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Mattapoisett farm lets goats, humans do yoga

MATTAPOISETT — Beatrice Whalen doesn’t call herself a traveling goat yoga teacher on her business card, but she was quick to call herself that at a Mattapoisett class in the subject on July 11. She has taught yoga for 20 years and said “I love goats...

Shining Tides Beach reopens

MATTAPOISETT — A day after closing Shining Tides Beach because of dangerous contaminant levels in the water the town has reopened the beach on July 9 after a second test showed lower contaminant levels. The town wrote in a notification that “that...
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Rochester prepares for a new website

ROCHESTER — The town will get a new look, online at least, with a new website which it plans to roll out later this month. Town Administrator Suzanne Szyndlar said in a July 8 meeting with the Board of Selectmen that the website would use Civic Plus...

Families receive free, farm-fresh food each week

Each week, nearly 200 families receive twenty pound boxes of fresh, high-quality produce -- and it's all free. The boxes are part of the Farmers to Families program, which is a collaboration between Sid Wainer & Sons, the Marion Institute’s...

Read the July 9 paper online

The July 9 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 pandemic period...

Cases low, precautions important as towns move into phase 3

Gyms, museums, libraries and theaters are allowed to open in phase three of the state’s coronavirus reopening plan, but not all of them will. The phase started on July 6. While cases are currently low, with 37 in Mattapoisett and 39 in Rochester...

Marion Public Health Nurse resigns

MARION — After ten years as Public Health Nurse Kathy Downey turned in a letter of resignation to the Board of Health on July 7. She plans to leave about the third week of August. Board member Edward Hoffer brought up the topic by saying that he was...

Marion passes new sewer regulations

MARION — It’s official: the town will take steps to reduce the nitrogen runoff in its sewage after a year of study and feedback on whether to do so. The Board of Health adopted the new regulations at a July 7 meeting after reviewing the 21 comments...

Mattapoisett teen beats deathly lung illness

MATTAPOISETT — To most, Kaidin Young looks like a teenager on a modified bicycle. To those who know him, simply being able to ride is a miracle in and of itself. Young went through a near-fatal bout with lung issues led to a 7.5 month stint in...

Book returns now available at Elizabeth Taber Library

MARION — The Elizabeth Taber Library is now accepting returns after a months long hiatus due to coronavirus restrictions. Returns can be made at the bins provided in front of the book drop, Monday to Thursday from noon to 4 p.m. Curbside pick-up has...

Mattapoisett Harbormaster launches new patrol boat

MATTAPOISETT — As residents put their boats in the water on the Fourth of July, the Mattapoisett Harbormaster put its new patrol boat in the water too. “It absolutely feels amazing,” to have the new boat in the water, said Harbormaster Jamie...

Marion Recreation starts yoga, tennis, sailing summer programs

MARION — The town’s recreation programs will begin to hold yoga sessions, private tennis and private sailing lessons. Programs are open and available to the public. Registration for sailing and tennis are first come, first served. No pre-...

Mattapoisett pediatric charity spreads cheer with signs

MATTAPOISETT — To spread some love and happiness in stressful and unusual time, the Friends of Jack, a pediatric charity, is stealthily putting up playful lawn signs to surprise Tri-Town residents. Jilline Fearons started the foundation in 2016 to...

Read this week’s ‘paper’ online

The July 2 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.

Mattapoisett Police Department main entrance to temporarily close

MATTAPOISETT — Due to construction of the new fire station, the main entrance to the police station on Route 6 will be closed to the public on or about July 17 th until further notice. People having business at the police station are to use the...

Mattapoisett Selectmen discuss temporary covid budget

MATTAPOISETT — In the face of decreasing state aid, the town will focus on lowering revenue funds for its fiscal year 2021 budget to leave stabilization funds untouched. Former Town Administrator Michael Gagne appeared at the June 30 Selectmen’s...

Ground broken on new Mattapoisett Fire Station

MATTAPOISETT — An event 40 years in the making, ground was broken on the town’s new fire station behind the police department on June 30. “To say this is a long time coming would be an understatement,” said Fire Chief Andrew Murray to the crowd. The...

Metal mailbox man spreads joy throughout the seasons

ROCHESTER — With Fourth of July events canceled, residents are trying to show their support for the nation on their own terms. One man is proudly standing on Walnut Plain Road with a hat, a flag and a mailbox in hand. Meet Ollie, the metal man who...

