News

News

After almost a decade, Mattapoisett Holy Ghost Committee plans renovation for community use

MATTAPOISETT — The Holy Ghost Reuse Committee is looking to resurrect the original spirit of the 7.8 acres land that was once used as a community gathering space. Clambakes, religious holidays and public events on the grounds were documented as far...

‘Abs-olutely’ crushing it: Old Rochester alum competes in Arnold Sports Festival

MATTAPOISETT — Since his time at Old Rochester Regional High School, David Reynolds, 22, continues to see the fruits of his athletic talents that first got their start on the school’s track and field team. Beginning his athletic career in the 7th...

Get to know Tri-Town’s new State Rep. Mark Sylvia

Newly elected State Rep. Mark Sylvia began his first term in January, representing Marion, Rochester, Mattapoisett and the rest of the 10th Bristol District. Sylvia, a Democrat, took over from longtime Democrat Bill Straus, who served the district...

Initial design for new Rochester fire station approaches finalization

ROCHESTER — After receiving approval for $55,000 worth of funding for site work at the Rochester Special Town Meeting, the new fire station is now a step closer to finalizing initial design work. An update on the site work and design process was...

Old Rochester receives an innovating grant

MATTAPOISETT — The Healey-Driscoll Administration will be awarding $1 million in Innovation Career Pathway grants to 29 school districts, including Old Rochester Regional School District. This funding will enable the school district to plan and...

Lending an ear

MARION — New technology is now available at the Cushing Community Center, located at 465 Mill Street, for anyone experiencing hearing loss, the Friends of Marion Council on Aging announced. This new ADA-compliant technology has been installed after...

Citizen petition could expand Mattapoisett Select Board to five members

MATTAPOISETT — Nicki Demakis’s new citizen petition could transform the way the Mattapoisett government operates, which she believes would be of the best interest for the town’s citizens. Demakis has been paying attention to the changes around her,...

Taber Library to open back up on March 24

MARION — The Elizabeth Taber Library will be closed Monday, March 3 to Friday, March 7 to accommodate its move back to the library building. Due to ongoing construction and improvement efforts the building will remain closed to the public from...

Marion Harbormaster Department calls off proposed harbor fees

MARION — Amid contentious public meetings and receiving backlash from Marion residents, the Harbormaster Department and Marine Resource Commission ultimately decided to drop their proposal to establish additional permit fees for vessels in Sippican...

Quiet start to Rochester election season

ROCHESTER — There are 15 open seats on the Rochester ballot in the upcoming May 28 election, with five incumbents taking out nomination papers so far. It’s still pretty early on in the race as candidates have until April 21 at 5 p.m. to take out...

Tabor Academy oil spill ignites search for mysterious tank

MARION — When plumbers first entered the basement of Tabor Academy’s Lillard Hall on Wednesday, Jan. 8, the first thing they noticed was the smell. A rich, greasy scent emanated from the ground where they could see the wetness of the basement...

Mattapoisett election season begins as incumbents and newcomers join the race

With almost three months to go until election day May 20 in Mattapoisett, things are quiet so far. The deadline for candidates to take out nomination is Friday, March 28. Candidates then have until Thursday, April 1 to return them. Jordan Collyer...

Body cameras are part of a new Rochester police union contract

ROCHESTER — Rochester Police will now be required to wear body cameras according to the new police union contract, which was approved by the Select Board Monday, Feb. 24. Set to go into effect July 1, T own Administrator Cam Durant said this policy...

Incumbents and newcomers secure nomination papers in Marion election

MARION — The town of Marion has 10 seats available on the 2025 ballot for the election taking place on Friday, May 16, including one Select Board seat and two school committees seats for Old Rochester and Marion, respectively. Nominations are not...

Bottoms up! Joel Sullivan opens new wine store in Marion

MARION — Elegant rows of rosé, stacks of craft beer and wine tasting are just a few amenities offered at Rochester resident Joel Sullivan’s new wine store, J. Sull Wine, located in Marion at 119 Wareham Road. Sullivan grew up in Wareham and ran the...

Marion Harbormaster Department hosts open house for new facility

MARION — After almost five years of meticulous planning and construction, the Marion Harbormaster Department showcased its new facility at an open house on Saturday, Feb. 22. A crowd of Marion residents and harbormaster employees gathered at the new...

Marion Harbormaster and police sergeant awarded for life-saving rescue

MARION — After 19-year-old Jordan Haims fell overboard at Silvershell Beach and suffered from severe hypothermia, Harbormaster Adam Murphy and Marion Police Sgt. Larry Savery led a rescue effort that ultimately saved Haims’ life. Murphy and Savery...

