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News and events you may be
interested in . . . Updated Wednesday,
March 10, 2010
New mystery photo will be posted
tonight, and it will be a
corker! Sponsored by Whites of
Westport and Bittersweet farms. Be
the first to guess correctly and enjoy a night out on EverythingWestport.com.
The Westport Council of Aging will begin
a new “My Life, My Health” program
starting March 8. The once a week, 2 ½ hour program runs over six successive
Mondays. Click here to read about this very successful program
created by Stanford University.
 First sign of spring isn’t a flowering shrub or bulb. Click here to view our photo of the week and learn more.
Westport Council of Aging releases their March newsletter. Read it now.
Westport trash stickers will triple in cost to $30 this summer. More.
The March/April issue of WAG newsletter now available. Click here to read it.
Calling all potential business advertisers for
the upcoming COA phone book. They
need your help! More.
Our Directory of Town Boards and Officials has
been updated! Click here to find out who
the movers and shakers are in our town.
Our latest mystery photo was solved by Jan Pelletier on
Valentine’s Day. Click here to see what she guessed.
Ellie’s Place to reopen under new management!
Will specialize in seafood dishes and Italian cooking. Click here to read more
about Ellie’s and other local business news.
Forever Paws’ president issues immediate plea for support of
endangered ‘compassionate animal care and protection’ legislation. Click here to read more.
Seal watch in progress as gray seals are spotted soaking up the rays at East Beach. More.
Westport Troop 63 helps Haitian survivors with personal health kits. More.
The Westport Art Group
proudly presents: Children’s Winter Art Workshop
taught by Jennifer Gelinas. Looking for a fun and creative outlet during the
cold winter month of March for your young artists? Sign them up for an
opportunity to draw, paint, collage and exercise those creative minds and
hands! More.
New Spirit
of Christ Church offers services at the Westport Senior Center. Click here to read about this and other local church news.
Real estate tax bills go green. Use “e-bill” says
Tax Collector Carol Borden. More.
Census forms mailed to all Westport households. Imperative all
residents comply Registrars say. More.
Beach passes and dog licenses for 2010
now available from Town Clerk’s office. Read more.
Brace yourself; new Westport tax rate is now in effect. 73
cent increase to $6.27 per $1000. Read more.
Westport Historical Society seeks 19th century women’s clothing for exhibition. More.
See more art and theater events now!
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Community Bulletin Board
Book
Babies is on Tuesdays at the Westport Free Public Library. Book Babies is at 10:00 a.m. on
Tuesdays through March 23. 408 Old County Road. The 20-minute program is for
very young children with a parent or caregiver and includes simple finger
plays, songs and board books. For more information, call Linda Cunha,
children and young adult services, at (508) 636-1100.
South
Coast Artists announce a call for
membership and South Coast Open
Studio Tour participation. Membership is available to any visual artist
or art gallery in the Southcoast communities of Dartmouth, Westport, Little
Compton and Tiverton. This is a “great opportunity for artists and
galleries to promote themselves, engage with interested art patrons, and
fuel the local art economy.” The Seventh
Annual South Coast Open Studio Tour is July 17 and 18, and August 21
and 22. The event attracts thousands of visitors. Win a free Open Studio
Tour registration - enter their juried competition for this year’s theme “Start Your Art Engines!” Visit their website www.SouthCoastArtists.org for more information.
 The Westport
River Watershed Alliance (WRWA) is pleased to offer two scholarship opportunities for
graduating seniors in the Westport River watershed, Fall River, Dartmouth,
Freetown, Westport, Little Compton, and Tiverton. More.
Westport
Historical Society seeks Civil War material. 2011 marks the
beginning of the commemoration of the 150th
anniversary of the Civil War. In preparation for this anniversary
Westport Historical Society is undertaking research into Westporters who
were involved with the Civil War as soldiers, medical officers and other
roles. The historical society seeks photographs, objects, any personal papers,
accounts, correspondence and biographical information on Civil War veterans
from Westport. More.
Living
an Abundant, Joy-filled Life: No Matter the Circumstances! Fully Human
and Fully Divine. A six-week series
starting February 21 of experiential workshops tapping into and connecting
with joy, creativity and abundance from the inside out! Westport Point United Methodist Church,
Main Road, Westport, MA. More.
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Find out about all local area
upcoming events.
Click
here for our weekly calendar!
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Sign
up for our email newsletter!
Happening Now in Westport!
These events you don’t want to miss!
