Mattapoisett Road Race College Stipends

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July 4 will be here before we know it and so will the 54th running of the Mattapoisett Road Race, “4 on the 4th”! Begun in 1971 by Bob and Doris Gardner, 15 runners raced from Point Connett to Shipyard Park. Since then, the route has changed a few times, and now, over 1000 runners start at Shipyard Park, run through the village and around Ned’s Point Lighthouse, and finish at Shipyard Park. Townspeople line the course and cheer on their friends and family.

            Proceeds from the race are used to fund awards for college-bound senior athletes from Old Rochester Regional High School. Over the years, more than $200,000 has been given to deserving students. The online application can be accessed via a QR code available at the high school guidance office. The application deadline is May 18.

Town Meeting Warrant Closed

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            The Marion Select Board met on Tuesday for three action items, though the most notable was the closing of the Town Meeting Warrant.

            First, the board moved to approve the appointment of an Election Warden. As recommended by Town Clerk Katrina Desroches, Elisabeth Horan received a unanimous vote of approval by the board. She gratefully shook hands with municipal workers in the room, with her work beginning on the town’s election day, May 15.

            Next, the board quickly approved the 53G Fund Regulations for the Department of Public Works’ Sewer & Warer Division without discussion.

            Finally, the Select Board was on to close the draft Town Meeting Warrant. Up for discussion were 47 total articles, one being a Citizens Petition and the final two being Special Articles.

            Chair Randy Parker noted he had paused discussion on the budgetary articles of the warrant at the last meeting to allow other board members to further look them over. He then said he had already approved the finance articles last time and had no questions. Article 1 was approved with no members nor audience having anything to say or questions. That began a theme, as Articles 2-31 were rapidly approved next, with unanimous votes and no discussion.

            Vice Chair John Hoagland would move to accept, Member Norm Hills would second, and Parker would call the vote, being all “aye.”

            When the board got to Article 31, Hoagland said, “let’s talk about this one for a minute.” Hills made note of the article as being the transfer of land from the Marine Resource Commission to the Select Board. He stated the land had been transferred to the MRC in 2009, but they have little use for it. Hills stated he hoped the decision to bring the land under the Select Board would allow them to give the land to a proposed Parks Department. Parker immediately said, “I don’t support that,” and with short discussion between the three, Parker made motion to remove the article with only Hills voting to support it.

            Article 32 was a flip of the previous, with only Hills voting “no.” The article deals with eligibility to hold public office as well as limiting the holding of the title of Chair of any board, committee, or commission to no more than three years.

            Article 33 focuses on the relationship between pet owners and tenants and received little discussion other than to point to the reasoning of the article as aligning with the state’s Ollie Law, passed in 2024. Statewide, its official name is “Act to Increase Kennel Safety” and mainly focuses on regulations for commercial boarding and training kennels. It was approved unanimously.

            Article 34 pertains to the Attorney General requirements for the MS4 Bylaw, recently passed in the Fall Special Town Meeting. It grants authority to the town to handle abatements in relation to MS4. It was approved unanimously.

            Quickly, the board then approved Articles 35-45. 45 being a Citizens Petition.

            The two Special Articles were then approved with little discussion. Article S1: To see if the Town will vote to transfer from available funds in the Treasury (Free Cash) a sum not to exceed $219,869.19 to supplement the Fiscal Year 2026 budget of the Department of Public Works to pay expenses associated with the removal of snow and ice from public ways during said Fiscal Year; or take any other action relative thereto. Article S2: To see if the Town will vote to transfer any remaining balance in the Fiscal Year 2026 Group Insurance budget, after all obligations for said accounts have been satisfied, to the Town’s General Stabilization Fund, established pursuant to M.G.L.c.40, §5B, or take any other action relative thereto.

            Following the short 21-minute meeting, the Town Meeting Warrant was officially closed. The Select Board will hold a Town Meeting Warrant Review at the Marion Music Hall on Wednesday, April 22 at 6:00 pm. Town Meeting will be held on Monday, May 11 at 6:45 pm in Sippican School. The Town Election is on Friday, May 15, 2026, but in person early voting is Thursday, May 7 through Thursday, May 14.

            The next regular meeting of the Mation Select Board is scheduled for Tuesday, April 7 at 6:00 pm in the Marion Police Station.

