#coronavirus

Old Rochester Regional releases full reopening plan

MATTAPOISETT — The Old Rochester Regional School District released a detailed, 49-page draft plan of how it will implement a hybrid learning model for the 2020-2021 school year. Students will be broken up into two cohorts by last name. On Mondays,...

Old Colony to use hybrid learning for reopening

ROCHESTER — After working on a plan since May with over 70 people involved in the process, Old Colony Regional Vocational Technical High School announced that it will resume classes in the fall online and in-person. The July 30 announcement included...
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Guest Opinion: Want to contain covid? Don’t let your guard down

Massachusetts remains among a handful of states that have contained the spread of the Covid-19 outbreak, sickening more than 3 million Americans. But continued vigilance will be essential for a year or longer until a successful vaccine and effective...

Marion Town Party canceled

MARION — The July 14 Selectmen’s meeting was historic both because it was the first in-person meeting in Marion since March, when coronavirus restrictions switched everything to teleconferencing and because the board said Town Party would be...

Rochester musician livestreams concert into virtual reality headsets

MATTAPOISETT — Live streamed concerts are common in times of coronavirus, but Rochester resident and Wareham native Grace Morrison took the concept to a new level on July 10 with a virtual reality concert that concert goers could stream straight...

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 Council on Aging offers limited in-person programs again

MARION — The Council on Aging will look to re-start some of its fitness programs outside and in a socially distanced manner in July, and has started a gardening and giveaway initiative to cautiously return from social distancing. Meditation will be...

Restaurants resume indoor dining at a distance

Restaurants faced ingredient shortages, takeout order backups and added safety measures during the takeout-only phase of the coronavirus shutdown, which makes reopening for more standard dining a relief. “We’re just glad to be open and glad to serve...

Retailers reflect on reopening process

Frank Fletcher started working at the Marion Sports Shop in the early 1950s and has been the owner since 1966. In all his time there, he has never seen a business disruptor such as the coronavirus pandemic. As businesses open back up, owners and...

Tabor Academy to change class schedule because of virus

MARION — Tabor Academy may temporarily alter its academic schedule and physically alter buildings and movement patterns around campus as coronavirus prevention measures when students return. The school has been communicating with students every two...

Athletes return to the baseball field – precautions still in place

ROCHESTER — Baseball players have returned to the field on Dexter Lane to sharpen their skills, but full-fledged games are not allowed yet, and athletes and coaches are taking precautions against the coronavirus. The American Legion Baseball League...

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...

Marion develops coronavirus precautions for Town Meeting, election

MARION — Town Meeting and the Annual Town Election will be a bit different this year, as the town takes precautions to avoid spreading coronavirus. Annual Town Meeting is scheduled for Monday, June 22 at 6:45 p.m. The meeting will still be at...

Mattapoisett COA gets update on slow reopening

MATTAPOISETT — Council on Aging Director Jackie Coucci doesn’t expect to open the building fully until July or August, but gave board members a look into the planning process at a June 4 meeting. Coucci said that much of the challenge of reopening...

Mattapoisett Road Race extends signup period

MATTAPOISETT — The town’s Road Race has extended the signup period for its modified road race by a month from June 1 to July 1. Although there will be no in-person race this year, the Road Race committee encourages runners to get out and exercise...

Tri-Town Medical Workers describe experiences with coronavirus

The coronavirus pandemic has placed incredible strain on the healthcare system and been a universal problem for healthcare workers. Yet, each doctor, nurse and pharmacist has their own story. Here are three from Tri-Town residents. *** In...

Busy first week for reopening businesses

Tri-Town residents can now ride a horse, fix a clock, get a haircut, or get their dog a trim, all things they couldn’t do just a few weeks ago under coronavirus restrictions. And while reopening hasn’t been easy for all small business owners, it has...

Rochester working to reopen Town Hall

ROCHESTER — The town is allowed to open its Town Hall, but plans to take more time to do it safely. Per the coronavirus guidance from the state, municipal buildings are allowed to reopen, at 25% of their full occupancy. In Rochester the limit is...

