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Local news you
may be interested in. Updated: Tuesday,
October 01, 2013 Photos/EverythingWestport.com
except as noted.
New 09/21/2013! Virtual
tour of an exhibition
of sculptural installations and images by Julie Kiechel
at The Shattuck through September 28th. New 09/20/2013! View
video of endangered
diamondback terrapin turtle release at Little Beach. 09-12-2013! View video of WHS “Splice the Main Brace”
fundraiser.
08/30/2013 – Two Westport
Firefighters graduate 200th Recruit State Firefighting Academy. State Fire
Marshal Stephen D. Coan and Massachusetts
Firefighting Academy Deputy Director Joseph J. Klucznik
presented certificates of completion to members of the Career Recruit
Firefighter Training Class #200 in a graduation on Friday, August 30, 2013 at
1:30 p.m. The ceremony
took place at the Department of Fire Services, 1 State Road, Stow, MA.
Westport Fire
Chief Brian Legendre announced that FF/Paramedic Robert Porawski
and FF/Paramedic Sean Connolly were among the 24 graduates from 18 Fire
Departments. More. 08/28/2013 – Westport
landfill solar project on hold. Westport’s solar project no longer meets the “in the
pipeline” criteria for solar projects, according to Energy Committee chairman
Tony Connors. The state’s ending of this year’s Solar Renewable Energy
Certificates (SRECs) has clouded the planned solar project on the town’s
capped landfill. SRECs provide
the financial impetus for energy companies when installing green energy
projects. The project
construction must be started before the end of the year, and engineering for
connecting into the NStar grid completed, a process
that can move sluggishly slow by the electric utility company. “It’s
a shame, a huge disappointment,” Connors told selectmen last week at their
weekly meeting. The town’s deal
with American Capital Energy is now on hold. Westport
negotiated an $.08 per Kilowatt hour price, but if
future SRECs are a different value, American Capital would have to
renegotiate with the town. Connors said the
Energy Committee is looking at alternatives such as a wind turbine project in
Plymouth or a biodigestion plant like that being
reviewed by Dartmouth and New Bedford.
The Marlborough,
MA-based company launched the pet Oxygen mask program in 2008. The 2013
Campaign is underway to “finish the job,” said MVMA Charities, Inc. President
Dr. Suzanne Starr. The set of three
masks is designed to fit dogs and cats that might be victims of smoke
inhalation, excess water inhalation, or other respiratory emergencies. Read more. 08/27/2013 – Highway Department moves forward to clear
Beach Avenue. Under the watchful eyes of Westport’s
Conservation Commission agent and a few abutters, acting Highway Surveyor
Chris Gonsalves, at the controls of the town’s
frontend loader, cleared the first section of Beach Avenue yesterday morning. The Acoaxet shoreline road, under pressure from storm tidal surges and
the scrutiny of concerned abutters, had its gate opened and the first section
of road widened to its original width of 40 feet. “The road will be cleared of sand and undergrowth under a Department of
Environmental Protection-approved ‘open order of conditions,’” Martin said.
Above: Westport
Highway Surveyor Chris Gonsalves (left) and
Conservation Commission agent Tara Martin (center) explain the clearing
restrictions on Beach Avenue to abutter Swift Lawrence. Under the ‘open order’ Beach Avenue can be cleared to the width of the
original asphalt surface, even though most of the asphalt is long gone, either
washed or cleared away years ago. “I’m here to supervise that the highway department meets that
requirement as we begin the process of clearing Beach Avenue,” Martin said.
More today. 08/25/2013 – Westport
School Superintendent looks forward to a good year in Westport. The new school year, beginning after
Labor Day, is quickly approaching and enthusiasm, at least in the
superintendent's office at the Westport Community Schools, is running high. "It's going
to be a good year," promised an optimistic Dr. Carlos Colley. Having
implemented the District Determined Measures (DDMs) in Westport last year, he
sees this year as a "tweaking" time for the new learning model. Read
more. 08/25/2013 – Westport non-profits recipients of
Massachusetts Cultural Council (MCC) grants. Westport’s state senator Michael Rodrigues announced recently that his
district has been awarded grants from the Massachusetts
Cultural Council (MCC). Read more. 08/25/2013 – Charter to provide
Westport with 151 HD channels starting September 17th. Improved service requires no-cost upgrade to new
Charter-provided set-top HD boxes as part of an all-digital upgrade. Take heart Westport. Better later than
never, cable television "By
removing outdated analog signals, we gain back a tremendous amount of
bandwidth in our network." Gregory A. Garabedian. The single-source cable provider residents
love to hate will provide the upgrade to high definition digital set-top receivers
at no cost. On September 17, Charter will begin
clearing all analog signals from its local network, making way to add 119 new
HD channels. Customers will have access to a total of 151 HD channels once
Charter completes its move to an all-digital network. One hitch: all customers in Westport will
need receivers for all televisions. One extra benefit - internet speed will
rise. The boxes will be available during extended
hours at the Charter Store located at 548 Gifford Road in Westport. From
August 26 through September 9, the store will be open Monday through Friday
from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Saturday from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Read more.
