ORCTV will hold its Annual Meeting on Thursday, April 27 at the ORCTV studio. The meeting will begin at 5:30 pm and will include the election of officers to the Old Rochester Community Television Board of Directors. All current ORCTV station members are invited and encouraged to attend.
The nominees for 2023 are:
Phil Sanborn – Marion seat
Danny White – Mattapoisett seat
Kendall Smiley – Rochester seat
Nancy Sparklin – Membership Seat
During the March 14 meeting of the Mattapoisett Conservation Commission, on this night chaired by commissioner Barry Lima, a longstanding Enforcement Order issued to Kenneth Wood, 1 Pinebrook Lane, was discussed.
Brandon Faneuf, the commission’s environmental agent, said that he recently made a site visit to the Woods property where he not only found the installation of PVC pipes in a designated replication area, but also that the replication area had not been planted. Faneuf said that a superseding order of conditions issued by the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection after the property owner appealed an Order of Conditions issued by the commission has not been followed.
Mattapoisett’s commission had issued an Enforcement Order in September 2021 after discovering failure to comply with the DEP’s orders. Woods did not respond, Faneuf reported. The commissioners voted to contact the DEP for state assistance in gaining compliance from the property owner.
In other matters, the commission issued a Negative 2 ruling for a Request for Determination of Applicability issued to Robert Barnes, 1 Silver Shell Avenue, for the construction of a 10×14-foot shed installed on helical piles.
The same ruling was issued to Stacy Walker, 4 Ripple Street, for the construction of a self-supported deck also on helical piles.
Continued to March 27 was a Notice of Intent filed by the Town of Mattapoisett for reconstruction of Old Slough Road and a Certificate of Compliance requested by Farland Estates III, LLC, for 1 Martha’s Vineyard Drive.
Also continued was a Request for an Extension Permit for an Order of Conditions issued to David McIntire for property located on Mahoney’s Lane.
A Notice of Intent filed by Carmelo Nicolosi for the construction of a new single-family home located on Beechwood Avenue was withdrawn.
The next meeting of the Mattapoisett Conservation Commission is scheduled for Monday, March 27, at 6:30 pm.
Mattapoisett Conservation Commission
By Marilou Newell
Norm Hills is running to maintain his seat on the Marion Select Board, but he is retiring from the Planning Board, where he currently serves as chairman. Chris Collings’ and Eileen Marum’s Planning Board terms are also expiring.
The last day to file papers with the town clerk to run for elected office in Marion is Monday, March 20.
Terms for the following sitting members of other Marion boards and committees expire this spring: Assessors Pat DeCosta and Peter Winters (appointee), Board of Health member Albin Johnson (appointee), Marion School Committee members Nichole Nye-McGaffey and Mary Beauregard, Old Rochester Regional School Committee member Margaret McSweeny and Amanda Chace and Marc Sylvia of the Open Space Acquisition Commission.
The following Marion boards and committees had vacancies as of March 9: Affordable Housing Trust, Conservation Commission (associate member), Cultural Council, Historical Commission, Marine Resources Commission (associate member), Parks/Tree Committee and the Scholarship Education Fund Committee.
The last day to file papers in Mattapoisett is Tuesday, March 28, at 5:00 pm, and the last day to object or withdraw is Friday, April 28, at 5:00 pm.
Mattapoisett will see at least one contested election this spring as David Pierre runs against incumbent Frances-Feliz Kearns for a seat on the Old Rochester Regional School Committee.
William Wenneberg is running for Planning Board, but incumbent Arlene Fidalgo is not seeking reelection. The same goes for Trustees of the Public Library, where Ruth Oliver Jolliffe is seeking election. Jennifer Russell, the incumbent, is not seeking reelection. Also not seeking reelection is Moderator John Eklund.
The following Mattapoisett elected officials’ seats expire this spring: Town Clerk Catherine Heuberger, Select Board member R. Tyler Macallister, Assessor Raymond Andrews, Mattapoisett School Committee member Carly Lavin, Water/Sewer Commissioner Daniel Chase, Board of Health member Carmelo Nicolosi, Housing Authority member John Vaughn, and Community Preservation Committee members Michelle Hughes and Charles William McCullough.
Rochester Town Clerk Paul Dawson will retire from his post this year. The last day to file papers in Rochester is Wednesday, April 5, at 5:00 pm, and the final day to object or withdraw is Friday, April 21, at 5:00 pm.