Mattapoisett Recreation cancels summer programs

MATTAPOISETT — The town’s recreation department, in consultation with the Town Administrator and Health Agent, decided June 1 to cancel summer recreation programs. Recreation Director Greta Fox said she made the decision because it would be...

Paramedics make vital changes to protect staff

Coming out of the coronavirus surge mentality but with precautions in place for the foreseeable future, calls for Emergency Medical Teams have become more complicated, both for first responders and for those who have to decide whether to make that...

Cookie, can donations help scouts make up for lost fundraising

It’s the time of the year when Girl Scouts sell cookies, and Boy Scouts have their annual yard sale to raise money for activities throughout the year. But Melissa Garde Root, the Cookie Mom, or the leader in charge of all of the cookies, for...

Buzzards Bay Musicfest pushed to 2021

MARION — Given the ongoing restrictions related to Covid-19, the Buzzards Bay Musicfest concert series this July has been postponed to July 2021. The event has provided classical and jazz music in Marion for 23 summers. The festival will be held...

Workers in Marion, Mattapoisett bid goodbye to pet colleagues

Workers in Marion and Mattapoisett returned to the Town House, Town Hall and other places of work on May 26, though the Town House is still closed to the public. For pet owners, this meant saying goodbye to a unique set of coworkers… at least until...

Mattapoisett Board of Health discusses how to handle summer residents

MATTAPOISETT — With the weather warming up, temporary residents will soon be coming back to their vacation homes for the summer, which could be a problem in the face of a pandemic. Town Public Health Nurse Amanda Stone explained to board members at...

Marion Recreation cancels summer programs

MARION — The coronavirus pandemic has led Jody Dickerson to one of the most difficult programming decisions he has ever made: cancelling all summer programs for 2020. Dickerson came before the Board of Selectmen to inform them of his choice at a May...

Mattapoisett reopens Town Hall to public

MATTAPOISETT — After closing to the public for nine weeks, Town Hall is now open to the public in a socially-safe fashion from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. “I think these hours will work wonders for the town,” said Town Administrator Michael Lorenco, adding...

Old Colony to hold July graduation ceremony

ROCHESTER — Though they may not be able to celebrate their graduation as they normally would in early June, seniors at Old Colony will be honored the next month during their senior week, ending with graduation on July 19. On July 13, seniors will...

Marion holds pared-down Memorial Day service

MARION — Marion held a pared-down version of its Memorial Day service, to avoid spreading coronavirus Captain Andrew Bonney led the ceremony, which included Selectman Chairman Randy Parker laying the wreath at the monument at Old Landing while Chris...

Rochester church starts in-person services again

ROCHESTER — The First Congregational Church of Rochester’s website calls it “the church on the green,” but starting May 24, church is held literally on the green. The parish’s leadership team decided to reopen, even as the Mattaposiett...

New Kindergarten process disrupted by pandemic

MARION — Doreen Lopes, the Old Rochester Regional Early Childhood Coordinator, worked with teachers to try to think of everything in designing a new transition program to Kindergarten earlier this year. Everything except for a pandemic. The new...

Marion hires new health agent amidst pandemic

MARION — Hired on May 21, the town’s new Health Agent, David Flaherty, is ready to hit the ground rolling amid a coronavirus pandemic. Flaherty has 18 years of public health experience and has been working with the town as a consultant since Health...

Book fairies, virtual spirit week cheer up students at Sippican School

MARION — Though a pandemic is keeping teachers and students at Sippican School physically apart, administrators are working hard to give back to students and the Marion community, and to keep students and teachers connected through optional Zoom...

Silvershell Beach parking lot to reopen on May 22

MARION — Though state park parking lots and beaches aren’t open yet, the Marion Board of Health voted at a video meeting on May 19 to reopen the parking lot to Silvershell Beach on May 22. Stickers will be required for entry and the town has worked...

Marion Board of Selectmen talk reopening town

MARION — In a May 19 video meeting on a wide range of topics, Selectmen met with the Board of Health, set Town Meeting date for June 22, the election for June 26 and announced the Town House will be fully staffed but closed to the public starting...

