Academic Achievements

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Collin Fitzpatrick of Marion received a bachelor of arts degree Cum Laude from College of the Holy Cross.

            Emma Higgins of Mattapoisett, Ainslee Rodrigues of Mattapoisett, Megan Tracey of Rochester, Kevin Ovian of Rochester, Aidan Ridings of Mattapoisett, Luke Couto of Mattapoisett, Chloe Lanagan of Mattapoisett and Jillian Craig of Marion have been named to the Dean’s List at Stonehill College.

            The following students graduated from the University of Vermont during commencement ceremonies in May 2022. Ainslee Bangs of Rochester graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Biochemistry. Sarah Belliveau of Rochester graduated with a Master of Science in Communication Sciences and Disorders.

            John Needham of Marion recently graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration from the College of Charleston.

            Assumption University has announced that Joseph Dumas of Mattapoisett, Class of 2025, has been named to the University’s Dean’s List for the spring 2022 semester. Students named to the Dean’s List must achieve a grade point average of 3.5 for a five-class, 15-credit semester to be included on the prestigious list, which is announced at the completion of the fall and spring semesters.

            Adam Sylvia, a Central College student from Rochester, has been named to the Dean’s List for the Spring 2022 semester. The honor is awarded to full-time students who achieve a 3.5 GPA or higher on a 4.0 scale while taking 12 or more graded credit hours for the semester.

Cornelia (Webster) Musser

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Cornelia (Webster) Musser, 66, of Mattapoisett died Monday, April 11, 2022 unexpectedly at home.

Affectionately known as Dee Dee, she was born in New Bedford in 1955, daughter of the late Dr. Jean J. and Betty (Connors) Webster, and spent her early life in New Bedford and her summers in Mattapoisett. 

Following her 1977 graduation from Leslie University, Dee Dee taught elementary school for New Bedford Public Schools for 33 years. She loved music and played the piano beautifully. During one of her summer vacations Dee Dee started a business to train and place childcare workers with vacationing families on Nantucket Island called Nantucket Nannies. She also hosted a local cable show called Bay 8 Bingo involving the local business community providing prizes and a call-in aspect of the show that often produced hilarious results.

Dee Dee was a communicant of St. Anthony’s Parish in Mattapoisett and a member of the Piney Point Beach Club.

Dee Dee is survived by her daughter, Christina Musser of Mattapoisett; three siblings, John Webster of Fairhaven, Jeanie Holmes and her husband Brad of Marion, and Mark Webster and his wife Rosemarie of Boston and Chatham; her niece, Elizabeth Holmes of Wellesley; and her nephew, Ned Holmes of Newton.

Her Funeral Mass will be held Thursday, June 23, 2022 at 10 AM at St. Anthony’s Church, 22 Barstow St., Mattapoisett, with everyone meeting directly at the Church. Burial will follow in St. Mary’s Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, donations in Dee-Dee’s memory may be made to the American Heart Association, 300 5th Ave., Waltham, MA 02451 or www.heart.org. For online guestbook, visit www.saundersdwyer.com.

Voles Go Underground, Close to Home

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Voles are small underground working rodents, mysteriously secretive working out of sight, except leaving behind small conical piles of soil as an indication of their industrious digging.

They are about 5 to 7 inches long with stocky bodies covered with grainy brown fur. They have small black eyes with rounded ears that do not project much above their heads. Their brown fur coats are thick and dense but then turning a lighter shade of gray uniformly under the upper part of their bodies.

            Voles are classified as industrious diggers, carving out a figure-eight pattern or tunnels and runways with periodic entrance holes wherever convenient. On the surface, Voles come up to eat a variety of plants and fruit such as wild raspberries as in my illustration. However, their appetite does the most destructive damage in both spring and fall by stripping a girdle around the base of lower trunks of new trees. Property owners prevent this from happening by wrapping a metal screen around the lower base to deter gnawing moles.

            The Vole range of gnawing is evident about an acre or less but varies with other food availability and predator food chain including hawks, owls, snakes, weasels, racoons, foxes and, of course, house cats. Shrews are a competitive but smaller species than Voles, which come in a much bigger so-called Meadow Vole from Pennsylvania, measuring up to 8-inches long. In other countries, Voles also come in many other sizes and shapes, depending on adjustment to different habitats.

            The Vole has a somewhat similar species of better-known Northern Lemmings with an irruption influence on our snowy owls’ migration based on targeting Voles as a food supply. However, we need to probe this Vole investigation by looking at survival activity below or on the surface of the earthly environment, such as their underground digging in your gardens.

