Our Red, White and Blue Bake Sale will be held on May 30 from 10:00 am to 2:00 pm at the Rochester Land Trust Pony Pasture on Mattapoisett Road. That is an important thing to note. It is a Rochester Historical event to help us defray winter and spring costs, but it won’t be at the museum.
We are still looking for bakers. If you are willing to bake for us, please call Connie at 617-750-2818 (leave a message if I don’t answer) or email eshbach2@aol.com. We hope to see you on May 30.
The Marion Art Center is once again offering a volunteer orientation on Saturday, June 6 starting at 10:30 am in the MAC’s Anne Braitmayer Webb Theater. The event is open to anyone and everyone. Are you interested in volunteering but haven’t signed up because you want to learn more first? Perhaps you have helped out at a MAC event before but would like to hear about other types of volunteer opportunities. Seasoned volunteers are welcome too – you may learn something new. We invite the public to learn all about how the MAC runs on volunteer power. You may even make some new friends in the process. The event will last about 1-1.5 hours and will be held at 80 Pleasant St. Marion. Light refreshments will be provided. More information at marionartcenter.org/events
Andrew Wronski of Rochester has been named to Southern New Hampshire University’s Spring 2026 President’s List.
Lucas Pothier of Rochester, was named to the Dean’s List at Cedarville University for Spring 2026. This recognition requires the student to obtain a 3.50 GPA or higher for the semester and carry a minimum of 12 credit hours.
Jacob Pothier of Rochester, was named to the Dean’s Honor List at Cedarville University for Spring 2026. This recognition requires the student to obtain a 3.75 GPA or higher for the semester and carry a minimum of 12 credit hours.
Members of the Class of 2026 including Amelia Joseph of Mattapoisett, Hannah Squires of Mattapoisett, Matthew Curry of Mattapoisett, and Nathan Yurof of Marion received their diplomas during Stonehill College’s 75th Commencement ceremony, held Sunday, May 17, on the Quad.
Thomas Galavotti recently graduated Summa Cum Laude with a degree in B.S. Oceanography Major/Biotech Minor from North Carolina State University / Raleigh NC.
Hayden Duke of Mattapoisett was awarded an undergraduate degree during Salve Regina University’s 76th Commencement held May 17, on the University’s oceanside campus.
With a roomful of abutters looking on and full of questions, the Rochester Conservation Commission Tuesday opened a Notice of Intent hearing on a plan to place a ground-mounted solar array system within a 100-foot wetlands buffer zone.
Project technical consultant Stacy Minhane began the hearing by reporting this will be a 2.3-megawatt solar installation where wetlands will surround the fenced-in perimeter of the 6.63 acre’s upland.
Neighbors in attendance were quick with a variety of questions. How far from the fence is the property line? one resident asked. Minhane said 220 feet, adding that trees will be cleared to 100 feet of the property line. That abutter asked whether the project would encroach on his well.
Michael Kennefick, an attorney representing abutter Sarah Preston, said her property is closest to the project and the developer has an obligation to demonstrate there is no alternative to the current design for the plan to work. Preston complained that the project’s current design has drifted closer to the subdivision and her property than the original design. “There has to be another way to develop that is less intrusive that we can support,” Attorney Kennefick said.
Abutter Rodney Fielding said he and his mother operate an organic farm, spring-fed. He worried aloud that water runoff from the project would harm his operation. Minhane said the project needs more room to the south. So, it would be challenging to re-design. She pointed to two water runoff basins on site for catch that drainage.
Project representative Sarah Stern promised more details the next time they meet with the commission. She will be meeting first with the Planning Board on June 9. The commission continued this hearing to June 19.
In other action, the commission issued a Certificate of Compliance for the Wolf Island Road Pump Station project.
The board continued to June 2 the Notice of Intent to construct a four-bedroom single-family home with septic system on Robinson Road across from Lloyd’s Market.
The board continued to June 2 its two Notices of Intent hearings for High Street Solar 1 and 2 at 0 High St.
The next Rochester Conservation Commission meeting will be June 2 at 7:00 pm, in Town Hall, 1 Constitution Way.