08/24/2013 – Above: just
another brilliant sunset last night at the Sunset Music Series. Tonight! Westport Rivers Vineyard and Winery
will host a special Saturday Sunset Music concert on the vineyard grounds
featuring Wind Up Bill. They are not to
be missed; they are a blast!! Think rock with a twist of salt - inspired by
love of surf, sail, sun and sea. Last night Arc Iris featuring Jocie Adams (piano, guitar, clarinet, vocals), Zachary
Milton Tenorio-Miller (keyboards), Mike Irwin Their
enchanting, whimsical show was a thrill to see. Jocie
Adams’ songs wound the audience through the pages of an anthology of fairy
tales. Jocie’s album, “Bed of Notions,” is a diamond in the rough in
the libraries of musicians around the world. Largest turnout on record. Last week the Vineyard hosted Toph and Tom to the largest audience on record – “the
biggest turnout so far,” crowed vineyard manager Rob Russell. Estimates are
as high as 1100 in attendance. And the sunsets
at the vineyard are awesome! Click here for all the details.
Above: Last week Toph and Tom played to the
largest crowd yet at the Vineyards Sunset Music Series. Hundreds jammed the
expansive lawns of the popular Westport Vineyard and Winery. 08/22/2013 – Nighttime
stripers! Many Westporters woke up “We worked from
9:00 p.m. to 6:00 a.m. with our subcontractor, Highway Safety out of
Brockton, to put down fresh road striping,” acting Highway Surveyor Chris Gonsalves said. “We were able to do the better part of 12
roads with the money available through our budget and Massachusetts Chapter
90 funds.” “It was an
all-night ordeal, but not one car tracked wet paint splotches over the
roads,” Gonsalves said. Working with
halogen lights and sophisticated road line painting equipment, the Highway
Department was able to do striping that is normally done during the day. Roads receiving
new stripes were: Old County Road, Adamsville Road, Sodom Road, Sanford Road,
Briggs Road, Tickle Road, Division Road, Pine Hill Road, Old Pine Hill Road,
Forger Road, East Horseneck Road, and a section of
Gifford Road. A higher
quality, water-based paint infused with crushed glass beads (for reflective
qualities) was used and “should last in a new state for at least three
years,” Gonsalves said.
The Acoaxett shore road has been the subject of controversy
with area residents ever since the town was approached to buy a beachfront
property owned by Black Rock Beach, LLC.
The sparsely
attended meeting raised no audience objection to Joncas’
decision. More later. 08/20/2013 – Westport select
board moves forward with Beach Ave. opening. At last night’s meeting, following
the recommendations of the Beach Committee, selectmen unanimously voted 3-0
(selectmen Craig Duta and Stephen Ouellette were absent) to order the opening
of Beach Ave. to vehicle traffic from Atlantic Street to the Knubble. There was some
protest over the motion from a few in the packed audience of Harbor residents
over River Road traffic, turn-around provisions on Beach Ave., and possible
environmental and safety concerns which selectmen said they would address
with the appropriate town boards and officials as they move forward opening
the embattled road to the public. Beach Committee meets tonight with ConCom. The Beach Committee will meet tonight at 7:00 p.m.
with the town’s Conservation Committee to validate their recommendation and
explore and address any concerns ConCom may have. The action met
with enthusiastic support from the town’s Commission on Disability. 08/20/2013 – Selectmen
recognize Lt. Daniel Ledoux of the Westport Fire
Department for longtime July 4th parade effort. “The Board of Selectmen hereby
expresses their appreciation and extends their thanks to Lt. Dan Ledoux and members of the Westport Fire Department in
recognition of participating in preparation and organization of the town’s
Westport’s annual Fourth of July Parade,” select board chairman Tony Vieira
read from the citation. Lt. Ledoux has been involved with the parade since 1985 and
as its chairperson for the past 12 years.
From the left: selectman
Michael Sullivan, chairman Tony Vierira, Lt. Daniel
Ledoux, and vice chairman Richard Spirlet. A new Westport
Fourth of July Parade Committee led by David Palmer has now taken over the
parade organization duties. “They deserve a lot of kudos over the work they
did this year,” Ledoux said. 08/19/2013 – Westport’s James
S. “Crab” Manchester Jr. dead The longtime
fisherman was credited with saving the life of Billy Kirby in the early
1970’s when a newly built boat Kirby was riding in flipped over in turbulent
waters at the harbor mouth, killing Timmy Flores. Crab took his
boat out and pulled a floating Kirby from the West Branch water. Everyone’s
friend and local personality “Crab” Manchester Jr. died Friday, August 16th
at Charlton Memorial Hospital. He was the
husband of Mickey (Cordeiro) Manchester; they were
married for 33 years. He was the son
of the late James S. Manchester Sr. and the late Virginia (Fredrickson)
Manchester. Mr. Manchester
was a lifetime commercial fisherman who loved being on the Westport
River. He was an avid race car owner
and enthusiast. Crab was a Cranky
Yankee and will be missed by all. Including his
wife, survivors include two daughters, Julie A. Working of Florida, and
Jessie S. Manchester of Westport; a sister, Nancy Campbell of Ohio; two
grandsons, and many nieces and nephews. He was the
father of the late Melinda Manchester and brother of the late Richard S.
