The next Open Table is set for Friday, November 9. Doors open at 4:30 pm and supper will be served at 5:00 pm. There is no charge for the meal, although donations are gratefully accepted. Invite a neighbor, friend, family member, or veteran. Guest chefs are Ken and Liz Ackerman. We look forward to seeing you at the Reynard Hall at the Mattapoisett Congregational Church.
The Bishop Stang Theatre Company will present everyone’s Christmas favorite, A Christmas Carol, adapted for the stage by Patrick Barlow. Nineteenth-century London comes to life and recaptures for audiences the spirit of an old-fashioned Christmas with this timeless Dickens classic and all the favorite characters — Tiny Tim and the Cratchit family, the Fezziwigs, the Ghosts of Christmas past, present, and yet-to-come — and everyone’s favorite curmudgeon, Ebenezer Scrooge.
Charles Dickens wrote A Christmas Carol originally in 1843 and stands as one of the most beloved and well-known Christmas stories today. It is the story of wealthy miser Ebenezer Scrooge, who is visited by a series of ghosts on Christmas Eve that take him through the past, present, and potential future of his life. By the end, Scrooge’s view of the world, his community, and himself is left profoundly and permanently changed.
A Christmas Carol has had countless adaptations for virtually every medium, including stage, television, film, opera, and radio. Patrick Barlow’s adaptation is perhaps the most accessible version of the Charles Dickens classic. Part of the reason is that playwright Patrick Barlow injects a lot of humor into the piece. This comedy takes place because Barlow is able to mine the humor which can be found in the language, the situation and, of course, at times, the mood of the play. In the end, the play does capture the sincerity and joy of Scrooge’s redemption. It is an adaptation which works extremely well.
The Bishop Stang Theatre Company’s production brings together a talented cast including: Arianna Barboza, Phoenix Carreiro, Emma Chause, Gia Chessa, Emily Defreitas, David Habboosh, Neda Habboosh, Caleb Hughes, Philip Marcalo, Xavier Markey, Chicka Okafor, Allison Pereira, Lily Saulnier, Myra Wong; along with nine area children, featuring Luca Westgate as Tiny Tim.
The curtain goes up on Friday, November 9and Saturday, November 10at 7:00 pm on the stage at Bishop Stang High School, 500 Slocum Rd., North Dartmouth. General admission tickets are $10.00 for adults and $7.00 for students and seniors. Call the school at 508-996-5602 for more information.
When property values go up, the tax rate goes down. That’s how it works, said Rochester Principal Assessor Chuck Shea on October 26 during the annual classification hearing with the Rochester Board of Selectmen.
Shea ran down the numbers as well as the Board of Assessors’ recommendation to continue with a single tax rate instead of a split tax rate that would shift some of the financial burden off of residents and onto commercial and industrial businesses.
“In the Town of Rochester we have so few commercial and industrial properties,” said Shea.
About 86% of the town is residential, with the remaining 14% commercial and industrial.
And, although there are a good number of solar farms operating in Rochester, they are tax-exempt as far as the value of the solar arrays. Only the value of the land can be assessed and taxed.
Residential property values increased this year by 4.68%, with last year’s average single-family home assessed at $366,755 up to $384,200 this year. The tax bill for the average home last year was about $5,174.19 with a tax rate of $14.11 per $1,000 in property value. This year, the average single-family home tax bill will be around $5,378.08 at a rate of $14, a difference of $203.89.
According to Shea, the cumulative assessed value of all real estate in Rochester, including commercial and industrial property and personal property, totals $949,388,800, an increase of about $4,035,000 from last year.
“We expect our levy to be approximately $13,300,000,” Shea told the board, up from $12,842,000 last year.
Before approving the new tax rate, selectmen weighed the pros and cons of a split tax rate, which could have varied starting on the lower end at a 5% shift – $13.89 for residential and $14.70 for commercial – all the way up to a 50% shift – $12.86 for residential and $21 for commercial.
Shea said that agricultural properties are valued as commercial properties, and if the rate is increased via a split tax rate, it shifts the burden onto people like cranberry growers and hayfield farmers.
Both the Selectmen Chairman Greenwood “Woody” Hartley and Selectman Brad Morse are cranberry growers.
