News

News

Planning Board hearing rescheduled

The Planning Boar will hold a hearing on accessory dwelling units and the proposed solar zoning district on March 10. The original date for the hearing was Feb. 24. At the Jan. 13 Special Town Meeting voters decided the Planning Board’s proposals to...

Not guilty verdict for former high school custodian charged with indecent assault and battery

On Feb. 10, a jury found a former Wareham High School custodian not guilty of indecent assault and battery on a student. In mid 2023 a 16-year-old high school student alleged Michael Miranda, 56, of Marion touched her inappropriately. According to...

Three make the dean's list

Three Wareham residents earned a spot on the Emmanuel College's dean's list for the Fall 2024 semester. Anna Chrisman studying chemistry and forensic science, Abby Wiksten studying liberal studies and elementary education and Marina Naoum-Salib...

New complaint filed amid leadership confusion in Wareham Fire District

A new complaint and union grievance have been filed in the ongoing controversy within the Wareham Fire District while confusion over leadership persists. In two complaints filed last year , district employees accused Fire Chief John Kelley of...

Right to build, right to deny: Solar developer lawsuits challenge Planning Board

After approving spending $80,000 on “solar experts” to testify in ongoing lawsuits at the Jan. 13 Special Town Meeting, many voters may have wondered about the details of the litigation. The answer: Three solar developers have filed lawsuits against...

Organizations seek community input for improvement of Marks Cove Conservation Area

The Buzzards Bay Coalition and several partners are working with an engineering firm on developing a vision for the improvement of Mark’s Cove Conservation Area. On March 2 at 1 p.m. the Coalition will lead a guided tour of the property and take...

Keeping out the cold: Program provides hotel rooms for homeless people

As temperatures routinely plunge below freezing, Turning Point of Wareham is working to keep homeless people out of the cold. Last winter the organization created the Emergency Response Plan, a program which provides homeless individuals a hotel...

Turning Point finds a new home

Turning Point of Wareham will soon have a new home at the American Legion Building at 777 Main St. For the last three years the organization, which assists homeless people and those facing homelessness, has been headquartered near Wareham Middle...

Select Board revives Bicycling Committee

The Select Board revived the Bicycling Committee on Feb. 18, unanimously reinstating the advisory board after its dissolution in 2019. The Bicycling Committee, previously known as the Bike Path Committee, advises the Select Board on “providing a...

The story of the Wampanoag tribe through poetry, jazz and an original play

Members of the Wampanoag tribe came to Wareham to showcase their artistic talents and to tell their story in a way it has not been told before. On Sunday, Feb. 16, members of the Wampanoag Nation Singers and Dancers held a performance at the First...

Wareham Garden Club offers $1,000 scholarship

The Wareham Garden Club is offering $1,000 scholarships to qualifying high school seniors and college students for the spring of 2025. Applicants must have maintained legal residence in Wareham for at least one year, be enrolled as a student with a...

Through the rain and into the bay: People plunge for seals and sea turtles

Instead of spending a rainy day inside watching the weather and hoping it'll change, people from across the South Coast ran head first into the cold waters of Onset Bay to help raise money for sea creatures. The National Marine Life Center, a...

Proposals made to conserve land, upgrade Swifts Beach, Hammond School

The Wareham Land Trust has proposed using over a million dollars from the Community Preservation Fund to conserve nearly 20 coastal acres; while town officials have proposed spending more than a quarter of a million dollars from the same fund on...

Celestial sights light up the night sky

Perched atop Wickets Island, celestial bodies lit up the night sky and while they appear to be no more than dim lights to the naked eye, a little help from a Wareham High School teacher helped people see the planets and stars of our galaxy like they...

Affordable emergency: Plan offers cheaper ambulance rides for Wareham residents

Ambulance rides generally cost thousands of dollars with insurance companies typically covering only part of the expense, according to Mass.gov. For Wareham residents, there's an affordable solution. For nearly 40 years, Wareham residents have had...

Snow day fun

Reader Dean Martin submitted photos of him and his son Bryce Martin enjoying the weekend’s snowfall from their Little Harbor neighborhood. If you would like see yourself in Wareham Week, email your photos to editor@warehamweek.com .

Grants awarded from one local group to another

The Wareham Cultural Council has awarded $13,245 in grants to 12 different groups and organizations for their projects involving the arts, sciences and humanities. The recipients are as follows: Exploring the Cabo Verdean/American Musical Legacy: A...