Marion Select Board

By Sam Bishop

What’s Up There?

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            This is the continuing monthly column for the astronomer in all of us, or the aspiring astro-physicist. Compared to areas near Boston or New Bedford, generally speaking, the Tri-Town has pretty good dark skies and thus are very fortunate in that regard. This year has already brought with it some great stellar sights as we eye with anticipation humanity’s return to the Moon.

            First up, on April 1, the scheduled launch of the long-delayed and long-awaited Artemis II mission from Kennedy Space Center. The 9-day-long flight will see four astronauts, three Americans and one Canadian, return to lunar orbit for the first time since Apollo 17 in 1972. Not spoken of often, this mission also breaks the record for the most astronauts in deep space (out of Earth orbit) at one time, with the previous record from the Apollo missions at three.

            The crew is Commander Reid Weismann from Maryland, Pilot Victor Glover from California, Mission Specialist 1 Christina Koch from Michigan, and Mission Specialist 2 Jeremy Hansen from Ontario.

            After liftoff and competing one orbit around the Earth, the Orion capsule begins its four-day, 240,000-mile dart to the moon, which it reaches on day 6 of the journey. After nine days, the capsule crashes back to the blue planet and lands in the Pacific. If the April 1 launch date is unfavorable, NASA is targeting the first six days of the month more generally as alternatives.

            For cosmic events this month, we stick with the moon at first. On April 2, the month’s full moon will occur. Being the first full moon in spring, this one is referred to as the “Pink Moon” due to the colors of flowers in bloom, not the color of the Moon’s glow itself.

            The new moon will be on April 17, making this the best time to hunt for galaxies, nebulae, and other dimmer stellar masses.

            On April 18, Mercury, Mars, Saturn, and Neptune (if you have a capable telescope) are all near each other in the early-morning sky just near the horizon. Venus is also visible, though it is at night and near the moon.

            The Lyrid Meteor Shower occurs this year between April 15 and April 29, peaking on April 24 with about 18 meteors per hour. It is named after and seen near the constellation Lyra, or near the star Vega. The star Vega is where the aliens in Carl Sagan’s Contact were from, if you were wondering.

            Taking the spot of Venus nearest the Moon in the night sky is Jupiter, that closes in on our moon on April 22 in a “conjecture.” Around this time, Venus will be visible near Uranus (also requiring a telescope) as the two are just off from the Pleiades star cluster, known as the Seven Sisters.

Astronomy Update for April

By Sam Bishop

Sippizine Call for Submissions for “Lucky” Issue

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Southeastern Massachusetts creatives are invited to bring prose, poetry, and visual art centered on the theme of “Lucky” to the community literary magazine Sippizine.

            Open to poetry, prose (under 1,000 words), visual art and video, submissions are accepted through April 4. Sippizine provides a welcoming platform for both established and emerging voices to share their stories. Contributors from Onset to Fall River have contributed to the six previous issues of this community literary project.

            “As Sippizine begins its fourth year, I appreciate the range of voices we’ve shared,” says editor and publisher Alanna Nelson. “Each creative brings a new angle to life in our neck of the woods.”

            Visit sippizine.art to read past issues, find fresh inspiration, and submit to the next issue. Bring us your prose, poetry and art, and celebrate life in Southeastern Massachusetts.

Spring Hike with MLT at Old Aucoot

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On Saturday, April 4 at 10:00 am, the Mattapoisett Land Trust is excited to bring you a dog hiking Adventure. This is the first in a year-long series every other first Saturday of the month (next walk in June!).

            We can’t think of a better way to spend a couple of hours on a Saturday morning than hiking with friends and dogs in the woods! Bring your own dog or meet new ones on this Adventure Hike. We will meet at the new Grace Pond parking lot (please continue down Bowman Rd. to the new lot) for a walk through Old Aucoot District. The Old Aucoot District is a collection of properties making up roughly 397 acres of protected land and trails. Don’t have a dog to bring? No problem – there will be plenty of dogs to share! We will begin by heading down the red trail towards the water, then loop back and meander up Old Slough Road to the parking lot for an approximately 1 1/2-hour walk. What a great way to start the weekend! This event is free and will happen rain or shine! Wear sturdy shoes, and your dog should be on leash. Questions? Email manager@mattlandtrust.org.

