#coronavirus

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...
Most Popular

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...

Glenn Gardiner fundraiser postponed

Due to coronavirus restrictions on public gatherings, the fundraising event for Old Rochester Regional High School basketball coach Glenn Gardiner is rescheduled to Sunday Sept. 13 at 6:30 p.m. at the Century House. The comedy night will benefit...

Rochester to hold modified Memorial Day Boat Race

ROCHESTER — The Memorial Day Boat Race will continue in a shorter form, and without any of the events that usually precede or follow it it. The Rochester Board of Health has allowed the Fire Department to sponsor the Boat Race this year, but with...

[Photos]: High schools show seniors signs of support

All three Tri-Town high schools have taken signs of support quite literally when it comes to their seniors, providing them with lawn signs to build class pride even when students can’t be in class. Mattapoisett business Village Signs made and...

Mattapoisett Lions verdict on Harbor Days coming soon

MATTAPOISETT — The Lions Club held a meeting May 6 to talk about whether to hold Harbor Days this summer, but decided to make a final decision on May 19, after the date that the Governor has set to re-open the economy. Harbor Days is currently...

Mattapoisett Road Race goes virtual

MATTAPOISETT — Although there will be no in-person race this year, the Road Race committee encourages runners to get out and exercise while supporting the Class of 2020. Funds from the road race normally go towards members of the graduating class as...

Rochester considers coronavirus impact on long-term finanicals

ROCHESTER — Now that the town has figured out the logistics of many safety-issues of the pandemic, it is beginning to look into some of the potential financial impacts. Departments have began tracking coronavirus-related expenditures so Rochester...

Rochester will not hold Memorial Day celebration

ROCHESTER — The town will not hold a Memorial Day celebration and will celebrate veterans on Veteran’s Day instead. Selectman Brad Morse suggested that might be the best plan to keep everyone safe amid the coronavirus pandemic. “That puts us into...

Massachusetts golf courses open ‘fore’ the season

The Marion Golf Club, Rochester Golf Club and Reservation Golf Club in Mattapoisett will open their fairways for the season after Governor Baker announced on May 7 that, effective immediately, all golf courses can open with social distancing...

Senior living facilities work to keep coronavirus at bay

From calling lonely residents, to calling in the National Guard, senior living facilities in Marion, Mattapoisett and Rochester are working to protect the most vulnerable population from contracting coronavirus. In Marion, Sippican Healthcare Center...

Mattapoisett Selectmen delay election, Town Meeting

MATTAPOISETT — The Annual Town Election and Annual Town Meeting will be held in June to hopefully give Selectmen candidates more time to campaign with current coronavirus restrictions. At a May 5 virtual meeting, Selectmen set the election date for...

Health board discusses enforcing pandemic rules

MARION — At a May 5 virtual meeting, Public Health Nurse Kathy Downey asked for the Board of Health’s help in dealing with Marion residents that have coronavirus and do not want to reveal who they have been in contact with. Downey said that she has...

Marion makes progress on planning Town Meeting, elections

MARION — As of now the dates for Town Meeting and the Election are June 22 and 26, respectively, though like many things these dates are still fluid. Town Administrator Jay McGrail and Clerk Lissa Magauran presented the Board of Selectmen with...

Marion Memorial Day to go virtual

MARION — To honor the troops, but discourage crowds, Selectmen said in a May 5 meeting that the town will observe Memorial Day with the help of ORCTV at a closed ceremony. Memorial Day committee member Andrew Bonney said that although the parade is...

Schools to start teaching new material again

MATTAPOISETT — After weeks of online review, students can now start learning new content again, Old Rochester Regional administrators said. When the state first started remote learning, educators and parents alike expressed frustration at the lack...

Buzzards Bay Coalition swim cancelled because of disease concerns

The Buzzards Bay Coalition 2020 Buzzards Bay Swim will be cancelled due to the still-evolving coronavirus conditions. “The health and well-being of our participants, volunteers, emergency personnel, staff, and our community is our top priority,”...

Construction, flowers, friendly phone calls at the Marion COA

MARION — Work on the Community Center renovation project to put walls between different offices, has finished under budget and ahead of schedule. However all programs in the space are cancelled until further notice, though some services are still...

ORR seniors talk missing end of the school year

For the Old Rochester Class of 2020, there will be no prom this month, no final theatrical performance, no last athletic triumphs, no spring walk with cap and gown and diploma. In the words of Class Treasurer Emma Gabriel: no sense of closure. In a...

Protestors of state shutdown spotted in Rochester

ROCHESTER — A small crowd gathered at Rochester Town Hall on May 3 to protest Governor Charlie Baker’s decision to close the state. Baker announced April 21 that all non-essential businesses will be closed until May 18 due to the spread of...

Plumb Library to start giving out books

ROCHESTER — The Joseph H. Plumb Memorial Library will remain closed, but will start a distribution program to allow its patrons to still take home some books starting on May 4. The library will provide children’s, young adult and adult books for...

Mattapoisett harbormaster adjusts to new state regulations

MATTAPOISETT — Harbormaster Jamie McIntosh’s job is to keep people safe on the water. In the age of coronavirus, he said that task takes on several new complexities. Unlike Marion, Mattapoisett’s boat ramp is a state boat ramp, and as such is...

Mattapoisett Board of Health recommends face coverings

MATTAPOISETT — On April 29, the Board of Health recommended face coverings for all residents over the age of two who do not have trouble breathing to prevent the spread of coronavirus. The board recommended that residents cover their face with a...

Old Colony to move to new schedule, hold July prom, graduation

ROCHESTER — Old Colony Regional Vocational Technical High School will move into an alternating vocational and academic schedule for online classes starting May 4, and plans to hold prom and graduation for seniors in July, if it is safe to do so then...

Update: No coronavirus deaths in Rochester

No one in Rochester has died of Covid-19. Hours after Town Administrator Suzanne Szyndlar reported at an April 30 virtual Selectmen’s meeting that someone in town had died from the disease, she contacted Sippican Week to say that through a clerical...

Shirts support coronavirus relief, Sippican Week

“This can’t happen again!” Raymond Nicoletti, chief operating officer at Soft As A Grape, can’t remember which employee first made the remark. But he knows it was early March, and talk had turned to drastic measures to protect people from a deadly...

Pages