Rochester Conservation Commission
By Michael J. DeCicco
May is when I adapt to the pace of nature, to paraphrase the famous naturalist and essayist Henry David Thoreau.
Like nature, I’m at my busiest at this time of year and loving every frenetic minute. Such inspiration reminds me of another piece of wisdom (attributed to champion golfer Walter Hagen): “Don’t hurry, don’t worry. And be sure to smell the flowers along the way.”
May is an impossibly busy time in the garden and yet we woe ourselves the pleasure of stopping and mentally drifting in the garden. So last week, while weeding the front garden and cleaning out the fish pond, I found myself studying our blooming magnolia “Elizabeth.”
I’m in the habit of viewing my landscape from a critical standpoint but it’s perfectly natural to find moments to simply take in the beauty. Appreciating one’s surroundings is a vital part of having a garden after all.
I’ve been dazzled by nature from the time I could tottle and a favorite memory that I try to reenact each year is being about six and hugged by my great grandmother’s massive and seductive saucer magnolia that grew next to her front porch.
The pink blossoms were so profuse that to stand on the corner of the porch that it draped would essentially wrap you int is baby-soft petals. The tree — met its demise by an early spring ice storm and was replaced with a Bradford pear – presumably a more cold-tolerant specie.
When choosing a tree for our front yard 20 years ago we wanted a flowering tree as a centerpiece and the magnolia seemed a perfect choice.
For something different, we decided on the variety called “Elizabeth” with its yellow blossoms that appear later in the spring, giving it stronger staying power against late frosts.
Originally, we’d planted it in the center of the front yard to replace a flowering quince that was sacrificed for a sewer line. But it was getting bumped too much (kids and pets) so I transplanted it to a more sheltered location by the front entrance and underplanted it with Siberian cypress. Years later a low boxwood hedge was installed that separated this plot from the brick walkway (this too went by the wayside, when I realized how scraggly it was due to the shade from the tree. I have since underplanted the area with an array of perennials and bulbs and a single vertical boxwood, and finally I’m happy with the results.
Over the years the tree has grown dramatically both vertically and horizontally, necessitating pruning. You can spot it from down the street with its gleaming yellow flowers that later give way to a canopy of green. Insects do not bother it, and the drawbacks are few if any, unless you’re bothered by the fallen petals which are substantial. I like how they resemble a blanket across the understory and walk, announcing their part in the spring show. From the fuzzy bud phase to the splatter of petal-confetti I have to marvel at this tree. It was a good choice and one that makes me wax nostalgic.
Magnolias are a large ancient genus of deciduous and evergreen trees and shrubs containing 80 to 100 species from Asia and North America. Many are favorite garden trees like the one that graced my great grandmother’s porch. The Asian species usually bloom on bare branches in late winter or early spring, making them among the first trees to flower.
Magnolia stellata from Japan are among the very early starry white flowers that appear a week before the saucer magnolia blooms. The fragrant 3-to-4-inch-wide flowers consist of a dozen or more straplike white or pale pink petals surrounding a yellow center.
These are seen all over the New England landscape as a border or foundation planting, sited where it can be enjoyed from inside, or as you go in and out of the house. There are a couple of these in my town that I always look forward to ogling. You cannot miss the grand dame of saucer magnolias that grows beside the Seahorse on Route 6.
The saucer magnolia dating back to the 1800s is the most common planted deciduous magnolia. There is an evergreen variety “Sweet Bay” Magnolia that thrives in the south and can also be grown here (although they will not hold their leaves) bearing beautiful dark glossy green leaves against fragrant white petals.
Wherever you find them, take time to glory in their beauty.
“She’s got everything delightful/ She’s got everything I need…” from Sugar Magnolia by the Grateful Dead.
The Seaside Gardener
By Laura McLean
The 38th Mattapoisett Yacht Club Spring Round the Bay Race will be on June 6. This is the first race in the Buzzards Bay Trophy.