Tuesday
March 9 - Special Town Meeting
tonight will give voters their say on transferring funds from the town’s
stabilization fund to cover schools’ budget deficit. Town Clerk expects large
turnout. 7 p.m.
Wednesday,
March 10 - Four Corners Arts Center is pleased to present as part of their
Winter/Spring Film Series: FOOD, Inc.
7:00 p.m. at The Meeting House, 3850 Main Road, Tiverton Four Corners. FREE
and OPEN to the public!
Find
out more about all
local area upcoming events.
Click
here for our weekly calendar!
Tips for healthy living.
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
Eastern Equine Encephalitis (EEE) positive mosquito findings in
New Bedford and Freetown. Click here for more information.
Westport News!
Westport tweets from Grant
Welker of the Herald News.
Click here to get them now!
03-08-2010 - At Westport’s Special Town Meeting
tonight, voters have chance to transfer $150k in reserves to avoid school
layoffs.
Read more.
03-03-2010 - Westport soccer league hopes to
lease from the town farmland on Sanford Road to build six new fields. More.
03/02/2010 - In Westport, 3 arrested after car
chase that police say included suspects throwing guns onto side of Sanford
Rd. Read more.
03/01/2010 - Gunman kills brother, shoots aunt
before killing himself. More.
02/26/2010 - Westport Finance Committee reverses course and now supports
using reserves to close school deficit and save jobs. More.
02/24/2010 - In Westport, new regulations for
East Beach residents are approved; lawsuits 'certainly a possibility.'
02/23/2010 - Westport selectmen Gary Mauk won't
run for re-election. More.
02/22/2010 - In Westport, March 9 vote
scheduled on whether to use reserves to avoid potential school layoffs.
Read more.
02/21/2010 - Westport Finance Committee says
fire station savings shouldn't be used on a training facility. More.
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Meet
Mary Ellen Gomes
Director
of the Westport Council of Aging.
“They say that to
everything there is a time and to everything there is a season. This is the perfect time for me to come back
home to Westport and again serve as Director of the Council on Aging. To all of my old and dear friends, please
stop by the Senior Center for a visit.
If we have never met, this is the perfect season to get to know each
other. The future looks exciting;
and keep watching the “Evergreen” for details about new
programs and activities. I hope to
see your all soon.” Mary Ellen Gomes
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Westport Council of Aging
• Announcements •
COA
Evergreen Monthly Newsletter – March 2010
Read latest newsletter now.
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March, 2010
Click here to
view a schedule and hourly timetable of COA weekly events.
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 Westport
Council of Aging has a
new video! Click here to see it now.
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“Food for Friends” – The
new food pantry sponsored by the Westport
Council of Aging will be open every Thursday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
beginning on September 10, 2009. The food bank is located in the Senior Center on 75 Reed Road. It
is available to Westport residents over the age of 18.
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Jun 25th
2008 Wednesday - First Time Ever House Tour at Westport Point. The Friends of the Westport Council on Aging
sponsored this House Tour in the Historic District at Westport Point.
There
were more than just a few rooms with a view for the over 300 visitors who toured
Westport Point homes on the first ever Point House Tour sponsored by the
Friends of the Council of Aging.
Read
the full story with photos now!
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Tower Power!
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Brian of S & S Tower and
Antenna Service out of East Bridgewater works far above Westport’s new fire
station attaching three 2 1/2” and
three 1 7/8” coaxial cables to
antennas mounted 100 high from the base of a standalone tower.
The town-wide radio communications
system will allow, among other things, firefighters from outside a large
burning structure to communicate with those inside through personal
communicators attached to their lapels.
A break in the weather this week
allowed workers to perform weather-sensitive jobs such as pouring outside
concrete and working in the communications tower where cold and slippery
rungs create dangerous conditions.
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Show me the money!
Westport - A sea of energized
voters stormed the Westport High School Tuesday night, and overwhelming
approved transferring $141,103 from the town’s stabilization fund to cover
the schools’ Fiscal Year 2010 deficit.
Representing less than a percent of
the schools’ overall budget, this issue galvanized community activists and
students alike to get out the town’s voters in numbers never before seen at
town meeting.
Town Clerk Marlene Sampson swore in
three assistant moderators to handle the overflow of close to 1500 registered
voters; they were directed to the high school’s cafeteria, media room and gymnasium.
The auditorium’s seating capacity of 840 was maxed by 7:00 p.m. Get the whole story later today with
photos, only at EverythingWestport.com.