“It seems unfair because we don’t have a lot of businesses in town and it seems unfair to shift it to agriculture and they don’t really use the services that we provide,” said Selectman Paul Ciaburri. “And seeing as how we have a hard time attracting business and keeping business in town, why would we want to alienate them even more? It just seems like it’s unfair that we always pick on business.”
Of interest, Shea said smaller homes on smaller lots in Rochester have increased more in value than larger homes on larger lots. He also said that, if the Town was allowed to include tax-exempt commercial property such as solar into the total property valuation this year, it would top $1 billion for the first time.
“Marion and Mattapoisett have already reached that point,” said Shea.
In other matters, the selectmen voted to accept the Fall Special Town Meeting Warrant and post it. They voted that day to recommend Articles 4 and 9, adoption of the Stretch Code General Bylaw, and a bylaw amendment to exempt motor boats on town ponds for the purpose of scientific or environmental study purposes, respectively.
The next regular meeting of the Rochester Board of Selectmen is scheduled for November 5 at 6:00 pm at the Rochester Town Hall.
Rochester Board of Selectmen
By Jean Perry
The Machacam Club will hold its’ first meeting of the 2018/2019 Fall/Winter season on Wednesday, November 7. The meeting will be held at the 3 Depot Street Legion Hall. Social time begins at 5:30 pm with dinner beginning at 6:00 pm. The dinner meal will be ham and beans with a homemade dessert. Efforts are underway to secure a speaker for our meeting. We promise an entertaining meeting.
Callers please report your lists by noon Monday, November 5th to 508-758-1326 or cwmccullough@comcast.net.
On Monday, November 5, 12:30 pm at the Benjamin D. Cushing Community Center, 465 Mill Street, Marion, Stephen Collins performs in this one-man play written by Carl Rossi. Sailing Towards my Father explores the life of Herman Melville, the American author best known for his whaling epic Moby Dick. The play chronicles Melville’s life from youth to old age, concentrating on his evolution as a writer and his complex relationships with God, his parents and siblings, his wife and children, and Nathaniel Hawthorne. Call 508-748-3570 for more information.
Eileen Corrigan Lonergan, 52, died peacefully on October 31, 2018, surrounded by the love of family. Eileen is a remarkable mother to three remarkable girls and the best partner a husband could ever hope for. She will always be a beloved daughter, sister, and friend.
Eileen was exceptionally kind and smart. These qualities paired powerfully with a lightning-fast wit. To be with her was truly joyful. She had a quiet but powerful presence. She battled cancer fiercely, bravely, and with exquisite grace and good humor.
Eileen was born on August 24, 1966, and grew up in Saline, Michigan. She graduated from Michigan State University in 1988 with a degree in Advertising. In 1993, she married Eugene (Gene) Lonergan and their adventurous spirit carried them buoyantly, making homes in London (where the ‘London Girls’ were born), Singapore, and Hong Kong before settling in Marion, MA in 1999. Gene and Eileen recently celebrated 25 incredible years of marriage.
She was the G.O.A.T. (Greatest Of All Time) mom and according to her daughters, she had only a hint of irony in her voice in her frequently repeated “I live to please” refrain. When it came to cooking (every single night), “Whatever you loved–that would be what she’d make.” Lunches were packed (every single day) in a similar spirit. Many of her friends would say that they wanted to bottle whatever was going on at the Lonergan home because the parenting results were THAT spectacular. Eileen loved to volunteer. She spent numerous hours offering her time to Friends Academy, where the girls spent many years. She was often seen volunteering at the Beverly Yacht Club, CCD for St. Rita’s Parish and at the Marion Public Library.
A friend from Junior High School said that even back in the days of their youth Eileen loved technology and could foresee the coming information age. Naturally entrepreneurial and visionary, she was proud to have built her own successful website design and marketing business. Her articles were published in in the U.S., Canada and the UK and she was named one of the 12 Woman to Follow by WordPress in 2016. Her clients glowed in testimonials about her creativity, coaching, and an uncanny knack for gently pushing them toward a better way.
Eileen was always on the go. Whether jogging with her golden retriever Rusty, trying to crush her Fitbit challenge group or on the Peloton alongside Gene, Eileen was nearly indefatigable. In March she completed a half-marathon in Philadelphia with Fiona. She remains, in perpetuity, the inaugural Bay Club Triathalon Champion.
