News

Mattapoisett Council on Aging postpones Spring Luncheon

MATTAPOISETT — Due to coronavirus concerns, the Mattapoisett Council on Aging has cancelled its spring luncheon that was to be held in May. Although the luncheon is cancelled, the council said that “each and every one of you are in our thoughts, our...

Marion postpones election, Town Meeting 

MARION — At a video meeting on April 9, the Marion Board of Selectmen voted to postpone the May 11 Town Meeting and May 15 Annual Town Election due to coronavirus concerns. Selectmen did not set another date, but must hold elections before June 30,...
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How’s your rabbit handling the pandemic?

With Easter just around the corner, the easter bunny will be delivering candy to kids in households all across the area. So we want to ask, what have you been telling your kids about the easter bunny this year? Is he going to wear gloves? Is she...

Rochester gets a raptor for a spring visitor

ROCHESTER — Avian photographer Darrell Hancock lives in New Bedford, but has family in Rochester and often visits there. On Sunday, April 5, he spotted a young Red-tailed Hawk in a bog across from Mary’s Pond. The hawk stayed on the ground for long...

Help us keep providing you with the news

In the 2-1/2 weeks since Sippican Week and its sister papers made their first plea for financial assistance to get through the lean, dark days of the coronavirus pandemic, more than 250 readers sent more than $15,000. I cannot say “thank you” often...

Marion extends tax deadline, explains beach closure logic

MARION — Town Administrator Jay McGrail has gotten a number of calls about the town’s decision to close beach parking lots, so he had Board of Health member Dr. Edward Hoffer present to Selectmen on the matter at a virtual meeting on April 7...

Rochester appoints policeman, makes quarantine life easier

ROCHESTER — The Rochester Board of Selectmen appointed a new police officer on April 6, approved a place to sanitize cloth coronavirus masks using UV light and a number of other measures that would make life easier for residents during social...

Marion Planning Board faces tricky zoning choice

MARION — The Planning Board on Monday discussed — but did not take a position on — rezoning 29 acres of Wareham Road land on which the owner wants to build a 50-unit housing complex. The land is adjacent to a 13-acre plot where Steen Realty and...

Solar developer returns to Mattapoisett

NextGen hearing
MATTAPOISETT — In a video conference meeting on April 6, the Planning Board heard a presentation from solar manufacturer NextGen about the construction of solar array farms on Bowman Road and opened public comments and questions about the project...

Annie Maxim House makes change with water

ROCHESTER — The Annie Maxim House, Inc., has started the process to connect its water supply to Middleboro, a project which it hopes to finish by the end of June. The non-profit organization provides independent living and support services to...

Marion releases mental health resources for residents

MARION — The town released a short video on April 4 with mental health tips to help residents during the period of coronavirus social distancing. The two and a half minute video featured Lieutenant Richard Nighelli, with the Marion Police Department...

Local ministers take Holy Week to the web

St. Anthony’s
Holy Week, the culmination of Christian faith, has descended upon churches in Marion, Mattapoisett and Rochester. Amidst the fears of the spread of coronavirus, ministers in the area are trying to instill hope into their congregations while trying...

Marion closes parking lots at three beaches

MARION — The town will be closing parking lots at Silvershell Beach, Planting Island and the beach at Oakdale Avenue will be closed temporarily to encourage coronavirus social distancing. The order became effective on April 3, and will be in place...

Rochester announces first coronavirus case

ROCHESTER — Town Health Director Karen Walega and Town Administrator Suzanne Szyndlar announced on April 2 that the Department of Public Health identified the first case of coronavirus in their town. The officials stated that the person with the...

Rochester Senior Center pauses meal program

ROCHESTER — The Rochester Senior Center will not serve meals from April 4 to 19 as a coronavirus prevention measure. Coastline Elderly Services will provide meals if seniors need them. To join their list, call 508-999-6400. The Rochester Senior...

Facebook groups connect residents in times of isolation

Tri-Town Buzz
Amidst social distancing measures due to the spread of coronavirus, Marion, Mattapoisett and Rochester Facebook groups are a place for social connectedness. Usually a place where users post pictures of their kids, the scenery and local happenings,...

Elizabeth Taber Library plans puzzle giveaway

MARION — The Elizabeth Taber Library will be closed for the month of April, but are organizing an effort to reach out to patrons in a safe way to keep them entertained. On April 6, from 10 a.m. to noon, the library will hold a no-touch puzzle...

