News

‘Urgent need to keep gatherings as small as possible,’ healthcare official warns

Household transmission of coronavirus is increasing ahead of the holidays, according to Shawn Badgley, SouthCoast Health’s public information officer. He said it was “especially concerning” that from Oct. 18 to Nov. 14, 86 percent of Massachusetts’...

YMCA distributes 200 Thanksgiving dinners

A line of cars snaked through the YMCA parking lot on Monday afternoon to pick up Thanksgiving dinner kits with turkey and all the fixings, including fresh produce. This was the fifth year that the Y led the distribution of meals for the Wareham...
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Thanksgiving changes to free school meal distribution

Because of the Thanksgiving holiday, the schools’ meal distribution program will be closed Wednesday, Nov. 25, through Friday, Nov. 27. To make up for the gap in distribution, kids will be given three days of meals on Tuesday, Nov. 24, similar to...

Linda Rinta honored with award for conservation

Cranberry grower Linda Rinta and the Rinta Family Farm of West Wareham are the New England Leopold Conservation Award recipients for 2020. The award honors people who inspire others with their dedication to conservation of the land, water and...

Basketball for all

Ahead of Thanksgiving, Aaron Strothers of Village Hoops wanted to give back to his neighborhood — so he got together more than 60 basketballs in different sizes and colors to give away to neighborhood kids. Strothers said that when the town put the...

Decas School coyote rescued by Department of Natural Resources

The mangy little coyote frequently spotted eating fallen apples outside the John W. Decas School was carefully rescued by the Department of Natural Resources on Thursday. Community members and Natural Resources officers had been concerned about the...

Grace Lighthouse distributes hundreds of Thanksgiving dinners

A steady stream of cars pulled through the parking lot at Grace Lighthouse Church on Saturday afternoon, leaving with a hot dinner and goodwill from friendly parishioners who were distributing meals. In the past, the church has hosted a Thanksgiving...

From workers to students: Chatham Village food donates Thanksgiving dinners

Students helped unload boxes of Thanksgiving foods almost as big as they were on Friday and carefully stacked them high in the nurse’s office ahead of distribution to students and their families. For the fifth or sixth year in a row, Chatham Village...

Cannabis manufacturer interested in Tremont Nail steel building

Aspen Blue Cultures has expressed interest in using the steel building on the Tremont Nail Factory property to manufacture and package a variety of cannabis products. The company is about a year and a half old and has obtained three provisional...

Decas Elementary School’s redevelopment potential

While there are many possible futures for the John W. Decas Elementary School property, officials from the Southeastern Regional Planning and Economic Development District (SRPEDD) and the Wareham Redevelopment Authority see strong economic...

Private properties to be explored as locations for new police station

Land on Charge Pond Road or Cranberry Highway could become home to a new complex that would contain a police station, Wareham’s emergency medical service and other public safety agencies. The committee decided two private properties had enough...

Notos Group zoning proposal to head to hearing, Town Meeting

Wareham voters will be asked to decide whether or not to approve a “Hospitality, Recreation, and Entertainment” zoning district at the Special Town Meeting. That meeting is currently scheduled for Dec. 19, but will likely be rescheduled to a date in...

Rochester threatens to get ‘ugly’ over Rte. 28 transfer station access

“The stepchild left out in the rain:” That’s how Rochester Town Counsel Blair Bailey described his town’s position as the host of the Rte. 28 transfer station and apparent afterthought for the leaders of the waste district. Although the transfer...

Town officials encourage virus safety measures as holidays approach and cases rise

In the past six days, Wareham has seen 23 new confirmed cases of covid-19 along with two probable cases that have not yet been confirmed, Town Administrator Derek Sullivan said at the Nov. 17 Board of Selectmen meeting. Sullivan and the Selectmen...

Town Meeting dates to be changed (again)

The two planned Town Meetings will be getting new dates, announced Town Administrator Derek Sullivan at the Nov. 17 selectmen’s meeting. The fall town meeting, originally scheduled for October and then moved to December 28, will need to be moved...

Two Wareham dogs designated “at risk” after hearing

Two dogs located at 81 Pinehurst Drive in Wareham have been designated “at risk,” following an incident in which a Wareham Department of Natural Resources officer received a minor dog bite that did not require medical attention. The owner of the...

Selectmen set estimated tax rate

The Board of Selectmen voted on Nov. 17 to set a single tax rate for residential, commercial and industrial properties in town. The property tax rate has been set at an estimated $11.16 per $1,000 of assessed value. Last year, the rate was $10.98. “...

Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library provides free books to Wareham’s youngsters

Free books from Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library program might be just what Wareham families need as the coronavirus keeps people in their homes for the holidays. Fortunately, everything about the program is coronavirus safe. All parents in...

YMCA opens personal training room

During the pandemic, the YMCA has unveiled a new feature: a room dedicated to personal training. Because covid-19 has made the Y’s usual group exercise classes in smaller rooms impossible, the former spin room has been converted into a new personal...

Ahead of winter months, sleeping bag, blanket drive is a success

Lisa Morales arrived at the Onset Pier to collect sleeping bag and blanket donations a few minutes before the drive she’d organized was meant to start on Saturday, Nov. 14. Despite her early arrival, she said there were already people waiting to...

Here’s why Onset water bills look different this fall

At the end of October, residents received their bills from the Onset Water Department. Unfortunately, those water bills have caused some concern and confusion. The bills were much higher than usual, and it wasn’t immediately clear to some Onset...

Project combatting food insecurity launched at Gleason Family YMCA

The Gleason Family YMCA’s new food distribution program was faced with overwhelming demand on its first day. A line of cars waiting for food started forming at 8:30 a.m. — more than two hours before the Nov. 12 drive-thru community market opened —...

Southcoast Health plans for surge, encourages commitment to coronavirus precautions

A warehouse of personal protective equipment, stricter limits on visitation and a shift back to telehealth services — these are just a few of the ways Southcoast Health, the parent company that operates Wareham’s Tobey Hospital, is managing the...

Wareham celebrates Veterans Day

The parking lot between Town Hall and the Multi-Service Center was transformed into a grand display of military and first responder vehicles from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Nov. 11, as part of Wareham’s Veterans Day celebration. Over the course of three...

Selectmen vote to hold a Dec. 19 Special Town Meeting

Prompted by the developer who is seeking to build a casino and racetrack in Wareham, Selectmen voted on Tuesday to hold a special Town Meeting on Dec. 19. At the meeting, voters may tackle the developer’s proposed zoning change and, potentially,...

New state measures implemented as covid-19 cases spike

According to the state’s weekly report , released Nov. 6, Wareham has seen 32 new cases in the last two weeks, bringing the town’s total number of cases during the duration of the pandemic to 313. Wareham also has an average daily incidence rate of...

Basketball hoops to be replaced

The basketball hoops at courts across town will be replaced this week, according to Town Administrator Derek Sullivan. The hoops were taken down in July after pick-up basketball games that drew hundreds of people made town officials concerned about...

Waste District to allow Wareham to lease, operate Rte. 28 transfer station

A contract that would allow Wareham to operate the Rte. 28 transfer station in Rochester starting on Jan. 1, 2021, has been drawn up by the committee governing the Carver Marion Wareham Regional Refuse Disposal District. If Wareham’s Board of...

New member joins Wareham Housing Authority

The Wareham Housing Authority gained a new member when Theodore Hatch was sworn in at Town Hall at 10 a.m. on Monday, Nov. 9. Town Clerk Michele Bissonnette performed the swearing in ceremony. State Representative Susan Williams Gifford and Bob...

Yes, that was an earthquake

A magnitude 3.6 earthquake shook Wareham at about 9:10 a.m. on Sunday, Nov. 8 , U.S. Geological Survey data confirms. People felt the earth shake as far away as Cape Cod, Connecticut and parts of southern New Hampshire. Wareham and Onset residents...

Volunteer, students honored at Boys and Girls Club

A long-time, beloved volunteer and two exceptional students were honored at the Boys and Girls Club on Nov. 6 ahead of the organization’s Steak and a Burger with a Virtual Concert fundraiser event on Nov. 23. Jack Coughlan, who has been volunteering...

Casino developers propose Dec. 12 Special Town Meeting to vote on zoning

The Notos Group, the developers behind the proposed Wareham Park racetrack and casino, have requested a special Town Meeting be scheduled for a vote on their zoning proposal. The developers pitched their idea to selectmen at the board’s Nov. 5...

Developer ‘very committed’ to exploring Tremont Nail development opportunities

Don Huggins, a Rhode Island resident and real estate developer, has expressed interest in the Tremont Nail Factory property, which is owned by the Wareham Redevelopment Authority. Huggins said he’s been “in the development business” in the north...