She was predeceased by her father, John Corrigan. She is survived by her husband, Gene and their three daughters, Maura, Elizabeth and Fiona of Marion; her mother Barbara Corrigan of Marion; her sister Patricia Corrigan and her husband Edward Kelley of Melrose, MA and her brother Sean Corrigan of Guilford, CT; and beloved extended family and an army of friends who thought she was just the greatest thing ever.
Visiting hours will be held at the Saunders-Dwyer funeral home, 50 County Rd. Route 6, Mattapoisett on Monday, November 5th from 4pm-8pm. A memorial and celebration of life mass will be held on Tuesday, November 6th at 11 AM at Tabor Academy’s Wickenden Chapel in Marion, MA.
In lieu of flowers, gifts in memory of Eileen Lonergan may be made to University of Massachusetts Memorial Foundation (UMMF) in support of her friend, Karl’s cancer research in the Simin Lab. Gifts can be made online at www.umassmed.edu/give or mailed to: Office of Advancement , UMass Memorial Medical Center , 333 South Street Shrewsbury, MA 01545
Checks should be made out to “UMMF – Simin Lab” and should note that the gift is in memory of Eileen Lonergan.
For directions and guestbook, please visit www.saundersdwyer.com.
David L. Morea, 44, of Brooklyn NY, died suddenly of Cardiovascular Disease, on Tuesday October 16, 2018. He was the son of Lloyd F. Morea, and the late Donna Morea and stepmother Sandra Morea.
David was very creative and wrote poetry, his passion. He was born in New Bedford and grew up in Mattapoisett where he attended ORR.
He is survived by three brothers, Michael Morea, Vladimir Smirnov and his wife Christine and William Smirnov and his wife Rose Mary.
Services and burial are private.
The Marion Board of Selectmen held a special meeting on Thursday, October 25, to review a new Fuel Efficient Vehicle Policy and a new Energy Reduction Plan and sign them both just in time for the October 26 deadline to submit the Town’s application for status as a Green Community.
“These last two documents are the last two criteria that we need to approve in order to have our application considered for a Green Community status in the State of Massachusetts,” said Marion Energy Management member Jennifer Francis. “They’re both guidelines, really. One says that we will purchase energy efficient vehicles when the time comes to replace [other municipal] vehicles,” Francis said, although emergency response vehicles such as police cruisers, ambulances, and fire apparatuses are exempt from these fuel-efficiency requirements as a matter of public safety.
Town Planner Gil Hilario said he met with the police and fire chiefs last week and, although fuel-efficient emergency response vehicles are not yet available, both chiefs would commit to acquiring them in the future should they become available.
At this time, Francis said, there are only four vehicles the Town owns that would fall under the fuel efficiency plan.
“It won’t be hard … to find vehicles to meet the requirements to satisfy the document,” said Francis.
“I think there’s been strong support for it at Town Meeting and, I think, the drive that’s brought us here today,” said Hilario.
Fall Special Town Meeting voters on October 22 approved an article for up to $55,000 to purchase the four electric vehicles the Town currently leases. The leases and the accompanying electric car charging stations were originally made possible by grant funding.
The Energy Reduction Plan the selectmen signed that day follows an energy reduction audit town facilities underwent, which looked at the various buildings’ insulation, lighting, power usage, and heating and air cooling systems, among other things. Sippican School is by far the largest consumer of energy in the town, as are the schools in most other municipalities, which Green Communities Coordinator for the Southeast Region Seth Pickering pointed out is usually around 65-75% of the municipality’s energy consumption.
“In a town like this where we include the school in the baseline, the numbers are going to probably be very similar, that’s usually how it trends,” Pickering said.
With both documents signed, Pickering said the application would be electronically submitted the following day to the Southeast Regional Planning & Economic Development District and then forwarded to Department of Energy Resources for a preliminary review, checking for accuracy, and then contacting the Town should any further information need adjusting.
“Everybody’s application should be in good shape for the final review in a few weeks,” said Pickering, giving a thumbs-up.
The board as well as the others seated amongst them gave a round of applause for all the efforts put forth on the Green Communities front, along with a “Nice job, Gil!” from Selectman Randy Parker to Hilario and a special thanks to Francis.