The Spring Round-the-Bay Race is a “pursuit start” PHRF Handicap race for Spinnaker and Non-Spinnaker Classes. The course begins and finishes outside of Mattapoisett Harbor. This is the first race in series of long-distance races sponsored by local yacht clubs to determine the overall winner of the 2026 Buzzards Bay Trophy. Scratch sheets will be available online. The entry fee is $75.00 for both members and non-members.
New this year will be the double handed handicap class. Information and registration is now available on our website www.mattapoisettyc.org/racing.
Come One Come All to a Cleanup day at the Hammond Cemetery
on River Road in Mattapoisett on Saturday May 23 from 9:00 am to 3:00 pm.
Over the past three years we the members of the Mattapoisett Cemetery/Veterans Advisory Committee, along with many of your neighbors, have been in the process of restoring our cemetery in preparation for our towns National Accreditation as a Revolutionary War burial site in the summer of 2026.
This is to commemorate the 250th. Anniversary of the Revolutionary War, 1776 to 2026. Please bring your own rakes, spades, shovels, or any other gardening tools. Thank You in advance for your assistance in this historic venture.
Rochester will host a revitalized Memorial Day Ceremony on Sunday, May 24 at 12:00 pm at the Rochester Town Hall, 1 Constitution Way. This community event will feature guest speakers, patriotic music by the Showstoppers and the Rochester Memorial School Band, and the Troop 31 Honor Guard. Following the events at the Town Hall there will be a ceremonial procession to Daggett Square to honor those who gave their lives in service to our country.
The Town of Marion invites the community to join volunteers at Evergreen Cemetery, Marion, on Saturday, May 23 at 9:00 am to plant geraniums at veterans’ graves.
The 2026 Memorial Day Remembrances and Procession will take place on Monday, May 25, starting at 9:00 am in front of the Music Hall at 164 Front Street, Marion. In the event of rain, the event will be relocated to the Multipurpose Room of Sippican Elementary School.
This is the same route as in past years, stepping off from the Music Hall northbound on Front Street, marching 0.6 miles up Front Street to the Veterans’ Memorial at Old Landing. Upon arrival at the Veterans’ Memorial the town will pay tribute to our military’s “honored dead” who “gave the last full measure of devotion.”
The Sippican School Marching Band led by director Hannah Moore as well as The Portuguese American Band will perform selections of music. The ceremony will conclude with members of the Select Board laying a wreath at the Veterans’ Memorial at Old Landing. The master of ceremonies for the event will be Technical Sergeant Mandy Givens of the Massachusetts Air National Guard.
Residents are encouraged to attend the remembrances as well as stand along the parade route on Front Street between Cottage Street and Ryder Lane.
Mattapoisett will proudly host its annual Memorial Day Ceremony on Monday, May 25 at 1:30 pm at Center School, 17 Barstow Street. This meaningful community gathering will feature guest speakers, patriotic music by the Showstoppers and the Old Hammondtown Band. At the conclusion of the indoor portion of the event, we will move outside to Barstow Steet for a ceremonial procession to the library, concluding at the town wharf in honor of those who made the ultimate sacrifice in service to our nation.
The Marion Select Board met on Tuesday for its first post-election convening with Carleton “Toby” Burr taking the seat previously held by Norman Hills. Burr had been on the Select Board until the 2025 Town Election, when he decided not to run. There was standing room only in the Police Station Conference Room, with Chair Randy Parker saying, “I love to see the attendance.”
Parker then motioned for a reorganization of the board. John Hoagland was made Chair, Toby Burr was made Vice-Chair, and Randy Parker was made Clerk.
Next, there was an update from the Elizabeth Taber Library on the Library Garden Project. Children’s Librarian Macy Kinney stated they unfortunately did not receive the grant they had applied for, though the library board itself had approved the project. The Select Board also then quickly voted to support the project.