Mattapoisett Lions cancel Harbor Days

MATTAPOISETT — The Mattapoisett Lions Club has voted to cancel all of its Harbor Days activities for 2020. “It is with heavy hearts that the Mattapoisett Lions Club’s Board of Directors has voted to cancel all Harbor Days 2020 events. This is a...

Eli and the Amazing Technicolor House

MATTAPOISETT — To cheer up neighbors during the coronavirus pandemic, six-year-old Eli Rickson used his imagination to go above and beyond the normal lawn sign or window drawing. He asked his parents, Sarah Storer and Dave Rickson, if they could...

Rochester adjusts budget for a pandemic

ROCHESTER — State budget cuts will likely hit hard in the next few years, but Rochester is in a good place to weather them, the Town Administrator and Finance Committee say. The two met on May 18 to discuss a revised town budget in light of the...

Planning, impatience, confidence from stores, towns as state reopens

Towns are taking advantage of time to plan before they can reopen next week under new state guidelines. Some businesses are putting their hard-earned coronavirus strategies to good use, while others hoped for more freedoms. Governor Charlie Baker...

Marion Art Center starts new discussion group

MARION — The Marion Art Center’s new monthly program, ArtTalk at the MAC, is similar to a book club, with a chance to discuss art but no prior knowledge required. The first session of #ArtTalkattheMAC is scheduled on Thursday, May 28 at 7 p.m. It...

Cat shelter goes contactless for adoptions

ROCHESTER — “It’s All About the Animals,” a volunteer-run cat shelter, is now offering online and contactless adoptions for its cats. Adoptions will be offered on a first-come, first-serve basis. Volunteers review each application, and those that...

Old Colony vocational teachers shift gears for online learning

At Old Colony Regional Vocational Technical High School, the mechanic shop is closed, the pulses of light in the welding shop can’t be seen, and patrons aren’t waiting for a haircut. But that doesn’t mean students aren’t learning the trades that...

Animal hospitals work through pandemic ruff patch

Cats have nine lives, and dog’s are a man’s best friend, but coronavirus has put a stressful burden on local animal hospitals who work to make sure those cats stay alive and those dogs are still around to be best friends with their owners. From a...

Mattapoisett Land Trust to hold online Annual Meeting

As a coronavirus prevention measure the Mattapoisett Land Trust will conduct its 2020 Annual Meeting using Zoom on Sunday June 14 at 4 p.m. Members may call in to the meeting using a computer, tablet or smart phone. To register for the meeting (pre-...

Library to host book, seed, puzzle giveaway

MARION — This Friday 5/22 from 10 a.m. to noon the Elizabeth Taber Library will be holding a free giveaway of books, puzzles, and seeds. Children, middle readers and young adult materials are available. The library asks that participants wear a face...

Employees at Sippican Healthcare have confirmed, suspected covid cases

MARION — Sippican Healthcare Center has one confirmed case of coronavirus in an employee, but that individual is not working and no residents appear to have caught the virus as of May 19. On May 16, Sippican Healthcare Center reported one confirmed...

Church celebrates pastor’s doctorate

MATTPOISETT — Rev. Dr. Amy Lignitz Harken did her doctoral project on talking circles and faced with coronavirus restrictions her parish at the Mattapoisett Congregational Church found perhaps the perfect way to honor her: driving around in a circle...

Mattapoisett Selectmen devise policy to keep masks on in stores

MATTAPOISETT — Selectman Paul Silva said that he had more complaints about employees and customers not wearing masks in stores than any other issue in his 11 or 12 years as Selectman. So, he asked at a May 14 meeting how to resolve it. Town...

Mattapoisett juggles budget a bit for coronavirus

MATTAPOISETT — Coronavirus has caused a bit of last-minute budget juggling to deal with unexpected expenses and a potential lack of future aid. At a May 14 Board of Selectmen meeting, Town Administrator Michael Lorenco said the town’s strategy in...

Health provider gives small boost to ORR meals program

The Old Rochester Regional School District has received $500 from the Harvard Pilgrim Health Care Foundation mini-grant program for its coronavirus meals program. Mary Ellen Conlon, an employee of Harvard Pilgrim Health Care nominated the school for...

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