News

Damien’s Place Food Pantry temporarily closes

The Damien’s Place Food Pantry will be closed until further notice for “the safety of our clients, workers, and volunteers,” according to an announcement from the pantry. The decision was motivated by the desire to keep everyone safe from the spread...

Garden shop digs deep during pandemic

With reduced hours, a limited staff wearing masks, and customers standing six feet away from each other, business isn’t exactly as usual at Olson’s Garden Center, but that hasn’t stopped Melissa Ferreira from doing everything she can to make it...

So fresh and so clean: Wareham Woman sells soap from her home

In front of a home in West Wareham, a small honor-system stand was set up to sell not eggs or home-grown vegetables, but hand-crafted bars of soap. Elizabeth Arone has been making soap by hand for three years. She usually sells her products to...

Town beaches closed due to coronavirus

All Wareham beaches are closed until further notice, announced Town Administrator Derek Sullivan on Sunday. The town’s decision follows Governor Charlie Baker’s closure of all state beaches on April 2 and the closure of beaches in many surrounding...

Everyone’s invited to this four-year-old’s long distance birthday party

Mary Cooper’s daughter Aubrey will be turning four on Friday, and since a regular birthday party is out of the question, she came up with an idea to allow her to celebrate while staying at a safe distance. Everyone in town is invited to drive by...

Laundromats lose business, adapt to limit spread of coronavirus

Laundromats, deemed an essential business by the state, seem like they could be more crowded than ever as people focus on cleaning as a way to protect themselves from coronavirus. In fact, laundromats in Wareham have seen a drop in business, and...

St. Patrick’s to livestream Holy Week services

St. Patrick’s Parish will livestream its Holy Week services to parishioners who are isolated at home due to the coronavirus pandemic. On Holy Thursday, April 9, St. Patrick’s will livestream Mass of the Lord’s Supper at 7 p.m. On Good Friday, April...

Loose dogs kill chihuahua

Following a dramatic increase in the number of dog bite incidents, including one in which two dogs killed a chihuahua, the Department of Natural Resources is cracking down on leash law violations. On March 31, officers responded to Swifts Beach for...

Sewing hope: Wareham woman crafts masks for healthcare workers

As the coronavirus pandemic spreads, many hospitals and health care organizations are facing major shortages of personal protective equipment, or PPE, like gloves, masks, and face shields. And so, a Wareham woman decided to step up to help those in...

An inside look at the new Onset Bay Center

The Buzzards Bay Coalition’s new Onset Bay Center is nearly complete, and on track to bring kayaking, sailing, and marine exploration to Wareham this summer. After about five years of planning and work, and an investment of over $5 million from the...

Pandemic poses problems for town meetings, elections

In addition to health risks and economic hardship, the coronavirus pandemic poses problems for various town meetings and elections because it is no longer safe for people to gather in large crowds. Wareham’s Annual Town Meeting was scheduled for...

Submit comments to Selectmen

Although Selectmen’s meetings are being held virtually, public comments are still welcome. To submit a comment to the Selectmen, contact the Selectmen’s office in Town Hall by calling (508) 291-3100, ext. 3101, or sending an email to selectmen@...

Recycling center temporarily closed

The Recycling Center off of Maple Springs Road will be closed for the time being due to the coronavirus pandemic. Both of the transfer stations operated by the Carver Marion Wareham Regional Refuse Disposal District are operating as normal. The...

Selectmen vote in favor of delaying real estate tax due date

The Board of Selectmen voted Tuesday night to extend the deadline for real estate tax payment from May 1 to June 1, pending the approval of the legislature at the state level. Town Administrator Derek Sullivan noted that many of Wareham’s residents...

Southcoast Health garners support for workers on the frontlines of a pandemic

As doctors, nurses, and other healthcare professionals put themselves at risk to combat the coronavirus pandemic, Southcoast Health has started an initiative to garner support for those on the frontlines of a crisis. The health organization has...

Playgrounds are closed as six Wareham residents diagnosed with coronavirus

A total of six Wareham residents have been diagnosed with coronavirus, and there are likely many more who have not been diagnosed. “More people are being tested and the cases will rise. This should be a strong reminder that COVID-19 is here and we...