There’s a moratorium on sewer hookups — what does that mean?

For at least the next nine months, the town cannot issue any new capacity commitments for the Wareham sewer system. The moratorium on new connections was approved by the Sewer Commissioners at their Oct. 22 meeting. With the Wastewater Pollution...

In high-turnout election, Wareham voters favor Biden for president

Wareham voters favored former Vice President Joe Biden over incumbent President Donald Trump for president , and incumbent U.S. Senator Ed Markey, a Democrat, over Republican challenger Kevin O’Connor for Senate , according to preliminary results...

Voters head to the polls for 2020 presidential election

With Election Day in full swing, voters have been casting ballots at polling places around Wareham for hours. Although more than 8,000 Wareham voters cast their ballots before Election Day, there were still plenty of voters at the polls. While some...

Nights of Hospitality homeless program cancelled for this year

After 12 years of offering shelter for the homeless through the coldest months of the year, the Nights of Hospitality program run by the Wareham Area Clergy Association will come to an end. Historically, churches would open their doors and provide a...

Turning Point launches holiday toy, food drive

Turning Point and the Wareham Area Committee for the Homeless are launching their holiday program to bring a holiday meal, toys, clothing, and gifts to as many children and families in need as possible -- and they are looking for donors and...

Vehicle access to Tobey Hospital moved to High Street

Those driving to the Emergency Room at Tobey Hospital must now use the entrance located at 43 High Street, as the Main Street entrance is closed due to construction. Construction is now well underway on the expanded emergency room, which will...

El Mariachi co-owner named Community Service Hero

Luis Contreras, the late owner of El Mariachi, has been awarded the Red Cross Community Service Hero Award. During his life, he gave extensively to the community, and he died while helping others. He pulled over on Rte. 495 at about 1 a.m. on Nov...

No tricks, all treats at community Halloween events

This Halloween, princesses, superheroes, unicorns, and other startling sights hit the pavement at two trunk-or-treat events in search of candy and a good time, and they certainly found both at the YMCA and the Onset VFW. This was the first year that...

Wareham now “in the red”

Wareham is now in the red, according to the state’s weekly public health report, with a daily incidence rate of more than 8 cases per 100,000 people. The Board of Health issued a statement urging people to stay safe and take extra precautions this...

Redevelopment Authority evaluates plans for vacant property

Wareham Redevelopment Authority members agreed to explore selling a vacant building at 4 Recovery Road during their meeting Oct. 29. The building is owned by the Redevelopment Authority and is located in the Town of Wareham Industrial Park, located...

Redevelopment Authority to consider master developer for Tremont Nail Factory

Tremont Nail Factory could soon have a new master developer, according to a discussion during the Wareham Redevelopment Authority’s Oct. 29 meeting. Town Planner Ken Buckland said a developer was interested in the Tremont Nail Factory property,...

Wareham hopes to operate transfer station while staying in waste district

A contentious waste district meeting will be followed up by another next week as members were unclear on how Wareham could continue to operate the Rte. 28 transfer station after January 1. Wareham’s Town Administrator Derek Sullivan attended the...

Virtual Veterans Day celebration’s Grand Marshal announced

Julio Roderick will serve as the seventh Grand Marshal during the town’s virtual Veterans Day celebration, which is planned for Nov. 11, 2020. “It’s just an honor to keep looking out and helping veterans,” Roderick said of his Grand Marshal title. “...

Basketball hoop controversy continues as covid cases rise

The Board of Selectmen has received dozens of emails from citizens frustrated by the town’s continued refusal to replace the basketball hoops at every court across town, which were taken down in July . Selectman Peter Teitelbaum said the board had...

Wareham leader warns town could trend to red

Wareham could potentially trend toward red — or ‘higher risk’ in the eyes of the state — in terms of the daily increase in coronavirus cases, according to Town Administrator Derek Sullivan’s words of caution at the Board of Selectmen meeting on Oct...

Fall Town Meeting rescheduled for a midwinter’s night

Instead of a fall Town Meeting, Wareham residents can plan on deciding municipal business in between taking down holiday decorations and before watching the ball drop on New Year’s Eve. The meeting, originally scheduled for October 26, has been...

Ballot box to be locked overnight

The ballot box outside Town Hall will be locked overnight due to security concerns. Ballots can be dropped in the box between 8 a.m. and 8 p.m., now through Election Day. Town Clerk Michele Bissonnette explained that the boxes would be secured...

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