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Special Town Meeting on March 9th
to settle school budget shortfall.
Finance Committee reverses vote.
A parent-driven petition prompted Westport
Selectman to schedule a special town meeting on March 9 to finally decide
the contentious issue of whether to provide money from the town’s
stabilization fund to cover the schools’ budget shortfall.
A struggling state economy with
declining revenues is stressing school-mandated programs. Are teacher
layoffs in the future?
Dr. Carlos Colley had sent out 15
layoff notices to teachers and staff to take effect March 15th. The $150,000
deficit came from unexpected increases in unfunded, state-mandated, special
education costs.
The town meeting is scheduled for
7:00 p.m. at the Westport High School.
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Lees Market puts Big Blue on-line.
Expands sale items for even greater
savings.
There’s always
something happening at Lees.
The Westport
neighborhood supermarket raises the bar in customer service as they respond
to the needs of our community.
Now offering DVD kiosk from
Blockbuster. Rent videos for a buck.
Ask about their introductory 1 Free
Movie Rental Coupon.
Click here to read more.
They
say a picture is worth a thousand words!
Below
is a picture of their Sale Items from the grocery aisles. More.
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EverythingWestport
is a star!
EverythingWestport.com is proud to be awarded Constant Contact’s All Star Award for 2009. The email
marketer of newsletters and communications recently recognized
EverythingWestport.com for “staying in touch with your customers or members
with regular email communications” and that “your list was up to
date - and that everyone on it gave you permission to send them
emails.”
Constant Contact also
praised the Westport website with, “You delivered engaging information that
your audience was eager to receive, open, and read.”
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Rodrigues is “all in.”
Surrounded by family and
supporters, State Representative Michael Rodrigues announced his candidacy
for the state senate seat held by long-term incumbent Joan Menard who will
not be seeking re-election.
“I’m all in,” Rodrigues told the
large gathering at Our Lady of Light Band, a popular conference and banquet
facility in Fall River. “There’s no turning back. I’m putting my whole
political life on the line for this campaign.” Read more with photos.
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Will stringent
state data security regulations affect your company?
Westport businesses
will feel the impact of sweeping new data security regulations soon to be
imposed by the Massachusetts state government.
The toughest set of
laws in the nation will require companies that do business in the
Commonwealth to secure all private and personal information in their
possession for employees and customers.
Click here to read Attorney Mike Foley’s Legal News Alert on
the new regulations. PDF
Beginning March 1,
2010 a business must bring all of its files and computers into compliance
or face potential fines for each breach. State Representative Michael
Rodrigues has been assisting the Fall River Chamber of Commerce in
providing information to area businesses so they may prepare for the
implementation of 201 CMR 17.00. www.fallriverchamber.com
Click here to read 201 CMR 17.00 PDF
Attorney Foley of
Foley and Foley, PC, has lent his assistance to Chamber members by
providing several practical resources and tools to help area businesses
comply with the new regulations.
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State Road CVS store slated to open
March 7.
Westport’s first
large, chain-operated retail store will open its doors to the public on
March 7th, according to store manager Regina Sheldon.
“Our grand opening
with lots of surprises and fun things to do for the whole family will be
held on March13th,” said Ms. Sheldon, a Westport resident. Read more.
Kim (foreground) and Noreen from the Taunton CVS
store stock the cosmetic shelves in preparation for the Westport store
opening.
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Last week in Westport
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Keyboards for Kids
Greater
Tiverton Community Chorus member Lucy Chase recently visited with Westport
Middle School seventh graders Aubrey Destemps, Brendan Sasse, Samantha
Silvia and Cady Arruda to promote the chorus’ Keyboards for Kids campaign. Click
here
to read more about the project.
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“Part
of the fundraising/piano project is about 20 students from both Tiverton
and Westport Middle Schools who will be singing with us for the two
concerts,” Chase said. “We've already sold 88+ keys; that's 1 piano.
We still need to raise dollars for another one.”
“Tiverton
is ahead in this ‘race’, so we’re asking Westport residents for a little
more help,” Chase said.
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Neither snow nor rain nor heat nor gloom of night . . .
Work continues on the new southend
fire house despite ubiquitous snowfall and Phil’s six-week winter
forecast. See photo below.
Siding is nearing completion and
painting of the interior walls is underway. Workers are now installing the
framework for the apparatus bay’s ceiling. “We’re still on schedule and
under budget,” affirms Project Manager Peter Koczera.