Rose (Converse) Morgan

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Rose (Converse) Morgan of Wenham, formerly of Ipswich and Marion, died peacefully on March 22nd, two weeks before her 90th birthday.

            Born in Boston on April 6th , 1936, she was the daughter of the late Rose Bullock Converse and Roger Wolcott Converse. She was raised in Brookline and spent her summers in Marion, where she developed a lifelong love of sailing and raced in Sippican Harbor.

            Rosie attended The Park School, The Winsor School, and St. Timothy’s School, and graduated from Smith College in 1958.

            In 1959, she married Hewitt “Cub” Morgan, Jr. The couple settled in Ipswich, where they raised their three daughters. Rosie was active in her community and supported numerous nonprofit and educational organizations. She served as a board member of the Ipswich YMCA and the United Way of the North Shore.

            She was an accomplished golfer and tennis player, with her name appearing on championship boards at Essex County Club in Manchester and The Kittansett Club in Marion. She recorded three holes-in-one.

            Rosie was known for her warmth, competitive spirit, and genuine interest in others. She was a devoted mother and grandmother and was a constant presence at her family’s activities and sporting events.

            She is survived by her daughters, Wendy Morgan Richardson and her husband, Peter, of Wenham, and Laura Kemper Morgan of Marion; her son-in-law, David Daignault of Redding, CT; her sister, Christina Jackson and her husband, Patrick, of Yarmouth, ME; her grandchildren, Elizabeth R. MacLaughlin (Ben), Christopher Richardson (Henrietta), Andrew Richardson (Megan), Maximilian and Casey Daignault; her great-grandchildren, Bo, Peter, and Miles MacLaughlin, and James Richardson; and several nieces and nephews.

            She was the wife of the late Hewitt “Cub” Morgan, Jr.; the mother of the late Rose “Posie” Bullock Morgan; and the sister of the late Roger, Costello, and Chandler Converse, and Vera Converse Gibbons.

            In accordance with Rose’s wishes, her funeral services will be private. In lieu of flowers, contributions in her memory may be made to the Posie Morgan Scholarship Fund, New Pond Farm Education Center, 101 Marchant Road, Redding, CT 06896. Arrangements by the Campbell Funeral Home, 6 High Street, Ipswich. Condolences at www.campbellfuneral.com.

Assessors’ Budget & Town Meeting Warrant

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            The Marion Finance Committee remotely met on March 26 with the purpose of discussion the Board of Assessors’ budget, as well as offing recommendations for or against articles on the draft Town Meeting Warrant.

            Assessor George T.J. Walker of the Board of Assessors spoke first, as he and the FinCom quickly discussed the board’s budget. Walker also went over its purpose and various oversights. He stated the town has about 4,100 assessed record cards, totaling around $2,924,000,000 with single-family homes making up the vast majority of valuations.

            For the board’s budget, he noted three areas of focus for large increases. The first was due subscriptions to the Massachusetts Association of Assessing Offices, which has risen 25% from $100 to $125. Next was software, where Walker noted the CAMA (computer-assisted mass appraisal) system that has only four separate options used by the state, with its fees rising from $29,784 to $33,365. There was discussion on wages for those working in the Assessor’s office and the need to raise compensation. Should a hiring need to take place, Walker said, the current wage is far under what other towns are paying.

            Finance Director Heather O’Brien clarified that the requested pay raise would require a increase of the position’s classification and contract, currently being a Class F. Walker stated the three assessor positions, collector, treasurer, and associate assessor, used to be in the same pay grade with the collector role now being outstanding. “It was in the same grade for 24 years,” said Walker, who said, “I have no idea,” when asked why this position was now in a different grade. He stated that the decision was made without his inclusion or knowledge.

            Town Administrator Geoffrey Gorman stated such a contract change was not relevant to the budgetary discussion and said he would be open to discussing it with the assessor at a different time.

            FinCom then moved to offer recommendations on the remaining articles in the draft Town Meeting Warrant that they did not cover at prior meetings. The Select Board was to look at the warrant the following week.

            The next meeting of the Marion Finance Committee was not scheduled at adjournment.