Manchester. Arrangements are
under the direction of the Potter Funeral Home, 81 Reed Road, Westport. To sign the
on-line guest book, please visit www.potterfuneralservice.com. 08/19/2013 – Hundreds protest
toll collection. Starting around
4:00 p.m. yesterday afternoon hundreds turned out to protest the collection
of a 10 cent toll on the Sakonnet River Bridge.
Carrying
placards and waving fists, people who either live, work or travel to
Aquidneck Island vented their anger against RIBTA who earlier had issued a
statement saying “refuse to use” E-ZPass users who
hide their transponders when crossing the refurbished bridge and the transponder
reader cannot detect it, “you may be
subject to additional fees as outlined in your agreement.” Click here to watch NBC 10 video. 08/18/2013 – Swansea’s
Mohammed Duad wins the second running of Allens Ponds Sanctuary’s Ducky Dash 5k in a time of
18:36, beating out Brooklyn’s Laurens Goff by 14 seconds. Duad set a new record for the event, besting last years’
time of 18:54 set by this year’s second place finisher, 41-year-old Laurens
Goff. Taylor Frechette of Madison, WI rounded out the top three at
20:19. Out-of-staters
dominated the top five slots as the interstate appeal of the Sanctuary’s
Ducky Dash 5k continues to grow throughout the region. “I felt
pressured halfway through the race,” Daud
said. “I faded a bit
at the end and Daud pulled away,” Goff said. “It’s
the most scenic 5k around,” he added. That it is, Laurens, that it is.
A morning run
down East Beach Road to Gooseberry Island with Cuttyhunk
and Martha’s Vineyard as a backdrop to the beautiful waters of Buzzard’s Bay
just doesn’t get any better. “It was a
comfortable race,” Daud said. The 18-year-old
native North African runner was never challenged for the lead. First female
finisher and fourth overall was Stacie Jaeger of Saratoga Springs. 58 runners
registered and 49 showed up for race day. All winners,
among other prizes, won a “flock of ducks” (5) for next year’s Duck Derby. More
with complete
race results, photos and video. 08/17/2013 – 10th
annual Allens Pond Duck Derby smashes record as
5866 rubber duckies enter the fray at Barneys
Joy. But only one can win its handler a dinner for two anywhere in the world.
Above: And the winner is . . . plucking the
lead duck at the finish line. A decade of ducks has challenged the fiddly
wind and treacherous current of Barneys Joy, and hundreds of the quackers have failed to make the final turn. More with video and
photos. 08/17/2013 – A
trial date has been set for embattled Westport Highway Surveyor Harold
“Jack” Sisson Jr., who is accused of mishandling town property. Sisson, who is
charged with receiving stolen goods, larceny and conspiracy, is scheduled to
stand trial November 13th in Fall River District Court. More.
The Diman School Committee is considering whether it will
renew Montleon’s contract, which is set to expire
on June 30, 2014. The chamber, which established an Education Committee in
2011 and on which Montleon is a member, is seeking
support from the towns that utilize and fund Diman. At their meeting
last week, the Westport Board of Selectmen voted unanimously to support Montleon. According to an
article in the Fall River Herald, the Diman School
Committee must notify Montleon a year before the
contract’s expiration date if it does not intend to renew the agreement. 08/17/2013 – Concert
on the green! The Westport Town Farm and The Trustees of Reservations
hosted their 5th Annual Family Concert
on lush, green pasture in one of the most picturesque spots in Westport - the
town farm. The historic site overlooks the East Branch of the Westport River
and conserved agricultural farmland. Visitors packing a picnic basket brought
their lawn chairs and blankets, and sat back and enjoyed the music of Debra
Mann and her jazz quintet. The local
quintet is comprised of Debra Mann, vocals and keyboard; Dino Govoni on sax; Dave Zinno
playing bass: Gary Johnson on drums; and percussionist Dan Swartz. For future
events please visit their web pages for more information and announcements: www.thetrustees.org
www.westportlandtrust.org.
View
video of the Town
Farm’s 2013 annual family concert. 08/17/2013 – Upcoming
toll spawns protest? RIBTA chief
calls it sabotage. Apparently someone is unhappy with a 10 cent toll on
the Sakonnet River Bridge as an act of arson
brought out Portsmouth and Tiverton firefighters early Saturday morning to
the Portsmouth side of the bridge. A suspicious
electrical fire, extinguished by the first responders, is being investigated
by RI fire officials. The fire has
been ruled as arson, according to state officials. Both the State Fire
Marshal's Office and State Police are investigating. Nearby residents
said they could still smell burning wires Saturday morning.