Mattapoisett postpones Town Meeting, keeps election as planned

MATTAPOISETT — In a conference call meeting on April 1, the Board of Selectmen voted to postpone Town Meeting until further notice due to coronavirus concerns, but keep the Annual Town Election as scheduled and follow the lead of what the state is...

New Marion ambulance, special stretcher arrive in town

MARION — Town Administrator Jay McGrail informed Selectmen at their March 31 meeting that a new ambulance had arrived in town on March 30. The top official said that he and Select Board Chair Randy Parker got to see the ambulance, and that it would...

Volunteers patch up medical mask shortage with sewing skills

Across Mattapoisett, Rochester and Marion, residents of all ages and levels of sewing skill have been combining forces to stitch cloth versions of medical masks to send to Sippican Healthcare Center, hospitals or individuals in need. At Sippican...

Mattapoisett Selectman candidate drops out

MATTAPOISETT — Selectman candidate Kevin Ducharme has dropped out of the race with an email to Town Clerk Catherine Heuberger, he told Sippican Week on March 31. He said that the coronavirus outbreak was particularly difficult given his campaign...

Friends of Jack supports coronavirus first responders with meals

MATTAPOISETT — When faced with surgeries, police visits, switching homes in foster care and other situations that stress children out, the response from the Friends of Jack is always to give. In the face of coronavirus, their response is now to give...

For Tastebuds, a temporary closure was the best safety mechanism

MATTAPOISETT — For Tastebuds Bistro and Catering, staying open amid a coronavirus order that limited restaurants to takeout meant slashing staff sizes and menu options. Then, as cases were confirmed in town and the peak predicted for the next two...

Mattapoisett provides number of coronavirus cases

MATTAPOISETT — After initially releasing a statement on March 30 that there were coronavirus cases in town without releasing how many people were infected, officials updated that information the next day and said that there were 7 confirmed cases...

Marion approves remote meetings, delays public hearings

MARION — Municipal meetings will begin again on a remote basis next week, though public hearings will be postponed for two months as a coronavirus safety measure, Selectmen voted on March 31. Though they did not formally vote on Town Meeting, it is...

New Rochester pastor starts online amid coronavirus closure

Pastor Colby Olson, the new pastor at the First Congregational Church of Rochester, faced a huge challenge in his first service on March 15: Trying to connect with a congregation that didn’t show up to church. To be fair, he didn't show up either...

Music from Land’s End Wareham pauses 2020 summer concerts

Instead of announcing its 2020 summer concerts, Music from Land’s End Wareham announced that the series will be put on hold due to coronavirus concerns. Music From Land’s End is a summer chamber music festival that hosts concerts in Wareham and...

Shining Tides shellfishing area closed

MATTAPOISETT — Due to seasonal water quality changes, the shellfishing area at the mouth of Mattapoisett River in the town harbor will be closed from April 1 to Dec. 31. In a letter sent to the Board of Selectmen on March 30, the Division of Marine...

Marion confirms first coronavirus case

MARION — Town Administrator Jay McGrail and Health Director Karen Walega released a statement on March 30 that there is one confirmed case of coronavirus in Marion. The individual is currently in isolation, per the orders of the Massachusetts...

Mattapoisett reports confirmed coronavirus cases

The Mattapoisett Board of Health confirmed on March 30 that there are positive cases of coronavirus in town, but did not disclose the number, who was impacted or where they are being treated. At this time, the town is not able to give further...

Marion, Mattapoisett health boards suggest that travelers quarantine

In an email to residents on March 27, the Town of Marion asked that any resident, visitor or seasonal resident, who traveled to Marion from a city, airports, or other crowded area voluntarily self-quarantine for 14 days in an effort to stop the...

At Sippican River Farm, pandemic changes loom

ROCHESTER — If the shearer for Sippican River Farm finds it too cumbersome to travel up from South Carolina in the face of the coronavirus this year, the farm’s owners, Cheryl and Bronie Rozenas may have to do the huge task themselves. As of now,...

Marion Selectmen discuss adapting Town Meeting, make no decision

MARION — At a video conference meeting on March 26, the Board of Selectmen discussed the possibility of rescheduling the May 15 town meeting due to concerns over coronavirus and strategies using tools like streaming and video conferencing to avoid...

Rochester postpones annual town election

ROCHESTER — At a special video conference call meeting on March 26, the Rochester Board of Selectmen voted to postpone the April 8 annual town election due to coronavirus concerns. Selectmen did not set another date, but have a deadline to hold...