I have painted in your mind an unusual awareness that comes to light only as you read my article and see my illustration.

By George B. Emmons

Town Embracing State Support

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Fresh off the good news of another $500,000 to support the nearly complete lagoon project at Marion’s Wastewater Treatment Plant, the Select Board voted at Monday night’s public meeting to approve a letter of support for the grant application for Coastal Zone Management funding of $250,000.

The money would fund the design of the parallel force water main that will run from the Front Street Pump Station to the Marion Water Pollution Control Facility (WPCF.)

According to Town Administrator Jay McGrail, Aqualine Construction will be in town and will put the Front Street Pump Station offline for eight hours sometime around June 14. A pumper truck will be used during that period to deliver wastewater to the WWTP.

A preconstruction meeting was held including representatives of Tabor Academy where the station is located.

McGrail and Select Board Chairman Randy Parker publicly thanked Representative William Straus for his role in securing the $500,000 via the Environmental Bond Bill. The money will help offset sewer costs for ratepayers in Marion.

The lagoon project is in a holding pattern waiting on engineering firm CDM Smith for modifications on a submerged aeration system. The new deadline to complete all work is the end of the summer.

A Department of Public Works Facility Building Committee has been established. The town sent out a letter of interest to residents and received 11 applications. “We had some really tough choices so we tried to look at people not typically involved (in town politics,)” said McGrail.

The members will include Parker, Andrew Daniel of the Planning Board, Dana Nilson of the Zoning Board of Appeals, Casey Barros, Dan Crete and Sherman Briggs, plus town staff including McGrail and three DPW staffers including Director Nathaniel Munafo and Becky Tilden.

With the Select Board’s unanimous vote, Damien Amaral was appointed to the job of full-time Marion Police officer for a one-year probationary period effective June 8.

In the absence of Chief of Police Richard Nighelli, who was attending to an emergency and could not be present, Police Lieutenant Jeff Habicht advocated for Amaral, a graduate of the police academy in New Braintree and who serves in the Army National Guard with five years’ experience as a police officer.

“This is the biggest thing I’ve ever wanted to do in my life,” said Amaral, a Fairhaven High School graduate whom Habicht said has met all the requirements for the position.

Fireworks Committee Co-Chair Wendy Rocha and committee member Derek Tiago were asked to appear before the board for proper recognition in the wake of what McGrail called “an amazingly successful fundraising campaign.” He said when the committee was originally formed, the focus was on next year, but thanks to the work of the committee, the town will be holding fireworks on Friday, July 1, at 8:00 pm.

In an effort to more closely match the benefits in contracts offered nonunion town employees to those enjoyed by union members, McGrail announced tweaks to the town’s Personnel Policy.

The Police Department will get a full-time administrative assistant, eliminating the part-time position in the operating budget.

The board voted to approve Building Commissioner Bob Grillo’s request to increase the wages of daily inspectors from $25 per inspection to $30. The rate had not increased since 2011. As a local electrician, Parker recused himself and left the room. Hills and member Toby Burr voted to approve the increase.

The Select Board voted to approve the institution of a $25 fee to hang banners, a lower permit fee than for the $150 charge for permanent signage. At the suggestion of member Norm Hills, approval of size and position will be a condition of any such permit.

McGrail reported that business in the Food Bank operated out of the Cushing Community Center has increased. Last month, 93 households were served and 152 people including 104 in the 65-plus age category. The effort is 100 percent staffed by volunteers.

McGrail reported that work on staff reappointments, which are done either annually or every three years, are almost complete and will be on the board’s June 21 agenda.

The Independence Day parade is working on a June 27 deadline to submit applications to participate.

The board voted to approve two one-day liquor licenses for the Friends of Jack Foundation for June 24 and June 26 at the Music Hall.

Burr abstained from an abatement request filed for 11 Main Street. At the DPW’s recommendation, Parker and Hills voted to abate $727.25 (50 percent of the sewer portion of the bill.)

The board also voted to follow the DPW’s recommendation of an abatement for $1,764.82 at 8 Pie Alley, citing the fact that the water never entered the system.

The board also approved three Water/Sewer commitments: $155 for a sewer reconnection on May 19; $1,083.83 final readings on May 24 and $3,200 for new water services on May 24.

The board had scheduled a June 2 public hearing after the Marion Animal Control officer filed a report alleging an attack by a dog owned by David and Jennifer MacDonald, 40 Spring Street, but that hearing was continued at the applicant’s request.