Above: Portsmouth side of the Sakonnet River
Bridge. Although the RI
DOT is evaluating the damage, there is no interruption to traffic. David
Darlington, Chairman of the R.I. Turnpike and Bridge Authority (RITBA)
released a statement Saturday afternoon on the sabotage of equipment on the Sakonnet River Bridge in the early morning hours of
Saturday, August 17th. “Today, at
approximately 1 a.m. equipment on the Sakonnet
River Bridge was intentionally damaged by fire. Police and fire responded to
the scene, and the fire was quickly extinguished,” Mr. Darlington said in his
statement. More. Tolls will begin
August 19th at 12:01 a.m., a day after protests are planned for the bridge. 08/16/2013 – On
the ride to Horseneck Beach on Saturday, the
McNamara family chose a Shark Week theme for a sand sculpture. “It’s a lot of shoveling
and a lot of fun,” Brian McNamara, 58, of Dartmouth, said as his two grown
sons and their friend sculpted two surfers emerging from a wave, with a shark
swimming dangerously close to them. McNamara, his
wife, Mary-Ellen, their two sons, Logan, 28, and Sheamus,
19, and friend Ryan Bouchard — collectively forming the Polar Bear Sun
Glasses team — won first place in the adult category at the third annual Sand
Sculpture Festival. Read more. 08/16/2013 – American
Legion James Morris Post 145 Women's Auxiliary of Westport has awarded three
$500 academic scholarships. Recipients are
Hannah Bellavance, Kaila Beth Goyette,
both of Westport, and Laura Hilliard of Somerset. The Auxiliary
raised the money for the scholarships through fund-raising activities, and
plan on making this an annual event. 08/16/2013 – Third
calf now reported to have died in a pen next to Gray’s Ice cream at Tiverton
Four Corners; parasites to blame for the second death. Rabies scare
proves groundless. The Rhode Island
Department of Health reassures the public there's no health risk to humans in
connection with the deceased calves in Tiverton. The health
department finished its necropsy on the brown calf, the second of three
calves to have died in a Tiverton pasture since June. The poor health
of the brown calf, which died on July 26, was determined to be caused by
"complications from parasites." "The
results of an animal autopsy performed on the brown calf that was housed in
the pen adjacent to Gray’s Ice Cream in Tiverton, and which was euthanized on
July 26th, showed no evidence that the calf posed any public health
threat," according to the health department's statement. "The
testing, which was conducted at the University of Connecticut Veterinary
Medical Diagnostics Lab, determined that this calf’s condition was due to
complications from parasites that do not cause illness in humans. Therefore,
there is no risk to the public who may have had contact with this
animal." This calf, noted
to be in poor health, was reported to the Rhode Island State Veterinarian on
July 26th. This brown calf
was housed in the same pen as a black-and-white calf, known as Oreo, which
died July 21st while under quarantine for observation for rabies. The cause
of death for Oreo could not be determined. However, out of
an abundance of caution, the Department of Health urged people who were in
contact with Oreo to be treated for rabies exposure. DOH assessed 273
Rhode Island residents for their at-risk exposure during this interval to the
dead July 21 calf, and 23 of them were recommended to secure rabies treatment
by a clinical medical provider of their choice. At least 20 people were
treated. The calves were
owned by Marilyn Bettencourt, the owner and operator of Gray’s Ice Cream. 08/16/2013 – Historic
250-year-old Westport barn lost to quick moving fire. “There wasn’t so
much as the slightest sniff of smoke in the air,” Katie Nemeth said. Robert Nemeth,
operator of the Open Gate Farm, and his family had just finished putting up
hay bales and finally the chickens in the Division Road barn, calling it a
night around 8:20 p.m. on Wednesday, July 31st.
Photo by Dan Richards. Firefighters from Dartmouth,
Tiverton and Little Compton also responded. The Fall River
Fire Department sent trucks to cover the Westport’s fire district during the
call-out. By 9:30 p.m.,
the barn was "fully involved," said Westport Fire Chief Brian
Legendre. “It was all we could do to contain the fire to the barn to protect
the other buildings from flying embers. The last crews left after
extinguishing it at 2 a.m.,” Legendre said. No one was hurt
but there was tremendous personal property loss. “Lost in the
fire were generations of memories,” Katie Nemeth said. The cause of the
fire is unknown. "Spontaneous combustion (wet hay heating up and
bursting into flames) is doubtful,” Nemeth said. The bails literally left the
hay mow less than an hour before.” More later with photos.
Inset: Select board vice-chair Richard
Spirlet congratulates Arrington while selectmen and Lt. Holden look on. The Westport
resident and 16-year veteran of the Westport Police Department was promoted
to sergeant last week by a unanimous vote of the Board of Selectmen on Chief
of Police Keith Pelletier’s approval. Lieutenant Paul
Holden made the recommendation on behalf of Chief Pelletier.