Murder suspect held without bail

Danny Sherman, the man arrested for the Friday murder of a woman in the Rose Point home they shared, will be held without bail without prejudice until April 30. Sherman was arraigned in Plymouth on March 30, and entered a not guilty plea. He is...

Reader photos: Wareham residents explore nature

Despite events being canceled, and bars and restaurants closing to limit the spread of coronavirus, people in Wareham have still been able to enjoy many of the outdoor destinations around town. Readers of Wareham Week sent in various photos to...

Wareham man arrested for Rose Point murder

Danny Sherman, 54, of Wareham, has been arrested for the murder of a woman found dead yesterday in her Rose Point home . At about 8:15 a.m. yesterday, March 27, Wareham police were called to a waterway by Route 6 in Wareham for a reported distressed...

Grateful Dead bear cheers up Onset

An anonymous Onset resident donned a purple Grateful Dead bear costume and hit the streets to cheer people up on Saturday. “I just do it to make people smile and just to be able to engage in a positive way from a safe distance,” the bear said. The...

Update: Police investigate death of woman in Rose Point

Wareham and State Police are investigating the death of a 57-year-old woman in a Rose Point home following an 8:15 Friday morning report of a distressed man in a canoe in the Weweantic River or a tributary just north of Route 6. A four-paragraph...

First Wareham resident diagnosed with coronavirus

Someone in Wareham has been diagnosed with coronavirus, officials announced on March 27. Officials said that this positive case should be a reminder to all residents of the importance of social distancing. Additionally, the town is asking all part-...

Southcoast works to get more beds, educate public

As the number of people diagnosed with coronavirus continues to exponentially increase, Southcoast Health is working to dramatically increase the number of beds available at Tobey Hospital, buy more ventilators, and keep its front line staff healthy...

THANK YOU! ...and please

For 10 years, Wareham Week and its website have been free to readers. That’s not going to change. But, in this extraordinary time, we need to ask readers to help keep us up and running. Wareham Week and sister papers Sippican Week and Dartmouth Week...

Help the Onset Bay Center name its boats

The Onset Bay Center has a new fleet of three boats that need names, and to decide, they are asking the public to vote via Facebook. The fleet consists of a restored 1965 Boston Whaler and two new rigid inflatables. The boats will be used for on-the...

Osprey return to Wareham

The sunshine is warmer, crocuses are blooming, daffodils are budding, and the ospreys are screeching. A number of osprey have returned to their nests around town, including near the Narrows, the Agawam Herring Run, a nest near Nessralla’s, and near...

Dog licensing deadline extended

The Board of Selectmen voted at their March 24 meeting to delay the deadline for registering dogs until June 30. Noting the current coronavirus pandemic and closure of Town Hall, the board agreed that it was reasonable to give people extra time. All...

Southcoast prepares for influx of coronavirus patients

As Massachusetts and Plymouth County see a rising number of people testing positive for the coronavirus, officials at Tobey Hospital are preparing for what could be an onslaught of patients. All elective surgeries have been cancelled, and parent...

Selectmen urge public to stay home

The Board of Selectmen urged the public to take the growing coronavirus pandemic seriously and practice social distancing at their Tuesday night meeting. Chair Patrick Tropeano said that people should not be lulled into a false sense of security due...

Community group rallies to help those in need during pandemic

As businesses close and unemployment rises, a new community group is working to connect those in need with those who can help through mini food pantries around town. Community Youth Empowerment was started earlier this spring, and normally hosts...

Wareham, Onset Fire Departments close stations to public, adapt to pandemic

As part of the ongoing “social distancing” effort to mitigate the spread of the coronavirus, both the Wareham and Onset Fire Departments have closed their stations to the public. Both departments have also limited fire inspections, and have taken...

Garden Club to award scholarships

Update: The deadline for applications has been extended to June 30 for high school and college students. The Wareham Garden Club will be awarding $1,000 scholarships to high school seniors and college students this spring...

First responders find missing nursing home patient

Wareham Police responded to Tremont Nursing Home for an alarm activation and a missing patient on Saturday, March 21 at around 1:25 a.m. Wareham police officers began searching the area for the missing patient with help from the Plymouth County...