The next meeting of the Marion Select Board is scheduled for Tuesday, June 21, at 6:00 pm.

Marion Select Board

By Mick Colageo

Mattapoisett Broadband Grant

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Mattapoisett has received $154,043 under a new Massachusetts Municipal Fiber Grant Program, which assists communities with improving broadband connectivity.  The Town was one of 71 communities in the Commonwealth that received funding in this round of the grant program.

            The funding will be used to create a fiber loop connecting vital Town buildings (Town Hall, Fire and Police, Harbormaster, Highway, COA, Water/Sewer Office and the Town Library.)  The Town will build off this loop with the future goal of connecting all municipal facilities.  This is an important first step that could not be achieved without the State’s fiber grant program.  The loop will not only provide stable connectivity and redundancy, but it will also help to lower the Town’s future IT costs.

            The Town would like to thank the various Town staff members that assisted with the grant application, including Kathy Costello, Katie Desrosiers and the Town Administrator.  The Town would also like to thank Representative Straus for his assistance and continued support in helping the Town acquire essential grant awards.

ORR Teams Earn Opening-Round Playoff Wins

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Hot off the heels of the regular season, Old Rochester Regional’s spring sports teams are diving head first into their MIAA state tournaments. While the lacrosse teams were both afforded Preliminary Round byes that delayed the start of their postseason campaigns, the baseball team as well as the boys’ and girls’ tennis teams kicked off their playoff runs with a bang.

            Baseball was the first team to compete in the playoffs, as the 29th-seeded Bulldogs faced off against the 36th-ranked East Boston in the Preliminary Round on June 3. In the end, ORR pulled off the 3-2 win to advance to the Round of 32.

Lucas Mello pitched a complete-game, four-hitter with 11 strikeouts. Zach Matson went 2-for-3 at the plate, with the tying RBI in the fourth inning, followed by a big triple in the sixth after singles from Mello and Lucas McElroy.

The boys’ tennis team kicked off their tournament on June 5 against Grafton. The No. 16 ranked Bulldogs defeated Grafton 3-2 at home in their Round of 32 matchup, setting them up for a much tougher test in the sweet 16.

The girls, seeded 11th, followed up the next day, defeating the 22nd-ranked Hanover, 5-0, on Monday. Like the boys, they also face a big jump in competition as they head into the next round.

Unfortunately, Old Rochester’s perfect postseason run came to an end on Monday, as the baseball team fell 4-0 against the fourth-seeded Bishop Stang. With their season coming to an end, only four Old Rochester teams’ seasons are ongoing.

The boys’ tennis team went head-to-head at top-seeded Wayland on Wednesday. The girls traveled to Martha’s Vineyard on the same day to face the fourth seed.

The ninth-seeded girls’ lacrosse team, led by 200-goal-club member Maddie Wright, kicked off their tournament campaign on Tuesday when they hosted Dennis-Yarmouth in a Round of 32 matchup. The 16th-ranked boys, riding the momentum of an undefeated regular season, will host Pope Francis Prep of Springfield on Thursday, June 9.

Sports Roundup

By Matthew Curry

Snows Pond Homeowners Seek Solutions

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The Rochester Conservation Commission met on Tuesday night with the founder of a group dedicated to protecting mother nature in ways that go far beyond what Wetlands Act regulations can do.

Michelle Kirby introduced herself as president of the Snows Pond Association, which is dedicated to slowing the aging and deterioration of Snows Pond and the town’s other natural “kettle” ponds.

Kirby said in the past 20-30 years the pond has changed “and it’s concerning.” Ponds naturally lower their water level, fill with sediment and become wet marshes, she admitted. But weeds, some invasive and some native, algae growth and nutrient pollution are speeding up the natural aging of the pond that she’s spent her entire life living around.

She said her group, which includes 13 of the 15 homeowners on the pond, has invested in efforts to research how fast Snows Pond is aging and what is causing it. The biggest culprit aging it faster than normal is nutrient pollution, something that human behavior can help slow down the progress of, she said.

Snows Pond, she pointed out, covers 57 acres and has the highest water level of all ponds in Rochester. She asked the commission to help the association with its mission to preserve it.

“We need more stewardship and education,” she said.

“The pond does have a lot of nutrient pollution from a lot of sources,” commissioner Ben Bailey responded. “But it’s not something you can change. Can’t eliminate it. Eliminating it means draining, dredging the pond to make it like it was in the past. It will be an uphill battle to get some things done.”

Kirby reiterated that slowing the pond’s aging process through public awareness is her most important goal.