Furyk, the 2003 U.S. Open Champion, bogeyed 9, 17 and 18 to
fall two shots behind Dufner in the final round. Dufner set the
course record at Oak Hill Country Club and became the 24th player to shoot a
63 in a major championship. The Cleveland
native said “My name will always be on this trophy, and nobody can take that
away from me.” More on EverythingWestport’s
Golf Page. 08/11/2013 7:12 a.m.– Small plane crashes on takeoff near Adamsville Road, Westport. Westport Fire and Police
Departments responded this morning to a reported small plane crash at 416
Adamsville Road. Arriving units found
that a single engine, ten-passenger Quest Kodiak plane failed to gain enough
altitude during takeoff and crashed into a wooded area approximately one
hundred feet from the end of the private airstrip. The plane was
attempting to take off from south to north on the airstrip, and ended up in a
small grove of trees. The grass
airstrip is listed as Friends Ultralight field,
owned by Paul Maeder, an ultralight
pilot. All five people
on board were safely out of the aircraft prior to the arrival of emergency
responders. All were examined by paramedics and all remained on the scene.
While there was no fire, there was some fuel leakage on the ground. A HazMat technician from the fire department responded to
the scene due to the spill. At this time
there is no determination of how much damage there is to the plane, and
officials from the Federal Aviation Administration, a Massachusetts
Department of Transportation aviation investigator, and Massachusetts
Department of Environmental Protection were on-hand to investigate the cause
of the accident. The airstrip is
listed as 1635 feet long, ample enough for the 1000 feet required for the
Quest Kodiak. The names of the
people onboard are being withheld while the investigation is ongoing.
Click here to learn more. 08/09/2013 – Blood donors
give big-time! The Southcoast
Blood Bank is proud to recognize the many donors who have made some
impressive, long-term donations! Amazingly,
Daniel Callahan of South Dartmouth has donated a remarkable 27 gallons! That’s no
misprint – 27 gallons! An average man
of 150 pounds will have around 8 Robert Kirkland
of Mattapoisett and Terence Beehan of New Bedford
have each donated 18 gallons. And J. Mark Treadup of New Bedford – 17 gallons. Westporter Eric Larrivee has given 5
gallons. ”The Southcoast Blood Bank is proud to have so many donors who
have committed to donating blood on a regular basis to help save the lives of
their friends, neighbors and members of their community,” the Southcoast Blood Bank said. Other Westport
residents going beyond the call of duty are: Norma Pineault,
2 gallons; and Denise Micale, 1 gallon. Harold
Mendenhall of Riveira Beach, Florida is one unique
volunteer: In 35 years, he has given 100 gallons of his blood to help save
lives. Community Blood Drives: Southcoast
hosts blood drives throughout the region on the Southcoast
Blood Donor Van and at local businesses. The schedule can be found online at www.southcoast.org/van/ or by calling 508.961.5320. 08/08/2013 – Tiverton rabies
scare bumped down to a precautionary note as a second calf that died on July 26th
did not have rabies, officials at the Rhode Island Department of
Environmental Management (DEM) and the Rhode Island Department of Health
(DOH) reported. The exact cause
of both calves’ death has not yet been determined. The two calves
were enclosed in a pen next to Gray’s Ice cream at Tiverton Four Corners. The first calf
was found dead on July 21, but the brain had deteriorated to the point where
a physical examination was no longer possible to determine if the calf was
rabid. The calves’
owner, Mary Bettencourt, had reported their deaths to Tiverton’s animal control
officer. For more information see story below reported on July 26th. 08/08/2013 – Shark
sightings off Gooseberry Island close area beaches to swimming Wednesday. Westport head
lifeguard, Evan Audette, closed Cherry & Web
Beach to swimming and informed Beach Committee chairman Wilfred St. Michel of
the closure after a fisherman spotted two sharks at 11:45 a.m. off Gooseberry
Island, an adult and juvenile, from his truck with binoculars. The state
manages the beaches at Horseneck and Demarest
Lloyd. “Public safety
is our priority,” a state official said, explaining the decision was made
about noontime.
Cherry & Web Beach The Westport
Beach Committee follows Horseneck Beach closure
recommendations. St. Michel noted
that while the water is off-limits, visitors can still enjoy the shoreline
and walk or lie down on the beach. Beaches opened
today after no further sightings were made. East Beach is
not staffed by Westport lifeguards. For information
on closures, contact head lifeguard Evan Audette at
508.789.2685. 08/08/2013 – “Refuse to use!” 10 cent toll on Sakonnet River Bridge starts August 19th. Momentum is building for drivers
not to use their E-ZPass transponders when crossing
the Sakonnet River bridge. This civil
disobedience is redolent of the Boston Tea Party as the cry is taken up –
don’t pay the toll! The Rhode Island
Turnpike and Bridge Authority have stated they are unsure how they will
charge drivers who do not pay the 10-cents since the cost of postage exceeds
the toll. There are no
immediate plans to add a surcharge for those who don’t use a transponder to
pay the 10 cent toll. RITBA Chairman
David Darlington said they might not even send bills to those who only
violate a few times. “It is the responsibility of the driver to pay the toll,”
Darlington said. “We will pursue those who don’t pay.”