“We have a great committee and we have a lot of good discussions and we’re always working on good stuff,” said Francis.
If Marion is approved as a Green Community, the town and another 30 municipalities applying for the status this year would tentatively join the other 210 Massachusetts Green Community municipalities.
The next regular meeting of the Marion Board of Selectmen is scheduled for November 6 at 7:00 pm at the Marion Town House.
Marion Board of Selectmen
By Jean Perry
“This is going to be great. The kids are really excited,” said Lisa Lourenco, Mattapoisett Schools’ technology teacher, accurately predicting what would happen in her Tech Education classroom once the robotics delegation arrived from Old Colony Vocational Technical High School.
The visit began that morning with an introduction by sophomore Austin DeSousa, who explained the OC team’s projects and how their creations could now be seen, in motion, in a series of demonstration stations set up by his classmates. Students of the Vex team, which is advised by OC Electronic Engineering Technologies Educator Daniel Brush, led the presentation.
“I used to give the introduction,” Brush said. “Now, I have students like Austin who can explain the work they’ve been doing and it’s even more effective because it’s coming from a student.”
Once the LEGO robots were unpacked, there was plenty of interest among the sixth-graders. The OC team of sophomores (two girls and five boys) moved easily through the throng, answering questions, handing over controllers, and helping the class understand that robots don’t always function exactly the way they’re designed to, but that’s something they tackle with every project as part of the building process.
Amid the sound of small motors and much excitement, each LEGO machine was introduced by one or more OC students. Need to solve a Rubik’s cube, but don’t have time to do it yourself? Hand it over to the LEGO robot built and programmed by one of Brush’s teams. DeSousa provided some background.
“We’ve been working on it since last year,” said DeSousa. “Assembly only took a day or two, but we’ve made lots of modifications.”
The Rubik’s cube is placed on a rotating tray beneath a stationary arm fitted with color sensors that scan each side of the cube as it turns. The robot then solves a series of algorithms to determine a solution based on the orientation of the colored tiles on the cube and initiates the mechanical steps to get it done.
The team programmed “Mindcub3r” by customizing open-source software selected from programs available on the Internet.
“We had to make some adjustments and do some tweaking to get everything working just right,” said Chris Lambert, who also worked on the Mindcub3r.
The group is using EV3, one of the newest versions of Mindstorms LEGO robot-building component series. The boys working on Mindcub3r would like to continue studying engineering. Jared Boren is interested in music engineering/production.
Leandra Stroud-Jackson programmed her wheeled robot to navigate a course using a carefully planned series of turns.
“It’s a program that counts and measures as it moves,” said Stroud-Jackson. “Right now, I only have between 410 and 420 degrees of rotation on the outside wheel to initiate a ninety-degree turn, so I think I’ll need to do a little more work to get it just right.”
Leandra recently transferred to OC and is happy to be working with Brush’s team. She is obviously having fun (her robot’s name is “TooSaucy”), but her sights are seriously set on a degree in Criminal Justice (she’s already chosen Dean College) and, eventually, the FBI.
Isabella Mauradian’s robot “Rebel” attracted a crowd as sixth graders moved black-colored cards around the floor and watched the LEGO device roll, stop, and change direction as Rebel’s sensors responded.
“My robot uses a program which recognizes color,” said Mauradian. “It is calibrated to recognize black. I also had to program the timer block.”
Mauradian has been learning engineering in Brush’s class since she was a freshman and is very happy to have Stroud-Jackson as a classmate.
“Leandra just started with us, but she caught on really fast!” said Mauradian, who has big plans of her own. “What’s the newest invention? I can make that!” She continued, “I want to make stuff – to fix stuff! I would like to study electronics and engineering and just see where it takes me.”
“Technology is just so rapidly evolving,” said Stroud-Jackson.” She makes another point which is clearly appealing to these pragmatic kids: “Women are NEEDED in this field and they can make a lot of money!”
OC students alternate their class schedules, spending two weeks on “shop” and two weeks on academics. They are learning all aspects of electronics, including the basics of resistors, capacitors, semiconductors, and analog tech. Dan Brush’s “Vex” robotics group meets every other Tuesday after school until about 8:00 pm.