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Chief Legendre
confirms project about 70% complete. More photos.
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Haiti fundraiser played to a Full
House!
Reminiscent of the
decades-old battle of the bands genre, over 10 local musical groups
organized by Michelle and Paul Nogueira of Full House fame
entertained hundreds Sunday who
flocked to the ballroom at White’s of Westport for an afternoon of rock,
rhythm, blues, and good ol’ Samaritan outreach.
A ‘Song for Haiti’ joined many other
local Haitian relief efforts in Westport; most recently a White’s-sponsored
Chuckles Stand Up Comedy fundraising event that “produced $500 for Haiti as
well as $1,500 for Junior Achievement,” according to Charlie Fellows of the
Lafrance Hospitality Company. Read more.
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The Westport
Art Group Seeks Input on Children’s Programs.
Jennifer
Gelinas (right) is welcomed to the Westport Art Group by Denise Zompa of
WAG.
The Westport Art Group is conducting
a feasibility study to determine whether the public would support and
make use of a separate art studio for children. An anonymous WAG member
has made a donation in gratitude to the WAG board and membership for its
renewed emphasis in support of children and the arts. More.
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The 17th Annual Rhode Island
Flower & Garden Show now underway through Sunday, February 21!
The
Rhode Island Flower Show attracts more than 30,000 attendees
annually, showcasing more than 30 garden displays
and 250 larger-than-life garden marketplace vendors.
See demonstrations
and lectures,
with an emphasis on organic gardening and bring the kids
for some family fun. Children under five receive free admission. For
almost two decades the Flower Show has been the beacon for early Spring
fun in Rhode Island.
View photo album of the 2009
show! 158 photos | Dial-up speed | Broadband/DSL
speed |
“The hall’s lighting casts the
surrealistic hues of a faraway, imaginary world of colors that exist only
in our imagination. Alien vistas of azure blues and crimson sand landscapes.
Uncommonly eerie and beautiful.” - EverythingWestport.com
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Westport in Brief – Sunday, February 21, 2010
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Beer drinkers raise over $1200
for Haiti relief.
02/08/2010 - The South Coast's local brewery, Just Beer, decided to donate 100%
of sales of its Amber Ale beer to World Vision's efforts in
post-earthquake Haiti.
Bill Russell, owner and brewer,
explains that "with the SuperBowl on Sunday, we couldn't help but
think this was a great way for people to serve delicious local brew and
do some good at the same time."
More.
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Beauty is in the eye of the
beholder.
 Winter shadows were long in the
tooth over this undisturbed field of snow on Thursday as the much-feared
snow- storm failed to deliver the wallop predicted by forecasters. The
over-hyped beast of a blizzard closed schools, town offices and many
retailers, but merely delivered beauty in the eyes of school children and
adults who got the day off.
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Stew and stewardship at WFA annual meeting.
The Westport
Fishermen’s Association held their annual meeting to a full house at the
Westport Point United Methodist Church on February 9. They recapped a
good year and promised more of the same for 2010. Fresh from their
success in the life saving station renovation, the Westport group
promised an ambitious schedule of education and fishery projects. More
with photos.
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Westport in Brief – Sunday, February 14, 2010
Six more weeks of winter it will be!
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02/02/2010 - Thousands of people were
gathered before dawn this morning waiting for Phil’s weather forecast
when the prognosticator finally broke the sad news to the chilled crowd -
six more weeks of winter it will
be! Click
on image below to see the video.
To the groans and
cheers of the devoted multitude, the gregarious groundhog had seen his shadow!
 Click here to get the complete history
of Groundhog day.
Click here to visit Punxsutawney Phil’s official website.
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Curbside Appeal!
02/01/2010 – MRJ
employee Jeff Miranda sets a curbstone with the help of a Bobcat and
co-worker Donald at the new southend fire station. Workers took advantage
of sunny  weather
to tackle some of the outside preliminary landscaping chores.
Meanwhile, taping and mudding is finishing up interior drywall
installation.
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ROMEOs host
Superintendent.
 Westport’s
new School Superintendent, Dr. Carlos Colley, recently shared his resume
and his reservations about the upcoming budget deficit with Westport’s
ROMEOs. Answering the group’s tough questions about education in
Westport, the soft-spoken Dr. Colley was articulate and anything but
phlegmatic as he outlined his vision for the Westport school system.
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Click
here for previous
“goings on” in Westport.
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Event Archive Now!
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