Rochester appoints new town planner

ROCHESTER — Michaela Shoemaker, of Marion, was appointed to Rochester Town Planner by the Select Board Tuesday, Feb. 18. This appointment comes after the December departure of Nancy Durfee, who is now serving in the role in Lakeville. Shoemaker isn’...

Residents remain concerned with proposed Marion historic district

MARION — Following a contentious meeting in January, the Marion Historic District Study Committee sought to make changes to a proposed bylaw that would potentially create a historic district in Marion. However, residents continued to voice their...

Yes, Chef! Old Colony scores big wins at Massachusetts ProStart Invitational

ROCHESTER — Creating innovative restaurant menus, crafting decadent layers of glaze and blood orange caviar and pan searing duck breast were just a few of the techniques practiced by Old Colony Regional Vocational Technical High School students in...

Black History Month story walk Feb. 22

MATTAPOISETT — The Mattapoisett Land Trust and the Tri Town Against Racism Organization will celebrate Black History Month with a story walk at 11 a.m. Saturday, Feb, 22. The walk will start at the Mattapoisett Land Trust preserve property near the...

Harbor invoices due

MATTAPOISETT — Harbor invoices for the 2025 boating season are now due. For anyone with an email address on file, an invitation from the new vendor, Town Moorings, was sent during the first week of December. This email contained a link to set up an...

Planting a seed: Group, library support vegetable gardening

MARION — Vegging out over the winter may be tempting, but it’s not too early to make plans for a vegetable garden. Community Veg Marion and Friends of Elizabeth Tabor Library want to help residents grow food. The Elizabeth Tabor Library offers free...

Taking off the gloves: South Coast Self Defense hosts free class in Mattapoisett

MATTAPOISETT — For 8-year-old Ava Gagliardi and her mom Kelly, taking self-defense classes is a matter of health and safety, which Kelly describes as the “number one” priority for her family. “It makes us feel better by knowing what moves to do if...

Fighter Pilot: Goat goes from small to spicy

MATTAPOISETT – Pilot is one tough kid. Shortly after the goat’s birth in June 2023, he weighed barely a pound. His siblings, in comparison, weighed in at a hefty two to four pounds. To put Pilot’s size in perspective, he was just about the same...

Marion Art Center features ‘Fiber Fusion’ exhibit

MARION — Weaving, quilting and collage are just a few of the techniques featured at the Marion Art Center’s newest exhibit, Fiber Fusion. Showcasing the work of five artists, the exhibit features pieces done in mixed media textile and fiber...

Mattapoisett Council on Aging Director announces retirement after almost 14 years

MATTAPOISETT — After over a decade of serving the community of Mattapoisett, Council on Aging Director Jacqueline Seney announced her retirement from the position starting in June. “This has probably been the best job anybody could ask for,” said...

It’s sNOw Problem: Tri-town pulls through weekend storm with no significant issues

Despite getting submerged in approximately 4 inches of snow and ice, the tri-town area was largely unaffected by emergency incidents on Saturday, Feb. 8 and Sunday, Feb. 9. Mattapoisett Fire Department Chief Andrew Murray said the department did not...

Art and activism: Tri-town students honor Black History Month

MATTAPOISETT — Toni Morrison, Marie Maynard Daly and Kendrick Lamar were among the figures honored in student submitted artwork that decorated the Mattapoisett Free Public Library on Saturday, Feb. 8 for Tri-Town Against Racism’s fifth annual...

State influenza cases reaches its highest peak in five years

MARION — The rate of “influenza-like illness visits and influenza-associated hospitalizations” in Massachusetts is at its highest peak in five years, according to the Massachusetts Department of Public Health. “The percentage right now is actually...

Old Rochester Regional students win Emerging Young Artists Award

ROCHESTER — Out of 800 submissions for the Emerging Young Artists Awards, Old Rochester Regional High School students Alexis Barber and Dayvie Zuckerman were among 103 artists selected for the annual juried art contest and exhibition held at the...

Suspected bird flu cases spotted in Marion

MARION — Like a duck to water, Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza, also known as bird flu, is rapidly infecting animals across Massachusetts with several birds in Marion recently euthanized due to suspicion of infection. “There have been a few geese...

Marion Select Board begins plans for town’s 175th anniversary

MARION — Founded in 1852, the town of Marion will turn 175 in 2027. In preparation for the town’s anniversary, the Marion Select Board discussed creating a committee to organize events on Tuesday, Feb. 4. Potential events could include a time...

