dispatch Call Center in Duxbury should the town’s contract with that organization not get renewed. The board agreed to allow Murphy to continue as the town’s liaison on this discussion.

The next meeting of the Rochester Select Board is scheduled for Monday, April 28 at 6:00 pm at the Council On Aging senior center, 67 Dexter Lane.

Rochester Select Board

By Michael J. DeCicco

Sippican School’s Norman Award

on

Superintendent Michael S. Nelson and Police Chief Richard Nighelli are pleased to share that 14 students at the Sippican Elementary School so far this year have received the Norman Award, named after the police comfort-dog that’s been serving the school community since June 2024.

The Norman Award was established this school year to honor students for meeting or exceeding school expectations and demonstrating good character. Award recipients are nominated by school staff.

Each month, new winners of the Norman Award are added to the “Norman Board” on display in the main lobby. Students who are nominated are then recognized at an all-school meeting, and they are presented with a Norman stuffed animal and a Norman award certificate.

Students are recognized with the Norman Award for the following reasons:

-Excelling in academics or have shown significant improvement in classroom efforts.

-Being respectful, responsible and kind, in line with the school’s “3 to Be” initiative.

-Acting as good leaders or role models for classmates.

-Always giving one’s best effort.

Comfort Dog Norman and his handler, School Resource Officer Jonathan Tracy, have become an integral part of Sippican School. Norman is tasked with providing comfort to children and staff who have experienced trauma, de-escalating stressful situations, and serving as a friendly face for the Marion Police Department. Other benefits of having a comfort dog like Norman include teaching empathy, helping students to develop stronger social skills, and building up stronger bonds between students and police.

“Norman and I are happy to be able to recognize the students who go above and beyond with their behavior and school expectations,” said Officer Tracy. “We are so proud of all the students who have earned the award so far this year, and we look forward to presenting more awards to the students who have been ‘Norminated.'”

Norman joined the Marion Police Department on June 7 last year, acquired as a 13-week-old puppy from Boone Field Labradors. Norman was the 18th member of the Plymouth County Comfort Dogs Program, overseen by District Attorney Timothy Cruz, identifying grant funding to get the Labrador trained by Professional Canine Services in Middleboro.

Sippican School students then voted on what to name the dog, choosing between a total of three names, with Norman receiving the most votes.

Sippican School Principal Lynn Dessert congratulated the 14 students who have received the Norman Award so far and looks forward to celebrating other students in the future.

“This is a wonderful way to honor our students for doing their best, and showing others how to be respectful, responsible and kind,” Principal Dessert said. “I look forward to continuing to issue more Norman Awards and adding more names to the Norman Board. Congratulations to all of our current and future Norman Award winners. Thank you to Norman and our police partners for helping to create these special moments of recognition for our students.”

Assistant Principal Greg Thomas appreciates how the Norman Award has made the Labrador retriever and School Resource Officer Tracy into even more integral members of the school community. And the Norman Award reflects how they’ve become role models for the students.

“It’s fantastic to see our students recognized with the Norman Award for their character,” said Assistant Principal Thomas. “Their positive impact speaks volumes, and we’re incredibly proud of them.”

Police Chief Richard Nighelli said it’s an honor to have Comfort Dog Norman become the namesake for an award recognizing good character among students.

“This is an amazing initiative,” Chief Nighelli said. “We really appreciate all of our Norman Award honorees, and we wish them the best as they continue to excel in school, showing good character and doing their best inside and outside of the classroom.”

“The Norman Award has been a wonderful way of taking the likeness of our beloved police dog and using it to reward our students for doing their best, while practicing respectfulness, responsibility and kindness,” said Superintendent Nelson. “Sippican Elementary School is very fortunate and we’re grateful for the positive impact made by Comfort Dog Norman and Officer Tracy. To have such a strong and helpful partnership with our police department has been tremendous. The faculty, staff members and students absolutely love Norman, Officer Tracy and the Norman Award.”