Read the 'paper' online

The March 26 eEdition of Sippican Week is now live on our site. It's a pdf version of this week's edition — looking just like the paper version. Our papers are still available at all regular distribution spots that remain open in this period of...

THANK YOU! . . . and please

For nine years, Sippican Week and its website have been free to readers. That’s not going to change. But, in this extraordinary time, we need to ask readers to help keep us up and running. Sippican Week and sister papers Wareham Week and Dartmouth...

Selectmen vote on new Atlantis Drive owner

MARION — If contract negotiations are successful, Marion Antiques and Marion Antique Auctions will buy 13 Atlantis Drive from the town for $613,000, after selectmen awarded the sale to the company on March 24. The town only received one proposal for...

Marion to keep Town House closed, postpone decision on Town Meeting

MARION — The town will keep the Town House and other municipal facilities closed through April 7, the current date that the governor has set for his coronavirus stay-in-place order to end. The decision to delay Town Meeting or the Annual Town...

Rochester riders spend time horsing around

Students at East Over Farm had one more skill to add to their riding lessons: social distancing on horseback. On Saturday March 21, three riders were spotted galloping on horses at the Equestrian Riding Center at East Over Farms in Rochester with...

Brew Fish Bar and Eatery to give out free mac and cheese

MARION — To provide support to the local community, Brew Fish Bar and Eatery will be giving out 75 containers of mac and cheese that feed three to four people for free on Wednesday, March 25 from 12 p.m. to 2 p.m. to any family or individual in need...

New orders from governor close more Tri-Town businesses

When Governor Charlie Baker ordered businesses to close for all but “essential services” and residents to cease all but essential travel on March 23, some Tri-Town businesses found themselves suddenly closed until at least April 7. There are...

Marion asks residents to write the state on wastewater project

MARION — In a notice sent to residents on March 23, the town said if Marion residents want financial assistance from the state on a $7.6 million sewer project, the time to act is now. The notice said that the state is considering an environmental...

Tri-Town residents reach out to neighbors in troubled times

As the Tri-Town came almost to a screeching halt due to coronavirus cancellations, some of its residents stepped up to make sure that others are fed, and kids cared for. The Town of Marion is keenly aware of how many of its programs involve...

Senior centers adapt to shifting roles amid coronavirus shutdown

With all three Tri-Town senior centers remain closed to events and meals in the midst of the new coronavirus, organizers have turned to distributing meals, reaching out by phone and organizing other logistics. Marion has focused heavily on making...

Marion makes coronavirus recommendations to employers

MARION — Town Administrator James McGrail and Health Director Karen Walega would like to provide guidance for Marion employers regarding business operations and resources during the COVID-19 situation. The Marion Board of Health advises all...

Finding wildflowers at the Marion Natural History Museum

MARION – The Marion Natural History Museum hosted a lecture on March 4 led by Martha “Mike” Schroeder about the different varieties of wildflowers in southeastern Massachusetts. Guests learned about native the flowers of the region, as well as...

Marion discusses nuances of coronavirus response

MARION — At a remote, emergency meeting on March 19, the Board of Selectmen signed a first responder policy for dealing with coronavirus and discussed how to gradually bring back employees and meetings after next week, but opted not to sign a...

Rochester Senior Center addresses meals, services during closure

ROCHESTER — The Rochester Senior Center remains closed to the general public. Most scheduled events that have been canceled will be rescheduled. The Senior Center staff continue to work and are arranging and providing van transportation services,...

Mattapoisett Congregational Church extends closure dates

MATTAPOISETT — The Mattapoisett Congregational Church, which had initially planed to close until March 27, will remain closed until at least April 5 to allow its parishioners to socially distance in an effort to prevent the spread of the coronavirus...

Tri-Town coronavirus cancelations

With gatherings of more than 25 prohibited by the governor to prevent the spread of coronavirus, numerous events across the Tri-Town have been postponed or canceled. They include: Tabor Academy school trips to Beijing and Copenhagen Old Rochester...

Q&A: How are you keeping busy during coronavirus?

The spread of coronavirus has shut down schools, businesses and buildings across the Tri-Town, giving people more free time in self-isolation. We want to ask, How are you keeping busy? How are you keeping calm and why? Email us your answers to...

Mattapoisett Selectmen OK Industrial Drive grant

MATTAPOISETT — Members of the Board of Selectmen unanimously voted to accept a $735,000 grant from the U.S Department of Commerce’s Economic Development Administration for improvements to Industrial Drive. In a conference call meeting broadcast on...

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