Above: E-ZPass transponder receivers and cameras
are installed on the south side of the Sakonnet
River bridge. Toll collection begins the morning of August 19th. The toll is a
“place setter;” look for substantial increases in the future. And don’t expect
an invoice with a self-addressed, postage paid return envelope for those
drivers without an E-ZPass transponder. Social media
reports that many RI residents will not use their transponders when crossing
the bridge as a form of protest. Cameras will
take pictures of drivers’ license plates without a transponder, but RITBA has
no plan on how they will collect those tolls. 08/06/2013 – Westport
Selectmen and Beach Committee move forward with “phase 1” of opening Beach
Ave. to vehicular traffic. “The Beach
Committee has met twice in the last three weeks,” committee chairman Tim St.
Michel said last night in a letter to the select board. “Beach Ave. has
been with us for over 75 years, and we believe that Beach Ave should (be)
opened in phases: phase 1 would be opened for 725 feet to accommodate 30
vehicles with valid beach passes.” “The town should
allow this initial phase to work to everyone’s satisfaction before proceeding
any further. Patience and consideration for all is important so that all
Westport residents can enjoy Beach Ave.,” St. Michel wrote. “Whatever we
decide upon should be reviewed quarterly and annually to assure
environmental, neighborhood and citizen interests are being served as best as
possible,” committee member Jeff Bull told selectmen. Discussion and
negotiation on acquiring an additional 480 feet of beach front for public
access will be put on the back burner while this review process is ongoing,
selectmen said. The town of
Westport already has 109 feet of beach adjoining the proposed acquisition. Click
here for more detail and photos.
Above: photo taken on August 2, 2013
overlooking the proposed 480’ beach acquisition, the 109’ of town-owned land,
and Westport Land Conservation Trust land that runs to the Nubble. 08/05/2013 – Fall River
waterfront going all out to celebrate Navy Day. From the boom of the Big Mamie’s
guns to the brassy, prideful sound of the Navy Band Northeast, Navy Day 2013
will celebrate everything about the Navy and all the other branches of
service, including veterans, those serving now and those who served
throughout the history of our country. Navy Day 2013
takes place Saturday, August 24th, and offers up tons of activities and
educational opportunities, all of them centered on Fall River’s historic
waterfront. Click here
for all the details. 08/05/2013 – Adopt your
duck(s) and join the fun at the Believe it or
not, it’s been a decade of ducks at Mass Audubon’s Allens
Pond Wildlife Sanctuary – and these tenacious, well-trained rubber racing
ducks will line up to conquer the channel at Barney’s Joy on Saturday, August
17th, followed by the Ducky Dash 5k, Kids Totally Quackers
Obstacle Course and Duck Derby Festival on Sunday, August 18th. All of Sunday’s events take place at the
sanctuary located at 1280 Horseneck Road in
Westport. Although paid
registration is required for the 5k race and obstacle course (and includes a
duck entry if you register before August 16th) – the Festival is free and
open to the public. The duck race
will start Saturday at 3 p.m. Read more and get all
the details. 08/04/2013 – Local Parish
Fair wraps up today On Saturday
hundreds of area residents looking for a bargain rushed Gramma's
Attic in the perennial St. John the Baptist-sponsored flea market. And the sugared malasadas, the Portuguese donuts without a hole, were to
die for.
Inset: Joan Brenckle
of Westport shows off this year’s fabulous handmade quilt for the church’s
raffle. There’s still
time to get your tickets for the quilt raffle; single ticket $3, book of 10
for $20. 08/02/2013 – Selectmen
consider the expansion of a third town beach on town-owned land off Beach
Avenue. Opening the
controversial road to provide access was prompted by a recent offer from Westport
attorney Brian Corey to sell the town a 1.44 acre parcel that abuts the
town’s lot to the west. The price is
still under negotiation. If the town
agrees to purchase the land, a new beach consisting of 589 feet of pristine
shoreline would be available to the public. “Beach Avenue is
a town road, and the public has the right to use it to access the town-owned
beach frontage,” select board vice chairman Richard Spirlet said. The Westport
Land Conservation Trust has land abutting the town’s lot to the east that
stretches to the government-owned Nubble, adding another 500 feet of
beachfront available to the public. Westport selectmen move forward to
open Beach Avenue and provide access to town-owned beach. At their recent
meeting selectmen agreed to allow the Beach Committee to move forward with
opening the 109 foot beach to the public after member Jeff Bull said with the
town’s help the current town beach could be opened in two weeks. The plan met
with concerns and resistance from a group of Harbor residents. Click here for
more past events and news you may have missed. Find out about all local area
upcoming events. Click
here for our weekly calendar! See all theater and art events now! |
Happening Today in and around Westport! Today’s events, listed below, you don’t want to miss!