“Everyone here on this board agrees with you,” Commission Chairman Christopher Gerrior told her. “Something needs to be done.”

Gerrior said the commission will find ways to help Kirby, perhaps tapping into town funding sources to that end.

In other business, the commission approved issuing the Certificates of Compliance for a new home construction at 179 Burgess Way filed by Angela DeMelo and a garage construction at 7 Ginny’s Way filed by John and Michelle Vinagre.

Also, the commission agreed to send an amended enforcement order for Wetlands Act violations to 89 Box Turtle Drive to include a $100 per day fine until the panel hears from the landowner or a restoration plan is met. Board members complained of not hearing from the landowner since the first enforcement order had been issued.

The next meeting of the Rochester Conservation Commission will be held on Tuesday, June 21, at 7:00 pm.

Rochester Conservation Commission

By Michael J. DeCicco

McCullough Conquers Climb for Cancer Charity

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The White Mountains in New Hampshire are known for their stunning views, alpine huts and high winds. Counted among them is the Presidential Range, a group of notable summits named for various U.S. Presidents, as one might have guessed.

The Presidential Traverse is a hike that traverses this range, including Mount Washington, the most famous of the lot, known for being the highest peak in the Northeast, as well as Madison, Jefferson and Adams. The trail itself is described as “not for the faint of heart” on AllTrails.com, due in part to the near-complete exposure and high winds present on the range.

It’s not just a day trip either; endeavoring to hike the trail requires planning for at least one overnight, if not two. Bad weather can creep up fast and hit hard, requiring a mad dash for shelter in one of the alpine huts along the trail.

This month a group of 14 volunteers undertook this challenging trek as part of a fundraiser. Their chosen charity: Camp Casco, a local summer camp for children affected by cancer. Since the camp is free to attend, the camp relies on donations and volunteers so they can provide a wonderful, one-of-a-kind camp experience, making sure all campers are safe and happy. Much like the Presidential Traverse, the story of Camp Casco is an incredible journey.

Erin Fletcher Stern cofounded Camp Casco back in 2014 with Dr. Michael Goldberg. Having volunteered for several years at Camp Reach 4 The Sky in San Diego, Fletcher Stern was eager to continue her charity work once she moved to the New England area. However, upon seeking out camps like CR4TS, she came up empty.

That’s not to say that there was a lack of summer camps – anyone who has spent time on the Cape can attest to their abundance. There are camps for young kids, old kids, camps that teach you how to sail or shoot a bow. There are church camps and school camps and even economic camps for those setting their sights on Silicon Valley at a young age. But CR4TS had been special; it catered to children dealing with cancer. Erin had discovered a void, one she decided she would fill with Camp Casco.

Fast forward to 2021. A Facebook post about a fundraising effort catches the eye of Mattapoisett local and Bridgewater State University student Meg McCullough. Camp Casco was asking people to help send children to camp … by hiking.

McCullough thought it was perfect for her. She was already an avid hiker, as well as participating in track and field at Bridgewater State. Athletic altruism was right up her alley, so she signed up immediately. After a roaring success in 2021, she came back this year to do it again.

Meg is not the only one coming back for more. A number of Camp Casco champions have been participating in this challenge since its inception. Beyond those on the front lines of the fundraising effort, the Camp Casco family includes its staff, counselors and, of course, the campers.

Not only does the vast majority of eligible campers return each year, once they’re old enough many make the shift to counselors, something that continued on from CR4TS.

One such camper-turned-counselor was a man named Chris Ramirez. As a teenager, he survived a brain tumor, attended CR4TS, and went on to become a favorite counselor there, going by the nickname “The Incredible Hulk.” A year before Camp Casco came into being, Ramirez passed away from a re-emergence of his brain tumor. He had encapsulated everything the camp stood for and everything Fletcher Stern wanted to bring to her new endeavor. And so, Camp Casco was born, “casco” taken from the Spanish word for Hulk.

McCullough was “excited” to undertake the challenge of the Presidential Traverse. Her sponsored camper, Annie, serves as a reminder what it all is for. The fact that the hike is impressive is a result of its difficulty; not everyone is capable of a two-day trek through the wilderness, even in ideal conditions. McCullough understands this more than the average joe, having embarked on a road trip from Las Vegas to Seattle, hiking in every national park along the way. Thankfully, there’s more than one way to make a difference.