Next, there was an update on the Flag of Marion Project by local artist Mike Malone. To “celebrate the nautical history” of the town, Malone originally sought to paint nautical signaling flags onto the road at Front Street. He said he had originally proposed the exhibit last year and spent the winter analyzing various alternate options to ensure safety (in terms of not increasing difficulty of seeing the road) and support for the project. Chair of the Historical Commission Meg Steinberg noted the commission members “have no object to the concept,” though they did not support the project as presented. They are concerned by the art’s altering of the historic Front Street, saying it should be near Tabor Academy fields or by Island Wharf. It was noted the original proposal for the project would be around 500 feet long, ending at the Marion Music Hall. The board took no action yet, with members saying discussion on this project will continue.
The big discussion of the night stayed on Front Street and was that of the removal of the stop sign at the corner of Front and Main Street and the Speed Bump Installation discussed at Town Meeting. Residents spoke in favor of the stop sign that has since been removed, though Police Chief Richard B. Nighelli said “if we add a sign, we have to do it legally,” noting it may not have been legal or warranted to add the original sign. Town Administrator Geoffrey Gorman noted the stop sign was only a small part of various implementations meant to make cars pass through the intersection slower. He said, “We’re throwing everything we have at it to reduce speeds and make it safer.”
The Chief again clarified that he has no preference between a speed hump or a stop sign, and that he only wants to make sure procedure is followed. “I don’t know the legality of a stop sign,” Member Parker later said. Gorman requested support from residents as the town tries to find the best solution. He stated, “I’m trying to do the right thing going forward,” as he requested the town conduct a pilot on implementing a speed hump.
Gorman told the board, “Humps are ready as soon as I get your gentlemen’s approval.” He also noted the town has six moveable humps in its inventory. A motion was made for the readdiction of the stop sign at the corner, as well as an additional stop sign and a speed hump down a section of Front Street. None of these installations will be permanent in their onset and can be moved as experimentation continues. The motion passed and went into effect immediately.
The next regular meeting of the Marion Select Board is scheduled for Tuesday, June 2 at 6:00 pm in the Marion Police Station.
Marion Select Board
By Sam Bishop
As all those who were at Town Meeting know, one of the items addressed was the Town Report. Town Reports are mandated and have been at least as long ago as the 1800’s. I looked at the Historical Museum and found that our oldest one was from 1871-1872. However, the Library could do one better than that as they have one from 1860. It’s in a bound collection of reports from 1860-1890. At the front of the book is an acknowledgement to Donald Jenkins, Charles C. Peirce, Carolyn Lawrence and Priscilla T. Webster for contributing historic town reports.
Both the 1860-1871 reports look very much alike and not at all like modern ones. These older ones are titled Report of the Selectmen of Rochester on the Financial Affairs of the Town and the Report of the Herring Inspectors and also, the Report of the School Committee. These are paper thin pamphlets of about 10 pages including the front and back covers. They offer a good look at the past.
They cover support of paupers out of Alms-House as well as the Alms-House account (I guess the needy poor have always been with us). There are columns for incidental expenses, roads and bridges, support of schools, remittance of taxes, state aid, the treasurer’s accounts and the town debt. In 1861, the town debt was $1,102.95. In 1871 it decreased by $1960.43 for that one year. There is no mention made of funds paid for public safety, neither police nor fire.
The Herring Inspectors of Rochester, Marion and Mattapoisett were E. Braley, Marshall Howes and G.B. Blackmer. A total of $1325.59 in 1861 and $1262.55 in 1871 were made from the sale of herring. You’d be fined if you tried that today.
In 1861, there were 11 school districts, but they were broken up into various seasonal sessions offered in different areas of town. According to the School Committee, the districts and sessions were “so located and kept that every scholar has had the privilege of attending at least 6 months” while others attended longer.
In 1870-71 the schools cost about $1,287.83. Teachers were paid from $14.00 up to $24.00 a month.
In 1860-61, the Superintendent praised a “higher degree of excellence” in the schools but bemoaned the fact that in some localities there was a “lamentable want of general interest and co-operation promoting the advancement of the schools” which had a “detrimental” effect. He also chastises parents for their children’s failure to consistently attend school.
In 1871-72, the Superintendent wrote, “Never find fault with the teacher” because it will only make a poor teacher poorer and “a good one no better”. He then specifically asks parents to actively support the schools by supporting both the teachers and the scholars.
By Connie Eshbach