Sippican Historical Society donates $150,000 to Town House project

MARION — Selectmen and Town Administrator Jay McGrail were grateful and excited when they voted to accept a $150,000 donation from the Sippican Historical Society to fund work on the Town House renovation project. Selectman John Waterman said at a...

Marion incumbents sweep contested races

MARION — In a June 26 election, voters chose to re-elect an incumbent Selectman, Planning Board members and an experienced assessor over a newcomer who challenged them. Selectman Norm Hills, Planning Board members Eileen Marum, Chris Collings and...

First Congregational Church of Marion summer fair canceled

The First Congregational Church of Marion Annual Summer Fair is canceled this year due to the coronavirus pandemic. The church hopes to see fairgoers next year on the church grounds and out in the street. Fortunately, the church has a donated 12-...

Mattapoisett author catches 31 pound striped bass

MATTAPOISETT — Eddie Doherty of Mattapoisett, an author and retired District Court Clerk-Magistrate, caught this 31 pound striped bass on June 23 at first light on the Cape Cod Canal. He writes under the pen name of East End Eddie and is the author...

Mattapoisett skatepark temporarily closed for fire station construction

MATTAPOISETT — The town’s skatepark closed on April 16 as a coronavirus precaution, but it will remain closed until the completion of the Fire Department’s new station which is being built nearby. Town Administrator Michael Lorenco said in an email...

Truck drives off Mattapoisett’s Town Wharf

MATTAPOISETT — A slip of the foot from the break to the gas on Mattapoisett’s narrow Town Wharf landed a pickup truck driver in the water on June 25. The Harbormaster’s Department got a call at about 6:30 a.m. of a truck in the water off Long Wharf...

Rochester moves toward in-person meetings

ROCHESTER — After a successful in-person Town Meeting, two Rochester boards are planning meetings face-to-face (or at least hybrid) again, while town officials are still working to reopen Town Hall. Selectman Chair Paul Ciaburri opened a June 24...

Rochester Library Director serving as SAILS board president

ROCHESTER — Joseph H. Plumb Library Director Gail Roberts will be President of the Board of Directors for the SAILS library network for the next year. All three Tri-Town libraries are members of the network. Roberts had been a member of the board...

Selectmen urge beachgoers to pick up trash, park cars safely

MATTAPOISETT — After receiving multiple complaints from residents, Selectmen and Town Administrator Michael Lorenco urged residents at a June 22 meeting to pick up their trash at the beach and follow all posted parking guidlines. Selectman Jordan...

Mattapoisett Select Board approve temporary town budget

MATTAPOISETT — Selectmen approved a one-twelfth budget of approximately $4.95 million at a June 23 meeting to hold the town over for July. Selectmen can operate on a temporary budget for three months, and the budget is reassessed and reapproved...

Bike path project to roll on

MATTAPOISETT — Construction stopped on the bike path that will connect Mattapoisett to Marion during the peak of coronavirus. But the 1B phase of construction is now underway, and the town hopes to have the full path operational by late fall if all...

Rochester Planning Board hears about a solar array on a bog

ROCHESTER — The Planning Board heard about new plans for a small solar array to be installed with a cranberry bog improvement project off of Pierce Street. Sarah Stearns from Beals and Thomas engineering and architecture firm appeared before the...

17 approvals, six feet apart at Rochester Town Meeting

ROCHESTER — Though the setup looked different, Town Meeting at Rochester Memorial School went on without a hitch, and 82 residents passed 17 out of the 20 articles on the warrant in a little over an hour. The June 22 meeting, originally scheduled...

Marion Town Meeting: 3 rooms, linked by Zoom, 54 approvals

MARION — Talking across three rooms with the aid of Zoom, Town Meeting decided to start design work for a new Department of Public Works building, construct a new inclusive playground at Sippican School and pavilion at Osprey Marsh, and take the...

Marion to decide four contested positions in election

Marion has by far the most contested races of any of the three towns this year, with four contested positions to be decided at its June 26 election. Voters will choose between multiple candidates for Selectmen, Planning Board, Assessors and two...

Protestors march for black lives in Marion

MARION — Protestors from the Tri-Town Against Racism group gathered in Marion on June 20 to make their voices heard, and to tell their own stories and the stories of children and friends. The group met near Tabor’s Wickenden Chapel and marched down...

YMCA, Covanta-SEMASS team up to bring fruits and veggies to families

Covanta-SEMASS teamed up with the Gleason Family YMCA on Friday to bring boxes of fresh fruits and vegetables to families. The Farmers to Families program, which gives free boxes of produce to local families, was funded by a USDA grant to...