“My school day starts at 7:30 am, so those are long days, but it’s great,” said Brush. “We order pizza and we get a lot done.”
Brush clearly enjoys his work and looks forward to regional robotics competitions in December and March.
(Thank you to Lisa Lourenco & Dan Brush for their assistance with this piece.)
By Erin Bednarczyk
Although Old Rochester Regional football is the top seed in Division 6 South Section and won 27-22, No. 8 Bishop Stang was far from a cakewalk in the opening round matchup.
Bishop Stang’s dynamic quarterback, Justin Lopes, threw for two touchdowns and 255 on 16 for 30 passing. He also rushed for a touchdown and 51 yards, nearly willing the Spartans past the Bulldogs in the fourth quarter.
ORR held true, shutting down Bishop Stang on both two-point conversion attempts.
“A win is a win, but we have to clean up a lot,” linebacker Dylan DeWolfesaid. “We have to be a little tougher when it comes to passes. We have to jam more and get to our zones more.”
Offensively, ORR once again relied on the ground, scoring three of its four touchdowns via the rush. Jackson Cotescored one of the Bulldogs’ touchdowns, running for 159 yards on 29 carries. Desmond Diasalso scored once while running for 98 yards on 15 carries, and Cole McIntyrealso finished with a touchdown and 52 yards on seven carries. McIntyre also threw for a touchdown, finding Bryce Afonsofor an 11-yard score.
The one problem for the Bulldogs in the matchup (and maybe what kept things so tight): they turned the ball over four times (three fumbles and an interception). It’s something ORR fully acknowledges it cannot do going into the next round of the tournament.
“Bottom line, if we protect the ball, we should be able to have a larger margin of victory,” ORR coach Justin Kogler said. “I told them after the game, if we fumble, we’re going to go home next week. We almost went home tonight. We can’t afford to lose the ball. We’re a possession team. We grind it out.”
The Bulldogs (8-0) are looking to grind out another win to keep their postseason run alive. They’ll put their undefeated record to the test on Friday when they host No.4 Dedham (7-1) in a rematch of 2017’s first round game between the two, where Old Rochester won 34-21.
ORR girls soccer locked up the South Coast Conference title with a 3-0 shutout victory over SCC Small champion Seekonk. Jillian Kutashscored in the first half what would be the Bulldogs’ game-winner. Rachel Fantoniand Mary Butlerwould both score later, as well. Kinsley Dickersonsaved all four of the Warriors’ shots on net in the shutout.
Following an 8-4 win over New Bedford, ORR finished the season 15-2 after sweeping the entire SCC 14-0 and is gearing up for postseason play.
Old Colony
After suffering a loss at the hands of Upper Cape to finish the regular season, Old Colony was slated against the Rams again, this time in the first round of the MIAA Div. 8 South Sectional tournament, losing 17-7.
The 17 points were the most the Cougars allowed all season, but far from an insurmountable score to surpass. Old Colony simply could not maintain momentum on drives, despite having big plays throughout.
Phil Proctorfinished with 40 yards on the ground and scored Old Colony’s lone touchdown on an 11-yard run. Mitchell Wilsonfinished with 23 yards,Kyle Scholzwith 22, and Matt Bumpuswith 18 as Old Colony spread the ball out much more against the Rams.
Old Colony (4-4) will now play a non-playoff football schedule at host Atlantis Charter next.
Tabor Academy
Tabor Academy girls soccer improved to 9-1-2 on the year after a 2-0 win over Milton Academy, and a 4-0 win over the Groton School.
Sam Cohenscored the first of two Tabor goals in the win over Milton Academy. Cat Barrycontinued her strong season with the Seawolves’ second goal of the match. Barry would also score twice against Groton School, and assisted one of Jaydah Bedoya’stwo goals. Tali O’Learyassisted Bedoya’s other goal, while Brooke Ingemiset up Barry’s second goal in the win.
Tabor field hockey was also victorious against Groton School, winning 3-0 on Friday to improve their season record to 10-4.
Annie Berryscored Tabor’s first two goals to give the team a 2-0 lead at the half. Danielle Craig would finish things off for Tabor with a goal of her own in the second half.
High School Sports Update
By Nick Friar