The following Rochester boards and committees have vacancies: Soil Board (1 member), Conservation Commission (1 associate member), Historic District Commission (2 members, 1 alternate member) and Historical Commission (2 members.)
By Mick Colageo
There is much we can learn from rocks.
They are steadfast, solid, eternal.
Jesus said to Peter, “I will build my church on a rock,” and Peter was that rock.
They are dependable, reassuringly strong.
They carry their history in their strata, telling their story to all who can decipher it.
There are towering mountains of rock, standing in mute testimony to the power of nature, thrusting their souls upward towards heaven.
There are rocks pounded by great waves, their grandeur magnificent and enduring.
There are pebbles washed upon the shore to spend their brief moment in the sun only to be washed inexorably back to sea.
Stones of great beauty, stones of every hue, colors loved equally by the Divine Hand that created them.
Perhaps there is a special rock we go and sit on to watch the restless, roving sea.
A rock, like a familiar friend, silent and comforting.
Thank you, God, for inspiration and insight … and sermons in stones.
By Hope Bradley Finley
Editor’s Note: Hope Bradley Finley passed away on January 13 at age 95. The Mattapoisett resident was thrilled to have The Wanderer publish her poems and essays, something we will continue to do this winter.
Naomi Slipp explores the nuances of American landscapes at the Marion Music Hall on March 22 at 7 pm. Ms. Slipp, Chief Curator at the New Bedford Whaling Museum will focus on the current exhibit Re/Framing the View: Nineteenth-Century American Landscapes as part of the Sippican Historical Society Speaker Series.
Whether or not you’ve already visited the exhibit, you’ll enjoy perspectives across time and the curatorial choices that link the 130 objects from six regional private collections, the Museum’s collection and six institutional loans. Doug Crocker, a passionate collector of nineteenth-century American landscape paintings, will also join in the question and answer.
Everyone is welcome at this free lecture. Sign up to receive the link to join virtually at bit.ly/SHS-322. For more information, go to www.sippicanhistoricalsociety.org
The Marion Art Center will present a yoga new series on Tuesday mornings beginning in April in the MAC’s Patsy Francis Gallery (upstairs.) Enjoy an hour of yoga while viewing beautiful artwork in the gallery. Instructor Jo Norton will lead four weeks of yoga classes on Tuesday mornings, 11:00 am-12:00 pm, April 4, 11, 18 and 25. Students can sign up for all four sessions or choose from four dates. The cost for MAC Members is $20 per session or $70 for all 4 weeks. The cost for nonmembers $25 per session or $85 for all 4 weeks. Learn more and register online at marionartcenter.org/events. Space is limited to 10 students, and early registration is recommended.
In this class, the basic foundational postures of yoga are practiced to align, strengthen and promote flexibility in the body. Breathing techniques, stretching, toning and strength are also integrated. You can expect an emphasis on simplicity, repetition and ease of movement.
Students should wear comfortable clothing and bring a yoga mat and water bottle.
Jo Norton is a life-long fitness enthusiast. She is retired from her role as VP, Global Head of HR and is excited to devote herself fulltime to her passion for fitness. Jo has spent years studying body movement, yoga, Pilates, barre and weight training. Jo holds multiple certifications and has completed coursework in Anatomy and Physiology at the University of Massachusetts, Amherst.
When Old Rochester Regional High School Musical Director Mike Barnicle recommended the musical “Once Upon a Mattress” to ORRHS Theater Director Maxx Domingos, the young director was not so sure it would be a good fit.
Barnicle talked Domingos into it and, as fate would have it, the tight-knit cast — or one “giant friend group,” according to one actor — will chronicle this tale for the first time in 50 years at ORR. The story features a prince whose overbearing mom won’t let anyone marry unless her son marries first. This rule sets up a scandal when Sir Harry impregnates Lady Larken before the prince can find his princess.
Domingos said she ironically learned that, 50 years ago this year, ORR theater students also performed this same musical.
“It’s a weird, historical fate blip,” Domingos said.
Now, both Domingos and her cast are excited to bring this offbeat comedy to the public Thursday, March 30, to Sunday, April 2. All shows start at 7:00 pm except for the 2:00 pm Sunday performance.
“This show is so funny. It’s a physical comedy. It’s quick-witted,” Domingos said. “Its name is deceiving. … It’s not a fairy tale. You get a lot more than you think you’re going to get.”
Domingos’ cast appears to be just as enthusiastic.
“It’s a very fun, funny show. It’s good for kids and for adults,” says sophomore Calder Eaton.