Redmen trade chowder for chili in first chili competition

The scent of slow-cooked meat, beans and secret ingredients filled Redmen Hall as competitors vied to see who is the champion — of chili, that is. The members of the Redmen Hall hosted their first chili competition Saturday, Feb. 8 which featured 13...

Bridge project affects emergency service response time, could take years to fix

School buses, ambulances and fire trucks can no longer use a bridge on Fearing Hill Road and will have to take a detour to reach County Road and other areas on the west side of Wareham. The Massachusetts Department of Transportation recently...

Officials share possibility of tax credit for businesses in vacant buildings

Wareham officials have applied for a state grant that could provide tax credits to businesses that move into vacant buildings on Main Street. If the state approves Wareham’s application, new businesses that choose Main Street to set up shop could be...

Town speed limit set at 25 miles-an-hour for non-state roads

The Select Board unanimously approved setting the speed limit in Wareham to 25 miles-an-hour in “thickly settled areas,” unless otherwise posted. The state defines “thickly settled” as “an area where homes are less than 200 feet apart or areas where...

Applications for event funding are now available

The Wareham Community Events Committee is accepting applications for events for the 2025 season. All applications sent in by Thursday, April 18 will be reviewed by the committee ahead of their April meeting. The committee recommends submitting...

New play structure is on the way for Lopes playground

After over 40 years on Onset Avenue, Lopes Playground is getting a makeover as the current wooden structure is set to be taken down next week and construction of the new playground will begin in March. According to Marie Greig, a member of Wareham...

Accessory dwelling unit moratorium takes effect

At the Jan. 13 Special Town Meeting, Wareham voters passed a moratorium on a state housing law, preventing it from going into effect until Jan. 13, 2026. The moratorium is active law as of Feb. 3, despite requiring approval from the attorney general...

Missing man located

Wareham Police informed the public on Feb. 3 that William MacMillan has been located after a four day search. Prior to being found Macmillan, was last seen Jan. 28 in Randolph driving on Route 24. Police asked for assistance in locating MacMillan on...

Planning Board to revisit solar restrictions at hearing

Voters recently delayed action on a proposal to confine all future large-scale solar to a designated area. The Planning Board will revisit the plan at a public hearing on March 10. At the Jan. 13 Special Town Meeting, voters determined that the...

Damien's Food Pantry looking for donations and a DJ

Damien's Food Pantry is looking for some donations to be used as prizes in fundraisers and for some musical talent. The food pantry is looking for gift cards for services, dining or entertainment and unopened bottles of wine and liquor. The gift...

A day on the ice

[This story was written by former Wareham Land Trust President Jim Munise for the Wareham Land Trust newsletter.] For the first time in years, former Wareham Land Trust President Jim Munise found ice thick enough to go...

Plans presented to tackle wetland flooding

As rising sea levels continue to cause flooding in coastal wetlands, the Buzzards Bay Coalition, Town of Wareham and the Wildlands Trust are working with engineers to figure out a plan to protect Wareham's wetlands. In a public hearing held Jan. 28...

Tobey Hospital reaches contract agreement with support staff

After months of negotiation, Southcoast Health and Tobey Hospital employees reached a wage increase agreement Jan. 17. Members of 1199 Service Employees International Union, who are primarily hospital support staff, picketed earlier this month,...

Bird flu outbreak risk to dogs, potentially fatal for cats

Wareham’s animal control officer said residents should take precautions against bird flu after the virus killed 60 birds in Plymouth last week. Animal Control Officer Devin Cloutier said that while the current strain of bird flu has caused yearly...

Planning Board to hold public hearing on accessory dwelling units

The Planning Board will hold a public hearing on Monday, Feb. 24 to present the revised version of the accessory dwelling units bylaw proposed at the Jan. 13 Special Town Meeting. An accessory dwelling unit is a second, smaller residence that can be...

Get to know Wareham’s new State Senator Kelly Dooner

Newly elected State Senator Kelley Dooner began her first term this month, representing Wareham and the rest of the 3rd Bristol and Plymouth District. Dooner, a Republican, took over from longtime Democrat Marc Pacheco, who served the district for...

Warming the South Coast one stitch at a time

Every Tuesday morning, a group of women gather at the Trinity Christian Church to knit, crochet and share coffee all in the name of a good cause. Mission Stitchin' donates their knitted and crocheted creations throughout the South Coast to...