Daycares across the Tri-Town work to reopen

There’s no such thing as a standard pandemic experience for a daycare. Some daycares in the Tri-Town have been able to stay open to care for the children of essential workers, while others have had to close completely. But all now face the same...

Incumbent selectman will serve another three years in Rochester

ROCHESTER — Current Selectman Woody Harley was re-elected for another three years by a margin of 229 votes. Out of the 1,157 votes that were cast, Hartley got 570, Adam Murphy got 341 and Christopher Faustino got 229 in the only contested race. For...

John DeCosta wins Mattapoisett Selectman seat by 81 votes

MATTAPOISETT — John DeCosta won a seat on the Board of Selectmen at the town’s June 16 election with 54% of the vote. Out of the 1,119 votes cast for the seat, DeCosta took in 600 votes, beating out Tyler Macallister who had 519 ballots cast for him...

Fieldstone Farm Market gets wine and malt license

MARION — Fieldstone Farm Market will start selling wine and some beers, after Selectmen approved the market for a retail package good license on June 16. Selectman John Waterman said that the town can only give out five licenses to sell beer and...

Board of Health hears comments on proposed sewer change

MARION — The Board of Health opened a hearing on proposed changes to sewer regulations and heard one argument for and against the proposal at a June 16 meeting. It will continue the hearing until July 7 to allow more time for feedback. The new...

Marion Board of Health hears, acts on coronavirus update

MARION — Though the town is well into the reopening phase, the Board of Health heard coronavirus updates and addressed some concerns with the illness. The Board discussed an issue with the town’s use of N95 masks. These masks are supposed to be...

Marion Selectmen give update, talk future Town House work

MARION — Selectmen and Town Administrator Jay McGrail gave updates on current and future Town House renovation projects at a June 16 meeting. McGrail said that the current renovations on the exterior of the Town House are 90% complete, however...

Wareham ice cream business eyes Marion spot for second shop

MARION — Patrick’s Candy Pantry may have a sweet successor in Gone Country Ice Cream, which came before the Planning Board on June 15 to request permission to open behind Tri-Town Barbershop. Bryanne Tucy runs a shop in Wareham, and came before the...

Marion, Rochester to present smaller budgets, consider savings at Town Meetings

Town Meetings in Marion and Rochester will convene in a socially-distanced fashion on June 22 to vote on budgets for a year still shrouded in coronavirus uncertainty and to conduct a range of other town business. In Marion that means requests to...

State, county begin mosquito prevention measures

Following last year’s EEE (Eastern Equine Encephalitis) outbreak, which sent a Rochester man to the hospital for seven months, the state and county are working to mitigate the mosquito population. The Plymouth County Mosquito Control Program is...

Rochester protestors listen to black voices

ROCHESTER — A peaceful march from Plumb Corner to the Police Department offered participants the chance to hear black perspectives, experiences and truths. After taking about an hour to assemble late in the afternoon of June 12, and showing signs to...

Mattapoisett restaurants approved to open outdoor seating

MATTAPOISETT — Just in time for the start of summer, restaurants across town will be able to reopen their doors for in-person dining with outdoor seating. Selectmen gave the final approval at a June 11 meeting after representatives from the Police,...

Marion Selectmen to review Town Meeting articles with the public

MARION — Town Administrator Jay McGrail and the Marion Board of Selectmen will hold a virtual pre-Town Meeting information session to tell the public about what will come up at Annual Town Meeting. The session will be held June 15 from 5:30 to 7 p.m...

Marion Town House to partially reopen, with extra guidance

MARION — The town is planning on a limited reopening for all departments and facilities except the Community Center on Monday, June 15. Normal Town House hours will resume on this date. Per state guidelines, everyone entering the Town House is...

Read this week’s “paper” online

The June 11 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 pandemic period...

Elizabeth Taber Library to begin contactless pickup, restart programs

MARION — The Elizabeth Taber Library will begin offering contactless curbside pickup of Marion materials starting Tuesday June 23. Pick-up opportunities can be made by appointment on Tuesdays and Wednesdays from 12 to 4 p.m. and Saturdays from noon...

Developer, gas station owner working out traffic issue

ROCHESTER — After threatening to take a road use dispute to court at a prior meeting, the developer of a 208 housing development and owner of an adjacent gas station and market on County Road told the Planning Board on June 9 that they had likely...

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