This will be the fourth show for Domingos and third show for Assistant Director Sarah Whinnem, as they close out their second year with the ORRHS Drama Club. Principal cast members include Emily Wyman as Princess Winnifred the Woebegone, Thomas Berry as Prince Dauntless the Drab, Kathleen Dunn as Queen Aggravain, Eaton as Sir Harry and Chloe Bean as Lady Larken, according to a written release.
These cast members have been acting since their middle school days or earlier and all have connected well with their respective characters, including Wyman, an ORR sophomore.
“She’s a little bit crazy and excited a lot of the time, but at the same time she just wants to do her best,” Wyman said of her character, Princess Winnifred the Woebegone.
Eaton, who plays Sir Harry, did not audition for the part, feeling that he would not be cast as the character. In the end, he got the call for Harry. He is now loving every minute of it.
“Everybody is really nice. We are all very alike so it is really fun to work with everyone — one giant friend group is doing this one thing,” Eaton said.
Senior Thomas Berry plays the prince. This will be Berry’s last performance for ORR. He has been involved with acting since he played one of the seven dwarfs in a junior high school play.
“I’ve been part of the club all four years. I have done every show we could do,” Berry said. “I think it’s going to hit me when the curtain closes (that this will be the last ORR show). I will work to make it the best show possible.”
Berry says he loves this part.
“He is kind of a childish part. He has been under the queen’s wing his entire life. He doesn’t know anything beyond the castle walls,” Berry said.
Bean, a junior, is also excited to play Lady Larken, whose pregnancy provides comedic twists.
“It is a big plot line within the story of the play. She and Harry have to figure out what they’re going to do. No one can get married until the prince gets married,” Bean said.
Cast members also gave props to Sakurako Huynh-Aoyama, who is directing the choreography and playing a jester.
According to a written release, tickets are for sale at the Marion General Store, Isabelle’s in Mattapoisett, Friends’ Marketplace in Rochester, at the door and online for a small service fee through Eventbrite: orrspringmusical2023.eventbrite.com. Students and Senior Citizens $12, General Admission $15.
Also, according to the release, the show is most appropriate for students in grades 5 and above, as well as for adults.
By Jeffrey D. Wagner
If voters at Town Meeting agree, a tennis court in disrepair off Point Road will become four pickleball courts by the end of the year after the Marion Community Preservation Committee voted to recommend the Town of Marion Recreation Department’s request for $75,000 in Community Preservation Act funding.
The request was one of 10 approved by the committee for recommendation to voters during the committee’s continued public hearing held live on March 10 via Zoom.
Recreation Director Scott Tavares told the committee he has received several requests for pickleball courts in Marion.
New England Seal Coating will resurface the dilapidated tennis courts, painting new lines and installing four sets of ground sleeves and four pickleball nets. Around the playing areas will be an 8-foot-tall, continuous fence with two entry gates. That is included in the funding.
“I’m not looking into lighting at this point,” said Tavares, explaining neighborhood considerations and the need for a testing ground.
Unlike tennis’ fuzzy ball, a pickleball resembles a heavier whiffle ball, and the paddles are not strung but constructed with a flat surface, giving off a clicking noise when the ball is struck.
CPC member Bryan McSweeny noted the ongoing conflict in the City of Cambridge over the noise coming from pickleball courts.
Select Board Representative Randy Parker said the neighbors in the area have some issues with parking but not with pickleball.
The wildly popular sport is the fastest-growing sport in the U.S.
With one withdrawal, the CPC unanimously approved the remaining nine requests in rapid fashion, having already hashed out their questions in prior sessions of the public hearing and before that, informational meetings.
The CPC approved: $25,000 to the local Historic District Study Group (unused funds expire June 30, 2025), $35,000 to the Marion Historical Commission for Phase IV of its historical and cultural inventory (December 31, 2025), $26,928 to the Marion Institute, $85,000 to the Marion Department of Public Works for its interest in Mattapoisett River Valley Water District’s resilience project (June 30, 2024), $9,150 to Loving Touch Gravesite Care, $15,000 to the Sippican Lands Trust to complete construction of the Osprey Marsh pavilion, $35,000 to Marion Art Center for fire and smoke alarms (June 30, 2024), $17,500 to Marion Natural History Museum for cataloguing work, $30,000 to Sippican Historical Society for ongoing digitization.
Committee Chair Jeff Doubrava recommended the committee fund the requests from the non-designated account.
The committee then addressed two applications for extensions to June 30, 2024, from the Marion Garden Group and the Pathways Committee. Doubrava and Parker agreed that the extensions should likewise go before voters on Town Meeting floor.