Fire officials face employee criticism

At the Wareham Fire District's meeting on Jan. 23, elected officials faced criticism for their handling of a complaint by an employee. The employee, who only identified herself as Mikayla, addressed the Prudential Committee — the board that oversees...

Cookies for camping: Girl Scouts set up shop on Main Street

Selling several sweet snacks while bundled up in sweaters and scarves, girl scouts were out in the cold aiming to hit their cookie quota. On Saturday, Jan. 25 outside of the Riverside Cafe on Main Street, members of girl scout troop 64,968 set up...

New documents reveal little about Wareham Fire District controversy

This week an attorney for the Wareham Fire District released heavily redacted documents related to employee complaints accusing Fire Chief John Kelley of harassment and creating a hostile work environment. The documents, obtained by Wareham Week...

Public meeting to be held on Great Neck wetlands restoration

A public meeting will be held Tuesday, Jan. 28 to discuss plans to restore coastal wetlands at the Jack’s Marsh site in the Great Neck Conservation area. The meeting will take place at 6 p.m. in the Wareham Free Library community room at 59 Marion...

Uncertain future for Christmas parade, Halloween events

The Wareham Village Association has enough funds to hold its three annual events — Trick or Treat down Main Street, the scarecrow competition and the Christmas Parade — one last time in 2025, after which it will be out of money, Director Tracy...

Town program offers work-based tax break for seniors

Wareham senior residents who are accepted to a town program may receive up to $1,000 off their property tax bill in exchange for work. The Select Board made their annual approval of the annual Senior Tax Work-Off Program on Jan. 21. The program...

Historical award

On Jan. 18 the Wareham Historical Society awarded a $1,000 college scholarship to a UMass Amherst student. Kiley Sullivan is pursuing a Bachelor of Arts degree and plans to go into teaching. “Kiley expressed her sincere gratitude to The Wareham...

Sword swinging and lessons learned at stage combat class

As pool noodles bashed up against each other and friends became foes, professional Hollywood stunt actors put on a space sword swinging soiree. The soiree was a class on stage combat using swords at the Wareham Free Library Saturday, Jan. 18. The...

Wareham residents receive promotion from Barnstable County Sheriff's Office

The Barnstable County Sheriff's Office promoted several correctional officers, four of which are Wareham residents. In a ceremony held at Mashpee Middle-High School Jan. 10, Terry Mumper was promoted to Lieutenant. Pat Matthews, Kyle Stecchi and...

Cranberry bogs get a winter makeover

While cranberry bogs currently lack their classic red color and have a layer of ice on top, A.D. Makepeace is still busy working to ensure their bogs are ready for the growing season. In a process called ice sanding, motorized carts carry large...

Special Town Meeting voters approve $700,000 for solar experts, land purchase

Voters at the Jan. 13 Town Meeting approved using town money to hire solar experts to testify on the town's behalf and purchase two acres of land. The Planning Board is involved in multiple court cases in which solar energy developers are suing the...

Special Town Meeting voters decide proposed housing, solar changes need more study

At the Jan. 13 Special Town Meeting, voters decided that proposed zoning changes affecting future solar and housing development needed more study. Voters heard two proposals that would change zoning bylaws in Wareham. One created a designated...

Wareham Fire District dealing with complaints, controversy

The Wareham Fire District is facing multiple ongoing controversies, including union grievances and harassment complaints that appear to be directed at Chief John Kelley Members of the elected Prudential Committee that oversees the fire district — as...

Healthcare workers picket for higher wages

Tobey Hospital employees braved 20 degree temperatures to wave signs and chant while picketing for higher wages on Thursday, Jan. 9. Organized by 1199 Service Employees International Union, both union and non-union workers arrived in force near the...

Select Board recommends voters pass all Special Town Meeting articles

At the Jan. 7 meeting, the Select Board recommended voters approve all five articles for consideration at the upcoming Special Town Meeting. The first article voters will hear at the Jan. 13 special meeting, a proposal to spend $100,000 on “solar...

Voters to decide housing, solar development future at Special Town Meeting

Voters will determine the future of solar and housing development at the Monday, Jan. 13 Special Town Meeting at 7 p.m. in the Wareham High School Auditorium. The meeting will also include decisions on a municipal property purchase and the hiring of...

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