Adding fuel to the fireworks: Marion considers reinstating firework committee

MARION — Fourth of July in Marion could be a real blast, as the Marion Select Board considers reinstating the previously disbanded firework committee. “It’s not a cheap endeavor,” said Geoffrey Gorman, Marion town administrator. The total cost for...

Select Board delays vote on Marion harbor permits amid concerns

MARION — Discussion of harbor permits, additional fees and ongoing issues in Sippican Harbor sparked backlash from residents at Marion Select Board’s meeting on Thursday, Jan. 30, ultimately resulting in delaying the vote until Tuesday, Feb. 25...

Marion voters can now run for elected positions

MARION — Marion’s Annual Town Meeting will be held on Monday, May 12 and will be followed by the Town Election on Friday, May 16. There is one available elected position for the Board of Assessors, Board of Health, Select Board, Marion School...

Massachusetts experiences bird flu outbreak, residents advised to take caution

An outbreak of highly pathogenic avian influenza, also known as bird flu, caused the death of Canada geese, swans and other birds across Massachusetts with preliminary positive cases of the H5N1 virus confirmed in multiple locations. While the H5N1...

Creating winter habitats with the Marion museum

MARION — The Marion Natural History Museum hosted an afterschool program, “ Creating a Winter Habitat,’’ Wednesday, Jan. 22. Winter can create some survival difficulties for area animals. In this program, participants created winter habitats for...

One-way no longer considered for Mattapoisett Village project

MATTAPOISETT — A one-way designation is no longer under consideration for Water Street in the reconstruction project planned for the streets of Mattapoisett Village, VHB representative Greg Russell confirmed at the Select Board meeting Tuesday, Jan...

Funding for Rochester Police Department, Fire Station and more approved at Special Town Meeting

ROCHESTER — Residents packed into the Rochester Memorial School auditorium on Monday, Jan. 27, with 254 voters sitting shoulder to shoulder as they approved spending over half a million dollars for seven different projects at the Special Town...

Rochester voters strike down zoning law changes

ROCHESTER — Voters at the Jan. 27 Special Town Meeting rejected two changes to the zoning bylaws that would have created additional housing regulations in the town. Voters struck down an article that would have regulated short term rentals such as...

Rochester voters approve operational changes to town government

ROCHESTER — At the Jan. 27 Special Town Meeting, voters approved a series of changes to the structure and operations of town government, including removing the position of Town Clerk from the ballot. Voters approved an article to transition the...

Over the moon at Elizabeth Taber Library

MARION — Stacks of tissue paper, bottles of Elmer’s glue and oreos covered the activity tables at Elizabeth Taber Library on Saturday, Jan. 25 in preparation for their first ever full moon party. Maci Logan, Mila Logan and their father David sat at...

Marion harbormaster facility is now ‘open for public access’

MARION — Marion’s highly anticipated new harbormaster facility is now open to the public following a passing elevator inspection, announced Marion Town Administrator Geoff Gorman at the Marion Select Board meeting on Wednesday, Jan. 22. For the...

Marion begins talking accessory dwelling units, rentals

MARION — The Marion Planning Board is getting ready to propose its version of the accessory dwelling unit bylaw, but is looking for ways to simultaneously protect existing rentals. In August 2024, Massachusetts passed the Affordable Homes Act and...

Residents find proposed historic district and commission ‘arbitrary’

MARION — Arbitrary. That’s the word many residents of the proposed historic district in Marion used to describe the recommended bylaw , focusing on preservation and protection, at the Public Hearing held at the Council on Aging Wednesday, Jan. 15...

Child care available during Rochester Special Town Meeting

ROCHESTER — Child care will be available for those attending the Rochester Special Town Meeting at 7 p.m. on Monday, Jan. 27. Child care will be available in the PTO Room at Rochester Middle School during the meeting. Children will be engaged in a...

Rochester Special Town Meeting to address rentals, solar, town employees, future projects

ROCHESTER — Voters will make a decision on the role of the Town Administrator, short term rental and solar development restrictions as well as spending for several projects at the Monday, Jan. 27 Special Town Meeting at 7 p.m. in Rochester Memorial...

Changes to fees, invoicing proposed for Marion harbor permits

MARION — Harboromaster Adam Murphy says too much of his department's time is spent chasing the ownership of unpermitted, unregistered boats in Sippican Harbor. To fix the problem, he has proposed revisions to the waterways regulations that would...

Mattapoisett Select Board to proceed with new building commissioner

MATTAPOISETT — In a unanimous vote Tuesday night, Jan. 14, the Mattapoisett Select Board voted to proceed with Bill McGrady in their search for a new Building Commissioner and will start by making reference checks. McGrady began working in...

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