The Misconceptions of Science Fiction

on

The Mattapoisett Free Library will host a local author talk on Saturday, May 10 from 1:00 pm to 2:00 pm. Local resident Richard Cutler is the author of what has been described as “speculative fiction.” This is a subgenre of science fiction of which there are many genres including horror and space cowboy adventures. Those exposed to only one kind of science fiction believe it is the only type and proclaim, “I don’t like science fiction.” However, science fiction literature in general falls behind only children’s and young adult literature in popularity and is read by many but they may not fully understand the variety in the genre. Mary Shelley is credited for writing the first science fiction novel (horror) in 1818 with her story of Frankenstein. Jules Verne, however, helped popularize science fiction with what can now be considered speculative fiction with stories such as 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea. Much of what he considered has come to pass!

Today, people speculate about what will happen when man goes to Mars or how far AI might evolve. A lot of what people saw and experienced thousands of year ago was misunderstood and what they saw speculated on, correctly or incorrectly. For example, no one considered the giant bones they saw to be dinosaur bones. People might have thought they were from giant humans. If they saw an alien or alien spacecraft, how would they rationalize what they saw? These are the concepts that will be explored interactively to better understand the general topic of science fiction. Cutler will then read a couple of sections from a couple of his books and offer signed copies. Cutler is an engineer living in Rochester and retired from the Marine Biological Laboratory in Woods Hole. He has spent much of career writing technical material working with other engineers and scientists, creating a fertile playground for his mind to consider many “what ifs.” Those “what ifs” are now put into print by Cutler. His stories are appropriate reading for teenagers and up.

Marion Scouts Annual Town Clean-Up

on


The Scouts of Marion Cub Scouts Pack 32 and Troop 32 are once again leading the annual Earth Day celebration for Marion. The scouts are looking for volunteers to join the town-wide Clean Up in conjunction with the DPW and Marion Board of Health. The Scouts invite all community members to join them on Saturday, April 26, with a date of Sunday April 27, from 9:00 am to 12:00 pm.  This family-friendly event will begin at Washburn Park where you will receive a location to clean, yellow safety vests, gloves, and of course trash bags!  Please feel free to reach out with any questions or concerns marioncubscouts@gmail.com

MAC Welcomes Aimee Bayles

on

Marion Art Center is pleased to present Aimee Bayles, joined onstage by Tristan Clark and Rob Ritchie.

            Aimee Bayles is a singer, songwriter and recording artist based in New York City. Originally from Virginia, her soulful, vocally driven music is influenced by an upbringing in southern church music, her training as an opera singer, and learning folk guitar from her pastor father. Aimee’s sound is inflected with inspiration from Patty Griffin, Gillian Welch, Neil Young, Norah Jones, Dolly Parton and Alison Krauss. Her 2019 release “Enough” showcases a collection of original songs about her life in the city and her rural southern roots. Her 2022 release “Flowers For Love And Loss” is a deeply personal EP, featuring two songs about losing each of her parents. She has also released several Christmas singles, including a collaboration with New York-based folk artist Matt Sucich, an original collaboration with guitarist Seth Johnson, and an original of her very own, “Tropical Christmas.” She performs regularly at venues in New York City and is currently developing a new project with Canadian musicians Tristan Clark and Rob Ritchie.

            The concert is Friday, May 23, at 7:30 pm at 80 Pleasant Street, Marion. Tickets, $20 for MAC members and $25 for nonmembers, are available at marionartcenter.org/music.

Mattapoisett Candidates’ Night

on

The League of Women of South Coast is hosting a Candidates’ Night at Old Hammondtown School on Wednesday, April 30, 6:30 pm to 8:30 pm. Jack Eklund will act as Moderator.

            All candidates running for Town Offices have been invited to participate in the event. There will be three components to Candidates’ Night:

            1. Meeting the candidates: Candidates running unopposed will have 5 minutes to introduce themselves, give a brief overview of their qualifications, why they would be a “good fit” for the position, and their understanding of the scope of the office they are seeking.

            2. Debates: Candidates running contested races will be given the opportunity, in debate form, to explain their qualifications and lay out their understanding of the scope of the office they are seeking. Debates will be in accordance with League of Women Voters debate guidelines, e.g., “no empty chair” or proxy for a candidate.

            3. Review of the Town Warrant by Mike Lorenco, Town Administrator.

            The League of Women Voters is a national, state, and local non-partisan organization which does not support individual candidates. The League encourages people to become informed citizens and participate in the voting process.