For those looking to stretch their legs in their own neck of the woods, there’s the Trail Blazers program, where participants organize local walks or hike any distance, anywhere they choose. The camp’s website shows a map of the 32 participants in the US, Canada, Honolulu, England and South Korea. The best part of the program, other than the good it does, is its flexibility; you can walk for 10 minutes or 10 miles, down your street or along the Appalachian Trail.

Camp Casco set the Trail Blazers’ fundraising goal at $320, enough to send a child to camp for a day. Much like the rest of the program, Trail Blazers can set their own flexible fundraising goal. As anyone who has been to Camp Casco will attest, every bit helps, whether a step, a dollar, moment or a mile. Any amount donated to Camp Casco helps pay for supplies and helps ensure the campers have access to round-the-clock medical care and one-on-one support.

If you’re interested in becoming a Camp Champion or Trail Blazer in 2023, visit campcasco.org for information on how to sign up, as well as other donation options.

“At camp, cancer instantly becomes the least remarkable thing about you,” the Camp Casco’s website reads, emphasizing how important it is for children to have a childhood. A sentiment that seems almost too simple to state, yet integral to remember.

By Jack MC Staier

Marion Officials Participate in Emergency Management Tabletop Exercise

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Town Administrator James McGrail and Emergency Management Director and Police Chief Richard Nighelli report that town officials recently put their emergency response plans to the test with the help of Massachusetts Maritime Academy cadets.

            On May 23, Massachusetts Maritime Academy undergraduate Emergency Management cadets Andrew Miller, Liam Brennan and Stephen Serbst visited the Marion Police Department and facilitated a tabletop exercise with participants from the police and fire departments, Department of Public Works, Council on Aging, Public Information, Board of Health, Sippican Elementary School and Community Emergency Response Team.

            As part of their emergency management capstone project, the cadets created an emergency scenario for the exercise, as well as multiple evolutions and objectives for the participants. As the facilitators, the cadets then presented the scenario and updates as well as ensured participants’ discussions focused on the objectives of the exercise and that all presented issues were addressed and explored.

            Marion officials were given “Winter Storm George” as their emergency scenario and were tasked with responding to the real-world situation based on current town plans, policies and procedures.

            The scenario evolved through three modules. Module one focused on the incoming storm and preliminary forecast, the possible resulting conditions such as power outages and storm surges, and needed preparations. Module two added new and evolving circumstances such as high wind gusts and quickly accumulating snow, a vehicle crash with leaking fuel, power outages and phone problems, impassable roadways, a structure fire, carbon monoxide emergencies and downed live wires and trees throughout town. Module three focused on the aftermath when the inclement weather had passed; however, added factors included blocked roadways preventing emergency access to facilities and ongoing power outages.

            During each module, participants were asked to consider the current priority of their agency, sheltering operations and logistics, staffing and agency resources, public works services and resources, communications with the public and challenges.

            Overall, the exercise was meant to help town officials put emergency response plans to the test to evaluate their effectiveness and identify possible areas for improvement.

            “Tabletop exercises are a valuable way for us to implement and assess our emergency response plans to ensure we have the most effective and efficient policies and procedures that will allow for the best possible outcome in a range of emergency scenarios,” Chief Nighelli said. “Andrew, Liam and Stephen did a great job facilitating the exercise and presented us with a very realistic situation that introduced the types of events we would be likely to face during such an emergency.”

            “Exercises bring together various departments and stakeholders within a town to test emergency plans, policies, procedures and capabilities. These events help ensure all areas of the town are prepared for and able to respond to a disaster,” said Massachusetts Emergency Management Agency (MEMA) Acting Director Dawn Brantley. “MEMA appreciated the opportunity to participate in and support the Town of Marion’s exercise, and we applaud them for their ongoing commitment to emergency preparedness.”

Alves Riverfront Walk

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Join the Mattapoisett Land Trust (MLT) on Sunday June 12, 1:00 pm for a guided walk along upper portions of the tidal Mattapoisett River. MLT is working to preserve the 4-acre Alves parcel and open the land for public use and river access. Placing the Alves parcel and other nearby lands in conservation protects important wildlife habitat buffers Mattapoisett from climate change impacts and opens a beautiful area of meadow, forest and riverbank to public enjoyment.

            In addition, this parcel and nearby lands include some of the earliest sites in Mattapoisett settled by Europeans. Come join us and see this special place! The walk will depart from 3 Mattapoisett Neck Road, just south of Route 6. Please park on the west side of Mattapoisett Neck Road across the street. The terrain is gentle, but wear sturdy, mud-proof shoes and dress for the weather. For more information, please see MLT’s website www.mattlandtrust.org or email us at info@mattlandtrust.org.