The withdrawn project was a $12,529 request from the Elizabeth Taber Library.
Marion Community Preservation Committee
By Mick Colageo
The American Crow is one of the most widely distributed and recognized birds in North America.
According to naturalists, there are more crows in this country than when the Pilgrims landed at Plymouth. That is because they take good care of their young and are very clever in defending them against numerous enemies. Now with spring coming on, the American Crows are returning from their winter gathering in the cities in the flocks so they can roost warm and safely in the municipal heating systems, as well as under the watchful eyes of alert numbers.
As in my illustration of a Fish Crow left behind all winter in the seaside cold and snow on Little Bay in Fairhaven, the Fish Crow is slightly smaller than the American Crow and hard to identify or tell the difference, except for sounding a different muted crowing like “urk, urk, urk” as opposed to the American Crow’s “caw, caw, caw.”
The population of Fish Crows is increasing and spreading their habitat range farther up north along inland coastal rivers and has become much more common for bird watchers in recent years.
All crows can recognize certain people and remember their treatment of crows. They also have a human habit of collecting a treasure trove of shiny objects on the ground near their nests that they enjoy turning over to brag about from time to time. They also can imitate a range of human sounds like a child crying, a hen clucking, or a rooster crowing at the rising sun at dawn. Males are skilled in courtship with females in flight, as they both do acrobatics to demonstrate the relationship together. Harriet Ward Beecher once remarked that if men could wear feathers and fly, they would be as clever as a crow.
Crows have earned a crafty, bad reputation among humans as a thief and robber by stealing eggs and baby birds from another nest, but when it sees a hawk or an owl about to do the same it calls together more of its kind to dive loudly from above to drive the guilty party out of the area. All crows have developed a reputation of bad behavior at times to be listed in children’s literature of fables and legends by using almost supernatural scheming to find a way to get what they want.
In modern times, the crow still gets up early in the morning to sound the aboriginal crowing announcement to challenge mankind’s conditions to artfully outwit them with such a storytelling success so that mankind calls their subsequent gathering “a murder of crows.”
By George B. Emmons
With much ongoing discussion about creating a new police station or public safety building, I decided to look back to see what I could find on policing in Rochester’s earlier days. Surprisingly, very little of Mary Hall Leonard’s book on old Rochester’s history deals with policing. There is a lot of mention of laws being passed and of the fines that would be levied if those laws were disobeyed. She also writes about three types of officers involved in maintaining law and order in the 18th and early 19th century. They are Constables, Tithingmen and Justices of the Peace.
The Justices of the Peace who were elected for seven year terms had jurisdiction over minor claims and offenses. They could also perform marriages. This was considered a position of great importance.
Tithingmen were the equivalent of church constables. Their job was to keep order on the “Sabbath Day.” It seems this job extended beyond the walls of the meeting house. An ad in the May 15, 1815 edition of the New Bedford Mercury listed the names of Rochester’s 12 Tithingmen. Above this list it said,” The Tithingmen of Rochester gave notice that they should enforce the law.” Because this was printed in a New Bedford newspaper, it is believed its purpose was to discourage an unruly element from “New Bedford’s seafaring community” from coming to town on a Sunday and creating disorder.
Constables whose title seems to denote policemen were town officers, although not much mention of them is found. The first Constables were chosen in 1692. Their chief job was to collect taxes which made both the men and the job unpopular. The job was so unpleasant that many who were elected to the position refused to take on the job. This happened so often that a fine was levied on anyone who refused to be Constable. History records that many simply paid the fine and a lot of early town meeting time was spent trying to fill the position of Constable.
Eventually, Rochester had a police force, but as late as 1966, when the town’s population was 1,800, there were no police cruisers, no police office and no full-time officers. At first, the Police Chief operated out of his private home with his wife as dispatcher. Part-time officers used their own vehicles.
Later, the police shared space in the fire station and had an office in two different locations in Town Hall. If you’ve ever wondered about the little door (pictured here) on the parking lot side of the building, it was the door to the police office. In 1982 the population had almost doubled, rising to 3,192, and in 1987, the police moved into a three-room trailer donated by SEMASS. They operated out of this trailer near the fire station for 13 yrs.
Over the years, many Police Chiefs advocated for a new police headquarters, but it wasn’t until 2001 that the current police station was completed, and the members of the force were able to settle in on Dexter Lane. Now the town is looking to move beyond this 22-year-old structure.
By Connie Eshbach