Marion Finance Committee

By Sam Bishop

Not Your Average Barkeeper

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            When you go out nowadays, you are entering a world where the barkeeper is so much more than the guy pouring you a beer – they are most likely a mixologist. A mixologist is an artisan much like today’s chefs are considered “curators” of food. A mixologist most likely has taken classes to learn the craft and fearlessly acquaints the drinker with beverages that are infused with berries, herbs, salts, colors; well, just about anything you can imagine.

            On Tuesday the Mattapoisett Free Public Library hosted a presentation on the subject of mixology and focused primarily on the non-alcoholic drink concepts. Coming before an enthusiastic group of twenty-somethings was the aptly named Cocktail Guru, Jonathan Pogash. Pogash is the owner of this unique enterprise offering consulting services that can include corporate events or catered parties.

            Now living locally, Pogash began his cocktail journey in such world class venues as The Russian Tea Room in New York City.

            With the rise of “mocktails” as a way to serve delicious beverages to those seeking non-alcoholic options Pogash delighted the attendees on this night. He prepared several drinks offering a taste testing for reach.

            Pogash’s presentation included how to shack a cocktail, as well as the types of equipment a mixologist should invest in.

            To learn more about mixology, visit the Cocktail Guru’s website: thecocktailguru.com.

By Marilou Newell

Lisa Regan Durr Community Activism Scholarship Fund

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Tri-Town Against Racism (TTAR) is honored to announce the establishment of the Lisa Regan Durr Community Activism Scholarship Fund, a tribute to Lisa’s unwavering commitment to social justice and her instrumental role in the early formation of TTAR.

            Lisa was a passionate advocate for racial equity and believed deeply in the power of education to foster an anti-racist community in the Tri-Town. Her dedication to social justice, learning, and action inspired others to do the same, and her legacy continues to inspire us all.

            To honor Lisa’s memory, this scholarship will be awarded to a student of color attending school in the Tri-Town who embodies the values she championed, such as her passion for volunteerism.

            Lisa’s work lives on in all of us, and through this scholarship, we hope to empower the next generation of leaders committed to equity and change.

            The Lisa Regan Durr Community Activism Scholarship seeks to support a student who reflects both academic commitment and a deep dedication to community service. This scholarship is intended for a student who has actively volunteered in their community and who identifies as a student of color, including those who are biracial or who may be perceived as racially diverse. By recognizing students who have demonstrated compassion, leadership, and a commitment to uplifting others, this scholarship aims to invest in individuals whose experiences and service strengthen and enrich their communities.

            Student Criteria: $1,500, All students attending schools in the Tri-Town (Mattapoisett, Marion, or Rochester. ORRHS, Old Colony, Tabor, School Choice, or Home Schoolers who live in the Tri-Town.

            Essay: 1-2 pages, 12pt. Times New Roman, 1.5 sp. Or a four-to-five-minute video outlining their volunteerism and commitment to social justice. The essay or video should provide evidence of commitment to community and social justice, such as describing the applicant’s involvement, values, and experiences related to equity and advocacy.

            Documentation of participation in social justice–focused activities, which may include attendance at workshops, programs, community events, or school initiatives related to social justice.

            Proof of at least 10 hours of community service, which can be demonstrated through:

            A signed service log or certificate confirming the number of hours volunteered.

            Email confirmation or official documentation from a supervisor or program coordinator verifying participation.

            Two letters of recommendation from the organization(s) where the service was completed, or from a teacher, mentor, coach, or other significant person with knowledge of your volunteerism.

            Applications are due no later than April 30, 2026. Decisions will be announced on May 14, 2026.

            Applications should be emailed to info@tritownagainstracism.org. All supporting documents should be in one PDF file.

            Upon approval: 10-hour volunteer commitment to TTAR over an academic year.

            Actual scholarship money will receive the scholarship money after the first semester, upon proof of successful matriculation at an accredited institution.

Rochester Historical Society News

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Finally, it is April and the Historical Society season is ready to go. On April 15, we will have our first meeting followed by Mac Phinney and Howie Smith who will be presenting a program on how they used genealogy to help them learn about ancestors who fought in the American Revolution.

            We’ll also have packets for anyone interested in doing research on either their own relations or any one of our Rochester Revolutionary War veterans.

            Our first meeting of the year is always a good time to get together after the winter and chat over refreshments following the program. We hope to see you there.