Dispensary shoppers steady despite pandemic

As Wareham residents stock up on necessities and prepare to spend more time at home, some have noticed a long line of customers waiting outside Verilife, the marijuana retailer on Main Street. Although some customers might be there to stock up,...

As gatherings are banned, Wareham musician performs online

Musicians and other performers have been devastated by the impact of the coronavirus, often losing months of work in a flash as tour dates are cancelled. Wareham’s Grace Morrison, a singer-songwriter, was set to perform three shows this week with...

School district provides information, resources during closure

Wareham Public Schools have canceled all school-related activities From March 16 to at least April 7 to mitigate the spread of the coronavirus. Since the schools closed down, students have started learning remotely from home, and teachers and staff...

Preparing for a pandemic: What we are doing

The past week felt a little like the frenzied, anxious days that prevail as forecasters track the course of a Category 5 hurricane — while residents board up windows, stock up on supplies and make evacuation plans. But . . . We know how to prepare...

Explore nature, try ‘Backyard Bingo’

Although many events and places have been shut down temporarily due to the coronavirus, the Wareham Land Trust properties remain open to the public. The organization has also challenged the community to a friendly game of “Backyard Bingo” to give...

Chamber of Commerce works to support small businesses

The Cape Cod Canal Region Chamber of Commerce, which covers Wareham, Bourne, and Plymouth, is open for business and working to support local business owners. To that end, the chamber has created a page on its website listing restaurants that are...

Selectmen put some town business on ice

Town Moderator Claire Smith talked with the Board of Selectmen and Town Counsel Richard Bowen on Tuesday night about delaying both Town Meeting and the Town Elections, which are currently scheduled for April 27 and May 5, respectively. Smith said...

Selectmen approve coronavirus spending

Due to the threat of coronavirus, the Board of Selectmen had a rather unusual meeting on Tuesday night as Jim Munise, Peter Teitelbaum, and Alan Slavin joined the meeting remotely. The group approved two new funding measures to allow the town to...

Gyms adapt to coronavirus pandemic

Several gyms in Wareham have closed their facilities to mitigate the spread of the coronavirus, and have adapted to find new ways to promote exercise and healthy habits to their members at home. The Pound Martial Arts Center, Straight Blast Gym East...

Police department limits public access amid coronavirus pandemic

The Wareham Police Department has now limited public access to the police station due to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic. The department has asked that visitors do not enter the station’s lobby, unless they have an emergency, or a scheduled...

Restaurants reel from restrictions

Governor Charlie Baker introduced a series of life-changing restrictions to mitigate the spread of coronavirus on Sunday, March 15. Principal among them was limiting restaurants to takeout and delivery only, effective on Tuesday, March 17. In...

Churches go online during coronavirus restrictions

As Governor Charlie Baker has limited gatherings to 25 people or fewer, many churches in Wareham are working to find a way to connect with their members at a safe distance. For some churches, like the Bridge in Onset, that means stepping up the...

Patient diagnosed with coronavirus at Tobey Hospital

A patient at Tobey Hospital has been diagnosed with the new coronavirus. The patient lives in Plymouth County, and is at least the second case in the county following one person’s diagnosis in Hanover on March 15. Shawn Badgley, the public...

Town, state government step up coronavirus response

As Governor Charlie Baker announced aggressive new measures to mitigate the impact of coronavirus on the state, so did local officials. Baker announced that all schools in the state will be closed through April 7, that all gatherings of more than 25...

March Addiction and Recovery Drop-in Center cancelled

The March Addiction and Recovery Drop-in Center, originally scheduled for Wednesday, March 18, has been cancelled due to concerns about the coronavirus.

Wareham Land Trust cancels events scheduled for month of March

In an attempt to mitigate the spread of the coronavirus, the Wareham Land Trust has canceled all of its remaining events scheduled for the month of March. The land trust will re-evaluate the situation in the coming weeks, to address events scheduled...

Town of Wareham to implement precautionary measures on March 16

Editor’s note: On March 15, both state and local officials instituted new coronavirus related restrictions. Click here for that story. After evaluating the ongoing coronavirus pandemic for the last two weeks, the Town of Wareham...

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