Scroll down to view them all. Click here to see all
events this week. Click
here to
see future events after this week.
Tuesday, October 1 v Aerobics at the Westport Senior Center from 8:45 to 9:30
p.m. Join aerobics instructor Wendy Sperduti-Ray
for a fun fitness workout. All are
welcome. Cost is $2.50 per class. Call ahead to be sure the class isn’t full.
Session I aerobics on Monday, Wednesday and
Friday. Session II aerobics on Tuesday. For more information please call
508.636.1026. v Walking-Hiking Group at the Westport Senior Center. Every
Tuesday
starting 8:45 a.m. they leave from the Westport COA. Are you interested in walking/hiking with others who love the outdoors? Have you
wanted to walk some of the wonderful trails in our area but have some
reservations about heading out alone? Join the group. All ages welcome. Call
508.636.1026 for more information. v Seniors can get help with health insurance, supplemental
insurance, Medicare Advantage plans and other medical or food assistance
programs. Every Tuesday, free and open to all. 9:00 a.m.
to 12 noon. You must call the center to make an
appointment with Janet Holmes, who is there every Tuesday morning.
401.625.6790. Tiverton
Senior Center,
207 Canonicus St, Tiverton. v Gentle/moderate yoga at the Dartmouth Grange, 1133 Fisher Road,
Dartmouth. Every Tuesday at 9 a.m.
Drop-ins welcome as space allows. For more information please call or click
508.965.9505 or email: palestra@comcast.net. v Senior functional
fitness (Jazzy Yoga) by Debbie Gagnon at the Little Compton Community Center on
Tuesdays from 11 a.m. to 12 noon. The fee is
$2.00 for members and $5 for non-members; all seniors are welcome. Functional
Fitness that includes a low-impact, interval-aerobic movement with dance
elements, combined with Pilates and Toning with weights, focusing on the Core
Muscle groups and cardiovascular system. Safe and effective. For more
information please call 401.635.2400 or visit their website. v The Dragon-Flowers MahJongg Group meets every Tuesday from 12:30 to 4:30 p.m. in the Game Room at Sakonnet Bay Manor, 1215 Main Road, Tiverton. Experienced American-MahJongg
players are welcome to join any Tuesday. For more information, call or click Pat
at 401.624.3070, email to mahjongg593@aol.com; or Gretchen at
401.359.0113, email They also give
lessons for anyone interested in learning this fascinating game of tiles. The
next class, which meets once a week for four weeks, will be announced soon.
Contact Pat or Gretchen for details. Reservations for class are required. v Afternoon Tea, Community Cuisine by chef Marie O'Loughlin Jenkins every Tuesday from 1:00 to 4:00
p.m. at the Little Compton Community
Center. Come enjoy a refreshing repast in our cafe style dining room or
al fresco under the shady maple tree - offering a variety of hot and cold
teas and a selection of petite savory and sweet delectables. v Tuesday, October 1 - Knitting and Crocheting at the Westport
COA. 1:00 p.m. If you're new to knitting or crocheting, it's a great way
to pick up new tricks and always have someone at the ready to help you
through the difficult parts of patterns or explain a new-to-you technique.
For knitters and crocheters
of all skill levels committing to a group is a way of making time for it that
hopefully you will stick with. The class is led by Gertrude Vigeant. Westport
Senior Center,
75 Reed Road, Westport. Call 508.636.1026 for more information. v Tai Chi Chuan Classes start today from
4:00 to 5:00 p.m. every Tuesday at
Little Compton Wellness Center,
115 E Main Road, Little Compton. This event is free for the month of
February, and is open to all. Tai Chi Chuan
Classes in the Yeung Family Tradition, Steven
Mello, Instructor. Tai Chi Chuan is built on the
concept that mind, body and emotion are inseparable. Tai Chi Chuan helps to stimulate all of our physiological systems
and facilitates physical, mental and emotional development. All classes in the month of February are
free. Please come and experience the benefits of Tai Chi. If you choose to
continue, classes thereafter will be $5.00 per class. For more
information please contact Steve Mello at 401.5920293 or info@littlecomptontaichi.com v Fall River farmer’s market changes venue. The sidewalk area
outside Government Center will become a community marketplace from 5:30 to 8
p.m. every Tuesday evening. The Tuesday night farmers market replaces
the Thursday daytime downtown market the organization has held for the past
couple years. The change in location and the time are intended to make the
market accessible to more people. Dartmouth-based Quansett Gardens and Main Street
Cafe will be selling breads, muffins and other baked goodies, along with
produce grown on the farm. Westport-based
Paradise Hill Farm will be offering fresh produce and cut flowers. Back to Nature Farm will be selling
fresh produce, and a variety of products will be available from Joe’s Greenhouse including fresh
herbs, produce, hanging baskets, plants and flowers. Crafters that will be selling their wares
at the market include BarKen Crafts selling fabric
totes, wine bags, and soaps. Crocheted and knitted items will be available
from Unraveled Mess. Greater Fall River Re-Creation will be
grilling up burgers and hot dogs for sale to hungry shoppers and the Fall
River Housing Authority Family and Youth Services Department will be selling
strawberry shortcakes. The outdoor market kicks off today with
cooking demonstrations from the UMass Nutrition Extension Program, a
community information booth from the Peace Corps and live music from Nuvo Duo. Sharkey said the live music will be different
every week, with the Khoury Sisters and Ryan Connearney slated for the following week. v Tuesday, October 1 - Zumba classes at Countryview Estates! Every Tuesday at 6:30 p.m. Countryview Estates,
213 Hurst Lane, Tiverton. Admission is $5.00, all are welcome. Latin
Dance Fitness!
Ditch the
workout, and join the party! No previous experience necessary. Easy to follow
Latin dance steps provide a fun and fat burning cardio workout. For information please call or click Fatima
at 401.378.3872, or email: DAMITAF@aol.com. v Tuesday, Tuesday, October 1 - Meditation Class at Amicable Church from 6:30 to 7:30
p.m. every Tuesday at Amicable
Congregational Church, 3736 Main Road, Tiverton. The event is free and open
to the public. Experience the clarity and calm that comes
from shutting off the noise of the outside world and connecting to the body
and the innate serenity of the inner self. This series of weekly classes will
focus primarily on mindfulness meditation with an occasional foray into
simple breath and energy cultivating techniques from various ancient and
contemporary practices. Participants will then bring their expanded awareness
to various life experiences. These meditation classes are facilitated by
Vaughn Bryner, long-time practitioner of yoga,
qigong and a number of meditative disciplines. Location: Amicable Church Child Care Room
(in the lower level of the building.) Materials needed: For your comfort, please
bring a cushion (to sit on) and blanket to each session. Cost: Donation. For more information call or click
401.624.4611 or email: vaughnbryner@msn.com. v Country Line and Couples Dance Lessons with JoAnn and Andy.
Beginner and intermediate dancers. Tuesdays
6:30 to 9 p.m., VFW Poirier Post, 281 Appleton Street, New Bedford. Thursdays
6:30 to 9 p.m., VFW Silvia Post, 134 Shore Drive, Tiverton RI. $7 per class.
For more information call: (774) 202-5543 and ask for JoAnn. v Tuesday Night Open Mic at Sandywoods from 7:00 to 10:00 p.m. at Sandywoods Farm Arts and Agricultural Community, 43 Muse Way, Tiverton.
Admission is free, but
donations for the evening's featured artist and the other musicians are much
appreciated. They will have gourmet coffee from Coastal Roasters for sale. v ExTension Exercise Class every Monday, Tuesday, and Thursday from 8:45 to 9:45
p.m. at the United Congregational
Church, 4 S of Commons Rd, Little Compton. Get fit
and feel great! Questions? Call or click Mary at 401.418.3905 or email: maryderby@aol.com. Find out more about
the above and other local area events coming up this week. Click here for our all of this week’s event listings! * * * *
* * *
* * *
* * Tips for healthy and safe living. Do you heat your home with fuel oil? Then you’ll want to review new safety
standards for protecting against costly oil leaks that could be very
expensive to remediate. Click here
PDF to see how to protect your oil tank’s fuel line as
required by law. The Massachusetts
Homeowner Oil Heating System Upgrade and Insurance Law requires you to
upgrade your home heating system equipment to prevent leaks from tanks and
pipes that connect to your furnace. By making a relatively small expenditure
now, you can prevent a much greater expense in the future. Eastern Equine Encephalitis (EEE) positive mosquito findings in
Westport and a widening swath through Southeastern Massachusetts. Click here for more information
and learn how to protect yourself from EEE. A defective or non-functioning smoke
alarm almost cost a young
Westport woman her life in a recent July 4th Drift Road fire. The house burnt
to the ground but the woman was saved by an alert Fire Chief. Protect yourself,
your family and pets with proper smoke and carbon monoxide detectors. Is your property safe? Click here to get all the details and state
requirements for all age homes. Do it
now. PDF Large file, Please be
patient. 16 tips you need to
defend yourself against deer ticks and Lyme Disease for 2010. Click here to get them
now! 10 tips for living with coyotes in Westport.
Click here to learn how. PDF
Aerial views courtesy of Geno
Silvia New England Wings - Custom Aerial Photography
Baker’s Beach and Westport Point.
Westport’s Central Village featuring Partners Village
Store and Kitchen, Alden Hill Real Estate, and Town Hall Annex. |
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